Ch. 6 - Scales and wings are such a drag for Jack of Fables

[originaljackass]

[Jack is getting restless now. It's been nearly a month since he was turned into this big hulking beast and frankly? It's getting pretty damn old. Each day he has to roll in his gold a little longer to make himself feel better and he's less and less inclined to leave his gold behind. That damn pirate is going to try and find it, he just knows it. Still, hunger is hunger and he's getting sick of deer, bears, cows, and sheep. The farm animals are the easiest to get, but he's noticed he's been... thinning the herd a bit. He can't live off them forever. As for hunting? It's a pain in the ass.

Well, if he's going to be stuck like this, like hell he's going to just hide. So retreating from his cave, he'll be flying towards town. He'll stop just behind the grocery store and land there. Seeing as he's too big to get in... he'll just bust a hole in the roof and start grabbing stuff that way. Good thing these buildings auto-repair and the food restocks itself, because he won't be leaving much of a store behind by the time he's done.]

((ooc: Feel free to catch him at the store or prowling around the mountains. But not so much his secret treasure horde... not yet!))

Comments

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[She smothers a laugh at his expression. Not outright laughing because it still seems dangerous, even if she knows it's Jack, but... that face.] Why thank you. [...It is hard to take flirting seriously from green things, okay.]

Just now, you didn't know sooner? Haven't you been like that for a while? Light said she ran into you. But...

[...That is weird. Why is it lasting so long?]

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

This is only my first time trying, I've been taking my meals live before. [He moves his great head over to the meat and gobbles up what little is left.]

But I've been stuck like this since the last experiment. [Which she probably gleaned from Light anyway. Oh well.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

The cattle... [She feels sorry for them, even if it is a natural thing. ...Dragons are part of her world's nature, anyway.

Jack being one, though--not so natural now.]

Yeah, she mentioned you were changing during it, too. But I wouldn't have expected that to turn out like this. ...Maybe I can see it a little with the way you're eating.

[Jack is making her halfway-want to turn vegetarian with the way he's gobbling that meat.]

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, I wasn't expecting it either. But I'm pretty sure eating ain't what changed me. I've been around for centuries and I never once weighed over a two-twenty.

[And he used to eat as much as he wanted too! Part of the Fable magic and all that.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Even the worst glutton wouldn't put weight on that fast anyhow. [So...just what is wrong with Jack? She tilts her head, looking at him curiously.] I've heard of people turning into dragons, but that was just stories.

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

What, really? Finally! What kind of stories?

[STORIES, if you call Aerith, are quite important to Jack. Well, not in a personal way, but they do rule his life.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[She'd wondered about him appearing in so many stories, though she didn't know how much this would help. She didn't even know the story itself--just the Gold Saucer version of it.]

Hmm...? Hey, can I ask you something first?

[ Because she's looking for something, and goodness knows where it is at this point; what if an animal carried it away? She wouldn't expect Jack to have seen it up close, but maybe he's seen an unusual shine in an unexpected place...]

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

[... this sounds suspiciously like not being told what he wants to hear.]

... fine, what is it?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Well whether he gets told or not depends on what he says to this.]

It's just a favor! I lost my mother's materia during that dumb experiment and no one's seen it, so... I don't know. It's what I wear in my hair. [Pointing to the back of her head; the materia's not highly visible inside her ribbon, but people tend to spot glints if they've been around her long enough.] Maybe it could have been taken out of the village somehow. You've got good eyes, right? It's small, but it shines back light beautifully. I really, really want to find it.

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

[... like a pearl, maybe? As a matter of fact, he remembers fetching something like that. He put it in his pocket before that dragon business started. It was a part of his horde now and sometimes he'd look at it and it would make him feel just a tiny bit less miserable.

... but that's his horde and he feels a horrible well of selfishness and greed rise up in him. Normally he would probably hand it back to her and try to get in her good graces by asking for a reward. But the thought of parting with it now? It nearly makes him sneer.]

Why the hell do you think I would have it!?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

I didn't say that, I was asking if you could keep an eye out--! [--wait flip the switch why is he acting so defensive about it.] Hey! Do you have it?

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

Why the hell would I have it? I'm a giant, fucking dragon!

...see this is why paids are worth it! EDITING OUT HTML FAIL.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Exactly! You were the one asking about stories! What do you think most dragons do?!

[But she backs a step off, taking a veeery deep breath. Trying for calm and completely failing because this is her mother's materia. The Cetra's secret. The Planet's protection. What she died for. The idea that someone had stolen it had been upsetting before. Now presented with a potential culprit? Hello, anger.

...But maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe he doesn't have it. There's still a lot of tension in her hands.]

Just, yes or no, Jack. Do you know where Holy is?

Alas, I am stuck with basic until Jack is re-humaned.

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

[Dragons go around burning cottages, burninating the countryside, stealing princesses, defeating knights...

It costs him nothing to give it up to her. Again, he normally wouldn't care and just give it back. But there's something inside him that's suddenly viewing her with suspicion, like she's a thief just trying to get to his treasure horde, and that if he had any sense right now he'd just snuff her out in a burst of flames.]

No. Now leave me alone. I never asked for company, I just want to eat my damn food. [He gives her a warning glare that's very animal and betrays the human mind underneath. The dragon and the greed is starting to take control of him.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[...And hoarding things. But that look definitely reminds her of the more violent behaviors dragons are known for. She quails at it and backs off warily toward a nearby aisle. It's only because she's faced real dragons and still sees a sliver of difference that she lingers at all.] Didn't you want to know that story? The curse was lifted with a kiss of true love. I hope that's not what you need, because you won't get it acting like this.

[With that, she turns down the aisle, walking briskly to get out of the store. Her hands are held up to her chest, ears alert for any move Jack might make. She's definitely alarmed now and just wants to leave now, but... she's so angry, she almost wants to cry. That jerk. He was lying, there was no need to act that way!]

[dragonjack.livejournal.com]

[... true love's kiss. He feels a little regretful when she leaves. A bit because he can tell it made her sad. More so because he might have blown his chance for a cure. After all, who in Luceti gave a damn enough about him to kiss him as a dragon?

... he decides he's had enough and withdraws from the store, heading towards the mountains.]