Some kind of dragon au

[occulthymns]

[Before you lies a picturesque kingdom of forests and fields and farmlands. Mountains rise up in the distance, and set at the edge of a massive lake is an elegant castle with tall spires. It looks out over the land - forests surrounding the lake, a small but pleasant medieval town pushed up against the castle walls, farmer's fields further out.

The land itself is fertile and full of wild game, unsual plants, and natural wonders like crystalline caverns and waterfalls. Rivers of all sizes wind their way down from the mountains, which alternate between covered in fir trees and bare, jagged rock with mazes of caves hidden within.

Dragon AU go!]

Comments

[dark_to_dawn]

[The sudden dragon-turned-flounder action makes him cant his head in a mixture of surprise and wry amusement. Yes. He remembers quite well what happened last night. And since Ven does too, they won't have any other problems with that, right?]

My territory. My rules. [A stoic reminder before he looks towards the lagoon.] You're going to learn to swim today if you want to stay here.

1/2

[didneyworl]

[ Nope...nope. He's not going to whine and beg anymore. ]

...Swim?

2/2

[didneyworl]

--Wait, you mean I can stay??

[dark_to_dawn]

[Good. Because that's not going to work, obviously. The question, two questions, earn the older drake's casual tilt, a "shrug" like action.]

That depends. You obvious have nowhere else to go. [Yes, he knew all about getting the wanderlust.]

[didneyworl]

[ )8 hardest thing he ever went through. The want to stay with mom forever but also to go out and see the whole gosh-darn world all at once. He's not sure he'll ever stop feeling restless. ]

I'll learn! I'll become the best swimmer ever!

[dark_to_dawn]

[Oh eventually he will. One way or another (some ways were more pleasant than others). Riku mentally rolls his eyes at the enthusiasm and then slinks off the stone like a serpent uncoiling from his prey.]

No you won't. [A wry statement. If Ven wants to be the best swimmer, he's in the wrong place; he'll want the ocean-side for that learning.] You'll learn enough to fish.

[But the enthusiasm's promising.]

[didneyworl]

Oh...okay. [ He's not being scolded anymore, and Riku's giving him attention. That alone is enough for him to be hopeful and hurry to follow along at the other's heels, tail wiggling behind him eagerly.

9u9 gonna make senpai so proud of him just you wait ]

[dark_to_dawn]

You're welcome to try. [He's not going to completely crush those dreams, but it's not realistic, especially for a flight-designed dragon like a goldscale.

The water breaks around his legs again and he stops only when the lagoon surface is level with Ven's sides, halfway up.] You don't use your legs to swim.

[Proud, hm? You'll be lucky to get out of "annoyance" level. -_-]

[didneyworl]

You don't? But then how do you move in it...? [ Does he flap his wings?? ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[Ugh. He's got such a long ways to go...] You use your body and your tail. Wings and legs only for specific actions.

[didneyworl]

Aren't my legs part of my body?

[dark_to_dawn]

[*sigh* Such a long way...] Yes. But you won't use them to swim with unless you need to change direction quickly.

[didneyworl]

[ Faito, mom ]

So then...you just wiggle?

[dark_to_dawn]

[Hush, tiny.] You've seen snakes?

[Ultimately he's going to have to demonstrate; he knows that already.]

[didneyworl]

What's a snake? [ That would be a big fat nope; he lived at too high an altitude for one of those. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[... nope. They're gonna do the easier route. Riku glances towards the water and then slides off the stone.] Come on.

[Time for demonstration.]

[didneyworl]

[ Senpaaaaaai 9u9! Don't worry, Ven's right on his heels--or as close as he dares to be, after last night and all that. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[Amazing what a little personal space can do to a person's mood. He walks into the water, pausing on the shallow's ledge before turning to look back at Ven.]

You might want to consider working on holding your breath as well.

[And then slides down into the water.]

I am still gonna get to kage!! I swear sob

[didneyworl]

I can do that! [ He has the lung capacity from flying...but the mental fortitude and experience, not to much. He doesn't like the feeling of water pressing in all around him.

But then there goes senpai so of course Ven has to follow, squeaking a little as he hops through the water after him until he's deep enough he just...sinks. Alright, swimming time is a go. ]

It's all good~ Take ya time <3

[dark_to_dawn]

[There's a big difference between dealing with one's breath in a place with less air to dealing with one's breath in a place where there is no air. The difference between the emptiness of light and the heaviness of dark. But Ven would find that out soon enough.]

Your enthusiasm is amazing. [That would be sarcasm.

Once Ven's in the water, literally splashing until he just drops, Riku submerges himself and curls in the water to watch the goldscale. Time to see a first attempt.]

[didneyworl]

[ It's probably not overall impressive, but he's at least trying to get the hang of moving without his limbs. For several seconds he continues pawing at the water like he'll somehow be able to walk through it, but then he remembers that's not what he's supposed to do, so he starts wiggling and swishing his tail around instead...

And succeeds in tumbling himself forward through the water, once. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[Once is better than complete failure. He resists the urge to correct him when he sees him trying to paddle on instinct. Already told him, so it's up to Ven to listen. But after a while, there's that "once" moment and Riku nods. Progress.

Water swirls next to the goldscale and silver scales slither past in a smooth motion, the larger dragon's body moving side to side in rippling S-shape motions, keeping his head straighter forward and his legs resting in a tuck near his body, wings also pressed to his back to make him rather streamline.

Just like that.]

[didneyworl]

[ Oh...was that how he did it? Ven's eyes blink through the protective membrane covering them as he cants his head (even underwater), but it hardly takes a second more before he starts early wiggling in the water, clumsily trying to mimic Riku.

There isn't exactly any grace there, but he's actually starting to move forward in the water! Just not in any sort of a straight line. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[You couldn't walk without crawling for a moment first. Riku only takes occasional glances towards the smaller male, noting his movements. Clumsy and not used to it, but he was making motions in the right direction. He curves around once more and this time comes at Ven in a more head-on manner, only to sweep by him with a smooth motion, the current of water rushing past the goldscale in a swirl.

More demonstration, more expectation.]

[didneyworl]

[ And a bunch more head-over-heels spinning as the current following Riku tosses Ven around like a ragdoll. He gets a little panicky after a couple of spins and heads back up to the surface with an anxious wiggle, chuffing and snorting through his nose for a few quick breaths. ]