[ the incantation receives a quirk of an eyebrow, but having having waited on its conclusion, viren's quick to leap to action the moment the animal settles to the ground. and it's careful action -- knowing the quest's instructions and the fragility of the targets. the sharpened knife he wields makes for speedy, easy cutting; blossoms slip from the vine with deceptive ease. ]
[ viren has to be very mindful of his strength. he begins to set any and all separated flowers into a neat pile. ]
Sieg—
[ so while he doesn't love the idea, for a few reasons: his tail lifts and twitches in a beckoning gesture to sieg, should he wish to come closer to gather these. ]
[Sieg is very aware of what works and what doesn't when it comes to his own spells. It's much easier for him to work through verbal magic, than anything else- and as a relatively new witch, he uses what he can.
He comes quickly, gathering up the blossoms. The spell manages to hold for a little longer. But if Viren startles the animal in any way, it's going to break.]
[ viren does well in ensuring quiet efficiency; however, with the spell's natural lifespan, no matter his precise movements, he's going to startle it sooner rather than later. the creature stirs to consciousness, peeking an eye open. it doesn't like what it sees, and so, it's instantly on the attack. ]
Arg!
[ it swipes through the air. alas, it is like an overgrown, vine-covered badger. while badgers suck, a dragon is, thankfully, stronger and faster than these. clutching a handful of blossoms, he manages to leap out of the way. ]
[Sieg, however, doesn't move nearly fast enough. Without the part of him that's slightly supernatural, he gets hit by the badger's vine, scratching him on the arm.]
[ well, that just will not do. the badger's now intent on mayhem, and sieg seems an ideal target, even if only account of proximity. viren has half of a mind to just punch the badger hard enough to launch it into orbit, really. but without having harvested all of it first, that would be such a waste... ]
[ but he kicks out at it, which is just enough to disorient it momentarily. then he takes the next second to swing around toward sieg -- ]
[ hopefully sieg doesn't mind being scooped up, and keeps protective of those blossoms in the meanwhile, because that's what's going to happen, here. with a few sturdy flaps of his wings, viren's taking to the air. ]
[Sieg minds it not at all. He's done the pick up and fly, and been picked up and flown off into the distance more than once. It's familiar and nostalgic and he's holding onto his blossoms.]
... I miss this kind of thing...
[He doesn't know quite why that's slipping out of his mouth.]
[ no, wait, that's a dumb question. there hadn't been much of that. also regrettably: he's half-crushed a few of the blossoms he'd gathered, and their fumes are pervasive. ]
No, flying. [ corrected. his gaze scans over the area for a good landing spot, although he doesn't yet lower in their altitude. viren sighs, heavily. ] You'll have that, and more, eventually - I'm sure.
It certainly yet another advantage Dragons would have to humans, yes...
[ while he doesn't persist in flying solely because sieg enjoys it, viren would be lying if he said it didn't tip the scales (just slightly!) toward remaining airborne... it's faster, okay! he slows to hover in the air, raising a few feet, so he can instead better turn his sights to the city. ]
[Sieg's pleased little smile doesn't leave his face as long as they're up in the air.] Flight really is amazing. Hippogriffs are also capable of it.
I believe it's the coven?
[He doesn't remember exactly who it was who was requesting. But if they deliver the stuff directly to the coven, they'd know who it's supposed to go to.]
[ viren can feel the elation through the temporary bond; it's a refreshing wash to his typical dour disposition. ]
Coven.
[ he affirms, which warrants a sharp turn. to the coven it is, then. ]
You mention creatures I'm actually familiar with, if distantly. Remarkable! [ spoken somewhat flatly. it's strange, speaking to others, and having them insist that the flora and fauna you know of your world are not magical, but fantastical. ] What is the hippogriff like?
[Even as flatly as Viren speaks, Sieg is in too much of a good mood for it to dampen his at all.]
The head and wings of an eagle with the body of a horse. It can easily travel between Earth and the Far Side of the Moon, so if you're riding it, it's like teleportation.
Hmm... how do I put this...? I'm myself. I'm Sieg, but the dragon I become is Fafnir, sort of. He's the dragon that the hero slays. Some would say taking away a wish from humanity is a wicked act. I have his body, but it's still me using it.
[ suddenly, viren finds more sense in one of sieg's reactions that he'd garnered in a previous conversation. his wings seem to stutter in their great beats, but it's nothing that affects their flight. ]
[Sieg doesn't quite notice the way Viren's flapping changes.]
Yes. It's... something that separates humans from homunculi. Unless a homunculus is given a decision, they follow their orders. But humans have choices. They can see options and they can choose even when nobody gives them.
[Said like somebody who has a great fondness and admiration for the humans he knows.]
[ viren considers that. they're getting closer to the coven, now, as might be evident by the slight change in scenery, if recognizable to sieg. he has to give that statement thought before his next conclusion, ]
That sounds like a curse. Or a deficiency, that they must always follow orders.
[ mm; viren can hardly pretend he can empathize, but he can at least try to handle this with some delicateness ("we"). they will find themselves lowering at the foot of the coven, and viren skillfully alights to solid ground. he casts his gaze to the side. lowly, ]
... Perhaps no reason to, but I feel as if that's the crux of many stories -- developing a will, despite the odds.
[ allowing him egress, sieg's feet can too find solid ground now. ]
[If Sieg had never developed a will, he would simply be a battery inside of a Caster's construct. He thinks about that every once in a while- the odd quirk of fate that allowed him to realize he didn't want to die.]
I don't even know why I had one to begin with. The other homunculi created from the same process didn't.
[ sieg may feel some reflective bemusement through their bond -- he thinks it sounds like sieg has a glitch (after processing the implications of being created), an error on the part of his creator. he holds his forked tongue, along with any wonder that someone should be able to create a homunculus in the first place, and what it might entail, is willfully set aside for now. ]
No need to thank me.
[ and yet!: also through the bond, cue a tiny of glow of warmth for the gratitude. now that they probably, hopefully, still have some salvaged vine parts available, stepping toward the coven - ]
[Sieg knows he's some kind of glitch. No mage back home would ever want a battery to have a will. He's not privy to the methods of making other homunculi, and he wouldn't try it anyway.
Off they go to the coven. The experience seemed like a good little bit of bonding for the temporary Bond. Maybe they should pick up another one soon.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ viren has to be very mindful of his strength. he begins to set any and all separated flowers into a neat pile. ]
Sieg—
[ so while he doesn't love the idea, for a few reasons: his tail lifts and twitches in a beckoning gesture to sieg, should he wish to come closer to gather these. ]
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He comes quickly, gathering up the blossoms. The spell manages to hold for a little longer. But if Viren startles the animal in any way, it's going to break.]
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Arg!
[ it swipes through the air. alas, it is like an overgrown, vine-covered badger. while badgers suck, a dragon is, thankfully, stronger and faster than these. clutching a handful of blossoms, he manages to leap out of the way. ]
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[ but he kicks out at it, which is just enough to disorient it momentarily. then he takes the next second to swing around toward sieg -- ]
[ hopefully sieg doesn't mind being scooped up, and keeps protective of those blossoms in the meanwhile, because that's what's going to happen, here. with a few sturdy flaps of his wings, viren's taking to the air. ]
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... I miss this kind of thing...
[He doesn't know quite why that's slipping out of his mouth.]
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[ no, wait, that's a dumb question. there hadn't been much of that. also regrettably: he's half-crushed a few of the blossoms he'd gathered, and their fumes are pervasive. ]
No, flying. [ corrected. his gaze scans over the area for a good landing spot, although he doesn't yet lower in their altitude. viren sighs, heavily. ] You'll have that, and more, eventually - I'm sure.
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[He agrees fully. The wind and the rush- there's nothing quite like it and he can't help the smile rising to his face.]
I can't do it yet, so this is great. I love the rush of wind.
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[ while he doesn't persist in flying solely because sieg enjoys it, viren would be lying if he said it didn't tip the scales (just slightly!) toward remaining airborne... it's faster, okay! he slows to hover in the air, raising a few feet, so he can instead better turn his sights to the city. ]
Remind me where we're meant to take these, again.
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I believe it's the coven?
[He doesn't remember exactly who it was who was requesting. But if they deliver the stuff directly to the coven, they'd know who it's supposed to go to.]
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Coven.
[ he affirms, which warrants a sharp turn. to the coven it is, then. ]
You mention creatures I'm actually familiar with, if distantly. Remarkable! [ spoken somewhat flatly. it's strange, speaking to others, and having them insist that the flora and fauna you know of your world are not magical, but fantastical. ] What is the hippogriff like?
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The head and wings of an eagle with the body of a horse. It can easily travel between Earth and the Far Side of the Moon, so if you're riding it, it's like teleportation.
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[ but from he knows, it wouldn't quite so simply travel from the earth and the far side of the moon. ]
That spell you used earlier... The "wicked" dragon?
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Yes, that's me, Fafnir.
[Wait, that's confusing and not entirely true.]
Hmm... how do I put this...? I'm myself. I'm Sieg, but the dragon I become is Fafnir, sort of. He's the dragon that the hero slays. Some would say taking away a wish from humanity is a wicked act. I have his body, but it's still me using it.
Does that make sense?
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[ it -- well. compelled to truthfulness as he is, viren hesitates. ]
If taking a wish from humanity is a wicked act, and he is the "wicked dragon," what had the wish been—?
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My act... I took the grail away after somebody essentially wished away free will.
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[ suddenly, viren finds more sense in one of sieg's reactions that he'd garnered in a previous conversation. his wings seem to stutter in their great beats, but it's nothing that affects their flight. ]
That had crossed a line for you?
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Yes. It's... something that separates humans from homunculi. Unless a homunculus is given a decision, they follow their orders. But humans have choices. They can see options and they can choose even when nobody gives them.
[Said like somebody who has a great fondness and admiration for the humans he knows.]
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That sounds like a curse. Or a deficiency, that they must always follow orders.
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... Perhaps no reason to, but I feel as if that's the crux of many stories -- developing a will, despite the odds.
[ allowing him egress, sieg's feet can too find solid ground now. ]
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I don't even know why I had one to begin with. The other homunculi created from the same process didn't.
[He'll step down.]
Thank you.
thread wrap?
No need to thank me.
[ and yet!: also through the bond, cue a tiny of glow of warmth for the gratitude. now that they probably, hopefully, still have some salvaged vine parts available, stepping toward the coven - ]
Come. Let's get our reward.
thread wrap!
Off they go to the coven. The experience seemed like a good little bit of bonding for the temporary Bond. Maybe they should pick up another one soon.]
Of course.