Drago Ryder

Maia tilted her head out of curiosity, though she didn’t really ask any particular details on who Siren might have been referring to. For now, she would just assume that it was a friend. “What do you mean by dangerous?” It would also be a good idea to get inside, considering the length of the walk they had endured, so the gryphon opened the door and stood to the side in order to let her guest in first. (Yeah, pretty much.)

(Sorry about the delay. The last few weeks were a bit busy for me.) Maia gave a light nod, understanding that it made sense for Siren to want to look around for a bit. She was also a bit surprised that the singer had a house smaller than her own, but she figured that such a thing could be ignored. “Thanks. I sort of got lucky with the selections I had, and this one sort of spoke to me. Either way.”

Maia shook her head as a light chuckle escaped her beak.”It’s not a problem at all, considering we’re already here.” She probably should have accounted for the trek to her home, but it was a bit too late for such a thing now. The structure itself was two stories in height, both bedrooms on the top floor while most of everything else was on the bottom. A study also doubled as a music stuido at the back of the house and provided a view of the forest behind the hill it rested on. The strangest thing that her guest might take note of was the fact that, while the house had a bit of gryphon inspired architecture, the building itself lookiped to be more suited towards an earth pony or unicorn. “It might not be much, but it serves its purpose.”

Maia was honestly a bit surprised by the revelation of Siren’s experiance with the world, and felt a smile grace her beak. While she might not pester the singer for tales of her journeys, the fact that she had travelled much more than the gryphon still remained. “Well, I certainly hope it does. After all, that wouldn’t exactly make me a good host if it did.”

@Illiad Easle (Sorry, Life is being a pain, but I’ll try to be more active.) If Maia had noticed Siren’s change in emotion when she spoke of Cervidas, it was not brought up, It was none of her business anyway, though her inital words did send a light blush across her cheeks, The gryphon then gave a light nod. “Yeah, that makes more sense now that I think about it. Either way, I suppose you could say that.” It was kind of in between that niche median between small town and bustling metropolis, something that she was quite comfortable with. “Where was the most interesting place you’ve been?”

@Illiad Easle Maia paused slightly before giving a light chuckle. “I haven’t actually gone on any tours as of late. I just perform around the city, if anything.” She didn’t really see any point in lying about her non-success in music, though she was happy with what she had. “Granted, I have been to a few other towns, but I’m not exactly that famous.”

@Illiad Easle (Sorry for the delay. The holdiays were a bit much this year for me.) Maia tilted her head slightly in curiosity, though she didn’t say anything else about the topic of Siren’s birth. It was odd, but also understandable that differnt cultures would practice such an event differently. It wasn’t until the topic of her old home that she was brought out of her thoughts. “They were rather nice, but I suppose you could say that I was a but curious about the world. I visit a few times due to family and friends, so it’s not like I hated it there.”

Maia nodded in understaning, only able to imagine the daily life Siren might lead. In all honesty, she doubted that she could keep up with such a thing. When she was asked about her place of birth, however, she couldn’t help but let a light giggle escape her lips. “No, though it certainly has come to feel like home. I actually moved here from Griffonstone a few years back, though that was more out of curiosity than anything else.” She might have already asked this, but it would do well to get some additional information. “Were you born in Deltrot?” (Sorry for the delay. Just got done with exams.)

@rolle @Skylord Nexus @silvermoon15000 @Acnologia @dragon4111 If one were to ask Draco what he had expected to see during this rather forced outing, he might have listed off a few species of grimm, the night sky, and the denizens of the villiage of a village that Ghalan had apparently grown up in. No where on that list was something that looked like it had jumped a few million years in time. Even if it wasn’t a grimm, it took all of his self control to not draw on his semblance. Still, there was some amazement mixed in with the whirlpool of emotions swirling within his mind. “Ghalan, I think there might have been something in the water, because there is no way that what I am seeing is real.” Rei was honestly having the same mental crisis, though she was more curious as to how something like... Rexy came to be so friendly with one of the members of Draco’s team. Honestly, did these people even know the meaning of a slow day.

@Illiad Easle Maia nodded in understanding and couldn’t help but smile as well. “I know what you mean. Stage fright is the bane of any performer.” Of course, that waa assuming that her behavior stemmed from such a thing. If that were the case, it was relatively easy to mitigate with enough practice. Either way, now was not the time for such things, as the singer’s visit was of a different nature. While she was a bit caught off guard by the change in Siren’s voice, the gryphon quickly recovered. ”It’s good to meet you as well.Thankfully, the wait was more than worth it.” In all honesty, Maia would probably do anything for a friend, within reason of course. “ Either way, I figured it would be best for you to get settled first before we do anything too outlandish, Was there anything specific you wanted to do here?” Vanhoover was a rather large coty, and there was bound to be things that she missed when she tried to come up with activities for them to do. At this point, she was just winging everything, pun not intended.

@Illiad Easle Maia gave a light nod as she noticed the attention being aimed at them. “That would be for the best.” She was honestly glad that she was able to find the pony she would be spending time with during her stay in the cultual exhange program. The gryphon then began to move towards the door, being careful to not stir the forming mob any more than it already was.

@Illiad Easle (Sorry for the delay. Life is being a pain right now.) Maia sighed as she traversed the rather crowded train station. She had only gotten there minutes prior thanks to her alarm not working, though sleepig in had certainly helped to relieve some stress. Thankfully, it seemed that her guest had yet to arrive, so that was something to be thankful for. After a bit of looking, however, she noticed a unicorn that seemed to match the description Siren Song gave her. Slowly approaching, she figured ti would be best to at least ask. “Hello. You wouldn’t happen to be Siren Song, would you?” A gentle smile then played across her beak, ignoring the crowd around them.

”I used to go camping when I was younger, so I guess I’m sort of used to the wilderness.” It wasn’t exactly the best lie, but Rei was hoping that the others would believe it, After all, it wasn’t like the White Fang operated in any of the major cities within the world of Remnant, at least not when she was a member. “So, Ghalan, any more secrets you mind sharing with us?” Draco simply shrugged as he turned his attention towards the sky. The sun was already starting to set, but that didn’t really intimidate him. “Is it bad that I find solace within the darkness.” The dragon faunus then shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Things had gotten rather complicated recently, and he was just hoping that they would be able to relax soon.

@Illiad Easle Maia felt a small smile spread across her beak, pleased that things were going as well as they were. “Now that I think about it, I should probably take her to some of the lesser known locations to avoid tourists. The last thing I want is for her to get mobbed.” With that thought in mind, the gryphon remembered that it had been some time since she had cleaned her home, and immediately set about to do so. Knowing her, she would probably get to the train station an hour prior to her new friend’s arrival, so that wasn’t exactly something that she needed to worry about.

After Maia looked over the letter, she immediately knew what her response would be. After all, her schedule was free as far as she was aware, so it was obvious what would be best for the both of them. That, and it would take time to prepare herself to deal with the heat of the desert. After reading what might very well be the last letter she would use at this point in time, she quickly mailed it off. Evening Siren Considering the size of the city, I am not surprised that you have visited it in the past. With that in mind, it would probably be more convenient for the both of us if you were to come here first. I’ll be sure to have a room ready for your timely arrival, and I do not believe that there is much else that you will need in order to prepare. I look forward to seeing you soon. - Maia

@Illiad Easle It didn’t take long for Maia to look over the new letter and thought for a moment as to what the best response might be. She didn’t exactly want to sound too formal, considering the nature of the program she had signed up for. Grabbing a quill, she quickly wrote her own letter. Good Evening Siren Thank you for the compliment. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think there are many musicians of my kind, period. Either way, you can just call me Maia. The addition of the prefix just makes it sound a lot more formal than what I’m used to. I’ll be sure to take your own preferances into account as well. As for your home, it sounds wonderful. If all of this turns out well, which it seems to be, then I can’t wait to visit. As for my own home, I live in the city of Vanhoover, even if it is on the outskirts. The city itself is rather large, yet still somehow maintains the feel of a small town. It also has a rather deep history in terms of music, among other aspects of the local culture. It may be a bit colder than what you’re used to, but I doubt that would be a problem. There are a few places that I’m sure you’d like, but it would be best if we talk about those later. After all, I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun, now would I?” -Maia

@Illiad Easle While Maia may have spent the better part of the last few years travelling around Equestria, she would not complain about the fact that she had finally managed to keep herself rooted in the city of Vanhoover. If anything, it helped her spend more time on her music and actually make friends that saw her for more than just a meal ticket. Having said that, she was rather curious about a cultural exhance program being advertised and applied almost immediately. The speed of the response took her by surprise, but she quickly brushed it off in order to write her own letter. Good Evening Miss Song, After reading over your letter, I am glad that I was paired up with someone like you. If anything, we do share some similar interests. Either way, I am twenty years of age and, as you already know, a gryphon. As far as appearances go, I suppose you could say that I stand out in most instances. My fur is a light brown with a chesnut coloration on my ventral side. Along with this, the fur on the midsection of my wings and ends of my ears have a light blonde tinge due to an accident that occured when I was younger. The tip of my tail is also white, but that is from genetics. As for my occupation, I am a musician, though I am just starting to get off the ground. Your home sounds lovely, and I look forward to meeting you soon. -Maia With the message taken care of, the gryphon had it sent out as soon as possible and could barely contain her excitement. She had actually heard a bit of music by HexComb, but she figured that it would be best to not mention such a thing until she had met Siren Song. She probably had a few rabid fans, and the last thing Maia wanted was to make the singer uncomfortable.

The dragon raised a brow at Calbian’s offer and shrugged. “I suppose the best question for right now would be what you hope to achieve through all of this? I’ll probably find out your fighting style and weapon through training, and I don’t really care for any potential mistakes you made in the past.” He would’ve offered to answer any of his questions in return, but that would open himself up for anything Yuki or the others might want to ask. Of course, he and Rei did follow after Asgore, not really seeing a better option.

@Acnologia @dragon4111 @Skylord Nexus @silvermoon15000 @rolle Draco paused slightly in his gait as he thought over what had just been implied by the uncle of his friend and teammate. Yuki was probably the only female he had ever allowed to be as close as she was to his heart at all, and there honestly wasn’t find any flaw or negative emotion he could associate with her. Sure, she was still a bit too innocent for their future line of work, but that was more of a neutral aspect of her personality than a blemish at worst. Still, did he have the right to say yes when Ghalan was also attracted to her? Considering all that he has been through, didn’t he deserve at least one bit of happiness? Granted, the same could also be said for him as well, and while it was a selfish thought, that didn’t stop it from taking root within his mind. “I can’t see myself being with any one else, and I feel like I can open up to her about things I wouldn’t be able to tell any one else. I don’t know if that’s what love really is, but I would like to think so.” The teen would let her decide when it came to a romantic relationship, though, and he would be happy for her either way. It would most likely leave him as a bitter old faunus that had isolated himself from everyone he cares for in the future, but he said nothing else in response to Asgore’s question. There were somethings that did not need to be said, though a simple nod was enough. Rei couldn’t help but glance at Ghalan as he spoke to his teammate and shrugged. “You aren’t the only one, buddy, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a faunus. I had to leave my family behind when I came to Beacon.” Granted, most of that had been sorted out by her brother, but she didn’t really know if she could trust him. “I’m pretty sure that we’ll be able to do anything, assuming that we stick together. After all, it’s not like we have a common enemy or anything.” The faunus then gave a mirthful laugh as she noticed Draco and Asgore approaching. “Either way, we should probably get moving if we want to make it back to the city by Monday.”

Draco raised a brow as he listened to Asgore and made a mental note to make sure that his teammate didn’t take things too far with Yuki. Granted, he had gotten close to her as well, so he may or may not have been a bit protective of her as well. For now, though, he would try to joke around, if only to help ease the tension he felt. “I suppose that would make sense. Granted, I’m not exactly intersted in him like that, so I’ll try to let him off easy if it comes to that.”

@silvermoon15000 @rolle @dragon4111 @Acnologia @Skylord Nexus Well, that was certainly reasonable. Considering the rarity of some of the materials Ghalan had used to make his armor and shield, it was understandable that he would be displeased if someone were to insult his work. Draco then turned his mind towards the question posed by Asgore and simply walked in silence as he thought of a way to respond. While Ghalan may have revealed what was being hidden from everyone by Ozpin and those closest to him, along with Yuki’s own status as a maiden, things hadn’t exactly gotten any less complicated. If it weren’t for his intolerance to alcohol, he would’ve probably gotten a drink in the nearest pub as soon as he got back to Vale. It was more or less the tone Asgore used that helped him to open up. Either that, or just maybe he wanted to actually talk to someone he could trust outside of the group that consisted of Team DHRC and ESER. “Let’s just say that a lot of things have become a bit clearer, and I’m afraid that my teammates and friends will get hurt or worse at one point or another. I honestly don’t know if I could live through the percieved guilt of seeing them in that state while I continue on with my life.” It was his duty as the leader of his team to ensure their survival, and the things he’d seen had during his stay in the cemetary only exasperated that belief, one that had been born from past nightmares and pushed him to try things most others would find to be ludicrous. Rei glanced up to see Ghalan and Yuki approach and nodded. She was a bit curious as to what the two had been talking about, but it probably wasn’t any of her business. “That sounds reasonable enough. Lead the way.” There wasn’t really much else to say, though she was a bit worried about Draco. He had been gone for quite some time, and there was no telling what lurked near a place such as this.

“Yeah. I picked two different metals, but he still made it work.” The dragon then gave a light nod as Asgore introduced himself. It was a rather strange name, but he wasn’t one to judge. After all, his literally meant ‘dragon fire’. “We’ve been through a bit, but I don’t think I’d ever insult that. This is porbbaly the best armor I’ve seen at all.” Draco then sighed as he stretched slightly. “I should probably be getting back to my team and friends. Knowing them, they probably got into a near death situation while I was away.”

Draco narrowed his eyes in thought and nodded. “He kind of revealed a few big secrets, the black queen specifically, and I personally wouldn’t be surprised if Ozpin had others in his pocket.” Some things just didn’t add up with that man, but he coukd deal with that later. As for destroying the forge, he could understand why such a action was needed. After all, the last thing they needed was to give their enemies an edge over the average hunter.

It was at this moment that Draco honestly wished that he had brought his chokuto when he and Yuki had gone out for their walk. At the very least, he might not have panicked as much at the rather sudden appearance of the new character. Thankfully, it didn’t take him long to put two and two together, and a light nod was all that was given. “So, you’re the uncle of my teammate, and this was where he lived? I’m sorry if I stumbled upon something I shouldn’t have.” His voice was kept rather low, if only to not betray his own emotions. “My name is Draco, by the way. The last I saw of Ghalan was when he was in the forge.”

Rei honestly had to stop herself from punching Yuki, if only because she didn’t know how much of a breach of trust that was to her team leader. “I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t just hear you say that first bit and hope you’re smart enough to drop it. As for the amnesia bit, I honestly don’t know. It sort of comes and goes, but I figure it has something to do with all that electricity bouncing around in him. It can’t be good for his nervous system.” The snake faunus then gave a light shrug, and while it was only a theory, it was the best she had. Draco fell back from the images being displayed before him and felt his heart pounding in his chest. Looking around, it didn’t take him long to realize that he was in the middle of a cemetery housing the dead of those who had given their lives to protect this area. He could feel his heart racing as memories of his earlier he thought had been buried a long time ago surfaced. The teen then managed to stand and walked out of the presumably hallowed ground before promptly expelling anything within his stomach in the shortest route possible. “What... what was that?”