// <span style='color:3D0707'>Timestamp</span> \\ <span style='color:690000'>Quarter:</span> Dyo <span style='color:690000'>Day:</span> 3rd <span style='color:690000'>Year:</span> 81378 // <span style='color:#8B6E55'>Anezka Ylinari</span> \\ Primary Trade ¤ Warrior (B) Secondary Trade ¤ Escape Artist (B) \\ OOC: Private for Jac & I (well, our two characters, Haku and 'Nezka, anyway!) XD \\ IC The crashing and foliage-rattling noise of a galloping pendragon cub rings out through the forest just to the outskirts of Janardan Academy. This young one had left in quite a hurry, and seemed to be running from something. But nothing was chasing her. Anezka was upset in so many different ways. She felt like crying, and screaming, and fighting whatever was closest at the same time. She was tired to the bone, having just come from the Tsupeon, where she had been practicing. She would have bruises sooner or later, and not all of them were the type of bruises to be seen with the eyes. She felt like a failure. To her professors. Herself. And her chosen trades. Anezka stops once deep into the forest, and the speed she had previously attained would do her more harm in the dense woods than good. Snorting back tears, she plunks herself down, laying her head between her paws. After a moment, she can't control her emotions any longer, and the waterworks flow freely. Even though there wasn't a sentient creature in sight (so she thought), she does her best to remain quiet, and covers her eyes and muzzle with both white-tipped paws. Muffled noises of whimpering and a loud sniff here or there manage to break through the loose seal her arms create. As she lays there under the shade of a tree, she couldn't help but think of what had brought her here in the first place. The 11 year old 'dragon had gotten new weapons the week before; tonfas. Regular wooden tonfas; nothing bladed - neither she nor her instructor wanted her to hurt herself. She'd been practicing by herself off to the side of the Tsupeon with her new weapons, clunking herself here and there every now and then as everyone does when they learn a new weapon. Even though she'd be nursing small wounds later, she was undaunted by her task to master a weapon she enjoyed, and nothing would stop her. However, she quickly learned she'd had an audience of three older 'dragons, who looked quite like they were in similar trades as she. They weren't as kind, though. One approached her, and simply snatched her weapons away. She'd cried out in shock and alarm, but they merely laughed at her, and proceeded to torment her with a game of "monkey in the middle" as the terran phrase goes. She rather looked like an archaic ape; darting between the three, as they passed her tonfas over her head to one another, just out of reach. In her haste to get her weapons back, she'd forgotten she could fly. Leaping and using her wings to propell her as one of a pair of tonfas flew above, she snatched it from the sky. Pleased with herself, she turned to find who of her three tormentors had her remaining weapon. She had frowned when she saw, he, too, posessed wings. Grinning devilishly, the rogue took off with her weapon, flying faster than she could hope, with her gangly wings she'd yet to grow into. Still, she took chase. She never gave up that easily. But he was better than she was. She was sorely outmatched. To add insult to injury, they had an aerial spat, in which she lost the weapon she had retrieved, and was then attacked with her own weapons. Thankfully, she'd escaped much of that beating, otherwise she would've fallen from the sky, which would not have been pleasant, nor painless. Unable to fight back with this older and more practiced pendragon, and angrier still that his friends were jeering and laughing, she had snapped into a fit of violent rage - something she couldn't quite control, but was working hard to do. Flying away from the one who still posessed her weapons she dive bombed his friends. One was small enough, she'd grabbed his mane and shoulders in outstretched paws and roughly dragged him across the ground a few good pendragon lengths - enough that his hind end would be sore for a week - near the end, she released him violently, sending him head-over-heels to crash into the Tsupeon wall quite hard. This slowed her down enough, and she was tackled by the other ground-bound friend. Having fought older pendragons where she came from, even though she was bigger, he wasn't any match for a fully pissed Anezka. One-on-one she might've severely wounded him. She only got far enough as to kick him, bloodied, across the room, when the one she'd dragged and thrown, and the one with wings, attacked her together; one tackling from behind, the other swooping in from the front, still equipped with her weapons. Teamed up on, she fought tooth and nail against the three older boys (the third, which she kicked, quickly came to the aid of his friends), and would've likely been knocked unconcious, had not one of the professors walked in that moment and blown the boys off of her - quite literally. Anezka assumed the unknown professor was either telekinetically adept, or knew extensively of air magic. She didn't stick around enough to find out, and had simply run. Run right out of the stadium, right out of the academy, and quite alone into a forest, carrying bruises, scraps, cuts, and mourning the loss of her tonfas, dignity, and control. She was thoroughly shamed, and wouldn't be surprised in no one came to find her. Having recapped the entire hour in her mind, the child breaks down into open sobs, creating quite a ruckus in the middle of this sparsely sun-lit forest. She hadn't even thought of the sanctity of the forest, or the creatures she'd be disturbing. She was too overwhelmed with her own problems to consider others. Maybe she should start?
((Haku Telams, Trade: Telepathy, Journeyman Secondary Trade: Zoology, Journeyman Age: 22 00)) [OOC: Bweeehehee! Angst galore! Haku and her minions to the rescue!] In the same forest, around a large tree, sat Haku. Her eyes were closed and her ears were down on her skull, as she lazed around. Her best friend, a small Djirus named Seris, layed on her back, his wings strewn out as he looked up at the small rays of light going through the leaves and branches of the tree. He sniffed and his sensitive ears twitched. «Haku? There's something wrong with the Avians...They're whining again.» Haku yawned a bit, and twitched her ocean blue tail. «And them whining is something wrong?» Seris made a chattering noise, much like a 'dragon laugh. «True, true. But this time they might be whining for a good reason...» Just as he said this, a Vemkh, a red one, flew in, looking quite ruffled. «Haku! There's a little dragonscale up towards the north, making quite a ruckus. Can you please tell her, and my comrades, to shut up?» She rummaged her wings in annoyance. «How am I going to make a good nest with such racket? Really!» Seris snorted, but Haku sat up, making him roll off her back and to make a muffled noise. «Of course I'll help. Where is this dragonscale, exactly?» «I can show you. Follow me!» The Vemkh then fluttered off quickly, as Seris flapped onto Haku's back. «Great, how are we going to follow the stupid red blur, now?» «I don't have to see you guys, to know where you're going. Let's go.» Haku then jumped up, and ran off toward where the 'red blur's' presence went, as Seris clinged on to her back.
\\ OOC: I further affirm how cruel I am to my chars.. XD angst! WHEE! *dies* Anezka stops sobbing long enough to crane her neck upwards, looking at the branches above her. The chirping had intensified, and the sound of avian wings were getting louder - they were moving. Using a paw to wipe at her tear-stained muzzle and cheeks, Anezka chokes back a few more sobs. She narrows her eyes in misplaced anger at the noisy vemkh, and snorks - a jumbled mix between a sob and a snort - baring her sharp baby teeth up at the canopy, <span style='color:#B69D85'>"I didn't do anything, y'know!!"</span> She stands, unfurling her wings, in an attempt to make herself bigger, but once pain shoots through her left wing arm, her anger is lost, and sadness returns. Sitting down hard, Anezka looks at her arm - she'd pulled the muscle, and a nice purple welt was beginning to form on the elbow joint. <span style='color:#B69D85'>"I didn't do anything.."</span> she whispers forlornly under her breath. <span style='color:#B69D85'>"It's not.. my.. fault.."</span> Even though it probably wasn't, she'd already condemned herself as a horrible 'dragon. The boys were horrible to tease her, but with the high standards she held against herself, she felt even worse. The ruckus starts again as guilt hits her and sobs start once more. <span style='color:#B69D85'>"It IS my fault."</span> are her final words as she collapses back to the ground, curling her wings about her, in the midst of avian chattering, chirping, and irritated song.
[OOC: Poor poor little Anezka...*pets her*] As Haku got closer to where the young 'dragon was, she nearly had to clamp her hands over her head as the loud and irritable sounds and yellings of the Vemkh, who wear even more freaked that the dragonscale seemed to be a danger. «Tell them to shut up, Haku!» Whined Seris, who had his hands over his head and his wings covering himself. Haku quickly shut off all of the Vemkh's voices in her head, except for the one from before, and went over towards the young girl. The red avian from before was currently jumping around in front of the girl, chirping and flapping it's wings hysterically, trying to get her attention the best way an avian could to a pendragon.
Anezka's ears rotate forward, having been pinned to her skull formerly, and she instantly notes the close proximity of the ruby-colored vemkh dancing in front of her. Slowly, ever so slowly, she slides her paws down her face, eyes glittering with unshed tears, so the terrain in front of her was blurry. Even so, she could see that the little avian was flapping it's wings and chirping it's loudest, not more than a few feet in front of her. It looked like it was trying to get her attention. But Anezka simply found it's antics amusing, and so the tear-streaked youngster smiles in spite of herself, and even coughs out a small laugh - she didn't want to frighten the avian away by loud laughter. So enticed by the 'dancing' red avian, she failed to notice the presence of another pendragon, standing not too far from her.
Haku grinned despite herself, and walked a bit closer, sitting down nearby, but not close enough as to scare the young 'dragon. There was a silence, as the birds had decided that Haku could take care of it, and Seris was free to uncurl himself from his wings. «What happened? Why did the Vemkh's actually shut up?» He then noticed the lone chirping of the red female. The red feathered creature, when noticing she got the 'dragons attention, stopped and gave a slight 'peep', as she ruffled her wings. «This is the magicscale that's causing all the problems!» «Is she? She's only a young one. And she doesn't look very happy. See? She was crying!» Replied Seris, as he flapped over next to the Vemkh. «Well, her crying is very loud!» Grumbled the red Vemkh. «Look who's talking...All you bird-brains ever do is chirp and be annoying when a certain Djirus tries to sleep.» The Vemkh's chirped angrily in reply, and Seris jumped onto Anezka's back, used to doing that with Haku so much he forgot that some 'dragons don't like furry creatures on their backs. «Don't peck my brain out, please!» Cried Seris.
Anezka noted the sudden silence of the avians in the canopy above, but she wasn't particularly keen on the reason. She was much more interested in the vemkh before her - she'd never seen one of them this close before, generally she scared other creatures without trying or meaning to. Anezka grins and blinks her http://shadowlack.com/forums/index.php?act=Glossarybi</a>-colored eyes a few times to clear them of tears, as the red vemkh peeps at her. She tilts her head as a djirus suddenly makes his arrival, hopping about on the ground next to the vemkh. Two animals? Not far from her? What was going on..? As the djirus leaps onto her back to escape the chasing red vemkh, Anezka yelps in surprise, but doesn't move her body at all. She may be petite by pendragon standards, but she was still quite a bit bigger than either animal. Craning her neck, and twisting her head to try and look at the djirus on her back, Anezka finally notices another pendragon, not too far off. She was startled, but did her trade honor by not jumping out of her skin like a skitter-brained cat, and merely whispered her surprise, <span style='color:#B69D85'>"Oh.."</span> She sniffs and uses a paw to dry her face, as if trying to hide the fact she'd been bawling a moment before, before she begins talking again. <span style='color:#B69D85'>"Uh.. um.. I.. didn't realize anybody else was here.."</span> she stammers a bit nervously, but mostly embarassed that anyone caught her in such a state, <span style='color:#B69D85'>"I.. erm.. I can go, now, if you want me too."</span>
Haku cocked her head, amused, yet a bit worried as well. She then said, with her soft and gentle mind speak, «Hello, there. What's a young 'dragon like you doing around here? And don't mind Seris, he's very clingy.» «I am not.» Grumbled the disgruntled Djirus. «You would have done the same thing if a stupid, feathery red thing was chasing you.» Seris, instead of hopping off of Anezka's back, climbed up and sat on her head. «Hey look, I can see the grass from here!» He replies, as he then diverts his attention, and pokes at Anezka's ear in interest. «You're going off topic!» Whined the red vemkh, as she fluttered around again, «Haku, do something!» Haku rolled her eyes, and walked a bit closer to Anzeka. «My name's Haku, just so you know.» She then layed down and yawned. «You don't seem to be very happy. What's bothering you, dear?»
Anezka giggles softly as Seris pokes at her ear - it tickled. She said as much, in an equally soft whisper to the creature, even though she didn't think it'd understand her. <span style='color:#B69D85'>{That tickles!}</span> Not knowing whether Haku preferred telepathy because of all the animals or not, Anezka reverts to mental speech as well, to be polite - she didn't want to offend the older dragon, who seemed to take a genuine interest in her well being. <span style='color:#B69D85'>{Well.. no.. I kinda messed up big time at school. I..}</span> is as far as she gets before she falls silent. Should she tell what she'd done? Risk judgement? She already judged herself. But the judgement of another just might turn her backwards to tears. <span style='color:#B69D85'>{I didn't control myself very well.}</span> she finishes. Including the part about turning on a fellow student, whether they started it or not, was omitted. Then again, being females, both could read each others' minds. And being so young, Anezka had no learned defences against such snooping, innocent or malicious.
Haku nodded slightly, knowing that something must have upsetted the poor dear before, and that yes, it did have to with school. She smoothed some grass down with her paw, wondering what to say next. She dipped her mind into the little 'dragons a bit, not enough to be snooping, but enough to know why she was upset. «Well, whatever happened, you must have done it for a good reason, even if it was bad.» Haku smiled at the little 'dragon a bit, and watched as Seris flapped his bat-like wings, trying to get himself comfortable on Anezka's head. He chirped as he sat there, sniffing the air around. «Seris seems to like you enough.» Haku's mind-speak purred, «He doesn't just sit on anyone's head, you know.» And Seris, as if understanding, nodded his head. Of course, he did understand what she said, but Anezka didn't know that. Seris squeaked, «I like her head. It has a nice view of the grass, and it's just my size.» He stated, mind-grinning to himself. The red vemkh then irritadly flapped around a bit, landing on Anezka's nose. She tweeted and ruffled her tail feathers, as the Djirus whined about how he claimed Anezka's head for himself, and that a red ball of fluff was in the way. This of course, was answered with a loud, and annoyed 'PEEP!' from the vemkh.
\\ OOC: aaaaaiiiiiieeeeeee!!! school starts again bright an' early.. nuuuuu! I was having such a lovely spring break.. ;_; lmao. Whilst I wallow in self-pity, here 'tis the reply! XD *cackles* \\ IC Nodding slightly at the first remark, the child really couldn't wrap her mind around the concept. Sure, she understood that there was such a thing as being justified in your actions. But with the amount of control she tried to exert over her flaming temper, any outburst shamed her horribly. And this was a terrible circumstance, in her opinion. Past forgotten for a moment, Anezka grins giddily at the second remark, attempting to look upwards at Seris, without moving her head. She didn't really succeed at looking at him, per se, but she could feel the little creature atop her skull, and that was praise enough for her - that she was worthy enough to be considered a comfortable cushion for another living creature. When the red vemkh lands atop her nose, Anezka does her very best to remain still, and crosses her eyes, trying to get the blurry picture of the avian to straighten out. The little red lady was far too close, however, for her image to be more than a blur of red. And, being only 11, Anezka couldn't hold the pose for much longer, considerate as she tried to be. Additionally (as if this could get anymore complicated) she felt the need to sneeze. So she does. Instantly upsetting the red vemkh from her muzzle-perch as Anezka's head shakes violently back and forth in less than the blink of an eye, the child freezes, hoping she hadn't tossed Seris from her head as well. Wide-eyed and horrified at what she'd just unintentionally done by having a ticklish nose, she looks at Haku, and freezes once more, <span style='color:#B69D85'>{I, I didn't mean..}</span>
((Sorry I havn't posted in AGES. I forgot my password, and just today I suddenly remembered it. XD)) The red vemkh makes a loud, high chirp as it flops to the ground from her sneeze. she flutters her wings, annoyed, and peeps. «That was rude!» Seris tightly clung onto Anezka, and when she was done sneezing, sat himself back on her head. «Stupid, you just don't jump on somebody's nose like that! How about I put a big rock on your beak, would you like that?» The vemkh twittered angrily. «Still!» Seris rolled his eyes, and gave Anezka's head a pat. «It's okay. I'm not mad, at least. Stupid birds...Oh yea, and 'bless you.'» Haku grinned, and relayed the message to Anezka. «Seris is hard to anger, unless you get him grumpy.» «I'm grumpy, just at the bird, not the kid.» «Stop calling me 'bird!' I'm a vemkh!» Grumbled the...Vemkh. «Same thing!» Snapped Seris.
Anezka's eyes go cross-ways as she attempts to looks up at the djirus who was patting her head. Were they really as sentient as 'dragons were? Was that possible? She was always told otherwise.. Now she kinda felt bad for being a carnivore.. The child looks at Haku, <span style='color:#B69D85'>{Does Seris talk like we do?}</span> She pauses a moment. If he did talk, as she was curious to know, she didn't want to offend him by talking of him as if he weren't there. Therefore she rephrases the question, <span style='color:#B69D85'>{I mean.. do other less sentient animals such as ourselves talk, too?}</span> But then she realized she was also potentially being offensive, by referring to them as less intelligent. ... Even though some seemed to be. Half-way pinning her ears to her head she offers a lop-sided smile, <span style='color:#B69D85'>{I can't really ask the question I want without being rude.. I'm sorry..}</span> The apology was offered both to Haku, and Seris and the vemkh. ... Just in case.
«It's all right, dear.» Purred Haku, at the young 'dragons concern. «And to answer your question, yes, most of them do talk, in a sense, like us. I'm really the only one who can understand them, though. A kind of magic from Fronima, you can say.» Seris made a chirp noise, and bounced a bit. «I like this one! Her head is bouncy!» Haku smiled a bit, and forwarded what Seris said to Anezka, hoping it would cheer the 'dragon up. «Of course, I may be able to talk to the fauna, but I can't use my voice. I can only use empathy, as you can probably tell.»
<span style='color:#B69D85'>{Ooooh..}</span> Anezka muses. Well, the next logical question was, <span style='color:#B69D85'>{What do they say?}</span> Well, at least she's turned up from sniffling and sobbing. Now her eyes were dry, even as her bruises were purpling, and she was happy again. Looking for answers to this new riddle of life. She didn't even bother worrying that she couldn't hear them, instead now she desired a translator - for a moment or two - so she could, perhaps, understand the creatures a little better. Before now, she'd never even really thought of other critters besides herself. Anezka realized she now had a hundred questions for this delightful pendragon who'd just happened along in her hour of woe. But she'd restrain herself, like her warrior's training taught - she wouldn't verbally attack the poor 'dragon; that would hardly be a way to repay her kindness. Therefore, one question at a time!
Haku smiled. «Ah. Well, Seris has alot to say. He's the Dijirus, by the way.» She nodded towards Seris, and continued. «He mostly talks about nonsense. He likes you, though. Especially your head.» Haku grinned silently, as her mouth couldn't make any noises. «As for the little Vemhk, here...She's very picky. She was the one who was actually whining about your loudness. Seris and her keep fighting, it's quite entertaining.» She nods her head, and flicks her tail. «So, Seris is just really interested on your head, and the Vemhk is pretty much whining and complaining. Not much to really translate, huh? They are quite intelligent, though.»
