minervy-blog

[minervy-blog]

vxstals

  The masked rider soared throughout the sky, looking above from the battlefield occurring below. While he wasn’t too high off the ground, it was enough to scout the area-- the reasoning behind this? None necessarily. A breather was always nice and rarely had any strings attached, so here he is making most of the opportunity of his wyvern being reverted to her own full size. 

   An abrupt noise, akin to a growl, reverberateda from the confines of the lizard’s throat. A delicate hand brushed against the side of the companion’s neck, attempting to soothe the mind. Though this gesture had no affect, a sharp turn suddenly being maneuvered. As this proposed as unexpected, Gerome had almost lost his balance but a limb clutched on the reign refrained him from doing so. 

  Making a somewhat bumpy landing, a grunt escaped from the wyvern upon reaching the ground as the male hoped off. The sight of a woman accessorized with brown hair beckoned towards his sight, except her back was turned towards him. Not wanting to startle her, a voice of nonchalant and softness sounded. ❝... Hello?❞

[minervy-blog]

a lone petal.

solitaryflora   

With a steel axe within his grasp once more, he unraveled the ideal of being close to unstoppable. Cleaving and swinging said weaponry against all the enemies which stood in his way, not a single droplet of sweat produced. The task at hand didn’t pose as necessarily difficult, as the assistance of his full-grown wyvern had made it less tiresome by a large margin. In the midst of a heated battle, Minerva had decided to divert her own attention towards something else-- or rather, someone else. 

   An eyebrow raised in both hesitation and curiosity, unknown what the outcome of this sudden change of movements. The option of ignoring it no longer remained validated as his companion seemed set on her decision. Acknowledging the good that has previously come from following her instincts, Gerome decided to pause his battle in progress and trailed after said pet. 

   Soon the duo’s steps faltered and ceased, the sight of a familiar red-haired other being huddled into a nearby corner in hopes of escaping one’s general periphery. But due to the heightened senses, it was no trouble to seek out the individual. The two met at the previous flower festival, while they haven’t necessarily conversed completely, they are still acquainted nonetheless. 

    Shuffling towards her, bending his frame downwards; appearing as a person proposing to their significant other, almost. ❝Is everything okay, lady?❞

[minervy-blog]

   Rather than remedy it was more of returning to its original size. If the other male was lucky enough, the two males would have no reason to see each other again thus decreasing the likelihood of him experiencing the ‘wrath of a dragon’. It was only a matter of time before Minerva would return to her original size, this only ever occurring if the scientists ever feel the courtesy to do so.

   ❝I... really haven’t thought about it. I’ll improvise of course, but pondering about it at this stage wouldn’t solve anything. Nor would it prove to be beneficial as all the thought given would most likely be forgotten by then,❞ he claims straightforwardly. ❝So it seems. That would seem inconvenient, but still a viable way to restrain it,❞ nodding thoughtfully. The rider had managed to live with his wyvern at its original size for years, it wouldn’t be a problem now or even in the future. ❝Alright, I shall follow you. Just be weary of your companion, I don’t want another unfortunate accident to occur once more due to a possible provoking.❞

Remedy the size? Please for the love of god, keep that creature the way it was. Thing was a menace now, but he shuddered to think of what it would be like… wait, twice his size?! That was insane! So this thing really was a dragon. Aw man, they were all in a whole lot of trouble.

“Oh man, that really doesn’t sound good. I mean, well for starters, where are you gonna put that thing? It won’t fit in the apartment…” Not even accounting for if the roommates felt strongly about it. “Uhhh… yeah. Thing has an anger problem when it comes to harmless ferrets I guess… you’re gonna need a iron chain if they get that big though.” Bolin sighed, imagining the struggle that would be, before he motioned for the rider to follow him. “Yeah yeah, come on there’s a few in every district, I have to stop off at these places to get food for my buddy, it’s not out of the way for your stuff too, just hope they have one big enough.”

[minervy-blog]

   Actually, it was a significant matter. In fact, it was just something to merely suffice his curiosity-- is it too much to ask for to know the reasoning behind the unusual hue of his skin? Stubborn obviously become bolder, he’s putting his foot down until he gets his answer.

   ❝Of course. Now, may I just know the answer behind it? You can cut it short and sweet or even forage a false reasoning behind it. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, either way.❞

   Was the hue of his skin really the most significant matter to the other? The constant inquiry was beginning to make Gil uneasy, why was it worth to ponder about anyway? 

“You’re still asking about that…?”

[minervy-blog]

   ❝Pardon? A relief? Are mages looked down upon in your universe?❞

   ❝I take it by the tone, these templars you speak of aren’t particularly fans of mages such as yourself. Then that is a good thing, no? At least it is one beneficial to many, and yourself of course. Have you made use of it during your stay in the city?❞

   Gerome was like a curious cat when it came to learning about things which he had no knowledge of.

“Ah… well, that’s definitely a relief to hear.”

“Can’t say I’m particularly partial to running away from templars, though I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing any in this place yet. If it helps, it seems the only ability I’ve retained so far has been healing magic.”

He really needed to work on that, actually.

[minervy-blog]

   Many would mention that she was his mother, but they knew the consequences of what occurred in the future. Fate is cruel, he would say. Things happen, misfortunes happen, it was the matter of his parents being placed on the roulette of life, they being the ones to be deprived from his life. His only companion would be Minerva, the one whom stood alongside him no matter the circumstances, but regardless of his personal matters he would feel somewhat at home to see someone ‘close’ to him. 

   A voice. A female voice. A voice which belonged to a woman he knew, the woman who had disappeared from his life previously. The wyvern rider would gaze towards the general direction where the source of the voice sounded, sighting the imagery of a pink-haired woman striding towards him. He turned to face the familiar, a blink or two was given just in case he misjudged the appearance of another for the woman he knew before answering. 

   ❝Cherche...?❞ The male shared a gazed at the other momentarily, without a doubt this woman who stood in front of him currently share the appearance of his mother. He tended to stray away from most people, unless it was uttermost necessary to approach a stranger which occurred a few times. As the person he was, Gerome remained to be lone and confined himself within his own walls. 

   ❝I could say the same for you,❞ pausing before giving a shrug of his shoulders, ❝there are no Risens here to threaten the lives of others, which is a positive aspect. But other than that I do not share any constructive feelings towards the city.❞ He returned a fairly small smile, only the corners of his lips would be quivered upwards, his voice hinting a tone which is deprived from his usual one. ❝I’m having the time of my life here. Constantly socializing and talking with strangers. What more could I have asked for?❞

   Minerva had found her way on his hand, the said hand being raised to show the existence of his companion. ❝Yes, it’s unusual not having Minerva to loom over me constantly. I take it you also received a tiny-sized Minerva as well?❞ The white coats had better to alter his wyvern back to her original size, if not he would be infuriated. ❝Indeed it would, it’s the matter of time and patience, is it not? We can only hope she will return to her normal size soon.❞ Gerome’s preference for her size was the same as Cherche’s, perceiving Minerva as more adorable when she had been larger in scale.

♔⋮Our Time

minervy

[minervy-blog]

   ❝I wouldn’t have expected to have such an array of different guns but I stand corrected, I would hope for one day to see the ones you have described now. So due to the variations of the weapons, individuals would use the ones which are suited to their liking correct? For instance, if I were to like a gun such as the ‘sniper rifle’ would it be viable to use it against another gun? Or would there be some cons on doing so?❞

   Gerome enjoyed engaging himself on learning about things which never existed in his world, it was both worthwhile and intriguing. This encounter with the older male had allowed him to take the opportunity to expand one’s knowledge, so he should be grateful for this ‘mentor’ of his. As he heard the comment of learning the skeletons of the topic swiftly, he could not help but feel somewhat cheerful within. Although his expression would remain deadpan but analytic. 

   ❝... Glad to hear it, I was beginning to think I was walking in the wrong direction and asking meaningless questions. I would not have expected more as you said each varied of size and capacity, I would have liked to think they would have varied. If it is nothing too personal, may I ask of which particular gun you preferred most? Or one which you commonly used, either or I would not mind whichever you prefer answering.❞

   His head would raise and return a glance back before moving towards the sight of the offering of the weapon. With a careful maneuver, digits would grasp the weapon and turn it into varying of angles to see what it looked like. 

   ❝Right. Not to mention they seem to be quite handy and competent if you were to compare to the weapons back in my world. Lugging around a towering lance or a heavy axe wouldn’t necessarily be the best when you could carry a simple gun. Nonetheless, a weapon is a weapon what more could you ask for?❞

“The latter. For people like me, some guns, like this, are meant to be a second option, a back-up. Larger guns, like Assault and Sniper rifles, are the workhorses, your primary weapons. They’re quite a bit larger, more destructive, and tend to be the go-to option. There are other, larger armaments, but those are usually just for specific scenarios against targets that the others can’t bring down. Those weapons are usually pretty limited, whether in size or capacity, but it’s compensated with their destructive force.”

The older male kept an even tone as he spoke, for even in his excitement to have such a focused pupil, there was a need to be proper concerning it all. The weapons he explained were dangerous on all fronts, especially to one who had no formal introduction to them before. That said, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the speed in which this masked boy was learning.

“You’re catching on quick. Yeah, every magazine has a limit, and each individual gun has a different amount of bullets - or ammo as it’s normally referred to - that can fit in each clip. Normally, we keep spares to replace them on our person, especially in the heat of a battle. Usually, you can also find more bullets off your enemy, but it’s better to just come prepared, in case you’re not so lucky.”

Easing up on his stance, he turned to face the other again, before moving to flip his weapon in his grasp, offering it over for his “student” to examine.

“Hah, I would hope so, I’ve been at this for a long time. Sometimes I feel I know my guns better than I know myself, and I’m okay with that. Having a good gun by your side means you have something reliable to hold onto in a bad situation, even when your personal strength fades out.”

[minervy-blog]

   A nod was given in acknowledgement of the pair’s welfare, Minerva returning an inaudible hiss back at their companion before Gerome sharing a small look to them. ❝Correct, they have altered my wyvern here. It’s former size was twice the size of myself, so both yes and no. She may seem to be a baby wyvern but in reality is fully grown.❞ Minerva wasn’t going to be any larger anytime soon at least, it was the matter of the scientists to remedy the wyvern’s size. 

   Receiving insults and returning one back has never been his forte, thus making him just answer one as if they posed to be a question. ❝Oh... I did not know that. But possibly, it’s the matter of seeing if a situation akin to one like this will likely to occur in the future.❞ He would merely blame the decreased size of his dragon-like creature, as it allowed one to be free roaming and out of plain sight whereas in the past it was obvious to see where one would go and where it stood. 

   ❝... If that is what you prefer for me to purchase for you, then I do not have any objections. I intended that, yes, but there is the matter of getting both if you really wanted. I’m sure there would be a vendor of some sort on our way there.❞ 

“Yeah, we’re all good here.” Pabu chirped in agreement, then returned to hissing at the dragon, before Bolin flicked his furry little cheeks. “Hey knock it off Pabu… uh, altered? Don’t tell me that thing isn’t a baby one.” Size alteration was the only thing he could think off… but man he really didn’t want t think of it, or any sizes of that creature other then small. Any bigger and it would have just ate him and Pabu no problem. Guess the parks wouldn’t be safe pretty soon. 

“Ummm, I was kind of trying to be mean… but yeah I guess you probably should get a leash for her.” That insult didn’t really go as planned, and Bolin just scratched his head. Was there really anything else? Sure the guy sounded like he was a good trainer, but even tamed dragons were still beasts that needed a real way to control them, else someone was going to get really hurt next time.

“Sure… yeah sure… hey howbout I show you the pet store, you can get your leash… and food for my buddy, if that makes you feel any better… or wait did you mean like, lunch. Sorry I thought you meant ferret chow.” Dammit, looked like Pabu would be eating first yet again. Bolin was always just too nice for his own good.

[minervy-blog]

   In all honestly it probably is his resting face, glaring being the most common expression appearing on his guise in most cases. The pairs friendship has grown in an unusual away, sharing the weirdest of conversations together but it is no surprise the other had already acknowledged the rider’s unique features such as his usual glaring. 

   Inigo had a fair point, there would be no point looming over the fact of something which hasn’t been confirmed with their own eyes. Except the white coats being the only plausible answer to why they were here, but constantly reiterating that same point eventually becomes tiresome. ❝Indeed,❞ he replied whilst quietly observing the mercenary who skillfully handled his companion with ease. 

   A single eyebrow raised at the other’s abrupt comment. His cheeks would turn rosy as his voice lowered significantly, ❝--no! Well... maybe. Not really-- I mean what else am I going to do--?!❞ Admitting to doing such a thing was difficult, but in truth he had made few acquaintances during his time here. Whether that was a good or bad thing, he decided to not comment further except for Minerva of course. As if queued, the wyvern squeezed out a sound; Gerome being stubborn as ever, he mentioned, ❝... I’m not translating what Minerva just said for you.❞ 

   When isn’t Inigo daydreaming about girls who are out of his league? ❝Whatever...❞ his sentence trailing off before resuming once more upon the upbringing of the hot dog. ❝A hot dog is something you consume, I think so at least. I found one at a vendor within the shopping district but never got around to buying it, actually someone bought one for me.❞

      Gerome’s glare may as well be his resting face, though it wasn’t as if Inigo could tell the difference due to that mask; whether he wore the mask or not, the mercenary would simply grin like always — like now, as Minerva sat on his finger and he cupped his free hand beneath to be safe, brushing a thumb against her carefully.

      Inigo hummed in answer; considering the white coats were able to pluck them from their respective times and into another, similar to Naga, the mercenary would assume that they hadn’t seen everything yet. “We’ll see eventually, won’t we?” he said instead, moving Minerva so she would be on his shoulder rather than sit precariously on his finger for much longer, especially once he heard the rest of Gerome’s explanation.

      “Wait, does that mean you’ve been going out and socializing?!” Inigo exclaimed with a grin, tilting his head to the wyvern’s direction way slightly. “Ah, as shady as the coats appear to be, this certainly has worked well for our dear Gerome, hasn’t it, Minerva? Tell me, has he made any friends here?” Well, it certainly seemed that this social experiment is working if Inigo didn’t have to be here to force Gerome to go out; he’s still daydreaming of those girls for himself though. “Aha, this is good news, out of any other possible tests they could be doing. But ‘hot dog’? What is that supposed to be and where did you encounter it?” 

[minervy-blog]

   The current feeling of solitude within the area was refreshing, breathable even. The hustle and bustle of the streets had been more than he signed up for, as being around a large amount of people at once was the opposite of what he was brought up in. Yet reminiscing on his previous world would not achieve anything. Gerome remained upright and staring at the pond, his question still floating about. He had no means of scaring the other or that his unexpected arrival was truly unexpected, which may be the reason of one’s flushed cheeks. 

   He acknowledged the single word whilst his optics would remain hovering upon the imagery of the pond, watching the array of colors swim past within the plants and greenery hovering above the crystal clear water. 

   ❝I was unsure myself, but your reassurance is... reassuring. Oh, there are...? I was not aware of that... Minerva may be interested in the game you have mentioned.❞ As if prompted, his lizard-like companion would reverberate a gleeful sound. 

    Though for most it might be difficult, for Canada it was simple enough to tune out the rest of the world and enjoy some peace and quiet. Even though the festival was lively and in full swing behind her, Maddie had purchased some tea and a lovely crepe from one of the vendors, and in no time at all had found a nice, secluded little area to settle in and read. So engrossed was she in her book and her snack, that the presence of someone else didn’t register until the stranger spoke, prompting her to look up sharply, cheeks coloring in embarrassment.  

                        “R-Real…?”       Within the painfully long moment in which it took her to process the question, the color on  her face only deepened, until finally she peered into the water, squinting slightly over the tops of her glasses.                         “O-oh, yes… I um. I’m fairly certain they are, actually! Though I think there                are some stalls further back where you can win real fish, too…” 

[minervy-blog]

   For all he knew, if he had arrived a minute earlier he also could be lacing flowers together along with the few others at the station. Nothing else had seemed appealing, nor had Minerva made a sound or gesture previously deeming that the pair remained uninterested in the current festivity. But providing an unwanted errand for another always left a positive outcome, thus the reason of returning the fallen flower crown to its rightful owner. 

   His single limb holding said object remained out, offering the other to reclaim their lost possession. Once they have acknowledged it, he gave a simple nod in return. He had accomplished what he intended to do, Gerome also thinking to part ways from the woman. 

   The offer of a flower accessory for Minerva had seemed to finally appeal to his wyvern as a small yet cheery sound would resonate from them. Translating what the sound had meant, he spoke, ❝Minerva would love to have one. And I agree... it would look rather...❞ momentarily pausing, the upcoming word being one rarely used within his vocabulary, ❝... cute.❞ 

    She’s lost track of how many flower crowns she’s made today, at least ten she thinks. But it’s far from unpleasant, if anything such crafts kept her mind off other matters that began to plague her since her arrival here. Regardless of how much it distracted her, and how much she truly did enjoy making them her hands needed a break, having sustained several small cuts from some thorny plants. 

    Gathering the ones she’d already made, looping them around her arms she makes to find some food, unknowingly losing one of the several crowns she’d made. It’s only when a low voice draws her attention does she realise.

    “Oh you’re right, that is one of mine,” gladly accepting it. This is where she may have gone on her way if she’d not noticed the small creature with him. “Hey, maybe your friend would like one?” Gesturing to the smaller, bracelet sized flowers she’d linked that could easily hang around the small dragon like creature. “I think it’d look cute.” 

[minervy-blog]

   ❝...?❞ Taking note of the bold hesitant in the male’s voice, unsure if whether his question had struck him personally or an unusual question. He had only knew of mages who fought alongside with him and the Risens of whom are capable of wielding such weaponry. ❝... I see. Every world differs from the next so I shouldn’t be too surprised.❞

   A shake of the head was returned at the statement, ❝in my world, mages were treated as if they were alike to any other person. They fought with others, using their magical capabilities for the greater good or for the worse. It’s the matter of who the mage was and whose side they were on.❞

“Oh… yes,” he replied hesitantly. Hawke still wasn’t entirely used to being able to openly tell people that he was in fact a damn dirty mage. Oddly, it never seemed a tip off to anyone in Thedas that he toted a large stick around. “In Thedas mages generally have staves… regardless of their magical aptitudes.”

“… you don’t seem particularly scared, does that mean mages in your world were not feared or hated?”

[minervy-blog]

   He would turn his back on them and simply walk away, if not his curiosity had stopped him from doing so. The question remained, why did the male appear to be a shade of blue?

   ❝Gil, right. Now could you explain why you are blue?❞

   Despite the slow-paced conversation and the atmosphere filled with tension he was at least grateful that the other was responding. Matters would have possibly gotten more uncomfortable when being brushed off…

   “Gil! Gil Marverde to be more exact!”

[minervy-blog]

ooc; apologies on the delay on my replies! this week has been a bit hectic for me and i never got around doing them! although i’m now on term break and i’ll be clearing my drafts tomorrow! thanks for understanding and i promise i’ll do them... sweats...

[minervy-blog]

   The falling of his mask was inevitable, it was going to occur regardless of how he placed it upon his face. His confidence began to falter when both pieces of his accessory made its way onto the pavement once more. A person would hold an extensive amount of persistence and resilience when something dear to them had been broken, though seeing that there is no reason to sob over it he had given up over the ideal of it magically amending itself for now. 

   People would lack the guts to even compliment him, as most answers would not except nothing more than a deadpan answer. Except it would almost be the complete opposite, the rider becoming flustered and almost red to the face-- a face akin to a tomato, almost. The stutter of one’s words would come to play as well, among many other ‘side-effects’ all because of a mere compliment. Ears receiving the statement given from the male, the aforesaid portrayal of his face would begin to morph into reality; the flushing of both of cheeks and face, followed by the stammering of mismatched words.

   ❝The mask serves another purpose-- w--wait-- did you just compliment me?!❞ A hand grasping the lower of his face, an action given when a particular becomes even more embarrassed. ❝... A-Ahem. Forgive me... I did not what came into me.❞

   Acknowledging the other’s signal with a nod, the redness languidly dulling into its initial color. Trailing behind the other male, side-stepping and navigating himself around things when necessary. He had considered to fix the mask but he did not know anyone with the expertise to do such a task. ❝I have contemplated on whether or not that would be a good idea, but I would like to think so. Except I do not know anyone who has the proficiency to recover it to its original state.❞

In all truth, watching the stranger fumble with his mask— the pathetically futile venture to wear it again that only resulted in its fall— was rather… amusing. Dylan was perfectly aware of how godawful it was to think that way, but he couldn’t help it! He’d been the classic playground bully for a good portion of his childhood, so it was an intrinsic reaction, granted, a terrible one.

That is not to say that Dylan would burst out in laughter. He’d changed a lot of his nasty qualities, and along the way had picked up the ability to empathize to a certain extent. As a result he held a mélange of emotion; he was continually contrite, amused as aforementioned, and completely bewildered. The other’s words would only serve to heighten that bewilderment, and evince it within the look that he throws at the other. Embarrassing? His face looked completely presentable. In fact, it was a rather attractive face, and not one to be ashamed of in any way. The man picked up the twice-fallen mask again, thinking of it as a good reference for their mission, then proceeded to give his two cents on the matter, as he so frequently saw fit.

     ❝I don’t really get what there is to hide, I mean, your face is pretty enough. But… if it’s that important to you, then we should get you a backup while we’re at it.❞ 

Cocking his head to the side to signal the other to follow, Dylan began to maneuver his way to the edge of the crowd in order to get a better glimpse of the storefronts. As he walked he would, on the basis that the mask was irreplaceable, question the stranger, ❝Are you going to get it fixed somewhere?❞

[minervy-blog]

   Ah, one would wonder on how Gerome would find himself lost within a hedged maze. Greenery surrounded him along with other voices, belonging to those whom are in the same position himself or merely passing through the maze with ease. Not only did he know that the exit was merely a few meters away except he wasn’t aware of that whilst confused on how he found himself in here in the first place. Sighting another male adorning a scarf, whom needless to say stood out boldly, he would trudge towards him followed by a growling voice.  

   ❝Hey! You! You were the one who set me up and made me get lost, aren’t you?!❞

dolceombra

[minervy-blog]

   ❝Oh? Is that true? The occurrence of such a creature burning an entire sector wouldn’t seem healthy for the citizens nor the white coats. I wouldn’t think they would allow such a thing to occur.❞ While it may be a possibility, he began to think that Minerva could become the aforementioned dragon which will burn down a whole sector. Ignoring such a ludicrous notion, he would shrug it off. ❝Anything is possible, right?❞

   He would have been more than happy to mount his wyvern to show him, if she were to be at her normal size of course. Many always pondered on the reason of why he wore the ebony mask, the other being counted with the majority. ❝Kataphrakts? That’s a mouthful... but are they some type of airborne transportation? Another creature capable of flying perhaps?❞

   A nod was given at the query given. ❝A soldier is a fair comparison. I was part of a militia force called ‘the Shepherds’, not to be mistaken with the shepherds whom who tends to sheep. We protect the country of Ylisse, the country I formerly lived in before coming here.❞

"That may be true, but I wouldn’t rule out every creature. I’ve heard that something as large as a dragon once tried to burn down an entire sector." Some people still talked about it, and considering what this city and its scientists were capable of, it didn’t seem too farfetched to bring a full-sized, mature dragon into the city. "It might just be a rumor though."

Still, it was a terrifying prospect. To be able to reduce the size of otherwise powerful creatures meant they could bend reality on a whim. God-like acts in the hands of people who choose to drag others into an experiment and for what? What was the point of all of this?

Pondering aside, Inaho gave his turn of a curious tilt of the head. So the wyvern was his mount, he said? Looking at him now, he did wear armor. Although, the reason for the mask was lost on Inaho. "The closest thing might be our cars or kataphrakts. Going by what you said, I’m guessing you’re a soldier of some sort then?"