|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 8:40 pm
(( Tesla - Drinks || Nolan -- Ornaments or wherever Aric is steering him ))
"You are very -- kind," Tesla responded to Eli, fairly at a loss for what else to say. The man had a way with words, something she was never terribly gifted with, a touch flustered with the attention being paid to her. Being from humble origins, she was always taught to pay courteous mind to gentlemen like Eli, and yet here, in the face of his onslaught of open jubilation, she could do little more than watch him with wide green eyes. Her mother would have liked him very much.
Casting an automatic glance around for either Nolan or Elias, her attention returned to the tall man when he addressed her again, earning a short bit of amused laughter. "I think you've a fair stance above we mere mortals," she agreed with a wide and easy grin. "You needn't worry about him, he's -- well. If you see a boy with white wings or a tall teen with an eyepatch, he'll be with them." Realizing that she probably sounded insane, she added lightly, "He's in good company." And as others recognized the taller man and began to address him, she fell silent, hands curled around her mug of cider and sipping it politely as she bowed her head in return to Nadyris.
For the most part, the dragon had little interest in the discussion. He'd said his peace and he didn't see the point to elaborate, and so he didn't, flicking his eyes towards Fintan. "Tes said there's places over here with free gifts and toys and stuff. Sounded like a good place to start." He did, however, offer a bemused grunt at Venice's claim, casting his eyes to the angel-bird with a brief appraisal. "I get more stuff done with rolling in the dirt and using fists and claws. People don't...really listen." Nolan shrugged a little, hiking Aric back up in place; maybe it was just him, but he was either over-looked or the center of attention in a bad way, neither of which settled well with him.
Tugged as he was, the dragon began to make an arch towards some ornaments, the baubles frosted in all manner of festive colors and either decorated with glitter or etched in some design. Nolan, usually one to like bright and shiny things, found the ornaments a bit too gaudy for his liking, but if his neighbor wanted a better look, he was hardly one to tell the desert child no.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:30 pm
{{ Eli - Drinks }}
Eli decided he quite liked Tesla's laughter. It was easygoing and open, just like her smile. "While my height may be ascribed to the gods, alas, I am only a man." What would it be like to be a god, he mused. Probably too much responsibility. Although one could argue that the gods effectively abandoned humanity long ago. Eli wasn't one for theological discussions, however.
He paused... Had Tesla just said wings? His hearing must be off. His sister Angharad always did call him an old codger. ("But I'm only in my 30s!" Eli always protested) Thinking back though, hadn't Friday said something about bottle kids being different? Assuming Eli did believe Friday, and assuming that more than one bottle child existed.... Eli's head pounded at the statistics.
He twiddled his thumbs a bit. Should he even ask? Eli nodded a bit distractedly at Nadyris. The man looked dangerous. "hello, Nadryis, you've got quite the firecracker there." He waved obliquely at Amado, who had already grabbed the other child and run off. Fidgeting, he stared at Tesla. Her wide green eyes were inviting, but if he were to ask... he could be thought insane!
Abruptly, Eli straightened his spine and opened his mouth. If she thought him crazy, so be it! He could play if off as some sort of joke, he supposed...
"Lady, I have... " Eli hemmed and hawed, picking and choosing his words. They still felt flat in his mouth. The easy Florida he was accustomed to would not some, and Eli was left gaping like some relatively handsome fish. "I have a crazy question." he finished lamely and stuck his hands in his pockets. Running his tongue over his teeth, Eli rocked back on his heels and soldiered on, forcing the words in front of him like drafted infantry on the front lines of battle. His words came out low and
hushed, an embarrassed near-whisper. "Would, ah, you said something about a winged boy. I met a man the other day who spoke of special children... born from bottles. I know this sounds crazy, but" the words tumbled out faster now as he resolutely pushed them forward into the line of fire. "Would you know..." Eli's steam ran out. He was done. Made a fool of himself in front of a lady no less. Time to cash in his chips, clock out, go home. He stood in silence, berating his fickle mouth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:02 am
( Venice - Ornamental stalls, heading towards the land of homobirds and morrigans butt Game Stalls )
Venice exhaled quietly, his wings folding as the two rode in a wayward fashion towards the ornamental stalls. His lips stayed still, his mind cycling slowly through pieces of conversation that he could or could not say. He'd imagined Nolan the type for fisticuffs and brawls, and wasn't at all surprised to hear what he'd had to say. Aric was a bit more challenging, if only for the fact that he couldn't determine whether that thickly optimistic demeanor had a fighting side to it or not. He idled back, watching the two as Nolan carried Aric in the direction of - well, shiny things.
Fintan was nearby as well, but the others conversation had addled him. Perhaps it was half to do with the fact that he viewed himself superior, no matter the mythological importance of Fintan's supposed Dust essence. It was a petty thought, but one none the less. His wings ruffled again, this time in mild agitation at the thought. With little more to do than follow them though, he started to step forward, only to catch something dark in the corner of his eye.
Something shining and black and dangerous.
Oh. Venice thought, his throat turning dry, and his body suddenly tense. You.
His feet took him away before his mind could catch up, following the dark prince with the single-mindedness of a crow caught on something shiny. His lips parted as he came to an emptiness amongst the crowd, his wings pressing to his sides as he dipped himself between stalls and into the shadows, wondering where the raven might have gone. He could feel his presence; a dark flutter in his chest, a rush of heat and energy in his core that constituted the presence of another like him. And it was not Arics, nor was it Nolan's or Fintan's.
This one was his. Venice's lips curled into a thin line, his wings a bright, stainless white against the shadows all around.
If this was a game, than he was most certainly willing to play.
( Krinn, Wren, & Caelan - Drinks Booth )
Amidst doing psychologically scarring things to either A) Wren, B) Krinn (who had the unfortunate ill luck to get stuck catering to his guardian and the man who Caelan claimed to have remembered from that "one time with the duck and the arrows and a few severed limbs" to which Wren replied with, "We were young,"), or C) both, Caelan had realized that though their merry group was merry, it might not have been merry enough. Thus, the inclusion of liquor.
"I'm too young to drink this," Krinn snapped mutinously after his second shot of "no, I promise its not tequila but it will make you a lot happier. Stronger stuff comes once the sun goes down." Caelan just smiled, tipping back a sip of eggnog spiked with something decidedly less savory. Wren, who'd been brooding behind a cup of steaming hot chocolate (also spiked), simply grunted. The man had only been convinced to stay with their small party after Caelan had coaxed the story of strange bottle-children out of him, which had then created the quest to retrieve his own Dust from the crowds, where he'd been more than merrily sulking alone.
They continued to drink in silence despite the early hour, Caelan the only smiling one of their group. It was only when Wren managed to spot a familiar face in the crowd that his brooding expression shifted. If a brooding glare to a somewhat less brooding expression of pain could be considered a shift at all.
"Kali."
The lighter man had no chance of surviving at all.
Wren latched onto his upper arm and pulled him like a tiny puppy out of a huge crowd, close enough so that only he could hear. "Save me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:30 am
Kalden didn’t know how to parent, but at least he had the decency to take the crow dust out to town so they could attend the festival. Honestly, the young mechanic would have preferred to stay in his cottage and spend the night curled in bed while reading a book, but he also knew that Morrigan would have none of that. For some reason, the child lived to play tricks on Kalden whenever he pleased. He firmly held onto one of Morrigan’s hands while he guided him toward the floating city of Aimes. The guardian shuddered as a breeze brew. He used one hand to pull his coat closer to himself while the pair arrived onto Siren Shores.
Morrigan’s bright eyes stared at the flowers lined up at the beach before Kalden tugged him forward. He looked up at the young man and scowled, but grudgingly followed along. The crow would find a way to enact some sort of payback on Kalden, but now was not the appropriate moment. He had to get the timing just right.
As they arrived at the festival at last, Morrigan grinned. The area was absolutely crowded. As he stared up at his guardian, Morrigan could see the uncomfortable expression beginning to spread across Kalden’s face. He snickered. The guardian could never survive in a crowd like this. Kalden apologized frantically as a he bumped into a man. The moment caused the guardian to loosen his grip ever so slightly, allowing Morrigan the perfect opportunity to slip out of Kalden’s grasp.
The crow prince weaved through the crowd without so much as a goodbye or condescending chuckle.
[Kalden – Drink stalls]
Kalden’s heart dropped. “Morrigan?” he sputtered. “Where are y—I shouldn’t even bother, should I?” He slumped his shoulders as he figured the crow would return to his side eventually. With that weak though in mind, he tried to seek out a less-crowded area. For some reason, this involved passing by the drinks stalls. The sight made him pause. Silently, he frowned and one hand rubbed his throat. The walk had certainly been long; plus Morrigan was always a handful. Perhaps he deserved at least a drink to soothe himself. Kalden searched through his pockets for some coins, but stopped when someone called out his nickname.
Only one person around here should have known it.
His eyes grew to saucers and he froze up with arms by his side. Kalden’s mouth curled into a terrified frown. A tiny puppy was a rather apt description for Kalden, considering he whimpered like one when Wren grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the crowd. His heart sunk as he heard Wren’s words, but they also snapped him out of his daze. “No!” he yelped as he tried to pull his arm away. It was a futile cause. “J-Just get away from me….!” If he was scared of Wren, he really didn’t want to know what scared Wren.
[Morrigan – Game stalls]
When the crow arrived at the game stalls, he was noticeably disappointed to see that the games were currently out of order. He narrowed his eyes at the prizes for display. The dust seemed rather tempted to reach out and swipe one of the toys and melt into the crowd before the proprietors noticed. Actually, he was already reaching for the squirrel when a presence within the mass of festival-goers shifted. Morrigan took back his hand before the adult could catch him in mid-attempt.
Ah yes, he thought as he joined the pedestrians once more. You. He had only met this particular dust once, but just once was enough for the crow to remember this particular character. Dark wings rustled restlessly between his cape. Calmly smiling, Morrigan reached back to tug at his cape to obscure the appendages lest the other presence spotted them among the crowd. That would certainly not do.
Finding the mop of white hair among the shadows was simple, but rather than directly walk up to the swan, Morrigan stopped in the middle of the crowd. Sharp blue eyes stared straight at Venice, and once eye contact had been made he dashed back into the mass of people.
A game indeed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:55 am
( Wren, Caelan, & Krinn - Drink Stalls )
"Calm down." Wren's tone was not at all calming, or soothing for that matter. It was something one might consider hearing from a murderer irritated by his victims struggle, but that was no fault of Wren's. He'd never learned life lessons. He'd grown up as a street urchin, where "calm down," was used on him by all manner of unsavory folk and not for the purpose with which the words were supposed to normally serve. His scowl had dampened slightly, replaced by a mildly scrutinizing look. "You look awful." He mentioned quietly, tugging Kali closer so that a passing pedestrian wouldn't run him over. Yes, a puppy was certainly what the mechanic was in the huntsman's eyes. A poor, injured puppy with a limp and a terrible attitude. But what did that make him then?
"A wolf," He remembered Caelan calling him mockingly when they'd first met (which, to be quite honest, was a memory he'd long since forgotten up until tonight and the unfortunate reunion of the man and him), and he frowned, considering the mismatched nature of his current party.
"Gods, but what have you done to that man to make him so terrified of you?" The stormy-haired boy asked sourly from where he was near Caelan, his eyes a piercing mix of bright cyan and dark grey. It was slightly unnerving. The teen was a similar creation as Venice, but where the swan had been elegant and full of princely manners, this one was a tempest, destructive and beautiful and deadly in his core. Wren's little bird usually meant no harm unless provoked, but looking upon the young adult, the huntsman couldn't help but think that this one would harm without meaning to, much the way a storm might destroy all that came within its path without consideration nor actual intent.
"I shot him." Wren said with mild indifference. Under the look of sudden amusement from Caelan, he added, "with an arrow. I did not mean to. He got in the way of a moving target and was far bigger." His eyes raked over Kali with bemusement before his grip loosened, but not enough for the mechanic to wiggle away and get himself killed. "You tend to put yourself in life-or-death situations as soon as you step out of your house, don't you."
All of the judgement, Kali. All of it.
( Venice - Games Stalls. )
Venice had not imagined that his next meeting with the crow would be easy, nor any after that. Though to be quite fair, he'd never really imagined a next meeting at all. Not to say, that he hadn't had dreams of it. Not of Morrigan exactly, but a dark crow, haunting and cawing and tempting him in the night. Where Venice was a white prince in his making, the raven was a dark star; a cruel conquerer that might one day set the world on fire for fun. And yet he could not help but be drawn to him, like a moth to a flame. They both held a presence of regality, but where Venice's was benevolent, Morrigan's was that of chaos and calamity, a villainous nature that the swan felt his fingers itch to touch and know.
"Fool." The raven took off into the crowd like a blur, and Venice ran after him without hesitance. Once the crowd parted enough and the people thinned, the swan's wings spread, giving a hard flap. If it was a race they were having, Morrigan would have to try harder than that. The dust had, after all, grown a personal fascination with his own wings, spending countless hours learning the extent of their help. And while he could not stay air-born for long, they were certainly helpful in giving him a boost. But there were no rules to this game. Shortcuts existed in the maze of the festival grounds, and Venice took them without shame.
The venture left him running to intercept the crow between out-of-order game stalls, his breath heavy as he slid to a stop in front of other, hoping that Morrigan would not barrel into him if he had any sense whatsoever in his head.
"If you are looking to entertain me with fruitless chases, try harder." He said, his voice cool and icy and thick with challenge.
He was not about to be one-upped by a crow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:26 am
[Kali–Drinks stall]
He let out another pathetic whimper. For a puppy like himself, meeting a wolf was just about the last thing he needed. No, Kalden couldn’t even call himself a puppy when compared to the likes of Wren. They were hardly of the same genus. It would be more fitting to deem the mechanic a terrified sheep that had strayed from its flock. “If I could, I would!” he shrieked back, trembling to the point his glasses nearly slid off the bridge of his nose, but Kalden grabbed his eyewear just in time. It took him a few tries to put them back on, but now he could see the world clearly again.
At the very least, he would have appreciated some distance between himself and Wren. He took a timid step away from the hunter, but shrunk back toward the only familiar person in sight when the storm dust and his guardian arrived. “W-What…” The intimidating hunter had been more than enough for Kalden, but a destructive dust? As much as he preferred not to, he initially stuck close to Wren in an attempt to shield himself from Krinn, but once he realized his actions he jumped and tried to flee the group. “Could you…l-let me go?”
“Don’t talk about that!” he wept as he covered his feminine face with one hand. “Y-You’re bringing up distasteful memories!” Kalden flinched. “Aaaah! Don’t say anything more!”
“N…o…” The look Kalden shot Wren was a rather pitiful look, a mixture of denial, shame, and terror.
[Morrigan—Games stall]
Venice may have had dreams of Morrigan, but the crow dust could not say the same for the swan prince. He had been far too preoccupied with poking fun at his guardian to even bother about Venice, as impressionable as their first meeting had been. The dark prince had little interest in toys that could not satisfy him; out of sight, out of mind. Morrigan saw no use for thinking of a pure prince of white when he couldn’t even play with him. But all of that would change starting today.
He intently created a path in his head while he walked past other people. Amidst the amiable chatter, Morrigan looked up and behind to observe the swan’s progress. Lips curled into an amused smile as he realized the other bird was in the air. “It appears I’m at a disadvantage,” he noted before he turned forward and sped faster through the crowd. The dust made a mental note to use a few days to grow further acquainted with his wings. All he could really do was restlessly rustle them when appropriate. While he could have been vexed by the sudden turn of events, it thrilled him. There were no rules. It was only fair to take advantage of it.
As he glanced at the game stalls once more, lips curled into a wicked smile as he strode forward. He turned around as the swan overtook him and landed in front of Morrigan. He smiled pleasantly. “You’re quite right,” he admitted. He heard a stall proprietor shout behind him. “Which is why I’ll be taking advantage of the rules,” he shot at Venice as he threw a stolen squirrel plush at him and melted into the crowd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:14 am
( THERE ARE SO MANY TYPOS AND BAD SENTENCES HERE I WILL EDIT IN THE MORNING I AM SO SORRY SYU FORGIVE MY AWFUL RUN-ON RESPONSE )
( Wren, Krinn, & Caelan - Drinks Stalls. )
Wren bit back a sound of dark amusement at Kali's absolutely pathetic demeanor. He'd almost forgotten the mechanic's meek build, and it was hard for him to relate to the crowd-shy man when his entire life had been built around crowds and cold streets and stone. "Listen." He turned Kali towards him, frowning at the tiny boy. "As terrifying as our encounters have been, I actually have the ability to be civil when I - need to." The words were stunted and halting, as though Wren himself were trying to come to terms with the admittance of some sort of civil nature within himself. He was only glad that Deimos had, with huge reluctance, been unable to tend until later tonight. His friend would give him no rest if he ever heard the cat admitting things like this out loud. Unfortunately, he was still set to meet up with the other man later on.
Oh well, Wren thought blandly. First things first.
From behind him, Krinn made an ugly noise in the back of his throat. "Is he alright?" He asked, which Wren somehow managed to ignore. Caelan's laugh filtered through the air as well.
"I imagine the remembrance of being shot is giving him a hard time." He said to the Dust, and if the huntsman wasn't so preoccupied, he might have said something in return.
"Why not?" The bemusement in Wren's tone was obvious. "It happened, didn't it? And it was years ago. You were shorter back then. Though not much else has changed." His expression was wry, and he dropped his hand when Kalden asked for him to let go.
"You aren't going to try running into the crowd are you, boy?" The huntsman's gaze flickered briefly to the sifting mass of bodies beyond their small knot. "I think you'll get stampeded, should you try. Anyways." He made a soft sound in the back of his throat. "This is Caelan. He's - like you." Us was not a term he felt fond using. "He found a - ah - bottle creature too."
If Kali looked, he would see Caelan waving so airily that it looked like he was the Prince of Amies and everyone else could just go home. Krinn, of course, looked moody as ever, having stolen Wren's hot chocolate sometime in between all of the wordy exchanges. The huntsman grunted and turned back to Kali.
"I'm not going to kill, maim, or otherwise injure you, so calm the ******** down. This timid nature of yours is getting tiresome." He paused, mildly exasperated. "And where is your crow? I imagine thats the only reason you came out of your little house today."
( Venice - Game Stalls. )
Venice found himself growing more and more vexed by his chase, the tips of his feathers ruffling angrily when his feet hit hard stone. How annoying, how irritating. He wanted to yell at the other, but dignity told him not to. How dare you treat me in this manner, He all but wanted to sneer, the part of him that was dark and mighty and superior shrill and disgusted by the treatment as though he were nothing but a toy. But all the same, he continued on, even when Wren's words echoed in his head, a mockery of this very situation. If you want something or someone to stop, go away, just ignore them. They're only looking for a reaction. Of course, Wren had gone on to say that some cases were special, and when you were being mugged, beaten, or otherwise assaulted that the best course of action was not to ignore but break their noses, alongside various other unsavory things.
"Don't you mean lack there of?" Venice retorted, his wings snapping and causing the people around him to jump and stare in wonder. If they noticed, he did not care. They could marvel and gape all they wanted, he would not bother with them until he had sated his urge to win against this foul, loathsome little beast. It was true that there were no rules here; this was not a typical chess game that they could play. Their pawns might as well have been the props, the citizens, the spaces around them filled with things to manipulate to their own ends.
What had once been a festival was now little more than dueling ground. A competition both of them were striving to compete against each other in, and anyone and everyone might as well have been at risk. Because Venice was a regal prince, but that did not mean he was anymore likely to sit back and watch as things around him continued to tick.
The toy was regarded with momentary surprise, and Venice caught it just as soon as the crow took off again and the shop owner began to shout. Clever. Venice allowed the compliment to go silently, but there was little time to do anything else but duck and dodge something thrown - no doubt by the runner of the stall, calling him a thief and a great many other sailor-quality insults. Another thing was aimed at his head, and Venice deflected with a wing and a scowl before taking off before he could be abused any longer. His long, gliding steps and short flights gave him only enough advantage to keep up. But Morrigan was intelligent enough to use the things around him to keep Venice behind.
The swan frowned. Well, if he wanted to play that way, Venice could as well.
Venice's long strides slowed into a gliding pace of someone that was now biding their time. He paced in slow, predatory circles, mapping the area and allowing Morrigan space enough for a short interim. A standstill. It was not a lure; Venice imagined that Morrigan was too intelligent to think that the swan had given up. He intercepted the crow again between two game stalls where bright bottles were lined for a game of ring-tosses. There was a thick crackle and snap of wings, Venice taking no small amount of vengeful amusement when they both went down in a flurry of feathers and clothing, making others shout in surprise around them. The swan was smart enough to make it look more an accident than an intentional act. He even grimaced when his wing landed awkwardly beneath him.
"If you aren't going to play by law or rules, than neither will I." He said quietly into Morrigan's ear, pressing the stuffed squirrel back into the others hands. Just as quickly, his fingers found and pulled free the red jewel at the crow's neck, slipping it away into his pocket. He was not above stealing from this fool. Just as quickly as the exchange had been made, Venice made a show of struggling violently, shoving at Morrigan's chest and yelling for help at the top of his lungs. His act was good, his cries a shrill and childish mockery of fear. He yelled in pain and cried thief, turning Morrigan's own play on him back against the crow. Stall-owners in the midst of setting up rushed from behind their booths, and the crowd surged forward with humans in a misguided attempt to help. Venice kept up the act long enough to slip back and away between the tight pack of bodies, freeing himself of the crowd and brushing the dirt away from his clothes before taking off again with Morrigan's pendant in hand.
If he wanted it, or wanted revenge, this time he would have to do the chasing instead. And even if he didn't, Venice doubted that the crow would let the game end this soon. No, not at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:25 am
Aric had noticed the white bird hand gone away, for a moment half-pouting at the lack of presence although it didn't last for long. As he and the others approached the stalls of ornaments and decorations, perhaps they weren't as beautiful as the shells that he had seen washed up on shore or any of the shells and trinkets given to him by others but they were rather interesting. Surprisingly the blonde was quiet as his eyes wandered the stalls, strange plants and pictures he had never seen before in his life, he did not know their meaning but he appreciated it all the same.
But especially one kind of plant caught his attention, lips parted and releasing a cold breath from his lips. It was one hanging from above the trees in red ribbons, how beautiful!
Again he steered the dragon beneath him, but eventually wiggled around his back to get down, abruptly falling behind him and taking his clawed hand firmly in his, pulling the red-head to the magical tree- -since it seemed like people kept on stopping there and doing some strange action to each other? -- "Ziya, Fintan ----" he called out to them before he rushed to the area, smiling as he expertly maneuvered his way around the people in the crowds, finally arriving there and looking up at the green-red flowers. "What do you think they are?" he smiled, turning his head to his friend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:40 am
(( Tesla -- Drinks || Nolan -- Between Ornament and Gift stalls, by the mistletoe ))
She noted Eli's pause at the mention of wings, her eyes lowered for the moment as she gave him polite distance to speak with the others. When he addressed her again, her gaze returned to him, brows lofted over his hesitation. The words he finally managed to get out were rewarded with a bemused smile. "Please, do. I've seen a lot of crazy things this year, I might have an answer." She chuckled softly under her breath, tilting her head towards him to listen to his quiet words. The subject matter was one she understood immediately, her expression softening but her smile not fading. Mulling over how best to answer, she tapped her index finger against her drink before responding.
"I know very little about them," she answered softly, "and until about ten minutes ago, I thought there were very few. But there are at least five here, likely more." And her smile then warmed in a maternal way, even though her brow was slightly troubled. "My ward is one such child, yes."
Nolan quirked his lips in disapproval as the angel-bird suddenly disappeared without word. Funny, for someone who prided himself on conversation, he sure didn't know how to say good bye. Shaking his head, he dismissed the rude avian and instead made sure that Fintan and Ziya were still with them, absently leading the two around. He'd never fancied himself a leader, but maybe that was more attested to the blonde that was direct him yet again. He let his neighbor slide off his back, not fighting his human-looking hand being gripped and lead through the throngs of individuals. It wasn't until they got to their destination that the dragon noticed what had Aric's attention.
Peering up at the green and white plants bedecked in red ribbon, he scrunched his nose up and tried to make sense of what he was seeing: two people - some giggling and blushing, some confident, some clearly strangers - would stand under this powerful plant and kiss on the mouth. Tesla had to explain what a kiss was when she'd kissed him on the cheek and he'd about leaped out of his skin with surprise, but this looked different. Frowning, Nolan shrugged, not about to let some stupid plant tell him what to do. "Some sorcery?" he ventured to guess, releasing Aric's hand so as not to endanger him and gliding through the crowd, setting himself stubbornly beneath the plant, waiting --
-- but nothing happened. Crossing his arms, he peered up at the plant, looked to Aric and shrugged again. Humans were such strange things, after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:54 am
This action was much more foreign to Aric, never been having demonstrated that in any way at all to him or even explained. He looked stubbornly at the plants, eager to discover what kind of magic or sorcery it was--perhaps the plant was like them? His only experience with this touchy action was perhaps with his best friend, although this was definitely far different.
"Maybe it's something like us? Magical--" he suggested before his hand was released, surprised at when the dragon child went to the spot before him, the blonde immediately following despite the possible danger this would entail. And he easily maneuvered his way through the crowd, more giggling and the same interaction of the humans-- it was quite mesmerizing. And then he found himself in front of the red-head, both of the children looking up at the plant.
"Nothing? Do you feel anything?" He whispered to Nolan as if it was a secret, looking around them to see if anything would happen. But nothing really did. Aric felt suddenly weary-- he wanted to try this too!
"Nolan--" he turned to the boy, touching his hands like normal to either side of his face and giving him an eager smile. And then he leaned in to press his lips carefully on the dragon's lips, fleeting, uncertain of how it was supposed to be but -- it seemed to be working, he felt a pleasant surge of warmth in his chest, perhaps it was magic after all?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:06 pm
{{ Eli - Drinks }}
Oh. Oh. Tesla's frank answers surprised Eli. Only after Friday became consumed by utter frustration had he opened up and spilled the beans, so to speak. Either everything was real, this insanity all true, or this town was full of crazy people. Tesla Grey didn't look crazy. Her softly smiling lips spoke each word sanely. The brows that arched gracefully over wide green eyes held no tilt of insanity. In short, Tesla was nothing more than an attractive, moderately short, sane lady.
Eli had no choice but to accept her words at face value. If strange children could be born forth from bottles, they could other fantastical things exist? He almost voiced the thought, but resolutely stuffed it back behind his overtaxed brain. "Lady Grey, I have a hundred questions! I never thought such a thing could be possible."
All of his statistics had been overturned. He suddenly wished he could take a survey. How many of this festival's gaily innocent children were essentially mythological? Wings hidden, horns filed, tails stashed... Stop assigning random traits to people, Eli! he chided himself.
Belatedly, he realized he'd been staring at Tesla. How awkward. "Your ward..." he blurted. "Does he know he is a bottle child? Has anyone ever researched them, why they came to be? Have they been around forever?" He paused, his normally suave face colored lightly. They were quite surrounded. Perhaps this wasn't the proper venue for such talk, but oh, he was curious.
Clearing his throat, Eli smiled charmingly, crookedly, "I'm sorry. I am probably quite out of line to be so pushedly curious. Forgive me?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 4:21 pm
[Kalden—Drinks stalls]
He stiffened up when Wren turned toward him. “I’m afraid I have yet to see those moments,” he answered meekly before immediately cover his mouth with his hands. That…was something Kalden probably should have kept to himself, or face the possible wrath of the wolf. As reassuring as Wren’s words should have been, they failed to quell the mechanic’s nerves. It was so easy to fake a few words, after all. Kalden warily eyed the darker-skinned guardian. “I…I have a scar.” It was difficult for Kalden to tell if he had spoken up loud enough or not.
Eyebrows furrowed, Kalden sadly frowned at the huntsman. “If you were like me, you’d say otherwise.” Had he been a cat, his fur would have bristled. “Pardon? I-I have so changed..!” he protested. While he tried to shuffle away from the group, a few passerbys happened to push him back toward the trio. He whimpered. He had only wanted to spend a peaceful day in the cottage. Why did life have to go so horribly awry?
“Will not,” Kalden mumbled indignantly. He wasn’t that small. He wouldn’t get stampeded…!
Bottle creature. He examined Caelan carefully before he slid his gaze toward Krinn. “What about the lad?”
Kalden shrunk back from Wren once more. “But this is who I am…” At the mention of the dust, he closed his eyes and sighed, ready to groan. “I really don’t know. I loosened my grip for just a moment and he escaped. But he must be somewhere around here.”
[Morrigan—Game stalls]
Venice was growing more and more agitated, but Morrigan was becoming more and more pleased with how the chase was unfolding. After playing with just Kalden for so long, it was refreshing to find a new plaything for the day. If the crow had had the honor of listening to Wren’s words of wisdom, he would have laughed. The white prince could have easily continued on his merry way after Morrigan had disappeared. It only happened that things took a rather exciting turn for the worse (or better, depending on whom one asked). “It’s all about interpretation,” he answered with a toothy smile.
He seriously doubted the toy would distract Venice for long, but it was enough for the crow to briefly scurry toward the first drink stall he saw and purchase himself a cup of water. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a familiar bespectacled guardian near a certain huntsman. Morrigan cracked a smirk before downing the rest of his drink and tossing the cup into the nearest trash. It had been a while since the chase continued, but he knew the other dust was biding his time to formulate his next move. While he could have easily made his way back to Kalden and Wren, he opted for the more fun choice—walking right back toward the games stalls.
Morrigan grinned when he turned around and saw Venice. Ah, so there was the other dust. He tilted his head slightly, raised his eyebrows as he calmly watched the swan ‘accidentally’ crash into him. Laughing, the crow grabbed Venice’s collar and pulled him forward until their foreheads were pressed against each other. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
His face contorted with restrained rage as he heard the chain around his neck snap, but Morrigan forced himself to remain cool as he let go of Venice and watched him shout. He feigned confusion as he subtly tossed the plush behind an abandoned stall. So, that was Venice’s move? Fine. As soon as the swan disappeared, Morrigan burst into high-pitched sobs. “L-Liar! He just wanted that toy for himself!” He buried his tear-streaked face in his hands before he let out a terrified gasp. “My necklace! He took it! It was a gift from faAaAther…!” A few of the adults stepped forward to soothing pat him on the back.
“Shhh. Don’t worry about it kiddo.”
“You’ll get it back.”
“Where’d that little rascal go?!”
"After him!"
Morrigan hid a smirk as he watched a few of the men chase after Venice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 4:27 pm
[[Torin-Entrance]]
Torin casually walks into the area, talking a gander at all the people who seemed to be up and about. In his hand was an umbrella, not for rain, but for just in case he ran into any pesky dogs while he was here. The monstrous not-people things were not going to ruin the one day of the year in which he could go an socialize without having to clean up tables. He nods with resolution, looking about for someone to speak with. Ah, were the pickings grand! So many people! So many names to learn and so many people to tell his own name, and to explain about his absolute greatness. Torin swoons over himself(and his hair), god was he the awesome sort person. If it was possible, he would marry this Torin fellow, for that is how great of a dude he was.
Now, keep in mind this is all going on in Torin's head. Truthfully he was standing around awkwardly wondering who he would talk to that wouldn't run away (Or worse, shove a dog in his gorgeous face! The horror!) He gasps to himself. Why would they do that to such a cool person? He couldn't say.
What he could say was that his was extremely thirsty. He knew he should have brought a drink with him for the trek here, it was no easy walk. With his thirst in mind, Torin starts to walk towards the drink stalls, noticing all the awesome people that happened to be there. Obviously these here were the cream of the crop, top tier dudes to bother (or listen in on.)
[[Torin-Drink Stalls]]
Torin orders something hot, nodding at the stall worker "Ah, Thank you the worker person! May you have a glorious birth celebration of a tiny prophet child, and may it be filled with joy and cheer and whatever you dudes say!" He walks away, humming to himself contently. There was nothing wrong with what he said. Not a thing. Sure, he was a bit long winded, but he loved that about himself. There wasn't anything about himself he DIDN'T love!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:34 pm
(( Tesla -- Drinks || Nolan -- between Ornament and Game stalls ))
The scrutiny in which Eli watched her was not lost on the woman, holding a small smile that was both waiting for some sort of response that said she wasn't crazy and that he hadn't baited her to talk about something he'd heard in jest. And then he spoke, and Tesla felt her brief welling of anxiety escape her in a soft sigh, pushing a loose strand of red hair behind her ear and smiling up at the man. "Please, just Tesla." She nodded a little, entirely understanding the look on his face that was both somewhat in shock and somehow almost excited. She could only imagine what was going through his mind. "I've a hundred questions more atop yours, my friend, but I'll answer what I can."
The farmer's smile grew into a grin, hardly able to stop it at Eli's enthusiasm. "There's hardly anything to forgive, Eli. It's alright." Tracing the cider between her fingers again, she responded slowly and thoughtfully, "He is aware in a vague sense. He knows where he came from but he believes -- he believes he's not human or even remotely so. It's been a bit trying. As for researching, I'm sure there's someone who has -- my ward, he's met two older lads, one he even brought home after a tiff -- so they've been around for a while, I'd imagine. But why...where they came from and why they were put here, why certain people find them, why they listen to us, even..." The woman slowly shook her head, glancing over to the quarreling men, noting that one was with the swan-child before. She nodded towards Wren discretely. "His is the boy with the wings. He's hard to miss."
She gave a cursory glance towards Torin as his cheerful words to the vendor, smiling in a befuddled manner before resuming her attentive gaze upon the taller man. Tesla was only sorry she didn't have more answers.
The dragon stared. He didn't really know what else to do, because that -- that was not normal. Nolan idly pressed his fingers to his lips and, for a few heartbeats, the dragon in him was exposed: he had been so surprised that his guise had slipped, his entire draconic appearance in place before he got a grip and put it back under lock and key. Nothing to see here chaps, just a pale boy who looked like his best friend had just grown two heads.
"That was, um...weird," he settled on, dropping his hand and instead drawing his bottom lip between his teeth, gnawing on it as if that might help him decipher what he had just experienced. "Not a bad-weird, like how spoilt milk looks, you know, it's...it's okay. It's good. It's just weird." Once again demonstrating just how much eloquence escaped him, Nolan looked at Aric for a long moment, making sure the other hadn't been momentarily bewitched or possessed. He looked normal, so he could only assume the desert child had done that of his own will. "You taste like the sun," he informed his friend and neighbor, as if it might explain everything. And to him, for the moment, it did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:02 pm
((Elias & Aric -- ornament / game stalls))
It was strange to Aric as well, although the boy was sure he liked it-- and he felt like himself, still. It couldn't be magic? Or maybe the magic made him feel this strangeness that he shared with Nolan.
"I liked it?" he smiled at the other, puzzled as well of how to handle this action. "I feel the same though, sort of-- I don't think I'm possessed?" His blue eyes rested on his friend, searching for answers but got even more confused with the words. "And you taste --- familiar, I can't tell." He said honestly, tilting his head to the side and chuckling. "Thank you!" It was a compliment to him, even though he wasn't sure what to make of all of this, it was a discovery! And he actually wanted to try it again, taking Nolan's face in his hands again and starting to lean in again -----
"Elias!!!" he bellowed abruptly, jumping in place and putting his arms on Nolan's shoulders instead and waving his hand at the raven-haired man. And on his part Elias wasn't exactly sure who was calling at him, not spotting the young blonde sooner, and this made Aric want to catch his attention that much more.
"Elias!! MAGIC PLANT LOOK!" the desert child not so subtly called out to his guardian, jumping at the red and green plant with ribbons above Nolan and he, using the sand he had in tow to bring down the mistletoe quickly and then hurling it at the man's face in enthusiasm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
