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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 30, 2021 19:53:58 GMT -5
-- Irsen Irsen hums in agreement, tilting the map so that Sophia could see it better. It has been a while since she's had the need to speak or read his language, so the furrow in her brow is expected. " I will be intercepting them myself; I travel faster on my own." Her next question is not as simple to answer- or it wouldn't be if his brothers hadn't thought to inform him. The dragon can't help his skewed perception of time and distance. It once baffled him that a week's journey couldn't be accomplished in a day and a half. " Ah-" He traces the parchment with a finger, tracking the little caravan across the map. " Three days' time. At the fork between the small farms here and here. This is if you take a linear path, I would suggest a short detour through the grove of trees on this side, as I have already ensured its safety and ability to house a caravan of this size." His pensive expression automatically brightens when Sophia flicks his forehead, and Irsen straightens to spin on his knees so that he can face her. " We are nearing Harthford and I must leave you soon. You will be studiously working for the remainder of your time, so I would like you to take one last dedicated break with me before you are bereft of my presence~" Irsen squeezes her hand before gently pulling her up along with him, his forgotten map falling onto the irate bird. Anxious to be moving, Irsen takes no heed of those watching them leave but is forced to shorten his strides for Sophia's sake. He isn't much taller than her at average height for a man of his 'age', but when animated his movements are likewise sharp and swift. Irsen leads Sophia into a small forest clearing off the path that they had been taking, cheerfully inviting her to 'guess' when questioned. She soon finds her answer when they step under a swathe of foliage to find a middling patch of grass interspersed with flowering blackberries. The sun is hitting it just right, only highlighting the verdance of the small tranquil forest. Ah~ They made it in time. He wanted to show her at the height of its beauty. The light also does wonders for his hair, and after ushering her further inward, Irsen removes his hood and pins to shake out the messy queue. " I found this the previous night and have been looking forward to showing you!" He turns toward her with a grin, eyes half-closed. " Now, I have two requests." Once again his mood shifts, and Irsen holds up a gloved finger with a tone of mock solemnity. " First, I would like to review the dancing that will be part of the ball. Secondly, I would like us to review the self defense that I have taught you." It was rather basic but brutal. Irsen had been teaching her throws, escapes, and grappling in the case of being attacked physically. He knows she has no desire to hold a weapon overlong, but it makes him feel better when leaving her if he knows that she can fend off bandits or would-be abductors. Irsen's lessons are rather simple: go for the extremities and give no quarter. He would prefer that she make sure her opponent is both down and out. Personally, Sen would have her deal lasting harm. Anyone who dares look at her lasciviously obviously deserves to have their eyes gouged out. <^><^><^> -- Mikazuki Mikazuki had thought it safer to remain in place when his step caused the floor to creak. He had been careful so far, learning the danger zones and avoiding them as he moved around the small apartment, but he hadn't approached the bookshelf until just now. He freezes immediately at the creak with his shift in weight, ears swiveling to listen intently for the sounds of the woman being disturbed. She shifts but doesn't seem to wake. More carefully now, he slips a particularly promising volume on western folklore from the shelf and skims through it before he decides to take it with him to 'bed'. There's the faint creak of a real bed from the nearby room and Mika hastily moves to return the book. Unfortunately, the apartment is small enough that she doesn't have to walk far. A sudden light brightens the room and Mikazuki's ears pin back against his head with a faint tinkle of their bells as he slowly turns to face the brunette, who stares at him more with confusion than hostility. " Ah." He says, more embarrassed than anything. He'd been so careful only to be caught out by a literal unsuspecting human. This night promises to be a series of failures. His propensity for fight-or-flight kicks in but he can't exactly fight her and flight is going to be troublesome when he still needs to be close enough to protect her- and he can't afford to be within sight of human authorities. " I am yours!" It took him a bit to find the words, but his English is more or less decipherable. Mika pauses to consider what he said...and his pale face begins to tint rose. Mikazuki waves his hands- hidden by wide sleeves- at her as if warding off the embarrassment. " I did your laundry!" Wait! " The dog!" He indicates the bedding that she'd prepared for him before waving a hand toward his ears, though they're mostly hidden by his fluffy hair in their current state. " No harm!" Stated carefully, backing away a bit even though there is sufficient distance between them. He isn't sure how to explain more. Or what to say even. When in doubt, however, tea is always the solution. He tilts his head toward her kitchen and makes a staying motion with his, implying that they should sit. " Tea?" ()()() ( this is the Sen-needs-to-recharge-before-he-leaves arc.I think after this, you can actually see what he's like when he's away from- i.e not actively doting on- Sophia! I can make it quick if you want! Before we move onto Harthford, it'd just be one or two possibly long posts about how he comes across & deals with the bandits as well as hints to the fact that there's something more to them than meets the eye. It'll also expose one of Irsen's greatest flaws: he's naturally selfish and has tunnel vision when it comes to what he wants. If something isn't within the realm of his interest, he'll ignore it. Even if it's very important to other people and like, in general. if he doesn't care then obviously it's not that big of a deal. They can tell him their Grand, Treasonous plan and he's like "yeah? and? You're going to waste my time on this when I could be cuddling the love of my life? Disgusting" If he had it his way, he'd be at Sophia's side 24/7 but he's learned to not be overbearing. He doesn't want her to feel stifled or uncomfortable. He's not really good at reading the room/other's emotions but when they get to a point where his visits don't have the novelty of being spread out, he'll try to give her time to herself and even suggest or plan activities for her to engage in while he works. Of course she has a limited time to accomplish this, as he'll be timing how long she's away from him. "You have had exactly an hour and thirty minutes to spend your time in leisure. Did you enjoy it? Good. Now I've come to steal you away." ) ( as for Mika, I look forward to finally showcasing his tsundere waifu side! haha I just noticed that he and Sen both have the I Am Going To Love You all caps aura pfft )
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 30, 2021 19:54:30 GMT -5
( Thanks! ^^ And guess who's back~ )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 1, 2021 18:53:02 GMT -5
Parker knew something was off. Sol's silence was different than it normally was. He had just spent time defending his claims that they were on a turtle, and now he wasn't even going to acknowledge it? Turning, the man hurried after him, gently grabbing onto Sol's arm when he go within reach. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I thought you'd be acting all smug about being right, not acting like this is nothing."
~*~*~
"I know you are, and I didn't mean to make you think I wasn't grateful for that," Anya said quickly. "I'm just really not in the party kind of mood. With or without Parker, I don't think I want anything more than just the normal celebration with my family. That's it."
(welcome back! I hope everything has calmed itself and settled down for you. ) ~ ~ ~
-- Sophia
Sophia didn't like the idea of Irsen leaving, if only for three days. They rarely got to see each other as it was, and now, during the one time they get to travel together, he would be leaving. He would return, she had no doubt, but still. A part of her wanted to be selfish and demand that her friend stay with the caravans until the end of the journey. The reasonable side of her told her than he had jobs to do just as she did. Keeping him here would be like telling a hunting dog not to chase after his master's targeted game. She nodded to his suggestion of the detour. "I'll be sure to let everyone know of that path," she told him, valuing his advice and thoughtfulness to clear the way ahead of time.
Then she was being pulled to her feet, smiling as she was ushered out of the camp and into the forest. Nearly everyone had turned to watch their departure, but that didn't phase her. Curiosity was overriding the care of other people's opinions. She had to jog to keep up with Irsen's stride, even when he slowed, she still seemed to be taking two steps for every one of his own. She didn't mind. As they went, she indulged him in the short guessing game of what he was dragging her into, but the actual answer was far more stunning.
Sure, the clearing wasn't much to look at. Just grass and blackberry bushes. However, Sophia was one to find the beauty in the small details. Like the way the sun's rays filtered through the leaves, how they highlighted the plump berries that were rip and ready for picking, and how the peaceful silence of a place truly owned by nature radiated all around them. Her face lit into a smile. "It's beautiful," she told him, her eyes tearing away from the blackberry bushes to look at him, now with his hair down and stirring gently in the soft breeze. Then laughed softly. "Can we start with the self defense review? I think we should get the easiest over with first."
~ ~ ~
-- Destiny
It was safe to say she was more confused than anything the longer she stared at the many. His English, while understandable, was used in a way that made her believe that it wasn't his first language. Then there was the strange outfit he wore, and the presence of the dog like ears barely visible in his hair. Not to mention, he was insinuating that he was the dog? She wasn't sure if that was it, but she didn't see signs of the animal anywhere.
"W-what...? N-no, you don't have to," Destiny started, fighting through the shock to try and find some control over the situation. She should kick him out. He was a stranger who showed up in her home. She had every right to do so. However, he hadn't done anything to make her think he was going to harm her. Yes, it was a little weird that he mentioned that he had done her laundry, but that seemed like the most normal part of this whole situation. "I would like to know who you are, and if I need to call the police or not."
~ ~ ~(You do whatever you feel like doing. A short summary or a novel. Whatever Sen feels in the mood for. XD Oh, of course, he would be like that. "Disgusting." XD These two are two sides of the same coin. They love the same, but one is a tsundere, and one is borderline yandere. XD But in a good way, lol.)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 1, 2021 20:36:36 GMT -5
Those words stung, and Parker wasn't entirely sure why. He couldn't make Sol talk to him, but at the same time, he had hoped the captain would at least confide in him his thoughts like he allowed Parker to do on many occasions. However, he clearly made his point clear. Parker took his hand away, not bothering to say anything more. If he wanted his silence, than he would give him that.
~*~*~
Anya gave another, smaller shrugged, one that was hesitate and told the answer before she even spoke. "Not yet," she murmured. "The topic hasn't been brought up, and I haven't really tried thinking about much."
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on May 1, 2021 23:22:50 GMT -5
Dragons are not expressive beings; at least not in the way of most intelligent and humanoid creatures. The fey are fickle, their unnaturally beautiful faces shifting so quickly that they are rendered unreadable. Humans may attain some level of stoic inexpressiveness, but their true feelings can be discerned in other ways. A dragon's mood is reflected more in the fluctuations of flames derived from their Heliacal- the inner flame that is proof of life and would be classified as a 'soul' if dragons could possess one. Scent and intent are primary methods of communication, but the last dragon rarely has a use for them. He must adapt to human practices, his Heliacal buried far within him so as to conceal the largest most identifying part of himself. Though they may come easily on certain occasions, even now his expressions and body language must be clear to others. Smiles are conscious, or they become too sharp. Displeasure is woven into words. More subtle emotions...are generally a toss-up as he can be too distracted or proactive to register them.
This is perhaps one of those occasions. Irsen is rooted to the spot, widened gaze riveted on the woman who had turned to him with such a genuine smile- "from the heart", as Hira would say- and light in her eyes. She's happy because of him. Because of what he's done. Her pleasure is his. Again, he isn't sure what he's feeling. His fingers twitch- but perhaps this is only a side-effect of his increased heart rate. His chest feels hot, but again this can easily be explained. Right? His temperature is rising above the level that Nazaret has set for him. He is unable to look away. If he could, he would attempt to examine his body. A dragon's heart is steady and rarely has cause to beat more rapidly. Or else...his mother told him once, didn't she? He can't remember when Sophia's smile likely occupies the majority of his brain's capability for focus. Irsen manages to bring his hands to his chest, finally able to pick out irritation from his mass of emotions. This has been happening more often and he cannot fathom why. It is immensely demanding and incredibly distracting. Sophia's laughter had caused him to fall out of a tree, once. Ah, Sophia. Obviously this all revolves around her. Most things do.
Irsen still feels the same urge to hug and kiss his brothers but it isn't the same. He's starting to get restless now, but he's learned to be just a touch more patient when it comes to approaching others. His strength will get the better of him if he's careless.
' It's beautiful~ ' She'd said, as she obviously couldn't see herself.
"You are beautiful." The statement is both aggressive and matter-of-fact. Irsen hadn't been very far away to begin with but he closes the distance in a single stride and crushes her to his chest. A short exhale and then he's able to handle her more gently, burying his face in her hair. This is a quick-fix solution but he's gradually becoming more greedy. Logically, Irsen knows that he should pull back and find a more...prudent way of handling...this. But he isn't sure if he wants to.
"Mm, yes. Easy things first." He's forced to turn his head and raise his voice a bit so that he isn't speaking directly into her hair. "Attempt to escape me."
<^><^><^>
-- Mikazuki
Why must she insist on being difficult? Tea is the obvious answer! Frowning wouldn't exactly give off the impression that he's a 'friendly' intruder but Mikazuki can't help it. His ears are pinned back in irritation now. It took him a while, but he is eventually able to decipher her words and they are deeply disappointing. Call the 'police' first! What if he just came to steal her books and leave all of her towels wet?! Why is she just staring at his ears?! Mika had previously been struggling with his decision to protect her but this interaction has sealed her fate. Ridiculous human that she is, she must have offended a previous intruder into cursing her for not properly disposing of them. Well, no matter. This inugami will be her last uninvited guest.
He gestures more insistently toward her kitchenette. "Tea." No excuses or even the suggestion of possible options. All roads lead to tea. He doesn't trust her to have anything fit to drink so he retrieves a small wooden box with a few choice pouches from within the confines of his yukata. Mikazuki makes it a habit to familiarize himself with every available kitchen, so he's already poking around to find how to get the water boiled. "This one- I- am Inugami, Mikazuki. Th- I am here to...repay efforts. Sit, drink, speak."
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on May 1, 2021 23:31:26 GMT -5
( Thanks! It has, now I just have to get ready for my new job on the 4th! I'll be working nights so I'll have to work out a new schedule... )
( Great~ ^^ of course he has to stay with Sophia as long as possible so that he'll have the energy lol Or else he'll turn back and be like "pat my head at least!" Welcome to the latest episode of Being Irsen (And Mikazuki!) Is Suffering. It's been a while since I've gotten the opportunity to write pining so I may be rusty but I'm *clenches fist* so ready for it )
( Precisely so~ Sen is this (this) close but like, all of the available spots in his family are filled.
;;; I didn't mean to make them yanderes! It's just you literally have Greed & Gluttony so I mean )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 2, 2021 14:32:18 GMT -5
For his part, Parker did manage to stay silent the return trip back to camp, even though there were hundreds of questions bouncing around his head. Only a few of which related to the turtle. Was Sol still offended by his joke from earlier? He had tried to assure him he hadn't meant it, but had he done a good job? No, Sol seemed a little agitated even before then, so had he possibly done or said something else? Had he somehow overstepped his boundaries? Parker wanted to ask him this, but he didn't want to risk getting another harsh response. So he waited.
~*~*~
"You don't have to keep doing things for me, Seth," Anya said, smiling slightly. "Especially not when it's something as small as this. I'll mention it to Momma sooner or later."
--Sophia (And aggressive affection starts now! XD)
It was a combination of his words and the tone he spoke in that made Sophia turn to him, confused. She, however, only had the briefest of seconds to see him before she was pulled into his chest, unable to move. It was not uncommon for the two to hug. They were close, and hugs were just one way for them to show how much they meant to one another. Yet never had Irsen held on as tightly as he did now, head on hers. It worried her, if she was to be honest. While he was known for being eccentric, he was never like... this.
"Sen..." she started, but before she could even ask and see what was wrong, he was speaking again. Already moving on to the training. Maybe this was what he was intending? Perhaps he had moved and held her with such force because he had been meaning to start with self dense anyway. That seemed like a reasonable explanation.
She took a moment to think over her options. In her surprise, her arms were still left by her side. So while her shoulders were trapped, she at least had her hands to work with. So, as quickly as she could, she turned as much as she could in his arms and jammed an elbow into his stomach hard. She learned a long time ago that Irsen could withstand a lot more pain than humans could, but she still didn't like causing more pain than needed.
~ ~ ~
-- Destiny
("steal her books and leave all her towels wet." XD Yes, that is the worst thing she should be worried about. XD)
Destiny watched as he went about her kitchen, looking through the cabinets and pulling out a small box and some pouches from his outfit. This had to be a dream. There was no other explanation as to why this strange man would be in her apartment making her tea. And why she wasn't already on the phone with law enforcement.
Inugami? Mikazuki? Those names sounded Japanese, and his strange outfit did look like something she had seen in books about traditional Japanese dress. But that only brought up more questions than answers. Like had he introduced his whole name? If so, which did she call him by? She knew it was customary to use a person's last name, but she had no idea which one was his last name. "Returning efforts?" the young woman echoed. Despite his orders, she remained standing as he went about making tea. "What efforts? I have never seen you before."
~ ~ ~
(Ugh, that's not going to be fun, but I hope everything goes well for you!)
(And she would oblige, of course. XD I'm sure he has demanded that often enough to be common protocol when dealing with him, lol. Me too! Already he's tugging on my heart strings and making me want to just have Sophia fall in love with him already. XD It's going to be so hard to keep her clueless.)
(Lol, no one's complaining though. A small amount of possessiveness isn't going to hurt anyone. And in Sen's case, at least he does it with her best interest in mind. XD)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 2, 2021 15:43:42 GMT -5
Upon arriving back to camp, Parker started doing what he could to get ready for the night. He hadn't expected Sol to speak, and certainly not in as soft a voice as he had used. And his reasoning for his actions did send relief through him. It didn't fully take the sting away, but at least he knew he hadn't done anything wrong. The younger man sighed under his breath and looked over at the captain. "You didn't hurt me," he answered. "At least, not in a lasting way. I guess I'm not used to having someone not talk to me. Anya and I, we told each other everything and anything. I guess I'm so used to being able to talk to her and her talk to me that I forgot that not everyone finds it easy. Though, I guess I should have known with you since you got that whole tall, dark, and silent thing going on." He chuckled a bit, trying to take some of the seriousness out of the air. Sol technically hadn't done anything wrong either. It was just a miscommunication and a moment of proof to Parker that he still had so much he didn't know about the man he now called "lover." "You don't have to apologize. I should have stopped pestering you about it."
~*~*~
"I know, but it's okay," Anya said. "Now, go train your puppy. We'll be waiting for you to finish." And with one more small smile, she left him so he could get on with his plans.
(And now we can skip!)
~*~*~
(Lol, you're okay. I have no idea why this group is so low on muse. It's gotten to an interesting part! Probably the most interesting part out of all the others, save for the giant island turtle. Yet this lot is like, "ew no thank you." XD Maybe it's because Cal and Kyra are in the same room with each other. Could they still hate each other that badly? XD)
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on May 2, 2021 19:09:14 GMT -5
-- Irsen
Even though she was doing as he wished, Irsen couldn't help feeling rather put-out by it. But he can't exactly follow his whims. Now, at least. The memory of Orpheo whacking him in the head with his neglected, rolled up itinerary comes to mind. "Not enough strength," He chides her. "You may have limited movement, but you must turn into the attack with your elbow and pair it with something else. Your head is under my chin. You could do some damage there." He hums in thought. "I will allow it." This would provide a plausible excuse for releasing her as he doesn't know if he could do so under his own power. And he needs to consider how a human might react...Irsen stumbles back but recovers swiftly and moves to grab her arm this time with a slowness that is exaggerated only to him. Human speed, but not quite.
While soft in every other interaction, Irsen approaches Sophia's training seriously. Even though it hurts him keenly every time he'd knocked her into the ground to learn recovery, or just barely avoided bruising her in more physical confrontations; teaching her is a double-edged sword. He likes to think that her training with a dragon would improve both the strength she utilized and her reaction speed considerably. She may not know it, but forcing her to keep up with him has raised her expectations in fighting. It's why he always goads her into using more strength or reacting with more urgency. If she fights everyone as she would a dragon, then she could be a force to be reckoned with. And as a bonus, Irsen gets to make (careful) contact more than once.
Ah, she's retaliating. He always starts out with general, sloppy attacks that would be indicative of common thugs as a 'warm up' before graduating to more practiced assaults from people who would actually know how to fight. This includes responding to the threat of armed opponents- Irsen gifts Sophia a weapon for every birthday despite knowing how compassionate she is. Unfortunately he is generally forced to teach her unarmed defenses. Lately, however, he's been adamant about her at least carrying an easily concealed stiletto. A small dagger that can do maximum damage if applied correctly. But she didn't seem to appreciate his impassioned stories of how he'd caused men to bleed out with just a prick to the jugular...
<^><^><^>
-- Mikazuki
Mikazuki turns to face her, prominent brows drawn together in pique. While understandable, he hates that she's making him speak more than he wishes- and before tea. His English vocabulary will be limited until he is able to drink the one that will grant him greater understanding of foreign languages. Already his head is beginning to hurt with dual translation. English wording is so nonsensical and not enough words have ambiguity. He runs a hand through his fluffy hair, eyes narrowed...before he tugs pensively on his bouncy curls and comes to a sudden realization. Mikazuki spins in place as if chasing something before realizing that this is unnecessary. His cheeks tint rose again as he points behind him. After a second or two of stillness, his fluffy tail pops into existence. It has a white underside but distinct bronze markings. Hopefully she'll recognize it from their earlier interactions.
"See? Dog-?" His tone goes up in a question as he waves his hand toward the relatively bare apartment. Nowhere to be seen. Then he waves a hand toward himself and moves aside his silvery hair to reveal the circular bells that pierce his canine ears. She's unlikely to accept even this, so he ensures that the water is being heated before picking his way across the living room. Though his ability to write it is questionable, Mikazuki can read English rather well. Aruji-sama was able to teach him in secret, and he'd brushed up on it with his previous shifts into human form. There was more than one reason he'd chosen a librarian to protect-
The inugami makes sure to give her a wide berth on his way to the bookcase, not wanting to appear threatening. Mikazuki locates the book he'd previously been reading and flips through the pages until he finds one that he can show the woman. He holds it up to face her and points at the word 'lycan'. He'd rather not attempt to pronounce the 'L' in the word 'lycan' or 'werewolf' but he hopes this would get it across. "Same." He points at himself insistently but tilts his head as he mentally compares them. "Better."
"Sit." He orders again. If she wants more questions answered, she'll need to obey and give him time to sort them out.
()()()
( The real question is...will it end? lol )
( Of course! Mika has his priorities straight~ Wet towels are no joke! )
( Thanks! ^^ )
( Irsen wants Sophia to fall in love with him too. Right Now. I'm glad you like him! <3 I think you're really good at it though! Haha~ he's trying to hug her and she's like "new fighting technique?") ( oh of course~ you'll see more of it when she meets his brothers. It's not like he doesn't trust either of them but he can't help the Envy. Orpheo would take her shopping (for wedding decorations) and Irsen is like? how dare? ) "Sen you have work to do-" "I want to do Sophia!" "Sen nO we just replaced the glass in that window-!" )
( Also! We don't have to go through The whole 'training arc' we can just establish some basics & such more moving on~ )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 2, 2021 20:15:49 GMT -5
-- Sophia
The woman nodded. She hadn't even thought about using her head as part of the attack, mainly because she still had that small amount of hesitancy about hurting him. However, he gave her permission, so she followed through. Sophia twisted in his grip once more, driving her elbow into his abdomen as hard as she could, followed closely by jerking her head back and head-butting him in him chin. The move hurt her more than it did him, but she took the chance to dance out of his reach when he "stumbled."
From there, they fell into a familiar rhythm. Sophia knew what Irsen expected of her whenever they trained, and she had to admit that there was real progress in her skills. Peaceful diplomat as she was, the woman couldn't help the small tinge of pride and satisfaction she got whenever she got the upper hand of her male cousins by either outsmarting or out maneuvering them. Now, was she good enough to actually win against Sen in a real fight? Absolutely not. He went easy on her, and she was glad for that. Yet against human opponents? The young woman was fairly confident in her abilities to fend for herself. Luckily, she has yet had to put all of this training to use, but at least she was confident!
About halfway through the session, Sophia let out a small laugh. "You know, for someone who doesn't want to fight me, you're sure not making things any easier for me," she told him, joking, of course. She knew the purpose for the self-defense lessons, and she honestly was thankful for them. But all the advantages were stacked in his favor. Even holding himself back, the amount of energy she had to put in to keep up had a light sweat breaking across her brow and strands of hair falling lose from her carefully pinned up hair.
~ ~ ~
-- Destiny
Yep, definitely a dream. Destiny stared as a tail with familiar markings appeared on the man. It was the same as the dog she had been caring for for weeks now. And the bells in his ears were the same as well. But... how? Sure he had strange colors and pierced ears, but she had always chalked that up to being because his last owners were the kind to dye their dog's fur and stuff. Yet as she went to the bookshelf and returned with a book of western folklore, she found an answer that made a little more sense. A lycan. But, wasn't that supposed to be where a human shifts into a wolf at night? Not the other way around?
The young woman was just about to ask this when she was once more told to sit. Feeling more than a little overwhelmed, she simply nodded. With the book still in hand, she took a seat at the table, eyes switching back and forth between the pages and the man before her, her brain trying to piece together this new information.
~ ~ ~
(I hope not! LOL)
(I mean, he's not wrong... XD)
(Oh I love him! XD Thanks, I just have to remind myself that her first reaction is to not be flustered, and instead, think of something else. XD It's hard to do.) (That poor window. XD Are you sure he isn't more cat than dragon? I can see Sophia treating him like a cat when he gets like this, and it not even phase him. XD)
(That's what I figured. I suck at writing fight scenes anyway, so I just skimmed over it. ^^ )
Now it was Parker's turn to be stunned. "I don't know where you get that idea," he murmured, a blush crawling up his cheeks. Too good for him? Why would he think that? After all, wasn't it Sol who had spent most of their time together trying to convince him how he didn't have to worry about being who he was? Or to not care what others might think? That with all his flaws, the captain had still chosen him as a bedmate, had risked his life by jumping into the ocean to save him?
~*~*~
(THEN DO IT!!!!)
~*~*~
(No joke, it took me a hot minute to remember who the hell Page was. XD That's my sign to go back and give that plot some much needed attention. XD)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on May 2, 2021 20:56:40 GMT -5
Sol laughed softly. He raised one hand and brushed his fingers across his blushing cheeks. But his smile soon faded, and he looked at Parker with sad, serious eyes. "Maybe that's a good thing," he murmured, almost to himself. He looked away, into the fire that wasn't lit yet. "You wouldn't be here if you knew just how bad I can be."
☆~☆~☆ ( Oooooooookay!!!!! xD Oh, and just an FYI: I updated the calendar/timeline/whatever Doc on Google, in case you're wondering where everyone's at. ;D )
The next week and a half passed quickly, at least for Seth. With his self-imposed busy schedule, he was often going for twenty hours a day nonstop.
His mornings consisted of training: two hours with Anya and Aidan, working on their strength, endurance, balance, and fighting; an hour with the puppy, teaching manners, basic obedience, and housebreaking; and an hour or two with Pixar, who had finally been relocated to the Dorreh's farm after almost a week of conditioning at Bennett's. With him, Seth was helping to build his confidence and desensitize him to everything that scared him, one baby step at a time.
After lunch Seth split his time between household and farmstead chores for Marcus and Maria; hanging out with Aidan and Anya around the farm, or on little adventures with the dragons; and in more recent days, going out with Anya to spend time with her friends. Of course, they only came around for Anya. Seth was just along for the ride. He never complained, not even when her friends (particularly Warren and his sister) tried to purposely exclude him. He was just happy to see Anya slowly coming out of her shell.
Every evening while the Dorreh's each took their turn with the shower Seth worked with Ryner on his guitar skills. Seth's previous knowledge on guitars was minimal, but it was more than a blank slate. He was picking it up pretty quickly, but not quite as quickly as he might have liked. Reversely, the handful of times that Ryner made it to the training ring in the mornings he did pretty well, but it was Anya who benefited most facing an opponent who she could actually best.
The hour before bed was spent teaching Aidan how to draw — and Anya when she felt like participating. Art was definitely not Aidan's strong suit, however, and most of the "lesson" often just turned into him watching Seth draw. Seth didn't mind, for otherwise he wouldn't have had any time to draw at all.
And each night, after everyone had gone to bed, Seth slipped out and searched all the dark dens and dangerous locals in the surrounding cities, one by one, in an ever widening circle, looking for any sign of Parker. For a week and a half, the search proved fruitless. The only thing he accomplished was reacquainting himself with the kind of life he thought he had left behind. He never killed anyone, but more often than not he would return in the early hours of the morning and have to wash blood from his clothes or knuckles. It was never his own.
After more than a week of the same busy schedule, the physical strain was starting to hit him. It wasn't enough yet to slow him down, but he knew he could only keep up his current pace for another week or so before someone noticed him lagging. Yet after a week abd a half of turning up nothing in his search for Parker, taking a break was the last thing on his mind.
Then, the night before he finally caught a break. A lead that could very well be what he'd been looking for this whole time. Seth chased it down right then and there, even though it was time to head back to the Dorrehs for a couple hours of sleep before starting a new day. But in the heat of the moment his exhaustion became nonexistent.
It was the right call. Seth got the information he needed. He had a name, a person to blame. He may have even had a location where Parker was being kept. But when Seth went there, he knew there was no way he was getting in, not now. He needed more information on the place, it's layout and the rotation of the guards. And weapons. There were too many people for even him to risk going in empty-handed.
So Seth returned to the Dorrehs. But in the back of his mind, he was already planning his assault.
☆~☆~☆ ( Well then. What are you waiting for? xD )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 2, 2021 21:13:55 GMT -5
(Gentle Sol is Best Sol!!!!!! Melt my heart!!!!)
"Nope, none of that," Parker said, gently, but without room for argument, turning his face back to him. "You're not one to mope about in self-pity, and I'm not going to let you sit there and berate yourself. Yes, I don't know you and the things you do. At least not everything. However, I do know that if you had never done them, I wouldn't be here. I'd be gods-know-where, sold to the highest bidder. I'm going off on what I do know, and so far, that's all I really need."
And yes, he was aware of how hypocritical he sounded. That's why he was glad no one else was around to hear him, otherwise he would have to apologize and admit he had been wrong in his opinions of Seth. And that was not his prime focus of the evening.
~*~*~
(I'll check it out in the morning!
As well as write up a reply. My brain has gone on strike and is demanding sleep. -_- )
~*~*~
(Tomorrow. XD)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on May 2, 2021 21:38:15 GMT -5
( 😊 )
Sol captured his hands and held them between his own. "And that is what I mean. I wouldn't be half as understanding or accepting if our roles were reversed. I'm not a villain, Parker, but I can still be a bad person. Sometimes my reasons are just or justified, and sometimes they're not. I'm not proud of it, but I also don't regret any of it. I did what I had to. But you... you would have found different solutions, and that's what makes you too good for me. Because you are good. And I, too often, am not."
( Oh yeah, you're definitely a hypocrite, Parker. Sol is way worse than Seth when it comes to bad things they've done. xD )
☆~☆~☆ ( You're killing me here, kid. xD )
☆~☆~☆ ( Fiiiiiine. xD )
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on May 3, 2021 19:20:16 GMT -5
-- Irsen
"Hm?" Irsen's attention shifts from watching Sophia's footwork- today's lesson centered on fending off multiple opponents with the main rule being to keep them moving so as to avoid being cornered- He can move fast enough to simulate three attackers at once and has been lightly tapping her in the shins whenever her movements dissatisfy him. "Use your skirts; they have the potential to block as well as a cloak, though I'd rather you tear them when prevented with the opportunity to kick or flee." He dances back a step before demonstrating a low kick with enough space for her to dodge. "In fact, I recently learned-!" Oh, wait. She had been speaking. Irsen often gets carried away even in practice bouts, radiating a slightly less controlled energy as his mind flickers through all of the ways he could win or prolong the fight for his own amusement.
His gaze returns to her face, lips curving upward automatically. "If you can fight one dragon, you can best a hundred men!" He boasts, darting past her guard to gently tuck a few flyaway brown strands behind her ear. His own alternates between floating behind him like a banner and blowing into his face. Irsen's movements are smooth enough that the former is most common, as he rarely stays in one place long enough for it to recognize a stopping point. While her style is ever practical, he prefers when Sophia's hair is loose as well. Irsen slips behind her again to remove her hair tie but comes to a sudden stop. He sweeps her legs from under her but catches her with ease and begins carrying her to one side of the clearing. "You have been taken captive and are now subject to my mercy. How fortunate you are! As I am a merciful king."
Irsen sets her down gently on the springy grass and moves a swathe aside to reveal a large, stoppered canteen, a pair of wooden cups, and a bowl of berries. "Here, this is chilled apple juice and a snack before more activity." The majority of dragon bonding was either fighting or eating, and Irsen likes to engage loved ones with both. He always assumes that others are hungry, as he personally restricts his own appetite so as not to eat his kingdom out of house and home. It has gotten easier now as he settles into the 'role' of a human but fighting often leads to snacking. And of course Sophia is subject to both. The more she eats, the stronger she'll get, surely!
Her earlier jocular statement strikes another bout of contemplation as he tugs off a fingerless glove with his teeth. "Ohahoegh-" The glove is still hanging from his mouth when he realizes that his words are not words. Irsen removes it and sets it to the side, lightly bumping his shoulder against Sophia's. "Your safety is all that matters, and you don't need my brute strength to ensure it. I only want you to have time to use that brilliant mind of yours and find a solution. Numbers may be your strong suit, but they aren't all you are capable of~" Sophia's male cousins never live the instances when she has outsmarted or outmaneuvered them down, as Irsen is smug enough for the both of them.
<^><^><^>
-- Mikazuki
"Hmph. Good." Mikazuki gives her a sharp nod before finishing his task and carrying the cups to the table. They are not the intricate works of porcelain that he prefers, and he's sure to give her a look of censure for the fact. (As if he has the money to change this) He feels this isn't an occasion to take his tea with sugar, but he offers it up to her before primly taking his seat, folding his legs and straightening his back as he has been taught. He cups his tea with both hands, immune to the heat, and gently blows on it before taking a shallow sip. Mikazuki had been forced to remove his sageo in order to tie back his sleeves, so he hides his hands in his lap after drinking in silence. The black, ugly scars on his wrists suggest that he'd been trapped in particularly brutal chain cuffs and he doesn't want to alarm her with the sight. The brief moment of silence is appreciated, as it gives him time to reorder his thoughts and for the tea to take affect. Thus prepared, Mikazuki takes a fortifying breath and meets the woman's puzzled gaze once more.
"Your tea is not poisoned." Is the most important thing to establish. "I mean you no harm. I am Mikazuki, an inugami. 'Inu' is dog and 'gami' suggests that I am a god. I am only one of those things." His gaze drops for a bit, fingers tapping against the prayer beads that secure his yukata to his waist. "I am indeed, the dog with whom you are acquainted. And-" He tilts his head toward the book. "-I have two ways of being. My...magic is weakened, and so the shifting of forms is often unexpected."
"As of yet, I have no proof of this fact...but I have reason to believe that you are being...haunted. You have endeavored to care for me thus far, and so I have decided to do the same."
()()()
( Not on his life~ )
( I'm glad! ^^ It's probably for the best- when she actually does get flustered Sen will never let her live in peace haha just "This is the flame of my heart! Look upon her and know true light!" Nazaret will save her from the worst of it when he can..."Irsen stop yelling from the balcony at 3am I Swear-" )
(Nice catch! Lol I am actually kind of basing Dragon!Irsen off of Toothless from HTTYD! Like a few cat-like mannerisms and I also like his design~ His eyes are usually hidden from humans because his pupils actually dilate and constrict like a cat's. When they dilate while looking at someone there's a high chance that he's about to pounce- either with love or with intent to harm lol And when they constrict, his little brothers know to make themselves scarce~ ) ( He appreciates any way she treats him to be honest (simp) and he does purr lol Brushing his hair is a sure way to get him to sleep. When he was younger and being too hyperactive his brothers would be like "Where's his brush?!" )
( No problem! I love writing fighting scenes so Sen has you covered! )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on May 3, 2021 19:34:41 GMT -5
Parker allowed himself to be moved into a now all too familiar position. Yet the conversation kept any chances of being flustered at bay. Instead, a shadow crossed his face and his head tilted back ever so slightly in an unconscious move of challenge. "If I could go back in time and change what happened, then I would make sure that bastard never got up again. His blood on my hands would hardly be enough to repay the years of torment my sister had to endure because of him," he answered, not an ounce of hesitance or remorse.
~•~•~
(Right?! I hate that my muse is just nonexistent for whatever reason!!!! WHY?!?!?!??)
The days that passed began to take the form of a "normal" feel. Training gave her something to focus on, a break in her thoughts and feelings. It was actually nice to try and figure out ways to best Seth, even if besting him was still a long way off in the future. Still, with each session, her confidence in her abilities were returning, and she was slowly working towards the level she had been at before this whole mess started.
Corrik had also been getting more attention once again. She had been neglecting him and the exercises meant to strengthen their bond, so she had set about to mend that mistake. Honestly, she should have done it sooner, and had apologized to her dragon to the point where he forbid her from even saying the word "sorry" in his presence. She still felt bad, but having Corrik there and his forgiveness did more for her than she thought possible.
In the time not spent with Seth and Corrik, the young woman busied herself with chores. However, with so many hands to help do things, most days there wasn't a while lot she could do. Which gave her no excuse to turn down the invitations to hang out extended to her by her friends. Most of the times it was only Warren and his sister (whose name I can't even remember right now), but there was one occasion where there were more people around. Naturally, she invited Seth to go along, even though she knew things were still strained between him and Warren. She still wasn't entirely sure why, but she never pushed the subject.
Currently, Anya was just coming inside from helping to gather in the sheep. The day was drawing to a close and already her brothers had headed on up to get showers and ready for bed. Since she had been the last to get in she resided to wait out her time helping Maria in the kitchen. As much as she wanted to hint down Seth, for the to had hardly spent any time together that day, there were still things to be done.
(Ug, that's horrible. Why must Anya be so unhelpful?)
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on May 3, 2021 19:36:02 GMT -5
( oh and because I want Mika to read as authentic! (I'm not trying to sound cool! ;;; ( I'm including a lot of words and phrases, and if you'd like I can translate/explain them?
For example, 'Aruji-sama' is an old fashioned way of saying master/lord/owner of property' A sageo is a length of rope commonly utilized by samurai with many applications. Here, Mika uses it to tie back his long sleeves but you'll see more ways he uses it later! )
( Sen is pretty open and straightforward- if you want to know something, he'll tell you- But Mika likes to be a pain so I'm dropping hints as to his past and Whatever His Deal Is to be discovered later~ )
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