Iridessa Damaris

A dragon bathed in scales of sunset cradled her solitary egg, watching in awe as it hatched. The eyes squinting up at her from beneath scraps of discarded shell were not the normal emerald she expected. The soft skin, which would not develop scales for a while, was not orange, or even golden. No, the little dragonet crying in her arms was a pale, pinkish-hue, with black sclera and burning red and orange pupils. The embers that had ignited upon the tip of its stubby tail were blue, purple, and pink. Not a shiny, or even pinkan or albino, she had no clue what her little darling was. Just that she was spectacular.

Iridessa was Ruby Damaris’ greatest treasure. As dragons do, this beloved possession was guarded fiercely, polished to stay in peak condition, and held close to the heart. Nestled amongst pretty trinkets and plush pillows, the lovely charmander girl grew up in a charming little estate that had been in the maternal family for generations. While not the riches of legend, it was still higher than middle class, and she did not want for much. With no siblings to share with, and a mother with few hobbies other than spoiling her daughter, Iridessa would receive anything she even vaguely showed interest in, be it toys, clothes, lessons, trips… The two were close, and all sorts of activities were arranged to strengthen their mother-daughter bond. Tea parties in special cafes, exploring the doll stores, spa days- and, most notably, they entered the contest circuit.

Iridessa knew she was pretty. Her mother always told her so, as did nearly everymon who met her for the first time, the other girls in school, teachers, random women about town… the little girl’s unique patterns were stunning, she walked with poise and grace, and her sweet, inoffensive mannerisms charmed. She was quite the package, and her mother always encouraged her to take pride in her unique gifts. It made Ruby so proud, chest swelling and eyes gleaming when her baby was complimented. So when her mother had begun to take her to contests, began coaching her and picking out pretty costumes, Iridessa didn’t protest.

It was quite fun, actually, getting preened and fussed over, getting to wear sparkly dresses or dance onstage, finding creative new ways to use her fire… She was really so very good at it. She knew how to act, how to answer questions so that the judges would think of her in the best possible light. She knew how to curtsey and giggle and be gracious to the other children competing with her. She liked watching the mons’ faces light up in awe at her tricks, hearing them clap when she was finished with her routines. She liked making everyone happy for a little while, and seeing her mother beaming at her when she returned to the dressing room. Winning the contests was also nice, with prizes and enough money to pay for the next round of costumes, makeup, whatever Ruby deemed was needed to up the ‘WOW’ factor.

As the years wore on, though she did love the contests, Iridessa began to grow discontent. Mostly, self-conscious. She’d begun to make quite a name for herself, even landed a few gigs modeling or playing parts in commercials. It was no secret that she was the envy of several peers at the expensive, all-girls private academy she attended. Several were friendly enough, but… the constant longing whispers in the halls wishing they could be like her, or constantly asking for her ‘secrets’ at sleepovers… Mon rarely seemed to want to get to know her beyond the superficial. Though, upon further reflection, Iridessa was horrified to realize… she wasn’t sure there was much of anything to get to know anyways. She’d dedicated so much time and energy to her contests and accompanying pursuits, it practically dominated her leisure time or days with her mother… When was the last time she’d tried any other hobby? Watched something that wasn’t her competitor’s clips or advice videos from Master Rank experts? She got decent enough grades in school, but was she actually passionate about any particular subject?

The more she pondered her past, the more anxious and disappointed she became. She’d been so content to just flit along with her mother’s whims, and it wasn’t that she hated it, but… so much time had been wasted. She should have found a better balance. Spent more casual time with her classmates on weekends instead of driving hours away. Listened to different music. Just… done literally anything else.

She wanted to forge deeper bonds with her peers. She had never viewed herself as ‘better’ than them. But it was difficult at this point. So many of them had watched her rise to stardom over the years, had either idolized her or resented her. There were so many expectations to live up to, this ‘perfect’ girl… It was terrifying. Especially when she had no clue what to actually talk about. The times she tried to participate in any subject of conversation outside of the few bits of small talk she knew, the girl found herself freezing up, her voice choked out into a silent smile by anxiety. Her mind would simply go blank. And what if she offended someone? What if she simply had no other talents or interests besides being a little princess?

She was so good at whipping up the same regurgitated speeches during contests or parent/teacher conferences, telling judges and adults whatever they wanted or expected to hear. She would be amazing in her future job interviews. But… the art of typical teen chaos and drama was lost on her. She feared she would never manage to break out of her mold as long as she stayed in the region. She needed to take the plunge somewhere in foreign waters, force herself to get along without her mother’s help and influence…

It was difficult to convince Ruby. The woman had lost her husband before Iridessa was born, and had no real friends or family at this point. Her daughter was her entire world, and if something happened to her…

But… Iridessa was spoiled. Whatever she wanted, she would receive. She would be sent with the finest luggage and ordered to call her mother at least three times a week, but she would be allowed to go to study abroad for high school. Ruby soon found an exceptionally prestigious school that would be good enough for her beloved little star: Marilos Academy. Home to legendaries and several other unique creatures, it claimed to be the best at bringing out each individual’s hidden talents.

Iridessa is hopeful she will finally find hers while she’s there!