Dull Knives - Printable Version

Within a very small, bright pink chrysalis, a little creature dwells. Among the singing of the lessers, Rat stirs. Something inside has suddenly connected all into place, the small thing's eyes opening within the wetness of the pink stone. One blue, one red - though invisible at this point in time. The liquid does not sting Rat's eyes, though regardless he begins to thrash.

Piece by piece, the gemstone begins to crackle. Small divots appearing on its surface - until light comes through. And then everything falls apart, making way for a little black-and-white ball of fur to fall out of the middle. The little guy stands on fresh, wobbly legs. Shakes off the wet from the chrysalis all over.

Eventually he looks around. What now?

Bezaliel heard the crack of the chrysalis from not far off. A new hatchling was, for him, an opportunity; he had a cruelly mischievous streak, but he was so piss-poor at actually manipulating or the like that it really needed a newborn child to allow his talents to be put to any use. That was, he reasoned, mostly due to a lack of practice. So he'd been vaguely keeping eyes and ears out for new hatchlings as he went about his business, and--well! Here was an opportunity at last.

He scrambled through the undergrowth, abandoning his examination of remaining Order (and his musing on its habits), tripping over branches and panting as he rushed toward the--pink?

Wow. That stone sure was pink. It actually surprised him into motionlessness, for a moment, but as the creature within emerged he hastened to fold his arms, push back up against the trunk of a tree, and act casual. He wanted to look imposing, like he'd been waiting here for it. And to that end, the moment the strange little beast within emerged (...What is that thing?--but he had no time to think about that now) he did his best to keep up the act. He called up his magic, cast out his mind, and attempted to send a message (with meaning thrilling through the words) directly into the creature's mind.

"There you are," he thought at it, smug and satisfied.

Yes... even though he was still naked, and just a horned man with dragon's scales, he was satisfied with the impression he must've made.

Never mind that his target was essentially a toddler. Or that Bez had to use his ominous mind-whispering magic to hide the fact that he was out of breath.

There you are

Rat hears it before he sees it - a strange person - so much larger than the small new fossa. He'd be horrified if it weren't for the words - had this one been expecting him? He tries to think, but Rat can't recall anything. There is nothing to remember aside from this pile of pink destroyed crystal, and the stranger staring down at him.

"Hi!" There's nothing in his head telling him to be cautious, so he's not.

Curiosity is one of the first few things Rat feels, and it's so overpowering. Pulling him forward, ever closer to the tall stranger. The imposing look Bezaliel is trying to accomplish doesn't really work on the little thing, too focused on figuring out who exactly he's looking at.

"What is- this?" Rat gives no hint as to what exactly he's asking about. Though he does look around at everything. It never comes to mind that Bezaliel's mouth never moves.

Bez took a moment to catch his breath, one foot tapping lightly at the ground where it crossed the other. He tried to act casual. He tried, too, to look like he was just taking in the scene as he did his best not to breathe heavily; I really need to run more. He was, it had to be said, sort of out of shape.

And--ahh, shit. What was this child asking? He had to interpret it correctly lest he lose any impression of all-knowing power, or whatever it was he was going for (he hadn't really considered it in straightforward terms). So he took a moment more to try and figure it out, failed, and did his best.

"This," and he extended a taloned hand out to indicate the forest, "is Eridanus. Beautiful, isn't it-? But infested. And it's your birthplace. Yours to claim, if you will have it." Maybe I can get it to act like a little king.

He wasn't sure to what end. It'd cause conflict, though, and that would be funny.

Oh. He couldn't forget his role in this. "And I am here to guide you. To teach you how to claim it."