|
||||||
|
Views:
9,013,662 |
 
Main
| FAQ
| IRC chat
| Memberlist
| Active users
| Latest posts
| Stats
| Ranks
| Online users
| Search
|
04-27-24 08:12 AM |
||||
| Guest: Register | Login | ||||||
| Main - Posts by |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127    
Posts: 4641/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"It seems awfully convenient that she seems to be coming around with Zarik finishing up with Neris." Aren says, "You do't think she was pulling the strings, do you?"
"Whatever do you mean, Arendal?" Zissou inquires. "I dunno. It just seems a little too coincidental that Neris goes up in smoke and Cai waking up." Aren shrugs. A low groan comes from Cai, as if in response, but nothing else happens. Several hours later, Zarik comes back empty handed. He lands very gracelessly among his friends. Covering his face; he says into his hands, forlornly, "I don't get it, guys... I searched everywhere. I can't find Neris anywhere." |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4642/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Zarik just lays where he crash landed, defeated.
As Bel looks over the soot and ash, there is a rather noticeably out of place mound in the center of the perimeter. It moves ever so slightly, and faint coughing can be heard. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4643/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Zarik gets up and dusts himself off, "I dunno why you're being so snarky about giving up! I was actually actively looking for her all day!" he begins walking over to Bel as he speaks.
"Gonna have to agree with Zarik." Aren adds, "What would you have done if you were in his shoes?" Zarik reaches the hut-made-dust and wades through the ashes. Spotting the mound after hearing it cough, he rushes over and starts digging. Several minutes pass as he sifts through the dense soot, he finds what he's looking for. Wrenching Neris gently out of the grit, there are things immediately noticeably different about despite being caked with sediment. As he cradles her in his arms; she is still markedly short, her mass has significantly increased meaning no more visible skeleton through her skin, her breasts are fuller and appear as if they will fill a narrow B cup, and most importantly, her feathers glitter with a beautiful iridescence in the sunset. She lets out a deep cough, spewing heavy soot directly into Zarik's face, "What happened?" She says in a choked voice, but with a markedly fuller voice, "Why do I feel so weird?" Zarik coughs in response to being peppered with a lung full of ash, then says, "You went through a rebirth cycle thanks to your phoenix heritage." Giving her an outward jostle in a kind of rebuke for coughing on him, the ash falls off of her, giving a better view of her assets. Averting his gaze, he says, "I wish I had known you were here all day! You had me worried sick!" "How was I supposed to know?" she protests, "But what does it matter now? You saved me again!" "Don't get too used to it!" He jokes, "I thought you flew off like a rocket because your fire flew into the sky and exploded into a bird shape!" Carrying her to Cai's lean-to, he calls out, "Let's get her something to cover up with!" "I wish I could have seen that!" Neris says, awed, then she looks over herself, then coyly at him, "But what if I want to flaunt my healthy body around and give you a show? I feel great now, and probably meet your visual standards." He gives her an intense angry glare, and says, "Knock it off! Did you forget what I told you this morning? Grow up, and I'll think about taking you up on your peep show!" "Oh..." Neris says flatly with the realization he was serious. Roff pops out of the inn with a blanket to swaddle Neris in. As Zarik puts her down onto her new talons, he swoops in and wraps her for modesty purposes. He quips, "Och, lassie, yer in need o' a bath! Ye may have been able to rattle out yer plumage, but yer normal lass bits are a mite filthy!" Neris merely gives a thousand yard stare, not understanding what the dwarf was saying. Zarik chimes in, "She likely doesn't understand what it means to bathe, why she would need to, and how to do it." "Wot ye mean, lad?!" Roff exclaims, incredulously. "We found her on the Reach in absolute filth." Zarik hesitates to say the next part, "She was little more than a cum dump for the dragons, and they likely rarely fed her, gave her water to even drink, and she was filthy until Cai cleaned her up with magic. I thought I told you about that." "Och tha's righ'." Roff says sheepishly, "I dae recall sayin' how she looked like she was on death's doorstep." "I'm right here!" Neris coughs, "Was I really that bad?" "Did you think I was kidding when we said you were disgusting to be around before you were cleaned up? Then you were not exactly nice to look at?" Zarik questions, "While it was incredibly rude, you weren't exactly giving us room for tact." "Oh.." She says, feigning not being upset at the combination of his words and the reflection on her behavior, "Can I plead that I wasn't myself, and it was before Caionna's influence?" "Only to an extent." A familiar feminine voice rings out, "While you were under the influence of Aesalth, you were acting on instinct and what you had been instilled with. You are still partially at fault." "Caionna!" Neris practically screeches, barreling toward the dragon clumsily, but for different reason than before. Unable to free herself from Roff's blanket, she unceremoniously tackles her. "Thank you for everything!" "Thank me by fulfilling Zarik's demands." Caionna snorts. "Hang on... What?" Zarik asks, not quite able to connect the dots. "I'll explain later." Cai says shortly, "I believe there's someone who has something to say to me." She glances in Bel's direction. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4644/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
I would suggest the story forum, but we're in a bit of a spot with the current events in the story where the central hub thread isn't a thing... |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4645/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Be that what it may," Caionna begins with Bel's first point, "As harsh as this will come across, you must know what fights are yours. Assistance is one thing, but trying to butt in as primary assailant is overstepping boundaries." Seamlessly moving to the next point, she continues, "I understand that telepathy is a two-way street. I know I need to work on my trust issues, and will probably start by being less stringent about your chosen communication method." With some hesitation, she concludes, "I should probably note that I could have returned to my body at any time after being rent from it. Seeing as I had an idea of what Zarik had in mind with Neristhana, I stayed astral and sought out not only our father, but hers."
At this point, Zarik interrupts, "Wait. You deliberately sought them out? How did you even find her dad?" Neris cranes her neck back to try to meet Cai's gaze, then gives her a quizzically confused ex "Of course." Cai says flatly, "Papa wan't hard to find since his spirit was released when Aesalth's physical form was obliterated. He told me that he was proud of me for succeeding where he failed, and imparted that because of his freedom, you were granted access to your magical inheritance from him. He didn't go into detail, but he said that you were deprived that part of your human heritage because of his imprisonment." "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but okay... I guess." Zarik scratches his head. Neris nudges Caionna's neck with her head and says, "What about my dad? How did you find him? What did he say?!" Her excitement increasing with every question. Cai nudges back gently, the mass difference between the two women causing Neriss to stumble backward. "I simply plane shifted to the Elemental Plane of Fire and and inquired about a phoenix that ended up being summoned to our material world to mate with a harpy woman. Evidently, he had gained some notoriety for the act and I was taken directly to him. Pharos, his name is, spoke to me about what transpired leading to his summoning. It's a bit of a long story, so maybe we can chat about it later. He also inquired how I knew about what he had done. I mentioned that my brother saved a prismatic harpy, and that she was in his care." Looking directly at Neris, she continues, "He was ecstatic to learn that you are in the care of a good man, and he loved the name we gave you. He gave his blessing for me to forward to you, and he said he hopes you grow to be a fine young lady." Zarik narrows his eyes at the last part, skeptical if Cai is actually telling the truth, or just spinning a yarn to get Neris to behave herself. Cai takes notice and perks a brow knowingly. "I wish I could meet him!" Neris cries. "You would have to visit him, because he swore to stay on his home world in the interest of not having another incident where a terrible fate is met by the people he meets." Cai says gravely. Zissou scratches his nose and questions, "This all seems a bit too convenient. Wouldn't you say, Caionna?" The dragon turns her attention to her mentor and replies with a question of her own, "How so?" "I could tell that you had an influence on Neristhana's life force before the fracas this morning." Zissou begins, "However did you have the time to do all of that while maintaining a tie to the girl while having so little experience with such magics?" "Mister Zissou..." Cai begins, "You can see we are surrounded by concentrated aether that belongs to me." "I am aware." He says flatly. "Then why do you doubt that the heightened amounts of my power would heighten my abilities?" Caionna rationalizes, "The crystals heighten my abilities, why is it outside the realm of possibility that I'm capable of lending my power to the life force of a weaker being?" Zissou thinks for a moment, "I suppose that makes sense, but why did you choose to wait until mere moments after she was made whole to allow her to slip from the mortal coil?" "I don't understand why it sounds like you're accusing me of sudden negligence." Cai states, taken aback, "I simply began to lose focus, and Neris even communicated to me that she was satisfied with the experience of having a hale and whole being. Granted in something of a state of euphoria, as Zarik is well aware." Zarik cringes slightly at that remark. She continues, "She told me to just allow fate to take its toll, and then the day unfolded. I took the hint and returned to my body shortly after." with a shrug of her large shoulders, she concludes, "It seems to have worked out in the end, so I see it as a win for everyone involved." Zarik looks at Neris and asks, "Is this all true about today?" Neris thinks hard for a moment and replies with a bewildered, "I don't know!" Aren chimes in and says, "Maybe it was a case of her soul speaking, and not anything processing through her mind." Zarik perks a brow and cocks his head toward his friend, "What now?" "You know that gut feeling you get when you know something's going to happen?" Aren proposes, "That's your instinct, yeah? Well maybe her soul did that, but without telling her body." "You could say that." Cai replies, "You did give her her soul back after accidentally fatally wounding her to purge Aesalth. Her body was likely beyond the pale." "But she was clearly feeling he pain, and other sensations, of being put back together." Zarik attempts to rationalize. "Try not to think about it too hard." Cai says to assuage her brother, "Just accept it and don't fret." Zarik sighs gruffly, then says, "Yeah. Tell the scientist to just accept something. GREAT IDEA!" |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4646/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Frankly," Caionna says, "I think we should rest for the rest of the evening. I know Zarik would likely appreciate it."
"I mean, sure." Zarik begins, "But me needing time to de-stress after a day like today would be great and all, but why would you guys need me to do whatever you had planned anyway?" "To be perfectly honest." Cai responds, "I would appreciate a bit of privacy, and didn't want to be so blunt about it." "Fair enough." Zarik replies, then says, "C'mon Neris. Let's go." "No!" Neris cries, "I want to spend time with Cai to thank her for everything she did for me." Zissou shakes his head and rigidly says, "You will do nothing of the sort! Caionna said she wishes to be alone! That includes you!" "Besides," Aren chimes in, "Roff said you need a bath, and I don't think any of us are in disagreement with that." "Fine." the girl says, aggrieved, "But only because she insists!" Roff laughs and says, "I thought she'd be jumpin' at the idea of being taught tae bathe by her man-crush." Zarik shoots Roff a Dude! Shut up! look. Neris thinks a moment and says, "That sounds like fun!" she says in a seemingly innocent tone as she staggers to her feet because her arms are still bound by the blanket. As the group turns to leave, Cai calls out, "Can you please have someone come and build some kind of privacy curtain for me? Before you get too comfortable, that is." "Consider it done, lassie!" Roff says with a whistle, followed by a shout, "Och! Ye heard the lass! See to it tha' she's given 'er privacy!" As Zarik and the others disappear inside the building, a few of the men of the town begin scurrying around to find suitable materials to fulfill Cai's request. The trio of doctors Zarik called in merely, collectively, roll their eyes and go to their supplies and gather their medical partitions and set those up before the townsfolk can muster much of anything. The medic that had been assisting Zarik all week lets out a whistle and shouts, "Calm down, everyone! We have it handled! Enjoy your night." Caionna winces at the shrill whistle as the people disperse, she says, "While appreciated, the whistle was rather harsh given proximity to my acute sense of hearing." "Sorry, Caionna." The man replies, "But it was the fastest way to get everyone's attention." "Fair enough." Cai concedes. The medics then take it upon themselves to begin cleaning up the ash of the torched building. Some time later, inside: The group is sitting at a table in the pub area due to Roff continuing to enforce his rule against Neris, whom is now practically shining clean, sitting at the bar. "Man," Aren says, "I still can't believe Roff won't let us sit at the bar." "Us?" Zarik questions, "He only doesn't want her over there because she looks like a child because of how short she is. You can go over there if you want." "I guess when you put it like that..." Aren replies, "It kinda makes sense." "Let us not forget that Neristhana lacks the maturity of personality to sit near open alcohol." Zissou interjects. Neris just sits between Zarik and Zissou with a malcontent grimace on her face. She scowls at the plate of food placed in front of her, silently. She is dressed simply in a plain shirt and shorts, likely a quick solution from Zissou's magic catalogue. "What's her problem, anyway?" Aren hazards to ask. "Zarik insisted I be in the room while he helped her bathe, and she could not have her way by having 'fun'." Zissou replies, "She is unhappy with us both as a result." Neris turns up her nose and huffs. "Let's not forget that she's ignoring that this is the third time today alone I told her that she needs some personal growth first." Zarik says, to Neris' chagrin, "You don't have to like it. I gave you a goal to work toward. Cai even told you to follow through. Be mad at me for standing strong, or be mad at yourself for disappointing her. Think about it." Neris wordlessly considers Zarik's words. She rescinds some of her sourpuss ex |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4647/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Neris hardly acknowledges Bel's remark. Instead, choosing to be dour and pissy about her bath.
"Don't mind her." Zarik says, "She's mad at me because I didn't give her a toy to play with in the tub, and made it abundantly clear she was strictly being soaped up for cleanliness." "And she was distinctly nonplussed that I was also present to ensure behavior, and provide assistance if she became assertive." Zissou adds. "Don't you mean insertive?" Zarik jokes. "Quite so." Zissou jovially agrees. Neris breaks her petulant silence and meekly chirps, "You said you weren't going to mention any of that!" "And miss out of giving you a hard-knock lesson on feeling shame?" Zarik retorts, "Hardly! You break your promise of behavior, I won't hesitate to make sure you feel some remorse for it." Neris gasps, abhorring Zarik's remark. The wait staff, having taken notice of the newly emerged trio, comes out from the kitchen area with drinks for Zarik and Zissou, a refill for Aren, as well as a small meal for Neris. The men take their drinks and tip their glasses in a toast, then drink deeply of their alcohol. Neris merely scowls into her food. Outside, Cai lay on her bed of hay, thinking to herself, 'Now that I'm awake, I should think about mustering the energy to reclaim my human form...' Focusing to transform, she begins to glow softly as she shrinks to a size approximately where she was in her humanoid form prior to falling into her unconscious state. She has significantly more mass in the form of more definition of her arms and legs, as well as a more shapely abdomen, and a slightly larger bust and hips. Looking over herself, she murmurs to herself, "I'm looking better than ev--" cutting herself off, she notices that her wings and tail are still visible in this form, as well as some of her scales. Finding this revelation to be unsatisfactory, she attempts another shapeshift. This time, she succeeds in obfuscating her draconic features for a moment before they burst forth, and the scales reappear in even more unsightly areas, in her opinion. "Oh! This won't do!" She says to herself, "I can't let the guys see me like this! I'm hideous!" She continues to attempt to maintain her old shape, to no avail. Back inside, the guys are bantering back and forth, trying to enjoy themselves. "So, I gotta ask, Zar." Aren hiccups, "What's on the itinerary for tomorrow?" "I dunno." Zarik belches, "Maybe start a training regimen for Neris to break her into her natural abilities." Neris seems to have calmed down a bit more from Zarik rebuking, and she questions, "How are you going to do that?" she is unfazed by any of their increasing degeneracy. "Again, fucked if I know!" Zarik says boisterously, "All I know is that you're a phoenix, gotta do things that make you want to fight. Make your fires burn, in the literal sense." "While bearing in mind that she can easily be injured if you are not careful." Zissou adds. "Yeah. That!" Zarik slurs, looking into his tumbler, he continues, "Has it been that long since I drank that I'm losing tolerance, or is Roff's brew just that strong to fuck me up this quickly?" Zissou takes a sip of his wine and says, "I would say a little of column A, as well as some of column B. This malboro wine vintage is quite the anomaly." "I don't know how you drink that shit." Zarik says brashly, "I hate those bastards when they're alive, i don't know how you can stand to drink that sewage." "I will have you know," Zissou retorts, "Their fruit is rather succulent if you can get past the cantankerous odor." "No thanks." Zarik burps, "If I wanted to bite into trash fruit, I would look for a rotten peach in a landfill." "Suit yourself." Zissou shrugs dismissively, downing the rest of his glass. Neris shoots Bel a nervous look. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4648/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Depends on which grandma you think I'm gonna confuse her for." Zarik slurs, the pace of his drinking catching up to him quickly, "If it's Cunty McCuntgon, I don't think she was small enough to be confused for Neris. My other grandma was a sweet old lady... I think. hic There'd have to be something seriously wrong with me to want to hurt her, so I think Neris is safe on that front."
"I may or may not resemble that remark." Aren slurs, his increased intake hitting him harder than Zarik. "Heavens forfend you three!" Zissou says, markedly less intoxicated than the others, "I feel now may be as good a time as any to retire for the night. All of us! Before any of you eejits cause a ruckus beyond what you have already!" He looks at Neris' plate of untouched food and frowns, "Are you not hungry, girl?" Neris half-heartedly shrugs and replies, "I am, but I don't know how to go about feeding myself without looking uncivilized, like Zarik and Caionna would want." "Oh! That's easy!" Zarik bumbles out, and clumsily grabs for the fork beside the plate. Haphazardly stabbing one of the sausage links with it and poking her in the face with it, "Just pretend it's dragon schlong, and bite a chunk of it off like you're getting revenge on Zerilisk's cock squad!" Neris recoils from the sausage and says, "Please stop. I'd rather not be reminded of that, since you seem so insistent I forget." "Then pretend it's his!" Aren slurs, "Except you want to bite it." Zissou gets up and walks around the table and swats both of the men on the head and says, "Despicable! The both of you!" Hitting Zarik again, he growls, "Especially coming from you!" "Ow! Fuck!" Zarik yells, "Oh, so I guess it's okay when she does it! As soon as I reverse it on her and make her feel like she's been making me feel with her advances, suddenly I'M the asshole!" "Go figure. Right?" Aren agrees. "You ought to know better!" Zissou scolds, "Drunk or not! This is no time for such behavior!" "Just trying to give her a turnabout of her own bullshit!" Zarik protests, then turns to meet eye contact with Neris, which she avoids, "Not fun when the roles are reversed, huh?" "You're right..." Neris says, on the verge of tears, "I guess I never really thought about how I was making you feel!" looking at Zissou, she says, "If I may be excused!" She runs off toward her room before he can even respond. Roff notices the commotion and walks over. "Awreight lads, I been keepin' an eye on ye the pas' few minits. Ah alse heard ye harassin' the lass." He begins, "While ah can' blame ye fer wan'in' tae get yer poin' across, ye dinnae ha'e tae be sae gross 'bou' it! Time ye packed it in laddies!" Zarik slouches down into his seat and mutters, "Yeah, you guys are probably right, but I can't help but still feel some vindication with the remorse from watching her run off." Roff nods, and replies, "Aye. Ah cen understa' tha', but ye still wen' overboard a wee bit." Scooping his inebriated friend from the chair, he continues, "Now, off wit ye! Yer nae doin' yersef nae favors after tha' display. I be cuttin' ye off fer tha nigh' Get yerself off tae bed!" Zissou nods and says, "You take Zarik, and I'll deal with Arendal." Taking the comparative hulk by the horn, he drags Aren off as Roff begins taking Zarik upstairs. Moments later, the two sober men return to the main floor. Zissou nods to Roff and says, "Thank you for your assistance Roff. I shall part way with you, as well." "Och! dinnae worry, sir." Roff replies, "Ah ge' it. Ge' some rest nae." "I certainly shall try." Zissou says as he turns toward his room, adjacent to Neris'. Roff swings by the table and deftly plucks the jug of ale from Bel, "Tha' goes fer ye too, laddie. Off with ye! Get some rest, ya elf-y bastard!" He says with a serious, yet jovial tone. Zissou stops before retiring to his own room to rap gently on Neris' door. She can be heard crying on the other side, and she yells, "Go away! I don't want to hear your apology right now!" "Very well." Zissou speaks loud enough to be heard through the door, "Do get some sleep, and try to not let his behavior spurn you. He was merely speaking his mind." "Just go away!" She shrieks. He nods and makes his way into his lodging, silently. He soon reemerges and walks to the bar to Roff. He whispers something across the counter to the dwarf. Roff nods and gives an equally silent affirmation, then sends the old man on his way. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4649/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Morning comes eventually, Zarik and Aren seem to awaken and emerge from their rooms simultaneously. Neris and Zissou are already up and partaking in breakfast.
Zarik makes his way to the bar and groggily greets Roff, "Morning." His face contorted into a miserable grimace due to the light and his dehydration headache. Aren isn't far behind, and has a similar discomfort on his face. He merely gives a half-hearted wave in salutation. "Morning, lads." Roff responds, "S'pose ye got somethin' tae say tae the wee one, don' ye, Zarik?" As he motions to Neris, sitting at the usual table. "Yes and no." Zarik says, without turning, "I know what I said last night was something of an id-fueled tirade. While I'm sorry about how it manifested, I'm not sorry that I said what did." "Dinnae say it tae me, lad." Roff says flatly. "She can hear me." Zarik says with equal bluntness, "It's been a constant string of sexual harassment from her since the moment I picked her up in that jail cell. Up until that point last night, I had held back what I really thought because I decided it would be better for me to lead by example. Her little outburst because Zissou assisted me in getting her cleaned up, then getting drunk, was my breaking point." Zissou perks up from assisting Neris with her table manners and says, "You know she is too maladjusted to society that she has no idea what contexts are appropriate for things." "Stop making excuses for her!" Zarik says, agitated, "She's never going to learn if her fuck ups keep getting swept under the rug!" Neris pipes up and defends herself, "As soon as you started waggling that meat in my face last night, then what you told me to imagine it to be..." She hesitates, then continues, "It reminded me that I really didn't like when they did that to me." "And yet," Aren butts in with indignation equal to Zarik's, "When Zarik was preparing to fight Zerilisk, you tried pushing yourself onto me to do just that!" "Look! It was a different story when it was my idea!" Neris cries in response. "Then what possessed you to think that when we said that we were going to change all that, that it meant we were going to let you do whatever just because you were into it?" Zarik rebukes, "Didn't you realize that you were doing to me and Aren what the horde was doing to you?" "More you than me," Aren admits quietly to Zarik, "but that's a case of pedantics." "When you say it like that." Neris babbles, "I guess you're right. How did I not figure that out from what Caionna taught me? I'm sorry!" "Apology accepted, with a caveat." Zarik says, having calmed down slightly, "Absolutely. Under no circumstances. PERIOD! Will I tolerate any more unsolicited advances from you until further notice. If ever! Understood?" He then grabs his temple from the adrenaline pumping exasperating his hangover. "Let's extend that to me as well." Aren quips. 'Le's jest put a blanket 'any man' clause on tha'." Roff butts in. "Yes, Zarik." Neris whispers. "What was that? I want to hear you!" Zarik says, near drill sergeant level shouting, "Are we understood?" "Understood!" Neris shouts back. "Good!" Zissou finally adds, "Now that that is settled, perhaps we should finally have breakfast and see to Caionna." "What' can I get ye, boys?" Roff asks, as if there wasn't just a shouting match in his common area. "How about an IV drop of coffee." Aren jokes, "I think I need hydration and caffeine before I can even think about putting anything solid on my stomach." "Ditto." Zarik says with a nod, "Maybe an ice pack, and maybe some aspirin. My head is killing me after getting heated like that." "Comin' righ' up." Roff says, then jokes, "Maybe I should make ye suffer without the willow fer yer display las' night." "We literally just resolved that, albeit poorly." Zarik says, "And if I don't get some kind of headache relief, I'll see to it you have an ass pain to match it!" The tone of the end making it unclear if he said it in jest, or as a threat. "Righ', righ'." Roff chuckles. "Gimme a moment." then he heads into the back. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4650/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Zarik snarks.
Roff comes from the back with a large urn of powerful-smelling coffee after a few minutes. Empty mugs for everyone. Going back to the back, he quickly returns with a sack of ice and a medicine pouch. Plopping the ice unceremoniously on Zarik's head, he says, "Ge' yer coffee, lads." Aren and Zarik are the first to get theirs, since they're sitting right beside where Roff put the urn down. Zissou gets up and grabs a cup for himself, then says, "Not eating?" Zarik unwraps the pouch of aspirin powder and says, "If I can hold down this medicine and coffee, I'll be surprised." "Same." Aren agrees. "Considering your outburst, that should have been quite enough vomit." Zissou jests. Zarik gives a sarcastic, mocking laugh and grumbles, "Shut up." When everyone finishes their breakfast, they head outside. As Zarik rounds the corner to look at Cai's makeshift privacy partition, he notices three scantily clad Auri women come out from behind the curtain. They are giggling with each other as they run past the men. Aren perks a brow and whistles as he is passed by the girls. Zarik abruptly elbows him in the gut. He coughs and puts his hand to his mouth to mitigate potential vomiting. Upon recovery he moans, "Bad idea! My gut didn't like that." "Tough shit!" Zarik responds, "We didn't just reprimand Neris just for you to not lead by example." "Fuck. You're urp right..." Aren responds, trying his hardest to not lose his coffee. Making his way to the partition, he raps on the metal frame with a "Rise and shine, sleepyhead! Well, that's what I would say if we didn't just see three random girls leave as we were coming out." Aren laughs and jokes, "Is this her 'coming out' as well?" shooting Bel a teasing glance. Caionna lets out a disgusted grunt, and says, "Shut up, Aren! That's not what I asked them here for!" "Besides, Arendal," Zissou adds, "In addition to yet again breaking your own agreement, you also know she is much too shy for anything of that nature." "Exactly!" Cai says with obvious fluster in her voice. "Are we allowed in to talk, or..." Zarik asks. "NO!" She shouts, "I'm not ready yet!" "Ooooookay then." Zarik says, taking a step back. A few moments of loud shuffling are heard from within the lean-to, as well as labored grunts and frustrated grumbles. A short silence follows, then she finally says, "Alright, fine! Move the partition. You guys aren't going to fit in here." Zarik and Aren nod at each other, then team lift the awkwardly sized metal frame out of the way. Behind it sits Cai in her humanoid form in her underwear - a deliberate choice - she is subtly larger than she was before the ordeal took place. She stands and holds her hair out of the way and slowly turns, to show off her body. She now has prominent horns that sprouted from the rear of her temples, wrap around themselves, and curve around her face. Between her eyes is a patch of scales with an intricate interweaving of triangle shapes. Her face is framed with similar scales from the base of her horns to her chin and down her neck, along her spine on the back, and down to the upper part of her pectorals in the front. Her forearms have a thin band of the scales wrapping from near her shoulder in the back and down around the outside toward her elbow. Her wings have emerged from above her shoulder blades, spanning roughly three meters at full spread. Her hands have thick scales across the metatarsal, up the width of her wrist, coming to a point at her elbow. On her torso, her scales start at a point under where her ribs stop, widen as they reach her hips, then narrow back to a point at the midpoint of her thigh, offshoots of these patches of scales create a set of points aiming toward her pelvis on the upper side and downward wrapping sightly into her inner thigh. She now has a tail that sprouts from her hindquarters with a series of elevated, jagged-looking scales. The longest stretching out as far as 18 cm. From under those scales, her tail juts out with a shallow drop-off to the halfway point of the longest spike, then steeply down to a five-pronged point at her mid-calf. Her lower legs have armor-esque scaling starting from a point just below the back of her knee to the entire width of her leg's outer side and onto her ankle wrapping around her Achilles and around to the metatarsal of her feet. Unlike Aren's scales, hers are the gorgeous silver of her dragon form, with the leathery underside of her wings being the deep comet blue. Fanning her hair out dramatically, then letting it fall, she says, "I had those girls help me find pleasing places to my scales and such. What do you think?" Looking directly at Bel, she says, "I hope you were paying attention, Bel. I took cues from them to be appealing to you, mostly." "Aside from getting an front-row view of you I wasn't expecting," Zarik begins, "I gotta say, you look damn good." "From what I got of those girls, you took the best looking parts from each of their scale layouts and took them as your own." Aren comments with a whistle, "Very nice. I'm jealous of Bel now." Neris gazes in awe at Caionna's Auri-inspired beauty. She remains silent, aside from gasps, to try to not jeopardize what little faith Zarik has left in her. He takes notice and says, "This is one time you can talk like that. Just don't overdo it." Shooting a glance at Cai, he goes to add something, but is cut off. "No need to explain, the whole town heard your outburst this morning, and I was filled in on the details of last night by gossip between the girls. I think there was some embellishment on their part, but I think the general idea was accurate." Cai says abruptly, "And for the record, I'm siding with Zarik, Neris. Your behavior, and thoughts, have been very unbecoming of what we were hoping of you." Neris' eyes go from bulging with excitement of Cai's appearance to sunken and sullen at yet another rebuking. Dropping her gaze, she says meekly, "You look fantastic, Cai. Very attractive." Shooting a glance at Zarik, he nods in approval of her words, to which she backpedals to the topic, "I'm sorry. I'll try to improve, and actually act like the lady you want me to be." "I would only hope so." Cai says with a soft smile, "Just keep in mind that you have a lot at stake, and you're on thin ice with us." "Yes, ma'am." Neris coos. Cai bends down and begins digging through her bag for clothes to get dressed in. "Would you like privacy as you dress, Caionna?" Zissou says as he turns around. "It's not like I'm going into a state of further undress, so I don't care." Cai responds as she puts on a deep purple off-the-shoulder blouse, then a pair of black tights, and tan leather shoes. Stepping out to stand among her friends, she ties her hair into a ponytail with her signature green ribbon. Letting her hair fall, she says, "Alright then. What shall we do first?" |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4651/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"I wasn't asking for their opinion." Caionna says, "I used them as models to base the shapes and placements of my scales. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hide them, so I embraced them."
Zissou clears his throat and says, "I think she is trying to rationalize that she called upon women of their profession as trying to impress you, Belgarion." Cai immediately turns a bright shade of red, and breaks eye contact. She stares at the ground, and stammers, "N-no..." Her cheeks bright color making quite the contrast to her pale complexion. "Not exactly, although it was pretty awkward to tell them that I was paying for their time for something so strange." "Not too strange, when you think about it. The line of work lends itself to being disrobed." Zarik remarks, "Though, I bet they still tried to give you your money's worth." "They did." Cai says, turning brighter, "But when I explained my predicament about such contact, they backed off... If only slightly." "Officially into 'time to stop' territory." Zarik interrupts, "Both because I don't wanna know, and because of a certain agreement we just made, and Aren tried to make us hypocrites about." Aren rubs the back of his head from where Bel slapped him, and says, "I said I was sorry!" "You technically didn't." Zarik says, "But pedantics." and shrugs. "Why are you guys skirting around talking about this stuff?" Neris questions, "You've made it pretty clear what will happen if I try pushing for sex for myself. What makes you think I'm going to pounce just by you talking about it?" "Let's just say something about the mentality of a bird of prey being preyed upon, then trying to reassert predation." Zarik says, "We'd rather not take the chance." "But you told me if I mess up again, you'll abandon me." Neris cries, her eyes welling up, "Don't you trust me?" "First off," Cai butts in, "He, nor I, said we would abandon you." "Secondly," Zarik adds, "Given your track record: No. I don't trust you. You have to earn that." Neris droops her head and folds her wings in tightly, with a nod she says, "I'll try." "Enough waffle." Zissou interjects, "We must decide what we will do with our day. Will you be calling the dragoness now that Caionna has rejoined us?" "I guess we should." Zarik replies. Cai gives her brother a quizzical look, "Come again." Zarik turns to his sister and says, "Ruki the Blue wanted us to appear before the council to negotiate our terms since we eradicated Aesalth and Zerilisk. They're afraid we're going to come back and take out the rest of the alphabet and rainbow." "And you waited nearly a week... Why?" Cai inquires, incredulous. "Because I wanted everyone able to do something if they decided to betray us." He replies, "Rukunt may have brought us to safety, but I don't trust them." "Do we have somewhere we can send the message?" Cai asks. "We do." Zissou responds, "Shall I prepare the spell?" "Yes." Caionna says with determination, "Arrange a meeting on neutral ground with no one except those who must attend." "Yeah!" Zarik states emphatically, "If they want our terms, they'll get them. On our terms!" "Very well." Zissou nods before beginning his focus, "Dragon Council: Caionna has risen. Meet on neutral ground, only necessary attendance. Meet on our terms or negotiations are not going to be possible." "Now we wait." Caionna says, clenching her fists. "Filler arc is over! Yay!" Aren whispers sarcastically. "Not yet!" Zarik shouts, then suddenly projects a harsh wind toward Neris with his hands cupped outward, "She still needs a montage!" The wind hits Neris just right to force her left wing open, it catches her feathers just so that it takes her slightly airborne. as she drops back to the ground, landing on her ass, she shrieks, "What the hell, Zarik?!" "IT BEGINS!" Zarik shouts, triumphantly. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4652/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Zissou conspicuously clears his throat, "Forgive me, Caionna, but... Did you not notice any areas on her body where the scales were not? I I understand your desire to to what amounts to the polar opposite of Neristhana's recent behavior, but surely you noticed how Auri tend to not have scales where there could be friction."
Caionna's face turns a bright shade of tomato red, and yells, "Mister Zissou!" "Pervy old mutt." Zarik says as he sends another gust at Neris. She is hiked into the air once more, and shrieks, "HEY! Stop that!" when she drops like a rock to the ground. "In my defense," Zissou holds up his hands, "Her intent was to show herself off. While I did not focus on it, it is something I knew of the Auri. And if Caionna were to just allow her scales to appear willy-nilly, the transition from her smooth skin to the scales would be unpleasant in certain areas. Using them as a guide was a rather pragmatic choice." "I'm provoking you on purpose." Zarik says to Neris, "You have two choices that aren't 'land on your ass' that I'm hoping your 'HURR HURR I'M A BIRD' instincts will kick in on." "I don't know what you mean!" Neris squawks. Caionna continues to turn red, then says, "I just didn't want my scales in spots that would look bad. Merely coincidence that that's how things ended up." The frustrated tone of her voice partially betraying her intent. Aren's gaze darts between Cai's interaction and Zarik's, trying to keep a bead on both. He takes a moment to comment on both. "Either she doesn't know what her instincts are, or she had then replaced by what you're trying to curb." He says to Zarik, then turns toward Zissou, "I'm inclined to believe both sides. She likely wanted to go for general aesthetics, a humanoid dragon with untamed scales is likely to be ugly as sin, even with the gorgeous color. She's also been noticeably hot and heavy lately, and she may be trying to get some attention." "AREN!" Cai screams, "Let's just drop the topic!" "I concur." Zissou states with rolled eyes, "I suggest we try to figure out whatever it is Zarik is intending to do with Neristhana, besides rough her up a touch." "I hope she hasn't been overwritten," Zarik says, "She's a free bird with working wings now. I was hoping she would have taken the hint from how easily she's being taken like a nervous little kite. At least get some kind of fight or, a-hem, flight response out of her." Neris stops a moment, the wheels practically visibly turning. After perking up with a mild eureka moment, she says, "I'm too scared to try to fly." "Bullshit." Zarik calls the potential bluff, "You were perfectly fine to fly when I carried you the other day." "Yeah... Well..." Neris stammers, "But I knew I couldn't fly that day. Now I just don't know how!" She sticks her tongue out, feeling that she's won. "Alright then." Zarik says, "I'll teach you. But not right now. Instead, we'll have to push you toward using your other skills." "But you told me I'm not allowed to!" Neris protests in clear misunderstanding. "Not those skills, you twit!" Zarik says, "I mean things innate to your heritage. Fire, your voice, your natural weapons." "My what?" Neris questions. "This is gonna be a lot of work..." Aren says, "God luck with that Zarik!" Turning to Zissou, he says, "How long do you think until the dragons respond, Dad?" "Good question, Arendal." the old man replies, "Only time will tell." |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4653/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"You want me to WHAT?" Neris exclaims.
"That's a good idea, Bel." Zarik says, "Open your wings, extend them out a ways, then flex them at your shoulders." "You mean like this?" Neris asks as she clumsily spreads her wings, the sunlight catching the feathers and making them shine brilliantly in the full color spectrum. Making a concerted effort, she tries to follow Zarik's flawed instructions. Her wings swing awkwardly out, then back in. The wind gusts and catches her extended feathers, which she was neither anticipating, nor knew how to handle, so she tumbles over in a comically cute manner. "Very funny, Zarik! You jerk!" she yells. "That time it wasn't me!" Zarik counters, "That was just a natural breeze. You're gonna need to know how to work with the wind if you ever want to take to the sky." "I don't think i can!" she says, standing, then pinning her wings shut. "I gotta wonder." Aren butts in, "You don't suppose that her wing muscles aren't developed, do you?" "What do you mean?" Zarik asks. "Quite simply," Zissou notes, "She may have taken hints from what you said in her presence when she was still bedridden, and the subconscious of her mind made note, and that is what fueled her body reconstructing yesterday. I recall you saying that you let it slip that she needed more mass and you liked her short. She fulfilled those requests, but neglected muscle mass on her wings, not knowing what to do with them." "Do you think so?" Zarik questions. "Well..." Neris says as she squints from concentration, "Something about that feels like I can't deny it... I can't really describe what I did, how I did it, or what even controlled it. I don't even completely understand what all he said." "If anyone knows anything, it should be you." Zarik says, "But that's the beauty of instinctual behavior, it's just kind hard-coded into you. It's automatic, so to speak." "Au.. To... Matic?" Neris sounds out, questioningly. "On its own." Zarik answers, "something you do without thinking, in the case of instincts. Kinda like what you're doing right now with your foot." Neris looks down and notices that she had been subconsciously ripping at the ground with the talons on her right foot since she stood up and listened to the men postulate over her. Her eyes get wide and she says, "I didn't even notice I was doing that!" "Could be a nervous tic," Zissou remarks, "Or a natural reaction to something, like we've been talking about." "By the way, Aren." Caionna finally chimes in, "What made you think it was weak wings?" "Just a hunch of what I noticed with Zarik's first burst of air." Aren replies, "She looked like the was trying to hold her wings in, but the still breeze shoved her wing out." "Makes sense." Cai nods, then she turns her attention to Bel with a slightly overdue, "Sometimes, being polite can take a back seat." "Perhaps it was because of the mixed company." Zissou remarks, "Couple that with the Elvish tendency to not be as forward on such topics, perhaps he just wished to take things up with you in private." "Then to hell with subtlety!" Cai says indignantly, then she marches over to Bel, places one hand on his chin and the other on the back of his head and kisses him. Keeping him held for a nearly universally uncomfortable time, she breaks lip contact, releases him, then hastily turns away from him as she puts a hand over her mouth, adding, "If there was one positive to sharing Neris' head space, is that she made me think about how if there's something you want, you should just take the risk." Zarik just stares in disbelief for a moment, mouth agape. Snapping out of it, he says, "Well, that settles that." "You did that because of ME?" Neris exclaims. "Evidently so." Zissou says, equally flabbergasted, "Then again, perhaps she had had enough of the teasing and just acted to get it over with." "Particularly from Aren." Cai says, "Because, I swear I would have thrown him if he cracked one more joke today." "HA!" Aren yells, "I'm more than twice your size, I doubt you'd even lift me!" Caionna stomps over to Aren, grabs his collar, then jerks him to her eye level, glaring into his eyes, she snarls, "Try me." Before she turns to walk back to Bel, she gives him a gentle slap on the cheek. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4654/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Caionna gives Bel a knowing glace over her shoulder, but remains silent.
Going off of Bel's final statement, Zarik adds, "Did you forget that we're literally dragons? Like, the entire fucking point of this quest is us getting revenge on our evil ancestors." "Yeah, I guess that's true." Aren shrugs. "You guess?" Zissou says, gobsmacked. Neris stares at the ground as she responds to Bel, "I... Don't want to keep trying." "That's fine. For today." Zarik says, "But remember what I told you you needed to do." "I know!" Neris says with a tinge of choking up, "You want me to act like an adult, learn a skill, and learn how to use my abilities." "And part of that isn't to cry at everything." Zarik scolds, "Learn how to take our criticisms without trying to get sympathy with tears." Neris takes a sharp breath through her nose and steels herself for a moment, before saying, "Yes, Zarik." Suddenly, a projection of Ruki appears in the center of the grouping, the dragon nods solemnly, then delivers her message, "Very well. Your demands shall be met. Meet us at the dais at the ruins of the Twem on the morrow. Much to discuss. Farewell." "Twem?" Neris repeats, having distinctly picked that out of the message, "Ruins? What?" "Perhaps they intend to reveal some things they know of Neristhana." Zissou postulates, "As part of their peace offering, they may be willing to unveil secrets about her." "Seems fishy though." Zarik says gravely, "That's technically their territory, unless they did only what we were guessing when they destroyed the place. Killed everyone, stole Neris' egg, then left the place to rot." "Shall I reply with a veto on the meeting grounds, then?" Zissou inquires. Neris shakes her head and asserts herself, "No. I say we meet them there. I want to know what my homeland is." "While I would normally slap down a recruit's demands without a second thought," Zarik says to her, "This is something that's important to you. You seem strangely determined about it." "Refresh my memory." Aren butts in, "Where even is... erm... was Twem?" "Approximately the distance of Broun to the Reach, but on the northern expanse. Situated on a cliff overlooking a beach." Zissou replies. "A typical Harpy roost." Caionna adds, "Which makes sense considering what I may or may not know about Neris' origin." "What do you mean?" Neris asks insistently. "I'll tell you when the time is right." Caionna responds. "Given the distance across the Reach, I would motion that we leave soon and camp there." Zissou says, "It is a considerable flight from here." "Alright, let's take some time to prepare, then take to the skies." Zarik says, then turns to his sister, "Who's carrying whom?" "What?" Cai says, taken aback. "Aren't we just we going?" "No. I told them, 'whole party or no meeting'." Zarik replies, "There's six of us, three who can fly, one who has wings, but doesn't know how, and two who need ferried." Neris nudges against Zarik and says, "I want to ride with you." "I don't know. Last time, we had another dragon to carry Aren, and he's the heaviest of you guys. I think I should take him." Zarik replies, bopping her on the head, "But let's figure this out when we get ready to leave." Everyone else nods and decides to walk toward the inn. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4655/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Once inside, Zarik hails to Roff, "Hey, we just got word of our meeting. We're heading off for it soon!"
"Aye lad. Best o' luck to ye." he responds, then notices Caionna, with a whistle he says, "Och! I ain't never seen a silver Auri before, usually jus' tha black 'n' white ones. She's a beaut." "Because I'm not an Au'ra, Roff." Caionna says, mildly agitated. Immediately realizing his mistake, he backpedals, "Och! Sorry Caionna. Dinnae rec'nize ye." "Understandable." she responds, "Now do you see why I asked Zissou to have you send those girls out?" "Aye, ah do." He says with a nod, "Won' lie, thaut ye mituh been want'in' some fun. Chalked it up tae thinkin' ye were one o' those girls. Jus' sayin' wot woz on me mind s'all." Caionna blushes and says, "That's enough of that..." and follows Bel to help him prepare. "Oh, I see. Roff can make those remarks and nothing happens to him!" Aren protests. "Not the point!" Zarik says, "Shut up and just get ready!" The men head to their respective rooms while Neris takes Cai to her favorite table and the chitter back and forth while they wait. Zarik is the first to emerge from his room. Dressed in a simple outfit of a white shirt and leather pants under a duster coat with cowboy boots and a ten-gallon hat. A bizarre-looking triple-barreled pistol with a large scope dangling from his belt. Caionna stifles a laugh at Zarik's getup, saying, "Isn't the cowboy look a little passe for a gun like Armageddon?" "Yeah, kinda, but it's the glamour I had ready." Zarik says with a shrug, "Anyway, like Bel was saying on the way in: I told Ruki that we're going in as a team whether they like it or not, which is why we waited for you to wake up." Aren comes out in unchanged getup from before the quest settled down, just as Zarik was explaining. "Besides, it seems like Neris needs to be there. Why else would they choose there for the meeting spot?" He adds, "And Bel wanted to be there too. I don't think Dad wants left out, and I sure as hell don't. We're all six going. Like it or not." "I wasn't going to argue." Caionna responds, "I just didn't expect it, is all." "Maybe this will help me figure out what I need to do." Neris says, "If anything, I want to see where I could have grown up..." Zissou is the next to arrive, also in the same outfit as before. He merely walks out to the table and stands behind Neris' chair. A moment of silence later, he says, "When shall we be making way?" "Once we figure out who's carrying whom of the flightless party members, I guess." Zarik says. "I actually think I should be the one to carry Aren." Cai says, "My dragon form has grown significantly since the other day if that tiny lean-to was any indication. And unlike Neris, I can fly, even with a hulking idiot on my back." Both Aren and Neris let out a defensive, "HEY!" though for obviously differing reasons. Zissou coughs and says, "While Neristhana and myself are both comparatively diminutive, I am significantly heavier than she." "I want to ride on Zarik." Neris says pissantly. "Watch it." Zarik jests, "As long as you mean on my back, on the way to the meetup, then fine. Any other way would only get you into trouble." "I mean, I do mean in other ways." Neris says through a nervous grin, "But I made a promise this morning to not even joke about it." "I'll allow it this time. The joke, that is." Zarik says with a laugh, "But if Bel wants the lighter load, you'd better not give any sass." |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4656/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Meeting place, shooting gallery: what's the difference, given who we're meeting with." Zarik quips with a laugh at Bel's remark, "And it's better high noon than half-mast sunset."
Caionna ignores Zarik's horrid pun and retrieves her weapon from Bel. "Thank you, Bel." she says with a coy smile and blush as she digs through her bag to fish out the focus that belongs with the sword. "What's this about a force bubble?" Aren asks, "We don't need star power or something like that to make it operate, do we?" he adds sarcastically. "What about red coins and flowers?" Zarik quips mockingly in response. Neris perks a brow at the men, "What are you talking about?" she asks. "They're making a joke you'll understand in time." Cai replies. "Oh." Neris says, still lost, then she says, "Let's go! Cai already said she'll carry Aren, and Bel said he'll manage with Mister Zissou! I want to see my home!" "Not a bad idea." Zarik says, heading to the door, "Given how she already volunteered the others, I'm guessing she's excited for the dragonback ride as well." "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't." Neris chirps as she keeps pace with him. Zarik and Caionna make their transformations as the group makes their way outside. Neris and Aren mount up. "Y'know, it's kinda funny... We basically have Midgardsormr and a Charizard for our dragon friends. Especially when you consider that females are typically smaller than males." "Let's also consider the dimorphism of the dragons we originate from. Males are smaller. Ass." Zarik says angrily. "If he keeps this up." Cai says, equally irritated, "I'll just dump him off my back as penance." "Neris sticks out her tongue at Aren and says, "And you guys said I'm the one that needs to behave!" "And you can be dumped just as easily for a 'Haha, bitch! Trial by fire' flying lesson!" Zarik remarks and suddenly drops his shoulders. Neris lets out a squawk of surprise as she suddenly dips a few inches from Zarik's shoulder drop. Zarik laughs, despite the pain in his ears from Neris shrieking in them at point blank. Turning to face Bel, he says, "Ready when you are." |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4657/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"This is adequate." Zissou says with a nod.
Caionna laughs and says, "I think 'fire in the hole' would be more appropriate." "Only if you literally lit his ass on fire first." Zarik quips with a laugh. "Not funny!" Aren protests. "But not undeserved!" Cai says. "What are we waiting for?" Neris says, energetically bouncing on the back of Zarik's neck. "For you to chill out!" Zarik says with a slight snappiness to his tone. "Oh. Yeah," She says, then tries to bottle up her excitement. Zarik then nods and says, "Pay attention to this, Neris. It might help." then he begins to flap his wings. As Zarik begins lifting off, she pays attention to how his muscles flex an relax under her. As they reach the altitude for height, she begins to internalize the rhythm of his wing beats and subconsciously opens her wings to try to mimic him. Bad idea. The wind catches her feathers and swiftly yanks her off of her perch. She screams in terror at her sudden separation. "ZARIK!" "Son of a BITCH!!" Zarik yells and breaks from the defacto formation to attempt to catch her. The wind current caught her in such a way that it launched her higher into the sky due to the head of Zarik's slipstream. Making an assumption of this exact happenstance, he brakes himself in a way that would cause enough drag to get her into his view. "Close your damn wings!" He shouts through the din of the wind, "Let yourself drop! I'll catch you!" "I can't! I don't think I have the strength!" She shrieks back. "By the fucking Author!" he roars, "Try! Help me help you!" "I am trying!" She continues to scream, but doesn't seem to be making progress toward Zarik's demand. Instead, she does the opposite and flaps in vain. "DAMMIT!" He bellows, "Stop flapping your wings and just stretch them out! Pitch forward if you can! Dive bomb at me!" In a clear panic, she shouts, "I don't know what any of that means! I don't know what to do!" "Why did you spread your wings in the first place, you fucking moron?" He roars, "Just keep your wings at full spread and glide down to me!" "O-okay!" she cries, "I was only mimicking you!it seemed like a good idea at the time!" she then finally listens to his advice and remains outspread and begins making a less-than graceful decline. Zarik finally gets her into range and inverts beneath her. Snatching her in, face first into his chest, he wrestles with pinning her wings in as he corrects himself upright and struggles to regain his lost altitude. Caionna brakes a bit to fall back in line with her brother, she says in a less-than-enthusiastic tone, "What in the HELLS was that?" "Mistakes were made!" Neris cries. "Understatement of the decade goes to... Neristhana!" Aren exclaims. "Shut it!" the siblings roar in unison. Neris struggles mildly to get comfortable in Zarik's clumsy grip on her, to no avail of comfort, she says, "Zarik! I think you're hurting me!" "Tough it out, brat!" Zarik snarls, "We're halfway there, and you have no one to blame for this but yourself!" "What if you drop me?" She begs. "I won't if you stop wriggling!" Zarik rumbles, "If you're lucky, you'll come out of this no more worse for wear than some ruffled feathers. I know I'm holding onto you awkwardly, but not in any kind of way that you're less safe than you are uncomfortable. You earned this mild suffering!" Neris just rests her forehead into his chest and pouts, occasionally whining to herself. Roughly an hour later, their destination comes into view and the party makes their descent. As Zarik approaches the ground, he sees a dense patch of thick foliage. He swoops down and drops Neris into it with a leafy thud as she rolls gracelessly. He glides a short distance more and he drops the rest of the way to the ground, but lands in the sand and rocks of the beach below the cliff. Caionna isn't far behind, or much higher from the ground, herself, as Aren hops off and lands in the leaves next to Neris. Cai lands beside Zarik with mildly more grace. Aren looks the tiny phoenix over and asks, "Are you alright?" "Yeah, but my wings hurt really bad." She whimpers. Zarik indignantly gets up and jerks his mildly injured joints from his crash landing, pointing at Aren, he yells, "She'll live and get over it." "She's hurt, and so are you!" Aren yells back. "Why didn't we stop when you caught her?" "I'll live. I can deal with some wounded pride." Zarik says gruffly, "And I didn't stop because we didn't have time. We had to be here by morning, and who knows if we would have been able to get back into the air?" "Is your pride in putting the dragons in their place so important that you would risk not just your safety, but hers?" Aren says angrily. "Who are you to be getting all high and mighty at me over this?" Zarik counters, "We got here, and that's what matters! Shut up and heal her injuries if it's that damned important to you!" "Already on it!" Aren snaps back, the soft blue glow of Benefic easing Neris' pain. "What about you?" "What about me?" Zarik says, sulking off, "I'm fine. Let me just walk this one off. Set up camp, I'll be back later." Aren looks at Cai and says, "Why aren't you stopping him?" Cai says nothing, but subtly shakes her head and darts her gaze from Aren to Neris and back. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4658/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
Aren finishes patching Neris up as Zissou touches the ground, and says, "Alright. You might be a little sore, but some rest is what you need."
Neris tries to get up, but is held down by Aren. She says, "Let me up!" Aren doesn't budge and holds firm on her shoulder, replying, "You need to rest now." "I can rest later!" she shouts, "Let go!" to another, more stern, veto. Anger flashes in her eyes as they go from their sapphirine blue to a fiery red. She bucks her shoulder against Aren's hand and lets out a forceful, "I SAID LET GO!" Between the volume and flash of heat, Aren lets go with a surprised yelp, "What the hell?" Taking the opportunity to hop to her feet and give chase to Zarik, Neris blows past Caionna, whom merely steps aside. It doesn't take long for her to make like a hot streak out of sight. "Why didn't you stop her?" Aren shouts. "It wasn't my place to interfere. Nor was it yours." Cai says flatly, as she turns to watch the leaves flutter in the tailwind. Zissou finally walks over sand says, "Did you not notice any changes in the girl, Arendal?" "Yeah, I guess... What does that have to do with anything? Zarik trudged off to be left alone." Aren replies, "I assumed that meant Neris too." "Call me crazy." Cai says, "But she wasn't capable of that kind of action before we landed. There's significance to this location, like Zarik expected. While he may want to be alone, Neris wants to apologize. Let her." A short time later, Zarik - having reverted form - is found sitting against one of the broken walls within the nature-reclaimed settlement. He can hear Neris calling his name and pleading to meet her, but he sighs gruffly and mutters, "Just leave me alone right now." Neris stops and listens. Peering from bush, to tree, to ruined building. She is equal parts awestruck by the visage and how she imagines it may have looked and trying to find Zarik. Listening closely, she hears the grumbling from the dragon and makes a beeline for where she heard his voice. Upon finding him, she stops several feet away and says, "Zarik? Are you okay?" Zarik lets out a gruff sigh and says, "Haven't you caused me enough trouble today? Go back to the others and make camp! I just want left alone!" Neris shakes her head, and says, "No. I know I messed up tonight, and I wanted to apologize." "Apologize by going away!" Zarik snaps, "Just let me look out on the water and let me think!" "I need time to think too!" Neris shouts back, "And I don't think I can concentrate around the others!" "And you need to be up my ass around the clock, why?" Zarik growls, "Literally every waking moment for me has revolved around you this past week, whether I wanted it to be or not!" "I don't know!" Neris cries, "There's something about you that makes me feel at peace! I'm sorry about the way I've behaved! I'm sorry about picking the worst moment to mimic your wings! Since we landed here, I've been feeling overwhelmed by things I don't understand!" Noticing the slight changes in her, Zarik narrows his eyes, and thinks to himself, 'What has gotten into her? She's acting really strangely. Completely unlike yesterday.' With hesitation, he says, "Fine. Let's sit and talk." The irritation in his voice still prevalent. Neris nods and sits down against the wall, but a few feet away from him to give him at least of modicum of the space he wanted. "Thank you." She says, quietly. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4659/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"It's only her wings that are hurt, maybe her pride..." Aren says, "Nothing to do with her legs. She's fast through. I guess that's a given with her heritage."
"She is too young and naive to be very prideful, Arendal." Zissou responds, "Naivete is what got her injured." "I think she was too concerned about jeopardizing her dreams of Zarik to care about some aches. That girl is nothing if not madly infatuated with him." Cai says before turning her attention to Bel, "I suppose we should. How should we set the shelters up?" Going to scope out a sufficient area for building camp, Cai adds, "She may be small, but I have the feeling she is going to be fiercely powerful. A combination of fire, wind, and sonic gives her the potential to be destructive. I just hope that when she starts learning how to apply herself, that she doesn't have an awakening like I did." Stopping to think with a hand on her chin, she adds, "Then again, she won't have a vindictive parent forcing it to happen. Similar to me and Zarik; her mother is dead, but her father seemed to be a fairly reasonable bird. A better alternative, I think." Aren finds a decently large flat space with some overgrowth, and calls out, "I think I found a place! Just gotta clear out some brush first!" While this is happening, Zarik and Neris are chatting while sitting against the wall. "I gotta ask." Zarik says, "What is your deal?" "I'm sorry?" Neris asks, "I don't think I follow." "I mean, ever since I saved you, you've been inconsistent with the kind of person you are." Zarik replies, "At first, you were a horned up little spastic that didn't understand personal space; then, you became an emotional train wreck, crying at the slightest provocation; and now, you're at least feigning some maturity." "I wish I knew. It's been a whirlwind in my head lately." she replies with a blush, "I've noticed the inconsistency too." "Let's see what we can do to make that whirlwind in your head turn into an actual wind storm." He laughs, "I've known my fair share of harpies, and they were all pretty ditzy. But you're taking the cake." "Well, when you've been through what I've been through... Can you blame me?" She says. "Well, you've been dragging me through it." He says, "I know you mean in a perspective way. While I can't say I've been through it, I can empathize that it's been hell. Between being used the way you were, to having the presence of bot benevolence and malevolence in your head, to being strung out on your own, then to be brought to the homeland you will never know. It can't be easy." Neris sits in silence for a moment, then says in astonishment, "How... Did you put my thoughts in order like that so easily?" "Because I'm perceptive." Zarik replies, "I told you that I care, and I didn't mean that as a platitude. If I didn't care, and had less self-respect, I would have just continued their cycle of pump-and-dump. Instead, I chose to go the high road and try to instill that there's more to life than what you were hatched into. Disgusting as it was." "How... Did you know that I was, and kinda still am, a hatchling?" She questions, "And why didn't you leave me for dead if you said I was so sickly and gross?" "Because I didn't know you were a phoenix, and your size screamed 'I was a mistreated child' and you deserved to know what love was before meeting your end." He replies, "Even if I did know you were what you are, you wouldn't have lasted as long as you have in those conditions. Even an immortal fire spirit needs nurture." "So the things Cai was telling me about you are true." She says with a smile. "What?" He asks, "What did she say?" "She said that you're very brash, bold, and brutish; yet you have a heart of gold, well silver, and soft spot for weaker beings." she giggles, "In addition to you being a very good looking guy, I guess that's what drew me to you... I just didn't know it." "Back off." He says, "Don't think that because we're having this heart-to-heart now that you get to skip steps to your endgame." "What? It's not like I--" she looks down and realized she's practically sitting on his lap, she hops to the side and puts a gap between them again, blushing she continues, "She also said you're steadfast and a hard negotiator. I didn't understand what she meant, but picking up context is teaching me a lot." "Damn straight." He says with a smile, "I want you to be a whole, well-rounded, person before things go crazy. I want there to be a healthy life for you, not just you being a warm, wet hole and me being a Pogo stick." "At first, I didn't understand that's what you meant. I just thought you were denying me to rile me up," She says, "The last couple of days taught me a lot. and I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable right before I went up in smoke." "Makes sense, but to an extent, it kinda is my goal. As a way to teach you impulse control." he laughs again, "I mean, I think part of it was more than it was another guy holding my hand there in combination of feeling the spell channel through me, along with being skeeved out by your withered body." He then puts a hand over her mouth and says, "Alright, enough of that. Let's find something else to talk about." "How about how pretty this place is?" She says in awe, "I can't imagine what it looked like before it was destroyed because of me." "It may have been destroyed, but you shouldn't blame yourself." He says with a shake of his head, "You were just an egg. Oblivious to the world because you weren't aware of your own existence. Sometimes bad shit happens. While this place was likely gorgeous, and filled with equally gorgeous women, you - personally - had nothing to do with what happened." Neris' eyes well up from Zarik's kind words, but she cokes them back, heeding his previous words about crying. Choked up, she says, "Thank you for your kind words. I wish I could have known what kind of woman my mother was, or the kind of man my father is... But that isn't possible..." Zarik puls Neris close to him and places her head in his chest and says, "This is one occasion where you're allowed to cry. I can tell these are genuine tears." She wraps her arms and wings around him and begins bawling her eyes out in a flurry of emotions from joy at his reassurance to sorrow of being an orphan. Suddenly, a nearby fire pit sprouts to life without any noticeable fuel. The flame starts small, then grows. Eventually, the ember bursts into a fireball, and then into a blazing vortex as it spins into the sky and explodes. |
| Trelior |
| ||
|
Normal User
Level: 127
Posts: 4660/4986 EXP: 23614248 Next: 112318 Since: 01-02-12 Last post: 1263 days Last view: 1263 days |
"Best case scenario, Zarik caved against his word, and bitchy mood, and gave her the time of her life. So, yeah, fireworks." Aren says, awkwardly hacking at the brush and stacking it into a haphazard pile, "Worst case, the brush and wooden ruins catch on fire and we're fucked anyway. I wouldn't sweat it until we see smoke."
"As funny as you think that would be, Aren," Cai says, "You know Zarik as well as I do. There's nothing that girl can do to break his iron will." "I mean, he's been in a bit of a dry spell lately." Aren replies, "She's also gotten more than mildly more attractive since yesterday. Maybe he gave in. I don't know!" "A celibacy that he he imposed on himself, Arendal." Zissou confirms, "However you came to know this is curious." "Does it matter? The point is, he might have given in since they're alone." Aren says, having inadvertently left Bel to do the heavy lifting of the job. Cai decides to help Bel clear the crush away by picking up Aren's slack, "Trust me, Aren. He hasn't. He seems pretty nonplussed that she's a shortstack. If anything, he's chilled ut some and they've just talked through some stuff. The fireball could have been them building a makeshift fire and it went awry." Assessing the clearing, Zissou says, "I can confirm. His intention is to remain steadfast on Neristhana at all costs. 'To do otherwise would be a disservice to us both' he told me." Joining in on wrangling the errant foliage, he surveys again, then nods, "This shall work nicely. How shall we set the shelters?" "How about like last time?" Cai asks. "Or how about butting them together?" "That's how we did it last time." Aren replies, "Don't you rememb-- Oh. Right." "I'm fine with it if you guys are." Cai says, then gets started with digging out her components. The fire clears in the sky above Neris and Zarik. As Neris uncovers them from her wings, and Zarik wipes a tear from her eye, they see a large fire bird and a blueish spirit in the shape of a man standing in the fire pit. The bird nods in the direction of the couple and telepathically projects words, 'They're having a moment, Derry. Pay up!' "I don't remember agreeing to a bet, Pharos!" The ghost says jokingly, "Besides, you're a self-imposed outcast, and I'm dead! What use do we have for money?" Zarik and Neris both give the duo before them a thousand yard stare before saying, in unison, "Dad? Derigan/Pharos?" Saying the opposite's father's name. "That's our names!" Derigan's spirit says, "Now, before you go all 'but wait, you're dead!' on me son, a sorcerer of my power when I was alive can bend the rules a little. I don't have a whole lot of time, so zip it and listen!" 'He's planar hopping with me, and I'm only gonna stay until I start getting cold' Pharos audibly thinks. "So many questions!" Zarik exclaims. Neris hops to her feet and rushes to Pharos, giving the comparatively massive phoenix as big a hug as she can muster, completely unfazed by the immense heat he is giving off. Her clothes also completely unaffected by the literal fire their wearer is engulfed in. "Where do I even begin?" she asks, muffled in his breast. "Like I said, no time. Big guy here doesn't like the temperature below 'seventh layer of hell', which is a mite hotter than 'midsummer evening' if you get me." Derigan says, "But I just wanted to reiterate what I told little Cai. I'm proud of you, kid. Dunno if she told you, but since I'm free of your mother's curse, so are you. You should be awakening as a sorcerer now. Maybe you should take time to hone that skill set while your little cutie works on hers. Y'know, bond a bit." "Well, I guess that settles that pretty quick..." Zarik says, "You seem to gie your blessing on me being a hard-ass on Neris." 'Your intentions seem pure enough' Pharos says, wrapping his daughter under his wing, 'You took her from a place she would have surely died, and refuse to perpetuate the mistreatment. You are willing to acquiesce to her eventually, should she fulfill stringent, yet fair, goals you set in place for her. You have my blessing to court her, albeit that you are actually reversing the roles.' "I... Don't know what to say, sir." Zarik says, "Can't say I ever thought I would receive praise from a phoenix, let alone be the recipient of unrequited affection from one." "Fate's a strange mistress, eh Zar?" Derigan laughs, "Hell, if it wasn't for Cai seeking the fire chicken out, neither of us would be here to congratulate the two of you. I guess if my son and his daughter can hitch up, we may as well pal around too!" Turning to Pharos he says, "Don't you have something to say to the fletch?" 'I do.' the phoenix replies, then fluffs his feathers out to chase Neris from his personal space, 'As per Zarik's demand of you needing to learn your natural abilities, you will need to harness the raw essence of your emotions to bring out your phoenix tendency. Your passion, determination, and anger will fuel your fires to burn your foes and cleanse impurities. Your harpy side, may the gods rest your mother's soul, should be easier as they rely on your physical attributes: your voice, wings, and claws. The rest of his requests will require soul searching of yourself. Do not sell yourself short, my girl. Believe in yourself, and your friends, and you will avail.' Neris repeats the high points of her father's wisdom to herself for several moments to internalize them, then she pleads, "Tell me about mother! What kind of woman was she?" 'I do not have the time to impart that upon you now.' Pharos replies with a shake of his head, 'It is as Derigan said, I am becoming rather chilly in this climate. I don't understand how you lesser beings can stand this frigidity.' a distinct joviality to the last statement. 'Perhaps you can do what your mother did and find a way to summon me forth if you wish to hear the truth. With that, I must away to reclaim some of my warmth. Take care, my daughter, and thank you, son of Derigan.' Derigan climbs onto Pharos' back and the phoenix lifts off into the sky with blistering speed. As he takes to the sky, Derigan calls out, "Take care, kid. Not just for your sake and hers, but for your sister too!." then they disappear into a fiery explosion. "We..." Zarik begins, "Didn't just hallucinate all of that, did we?" Neris looks over herself and says, "Nope! I'm all ashy from where daddy's fire tried to ignite my clothes." "I guess it's a good thing Zis thought to enchant your clothes with a fire retardant." Zarik says. "Anyway, I guess we should make our way back to the others. I've had about enough excitement for one day." "Me too." Neris replies, "Hopefully they picked a spot where we can look out over the sea. I would like winding down while looking over the water." "Yeah, me too." He says as he wraps his arm around her, under her wings, he jokes "I guess I'm stuck with you. whether I like it or not... Our dads have expectations..." She giggles and says, "Yeah, and I can see where your personality came from." They then begin to make their way back. |
| Main - Posts by |
 Acmlmboard v2.5.5 (10/04/2020) © 2005-2024 Acmlm, Emuz, et al. |
|
MySQL - queries: 204, rows: 732/780, time: 0.230 seconds. |
