Kin-Kin's head was held high as she paraded through Pisces, head held high. Oh yes, this place was perfect for swordplay training! It was akin to shooting fish in a barrel, no pun intended. The gilded lady's back end wiggled as she walked, her plumed tail catching the light as it swished to and fro.

With every puddle her paws cast elegant ripples into, Kin-Kin saw her own reflection and smirked back at her glowing self. How humble! Little fish flitted away from her, as though they knew exactly what she'd been up to. As the wolf padded forward, she began to consider all the ways she could warp her magic into even greater grandeur. She wondered if she'd be able to keep on improving, become even better at magic... and that was saying something, considering she was the champion.

Kin-Kin wouldn't lie but... well, she would under most circumstances... but she had to admit there were some things that she needed to practice. Creating crystals, for example, was not only a chore but it drained her right down to the core. She'd almost impaled herself with it, once...

With a sigh, Kin-Kin padded onwards, searching within herself for something new and interesting as she gazed upon her reflection.

Kin-Kin's efforts were rewarded by the sight of rainbows dancing in her reflection. Her wolfish grin almost split her face clean in two. It was perfect!

---

tagged:
ooc:
muse:

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

Aaliyah walked cautiously through Pisces. Excitement coursed through her, intermingled with fear. This was the first time Imperia had let her be on her own! It was nerve-wracking, to say the least. She wasn't sure who she would come across, and whether they would try to attack her. She had gotten some attacking practice in, but not much! Imperia had said after she did a bit of exploring, they'd train her some more. A part of her was looking forward to it, while another part...wasn't.

But enough about that! She was alone right now. Away from the one who constantly plagued her life. She could go anywhere, meet anyone she wanted! She wasn't going to let her fears stop her from meeting someone! Whoever was the first one she saw, she'd-oh god is that the one who attacked Imperia?

Stopping abruptly, Aaliyah stared at her for a moment. Had she noticed her? Would she attack her? She hoped not. If Imperia couldn't even beat her-for what seemed like not the first time-then there was no way she stood even a chance against her! She began to back away, trying to stay as silent as possible.

All efforts to be silent were quickly washed away when she stepped in a puddle, making a splash.

@Kin-kin

As her fur was so beautifully decorated with rainbows whenever she moved, the golden she-wolf was at first far too absorbed in her new spell to notice the newcomer. However, soon her ears preicked to a tiny splash, and the wolf raised her head, looking around for the source. Her eyes half-lidded with cool ego, the she wolf stood tall as she looked at the newcomer. As she found them, a chuckle escaped her. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you around again! At least not in such a hurry," Kin-Kin began to pad towards them, her nose twitching.

"You looking for revenge for poor ol' Imperia? Looking for a little bit more dazzling? Training maybe? Well, can't say I blame you." Kin-Kin grinned as she approached, her every motion calm and calculated as she took strides just a tiny bit too long so that her muscles rippled and cloak danced against her back. Her crystal blade gently clinked against her forelimb, and the blue stone, as well, flashed with rainbows.

Before the younger creature Kin-Kin finally stopped, not a hint of aggression present, only pride. The rainbows, by this point, were beginning to fade, so Kin-Kin tried to keep the magic woven. For now, she always held a soft golden glow, and maybe someday there'd always be a rainbow lingering in her pawsteps.

The fading rainbows soon were bright again, pouring off her fur in tendrils of aurora.

---

tagged: @Aaliyah
ooc:
muse:

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

Aaliyah crouched low, staring up at the golden wolf. As she began to get closer, she backed away. Of course, she had much longer strides than the not-even-fully-grown hybrid, so it wasn't long before the wolf stopped in front of her. Her legs had definitely grown quite a bit, and they were long, sure, but not as long as they would be within time.

"I,um," she stuttered, unsure of what to say. "Imperia finally let me go on my o-own for a little. They'll train me a bit more later!" She seemed to light up at that. She then looked back at her warily. "How do you know Imperia? You two seemed to...uh, know each other." She tilted her head slightly. It had seemed as though they had fought before, maybe. But when? Where? Who had won? She had a feeling it was the golden wolf.

At that moment, she noticed the rainbow on the crystal that she had. Looking closer, she realized she could sort of see it in her fur as well. "That...that rainbow..," she whispered. She then turned her attention back to the crystal. "How did you get that...that..." She wasn't sure what to call it. "The...crystal?"

@Kin-kin

Kin-Kin's brows raised slightly. The kid seemed very on-edge... "Sounds to me like you've been held captive... Me, I go where I please. Always have, always will. No-one can tell me where to go or, y'know, I won't. Hah!" She waved her tail back and forth and listened to the kid's words. A grin broke out on her face. "Ah, we go way back. Told me to fight, and ended up the first one to learn that I'm no wolf to be messed with." Her wolfish grin grew ever wider. "Back then, they promised that they'd hunt me down someday! That they'd kill me... And you can see how that one's worked out."

The wolf didn't seem scared by the ever-looming threat. Quite the contrary, in fact. She seemed proud of it, as if they formed some strange, symbiotic relationship to forever boost Kin-Kin's pride. Her wolfish grin could grow no wider, so instead she held her head high as the pup commented on her sword, her tail swishing from side to side. "I made it, of course! Pulled it right from the earth with magic!" She chuckled. "I can do anything with magic!"

---

tagged: @Aaliyah
ooc:
muse:

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

"C-captive? Well..." She was about to object to that before stopping herself. Maybe she was being held captive. Would Imperia have let her go on her own had she tried? She had never really tried before. As she continued to speak, Aaliyah frowned. "They...told you to fight them? And they had lost. Oh." Their tail flicked lightly.

"You...you made it?" her eyes began to shine. "That's so cool! How'd you do that?" She then paused. "You can do...anything with magic? Can you...Can you kill with magic?" she asked hesitatingly, once more watching her with a wary expression.

@Kin-kin

Kin-Kin couldn't help but notice the hesitation they showed, and the careful switch to another subject. How interesting... She didn't say anything, but an odd smile twinged at her cheek as she stored the thought away for later. "Oh? They never told you about that little escapade? ...I can't say I'm all that surprised." Kin-Kin gave a chuckle.

The wolf gave a nod, basking in their rain of praise. Her tail waved softly back and forth. "I poured my magic into the earth and asked it... no... forced it to make something beautiful, and deadly," she told them, her voice slow and dramatic. "...And that was how I created this. " She took some time to consider their question. How best to answer without dulling the blade? She couldn't risk looking prissy, not in front of Imperia's kid.

"Of course you can. Just ask Imperia."

---

tagged: @Aaliyah
ooc:
muse:

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

"Wow..," Aaliyah breathed, staring at the sword. She wanted to make something like that some day! "Can you...Can you teach me how to do that?" she asked, her head tilted. At their next words, she paused. "Oh. They...Hmm." She thought for a moment, trying to remember what Imperia had told her the first time they met, after she had hatched. That seemed so long ago...

"They told me that...They had killed my...my..," she blinked. What was she supposed to call them? "My other...parent." That seemed as good a word as any. "Said that was how I came to be. I don't know if they killed them with magic though." She began to think about her own magic. She had been burnt. Could someone...be burnt to death? Could she make someone burn to death? She suddenly became wary of her own magic, though she tried to show no signs of such to the wolf.

@Kin-kin

Kin-Kin grinned at their question. "Of course, Kid! I must warn you, though... it'll take time, dedication, and a whoooole lotta attitude. You've gotta never give up. never let it beat you. you feel a scrap of magic inside of you and you gotta rip it out and wrestle it into the real world! Yes?" Kin-Kin blinked.

"Hm... That's a new one." Must ahve happened since she'd fought Imperia that first time. She couldn't say that she was particularly surprised but it definitely brought a new layer to their battles... Gave a new intensity to that look in their eyes. A new kind of thrill. "They're sounding like a bigger piece o' work every time I encounter 'em. Heh... Good thing I'm there to put 'em back in their place."

Kin-Kin brought her attention back to their request. "Alright, Kid! Watch close."

With a deep breath, the wolf stepped back and bent her head towards the earth at her paws.

But alas, it never seemed to grow any easier, and the only response was a brighter glow and a slight headache. Seemed like she still needed to practice. "Aha... I guess I need a warm-up first... Summoning crystal is no petty task. C-can wipe you out pretty bad if ya let it... ahem... I'll show you something simpler first."

---

tagged: @Aaliyah
ooc:
muse:

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

Aaliyah's eyes shined. She listened to her words, hanging on each one. This wolf seemed...so different from Imperia. She seemed as if she actually knew what she was doing! No wonder she had won both times. She would run away from Imperia if she hadn't known what they'd do to her. She didn't really know, but judging from what they had done when she first disobeyed...It definitely wouldn't be good.

When she began to attempt their spell, she watched, eyes transfixed. When it didn't work, she lowered her ears, disappointed. She seemed awfully tired. Can failing a spell be really tiring? When she said that she would show something simpler first, she tilted her head. "What else can you do?"

@Kin-kin