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Post by Ashe on Jun 20, 2019 19:47:43 GMT -6
Ashe stopped and stood still, figuring it would be better if he waited for the flying sparkling thing to fly back his way again, if it chose to do so in the first place, than it would be fore him to chase after it back and forth. Then, maybe he could find the best way to catch it. Just like he'd expected and hoped, it zoomed past him. He reached out to grab it, trying to stretch high enough, but it was a failure. The bright thing left streaks in his vision and disappeared into the darkness again. He glanced down at Inyala, and beckoned her up onto his arm. He held her out on his forearm, like a bird perching. "I have an idea... You might be interested in helping. But if you're not, I totally understand, don't worry..."
Meanwhile, Asuka had taken to the air and was ducking and dodging trees. The bug wasn't flying very fast, at least not when compared with her, but it was small and could dodge and dart faster than she could - and she was pretty fast! The problem was just her size alone. A firefly could dart under her in a split second, meanwhile she had to angle her body back around...
Ashe: 0 17/20
Asuka: 3 2/5
Inyala: 3 2/5
June Post 17
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Post by Ashe on Jun 20, 2019 19:53:33 GMT -6
Ashe felt like he had to explain his plan quickly, before the sparkler came back. "I'm going to give you a boost, and you're going to jump as high as you can and grab that thing! Think you can manage it?" He worried slightly if the flame from whatever it was burning, to make that light, hurt her hand when she grabbed it. To be fair, he would have grabbed it himself without thought if he could have reached it, so it wasn't like he was asking the extension of himself to do something he wouldn't do on his own. Plus, she seemed to be able to touch the fire earlier just fine. Maybe she would be able to grab this as well? It was worth a shot. "I'll launch you off my arm when it comes by, you try it?" Inyala looked at him, taking in the plan. She gave a curt nod, accepting the mission.
Asuka just about had it! The bug dodged her again, and she whirled in midair, twisting around. The breeze stirred her mane and she quite loved it, feeling like she was racing the wind outside. If she hadn't entered this building herself, and knew she was still inside, she would have thought for sure she was back outside in fresh air.
Ashe: 0 18/20
Asuka: 3 3/5
Inyala: 3 3/5
June Post 18
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Post by Ashe on Jun 20, 2019 20:01:43 GMT -6
Together they waited, poised, hoping the light would come back. Who knew, it could have fizzled out, or found someone else to bother, or in this vast expanse of a room it could dart back and forth without Ashe or Inyala, or even Asuka, ever seeing it again. Though that one, Ashe's mind told him, had to be impossible, right? The room wasn't that large. It was still a room, not a field. But to be honest, Ashe didn't know, and neither of his companions knew any more than he.
Ah-ha! There it was! He saw the glow approaching from through the trees before it actually reached them. He held Inyala aloft, braced. She leaned forward against his arm, crouching, ready for take off. When the light got closer, Ashe pulled back his arm, then pushed forward as best as he could without over extending. At the same time, Inyala leaped into the air, fluttering her wings.
Asuka decided she was just about done playing the fly's game. She twisted and twirled, taking in careful mental measurements as she corrected her flight pattern. When she righted herself, she was right at level with the bug and she reached out a clawed hand and snatched it. Ha-ha! Success! She closed her claws around it but was careful not to squish.
Ashe: 0 19/20
Asuka: 3 4/5
Inyala: 3 4/5
June Post 19
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Post by Ashe on Jun 20, 2019 20:22:31 GMT -6
Inyala saw the light coming closer, and boy was it bright up here! She closed her eyes as much as she dared to without knowing for a fact that she would be losing all accuracy, and reached. She didn't want to be completely blind by shutting those eyes and reaching, but she also didn't want to be completely blind after for staring into a mini purple sun. She felt something hit her fingers and she closed them tightly, rapidly. It wasn't until she was falling - in a slower, more controlled manner than complete descent - that she realized she had something in her closed fist, and not until she landed in Ashe's arms that she saw what she was holding. It felt like a stick, and it was burning on one end. It pulsed, though thankfully the light had dimmed a little bit since it had been caught. "Good job! You caught it!" Ashe praised her. He took the stick from her so they could both look it over. And then - another one shot over their heads!
Asuka held her prize in her claws, carefully, and weaved in and out between the trees, seeking out the human and the Imp once again. She didn't want to carry the bug around all day long, it was time to drop it off in the jar.
Ashe: 1 0/20
Asuka: 4 0/5
Inyala: 4 0/5
June Post 20
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Post by Renathan on Jun 20, 2019 20:37:24 GMT -6
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Post by Ashe on Jul 12, 2019 20:20:07 GMT -6
It had been an interesting month of June in the Mansion. Ashe and Asuka had gotten some time together, and the trio had discovered some very interesting things! Ashe hadn't stayed too long, just enough to explore a little longer before going home, promising the regal Tat-Lung that they would do this again sometime. And it turned out, 'sometime' was destined to be 'now'. Ashe led the way, the shimmering gold Tat-Lung floating along through the air behind him. She quite loved flying, Ashe noticed. While she was content enough on the ground, she preferred to be in the air. He supposed if he had been confined to water for most of his life and then given the chance to fly, he might be the same way too. How glorious it was to fly on Sarane-back, or Equillion-back! And yet Ashe still couldn't fly under his own power.
Also with him was his ever present Imp, Inyala. She was taking turns between scrambling along on the ground, darting off to look at something that caught her eye, and climbing up Ashe's back to cling to a shoulder for a better vantage point. And thus, the trio made their way to the Mansion.
Ashe: 0 1/10
Inyala: 0 1/5
Asuka: 0 1/5
July Post 1
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Post by Ashe on Jul 27, 2019 0:48:09 GMT -6
Ashe was here to collect any and all things related to the sea. Shells, small critters he could throw into a tank, pirate booty and treasure, whatever there was to be found. He wasn't too picky. Summer was his favorite time to be out and about, especially if swimming was involved, and gathering treasure from beach combing was a great bonus! He was dressed just in a pair of black swim trunks with sandals, which meant his back and arm had tiny scratch marks from Inyala's travels. Since they were approaching a tidepool, Inyala had hopped down and was racing ahead to investigate. Her little clawed hands and feet kicked up sand as she went. She found a rock to perch on and looked down into the oversized puddle. She saw her reflection, but also some interesting things in there.
Asuka floated along after them, soaking in the sun on her golden scales. She did a twirl and a swoop and she landed on the sand next to the pool, beating Ashe to the location. She arched her neck and peered into the tidepool as well, wondering what was so special about a small pool of water. Or was it just plain water? She hoped there was something magical here too.
Ashe: 0 2/20
Inyala: 0 2/5
Asuka: 0 2/5
July Post 2
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Post by Ashe on Jul 27, 2019 1:10:20 GMT -6
This pool wasn't big enough to go swimming in - Ashe would have to wait until they found a swimming room in the Mansion or something for that - but it was decent enough to get wet in. While the two animals were distracted, Ashe snuck up behind them and reached around Inyala to splash in the water real quick. Unfortunately for Ashe, Asuka had seen him coming - not much was able to startle her, after all, since she was very watchful and observant, even if she was young and naive to other things. And Inyala had such a strong bond to Ashe that she could basically sense where he was at all times. She looked up at him, dripping from her nose thanks to the splash, and she decided on retaliation. She reached in and flung a handful of water in Ashe's direction, getting him back.
He shut his eyes to the attack and braced himself at the last second; her splash was tiny but it did its job, landing straight between his eyes. He shook the salty water away from those eyes and moved forward as if to snatch her up, and Inyala scrambled backward - falling right into the water! SPLASH! Well, that's didn't quite work out for her now did it?
Ashe: 0 3/20
Inyala: 0 3/5
Asuka: 0 3/5
July Post 3
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Post by Ashe on Jul 27, 2019 1:58:00 GMT -6
Inyala splashed a bit before her feet touched the bottom and she realized she was tall enough to stand in this shallow pool of water. She stood up, her head out of the water but her shoulders covered. She blinked the water out of her eyes, then kicked off the rocky bottom and swam over to the edge, where she climbed back up onto her rock. She shook the excess water from her body, carefully trying to hit Ashe, who allowed the retaliation that he rightfully deserved. He chuckled a bit to himself, fond of his little blue partner. "Enjoy your swim?" He teased. "How was the water?" She made a face at him, not indulging him with an answer to his banter.
Ashe chuckled some more and finally let his eyes drag over to the Tat-Lung, who was perched on the ground watching them with interest. As he looked, she turned back to the water, obviously tempted because she wanted to swim, but also acknowledging that this was far too shallow to swim in. Ashe figured it was time for them to go find a proper swimming place. He got up, dusted the sand off himself. "Let's head inside, see what we can find in the Mansion, shall we?"
Ashe: 0 4/20
Inyala: 0 4/5
Asuka: 0 4/5
July Post 4
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Post by Ashe on Jul 27, 2019 2:08:54 GMT -6
Ashe called to Inyala, snapping her out of her pretend grump at him. She scurried over to him and, staying on the ground near his feet, followed as he began to walk toward the Mansion. Asuka lifted her head and saw that they were on the move so she decided to get on the move as well. She stood, her claws sinking into the sand as she walked, instead of flying, over the grains this time. Her tail sways softly from side to side as she walked, always hovering just over the ground and never touching. She moved with a quiet confidence that in itself was graceful. She had a deep pride, pleased with herself and what she had become. She was glorious and she knew it, without even seeing the dazzling way her scales sparkled in the sunlight.
Slowly, the trio made their way to the driftwood mansion. It didn't look like much from the outside, it never did, but on the inside you never knew what you were going to find. With a deep breath, Ashe opened the door and led his friends inside. Asuka peeked her head inside and looked around; so far, it was a normal house it looked like. A bunch of sand tracked in from outside, and even more from the trio themselves.
Ashe: 0 5/20
Inyala: 1 0/5
Asuka: 1 0/5
July Post 5
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Post by Renathan on Jul 27, 2019 5:37:54 GMT -6
  A strange trinket lay near a puddle of water; is that a diving bell? Why is it so small? Inside is a fawn-spotted cowry shell. |
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Post by Ashe on Aug 9, 2019 18:42:11 GMT -6
This month's trip to the Mansion, Ashe wanted to spend some good quality time with his Imp. Sure, they were always together, but he never went anywhere specifically to spend time with her alone any more. It was always training of some sort, or with Brazin in the mines, or tagging along to a store. But this time, they were looking for an adventure, and maybe a little swimming. Ashe walked up the path to the mansion, taking note of the change. It looked like a beach house, instead of some drift wood nailed together. What an upgrade! But would the inside hold up to expectations? He would soon see. Inyala was on his shoulder, like usual, keeping an eye out for anything interesting. He could feel her little claws against his skin, considering he was bare chested and wearing swim trunks. She was being pretty careful not to dig them in too terribly bad, thankfully.
Ashe: 0 6/20
Inyala: 1 1/5
August Post 1
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Post by Ashe on Aug 9, 2019 18:54:53 GMT -6
The sand was soft, and even though Ashe was wearing sandals - the kind that go around your foot, not the thong through the toes kind - the going was slow and tough, the sand constantly falling away and trying to suck his foot down. Ashe wondered if there were any quicksand pits around here, because that was what this reminded him of. He almost dislodged Inyala at one point, causing her to dig her small claws into his skin. He ignored the pin pricks and continued walking across the dunes, trying to get to the door. It seemed like the mansion was retreating... Which was odd. But not too odd for this place. He'd seen much worse here, after all. He started to think that maybe the problem was he was aiming for the door, as if the mansion knew and decided that he didn't need to reach his goal. If he looked elsewhere instead....
Ashe: 0 7/20
Inyala: 1 2/5
August Post 2
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Post by Ashe on Aug 9, 2019 19:11:43 GMT -6
Ashe knew that, with Equillion he was training, the fact that their eyes were situated on the sides of their heads meant that they could see the rider on their backs, and also see and feel where that rider was looking. Since animals were driven more by intent, and stared at a place with the intent to go there or an object with the intent to avoid it, they tended to act accordingly. Maybe since Ashe was staring at the mansion, it was getting further away, the same way that if Ashe stared at a puddle of water, the Equillion would skirt the puddle just in case it was a threat. It was a long shot at combating this logic, but hey, what did Ashe have to lose? Inyala was getting situated on his shoulder again after the slight stumble when his foot sunk into the sand; she was along for the ride whichever method he decided to use
Ashe: 0 8/20
Inyala: 1 3/5
August Post 3
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Post by Ashe on Aug 9, 2019 19:12:16 GMT -6
He started walking again, choosing a spot on the horizon just on the other side of the mansion. If he stared at that point, maybe that patch of sand would stay forever far away, but the mansion might become approachable. This was real odd, if you asked Ashe; it looked and felt different than other August months that had come before it. But that could just be the fact that it had been a while since he'd been out here and he was just being dramatic about it. He'd have to see. Getting there would be the first and foremost goal, though. If his eyes weren't fooling him, they were getting closer... Just as Inyala's eyes laid upon a tide pool. She liked tide pools, and she had been scouring the sands for something interesting like that. She made a soft sound of alert and grasped a couple strands of Ashe's hair, giving a small tug.
Ashe: 0 9/20
Inyala: 1 4/5
August Post 4
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