thebastion | Day 288

Who: Paarthurnax and you
Open: Open
When: 288
Where: About the Bastion in general
What: The daily life of a dragon
Format: Any
Warnings: None yet

Life goes on in the Bastion. Whether death, calamity, or simple misfortune, that is how things work. That is how it goes for Paarthurnax, as well.

In the morning, when the sun is still faint, he takes off to the Skyway and doesn't return for some hours, bringing back both shards stuck in his teeth and the meat of a mammoth to eat, or share.

In the noon and some hours following it, he teaches his class at the stone tablet with its letters in his own tongue, patient and careful for both new students and more practiced ones alike.

The only change to this seems to come in the evening. It's then that people might notice him at the Monument, drawn up high as he sits and inspects the device.

People are free to talk with him during any of these times. Paarthurnax has always made it known that he can be approached, after all.

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At the sound, Paarthurnax turns his head to glance down at Jane. Seeing her appearance, he gives a small but polite nod of his head. They haven't met, that much he knows, but he has seen Jane around. Paarthuranx, if nothing else, has a good memory.

"Greetings. It seems you have been hard at work." Just a simple observation, and the smell of food about her. "Are you tired? Many could help you go to your home, if you cannot go much farther." He doubts, of course, that is what's bothering her but it's a good way to ease the air, he's found.

One would think that Jane had seen Paarthurnax around herself - he's not hard to miss, after all, but then again, she hadn't been looking very hard. It's a little startling to hear him talk, but all that happens is Jane's mouth falls open, and she's silent as his words sink in.

"Um - oh - uh...n-no, I'm fine...but, erm, thank you. I just..."

She takes a moment to look him up and down.

"...Golly, you're really a dragon, aren't you? The genuine article and then some..."

"Indeed." For a moment, he sounds a bit amused. Even back on Skyrim, his presence was the stuff of legends and tales told to children.

Here, at least, he's not attacked, although he would not blame anyone for doing so.

"Do you require a moment to acquaint yourself with this?"

That's really quite generous of him. If people were to attack Jane out of the blue, she wouldn't nearly be as forgiving. Then again, when you spend five months tormented by monolithic skeleton monsters, there's not much questioning to be had in hit first, ask questions later.

She nods, a little dumbfounded. "I-If you...don't mind."

"Take as long as you need." In fact, he even settles down lower to the ground, tail carefully coming around to wrap about himself best it can.

"I have nothing but time."

How very considerate of him. Jane draws a bit closer, just enough so she can make out his scales better and whatnot. It's not...too hard to accept that a dragon is in front of her, it's just somewhat overwhelming.

"...What's your name?" A pause. "I think it starts with a 'P', if I'm not mistaken, and it's long - er, sorry, Colin told it to me..."

Unfortunately he's not in his prime, so all his scales certainly show his age. They're battered and worn from a lifetime of living in the harsh climate of Skyrim, and there are plenty of scars that have been dug in deep from various fights and incidents. That's to say nothing of the state of his wings.

"Paarthurnax," he answers patiently, nodding again. "There are those who refer to me simply as 'Paar', if that would help. I believe it was Colin who started such a thing."

All that wear and tear certainly speaks for itself. what would the scales look like were Paar in his prime and undamaged? Jane can barely imagine it.

"Mister Paar, then," She says with a nod; it's an attempt to be respectful despite the nickname.

"As you wish." Truly, he is not particularly picky when it comes to these sort of things. It takes a bit to get him worked up in his old age.

"Have you been at work in the cannery, then?"

Working him up is the last thing Jane wants to do.

Her mouth falls open in surprise. "How could you tell?"

A low rumble of a laugh comes forth from his throat.

"You smell of it." There's a puff of air that washes over her from his nostrils. "With how heavy the scent is, I would say that you were there for some time."

She blinks in the face of that puff of air, and then tugs curiously at the collar of her shirt. Did she really smell so much of...well, canned goods?

"Er...yes, actually. I was there most of the day. I usually am." Jane looks up at him. "And you're usually...in that field across the river, yes? I-It's just a guess."

"Indeed." He nods to the stone that's propped up along the riverbank.

"I teach lessons in my tongue. It is something that some in the Bastion have been interested in."

That does seem interesting! But Jane sets that little bit aside for now, because she's digging in her pocket for something.

"I've actually been there before, on my own - um, not to invade your space or anything, I was just curious - and a fox there led me to something in the roots of a tree. I don't know if you knew it was there before, but I was wondering if you might know who it belongs to...and if it's yours, then I'd be more than happy to give it back."

With that, she pulls out the ring she found and holds it up for Paar to see. Yep, she's been carrying it around all this time, unsure what exactly to do with it. She could wear it, but, well, let's see if it isn't someone else's first.

He lowers his head down to look at it, although he doesn't doubt he knows what he'll find.

"If it was a fox that lead you to find it, then it is the fox's gift to you. That is what they do, with travelers or those they have become fond of- they lead them to treasure and gifts."

She blinks, surprised, and brings it back down to look at it more closely herself. "A gift? But...why? And how would a fox know to do that?"

"Only the fox could know that." An amused chuff, this time. "It is simply their way. It is what they have always done, for as long as I can recall."

And that's not saying things lightly, considering his age.

Jane frowns. If that was the case, then those foxes across the river couldn't be normal. A fox was a wild animal, not a gift-giver. Still, she sighs and decides to slide the ring on her finger.

Huh. It fits pretty well.

"I suppose I'll just keep it, then."

"It is not as though the foxes have need of it." He chuckles, or at least the best equivalent he can manage.

"They simply have the talent for finding such things."

"I suppose they don't," Jane says, and smiles. "Well, thank you for the reassurance. I truly wondered if someone had lost it."

Day 288

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