x__ Growth Quest
Xtol’s bright yellow eyes moved back and forth watching as wooden weapons clashed against each other. The pair of “combatants” continued their chaotic miniature war, their swords flailing clumsily all over the place. Each time the wooden weapons slammed against each other they made loud cracking noises, and the boys would jump back, either in fear of being hit, or shock of hitting the others weapons.
"What are you doing?"
The two children jumped back in surprise at the quiet voice, and whipped around to see Airaka standing in the door. As Darrius and Fynn attempted to whine their way out of trouble, Xtol crawled out of the shadows of the house. His small fingers curled around the hilt of the sword, and he began to pull it up, though, it was much to heavy for him, and the weapon remained on the earth. Before the boy could begin his second attempt at taking the weapon for himself, arms wrapped around his lower stomach, pulling him off the ground.
"Come on, you two need to do your homework. When you’re done, you can come back out here an play."
Airaka shifted the now quite unhappy Xtol to one shoulder, grabbing the two swords from the ground pointing them towards the door. The boys made an attempt to grab at them but Airaka jerked them away.
"You can have them back when your parents come to get you."
Both boys cast looks at each other and groaned miserably, thus proving that their weapons most likely weren’t welcome in their parent’s house. Airaka grinned slyly, and poked the swords towards the door again. The children marched inside, when, at the same time, Xtol blindly curled his tail around the weapons.
Airaka paused as the feeling of a slight chill ran through her blood, like the chill of cold ground in the middle of winter. When she shivered the chill vanished, and she blinked at Xtol. His bright yellow eyes peered back, with an odd expression they had never held before. The boy began to wiggle and snivel, and as he began to stretch out his wings, holding him became uncomfortable.
"Calm down, calm down, sweet heart." Airaka cooed.
Her soft words weren’t enough to calm the boy, and she eventually had to set him on the earth. The woman attention was brought away from Xtol as a voice came from the door.
"Airaka," began Cerise in her strong French accent, "Can you help me with my work?"
"I’m sorry, Cerise… Something is up with Xtol. Have you asked Sari?"
"I don’t want to ask Sari. And … Where is … that?"
Airaka looked back to the ground, where Xtol had been just a moment before, and opened her mouth.
"He… He’s gone…" she said, in an almost amazed voice.
Cerise blinked, and rolled her eyes, about to say something.
"No, go inside."
Stunned by the harshness of Airaka’s tone, Cerise backed inside, and closed the door tightly. She was back down stairs in a flash.
Meanwhile, Airaka began scouring the earth on her hands and knees. She crawled underneath the large trampoline, through the shaded woods, and behind the unused garage. She was about to begin checking the alley when she froze, hearing the baby ramblings of incomprehensible words. Each word had a hard accent, an accent that faintly reminded of something, though she couldn’t quite think of it. Turning about quickly, Airaka spotted the wyvern exactly where she had left him, though it seemed completely different.
Xtol had curled his tail back around the hilt of one of swords, his fingers now clutched part of the blade. The tip of the wooden sword touched his forehead. Mud was seeming to bubble up about the boy, splattering about his outfit. Airaka crawled forward quickly, only to have her face filled with smoke. While she coughed, not covering her mouth for once in a life time, she continued towards where she had last seen Xtol.
Her fingers clutched on to something, and, though it was rather slippery, she knew it was her son’s leg. She felt stretching, and eventually something like splitting beneath her fingers, though she kept her eyes clenched shut. Airaka continued to cough, hack, and sputter out smoke until something jabbed into her temple. Immediately jerking back, she reopened her blue eyes. Her fingers shot from Xtol’s leg to her open mouth as she peered at the boy.
Airaka pushed her hands back out, rubbing the splotches of mud from the boys face. Xtol raised his own hands, dropping the mud covered sword, and pushed her hands away.
"Stop," he commanded.
Pushing his hands to his eyes he rubbed them clumsily. Airaka giggled, and he looked at her with a curious look.
"You’ve grown up!" she said like a hyperactive teenager.
The red head wrapped her arms about the larger boy, feeling him struggle underneath. When he pushed out his larger white wings, Airaka was forced to let go. She crawled around behind him, pressing both her hands on his wings. They had grown at least double his size. Same with his white tail, long enough it would drag along the ground when he waddled. His scales continued on their spots, gaining size in some spots, shrinking in other; his nails seemed to have lengthened dangerously as well.
Suddenly, a weak blow hit her jaw line, and she toppled over on to her bottom.
"No," came his angry voice.
"Don’t hit." Airaka responded, taking the longer wand from his tail.
He made persistent grabby hands towards the wand, and she repeated her last command, before passing the shiney weapon to the boy.
"Now. Let’s go inside. You clothing is ripped, you’re still dirty, and I’m guessing growing makes you hungry."
"Pants. Bath. Food." Xtol chimed, in a more happy tone, waving his wand around.
Airaka tilted her head, wondering how to hold the boy, now with his larger wings and tail. She groaned inwardly, and wrapped her arms around the boy awkwardly.
As the some what happy pair began their quick walk inside, the wrymlings persistence gaining him hold of the wooden sword, it began to rain. The mud bubbled as the rain hit up, and began to spread out around the clean lawn.
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