small_magics: (welcome)
Author: small_magics
Aianon has made a plant in the open airless space above the surface of Thilanushinyel. It is a very, very large plant - some dragons will be attending the party, after all, even if Ansharil in particular is going to be assorted small things and stay on Sarion's person the bulk of the time.

The locals will be Sarion, her beloveds, their other beloved, the five conjured dragons (and their Bondmates, where applicable: Virgivere and Lissa), and Liselen - Magania has, as usual, declined, and so far no Bell party has featured Bell parents.

Amariah is bringing her boyfriend and spontaneous daughter and two of the spontaneous daughter's friends, as well as an Alethian instance of the Rupert template.

Shell Bell is bringing Pearl and Screwdriver.

Golden is bringing her usual large contingent, as usual not including her husband but including her daughter and daughter's grown fosterling (the other remaining at home) and his wolf, both mothers-in-law and one father-in-law, adopted siblings, staff members including the Joker and Nathan, and the children of the aforementioned.

Glass is bringing both wives, all three daughters, Kanim, and her cat. She invited Icarin and Valeria, but their parents are not willing to let them gallivant into other worlds unsupervised and had a scheduling conflict.

Stella's bringing a smattering of people including Alice, Anna, Sandy, Libby, Bridget, her college roommate Janine, and Lazarus.

Tab is bringing Aelise (but not Kers) and Luhan.

Etty is bringing only Nona.

Aether, likewise, brings no one but Celo.

Pattern comes with Ripper, Slipstick, Queenie, and Ghosty.

Aegis is accompanied by her four-bodied boyfriend, Merryweather, Whitlock, and Howlett.

Aurora comes with Brilliance, Lexi with her Device Persica, Agent Honey with her Device Adularia, and Beth.

Rose brings her husband and three children and her former apprentice, Luc.

Angela brings her husband, her four children, several of her friends, and some of those friends' children and grandchildren with and without wings. Keziah also brings a friend.

Juliet shows up with Soph, Minus, Red, Giles, James, Virginia, Minnie, Ike, and Val.

Cam brings Jellybean and Tilly and stops there.

And from unBelled worlds hail additional Sherlocks and Tonies, Darcy, Matilda, Pepper, and Eights.
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"So I hear you two have dragon alts," Shell Bell remarks to her companions.
sicaria: Dressed up. (⑺ primarily innocence)
Author: sicaria
Sherlock looks around. No dragons are in evidence in the main room, although it is large enough to contain several, with dragon-sized archways leading out onto what seems to be a dragon-sized platform encircling the... plant.

"Perhaps we will find them outside," she suggests.
she_sells_seashells: (smile)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Let's, I wanna see what a dragon you looks like."
sicaria: Looking over shoulder. (⑹ look what the cat dragged in)
Author: sicaria
Out they go.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
The plant is surrounded by sufficient air for the dragons to fly, which they are doing.

One of them - her scales are bright gold with patches of red - comes in for a landing nearby as soon as the three humans emerge.

"Hi!" she says. "Who're you?"
she_sells_seashells: maybe (Default)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"I'm Shell Bell, and this is my Sherlock, Pearl, and that is my Tony, Screwdriver."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"I'm Tianthonet," says the dragon. "A Tony, apparently."

She sits back, folding her hind legs and curling her tail around her forefeet, and peers down at the three of them.
ferratus: Quasi-innocent. (⑷ maybe a little)
Author: ferratus
"Hi," says Screwdriver.
sicaria: Looking up, thoughtful. (⑼ a brief and thoughtful moment)
Author: sicaria
Pearl looks around. She is sure that her dragon alt will be here any moment.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
And there she is, flying in remarkably silently and perching on the edge of the wide platform next to Tianthonet.

"Hello. I'm Sherial."
ferratus: Smiling uncertainly. (⑶ not sure you caught that)
Author: ferratus
"Well," says Screwdriver, "at least we don't have to come up with nicknames for you guys. We kinda scraped the bottom of the barrel already."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Yes, what is a screwdriver?" says Tianthonet.
she_sells_seashells: tricky (tricky)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"It's a small tool used to twist screws around so they'll stay put and attach things to other things," says Shell Bell. "It's not a very good nickname, but none of them for either of your templates are very good."
ferratus: Giggling. (⑴ ehehehehe)
Author: ferratus
"Yeah," says Screwdriver, "we suck that way. Most of us had to name ourselves after our coin colours, and most of our coin colours are weird or boring or both. I mean, I have an alt named 'Sapphire' after a colour of paint."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"...Is it significant paint, in some way?" wonders Sherial.
ferratus: Smirking. (⑵ well this should be fun)
Author: ferratus
"Well, he owns something that is painted that colour. I'm not sure it's significant."
she_sells_seashells: (becalmed)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Red's are red, Iron's look like hot iron, etcetera. Iron Man already came with a nickname. So did Strat, he's a Sherlock."
sicaria: Dressed up. (⑺ primarily innocence)
Author: sicaria
"I believe Strat skipped this one," says Pearl. "He does that. But you are likely to meet Minus and Steel and reasonably likely to meet Plus and Cloud."
ferratus: Smiling uncertainly. (⑶ not sure you caught that)
Author: ferratus
"The Tonies usually all show up," says Screwdriver. "For... reasons."
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
Shell Bell giggles.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Tianthonet snorts. "Uh-huh."
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
Meanwhile, Soph has finished her long-distance gawking at the crowd of beings ranging from numerous angels to one demon to several magical Devices, then says to her Tony, "I think it will for some reason be less weird to meet the one of you who's a dragon first and therefore doesn't look like you."
toblameforit: Drinking orange juice from the carton. (+= endeavouring to make breakfast)
Author: toblameforit
"Sure, I'll go with it," says Red. "What do you figure, are they outside? I bet they're outside."
keyed_up: (in situ)
Author: keyed_up
"Yeah, I don't see 'em here." Outside they go, then.
toblameforit: Drinking orange juice from the carton. (+= endeavouring to make breakfast)
Author: toblameforit
Outside they go!

"I bet that one's the me," says Tony, pointing to the red-and-gold dragon.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"I bet you're right!" says Tianthonet.
keyed_up: (powers that be)
Author: keyed_up
"Oh, pretty. Hi. I'm Soph, I'm Juliet's spontaneous sister."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Hi! I'm Tianthonet, I'm a dragon!"

"I think they can tell," Sherial says dryly.
keyed_up: (little sis)
Author: keyed_up
"I dunno, you could've been something else, disguised as a dragon?" shrugs Soph.
she_sells_seashells: (skyward)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"There is a dragon at this party who is disguised as a purple and green furry winged animal sitting on Sarion's shoulder, but I don't think any of the reverse."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"I don't think Ansharil is exactly disguised," says Sherial.

"If he is, it's not a very good disguise. I recognized him," giggles Tianthonet.
keyed_up: (learning to dance)
Author: keyed_up
"Oh man, I have so many people to meet."
she_sells_seashells: maybe (Default)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Quite a few, yeah, these things are getting crowded."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Yeah," says Tianthonet, "try being three times the size of the next smallest person around. It was nice of Ansharil's Bondmate to make the inside part big enough for dragons, but I still get nervous about going in there."
toblameforit: Skeptical or questioning. (-= poking your head out of Baker Street)
Author: toblameforit
"Wow, no kidding," says Red.
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"You're scared you'll step on somebody? Most anyone'd bounce back pretty quick," says Soph. "I guess I wouldn't want to step on a tiny person even if they'd be fine, though."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Yeah, exactly!" says Tianthonet. "Even if you're not seriously hurt, it's embarrassing."
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Do you guys just not normally hang out with small people much?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Well, the Bonded," says Tianthonet. "But they usually come in smaller groups, and they're just... different."
keyed_up: (made real)
Author: keyed_up
"Different how?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"It's... easier to keep track of them, somehow," says Tianthonet. "I'm not sure."

"You're used to them," says Sherial. "You know them all as individuals and you haven't had to meet more than one new one at a time since you were big enough to step on any. And they frequently appear riding or otherwise accompanying their Bondmates, in which case you can avoid stepping on the human or elf by keeping out of the dragon's personal space."

"Yeah," says Tianthonet. "What she said."
she_sells_seashells: maybe (Default)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Does this still apply when it's Sarion with her dragon in a little fuzzy shape on her shoulder?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Well..." says Tianthonet.

"No," says Sherial, "but she is a semilegendary figure, so it's easier to pay attention to her."
keyed_up: (learning to dance)
Author: keyed_up
Soph giggles. "Are all the Bells semilegendary figures like that or does only the local one count for you?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Only the local one," says Sherial.
she_sells_seashells: (skyward)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Oh, well."
keyed_up: (little sis)
Author: keyed_up
"My Bella's from a whole dynasty of semilegendary figures," snorts Soph.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Oh?" says Sherial. "How's that?"
keyed_up: (in situ)
Author: keyed_up
"Oh, she's the Slayer - well, was the Slayer, now James is the Slayer. It's this thing in our world where she's supposed to... slay... things. Demons and vampires."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"You have demons? What are your demons like? Ours are all either dead and evil or Aianon," says Tianthonet. "I've never met one, even the one who's not evil or dead."
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"We have more kinds from more places. And some of them are pretty nice, just not most of them. Bella - Juliet I mean - has some of them being her gardener-minions, she accidentally inherited them. Minus and Plus are both our kind of vampire but Plus is from a different world that's only like ours."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Does she have a lot of gardens, or something, that she needs minions for?" wonders Tianthonet.
keyed_up: (the good parts)
Author: keyed_up
"Nah, she got the minions, and then made the gardens to keep them busy. She was going to make them self-containing originally."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"...In that case I have to wonder how and why she acquired the minions," says Sherial.
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"Well, they like to be minions, and the last person they were minioning for was bad news and Bella had to slay her. Or rather send her Downside for the admin to put in stasis or something? But basically slay her, and then she found the minions and they were like 'so do you want some minions'."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"...Your world is bizarre," Sherial concludes.
keyed_up: (little sis)
Author: keyed_up
"Yeah, Glass says it and the worlds like it are really really mean."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"And yet, minions," says Sherial.
keyed_up: (in situ)
Author: keyed_up
"What d'you mean, and yet?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"It's not historically been common for the losing side's loyal followers to spontaneously convert on the death of their leader, around here."
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"Oh. Yeah, that was kinda weird. Bella kept offering to set them up an independent colony but it turns out they have to have someone to be minions of to have baby minions."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Ah," says Sherial. "And now it makes sense."
keyed_up: (the good parts)
Author: keyed_up
"So there are going to be ugly-cute wrinkly babies soon!"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Sherial snorts.

"I've never even seen a baby," says Tianthonet. "Of any species."
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Weren't you and the other conjured dragons babies at the same time? Do you just not remember it?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Tianthonet shakes her head. It's an odd gesture on a dragon, but recognizable.
keyed_up: (but i remember it)
Author: keyed_up
"There are some little kids here but not baby little."
she_sells_seashells: maybe (Default)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"I think Hyacinthe is the youngest. Peninnah's next and she's like eight."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"...Are human children a lot smaller than humans?" says Tianthonet, looking down at her feet as though she is afraid a small child could have snuck under one without her noticing, although she stops short of actually picking them up to check.
keyed_up: (the good parts)
Author: keyed_up
"They start yea big," says Soph, gesturing. "They're about full size by the time they're in their mid-teens."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Oh," says Tianthonet. "Dragons start bigger than that, I think."

"I've seen our eggshells," says Sherial. "Much bigger. But not bigger than a grown human."

"And we're nowhere near full size yet," says Tianthonet.

"But then we have much farther to go," says Sherial. "And some dragons are just small. Ansharil is."
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"Is he? How big? I've never seen him being, uh, himself."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"He's... Ansharil-sized," says Tianthonet.

"Just about large enough to comfortably carry one Bondmate," says Sherial. "So not all that much bigger than we are."

"We can both carry ours," objects Tianthonet.

"Yes, but not as easily as Ansharil could. And yet he still doesn't have room to pack on a dozen children like Ancaladar still occasionally complains about."
keyed_up: (but i remember it)
Author: keyed_up
"...Dragon children or human-oid children?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Elf children," says Sherial.

"Two thousand years ago, in Jermayan's time," says Tianthonet. "There was a war on, and the elves wanted to send their children to a special fortress where they'd be safe, and of course the best way to go was by dragon, but Ancaladar didn't like having - what was the phrase - "

"An infestation of tiny passengers," Sherial supplies.
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
Shell Bell giggles.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"It's really strange how the Dark keeps coming back every thousand years," says Tianthonet.

"It wasn't always that way," says Sherial. "Before Jermayan, Ancaladar slept through ten thousand years of peace."
keyed_up: (learning to dance)
Author: keyed_up
"Well, I bet Sarion's going to arrange for there to be more of it. She's a Bell."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Sherial smiles a dragony sort of smile.

Tianthonet looks sidelong at her and giggles.
she_sells_seashells: (skyward)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"What?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Sherial's Bonded has plans," says Tianthonet. "Sherial's Bonded thinks the semilegendary figures shouldn't get to have all the fun."

"She's only doing what Wildmages do best," says Sherial.

"Virgivere is a Wildmage and she doesn't plot like that," says Tianthonet.

Sherial sniffs. "My Bonded does not plot, thank you very much."
she_sells_seashells: (becalmed)
Author: she_sells_seashells


"I'm not an expert on Libbies..."
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
"I know one, she's fine."
she_sells_seashells: tricky (tricky)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Most of them are, it's only - Sherial, have you heard about Aelise?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Lissa has an alt by that name," says Sherial. "She appears to be an empress."
she_sells_seashells: (unsettled)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Yeah, she did it by using a person with the power to force people to like or stop liking each other to take over the world. She's got a Bell who put up with her, so there may be mitigating circumstances that Tab hasn't explained, but it seems worth mentioning."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Noted," says Sherial expressionlessly.

Tianthonet leans in to give her a gentle shoulder-bump. "It's not bad plotting," she assures the humans. "It's not even bad-good plotting like when the High Mages dug into Armethalieh and kicked everybody else out. It's nice plotting. It's just funny how she does it, like - like she's trying to be the Wild Magic, finding out everything about everything and then figuring out the best way for it to go."
she_sells_seashells: (becalmed)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Most of them are fine," reiterates Shell Bell. "This one sounds fine too."
keyed_up: (inching sideways)
Author: keyed_up
"And Thilanushinyel's been swept, right, there isn't one of those whatsherfaces here?"
she_sells_seashells: (irked)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Yeah, Jane checked everywhere."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Tianthonet huffs. It is Sherial's turn to give her a comforting shoulder-bump.
keyed_up: (flesh and blood)
Author: keyed_up
"Now what?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Nothing," says Tianthonet, huffily.

"She is offended on behalf of my Bonded," says Sherial.
keyed_up: (Default)
Author: keyed_up
Soph flops her head on her Tony's shoulder. (Because it's there.) "Aww."
toblameforit: Thoughtful, perhaps mischievous. (+= pretend we're twins)
Author: toblameforit
Her Tony hugs her. Because she's cute.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"It occurs to me to point out," says Sherial, looking at Shell Bell, "that a warning to me about my Bondmate's possible corruption would be misplaced as a practical effort. The dragon is subordinate to the will of the Bonded. I and my magic are available to Lissa regardless of my personal choice."

"But Lissa is a nice Bondmate and she listens to you," says Tianthonet, shoulder-bumping Sherial again. "Because she's nice. There haven't been any Bonded who pushed their dragons around like that almost since Bisochim."
she_sells_seashells: seacreature (seacreature)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"...Wait, what? I don't think I knew about this part."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"It's not commonly known, except among dragons and some Bonded," says Sherial. "Perhaps Isibel Sarion did not see fit to mention it. I can hardly doubt she knows."
she_sells_seashells: (preoccupied)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"She must know - oh."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Oh?" inquires Sherial.
she_sells_seashells: (becalmed)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"I don't think she'd like it if I speculated out loud."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Then you have some reason to think she knows from practical experience," Sherial concludes.
she_sells_seashells: (unsettled)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"If you make her uncomfortable because of something I gave away I will be annoyed."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Noted," says Sherial.
keyed_up: (in situ)
Author: keyed_up
"Iiiii don't get it. Should I not get it?"
she_sells_seashells: (becalmed)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Yes, please continue."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
Sherial says nothing.
keyed_up: (flesh and blood)
Author: keyed_up
"Well, now I've met two Tonies who are not my Tony and I still seem to have all my higher brain functions, let's go find more," says Soph to her Tony.
toblameforit: Thoughtful, perhaps mischievous. (+= pretend we're twins)
Author: toblameforit
"Sounds good to me!"