(2023-04-05) Bruuk's Brothers: The Baby Dragon

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Arthur, Jonas, Mansia, Mayellen, Nesselos, and Sandy join for the usual Bruuk's Corner evening. Sandy brings his baby dragon along! ~3700 words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Bros of Bruuk's Corner

The Cobalt evening at Bruuk’s Corner commences.
[Mayellen]: I can pay for my own!
[Jonas]: … oh. I hadn't realized I was in charge. Someone ought've warned me.
Mayellen sounds almost panicked. Cute boy not buy drink.
Nesselos stomps clumsily up the stairs. "Archenon Poros! This is the Cobalt gathering?"
[Arthur]: Why would you? It's on the account. I'm just signing the chit.
[Mayellen]: Well, now I've warned you, Jonas. If you don't want people to think you're in charge, be less competent and/or don't be the first to arrive.
[Mayellen]: Oh, hello there sir.
Mayellen waves at you.
[Mayellen]: I'm Mayellen Mullby.
[Jonas]: Well, I wasn't the first, so that's one. I'm afraid the competence can't be amended, though.
Jonas nods affably at Nesselos.
[Arthur]: nod
Arthur nods at you.
[Mayellen]: Drink enough dwarven booze and that'll take care of the competence part, Jonas.
[Jonas]: Ah, well. That you won't see.
[Jonas]: Are you with Cobalt, sir, or looking for them?
Jonas peers at you searchingly.
[Nesselos]: I am WITH Cobalt! I am a Cobalt Mercenary! That's me, Nesselos the Cobalt Mercenary!
[Nesselos]: Are you fine folk all Cobaltians too?
[Mayellen]: We are!
Sandy walks up the stairs, wearing an actual, badly coordinated outfit don't look at his pvp armor armor he's not wearing that. He's wearing a backpack on his belly. "Hi everyone!"
[Arthur]: I'm Arthur Reeves, Cobalt Blade.
Mayellen eyes Sandy up and down.
[Sandy]: Oh, hello Ness! Hello Ben!
Nesselos turns in astonishment. "Sandy!"
[Jonas]: Jonas Hazan, just regula— sorry?
Jonas blinks at Sandy.
[Jonas]: Oh, right.
[Jonas]: I do get that, a bit.
Arthur eyes Sandy up and down.
[Jonas]: We've not actually met. I'm Jonas.
[Mayellen]: Did … did he just call you Ben?
Mayellen narrows her eyes at Sandy.
Sandy blinks back. "You're… not Ben! You're just sitting in his chair, with a similar… face on!"
Nesselos laughs.
[Jonas]: … I have got a similar face on, yes. I am told.
[Arthur]: That happened to me too.
Nesselos keeps laughing, for a little too long. "…similar… face on…"
[Sandy]: It's so good to see you, Nesselos! So you've joined Cobalt Company?
[Nesselos]: Yes! Have you decided to stop being a warlock?
Sandy coughs awkwardly. "I, um… Well, that's a good question!"
Mayellen 's mouth almost disappears, so tightly are her lips pressed together.
[Sandy]: I met a warlock professor who said that it'd be too late to change anything anyway, so, uh… I'm still considering it! At least a little bit.
Jonas looks cautiously between May and Sandy.
[Mayellen]: Which professor?
[Nesselos]: Oh… hm… I did some research too, and it looks like you could be a shaman instead! *Ness says this with the air of someone delivering good news*
Jonas eyes Sandy dubiously. Could he, though?
[Sandy]: Pippinlopper! He's a gno— wait what?!
[Mayellen]: Humans can't be shamans. I don't think. None ever have, anyway.
Mansia looks directly over Sandy's head. "Nessy!"
[Mayellen]: For whatever reason, the elements don't seem to talk to us.
[Jonas]: Never know what a human might be if they set their mind to it.
Sandy jumps at the sudden voice coming from behind him, protectively placing his hands around his backpack.
Mansia waves eagerly with both hands at Nesselos.
[Mayellen]: I think, dear friend, that there is only so far determination can take one. Otherwise I'd be a priestess.
[Nesselos]: Why not? He could try. It might work. Nobundo was the first draenei shaman.
[Nesselos]: Mansia!
[Mayellen]: I mean, I'm saying, humans have tried. Almost as soon as they found out there was such a thing. Humans do that sort of thing, you know, we always have to try to copy everything we see.
Sandy steps away from the reunion.
[Nesselos]: I was just explaining draenei history, and why I think humans can be shamans, Mansia!
[Mayellen]: They can't.
[Mayellen]: But feel free to go on thinking that, I guess I can't stop you.
Mayellen shrugs at you. Who knows?
[Mansia]: Hmm…!
[Arthur]: It looks like your hair is on fire but it's not burning.
[Sandy]: … It's worth a try, right?
[Nesselos]: Draenei were not shamans for many millenia, and then there was Nobundo.
Mansia plunks herself into a chair.
[Mayellen]: That's different. None of you even tried before him.
[Nesselos]: Are you sure?
[Mayellen]: He was the first draenei to want to.
[Mayellen]: Also notice that there are now hundreds of draenei shamans.
[Mansia]: Oh, no, I wanted to first~.
[Mayellen]: It is not a hard thing for you to become.
[Mayellen]: Whereas humans have tried, and it has never happened.
[Nesselos]: Well… maybe once the first one makes it, the rest have it easier.
[Mayellen]: Fine, well, what do I know, I'm just a dumb little girl. You men go on talking, I guess.
Mayellen scowls and waves over Edris.
[Mansia]: I am not!
Nesselos blinks at her.
Mansia points at herself with both hands.
[Jonas]: … sorry, what?
[Sandy]: Isn't being a shaman just… making friends with the elements? Maybe I would be loveable enough for that!
Jonas peers at Mayellen searchingly.
Sandy sits on the floor, looking curiously at Mansia.
[Mansia]: It is little more complicated, but friendship is important part.
Mayellen orders a beer and starts chugging it.
Jonas continues to watch May bemusedly.
Mansia looks a little puzzled.
Sandy's bag begins snoring loudly.
Mayellen looks at the bag. Looks at her beer.
[Mansia]: … Well, I am Mansia! Hello. I seem to have interrupted conversation.
[Mayellen]: PLEASE interrupt it.
Mayellen laughs.
[Mansia]: Mayellen, you know I am not man, right?
[Mayellen]: Yes, so please, say more things!
[Mayellen]: We don't have to let men who are sure humans can be shamans monopolize the conversation.
Nesselos sits down, looking over at Sandy with big, sad eyes.
[Mansia]: Was shaman one of the crafts you tried? When you tried many things before one you chose?
[Mayellen]: I didn't know they existed back then.
Sandy doesn't seem to be listening anymore. He pats his bag.
[Mayellen]: And now, despite what some might believe, it is too late for me to unmake my choice.
Nesselos looks at the bag curiously.
Mansia shrugs. "You have not lost mind yet since last time?"
[Mayellen]: I've lost my mind several times, but I always manage to get it back.
[Mansia]: I have been thinking about friendship requirement.
[Mayellen]: I actually find shamanism very interesting. It does seem to be, like you say, a friendly relationship.
[Sandy]: Friendship requirement?
[Mayellen]: Humans have managed to enslave elementals, mages can do that, but for whatever reason, they don't cooperate with us willingly, it seems.
[Arthur]: Abilities are…it's a bit like a waterway. the more you practice, the deeper and wider that ability flows. So the way you learn to do something is very hard to change.
Mansia points at Mayellen. "She says, to be friend of hers, must kill if she loses mind."
Nesselos looks concerned.
[Arthur]: My instructors in the Kirin Tor have earned headaches trying to change my technique on spells I figured out for myself.
Jonas sits quietly, still looking confused and a little uneasy.
[Mayellen]: Well you can say you "lose your mind" more colloquially; that's all I meant. I haven't really gotten possessed or corrupted or anything yet.
[Sandy]: Oh yeah, people have said stuff like that to me too! Wait! Are you a warlock?
Arthur catches up to what Mansia just said, and then swivels his gaze toward Mayellen.
[Mayellen]: I am.
[Sandy]: And yeah, changing stuff in how you do spells is hard, I've tried leaning more into shadows than demonology and that's not fun getting out of those demonology habits!
[Mansia]: Yes, yes, if you go evil and fight friends, you want friends to fight first.
[Mayellen]: Right.
[Mayellen]: I don't want to cause any harm.
Sandy nods at Mayellen.
[Mayellen]: So I need the people around me to be willing to watch and make sure I'm not going bad. I don't think I will for a while yet, but who can say for sure?
Nesselos looks sad.
[Mayellen]: I think it's best to stay open to the possibility rather than assume I'm some sort of special case and totally immune.
[Mayellen]: But in the meantime I try my hardest to stay me.
Sandy also looks sad.
[Mansia]: Well, I think… I am good with self defense against magic casters. They speak spell, I hit in face with wind, vwhooom.
[Mayellen]: You use wind against spellcasters? That's neat! How does it work?
[Arthur]: I understand your reasoning, Miss Mulby. I want to point out that there are a number of warlocks who are advanced practitioners who remain uncorrupted.
[Mayellen]: Like who?
Mayellen peers at Arthur searchingly.
[Mansia]: Every six seconds, hit in face with wind. I ask wind spirits to blast. I could show technique, but not indoors. That would be rude.
Jonas fiddles with his drink and looks toward the stairs.
Mayellen giggles at Mansia.
[Mayellen]: I don't mind you showing me sometime at HQ, like a sparring thing? See if you can stop my spells. I am curious about how it works.
Arthur shrugs and traces an arcane symbol on the table. "Perhaps it would be fruitful to investigate how they have managed to remain themselves, now that you have your last resort plan worked out."
Mayellen turns back to Arthur. "Who are you talking about though? Which warlocks?"
[Mansia]: Who is HQ?
Mayellen giggles at Mansia.
[Mayellen]: I'm sorry, are you with Cobalt? HQ is our headquarters. H for head, Q for quarters.
[Mansia]: Cobalt… I have heard name before.
Arthur glances at Sandy. "judging from the enchantments on your gear, I would guess you are in advanced practice."
[Mayellen]: Cobalt Company!
[Mansia]: It is color, but also name of group! Yes. I am not with group.
[Arthur]: you have a glow about you.
[Mayellen]: It's not about the level of advancement, it's more of a time thing.
Nesselos looks a little confused at the explanation of HQ, pointing thoughtfully at his head and then maybe…. hips? What part is a quarter…
Mansia pats her head and mutters, "Head…"
[Sandy]: Yeah, kind of! *He nods at Arthur*. But I wouldn't say I'm… uncorrupted!
[Mayellen]: I don't think there are any humans who have been practicing longer than… six or seven years? And after a few years you start to see some issues, for sure.
[Arthur]: you wouldn't say?
Mansia turns to Sandy. "I am Mansia, what is name of yours?"
[Mayellen]: I've only been studying two years, and I'm taking it really slow and cautiously. I haven't noticed anything yet, but then, sometimes the warlock herself is the last to know.
[Sandy]: I'm Sandy! Or Sandy! Or Lord Duke Sandy of Greatland, if you want some funny name to call me!
[Mayellen]: Sandy Spellbond. He was one of the first people to join Cobalt Company.
Mansia smiles at him. "What is sound in bag?"
[Sandy]: You know me?!
Mayellen doesn't add that he's one of the reasons she had a hard time getting in >.>
[Sandy]: Have we met?
[Mayellen]: Oh yes, I've heard quite a lot about you.
[Mayellen]: We haven't met, no.
[Sandy]: Good things, I hope! *He grins.*
Mayellen does not reply to that.
Jonas eyes Sandy speculatively.
[Sandy]: And uh, that's a friend, in my bag! I'm bringing her to a frien— well, my dad, actually.
[Arthur]: What kind of a friend?
Sandy opens his bag and places a sleeping emerald whelpling on the table.
[Sandy]: That kind of friend!
Mansia audibly gasps.
Arthur suspects there is a pet.
[Mayellen]: Oh my GOSH! Where did you get that? Is it tame??
Mayellen 's eyes are wide.
Arthur gasps at the whelpling. "oh look at you!"
[Mayellen]: Look at its little wings…
Jonas does a double take.
Nesselos looks excited when Sandy mentions his dad.
[Mayellen]: It's so sleepy…
[Mansia]: Shhshhhshhhh, friend is sleeping…
[Arthur]: he's so round and cute!
Nesselos peers at the little dragon in surprise and delight.
Mayellen clasps her hands together over her chest and her eyes go all anime wobbly.
[Sandy]: She's very nice, yes! I got her from an egg that I randomly got in the mail!
Jonas leans forward ever-so-slightly to peer at the sleeping creature.
[Sandy]: Oh don't worry, she's a heavy sleeper.
[Mayellen]: Someone… mailed you a dragon egg? Who was it? *She looks like she might be taking notes to befriend this person.*
[Arthur]: She is adorable. What a friend!
Mansia giggles. "I could sing lullaby song."
[Mayellen]: You are so lucky. Dragons are fascinating.
[Sandy]: I have no idea who sent her to me! I just… got her in the mail. Then I got dragon teeth a few days later.
[Sandy]: That part was kind of scary.
[Mayellen]: I've only seen red ones - babies like that. They were… less sleepy. They set me on fire.
Nesselos looks thoughtful.
[Mansia]: Teeth? What are teeth for?
Sandy shrugs at Mansia. Who knows?
[Mayellen]: Are you an alchemist or something?
[Mansia]: Teeth from… parent of dragon?
[Sandy]: I… maybe? I don't know! *He shakes his head at Mansia.*
Jonas sits back again and eyes Sandy.
[Mayellen]: Alchemists sometimes use teeth for stuff.
[Sandy]: And no, I'm not! I like picking plants for my friends, though!
[Mayellen]: I bet dragon teeth are very potent.
[Sandy]: Maybe! I'm not taking any of this dragon's teeth, though!
[Jonas]: Do they come out on their own? Like puppy teeth? As it grows?
[Jonas]: Or — baby teeth?
Sandy looks a little bit sad. "I'm… kind of scared she'll be corrupted by my magic at some point, which is why I'm going to give her to my dad."
Mayellen giggles at Jonas.
[Mansia]: Awwww…
[Mayellen]: Someone clearly had dogs growing up and not siblings…
Sandy blinks at Jonas. "I… I don't know. Do puppy teeth do that?!"
Nesselos looks even more excited.
[Mansia]: What is name of little baby friend?
The dragon immediately wakes up at the mention of "names" and seems to glare at Sandy.
Mansia audibly gasps again. "Friend is awake!"
Jonas turns red at May's remark and ignores it. To Sandy he says, "Aye, dogs lose puppy teeth when they start to grow. Little milk tee— oh, ah."
[Mayellen]: Is it a boy or a girl? Dragons have like a whole… nomenclature.
Jonas blinks at the dragon and leans back slightly.
[Mansia]: No men… clay…
Sandy leans backwards from the dragon. "I uh… I did give her a name, but I think she doesn't like it so… she doesn't have a name yet! And she's a girl!"
[Mayellen]: Green dragons don't have as clear a pattern as some of the other flights, namewise.
[Mayellen]: What was the name you tried to give her?
The dragon seems content with Sandy's answer. She takes a much more cheerful attitude and begins looking at everyone one by one.
Mayellen gives the dragon a shy little finger-wave.
[Mansia]: Hello, little friend. I am Mansia. Do you want new name?
[Sandy]: … Beckyerexera.
[Mayellen]: ….Oh.
[Mayellen]: Well it has the right sort of ending - maybe it was the beginning part she didn't like.
Nesselos mouths the name, with a puzzled expression.
[Mayellen]: Maybe something shorter?
Mansia counts on her fingers, "Beck-y-er-ex-er-a… That is too many syllables. Syllables are word sounds."
[Mansia]: What about Lyra?
The dragon coos happily at Mayellen, then at Mansia. Then goes back to glaring at Sandy. He said The Forbidden Word.
[Mansia]: That is only two syllables.
[Mayellen]: That's a perfect green dragon name!
Jonas regards the dragon indirectly, careful not to look in her eyes, his expression unsmiling but mild and relaxed.
[Arthur]: Lyra is a pretty name.
Nesselos smiles.
[Jonas]: Aye. Lyra has a right sound.
[Sandy]: Lyra? That's pretty, yeah! *He looks a bit concerned at the dragon.* Right?..
[Mansia]: Do you like name, little friend?
[Mayellen]: Oh, that's a question for me to ask my buddies next time we're all together - what their dragon name would be.
The dragon flaps her wings and flies and crashes onto Mansia's lap. She coos happily once more.
Mansia audibly gasps. She gathers the little dragon into her arms.
[Mansia]: You like name of Lyra?
[Sandy]: Oh, sorry! She's still struggling with uh… landing! But I think she likes that name!
[Mayellen]: Oh, lucky you!
Mayellen clasps her hands over her heart again.
[Mansia]: Oh! Oh! She is so warm.
[Mayellen]: Really? I'd think they'd be sort of cool, like snakes…
Mayellen looks like she wants to take notes again.
[Mayellen]: But I guess they're not ordinary reptiles, despite the scales.
[Mansia]: Which one is warm and which one is cool?
[Mansia]: Cool is like ice, warm is like fire, yes?
[Sandy]: You don't want to see her after a heavy meal! She's got that breath that uh… melts things. Not very fun to deal with!
[Mayellen]: Yes, but not very much. Cool is a little bit cold. Warm is a little bit hot.
[Mayellen]: She can… melt things?
Mayellen looks less inclined to cuddle Lyra now.
[Mansia]: I am wearing green color today. Maybe she thinks…
Mansia seems very happy to cuddle a dragon friend.
The dragon stops the cooing and just looks at Sandy like a child going 'daaad, stop saying embarrassing stuff like this!'
[Mayellen]: Oh, you look like you could be her mom… *another handclasp*
Mansia giggles.
[Mayellen]: And you've sort of got… *Mayellen starts to lift her hands to her head, then stops herself. Maybe rude?*
Nesselos nods. Mansia's got nice horns.
[Mansia]: Do I have food on face?
[Mayellen]: No, no, you're fine.
Mansia hasn't actually eaten anything since she got here. She was too distracted, apparently.
Mayellen drinks more beer.
Mayellen makes a face. She clearly doesn't like beer.
Nesselos looks at Mayellen, puzzled.
[Sandy]: It's true, you're wearing the right color! Jonas and Arthur do too, actually! You want to try holding her?
[Mansia]: Little friend Lyra, you were so sleepy before and now you are so awake.
Mansia rocks the dragon in her arms like a baby.
Mayellen stares at the little dragon, captivated.
[Mayellen]: You know what I bet she'd love? If you made a little nest for her with a lot of houseplants and things.
Lyra hits Mansia in the jaw with the top of her head. Looks like it's done in an affectionate way, though!
[Arthur]: oh she's so cute.
Mansia giggles. "Aw, precious."
Jonas shakes his head at Sandy. "She looks pretty comfortable with Mansia."
[Arthur]: i almost can't take it!
[Sandy]: Oh, that's a great idea! I'll try to suggest this to my dad.
[Mayellen]: Right?
Sandy giggles at Arthur.
Mayellen gives Arthur a happily commiserating look.
[Mayellen]: Oh is she your dad's dragon?
[Sandy]: Well, uh… if he… *He scratches the back of his head, looking down at the table's foot.* If he agrees to it, then yeah. I really don't want my magic to corrupt a green dragon like that!
Mayellen nods solemnly, seeming to soften a bit toward Sandy.
[Mayellen]: What does your dad do?
[Sandy]: He works with the Argent Dawn, as a guard!
[Mayellen]: Wow, that's great.
[Mansia]: Argent Dawn…
Mansia stares off into space.
Lyra 's wings drop sadly as Sandy speaks about having her stay with his dad.
[Mayellen]: He sounds like he could be a responsible dragon-dad.
Nesselos smiles over at Mansia.
Mansia might figure this one out eventually.
[Mayellen]: But if he doesn't want her, I'll bet a druid would be very honored to take care of her. Or to figure out how to reunite her with her flight.
Sandy smiles a bit sadly. "Yeah, he's great!"
Nesselos nods.
Mansia hums a song that Nesselos might recognize as a traditional Draenic lullaby about the Naaru traveling through the stars.
[Mayellen]: I don't know if they do okay raised by people? Or if they're more like animals and need their own kind…? *She frowns thoughtfully* The books I've read didn't really cover this.
[Sandy]: Yeah, that's true… Maybe I could get try to randomly get dragon eggs so she can have friends?
Nesselos looks a little dubious at this plan.
[Mayellen]: She might need a role model. But it'd be hard to find, because the green dragons are sort of… elusive, I'm told? The big ones. They hang out in uh, whatsitcalled.
[Jonas]: The Emerald Dream.
[Mayellen]: That nature-dream place… yeah that!
Mayellen touches her nose and points to Jonas.
Mayellen now looks slightly embarrassed.
Lyra raises her wings a little at the song. She still looks at Sandy, but softly tries to hum along to Mansia's song. Lyra is not musically gifted.
[Mayellen]: Is she… trying to sing?
Mayellen clasps her hands over her heart again.
[Sandy]: Oh yeah, one of my kaldorei friends told me all about the Emerald Drea— Uh. I never tried singing for her! I think she is? *He smiles at Lyra, then at Mansia.*
[Mayellen]: That's so cute.
Mansia sings softly in Draenic, "[Little wanderer, follow your guiding Light / From star to distant star…]"
[Arthur]: The Emerald Dream sounds fascinating. I wish I could see it.
[Sandy]: Well, maybe we can see if I can become a shaman, and you a druid!
[Mayellen]: I read about it, but… I couldn't quite visualize it from what I read. It sounds very mysterious.
[Sandy]: Then you could see the Emerald Dream, right?
Mayellen sighs and glances skyward at the Human Shaman and Druid talk. "Oh, I guess it's about nine bells now isn't it? I should get back to work."
Nesselos smiles.
[Jonas]: It is, aye. I've got to be off as well.
Mansia gives her new dragon friend some scritches.
Nesselos waves to everyone.
[Jonas]: Evening, all. Pleasure meeting some of you, nice to see the rest.
[Mansia]: Good fortune~
[Mayellen]: Take care everybody.
Lyra does a cat-like thing and extends her neck to get scritches at just the right angle.
[Sandy]: Good bye, you all!
[Mansia]: Little friend Lyra, you will have long life. Many friends and family.
[Mansia]: You will meet dad of Sandy and then you will have two family.
[Mansia]: You do not lose old family when you gain new family.