Welcome!

[Silverfeather]

The day was warm when he threw his back-pack over his shoulder and headed out. He was bored, and he didn't know where Stik's wing was so he couldn't go bother him. He would of course, have to fix that. But, before he went wandering around the academy, he wanted to go explore the grounds, since it would be easier to get lost out there, than in the Academy. Besides, it was easier to hide away from people than in his room, or in the Academy itself.

He opened the door, and slinked out, keeping to the wall and shadows. When he got to a corner, he would peer around it caustiiously before turning down that hallway. He got turned around a few times, managing to weave his way into the Dire section. He paled at the sight of a large Dire that happened to be in the Hallway heading somewhere. Luckily, the Dire just watched him curiously, as he turned and left. Finding the main doors he pushed one wide enough for him open and blinked in the sunlight. Thankfully, he was wearing a brown shirt with Black shorts instead of the normal long breeches. With a long stride he was down the road, each step having a bounce as he soaked in the song. His long hair was pulled back in a pony tail, and his eyes observed everything, taking in and processing to find what would be fun and interesting to blow up or mess with.

He soon found himself near the Lake, and he gazed out over the clear water. Picking up a rock, he tossed it trying to make it skip. However it just make a Splush sound and sunk. He grinned, and threw anouther. He found himself wondering what would happen if he were to throw explosives into the lake. What kind of explosions would work? Plotting he sat down and pulled his bag into his lap, shuffling through it. He had stocked up enough explosives to last him a month, and had hidden them in waterproof packeges in a waterproof box underneath his bed. He shuffled through it, before finding a premade little explosives. He sniffed it, sneezed and grinned. This might do.

He threw it. It, unlike the rock, skipped before it hit the water. However, instead of sinking, it exploded. Spreading the water around and up with a large bang. The bang could have been heard around the garden, and birds screeched as the left their trees. He could see the flash of light and the water being spread and yet pulled up at the time by the force of the water.

He grinned. Now that was more like it. Shuffling through his bag, he began sorting through it, sniffing some contents, opening others up, muttering all the while to himself.

[Chirpadee]

Talula was awake at near enough to dawn to call it too early. This had been the routine since Ely had hatched. Not that Talula minded it just took some getting used to. As soon as the sun peaked through their window she began bouncing around the room, and while Talula had imparted not to jump on her. The first morning had been enough thank you. She still had a habit of getting into things she shouldn't if Talula didn't get up. So she roused early and dressed in her usual sleepy haze.

Elysium romped around her ankles, and scrambled up onto the bed beaming with joy that her chosen was awake. This was conveyed brightly through their strengthening bond. “Can we go outside today? You talked about a lake! I want to see the lake. Can we please? Do you want to go Talula! It would be so nice! I could play in the water! And you could play in the water! And there would be running! And bugs! I want to catch bugs!” Elysium threw herself under the covers searching to see if there was anything exciting in the unmade bed. Finding nothing her glistening head popped back out pretty shortly.

Talula listened to her little dragon as she pulled on her shoes and brushed her hair. She grinned despite the hour, Elysium's exuberance for life was amazing. She couldn't help but be impressed at how everything still sent the dragon into a fit of wonder and glee. She stood up and looked down at the ice wyrmling, “Ok of course Ely. We will go out to the lake. But first I need breakfast don't you.” She reached down and scratched her bonded where her purple crest began. “Then outside?”

With the plan in motion Ely flung herself about the room, and Talula's feet, and anything else that seemed appropriate to bounce around at the time. In fact she did not stop bouncing until they were in the meal hall and she was stuffing her face. Still her tail darted back and forth. Soon enough they struck out across the lawn and towards the lake.

Talula grinned as Elysium bounded after grasshoppers, leaping and landing, her paws closed over them carefully. Slowly she would open them and off the little bug would go bouncing again sending the dragonette into a fit of delighted giggles. Talula found herself smiling until a massive bang echoed across the lake. It had been close and she had no idea what it was. She suddenly realized she had no weapons! What if it was the taint! What if someone was going to- She cut herself off. This was stupid. The taint wouldn't come to the Academy. Not right now when they were growing so strong. Besides there were taints living here who were nice enough. Even if it was a taint there was nothing to be too scared of.

Elysium froze her wings spread as she stared at the man who had thrown the little explosive. She blinked placidly and then took off full speed for him.

Talula squeaked in surprise her eyes following Ely's course and she frowned seeing someone there, clearly the culprit as there was a little puff of smoke about twenty feet out into the water from him. She jogged after her dragon, uncertain of his work. “Hay!” She called out realizing she better say something before Elysium- too late.

Ely leaped like a kitten right onto Rivior's backpack. At least she didn't land on him She stood up straight, flairing her wings so the light danced off them and around her in glorious little flickering spots. “Hello mister~” She twirred.

Talula caught up, eying the boy uncertainly. “You should be careful what you throw in the lake. You know there are waters who like to sleep in there. I wouldn't want to piss off any of them myself. I mean if that is your thing, angering water dragons, I guess that is ok, but you should be careful!” she wasn't to fond of explosives herself.

[Silverfeather]

He found three more good explosives, each skipping and exploding within feet of themselves. He cackled again, and dove back down into his pack. However there wasn't much left that would explode on the water, so, instead he began throwing them in the boulders near the lake themselves. They made louder bangs than the ones that exploded on the water, but they didn't have the water effect. Just good-ole flash and bang. He wondered, briefly if he could experiment and find an explosion that could turn the very water into a weapon along with it. He would have to find out eventually, but he wouldn't do that here, that testing would be more out in the jungle.

Rivior froze when the little dragon suddenly leapt on his backpack he had been shuffling through. He blinked startled at the tiny dragon. His mind racing. who was this Dragon? Why was it in his lap? He stared,wide eyed at it.
And then it spoke to him. "Hello Mister~" He knew Dragons could talk, but he wasn't expecting one to just..jump into his lap. It was an interesting sheen of white blue. What breed of dragon was this? "Well, uh. Hello there..." he addressed the little one. And where had the little thing come from to begin with? Where was it's rider? Or its parents for that matter. Well, itd most likely be the rider, not the parent that looked after the little one, he corrected himself. He had read that most children left their parents, with either a good bye, or without a word to find their bonded.

"Could you, uh, please get off my back-pack? You might make something explode, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt." He said to the little one.

When Talula addressed him, he swilved his head to look at her. She was telling him to be careful and about the water dragon's who lived in the lake. At the mention of pissing them off, he grinned. "I know what I'm throwing. and that just makes it all the better." He grinned one of those mischivous demented grins of his. "That'd make the day more interesting. Trying to hide from a water dragon. It'd top spooking an earth." He grinned, remembering that experience. even if he hadn't really meant to, and that it was a whole misunderstanding between the rider and himself. "besides, it's too good a day to be sleeping."
He turned his attention back to the interesting Dragon that was still in his lap. "And what Kind of dragon are you? You're a breed I don't easily recongnize." He asked the little dragon. "And do you have a name?" Mostly he just wanted the dragon off his pack so he could find what he was looking for, and but he was honest about not wanting to harm the little dragon. "That and my legs are falling asleep, and then I definetly can't run from said angry dragon." The idea of a dragon chasing him sent chills down his spine. However, he didn'tt hink Talula would want that, because it could also go after her, if it got confused. And, as much as he liked endangering his own life from time to time,
he wouldn't think of including anyone else unless they were up for it as well.

Thinking of partner in crimes, He briefly wonderred what Stik was doing. He was most likely out and about doing something, but Rivior planned on at least catching him for lunch, even if he had to hide out in his room. He had the map in his own room, and a quick fetch would help him about. He wondered if he could spook Stik in his own quaters. A small plot began forming in his mind.

[Chirpadee]

Elysium wiggled her tiny rear end and hopped off his backpack onto the ground by the second time she asked. She peered out at the water and hopped over to look down into the depths. Her little 'feathered' tail lashed too and fro as she stared into the glimmering surface like a cat looking for fish. Her grin was ever present. Even with the rather, well, explosive happy boy behind her.

Talula was not so easily taken with him. If she knew he was a friend of Stik's she might have been more inclined to feel better about him. Then again Stik had sort of adopted a big brother role for her, which she was rather ok with. She missed her big brother at home and if he wanted to take up the mantle she was more then happy to treat him thus. She had left a rather large family behind and she missed them a great deal already. Besides he hadn't done a thing to wrong her, he had taken her up on a flight with Anemone before the hatching to help boost her confidence. How could she not like the guy? Sure he was a little weird looking with his wildly scrawny frame and somewhat disheveled appearance, but that didn't make him a bad person. Just as this man might not be, he could just be ill informed.

“Well if that is what you want. I mean I really don't recommend it. I have seen some of those waters, and while they seem kinda placid they get big, and some of them have huge teeth. I don't think out in this open area.” She nodded to the open expanse around the lake, “You would have much of a chance of getting away. But if that's what you want who am I to stop you. I just don't want anyone getting hurt. You or a dragon.” She gave him a nervous smile seeing as he clearly didn't care. If he was putting his own neck on the line so be it. She just didn't like the idea of a water with a burned nose busting from the waves like a sea serpent come to maul the perpetrator.

Elysium spun around at the questions directed at her. She had been fixated on a water strider who had been lazily making his way across the water's surface just out of reach, and she had been perched, hoping it would come close enough to the edge to grab. However before that ever happened Riv had attracted her attention. “Oh me~” she chirped in her usual sing song manner. “I am an Ice dragon! My momma was an ice dragon. I don't got the tail though~ and my horns are suuuppppeeeerrrrr smooth. Which Talula told me is different from normal ice dragons. I am special!” She rose her little feather like spines and they chimed together sweetly as they bounced off of one another. “It's because my daddy was a rosemary and I got some of his feathers.” She pranced in place a few times to show off how she glittered and shown in the light.

“My name is Elysium. But everyone calls me Ely. This is Talullulululula” She said in the way she always introduced her rider, which was quickly becoming a habit, “But you can call her Talula, which isn't as fun to say, but she likes it better.”

Talula smiled, Ely had a habit of making even slightly uncomfortable situations a bit brighter. She was one wild ray of sunshine that never dulled. It was exhausting, if not wonderful. “She is rather excitable if you haven't noticed.”

This point was accentuated by Ely's eyes catching on a butterfly and she went skittering off, leaping into the air and flapping her wings madly as it flitted gracefully out of her reach. She burst into a fit of giggles as she bounced again and again, unable to reach it darting too and fro. The poor butterfly spun through the air in a panic as it attempted to avoid the raking claws and snapping jaws of the baby dragon.

Talula kept a careful eye on her bonded, dividing her attention carefully, “I didn't catch your name? I have never seen you here before, and as you have no partner, I am going to guess you are a new candidate?” Talula herself had only arrived just in time to make it for the first lesson of this session. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there sooner, but convincing her mother to let her eldest daughter cavort with dragons was, well, a challenge. She herself was prone to ramble, but beside her dragon she almost sounded calm and serene, almost.

[Silverfeather]

Rivior watched her, admiringly. She was a gorgeous little dragon, he had to admit. He was tempted to reach out and stroke the little dragon, but decided against it.

Rivior looked up and shrugged, still grinning. "It's more for the adrenaline rush, really. However, I'm sure there are other things to explode, elsewhere." He looked out over the water again. "But they're not the biggest. Earths are, aren't they?" He watched the lake rippled with the wind.
"And what if there aren't any water dragons there at this moment? Besides, these explosives can't really harm anyone. They're smoke explosives. I hardly think they'd actually harm anyone. My other explosives don't get used for everyday purposes." It was true. He could mix other explosives, however those he rarely messed with, and
only used if he was traveling through...unsavory area's. He doubted he needed these here at the academy. He quickly repacked everything into his bag, and stretched, ignoring the nervous smile.

The little dragon had his attention again, and he chuckled at her behavior. "An Ice, aren't those Rare? And your coloring reminds me of a iced over lake" He complimented. He chuckled watching her prance. "A rosemary? Like the healer dragons?" He thought for a moment. There were breeds he didn't know, and he was thinking a trip to the library was going to be in order.
"Elysium. and Talula." He nodded, before hopping up with ease. he frowned, the name sounding, vaguely familiar. "Talula...where have I heard that before....anyways, You can call me Rivior." He watched her bound off after a butterfly, and wondered when he met his bonded, what type of personality he would have.

"Yeah, I'm a new candidate. My best friend came here before me, and so when I was able to come, i jumped at the chance. Sadly, I didn't make it to the beginning of the lessons. Which is all right. I want to get to know this place better before I'm shouldered with a partner." he shrugged. It wasn't a big deal to him. He wanted to learn his lessons, and learn them well, before having a partner. he wanted to be able to take care of said partner, and right now, he felt like he wasn't able to. He knew there was a lot of things he had to learn and he felt like there were things that had changed that he needed to change with. Ah, but now he was just being ridiculous. What he got for thinking too much. He began stretching his arms out. "I guess its different being a new rider now, huh."

He wondered briefly what time it was, as he found himself getting hungry. His stomach grumbled quite loudly, and he grinned. "looks like I'm getting hungry. I did skip breakfast. And now its closer to lunch." He frowned. He briefly wondered if he could dart in and out of the banquet hall before everyone descended to go to lunch. Or he could head to his room, find the map and wander around looking for Stik.

[Chirpadee]

Talula put her hands on her hips a little exasperated. That was how you started fires after all! And while there were plenty of dragons to put it out she felt like she was looking at a little kid telling her danger didn't matter. She kept this thought to herself, finding it rather rude and somewhat condescending. She didn't want to be that girl after all. “Well depends on how you define big.” She said carefully.

“I mean they are the heaviest if that's what you are thinking, but not the longest. I know celestials get longer. Though they don't tend to be as bulky. And Waters get almost as long. And then there are glass who can be any size... and I think the lava and fire dragons can get massive too. I mean its all subjective. I heard the taints get even bigger. I haven't seen many taints myself though so I can't confirm that.” She babbled trying to make sense of dragon sizes. She had done a lot of reading before her bonding, now it all seemed, well a bit more trivial. She just really needed to know Ely's strengths.

However Ely had yet to start using her breath weapon, always too distracted. So while other dragons had been belching fire, and some changing gravity, she was content to bounce about. Talula supposed she would when she was ready. There was no use rushing such things. She would figure it out when she did and that would be the end of it.

Elysium pipped in here, “Oh yes, I mean I think so. There were quite a few of us in the hatching, and I am a twin. My sister is somewhere. I need to see her again. I miss her already. Yes our daddy is all sorts of rainbow colors. Like every color ever!” She squeaked in utter joy. He really was the most colorful dragon ever. “But I am not a healer dragon. I am an ice dragon. I can freeze stuff if I want to. “You didn't need to wait silly person!” She beamed, “See Talula isn't shouldering me. I am on the ground walking for myself.” She bounded circles around him giggling as if to prove her point.

Talula broke her confusion to laugh at the tiny dragoness as she circled Riv. “Its... different then I expected you know. I thought it was going to be some great burden to be partnered, but the longer I spend with Elyisum the more I realize what a blessing she is. She wants nothing more then to keep me happy and make as many friends as she can. Mind you not all dragons are like. Ely he didn't mean you were sitting on my shoulders he meant he wasn't ready to have a baby dragon following him everywhere yet.”

Ely stared at her and blinked a few times, “ooooo~ OoOoOoOo~” She chirruped brightly. His talk of food sent Ely into another fit of excited bounding, dancing figure eights around their feet. Her little wings flapped wildly, “I know where food is~ I doOoOo! I could take you, we could take you! Right Talula!? We could go eat more food!”

Talula grinned and shrugged. “Yes we could take him to lunch you greedy little ice. We only ate breakfast like two hours ago.”

“I am hungry again mine!” she twittered brightly back, blinking her large purple eyes as she skittered to a stop right at Talula's feet, “I have a lot of growing to do, up and up and up and OOO!” She suddenly pounced on a flicker of light off her wings. She opened her paws to find it gone and she giggled brightly, “Did you see I got it!” She beamed.

[Silverfeather]

Rivior pondered on that for awhile. Of course, he would just have to go look it up what the average sizes tended to be. "Well, I'll have to my research then." He blinked at the mention of taints. He didn't know much about them, other than they had fought against them during the war. "If most taints were originally normal dragons, How can they get bigger?" This question showed that he knew little of the taints. Another topic he was going to have to dig around for information. He paused. "Well, I guess their are other types of taints as well...." he amended. He shook his head deciding that that was enough talk of taints. He blinked down at Ely when she responded to him. A twin? That was neat. "Of course I did. I had other...things to do. So really, I might have signed up before the lessons, I didn't reallly get here till after the hatching." He shook his head at the little dragon as she misinterpreted his meaning of being shoulder. "I can see that." He stretched again, and shifted his weight again.

Rivior just watched the little dragon bound around as food was mentioned. She seemed to have never-ending energy. As much as he was begining to like the little Ice, he doubted if he would be able to handle that much hyper energy. With the mention of taking him to lunch, he wondered if that was an invintation or a prelude to one. He was sure that maybe he could go find Stik but then, he didn't know what Stik was up to at the moment. He was probably off doing whatever a dragon rider did during the day. He wondered
what they did. Hrm. He knew healers and those with specific jobs did just that, but he wondered about those that did the other odd yet important assignments. He would have to shadow one at somepoint and find out. It wouldnt be that hard. Maybe he would try and stalk Stik. See if he could still catch him, or not.

Speaking about Stik brought up why he had heard talula before. "I guess I wouldn't mind the company, but I don't normally eat in the banquet hall. Talula, Do you know someone by the name of Stik?" He could havve sworn Stik mentioned her, and he was wondering if this was the same girl. It never hurt to double check. He was slighlty curious about why Stik protected her so.

[Chirpadee]

Talula shrugged. She didn't know herself how taints could grow bigger once they were turned. She had heard it somewhere, from someone, she knew that. Maybe a teacher in lessons, or someone at the dinner table. Mind you riders were prone to exaggerate their war stories, each seeming to want to outdo the other. Then again, for all she knew it could all be true. At any rate in her imagination every horror described had to be real. Even though she had never seen a truly tainted dragon, well there was the one on the camping trip but he didn't seem tainted, she had nightmares about them. Then again so did every citizen of Sekkai who were alive during the war, the fear it sparked was contagious. “I have no idea. Kinda scary though right?” She finally said at length.

Elysium practically screamed with glee as he said they could take him. She bounced faster, making leaping figure eights around them. She suddenly tripped, one of her feet getting ahead of itself, and fell into a roll right into Talula's feet. She righted herself giggling madly and shook a few times to shake off the debris that clung to her cool, smooth hide.

Talula brightened at the mention of Stik, “Oh I know Stik. What a nice guy huh? He and Anemone are so kind to me.” She beamed at the mere mention. It wasn't that she liked Stik like that, she just really looked up to the guy. Like her older brother back home. He kept her out of trouble, that she would never get in if she weren't so naive mind you.

Elysium gasped and bolted back and forth, twisting so fast it looked painful. “Oh boy oh boy! Am I finally gonna meet Stikyikyiky and Anem-Anem-Anemonemonemon-” She tried in vein to pronounce his dragon's name though she had heard it from Talula several times. Try as she might she couldn't pronounce it. Either that or she enjoyed playing with the word so much she couldn't stop herself when she got started.

“Anemone.” Talula chimed in brightly, “She is such a wonderful forest dragon isn't she!” Suddenly Talula was back to her talkative self, she adored his aloof dragon. “Did you see her spots? I mean what lovely spots. Then those darling little blue hooves!” She grinned, “They might be at the mess hall, they are too cool for the crowds.” It was a mild joke. Though she had realized Stik seemed a bit ironic, and aloof himself. Rather like his dragon.

[Silverfeather]

Rivior thought about it. Yeah. It was scary that taints seemed to grow larger than their sekkian counterparts. And as much as he loved danger and getting out of it, he didn't think he would really want to tangle with a taint. Not at least, until he had help. He shrugged. "Yeah. A bit, I suppose." He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. He hoped they wouldn't mind if they ate outside.
Watching Elysium's actions made him shake his head. How Talula could put up with that much hyperness all day, he didn't know. Ah, well.

Rivior chuckled. "I don't know about Anemone. We've only met once. Stik and I, however, are best friends. We grew up together, practically." He shrugged. "He mentioned you at one point, and I was just wondering if you were the same
person." When Elysium gasped he blinked down at him. Stikyikyky? He snorted at the nicknames. he would have to see what Stik thought of them.

Rivior just let Talula admire Anemone. He had only met her once, as he said. Honestly, he hadn't been all that impressed with the forest dragon. But stik had said it took time getting to know the forest dragon. Eh, he didn't mind. "Well, we can go peek in. I'd rather just eat outside, anyways."
He replied, making a move to start walking.

"Well, we better go see if we can catch him, then shall we?"



((OOC: Megs can post being at the Banquet hall, or however she wants to work it.))

[Megs]

"I want my steak. Flare grilled, with that nutty sauce, and that delicious salad Genius makes."

"No, Anemone. Act like a dragon for once and go catch your own food. Then you can bug 'Genius'. Got it?"

The same old argument, just for the sake of arguing, it seemed. The forest's coral-like appendages quivered in frustration, the lips at the end of her long snout drawn back in something close to a snarl. Stik wasn't intimidated by this at all, and in fact, reached up to Anemone's lowered head and flicked that grimace. Not too hard, just enough to make the girl snort indignantly. 'Genius' was the name Anemone had given the cook who had taken kind to Anemone's one-in-a-while treats of flash grilled steak. He had introduced the sauce to her and invented the salad she dreamed and drooled about. But he couldn't come up with it on the fly for her--the least Anemone needed to do was supply the meat and give him a bit of warning. So when Anemone got in her impatient, I-want-it-now moods, it lead to Stik arguing with her.

At the end of the dining hall, others either watched on with amusement or did well to be clear of them. Anemone butted her head not all that gently to Stik's chest, making him tumble back a good few steps. "Don't talk to me as if I am a mere child. I don't see you trying to catch something for me."

Rubbing his chest, Stik laughed, picturing himself trying to tackle down the dragon's favorite sport. "Yeah, right, Anemone. Here, let me go see if I can coax one in here for you..." turning smartly on his heel, Stik began to stroll out of the dinning hall. Catching her rider's sarcasm, Anemone charged after him. She just wasn't in the mood for it today. She was hungry, and when she got hungry, her mood shifts were more intense. Stik looked over his shoulder, took in one glimpse of Anemone's expression, then booked it on out of there. As he ran from his own dragon, he nearly crashed into, guess who, Rivior himself. He managed to stop, but then Anemone caught up and butted him from behind, and Stik ended up crashing into his friend after all. He barely got a glimpse of a pretty young ice dragon and Talula herself before stars danced in his eyes from the force of impact.

Anemone snorted in satisfaction, then blinked at the present company. Dread filled her at once upon seeing the wyrmling pair. Talula was okay, but Ely? She had only seen the young dragon from a distance, but...if she was anything like her rider...oh dear.

[Chirpadee]

Talula walked somewhat quietly with Riv. She didn't know what to say to the man now. Well they were on the move and that seemed enough. Elysium threw herself at grasshoppers and the occasional dragonfly as they walked. It was pleasant enough that Talula was at her ease. Plus hearing this was a friend of Stik's she assumed that he couldn't be that bad a guy. She liked Stik, which meant, in her mind, he had good people for friends.

They were about to enter the dining hall when out flew the man himself, speak of the devil and he shall appear. She had the fortunate luck to see Anemone coming and she sidestepped with great care just in time as she did not stop. The result was as one might expect Stik went slamming into Riv and both went sprawling. Elysium bounced back out of the dangerous line of flailing limbs and her eyes went wide with wonder. They were pouncing on each other! This was the best game ever! No one ever wanted to pounce and here it was! She reveled in the opportunity and she couldn't let it go to waist.

With a peal of laughter she flung herself atop the pile and splayed her limbs to lay atop them as if she too were a part of it. She quickly regained her footing and bounced, once or twice, atop Stik's back unable to help herself “I win!” She declared “I am queen of the pile!”

Talula had to stifle a giggle. It was hard, as the gesture was so damn cute it hurt. The little ice atop them like the queen of the mountain. She covered her lips with her fingers doing her best not to giggle at the whole mess. She looked at Anemone conspiratorially. Without thinking her fingers found her crystal in her pocket. Still trying to come to terms with her new bond. The crystal felt warm from how it rested against her leg. She would have to get it set into a pendant or something similar. It would need to be easily carried and firmly attached so she could never lose it.

She waved her free hand at Elysium, finally getting enough air through her own giggles to get the tiny hatchling off the two boys. At just over two feet the dragoness hardly tipped any charts, but it was more then a little rude, “Come on Elysium let them get up. Good job you won the game! Remember people don't like getting pounced.” She cooed to her other half. It was strange, seeing her so intimately, there was no closing off the bond, your feelings were laid bare. Sometimes it was hard to read them accurately, but mostly with Elysium it was unbridled joy that flowed over endlessly. She was a bottomless chalice of affection and Talula loved her for it. If anything Talula seemed calmer. She spent so much time trying to wrangle the hyperactive ice she had lost some of her own boundless energy.

Elysium straightened a little bit indignantly and hopped off the pair looking shamed. She hadn't been finished being queen. She turned towards the meal hall, and froze dead to stare at the bright green dragoness who loomed before her like a great bed of sea grass. Her blue spots, her leafy protrusions. The little ice was stunned into open mouthed silence. Her pupils swelled like a kitten who had just discovered catnip and she shifted sideways. Curiosity got the better of her and she scooted closer to the much larger dragoness. As if compelled by some higher force she reached out for one of the leafy extensions, her eyes fixated, as if she had forgotten it belonged to a living creature.

Talula caught this in time though and cleared her throat. Ely snatched her paw back and looked over at her bonded as if she had been struck. She seemed to come to her senses as she looked up at the much, much larger forest and bid a quick retreat to give her a bit of room, “Oh oh oh!” She said suddenly. Her eyes dropped to the bright blue hooves and she gave a squeal of delight. “You must be Anemo~emo~emon~Emon...” She gave up and squeaked, “Stik's bonded!”

Talula slunk over to the boys now that Elysium had hopped off and offered them each a hand. Unable to hold back any longer she fell into a fit of laughter, “Well we wanted to run into you Stik, but I didn't mean actually run into you. Oh gosh! Is anyone hurt? Where were you two running to anyways? Elysium stop that.”

Talula hadn't looked over but Elysium was scooting closer to Anemone's fins again. She was hardly being sneaky, though she was desperately trying. She froze and peered back at Talula then sadly up at Anemone as if to beg her with those large violet eyes. Then she scampered back once more to pout. She didn't like it when Talula spoiled the game, but at the same time she did not want to upset her bonded.

[Silverfeather]

Rivior enjoyed the silence between the two. Once again, he found himself outside of his little box and well, it hadn't hurt him before, so he just continued with it caustiously. He watched as the little ice dragon chased grasshoppers that unfortunatly crossed her path. He had time to observe the pair more in detail as they walked towards the dining hall. Maybe he could figure out what stik saw in the girl. He sometimes liked trying to see how others saw other people, including himself, and sometimes he could just get lost in his musings. From what he had met of the girl, she was nice enough. Maybe he should get to know her more......

The noise of the Banquet hall brought him out of his musings, and he took a deep breath, realizing that it was probably filled with people. Maybe he would wait by the door and let Talula go find Stik. The little ice dragoness really wanted to meet the other dragon as well. Opening his mouth to suggest this Talula, he hadn't had a chance as the wind was knocked out of him as something--someone ran into him. He hadn't been prepared for it, couldn't get his balance correct, and soon found himself on the floor, tangled up with whomever had ran into him. He groaned softly from the impact and then before he could say anything, Ely jumped up on top. Well, this was embarrassing. He wasted no time in trying to untangle himself from the pile, but with Ely prancing ontop, it was a bit difficult. However, he was able to see that Stik had been the one to tackle him.

"Crickets, Stik I knew you were excited to see me, but isn't tackling me a bit over doing it?" Of course, He knew Stik hadn't purposefully tackled him but he loved to give Stik a hard time, and it was an oppurtunity, albit at his own expense, that he wasn't going to waste. He managed to untangle himself properly when Ely jumped off, and he pushed himself off the ground to stand wobbly on two feet. He smiled weakly at Talula when she offered her hand, that he didn't accept.

"I'm fine." He answered Talula and glanced to the two dragons. He nodded to Anemone in greeting before returning his attention back to Stik. "I didn't realize running through the hallways like a mad maniac was now a new sport." He had the grin on his face, as he two offered his hand in case he wanted a hand up. "We were just heading to snag lunch."

[Megs]

If being plastered on top of his friend wasn't enough, the frenzied dance little dragon paws did on his back bespoke just what company he was in. All he could do was mutter at Rivior's remark and lay sprawled there for a few moments, letting his head clear. "Riv, your head is a freakin rock," he complained, raising a hand to rub at his own. As the spots floated away out of his vision, he slowly sat up, and let both Rivior and Talula haul his sticky form up off the ground before he clearly realized just who Rivior was with. Talula? Panicked, he gave her a quick one-over. She didn't look upset, or burned, or anything. Eyes narrowing a bit, he looked to Rivior, the silent accusing question there. Had he not just said Talula was off limits? What was he doing with her?

"Are you okay?" he asked Talula, never mind he should have been asking the person he crashed into that question. He just had to be sure she was all right. Maybe these two met by chance, but then again, he had to know for sure. "I didn't know it was a sport, either," Stik backed down, but was glaring at Anemone all the same. "Miss Fussy here was having a fit. What are you, a hatchling? Ah," he fumbled for words, which was rather unlike him, hoping he hadn't offended the actual hatchling here. For the first time he got a closer look at the ice, taking in her colors with interest and how she seemed keen on Anemone. His head was still spinning, and he probably sounded like an idiot. "No...offense or anything. Riv, it's pretty crowded in there right now. And you, Miss Snob, go catch your own meal."

Of course, Anemone was now ignoring him. She was staring unblinkingly at the little ice. She didn't react at the little one's attempts to try and paw at her fins. Anemo~emo~emon~Emon? Really? As the smaller dragon retreated again, she stalked after her, and stretched her neck out and down until her nose hovered before Ely's, eyes narrowed. "Say it with me, child. An-uh-moan-ee... not Anemo!" Despite her tone and outward attitude, she almost thought this little one was almost...cute. She was shiny, as any ice could be, but she had liked how she had pounced on Stik.

[Chirpadee]

Talula blinked at the pair of them, not quite sure what to think of their interaction. Well Riv said they had been friends forever. She really didn't have any long term friends. Most people got sick of her adventurous, talkative, wild, mostly talkative, spirit. They faded in and out of her life like fog in the lowlands. They never stayed long so their friendship caught her eye. To know someone long enough, and well enough to interact like brothers. It was curious. Stik's question threw her and her eyebrows shot up her forehead. She brushed a strip of strawberry blond hair out of her eyes then smiled.

“Well I wasn't just run over if that's what you're asking?” She canted her head and chuckled, “But I am fine. See? Why so worried?” She lifted her hands and did a tiny spin on the spot to show there was not a thing wrong with her. If anything she looked a little less energetic then usual, but having a firecracker of a wyrmling to take care of her hours were much busier. She had something to keep her busy, and thus run down her energy. It would be nice if Elysium ever showed the same exhaustion. No the dragonette ran herself out, then collapsed into a napping heap. Once she awoke she was just as alert as ever.

Elysium stared at Stik her head tipping to the side, in a gesture similar to her bonded's “I am a hatchling, how could she act like me?” She stared up at Anemone again in wonder. She was huge, so much bigger then her father, and she wasn't even as big as some of the dragons she had seen. The fire's were massive not to mention the earth dragons who could crush her with a poorly placed foot. So how was this massive, brightly colored, dragoness being a hatchling? Elysium was lost on the whole matter.

As Anemone approached Elysium sat up on her haunches like a curious cat. Her forepaws pulled close to her chest, and her crest flattened. That narrow snout bore down on her and she leaned out, her nose wiggling fearlessly at the much larger creature's own. The words were met with swelling pupils, to the point they almost hid the deep violet of her iris. While the dragoness talked, her eyes did not move, but one paw extended. She groped at the air several times then she found what she was looking for, one of those leafy green fronds. She grasped it gently in her paw and simply held it, too distracted with the dragoness to examine it yet.

“An-em-emon...An-e-moneeee. Anemomemememone!” She did her best to imitate, but the word stuck on her tongue akwardly. As if it had lodged there and simply refused to move. Unable to help herself she giggled wildly. “You have pretty toes! Talula told me so! And she was right! You know you are a very pretty dragon~ I like your leafies!” She declared and very gently tugged on the one she was holding. Her head turned near sideways like a bird as she stared at it, grasped in her icey claw. Carefully she dropped it again. Her eyes swung around and soon enough her head did too,“You have a long face you know!” She bounced up and darted between Anemone's feet laughing joyously. “And long legs~” She called up to her head singsongy. “I wish I could be tall like that! I bet I can if I focus really hard on growing!”

Talula glanced to Riv then back to Stik realizing she should probably mention how they ended up together. “I met Riv at the lake... throwing explosives into the water.” She looked a little distraught at the idea, “I warned him about the water dragons that sleep in there though. He likes danger.” She looked to Riv curiously, her smile bursting back across her face. “So we can't get lunch now?” She peered at Riv in confusion.

[Silverfeather]

Rivior didn't miss the narrowing, accusing look Stik threw at him. He hadn't done -anything- to the girl and hatchling other than talk. He raised his hands in the air, palms forward. "Hey, She found -me.- Or Rather, her dragon found me." He said, defensively. Stik's reaction still made him all the more curious of the girl. He dropped his hands down to his side and shrugged. "Well, If it was, you'd get first place." He rolled his eyes, readjusting his backpack that became skewed on his back from the fall. Thankfully nothing had gone off.

"Crowded? Oi. Looks' like I'll just skip lunch then." He ran a hand through his hair. "I might still have something in my room." He muttered more to himself than to anyone else. He briefly watched the interaction between the young iceling, and the forest. When Talula asked why Stik was so worried, he snorted, but he decided letting Stik answer that question. He didn't care if Stik told her he was a prankster. His earlier antic's should be enough of a clue that he could be a trouble maker, when he had nothing better to do.

Rivior rolled his eyes in boredom. "There was nothing better to do, and I wanted to see if some of my explosives would work on water." He shrugged as if that explained everything. "They were little, and not very dangerous at all." He smiled back at Talula and then shrugged. "You can go get lunch. Its, well, stik said it was crowded in there, and with all the noise coming from there...and well...bad things happen if I get in crowds. I'll just wait till it clears up." He explained, looking down at his feet. He hated that he spazzed around crowds. He felt so...weak. What if, because of that trait, he couldn't bond to a dragon? that the dragon him or herself found him unworthy? He got a depressed look in his eyes momentarily before he shook it off. He needed to stop dwelling on it. He was working on it. Slowly. Carefully. He would overcome it. He shifted uncomfortably, as if everyone was staring at him.

"But, off that topic. Why exactly is Anemone throwing a fit?" He disliked being in the spot light and so he threw another, completely off topic question at the pair. Hopefully, no one would press him about it. Well, Stik wouldn't. Stik knew very well what would happen if he got into crowds. One of the first few days he came, he got into a situation with a earth dragon pair. That.. well, at least no one had been hurt, really. He didn't want a repeat of that little adventure......