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 Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:42 pm
No! No, and he won't - or, at least, I hope, it said, firmly. He will have concealed himself from the students. It should be fine. Still, it would watch the dragon carefully...
Then the door opened, and Jericho was there, looking resplendent in cape and mask - but that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was the surge of feeling it felt from the dragon, a rush that was quickly matched by physical movement as he came to them, then swept them into an embrace. Malodore's throat tightened once more, but this time it was not with grief.
"It really is," it managed, but it kept a close eye on the cloak covering Jericho's wings. That cloak had to stay on, at all costs.
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Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:49 pm
Riley eased when Malodore assured her that her mount was safe, and then settled back in to wait. She turned her head, just slightly, and was truly looking at the marvel of the plague doctor's mask, when she heard a boil's voice. Looking up at Jericho, her eyes widened just slightly.
He looked no more than a youth's age. She had expected a giant, an eager elder dragon of impressive lineage who would stomp his way through the dorms without any real effort.
This was just a boil. A handsome, strong looking boil, but a boil nonetheless.
Riley tried not to look disappointed. It helped that the boil scooped them both up in his arms and caught her off guard with the display of affection. She laughed in his embrace, trying not to squirm as she was pressed against them both.
I, ah, yes. Yes, it's definitely me. She chuckled out, trying not to feel squeamish in a strangers strong embrace.
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Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:54 pm
Jericho lingered there for a few moments before managing to pry himself back and away from the two. At first, he didn't really know what to say. His golden eyes were scanning her entire being. The very same person he thought he was never going to see ever again.
he said mentally. The boogeyman being so nearby still made him a little anxious. He wasn't willing to speak too much out loud lest his pronoun causes some questioning. Not until he was sure he had calmed down a bit at least.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:07 am
The first thing Riley recognized about Jericho was that he was so warm. The hug, lasting longer than she'd expected, had her overheating within seconds. When he pulled away, she let out a quick sigh and slowly leaned back onto the couch, letting her arms rest up on each side. She regarded him with amusement, until he spoke into her mind.
Oh, Jack help me. She closed her eyes for a moment, as the edge of something familiar and passionate hit her once again. Jericho's flavor was different from Malodore's, and she did not for a moment assume he was also in love with her - but there were other desires flavoring his thoughts. And they were just as strong - and just as intimate.
She had let people in far too easily, it seemed.
When she gathered her senses again, she opened her eyes and blinked the haze out of them. Ah, I'm sorry. Just not used to that yet. I.. am weak, but healing. And I've heard a lot about you, as well. You are my Jericho. Her face lifted slightly. It's a pleasure to meet.. ah.. see you. Her edit had come too late, and she hoped it wouldn't displease him.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:18 am
Woops. He might have gotten a little too eager there. She was still weak if he recalled, which sounded weird to think about. However, as she continued to speak, he was reminded of one fact rather painfully. The excitement that had been in his eyes shifted and instead there was something more like sorrow within them. Right.
Her memory.
he said before relaxing himself.
he added.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:26 am
She heard it in his voice. She slumped, leaning forward again and placing both of her hands on his knees. She'd just gotten finished convincing one companion, was she now going to have to start again with her second?
I hear that tone, young man. She murmured quietly. I will have you know, I've been told a great deal about you. About us. I've even read it, myself, if you do not believe me. She patted her journal beside her, before returning her hands to him. This time, she cupped his face in both of them, and lifted it up.
His face looked ragged. Tired. He had gone through too much suffering for one so young. The lines etched in his skin told a tale far longer than her journal ever could.
I would love to go flying. The moment I am well enough. I promise.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:31 am
Looking up at her when she gently lifted his face, Jericho looked into her eyes. He could almost feel her there, but there was still that void from when the bond snapped. No. He could reform that. He was sure of it.
Weakly, the corners of his lips lifted to form a smile. Between that, and feeling her here now, there was a sort of comfort for him.
"You will love it. I just know it. You won't be disappointed... I promise," he whispered.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:40 am
Even his face was warm. She wasn't surprised - he was a red dragon. His blood ran hot, as did his emotions. She wondered if she'd ever mentioned this to him in the past.
She did not bring it up now.
I believe you. She whispered quietly, her own cheeks lifting when she watched him smile. Now, do me a favor. Come sit beside me, and tell me everything you think I should know.
She leaned back, and patted the seat on her other side. She then slid over closer to Malodore, pulling one arm around it and keeping it close.
To make room, she assured herself.
Ah, she suddenly amended to Jericho, Only the good parts. For now. Her smile was regretful - it was clear she wasn't ready for everything, just yet.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:47 am
"Of course.."
Getting up, Jericho went ahead and seated himself onto the couch. Where did he begin? There were plenty of memories to pull from. Limiting it to just the good times did not help cut it down all too much. He brought up Prom, which was running right now, and how she had won prom king last year with Malodore as queen.
He also mentioned fitness club and a few of the things that had transpired, including the paint ball event that they had held.
The adventures he went with her to fetch the metal to make his gauntlet.
And several other things that happened. Aside from speaking, he attempted to project a few memories to her. Well. At least to get the emotions of said events. He wasn't as skilled with sending actual memories as Malodore was. Speaking into her mind was one thing, sending images was a little more difficult.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:26 am
Malodore had remained silent as they spoke, though its gazed flicked from dragon to mindflayer, watching them both. Gauging them both. They were both fragile, both vulnerable...
... and it was not? Had it not been just as vulnerable, just as prone to madness - a true madness, sourced in nothing more than thought, rather than some outside influence? It closed its eyes for a moment. No, it was not the 'sane' one.
It was just slightly - slightly - more fortunate.
And then Riley was pulling it close again; it made a pleased sound and nestled against her, inasmuch as a six-foot-tall plague doctor could nestle. It listened as Jericho spoke; while it obviously did not get the benefit of the memories, it could still feel the emotions they elicited. It listened quietly, relaxing, feeling the warmth radiating from both of them.
Va bene.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:04 am
Riley turned to face Jericho, and settled in as storytime began. The boil regailed each adventure with such gusto, that she was confident he loved these stories dearly. But each time he tried to project a memory to her, her eyes fluttered and her brow furrowed just slightly. It was the only thing she was not yet comfortable with, and they did it with such ease - she felt.. cheapened. Her mind was never meant to be touched by others. Yet here beside her, two creatures had woo'd her so thoroughly that they knew the reach of her mind. Malodore was far more skilled at it, and it's thoughts were far more intimate, but Jericho's fumbling presses into her conscious were still surprising enough to make her give pause.
It was their familiarity with her mind, more than any story either of them could tell, that convinced Riley the two of them were her true companions. She must have made the choice, long ago. They were meant to be hers, forever.
And now she could barely recognize their faces.
Riley slumped against Malodore, a sudden sadness filling her. I am distressed. She admitted quietly. You tell these stories, these moments in our life, and to me it sounds as though you are reading from a fantastical book. Her hands started to shake, as the loss began to hit her. The loss.. Her eyes filled with tears. The loss of memory to our kind is akin to death. I am so..
She curled up slightly, and covered her face in her hands.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:59 am
Riley's words rang a sense of familiarity for Jericho. The mindwipe. Only these were stories that she was hearing just now, rather than like something she had heard before. The dragon let out a sigh at that thought, then shook his head to himself.
Wait. That gave him an idea.
"For the illithid, are there ways to 'undo' a mindwipe? Maybe something like that could be done..."
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:10 pm
Malodore quickly wrapped its arms around her as she began to weep, allowing her to curl against it. It had no answer, and its heart ached again, but it did its best not to show that ache to her. She had enough pain of her own without being amplified by its own feelings.
At Jericho's words, it looked up, then shook its head. "This is not the same," it said, softly; it knew what it was, but given that Nurse Cricket had said core studies were somewhat taboo, it didn't want to speak up in front of the Bogeyman. It was too easy to forget he was there... "Remember what Shehk said?" Maybe that would remind the dragon.
"But there is always hope," it added, turning to Riley, curling itself around her and mantling its wings over them again, one spar flopping out to include Jericho in the 'embrace'. "You are here, you are alive once more... we can add new memories," it whispered, though its throat was tightening again. If only this hadn't happened... oh, it was starting to hate the grey stripes again, laid bare on her flesh. Silently, it renewed its vow.
Never again.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:22 pm
Riley tilted her head up sharply when Jericho mentioned the mindwipe. How could he know - had she really shared that custom with the two of them? Who were these people, infiltrating the very secrets she had sworn to protect her entire life? How could they have penetrated her so thoroughly, so deeply, that she..
Riley turned to Malodore, and her head slowly tilted.
Who is Shehk?
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:24 pm
"I know... but, I had to ask anyway," Jericho sighed. If only it were that easy he supposed.
"Shehk is a good friend, also another member of the student council."
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