draconscious

[draconscious]

Kingdra (2022) - Astral Radiance Illustrator: Taira Akitsu

[draconscious]

THE DRAYSTER ABIDES!

Too cool for school! Here’s Blueberry Academy’s very own DRAYTON! 🐉

Woken up by DAN, this portrayal is indie, selective, and game-verse influenced!

follows back from @danagerie!!

Please read this blog’s revamped rules (and check out Drayton’s history) before interacting!

Please reblog and/or like this post and I’ll check you out!

[draconscious]

[ @missingstarter ]

He breathes heavily, watching the last of Clair's Pokèmon fall. It feels surreal. It was too much of a close call. And yet, after the seconds necessary to let the realization that he actually won sink in, both he and his Sneasel dare to smirk.

Victory. Despite everything, he won. Fair and square.

things are different now.

she had been anticipating a cha(lle)nge, of course. they hadn't fought properly in years, but--after whitney had called her (in tears, of course) to recap silver's runback for the plain badge--clair started paying attention. training harder. silver was serious about this refreshed league challenge, 'doing things the right way,' whatever that meant. in clair's mind, re-trodding conquered ground didn't add much to a resume, but she keeps her thoughts to herself for once. because this is silver's journey alone. his way to right some wrongs, maybe. his way to reintroduce some normalcy back into a life mangled by trauma.

and, invetiably, it leads him right back to her.

clair can tell that this is going to be a different fight than before. gone is the terrifying teenage tyrant who used to push his pokemon past their limits. gone is the brooding young man who sulked in the den until he became invisible. now, silver recalled, healed, and moved his pokemon with a solemn calmness. he was more in control than ever, and his pokemon responded--not out of fear, but out of shared conviction.

dragons may evolve slowly, but clair has changed, too.

when they first fought, they were like two tempests, wild and destructive and so, incredibly, angry. now, they are both wiser, older. a little more patient, and a little more world-weary and tired. the attacks are still devastating, but controlled. the lineage-forged bond between clair and her dragons has never been stronger, clashing skillfully with the rejuvenated ascendant. she uses her entire arsenal, making the elders roll in their graves with her usage of salamence and garchomp, but silver rises to the occasion. and with a final clash between emeria and sneasel in the middle of the gym's obsidian-lined lava ring, the tense, extreme battle reaches its thrilling conclusion. the lava hisses and crackles. gritty fireworks for a gritter victory.

silver won, fair and square.

clair curses in a way that makes the ancestors flinch, her gloves and cape ripped, her hair a sweaty mess, and fresh burn marks on her arms. and yet, she still takes a deep, steadying breath and walks over, her boots crunching into the stone as she peers at the criminal turned student turned something more. someone stronger.

and she doesn't make him go back into the dragon's den on some half-baked fetch quest. there's no more impossible tests to pass. perhaps they're both getting a bit too old for the pettiness. instead, clair sighs and holds out the risingbadge that silver had so hesitantly accepted all those years ago.

"...I'll swap you. you don't get to keep two of my badges," she declares with a haughty sniff, pressing the new, sparkling risingbadge into his palm while plucking its old, guilty brethren from silver's casing. still, the dragon tamer can't resist a wry, teasing grin as she straightens out her cape. this loss, for whatever reason, doesn't sting so badly. that was fun.

"whatever journey you're on, you'd better see it through to the end. win." she huffs lightly as the lava snaps around them. "my pride will be wounded even more if you don't, and I honestly don't know how much more it can take."

"not many trainers get past me, as you know," she says with a wink, turning on her heel. "the indigo league is probably starved for some fresh meat by now. I do hope you give them one hell of a wake-up call..."

[draconscious]

"I know that."

Clair's voice is surprisingly steady as she folds her arms, looking at Silver with some indignation, yes--but also, maybe, a small bit of respect. He's come far. He's doing this the right way, now--whatever that means. And so, the heiress smirks.

"You're not the only one who's changed since then--I've grown, too. We all have," she retorts, turning with a swish of her cape as she disappears into her volcanic Gym. "I hope defeating the other leaders hasn't made you too complacent. See you at the top, if you can even make it there. I hope you brought water."

--and I'm not going back to the Dragon Den for the Elder's question I KNOW the answer you're giving me the badge fair and square!!!!!

[draconscious]

Clair wrinkles her nose slightly, huffing. "I didn't know you or Cynthia were fans of that manufactured drama. Champions really do have too much time on their hands nowadays--I should just start letting challengers through at this rate so you don't get bored."

(Of course, Clair is going to leave out the fact that she was an active participant in season one and had been getting updates from Lola ever since. Not everything needed to be shared between her and Lance, thank you very much--)

"Also, wow. I thought you two were busy harmlessly studying Johto's history. Can you go one springtime without angering some deity and/or putting a child's life in danger?" she groans, somehow less affronted by her cousin's first revelation. "I'm starting to think you can't."

@draconscious || dirt naps are so good

"Honestly? Nothing in particular. Might have fought some gods for a minute, nearly got mauled by Ho-oh because my child is too nice for her own good." What else, what else...

"Watched that secret of the stars show or whatever. Cynthia joined."

[draconscious]

"Glad you're not dead."

"Another winter survived, another springtime hibernated through...It is what it is," Clair responds airily, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck as she tries to remember what being conscious is like. Lance gets a teasing smile and light punch on his shoulder.

"And now you know how it feels. Dare I ask what you've been up to during my nap...?"

[draconscious]

"MISS CLAIR!"

Oh man, has Iris been waiting to see her again. Things were moving so fast after beating Alder that it already felt like she had broken the news like a year ago.

"Gramps got me a new dress! I'm gonna wear it when people challenge me!"

Okay, she needs to settle down. She isn't usually this hyper around her mentor. But who can blame her for being excited?

"Whaddo you think? Do you like it...?"

Well, this is certainly something to wake up to--

"Wow," Clair manages in the face of Iris's excitement, squinting as she adjusts to the bright sunlight filtering into the mouth of the Den. Still, her protege's enthusiasm is contagious as ever, and the Blackthorn heiress can't keep the smile off her lips.

It seemed like just yesterday that Iris was training here, questioning her path and her abilities. And now, here she is, having risen so much further in such a short amount of time. In all their time training together, navigating those stormy seas of self-doubt, Clair never gave up on the Unovan, not even for a second. (Iris may technically outrank her now--but the blessed user of dragons will probably always feel both pride and protectiveness when thinking of her brightest student.)

"Look at you--I love it," Clair answers, her grin widening after a tense moment of evaluation--the dragoness never held back on her blunt opinions, but Iris's new look passes with flying colors. "You look like royalty--which is much deserved, I say."

Still, she can't resist being a little bit critical, stepping around Unova's champion with a teasing look. "...Only one criticism from me: where's your cape, hm? I thought I taught you better..."

[draconscious]

<- finally awake again after crashing for a month straight. (took a good chunk out of her sleep debt...but she's still in the red, I fear--)

"what did I miss...?"

[draconscious]

Haven of the Spirit Dragon (Dragons of Tarkir) - Raymond Swanland

More cards with art by Raymond Swanland on Scryfall

[draconscious]

It's almost time to dust off that cape again...

[draconscious]

<- just got replaced as Johto's eighth Gym Leader by a singular Gastly.

[draconscious]

ooc. sorry for not being here as of late!! I've been mainly tending to my hub blog--check it out!!--and writing when I can on discord.

Magic also just released their new dragon-themed set and it's been fully fulfilling my need for a dragon-related something. once I've gotten my fill of playing that, I'll be back here for sure. absolutely still down for plotting and planning in the meantime!

[draconscious]

"Hey. They're saying your little friend is making a comeback..."

Gym Trainer Lola's singsong voice grates on Clair's ears, but she still straightens up with interest. Linvala, (one of) the Gym Leader's Dragonair, huffs. How dare Lola interrupt their brushing time with her silly gossip...!

"They're saying he's got two badges already. Falkner and Bugsy," Lola continues as Clair turns, that grin still plastered on her face. "At this rate, he'll be here in no time. I can't wait to have another crack at that sassy whelp. Blackthorn style."

"...Hm. Maybe you should spend less time watching the news, and more time actually training then," Clair huffs, though she can't keep from smiling either. "I expect everybody to be in top condition. If Silver wants the Rising Badge, we're going to make him work for it."

As Lola salutes and sprints off down the mountain, Clair resumes brushing her Dragonair, renewed excitement thrumming in her veins. Silver, taking the Gym challenge again? How unexpected.

This little journey should be very interesting. The heiress almost wants to call Whitney, just for an update. If her colleagues plan to go all out in their battles as well, then Silver's path to success is anything but a guarantee.

[draconscious]

ooc. happy 4/1!! gonna be majorly busy with work until at least thurs. but will still try to pop on here and the 'cord to throw some stuff in queue until then.

in the meantime, I've been feeling pretty foolish...potential lil' side blog incoming??? 😏

huh. well, we'll see!

[draconscious]

some quick winter in johto fits

[draconscious]

Clair smirks as she studies her cousin's puffed chest and prideful grin. While these things weren't uncommon sights (not by a long shot), she can tell that Lance is actually putting forth an honest effort in his student's mentorship (For whatever reason. She's sure that he has an bizarre one.)

"Attending an event abroad? Don't make me laugh," she dismisses with an airy wave of her hand, wrinkling her nose at the idea. "Someone has to stay here and keep the dragons at bay, and I don't trust anybody else to look after Blackthorn properly if I was to travel again." (She shudders, recalling the aftermath of her return from Unova's PWT. Never again.)

"Still..." the leader concedes, folding her arms, still armed with that piercing blue stare. "...this seems like a suspiciously wholesome effort. Bring her to Blackthorn when you've finished her education so I can test her. I can't wait to see how badly you've mangled the lore."

"I have the one and she's the only one, thank you. The last one was a means to an end, not a student." He assumes she means Silver, anyway. That's a discussion they're never going to go in depth with."I actually like this one though." Lance puffs up a bit as he continues.

"We're doing it traditional order, and she has in fact made it to the Brass Tower without issue. She can already recite the first half, even."

"I'll introduce you next time I bring her back to Johto, she's currently back home in Galar doing League related things. Or you can actually attend an event and meet her there."

[draconscious]

@dragonplated / help my cousin has another protégé

"You've taken another protégé under your wing? Gods, Lance--you can't help yourself," Clair scoffs lightly, cuffing him on the chest. "You have a problem."

Still, a smirk finds her lips. "Teaching the Johto myths to an unstudied ear is certainly an ambitious goal. Make sure you're being thorough, yes? I predict your student will be fast asleep before you can even talk about the Brass Tower burning down."