+Jumping slityly as his dragon come rushing towards him a look of worry appers on his emotionless face and he scans his dragons protective stance and fetures. Nodding his head at his dragons words he tries to look around at what he was refering to, putting his hand on the dragons blue spotted scales he tries to calm him down+

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'Calm down Ryu...what do yo mean their plaining something, they are our teachers"

+His voice was calm and soft wanting to try and calm the dragon and get him on his good side even in his protective state Theo can ptrotect himself+

oop douple psot!!

Michael Evans - Rider - 18 - Male - Mentions: Deirdre, Mircea, Valine, Nico, Brontes, Terra


Michael knew he had stepped out of line.

How could he not?

The moment Mircea had turned to him with true anger and annoyance in his amber eyes. It was written all over his face, in the expression he had given him. Then he had looked, and by extension Michael, over to the sound of footsteps approaching them. Of course it was Mircea's older brother. Half-brother technically, but brother all the same.

The moment that the water dragon- Brontes had shot a stream of water up into the air, a test shot most likely, he knew that to be his cue to get the hell away.

Yet he didn't until the very last second.

Retreating back to Deirdre, with dread and regret creating a deep pit within him and anxiety shivering through his skin, he was uncharacteristically subdued. Stopping once abreast of the fire dragon's front legs, and turning to face outward. Inwardly, the emotions of dread, self-blame, anxiety, a little bit of fear even, mingled together to create the heavy, forboding feeling one gets when they know they have done something wrong. The rising guilt felt heavy and choking. If he were to let his emotions leak into his body language, he'd rather look like a dog whom somebody had just kicked. He desperately hoped the link that bound them did not transmit emotions as well as thoughts.

He knew one thing for certain. He'd best keep out of Mircea's way for the foreseeable future.

He'd fucked up. He hadn't meant to step over the line, hadn't meant to hurt Mircea, but he had. If he had just stayed where he was, then attention wouldn't have been brought to them. A wave of shame brought a stinging sensation to his eyes.

Don't cry, Michael, do not.

He gritted his teeth, choking back the rising urge to cry. Folding his hands behind his back, interlacing the fingers, and then squeezing as hard as he could. Not until he was alone, all he had to do was control himself long enough to get somewhere private.

Unconsciously, driven by the need to not be seen, he backed up, closer to his dragon.

He saw the earth dragon- Mircea's dragon stand up, looking down dangerously at someone who attempted to approach. A small part of him was reminded of a mother bear protecting her cub. That one was most likely not going to be happy with him either, just someone else to avoid.

Lord, he had screwed up so bad.

It's my fault. I did this.

The thought seemed to echo through his head, increasing the heavy feeling in his gut, the shame and guilt and everything. He felt as if he were barely managing to stay afloat, almost drowning, but not quite. The stinging in his eyes intensified, the want to break down and cry growing harder and harder to resist; his throat tightened almost painfully, the ache there growing. It felt as if he were barely able to draw a breath. There was a shudder within the next exhale, as if a sob had tried to come out but had been forced back at the last moment. He felt miserable.

Dan | Fire Dragon | 100 | Male | M: Roxanne, Brontes (ind), Nico (ind)

Dan nodded his head when Roxanne was surprised that his parents spun a wheel.

“Yeah,I know, it’s strange but that’s what Momma said so it gotta be true.”

Their conversation continued and to Dan’s disappointment it didn’t end with a happy rider itching to ride. Instead she became anxious for her well being around him.

“Huh, oh, no, no, I can only burn things with my mouth. My skin might get a little warm, but not enough to burn you.” Then she mentioned eating. He twisted out his lower lip trying to comprehend her question. “Uhhh, I mean I can choose when to blow fire and when not to….” He tried his hardest to recall those lectures that his parents had given them about their bodies and whatnot. All Dan really remembered was being greatly disturbed when it was one-on-one time with Dad. He squeezed his eyes shut as he wrung out little drops of memory from his dinosaur-like brain. “I think that my firepower comes from how much food I’ve had. Something about gasses fueling it in my tummy or something like that…more food, more gas.”

Somehow it went back to the moral question of good and evil. Dan still wasn’t all in for the bad people becoming good. After all, how did you know that they were really good and not faking it? Then his human had a wonderful idea that was absolutely genius.

Most good people don't call themselves that. So, if you ever hear anyone claim that they're good, assume they're bad

“Wow!” He announced aloud and to anyone who was listening. “You’re really smart! My human is good and smart and—wait! You don’t know what cloudpuffs are?” It turned out that his human was intelligent, polite, and culturally unaware. This would have to change so Dan began to speak over her changing her mind. “Cloudpuffs are squishy, sticky, sugary balls of joy. Sometimes the outside is blue or pink, but the inside is always fluffy and white like a cloud. They are the dragon candy where I come from. I don’t know where they come from, but I think it’s heaven.”

Not surprisingly, food became the main subject. But she mentioned a word outside his vocabulary. Savory. He didn’t want her to think that she got stuck with the dumbest dragon in the world, so he decided to go along with it. He’d have to play it smooth, as Hephaestus, his cool older brother, would say—even if it didn’t make sense. How could you play something smooth? And what was ‘it’? Hephaestus tried to explain, and Dan believes to this day that it means a calm, courteous way of talking where you are trying to not to bring attention to something. Not what it actually means—a calm, courteous way of talking when you are intentionally trying not to seem interested in something you really want. Oh well, Hephaestus tried.

“I don’t really care, food is food. Although, I do prefer anything over seafood. The fishy taste is awful, plus they always over salt it and to be honest, I don't really like salt all that much, no offense if you do.”

The news that his clever rider who was wise for her age did not know what was happening next comforted him. So he didn’t miss a letter or anything like that. That was good. Oh, look, something is happening, he told himself. It was a line of strange dragons and humans. A water dragon and his rider was talking to them. Apparently they were their leaders. He listened intently, trying to soak up as much information as his brain could hold. However, it was getting really boring. This human’s voice seemed to drone on and on and on and on and is that dragon gonna throw up?

Oh sweet mother of James.

It was not throwing up…necessarily. It was spewing its spit everywhere and it was raining down and ew! It was disgusting. He folded his wings as high as he could over his head and over Roxanne’s. Did that dragon backwash or something? Dan could swear he smelled muffins in the air. His stomach rumbled again. He’d like one of those muffins right about now.

After a short daydream about sugary muffins, he was awakened by a firm voice. It was from Roxanne. Apparently she wasn’t going to ride him which was going to be the best part of the entire day. Or maybe eating was. He’d definitely wanted that. But he also wanted Roxanne to ride him.

“What? Why? Pleaseeeeeee!!!” He begged. “It’ll be fun! I’ll fly low and slow and I won’t do any twists or anything wild. I’ll even just go a few feet off the ground if it’s the height! If you fall, I’ll catch you. I promise.”

He really hoped he could keep that promise. He hadn’t caught anything but a cold in years.

"Fine...tch"

+Breathing a sigh of relief when the dragon stops its protective behavior, he then smiles softly and once again runs his hands across the dragon's scales, not long after his eyes widen when the dragon wrapped its tail around him a sign not to go near the human or else. Shaking his head he doesn't say anything about it letting the dragon at least have something to calm him down, even if it was still in a deadly manor+

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"So first ride, you exited...I am actually kinda scared..."

+Trying to spark a conversation with the dragon he slowly sits down leaning his body against the dragon's spotted scales with a soft sigh, as his head touches the dragon he feels the bond getting stronger and soon closes his eyes breathing slow and soft, it was rare for Theo to be so relaxed and so...protected?+

.

+He asked the dragon he was leaning one with a smirk opening one of his eyes to look at the dragon, to see his reaction fiddling with his clothes+

A stern look was plastered upon her face, her lips tightened into a thin line and her teeth clenched together. Stubbornness radiated off of her, practically seeping out of her pores and into the air. Her arms crossed, hugging them to her body with such strength, that her chest had begun to ache from the compression. She refused to participate, because truly, she had not wished for any of this. Her entire reason for appearing was to simply see the dragons, nothing more. She had no life here, not anymore, and she didn't want one. She hadn't even been able to visit the very area where the.. incident happened. Being stuck here in this place? It was too much for her.

Releasing a deep sigh, her gaze had flickered upon Dan, body turned away from him until he mentioned that he could only burn things with his mouth. Then, her head shifted in his direction, peering at him over her shoulder. "You can't burn me if I touch you?" It was clear this information had calmed her nerves. It was certainly a relief. Actually, it was a large one. So much so, that another breath escaped her, her head nodding a singular time. Her arms had dropped to her side, though her back still remained turned to him. That is, until he mentioned that she was smart, to which a twitch of a smile appeared.

"I've never heard of cloudpuffs," she suddenly mumbled. She didn't know anything about dragons, including their diet. "Sugary, sticky, and squishy?" She then repeated, turning to face him. What was possibly all of the above, and also fluffy and white in the inside? Was he speaking about a pie? No, he mentioned that it was like a cloud. Roxanne's hand rose to her chin, rubbing it slightly as she pondered. "I suppose some bread could be like that, perhaps donuts. There are also marshmallows." Were any of those his idea of cloudpuffs? Did he even know the true name, or were they nonexistent to the human world?

"What do you mean you don't care?" She had suddenly asked when the topic of food came into play. How could he not care what type of food there was? Roxanne never truly cared either, that is, until she had met Barns. She and him would go around trying all sorts of things, so Dan saying that "food was food" nearly made her poor heart shatter. At least he didn't enjoy salt. "I personally enjoy sweets more." She paused, contemplating. "I suppose later.. we can find something for you to eat. If that's something you'd like, of course." It was a small offer, something that showed she was willing to give it a try, even if her heart wasn't in it.

She had opened her mouth, hoping to speak more, though it seemed to lock in horror for a brief moment as Dan folded his wings over her, blocking.. What even was that? Disgusting. "Thank you," she spoke, wiping a dot away from her arm with a look of disgust etched into her features. She had mumbled something further under her breath, though it was much too foul to be repeated aloud.

Another sigh escaped her, Dan suddenly speaking, no, begging her to participate in riding him. What was the deal with dragons wanting humans to ride them? To show off? To see if they wouldn't fall? What could possibly be so exciting about that? However, Dan's tone and his promise to keep near the ground had slightly persuaded her, but not entirely. "If I fly with you, and only if I do, I want you to fly low enough so that if I do fall, the height won't be enough to kill me or break any bones. Understand?" It was enough of an agreement that he'd get from her. "If you make sure nothing happens to me, we can get some food." There, that should be enough for him to agree, though Roxanne doubted that she even needed to add that last part in.

"I don't even want to feel any wind on me, that's how slow I want you to go." Continuing with the dramatics, Roxanne was finally satisfied, feeling as if she had made herself clear. So confident she was, she had even risked reaching her hand up and patting Dan on the arm. Well, it was more of a tap than a pat, but it was progress.

She would have risked raising her other hand, until a crowd forming not too far away stole her attention. Head turning, Roxanne squinted. "What's going on there?" She had asked Dan. After all, he was taller and had a better vantage point. However, she didn't wait for his reply, motioning him to follow her as her curiosity took over, something that it often did. It was how she ended up here in the first place. She had originally espied Mircea's dragon, which was the main reason her gait was increased, her strides long and gaze narrowed. Had something happened? Why was Mircea's dragon appearing hostile? Why had her words been laced with venom?

"For you are entering a dangerous atmosphere, and I won't refuse to defend it."

Was it about Mircea? It had to have been. "I think my friend is in trouble," she said to Dan, filling him in. Surely this so called "it" that Mircea's dragon was defending was Mircea. That had caught Roxanne's attention, so much so, that all manners had left her. "Move," she hissed to people, pushing past them and weaving around the crowd until she had thrown herself into a small opening, right in the midst of it.

It was there where Roxanne paused, assessing the scene with a pointed look. A flash of something had appeared in her eyes upon seeing Mircea hunched over, tears dripping from his eyes. She knew this. She had seen this before. She knew why he had them and what they meant. She knew what triggered them. It was as if they were children again, but why this? Why now? What had caused such an attack? He was fine minutes ago when she last spoke to him. What had set him off in such a short amount of time?

Her fists clenched at her side, then unclenched, then clenched again, her nails digging into her skin as she did so. Her eyes were fixated upon Mircea, then his dragon, and then.. then, it had clicked. Her eyes had scanned over somebody that they shouldn't have. But now? Oh, now she saw him.

Roxanne advanced.

Her gait was quick and steady, her arms swaying at her side as she headed towards the man who looked just as awful as Mircea did. Tears welled up in his eyes, his hands behind his head. Good, Roxanne thought. This was no coincidence. Something must have been done to trigger it. No, Michael must have done something.

She had felt the need to do something, to defend Mircea like she had when they were younger. So, she did. She had approached Michael, staring down at him with a sneer. She did nothing for a few seconds, simply eyed him before her right hand shot up to the front of his shirt, gripping it between her fingers. She had pulled his face near her own, her eyes staring into his own with malice.

"Get out of his sight, now," she hissed between her teeth, clenching his shirt for a moment longer before releasing and shoving him back with the same hand. It wasn't enough force to make him fall, simply stumble slightly, but she didn't linger enough to watch the outcome. Foolish man. So he was crying, what did she care? Lessons needed to be learned. Specifically, boundaries.

She peered at Michael a moment longer as she walked off, headed towards her second target: Mircea. So a raging dragon stood over him. Did it bother her? Yes, very much. Was she nervous? Entirely, but she couldn't focus on that. She needed to focus on Mircea and his well-being. So, Roxanne headed straight towards him, ignoring the earth dragon's heavy gaze and tense aura. She had strode right up to him, looking down at his crouching figure before lowering her own body at eye-level.

She spoke nothing. Not a single sound. She didn't even touch him, knowing he needed to recollect himself. Instead, she blew upon his neck lightly until he turned to face her. It was only then when she uttered anything at all. "Let's take some deep breaths together, shall we?" She said, already inhaling. Mircea knew the drill. They had done this once, twice, five times before. "What are you planning to do after we ride our dragons?" She suddenly asked, distracting him. "What's your dragon's name anyhow? We lucked out, all three of us getting one, didn't we? You, me, and Barns?" Continuing, Roxanne knew that distracting was a good tactic. It helped him think and place his focus elsewhere. "How is Barns doing anyhow? I have yet to say hello to him."

She would continue asking questions until he felt better.

Ryu watched as Theo closed his eyes wondering about everything that has happened so far today. He said "why scared of the first ride kid?" Ryu didn't quite understand why the male was scared of water but he didn't want to push it. Ryu knew that smirk anywhere but said "Sure kid." He wondered if they should get to know each other more.

♧

Ryu looked at him unsure of what it may be. He let out a sigh which had steam come out of his nose. He didn't want anyone touching Theo and wouldn't let them. He honestly would eat them first. Ryu said "Do you want to talk to someone tho?"

♧

Ryu didn't want to move but stood up and stretched. He looked around before spraying water at Hartley but not hot enough to hurt the kid. He snorted before laughing a bit now the kid was drenched in cold water. Sighing Ryu sat back down again wrapping his tail around Theo agian.

+The question caught the of guard as he opens both eyes and looks at the dragon with a soft but sad smile, before he looks away trying to regain his confidence at the question that was asked before he opens his mouth to replie+

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+He almost falls over when the dragon suddenly;ly stands up and stretches catching himself just in time sending a glare to ward the dragon before his gaze falls upon someone that the dragon has now soaked. Holding back a laugh he covers his mouth with his hand and leans back against his dragon when Ryu lays down once again+

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+Talk to someone, yeah that does sound nice make friends and all that, looking at the dragon when he asked that weird question he slowly nods his head. Removing his hood from his head+

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"Making friends has always been hard for me...so I am not surprised I have non"

+He says still trying to hold his laugh in at the male dragon's action towards the stranger before he looks around at all the other riders and dragons, it would be nice to make some friends talk and get along with but bonding with his dragon is what Theo was more focused on+

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