PSL: Dragon Fails

[goldeneyeball]

THREAD LOG
First impressions are important.

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[stabbywheelfeet]

[Okay, so Ratchet ends up sitting on his child to keep Sideswipe from slinking away -- He's not coming back, the silver was protesting. But Ratchet is determined to make it up to the noodle through the power of hospitality.]

[They both tilt their head in unison at the thing around JW's neck. Like father like son, in that regard.]

Ratchet--

Because that's the first thing he tried to eat when he didn't even have teeth.

[And thus Sideswipe earns the third swat to the head in an hour.]

[goldeneyeball]

<sub>[JW opens his jaws to reply when the exchange between the two takes place and before he knows it, he finds himself chuckling in his throat. He could grow to like this golden dragon. When he wasn't stepping on his tail.]

[With one last look at home, the long dragon spreads his tiny wings and takes off again, circling overhead until the other two take off and lead the way home.]</sub>

I'm James...

[stabbywheelfeet]

[And off they all go! Sideswipe gets to take the lead, so he doesn't slip off somewhere while hanging in the back. When he sets the pace too slow, he gets a nip for his slacking.]

That's a human name, isn't it? [Pause.] Ironhide is my partner. I'll... speak with him first.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[He doesn't comment on Ratchet's observation and just keeps his face angled into the wind.]}

Good idea.

_{[He's content to fly in silence but his guts have other plans, electing then to complain loudly. He'd been going going going all day.]}

[stabbywheelfeet]

What was that?

[Oh hey, is that a cue to slow down? And delay the inevitable Large Dad Lecture? It sure is. Sideswipe has flipped his neck around, looking at them upside down.]

Did you say something?

[goldeneyeball]

_{[He banks to the side to make room for Sideswipe to join them where they fly.]}

Not with my mouth.

_{[James isn't entirely sure if it's polite to ask if they had anything non-metal to eat in their lair. He didn't see a single animal or a human skirmish during his fly-over.]}

[stabbywheelfeet]

... Oh. Right. You don't eat metal.

[Weirdo. Except he makes a face -- maaaaaaybe he should have piped up about that sooner. Like before they left.]

[... judging my his parent's expression, yes, yes he should have. He flips around even further -- flying backward somehow.]

Look, it'll be fine! You want him to stay so bad, he can go eat fish with whoever's down in the lake.

[A+ job explaining what the fuck you're talking about child.]

[goldeneyeball]

_{[JW snaps his wings outward and stumbles in the air for a moment. Sideswipe's stunt startles him but once he shakes it off he can't help but marvel. Flying backwards! Eating metal! These dragons were something else.]}

Fish sounds amazing right about now. You don't eat any meat at all?

_{[He can't imagine life without delicious fish or fallen soldiers or birds! And bread. He misses bread so much.]}

[stabbywheelfeet]

Nope! None! Aren't we great?

[That smug smile is quick to fade because Ratchet, the doctor is going to butt in and explain.]

We DO. At certain points in life. Hence why the lake exists at all.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[JW can't help but be a little fascinated. Would his diet suddenly change one day?]}

When's that?

[stabbywheelfeet]

Lame times. The lamest.

[He gets his wing nipped for the quip, before Ratchet answers, as matter-of-factly as possible.]

Before we have teeth to chew the ores with, and while carrying offspring. It's actually rather bland compared to gold, I would say.

[goldeneyeball]

Hmmmmm. I think we're going to have to agree to disagree, sir.

_{[As a hatchling, he'd chewed on his share of gold and he remembered the empty cold taste.]}

Have you tried cattle?

[stabbywheelfeet]

Fair enough.

[His question earns a pointed look of disgust from Sideswipe, who even goes so far as to poke his tongue out.]

Gross.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[JW just rolls his eyes at Sideswipe and keeps to himself until they come back to the Ore Eaters cave. He lands with a little stumble and tucks in his wings.]}

I promise I won't be a bother.

[stabbywheelfeet]

There's sure to be some empty space you can temporarily occupy...

[It looks like just. A normal cave entrance. It's completely nondescript. Heck, it looks like a bear probably lives there, and not dragons. In they go!]

[Down a long, long tunnel. With a whole bunch of twists and dead ends and branching paths. It's a literal maze until it opens up...]

[On a grassland.]

[Okay, so it's a small grassland. The other side of the huge cave can be seen from where they stand, but there is grass. And a few small, scraggly trees. All of it surrounds the fabled Lake, where deer and other herbivores are milling around. There's light from a few scattered openings in the cave roof, just enough to allow the plants to flourish around the water.]

[More cave mouths line the walls of the huge cavern, these with little ledges and... other dragons! Metallic-looking dragons!]

Yeah, pretty sure you won't bother anyone, Noodlebreath.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[JW actually accordioned up when the glade apepared. His front end stopped long before his back end. A beautiful meadow with a pond and live animals was not something he ever thought he'd see underground. His long gator jaw hangs open and for once some of his youth shows in his face again.]}

Oh, wow...you live down here?

[stabbywheelfeet]

[Both dragons end up turning to look at him for a second. With Sideswipe tilting his head back and forth. Curiously. That's a new look for noodlebreath.]

[He's busy studying said noodle dragon, so his dad answers for him.]

We do. It's the last safe place left in this area.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[Once the shock wears off, the long dragon waddles out onto the green and wipes his face on the grass before dropping down into an undignified roll. GRASS! ON HIS SCALES! IT FEELS SO GOOD.]}

Did this whole area used to look this way?

[stabbywheelfeet]

Who knows? No one's been alive that long. Except maybe my other father.

[And cue Ratchet just. Sighing. And padding past them both.]

Speaking of which, he sound be informed we're back.

[goldeneyeball]

_{[JW is on his feet again in an instant. He doesn't want the big black dragon coming back and seeing him wallowing around on the last green place.]}

Should I come?

[stabbywheelfeet]

He'll probably eat you.

[And WHAP goes Ratchet's tail across the back of Sideswipe's head. He hunkers down, huffing angrily.]

If you want.

[goldeneyeball]

<sub>[Despite the grim circumstances, he can't help but snort once again when Sideswipe gets reprimanded. Perhaps it's because as a hatchling, he was the one who was always in trouble.]

[His smirk soon fades though. As scary as the big black dragon is...he feels like he should see him again in person now that their silver idiot was safe.]</sub>

I'll come.

[stabbywheelfeet]

Your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you, Noodle.

[But, even so, Sideswipe is a bit... slow to follow his parent. Dragging his heels. He might have said it was JW's funeral, but it's looking like he's expecting his own.]

[Clearly not bothered by the sulking, Ratchet just makes his way to the cavern wall, and starts climbing up to the second tier of caves -- up the wall like he's walking up stairs. And toward one large cave mouth in particular.]

[goldeneyeball]

_{[He gives one last longing look at the peaceful lake and grazing animals before taking wing and drifting behind the gold and silver like a stray kite they found while out exploring.]}

Uhm. What would you like me to call you? So much was happening, I'm so tired, I think I forgot. Mr...?

_{[Dragons called each other Mr. right? The long dragon frets and starts feeling out of place all over again.]}

[stabbywheelfeet]

Ratchet. My partner is Ironhide.

[And that's when Sideswipe cranes his neck around to roll his eyes at JW.]

Or if he's really cranky, it's "sir" and you play along or else he eats you.

He does not eat anyone.

He could.

Stop frightening the guest.

[And with that, they're THERE. On a ledge with black and gold scraped along the edges, just the barest trace here and there of silver -- blue and red, too.]