psychoshenanigans | GRATIA // PSL

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GRATIA // PSL

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

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[it's hard for Tek to see anything that far across the water... especially now that it seems to have stopped moving, or maybe disappeared. it doesn't feel like there's anything over there, just more of the forest that stretches for miles and miles.

Robin lowers his arm.] We should go.

[he tosses his last shard a short distance into the water, but turns to head back for the line of trees with sudden seriousness.]

[...and Tek's big, scaly butt doesn't move from the sand. he takes his time in glancing back toward Robin, somehow looking even more casual and relaxed than he had been while actually relaxing.

he wants to know, 'why?']

[of course he wants to know. Robin calls back over his shoulder as he continues walking away, not about to stop on his (beloved) idiot friend's account.]

We've been spotted. He's probably going to go run and tell his--

[he pauses, strangely.] --Friends.

[which is where Robin starts backing slowly away from the treeline, because there are at least four bows drawn on him from the underbrush, equipped with wicked-looking arrows.]

[Tek hadn't felt the group approach, which is strange... but once it's confirmed that it appears to just be a few local humans, Tek laughs.

The sound is much more hideous growl than anything else, but at least Robin will get the idea. and he finally stands up--the motion continuing out into his wings and spines and aura until he's entirely unfurled and looming before whoever it is that is daring to bother them.

the wicked snarling begins immediately. and by the low welling of power that Robin would be able to catch at the edges of his attention, he's planning on doing more than just that.]

[the underbrush actually shuffles back a little as the dragon begins to unfurl, with some more figures peeling away from the trees. human shapes start to become discernible as a couple of them point their bows towards Tek. they're wearing cloaks of leaves and wrappings of soft bark. instead of faces, they all seem to be wearing masks that blend in with the colors around them, with many resembling the faces of wide-eyed, exaggerated animals.

despite the threat of being shot, Robin turns back to Tek in an instant, putting up his hands in a very clear signal to stop.]

No, no no no-- [his nine voices all sound genuinely distressed.] Don't do that! Dooon't do that!

[Robin is lucky that Tek likes him. that's probably the only reason he's considering listening to him at all.

still snarling (now with acidic drool beginning to pool around his teeth and drip from his jaw), the dragon begins to gather his weight in his shoulders, leaning down as if he's preparing to charge toward the fascinating little creatures in the trees.

again, he asks, 'why?']

Because... [for whatever reason, in his anxiety, he finally switches to what he can remember of the dragon language.] They're good people.

[well, that is.. a very sentimental statement, coming from Robin. a few more of them appear, coming forward from where they were hidden near bushes and stones, but none of them advance past the tree line. a couple of the masks turn to one another, or hesitantly let some slack into their bows as this scene unfolds...]

I don't want them as enemies. [Robin continues to explain, hands still up.] If you hurt them now, word will spread to every tribe in the forest.

[Tek sighs with more drama than he's really feeling over this. honestly, he mostly thinks it would just be fun to mess with these humans. in light of a few specific incidents during his involuntary interplanetary adventure years ago, he now approaches encounters with local inhabitants with a little more restraint than he used to.

when he snarls that he 'just wanted to scare them a little bit,' it still sounds terrifying to the average listener, and he doesn't let his murderous gaze fall away from his targets for a second... but Robin will be able to distinguish the playful lilt to it. he's taking his time, but he's slowly making the progression toward backing down.]

[and, in hearing a little bit of that... playful tone, he finally lowers his arms some and all of his voices sigh in unison. Tek may find enough amusement just seeing him deflate and knowing he'd nearly given Robin a heart attack.]

Well, you're doing a good job. [back to his normal language and now fully standing, he turns to regard the line of people in the forest, most of which are still holding on their position.] Just keep telling me all about it. In complete sentences.

[two of them begin talking in lowered tones, but still no movement.]

[perhaps to spite Robin (more than he already has) the first thing that Tek does is croon in wordless amusement. he does, however, lower his predatory pose into a more relaxed crouch. his head slinks down near Robin, practically hovering over his shoulder, and his tail lashes dangerously behind him, but it amounts to him looking more like an animal wanting to play with something than one about to tear into an enemy.

he does eventually speak again, though he doesn't go out of his way to sound less snarly when he does. 'why? do you think they'll mistake me for your pet?']

[Robin seemed to be listening intently to whatever it was that the two hunters were saying... but even in this form, it's clear that he's giving Tek a look when he tilts his head sharply to glance over his shoulder.]

Don't be like that. [he didn't seem to have found the statement particularly funny.] If you're capable of speech, you aren't a monster. It's probably the only reason they haven't started shooting yet...

[one of the archers to the side perks up, suddenly, calling clearly across the shore to both inhuman creatures.]

Z'чσ írα Dєrshαk?

[it sounds like a woman's voice, low and authoritative. their cloak is draped in such a way that they look exactly like the leaves of the tree they're hiding in. their legs are exposed, but it's hard to tell with how they're painted to blend with the twisting bark. their mask looks like some kind of a jungle cat with large, gaping eyes and exaggerated spots. round ears that fan backwards, but no teeth.

Robin regards her directly, answering in his Gods' language and speaking loud enough for all of them to hear.]

Za'. E mina gryn Kalaket, yg Cl'rain Gyt'tys.

[the person speaking finally straightens a little, uncurling from their crouched position and revealing glimpses of a brown tunic, heavily embroidered with green and grey threads. it turns out that the movement is so that they can laugh--which causes several more of the hunters to lower their bows. the ones closest to the speaker, however, do not budge.]

E mчl sєlh l'hαn gчr lєnα, dσl є rαnαndαr z'чσ.

[and that's about when Tek realizes that their language not only sounds familiar, it's comprehensible to him on the same strange, innate level that Robin's language is. it's just as if the people here are speaking it with a heavy accent.]

[as if he's just a feline perched innocuously on a nearby windowsill, Tek settles down into comfortably-hunched shoulders, tail flicking while he casually watches the whole exchange before him. his head is almost resting on the sand beside Robin; if he'd been more humanoid, he would have had his chin propped in his hands.

just to distract him, Tek makes sure that he has as many languages to juggle as possible. the phrasing isn't what he's used to, but it sounds like the dragon is maybe asking if his friends are 'fun' or 'boring.']

[it almost gets him. he's juggling several things at once, so he nearly makes the mistake of telling Tek to be quiet in a language that literally everyone here could understand. as it is, he only turns his head a little, nearly opens his mouth, but thinks better of it. it's maybe not much to the others, but very telling for Robin. and it means that these people are probably fun.

in the silence where Robin isn't answering, there are whispers between the others--the word Dєrshαk gets mentioned between them an awful lot. it almost sounds familiar, like the root of it is something Tek has heard before, maybe.]

You bring a very large beast to our forest, Dєrshαk. [the person speaking finally lowers their bow, but not enough that they couldn't easily point it at the ready again.] Have you brought us an omen of destruction? Do we stare into our own deaths as I speak?

[they sound very amused by their own statement, however. not at all the sound of someone who is particularly worried about dying. Robin shakes his head, trying to explain.]

He is a creature of death, but we do not wish it upon anyone today. We would like to pass through peacefully.

[the dragon is technically still being talked around, but he isn't going to act like that's the case. he croons again when he's spoken about--a low bass rumble that is maybe frightening but not threatening--and he lifts his chin with pride and intent.

the glow of his eyes narrow to lazy slits. he fans his mane of spines. he is reveling in the attention.

and then he shifts his weight forward a little (slowly, so as to hopefully avoid startling the hunters who have not yet lowered their guard), now less hanging right beside Robin and more directly addressing the leader of the group.

he growls his own name in their direction--fully knowing that they won't understand him, but maybe it will prompt Robin to translate and bring them closer to a real conversation.]

[it's hard to get a read on these people, even if they are human. some of them are a little nervous, some seem to be in awe, others do not seem to be much of anything. between their masks and their mysterious energy, they could almost pass for the forest itself. several of them have started drifting away, quietly keeping watch in other directions while the rest wait for further orders.

their leader seems to be responding to the situation well. their feline mask perks up in attention to the dragon, revealing a tall coil of beads wrapped around their neck. greys with accents of purple and green, very unlike the styles of the Underground he's seen.

Robin does not make a move or tell Tek to stop... no matter how much he may want to. this is... not going poorly, exactly, but his voices still have the slight edge of hesitance to them when he bridges the gap in language.]

This is Tehketsio. He wanders like I do.

[the speaker is silent for a moment, possibly considering something, before they fully lower their bow and return their arrow to a quiver at their side. they pick up a long, heavy-looking spear from where it was hidden beside them before hopping down from their branch. they only take a couple of steps on the ground before plunging the spearhead firmly down into the soft dirt of the shore beside them, leaving it behind as they continue walking.

this elicits some response from the others, some gasps and another wave of muttering. the archers, the good ones, still have not moved or said a single word, and do not seem phased by their leader abandoning their weapons to approach a giant manifestation of death itself.]

[in lacking most of the traditional ways to make facial expressions, the dragon relies on other body language to fill in the gaps. the spines on his neck bristle with interest when the leader first lowers their bow, and this gesture highlights the easy way that they fall back again when the hunter then buries their spear and approaches.

this is good. he is curious and means no harm. he straightens up as the hunter crosses the sand toward him, but it's only to not look quite as lazy as he had a moment before. it's a sign of respect, and his tongue flicks to eagerly taste the air as they get close.

'name,' Tek asks, hoping Robin will continue to be so polite as to translate.]

[it turns out that there's a lot to look at, underneath the cloak and camouflage. standing revealed a full tunic, well-fitted and embroidered with a complicated mural of human figures, flora, and several mysterious creatures. a dark jaguar seems to be at the center of it, creating a circle from head to tail over their sternum.

their clothing does not leave much to the imagination. their chest is bound with linens and what little skin isn't covered in paint seems to be marked with lines of tattooed runes that look very similar to the ones Robin draws around those magical circles of his. they look strong and healthy for a human--especially compared to the pale, withering humans living in the caves below them.

this person stops about halfway between the trees and the dragon, lifting their mask up to reveal a confident, smiling face. strong-jawed, dark skin, bright blue eyes. there's a clay-red patch of paint across their face that looks like it was applied some time ago; it has mostly worn away now. they can't be much older than their early twenties.

Robin is very hesitant to continue with introductions, because he doesn't really want Tek introducing the idea of a death dragon to an entire culture of people quite like this... but he doesn't really get a chance, because their leader speaks first, directly addressing Tek.]

Bч z'чσ fmч's n'z c'pααsh? Sєch lч єmlrч'вσsα.

[i's not only a desire to spite Robin that drives Tek to be so social with these humans--it's also a deep, fond sense of nostalgia. it reminds him of his very young years, interacting with tribes and communities nestled out in the wild, far from the prying eyes and influence of other more powerful beings, human and dragon alike.

forgetting his companion entirely, he addresses the human directly with a pleasant rumble and distinct bob of his head. yeah, he understands. guess they practically don't need their translator at all...]

[Robin watches their leader carefully, saying nothing... something about their face reminds him of something. though he does take a quiet step closer to Tek in his silence, as if to hiding in the dragon's shadow could perhaps remove him from the scene entirely.

the human before them nods, pleased that they can speak to this strange creature directly; their next move is to bow deeply, crossing one arm to their opposing hip in a closed-fist salute of some kind.]

I am Kaanan, of the Silent Fangs. My life is nothing to you, so I am humbled to stand before you and still live.

[the dragon lifts his chin in acknowledgement, clearly pleased with the introduction. and with the way that he then replies, it's easy to imagine that he is replying to the human with something that would make sense in response.

however, his words are entirely for Robin, asking him whether or not his lovely mortal friends here are always so flattering.]

Yes. [says Robin, flatly, in common. the speaker continues, continuing to bow graciously even as their attention turns toward Robin.]

And to you, Dєrshαk, I cannot imagine that you remember me, but--

[Robin interrupts them.] One of Kalaket's children. You're the only one who didn't try to speak to me. I remember.

[surprise crosses their face as they're acknowledged, but they remain as they are, even as their smile turns a little bashful.] You gave me a flower.

Sounds like me. [the demigod hooks a hand around some part of Tek's neck, probably a spine, just to keep himself grounded as he speaks.] You've grown since then.

But not forgotten, [the speaker finally straightens again, putting a hand on their mask as if they intend to lower it again.] Nor has Kalak. You've come at a fortuitous time, Dєrshαk, and I seem to recall that you promised her a favor.

...Oh. [says Robin, finally realizing that what was nearly a decade ago for him was only three years ago for these people.] That also sounds like me.

[the whole exchange between them is immensely entertaining, but it's the last little revelation that really tickles Tek. he doesn't say anything right away, but his tail does swish audibly over the sand and scrubby plants behind him and he cants his head enough that Robin can get the clear feeling that he's being glanced at.

a favor, huh? he can't wait to hear the story behind this one.]

[Kaanan, as they called themselves, seems to read Tek's posture very well, and they turn to regard the dragon again with just the hint of a smirk in their otherwise very polite smile.]

Can you wear the skin of a man, as he does?

[they gesture towards Robin, who in turn, tilts his head and looks up at Tek. whatever he thinks about it being a good idea or not, he doesn't have a clue how Tek feels about the topic, especially in front of a group of humans.]

[the dragon's eyes narrow--partially in amusement and partially in thoughtful calculation. he has a few things to mull over before responding, but he ultimately lifts his head in acknowledgement as he'd done before, and has a side comment that he hopes Robin will translate for him.

the first part is a warning about the fact that he won't be nearly as impressive as he is now... though, the specific word he uses can be equally translated as 'beautiful.' and the second part is a question, asking if they would be more comfortable with him wearing his 'false face']

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GRATIA // PSL

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