Fantasy Cursed Island

[Darkling0096]

Turac retreated into his shell at the smile of a lion as large as Asta, but looked a bit confused at his inquiry. Eleonora, being a snake and therefore deaf, decided to take Asta's bared teeth as a challenge and rose up as high as she could, baring her own fangs in turn.

 

[Fangs9090]

“...oh.” Asta stepped back and glanced towards the others. “I found them. And I think I frightened them...”

 

[Darkling0096]

Jerry choked back a laugh, "You do seem like you'd terrify small children." She'd have gotten up to retrieve Turac, but she couldn't move her right leg. Adran walked over to get Eleonora.

"What were you two doing?", Adran just laughed at the scene. What mischief could a turtle, a snake, and a bone get up to?

 

[Fangs9090]

"I believe he was giving her a ride on the bone."

Corona cleared her throat, glad she hadn't been drinking anything or she would've choked on it.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Hambone," Adran corrected, hopefully.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta looked at Adran. “Does it matter where the bone came from?”

 

[Darkling0096]

It did with this group, apparently. "You are so sheltered," Adran shook his head. "Eleonora," he extended a hand to the snake so she'd climb on, and brought her back to Erina.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta tilted his head before looking back to Turac. “Turac, come on. You’re not in trouble. Just stay where we can see you.”

 

[Darkling0096]

Turac poked his head out curiously before coming out of his shell and waddling up to Asta, nuzzling the chimera's leg.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta tried not to smile with his teeth this time, gently nudging Turac back towards where they could keep an eye on him.

 

[Darkling0096]

Turac happily waddled back to the group, looking up at his adoptive parents for attention or a treat. Babies were simple creatures.

"Is it just me or did Ella get heavier?", Adran asked as he returned to Erina with Eleonora.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta gave Turac a pat on the shell. It was odd seeing him try so hard to be gentle.

Erina glanced over and nodded. “She did seem to gain weight during this last meal. Noticeably so. I felt her getting heavier on my shoulders.”

 

[Darkling0096]

Turac waggled his tail and leaned into Asta's attention. "Kinda cute," Jerry giggled.

"Hmm," Adran nodded, "Snakes don't usually eat regular meals like we do, it might not be good for her to eat so often." Snakes Eleonora's size usually ate a rat and could go a week or two without another meal. Eleonora was definitely more active than that, so she might need to eat a bit more often, but three meals a day was probably too much.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta nodded. “I’m glad he’s not scared of me all the time.”

“Hm. We’ll need to put her on a diet then.”

 

[Darkling0096]

Jerry smirked and patted Asta's side, "Big and terrifying gets the job done, but deep down you're a teddy bear." Turac whined at Asta getting attention, so Jerry reached down to stroke the turtle's neck. "Jealous, aren't you?"


Adran nodded, "Let's just keep an eye on her for now." He got up and went into their tent as Ellone reappeared, fluttering down a different tunnel with a Floating Disc laden with multi-colored crystals.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle spotted Ellone as she returned, but more than that she spotted the crystals. "Shiny! Oof!" Leaning forward, she knocked herself over, giving a trill and wiggling as she found herself sideways.

 

[Darkling0096]

Ellone raised an eyebrow, "You idiots are still here?"

"You're keeping us from leaving where we want to go," Jerry pointed out.

 

[Fangs9090]

Niudisa shrugged. "I don't know why you think we're gonna change our minds."

 

[Darkling0096]

"We can trade for it if it'll speed you along," Emfa added.

"And what do you have you think I want?", Ellone asked.

 

[Fangs9090]

"Oh, nothing much. Just a crystal with a dragon soul inside it."

 

[Darkling0096]

Ellone paused, "That's interesting." She looked over at Jerry and Shuffle, "Is it one of their souls?"

 

[Fangs9090]

"Nope. It's a different one. I trapped it myself, and I made sure to keep the mind fully intact."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Oh?", the fairy's interest was piqued. "Can I see it?"

"Only if you promise to let us pass," Jerry clarified, "And we need it, so you can study it while we're here, but once we're out we're taking it with us."

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle lifted her head. "Or you can come along and keep studying it when we're not using it."

Niudisa's displeasure at the idea showed clearly on her face.

 

[Darkling0096]

Ellone looked down at Shuffle with a raised eyebrow, "That is going to depend entirely on how interesting this dragon soul proves."