| Impression! |
| Supremely bored, Smeakacia stood with rolled eyes and tapping foot in the bizarre group of ‘candidates’ for the abandoned dragons. “Curse you, P’terpan,” she hissed under her breath. She sat through the Impression of the weird, metal-bedecked blue and the smaller brown with the headband, considering what she could do to the wretched boy. “Pierth and Booyath. Thank Faranth they didn’t like me. I don’t see how I’m supposed to do this. I’m too old for this squat. Get me outta here and onto the seas again,” she implored the tall Healer woman…Baeris, yes, that was it. <<The seas... aye... I wanted t’be upon th’ seas once... An’ I hoped f’r the chance matey... But if yer’ gonna up n’ leave lik’at, I suppose I shall have’ta choose one o’th’ little seasquirts here...>> “Who said that?” asked Smeakacia, whirling about to see... the most amazing blue dragon lumbering toward her. He had a patch over an eye, and a hook on one of his forelimbs... As well as another on the end of his tail. “That... could do quite a bit of damage,” she said wincingly. <<Aye... that it could...>> The dragon’s voice was for all the world as salty and sea-scratchy as the most seasoned seaman’s. Smeakacia looked behind her, and saw Cheery Rajer—oh, bless him for being there!--nodding frantically. With great trepidation, Captain Sme put her callused hand onto the dark blue’s shoulder--and almost got it bit off! “Hey! What’s that all about?!” she yelled, and then realized that there was a bizarre mutant multi-colored flitter resting upon the blue’s meaty shoulder. It bit at her again, fanning its wings. “RAJER, take care of that violent little parrot-pest, will you?” “Aye captain captain Sme!” Rajer replied, gathering the flitter with ease. One of the youngest members of the group looked at his feet, and began bawling. “But I wanted the blue one! I wanna be a pirate! Arr!” Another boy put his arm over the younger one’s shoulder, and tried to calm him. “I did too... but only one of us can have him.” Gak looked up and with a seething expression added, “I didn’t think it’d be some ‘girl’.” “Nor did I, matey,” said Nemato, “but I plan on watchin’ that one closely...” Children… <<The name is Arbegarth, by th’ by,>> bespoke the blue dragon to Sme, <<an’ maybe ye’should consider takin’ on that little squirt on yer crew. He’s got potential, he has...>> “I *so* hate children...” Sme muttered, while her mind shrieked louder than the mutant flitter that she’d IMPRESSED. Impressed, at her age! “Maybe if they’re very, very good. I don’t know, Arbegarth, they might want to Impress a seagoing dragon themselves.” The burly blue swaggered off the Sands, and Sme, with the dismal realization that she’d be playing first-mate to this personality for a long time, strode after him. |
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