maskofminerva

[maskofminerva]

{ out of cover: wow gosh i'm sorry i've been so slow, i'm just super busy with the last month of school coming up! i'm taking 5 days off for easter so that'll give me time to relax; before then, i'll get to replies sometime this week! }

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | [ Still talking to him? People around here certainly liked to speak about inconsequential things. Gods, how bothersome. He knew it would be rude to merely walk away without saying anything, but...how he hated this sort of pointless small talk. Gerome sighed curtly, hitched up his belt and passed a thumb self-consciously along the length of his mask. Of course it was real leather. What the hell else would it be? ]

“Yes. It is.”

[ Minerva was surely hungry. Gerome gave the girl a brief, stiff inclination of the head and turned to take his leave. ] | — ☾

"It looks expensive." 

Rutee just ~smiles. What a nice boy. She gives a little wiggle and rubs her hands together.

"Is it real leather?" 

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | “They call me Gerome.”

[ He would say he was glad to meet her, but he was not one to succumb to those kinds of sentiment. Even at the most basic level, Gerome was not one to acquire allies easily; he was and always had been a person who preferred to work alone. ]

[ Still, the girl looked so irksomely happy, and Minerva...well, he was not used to Minerva responding so well to another human so quickly. Frankly, it made him a little jealous. It also made him curious. ]

“I suppose you and I are allies of sorts, Miss Natalia. I must say, things could certainly be worse.”

 [ As if in agreement, Minerva made a deep, contented noise in her throat. ] | — ☾

"Oh, my… amazing…" She smiled, her heart warming up for what felt like the first time in… well, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy, through the ache and confusion of this past week. Something about this moment was so… simple.

"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Natalia." she looked over at him, gently stroking Minerva’s soft neck scales. "And you are…?"

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | “Hrm?”

[ Gerome turned to see a pair of bright, intelligent eyes staring him in the face. Another girl. Another attractive girl. At this rate, it would become completely impossible for him to do his duty without any distraction. He coughed. ]

“Uh...thank you, I suppose.” | — ☾

maskofminerva started following you

"Hey there!" 

"That’s a pretty fancy mask you’re wearing."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | [ Gerome wasn't used to the softness of a girl's hand, somehow apparent even through his gloves. He tried not to think about it, guiding the girl's fingertips to the softer scales on Minerva's neck. ] 

"Careful..."

[ Yet the girl managed to make contact with the wyvern, while provoking none of Minerva's anger. Gerome stifled a smile. This girl must have had a gentleness about her that the wyvern could sense. ]

"Well, would you fancy that. It seems Minerva really does have a fondness for you, after all, Miss...?" | — ☾

"Oh… well, thank you."

She takes Gerome’s hand, intrigued. “I appreciate your kindness.” 

[maskofminerva]

actuallyaobaseragaki

"What an unusual looking fellow..."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "Three hundred thousand, you say...That is...Somewhat daunting."

"I do not regularly seek the company of others, but I fear it will be unavoidable with so many faces swimming around me at all times. At any rate, thank you for the information." | — ☾

"If I had to guess, around three hundred thousand. That doesn’t account for the influx of foreigners, though. Like you and myself."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "E-erm..."

[ It wasn't that he minded so much whether or not the girl touched Minerva; he was merely concerned for her safety. After all, it did seem like Minerva could tolerate this newcomer, but whether or not that would translate into actually touching her remained to be seen. ]

[ Besides, if Gerome was being completely honest, he was feeling a little possessive of his wyvern. ]

"If you wish to touch her, at least allow me to guide your hand. She might snap if you approach her without me alongside you."

[ He offered a hand for the girl to take, if she so chose. ] | — ☾

"O-Oh!" she looks up, startled. 

"I apologize… I should have asked for permission. Do you really think she likes me?"

"… may I pet her?"

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "Don't trouble yourself. We can manage just fine." 

[ Before Gerome could even turn, a thought occurred to him. He grit his teeth, loathe to ask others for any semblance of help. ]

"Actually...perhaps you can answer me this: How many people would you say inhabit this strange city?" | — ☾

"I’d take you there myself, but as I recall, you were against the idea of following my steps."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | [ Gerome turned the corner, returning to Minerva after fetching her a pail of water; when he noticed ths blonde-haired girl crouching beside the wyvern, he inhaled sharply. ]

"Don't touch her!"

[ He hurried forward and made a move to grasp the girl's shoulder, but froze, realizing that would be a breach of her personal space. Beside, Minerva didn't seem to mind the girl's presence all that much. Gerome frowned. ]

"She likes you...?"

[ At the very least, the wyvern tolerated the girl, which was much more than Gerome could say for most people. He wondered if there was something special about the girl, or if it was merely a side effect of Minerva's decrease in size. ] | — ☾

"Oh, my…" Natalia blinks, peeking around a corner and looking at the cute lizard in front of her.

"You precious child… do you have a home?" she kneels down to pet her.

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "Pride? What use has a blade for pride?"

"I have no pride, Sir Magnus. I have..."

[ Nothing. No one. ] 

"...I have to stable my friend. Sooner than later." | — ☾

 ☽ — | “A tell? How adorably ludicrous. If you truly believe the cast of a man’s gaze is that much of a tell, then I must admit I’m unimpressed with your powers of deduction. I can look wherever I damn well please. I can look to the sky without taking to it. I can look at you. That doesn’t mean I’d care to tread in your direction, Sir Magnus.”

“In fact, I think I might be better suited to tread the other way." | — ☾

[maskofminerva]

 ☽ — | “A tell? How adorably ludicrous. If you truly believe the cast of a man's gaze is that much of a tell, then I must admit I'm unimpressed with your powers of deduction. I can look wherever I damn well please. I can look to the sky without taking to it. I can look at you. That doesn't mean I'd care to tread in your direction, Sir Magnus."

"In fact, I think I might be better suited to tread the other way." | — ☾

"Right, because that isn’t a tell."

"Hmph. Leon Magnus. And you are?"

[maskofminerva]

 ☽ — | “Did you see me take a single step? You're a presumptuous one, aren't you? I was merely glancing in another direction."

"At any rate, I was informed of the location of the stables upon my arrival. But I am so pleased you've taken it upon yourself to remind me. You must be a truly benevolent host, Sir...?" | — ☾

"What makes you think I meant this very instant? Besides, you’re headed the wrong way. The stable is in the other direction."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | “What?"

"Forgive my scorn, but I'm not in the habit of sparring with boys on a whim. Fighting has its time and place. For now, I am merely attempting to gain my bearings."

"I'm not here to sate your hunger for physical activity, nor am I here to amuse you. If you truly desire a sparring match, then you and I shall meet sometime in the near future. In the meantime, my wyvern is thirsty. She is my top priority; I intend to give her that which she desires." | — ☾

"Spar against me."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "Any fool who insults Minerva is insulting me by default. And I might remind you that although she has been reduced in size, she is still larger than you. And still perfectly capable of tearing you limb from limb."

"Not that she would ever stoop so low."

"At any rate, you're quite right. I do have other things to worry about. Far better things than spending time in this tedious conversation. If there's something specific you wanted to ask me, then please ask it. Otherwise, I must attempt to explore this town as much as possible before darkness falls." | — ☾

"Oh, I’m sorry, did I insult your noble steed? It’s scarcely larger than a thumbtack, so I thought those appendages were nothing more than decoration.”

"You’ve other things to worry about."

[maskofminerva]

☽ — | "From one soldier to the next,  I'd advise you to learn the difference between a lizard and a wyvern."

"And perhaps while you're at it, learn the difference between moping and lamenting the demotion of a proud beast of war to a mere pack mule." | — ☾

"From one soldier to the next, I’d advise you not to mope about an overgrown lizard in public spaces."

[maskofminerva]

☽ -- | "Ugh..."

"Just what the hell did they do to you, Minervykins?!? You're so...so...small..." | -- ☾