iridescentfrontiers | The dragon and human not brought to you by Yoko Taro

The dragon and human not brought to you by Yoko Taro

(Things were much more peaceful with the war finally at an end. Scavengers referred to it as the War of the Desert, where, as far as they were concerned, it all started. Two decades worth of fighting and getting caught in the crossfire. Dragons and humans alike were born during this difficult time on Pyrrhia and Mikasa Ackerman was no exception. She was trained to fight, to defend, to kill, if necessary.

But things changed when she met a peculiar dragon, one that didn't match any information she read about them. Something about Xion was...different. Not that all dragons were bad, but even Mikasa was aware of their hatred towards mankind. After learning the truth of how the war started, it's really not a surprise.

Oddly enough, the normally closed off girl found herself growing close to the animus-touched being, so much so that she decided to travel the world with her. It...was daunting, visiting the dragon-sized structures with her being so small by comparison, but it's something she's getting used to. It brought her to all kinds of places, like the beautiful forest of the Rainwings. The human's enjoying a fresh mango at the moment, settled up against a tree alongside her companion.)

Are you sure you don't need to eat anything?

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[Xion knows she's weird. She knows she's... a strange mix of dragons. Some dragons, anyway. Gills and bioluminescence, spikes and ice breath, the black and starry wings of a nightwing... There's nothing about her that isn't wrong, but it hardly matters to her, and it hardly matters to those she calls her friends.

Besides, there's a very important trait that she and all of her friends share, and that's that they eat meat. So when her scavenger offers her a mango, Xion's quick to shake her head.]

Um, no thanks. I don't eat Rainwing food. [Not if she can help it, anyway.] It's good though, right?

(It didn't take long for Mikasa to simply classify Xion as a friend. She's not the type to care what a person is so long as she likes who a person is. And apparently, this person is as carnivorous as can be expected from most dragons.

Which is fine, really. More mango for her. She nods.)

They said fruit grown in this forest is better than the ones we had back home. I can confirm this as true.

(Perhaps because dragons take better care of their environment than humans. That's what she chooses to believe.)

We can hunt something for you here, so long as it isn't a sloth. I understand that Rainwings love sloths.

Mm... I don't know how great i'd be at hunting here, though.

[Xion swishes her tail forward, and stretches out her claws. Spiky and finned, and webbed between the toes. Certainly not built for jungle speed or jungle stealth. Unlike the Rainwings with their camouflage and... generally longer, thinner tails built for grabbing.]

The only thing I could probably catch is a squirrel. Or maybe a fish if I can find a river? [Rivers go through rainforests, right?]

If it proves too difficult, I can find something. My maneuverability gear is made for dense areas like this.

(It was also why her village was in a similarly forested area. Plenty of things to grapple onto and defend her home, as she and her fellow soldiers were trained to do. She's looking up at the surrounding trees with a knowing glance, as if inspecting their stability.

Hardly a problem since they're about as dragon-proportioned as her own forest.)

I'd rather you didn't go off alone... I know the Rainwings eat fruit, but the other Nightwings might find you a good snack... You're not exactly a sloth after all. There's no reason for them to not try and eat you.

[And Xion is a weird Nightwing by any dragons standards to begin with. It's not like she's up high on the social ladder around these parts.]

Besides, I can go a bit without some food. And it's not like it's far from here to the desert, I can probably pick up a camel there. Or maybe a few lizards?

(Oh right. The Nightwings. One wouldn't be a problem, but considering the entire tribe lives in this forest? Just being here is enough of a risk. For both of them, most likely; she isn't sure how well they'd take a mixed breed like Xion.

Reluctantly, the scavenger decides against going out on the prowl like that.)

Fishing, then. I'm sure there's a river near here. You have a preference for fish, don't you?

Fish is fine with me! [Worse than a mixed breed, a mixed breed that can apparently speak with scavengers. She's definitely as weird as they come.]

It really doesn't matter too much, as long as it's meat. [But... she is hungry. Gently, she moves to stand up and shake herself into a stretch.] I doubt Nightwings will be down by the river... Rainwings too. [A plus side to this scavenger talking is that other dragons just. Simply don't understand it. She doesn't have to worry about anyone listening in.]

(Worst case scenario, they'll only catch half of the conversation. Mikasa could call the Nightwings Volcano Breaths and they'd be none the wiser.)

The Rainwings may forgive it. If the Nightwings don't, then they haven't learned to share as well as they should have.

(No offense, of course. Mikasa realizes Xion's still part of their tribe and tries not to speak ill of them. Tries.

Still, she does dig up a fishing rod from her things as she finishes her mango. Getting bait for the hook should be easy enough, as she gauges from nudging at the dirt beneath her. She points in a direction.)

I believe the river is northeast from here.

You really don't get dragon interactions at all, do you? [It's said with a bit of amusement, but Xion's wings are drooped slightly. It's just something she has to deal with. She doesn't like it, but Axel isn't here to back her up, and Roxas isn't either.

She hopes they're alright...]

Do you want to walk? It's pretty hard to fly in here, but it'd definitely be faster... [Hm... How hungry is she anyway? It's been about a day, Xion thinks.]

(Admittedly, Mikasa's hoping they don't encounter other dragons. She doesn't know how standoffish Nightwings are and is still trying to work down from her "kill on sight" training that the village's defenses worried about.)

That depends on if you want to practice flying through the trees. I'm not opposed to walking, however. (Besides, walking is a default for humans. They don't get the choices dragons do in transportation.)

Walking might be safer. I don't want to break a wing, that's for sure. I can still carry you if you want though. [It certainly doesn't bother her any, and it takes care of any fears that Mikasa might be accidentally stepped on... Which is always a worry, honestly.]

(Mikasa doesn't have a problem walking alongside the dragon, but knows Xion would feel better having her on her back. To that end, she nods once again and settles atop the dragon, her fishing rod draped over her shoulder.

She had to admit: it was nice being this close to a dragon without either one trying to murder the other. She smiles lightly and gives an amused sigh.)

I think it's sweet...how protective you are.

(It's not like she's the same way or anything, nope nope.)

[Her spots flicker with light momentarily, and her ears go down.]

It's not that... I just don't want to step on you my accident. You're really small...

I'm also tougher than I look. I've told you this before.

(A small hand reaches over to gently scritch one of the dragon's ears.)

Yeah, but you're not exactly dragon tough... Especially not against real dragons. [Which she's been often told she's not, for more reason than one. Mostly because of the fact that she's still young.]

I can hold my own all the same. (Even though yes, a good hit or a stomp could do irreparable damage to the girl. That's par the course of being a human in a world of dragons.)

And I wish you'd stop implying you're not a real dragon.

I'm not a real dragon though. I won't be for awhile, anyway. I've got a few more years on me before i'm an adult, you know. [That's just the way of life, after all.]

Anyway, as long as you're with me they probably wont try to hurt you, since I've got Icewing breath and all. [Which is completely deadly.]

...Speaking of Icewing breath, you need to keep practicing. Your fumbling angers them further instead of scaring them off.

(Xion, she loves you and all, but come on. The raspberries happen a lot.)

It's not my fault! [She's got a seawing and nightwing face to hold a icewing tongue and breath weapon.

.... She sticks out her tongue and blows an actual raspberry this time.]

(There's a small laugh from the scavenger in response. Mikasa does give her trouble for it now and then, but it's in good fun. Honestly, she's been happier in general since leaving her village; she didn't realize how much she'd appreciate getting away from all that until finally doing so.

Mikasa points towards the river once it comes into view. She only needs a few moments to set herself up before the line is cast and the waiting game begins.)

Where should we go after we're finished here? There's much I haven't seen.

[Xion gives a small snort of frosty icicles, starting to move towards the river. Her stomach is already growling, and she's... rather excited to get her feet wet. The water always feels nice, and that's probably owed to her partial seawing heritage.]

I don't know.... I've never been to the desert, and that should be kinda closeish to here by flight? Unless you meant a little more local...

The desert is fine. We seldom scouted it back in the village; our maneuvering gear was useless and we were too open to attack there. Not to mention the extreme temperatures.

(It has its resources, but came with many, many risks, with the sandwing grudge against scavengers being one of them.)

We should be careful not to go too far. Being part seawing and icewing may make you vulnerable to its climate.

I should be fine...? There's a bunch of updrafts, so it's not like I have to put too much effort into flying. [And if needed she can freeze a patch of sand to roll in for a bit if she has to cool off..]

I've seen scavengers in the desert though, they normally have camel caravans to carry things. And they're much better snacks than scavengers anyway. [Thankfully she... hasn't eaten any scavengers since she's picked up Mikasa.]

(She would hope Xion hasn't eaten any scavengers since then. They're pals and all that, but Mikasa does have her objections about watching her fellow man get eaten.)

They may have been a settlement near the desert. We we traded with groups like those; desert plants are used in numerous remedies, including ones for Sandwing venom.

(Though really, any scavenger who got stung with those enormous tails would probably be dead. Still, just in case.)

I've heard about the remedy for sandwing venom. It's from a cactus, isn't it? [Which probably makes sense, given that sandwings live in the desert and all that...

She wades a little deeper into the river, wriggling her toes in the mud there. It's not the ocean, but it's still nice.]

Are you gonna fish from my back? Or did you want off here to do it?

Yes. I don't remember the exact name, but I know what it looks like. We kept several around. They had hoped to one day weaponize sandwing venom themselves, but they've yet to succeed.

(Gee, I wonder why.)

I can hop off if you want to wade for a while. All I ask is you not splash around too much; you'll scare the fish.

If I splash around I won't get to catch fish, you know. [Gosh. Still, Xion angles her tail so that Mikasa can avoid most of the river that she's waded into. Though it's never really struck her that the scavenger is one to shy away from getting wet or muddy.]

Make sure you keep a good look out too, okay? Just stay near my tail so you can grab it and alert me if you need help.

(Mikasa doesn't mind water much, as she partially climbs down the dragon and splashes a bit from stepping into the water. The biggest problem with getting wet is waiting for her clothes to dry and she didn't bring many outfits. Going up to her boots is fine, though.

She doesn't get to shore just yet, though, giving a playful nudge of the partial Nightwing's tail.)

Don't worry. I'll stay nearby if you need my help.

Just kick me in the tail if you need anything.

[Xion stays put until she's sure that Mikasa will be fine, before slinking off further into the river, near entirely submerging herself to try and find something tasty that isn't fruit.]

(Mikasa settles in on the riverside, her line cast as she watches the dragon settle into the water. She's come to enjoy fishing quite a lot during these travels; the rainforest ambiance makes this even more relaxing, letting the girl settle into the dirt.

The fish aren't biting just yet, but it's all about the waiting game here. Maybe Xion will get more immediate luck in her catch.)

[Of course she will. She's a dragon, and there's dragon sized arowana in the rainforest river. Which means it only takes a few minutes before there's a sudden splashing and struggle coming from her location as she fights with the gigantic fish to try and haul it onto the land.]

(It's one thing for humans to wrestle with dragon-sized aquatic life in this world. They were small people in a large world, but they managed to survive. Wrangling an arowana isn't the hardest task Mikasa has undertaken.

Wrangling one from a dragon who saw that fish first? Now that might be more of a problem. She's making a sincere effort to fight that fish, but the instant Xion starts fighting with it herself, Mikasa gets pulled into the water, the graceless splash adding to the shame of her rod slipping through her fingers.

Well. At least someone caught the fish?)

[After a few seconds of struggling, she manages to get the fish out of the water, though it's strong shaking is definitely making her head move. She's still small by dragon standards, and the fish is still about a fifth of her size.

It's only after she manages to completely get it on land and crush its skull to make it stop moving does she realize that Mikasa is significantly wetter than when she last left her.]

... Did you fall in or something? [... Or something.]

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The dragon and human not brought to you by Yoko Taro

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