closed 🪶⚡ dance in the moonlight when all the stars align

[garudas]

Who: Cidolfus Telamon & Benedikta Harman.
Status: Closed.
Where: Around! Islands and Elah.
What: Beetles and wisps and stuff and things.
Warnings: cheeky warning here

Comments

[garudas]

[She really cannot tell if he is being serious...]

And you are going to carry it, yes? [She nudges one towards him with her leg, and half of its back shell falls off, making Benedikta take a step back with a loud ugh!] They are larger than Torgal...

[ramuhs]

I could always put it on a cloud, same as the root.

[He even starts forming a wisp of said potential cloud around their feet, that playful smirk still there.]

[garudas]

I thought you were going to make me carry the root.

[Just going to blow that cloud away because she does not want to bring back the beetle!!!]

And what exactly would you do with that knowledge?

[ramuhs]

Oh? Were you going to oblige? I was going to try and take the load off you if you didn't wish it.

[Is he playing some kind of 4D chess now using the beetle.]

But perhaps there's something to the beetle that could be useful. Insects, especially their harder shells are often used. I do wonder how it was able to become a magnet and if it's something about their body, that could be used.

[garudas]

No, I was not.

[Just going to continue to blow that cloud away from them, moving it towards the edge of the clearing. Yes, it can wait there.

And wait, he is not actually considering it, is he??? She stares at him wearily.]

I should not have asked... Of course you would come up with something. Could you not just take the shell and be done with it?

[ramuhs]

Hm, I suppose it would be a start.

[Annnnd bringing the cloud back again.]

I'm also curious about its saliva. Dangerous as it is, it could have its uses.

[A very devious smile at her because yes, he'll just keep coming up with ideas—]

[garudas]

[No! Get that cloud away! She moves over and swats at it, dispersing the wispiness.]

Alright, so we find a way to extract the saliva and leave the carcass here. I do not think anyone would appreciate you bringing one back with us. Least of all me.

[She waves a hand in the air, gesturing in her frustration.]

And then everyone is going to say "Lady Benedikta, why did the captain bring back a dead beetle" and I will have to tell them I don't know why he does anything!

[ramuhs]

[At her gestures and dramatic enactment, Cid can't help but laugh.]

Come now, it's not so bad! Besides, I don't have the proper tools to dissect it properly, so the best I would be able to do is the shell. By the time I return, these could be picked clean and then I would have to lure out another one.

[Honestly he's fine with just taking the husk, he's just enjoying frustrating his dear wife right now.




And creating that wisp again, this time under the beetle—]

[garudas]

[She won't stop the wisp this time, just watching it with a most Disapproving Wife look before she continues her reenactment of how the conversation will probably (not) go.]

"Well, crew, my dear husband and your captain wish to dissect this insect for its flesh-eating saliva."

[She shrugs and slumps her arms at her sides. She cannot believe she is saying this—]

Fine. Bring the damn thing, but you are keeping it as far away from me as possible.

[ramuhs]

[If she had protested he would have ended it with the husk, but with her permission...

He just grins like a boy who found a new toy and that cloud will solidify to raise it.]

And my wife is so generous and understanding.

[He even has the audacity to lean in and kiss her cheek!]

I can put the root on there, too.

[garudas]

[Ah, damn it. Here she was hoping he would give in anyway, so when his cloud scoops up the beetle, she bristles with an audible sigh as he kisses her cheek.]

You owe me greatly for this later.

[And she intends to make him pay back every bit of that!]

But yes, you may start by carrying the root. I am tired.

[Being a little dramatic.]

[ramuhs]

[He just laughs as the beetle is lifted and the cloud moves to the root so it can be lifted as well.]

We have gone through quite a bit, haven't we. Do you wish to ride on a cloud back as well? This time we can go over the canopy, perhaps get a better aerial view of things.

[garudas]

[There's a long pause as she seriously considers his offer, her gaze flitting everywhere but at him as she visibly bristles.

...

....]

Well. It has been some time since I have. [Mumbled slightly under her breath.] As long as it is not the same cloud as that thing.

[ramuhs]

[If it weren't for bringing back everything they could have used the ring, but scouting above wouldn't be a bad idea, especially now that they know the trees can sprout copper leaves.]

I'll make a separate cloud.

[He can't help but laugh before another cloud forms at their feet.]

[garudas]

[Okay, good. She would have refused to ride with the dead beetle. She has class!!!

She swirls her wind through the cloud to give it that bit of extra volume.]

And you will ride it with me too, yes? [She shrugs her shoulder, and the snake pokes its head out from behind it where it had been sitting, coiled around her arm.] We ought to drop off this one somewhere, too.

[ramuhs]

As if I would leave you alone.

[A playful grin as the cloud finishes forming up and gently lifts them up, allowing them to sit comfortable....and where he'll look at that snake.]

Perhaps back up at the tree?

[Coincidentally, the two little birds that had been with them are sitting on one of the branches, tweeting.]

[garudas]

[Ah, how good of the birds to join them again. They'd all flown off when the beetles came and now that they are gone, they're all singing in the canopies.

With a slight roll of her eyes, she sits on the cloud as it lifts them. She's forgotten how comfortable this is... Quite literally like sitting on a cloud.]

We could drop it off on the way up, if it does not protest.

[The snake's tongue darts out as it stares at Cid.]

[ramuhs]

[He just stares right back at it.]

Doesn't seem like much of a protest to me.

[And he'll raise the clouds, the one with the beetle and root coming near them. He'll hold onto the branch, not wanting to risk damaging the leaves.]

At least here there's enough space that we can go up without hitting the canopy.

[garudas]

[Ugh, she really, really hates that floating beetle carcass.

But she ignores it and lifts her arm up to a branch once they reach the tree, close enough that the snake can slither from her arm and coil around it instead. It does hit one of the copper leaves, turning it into a powder that falls to the ground. Ah, well. It was bound to happen.]

And less predators over here, too. As far as we can tell. The canopies are larger and more dense, too. Plenty of places to hide.

[She glances at Cid as it crawls up.]

I think you've become a little more fond of our scaled friend.

[ramuhs]

What me?

[A click of his tongue and something of a light scowl as he looks away from it.]

It was only a nuisance the moment it dropped in.

[Taking away his wife's attention and clinging to her!!]

[garudas]

Ahh, when it had dropped into your spot, was it?

[She remembers how he was when it had fallen in there. Though, she also freaked out, so she won't linger on it for too long lest he point that out—]

You were going to fry it, and it ended up helping us in a way.

[ramuhs]

[Just a low mutter at that. His spot that's right.]

And how exactly did it do that?

[He's clearly forgotten and refuses to give it credit—]

[garudas]

Well... it tried, anyway.

[She shrugs, and gives the snake a little tap on the head before it slithers into the tree, but not before it darts its tongue at them in what she would like to think is a farewell.]

Warning us of the beetles before they came by crawling into your shirt.

[ramuhs]

[Cid will just eye it... But at her words, his scowl will lessen a bit and he'll give it a little wave.]

I suppose that is true. Could have found a different way than going through our clothes, however.

[And now that they no longer have an interloper, Cid will wrap his free arm around her waist to pull him to her.]

[garudas]

I think it did try, but we were much too taken with the copper—oh!

[She nearly falls into him when he pulls her by her waist, and she braces herself with a hand to his chest.]

Reasserting yourself, are you? This would be far nicer if we weren't joined by another cloud.