pishirogane | prismatica

She wasn't the only one, it looked like: Amid countless others using baby talk, pieces of chocolate and trying to push more robust-looking dragon babies (though it's more like trying to push a car than a small creature, judging by the grunting) was Kanji clapping his hands before a wriggling baby covered in yarn, more interested in chewing the wool than listening.

"C'mon, baby, you can take the yarn with ya...!"

Turning her head at the quite familiar voice, Naoto gazed at Kanji and his dragon - the other dragon they co-raised. It took such a curious form, but - unfortunately - it seemed however they developed, both dragons just did not form wings. Would they climb to the top then? Would the membranes be utilized at all?

With a sigh, and grumpy baby dragon slinking behind, she approached Kanji.

"Not having any luck either?"

Kanji's sigh was wearier than he'd intended, but it was no less the truth. The dragon at his feet trilled in greeting to Naoto and wiggled on her back, legs kicking. Putting on that charm, hardcore.

"None! She's got my brand new yarn, too! I mean, I don't... I don't want her to go, but she needs to be with her own kind, yeah?!"

While Kanji's dragon attempted to charm Naoto, her own charged up to Kanji and proceeded to butting him, wanting to wrestle, hissing and barking out its best attempt at roars.

"Yes... We don't have the means or space to care for them should they continue growing at their rate." ... To hell with it, she approached Kanji's dragon in order to give them some attention giving her own was preoccupied.

This little gremlin...! He hunkered down with a growl and heckled the little stinker with both hands for a wrasslin', never minding dragonian play bites and oh-so-scary hisses.

"Especially after all the Chroma they took just bein' born... no wonder they needed our help." He sighed. Then he blinked.

"Chroma! Y'think Chroma might be what coaxes 'em up?"

Yes... Now the small dragon was engaged, tail flopping and teeth nipping at the weird second food provider.

"Yes... And yet again, something else we should note absorbs a significant amount of Chroma..." How was this planet still alive under such strict parameters?

"Huh? It might provide them a small boost..."

He shook his head in disappointment. She was right- this planet was so hungry for Chroma... what the HELL happened here that left such a hole? Was it not a near-constant resource like solar power?

"Yeah! So I figure that, to boot, seein' their parents hurry their way up will help them realize they miss us and come lookin' for us. It's worth a shot... I think."

Her hand still rubbing the yarn-threaded dragon, she considered, biting the inside of her cheek. She imagined that would actually work, but she doesn't know if she just liked the idea of walking away from them. And would they follow?

"... We could give it a try." But only really a try...

He nodded and stood. He reached for her hand.

"Okay, little guys! Guess this is where you wanna be. We're gonna go up to where we heard all the ripe, tasty food is. I'm pretty hungry, so I dunno if there's gonna be any left once I'm done unless we all go together."

So with a slight swagger, he began to walk down the trail, but not as his usual stride; he was giving ample time for the young dragonets to consider their options.

The bitey dragon was confused. Why stop the fight? It sat and tilted its head, one way then the other, blinking, fanning fins waving as Kanji spoke.

"Try to leave some meat for everyone..." Naoto added, trying not to look back at their dragons, but it felt wrong to be doing this. She was going against the nature of Iris, but she tried, tried to talk alongside Kanji, squeezing his hand all the while.

"Well, maaaaybe..." He slowed his walk even further. Come on, dragons, take the damn bait...!

His dragon perked up and stood, making curious trilling noises. Then she was calling. Why was papa going somewhere without her? She went everywhere with him. What happened? Did he forget her already?

Cautiously, she made a few steps, but peered back to her sibling. Did it know what was going on??

"Kanji-kun..." She softly chided him, gripping his hand harder at the dragon calling behind them. No, she was strong, she could fight the implanted instincts in her to turn around and go to their dragons.

Her own dragon looked over at their sibling, similarly confused and croaking somewhat after the two. Where were they going? He even howled a bit before getting back in his claws, taking several more steps after his mama and her mate.

"Just a little more," he urged. He could hear them approaching. His baby mimicked her sibling's call.

"Nothin' a kid loves more than to do what their parents are doin'. My dad would tell me that if I wanted to stay on the playground as it got dark, he got to go home himself and help mom make dinner. I loved helpin' mom make dinner." And the dark was fucking scary. But that was beside the point.

They were getting louder - thank god, they were following.

"Oh? I didn't know that..." Then again, she had always done her own thing with the occasional supervision around the estate. The point though made sense. It was just like a child to follow and copy what their parents might be doing; or at least, not end up left behind.

"Mhm. Seems kinda mean from the outside, but we ain't leavin' 'em. They just wanna push buttons like all kids do, show us that they're all grown up and don't need us."

And he kept pace when the dragons caught up. Boy, he hoped there was some tasty food up top or he was gonna deal with cranky dragonets. The King, however, had promised them...

"But... huh. So there's dragons here. They had pegasus on the Iris moon. What other crazy storybook shit's in this world?"

"I see... My interaction with children and understanding their behavior is limited." And again, she hadn't been like most kids her age growing up.

The dragons caught up, but she maintained her attention ahead so they wouldn't lose their step. They'd be happy once they arrived anyway no matter what trickery they might be temporarily subjected to.

"Hm... maybe Chimera?"

"That'd be kinda cool... if they're friendly, anyway. But I doubt it, if they gotta eat stuff to get Chroma."

But he couldn't help wondering, casually climbing the hills now.

"Wait... the King. The big guy who runs the whole dragon outfit. He might be able to tell us more than the Prismals ever could. Especially after we raised babies for 'em. Did 'em a favor."

"Right. And that's more likely the case should we encounter one."

Again, it made her wonder more about the lack of Chroma and its production only through Moonlacing.

"... Yes, he might. We can try asking, but there's no guarantee he'll know anymore, or be willing to provide a straight answer."

"Right. But if nothin' else, maybe some... I dunno, some history. Dragons live a pretty long time and might have seen somethin' that talks about what happened to all the Chroma."

He brightened up immediately.

"See? If mysteries just fell in my lap around now instead of back when I was like 15, I'd be crushin' 'em! ...Maybe...!"

"... But, another thought. Raising the eggs and babies, they required so much Chroma themselves. If dragons need Chroma as well... and if supplies have been low..."

She sighed. So many dragons had been born now because the Moonblessed, Moonlacing, and the sacrifice of the Chroma they produced. Hopefully, as the dragons aged, they required less or there were alternatives to surviving until more Chroma was present.

However, she was a pessimist.

"Hmm, you're right. The King and others have been doin' okay though. They get by somehow. Prismals can't produce Chroma, but what if dragons can? They just need a bunch as they grow in the eggs, maybe."

Too many questions, not enough answers.

They'll get some soon, hopefully. They just needed to reach the drop-off point.

"It's possible. Though, if they can produce Chroma, why don't they assist the Prismals with the Chroma crisis? There's something going on, but how do they expect a solution to be reached if they don't tell us what's going on?"

It was frustrating. She would really like answers soon when it was so obvious there was a problem.

He scratched his head. No, she was bringing up a lot of good points.

"Okay, new theory- everybody's a dick, and that's why this energy crisis is as bad as it is, and they don't believe they're in a crisis until somethin' puts a bug in their ass."

He shrugged.

"Still, won't hurt talkin' to the King. He owes us."

Oh.

That's a hell of a climb right there.

"I can concur with that theory. However, it might be less a matter of people being 'dicks' and more trying to appease the populous from a crisis they don't have a solution for..."

She shook her head.

"Yes. We'll find out something... hopefully."

However, this might be a roadblock.

"... How are your rock climbing skills?"

There was a small, pleasant shiver when she swore, but he ignored it just as quickly.

"Uhm... I mean, never done it before, but I've climbed trees. Ain't the same, but..."

He canted his head.

"Same dangers. Man, if I was transformed- and I thought I'd never say that- I could probably clear this pretty easy. Damn. Think the plane's got ropes and stuff?"

prismatica | Overflow

Burninating- II

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