Day 173 | The Beginning

[notachickenhawk]

Who: Tobias and open.
Open: Open
When: Day 173
Where: Near the entrance to the Skyway.
What: A bird arrives after the end of the world.
Format: Whatever works.
Warnings: Bird with PTSD. It's a children's series!


It was early morning when Tobias wakes up. He stretched his wings, and opens his eyes, looking out at the field.

… There was no field.

Tobias stared at the space around him in confusion. Floating… in space? Was this something the Ellimist did? It would be just like him to wake him up in a weird kind of situation like this. … But if it was, there wasn't anything he could do. So he pushed off the tree and flapped, looking down at the rough path of earth nearby. He could see something, far off - it looked like some kind of small town.

He followed the path towards it, traveling quickly. The air was warm enough to give him some nice thermals, and he coasted between them until he got to the - town? It was too small to be a town. He landed on the grass near the entrance to the place, staring.

<Where am I?>

This was pretty clearly some kind of dream, so he didn't really bother keeping his thought-speak private. Anyone in the general area could hear a confused young male voice echo in their head.

Comments

[wayofvoice]

"My brother held such power... But as he is done by his own folly, it cannot be he." Paarthurnax settles down, curling up against the ground as best as he can. This will take some explaining. It will not be pleasant.

"Yet in the land which you tread upon... It once belonged to a place known as Caelondia. Their 'Mancers' created something for a different yet similar purpose... Yet wrought only ruin to many instead."

[notachickenhawk]

He hops a little closer, peering over the dragon carefully. He looks kind of like a dinosaur, but the wings and the horns... it's fascinating. He looks old, too, judging by the scars and wear and tear on his scales.

<A weapon strong enough for this... it's almost unthinkable.> He's seen devastation. He knows what humans and aliens can do to the earth. But on this kind of scale... no. Nothing he can really think of.

[notachickenhawk]

<Huh - dragons? ... I guess I don't have room to complain about weird.> He eyes her arm carefully. <My talons are kind of sharp, but I'll be careful. Thanks.> He flutters up to her arm, doing his best to balance without digging in.

[notachickenhawk]

<Yeah. I used to be human.> The answer is neither.

[wayofvoice]

But what kind of dinosaur, Tobias?

"Yet it is so. One relief is that it no longer exists. In its destruction, it ruined itself as well. We have visited the site. It is no more." A sigh rumbles forth before he shakes his head. "Yet there is this place, and survivors from all sorts come here. You will not be seen as unusual, if that is a worry you possess." The fact that Paarthurnax can reside peacefully here says a lot.

[notachickenhawk]

Like a carnivorous brontosaurus with a lot more spikes and wings instead of forelimbs, duh.

<That did kind of worry me, yeah.> There's something about this dragon that sets him at ease, once he gets past the hawk's panic. <You... haven't heard of any species here called Yeerks or Andalites, have you?> He can't see any ear cavities on the dragon, and he can't really imagine a dragon being held down long enough to get infested.

[wayofvoice]

Paarthurnax seems to do that, however peculiar it may be in regards to an enormous creature with sharp teeth and claws. It's likely the voice. When one's words can do as little as bring flame into being or even stop time, one learns how to control it. Being a teacher for so many years has also helped. Unlike his poor Greybeard students, Paarthurnax knows himself well enough to keep his voice quiet when it needs to be... and raise it until the earth shakes when that is needed.

Yerks or Andalites... Paarthurnax shakes his head. "I am afraid not. Perhaps Colin may know. He knows many things that some do not. However, dealing with him sometimes require patience."

it is, ugh

[eleccentric]

He nodded and smiled a little.

"I'm currently living in the Tower on the eighth floor, over in the southern part of the Bastion. If you ever need to talk or anything, I don't mind being woken up in the middle of the night."

[notachickenhawk]

<I just need a place to perch at night and some prey to hunt.> What kind of prey could he even find here? He'd have to check it out. If nothing else he could morph and eat something and then demorph, but that didn't really sound appealing.

[notachickenhawk]

<... Who's that and what do you mean?> Better to get that kind of information now rather than later. Maybe he should morph something else, too... no, probably not. He doesn't have any clothes for a human morph.

[coolerthansora]

"Oh." Roxas stops himself from adding 'me, too,' because that's an explanation he doesn't think he wants to get into right now. It would probably be pretty confusing for.. the bird, too.

"I guess- you can explain that one later, if you feel like it." It might be personal and all. "Anyway I'm Roxas."

[notachickenhawk]

Explanations can wait, yeah. He also has no clothes for his human morph. <I'm Tobias.>

He stretches his wings out fully, feathers ruffling. <It's kind of nice here, for being a chunk of rock hanging in space with no other supports.>

[wayofvoice]

There is no doubt a very polite and kind way to describe Colin's issues. However, the mun is not on Zulf's account Paarthurnax prefers honesty when it all comes down to it. So he says it rather plainly.

"He is our engineer, and he has a brilliant mind in regards to many things. However, social skill is not amongst his talents. I have found him to be a good friend when such maters can be dealt with."

[notachickenhawk]

Tobias pauses for a moment, and then laughs in thought-speak. <Don't worry about that. As long as he's not trying to kill, torture, or infest me we shouldn't really have problems.>

[wayofvoice]

"We shall see, then. Is there any other way I can help you then? I have returned from my hunt out onto the Skyway. There is no reason for me to lealve this place, unless more happens." Which it very well might. The Bastion can be a very energetic place when things start happening.

[notachickenhawk]

<What sort of things are there to hunt? I don't see any mice or rabbits around here.> He did see weird little blue blobs but he's not really sure that those will be very tasty.

[wayofvoice]

"Not many that would fit for one of your size, I am afraid." For himself, Paarthurnax is well aware that his options are more. There's not much out on the Skyway that would pose a threat to him. "Perhaps the young of the birds native to this place... Peckers. Of course, you are more than welcome to share in my prey." There's something in his voice that hints at a grin. "The mammoths offer plenty of meat."

[notachickenhawk]

... You know what, he's not even going to question why there's mammoths here. He's talking to a dragon, after all. <Thanks. I can turn into something bigger, but I prefer staying in this form. It's more comfortable.>

[wayofvoice]

There are mammoths because there's a dragon, get with the program, Tobias.

"Ah, so you can change shapes." Paarthurnax doesn't seem particularly surprised by this revelation, merely impressed. "A fine talent."

[notachickenhawk]

But mammoths and dinosaurs never co-existed - never mind.

<Yeah. I don't know the technical details of why it works, just some of the limitations of it. But anything with -> Wait hold on a dragon wouldn't know what DNA is. <- anything that uses the same kind of biological code as life on my planet I can change into. As long as I touch it, first.>

[wayofvoice]

The phrase "biological code" doesn't make much sense either, but Paarthurnax has grown used to doing his best to piece together a puzzle into something he can somewhat understand. Colin can be thanked for that. So, more or less, he believes he understands.

"I see. That may come in useful here, then. Should you be willing, we require all the assistance we can receive."

[notachickenhawk]

<I've been using it in weird ways for the past two years. I might as well help out now, right?>

If this whole thing really is true, about their worlds being shattered... it's not like he has a war to go back to.

[coolerthansora]

"It's not bad for the end of the world," Roxas agrees with a wry smile. "Most everyone here is pretty nice, too."

[wayofvoice]

"That can come at a later date. For now, take the time to rest." Paarthurnax starts to shift and move away, wings acting as forelimbs that help to move him across the ground. "You are welcome to share my field if the buildings of this place does not suit you. It is a quiet place. You can gather your thoughts."

[dragonform]

Returning from the Skyway, Ryu feels his hunt for the day is successful. It didn't take very long either way, and scrapping regularly is keeping him sharp. The sight of the bird surprises him, however. It doesn't look like anything native to the Bastion. Certainly not a Pecker.

"Hello there. Are you lost?" He kneels, asking the bird whilst unaware of where the initial question came from. He figures if the bird can understand him, it must be something like Zorua.