Aria -
Tanita was bouncing in excitement. She'd managed to get her passport for the one day trip to the Human World, and was heading to a Haunted Forest that was on the list of safe places. Her favorite part about it was that the portal let her out into a cave at the center of the forest she was heading for. She packed a bag with some snacks, then headed out to the portal she had been directed to.

When she got there, she found herself wandering through the cave, more interested in exploring it initially. She giggled, and enjoyed the way the sound bounced around. "Not too different from home, then, this cave!" She said, her voice excited. She pondered the size of the space. "I bet I could take off my pin and I'd fit!"

Huni -
Joy should have been worried that she was being sent to investigation reports of paranormal activities in a cave all on her own. But she was an intermediate trainee, she was in moon, she could handle this, right? What was the worse that could happen? (Besides almost being drowned by a Halloweener but this wasn't the Haunted House so it shouldn't come to that.)

However, she'd come to learn to repeatedly attempt being stealthy rather than just tromping around like an bull in a china shop. This was still a mission and she could still encounter hostile entities. But then she heard a voice echoing and immediately pressed herself against the cave walls. Slowly she inched her way through the twisty passageway until, "Tani????"

Aria -
Tani spun around, startled, by the sudden voice of another person. She stared, eyes wide, and then bounced happily to see Joy. "Joy! Yes it is me! I was given a day pass to explore! I can't leave these woods, they are a 'safe' zone, but I wanted to explore the Human World some when it is allowed, rather then when I am here by accident and do not want to get in trouble for it."

Tanita gave Joy a HUGE smile, then said "This is an awesome cave, so big! It reminds me of my room at home... Not school, my room at school is much smaller... I am tempted to try to be myself for a minute, because of the size!"

Huni -
Joy all the more felt old as Tani explained her situation. She also felt conflicted in how much she would report back to Deus. "Wait wait wait, Tani, I gotta tell you, I was sent here to check out supernatural disturbances. Based on what you just said, this place is something like a, a Camp Lucy-ish place? But your school lets you come here?"

She rubbed at her chin, "I don't want to give Deus reason to stake this place out because, well, you said it's, like, a safe zone for you. And I only got beef with specifics not generals, so mebbe less talky about School Details? So I can have that plausible denial thing?"

Aria -
Tanita blinked a few times, then said "Ahhhhhh I understand you now." She nods a little, and says "All right then. I shall say nothing more on that topic. But I am here to explore. When I go home, I do not think anyone else will be here?" Today at least. She did not know about tomorrow, or the next day, or so on.

"So how are you? Have you been all right since you found me in the camp?" Tani's eyes were now focused on her friend. "And... If you... wanted to, I could show you what I really look like. Also, do you like my new dress?" She spun in her outfit. "Mama sent it to me as a gift for reaching my second year!"

Huni -
Joy gave a sigh of relief, "I can say that it was some Halloween students exploring but that after careful observation you posed no threat. I might add in you have great taste in fashion though." She grinned and gave the student a thumb's up. "Congrats on leveling up! You should show me how tough you are in a fight, or at least how well you can hold your own. That way if a hostile hunter shows up, you can get back to Halloween without having to go poof."

Because Joy had no idea of the term dissipation. "But sure! Show me whatchu really look like." She didn't know what to expect.

Aria -
Tanita blinked a little, and said "I... I guess we can fight? I admit, I don't like doing it if I can avoid it. I'm... I guess I'm a weird dragon. I prefer the pacifistic approach. Especially after the dream. How will I know if I'm fighting some one who was my friend there or not?" She sounded pained at the idea, and her eyes went to the ground. She really needed to forget that crush, it was embarressing as all get out.

"All right!" Tani danced backwards, until there was decent room between them, and then stepped behind a rock for modesty, because she didn't want to ruin her outfit. She undressed quickly, hung it on the rock, then used her wings to cover anything, before stepping out and setting her skull pin, which she'd been holding, down on the ground. Shortly after, there was a good sized red dragon, with Tani's eyes and face marking, taking up about half the cave. She smiled down at Joy and said "Sooooooooooo?" The voice was like Tani's, but deeper, and more rumbly.

Huni -
"Oh, you don't need to fight me right now!" Joy tried to assure the Halloweener, "I suppose you do run the risk of having to fight someone who you remember was your friend. But if you know a way to escape, there's also that." She added.

She gave the student room and patiently waited, unsure if she should expect ground trembling or world shaking things to happen. She did look uncomfortable that Tani had undressed and even though wings were hiding things, Joy was still acutely aware this was a student and looked away until there was a red dragon where the humanoid form had been.

Joy was relieved in the change, less awkward for her and her human "sensibilities," and couldn't help but let out a low whistle. "Dayuuuuuum, Tani, you are scaaaaary in this form! No one would wanna mess with you!"

Aria -
Tanita made a thoughtful sound and said "Well if they do not have distance weapons, I could always try to fly away. I'm not sure about with the distance weapons." She nodded a little, and added "But if you want a test battle, I will try it in the future."

Tani grinned wide at Joy's reaction, then suddenly realized her teeth might be intimidating and immediately closed her grin up. "I am glad! It is what I am supposed to be, after all!" She spread out one wing, and looked at it with a critical smile. "I wish it were safe to fly here, but I do not know where the bounds of this forest end, and I do not want to cause trouble... or I would do what I have never offered anyone else, and offer to take you into the skies."

She sighed a little and tucked her wing back in, then gazed down at the human, her eyes glittering at her.

Huni -
"A controlled practice battle sounds good but from the times I fought against anyone in the Haunted House, there are some weird effects. So I dunno how controlled that place can be. And Camp Lucy is flat-out no, if I even think of bringing out my weapon," Joy shuddered, "I'm gonna get put away for a long time." She didn't elaborate to the student on what she meant.

"I'd love to fly with you. Like, I don't think it'll be anything like the airplanes I've ridden, but best to be safe. If your school says it's safe, then we can, but I don't want you getting into trouble." The mom mode was strong in Joy, even when talking to a towering red dragon. "If you wanna stay like that while you're here, I won't say anything. So if you're more comfy like that, feel free."

Aria -
Tanita sighed a little and nodded. "I can't think of anywhere else we could practice fight, certainly, though. But if we can make it work, that would be nice." She lowered her head until it was resting on her front paw, trying to be as close to eye to eye with her friend as she could be.

She blinked some, and said "I will... have to find out if there is a place where I am allowed to fly in the human world. If I can find one, and I can find a way to contact you, I will let you know, because you deserve the chance to feel what true freedom being in the air is like. But what is an 'airplane'?"

Huni -
"I really wish there was, but I get the feeling if the Horsemen ever heard about it, they'd come swooping in to wreck s**t up," Joy grimaced. She really wouldn't mind a training field equivalent of sorts for Hunters and Halloweeners. These two factions could theoretically get along, provided no one was being a massive a*****e about it.

The question on airplanes caused Joy to make a panic-stricken look, "Ummmm, it's a big, uh, metal vehicle thing? And it flies using engines. I don't really know how it works, I just pay lots of money to ride one so we can get to faraway places faster."

Aria -
Tani sighed wistfully and nodded. "It is a pity. But if we meet in the House, perhaps we should try. Set agreed upon parameters, so that neither of us gets too hurt, and go from there?" It was all she could think of, really, but she knew she needed some practice battling, which is why she was willing to give it a try.

Her head tilted in a very curious way as she listened. "A flying machine? That goes long distances? How interesting. It doesn't sound like something we have in Halloween. We use portals to go great distances usually, I think?" She was not 100% sure on that, given that she was still very young and inexperienced on this information, but it was what she thought was the case.

Huni -
Joy held out her hand out for a high-five, because in this situation the moon hunter didn't know how you shook hands or pinkie-swore. "Deal, if we ever meet in the house, we mos def will do that!" It was going to be an interesting fight at the very least, but hopefully one where she wouldn't need rescuing.

"If we, uh, I mean the rest of the humans had portal tech, we wouldn't need airplanes. But if they did, you can bet so many people will kill others just so they can have full control of that tech." Joy was not making a good selling point on humans. Sometimes, whenever she was feeling particularly mean and lonely, she couldn't help but think that some of the Horsemen were right.

Aria -
Tanita blinked and lifted her large paw, lowering it until it was very close to Joy's, then letting her finish it because Tani did not want to risk knocking her friend over. "Sounds excellent!" She flickered her tail happily, because she felt she could trust her friend not to do her more damage then necessary for a good and proper spar.

Tanita's face was blank, and she said "But why would you kill each other? Are you not all one species? Shouldn't you work together to... make your world a happier, better place?" She was confused by that idea. "I mean, I understand there are the insane, but... And wouldn't the way to prevent that be to make it so everyone has access to the tech?"


Huni -
A smarter, more intellectual, philosophical individual would have tried to explain to the Halloweener of the complexities of human politics and society. Joy, sadly, was not one such individual. So instead, she shrugged "Humans are all insane. Some more than others and some more willing to act on their craziness. And, well, humans can't love everyone. Much as some claim they do."

Aria -
Tanita sighed wistfully and nodded at that. "I mean, we definitely don't all love each other over in Halloween, but... I guess I just thought humans might have found ways to work together after so many millenium, or something. Still, at least some of your kind are descent." She, extremely gently, nosed Joy. "Like you. You're wonderful in fact."

Huni -
The moon hunter snorted, "Oh stop, I'm nothing special. Well, technically I am because I can actually see Halloweeners and Horsemen while most of the other humans can't. Dunno if that makes me wonderful. But anyways, you wanna keep exploring this place until you're ready to go back to Halloween?"

Aria -
"You are, though... You give Halloweeners like me a chance, instead of assuming we are terrible and need to be dealt with on sight. You are kind and caring. You are a friend." Tani was very earnest in her words, and she wanted Joy to know that she truly believed that Joy was a wonderful person. "And... Hmmm. Yes, but to explore, I will have to change back. The tunnels narrow signifigantly..."

Huni -
"Gotcha," Joy nodded before she angled her head away to give Tani some privacy. "Lemme know when it's okay to look again."