Dragon Dad™

      ❝ I don’t think any do really. ❞ a chuckle left him as he closed his eyes ❝ Don’t think many would want to be petted. Or at least not have some stranger so up to them for that. ❞

   He smiled before pausing to think more on his words, a hum leaving as he closed his eyes. The thought on the smoothness of the scales really had him wish he could pet one. But the luck with that? Well, he doubt it would be possible. Even so… the other gave some odd information it seemed. Blinking almost lost by his words he rested his head in the palm of his hand.

      ❝ That’s… rather interesting. ❞ the rumors could be from children but… ❝ Do you know where that forest is from here? I might see on checking even if it’s a rumor. Plus I need to go for a hike I feel. Been staying in the city for too long. ❞

“It would definitely be unlikely, even if they were around,” Peter admitted with a small laugh. “Dragons are rather prideful creatures, after all. I can imagine some of them even seeing being petted as an insult.” But, then again, most of them were also old men who didn’t understand how humans work.

      ❝ Hmm… I wish I could have seen it still, I could have at least made a guess on what it could have been. After all it could have been something from an animal that’s no longer around too. It’s just really hard to tell with that sort of thing.. ❞

   Pausing to think to himself on it, his mind stayed on his last statement. Ah… if only he could stay in such a mind state like others to think none of that was real. But now? He can’t say on things. He’s met demons… so the more he thought on it the more it could be possible on other things people thought to be myth or legend to be real. But his silence, that might make one wonder now on what took so long on an easy answer.

      ❝ That is true, but then there’s kids that love things like that too you know? But I do wonder on it from time to time…. But thinking on dragons and stuff… ❞ he brought his hand to his chin, seeming to go into deep thought on it. ❝ I wonder how they would feel if you pet one… I’ve touched and alligator before at this zoo and I was surprised on how smooth it felt mostly. ❞

What’s this? The pause was telling enough on its own; It seemed like Plum did wonder. Or, at the very least, the boy was just logical enough to consider the truth. But his response brought a smile to the dragon’s face. An almost sly expression, especially as the shopkeeper wondered about what it would be like to pet a dragon.

It was actually really cute. Most people didn’t even think of how a dragon felt.

“I wish I could say. I’ve never had a chance to pet one.” He only ever fought others of his kind. Petting was a bit taboo between dragons. “Though I would imagine their scales to be quite smooth as well, like metal. After all, dragons are well known for their armour-like hide.” There was a soft chuckle.

      ❝ Will do! ❞ he chuckled before looking to it, a melancholic smile shown on his face. ❝ It has a lot of sentimental value to it…. my grandpa gave me the stone and I just made it into something that I can have on me most the time… ❞

   Lifting his gaze he listened carefully to his story, interest fully in his eyes once more. Such an old necklace to own… Yet it had him so curious on it, even with the legend that went along with it. It sounded like an amazing thing….

      ❝ I wish I could have seen it…. but a dragon’s scale in amber…? I guess then it was a time where people believed them to exist. But it’s still a very interesting legend nonetheless. ❞

Of course he didn’t believe in dragons. To be expected, he supposed; In this day and age, they were considered mythical. It was almost disappointing, remembering that. But perhaps it’s for the best, for everyone on this planet.

“Like I said, it is just a legend. Most scholars say that it was a revolt that burned her kingdom down, and that the scale was really only a sliver of a pearl.” Peter played along with the disbelief, grinning at the younger male with clear amusement. At the story or at the act, one couldn’t be sure.

“Crying shame, that. I’m of the humble opinion that life’s not worth living without magic at your fingertips.” Honestly, magic was a huge part of Gil’s identity. To be without it, he might as well of been a vagabond with great fashion sense.

Gil laughs as Peter explained further. “I’m sure. Most witches would have the sense not to get caught.” He grins. “And I’m sure the local churches had something to gain. I’m supposing their god’s glory doesn’t shine as brightly or as cheaply as a crone in the woods offering poultices for a pittance.”

“It’s the way of things, isn’t it? To come out on top, one needs to stamp the competition, yeah?”

“False glory and fame. That was all they had to offer and receive, for a god that no one is even sure exists. Crusades done in their name, to ‘spread the name of the Lord’, only to spread the flames and destroy everything in it’s path.” He grit his teeth for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh. That was in the past, far ago. Almost before he was even born.

Gil shrugged. “I don’t know about any of that, should I understand this world has a declining rate for mages?” It wouldn’t be the first time Gil’s traveled to places like that… More often than not, they weren’t worlds he made a habit of staying in for long, if he could help it…

“Serendipity, I suppose.” The witch answered, spinning on his heel. “It’s just been habit. Arriving at certain places, at certain times… If I believed in the providence of gods, I might think it was their guiding hand? But actually knowing or saving their asses from monsters on more than one occasion, I have no sincere belief in their participation in my fate.”

“I wouldn’t say that mages are in a decline... Magic is still alive and well in this world.” For those attuned to it, the air practically sang with it; It still existed, and those who practiced it existed as well. “The only decline is in those who are willing to be so vocal about their abilities. Or, in my case, those who can be true to themselves.”

A hand gestured to the human nearby. “Unfortunately, humans in this day and age do not always believe in the ‘inexplicable’, as they call it. Often times they react with violence. Such is the case with Salem; It’s a town in this country with a rather infamous history of witch trials. Which, ironically enough, hardly even involved witches.” For the first time since they had started talking, a frown graced the dragon’s lips.

“You’d be correct about that. Few people ever seem to be.” When Gil thought back to the amount of people who mistook him for a wizard or a warlock. Some even had the nerve to equate any mystical vocation to the other, not caring of the differences in each school of the arcane…

“My name is Gil LeFlay, and I am one of the greatest living witches of my time.” He twirls on his feet, one part dramatic effect, one part to maintain distance from the creature. He didn’t miss the other’s apparent hunger. Until Gil knew what he was dealing with, he wasn’t apt to let Peter come too close. “I invite you to remember that, if you would.”

A witch with flare, it seemed! Or perhaps a healthy dose of caution? It could be hard to tell, though Peter wouldn’t blame him. Even to a powerful witch, one wouldn’t be able to tell what he truly was without the dragon saying so himself. That, or a spell. But would a witch really spend magic to discern that?

“Ah, it certainly is a breath of fresh air to see one so...open about their profession. Especially after what had happened with Salem. A pity, really.” But that came with the changing times, now didn’t it? It was like the recent movement with the youth nowadays.

Gil observed the other, as he picked the gun apart. The stranger’s inhuman nature didn’t get past him, the man may as well of just admitted his eldritch nature in as many words… Perhaps some guardian beast or old fey creature, he couldn’t say with such clarity. Shapeshifting creatures were tricky like that.

“Don’t I just feel fortunate?” Gil says, throwing the remains of the firearm down, surreptitiously pocketing the trigger piece into his pocket. Perhaps he could put it to use in his spellcrafting later, who could say…

“So to whom may I ask I’ve given my benefit to?”

“Peter Darastrix, at your service.” The introduction was given with a wide, toothy grin; He clearly had no issue with displaying his inhuman nature, especially at this point. “Though I suppose that is a poor choice of words. I’m at no one’s service, certainly not in this day and age. That’d be rather insulting, actually.”

He glances back, noticing the person for the first time. They’d caught him by surprise, approaching him so suddenly. After just the one native, he’d stretched his senses out to see if he hadn’t had friends ready to drop on him as well, so they’d only found him recently.

“Not really.” Gil supplied, cautious, but otherwise disaffected. “Soft-headed dullard thought he could intimidate me with his little toy and take my things. I decided to put him down for a long nap.” Really, reaching into his mind was incredibly simple, he might as well of told a narcoleptic to take a nap. Almost wasn’t worth the spell.

“I suppose this must be a popular spot. I’m meeting all kinds of peculiar people tonight.”

“As many humans tend to think.” Peter moved around the little witch, deciding to focus his attention on the wannabe thief. Really must have been a dullard, if he thought thieving in the forest was still a worthwhile endeavor. He left out a soft, rumbling hum as he lifted the man’s jacket, spotting a few shiny trinkets tucked away. “Already a busy one, hm...”

The cloth was dropped, an unconscious man low on his list of priorities. No, it would be the ones that still stand that should concern him. “I wouldn’t say popular,” the dragon said with a soft chuckle, standing upright to face the witch. “More like you being rather lucky.” Avoiding being robbed, and meeting a dragon? Most people would consider that luck.

Of course, it depends on the kind of luck, doesn’t it?

   He supposed there was reasons for everyone on what they kept and didn’t keep, and it sounded like he made the right choice as well if he had his children in heart with it too. Even then a chuckle left to the note of that last comment. So it was like that for a select few then?

      ❝ Well, it’s nice to know what you prioritized. But at the same time I can agree when it comes to select things and refusing to part with them. The necklace I wear defiantly falls in that category. ❞ Looking to the mentioned necklace he let out a chuckle. ❝ There had been a few times where I nearly broke a thief’s wrist when they tried to take it from me. But they know nothing on just how priceless it is to me. ❞

“Goodness gracious! Remind me to keep my own claws off of it.” There was a good-natured laugh, though Peter did turn his attention to the necklace. He could understand why a thief would try; It was lovely, and obviously handcrafted.

“Hm... Makes me think of a necklace I once had.” Stolen, more like it. “A princess once wore it, way back in the... I believe early 13th century? It had an amber set in it, with a scale inside of it.” One of his scales, specifically. Peter had been furious that an ambitious jeweler had the gall to steal one of his own scales, all to try and catch that princess’s fancy.

   One might find it amusing on how the jeweler found so much interest in the words alone. Almost like when an owner asks their dog if they want to go for a walk. It was that easy for him to get his full attention. Leaning against the counter slightly Plum smiled to the other.

      ❝ Really?? I guess we have that in common then! ❞ He chuckled before pushing himself back to give more space. ❝ Well, my grandpa was the one that helped me get more interested on them actually. But I can really understand what you mean. With those over there I felt it wouldn’t do them justice to cut them into jewelry really. ❞

   The term “collector” certainly had him tilting his head with curiosity. What brought him to stop?

      ❝ Do you no longer have your collection then? I wish I could have seen it. ❞

It really did seem like they had kindred souls in this case, even if their reason for collecting the gems differed. For the boy, it was for their beauty. For Peter, unfortunately, it had been for their value and his greed. “I would have to agree with that. Sometimes there’s far more beauty in an unaltered gem.”