RP between Degu and Emroidz
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Emroidz — 10/29/2020
Virx was a good kid, he really was, but neither he nor Roshan nor Ganu had signed up for the kind of relentless morning-to-night workout regimen Roylen committed to post-duel with Harpur. Determined to get himself back into shape—knowing he needed to be fighting fit for more than just fending off racists—the old goat could be found at the crack of dawn, swimming until any NORMAL man would be frozen half solid.
At this point in the day? He’d swam and hiked and now made haste of travel through town and back, running (literally) errands before returning home to finish out his day tightening his form with the sword he currently had belted to his hip...the same one left deeply gashed and bald from his crude, impromptu cauterization.
Want to know the worst part? Running gave him a damn fur wedgie. Fucking cardio.
Degu — 10/29/2020
Ganu had his own morning regimen and Roylen had become a part of that when he'd become part of his life, but with Roylen's recent train of thought even that had been left behind. He wasn't as agile as Roylen so he couldn't keep up, asking only that they still share a regimen once a week at least. He'd missed it but he was easy-going. Today wasn't that day though, Roy moved alone... or so he thought.
Enfield had been lingering around the houses when Virx's dad had passed by. He poked his head out to watch him go before sneaking off around the back of the houses, passing between them to follow him home with steady steps at a safe distance so he could go undetected. Once they reached Roy and Ganu's home he carefully peered out from behind a bush with big yellow eyes...hoping for Roy to do something interesting that he could immediately get in on.
Emroidz — 10/29/2020
Today Roylen’s goal was to find the happy medium of branding iron heat...without melting the weapon in his hand. So far he’d always gone beyond that thin line between tempered fire, leaving him with a useless molten blob of melted sword. The evidence was right there in his dirt circle (lovingly cleared by Ganu to ensure he didn’t set the whole Fae forest on fire), Enfield would see at least half a dozen training swords reduced to varying degrees of limp dick bend to full on lava puddle.
Unaware he was being spied on by his son’s bulletin board nemesis, Roylen upped the stakes he put on himself when he drew his OWN sword from his hip. It was a beautiful sidearm, effortlessly balanced from heavy-handed hilt to a crescent curved blade that was more sickle than scimitar in the width of its dramatic shape. It’s mirrored surface was emblazoned with his house crest: a burning quill feather in the same C-shape as the blade.
He had so few things that belonged to his family, that had resonance and significance to his military ties—one of the few things he still took pride in—from his command in Belsthame. He’d avoided using it until now, he hadn’t wanted to risk this weapon ending up melting into nothing more than another piece in the scrap heap. But it was go time.
Drawing his sword, Roy held it forward, blade curved as it would be to gut an opponent...and ignited.
Ignited his non-weapon-wielding hand. His entire hand engulfed in flame, he snuffed it out, pulled it back, and without giving himself the chance to second guess, clapping both hands together at the handle and swung.
There was a clean, slicing sound as blade cut nothing but air, but when he turned towards the bushes where Enfield hid in the completion of his two-step formation, executing the maneuver itself cleanly...his blade glowed white hot...but remained in its true shape. He’d done it!
Degu — 10/29/2020
Enfield watched with baited breath, eyes wide only to gasp audibly as the blade burned hot without melting. Realising quickly that his cover was blown with a blade pointed his way he stood up abruptly before Roy shanked the bush. "Uh!" he looked both ways before reaching to his belt and drawing his sword, pointing it back towards Roylen "You might have an ignited blade, cur, but you're no match for Overlord Enfield." he declared proudly and held his sword steady as he slowly approached the demon.
He'd hardly gotten to know this man even in the long journey here, but Enfield enjoyed bothering relative strangers, especially the father of his bulletin board nemesis. The cocky kid tried to move past Roylen into the arena/clearing, raising his wings to make himself look bigger than he was. They shivered aggressively, held rigid up above his head as he grinned menacingly... oh yeah he was roleplaying some menacing overlord, but the sword in his hand was very real. "You think you stand a chance, old man?"
Emroidz — 10/29/2020
The thing was, Enfield’s cover HADN’T been blown. So when the dragonkin emerged from the brush brandishing his own sword, Roylen laughed with unabashed surprise. “Well, now I’m gonna have to kick your ass, kid. You got a lot of gall calling me old. I’m gonna tell your fucking dads you’re talking shit, how about that?”
Despite finding this little overlord plenty amusing, Roylen was not in the business of underestimating ANY opponent. He made room for him in that dirt circle, which quickly became an arena for the two. Switching his hold from horizontal to vertical, the intent being to disarm rather than disembowel. “Have at thee!” Roy challenged, the medieval equivalent of saying come at me, bro.
Degu — 10/29/2020
Enfield's eyes widened a little before he puffed up "Well- then I'll just have to kill you! No witnesses!" he raised his sword like a warlord rallying his forces, all of his teeth showing in a big ol' grin. "Have at thee!" he turned it back on Roylen, the emphasis on 'thee'. It'd become quickly apparent that this little shit actually had training with his sword, from his father no doubt. Even his stance was fairly good. Experience wasn't on his side though, nor size.
With a cocky gleam in his eyes he jabbed a feinting stab towards Roylen, yanking the blade back in some attempt to instead swing it up and then back down in some attempt to disarm the man or at least knock his sword downwards diagonally, trying to use the curve of the sword versus the straightness of his own sword.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
The look on Roylen’s face was undeniably impressed, perhaps in the worst of ways. What?! He’d never claimed to be the conventional good dad (quote, unquote). He’d named the matriarch of his herd Cunt for fuck’s sake! And, I mean...the kid wasn’t wrong? Killing witnesses WAS one sure fire way to ensure he didn’t get tattled on.
Had Enfield forgotten that Roylen had a sword that was branding iron hot in hand right now? Lucky for the kid, the old goat wasn’t the sort to sear scale from skin just to prove a point, and let the tempered blade cool of its burning glow before he swung it at his young opponent.
The directionality of the boy’s attack was true, and showed a general know-how of how to disarm one’s enemy, however! Roy easily swung up to meet him with enough outclassed force to knock En pretty effortlessly away. “Still alive, gonna have to do better than that, little overlord,” the retired militant taunted with a jovial grin.
If Enfield did not immediately seize the opportunity for another attack, Roylen would attempt to hook the hilt of the kid’s sword, flicking his wrist in an attempt to flatten fingers at the knuckle uncomfortably rather than cut them clean off. The ideal would be that the boy moved his hand just enough to get hold of the lateral line of the hilt’s hand guard and scoop it right out of his hand, before tossing it way far out of reach.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield knew what he was doing to a degree, but Roylen was leagues above him in experience. He started to do the right thing, trying to yank his sword away before Roylen could follow through with disarming him but he couldn't, his sword was gone and landed face down in the soil nearby. Maxie had taught him not to look at the sword if it's ever knocked from his hands as it gives the opponent a chance to run him through. Not that he expected Roylen to do such a thing but he'd take it seriously.
He darted back, taking a deep breath and spitting fire up into Roylens eyes, trying to use that moment to run for his blade instead. He wasn't done yet!
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
Roylen scoffed and, feigning a lack of amusement and tough front as Enfield spit fire at him. Puh! His own element? Please!
Little did the demon know, in his late bloom as a fire elemental, was that DRAGON fire specifically did not wield the same way his USUAL conjured magic did. Like an idiot, he went to open palm catch the stuff, and YOWLED as it BURNED him! “What the hell?!” Roy barked, sure to get a laugh from En as he made a mad run and grab for his weapon.
Alright, alright, he’d give him that one! But that didn’t mean the satyr DIDNT give chase! He ran after the kid, but rather than trying to cut him off at the pass, he’d attempt to snatch him up instead. If he got a hold of the little shit, he’d tuck him up under his arm, allowing room for plenty of petulant kicks, punches, and flaps of those wings.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield snorted loudly as he heard Roylen's cry of protest, running with a wild grin and wide eyes for the sword, but the Satyr really did catch him off-guard by getting a hold of him. He wasn't going to go easy, his wings flapped backwards, repeatedly smacking poor Roy in the side of the head and under the chin while he kicked and dug his claws into the mans arm "Hey! Old man get off me! I'll beat you fair and square!" he wriggled and thrashed madly, even his tail slapped the poor guy in the spine.
"You smelly fuck fart face shit shearing scrotum hat!" he bellowed a long line of profanities, none of them particularly in any coherent order.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
The sound that came out of Roylen was so completely undignified you would have thought him a prepubescent boy instead of the stuffy old goat—a soon-to-be husband, a FATHER—that he was. “Scrotum hat?” Roylen bellowed, doubling over and nearly dumping Enfield face first in the dirt in the process (had he been willing to give him up, that is).
Sacrificing his body to being beaten with wings and clawed at in an overall superficial and futile attempt at escape, once more Roylen would take the flat of his curved blade...and paddle Enfield across the backside with it. It was olden times, corporal punishment was nothing frowned upon or even given so much as a second glance, even in the communal sense, especially given the alternative when drawing swords against a grown man.
Enfield would remember Roylen the next time he’d try to sit down, that was for sure.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield seemed accomplished as Roylen bent over and bellowed with laughter but as soon as he felt a beating with the damn sword he yelled and struggled petulantly, yelling furiously and going red with rage. If Virx found out about this the whole town would be laughing at him within a week! There'd be diagrams of him getting his damn ass beaten crudely drawn upon the bulletin board.
He flailed and tried to get away, sinking his claws in "My dad will kick your ass!" he yelled "Alright alright I'm sorry! get off me old man! Get OFF me!" he yelled furiously and finally sagged, tail curled over his rump protectively with a pout. "You win, you bested me, alright? let me go...." he huffed, frowning and limply hanging there waiting.
"Gotta train more..."
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“You better think twice signing your old man on to a fight he’d didn’t bargain for himself. I’d be seriously pissed if EITHER of my boys pulled that shit with me. Not that I wouldn’t have something to say to ANYONE who fucked with my kid, but...they’d be in big trouble AFTER, you get that?”
Roylen finally sat Enfield upright and on his own two feet again. “You faired pretty well, if I’m to be honest. Who trained you with a blade?” The satyr would retrieve the boy’s weapon and re-equip him, a sign of respect between combatants. “You looking for some pointers?” Roy asked curiously as En mentioned training more. There was a quip pro quo presented shortly thereafter: “I didn’t expect you to fucking BURN me, you shit. I didn’t have any idea there was any difference to the fires I could wield. So, I’ll tell you what—you keep belching fireballs at me until I can adequately protect myself from them, and I’ll fill in the few gaps you’ve got in your swordsmanship. It’s a win/win for you, I’m thinking; what do you say?”
Win/win/win, to be honest. Virx was gonna HATE this.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield reached back and rubbed with an "oof" before snatching his sword back with a grumpy pout. "My dad. He's the best swordsman there is... I don't think It's really my thing but I want it to be. I want to be good at it like him" he raised his sword and slashed at the air "He wants me to learn it for self defence but if I can't even last one minute in a fight with you then ... pretty sure any actual bad guys would kick my butt" he sighed and let his sword fall to his side, holding it tip down in the dirt even though he'd been told not to do it because it dulled the blade.
He smirked as he was called a shit "Yeah? you actually want me to spit fire at you? ... " he turned to face Roy "I still train with my dad, you know? he'll fill most of the gaps but- he can't fill the gap of uh" he vaguely gestured "Variety in opponents, right? no point me learning how to JUST fight my dad, I doubt everyone is going to fight like my dad." he snorted and took a few steps back, hilting his sword.
"Alright, you ready for a fireball? I'll tell you where I'm going to aim first so you don't go all burnt mutton on me old guy" he smirked "Your left shoulder. Alright?" he took in a deep breath and if Roylen gave him the OK he'd spit a small ball/slither of flame at Roy's left shoulder.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“Variety of opponents,” Roylen agreed, seemingly admirable—or at least amicable—to Enfield’s sound logic even midst obvious loyalty to his father being the one to teach him. He’d hear no complaint nor argument from the once-Lord Culver, he’d happily play second to any parent serving as their child’s primary educator.
“Har har har shitbird,” the goat man bleated, taking these ageist jokes in stride despite playing up his role of old-fogey-with-no-sense-of-humor. He’d definitely eased up in the ego department since meeting Ganu and adopting Virx and Roshan: he didn’t have to defend his pride, as it was no longer something that revolved around himself...but rather involved them first and foremost.
Once again, Roylen stupidly tried to go straight for palming the fireball that Enfield spit like a molten loogie at him. Honestly, he’d have better luck just warding it off, surely, but alas, he seemed keen to go for a bigger success, even in the midst of multiple failures. As Ganu had learned in his teaching, Roy wasn’t trying to cut corners: he simply knew his body recognized the stress of being put on the spot and responded to pain as a lesson learned.
“Youch! Fucking hell! The shit’s as stubborn as you are! What gives?!” Frustrated that he couldn’t quite seem to figure it out, he shoved his burnt hand into his armpit, riding out the sting with a sourpuss look on his face for a minute, before sucking it up and taking stance once more. “Again. Don’t call it this time. Surprise me. Mix it up. I promise you won’t be liable if you set my wooly ass on fire, okay?” Heh. Be sure to get that in writing, kid.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield did a cocky spin and pose when Roylen yelped, grinning at Roy before running a hand sassily through his hair in true dragon fashion "Uh hate to break it to you old man but... dragon fire trumps demon fire. You can even ask my Uncle Rufio." he announced rather proudly "You sure you're ready for round two? Well..." he clapped his hands together, rubbing them slyly and smirking .
With a strut in his step that'd make Arron proud he paced around the edge of the arena with slitted pupils focused on Roylen. He drew it out, trying not to give away where he was looking and hoping to fire at. Wooly ass, you say? well, Roy would probably regret giving the kid ideas. He looked Roylen in the eyes, making it hard to judge where he was about to aim and then took a deep breath, spitting a ball of flame downwards at Roy's hip/thigh in the hopes that his 'wooly ass' would indeed set ablaze. Of course he'd regret it if any actual harm came to Mr. Culver!
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“Uncle Rufio?” Roylen asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re the nephew of that crowing bag of hot air?” The demon laughed, the sound of his voice far too rich and warm with fondness to say these things with any real intent to insult the rooster. Lord Culver didn’t really have many friends...but Rufio was one of the few. “Makes sense. You’ve got a certain streak of him in you.” A compliment, to be sure: Enfield was the same kind of grandiose character.
Watching and waiting, the satyr seemed to key into the kid’s mischief before it happened. He’d assume the position, but...about faced at the last second and promptly extinguished the fireball sent at his wooly ass—
—with a well-timed fart. Oh god. Roy! Seriously man?
WHAT?! He was raising two teenage boys! Fart humor was ALWAYS a huge hit!
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield seemed PROUD to be given such a compliment "Yeah? well he did raise me for a while after me and my dad got separated, him and Uncle Sulli!" he puffed his chest out proudly. But then of course he'd made his attack but wasn't expecting the demon to let rip a huge fart. The flames were certainly affected and Enfield quickly covered his nose and staggered backwards, hunching over and choking out laughter "That's so RANCID!" he laughed loudly "Almost as bad as a dragon fart!" he kept on laughing till tears formed in his eyes, snorting and snickering.
"You think you're so funny old man? laugh at THIS!" he yelled and pulled his hands away, spitting flames at Roy's ankle! think fast you smelly old fart!
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
Like Enfield, Roylen seemed PROUD to be given such a compliment. “Not gonna lie, there was a 50/50 chance of me either putting it out or burning off your eyebrows just then. Glad it turned out in your favor,” the once-Lord Culver joked, laughing with just as much mirth and tittering immaturity as had doubled the dragonkin over.
Having assumed a position which required him to bend over, the old goat was not nearly as fleet-footed as he might otherwise be. He gave it a good go, don’t get me wrong, but trying to punt the fireball back at its spitter just left the Billy gruff...with his entire leg going up in flame.
“Aaa! Aaa!” Roy exclaimed, more shocked than capable of upset. He dropped to the ground and rolled around in the dirt, at least having enough sense not to run through the forest with his wooly ass on fire from the hooves up. Laid there, sprawled out with furry bottom half singed and still smoking, the satyr chuckled, shook his head, and clapped his thighs several more times for good measure.
“Alright, I concede. I’m old. Or, at the very least, pretty well done at this point. I need a fucking breather.”
Degu — 10/31/2020
Enfield practically barked with laughter, dropping down to sit, crossing his legs "Didn't mean to cook you" he snorted "Smells good though... you got any food?" he dropped back to lie on the ground, looking at the house "I'm hungry... where are Virx and Roshan? are they in town? ..." suddenly he was a box full of questions but his one track mind could hardly think of much other than food. "I am really hungry. Do you have cakes?" oh yeah Enfield was only too happy to demand some food.
"If you have cakes I can pay for it with a performance" he casually examined his nails, a cocky smirk on his lips "I don't mean to brag but I write my own materials."
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
“You take a bite of me and I really WILL tell your fathers,” Roylen chuckled good naturedly, before heaving himself upright and brushing himself off. The satyr patted himself down once more, ensuring all the important bits hadn’t been seared off, before gesturing to the dragonkin to follow. “I’m not sure about cakes, but I’m certain we’ve stew and hard rolls leftover from last night’s supper.”
Generously inviting the boy into their thatched, forest home, the demon made way directly for their humble kitchen. Enfield seemed the sort to make himself right at home, and would not be barred from a bit of preliminary exploration before his stomach made him follow. It was a cozy home, and while not nearly as lavish as the Culver estate in Belsthame, Roylen seemed comfortable navigating the space in his domain.
“Roshan has become quite the hunter in his free time. He’s baiting traps on the edge of the wood today. And Virx is with Ganu, working tirelessly as always in his practice of nature magic—with Rosehip’s help, of course.” It was curious, surely, for a clearly shadow elf to attempt to bond with the Earth instead of their own obvious element. But anyone who knew Virx, even a rival like Enfield, had never seen him without his floral manaraptor, nor more at peace then when gardening beside his father. He was only gentle when it came to his green thumb, and Ganu was nurturing that part of him well.
“You play?” Enfield seemed to have piqued Roylen’s interest all over again. “My mother played the dulcimer. Lovely instrument, it’s right there, against the wall by our hearth. See it?” He gestured, thinking nothing of exposing a precious heirloom to a potentially chaotic, musical force.
Degu — 10/31/2020
Enfield certainly did make himself at home, walking straight past the kitchen and into the living room to poke around and test out how cosy the couch was. He wanted to look in Virx's room ... maybe if he was quick he could take a shit in the asshole's bed! No- maybe a bit tacky. He came back to the kitchen when conversation continued, stretching lazily as he entered "Nature magic? huh.." he trailed off as he looked around the kitchen and sniffed around for any hidden food, even as Roy fetched him leftover stew that he shouldn't be eating because he was going to get fed by Joan later anyway but uh, they didn't need to know he was getting two dinners today.
"Play? oh-" he looked up sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck "No I - I write plays! the best in the world. But I'm going to play...I keep asking dad to enrol me at the academy of the arts to become a bard! Like a real bard! I can't wait, I bet he's going to get me a ...a lute or something." he said giddily "I am going to be the best musician this universe has ever seen!" and with that he hurried over to the hearth to stare up at the dulcimer "Woah! this is such a weird instrument!" he reached up to try and take it off the wall without even thinking, or asking.
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
Roylen, of course, could imagine no world where this kid was not cared for or well fed. But, as his host—and with Enfield being a growing boy—he saw no harm in providing him a ration of stew to tide him over.
“Overlord AND musician, huh?” The satyr chuckled and traded the dragonkin his bowl for the dulcimer. However, the intent was not to take it away from the youngster, but show him. “This is a bow drawn dulcimer. There’s a smaller version that you can sit on your lap. I was always shit at it, so don’t expect any lessons, but I DO remember my mother telling me it goes knee-to-toe. Want to try?”
Given that Enfield had already inhaled the offered stew in the time it took Roylen to spare a few hospitable words, he’d give him the opportunity to attempt to sit himself as Roylen described—propping the dulcimer upon his scaly toes and set it diagonal against the adjacent knee—and draw string to string. The sound it produced, even if played improperly, was absolutely whimsical. How delightful!
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield laughed "You got it, Mr. Culver. I'm going to be lots of things" he said with all the confidence of a kid who hadn't been stomped on hard enough by life yet, or perhaps he'd just managed to remain optimistic through any hardships. He was captivated the moment Roy had an instrument in his hands, moving closer to sit down beside him and watch with big beady eyes that he shared with Akka and Raali, that wide-eyed awe all of them seemed capable of pulling off so well.
"Ohhh- yes! I want to try!" he insisted and placed it upon his lap once he was allowed, letting Roylen help him position it "I don't- I've seen a lot of people play instruments like this ... I know if you hold down the string further up it...it changes the.." he seemed a little overwhelmed to get to actually try out an instrument. Good news was his claws made strumming easier for him. He brushed his claws along the lower end of the strings and gasped, beaming at Roylen at the sound of it "It's so loud- I love it!" he had a new instrument to add to his list of instruments to play.
He held down a string further up and slowly sat there experimenting with different sounds. After each one he'd hum and commit it a little to memory. He took his time with it, testing every limit bit by bit and then, although he'd played it before he started to strum a cheerful little ditty. He had to stop and start again a few times, it was obviously a tune he'd heard before, but after several tries he managed to play a full minute of a tune, at least as far as he could remember, eyes widening and laughter rising from him as he did so. Pretty good for a kid who'd never had any training! he was a natural! Roy may feel compelled to get up and dance...and laugh... and then projectile vomit, or a lesser effect would just be to feel nauseous and tap ones foot...
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
A sort of...misty look overcame the handsome age of Roylen’s face, his expression turning soft and sad as happiness, even more than music, was born from an instrument too long left silent. His mother, Reina—an angel in life as much as death, may she Rest In Peace, Roy thought to himself—would have been so pleased.
But...something compelled him back from the depths of his memory and mourned longing for the only parent he’d ever known, and suddenly Roylen was up and jigging about! Those cloven hooves did him every clip-cloppity favor, the satyr springing about like a FAR younger and more spry gentleman (suggesting, perhaps, there was something less-than-natural happening here). The possession reached its peak as, without stopping his most jaunty river dance, the old goat hacked and heaved and vomited—violently—only to slip in his own sick and slam down upon his back. What the hell?!
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield laughed as Roylen danced, figuring he was ...just dancing. Old man had moves! He grinned but then immediately jumped up as the man vomited "Woah what the f-!" he yelled in horror as Roy slipped and fell. He quickly shoved the Dulcimer onto the table and tried to reach out to slow his fall or at least cushion his head before it hit the floor. He failed and looked panic stricken, dropping to his knees "Shit- shit shit shit- what the fuck!" he swore and held out trembling hands over Roylen as if afraid he was dead "Mr. Culver? Mr. Cu- culver? Roylen? Roy? Are you okay? Please don't be dead!" he looked at the mans chest to see if he was breathing.
"Fuck I murdered him!"
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
A long, rank belch rose from inside of Roylen. It was so tremulous in fact that that bit of old man gut he’d yet to burn off in the renewed vigor of his training rippled where red demon skin met wooly, lower goat half. The difference was, he hadn’t done this of his own volition: the intent was not to make Enfield laugh, but instead purge whatever the hell had taken hold of him in that moment.
Logic said it wasn’t the instrument which had possessed him, however bewitching he’d found its melody in the time where it had been his mother who played it. So that meant...
“Enfield!” The man gasped, sitting bolt upright and likely scaring the shit out of the kid if he thought him truly dead. “All seven layers of hell and back again, ack! Fuckin—“ he grimaced as he felt the lumpy wet of his sick all up and down his back, having landed pretty center mass in the puddle of spew. “What the hell was that? Did you do that to me?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, but it was absolutely baffled. He had moves, sure! But THAT jaunt had NOT been of his own free will.
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield scrambled back as Roylen sat up, gagging still from the rancid belch. "I didn't do anything! Your mother's Dulcimer is cursed! I didn't know it was going to possess you! Or- or whatever that was! I thought you were just dancing until-" he motioned aggressively up and down at Roy and the puddle of sick "Wait there-" he stood up and stepped past all the grossness to a towel "At least you didn't shit yourself... there's a lot of hair for that - i won't finish that thought" he said as he handed him the kitchen towel and fetched a basin and some water to help Roy clean up.
"You're kind of spooking me old man, and trust me, I don't spook easy."
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
Roylen pointed a finger accusatorially at Enfield, a momentary but fitful flare of his true, demonic temper as this child DARED to suggest this heirloom—one of the few things he’d kept of his mother’s—was cursed. “Is not!” Roy barked, arguing back. He sounded hurt, and even a bit childish...though, lasting grief could do that to even the oldest of souls.
“Hmm, yes, I suppose you’re right,” the once-Lord Culver could not deny Enfield’s astute observation as a towel was promptly fetched for him. “You’d be clipping it from my fur if I had, I can promise you that.” Perhaps not the best time for such a crude joke, but they both seemed acutely (and appropriately) unnerved by WHATEVER had just happened.
Cleaning himself up, Roylen mopped up the rest of the sick with the same towel and left it to soak in the basin he’d already washed himself in. One whore’s bath later, the satyr picked up the dulcimer the dragonkin had managed not to throw in a panic, but had still freed himself of in a hurry.
“You know...there’s one way to test whether it’s the instrument or the musician at fault here. Tell me, my bardly overlord, are you too spooked for a bit of...experimentation? It will require the acquisition of another instrument for you to play, and I haven’t any others here.” He raised an eyebrow. Enfield might be getting that lute of his sooner rather than later. You know. To test this hypothesis properly.
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield grimaced "You'd be on your own clipping your arse..." maybe if they did this experiment Roy WOULD shit himself though? He'd just have to run for the trees. When Roy was finally 'clean' and proposed such an experiment, Enfield seemed excited for it even if the first instance had ended up with an almost concussion or murder scene. "You're on, do you have another instrument?" he asked as he looked around the room as if one would just be hanging on another wall. "Oh right you said you don't- Uh- I don't really know anyone who..." he was trying to rack his brain for people who might have one.
He rubbed a hand through his hair and stared at the floor, backing up a few steps "I can try to find one- wait you're rich-ish right?" he held out a hand "You want to prove your mother's instrument isn't cursed, right? Well give me enough money to go buy a cheap instrument and I'll come back."
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
“Rich...ish?” Roylen laughed bitterly at Enfield’s too-honest assessment of his current financial situation. Ow, his pride. “Admittedly, I left the vast majority of my wealth tied up behind in Belsthame, but I’m certain I can spare a few crystals if you think you can haggle with one of the town vendors.”
The satyr stood and, as he did so, swatted away the boy’s hand with mild, parental agitation. For it to be held out so expectantly towards him seemed rather brattish and entitled. “I’ll escort you into town. We will find subjects there to test this theory on who are not me.” Not to mention THIS way there was no chance for Enfield to simply pocket the Hy-Brazirian currency and take off.
Degu — 11/01/2020
"Haggle? Please. Rufio's my uncle." he snorted and puffed some air upwards to blow a curl casually away from his face. When his hand was swatted away he gasped indignantly and puffed up, smoke rising from his nostrils "FINE but if they burn me at a stake it's your fault.- I mean it probably ... they'd pick something other than burning." he snorted as he turned to hurry for the door "Woo! town trip! lets go!"
He was gone in an instant, out the door and flapping his wings hard as he bounded and part-glided short jumps along the path into town, grabbing onto thin trees and swinging around them before doing the same to lamp posts. "Are we going to pay strangers to listen to me or are you going to make me strum at random strangers like a freak?" he asked as he climbed up a lamp post and hung upside down from it by his legs, waiting for Roy to catch up.
Emroidz — 11/02/2020
Roylen chuckled and nodded admittedly as Enfield stated the most obvious of facts. “Fair enough, my boy,” the satyr conceded, before rolling his eyes at what the dragonkin insisted could be his fate. “Something tells me you wouldn’t burn easy, kid.” He smirked.
“I’m going to make you strum at random strangers like a freak,” the once-Lord Culver scoffed at the options he was given before picking the latter. What? It saved him coin and gave the aspiring bard an opportunity to earn his own. Needing two loping steps (suggesting only the mildest of limps still remained from his duels now with both Harpur AND Enfield).
“Go on, I’m here. Find yourself an instrument and make Uncle Rufio proud. I’ll pay, but only if you oversee my getting a fair price.” Roylen encouraged Enfield to peruse the merchants that always frequented the square with their carts and stalls. He’d follow just a few steps behind, his hands clasped regally behind his back as his spaded tail flicked with feline-like curiosity at the wares he only window shopped over.
Degu — 11/02/2020
Enfield turned and dropped back down onto his feet to plod along beside Roylen with a spring in his step "I don't die easy either, I'm one of a kind!" of course most of that was ego. "Okay I can do strumming at strangers like a freak but... " he held up a finger and spun around to face Roy "I want my dad to get me my first instrument... you know? sentimental value. I have a proposition about how we can come out of this without you spending a single shard" he jabbed a claw towards Roy's coin pouch and grinned in a way that'd make Rufio proud.
"You play the role of proud dad getting his son his first instrument before he starts at the academy of the arts, right? You want me to hold the instrument I like to see if it feels okay... then I'll just strum a few times and then we bail! No money lost, no damage to property. What can go wrong?" he turned away and practically skipped along with a sassy shrug "It's the perfect plan!"
Emroidz — 11/03/2020
“Fair enough.” What father COULDNT appreciate sentimental value, after all. He’d hope his own sons knew he’d feel the same as Enfield’s parents did about this kind of stuff. Fortunately, the clever shit had a plan on how to preserve the true moment for his dad while still fulfilling the parameters of their little social experiment.
“Alright, I’ll follow your lead, kid,” Roylen deferred creative control to a child who might as well be chaos incarnate, and followed along behind: a co-conspirator and enabler (and perhaps not the best example of what an adult should be right now, but damn it he had to know what the FUCK happened back there with that dulcimer!).
Approaching with Enfield, Roylen clapped a hand upon the boy’s shoulder and beamed down at him proudly. He played the role with ease, laying it on thick and supplying the dragonkin with all the dad of the year ammunition he required to convince the vendor they NEEDED to make this happen NOW—his son was being sent off at the end of the week, after all, and what if such an instrument required fine tuning?! GASP! (Uncle Rufio would know the first key to sales was creating a sense of urgency...only THIS time it was customer, not cart-tender, who applied the principle.)
Degu — 11/06/2020
Enfield walked in proudly, chest puffed out "Oh dad! look at all the instruments!" he gasped as they entered the shop and pointed around. He'd made sure to pick a cheaper instrument shop because he kind of hoped his dad was going to pay some big money for HIS instrument when they finally got it. He pulled away from his "father" to run further into the shop and pointed up at a lute with an excited bound "Look at them! woah!" he gasped.
The vendor recognised a business opportunity when he saw one, watching Enfield before beaming at Roylen. "The young man's looking to get his first instrument, I take it? ...is it for a hobby?" he asked, keeping a close half-eye on Enfield to make sure he didn't rip anything off the wall.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
"More than a hobby," Roylen informed the vendor sincerely, "That boy has some SERIOUS musical aspirations. Keen on attending the academy of arts come the spring." Everything the satyr said was VERY carefully spoken so it was not ACTUALLY a lie. "My mother played the dulcimer, do you have anything with strings?" The father asked the merchant on behalf of his son, unsure of whether the choice of instrument was perhaps pertinent to gleaning similar results from earlier. Enfield seemed rather taken with the lute, however, and Roylen supposed that the further removed the instrument was from what had been played before, if it STILL bewitched the listener would prove their cause even MORESO that it was the musician and NOT the instrument who bent the listener's wills to their whim.
Degu — 11/07/2020
"Oh is that so?" the man behind the counter chuckled "The young man seems taken with the lute... a good beginners instrument. They say if you can master the lute you grasp the early skills to any other string instrument.... come, lets see how it feels." he rounded the counter with a kindly smile and hobbled over to the lute that Enfield was still gawking at with rather genuine excitement.
The older man helped lift it down off the wall "Here you go, son. Careful now... one arm under here- and the other on top, that's right" he guided Enfield carefully "How does that feel? it'll take time to get used to the weight."
Enfield lost sight of his damn goals here for a moment, so excited to be holding an instrument. His eyes skimmed the room at all the other instruments and then met the old man's eyes "It feels heavy, but good." he told him.
The old fellow had no time to react as Enfield strummed the un-tuned strings, cringing "Boy those strings aren't-" Enfield kept strumming if only to see what untuned strings would do. Everyone in the room would feel a moment of ...dread and then the windows all around them would shatter. Enfield's eyes widened and before he could bail a swarm of angry seagulls flew in through the broken glass and started attacking them. He screamed and threw the lute down before running for the door "THIS LOOKS EXPENSIVE LETS BAIL!" he yelled in horror as a seagull grabbed his hair and ripped a chunk out. Shit was flying everywhere, the old man was yelling and trying to beat the seagulls away with his arms to protect his stock.
Poor Enfield was in a state of alarm, otherwise he might have felt a need to help. He was scared of getting into big trouble here, but also still not sure why things happened when he played an instrument, consider him truly wigged the fuck out.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
Honestly, Roylen thought barfing his guts out was the very worst of what was possible in their experimentation. Had he known Enfield was going to bring about the gullpocalypse with a simply strumming, he certainly wouldn’t have attempted to test their theory!
Feeling rather terrible about the horror theyd unleashed upon the kindly old merchant, Roylen attempted to make amends by wrestling his ENTIRE coin purse from one PARTICULARLY spirited, feathery thief, paddling it with an open hand as if he were an old man at the country club playing a game of squash before leaving what little crystal currency he had to his name behind, even though they had not taken the lute with them! (So technically he hadn’t bought Enfield anything, so his want for his fathers to purchase his first instrument was preserved.)
Hightailing it out of there, the old goat continued to fend off the gulls as he ran, waving both arms over his head before racing past Enfield, slowing down just slightly...if only to pick the boy up and hold him overhead! Was he offering him up as a sacrifice to the possessed birds or using him as a living umbrella?! Hard to tell, but he was no dad-of-the-year anymore!
“Safe to say it’s you, kid, AAAAAAAA!” Roy shrieked, before taking En and diving behind a nearby cart.
...a nearby bread cart. Oh fu—
Degu — 11/07/2020
People in the streets SCREAMED as seagulls went wild attacking everyone, among them were two vulcan gulls making everything worse by blasting fire at peoples hair. Enfield couldn't quite outrun a goat-man so he was easily hoisted up into the air and yelled, spreading his wings to protect both of them while spitting flames at any gulls that came too near. He felt a few bite and tear scales off his tail "OW! OW OW!"
Finally under a cart he huddled close to Roylen and hid his face in the mans chest, wings spreading as best they could to keep the gulls away. After a moment the shrieking slowly started to die down and the gulls seemed to disperse back to the rooftops where they'd been prior to the attack. People in the square seemed disorientated, gossip ablaze as everyone checked they were all okay.
Enfield finally popped his head up and looked around before his eyes would widen and a big grin formed on his lips. He looked up at Roy "This is amazing-! I've got to go tell my family- Theo! I've got to tell Theo too right away!" he practically bounced to his feet and then jumped a few times on the spot with all the energy bubbling up inside of him "I can't believe it!"
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
At the very least, Vulcan gull fire was easier to neutralize than dragon fire was. Able to douse most everyone’s hair with barely a singe as the outcome, Roylen and Enfield remained huddled together and away until the gulls had gotten that lute witchcraft out of their systems.
Bewildered, but somehow not unamused at this entire BONKERS situation, Roylen shook his head as—of course—Enfield found a takeaway that was positive. “Now that we know for certain it’s you, you can’t claim ignorance anymore for this shit, kid. That means no using your powers for evil, got it? You gotta know as well as I do that any hope you have of actually receiving an instrument of your own and attending that academy lives and dies by your behavior until then.”
A pause, as Roy considered where they went from here. “Better get you home so you can tell ‘em. Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Given that En agreed to the escort, they’d make a hasty departure from the scene of their bird-beguiling crime. “...you think your parents might have known? Have you asked your old man to buy you an instrument before and he said no or not now?” Of course, Roylen’s intention was not to disparage Enfield’s parents, but he was trying to understand if this all was a new development or something kept under wraps.
Degu — 11/07/2020
Enfield jabbed a finger slyly towards Roylen "I don't believe in evil!" in other words...he'd probably do some evil with it, at least a little. "I've got POWERS! MUSIC POWERS!" he bellowed as he ran across a bridge that lead back towards their collective homes "No! but I bet Theo knew, I can't wait to tell him! maybe he can teach me some tunes before I go to school" he headed along the paths as they got closer to the forest, happy as a dog with a whole smoked ham.
His tail flicked side to side joyously "Dad was going to get me one! He didn't say no. I can't wait- does this mean I'm a bard? like a real one not just a bard by title but like the actual- magic bard? Oh woah - I bet I can do all sorts of things - I can see a whole new path of destiny before me!" he said dramatically and motioned into the distance as if he could actually see mystical paths "I'll be the greatest musician in the universe, I'll be revered on multiple worlds, on multiple planes of existence!" he gasped gleefully.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
“Oof. No one could ever say you don’t think big, kid,” Roylen laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. He’d drop Enfield off at home, explaining the situation if need be and assuring his parents that there was no damage done whose cost he had not covered nor gossip he would not disparage and dispel when given the opportunity to do so.
Before departing, Roylen took Enfield to the side and smirked, crouching down upon goatly haunches so he was at eye-level with the young dragonkin. “Listen to me well, Enfield. You get ONE freebie with my boys. ONE, you hear me? If I catch wind of anymore mischief than that, I’ll reacquaint you with the same end of my sword I did earlier...so make it a good one.” Heh.
Degu — 11/07/2020
It was a good thing Enfield was taken aside because he was already hatching a plot about how he was going to use this new found power to DESTROY Virx. He smirked, expression darkening "Just one? ...understood, sir..." he said it in such a way that should have incited concern. It was the sort of tone that suggested that 'one' freebie was going to count.
"Oh I will... I will. Well...this is my stop" he thumbed towards his house and stepped away, grinning devilishly even now "Thanks for today, old man...." and should Roylen turn to walk away he'd hear Enfield's best attempt at menacing, maniacal laughter echoing through the forest towards him. Well, the city was doomed, clearly.
Virx was a good kid, he really was, but neither he nor Roshan nor Ganu had signed up for the kind of relentless morning-to-night workout regimen Roylen committed to post-duel with Harpur. Determined to get himself back into shape—knowing he needed to be fighting fit for more than just fending off racists—the old goat could be found at the crack of dawn, swimming until any NORMAL man would be frozen half solid.
At this point in the day? He’d swam and hiked and now made haste of travel through town and back, running (literally) errands before returning home to finish out his day tightening his form with the sword he currently had belted to his hip...the same one left deeply gashed and bald from his crude, impromptu cauterization.
Want to know the worst part? Running gave him a damn fur wedgie. Fucking cardio.
Degu — 10/29/2020
Ganu had his own morning regimen and Roylen had become a part of that when he'd become part of his life, but with Roylen's recent train of thought even that had been left behind. He wasn't as agile as Roylen so he couldn't keep up, asking only that they still share a regimen once a week at least. He'd missed it but he was easy-going. Today wasn't that day though, Roy moved alone... or so he thought.
Enfield had been lingering around the houses when Virx's dad had passed by. He poked his head out to watch him go before sneaking off around the back of the houses, passing between them to follow him home with steady steps at a safe distance so he could go undetected. Once they reached Roy and Ganu's home he carefully peered out from behind a bush with big yellow eyes...hoping for Roy to do something interesting that he could immediately get in on.
Emroidz — 10/29/2020
Today Roylen’s goal was to find the happy medium of branding iron heat...without melting the weapon in his hand. So far he’d always gone beyond that thin line between tempered fire, leaving him with a useless molten blob of melted sword. The evidence was right there in his dirt circle (lovingly cleared by Ganu to ensure he didn’t set the whole Fae forest on fire), Enfield would see at least half a dozen training swords reduced to varying degrees of limp dick bend to full on lava puddle.
Unaware he was being spied on by his son’s bulletin board nemesis, Roylen upped the stakes he put on himself when he drew his OWN sword from his hip. It was a beautiful sidearm, effortlessly balanced from heavy-handed hilt to a crescent curved blade that was more sickle than scimitar in the width of its dramatic shape. It’s mirrored surface was emblazoned with his house crest: a burning quill feather in the same C-shape as the blade.
He had so few things that belonged to his family, that had resonance and significance to his military ties—one of the few things he still took pride in—from his command in Belsthame. He’d avoided using it until now, he hadn’t wanted to risk this weapon ending up melting into nothing more than another piece in the scrap heap. But it was go time.
Drawing his sword, Roy held it forward, blade curved as it would be to gut an opponent...and ignited.
Ignited his non-weapon-wielding hand. His entire hand engulfed in flame, he snuffed it out, pulled it back, and without giving himself the chance to second guess, clapping both hands together at the handle and swung.
There was a clean, slicing sound as blade cut nothing but air, but when he turned towards the bushes where Enfield hid in the completion of his two-step formation, executing the maneuver itself cleanly...his blade glowed white hot...but remained in its true shape. He’d done it!
Degu — 10/29/2020
Enfield watched with baited breath, eyes wide only to gasp audibly as the blade burned hot without melting. Realising quickly that his cover was blown with a blade pointed his way he stood up abruptly before Roy shanked the bush. "Uh!" he looked both ways before reaching to his belt and drawing his sword, pointing it back towards Roylen "You might have an ignited blade, cur, but you're no match for Overlord Enfield." he declared proudly and held his sword steady as he slowly approached the demon.
He'd hardly gotten to know this man even in the long journey here, but Enfield enjoyed bothering relative strangers, especially the father of his bulletin board nemesis. The cocky kid tried to move past Roylen into the arena/clearing, raising his wings to make himself look bigger than he was. They shivered aggressively, held rigid up above his head as he grinned menacingly... oh yeah he was roleplaying some menacing overlord, but the sword in his hand was very real. "You think you stand a chance, old man?"
Emroidz — 10/29/2020
The thing was, Enfield’s cover HADN’T been blown. So when the dragonkin emerged from the brush brandishing his own sword, Roylen laughed with unabashed surprise. “Well, now I’m gonna have to kick your ass, kid. You got a lot of gall calling me old. I’m gonna tell your fucking dads you’re talking shit, how about that?”
Despite finding this little overlord plenty amusing, Roylen was not in the business of underestimating ANY opponent. He made room for him in that dirt circle, which quickly became an arena for the two. Switching his hold from horizontal to vertical, the intent being to disarm rather than disembowel. “Have at thee!” Roy challenged, the medieval equivalent of saying come at me, bro.
Degu — 10/29/2020
Enfield's eyes widened a little before he puffed up "Well- then I'll just have to kill you! No witnesses!" he raised his sword like a warlord rallying his forces, all of his teeth showing in a big ol' grin. "Have at thee!" he turned it back on Roylen, the emphasis on 'thee'. It'd become quickly apparent that this little shit actually had training with his sword, from his father no doubt. Even his stance was fairly good. Experience wasn't on his side though, nor size.
With a cocky gleam in his eyes he jabbed a feinting stab towards Roylen, yanking the blade back in some attempt to instead swing it up and then back down in some attempt to disarm the man or at least knock his sword downwards diagonally, trying to use the curve of the sword versus the straightness of his own sword.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
The look on Roylen’s face was undeniably impressed, perhaps in the worst of ways. What?! He’d never claimed to be the conventional good dad (quote, unquote). He’d named the matriarch of his herd Cunt for fuck’s sake! And, I mean...the kid wasn’t wrong? Killing witnesses WAS one sure fire way to ensure he didn’t get tattled on.
Had Enfield forgotten that Roylen had a sword that was branding iron hot in hand right now? Lucky for the kid, the old goat wasn’t the sort to sear scale from skin just to prove a point, and let the tempered blade cool of its burning glow before he swung it at his young opponent.
The directionality of the boy’s attack was true, and showed a general know-how of how to disarm one’s enemy, however! Roy easily swung up to meet him with enough outclassed force to knock En pretty effortlessly away. “Still alive, gonna have to do better than that, little overlord,” the retired militant taunted with a jovial grin.
If Enfield did not immediately seize the opportunity for another attack, Roylen would attempt to hook the hilt of the kid’s sword, flicking his wrist in an attempt to flatten fingers at the knuckle uncomfortably rather than cut them clean off. The ideal would be that the boy moved his hand just enough to get hold of the lateral line of the hilt’s hand guard and scoop it right out of his hand, before tossing it way far out of reach.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield knew what he was doing to a degree, but Roylen was leagues above him in experience. He started to do the right thing, trying to yank his sword away before Roylen could follow through with disarming him but he couldn't, his sword was gone and landed face down in the soil nearby. Maxie had taught him not to look at the sword if it's ever knocked from his hands as it gives the opponent a chance to run him through. Not that he expected Roylen to do such a thing but he'd take it seriously.
He darted back, taking a deep breath and spitting fire up into Roylens eyes, trying to use that moment to run for his blade instead. He wasn't done yet!
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
Roylen scoffed and, feigning a lack of amusement and tough front as Enfield spit fire at him. Puh! His own element? Please!
Little did the demon know, in his late bloom as a fire elemental, was that DRAGON fire specifically did not wield the same way his USUAL conjured magic did. Like an idiot, he went to open palm catch the stuff, and YOWLED as it BURNED him! “What the hell?!” Roy barked, sure to get a laugh from En as he made a mad run and grab for his weapon.
Alright, alright, he’d give him that one! But that didn’t mean the satyr DIDNT give chase! He ran after the kid, but rather than trying to cut him off at the pass, he’d attempt to snatch him up instead. If he got a hold of the little shit, he’d tuck him up under his arm, allowing room for plenty of petulant kicks, punches, and flaps of those wings.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield snorted loudly as he heard Roylen's cry of protest, running with a wild grin and wide eyes for the sword, but the Satyr really did catch him off-guard by getting a hold of him. He wasn't going to go easy, his wings flapped backwards, repeatedly smacking poor Roy in the side of the head and under the chin while he kicked and dug his claws into the mans arm "Hey! Old man get off me! I'll beat you fair and square!" he wriggled and thrashed madly, even his tail slapped the poor guy in the spine.
"You smelly fuck fart face shit shearing scrotum hat!" he bellowed a long line of profanities, none of them particularly in any coherent order.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
The sound that came out of Roylen was so completely undignified you would have thought him a prepubescent boy instead of the stuffy old goat—a soon-to-be husband, a FATHER—that he was. “Scrotum hat?” Roylen bellowed, doubling over and nearly dumping Enfield face first in the dirt in the process (had he been willing to give him up, that is).
Sacrificing his body to being beaten with wings and clawed at in an overall superficial and futile attempt at escape, once more Roylen would take the flat of his curved blade...and paddle Enfield across the backside with it. It was olden times, corporal punishment was nothing frowned upon or even given so much as a second glance, even in the communal sense, especially given the alternative when drawing swords against a grown man.
Enfield would remember Roylen the next time he’d try to sit down, that was for sure.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield seemed accomplished as Roylen bent over and bellowed with laughter but as soon as he felt a beating with the damn sword he yelled and struggled petulantly, yelling furiously and going red with rage. If Virx found out about this the whole town would be laughing at him within a week! There'd be diagrams of him getting his damn ass beaten crudely drawn upon the bulletin board.
He flailed and tried to get away, sinking his claws in "My dad will kick your ass!" he yelled "Alright alright I'm sorry! get off me old man! Get OFF me!" he yelled furiously and finally sagged, tail curled over his rump protectively with a pout. "You win, you bested me, alright? let me go...." he huffed, frowning and limply hanging there waiting.
"Gotta train more..."
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“You better think twice signing your old man on to a fight he’d didn’t bargain for himself. I’d be seriously pissed if EITHER of my boys pulled that shit with me. Not that I wouldn’t have something to say to ANYONE who fucked with my kid, but...they’d be in big trouble AFTER, you get that?”
Roylen finally sat Enfield upright and on his own two feet again. “You faired pretty well, if I’m to be honest. Who trained you with a blade?” The satyr would retrieve the boy’s weapon and re-equip him, a sign of respect between combatants. “You looking for some pointers?” Roy asked curiously as En mentioned training more. There was a quip pro quo presented shortly thereafter: “I didn’t expect you to fucking BURN me, you shit. I didn’t have any idea there was any difference to the fires I could wield. So, I’ll tell you what—you keep belching fireballs at me until I can adequately protect myself from them, and I’ll fill in the few gaps you’ve got in your swordsmanship. It’s a win/win for you, I’m thinking; what do you say?”
Win/win/win, to be honest. Virx was gonna HATE this.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield reached back and rubbed with an "oof" before snatching his sword back with a grumpy pout. "My dad. He's the best swordsman there is... I don't think It's really my thing but I want it to be. I want to be good at it like him" he raised his sword and slashed at the air "He wants me to learn it for self defence but if I can't even last one minute in a fight with you then ... pretty sure any actual bad guys would kick my butt" he sighed and let his sword fall to his side, holding it tip down in the dirt even though he'd been told not to do it because it dulled the blade.
He smirked as he was called a shit "Yeah? you actually want me to spit fire at you? ... " he turned to face Roy "I still train with my dad, you know? he'll fill most of the gaps but- he can't fill the gap of uh" he vaguely gestured "Variety in opponents, right? no point me learning how to JUST fight my dad, I doubt everyone is going to fight like my dad." he snorted and took a few steps back, hilting his sword.
"Alright, you ready for a fireball? I'll tell you where I'm going to aim first so you don't go all burnt mutton on me old guy" he smirked "Your left shoulder. Alright?" he took in a deep breath and if Roylen gave him the OK he'd spit a small ball/slither of flame at Roy's left shoulder.
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“Variety of opponents,” Roylen agreed, seemingly admirable—or at least amicable—to Enfield’s sound logic even midst obvious loyalty to his father being the one to teach him. He’d hear no complaint nor argument from the once-Lord Culver, he’d happily play second to any parent serving as their child’s primary educator.
“Har har har shitbird,” the goat man bleated, taking these ageist jokes in stride despite playing up his role of old-fogey-with-no-sense-of-humor. He’d definitely eased up in the ego department since meeting Ganu and adopting Virx and Roshan: he didn’t have to defend his pride, as it was no longer something that revolved around himself...but rather involved them first and foremost.
Once again, Roylen stupidly tried to go straight for palming the fireball that Enfield spit like a molten loogie at him. Honestly, he’d have better luck just warding it off, surely, but alas, he seemed keen to go for a bigger success, even in the midst of multiple failures. As Ganu had learned in his teaching, Roy wasn’t trying to cut corners: he simply knew his body recognized the stress of being put on the spot and responded to pain as a lesson learned.
“Youch! Fucking hell! The shit’s as stubborn as you are! What gives?!” Frustrated that he couldn’t quite seem to figure it out, he shoved his burnt hand into his armpit, riding out the sting with a sourpuss look on his face for a minute, before sucking it up and taking stance once more. “Again. Don’t call it this time. Surprise me. Mix it up. I promise you won’t be liable if you set my wooly ass on fire, okay?” Heh. Be sure to get that in writing, kid.
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield did a cocky spin and pose when Roylen yelped, grinning at Roy before running a hand sassily through his hair in true dragon fashion "Uh hate to break it to you old man but... dragon fire trumps demon fire. You can even ask my Uncle Rufio." he announced rather proudly "You sure you're ready for round two? Well..." he clapped his hands together, rubbing them slyly and smirking .
With a strut in his step that'd make Arron proud he paced around the edge of the arena with slitted pupils focused on Roylen. He drew it out, trying not to give away where he was looking and hoping to fire at. Wooly ass, you say? well, Roy would probably regret giving the kid ideas. He looked Roylen in the eyes, making it hard to judge where he was about to aim and then took a deep breath, spitting a ball of flame downwards at Roy's hip/thigh in the hopes that his 'wooly ass' would indeed set ablaze. Of course he'd regret it if any actual harm came to Mr. Culver!
Emroidz — 10/30/2020
“Uncle Rufio?” Roylen asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re the nephew of that crowing bag of hot air?” The demon laughed, the sound of his voice far too rich and warm with fondness to say these things with any real intent to insult the rooster. Lord Culver didn’t really have many friends...but Rufio was one of the few. “Makes sense. You’ve got a certain streak of him in you.” A compliment, to be sure: Enfield was the same kind of grandiose character.
Watching and waiting, the satyr seemed to key into the kid’s mischief before it happened. He’d assume the position, but...about faced at the last second and promptly extinguished the fireball sent at his wooly ass—
—with a well-timed fart. Oh god. Roy! Seriously man?
WHAT?! He was raising two teenage boys! Fart humor was ALWAYS a huge hit!
Degu — 10/30/2020
Enfield seemed PROUD to be given such a compliment "Yeah? well he did raise me for a while after me and my dad got separated, him and Uncle Sulli!" he puffed his chest out proudly. But then of course he'd made his attack but wasn't expecting the demon to let rip a huge fart. The flames were certainly affected and Enfield quickly covered his nose and staggered backwards, hunching over and choking out laughter "That's so RANCID!" he laughed loudly "Almost as bad as a dragon fart!" he kept on laughing till tears formed in his eyes, snorting and snickering.
"You think you're so funny old man? laugh at THIS!" he yelled and pulled his hands away, spitting flames at Roy's ankle! think fast you smelly old fart!
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
Like Enfield, Roylen seemed PROUD to be given such a compliment. “Not gonna lie, there was a 50/50 chance of me either putting it out or burning off your eyebrows just then. Glad it turned out in your favor,” the once-Lord Culver joked, laughing with just as much mirth and tittering immaturity as had doubled the dragonkin over.
Having assumed a position which required him to bend over, the old goat was not nearly as fleet-footed as he might otherwise be. He gave it a good go, don’t get me wrong, but trying to punt the fireball back at its spitter just left the Billy gruff...with his entire leg going up in flame.
“Aaa! Aaa!” Roy exclaimed, more shocked than capable of upset. He dropped to the ground and rolled around in the dirt, at least having enough sense not to run through the forest with his wooly ass on fire from the hooves up. Laid there, sprawled out with furry bottom half singed and still smoking, the satyr chuckled, shook his head, and clapped his thighs several more times for good measure.
“Alright, I concede. I’m old. Or, at the very least, pretty well done at this point. I need a fucking breather.”
Degu — 10/31/2020
Enfield practically barked with laughter, dropping down to sit, crossing his legs "Didn't mean to cook you" he snorted "Smells good though... you got any food?" he dropped back to lie on the ground, looking at the house "I'm hungry... where are Virx and Roshan? are they in town? ..." suddenly he was a box full of questions but his one track mind could hardly think of much other than food. "I am really hungry. Do you have cakes?" oh yeah Enfield was only too happy to demand some food.
"If you have cakes I can pay for it with a performance" he casually examined his nails, a cocky smirk on his lips "I don't mean to brag but I write my own materials."
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
“You take a bite of me and I really WILL tell your fathers,” Roylen chuckled good naturedly, before heaving himself upright and brushing himself off. The satyr patted himself down once more, ensuring all the important bits hadn’t been seared off, before gesturing to the dragonkin to follow. “I’m not sure about cakes, but I’m certain we’ve stew and hard rolls leftover from last night’s supper.”
Generously inviting the boy into their thatched, forest home, the demon made way directly for their humble kitchen. Enfield seemed the sort to make himself right at home, and would not be barred from a bit of preliminary exploration before his stomach made him follow. It was a cozy home, and while not nearly as lavish as the Culver estate in Belsthame, Roylen seemed comfortable navigating the space in his domain.
“Roshan has become quite the hunter in his free time. He’s baiting traps on the edge of the wood today. And Virx is with Ganu, working tirelessly as always in his practice of nature magic—with Rosehip’s help, of course.” It was curious, surely, for a clearly shadow elf to attempt to bond with the Earth instead of their own obvious element. But anyone who knew Virx, even a rival like Enfield, had never seen him without his floral manaraptor, nor more at peace then when gardening beside his father. He was only gentle when it came to his green thumb, and Ganu was nurturing that part of him well.
“You play?” Enfield seemed to have piqued Roylen’s interest all over again. “My mother played the dulcimer. Lovely instrument, it’s right there, against the wall by our hearth. See it?” He gestured, thinking nothing of exposing a precious heirloom to a potentially chaotic, musical force.
Degu — 10/31/2020
Enfield certainly did make himself at home, walking straight past the kitchen and into the living room to poke around and test out how cosy the couch was. He wanted to look in Virx's room ... maybe if he was quick he could take a shit in the asshole's bed! No- maybe a bit tacky. He came back to the kitchen when conversation continued, stretching lazily as he entered "Nature magic? huh.." he trailed off as he looked around the kitchen and sniffed around for any hidden food, even as Roy fetched him leftover stew that he shouldn't be eating because he was going to get fed by Joan later anyway but uh, they didn't need to know he was getting two dinners today.
"Play? oh-" he looked up sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck "No I - I write plays! the best in the world. But I'm going to play...I keep asking dad to enrol me at the academy of the arts to become a bard! Like a real bard! I can't wait, I bet he's going to get me a ...a lute or something." he said giddily "I am going to be the best musician this universe has ever seen!" and with that he hurried over to the hearth to stare up at the dulcimer "Woah! this is such a weird instrument!" he reached up to try and take it off the wall without even thinking, or asking.
Emroidz — 10/31/2020
Roylen, of course, could imagine no world where this kid was not cared for or well fed. But, as his host—and with Enfield being a growing boy—he saw no harm in providing him a ration of stew to tide him over.
“Overlord AND musician, huh?” The satyr chuckled and traded the dragonkin his bowl for the dulcimer. However, the intent was not to take it away from the youngster, but show him. “This is a bow drawn dulcimer. There’s a smaller version that you can sit on your lap. I was always shit at it, so don’t expect any lessons, but I DO remember my mother telling me it goes knee-to-toe. Want to try?”
Given that Enfield had already inhaled the offered stew in the time it took Roylen to spare a few hospitable words, he’d give him the opportunity to attempt to sit himself as Roylen described—propping the dulcimer upon his scaly toes and set it diagonal against the adjacent knee—and draw string to string. The sound it produced, even if played improperly, was absolutely whimsical. How delightful!
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield laughed "You got it, Mr. Culver. I'm going to be lots of things" he said with all the confidence of a kid who hadn't been stomped on hard enough by life yet, or perhaps he'd just managed to remain optimistic through any hardships. He was captivated the moment Roy had an instrument in his hands, moving closer to sit down beside him and watch with big beady eyes that he shared with Akka and Raali, that wide-eyed awe all of them seemed capable of pulling off so well.
"Ohhh- yes! I want to try!" he insisted and placed it upon his lap once he was allowed, letting Roylen help him position it "I don't- I've seen a lot of people play instruments like this ... I know if you hold down the string further up it...it changes the.." he seemed a little overwhelmed to get to actually try out an instrument. Good news was his claws made strumming easier for him. He brushed his claws along the lower end of the strings and gasped, beaming at Roylen at the sound of it "It's so loud- I love it!" he had a new instrument to add to his list of instruments to play.
He held down a string further up and slowly sat there experimenting with different sounds. After each one he'd hum and commit it a little to memory. He took his time with it, testing every limit bit by bit and then, although he'd played it before he started to strum a cheerful little ditty. He had to stop and start again a few times, it was obviously a tune he'd heard before, but after several tries he managed to play a full minute of a tune, at least as far as he could remember, eyes widening and laughter rising from him as he did so. Pretty good for a kid who'd never had any training! he was a natural! Roy may feel compelled to get up and dance...and laugh... and then projectile vomit, or a lesser effect would just be to feel nauseous and tap ones foot...
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
A sort of...misty look overcame the handsome age of Roylen’s face, his expression turning soft and sad as happiness, even more than music, was born from an instrument too long left silent. His mother, Reina—an angel in life as much as death, may she Rest In Peace, Roy thought to himself—would have been so pleased.
But...something compelled him back from the depths of his memory and mourned longing for the only parent he’d ever known, and suddenly Roylen was up and jigging about! Those cloven hooves did him every clip-cloppity favor, the satyr springing about like a FAR younger and more spry gentleman (suggesting, perhaps, there was something less-than-natural happening here). The possession reached its peak as, without stopping his most jaunty river dance, the old goat hacked and heaved and vomited—violently—only to slip in his own sick and slam down upon his back. What the hell?!
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield laughed as Roylen danced, figuring he was ...just dancing. Old man had moves! He grinned but then immediately jumped up as the man vomited "Woah what the f-!" he yelled in horror as Roy slipped and fell. He quickly shoved the Dulcimer onto the table and tried to reach out to slow his fall or at least cushion his head before it hit the floor. He failed and looked panic stricken, dropping to his knees "Shit- shit shit shit- what the fuck!" he swore and held out trembling hands over Roylen as if afraid he was dead "Mr. Culver? Mr. Cu- culver? Roylen? Roy? Are you okay? Please don't be dead!" he looked at the mans chest to see if he was breathing.
"Fuck I murdered him!"
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
A long, rank belch rose from inside of Roylen. It was so tremulous in fact that that bit of old man gut he’d yet to burn off in the renewed vigor of his training rippled where red demon skin met wooly, lower goat half. The difference was, he hadn’t done this of his own volition: the intent was not to make Enfield laugh, but instead purge whatever the hell had taken hold of him in that moment.
Logic said it wasn’t the instrument which had possessed him, however bewitching he’d found its melody in the time where it had been his mother who played it. So that meant...
“Enfield!” The man gasped, sitting bolt upright and likely scaring the shit out of the kid if he thought him truly dead. “All seven layers of hell and back again, ack! Fuckin—“ he grimaced as he felt the lumpy wet of his sick all up and down his back, having landed pretty center mass in the puddle of spew. “What the hell was that? Did you do that to me?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, but it was absolutely baffled. He had moves, sure! But THAT jaunt had NOT been of his own free will.
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield scrambled back as Roylen sat up, gagging still from the rancid belch. "I didn't do anything! Your mother's Dulcimer is cursed! I didn't know it was going to possess you! Or- or whatever that was! I thought you were just dancing until-" he motioned aggressively up and down at Roy and the puddle of sick "Wait there-" he stood up and stepped past all the grossness to a towel "At least you didn't shit yourself... there's a lot of hair for that - i won't finish that thought" he said as he handed him the kitchen towel and fetched a basin and some water to help Roy clean up.
"You're kind of spooking me old man, and trust me, I don't spook easy."
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
Roylen pointed a finger accusatorially at Enfield, a momentary but fitful flare of his true, demonic temper as this child DARED to suggest this heirloom—one of the few things he’d kept of his mother’s—was cursed. “Is not!” Roy barked, arguing back. He sounded hurt, and even a bit childish...though, lasting grief could do that to even the oldest of souls.
“Hmm, yes, I suppose you’re right,” the once-Lord Culver could not deny Enfield’s astute observation as a towel was promptly fetched for him. “You’d be clipping it from my fur if I had, I can promise you that.” Perhaps not the best time for such a crude joke, but they both seemed acutely (and appropriately) unnerved by WHATEVER had just happened.
Cleaning himself up, Roylen mopped up the rest of the sick with the same towel and left it to soak in the basin he’d already washed himself in. One whore’s bath later, the satyr picked up the dulcimer the dragonkin had managed not to throw in a panic, but had still freed himself of in a hurry.
“You know...there’s one way to test whether it’s the instrument or the musician at fault here. Tell me, my bardly overlord, are you too spooked for a bit of...experimentation? It will require the acquisition of another instrument for you to play, and I haven’t any others here.” He raised an eyebrow. Enfield might be getting that lute of his sooner rather than later. You know. To test this hypothesis properly.
Degu — 11/01/2020
Enfield grimaced "You'd be on your own clipping your arse..." maybe if they did this experiment Roy WOULD shit himself though? He'd just have to run for the trees. When Roy was finally 'clean' and proposed such an experiment, Enfield seemed excited for it even if the first instance had ended up with an almost concussion or murder scene. "You're on, do you have another instrument?" he asked as he looked around the room as if one would just be hanging on another wall. "Oh right you said you don't- Uh- I don't really know anyone who..." he was trying to rack his brain for people who might have one.
He rubbed a hand through his hair and stared at the floor, backing up a few steps "I can try to find one- wait you're rich-ish right?" he held out a hand "You want to prove your mother's instrument isn't cursed, right? Well give me enough money to go buy a cheap instrument and I'll come back."
Emroidz — 11/01/2020
“Rich...ish?” Roylen laughed bitterly at Enfield’s too-honest assessment of his current financial situation. Ow, his pride. “Admittedly, I left the vast majority of my wealth tied up behind in Belsthame, but I’m certain I can spare a few crystals if you think you can haggle with one of the town vendors.”
The satyr stood and, as he did so, swatted away the boy’s hand with mild, parental agitation. For it to be held out so expectantly towards him seemed rather brattish and entitled. “I’ll escort you into town. We will find subjects there to test this theory on who are not me.” Not to mention THIS way there was no chance for Enfield to simply pocket the Hy-Brazirian currency and take off.
Degu — 11/01/2020
"Haggle? Please. Rufio's my uncle." he snorted and puffed some air upwards to blow a curl casually away from his face. When his hand was swatted away he gasped indignantly and puffed up, smoke rising from his nostrils "FINE but if they burn me at a stake it's your fault.- I mean it probably ... they'd pick something other than burning." he snorted as he turned to hurry for the door "Woo! town trip! lets go!"
He was gone in an instant, out the door and flapping his wings hard as he bounded and part-glided short jumps along the path into town, grabbing onto thin trees and swinging around them before doing the same to lamp posts. "Are we going to pay strangers to listen to me or are you going to make me strum at random strangers like a freak?" he asked as he climbed up a lamp post and hung upside down from it by his legs, waiting for Roy to catch up.
Emroidz — 11/02/2020
Roylen chuckled and nodded admittedly as Enfield stated the most obvious of facts. “Fair enough, my boy,” the satyr conceded, before rolling his eyes at what the dragonkin insisted could be his fate. “Something tells me you wouldn’t burn easy, kid.” He smirked.
“I’m going to make you strum at random strangers like a freak,” the once-Lord Culver scoffed at the options he was given before picking the latter. What? It saved him coin and gave the aspiring bard an opportunity to earn his own. Needing two loping steps (suggesting only the mildest of limps still remained from his duels now with both Harpur AND Enfield).
“Go on, I’m here. Find yourself an instrument and make Uncle Rufio proud. I’ll pay, but only if you oversee my getting a fair price.” Roylen encouraged Enfield to peruse the merchants that always frequented the square with their carts and stalls. He’d follow just a few steps behind, his hands clasped regally behind his back as his spaded tail flicked with feline-like curiosity at the wares he only window shopped over.
Degu — 11/02/2020
Enfield turned and dropped back down onto his feet to plod along beside Roylen with a spring in his step "I don't die easy either, I'm one of a kind!" of course most of that was ego. "Okay I can do strumming at strangers like a freak but... " he held up a finger and spun around to face Roy "I want my dad to get me my first instrument... you know? sentimental value. I have a proposition about how we can come out of this without you spending a single shard" he jabbed a claw towards Roy's coin pouch and grinned in a way that'd make Rufio proud.
"You play the role of proud dad getting his son his first instrument before he starts at the academy of the arts, right? You want me to hold the instrument I like to see if it feels okay... then I'll just strum a few times and then we bail! No money lost, no damage to property. What can go wrong?" he turned away and practically skipped along with a sassy shrug "It's the perfect plan!"
Emroidz — 11/03/2020
“Fair enough.” What father COULDNT appreciate sentimental value, after all. He’d hope his own sons knew he’d feel the same as Enfield’s parents did about this kind of stuff. Fortunately, the clever shit had a plan on how to preserve the true moment for his dad while still fulfilling the parameters of their little social experiment.
“Alright, I’ll follow your lead, kid,” Roylen deferred creative control to a child who might as well be chaos incarnate, and followed along behind: a co-conspirator and enabler (and perhaps not the best example of what an adult should be right now, but damn it he had to know what the FUCK happened back there with that dulcimer!).
Approaching with Enfield, Roylen clapped a hand upon the boy’s shoulder and beamed down at him proudly. He played the role with ease, laying it on thick and supplying the dragonkin with all the dad of the year ammunition he required to convince the vendor they NEEDED to make this happen NOW—his son was being sent off at the end of the week, after all, and what if such an instrument required fine tuning?! GASP! (Uncle Rufio would know the first key to sales was creating a sense of urgency...only THIS time it was customer, not cart-tender, who applied the principle.)
Degu — 11/06/2020
Enfield walked in proudly, chest puffed out "Oh dad! look at all the instruments!" he gasped as they entered the shop and pointed around. He'd made sure to pick a cheaper instrument shop because he kind of hoped his dad was going to pay some big money for HIS instrument when they finally got it. He pulled away from his "father" to run further into the shop and pointed up at a lute with an excited bound "Look at them! woah!" he gasped.
The vendor recognised a business opportunity when he saw one, watching Enfield before beaming at Roylen. "The young man's looking to get his first instrument, I take it? ...is it for a hobby?" he asked, keeping a close half-eye on Enfield to make sure he didn't rip anything off the wall.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
"More than a hobby," Roylen informed the vendor sincerely, "That boy has some SERIOUS musical aspirations. Keen on attending the academy of arts come the spring." Everything the satyr said was VERY carefully spoken so it was not ACTUALLY a lie. "My mother played the dulcimer, do you have anything with strings?" The father asked the merchant on behalf of his son, unsure of whether the choice of instrument was perhaps pertinent to gleaning similar results from earlier. Enfield seemed rather taken with the lute, however, and Roylen supposed that the further removed the instrument was from what had been played before, if it STILL bewitched the listener would prove their cause even MORESO that it was the musician and NOT the instrument who bent the listener's wills to their whim.
Degu — 11/07/2020
"Oh is that so?" the man behind the counter chuckled "The young man seems taken with the lute... a good beginners instrument. They say if you can master the lute you grasp the early skills to any other string instrument.... come, lets see how it feels." he rounded the counter with a kindly smile and hobbled over to the lute that Enfield was still gawking at with rather genuine excitement.
The older man helped lift it down off the wall "Here you go, son. Careful now... one arm under here- and the other on top, that's right" he guided Enfield carefully "How does that feel? it'll take time to get used to the weight."
Enfield lost sight of his damn goals here for a moment, so excited to be holding an instrument. His eyes skimmed the room at all the other instruments and then met the old man's eyes "It feels heavy, but good." he told him.
The old fellow had no time to react as Enfield strummed the un-tuned strings, cringing "Boy those strings aren't-" Enfield kept strumming if only to see what untuned strings would do. Everyone in the room would feel a moment of ...dread and then the windows all around them would shatter. Enfield's eyes widened and before he could bail a swarm of angry seagulls flew in through the broken glass and started attacking them. He screamed and threw the lute down before running for the door "THIS LOOKS EXPENSIVE LETS BAIL!" he yelled in horror as a seagull grabbed his hair and ripped a chunk out. Shit was flying everywhere, the old man was yelling and trying to beat the seagulls away with his arms to protect his stock.
Poor Enfield was in a state of alarm, otherwise he might have felt a need to help. He was scared of getting into big trouble here, but also still not sure why things happened when he played an instrument, consider him truly wigged the fuck out.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
Honestly, Roylen thought barfing his guts out was the very worst of what was possible in their experimentation. Had he known Enfield was going to bring about the gullpocalypse with a simply strumming, he certainly wouldn’t have attempted to test their theory!
Feeling rather terrible about the horror theyd unleashed upon the kindly old merchant, Roylen attempted to make amends by wrestling his ENTIRE coin purse from one PARTICULARLY spirited, feathery thief, paddling it with an open hand as if he were an old man at the country club playing a game of squash before leaving what little crystal currency he had to his name behind, even though they had not taken the lute with them! (So technically he hadn’t bought Enfield anything, so his want for his fathers to purchase his first instrument was preserved.)
Hightailing it out of there, the old goat continued to fend off the gulls as he ran, waving both arms over his head before racing past Enfield, slowing down just slightly...if only to pick the boy up and hold him overhead! Was he offering him up as a sacrifice to the possessed birds or using him as a living umbrella?! Hard to tell, but he was no dad-of-the-year anymore!
“Safe to say it’s you, kid, AAAAAAAA!” Roy shrieked, before taking En and diving behind a nearby cart.
...a nearby bread cart. Oh fu—
Degu — 11/07/2020
People in the streets SCREAMED as seagulls went wild attacking everyone, among them were two vulcan gulls making everything worse by blasting fire at peoples hair. Enfield couldn't quite outrun a goat-man so he was easily hoisted up into the air and yelled, spreading his wings to protect both of them while spitting flames at any gulls that came too near. He felt a few bite and tear scales off his tail "OW! OW OW!"
Finally under a cart he huddled close to Roylen and hid his face in the mans chest, wings spreading as best they could to keep the gulls away. After a moment the shrieking slowly started to die down and the gulls seemed to disperse back to the rooftops where they'd been prior to the attack. People in the square seemed disorientated, gossip ablaze as everyone checked they were all okay.
Enfield finally popped his head up and looked around before his eyes would widen and a big grin formed on his lips. He looked up at Roy "This is amazing-! I've got to go tell my family- Theo! I've got to tell Theo too right away!" he practically bounced to his feet and then jumped a few times on the spot with all the energy bubbling up inside of him "I can't believe it!"
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
At the very least, Vulcan gull fire was easier to neutralize than dragon fire was. Able to douse most everyone’s hair with barely a singe as the outcome, Roylen and Enfield remained huddled together and away until the gulls had gotten that lute witchcraft out of their systems.
Bewildered, but somehow not unamused at this entire BONKERS situation, Roylen shook his head as—of course—Enfield found a takeaway that was positive. “Now that we know for certain it’s you, you can’t claim ignorance anymore for this shit, kid. That means no using your powers for evil, got it? You gotta know as well as I do that any hope you have of actually receiving an instrument of your own and attending that academy lives and dies by your behavior until then.”
A pause, as Roy considered where they went from here. “Better get you home so you can tell ‘em. Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Given that En agreed to the escort, they’d make a hasty departure from the scene of their bird-beguiling crime. “...you think your parents might have known? Have you asked your old man to buy you an instrument before and he said no or not now?” Of course, Roylen’s intention was not to disparage Enfield’s parents, but he was trying to understand if this all was a new development or something kept under wraps.
Degu — 11/07/2020
Enfield jabbed a finger slyly towards Roylen "I don't believe in evil!" in other words...he'd probably do some evil with it, at least a little. "I've got POWERS! MUSIC POWERS!" he bellowed as he ran across a bridge that lead back towards their collective homes "No! but I bet Theo knew, I can't wait to tell him! maybe he can teach me some tunes before I go to school" he headed along the paths as they got closer to the forest, happy as a dog with a whole smoked ham.
His tail flicked side to side joyously "Dad was going to get me one! He didn't say no. I can't wait- does this mean I'm a bard? like a real one not just a bard by title but like the actual- magic bard? Oh woah - I bet I can do all sorts of things - I can see a whole new path of destiny before me!" he said dramatically and motioned into the distance as if he could actually see mystical paths "I'll be the greatest musician in the universe, I'll be revered on multiple worlds, on multiple planes of existence!" he gasped gleefully.
Emroidz — 11/07/2020
“Oof. No one could ever say you don’t think big, kid,” Roylen laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. He’d drop Enfield off at home, explaining the situation if need be and assuring his parents that there was no damage done whose cost he had not covered nor gossip he would not disparage and dispel when given the opportunity to do so.
Before departing, Roylen took Enfield to the side and smirked, crouching down upon goatly haunches so he was at eye-level with the young dragonkin. “Listen to me well, Enfield. You get ONE freebie with my boys. ONE, you hear me? If I catch wind of anymore mischief than that, I’ll reacquaint you with the same end of my sword I did earlier...so make it a good one.” Heh.
Degu — 11/07/2020
It was a good thing Enfield was taken aside because he was already hatching a plot about how he was going to use this new found power to DESTROY Virx. He smirked, expression darkening "Just one? ...understood, sir..." he said it in such a way that should have incited concern. It was the sort of tone that suggested that 'one' freebie was going to count.
"Oh I will... I will. Well...this is my stop" he thumbed towards his house and stepped away, grinning devilishly even now "Thanks for today, old man...." and should Roylen turn to walk away he'd hear Enfield's best attempt at menacing, maniacal laughter echoing through the forest towards him. Well, the city was doomed, clearly.
