Dealing with Dragons.

[Anonymous]

"Yes, I know it was a bad idea. You dont need to rub it in." Says a red haired woman in an annoyed tone who seemed to be having a one sided conversation with her self. "It worked though didn't it?" More of a statement than a question. She was sitting on what one would assume was a large rock or bolder, set in a clearing at the bottom of a tall waterfall, and was brushing an assortment of leaves and dirt from her clothes. The mist rising from the cascading falls making that difficult. She appeared to be alone despite her heated argument with the trees.

She was dressed rather simply, a white shirt with long sleaves, a blue vest with many pockets, white pants, and brown leather boots and gloves. A plain, but heavy blue and green double-sided cloke spread out behind her across the stone, fastened at her neck with a silver clasp that resembled a dragon's head biting its tail. Her red hair was pulled back in a tight braid that hung down to her lower back. Her skin was lightly tan suggesting that she spent alot of time out doors. Her stong build would back that up.

"Do you really think it would have mattered to that guy back there?" Again no answer is heard, but Aeryn continues anyway. "Hmph. You think you know everything, lizard breath." She gets to her feet and walk across the small clearing, leaning her back against a tree. A large double edged sword hangs at her side from a black leather belt and sheath. The sword's hilt is of silver, with two dragons facing out to form the hand guard, and their tails twisting together as the grip, holding a blood red gem at the end. "No, i'm not three hundred years old... Are we really going to go through this again?" She argues. "Oh never mind!"

Aeryn turns and starts walking down stream, out of the clearing. The large bolder she had been sitting on dissapears behind her. Shortly after which she's joined by a large white falcon who lands on her out stretched hand. Scratching its neck gently she begins to calm down and her smile returns. "Flying newt." She replies jokingly as the bird utters a soft call...

[Anonymous]

Silently that green right eye and gray left eye watched the red haired woman with a bit of annoyance from behind that black cloth mask, the man they belonged to hung motionless, gripping a branch with his hands, the brown and green shozoko he wore was a rather un-tradtional color scheme, but made him blend into the surroundings much better than the stereotypical black uniform. The ramblings of the woman intially started the poor man, who had been napping in a tree, nearly falling to the ground he had barely managed to snag the tree branch.

Those eyes looked over her attire, gear, and over her physical build, a barely audible grunt of approval issued as he pulled himself silently back to sit upon the branch, retrieving a small gourd of sake from his side and downing a bit of it. Merely eavesdropping on the woman, who he thought was insane, Those eyes widening as the boulder vanished after she began to walk downstream.

 "...Oro?" He muttered to himself, quickly putting the cork back on the top of that gourd. Making a slight noise as he lept from his perch and landed on the soft earth beneath the tree.

As anyone would be, he was curious. Those eyes glaring at the bird, oh my... who would have thought she had the one thing he feared the most for a pet. Hesistantly he followed the woman, just to see exactly what she was up to in the forest. Carefull to issue each step heel to toe, attempt to avoid any sounds that might reveal him. Those eyes strayed to look over her form again, and he lost focus. That right tabi boot stepping right on to a dead twig and causing a very audible snap to be issued.

"Damnit!" He screamed as he glared harshly at the twig that lay beneath his foot. Slowly looking up with a 'oh shit' expression in the woman's general location. "Uh.. I mean hello miss, are you lost... would you like a uh.. uhh.. " Those eyes looked about for anything he could pass off as an item for sale. Digits moving to retrieve the Sake gourd from his side. "Rare imported Sake... yumm" In his mind he cursed those digits for threatening the well being of his beloved drink.

[Anonymous]

Aeryn had only walked a few yards down stream before the fealing that they were not alone began to creep over her. Someone was watching them. She moved her hand discreetly under her cloke to the hilt of her sword, but kept walking as though she hadn't noticed. The falcon, now on her shoulder, had grown quiet as well. His dark eyes scanned the trees around them, stopping on a shadowed thicket. He gave another quiet call, but this time of a more seirious tone. Aeryn scratch his neck again with her free hand, confirming his warning.  

At the twig's snap Aeryn turned swiftly in the direction from which it came, drawing her sword. She spotted the nameless man istantly as he uttered a loud curse to his own missfortune. She watched as he fumbled about for an excuse to explain his sneeking up on them, finaly holding out a gourd of what claimed to be rare imported Sake. She only glares at his offer. "Who are you!" She demands. No hint of fear in her angered voise what-so-ever. The falcon hisses and puffs his feathers, his eyes now seeming to have a firey glow.

[Anonymous]

"I'm... wait did that thing just hiss" He chuckled lightly at the falcon's feather puffing. "... oh, right" He cleared his throat quickly regaining his composure. "My name is Hanzo" He uncorked that gourd and took a deep swig of the sake.

"And let me guess question number two and three, what do you want and what are you doing here?" He tilted his head lightly to the side, "Well I was taking a nap in a tree until you scared me, at first I thought you were some poor villager that went delirious from dehydration and got lost,"


Those dual hued eyes narrowed on her weapon and the clasp to her cloak, "Got a thing for dragons eh?," He rolled his eyes, those digits moving to remove that manriki chain from within his uniform.

"What if I really did just want to sell sake" He muttered lightly, a rotation of that neck issued. "If I wanted to fight you lady I would have already done it, I can't really figure it out, but there seems to be something... different about you." A smile formed beneath that cloth mask, he didn't attempt to be intimidating, his tone seemed to be more of a playfull one. Obviously he enjoyed fighting, due to his occupation. "Well considering you drew your sword, aparently you think I'm some icky evil assasin out to kill you and make a roast out of that turkey on your shoulder, sooo shall we?" That right wrist rotated to swing that weighted manriki chain, but he still didn't make a move to attack.

[Anonymous]

Aeryn gave no reply to his first cocky statements and only smiled inwardly at his observation on her choice in fassion, You have no idea. She thought to herself, but her glare remained. "Well, first of all, I have never known a merchant of any kind who would choose to sell his or her stock out in the middle of a nearly deserted forest. Nor one who would try sneeking up their potential costomers." Her green eyes watch him intently. She kept her sword raised, but made no move towards him, not even as he drew his own weapon. "And lastly, Hanzo, no one insults Falcore but me if they wish to see another sunrise!"

And with that the falcon left it's perch on her shoulder, gliding out over the river. He began to grow increasingly larger. His fearthers dissapearing to be replaced by scales, his tail growing longer and more whip like, one pair of tallons becoming two pairs of deadly claws, and his beak becoming a reptilian jaw full of razor sharp teeth.

He circles back to land beside Aeryn. The turkey was now bigger than an average size house, huge claws digging into the soft earth on the river bank. "Oh, and yes, I do have a thing for dragons." Falcore's scalely lips part as a low growl rumbles form deep with in his throat.

[Anonymous]

"... Meh, fine I'll leave your scaley bird alone" He chuckled to himself as he eyed the dragon, he hid the fact he was impressed rather well, the short man didn't seem the least bit intimidated, he actually seemed to be sizing up the creature.

"Hrm, I suppose I'm getting rusty in terms of attempting to hide my identity. Oh, and speaking of which... do you have a name?, or should I just call you 'woman who speaks to bird-lizards' " That left hand lifted to remove that cloth mask, the right still spinning that rather heavy chain. The reasoning of the mismatched eyes revealed, a scar trailing from just above his left brow, down to mid cheek.

"I usually sleep through sunrises...the only way I'd be awake to miss it is if someone had me off to go prancing around in a meadow in the middle of the night with them.... you aren't asking are you... y'know I love meadows" Now he was just pushing buttons, that joking grin was now visable. That figure gradually faded in a dark mist, though one could still detect his presence if they tried, he attempted to reappear behind the woman and her dragon. "Talking to birds in the forest, poofing boulders, pulling a sword on me, and threatening me with a dragon... I like your style"

That spinning of the chain ceased, the momentum launching it upwards the velocity of the weapon caused it to emit a light whistle. That left hand reached out slightly, allowing the chain to drop right into his grasp.  "Well joking aside... " He coughed lightly, "You two are indeed interesting... going off on some epic voyage for revenge, or treasure, or perhaps some lost freinds?"

He seemed to become slightly more freindly, initially he just wanted to get a grasp on exactly what the woman's temperment was, and exactly what it was he thought he sensed in her. If she was hiding some gift, the dragon was an excellant decoy. He assumed he had detected the creature instead of her. "So how exactly does a warrioress, befreind a mighty dragon if you don't mind me asking?"

[Anonymous]

She wasn't impressed by his display or his mocking attempt to goat her into attacking him, or atleast showing all her cards. As he removed the mask he wore and asked her name, she thought twice about giving an answer. When he began to dissapear, Falcore growled even louder, but Aeryn pute her hand up and he quieted down. It would be easyer if I just ate him. The dragon's thoughts echoing in Aeryn's head. You cant eat everyone who likes to make an annoyance of themselves. She closes her eyes for half a second, fealing the shift of space behind them, she turns in time to see Hanzo reappearing.

"Our business is our own. And as for dragons, well some of us just have more luck than others." She says, her own tone becoming a little lighter but no less suspicious. As the chained weapon flies into the air then is caught again, she considers her next choice of words. "Just what would you do with my name were I to give it to you?" She asks with a koi tone and a half smile.

[Anonymous]

"I'd probably stop being such an asshole, and just call you by it" He mused lightly, that strange feeling crossing him just as she quieted the dragon. "Oh.... now I get it" That head tilted to one side. "You can actually communicate with him can't you?"

"No wonder he hasn't tried to eat me yet," A light shrug was issued, "Some kind of dragon whisperer, hrm.. maybe it is with other creatures too?" That nose twitched lightly as he sniffed the air. "No wonder you seemed so interesting"

He noted his tactics weren't exactly working, he hadn't been attacked, nor had he managed to get any information out of the two, so he figured why not try bribing them. "Y'know, I have a cave near here, if you two are hungry or need to set up camp for a bit... I'd be more than happy to accomidate you both." He was an excellant cook, the only problem being he was normally far too anti-social to even talk to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Aeryn raised an eyebrow at his offer. Falcore grunts and turns towards her. "He isnt seirious, is he?" He says out loud in full human english. She couldn't help but agree with him. She clears her throat and tries to keep herself from laughing. "Excuse me but... I travel with a fire breathing dragon, and you think I'd be in need of food or a fire?" She had to give him credit for his persistance. "And you dont need any special powers to talk to a dragon. They can understand every word you say. Convencing one not to eat you is another matter. There is a secret to it, of course, but if I told you it wouldn't be such now would it."

This Hanzo didn't seem as though he would be driven of by her sword. So she lowers it to her side, placing the tip on the ground but keeping a firm grip on the hilt. Judging by his relentless effort she was begining to think that the man sounded almost desperet for comany. Throughing caution to the wind she finaly says, "Well if you must know, my name is Aeryn. Though I dont see what good it will do you. And I thank you for your offer, but I think we are quite capable of managing on our own."

[Anonymous]

A brow erked as the dragon spoke, that facial expression gradually showing less emotion as she spoke. "I'm sure a wolf can retrieve much better meat than a dragon," He huffed lightly.

He almost turned to walk away, until he heard her name. "Aeryn, ... well then thank you.., I tend to keep track of names of people that seem like they may prove extremely useful" He hid the fact he didn't exactly enjoy his solitude excellantly.

"Well then, I suppose I've kept you two long enough" He shrugged lightly, scratching the back of his head lightly. He didn't say goodbye or make a gesture, truth be told he didn't want the two to go off without him, he had to keep that tough appearance or at least try to.

[Anonymous]

Aeryn sighs and returns her sword to it's sheath. She could always tell when someone was holding something back, and she didn't need any dragon magic to see that he still wanted something. Crossing her arms she dosen't move, just stands there waiting for him to spit it out. We're not leaving are we? Falcore's anoyance being all to obvious, but he was used to her stubborness by now. After all, he had seen it enough times at this point, it was hardly a surprise. It would have been stranger if she had just walked away.


({Sorry for the delay. I had a bit of a brain fart and couldn't think of anything.})

[Anonymous]

That held tilted lightly to the side as she sheathed her sword. "...Err, aren't you two going" He seemed rather confused, that right brow slowly lifting.

"Y'know, if you ever needed some sort of, I dunno" He lightly kicked the loose topsoil with that tabbi boot. "Extra help or something... I dunno" Those eyes avoided contact with her or the dragon, he didn't exactly like sounding desperate, but his kind were after all social, even if he wouldn't give a weakling the time of day.