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 Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:39 pm
The hot wind whipped up sand in the desert, the heat visible as waves all around. But despite the barren landscape, there was quite a happy dragon. For Zephyiote, she had had the fortune to chance upon an oasis. She was submerged to her shoulders, head laying on the shore. Her base eyes closed, while the others remained open, vigilant, even underwater. She had a set of clear eyelids as well as the normal ones, for underwater vision, and to protect her eyes in a fight. Much like a crocodile. As if she needed to be any stranger.
Without anyone to talk to, as usual, Zephyiote was alone with her thoughts, which she mulled over slowly, as if savoring them. Pondering recent findings from her research, things she had done and seen, a particularly tasty elk she happened to snap up yesterday. Such was the world of Zephyiote.
Traveling often, always alone, always pondering. It was a solid, a base. Were the world to end in a torrent of fire, and all things cease to exist, it was very likely Zephy would still travel, still be alone, and still thinking. Like the wind, she was simply there and gone, finding, remembering, making her impression, but never dwelling. She snorted, a sound of content. For now, life was good.
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:52 pm
Soaring high above the blistering sands, Articuno kept an eye out for any sort of oasis nearby. His salamander Pagos clung to his backside, while the vibrant mimicgryph, Frio flew a short distance behind him. The heat was starting to become a little unbearable, especially considering he preferred much cooler temperatures. Not that there were a whole lot of places on this continent that were a little more on the chilly side. But that was besides the point. Before much longer, the hybrid spotted the green haven of a oasis in the distance. Good timing too, since he was starting to become rather weary. So a place to rest and to rehydrate was most certainly welcome in his mind. And from what he could tell, there were no others currently at the oasis. Though it was a bit hard to see clearly from his location. As he neared, he descended quickly to land on the lush grounds. While he was there, he didn't notice the other painter within the water as he approached the shore to take a sip. "Oi, esta muy caliente! Demo, mizu ga arimasu!" chirpped Frio while quickly beelining towards the water as well.
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:08 pm
Zephyiote opened her eyes when she heard the frantic chirping in an unknown language. A vibrant mimicgryph out here? How bizaare. No matter. It would make a nice snack. She was quite hungry, actually. She was looking for something, and unfortunately, the quickest way to her destination was practically through the heart of this desert. She sank low in the water, in the method of a crocodile, watching as the little morsel zipped hastily towards the water. When it was close enough, she lunged forward, eyes flashing, maw parted to show off rows of wicked teeth, serrated on the inside curve.
It was going rather well, until she spied the other painter. She completly forgot about snacking, and drew back, snapping her jaws shut. Her lips pulled back in a silent snarl, her back bristling as she scampered onto the shore. No wonder the little snack was here, he was with this...whatever this other guy was. A feathered P'an Lun? She felt her aggressive stance become more lax as her curiousity took over. She'd never seen anyone like him before. Aside from herself, she hadn't thought P'an Lun ever posessed wings. But upon glancing at him quickly, it was appearant that was not the only different feature. Just look at his tail! Her eyes sparkled in utter amazement. Who was this guy?
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:24 pm
Frio let off a loud and strange squawk as she saw something strange lunge out at him from the water. Luckily for her, the predator decided to stop, but that didn't keep the vibrant mimicgryph from zipping back towards her master. All her feathers seemed to be in tact, as she checked herself once perched upon Articuno's horns.
The blue male was just about to take a sip when he heard the commotion Frio was letting out. A glance up and he soon saw a pan'lun in the water not too far away. And for a moment, he thought the desert heat was affecting his vision. He shook his head to himself and hastily took a drink before looking back at the painter ahead of him.
There were no changes in what he saw, so he was certain he wasn't hallucinating. He was a bit amazed, from what he could see of her. The other pan'lun had four eyes as far as he could tell, and it seemed that wasn't the only feature about her that was different from the norm.
"Oh... hello there," he managed to say through his surprise. It wasn't that her appearance put him off as much as it was that he didn't expect to meet anyone like her here.
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:35 pm
Zephyiote watched him warily for a moment, appraising him. In a fight, could she over power him? If she couldn't, could she fly away faster? Various things of the sort. She'd been harassed a good deal throughout her life, gotten into numerous fights, it was survival that drove her to think like that. Not that she had any people who wanted her dead, but she certainly wasn't welcome amongst the general populace.
"Hello yourself." She settled down onto her haunches, tail swishing slowly as she readied herself to either pounce or flee at a moments notice. Though she couldn't say he looked like he wanted to fight. He looked tired, and thirsty maybe? The desert tended to do that to you, after all.
"What brings you out to the middle of nowhere?" she questioned, her head tilting to the side in the same way it did whenever she was curious about something. "It is not exactly Candy Land, as you can see."
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:49 pm
As the other moved, Articuno got a better look at her. She had more eyes than four, as he originally thought, and the large wings she had were quite interesting too. Though, at her rather blunt greeting, he snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head lightly. She looked a little on edge, and he had a few ideas of why that might be the case.
"You got that right, but I was out searching for an old acquaintance of mine. He isn't exactly the easiest painter to locate unfortunately."
Along side his familiars, he took a few more drinks from the refreshing spring before stretching his wings out and sitting down as well. As he did, he began to preen several of his feathers while he spoke.
"What about you?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:59 pm
Zephyiote had no way to verify whether he was lying or not, so she decided to let his excuse slide. Maybe he did have a friend who lived in the desert? Or maybe the quickest way to get to his friend's place was through the desert? It was still bizaare to run into another in this little spot in the middle of nowhere, even stranger that he looked quite the oddity himself. She hesitantly lay down, seeing as he posed no immediate threat, and all traces of a snarrl dropped from her features. Though she was still a tad tense.
"I am on an adventure!" she declared, only half jokingly."Or a quest, you might say." She busied herself with grooming the mane down the length of her tail. "I seek a certain item...to help me with my research..." She continuously glanced up at him, always careful to watch his movements, to let no move go unnoticed.
Watching he and his companions drink made her thirsty as well, and she leaned over, tongue darting out to lap up a few sips of water before she resumed grooming herself. Which didn't seem so tedious now that she watched this other fellow. "So tell me...do you have a name?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:24 pm
As he listened to the pan'lun's reasons for being out in the desert, Articuno continued to fix up his feathers; a feat that would take a little while, considering the length of his tail and whatnot.
"I am Articuno. The salamander is Pagos, and the mimicgryph is Frio. And who might you be?" he asked with a light grin towards her.
Though a little on the tense side, she didn't seem to be any sort of threat towards him or his little companions. And he had to wonder just what it was exactly that she searched for. With his father having been a pan'lun, he could understand how they generally were, with their research in the sciences and such. He, himself, had inherited it to some extent, but the didn't really actively seek out knowledge as his father did.
"Also... If you don't mind me asking... just what is this item you seek exactly? I've been around quite a bit.. maybe I've seen it before."
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 5:35 am
"Articuno eh? I have not heard that one before." She spread out her wings to let the sun dry them, knowing it would be easist to fly when they weren't damp. She gave her tail a little flick as well, trying to dispell any excess moisture that had gathered in the fluff at the end. Though that wasn't very important. She stretched out on the ground, laying on her stomach, legs out behind her, and folded her arms, watching Articuno intently. Mindful of manners, she wouldn't ask what he was. But she was curious. Like a P'an Lun Aviadracus cross breed, or something. She didn't know that was possible.
She reached up a hand to touch the gem on her necklace with a single talon. "I seek more of the same. My research has revealed...most interesting properties it posesses. Though it is incredibly hard to procure. I know only one place to get it, at this point." she nodded and put her arm back in its original place. "And it will not be easy to get to."
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:00 am
Articuno watched the female pan'lun, and stared at the tiny gem she had around her neck. He hadn't really seen anything exactly like that in his travels, so he wasn't so sure what kind of gem it was.
"It's quite a pretty little gem though.... have you tried asking some Chi'lin for help? I hear they're pretty handy with mining and whatnot."
Behind him, his two familiars were bickering some, but it wasn't anything big. The hybrid ignored the two as he conversed with the odd yet interesting female before him.
"Though, I could try helping you out some if you'd like.. but before that... I don't think I quite caught your name," he said while tilting his head slightly.
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:42 pm
Zephyite shrugged, indicating a lack of caring on the matter of her name. "My name is irrelevant. But for the purposes of something to call me, I suppose you could say it's 'Zephyiote..." She'd named herself. Not having any memory from more than seven years ago, she woke up and had to start over. So in reference to the Greek West wind Zephyr, she named herself. For she too was like the wind.
She shook her head, drumming her claws on the ground, creating tiny impressions in the soil. "This is not your everyday gem. No Chi'Lin could help me get more of this..." She smiled, keeping to herself some information. There was more than just research to this journey. It was a pilgrimage. It was more important to her than he could know. But she wouldn't tell him her true motive. Sometimes lies and falsities were easier to swallow than the truth.
She ignored the squabbling creatures behind him. No point getting annoyed over something so silly. She laughed a little, flashing a toothy grin. "Careful Articuno, you might want to know a little more about what you are getting yourself into before you volunteer your services."
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:43 pm
At the mention of it not being any ordinary gemstone, Articuno squinted a bit to try and get a better look at the thing. As far as he could tell, there wasn't anything physically different about it than other gems he had come across in the past. Though, he was certain there were other ways to figure out what it was aside from just appearances.
Chuckling a bit, he shook his head before grinning and tilting his head slightly. Now he was even more intrigued of the quest Zephyiote was undertaking, and his rather helpful nature poked at him to press on the matter.
"Well then... care to tell a little more on what's in store? Finding my acquaintance can wait if it means aiding someone in need."
By now, Pagos and Frio had calmed down from whatever it was they were bickering about. The former fluttered back to perch on Articuno's horns while the latter just lazed about in the sun.
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:56 pm
His curiousity was amusing. It reminded her of herself, really. Zephyiote had a horrible sense of curiousity, and knew it would be her downfall, if anything else. She loved to know things. So she couldn't exactly blame Articuno for his pressing the matter. "Why, I am off to none other than the western island!" She felt a tingle run down her spine at the mention of the place. It wasn't exactly a place you wanted to go to for vacation. Or go to ever, if it could be helped. But of course that was why she had to go? The ore her gem came from could only be found there. That was just life for you. And maybe if she helped to solve this mystery, she would be one step closer to solving the one of her heritage. And after that, maybe getting her memories back. As if all the the aforementioned wasn't preposterous enough.
Her wings fluttered a little in nervousness. She wasn't used to telling so much to a stranger. She must be going soft. Or desperate for company. Which was strange. She always thought of herself as calloused to such things as loneliness. She stretched out a hind leg, before relaxing it again. Thankfully, this wasn't a rushed journey. She could afford leisure time at an oasis. Afford a nap and a snack when she wanted one. She wasn't fleeing for her life, like she'd done once before. But that wasn't something she discussed with anyone. Not that she had someone to talk to, either way.
"I suppose it is just my luck that what I need is there. How unfortunate."
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:14 pm
For a moment or so, his gaze was off to the west, in the general direction of the destination mentioned. It definitely would be no walk in the park or so to speak, and going by what he heard of the Western Island, its terrain was quite out of his domain. Then again, there wasn't really anything on this continent that quite fit that.
"That's some destination..."
Treacherous it would be, and he wondered if it would really be a good idea to keep up with the offer. At the same time, he wondered if it would be a bad idea to let her go off on her own. While he was certain she could handle herself, sometimes it was best if one had a little extra help in traveling through such places.
"I can't say I've ever been there though. But I'll still be willing to give you aid if you would allow me. I may be able to help keep things cool... for some time at least."
Though nowhere near mastering or controlling the icy elements, he was at least capable of creating some chilly winds for a short time. Something that he was sure would be nice to have in the west.
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 4:08 pm
Zephyiote eyed him curiously. Which was saying something, considering the multitude of optic orbs scattered across her body. Surely he was kidding? No one WILLINGLY went to the Western Island. It was near suicide. And those who did live were often scarred, mutilated images of their former selves. Her head tilted to the side, for the second time, and her jaws parted a little, her expression one of deep puzzlement. Indeed, she was struggling mentally what to make of his proposal.
She'd never had anyone offer her something before. At least something helpful, anyway. It was...a pleasant sensation. Aside from all the misgivings and doubts. If he really meant it...she wasn't sure if she could accept his help. What if he turned on her later? Attacked her when she was down? But...she didn't get that vibe from him. He seemed rather...nice. And besides, what would he stand to gain by potentially killing her? Surely he didn't hope to garner fame? He didn't exactly fit in himself. And he didn't know about any of her research findings, so he couldn't steal that either...this was strange.
"Surely you jest, Articuno?"
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