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Post by ColArana on Jan 22, 2019 23:12:01 GMT -5
Naturally, Ranuen couldn't hear Tri's comments regarding Percy. He did, however, glance over at Mic as he spoke about declassifying a mission. "I mean hey. It's probably only super classified for angels. Probably no harm in telling non-angels!" He suggested optimistically, in the (likely vain) hope that might loosen Mic's tongue, which already seemed pretty loose to begin with.
Lobo's return was met with little fanfare from Ranuen, aside from a nod of acknowledgement. "Welcome back." He mentioned, then directed his attention to Kelsey, to see what she had to say.
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 23, 2019 11:14:37 GMT -5
"Err... I dunno..." Mic awkwardly hummed through gritted teeth. "I mean orders are orders, but I'm not sure where to begin looking either..."
"Well, you don't have to spill your guts to a bunch of strangers if you don't want," Paul insisted with a warm smile and a nod. "But if you need help, I know I wouldn't be opposed to providing it."
Mic beamed back at him with a chartreuse blush. "Well, thanks!" Then he looked up at Kelsey. "So yeah, don't let me rattle your lobes off! What's on your platter, ma'am?"
"Yeah, might as well knock whatever Kendall gave you off our ever-increasing to-do list, huh?" Paul mumbled, rubbing his neck.
Kelsey nodded, looked between the party members, then took a deep breath and continued, "So the Angel of Time told me that there's a... dragon... hiding in a temple to the south."
Whoops, I think you scared him, Tri snickered as he observed the wide-eyed, breathless expression on Paul's face and the quick flick of his tail before his body went rigid.
"He told me that tomorrow night, I need to confront him and gain his trust, if only because he has the potential to become our enemy if left to his own machinations. But if he's as dangerous as Kendall lets on, I don't think I wanna go it alone." With her arms folded tightly against her chest, Kelsey stared down at the floor with the slightest hint of reservation in her otherwise expressionless face. "If any of you feel brave enough to accompany me, I'd really appreciate it. This just feels too important to ignore. The only caveat is that... Paul... he can't know about you."
"Oh..." Paul sunk a little, his body only barely starting to loosen up again. He looked down at his hands resting on his knees. "I... guess I can... understand that, but... I don't know. I just... Something about this whole thing is freaking me out."
"Never met a full-blown dragon before, huh?" Kenny questioned.
"Not unless you count that Flint guy, and even then, I wouldn't say we've actually met. But this?" Paul warily rubbed behind his horn. "I don't know why the Angel of Time doesn't want us to meet, but I get the distinct impression it's gonna happen anyway. I dare say that... part of me wants it to happen."
"He'll try to kill you if you do." Kelsey turned to Paul, her deep blue eyes and her hushed tone full of concern and sadness. "And if he knew, I wouldn't put it past him to try killing us too to get to you. I'm sorry, Paul, but I can't let that happen. I... need you to stay safe and out of his way."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jan 23, 2019 18:46:23 GMT -5
"Okay, this should be over soon..." Loba nodded to Sophi. "I'm going to have to jam the bones- or support structures to you- back in. Oh whatever exists, forgive me. I am no healer, I just do what I must..." Summoning a second set of watery hands, Loba placed her tools in those, flexing her fingers. "This is going to hurt. I won't sugar-coat this."
A few seconds after that statement, a loud yelp could be heard. Loba was smacked into the wall by a kick, barely catching herself on a watery cushion. "Well, I suppose I forgot to account for that..."
"Agaugahaghahgh!!! What the hell is this...?! Edible flesh interior correction without knockout inducement fluid?!"
"Oh. He woke up."
---
"Oh, so there's a dragon around here, eh?" Lobo kicked back against the wall, smirking slightly. "Well, count me in on this li'l mission of your's, I ain't takin' no for an answer. 'Sides, shit is gettin' borin' these days. You seen one shootin', you seen 'em all."
"Well, maybe when you're as old as you, yeah, but for most of us, that's terrifying." Will shook his head. "So, dragon, eh? Ugh, I'm sorry, but you can count me out. I've had too many bad encounters with dragons."
"Welp. I'm throwin' my hat into the ring too." Jordan glanced at Lobo, then back to Kelsey. "I'll take anything for some fun. 'Sides, clearly I can do this."
"Jordan...!!!"
"Oh, buzz off. I'm almost eighteen. Lemme do what I want and stay out of my business."
The yelp was heard, prompting several jumps. "The hell was that?"
"Probably the prick. I dunno what happened, but I hope it hurt."
"Ooh, an adventure?! Lemme join, too!" Leanne stood up on a table, fire burning in her hands. "Helps ta have someone who can do magic, yeah? And I'm like, the second best mage I know after Mr. Mercury! You'll be in good hands!"
Percy raised an eyebrow at this. "If you need a mage, why don't you bring me instead? Yeah, Leanne's stronger than me, but, no offence Leanne, she doesn't have the endurance to back it up. My magic's nothing special, but I can keep going all day long if I need too..."
Leanne glared at the scruffy-haired teen, eyes burning. "Oh no, you did not just go there, you reckless moron..."
Percy shrugged, although his pointed ears had rolled back slightly, pupils narrowed. "I might have." Man, the tension between these two was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
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Post by DMis on Jan 23, 2019 22:12:49 GMT -5
"You have a broken wing and we couldn't find any. Now stay still or I will knock you out, Liderc," Sophi offered to her fellow exile. "After this and the rain stops maybe we can go after some beetles and cherry dip or find some peppered moth chips." She tried remembering some of the foods they both liked back home.
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Post by ColArana on Jan 26, 2019 20:41:29 GMT -5
Ranuen was a little disappointed that he failed to get any further information out of Mic, and Paul's own insistence seemed to be shutting down that avenue of interrogation. Damn. Kelsey, however, was giving lots of juicy intel.
"A dragon!? Ranuen exclaimed excitedly. "That is so awesome--" Kelsey continued, suggesting she ally with the dragon. Ranuen's excitement grew with each passing statement, right down to when she asked for others to go along with her. He didn't even think twice about the odd requirement that the dragon never learn of Paul. He would have volunteered in a heartbeat, but was beaten to the punch Jordan, and then by Leanne leaping up on the table. Hm. Maybe it was for the best that Mic had accidentally shouted him off. "I'm definitely in!" He exclaimed.
As Leanne and Percy bickered, Ranuen began looking for a safe place to stand in case Leanne forgot where he was and decided to jump off the table, moving out a little into the room, now standing between Percy and Leanne, as they argued above his head. Something had just clicked in his mind though, distracting him somewhat. A dragon in the south? "...In a temple....?" Why did that sound familiar....? And then it clicked in his head, and Ranuen's face slowly began to pale. "That... can't be...." He thought. "If it's him then..." He swallowed. "This temple... wouldn't happen to be in the Rainforest would it?"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 27, 2019 12:32:59 GMT -5
Mic very visibly cringed and looked up the stairs with a fretful grimace. Paul sharply inhaled through his gritted his teeth before mumbling, "Maybe should've taken him to the hospital. That sounded painful."
"Eheh..." Mic awkwardly smiled and rubbed his neck. "None of us are too familiar with the locale. Didn't know where one was."
"That's fair."
Trying his best to buck up for the sake of the Keruv's privacy, Mic grinned up Kelsey. "Back on track, though... color me intrigued!"
Kenny smirked. "Didn't know yellow was the color of intrigue."
"HAHAHA! Good one!"
"In all seriousness, though, I've seen these guys in action. Can't really question their abilities. You, though... are you sure you can go toe-to-toe with a dragon? No offense, but you're kind of a scrawn job."
To that, Mic simply laughed in good humor, hardly offended by Kenny's comment. "Yeah, no, I can't claim to be a powernest, physically or magically! Maybe it's best I sit this out! Focus on my own mission!"
Kelsey shrugged before turning to the rest of the group, nodding to everyone who had volunteered to come along. "I'm not gonna force anyone up against the wall. Nothing wrong with guarding the homefront while I'm out dragon hunting. If you do feel confident enough to join me, I really do appreciate it. If at all possible, I'm gonna strive to keep the encounter from turning too violent, especially since this dragon will apparently focus most of his attention on me once I start using my powers."
Paul clearly didn't like the sound of that. "I know I can trust you to look after everyone else, but I don't want you to have to throw yourself under the bus."
"I can take it. Believe me." Kelsey frowned at Percy and Leanne. "Is this really something worth arguing about? Both of you can come if you feel that inclined. Just try to take this seriously, okay?"
Then Kelsey looked down at Ranuen, her eyebrows lifting slightly at his question. Seemed like he was onto something. "In the rainforest? Yeah, it is. Kendall called it the Stone Temple. Why, does it ring any bells?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jan 27, 2019 23:32:40 GMT -5
"Question, has he always been a complainer?" Loba sighed, rubbing her now-sore face. Okay, maybe she should take an ice bath soon. "Do listen to your friend. Don't make this hurt any more."
"I think I am allowed to complain if someone performs edible flesh interior correction on me! Especially if it's on my wings- you know how many distress ropes are in there!? A lot, that's how many!!" Liderc's back was to the wall, wing stuck out at an angle still. But hey, at least the bone wasn't sticking out anymore.
"Fine. Be this way." Loba handed over her supplies to Sophi, sighing. "At least let someone you like do it." Click. She was gone.
... Liderc sighed, slightly loosening his body. "... Thank Faravahar she's gone now."
---
"Okay, if you two wanna get into an argument, do it outside, please, we just finished repairs." Grabbing Leanne by her hat and Percy by his hair (accompanied by an "ow"), Lobo escorted the duo to the door, locking it behind them. "Alright, resume. Your party's gonna be me, Jordan, Raunen, and who else? Unless, of course, you want to keep your party small. I'm cool with either." Looking towards the stairs, he nodded. "Oh, hey sis. How's the green prick?"
Loba sighed, placing her face in her hands. "I left him to the mercy of his friend." Looking back up, the little angel glanced at Kelsey. "What's this about a dragon I heard?"
"Hey, Jordan, can you go keep an... oh, nevermind. I'll do it. I know you'd just provoke them further. Just catch me up if I'm gone too long..." Sighing and grumbling, Will exited the room. Clearly, someone had to be the adult in this scenario, and clearly it had to be the one actual adult of their little group of four!
"... So," Jordan turned to Raunen. "You know anything about that place, stud? Or anything about dragons, besides the bad breath?"
Outside, very faint yelling could be heard, alongside somebody trying and failing to stop a fight.
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Post by DMis on Apr 19, 2019 18:01:33 GMT -5
Sophi glared at Liderc. "Give me 5 winged reasons not to beat your face? SHE WAS HELPING YOU!" She yelled loudly. Shadows swirled around her feet. "I'm not a medic and of all angels you know that! And the answer is 396 distress ropes. Valravn had me take a few bio education seminars..." The green blood still looked livid at the Keruv's actions.
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Post by ColArana on Apr 19, 2019 18:08:29 GMT -5
Ranuen gave a dry swallow as Kelsey described the rainforest and asked if it sounded familiar. "Yeah... Yeah it does." He answered. He glanced over at Jordan too when questioned. "I went into that temple awhile back, with a new friend of mine. We encountered the dragon that lived down there..." His eyes reflected significant concern over the beast. "Kicked our asses. Hard. That thing was like nothing I've ever seen before, and I don't even think he was trying particularly hard. His name was Vutezoth. It's intelligent, yes. And malicious. I... don't know how negotiating or talking with him would go for you all. He's definitely incredibly dangerous, and personally, while I'm not one to back down from a fight, I'm gonna say we need to think things over very carefully if we're gonna be dealing with that guy." He told them. "I don't know how we got away, honestly. My friend dragged me outta there at full speed, and he just... didn't give chase. I don't know why, but I'm not especially keen to find out." He conceded, looking at the group.
At the sounds of conflict outside, Ranuen glanced over. "Err... Should... We.... Does Will have that under control at all? I can go and try to help..."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Apr 23, 2019 17:32:11 GMT -5
Too antsy to stay in his seat by that point, Paul stood up and turned to Loba as she reentered the room, hand on his head, tail twitching nervously. "Apparently there's a dragon in the southern temple that the Angel of Time instructed Kelsey to negotiate with. And who is not supposed to know about me, I guess."
Kelsey sighed and nodded to Lobo. "I think a small party would probably be for the better. Our goal is to prevent him from becoming our enemy, after all. Too many people storming his lair might make him feel threatened. So yeah. You, Jordan, Ranuen... I think that would be a huge enough help."
"I don't think Ranuen's your go-to guy for 'huge' help," Tri teased, earning a sharp eye roll from Kelsey in return.
Though speaking of the mage, Kelsey turned to Raneun and soaked in his description of the dragon and his last encounter with it, visibly growing more and more uncomfortable the longer he recounted the story. "Wow... Uh... Yeah, he sounds like a... swell guy. This is definitely not something I'm looking forward to. Anything you know about him in terms of personality and what to avoid would be invaluable, Ranuen. And Lobo, Jordan? I can only hope you guys are more braced for whatever hell awaits us than I am..."
"Vutezoth..." Paul mumbled, the dragon's name itching at his tongue like white hot static and shaking him to his core. Why did that name sound so familiar? Moreover, why did it make him feel so riled?
"Hey..." A meek yet still somewhat vociferous chirp and a light smack on the hip snapped Paul out of his stupor and directed his attention towards Mic. "You okay?"
"Uh..." Paul shook himself off, unsure about pretty much everything but unwilling to drag this newcomer down with his concerns. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
Mic offered the dragon man a tender smile. "This whole dragon business wearing you down? Your girlfriend's probably right. You just might be better off staying off this Vutezoth fella's radar."
"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"
"I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!"
The little yellow angel snickered at Paul and Kelsey's simultaneous response, practically in harmony with Kenny's own fit of giggles. "You know what helps me when I need to keep my mind off of matters that the bosses say is none of my business? A good, old-fashioned distraction!"
"Well, yeah, that's kind of the definition of a distraction," Kenny guffawed in turn.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Apr 23, 2019 18:00:47 GMT -5
"Excuse me?"
Liderc slowly stood up to his full height. Yeah, Sophi was somewhat tall for an angel of their caste, but he was taller, more muscular. "I believe I'm allowed to be a little paranoid, thank you? Hey, I kinda need that... You of all people would know what I've been through. Why I can't trust those- GAH!!"
Grumbling, he took a seat back down, looking anywhere but at Sophi. Oh hey, it's still raining out. And he can hear screaming outside. "I could've handled myself when I woke up..."
---
"Sure. Totally not your girlfriend. Just like I totally haven't fucked my dealer a few times for a discount." Ahh, the benefit of not having Will around to scold you for language or delivering too much information. This earned Jordan a raised eyebrow from Loba and a "the fuck?" expression from Lobo. "What? Anyways, yeah, I'll go with ya. Hey, li'l guy, you can hide in my cloak. I'm sure he's not gonna like seein' you again, if I'm understandin' you correctly."
"I thought you of all people would know what we were actually doing!"
"Like you would've followed instructions even if I did!"
"Hey, Leanne, Percy, can we settle down a bit...?"
Lobo gave Paul a sympathetic look, walking over and rubbing the dragon man's arm a bit. "Hey, no need to be on edge, man. We've got this. (I think.) Just... I dunno. Find a way to distract yourself. Maybe see what Shorty McShouty's got on the brain. Maybe teach him some volume control or some shit."
“Abi gezunt dos leben ken men zikh ale mol nemen.”
"Leanne, that was-"
"What did you say to me, you gormless minger?"
"... Completely called for. Percy, you take what you said about my sister back. Now."
Loba glanced upstairs, then at the door. I have a bad feeling about all of this, she thought.
"Know what? Fuck you both."
"Fuck you."
"I'll leave first, Percy."
"No. I'll leave first."
Seconds later, Leanne could be heard yelling from the outside, quickly followed by a "FUCK YOU TOO, ASSHOLE!!"
The door slammed open, Leanne angrily taking a seat, before removing her hat and screaming into it. Will clenched the bridge of his nose with one hand, placing the other against a wall, fingers digging into the surface.
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Post by DMis on Apr 27, 2019 16:46:19 GMT -5
Sophi sighed as Liderc sat back down. "Yes I do. But you do realize that she was willing to fix you up for free where a standard stich-sewer would probably charge a good wing and a half to repair that damage," she replied as shouting was heard. ".... I do not envy the people here."
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Post by ColArana on May 5, 2019 4:56:35 GMT -5
Ranuen gave Kelsey a weak smile at her compliment that he'd be a huge help. "Thanks Kelsey. I appreciate that... Really." He mentioned, but continued as Kelsey asked for further details. "Like I said... He's malicious. He only let me and my friend live for awhile because we amused him, and he made a slip-up. Sadistic maybe... But..." He sighed. "As difficult as it may sound... Just... make sure you've prepared a reason for him not to kill or impede you. I get the feeling he'd enjoy killing anyone who wanders down to find him, just for the fun of it. But there is one thing. On his back-- there's a huge scar. All over the rest of his body, he was nearly invulnerable, but that one spot, he's vulnerable. If things get super hairy, someone needs to go for that, it might give you all a chance to escape." He mentioned, making sure to pass along that vital point of information. It could potentially be a life-saver.
As Jordan extended his offer and raised his point though, Ranuen froze for a moment. Shit... He thought. "You... might honestly be right. But... He's a dragon. I don't know how good it is, but he's probably got an excellent sense of smell. If he picks up on my presence, then..." He mused, nervously, glancing at Kelsey. "...He might realize you know about him, and his weak point. You'll lose the element of surprise if things get hairy." He noted, trying to figure something out. The argument outside was intensifying. He could hear it, and glanced over. "That does not sound good." He murmured, looking at Kelsey.
"Honestly... considering what Jordan just mentioned... he's right. I might actually hurt your chances more than help. I don't mind going if you honestly think I'll be an asset there, but you might want to grab Will, Percy or Leanne instead, if you need a third member for this one." Ranuen confessed. "It's your call." Hearing the argument reaching a pinnacle outside, Ranuen looked over to the door and started to head that way. It was getting pretty fierce. Maybe he could help Will cool things dow-
BAM!
Ranuen found himself getting a little too close to the door as Leanne slammed it open, and Ranuen was staggered by the air pressure as it swung open, moments before being accidentally punted by Leanne as she stormed back into the club. Small as he was, Leanne would likely not have even noticed, angry as she seemed to be. And depending on whether the club's patrons were looking at Leanne, or at the floor when it happened, it might have been easy to miss as Ranuen sailed about a foot off the ground, and crashed down underneath the same table that Leanne chose to sit down at before screaming, the swordsman somewhat stunned by the experience.
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on May 11, 2019 12:05:52 GMT -5
"Hmm..." Kelsey tapped her chin, mulling over the rest of the information Ranuen had provided. Knowing the dragon had an exploitable weak spot could certainly prove to be an ace up the sleeve if the negotiations went awry. Part of her hoped it wouldn't come to that, but natural skeptic that she was, she knew it was a distinct possibility. As for persuading Vutezoth not to kill her... "Well, I've been led to believe a display of my powers will be enough to catch his fancy. Which I guess kind of makes sense, considering the state I'll be in tomorrow night."
Paul couldn't help but be taken slightly aback by that comment. "The state you'll...?"
"We need to talk."
Kenny smirked and playfully jabbed Paul in the arm. Mic did the same, though it was clear he wasn't sure why. Paul simply pouted in response.
Kelsey then cleared her throat and turned back to Ranuen as if nothing had happened. "But I guess that's a fair point, honestly. I'd be happy to bring you along, but I'd understand it if you sat out for precaution's sake. I could work out a plan either way. So I'll tell you what. We have a day to prepare for this excursion. We'll have time to weigh our options, determine our strengths and weaknesses, and figure out the best party arrangement. Just keep me posted, alright?"
Paul nodded despite Kelsey not directly addressing him. Then he looked between Lobo and Mic. "Um... Well, okay, I guess if you can think of a way to make me useful in the meantime."
"Certainly!" Mic gleefully responded. "I mean, I still have my own mission to see to, but you seem like a swell guy! And I never turn down an opportunity to elevate someone!"
"Why would you need to?" Kenny joked. "Dude's already taller than most everyone in this room!"
"You are not wrong, my friend!"
And right about then was when William and Leanne reentered the scene, the latter screaming before and after the fact, effectively startling most of those present. Concerned as he was for the siblings' present state, Paul opted to avoid that disaster area, instead jumping out of his seat and scrambling over to Ranuen when he noticed the miniaturized swordsman get blown away in the sudden chaos.
"WHOA, OKAY!" Instead, it was Kelsey who marched over to the duo, none too pleased by the turn of events, frowning at the siblings like a disciplining mother. "Alright, I may not have a lot of context regarding you guys' interpersonal relationships, and this whole thing may be out of my jurisdiction, but even still, I am completely certain that whatever just happened was the wrong way to go about it! Now what the collective hell is going on?!"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on May 11, 2019 12:41:48 GMT -5
"Percy's a fucking asshole and I want to smack him so hard maybe he'll start thinking for once!" Leanne said almost immediately in response to Kelsey's inquiry. Huffing, she pulled down her hat slightly, allowing her eyes to be seen. Wow, someone was still tense. "If he couldn't fly, I'd happily burn him up! I'm so so mad I could... I could... GAH!!!!" Hey, at least she's screaming into the hat.
It's not your fault. It's in his nature to be that way, my witch.
Will looked up at the scream, frowning. "... I'm not sure what happened. Leanne, what were you two saying? I couldn't understand you guys, maybe that was just the screaming?"
"It was perfectly audible to us! You heard it just fine, remember?!"
"Bits and pieces, yeah. But just what were you two fighting about?"
"I ain't gonna repeat myself. You heard us just fine."
"No, really, I didn't. Can you please-"
"Hey, hey, easy there, guys." Jordan walked over to investigate the damage. Yep, Leanne was riled up from someone who wasn't him for once. "Let's just take this easy for a moment. Inhale, Leanne. Yeah, like that..." Leanne took deep breaths, her face returning to its natural pale complexion. "Will, I don't think Leanne wants to discuss this in front of people. Maybe your hearing's just going bad, too. I'll explain it to you when we've got a minute, 'kay?"
"... Alright. Still think there's something going on, but... whatever..." Will walked over and placed a hand on Leanne's shoulder, gently petting it. "Leanne, I'm here for you. So is Jordan, apparently. If you need to talk, well, just let us know."
"... Hmm, that's weird, I heard most of it just fine. What about you, Lobo?" Loba frowned at that once the dust had settled. Lobo nodded, scowling slightly.
"Yeah, I heard that. Wonder what that all means..."
---
"... Why does that sound so familiar?" Liderc muttered to himself. "It sounded like... no, it can't be."
Ow. Ow. That's in his wings. That was hurty. "C-Careful! You would know how sensitive these things are!"
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