darkSpyro

Alana looked around, seeing if there was something she could use to distract the guards. Then she remembered she had something of importance to her; the slingshot. There were some loose pebbles around the courtyard like prison, so finding something to throw was a breeze. But what should she aim it at? Hmm... there wasn't much to go on. There were some food barrels nearby, but she doubted a simple little pebble would be able to tip them over. She kept looking... perhaps if she hit them? No, too risky. If they saw what hit them and the direction of the pebble, she would be tracked. What to do?

The little hybrid then saw her chance when she spotted a rat trying to get into one of the food barrels. She carefully removed a small grain from a rice barrel, and she waited for the guards to turn their backs on her before using the slingshot. She threw the grain near their feet so that the rat would fetch it, and it worked according to plan. She didn't expect it to work, but the poor rat seemed desperate. If the guards were afraid of rats, they would likely leave. If not, she had to think of another distraction...

The guard in question took a quick look at the rat before conjuring an icy blast in one hand and launching it at the rat. The rat struggled as it was drastically crippled, before an ice shard from the guard put it out of its misery.
The guard looked slightly less bored after the brief distraction, as he continued to man his post. Hopefully wouldn't be too long before the galuds relieved him...

Alana rolled her eyes, unable to believe how miserably her plan failed. They could've just, slapped the rat away. They didn't need to kill it. She was starting to feel bad for the creature. But she didn't have the time to feel guilty over a rat. She had ran out of ideas. Now what? As Alana felt ready to give up, she then noticed where she was sitting. It was a barrel that said "Scourge's food." This was it! It had to be her chance. But then she wondered... was it really a good idea to hide inside a barrel full of dragon food? So far, it was the only option she had. Besides, this was Shade, and according to Angora and her father, he would never eat people, and was very kind. She simply had to make sure that as soon as the barrel was delivered to his cell, she would come out and greet him.

Still unaware of Alana's little escapade, Angora retreated back into the house, determined to have a good night's sleep. It was a nasty nightmare about her parents she had the last time, but she felt peaceful enough to trust there would be no nightmares tonight. Maverick going away had her pretty stressed though, and there was the matter of that scientist... and telling Veris she was planning to quit. One thing was certain; the next weeks weren't going to be easy on her.

Time slowly passed as the (human) guard waited for his relief, until a small group of galuds - much more suited for the night shift - arrived, along with the other human guards who were spread out over the particular section throughout the previous shift. A passdown between the two shift leaders noted that no unusual events occurred around the prison that day - the slight disturbance Alana made apparently not being anything even worth mentioning.
In addition, the shift noted that the Scourge was soon to be fed - apparently beef was the food brought in for that meal. The guards would continue talking about smaller matters for a few moments before the humans left to go home. It would almost be time to feed Shade...

Angora went to the guest room to sleep, finding it a bit strange that Alana didn't return to talk to her or get a snack. But she didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so she decided to call it a day. At the prison, Alana remained hidden. The smell of meat was almost too much for her. Even though it wasn't rotten, it was still a strong scent. The day went by so slowly. For how long did they keep this dragon without food? Time went by... slowly. Little did Alana know nightfall would soon be upon them. Before it did, she soon fell asleep, with her shirt over her nose to prevent the smell from overwhelming her. She only woke up when the movement of the barrel became apparent. Wait... for how long she was asleep? It was time for the Scourge of Redwater to eat. As the barrel moved, Alana was prepared. She had to pop out before Shade took a bite, but she also had to wait for the soldiers to leave or they would see her... if they left. She didn't want to believe they stayed to see Shade eat. That would be boring... right?

The search for the fortune teller proved to be futile. That afternoon, Maverick learned about what made the fair special. It was always a different location each time, and very few managed to know where it would head next. Usually those who lived near where the fair was going to be next were the only ones that attended, and while spreading the news was relatively easy, the fair would close before those who lived far from the location could visit it. Maverick was one such individual.
"Lo siento señor Leoquin. I didn't know it was going to be so difficult." Maverick apologized, figuring that if they tried to find the fortune teller each day, it would practically be a wild goose chase each time. And in a big city like Redwater, who knows where it would turn out next. Why would a fair operate that way? He could understand changing locations every week or so. But each day? Wasn't it much easier to just remain in the same location for a while? What a bunch of eccentrics those fair people must be.

Knowing that they couldn't postpone the trip for too long, Maverick accepted the high possibility that they might never find this woman, so they had to rely on her vague reading and crewmates to make their mission a success. Without any more delays, they might travel as soon as tomorrow. Leoquin was left with the decision of whether to stay at the inn near the port where Risar and company would stay, but Maverick would rather spend the night with his family, since he wasn't going to see them for a while likely after tomorrow.

Shortly afterward, one of the galud guards picked up the barrel containing Shade's food, with the effort more strenuous than he had anticipated. "Why the hell is this thing so full today..." he muttered to himself as he managed to get the barrel up, supporting the load on one of his shoulders. "Damn Scourge doesn't deserve this much..." Though the portion did seem unusually generous, it wasn't his business to question how much Shade was fed - that was decided by the folks in logistics, above his paygrade, and was likely a result of some use or other they had planned for the prisoner.
Bringing the barrel to Shade's cell, he set it down between the bars - which were big enough to allow such a thing to fit through, but much too small for a creature like Shade - before kicking it down, causing the lid to come off and a bit of the beef to spill out on the ground. "Guess someone out there wants to see you fat," he said sarcastically. "Don't choke on it all, now." Without saying anything further, he left to do a routine patrol around the area for the start of his shift. There would be a significant window before the sentries would be back to check on Shade - perhaps ironically, keeping eyes on him wasn't a huge priority, as any disturbance he could possibly make in an effort to escape would be very obvious to anyone remotely near the area.

Alana put her hand in her mouth, almost snickering when the galud complained about the extra weight. It's not like she weighed a lot, did she? What a wimp. These were the so.diers in charge of the prison? Things were stopped being too funny when she heard the way Shade was treated. She knew he was a criminal, but come on! It never hurt to be kinder to anybody, especially someone like Shade, whose crimes were accident according to Angora and her father. When the barrel fell, some of the beef fell on top of her, increasing the smell. She retreated further into the barrel when she finally took a closer look at Shade. She didn't want to be afraid of him, but seeing him in the flesh was far different than hearing about him.
"Wa...it..." she said in what sounded like a chirpy whisper, afraid that Shade would start eating before realizing she was there. Good or not, Shade was one scary dragon. He looked like a giant panther... crocodile... spidery thing. He was obviously small compared to a behemoth, but he looked bigger than the wyverns the soldiers used...

Maverick returned home, receiving a big hug from Angora when she heard the door.
"If only I could go with you." she lamented, Maverick knowing she meant it, but she had a job she couldn't leave just yet. Angora said that the children were likely asleep since she hasn't heard a peep from them, so Maverick decided to let them be. If Ilasi was awake, she probably heard the door as wel, so Maverick stayed with Angora in the living room to talk a little about the future, especially her worries and his trip. Eventful weeks awaited...

Even though Alana knew she shouldn't be afraid of her father's friend, she couldn't stop shaking. All those stories about dragons killing people for the heck of it. But Shade took the time to talk to her and realize she was there, so there was no way he was like the dragons in those stories.
"Hey... Sh...ade. I'm... Alana. I'm... Maverick's daughter... you know... your fr...iend." Alana introduced herself, being a bundle of nerves. She wanted to believe it was because she was excited, but she was actually terrified. She hated herself for feeling that way, believing those stupid books got her too paranoid to have a proper conversation with her father's giant friend. It didn't help that she was covered in his food.

Huntress was ready to call it a day as well, but not before going to the mail clerk she trusted to see if there was any news about Maverick. Nobody knew about his journey yet, but one of the mail carriers saw him and overheard him searching about the Hide and Seek fair.
"Why the heck would he want to go to a place like that?" Huntress wondered, never having visited the fair even though she has seen it once or twice. Too childish she believed. Unfortunately, the mail carrier didn't know why Maverick was looking for the elusive fair. Huntress, as usual, wanted to believe he had an ulterior motive to search for the fair, since asides the rides and prices, it had stores and a few information tents. The clerk believed he was simply looking for a place to take the family, but Huntress still believed it was some foul play. Luckily for the clerk, Huntress was too tired to argue, so she would look into the matter later.

Alana was hoping for Shade to be a little more happier than that, but knew he had a point.
"Yeah... about that. I didn't... think I would get this far. It's already dark now, so... I don't think I can sneak out." she pointed out, knowing it was harder to sneak by when galuds were involved. Not only did they have a stronger sense of smell, but they could see in the dark far better than humans. Even with her heritage, faun and merfolk eyesight were not that different from humans, so her view was pretty much normal.
"But... maybe through the roof? I mean, there are a few spaces I can use. You could... throw me upwards and I can use the loose stones to slide against the walls carefully. I just... wanted to see you." Alana explained, glad that she could think of something quickly. She was becoming less afraid of Shade, but he sure looked terrifying the darker it got.

As Maverick stayed in the living room with Angora, he started making a list of the things he wanted to do tomorrow before he left. One very important thing was to let the three former pirates, Sand Dune, Random and Opium know that he would be going away, and now that they knew where he lived, they could visit his family often to make sure they would be alright. It really was a relief to have friends like that crazy trio. Not only that, they were former pirates just like himself, so knowing the fact that there are pirates out there looking for redemption and a second chance in life was a very refreshing thought.

Alana couldn't wait to show off the scale to her brother, but while she was happy with the gift, she was also disappointed. So many attempts to sneak into the prison to see him, and now that she has finally succeeded, he was dismissing her so fast. But perhaps it was for the better. Not only would she get her parents in trouble, but if it was found out that a little girl like her could sneak inside a supposedly very protected prison, it would likely double enforce the security, but might also motivate the prisoners to try escaping. And of course, it would mean trouble for the guards. Alana was not exactly fond of soldiers, but she didn't want them to lose their jobs.
"Alright. Alright. Just eat a little so they won't suspect a thing. Then... hide me. Pretend to be pacing while you take me to this ladder." she suggested, stammering less the more she talked to Shade. She waited for him to eat a bit while hiding from the guards doing their rounds. The good thing about smelling like meat that it masked her own scent, and the smell would make the galud guards assume that it was simply Shade's food. This was quite the adventure, but if her parents or even Angora had noticed she was gone, she knew she had to be prepared for a major scolding...

Ilasi wasn't ready to go to bed just yet; she would perhaps spend a little more time reading, or perhaps sorting out all of her medicinal ingredients. Maverick himself looked a little occupied with his own thoughts for the moment, so Ilasi wouldn't bother him too much. "Don't forget to review and assemble all of your records for the tax collectors," she reminded her husband.
Business owners in Aelinon, or those who operated finances on behalf of businesses, were, by law, required to keep a meticulous record of every transaction made, and these were verified and checked for inconsistencies several times a year by accountants. Though one could hypothetically attempt to try to evade taxation by omitting or misrepresenting transactions, tax collectors and auditors had become more effective and thorough at their jobs over time; the risk of an inconsistency that couldn't be explained being found compared to one's other records during an audit, or a contradiction being found in the transaction records of others, was so great that a scant few considered it worth the potential prison time, especially considering that any visible sign of wealth accrued as a result of such misdealings would need an explanation that could be verified, or at least justified, one way or another.

Maverick nodded, almost forgetting about that detail.
"Correcto mi amor. I better do this tonight or I won't be able to sleep well thinking about that." he commented, remembering how dumb he was the first time with the taxes. Living in any city was bound to have their government have their fair share of earnings. Maverick would also need to mention he was going to be away for a while, so his stand was going to be empty for the time being. He didn't remember if he left a note, so he would have to go tomorrow and check.
"Yet another reason why humans make everything so complicated." Angora said as she watched him, glad she was not a business owner. And since she was technically a pet, she didn't have to go through any of it. Plus despite her job, her affiliation was more with the Guardians.

After Shade was done eating most of his beef and putting the scale in her little purse, Alana waited for the galud guards to do another round of watching before using the dragolet's body to hide herself and exit the premises. She waited until their backs were turned, and for Shade to give her a little impulse. Using a crevice, Alana soon found herself in the roof of the prison. The skies were clear but quite chilly. Now she had the hard task of trying to slide through the wall and get to the ground, which was easier said than done given that she was all slippery with meat.

With Alana on the roof, it was all a matter of finding out how she would get down. The answer came for itself when she slipped. Thankfully, she managed to get ahold of one of the protuberant stones from outside the prison. The meat still stuck made her slip again though, but while she fell, she was closer to the ground now, which was soggy from some days ago. That was one way to get down.

Without injuries, Alana left, using the foliage nearby to hide from any potential galuds patrolling the surroundings. She still smelled like meat, so that could help her once more to disguise her scent. She couldn't linger there for long though, but she couldn't also stay smelling like Shade's beef. She doubted any potential wild animals were around so close to the prison, but what about loose wyverns? Not that she has heard anything of the sort ever happening in Redwater, but there was a first time for everything. She headed to the lake Shade talked about, but after she washed herself, she didn't know where she was. It was no trouble, since she could always ask a soldier, galud or otherwise for directions, and if they questioned why she was all alone and lost at night, she could always say she got sidetracked picking up flowers or mushrooms. They were often busy with other things, so a little girl that simply needed some directions to get back to the right track was likely not going to be a big deal for them.

The following days allowed Latnok to prepare for the journey ahead. Delegation of duties for the Salvation House; handing off of the egg to Julian to care for and analyze; and requisitioning of the magical technology from Vellune that he felt would prove useful. Sozen had proven to be in good health in the time, and though he still had some time, was projected to be on a solid path to recovery.
With all of the smaller business taken care of, it was time to rendezvous with Risar. He and his companions had woken up that morning, primed to go after a nice meal. Leoquin was already waiting for the others - gods knew how long he had been waiting for this opportunity to manifest.

Alana returned home that night after some directions using the secret entrance in the guest room. Angora was alseep, and so was her brother. Her parents were likely in their bedroom too given the door was closed, so with a wide smile, she knew she has gotten away with her little adventure. She decided to keep Shade's scale hidden for a while though, avoiding the temptation of showing it off to Tyrus since she knew he would tell on her.

As the days passed and kept her sneaking in a secret, Angora was getting ready to head to work again. Maverick has stayed home for longer than he anticipated, although he didn't mind since it meant more time with his family, and whenever the kids went to school, he would invite Ilasi and Angora to help him look for the fortune teller, although each time was unsuccessful. The only time they were close was when the fair was starting to close, and he was denied the chance of talking to the woman. The original plan of bringing her along would have to, once more, be scratched off.

A couple of days earlier, when the kids were at school, Draikon visited the household yet again not only to convince Maverick to give him that blood sample, but to know when would Angora leave and where would the Guardian taking her to the base would pick her up. He found it fascinating how such an unlikely duo were friends, but Angora still found him creepy, and the usually meek Maverick was getting tired of his insistence. Maybe he should just go to stop him from pestering them, but right now, Draikon seemed more interested in Angora and her relationship with the wyvern, so when it was time to leave, Draikon punctually arrived to go with her so that he could also be taken to the base. Angora knew she had one heck of an explanation to give to excuse his presence...

Julian hadn't expected Sozen to willingly offer his services, though he supposed he couldn't be too surprised that the creature would attempt to pay back the help he received. "Well, we're still trying to get a good idea of how to take care of the egg," he said. "Perhaps the touch of a living thing - like a more natural incubation - might facilitate things, but beyond that, I can't particularly say." Perhaps there was some merit to the idea, however.

When the Guardian questioned Draikon, he showed the special card that identified him.
"Don't worry my good man. Everything is fine. See? The royal seal. I work for Aelinon. I'm just a humble scientist that needs to talk to your leader." the older man assured, and while the Guardian was skeptical at first, close examination of the seal revealed it was the real deal. Why would a scientist want to talk to Godfather Sere? Perhaps he was interested in the way they breed wyverns for battle? Nevertheless, it wasn't in his place to ask a noble employee of the nation what he was up to, so he took scientist and troll to the base.

It took around half an hour of flight to reach their destination. Angora wanted to keep an eye on Draikon and see if he would ask her something, but he didn't say anything, wanting to leave the questions for after he talked to Sere. The Guardian went to his office, needing to wait for a little while for his boss to be less busy.
"Godfather Sere. My apologies for interrupting, but there is a gentleman here to see you. He's one of Redwater's scientists. This is his card." he said, putting the small piece of paper in his desk. In it, the name Draikon was the biggest word, with no last name. Below said Official Aelinonian Scientist, with the king's seal on the center. On the other side, there were several names of the sciences he practiced, such as Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, among others. Draikon did sounded like a man of vast knowledge.

Sere analyzed the card, not being familiar with Draikon; despite the connections the Guardians have had with Aelinon, the latter's inner workings weren't a concern for the Guardians besides the leadership they dealt with. "Certainly seems qualified. Send him in. I hope this is regarding a different topic than the last envoy..."
The Guardian complid, coming back out for Draikon. "Godfather Sere will see you," he said. "He said he hopes this is regarding a 'different topic', so don't get your hopes up if you know the topic he's referring to... But go ahead."

Different topic? Now what could that topic be? Has someone asked for Angora? Or the wyvern? Regardless, Draikon intended to go along with his plan. He entered Sere's office without concern, while Angora headed to the wyvern storage to bring a little gift for Veris like she usually did. She had a feeling Draikon would want to see them together.
"Godfather Sere. The leader of the Guardians. A pleasure meeting you at last." he said politely, always wanting to maintain manners no matter how he felt about certain people.

He took just a brief breath before continuing.
"Now I know you're a very busy man, so I'll get straight to the point. You might not know with certainty, but you have... a scientific wonder in your little base. All I want from you is permission... well, that and a proposition. First of all, I want to see your tiny troll employee with her wyvern friend in action. Nature's most obvious and blatant predator and prey interacting without fighting? Seeing is believing for a scientist such as myself." Draikon commented with great calmness to hide the fact how angry he was that a scientific breakthrough like that troll was being treated as a mere employee, and a job that could, on top of that, kill her at any moment. It was as if someone finds an extremely rare blue lobster and decides to cook it instead of exhibiting it. He still didn't believe that a friendship between a troll and a wyvern could exist.

Sere slightly raised an eyebrow in a look of skepticism. "Observing Veris? Is this a more roundabout attempt at having Veris sire wyverns for you? Because, as I've told the other envoy, that goes beyond the scope of our cooperation, and will not be happening for any sum of money." Sere wasn't exactly surprised that such a person would know about Angora's work with the Guardians, if that were the case - that would be something he would be briefed on as a potential conversation topic. As far as Sere was concerned, the interaction between Veris and Angora was about as significant as any other caretaker interaction; he didn't see what scientific interest one could possibly have in observing it.

By this time, Huntress knew about Maverick's journey... and she was quite furious. She and her mail carriage informants wouldn't be able to see his every move... unless... perhaps it was time for the minotaurs to request a new buccaneer...

Quote: A Guy

Sere slightly raised an eyebrow in a look of skepticism. "Observing Veris? Is this a more roundabout attempt at having Veris sire wyverns for you? Because, as I've told the other envoy, that goes beyond the scope of our cooperation, and will not be happening for any sum of money." Sere wasn't exactly surprised that such a person would know about Angora's work with the Guardians, if that were the case - that would be something he would be briefed on as a potential conversation topic. As far as Sere was concerned, the interaction between Veris and Angora was about as significant as any other caretaker interaction; he didn't see what scientific interest one could possibly have in observing it.

Draikon scowled, wondering if Sere understood anything at all. Didn't he just hear him?
"Sire wyverns? Sir, what part of my request gave you THAT impression? I have no interest in such a thing. In fact, I'm more interested in your troll. A supposedly bloodthirsty creature with a genetic condition, that can talk fluently and not in third person, who knows magic on top of that?" Draikon specified, wondering if Sere misunderstood his scientific wonder comment with Veris. Did other scientists came for him specifically and not Angora? What idiots! Veris was surely a very interesting wyvern if he managed to have her as a caretaker for so many years without eating her, but he wasn't the one he wanted. He saw enough wyverns in his lifetime as it was, many times as sadist as their masters.

Since Sere looked clueless, he decided to get to the next point to see if it will get his attention more.
"I'll be frank with you Godfather Sere. I don't believe a troll and a wyvern can be friends... which is why I want to see for myself how their interactions are. But... after my observation is done, I want to buy the troll. I can even pay you extra if necessary. It shouldn't be any trouble. After all, how long do you think she can last here anyway? Five years I know about that much, but have you seen her bite marks? Not even her magic was enough to avoid those. For all we know, the next bite could be to her neck. Or can take her head off. Or what if it's your own wyvern that decides it has had enough of her and she doesn't dare to defend herself? It would be a huge waste for science if a creature like her dies." Draikon said bluntly, wanting Sere to know beyond a shadow of a doubt what his real intentions were. He wanted Maverick, but now, he wanted Angora as well. He spend too many years trying to prove that certain creatures, including trolls, weren't the bloodthirsty monsters everyone believed them to be. He didn't want to let Angora die as shameful wyvern food and miss such golden opportunity.

Sere was still a bit skeptical, but decided the man was at least worth hearing out and taking seriously until he had some more reason to believe otherwise. "I apologize - but we are not Aelinon, which still, in this day and age, considers certain sapient species to be chattel rather than people. I do not own Angora, and cannot sell her. She is bound to us by a contract for her work - and once that contract is expired, she is free to go her own way if she does not wish to re-sign. As for her safety - Angora has endured much worse, and has proven herself to be quite resilient. Scratches and nips in her line of work are not anything particularly new. I give you permission to observe their interactions; that's as much as will happen right now, however."
Sere wondered how a man with those credentials could find so much interest in something so mundane, to him at least - but then he recalled that many scientific advancements were the product of diligent observation of the mundane. Perhaps this was along those lines - the man was certainly a scientist.

Draikon was disappointed by how little Sere apparently thought of Angora, but knew he had to be grateful for having the opportunity to see this so called friendship the troll talked so much about.
"I thank you for the opportunity sir. And I hope that, someday, you'll be able to see the light. Be better than Aelinon, and treat other species as sentient beings worth caring for and integrating into society, or better yet, leave them with a home. I've seen many deaths, many genocides, many exterminations. Many displacements done in the name of conquering and expansion by people like Aelinon. Treating those they fear or misunderstood as slaves or things to get rid of. Fauns... they weren't even violent and look what happened. I trust you'll have the... integrity to make the right choices and prevent such a tragedy from every happening again. Now then, I'll take my leave." Draikon said calmly once more, sounding more like an activist than a scientist. He knew Guardians helped people and certain creatures, but just like Aelinon, they had no trouble slaughtering creatures like the so called chattel. And their services weren't cheap.

After spending a while trying to find the perfect meat for Veris, Angora chose a large loin of pork. She headed to his enclosure, and could see in his board that his last caretaker has already given him lunch, so with that and the snack, she didn't have to feed him again for some time.
"Hello hello Veris! Look who's here! Ooo, and look what I got!" she greeted with a smile as she entered his enclosure, the wyvern looking as healthy as mighty as ever.

"I don't know what potential 'tragedy' you're implying, but I hope you aren't trying to accuse us of anything," Sere cautioned. "Any issues you have outside of our own ranks should be taken up with your government. Besides that, I'll have one of our men direct you to the wyvern pen."

Veris, who was slouching around previously, immediately lit up and animated, giving Angora an excited smile. "You're back!" he said as he licked his snout in anticipation of the food he would be receiving. Thoug he had just eaten, a little more couldn't hurt...

Julian nodded in agreement with Sozen's suggestion, before shaking his head ins adness at the tragedy. "I'm... sorry to hear that. My condolences," he said. Was that perhaps why Sozen was interested in this project - a sense of father hood he never got to experience?
"I'm willing to listen, but you don't have to tell me more if you don't want to... " he said. "As for this device, I'll meet with Vellune to discuss the plan - he should be able to design some magitech 'nest' or the like. I don't know how long it'll take him, but I know he can get it done."

Draikon shook his head, once again disappointed on how badly Sere misunderstood. He heard from some Redwater guards he was likely over one hundred years old, so it was no wonder he was this way.
"Who said anything about accusing? I'm just saying we should learn from the past." Draikon specified, wanting Sere to know he wasn't accusing him of anything. If he knew an ounce of faun history, he knew the tragedy that befell them, and as far as anyone knew, Guardians weren't involved with their extinction. The organization probably didn't even existed back then, but such information Draikon didn't research. They were guilty of many other things though, but there was no point in discussing that. He already had other plans, and his first priority was study the unique bond between wyvern and troll...

Angora threw the meat into the air, watching as Veris caught it and practically swallowed it whole. He always looked more interested in getting food down his throat than taking the time to salvor it.
"Perhaps I spoil you too much." Angora said teasingly as she poked his belly, almost as if making fun of him. She didn't want to overfed him too much and get him used to it, which is why the meat wasn't particularly large. She wondered if Draikon would even get permission to visit the wyvern pens to watch them considering how strict Sere was. But if he did, she hoped Veris treated him well. He wasn't the kindest when it came to strangers, except when they were caretakers.

Veris rolled over in contentment, giving Angora the opportunity to reach him wherever she was feeling at that particular moment. His demeanor changed to one of curiosity, however, after picking up an unusual smell; putting his nose to the air, he sniffed and focused a bit harder.
"A human. A new human. An outsider - not living here with my human and. Someone new working here? But everyone is here today..." Veris said, unsure as he was trying to deduce the origin of the new smell. Without an immediately reasonable explanation, he became slightly wary.

"Yes... your help will be needed with this," Julian said. "I'll call Vellune here, and he and I will work with you to find a nest design that will work best for you and the egg. When we're done here, I'll summon him, provided he isn't too busy with anything else."

Today, Redwater would be receiving two interesting guests. Misty the Whale finally arrived to her destination... with her two precious cargo. They arrived to an empty beach, with the city of Redwater clear in the distance. The children had used a map that was once in Sergeant Farlo's possession. Unlike merfolks, sirens couldn't transform their tails into legs, so the satyr girl would be all alone.
"Please... don't do it." the siren boy would beg his friend, but they have already come this far.
"I have to. No turning back now..." she said, donning a large pair of pants and shoes to hide her satyr features. She looked quite ridiculous and not too ladylike, but she at least looked like a human. The siren boy was beyond nervous, but couldn't persuade her. He gave her a whistle sirens used among each other as help callings, which also worked on land. Moment of truth now. The girl knew she had to be careful, since she wasn't going to turn back...

Quote: A Guy

Veris rolled over in contentment, giving Angora the opportunity to reach him wherever she was feeling at that particular moment. His demeanor changed to one of curiosity, however, after picking up an unusual smell; putting his nose to the air, he sniffed and focused a bit harder.
"A human. A new human. An outsider - not living here with my human and. Someone new working here? But everyone is here today..." Veris said, unsure as he was trying to deduce the origin of the new smell. Without an immediately reasonable explanation, he became slightly wary.

Angora forgot about Veris' sensible sense of smell, so she immediately explained.
"Easy Veris. It's just a scientist with much curiosity. He's interested in... well, us. He doesn't believe in our bond, you know. I doubt your master will give him permission though." Angora stated, wanting to warn him just in case Veris got too upset. But before Veris could reply, Angora would soon put those doubts to rest when the Guardian showed Draikon the way. Their voices could be heard. He requested to be left alone to study the pair, but the Guardian warned him that he would remain nearby in case something happened. The wyverns weren't too fond of people that weren't them or caretakers, so he had to remain cautious.

As Draikon passed the other wyvern cased, some growled at him, but a few others retreated into a corner, afraid. Behemoths didn't like him, and neither did wyverns, so this was nothing new to Draikon. He glared at the growling wyverns, unwilling to put up with their primitive caution. Once he reached Veris' cave and saw him and Angora together, he was quite fascinated.
"Well well, you're probably the only troll in existence that managed to get this close to a wyvern and... heh, well, not get eaten." he said, almost as if it was funny to him.
"I told you we were friends! Now are you satisfied?" she asked Draikon, finding it despicable how he seemingly watched their bond as some sort of joke.

"Well, even nature has it's exceptions." Draikon said after a while.
"Let's see... oh, I see now. The famous wyvern. Godfather Sere's personal mount, and for good reason. Same colors as the night, more spikes, even a more defined head, showing more intelligence than ordinary wyvern. And willing to bond with a troll, maybe ridiculized by his fellow wyverns for bonding with... well, someone like you." Draikon declared, wondering if Veris even knew that his species should be considered trolls as food.
"Please sir, you already saw what you wanted. I'm his friend and caretaker. That's all there is to it." Angora insisted, not liking Draikon's demeanor. The scientist didn't say anything, instead watching Veris with a raised eyebrow. This beast was quite interesting... but he was still a beast for him...

Veris returned Draikon's gaze with his own. Angora and the human who brought the odd man here seemed to be okay with him, so he probably wasn't dangerous... still, Veris was curious as to why the man was interested in them in particular. He just came here to... look, without even so much as bringing a snack.
"What should we do?" Veris asked Angora in his uncertainty. Though the human didn't seem dangerous, Veris wasn't ready to let his eyes off him just yet.

"I'll have Vellune here in a bit," Julian said to Sozen. "We should be back within the next hour or so." With that, Julian left - he and Vellune would draft up a prototype design to show Sozen, before asking for further input.

Angora responded telepathically.
"Just do everything I say. Let's show him that our friendship is real." she replied, wondering if Veris could understand Draikon's words or if he was simply confused as to why the man was really there. As Draikon took notes, one of the first things he realized that Veris wasn't being aggressive to him or afraid, just naturally cautious, a sign of his intelligence.
"Not yet. Tell me miss Angora, how did you first earn his trust? With food I presume?" Draikon asked, not ready to leave. Angora was almost certain she already told Draikon that in Maverick's home, but wondered if the man himself remembered.
"Well, yes. It was a peace offering, but it was enough to slowly gain his trust." Angora explained, as Draikon took notes and Angora responded to each of his questions.

Each question was normal and harmless curiosity, but the last ones really angered Angora.
"It seems that you two have a very weird bond indeed and that you care about this... mount. But tell me, does HE care about you? How does he feels about those bites? Doesn't it bothers him that this job can kill you? Or better yet... would he still care about you if you didn't spoil him so much?" Draikon asked with a raised eyebrow, with made Angora's blood boil.
"I can take care of myself! He's aware of the risks, but has also defended me from his wyvern friends when he can, and doesn't care if the others treat him different for being friends with me! If I spoil him is because I want to, not because he forces me!" Angora replied in a loud yet relatively calm voice. To further prove their bond, Angora did something more drastic. She ordered Veris to lower his head and open his mouth.
"Forgive me. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but it's important for him to see how much I trust you." Angora whispered to the large wyvern, entering his jaws.

Draikon was not amused. The tension increased between scientist and troll.
"Will you get out of there!? You're not training for a circus act!" he scolded, furious that Angora would do a stunt so foolish just to prove a point. Veris could easily devour her without even trying, and Draikon didn't want to witness the death of such a valuable creature.
"Well? Now are you satisfied? See? I trust him with my very life, and it's really insulting how you doubt it so much. As you said, nature has it's exceptions, and Veris has enough intelligence and empathy to befriend someone like me. A much hated troll." Angora stated firmly, even if she knew what Draikon was so concerned about. She still didn't know if Veris knew wyverns preyed on her kind in nature, but she didn't even care anymore if he knew or not. She was certain it wouldn't make a difference to him. As she quielty warned Veris she would get out now, she wondered if Draikon's mind was too scientific to comprehend such a bond. After all, a wyvern and troll being friend was likely unheard of around the entire world...

Veris was extremely careful as Angora entered his mouth, still remembering the time he believed he accidentally ate her in his sleep, and was much relieved when Angora left. Though the others did permit the human to be there, Veris was sensing Angora's agitation following Draikon's admonishment, and his dislike for this new figure was beginning to reflect in a more guarded mien.
"This human is not good," Veris concluded. "I do not trust him. Why is he becoming aggressive? The human should stand down." Though Veris knew the amount of aggression he was allowed to show in return was limited, that didn't mean that he was forced to be careless.

Angora touched Veris' wing to calm him.
"No worries Veris. He's a little upset, but he's not aggressive." she assured telepathically, knowing Veris had to had control of his negative emotions, especially with another human. Draikon raised an eyebrow, knowing very well Veris didn't like him, much like the rest. Not that he cared of course. After taking more notes, he spoke again.
"Well then, I commend you for being able to befriend a wyvern of all creatures. No other troll could hope for such a feat. But of course, this wyvern has proven to be quite intelligent and know what is the most convenient to him. Now then... I have one last request..." Draikon said, still doubting there was a genuine friendship there, which really upset Angora. Nevertheless, she listened to his request; which was for her to show him her room.

Draikon waited for Angora to escort him to where she slept and stay whenever she worked there.
"I'll be back Veris. As soon as I'm done, he'll leave and you can be calm again." she said, talking this time, in a low voice. She then took Draikon to her room, which didn't surprise him how small it was.
"So... this... closet is what you call a room. I see. So, not only are you working on a deadly job where you're belittled by both Guardians and caretakers, but you accept living in this... hole. How low your self esteem must be to have this shameful work." Draikon commented, Angora containing her need to yell at him.
"It might not be the most ideal job for everyone, but I'm paid very, VERY well. Veris adores me, even if you still doubt it. And with the money I win, I help Maverick and his family. I even make a donation to the prison so that Shady can be well taken care of." Angora explained, and while Draikon still didn't like the idea of her working here, it was quite noble the way she spent the earned money.
"Tell me... does the wyvern knows you'll be quitting your job?" he asked, making Angora flinch.
"Well, no, not yet. But I'll find the moment to... let him know." she assured, but Draikon shook his head.
"Oh no no! It's better that he doesn't know. I can see he is very careful with you, even when you're doing stupid stunts like that, but with everything you explained to me and based on his behavior, I can conclude that he believes you are the most convenient of caretakers regardless of your species, which is why he keeps you alive. Others would just throw food or ignore him, but you... you spend much time with him. You give him extra rations, exercise, let him out, you have made his life VERY comfortable. I have studied wyvern for a long time, and I can assure you, they are prideful, vengeful creatures. So stop to think a moment. How do you think he will feel when he find out you, the one who makes his life so comfortable, is about to leave and he ha to say goodbye to that convenient life?" Draikon started to say, but Angora covered her ears.
"NOT tell him? Are you crazy!? I can't just disappear on him like that! That's much worse! I will tell him in the right time." Angora assured, but then a heated argument emerged between the two.

The fight lasted for a while, with one of the caretakers passing by hearing some of it. He was bored, so he eavesdrop for a while.
"Will you stop being an IDIOT!? Can't you see I'm trying to save your life? Maybe you're not as smart as I thought!" Draikon could be heard saying, with Angora yelling to the point that some of her words couldn't be understood. She wanted to avoid yelling, but Draikon pushed her to the edge. He waited for her to calm down before speaking again.
"I can see now there is no reasoning with you. I saw everything I wanted to see, so it's time for me to leave with my notes. But listen well little missy, you're the pioneer of a better life for trolls and other creatures. You were pardoned in the arena, allowed to live in society, and have work and a salary. You... made history. You could be the chance of a better future for many... so try to survive. My job offer still stands. Let's hope this Veris beast really is your friend." Draikon said calmly, leaving, with the caretaker hiding. That was a very serious argument. He took a peek at the open door, and saw Angora was on her knees with a lowered head, not noticing him. Like many, he was very indifferent to Angora, but even he was starting to feel sorry for her. He wondered what was the deal with this guy.

Meanwhile--
Quote: A Guy

The following days allowed Latnok to prepare for the journey ahead. Delegation of duties for the Salvation House; handing off of the egg to Julian to care for and analyze; and requisitioning of the magical technology from Vellune that he felt would prove useful. Sozen had proven to be in good health in the time, and though he still had some time, was projected to be on a solid path to recovery.
With all of the smaller business taken care of, it was time to rendezvous with Risar. He and his companions had woken up that morning, primed to go after a nice meal. Leoquin was already waiting for the others - gods knew how long he had been waiting for this opportunity to manifest.

Raclaw and Chester woke up-- the two intrigued and excited about the journey ahead, and who/what they would potentially find. In the same days.. Risar and crew prepared, making sure the ship was well stocked and perhaps more importantly, getting a decent 'dog' bed for their two canine guests. The trader who had previously owned the Raging Serpent had a couple larger cabins for certain VIP guests, so the Trio of human and canine-like individuals would have a sizable room for Raging Serpent standards. It wouldn't be no broom closet...

The ship would leave between today and tomorrow depending on how settled the supply was, but Maverick already had everything ready. It's not like he needed heavy luggage though. The hyperspace bag was more than enough to carry everything he needed. The kids were already at school and he was helping Ilasi with lunch.
"I'm going to the port after we eat to see if everything is ready. Try not to worry mi amor. I'll be back soon. Los señores Sand Dune, Random y Opium will come from time to time to visit you so you won't be alone. And if I'm not back before Angorita has her weekly break, she can keep you company too." Maverick assured, knowing that Ilasi and the kids will be fine without him, even if they miss each other too much. He already gave Ilasi his bank account in case she needed some extra money for anything, even a few whims.

That noon, the minotaurs received a most unexpected guest, but her appearance wasn't what was so unexpected of her. Determined to be on the journey, Huntress kept the previous promise to herself about keeping an eye on Maverick more directly. Insisting too much, one of the minotaurs told her to wait while he talked to their leader.
"Me pardons captain. There is this human. A woman that wants to be part of the crew. She tall and skinny. Looks frail, but many weapons she has. Huntress she call herself." the minotaur explained, finding the woman quite beautiful, but in no way up for the maritime life. Huntress didn't even say if she had any experience at sea, only that she knew how to use her weapons very well. The minotaurs were great in combat, but they hoped there wouldn't be any need for such skills in the journey ahead.

Quote:

hat noon, the minotaurs received a most unexpected guest, but her appearance wasn't what was so unexpected of her. Determined to be on the journey, Huntress kept the previous promise to herself about keeping an eye on Maverick more directly. Insisting too much, one of the minotaurs told her to wait while he talked to their leader.
"Me pardons captain. There is this human. A woman that wants to be part of the crew. She tall and skinny. Looks frail, but many weapons she has. Huntress she call herself." the minotaur explained, finding the woman quite beautiful, but in no way up for the maritime life. Huntress didn't even say if she had any experience at sea, only that she knew how to use her weapons very well. The minotaurs were great in combat, but they hoped there wouldn't be any need for such skills in the journey ahead.

"Hmm--," Risar thought out loud wondering why someone of her description would want to join his crew, presumingly because of their destination or some other reason than work alone. "Send her up please.," the minotaur captain responded willing to at least listen to the request all while keeping multiple factors in mind including but not limited to their current *more unique* guests this journey, such as Raclaw.

"Hmm-- I'm listening, friend.," Risar said very much taking the dwarf keiju's thoughts into account. He had to admit; it was nice having the company/roommate and of someone to whom he had once gone on a great adventure with ala their previous journey. And for as long as Icestorm wanted it to be; Risar would never force any decision or living situation on anyone even if the small 'dragon' was almost pet-sized.

Risar offered a nod in response.