To Catch a Unicorn [DragonSong]

[Juno]

Kynton huffed and rolled his eyes at that, not really believing her to be genuine. "You don't have to be polite. Or nice. I know I'm not a pleasant person. Probably better this way anyway." He grumbled the last, his mood souring at the sudden thought that he might miss her quirky cheerfulness once he was gone.

The idea of visiting didn't seem so bad if he got a little magical help out of it, but how would that ever happen once she belonged to someone else? And he doubted she would even want to see him if he could bring himself to follow through with leading her all the way there just to turn her over. It was for the best if he could manage not to get her hopes up. Somehow the idea of disappointing her was very unsettling.

[DragonSong]

"But I'm not being polite," Bella protested, genuinely surprised by his reaction. "Really. I like you. I like talking to you."

Sure he was a little surly, but honestly his personality was so different from hers that she found all those pieces of him fascinating.

[Juno]

Liked talking to him? He couldn't fathom why.

He tilted his head, staring wide-eyed at the unicorn like she'd just explained the impossible to him. "You- What? There are much...better humans than me. Friendly. Nice. Decent people. I'm not one of 'em," he added, raising a brow questioningly as if he expected her to just accept that and correct herself.

[DragonSong]

Bella shook her head firmly. "Maybe. But I like you."

That silver glitter in the air around her again, the hint of a smile, and she added, "Besides, not everyone can talk to unicorns. Or see us, for that matter, not unless someone points us out. You're special, Kynton."

[Juno]

"They can't? How- What? Really?" He'd stopped again without realizing it, still staring but now with a rather dumbfounded disbelief. How in the world could he be special enough for something like that? Even before his little accident he was, in his mind, a very unremarkable human with a very dull life.

"Why wouldn't someone be able to see you? Do you, um, have a way of hiding yourself? A...mask or something?" Or the magical equivalent. The word camouflage was frustratingly out of reach for him at the moment. The talking he could at least believe. Maybe that had something to do with magic. He hoped that meant she might have had a bit of protection from his companions overhearing her after all, though he wasn't sure what might stop them from seeing him as a little crazy if they were within earshot.

[DragonSong]

Another tinkling laugh and Bella shook her head slightly. "No. No mask. It's...difficult to explain. All animals can see us except humans- or, well, some other two-leggers I suppose. If you have that...innocence? Yes, innocence, or something like it, then you can see what we really are. If not, you'd just a see a white doe, maybe a small mare."

[Juno]

While he understood her words it still made no sense to him why he was special enough for it.

Innocence. He didn't think he had any, so it was puzzling.

"So...maybe they wouldn't know if they can't see on their own," he mumbled distractedly, his thoughts far off into the future. Perhaps she would be able to keep her freedom if he never truly said what she was, if they might not notice without his help.

[DragonSong]

"Yes." She looked to the other three humans. "You told them what I am, so they can see me now. The female might have been able to do it on her own...but I'm not sure."

[Juno]

Kynton nodded distractedly, flushing a little as he struggled to correct himself. "I was thinking too far ahead. Humans you haven't met yet," he explained, though only after did he realize it might be unusual for him to want to hide her existence.

"I'll worry about they later, but... I guess I'm happy you don't hate me yet." He managed to crack a rare, playful smile at that.

[DragonSong]

"Hmph." Bella tossed her head and swished her tail at him, tapping his hip. "Of course I don't hate you. You seem quite determined that I should though," she noted with a curious tilt of her head.

[Juno]

He gave a grunt at that, reaching out again to scratch gently behind her ears while shoving his other hand in his pocket. "Of course I am. Would be better if you did. I'm...not any good. Not anymore. Just dangerous."

[DragonSong]

"You're not." She was quiet a moment, then amended, "Well, I suppose you could be dangerous. But that doesn't mean you're not good. I can tell."

She blinked up at him. If he looked, he might see that, instead of his own reflection, her eyes showed an image of the woods, peaceful and utterly serene.

[Juno]

"Those two... They don't really go together," he pointed out, a little confused by what she'd meant but not wanting to press it anymore. There wasn't much point if he couldn't change how she saw him anyway. Her blind faith in him seemed so unfair he could feel the unsettled churning in his stomach he didn't quite realize was horrible guilt.

He didn't look at her, too caught up in his own thoughts to notice any changes with a rather pained expression fixed upon his face.. He could tell they were getting closer to the others as he shuffled along but it almost didn't matter to him anymore. What was he going to do about her?

[DragonSong]

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not. There are stranger things in the world, no?" Bella laughed quietly and pressed her nose into his side in a brief, affectionate nuzzle.

Her own growing anxiety did a good deal to blind her to his discomfort, as as they walked along she started to fidget nervously.

[Juno]

"Hmm." He wasn't sure how she would know that being the most naive creature he'd met in his entire life, but she did have an odd sense of wisdom about her that didn't really seem to fit the rest of the her. Not yet at least.

With the silence that had fallen between them he noticed her fidgeting quite easily once he'd managed to climb out of his hole of distracted, far-off thoughts. "Cold?" he guessed, unable to distinguish it from shivering.

[DragonSong]

"Hm? Oh, no." She shook her head quickly and tried to calm herself. "No, just...nervous, I suppose." Bella gave a tinkling little laugh and tossed her head again. "Silly, I know. We're days away from our destination anyway, right?"

[Juno]

He felt a bit guilty for that. Of course he'd given plenty of cause for her to be nervous. He needed to be more careful if they were going to make it without incident.

"Yeah. Couple more days, I'd guess. But...don't be nervous. I'm sure you'll do, uh, just fine." He prayed that was all that concerned her, knowing if he'd made her uncomfortable he only had himself to blame.

[DragonSong]

[Do you think we should do a time skip soonish?]

"Easier said than done," Bella snorted with a light, chiming laugh. She pranced nervously in place for a moment. "I just...you are the first humans I've met. I'm not sure how to...act."

[Juno]

What was that supposed to mean? "Are there rules about that? Can you not just...be normal with humans? Just be yourself?" he asked curiously, uncertain if there was some unicorn code of ethics he wasn't aware of. After the past couple of days with her he wasn't even sure that would be a surprise anymore.

[DragonSong]

"Well...not exactly." Her glow flickered, a thoughtful sort of frown. "But it's difficult- it seems like there is some much about your people I don't know."