He chuckled. But he wondered if he should shift topics as they continued their climb. He was unsure if that was a sore subject...
Meanwhile, with Naoto's focus, she could see the subtle tremble of a leaf amid the underbrush much closer to the group. Meanwhile, there was the gentle growl of thunder overhead, making the babies look up nervously.
Naoto's 'okay' was coupled with a rush of black and silver fur erupting from the underbrush, claws and teeth extended as they hurtled toward her. It moved like liquid, a hulking feline body taking a crack at the smaller target.
Naoto's eyes never had left the bush and she moved aside, hand making one more pass over her infant's back before the Fortune card was summoned before her.
"Get lost..."
A shattering echoed before Yamato-Sumeragi shot after the feline, similar rage burning through the Persona as it struck with Vorpal Blade.
Sumeragi moved like a shot, the blades glinting in the sunlight as they formed air foils that raked across the fur and muscle of this odd wildcat like their own set of claws.
What erupted from the creature was the answer to why they heard thunder: The sound it made was like angered thunder mingled with the shrill snarl of a panther.
"Naoto!" He called down his own card, crushed it, and Zaiten emerged to back up his partner. As the thunder cat landed, trails of blood staining the silvered parts of the fur.
The growling stopped, choked as the massive robotic hand came down to pin the creature.
"What the fuck is that!? Is that a goddamn sabre-tooth tiger!?"
She was glowering at the wild cat now crushed by Zaiten into the ground. Yamato was still there, helmed head tilted with her eyes glowering similarly to her human counterpart.
"... They mentioned there would be some animals that could impede our progress. However, I'm not going to let them touch our kids so easily."
He nodded. Strangely, he'd gotten used to the terminology, because in a way the hatchlings were sort of their babies in a way, right? Now they had to let them go back, or there'd be no Lunatia to go back to.
What parents would they be if they didn't let the kids spread their literal wings?
"What should we do? I dunno if I'd get nailed for takin' out some kinda endangered species or some shit... we could clobber the head and let it sleep in the bushes for a while?"
"Hm... We could knock it out and leave it in the bush. However, no guarantee another creature might not take it as an opportunity to eat. Still, at that point, I don't think it would be our problem."
They defended themselves, endangered species or not. Frankly, she wanted to move on and get the hatchlings to their new home and safe haven.
"Exactly. A'right..." He nodded to Zaiten, who neatly picked the cat up off the ground a few feet. In what seemed like hardly a move, he thrust back down, yet the ground shuddered from the impact, and the cat yowled, wheezed, and went limp.
Kanji moved quickly to motion with his hands as the demon followed suit, nudging the unconscious wildcat into the brush.
"We should move quick in case I went a little too gentle, yeah?"
Naoto blinked slowly, still scowling at the limp cat as Zaiten nudged it into a bush. It almost attacked her and her hatchling; she had no sympathy for it.
"Yes. Though, I don't expect that to be our last encounter now."
Kanji set his jaw, and without a word called up Zaiten once more.
"Not when there's a lot of people tryin' to climb the mountain. Whole lot of new smells. Rgh... I wish I could pick up on a scent, but they're hunters who've done what they do all their lives. They know how to not get picked up."
At any rate, they were about halfway up. They just needed to remain vigilant.
"Here, lemme give you a boost. Maybe Sumeragi can cut a path all jungle-style... makin' a lot of noise may make any other predators think twice."
It was still boiling inside her, but... this must be what it's like to be a protective parent. An active threat against her hatchlings meant going on the defensive to see to their survival.
"Sure. Do you want me to hold onto her?"
Meanwhile, she called Yamato out again, Persona reflectively steaming with her human.
He heard roars in the distance, but he couldn't tell if they were friend or foe. All he needed to do was keep everybody moving quickly, keep moving up, and make sure nothing else happens.
"Is it weird that I kinda wish there was a Sanguis moon out right now? I mean, if they want a piece of somethin' more their speed..."
Just like she thought before this month, she'd like to have a normal ending to a month for once, uncomplicated by outside factors and maybe - just maybe - have some quiet time with Kanji. Speedwalking on, she had a scowl fixed on her face.
"Yes. And if I could be Iris-blessed right now, I could at least electrocute any that got past you."
Hoo, boy. She was pissed. With a sigh he felt Zaiten dissolve and shift back into his body, needing rest. No soul could be fragmented for so long.
"Back atcha- I could hold the little guy for a bit, give your arms a break. We're makin' good time to the top, but the last hundred feet or so look like a real trip."
"... I'll carry him for a little bit longer. Once we get there, I'll have to let him go."
Yamato returning to her soul, Naoto continued looking away as she sighed. It may have felt like hell that first day and then a little on, but they'd hatched them and raised them. Not for long, but all the same.
That was crystal, and he felt it, too. It was the Prismals who'd said they would keep causing problems and needed to go back home, and while many moonblessed expressed their relief after the boundless Chroma spent to help them grow and develop, there were others still who couldn't help but feel that pull lingering.
They were so young, just days old... did it really have to be time now? Didn't Lunatia have enough Chroma, enough resources to clean up any damage and perhaps learn better as a community how better to house the dragons? Was it because unlike the moonblessed made so much Chroma, dragons demanded so much of it, taking away from the Prismal plan?
That burned like an ember in his mind. Now, it glowed brighter. Rather than stress that maybe dragons matured faster than humans, he instead put an arm over Naoto's shoulders and kissed her temple.
"We'll have answers, at least. We've never been outside of Lunatia before, not since we were on the Iris moon."
It was likely - no, no doubt at all that Kanji already understood. She'd seen how he babied his dragon, let her play with his yarn and then some. Like her, he'd tried to curve her destructive accidents, but failed. And given their rapid growth while still being so infantile mentally, Naoto understood where the Prismals were coming from.
But why were they constantly being the ones made to let go and sacrifice?
"... That's true. And perhaps the King will allow us to visit."
"Damn right he should! We should be allowed to see our babies as they grow up. That'll be the first thing laid on the table the minute we see this guy."
Ugh... he hated looking at it, but there it was: The final ascent. At the top of that plateau, the finish line awaited. He could hear others up top, who may have coaxed their dragons into giving them a ride to the top. Nuts to them- they'd have to be the first to do the hard part in saying goodbye.
Kanji fell quiet. Then, with a sigh: "...But we should get to him, first. Just need a sec to prep Zaiten."
Sounded like the perfect plan to her. Oh, but what if the King only permitted one question? He wouldn't do that... would he? He could if everyone was asking questions; she knows she would. They wouldn't know until they arrived and this appeared to be the last leg.
"Sure."
But he wasn't actually doing that. She knew he could summon Zaiten at that moment.
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chiming
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Date: 2019-06-03 01:52 am (UTC)From:Meanwhile, with Naoto's focus, she could see the subtle tremble of a leaf amid the underbrush much closer to the group. Meanwhile, there was the gentle growl of thunder overhead, making the babies look up nervously.
"Wait... what?"
The sky was blue.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-03 02:08 am (UTC)From:However, it was scaring her baby and she gently ran a hand along his back.
"Shh, you're okay."
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Date: 2019-06-03 02:57 am (UTC)From:Naoto's 'okay' was coupled with a rush of black and silver fur erupting from the underbrush, claws and teeth extended as they hurtled toward her. It moved like liquid, a hulking feline body taking a crack at the smaller target.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-03 03:18 am (UTC)From:Naoto's eyes never had left the bush and she moved aside, hand making one more pass over her infant's back before the Fortune card was summoned before her.
"Get lost..."
A shattering echoed before Yamato-Sumeragi shot after the feline, similar rage burning through the Persona as it struck with Vorpal Blade.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-03 04:32 am (UTC)From:What erupted from the creature was the answer to why they heard thunder: The sound it made was like angered thunder mingled with the shrill snarl of a panther.
"Naoto!" He called down his own card, crushed it, and Zaiten emerged to back up his partner. As the thunder cat landed, trails of blood staining the silvered parts of the fur.
The growling stopped, choked as the massive robotic hand came down to pin the creature.
"What the fuck is that!? Is that a goddamn sabre-tooth tiger!?"
no subject
Date: 2019-06-03 05:27 am (UTC)From:She was glowering at the wild cat now crushed by Zaiten into the ground. Yamato was still there, helmed head tilted with her eyes glowering similarly to her human counterpart.
"... They mentioned there would be some animals that could impede our progress. However, I'm not going to let them touch our kids so easily."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-04 04:50 am (UTC)From:He nodded. Strangely, he'd gotten used to the terminology, because in a way the hatchlings were sort of their babies in a way, right? Now they had to let them go back, or there'd be no Lunatia to go back to.
What parents would they be if they didn't let the kids spread their literal wings?
"What should we do? I dunno if I'd get nailed for takin' out some kinda endangered species or some shit... we could clobber the head and let it sleep in the bushes for a while?"
no subject
Date: 2019-06-04 05:45 am (UTC)From:They defended themselves, endangered species or not. Frankly, she wanted to move on and get the hatchlings to their new home and safe haven.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-05 12:42 am (UTC)From:Kanji moved quickly to motion with his hands as the demon followed suit, nudging the unconscious wildcat into the brush.
"We should move quick in case I went a little too gentle, yeah?"
no subject
Date: 2019-06-05 04:29 am (UTC)From:"Yes. Though, I don't expect that to be our last encounter now."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-05 07:20 pm (UTC)From:"Not when there's a lot of people tryin' to climb the mountain. Whole lot of new smells. Rgh... I wish I could pick up on a scent, but they're hunters who've done what they do all their lives. They know how to not get picked up."
At any rate, they were about halfway up. They just needed to remain vigilant.
"Here, lemme give you a boost. Maybe Sumeragi can cut a path all jungle-style... makin' a lot of noise may make any other predators think twice."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-06 12:26 am (UTC)From:It was still boiling inside her, but... this must be what it's like to be a protective parent. An active threat against her hatchlings meant going on the defensive to see to their survival.
"Sure. Do you want me to hold onto her?"
Meanwhile, she called Yamato out again, Persona reflectively steaming with her human.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-06 12:50 am (UTC)From:But he was picking up on something storming again, and it wasn't from a cat this time. He reached out and rest a hand against her shoulder.
"They won't get the jump on any of us again. But let's keep our cool, yeah? Take it from a Sanguis."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-06 01:14 am (UTC)From:"... Yes, I trust you. Keep us safe."
Yamato would be ready to react though, glancing towards Zaiten.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-06 02:22 am (UTC)From:He looked up and nodded to Zaiten, who drew his blade and cleaved through the underbrush.
"A'right, up we go!"
no subject
Date: 2019-06-06 06:12 am (UTC)From:This hike would take some time, but she shifted her hold on the dragon in her arms. Food was at the end for them; they had to get there.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-07 04:28 am (UTC)From:"Is it weird that I kinda wish there was a Sanguis moon out right now? I mean, if they want a piece of somethin' more their speed..."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-07 05:59 pm (UTC)From:"Yes. And if I could be Iris-blessed right now, I could at least electrocute any that got past you."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 01:04 am (UTC)From:"Back atcha- I could hold the little guy for a bit, give your arms a break. We're makin' good time to the top, but the last hundred feet or so look like a real trip."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 01:33 am (UTC)From:Yamato returning to her soul, Naoto continued looking away as she sighed. It may have felt like hell that first day and then a little on, but they'd hatched them and raised them. Not for long, but all the same.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 01:42 am (UTC)From:They were so young, just days old... did it really have to be time now? Didn't Lunatia have enough Chroma, enough resources to clean up any damage and perhaps learn better as a community how better to house the dragons? Was it because unlike the moonblessed made so much Chroma, dragons demanded so much of it, taking away from the Prismal plan?
That burned like an ember in his mind. Now, it glowed brighter. Rather than stress that maybe dragons matured faster than humans, he instead put an arm over Naoto's shoulders and kissed her temple.
"We'll have answers, at least. We've never been outside of Lunatia before, not since we were on the Iris moon."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 01:55 am (UTC)From:But why were they constantly being the ones made to let go and sacrifice?
"... That's true. And perhaps the King will allow us to visit."
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 02:15 am (UTC)From:Ugh... he hated looking at it, but there it was: The final ascent. At the top of that plateau, the finish line awaited. He could hear others up top, who may have coaxed their dragons into giving them a ride to the top. Nuts to them- they'd have to be the first to do the hard part in saying goodbye.
Kanji fell quiet. Then, with a sigh: "...But we should get to him, first. Just need a sec to prep Zaiten."
He was stalling.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 02:46 am (UTC)From:Sounded like the perfect plan to her. Oh, but what if the King only permitted one question? He wouldn't do that... would he? He could if everyone was asking questions; she knows she would. They wouldn't know until they arrived and this appeared to be the last leg.
"Sure."
But he wasn't actually doing that. She knew he could summon Zaiten at that moment.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-08 04:44 am (UTC)From:Then he called the card and broke the seal.
He had to do it. He had to do it for the dragons. This was what was best for them, to be with their own kind.
Right?
Zaiten lowered to accept them once more. Saying nothing, Kanji climbed on and offered a hand up.
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