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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Feb 2, 2014 3:43:51 GMT -5
Sunlight was just starting to make its way around the mountain which towered above all others in the vicinity. The peak's view over the land of Moros painted a picture of tranquility, granting a calming reprieve from the tension that plagued its native three tribes. A lone green dragon sat peacefully on the edge of the cliff, watching the light of the star Peroces, or Eho as the planet's inhabitants generally referred to it, claim more and more of the landscape.
"It's such a shame," thought the dragon aloud, "that the immense beauty of this planet is so often overlooked amidst the strong desire its civilizations have to control it."
She stood up patiently, turning to face the sunrise. In its way, built on the absolute highest point of the mountain, stood a mighty twenty-foot stone statue in the image of one such civilization; the one whose existence puzzled Bellia the most. They appeared to be closely related to her own species, although assuming a more humanoid shape and mostly lacking in her kind's inherent magical abilities. One trait that the Eho did seem to share with dragons, however, was their belligerence, amplified further by their unique, zealous worship of the deity from whom they got their name.
Bellia seated herself on a stone slab underneath the statue of the Conqueror, a religious figurehead said to have lead the first wars against the neighboring tribes of Jemento and Triff thousands of years ago. "I suppose that's one more thing we have in common," Bellia sighed, "our tendency to honor above all else the strongest and most ambitious among us... ironic how the things that make up our common ground are the very same as what drives us apart."
The sun continued taking its precious time, unaware of the obstacle which delayed its presence. Bellia watched the top of the statue's elegantly-crested head, meditating on the nature of intelligent life as she waited for the sun to poke out from behind it.
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Post by Digizel on Feb 2, 2014 4:33:22 GMT -5
The sun was beginning to rise, bathing the land around him in a bright orange aura. The red dragon had begun walking around the general vicinity of this mountain for almost a half hour at this point. Well, a half hour that he was used to at least. The dragons still didn't have the best sense of time on this strange planet as far as he was aware. Then again, they rarely ever told him anything these days. Now, it was to the point where he had to go out exploring every morning on his own, without some larger, older dragon breathing down his neck.
That very thought was what led Auron, a somewhat young red Fire Dragon, up toward this mountain. For the last few mornings, he had spent time looking around the general area around where his group of dragon companions had set up a small settlement. Now that he was somewhat familiar with the nearby territory, he had decided that today would be the day to explore that large mountain that had been visible all this time. He had never been there himself, so this was sure to be an interesting experience. Perhaps he'd even get to meet one of these other mysterious draconic inhabitants that the others had been talking about in person for once....
"Here we go..." Aurmon mumbled to himself as he climbed closer to the top of the mountains. He had since elected against flying around, just in case an early riser from his settlement saw him up here. Then they'd surely bring him back down where he supposedly belonged. However, the climb was proving more challenging than he had expected and he was already tiring himself out. "I better find something up here soon...." he grumbled. "Ugh, maybe they were right...maybe I should take that stamina training seriously once in a while...."
Finally, however, Auron managed to find a more even landscape...clearly more flat than the rest of the mountain. He climbed upward and managed to pull the rest of his body up to it and he allowed himself to collapse. His softer-scaled belly pressed against the ground and he allowed his head to rest upon the stone in front of him, panting to himself for a few moments. Just a few moments to catch his breath was all he really needed.
But his moment of rest was quickly interrupted when he realized the presence of another individual nearby. For a moment, he froze where he was, unsure if this other dragon had seen him yet or not. He looked across the rocks and saw a giant statue of a draconic-looking creature of some kind, but at the foot of it was the other dragon, this one green. At first, he couldn't help but wonder whether or not it was one of these creatures that he had heard about. But no, after noticing the subtle differences between this dragon and the statue above her, this one was clearly a standard dragon like himself. The only problem was...he didn't recognize her.
So for now, he just stayed there on the ground, staring at Bellia in a slightly awkward manner. And if she had yet to take notice, that was likely to remain unchanged for a few moments more while he thought about the whole thing.
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Feb 2, 2014 5:02:24 GMT -5
A soft plopping noise broke the otherwise perfect silence, snapping Bellia out of her trance. She was hesitant to turn around and look at whatever had just scaled the mountain. After all, if it was an Eho, she didn't want them to know that she was prepared for the inevitable attack. When she heard panting rather than an angry shout, however, she knew that the newcomer probably didn't have the strength to do much right away regardless.
Calmly, she craned her head to get a good look, and was astonished to see a dragon much like herself, yet one whose identity was a mystery. She knew every member of her own camp personally, so seeing someone completely new set off a raging spark of curiosity. Adding to that was the fact that this perfectly winged dragon had climbed the entire mountain on foot, and completely alone despite his obvious youth.
"Well, hello there," she greeted casually, as though talking to a long-term acquaintance. "Looks like you've had quite a rough climb. Have you come to enjoy the sunrise?" She didn't want to reveal too much about herself right off the bat, and she certainly didn't want to appear threatening in any way. Instead, she waited to see how the stranger reacted.
"Have a seat if you wish," she invited, patting the empty slab next to her. "This statue was put here for a reason." This was a somewhat subtle prompt in the hopes that she could spark a conversation about the statue and its meaning. Learning the newcomer's opinion of it would tell her quite a bit about him, perhaps even open up a new point of view.
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Post by Digizel on Mar 12, 2014 22:08:00 GMT -5
When the other dragon called out to him, Auron quickly jumped to his feet just as quickly as he had allowed himself to fall over. He brought up his guard rather quickly, but...something about the other dragon's demeanor stopped him. She seemed much more casual and relaxed than he would have expected from meeting a stranger like him in such a supposed hostile environment. Besides, even if she had acted with more hostility toward him, he probably wouldn't be able to put up as much of a fight as he would have liked to after climbing for such a long time. So as much as he hated to say it...playing it cool was probably for the best here.
After a moment of silence in weighing his options, he decided to keep it cool. As long as his strength wasn't called into question, he should be able to avoid picking a fight. It was certainly going to be a lot easier with somebody he didn't know rather than the other dragons back at his home camp. Especially considering that this one wasn't simply jumping at the chance to make fun of him or calling him a runt or anything of the sort.
...Hopefully, at least.
"...Hey back at you," Auron replied at last, half-heartedly raising his hand in a pathetic attempt at a wave of some kind. But when she asked him about his reason for coming, he suddenly felt the need to show off a bit. "Sunrise? Nah, not me. I just climbed up here to explore and find some place to do some training by myself. I'm not one to brag, but I'm gonna be the strongest dragon that ever lived one day." As he spoke, he put his hands to his waist and puffed his chest out slightly with pride. O course, he was nowhere near that point yet, but he wasn't about to tell her that.
When the other dragon mentioned the statue, he let out a small, "Hm...?" and craned his neck back to look upward at the statue. "Oh, yeah I guess," he replied with a bored, uninterested tone. "But who really cares? All it is really is just a big rock that looks like a dragon."
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Mar 12, 2014 23:11:17 GMT -5
Bellia smirked slightly at the younger dragon's proud declaration of his goals. She couldn't help but find his ambition somewhat endearing, next to his small size. In fact, she almost pitied him. She knew her own race well enough to infer that this dragon probably took a lot of poor treatment where he came from. "You certainly have the motivation for it," she complimented. "Though it looks like you have a long road ahead of you yet, judging from how you seem to have handled the mountain climb."
She noted the newcomer's lack of interest in the statue. "You wouldn't be incorrect," she agreed. "All this amounts to is a giant, carved rock. But to its creators, this rock is much more than that. Take note of its positioning and size. When seated before it, the sun rises up from behind it every morning, as though the figure itself brings forth the day. This mere rock has been transformed into a symbol of how time is sacred; how every day is a gift, and it is not meant to be taken for granted.
"It's quite ironic, actually. The culture that worships this image believes that they must strike down their own brothers and sisters and seize the land for themselves, when they don't realize how it was a gift to all of them. To be shared." As she finished, the sun was just beginning to shine over the crest of the statue. She glanced over at Auron, mostly to check if he was still paying attention. She was perfectly willing to show him patience if he didn't want to listen, and in fact, she half-expected that. "Much like how we're here, sharing this moment right now."
Bellia was perfectly aware of how eerily romantic that sounded, amplified by the fact that the two of them didn't even know each other's names yet. This was in part because she wanted to break up the seriousness of her reflections, but she also wanted to test the waters and see how the other dragon reacted to such a statement, especially if he hadn't been listening before. If so, this was sure to snap him out of it.
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Post by Digizel on Mar 13, 2014 2:28:10 GMT -5
At Bellia's comment about his strength and stamina, he couldn't help but blush slightly in embarrassment. The worst part was, of course, that he knew that she was absolutely right. "Hmph," he grunted, crossing his arms and looking away for the moment. "I bet I'm far enough along to beat somebody like you if I wanted to." He then rolled his eyes as she continued to speak. After mostly ignoring the other dragon for a short while, he sighed. "I mean geez, just listen to you. It's just a carved rock to us. Who cares what some other people think of it? What does that have to do with us?" He paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No, never mind, don't answer that. 'Cause I'm sure you were just about to."
But what really struck him was her last sentence, causing his eyes to widen for a moment and for his blush to return. "Wh-what did you just...?" he muttered, suddenly taken aback. "Are...are you coming onto me or something?" He then lifted one of his claws and pointed at Bellia accusingly. "I-I mean, I barely know you...a-and really, I'm not even sure I like you all that much."
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on Mar 14, 2014 2:48:24 GMT -5
Bellia couldn't help but admire the fire dragon's confidence. She wasn't about to dispute his claim that he could beat her, though, for fear that he might take that as an actual challenge. Thankfully, she had other ways to test the stranger's composure, and just as she had estimated, Auron already started to buckle under the uncanny pressure Bellia had pulled out of nowhere. Her curiosity was piqued. How far could she take it?
She gave a slight, inviting chuckle, her eyes becoming almost wistful as she grinned. Of course, it was all an act, but Bellia's various tests and experiments left her with a certain knack for stretching the perceptions of her subjects, or at least inciting a second thought. A little manipulation in the name of science never hurt anyone. "Maybe I am," she replied coyly, edging ever so slightly closer to her subject. "Outward impressions can be... deceiving. No matter how deep you look into something, there's always another layer just underneath, waiting to be discovered. Perhaps we can explore each others' layers... together?"
She could only manage to stare into his eyes for so long before the illusion started to waver. Suddenly, she burst out into laughter, unable to contain it any longer. She barely managed to keep herself from doubling over, calming down to a soft, perpetual giggle. "Sorry," she apologized. "I couldn't resist. You make it too easy!" She cleared her throat, stifling the laughter long enough to continue. "Barely any of that was sincere, as you have hopefully deduced by now. But, I do legitimately find you interesting. Perhaps we can be friends?"
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Post by Digizel on Mar 14, 2014 3:12:42 GMT -5
Auron was getting more and more confused by the second. His mind wasn't just...playing tricks on him, was he? This green dragon that he didn't even know was actually flirting with him right now, wasn't she? Was there something about him that was just really that physically endearing to strangers? He wasn't about to doubt that he looked pretty damn good, but this was a reaction that he had never gotten before. But perhaps it was simply because everybody around him knew him since his birth...? This was a strange situation he had found himself in. He had never had a girl dragon fall for him before. It actually felt kind of nice. But it was her words that were really pressing on him.
"H-hey now...." he mumbled, with clear uncertainty and nervousness in his voice. "I-I don't think I want anybody exploring anything I have just yet." He clearly hadn't quite completely grasped what Bellia's actual words meant. He watched her for a few moments longer, and he took a step back when she even began to slowly move closer. "I mean, I can't blame you for liking what you see, b-but..."
Before Auron could continue any further, however, the other dragon suddenly burst into laughter. He gave her a look of utter confusion, his face still slightly blushing from the flirting. When she finally calmed herself down and explained that she had only been joking, his blush deepened quite a bit more. He was humiliated by the fact that he had allowed himself to become her play thing like that. Thank goodness that no other dragons were around to see this.
When asked if they would be friends, Auron let out an audible growl and clenched his fists, still angry about being tricked. "Y-you little...!" he growled at her. "I oughta just knock you out for leading me on like that! Why the hell should I be friends with you?"
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Post by Blahsadfeguie on May 28, 2014 15:53:21 GMT -5
Bellia continued to giggle, even as Auron threatened her. It was clear that she was not afraid of him or even about to take him seriously. She was simply having fun with someone as she was getting to know them. "Why should you be friends with me?" Bellia repeated. "The question we should be considering is, why shouldn't we be friends? A few harmless jokes is hardly a reason to hold a grudge. And from what I gather..." She looked the other dragon up and down, sizing him up. "You could afford to make a few friends. No offense, of course, but I can't imagine they're treating you well where you come from. I understand it must be hard for you there." Her tone was sympathetic, almost motherly. However, she realized only afterward that it could be taken as condescending to someone as confrontational as Auron appeared to be. Bellia hoped that her words would reach the young dragon, as she had no intention of fighting him.
And even if the subject didn't stick, perhaps she could still get some information out of him without provoking him. Bellia wasn't about to press any further, but she hoped that the last part of that statement might entice Auron to talk about where he came from if nothing else. She hadn't seen this dragon before, and she knew that this planet did not have dragons until her clan arrived, leaving only a handful of possible explanations as to how this one got here. It didn't seem too far-fetched for a neglected runt to sneak on board their vessel before liftoff and hide out in the cargo hold or something, then run off and find a secluded place to live alone on the planet when they got there. Although, to go the entire journey without being found would have taken a lot of patience and luck, neither of which this dragon seemed to have. Hopefully what he said next would give her some kind of hint as to whether she was on the right track.
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Post by Digizel on May 28, 2014 19:56:12 GMT -5
Auron raised a brow, giving Bellia a questioning look. What even was this dragon made of, exactly? Was she really alright there in the head? She didn't even seem to care one way or the other that he was threatening her and was, instead, looking to become friends? Who even does that?" But when the green dragon started eyeing him up and down, clearly sizing him up, he braced himself. Because he was fairly certain he knew exactly what was coming. And sure enough, there it was. Well...partly. He had expected a simple insult about his apparent strength, but instead he got something else; something that he felt he should have been offended by given the fact that she added the "No offense" to...but he wasn't even really sure how to take her words.
"Well I don't need your advice," Auron grumbled back in response, folding his arms against his chest. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, though, and it seemed like his hostility toward her had diminished, if only slightly. He thought back to the camp of dragons that he had left behind as the stranger mentioned things being rather difficult for him. "...Well, maybe it is," he muttered. "I mean, the others don't even seem to think much of me. But I know that once I get strong enough to beat them, things'll be different."
It was at that point that he stopped. "Hey, wait a minute!" he growled a bit, glaring at her, pointing an accusatory claw in her direction. "Just what are you getting at here? Don't pretend like you're all concerned or caring about some stranger you just met!"
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