[Open] It's cold cold cold

[grandspark]

Who: Rude and OTA
When: Throughout January Ieneur.
Where: Around Aefenglom.
What: Catch-all stuff. Including Rude discovering his tiny dragon form by accident and getting into shenanigans due to it. Adjusting to few more monster changes after last full moon. And one quest: Wet 'n' Wilde.
Warnings: Cute. N/A though he's a Turk so possible cursing and brute force are always possibilities left on the table. Can edit in more if needed.
Note: Default written in prose, but actionbrackets are fine!

I. Awkward Horns and Embarrassing Tail

The last full moon had brought about the final transformations to Rude's physical form and now he was left adjusting to the two great horns sweeping back from his head and the tail half with a mind of its own. The latter certainly gave him more grief than the former although he had various issues with all his prickly bits for one reason or another. The horns were simply the longest and he had to adjust to the weight and length of them as he turned his head and such. But as if his wings weren't trouble enough now he had the tail sticking out his rear to keep under control, too. He hated how it wanted to seem to curl around the closest warm thing whenever he stood still. Winter was damn annoying as a fiery dragon that loathed the cold.

He apologized repeatedly over the next few days for knocking things over with his tail as well as finding it wrapped around someone's leg once or twice. That was extremely embarrassing and he stammered more often than not when he had to de-tangle himself from another person's limbs.

II. Surprise! A Tiny Turk Troubles the Town

a. unexpected shift
Rude had been tailing his target for half a day now and he was growing tired of it. The cold made him one cranky dragon. In the back of his mind he knew that was what was really getting to him, not the length of this job or anything directly related to it. He had patience in spades when it came to certain criteria and doing a job right was one of them. But being out in this biting cold as a dragon that hated ice and wind and adored the heat of a fire up close was wearing his patience down to a thin wire. It also made him want to doze off whenever he stood still for too long which was as annoying as it was embarrassing.

So when his target ducked into a building with a suspicious nature to it, Rude grew impatient for the first time in a long time and looked for an inconspicuous way to spy on his target. Which meant not walking in directly after said target. It led him to the alleyway and discovering a small alcove that looked like he could squeeze through to get into a secluded part of the building. Only he was a big dragon these days and he didn't realize how small the entrance was until it was too late.

He was fairly certain he was stuck now. He didn't panic, that would be ridiculous, and oddly enough he sort of felt comfortable in the small space anyway like the walls were just hugging him. It was tempting to rest his eyes while he was--no! he had to stay awake and get back to work. Damn his stupid lizard brain. He began to wiggle around in his tight squeeze, a small frown forming on his features as he concentrated, and before he knew it the alcove wasn't so tight fitting anymore.

The black dragon squeeze through the alcove and through a window flap that was conveniently unlocked and hopped down to the ground. He looked up at the room he found himself in. It was spacious and...everything... looked so.... large.

He looked down at his hands and back up at the too-large room.

That's when he panicked. This was wrong.

After that it was only a matter of losing himself to the lizard brain that came with his new dragon self--and especially the flooding instincts bombarding him as a full on dragon in this shifted form. He was tiny. He didn't know what to do.

He fled the room in a panic and startled a bunch of shifty people upstairs in the main room as he raced around the building trying to find a proper exit. Eventually someone opened a door and the little black dragon ran out of it and scampering through the streets.

He was still running around in a panic without thought or sense of self whenever he bumped into his first person full on and was stunned by the impact. He shook his head clear and looked up, then yelped in surprise and ran off to the nearest hidey-hole he could crawl into and peered out in fright at the outside world.


b. cuddle me rudo
There was a small black dragon running around the city now, clearly lost and confused. And cold. His glistening scales were shaking from the chilly wind and stinging snow as he ran around helplessly making disgruntled noises and seeking undivided attention from passerby.

Though now small this dragon was the size of a rather large house cat--the type that was big due to its bone structure, not the floof of its fur. So when he crawled into your lap or you attempted to pick him up to comfort him, he was kinda heavier than expected at first. He didn't seem to notice or care about his size or weight situation--he was just interested in the warmth a person could provide with their presence.

If a person wasn't immediately willing, he would skitter around their ankles like a persistent cat or huddle beneath capes, long coats, and any blankets that were in fair reach. Again, he wasn't really concerned with his behavior so much as just seeking the thing he lacked: warmth.


c. asking for help
Of course, all good things come to an end. And in this case it was a very embarrassing end. Because eventually Rude's mind came back to him. It was a slow process, helped by the heat he gathered from various victims along the way. But eventually he remembered more of who he was and what had happened to him. Now he was embarrassed for his very animalistic behavior as a small dragon and he was a bit lost. Not in the city, but with how to change back to his normal self.

Not having performed the deed on purpose in the first place, he didn't really know where to begin to change back. Was it a one-off magical thing that dragon's possessed? Was it an ability he needed to learn? If he concentrated hard enough would he just...change back? What would that entail? He was almost afraid to try it, particularly out in the middle of the city. (He wasn't even sure what had happened to his clothing. Had he left it behind? Did it change with him? Would it reappear when he changed back?? Too many questions.)

The tiny Turk dragon began to head towards home in The Haven but he didn't quite make it all the way there. When he thought about it, he was too embarrassed to have Reno find out about his predicament.

Now he sat in the middle of the sidewalk with his tail flicking idly next to him as he peered up at passerby. It was strange looking up at people from below when he was used to looking down from up high all his life. He kept an eye out for fellow Monsters mostly and only moved whenever he spotted one he was fairly certain he had heard they possessed some sort of shapeshifting ability like this. Dragons and faes were particularly high on his list of people to ambush if he could. Though if a Witch approached him he wouldn't turn his nose up at the offer of help.

He would run to catch up to them or paw up at them to get their attention when they stopped and stare up at them with a fierce little expression. (He didn't really understand how cute he looked at this size, with blunted version of all his spikes and horns and big, round eyes and fat little tail behind him.) Sometimes he'd clear his throat before he attempted to speak.

"Can you help me?"

III. Wet 'n' Wilde

a. helping wing
The warmer weather outside of Aefenglom was a welcome respite from the wicked cold. So much so that Rude didn't even mind the wetness of the constant showers raining down and creating so much mud. He dressed appropriately--not wanting to ruin one of his finer suits--and wore something more casual for the trip out.

Although the best part about being a dragon for this trip was definitely the gigantic wings on his back. Instead of traversing the wet slopes and risking a mudslide as he climbed, Rude took wing and flew up the rocky terrain. It was so much better in the air anyway.

It gave him the perfect view to spot others traveling below and watch their slow progression. For those who looked to be having more trouble than others with the climbing, the big dragon swooped down to perch carefully on a stable outcropping of rock. He addressed the person in need with quiet aplomb.

"Need a lift?"


b. repairs
Upon reaching the Northern Outpost, the Turk got down to business with everyone else. Rude was used to doing the heavy lifting as the strongest member of his team back home and being a dragon here only made it that much easier. He had no qualms, therefore, doing a lot of grunt work. He helped lift the heavy barricades and put them in place just as readily as picking up a tool to build them in the first place. He was also knowledgeable in trap-making and readily helped build those as well as teach others how to make some of the easier ones.

There was lots to do and more than just the Northern Outpost to do it at, and with his wings he had an easy time getting around to help all over.

IV. Wildcard

[[Obligatory section where you can ask me to do anything else! Set up a prompt of your own for meeting Rude or talk to me (PMs or aisuyoukai are both acceptable!) for additional ideas you'd like to explore. c: ]]

Comments

2 C

[fuelingfire]

There's at least one dragon around today, for all the good it might do.

And in spite of his choice of clothing, in long dark obscuring robes not entirely unlike the ones certain 'clones' of Sephiroth tended towards, it does nothing to hide the long feathered tail that just doesn't look birdlike, or taloned, saurian feet or clawed and scaled hands for that matter. Although there's no obvious wings or horns in sight, he's surely a dragon!

And he's only out here at all to see about something for a meal besides fish and mushrooms, which might be the small bag held on one taloned hand. He .. is definitely not expecting to be stopped by a very small, dark dragon.

.. This is the second tiny dragon he's encountered. The first one nearly electrocuted him on accident. Lahabrea glances this way and that briefly, almost furtively, as if expecting someone to suddenly pop out and declare everything is a prank or suddenly trouble or ... heaven knew what.

"...Mayhap I can aid you," he says eventually, and his voice is a less than pleasant dry rasp. "What is it you seek?"

[grandspark]

Feathers meant bird and harpies might have this sort of problem, too, right?? Oh, except the guy had scaled hands on closer inspection. Did chimera have this problem? Maybe a little more research on other Monster types might be in order. It was too hard to tell if this guy had wings under that cloak and even that might not give him the answer to which sort of Monster this guy was.

But what was visible was certainly close enough to make tiny, awkward Rude run up to him and attempt to get his attention. It seemed awfully close enough to dragon features to be worth the try! He had to resist the urge to play with the man's feathered tail as he nearly ran into it in his haste, (what was with these cat-like instincts, good grief).

Rude's tiny dragon form had reduced feathering but some were still poking out where his ears were hidden beneath. They flicked almost like cat ears as he peered up at the black robed man in consideration. The reply to his question wasn't exactly enthusiastic but it was a start and Rude would run with it. He needed the help.

"...Do you have a smaller form like this?" Rude didn't know how common it was even for dragons much less other Monsters in general. He just knew some species had it. "I need help with it. Hnn, rather, getting out of it."

[fuelingfire]

".... Not as yet, no, but I am told I should ... look forward to it." He doesn't sound like he's looking forward to it, quite frankly, because being small and fragile just isn't something he wants to do!

Well, that's clearly a bust for Rude, so much for getting help.

"... But I am familiar with the general concept of shapeshifting. I may be able to aid you."

It's a calculated risk. Lahabrea does indeed know something of shapechanging, or at least how to reshape a body how he sees fit, and he knows how magic works, and ... .. more importantly, he may gain further insight on the pure unadulterated hell that is apparently in his future. And there were a few more similarities in what he seemed to be becoming and this little dragon than most until now, which in a way is a bit of a relief. He hadn't seen feathers elsewhere yet.

So it behooves him to at least try to feign willingness to help, and put aside selfish motives! Emphasis on the 'try to'. "I would suggest 'not outside' however, the cold is wretched." After a moment's hesitation, the black-robed man crouches, offering taloned hands carefully. "Come, I know a better location than this. If aught must be embarrassing, then at least it is not in the lens of the public's eye."

And he's willing to carry the tiniest Turkdragon to get there, it seems. Which might be convenient for the black-scaled dragon, as Lahabrea's considerably hotter in temperature than the surrounding air. Fire-type, apparently.

[grandspark]

Rude couldn't hide his disappointment at the initial reply. Not in this form, at least, as his ears drooped and his form hunkered low in discouragement at the negative answer. He was much better at controlling his features as a man. This little form, however, was all instinctual and reacted quickly to stimuli.

His ears flicked at the offer of help. The man said he was familiar with shapeshifting--perhaps some form of it from his own world?--but the question was whether it would be worth going with him to find out how helpful it would be. Something not from this world might not work at all. This place did that to otherworld things. He knew. He sorely missed his own magic. Now all he had was a set of pretty colored orbs instead of materia magic.

However, Rude didn't have much else to go on right now as it were. He hadn't gotten a better offer yet. If this proved fruitless he could always run off and try again with someone else. Someone had to know something. Until then, he could siphon warmth off this fellow. Strange how he was a dragon and yet still so warm in this frigid air. Rude was a fire/earth element but the cold and wind was his weakness so this winter atmosphere was taking its toll on him.

He eventually crawled into the man's hands and hoped he wasn't about to become some weirdo's dinner for the day. The other dragon was right about one thing though: Rude would rather not attempt anything potentially embarrassing in view of the public. And who knew how this would all go down.

"All right. Let's go."

He curled up in the man's robes as close to the heat source as he could get and tried not to make that damning purr-like noise. Emphasis on the word 'try' here, too.

[fuelingfire]

Heat, at least, there is plenty of; compared to a normal human, Lahabrea's practically a furnace. While he too leaned towards fire as an element, he lucked out by way of having thickly insulating feathers along with the scales, which made water a lethal combination with cold, but cold itself little concern. Rude, without a similar layer of fluff, must be having a hard time of it. Well, it'll be a warmer trip to wherever he's going than being out here on the street.

As soon as Rude is in hand and seemingly settled, he turns and heads off down a series of side roads. "A few questions if I may, to help form a base point. How long have you been able to change shape?" Not long by his guess. "How long have you been in this form? Has it affected your thinking that you can tell?"

No that last one might require more explanation. "..By which I mean, if I told you to think of how you look in the mirror, do you see a biped or a quadruped."

And he's not headed for a better part of town, even if it doesn't take long to get there. The building very clearly was once a storage place for carts and wagons, by the massive doors and some of the faded artwork, but as he opens a smaller door and steps outside and out of the cold, it now lay mostly empty save an array of boxes.

And a whole lot of what looks suspiciously like plastic flowers. Did this world even have plastic? The temperature inside can hardly be called warm, but it is at least out of the wind.

[grandspark]

Rude blinked up at the man with his multitude of inquiries. He certainly was curious. The questions made Rude wonder of his own. Some of it was concerning, and yet--

His voice was steady. "It's only happened the once, today, earlier. If it'd happened before I would already know how to change back." Probably. But he sounded either confident or defensive about it depending on who was listening and they interpreted the stone-cold sentence. "Half the day. Four to six hours. It...was worse when I first changed. I didn't understand what had happened and...I was just a small animal. Intelligent but... it's hard to explain. I did recognize someone eventually but it took time for me to remember everything."

He was quiet for a moment.

"I'm fine now. I know who I am and what's going on." He said, straight-laced once more.

As soon as the door shut behind them the small dragon hopped out of Lahabrea's arms. Though the heat had been nice and he was loath to leave it, now that they'd started a conversation about his mental state he hardly felt like appearing like a small cat seeking comfort.

He hesitated before a pile of the flowers, sniffed at them briefly, wrinkled his nose. That instinct was weird to him but there was so much to be gained from it while no longer human. Still, he deigned to ignore the flowers from then on out and quickly found a spot on top of some stacked boxes that was clear and gave him some height. He perched on top of them and looked over at Lahabrea with much more ease on his neck now. Stilled, sitting poised, he looked almost regal--as regal as any small creature that two minutes ago was the most adorable creature in the room could look anyway.

"What do you know about shape shifting?" He demanded to know.

[fuelingfire]

"If it were the full moons' influence, depending on your state of mind at the time, it is certainly possible to happen before and still be outside your control." Nothing seemed to stick right during those once mundane lunar events. Things came, things went, and generally he was just fluffier for it afterward. "You clearly are intelligent, but that is not.." He's not being clear it seems. With Rude free to find a better perch, Lahabrea grasps briefly at the air as if he could pluck answers from it with his claws, frowning. "What I seek to know. How you view yourself, very specifically, is important. Does your mind's eye see you as a man? A beast? Something in between?"

Just in case something goes awry and Rude instead discovers suddenly size control instead of shape control, the other dragon works on shoving boxes and things to the side, the false flowers indeed holding a scent but it's the cloying artificial smell of perfumes instead of an ordinary plant smell.

"Quite a bit, on other stars. The principle should remain the same here. What you are is a matter of perspective, and forcing that perspective on the flesh worn." In lieu of hands, currently occupied, there is a negligent flip of tail instead. Somehow it conveys the carelessness of this thought, as if everyone knows it. "Flesh is imminently shapeable by a strong mind, and I've yet to meet anyone on this wretched world that has become a dragon and was feeble of thought or imagination. With luck it will merely be a matter of discovering by what catalyst you control your power."

He doesn't actually know how big a dragon can get but he's pretty sure it's at least horse sized, and the space he makes is ... approximately useful for that. Just.. in case. "Begin there, and see where it takes you. Your hands are now claws and scales and mayhap even the wrong number of digits. Remember what they normally appear to be. Your arms. Your legs. The feel of what you ordinarily wear, the way the air smells with a small nose instead of a snout. It should be so familiar that your mind no longer recognizes it as worthy of attention. Make it worthy of attention."

[grandspark]

No, Lahabrea was clear enough in his question. Rude was simply being stubborn about how he answered. He had no intention of telling the man how he considered himself.

"Magic doesn't work the same way here as it does back in my world," he informed the other. "So I doubt that knowledge of power will help me." Or you, he didn't add but the thought was there. However, he had nothing else to go on. It was better than nothing, and it made enough sense--as much sense as anything else in this world, anyway. "I'll give it a shot."

Unfortunately for the first few attempts, it wasn't going to work. Mostly because the information Lahabrea gave him had one fault: Rude didn't want to be a dragon. Not of any kind. In his mind's eye he saw a man, devoid of any scales or other draconic features, and that just wasn't going to work here. As much as he wished it, he couldn't transform back into his original human self.

Deep down, he knew that. That knowledge didn't help his mind's eye keep from picturing it anyway despite his efforts. This would probably take some time. He had the right kind of will for it, he just needed time.

[fuelingfire]

The other dragon weighs this in silence for a few long moments.

"In which case, since you believe my skills and knowledge useless, then I wish you well in figuring it out on your own." His tone never really wavers, it's not full of scorn or derision or irritation, he's too practiced for that.

Rude should already be well aware of how touchy a dragon's pride may be, and this one is leaving, thoroughly insulted by being asked for help and then having such help so blatantly rejected. It's a sheltered location, as far as he is concerned the ungrateful wretch can damn well stay there and find a way on his own away from prying eyes, Lahabrea has reached the limits of his willingness to bend for a mere mortal.

[grandspark]

It wasn't Rude's intention to insult the other so much as point out the information. But then he was his namesake. His bluntness was often taken for rudeness so much that it came that his name was well and truly apt. The problem was that he didn't care what others thought of him. He didn't need people. All he needed was his job and his co-workers.

Things he didn't really have here. Except for Reno, he was alone. He thought of that as fine. He didn't think of the inherent weakness being alone really made him sometimes. He could have done with a lesson in that fact.

Unfortunately Rude was preoccupied. He looked up too late, watched Lahabrea's back disappear from view as the other dragon left in a huff. His tiny head cocked to one side as he replayed the final words the other had said in his mind. Rude realized belatedly that his help was gone for good.

Ah. Well.

He'd keep trying to figure it out on his own. And when that didn't work, he'd go back out and find someone else to help him. But maybe...a lot later. It was still cold outside and at least in here, despite the smell and clutter, there was no wind to bite into his tiny scales.

2 B

[needsteaplz]

Even though it was hours before opening time, Saori was out to finish the last of her shopping for the night's menu. She stopped to pull her cloak around her closer and shifted her rather full basket in her arms. Being a chimera with reptilian parts made going out in this current weather made it the absolute worst. The sooner she could get into her eatery, the sooner she could have the kitchen warmed up for her.

Her fox ears twitch when she heard something in alleyway next to her shop. That definitely wasn't one of the local stray cats but it was shivering. She placed her basket down and carefully walked towards the small dragon.

"Oh you poor thing. Come here. My shop's right over here. You can warm up in there."

[grandspark]

There was a two second delay in which the small black dragon froze in place (minus the continuing set of shivers), one paw lifted slightly off the ground and a look that plainly stated he was debating whether to run away or not. Then the words registered or perhaps just the friendly nature of the lady became obvious to his bewildered little mind--either way, he finally moved. He scampered over towards her rather eagerly and readily tried to hide in her cloak away from the cold air.

It made for an awkward moment while he rubbed against her legs and then finally wrapped himself around one leg with the cloak caught on one of his horns. He made an awkward (and perhaps more cute than intended) sound as he tried to shake the cloak loose from his head while still staying as close to her as possible for warmth and comfort.

[needsteaplz]

Saori couldn't help but giggle in amusement. The fur from her fox legs and the cloak do provide some solace from the cold but her crocodile tail suck out from the cloak, which still let some of the winter air in. The chimera reached down to help detangle the cloth from the dragon.

"Now now, I can't exactly open the door with you latched to my leg like that. Hang on." While she may look physically small, she lifted Rude off the ground without a problem. As she squished that cat the small dragon against her, she wrapped them both in the cloak and took care of the locked door with her free hand. A second later, she rushed back out to grab her almost neglected basket.

The door opened to a modest size kitchen which overlooked a counterspace and a few tables. Carefully, she took off her cloak and bunched it up to create a makeshift nest in front of one of the stoves. Once she put him down, it only took some firewood, kindling, and a lit match to bring more heat for the both of them. Saori sighed and she sat down next to the dragon.

"Ah, that's much better now. You feeling a bit better already?"

[grandspark]

He made a small noise of indignation as she picked him up but made no move to escape as she bundled him up in her cloak. This was fine. This was warmer than before. And, oh look, he was closer to her and could see really well from up here. He decided he liked it.

A low rumbling sound emitted from the small dragon in his pleasure and he snuggled in close to the warm body holding him. His head butted against her chest as he showed his affection. He made another awkward noise as she set him down, disappointed, but then found the blanket beneath him was soft and comfy, and began to stomp around on it to position it just right. As he lay down on the blanket all curled up tight he watched her start the fire.

He was just about to get up and move even closer to the flame like a moth drawn to it when she sat down next to him and he plopped back down and looked up at her as if he had done nothing. He blinked up at her and tilted his head quizzically as if trying to decipher her noises.

His snout scrunched up in concentration and then smoothed as he looked at her again. And nodded his head up and down.

2B!

[bloomly]

( it's not exactly pleasant weather to be outside--there's the wind, of course, biting and cold, and the hint of snow in the air that makes everything feel just on the cusp of something more, like the chill of the day carries with it some secret of the nights to come. she's not unfamiliar with the concept of snow: and certainly not unfamiliar with the concept of winter, but that doesn't mean that she's not looking out the windows of the cottage every morning hoping against hope to see a ground blanketed with cold white fluff and the chance for more fun and adventure.

as it is, she's left with very little to defend against the cold: an old cloak that she found in the cottage, dusty and too long, that she shrugs on across her shoulders and ends up clutching around her as she heads onto the streets for a bit of necessary shopping.

the sight of so many strange figures around used to be something almost startling; now, it feels normal to see people milling around, those with strange clothes or stranger bodies, monstrous proportions and horns and claws, and there's a certain pleasure in being able to observe all these people, marvel at their tails and their wings and their scales and find something of an excitement in all the changes. that's why she's not exactly scared when she nearly gets her feet tangled up with a small bundle of something on the street, scurrying around her ankles and seeking solace beneath the dragging length of her cloak.

oh. well, it must be cold, of course, isn't that right? completely ignoring the fact that she'd promised to be back to the cottage quickly with food stuffs for the rest of the day, she crouches down, raising an arm up to make something of a tent above the creature. it looks like a dragon, but it's...a bit small, isn't it? her eyes round at it, curious, as she tilts her head to examine the creature. )

A bit cold to be out here, isn't it? ( a sympathetic click of her tongue. ) Are you okay?

[grandspark]

[The small creature stood still appreciatively under the makeshift tent when Aerith created it with her arm and cloak. And tilted his head back to peer up at the flower girl.

A spark of something flitted through his little mind as he looked up at her and a small, pleased sound issued forth. Which soon turned into a deep rumbling noise--and if she likened it to purring, she wasn't wrong.

The black catdragon reared up on his hind legs and promptly rubbed his smooth-scaled snout right along her face, all the while making the happy rumbling noise. He shuffled a little closer and aimed to repeat the process a second time if she didn't stop him.]

[bloomly]

( well, whatever--or, more likely, whoever--it is seems to find some solace in the tent that she makes with her arm; likely it's one of the first hints of warmth that this creature has found, out in the cold like this, and despite herself, she finds laughter in her voice, light and amused, when the little thing lifts up and rubs its snout along her face. she can't tell exactly what it's supposed to do, but--well, it's just affection isn't it? or maybe like the way the cats in the slums used to rub themselves all over things to mark their territory? still, she's sure she looks ridiculous, laughing and rocking back on her heels, so she drops her arm, bringing both of her hands up so that she can grab the little thing at either side.

upon closer inspection, as she hauls it up, it appears to be a dragon of some kind, perhaps. that's about as close as she can get to a proper name for it, and boy, it is just a little heavier than it looks, honestly. she holds the dragon up beneath his front legs, twisting him this way and that, before she heaves him up and gets back onto her feet properly. )

How about we go together for my errands, and then I'll take you home?

( she shifts the dragon around in her grip, trying to figure out how best to carry it and keep it warm; she opts to hold it like a sack of groceries, hauling it up beneath her arm, against her hip, and securely under the cover of her cloak. )

Except I can't remember which way the shop is...

( this is more mumbled to herself, squinting down one street, and then the next, before she chooses a route, and takes a few steps forward, bouncing the dragon slightly against her side to keep it rooted in there. )

Maybe this way, huh? We'll have an adventure!

[grandspark]

[He made a small noise of awkward indignation as she picked him up by the chest and examined him this way and that. He squirmed a bit but once she got straightened out he stopped for a second upon noticing the height. He blinked and looked around. He wasn't afraid--he liked it, liked the view from up here.

His golden eyes shifted to her face when she spoke to him. He was clearly listening to her with interest, one feathered ear flicking in her direction.

He made another awkward noise as she lugged him around like a sack of potatoes but settled onto her hip gratefully when she finally figured out how she wanted to carry him. The cloak was nice cover and her body was warm; he snuggled right in, sitting back on his haunches and reaching upwards with his front claws to find purchase. His tail wrapped carefully around her waist, but it only reached partially around. He started to rub against her affectionately again but squawked awkwardly with the sudden bounce and gripped tighter with his claws and tail.

Once they got going he settled once more and looked up at her with small grumbling noises. Tiny complaints? Suggestions? It was hard to tell whether he was annoyed or just chattering at her now that they were moving more smoothly.]

[bloomly]

( hauling around a dragon is, in fact, not at all like hauling around one of the cats from the slums--well, they both have claws and tails and make indignant noises when she shifts them around, but for one, this dragon is heavier, and for two, it does pinch a bit more when its claws dig in against her, though she doesn't make even a sound of complaint. rather, she knows that it's her own doing: no one said she had to take this one with her, but it feels too sad to leave it out in the cold with very little defense. besides, if all she has to do is swing by the market for a few things for breakfast and lunch, well, she should be able to carry both, right?

the city is still a bit daunting to her, still uncertain of the route, but she doesn't seem troubled by it at all--rather, she does view it like an adventure, a smile on her lips as she twists down a road and continues along it, looking up at the signage for each shop. )

What do you think? Maybe a bakery would do?

( she comes to a stop in front of a particular door, then glances down at the bundle beneath her cloak. )

Bread's nice, isn't it? Maybe we could make stew...

( she's still mulling over it even as she pulls open the door--and then, politely, bends to set her little dragon friend down to explore while she does. )

[grandspark]

[He tilted his head at her once more when she spoke to him as if trying to comprehend her words. Then he made a noise after the word "stew" and reached up to butt his head against her chin. Stew had meat in it...maybe he thought that sounded better than bread.

Either way, he was both grateful and a little disappointed to be placed back down on the ground. He looked up at her pitifully but when she moved on without him he dropped the act and started to nose around on his own. Literally, as he stuffed his nose into this and that.

Which became a disaster once he reached the isle with flour on it and stuffed his nose right into a bag full of the white powder. He backpedaled rapidly as the powder attacked his poor little nose and caused him to sneeze ferociously. A few smaller snuffs followed as he continued to back away, swiping at his nose, completely distracted--and bumped right into the shelves behind him.

He yelped as a smattering of tins fell down on top of him and he scurried away quickly. He ran around the bakery, trying to find Aerith, clearly upset. Please save him from this awful place!]

[bloomly]

( she's keen to ignore the first pitiful looks--mostly because all she does is put her hands on her hips, rock on her heels and give the little creature a scolding sort of look. she can't very well explore and carry him at the same time, isn't that right? besides, shouldn't it be grateful? she's taken it to a warm place, somewhere out of the cold, and maybe that's what the dragon has been after all along. so, she tries to focus on what she's here for: which, two loaves of bread later, seems easily accomplished.

she's poking around at a table with muffins and other sweet delicacies, wondering if she can get away with asking sweetly for one, when she hears the sound: first, of something snuffing around, and then, immediately, the clatter of tins and wood and claws on the ground. trying not to laugh, she straightens, rounds on the aisle and then, with a click of her tongue, crouches down to open up her arms. )

Well, I can't leave you anywhere, can I!

( she scoops up the dragon before it can get into further trouble--and then she tends to putting all the cans back where they belong while cradling the creature against her hip again. it's tough to balance: and then, of course, she has to go back for her bread, and the baker does take pity on her and offer a bag, but... )

You know we're going to have to go back outside, right? You're going to be cold again! Are you sure you don't want to stay here?

[grandspark]

[He jumped gratefully into her arms and huddled there with an embarrassed droop to his feathered ears. He tried to hang onto her best he could on his own to lessen her burden, trying to make up for the fact she was disappointed in him.

He tilted his head at her words once more. His little eyes darted back and forth as he contemplated the big dilemma--but it wasn't long before he reached up to nuzzle at her chin. He shook his head frantically. Don't leave him here!

His claws gripped her tight to make his point and he mewled sadly to gain her pity. He'd rather be with her, even in the cold, than stuck in this place where surely he wasn't wanted! His eyes darted to the store owner and back to her. Certainly the person didn't want him ruining the rest of their store without Aerith to clean up after him.]

[bloomly]

( there's a soft sigh, but it's not exactly disappointed--it's more that she's resigned to it, grinning at the creature despite herself; so she tries to shift him a little more comfortably against her again, takes the small bag of bread with her other hand, and voices both her gratitude and apologies to the bakery staff before she ducks them back out the door again. the difference in temperature is stark: especially after being indoors, it feels bitingly cold, and she wrinkles her nose down at what she can see of her little dragon friend. )

How about we take this much back home? We can wait inside for awhile, and go back out for the rest.

( plus, she's not sure she can carry her new friend and more groceries at the same time; it'll be heavy, won't it? so she starts down the path back towards haven, instead, and that much, at least, she can do by memory, since she's just done it recently. )

--I forgot to tell you my name! ( to everyone else that passes her on the street, it probably looks like she's talking to herself, but she's used to that. ) I'm Aerith. You look a bit familiar, but I'm not sure I've seen you before...

( the dragon can't talk, right? but surely it can make sounds. or is she just enjoying having a captive audience? )

I live down here, in the back. With my friend! Her name is Tifa. She's really, really warm, and she always smells nice... I think you'll like her.

[grandspark]

[Grateful, the little dragon endured her shifting of his weight to suit her needs, even trying to help by placing himself more neatly in her grasp. He settled in close for her warmth and readied himself for the cold.

It was still a biting shock when it hit and he failed to control a whine that slipped out of his throat before he could stop it. His attention, however, stayed with her and her words. He nodded at her in acceptance. Waiting inside sounded good to him! Nice and warm and full of cozy things--like any good home, surely. For a moment, he wondered where his was...

His ears raised suddenly, alert and attentive, at the sound of her name. He made a little mewling noise of interest at it. 'You look a bit familiar' she said, the words sticking in his head. The more she spoke, the more he understood. Those words seemed to resonate with him. He butted his head against her chin again and leaned back so he could nod up at her.

A captive audience, maybe, but was that his answer to her unspoken question? Was he trying to indicate he recognized her, too?]

Purrrh.

[He purred at her openly with a deep little rumble. And if anything it rose in volume at the sound of Tifa's name, and his little tail tapped merrily against her as if to convey his not-so-well-hidden happiness. He looked almost...smitten. Like he was lost in the idea of warmth and nice smells and the attention...]

[notbert]

Whenever Rude stood still, but also whenever someone else stood still long enough. Enter, Elidibus. It's rather early in the first full month of his arrival. But he has obtained a cloak and he's taken in some lessons on how to act mortal. One of those lessons, couched in the form of a shopping errand, is that of grocery purchases and the exchange of money. Another, probably best to leave the huge axe at home so as not to alarm or be refused entry into a shop. So a weapon is not visibly present.

Though one need not worry that Elidibus would buy an onze (ounce, if you will) more than was strictly listed. Nor allowed himself to be cheated easily out of money. To this end he has paused a little off sides of pedestrian traffic to once again check the list he'd been given. Fortune is that his benefactor is of the same world as he, so he has no trouble reading Eorzean script.

Once satisfied, he starts to take a step forward, only to find himself tilting. Elidibus is quick to catch himself against a nearby support and on looking down, finds that his forward progress has been arrested by a long tail.

Sneaky bastard, that tail.

A long look trails the errand tail back to its source, which is quite definitely- probably- some form of dragon. In fact, a Turk-shaped dragon man. There's a moment reflection, before Elidibus drops into the cheerful, good natured persona he's apt to use.

"Well! If you needed my attention, you needed only to say something. Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

[grandspark]

Rude's head swiveled to meet the eyes of the cheerful man addressing him. His look was one typical from him: stone cold and hard without necessarily trying to be. It was his neutral face in all honesty but it kept up his appearance of menace quite well, something he didn't need to train out of considering the nature of his job. So he let it remain impassive and cold.

All that to emphasize the fact that as soon as the man's words registered and his eyes flicked downward to discover his tail misbehaving once again, suddenly his expression changed. There was a slight frown at first but then he noticed his tail looping around the other man's leg and embarrassment set in fairly quickly. His cheeks turned red and his feathered ears leaned back--thankfully his eyes were behind his sunglasses because there was change there, too.

He yanked his tail back towards himself carefully and purposefully set it on the opposite side of himself from where the other man was standing. He cleared his throat as he fixed his suit collar and adjusted his thick coat for no apparent reason. "...Sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen. It's...new."

Yes, he absolutely means the tail. It was new and awkward and he hated how it seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes. He wondered if it would be this much trouble during summer but so far he hadn't gone outside the city to find out. Perhaps later. Even with the constant rain it sounded more appealing than this winter chill. Dragon problems.

[notbert]

"Think nothing of it," this friendly fellow offers. There's a half-grin as if a chuckle is being repressed to spare Rude further embarrassment. Though the wings are eyed a bit as if judging whether they too had some control issues as well. A wise step is taken to fully face Rude and also get a bit more distance from the cunning tail.

Yes, the eyes. They're pale blue and oddly... contrast the otherwise excellent act of amusement and good humor. Maybe the dragon will miss it, given his current embarrassment. But for a second, those eyes had utterly lacked emotion. The moment is gone in a flash as emotion seems to fill then and besides, the brow-haired man blinks and adds a type of shrugging gesture.

"If I may be so bold, you are a dragon, are you not?" The man must be new. Or very strict on himself for making sure he has such details correct. Maybe not rely solely on appearances. It also gives him a reason to do a brief but thorough sweep of the Turk's overall appearance. Something like brief recognition crosses the stranger's face. There's something a bit familiar about what's visible. But well... dragons are dragons. Varied and in plentitude where he's from. Finding similarities somewhere else is hardly surprising.

"I have a friend going through similar changes." Folding the shopping list, the stranger tucks it into a convenient... pocket? Some built-in spot to the archaic gear he's wearing to tuck such things, surely. "Though I have yet to learn much of the transformation. Does it happen haphazardly, or is it after the full moons as many say?"

[grandspark]

"Yeah, a dragon." He grunted in reply. He was silent for a beat before answering the second question, too. "I guess it depends on the person. Though a lot of it was around the full moons for me some of the smaller changes were random during the month. I've also heard a lot of Monsters have full transformations during the full moons whether they've fully changed yet or not."

He made it sound like he hadn't experienced that himself though. Indeed, most of his changes had come during the full moons in spurts with a few things like the beginnings of feathers and scales cropping up a week or two earlier before the next full moon that gave him more. But everyone seemed to experience things slightly different from others. Rude didn't want to say one thing and it not be like that for someone else.

[notbert]

"I suppose it must be," comes the answer. There was more he could have added, but it was best held back. Besides, it's finally time for introductions.

"Well, I've been a bit impolite. My name is Ardbert. And as you can no doubt tell, I'm fairly new to this world." He doesn't offer to shake hands or anything. But perhaps that is just not a habit where he's from.

Also, his name isn't Ardbert, it's Elidibus. But that is a long story in itself and one he's not going to admit to.

"Might I have your name?" 'Ardbert' does also seem to remember the matter of his shopping. Maybe this dragon fellow also has things to do? "Ah, I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

[grandspark]

The bald man didn't seem affected by any lack of decorum or manners in this instance. Perhaps he didn't care for them in the first place. He seemed pretty unaffected by most things, his tail escaping him notwithstanding.

"Call me Rude," he replied to the introduction. It always sounded like a strange thing to say--maybe that was part of the appeal to say it in such a manner to the Turk.

He glanced off to the side for a second and then looked back at Elidibus.

"I'm good for now."

It was his own damn fault for letting his tail get into mischief. He could endure a little chit-chat from the man. As something of an apology for interrupting his day, too. And with such an odd and embarrassing factor to boot.

Also, it looked natural and that was a benefit to the Turk while he may or may not have been standing around for a particular reason while on the job that sorta had the feel of a stakeout. Maybe.

[notbert]

'Rude' is certainly a name that makes one question whether it's actually a name. Elidibus looks a little taken aback and blinks. His expression then relaxes and a bemused smile is offered. "'Rude', is it? I admit that is a bit awkward. But if it is your wish..."

Who's he to argue?

The man calling himself 'Ardbert' takes a step back and looks over the Turk momentarily. "The characteristics are certainly different than his. Yet there is something mildly familiar about them." Elidibus isn't so crass as to continue his examination of Rude's traits overly long. He relaxes and turns his regard to the other man's face. "I know dragons are considered a rarity among the natives. But I have heard rumors that many Mirrorbound have manifested as such creatures. Do you know much about this matter?"

It appears the man is happy to help, whether knowingly or not, with the appearance of a natural bit of small talk.

[grandspark]

A tail flick. Just one. It's all that's allowed. But it may be enough to show his irritation at being stared down, or, more to the point, compared to someone else. Normally that sort of thing wouldn't effect him. Not visibly. The rest of him remained impassive as always.

He shook his head from side to side once. "No. I know that dragons seem to be rare here, that there might be some reason for them thinning out in number, but my investigations haven't turned up much beyond that."

Mostly because he hadn't bothered to investigate that in particular much at all. Most of his investigations focused on other matters. Things he was hired to look into, in other words, things that got him paid. Everyone needed a job. Rude chose his based on what he was good at back home. So now he did what one may have referred to as private eye investigations. When he could. Mostly his clientele came by word of mouth from one patron to the next.

Odd jobs from the job boards around town were also still largely accepted by him. Whatever put food on the table as the saying went.

[notbert]

"I meant no offense," 'Ardbert' offers mildly. It seems he had noticed the impatient flick of the tail. He has definitely kept himself alert to even the smallest tells when dealing with a dragon. He doesn't elaborate on what he's apologizing for; staring or comparing. He might not even be sure. Yet he does hold his ground. And while he doesn't drop his gaze exactly, the man does seem to shift his regard to another point, looking elsewhere as though in thought.

"I'm aware from my reading that dragons are said to be susceptible to the Cwyld. But given the relative lack of precautions taken for the Mirrorbound such as yourself, I doubt this explains the lack of a native population." He seems to catch himself and adds in a sheepish tone, "Though I doubt what I just said comes as any surprise to you. May I ask how long you've been present in this world?"

[grandspark]

Ardbert's assessment was correct. Rude already knew how vulnerable dragons were to the cwyld. He also didn't know if there was a connection to that and the decline of native dragons. It could be part of the case; if an infection was too far gone it was better to kill the infected than cure them. If a dragon was wild, too, it could get so bad there was no hope for cure or revival.

Either way, he didn't know if there was a link or not. It could just be coincidence. It could just be part of a larger reason. For all he knew they just naturally declined from a slow birth rate compared to other species like some animals did in the wild.

"Seven months."

[notbert]

"I see," he muses. Elidibus files away the information. Seven months, still transforming. It fits with what he's heard about Mirrorbound who change in general. After a nod, the man calling himself Ardbert takes a step back.

"Thank you for answering my queries." The man seems to size Rude up. "...Should you come across significant information, whether on the nature of dragons or other creatures, Mirrorbound of native, I would be interested to hear about it. Should it not already be written, it is most likely relevant to me. I am willing to trade currency or favors if you are willing to exchange information to keep in touch."

Elidibus probably doesn't realize what business the ex-Turk is in. But a silent, no-nonsense mortal who seems to stick to facts rather than embellishments, odd name or not, can be useful for his ends.