"Pitaya is being annoying again," the last word had emphasis, "... I will send them back crying to their little valley." Their four wings spread out. "You stay here, my love," they turned back and knelt down, "I can only fight at my full power with you safe."

They then headed out from their mountain to go face their fellow dragon.

They came fluttering back in later, holding their staff and with eyes blown wide.

"PITAYA WOKE UP LONGAN," they shouted like you knew who that was, "LYCHEE IS BEING ANNOYING, TOO." Once again, no idea who that was. "LOTUS WON'T NOTICE UNTIL IT BOTHERS THEM." You just blinked. They suddenly clutched you to them and hyperventilated.

Ananas's treatment of their mate is utterly perplexing to Pitaya... Don't they want… a partner? Even if they don't particularly prefer sparring, they could at least let them have more choice. Even the Red Dragon lets their mate pop out of their nest without stalking after them… Most of the time. Keeping their mate hidden away in their mountain – What was wrong with Ananas? Especially picking such a fragile-looking mortal! Pitaya cannot imagine them surviving a mating season, let alone any possible eggs. This is beyond acceptable in their mind.

“Your mate isss too pampered.”

“And?”

“What if they need to fight or sssomething. They'll die.”

“I will guard them. Don't be foolish. They are more precious than any treasure in my nest.”

Pitaya's treatment of their mate leaves Ananas floored. To choose a mortal – a being no doubt weaker than any dragon and so fragile in a variety of ways – and then to pick fights with them and expect them to handle monsters on their own!? Ananas would shudder. A mate is a treasure! An irreplaceable one! They need to be kept away amongst a hoard and guarded. If Pitaya's mate survives into old age, Ananas would be shocked.

“Your mate is bleeding!”

“Yesss? And? I wrapped it.”

“Th-they could have died!”

“Well, they didn't. They're ssstrong! That'sss why they are worthy of being with me.”

Longan is sneering at them both. A mortal as a mate? How foolish. Treating them like a toy is more apt at least to treating them like an equal. Longan ponders how their kin have fallen so low. Then again, there is hypocrisy at play. No matter how much they insist that their mate will return to being a dragon – Longan is still hoarding them away in their palace, being far worse than either of the other two dragons could hope to be.

“Pitiful, both of you. To see you sink to such low standards that you would view a mortal as a worthy mate. Hoarding them away like some precious trinket, or daring to consider them an equal. Foolish.”

“And what do you call who is in your nest currently?”

“Yesss! What isss that mortal with you?”

“... My mate. They are only temporarily like that. They will return to being the dragon you both have known.”

Burning lice with Pitaya dragons mate

Expired milk with lychee dragons mate

I can see Eternal diabetes or Silent salty with either Lotus or Ananas.

and Mystic powder with Longans mate

Full out brawl. Not one of them is holding back.

Mystic Flour and Longan battling for who gets to keep the ivory title as much as they are the beloved. Also who is the true idgafer. They will have a truly ceaseless battle because the whole return to flour thing doesn't really work on a being that isn't a cookie to begin with.

Eternal Sugar is squaring up with Lotus about who has the better paradise and who gets to keep you. Lotus is actually the best option here, but let us not discuss that too much. Though Eternal Sugar apparently has a dragon graveyard nearby so Lotus probably will not have an easy win.

Burning Spice and Pitaya are brawling to the death. Maybe not even necessarily for you, just in general. Now, both are not going to give in a bit about this. One of them will have to die, but honestly somehow they will probably kill each other.

The Jester war will never leave Earthbread the same once it begins. Shadow Milk is not letting some tiny dragon out clown him. Lychee is simply seething somehow their mate got charmed by some lame mortal who is trying so hard to be like them. You must bear witness.

Silent Salt is kinda character-less for now, so Ananas is sitting this one out for now.

Now, to keep the messy situation really brewing, let's toss in the ancients and whoever mate is paired with for maximum trashfire.

Dark Cacao is having his worst nightmare unfold in front of him and just is not sure his willpower can keep up. Maybe he can wait for those two to kill each other and sneak off with you.

White Lily just wants to take you home, but unfortunately, she is dealing with an extremely clingy, toxic woman and someone she could possibly negotiate with. Lotus and her will form an alliance against Eternal Sugar.

Pitaya and Hollyberry will work together to kill Burning Spice. Victory is theirs. Now, they must discuss arrangements.

Golden Cheese ponders if it was really worth it to leave her purgatory. She is really ready to take you and ignore whatever these two jesters are doing.

They would all appreciate it – It is a bonding activity, after all. The only issue is that mortal teeth can not even begin to pierce their scales so they are aware they cannot be marked.

Longan is oddly the happiest. They assume you are finally beginning to regain draconic instincts rather than just imitating them. You get praised for attempting.

"Ah, has the instinct to claim and mark finally returned? Wonderful."

Ananas is chuckling at your actions but dares not discourage you. They enjoy having the distant draconic itch scratched. The dragon knows you will not be able to actually mark them, but they adore your attempts. If you actually left mark, Ananas wears it with pride.

"Haha, what are you attempting? A mark? Try all you want."

Pitaya is in between starting a fight and just letting you try to leave a mark. No mortal can ever scar a dragon with just their teeth – besides, you definitely have left a mark on them with a blade at some point they consider an equivalent. They will not stop you, but beware a possible battle following it.

"Ha! Do you think those weak teeth of yours can mark a dragon? I doubt it, but go ahead and try! You mortals always surprise me."

Lotus finds themself having a quiet laugh. How precious... You are truly trying quite hard to even begin to pierce their scales, but they know you will not. Some things are simply impossible. The dragon has no urge to stop you. This does fulfil that silent urge within them to bare a mark of their mate.

"Oho? What are you doing now, darling? Marking me? Hm... Let's see if you can."

Lychee taunts you. There is absolutely no way you can even leave a mark. But, do not dare stop. They are enjoying this quite a bit. Your desperation is adorable to them, and they enjoy the attention you are giving them. Though they know you cannot, something inside of them is simply overjoyed at the thought of having your mark plain to see.

Hollyberry half debates riding Pitaya into battle if Eternal Sugar attempts to take you. Pitaya is inclined to agree since they are annoyed at a SECOND mortal attempting to take their mate. HB is their exception. ES proceeds to one-shot Pitaya and wave HB over happily.

Golden Cheese and Ananas can shake hands on their islanders/denizens being their most precious treasures. They will fight over you, though. But, it is one out of mutual respect for the other's skills. Burning Spice attempting anything will have him more than six feet under the earth. Neither are playing around with that cockroach.

The intense staring contest between Lotus, Mystic Flour, and Dark Cacao is mortifying. None of them are down for negotiating. All of them want you and will NOT be discussing anything. An attempt to turn Lotus to flour fails. Lotus ponders what is going on with the so-called Dragon Lord who holds his blade far too tightly. The tension between them is palpable in the air.

Longan is having to do their usual glare down while Guarana is napping against them.

Ananas is trying so hard to look prideful and powerful while Pineapple asks them for snacks again.