alicornutopia | well-behaved doors

"Hmm," says the man, pondering. He looks at Pen. "Which do you think is the prettiest? My wife likes hearing stories about places I go. I'd like to give her a nice one, when I come back."

"I not gone too many places. Been Rêverie, it has enchanted things."

"Then I'll go with that. If I get bored of it, I can always ask to go to another, yes?" he asks, reasonably.

"I'm not a taxi," says Jane. "You'd have to make it worth somebody's time if you want to make a lot of trips."

The man frowns, a little. Then, he takes a deep breath, and the smile returns. "I apologize, again. Just 'Rêverie' and back home, then. I'd hate to trouble you."

He really doesn't care if he troubles her in the slightest. He's rapidly losing his patience - in his world, he's very used to getting what he wants.

"Waiting on some Bell to be available to clear you. Ideally Rose, since Rêverie is her world."

"Rose the one Mommy has three kids so has another Keziah is Céleste and another Ariel is Hyacinthe, plus her Dars is Yseult."

"Ah, I see. So they'd be the other versions of your siblings? That would be interesting to see. While I wait, do you mind if I let my wife know where I'm heading off to? She might worry, otherwise."

His mate has been known to tear up mountains to find him if she worries too much. It's one of the reasons he loves her. Most dragons would just shrug and find another mate.

"Don't close door, it stops magic if you closed it," advises Pen.

"Ah, I see. Thank you, I'll act accordingly," he says.

That doesn't matter. He doesn't usually speak with a voice, anyway. Most dragons think it's beneath them, his mate included. He gives a little wave to Pen and Jane, then heads back to the bar. The man opens the door out to the street, and pokes his head out.

Love? he sends. I'm going on a trip a little further than usual, don't worry, my darling, I'll be back before you know it.

Bring me back an interesting souvenir, my heart? You know what I like, she replies, amused with him.

Always, love, he replies with a natural smile to his illusion form. Then his head returns from the door, and it's closed. Mate has been informed, that part of the country is safe (from that particular problem, anyway).

Humming a tune, he returns to Pen and Jane. "She's been informed. She'd like some kind of souvenir - I won't trouble you about getting it for me, I would just like to make sure it's alright?"

He's not saying what the souvenir's likely to be. His wife likes shiny things, as much as he does.

"There's no reason you can't remove medium-sized nonmagical objects that don't already belong to somebody from Rêverie if you're allowed to go there at all."

Hrrm. They're likely to make him put anything stolen back before they let him return... He can always find something unique to the world, his mate would like that almost as much. Then he can make a quick run to a palace or something and grab the biggest gemstone there. Unless he sees something really, really irresistible in Rêverie, he knows some places with really nice trinkets.

"Sure," he replies, with a shrug.

He may or may not stick to that rule. He's not sure yet.

"And Rose can come give you a couple minutes' worth of checking-out now."

Here she is. "Hello. Hi, Pen, you found Milliways all by yourself?"

"I did finded door. Ate cake! Met person. He wants visiting Rêverie."

The man inclines his head, smiling at Rose. "I would! I like exploring new places, and this seems like an interesting place to go."

No lies, not yet. Perhaps later, if she asks something a bit more in-depth, though.

"May I ask whether you are any of non-human, magically capable, or possessed of advanced technology?"

Oh, he can't resist. That's such a good opening to dramatically reveal himself. He's nothing if not theatrical.

He grins. "I am certainly not human."

There is a bit of rumble, and his illusion tears open to reveal a humongous grey dragon. He is neatly curled up, his wings folded, and his head's lowered to be level with Rose. Sparks dance between his two horns, and just his head dwarfs Rose and Pen entirely. Glowing yellow eyes consider them both.

And I am somewhat magically capable, he says, a little smugly, in a publicly broadcasted sense of words that bear only vague similarity to what he originally sounded like.

That is probably an understatement.

Pen is enthralled.

"Again again again!" she exclaims, clapping her hands.

Rose pats Pen on the head.

"I'm going to need a summary of what you can do, besides, apparently, be a dragon and appear otherwise and use this form of mental communication."

He laughs, softly. He kind of enjoys having Pen be amused by him, it reminds him of his hatchlings.

I am capable of more illusions than just appearing to be other than a dragon, along with a personal specialty in, his horns and claws spark a bit, harmless but somewhat threatening, Electricity. My mate likes seeing lightshows.

Rose does not look threatened.

"Are you going to harass, attack, steal from, spy on, or otherwise interfere with or upset anyone who lives in my world if I let you into it?"

He considers, eyeing Rose's aura, curious. He hasn't changed his mind in the idea that he could take her, but... Perhaps getting to see her world is worth playing nice, for a little while. If things like that are common, there. Vaguely, he thinks he wants an aura like that, it would help him against terrorizing humans or chasing off rival dragons. He doubts she'll let him go if he says 'Yes, I'm going to steal any gemstone that catches my eye and burn anything that gets in my way.'

I hardly know what will upset people in your world. I've decided that I'd like to see your world more than I'd like to collect things I find enticing. So, no harm, harassment, stealing, or such, says the dragon. I'm not sure what counts as spying. I won't go looking into humans' lairs, but I see much when I fly. Sometimes I see something interesting and decide to be human, for a little while. To learn more.

He does not say he is safe. That is obviously not true - but none of what he says is a lie.

"Flying overhead and observing things clearly visible from the air is unproblematic." She eyes him assessingly. "I'm less sure about letting you mingle with my general population. I don't know you, none of my alts knows you, none of us know any of your alts if you have them unless you are very much off-model. Is there any upside to letting you in besides... not irritating a total stranger?"

You will have a friendly dragon to speak to? he says, amused. I wasn't aware there was a toll to entry. I'd offer you riches, but I'd doubt you'd accept once you hear of my species' habits.

Those habits being letting the humans have some, then coming back in a few years, and either forcing them to give up what the dragon gave them and then some, or eating them and then taking it all. If they had sold whatever they got from the dragon, it tended to skip straight to the 'eating' stage.

So tell me, what upsides can you think of for having a large dragon on your side?

This is something of a trick question. He will not be on her side, even if she lets him into her world. It's probable he will never actually answer any call she makes for help. Dragons have a habit of word-twisting. This is one such case.

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