ᔕᑭᗩᑕᕮ ᗪᖇᗩGOᑎᔕ

[CloudyBlueDay]

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<img src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjg4LmNlYjNkYi5VMUJCUTBVZ1JGSkJSMDlPVXcsLC4w/ringlet.black.png&key=569dcc23727a7666419913f1b0b7c30a00b744262c5a08f17097ef3abac43589" class="ipsImage" alt="ringlet.black.png" />

<img src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=http://img13.deviantart.net/e550/i/2008/215/9/8/dragon_transparent_by_whispersss.png&key=0264789ac74c9cb7b90a4d5e52901fcc23a854c062382fbd01c44396ade33f4d" class="ipsImage" alt="dragon_transparent_by_whispersss.png" /> <span style="font-family:Rasa;">Over fifteen years ago, the world practically ended. We fought World War III, nuclear bombs and other horrendous weapons being introduced. Now, you are one of the last </span><span style="font-family:Rasa;"><em>ten </em></span><span style="font-family:Rasa;">people on the very earth. You were immune to the disease that spread after the first bio-weapon was launched, killing everyone. Except you. You're alone now -- but that doesn't mean you're safe. Meteor showers and solar flares, all kinds of natural disasters keep on threatening your existence. There is no waking moment where you are not afraid. Now, an asteroid heads towards earth, the one that will end it all in all. Did you think this would be a normal survival roleplay? Oh, no. You're special. You get </span><span style="font-family:Rasa;"><strong>space dragons.</strong></span>

<span style="font-size:24px;"><strong><span style="font-family:Rasa;">Please do not post here until the roleplay has officially started.</span></strong></span><span style="font-size:24px;"> </span></p></div>


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[D. Rex]

From the top of the roof, there really wasn't that much to see,. Nothing she had not already seen before, anyway. Empty streets and empty buildings. One might expect silence, by looking at this ghost town but the sound of nature made it clear that earth didn't care that this city was here. Yet even being as uneventful as it always was, and even if she didn't need to hunt much, Bailey always like to see things from the high ground, if only for the off chance of seeing something nice like this. Even now she looking through the magnified scope of her rifle, she saw a family of bears walking towards an intersection a few blocks away. Her two cubs played blissfully, as their mother lead them on. It was one of the happier things she had seen lately. It reminded her of the family she had, even if she never had any siblings, they were happy. Like the bears, they also roamed looking for food. At least here food was easy enough to find, and warm and secure shelter was plentiful. This city was very good home for that family of bears. Bailey allowed herself a small smile, good memories were nice, and she even allowed herself to think the baby bears were cute. Of course this moment was short lived, it was only a matter a time before the happy family would make their way across the intersection and out of her view, likely never to be seen by her again. It was still worth that bit of observation, and made her day at least a little bit brighter.


She then pulled the trigger... the mother bear fell, dead, and the cubs scattered. She wasn't about to waste bullets on the cubs. They would most likely die without their mother this winter. Mama bear was her target anyway. Mama was the one she did not want to run into, even if the chances were slim. Bailey did not want to afford the chance of larger predators being in the vicinity. There was no feeling of remorse or guilt, her survival mattered more to her than the bears. She didn't need the food, but she would try to preserve and eat what she could before it went bad, and maybe try to make use of its skin. She would keep an eye out for the cubs tomorrow. Maybe get lucky and take one of them out too.


Bailey lowered the rifle and slung it over her shoulder, taken one last look around before heading back down the building, with only a flashlight to see her way through the dark fire escape stairwell. Soon enough she arrived at her shelter, a quaint little two story building she had boarded and barred up. That had been a tiring project, but it had kept her warm these winters. Proceeding to unload from her backpack and organize what she had found today, she didn't forget the bear. She would head there next, with a dolly or something to drag it back on. She figured she would be busy on that the rest of the night, and that was fine, it gave her something to do.


Though it was hard to explain the events that happened next, something crashed loudly outside, as if a piece of a building broke and fell. Next thing she knew the wall was torn away and daylight flooded the room, daylight and the shadow of a large beast unlike anything she had seen in anything except fantasy stories. Bailey had tried to flee, in her panic, but there was no where to go. In her fear she huddled in her corner, unable to get her rifle and handgun that was somewhere under the debris left by the destroyed wall. What followed was an event worthy of anyones disbelief. It spoke to her. Told her that he was here to take her away. And to stop cowering like prey or that he may reconsider his orders. There was little she could do in resisting him, and his voice in her head thundered almost painfully. It was all quite horrifying really. Able to finally collect herself after what seemed like ages, and seeing this dragon didnt seem ready to eat her, yet, words came from finally.


"Take me where?" She asked in a shake voice.


"To meet the other twelve humans left. Then to where ever. " He said flatly, or at least his thoughts were being portrayed as such.


"Other humans?"


"No. You are all dead." He said, being a spiteful clear in his voice," I said twelve other survivors. Dont make me repeat myself. With them are twelve other dragons. Dragons being only a word for easy translation for feeble minds and limited vocabulary." Even as he this voice was heard inside her head, her picked up a trace rumble of a growl coming from him. She stayed silent.


"Your race has been chosen to survive, for whatever reason, on another planet, that you humans will make your own. By who is of no importance. And other ridiculous things blah blah. I will let another dragon explain why he can't explain the same things I can't explain to you. I haven't the patience for it. You know all you need."


This was quite the situation. One that was quite hard to process. "May I get ready?" She asked.


The dragon turned around and went into the street. "Do as you wish. Take all the time you need." If he was lucky, the coming asteroid will kill the humans before they even leave the planet.


As the dragon closed its eyes to wait, Bailey scurried about to cram what she could into her a backpack. Two rolls of duct tape, a collection of seeds had saved for the spring. A handful of lighters and a box of waterproof matches. A tightly folded thermal foil blanket. A crank operated flashlight. A coil of string and wire. A small first aid kit. Two boxes of ammunition, one for her AR-15 and the other for her USP. She crammed the rest of the spaces in with MRE's she had saved for emergencies. Managed about seven. Might keep her fed a few days. She was far from satisfied with the collection of what she put in there. Yet time was limited, and it was doubtful this creature would be so patient as to let her take too long, regardless of what he told her.


She hastened her pace and quickly took off her jacket and stripped down, the biting cold of the draft was quite chilling. She Found found the clothes she was looking for, and layered on her clothing, so she could take it with her. Tank top, short sleeve, longer sleeve, light jacket and her hooded winter jacket. Not to mention a scarf, some tough gloves, and thermals underneath her jeans. Her belt was quite full, already it had a hatchet and the holster to a hand gun. But she added another hatchet with holster and a knife with a holster. With another knife in the bag. Finally she tied a gallon of water and a camping pot to her back pack and put it on. It was heavy, but she would ditch what she didn't find necesary later. Right now, all she could carry was fine. She found her AR -15 and went to the dragon.


"I am ready. But who are you?" She asked.


"My name is Vul'vahlin, of the Svonjirok. Or call me Worldbreaker. Or Duck. Or you can call me whatever you wish. It can't be as bad what stupid nicknames the other dragons will insist on recieving," He said with an apparent grimace.


"If your name is Vul'vahlin. I do not see any need in calling you anything else." She said.


Vul'vahlin exhaled sharply in amusement, surprisingly pleased, and carried her off to the others. With Bailey hanging on for dear life.

 

[RubyRose]

Peyton Viria

"Shit!" Peyton shrieked, yanking her hand away from the sparking radio. She had never been very good at technology... her brothers and father had had a radio back home, and a television that they'd use every now and then for movies and music but she had never been the one to work on them when they broke down. That would have been Aven's job; he had always been good with wires and what not... but he wasn't here to help her now. It was almost a surreal thing to think about being so alone after growing up in a house where you were never alone. Finally just giving up on the radio, Peyton turned it into a football and sent it flying across the mall before flopping, starfish like, onto the ground resignedly, staring up at the ceiling. The crash that resounded as her hours of labor hit the floor exceptionally hard brought a smile that lacked humor to her face.


"I'm going to go insane." She stated to herself. "I'm going to Lose my Mind and it won't even matter that I'm still alive. Humanity is dead."She said to herself, throwing a pity party. A thundering from outside had her sighing, ignoring the fear that coursed through her. What was the point of running? She was sure the flares were everywhere now; the Earth was falling apart, they were all going to die anyway. Peyton let out a harsh bark of a laugh. She was going to die. She was all there was left if her expeditions around the world told her anything at all. Everyone had either fallen to sickness or killed the other... and it was her running away to the woods that had saved her.


Opening her eyes, and having that wonderful moment where she didn't even remember shutting them, she froze, almost absolutely certain that she had just seen movement. Sure it had been out of the corner of her eye, but there had been movement! Wondering if perhaps there was a person around, or even a dog -she would be so happy if she could just find a dog to talk to- she jumped back to her feet, scanning the area.


There it was again- a movement, just outside the corner of her eye. She twisted to try and get a view of it, before sprinting in the general direction she had pretty sure she had seen it in.


There! Just outside the mall! There was the figure of a human! Shouting for joy, Peyton tackled it to the ground, hugging the person so tightly to her that on any other day she'd be concerned about bruising their ribs or breaking something... but today she just needed to be close. She paused when she realized that not only was the other person not hugging her back, or shoving her away, it wasn't moving at all. Pulling back, Peyton let out a short, sharp cry of despair. The laughter in the back of her mind did nothing to improve her temper.


"A fucking Mannequin. A Goddamn Fucking Mannequin. What the hell is it doing out here?!" She snarled pushing to her feet and kicking it away. She crossed her arms as heat sprang to her cheeks, making them ache. She was truly going to lose her mind; thinking a mannequin was a human. What the hell had gotten into her? And how had it gotten out here. "Did I...? Did I bring it out here, and forget that I did?" She asked herself aloud. It was a habit she'd gotten into because a.) she didn't want to lose her voice and b.) she missed the sound of human voices, and decided that hearing her own was better then nothing at all.


Laughter began to ring in her mind, and Peyton sighed before joining in the laughter. If she was going to go mad, may as well enjoy it, right? Her mind had pranked herself- maybe a last ditch effort to get herself to smile. She hadn't realized she'd been so desperate for company she'd start pranking herself... but that was the only explanation for what was going on here. Obviously. When the laughter continued, Peyton felt her gut sink to her toes- perhaps she really had lost her mind.


It was the even colder chill of the suns weak rays being blocked from her that caused her to look up. She didn't move, or even really react as the giant form came right at her. It was obviously a hallucination. There were no other options. Especially when it landed in front of her, grin obvious on it's face, scaley hide glimmering in the weak light. A dragon. A freakin' Dragon.


"Of all the hallucinations in the universe, they sent you, huh? Okay then.. I can work with this." Peyton said, before pausing. "Then again, I don't think I should get caught up in the affairs of dragon. I'm pretty crunchy and taste good with ketchup." She said, thinking of something her father had often told her when she showed him her drawings of dragons(they hadn't been very good and it was her father's nicest way of saying 'you should stop drawing them'). Well this is it. This is well and truly it. Brushing her bangs from her eyes, she turned away from the dragon, blinked multiple times, and then glanced back at it. It was still there. It looked real as day, like she had just walked into a movie. And it was very obviously grinning at her. It matched up to the laughter that had quieted, but still echoed in the back of her head- more like a Chuckle now.

"I'm not entirely sure I agree with you; I don't think you'd need ketchup to taste good." The voice was strong inside Peyton's head, and had a sharp edge of wit to it, though it was also warm. It was the most beautiful thing that Peyton had ever thought of... but the odd thing was she didn't feel like it was her brain that had come up with it. She continued to gaze at the dragon who gazed back at her, eyes still lit with amusement and it just... looked so. Real.


"So are you going to eat me, then?" Peyton decided to ask, tone a bit drawl as she stared at the beast. She didn't really fear the thought, or much think about it beyond that hallucinations couldn't eat people.


"No. I'm not all that hungry, at the moment. And I'm pretty sure you'd go straight to my tail as an unpleasant lump of fat." The dragon said with a snort, pawing at the ground and wagging it's tail slowly... a tail that Peyton only just noticed resembled a club. With Spikes.


"Well, if you're not here to eat me, what are you doing here?" She asked, wondering what her imagination had in store for her. It had conjured an imaginary friend, after all... a beautifully detailed imaginary friend that seemed to speak it's own words... but still. Peyton was curious.


"I've come to take you to the other humans." It was said in a matter of fact way, puffing it's chest out, before a guffaw rang out in Peyton's head once more and the dragon in front of her made an odd sound that... well it was really like the creature was laughing inside of her head and outside of it.


"Okay Chuckles, whatever you say." Peyton said, shaking her head in disbelief. This dragon obviously knew something she didn't in thinking there were even other humans to take her to.


"Chuckles... I quite like that. Better then 'Shimmering Mirage' though Illusintum still has a wonderful ring to it. Though that's just the name of my kind, and does not refer necessarily only to me."


Peyton blinked. If she were to have named this dragon species it wouldn't have been 'Shimmering Mirage.' That sounded really pretty and... this dragon, though not ugly per se, was not gorgeous like a mirage. Oh haha, a mirage. My brain is funny. Peyton said, catching on. Whatever had malfunctioned in her brain, she was glad for it... glad to be rid of the loneliness she had been fighting ever since her last brother died.


"So Chuckles, where are these other humans?" Peyton decided to ask, glancing around.


"They are not around here, silly human. They are probably on their way to Greenland. Like you will be."


"So do I get to ride on your back, then?" Peyton asked, suddenly excited.


"Unless you prefer walking..." The dragon said in a rather threatening manner, as if they would truly make Peyton walk.


"Who would ever want to walk when they could fly?" Peyton asked, approaching the dragon. She reached out and touched the scaley neck when it was in reach, fearing that once she made contact the creature would disappear. But it continued to stand there, tall and strong and alive as ever.


"My thoughts exactly." The dragon replied with another chuckle, waiting until Peyton was halfway on before taking off into the sky. Caught off guard, the girl tumbled down the creatures back and only just kept a grip on it's tail. "Were you not ready, little human?" The Illusintum said with a hearty guffaw. The sound was contagious and whatever anger had sparked from the dragon's behavior washed away as Peyton laughed as well, gripping to the tail until it was held over the dragon's back. She let go and fell onto it's back, avoiding the spikes before gripping onto the one in front of her.


"I was born ready for anything."

 

[Syrenrei]

Anja Lieselotte Seidel


Anja trudged through the forest, hugging herself for warmth. Snow had been softly falling for hours now and the normally lively landscape was filled with silence. The pervasive quiet echoed through her and made her shiver more than the cold itself. The world felt hollow with wildlife hiding in their den or curled up beneath an evergreeen laden with snow and ice. Even the growl of the nearest alpha wolf would have been welcome. The boots she wore were old but warm and made for a man whose feet were larger than hers; she had compensated by wearing no less than four pairs of socks. With each step her boots sunk down into the white sea. Thirty minutes ago it had been up to her mid-calf but now it neared her knee. Anja's leg muscles had begun to burn some time ago and now she felt them quivering slightly as she drew closer to home. She had grossly underestimated the distance and the toll inclement weather would take on her. Snow had been expected but not quite in this volume- yesterday had been so clear and bright! With a gloved hand she wiped sweat off her brow and rubbed her nose to restore feeling. Once she was home she was certain she'd not venture so far for a while. In her mind she pictured a blazing fire roaring in her hearth and enough logs to hibernate for a week.





Beside her was a feral dog that had undoubtedly descended from someone's pets- perhaps a husky or malamute? There weren't as many books about dog breeds as Anja had hoped to find but she supposed that was the price for the world depending so much on electronics. In her desolate piece of the world electricity had long been obliterated by people and natural disasters. She had gathered as many printed books as she could find but most of it had been works of fiction. The beast striding by her hip was definitely a mutt but she resigned herself to not knowing his lineage. It didn't really matter. All the dogs in the area had formed packs and any pure bloodlines were long since crossed. Half-wolves could be seen in packs of both creatures as well.


Finally the cabin was in sight. Each step was now accompanied by a crunch as the tread of her boot found an abandoned gravel road. Her canine friend edged over towards where there was grass underfoot instead, creating a healthy distance of perhaps fifteen feet between the pair. When Anja glanced to him he showed no signs of slowing or changing his mind about their destination. Had she been able to ask him and he respond, she would have sworn he was more excited about the cabin in the distance than she was. His tongue rolled out of his mouth and he began to catch errant snowflakes as he jogged along.


Down from the gray clouds spiraled a large object, its size somewhat concealed in the flurries that swirled in the air. Anja's heart jumped into her throat and she stood still. The dog halted too before it growled in fear and backed to be beneath a barren tree. Had it simply been a delusion induced by fatigue? Airplanes were a distant memory and Anja doubted there were any satellites still in orbit that could conceivably crash to the ground. A meteor? No, it moved quickly but visibly and a meteorite would have been a bolt in the sky. Her curiosity made her hesitate as it drew closer. Chapped blue lips parted as she caught glimpses of glimmering gold.


And then it landed. She was not blinded but her eyes and her mind were having strong disagreements about reality. A magnificent being, a dragon, that looked as if it had been torn out of the pages of a biblical story. Aureate horns, claws, and tips of wings graced the beast as well as a breathtaking mane that matching its pearly scales. Anja should have been scared but she was simply too shocked to be. A beautiful halo danced above its regal head that denoted it was a benevolent figure. Could it be trusted? Her reaction to any animal a fraction of this size would have been to run like hell and hope there's a place to escape nearby but... she did not. How could she outrun a dragon? Where would she run too? Adrenaline pumped through her at the sight but even that could not carry her far with the exhaustion that crippled her.


"I did not mean to frighten you, small one." The voice in her head was loud yet tender. Anja was still considering running as long as hard as she could but the dragon didn't seem aggressive. If anything it seemed... sincerely apologetic?


"T-that's all right," she heard herself say hoarsely. The dog had decided he had enough of the lumbering giant and had abandoned Anja. What the hell else could she say. Was she reassuring a dragon? She rubbed her eyes with her arm but nothing changed.


"I'm here to take you to the other humans," the dragon continued when it was clear Anja was dumbfounded.


"Aren't you cold?" Anja blurted out. Brilliant. Clearly the best way to engage a dragon in dialogue was to question its comfort. The dragon looked as surprised as a dragon could by this question. "I mean, if you're a dragon... scales... like a reptile... I... nevermind." Perhaps only talking to things that couldn't talk back had made Anja more awkward than she realized.


"I am fine, but thank you," the voice responded with warmth. "My kind is called Angelis, but you can call me what is easiest for you."





"Your kind? So that isn't your name? Wait, you said there were other humans?" Anja was becoming increasingly confused by this entire situation. Had exposure to the elements and isolation made her go mad? Before the Angelis could respond she found herself inching closer and closer. The dragon patiently waited to see what Anja was doing with no objection. When she was only a few feet away she removed her gloves, revealing long fingers pink with cold, and touched the closest scale with the very tip. When it felt solid and warm she fell back into the snow, staring up at the towering dragon.


"There are twelve others. I have been sent to bring you to the rest so that you can leave this world, small one."





Anja licked her lips and stared some more. Perhaps it was a delusion but it was the best that had ever happened since the apocalypse. Tears rushed to the edges of her eyes as she considered seeing another human being- any human being- and being away from this place. Survival had been her immediate goal but this was hope for more. She was slightly afraid of asking too many questions and having the Angelis rescind the offer, as patient as she seemed to be.


"Anja, my name is Anja. Can I call you... Aurora? Would that be all right?" Anja shoved her glove back on her hand and got back to her feet with what little dignity she had intact.


"I would be honored, Anja. We should gather your things," Aurora offered. She extended a wing over Anja to shield her from the snow.


"I have a few things to get if you don't mind," Anja admitted bashfully. The two slowly made their way to the cabin, Anja huddling closer and closer to Aurora for the radiating warmth. Aurora let Anja think to herself and offered protection until they were at the the threshold which she was admittedly too tall to enter. Anja gathered what she could in a backpack: a couple T-shirts rolled into as small a size as possible, a few pairs of underwear, a half dozen pairs of socks, a poncho, a bowl and spoon, a metal bottle for water, bandages, bags of medicine in bottles she had scavenged from the nearest cities, scissors, a knife, a lighter, her journal, two pencils, and three pens. She stripped out of her current clothes and put on a fresh change, including her heaviest winter coat, and a scarf that almost engulfed her face, before she stepped outside.


"Are you ready?"





"I'm ready if you are," Anja stated. She was shaking slightly with anxiety. It was hard for her to decide which was more exciting- a dragon or other human beings after so much time alone. Aurora lowered herself as much as she was able and Anja climbed onto her back, scrambling up to where the mane was on her neck. She wrapped some of the hair around both her hands to hold on. Once she was secure Aurora lifted into the sky and began their journey to Greenland.

 

[DrCompton]

Johnny Compton and Pup





Johnny stood in the batter's box, watching the game, chewing a large wad of gum that he stuffed into his lower lip like it was dip. He took practice swings as the Astro's pitcher tossed three perfect strikes, knocking the Mighty Casey out. The Rangers were down by two, with runners on First and Second. It was the bottom of the ninth, two outs. Johnny was nervous, he could feel it in his gut, he strode up to the batter's box, high fiving Casey, who'd just wished Johnny good luck. The first throw was another perfect strike. Johnny hadn't swung, he'd just watched the 95 mile per hour ball speed by. When the second pitch came, he swung and missed. He held his hand up, signaling time to the Umpire and backed out, taking a quick relaxing swing before stepping back into the box. Johnny tightened his grip on the bat and the ball was released from the pitcher's hand. A beautiful strike, right down the middle. Johnny swung with all his might and the clack of the ball hitting the bat echoed in the stadium. It was going, going gone. Johnny did the bat flip and jumped up running around the bases, the stadium was going nuts, cheers, people hugging. The defeated team all looking at the ground as Johnny rounded the third base, he saw his team there, all cheering him on. With glee he jumped up and planted his feet on the home base.


With a sigh he looked around at the empty ball park, the only sound was the rusting pitching machine's belt going at 95 miles per hour. Johnny had wired up the pitching machine to a solar panel system the stadium used. He walked over and unplugged it, picking it up and carrying it into the dugout tunnel. He put everything back to how he'd found it when he first broke into the Arlington Ballpark about... What was it? Six years now? It'd become his home base and he'd spent the last few years fixing up the locker room to be his. He'd shut down most of the power to the park, and it was dead simple for him to put power where he wanted it, it'd been one of the first fixes he'd done when he figured he was the last human alive. He walked out of the stadium, imagining fans asking for his autograph, but him politely declining. After all, the eligible bachelor had a hot date across town. He got onto his bike, and pedaled away.





As Johnny traversed the city, the ramps he'd built and roads he discovered all remained all untouched, as they had been for years. He strolled up to a real fancy restaurant. At least, it had been at one point. Johnny was convinced he could go through this whole city with his eyes closed. He almost tested the theory, until a shadow zipped past him.


"And there she goes gentlemen. There goes my sanity." Johnny was convinced, as he watched the magnificent beast fly over him and swoop down, that he'd finally lost his mind for real.





"Oh boy, Oh boy my human, My human!" The Horned Knight had spotted Johnny as he was leaving the stadium and almost swooped down to greet him then. The Knight's tail as zipping and popping with an electricity showing its excitement. He flew from side to side, watching his very own human pedal through the abandoned city streets, before finally angling down and flying over, then turning and landing on the empty street. The excited Knight couldn't help but stomp in excitement like a dog who's owner returned just as the dog had given up hope of ever seeing it's human again. "Its you! You're my human! Come on! Lets go! We've got to go!" The Horned Knight swung it's tail wildly, the electricity popping off the street lights, bursting them. It looked like fantastic fireworks introducing the dragon to Johnny.





"Well. What do you mean Im yours pal? You're mine aint you? You ain't real. Are you?" Johnny raised and eye brown, and then the Horned Knight sat down, its tail still sliding across the ground back and forth, it's electricity leaving a burned arc behind it.





"Oh right. Um. Yeah. No. Im real. You're one of the last humans here on your planet, and me and 12 other.. Um. Dragons, I think thats what your kind call us, We're here to rescue you. Im gonna take you to the others right now, we can leave right now!" The Horned Knight stood back up, its feet stomping again, causing Johnny to stumble a little. Johnny held up his hands, trying to get the Knight to calm down.


"Wait, there are others? Other.. Humans, I mean." Johnny looked down and scratched his head. Even if this was fake, it was pretty cool, in fact Johnny was pretty stoke he'd lost his sanity at this point, no one else was gonna call him weird. So he just shrugged and accepted it. "Well bud, I guess you know my name.. But in case you don't, its Johnathon, but everybody around calls me Johnny. Whats yours?"





"My name!" The Horned Knight's tail swung wildly, "I am a Horned Knight, that's the easiest name for you to call me. The Dragons call my kind Pouparon. What would you like to call me?"





Johnny walked up to Pouparon, his head going from side to side, watching the tail swing like an excited Puppy. "I had a dog growing up... Before the war, and I remember coming home from baseball games and when I did, the little Pup would swing its tail around hitting my Daddy in the legs... Thats what you remind me. That Puppy.... Hows about I call you Pup?"





Pup nodded eagerly, "Yes. That sounds amazing." Pup turned around, sitting down, then looked over his shoulder at Johnny, a clear invitation that he wanted Johnny to come, so the two could leave and go to the others.





"Well before we go Pup, we gotta go back to the ball park so I can grab some stuff, okay?" Johnny walked up and mounted Pup with an odd familiarity, like the duo were made for each other. "We should come up with a catch phrase. Something we can say right before we take off."





"Catchphrase!" With that, Pup jumped and took off, spinning around and heading toward the ball park. A scared Johnny lowered his body against Pup's back, wrapping his arms around as much as he could, before slowly peaking over Pup's head, seeing the city of Dallas in a way he'd never imagined he could.

 

[ViAdvena]

Adrian Ross


The night had fallen. As the sky darkened, temperature began to drop. Even in the dim light he could see his own breath turning white before him. Having been accustomed to cold weather for so long, it didn't bother Adrian as much as it used to be. But it's still not wise to be out after the dark, not when the array of lamps that used to illuminate the street were long gone and wild animals freely wander in what once was human's territories.


Although despite no lamps, he didn't have much difficulty to see his path. The sky was clear tonight, letting the moon shine through. The sky was always clear since last year with no more smokes or artificial light to block them. Stars now shining at their brightest and he could see the Milky Way across the sky. A sight that decades ago only visible in remote area or through telescope due to the light pollution. Only now there's no other human left to appreciate it.


As he gazed at the sky, he caught several foreign lights in it. Adrian wasn't as well-versed in constellations as his sister, but he was sure a star formation like that wasn't there yesterday. And then he noticed that the lights were moving. Could it be a plane? As he saw it, the formation of light shone stronger. No, not stronger. They got closer.


Adrian unconsciously stepped back as what he thought as a moving light unfolded itself into a majestic sight. A creature of legends and ancient tales, swiftly landed before his very eyes. Its wings spread wide around them, both delicate and sharp as if each layers was carved from ice. The shimmering blue scales that covered them looked like its own galaxy, shining in their own light. The creature lowered its gaze to look eye to eye to him, and a soft but regal voice entered his mind.


"Greetings, human."

For the longest time Adrian was silent, his eyes opened wide as he stared at the dragon. Finally, he blinked. Still without a word, he looked down and picked up the backpack that he didn't realized he dropped before. Then without looking at the dragon, he did something the dragon didn't really expect.


He walked past the dragon as if it didn't exist.


Something was cutting through the air, and Ian raised his arm out of reflex. He found himself catching the tail that blocked his path. "Don't you know it's rude to ignore someone who greet you?" The dragon purred, although it didn't sound the slightest bit offended. "You should at least greet back."


Ian glanced over his shoulder. "My apologize." He smiled and turned around to face the dragon. "I wasn't certain whether you are real or just a figment of my imagination. I see you are real enough to prevent me from doing what I want."


"I'm as real as the ground you step on, human." It replied, its tail slowly lowered now that it's clear the human wasn't going to run. "But you are forgiven for thinking otherwise. Our last contact with your kind was millennia ago, we might as well become a stuff of myth."


It brought back the memory of the past, of the confined space filled with saved books of theory and fiction. "You are." Adrian confirmed. "Most of us never thought dragons are real." He looked up at the dragon. "It's an honor to see the proof that such majestic creature does exist."


"Then it's also an honor to enlighten you." It said with dignified tone, but Ian could detect a bit of pride seeping into their voice. "Now that it was cleared, let me resume our halted introduction." It lowered their head a bit, and for him it looked like the dragon's equivalent of bowing. "I am the dragon of Flourantic born, or Spectral Midnight in your language, entrusted with a duty to bring you to Greenland where you will meet your fellow human."


The mention of other human brought a torrent of emotion in him. "There's another?" His calm tone didn't mirror his feeling at all. "How many of them?"


"There's twelve others beside you." The dragons answered. "The other dragons also should have met their assigned human by now."


Twelve. After years of solitude, the number sound plenty to him. Yet the other part of his brain also recognized it as a very small number. "Are they the only human left, or are they only the ones that have met your kind?"


"The only human left." It answered.


"...I see." So this is what state humanity had reduced into. The dragon's statement popped another question into his mind. "Who tasked you to come after me?"


"A higher being," it said softly, "but it doesn't matter for now." The dragon bent its knees to the ground, and Adrian interpreted it as a gesture to ride it. "I understand you have plenty of questions, human, but our time is limited. You can ask the rest of your questions in our journey. For now, we must leave this place as soon as possible."


The whole thing could be a trap. This creature could turn up to be not as benevolent as it initially seems. Or everything could be an illusion from living alone for so long. But despite every possibilities he could think of, Ian found himself easily agree to this request. "Alright." With that he climbed onto the dragon's back. Getting up was quite a challenge, but once he was on top of them, it felt so natural, as if he had done it for years. The scales felt hard yet smooth under his palm. It's cold, but not biting. "You said your species name is Flourantic," Ian spoke once he was stable on his position, "but what is your name?"


Maybe it's a trick of light, but for a moment a faint smile appeared on the dragon. "It's not something a human can pronounce. Also, if translated into your language, my name would means 'A descendant of one who brings the element of life and living between the circling stars who before ages was a guide to the ethereal part of the galaxy'. It certainly would be impractical for you to call me that." It said matter-of-factly. "However, you can bestow another name to me."


Quiet for a moment. "Florence," Adrian finally said, "flourishing, prosperous. Do you find it to your liking?"


The dragon seemed pleased. "Sound like a befitting name for me." they commented. The dragon's wings once again spread open, and in the blink of an eye they launched into the night sky. "I'm yet to know your own name, human." It said between the wind. "Or shall I bestow another name to you too?"


The question was met with a soft chuckle. "My name isn't that hard to pronounce." Ian said. "I'm Adrian. A pleasure to meet you, Florence."

 

[Prizzy Kriyze]

Matteo Steele


Quiet. Very quiet. Pretty damn cold too; although the latter hardly bothered him. A faint line of smoke rose from his mouth as he sat cross-legged in the snow at the entrance to the bunker. Before him laid the binder where all the information the surviving minds of the base had written down some 7-8 years ago. In the distance there was nothing. In the surrounding area there was nothing. Only in the immediate vicinty there was sound, the occasional sharp smoke-inhales and the flicking of paper.


The snow had come along and laid down the law. No more sounds, no more nothing. At least the sun went down every once in a while now. Trying to keep track of time when there was a midnight sun out was terrible, and Matteo had only just recovered from the sleep deprivation. He was draped in heavy clothes to keep out the chilling environment, save for his right hand and face. He needed that for the smoking, and it was already slightly heated up by the cigarette itself.


He took another puff, clicked with his tongue piercing against his teeth and flipped another page. The wind picked up ever so slightly, forcing Matteo to hold the paper down. Another puff, a click with his tongue, and another page. Typical, boring, everyday life. All sorts of things sticking out of the snow in the courtyard proved that he did plenty of other things for fun though. Supply box forts, guns lying around, et cetera... Today was a slow day though.


Unlike the wind. Snow started whipping up from the ground, and defeatedly Matteo stuffed the binder into his backpack. He couldn't read when the world was trying to rip his book from his hands. He flicked the cigarette butt in an arch across the snow and was just about to turn back into the bunker when he realized something was off. The warmth from the cigarette never seemed to leave his hand, nor his mouth for that matter. In fact, it was getting unbearably hot inside his uniform. "I'm not getting hypothermia or somethin' am I?" He silently thought, but when he noticed that some of the snow seemed to be melting it became reality.


He threw the thickest jacket into the snow, and realized that it was in fact getting warm. These winds brought hot air from somewhere, and he had no idea what that meant.


Well, until the winds stopped and the ground shook. A sound as if someone had dropped a cruise ship onto the bunker was heard, and in shock Matteo spun around and could not believe his eyes. Atop the bunker there was an enormous beast, radiating enough heat that the snow in the courtyard rapidly melted. What the fuck.


"Human."


Matteo just stared. A motherloving dragon had just dropped onto his home. Holy shit what the fuck. Where do you go from here? What do you do? It's talking in your head for fuck's sake get a grip man!


"Human!"


Out of reflex Matteo bowed down and fished a 9mm pistol out of the snow and pointed it up at the dragon. What he intended do? He didn't even know himself, he hated guns, but it certainly felt necessary to have something dangerous in-between him and the FUCKING DRAGON. The red-hot creature looked down at him, and its glare betrayed a fire behind its eyes that it could never physically compare to. It was pissed.


"And what do you think you're doing with THAT, you insect?" Matteo was dumbfounded. It's not like he expected this thing to actually react to anything he did here. It shouldn't be able to talk, much less exist! "Well-" He was instantly cut off by the largest coughing fit he'd ever experienced. He hadn't talked in God knows how long, and he could feel it. "-uh, -- cough, cough -- honestly I don't know, -- cough, cough-- man. Shit, --cough squeal from hell-- I don't even like guns." With but a moment's hesitation he tossed it over his shoulder back into the snow. "Bet it wouldn't even scratch you, would it?" He added, with a "I'm-not-sure-if-this-is-even-real-but-I'll-go-with-it" look on his face.


"You're right about that, don't you dare challenge me again. Puny human." The dragon echoed in his head. Once more, he was just left there with little to say and a dumbfounded look. "Well, alright. Uh. So what now? Are you like going to eat me or somethin'? I'd really like, uh, like it if you didn't. Just sayin'." The dragon turned it's head to one side, and made a face as if to say 'Are you stupid?'. "Are you always like this, human?"


"No, just when I'm in a state of shock and faced with a dragon in broad daylight. Are you sure you're real?" Fire spewed out of its nostrils as it growled. "This is not the time for humor, human. We have to go." It seemed as if it had been caught in a bad mood, or maybe it just wasn't one for jokes. Matteo was stunned for another few seconds, then took a deep breath.


"Okay, alright, okay. Sorry, just give me a second to digest this, I have too many question. First of all, you communicate, so you're self-aware. Do you have a name?" What followed is best described as a dragon scoffing, but honestly, even Matteo as a first-hand witness isn't sure. He/she/it seemed to calm down though, and gave a much less piercing glare now. "I am Abdsurtirultnyr, of the powerful Lavolcans."


Matteo had calmed down considerably, and was actually doing his best to concentrate on what he was being told. "Sorry, Lavolcans?" Pride seemed to gush out of the dragon as it raised its head and replied "It is my race, human, translated to your tongue, it would mean Blazing Glory!" A cloud of fire escaped its mouth at the reveal, and Matteo couldn't help but to give a faint smile at its enthusiasm. "That's certainly a name to be proud of." He said. "But why are you here? Where are you taking me?"


"I am here because I've been ordered to assist you, and reunite you with the other ten or so of your puny race so you don't face extinction, human." A pack of smokes appeared out of Matteo's pocket. "Ten or so... I'm going to need a smoke to cope with this." He whispered, then immediately spoke up "That's pretty selfless, you have my thanks, Abdsu... uh..." Abdsurtirultnyr was a mouthful, and also an upset dragon. It sighed out another puff of fire and said "It's too much for your feeble minds, I understand. Just give me another name for your own sake."


He got to name his own dragon? Nice. Something pertaining to fire and destruction, huh? "Alright, uh... how about Gehenna?" The Dragon looked pleased, and twisted its head with curiosity. "That does have a nice ring to it. Now are you ready? We have to leave sometime today." Well, maybe gaining this dragon's friendship wasn't the easiest thing. "Uh... no, I'm going to have to pack if we're going anywhere." Annoyed by the reply, the dragon shouted "Hurry up then, before I burn this place to the ground!"


That got Matteo on his feet. "Alright, alright! Just give me a minute!" He disappeared into the bunker, and the dragon decided to lie down atop it. "Slow human."


Somewhere from deep inside the bunker an echo was heard.


"MY NAME IS MATT!"

 

[Necessity4Fun]

Ophelie Portier

In contrast to the cold night that had just ended, a warm morning sunlight reached through the construction archway and dragged Ophelie out of her sleep.


For how long had she rested and what time was it? Those were questions that could no longer be answered. All the girl knew was that she felt full of energy again. But energy for what, though? The world as she knew was gone, consumed by war and she had travelled this far, towards the city, to discover that she was all alone now, and there wasn't anyone else around, just silence and ruins.

Lie wanted to cry, but she had already did so in the past nights and it had done nothing to ease her pain. She wanted to stop, to become inert, to give up, but her father's last words echoed through her head and wouldn't allow it. Why had God chosen her instead of her dad? He would know what to do now, at least, a lot more than her! So why? There wasn't anything else for her to do, she couldn't change back time and fix this and she couldn't save the dead...


The girl's thoughts were interrupted by the fast whooshing sound of something passing by.


At first, Ophelie considered it was just the wind. Perhaps the fallen buildings had made a weird passageway for it to go through which resulted in that strange noise? But when it was followed by a soft thump and part of the light coming through the door vanished, as if it had been blocked, her theory got discarded.


She took out the coat, that she had been using as a blanket last night, from above her and finally got up, while using the wall beside her as a support. Not knowing what to expect, Lie left the building, carrying her poor excuse for a spear.


Outside, in contrast to the white and sandy view of numerous constructions in pieces, it's ruins above each other, was a purple creature she thought only to be real in children's fantasies, or, maybe she's still dreaming?


She let go of the spear in surprise and both beings stood looking at each other for a while, before the dragon decided to start talking:


"Greetings, Child of Man. I was sent here to take you.", the voice that echoed in her mind was that of a teenager boy, with some reverb along to it. Oddly amusing.

If the mighty beast wasn't in front of her right now, Lie might have thought a friendly but very, very formal 15 year old had found his way to her:


"To take me? Take me where? A-Am I still asleep? ...Is this a dream?", she asked filled with confusion.


The creature seemed a little uncomfortable with the sudden shower of questions, but soon regained his calm and answered properly:


"Yes, to take you to meet the remaining Children of Man and their, I believe you call us 'dragons'?", it seemed to ponder for a while before complementing, "And no, you're not asleep... or dreaming."


Upon hearing there were still humans alive, Ophelie stopped listening and was lost in her thoughts again. It didn't matter whether this was a dream or not anymore! Lie wanted to believe in it, she needed to believe those were God's plans to her. She had been spared to help that group of survivors...


"H-How many of us are left? Are they hurt? You HAVE to take me there!"


The girl's sudden loudness startled the purple dragon. It flinched a little before attempting to answer to her questionings to the best of his ability, still quite troubled:


"C-Calm down, Child of Man. I have not met the others yet, we'll meet them together, and as such, I do not know their state... I however, know with certainty that excluding yourself, there are 12 others...", it tried it's best to soothe her apprehension, "As I said, I will take you there, but, don't you have possessions to bring along first?"


"Ah...", having a big purple dragon sound more logical than herself was quite a shock, still, she DID had things to bring along, things that would be useful for both her and the others, the 12 others... She would do her best to help those 12, "...You're Right. I'm sorry for shouting... It's just, I had almost started thinking I was all alone..."


"I understand it, Child of Man and you're forgiven.", It spoke in a kind voice while also bending it's head down, like a bow.


"I'm Ophelie, but you can call me Lie.", It seemed like they were going to be together for a while, it was better if they got to know each other. Speaking of that... "What should I call you?"


"L-Lie?", the dragon repeated after her, getting used to the sound of the name. After the girl nodded telling him he was right, it proceeded to answer the question, "My kind is called Gentasine, I believe it translates to 'Shinning Moon' in your language."


"Huh... Gentasine? Gentasine, Getasine, Getasin, Geta?...", She murmured to herself thinking of an easier way to pronounce the name, "...May I call you Geta?"


For a split of second, it seemed like the dragon had smiled at her before replying: "Of course you can, Child- I mean, Lie."


The girl smiled at her new companion's slip of tongue. She was really glad to have someone to talk to again, "Now that's done...Where are we headed anyway?"


And with that she came to know they were headed to Greenland. Good thing she had a scarf and a coat with her.


Leaving Geta outside for a while, Ophelie came came inside her provisory home and grabbed anything that was her's and would be useful: In the backpack there were already medical provisions, as in 2 meters of bandages, a bottle of Alcohol, a pack of needles, some suture line and a pair of Surgical Gloves, and other things like, 4 hair scrunchies, a half-used bottle of insect repellent and the water bottle. Along with that she packed 10 Cereal bars and both, a sunhat with a couple of holes and an umbrella, she had found lying around. Lie put on the coat and scarf before leaving again, this time for real.


In front of the entrance, Geta had already taken a crouched position to make it easier for her to mount on him. Lie grabbed her handmade spear from the sandy ground before attempting to do so. She thought it would be hard to mount anything without any kind of saddle, but, in fact, it turned out to be quite easy.


Upon gently tapping the dragon's back, the Shinning Moon started raising himself from the floor, slow and careful, as Ophelie watched the city of Ludhiana get smaller and smaller bellow her. Soon enough, behind her could be seem the old border between India and Pakistan, and even further behind, the desert she had wandered through in the past month. It was being left behind and with it both good and bad memories.


Giving the disappearing desert a last, melancholic but longing look, the girl whispered to herself:


"Rest in Peace and, Goodbye Dad...", Finally coming to terms with the fact that Gilen Portier wasn't coming back.

 

[chamomile]

LYDIA KANE

Lydia sighed as she glanced down the height of the building, the sight of the ground below making her feet shudder. Her skin was grimy, her dull red hair deteriorating and underneath her eyes was black rings, proof of her rather difficult sleeping schedule. Her jacket was tight around her waist, exposing her bare shoulders to a tan. It was one of those days did she leave the protection of her home base, to have a walk in the fresh hot air of her Australian home, a continent as barren as how deeply lonely she feels. The walk was meant as a weekly exercise, a way for her to find useful scraps, possibly a somewhat relaxing coping mechanism. But each step she takes is just a reminder that the world around her is an empty wasteland conquered by nothing but wild animals. Her walk ended up somewhere on the rooftops, with a rifle slung over her shoulder and a pair binoculars in her calloused hands.


Lydia hasn't seen a human around for months, and the last person she saw was...


Her hands wandered to fiddle with her faux piercings, unbeknownst to her that her eyes were starting to water. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she sniffled. She wiped the wet trail with her dirty, blackened palm before placing an arm where her eyes are and rubbed frustratingly. Lydia didn't want to cry. Nobody would care. She doomed herself to loneliness anyway.


In an attempt to distract herself, she looked out into the nothingness of Perth through her binoculars, for probably the sixth time. And yet, she still sees nothing- wait. Is that a giant bird?


Lydia could hear beating wings, coming from a speck in the distance, and judging from that, she concluded that it was probably strong and massive. What on earth could that possibly be? It landed on a nearby building, by that she means the opposite building. Its silhouette was showing a creature with impossible features, size as well as existence. The creature moved head around the building, perhaps scanning the ground for tasty morsels like her. She just had to make sure. Lydia found a rock nearby, lightweight, decent size. Her arm steadies as she aims.


The rock flew.


She didn't meant for it to hit whatever that shadow was. Just to attract its attention. And it did, the rock echoing on impact. The creature's neck whipped towards her, its eyes contrasting greatly with its dark skin. This might be a bad idea. But, too late. It jumped, wings stretched, gliding towards her. Lydia faced it as it landed. Broad wings. A long neck. With scales covering every inch of its enormous body. This...


"Hello human, thank you for telling me where you are. I'm not very good at finding small things like you." said a voice in her head. The voice wasn't hers, and by power of deduction, she concluded it was the dragon's. It was male, with a soothing and velvety quality to it, as well as some arrogant posh. She could listen to that voice all day. "How are you?" Friendly? Sure. Trustworthy? Maybe not. But dragon? Wha-


"I dunno." she mumbled, dumbfounded and speechless at the view before her. "You're a dragon."


"Indeed I am." it agreed cheerfully, though she could hear a small bit of a sigh hidden within his words. She was already difficult, Lydia assumed. "What's your name?"


"Lydia. Call me Liddy, or Mouse." she answered reluctantly.


"I can see how Mouse would suit you. Hello M-"


"Just, what's going on? Why are you here? Who are you?" she interrupted. Questions. Too, many, questions. Questions flying in and out, swooping through her thoughts, causing more confusion and disbelief. He didn't comment on her rudeness, something she finds herself grateful for. His talons shifted and he sat. The building they stood on rumbled. The dragon doesn't seem to be worried. He proceeded to tell her of his origins, mysterious higher entities, twelve other human survivors.


"And me? I'm me. Hirador, of the Sidiablo dragon species. One of the best, if I do say so myself." he announced, it's chest puffing up and shoulders broaden. It gave her a closer look at the scales on his skin, and they gleamed with marvelous darkness. "Sidiablo translates to Skybeast in your language."


"Oh." she responded. Everything sunk in, and she was quiet. Dragons, other dragons, other humans, other entities. Does she have any other questions? Of course she does. Maybe the questions are best for another time. There are other, more important enquiries she feels the need to be insistent about. "Mr. Hirador, you're a dragon."


"Ah, yes. Back to the crux of the matter." he exhaled, swishing his head with every syllable he spoke. "Yes, I am, as you say, a dragon. I've been one for a long time now."


"Am I goin' mad?"


"Hopefully not."


"Are you fair dinkum? Are you actually real?"


He paused, then tilted his dragon head. Probably to interpret the definition of 'fair dinkum'. Lydia wasn't sure if space dragons could understand Australian slang but she remained silent. "Presumably."


"You mean you're not sure if you're real or not?"


The dragon head shook. "Oh I'm certain, though I may be wrong. I've seen stranger things, little Lydia." Hirador faltered, his head turned so that his eyes are able to examine her. His head gave another quizzical tilt. His snout approached closer to her and Lydia didn't flinched when his scales gently made contact with her face. "Are you alright? You look horrid. I don't think that's a good thing for humans." He must've noticed her dark eyes, maybe the tear stains, or maybe her incredibly burnt skin.


Lydia subconsciously tried to cover her face. "No, I'm perfectly fine." she assured him, straightening her spine and readjusting the straps of her rifle as well as the binoculars hanging around her neck. "It's just gettin' too hot." She lied. Being honest, she felt as if she could faint, not from the heat, but from this overwhelming encounter with a dragon. She just couldn't wrap her head around it, and her mind was absolutely stubborn.


"Maybe you should shave that hair on your head." he suggested, then yawned. His pink maw and dreaded monstrous teeth bared. "It looks useless."


"Maybe you can use those wings of yours, to bring me somewhere nicer." she snapped, and shook away the nagging dizzy sensation. "Don't you know what hair means to a female human?"


He did some sort of shrug, his head bent down paired with his slowly wagging tail moving side to side. She took it to mean 'sorry, just my opinion'. "Perhaps Greenland would make you feel better. That's where we're heading first."


"Wow, Greenland. Isn't that place cold? Yeah, freezing to death would definitely help." Lydia said sarcastically. She didn't own a jacket capable of sustaining that cold temperature, and she doubts that a scarf could cover up her legs and abdomen.


"You were just complaining how hot it is." Her new dragon companion pointed out.


"And I would complain about the cold because I don't like it." she replied irritably, gesturing at her revealing choice of clothing. "Now let's just go. Could you stop by my place? I need to get some things."


"Then climb on." Hirador said, offering her some assistance by lowering his neck. Her legs hung uselessly as his spine rose from the ground. She readjusted her straps, holding Hirador's neck tightly. "Ready?"


"Don't get me killed." was all she had to say.


He laughed and they dived, moving parallel to the side of the building. Hirador's wings were folded and they fell fast, Lydia finding herself screaming with thrill. Wings opened and the wind carried them upwards, gliding peacefully in the midst of the clouds, where skyscrapers penetrated, well, the sky. They arrived at her base, Hirador peeking through the tiny window openings as she packed, a conversation was bound to spark. And it did.


"You know, Hirador, you're nice for a dragon." she casually mentions while she packs her womanly toiletries. She was going to need every single one. Then followed by scarves and extra bits of clothing. Lydia already wiped away her tear stains.


"How so?" he prompted.


"You have this oddly pleasant voice, you're polite and somewhat concerned about my well bein'." she said, before proceeding to shove a few chocolate bars, a blanket and her diary inside her bag.


"I am very charming."


She chuckled, the idea of having this dragon be her companion becoming more appealing by the second. Lydia tackled her backpack as she forced it to close. "Like a gentleman!" she exclaims.


He laughs another velvety smooth laugh. "I wouldn't call myself that. I'm not exactly a gentleman in other aspects." Hirador admitted. "And Liddy, you don't have to call me Hirador. I would appreciate a nickname."


"Unlikely. Well not yet. Not until I see your other aspects." she said.


If his facial expressions was easier to read, Lydia should know that a mocking frown would be on his countenance. "I was looking forward to one!" he whined, as if he was about to sulk. "You've ruined my mood."


"As I tend to do to myself." she said proudly and mounted. She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist and looked back at her bunker as they flew on. If only they could see this, she thought.