Dancing Fox In XII: Dance If You Want To

[Deathkeeper]

Mist gives her a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, I'm sorry. It's never fun waking up on the floor." he says.
He's been there before.

He sheepishly looks down at his coat.
"Well uh, here goes nothing..." he says, swishing it with his hands and doing his best to activate it.
Normally it expands Mist's Aspect abilities, but since he isn't actually trying for anything specific, it'll just grab something from Cleo, since she's the nearest person.

[Recaiden]

Cleo shakes her head. It's not about sleeping on the floor, though that was a little inhospitable of Mist. It's about seeing the dream where she matters at all give way to other peoples' world. She should make a Cup charity in which to drown her sorrows.
Or just take some time. She'll get over it.

Aspect of the Dragon! Serpentine, scaled, slippery, strong. Preferably without limbs.

[Deathkeeper]

I'm not entirely sure what mental state is associated with Cleo's dragon-self, the physical effect is pretty apparent. Mist's coat wraps around him and shortly deposits a serpentine little creature just a bit larger than a fox without including the extra tail length, with Mist's fur color and actual coat starting at about his "shoulders" as scales give way to fur, ending in a poofy tail (though not as poofy as a normal fox's). Besides the fur and the horns curling in a much different way, it looks a lot like a tiny dragon-Cleo, right down to the six eyes and floating paws (unless it was eight feet?).
"Woah man, how do you control all of these things?" he laments, waving his paws and getting rather dizzy from all those eyes looking everywhere.

[Recaiden]

Six feet is right.

"Ohmygoodnessyou'reso Cute!"

Was Cleo being sad a moment ago? No. Just exclaiming at the adorable little fox-dragon.
"Here, close your eyes, and stand still-" She reaches out to move him into a reasonable posture. "-then open one pair, the front, like you're just barely opening your eyes, and just pick up one paw at a time till you get the hang of it."

[Deathkeeper]

For the record, Mist should still have ears and his Mark regardless of if Cleo has ears. Never know with dragons.
"Oh, uh, okay." he says sheepishly, managing to close all but two eyes.
"Is there an advantage to all these eyes and feet or did you just really like how it looked? I should show Leah; she did like having more neck to pet."
And without attached limbs, he's basically all neck with a head.
Unless Leah has tension with Cleo that would make that a bad idea, in which case Cleo should probably tell him.

[Recaiden]

Cleo nods.

"I can see more without compromising my depth perception, and it lets me use two paws like hands-" such as right now, petting the fox dragon. "-while still staying steady on four feet."
She is free of external ears, though.

"I expect she should be amused by it."

[Deathkeeper]

I was under the impression she was human, the way she was when she went to sleep. No matter!

"Mmm. I guess that makes sense. I guess the floating paws keep things from getting tangled, even if it was probably overt complicated to create. Do you mind if I hold on to this Aspect copy for when I need it? I bet if I can avoid getting small I could scare the pants off of some people with it."
Dragons can be pretty scary when they want to be. And Mist isn't completely sure what he even means, he just knows that he could use this Aspect again without Cleo around if she willingly lets him use it.

[Recaiden]

Well, the dragon shape has no ears. Right now, normal human ears with tubercles and lobes, pierced but not decorated with any jewelry. Her player may have been nearly asleep when writing that post.

Cleo tests whether she can still take on her dragon shape before saying yes. Assuming she can, she gives him a nod. "Use it when you like. I'm glad someone else gets a bit of use from the design."
"They were pretty fiddly to make, yeah. Now, try opening the back pair of eyes too. Don't focus on anything, just keep looking the way you were."

[Deathkeeper]

She is wholly herself. Mist simply needs permission before using his own copy. Fae do not take kindly to copyright infringement.

Mist opens the back pair as instructed. It's still dizzying, but not too bad if he just focuses on lining them all up.
"You put a lot of thought and effort into this design, Cleo. I'm proud to use it." he says genuinely. It's neat, trying new things.

[Recaiden]

One thing Cleo definitely doesn't know about Mist is how his Aspect stuff works. Maybe it's exclusive, and only one person can use each aspect at a time. Thankfully, that's not the case.

"Thank you, Mist. Not many people think about that. Try moving around a bit, and once that's comfortable, open all your eyes."

One step at a time. Then he can try moving pairs and sides individually, like a chameleon.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist wiggles around a bit, taking a few steps and testing out his paws. How far can they go from the body? Is it variable or are they consistent for the length of The legs that would be there?

He does open his eyes, though again, he tries very hard to only look in one direction, and blink at the same time.

"You're welcome, Cleo. You deserve plenty of credit for being so helpful."

He should get her a #1 Mentor mug or something. She certainly counts at this point. Far more helpful than the Father he has. And the mother he doesn't, since there were no female fae besides Leah and Cleo and the Cat that he has ever met.

[Recaiden]

His paws can stretch up to twice as far as the legs he would have, or be held right up to his body, but they don't move quite freely, still somewhat constrained by his shoulders.

Cleo laughs softly. "Thanks. And you know, try winking, closing all your left eyes, or just one of them." Naturally, it will take some practice before his muscles are up to it.

A mug would be appreciated. Nothing shows goodwill quite like a printed mug. How curious. The 3 nobles of his own type, and him, all men. Where Cleo's type is the opposite. Originally there were no male fae at all, and even when there started to be, they remained much more rare.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist can close all the eyes on one side, but not any individual ones. He just isn't used to all these eyelids!

"I think getting to the Fort will be probably enough practice I need to not fall over and look dumb when I show Leah." he says, walking slowly around the room.

[Recaiden]

"Alright. Have a safe trip there."

Don't get eaten by a hawk or a bear on the way, Mist. You're so small.

"I'll get going. My timestream is getting tangled enough."
Cleo goes to change out of her pyjamas and then heads off.

"You've been a good student, Mist."

[Deathkeeper]

Mist jumps over and gives Cleo a hug, though it's more of just a snuggle because he has no limbs.
"And you've been a good teacher. Thank you." he says, letting her leave.

[Recaiden]

Sometime that day, I think, probably late afternoon, but perhaps another time, one finds Leah entering the DFI, looking around.

She looks like she has been through a harrowing experience.
Harrowed.
Eyes wide, sunglasses kind of drooping, mouth set in a wobbly line.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist, who is his usual self due to a need to serve drinks and not freak people out, steps over worriedly. His coat is now magic, there's a dirk on his belt, he's shorter, more orange, and has a blue star on a now silvery button much like his Mark that was not previously on his coat. But that all is not really important. What's important is that Leah is upset!

"Leah, what's wrong? Did something happen?" he asks worriedly.

[Recaiden]

Leah shrugs and smiles slightly.
"Only some strange news."
"All of a sudden, my father is getting married. To Keiko. Thanks, she says, to your advice."
"It's the most incongruous thing I've ever heard."
She sets a hand on her hip, where skin meets her fur.
"You can explain?"

[Deathkeeper]

"Well she was going to do it anyway. She just asked me for advice on how to avoid messing it up.
And it's not that weird. Your father is an immortal sometimes-dragon, she's immortal and a dragon's daughter. And a fox, which I guess your family just likes. You're not upset that she's getting married, are you?" he asks her.

[Recaiden]

"It is that weird."

Leah shakes her head.

"Anything with foxes has to be a coincidence, right?" She protests, flustered. "Why would I be upset?"

[Deathkeeper]

"It's all a conspiracy, Leah! Soon the foxes will have taken over your family! he says, waving his furry hands.
And you just seem flustered. are you uncomfortable with her getting a wife?" he says gently. He hopes he isn't prying at all or something but this seems odd for her.

[Recaiden]

Against her will, that pulls a smile to her face.
"At least an interdimensional fox conspiracy would explain this!"

Leah shakes her head vigorously, face reddening, agitated.
"I'm not flustered!"
"No. I mean, it's a bit odd, but it's not like she it being a woman is something new. It just...it isn't faiiiiir."

[Deathkeeper]

Mist raises an eyebrow.
"Wait, what? Why isn't it fair?"
What's not fair about Cleo being happy with some crazy fox girl?

[Recaiden]

"Everything comes so easy to her, she's-"
Leah's ears flatten and her gaze falls down to the bar.

"Okay, so there was a time when I had a huge crush on Keiko. But it was obvious it wasn't mutual, or I thought so. But apparently my father is a different story?! I can't make sense of it with how I knew them to be before. I can almost believe your conspiracy joke, it's so, so weird."

[Deathkeeper]

"I guess you're right. It seems a bit impulsive for her. Normally Cleo is all,
He shifts into his mini-Cleo-fox shape,
"Esteem and quiet refinement, plants and Knowing more than you." he says with a decent mimicry of Cleo's usual tone.

When in doubt, mock who the person is upset with. Even if you have to exaggerate the details.

[Recaiden]

Leah looks at the tiny mini-Cleo-fox in bafflement.
Keeps looking.
Laughs a little nervously.

"Well that's new...and spot on."
She leans down, ears perking back up, to look at this Mist shape.
"You think that might be more of an act?"

[Deathkeeper]

"Well, I don't feel the need to obfuscate facts and act condescending right now while borrowing her Aspect, so maybe it's just how she behaves around some people, like you and I. Maybe it's just how she treats kids. I don't know." he says with a shrug.
"This isn't uncomfortable for you, is it?" he asks, noting the tone of her laugh.

[Recaiden]

"Ugh, that would be just like her, wouldn't it?"
Leah shakes her head, and reaches out a hand to pet the long necked dragon-fox. Seems much better now that he's not putting on the imitation-voice.

"Nah. You've still got your own face."
Well, close enough. Except all the eyes and the dragonyness.

[Deathkeeper]

"Well yes, yes I do. I have my own Charity now, Leah. Isn't it great?" he says proudly as he is petted.

[Recaiden]

"That's how you're being this?"
She leans forward to give Mist a kiss wherever on his own face would make sense.

"That's wonderful! When did this happen!? Congratulations! You are just, such a wonderful person, you know that?"