(SE) it doesn't hurt, it feels fine

Locke

im all for compassion

The Accepted rolls his eyes, shaking his head just a bit. "Sorry I'm not one of the bigger guys you normally spar with. Maybe one day I'll give you a run for your money though." He doubts it but Locke's never cared about telling the truth. He watches as Sunjata slips out of the ring, leaning against the ropes as he waits.

Locke takes the water with a grateful sigh, practically chugging it. He sets the glass down on one of the little stools, watching with maybe too much interest as the scales seem to melt away. "Can't say I'm not a little disappointed. I've only heard rumors, never gotten to see it for myself. That said, would be a shame if something happened to the Slagveld." He likes coming here.

There's a little pause as he makes his way over to Sunjata, curiosity coloring his face. "What's it like to shift? To Attune? Did it hurt?" As fun as being an Accepted is, it requires him relying on someone else's strength to do the protecting. He kind of likes the idea of it being his own power that does it. Ascending is equally curious to him but he's not sure if he can deal with the lack of feeling, or whatever it is.

but not on my dime

i am on a journey to discover what it's like to be free of all my demons

“I’ll be waiting, Locke.” He rumbles, flashing a bright grin – even if the Accepted doesn’t think he’d get to the same level, Sunjata’s confident that one day they might be able to spar and actually go at one another – get the blood pumping, let the excitement of it whisk them away. It’s been a while since he’d had a chance to, after all.

But he’s grabbing water, offering it to the other man, before he’s downing the glass in his hand. “Yeah?” He rumbles as a thought pricks across his mind, finishing his water before lifting a lightning scarred hand to gesture for Locke to follow him outside into the streets of Haulani, heading toward the edge where the homes were spaced out and there was enough room for him to shift. All the while, explaining what it was like to Attune.

“It’s… Fun, in a way. Turning into all these other shapes, letting their instincts take over. It’s great in a pinch, too. But it does sort of affect how you act and respond.” Casting a glance toward Locke with a glimmer of amusement in his steel gaze, the smirk that crosses his face tugs at the scar along his cheek. “The dragon makes me a bit possessive, most days.” Not today, though. Nate isn’t around and nor is Kamaria, and the Flood can simply relax. “It didn’t hurt, though. It was a bit jarring at first but…” He trails off, pausing by the space he’d picked that was large enough for him to not wreck anything before he turns fully to face Locke.

He takes a step back as he explains, trying to get a decent amount of distance between them so he doesn’t hurt the Accepted either. “I wanted to Attune, went to a shrine I thought was Frey’s, didn’t specify who I wanted to see and suddenly Safrin appeared after I’d asked to Attune.” Another brief pause as he considers Locke. “She said she could do it, all ethereal and beautiful and perhaps a bit intimidating at the time. But she leaned down and kissed me, stuck her hand right into my chest and held my soul and changed it. And when she withdrew? I was a bird.” And he’d been forever changed.

And with that? He doesn’t shift into the bird. No, in place of where Sunjata had stood, he transforms – body shifting and contorting into the large scaled dragon, a heavy blocky head that’s sharp with scales and spines and huge, sharp teeth that peer at Locke as he lowers himself into the sand, wings spreading, allowing Locke to inspect his shift as he saw fit.

SUNJATA

Locke

im all for compassion

He can't tell if it's a promise or maybe a threat. Either way he tucks it into the back of his brain, holding on to it for the future. Some part of him doubts he'll ever be on the other man's level but another part hopes for it too. Then Jata is gesturing for him to follow so he does because he's curious and maybe a little excited.

It affects how you act and respond? Instinct? His face screws up in confusion, mulling over the other man's words as they walk. He wonders what it'd be like to give into those baser instincts. To be the animal. Every Attuned he's met seems to have some humanlike control still but maybe that's because they're not new to it? Questions for another time. Or maybe he's just thinking about it too hard. The dragon making him possessive is amusing. It makes him recall how Nate had acted when they first met. No, they're clearly made for each other.

They stop walking and Locke tilts his head, "I didn't know that could happen. A god appearing at another's shrine.." He wonders who would show up for him. Safrin surely would want nothing to do with him. Frey? Maybe. Ludo? Probably not. It's hard to think a god would ever answer his call. He licks his lips slowly as Sunjata talks about his transformation. "I can't imagine.." It's mostly to himself but it's true. To be changed so wholly, he can't believe it.

But then without much ado, there is no longer another man but a dragon. A proper dragon. Not like the little ones he saw in Stormbreak. He makes a noise, something between surprise and awe as he steps back. As soon as he seems to be done, Locke approaches slowly, hand skimming just above scales and spikes but not actually touching as he makes his way around.

"Holy fuck." He'll suck Safrin's dick if means he gets to be a dragon.

but not on my dime

i am on a journey to discover what it's like to be free of all my demons

“You don’t have to ask for anyone by name. If they answer, someone will come.” He shrugs lightly. “For what it’s worth, though, I always thought myself a Frey guy at first until I saw Safrin.” And now she was marked in and on his skin, the mother of his only child, and gods if that wasn’t terrifying yet invigorating. “We didn’t have gods where I came from, so, it was a shock and an adjustment.” He offers as he’s stepping back, pausing when he’s sure that Locke is out of the way, and he’s able to transform and shift into his dragon.

He lowers himself into the sand, wings spread across the ground, head lowering to the ground as well for Locke to approach and inspect it. And likewise, with that instinct within him, he tampers down on anything that might want to show its face, though luckily for Locke there’s nothing that really tugs at the Flood. No, instead as Locke approaches and hovers his hand above the scales and spikes, Sunjata’s head slips along the sand to peer at him – his tail snaking along the ground in an idle sway.

He puffs a bit of warm air at Locke as if to say ‘I know right?’ before he’s moving to stand to his full height, wings extending fully before he tucks it in tight. Locke might notice the scar tissue that follows the edge of one of the wings (the one where his father had snapped his wing), to the etches of lightning that seem to flicker through his scales. But he isn’t done showing off, yet, he certainly has to preen, and with it? Sunjata’s clawed feet dig into the sand once he’s stepped around Locke, keeping the Accepted clear of anything, before he lets his throat glimmer with blue, lets his maw part to reveal his sharp, jagged teeth, and lightning that crackles along his forked tongue and mouth.

SUNJATA

Locke

im all for compassion

If they answer is the key here. Locke has always done everything on his own. Maeve was the first person to even try caring about him he thinks. But then again, the gods aren't humans so who knows. He'll worry about it some other time. He's got a dragon to not get stepped on by.

And Sunjata seems to preen with the attention. It's fine, he'd feel the same way honestly. It's interesting that Sunjata's scars on this body are different than the ones on his human form. It makes sense though, he supposes. He hums appreciatively as he finishes up his examination.

He steps back again as the dragon sits up. It didn't register in his head at first how big Sunjata was until his wings are unfurled. It really does make the dragons he saw in Stormbreak look like mice. Then there's the crackle of electricity and he can't say he's surprised. It suits what he knows of the other man, he thinks.

"As if I wasn't jealous before.." He mutters it to himself, daring to take the smallest step forward.

but not on my dime

i am on a journey to discover what it's like to be free of all my demons

If there were ever a moment for a reptilian smirk, now would be the time. Still, it looks awkward on Sunjata’s shift, toothy and strange and for the most part almost intimidating. But it doesn’t last as he steps away, draws to his full height, lets the crackling of lightning rumble through his throat in a haunting electric blue that cracks and flickers along teeth and forked tongue, drawn staticky and bright where he stands.

Locke steps closer and Sunjata releases the lightning in his throat – not near the Accepted, no, instead it crackles and booms as it echoes into the sky, a careening bolt of lightning sent back up into the heavens. And when he’s done, when the blue glow fades, his large head is craning back toward Locke, stepping closer to the Accepted before he’s shifting again.

Armor plated scales shift quickly into white fur on smooth skin – his shift taking the form of the Pegasus that also lingers under his skin – large blocky head tossing a tri-toned mane of whites, blues, and navy hues, snorting at Locke. And then, after a second of that, he shifts back into himself, a knee in the sand as he moves to draw himself up to his full height, an amused and cocky grin spread on his face that tugs at the scar that spans the side of it.

Can’t blame a man for a bit of a flex, right? “What’d you think?” His accented voice rumbles, steel grey scanning Locke’s face.

SUNJATA

Locke

im all for compassion

You know, he was expecting the lightning and the boom, all of it. He really was. Doesn't stop him from jumping just a bit though. A grin, childish and full of glee cracks across his face nonetheless as he he watches Jata shift again. This one he didn't know about. Or maybe he did. Doesn't matter. It's just as cool. (Or almost. It's hard to beat out a dragon..)

Then he's human again and Locke has managed to steel his expression to something less insane. "Was pretty cool I guess." Sorry Jata, Locke is a child still. He goes to hold his hand out, still wrapped and slightly shaking, to the other man. "Was good to properly meet you. Heard a lot about you from Mae." A lie but it's fine. "You ever need anything, let me know, yeah? Can't promise I'll be there but I'll think about it." Not a lie this time.

but not on my dime

SUNJATA

the flood

i lost all the air in my lungs to the screamin'
i lost all the love in my heart to the demons

In the end it’s all about the sharp edges and the soft edges. Sunjata manages to straddle the line of both – quick to change to the spikes and armor versus the soft velvet of his Pegasus shift otherwise – but it’s still there, and that has to count for something. At least, he hopes it does. Still, that cocky smile crosses his face as he draws himself to his full height, watching Locke curiously for the answer, hearing the I guess and huffing a laugh in response, a shake of his head.

The offered hand has him reaching out with his lightning scarred one, shaking Locke’s hand in a tight but strong shake. “Good to meet you too, Locke.” He hopes that all he’s heard about him from Maeve were good things but he can’t be so sure, so he leaves it out, focusing on everything else. “I’ll keep it in mind.” He offers, flashing another grin to Locke and a nod before he’s shifting again, this time into the bat shift, and departs through the skies back toward home.

- FIN <333

i lost all the things that i used to believe in
i lost everything for no goddamn reason