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In the Name of Science!

Started by DragonSong, February 06, 2018, 09:18:17 AM

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DragonSong

@Kingfisher



She'd really just wanted the book. Why couldn't things ever be simple?

Alleaya clutched her prize to her chest as she was backed against the dead-end of the alley, eyes flicking between the three rather rough-looking figures that had blocked her escape. "Please...I- I don't have anything," she stammered as her back fetched up against the wall.

The lead thug smirked, and a flick of his wrist accompanied by a glint of metal drew her attention to the blade in his hand. "Pretty little thing like you, in those nice Serenian clothes? I'm sure you've got somethin' we want," he chuckled, and his companions sneered as they spread out to close her in.

Her heartbeat picked up and she looked desperately from side to side. If she could only control the changes... Anytime now would be great! she shrieked internally at her uncooperative body.

Trying to buy some time, she threw a hand up and focused, summoning a tiny spark of flame to her fingers. "Stay- stay back!"

The thieves barely paused, snickering at the admittedly rather pathetic display of magic. "That all you got, girlie?"

Before she could react, the man on the left darted forward, there was a flash of steel, and a long gash opened along her collar. She cried out, reeling back so her head thumped against the stone wall behind her and she dropped her book. Fire and fear raced through her veins, burning and stretching and twisting-

The would-be muggers began to back away as her form twisted and shimmered, the air around her suddenly scorching. With a pained roar, Ally nearly exploded into dragon form, and her attackers turned to flee with startled cries and curses.

Kingfisher

Three targets.  Samuel had been hired to kill three men and by all the gods and devils, he would do it.  They had been poaching on another gang's turf and that was just something that could not be allowed.  So, here he was, tracking three hoods for three silver an ear - he had had to haggle up from the head count.  He had been easily able to track the trio to an alley...they did not come across as particularly bright.  At this rate, he would be done by noon.

Then there came a surge of heat and power the likes of which the Assassin had never seen.  He was colored curious but ths snivelling 'toughs' came running out of the alley they had chased their own prey into.  Cowards.  Still, coin was coin and the mercenary stepped off of the short, blocky structure he had perched himself atop.  His right arm twisted into a gnarled mesh of tendrils that acted as a cushion as he landed.  "Nice day for a walk, gentlemen?"  Before they had a chance to do anything else, his arm excreted the shape of a long saber, standing parallel to his forearm and he surged forward.

The fight was pleasantly brief -three strokes in three seconds - and within moments the assassin's thoughts returned to the alley.  He could collect heads in a moment but right now, he wanted to see what the commotion had been.  What he found was a dragon and the human girl he had seen earlier was nowhere as far as he could tell.  The black-clad contractor shrugged then gave an odd chuckle.  "Miss Dragon, I do so wish to apologize for the rudeness of our city's denizens.  These streets can be rather mean."

Samuel noticed the book on the ground but mad no move to take it, nor to introduce himself until he knew more of this shapeshifting beast...

DragonSong

"Oh!" Ally's claws scrabbled on the cobblestone as she tried to twist herself around so she wasn't quite so squeezed into the alley. Fruitlessly, it seemed. She huffed out a hot, irritated breath and craned her neck to look down at this newest Zantaric thug.

Though small for a dragon, Alleaya had a decent amount of height on the man, not to mention sheer bulk and fire power, which she hoped would deter him from any potential thievery. Though that didn't seem to be his intent. Voice surprisingly light and lilting for a creature of fire and power, she mumbled, "I...had noticed that, as a matter of fact," She dipped her head to him politely. Manners reflected well on a person, even in a place like this.

She hoped.

Her eyes followed his to the book and she reached out with a foreclaw to drag it closer- only to be freeze with a sharp yowl of discomfort as her scales scraped infuriatingly against the stone walls of the buildings, her wings pinned uncomfortably to her back.

She was stuck.

Oh, WONDERFUL! Dejected, her head slumped nearly to the ground and she gave a little noise that in a less formidable creature might have been considered a whimper. "I, um, I suppose...those men aren't coming back?" she checked hopefully with the stranger.

That would be just her luck, to find herself pinned down when the thieves recovered their nerve.

Kingfisher

The assassin took note of the dragon's struggle, realizing she was trapped, unable to reach her book and apparently desperately afraid they three muggers might return.  That told him a great deal, not least of which was that she could not breath fire.  The young man was able to keep from laughing, but only just.

"Those men are not going to cause you any more trouble," he assure her, even while wondering how she might react if she knew they had been eviscerated only moments ago.  Instead, he offered a polite bow, saying, "My name is Samuel.  It is truly a rare pleasure to meet you Miss Dragon."  He doubted that would be her real name, but it was a working place holder for now.

As he stood back up, Samuel strode forward toward the curious book, hoping to get a better look at it as he went to pick it up.  He neglected to call out the poor girl's predicament or offer assistance.  The killer's curiosity overrode his kindness.

DragonSong

Her eyes widened. "W-wait!" She scrabbled for the book, only succeeding in rubbing a few scales loose on the walls, which made her wince in discomfort. "Please don't take that," she begged, eyes trained on the book.

It was a little ridiculous to see a dragon beg, but she'd never quite gotten the hang of owning the imposing aura this form lent her. "Please..."

Kingfisher

"I promise," Samuel said.  "I have no intention of stealing your book."  He held up both hands, book in hand, showing that it was undamaged.  Without backing away from the poor girl, the assassin began to study the tome.  "My I ask what is so special about this book?"  He had a hunch and he could easily check the book himself but Samuel wanted a chance to guage the dragon's honesty first.

DragonSong

"It's..." Ally hesitated, her eyes flicking between the stranger and the book. "It's an...alchemical work," she hedged. "And it's special because- because as far as I know it's the only surviving copy of that particular scholar's work."

She lowered her head and looked at him plaintively, the motion entirely unconscious. "Please, just give it back..."

Kingfisher

"Really now?" Samuel said looking at the book, he could tell she was not sharing the whole story.  Still, as he tucked the book under his accursed arm, the assassin looked back at the dragon.  "Well, either way, we should see if we can't free you from your bondage.  Once you have hands again, I'm sure carrying a book will be much easier."  Maybe if he could help, she would answer his question more honestly.  It was just a thought, though.

DragonSong

If dragons could blush, she would have. Fiercely. "Well see, I really want to, but that's...sort of a problem." She shifted her bulk and the buildings to either side of her groaned. "Unfortunately, quite apart from being stuck here, I also can't- exactly- change...back..."

Her voice petered out as she said it aloud and once again heard how truly ridiculous it sounded.

Kingfisher

Samuel shook his head with a sigh.  Glancing at the book in his hand, the assassin wondered if he could just run off with the volume and learn some of its secrets.  But the girl shapeshifter was not in any real danger with the three thugs dead and she would eventually free herself and come for the tome; he did not relish the risk of fighting a dragon, even an incompetent one.  And he did not want to do away with her himself.

"Tell me," he began, looking into the creature's eyes.  "When you changed, what was going through you mind?  Was it a particular thought or an emotion?"  If he was going to help free her, he needed to know what he was working with.

DragonSong

Ally scowled and pouted, as much as a dragon could pout. "Typically, anger or panic will trigger a change, but any strong enough emotion will do," she admitted with a huff, seeing where his questions were going. "And believe me, I've tried making it go in reverse. It doesn't work."

Her tail twitched in irritation and she yelped as it smacked rather solidly against the wall to her right.

Kingfisher

"Hm," Samuel mused, pinching his chin.  He had figured that was the case.  She mentioned the "opposite" not working to counteract the shift so his attempt at a solution seemed to potentially problematic.  "So to clarify, the change is tied to your fight or flight response?  So transforming back only happens once the emotion runs its course?"

Looking back at the creature, the assassin asked, "How long does it normally take to revert to human form?"  He did not have all day and he still had three heads to harvest.  They would not be going anywhere on their own but that did not mean they could not have 'help.'

DragonSong

The dragoness sighed and her head drooped almost to rest on the cobblestone. "It...varies. Anywhere from several minutes to- well, once it took almost three days."

She averted her eyes huffing and scowling at nothing. "Normally it doesn't take that long, but-"

No sooner had she spoken when her voice cut off in a sharp, pained cry and she seemed to curl in on herself. That shimmer of heat surrounded her body again and her eyes went wide, crying out again as pain wracked her frame. Her bones seemed to melt and reform, skin bunching and stretching and twisting: it was agony.

But it only lasted a few moments. Between one breath and the next, she was suddenly huddled on her hands and knees on the street, panting as the aftershocks of the change rippled through her body. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as she curled tighter, trying to preserve warmth; the initial shift had torn her clothes, and this one left her naked and shivering in the alley.

Kingfisher

Samuel placed a hand over his face, not so much for the girl's modesty but rather to hide his struggle to keep from laughing.  At the moment, he actually did not have anything to offer aside from his waist length cape and a tunic.  Though given their sudden height difference...

"Now my dear, we cannot have you wandering around in such a state.  It would simply cause a scandal."  The assassin undid the azure canvas drapped over his shoulders and passed it to the girl.  He also held up the book for her, adding, "And if you will permit me, I would invite you to my home so that you might collect yourself.  I only ask that you wait a moment while I finish an errend."  After all, the three red sacks on his belt were woefully empty...

DragonSong

Blushing furiously, Ally took the offered cloak quickly and murmured her thanks as she wrapped it tight around her body.

She paused at his offer to return to his home, eyeing him warily. Young she might be, but she wasn't exactly naive. Still...she currently wasn't seeing that she had any better options.

She took the book back with a small sigh and a nod. "I would...very much appreciate that, sir. Thank you."

Kingfisher

As he had said, it had not taken long for Samuel to tuck the severed heads into the sacks at his waist, which now appeared larger than before.  He soon returned to the alley and escorted the girl in the opposite direction.  It would not do to scare the poor girl, what with three mutilated corpses lying in the middle of the street.  Besides, his home was the other way...


Turns out, an assassin/mage can earn a decent living in Zantaric.  Samuel's home was a cozy one, rather elegantly appointed.  The front room was fairly simple, with a central hearth, a handful of comfortable seats, and almost an entire wall of book shelves.  Off of this room were three others, though these were closed.  "Welcome to my humble abode.  Have a seat and I'll see about finding you something more...complete to wear."  The darkly dress man passed a glance to the poor girl's bare legs as he paused.

Samuel hurried toward one of the doors, seeming to pull a black metal key from now where as he ducked into his bedroom.  Shouting, he asked, "What do you normally wear?  I have some tunics and trousers but if you prefer, I also own some robes you could pull off wearing as a dress."  As he rifled through though his wardrobe, the assassin took the chance to stash his heads.

DragonSong

Ally was greatly relieved when Samuel returned for her- then she froze. The scent of blood hit her nose and her eyes flickered to the sacks he wore strapped to his waist. No, surely not...

She didn't have too long to think about it, because then she was being ushered through the streets to his home. She hovered a little awkwardly in the front room, casting her eyes around. Curious, but still a little nervous.

"Ah...trousers are fine, thank you." She cleared her throat, flushing, and called back, "I- I just realized I don't believe I ever properly introduced myself?" Honestly she wasn't sure if she had; the last few minutes had been so hectic it was sort of a blur.

Kingfisher

The assassin quickly returned, sackless, and with a few articles of clothing draped over each arm.  "Actually, now that you mention it, I have only called you Miss Dragon, Miss Dragon.  So, at the moment, you have me at a disadvantage."  Laying out his garbs, there were three tunics: on a sort of woodland green, another the hue of merlot, and last was dyed teal.  Samuel also laid out two pairs of trousers, on a light tan, the other a darker brown.

The man offered his guest a modicum of privacy by stepping away.  "Take your time," he said over his shoulder.  "If you're hungery, let me know.  I'll be getting tea set out."

DragonSong

"Thank you." She took the clothing gratefully and did her best to dress under the relative modesty provided by the cloak he'd wrapped her in.

"My name is Alleaya," she added softly as she slipped into the brown trousers and deep red tunic. Her hair fell into her face and she tried to brush it back with her fingers, wishing she had some sort of tie. "Ally, usually."

She wanted to protest that she didn't want to trespass on his hospitality, but before she could her stomach rumbled. Loudly. She flushed. "Um...some food would be very much appreciated."

Kingfisher

Samuel was not out of the room very long and when he returned, he held a kettle in one hand and a platter in the other.  Setting these down, the host went to check the hearth, striking up a fire as to heat the kettle which was quickly set in place on a stand, letting the glowing orange tongues lick at the iron surface.

Taking a seat near to Alleaya, the assassin used a dull knife to slice into a thick wheel of cheese.  Offering the shapeshifting girl a slice, he said, "Have a seat, Ally.  Help yourself."  Aside from the white cheese, there were crackers, cured sausages, a pile of flatbreads, a mortar full of bean spread and to empty tea cups.  "If you'd like something more substantial, I have some fresh quail I can cook up."  He was fighting the urge to ask about the book.  Being a good host was so taxing...

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