Alexander Dragon Training 2

## Story

> Jen
>
>

*This time, upon arriving through the rift, Alexander would find himself in a quaint little study of sorts, within the second story of a streamside cottage if the window is anything to go by. A couple of large bookshelves pepper the walls, and sat at a table near the middle is Villentretenmerth himself, sipping from a rounded cup of some form of tea Alex is unfamiliar with.*
"Ah, good morning Alex, it's excellent to see that you're still in good health. Care for some tea? It's a blend of herbs the farmers from my last stop use to energize themselves for the day, though if I'm honest, I value it more for being delicious" *He admits with a chuckle, moving to pour a cup for his guest.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander lacked his wings when he first arrived, however, upon seeing Villentrentenmerth, immediately summoned them. Whether Alex realized the thought process or not, he was beginning to only show his wings when they were needed, like on missions, or around people that were 'safe'.

Villentrentenmerth was one of those people.

So there was a sense of comfort and calm that came with returning here, and Alexander smiled upon seeing him. He walked up to the table the older dragon was sitting at and nodded. "I'd love to have some tea. Thank you."

Moving to sit at the table with him, he waited until the cup of tea was completed and offered to him to take it.

Drinking tea with a mentor was a familiar ritual to him.

> Jen
>
>

*The cup is poured for him with a few overtly fanciful motions, and his mentor takes another long draw of his own, sighing out through his nose with closed eyes and a contented smile.*

"So, tell me about where you're from. I believe last time we barely scratched the surface, with mentions of the Acrean high council and your position as mage of the phoenix. The first place we truly call home helps shape us into who we are, so what of yours?"

*Whether he notices the slip with Alexander's wings or not, he makes no indication of it.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander takes a sip of the tea himself, a calm smile on his face as he does so, his tail swaying slightly side to side from where it’s resting on the ground.

He seems to be thinking a bit as he looks into his tea. “Acrea was a really beautiful country. We did our best to appropriately balance nature with progress so most cities were surrounded by beautiful landscapes. I loved the people and the towns and the forests...”

He smiles a bit, but it's a little sour when he does.

"A lot of that's gone now though."

> Jen
>
>

*Villentretenmerth closes his eyes for a moment and lets out a breath through his nose, a moment of respectful silence for those Alex has lost, and for the weight on his shoulders. Opening them again, he offers a smile and swirls his teacup, ensuring remaining sugar properly mixes in cooling drink.*
"Perhaps some day you'll gain the strength necessary to restore it, if that is what you so wish. But what brings you to see me today? Have you a preference for what challenge we tackle?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander took a deep breath, trying to figure out why he'd come here in the first place. He knew he'd wanted to see Villentrenenmerth again, but, why? Exactly? He rubbed at his cup as he stared into the drink, thinking.

"I brought my brother here, not long after you and I saw eachother." He admits, thinking on what's been happening the past several days. "I didn't realize it, but I started hiding my wings. I started slipping back into old habits from back home. From where people were scared of people like me. Nicolai kept trying to enforce them..."

He didn't blame his brother. But he was starting to realize how much he liked his feral form. It had been uncomfortable hiding so much. He was still doing it out of reflex around his brother, but he was getting a little better.

He looks off to the side. "There was a fight with this... army of spirits. At one point I set them on fire, and it caused an explosion, and it almost got one of my teammates killed. I managed to save him, but we ended up in the center of the fight. The spirits became this giant spirit dragon, and when I realized I didn't have anything left to fight with I just... froze."

"Then, I got attacked on this last mission and was momentarily crippled by this... fish creature that attacked us. It got me to the ground and started trying to attack me while I was prone. I didn't know what else to do so I tried to counter it's attack with fire and it... didn't go well. I hurt pretty much everyone in the cave."

His breath is a little shaky as he speaks. "When we got home, Nicolai reminded me of our suppression techniques... there was a fight and I didn't know how to diffuse it. Everyone was mad at my brother."

"I keep feeling *trapped* and I don't know what to do about it... I guess I'm just... wanting to be able to protect the people around me better."

> Jen
>
>

*He nods along in understanding, otherwise moving only to pour himself a fresh cup of tea and offer Alex a refill. Once his explanation is done, he allows the air some silence for a moment, before taking a long, drawn out drink from his tea.*
"I see... I'm very sorry to hear that, different cultures clashing is never an easy thing to deal with. I realize you may not know how to proceed, but if I may ask, what is the *outcome* you desire? Sometimes, to find our path we must first visualize the destination, so let's imagine ourselves in the future for a moment, if you'll humour me- What are things like?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander remembers his conversation with Chris a little while ago. How he's seeking God Tier because he wants to help people. Because he wants to see if he can try fighting back the Tar by healing the things around it rather than fighting destruction with destruction. He still needed to read Homestuck...

But this wasn't about anyone else really, was it? This training was about becoming more confident in himself. It was about embracing his Draconic nature. It was about becoming as comfortable and confident with his Draconic self as he was with his Elven self.

It was about embracing who he was.

He accepts the refill and sips as he thinks on how to respond. It was hard trying to imagine around all the roadblocks he and Nicolai had built...

"I'm not sure how to get there, but... Somewhere in the future I want to have become more comfortable with who and what I am. I see myself being more like you."

> Jen
>
>

*A cheeky grin crosses his timeworn face, and he's quick to offer Alex a wink.*

"Sounds like you're on the right track already, then."

*He takes a glance outside the window, noting how nice it may be to take a nap under the sun's rays, and reminisces on days past where such things may not have been safe to do.*

"So, the future you want is a confident one, and what steps would you like to take today? We could go the more direct route and work on your draconic abilities, or we could do some internal work, look inwards and strengthen the mind. It's up to you, Alex."

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alex couldn't help the smile that spread over his face with Villentrentenmerth affirmed his declaration, and he felt the same comforting feeling he'd felt the last time he was here with the older Dragon. He was safe here.

"Direct route or internal...?"

He paused, thinking.

Which did he want to do? It would probably be easier to develop more draconic abilities if he could get himself through some of his mental road blocks.

But he also wanted to figure out more of what his draconic nature was capable of.

....

Maybe if he trained more of his draconic abilities he'd feel more confident about having them. It had helped a bit with his dragon fire.

"I think I want to work on my Draconic abilities today, if that's okay."

> Jen
>
>

*A glimmer of interest sparkles in his eyes, and he places his elbows atop the table, interlacing his fingers and leaning forwards.*
"Any particular ideas you'd like to try out? This area is safe, no one besides the flowers in the meadow below will be in any danger today- and they're well within my ability to restore once we're done."

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander smiled a bit, and tried to think of what he wanted to do first. There wasn't a lot he knew his particular blend of dragon could do. After all there weren't a lot of draconic elves back home in Acrea, but he did know what the draconic blood within him was capable of. His ancestors. Even still he found himself struggling to come up with an idea.
"I'm not entirely sure what my limitations are here, but I don't think I have a particular place I want to start. I'm just excited to understand myself better."

> Jen
>
>

*He humms, before sliding his chair back and standing.*

"Well, how about we make our way outside then, see what kind of techniques come naturally as we spend our time outdoors together" *He says while stretching, walking towards the larger window and pushing it open, before settling a foot atop the windowsill.*

*With a single graceful leap, he flings himself out towards the meadow, morphing fluidly from humanoid form to draconic as he moves through the air.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Oh that was familiar. Alex had flown out of many windows before in a similar fashion, but as he watched his mentor leave the window, shifting gracefully into his draconic form, he found some part of him aching for the same thing. So Alex, standing from his seat, followed the dragon out the window, catching himself on his wings as he follows Villen through the air.

> Jen
>
>

*Stretching out in his full form, the golden dragon settles down much like how a cat might in the sun.*
"Aaaah, I do love soaking in the sun's heat. No matter the world I may be travelling through, more often than not their sun's radiation is a pleasant one. Have you ever tried it?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander nodded as he rejoined Villen, joining him on the ground. "Yeah, I used to go sunbathing with a friend of mine pretty frequently." He says, landing on the ground and stretching out his wings.

He missed the way his wings used to be, before all the metal.

He kinda regretted choosing his wings to be augmented, though the benefits had been helpful, he couldn't feel as much as he used to, or at least, it didn't feel the same.

"It's nice to feel it on your wings as they heat up. I really enjoyed going out and laying with her."

> Jen
>
>

*Villen stretches himself out with a big sigh, basking in the warmth.*

"Have you ever let it seep fully through you? Tried to feel the power within the sun's rays, and absorbed it within yourself?"

*He seems to be hinting at something here...*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alex watches Villen for a moment, slowly beginning to catch on. He also moves to lay down, not \_quite\_ mimicking the movements of Villen, but still rather close as he makes his way to settling into the ground. He lets his wings spread out and bask under the sun.

"I think I've only ever just enjoyed it." He hums, a gentle trill coming through as he does so, and while before, he would have become anxious over the sound... now it's just nice. He feels comfortable there.

As the sun hits his spread out form, Alex makes the attempt to focus on it. How it feels on his scales, on what remains of the leathery membrane of his wing. For the first time, he tries to also feel it on his skin, embracing the feeling and accepting it into himself.

He is a Dragon, after all.

> Jen
>
>

*Roll me your magic stat and a 1d100.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

> Jen
>
>

*The warmth begins to spread through Alexander's body in a way he's never experienced before and for a moment, he's invigorated, at ease- And just as soon as it began, it's over.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alex blinks as he feels it Vanish, his body tensing for a moment like he'd lost something and he pulls himself up onto his elbows. "I lost it... But I think I know what you're talking about."

> Jen
>
>

"Lost it? But the day is still young and the sun is still there, plenty of time to let it soak in..."
*He rests his maw on the flowery ground and inhales deeply, enjoying the scent of wildflowers and grass.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

That was true.

Alexander glanced up at the sun and let it soak into his face for a moment as he contemplated a lot of things. It was another moment before he laid himself back down and settled into his arms.

This was nice.

Taking, deep, calm breaths, he tried again, focusing on the rays of heat beating into his skin and scales.

> Jen
>
>

*Alexander soaks the energy into himself, bathing his face and neck in the warm rays as well as his outstretched wings, feeling the warmth radiate throughout, feeling it pool in his very core- And then slowly, almost unwillingly, it slips away again.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

There's a slight, frustrated beat of his tail on the ground as he feels the magic slip from him again.

With a slight, indignant huff, he attempts again, his tail gently swishing from side to side in the grass. He wanted to figure this out.

> Jen
>
>

*A result, similar to the previous, though slight improvement can be noted.*

*Seeing Alex grow frustrated, Villen lazily lifts his head from the meadow, playfully nudging Alex's own in a way one might give a noogie. A fanning of warm breath flits through his hair in a manner familiar to Alex from their previous encounter, and he rolls onto his back in order to expose his belly to the sky.*

"All in good time, hasty one."

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alex frowns a little bit at the noogie, but the breath through his hair settles him, and he lets out a sigh.

He had all day.

He settles, the swish of his tail through the flowers being more of a contented one as he just, lays there and keeps trying to focus. Keeps trying to find just how to hold onto the magic of the sun beating into him.

> Jen
>
>

*It's so close, like an epiphany on the edge of his tongue, like a memory just out of reach... He's not sure what exactly is supposed to be happening, but he's nearly managed to achieve it, that much is for sure.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alexander deepens his focus into it, no distractions. He was so so close.

> Jen
>
>

*Finally something just... Clicks. Alexander's heartbeat is as one with the thrum of energy flowing through his body, and he feels... At ease, soothed, **Strong.***

### [Brass Dragon Physiology] Solar Empowerment:

While the sun's flames may seem impossibly far away, their heat and light still reach you, leaving you feeling energized and at one with the celestial body. Once per encounter, if you are in direct sunlight, you may use a simple action to empower the remainder of your actions for this turn.

"Aaah, there. You feel it now, yes? The heat of the sun not just in your skin and scales but in your veins? In your very soul? It's simply... Delightful" *He comments, letting out a yawn of sorts as he continued to laze about.*

Alexander Varias

Alex's tail seems to speed up its pace as it finally clicks for him, a smile spreading across Alex's face as he turns over and just *basks* in the sunlight. Tension in his muscles fade, his heart calm and his soul at peace he just makes a point to enjoy the sunlight surrounding him.

"Yeah I do." He says with a broad smile on his face, his wings stretching out as far as they can like he's trying to soak up as much of the sunlight as he can.

He tilts his head to Villentrentenmerth and smiles. "Thank you for being willing to train me again today."

Jen

*A cutious tilt of his large golden head, and an almost purr like noise leaves his throat, appreciative in his own right.*

"Hm? It's I who should be thanking you for such wonderful company, it's been a long time since I made such an interesting and earnest friend, let alone one I can teach in such a manner. I realize they charge you a fee to be sent here to see me, but as far as I am concerned you are *always* welcome"

Alexander Varias

Alex smiled, "Well I like being here, so hopefully I can find a way to come more frequently later."

It was nice being around the larger dragon, it made something deep within him feel safe, like he was among his own kind. More so than when he was among other elves, which was strange to him, thinking logically, but... instinctually he enjoyed it.

"Can I stay here for a while this time? Or do I have to go again?" He asks, not really wanting to leave just yet, but remembering how abruptly he had to leave last time. He wanted to just bask in the sun for a while...

Jen

*A hearty chuckle escapes his mentor, followed by a pleased sigh as he fully relaxes once more.*

"There is no danger for today, Alex. We may enjoy our time together in the sun for as long as it bids to bathe us."