Fantasy A Witch's Familiar (RIP)

[Aron the Aron]

"Will that still be the case after all of this?" Kuroi couldn't help but remark on Xeria's comment of not having many clothes, a statement that surely didn't have much ground after adding all this to the witches' wardrobe.

Realizing that she was going to need more space on the bed to do her work, she started moving some of the clothes Xeria had brought into the drawers. First, she moved all of Xeria's items that had already been in there to the top two drawers; undergarments in the top drawer, and outerwear in the drawer below. Then, she started moving her own three folded sets to the bottom drawer, along with a spare pair of underwear - and, sneakily, a wound up strip of cloth she had smuggled out under her new black cloak. That done, she started placing the clothes Xeria had picked out in with the rest of Xeria's clothes, still uninformed of the witch's scheme. "I feel like I owe Lereli some help in her store after all this... There's no way this was a fair exchange, all these clothes seem to have a lot of care put in them." Shaking her head, she put the dress shirt in her hands into the drawer that was quickly filling up.

"Well... You are a stranger in a strange land, and nobody's seen clothes like what you wear before. That's why I picked out all this!" Xeria hopped around attempting to contribute her help folding clothes, though her results in more often than not needed an adjustment from Kuroi at best, and a complete re-do at worst. The enthusiasm was likely appreciated though. "You can't just wear that robe you have the entire time you're here! Besides, some of these clothes will help you not attract attention... in a good way!"

With Kuroi doing most of the menial work and Xeria being little more than moral support, the duo had finally packed away the endless wardrobe in Xeria's drawers. The contents were horribly skewed towards belonging to Kuroi, with what little that belonged to the Witch being tucked away to the far side of the drawers. Special care was given to Kuroi's two kimono, both the one Lereli gave her and the one she wore in the beginning when they met.

Xeria was definitely going to do something about Kuroi's geta though. No way she was going to last a week without getting her feet stepped on or stubbed...

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Well... You are a stranger in a strange land, and nobody's seen clothes like what you wear before. That's why I picked out all this!" Xeria hopped around attempting to contribute her help folding clothes, though her results in more often than not needed an adjustment from Kuroi at best, and a complete re-do at worst. The enthusiasm was likely appreciated though. "You can't just wear that robe you have the entire time you're here! Besides, some of these clothes will help you not attract attention... in a good way!"

Failing to see how their differing cultures related to Xeria picking out so many clothes for herself, Kuroi continued with her organization and folding, leaving the bottom drawer with her few items as they filled the middle and eventually the top with Xeria's excess of items. She did notice Xeria trying to help, and though she was difficult to read as always, some of Xeria's handiwork did find its way directly into the drawer without any adjustments or redoing from Kuroi's deft touch. They worked in silence until most of the clothes had been packed in the drawers, but then something ticked in Kuroi's brain and she felt the need to ask, "These are for you, aren't they? I don't see how that would help me not attract attention." Putting aside the fact that she had already been reassured - much to her chagrin - that she attracted attention for different reasons when dressed as a local, the sentence didn't make any sense if the clothes were for Xeria. Which led Kuroi to an appalling conclusion.

"... I really do owe her a hand." At least it now made sense why Xeria had chosen to pick out so many clothes that would not have fit her body proportions. "I hardly had five outfits in the past - this is far too much for me. You should have focused on yourself..." Exasperated, Kuroi remembered how empty the drawers had looked before their drop off, and while it couldn't be said that it was a small collection from Kuroi's perspective as a long time traveler, it was easily half the size of Kuroi's new collection.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"... I really do owe her a hand." At least it now made sense why Xeria had chosen to pick out so many clothes that would not have fit her body proportions. "I hardly had five outfits in the past - this is far too much for me. You should have focused on yourself..." Exasperated, Kuroi remembered how empty the drawers had looked before their drop off, and while it couldn't be said that it was a small collection from Kuroi's perspective as a long time traveler, it was easily half the size of Kuroi's new collection.

"Well that's more reason to have these clothes belong to you rather than me!" Xeria said with a huff, throwing on the coat she had tossed aside. "Five sets of clothes is hardly enough, especially if they're nice clothes like that ki... ki-mon-noh? You need something so you aren't just wearing the same ol' things all week!" This was of course ignoring the fact that Xeria had less than five articles of clothing in her drawers before it was filled in with Kuroi's new wardrobe, but Xeria was one for ignoring or conveniently forgetting about those details.

"Besides, I'm a Witch of the King's Academy! Getting some coin shouldn't be too hard for someone like me! I could... I could find someone who needs some alchemy work done; I'm good at that! Or... or maybe someone needs some help that only a Witch like me can pull off; the city's a big place, and somebody's bound to need some help!" Xeria spun around on her heels, whipping out her hideously long gloves and pointing at the door. "We don't need to worry about the coin right now; I always find a way through every problem if it kills me! Now come along, my faithful partner! Dinner and a bath await us!"

... It was likely a miracle that Xeria hadn't already run out of money by accident already...

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Five sets of clothes is hardly enough, especially if they're nice clothes like that ki... ki-mon-noh? You need something so you aren't just wearing the same ol' things all week!"

With a nod Kuroi responded in her atonal voice, "Ki-mo-no. You were close." Rather than pick an unwinnable argument with this white-haired bonehead, Kuroi chose to acknowledge the attempt Xeria made at pronouncing kimono, a word that whatever is translating the language between them must not have caught. With the revelation that all these clothes were for her, she began reorganizing her original attempt at sorting out their belongings, attempting to place all the outfits in the bottom drawer that she had assigned herself- with little success. It ended up that Xeria's items went to the top drawer, and the bottom two both were taken up by Kuroi's new collection.

To Xeria's insistence that she could easily make money, Kuroi could only muster yet another sigh; for a girl that had looked worriedly at her coin purse the moment buying something was mentioned, she was incredibly confident that coin was something easily made if she put her mind to it... Something Kuroi knew from personal experience to be technically true, but definitely harder and involving much more effort than the apprentice witch was accounting for. She even refrained from commenting on Xeria's dismissal of the problem founded on a concerning basis.

"A bath would be nice." Was all that she said in acknowledgement, standing on her feet to follow Xeria out the door. When given a look for trying to put on her geta, Kuroi relented to a degree by slipping back out of them... And leaving the room bare foot. When Xeria inevitably chided her about this, she went back in and came out with her geta, and in a mutual understanding stubborn recognized stubborn and gave up for the night. The eerie silence Kuroi had managed to learn to step with the wooden platform shoes on the stone floor had reached a new pinnacle, with only a single sound as they walked down the stairs.

The night went much the same as the first; the two washed each other's backs, Kuroi practically providing a massage to Xeria as she did, and Kuroi tepidly ate unfamiliar foods doing her best to keep an open mind to the new flavors.

Before long, they were back in the dorm room, ending their second day as servant and witch. The stars were out, a bright moon lighting the room for them. As they got ready for bed, Kuroi changed out of her white and black dress while Xeria wasn't looking, clothed in a more familiar feeling of the pink yukata that Lereli had sewn together. Maybe Xeria had forgotten over the course of the day, or maybe she had been avoiding the topic, but neither of them had brought up the incident of this morning. Kuroi simply stood against the wall near the door, shutting her eyes as her body tried to relax against the wall, without ever looking at Xeria. She had done so with familiarity, her body settling into a position where it didn't slip down the wall in a matter of moments. Her breathing... Well, was quiet as most of the noises from her, but the rise and fall of her chest slowed with every passing moment.

 

[Aron the Aron]

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE​

Cloud-filtered moonlight shone through the tiny windows of Xeria's small room, casting a gentle silver glow on the Witch as she hung her coat and hat over a bedpost. Wearing naught but a nightdress that was slightly too small for even her, she felt rightfully naked as she slipped under the duvet of her bed, her eye planted firmly on the ravenette dozing off by the door.

Xeria's thoughts were turbulent as she reflected on the events of that very day, confliction written across her frown. It was supposed to be a fun day where she got to guide Kuroi and show off the very city she had grown up in; she introduced her to her oldest friend Siltoth and got into a spectacle of humor trying to commission a sword for her, got to wander the streets of the city and bedazzle her with the sheer scale and wonder of Ambition City, and Kuroi got enough new clothes to comfortably last an entire lifetime. Despite it all, Xeria didn't return to the Academy happy, and she believed in her heart that Kuroi fared no better as she now rested on the other side of the small room.

And it all came down to what happened inside that Tailor's shop...

First it was the air of familiarity and chumminess Kuroi leaked when she interacted with the proprietress. Jealousy and envy raged on in her heart, convincing her that Kuroi had found a fancy for the admittedly good-looking elf. The white-haired Witch was still convinced that the feelings of attraction were merely temporary and just a side effect of just meeting someone who looked a perfect 10/10, but it still hurt that Kuroi found far more interest in a stranger than the person she had now spent two days with. Was Xeria that boring that Kuroi would rather interact with other people? She wasn't going back down the same hole she only just crawled out of, was she?

The second event however was more responsible for the heavy atmosphere between Witch and Warrior:

"I remembered something."

Kuroi's fingers buried in the fluffy skirt that she was getting used to from all the other outfits, she dropped such a bomb in her ever monotone voice, though the pitch was slightly lower.

"A name. Not mine, of my companion."

Whatever Xeria had intended to say on seeing Kuroi come out with the white and black dress, it was lost to silence. As the silence drew out, Xeria seeming to have been knocked off pace, Kuroi wondered why she had chosen to share it. Turning her gaze down and to the side, she held on to one arm with the other, hugging herself as she followed up on her sudden declaration, "Nishihara Tsubasa. In case I forget again..." Her voice trailed off, remembering the difficulties of this morning and that Xeria is still ultimately a stranger, finding it difficult to ask anything of her.

Unable to deal with it any longer, she regretted bringing it up at all while they were doing something else. "So, how do I look?"

Nishihara Tsubasa... The name sounded exotic and foreign like Kuroi, and rolling the name around in her head failed to straighten out how it was supposed to be pronounced. Xeria would have to keep the name in mind when Kuroi rediscovered more memories...

Five sentences and a name, and yet they overshadowed the entire day. It was such an out-of-nowhere happening that Xeria nearly forgot about it, but Xeria was not going to forget that. She knew that the name carried great significance for Kuroi; the least she could do was remember a name...

Speaking of Kuroi: the fact that she chose to sleep on the other side of Xeria's room was understandable, but discomforting. Things may have been awkward and even possibly tense between them, but that was no excuse for letting her sleep on the floor...

"... Hey..." The squeak from Xeria's throat was loud enough in the silence. "Do you... do you want to sleep in my bed instead of me?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE​

Cloud-filtered moonlight shone through the tiny windows of Xeria's small room, casting a gentle silver glow on the Witch as she hung her coat and hat over a bedpost. Wearing naught but a nightdress that was slightly too small for even her, she felt rightfully naked as she slipped under the duvet of her bed, her eye planted firmly on the ravenette dozing off by the door.

Xeria's thoughts were turbulent as she reflected on the events of that very day, confliction written across her frown. It was supposed to be a fun day where she got to guide Kuroi and show off the very city she had grown up in; she introduced her to her oldest friend Siltoth and got into a spectacle of humor trying to commission a sword for her, got to wander the streets of the city and bedazzle her with the sheer scale and wonder of Ambition City, and Kuroi got enough new clothes to comfortably last an entire lifetime. Despite it all, Xeria didn't return to the Academy happy, and she believed in her heart that Kuroi fared no better as she now rested on the other side of the small room.

And it all came down to what happened inside that Tailor's shop...

First it was the air of familiarity and chumminess Kuroi leaked when she interacted with the proprietress. Jealousy and envy raged on in her heart, convincing her that Kuroi had found a fancy for the admittedly good-looking elf. The white-haired Witch was still convinced that the feelings of attraction were merely temporary and just a side effect of just meeting someone who looked a perfect 10/10, but it still hurt that Kuroi found far more interest in a stranger than the person she had now spent two days with. Was Xeria that boring that Kuroi would rather interact with other people? She wasn't going back down the same hole she only just crawled out of, was she?

The second event however was more responsible for the heavy atmosphere between Witch and Warrior:





Five sentences and a name, and yet they overshadowed the entire day. It was such an out-of-nowhere happening that Xeria nearly forgot about it, but Xeria was not going to forget that. She knew that the name carried great significance for Kuroi; the least she could do was remember a name...

Speaking of Kuroi: the fact that she chose to sleep on the other side of Xeria's room was understandable, but discomforting. Things may have been awkward and even possibly tense between them, but that was no excuse for letting her sleep on the floor...

"... Hey..." The squeak from Xeria's throat was loud enough in the silence. "Do you... do you want to sleep in my bed instead of me?"

The gentle rising and falling of Kuroi's chest halted as her head picked up a tiny bit, her hand reaching to her side for something she should have learned by now was not there. Her standing posture against the wall shifted as she opened her eyes, realizing nothing was amiss in the room. Looking at Xeria, she tilted her head, as if she didn't quite understand the offer that had woken her up. "... No, thank you." was the response that came out after a moment of silence. Simple denial didn't seem to be sufficient with Xeria, however, so she followed up with her reasoning. "You are my master, and from what I understand, likely had to work hard to get here. You should enjoy the comforts you worked for. This, for what it's worth, is more than the tree trunks I am used to." Wanting to nip this at the bud before Xeria could suggest anything else strange, Kuroi dug deep with a decent guess from what Xeria had told her of her background and her knowledge of how difficult an education was to secure.

The hard wood left much to be desired, and would certainly leave her sore, but it was better than bark biting into her back through the night. And, they weren't outside, so she wasn't likely to wake up every thirty minutes to some movement in the woods or catch a cold from the drop in temperature. Though Xeria was likely unaware of how much of an improvement this arrangement was; all the proof she needed was how Kuroi had been easily asleep a moment ago, but the fledgling witch hasn't proved the most observant. And... Kuroi fell asleep that smoothly regardless of circumstance, so the point was moot if Xeria actually got to know her - this was just their second night together, however.

Her part said, Kuroi's head bent down again, legs relaxing but not buckling under her weight as she went to fall asleep while standing once more. If Xeria tried again to argue over things, she would mention the incident of this morning and cite her thoughts, but hopefully she had made a good enough point that it would no longer be a topic.

As Kuroi drifted off, through her half-lidded eyes she saw the pink yukata with her inky black hair covering its brightness and color, and couldn't help but wonder if the design really suited her. It had been a pervasive thought she had been unable to voice to the craftswoman who gave her this gift.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"... No, thank you." was the response that came out after a moment of silence. Simple denial didn't seem to be sufficient with Xeria, however, so she followed up with her reasoning. "You are my master, and from what I understand, likely had to work hard to get here. You should enjoy the comforts you worked for. This, for what it's worth, is more than the tree trunks I am used to." Wanting to nip this at the bud before Xeria could suggest anything else strange, Kuroi dug deep with a decent guess from what Xeria had told her of her background and her knowledge of how difficult an education was to secure.

Her part said, Kuroi's head bent down again, legs relaxing but not buckling under her weight as she went to fall asleep while standing once more. If Xeria tried again to argue over things, she would mention the incident of this morning and cite her thoughts, but hopefully she had made a good enough point that it would no longer be a topic.

Kuroi might've meant for the best when she declined the offer, but she only succeeded in making the Witch feel even worse about sleeping in her own bed. Xeria wanted to protest and decry the unfairness she saw, claim that her being the Witch didn't entitle her to comfort and condemn her partner and summon to sleeping on the floor. She abducted summoned Kuroi from her home into a new land she was completely unfamiliar with, with no memories and nothing but the clothes on her back; she arguably had it worse than Xeria ever experienced on the streets...

Any argument she wanted to make came out as mere whimpers as she failed again and again to try and convince Kuroi out of sleeping against the wall; it was after the seventh try that Xeria finally gave in and curled up on her bed, her turbulent thoughts and feelings now a stormy hell wreaking havoc inside her. Suddenly the bed she laid on felt lumpy and thin, the covers paper-thin, the pillow flat and hard...

And as she drifted off to sleep, she was reminded of home.

---

Ambition City - Old Harbour Quarter
Twenty-Third day of Khrysaor, 487 NE
​

It had only been a week, and already she was wondering if running away from the orphanage was the best choice she could've made...

The unfinished stone barracks hadn't been used ever since she could remember first seeing it; the wooden scaffolding and half-finished stonework giving an ominous atmosphere that scared away other potential squatters. The scraps of cloth hung and wrapped over her makeshift shelter did nothing against the biting winter cold, and the candles she stole from a distracted merchant threatened to sputter and die from the breeze like her sad little campfire.

The stars that she once saw with wonder and warmth now felt as cold and distant as the wind pricking at her skin, making her curl up even more under the tattered flag she had fashioned into a blanket. She wanted to cry, cry that everything wasn't fair, cry that she did nothing wrong to deserve her lot in life...

"Happy Birthday Xeria..."
And thus, she willed herself to sleep...

---

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
Third day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

Morning could not have come sooner for Xeria, who for once was thankful she woke up early.

Disentangling herself from her covers, the Witch suppressed a yawn and dragged a hand through the veritable rat's nest that had become of her long hair. Her cracked handmirror laid off to the side unused; Xeria was aware that she looked awful and undignified. The beginnings of bags under her eyes complimented the heavy atmosphere she exuded, but she put on a tired smile anyways before jumping out of bed to bid Kuroi a good morning.

... Wait a minute, where was Kuroi?

 

[That Lass Over There]

The King's Academy - Xeria's Room
Third day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

Morning could not have come sooner for Xeria, who for once was thankful she woke up early.

Disentangling herself from her covers, the Witch suppressed a yawn and dragged a hand through the veritable rat's nest that had become of her long hair. Her cracked handmirror laid off to the side unused; Xeria was aware that she looked awful and undignified. The beginnings of bags under her eyes complimented the heavy atmosphere she exuded, but she put on a tired smile anyways before jumping out of bed to bid Kuroi a good morning.

... Wait a minute, where was Kuroi?

Not but a moment after the question had been silently asked, the black summon had opened the door, bucket in hand with a rag floating inside atop soapy water. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kuroi bowed, taking the bucket and setting it on Xeria's desk as she took the rag to clean dust off the shelves she had already cleared of items, and much of the room already looked clean or shone with the thin layer of water that had yet to dry under the recently arrived morning sun. Apparently, she had taken to cleaning while Xeria lay asleep, though who knows where she had gotten supplies Xeria did not own - or at least had not told her where to find. For someone who had slept standing against a hard wall, she certainly seemed energetic as she quickly went about her task.

Well, energetic as someone with a perpetual blank expression could seem, anyway. Dusting of the shelves done in short order, Kuroi turned around to face Xeria, tilting her head slightly to the right as she examined the fledgling witch - specifically, her hair. "Want me to comb your hair?" Kuroi thought she saw a comb somewhere while she had been moving stuff around to be able to dust surfaces, so she started looking around for it. "We could discuss plans for the day as I do." Maybe she was having a foggy memory moment, but Kuroi couldn't remember Xeria stating what they would be doing today. Yesterday, shopping. Tomorrow, Xeria's classes begin - but today? Nothing, not that she could remember at least.

As she tried to find what might be non-existent memories, she found the comb that she had moved half an hour ago when cleaning the drawers. Apparently, she had forgotten to put it back where it had been, so after this she would make sure to put it back properly this time. In spite of whatever resistance Xeria might have put up, it quickly became apparent that the question was in fact a declaration of war; a war that, against all odds, Kuroi was winning one knot at a time. Several required her to put away the comb and delicately undo them with her fingers, but she did her best to make sure that Xeria didn't feel any discomfort and was careful with the amount of force she used.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Not but a moment after the question had been silently asked, the black summon had opened the door, bucket in hand with a rag floating inside atop soapy water. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kuroi bowed, taking the bucket and setting it on Xeria's desk as she took the rag to clean dust off the shelves she had already cleared of items, and much of the room already looked clean or shone with the thin layer of water that had yet to dry under the recently arrived morning sun.

The eye contact Xeria and Kuroi shared only held for a breath before the former's gaze drifted down to the wooden bucket. Suddenly she was a lot more aware of how much cleaner her room was and how most of her items had been temporarily displaced. The walls and shelves had that faint shimmer of stray water droplets that had yet to dry, and her desk and shelves had been thoroughly wiped clean of the usual layer of dust she'd neglect to clean. Half of Xeria had a mind to speak up and question if Kuroi had anything close to a proper rest, but considering how she looked like she hadn't seen daylight in years while Kuroi looked none the worse, she wasn't in much position to complain to her about proper rest.

Dusting of the shelves done in short order, Kuroi turned around to face Xeria, tilting her head slightly to the right as she examined the fledgling witch - specifically, her hair. "Want me to comb your hair?" Kuroi thought she saw a comb somewhere while she had been moving stuff around to be able to dust surfaces, so she started looking around for it. "We could discuss plans for the day as I do."

As she tried to find what might be non-existent memories, she found the comb that she had moved half an hour ago when cleaning the drawers. Apparently, she had forgotten to put it back where it had been, so after this she would make sure to put it back properly this time. In spite of whatever resistance Xeria might have put up, it quickly became apparent that the question was in fact a declaration of war; a war that, against all odds, Kuroi was winning one knot at a time. Several required her to put away the comb and delicately undo them with her fingers, but she did her best to make sure that Xeria didn't feel any discomfort and was careful with the amount of force she used.

Taming the tangled hell hanging from her head wasn't something Xeria enjoyed. The comb had lost a few of its teeth against more stubborn knots, and Xeria was pretty sure her hairbrush had become a wooden paddle with how much horsehairs it had lost. So color her pleasantly surprised when Kuroi not only volunteered to comb her hair into a more presentable state, but she was actually succeeding as well. The familiar feeling of her old worn-out comb felt so different in someone else's hands, and Kuroi's fingers tickled as they unwound kinks and knots.

Try all she might to resist, but Xeria ultimately couldn't help but relax and enjoy the attention and sensations of her hair being combed and brushed. Funny how someone who she had only known for a few days could do far better than the person who had been wrestling with horrid bedhair her whole life. She could just melt away and take another snooze at that rate...

... in fact she was about ready to nod off again.

 

[That Lass Over There]

There was little noise in the room as the peaceful pursuit of cleaning up Xeria's neglected mane of hair went on, Kuroi paying careful attention to every subtle movement and twitch to make sure she wasn't hurting Xeria in any way as she went on. Doubtless, this was... a lot, and Kuroi couldn't quite sympathize since she had always worn her hair on the shorter side, so she was caught between being amazed at the intensity of how bad this case of bed head had gotten while left unattended and a mild sense of bewilderment at how Xeria had let it get this out of control.

Try all she might to resist, but Xeria ultimately couldn't help but relax and enjoy the attention and sensations of her hair being combed and brushed. Funny how someone who she had only known for a few days could do far better than the person who had been wrestling with horrid bedhair her whole life. She could just melt away and take another snooze at that rate...

... in fact she was about ready to nod off again.

With how much attention Kuroi was paying to every little sign, Xeria's relaxation didn't pass her by. She had half a mind to leave her be and let her slowly drift back to sleep - she had never expected Xeria to be up this early, a little short of an hour after Kuroi herself woke up - but she still had no idea what they might need to do today. For all she knew, Xeria drifting off might have them miss out on an appointment they need to make or something of the sort. Combing a part she had just cleared the last knot from while slowly working her way up Xeria's hair from the ends, Kuroi leaned close and asked, "Is there anything we need to be doing today?" Quietly, so that she wouldn't startle Xeria out of her relaxed state if she had the time to be drifting off again.

 

[Aron the Aron]

With how much attention Kuroi was paying to every little sign, Xeria's relaxation didn't pass her by. She had half a mind to leave her be and let her slowly drift back to sleep - she had never expected Xeria to be up this early, a little short of an hour after Kuroi herself woke up - but she still had no idea what they might need to do today. For all she knew, Xeria drifting off might have them miss out on an appointment they need to make or something of the sort. Combing a part she had just cleared the last knot from while slowly working her way up Xeria's hair from the ends, Kuroi leaned close and asked, "Is there anything we need to be doing today?" Quietly, so that she wouldn't startle Xeria out of her relaxed state if she had the time to be drifting off again.

"Hmmmmm?" The eloquent response in Xeria's head had clumsily translated into a half-yawn, half-trill when she opened her mouth to reply, adding to her "ragged alleycat" image. "Mmmmmm... I was going to... take you around the rest of the academy... maybe go to the archives and see if they had any uh... whuzzewurd... schu- Scholaris logs! That's the word!" Another un-ladylike yawn escaped Xeria, and she unwittingly disturbed Kuroi when she leaned back to stretch her arms and legs. With a few unruly loops and curls still embedded in her hair, Xeria hopped straight up from her seat and began preparing herself for the day...

Or more accurately: Xeria half-stumbled and half-flopped her way around her little room looking for her coat and hat. Every semblance of modesty had been forgotten as her nightdress threatened to slip right off her shoulders, but she didn't seem to notice or care as she triumphantly hoisted her wide-brimmed hat from under her desk (how that managed to get there was a mystery)

"So yeah... I was gonna go see if they had logs on people being summoned b'fore... Maybe they... maybe they found a way to go backwards."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Hmmmmm?" The eloquent response in Xeria's head had clumsily translated into a half-yawn, half-trill when she opened her mouth to reply, adding to her "ragged alleycat" image. "Mmmmmm... I was going to... take you around the rest of the academy... maybe go to the archives and see if they had any uh... whuzzewurd... schu- Scholaris logs! That's the word!" Another un-ladylike yawn escaped Xeria, and she unwittingly disturbed Kuroi when she leaned back to stretch her arms and legs. With a few unruly loops and curls still embedded in her hair, Xeria hopped straight up from her seat and began preparing herself for the day...

Or more accurately: Xeria half-stumbled and half-flopped her way around her little room looking for her coat and hat. Every semblance of modesty had been forgotten as her nightdress threatened to slip right off her shoulders, but she didn't seem to notice or care as she triumphantly hoisted her wide-brimmed hat from under her desk (how that managed to get there was a mystery)

Kuroi was already out of the way when Xeria had gone full stretch, slipping away in a smooth motion as soon as the little witch started moving. She did quirk an eyebrow up at the mention of some records - the purpose of which, she obviously had no clue. Her attention was stolen by the sight of the half-asleep witch tottering about gathering her things, the familiar hat finding its way atop the newly groomed silver hair in short order... But, she was still in her nightdress? Something that she considered a step below publicly presentable. Just as she was about to step outside and offer Xeria the opportunity to get changed properly, the explanation for why Xeria hoped to look at those records came out.

"So yeah... I was gonna go see if they had logs on people being summoned b'fore... Maybe they... maybe they found a way to go backwards."

Kuroi blinked, then tilted her head, tapping her index fingers on her legs as if counting. After a moment, she hummed to herself, and spoke up, "I thought you said nobody had tried before." She was unusually emotional at the moment, so she had a grain of salt on that, but she distinctly remembered Xeria declaring her a unique case, both in personhood and desire to go back. She shook her head though, blank look not telling much as she dropped it, "Well, I'm thankful that you're still thinking about it." For her part, Kuroi had shoved the matter to the back of her mind - a burning passion would only exhaust her if she did not have the means, and she most certainly did not.

Stepping back and opening the door a bit, Kuroi slipped out, telling Xeria that she'll wait outside while she gets ready for the day's activities.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I thought you said nobody had tried before." She was unusually emotional at the moment, so she had a grain of salt on that, but she distinctly remembered Xeria declaring her a unique case, both in personhood and desire to go back. She shook her head though, blank look not telling much as she dropped it, "Well, I'm thankful that you're still thinking about it."

"Well yes: you're probably the first Human in existence to come out of the circle, but that doesn't mean people haven't tried sending creatures back when they proved too much to handle! So many of the older Witches gossip about old rumors; stories of how out-of-control monsters got summoned and wound up being too much for a Witch to handle are everywhere in the Academy!" Xeria felt a little silly that she worded her sentences so sloppily, and blamed it on her still half-asleep state. Stupid bad dreams ruining what was already a slow morning...

With hat snugly fit and coat partially buttoned-up, Xeria was more presentable in the notion that the only skin she was showing besides her face and hands was a very generous amount of bare leg. Normally she would've worn tights, but the white-haired Witch was still in a limbo state of wakefulness and forgot about them. It wasn't the first time the Witch ran around forgetting to wear something, but so far it hadn't resulted in any scandalous wardrobe malfunctions.

With cobbled shoes thrown on and her trusted gloves haphazardly stuffed somewhere in her coat, she began towing Kuroi towards one of the many places Xeria considered "second homes" within the massive Academy: "The Dragon's Archive has records dating beyond the Kingdom's history; there's bound to be something helpful in the centuries of history since..." A loud growl of protest gurgled from under Xeria's coat, helpfully reminding the Witch that hunger was indeed a thing she needed to worry about.

"... right after we go eat..."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Well yes: you're probably the first Human in existence to come out of the circle, but that doesn't mean people haven't tried sending creatures back when they proved too much to handle! So many of the older Witches gossip about old rumors; stories of how out-of-control monsters got summoned and wound up being too much for a Witch to handle are everywhere in the Academy!"

Only a slight nod indicated that Kuroi had heard and understood Xeria's reasoning, but the explanation itself brought a question to Kuroi's mind that she hadn't thought of, as well as a detail she had not noticed yet of their interactions. Plenty to think about now, she was a step late in realizing that Xeria had come out of the room - and already started taking her by hand away from the dorm room, which Kuroi quickly halted by standing firm, leading to a somewhat comical scene of Xeria trying to pull her with zero result. When looked at, Kuroi pointed to herself - still in the flowery pink yukata from Lereli, with nothing else on. While technically less exposing than the Kimono Kuroi had been wearing since the summoning, the colors left a drastically different impression of Kuroi's expressionless look and simple black eyes and hair.

It only took two minutes for Kuroi to change into the blouse and skirt that Xeria had informed her would help her fit into the academy, and most of that time was spent deliberating on whether or not to wear her beloved kimono again. And whether she could get away with a sarashi. The answer to both questions ended up being no, and Kuroi came out of the room with the cloak Xeria had picked out over her shoulders, making somewhat exaggerated movements with it on. The fluttering from the light material in every movement kept her eyes busy, almost more distracted by the new article than she had been yesterday.

With cobbled shoes thrown on and her trusted gloves haphazardly stuffed somewhere in her coat, she began towing Kuroi towards one of the many places Xeria considered "second homes" within the massive Academy: "The Dragon's Archive has records dating beyond the Kingdom's history; there's bound to be something helpful in the centuries of history since..." A loud growl of protest gurgled from under Xeria's coat, helpfully reminding the Witch that hunger was indeed a thing she needed to worry about.

"... right after we go eat..."

Kuroi nodded in agreement, not making any comments on the surprisingly loud grumbling from the fledgling witch's starving stomach. A healthy appetite was important for a growing person, right?

Stepping into the mess hall, Kuroi followed Xeria's lead and haphazardly ordered whatever she recommended. Kuroi's attitude towards food had been apathetic as far as Xeria had seen, with the summon never reacting beyond small mentions of when something looked or tasted reminiscent of something she was familiar with from her home. The one exception was fruit, which seemed to always end up on - and immediately off - Kuroi's plate.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Only a slight nod indicated that Kuroi had heard and understood Xeria's reasoning, but the explanation itself brought a question to Kuroi's mind that she hadn't thought of, as well as a detail she had not noticed yet of their interactions. Plenty to think about now, she was a step late in realizing that Xeria had come out of the room - and already started taking her by hand away from the dorm room, which Kuroi quickly halted by standing firm, leading to a somewhat comical scene of Xeria trying to pull her with zero result. When looked at, Kuroi pointed to herself - still in the flowery pink yukata from Lereli, with nothing else on. While technically less exposing than the Kimono Kuroi had been wearing since the summoning, the colors left a drastically different impression of Kuroi's expressionless look and simple black eyes and hair.

It only took two minutes for Kuroi to change into the blouse and skirt that Xeria had informed her would help her fit into the academy, and most of that time was spent deliberating on whether or not to wear her beloved kimono again. And whether she could get away with a sarashi. The answer to both questions ended up being no, and Kuroi came out of the room with the cloak Xeria had picked out over her shoulders, making somewhat exaggerated movements with it on. The fluttering from the light material in every movement kept her eyes busy, almost more distracted by the new article than she had been yesterday.

With hindsight being the almighty power, Xeria being nowhere as strong as Kuroi turned out to be a good thing when the Witch was amusingly stopped in-place by her companion (and not because Xeria was that much of a noodle-arms). The duo had quickly proceeded into a two-minute battle over Kuroi's desire to wear her old Kimono over more seemly attire, with her emerging in the blouse-and-skirt combination Xeria pointed out earlier, and the Witch still as shoddily dressed as ever. Satisfied that Kuroi was in something that better suited her demure(?) demeanor, they finally left the confines of Xeria's small room to explore the Academy and have breakfast.

---

The King's Academy - Pendragon Mess Hall
Third day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

The first time Xeria had dragged her to the mess hall, Kuroi hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings or the food; her mind was in too much of a daze at the time to have fully appreciated the scale and style of Junoan cuisine. This time around she was of a much clearer state, and walking through the unusually modest door had led to a massive hall. The clashing aromas of freshly-baked bread and roasting meats blended with the trace scents of wines and ciders, drawing Kuroi's attention from the finely carved long tables and stools to the assortment of foodstuffs.

The sheer variety on display was dizzying, even for someone already acclimated to the excess like Xeria. Fresh fruits sat in fine wicker baskets asking to be taken next to bowls of salads and pots of steaming soup. The different cuts of meat completely flew over Xeria's head as she simply chose some simple seared fish, laid atop a veritable pile of brioche and challah. The heartiness in Xeria's plate and bowl was enough to make anyone wonder how someone could eat so much without getting pudgy in the process, though the present Witches and Wizards were enough proof that most didn't.

When Xeria found a table far enough from everybody else to settle, another challenge came to Kuroi that she hadn't immediately noticed: tableware. The lack of a chopsticks in this strange land had been proven enough by the nature of the food, but actually seeing their absence hit her harder. Instead of chopsticks, thin knives were used to crudely stab at food and hold them up to eat, while strange flat-headed utensils were used to consume soups rather than drinking straight out of the bowl. (It was only after noticing Kuroi's confusion that Xeria explained the functions of "spoons")

Speaking of the Witch, she was merrily chewing away at her fifth piece of brioche, a half-downed mug of cider sitting next to her free hand. How she maintained her figure with her lack of exercise was a mystery...

 

[That Lass Over There]

When Xeria found a table far enough from everybody else to settle, another challenge came to Kuroi that she hadn't immediately noticed: tableware. The lack of a chopsticks in this strange land had been proven enough by the nature of the food, but actually seeing their absence hit her harder. Instead of chopsticks, thin knives were used to crudely stab at food and hold them up to eat, while strange flat-headed utensils were used to consume soups rather than drinking straight out of the bowl. (It was only after noticing Kuroi's confusion that Xeria explained the functions of "spoons")

Speaking of the Witch, she was merrily chewing away at her fifth piece of brioche, a half-downed mug of cider sitting next to her free hand. How she maintained her figure with her lack of exercise was a mystery...

Kuroi only had a thin soup, some of the fish that Xeria had picked out, and a platter of fruit cuts. Compared to the heaping plate of the apprentice witch sitting opposite her, it was an incredibly modest breakfast. When she tried to pick up the bowl to drink from it, she tilted her head as she was stopped, and her eyebrows knitted together in a rare expression of confusion as she was taught the purpose of a spoon. She had seen hotpot-like stews available, and assumed that was what they were for - not all broth-based foods as Xeria was telling her now. It seemed inefficient.

With the revelation, Kuroi switched to the fish, where the revelation of lacking chopsticks hit her - this, however, did not cause her brows to furrow. She picked up a knife in one hand, feeling awkward as to what to do with her second - the platter hardly lent itself to being picked up as the bowls she was familiar with did - and cut herself a small bite of fish off. This, at least, she did understand, but when it came to picking it up...

A small thunk sounded as the chunk of fish slipped right off her knife, and after a moment a second attempt found its way to her mouth. Her knee bounced under the table as she worked her way through the fish, occasionally switching to her soup. It was a slow process, but she managed. As Xeria was finishing her heaping serving, Kuroi reached the fruits that she had grabbed... And then they were gone, in a few blinks, the black head of hair subtly swaying side to side as she chewed on the last slice in her mouth.

Throughout the meal, the summon had made no comment about the food, and only a slight remark about how she was used to different utensils. Xeria has seemed too absorbed in wolfing down her breakfast to hold a conversation, and Kuroi didn't have a track record of being very conversive when there was nothing of importance to discuss. Sipping her water as Xeria finished with horrendous table manners, Kuroi looked around the dining hall to confirm that the girl in front of her was an exception rather than the rule... Thankfully, it looked like most held a bit more elegance in their habits. Though, it was a bit difficult to judge when she wasn't entirely sure what proper manner would look like with these utensils and dishes...

"To the archive, then?"

 

[Aron the Aron]

"To the archive, then?"

Xeria sighed with content as she patted her belly, unaware of her lack of table manners when she looked up from her empty plate at Kuroi. Despite having been less than ladylike, the Witch could be credited with keeping her side of the table spotless throughout their breakfast. Now if only she could bring that same cleanliness to her room, then she'd only have to be worrying about her unpresentable choice of garments...

"Mmhm! Let's go!"

---

The King's Academy - The Dragon's Archive
Third day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

With a ceiling reaching far into the heavens and an all-consuming abyss hiding leading down a dizzying fall to the bottom, the Dragon's Archive more than lived up to its grandiose title with sheer scale. The innumerable halls and stairwells linked a seemingly endless collection of books, scrolls, and tomes collected over the centuries to form what many considered the most comprehensive nexus of Ballad's knowledge over the eons. Witches and Wizards were but tiny pinpricks moving around from where Xeria and Kuroi stood; hell Kuroi could've sworn that she saw a cloud near the ceiling!

Xeria didn't seem bothered by the scale of the archives, instead choosing to half-run, half-hop her way around in a seemingly random direction. "Come on! I know a few good places where I can start searching!" She gleefully called out, her voice strangely not echoing as she turned tail to disappear around a bookshelf.

Now that Kuroi was looking around, this was the very place she had first entered this world, wasn't it? She hadn't had the time to properly notice details when Xeria had summoned her, but the air of majesty and the smell of old paper was definitely familiar. Plucking any of the books from nearby shelves quickly proved to be a waste of time when her curiosity got the better of her, for whatever strange phenomenon that permitted an understanding of verbal language did not translate to an understanding of written language. To the Japanese girl, all she saw were strange squiggles and curves that were completely unlike Kanji or katakana...

(semi-important character coming soon!)

 

[That Lass Over There]

The King's Academy - The Dragon's Archive
Third day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

With a ceiling reaching far into the heavens and an all-consuming abyss hiding leading down a dizzying fall to the bottom, the Dragon's Archive more than lived up to its grandiose title with sheer scale. The innumerable halls and stairwells linked a seemingly endless collection of books, scrolls, and tomes collected over the centuries to form what many considered the most comprehensive nexus of Ballad's knowledge over the eons. Witches and Wizards were but tiny pinpricks moving around from where Xeria and Kuroi stood; hell Kuroi could've sworn that she saw a cloud near the ceiling!

Xeria didn't seem bothered by the scale of the archives, instead choosing to half-run, half-hop her way around in a seemingly random direction. "Come on! I know a few good places where I can start searching!" She gleefully called out, her voice strangely not echoing as she turned tail to disappear around a bookshelf.

Now that Kuroi was looking around, this was the very place she had first entered this world, wasn't it? She hadn't had the time to properly notice details when Xeria had summoned her, but the air of majesty and the smell of old paper was definitely familiar. Plucking any of the books from nearby shelves quickly proved to be a waste of time when her curiosity got the better of her, for whatever strange phenomenon that permitted an understanding of verbal language did not translate to an understanding of written language. To the Japanese girl, all she saw were strange squiggles and curves that were completely unlike Kanji or katakana...

(semi-important character coming soon!)

She didn't dwell on the lack of grace that Xeria continued to display with every action, leaving that for another time as they went to the Archive. Kuroi's eyes darted around the place when they reached it, not taking long to recognize the environment and taking in the sights... The unending shelves of books bound in hard covers, the fascination of seeing people dwarfed by nearly every element of this overwhelming place. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but look toward the bottom of the abyss, trying to make out something in its fathomless depths.

Kuroi followed Xeria when called out to, hopelessly lost in this new place without the fledgling witch who seemed intimately familiar with the maze of paper. Following the trail of white hair wasn't difficult once she caught up, steadily walking aside Xeria who seemed like she was trying not to break out into a full-on run. At one point in their journey through the endless pathways and stairwells curiosity got the better of her and she found some space to pull a book from its place and flip through a few pages; her expectation was to not be able to understand most of the scribbles in this academic place, but she hadn't expected to find that the text hadn't been translated at all. Apparently, if she hoped to be able to read, she would need to learn the local language - something that might actually be complicated by whatever translation has been going on to facilitate her conversations up till now.

"How big is this place?" There wasn't any particular reason for Kuroi to leak the question - the archives defied her sense of scale, and idle curiosity had gotten the better of her as they still traversed the impossibly large library. Her eyes had been on a sway side to side ever since she finished staring at things that grabbed her attention, keeping near Xeria and wondering just how far they had to go.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"How big is this place?" There wasn't any particular reason for Kuroi to leak the question - the archives defied her sense of scale, and idle curiosity had gotten the better of her as they still traversed the impossibly large library. Her eyes had been on a sway side to side ever since she finished staring at things that grabbed her attention, keeping near Xeria and wondering just how far they had to go.

"Very; the Archives stretch as high as the heavens and goes deep below the earth!" Peering over into the seemingly endless abyss of the Archives, it was impossible for either Xeria or Kuroi to spot the bottom from where they stood. Hopefully wherever it was the former was taking them didn't require going terribly far; just thinking of how deep the place was a mystifying question of how long it took people to construct to such a scale... And if anyone's ever fallen to their death there.

"The professors and elders keep saying that this is the first and largest of the Academy's buildings; some tales claim that this library used to be a Dragon's hoard before we built on top of it, but that leaves the question of "where's the Dragon" in the air." Further and further down did Witch and Familiar descend, the skylights above never once dimming or fading as Xeria marched down yet another flight. Occasionally she would turn and pull out a book at seemingly random, only to shake her head and put it back before continuing her downward march.

Finally though, after a solid twenty or so minutes of just walking and descending, Xeria had proclaimed that they were where they needed to be before she began to more eagerly sift through the bookshelves there. Some she immediately put back after a scan, others she nodded and dropped, only for the books to start... floating?

The books Xeria didn't put back into their spots were orbiting around her... Most of them were opened up to a particular page, while others hovered around unopened. Xeria herself had a face scrunched up with concentration, her head and eyes wildly turning and darting from book to book. Had this been Kuroi's Homeworld, the Witch would've looked more than a little insane...

"Okay, that's another one that could be helpful... Hmm... what about?"

... some time passed...

"Ooh, that could be helpful!"

... more time passed...

"Aw... and I thought that was a good lead too..."

The gargantuan pair of beady eyes staring at the duo from the abyss would've agreed... wait a minute.

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Very; the Archives stretch as high as the heavens and goes deep below the earth!" Peering over into the seemingly endless abyss of the Archives, it was impossible for either Xeria or Kuroi to spot the bottom from where they stood. Hopefully wherever it was the former was taking them didn't require going terribly far; just thinking of how deep the place was a mystifying question of how long it took people to construct to such a scale... And if anyone's ever fallen to their death there.

"The professors and elders keep saying that this is the first and largest of the Academy's buildings; some tales claim that this library used to be a Dragon's hoard before we built on top of it, but that leaves the question of "where's the Dragon" in the air." Further and further down did Witch and Familiar descend, the skylights above never once dimming or fading as Xeria marched down yet another flight. Occasionally she would turn and pull out a book at seemingly random, only to shake her head and put it back before continuing her downward march.

Aware of the numerous cultural differences - and hyper aware of the number of previously thought mythical things that were in fact real in this place - Kuroi decided to believe against her better judgement that the Academy had permission to build a library of a Dragon's hoard. To her sensibilities, a Dragon is a kami, and she truly hoped that the people of the academy were wise enough to not end up on the bad side of one. Given how old the building supposedly was, though, she had the impression that something had worked out in some way.

Finally though, after a solid twenty or so minutes of just walking and descending, Xeria had proclaimed that they were where they needed to be before she began to more eagerly sift through the bookshelves there. Some she immediately put back after a scan, others she nodded and dropped, only for the books to start... floating?

The books Xeria didn't put back into their spots were orbiting around her... Most of them were opened up to a particular page, while others hovered around unopened. Xeria herself had a face scrunched up with concentration, her head and eyes wildly turning and darting from book to book. Had this been Kuroi's Homeworld, the Witch would've looked more than a little insane...

"Okay, that's another one that could be helpful... Hmm... what about?"

... some time passed...

"Ooh, that could be helpful!"

Kuroi patiently as ever followed without a word, though she did watch the books floating around Xeria as they walked, curiosity stimulated by what seemed to cause them to move from their suspended positions around Xeria, what didn't, and how they kept being added to. There was also a mild fascination in watching the apprentice witch swivel from book to book as she looked for answers of some form, whipping around so fast that Kuroi wondered how she wasn't getting dizzy and managing to read at that speed. Watching Xeria, however, could only hold her attention for so long, and so she started looking around in her own way. Eyes scraping corners of the area they were in, watching for any signs of unexpected movement. There were no people around, which drove her sense of anxiety up even more; there was a level of safety in a crowd, as she had learned.

... more time passed...

"Aw... and I thought that was a good lead too..."

The gargantuan pair of beady eyes staring at the duo from the abyss would've agreed... wait a minute.

Xeria's complaint fell on deaf ears as Kuroi had her heart beating in her throat, solidly planted between the silver haired girl and the creature that had been staring at them for an unknown amount of time. Kuroi, unarmed, had her arms lightly held in front of her, the one further back ready to grab Xeria and run as would likely be necessary. No way she would be able to deal with a beast of this size bare handed, powerless human she was.

There weren't as many alarm bells ringing in her head as she expected, but in a way that made her all the more nervous. If the creature had immediately lashed out, she would have a solid idea of its intentions. Staying, watching... That was unnerving, especially with her helplessness. "Xeria?" In case the pair of eyes she had been having a stare-off with for the past minute was some sort of pet of this confounding Academy, and she had the luck of being in a rather unfortunate misunderstanding, she called out to the one person present who was at all familiar with the current situation... Who had been too nose-deep in books to notice till now.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Xeria's complaint fell on deaf ears as Kuroi had her heart beating in her throat, solidly planted between the silver haired girl and the creature that had been staring at them for an unknown amount of time. Kuroi, unarmed, had her arms lightly held in front of her, the one further back ready to grab Xeria and run as would likely be necessary. No way she would be able to deal with a beast of this size bare handed, powerless human she was.

There weren't as many alarm bells ringing in her head as she expected, but in a way that made her all the more nervous. If the creature had immediately lashed out, she would have a solid idea of its intentions. Staying, watching... That was unnerving, especially with her helplessness. "Xeria?" In case the pair of eyes she had been having a stare-off with for the past minute was some sort of pet of this confounding Academy, and she had the luck of being in a rather unfortunate misunderstanding, she called out to the one person present who was at all familiar with the current situation... Who had been too nose-deep in books to notice till now.

"Hm? What is it Kuroi? I think I almost got what... I... want..." Xeria was regretting turning around at Kuroi's concern, color completely draining from her as she went shock-still at the sight of the eyes. The books that once floated around her had dropped dead and made a thunderous racket in the stillness, though nobody dared react when the eyes drew far too close for comfort.

The shadows of the abyss far below slowly peeled away as the eyes of molten iron slowly emerged forward. First it was the titanic snout of deep onyx skin and charcoal scales, crowned with a mane of crystalline spines... Then it was the claws gripping the ledge a hop and skip away from Kuroi's feet, easily large enough to completely envelop and crush her whole... Then the bat-like wings that threatened to blot out the light...

Gods above; a living and breathing Dragon was right in front of them.

Spoiler

"Um... Um... Nice Dragon?" Xeria intelligently peeped, who was a very literal and unhealthy shade of white from the paleness. "I plan on putting everything back once I'm done?" But the beast's focus was not on the Witch who looked about ready to disappear into her hat and coat (which she could probably do considering the sizes of both) but rather, on the anomaly standing more defiantly against it.

For what had to be the universe's longest moment, neither party moved, content with the staring contest going on. The first to break the lifelessness was the apparent Dragon (which now that Kuroi knew what it was, looked very different to what she knew to be Dragons), who moved closer to the Japanese girl.



"̴̢̫̪̜̤̗̬̒͑͋̏̾́̑͌̄W̶̢̞̣̭̟̺̹̋̐́̎͋ụ̴̢̞͉͖̞̰͔͈̩̱̫̺̓̈́x̴͈̤̦͖̖̜̞͕̦͛̚ ̶̟̹̘͓̿̌͂͜͝r̴̠͗̊̌̃̈́͗͂̈͝͠ě̴̡̬̯̯̲͍́̈́̈́͒̍͗̿̍̏̕ ̵͙͓͖̹̰̝̰͔̘̗͇̀̍̐̂͒͛̅̕͝ͅḅ̸̛̛͇̯̓̓̋̌͛͒͂̋͌̓̾̕͜v̸̧̢̺̻̪͍̯̝̔e̶̬̜̤̫̬̳͔͇̻̫̘̍͐̅͑͒̅̓ͅc̸͍̦̜͚͈̯̯̪̬̤̟̞͓̑͜ķ̸̳͉̬͔̻̮̭͇͉̲̣̀̑́͑̂͐̅̔ó̴̢͔̭̫̝̱̩̯̝̰̺̬̜̜̜̾̈́͗͊̈́̿̍̎͛̏̀,̵̛͚̰͋̋̿͛̇̀̍̅̅̾̓̋͝ ̶̳͙̟͚̹̟̳͈͌̄̊̎v̶̧̨̨̦̖͙͓̰͚̝̏̃̾͗̑͌̕͜ȩ̶̙̖̮͈̥̖͍̮̎͆͐̂k̷̦̭̺̻̦̞̺̐́͜ḯ̵̧̨͈̤̖̟͕̮̫̤͇̝͈͕͛̀͂̅́͒́̔̓͝k̷̢͖̲̬̔̆͊̉͌̀̌͊̊̈́̊͘͠ͅą̵͙̞͕̪̲͚̘̼͍̫̌̌́̍̔̎͆͛̀̏̕r̴̘̻̻̯̱̳̞̟̅̇̄̿́̇̓͘.̶̱̭͓̞̺̪̙̠̀̿̈̿́̋̏̕"̷̧̛̤̪̬̱̺̟͌̇̈́̽̆̍͆͊̂̈̂͘



"... Did... Did it just speak?" Xeria's voice could be barely heard over the booming bass of the Dragon's voice, not that the Witch could either. The sound of the language... it sounded so wrong. It sounded too wrong; Xeria had already keeled over onto the floor with a heavy thud, her hands desperately clamped over her ears. The language was hurting her. Oh gods, it hurt so much. She had make it stop. Make it stop! Make it stop! makeitstopmakeitstopmakestopmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop

"̴͕̉̒̒̔̑́̄̊̅̄̆́̓͝D̸̛̳̦̥̤̞̫͇̺̦̜̄͒̄̈́̎͝o̷̭̖͈̺͔̜̼̥̦̼̗̱͆̓̊̆̿̇̔̊̋̄̚ư̴̧̨̤͈̦̰̈́̊̈́͆̋͐̐t̶̖̝͉̥̺̣͊͆̐̑͆̈̑̂̌ ̷̢̟͙͍͚̭͔̟̪̗̘̪̠̹̏̂̎̍̌́̈́͘ͅm̵̛̩̜̟̪̘̜̝͚̭͖͙̼̃̌̓́̐̆́̇̓̉̄́̚̕ͅè̷̡̨̛̤͖̜̗͇̫̞̭͖̹̃̑̃̈́͆̀ȓ̸̨͓̐̉̾̒̍̊̌̚͠k̴̰̞͚̖͕̈͒̔͊̉͜͝ŕ̶̛͖͇̳̭̞͍̝̫̈́͐͗ͅͅä̶̛͓̪́̆̈̅͆̈́̇̃͋̚̕͠n̷̨̻̮̬̜̬̱̓̂̈́ ̸͉̗̺̐̽͒͂̇̓̀̚̚̕̚͝͝͠ư̷̟̝̭͖̮̝͈͂͆͂̇́̐̀̍̔͒͐̈į̶̢̧̺̪̙̰̘̗̫̫̯̮͇̎̋͐̏͛̋̎́̚ͅ ̴̖̹̼͓͛̚͘ť̴̡̨̼̫͍̘͉̣̜̗̏͊ͅi̵͈̔̇͆̀̆͑͐ ̷̟̝̤͕̥͆̅̀͊͋͌̒̈́̕͠d̶͉̟̮̟̝̕i̴͙͙̙͎̞̮̥̒̋̅̂̎̽ ̸͕̗͈̬̤͎̲̳̘͓̤̯̺͍͓̑͗͘ņ̴̖͚̰͖̤̪͘ǫ̸̨̲͓̻̥̞̞̗͓̱͊́̇̀̈́̉̐̌̈̄͝͝m̷̛̖͉̒̊̇͑͗̈́̂̚ě̴̡̡̮̜̫̲̮̼͓̣͓̱̗̋̓͒̊n̶̙̮͈̗͕̮̪͙̱͎̊͋̿̎̈͑ỏ̵̙͉̼̟̹̮͚̈͆̈́̌͛͝͠ ̷̨̛̹̙̹͚͎̩̻͈̜̪̟̌̍̂̌̂͊̚͜͝͠t̵̢̯̣͉͕̥̻̙̮̦̟̺̳̅̆̒͜͜ŗ̸̛̗͇͎̒̊̈́ẹ̵̹̬̺̟̗͔̔̍͑̿̾̔̐̎͆̀̕̚͜s̵̭̮̞̼̞̼͓̬̦̖̲̰̣͎̞̅͂̆͗̍͂̽̌k̴̨̰͉͉͔̲̘̼̹̪̋̔͊͋͌̄͂͋r̷̢̢̨̰͎͍͓͖͍̺̰̜͍̲̝͆̊͗̿i̶͎̭̜̤̲̬͒͌̿͋̓̉,̷̡̹̬̭͍̞͉͙̗̼̝̤̀̋̎̅͊́̿̇́͜ ̸̼̻͔̪̘̽̓̓͌V̸̡̰̗͌̈́͛̈́̂̈́̍̍̏e̸͈̊̏̄͘̕k̵̦̺͇̺͈͐͊̂́͛̈͑̓͑̈́͜ĩ̵̘̭͎͎̌̏̒̃̎̎͊́͗̐̕̕͠ķ̶̯̩̩̩̘͆̉̀̎͌̅̋͑̈́͗͌̀̀͊̚ͅà̶̼̥̥̤͐̈́̉ͅr̷̛̛̪̻̄́̅̒͋̓͑͑̓͑̋́̚.̴̧̨̢̳͖̻̜̩̘͎̗̯͈́͂̔̈́͛̑͝ ̶̢̣͎̞̫͈̥̲̇̔́̓̈̓̾̒̚̕K̷̡̨̲͎̗̯̘̬̥̬̈́̌̂̍́͠͝ą̴̻̠͙̮̮̝̝̤̾̓̃̉͆̓̏̎̉͝g̴̘̱̰̹̈̅ḧ̵̠͖̞͖̻͙́͐͑̍͒̐͝ ̵̡͕̖̫͇͑̐̀̇̓͗̊̕̕s̶̛͎̀̒͋̓͆̒̏̄̈̾̕̚͠j̸͎͓͊͂ē̶̘͎̲͖̬͎̬͈̙̠̟̪̪̺̌̿̈́̈̈́́͝r̷̳͓̘̋͛̿̆̓̈̆̈́́̈̑ḯ̵̢̧̝͕̰͂͗̈́̽͊̋̏̿̋͝t̵̲̲͇̦̪̞̠́͊̈́̿̚̚ͅ ̵̢̡̲̟͍̝̙̹̥̹̄̈́̓ͅw̶̞̲̘̪̫̤̘̿̎͐̉̆̿̄͋̀̀̄͘͠͠͠ę̷̛̛̤̻̲̼͎̰̪̼̝̮̥͚̻̲́̀̀͌͊͛͋r̷̢̛̮̹͕̲̺̦͕̫̼̾͛̇̍̀̊̎͆̀͘͜ ̴̨̧̹̞̳͙̗̰̊̓̄͛̾̃̈̿̕̕͠͝ĥ̴̭͎̲̱͍̥͍͈̂̓̔͒̓̒̀̏̽́̂͘ṳ̶̘̰̓̓̊̆́̀̚͘v̵̻̠͓̖̈̑̑͆͆͜͝ẽ̸̡̗̻͙̻͓͓̱̙͔̬͕͇̠̿̋̈́̊͝n̶͎̈́̌ȋ̷̛̮̹̼̣͇͙̆̉͛̒̒̌͒̀̐̃̚c̷̯̩͙͖̩̬̺̖̩͛̊ ̶̛̬̤͌̇̈́͒̃͛̽̌̌͋͝d̵̢̝̦̭̼̳̥͚͖̠̩̹̽̈̓̔̋͂̏̃̂͋̕̕̕ͅį̸̮̼̻͕͕̲̟͇̀̋͝ͅ ̸͕̃͊͝w̵͓̻̪̲̼͈͓̲̜̑͑͗͒͂̄̆̏̚͝͠e̶̯̫̬̻͈͇̪͓̻̭̗͋͐́͑̿͠͝r̷̡̗̱̘̰̯̿̾͗́́̐́̈́́̀̾͝ ̴̛̝̯̲̬͉̔̾̎̈́̂͜͝ţ̴̭̗̰͉̋ͅȑ̴̲̤̑̄̋͂͑e̵͉̖̺͔͆̈́͐̇̆̏̄̚͠͝s̴̡̟͔̪̠̬͙͍̀́͛̓ͅk̷̠̲̘̃́̔̇̀̓͐̌̉̉͠ŗ̸̈́̌́ī̴͎̞̦̏̍̇͘ ̷̛̭̟̰̞̗̳͕͕̱͍̭̺̻̅̋̐̑̽̃̕̕g̷̢̗̣̹̜͓͆͒̏̈́̾͋̌̓̋̆̕e̸̹͓̙̮̬̖̭̰̙̰͈̰̳̜͗͑͛̿͑̂͛͒͒̑̽̑̽͝o̴̰̞͕͍͚̖̙͍͌̄̂̅͗͑̎̀͑̑̄͝͠ṵ̶̡̦̞͚̻̪̿̎̄͐̽i̴͓̯̰͈͐̑́ç̴̰͙̻̼̗̃͗͆̓̓̚ ̵̧̫̭̥͇̪͉͙̥̬̮̊̎̈́͒̀̌͆̂͌̉͜ẅ̷̨̫̜̣̘̲̬̥͔͈̟́́́̃̊͘͜ͅų̷̛̰͚̹̟̬̳̟̳̝̝̠̙̲̘̋̽͂͒̈̌̈́̀̚x̷̙͙͈͚̀̅̑̀͠ ̴̡͖̫̥͂̓̀̈́͂̂̊̏̎̊̿t̸͚͉̭̟́̾̈́̈́̋͌͝ę̵̡̗͕̠̬̫̦̝͈̰͕̺͉̽̈́̒̀̅ṇ̵̡̳̘̿̃̅̃̈̉͑́̽̊̐͛́p̵͚̜̣̞͓̈͜͠ȉ̸̡̧͔̺̫̯͔͕͚̮̏͜s̴̱̹̈͑͒͗̑̌̿̌͘ẁ̶̧̗͉͔̝̰͚͕̊̀͂̽͊͛͒̍͊́̈́̚͜͝͝o̷̡͕͖͚̯̜̳̰̫̦̻̭̫͈͐̔̒̽̀̎̄̍̋͝.̵̟͍͚͈́̾̂̍͑̒́̌̅͆̃͝"̴̨̢̹̲̣͇̬̀̎̍̉̓̈́̓̇̆̐̈́͝͝͠͝ͅ

 

[That Lass Over There]

The shadows of the abyss far below slowly peeled away as the eyes of molten iron slowly emerged forward. First it was the titanic snout of deep onyx skin and charcoal scales, crowned with a mane of crystalline spines... Then it was the claws gripping the ledge a hop and skip away from Kuroi's feet, easily large enough to completely envelop and crush her whole... Then the bat-like wings that threatened to blot out the light...

Gods above; a living and breathing Dragon was right in front of them.

"Um... Um... Nice Dragon?" Xeria intelligently peeped, who was a very literal and unhealthy shade of white from the paleness. "I plan on putting everything back once I'm done?" But the beast's focus was not on the Witch who looked about ready to disappear into her hat and coat (which she could probably do considering the sizes of both) but rather, on the anomaly standing more defiantly against it.

A dragon?

The few dragons of Kuroi's knowledge were serpentine like a snake, with no or small limbs, feathers more often than scales, and an association with water. Divine beings that were prayed to in hopes the rivers would not flood, and for protection.

The creature in front of her was not that. Every portion of its body looked honed for slaughter, the only rivers it would be associated with running redder than her own past. She watched the claws a mere twitch away from her and the girl behind her with wary eyes. This, definitely, was something that she could not deal with. Was something like this common, in this land? Could she really be of help to Xeria if this is the sort of thing they might encounter out there? Her breathing hitched as she realized the focus of the cat-like predator's eyes. To confirm, she took a step to the side - without a doubt, it was following her.

Xeria's reaction, unfortunately, confirmed the worst; this creature was not, at least publicly, a known part of the Academy. The likelihood of a peaceful resolution had dropped dramatically, and that was... difficult. Kuroi's unchanging face, stoic as ever, turned slightly back to Xeria while still training her eyes on the dragon's every move.

"Take a few steps back. Run on my signal." She could only hope Xeria would listen, as she didn't dare fully turn away for a blink. Her chest rose and fell with every breath, falling into a rhythm trained into her by the trials of life.

Rather than step back, Kuroi stepped forward a tiny bit. Not enough to provoke, but to place her closer to the beast... Any luck, and its size would make it clumsier up close. To position herself clearly between it and Xeria, as well. Her eyes swept over it... Those scales would be too tough. Everything was too large for her to grapple and do damage. Perhaps she could puncture an eye and blind the creature, but she couldn't hope to do more than that with its size without a full yari. Projectiles... Two on her feet, but she wasn't sure the shoes would throw in the same way she was familiar with her geta. She could knock over some bookshelves on it-

"̴̢̫̪̜̤̗̬̒͑͋̏̾́̑͌̄W̶̢̞̣̭̟̺̹̋̐́̎͋ụ̴̢̞͉͖̞̰͔͈̩̱̫̺̓̈́x̴͈̤̦͖̖̜̞͕̦͛̚ ̶̟̹̘͓̿̌͂͜͝r̴̠͗̊̌̃̈́͗͂̈͝͠ě̴̡̬̯̯̲͍́̈́̈́͒̍͗̿̍̏̕ ̵͙͓͖̹̰̝̰͔̘̗͇̀̍̐̂͒͛̅̕͝ͅḅ̸̛̛͇̯̓̓̋̌͛͒͂̋͌̓̾̕͜v̸̧̢̺̻̪͍̯̝̔e̶̬̜̤̫̬̳͔͇̻̫̘̍͐̅͑͒̅̓ͅc̸͍̦̜͚͈̯̯̪̬̤̟̞͓̑͜ķ̸̳͉̬͔̻̮̭͇͉̲̣̀̑́͑̂͐̅̔ó̴̢͔̭̫̝̱̩̯̝̰̺̬̜̜̜̾̈́͗͊̈́̿̍̎͛̏̀,̵̛͚̰͋̋̿͛̇̀̍̅̅̾̓̋͝ ̶̳͙̟͚̹̟̳͈͌̄̊̎v̶̧̨̨̦̖͙͓̰͚̝̏̃̾͗̑͌̕͜ȩ̶̙̖̮͈̥̖͍̮̎͆͐̂k̷̦̭̺̻̦̞̺̐́͜ḯ̵̧̨͈̤̖̟͕̮̫̤͇̝͈͕͛̀͂̅́͒́̔̓͝k̷̢͖̲̬̔̆͊̉͌̀̌͊̊̈́̊͘͠ͅą̵͙̞͕̪̲͚̘̼͍̫̌̌́̍̔̎͆͛̀̏̕r̴̘̻̻̯̱̳̞̟̅̇̄̿́̇̓͘.̶̱̭͓̞̺̪̙̠̀̿̈̿́̋̏̕"̷̧̛̤̪̬̱̺̟͌̇̈́̽̆̍͆͊̂̈̂͘



"... Did... Did it just speak?" Xeria's voice could be barely heard over the booming bass of the Dragon's voice, not that the Witch could either. The sound of the language... it sounded so wrong. It sounded too wrong; Xeria had already keeled over onto the floor with a heavy thud, her hands desperately clamped over her ears. The language was hurting her. Oh gods, it hurt so much. She had make it stop. Make it stop! Make it stop! makeitstopmakeitstopmakestopmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop

"̴͕̉̒̒̔̑́̄̊̅̄̆́̓͝D̸̛̳̦̥̤̞̫͇̺̦̜̄͒̄̈́̎͝o̷̭̖͈̺͔̜̼̥̦̼̗̱͆̓̊̆̿̇̔̊̋̄̚ư̴̧̨̤͈̦̰̈́̊̈́͆̋͐̐t̶̖̝͉̥̺̣͊͆̐̑͆̈̑̂̌ ̷̢̟͙͍͚̭͔̟̪̗̘̪̠̹̏̂̎̍̌́̈́͘ͅm̵̛̩̜̟̪̘̜̝͚̭͖͙̼̃̌̓́̐̆́̇̓̉̄́̚̕ͅè̷̡̨̛̤͖̜̗͇̫̞̭͖̹̃̑̃̈́͆̀ȓ̸̨͓̐̉̾̒̍̊̌̚͠k̴̰̞͚̖͕̈͒̔͊̉͜͝ŕ̶̛͖͇̳̭̞͍̝̫̈́͐͗ͅͅä̶̛͓̪́̆̈̅͆̈́̇̃͋̚̕͠n̷̨̻̮̬̜̬̱̓̂̈́ ̸͉̗̺̐̽͒͂̇̓̀̚̚̕̚͝͝͠ư̷̟̝̭͖̮̝͈͂͆͂̇́̐̀̍̔͒͐̈į̶̢̧̺̪̙̰̘̗̫̫̯̮͇̎̋͐̏͛̋̎́̚ͅ ̴̖̹̼͓͛̚͘ť̴̡̨̼̫͍̘͉̣̜̗̏͊ͅi̵͈̔̇͆̀̆͑͐ ̷̟̝̤͕̥͆̅̀͊͋͌̒̈́̕͠d̶͉̟̮̟̝̕i̴͙͙̙͎̞̮̥̒̋̅̂̎̽ ̸͕̗͈̬̤͎̲̳̘͓̤̯̺͍͓̑͗͘ņ̴̖͚̰͖̤̪͘ǫ̸̨̲͓̻̥̞̞̗͓̱͊́̇̀̈́̉̐̌̈̄͝͝m̷̛̖͉̒̊̇͑͗̈́̂̚ě̴̡̡̮̜̫̲̮̼͓̣͓̱̗̋̓͒̊n̶̙̮͈̗͕̮̪͙̱͎̊͋̿̎̈͑ỏ̵̙͉̼̟̹̮͚̈͆̈́̌͛͝͠ ̷̨̛̹̙̹͚͎̩̻͈̜̪̟̌̍̂̌̂͊̚͜͝͠t̵̢̯̣͉͕̥̻̙̮̦̟̺̳̅̆̒͜͜ŗ̸̛̗͇͎̒̊̈́ẹ̵̹̬̺̟̗͔̔̍͑̿̾̔̐̎͆̀̕̚͜s̵̭̮̞̼̞̼͓̬̦̖̲̰̣͎̞̅͂̆͗̍͂̽̌k̴̨̰͉͉͔̲̘̼̹̪̋̔͊͋͌̄͂͋r̷̢̢̨̰͎͍͓͖͍̺̰̜͍̲̝͆̊͗̿i̶͎̭̜̤̲̬͒͌̿͋̓̉,̷̡̹̬̭͍̞͉͙̗̼̝̤̀̋̎̅͊́̿̇́͜ ̸̼̻͔̪̘̽̓̓͌V̸̡̰̗͌̈́͛̈́̂̈́̍̍̏e̸͈̊̏̄͘̕k̵̦̺͇̺͈͐͊̂́͛̈͑̓͑̈́͜ĩ̵̘̭͎͎̌̏̒̃̎̎͊́͗̐̕̕͠ķ̶̯̩̩̩̘͆̉̀̎͌̅̋͑̈́͗͌̀̀͊̚ͅà̶̼̥̥̤͐̈́̉ͅr̷̛̛̪̻̄́̅̒͋̓͑͑̓͑̋́̚.̴̧̨̢̳͖̻̜̩̘͎̗̯͈́͂̔̈́͛̑͝ ̶̢̣͎̞̫͈̥̲̇̔́̓̈̓̾̒̚̕K̷̡̨̲͎̗̯̘̬̥̬̈́̌̂̍́͠͝ą̴̻̠͙̮̮̝̝̤̾̓̃̉͆̓̏̎̉͝g̴̘̱̰̹̈̅ḧ̵̠͖̞͖̻͙́͐͑̍͒̐͝ ̵̡͕̖̫͇͑̐̀̇̓͗̊̕̕s̶̛͎̀̒͋̓͆̒̏̄̈̾̕̚͠j̸͎͓͊͂ē̶̘͎̲͖̬͎̬͈̙̠̟̪̪̺̌̿̈́̈̈́́͝r̷̳͓̘̋͛̿̆̓̈̆̈́́̈̑ḯ̵̢̧̝͕̰͂͗̈́̽͊̋̏̿̋͝t̵̲̲͇̦̪̞̠́͊̈́̿̚̚ͅ ̵̢̡̲̟͍̝̙̹̥̹̄̈́̓ͅw̶̞̲̘̪̫̤̘̿̎͐̉̆̿̄͋̀̀̄͘͠͠͠ę̷̛̛̤̻̲̼͎̰̪̼̝̮̥͚̻̲́̀̀͌͊͛͋r̷̢̛̮̹͕̲̺̦͕̫̼̾͛̇̍̀̊̎͆̀͘͜ ̴̨̧̹̞̳͙̗̰̊̓̄͛̾̃̈̿̕̕͠͝ĥ̴̭͎̲̱͍̥͍͈̂̓̔͒̓̒̀̏̽́̂͘ṳ̶̘̰̓̓̊̆́̀̚͘v̵̻̠͓̖̈̑̑͆͆͜͝ẽ̸̡̗̻͙̻͓͓̱̙͔̬͕͇̠̿̋̈́̊͝n̶͎̈́̌ȋ̷̛̮̹̼̣͇͙̆̉͛̒̒̌͒̀̐̃̚c̷̯̩͙͖̩̬̺̖̩͛̊ ̶̛̬̤͌̇̈́͒̃͛̽̌̌͋͝d̵̢̝̦̭̼̳̥͚͖̠̩̹̽̈̓̔̋͂̏̃̂͋̕̕̕ͅį̸̮̼̻͕͕̲̟͇̀̋͝ͅ ̸͕̃͊͝w̵͓̻̪̲̼͈͓̲̜̑͑͗͒͂̄̆̏̚͝͠e̶̯̫̬̻͈͇̪͓̻̭̗͋͐́͑̿͠͝r̷̡̗̱̘̰̯̿̾͗́́̐́̈́́̀̾͝ ̴̛̝̯̲̬͉̔̾̎̈́̂͜͝ţ̴̭̗̰͉̋ͅȑ̴̲̤̑̄̋͂͑e̵͉̖̺͔͆̈́͐̇̆̏̄̚͠͝s̴̡̟͔̪̠̬͙͍̀́͛̓ͅk̷̠̲̘̃́̔̇̀̓͐̌̉̉͠ŗ̸̈́̌́ī̴͎̞̦̏̍̇͘ ̷̛̭̟̰̞̗̳͕͕̱͍̭̺̻̅̋̐̑̽̃̕̕g̷̢̗̣̹̜͓͆͒̏̈́̾͋̌̓̋̆̕e̸̹͓̙̮̬̖̭̰̙̰͈̰̳̜͗͑͛̿͑̂͛͒͒̑̽̑̽͝o̴̰̞͕͍͚̖̙͍͌̄̂̅͗͑̎̀͑̑̄͝͠ṵ̶̡̦̞͚̻̪̿̎̄͐̽i̴͓̯̰͈͐̑́ç̴̰͙̻̼̗̃͗͆̓̓̚ ̵̧̫̭̥͇̪͉͙̥̬̮̊̎̈́͒̀̌͆̂͌̉͜ẅ̷̨̫̜̣̘̲̬̥͔͈̟́́́̃̊͘͜ͅų̷̛̰͚̹̟̬̳̟̳̝̝̠̙̲̘̋̽͂͒̈̌̈́̀̚x̷̙͙͈͚̀̅̑̀͠ ̴̡͖̫̥͂̓̀̈́͂̂̊̏̎̊̿t̸͚͉̭̟́̾̈́̈́̋͌͝ę̵̡̗͕̠̬̫̦̝͈̰͕̺͉̽̈́̒̀̅ṇ̵̡̳̘̿̃̅̃̈̉͑́̽̊̐͛́p̵͚̜̣̞͓̈͜͠ȉ̸̡̧͔̺̫̯͔͕͚̮̏͜s̴̱̹̈͑͒͗̑̌̿̌͘ẁ̶̧̗͉͔̝̰͚͕̊̀͂̽͊͛͒̍͊́̈́̚͜͝͝o̷̡͕͖͚̯̜̳̰̫̦̻̭̫͈͐̔̒̽̀̎̄̍̋͝.̵̟͍͚͈́̾̂̍͑̒́̌̅͆̃͝"̴̨̢̹̲̣͇̬̀̎̍̉̓̈́̓̇̆̐̈́͝͝͠͝ͅ

Speech. It's intelligent. Bad news if they were to fight, but...

Subtly, Kuroi twitched as she heard a crumpling sound behind her. Unfortunately, the bait strategy was no longer viable. Now, she would have to hope that this kami would be gracious enough to let them go... Assuming it would be capable of understanding her. "Deepest apologies, but I cannot understand the words you speak." They weren't entirely pleasant to her either, but it was far from making her collapse to the floor unlike her charge. "May you perhaps speak a language I can understand?" Reverence, respect, but no fear should be allowed in her behavior. That was her mentality, interacting with the divine.

Though she spoke politely, she did not drop her readiness. She did not bow, or otherwise inhibit her motion or vision. It was too dangerous. Her feet slowly shuffled backwards, not from the paralyzing fear, but knowledge of the few options remaining to her. Xeria could not move on her own right now. If speech fails, Kuroi would have to pick Xeria up and run - bob and weave between obstacles, out of sight, as she was sure even she could not outrun such a large creature - with wings, no less.

Her shaking hand reached back to find itself on Xeria's shoulder... Good. She now knew where the witch was without sight. Deeply praying her paranoia was unwarranted, Kuroi waited with her breaths strangled into that slow, rhythmic beat she loathed.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Subtly, Kuroi twitched as she heard a crumpling sound behind her. Unfortunately, the bait strategy was no longer viable. Now, she would have to hope that this kami would be gracious enough to let them go... Assuming it would be capable of understanding her. "Deepest apologies, but I cannot understand the words you speak." They weren't entirely pleasant to her either, but it was far from making her collapse to the floor unlike her charge. "May you perhaps speak a language I can understand?" Reverence, respect, but no fear should be allowed in her behavior. That was her mentality, interacting with the divine.

Though she spoke politely, she did not drop her readiness. She did not bow, or otherwise inhibit her motion or vision. It was too dangerous. Her feet slowly shuffled backwards, not from the paralyzing fear, but knowledge of the few options remaining to her. Xeria could not move on her own right now. If speech fails, Kuroi would have to pick Xeria up and run - bob and weave between obstacles, out of sight, as she was sure even she could not outrun such a large creature - with wings, no less.

Her shaking hand reached back to find itself on Xeria's shoulder... Good. She now knew where the witch was without sight. Deeply praying her paranoia was unwarranted, Kuroi waited with her breaths strangled into that slow, rhythmic beat she loathed.

The great Dragon's eyes glinted with amusement as Kuroi moved slowly and deliberately, protectively standing between it and the Witch sprawled out all over the floor. The gesture was cute, as if the girl believed the beast was one to act on baser instincts like predation. Still, it couldn't have a Witch lying in pain in its presence...







"̴͕̉̒̒̔̑́̄̊̅̄̆́̓͝Ḏ̵̛̛̀̏̊͌͊̈́̉ơ̷̢̤͎͋̎͆͗͊̋̋u̵̧̢̠̰̯̗̥̠͊̊t̸͇̪̞͕͍̱̀͒́̔̋̅͛̍̓̓̀͒͜͜ ̸̳̃́̀̎́s̴͙̝̯̜̻̖̬̽̀̄͒̀̊͘ę̶̥̮̭̟̰͉̙̲̽͊̈̑̓̂̃̆̿͘͝o̴̧̻̥̘͍͎̮̳͂̀̀̃̀͊̎̄͘ŷ̵͓̳̺̻͇͎̑̊̕̕l̷̼̫̮̞̳̥̈̇̆̈́͌͌̄͑̃͠͝ ̶̨̧̧͕͉̹͎̞̹̩͖̭͎̭͆̀́͒͋̃́͑̈͒̒͑̓͜͝͝r̴̛̻̍̉́̀̽̃̋͑̃̌͛͝͝i̸̡̧̛̙̠̻̠̯̱̩̣̥̊̀̈̎͆́͝͝͠t̸̨̡̯͚͖̖̫̩̠̖̍͠ŗ̸̡̤̱̘̭͕̖̠̘̹̙̭͚̊̐̓͆̔̃͜é̷͕̭͌̐̇͊́̇k̶̛̳̲̦̰̫̺̪̼͍̭̉̉̈́̽͒i̸͔̓̐̄͌͛͘͠ĺ̶̡̨̗̞̮̥̥̝͇̐̈̕i̵̛̜̮̱̟͚͉̥̓̿̆̇̀͋̈́̓̏̀ç̶͕̍̓̿͆,̵̨̜͔̭͎̰̮̍̓̓̔̎̓͆͗̋̇̋͗͝ ̸̢͈̼̰̝̖͔̘̟͐͑̃̎̎̄͗̐͋͆͝ͅs̶̨̘͕͕͓̮̻͕̹͈̳̠̘̗̀͋̈́̿͂̕͝j̶̨̻̦͙̠͂̂̋̓͛̊́ḛ̵̡̛͓̗̘̪̰͖͇͎͉̤̀̅́͌̔̂̿̎ŗ̵̧̤͇̥̺̜͔̜̝̝͕̱̮̫̅͑͐̎͝ḯ̷̲̦̘̥̖̲̱̙̥̓̀̀ț̶̢͈̪̯̞͚̞͔͇̙̦̱́̽̒̉͋͝ͅ ̵̧͔̮̖̫̞͛̃̀̐̽w̵͑̀͊̚͜͝u̸̧̡̲̫̪̘̦͚̫̟̥̘̪̳͐̐͛́͌̽̋̾͑̎̏̿x̵̨̢̢̢̨̛̼̰͖͎̪̺̙̯̋͆̊̉̔̓̄͌͌͝ ̴̢͈͖̬̼̳̮̣̉ṅ̸̮̼͊̈́̈̓̈́̎̌͒͂͒̚͠i̸̢̨͕̪̰̗͔͊͊̎̓͒͐̾̍͐͝x̴̧̨̧̢̦̼̪͓͖͚̞̯̲̣̎͛̌̎̃̉̎̀̏̊͘a̴̢̧͈̰͒̉̓l̴͔̣͌͆́̓̑͒̏̒͊̏͊͛͂ ̷̨̛͕͖̫̣̼̗̞̫̳̥͚̟̘̊͆̌̇͘͠͝m̵̪̠͍̜̙̈́̈̈́͗͊͋̐̑̇́͋̚̚͠r̴̻̱̙̠̉̔̂̑̍̽̀̄̉͋̇̚̕͝i̶̛̛̛̯̞͙̣͒͛̌̽̑̾̍̌̋̔ť̴̡̡̯͈̭̈́̾̽̀̐̓̊ͅḩ̶͈̣͖͖̞̠̰̜͒̓̕͜͜ ̸̧̛̈k̴̛͚̗̲̱̅̓̽̑͆̏́͂̓͘̚͝a̵̡̨̼͍̬͖̳̖͓̦̝̝͋̍͌̽͒̅̿̿̍͊͘͠͝͝l̷̝̺̰͎͈͍̱̖̀̅͂͐̅̎͂̓̅͛̓͂͝ï̴̪͛̽͌t̸̢͍͕̰͚̗̫̬͕͙͎̻͉̪͋̅̾̓̄͘h̷͍͎̰̝̅̄͑̓͊͂̒̈͐͒͂͒͝. Life still clings to you, Outworlder.





The changes were near-instantaneous the moment the Dragon's tongue became decipherable. The thunderous pain wracking Xeria had lifted like a veil over her head, though the Witch was hardly in a coherent state of being. Kuroi too felt the unpleasant welling inside of her vanish, though the heavy bass and imposing presence yet remained. The gaze painted over her was not one of malice, but inquisition.


"Yes... Death still writhes within your being, yet you live and breathe. You are absent of luyos' design, yet your threads bind you to another..."

The Dragon turned it's focus down to the barely-conscious Xeria. A simple huff from its nostrils had sent her beloved hat tumbling away, though the scattered books around her laid mysteriously unaffected

"... but not this youngling. Mayhaps you know another, a Human from whence you came?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

"̴͕̉̒̒̔̑́̄̊̅̄̆́̓͝Ḏ̵̛̛̀̏̊͌͊̈́̉ơ̷̢̤͎͋̎͆͗͊̋̋u̵̧̢̠̰̯̗̥̠͊̊t̸͇̪̞͕͍̱̀͒́̔̋̅͛̍̓̓̀͒͜͜ ̸̳̃́̀̎́s̴͙̝̯̜̻̖̬̽̀̄͒̀̊͘ę̶̥̮̭̟̰͉̙̲̽͊̈̑̓̂̃̆̿͘͝o̴̧̻̥̘͍͎̮̳͂̀̀̃̀͊̎̄͘ŷ̵͓̳̺̻͇͎̑̊̕̕l̷̼̫̮̞̳̥̈̇̆̈́͌͌̄͑̃͠͝ ̶̨̧̧͕͉̹͎̞̹̩͖̭͎̭͆̀́͒͋̃́͑̈͒̒͑̓͜͝͝r̴̛̻̍̉́̀̽̃̋͑̃̌͛͝͝i̸̡̧̛̙̠̻̠̯̱̩̣̥̊̀̈̎͆́͝͝͠t̸̨̡̯͚͖̖̫̩̠̖̍͠ŗ̸̡̤̱̘̭͕̖̠̘̹̙̭͚̊̐̓͆̔̃͜é̷͕̭͌̐̇͊́̇k̶̛̳̲̦̰̫̺̪̼͍̭̉̉̈́̽͒i̸͔̓̐̄͌͛͘͠ĺ̶̡̨̗̞̮̥̥̝͇̐̈̕i̵̛̜̮̱̟͚͉̥̓̿̆̇̀͋̈́̓̏̀ç̶͕̍̓̿͆,̵̨̜͔̭͎̰̮̍̓̓̔̎̓͆͗̋̇̋͗͝ ̸̢͈̼̰̝̖͔̘̟͐͑̃̎̎̄͗̐͋͆͝ͅs̶̨̘͕͕͓̮̻͕̹͈̳̠̘̗̀͋̈́̿͂̕͝j̶̨̻̦͙̠͂̂̋̓͛̊́ḛ̵̡̛͓̗̘̪̰͖͇͎͉̤̀̅́͌̔̂̿̎ŗ̵̧̤͇̥̺̜͔̜̝̝͕̱̮̫̅͑͐̎͝ḯ̷̲̦̘̥̖̲̱̙̥̓̀̀ț̶̢͈̪̯̞͚̞͔͇̙̦̱́̽̒̉͋͝ͅ ̵̧͔̮̖̫̞͛̃̀̐̽w̵͑̀͊̚͜͝u̸̧̡̲̫̪̘̦͚̫̟̥̘̪̳͐̐͛́͌̽̋̾͑̎̏̿x̵̨̢̢̢̨̛̼̰͖͎̪̺̙̯̋͆̊̉̔̓̄͌͌͝ ̴̢͈͖̬̼̳̮̣̉ṅ̸̮̼͊̈́̈̓̈́̎̌͒͂͒̚͠i̸̢̨͕̪̰̗͔͊͊̎̓͒͐̾̍͐͝x̴̧̨̧̢̦̼̪͓͖͚̞̯̲̣̎͛̌̎̃̉̎̀̏̊͘a̴̢̧͈̰͒̉̓l̴͔̣͌͆́̓̑͒̏̒͊̏͊͛͂ ̷̨̛͕͖̫̣̼̗̞̫̳̥͚̟̘̊͆̌̇͘͠͝m̵̪̠͍̜̙̈́̈̈́͗͊͋̐̑̇́͋̚̚͠r̴̻̱̙̠̉̔̂̑̍̽̀̄̉͋̇̚̕͝i̶̛̛̛̯̞͙̣͒͛̌̽̑̾̍̌̋̔ť̴̡̡̯͈̭̈́̾̽̀̐̓̊ͅḩ̶͈̣͖͖̞̠̰̜͒̓̕͜͜ ̸̧̛̈k̴̛͚̗̲̱̅̓̽̑͆̏́͂̓͘̚͝a̵̡̨̼͍̬͖̳̖͓̦̝̝͋̍͌̽͒̅̿̿̍͊͘͠͝͝l̷̝̺̰͎͈͍̱̖̀̅͂͐̅̎͂̓̅͛̓͂͝ï̴̪͛̽͌t̸̢͍͕̰͚̗̫̬͕͙͎̻͉̪͋̅̾̓̄͘h̷͍͎̰̝̅̄͑̓͊͂̒̈͐͒͂͒͝. Life still clings to you, Outworlder.





The changes were near-instantaneous the moment the Dragon's tongue became decipherable. The thunderous pain wracking Xeria had lifted like a veil over her head, though the Witch was hardly in a coherent state of being. Kuroi too felt the unpleasant welling inside of her vanish, though the heavy bass and imposing presence yet remained. The gaze painted over her was not one of malice, but inquisition.

"Yes... Death still writhes within your being, yet you live and breathe. You are absent of luyos' design, yet your threads bind you to another..."

The Dragon turned it's focus down to the barely-conscious Xeria. A simple huff from its nostrils had sent her beloved hat tumbling away, though the scattered books around her laid mysteriously unaffected

"... but not this youngling. Mayhaps you know another, a Human from whence you came?"

Kuroi’s shift was instant after the Dragon shifted its voice and made its curiosity clear. In a smooth motion she ended up behind Xeria, hands and eyes sweeping her body for anything wrong without care for personal space. She did not know what had been done to make the fledgling witch collapse like that, and it bothered her even more that she couldn’t find any trace of injury on the girl.

Even as she investigated Xeria’s wellbeing she did not ignore the Dragon, still afraid of inspiring the kami’s ire. She listened to it carefully as it confirmed one thing after another for her, leaving only a few questions with unfamiliar terms. Her memories were in no capacity fiction as she might have feared with their jarring inconsistencies to the world around her; rather, it would seem like she has been whisked away to somewhere else at her time of death. That, in spite of her death, she does indeed still live, rather than being a lingering spirit of some sort.

But, there was one thing that took her attention away from Xeria in the dragon’s speech.

“My companion, Nishihara Tsubasa. My life was pledged to her. I died, but she… Do you know what happened to her? If she survived? It is all I wish to know.“ There had always been a sense of that insufficient translation when Kuroi spoke of her traveling partner, but it was heavily obvious this time that the typically toneless woman was putting more than due emphasis on the word.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I am no W̶̯͕͆o̶̰̗̅̕ä̸̯̟̿r̶̟̮̒͘ì̴̜̝ Outworlder, the feats of my ancestors' accomplishments are still lost to the ages that have passed. For all that I have accomplished, not even I can see beyond the veil of this realm."

The Dragon's hushing tone did not take the edge from the inevitable sting of disappointment that welled up in Kuroi. The Dragon itself was not blind to the subtle hints of desperation she leaked.

"Hmm... So I presume that your desire for closure is what brings you here. My regrets that I have little to offer you in your search but what my Academy and its denizens provide; what I have learned, what I have done, and what I have taught, you may peruse for what little good it would offer..."

In an awe-inspiring display of control, the Dragon reached its massive claw out and plucked Xeria's oversized hat from the ground. For all its size and presence, it was remarkable how it could maintain such dexterity as it gently laid the hat back in its rightful perch atop the barely-conscious Witch's head.

"Stay your hand from this Academy and its denizens, and you will be treated no lesser than the youngling beside you. I do not tolerate threats to my staff and students lightly."

And before Kuroi could even so much as answer, the Dragon disappeared like a figment of imagination to parts unknown.