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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 21:57:01 GMT -6
In return he received a slow blink from the fish as it turned its attention to one of the surrounding trees weaving in and out of the canopy’s branches in search of small treats. Perhaps if he was lucky he’d be able to find a large beetle or perhaps the beginnings of an early fruit, maybe even a bird’s egg. Did Seryn even eat eggs, would they eat eggs?
“I suppose anything is possible…” His head began to reel with the intricacies of the food webs within the labs and the never ending cycle of nutrients and creatures. While fish were more or less opportunists in the wild, had the seryn been engineered to eat whatever they so pleased? He'd seen many a juvenile nibbling on green algae or even aquatic plants, but he supposed the fine flakes and kibbles sold in the markets were probably not solely made from vegetable matter. His mind wandered and for a brief moment he imagined the fish nibbling contentedly at a cut of meat rather than his usual fare.
"What do you say Iris," he bounced Summer in the palm of his hand gently as he scooped him up,"do you think you'd like a steak?"
[3,5][7,21] +1
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 21:57:35 GMT -6
Another slow blink in response and the fish was up and into the trees to explore. Swell continued to bounce Summer in his hand while letting out a low chuckle, though they didn't share a language he could certainly tell when the seryn had had enough. He turned his attention back to the seedling, marveling again at how the golem was able exact all its needs from simply consuming water.
Another difference between them then.
Despite both of them being elementals Swell was still bound by the limitations of his very mortal flesh. He still had all of the run of the mill biological processes that seemed to have skipped over Summer entirely, and moreover he couldn't absorb water like Summer either. He placed the seedling back in the shallow water and moved his finger about its form. He could physically feel the water being taken in all around, it was a faint pull, but it was there nonetheless. Where did it all go? Was it being stored in the tiny golem's core? Would it grow more large and dense the more water it took into itself?
"Though I suppose that's the idea behind the growth, the more you eat, the larger you get."
[3,5][7,21] +2
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 21:57:56 GMT -6
He imagined being able to absorb water the way Summer managed to. His hand traveled to his chest, would the water simply collect in the node lodged within him? Would the elemental energies become stronger? He'd never heard of an elemental attempting to strengthen themself like that, but he was sure someone had probably tried in the long history of the world. His mind wandered, was that how his grandfather had been so strong, had he unlocked some sort of technique to fortify his elemental energies?
"Grandfather," the summer rain became heavier and he turned his eyes skyward,"it's been some time since I thought of him."
Iris floated from the tree tops and settled himself securely in Swell's lap as if sensing a dramatic shift in the man's mood. He pet the fish absently while thinking of his family for the first time in a long time, the sounds of the seedling fading into the background. If he concentrated he could still remember the village he grew up in, the way the waves would lap against the shore, how his grandfather would blow into a great shell each and every morning to wake the community and begin their day.
[3,5][7,21] +3
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 21:58:29 GMT -6
He could remember the glint of the sunlight on the water, not unlike the glint of his seryn's scales. The one thing he could never remember though, no matter how hard he tried was his mother's voice. It was an artifact lost to time. Had it been low and sonorous like his own, or had it been light and wispy. The answer was lost to him now in this far-off land and this far-off time. Too many seasons and too many changes all but erased the very suggestion of her voice from his mind. On the one hand he wasn't burdened with the ability to hear her, on the other he'd been the one who'd forgotten.
He moved his hand from the coiled seryn in his lap to the corner of his eye and wiped away the very beginnings of a tear.
Upon seeing his bonded slumped on the shore Summer had m ade every attempt to try and get closer to the man. Wiggling its tendrils furiously the seedling moved with what could be construed as possible concern. Swell's attention fell back on the creature just in time to watch it fall face first back into the waters of the stream.
[3,5][7,21] +4
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 21:59:20 GMT -6
A sharp bark of a laugh came unbidden followed in quick succession by another and another still. Before long the man had expelled the fish from his lap and was on his hands and knees on the bank of the stream laughing like a maniac. The seryn flew in tight circles above his back as if annoyed by the sudden expulsion from his companion's lap. Swell continued to be happily ignorant of the fact as he crawled toward the still-upended seedling.
"O-oh you poor thing, I really shouldn't laugh."
Summer again waved its tendrils in response as it tried with little success to right itself. With a deft hand motion Swell moved the seedling back into an upright position and broke out into another chorus of thundering laughter as he ran the scenario back through his mind. The seedling peered blankly at Swell in response.
"I'm sorry Summer, I can't help but find it funny, you were so determined."
He patted the creature affectionately. He couldn't fault it for wanting to react in a similar way to the seryn, it was only natural given how it was hardwired, but the comedic timing had just been too good. Regardless, Summer had found a way to spread a smile across his face.
[4,6][8,23] +5 [counted, Swell +2]
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 22:16:41 GMT -6
"Oh Summer," he continued to pat the seedling, "I can't believe you've brought me so much joy in such a short amount of time."
While he'd almost been lost to his reverie he was refreshed and ready to do whatever he could in his power to not travel down that road again. He racked his brain for ways to remain preoccupied. They could hunt for reagents he supposed, though he couldn't imagine Iris or Summer being of too much help. Iris wasn't exactly trained to pick herbs and Summer was, well, Summer and vaguely uncoordinated as it was. While Iris would probably be able to understand not to eat poison he wasn't so sure that the seedling would even begin to understand the concept.
Walking was more or less out the question as well as it defeated the purpose of "feeding" Summer. While he was sure Summer had likely had its fill of its preferred element for the time being it wouldn't make much sense to make it simply rely on what meager moisture it could receive from the day's drizzle. It was simply too effective a spot to abandon now while the day was still so young.
"I guess I could try and train you..." Swell had never really trained a creature before though he'd been present for many trainings of other creatures. How to start?
"Alright Summer," he began to pat the seedling again on the top of its head while Iris looked on curiously, "you're Summer."
[4,6][8,23] Name- 1 +1
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 22:36:37 GMT -6
"Summer," he let his hang linger on the seedling to try and indicate that it was the Summer in question,"Summer."
The golem merely blinked ever so slightly in acknowledgement, which was fine. He was sure the labs themselves hadn't been built in a day it would be foolish to expect the creature to pick it up as if it were some kind of savant. Thankfully Swell was more than patient enough, especially with Iris as the seryn kept trying to push its way between his hand and the seedling. He waved the fish away so that he might be able to make sure the golem was focused on the work they were doing.
"Summer."
He again let his hand linger on the golem letting the small creature fix him with a blank stare. At least he had its attention. He caressed the seedling light and shifted his tone to one of praise.
"Good job, Summer!"
Immediately the little golem began to wave its tendrils happily at the praise. When Swell had spoken to creature tamers in the past they'd talked about the importance of finding a form of positive reinforcement that worked for the creature you were in the process of taming and he seemed to have just found Summer's.
[4,6][8,23] Name- 2 +2
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 23:02:53 GMT -6
Swell walked around the back of the seedling. Initially summe rtried to turn with him and Swell promptly spun the little golem back around for the next leg of their attempt. He crouched down behind the golem and spoke its name aloud again.
"Summer."
The golem continued to investigate the stony stream bed paying little attention to its bonded.
"Summer." He rested his hand on the seedling again which prompted the creature to shudder in surprise and turn around. Not exactly the reaction he was hoping for truth be told, but it was something he could work with. He walked around it's side again repeating its name.
"Summer."
The seedling quickly adjusted itself to look at Swell. He immediately fell upon the seedling in a flurry of pets and praise causing another instance of joyous tendril waves. Iris again descended upon the pair to try and also get in on the affection and Swell begrudgingly allowed the seryn to receive affection despite having done nothing to really receive it other than not bother the pair during the initial training phase.
"Which I suppose is praise-worthy enough."
Iris was perhaps the most affectionate creature he'd inherited from the man he'd met on the road, well maybe second after the young seedling.
[4,6][8,23] Name- 3 +3
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 23:33:27 GMT -6
He changed position again after managing to shoo the seryn away for the second time trying to move as slowly as possible so as to not draw the golem's attention with the sudden movement. The scene over-all looked objectively hilarious. You had the seedling minding its own business, a huffy and pushyflying fish that continuously needed to be reminded that it was not in fact the center of the day's excursion, and then an eight foot tall man tiptoeing around both of the aforementioned creatures.
When Swell reached a position just out of the golem's line of sight.
"Summer!"
The seedling turned erratically looking for the source moving its rotund body back and forth. Swell had to stifle another laugh, he didn't mean to take joy from the poor thing's suffering, but it just had such a funny way of moving.
"Summer!"
The seedling immediately locked in on the man's voice and began to wave its tendrils excitedly after spotting him. Swell again moved forward to offer praise and affection to the golem.
"You may be a quick study after-all Summer, look at how well you're learning your name!"
As if on cue Iris pushed his way back into the middle of the pets like a jealous toddler.
[4,6][8,23] Name- 4 +4
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Post by Swell on May 22, 2024 23:41:50 GMT -6
"Iris I swear by the gods old and new if you don't knock it off," he pushed the rainbow away again,"you know I love your company my boy, but this is getting a little silly!"
Iris seemed to try and feign being saddened by his words, but only momentarily as just as the fish was about to float off to find more interesting things to do again there was a peal of thunder overhead. Then came the lightning and then the thunder again. Swell sighed to himself, he hadn't thought the thunderstorms would be rolling in so soon. He could in theory dissipate the rains with a quick spell, but he wasn't really one to meddle with the forces of nature without good reason.
"Alright Iris," he turned directly to the golem,"and Summer, let's get a move on I can protect us from water, but lightning is another story..."
Summer reacted quickly to its name and began waving its tendrils triumphantly just in time to be scooped up into its master's arms. Swell chuckled slightly realizing that the golem was in fact several times heavier than when they'd set out this morning. He couldn't wait to see how long the metamorphosis would take.
[5,7][9,25] Name- 5 +5
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