Author: Firesong, Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 6:20 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

There had been times which Drake had taken an airship from place to place when he had the coin, and he had stood out on the deck and felt the wind whip around him, but this was like nothing he had ever experienced. Cutting through the sky with powerful strokes and soaring across the Menomori Forest with ease made Drake feel like he was king of the world. Off in the distance he could see the Haza Savannah, and if he focused hard enough he could almost see the pathways.

This is incredible! he thought to himself. The feeling of freedom almost made him want to shoot ahead, but he knew that expending his energy needlessly would only cause problems. I wonder how Aspect is holding up? he wondered, his eyes focusing on her for a moment. She had taken the form of an eagle, and was keeping pace with ease. Good…

Time seemed to fly by, and soon Drake found himself starting to grow weary. They had already cleared most of the Savannah, but it was about time for a meal anyway. Figuring that Aspect would catch on, he started a descent, and looked for a place to land.

Author: Aspect, Posted: Mon Jul 9, 2018 8:13 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect turned her head and looked at him as he commented on her behavior. She shrugged a little. "Life can be boring otherwise." She balanced carefully on his shoulder as they walked through the building and up the roads of the town. She gripped her claws as he left the road and they came upon a large clearing. He moved his shoulder and she jumped off, turning into a tabby once she hit the ground. She backed up as the flames again started to cover his body. She couldn't help a smile as the large black dragon again stood before her.

He spread his large black wings, the light shining partway through the thin membranes between the fingers. She got out of the way of his downward thrust, the dirt around her blowing wildly. He shot up into the sky with such power, she couldn't help but gasp. She ran underneath him as he started gaining altitude. "You're doing it, Drake!" She shouted up to him. "You're flying! You're really flying!" She sped up, feeling the ground race beneath her paws. In a brief moment, her paws became absent, and she too was gliding along on powerful wings. 

The eagle flew beside him, level with his gigantic head. She wanted to stay within his line of sight and followed his lead towards Zets'ki. It was nice flying, she hadn't flown very far for a long time. She loved feeling the air over her feathers and blow in her face. Her eyes were bright and the world below them was in brilliant focus. She watched Drake, keeping an eye on him, in case he couldn't hold the transformation or he became overwhelmed with fatigue. It looked like he was letting the dragon take control and use its muscle memory to keep them in flight.

He was doing alright, considering it was his first real flight. He growled quietly, she understood. He probably wanted to say something, but his body didn't adapt to talk when he transformed like hers could. She wasn't surprised, she'd met were creatures like that too. She nodded at him, she could figure out what he wanted if his body language was obvious enough. She'd make it work. Besides, if they had any luck, they would likely be at Zets'ki by tomorrow, or later that evening. It wasn't a terribly long flight, but enough to definitely give him some experience. 

Author: Firesong, Posted: Mon Jul 9, 2018 8:27 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

As soon as they finished the meal, Aspect’s form changed to that of a bird, and perched on his shoulder. He winced on instinct but there was no real pain. Still, it was a little unnerving to have someone on his shoulder. Something I’ll just have to adjust to.

They existed the tavern with no problem, with Drake taking a moment to nod to the owner in thanks before they fully left the building. It seemed Aspect was more than content with messing with the poor woman who had peeked in on them earlier, to which Drake sighed. “You’re a tad mischievous, aren’t you?” he noted.

The town was as busy as it had been the day before, but maneuvering through the crowds wasn’t overly difficult. In time, they found themselves outside of the town, Drake veering from the known path and finding a clearing well away from others. “This should work,” he said. He shrugged his shoulders, indicating that Aspect should move.

Flames surrounded Drake as his body forced a change, and once more the great black dragon was standing proud. Without hesitation, the dragon spread its wings, and with a powerful thrust, shot himself into the sky, hovering in the sky. All right. This…this should work. At least for awhile. I guess I’ll get to test how long I can hold the form for, then.

His crimson eyes looked for Aspect. I…I can’t talk to her. Huh. I hope she knows that. He let out a low, almost annoyed growl. Another thing I’ll have to get used to. All right then…let’s be off then… He looked around, trying to orient himself in the direction of Zets’ki. That way.

Author: Aspect, Posted: Wed Jul 4, 2018 10:07 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect cocked an ear as he laughed at her. "Well, maybe they shouldn't be peeking in where they weren't invited." She walked along the countertop and sat by the stove. She enjoyed watching the fish cook in the skillet. She listened to him speak as he brought out some of the plates out of the cabinets. He took the fish out of the pan and put one on each plate. She crouched over it, enthusiastically. She dug into hers with relish. She hadn't had fried fish in a long time, it was delicious. She had momentarily forgotten what it tasted like. The thin oil dripped on the plate and she lapped it off the ceramic with her rough tongue. 

She carefully picked her way around the bones in the fish, leaving a small pile on the side of the plate. She finished eating and waited for him. "Perhaps Fate is the infinite amount of paths that we can take," she licked the grease off her paws. "And life is just the path we choose out of the infinite. I don't know. Some people are destined to do or become certain things, others don't. I don't know why that is. I prefer to do my own thing and wait for it to catch up." She smirked at him. He finished eating and she stacked her plate on top of his. 

"I'm ready to go when you are," she told him. Sparrow. She jumped off the counter and transformed halfway to the floor. The little rust and white colored bird flew up and perched on Drake's shoulder. She dug her claws into his cloak to keep from falling off as they made their way to the door. "Let's go find a large open space so we can take off without causing too much trouble. It probably wouldn't be the best idea for them to see you turn into a dragon." She rode on his shoulder as they left the kitchen and the tavern. She saw the inn worker that had popped in on them in the kitchen. She stared at her the whole way through the inn with her mouth gaping open. She appeared to look frantically for the cat after they left the kitchen. Aspect couldn't help but puff up her feathers and sit a little straighter as they made their way outside. People were so easy to mess with.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Tue Jul 3, 2018 5:42 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

For the most part, Drake wasn’t worried. The entire town seemed to be in a good mood, which led him to believe that nothing would come of it. Aspect had assumed a cat form while Drake went to work in the kitchen. He wasn’t the best of chefs, but he knew how to do some basic seasonings, and in a short time, the smell of freshly cooked fish filled the air.

Someone peeked into the kitchen, as if curious what the duo were up to. Aspect didn’t take to kindly to this, and shooed the man away, which caused Drake to laugh. “That wasn’t very nice, Aspect,” he said between chuckles. “Maybe he liked the smell of the food. You can never know what others are thinking, right?”

It was interesting that Aspect had met Gods. Were the deities really so interested in the world? It seemed as though every time Drake turned, he was meeting someone with unique powers and traits. Was this the will of the Gods as well? Fate. That word again. He hated it. It always left a bitter taste.

“I don’t believe in fate,” he said in reply to Aspect. “Fate means that we don’t have choices. It defeats the whole purpose of living. I’d like to believe that not even the Gods can control our choices. It would be easy to think that were just on a path that we can’t deviate from, but…” He smirked. “Maybe we’re just cutting our own path instead.”

“Yeah, it’s ready,” Drake said finally, moving to dig through a cabinet for some plates. He served the fish out, and started to eat on his own plate. “So, as soon as we’re done here, we’ll head to the outskirts of the town and take off from there. Hopefully I can build up some stamina on the way….the full transformation took a lot out of me.”

It didn’t take Drake long to devour his fish, and he let out a satisfied burp. “Oh…pardon. Are you ready to head out then?”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:42 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect followed Drake back to the tavern, carrying some of the fishing gear. The building was large and there were many occupants inside. Drake was greeted by smiles and she stayed close to him as they made their way to the tavern owner. She couldn't help but hear some of the people talking about the previous night. It appeared more than a few of the coastline people had heard Drake roaring late last night. This seemed to be a source of great excitement, but judging from the lack of physical activity, it didn't appear to be something of great concern. She wasn't worried about it, within a few hours, she and Drake would be miles away from this place. 

She put the stuff down for the shop owner and watched as Drake and he exchanged money for the fish. He directed them back to the kitchen, behind the bar, and she followed him. After the door was closed she shook herself and again resumed the shape of a small red tabby. She leaped up next to the stove where he set about cooking the fish. She flicked her tail as he mentioned the commentary about the dragon. "I heard it," she said, casually cleaning her paws. "It would be harder to have not heard anything at all." She watched him for a minute. 

"I wouldn't worry about it, it wasn't a big deal," she told him. "For all, they know it could have been a sea serpent or a sea lion or something. We'll be gone soon anyway, no use worrying. You shouldn't regret being who you are, Drake. There's no point in it. You shouldn't care about what people think." She heard the door crack open behind her and she looked behind to see one of the staff peek into the kitchen. She seemed perplexed there was a cat in the kitchen. "What are you looking at," Aspect said to her firmly. "Begone!" She hissed at her and swung a clawed paw in her direction, resulting in the door being promptly shut. She huffed, puffing her fur out slightly and quite content with herself.

"I have met gods, some of them very great, in fact. I don't really care about the opinions of men anymore. The gods determine our fate after this life anyway, the mortal opinion dies with the body." She looked down at the stove and licked her lips, eyeing the frying fish. She couldn't remember when last she'd eaten. "Are they almost done?" she asked. She gave him a toothy smile, she was ready to eat. The smell was divine and the food was fresh. 

Author: Firesong, Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 6:30 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

It was still a bit of a surprise to Drake that Aspect was going with him, but he couldn’t argue with her. Having a companion along would make the trip easier, and help pass the time. Finally, he was ready to go, and the two walked the beach back to where Drake had left the the supplies the previous day, He was thankful that the supplies had not been washed away by the tide.

Aspect said her piece about the container for the fish, and flew off. If anything, it seemed as though she were being a bit impatient. Apparently traveling was something high on her list. Drake wasn’t complaining, though. He wanted to get to Zets’ki as fast as possible.

Drake watched the pelican form of the woman fly out to the ocean a ways out, and then dive with the utmost of grace. The dive itself seemed practical enough that Drake committed the motions to memory. He would have to try that at some point, once he got better at flying. It wasn’t soon after when she came back, her mouth full of fish. Several more trips later, and the basket that Drake had been lent was filled to the brim with fish.

Aspect withheld two, though, stating her desire for food. Drake nodded in agreement, “Food would be great. I’ll see about making it when we get back into town.” That brought about the question of where they were taking the fish.

“There was a tavern near the edge of Nisshoki. I made a deal with the owner for some coin and lodging, though I guess I don’t need the lodging at this point,” Drake stated. The two started off towards the tavern. It took no time at all , even on foot, for them to reach Nisshoki and the tavern Drake mentioned.

As the two walked in, Drake was greeted with a warm smile. The tavern was bustling, even this early, and there were rumors about of a dragon that was heard the previous night. Whoops… Coin was exchanged for the fish, and Drake asked if they could also use their kitchen. Since it was shortly after their breakfast, it was little issue to borrow, so Drake waved for Aspect to follow him back.

“Did you hear them talking about the dragon?” Drake asked, blushing slightly. “I guess I shouldn’t have.”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:09 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect watched him sit up and yawn. She shuffled her wings, slightly impatient, she forgot that some folks weren't morning people. She heard him speak and cocked her head at him. "I intended to go with you, yes," she told him. "You really didn't think we were going to walk to Zets'ki, did you? Walking takes much too long for my taste." She awkwardly turned and half flew half jumped onto the large rocks. Once he was walking towards the beach, she spread her wings and casually glided next to him. "If I remember correctly, people usually bring a box or a string of some sort to hold onto the fish that they intend to keep." Her eyes were trained to the supplies still up by the beach, but fortunately not sucked out to sea. 

She found what she was looking for and landed. Underneath some of the gear was a large box made of wood and reeds for drainage. "Here," she nudged it toward him with her long beak. "This is what we need. I can bring the fish back if you want to put them in this box. Just make sure they don't get away. If you need anything, just yell." She smiled at him, she couldn't tell if it was visible or not. She turned toward the ocean and readied herself. She pumped her large wings and was airborne once again. She glided gracefully over the water, her eyes keen, better than her human eyes. She could easily see through the water and spot fish a short way down. She opened her beak and felt the water and fish get sucked inside.

It was a strange feeling, like filling your cheeks with water and then having fish swim and flop around inside your mouth at the same time. It was a relief when she flew back and was able to empty her catch into the basket. She made several more trips, and gradually the basket filled up. She made one last trip after the basket was full to the brim. She caught two decent sized fish and flew back. She dropped them at Drake's feet. "These are for us." She said. "I'm starving."  She shook herself off, letting her change into whatever form her body felt like taking. As long as it wasn't a pelican. Human, I guess. She was quite relieved to be able to walk on land and talk normally again. 

"Alright, do we have everything?" She asked. She gathered some of the supplies and helped carry the fish box. "Where are we taking these too?" She was glad that the fishing had gone so well and hadn't taken terribly long. The sun hadn't even reached its high point yet. Which was good, they still had a long way to go before they reached Zets'ki. Even flying would take them a little while to get there. I'd be fun, she was curious to see how well Drake's dragon form could fly. It did have wings after all. Anything would be faster than walking.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:15 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Drake smiled as she recalled her promise to help with the fishing. It wasn’t soon after that things grew quiet once more. The draconian listened to the sounds of the ocean for awhile longer before the exhaustion finally took him, and he fell into a deep sleep.

As per usual, Drake dreamed of the other world. Luckily, this was not a nightmare like most of them. Instead, he dreamed of a small, personal airship sailing through the skies, with a dark haired man at the helm. His pure silver eyes glistened in the sun, and the smile on his face near radiant. Standing beside him was the blurred image of the raven haired woman, though distorted, as thought the dream were refusing the acknowledge her existence.

Even with the distortion, the dream felt pleasant. The airship was clearing the skies with ease, the wind whipping past them as they sailed the clear skies. It was as if the two had not a care in the world. Soon, though, the dream started to shift, and the skies shifted to oceans. The figure of the raven haired woman was replaced by a red haired woman and her excited gaze. The ship had changed as well, now a sea vessel, meant for catching fish.

Oh right…Aspect and I were going to catch fish… He looked over to Aspect, who seemed to be trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t hear her over the sounds of the waves.

“…rake…” She said. “Drake. It's time to get up now.”

—-

Drake opened his eyes to see a strange looking bird staring down at him. Wha…? He blinked. Is that a pelican? For a moment, he was disoriented, but the real world was catching up to him. “Aspect?” he asked. She was talking about how busy of a day they had ahead of them.

Right. The fish. He got up, and stretched himself out. He let out a long winded yawn, finally starting to feel a bit more awake. “There we are. Right, a long day before we…wait, we?” He vaguely remembered hearing her say that the night before, but he had thought he had misheard her. “Wait, you’re coming to Zets’ki with me?

A part of Drake was happy. He’d have a traveling partner, and Aspect was an amazing person. The other part of him though, was worried that he might have another magical mishap like before, and end up Gods knew where. But, that was Aspect’s choice, and she seemed a capable individual.

“Right…we have a lot to get done.” He shook himself off, and started back towards the ocean. “I take it you have a plan?”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:51 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect laid down and closed her eyes as she listened to him speak. Zets'ki. She wondered if she'd been there before. The name was exotic and uncommon. Celestials, the angel people. She couldn't recall ever meeting an angel before. It would be interesting to meet one. She felt him sigh, she understood how he felt. Sadness and confusion were not foreign emotions to her. She stretched out her front legs, digging in the sand with her claws, making little furrows. She stretched out, yawning quietly. She rested her head down on the cool sand. 

"Don't worry about her for now," she told him. "We'll get there when we get there." He asked her about fishing and she smiled in her sleep. "I'm willing to help with the fishing. We should be able to finish by midday and then we'll make our way to Zets'ki." She sighed quietly and felt her breathing slow down. She felt sleep take her and gave into it willingly.

*******************************************************************

The morning sun woke her and her eyes fluttered open. She took a deep breath and stretched out before standing upright. She saw Drake still sleeping and walked around him in, so she wouldn't wake him. She jumped up on the rocks surrounding the alcove, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun on her fur. She watched the sunlight dance off the waves for a short while. She remembered her agreement with Drake and sat upright. Pelican. She felt herself tilt further upright her body lengthening, particularly her neck and head. Her paws rotated outward as her shoulders shifted in her back. Her hind legs flattened, turning into flippered feet like a duck. Her tail disappeared and her front legs became large feathered wings.

She stretched them out, enjoying the feeling of the wind rippling against her feathers. Her large long beak would take some getting used to, she normally didn't take this form. She turned around and half flew half dropped back down into the sand beside the sleeping body. She walked to him awkwardly, still adjusting to her capabilities. She nudged him with the tip of her beak. "Drake, Drake," she whispered. Her jaw adjusting to the large length of the beak. "It's time to get up now. We have a busy morning and a long flight ahead of us this afternoon in order to get to Zets'ki." She flapped her wings once, getting used to strength and the power behind them. 

Author: Firesong, Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:15 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

As Drake listened to Aspect, he could hear the ocean waves breaking against the shore. The constant stream of sound was calming, almost hypnotizing, adding a near mystic feel to the way that Aspect spoke. Perhaps it was fatigue, or maybe Aspect was something more than she appeared, but it seemed as though her words held a wisdom and power. She was certainly a unique individual, with a very unique perspective on the world.

Is she truly real?

That was the real question that had hounded him ever since the dreams had began. Aspect had hit the nail on the head firmly, so to speak. The idea that she could exist in this world would be a dream to most, but there was something that drew him towards Zets’ki. He knew that, at least, he could find some answers if he headed there.

“I know it seems crazy to think that she could exist. And, even if she did, she may not even be the person from the dreams.” He paused. “However, I have a feeling that regardless of whether or not she exists, that the end of it will be in Zets’ki…the place closest to the Celestials.” He ruffled the top of Aspect’s head once more. Her fur was soft at the touch. “I don’t know what will happen when I get there, or if I’ll find her or not…”

Drake sighed. The whole ordeal was complicated. “I don’t know. Maybe I am a little crazy, but…” He could feel the black dragon longing to see her. To know that she was safe from harm. But even if she is safe, that doesn’t mean she’s the same one….

He closed his eyes, and yawned. “Well…I guess tomorrow I can get to fishing. It didn’t really happen much today.” He opened one eye to look at Aspect with a half smile, “Do you still mind helping me out?” That had been a part of their original deal, but Drake wouldn’t push if she didn’t feel up to it.

Author: Aspect, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:21 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect lifted her ears as he walked towards her, listening intently. He sat next to her and explained himself the best he could. She was faintly amused that he decided to pet her, she purred quietly in her chest as she continued to hear what he had to say. It seemed difficult for him to articulate his thoughts. She silently watched him. His hand moved away from her and he held it out. He promptly dropped it back down and continued to pet her. He smiled at her and she gave him a smile back, though rather odd and toothy coming from a cat, but a smile just the same. She dipped her head into his hand as he stroked her, her tail flicking contently.

He complimented her on her color and she saw him blush. She was glad she was in another form, she gave herself away too easily in her human shape. She sat up and leaned against his side. She looked up at him as he finished speaking. "Personally, I don't think you're going mad having these kinds of dreams," she said to him. "You very well could have the gift of foresight. Maybe what you see isn't a memory of something that has been. It could very well be something that is yet to come. Though I'd generally prefer the world to end after my time here has ended." She gave him a smirk and lightly headbutted his hand. 

"The idea of your dreams being from an alternate world does intrigue me though. It makes sense to have different worlds at the same time, in different dimensions in such a way that one can't see each other but they still exist simultaneously. We could be sitting right here in our world, and yet there could be multiple different kinds of us in other worlds, doing the exact same things as we are now. It boggles my mind to think about it." She looked up at the stars. " The different versions of us could be limitless, in infinite universes, all paralleled over each other. I've seen just a glimpse of different worlds, through my many forms. Certain creatures can sense, see, or hear, things that humans can't, and likewise for the humans' ability over the animals. Like colors, we can generally see bright vivid colors. But dogs and horses and things only see a diluted version, and sometimes mostly gray. Butterflies and bees though can see many different colors that people can't even begin to comprehend."

"In that way, I could believe in alternative worlds lying together." She turned and looked at him, her eyes sparkled. "This girl you speak of, you like her, at least a part of you does. You seem bound to her, partially at least. I just ask, how do you know she's real? And if she is real, how do you know you can find her? I understand that people dream and have fantasies of those they desire. Lust, longing, affection, love, what have you. They can all create impressions and convincing mirages to those that feel strongly about those emotions. How do you know she's not just a figment of your imagination? I'd hate for you to get your hopes up on finding this girl, then realizing she's not real." She licked his hand briefly while still looking up at him. 

Author: Firesong, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:07 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

As they walked with Drake lost in thought, they came across the alcove. Aspect seemed to deem it worthy of staying in, so the draconian didn’t complain. As Aspect made herself comfortable, Drake continued his thoughts, lost in the concepts of what his dreams could mean.

Finally, Aspect seemed to worry about him, and came to break him out of his thoughts. “Oh, Aspect…” he said. “Sorry. No, I’m not worried about the roars. Even if they come, it’s not like there’s an actual dragon here. And with my wings gone, I can always feign ignorance.” He smiled, and idly pet Aspect’s cat form. She shied away, though, under the assumption that Drake didn’t want to talk.

“I don’t mind talking about it, though I’ll warn you…It comes off sounding like I’m mad sometimes.” He cleared his throat. “This dragon form I have was only released recently. Bits and pieces are starting to come together with the more information I come across, but it’s still a jumbled mess in my head, so I’m sorry if it comes out wrong. I’ve been having strange dreams of another world. In this world, there’s a woman with raven hair and black angel wings…” He sighed, unsure of how to continue. “There are a lot of different dreams. Sometimes she’s in them, and sometimes she isn’t. But the one that occurs the most, is the one where that world comes to an end. She’s there with me, reaching out her hand…” Drake held out his own hand. “I can’t hear her voice, or see her face.” He closed his eyes, and let his hand fall.

“The way you described the dragon being a part of me makes sense. It is, and isn’t me, though. I think…this dragon is me from that world…a part of him surviving in me. And because we are the same, I can shift between these forms,” he looked over to Aspect and smiled. “I think the dragon longs for her, to see that she’s safe. Maybe if I find her, he’ll….I’ll be at ease.”

He was quiet for a moment, and stood up, walking over to where Aspect had laid. He sat himself down next to her, and starting to stroke her fur. “You have pretty fur…hair…uh…” He blushed. “I like the color of it.” He sighed. “Sorry. It’s a lot to deal with. But I do feel better talking about it. Thanks, Aspect…”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:09 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect felt him start to get the strength back in his legs and let him go so he could stand on his own. She watched him for a second to make sure he was stable, then walked by his side on the beach. She wandered over to get the clothes she had dropped before going swimming with him, only to find that they'd been washed away or stolen. No matter, she didn't have anything of value in them anyway. She walked back to Drake's side as he was still making his way up the beach. She continued to watch the shoreline at the sleeping people in their homes. He asked her what was wrong, and she hoped nothing was.

"Nothing is wrong," she said, glancing at him. "At least I hope not. I didn't actually think you were going to roar like you did, especially with so many people getting ready to go to bed nearby. Most folks aren't terrible fans of dragons, I'm just keeping an eye out in case some people want to make a big deal about it. I don't think these folks are used to dragons." She looked at him again, a part of herself feeling bad. He was just expressing himself, getting used to the dragon half, and now she was criticizing it. "It was impressive though, I'll give you that." She gave him a tired smile. 

He appeared to be zoning out, so she just walked in silence. They found a small alcove on the sand, a small area lightly fortified by large rocks. She walked inside, looked expectantly at Drake, then changed forms. Cat. She felt herself shrink to the size of a house cat, a little dark red tabby. She found herself a soft spot in the sand, circled around a few times, then laid down. She watched him for a short while, still seeing he was out of it and lost in thought. She stood up, jumped up on one of the rocks and lightly batted his face with a paw for a second or two, careful not to extend her claws. "Drake…Drake?" She asked him softly. "Come back down to earth."

She stopped and sat there looking at him. "What's wrong? Something seems to be bothering you? Don't worry about the town people. If anything happens, I'll hear it and wake you up. You don't need to worry about them." She turned her head to the side, still looking at him. Her tail flicked lightly back and forth across the rock. He almost seemed to look sad, she couldn't tell whether it was the moon casting shadows or if it was real. She tried to catch his eye. "There's something bigger bothering you, isn't it," she asked him quietly. She stood up and walked to the other side of the rock, before jumping back down in the sand. "Let me know if you feel comfortable talking about it, I'll leave you in peace." She curled up on her little mound of sand and was silent.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:08 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

The entire thing was starting to wear a bit on Drake. Not only had they swam most of the day, but Drake had attempted flight and his first dragon transformation. He was feeling extremely fatigued, if not ready to pass out on the spot. So when Aspect called his dragon form beautiful, he was quick to agree, but seemed to miss the trailing off the woman and her embarrassment at almost stating something else.

That’s one problem down. he thought to himself, standing a bit on his own better. Now all I have to worry about it finding that woman. His thoughts once more turned to that predicament. The second soul that was searching for the celestial with black wings and raven hair. As usual, her name was just out of reach, like a long lost memory that refused to be found. That within itself pulled on his heart a bit, though he wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps it had a lot to do with her, or perhaps her memory was linked to something more. The flames of destruction. The cries of death… They were unpleasant thoughts, which he shook away. His focus right now was with Aspect. He need not dwell on such negative things.

He looked to Aspect again, and smiled, but noticed her gaze was farther up the beach. Curious, Drake looked out, but his vision swam a bit, and he shook his head. I hope it’s not something bad. I don’t think I can fight like this if its bandits or something. He hoped that, at least in an emergency, Aspect could fight. If not, Drake could rely on adrenaline, but it wouldn’t last long with his current fatigue. But the chances of that having to happen were slim. Still, he was a little worried.

“Aspect? What’s wrong?” he asked, resisting the urge to yawn. “I can’t really focus….”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:32 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect watched him consider what she'd said. She stood with him and back up after he stood himself. She saw him readied himself, and she made sure she gave him enough space to transform. Several of the dragons she'd encountered were definitely larger than she expected, she'd assumed he'd be no different. He held his arms at his sides and looked at her. She nodded in his direction and gave a small smile. This would be hard, but it would likely be downhill from here. She was prepared to help him in any way should could, and readied herself to change at a moments notice.

He looked at her, she could see he was nervous. "It's okay," she said quietly. She repeated it slowly until he closed his eyes. She tensed her muscles as he stood still, she saw him working through her words in his mind. Suddenly he opened his eyes and his body was engulfed in flames. She leaped back, then hesitated, remembering that the flames accompanied his transformation, and he wasn't actually being lit ablaze. She focused back on his form, watching him grow and lengthen. After a short while, the flames died away and before she stood a large black dragon, dark as pitch. Upon closer inspection, she saw the scales shine from within, like black oil on water. The dark red eyes were magnificent. 

She looked up at him and smiled. She watched him spread his wings, testing their full size out for the first time it seemed. They were similar to the wings he'd had in his human form, only much larger, but still just as beautiful. His entire form was beautiful. She watched him crane his head and neck and attempt a roar. First softly, and then louder. She actually had to cover her ears, but her smile only grew as she watched him take in his new form. Then as suddenly as they began, the flames appeared once more, though this time softer and smaller, and she watched the great dragon shrink back down to the size of a man.

She walked slowly up to him as the final flames died. She watched him stumble to the ground and fall on the sand. She stood over him for a second, realized that he was struggling, and then offered her hand. She pulled him upright, putting her shoulder under his arm. She looked at him, her smile returning. She couldn't help laughing with him. He seemed so surprised and happy and relieved all at the same time. "That was wonderful," she told him. "The dragon is more beautiful than I'd imagined. You're more…" She couldn't bring herself to finish, hoping he couldn't see her cheeks go pink. She was silent for a little while. "Don't mention it," she said. She glanced at him and then trained her eyes to a place further up the beach.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:20 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Since he was given the opportunity, Drake gave Aspect a few pets as she gave her detailed response in what Drake had asked. As the information flowed, Drake took mental notes, trying to piece it all together into something that he could use. It was a lot, but the reality was that aspect was likely correct. He was apprehensive at best. The reasoning might have been complicated, but it was simple to grasp.

The idea of a fractured soul is something I had not considered. In fact, it might make sense. There are two souls, but what if neither are complete? Two broken halves that borrow on each other’s strengths rather than unifying into one harmony. He sighed. It was a lot more philosophy than he had expected for the night, but it was helping a bit, even if what was thought and said barely made sense.

However, on the practical side, Aspect was willing to help as well, despite the difference in how things worked. She moved from her initial spot, and turned to him, placing a paw on his chest. The whole situation felt a little surreal for Drake, though as Aspect shifted back into her human form, it started to feel a bit like when Lord Drae had unlocked his magical form. Aspect was intently focused, but welcoming.

Drake nodded, and stood up, dusting himself off. He stretched his arms to the sky, and then let them fall to his sides, taking a few deep breaths His heart started to beat a little faster in anticipation, and he started to feel nervous, however, when he saw Aspect, he felt more at ease.

He closed his eyes, and once more he felt his spirit confronting the sleeping dragon. Two parts of the same soul. He reached out, his hand touching the sleeping dragon’s head. Despite being all in his head, Drake felt the cool scales, hard as diamond. The dragon and I are one. Two sides of the same coin. He closed his eyes, and suddenly he could feel the dragon stirring. As he opened his eyes, the dragon’s eyes opened, a dark red iris matching Drake’s silver-green. Drake’s hand lowered from the dragon, and he took a step back. The dragon mirrored him, moving back on its own.

Drake smiled, and he could feel that the dragon was doing the same. No. That’s not entirely right. I’m smiling. We’re smiling. The same.

Drake’s eyes opened in the real world as flames wrapped around his entire body. The change itself was painful, as if everything in his body was breaking and reforming, which to be fair it probably was. Still, Drake kept his teeth clenched, driving himself through the pain as everything got heavier, his body gaining weight rapidly. Finally, though, it all seemed to settle, and standing before Aspect was a great black dragon, its crimson eyes glowing in the darkening light.

Well…this is something. He spread his massive wings, and let out a soft roar, as if testing what his vocal abilities were. There was another test growl, and then finally a proper dragon's call that echoed across the ocean. Then, all at once, flames engulfed the black dragon, though much weaker than the initial onces that Drake had summoned forth. The dragon seemed to fade, leaving Drake a few feet off the ground as he finished transforming back. Immediately, he fell to the ground, completely exhausted of his strength.

"Well…that took a lot…" he said, wincing as he tried to stand. "But, I did it. I really did it…" He started to laugh. "That was incredible! Amazing, really! I was huge!" He blinked, and realized he was missing something. "Wait…the wings are gone?" He laughed again. "Hah! They're gone! I can finally sit down without having to worry about them!" Of all the things, that was probably the most frustrating to learn.

"Aspect…I can't thank you enough!"

Author: Aspect, Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:55 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect stopped licking her paws and watched as he came and sat down next to her. She saw how he'd looked at her the last few times she'd changed forms and leaned against his shoulder. "Go ahead and pet me," she said, half smiling and half sighing. "Most people want to when they see what I am. Doesn't matter if I'm a horsie, or a kittie, or a doggie, people want to pet me." She gave a full smile at this. Her ears relaxed on her head and her eyes went half closed as she listened to him speak, resting her chin on his shoulder. He said her name and she flicked an ear in his direction and opened her eyes.

She saw him staring skyward and followed his direction. She was asking her about her abilities. She thought hard about how to answer them, she almost didn't notice he'd closed his eyes. He extended his hand out, his skin becoming encased in flames, only to be replaced by hard black scales. She recognized the faint smoke smell now, it was similar to the dragons she'd encountered before. It seemed their ability to change was different than hers. He asked her some more questions and she found it difficult to put her answers into words for him to understand.

"My abilities are strictly genetic in nature," she began softly. "There isn't magic involved, nor a curse, or other sorts of witchcraft. I'm not a were-creature either. My mother was a true shapeshifter like I am, judging from my abilities, my father was likely the same. I can turn into any creature, living and extinct, only limited by creatures yet to be created, designed, or bred." She looked at him. He seemed very tired. "You say your dragon inside of you is asleep," she tried to be very delicate. "I wonder why that is? It seems to me like you aren't entirely accepting of this part of yourself and you wish to keep it suppressed. Why that is, only you can answer it. I'm not saying it's a good or a bad thing, that just seems to be the way it is."

"You say changing is difficult for you, and I understand why it would be. If you are reluctant, hesitant, or resentful of the dragon, it would be more difficult. It's hard to do things if you don't want to do them. You don't seem to like the dragon in most cases, which is why you keep it asleep. You reach out and take its form, and that is how you change. You force it, it seems." She was quiet for a short while before continuing, trying her best to navigate a sensitive topic for him.

"I understand your questions, and I understand why you ask them. You are very new to this shifting thing. We are both similar and different in that regard. I have one soul, but I have the potential to take on hundreds of thousands of bodies. You have one body, but your soul is split. You are both a man and a dragon at the same time, but you suppress one or the other, so you feel like you are only one at a time. You're a man now, but once some major stress happens or you get angry or hurt, the dragon instinct takes over? Am I right? It's a common thing with were-creatures, so I will assume its similar to you. Your hesitancy and insecurity around the dragon part of you are what makes your shifting so difficult."

She sat up, turning around to look at him. She put her paw firmly on his chest. "You are a person, yes. But you are at the same time a dragon. You are two parts of the same soul, different, but the same. Visualize them in your mind's eye, like as two pieces of rope coming together, becoming stronger, stronger than they would have been alone, woven together." She took her paw off of him and stepped back. "Once you accept the dragon, your shifts will be easier for you because you will not be forcing them to happen. It will be like water, fluid and easy, not like fire, with its quick snaps and pops." She changed form again. Human. She crouched down next to him, looking him in the eye. 

"It'll be okay," she said, ready to change at a moments notice. "I promise." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Now wake the dragon and let him be free."

Author: Firesong, Posted: Sat Jun 9, 2018 9:25 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Despite his failed attempt at flying, he was far from discouraged.  Hearing Aspect's words, through, still made him smile.  It took a long while for them to return to shore, and during that time, Drake's fatigue did get the better of him, and he found himself in a half dozing state.  As they neared the land though, Drake's internal compass stirred, and he started to rouse himself from his half slumber.  Surely enough, soon Aspect was telling him that they were back on land.  

As he clambered back onto the land, the full feeling of his weight returned, and he almost feel over.  This is really rough, he thought to himself, groaning.  He glanced up, though, at the perfect time to watch as Aspect's form shifted into that of a scruffy dog.  Once again, Drake's instincts were to pet the creature, but he knew better than to do so.  Her transformation, though, was something to behold.  He knew his own was wreathed in fire, but that seemed like a different circumstance.  He wondered if he lacked the flames, if it would look similar.  

As she trotted onto the dry sand, Drake followed her up.  She sat down, and started to groom herself, posing Drake the question on what he was intending on doing from here.  He thought about it for awhile, and crossed his arms.  "It's been awhile since I've stayed under the stars.  I guess it couldn't hurt."  He sat down next to her, and flopped back on the sand.  He gazed up at the sky, and sighed.  "Today was a fun experience," he said.  They had seen a lot, and Drake had even learned to be more comfortable with his own body, which was leaps and bounds ahead of what he had felt just before coming here.

"Say, Aspect?" he started.  "Your abilities…how do they work?  I mean," he paused.  It was a difficult question to word.  "When I shift forms, there's…"  He closed his eyes.  "There's a sleeping dragon.  I reach out, and draw upon its strength.  I borrow its form for my own."  As such, he reached out towards the sky.  In an instant, his hand was encircled with a crimson flame, and when in subsided, there was a black dragon's claw, with similarly black scales trailing up his forearm.  "It takes effort to change, and change back…but holding it takes nothing.  Is that anything like what you do?" he asked.  "How do you know what you're changing in to?"

Author: Aspect, Posted: Tue Jun 5, 2018 9:16 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

 Aspect looked at Drake with a smile. He seemed thoroughly enthralled with world hidden beneath the waves. There's more where that came from. She thought to herself. She had seen many different worlds through her various forms. All creatures had different ways to see the world, all of which were amazing in their own ways. She paddled leisurely along the water. After her encouragement, she saw Drake seem to gather his confidence. He tucked his wings in tight and dove off of her into the water. She casually turned over and followed him, keeping close by, but out of range of his wings.

She kept by him, close enough that she could reach him if he needed help. After a short learning curve, he seemed to be able to get the hang of it. He was slowly getting his confidence with his wings. It made her happy to see him become comfortable with himself. She understood how difficult it could be to adjust to something new, especially with something as personal as one's body. All new forms she took required some time for her to adapt to them. Whether that be size, strength, senses, or physical capabilities, all required adaptability, it was something she understood very well. She was proud to see him start to adapt.

She flipped her fins and surfaced with him, popping her head out of the water. She trod water in one place and nodded at his statement. She was partially surprised at how eager he was to fly, considering he had only just now become competent in the water. She stayed in the water and watched him spread his wings. He gave a strong downward beat and saw him gain a little altitude above the water. It wasn't anything impressive, but it wasn't bad for a first try. He fell back down into the water with a splash and she swam over to him. She playfully bumped his shoulder with her nose. "A bird can not fly in a single day," she told him. "But it wasn't bad for a first try." She got close to him so he could grip her fur once more and then headed back towards the shore.

She felt the weight on her back grow limp with fatigue. She didn't blame him, he'd had a long day and used a lot of strength with his wings. It would take time to develop the muscle properly in his human form to fly for an extended length of time. His dragon form would be better designed for flight, she'd try and convince him to shift tomorrow if he could. She went slower going back to shore than she had when going out to sea. She too was feeling the strain of using muscles foreign to her. It took a while to reach land, but when she got close, she glanced back to Drake. 

"We're back on land, Drake," she said. She got to the shallow water and rotated her back flippers around so she could walk back onto the sand. Once she was out of the water, she let him get off. She took a few steps and shook herself. The size and extra weight melting away. Dog. She didn't care if he saw her change forms. She felt herself shrink, turning into a large scruffy dog. She sat down in the sand and started licking the salt off her paws. "I don't know about you," she said. "But I think I'm going to sleep right here on the beach tonight. It's too nice to be trapped inside." She paused and looked up at him. "What about you?"

Author: Firesong, Posted: Tue Jun 5, 2018 3:41 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Drake took Aspect’s offer of teaching him to fly in to consideration. If it was something possible, he would love to try, and from what he knew of others with wings, it should be something that he was more than capable of doing.

As they dove down once more into the depths, Drake was once again met with the intricate designs of the coral reefs, of the many fish. However, Aspect took them farther and farther out, and soon they disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a dull sand. In its own way, however, it was beautiful. Where the coral was a happy beauty, this area was more akin to a haunting. Despite his and Aspect’s warmth, he felt a chill run down his spine.

Aspect took a moment to find what she was looking for, but once she did, she was intent on making sure Drake saw it. And he did. The ray had wings, though a different kind than Drake’s, but the motions were mostly the same. Having messed around with his wings prior, he understood for the most part what he needed to do to get moving. And, the principle under the water should me similar to above, but with more force. This would be more than ample training to get in the air.

The sea lion moved to go the surface once more, pulling Drake along for the ride. Once more they broke the surface, and Drake took several gasps of air. It wasn’t long before they dove back down. As Aspect swam around, they ran into a pack of dolphins, which seemed intrigued with the two. While Aspect could pass as a sea creature, Drake was definitely from the world above. He wouldn’t be surprised if the dolphins weren’t a bit curious as to why a land dweller was in their world. Still, they seemed pleasant enough to interact with.

Finally, after enjoying the company of the dolphins, Aspect took them back to the surface. The dolphins followed for awhile, but grew bored and left.

Drake watched as they left, chuckling. “It’s amazing. All of it…”

Aspect nudged Drake along, though, with the swimming. “All right, then,” Drake said as he dove down, tucking his wings in. While underneath, he spread his wings wide, and flapped them around, forcing the pressure to catapult him forward. It works. Sort of… It wasn’t the most graceful at first, but within a few minutes he was swimming all around, and broke to the surface a few times with little issue.

“Wow…that’s…not too ad, actually,” he said aloud. “All right…the same concept, but more force…” He looked to the sky. I just hope this works… With a powerful downthrust and a massive splash, Drake launched himself several feet into the air. From there, it was a struggle, but he managed to stay in the air for several seconds before falling back down.

He hit the water hard, causing a huge ripple effect in the waves. It wasn’t long though before he was back at the surface, sputtering. “Well…it was a good attempt. I think I’m just tired.”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Fri Jun 1, 2018 11:38 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect nodded. "If we can find them, look at the rays," she said. "They may be on the bottom. We'll have to see. There's no rush, I had nothing really going on. I might even be able to teach you to fly out here if you want. The water is more forgiving than the ground about mistakes." She gave him a moment before nodding and diving back under the water. She skimmed through the water and it wasn't long before they found the corals and living rock again. Her large eyes helped her take in all the sights that she remembered from the first time. This time, instead of staying along the reef, she turned and swam in a straight line, parallel to the ground. At her pace, it wasn't long before the coral started to disappear and was replaced by smooth white sand.

This part of the reef seemed rather bleak, compared to the colorful and lively corals they had just left. Here it was mostly the sandy bottom and open water. She dived down and skimmed the top of the sand bed with her fins. She found the smooth surface of a ray and it kicked up a cloud of dust. She stopped and turned around, so that Drake could see. The small ray, barely larger than a large platter, spread its wings and took off in a flying action to another part of the sand, where it could reburry itself and remain undisturbed. She looked back at Drake, motioning that he could do the same with his wings if he wanted to. She surfaced briefly, enjoying the cool air on her face, and waited a short while before diving back down.

A large school of fish swept by them, several of them had to change direction at the last second to avoid hitting them. They were smooth and long and silver in color. Probably tuna. Several of them were her size or larger, all of them were swimming rapidly in one direction. After the school of tuna passed, she saw a pod of dolphins coming towards them. Their clicks, squeaks, and other assorted noises were audible under the water. There were several of them and they stopped to look at her and Drake. She stopped swimming and just hovered in one spot, watching them circle around them. She glanced at Drake, a smile on her face. A few of them were swimming close enough that he could reach out and touch them if he wanted to. 

They were spotted dolphins, slightly smaller and faster than their gray bottlenose cousins. Generally more curious too, which is why she wasn't really surprised that some came so close. There was a small baby with them, sticking close to their mother, a quarter of the size of the adults. It was cute, in a weird fish way. They stayed with the dolphins for a short while and slowly made their way to the surface. The dolphins followed them, staying near the pair, even after they broke the surface. They stayed with them for a long while until their curiosity wore off and they continued on their original course. She was a little sad to see them go. After they had gone, she flipped over and swam on her back. She looked up at Drake as she paddled leisurely along. "Are you ready to try out those wings of yours?" She asked him. "I'll be right next to you if anything happens. You'll be alright. Let your instinct take over."

Author: Firesong, Posted: Fri Jun 1, 2018 7:00 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

The draconian finally settled on Aspect’s back, and gave her the go ahead that he was ready. The nerves started to fade a bit as she swam out farther from the shore, the wind whipping around him as she rocketed through the water with speed and grace. It was an amazing feeling, and Drake wondered if it would be a similar feeling once he learned how to use his wings to fly. That thought got him a little excited, but also reminded him that once Aspect went to dive, that he would have to fold his wings in as tight as possible.

As she slowed, and looked back to the shore, she asked Drake if he was ready, giving him the chance to take a moment. Drake took a few deep breaths, readying himself before finally nodding, and almost immediately he felt the powerful sea lion beneath him tense. What came next was one part exhilarating, one part terrifying. Despite being part dragon, Drake had never experienced the strength of another beast like this. As she dove and torpedoed through the water, Drake held on with a good bit of his strength, hoping to the Gods that he wouldn’t fall off. The feeling was not unlike having the wind whip around him, though the water held much more mass.

At first, it was a shock to his system to be submerged, but as he adjusted and managed to open his eyes, he was surprised at how well his vision adapted, though to be fair, the draconic side of him was more than likely helping. There were strange waves of light, refractions from the sun above, that lit up different kinds of fish, countless in number and variety. The sounds, though, were something that Drake couldn’t begin to describe. A heavy silence seemed to hang in the water, but instead of being oppressive, it was comforting. There were noises, of course, if you listened hard enough, of the fish swimming, of creatures all around speaking to each other, of something unspeakable farther in the depths.

It was all coming together to create a beautiful, somehow impossible picture. As Aspect moved through the caves and canyons, Drake hesitantly let his hand trail across the stone. It wasn’t much different than the world above, but somehow the world below made it seem like so much more. Finally, though, Drake was starting to feel the lack of oxygen. He tapped her side a few times to get her attention, and Aspect made her way back to the surface.

Drake took a deep breath of air as they broke to the surface. He coughed a bit, his lungs remembering the sweet taste of life. After a few more breaths, he looked down as Aspect. Her excitement was remarkable, because once she managed to start speaking, she didn’t stop. Drake was smiling the whole time, though, because he understood. While he was much less vocal about it, he too was in awe at everything that they had witnessed.

“I can go another round,” he said finally, as she waited for him expectantly. “After that, though, I think I want to try swimming a bit on my own. After watching some of the fish and how they move, I might have an idea on how to use my wings. It might take a few tries, though…as long as you don’t mind making sure I don’t drown.”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 7:51 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect smiled. "Hold on tight," she told him glancing back. Once he was settled as best as he could, they took off. Her flippers and slick body helped her glide through the water with ease. She didn't even notice the weight on her back. She almost flew across the surface of the water, leaving a small wake behind her and throwing up water at her sides. This was wonderful, she hadn't felt freedom like this on the ground, the only thing comparable was when she was flying. She had so much speed and power in the water. She understood how drawing the sea was, and why most creatures never left.

Once they'd gotten a far bit out, she turned and could just see the shoreline. She looked up at Drake, still sitting on her back. "Are you ready to dive?" She asked him. "When you get close to running out of breath, say something and I'll return to the surface." She twitched her whiskers at him and gave him a toothy smile. When he was ready, she tensed her muscles and lunged under the water. She torpedoed below the water, even with the awkward weight on her back, she had so much speed. Her eyes adjusted and she was able to see under the surface of the water, the sunlight illuminating a whole nother world. The beauty on the surface wasn't even comparable to the beauty it held below.

There were fish, the gods knew how many and what they were. There were so many. So many sizes, colors, shapes, sizes, all swimming around together. It would take her almost a whole day to just shift into each different kind of fish she saw. She kept swimming through the group of fish and saw the bottom of the ocean for the first time. It was similar to the land, but different. The plants were different from those on the surface, longer or shaped differently, some with bright colors, almost as bright as the fish. They were both short and incredibly long at the same time. Creatures even lived on the leaves of these plants and she could see them swimming around. And there were rocks, in many different colors all over. Some hollowed out, some in just irregular shapes. But they weren't rocks, not entirely. She got the feeling that they were alive and she briefly entertained the idea of what it would feel like to shift into a living rock. Or corals as she recalled reading somewhere.

She went down more and got a closer look at the caves and canyons made by these living rocks. She could see small shrimp-like things scurrying around, reminding her vaguely of spiders. She saw sea snakes, very similar to the terrestrial varieties, swimming in and out of the holes hunting for prey. She saw thick snake-like things, with toothy mouths and glassy eyes, she recognized them as eels. Ugly things. She thought to herself. She felt Drake shift on her back, and turned her attention back to the surface. With several quick flips of her flippers, they were above the water yet again. She waited for him to catch his breath again before speaking.

"That was so cool!" She exclaimed. "Did you see all those fish? There were so many, so many different kinds and colors. It would take me a week to turn into everything we saw down there. And those plants, what were those? I've never seen anything like them. And those rocks, those rocks were alive! Living, feeling things. That's crazy! And did you see those little spider things?…" She went on for a short while, asking him questions but not really giving him any time to speak. She was just so in awe, she couldn't help it. Eventually she ran out of things to say. "That was awesome," she said, looking at him. Her grin evident even under the fur and whiskers. Her eyes sparkled. She looked forward to returning back under the surface when he was ready.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 4:54 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

As Aspect admired his wings, Drake felt himself start to blush. It was really the first time that he’d let someone look at them willingly. All of the other times had been forced, and the situation demanded their release. Each time, though, he had been met with regard, and not fear, and that had been something that had genuinely surprised him. Even Aspect, now, seemed more open than fearful.

Once again, he heard that word. Pride. Dragons were prideful creatures, and deep down Drake knew that. He could feel the black dragon, still, slumbering inside of him. The power he held was a part of him, yet separate. Is that why he lacked pride? Or perhaps it had everything to do with the power being out of his full control. Regardless the reasoning behind it, he knew for the most part that Apect, and Zanar as well, were right. There was no reason to really hide them, and in a way they were beautiful.

Aspect urged him once more to join her in the water, and started to swim out. Drake silently agreed to let her take the lead, and stripped the rest of his clothes off, down to his britches, though as usual his shirt gave him the most trouble. He was forced to pause, though, as he felt the aura that Aspect held shift. Immediately, he understood why her magic felt so different as her form shifted from the tall red haired woman to a great, golden red sea lion. The shift itself was barely visible due to the ocean itself, but he got the general idea of how it worked due to his own transformation.

“Incredible,” he said to himself, finishing up with his clothes and tossing them lazily to the side. By this time, she had come back.

He moved closer to the water, and slowly dipped his feet in. The cool ocean swept across his feet with as the waves washed over them. He moved forward at a fairly moderate pace, finally coming up to Aspect. Now that he was close, he admired the sea lion form she had taken. “It’s amazing. I’ve never seen a sea lion up close before. For that matter…I’ve never seen a sea lion outside of books…” A part of him wanted to pet her, but he figured that was outside of the boundaries. She wasn’t an animal, just another being like himself, and he knew he’d hate being pet by a random stranger.Hearing her voice come from the sea lion, and the way her whiskers moved as she spoke brought a smile to Drake’s face. It was almost absurd, but somehow fitting for the moment.

“I trust you,” he said after a moment, and awkwardly managed to mount himself on her back. “Lead the way, then, Aspect,” he said. He was nervous, but excited. After all, it wasn’t every day that you experienced the ocean with someone who could explore it in this way.

Author: Aspect, Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 8:46 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect continued into the water up to her waist and turned around to look at Drake. He was still standing on the beach. He answered her question, as well as he could anyway. He could and couldn't swim at the same time. No matter, she could swim for both of them. She understood his odd answer when he took the cloak off and she was able to see his large reptilian wings. The black wings were what had given him the unusual posture, not a natural disfiguration. She admired them, they were in a way beautiful. She wanted to see his full form if she ever got the chance. She thought he was likely to be magnificent.

"They are beautiful," she called out to him. He stretched them and she was able to see their full span. "Too beautiful to be covered by an old cloak. I have met dragons before, and all of them were magnificent and had great pride in themselves. In time, you will get that pride and confidence too." She gave him a genuine smile. She understood now why he was shy and quiet before. It probably wasn't the easiest growing a pair of wings and not being able to put away again as before. But it wasn't anything to be embarrassed about, but she could understand his lack of confidence in himself. He was like a young foal just learning to walk, and stumbling every so often before getting his footing secure. The initial trials were weird and uncomfortable, and occasionally awkward at the beginning. But once he became comfortable with them, they'd just be like every other part of him that he wouldn't question. She'd be willing to help him learn to fly if it would help him get his confidence back.

"Keep the cloak off and come out with me. The ocean doesn't judge appearances and neither do I." She dipped under the water and swim out for a bit. She'd felt the itch to change ever since she went in the water. Sea Lion. She felt her arms and legs tighten and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. She felt herself grow and her weight gain tremendously. She felt herself both sink and float at the same time. Her body and face lengthened. When she opened her eyes, she could see under the water in sharp focus. She felt her limbs turn to flippers and her hair and external ears disappear. When she surfaced again, she was a golden-red Steller Sea Lion. She turned and looked at Drake on the beach.

She floated on her back and swam closer to shore, her large flippers handling the water much better than hands or feet ever could. She felt like she belonged in the water. The water slid right off her fur. She stopped a short way off so that she wouldn't beach herself, but not so far out that he couldn't walk out to her if he wanted to. She rolled over in the water and looked up for him, offering him her back. "Do you trust me?" She asked, her whiskers twitching with each word. "I promise, I will not let you drown." 

Author: Firesong, Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 4:15 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

The fact that he had met another traveler was not uncommon, but again, he was fascinated by the aura she gave off. What was strange, though, was her comments on the fishing gear. Perhaps she had a better way to gather fish? It wouldn’t be entirely surprising. Drake had considered trying his hand with magic, but after his first few experiments with unpracticed magic going awry, he wasn’t comfortable trying again without further lessons.

It’s taken me far too long to get back to Parvpora. I’d hate to accidentally gate myself back to the other side of the world again… He shuddered at the thought. His coin purse could barely handle the first journey…he’d never be able to make a second.

AS he heard her name, he smiled. “Aspect. It’s a good name,” he said. She seemed genuine enough, and he had no reason to distrust her intentions. “It’s nice to meet another traveler once in awhile. The locals are fine, but they tend to stick together at times and it’s a tad uncomfortable.”

As she turned her gaze to the ocean, Drake looked as well, wondering what was on her mind. As she glanced back to Drake, he listened as she explained her desire to see beneath the ocean. It seemed she wanted him to come with her, which he was excited at for a moment. Seeing something like that would be fun, and he had never considered.it. And she had offered to help catch fish. He started to blush, though, as she stipped down to her blouse and undershorts. A part of his was thankful that she stopped there.

The draconian shifted a little uncomfortably, though, when she asked if he could swim. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to swim. Far from it, it was something that came natural. However, it was swimming with wings, though, that he had no idea how to do.

“I can swim,” he said. “But…not now. It’s a bit complicated.” He shifted off his cloak, letting it fall to the sand, and spread his black, scaled wings. They were fairly large, and Drake was more than thankful that they could fold in as small as they would. Overall, when he stretched them out, it was just a little more than a ten foot wingspan.

It felt good to stretch them out, but again, he shifted uncomfortably, and avoided her gaze. “These wings are a bit…new to me. I can’t even fly with them yet. And, for the most part…they’re stuck. The rest of my body can shift easily, but…well…I’m used to being human. Being able to change back is easy enough with everything else…except these.” He folded his wings back, and finally looked at Aspect. “But I’m not sure how they’d work in the water.”

Author: Aspect, Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 9:21 PM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect listened as the young man spoke. He had a nice voice. She watched him set down his tackle box and rods and was slightly surprised to learn he hadn't fish before. No matter, she hadn't fished with rod and tackle before either. She thought of it as more of a waste of time, preferring to use nets or her own abilities to land fish and other creatures. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't have much experience using a rod and tackle to catch fish either." She smiled back at him and looked over the various equipment needed by most people in order to catch a simple fish. 

"I didn't realize that people needed so much in order to fish," she said. She chuckled to herself. She noticed he was staring at her. For a brief moment she was puzzled, but changed her focus back to the fishing gear. She was used to people staring at her, for more reasons than one. She turned and looked back at the young man as he spoke again. She smiled back at him. "No need to apologize," she calmly. He stuck out his hand and she returned the gesture. His hands were relatively large and strong. He had a good grip. "My name is Aspect. It's nice to meet you, Drake. I'm also a traveller, I've been a little bit of everywhere."

She glanced back at the ocean. "Well, almost everywhere." Her smile softened and she turned back to look at Drake. "I'd really like to see what it looks like under the surface. I would feel better if I had someone with me though, for safety and such. I normally feel comfortable going alone, but I've never been in the ocean before." She looked at him, the initial excitement returning to her. "Would you like to go in the water with me and explore for a bit? We may be able to find where the fish are and when we return we can go to it when we get back to fish. I'd be more than willing to help you too, if you need the money. I can catch more than enough fish for you and whoever is paying you." 

She unbuttoned her top shirt and took off her pants, so that she was only in a very thin sleeveless blouse and undershorts. She balled up her clothes and threw them further up the beach so they wouldn't get wet by the waves. She turned and started walking in the water. It was cold and it moved differently than the lakes and rivers she'd swam in before. She let the light sucking of the sand pull her into the water. When she was in just past her knees, she turned around and gestured to Drake on the beach. "Come on in!" She called at him. "You can swim, can't you?"

Author: Firesong, Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 4:20 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

It didn't take long for Drake to notice the woman in the shallows.  She had apparently been enjoying the waves, which the draconian couldn't blame her for.  It was a nice day, and he was sure that the ocean water felt amazing.  He even briefly considered it himself after 'working' for the day, but that would be a decision for a later time.  Still, he couldn't help but take a brief moment to take in the sea as a whole before moving on to the woman.  

As she neared, she struck up a casual conversation.  Not one of Drake's strong suits, but he was willing enough to try as always.  "Not particularly yet," he said as he set down the tackle box and the rods.  "To be honest, I just got out.  It's been a long time since I've had to do this, but it'll earn me some spare coin for my travels."  He smiled, his eyes looking over the woman before him.  She was just a bit taller than him, which seemed a tad surprising to Drake, but not entirely uncommon.  Her hair was a striking red, which in contrast to the sea made it seem a little more fiery than it probably was.  But what caught him off guard was the almost mystical aura she possessed.  

Being new to magic meant that Drake was experiencing the world and its inhabitants in an entirely new way.  While he couldn't truly discern what she was, he could feel that she held a powerful form of magic, one that he had not come across since learning how to access his own abilities.  That being said, he felt that the world had much more to offer him now, even at the potential costs he was incurring during the process.   

"Er, sorry…" Drake apologized.  He had realized he hadn't said anything for a moment, and may have come off as impolite, or even possibly rude.  It was starting to become a bad habit, but with his new sight, it was hard to avoid.  "My name is Drake.  I'm a traveler, though currently low on funds for that.  It's a pleasure," he said, holding out his hand.  

Author: Aspect, Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 11:43 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

She was still playing in the surf when she noticed him for the first time. Her demeanor changed at once, she was an adult after all, not a child. There was no point in acting like on in front of a stranger. Aspect ran her fingers through her hair to calm the wild flames back down. She adjusted her clothes to be more presentable and walked calmly through the surf as if she'd seen the sea a thousand times before. She'd have to hide her excitement for now, no matter. She'd have time to herself again.She walked up to the young walking along the surf, some rods and tackle in his hands. 

"Catching much?" She asked casually, trying to start conversation. "It's a beautiful day to be fishing and out on the water." She stopped for a minute to look at this young man. She hadn't met him before, that much was obvious. He was about her height and from what little she could see of him, he seemed rather lean. He wore a large cloak, which she found odd, considering how warm it was today. She glanced behind him and saw odd shapes jutting from his back, and wondered if he was disfigured, which was why he wore the concealing clothing. She didn't mind either way, regardless of what he looked like.

His face was rather angular for a human and she questioned if he was a mix of elf or something. He had a strange beauty around him and stunning eyes, the color of fog on a spring morning. He had longish black hair, that didn't appear to be terribly well kept. He was probably like her and didn't care too much about such things, considering when ever she changed form, it would just get messed up again anyway. He had a faint lingering smell of smoke, like the last remaining bits of smoke from a match. A normal person would likely not have smelled it, only because of her heightened senses could she tell. It was an interesting scent and she wondered if he lit the lanterns in the taverns nearby.

She gave him a small smile. He seemed a little shy and quiet. Possibly he wasn't from around here either. They could explore together, she'd appreciate the company if he'd be willing to provide it. If she could get him to open up and talk to her, it would be a good start. Who knows, maybe she'd be able to help him fish later. She didn't have a lot experience with a rod and reel, but perhaps her other abilities could help him out a little, depending on how much he needed to catch. It'd give her a chance to explore the water too, she had always been curious about the depths under the sea.

Author: Firesong, Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 10:25 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

After the debacle in Railoch with a particularly crazed demon hunter, Drake had found himself in Nisshoki, once more without the funds that he needed to continue forward.  So, he did his usual rounds to the taverns and job boards, which didn't take too much time out of his morning.  As luck would have it, though, no one seemed to have a need for a sword hand, whether it be the usual protection jobs, or a pest extermination.  While Drake found it a little odd, he was complacent with the fact that, for once, things seemed to be going well for one of the cities he visited.

This left Drake with a problem, though.  As he traveled through the streets, his cloak wrapped around his black, draconic wings to keep them hidden, he tried to find something that might suit his talents.  The issue was, since he had never settled down, he lacked the normal talents one would have gained growing up, instead focusing most of his skill set towards survival.  

Oh.

That gave him an idea.  With that, he returned to the tavern he had rented a room at.  As he entered, the keep looked his way, greeting him with a smile.  

"Thanks," Drake replied, giving a nod.  "I, erm, have a question.  I'm looking for some work, but the normal jobs that I would take are unavailable.  I know that you serve a qide array of dishes throughout the day and night, so I was curious if you were in need of any fresh supplies.  It may not look it, but I'm a decent hunter."  The draconian's silver green eyes shimmered with hope.

"Well," the tavern keep thought for a moment.  "I wouldn't say we need anything in particular, but if you need the coin…"  He looked at Drake with a keen eye.  "How are you at fishing?"

"Fishing?"

—

It wasn't long before Drake found himself walking the shoreline, two fishing rods in one hand, and a tackle box in the other.  The tavern keep had let him borrow his set, and shooed him off without a further moment.  The dark haired draconian had decided it would be better to leave the majority of his equipment back at the tavern, but he was still wearing his cloak, deciding it better to leave his mostly useless wings hidden.

Though Zanar is probably right, Drake thought.  Dragons were proud creatures.  Hiding his form, though, seemed to feel more comfortable.  At least it's just the wings.  I really shouldn't have pushed myself though.  He sighed.  "And fishing?" he said aloud.  "I'm decent at a lot of things…but this is new…"  Another sigh.  "Oh Gods, please help me.  I really need the coin…"  

Author: Aspect, Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 9:50 AM, Post Subject: Fishing for Answers (P)

Aspect had never seen the ocean with her own eyes before, she'd only heard about it's beauty from others. It was only after she saw the sea in person, did she realize that the stories she'd heard hadn't done it justice. It was so vast and great and endless. It simply could not be described by words alone. She took in the salty air and took a contented sigh. She watched the waves roll gently up to the sand and then pull themselves back out again. She understood now, why sailors spend their whole lives close to the sea. She saw the magnetism that it could have over a person, it was like magic in itself.

She took off her boots and jacket and put them aside near a large rock. She gasped at the initial heat she felt radiating from the sand when she stepped into it. It took her a second to adjust, but she took another step, allowing her feet to sink below the upper surface to the cooler layers of sand beneath. It was an odd feeling, the sensation of sand between her toes, softly engulfing her foot. It was like cool mud, but when she pulled her foot out it was clean, very unlike mud. It was unlike any dust she had ever seen either. It was like very soft gravel and she enjoyed walking on it.

Just as shocking as the heat from the sand, was the coolness of the water when she reached it. It was so clear and the pull of the water out to see was like a vacuum. She felt it pulling her out to sea, and she stepped back into the sand to keep her footing. She walked up back on the wet sand and waited until the next wave came and broke against her ankles. She chuckled. She let it pull her out only so far and then she would retreat back up to the wet sand. She smiled. This was fun. She hadn't had fun in a long time. She looked up and down the beach, seeing no one, she let out a cry of pleasure. She ran up and down the beach, her red hair flying wildly.