(no subject)

[born_in_flame]

Caleb hadn't been in the Nexus in a while between classes and grading and visits from his friends both new and old there just hadn't been time to visit. He had worried about Molly, he always worried about Molly given what he knew.

So it was a relief to get the strange text from his friend and head into what he considered his second home. He popped up just outside the tavern he enjoyed visiting when he was here. He looked around trying to puzzle out what Molly's words meant.

"Has anyone seen...an almost dragon," he asks sounding almost amused by the whole idea.

Comments

[born_in_flame]

Caleb smiles and moves closer to study the board then nods with a soft chuckle. "That is a very good drawing of Molly," he says as he kneels down. "Hello there," he adds his quiet voice carrying a musical accent that rolls and floats certain words and letters. He is dressed in a loose white shirt, dark pants and leather boots with a simple purple coat over it all. His burnished hair is pulled back in a ponytail and his hands are scarred and callused speaking of an interesting life. His eyes are a bright blue and carry a spark of curiosity in them.

"I think I can see why Molly wanted my help," he says as he pulls a leather bound book out of his coat pocket along with a pen and begins to write and sketch. "You wish to be better able to communicate with the residents here, yes?"

[cookedup]

Her head tilts, body language notably quizzical. How odd, to be spoken to so gently. Even when she was a hatchling, there was an awful lot of yelling around her. Stressed human voices: it's too strong for this enclosure! get the tranq!. But that's over now.

She is well over five meters tall when standing up, but since he's knelt down to appear less threatening, she decides to do the same, settling on her belly almost like a broody hen, except for the clawed arms folded in front of her. She sets her chin on the ground and chuffs, like a tiger.

Yes. Writing too slow. She scribbles on the board.

[born_in_flame]

Caleb nods as he works. "I can help with that," he says, "I am a man with some talent...and I can use those talents to help you and am more than happy to do so." He's being modest and he knows Molly would dispute this, but he also knows not every world has magic and he doesn't want to spook the creature just yet and ruin the fragile trust they have growing.

[cookedup]

She is willing to trust that his intentions are good--partly that comes from exposure to Molly, who took her shopping of all things and who also has horns and a tail and is therefore more dinosaur like than most of the people around here. Caleb is clearly his pack, so he must be okay-ish, right?

Magic talent? Does it hurt? Whether she means to ask if it hurts him or if it will hurt her is hard to tell, but it's probably worth having a discussion.

I am Indominus Rex. You can call me Queen for short.

[born_in_flame]

Caleb thought about how to answer the question. "Magic can hurt in the wrong hands," he admits, "but I only use my abilities to help and protect....I have seen what magic can do in the wrong hands and I will not repeat those mistakes."