Checkerboard Ball Pickup Collection Page for Nomi
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| Name | Dragon Name | Dragon Gender | Clutch Parents | Bond Type | Board Rank |
| Tathira Kilath | Wittu Moonshield | Female | Rakki + Sasazik | Voluntary Bond | King's Knight |
| Siji | Eyerarkasi Dumani | Male | Dantinath + Dymati | Voluntary Companionship | King's Bishop |
| Runzon | Vih'drik ahlHadaa | Male | Evugith + Fadhila | Voluntary Companionship | Queen's Pawn (c) |
| Eh Hyeng | Oddcada | * | Caliestoth + Dairruinth | Voluntary Companionship | White Pawn |
| Lumada | Aita'nye | * | Smirch + Nekeel | Voluntary Companionship | Black Pawn |
| Alos Siud (1) | Belgesu | * | Gertith + Surrith | Impression, Multibond | White Pawn |
| Alos Siud (2) | Qufth | Female | Laeurath + Juth | Impression, Multibond | Black Queen |
| Kwil Vahlden (1) | Evgeny Zwitterion | Male | Evocation Zone + Errick | Voluntary Multibond | King's Knight |
| Kwil Vahlden (2) | Sidante | * | Ancheoth + Tehndarinth | Impression, Multibond | White Pawn |
| Menetavro | Juddmeba | * | Merajanay + Bales apa Larsis'Iann | Voluntary Companionship | Black Pawn |
| Nuraval | Herostash | * | Sta Turun + Shiyo | Voluntary Bond (Tattoo) | White Pawn |
| Basher | Zonthol | * | Thaljath + Olelikoth | Impression | Grey Pawn |
| Jasmal | Claboth | Female | Maranth + Minath | Impression | Black Queen |
| A'dka-Nah | Edoamsh | * | Amrith + 50 Shades of Grey | Voluntary Companionship | Black Pawn |
| Plover | Gagakeba | * | Kelirith + Baniar'Alkar | Voluntary Bond | Black Pawn |
| Phoebe | Eigasheva | * | Sheng Stac'ver + Vassago Thain | Voluntary Companionship | Black Pawn |
* Knockoff gender is up to you, and will only become important if you choose to fully write them up and give them Pawn status. (c) Crowned Pawns are not knockoffs, they are full sized Pieces
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| Wittu Moonshield | Name: Wittu Moonshield (WITT too, Moonshield is the clan's name for this event and clutch, taken by full Pieces) For her part, she and her feline sidekick had come in through a specific portal, she wasn't the only one on her way but she was definitely among the first to arrive. Her sensitive eyes squinted but rather quickly it seemed she'd gotten used to it. The light, it was clear, wasn't coming from a sun or star, or even a moon... These strange artificial candles, brighter than any spell, along the walls? A chandelier that sparkled with a cascade of glittering lights could have been magic, but she overheard some local person say that it was "just a bunch of ell ee dees" whatever that was. And the people! Even that one with the broom - what was he? There were humans, elves, furry people, and demons (or ... something), but 'aliens' and 'monsters' and... so - many - dragons. Quite a few people who already had a drink in their hand or a plate of food also were shadowed by a smallish dragon, but she saw at the very far side of the venue from her entry point, that there were massive archways fit for dragons that were quite big... She'd brought with her some coins, but it turned out she didn't need them to buy food or drink. Apparently the invitation included that kind of thing, and only the casino with gambling required money. She wasn't much of a gambler, but she did take the tour, marveling at the difference in mood and atmosphere from the main ballroom to this smaller and more intimate area. She also felt the magic pulling so many different directions! Every door or archway was a new segment of the place that pinged her senses. There was that one 'blank wall' over by the entry... She stood for a good minute or two staring at it. It was just a white marble wall, but there was - something... there? If she had the ability to open it she knew there was a door here somewhere. Only when someone came through that 'door', did she realize... It wasn't for her, there was nothing for her to see there. Faintly disappointed, but once more filled with the desire to learn how such magic could possibly exist, she found her way around the venue. Dancing? Well she wasn't all that good with it, but neither was her partner who wasn't exactly light on his feet. Food! And drinks! She stood amazed trying to list all the things she wanted to follow up on, when the potions... sorry mixology demonstration was done. It was hard to follow a lot of the comedy routines in the casino but much easier to let the amazing songs and performances on the main Stage wash all over her. So the evening went, with every few acts being interrupted by the introduction of those magnificent dragon clutches. Here and there, people she knew found a companion among them! And at long last, near the Midnight bell, a most lovely glimmering moonlight-pale dragoness approached Tathira. Her wings shone like a mirror, her quicksilver hide danced like stars. "I am glad I've found you," she said, "will the place we return to ... have a moon? I feel uncomfortable here, this place so far below the sea." With a start, Tathira glanced upward and saw only the domed ballroom ceiling... and the depths of the strange world's ocean through the windows beyond the Stage. "I will make sure you get to see the moon from our chambers!" "I am Wittu Moonshield, I will enjoy learning from you. We have much in common already." |
| Eyerarkasi Dumani | Name: Eyerarkasi Dumani (ee rar KUH see doo MAW nee; Dumani is Turkish for 'smoke' and their names reflect their appearances, 'saddleback') He dealt with those folks from the mainland on the regular, not just because he angered them or crossed some unknown line of their weirdly complicated legal system. Others on their islands actually knew he was good at interaction and asked him for help - because more often, because unscrupulous Zekirans themselves were trying to exploit the Benders who didn't know better. Oh how he loved making those ones rush off to their hovercraft, leaving the islands after trying to kidnap another earth Bender or convince a water bending woman to bear 'more' children for 'them'. He knew it wasn't because he was a troublemaker, that he'd been brought here with the others, it was more... in spite of that fact. Siji had a strong will, boldness, courage to burn. And there were dragons here who valued courage, needed companionship. He didn't realize, just then, as he was gazing around with a half-drunken daze, that Kallah Vahh had brought him here perhaps in the hopes that a dragon might temper those things... Maybe he'd learn later. Maybe he wouldn't care. Perhaps with age and wisdom that knowledge would come. For now though, he was still young enough that he enjoyed dancing with the exotic ladies on this big ballroom floor... more than he wanted to listen in to the political wrangling being done up on the balconies. He knew that was all more or less boring trade routes and exchange programs. Pff. Dull, he wanted something more! (Kallah Vahh also noted that while the lad purposefully ignored those things, it was because he recognized them as such. A feat that not all of his companions reached.) There was a perfect place for what Siji wanted to do tonight: over by the casino (which he also enjoyed quite a bit) was another slightly more hidden spot. It had signage but he couldn't read it - he could read, barely; Zekiran script was squiggly and elusive in meaning but though this sign was much more plain looking, he'd never learned English. He could easily tell that the scribbled marks over the stencil were graffiti, though. The sign said "WARNING, LIVE FIRE RANGE, EYE AND EAR PROTECTION REQUIRED". And the marks over it, 'OSHA CAN KISS MY ASS' and it was a preface for the theme in the shooting gallery. He heard the laughter and shattering glass after odd noises, and on turning the corner he spotted a dimly lit chamber with a bunch of rather drunk people clumped around another, who was using her fingers to 'shoot' at bottles across the room. There was no weapon in her hand, but then he needed no weapon either. And within moments, he was in a competition (friendly) with several others using guns, crossbows, and psionic powers. A discussion popped up among some of the more tech-oriented participants, whether Maliwan or Hyperion made better guns. The answer was obviously Maliwan, since a bright yellow Hyperion robot sat broken and burning, slagged and frozen, in the corner. The fun he had when he 'reanimated' that robot... oh yes, this was his element! And then about halfway through the evening, he felt more than saw a blast of incredibly hot fire, which enveloped one of the paper targets nearby. Everyone was surprised, but he more than most - because this dragon then glanced at him with a wild, open-smoking-mouth (and smoking wings, and tail) look. That was fun, can I do it again? "I don't know, Eyerarkasi, can you?" How had he known the dragon's name? Didn't matter. They were absolutely a team now. The dragon - a hatchling with silvery hide with a shadow of grey over his back - looked around for... something. Finding it, he chomped his small mouth around a beer can, exploding it and ... drinking it? No, not drinking, storing it, or maybe processing. Because he belched out a loud rumbling along with the burst of fire, that for all the worlds smelled of spilled beer and burnt toast. This would be the best possible outcome for Siji, finding a partner in crime like this... |
| Vih'drik ahlHadaa | Name: Vih'drik ahlHadaa (VIH (not vee) drik awl hah DAA, those who are biped shifters or who want to carry the name ahlHadaa may do so, meaning 'family lacking colors'; each given name has a meaning and this one means 'distracting flier') He did sort of wish that his eyes worked better when the performances on the Stage started, though. He could certainly tell that there were things happening, brilliant things in fact, so when he and their Earthbender Eh Hyeng found a nice smallish table to sit and watch it, he leaned back and allowed his spirit to float free of his body. Now it was all crystal-clear (hm, crystals, they could focus light couldn't they? Eh Hyeng might be able to make him some glasses?) and Runzon enjoyed a good chunk of the evening bobbing around as a 'ghost'. He noted that he surprised a few people, here and there, who could easily make him out even in this manner. Most folks couldn't detect him while he was out of his body, but this event sure had a lot of special people at it! The hosts seemed interconnected - what Runzon saw of them was shimmering turquoise blobs with tendrils of that aqua energy between them, communicating to one another? Or was it just that they were the same person from other dimensions and they could hardly help but be connected? Who knew. Runzon was nudged 'awake' by his companion, when the food and drink arrived. Carried by a strange tall man with four arms (and was it a trick of the light or costume makeup that made him look boldly white with black markings? nope, that was just his skin) he set their table with care. It all smelled great, there was no doubt that they'd spared no expense at this Ball. The fish, perfectly grilled (or, on one platter, flawlessly packed around rice and spices smoked), the vegetables steamed just right. They had water and wine, though it was obvious that when Siji got back from his casino gambling he was drinking much harder liquor. He scarfed the food down, sped back away for more fun wherever it was he'd found. More Stage shows, music, dancing - and thankfully Eh Hyeng didn't try dragging him onto the ballroom floor for that. He might be agile and light in the air, but... well, this was different. Being able to easily focus on things while dancing was important. Late in the evening, not quite to the Midnight bell, the place was still churning and enjoying all manner of entertainments. But by now, there were also a vast array of dragons, hatchlings and sometimes their adult counterparts, milling about in the room too. It did make for some fascinating blurry movement in Runzon's vision. I might help you with that, a steady, deep voice rang through the Bender's mind. Runzon glanced around, and spotted a large grey patch standing next to their table. Runzon heard Eh Hyeng's giggle and appreciative breath, as the dragon approached. She hugged her own, who was slumbering and draped over her lap. It's all right, I can see you when you're floating out, the dragon bespoke. So with that, Runzon's mind left his body, and saw very clearly this amazing dragon. Stocky - this dragon was shaped like a fine Steed found on Zekira, a big one at that. With stripes that contrasted light and dark over the same grey color, handsome, though it didn't look like a dragon this... broad... was going to be very agile in the air. "Are you... saying you'd like to come home with us?" With you, the dragon asserted. I think we'll make a decent enough team. After all, as the dragon paused in his thoughts, Runzon made note of the brilliant sparkling his aura was producing. And then when he blinked his spirit-eyes, the dragon was standing on two feet, not four! Unsteady, obviously he was still new at all this walking about... And also kind of unsteady because he was still the same burly build when bipedal. "I can walk with you if you want, though if you tell me to 'yip yip' I might drop you..." |
| Oddcada | Name: Oddcada (ODD caw daw, while the Pieces in this clutch inherit their -TH ended pseudo-Pernese/Eienic naming, the Knockoffs inherit -CADA which may pass if they're promoted to breedable) And now, he was there to escort a decent sized group of people - natives of that world, or otherwise like the Benders - into ... this thing, this massive ring of metal and electricity, focused by a dozen crystals. And had she the time to examine those, she would have been captivated by the stories they could tell, as they were each from a different distinct world or even dimension. But the party! The party they reached through it was stunning. As Siji bolted off to find the booze and trouble, and Lumada staggered up to the big windows showing the depths of the sea they were under, Eh Hyeng gently took Runzon's elbow and helped guide him along. He wasn't blind, but he was nice and warm and smart. He watched most of the party from 'beyond' as his body went inert, which was at first a little weird, but she'd heard of such things from those tutors. But that simply meant that she got to enjoy the Stage shows, colorful and amazing dragons, bright illusions, and acrobats alike, knowing that he also had a very good view instead of squinting so hard to see. Every once in a while, several times an hour it seemed, there were dragons that would come from the big archways - attracting her magical attention, it wasn't just that there were doors, they magically opened and closed, altering the stone or metal. And she was very, very keen on seeing those up close. She got the chance, something seemed to be gnawing at her, even after they'd had a meal. She liked the spiced vegetables, diced meats, even the checkerboard-patterned cake afterwards. But she was still... hungry. Curious, a little oddly wobbly as she got up and walked toward the side of the ballroom that held those archways. When one of them opened, it was to show a giant black dragon, and an equally large but lower to the ground and noodly calico grey one... and their procession of babies! They walked or trotted or faceplanted or wove among the guests. Their patterns were glorious, some calico like their momma, others with spots or points, and then there were a large number of them with solidly black wing backs and... checkerboards underneath? They scattered, like marbles in a game, or like shards of broken glass. And one of them stepped right up to her. You don't want to drop that, it'll break... the voice in her mind was clear and smooth, like crystal itself. It was only then that she noticed that while she'd been holding a wine glass in one hand, her grip on it had completely gone as she watched the dragons' arrival and it was... hovering in mid-air just at knee level. Without pause the dragon then stated, I am Oddcada, can you help me grow strong with this? I still have pieces of my shell, it looked behind itself and sure enough there were several large nearly-intact shell bits hovering improbably behind them. It wasn't the whole thing, clearly there was around a third of the shell that couldn't be kept. I'd like to see about making this into something. Maybe you can do that while I hold it up? "You're already so talented!" Eh Hyeng exclaimed, taking the glass and immediately putting it down on the floor. "Of course I can help with that, and you will be so useful in the studio!" She glanced at the two parent dragons, "you might wind up to be a little large to fit in the studio..." |
| Aita'nye | Name: Aita'nye (EYE tah nye, father's naming convention indicates location or clan, in this case 'nye for New Year's Eve/nt; further generations should follow local tradition or family name for this addition; all in this clutch including Knockoffs receive this suffix) Until they reached the party itself. At which point she could simply feel the presence of all that water. To others it might have been oppressive: they were kilometers under the surface of the ocean, at the floor of the sea. Lumada felt alive. She waved her hand at Siji when he bolted off, continued distractedly waggling her fingers at the other two while they headed toward the tables, and just kept walking over to the huge arched thick window nearest. Several of these framed the Stage - how that worked she didn't know, but she could sense that a couple of these windows weren't looking out to the same sea. Nope - nope - one of them was actually showing stars, so yeah that was certainly some hefty magic at work. Still she could sense the water beyond even that strange star-filled display; they were physically here at the bottom of a sea that was not on her birth planet and not even close to her ancestors' world. Lumada stood near the window she'd stumbled up to, watching the dark waters move with the tide. Creatures passed by on the regular: many fish, a couple sharks, octopuses, that kind of thing. Crabs scuttled away from a shark, unsuccessfully. Then ... then the dragons moved past, and she held her breath. There were half a dozen of them, various different breeds (she did have the sense to flip through the pamphlet that everyone got on entry, but none of them matched up with the clutch parents here)... It was when one of them was towing a big metal ball behind it, floating on what looked like a pillow of bubbles, that Lumada knew she had to go take that undersea tour. And it was worth every single moment stuck in that weirdly smelling ball. The windows weren't big, but they definitely served to show all the wonders of this place, Rapture by name. A city built under the sea! Well, built not very well, as most of it was in ruins, but still they had said it was 'being renovated' by refugees... And dragons. She spotted the bigger dome where the dragons had their side of this event, oh they were breathing fire and light and ice in a contest! She wanted to keep riding this bathysphere but knew that others would want the space. So reluctantly she got off in the airlock chamber, and when she did... There was a dragon standing there with its dark head tilted, looking right at her. Other people scooted around it, on their way back into the dance hall. But this one kept scootching left or right as Lumada attempted to pass by. She laughed, "well, little one, is there something on your mind?" And the dragon replied, "I want to ride with you next time, can I?" It lifted its paws one by one, claws already long and curved, and plopped them back down in the puddles that formed where the splashing went over the floor. "I want to get wet. I don't think I can hold my breath outside like that yet though..." When the Bathysphere had descended once more, carrying new passengers out for their circuit around the area outside, leaving the airlock mostly empty (there were attendants of course, to make sure that no one ... did what she just did then), Lumada glanced between the human and... whatever that one brown-skinned fellow with the four big red eyes was, and they backed up to the walls a little. The Waterbender then gently moved her hands, leaning a tiny bit, swaying with the tide. Bringing water up and around herself and the dragon with her power. She suspended the dragon with a bowl-shape, water wobbly underneath and with the dragon's tail poking out - because that was one long tail! Then she settled it back down on the floor, splashing them and the attendants, who were both open-mouthed and excited to see such a display. Yes, it got her lovely embroidered dress wet! But it also got the dragon wet, which was apparently the most delightful thing it could possibly have wanted! "I am sure you're the right person to go home with, now," the dragonet asserted. "I am Aita'nye, do you have ice too?" It glanced at the next group that were starting to line up and one of them had a glass with icewater in it... well, had. The ice overtook the glass, formed an arc, moved through the air thanks to the dragon. "We do, and wherever we do wind up even if it's not there, I'm going to make sure that there's plenty of it for you to play with!" |
| Belgesu | Name: Belgesu (bell GUESS oo, though fully Pernese by blood, the knockoffs of this clutch inherit -GESU rather than their parents -TH) It was perhaps the first time that a non-local ghost came to Alos. She'd lived with these things all of her short life, in Ablan there were an unusual concentration of ghosts, and in Quman it was just... off the charts. Places with storied histories, like Quman and its 7-thousand-year existence... when she first visited that Zone it was overwhelming. Here in this weird new world, under the sea, there were... quite a few ghosts. A lot. Of ghosts. Most of them unhappy - and who wouldn't be, they were murdered or died of overdoses or horrible accidents that were caused by the place itself failing to protect its inhabitants from the crushing waters outside. This time though, the ghost was not displeased, not quite the unhappy remnant of an era that collapsed a hundred years before this big bright party started. No, it was a nurse: she came right up to Alos and seemed to appraise her appearance. Even though these 'humans' were 'like' Zekirans, they lacked a lot of the flair and mutations present in their DNA. The ghost glanced most curiously at her tail, and up to her little white ear-wings. She'd hardly been at the party for an hour, while this ghost lingered around her. Silently, the ghost seemed to want to watch with living eyes. Alos got the distinct impression that the medical knowledge the woman used to have was... not the most sound of science. She had the urge to experiment, to reach out to another party-guest and change their ear shape to match her own... Stop that at once, a voice came through the mental air, though it wasn't aimed at her - it was properly addressing the ghost. Alos shook her head free of the influence of that odd ghostly presence. That ghost vanished, quickly, into the aether of this weird undersea tomb. A dragon stomped up, sniffing the air oddly. It was quite small, but burly looking and amusingly squat in ways. Pale, but with the distinct checkerboard patterning that said it was one of the 'crafted' dragons here tonight. Are you all right? That creature wanted to do something without asking, and you'd be blamed. I didn't want that to happen. The dragon's mind was quite clear and sure. And once Alos recovered a little, she knelt to touch its broad forehead. "Thank you, Belgesu, you're right to stop me. Sometimes... they do that." How had she known that name? It was ... part of the dragon, part of its mind that slipped easily and firmly into her own. Well no more, thank you. They will have to ask first from now on. The little dragon, Belgesu, plopped its rump on the marble floor and nestled its bright wings against its body. I will wait here now, but you should enjoy that dancing. There is still time. Time for what, she wondered... But there certainly was dancing, with a handsome feline who had two lovely tails... She almost let him sweep her off her feet into one of the, erm... crash rooms nearby, but came to her senses when Belgesu's mind curiously peered in over her mental shoulder with a bit of a warning about him too. |
| Qufth | Name: Qufth (CUFF-th, as this is a Pernese dragon (mooostly) they have the traditional -TH ended name which will either pass or be modified by any breeding done) For more than an hour, Alos sampled the finger-foods and wines, swished through the dance floor with grace and delight, and stopped by her new dragon partner frequently to make sure that they were safe and happy and fed. Alos knew there were a variety of Zekirans at this party, she recognized a couple faces from the historical documents and modern pop culture articles found in the magazines in her own Ablan and Quman health clinic waiting rooms. With the ghosts present in her life all this time, she hardly even thought 'why would historical figures be alive to be here' - not realizing they weren't from her same Zekiran dimension. She wandered the casino, though as a Sehatan she knew better than to gamble very much: some of her patients couldn't afford her services due to their gambling habits and wound up indentured to her office for a while... On one circuit around the dance floor the show above ended with a bit of an accident, but she was more on her way back to her small table to tend to Belgesu. When she got there... Belgesu was joined by a darker bodied, lighter winged dragon! I told you there was still time! I didn't say for what! But it was to wait for our partner! The dragonet happily twittered, giving a bugle which was echoed in the darker dragon. They were about the same size for now, but it looked like this grey one with the shiny white wings was going to be taller and higher off the ground than her first bond. She held her head high too, dished like a Steed's in a way, with what looked like the starts of horns at the end of those odd knob-things that Belgesu also had (which would not be sprouting such things). The dragonet's wings shone under the ballroom lights, highly reflective, glass-like. "Do you like them? I will need to keep them clean and sound. You can do that, can't you?" The dragonet could speak so clearly? Even freshly hatched like she must have been? "I... I can!" Alos recovered quickly. "I have tended to much larger dragon wings. You will have plenty of time to learn how to fly and grow strong with yours." The brightly checkerboarded dragonet beside her shifted, "and you too! Both of you will look so good flying around the grounds!" And neither of them would take up particularly much space, she thought, they're barely bigger than any Steed that's come by! That will make us easier for you to ride, too, Belgesu hinted, obviously able to read Alos' mind. She giggled, they would certainly be impressive to arrive at a site as well! That got her thinking... what about dragon racing? "Qufth," the dragon announced herself, "is my name. I'm not sure I would be very good at racing. But perhaps there would be a new sport for your people to enjoy." So... this dragon could read her mind already too? But it was a good idea, wasn't it? The racing? She was about to suggest such a thing, when they were joined by half a dozen nearby fresh-hatched flitters. Where had they even come from? And whose were they? "They are ours now," Qufth chuckled. It turned out that her own ability to summon such creatures was echoed quite strongly in this new lovely shiny dragon. |
| Evgeny Zwitterion | Name: Evgeny Zwitterion (evv GEN nee zwi TEE ree on, last name for the entire clutch regardless of status; name is from chemistry, a molecule or ion having separate positively and negatively charged groups) While Kwil was certainly happy to have been selected among the many Vahh folk available... man, this party was really, really hard on his senses. When they got to the venue via that big noisy portal buried deep in the Ski'nahket facility, he knew it was going to be a bit rough. But as they reached the first obvious meeting point in the area, the coat check, the small and incredibly pretty woman there tilted her head and gave a strange expression. "I was wondering whether I'd need one of these, glad I made one!" She said, and rummaged around for something. While the other man there was busy putting a bow-tie on a young man who'd hardly dressed for such a formal event, this woman appraised Vahlden with care. Sliding out from behind the counter as though floating, she looked Kwil square in the eyes. "Now, I hate to cover your lovely features, but you might find this to be much better than wandering about unprotected. You probably won't even notice its weight, but I know it will aid you." She waggled her fingers, and the much taller Zekiran man bent slightly to meet her a little closer. There, Fantell (her name tag was written in several languages? convenient!) unfolded something and draped it very carefully over his head, adjusting it around even his lower face. When she was satisfied, she indicated he ought to look at himself in the full length mirror that the booth had in it. Kwil had to squint - there was a veil over him, a hood of sorts that covered his antennae and ears, but left his eyes easily unhindered, and draped across his nose and mouth open at the bottom. But he could hardly even see it, it was nearly transparent - but not in that plastic-shell kind of way, more like... a spider web? It caught faint glittering light here and there; it was the finest, softest silk he'd ever touched - and that was saying a lot. Plus he immediately noticed it worked well to dampen the noise and raucous vibrations coming from the rest of the ballroom. His antennae hardly dipped a bit with it; he did feel it there, but again it was almost like he'd walked through a spider web and could barely sense it. Fantell seemed quite happy and proud of herself, and gave him a formal nod, before returning to her station and urging him to enter the party. "Do I owe-" "No no, it was made for you," she said, "obviously. Think of it as a party gift." If Kwil's people believed in 'magic' he might have said it was purely made of it. The rest of this night was spent in more comfort than he could have imagined: the dance floor was a thumping, pounding mass of people; the air around some spots of the wet bar cloudy with fragrant smokes. Typically he had to avoid bars and clubs because of smoke like that. But here, with this lovely veil... he didn't even have to use his own psionics to move the stuff off of his face. He noticed it: the veil brushed it off, almost repelled it with wind. Eventually he would be told (because he went back to the greeter's booth to thank her) that her dragon named Solaris produced this silk, and she'd woven it into this particular piece almost without thinking who might need it. He got brave after that: Kwil would hardly have decided to go gambling even on the best of days back home. But... just this once? Maybe? He poked his head into the casino ... thought twice. It looked great, but it also was definitely more overwhelming than the wide open ballroom proper. As he was leaving, however, there was a jostling at his leg. A pair of small dragons rushed by, apparently heading toward their new friend beyond. But they were followed by another, sleek and clean looking. Sharply white and black to fit the theme; though when the dragon looked around, Kwil could see the contrasting grey on its chest, and the slight shifting of that silvery fur on its neck, and equal shine from the shoulder and brow armor it had. He heard chittering, but it was more coherent than the pinging and plinking of the casino's many machines. (And come to think of it, this place was filled with electronic noise as well as physical... best to duck out as soon as he could!) Kwil realized the added sound was the dragon next to him, who looked a touch frustrated. "We should talk outside, it's so busy in there," he suggested, and the dragon... surprisingly? Gave a nod of his sharp long face, and followed Kwil out. The dragon was small, low to the ground and long, but the height was perhaps a deception: Kwil wasn't short, no Zekiran was, and ... this was a hatchling, after all! It had to be expected to be little! The dragonet and butterfly-winged man found a nearby nook along the wall, a recessed arch with just enough room for the small bench in the corner and perhaps someone facing it. That someone was this dragon, whose faceted eyes seemed to glimmer in this area. The wall here was black, trimmed in the same chrome as its eye and shoulder armor. He opened his mouth, but didn't have to, as the sounds seemed to be produced somewhere in his throat. "We see the same things, you and I," the dragonet asserted. "May I go with you? I think you can teach me what these things all do," he glanced back at the entry to the casino, "they are confusing to me. So many numbers. I don't know numbers yet." "There would be a lot of math in there," Kwil chuckled. "I'm sure that we'll figure it out!" Evgeny introduced himself with a bit of a mental nudge, his 'voice' was a sing-song chip and chitter, after all, not proper words. Parroting language in a way, a very clever and strong way actually, but still it seemed easier to listen for the context brought from mental energy. And Kwil had that to burn... |
| Sidante | Name: Sidante (sid DANTE, though fully Pernese the Knockoffs of this brood inherit -ANTE rather than their parents -TH ended names, which it's up to you whether they will breed if promoted to that status, and inherit either ending depending on their partner) It wasn't much more than an hour later, still very early on in this party's long churn, that Kwil and Evgeny were joined by another long dragon. Prompted out from their entry point along the big wall between the bipedal and draconic portions of the venue, a group of them had come. Numerous others would use this portal as well, but this one specifically had its eye on the Zekiran and his newfound sleek friend. Kwil was instantly hungry, he hadn't had anything much to eat just yet, but he knew... it wasn't just his own stomach rumbling! There was a newness to all of these feelings, and it was thanks to the dragons. He wasn't really Dragon Tuned, that was outside of his family's ability. But it didn't seem to matter here: almost all the dragons seemed... people Tuned. Well, obviously some wanted other dragons to be their friends, and could be seen remaining on that other side of the place while the archway was still open. This one, this one particular checkerboard-winged dragonet, however, wanted nothing more than to sit by Kwil with a look of admiration and love on its broad face. That jaunty crest, also checkerboarded, some amount of genetic fiddling must have gone on here for that feature! It was all over the place. Hm, he ... wondered whether his own projects might benefit from such a theme? Am I a project? The dragon sent a mental ping toward Kwil, and his heart and mind suddenly rang with a new hunger. A new feeling of wonder and amazement. Every time this dragon bespoke, it was new. "You aren't a project yet, but you could be if you wanted? I'm still new at that kind of thing. I like dealing with insects and keeping other people's areas clean." He admitted. Evgeny nearby gave off a chuckle. We can be any kind of thing you want to be, Evgeny asserted. The other dragon nuzzled up against the sleek white one, and together they looked at their new friend. "I see you have faceted eyes, now," Kwil looked at both dragons, "that's like an insect's, and something I'm familiar with!" Are you familiar with food? Hungry, we're hungry. That's a project, right? Feeding us? That project would last for quite some time, even when they settled home... |
| Juddmeba | Name: Juddmeba (jud MAY bah, though the Pieces for this pair recieve a more complicated last name thanks to their sire, the Knockoffs/Pawns may opt to use their clutch name of -MEBA, or if they are promoted to breeding status, try and figure out how to mesh their 'nyennay/'nyeaynn names...) It was an infirmary? It sure looked that way: there were comfortable beds with curtains separating them, counters with endless bottles or boxes, and the smell of antiseptic and perhaps magic in the air. The lights were bright here but they were not pointed at anything but the corners or ceiling, care was being taken to keep people from being blinded. It was Jasmal that recovered first, the cleric who had taken their hands and with confidence pushed them away from the doomed battle. And as was her nature - very obvious even though they had all hardly even met to learn their names, breathing introductions as they dragged each other out of there - she picked herself up and examined each of them, particularly the Kenku. Thankfully that bird-girl had been on the top of the heap, and Menetavro on the bottom. Wouldn't do too well if their positions had been reversed! As they separated and prodded limbs or rubbed the backs of their heads, checking for broken bones or any open wounds, the Minotaur noticed motion at the entrance, and girded himself once more. It was so easy to fall into that battle mode, but this was no place for brandishing any weapons. The people who entered looked like physicians, though a few were of no typical race he'd ever seen. Well one of them might have passed for Tabaxi, but the other was too tall to be human, not big enough to be a giant, and had four arms? With those she expertly held a device in one pair and ran the hands of her other pair along each of their foreheads, shoulders, another wound-check by expert eyes indeed. The feline gave a few words to the air, and the small pieces of glass that had embedded themselves in Menetavro's forearms vanished into dust. A dark-skinned human man had to finally grasp Jasmal's shoulders and sit her down so she could be examined. Though at first they spoke strange words, soon the group could understand them - probably magic. The minotaur was the first cleared to go 'to the party', whatever that meant. He knew soon enough... As they shunted him out of the infirmary and into the nearby hallway, told him to find a place to rest up or just go on and enjoy himself, it absolutely was a party. A big one. Apparently not even in full swing yet? But there were... more people than the minotaur could count even just on the big ballroom floor. And there were also dragons. Not like... the ones that he had heard about. Not leaping over villages burning them down and eating all the cattle dragons. But elegant ones, long and lean, handsome ones. Some of them had bright checkerboard patterns on their wings or parts, how did that even work? Well, one of them was busy dodging another's wing, when it ran into Menetavro. The fighter was still apt to be jumpy, and it was a good thing too, because there was a dangerous looking spike at the end of the dragonet's tail. Barely covered by fluffy fur, it looked so much like the one that... "I am sorry, I am sorry!" The dragon spoke? A rush of words, and its big clawed forelimbs quickly gathered up its long and sharp tail. "Sorry!" "It's fine?" Menetavro said, "It was an accident, I saw them run in front of you." That seemed to bring the little mottled grey dragon some relief. "That's a mighty sharp point you have." He paused, "I once was stabbed by a stinger like that, it nearly killed me, there was poison in it." That made the dragon's eyes go wide, "I have poison too, it wasn't me! It wasn't!" Menetavro rumbled a long, increasingly jovial laugh. "Oh of course it wasn't!" He introduced himself, and learned that the dragon's name was Juddmeba, and that perhaps he'd like to wait for the horned man's new friends once they were all patched up. |
| Herostash | Name: Herostash (HEE row stash, while Turun is the clutch's name, -STASH is the Knockoff designation for this clutch; should they be promoted to Pawn, either might be inherited as desired) He felt the back of his head, bruised; smelled his arm, singed with the nasty flames from Grilgus Feldak's explosive flasks. His ears still rang with echoing sounds, the clanging of sword and shield, the impact of steps of large beasts, and the explosions of the other Dwarf's spells. Nuraval wasn't sure why he hadn't realized that Feldak was also some kind of mage, when they'd met a while ago, but it was painfully obvious now. Also obvious was that he - like the others, perhaps scores of others - had been absolutely played by Grilgus in coming to that battlefield. There was no 'defensive position' to take there, against 'an intrusive army'. It was just more suckers with too much heat in their blood and too little sense in their heads to see if for what it really was. A bloodbath, that the Dwarf arranged for his own amusement. As he breathed carefully, his hearing returned to normal, his senses regained a little composure. He also realized that there was a large lumpy surface he was half on top of, and more lumps on top of himself. Oh - that was the minotaur and possibly that bird? He wasn't familiar with her breed, but it was obvious she'd be needing some help, she'd taken a hit from a stray rock kicked up by one of those big creatures. That got him thinking about those creatures, he wasn't sure what they were but he knew they had been conjured by the other Dwarf. And that was supposed to be his specialty? Maybe there was a lot more to be learned... "Can you move? Are you all right?" It was the dark skinned woman, what had she said her name was, Jasmine or something? Jasmal. Nuraval blinked several times and took her hand. She was confident, sure, but tired and covered in ash from the battlefield. Once she gave him a quick examination she moved on - and by that time, others had come. Strange others to be sure. The way the one man looked at Jasmal was a little more than professional, that's for sure. But it was the one who had four arms that gave Nuraval pause. Where were they, that a person like this existed? The room was perfectly lined, squared, architecturally sound. Filled with medical devices, an infirmary, how had they... How had he managed to create a portal to this place? He'd continue to wonder as they each were cleared for the 'party'. What party? What was... As he was shooed out of the room and into the black-walled hallway, the dark dwarf realized the depth of his spell's ability. This must be the afterlife. This must be something... different. Along his walk toward the brighter and much louder area beyond this hall, Nuraval felt compelled to look at a side-area, a recessed spot where a number of narrow shelves had been arranged, along with clumps of items. Was it just decoration? Why did he feel so completely drawn to this location? There was a shelf low enough for people his build and height, there was a vial with a stopper bearing a tag with his name on it. He actually saw it forming, he knew it had to be very powerful magic indeed if it had been blank before now. He reached for it, and discovered that a piece of parchment was also tucked there with that liquid. He looked it over, and sat on the black-padded seat that was provided in this little nook, because it was a page of instructions for something. And he had his book of spells. Right here, he patted himself down, thankfully he hadn't lost it! He opened the book, ready to pen something, but didn't need to: the instruction page wove itself directly into his book at the first blank area he'd found. It was still slightly less magically-dark than the rest of the book's enchanted pages, but no less magical, that was sure. The instructions showed an image: a sort of game piece, a chess pawn, fairly simple, but it had specific lines around the sides, and a dot over the 'head' of it that had hash marks denoting... something. Further instructions said that this image was to be redrawn on his skin 'as needed', with a drop of the liquid provided. He was no stranger to tattoos, his mark had developed over time in the center of his shoulders on his upper back. This one... where would he put it? Not on his singed arm. His other, then. It was a good thing his quill and ink were also enchanted, because otherwise he was just throwing ink away. It was meant to be white, he had to concentrate on changing the color of the pigment (which he did frequently, he was still quite the artist!) and then did as the spell told: placed one drop of that sealing liquid on it. He could feel something tingling, but the instructions were vague at best as to what would actually happen next. *** Next was quite some time in the making that night. But in that time, oh how amazed was he. There were magic demonstrations and aerial acrobatics, songs and dancing, and a casino that took his coin as easily as anyone from other worlds. He met back up with the others, each of whom was accompanied by a dragonet that had hatched over the course of the evening. He was starting to feel a little left out. At the Midnight celebration, however, he felt his arm tingling. Not the wounded one at that. Before the end of the ringing bells and crowd cheers, the image he'd drawn on his arm glowed and sparkled, and then ... his dragon. His dragon! Stood slightly unsteadily but eagerly looking around. "You have a very interesting book!" The dragon spoke in a clear and high voice, "and interesting friends, I hope we can stay together." The dragon was brilliantly white, shiny, like the white marble squares on the floor, like the alabaster pillars holding the vaulted ceiling up. And it had richly black fur fluffs here and there, a mane and beard, wings that were all shades of white and grey and oil... and checkerboards! "We're ... connected, aren't we? You're not my creation, but we share life." Nuraval stated, nodding. The dragon nodded agreement, and the others chuckled at their similarity. "I am Herostash, we'll study together when it's quiet." That would be a while, this party was still going strong! |
| Zonthol | Name: Zonthol (ZAWN thawl; -THOL is the knockoff family designation, while their Piece companions have traditional -TH Pernese; this will only be important if breeding is desired) But here they were safe, and she did know safety. No one would be fool enough to start a fight in an infirmary, after all. She let the cleric help her up off the big pile of ... well that was one large minotaur anyway, and then they all gave a bit of a start when the others arrived. Humanoids, foreign ones, whose speech clarified to her ears and she didn't trust what came out of her own beak as they asked her questions. Who were they, did they have any lingering pain, where were they from? The others answered better than she could. But eventually it was time to move out of that chamber. She'd been injured, but it was a battle, what did they expect? The cleric's hands were warm and felt good on her bones. Better than the pain of nearly losing her hand... When she was allowed out of there, the first thing she did was look up: they were indoors, were they undergrond? One of their group was a dark dwarf after all, had he sent them to his weird traditional homeland? Didn't much care for that, no, underground's no place for a bird. Neither was under the sea, and yet that was where she realized they were. It was terrifying, absolutely not like being in a battle against a fiend or summoned insect creature. The Kenku muttered to herself with a variety of words - elfin, avian, human words, none of them inflected with anything less than spite for this situation. Still every once in a while, the cleric or the bull man or the dwarf would come by and check on her. She'd fled to the pressing comfort of the casino -not to gamble, just to not see the huge windows displaying how terrifying the exterior of whatever this place was to her. And they kept assuring her, it was safe, it was so well protected here, magic and technology and maybe even gods gave it their blessing. She didn't care. Basher was out of her element in so many ways it wasn't even worth clucking about. Eventually she did throw some coin at the exchange, found a card game that she recognized being played by races that were not unfamiliar. She didn't win the first couple hands, but definitely destroyed her opponents stack of chits in the next few. Thus weighed down, she felt a little better about her situation. The coins changed from that weird not-metal not-wood stuff into more familiar gold and silver, right there in her hand, as she exchanged them. Not one of the wait staff asked her for payment, when they presented menu options and drinks lists - and for once, she was able to just enjoy something here: the food was positively amazing. Maybe she could learn a thing or three from that human man serving treats here. It was a few hours into this night that Basher felt a strange thing. She was never one to ignore portents or signs, a bit on the supersitious side. If her gut told her to rise and move she rose and moved. In this case, it was ... well, prodding her to go back out to that main big huge ballroom which if she could fly she'd feel better about - even if it was apparently surrounded outside by the gods-damned ocean. Basher tried her best to ignore it, the big arched windows were to her back when she spotted a bunch of dragons. There had been plenty of them in the casino too, little ones mostly, young. Not enemy dragons. Not like that one time... But here there were like, more than she had fingers to count, to describe their variety. Ones with feathers and fur, some few with armor or scales, and then this one. This graphite-shiny colored one with eye-dazzling black and white wings, who walked into her view and spoke with its mind. I am called Zonthol, you are my one. I will be your wings. It spoke clearly and simply, and Basher felt her mind and gut leap. Not in fear, but ... elation? Was that the word? Joy? Had it been so long since she'd experienced either of those things that she'd forgotten what they were like? You have fought for so long, and been deceived by too many, I will be your extra eyes and ears, as well, I think. To keep us safe from deception. Those others are our friends. The dragon looked past her hip, and she dared glance back - there they were, the big bull man and the blue-haired dwarf and the battle-scarred cleric. And... dragons. A couple of them anyway, which looked to her like they were as close to their friends as Zonthol was now to Basher. That insight came directly from Zonthol, Basher didn't realize it. She also didn't really understand why the dragon then stated, I will never manipulate you, my one, I will only enhance what you wish to become. |
| Claboth | Name: Claboth (CLAY bawth, traditional -TH ended name from both parents) Jasmal knew that something was a little weird, and it occurred to her a while after walking down the hall what that was: she ... didn't feel the presence of her deity. That was very strange, a bit unnerving. The fact that she was still able to lay her hands upon Basher the Kenku and mend the break in her arm after arriving here even more strange. No, the strangenesses kept coming at her. She found the others in the nearby hall, and the minotaur (who had been on the farthest side of the uneven multiple-way battleground) was showing off a dragon that had apparently latched on to him right as he got there! The dragon looked like a toy in his thick hands, but seemed quite happy to be shown off. Someone else, a local by the look of their checkerboard pin and sharp looking outfit, handed each one of them a little book, unlike anything she'd ever seen. Pictures of dragons, one of which looked somewhat like Menetavro's little friend. She spent some time reading up on them all, but was easily distracted by the movement in the main hall. There was dancing, loud music, the Stage show was a quartet of very beautiful women and their equally lovely dragons? Singing and swaying, it was quite the sultry sound! Jasmal found herself moving toward the dance floor, and spent the rest of that group's performance selecting partners to dance with. It was the first time in ages that she'd been able to just let loose and enjoy the closeness of a partner, the touch of a hand on her hip and shoulder, or more, pressed up together in a brief but strong embrace. There was a time when she danced more, with important people, and then the accusations of theft sent her away from that idyllic life. When the quartet, the 'Rookettes', finished up and other ... creatures took to the stage as it was between hourly events, Jasmal rested a little at the bar nearby. Such a fascinating array of people and life here! There was an overarching mood of happy bliss, but some moments of distress, a little anger, a little pain, spiced it up. That was what life was all about, after all. This went on for a couple hours at least, with different productions on that big Stage, and an endless churn of onlookers... and a few dragons that entered the area frequently. She wondered at her new companions - where was that Kenku? Oh well, she probably didn't like the location very much, and had found somewhere good to roost in the meantime - would they remain together and try to figure out how to stop that mad Dwarf from ruining lives? Would they maybe, somehow, help her regain her honor back home? She would help keep them healthy and sound, and if they decided to aid her so much the better. With a dragon like Menetavro's with them, that would be easier! What about me? Would a dragon like me help you? I think I would! "Who said that?" Jasmal perked up, looking around. She set her glass of wine down, didn't notice when the one of the handsome twins behind the bar moved it a little so it didn't spill when she jolted in surprise. A dragon, not a very small one at that, was sitting right behind her. Not quite blocking her path if she was to step off the bar stool, which she did. "Was it you?" It was, that dragon replied, soft and sure. I am Claboth, I know your name is Jasmal. Why are you crying? I will fix it! "You already have fixed it, Claboth," Jasmal said, touching the dragon's dark nose. |
| Edoamsh | Name: Edoamsh (EE dough awmsh, though the clutch mother is Pernese bearing a -TH ended name, and the sire is Pyrrhan with a desctiptive name, the Knockoffs inherit -AMSH to distinguish themselves; this may inherit in virtually any manner if the dragon is promoted to Pawn and bred) If for no other reason than to make sure she didn't, a tracker was placed on her when she and the other students arrived... In the form of a collectors Checkerboard Ball pin, which she wore happily. Probably not oblivious to its true purpose, though. She looked Moraga straight in the eye when she spotted him and perhaps only he among the human population of the school or ball might interpret her semi-reptilian expression correctly. He shrugged, lifted his beer glass in a toast as she entered, and went back to talking with his tall gorgeous date. There weren't all that many very-young students at the Ball, though some kids had been brought (contrary to the request that they either be left at home or with someone in the facility) and A'dqa did not hang out with them. In fact none of this trio of kids seemed to really relish being lumped into the 'kids table' areas. The Yautja did try getting into the casino, which had a specific no-kids policy that magically booted her to another part of the venue. She wasn't kicked out of the shooting range, though, and when people started up using powers and whatever was on hand, she gleefully joined in! But it was getting to the middle of the evening, not midnight of course, when she needed to grab something to eat. Tables everywhere, food scents, there seemed to be something for everyone. When she'd settled down to eat, with a platter of fresh-cut barely-singed meat and a few sprigs of parsley as garnish, she paused with some on her fork. You gonna share that? The voice was in her head. "I might, if you ask nice," she replied in a strangely clicking manner. The dragon whose sharp beaked and armored face was resting with its chin on the table across from her seemed to grin. Then it opened its mouth up almost like a muppet or pez dispenser, and A'dqa giggled, expertly flicking one of the larger slices of meat toward its maw. The dragonet chomped down on it, noises causing a little distress nearby as an elfin emissary patted her lips and nearly vacated the area. I'm Edoamsh, are you gonna bring me home? The voice had slipped into her heart as well. "Are you gonna help me hunt?" WILL I? Absolutely! |
| Gagakeba | Name: Gagakeba (gah GAH kay bah, though directly related with splicing to Keeath'Alkar they need neither the -TH ending to their name, nor 'Alkar, unless promoted from knockoff to Pawn) She was happy that she'd been among those students selected to come to this event, and she strongly suspected that being an aquatic born elf had a lot to do with that choice. Plover spotted her Draconic Lit teacher, Bethoi Kwaturr the wyvern-like dragon, over in the draconic area, but there was no way in for the bipeds. Those big arched magical doors separating the nests and activities only allowed dragons to move easily through them. Of course she'd tried. They all did. Any of the kids from Carramba (and some from other locations) made an attempt to sneak in there. Plover was among those elves who had little fear of humans, she was young enough to have been exposed to them as 'kind and okay to be around' - but her uncle, her cousins that were much older... they didn't care for her being so pal-paly around human kind. Some day maybe she'd bring her best friend around to the Cove, and... well, maybe. Maybe not. Plover already had a penchant for getting into trouble, which was why her family so eagerly agreed to Ainea's request to bring her to Carramba. So Plover mingled and even eagerly danced mostly with those rabbit-folk with their floor-pounding stomps. There were a couple handsome guys around that group too, maybe they should hang out a little more some day... But she was distracted, her magical senses were strong, and pinged all night because there was so much going on here tonight. But there was something specific now, and sure enough one of those big archways let loose at three hours until Midnight with not one but two massive groups of rather small dragons. One pair of parents were much larger than the other, and even the biggest of the small pair were hardly a match for the checkerboard-winged dragonets of the former. They were all so pretty though! And maybe because she was attuned to magic, she had been among the few who saw all those little dragonets as they were just about to scurry to their new friends - the checkerboard ones in particular seemed so well organized. Deepest shiny black to brightest sparkly white, the only other thing they had on them were those fantastic checkered wings. And Plover counted four hands of them for each pair that time - 'sixteen' each, she counted in human to herself. What's counting for? A voice sent to her mind. She instantly knew it was one of the dragons, but which one? It's... for keeping track of things. For time, and how much stuff, things like that. I think my people don't use it much, but where I live... where you'll be living? It's pretty important. She paused and giggled, If I didn't know numbers I wouldn't be able to figure out how many chunks of meat to put in this bowl for you to eat and not get sick! There was actually a guide printed up above the distribution table, showing potential breeds and their requirements with easily understood images. One, two, three, enough! She plopped that meat in a bowl - she'd wandered close to that feeding area for new bonds already, half in a daze. The dragonet that came to her, with the shiny grey hide and long tail that ended in a fork, looked at her with interest. It was small, the size of an adult housecat about now, and wouldn't get tremendously much larger. Big enough maybe to help scout a bit but probably only barely big enough to ride, should the elfess require it. Those big wings though, even if the elf was twice as tall as the dragon, the wings would absolutely support her weight in flight! I'm Gagakeba, and you're mine. "I know, isn't it great? We're gonna count all the things! Claws, tails, horns, wings!" |
| Eigasheva | Name: Eigasheva (EYE gah she VAH; a mixture of the parents names, as apparently is now tradition for the dad's line; if bred into more complicated naming, readopt mother's ' or any other changes, and while the Pieces have a 'separate' name, the knockoffs simply mix sheva in) "You are probably correct," Phoebe replied. She didn't even flicker her hazel eyes down to the chess board, moved a pawn, and captured the dragonet's knight. That dragon didn't pry its own much more green eyes off her the human girl's, as it picked up its rook and moved it to capture the pawn. "Check," the dragon stated with a very faint twitch of its ear. It did notice that Phoebe's narrow, plucked eyebrow trembled, and her lip very briefly went up. The dragon's face was much harder to read, even if it didn't have that checkerboard marking to complicate things. Phoebe sat up straighter, rolled her shoulders, and glanced away at last. "Good game," she announced. She looked over her shades which were clipped to her long, narrow nose, at the dragon, whose own nose was also long and narrow. "How'd you learn it?" "I learned it very well," the dragon purred. It picked up a piece of thinly sliced meat with one heavily clawed finger, and its tongue sped out to grab it from the air with a toss of that claw. The tongue and its eyes were the only bits of color anywhere. And Phoebe almost wanted to dye her hair white, now, or maybe checkerboard. But she did crack a smile, "indeed," she said. "I suppose it was before you came out here to join me, but was it before you hatched?" The dragon remained silent save for a bit of chewing. Polite chewing, at that: no open mouthed smacking for it. "Do you think you'll want to attend the same classes with me? Or did you want your own schedule?" Phoebe selected a cooked piece of that same meat, and equally delicately ate it, then dabbed her lips clean. "I am sure that we would share some, I think we have... similar interests." Was the dragon's reply. That was absolutely certain, Phoebe seemed to have an immediate understanding that this dark dragon would have somewhat... shady skills. Like her. "Like you," the dragon spoke with an actual smirk. Phoebe noted its eye moved to look faintly over her shoulder, and it was clear that the dragon spotted someone. "Like him," it said, and she knew that it meant Lane. She could sense him, somehow, even if she wasn't 'magic' or even psychic. They had an understanding, he and the student; she'd be working for him, soon enough. Maybe offworld. Maybe on Twoarth, who knew. But now she'd be working together with this dragon, as well. And according to the information provided to her, getting around the multiverse would be quite a lot faster and easier with it as her companion. "Eigasheva," Phoebe said slightly louder than her conversational tone with the dragon, "this is Mister Lane, but I'm sure you already knew that." She could hear the man behind her adjust his tie, causing her to do the same simply by reflex. "Eigasheva should probably sit in with me for a while, when we get back to school." "I will make sure that they... have adequate resources to make their decisions, once you're both settled in again." Though anyone else watching this happening might have thought there was some super-serious tense issue among them, it would be far from the truth. Eigasheva and its new companion went back to playing chess, while Lane smiled to himself and went back to the dance floor with his fiancee - who did not ask questions. |