A Study of the Fauna of Termina [For kasumu_sekai]

[feathered_mages]

The next time the younger Rydia sees the little Black Mages, they may seem a bit more prepared for a trip. At least judging from the new little grade-school-type backpacks they're sporting. Blaze had picked those up for them at the Nexus Mall, being of the opinion that visiting other worlds was a great opportunity to pick up Shiny Things and that it might help to have something to carry them in. He couldn't use a backpack himself, what with the wings, but he has no doubts about their usefulness.

Comments

[feathered_mages]

Zubora chuckles at that. "Not the whole mountain, just the ice and snow. It should have been Spring long before this, but..." he gives another uneasy glance towards the Magelets, "I heard some weird-looking kid with a pointy hat put some kind of curse on the place. You've missed the worst of it. Even our forge was frozen in a solid chunk of ice."

[feathered_mages]

"I didn't say that," protests Zubora, holding his hands up as if in surrender. "It's just... how many pointy-hatted weird looking kids can there be?"

"Hmph. More than us," grumbles Mistral, petting the Hiploop.

The Magelets, meanwhile, seem oblivious to this as they creep up on Gabora. But he's spotted them, and once they're in range he'll just scoop up the closest Magelet - Luca - for a closer look.

[mage_hatchlings]

Zubora's looking a little embarrassed as he starts sharpening that knife. He might have said something else, but that's when he spots Gabora with the Magelets. "Gabora, be careful with those!"

"Gruuu?" Gabora just pets Luca some more, occasionally lifting the chubby Magelet up to face height to get a better look or rocking Luca like a baby doll. He'll grumble something unintelligible.

Which, somehow, Zubora seems to understand. "They're not toys. And you can't keep it." This is followed with a muttered "Idiot." from Zubora.

"I think the bigger Mages would be sad if someone kept us," says Juro.

[mage_hatchlings]

Juro's happy to be snuggled, and snuggles back. Zubora just works on sharpening that knife.

Gabora droops a bit at being told he can't keep the Magelets, which only prompts the rest of them - except Juro, Mistral, and Luca - to snuggle around the giant's legs in an attempt to cheer him up. "But we can visit, maybe," suggests Luca.

[mage_hatchlings]

Zubora tries to ignore Gabora petting the Magelets. "You know, the whole mountain doesn't thaw in spring. I've heard the peak stays frozen, but it's dangerous up there."

((Caught some stupid bug at the grocery store that has made me oversleep among other things for a few days and get majorly behind. Trying to get caught up now... though I'm kind of out of ideas for this.))

[mage_hatchlings]

Mistral sits on the Hiploop while they wait.

"High winds, narrow ledges, lots of ice, and a long drop if you fall," says Zubora. "You'd have to ask the Gorons about it," he adds with a shrug, "I've never been up there."

Meanwhile, Gabora has settled on the floor, with Magelets piled all around him. They're starting to look dozy.

[feathered_mages]

The knife is soon done, though not before the Magelets have managed to doze off... and it seems dozy Magelets have a similar effect on giant Gabora, as he's snoozing as well.

[mage_hatchlings]

Zubora will let her know the price. It's not much.

Meanwhile, Gabora seems sound asleep under a Magelet Pileup.

[mage_hatchlings]

Sleepy Magelets are snuggly things, and though it's not hard to wake them and coax them off Gabora, they then try to snuggle-pile around Rydia instead. Mistral leaves the hiploop for a moment to try to help prevent this.

[mage_hatchlings]

The Magelets yawn and rub at their faces, but finally they're all awake again. They'll all nod sleepily when going home is mentioned.

"We don't want the bigger Mages to worry," says Luca.

"And I'm hungry," adds Galen.

Yep, Magelets need dinner and a nap, it seems. And Mistral will be glad to get home as well. He wouldn't mind a snack himself, and he's almost out of crystals to charge.

[mage_hatchlings]

The Magelets seem to perk up a little once they're out of the warm forge and back in the cool early-spring air. They scatter slightly, looking at trees, stray butterflies, or the occasional flower.

Mistral herds his hiploop out the door, and then realizes they'll have to round the Magelets back up to PINpoint back to the Nexus. He does a quick pointy-hat count to make sure they're at least still all in sight.

[mage_hatchlings]

Food? Distracted Magelets are easily re-distracted and beeline over to snuggle around for PINPointing.

"Maybe Mr. 44 has made cookies," says Kaze.

[feathered_mages]

Mistral double-checks to make sure the Hiploop is also snuggled into the pile - he doesn't want to leave it behind by accident - and then nods.