darkSpyro

Huntress has returned to her tower apartment by now, using her binoculars to spy on Maverick's house. The trio was nowhere to be seen, so she assumed they were in the house already. She didn't like them being friends, but of course, Maverick and those three were former pirates, so it was no wonder they hit it off so well. Sand Dune, Random and Opium haven't done anything illegal or bad in the five years they have been there, at least none that she knew of, but like Maverick, she was still keeping a close watch on them. Maverick was still the top priority though.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“They were the only one who saw who I truly am. They helped free me from a great evil and gave me a second Chance on life. They are like family to me. Even more so than my real one.” Shade said. He looked at Draikon. “And to correct you again I’m not a dragon. I may look like one but I can assure you I’m not even from this world.”

Draikon listened with interest, already curious. He already met Maverick, but he has yet to meet the troll. However, something else Shade said caught his interest more.
"Evil? Family? You have quite the history, don't you? Are there more of you around here?" Draikon asked, certain that if Aelinon knew, they would want to capture them, especially if they were as dangerous as Shade. Draikon didn't want that to happen though, but if it did, there would be nothing he could do. Still, with the way Shade expressed himself, he seemed more interested in his friends than whatever blood family he had.

"Please, feel free to wait here," Ilasi said as she took a seat with them. She needed to have a conversation with Maverick about what happened - but perhaps that was something that could be done later. She would take the opportunity to try to relax after what happened. "The kids are doing okay. They're energetic as ever - well, at least Alana is. Always getting into some trouble.. Tyrus usually keeps to himself a bit more, but not always. How have things been since last time?"
Ilasi poured herself a cup of the lavender tea from the kettle, carefully sipping it. It was just the perfect thing to help set her at ease. As she did, she also offered some to her guests - she didn't feel they would be particularly interested in tea, but it would be rude not to.

Once again, Latnok activated a heating spell, similar to the cooling spell that was needed to safely access the Guardian base via the main footpath through the mountains. "Hold on just a minute here..."
Latnok set his bag down, pulling out a first aid kit. "Now sit still, and I'll handle those wounds," he said. "Once that's done, we have someone who might be able to make a better treatment for you if you need it."

*Meanwhile in Redwater*
The Guardians soon returned for Risar and Icestorm, directing them down a hallway. "We've had our best people analyzing it all day and all night. Say-- you're the same Risar who once helped out our fellow Guardians at the main branch, aren't you? And that makes you the Icestorm; the Guardians recognize both of you for your efforts. I hope you know that.," the man said as they walked. "Risar thanks you.," Risar responded with a similar nod. "Ah, here we are. In here.," the Guardian then said getting back to business and opening a door for the two contrasting individuals. They would soon enter a large room where the egg rested; a few Guardians were discussing something and taking notes nearby. They soon took notice of the visitors.

"This is Risar and Icestorm. They brought the egg in-- tell me what you told me.," The Guardian spoke issuing an order to the others. The egg appeared safe and almost seemed as if they were trying to warm it up via some sort of magic. "From what we can tell so far, what we have here is not your typical dragon egg; it lacks the typical properties and it seems as if your original buyer at least knew what he was talking about. These marking here and here are unusual for your typical Wyvern or other scaled flying beast.," one of them spoke pointing out an extinct marking on the egg. "As for the possibility of it being a Fur Dragon as you suspect, that we cannot be certain of. We do not have enough information as to what makes or doesn't make an Fur Dragon egg. And such details are next to impossible to determine after the fact. It could be a Fur Dragon or it could not be. We really can't tell at this point, but we do have people comparing the egg to known diagrams as we speak. We may find something-- if we can even get it to hatch.," he then spoke.

"What do you mean?," Risar asked raising an eyebrow in concern. "Well-- the egg appears to have been exposed to the wrong elements for far too long. It's not the right temperature to hatch and we're having trouble determining the correct temperature.," he then said looking at Icestorm but quickly shaking his head. "We're gradually warming up and will do main that temperature once we determine its minimum and maximum. Erm.. it's ideal temperature range.," the Guardian then spoke. They didn't want to warm it up too fast, lest they turn it into an omelette.

Random enjoyed tea, and while Sand Dune and Opium didn't like it, they still took it out of politeness. They wondered who Alana resembled in all the spunkiness, since their parents were relatively calm.

The trio talked about their jobs, and who Random was in love with. They didn't say Huntress' name, believing it would lead to the wrong impression. But they did give a physical description of her. Angora looked at Ilasi, very concerned, but she was quickly to dismiss it. Redwater had many people, so several women might have similar descriptions.
"Does she have a name?" Angora quickly asked.
"Well, it's more like a nickname actually. It's very weird actually. She calls herself..." Sand Dune started to say, but they were interrupted by the door opening.

"Mommy! I'm home! Is Angora he..." Alana started to say. Not only was Angora there, but also three men she doesn't recall seeing before.
"Oh hey Alana. I'm here, welcome back. They are friends. Meet Sand Dune, Random and Opium. They were great friends of your parents when they were sailing in the Enduring Legacy. You and Tyrus saw them when you were babies." Angora introduced them, knowing they were not going to be able to remember. Alana giggled.
"What kind of names are that?" she laughed, but the trio paid no mind to her fun.
"They have personal meaning little girl. But look how much you've grown!" Sand Dune said, kneeling to be at her height. Alana didn't remember them at all, but they looked like nice men, even Random, who was huge but had a gentle face. She believed he could break a tree with those arms.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“No they are far away from these lands. They protect areas surrounding Falcon’s Peak. They don’t trust outsiders very well but will fight with all they got if they have to.” Shade said. “Are you done yet? I hate these chains.”

"You better hope Aelinon doesn't know. They'll likely want to capture others like you." Draikon warned in a low voice, wondering why Shade was being so loose with such sensitive information. To him, a stranger. Has he told the guards this yet? Maybe he was just that confident they couldn't be contacted? Falcon's Beak has, after all, killed even the best sailors, though last time he heard, everything changed after the Ishulgites and their magic was intercepted. It was a good thing Draikon told the guards to let them be, though they still remained nearby in case anything went wrong. They had hexphage, tranquilizers and control of the collar just in case something went wrong.

With the chains ready, it was time for the experiment.
"The guard are ready in case this doesn't turn out good. Now, be a good boy, and if all goes well, I might use my influence to convince the wardens and maybe even the king himself if necessary to let you see your friends. Now tell me what you feel..." Draikon promised, as he prepared to apply the mist starting with Shade's snout. This dragon being so loyal to his friends to the point of abandoning his own family? That was something he never heard about before, but it was a matter to attend another time. Right now, the experiment was priority...

Quote:

“Are they trustworthy?” Sozen said as he winced when Latnok touched his wounds.

"Yes-- everyone here is a friend to creatures such as you and me.," Raclaw responded with a smile.

The girl arrived Huntress could see. It was only a matter of time before the boy and the main man himself arrived too...

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“They wouldn’t dare start a war with them. Those lands are outside Aelinon territory. The queen of the Dragolets herself has made that quite clear.” As the mist hit Shades snout he sneezed with a puff of fire.

"Alright. Whatever you say." Draikon said in a bored tone of voice, not very convinced but letting Shade talk. Despite Shade sneezing and the fire managing to reach his skin, Draikon showed no signs of being burned, and continued applying the mutated fungus mist as if nothing happened. The microscopic spores absorbed through the pores, and it was all a matter of time before Shade should feel the effects. The best thing about this experiment was that, unlike the sprite, Draikon could get a detailed description from the test subject rather than just observing the effects...

Ilasi blushed slightly, being a little embarrassed at Alana's lack of consideration, but was glad that the men took it in stride. "You must be hungry, dear. Let me get some food ready for you," she offered.
Before she could do that, however, the door opened once again, revealing Tyrus. "I'm here, Mo- who are these guys?" he asked cautiously, as he stopped in slight bewilderment.
"These are some old friends of ours, dear," Ilasi informed Tyrus, as she began preparing dishes for the new arrivals. "I'll let them introduce themselves - but we went on a voyage and met them a while before you were born. Now then, you three, would you like some food as well?" It would've been rude to give others food without offering the guests after all.

Latnok shook his head. "Unless Raclaw and I leave, we can't get the extra help. Unless you would be fine just receiving a patch-up and waiting?"

The trio didn't want to give Ilasi extra work, but they didn't want to deny food either. They focused on Angora and the children.
"They are Sand Dune, Random and Opium." Alana introduced the men before Angora could, giggling again at the names.
"Random can't even talk, so he uses funny hand signs to communicate. Isn't it amazing? And look at those arms! I bet he could cut a man in half with a single punch to the gut." she figured, Angora face palming at Alana's rambunctious remarks.
"Well whether he can or not, he's not willing to do the test anytime soon." Sand Dune assured, knowing that even with all his strength, Random never meant harm to anybody unless it was unavoidable self defense.
"Alana, why don't we leave this exiting conversation for another time? How was school kids?" Angora asked, wanting to change the subject after seeing Random uncomfortable.

Angora got everybody but the busy Ilasi in the living room to talk, preventing Alana from making things awkward again, but when it looked like she would fail, Maverick entered the house.
"Oh. That smells good mi amor. But you should've let me cook..." he started to say when he noticed the crowded living room. Angora immediately jumped to his arms, Alana hugged his legs while the trio gave him shoulder palms.
"Good to see you again lad!" Sand Dune exclaimed, and soon their voices overlapped, nobody unable to understand anything. They just couldn't talk one at a time. Maverick even shed one single tear of happiness.
"I can't believe this! I was only expecting Angorita, but look at you guys. You look good!" he said, very happy to see them. He knew they had jobs and that they lived in the city, but with their busy lifestyles, they could barely see each other. This was a special day.

"Go-- I'll stay with them.," Raclaw said looking at Latnok. He offered a reassuring nod; they could still maintain their telepathic communication.

---
*Meanwhile*

Quote:

"What do you mean?," Risar asked raising an eyebrow in concern. "Well-- the egg appears to have been exposed to the wrong elements for far too long. It's not the right temperature to hatch and we're having trouble determining the correct temperature.," he then said looking at Icestorm but quickly shaking his head. "We're gradually warming up and will do main that temperature once we determine its minimum and maximum. Erm.. it's ideal temperature range.," the Guardian then spoke. They didn't want to warm it up too fast, lest they turn it into an omelette.

"Risar understands. So it is only a matter of time-- time and money.," the Minotaur said with the same tone of concern. "Hmm-- it may be a matter of days, weeks, or even months. And don't worry about the money-- we at the Salvation House will care of those matters. After all, that's we're here for. And if you're interested in updates, you may leave your information with us and we will try to get in contact with you.," the Guardian responded taking note of Risar's home address and as a fallback.. the registered name of his ship, The Raging Serpent. With that business settled for now, the minotaur would give Icestorm any time wanted with the egg before departing and passing by several excited children. "Aww.. it's a baby dragon!," one kid shouted. "No, no, no-- don't you remember anything about the legends. That's a Dwarf Dragon, full grown just size small!," another kid said pulling what appeared to almost be a homemade.. playing card? "Wait.. I know this one. I've heard the Guardians mention him in passing before, that's Icestorm!," a third kid said in excitement. "Icestorm. Why can we ever that Fur Dragon show up? He sounds so fluffy!!!," a smaller kid said falling back on the floor as if falling onto an imaginary cloud of fluff. "Come on, come on-- let's meet up with the others. We still have training to attend to.," one of the previous kids finally said as they ran off. It appeared the Salvation Houses had been responsible for spreading some of the rumors in the area; and not just about Raclaw either.

As the due left the Salvation House and soon headed towards the previous museum as requested-- a small sign could be seen next to the entrance and an doorman. "Donations recommended!," the sign said listing different amounts of the major currency for adults, kids above 3, and "Kids under 3 & Pets." Risar handed the man enough Scales for two adults with the man looking at Risar as if the Minotaur had given an exuberant amount. "He's his own dragon, but he's with me.," Risar said with the duo being allowed to enter without further issue. Once inside, a main hallway could be seen with large statues and signs listing the various historical events around dragons; both the 'good' and the 'bad.' However, a sign depicting what looked like the silhouette of Raclaw could be seen presumingly immediately catching Icestorm's attention. It had an arrow facing down another hallway.

Latnok nodded. "Hang tight, then. It'll take me a while to get back to the base, but we should be able to fly back," he said, before stepping off. As he approached the large door, he looked back one last time. "Take it easy. And please do be careful, Sozen. We would prefer not to have to treat frostbite or hypothermia today."

Tyrus gave a good smile. "Ooh, school was great! We learned more about math... and we were reading a book which had this really cool dragon slayer! Oh, and we learned about gears!" he recalled. The food done, Ilasi put the work aside for a bit, to speak with the others. "Welcome back, Maverick dear. Tyrus, Alana, it's good to see you back safe and sound. It certainly sounds like you were quite engaged today."
'Engaged?" Tyrus asked.
"When you're engaged with something, you're busy with it and giving it your attention," Ilasi explained
"Oh. I'll remember that!" Tyrus said.
Ilasi hadn't forgotten what had happened earlier, even if she managed to relax for now. "Maverick, there's something we need to talk about when we're free," she told him. as she directed her body and attention towards him. "Some visitor who knew you. I can explain more later."

Maverick looked at Ilasi with some concern. She wasn't smiling when she said that.
"Alright mi amor. We'll talk later." he agreed, wondering if it was trouble with her family again or something else. There would be time for that. Right now, he wanted to enjoy the three men's visit, since they would have to leave before dark since they all went to work very early in the morning and they lived a considerable distance away from there. He helped Ilasi with distributing the plates and they all ate on the table, needing to get a few extra seats for their guests.

Angora didn't like Tyrus' story about the dragon slayer, firmly believing that sort of education was making things worse for dragonkind and who knows how many other creatures. Whatever happened to the changes the King was going to do? She was about to mention Shade and ask if they ever said anything about trolls when she noticed Alana staring at her.
"No new bite marks?" she asked. Angora wasn't amused.
"What? Do you think I want them on purpose? Wyvern bites are NOT fun!" she scolded. Maverick wasn't liking where this was going.
"Now now Alana, they may look cool to you, but they are painful. Not to mention dangerous. Angora is endangering her life there." Maverick said to his daughter before mentioning the brochures. To avoid listening to the same subject, Angora said she would at least consider it this time.
"You know Veris is going to hate me for that, right?" Angora said, hoping that wasn't the case, but knowing Veris, if there was no hate, there would be most likely some sort of resentment either way.
"Vamos Angora. If he really was your friend, he is going to understand. Don't tell me he still wants you around after those attacks? He should know by now you risk certain death there. Or would he rather have you in danger all the time for the sake of seeing you rather than have you safe?" Maverick asked. He did make sense sadly.

Sand Dune took over the conversation before it could turn into an argument.
"Well thank Orion you at least have your powers protecting you. It can't be easy working at a place like that. Random is a vet assistant but even with all those muscles, he doesn't dare to approach a wyvern unless sedated. So kudos to your bravery Angora. I hope Mr. Sere is paying you well, and may you find another, safer job soon and keep your friendship with the special wyvern." Sand Dune said, raising his cup to cheer. Angora was glad for Sand Dune's interruption. She really appreciated having such good friends.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Soon Shade started to twitch as he winced a little before it slowly went away. “I don’t feel any differently.” Shade said. “Maybe it doesn’t work on me like it does the others.” He then suddenly collapsed as his aura flared but no power could be felt. Shade however twitched more digging his claws into the ground.

Draikon observed, keeping his distance and taking notes.
"Hang in there. Remember what I said. Now, tell me how you feel and try to use some magic. Not your fire though. Dragon fire works on a biological level, unless you're going to tell me it's different with dragolets?" Draikon asked, so far pleased with what he was seeing...

"Good luck. We'll be here," Raclaw said with another reassuring although slightly saddened nod. It was rare that he and Latnok ever put a great amount of distance between them; it was very rare that they ever physically separated enough to possibly render their telepathic connection briefly inoperable. The only time their two minds were 'independent' of each other even if only briefly. "Please take care!," Chester barked not wanting anything to happen to Latnok along the way. The two Canines were now unharnessed from each other once again, although Raclaw hadn't bothered to yet remove his harness.

---
*Meanwhile*
Quote:

Icestorm smiled as the kids recognized him. As they left he chuckled. “Heh it seems the house has made many rumors.” As they entered the museum icestorm saw the reconisable silhouette of Raclaw on the sign. “Say wanna check out that exhibit?”

"Of course. That's what we came here for.," Risar confirmed with a nod as he proceeded to head down the hallway.

"Oh this here is Chester-- We've been together alongside Latnok for years and I consider him like a brother.," Raclaw responded to Sozen's query as Chester jumped on top of the Fur Dragon's head. Chester may have been getting older, but he was still at times just as agile as he ever was. "I know you can't understand me, but he's right!," the currently excited Canine barked in a somewhat slymanner offering Raclaw a playful lick. "He's a Beagle, a Dog-- an Canine if you prefer. Long story short, Latnok and I saved him from a terrible fate and my than traveling companion quickly agreed to adopt him. From there... the rest is history as far he's concerned.," Raclaw then said with a smile looking back at the little dog.

---
Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Let just see how much they know about Raclaw.” Icestorm said with a slight chuckle. “Maybe we can offer some info on Raclaw’s behalf?”

"Perhaps. Although that should be up to Raclaw to decide depending; he should at least know about this place. And Latnok too.," Risar responded to Icestorm's suggestion recognizing that everything else in Raclaw's life was his choice at the end of the day. Raclaw agreed to be telepathically linked to Latnok, Raclaw willingly GAVE his own collar, and Raclaw (as far he knew) had every opportunity to walk away from whatever choices he may have since made. The Minotaur wondered just much of that CHOICE would be reflected in Raclaw's history; the dragon wasn't someone for Latnok to simply capture or collar. They were friends before all else and everything that followed was a natural evolution from that fact. Perhaps they would have to correct a 'fact' or two after all; he feared that Raclaw would be portrayed as a thing and not as a person or the very least an INDIVIDUAL with his own FREEWILL.

As they entered the exhibit, a slightly smaller room could be seen and explored. The room seemed to have to have three walls-- one dedicated to the possible history of Fur Dragons, one dedicated to the current history of the one known Fur Dragon, and another dedicated to visual information in the form of sketches and even an painting. The first thing to attract the eye would be the visual wall, which seemingly included what appeared to be a sketch of a generic-looking Latnok in his full dragonhide armor; it looked like an Guardian but didn't have too much concernable detail beyond that. The second sketch appeared to be that of a younger Raclaw.. posing? It was almost as if he were posing for an registration sketch; the image 'incorrectly' didn't include any collar and was a tad rough in the details. And Finally the painting, which appeared to be of greater detail, appeared to be a somewhat (perhaps 50-75%) accurate painting of both Latnok and Raclaw. The former could be seen in his usual green armor, while the latter could be seen in what appeared to be a brownish-green bandana? And the included riding harness in the portrait (?) was perhaps to be expected by now. Written descriptions could be seen under each image-- "Latnok.. Ardent Guardian", "Young Raclaw.. a clerk's recollection", and "Latnok and Raclaw.. Rider and Mount; an combined recollection."

"It's possible. There's only one way to find out.," Risar responded before scanning the remainder of the walls and reading the rest.

The second thing to attract the eye would end up being the 'current history' wall; which attempted to explain everything 'they' (presumingly being an combined recollection) they currently knew about Raclaw. It described how Raclaw was legally registered about 7-8 human years back and suggested that he was some kind of stray [albeit sentient] 'taken in' by Latnok and the Guardians; similar to how one might find and adopt an lost puppy. The younger Raclaw posing in an adorable manner (if that actually happened) probably didn't help in that assessment, an assessment which both Risar and Icestorm knew to be strictly FALSE. It then attempted to portray the idea that he and Latnok began to develop alongside each other, each becoming 'bonded' to and slowly merging with the other including a possible power set. "Possible powers include the following: Empathy [the ability to sense others' emotions], the Ability to Speak to animals, and an Limited subset of the usual dragon Flame Breath. Other abilities and 'powers' may be possible, but are not known at this current time.," the wall noted appearing to reflect both accurate and inaccurate statements concerning both 'rider' LATNOK and 'mount' RACLAW. To Risar's disappointment, it mentioned nothing of freewill on Raclaw's part and seemed to almost compare him to that of an sentient rideable dog above all else. It also failed to mention Chester in any way or form, the actual dog in their complex/confusing friendship.

And finally the third thing that would attract the eye would be the 'past history' wall; what appeared to be hand copied manuscripts appeared to be attached to and transcripted in an prominent section of the wall. Each manuscript appeared to be written in an ancient almost draconic language, but each had written translations alongside them. "Observation of the Fur Dragon; target appears not to hunt but rather to steal prey from other lesser species. Can hunt if needed but results are less than twenty-five percent successful. Numbers appear to be getting fewer by the year. Possibly hunted either by numerous more powerful species or by fellow tribesmen.," one translation could be read implying that Fur Dragons were endangered even before they were known to be endangered. The wall attempted to describe a history where Fur Dragons once had a successful prey on high mountaintops near volcanic land, but that said prey then went extinct-- destroying their primary food source. And that the species then failed to properly fully adapt to hunting a new prey, instead resorting to 'thievery' and 'theft' of others' prey before later domestication under both humans and an unknown not-entirely human humanoid species. It went on to list fewer and fewer numbers of known Fur Dragons before describing an absolutely depressing 'status' of the species as a whole. "CURRENT CONSERVATION STATUS: Extinct in the Wild.," it read with rather conflicted feelings on Risar's part. He stared at the words for an considerable amount of seconds as he read the words again and again.

After they were done eating, Maverick suggested reading books or telling stories by the fireplace. The trio would rather have some more exiting action, but they couldn't tire themselves before tomorrow, so they chose the latter activity. Plus they already had some fun before coming. As they sat in the living room through a brand new fire and started telling stories by turn, both real and fictitious, Angora approached Tyrus and spoke to him individually.
"So... what about the dragon slayer? And have your school taught anything about... trolls?" Angora asked, not sure what to ask first so she asked both questions at the same time. She has read some of those old children's stories about dragons being mean, princess kidnappers who hoarded treasures that were slain by knights in shining armor. After meeting a few dragons in person, she knew those books were twisted, ridiculous pieces of work that ruined reputations and gave the wrong impressions. It was no wonder humans were exterminating so many creatures if they were growing up with those cruel stereotypes.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Meanwhile with shade.
“It hurts! Get it off me now!” Shade grunted. His tail slammed the ground slightly cracking it. Suddenly Orion’s armor flared to life enveloping him in a white barrier. Shade soon started to calm down as the barrier seemed to have soothing propertys. Eventually the armor faded away and Shade was no longer in any pain. Shade opened his eyes and looked at Draikon. “That’s why I asked to be chained up. Normal hexphage doesn’t do this. What is in that stuff?”

"So this is Orion's power..." Draikon said in awe, not flinching at the brief display and wondering if the armor was suppose to look like that or if it was also being affected by the mutant. If it was the former, he should've known it wouldn't work on Orion's magic.
"It's a mutation of hexphage. It's spores are smaller and should be more effective." Draikon explained, answering his question.

Draikon then proceeded to remove the mutant from Shade's body. It took several minutes since Shade was quite big. The extraction was a success. Shade looked as if no mist was applied to him at all. But after the removal, Draikon proceeded to unchain him, the elderly man looking quite disappointed.
"You are no normal dragon... and not just in appearance. The mixture is suppose to make you feel a little tired, not hurt. Either you're made more of magic than I anticipated or your anatomy is just... strange. Anyway, thanks for your participation. Sorry I have to say this, but you weren't the best test subject after all. I'll have to keep looking." Draikon expressed, still skeptical about Shade being from space, but accepting that he was not the traditional dragon.

Draikon rolled his eyes at Shade calling himself a prince. First he was a space dragon and now he was a prince. He was a dragon with a lot of imagination it seems. He was briefly taken aback when he saw another dragon even bigger than Shade was... except this one wasn't really there. He knew a hologram when he saw one.
"Hello there. Name's Draikon madam. Just needed your son to volunteer for an experiment, but all is well now and he's fine." Draikon assured, preferring to tell the truth but also making sure she knew Shade was fine. While he was also skeptical about Shade's royalty, his mother looked like quite the royal creature herself, although he wondered if she was comfortable with that armor...

"Yes-- let's hope.," Risar said moving back towards the main hallway. "Latnok, Raclaw-- you do know that we will eventually have to tell them, don't you? They may not have every fact straight, but those manuscripts. You could read them.. could you not?," the Minotaur than said not wanting to be (but willing to be) the one to tell them that Raclaw could very well be the last of his kind. It would not be easy. No-- it would not be easy at all.

As they headed back out into the main hallway-- various other hallways could be seen with silhouettes and labels marking each individual possibility. "Galaxy Dragon, Dragolet, Wyvern, Red Dragon, Gold Dragon, Black Dragon, Frost Giant Dragon--," various names could be read, but the only sign that had 'Dwarf Kaiju' listed was an sign stating that the hallway/room behind it was under construction. It appeared that no-one would hear what they wanted to hear today. The various hallways and rooms that were available would list various facts and historys, some accurate/well grounded and others more based off legends or otherwise ancient books. "I'm sorry-- I know you wanted to find answers.," Risar would say patting the Dwarf Kaiju on the shoulder. He would receive no answers, Raclaw would eventually receive the answer he never wanted to hear, and his own species' history wasn't all that better. No-one was a winner today...

---
Quote:

Sozen came closer to Chester and sniffed him. He gave a smile. “Nice to meet you! I’m Sozen.” He said as he layed Down to rest. “So this place here is like a rescue for hurt and abandoned creatures?”

Chester sniffed Sozen back, offering a happy bark in response. "Kind of--," Raclaw spoke. "We help all who are orphaned, downtrodden, or otherwise have nowhere to go. We also help to educate, to empower, and to form bonds.. erm friendships between those who can continue to help and support each other throughout the process. But in short, I suppose you could call us a rescue. If I hadn't found Latnok or otherwise had a home to go to.. this is the kind of place I would've ended up at, where I would've been well taken care of. And Chester here as well if he hadn't managed to escape and find us. And Latnok-- well, let's just say we all have a reason for helping found this place. Latnok, Chester, myself.. we're a team. We help him and he helps us. And this place can do the same for you as well.," the Fur Dragon then said rather quite proud of the place and everything it had managed to do for those in need.

"Agreed. Let's go.," Risar responded soon leaving the establishment with Icestorm.

---
*Meanwhile*
"For now-- just focus on getting better. We can worry about that once Latnok returns.," Raclaw spoke. Having the bringer of winter on their side did indeed bring interesting possibilities, although they were not there to exploit creatures for their own gains.

Latnok didn't waste time - he headed to the base with a run. The return trip would be quicker on account of being able to ride on a wyvern.
After reaching the entrance to the winding mountain paths, he would have to slow down to safely navigate the rest of the way through the base. Hopefully, nothing would happen to startle Sozen while he was gone.

Tyrus smiled, being more than happy to recount the story. "Oh! The dragon slayer! There was some big dragon who demanded a town give him their animals - oh, and a sacrifice of a human or merman every so often! But this dragon slayer showed up when they offered a woman, and he set a trap for the dragon! He waited, and then BAM, he hit 'em with a ballista! And then, he used some magic spells, before engaging the dragon, and he cut the dragon's head right off! The village was saved, and they never had to give the dragon anything ever again! The dragon slayer and the woman lived happily ever after!"
Tyrus recalled the details with glee - but he remembered Angora also asked about trolls. "Oh, trolls! Yeah, they're pretty strong, nasty creatures always looking for smaller, weaker people to kill. Which is why soldiers often have to force them away from settlements! Oh, and the soldiers use magic and bows and long weapons like spears to keep them away, since they're dangerous if they can reach you. Oh, and they also use this poison, that messes up their regeneration, since trolls can regenerate!" Tyrus didn't think anything of the information he was conveying, just eagerly recalling what he learned in school.

Angora hid her hand so Tyrus wouldn't see her clenched fist. She was very angry, but didn't show it in any way. At this point, she was ignoring the storytelling game.
"Well, I don't know how dragons were back then, but I know a few in person, and they are nothing like that. I'm sure your father have told you about Shade, the one they called the Scourge of Redwater. He killed people five years ago, but it was a complete accident, and I'm pretty sure his powers were manipulated somehow." Angora assured, standing by that theory even after all these years.
"We can take you to meet him someday. He may be huge and able to gobble you up in a second if he wanted to, but he would rather befriend you than eat you." Angora assured, now making it her new goal to have Tyrus meet him, and Alana too. She couldn't believe schools were teaching about those horrible fairy tales.

Still ignoring the game, Angora went to the next subject.
"As for trolls... my kind... well, I can't say they are saints. Heck, I even had to escape my own parents who wanted me dead because of my size, but for the most part, troll culture is mostly about ignorance. We are so hated, so naturally, my kind thinks that killing and conquering lands is the only way to survive. Most are still jerks I'll admit it, but you can't stereotype the entire species. My brother was the one who saved me from my parents. He was giant! I mean, he could probably do a hole in this roof if he tried standing up. But you know what? Despite being scary and strong, he was as gentle and they come. He even ate carrion cause he couldn't stand killing other creatures, not even for food." Angora remembered fondly, his brother being the only one she ever loved and the first to love her before Maverick came into her life. She paused for a moment, believing her brother was long dead since his intimidating appearance would prompt anyone to kill on sight. The thought depressed her.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

With Shade.
“I am Queen Zera of the Dragolets.” She said with a nod of her head. “Tell me Draikon what kind of experiment did you perform on him?”

“Mother it’s ok I’m fine. I volunteered myself.” Shade said.

Draikon found perfectly understandable a mother's concern.
"Oh do not fret Milady. As you can see, your son is fine. Good as new. I'm sure that he has told you about the Ishulgites. Well, the hexphage doesn't work at full capacity with them, so I developed this mutant of the fungus. It has been a work of progress long before the Ishulgite war, but naturally, the king urged me to have it ready faster to capture the fugitives more successfully, so I need to perform tests. Unlike the original hexphage, the spores of this one work on the bloodstream, making it quicker and far harder to remove. But don't worry. I have this extract that is especially built to remove it completely while leaving the blood intact." Draikon patiently explained in detail, not wanting the mother to think he has hurt her son despite just using him as a Guinea pig.

"Isn't any good mother is?" Draikon replied, being very understandable.
"A deal is a deal. You weren't the best subject but you behaved. I will try getting your friends permission to visit you very soon... though of course, I can't make any promises. They can be so... stubborn. But I will try. I want to meet them too. Ciao." the elderly man said after trimming his five o clock with his fingers, turning around to leave and letting out the fact that he a,ready met Maverick. Hopefully, he had gained enough of Shade's trust to use him for further studies, especially after he gets free. A dragon with weird powers and extra limbs like a spider or an ant was bound to have many things worthy of investigating...

"Uh..." Tyrus began, "Mom and Dad say the same thing, but everyone else says he's bad, and they tell me about the bad things he did. I dunno... I don't think it would be very good if I met him. We were told to stay away from criminals." Tyrus doubts were a result of his teaching, which, while it had its advantages, could clearly be unpopular with some people.

With Latnok returned to the base, he quickly made his way over to Julian's lab, gently opening the door.
"Welcome, Latnok," Julian greeted, giving a brief wave with his wooden prosthetic arm. "I don't think you're here for casual conversation."
"We have a rather unique creature we left by the Salvation House," Latnok answered. "Injured in a scrap with some hunters. Figure your expertise might be valuable."
Julian set down a vial he had been working on. "Sounds like something worth looking into. I'll prepare some medicine - and maybe we can see if there's anything else we can do to help."

Quote:

Meanwhile.
Sozen noded and rested to avoid hurting himself anymore. He was tired and soon rested his head. Soon enough light snow began to fall but it was warm to the touch.

With Sozen at rest-- Raclaw took the opportunity to lie down himself with Chester lying alongside him. The little dog briefly stuck his tongue out, swallowing some of the snow while Raclaw offered a small smile. Indeed, by now, his telepathic connection with Latnok had been rendered out-of-range and they had only their own earned trust to tell them that Latnok was coming back. And that was enough. Raclaw wondered if some now endangered species such as himself might've had a better chance had places like this existed before now. He still had yet to see another of his own kind and even not knowing the exact numbers; it didn't take much to guess that they were low considering his own luck prior to his collaring/'domestication' under Latnok.

Back at the archives, Huntress went for another visit. She was looking for everything about Armon Blakes. She has become quite obsessed with the pirate, but this time, she wanted to know where it all began. But no matter how much she looked through those papers, there was nothing about Armon's son, only that he had someone he was close to. He really knew how to keep the secret well, and of course, Maverick would never blurt out in those days he was his father. There wasn't even anything about his childhood. The oldest record was from a large robbery of weapons that had just arrived to a small, sea town. They were about to be moved somewhere else when he striked. Despite that being the first crime where there was certainty of his guilt, there were many other unsolved crimes that may or may not have been him. But where else could she look? Was it possible that... her treasure? The one that was confiscated from Armon and brought to her had an answer? Couldn't be. Huntress has seen that treasure many times and there were only a bunch of materials stuff...

Quote: A Guy

"Uh..." Tyrus began, "Mom and Dad say the same thing, but everyone else says he's bad, and they tell me about the bad things he did. I dunno... I don't think it would be very good if I met him. We were told to stay away from criminals." Tyrus doubts were a result of his teaching, which, while it had its advantages, could clearly be unpopular with some people.

Maverick noticed his dear friend and son having an individual conversation on the sofa, so he left them out of the game to talk in peace. Alana noticed the, too, and while she was curious on what they were talking about, she wanted to be part of the game to show off her storytelling skills to the trio of cool men. Whatever they were talking about, she would find out later. Sand Dune, Random and Opium let them be too.
"Look, I wouldn't encourage you to meet him if he wasn't friendly. I told you, what happened before was an accident, not an act of malice. Thanks to much hard training and Orion's very own magic, the out-of-control-powers is a thing of the past. Or are you just afraid he'll eat you?" Angora asked with a raised eyebrow, almost as if teasing him for believing that ridiculous book. She was afraid such stupid literature taught at school would stain his mind. Not all dragons were good for sure, but she didn't want Tyrus to grow fearful of them. She had to do something. He was still young and could still be saved...

"Well, uh... I just... I'm just not sure, that's all," Tyrus answered reluctantly. Tyrus had never seen Shade, but so many people had bad things to say about him. But if his parents and Angora were okay with it... they wouldn't want him to get eaten, would they? Unless Alana was the favorite...

Though it took a while, Latnok eventually returned, taking a ride with Julian on a wyvern. They opened the large doors gently, in order to avoid startling Sozen.
Once they were in, Latnok closed the door behind them, as Julian approached Sozen to begin analyzing him. Latnok wasn't too happy about the snow, but it wasn't too bad right now, so the objects in storage would be okay for the time being.

After a while, Draikon has returned to the solitude of his laboratory, scaring away some children after he caught them spying through the window.
"Are all human parents this neglectful?" he wondered, unable to comprehend why would they let their children spy on a stranger, or at least a neighbor. What he did was none of their business. He has done great services to Aelinon. The least he asked for was for some peace and privacy. Not so much to ask for, was it? It didn't matter. It was time to analyze his writing. When Shade was distracted with his mother, he grabbed a loose scale from the ground, certain it would be an amazing object of study once the hexphage mist was ready.

Quote: A Guy

"Well, uh... I just... I'm just not sure, that's all," Tyrus answered reluctantly. Tyrus had never seen Shade, but so many people had bad things to say about him. But if his parents and Angora were okay with it... they wouldn't want him to get eaten, would they? Unless Alana was the favorite...

"No pressure. You don't want to do it, it's fine." Angora assured, not wanting Tyrus to feel forced, but really wanting to help erase the fear. Since Alana was done with her part of the game, curiosity got the best of her.
"You two seem like you're having a fun conversation. I want in." Alana said, feeling a bit jealous.
"I was just talking to Tyrus about meeting Shade. You know... the... black dragon." Angora said, not standing the nickname Aelinon had for him.
"Oh. Him. Mommy and daddy speak about him quite a lot. Good things. Others though... well, not even sure what to think. But if mommy and daddy says he's good, then he must be." Alana stated, doubting her parents would lie about something like that. Why would they? Alana looked more open to meeting him, which relieved Angora.
"He really is nice. He's bigger than a wyvern, and scarier, with some extra limbs like a spider and a deep black color,, but his personality is NOTHING like his appearance. He's really just a gentle giant who only wants friends." Angora assured, wanting to make sure they were ready for his appearance to ease the scare. She really felt like she had to do something about their school. If that was the kind of thing they were teaching, it was no wonder the people grew scared and biased towards creatures like her and Shade.

Julian momentarily stopped his approach. "I am Julian," he answered, "an Adjudicator in the Ardent Guardians. I work in the field of research, medicinal research more often than not. I heard you were a rather unique creature, so I am here to help figure out any potentially unique solutions you may need. Now, what is it that ails you? Where are you hurting?" Julian once again began approaching, more slowly this time, so he could inspect whatever spot Sozen pointed out.

Tyrus figured that Alana would show little caution - she never was one for that sort of thing. Still, he figured that the only way the two of them would be going to see this Shade was with their parents, and there was no way their parents would allow any harm to befall them... hopefully.
"Well, if he wants friends... maybe we can write a letter?" Tyrus suggested. "I mean... we know our letters and words way better than the rest of our classmates. I think it can work. If he can read. Ooh, how do we introduce ourselves? 'Dear Mr. Scourge, how are you? My parents and Angora know you, so maybe we can be friends.'" Tyrus spent the next few moments pondering words to follow, already anticipating the sort of answer he might get in response.

Raclaw, as Julian inspected Sozen, kept an empathic 'eye' on the strange new creature-- ensuring that they could keep the Ice Bird's emotions in check or at least be aware of any sudden changes. "Don't worry, he's a friend. He's helped me on more than one occasion.," Raclaw gently spoke attempting to reassure Sozen. Meanwhile, Chester remained nearby ready to help comfort or support anyone who needed it.

In his laboratory, Draikon was doing the necessary tests. Neither the sprite or Shade were good enough test subjects, and the only way he would be able to test it on an Ishulgite was if he encountered one by chance or weak enough to try, but knowing the Aelinonians, they weren't going to take any risk. A Guardian? Nah. They were much too proud, and Draikon wanted someone who wasn't a Guardian but that hopefully would have some of Orion's magic within them. And then it came to him... Maverick. If he convinced the faun man to come, he could take advantage of the moment and tell him it was just part of a test. The troll also had Orion's powers for what he heard, but he didn't feel entirely uncomfortable with them... alive that is.

Shade wasn't going to like him performing experiments on his friend, but it was for the greater good. If Maverick didn't come tomorrow, he would just have to find another way to convince him. But Draikon trusted he wouldn't need to resort to that though. With his plans settled for tomorrow, it was time to work on the today. Having no subjects to test the new hexphage on, Draikon proceeded to study Shade's scale after trimming his five o' clock obsessively, almost excited to see what kind of dragon the famous Scourge of Redwater was.

Quote: A Guy

Tyrus figured that Alana would show little caution - she never was one for that sort of thing. Still, he figured that the only way the two of them would be going to see this Shade was with their parents, and there was no way their parents would allow any harm to befall them... hopefully.
"Well, if he wants friends... maybe we can write a letter?" Tyrus suggested. "I mean... we know our letters and words way better than the rest of our classmates. I think it can work. If he can read. Ooh, how do we introduce ourselves? 'Dear Mr. Scourge, how are you? My parents and Angora know you, so maybe we can be friends.'" Tyrus spent the next few moments pondering words to follow, already anticipating the sort of answer he might get in response.

"Um... I don't think you should be using the word Scourge in it." Angora recommended, knowing Shade also hated that nickname so much. She didn't like the idea of a letter, but at least it was a step in the right direction.
"You can just use his name." she suggested. Alana would rather meet him in person, but knew he was way too restricted, otherwise she was certain her parents would've let them meet him sooner.
"A letter. That's a good idea Tyrus... although Angora is right. We shouldn't use such rude nickname." Alana agreed as she grabbed some papers and a pen for herself and her brother, imagining how offensive such a name was for Shade, especially if he was as nice as Angora and her parents said he was.

It made Angora happy that at least Alana looked so eager to meet her huge friend, but as she prepared to write, that soon changed.
"You know, I wonder what'll happen if he does decide to eat us. Would he chew us up? Cook us? Or just swallow?" Alana asked with morbid curiosity, with Angora face palming hard.
"Not you too! Haven't you kids been listening!? Shady would rather eat a rotten onion than a potential friend! What have they been teaching you in that school? I swear...!" Angora said, clearly upset. Now she had no doubts she really needed to have a word or two with whoever was in charge of the education system. She couldn't allow innocent minds like this pair to be tarnished like that.
"Take it easy Angora. It was only a joke." Alana assured, though Angora wasn't so sure about that.

Tyrus had heard Shade referred to so often by the nickname garnered by his infamy that he didn't stop to think about it. "Oh, you're right. So just 'Shade' then. Okay..." Tyrus was beginning to regret this idea, as it was evidently creating opportunity for Angora to become frustrated. "I won't ask Mr. Shade if he's eating anyone. I think I'll just ask him how he's doing."
That line of thinking made Tyrus pause for a second in apprehension. "Is that okay? I don't think prison is a nice place. It's where bad people go so they can be useful to society. But he's not bad, is he? Do you think he would mind if I asked him how he was doing?"

Angora realized she was taking her anger out on the kids, so she took her time to calm herself.
"Yeah. It's alright." Angora said in a more gentle tone. She was afraid on what Alana was going to write, but thankfully, it was a very polite letter too.
"Listen kids, I'm not saying you should trust every dragon, just like you shouldn't trust every troll..." she emphasized before continuing.
"Just saying you shouldn't judge each and every single individual of certain species just because the rest of society does. I have known you two since you were babies. More than enough time to get to know someone. Shade is in prison because of an accident, not for malice. Your father and I travelled with him for almost a year, and look at us. Alive and well. The only risk you have from him is getting drooled with so many affectionate licks." Angora explained, knowing Shade was going to adore these crazy kids as soon as he met them, especially once he knows they are Maverick and Ilasi's children.

Although Maverick had been focused on bonding with the three men he barely saw, he took the occasional glances towards Angora and the kids. His little friend seemed rather upset, but they didn't look like they were arguing. He knew Angora loved the kids, and whatever was making her have that face, he was certain it had nothing to do with them.
"Well now, isn't it nice that lady Angora is getting along so well with the tykes? She is such a sweetheart. And you two are really the luckiest pair. You have each other, you have beautiful children, dear friends, this house, a good job, even a dirt buffalo loyal to you. You guys really have it all." Sand Dune praised, even feeling a bit jealous.
"You Maverick are my hero. You had such a hard life, yet look at you now. I already have a job. Now if only I could land myself a beautiful honey like that..." Opium started to say, being slapped on the back of his head by Random before he went too far. It was an entirely common scenario between them by now, although deep inside, he wished the same. He really believed he could have a chance with Huntress, but after all these years, he wasn't so sure.

Angora's constant reassurance made Tyrus much less apprehensive about the whole experience. "Okay. I hope we can meet Mr. Shade one day, then," he replied as he penned his letter. "You know... if someone is good for long enough, they get to leave prison after awhile. I wonder if Mr. Shade will be released soon?" Tyrus had little knowledge of the specifics behind Shade's imprisonment; only that he killed many people and was imprisoned for it and pressed into servitude.
Meanwhile, Ilasi blushed slightly at the compliment. She didn't exactly feel comfortable receiving such a compliment in Maverick's presence, but knew Opium well enough to figure he didn't mean any harm by it.

Julian carefully moved around to reach the parts of Sozen's body he indicated. He saw the bandages and gauze used by Latnok in order to patch up the wounds. "We're going to need some strong medicine for those wounds," he said after analyzing them, "and we're going to need to set that wing right so it heals properly. It might be more bearable if we put you into a deep sleep before we get to doing that - would you be okay with that?" The Tree of Vitality provided potent healing ingredients, but naturally, some rest was still required for such significant wounds. Latnok couldn't help but see the similarities between the current meeting and an appointment with a veterinarian.

After studying Shade's scale and carefully statching away the hexphage mist, Draikon fed the sprites he kept for experiment and went to his roof to see the stars, who were already showing despite night not being quite there yet. He had great knowledge of the constellations. How heavenly it was to look at the sky, to feel the chilly wind,enjoy the freedom and fly...

Quote: A Guy

Angora's constant reassurance made Tyrus much less apprehensive about the whole experience. "Okay. I hope we can meet Mr. Shade one day, then," he replied as he penned his letter. "You know... if someone is good for long enough, they get to leave prison after awhile. I wonder if Mr. Shade will be released soon?" Tyrus had little knowledge of the specifics behind Shade's imprisonment; only that he killed many people and was imprisoned for it and pressed into servitude.
Meanwhile, Ilasi blushed slightly at the compliment. She didn't exactly feel comfortable receiving such a compliment in Maverick's presence, but knew Opium well enough to figure he didn't mean any harm by it.

"And he will one day for sure. He'll be free." Angora assured, knowing it was going to be a time to celebrate when the time comes. Alana was eager to meet Shade already.
"Sounds like he'll be fun to meet. I can hardly wait!" Alana exclaimed, figuring it was going to be an unforgettable experience meeting a dragon in the flesh. She has only seen wyverns flying in the distance, but it wasn't the same at all. Angora took the letters, promising to send them to the post office tomorrow since it was going to close early, plus she didn't want to miss the time with her former cellmates.

Maverick brought some board games after a while in case their guests wanted to play, but they chose to keep talking. There was so much to talk about. They all had such interesting jobs, but Random's was the most fascinating, though the main honor, along with the most dangerous, still belonged to Angora. At least Veris was no danger to her, at least on purpose, although it made the trio sad to know Angora wasn't as lucky with the other wyverns.

Everyone spent an awesome time together, catching up with what they've been missing. Random even let Tyrus and Alana hold on each arm to lift them and show them how strong he was. Although they were very light to begin with, so it was no trouble. It was really a sacred moment to them, and Sand Dune regretted the fact that they had to leave soon. They really should try visiting more often.

Julian gave Latnok a questioning look, with Latnok nodding in answer indicating he accepted such a condition. With that, Julian cast a spell which caused a very slight pushing and pulling on Sozen.
"Just getting a feel for your weight," he said as he reached into his pouch and withdrew a flask and a graduated cup, carefully measuring out a red drink that smelled of berries. Carefully, he brought the drink over to Sozen's mouth.
"This is a soporific that should put you to sleep in a few minutes," he said. "Now, just open your mouth so I can give this to you..."

As the children enjoyed themselves, their good mood spread to Ilasi, who was feeling much better than she was after the visit from... Huntress, it was. She remembered she still had to speak to Maverick about that, however - but for now, she would indulge in the company of her friends and family. She was grateful that the three former pirates had time to stop for a visit, and the children really seemed to like them.

Before going to sleep, Draikon had a meal full in meat and protein, much of it as a matter of fact. The few who knew him knew he ate a lot, but always maintained a slender appearance. Exercise? Or maybe one of his strange mixtures was keeping him in shape? Despite his services for Aelinon, Draikon was still a very mysterious man, though many didn't dwell on his private life. Draikon was very knowledgable but quite antisocial, so most people let him be.

Quote: A Guy

As the children enjoyed themselves, their good mood spread to Ilasi, who was feeling much better than she was after the visit from... Huntress, it was. She remembered she still had to speak to Maverick about that, however - but for now, she would indulge in the company of her friends and family. She was grateful that the three former pirates had time to stop for a visit, and the children really seemed to like them.

Just as the trio got ready to leave, Maverick convince them to stay a little longer so he could cook something for them. They couldn't say no to that. They remembered his meals well and there was no way they would miss such a chance. Since they were in a hurry, Maverick prepared one of his easiest meals, yet no less delicious. It wasn't exactly the same as in back in the ship, but it it still had the Maverick touch. After serving his family and guests, Random seemed to be saying something in sign language.
"Oh wow. Angora, Random is saying that he helped attend a behemoth the other day, and they were talking about you." Sand Dune translated, quite in awe. Behemoths weren't creatures that got sick or injured easily, but they did suffered from infections from time to time. Angora scratched the back of her head.
"Well, I am kinda friends with one of the behemoths. Ironically the same one I faced in the arena. I gave him a peace offering afterwards, and... well, he does kinda like me I think." Angora said nervously, a bit upset that the subject was brought out so suddenly, and not by her.
"A behemoth!? You never told me that Angorita!" Maverick exclaimed, wondering why Angora would keep something like that.
"Easy Maverick. I don't visit him that often. Not sure if we are friends per se, but believe it or not, behemoths are surprisingly polite... when they're not trying to kill you of course. None of them have ever attempted to attack me. They do like to annoy me, but I think it's because they like seeing me angry." Angora believed, not finding any other explanation on why else would they like pestering her.

Alana listened with a noticeable glisten in her eyes.
"A wyvern. A dragon. Now a behemoth!? Wow Angora! You're friends with every scary creature in existence!" the girl exclaimed in complete exitement, admiring Angora even more. How did she do it? She has heard from many sources that trolls were quite hated creatures, yet Angora, a troll, could befriend both people and big, scary creatures. Maverick wasn't thrilled with the information, but didn't want to come up as an overprotective worrywart and decided to just trust Angora.