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kaisou2024-06-16 11:43 pm
loupmorque) wrote in kaisou2024-06-16 11:43 pm
[ in the name of the moon ]
WHO: Wrio + Veldora
WHERE: Kanto Region
WHEN: Mid-Month!
WHAT: Sidequest!
WARNINGS: None for now!
[ getting a regular job in kaisou just wasn't ideal for the somewhat antisocial duke--nothing in this world really caught his eye, other than jobs that you needed 'credentials' to get into. What do you mean he needed 'school' to be able to fix cars or build machinery? he had experience, wasn't that enough? and not to mention the fact that boxing was apparently a sport that required you to be some sort of trained star; people couldn't just walk into UFC and ask to prove themselves...
well; perhaps it was fine, anyway, because it just meant that wriothesley could spend his time how he wanted--and do jobs just like this one. Working for the Adventurer's guild back in Teyvat wasn't anything he'd ever done, but he'd heard stories. Being an adventurer could be profitable, right?
Which is why this is where he finds himself, on a rather long hike alongside one of the friends he's made inside the city. A dragon in the shape of a man, with a personality that was impossible not to be charmed by.
The snow crunches underfoot as he stops briefly, tilting his head up to look upwards. The mountain path was a little snow-covered, sure, but there'd been trainers here before, by the way there are clear paths carved in the snow.
He turns his head then to grin at Veldora. ]
...Getting cold yet? I did bring some thermoses full of hot tea if we need a break. This is... definitely a different sort of cold than I'm used to.
WHERE: Kanto Region
WHEN: Mid-Month!
WHAT: Sidequest!
WARNINGS: None for now!
[ getting a regular job in kaisou just wasn't ideal for the somewhat antisocial duke--nothing in this world really caught his eye, other than jobs that you needed 'credentials' to get into. What do you mean he needed 'school' to be able to fix cars or build machinery? he had experience, wasn't that enough? and not to mention the fact that boxing was apparently a sport that required you to be some sort of trained star; people couldn't just walk into UFC and ask to prove themselves...
well; perhaps it was fine, anyway, because it just meant that wriothesley could spend his time how he wanted--and do jobs just like this one. Working for the Adventurer's guild back in Teyvat wasn't anything he'd ever done, but he'd heard stories. Being an adventurer could be profitable, right?
Which is why this is where he finds himself, on a rather long hike alongside one of the friends he's made inside the city. A dragon in the shape of a man, with a personality that was impossible not to be charmed by.
The snow crunches underfoot as he stops briefly, tilting his head up to look upwards. The mountain path was a little snow-covered, sure, but there'd been trainers here before, by the way there are clear paths carved in the snow.
He turns his head then to grin at Veldora. ]
...Getting cold yet? I did bring some thermoses full of hot tea if we need a break. This is... definitely a different sort of cold than I'm used to.
no subject
Veldora, likewise, had no concept of the point of gainful employment--it was mostly something that he did for the fun of the experience, and any concept of not being qualified to do whatever it was that interested him just... didn't happen to particularly take root in his big beautiful dumb head. the fact that he got to do anything at all was still a wholly new and novel concept for him, one he treasured and intended to savor, like a bone full of marrow that needed gnawing on, or the first tankobon of a new Sacred Text...
being sent on a chore is new, and exciting! he doesn't get sent on chores; between his innate childishness that keeps him interested in his shows and stories, some sort of draconinc instinct that leaves him wanting to be close to what's his, and Rimuru's... insistence that Veldora stay back from whatever the current point of contention is, he doesn't get out to do much. usually, he's content (he swears, he's content, having all these friends and new things to do on such small scales is worth the boredom of being left behind) to do his own thing, but
well. it's nice to be relied on. to have friends that want you to do stuff with them. he'd all but sparkled when Wriothesley had asked him to do
to do
well they were doing something and he doesn't quite remember the point of the excursion but here they are! going up a mountain! looking for stuff! snow crunches beneath his boots and he delights in the sound, and the feeling of the chill against his skin--and isn't that fun, he can feel chill despite it being the middling months, how quaint! not having cold nullification made things so much more interesting... ]
Not quite yet, Duke Wriothesley! We are keeping a brisk enough pace that the cold hasn't settled into my bones, as they say! How are you faring, though? Is this a more intense ice magic than you're used to?
[ hmn. Ice magic brings up thoughts of--nope nope nope, discard those, he's having a great time with his buddy Wriothesley and it is not time to think of a certain older, icy sister. ]
no subject
he wears his gauntlets, the thick leather lining inside enough to keep his hands warm, and would come in useful for climbing as he could use the big mechanical hands to climb instead of his own.
He'd brought an additional jacket and scarf for veldora as well, but. The man was huge, so he could only hope he bought one big enough to cover the dragons barrelled chest. ]
I dressed enough for the weather so far, but. If it gets much colder, I could always take my... other form. It's more accustomed to the Cold than I am like this. My element is ice, sure, but. It's different to use ice magic and to be climbing an ice mountain, you know? [ huskies built different. ]
I'd suggest you turn into a dragon and fly us up there, but. It'd be hard to spot the tiny berry bushes from the air, I think. So I'm afraid it might be by foot that's our only choice here.
no subject
I could also take my other form, if worst comes to worst--and I could strike a fire to keep us warm as well if we need to coalesce for a time! [ and there's that mention of ice magic again. his cheerful laugh might sound a bit strained if Wriothesley's little husky ears are listening for the creak. ] I'm not much of one for magic myself--but given what dragons are where I'm from, it's not like I'm a big lizard or anything like that!
If you wanted to try flying for a spell, I could get us up a particularly sharp patch of terrain, but being close to the ground is likely better for spotting our quarry. 'Tis a pity neither of us having enhanced sight--or that these aren't magic berries. I'd be able to sense them to a degree if they were.
no subject
and therefore is going to stick him with a bit of a lingering... look. ]
I'd say we stick to walking for now, the path here doesn't seem too bad. We've already walked past a few bushes that look like the ones we are looking for, but the berries were picked clean.... if we continue on the trail here we might be able to find some more.
[ and he's already setting a brisk pace up said path, turning his head to glance at veldora and his... very hard attempt at keeping his jacket closed. ]
Do you have bad experiences with ice mountains? You seem a little uncomfortable with all this. I feel I should apologise if I picked an outing today that isn't comfortable for you. I should have asked before grabbing it up.
no subject
Veldora looks thoughtfully at their little basket of berries--a few handfuls here and there, nothing to write home about yet, but it's been an honest amount of work so far. he's nodding along and agreeing with Wriothesley, and then Wriothesley steps right onto the minefield like he's a king or something and Veldora's face does a whole thing before he manages to segue into a laugh that's still sounding real rough around the edges. ]
What? What, no, of course not--Veldora the Storm Dragon has no fear of mountains, or ice, or ice mountains! It just--haha, this is foolish, it's hardly worth speaking of; you've done me no disservice, do not fret as to that, my friend.
[ he focuses real hard on his footing for a minute, contemplating his own breathing as he sorts through his thoughts and tries to find one that isn't... too pathetic to express. ]
I've two older sisters, and--I'm sure you know how siblings are, especially when the elders have no time for the foolishness of the younger, so I've simply been on the receiving end of one of my sister's ice magics quite a few times in my overall course of existence. Velzard doesn't pull punches, so the lessons tended to be quite... pointed.
no subject
he fixes veldora with an icy blue gaze as the other laughs in an attempt to calm his own nerves at being caught; and he considers the others' words carefully. He ... remembers having something sort of like siblings, but given how long ago that was, and the circumstances of his "orphanage..."
He closes his eyes a little. ]
Sorry. I don't have that much of an idea of siblings. I had a few kids who were a little like siblings when I was in the orphanage, but...
[ hm. hey look, another berry bush. the duke is gonna put the basket down and start looking through it for berries. ]
Maybe it's a little different for dragons. You guys are much stronger than humans, right? Bigger, too. Maybe shooting one another with magic or fighting like that is normal for your kind...?
I don't really know.
It still sounds pretty rough, though.
I don't think I'd shoot ice crystals at my younger sibling, even though I can use them.
no subject
here
doing whatever this is
he stands dutifully nearby as Wriothesley unfortunately multitasks, holding out the basket as the Duke seeks their quarry. ]
... to the point that there's truly no comparison, yes. I quite like sparring with my niece--nothing really burns off the energy like someone who can challenge you at your level, you know?
And it's not like we permanently die or anything as gruesome as that--give it a few years and we pop back up, good as new with a new outlook and attitude. Sometimes it's beter to start over, or something like that, right?
no subject
He slowly glances over as a bit of confusion colors those fierce blue eyes, brows furrowing as he tries to understand exactly what it is that Veldora is dancing around. ]
...I'm not too sure about that, Veldora. Humans don't really get the chance to "pop back up" or get a fresh restart, so.
Staying with the life we currently have is probably the best idea.
....
Part of me thinks maybe you didn't really deserve to get "reset" either. It feels cruel to me.
Ha.
I'm sorry, this conversation turned this way. We're supposed to be having a good time here, right.
no subject
Veldora so desperately wants to. he has a sense that he's said something odd or discomforting, and while Veldora doesn't really have the bandwidth to be ashamed of things, he does get a sense that Wriothesley mislikes their topic of conversation--especially after the Duke comes out and says as much, with a few flourishes. ]
It's not my favorite thing to do, to be certain, but it's only inconvenienced me in the past. I hadn't really experienced anything that needed to be committed to memory or that I wanted so deeply to keep until the last two years or so... but I don't know if I can truly explain being an astral being without making it 'weird' and 'existential'. You get a look in your eye when people talk about immortality too much.
[ you know, the Horrors of being surrounded by gods. he's seen it in your face. it's not funny but like, either you laugh or you cry, right? ]
But that's neither here nor there! The past is then, and the present is now, and did you hear that?
[ if he had dog ears, they would twitch as he turns his head, squinting to follow the rustling in the snow. ]
no subject
...Here I thought I was being pretty good at hiding that discomfort. You really are extremely observant, aren't you? [ he doesn't say it in a condescending way--like how Rimuru acts surprised when he treats someone like a child only to be startled by their competence. He sounds truly impressed, turning to face the other a little with a genuine sort of warm smile. He drops a handful of berries into the basket as he slowly stands up. ]
It's ... difficult to explain, especially to someone who is functionally immortal, I guess. The idea that life doesn't end at about 100 years, the outlook on 'life' due to not expecting to age and going through natural progression.
I guess I just can't really comprehend it. You're right though--the present Is most important to think about, ut's just easy to get lost in thoughts of this kind when most everyone I know is...
[ he trails off as Veldora asks him if he 'hears' something, and he stops quiet--looking towards the sound.
....Just as a pair of bright orange mouse-like... bears?
Pop out of some of the bushes with a plethora of noises out of their little angry mouths. ]
...Whoops. I think we might have stumbled on someone elses' territory.
no subject
... I can't say I understand, what it's like to know that things will come to an end. Especially a permanent one. With enough time, the Storm Dragon will be born anew and life will continue onwards. Veldora Tempest would cease to exist, but the concept will always be there. [ and there's a pause, thoughtful and contemplative, and he continues to grin. ] Which is why I've come to realize that mortal perspective is so very important. You all see the fine details and life, and make them mean something. There are so few wasted moments, it's... interesting. I wonder how much I've missed, never slowing down long enough to truly look.
[ and then there is a danger to take care of, though it's... not much of a danger. it's a pair of weird squirrels with fat legs. Veldora tilts his head, lifting a hand to gather a crackle of black lightning in his fingers. ]
Shall I disintegrate them?
no subject
But.
They're being set on by a pair of ...big mouse. Bears. And now Veldora is--of all solutions--offering to destroy them, utterly.
Wriothesley immediately holds up one big gauntlet-covered mitt. ]
H, hold on, now. We don't know what that sort of act might do. They might have friends, or family--and as I said, we're poaching on their territory, the reaction to destroy them without a thought isn't the right approach here.
...A gentle hand is a better idea.
[ he reaches a hand out to the little Pawmi, as well as offering them a smile. ]
Come on, we don't have to fight.
Want a few of the berries we collected?
no subject
for right now, though, Evil Dragons are Evil Dragonning and he looks puzzled as to why Wriothesley feels the need to preserve some generic mice, blinking in pleasant confusion. ]
But they're just tiny beasts. If they're aggressive, are they not to be dealt with?
[ the Pawmii continue to do their little rat best to look big and intimidating, chittering away at Wriothesley--though they do seem very interested in the berry basket, if only the air weren't zinging with electricity and the Duke weren't between them and the bush. ]
no subject
But alas, they're being accosted by two baby rats and Wrio's decided the better conversation right this moment is talking his bigass dragon friend who could probably turn the baby rats into a crater without a second thought OUT of doing that... is probably the better goal right now. ]
Because often people--and even animals--are aggressive because they don't know how to better communicate their frustrations. Violence is the only think they know--so you have to teach them there are other options.
[ he offers a handful of their gathered berries to the little things, and rumbles out a low sound in his chest. ]
...Come on now. Let's show Vel that there's no reason for us to be enemies. There's berries enough for us to share, see.
[ ...and look at that, Vel. The little electricity they were generating threateningly slowly disappears, as the pair slowly look at one another--blinking--and slowly approaching to carefully take the berries from the Duke's hand.
Their fat little paws full of berries, they take one glance up at the pair before skuttling away under the bushes and out of sight. ]
...See? Friends after all. Just scared and acting out, not dangerous.
no subject
even with his body as it is now, back home, he was still the Evil Dragon, if small.
and perhaps this lesson about baby rats and their proclivities is something he needs as Wriothesley takes control of the situation--assessing and plying, coming to a conclusion that someone used to using brute force in every situation would never come to as he takes away some of their hard-earned berries to... capitulate. to the little things.
he drops the beginnings of his own spell, watching Wriothesley hold out their efforts, watching the little beasts take the bounty, and watching them scurry on home.
a core memory is being formed here--something that Rimuru had understood, innately, but that Veldora hadn't quite picked apart enough so that he too could immediately point to how it made sense.
because really, it doesn't. why compromise? why not use your might to establish your right to what you wanted? ]
But... why? We've walked for a long time to find those berries, and you've been dutiful in checking the bushes--so why simply give them away to two little creatures that cannot threaten us? Should they not have to go find their own spoils?
Is there a sense in giving resources to the weak when they'll not give you anything in turn?
[ because Rimuru did it so often, and Veldora does not know why. ]