<font color='#A8A8A8'>Quarter: Tessera Day: 34 Year: 81377 The day was an almost unusually appealing one. The sun was shining luminously overhead, and the sky was a charming concoction of intricate, colorful patterns. A pleasantly chilly breeze curled about the surface of the lake, creating rippling effects that were relaxing to behold. The very atmosphere was intoxicatingly delightful, even to the characteristically somber 'dragon staring dreamily into the enchanting waters of Magi Lake. With a sort of contented sigh, Kiku allowed his pale gaze to lazily meander over the small ripples and light waves that graced the surface of the water, some of them reaching far enough to twist about his stately paws. A strange emotion was twinkling within the depths of his usually grim, dull eyes; what was it? He knew what had caused it, of course. It was the infectious, beautiful day, the sensation of the breeze beneath his graceful, ebony wings. The feeling itself, however, was that much more difficult to decipher, especially for Kiku. It was something he had never experienced, something he could never have possibly known. He felt like a child, experienced the joy of being blissfully carefree for the very first time. Grinning inwardly, Kiku unceremoniously dropped into a laying position, playfully rolling over upon his lithe back, a drastic change from his traditionally refined state. He could feel a sort of spiritual warmth coursing through his veins; it was one of those moments in which one could relish the thought of being alive, gloriously alive. He lay lazily in silence, his eyes growing heavy, a euphoric grin etched charmingly across his wolfish maw as the smallest waves continued to lap gently about him. Nothing could possibly ruin this moment, he mused, allowing his eyes to close fully as he basked in the ecstasy of the instant.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>///OoC\\\. I see you're new. Welcome! Wonderful post, by the way. I'm Rika. And if you drew that lovely thing down there.. well you rock. ///BiC\\\. //. The day was, in a single word, wonderful. The sun hung in the sky without a care, shooing clouds away as though they were insects. Its radiant, golden beams of light floated down to the ground without a care, illuminating the terra as it brushed the tall green grass. The flowers were reaching out to the sun, basking in the comforting warmth. A gentle breeze caressed the landscape, bending the plants ever so slightly. The wind was asleep today, not threatening to blow and end the peace abrubtly. Peace and tranquility reigned supreme. It was here that Mahji Shulah found peace as well. She yawned. Her dragon-like wings elongated briefly, as did the rest of her body when she stretched. She glanced over the horizon, still recovering from the nap she'd taken before. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, not a care in the world. Sighing happily, she rolled onto her side. She was well prepared to fall asleep again, that is, until the soft grass tickled her stomach and made her laugh out loud. Thinking, she decided it was too beautiful a day to be laying around and doing absolutley nothing. Why not take a brisk walk? Yawning once again, she got to her feet. Still struggling to shake of the feeling of sleep, she hesitated a moment, sat down briefly, and rose again. She decided to head toward the lake that was nearby. Magi lake, wasn't it? Oh well, it didn't matter. She'd already set her mind on getting there. When she arrived at the lake, it wasn't hard to see that she was no longer alone. A large male PenDragon, who she'd never seen before, was resting near the shoreline. Mahji gulped. What if this fellow wasn't freindly. She took a step back, wondering if she should intrude on his silence. Maybe if she pretended she didn't see him, he'd leave her be as well. No, she thought, that would be rude. Why not introduce herself? She might meet a new friend. On the other hand, she could end up having to run for her life. But, then again, she did have wings, so she could fly away if things turned sour. Besides, even though he looked fairly menacing, looks were often deceiving. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward a little and shouted out to him, trying to sound calm. "H-hello.. hello there!"</font>
<font color='#A8A8A8'>OoC: Thanks! ^_^ I'm Mandie... XD It's nice to meet you! Yep, I drew it. Thanks for the compliment. ^^ IC: The lanky, enamored male continued to bask carelessly in the warm, inviting rays of the enchantingly appealing sun. Kiku moved only to satisfy the occasional need for a luxurious stretch of the limbs every now and again. He continued to delight in this casual downtime until his keen ears picked up, quite distinctly, the tones of an unfamiliar voice. "H-hello.. hello there!" In a rather abrupt snap, Kiku half-stood, half-leaped into a disoriented standing position, his eyes conveying his obvious confusion as they dashed to and fro so as to speedily locate the unknown owner of the call. At long last, his hectic gaze came to rest upon the female 'dragon, and he could feel, with some dread, a flush of embarassment rushing to his bewildered face. How long had she been observing his childish, silly antics and emotions? Willing himself not to ponder long on such a thought, he instead struggled desperately to regain his composure; within a moment, he had done so, and in a deep, reserved sort of voice that retained a feeling of quietude even when projected, he called out to her in return. "Hello to you, too." After a slight pause that he personally found a bit awkward, Kiku became aware that some strands of his longish, crimson mane were weighed down with water from the lake's soothing waves. He hastily shook himself off, looking up at her once more and casting a sort of apologetic grin, at the same time hoping that she would say something more; conversation, especially when with relative strangers, had never been his forte.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. A smile slid across her maw. She hadn't meant to scare him. She was, however, relieved that he didn't seem to intend her any harm, and she felt guilty for not letting him know that she felt much the same about the issue. The male was indeed, very much like she'd guessed. A nice 'dragon underneath an intimidating wrapper. She giggled slightly at his confused expression, but ceased any further laughter at his embarassed expression. Still smiling, she decided to introduce herself. How nice it would be, to meet a new friend. A strange encounter with several dragons in Trilok had left her confused, and a bit ignored. But first impressions weren't always everything. Perhaps they'd just been busy, carrying on with their owns lives, regardless of her presence. Or, perhaps they'd thought her strange. Whatever their reason, Mahij Forgave them, and wanted to apologize as well. She could only hope they'd accept. Anyway, it was time to get back to her plan of letting this fellow know who she was, politly, of course. "Sorry to sneak up on you like that.. I'm Mahji Shulah.." She said, bowing in respect to who ever this might be.</font>
<font color='#A8A8A8'>Kiku listened in silence to the other's apology and introduction, and he grinned again. This one was a smile conveying simple friendliness, as opposed to the nervous, apologetic ones he had portrayed only moments earlier. Feeling a bit more confident, he approached her, stopping a small distance away and bending his lithe form into a returned bow of respectful greeting. "There is no need to apologize, and it's nice to meet you, Mahji Shulah. My name's Kiku Syko." Kiku found that he had to keep himself from outwardly grimacing at the introduction of his own title, never having liked the way it sounded. He looked to Mahji, still smiling, feeling a bit optimistic over the prospect of meeting someone, a good note that only made the lovely day that much more impressive.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Smiling, Mahji moved closer to where Kiku was. This fellow seemed quite nice indeed. She looked out at the lake, where the sun's rays cast a sheer glare onto the liquid beneath. The sky hadn't gotten any cloudier, nor the temperature any colder. It was still a beautiful day. Then her mind drifted back to Kiku. Why had he come here? Was he just out for a stroll, or did his journey have a greater purpose? Mahji decided she'd ask. And why not inquire about him? He appeared to be quite friendly, why, he might even become a close comerade in time. She may as well get to know him better. "So.. Kiku.. what brings you here?"</font>
<font color='#637789'>"So.. Kiku.. what brings you here?" Kiku snapped out of his momentary distraction of staring at the sky and looked to Mahji after she spoke, meeting her gaze once more with an amiable grin. "Nothing more than a mere whim brought me here, really." The male 'dragon felt content. This new acquaintance seemed quite the agreeable companion, and he had not many to speak of at the moment. With a flick of his draconic tail, he returned her question as a sort of semi-afterthought, having come to his senses once more, so to speak, after his inner musings. "And you, if I may ask, what brings you here?" he queried with another smile, gracefully lowering himself into a sitting position as he waited attentively for her response.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Her thoughts drifted back to a few moments ago, when she'd first decided to come here. What her reasoning had been, she wasn't exactly sure. Perhaps she'd come here to cool off, or maybe she was simply passing by. Yes, she was fairly sure it was the latter. Her meeting Kiku had been a wild card in the hand of fate. Though she hadn't anticipated company at first, she relished the company she was keeping temporarily. Kiku seemed a kind-hearted soul, though it might possibly be a better day than most. Maybe he was more sullen on worse afternoons. Shrugging off her curiosity, Mahji returned to the inquiry give to her. She'd contemplate her new aquaintence later. "Oh... I was simply out for a little stroll... you know, a little exercise."</font>
<font color='#637789'>Kiku smiled and nodded lightly upon listening to her answer, replying with a comment of his own. "That's understandable. It's such a beautiful day; who wouldn't want to take advantage?" He no longer felt the nervousness always associated with meeting someone new. Instead, he felt at ease at this point. For the moment, he would no more fathom himself being clumsier than he truly was. His words no longer sounded overly awkward. He had gotten into a conversation, and for him, that meant that the most difficult battle of meeting someone new had just been won. He sat back on his haunches some, feeling reasonably relaxed.</font>
<font color='#000000'>Quarter: Tessera Day: 34 Year: 81377 Kaere walked along the edge of the lake, occasionally touching the water with her golden-yellow toes. She was done with classes at the Academy for now, and wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy the world a little. Briefly, she glanced at her reflection in the lake. The lake-Kae stared back, her fur distorted by the rippling water until black fur merged with gray and gold without any distinction between the markings. Sighing, she looked away and continued her stroll. Earlier that day, she'd attempted a conversation with one of her classmates, only to get brushed off by the other 'dragon. Subsequently, Kae was feeling a little down in the dumps and hopeless that she'd ever make friends now that her father's specter no longer hung over her. Lost in the loop of her own thoughts, she almost missed the sound of voices talking. She paused, one paw frozen in mid-step. It sounded like two pendragons speaking quietly... Up ahead, she noticed two 'dragons on the shoreline, conversing. Her ears pricked; perhaps they would be more friendly than her classmates. She headed towards them, but got no further than a few steps before she stopped again. The two were male and female... she did not want to intrude upon the couple's private time if they were, indeed, a couple. Lacking familiarity with the rules of typical socialization thanks to her father's iron-pawed upbringing, Kaere wasn't sure what the appropriate course of action would be. She was already quite near to the two and there was little to hide behind. A bit late for retreat, she thought to herself. Well, the worst they could do was tell her to get lost, and she was quite used to rejection of that sort. She took another step towards them, noting for the first time that they were both winged. Her tail flicked back and forth in wariness, and she gave her head a brief shake. The movement caused her ice-green hair to settle down her neck and shoulderblades, covering up the long, twisted scars there. Feeling a bit more confident, she walked forward once more.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Mahji smiled a nodded in response too Kiku's statement. He was very right, it was a beautiful day, and one would be considered a fool not to have one's mood reflect the day's jovial nature. She sensed Kiku was calmer now than he'd been before. She still felt a bit guilty about surprising him like that, but at least she knew now he wasn't holding a grudge. The fae could sense that Kiku was the partially shy type, as she once was. She'd been very reluctant to meet anyone new, afraid that they'd attack her or even kill her. She knew very well that many 'dragons in this world weren't to be trusted. Or, one might say, she knew all TOO well. She hadn't said anything to him about it, but she was studying to be a professional seer. It had been a family tradition for the firstborn in every generation to learn the practice of peeking into the future. Her father had been a seer, and he had predicted her birth and the way she would turn out in life. However, he also stated that her magic was different somehow, that she could only predict bad things, like deaths, injuries, etc. And he was right. She'd once seen a vision that a PenDragon she'd known, a good friend, would drown. He went exploring the next day... and never came home. And yet her gift was both a blessing and a curse. She could see things before they happened, ut there wasn't always a lot she could do to prevent them from occuring. The previously mentioned tradgedy took place when Mahji was quite young indeed, unaware of the power and accuracy of her visions. Now, she knew enough to try and stop bad things from happening, and more than once had she saved a life. She sighed, thinking about her past. She'd almost forgotten it for a moment, but now it had come back to haunt her in full. Her eyes were mournful, thinking of the things she'd seen in her mind, things that no one else could witness. They told her that they understood the burden that a gift like this cast upon her back, but they could never fully fathom the pain it had caused her, that it was causing her still. Snapping back into reality, she glanced at Kiku. She was suddenly curious... what did he do for a living? Was he still in school? She decided to inquire.. "Kiku... not to change the subjet, but... what do you do for a living?" As she waited for his response, she noted a new face amid the gathering. This PenDragon was female, and appeared to be slightly intimidated by Mahji and Kiku. Mahji couldn't help but smile. She'd felt the same way only moments before. Amazing, how one's opinions could change minute-by-minute. She also noted that this wingless stranger had a few scars on her shoulders, possibly from a battle with another 'dragon, one not so kind as this one appeared to be. Tail twitching momentarily, Mahji decided to calm this new face's fears... "Hello stranger... care to join us? We'd both enjoy more company, I'm sure..."</font>
<font color='#637789'>As the moment of wordless silence passed, Kiku carefully observed Mahji's countenance. When she was pondering, he briefly noted that he saw something quite like sadness lingering in her gaze, though he made no remark of it; it would be rude and prying to do so, and he always tried to act the gentleman. Her next question brought him out of his own thoughts, and he paused a moment before responding in an ever-agreeable tone, "I'm still in school, actually; though to be precise, I am a sort of unofficial bounty hunter." A lot of times, 'dragons found that a strange sort of occupation; Kiku wondered if she would feel similarly. His own senses and Mahji's next words brought him to realize that another pendragon had made her appearance. He cast his pale eyes upon the stranger, smiling in what he hoped was a genuine way. Once his companion had called out to the newly arrived 'dragon, he added to this entreaty by saying, "Yes, feel free to join us. The more, the merrier." Inwardly, he mused, What an unlikely statement, coming from such a loner as I am known to be. He reasoned that his sunny disposition probably still owed to the day's beauty, and he smiled to himself. May as well take advantage.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Mahji noted the intense curiosity of Kiku at her slight concern. But his worried look dissapated in a few moments. She decided to leave it alone. She smiled. Kiku was still in school, just like her. A bounty-hunter? She'd seen more unusual trades. But still, it was a bit of a surprise coming from Kiku, who seemed a very nice gentlemen. But it was a growing trade these days, so it wasn't the last thing she'd suspected. "A bounty hunter, eh? Well, myself, I'm still in school.... training to," She paused, remembering her sadness, "To be a seer...." She looked away, her heart heavy once again. Then she looked to the new dragon, wondering what she'd say...</font>
<font color='#000000'>Kae paused. The other 'dragons didn't seem to mind the intrusion, and judging from the few words she'd overheard, were still in the process of introducing themselves to each other. She padded forwards until she was within a few feet of the two, and bowed her gray-and-black head politely. "Hello. I'm Kaere." Even as she spoke, she berated herself inwardly for not speaking louder. These two seemed kind... but perhaps it was only because they had not yet seen the scars along her shoulderblades. She dreaded having to tell the 'sarrakko story' again. The two other 'dragons were looking at her expectantly, so she made an effort to speak above a whisper. "I'm still in the Academy myself... training to be a doctor. And a surgeon. Though I only... ah, recently moved into the dormitories. I don't have any roommates yet and I don't know many other 'dragons. I'm sorry if I've interrupted you two... I just wanted to try to make a few friends." She felt almost a little out of breath after what amounted to quite a long speech for her. She grinned at the brusqueness of her own words. "I know that I sound a little forward, but... I haven't had any friends before because of my... father... so I'm not sure what is okay and what isn't." She looked at the two, searching their eyes for acceptance or confusion. She noted that the deep red eyes of the female (who had beautiful greenish-blue fur) were a little sad. Kae paused, wondering if it was impolite to ask about the melancholy she saw in the other's eyes. Finally, she made a decision. "If... if it's not too rude of me to ask... why do you look so sad? It's a lovely day out... is there anything you'd like to talk about?" Kaere smiles. "My mother, before she died, used to tell my brother and I that there was no problem in the world that couldn't be helped a little through discussing it." Kae turned her head and fixed her eyes on the male so that she wouldn't be rude by ignoring him. "That goes for you as well... ah, I didn't catch your name...?"</font>
<font color='#637789'>Kiku flicked a semi-transparent ear, having to listen well to catch Kaere's introduction. Once he had done so and found a break in the conversation to speak, he smiled, gave a nod of respect, and replied, "My name's Kiku. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Meanwhile, Kaere's question about Mahji's sadness brought him to look her way once more, a flicker of concern passing through his gaze. Well noted was the pause in Mahji's last sentence, and Kiku inwardly wondered if her sadness had anything to do with her schooling and occupation. Having been a bit too shy to ask himself, he now waited with polite curiousity to see how she would respond to Kaere's question.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Mahji's train of thought was interupted by the new female's comment. So her name was Kaere. Mahji smiled. This was simply wonderful. In the course of her lifetime, she'd had few friends, plus she was usually so shy. Today, she'd found two comerades in less than an hour. And they obviously trusted her, so she decide she was willing to concede in them as well. "It's great to meet you.. Kaere... a surgeon eh? Impressive.." She said, her expression curious. Turning back to Kiku, she noticed his sudden change in attitude. He seemed very soliciatous, underneath his calm exterior. In his eyes, there was genuine concern. She knew he was worried. She also knew she'd been the cause of it. She knew she musn't let her emotions get the better of her, so she quickly thought of something to change the subject to. She didn't want to upset her new friend anymore. "So... Kiku... got any family? Y'know, sisters, cubs, anything?</font>
<font color='#637789'>Upon being introduced to this new query, Kiku willfully forced his thoughts back to the conversation at hand, smiling quietly as he prepared to answer. "I do, in fact. I have a mother, father, and three younger brothers; the youngest two of the latter are twins. All of them are alive, but I really don't see much of them. I sort of made my own path, and it happened to stray a bit from theirs. They are the only family I have, as far as I know." He grinned inwardly, overcome for the moment by nostalgia; however, curiousity pushed this aside, and he reversed Mahji's question. "What about you? Any family?" As he awaited her reply, his amiable gaze drifted over towards Kaere, then back to Mahji; it was quite fortunate to meet two agreeable 'dragons on the same day, indeed. At the same time, he was struggling to keep those feelings of concern to a minimum; he didn't want to make Mahji feel self-conscious, and he didn't want to make her feel as though she owed anyone any sort of explanation for the hints of sadness she had displayed earlier.</font>
<font color='#000F22'>//. Mahji's curious expression melted effortlessly into a smile. Kiku, it seemed, had a very nice family, one which, she thought, would be wonderful to come home to after a long jorney, or simply a day at the academy. That was, after all, what mothers and fathers and siblings were for, right? Reverie clouded her mind. Her thoughts shifted into the memories of her own family. She'd grown up far away from here. She had no siblings that she knew of, and her mother and father were always busy, but somehow found the time to romp with and teach to Mahji. That is, she frowned, until she became slightly older. When she was nothing more than a wee cub, her parents babied her and showed her nothing but love and benevolence, where as when she became an adolescent-a teenager, by any standards-and she was old enough to care for herself, they were strict and taught her harshly about the traditions in her family that she was expected and pretty much forced to follow. Her family had always had but one cub per generation. If there was more than one in a litter, the cubs were taken care of until they were teens and then were forced to leave. Mahji had been her mother's first offspring, and thus, her last. That being as it was, Mahji's father was determined to make sure Mahji lived up to the high standards set many decades ago. For the most part, this was accomplished. However, there remained one major obstacle; Mahji's unusual visions. Her father had predicted before her birth that she would be born a seer of death and misery, but after she was born, he attempted to hide the dark secret from Mahji, fearing it would prevent her from willingly taking part in the family profession. After all, strict as he was, he wasn't above loving his own cub and hoped he would never have to use force against her. But Mahji's visions became more frequent as she grew, and her father's secret was hidden no longer. To his surprise, her knowing what was truly going on within her mind didn't hinder her intrest in the family business. In fact, she suggested she use her negative visions for profit. She'd predict something bad in an individual's life and tell them steps to prevent it. But this could only happen if she got through school, she knew. She couldn't practice illegally. Her parents knew this too, and sent her off to the academy. And that was where her daydreams ended. Sighing, she looked back at Kiku, the memories fresh on her mind. "Yes... I've some family... A mum and a dad..."</font>
<font color='#000000'>((OOC: weird question, but would the two of you mind if I drew pictures of your characters based on your profile descriptions? I've been on a hiatus from drawing for a few months now due to my workload, and now I've got a bit of a break and I want to draw again :} )) IC: Kaere watched as the green-blue-furred female 'dragon responded to Kiku's reversal of Mahji's own question. Because she had been observing Mahji closely, Kae had seen... something flicker in the other's deep red eyes. Something like a shadow... or a memory. Maybe even a lifetime of memories, fleeting past the window of one's own mind even as one tried to draw the shades down. In an instant, the shades in Mahji's eyes were drawn, and she responded to Kiku's question. Carefully, Kae rotated her large ears forwards, alert and attentive. Part of her hoped that neither of her newfound companions would notice that she was not offering any tales of her own broken excuse for a family. Her tail twitched involuntarily and she curled it over her golden-yellow front paws. In her mind, her nature was taking over; the nurturing instinct that had once driven her single friend to the point of rage, betrayal, and deception. Bleh, she thought. You're being ridiculous again, Kae. You aren't going to chase off your new friends just by asking what's wrong. Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head to one side and inspected Mahji's flank tattoo, which was a symbol shaped rather like a teardrop. She fixated on it briefly, and then looked up at Kiku. He was looking at Mahji. She turned to the winged female as well. Kae wondered briefly if Mahji had even heard her ask after the sadness in her eyes; perhaps Kae had been speaking too quietly... it WAS her curse, after all. Or, perhaps Mahji had heard... and preferred not to reply. Kae opened her mouth to speak. "A seer, you said?" She smiled shyly. "I imagine that must get a little... tiresome sometimes. I mean... from an outsider's perspective it probably seems exotic and mysterious. Others desire abilities like that... but I imagine for you it's like being locked inside of your own head sometimes... and the etherial visions hold the key just out of your reach." Instantly Kae's ears flattened against the sides of her head. Had she just made a titanic social blunder? Would the two turn on her now and run her off? Desperately she longed to flee; instead she sat in the same spot and tried to look as nonchalant as possible. Sometimes she irritated herself with her own naïveté.</font>
<font color='#637789'>Once again, Kiku had seen a few conflicting emotions portrayed in the carriage of one of his newfound companions. Curiousity and concern clouded his bustling thoughts, but he shrugged them off as he listened to Kaere's words. He wondered what Mahji would say in reply, and at the same time, he inwardly pondered what sort of past events could make her seem so troubled every now and again. He shook his head and looked at each of the two others in turn, awaiting Mahji's response. OoC: Sorry for the short post; I'm a bit out of it. XD; In response to your question, LakotaWolf, I personally wouldn't mind at all! ^_^</font>
