middaeg | [open] how am i gonna be an optimist about this

[ Percy's had enough experience with it to know exactly what it sounds like when Trinket wants entry somewhere. He even knows exactly what it sounds like against this very door. Clearly they need to make it easier for him to let himself in when he wants.

But that's a project for another time. For now, Percy simple gets up to open it, then pauses when the bear makes no attempt to come inside. ]

Trinket? What is it?

[ The other something moves in the fog.

Dark against the wispy white cloud-mist, there's an odd noise that speaks up in response to Trinket's rumblings before movement stops, instead choosing to lurk a few feet back from the entrance proper. Not a yowl or purr, but something akin to the chuff of a tiger. There then follows a swishing sound, something brushing across the dirt and short grass.

Then silence. Waiting.

There's a low rumble by the bear, though it's not entirely clear who it is directed to, before muzzle reaches forward to grasp coat - or smithing apron, or any flowy bit of clothing - and gently tug. It isn't urgent, precisely, but it's clear the bear isn't happy, and if he's not happy, then...

Trinket tugs again. More insistent that PercyDear come outside. ]

Edited 2020-08-14 21:52 (UTC)

[ His eyebrows draw together a little but Percy lets himself be pulled out of the door, running a hand over Trinket's head to let him know he understands. And hopefully to get the bear to let go.

It's only after he's taken a few steps that he pauses. ]

Where's Vex?

[ She's never far from her beloved friend, and she'd have no reason not to have come along with him.

Unless. ]

Is she hurt?

[ There's an answering rumble; concern, but no overt panic - evidently Vex has not come to harm, but Trinket is worried about something. And it must be about Vex, given how his ears slick back, and he leans a moment into the head pat.

There's one more tug before he releases Percy, before stepping forward into the mist.

Which seems to be slowly giving way to morning light, and the shadow looming within takes on a more solid shape. Sun glints on silver scales, a narrow head with tapered muzzle. Seated on the ground, four strong limbs rest easy, long clawed forepaws mincing back and forth, its scaling running along them. But while the body is silver, the wings are a mixed shade of blue. And feathered - feathers cover part of the wing, as well as run from top of the head down to tail tip, with a blue feathery fan at the end. Around the face, bright blue feathers fan and retract.

The dragon regards Percy and Trinket expectantly, before rising to all four feet. And proceeds to faceplant, as folded wing drops, one paw steps on the webbing, and balance is thrown completely. There's an undignified squawk, mouth suddenly full of dirt. ]

MotherFUCK! [so splutters a very familiar, if deeper, eloquent voice.]

[ Percy had jerked back instinctively once he'd registered the shape of what he was looking at, but the silvery tone to the scales kept him in place at least. He's had enough experience with dragons by now to fight down most knee-jerk reactions, but some can't entirely be tempered.

Still, he finds himself watching the dragon with careful eyes, eyebrows drawing together as it does nothing but stand--and then fall again. And then he's just blinking. ]

Vex? [ That would explain Trinket's distress, at least. ] Are you...are you alright?

[ There are so many other questions he could ask, but best to start with that one at least. ]

[ Given Vex's initial reaction to Toothless, keeping knee-jerk reactions under check is certainly challenging. There's certainly no offense taken - if only because Vex is still spluttering and spitting dirt as she struggles to rise, still a gangling mess of limbs. There's a worried noise from Trinket, but he doesn't rush to her side.

It's not anywhere near the dignified entrance she'd planned for. But at least her brother wasn't here to witness it. ]

Yes. [the word is drawn out a bit; she's not quite as sure as she'd like to sound. The feathers on her head flatten back, and there's a distinctly embarrassed look about her features as wings finally flip and folds to her back.] For a given value of "alright".

[She glances over her back, then down at her feet, before looking back to Percy] I'm not red this time? I suppose that counts for something?

[ That is very true, though Percy would gather the color change is probably more of a relief to Vex herself than it is to him. He moves in a bit closer, ready to lend a hand if she starts looking unbalanced again. Just a bit wary about it, but that has a lot more to do with Vex making it very clear how little she wants help sometimes than it does her current shape. ]

It's a bit of a shock, I'm sure. [ She's not Keyleth. None of the rest of them particular expect to be any other creature than the one they started with. ] How do you feel otherwise?

That is putting it mildly, dear.

[ He approaches, cautiously, and Vex allows it. After all, she'd walked (not flown, and oh boy, that was going to be a fun series of eventual lessons) all the way here with Trinket to see him. She's not entirely sure it's help she wants, so much as to share the experience, and her trust in Percy is absolute. ]

Six limbs and a tail are a lot to coordinate. I thought I'd remember some of how it felt last time, but apparently not. [Very slowly, she extends out the wing that she'd tripped over, and turns her head to get a better look at it. There doesn't seem to be any injuries, and she tilts it back and forth to watch the shine over the feathers and wing membrane.] What do you think? I don't know of any dragons back home with feathers, and I've done the research.

[a smile forms, curving the edge of her mouth] I'm not entirely sure how to get back into my house, and Sheva's presently a lion. Still, I'm glad she made me eat a large meal last night - I'd just thought I'd just been moody over missing Vex more than usual. Not that I was going to change. Especially when I didn't change last month.

I'm told it doesn't happen the first month, as a rule.

[ Percy's tone is a bit distracted, considering he's studying her feathered wing with intent. He won't say he knows much about the present monster population--or has cared much, really, outside the ones he knows personally--but one does hear things after being around them so long. ]

You'd certainly know more about them than I would. But I'd never seen any dragons that look like Hiccup's either. I suppose they're just different in other worlds. [ And there are so many worlds to choose from these days.

He pauses, then flicks her a look. ]

You're welcome to stay here, of course. You know that.

And we're well past that now. [and evidently this place didn't hold her first visit against her for applying that rule.]

[ She tilts her wing again, extending it further, before angling it towards Percy directly - if he'd like a closer look, evidently she's inviting him to do so. She also wiggles the wing-claw: not a great deal of flexibility, but likely good for gripping? She'll have to wait and see.

She glances down again at her body, and the ears prick up, and feathers fan about her face again. ]

I seem to have a mix of scales, hide, feathers and...I can't tell if this is furry down or downy fur. [she nuzzles the soft coat that runs from throat down her neck and chest, before swinging her tail about so she can get a good look at the feathered tip.] Perhaps there are dragons back home for Hiccup who look like me. I will have to ask him when he gets in today.

[She didn't want to presume, but there's no denying the grateful look, even when it is worn by a dragon.] ..I do. Thank you, dear.

[ A flash of a smile darts across his face before he goes back to inspecting her feathers. Percy's not entirely sure she needs the invite, considering they've all lived in each other's pockets for so long, but it does feel good to have it out loud and acknowledged. And that is something he absolutely refuses to think about any further. ]

I'm not sure. I saw a fair few of them in his memories once, but none of them looked quite like this. [ And Hiccup would most certainly be the expert in this area. Percy lets out a breath and takes a step back again. ] How do you feel aside from unbalanced?

[ It is good to use ones words and acknowledge that things have not changed. Even as acknowledgement of other matters is left for another time. (Or never. Never is also good.)

The reverse is also true, of course - or will be, once Vex can find the means to access her abode again. At some point, it will occur to her to ask for assistance in making a dragon/monster-accessable door handle or lock. But for the moment, there is examination and discovery of a new form, and there's a rolling hum in her throat as she ponders his question. ]

Well...I don't know? [the urge to fly is truly nothing new - Vex has ever wanted for means to leave the ground and soar the skies, especially with a defunct broom at hand.] I was warned about 'feralness' being a thing, but, I've never been a dragon before, let alone any other kind of "monster". Knowing how that's supposed to work is rather difficult.

[ She's been blessed with a somewhat smooth transition. This time. ]

I think you'd notice if you were feral.

[ Or Percy certainly would. He hasn't had any personal encounters with a feral monster here, but he's seen enough of it at a distance. Calm conversation does not seem to be much involved. ]

I'm glad it seems to be easy enough, then. Aside from the obvious.

[ He casts a glance back over his shoulder at the buildings behind him, brows creasing in thought. ] House or forge? [ She's been to both, he may as well leave it to her which would be more comfortable. ]

Would I even know, if I was?

[ Lost to the beast, even this beauty might not have the awareness of her situation. At least, that's how other monsters reported it.

She looks past him as he looks over his shoulder. ]

Let's start with the forge. If that proves too much trouble, or my feathers get on fire, we can switch? [she's joking. mostly. probably?]

Edited 2020-08-28 21:01 (UTC)

[ He flicks her an amused look before rolling his eyes because it seems to be expected. ] It's not lit.

[ But he does head back that way, moving to hold the door open for both dragon and bear as if it's a courtesy he extends all the time. Honestly at this point, it very well may be. ]

Do you know how long until you, ah. Change back?

[ The bear makes a small, unhappy noise, looking between the Vex!Dragon and PercyDear. It's clear he doesn't entirely understand what's going on, but he follows behind closely when Percy moves towards the forge again.

It's a bit disheartening for Vex: he doesn't seem to know how to respond to her speaking, either. But for the moment, she concentrates on slowly rising and stepping after bear and man. Coordinating 6 limbs and a tail is a lot.. ]

A few days? [there is a hesitation, however; she's never changed before. and she can't will herself back to her humanoid form right now.] As long as the moon is full, at least. Everyone says it's temporary.

[ Her tail swishes unhappily. But what will have changed about her permanently when she turns back? ]

It should be, yes.

[ He really should have been paying more attention to monsters, it seems. Clearly Percy is in need of some studying, as if that will make up for everything he doesn't know. Later. As calm as Vex seems with the whole thing, he isn't going to leave her alone like this.

The forge itself is indeed cool at the moment, the scattering of paper across Percy's worktables indicating that he's been in the planning stages. Of a few things, by the looks of the various half-drawn designs. All of them are easily enough ignored for the moment. ]

Make yourself comfortable.

If it doesn't, I'm going to want to have a word with the Coven.

[ Trust Vex to give Percy more reasons to pay attention to things.

Trinket makes a beeline for his usual spot; the forge may not be ignited at the moment, but it's still warm, and he's clearly comfortable. A good sign that he's taking to the place. Vex, for her part, keeps her wings close and minds her tail, gingerly stepping inside. Mostly due to aforementioned balance - the limb coordination isn't too bad but she'd rather not knock things over if she can help it.

There's space enough for her to sit, so she does, somewhat catlike as she observes the paper work scattered about. Long neck cranes to look over his desk, and she tilts her head to get a better look at the drawings. ]

Was I interrupting plans for something? [her tail curls around, tucking feathered tip across her foreclaws] Improvements for the Forge, or..?

Just jotting a few ideas down, before I lose them.

[ Nothing so organized, but what else is new for Percy's general sense of disarray. As much as he puts on a good show of being neat and put-together, Percy's various workspaces often tell a very different story. Generally in direct opposition to how much sleep he's had at any given moment, though he does look rested enough currently. ]

It's a bit odd, not having a direct goal. [ Which might explain the multitude of different directions his mind is trying to go in. ] Usually it's anything that will keep the lot of us from dying. But here?

[ Percy trails off shrugs slightly, leaning back against of the tables facing her. ]

That's a lot of ideas. I think there's even more than the last time you had these out.

[that is, when she arrived again for the second time. The fact he looks rested - or, at least, as rested as Percy ever does - is at least reassuring.

There's a very slight flinch at the mention of dying. A tick, causing feathers and tail to twitch, and her head tucks in towards her neck. She knows what he actually means, but even months (months, how time has flown!) later, it still gets a reaction from her.]

I suppose too much freedom for thought can be a trial all its own, can't it? [her tone turns brighter; not false, but mentally skirting less pleasant topics] Well, why not tell me what ones hold your interest right now?

[open] how am i gonna be an optimist about this

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