Monaco Bay Weyr - Docks
// A thin, windy pathway lined with paper lanterns leads to the sturdy docks made of stone and wood that stretch out into the deep azure waters. A large wall of stone curves around the docks, protecting the small docking harbor from the weather. Nestled against the intersection of docks and land, a large hollow has been carved out of the rock, the formation intended for storage of smaller ships during the worst of Monaco's storm season.
//
Summer in Monaco is a glorious time, lots of people moving in and out for vacation, Rukbat frying up the locals like Packfish and the beach. Ships move in and out of the docks this morning, pleasure boats as well as commerce vessels anchor and set off at a constant thrumming pace. Except in one section of the wood dock, there seems to be a minor interruption as a giant dark green form slithers through the water, a sea creature of old coming to wreak destruction and havoc. Several women screech in surprise as she rises up from the deep, eyes whirling playful blue hues. It's easy to spot why this particular dragon could be scary, the long neck visible teeth combined with her predatory slink are enough to give pause to anyone. Paddling around from one side to the other, she's easy enough to follow by the shrieks of people as she pops up around them. A fun game, for sure, and who doesn't like a game? Obviously, the green is living her very best life, and that's what's most important. Right?
If anyone is screaming and running away from something, Reya is heading towards it with utter curiosity. Which means it's no surprise when the Weyrwoman begins making her way to the end of the docks, eyes shining with excitement. Her attire is commong for the summer - shorts and a flowing tanktop. Her long locks hang loosely about her shoulders. She pushes past a poor gaggle of girls and promptly lays flat on her stomach at the edge of the dock. Sloooooowly she inches forward, peering across the water to see exactly what all this is about!
Neifeth has managed to swim underneath the dock, her entire form hidden from Reya as a dragon as accustomed to drama as she knows the look of someone in charge when they see her coming. You can't get in trouble if they can't see you. Time to disappear. Sinking beneath the surface, this won't work because it's not dark, and the water is a clear aqua color that allows her complete striped form to be fully visible. Closing her eyes and sinking until it's only her nostrils above the water, she pulls her limbs and tail in close. If not for the neon sign type pattern all over her chest and forelimbs, it could be possible that she would be mistaken for a large boulder. Look at that boulder, it's a nice looking boulder. Unfortunately, she's not quite able to blend in. Reaching forward with a rush of pink and blue, a forest begins to poke into Reya's mind. «I saw who you're looking for, they went… that way.» Mind pointing away from the dock, with a swirl of cobalt trees that sway with a playful breeze. The voice of the green dragon is forward, demanding, and dares question in the way a headwoman might. Carrying the confidence of leadership and the poise, without anything to back it up.
Reya stares intently downat the speaking boulder, carefully examining each and every part of it even as she's spoken to. Not once does she flinch in the presence of that commanding tone, no - it's a smile that appears on her face. Intrigue shines on her expression as she reaches down to wave her hand in front of those nostrils. "No, I'm pretty sure /you're/ what I'm looking for!" Absolute delight colors her tone as she blances back over her shoulders and then to Neifeth once more. "I mean, I was hoping there was a creepy creature in the water but…." She shrugs lightly, as her feet kick back and forth in the air.
As her mind greets Reya's, she pushes forward into her mind, and the colors amp up. Pressing trees into full view, they're gossamer, fluffy and soft in appearance as if spun sugar had been dyed a deep navy, the branches and trunk are magenta and as she slowly intrudes further a silver grass stretches out below, swaying and pressing forward. «There might be one here somewhere. But first, who am I dealing with? » Offense drips off every word, tone brazen, and downright rude. Distracted for a moment by the sound of feet on the dock above, one eye opens, and she presses upwards with extreme quiet. Above a woman dressed gaudily stomps about, her bright green sunhat meant to draw attention. That won't do, that's Nei's job. Snout extended, it's bumped gently, a knocking sound followed by a deep hum that vibrates the boards beneath the fancy lady. Stopping in her tracks, she stares down and Neifeth hisses, showing all of her teeth. Leaping into the air, nearly falling on her face, the woman is only saved from falling off the dock by a dock worker. Pleased with herself Neifeth presses back into Reya, the sky blooming with flowers instead of clouds, the floral clouds are yellow, blue, orange and red, the sky an iridescent carpet of crimson that waves like shaggy grass that grows from above. «What a mess, that hat would look better on a herdbeast. I did her a favor.» Commenting on the hysterical lady.
"Reya!" Obviously! Or at least that's what her bright tones implies. For a moment the woman doesn't say much else, her eyes closing as she's suddenly lost in the scenery of Neifeth's mind. A delighted laugh escapes parted lips and when she opens her eyes that turns into a prompt laugh. "Faranth, poor woman!" Only she can't possibly be sympathizing that much because she's rolling around as her amusement fills the air. Does she get in people's way laid out on the docks like that? Yes, but no one seems to be paying her any mind. Eventually she gathers herself enough to wipe some tears from the corners of her eye and look back down to Neifeth, "And? Am I the only one that has to give a name?"
Slinking out enough that her muzzle can be within a handbreadth of Reya, this green could easily be frightening. Visible teeth, narrow jaws, a hunter, she's feline with the camouflage pattern of rosettes and stripes that would blend her into a forest well. Suddenly with the offer of a name, there's a change in scenery, with no warning the mind gains a river of glowing rainbow bubbles. Flowing through as if right next to the Weyrwoman's feet, popping and frothing with delight as the flowers above shift and disintegrate into stars of gold and sapphire. The grass above melds together and fades to a dark blue night. «Reya, you may call me Nei.» The nickname was given without pause as if it's of little value. «Poor in taste for sure.» The dock is busy this morning, three children run past Reya, one carrying a stuffed runner with polka-dotted rainbow fur. The toy looks new and soft. Swimming forward to a spot, Neifeth raises her head up, hidden beyond a raised tail fork, the little girl stops dead with large eyes and says, "Really? A MERMAID? Of course you can have it Mermaid people." With wonder the child throws the toy over the dock and Nei scoops it up in her jaws. Extremely pleased with her days work, she waits until the little girl is gone and raises up to place the toy next to Reya. «Who believes such things in this day and age, I mean really it's not my fault people are gullible.» SHe's not wrong, but she's not really right either. «I can have anything I want, anything at all. » It's clear she's probably right about this too, forward and sassy, one of the smallest greens on the planet, but there's no shortage of spunk.
Reya's head aches slightly with all the shifting imagery, but that doesn't seem to stop her. She repsses a hand to her forehead even as she grins. Her amusement isn't /nearly/ as abundant when the stuffed toy is taken, but it seems the Weyrwoman still finds the entertainment in the situation. "Children /can/ be pretty easy to manipulate!" She is definitely not talking from experience…not at all! She takes the stuffed runner in hand, examining it a few times before sending a very sly look over to the green dragon, "Can you, Nei? Can you /really/? What happens if someone says no?"
«No? Well simple, everything has a price. Everyone has a secret. Duh. And I can find it, and that little no can become a great big yes.» Experience in the realm of blackmail, of guilt-tripping and twisting and turning her way into and out of situations. It's at this moment that Evi frolics up to the dock and flops down near Reya without a care in the world. The young woman lying on the pier is brightly overdressed, a full-length lightweight skirt of yellow that kisses her ankles, a well-fit green top that goes to elbows and is fitted around the neck. She looks holdbred, boots of bright pink wher hide. Loud in dress though quiet in movement, there's a shy smile towards the other woman, she remains 10 feet away. Neifeth suddenly flips everything around, stars are now below and above. The ones below are shiny and captured in waves, it's an ocean trapped beneath glass. A sea of starlight, except the sky, is also above. They match, the world melding together. What is up is also down, what is down is also up. «Children are harder. Watchhh» It's almost a purr, a man standing on a fishing skiff staring at his watch, then out at sea looking distracted, is suddenly in her eye line. Without a word, the teenage girl stands up, frolicking up to the fishing boat. "Good morning sir, do you happen to know. um. That lady?" Pointing to the woman in the green hat who is waiting for her expensive pleasure cruiser to leave. Suddenly the man's eyes bulge out of his head, he mumbles several apologies and hands the cheerful teen several fresh fish and asks her to stay quiet. Evi shrugs a shoulder and arrives back where she began, finally speaking. "Neinei, I don't even like fish… he was a nice man though! Friendly." Neifeth speaks to Reya again, «She was here this morning, and that's not her person.» Haughty laughter traces through the words.
Reya's head begins to spin and she presses her hands to it again, there's an almost giddy feeling that accompanies this weightless time shifting nonsense. "Here's the thing though…not everyone has something they're that ashamed of even if they /do/ have secrets. Then you're stuck!" The Weyrwoman grins before glancing over at Evi and watching the whole interaction between her and the man, "Hello!" A wave is tossed in Evi's direction before she's glancing between her and the green, "I take it this is your lifemate?" It's unclear whether she's adressing the dragon, the human, or both!
Jerking her head to the side, Evi offers a smile to Reya and a shrug. "Yes." Neifeth rises up and places both of her front talons on the deck, causing the lady in the green hat to shriek again with the sudden motion before Evi shoots her the most perplexed look. Nei takes the stuffed animal in her jaws and drops it near Evi, Evi pets the toy and giggles. Neifeth curls herself around the girl, creating a barrier between her and the Weyrwoman. The stars shimmer in a multitude of colors, the ocean below audible with its own swish that matches the respiration of the creature creating it. It's suddenly as if you were INSIDE the body of the dragon speaking, the faint outline of a ginormous rib cage visible, and the rocking below rhythmic. «Evi.» Introducing her lifemate with a point of pride, showing off a prized stock animal. "Has she been hassling people?" A purse of her lips, the dance to her eyes hinting that she's aware of who her dragon is but amused by it. Even if she shouldn't be.
"People? Kind of. One woman in particular? Seems like it!" Reya responds to the question while watching the other two. She seems to be getting increasingly lightheaded, but all of that suddenly comes to a stop as Fuerioth takes over Reya's mind. A cool wash of darkness ripples through every nook and canny, bringing quiet along with it. For a moment the Weyrwoman relaxes into Fuerioth's frigid waters before bringing herself back to the dock. "In any case, well met Evi! The name's Reya." And yeah, she should /probably/ be wearing her knot, but she isn't. Currently the object is in the bottom drawer of a desk somewhere.
Turning around to stare a the woman who was screaming, who sits tapping her toes waiting for her trip to begin Evi laughs out loud. "That hat, though." Clasping a hand over her mouth and blushing, she snuggles into Neifeth's wet neck. Neifeth hisses slightly as she's pushed out of Reya's mind, enjoying the play space and pouting slightly. In the absence of pictures, she's all smells, lavender, and citrus blossoms with twists of violet vines that poke forward and around Fuerioth's water.. «Oh excuse me, I didn't realize you couldn't play.» Pouting yet accusatory all at the same time. Unaware that she's sitting next to the Weyrwoman of Monaco, Evi is far more relaxed then she would be otherwise. "Neinei likes to have fun, even if it's a bit much for some. It's a pleasure to meet you, Reya." Eyes unfocusing and refocusing, her lips twitch to one side in thought. "Do you come here often?" Bright and cheery, she's exceptionally perky.
Darkness continues to creep across Reya's mind, swallowing whatever may lie in its path. Some of the shared scents are immediately obliterated while others are allowed to persist. Despite the haunting obscurity, Reya seems quite at ease, letting both dragons wrestle it out. « Physical distress is not part of today's play schedule, unfortunately. » Not that Reya has actually complained about it. The Weyrwoman nods at Evi, ignored both dragons in favor of pointing back to the Weyr, "You could say that - I live here! Have for /quite/ a few turns actually. How about you? You can't live here because I'm sure I would've remembered meeting you two!"
Neifeth presses back against the darkness, twisting it into a blackened tree, and then a black petrified forest. Suddenly the forest is full of eyes, watching Fuerioth, red eyes glowing. «Playing with me means putting on your big girl underpants, not surprised she couldn't cut it. Evi does this in her sleep.» Literally the starscape is Evi's favorite sleeping place, but then Nei's mind is suited to the pale teen girl. Brown-green eyes find the Weyr with a fast nod, cheeks rising as lips curl up. "I lived here, for a while. Xanadu searched me two turns ago." Happy fingers tap down Neifeth's toothy face, "We live there now, in Xanadu. What is it you do here?" Casual and comfortable, as Neifeth lifts her tail up above the water, still half of her submerged, half on the dock she runs the tip of the whip like fork across Reya's chin to her ear. «Pardon me, wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable.» All snark as she isn't getting her way, «You'd hate to have any fun.»
Fuerioth pushes a frost intot he darkness, creating a thin layer of ice that pricks at the eyes Neifeth has conjured in the mind. Playful, Fuerioth certainly is not - not right now at least. "Really? I should do a better job of remembering things. I wonder if we ran into each other before!" Reya continues on, aware of the disagreement between dragons, but paying it no mind. As the tip of a tail runs across her chin, she reaches up in an attempt to lightly grab it. Her finger tips dance across the forks if she's successful and a moment later her fingers release. "Ah yes, I am /very/ against fun!" She says it loudly enough that several passerbys give the Weyrwoman a fairly odd look before moving on their way. "But is that really all fun is to your, Nei? There's plenty of stuff to be doing in Monaco. I, for instance, work in the spa…and the bar, and in construction, and /sometimes/ I do paperwork." Basically Reya flits about amusing herself.
The frost pushed forward is captured, and suddenly everything is frozen before shattering into pieces. The rubble remains for a scant moment before it's pressed into dirt, allowing flowers of ice to bloom up, sharp and prickly Evi winces as it spills over. With a flash Neifeth pulls back, mind a relaxing forest of whimsical avians in bright gold, copper, sapphire, garnet, and emerald. This mental space is relaxing, a place beyond the wildest of imaginations with the fluffy trees pressing in to create a warm pine smell. Evi closes her eyes and lets her head lull to the side. Nei allows her tail to be captured, wiggling it like a tunnelsnake before pressing it back below the surface of the water. The way the words are said has the teen in fits of delight, giggling as she's comfortable in her own world. "Nei enjoys meeting new people, and offering.. advice." The word is said with a touch of mischief and then a sigh. "Construction and paperwork? That's awful." Two of Evi's least favorite things. "Do they not pay you enough?" Asking casually while reaching into her messenger bag and pulling out a caramel coated lollipop, the inside a sour flavor that balances it out well enough. "Want one?" offering the confection with a mumble, mouth full.
Fuerioth also settles in, her darkness retreating into a more grayscale. It seems the gold is content to watch whatever show Neifeth's mind puts on, though only select snippets will be conveyed to Reya - for the protection of her mind. "Well she gives /very/ interesting advice!" The Weyrwoman gives a short laugh before shaking her head at Evi, "Oh they pay me just fine, but if I just did what they paid me to do I'd be a /lot/ more bored!" Her gaze brightens excitedly at the offered confection and the woman nods her head eagerly, "That looks really good!" She does pause for a moment, patting around in her shorts until she successfully pulls out….a pen. "Oh uh…hrm." This is clearly not a worthy exchange so she points at the Lunar Shoals Pier, "Order something to drink whenever you want, or some food if you don't drink, it'll be on me. They can add it to my tab!" Which she promptly pays off thankfully!
Neifeth allows the colors to grow; it's soft and warm while being vast and alarmingly foreign. PLanet Nei is a place all it's own. As Fuerioth's backing off brings a flush of pleasure. Evi laughs, swallowing down a bite of her lollipop before wrinkling her nose. «I'm burdened with being right all the time.» Obviously. The words are said with a duh sound to them as if Reya should already know this. Evi raises her shoulders up to her ears. "Alright, I will when we come back. Reya? Yes? " Pulling out a notebook of fluffy pink hide, she writes the name down. "We've got to get back home, it was a pleasure meeting you." Standing up, Evi mounts the upper half of Neifeth, without straps, in a skirt. The skirt is specially made, as she unzips both sides and there are extra panels that allow it to expand. Once in place, Nei drags her body up on the dock and proceeds down it as if she owns the place. Waving a hand, the vision suddenly fades from Reya's mind, Neifeth's bright world going with her.