well-behaved doors

[campanas]

Pen' was just going to go practice singing. (She likes singing. The words are all lined up for her already and she doesn't get them wrong.) But this doesn't look like the practice room. So it's probably the magic restaurant.

Pen knows about the magic restaurant! You can go in it, and get food or things to drink (she has bracelets!) and then you just go back out the door and it's been no time at all and you're right where you went in.

She goes in. She is going to have cake.

Comments

[beheld_beauty]

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

[campanas]

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

[aestrix]

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.

[beheld_beauty]

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

[aestrix]

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.

[campanas]

Pen is enthralled.

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

[beheld_beauty]

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."

[aestrix]

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.

[beheld_beauty]

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?"

[aestrix]

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.

[beheld_beauty]

"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?"

[aestrix]

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.

[beheld_beauty]

"If I need dragons, I can get them from Thilanushinyel, or Chronicle," shrugs Rose. "I have never previously encountered a problem best solved by, in particular, a dragon. Nor am I suffering any economic hardship. What habits are you alluding to?"

[aestrix]

Many dragons simply take what they want. Anything they give... Often they'll take back.

He tilts his huge head. Dragons in Thilanushinyel and Chronicle? How interesting. Perhaps later I'd like to meet them. Regardless... I'm not sure what I could offer. You set a toll to enter but you don't say what sort of thing you'd like. I have made dealings before, in the past. This can be one such instance.

[beheld_beauty]

"It's not a matter of a toll. I don't need anything. If I had a standard procedure for inviting anyone but my own alts and their personal friends and relatives into Rêverie you would be interacting with that procedure, and not me." She tilts her head. "Perhaps I'll let you visit if you show me into your own world via Milliways when you are ready to return to it."

[aestrix]

Hrmmm, says the dragon. Very well. But I make no promises to my world's safety. I am not responsible for others of my kind. My mate and hatchlings, I could guarantee won't try to eat you, but the others - they do as they please.

He pauses, then adds, If you do visit, they will all want to hear of your world, and you will be interesting because you are a human that does magic. It's unheard of.

[beheld_beauty]

"I don't have immediate plans to visit. Just to plant an anchor in the world so I can find it later when mine has been remodeled to my satisfaction. The anchor doesn't have to be destructible. Or generally accessible."

[aestrix]

Ah. What kind of anchor? And what do you plan on doing, once you have free access to my world?

[beheld_beauty]

"A little piece of Jane, here. My template likes to find things that need fixing or improving, and then do that. In a very general sense."

[aestrix]

And you're asking me to add my world to the 'fixing' list, says the dragon, bluntly. What does fixing or improving entail? Would any who oppose you be put to death? If that were the case, I'd have to refuse you.

[beheld_beauty]

Rose looks him over cursorily. "In the unlikely event that I had to kill anyone, I'd resurrect them once I had a safe place to put them and they reached the top of the to-resurrect list. Resurrecting people falls under the category of fixing."

[aestrix]

Hrrm he ponders. I will be honest, since you are being such, it seems. I am thinking of a dragon's priorities, here. If you want to improve the human's lives, fine, be my guest. Many are interesting and should remain so. But many of my kind have killed to get the things we want - would you try to return them? You'd very quickly have a war on your hands.

[beheld_beauty]

"I would not bring them all back at the same time, or put them in anything liable to become a war zone. Credit me with that much sense."

[aestrix]

I meant the things that were stolen, or claimed, he explains.

[beheld_beauty]

"It sounds as though it would require careful thought. The dead would keep while I or one of my alts learned enough about the situation to make a decision," shrugs Rose. "Perhaps we'd just duplicate everything under dispute."