A foreigner in the mist

[Melia]

Matt wandered into the market, following the music. It seemed there was some sort of festival going on. As he got closer he saw that it centered around a man in a throne. A very important person, it seemed. He watched with interest, trying to find the source of the music. He wondered if there was a piano back this far, or if he was shit out of luck finding one of those here.

 

[Drew]

Just out of sight from the village a funny sound filled the air as something came toward it. A whomping that knocked leaves from the trees and forced resting birds from their nest. It was a young female dragon who ran about over turning large stones and small logs. With the swishing of her tail a lovely bush was no more as once again the creature crashed about seeking something out. The palate of her scales danced in the light as she went under the canopy of the meadow.

With a sudden halt the creature sniffed the air and discovered something new. Something that called to her stomach and she heard it loud and clear. A mean call at that, a call that grew into a growl with orders that had to be obeyed. A course correction was in order and in no time this whomping sound once more filled the air. It came close and closer to the village.

The little dragon had discovered a new place. A place with creatures that could walk on their back legs even. She had to see more and find the home of this wonderful smell.

 

[Melia]

Matt was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Matty! How are you faring?" It was his alien, come to check on him.

Now? I'm in a square full of people, in a time where talking to yourself is definitely something people are going to notice. And lock you up for.

Matt scurried his way out of the crowd and back to the barn where he'd hidden himself earlier.

"Take me home," he demanded when he thought he was out of earshot of everyone.

"Ohhh… I don't know… You look so funny in that clothing! I find it quite entertaining…! I see you haven't died yet, so it seems you're fairing quite well! Your hair certainly looks better…!"

Matt pouted. "I liked my red hair, thank you very much. It just wasn't very practical for survival here…"

"I also see you've met another alien here. And she kissed you. I must say I'm jealous."

Why are you so obsessed with meee, Matt thought with agony, gripping his hair in his fingers and pulling.

"Because you're perfect…" came her reply to his thoughts.

"Damn! I forget you can hear my thoughts! And stop! I'm not perfect… that's creepy…"

"Oh…"

Matt fidgeted, kicking at the straw on the floor of the barn, "Please let me go home," he begged. "It's lonely here…I miss Dom and and… the band and music and Damnit, Gaga, we're trying to record an album, everyone must be really worried!"

"No one cares that you're gone, Matty," the alien lied. "You don't want to go back there."

"Don't pull that shit on me, Gaga! Haven't you learned that doesn't work anymore?"

"No one's even looking for you. They don't even realize you're gone," she continued.

"Shut up! Ugh if you're not going to take me back, then just go away! I'll take care of myself. Maibrit will figure something out…" he said, hoping that his friend would be able to figure out just where he was.

"I don't feel like leaving though… I quite like watching you struggle in those trousers. They make your bum look so nice…"

Matt shuddered. Ugh. Well if that was the way she was going to be he would ignore her.

He wandered back outside, unsure of what to do next. He realized though, that he was hungry, and he would need to find food somehow. He snuck back out to the market and observed, trying to find a way he could make off with some of the produce without being noticed.

 

[Drew]

Sniffing her way towards the village Arianna noticed one of the creatures that could walk on two legs and had to get a better look. Her pace quickened and soon she was right behind Matt. Within his mind she spoke to him.

"What are you and where you going?" Waiting for him or it to reply she stopped and stared at him. His scent was strange. It was male she could tell that much.

The place he was going too was full of males and females. They must have meats and other things too. Her stomach growled making it seem as though she might be growling at him. Stepping side to side and sniffing him she made his clothing flutter a little and she stepped back.

"Do you speak?"

She was still very young and flightless thought her wings flexed a little. Arianna stood about maybe two feet taller than he at her highest, but at the moment she wasn't trying to scare him off. Leaning towards him she sniffed again and watched him so very curious.

 

[Melia]

Matt felt something warm blowing across the back of his neck. It felt too warm to be a breeze and there was a pattern to it, like breathing, like that of a large animal. He froze, hearing someone speaking to him, not realizing that the sound was within his own head.

I'm caught, someone knows, it's some big important person and their goddamn horse—he thought with desperate speed, still afraid to turn around and see who it was. With stiff shoulders, he finally turned his body to the person who was speaking at him. With a gasp, he staggered backwards into one of the stands, sending apples rolling across the street.

"Jesus Christ!"

It's a dragon!

Those exist?

Matt could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest, and before he knew it, he'd slipped to the ground in a dead faint.

 

[Drew]

Watching him fall to the ground Arianna blinked and thought and that is why you don't walk on your hind legs, you'll fall too easily. This thin male was trying to speak but fell. She had made him fall. Lowering her head she stepped back. Maybe it was her fault he was saying strange things? Confused she looked at the ground.

Apples happen to be all over the street and some had rolled towards her. Taking a moment to sniff at them Arianna started to chop them down. A good ten to twelve had already vanished by the time she heard voices. More of the creatures that could walk and now run on two legs were coming towards her.

Something was still rolling about by her tail. It was a basket that once held some apples. Woven and strong to its core it looked like something she could play with it. Snatching it up in her maw she took it with her and whomped back up into the bushes holding her prize.

 

[Melia]

[omg she's so adorable]

When Matt came to there were people all around him. And apples. He rubbed his head and blinked at all the people making a fuss about him.

"Men don't faint, lad," one of the men said.

"Doesn't look like much of a man to me," said another.

Oh good god. Matt scrambled to his feet, trying to get away from the crowd.

I just wanna go hommeeee, he whined in his head.

 

[Drew]

Arianna watched all the two legged creatures run about and fall over the apples. Shaking her head at the mess she padded a little ways with her new toy. Oh the things she could do with it. Holding it carfully she turned back to see the one skinny male leaving the group. She could hear him and felt bad.

"I thought you where home" She said to him softly.

"Sorry I scared you" dropping the bucket for a moment she watched him run. Where was he going? Picking up her bucket she followed him but kept to the bushes hidding as best she could.

 

[Melia]

Matt caught a glimpse of the dragon again, and heard her in his head. She was following him, but she didn't seem to be hunting him. Still, it made him nervous.

Yes well aliens didn't used to exist either, Matthew and you don't have any trouble believing in them now...

"I am not fwom this era," Matt answered her as he walked.

and people from this era are not reliable to stick around... he observed. Well fine. I'll make do on my own. I wouldn't mind having some sort of protection though... just in case this dragon thing turns on me...

First step: find sword.

He began peeking into people's homes, determined to find a sword.

 

[Drew]

It wasn't too hard to see that this thing, this two legged whatever it was seemed to be in a scared of something. It might be her or something else. Looking around she couldn't see danger and after taking a few good deep breaths and couldn't smell any. Why was he so fearful?

He seemed to be looking for something. Maybe he wanted her bucket? Hoping it was what he wanted she started towards him once more when he was close enough. Just between two homes at the very edge of town she stepped out.

"Want this?" she asked him kindly holding the wooden bucket in her maw. Her small wings flexed and folded behind her as she looked at him. She waited and hoped he wouldn't run. If he did she would leave the two legged ones alone.

 

[Melia]

The dragon approached Matt again. She was so close he could see the individual scales on her surface and the very wide jaw. Her wings flapped and folded, reminding him of bat wings. She was so big! Matt quivered a bit at the sight of her.

Be nice to it, it's not trying to attack you... if you're mean it might attack you, just stay calm...

Matt attempted a graceful smile, his face twisting into more of a grimace than a smile. "Thank you," he said, taking the bucket from her mouth, inwardly cringing at the fact that his hand was touching dragon drool. He observed that his hand could easily fit in her mouth and he hoped she wouldn't bite it off.

It seemed to be a young dragon though. "Do you have a mother?" he asked her. The mother might be the truly dangerous one. Did people here fight dragons? He found himself wondering if the king or whoever it was that he'd seen had a dragon. Maybe this was his dragon?

 

[Drew]

Stepping back and licking her maw she looked at him. "No I don't. No clan either." Lowering her head at the thought a heavy sigh escaped her. After a moment she looked at him with a type of sideways stare and leaned in. "Do you?" looking behind him and around now she looked worried.
"Are they here? More two legged creatures and are they all like you?"

Her body language was less than imposing. In fact she came off as rather playful as she walked around him.
"You smell different." Tilting her head she stepped back and almost seemed to giggle. "I'm Arianna. What's your name?

 

[Melia]

"Dragons travel in clans? Do people here fight whole dragon clans??"

Good lord!

"I think there are a lot of humans around here... how do I smell different?" he asked, feelings of curiosity becoming more abundant than fear. He remembered himself and tried to reset his features to a more indifferent one. "I'm Matt," he said, wielding the basket as a shield against her. Playful or not, if she chose to pounce him, it'd probably kill him.

 

[Drew]

Playfully she licked the bucket and knocked if from his hands then ran after it. The wooden bucket caught some good air for a moment before it landed in some bushes. In a whomping fashion that only she could provide she went after it. The poor bush didn't stand a chance. Sticks went flying all over and she came back moments later with it in her maw once more giggling.

"No, I don't know. I don't know… two legs. I don't, know Matt two legs. I don't know…" she was happy and almost singing at this point. Her head going side to side as she hummed.

"Want to play?" Walking around him she held the bucket then plopped down with it and held it in between her claws toying with it.

"I want to go. If more two legs come they scare me. I don't know where to go. I… just don't want to be alone."

 

[Melia]

Matt shrugged, an idea forming in his mind. "We could leave the city..." he said. He knew he would feel better not being around people. Not affecting their history or the future. And being out in nature, well there wouldn't be such a culture shock for him. Nature was nature, it changed but it didn't. There was a certain comfort in that. If he was out in nature, it could almost feel like he was out in nature in his own era. Besides, it might be handy having a dragon around. She could help with food maybe... or kill him and have nobody around to save him... right, he needed some sort of protection whether it was from this dragon or some other wildlife. And if dragons existed, who knew what other kind of creatures existed.

"I'll be right back," Matt said as he slipped into a nearby home. No one locked their doors in this era, it seemed. Surely thieves existed then too...? But maybe it wasn't a concern in a small village like this one, where everyone knew everyone.

"Too bad for you, suckaas," Matt muttered, eyeing a sword that hung on the wall of the house he was in. He reached up and pulled it down, where it landed with a loud clank at his feet. It was really heavy! He tried lifting it again with both hands. Looked like he was going to have to work on his arm muscles if he wanted to wield this thing...

Matt found it's sheath and hoisted it on his back, his shoulders hunching against it's weight.

You're such a weakling, Matthew.

In a moment he was back outside with the dragon.

"So how are you for gathering food?" Matt asked.

 

[Drew]

"What's gather?" she asked him as he came back with something shinny on his back. Its handle was sticking it out and caught the light. "What's that?"

Standing up she dove at him and pounced him pinning him down. With her right fore claw holding him down by his head there was just enough pressure as to not kill him. Sniffing up and down his back she was in awe.
"What is it? Can I have it?" letting him up she walked around him, eying him. "Why do you need it?" Her tail was held high was she walked around. Arianna wasn't watching where she was going and she stepped on her bucket. It was instantly crushed.

"No!" Stopping in her tracks she held up her foot and the wooden pale crumbled to bits falling off landing on the packed earth below. "My toy" truly sad she sat down. Her head lowered. "It's gone now."

 

[Melia]

One moment, Matt was on his feet, and the next he was face down on the ground and she was on top of him.

I'm going to die was the only thought that raced through his head. He hadn't even seen it coming. He'd die out here in the company of a dragon. He wasn't nearly observant enough and he'd been too busy focusing his attention on the heavy sword on his back to notice her approach.

But all she did was sniff the sword and let him go again. He stood himself with rapid speed. Apparently all she wanted to know about was the sword.

"It's a sword," Matt huffed. "To protect me. From stuff like animals..."

And you, if necessary...

"And what I mean by gathering... can you hunt? Are you able to find food to survive?"

She seemed too excited by his sword though. Maybe because it was shiny? She stepped on her basket and crushed it, seeming sorely disappointed. Matt didn't want to have an upset dragon on his hands so he darted back into the house and stole another basket for her. "Here," he said, shoving the basket at her. "Have another. Let's go to the forest."

 

[Drew]

As soon as he came back with the bucket she was delighted. Taking it into her maw she looked at him. "Ok, let's go" Spinning around her tail nearly hit him as she took off whomping back into the woods. Her wings tucked neatly to her back.

Slowing down a little she waited for him to catch up. "It's going to be dark soon; I'm going to my cave." Arianna started towards it. "Matt two legs you coming?"

 

[Melia]

[Ugh. Gosh. This dragon is so cute. I love her.]

Matt ducked only just in time to narrowly miss the heavy tail that swung over him.

"Jesus watch that thing, would you?" he cried.

He followed a bit grudgingly, muttering to himself about how he'd probably have to find food himself. Which wouldn't be such a big problem except he really didn't know the first thing about hunting or gathering or survival. Civilization was better suited for him in the sense of survival. He knew how to steal and he knew how to hide. The problem was, he couldn't seem to hide very well there so now he was going to be out here.

By the time they'd walked a few kilometeres though, Matt's back was getting very sore from carrying the heavy sword.

I'm a wuss...

He shrugged the sheath from shoulder to shoulder, trying to shift the weight around and relieve each side but was to no avail. He could carry a guitar no problem... but then, they'd always designed his guitars lightweight...

"Nggh," he complained, falling farther behind as his back started to hurt more and more.

 

[Drew]

Holding the pail in her maw Arianna marched ahead. It swung back and forth. She was much more careful with it this time around. Night was falling fast around them as with each step the forest seemed to close in with its creepy darkness.

Over head the trees loomed with the promise of blocking out every scrap of light. In the distance an out crop of massive rocks came into view and she picked up her pace. "Home!" she cried.

"Matt two legs home" she stopped to show him where it was but he was way far behind. Blinking at the shadows that were enveloping them her eyes narrowed. Dropping the bucket Arianna whipped around and charged at him.

Whomping full speed she leapt at him and snapped something in her jaws. A loud crunching sound filled the air right next to him as she hit the ground and rolled with something in her jaws. Growling and a yelp followed came next and then another loud crunch. Then silence.

Arianna's heavy breathing started up again as she came back towards him out of the brush. In her jaws was a dead wild dog. Her snout was covered in blood. "Gather?" she asked him as she padded by and headed towards her lair.