[RPG] Hana: Growth

[Quinth]

((Pathetically small, because my late-night connection is such crap. crying ))

Gregorio nodded. "Druw can show ye the way. I'm sure we have some business somewhere thereabouts..." He reached into his sleeves and shuffled around before pulling out a checklist and looking over it quickly.

Elly leaned in interested. "Your a mail man?"

"Yes, yes, we have a delivery for Prince Opus in Bright Summer. Will the Court of Fashionable Symphonies do?"

"Symphonies you say?" Lahn looked interested. Sarya couldn't help but snicker. 'A mail man dressed like that?'

Elly laughed happily. "Thats perfect! Opus is my uncel!"

"Perfect... he can get me home then."
Elly glared at Lahn. "Who invited you."
"You're shadow friend did before we left sadly.."

"You have an uncle?" Sarya smiled.

"All right, off to Fashionable Symphonies!" cheered Gregorio, and moved to get back up on Druw. "Come on, everyone up."

Sarya looked to Elly immediately, cautious. He shrugged at her. "Its a gaint snail, what harm could it do?"

"If we don't ride, we can't say we've tried." Lahn mounts.

Elly scaled up and held his hand out for sarya. Sarya reluctantly followed. Gregorio offered a hand and soon they were all upon the giant snail. Druw grumbled and began moving forward.

One inch. ".....wouldn't...it be faster to walk?" asked elly.

"Well, yes, it would be faster, but we would be wandering," Gregorio explained. "Druw here knows exactly how to follow the shortest Faerie Trods."

"Oh..." elly watched them creep along.

"Sounds logical to me... my feet need the rest, even if walking is the best."
"Is talking like that normal for you?" Sarya asked.
"I'm sorry what?"

A foot. "Umm... nothing.." One yard! Gregorio began to whistle.

Lahn said, "And this is the part where we zoom ahead, right?"

"You wanna try carrying everyone across a Trod, pretty boy?" snapped Druw.

"No. You're doing such a fine job... why, we've already covered .5 seconds of travel. I commend you."

The snail continued to complain. "I swear. Just because I'm a snail, and this here Butterfly rides me like a freaking pony, I get no respect! None at all!!"

Elly sighed a little. "Just let the snail do his job you stupid bard. You know for kin you sure don't act it." Gregorio's whistling turned to song.

Lahn glanced at Elly. "My what now?"

Gregorio continued. "...the Radiance like a brand in the night..."
Sarya twisted in her position on Druw to give Gregorio a suspicious look. "You know Calisse?"
Elly look interested now. "The Breheness?"

"Who now?" "The woman in the song. Who carried the Radiance to Owen." "No, I don't know any 'Calisse'." "But... you were just singing about her!"

Lahn smiled. "Lovely song really..."
"That's the song of Three Summonings," Gregorio said. "I don't know about it. Why thank you!"

Elly pondered a moment. "I think it goes...and the Gyri shall cry, 'Hail the Stag! Who was slain for the land! Rule in power!' And Oerth shall reply, 'Averiad!"

"For the land is the Brenin, and the Brenin is the land," Sarya finished shyly for him.

Gregorio looked nonplussed. "That's the same song, alright. I still don't know who 'Calisse' is." Sarya dropped the subject helplessly, her shoulders falling.  

[Quinth]

((And now, to the second/third group. WARNING! Looong.))

"...but I certainly didn't throw... it... WHERE'S MY BOX!?"

Dirk whilted. "Rubix...." he whimpered turning back to his lover.

Peep look confused. "...the box from your travels?" He looked to his father. "dad....has somthing happened?"
Dirk looked to peep after a moment. "....your little brother is missing."

Answeri gawked at Dirk for a long moment before bristling and putting her hands on her hips. "Well I don't care who took my box, I'm getting it back! It's super, super, super magic and valuable and there's no way I can lose it!"

"....." Dirk looked her at a moment. "Tell me....do you know where all the latches go?!"

"Hah! Like I'll let you run off to try and steal it, I know you foxes do that kind of thing," Answeri sneered.

Rubix glared at the shadow dragoness. "It's your fault my son is missing," he took a threatening step forward, "so you're going to help us get him and Sarya back!" Suddenly a massive army of squirrels and crows appeared in the doorway of the ballroom. As well as three large shadow lords.

"Yes miss, I'm holding you acountable till I can get my hands on that bard and wring a awnser our of him." Dirk leered. "So, since i'm sure you enjoy your neck attacked to your head you best start talking M'lady."

Answeri bared her teeth at the two of them after her eyes flicked to the entryway momentarily. "There's six doors. I only used one of 'em."

"Which." Dirk pressed, staring her directly in the eyes, his own glowing hotly.

"The latch with the mark of 'hospitable' in the ranger's shorthand language," she huffed, and her eyes twisted to stare at the night sky angrily. "The white light took me into a city from that direction." Answeri's finger pointed southwest.

"A white light....no thats not it....Kage said the light was blue....Tell me do you know what the other doors were called?! at least then we migth be able to figure out where they could be..."

The dragon sighed roughly and folded her arms. "I don't know all of 'em." Tensely, she grumbled, "I can draw 'em."

Dirk softened. "Thats fine." He reached into the helm of his pants and pulled a quill and paper with a ink pot. "Here." Answeri put a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. "....What." Hiss dirk.

She swallowed the giggles. "Nothing." Answeri reached out for the parchment and writing utensils.

"Hey, robbers never look on the inside of your pants!" dirk deffened.
(("Is that a scroll in your pants or are you just happy to see me?" xd )) Answeri bit her lip but was still smiling widely. "Mrrr <=.=>" Dirk gave her the materials but looked anooyed as he folded his arms again. Stupid female dragon, he likeds his pants of holding, they were convienent.

Answeri's smile turned to normal size. "OK, turn around."
"...what?"
"You expect me to write on air? Give me your back."

".........." Dirk looked unsure. "my back..." Heistenetly he exposed his back to her. She placed the parchment down and carefully pulled the ink bottle's lid off with her teeth before dipping the quill in and writing with one hand while the other held the top of the paper and the upright ink bottle.

Dirk felt the quill scratch across the partchment and sighed relived. Peep watched quietly. ".....dad...I could just use a scry spell..."

"You can't scry a box," Answeri replied.

"You can scry a person." Peep rolled his eyes. "And we know my brother is with the box you stupid broad."

Answeri looked up to shout back at the other dragon. "I'm not broad, I'm perfectly skinny!"

"....You have completly prove that your a imbecel." Peep shook his head, rumaging for a scry spell in his sleeve. Dirk watch interested at there interestion.

"....the markings please Answeri."
"Keh," the woman growled, and went back to writing while grumbling under her breath in Draconic.

Dirks ears twiched. "WAtch your mouth young lady."
"I can't, my eyes don't work like that! And besides I thought you wanted me to focus on these!"
"........" Dirk bowwed his head. She was like rubix when they first met...

Peep scoffed. "Idiot." He pulled a scroll out and looked at it. "...heres the scy dad, we don't need her. Just let papa skin her."

"Heyyy, you're supposed to be a dragon, too!" Answeri paled a little and backed off from Dirk.

Peep sneered. "Why would I want anything to do with you."

Dirk sighed. "Stop it children." dirk looked at at the parchtment. "These are allthe doors?"

"Yeah." The shadow dragoness pouted, pointedly turning away from Peep.
"I see..." Dirk looked over the different names. Peep turned away from Awnseri, theres backs to one another.

Dirk forwned. "....this one." He pointed to the paw print. "Leads to bright spring......but these..." he looked over all the markings. "..........this one doesn't match the others," he pointed to the image of a burning match.

"I didn't make it, I just took it," Answeri answered.
"......we'll try the scry spell.....if that doesnt work.......WE'll simplly have to ask your mother." Dirk said looking at Answeri.

Answeri spun around so fast she nearly tripped in her high heels. "W-what!?"
"I'm sure you know would understand it better at least. "He shrugged. "I'm sure if i ask nicly enough she'll help."

Answeri suddenly dashed for Peep and grabbed his arm. "Scry, scry like the wiiiiiind!" she hissed.
"...please let go." He asked rather apacthicly.
"Scry like your life depended on it!! Well, rather, my life..." She let go.

Peep sighed. "You stole your mothers treasure from her, and it was my fathers no less.....Your gunna get skiiiiiined~" he opend the scroll and started to read the incantation. Answeri kept her mouth shut but frowned as deeply as possible as Peep casted.

And the spell was cast. Within the Scry, Elly appeared, shouting at something while brandishing a dagger, standing protectively in front of Sarya, who was crying. The earth around them was barren and a dark, dusty brown. Peep paled.
"Hes being attacked...."

"Where's my box?" Answeri demanded.

"I don't see it...." Peep wrung his hands...."SNAKE!!!"
"Huh?"
"GIANT SNAKE"
"DON'T EAT MY BOX! DON'T EAT THEM THEY HAVE MY BOX!" Answeri shouted at the spell, flailing.

Peep frowned. Watchings quiet now. ".....thers a gaint butterfly man and snail......the snakes gone..."

Dirk sigh reilived. "Ah, its just Fey.......' He paled. "MY BABY IS LOST IN FEY!?"

Answeri put her hand back on Peep's arm without noticing. "And... box?"
"....I don't see it..they may not have it."
"What! No way!!" Answeri groaned. Peep still watched.
"....there going with the butterflyman..."

"And I'm going to them," Answeri snapped to herself, jogging over to her sack.
"....what?" Asked peep and dirk in unison.

"You heard me, fox-ears," she hefted the sack over her shoulder and smirked, posing unconsciously. "I'm a shadow dragon- I can go wherever I please."

"So youve been to fey before then? You know the rules? The laws?"

"I don't abide by any laws other than that of dragonkind," Answeri's eyes snapped to Peep's and then she smiled and looked at Dirk. "Who knows? Maybe I'll pick up a cute thing or two on my way. G'bye..."

"Have fun dieing then." dirk waved at her. "Because in fey you'll all of three minutes before some one decied to play wee pilow wild with you." The shadows around her misted. "OH! And i'll be sure to tell your mother where you are." he grinned with little black sparkles.

Answeri flinched. "You're visiting Mama!?!"
"Of course, I need more info on the box, at least if you leave i do."
"W-wha- no you don't, you're lying," she protested, gaping.

"Am I? If you leave you'll never know." He chuckled, rolling up the partchment. "Don't get lost now, once you get lost in fey theres no way you can find your way back."

Answeri stood uncertainly for a hesitant minute and finally stomped her foot in frustration. "This is so stupid!! I have to listen to you just because you know my mom! Ugh, it really is like scryovision heeeeere..."

"Oh and sweetie." dirk stared talking peeps hand to lead them back inside. "Your mothers currently watching us."

Answeri stiffened and began pointing fingers in random directions. "If mother's watching, I'm sure all you other bums are too! Just because it became a fad to scry on people while sitting atop your hoards you think you're better than me!" She continued to flail until she exhausted herself and then just plopped down unhappily in the grass.

A crow landed on her head. "Caw."
Answeri sniffled. "And I have mud on my shoes."
The crow started to groom her hair. "Ca-caw."
"Stop messing up my hairstyle!" she yelled, flinging her arms around her head to make it go away.

"Caw!!" It squwaked indignet, fleeing to rubixs shoulder "Caw!!" it huffed at her. Dirk started up into the castle to get his armor and equipment for the trip. "Rubix hurry up!" dirk called back.

(*snaps out of NPC mode*) Rubix dismissed the army of animals and followed his lover inside, ordering the crow on his shoulder to report what had happened to Aly. Aly wasn't gunna be happy. Dirk pulled all his gear together and kissed Peeps forehead. "Alright peep, behave while were gone, do your best to keep Auntie Aly calm....I just know this is goign to break her heart...."
"...wait I can't come!?"

Answeri began to dig through her sack. Peep watched annoyed. "Why can't I go!"

"Your too young and I can't chance you getting hurt!"

"A-ha!" the shadow dragoness cried triumphantly. She picked up her item and pulled the sack over her shoulder, hurrying up the stairs after the family.

Dirk just finished pulling his armor on. "There." he checked the edge of his daggers. "Rubix you ready?" Dirk looked to him. Rubix looked up from tying another sword onto it's belt and opened his mouth to reply when Answeri dashed in, grinning and holding...

...an iron spoon.
"........." dirk inched away. "...whats that for."

"Close your eyes, close your ears, or whatever you use for learning things, 'coz I have a plan!" Answeri announced, waving around the spoon.
"....what." Dirk asked, avoiding the spoon.

Answeri growled at their hesitation. "Jeez, I'm just trying to get rid of the scry problem! It's your fault anyway."

"......Iron gets rid of scry?" dirk looked suprised. "I didn't know that.."

She looked around for a nearby closet or something. "What? Who cares about iron." Spying one, she grabbed Dirk's arm and dragged him away toward it. "Quick, get in! Before anyone realizes what I'm doing, heesh!"

"W-what? -Hey!" Dirk was shoved into the cloest. "What are you doing!?"
Peep watch bewildered. "Oi..."

"I can't say or it won't work! Closed your eyes n ears yet? Hurry up!" Slwoly dirk did. Why did he have a horrible feeling.. Though Dirk didn't hear it, Answeri held up the spoon and a light spell winked into existence upon it. "Isn't this delicious!" she cackled, and then the light spell winked out. Answeri nudged Dirk.

".....done?" he looked after a moment. Peep looked highly anoyed.
"You cast a light spell to blind them!?"

Rubix ripped open the door. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"Yes yes, it's fine now, I can explain."
Dirk blinked confused. "ah...ok. Please do explain.." he sat on his bed.

Answeri chucked the spoon back in the sack. "My hoard may not be big yet, but I do have good items," she smiled proudly.
"....it was a iron spoon." Dirk just looked confused.

"That was a spoon I got from the tomb of this noble guy who was freaked out that everyone was after him. Paranoid. He had a spell cast on it and then a permanency, and he used to to make his so-called 'enemies' forget everything when they were eating with the spoon by saying the magic words."

".......thats weird as hell." peep anounced.
"He had a diary that I actually had to read through to understand why he trasured a spoon," Answeri complained.
"Yeah I guess."

The shadow dragoness shrugged, hiding a smirk. "What can I say? Humans." Peep growled a little.

"Are you ready?" Dirk looked to rubix.

"How're we traveling?" Answeri asked skeptically.
"I have a few transportation spells for bright summer." dirk said simply.
"Hah," Answeri snickered. "So use 'em."

Obviously she thought she knew something secret. Dirk raised a eyebrow. "Rubix needs the rest of his equipment."

Answeri sat down next to Dirk and tossed her hair prettily before giggling. "Yes, of course."
"........." Now dirk didn't trust her. Rubix had already left to go get said equipment.

Peep kicked at the ground. "...they area they were in was all dead and brown...but they were leavign witht he butterflyman and the gaint snail so..." He was pouting, he wanted to go.

Answeri leaned so close she was practically draped over Dirk without touching him, her lips ended right next to his fuzzy ears. "Do you... want to know... a secret?"
"....what." He asked unsure, not liking the girls sudden change in temperment.
"That Plane is... closed off."

"............what?" Dirks eyes widdend.

Answeri's laughter was dark and low. She leaned back again. "Just because I've never been there doesn't mean I don't know any fey. Most recently, Tenknives came to our neighbor because the Trods had all been closed off, and no spells were working."

Dirks eyes narrowed. "then how were they transportant there!' Answeri stood and whirled around. "That box is a summoning with the power of destiny spells - no bars could hold that power back! The only way to get into Faerie without that kind of power is..."

Peep grabbed her. "HOW." He demanded.

Answeri smoothly moved into his grasp so her body was pressed against his and her eyes locked on. She grinned. "Let me show you!"

Shadow leaped up, and suddenly the two disappeared. Dirk's mouth hung open. ".......******** and Peep reappeared within one of many dimensions of the Shadow Plane, and Answeri stumbled slightly. Peep stared around. "w-w-what.."

All around was the half-light, inky blackness of the Plane, hardly any solid objects but the ground present. A few strange shapes jutted up toward the sky, with what looked like ladder-steps attached with smoke. "Owww, stop grabbing my arm so tight," Answeri whined.

"WHERE AM I!" peep yanked on her arm panic stricken.
"OW!" Answeri winced. "We're in the Shadow Plane! For Vecna's own eye, heesh..."
"Take me back!!"

"I don't listen to your command," she answered quietly, pulling from his grasp.

Peep looked around franticly, twisting hsi hair around a finger.
"Ok..ok peep calm down...." he took a deep breath. "....this..isn't so bad....I.." Answeri considered her surroundings and began wandering away, sack over her shoulder. ".........Don't just leave me here!" peep yelled running after her.

"Why not? You're the big hotshot, who's always got it right, aren't you?" Answeri didn't turn around but stayed at an even pace. "I'm the evil one who eats people. I'm a 'murderer and a thief'. Why shouldn't I leave you here to die, if I'm so cruel?"

Peep looked angery. "BEcause if you do and I die some other dragon will get all my stuff!!"
"Ooh, that's a good point, I could rob you now."

"......." he glared. "Papa was right, females are nothing but trouble."
Answeri waited a long minute before replying, "Mama was wrong, guys aren't worth the trouble."

"...where you going anyway?"
"None of your business."
"You brought me here!"
"Well I don't feel like telling you."

"Then i'll jsut follow you." he huffed, grabbing onto her wrist. Answeri did not reply and didn't meet his gaze, so pointedly it was almost as if she was avoiding his eyes.  

[Quinth]

They had finally advanced beyond a few yards and turned around one of the blackened, dead trees to find the scenery before them had transformed from a dark forest to a giant pit of lava. Sarya's eyes bugged out. She couldn't help it, she squeaked and began shuffling and squirming on the back of Druw's shell.

"What? The Ambassador's not following us," Gregorio looked puzzled, glancing behind them at the forest and back toward the lava again.

Sarya twitched. "L-l-lav-v-v-va!!"

"Yes," Gregorio replied, still confused by her fear. Sarya's wide eyes turned to her two companions.  

[clubanimon]

Elly made sure his feet were tucked up high enough on drews shell to prevent being roated but he shrugged.
"Sary it's alright. Things work differently in Fey if you belive hard enough." He patted her hand.
"We'll be fine, this must be the trod to Dark spring." He sighed at the smell of burnt wood and sulfar. "....I hope its a short one.."