Event Start: Renzu's Flock; Predator or Pray

[greatbeasts]

There's a commotion by the ocean.

At dusk, a strange and unsteadily honored tradition begins to cause unrest within the city. It's nearing the end of a trade season, and the approach of winter brings with it a tenuous and uncomfortable truce of necessity. A small trading group of Beast Hunters dock their ships at Outer Nuren's pier, just within Dragon Bay. They have brought with them hides, trinkets, meat, fish, rare plants, magical items and caged common creatures from the wildlands beyond the city's walls. In turn, they seek fabric, clothing, lumber, weaponry, armor and food from Nuren's harvests. Most of the Beast Hunters have come to trade their goods, while others are there to relax for a week in the seedier Outer Nuren, where the citizens are less likely to bother them and they can pick their fights and conversations with little concern for the preaching of the devout or the judgement of the sheltered citizens in the city proper. Beast Hunters are fond of tavern brawls and games of chance, though their regard for a scion's dragon, or any magical creatures, is visibly and openly one of disgust and discomfort. Despite this, many of the traveling traders enjoy sharing stories and will pass on tales of the fearsome and dangerous creatures they proudly boast to have killed or survived encounters with. There is open distrust or curiosity toward the scions and their worlds, but in general the Beast Hunters are a far more survivalist group of Remnants with a scattering of Touched. They're grim, rough around the edges and quick to violence and anger, but a bit of gold, flattery, charm or gambling can soothe most tempers. For a few gold, a scion skilled at games of dice, chance, or drinking competitions might find a profit in Outer Nuren throughout the week, and curious souls could learn more about the world beyond the city walls. Including its dangers and potential treasures, stories of the Wastewalkers or wild magical creatures and lands, and boastful accounts of survival against horrible odds. The Beast Hunters have a low opinion of the city citizens, calling them soft and worthless creatures who lean too heavily on their faith and security. Likewise, the citizens of Nuren have low opinions of the Beast Hunter's, calling them dangerous cut-throats and warning that they will gladly stab you in the back or poison your drink for a single gold coin or to steal the young and vulnerable dragons from their scions. Open scorn from both sides is apparent while the Beast Hunters linger in Outer Nuren, with fights both physical and magical breaking out. While the citizens may not venture far beyond Nuren's walls, they are practiced magic users and skilled fighters, albeit a bit less prone to fighting dirty. By the end of the week, the Beast Hunters will have sold their goods, and will pack up their ships and leave, refusing passage to scions and citizens alike. Only Beast Hunters may sail aboard their vessels, and any stowaways will be thrown to the sea serpents and sharks.

Strange magical feats in the streets.

In stark contrast to the rough and rowdy Beast Hunters, another group has grown active in Upper Nuren, becoming very visible during the week. A group of Scholars of Renzu have returned to the city from a trip to Renzu's temple, and bring back with them more of the great Griffin's teachings and knowledge. Throughout the week, the scholars try to get involved with the Scions. They offer to help the Scions understand and learn what their elemental alignment is, and how to use the ability they and their dragon now share. Several of the scholars hold daily 'classes' in the squares of Upper Nuren. Displays of elemental ability occur in the squares, along with discussions on how the different elements relate to and interact with one another. In the evenings, the Lorekeepers of the group tell tales to small gatherings of young citizens and any interested Scions, teaching them about Renzu and occasionally delving into tales of Chelba, Benra, Mouros, and Lysheu. A few scholars with powerful shield and healing magic offer to help Scions practice their magic, so that they can learn how to use their new abilities, and learn what to expect if their dragon decides to use their magic as well. At the end of the week, when the Beast Hunters have sailed away, the scholars will still be present, but less visibly active away from the smaller temple of Renzu within the city.

And a fine feathered friend around every bend.

Osaaru's sparsely filled streets have begun to fill in with the sounds of life. Excited citizens, exploring scions and intrepid young dragons have to learn to live with one another in the city. The adjustment is easier for some than it is for others. None understand this better than the Great Griffin. Renzu, the Great Griffin and Guardian of Knowledge, is a prominent and active guardian, revered and respected by a large portion of Nuren's population. The wisdom of the Great Beast is spoken of by any Scholar, Mage or devout citizen who mentions either of the Great Griffin's names. Though largely viewed as a gentle guide and known to be the Observer who watches over the city, there are occasions where the Great Beast takes a more direct approach. As evening descends, a distant chime begins to fill the air. The darker the sky grows, the more the melody seems to grow, always faint but with new melodies whispering and intertwining their way through the winds that sweep as gentle breezes through the city streets and alleyways. The distant sounds create a melody of wind chimes accompanied by a faint song that seems to resemble the soft music of wind instruments. It fills the air for a week, always faint but present, and all who hear it are likely to feel a calming, peaceful emotion settle over them, that comes and goes over time. With the winds and music, a flock of Griffins and Grifflings have entered the city, taking perches on buildings and walls. They play with or assist the citizens of Nuren and any scions who do not attempt to attack them. Grifflings race across rooftops in playful games of tag and chase, or engage young dragons in tag or hide and seek to sharpen their hunting skills. Griffins, some larger than lions in size, stroll through the streets, lending their backs to the pulling of wagons, or their wings to the creation of helpful currents. With some dragons nearing an age of testing their wings, and other young hatchlings beginning to fill the city, Renzu decided to take the young creatures and their scions under wing and give them a first lesson in their new lives. Renzu's flock are there to help the young dragons with their first steps toward flight. Throughout the week they can be seen acrobatically soaring through the skies above Nuren or creating small controlled winds and gusts to lift young dragons and their scions into the air. Gently approaching a Griffin may even see the creature allowing citizens or scions to ride on their backs, provided the person in question is respectful. Their powerful wings and large forms allow them to carry scions and their young dragons, or up to two people, on their backs. While they may be unable to ferry about larger creatures, they will gladly assist others where possible. The citizens of Nuren caution against injuring or threatening Renzu's flock. Most will insist they are gentle and harmless creatures as long as no harm is done to them. Injuring or killing a Griffin or Griffling is severely frowned upon by the citizens, though a Beast Hunter or two might be willing to pay a high price for one. Any harm or threat scatters the flock, making them distrustful and even aggressive toward the attacking or threatening party. From then on, the Griffins and Grifflings will not allow the scion in question to approach them or others of the flock. At the end of the week, Renzu's flock take wing, returning to the mountains they came from and leaving only a few scattered Grifflings playing in buildings and on the streets. With them goes the music, fading away on the gentle winds.

Notes

Please direct all questions to the Q&A on the plotting post. Additionally there is a post on the OOC community for talking about upcoming wishes in the Tide of Wishes Here. You are welcome to use this post to toss out open or closed starters and tag around, or to make your own posts within the community. Another post will go up for the Tide of Wishes, soon. In the meantime, there is an OOC post for you to leave your character's wishes, if you so choose, or to discuss them with others.

Comments

Sync the Tempest | Open, will match format

[fifthreplacement]

[A. Beast Hunter stories]

The sudden flurry of activity in the outer section of the city doesn't go unnoticed by him. Sync is drawn in by the newcomers, not caring for the scorn shown towards him or his dragon. Hearing the stories being told (and accepting that it was entirely likely that they weren't all true), he takes the time to engage a few of the hunters in their storytelling, curious about the outside world. He's planning to explore this world soon, after all. He'll take what he can get.

Inbetween talks, he keeps out of the way, watching the hunters with curiosity and letting Gale rest on his shoulder, the dragon attempting to hide against his neck. "I know you don't like them, but you're going to have to deal for awhile," he comments to her, not caring if anyone overhears. "It's the best chance we've got of learning what the lands outside the walls are like before going out there ourselves."

[B. Beast Hunter fights]

Of course, with the Hunters being so openly scornful of the Scions, it's only so long before one of them makes the mistake of directing his attention towards Gale, sneering and calling her a tiny weakling. Now, Sync could ignore them trying to rile him up, because he really didn't care what anyone thought of him. People having a go at Gale though, that kind of pissed him off. She was only young, and she was his. No one got to talk about her like that.

"Take that back, before I make you," the teen says softly, on his feet and shifting just enough to be better braced, hands curling into fists. Unarmed he may be, but by the look of it, he really doesn't care. The Hunter he's ticked at just grinned nastily at him. There was probably a few seconds until an all out brawl, unless someone else interferred.

[C. Scholars of Renzu]

Classes are not his thing. They involve people, and people are something he'd rather not have to deal with in large numbers. But when the scholars show up in Upper Nuren, Sync drifts among the magical displays, a little curious despite himself.

Gale herself is very curious, to the point the little green hatchling is galloping ahead of him, weaving around people and using her wings as forelegs to make herself run faster. Sync just sighs as she risks tripping people up. Apologies if you end up being one of them.

Eventually they stop near someone who is showing off Wind magic, and Gale pads over to sit near the man's feet to watch and try to copy him. Sync just rolls his eyes some at her enthusiasm, folding his arms across his chest as he watches from a short distance away. "Magic. Bad enough being in a new place, but now having to work out a new system like this?" he mutters to himself.

[D. Griffins and Griffinlings]

Being a little over a month old (or half a month, as Sync would say), Gale was beginning to get a feel for using her wings as more than make-shift forelegs. Seeing the magical creatures around, she's more than willing to run and play with the youngsters, chirping happily.

It's the adults though that she's most curious about, and currently having the most fun with. As the create wind gusts that lift her off the ground, she attempts to fly on them, clearly enjoying herself. Sync just watches with curiosity, staying a small distance away from the pair. He's seen some of the other griffins lifting people into the air, either on their backs or on the wind, and he's finding himself almost tempted...

[E. Wildcard]

Sync will be all around the place during this, so feel free to run into him wherever!

Saralegui | open!

[enthraller]

A.
[The cavern homes in Upper Nuren have been convenient in many ways. Nice to have someplace to stay, certainly, when he was still making sense of this world and had no way of finding anything more private yet. And definitely nice that it's designed with the dragons in mind.

However, being designed with the dragons in mind means it's very easy for the dragons to come and go. Which means it's pretty much impossible to keep a needy, stubborn little dragon there when she really wants to follow him.]

I said stay.

[Saralegui is just outside the caverns, having a bit of a standoff with his little golden dragon. He tries to guide her back inside with a pale hand, but she simply ducks under it and darts forward to circle his legs while he sighs and frowns deeply.]

Stop it. You can't come while the Beast Hunters are there.

[He still feels a little silly talking out loud to her, but he's mostly over that these days. And it helps that she seems to at least understand his scolding tone, because she gives a shriek in response and continues to evade her scion. Gods help him.]

B.
[Saralegui likes learning things. The teachings of the scholars are intriguing just for the concepts being discussed, but the help in better understanding this world's magic in a practical sense, that's invaluable.

He's a quick learner, and he'd had a headstart in figuring things out on his own a bit. So with a decent handle on that, he'd looked instead to the logical next step, in his opinion -- getting his dragon proficient in the same magic, as she scholars said she should be capable of doing. Easier said than done. How do you explain a theory to an animal? He could barely get her to keep her nose out of trouble, most of the time.

After a while spent with the scholars, Saralegui separates from them to try working through things on his own. He ends up sitting on the edge of a fountain the the square the lessons had been taking place in, Shima curled by his hip and watching him with big, curious blue eyes.

Lacking context, it probably seems strange if not alarming to a casual passerby when he picks up a small knife and, after nudging his dragon gently with his elbow to make sure she's paying attention, cuts a neat little line into the back of his own hand with only the faintest grimace.

He holds his injured hand out to his dragon. Whatever he was trying to get her to do, though, it seems like it was probably unsuccessful, as she just leans forward to sniff at the blood before giving a soft cry and pressing her beaklike snout against it. Saralegui purses his lips in mild frustration before pulling her head away so he can try wiping the blood off her snout with the corner of his sleeve.]

C.

[The arrival of the griffins was yet another novelty in a whole world of the stuff, but that didn't stop Saralegui from going out to see them for himself more closely. The beasts themselves are interesting. The talk he hears, that they're something to do with one of the Great Beasts, is even more so.

Shima, however, seems most interested in trying to fly with the griffins. Saralegui has no idea if she's actually ready for that or not yet, and as much as he's trying to appear unconcerned -- she should be able to figure it out in her own time, surely it's something that will come to her instinctively as much as walking does to toddlers -- he's still just a little anxious about it. Only in the quietest and subtlest ways, of course, a bit of tension in his typically easy posture and eyes that keep darting back to the little dragon. It's worse because it's nothing he can really help at all with beyond trying to make sure she doesn't hirt herself in the process of learning.

Saralegui's seated himself on a bench at the edge of a plaza, watching Shima playfully chase after a few griffins. She hops and leaps to try to get airborne with them, wings flapping enough to get her a bit of lift, but she hasn't quite worked out the proper mechanics for herself yet.

Her attention so focused upwards, the little dragon manages to run headlong into a stranger's legs, squawking and tumbling backwards in a tangle of golden scales and feathers. And while Saralegui had been trying to distract himself from her antics, her surprised sound catches his attention immediately and he's quick to hurry over and crouch beside her, offering apologies to the stranger even as he checks her over.]

I'm sorry, I should have been watching her more closely...

[She's fine. The impact was inconsequencial to her or the poor stranger, lightweight as she is for her size, but Shima still gives a shrieking whine as she rights herself, and Saralegui rolls his eyes even as he indulgently smooths the feathers alonng her neck back down.]

a! also is it safe to assume they'll eventually exchange names in our other thread?

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko was just leaving the caverns himself, also intending to head down to the docks to spend another day in the taverns with the beast hunters. they have the best stories, and god it is such a quick and easy way to get money. Something he knows he's gonna need plenty of, considering both he and his sister's expensive tastes.]

[The yakuza can't help but notice Saralegui's troubles as he's leaving, however, and comes to a stop to watch the scolding from a short distance away. He can't help but chuckle a little at the dragon's antics, something that's covered up by Shima's shriek. After a few more moments of watching her dart around, Fuyuhiko approaches the pair, smirking slightly.]

Having trouble?

[His own dragon is...nowhere to be seen. Mostly because it still hasn't hatched yet. Though, this time, Shima won't be able to sniff the egg out. Because, fortunately for Fuyuhiko, dragon eggs are a lot less opposed to the idea of staying home and behaving.]

B

[thetenthstorm]

Honestly, a brawl wouldn't be so bad, and he hates fighting. But he's seen enough of these Beast Hunters tossing their unveiled comments of disgust at Scions and citizens alike, and frankly, he's tired of it, even though he escapes most of it directed at himself, his dragon still unhatched, and the egg hidden from view in a satchel strapped to his back.

(That egg and satchel have been handed off to a citizen he's done business with before and trusts. "Guard this with your life." He'd rather not let it go, but taking it into a potential scuffle is a Bad Idea. He keeps an occasion eye on the citizen.)

The Doctor's got nothing to help the teen out--no weapon, no dragon, and the thought of using magic still makes him wary. But he's got words, and he can provide a distraction if the teen really wants to go at it.

So he steps in, striding on the edge of the pair, hands casually in the pockets of his new vest.

"Better be careful," he says to the Hunter, then nods to Sync, "this one's awfully dangerous. Wouldn't want you to get yourself hurt before you finish all your trading, hm?" It's a lie, of course. He's never met the teen. Doesn't know anything about him. He hopes intimidation will be enough. "Why don't you run along, before you continue to attract other scions?"

Papyrus | open | will match format

[highstandards]

A; scholars and magic

A-1
Papyrus is quite excited to learn more about the world's magic. He always thought humans can't use it! He ooohs and ahhhs in the right places when the scholars demonstrate their magic and, in the spirit of interspecies camaraderie and sharing, offers to show off his own magic. The scholars are equally curious about the scions' unique abilities and Papyrus spends some time summoning bones, using them to spell words like COOL MAGIC and AWESOME. He even shapes them into a skeletal dragon once. It's actually pretty impressive, until –

"CURSES! I ALREADY TOLD YOU THESE AREN'T FOOD!"

It's aimed at his dragon, who just pounced and crushed the whole structure, and perhaps at other dragons as well.

A-2
Later, it's time to learn the new magic he apparently acquired. Papyrus can't wait for him and his dragon to master it – he'll be even greater than he is now! He's made of magic, weaved into his very soul, and he's always had an impeccable control over it, so figuring out his new element with the scholars' guidance is fairly simple. Papyrus thinks he got the basics, but the problem is how to test it. He's taken aback by some of the scholars' willingness to injure themselves for practice – even if it's a minor wound, he can't ask people to do that for him! Better find someone who got hurt naturally.

"EXCUSE ME! HAVE YOU BY ANY CHANCE FORGOTTEN TO WEAR SUNSCREEN AND THUS HAVE A SMALL BURN IN NEED OF HEALING? A PAPERCUT WOULD WORK JUST AS WELL!"


B; Griffins and flight attemtps
Oh WOW, those griffins are amazing! Papyrus is beyond himself when they respond to him with equal friendliness; they're almost like dogs! Giant dogs with feathers, wings and deadly claws. His dragon is even more excited than him, running around to play with the youngsters and trying to imitate the adults' flying. Unfortunately, she's not very good at it. Just over a week old, her wings are yet to mature and despite being a natural climber, she still trips over her own feet and tail when she runs too fast.

Failure doesn't seem to deter her, though. Papyrus is proud of her tenaciousness, but even he has trouble keeping up with her. Even if the other scions managed to miss the tall skeleton running around, they'll definitely hear him:

"NICE TRY! MAY I SUGGEST USING THE TAIL NEXT TIME?"

Maybe he's cheering his dragon on after she crash landed on your head or pounced your dragon playfully. Maybe he's even talking about YOUR dragon, offering an unsolicited motivational speech.

Dust | OTA, will match format

[mithrarin]

1.

Skyship was eating like a pig again. This had its advantages, though -- after spending the day gulping down food like he'd never eaten before in his life, the young dragon fell into a slumber so deep Dust knew he wouldn't awaken till next morning. And thus, Dust felt no guilt in leaving him at home to sleep off the meal, as he drifted down to the docks to investigate the new arrivals.

Dust wasn't yet interested in going up and asking them question, not once he saw their boisterous attitudes and general rambunctiousness. That first night he was more worried about the other Scions -- some of whom were less worldly than he was, less able to defend themselves. So the Sen-Mithrarin kept to the side and watched, and listened. Just in case someone might be getting into trouble.

2.

Dust didn't approach the Hunters personally and directly until the next day... which proved to be a mistake. Because by then, he had Skyship with him once again.

The three Hunters he'd approached were keeping some poor wench busy running ale and mead out to them where they sat on the front porch of the inn, the better to call out mockery and denigration to the soft city residents that walked by. Maybe something in Dust's attitude or demeanor convinced them not to call him spineless or yellow-tailed, but the ambling dragon at his side caught their attention.

"I've seen bigger mountain lions," one commented, nudging his fellow in the side. "It's like a lizard that held its breath too long."

"Eh, whaddya think its hide would sell for?" the second said.

Dust went very still on his approach, though Sky -- who was worrying at a melon the way a dog might gnaw on a ball, except with more nutritional content -- paid no mind to the words. "We're here for answers. Not insults."

As calmly as he said it, Dust couldn't help but sounds intense and forceful; it was his nature. Three mugs hit the table at the same time as three Hunters got to their feet, chairs scraping on the wooden planks of the porch. "How about we take have your hide made into a ladies' coat, Scion?" the third sneered, drawling out the word to make it a mocking insult.

Dust slowly drew one foot back, lifting his hands slightly as he tightened his stance. "I'm not here to fight. And so long as you apologize to my dragon and answer my questions, this is going to end peacefully."

The three Hunters rounded their table and vaulted the porch railing, landing on its far side in slight crouches of their own. Apparently... they didn't want to apologize.

3.

A heavy thud, like some huge stone being dropped, shook the courtyard in Upper Nuren, followed by a frustrated snarl that was unlike any noise Skyship had made before now. The dragon stomped in place one or twice, then spread his wings wide and flapped them furiously, head straining for the sky as if he could push so hard with his neck muscles the rest of his body would have to follow.

The helpful griffling conjured up another blast of air to lift the dragon, and feeling it, Sky kicked off the ground. But all he managed was a leap of a few feet, unable to coordinate his wings and his legs, and back down he crashed with another heavy thud.

"Sky..." Dust stepped forward to put a hand on the dragon's shoulder as Sky keened in piteous frustration. "You'll get it. I promise. Somehow..."

yes that's fine!

[enthraller]

[Eyes darting over to the stranger -- no, acquaintance, Saralegui just sighs, too exasperated to even be bothered with putting on a pleasant face.]

She dislikes being left behind. And good luck explaining to a dragon that it's for the best...

[Chipper in contrast to her scion's weary frustration, Shina gives another little shriek in ackowledgement of Fuyuhiko. She remembers you!]

bueno c:

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko winces a little at the second shriek, before holding out his hand to the dragon. He remembers you too! Hello again.]

Heh, well at least she likes you. [Poor Peko scares her dragon sometimes. It's a very sad and pathetic sight for everyone involved.]

Got anyone you trust enough to watch her for a bit? Short of tying her up somewhere like a dog, I'm not sure how you're gonna convince a clingy dragon to stay put. [Is there such a thing as a dragon babysitter? This seems like a good time for there to be such a thing.] And somehow I get the feeling that probably doesn't work as well with dragons as it does with dogs...

Shego | Kim Possible | Will match format

[thedrama]

[Beast Hunters]

The city people were alright, and Shego enjoyed the reverence her status as a Scion brought her from them. They weren't her type of people. The Beast Hunters, on the other hand, were. She felt much more at home in the Travelers Innd, full of cutthroat traders and thieves, than she did at the more reputable Dragon's Roost. Between that and the local tailors finishing her new clothes, she was actually in a good mood for the first time since her arrival.

Visitors to the tavern could find her sitting at one table or another, trading stories of adventure and combat. Though her dragon set her companions on edge, she was far from unwilling to flirt her way into their good graces...particularly as their dangerous lifestyle tended to result in the kind of strong, athletic physique she found especially attractive. In fact, especially fit and handsome adult, male Scions were just as likely to find her approaching in a pleasant mood.

She was not, however, without a temper of her own. A poor choice of words from a Beast Hunter, be it about her not looking like the fighter she claimed to be or an expression of entitlement, would lead to a heated brawl. A brawl that, with no magic allowed, and Shego willing to fight just as dirty as her opponents, her enhanced durability and strength left her at a clear advantage in.

[Scholars]

As much as she would have loved to spend her entire week in Outer Nuren, the scholars of the upper city had also caught her interest. The tales of the Lorekeepers were noteworthy, and she listened both out of curiosity and on the chance that the information would be useful later, but what really held her attention was the magic lessons. Every morning, before she made her way down the mountain, she spent some time with the scholars, trying to learn how to use her water magic. The water weapon ability proved difficult to master, as she often found her concentration on it lapsing while sparring, but she improved steadily. Some might even catch her in an open area, practicing by herself as she swung a weapon of solid water through the air, its form shifting from a staff, to a whip, to long, gouging claws.

[General]

In between magic practice and the tavern, Shego ended up spending a fair amount of time trying to keep her dragon where she could see him. The games of the Grifflings left the already energetic hatchling nearing hyperactivity, as he chased after the playfully fleeing miniature Griffins with little regard for distance, precarious objects, or people's feet. It was bad enough early in the week, but the arrival of the Griffins and Grifflings coincided with a growth spurt for the small dragon, and by Thursday he'd grown from the size of a housecat to over four feet from nose to the tip of his tail and begun testing his wings. Though they weren't yet strong enough to carry him in full flight, he found leaping from a height let him glide. As a result, he began seeking out the tallest objects he could climb, or, more easily, jump to the top of. His steering wasn't perfect, though, and crowded streets often led to a fair number of yelps and shouts as people had to duck out of the way to avoid a collision.

By the time the various groups in the city were near ready to leave, the young dragon had reached five feet in length and around two feet at the top of his head, with his horns starting to curve toward his ears. Shego was starting to discourage him from gliding around busy streets, but she could only do so much to stop him when he ran off.

Itachi Uchiha | ota, wmf

[yuruse]

a) hunters of beasts

[Itachi isn't necessarily a proficient gambler, it's just that he's better at reading people than most. His job at the inn gets him a fair allowance, but a little extra coin can't hurt - especially since he doesn't intend to remain at that job permanently. Gambling with the beast hunters also allows him to converse with them, gathering information he might need for later.

They're skeptical of him , of course, him being what he is, but his sickly condition makes him seem harmless and easy to beat. The key is to lose enough to make them amiable and win enough to make a profit. Doing nothing but beating them round after round will only make them more hostile. He needs them to feel comfortable with him, to congratulate him for his victories and laugh at his failures, while keeping enough distance that they don't start to regard him as a friend. Though given the circumstances, that last part is simple.

His purse a little heavier than it had been when he arrived, he prepares to leave. The goodbyes are short and sweet on both ends. As timing would have it, though, his illness chooses that moment to catch up with him and he's unable to repress a coughing fit, forced to lean against a wall as it doubles him over.

There are uncomfortable mutterings from the beast hunters behind him.]

Oi, is he that sick? Is it contagious?

Someone get him away from the rest of us.

I'm not touching him.

If he dies he won't need his wallet, right?

What, you want to risk catching something off it?

Just get him out of here!

[The first rock hits him square in the back as he starts to stumble his way away from the group.]

b) magical training

[Staying away from the beast hunters seems like a better idea for now, and those who've appeared to teach the scions in the ways of magic are (hopefully) less likely to run him off if he suffers a moment of weakness. So Itachi spends a lot more of his time learning about what he can do now thanks to his dragon.

Finding out his proficiency involves healing makes the whole situation seem a lot more ironic.

He doesn't want to potentially scare off patrons to the establishment he works at, so instead he practices outside the temple. The ninja sits cross-legged on the ground, his baby dragon tucked safely in a harness over his chest. He holds a hand near his throat, a bright light filling the space between.

This won't fix the underlying problem, but it might at least relieve him of some of the damage.]

[fifthreplacement]

The Doctor gets a glance from the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully take his attention off the Hunter he's fully planning to beat the stuffing out of. Sync doesn't recognise the man, but he does recognise what he's doing, and it makes him smirk a little. Ironic that it was so true.

The Hunter eyes the Doctor, then Sync, before snorting in disbelief. "I've fought more dangerous than a half-pint like him. One cocky kid isn't going to hurt me." He moves a little closer, sneering.

Sync doesn't really reply to the words, because he really doesn't care for the quip at his height. He may only be 5'3", but he was confident in his skills. The only thing he does do is lift a hand to his shoulder and coax his dragon onto it, putting her on the ground. Gale chitters her dislike of the whole situation, and skitters over to where the Doctor is. "Last chance. Take it back," the teen comments once he's sure Gale is out of harm's way.

B

[camoqueen]

Glory has made it a habit to avoid the Hunters. Mostly because most of them look at her like they're trying to figure out how much money her scales might be worth. Still, she's not going to let a bunch of scavengers keep her from moving around the city like she wants. So she's just within earshot when the erstwhile fight breaks out. She pauses for a moment, scales rippling with irritation and then settling into a pitch perfect imitation of the street around her. There's a faint ripple to show where she's moving - and then she fades 'back' into existence behind Sync. Glory bares her teeth in a growl - and considering her size, it's a large-ish growl.

"You heard him. Apologize."

[fifthreplacement]

While Sync doesn't flinch at the growl behind him, Gale does, squeaking her surprise and twisting around, before recognising Glory and letting out a happy trill.

The Hunter, having been prepared to take on the smaller teen, was not prepared for the much larger dragon suddenly appearing. He doesn't really want to back down and seem weak with the other Hunters around. "What, you're that weak that you have to rely on having a big dragon around to back you up?" he taunts, attention on Sync still.

The replica doesn't rise to the bait, still glaring at the Hunter and waiting. Either they'd apologise, or he'd beat the crap out of them. Simple. "I'm waiting."

[enthraller]

[Another sigh, while Shima happily darts forward to butt her head against Fuyuhiko's hand. Clearly, she cares less about seeming poised and dignififed all the tjme than her scion.]

Mm, but I'd rather not bother him with something so petty.

[And while he's also seen chaining a dragon up work well for someone, he'd just...rather not.]

Ruri Kurosaki | Open for business!

[lyrical_nightingale]

[I. Even demons refuse to do business with a monster]

[If it wasn't evident before, Ruri likes shopping. While part of it is because of the novelty of doing such a thing- something she hasn't been able to do in years- shopping and trading were impertinent to survival, and while Ruri was comfortable with the few things she did have, she was aware she lacked a lot of knowledge and was short on resources. So when she hears that some rather curious traders have come in, she packs herself the few things she's can offer to trade, along with some coins and a dagger and sets off for Outer Nuren with her dragon at hand.

The hides and meat don't interest her at all, but the common creatures, trinkets and the magical items certainly do. And every day Ruri would be glancing at the selection of goods that are laid across the table. A large number of them are a ludicrous price, but they're pleasing to the eye, and there's a couple of them that Ruri actually does consider buying, like what seemed to be some plant that continuously produced small but juicy fruit no matter how much it was picked at.]

Excuse me! Ah... no, please. Excuse me. Over here!

[Ruri's small, and she's easily ignored by the hunters, who pretend who didn't see her and went to tend to other people interested in their wares. Ruri frowns deeply and grits her teeth, trying to hold in her temper after numerous attempts to try attract attention.]

SSsscccrrrreeeeeeeekkkkkkk.

Obsidian. No... Easy boy. I don't want to start anything. [Ruri says, stroking the black lump in her arms, trying to calm him down. Those who see her dragon though may not be too surprised why she's being ignored, even if Ruri is baffled herself. In her arms, it looks like she's holding a demon potato, with red, beady eyes and way too much teeth. It looks outright evil and like it would kill someone, even despite being a newborn. Yeesh.]

------------

[II. But I will continue, swearing on my honour as a Scion.]

Ruri is surprisingly sneaky when she wants to be, and she blends in the crowd more or less when she's quiet. It's not hard to slip into a bar, even if she's underage, and she just lingers in the background. She's got no skill in gambling, nor can she drink, and she's not willing to try her luck, so Ruri spends her time mostly listening to boasting Beast Hunters telling tales of great monsters and far off lands. It's a new source of information and Ruri notes down anything she deems important, though the rampant use of profanities and the way the men talk about Nuren's locals and dragons make her sick to the bones. However, being sneaky involves being patient, and even though she's uncomfortable in the crowd, Ruri retains her composure like a proper lady.

Unfortunately for Ruri, her partner is not a fine lady, but a baby dragon that's connected to her emotions. Obsidian doesn't quite understand what's going on, nor does he understand the potential danger they're in, but he picks up on her discomfort and he climbs up on her head, in attempt to make her laugh.]

Obsidian. No. Come on, baby. You have to be quiet. [However, despite her best efforts, Ruri was unable to calm her dragon down in time to avoid being detected. A few Beast Hunters look her way and begin jeering at her dragon in particular.]

'Look at that one, he's really a monster.'

'Oh man, how can you even bare to look at him? And all that teeth. He must be a nightmare.'

He's not! He's really sweet and kind and gentle.

'I think you're not all quite there, girly.'

I think you're being quite rude. You have no right to be saying these sort of things.

'And you got no right to be raising magical beasts, foreigner. Get that purse to be out of here. And get lost. Go back to your mommy, little girl.' [Ruri purses her lips at that comment and Obsidian snarls immediately, showing three rows of baby teeth off for the Beast Hunters. Ruri balls her fists, and she looks around. She's about two seconds from taking a bottle and smashing it over the man's head (who is clearly three times her size).]

Please, I don't want any trouble. Stop.

-------

[III. Teach me how to vanquish my foes.]

[The scholars are much more tolerable for Ruri, and after that tense night at the bar, the girl is more than happy to retreat to Upper Nuren when she finds out about the people trying to educate her about the world. While the safe way to learn about things wasn't always the best, it was far more pleasant a bunch of brutes that didn't have any regards for her or her partner.

But she finds being here a whole lot more educational. Ruri finds herself in the squares at every class, 'ooing' and 'ahhhing' the many magical displays and talking to the people. Even after the classes are supposedly done, Ruri lingers back so she can engage one on one with the scholars and ask more about theory, like an excited student talking to a professor. By the end of her first day, Ruri has a little book with the list of elements and which ones interacted well with each other and which ones didn't.

Her element is wind, and when she finds that out, Ruri can't keep the smile off her face. She loved everything about the air, and her dream was to bring smiles freely, soaring through the air as the birds did. Her ability was a little tricky to find out, but Ruri found out what it is before too long, she just had to figure out how to use it. And... well, the safest ways weren't always the best.]

Excuse me. [She smiles gently as she approaches, politely bowing.] Would you... be up for some sparing? I'm still trying to learn about my magic, and I need all the practice I can get. [Her dragon next to her waddles up and gives a toothy grin, trying to get the good favour of anyone who passed by.

And regardless of how her search for a 'sparring partner' goes, Ruri will remain in the squares until late, listening to the tales about the numerous Great Beasts that made up part of their worlds. She's utterly fascinated by it, and she's happy to share or chat about what she's learned, or just the strangeness of their new world.]

-------

[IV. And open my wings. We were meant to fly. ]

[The wind, flowers, birds and the moon. Four natural beauties of the world, that sung a faint song that tied life together. Despite not knowing who she really was, Ruri's always had a special kinship to this sort of thing and hearing the music when it first echoes through the evening affects Ruri deeply, in ways she doesn't quite understand. The gentle sounds makes Ruri feel a little sad, but ultimately at peace, and whenever she heard the melody any concerns and fears she had were tided over, especially when she needed it the most.

After hearing about Renzu, Ruri naturally wanted to go and see the griffons that the locals were talking about, and quickly made the habit of getting up shockingly early each morning (before even dawn broke) and creeping out to the city to get an early morning view of the griffons. Whenever Ruri had a free moment in the day, she and Obsidian would go and search for a griffon or five around town and just spend time around them.

Obsidian was possibly more in love with the griffons than Ruri. Playmates! Playmates that had actual legs (Habuto's legs certainly did not count) and were willing to play with him despite how scary he looked. Ruri couldn't help but laugh as Obsidian bolted after Grifflings and tackled them playfully, and engaged in every game. Of course, being a friendly sort of demon potato, Obsidian often ran up to a stranger or their dragon or both, and tried to entice them into playing with him with his slasher smile.

However, it became clear very quickly that despite his size and weight, Obsidian was enamoured with flying. Ruri was astounded to find that the downy feathers around Obsidian's body wasn't just ordinary feathers, but wings that were tightly curled around his torso. He wasn't strong enough to achieve liftoff, but whenever Renzu's flock decided to make currents instead of let their young ones play, Obsidian was up with his wings open, Ruri hovering around him like a worried mother, ready to catch him at any given moment. Obsidian wasn't scared though. In fact, he was making happy little screeches as he flew.]

AWwRGRGHHHHHAAAAAKKKK!!! ARRRRRGHHHHH!

----------

[V. So come join me in flight together.]

[Ruri was a respectful woman. She was gentle and she knew her place. She wasn't sure if the Griffons wanted meat or bread or fish, so she ended up bringing a bit of everything as an offering in order to just touch one. She was more than surprised to find that she was allowed far more than just touching the soft fur of the griffons.]

This. is. AMAZING!

[She told herself that the first time she hopped on was purely to honour the privilege the griffons had given her, and the second time was so she had a better idea of what to expect when Obsidian was big enough to ride. But by the eighth time she took to the air, her rapunzel-like hair whipping behind her, Ruri was out of excuses and just there enjoying the experience. If anything was taking away the homesickness and worry, this was. She felt in her element, the wind skimming all around her as the griffon flew over Nuren. Obsidian was basically doing the same thing too, roaring at the top of his lungs as he clung onto the griffon's head, wings spread out and tongue hanging out like a dog's as they took sharp turns in the air.

Ruri was really getting used to the feeling and slowly, without realising it, she was getting used to directing the griffon which way she wanted to go. There was no sharp yanks, or digging of her heels. The griffons guided her to lean with them preemptively, so they moved together as a single unit instead of the griffon taking passengers for a ride.

If not met circling in the skies, Ruri will eventually land. She bows to the griffon as she gets off and Obsidian follows her lead, bowing his head.] Thank you so much. It was such an honour to do that again. Thank you so much.

[She turns and beams at possibly everyone and anyone else who was watching, her cheeks flushed red and her hair messy, but the smile on her face unable to be defeated.] Ah... You should try ride them too. They're amazing.

------

[VI. Wildcard Why do I have so many prompts?]

[Hit me with anything you'd like! Or find Ruri anywhere around town, building the equivalent of bird houses for the Grifflings.]

[impheired]

[Shima's still a baby, she's excused from being poised and dignified right now, clearly. Fuyuhiko rubs his hand gently over her head, scratching experimentally behind one of her ears after a few passes of head rubbing. He's not sure if that's a thing dragons like, but there's really only one way to find out.]

I dunno that anyone would consider the safety of your dragon petty. And with how rowdy those Beast Hunters can get, that's a pretty legitimate concern.

[He doesn't blame you Saralegui...he wouldn't want to chain his dragon up either. You know, if he had one.]

You could always owe him a favor though, if you feel so guilty about it.

[enthraller]

[Who knows about dragons as a whole? Shima seems to enjoy it, but then, she might just enjoy any attention period. She's a lot like her scion that way, at least.

But Saralegui's mouth twists, like he isn't sure whether to frown or smirk wryly. You have a lot of faith in people as a whole, Kazoo, if you think everyone necessarily cares about others' dragons like that. He certainlu doesn't.]

It's petty because I could just avoid the area altogether. And it's generally not a good idea to leave yourself indebted to a clever man, if you can avoid it.

[Besides, Saralegui already owes him. Whoops.]

[waterfight]

[ A: A-hunting we shall go... ]

Tsunami doesn't care a whit for the Beast Hunters. To her, they are simply more scavengers to be sniffed at, looked down on, and ultimately ignored for the most part. They don't bring anything she's terribly interested in, except perhaps gold and as far as she's concerned that's the best thing about them. She tends to spend her days in Upper Nuren, sulking in the caves or talking to her friends or down at the waterfront, enjoying the ocean and occasionally going for a swim with Minnow. That's always a bit nerve-wracking, since sharks, while they aren't a problem for her, can be one for her little dragonet. It happens late in one afternoon as she suns herself in an open spot near the sea, wings spread and the dragons dozing together as they sleep off a large mid-day meal.

To the Hunters, perhaps, Tsunami is just another Beast to be tracked and killed and that is precisely what they mean to do with this apparently unsupervised dragon. Tsunami jerks fully into wakefulness only when she hears their footsteps and catches one too many unfamiliar scents closing in on her. Jerking to her feet with a roar, she just manages to avoid most of what's meant for her, though one net catches a wing, keeping from simply taking to the air as the Beast Hunters dart around her with their spears and swords and whatever else it is they carry. Standing protectively over Minnow, she roars defiantly, tail lashing as she bares her teeth.

"Get back! I'll snap you all up!"

[ B. Feathers, feathers everywhere ]

Tsunami isn't sure what to make of the gryphons. She's never seem any creature quite like them and after an abortive attempt to chase one, she's settled mainly on watching them swoop about teaching small dragons the principles of flight. Settled in Upper Nuren, Tsunami is watching them one fine morning. She huffs, peering at Minnow once in a while, then looking over to the flapping, soaring gryphons.

"You don't need a silly feathered thing to teach you how to fly," she says imperiously to Minnow. "You've got me, after all."

The small dragon squawks in reply, though whether he really understands her she isn't sure.

"Why do these dragons need them, anyway?" she asks no one in particular. Whether she'll get the answer she wants is, well, up in the air.

A

[mithrarin]

"Get away from that dragon!"

Congratulations, Hunters. This was the first time Dust had raised his voice since he'd woken up here in Nuren. The Sen-Mithrarin burst through their lines with a motion midway between a flip and a tumble, landing on his feet by her right front leg. The intention wasn't to put himself between them and her, though he'd done that in part, simply because that was how he COULD put himself in solidarity with her. Though his sword was in his hand, he didn't attack yet. Maybe this could be resolved without violence, no matter how loudly half of him sang for it.

"Not that you need my help," he said sidelong to Tsunami, and don't ask him how much he believed that, "but we're not taking chances when it comes to Minnow, right?"

Bucky Barnes | OTA | Will match format!

[cryogenics]

a. Scholars of Renzu

His dragon had finally hatched just a few days ago, the size of a kitten after she'd broken out of her shell. Bucky had been relieved at first that she'd finally hatched so he didn't have to keep carrying an egg everywhere with him, no matter how soothing petting the velveteen shell had been, but it hadn't taken him long to figure out that he had his hands full.

His dragon, who he eventually named Shapka after a lot of contemplation, was as wobbly on her legs after hatching as a fawn on ice. It hadn't taken her long to get her bearings though, and she remained awkward and clumsy with her wings, but her legs worked just fine. She scampered all over, from one end of his home to the other and back again. She climbed up furniture, climbed up him. One of her favorite places seemed to be perching on his head where she could see everything around them.

Thankfully, today she was only settled on his shoulder, watching the world from beneath his hair as he in turn watched the scholars demonstrate magic and talk about the different elements. There was a lot to take in, and Bucky hadn't explored his own new abilities yet. He gave it a few tries while the scholars encouraged him, with Shapka watching curiously, but he couldn't manage to keep a fire weapon together for very long.

b.1 Griffins

He was wary of the Griffins when they first entered the city, keeping Shapka close to him in case they meant trouble. The people of the city didn't seem alarmed by them though, and after observing them for a while, he thought maybe they weren't so bad after all. They were big though and looked like they could do some damage if they wanted to. Instead, they didn't seem threatening, and eventually he approached one, reaching out a hand slowly and letting the creature get a good look at him before attempting to touch it.

The Griffin seemed just as wary of him as he'd been of them, but didn't stop him from carefully petting it. He murmured quietly to it, the way he would any skittish or potentially dangerous animal that needed soothing. After petting it for a few moments, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bit of jerkied meat that he'd started keeping for Shapka since her hatching. He offered it to the Griffin, keeping his hand still and flat until the creature had taken the meat from him.

Bucky glanced up as he heard someone or something go by overhead, watching someone flying past on a Griffin. Shapka lifted her head, chirping a few times, and the Griffin cocked its head. There was an idea, and Bucky wondered if this Griffin would let him on its back or if it would bite him if he tried. There was only one way to find out.

b.2 Grifflings

The smaller Griffins reminded Bucky of house cats with wings. They were everywhere and seemed to be good at causing trouble or popping up where you least expected them. It was nice watching them run around and play with each other until the moment Shapka leapt down from his shoulder and dashed after a Griffling that had been bounding back and forth next to Bucky for a few minutes. Delighted, the Griffling pawed at Shapka as if it was making sure it had her full attention before leading her on a chase.

"Shapka!" His dragon didn't even turn around as she darted down the street, making playful grabs for the Griffling's tail. She was so small, it would be easy for her to get lost or hurt. She spread her wings and tried to follow the Griffling when it leapt up higher, but ended up tumbling end over end before chirping at her newfound friend.

The Griffling hopped back down into the street again and the chase resumed, this time with Bucky chasing after them and calling Shapka's name, not that she seemed to be listening.

Sam Wilson | Open, will match format

[wingedman]

[A: Nuren School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]

Sam's been, well, skeptical about this whole magic thing since he found out about it. Yeah, okay, so he's seen Wanda use magic, but that's Wanda, and it's a result of being experimented on by HYDRA. He's just a normal guy, and magic isn't really something he's used to.

But, hey, a lot of being an Avenger involves new experiences - like getting his ass kicked by a guy who's the size of an ant - so he's going to grudgingly accept the whole magic thing for now and, more importantly, learn how to use it. He's been standing around the edge of the crowd with the Scholars now for a few days. Addie's muscles have developed enough that she can balance on his shoulder, and they watch and listen together.

Eventually, it's his turn to practice. He focuses on the thought of a shield of air surrounding his arm while one of the Scholars gently throws pebbles at him. The first few hit his arm, but then something clicks and the shield solidifies. He blocks the next few, but one bounces off the shield and hits the person next to him.

"Sorry," he apologizes. "Still got a lot of learning to do."

[B: Grifflings...]
One of the younger grifflings, a tabby with tortoiseshell splotches, has befriended Addie. Though the dragon is still too young to fly - she's just starting to grow black and white pinfeathers on the edges of her wings and the tip of her tail - the two of them tumble around playing games. Sam keeps a cautious eye on them, just in case; he knows the griffling won't hurt her, but all kids get injured accidentally while playing.

At one point, the griffling bats Addie harder than she should, and the hatchling tumbles head over heels, rolling out of the cave in a ball of fluff and into another Scion's path. Sam rushes after her like a helicopter parent, but he's not quick enough to keep her from spreading fluffy wings and hissing irritably at the sudden large obstacle in her path.

"She's not mad at you, just fussy." He scoops her up and deposits her on his shoulder, where she burrows into the crook of his neck. "Behave, Addie."

[C: ...and griffins.]

Sam watches the griffins fly with an undisguised longing. He knows he wouldn't be able to use his jetpack if he was at home - if home wasn't destroyed - but that doesn't mean he can't still wish for it. It probably comes as a surprise to exactly no one who knows him when he finds himself drawn to one griffin in particular, slate grey with barred feathers. He starts by bringing the creature food; Addie always has too much, and while it's nothing more than a tidbit to the griffin, he can tell he likes it.

Eventually, the griffin lets Sam pet him, beak hanging open with pleasure when Sam scratches behind his eartufts. He kneels, letting Sam climb on his back; Sam seats himself in front of the wings, making sure Addie is carefully secured in her pouch and holding the pouch in front of him. Then they take off, Sam leaning close to the griffin's neck, and that's exactly what he's been missing, the feeling of weightlessness, the wind rushing over him. He grins broadly, not bothering to stifle a whoop of pure delight. There's an echoed happy chitter from the pouch as Addie pokes her head out.

Over the course of the next several days, Sam keeps coming back to ride his new friend, flying over Nuren in broad swoops and spirals, and occasionally even racing other griffins (and maybe even their passengers). He takes to it like he's a natural. It's not quite as good as having his own set of wings, but he sure as hell isn't complaining, not when he's happier than he's been ever since he arrived in Nuren.

A-2

[impheired]

Unlike Papyrus, Fuyuhiko has never had magic until now, and he's not not excited to learn how to use it. Too much of a headache. So he's been doing his best to dodge the scholars as they move about through Upper Nuren in search of students. He has far better things to do.

Like gambling with the Beast Hunters. Which is where he was headed when he suddenly found himself assailed by an actual fucking skeleton before he even manages to make it halfway through Upper Nuren.

"Holy shit!" He takes a step backwards, clearly somewhat startled. Though whether that's because of Papyrus's appearance or his volume is hard to say. Talking skeletons. Now he's really seen it all. It takes a minute for Fuyuhiko to actually process the words themselves and, once he does, it only serves to bewilder him further.

"I-- what? No??"

Apparently this is actually happening. A skeleton is concerned with his skincare. A skeleton. As in a being that doesn't even HAVE skin. The irony of this will probably hit him fully later on, but right now he's too boggled to fully appreciate the hilarity of the situation.

A.

[petrifiedshadow]

Well, that was a familiar sound, though admittedly one he hadn't hoped on hearing. for a while yet. She sounded pretty far, but Starflight wasn't going to let that stop him. He wasn't going to let one of his friends get hurt if he could help it.

Jumping into the air, he circled unsteadily a few times, trying to get his bearings. His dragon, draped around his neck like was particularly annoyed necklace, chirped unhelpfully at him. Were there towers here? Was he high enough? He wish he had a map.

At least Tsunami was loud.

He honed in on Tsunami's roaring, his circling gradually getting smaller and more precise to her location, but he was still too high up to be much assistance.

"Are you alright?" he shouted over the noise, hoping she heard him.

Re: A

[waterfight]

Tsunami's tail lashed side to side, snaking behind her. She glanced back for a moment, gauging the hunters around her and trying to shake her wing free of the net. She snarled again, almost jerking back as another small creature suddenly landed in front of her. Ah--the little Dusk scavenger! She crouched a little, snapping as one of the hunters got too close. This wasn't good--she can't take to the sky and even if she could, without Minnow knowing quite how to fly yet, it would leave the young dragon at the hunter's mercy.

"I appreciate it, but if they're not scared by me, they're definitely not scared by you," Tsunami snaps at Dusk as she lets out another growl.

"I'm warning you, I don't mind eating you all!" The hunters murmur among themselves and the leader (at least Tsunami thinks he's the leader, since he has the fanciest sword) shakes the weapon towards Dusk.

"Leave the dragon to us. Beast huntin' is our business and interferin' with business won't go well for you." Tsunami tenses behind Dusk, muscles coiling as she gets ready to spring.

Re: A.

[waterfight]

Tsunami was still doing her best to fend off the hunters when Starflight's voice broke through the din. She was lunging and snapping, swiping with tooth, talon, and tail at any of the hunters that tried to get too close--already she'd dashed one into the water and smashed another with her tail, but the hunters seemed to persist. She glanced upwards for the briefest of moments.

"Starflight? These scavengers are giving me some trouble! Think maybe you could breathe some fire on them or something? Give me some space!"