Rogue and El- A Chance encounter

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:52 pm

Armeno frowned as Static seemed to check herself, reverting to a slightly sharper tone. She was certainly an interesting character- and although they hadn't been travellign together for so long, he felt as though he did know her quite well.
'I don't think there's much point in doing anything else,' he agreed, glancing about him. There were fewer people about than last time they were here, but it was still easy for him to get directions to a decent inn for a copper coin.
'That alright with you?' confirmed Armeno, glancing at Static and ready to move off.

Ciqala opened his mouth to reply, but his words were cut off by the startled yelp which instead emitted from his mouth.
'Whoah! Nice!' Ciqala glanced up at the labouring dragon. 'Um, might be easier if...' He pulled himself up the tail hand over hand and settled on Zack's back. 'Is that easier for you?' he asked, holding on tightly to Zack's neck. 'This is brilliant, but pretty damn scary,' he muttered as he gazed out. The Homumculus rarely got to see the world from up high.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:29 pm

"Sure. Fine." she nodded curtly, listening in on the directions Armeno was given. Tamarisk nibbled at Velox's mane, wanting him to play and prance like earlier again- the two were certainly getting on like a house on fire. "Let's go." she tugged at Tam's reins, annoyed with the horse for being so familiar- He was going to be a right pain in the neck when they finally parted ways- and started him off after the directions they had gotten.

They rode along the streets as the light died further, sinking fully into night before they clopped into a small courtyard, a set of stables in one corner and a long painted name across the front of the building saying the name of the inn- The grey snail. A strange name, but it looked respectable enough, so Static dismounted, pulling Tamarisk's reins over his head under a lamp hanging out from under the gables of the building. A tempting smell wafted from within the inn, the smell of good food.

Zack dropped a little way as Ciqala's weight stretched his tail, uncomfortable. His wings beat fast like a hummingbird for a few moments, then he felt Ciqala clambering up his side, his fingers tucking under his paper folds then he sat between his two sets of wings. He shook his tail to get rid of the feeling of fingerprints, rising a little higher into the air.
"Much better, you're much less of a weight there." he curled his tail up to crush his folds back into their respective shape. "But you think that's high?" Zack gave a malicious little grin, shooting up out of the plant layer they had been in out into the open sky above the Everplains.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:07 pm

Armeno just shook his head, bemused, and followed Static to the inn. The name puzzled him, but then pubs tended to have strange names. Before they entered, he carefully arranged his hair so that the tips of his ears which normally stuck out were covered. He then stepped inside, inhaling deeply and savouring the scent. Pushign through the crowds to who he assumed the innkeeper behind the counter, he called above the clamour,
'How much for two rooms for the night, please?' The innkeeper regarded him suspiciously, taking in his appearance.
'I'll be seein' yer money first, I reckon.' The man scratched his chin with a grimy finger, sniffing loudly. Armeno rolled his eyes, but slipped the money pouch off his belt and flashed it open briefly so that the innkeeper could see the coins clinking within. He looked a lot more enthusiastic as he said,
'I'll get the innkeeper out 'ere fer yer.' Armeno waited a few seconds as the man disappeared and came back with a much more presentable looking man, who appraised Armeno and said,
'Is it you and the lady?' This accompanied with a gesture to Static; Armeno nodded in confirmation. 'Very well,' continued the actual innkeeper. 'I've got just the one room left, but there's a double bed in it so it should be fine for you two.' He gave Armeno a knowing smirk, and ignoring the elf's protests he whisked the moneybag out of his hands and counted out a sum of money, before vanishing with his profits. Armeno was left with clenched fists and wordless anger- though the price was completely reasonable, he couldn't share a bed with Static.
'That's a fine catch there,' remarked the bartender, before flinging a key at Armeno and pointing at the stairs. 'Meals included,' he grunted, and then tramped off to refill a mug of ale for a noisy and drunk punter. Armeno let out a slow breath, then turned to Static.
'I'll find an extra couple of blankets somewhere and sleep on the floor,' he said, not entertaining the prospect of them sleeping in the double bed.'

Ooc: Go mad, Rogul. Embarrass him really, really badly; I know you want to.

Ciqala grinned.
'Good,' he said, still gazing around and taking in the landscape. After Zack's second remark, he glanced down, about to reply. Too late he saw the wings coming down; as they shot up into the air he yelled and swore loudly enough that it echoed through the quiet Everplains. His arms constricted around Zack's neck, and his eyes flew shut. The Homunculus' stomach was churnign as he controlledly spoke.
'I wasn't expecting that. I've never been up more than two metres before. Please-please could we go down?' /Before I puke my guts out,/ he mentally added.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:38 pm

Static tied Tamarisk’s reins to a ring on the wall them followed Armeno into the inn, tugging her hood close around her face- It was heaving with people, and they had to wind their way carefully between bustling tables full of red-faced merrymakers. She watched their backs as Armeno spoke to the innkeeper, suspiciously eying the closest people with a dark look. Normally she picked a quieter sort of place to stay, but at least it meant it was good value…

When the real innkeeper appeared and gestured to her, she graced him with a stark nod of her head, folding her hands beneath her cloak. They didn’t stay for long though, for at the mention of a double bed- a double bed- she gave a similar reaction as Armeno, her hands dropping to her sides in shock.
“I- What? No!” her cheeks reddened inconsiderably at the suggestion and she immediately looked down at the floor, her heart jumping around in her chest like a wild thing trying to break free. She could feel a hot burn right across her cheeks, and it just got hotter at the bartender’s suggestion, not even looking up through her embarrassment. Normally she had a sharp tongue for that sort of thing, but she seemed to have lost it completely.

As Armeno turned to face her, his face stony beneath his bangs, her eyes slowly rose to meet his. She was sure her heart was beating hard enough underneath her armour for him to hear, which just made her blush even deeper.
“I…um… sorry…” she blushed harder, dropping her eyes from his gaze again. It would have been awkward enough if they were in private, but in a public tavern?! “You don’t have to do that…” she blushed harder at the thought of him sleeping on the floor (if it was even possible to blush harder), then spontaneously rose up on tiptoe and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. After all, the situation couldn’t get any more awkward. Behind her, she heard a drunken whistle as someone watched their conversation, a short burst of clapping before it was followed by raucous laughter. She stepped away, rubbing at her sleeve for something to do with her hands.

Zack gave a laugh of delight at Ciqala’s surprise, levelling out his rise and fluttering over the ground. He shook his head a little as he felt strong arms around his neck- stronger than he tough have thought the homunculus would have had.
“Yes, if you like.” Zack could hear the waver in his voice, so he started to make big spirals down to the ground, dropping smoothly through the air. “But it’s cool being up in the air, don’t you think? I wonder if tall people get airsick…”

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:11 pm

Armeno's ears lowered slightly, pink at the tips, as he saw the red blush painted across Static's face. However embarrassed she was, he was equally or worse embarrassed. He shook his head as she stammered an apology, then frowned at her disagreement with his plan.
'Well, I suppose I can go somewhere el-' He broke off abruptly as Static rose up on her toes and touched her lips to his cheek. The pinkness spread down his ears and began to creep into his cheeks, and he stepped back, glaring round at the cheering spectators. The sober ones quieted; those who were drunk just called out louder. Armeno closed his eyes for a second, thinking, then opened them again. It would be best if he did stay with Static; she might get trouble alone, and while she could certainly handle it it was best to avoid that sort of thing. So he echoed his previous words.
'I'll stay in the room, but you're having the bed,' he asserted firmly. Inspecting the keys, he continued in a lighter tone. 'There's a key to a room and a key to a stall in the stables.' The two keys were labelled. 'Should I put our things in the room while you settle the horses?' he suggested.

Ciqala sighed in relief as he cracked an eye open to see their rapid and smooth descent. 'Hold on here,' he said when they reached a height about five metres up. He stared around, accustoming himself to the height. 'Up again,' he said carefully. 'But slowly.' He thought he'd be fine as long as it wasn't sudden, and he explained this to Zack.
'I think it was just the speed. It's... Pretty good up here.' He inhaled deeply, enjoying the different smell of the air. 'And I doubt it,' he added. 'They're always at that height- butthen, I wouldn't really know.'

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:48 pm

Static continued to avoid his gaze as the tavern took notice of them, the burn not leaving her face. Oh, for a private place right now… She fiddled with the fabric of her sleeve, twisting it between her fingers as he thought. She gave a gulp as he spoke again, feeling like a lovestruck kitten. Oh, how foolish she was! Even his firm words made her feel at ease!
At his second suggestion, she finally looked up, nodding purposefully, not trusting her tongue to speak. For all she knew, something inappropriate would come out- She had really just kissed him… She tugged her cloak around her again, fiddling like a small child caught playing naughty tricks. Wordlessly, she held out her hand for the key he held, trying to compose herself again. She could at least compose herself this way.

Zack fluttered as Ciqala instructed for a moment, taking long beats with his wings to keep at a hover. He could move them independently like a dragonfly if he liked, which helped with sustained flight such as this. Slowly he started to climb at his command again.
“It is nice up here.” He agreed, looking around to try and place his location. “Oh yes, I recognise where we are now!” he said, fluttering faster to a bush he recognised, but keeping out of it’s way by a good metre. “Yes, and up there is a hill, and a clearing in the grass...” he could recognise it all now. “They must feel very strange all the time then!”

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:07 pm

Armeno dropped the key into Static's palm after removing it from the string loop which held the two. He quickly grabbed their things off the horses, and with the packs they had had on their own backs he bound them into one large bundle. He swung it onto his shoulders, muscles tauting under the sudden weight, and he carried it upstairs to their room. Once the door was unlocked, he entered, and swung their possessions back to the floor. He then found an extra three blankets in a cupboard, laid them on the ground, and sat on them to wait for Static.

'Well, good,' said Ciqala, now sitting straight with his eyes open. He still felt slightly sick at the swoops and swerves, but he was starting to get used to the sensation. 'And it feels strange to me to be moving so much. I guess it'd feel odd to a wingless dragon too.' He gazed down at the bush and grass. 'So what now? Are we gonna head down to Racksom, or stay out here for a bit?' He certainly didn't feel like leaving Zack- this was the best time he'd had in years, maybe ever. Minus the nausea, of course. But maybe they could try and find others their size together... He was sure Zack wouldn't mind either, but then if it had only been their creators who'd made them... He grimaced. Perhaps they could ask Foen if it was possible that anyone else had made a dragon like Zack. Or if he knew of anyone who had made Homunculi.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:13 pm

Static followed Armeno wordlessly outside, untwisting their horses' reins from the rings on the wall before leading them over to the stables. It was much cooler outside than it had been inside, and she was wholeheartedly thankful for that, feeling a cool breeze cart away the heat from her face. When Armeno left her alone with the horses she pulled the stable door shut, busying her hands with unsaddling the two and brushing them down. She pushed the hood off her face to get a little more air, frowning when Velox skittered away from her unfamiliar touch. Tamarisk thrust his head out of the door, pulling at a net of hay that hung from a nearby nail, chewing contentedly while she brushed him down.

She seemed to finish the job much too quickly for her liking. She didn't want to go back to the tavern, where there were all those leering faces, nor did she want to go up and join Armeno... She gave a sigh, not understanding what was happening to her and sat down in the corner of the stable, twirling a piece of straw absently between her fingers. She really didn't want to go back upstairs... But if she sat down here for too long, he might come and look for her... She buried her head in her knees, trying to ignore her twisting heart for the sense of her head- There was no sense in her head any more!

"We can go to Racksom if you like. Do you want to meet Foen?" he evened out his flight, trying to take long even flaps, but he was starting to get a little tired... He had never carried anything before, and he was amazed he had lasted so long already. "Maybe we could have a rest first though? My wings are starting to ache..." he started to coast back down to the ground, making a mental mark for the direction of the city. No good in going the wrong way, after all!

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:40 pm

Armeno soon decided that there was no point in sittign doing nothing. Static had seemed flushed, embarrassed; maybe he should give her some time to cool off. He began to sort his things; laying them out carefully, folding them, and stowing them away in his pack again, more organised. When he had finished, about ten minutes had passed since he'd started. Static really should have been back by now. He decided he'd go down and get their included food before there was none left, and if she hadn't come back by then he'd go and find her in the stables. Two minutes later, there was an illegible scribble on the tag for the room key, and he was setting two steaming plates down on a table.

'Oh, sure,' Ciqala said hurriedly. As they touched down on the ground, he climbed off Zack's back half grateful and half sad. 'I'd like to, I think. He might know if we can find anybody else our size. And maybe... Well, if we're gonna stick together for a bit, he might be able to put another spell on you to make your wings stronger. Otherwise it's gonna be a pretty big strain on you if you're flying me around a lot.' Ciqala himself wasn't expecting to have any spells set on him; he wasn't even sure it'd been how he was made. So he stretched and looked around, taking in their surroundigns and wondering where they could rest away from anything which might harm them. If he was awake, he could cast a forcefield, but if not then they were pretty much helpless.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:43 pm

Static sat in the corner of the stable for a while, letting her emotions settle. Tamarisk wandered over and pulled the straw out of her hands, munching saucily with what looked like a cheeky grin on his face- If a horse could grin. Velox tugged at his tail and they proceeded to snort at each other, flicking their heads before settling down to groom one another, swatting at each others' noses with their tails. Static watched them for a while until she had completely cooled off, a breeze drifting in through the half-open stable door. Finally she climbed to her feet, pulling her hood back over her hood and steeling herself for the jeers that were bound to come when she re-entered the tavern.

She slipped inside the door, heading directly towards the stairs, presuming their room was on the top level somewhere. However, before she got there, she spotted Armeno sitting at a table by himself on route, and changed her course, ignoring the stares she was attracting. She tugged out a stool from under the table before sweeping her cloak under herself trying to look elegant- It was one thing embarrassing herself in front of Armeno, that much she could sort of handle, but embarrassing herself fin front of a whole room of people was quite another matter. Not that she hadn't done it twenty minutes before, of course.

Zack folded his wings as Ciqala got off, feeling the strain on his joints.
"Maybe he'll re-enchant me a bit stronger." he nodded, wrapping his aching tail around him so he could sit up on it. "Does that me you're going to stick with me then?" Zack's voice rose in excitement. "Are you going to be my rider? I never thought I'd get a rider!" He looked at the homunculus in interest.
"I suppose we better head for Racksom in that case." he shook his head fans in delight. "Ooh, Foen'll be so excited to meet you! He always said I needed to find a friend my size."

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:14 pm

Armeno smiled at Static as she sat down, shrouded in her dark cloak.
'I picked up the food,' he said needlessly, gesturing to the plates and pushing one towards Static before picking up his own cutlery and quickly filling his mouth. He was hungry, and if he was eating then he wouldn't have to endure any awkward converstion with Static. A few people were watching them with leers set on their faces, and Armeno glared at them until they shifted uncomfortably and turned away. He then turned back to Static, and supposing he had to say something, he nodded towards the food.
'Nice?' he said. Unimaginative- talking about food with the most common adjective in existence. This really looked set to lead to an interesting conversation. His ears lowered slightly as he took another bite of potato and chewed slowly, making the mouthful last as long as possible.

Ciqala laughed lightly.
'I guess there wasn't anyone else to be your rider. And if we're friends and we're gonna stick together, I think I'll have to ride you or I'll just get left behind.' He shrugged. 'I'm really not that fast. And I'd like to meet Foen, he sounds interesting.' Ciqala smiled wryly. 'And unlike some humans, he'll probably be careful around me. Most of them crash around like I live in a forcefield or something...' His face turned to a scowl at memories of hastily erected shields- and the odd time he'd been too late.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:54 pm

Static pulled the plate towards herself when Armeno let go, withholding a sigh of delight as she breathed in the mouthwatering smell. Nothing she cooked on the trails would ever match up to good pub-grub. She tucked in, ignoring the fact that they were still attracting stares. It was needless to say she didn't want them as much as Armeno, but what could you do?
She nearly laughed out her mouthful at Armeno's attempt at conversation. With difficulty she swallowed it before shooting him a strange look.
"I'd like to see you make better." He was daft sometimes. At least he looked like he was warming up a bit though- If she had to put up with him playing at being an iceblock for the rest of the night, she was going to have a hard time not killing him from irritation. "I haven't had food as good as this for... Ages." she took another bite, trying to hide how good it tasted to her. She wasn't the best cook, even with following trails for so long. Anything she made was bland to say the least. If edible.

Zack rubbed his paws together in glee, a wide smile plastered across his face. "Foen's cool. If you can call him that. But don't think he'll treat you lightly for being small- He's had me being his pet message-carrier for the last ten times and more I've dropped in on him!"
At least he had the advantage of being able to fly- and everyone thinking he was just too cute to ignore.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:14 pm

Armeno smiled, glad to be able to return to normal conversation.
'No, I wouldn't,' he freely admitted. 'It's very good- I'd be impressed if you could match it.' He chewed in silence for a few seconds. 'So, tomorrow. Are we heading for the blacksmith, then checking out some work? Maybe in an army of a sort?' A passing man paused and glanced down at Armeno.
' 'Scuse me, don' mean ter eavesdrop, but I couldn' help overhearin' yer conversation. If it's fightin' work yer after, yeh migh' wan' ter try yer hand at tha' dragon. There's a reward ter be had fed any who can rid us of it. Destroyin' 'alf the town, it is.' The man lifted his hat to Static, nodded to Armeno and strode of the door, leaving Armeno frowning after him.

Ciqala sniffed. 'Yeah, but he should know better than to go stepping on me. And I think we can call him what we want; he can't hear us here.' Ciqala stretched lazily and flipped onto the ground, twisting blades of grass together to make a pillow and sort of cover. He'd taught himself how to do this long ago- it was the best way to make a bed in long grass like in the Everplains.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:42 pm

"Can't cook for the life of me." she gave a tentative smile through her mouthfuls. It was true- Show her a herb or spice and she would walk straight past. "Yes, the blacksmith. I need a weapon before any work comes past." She could always use her electricity manipulation, but when it got depleted, there was always good old fashioned steel and temper to fall back on. Maybe she could go for something different to her old scimitar this time?

She looked up as a passing stranger interrupted their conversation, her look darkening. She bit back an angry retort at his interruption, saving it for another day. "Dragon?" Hmm, that would provide an interesting source of money. She flickered her eyes to Armeno, missing the man's courteous gesture. "You any good at things like that?"

Zack laughed at Ciqala's boasting words, hoping that they were true. Although, the wizard was absentminded enough sometimes for that sort of accident to occur... He watched Ciqala thread the grass around him into a sort of shelter for a moment before enquiring. "How do you do that?" Normally Zack slept under some sort of natural shelter or with a companion, but the thought of making a shelter of his own had often crossed his mind. Maybe Ciqala would teach him some of his tricks?

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:55 pm

Armeno's forehead creased into a deep frown. He had killed dragons before, but they had not been the kind you could uphold a conversation with- either that, or they were just another enemy in a war. He chose his words carefully as he replied.
'I would be able to fight a dragon, yes, but... Unless this dragon has no regard for the people, I would rather not slay it. I find it is sensible to hold respect for most dragons.' His ears lowered a little- most people couldn't understand his concern for dragons, thinking of them as relentless killing machines.
'So, I think we should certainly take a look. After you have a new weapon, of course.' Armeno instinctively touched Levitas' pommel, finger tracing the smooth faces of the crystal.

Ciqala smiled- Zack seemed to be curious about everything.
'Look...' the Homunculus said, seperating a few blades of grass and beginning to weave them together as one might wool to make a piece of cloth. 'You just need lots, and if you kinda move across as you weave, making lines...' He demonstrated as he talked, hands darting across the plants. 'Well, you end up with that, and it's kinda waterproof and keeps a bit of the cold out. You can weave it into the ground to make a kinda pouch, then just knot some mroe up in a big lump for a pillow... Would yuo want a pillow?' Ciqala glanced at Zack questioningly.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:54 pm

Static was surprised at Armeno's sudden reluctance for killing the dragon... Although she should have guessed, from the way he had acted over the past few days- Healing her shoulder when he shot it, reasoning with the Mage and not striking out as she had, putting up with the Grey Snail and not walking out... She really should have guessed. She kept her own thoughts of dragonslaying to herself for the time, knowing he wouldn't approve. She took a gulp, hiding it behind another mouthful of food.
"Maybe we could get information off a more reliable source." she sent a pointed look at the closest revellers. "After all, the most truthful news normally doesn't come in a tavern."

Zack watched in facination as Ciqala showed him how to weave a tent, tugging on some strings of his own and twisting them together like he was shown. "Hey, that's pretty cool!" he said, taking more grass and weaving it too. Soon he ended up with an arching tent of grass like Ciqala's, albeit a much more roughly made one.
"I think I might need more practise, but it's pretty good if I say so myself!" he said, snuggling under the grass and tucking his tail up to his nose like a cat. "A pillow? What's that?"

It was still reasonably light out, but the grassy tent gave a shade over the dragon, and he could feel himself starting to already get tired.

A dark shape flew across the tops of the Quinsillan forest, long heavy beats of her wings pulling her swiftly towards her destination. A long tail ending in a purple tip flicked this way and that as the dragon flew, directing her through the warm air currents lifting from the odd clearing she passed over. In front of her the city of Racksom rose into view on the edge of the Everplains, a huge dark rolling expanse that ran forever in front. Sometimes, Tabri would follow the heat patterns, meandering slowly over the forest with little to do, but tonight, she had a mission. Well, it wasn't strictly a mission as such, but more of an agreement.

Tabri was a lightning storm dragon- Not the biggest dragon you could find on Dragons Cove, but certainly interesting enough in her own right. Anyone who said otherwise, Tabri would make sure they remembered her all right. As it was, the residents of Racksom would be remembering her for a long time to come, if they didn't already fear her. She had burnt parts of the city already, but they were hardly challenges, brittle residential areas and supply stacks. No, tonight she was after stronger game.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Wed Feb 16, 2011 6:42 pm

Armeno nodded, relieved that Static hadn't pressed to go and kill the dragon straight away. He could see slight guilt in her eyes, and guessed from that and her general demeanour that she had less reservation about dragon slaying than him. What he didn't realise was that she had slain dragons before. Armeno rubbed his face, suddenly realising how tired he was- the night's rest in the cloud hadn't really been enough to catch up on two sleepless days. He sped up his eating rate, suddenly just wanting to get to his inviting pile of blankets upstairs.

Ciqala grinned at the sight of Zack burrowed into the living green nest.
'Good for a first try,' he praised. 'When you're done, unwind it. Only seems fair to the grass.' Ciqala fixed a few hole sin Zack's shelter, then slid into his own. 'A pillow... You rest your head on it in a bed. I guess dragons wouldn't really need them.' Ciqala was distracted by what appeared to be a large dark shape above them, but he shook his head quickly and turned back to Zack. It was probably just bird- but all the same, he felt uneasy.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:50 pm

Static returned to eating as Armeno didn’t return a comment, noticing his quick brush across his face. The elf looked relatively relaxed, his ears low (lower than they had been before)- She herself wasn’t feeling too bad either, considering she never was at much ease when in a crowded place such as this, but having Armeno near to guard her back if needed was comforting. She saw him speed up but kept eating at her own pace, not wanting to go upstairs quite yet…

Zack snuggled deep down in the remaining grass under his little tent, blowing a few strands out of his sight.
“Sounds a bit pointless, if you ask me. A pillow…” he said, his voice a little bemused. He looked up at the arch above him, tracing the curve of it with one claw. The strands were all slightly different shades, making a rainbow-like shape over him. He smiled then curved up, flicking his tail over his nose and sliding into sleep.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:56 pm

Armeno slid the last of his meal onto his fork and chewed it slowly, letting the delicious flavours spread throughout his mouth. He swallowed slightly regretfully, then laid his cutlery neatly upon the empty plate before him. Static was still eating, and he watched her movements silently for a few moments before he spoke.
'I think we should head straight up once you're done. We're going to have a fairly busy day tomorrow, and I get the feeling this place might get a little rowdy later on. Armeno glanced round; a group of men at the bar were already glugging down alcohol like they were parched and it was fresh water. He tensed, eyebrow furrowign slightly as he watched them. In his experience, it was mostly drunkards who would start fights with him based on his race, and he reached up to touch the tips of his ears. They nearly always stuck out of his hair, even though he kept it long, and now he reached into his pocket and withdrew a strip of cloth. He didn't like it, but sometimes it was necessary- he tied the fabric around his forehead and ears, tugging his hair out at the front so that it flopped over the band instead of being pressed flat. He then cast one more way look at the raucous men, before turning back to face forwards and staring absentmindedly into space.

Ciqala shrugged, the grass rustling almost inaudibly as his shoulders rubbed against it.
'Well, it's comfy for a humanoid,' he muttered, letting his eyelids slip down. Gazing at the black insides of his eyelids, his conciousness slowly blurred into a dream in which wizards rode giant dragons up and down grassy fields, and all the while a dragonfly hurled itself repeatedly at the glossy wall of a forcefield, upon which he himself sat, laughing at the insect's misfortune...

Ooc: We timeskipping for Zacky and Ciqala?

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:15 pm

Static twirled the last pieces of potato on her fork as Armeno suggested going upstairs, her stomach leaping at the suggestion. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? She took a breath, eating the rest of her food. She was very tempted to join the rowdy drinkers, but quelled her desire, continuing to eat. Armeno seemed pretty tense all of a sudden, fingering his ears before wrapping a cloth round his head.
“You look strange like that.” She commented, the sudden hiding of his ears indeed looking strange. She hadn’t noticed how much they changed his appearance- Although he still didn’t look quite human.

She finished her plate, pushing her knife and fork together like Armeno had done. Her table manners were rusty, so she sat for a moment before moving.
“Upstairs then?”

((If we just leave the boys out for a little while, I have plans, and if we timeskip for them, it’ll mess them and my head Razz

))

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:27 pm

Armeno felt heat spread down his ears, and knew that under the cloth his ears would have coloured. But he shrugged nonchalantly as he said,
'I just think it's a good idea. Some people don't like elves, and this seems like the sort of place which might get violent after everyone's had a few drinks. I don't like the way it feels, but a lot easier than having to fend off a group of angry drunkards.' He stood readily as Static spoke, and turned swiftly up to the room, eyes scanning the inn all the time. When they reached the door to the room, he swiftly turned the key in the lock and stepped inside. He gestured to the bathroom with one hand.
'You can... Wash and so on first.' Armeno quickly turned and sat on the blankets with his back to Static so she wouldn't see the pink which flushed his cheeks. This was somehow worse than the candyfloss cloud. Another thought struck Armeno- what would Static wear to sleep in? His face now darkening to a red, he rummaged in his pack for the plain black shirt and leggings he wore to rest. They were warm, seeing as he had to sleep outside relatively often, and he unfastened his cloak without turning to see if Static had yet entered the bathroom. Folding it and stowing it in his pack, he looked back at the wooden door to he bathroom over his shoulder.

Ooc: Sure. I'm intrigued though... Anything to do with Tabri?

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:12 pm

Static nodded, agreeing. It did seem like the sort of place where the customers were prone to... Spontaneous violence. She stood up after Armeno, following him up the staircase- She didn't know what room they were in, and there was only one key. The room was relatively large (which was a good thing, not only for the fact that Armeno was sleeping on the floor), and had a bathroom to one side. Oh, a bath- She hadn't had one in ever so long... She flushed as he offered her first bathroom privileges, fleeing into the adjacent room before he turned around again.

She locked the door and turned into the room, lighting the fire underneath the bath absent-mindedly with a spark of electricity from one finger. It was already filled with water, the landlord mindful of giving a good impression. Knowing she was alone (and enjoying the privacy too), she stripped of her cloak, hanging it on the back of the door before unclipping her heavy armour. It clanked as she put it on the floor. Her boots, gloves, shirt and trousers followed before she hopped into the bath, the water now steaming around her as she soaked.

When she got out the bath, the water was brown from the dirt she had picked up on her travels- and the long strands of pink candyfloss she had washed from her hair. She emptied the bath (it had a special plug, very modern!) and refilled it as she wrapped her cloak around her, rubbing her hair dry on her hood. She would put on her clothes again, but the thought of being all grimy again repulsed her. She would wash them in the morning, for the moment, they could stay in the corner. She pushed her armour and clothes and boots out of the way, then opened the door and wandered over to the bed, still wrapped tightly in her cloak.
"Your turn."

((It has /everything/ to do with Tabri >D ))

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:24 pm

Armeno glanced up as Static reentered the room, then jerked his head back down again, flushing red.
'Thank you,' he muttered, grabbing his clothes and darting into the refuge of the bathroom. He quickly undressed and sank into the bath, revelling in the warmth and cleanliness. He scrubbed his hair through several times until all the candyfloss was washed out or dissolved, then rinsed off any remaining dirt before shaking some of the water from his hair and pulling on the leggings and shirt.

Static was in the bed ((is that ok with you? if she shouldn't be, I'll happily edit)) as Armeno exited the bathroom. He smiled at her, slightly tense, before striding over to the blankets and sandwiching himself in the middle of the layers.
'Sleep well,' he murmured, feeling a lot less awkward when they were both under blankets and a distance apart. He turned away from the bed, letting the exertions of the day wash over him and thinking of the night before. In a way, not so different from now... Armeno twisted the hem of the top blanket round his fingers, recounting the entire candyfloss and Mage episode. Really, they had been lucky to get away from it all intact. He sighed quietly and allowed his eyelids to drop, blocking any dim vision he was picking up before.

Ooc: I am seriously scared for what's going to happen now. Static might pounce on Armeno, Tabri might pounce on any of them... The bush might pounce on Zacky or Ciqala... I just feel like you're gonna make something pounce :/

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:05 pm

As they swapped places, Static rubbed her hair dry and pulled some clean clothes out of her bag, pulling on a long dark black dress. It wasn't normally what she wore (liking her green better, and trousers too), but she had to wear something, and at least it was clean and dry. She dragged a brush through her hair as she climbed into the bed, tucking the bedcovers around her as she brushed at her hair. She felt like a different person, clean, her hair brushed (instead of knotted into untangleable knots), wearing something other than normal... And warm and dry and fed. The only problem was the elf in the bathroom.

When he returned to the room, Static worked her way down the bedcovers, pulling them up to her chin.
"Yeah, night." she turned over, shuffling across so she couldn't see him from the bed and blew out the candle on the bedside table. She closed her eyes, trying to sleep. She lay for a while until she heard Armeno's long, steady breaths- He was asleep. Well, there was no point in staying up. She tucked down further in the bed and tried to sleep too.

Tabri attacked the city around midnight, swooping low over the southern quarter of the city and blowing long tongues of flame, setting building after building on fire. But it was no fun, just ruining things- She needed more of a challenge. She crashed down on one of the larger buildings, sending it tumbling into the road, all apart from the roof, which she tore off in her claws and dropped onto another house. Humans ran screaming in the streets away from the carnage. Okay, now she was bored. She took off into the sky again, heading west.

Static tossed in the bed, plagued by bad dreams of giant floating food structures and babies bawling at the top of their lungs. So much so, she squirmed her way to the far edge of the bed, eventually falling out with a crash and a thump. The candle tinkled onto the floor next to her, the metal base clanging. She sat up with a groan, rubbing at her head and swearing under her breath. Gods, that had hurt...

Tabri suddenly sensed something out of the ordinary below her. She didn't like it. Anything that called to her like that wasn't good. She gave a snarl, banking down towards the city where she could feel a steady pulse running through her like a fire.

Subject: Re: Rogue and El- A Chance encounter Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:44 pm

Armeno woke with a start, to find Static sitting almost on top of him with one hand on her head. He sat up and skittered backwards, horrified- what had she been going to do? His cheeks were predictably painted scarlet, then he realised what she was saying and the fact that she rubbed her head- she had obviously fallen out of bed. He quickly uprighted the candle before it set the blankets on fire, then examined Static for further injury.
'You're all right?' he confirmed, frowning at her head. 'You might want some ice for that...' A quick glance out of the window told Armeno that it was definitely still nighttime; however, he also saw something else and scrambled to his feet with a violent Elvish curse.
'The dragon,' he spat. He'd definitely seen something too big for a bird, and it could easily be headed for them- the right general direction at any rate. He quickly yanked clean daytime clothes on over his nightclothes, and whipped his belt from his heap of possessions. He wound it round his waist with one hand as he picked up Levitas in it's sheath and slid it onto the belt before buckling it and returning to stare out of the window intently.

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