ORIGIN - The Eyes of the Beholder

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He wasn't exactly hiding himself. And considering all that had happened to him, it was a bit of a foolish decision. But Dragon was nothing if not brash.

He was tramping forward through the ferns, head low, sniffing his way along. He hated the cold ice-tunnel--he'd had to come through twice, and that after Ghanyarah had showed him firsthand how terrible ice could be. Now he was on warm earth again, and he didn't care that he was knocking grass waving every which way, or stomping on dry crunchy leaves. What mattered was that there was water ahead.

Aquarian--his Dad, or so he thought--lived in water. If there was a lake here, too, then maybe he could find something here that Dad would accept as an offering.

Dragon carried on stomping and crashing--rather impressively for a young alligator hatchling only a few feet long--until he reached the crystalline water, emerging from the ferns to open space. His eyes widened.

"TWO lakes!" he squeaked. Never mind that they were little pools or ponds more than lakes. They were lakes to him.

He crept forward, peering down at his vibrantly clear reflection, utterly transfixed in awe--and oblivious to all else.

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BARATHEON

"the world is mine for the taking"

Considering all that had happened in the last few short days Baratheon was in pretty good spirits. His belly was full and he no longer thought he was a lamb. Or if he was a lamb he wasn't a very good one. Still hadn't worked that all out. He sister was certainly his sister but perhaps on his way out of the chrysalis something had happened. It was far above him to try and guess so he just would let it be. Answers would come sooner or later he was sure.

The dragon plodded along and again found himself in the place of vegetation where he'd fought Kerberos. If he inhaled enough he was certain he could still smell the-- No! Don't think about the fight or the blood. It still made his head fuzzy and excited just to imagine tasting it. The animals in the undergrowth scuttling around didn't help. He knew he was full but he could still go for something just to have it between his fangs.

He shook his head, better not to dwell on those thoughts. Instead he should dwell on better things. Like play! Yeah! It had been a good long while since he'd made mud castles! Perhaps he could do that again with a whole village and everything! Before he got much further in those thoughts he saw something in the distance. Something with scales, certainly not a lamb, and it seemed awful short but very long. Would he want to make mud castles?

Hopeful that this would be true the dragon ran up to the other with a wagging tail. His mouth was broken into a grin as he said, "Play?" Those pink eyes were glowing with hopeful joy that he'd have a playmate. Perhaps this one would even want to wrestle! They could do that after mud castles... He'd just have to be careful not to draw any blood.

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words: 318
tagged: Dragon
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

Usui had not really quite trusted this dragon although he seemed rather harmless. Just because a leopard appeared to be cuddly and purred didn't mean it could strike out the next. As such, the scholar had chosen to trek down Baratheon to observe the creature in his natural habitat, unperturbed by his interference. The boy had lost sight of the pink fluffy creature (and was wisely choosing not to go too near) but was following its trail some ways back. Usui attempted to cast his gem sense but it wasn't working for him now. No matter, he would once again rely on his trusty nose. Through grass and bramble did the little lion pick his way through when an all too familiar voice ran echoed out. "Play?" it rang. Immediately, Usui crashed through the foilage and burst into full view of both Dragon and Baratheon.

"You!" He exclaimed neutrally, pale green eyes bearing into the dragon. Oh, oh selfish creature, one who only care about loots. Fire would consume him, Usui remembered his prophecy. The cub raised a brow and turned to Baratheon, curious gaze in his eyes. This thing did not even care about talking, much less sharing, and the dragon was initiating play? "Hi there, dragon" he mumbled to Baratheon, then turned and fixed his eyes onto the little reptilian, ready to protect Baratheon or defend himself if that little spitfire were to turn on them for disturbing his peace.

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Dragon leapt into the air, startled half out of his skin, as the cry of "PLAY?" came from behind him. He stared back at the strange pale fuzzy thing that bounded toward him. What the?! He scrambled back so his hind legs touched the cool water, then hesitated. It didn't look hostile.

"...What is--play?" he asked, uncertainly--almost suspiciously. He had never played before, wasn't sure what it meant... but maybe it was a good thing?

Then another thing was pushing through the ferns--the yellow-brown-cat, like the black-cat but different, the one who had visited him in his swamp. The weird, slightly unpleasant creature. It greeted him by name (or so he rather naturally assumed) and eyed up the play-white-thing.

Dragon eyed them both.

"Am here to swim," he lied abruptly, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe these things were out to get him. It wouldn't do to give them too much information.

Then he stared between the two rather blankly, too startled to add anything else of use, waiting to see what they would do.

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BARATHEON

"the world is mine for the taking"

If Baratheon had known about Usui following him he might have turned and asked the lion to play instead but he didn't. He could only go forward and hope that this scaly thing wanted to play. Although it seemed that this thing didn't know what playing was. A shame! How would he explain it? The dragon scrunched his muzzle up as he thought of an appropriate answer and finally settled upon, "Fun!" He said enthusiastically, tail wagging ferociously.

His ear twitched to the side as he heard a familiar voice. It was-- "Usui!" His tail wagged even harder now. The lion who'd helped him discover who he was was there! They could all play together! The other thing mentioned that it was going to swim and while Baratheon had never swam before he was game to try. They could probably turn swimming into some sort of game!

"Swim!" With that he crouched on the ground, wriggled his rump in the air and leaped. His wings flapped uselessly on his back while he dove forwards into the water behind the scaly thing. He'd never felt water before but the rush of coolness over his downy fur was welcome. There was a slight splash as he landed in the water and instinctually began to swim or rather, float, in the water. Despite being furry how he floated in the water was quite like a lizard. Would his friends want to play water tag or swim around together?
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words: 246
tagged: Dragon
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

The reptilian cast its beady eyes upon him in a rather startled, wide-eyed expression (if those eyes could express more emotions apart from constricting and expanding). The cub let out a huff as Dragon gave his reply, for which creature did not know of play? Perhaps this one had suffered, or was traumatised? Usui did not know, but perhaps he could observe the crocodile for a while more and decide what exactly made up its personality. Baratheon seemed immensely pleased to see him, furry tail wagging furiously in greeting aside from his verbal greeting. The crocodile then said that he was here to swim. The cub looked at the water and back at the crocodile. He did seem physically well-adjusted for such environments but…here, Usui looked at the fluffy pink dragon. This one seemed too cheery for the dreary environment, nevermind his bloodlust.

Nonetheless, before the cub could chip in a word, Baratheon gave a gleeful exclamation and dove into the water. The cub felt a good few sprinkles of water splash onto his fur as Baratheon crashed into the water and started to float. He blinked. Dragons with fur can float on water. Mentally jotting it down, then gave a shrug and said, "Why not,” in a rather nonchalant fashion before striding towards the water and sliding his body in easily. His four chubby limbs began to tread the water, a mix of instinct and swimming lesson from Eeya. He then looked at the crocodile, expecting some sort of response to their company.

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Dragon eyed Baratheon first. Despite being furry, he swam like a reptile, wriggling and moving with his tail. He tilted his head, and slowly lowered himself to the water's surface before shoving himself off into the pool. He, too, swam with legs tucked up and tail propelling him, its sideways swishes leaving an arrow-shaped wake.

"Are you a dragon, too?" he asked, voice slightly quiet with hesitation. "Are we also brothers?" He already had Ghanyarah as a brother--they were both dragons, both Aquarian's sons. Or were in his mind, anyway.

He glanced at the lion, next. He'd met him. He had been strange, and rude, but Dragon couldn't remember exactly what had been said or done--only that he didn't trust the lion. He looked away again, back at Baratheon.

The young alligator kept slowly floating out into the pool, staying well away from the other two, for now--for some reason, he still felt oddly suspicious. Maybe it was the strange place, or the fact that they were two large, predatory strangers--or a combination thereof. Maybe it was a trap?

A sudden surge of pride ran through him.

Well if they think they're gonna kill me, I'll give them a surprise!

But his pride didn't displace his wariness, and he still remained cautiously apart.

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BARATHEON

"the world is mine for the taking"

Baratheon happily floated in the water, his fur was completely water-resistant so instead of the stuff dragging him down to the bottom he easily floated in it. His wings were spread apart on top of the water serving as a sort of buoy to keep him afloat. Those pink eyes met with the reptile's form as he swam up to him. It was odd seeing someone that was so like him and yet not... Usui had informed him that he was a dragon and not a lamb but before he could voice this the other beat him to it. "Yup!" He said enthusiastically to the other who was apparently a dragon too. He was long and had tough scales so why shouldn't he be a dragon too? As for the second part... He had only ever considered Flafe as a sibling but if there were other dragons in the cave then wouldn't they all be related in some way? Perhaps they all branched from the same chrysalis or some strong father dragon. Either way he was ready to call this one his-- "Brother." He agreed.

The lion then slid into the water and Baratheon swam up to him in that strange reptilian fashion. He had said he wanted to play but right now he was content to just swim around in the water. This was his first time ever to do so and he was quite enjoying the feeling in the water. Playfully he began to swim circles around Usui, using his tail to try and flick water at the cub before he seemed to remember something. "Name?" He asked the other dragon who seemed to be content with swimming apart. If they were going to be playmates shouldn't they all know each other's names?
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words: 295
tagged: Dragon, Usui
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

Note: Usui cannot distinguish between crocodiles and alligators, they are all crocodile to him :3

Usui felt a certain wariness and distrust towards the reptile creature which was, apart from the occasional gaze, ignoring him and fixing its attention on Baratheon. Not that it was odd to Usui though, it was relatively rare to find pinkish or albino creatures around here. The cub was glad that the crocodile (who seemed to think he was a dragon) was keeping his distance, and he thought to alert the other to what it was, just because. "You’re not a dragon, you’re a crocodile though you look like a dragon if you will. Baratheon here is a dragon,” he spoke neutrally, not really caring whether the reptile would attack him for his words. This scaly thing might have looked like one, but definitely carried a different vibe from the carvings in the cave. Nonetheless, as Baratheon asked for the croc’s name, he was interested as well, and so cast his pale green eyes on the reptile and waited for an answer.

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Dragon was rather pleased at Baratheon's agreement that they were brothers. The other creature swam like him, at least, like Ghanyarah had, and that was something, and he was always glad to find new relatives, new sons of Aquarian.

But then the lion cub (whom he distinctly didn't like, the know-it-all who stuck his silly whiskered nose into places where it wasn't welcome! who thought he was better than him!) was speaking again. Dragon actually listened, and considered the word "crocodile," but it rang wrong with him. He knew it wasn't right, and shook his reptilian head.

"No," he replied rather condescendingly at Usui, and then, looking to Baratheon, gave his answer. "I am Dragon!" He meant this as his name, though perhaps it wouldn't be clear.

Joyful at having found a new comrade, he lifted his head back, the fire brimming up from within; he'd intended to fire a plume of flames straight up into the air in celebration, but only managed a few spurts of smoking embers.

Undeterred, he dove down into the water, sleek and dark and sinuous, and curved up to tag Baratheon as he'd tagged Ghanyarah, with a gentle nip to his foot. Then he swam to the other side, curving up to the surface, breaking through with a splash and peering playfully back at the "other" dragon.

"TAG!" he crowed, before turning and diving away.

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