Roleplay between Rook, Rigby and Degu
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Rook — 08/21/2020
(Open RP!)
People wandering by had been an almost daily occurrence and it had been a couple people she didn't care for, though she could handle the dirty looks. She could probably handle hostility too, but she'd proven to that pair before she wasn't a pushover - even if she had her old abilities to give her an edge.
That day, Amalia sat on a chair that had been purchased once she managed to find a few things to sell. Mostly fruit from the forests, a couple animals and whatever else she could scrounge up. It wasn't the best, but it was something and she had almost considered making her own garden to keep it up. Stealing wasn't an option, and she still needed to keep herself and her new companion fed. She rocked on the chair briefly, which rested near a barrel of apples.
The axolgator had found a spot to curl up on the porch of the cabin, sleeping, while the faun stared towards the path infront of her house, ears pointed forward.
Rigby — 08/21/2020
Salamanders, today, and Polpetto was out and happily hunting!
His mission was to scoop them out of the drier brush before they'd spark a little fire - and today he was already lucky, spotting a bright little one sunning on a rock! He pounced on it, stabbing it with his toothy little beak and swallowing it outright - though it took a few retches and head-bobs to get the kicking, wriggling little thing to disappear past the stitches and impossibly down his gullet!
It wasn't a particularly flattering image.
The trick here was to get it down before the salamander had the wherewithal to flame - it would be an evening of indigestion, otherwise, and a piteous little manaraptor for his mistress and master to baby until it passed through. Fire magic and death magic weren't necessarily incompatible, and it was worth the upset tummy to get to the taste - and this one finally went down with a gleeful little swallow and a smoky, tiny belch.
And Polpetto continued to hop along. He could definnitely chase it with something...and shortly his wishes appeared to be answered by a cabin and a modest little arrangement of fruits and other things.
A little puff of a sigh. This was probably a shop. And Aldo had the wallet. And Aldo and Lae were all the way over there. He was only so big!
His master always knew what he was saying, and his mistress would always have a pretty good idea. The rest of these people? Polpetto was lucky if they got his miming and his squeaking, and he assumed this shopkeep would be no different. "I'll pay you Tuesday" was out of the question.
But he could at least look at the apples, right? No stealing. Just looking. Just to make sure they were good.
And that's how Amalia and her axolgator ended up with a green little fuzzball scrambling up the side of her apple barrel, stopping JUST short (and with evident self restraint!) of leaping right in-!(edited)
Rook — 08/21/2020
When the fuzzy little 'raptor scrambled up the side of the barrel, the axolgator opened one eye lazily to watch him and Amalia turned her head to do the same. "Get out of there, you little thief." There'd be no waiting to pay Tuesday, or any other squeaked attempts at bartering allowed, and the faun reached out to pluck him up by his tail to hold over the barrel he looked to 'inspect'.
"Bet you'd sell well." She commented, eyebrows raised and she'd look for a basket or something to drop him in. Or maybe there'd be some reward. 'Oh look, I found your pet a day after, give me money.'
All of it seemed useful, but he was trying to steal (she figured) and people (and creatures) who swiped things from her were used for some gain. She didn't pick all those apples to waste her time!
"Or he could use a snack."
Rigby — 08/21/2020
And suddenly, he was upside down!
Well, crap.
Polpetto screeched, proto-feathers flaring on-end and then bursting into pops of reflexive ectoplasm, sloughing off of the wisps of those feathers into bubbles and eerie shapes and faces that dripped to hiss into the ground and drift off to dissipate in the air. Aimless and directionless, it amounted to little more than pyrotechnics rather than anything (or anyone) properly channeled!
And he wiggled like a panicked bird or cat, flapping and flailing pointlessly before little claws finally found purchase in her sleeve hem, and he clung like a limpet, shaking his head frantically, even attempting to articulate tiny, tinny and parrotlike "nonononononononono"s !
August 22, 2020
Rook — 08/22/2020
The ectoplasm immediately grabbed and held the faun's attention, and she reached out to let one settle over her fingers. "...Hm." Keeping him was almost a consideration, but he was alone (as far as she knew). When he wiggled like a frantic cat, she let go of his tail...even if he now had a hold of her sleeve.
"Oh calm down." As if that'd do it, and all would be back to being calm in the world. If he continued to cling to her sleeve, she held him closer to the ground and glanced around the area. "Anymore little beasts like you?" Maybe she could get a few, tame them and then sell them. So long as they had magic. "You've heard people before, I assume you're owned." If the parroting was anything to go by - even wild birds mimicked people in their territories.
Rigby — 08/22/2020
She finally lowered him; he paddled his little feet until he found the ground, and then dropped down, in a motion nearly as fluid as the bubbling apparitions around him, chest huffing and puffing.
As he calmed, so too did the pops and bubbles of magic, eventualy hissing into inert little puddles around him before evaporating entirely.
Polpetto snorted, rolled his shoulders and flexed his wings, puffed up his chest as if he was far bigger than he truly was, did his best to frown stubbornly on features that didn't really allow such things, and nodded rapidly.
He rolled his head over his shoulder once, picked at a few feathers thoughtfully, then straightened back up again. She was not his master or mistress and wouldn't get it, but maybe he could keep this talking-thing up.
That tinny voice, again."ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ʏᴇꜱ. ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ʟᴀᴇʀᴅʏᴀ. ᴀʟᴅᴏ. ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?"
Rook — 08/22/2020
Amalia plucked up one of the apples, looking disappointed when the magic dissipated once he calmed down. He started to speak again, and the axolgator leaned in to sniff at his tiny body. Of course, he spoke some familiar names.
"Hm. Hm." She kneeled down, tearing a chunk of apple away and held it out to him. "Laerdya, Aldo, yours? Where are they? Where is home?" She asked him, looking away as if expecting the two to come when their names were mentioned.
"Not looking after you well, I see."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
Amalia would likely be satisfied to see that the axolgator's motion riled the little thing up just a bit - enough to eke out a stray wisp from the little animal as he puffed up, again!
ʜᴇʀᴇ! ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ɴᴇᴡ ᴏɴᴇ.
He was evidently struggling with this form of communication, so he briefly abandoned it altogether at her question after his home, and trilled and gestured in the vague direction of their house with broad sweeps of his wing-arms and demonstrative hops, pupils pinning.
ʙɪʀᴅ ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ʙᴀᴅ. ᴛᴏɴɢᴜᴇ...ꜱᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ. ʜᴀʀᴅ.
The apple was accepted graciously, if a bit hurriedly (and he shifted a bit to put more of his body between the axolgator and the apple - his, now, stay away, do not STEAL. And started pecking and nibbling at it while holding it delicately with little claws.
He puffed up again at that last part, a bit defensively!
ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ. By way of explanation! ʙᴜɢꜱ. ᴡᴀꜱ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ!
Rook — 08/23/2020
"New one, yes, of course." Amalia knew where she 'left' the pair, even if it was quite some time ago. Time was still strange, because it was probably just a short period of time for them. She enjoyed seeing more wisps appear, but avoided encouraging more out.
He got his apple, since the 'gator didn't seem so keen. "You're doing well enough. Show me where home is." She 'requested', and moved to stand, taking a moment to lock the cabin door. "Stay here. If people come snooping about, you know what to do." Amalia reached down to pat her companion on the head, stepping away from the porch.
"Won't be long. Probably." She'd bring him back something regardless.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
He preened at the slight compliment to his Human-Talking, eyeeeeeeeeed the axolgator just to make sure that it wasn't also coming along, and then (after shoving the rest of his apple straight down his throat in one quick little gulp), he stood up and chirruped at her.
ᴛʀᴇᴇ.
The delivery remained the uneven pace and patter of a parrot, and he hopped from one hind leg to the other, forelegs raised.
ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ.
And soon, Amalia would see what he'd meant - as he soon shot up a tree, pausing mid-length, before scuttling up more just to gauge his height. He looked down, blinking, making sure she was looking up at him with a little trill, added one more ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ - and then kicked off from the tree to glide lightly down a free path over the trail!
He'd either navigated these trees often enough to work out a little arboreal gliding path for himself - or he was decent at improvisation!
He'd charted enough to the next tree - which he would cling to, scuttle up again, look down at Amalia and chirp to make sure they were on the same page - and there he'd go, again!
It definitely beat walking with his short little legs!
There were a few forest houses they'd pass, each carving out and nestling a little unique spot in their small patches of land. But none were His - though he ventured a little whistle at another house and got the tiniest whistle from the sil in return (if one could squint, they'd see a tiny pink puff from behind the glass pane).
And finally, several tree-leaps later, he sank back to the ground, panting
ꜱᴀɪᴅ ɪ'ᴅ ɢᴏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ. ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴏꜱᴛ. ɴᴏ. It would've been smug if he wasn't so tired.
He rolled his head over his shoulder once more and then bobbed it at the house before them.
ɴᴇᴡ ᴏɴᴇ.
Rook — 08/23/2020
"Tree," Amalia repeated, sounded exasperated. Off he went though, and she followed quickly, but without much pause. He seemed to know the forest well enough, which made her wonder how long they'd been there...and how she missed them.
"I am keeping up, you little shit." She grumbled up at him and once they got to the houses, she looked towards the little pink puff. "Is that one of your brood?" Or maybe another. Maybe there was some possibility she could find a bunch to breed and sell.
"Let's go." Amalia scooped him up, heading for that house and she'd knock at the door.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
ʙᴀʙʏ. There was a beat. ɴᴏᴛ ᴍɪɴᴇ. ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ! More creatures like him, presumably - and more that weren't fresh out of the egg!
He'd had ideas who'd home his own two eggs, of course - but she didn't need to know that, right now!
--- Amalia knocked, and Polpetto trilled as he uncurled (he would never outright admit to having cuddled up in her hold, or idly nibbling on her sleeve in comfort!) - one altogether different, cheery and warm. He looked briskly from the door, to Amalia, to the door again. ʜᴏᴍᴇ.
Shortly, the rich pipe-smell preceded Aldo by a second, and the door shortly opened to the man. He seemed a bit startled, though masked it quickly, accompanying it with that near-imperceptible flick of his brows and lashes that came with that constant magic-detection, that slight moment of trying to get (or even understand) a read without seeming rude.
A rather casual angle of his head and a broad smile as he took in the faun and his familiar at his doorstep.
"Hello!" He reached out an arm while Polpetto waved his own fuzzy ones; if allowed, he'd leap to scrabble up the man's own and take a cozy perch around his shoulders like a morbid little parrot, preening happily.
"What was he doing? Hope he didn't give you too much trouble, he's been finding all sorts of strange things on his hunts lately..."
He stuck out a hand, too. "Aldo."
Rook — 08/23/2020
Amalia just held him in her arm like a little baby, which didn't seem too far from the fact, not with his cuddling and comfort-nibbling. She stared across the step at Aldo and held up the 'raptor, letting him leave.
"He was trying to steal apples." She didn't mind now, simply where she wound up. "Where is Laerdya?" He offered his hand, though she wasn't going to hide who she was. "It's me, Amalia. Dalmaine, whatever name you remember me by. I'm like this now, because some vampire Lord felt like killing me."
Sure, he had some reasoning for it, but she felt the guy just wanted blood to sate some sadistic need - especially when the people she harmed personally had no hand in it.
"My old body's gone, so I'm now in this one. Bit of a mess, no more of my old magic."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
"Heh, 'mean he was probably eating those salamanders again, Lae n'I only find out when he's crying all night about it after. Hoping he grows out of it! S'why you don't eat other magic, do you, Polpetto, 'specially not the FIRE..." The conversation derailed slightly into baby-talking tones and some beak tickling - but only briefly! "Sorry, though. I can repay, whatever you need."
But that sentiment was quickly forgotten in favor of the bombshell the faun dropped on him, next.
"Dal..."
He fell dead silent, staring openly for a moment. Well, that magical mess certainly explained the detection confusion he was trying to hide. No necromancy and she'd probably be a lot more prone to eating a lot more traditionally from here on out. He nodded, smile only now daring to just pull at the corner of one side of his mouth.
"Yeah...yeah, I can see that. Got a whole new..." He gestured vaguely, trying to describe it with one hand. Aura. "Long story, sounds like..." How long HAD it been? Strange resurrection probably shouldn't have surprised him all that much! But for someone who traded in the dead, Aldo was quite intent on keeping his people very much around.
A little snort of a laugh at the dig on the vampire lord. They do that. But that nod and handshake burst into a rather reflexive, brisk but genuine hug.
"That was you...what the hell...you have to catch us up..." She'd used aliases, always had - how could he have known this was the person to whom Ganu had been referring when he'd lurk in the odd meeting.
"She's here. You...want-?" He gestured to the inside of his house animatedly and vaguely. If she wasn't moments away from showing up to investigate who was at the door, herself!
Blood ran thick, after all.
Rook — 08/23/2020
"Magic eater, hm? Well, atleast it's just been fire." As if fire wasn't the worst he could, but it was close - atleast he wasn't burning houses down as a result. "Nothing to pay for." Apples were easy to replace, much as she grumped.
Aldo got a free pass, being who he was, so that obviously trickled down to his pets.
"It's not what I prefer, but it could be worse." There were a number of things she might've hatched into, but she still missed her body. She accepted the hug, but peeked past him a moment. "Did my usual, to keep myself in one piece, people didn't like it. Not surprising, but didn't expect them to catch me." She was clever, but she made the mistake of meeting the lord's witchy wife.
"I don't mind."
As expected, Lae did show up, right after the hug parted and she responded to it by teasing Aldo. "If you're intent on trysts, my love, you don't bring them to the house." She said as she stepped over, resting a hand against his shoulder. The way Amalia talked, though, gave her away - it helped they were sisters.
"New body, this is....truly unexpected."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
Polpetto, still perched atop his master's shoulders, yelped and hummed a few questions when it became pretty clear that this was also one of his people! He was feeling rather young then, indeed - but then again, all of his people were pretty old!
-
A laugh for Lae! "But of course, you are my one and only, voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te." It was a bit playful, in her tone returned, and not TOO gooey in front of her sister, of course!
"It caught up with y'huh!" Another angled squint - it wouldn't have nearly been so conversational had they not gotten her back, and any severity of what the situation may have been was downplayed in the surprise of the moment! She was here, now. As Aldo would often maintain, it was never too late to fix things. "Woudn't have guessed it, must've been some catch! Where'd you even end up?"
"New body, this is....truly unexpected."
"Yeah. C'mere, should we sit? You're clearly not dead, you're farther from it than you were...what happened?"
Rook — 08/23/2020
Lae whispered her own playful response in his ear, resting her hand against his wrist. Amalia made a point to ignore...all of that.
"Yeah, three people chasing me, was bound to happen, I suppose. So. Here now, followed that troll, got my own house and people generally leave me be. I might hire a person to play merchant for me, so I can avoid dealing with people entirely." Maybe she'd let them have a room in her cabin, once she got it fully furnished.
"They put my soul into a gem, and then I was taken to an earth plane and reborn. I think my old body was burned." She replied after sitting, crossing her hooved legs. "Don't have my old magic either, probably not worth trying to gain it at this point." Someone would say something, and she knew she'd never hear the end of it.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
He absolutely seemed ready to gear up for some next-level flirting with Lae, right down to looking about to respond...and then thought better of it after a quick look at Amalia. Ahem. Maybe later. Heh.
The notion of shopkeeping did seem to pique small interest. "Could help you out with that. 'Least for a little bit."
That soul gem business saw rapt and grim-faced attention, though the mention of what happened to her body finally did seem to break the spell, slightly. He rolled his shoulders a bit, but otherwise restrained the slight squeamish reaction at that. There was something a bit unsettling about knowing an old familar body one cared about was burned, anyway - and doubly so, fresh out of Belsthame. Burning bodies prevented his sort from causing trouble back in Bels, after all...it never felt correct in his core.
When it came to talking about her magic and getting it back, he bit his lip and bobbed his head in an 'eh, maybe' sort of gesture. "I mean...that crowd puts up with me enough. But I've only really...y'know. Pulled up a few animals, played around, did some tricks for the kids. Didn't touch any of their vampires or anything...yeah, maybe best to cut that loss, 'least for now."
He squinted, then.
"You have something...though? Or is this just...how you were brought back?"
Rook — 08/23/2020
"That'd be good until I find someone who will play that role for me." There'd be someone she was sure, she was clever enough to get what she wanted from someone just wanting to start off. The downside was finding that person first, and hoping they needed a place to live. "Yeah, that'd set them off. Using their vampires as test subjects."
As if that's what poor Quinne was. Doubtful.
"Didn't think they'd want necromancers around, after everything. Just earth magic. It's not strong, and I haven't practiced with it much. Maybe someday, but I just want to get settled."
Lae had wandered off, getting tea set up - it'd be strange, now that her sister could drink it. "Sounds like it could be useful later, even if not what you're used to."
August 24, 2020
Rigby — 08/24/2020
"All right. Call it a plan! It'd give me something steadier to do than to drag the guitar into the city, too. Hear everyone needs couriers though. Wouldn't mind that, again, s'pose!"
At the mention of that crowd and necromancy, Aldo raised both eyebrows, indulged in something that was nearly an eye-roll and grinned. "Don't think I didn't get the whole interview about it. They're not against necromancy, just against the improper use. Still can't imagine they all were entirely fine with it on the way over." Not that they'd keelhaul him over the edge of the boat! "Perfectly fine with my sort though...was weird. Didn't mind it," he added after a beat and a shoulder-bob. There were already a couple demons and part-demons on board, after all! The 'sort' being decent, never mind casually accepted was still something he was getting used to, and an unconscious rub at the brand on his wrist was a familiar fidget.
Lae spoke up then and Aldo added "Yeah, exactly! Could be practical. Especially if you're working up selling some...earth-y things."
Polpetto meanwhile decided to detach himself from his master's sleeve and hop along after Lae instead, quietly and raptly watching her set up the tea - and offering to help as much as tiny little claws were able!
Rook — 08/24/2020
"A courier is good." Amalia commented, and Lae agreed silently - it was the dark-haired elf's job in Belsthame. Even if it didn't really get her a lot of money, but well, racism. "The improper use." Amalia repeated, mockingly. "What is the good use to them? I am genuinely curious." How could one make 'raising the dead' as 'good and proper'. "You must have gotten on someone's good side right away."
The faun didn't care to ask who, not yet. "Yeah, probably. Tend to one's crops, their plants, make them grow real nice." Maybe there'd be some merit in that, it could get her money.
With Polpetto's help, Lae let him bring along a spoon or two and returned with the tray. "Atleast you can enjoy this again." She said, pouring them a cup each. A couple sweets were brought along, with a small one left for Polpetto to enjoy.
"Where did you get this creature?" Amalia asked, as she picked up her cup. "Could be profit in breeding him....and more."
Rigby — 08/24/2020
A snort at Amalia's sass.
'S'pose a medic, if you're really careful. Maybe an undead one. City hired me on as a city mage for a stretch," that nervous rubbing of the brand again "but I had to hide a lot of what I did for them, too. Mostly revive drowned folks, publicly, there were always a few in those canals. They didn't cross yet, there was enough there to put back together without..chasing them down into the dark." A shrug; there were complicated feelings on that one, a lot unsaid, and not all of it appeared things he'd be comfortable doing again. One could suspect he'd barely thought of the rest of his old government job as 'good,' too... "Also puppet dead fish for a couple kids. That's not...harm, 'least!"
Polpetto was a dutiful little spoon-carrier! And after everyone was set with their tea, he thanked Lae with feelings that were more than words, and a gentle, trilling curly-horned headbutt, and he planted himself between all of his people, carefully nibbling at the sweet!
Aldo took his tea and and listened with appropriately morbid interest when the topic swung around to Amalia's reentry into more traditional food-taking. It was a type of resurreciton, wasn't it? It went without further comment aside from a sly little "You could eat'em, too~" when it came to Amalia talking about new earth-magic assisted crops, and otherwise left any further discussion on that matter for the sisters.
He'd listened, still, but animated once more when she'd asked about Polpetto; both man and raptor perked up and sat up straighter near-simultaneously.
"Couple years ago. Two, Lae? Almost two years ago." His memory for dates wasn't SO bad yet that he forgot relatively recent events..right? "Caught some shady undercroft traders ready to sell his egg as a reagent. Or maybe a snack or something. Dunno, can't really remember. Clearly had no idea what it was, I didn't either. It was weird lookin' enough, this-big. Bought it, picked it up, checked to see if the thing was dead, but it read the magic instead - and hatched right there on the spot, ghoulface and all. They tried kicking up the price for him then. Heh." It was a 'fat-chance' kind of 'heh!' that he kept from sounding too ominous!
"I didn't know what to do, we just forgot about the shopping and went straight home to Lae from there and he's stuck with the both of us ever since." Likely wisely cutting out the more panicked 'ohgodslaewhatdoIDO's and an awkward bout of 'what do we FEED HIM?' that went on, that night!
"He's got two little eggs!" He was cut short as the manaraptor stopped his nibbling to GLARE. "...somewhere. He changes where he hides'em. Think he's staked out a couple masters for them, but seems like he's got a knack for finding ah..." He pursed his lips and bobbed his head, trying to put it nicely, giving up, and going with, "Screaming back-alley females."
Rook — 08/25/2020
"I guess." Amalia waved a hand, though she hummed when he mentioned the work he did in Belsthame. "What about here? What do they want with your magic here?" Perhaps the same thing, if people were stupid enough to wander into a canal and drown. "Parlour tricks." It was almost insulting! Undead minions should be useful.
Lae patted Polpetto on the head gently, and sipped her own tea. "I believe so, yes. It was strange to see the magic make a thing hatch, but I'm glad it did." The little 'raptor was a gem.
When the eggs were mentioned, Amalia squinted at the glaring beastie a moment. "Getting his genes out and about, naughty." She mock-scolded. "Maybe I can find some of these eggs, if there are more of the raptors around." If not, she'd just snatch up some of the females and hope for the best. She had a big enough backyard.
Rigby — 08/25/2020
"Yeah. If there are canals, someone'll be falling into them, s'pose! Otherwise...not sure. Not yet." He did look a bit lost, and he shared a Look with Lae. The subject might've been a recurring talk - she had the luckier and more practical powerset of the two! And while he could get by running jobs for others or with music, they weren't all of him. "I'd sworn I'd never use it under someone, again, after Belsthame." He only snorted and smiled at her Parlour-trick jab. Yes, it was. But damn if it wasn't a show!
Polpetto may have become used to speaking to Lae and Aldo in feelings more than words, in understanding, but Amalia still needed a little help as far as the manaraptor was concerned.
He cuddled and tucked his limbs under himself once he finished his treat, leaning against Lae and humming softly, listening to his people talk (and talk about his...proclivities) But even then that conversation took a turn and Polpetto let out a little puff of a sigh. A quick glance over his shoulder at nothing in particular might've betrayed him. He clicked his little beak a couple times and licked his stitches thoughtfully.
ʙᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ?
His voice was unexpected and tiny. He turned around and looked up at Amalia, tapping his little claws, shuffling his feet.
ʙᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ? It was a small, nervous whistle, and he kept looking at Aldo and Lae as if seeking affirmation for a question he hadn't yet asked.
...ᴇɢɢ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ.
Rook — 08/26/2020
"Belsthame was terrible, don't know why you stayed." There was a reason she left. Not that she could've gotten away with her abilities there forever, or her motives really, but the people were garbage. "So, what will you do?"
Lae would stroke the top of Polpetto's head once he cuddled up against her and she smiled, looking down at him after. "Be good? Hmm, I suppose." He mentioned the egg, though, and she idly wondered if Amalia would manage to care for them properly or just get bored and ignore them.
"We will take care of them here, and you can have them when they hatch. If magic is a factor, though.." Perhaps Polpetto was just a strange case, but regardless, she planned to keep the eggs with him since they were, technically, his.
Rigby — 08/26/2020
Amalia cut deeper then he wanted. He'd stayed for his own reasons: he didn't know anything else. Or if he'd be going with Lae into someplace even worse. There was some heavy guilt to having stayed so long as well, and Amalia only got a slight flush, pursed lips, a loaded shrug and a flick of downcast eyes in response to her remark.
"Figure it out, I guess. I've got ideas. Things I want to try, want to make, no government strings attached. See who needs me. See who's paying." Few words, but they were loaded with much more. He didn't appear adverse to being a mercenary-for-hire until something stable came along!
"Short of, y'know. Dimension domination, of course. Dunno what I'd do with it," he added with a wink and a grin, after a beat!
Utterly inappropriate powerset for the person, indeed.
---
"We will take care of them here, and you can have them when they hatch. If magic is a factor, though.."
Instinct had told him to hide the eggs and keep them warm up until this point...but that same instinct was maddeningly silent when it came to the matter of hatching them. Did he fire his own magic at them? How much? Had he died in his own egg and Aldo's magic brought him back? Would they go wild if he did?
And he'd be damned if he knew what to do with it once it did hatch, either! Did he still have to sit on him? Or - unthinkable - have to share the food he'd ate?!
That is why he needed people. Or another manaraptor. And he felt secure knowing that his people were around. And maybe the kid from the boat, too.
He fluffed up, held up a paw, then skittered and hopped away off into the bedroom.(edited)
...and came waddling back in moments later from with one of the eggs in his beak, in much the same awkward and unwieldy means of carrying it he'd displayed on the ship. He looked from Aldo to Laerdya, before finally pickng Mom and depositing it in her lap ('well, good-BYE then, kid! Remember which one of us actually hatched which one of you!' was good natured from Dad!)
A flick of luminous ectoplasm whisked from his next trill to back-light the egg for her, a wink and it was gone, showing off the little curled thing within. He pressed the side of his little fuzzy head to the egg and remained there, emitting a warbling low hum for a long moment. Then sat back up again, apparently hearing what he wanted to hear. Nosing it to Laerdya, he offered it for her to investigate.
ᴘᴇᴇᴘꜱ, he explained to the other two, accentuating it with one of his own. Laerdya could hear it, but they likely couldn't!
Rook — 08/26/2020
"I see, well, maybe I'll see how it goes." Amalia planned to stick around her cabin more often than not, and if she had someone to go sell things for her, even better. She finished off her tea, setting the cup down afterwards. "Let me know when you want to set up work or something. I'll get the fruit ready."
Once she went through them, so she could determine the best and also keep some for herself.
When Polpetto left, only to return with an egg, Lae scooped it up gently and held the fragile thing in her hand. When it was nudged, she held it up and close. "Ahh, very good. Now we just need to figure out if it's warmth or more that encourages it to hatch." She would've sought to use her own magic, but with the risk of making the baby too cold, she refrained.
"It's a shame we don't know anyone with knowledge on his species.."
Rigby — 08/28/2020
"I'll be ready when you are! Now's the best time anyway, in case I end up with something steady soon!"
A slight frown when Lae puzzled over the egg. "Could try another round at the library. Evren has one...if she's here. And if she's accepting visitors." He'd kept enough of an ear on their former traveling companions to know that probably wasn't going to be the case.
ʙᴀʙʏ. Polpetto agreed, flicking and fanning his tail, patterns and eyes glowing softly, before burying his head into Lae's side.
Aldo tilted his head, raised both eyebrows. "Maybe the guy on the ship, naturalist type. Jaspur. Think he'd mind the two...three?" an invitation for Amalia, possibly! Barring any bitterness from the man's partner - but Aldo didn't know! "of us showing up at his door asking what we'd even found one whole world back?"
Then added, perhaps semi-consciously echoing one of Polpetto's own thoughts abut the matter, "Could try what I did before...but m'not entirely sure he wasn't dead in there in the first place." It seemed to fit, after all - if that little egg imprinted on his powerset and the little creature was quite alive. "Not sure I want to go flinging that at any babies just now!"
Rook — 08/29/2020
"That works for me." Amalia replied and she got to her hooves, twitching an ear. "I'm going to go tend to my goods, then. Stop by whenever you're ready." She also suddenly decided she was tired of being social and it was time to go hide away inside her cabin.
Lae nodded her agreement, scritching the top of Polpetto's head. "We'll try both, couldn't hurt. I don't want to experiment with the eggs, but I would like to learn about them." This way seemed easier. She stood up, intent on being a proper host and walking her sister to the door.
"We could." She said once she was returned, not bothering to give Amalia any parting hugs incase she grumped about that in the end. "It is up to you."
Rigby — 08/29/2020
"We'll see you later, D-Amalia." Then added with a grin. "Glad you're not dead." Redead.
A sister-in-law returned (and nobody had to run into the uncharted worlds for her!) and a gig scored. A good day.
Then to Lae - "We'll see who's home first. Shake it up from the usual job hunting, hm? 'Least some answers, if nothing more!"
Polpetto who, knowing full well it was just as much in vain as the last several dozen times he'd tried, had curled over his little egg in the absence of his people and rested his cheek on his surface, piped up in that uneven and tinny patter once more.
ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʟᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ.
Rook — 08/29/2020
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Lae agreed, as she gathered up cups and little plates to take back to the kitchen. "When do you want to go check?" She asked, smoothing out her dress and she'd settle back into the living room afterwards.
Polpetto tended to his little egg, and her response was to smile. "I wonder if we should bring him and the egg along, maybe they'd be able to inspect both to learn more than we can on our own?"
Of course, she didn't intend to drag either if the 'raptor seemed anxious about it.
Rigby — 08/29/2020
He picked up whatever Lae didn't take on the first go and followed her back into the kitchen, washing up and putting things away briskly with her.
"Let's try Jaspur first." He didn't want to admit being a little leery of the dragon - especially a heartbroken Evren! Unpredictable family, that one, but wasn't that the nature of chaos? "Could do it whenever you're ready? Long as we're up and about and I'm not farming for your sister yet."
Polpetto meanwhile had decided to completely envelop the egg he'd brought out while his people tidied up, tucking his limbs under himself catlike. When Lae spoke up, he perked up, markings flaring gently in interest, and he whistled his agreement!
Rook — 08/29/2020
"Jaspur then." Lae said in agreement and she headed for the door, changing her slippers out for a pair of boots instead. An unpredictable family seemed a poor choice for the hour, especially with an egg, despite that she was sure they'd treat it delicately.
When Polpetto agreed, she headed over to scoop up the egg to hold between her hands. "Who will you cling to along the way?" She asked, offering an arm if he went with her and she'd wait for Aldo to be ready before stepping outside. Door would be locked, once he joined her.
"Lead the way, dear, I can't quite recall where he lives." A few of them all lived in the same spot, but she didn't put families to which house quite yet.
Rigby — 08/30/2020
Aldo took Laerdya's arm with playful grace.
Polpetto used the both of them as a bridge, before finally picking Lae's shoulder for his seat on the way over, finding it suitably cozy, and could hide in her hair if necessary!
And they were off!
---
Matching families to houses was deceptively challenging!
That chaotic family appeared to have some chaotic spillover, which honestly did make Aldo feel all the more awkward about lingering around them after their ride out of Belsthame, even as he yet sought out a way repay them in due measure - the ones that weren't orphans were all hers and the feeling that his own family was merely a pair of quirky tagalongs following a large family around was a persistent one in the mutt's mind.
Still, resources were resources, and this seemed better than directly dealing with a grieving dragon if she were around.
Arron worked a lot; he'd set up and leaped to the opportunity to rebuild with all of the mechanical process of someone who'd moved and felt the desperate need to prove himself and secure stability FAR too many times.
He killed off-site far enough to avoid bothering settled areas, and had negotiated a shop space of his own (never mind a good deal of some of these house spaces!), in his element once more with the ability to bounce his mysteriously-charming-stranger patter off of people. Aldo didn't bank on his being home.
At long last though, they'd found it; purple, glittering scorch marks on the ground and embryonic lambs faintly visible against the skin of the fruit of large-leaved plants nearby helped him to narrow down his options.
That wasn't so bad, right? Though they'd found an otherwise uneventful approach disrupted with a loud SNAP in the air and an alarmed hoot. It was further graced with the brief presence of one of the purple-haired elven children appearing with a yelp, wrangling a wriggling ball of feathers in his arms. - before the child raised a finger to his lips, eyes flashing conspiratorially between Aldo and Lae (the Cool Adults were in on everything, he'd likely figured!) - before disappearing with the bird-creature in his arms again back behind their house.
Suppose that meant they were free to knock, and so Aldo did! @Degu
Degu — 08/30/2020
Loud barking sounded before Aldo could even knock and Jaspur snapped from inside "Symeon! I spilled- everywhere!"
"O-oh sorry-"
"Every TIME" there was a long delay as Jaspur had to magic ALL the ink off the page he'd been writing and now would need to write again, grumbling sourly and heading to the door. He gently ruffled Akka's hair on the way past. Jenna was keeping her sad mother company so it was just him and- wait where was the other one?
Raali...
He opened the door, blinking in surprise as he saw Aldo and Lae. Of course he didn't know the man or woman beyond existing in the same spaces as him on that ship. "... Good evening... I don't quite recall your names?" he looked between them suspiciously "Can I help you?- what is that?" he belatedly spotted Polpetto, eyes widening "The little creature from the ship, yours? ... hello." he greeted the little thing with a much warmer smile than they'd been greeted with.
Rook — 08/30/2020
Lae looked around as they walked, taking note of who and what was where. Quinne's own house had been quiet, though Trapper lingered around, grazing here and there while approaching people in search of treats. Much like Wight, he was undeniably spoiled.
She offered a smile and a wink to Raali, letting him disappear without giving him away. "Good evening." The elf greeted in return, inclining her head. "Laerdya. Actually, this is why we're here." She said, moving her hair incase Polpetto hid most of his body in those plentiful locks. "I hope we didn't come at a bad time.."
Rigby — 08/31/2020
Lae's wink was answered with one of Raali's own, and with a little salute, both child and ...owlthing disappeared behind the house with barely a hoot. Gotta get in good with the cool adults.
The other twin meanwhile did his best to stand at a distance away behind his dad, pretending rather poorly that he wasn't listening intently to the Grownup Stuff. His attempts at Jaspur's cleaning trick ended up far more destructive than he'd intended - even when he wasn't studying chemical-magical reactions, bombs still went off! - and he used this to his advantage to make his cleaning in the background take a reeeeeeeaaaallly long (and occasionally loud) time.
Aldo stepped forward, stuck out his hand, evidently ready to radiate that leisurely chumminess that seemed to keep him from the stake all these years. Not appearing to be bothered, and rolling with the punches and after Lae's intro, he flowed right into, "Aldo. This is Polpetto," he added with a little smile and jerking his head to the little green fluff in Lae's hair, who was trying to get a better look at Jaspur while simultaneously trying to nestle, ending in an awkward half-stretch.
When Jaspur warmed to the creature, so did he, and he smiled a bit apologetically, reaching to veeeery carefully collect the raptor from the hair (not a tug or a tangle to be had!) and hold him out for a clearer view.
"Kinda' hoping you'd tell us. We have eggs. Got one here with us. Perfectly fine, perfectly alive - "
ᴘᴇᴇᴘꜱ.
"- yes, they...peep. Been for some time. I hatched him, but...still not sure how I did it. Or what he even is. Or where to even start. Stuff I find leaves out the...violently-magic bit." He'd found plenty on the primordial lizard-birds and dinosaurs, had heard of several packs of the smaller and hardier ones alive and about, but the histories and archeologists had conveniently left out any mention of necromantic resurrection. Or impression - was Polpetto even supposed to look like that, or was that part of the resurrection-part? "Got his egg from a curio vendor. He wasn't...eh, he didn't peep," he finished somewhat lamely after a glance down at the familiar. "Figured you'd find him interesting, 'least. Seen anything like him, before?"
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur bowed his head to Laerdya as she introduced herself and their reason for being here "Not a bad time, no....I was simply writing some notes."
Aldo's explanation was listened to quietly, though Symeon was less quiet as he shoved his fat head past Jaspur's leg to stare up at Polpetto with a wagging tail and maw open and panting excitably.
"Polpetto." he echoed fondly, cheeks warming visibly at that little peep. He musn't let on how easily swayed he was by cute noises and tiny fluffballs, no, he was a professional. Either way, Jaspur reached out to gently run one of his remaining fingers over that little mane of protofeathers if let.
Jaspur looked at Polpetto, already those cogs were turning. He looked back at Aldo "remind me of your chosen school of arcanum? Come in- please, bring the egg." he turned away to head inside "Akka, set the table for some tea with me please. Come." and with that Jeslyn went about getting the kettle going. There were books and drawings all over the table that needed putting away.
"Just a moment." only once the table was cleared did he pull out a chair so that they may sit down his hand held out "may I see the egg?"
Symeon hurried around them, tail wagging back and forth with excitement. "Egg? Egg. Why egg?" he asked gruffly, trying to stand on two legs with his front paws on the edge of the table to peek over the side at what they were doing.
Rook — 09/01/2020
When Polpetto was removed from her hair, she swept the locks off her shoulder quickly and smiled as Aldo spoke. She waited until he finished to address Jaspur again, twitching one of her ears. "Thank you, the tea would be lovely." She said to both him and his adopted son, stepping inside when invited. "You have a wonderful home."
Once the table was cleared, Lae glanced over to Symeon and set the egg down gently onto Jaspur's hand. "Here, hopefully you can figure out things for us." She said, once she rested her arms back over her stomach. "Now then." Came a quick comment, and she turned to Jaspur's companion and held out a hand for him to sniff.
"Who might you be?"
Rigby — 09/01/2020
The little manaraptor was all about the pets and he'd catlike press his forehead against Jaspur, eyes closed, beak open in a little birdy smile.
That dog in close quarters speaking about that egg, however, was altogether too much for Polpetto - he stood on the tips of his claws, fluffed up, marks flared, wings spread. He didn't shriek, he'd held back any impulse for anything like that, but the chatter flowed freely now, rhythms weird and rambling.
ᴍɪɴᴇ. ᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇ. ᴍʏ ᴇɢɢ. ᴍᴇ. ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ. ᴍᴇ.
---
He dipped his head and accepted the invite along with Lae, stepping inside and perching where directed as the remaining little elf scrambled to set some tea (mumbling a 'y'done good by Raali, y'know~' and 'Where'd you get THAT!' while he did!)
"Remind me of your chosen school of arcanum?"
A rub at the back of his neck was brought into a larger gesture, one that awkwardly ensured that his super-quick 'necromancy' might've slipped in the direction of his shirt or shoulder, instead. "'Animacy,'" was a quick amendment, delivered with a slight air of 'but we all know what that encompasses, really.' "S'what they called it, there, any rate. Didn't have much of a choice." Not that he wouldn't have picked it if he had a choice! But he was fairly used to trying to wriggle out of that particular spot. "It's always been there, just...had to figure it out. This..." and he gestured to Polpetto vaguely "...his egg, that was one of those 'always been there' moments. Reflex, you know?
"But not something I'd want to...deliberately throw at a chick. If that's what did it!"
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur's heart fluttered as that tiny thing puffed up, smiling distractedly and pressing his bony fingers (what little of them were left anyway) to his heart, eyes widening in delight as it spoke. Symeon licked at the air, craning his neck closer "I won't hurt your egg. I won't. Just want friend." he rumbled and tried to lick the tip of Polpetto's snout.
"That would be Symeon my familiar..."
Symeon realised he'd been asked a question and his head whipped around, lifting a paw to offer it to Lae with a big dumb panting grin "Pleasure to meet you, Miss! Your smell is welcome here."
"Oh thank you Raa- Akka. For the tea." he stumbled he was always doing it, sometimes he even called Jenna Akka or Raali, sometimes called them Symeon... he was just a distracted man.
Jaspur examined the egg without even flinching or looking up when the mans school was mentioned "Mm they'll sugar coat anything they find useful and demonize anything they do not... though I suppose Animacy holds far less taboo...the public are easily swayed by a simple change of title" he drawled as he turned the egg left and right. "I dabble, myself. With soul gems." he admitted and held the egg against his palm.
"Manus Illustrant." the command past his lips with more of a boom than was natural. A glyph appeared upon his palm and then his hand illuminated, showing the little thing inside. "Certainly ready to hatch." he stared at it for a long time.
"Have you hatched any others? just Polpetto?"
He stood up and headed to his cabinet, egg still in hand. He pulled out a leather roll and brought it back over to roll it open, full of tools. He plucked out a tiny pick of some sort "Lets see if we can open it manually. If not I do have a theory....please don't worry, this little one is ready to leave its egg."
Rook — 09/01/2020
Lae would accept that paw and patted it gently, only to follow it up with a little shake. "It is nice to meet you, too." She said with a smile, turning to reply to young Akka after. "From a merchant, if you mean Polpetto's egg." And obviously the raptor by extension!
She accepted her cup of tea when it was ready and sought a chair, watching as Jaspur worked. The talk of the taboo people placed on certain magics was met with a smirk, but she quietly agreed. Amusing since a conversation like that happened earlier. "Just Polpetto, even if we took care of his eggs after he brought them to us."
When he took out the pick, she was a little concerned - especially with the risk of harming the baby within. "Of course.."
Rigby — 09/01/2020
"Kept me employed and off the stake for years." He did however perk up noticeably when the soul gems were mentioned (as did the little elf with the tea!) - though he refrained from asking after them just then!
Polpetto nodded stiffly at Symeon's reassurances after realizing that none of his people were all that alarmed by the other familiar. ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍɪɴᴇ. And figured he'd keep talking to the talking dog and tried to will himself to relax. ʙɪɢ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ...ʙɪɢ. ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ. It as just as much reassurance for himself as it was for the big dog; he managed to stay in place, though he quivered in spite of himself, wisps drifting off of him in a far more erratic and restrained way than was typical in moments of outright alarm. ʙɪɢ, he'd added, just to be sure.
His little eyes LOCKED onto that egg the moment Jaspur picked it up to examine it. ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ. ᴍᴇ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴍᴇ.
Aldo elaborated, "Had eyes for this stray that haunted the roads outside our old place, but she didn't want anything to do with us." There were very likely many stories of food left out, pursuits and pstpstpsts from the pair of them behind that statement!
"Just him, yeah," he nodded along with Lae, gesturing to her. "Got him from a merchant, wanted to see what the deal with the egg was. He probably didn't know what he had."
An outright YELP from Polpetto as the pick came out, and he was right back to glowing and fluffing up once more! (Though Aldo's hand was on him, this time!)
"...I trust y'."
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur looked up as Polpetto panicked. He waited for him to calm before tapping at the egg shell, then he pressed into it a little harder before humming.
"Videre vera." He said as he leaned away and his eyes shone bright green, magical essence oozing from them as he peered closely at the egg.
"As I suspected the egg is sealed. There are magical prerequisites to hatching these creatures, not physical ones. I do not know what these prerequisites are yet, but more often than not they require a bond with another creature. They are waiting for the right co-partner, at least in many cases. Perhaps you should approach the magic users of the clan, first."
A pause and he offered the egg to Akka "Why don't you keep it warm for a bit, boy?" well, who knew, right? worth a try. Tea was served and Jaspur leaned back to take a sip.
Jaspur turned towards Aldo and Lae "if that doesn't work then we go back to the drawing board, but that little thing in there is waiting to hatch so I expect we'd be best to hurry this along."
Rook — 09/01/2020
"That's what I felt might be the case, I'm glad we decided to make sure." Now it was a matter of finding people interested. One plan was her sister, even if her magic was new. She sipped at the tea, setting the cup down when the egg was handed over to Akka.
"I was worried my own magic might have adverse effects, but now I'm curious to see if I can hatch one with it." A little icy-raptor, no doubt, which might be interesting. "If it doesn't work, we will figure out something. Perhaps the next test can be of an energy source.."
At this point, Lae was only considering what made sense to her.
Rigby — 09/02/2020
Akka took the egg with care and held it in both hands. One might've seen a little flick of a dancing light, floating and drifting independently near the egg - but it was a light that appeared to chicken out before actually touching it, winking out of existence again as the elf surreptitiously glanced at his dad and the strangers in case they'd noticed anything. Probably was a bit rude to hatch a stranger's egg. Probably. But wouldn't it be cool-!
Of course it would.
And Raali'd probably kill him if he didn't get one, too. Never mind that the absent twin was probably trying to sneak that owlcreature into their bedroom window at that very moment! Come on, Raali, you were missing out on creature stuff, get back heeeeeere!
"Should I...try stuff, you want me to like...put the light on the egg? Or just..regular spell?" And he ended up calling himself out, anyway. He couldn't exactly sneak a hatching but MAN he'd wanted to see it!
"M'gonna keep it warm anyway." He shifted with startling ease into dragonform, shook off the loose little clothes, grunted a little "feels right like this" by way of explanation, and curled up, paws and draped chin resting over it instead.
That calm lasted about eight seconds before Polpetto leaped down to the floor with a yelp and scuttle-hopped his way over, human words all but forgotten as he chattered and scolded until Akka lifted his chin, again!
---
"Makes sense. Makes sense with what I did, too." He grinned and flicked his eyebrows once at his wife. "Whaddya' think, should we go chase her down? Try something with this one, here?" Amalia'd probably put up with worse from the both of them then them running after her out of nowhere up the forest paths yelling about eggs.
"Between you and me, I'd be a little worried about effects, too." Freeze the baby or fling strange death magic at it! But now more than ever he was convinced Polpetto's had been a dead egg.(edited)
Degu — 09/02/2020
Jaspur laughed and held up a hand of few fingers "I never once implied that anyone use magic on the eggs, I'd advise against it...exposing them in proximity should be enough. Honestly many familial creatures don't even need exposure, they just need proximity to the magic source...aka the mage themselves. Why not bring them all over some time, let my boys and my daughter spend some time with them, if not, may as well visit every magic owner you know...best not to leave the poor thing waiting too long." he looked over at Akka, heart fluttering at the sight of his son curled up over an egg and of course the protective little manaraptor challenging him.
He chuckled, sipping his tea "you can certainly give it a go Akka, try a bit of everything if you wish just don't blast the egg with it."
Jaspur stood and limped over to the kitchen and returned with some cookies "I almost forgot." he sat down with a smile "I wonder if my partner might even hatch one of them. Perhaps me." he chuckled and Symeon snorted "You already have a familiar!" he pouted gruffly, to which the elf smirked "Don't be so jealous, Symeon..."
Rook — 09/02/2020
"Perhaps just one egg here, and the rest we'll take about. They are still Polpetto's, so we can't just take them all from him for an extended period of time." He was obviously protective, going by his response to Akka's actions, and she'd finish her tea. "We could do that, she did express interest in them."
And maybe if Amalia helped one hatch, she wouldn't just ignore its existence after a while. Polpetto knew where she was, too, so he could go hound her over the egg as well. "We'll see how it all works. I don't tend to use my magic on a regular basis." It was handy for keeping things cool at home, but everything else was for more destructive means.
"Oh thank you." Lae said when he returned with cookies and she smiled. "Perhaps! I don't see why not, but breeding them might be a while." Even if Pol seemed to find 'ladies' easily enough. "Will you keep us updated on this egg, incase Polpetto isn't able to sneak into your place?"
Rigby — 09/05/2020
His Dad had invited Akka to give it a try, and so he did (though his mind was awhirl of what it could be like, if the necromancer's came out like THAT! His! Raali and Jenna's! Papa's, too!) But that seemed to quickly enough prove to be a trial of the young dragon's patience - how did his mom DO it! What did she do did she just sit on them for hours at a time? Hours?!
"Heeeeyyyy..." he finally murmured to the egg, then flashed a furtive don't LOOK AT ME glance between the adults in the room. "Baby? I don't know if I'm the right guy for you, you know? But you got SO MUCH MAGIC to choose from out here. It's much better out here, trust me. Can even stretch your wings a little. Best feeling in the world." He nudged it with his nose incredibly carefully, and tucked it between his paws. "Could even ask my brother, he stuck around in his for WAY too long." The dancing lights reappeared, flicking into impossible balls of shadow, and edging into comfortable nesting places around his paws. Maybe that'd work.
"Maybe it's gotta' pick me..."
--
The cookies were accepted graciously, and Symeon's little jealous snort was met with a good natured giggle!
Lae's 'try one egg at a time' plan sounded safe enough, though Jaspur's was also appealing! It was a good little group they'd manage to gather on the boat ride over. "There's plenty of us to experiment with, yanno? We'll see what happens with that little guy and try from there? Get a little familiar breeding thing going!" A grinning flick of a gesture with one hand to the three of them!(edited)
Degu — 09/06/2020
Jaspur watched Akka, finding it hard not to melt at the sight and sound of his son being just... perfect. Jaspur really did think his kids were perfect sometimes, of course until one of them set something on fire but he still loved them dearly.
"Breeding them?" Jaspur looked up thoughtfully. The cogs in his head turning. He frowned "I'm a little... hmm." he tapped at the table as he regarded both Aldo and Lae "I do not delight in breeding pets. Once they are out of my hands I have no way of ensuring their care...it can be a cruel and unethical practice"
There was a pause as he twirled an uneaten cookie in his fingers only to raise it with wide eyes "But these" he motioned to the eggs "...If these creatures do hatch in the way I think that they might..." he leaned towards them "They would ensure their own care by choosing the companion they were meant for, would they not? It would be relatively victimless, don't you think? and to provide budding or existing magic users with familiars would be rather noble don't you think?... I am interested. Lets test this theory and if it turns out to be true...please consider embarking on an endeavour with me."
He was enthusiastic, to put it lightly. "Keep you updated? you'd like me to expose it to mages for you? of course I don't mind...so I am clear."
Rook — 09/06/2020
"I think it might be different here, with your friends and our friends. My sister expressed interest, but I want to be able to be around to ensure she keeps up with it." A group effort, simply.
Lae was inclined to agree. "I think that'd be great, it would give them more confidence too." She hoped anyway, though companions were good for it, magical ones moreso. "We would love to work alongside you with this. As for this egg, yes, your son seems very attached to it already." If he didn't get a little familiar, she'd be surprised!
"We will handle the other eggs and see what happens, does that sound alright with you?"
Rigby — 09/07/2020
"Yeah. I see see no harm done. Especially if we're goin' off of the kinda...mysticism, familiar-choosing-the-wizard thing!" It sounded like a plan!
"Yeah." He nodded to Lae when she'd pointed out Amalia - and her attention span for these sorts of things! "Can talk to your sister, see if she's serious about the idea, too after giving it a good think. Maybe have Pol be a trial run." (There was a startled squeak in response, that wordless tinny human voice from the floor that didn't quite coalesce into language, that time!) They'd have plenty of time in the coming days, after all - especially with Aldo set to help out!
Polpetto sloooowly willed himself to step away from Akka and the egg, one foot at a time...before rushing back to give both egg and dragon careful headbumps. Then hopped, flapped and scrambled his way back to his people, settling on Aldo's shoulder, this time.
And when they finally did depart, politely and happily, all people involved had a lot to think about!
(Open RP!)
People wandering by had been an almost daily occurrence and it had been a couple people she didn't care for, though she could handle the dirty looks. She could probably handle hostility too, but she'd proven to that pair before she wasn't a pushover - even if she had her old abilities to give her an edge.
That day, Amalia sat on a chair that had been purchased once she managed to find a few things to sell. Mostly fruit from the forests, a couple animals and whatever else she could scrounge up. It wasn't the best, but it was something and she had almost considered making her own garden to keep it up. Stealing wasn't an option, and she still needed to keep herself and her new companion fed. She rocked on the chair briefly, which rested near a barrel of apples.
The axolgator had found a spot to curl up on the porch of the cabin, sleeping, while the faun stared towards the path infront of her house, ears pointed forward.
Rigby — 08/21/2020
Salamanders, today, and Polpetto was out and happily hunting!
His mission was to scoop them out of the drier brush before they'd spark a little fire - and today he was already lucky, spotting a bright little one sunning on a rock! He pounced on it, stabbing it with his toothy little beak and swallowing it outright - though it took a few retches and head-bobs to get the kicking, wriggling little thing to disappear past the stitches and impossibly down his gullet!
It wasn't a particularly flattering image.
The trick here was to get it down before the salamander had the wherewithal to flame - it would be an evening of indigestion, otherwise, and a piteous little manaraptor for his mistress and master to baby until it passed through. Fire magic and death magic weren't necessarily incompatible, and it was worth the upset tummy to get to the taste - and this one finally went down with a gleeful little swallow and a smoky, tiny belch.
And Polpetto continued to hop along. He could definnitely chase it with something...and shortly his wishes appeared to be answered by a cabin and a modest little arrangement of fruits and other things.
A little puff of a sigh. This was probably a shop. And Aldo had the wallet. And Aldo and Lae were all the way over there. He was only so big!
His master always knew what he was saying, and his mistress would always have a pretty good idea. The rest of these people? Polpetto was lucky if they got his miming and his squeaking, and he assumed this shopkeep would be no different. "I'll pay you Tuesday" was out of the question.
But he could at least look at the apples, right? No stealing. Just looking. Just to make sure they were good.
And that's how Amalia and her axolgator ended up with a green little fuzzball scrambling up the side of her apple barrel, stopping JUST short (and with evident self restraint!) of leaping right in-!(edited)
Rook — 08/21/2020
When the fuzzy little 'raptor scrambled up the side of the barrel, the axolgator opened one eye lazily to watch him and Amalia turned her head to do the same. "Get out of there, you little thief." There'd be no waiting to pay Tuesday, or any other squeaked attempts at bartering allowed, and the faun reached out to pluck him up by his tail to hold over the barrel he looked to 'inspect'.
"Bet you'd sell well." She commented, eyebrows raised and she'd look for a basket or something to drop him in. Or maybe there'd be some reward. 'Oh look, I found your pet a day after, give me money.'
All of it seemed useful, but he was trying to steal (she figured) and people (and creatures) who swiped things from her were used for some gain. She didn't pick all those apples to waste her time!
"Or he could use a snack."
Rigby — 08/21/2020
And suddenly, he was upside down!
Well, crap.
Polpetto screeched, proto-feathers flaring on-end and then bursting into pops of reflexive ectoplasm, sloughing off of the wisps of those feathers into bubbles and eerie shapes and faces that dripped to hiss into the ground and drift off to dissipate in the air. Aimless and directionless, it amounted to little more than pyrotechnics rather than anything (or anyone) properly channeled!
And he wiggled like a panicked bird or cat, flapping and flailing pointlessly before little claws finally found purchase in her sleeve hem, and he clung like a limpet, shaking his head frantically, even attempting to articulate tiny, tinny and parrotlike "nonononononononono"s !
August 22, 2020
Rook — 08/22/2020
The ectoplasm immediately grabbed and held the faun's attention, and she reached out to let one settle over her fingers. "...Hm." Keeping him was almost a consideration, but he was alone (as far as she knew). When he wiggled like a frantic cat, she let go of his tail...even if he now had a hold of her sleeve.
"Oh calm down." As if that'd do it, and all would be back to being calm in the world. If he continued to cling to her sleeve, she held him closer to the ground and glanced around the area. "Anymore little beasts like you?" Maybe she could get a few, tame them and then sell them. So long as they had magic. "You've heard people before, I assume you're owned." If the parroting was anything to go by - even wild birds mimicked people in their territories.
Rigby — 08/22/2020
She finally lowered him; he paddled his little feet until he found the ground, and then dropped down, in a motion nearly as fluid as the bubbling apparitions around him, chest huffing and puffing.
As he calmed, so too did the pops and bubbles of magic, eventualy hissing into inert little puddles around him before evaporating entirely.
Polpetto snorted, rolled his shoulders and flexed his wings, puffed up his chest as if he was far bigger than he truly was, did his best to frown stubbornly on features that didn't really allow such things, and nodded rapidly.
He rolled his head over his shoulder once, picked at a few feathers thoughtfully, then straightened back up again. She was not his master or mistress and wouldn't get it, but maybe he could keep this talking-thing up.
That tinny voice, again."ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ʏᴇꜱ. ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ʟᴀᴇʀᴅʏᴀ. ᴀʟᴅᴏ. ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?"
Rook — 08/22/2020
Amalia plucked up one of the apples, looking disappointed when the magic dissipated once he calmed down. He started to speak again, and the axolgator leaned in to sniff at his tiny body. Of course, he spoke some familiar names.
"Hm. Hm." She kneeled down, tearing a chunk of apple away and held it out to him. "Laerdya, Aldo, yours? Where are they? Where is home?" She asked him, looking away as if expecting the two to come when their names were mentioned.
"Not looking after you well, I see."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
Amalia would likely be satisfied to see that the axolgator's motion riled the little thing up just a bit - enough to eke out a stray wisp from the little animal as he puffed up, again!
ʜᴇʀᴇ! ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ɴᴇᴡ ᴏɴᴇ.
He was evidently struggling with this form of communication, so he briefly abandoned it altogether at her question after his home, and trilled and gestured in the vague direction of their house with broad sweeps of his wing-arms and demonstrative hops, pupils pinning.
ʙɪʀᴅ ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ʙᴀᴅ. ᴛᴏɴɢᴜᴇ...ꜱᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ. ʜᴀʀᴅ.
The apple was accepted graciously, if a bit hurriedly (and he shifted a bit to put more of his body between the axolgator and the apple - his, now, stay away, do not STEAL. And started pecking and nibbling at it while holding it delicately with little claws.
He puffed up again at that last part, a bit defensively!
ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ. By way of explanation! ʙᴜɢꜱ. ᴡᴀꜱ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ!
Rook — 08/23/2020
"New one, yes, of course." Amalia knew where she 'left' the pair, even if it was quite some time ago. Time was still strange, because it was probably just a short period of time for them. She enjoyed seeing more wisps appear, but avoided encouraging more out.
He got his apple, since the 'gator didn't seem so keen. "You're doing well enough. Show me where home is." She 'requested', and moved to stand, taking a moment to lock the cabin door. "Stay here. If people come snooping about, you know what to do." Amalia reached down to pat her companion on the head, stepping away from the porch.
"Won't be long. Probably." She'd bring him back something regardless.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
He preened at the slight compliment to his Human-Talking, eyeeeeeeeeed the axolgator just to make sure that it wasn't also coming along, and then (after shoving the rest of his apple straight down his throat in one quick little gulp), he stood up and chirruped at her.
ᴛʀᴇᴇ.
The delivery remained the uneven pace and patter of a parrot, and he hopped from one hind leg to the other, forelegs raised.
ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ.
And soon, Amalia would see what he'd meant - as he soon shot up a tree, pausing mid-length, before scuttling up more just to gauge his height. He looked down, blinking, making sure she was looking up at him with a little trill, added one more ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ - and then kicked off from the tree to glide lightly down a free path over the trail!
He'd either navigated these trees often enough to work out a little arboreal gliding path for himself - or he was decent at improvisation!
He'd charted enough to the next tree - which he would cling to, scuttle up again, look down at Amalia and chirp to make sure they were on the same page - and there he'd go, again!
It definitely beat walking with his short little legs!
There were a few forest houses they'd pass, each carving out and nestling a little unique spot in their small patches of land. But none were His - though he ventured a little whistle at another house and got the tiniest whistle from the sil in return (if one could squint, they'd see a tiny pink puff from behind the glass pane).
And finally, several tree-leaps later, he sank back to the ground, panting
ꜱᴀɪᴅ ɪ'ᴅ ɢᴏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ. ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴏꜱᴛ. ɴᴏ. It would've been smug if he wasn't so tired.
He rolled his head over his shoulder once more and then bobbed it at the house before them.
ɴᴇᴡ ᴏɴᴇ.
Rook — 08/23/2020
"Tree," Amalia repeated, sounded exasperated. Off he went though, and she followed quickly, but without much pause. He seemed to know the forest well enough, which made her wonder how long they'd been there...and how she missed them.
"I am keeping up, you little shit." She grumbled up at him and once they got to the houses, she looked towards the little pink puff. "Is that one of your brood?" Or maybe another. Maybe there was some possibility she could find a bunch to breed and sell.
"Let's go." Amalia scooped him up, heading for that house and she'd knock at the door.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
ʙᴀʙʏ. There was a beat. ɴᴏᴛ ᴍɪɴᴇ. ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ! More creatures like him, presumably - and more that weren't fresh out of the egg!
He'd had ideas who'd home his own two eggs, of course - but she didn't need to know that, right now!
--- Amalia knocked, and Polpetto trilled as he uncurled (he would never outright admit to having cuddled up in her hold, or idly nibbling on her sleeve in comfort!) - one altogether different, cheery and warm. He looked briskly from the door, to Amalia, to the door again. ʜᴏᴍᴇ.
Shortly, the rich pipe-smell preceded Aldo by a second, and the door shortly opened to the man. He seemed a bit startled, though masked it quickly, accompanying it with that near-imperceptible flick of his brows and lashes that came with that constant magic-detection, that slight moment of trying to get (or even understand) a read without seeming rude.
A rather casual angle of his head and a broad smile as he took in the faun and his familiar at his doorstep.
"Hello!" He reached out an arm while Polpetto waved his own fuzzy ones; if allowed, he'd leap to scrabble up the man's own and take a cozy perch around his shoulders like a morbid little parrot, preening happily.
"What was he doing? Hope he didn't give you too much trouble, he's been finding all sorts of strange things on his hunts lately..."
He stuck out a hand, too. "Aldo."
Rook — 08/23/2020
Amalia just held him in her arm like a little baby, which didn't seem too far from the fact, not with his cuddling and comfort-nibbling. She stared across the step at Aldo and held up the 'raptor, letting him leave.
"He was trying to steal apples." She didn't mind now, simply where she wound up. "Where is Laerdya?" He offered his hand, though she wasn't going to hide who she was. "It's me, Amalia. Dalmaine, whatever name you remember me by. I'm like this now, because some vampire Lord felt like killing me."
Sure, he had some reasoning for it, but she felt the guy just wanted blood to sate some sadistic need - especially when the people she harmed personally had no hand in it.
"My old body's gone, so I'm now in this one. Bit of a mess, no more of my old magic."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
"Heh, 'mean he was probably eating those salamanders again, Lae n'I only find out when he's crying all night about it after. Hoping he grows out of it! S'why you don't eat other magic, do you, Polpetto, 'specially not the FIRE..." The conversation derailed slightly into baby-talking tones and some beak tickling - but only briefly! "Sorry, though. I can repay, whatever you need."
But that sentiment was quickly forgotten in favor of the bombshell the faun dropped on him, next.
"Dal..."
He fell dead silent, staring openly for a moment. Well, that magical mess certainly explained the detection confusion he was trying to hide. No necromancy and she'd probably be a lot more prone to eating a lot more traditionally from here on out. He nodded, smile only now daring to just pull at the corner of one side of his mouth.
"Yeah...yeah, I can see that. Got a whole new..." He gestured vaguely, trying to describe it with one hand. Aura. "Long story, sounds like..." How long HAD it been? Strange resurrection probably shouldn't have surprised him all that much! But for someone who traded in the dead, Aldo was quite intent on keeping his people very much around.
A little snort of a laugh at the dig on the vampire lord. They do that. But that nod and handshake burst into a rather reflexive, brisk but genuine hug.
"That was you...what the hell...you have to catch us up..." She'd used aliases, always had - how could he have known this was the person to whom Ganu had been referring when he'd lurk in the odd meeting.
"She's here. You...want-?" He gestured to the inside of his house animatedly and vaguely. If she wasn't moments away from showing up to investigate who was at the door, herself!
Blood ran thick, after all.
Rook — 08/23/2020
"Magic eater, hm? Well, atleast it's just been fire." As if fire wasn't the worst he could, but it was close - atleast he wasn't burning houses down as a result. "Nothing to pay for." Apples were easy to replace, much as she grumped.
Aldo got a free pass, being who he was, so that obviously trickled down to his pets.
"It's not what I prefer, but it could be worse." There were a number of things she might've hatched into, but she still missed her body. She accepted the hug, but peeked past him a moment. "Did my usual, to keep myself in one piece, people didn't like it. Not surprising, but didn't expect them to catch me." She was clever, but she made the mistake of meeting the lord's witchy wife.
"I don't mind."
As expected, Lae did show up, right after the hug parted and she responded to it by teasing Aldo. "If you're intent on trysts, my love, you don't bring them to the house." She said as she stepped over, resting a hand against his shoulder. The way Amalia talked, though, gave her away - it helped they were sisters.
"New body, this is....truly unexpected."
Rigby — 08/23/2020
Polpetto, still perched atop his master's shoulders, yelped and hummed a few questions when it became pretty clear that this was also one of his people! He was feeling rather young then, indeed - but then again, all of his people were pretty old!
-
A laugh for Lae! "But of course, you are my one and only, voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te." It was a bit playful, in her tone returned, and not TOO gooey in front of her sister, of course!
"It caught up with y'huh!" Another angled squint - it wouldn't have nearly been so conversational had they not gotten her back, and any severity of what the situation may have been was downplayed in the surprise of the moment! She was here, now. As Aldo would often maintain, it was never too late to fix things. "Woudn't have guessed it, must've been some catch! Where'd you even end up?"
"New body, this is....truly unexpected."
"Yeah. C'mere, should we sit? You're clearly not dead, you're farther from it than you were...what happened?"
Rook — 08/23/2020
Lae whispered her own playful response in his ear, resting her hand against his wrist. Amalia made a point to ignore...all of that.
"Yeah, three people chasing me, was bound to happen, I suppose. So. Here now, followed that troll, got my own house and people generally leave me be. I might hire a person to play merchant for me, so I can avoid dealing with people entirely." Maybe she'd let them have a room in her cabin, once she got it fully furnished.
"They put my soul into a gem, and then I was taken to an earth plane and reborn. I think my old body was burned." She replied after sitting, crossing her hooved legs. "Don't have my old magic either, probably not worth trying to gain it at this point." Someone would say something, and she knew she'd never hear the end of it.
Rigby — 08/23/2020
He absolutely seemed ready to gear up for some next-level flirting with Lae, right down to looking about to respond...and then thought better of it after a quick look at Amalia. Ahem. Maybe later. Heh.
The notion of shopkeeping did seem to pique small interest. "Could help you out with that. 'Least for a little bit."
That soul gem business saw rapt and grim-faced attention, though the mention of what happened to her body finally did seem to break the spell, slightly. He rolled his shoulders a bit, but otherwise restrained the slight squeamish reaction at that. There was something a bit unsettling about knowing an old familar body one cared about was burned, anyway - and doubly so, fresh out of Belsthame. Burning bodies prevented his sort from causing trouble back in Bels, after all...it never felt correct in his core.
When it came to talking about her magic and getting it back, he bit his lip and bobbed his head in an 'eh, maybe' sort of gesture. "I mean...that crowd puts up with me enough. But I've only really...y'know. Pulled up a few animals, played around, did some tricks for the kids. Didn't touch any of their vampires or anything...yeah, maybe best to cut that loss, 'least for now."
He squinted, then.
"You have something...though? Or is this just...how you were brought back?"
Rook — 08/23/2020
"That'd be good until I find someone who will play that role for me." There'd be someone she was sure, she was clever enough to get what she wanted from someone just wanting to start off. The downside was finding that person first, and hoping they needed a place to live. "Yeah, that'd set them off. Using their vampires as test subjects."
As if that's what poor Quinne was. Doubtful.
"Didn't think they'd want necromancers around, after everything. Just earth magic. It's not strong, and I haven't practiced with it much. Maybe someday, but I just want to get settled."
Lae had wandered off, getting tea set up - it'd be strange, now that her sister could drink it. "Sounds like it could be useful later, even if not what you're used to."
August 24, 2020
Rigby — 08/24/2020
"All right. Call it a plan! It'd give me something steadier to do than to drag the guitar into the city, too. Hear everyone needs couriers though. Wouldn't mind that, again, s'pose!"
At the mention of that crowd and necromancy, Aldo raised both eyebrows, indulged in something that was nearly an eye-roll and grinned. "Don't think I didn't get the whole interview about it. They're not against necromancy, just against the improper use. Still can't imagine they all were entirely fine with it on the way over." Not that they'd keelhaul him over the edge of the boat! "Perfectly fine with my sort though...was weird. Didn't mind it," he added after a beat and a shoulder-bob. There were already a couple demons and part-demons on board, after all! The 'sort' being decent, never mind casually accepted was still something he was getting used to, and an unconscious rub at the brand on his wrist was a familiar fidget.
Lae spoke up then and Aldo added "Yeah, exactly! Could be practical. Especially if you're working up selling some...earth-y things."
Polpetto meanwhile decided to detach himself from his master's sleeve and hop along after Lae instead, quietly and raptly watching her set up the tea - and offering to help as much as tiny little claws were able!
Rook — 08/24/2020
"A courier is good." Amalia commented, and Lae agreed silently - it was the dark-haired elf's job in Belsthame. Even if it didn't really get her a lot of money, but well, racism. "The improper use." Amalia repeated, mockingly. "What is the good use to them? I am genuinely curious." How could one make 'raising the dead' as 'good and proper'. "You must have gotten on someone's good side right away."
The faun didn't care to ask who, not yet. "Yeah, probably. Tend to one's crops, their plants, make them grow real nice." Maybe there'd be some merit in that, it could get her money.
With Polpetto's help, Lae let him bring along a spoon or two and returned with the tray. "Atleast you can enjoy this again." She said, pouring them a cup each. A couple sweets were brought along, with a small one left for Polpetto to enjoy.
"Where did you get this creature?" Amalia asked, as she picked up her cup. "Could be profit in breeding him....and more."
Rigby — 08/24/2020
A snort at Amalia's sass.
'S'pose a medic, if you're really careful. Maybe an undead one. City hired me on as a city mage for a stretch," that nervous rubbing of the brand again "but I had to hide a lot of what I did for them, too. Mostly revive drowned folks, publicly, there were always a few in those canals. They didn't cross yet, there was enough there to put back together without..chasing them down into the dark." A shrug; there were complicated feelings on that one, a lot unsaid, and not all of it appeared things he'd be comfortable doing again. One could suspect he'd barely thought of the rest of his old government job as 'good,' too... "Also puppet dead fish for a couple kids. That's not...harm, 'least!"
Polpetto was a dutiful little spoon-carrier! And after everyone was set with their tea, he thanked Lae with feelings that were more than words, and a gentle, trilling curly-horned headbutt, and he planted himself between all of his people, carefully nibbling at the sweet!
Aldo took his tea and and listened with appropriately morbid interest when the topic swung around to Amalia's reentry into more traditional food-taking. It was a type of resurreciton, wasn't it? It went without further comment aside from a sly little "You could eat'em, too~" when it came to Amalia talking about new earth-magic assisted crops, and otherwise left any further discussion on that matter for the sisters.
He'd listened, still, but animated once more when she'd asked about Polpetto; both man and raptor perked up and sat up straighter near-simultaneously.
"Couple years ago. Two, Lae? Almost two years ago." His memory for dates wasn't SO bad yet that he forgot relatively recent events..right? "Caught some shady undercroft traders ready to sell his egg as a reagent. Or maybe a snack or something. Dunno, can't really remember. Clearly had no idea what it was, I didn't either. It was weird lookin' enough, this-big. Bought it, picked it up, checked to see if the thing was dead, but it read the magic instead - and hatched right there on the spot, ghoulface and all. They tried kicking up the price for him then. Heh." It was a 'fat-chance' kind of 'heh!' that he kept from sounding too ominous!
"I didn't know what to do, we just forgot about the shopping and went straight home to Lae from there and he's stuck with the both of us ever since." Likely wisely cutting out the more panicked 'ohgodslaewhatdoIDO's and an awkward bout of 'what do we FEED HIM?' that went on, that night!
"He's got two little eggs!" He was cut short as the manaraptor stopped his nibbling to GLARE. "...somewhere. He changes where he hides'em. Think he's staked out a couple masters for them, but seems like he's got a knack for finding ah..." He pursed his lips and bobbed his head, trying to put it nicely, giving up, and going with, "Screaming back-alley females."
Rook — 08/25/2020
"I guess." Amalia waved a hand, though she hummed when he mentioned the work he did in Belsthame. "What about here? What do they want with your magic here?" Perhaps the same thing, if people were stupid enough to wander into a canal and drown. "Parlour tricks." It was almost insulting! Undead minions should be useful.
Lae patted Polpetto on the head gently, and sipped her own tea. "I believe so, yes. It was strange to see the magic make a thing hatch, but I'm glad it did." The little 'raptor was a gem.
When the eggs were mentioned, Amalia squinted at the glaring beastie a moment. "Getting his genes out and about, naughty." She mock-scolded. "Maybe I can find some of these eggs, if there are more of the raptors around." If not, she'd just snatch up some of the females and hope for the best. She had a big enough backyard.
Rigby — 08/25/2020
"Yeah. If there are canals, someone'll be falling into them, s'pose! Otherwise...not sure. Not yet." He did look a bit lost, and he shared a Look with Lae. The subject might've been a recurring talk - she had the luckier and more practical powerset of the two! And while he could get by running jobs for others or with music, they weren't all of him. "I'd sworn I'd never use it under someone, again, after Belsthame." He only snorted and smiled at her Parlour-trick jab. Yes, it was. But damn if it wasn't a show!
Polpetto may have become used to speaking to Lae and Aldo in feelings more than words, in understanding, but Amalia still needed a little help as far as the manaraptor was concerned.
He cuddled and tucked his limbs under himself once he finished his treat, leaning against Lae and humming softly, listening to his people talk (and talk about his...proclivities) But even then that conversation took a turn and Polpetto let out a little puff of a sigh. A quick glance over his shoulder at nothing in particular might've betrayed him. He clicked his little beak a couple times and licked his stitches thoughtfully.
ʙᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ?
His voice was unexpected and tiny. He turned around and looked up at Amalia, tapping his little claws, shuffling his feet.
ʙᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ? It was a small, nervous whistle, and he kept looking at Aldo and Lae as if seeking affirmation for a question he hadn't yet asked.
...ᴇɢɢ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ.
Rook — 08/26/2020
"Belsthame was terrible, don't know why you stayed." There was a reason she left. Not that she could've gotten away with her abilities there forever, or her motives really, but the people were garbage. "So, what will you do?"
Lae would stroke the top of Polpetto's head once he cuddled up against her and she smiled, looking down at him after. "Be good? Hmm, I suppose." He mentioned the egg, though, and she idly wondered if Amalia would manage to care for them properly or just get bored and ignore them.
"We will take care of them here, and you can have them when they hatch. If magic is a factor, though.." Perhaps Polpetto was just a strange case, but regardless, she planned to keep the eggs with him since they were, technically, his.
Rigby — 08/26/2020
Amalia cut deeper then he wanted. He'd stayed for his own reasons: he didn't know anything else. Or if he'd be going with Lae into someplace even worse. There was some heavy guilt to having stayed so long as well, and Amalia only got a slight flush, pursed lips, a loaded shrug and a flick of downcast eyes in response to her remark.
"Figure it out, I guess. I've got ideas. Things I want to try, want to make, no government strings attached. See who needs me. See who's paying." Few words, but they were loaded with much more. He didn't appear adverse to being a mercenary-for-hire until something stable came along!
"Short of, y'know. Dimension domination, of course. Dunno what I'd do with it," he added with a wink and a grin, after a beat!
Utterly inappropriate powerset for the person, indeed.
---
"We will take care of them here, and you can have them when they hatch. If magic is a factor, though.."
Instinct had told him to hide the eggs and keep them warm up until this point...but that same instinct was maddeningly silent when it came to the matter of hatching them. Did he fire his own magic at them? How much? Had he died in his own egg and Aldo's magic brought him back? Would they go wild if he did?
And he'd be damned if he knew what to do with it once it did hatch, either! Did he still have to sit on him? Or - unthinkable - have to share the food he'd ate?!
That is why he needed people. Or another manaraptor. And he felt secure knowing that his people were around. And maybe the kid from the boat, too.
He fluffed up, held up a paw, then skittered and hopped away off into the bedroom.(edited)
...and came waddling back in moments later from with one of the eggs in his beak, in much the same awkward and unwieldy means of carrying it he'd displayed on the ship. He looked from Aldo to Laerdya, before finally pickng Mom and depositing it in her lap ('well, good-BYE then, kid! Remember which one of us actually hatched which one of you!' was good natured from Dad!)
A flick of luminous ectoplasm whisked from his next trill to back-light the egg for her, a wink and it was gone, showing off the little curled thing within. He pressed the side of his little fuzzy head to the egg and remained there, emitting a warbling low hum for a long moment. Then sat back up again, apparently hearing what he wanted to hear. Nosing it to Laerdya, he offered it for her to investigate.
ᴘᴇᴇᴘꜱ, he explained to the other two, accentuating it with one of his own. Laerdya could hear it, but they likely couldn't!
Rook — 08/26/2020
"I see, well, maybe I'll see how it goes." Amalia planned to stick around her cabin more often than not, and if she had someone to go sell things for her, even better. She finished off her tea, setting the cup down afterwards. "Let me know when you want to set up work or something. I'll get the fruit ready."
Once she went through them, so she could determine the best and also keep some for herself.
When Polpetto left, only to return with an egg, Lae scooped it up gently and held the fragile thing in her hand. When it was nudged, she held it up and close. "Ahh, very good. Now we just need to figure out if it's warmth or more that encourages it to hatch." She would've sought to use her own magic, but with the risk of making the baby too cold, she refrained.
"It's a shame we don't know anyone with knowledge on his species.."
Rigby — 08/28/2020
"I'll be ready when you are! Now's the best time anyway, in case I end up with something steady soon!"
A slight frown when Lae puzzled over the egg. "Could try another round at the library. Evren has one...if she's here. And if she's accepting visitors." He'd kept enough of an ear on their former traveling companions to know that probably wasn't going to be the case.
ʙᴀʙʏ. Polpetto agreed, flicking and fanning his tail, patterns and eyes glowing softly, before burying his head into Lae's side.
Aldo tilted his head, raised both eyebrows. "Maybe the guy on the ship, naturalist type. Jaspur. Think he'd mind the two...three?" an invitation for Amalia, possibly! Barring any bitterness from the man's partner - but Aldo didn't know! "of us showing up at his door asking what we'd even found one whole world back?"
Then added, perhaps semi-consciously echoing one of Polpetto's own thoughts abut the matter, "Could try what I did before...but m'not entirely sure he wasn't dead in there in the first place." It seemed to fit, after all - if that little egg imprinted on his powerset and the little creature was quite alive. "Not sure I want to go flinging that at any babies just now!"
Rook — 08/29/2020
"That works for me." Amalia replied and she got to her hooves, twitching an ear. "I'm going to go tend to my goods, then. Stop by whenever you're ready." She also suddenly decided she was tired of being social and it was time to go hide away inside her cabin.
Lae nodded her agreement, scritching the top of Polpetto's head. "We'll try both, couldn't hurt. I don't want to experiment with the eggs, but I would like to learn about them." This way seemed easier. She stood up, intent on being a proper host and walking her sister to the door.
"We could." She said once she was returned, not bothering to give Amalia any parting hugs incase she grumped about that in the end. "It is up to you."
Rigby — 08/29/2020
"We'll see you later, D-Amalia." Then added with a grin. "Glad you're not dead." Redead.
A sister-in-law returned (and nobody had to run into the uncharted worlds for her!) and a gig scored. A good day.
Then to Lae - "We'll see who's home first. Shake it up from the usual job hunting, hm? 'Least some answers, if nothing more!"
Polpetto who, knowing full well it was just as much in vain as the last several dozen times he'd tried, had curled over his little egg in the absence of his people and rested his cheek on his surface, piped up in that uneven and tinny patter once more.
ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʟᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ.
Rook — 08/29/2020
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Lae agreed, as she gathered up cups and little plates to take back to the kitchen. "When do you want to go check?" She asked, smoothing out her dress and she'd settle back into the living room afterwards.
Polpetto tended to his little egg, and her response was to smile. "I wonder if we should bring him and the egg along, maybe they'd be able to inspect both to learn more than we can on our own?"
Of course, she didn't intend to drag either if the 'raptor seemed anxious about it.
Rigby — 08/29/2020
He picked up whatever Lae didn't take on the first go and followed her back into the kitchen, washing up and putting things away briskly with her.
"Let's try Jaspur first." He didn't want to admit being a little leery of the dragon - especially a heartbroken Evren! Unpredictable family, that one, but wasn't that the nature of chaos? "Could do it whenever you're ready? Long as we're up and about and I'm not farming for your sister yet."
Polpetto meanwhile had decided to completely envelop the egg he'd brought out while his people tidied up, tucking his limbs under himself catlike. When Lae spoke up, he perked up, markings flaring gently in interest, and he whistled his agreement!
Rook — 08/29/2020
"Jaspur then." Lae said in agreement and she headed for the door, changing her slippers out for a pair of boots instead. An unpredictable family seemed a poor choice for the hour, especially with an egg, despite that she was sure they'd treat it delicately.
When Polpetto agreed, she headed over to scoop up the egg to hold between her hands. "Who will you cling to along the way?" She asked, offering an arm if he went with her and she'd wait for Aldo to be ready before stepping outside. Door would be locked, once he joined her.
"Lead the way, dear, I can't quite recall where he lives." A few of them all lived in the same spot, but she didn't put families to which house quite yet.
Rigby — 08/30/2020
Aldo took Laerdya's arm with playful grace.
Polpetto used the both of them as a bridge, before finally picking Lae's shoulder for his seat on the way over, finding it suitably cozy, and could hide in her hair if necessary!
And they were off!
---
Matching families to houses was deceptively challenging!
That chaotic family appeared to have some chaotic spillover, which honestly did make Aldo feel all the more awkward about lingering around them after their ride out of Belsthame, even as he yet sought out a way repay them in due measure - the ones that weren't orphans were all hers and the feeling that his own family was merely a pair of quirky tagalongs following a large family around was a persistent one in the mutt's mind.
Still, resources were resources, and this seemed better than directly dealing with a grieving dragon if she were around.
Arron worked a lot; he'd set up and leaped to the opportunity to rebuild with all of the mechanical process of someone who'd moved and felt the desperate need to prove himself and secure stability FAR too many times.
He killed off-site far enough to avoid bothering settled areas, and had negotiated a shop space of his own (never mind a good deal of some of these house spaces!), in his element once more with the ability to bounce his mysteriously-charming-stranger patter off of people. Aldo didn't bank on his being home.
At long last though, they'd found it; purple, glittering scorch marks on the ground and embryonic lambs faintly visible against the skin of the fruit of large-leaved plants nearby helped him to narrow down his options.
That wasn't so bad, right? Though they'd found an otherwise uneventful approach disrupted with a loud SNAP in the air and an alarmed hoot. It was further graced with the brief presence of one of the purple-haired elven children appearing with a yelp, wrangling a wriggling ball of feathers in his arms. - before the child raised a finger to his lips, eyes flashing conspiratorially between Aldo and Lae (the Cool Adults were in on everything, he'd likely figured!) - before disappearing with the bird-creature in his arms again back behind their house.
Suppose that meant they were free to knock, and so Aldo did! @Degu
Degu — 08/30/2020
Loud barking sounded before Aldo could even knock and Jaspur snapped from inside "Symeon! I spilled- everywhere!"
"O-oh sorry-"
"Every TIME" there was a long delay as Jaspur had to magic ALL the ink off the page he'd been writing and now would need to write again, grumbling sourly and heading to the door. He gently ruffled Akka's hair on the way past. Jenna was keeping her sad mother company so it was just him and- wait where was the other one?
Raali...
He opened the door, blinking in surprise as he saw Aldo and Lae. Of course he didn't know the man or woman beyond existing in the same spaces as him on that ship. "... Good evening... I don't quite recall your names?" he looked between them suspiciously "Can I help you?- what is that?" he belatedly spotted Polpetto, eyes widening "The little creature from the ship, yours? ... hello." he greeted the little thing with a much warmer smile than they'd been greeted with.
Rook — 08/30/2020
Lae looked around as they walked, taking note of who and what was where. Quinne's own house had been quiet, though Trapper lingered around, grazing here and there while approaching people in search of treats. Much like Wight, he was undeniably spoiled.
She offered a smile and a wink to Raali, letting him disappear without giving him away. "Good evening." The elf greeted in return, inclining her head. "Laerdya. Actually, this is why we're here." She said, moving her hair incase Polpetto hid most of his body in those plentiful locks. "I hope we didn't come at a bad time.."
Rigby — 08/31/2020
Lae's wink was answered with one of Raali's own, and with a little salute, both child and ...owlthing disappeared behind the house with barely a hoot. Gotta get in good with the cool adults.
The other twin meanwhile did his best to stand at a distance away behind his dad, pretending rather poorly that he wasn't listening intently to the Grownup Stuff. His attempts at Jaspur's cleaning trick ended up far more destructive than he'd intended - even when he wasn't studying chemical-magical reactions, bombs still went off! - and he used this to his advantage to make his cleaning in the background take a reeeeeeeaaaallly long (and occasionally loud) time.
Aldo stepped forward, stuck out his hand, evidently ready to radiate that leisurely chumminess that seemed to keep him from the stake all these years. Not appearing to be bothered, and rolling with the punches and after Lae's intro, he flowed right into, "Aldo. This is Polpetto," he added with a little smile and jerking his head to the little green fluff in Lae's hair, who was trying to get a better look at Jaspur while simultaneously trying to nestle, ending in an awkward half-stretch.
When Jaspur warmed to the creature, so did he, and he smiled a bit apologetically, reaching to veeeery carefully collect the raptor from the hair (not a tug or a tangle to be had!) and hold him out for a clearer view.
"Kinda' hoping you'd tell us. We have eggs. Got one here with us. Perfectly fine, perfectly alive - "
ᴘᴇᴇᴘꜱ.
"- yes, they...peep. Been for some time. I hatched him, but...still not sure how I did it. Or what he even is. Or where to even start. Stuff I find leaves out the...violently-magic bit." He'd found plenty on the primordial lizard-birds and dinosaurs, had heard of several packs of the smaller and hardier ones alive and about, but the histories and archeologists had conveniently left out any mention of necromantic resurrection. Or impression - was Polpetto even supposed to look like that, or was that part of the resurrection-part? "Got his egg from a curio vendor. He wasn't...eh, he didn't peep," he finished somewhat lamely after a glance down at the familiar. "Figured you'd find him interesting, 'least. Seen anything like him, before?"
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur bowed his head to Laerdya as she introduced herself and their reason for being here "Not a bad time, no....I was simply writing some notes."
Aldo's explanation was listened to quietly, though Symeon was less quiet as he shoved his fat head past Jaspur's leg to stare up at Polpetto with a wagging tail and maw open and panting excitably.
"Polpetto." he echoed fondly, cheeks warming visibly at that little peep. He musn't let on how easily swayed he was by cute noises and tiny fluffballs, no, he was a professional. Either way, Jaspur reached out to gently run one of his remaining fingers over that little mane of protofeathers if let.
Jaspur looked at Polpetto, already those cogs were turning. He looked back at Aldo "remind me of your chosen school of arcanum? Come in- please, bring the egg." he turned away to head inside "Akka, set the table for some tea with me please. Come." and with that Jeslyn went about getting the kettle going. There were books and drawings all over the table that needed putting away.
"Just a moment." only once the table was cleared did he pull out a chair so that they may sit down his hand held out "may I see the egg?"
Symeon hurried around them, tail wagging back and forth with excitement. "Egg? Egg. Why egg?" he asked gruffly, trying to stand on two legs with his front paws on the edge of the table to peek over the side at what they were doing.
Rook — 09/01/2020
When Polpetto was removed from her hair, she swept the locks off her shoulder quickly and smiled as Aldo spoke. She waited until he finished to address Jaspur again, twitching one of her ears. "Thank you, the tea would be lovely." She said to both him and his adopted son, stepping inside when invited. "You have a wonderful home."
Once the table was cleared, Lae glanced over to Symeon and set the egg down gently onto Jaspur's hand. "Here, hopefully you can figure out things for us." She said, once she rested her arms back over her stomach. "Now then." Came a quick comment, and she turned to Jaspur's companion and held out a hand for him to sniff.
"Who might you be?"
Rigby — 09/01/2020
The little manaraptor was all about the pets and he'd catlike press his forehead against Jaspur, eyes closed, beak open in a little birdy smile.
That dog in close quarters speaking about that egg, however, was altogether too much for Polpetto - he stood on the tips of his claws, fluffed up, marks flared, wings spread. He didn't shriek, he'd held back any impulse for anything like that, but the chatter flowed freely now, rhythms weird and rambling.
ᴍɪɴᴇ. ᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇ. ᴍʏ ᴇɢɢ. ᴍᴇ. ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ. ᴍᴇ.
---
He dipped his head and accepted the invite along with Lae, stepping inside and perching where directed as the remaining little elf scrambled to set some tea (mumbling a 'y'done good by Raali, y'know~' and 'Where'd you get THAT!' while he did!)
"Remind me of your chosen school of arcanum?"
A rub at the back of his neck was brought into a larger gesture, one that awkwardly ensured that his super-quick 'necromancy' might've slipped in the direction of his shirt or shoulder, instead. "'Animacy,'" was a quick amendment, delivered with a slight air of 'but we all know what that encompasses, really.' "S'what they called it, there, any rate. Didn't have much of a choice." Not that he wouldn't have picked it if he had a choice! But he was fairly used to trying to wriggle out of that particular spot. "It's always been there, just...had to figure it out. This..." and he gestured to Polpetto vaguely "...his egg, that was one of those 'always been there' moments. Reflex, you know?
"But not something I'd want to...deliberately throw at a chick. If that's what did it!"
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur's heart fluttered as that tiny thing puffed up, smiling distractedly and pressing his bony fingers (what little of them were left anyway) to his heart, eyes widening in delight as it spoke. Symeon licked at the air, craning his neck closer "I won't hurt your egg. I won't. Just want friend." he rumbled and tried to lick the tip of Polpetto's snout.
"That would be Symeon my familiar..."
Symeon realised he'd been asked a question and his head whipped around, lifting a paw to offer it to Lae with a big dumb panting grin "Pleasure to meet you, Miss! Your smell is welcome here."
"Oh thank you Raa- Akka. For the tea." he stumbled he was always doing it, sometimes he even called Jenna Akka or Raali, sometimes called them Symeon... he was just a distracted man.
Jaspur examined the egg without even flinching or looking up when the mans school was mentioned "Mm they'll sugar coat anything they find useful and demonize anything they do not... though I suppose Animacy holds far less taboo...the public are easily swayed by a simple change of title" he drawled as he turned the egg left and right. "I dabble, myself. With soul gems." he admitted and held the egg against his palm.
"Manus Illustrant." the command past his lips with more of a boom than was natural. A glyph appeared upon his palm and then his hand illuminated, showing the little thing inside. "Certainly ready to hatch." he stared at it for a long time.
"Have you hatched any others? just Polpetto?"
He stood up and headed to his cabinet, egg still in hand. He pulled out a leather roll and brought it back over to roll it open, full of tools. He plucked out a tiny pick of some sort "Lets see if we can open it manually. If not I do have a theory....please don't worry, this little one is ready to leave its egg."
Rook — 09/01/2020
Lae would accept that paw and patted it gently, only to follow it up with a little shake. "It is nice to meet you, too." She said with a smile, turning to reply to young Akka after. "From a merchant, if you mean Polpetto's egg." And obviously the raptor by extension!
She accepted her cup of tea when it was ready and sought a chair, watching as Jaspur worked. The talk of the taboo people placed on certain magics was met with a smirk, but she quietly agreed. Amusing since a conversation like that happened earlier. "Just Polpetto, even if we took care of his eggs after he brought them to us."
When he took out the pick, she was a little concerned - especially with the risk of harming the baby within. "Of course.."
Rigby — 09/01/2020
"Kept me employed and off the stake for years." He did however perk up noticeably when the soul gems were mentioned (as did the little elf with the tea!) - though he refrained from asking after them just then!
Polpetto nodded stiffly at Symeon's reassurances after realizing that none of his people were all that alarmed by the other familiar. ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍɪɴᴇ. And figured he'd keep talking to the talking dog and tried to will himself to relax. ʙɪɢ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ...ʙɪɢ. ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ. It as just as much reassurance for himself as it was for the big dog; he managed to stay in place, though he quivered in spite of himself, wisps drifting off of him in a far more erratic and restrained way than was typical in moments of outright alarm. ʙɪɢ, he'd added, just to be sure.
His little eyes LOCKED onto that egg the moment Jaspur picked it up to examine it. ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ. ᴍᴇ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴍᴇ.
Aldo elaborated, "Had eyes for this stray that haunted the roads outside our old place, but she didn't want anything to do with us." There were very likely many stories of food left out, pursuits and pstpstpsts from the pair of them behind that statement!
"Just him, yeah," he nodded along with Lae, gesturing to her. "Got him from a merchant, wanted to see what the deal with the egg was. He probably didn't know what he had."
An outright YELP from Polpetto as the pick came out, and he was right back to glowing and fluffing up once more! (Though Aldo's hand was on him, this time!)
"...I trust y'."
Degu — 09/01/2020
Jaspur looked up as Polpetto panicked. He waited for him to calm before tapping at the egg shell, then he pressed into it a little harder before humming.
"Videre vera." He said as he leaned away and his eyes shone bright green, magical essence oozing from them as he peered closely at the egg.
"As I suspected the egg is sealed. There are magical prerequisites to hatching these creatures, not physical ones. I do not know what these prerequisites are yet, but more often than not they require a bond with another creature. They are waiting for the right co-partner, at least in many cases. Perhaps you should approach the magic users of the clan, first."
A pause and he offered the egg to Akka "Why don't you keep it warm for a bit, boy?" well, who knew, right? worth a try. Tea was served and Jaspur leaned back to take a sip.
Jaspur turned towards Aldo and Lae "if that doesn't work then we go back to the drawing board, but that little thing in there is waiting to hatch so I expect we'd be best to hurry this along."
Rook — 09/01/2020
"That's what I felt might be the case, I'm glad we decided to make sure." Now it was a matter of finding people interested. One plan was her sister, even if her magic was new. She sipped at the tea, setting the cup down when the egg was handed over to Akka.
"I was worried my own magic might have adverse effects, but now I'm curious to see if I can hatch one with it." A little icy-raptor, no doubt, which might be interesting. "If it doesn't work, we will figure out something. Perhaps the next test can be of an energy source.."
At this point, Lae was only considering what made sense to her.
Rigby — 09/02/2020
Akka took the egg with care and held it in both hands. One might've seen a little flick of a dancing light, floating and drifting independently near the egg - but it was a light that appeared to chicken out before actually touching it, winking out of existence again as the elf surreptitiously glanced at his dad and the strangers in case they'd noticed anything. Probably was a bit rude to hatch a stranger's egg. Probably. But wouldn't it be cool-!
Of course it would.
And Raali'd probably kill him if he didn't get one, too. Never mind that the absent twin was probably trying to sneak that owlcreature into their bedroom window at that very moment! Come on, Raali, you were missing out on creature stuff, get back heeeeeere!
"Should I...try stuff, you want me to like...put the light on the egg? Or just..regular spell?" And he ended up calling himself out, anyway. He couldn't exactly sneak a hatching but MAN he'd wanted to see it!
"M'gonna keep it warm anyway." He shifted with startling ease into dragonform, shook off the loose little clothes, grunted a little "feels right like this" by way of explanation, and curled up, paws and draped chin resting over it instead.
That calm lasted about eight seconds before Polpetto leaped down to the floor with a yelp and scuttle-hopped his way over, human words all but forgotten as he chattered and scolded until Akka lifted his chin, again!
---
"Makes sense. Makes sense with what I did, too." He grinned and flicked his eyebrows once at his wife. "Whaddya' think, should we go chase her down? Try something with this one, here?" Amalia'd probably put up with worse from the both of them then them running after her out of nowhere up the forest paths yelling about eggs.
"Between you and me, I'd be a little worried about effects, too." Freeze the baby or fling strange death magic at it! But now more than ever he was convinced Polpetto's had been a dead egg.(edited)
Degu — 09/02/2020
Jaspur laughed and held up a hand of few fingers "I never once implied that anyone use magic on the eggs, I'd advise against it...exposing them in proximity should be enough. Honestly many familial creatures don't even need exposure, they just need proximity to the magic source...aka the mage themselves. Why not bring them all over some time, let my boys and my daughter spend some time with them, if not, may as well visit every magic owner you know...best not to leave the poor thing waiting too long." he looked over at Akka, heart fluttering at the sight of his son curled up over an egg and of course the protective little manaraptor challenging him.
He chuckled, sipping his tea "you can certainly give it a go Akka, try a bit of everything if you wish just don't blast the egg with it."
Jaspur stood and limped over to the kitchen and returned with some cookies "I almost forgot." he sat down with a smile "I wonder if my partner might even hatch one of them. Perhaps me." he chuckled and Symeon snorted "You already have a familiar!" he pouted gruffly, to which the elf smirked "Don't be so jealous, Symeon..."
Rook — 09/02/2020
"Perhaps just one egg here, and the rest we'll take about. They are still Polpetto's, so we can't just take them all from him for an extended period of time." He was obviously protective, going by his response to Akka's actions, and she'd finish her tea. "We could do that, she did express interest in them."
And maybe if Amalia helped one hatch, she wouldn't just ignore its existence after a while. Polpetto knew where she was, too, so he could go hound her over the egg as well. "We'll see how it all works. I don't tend to use my magic on a regular basis." It was handy for keeping things cool at home, but everything else was for more destructive means.
"Oh thank you." Lae said when he returned with cookies and she smiled. "Perhaps! I don't see why not, but breeding them might be a while." Even if Pol seemed to find 'ladies' easily enough. "Will you keep us updated on this egg, incase Polpetto isn't able to sneak into your place?"
Rigby — 09/05/2020
His Dad had invited Akka to give it a try, and so he did (though his mind was awhirl of what it could be like, if the necromancer's came out like THAT! His! Raali and Jenna's! Papa's, too!) But that seemed to quickly enough prove to be a trial of the young dragon's patience - how did his mom DO it! What did she do did she just sit on them for hours at a time? Hours?!
"Heeeeyyyy..." he finally murmured to the egg, then flashed a furtive don't LOOK AT ME glance between the adults in the room. "Baby? I don't know if I'm the right guy for you, you know? But you got SO MUCH MAGIC to choose from out here. It's much better out here, trust me. Can even stretch your wings a little. Best feeling in the world." He nudged it with his nose incredibly carefully, and tucked it between his paws. "Could even ask my brother, he stuck around in his for WAY too long." The dancing lights reappeared, flicking into impossible balls of shadow, and edging into comfortable nesting places around his paws. Maybe that'd work.
"Maybe it's gotta' pick me..."
--
The cookies were accepted graciously, and Symeon's little jealous snort was met with a good natured giggle!
Lae's 'try one egg at a time' plan sounded safe enough, though Jaspur's was also appealing! It was a good little group they'd manage to gather on the boat ride over. "There's plenty of us to experiment with, yanno? We'll see what happens with that little guy and try from there? Get a little familiar breeding thing going!" A grinning flick of a gesture with one hand to the three of them!(edited)
Degu — 09/06/2020
Jaspur watched Akka, finding it hard not to melt at the sight and sound of his son being just... perfect. Jaspur really did think his kids were perfect sometimes, of course until one of them set something on fire but he still loved them dearly.
"Breeding them?" Jaspur looked up thoughtfully. The cogs in his head turning. He frowned "I'm a little... hmm." he tapped at the table as he regarded both Aldo and Lae "I do not delight in breeding pets. Once they are out of my hands I have no way of ensuring their care...it can be a cruel and unethical practice"
There was a pause as he twirled an uneaten cookie in his fingers only to raise it with wide eyes "But these" he motioned to the eggs "...If these creatures do hatch in the way I think that they might..." he leaned towards them "They would ensure their own care by choosing the companion they were meant for, would they not? It would be relatively victimless, don't you think? and to provide budding or existing magic users with familiars would be rather noble don't you think?... I am interested. Lets test this theory and if it turns out to be true...please consider embarking on an endeavour with me."
He was enthusiastic, to put it lightly. "Keep you updated? you'd like me to expose it to mages for you? of course I don't mind...so I am clear."
Rook — 09/06/2020
"I think it might be different here, with your friends and our friends. My sister expressed interest, but I want to be able to be around to ensure she keeps up with it." A group effort, simply.
Lae was inclined to agree. "I think that'd be great, it would give them more confidence too." She hoped anyway, though companions were good for it, magical ones moreso. "We would love to work alongside you with this. As for this egg, yes, your son seems very attached to it already." If he didn't get a little familiar, she'd be surprised!
"We will handle the other eggs and see what happens, does that sound alright with you?"
Rigby — 09/07/2020
"Yeah. I see see no harm done. Especially if we're goin' off of the kinda...mysticism, familiar-choosing-the-wizard thing!" It sounded like a plan!
"Yeah." He nodded to Lae when she'd pointed out Amalia - and her attention span for these sorts of things! "Can talk to your sister, see if she's serious about the idea, too after giving it a good think. Maybe have Pol be a trial run." (There was a startled squeak in response, that wordless tinny human voice from the floor that didn't quite coalesce into language, that time!) They'd have plenty of time in the coming days, after all - especially with Aldo set to help out!
Polpetto sloooowly willed himself to step away from Akka and the egg, one foot at a time...before rushing back to give both egg and dragon careful headbumps. Then hopped, flapped and scrambled his way back to his people, settling on Aldo's shoulder, this time.
And when they finally did depart, politely and happily, all people involved had a lot to think about!
