[Zephyr]

Zephyr's kick missed as another man moved him with extreme ease. Zephyr's anger towards the man was immediate. "No one make me miss." He thought as his fist began to clench at his side. Before Zephyr was able to reach the new stranger, his anger was replaced with a feeling of friendship. "Do.... do i know him?" He wondered as the feeling slowly became more prominent.

"He knows about our mission?" Zephyr thought inquisitively. "We're........ looking for someone. What's it to you?" Zephyr said, semi-timidly. The feeling f familiarity was there, but he couldn't recognize him at all. It was throwing of his senses, and Zehyr didn't like that.

[Namiko]

Miko allowed himself a small smile at the young dragon's agression. It reminded him of himself a little, a fierce red dragon who was a bit arrogant. Still, that was long ago. Miko turned his head and nodded to Jack, who skipped over to the table and onto Miko's lap.

"I might be able to help." Miko said, his curiousity getting the better of him.

"I know most people around these parts, although they know little of me. If the guy you want is in Nanea, then chances are I'll know where he is." Miko said, allowing Jack to gnaw at his finger. He stroked the slender dragon with his other hand.

"So, who are you after?"

[Maximus]

Max listened intently to the conversation, wondering who the mystery man was. He certainly wasn't a normal inhabitant of Nanea-what normal guy can drag a guy off his feet by his collar without breaking into a sweat? This bloke was powerful, and obviously something special. Maybe he could help them find the missing aide. But what if he didn't just use his strength to dispose of drunks? Suppose he turned on them, what would happen then? Max frowned. He had to trust his gut instinc-and that told him that this guy was straight. Max cleared his throat and spoke up.

"We're looking for an old friend of Xanth. He was an aide, long ago, and Xanth needs him now. He's a dragon. That's all we know really." Max said, before chuckling at his own forgetfullness.

"Oh, and the guy's name is Namiko. Ring any bells?"

[Elise]

The man's insistence on getting an answer out of them worried Elise. Normal people wouldn't care about strangers, right? But this guy wasn't normal. He'd launched the drunkard a few meters away with ease. She finally took a seat as the man offered to help them with their search. What he'd said made sense. He had connections and was respected (or feared, in the case of the drunkard), so he'd make a good guide.

She looked at the black imp dragon in surprise. I thought only Xanth had imp dragons? Clearly, she knew far too little about the dragon culture, she realized as two waitresses brought their orders.

But she wouldn't eat. Not yet. Leaning against the back of her chair, she nervously placed her hands on her lap as Maximus began to explain their situation. All the while, she kept her eyes on the stranger. What was he thinking?

((OOC: Heh. Thought the food would be here by now ))

[Namiko]

Miko tried to hide his surprise at hearing his name. Xanth wanted him to return to Elysia? Why? Thoughts sreamed into his head. Elysia held many memories for him, and not all of them good. Going back there would certainly open up some old wounds. He could just tell the questers he hadn't heard of the guy! That would work. He was about to open his mouth when he felt a prod in his stomach. Jack, her beady eyes glaring at him, had something to say.

"What have you got to stay here for?" Miko heard as he let down his mental barrier. He closed his mouth. Was the imp right? Getting drunk, night after night was no way to live. He sighed and looked down at his hands. They were scarred from battle, but seemed ready to hold his trusty axe again.

"Well, once you're done eating I guess we can all go back to Elysia then." Miko said casually.

[Zephyr]

When Zephyr saw the imp Dragon, he remembered Spirit. "Where is he?!" He wondered, realizing the owl wasn't on his shoulder as usual. Turning around, Zephyr saw Spirit tearing at the fish. "Heh, guess he likes it." Zephyr thought with a smirk.

When the man said he'd be going back with them Zephyr froze. "You're... You're an aide?" He said, slightly stunned. he man's deshevled appearance didn't potray what he thought of as an aide.

Eyeing the black imp dragon Zephyr thought for a moment. There were always myths about there actually being black dragons but..... "Can I ask....... What Dragon Sept are you?"

[Elise]

As the unknown exchange between dragon and imp dragon took place, Elise put a fork into her salmon and dug out a chunk of it.
"Well, once you're done eating we can all go back to Elysia then."

Elise nearly choked on her salmon. She let out a short cough, swallowed her food, and looked at the man---Namiko---with wide eyes. He was Namiko? The aide of Xanth? To Elise, he didn't seem like one at all, though his authoritative tone fit his old role.

It seemed way too convenient for them to meet Namiko here. Either Xanth was secretly controlling fate, or some deity wanted Namiko out of Acantha. Or something else like luck. At that, she smiled slightly and touched the star shaped pendant at her neck. Elise listened closely as Zephyr asked about dragon septs. What dragon septs were there, anyway? She only knew of gold and red.

[Daoine]

Before Daoine noticed any reaction to her attempts of influencing the drunkars's emotions, another stranger came up to the group and got rid of the drunkard. Daoine took him in with interest. He was a Dragon, no doubt about that, and quite powerfull so it seemed. As the conversation took place, Daoine sat silent. She blocked the emotions of everyone in the bar except her own group and the new Dragon. She noticed the surprise in the Dragon as Max mentioned the name Namiko.

Listening to Zephyr's question about the Sept, Daoine intuitively answered without thinking "He's a Black Dragon" then looked up, surprised at her own actions.

[Namiko]

Miko grinned sheepishly as the group slowly realised what he meant and who he was. He made a mental note to at least shave before he went to see Xanth.

"I was a red dragon before I went dark." Miko said with a smile at the young dragon. The waves of agression were flooding off of him. Not in a bad way-he just seemed eager. Miko gave his stubby chin a scratch. He supposed he could go and wash up now, instead of wasting time later. He got to his feet, bundling Jack onto his shoulder.

"I'll go and sort myself out while you eat. Won't be long." Miko said with a wink, figuring the questers would probably want to talk in private-quite possibly about him.

[Maximus]

Max watched as the Aide walked behind the bar and up a flight of stairs. He turned back to his fellow questers and let out a long whistle.

"So that's the guy. It seems we got lucky." Max admitted, knowing the find had been more down to their stomachs than their brains. Still, they deserved a bit of luck after the journey they had made. Max allowed himself a smile as he tucked into his steak.

"Was anyone else expecting someone like him?" Max asked, wondering if he was the only surprised member among them. Although he couldn't doubt the strength of the dragon; the drunk wasn't exactly a light weight, but looked like one as he was tossed effortlessly through the air.

((GM of Miko with permission ))

[Elise]

Whatever black dragons were, Elise didn't hear any more of them. As the man moved toward the stairs, Elise took another bite of her salmon. She definitely hadn't expected the man to be an aide. When she'd first entered Elysia, she'd thought that all aides were purple-skinned like Xanth. Then she'd seen that Kiril doll and the aide statues in the market. All the aides looked neat and organized, so compared to them, Namiko was so out of place...

Maybe he just missed Elysia. Swallowing her food, she grinned and shook her head. She'd been so nervous when the man was there and could barely say a word. "Not really, but he seems pretty nice."


((OOC: My time and your times don't match well, Nat, so feel free to GM El whenver. You know how she acts. ;P))

[Daoine]

As the Aide got up and left the table, the others were apparently as surprised as Daoine was. "He's certainly not what I'd been expecting but then again, nothing in this dimension seems to be comparable to anything in Elysia." she replied to Max and Elise; "I don't know, I don't get any weird vibes from him but something about this just doesn't feel 100% right. It's almost as if this is going too easy." she continued.

Daoine looked down at her plate and finished the last bite of her steak. Then she took another sip of the coffee she'd ordered. She had been right about that, the coffee tasted horrible but this was no time to fuss about minor things.

Looking up at the rest again she asked "So what now? We just travel back to the portal and take him into Elysia?".

[Maximus]

Max pondered Daione's question for a moment.

"Well, I suppose he's taken charge now really." He finally said, still quite amazed that the quest was nearly over.

"We just follow him home now I suppose." Max thought aloud. He smiled.

"It's lucky he found us though. I don't think we'd have believed anyone else if they'd told us that he was an aide." He mused.

[Namiko]

Miko padded down the stairs, a small rucksack filled with his few possessions. He nodded to the barman, who's eyes widened slightly, before nodding. He reached under the bar and chucked a small gold key to the dragon. Miko snatched the key out of the air and stalked over to the cupboard under the staircase. After removing a large axe with jewels encrusted all over the handle, he returned the key. He shook the barmans hand, and returned to the questers.

"I can get you all home, unless you want to travel back the way you came." He announced, wondering if he'd still be able to transport 4 people.

"Oh, and now you know who I am...who are you guys?"

[Zephyr]

Zephyr made hi way over to his chair and, after picking it up, resumed his earlier position. "Wow... He was a RED dragon!?" Zephyr thought as he absent mndedly cut at his steak. Ignoring the others in his group as he ate, Zephyr watched the stairs, waiting for the dragon... Namikao, to come down them again.

Spirit perched on the table after having happilt devoured the fish. Preening his feathers, the bird looked at Zephyr with a spark in his eyes. Zephyr trusted Spirit like he didn't trust anyone else, and even though he was a bird, spirit felt- and understood- that. Suddenly the man came back down the stairs, causing spirit to squak angrily as he revealed his weapon.

Zephyr's eyes were immediatly drawn to the weapon as well. "It's... amazing" He thought as he eyed the craftsmanship and tried to figure out what the materials were. "Maybe... one day I could make something that amazing." He wondered as he stretched his arm out over the table and let Spirit hop up onto it. Spirit complied with a grumpy squak as Zephyr moved away from the table, not even paying attention to the Owl.

"My name's Zephyr, Zephyr Cairbre." He said as he extended the arm that Spirit wasn't on to shake hands with the Aide. "The little guy's Spirit." Zephyr said as he raised the owl up to his shoulder. Spirit responded by happily jumping onto the red dragon's shoulder and brushing up against his face. "Spirit... sometimes I wonder if you're an owl or a cat!" Zephyr thought, half joking.

[Maximus]

Max also stood up to introduce himself to the aide.

"Dr Maximus Mills, human. I'm supposedly leading the group, but everyone's so equally matched, the party kinda runs itself." Max said with a smile. He felt more relaxed after some rest, a good meal, and the knowledge that they'd sucessfully completed their quest. He was feeling more like his old self. Max gestured to the two girls.

"This is Elise, our expert human warrior, and Daione, the peacemaking dragon." Max explained.

"And we're just about done, I think, if you're ready?" Max asked.

[Namiko]

Miko shook the hand Zephyr offered to him, and smiled as the owl hopped around.

"I'll introduce you to Jack later, she's just getting her collection shifted." Miko said, before turning to Max.

"Nice to meet you, Doc." He said with a wink and a grin, which the Doctor returned. As he was properly introduced to the girls, he waved at them both.

"I'm ready to go now." Miko said, in reply to Max's final question.

"I'll shift my stuff outside, and meet you guys out there. It's easier for me to transport you guys home if we're outside." The aide said, hulking his bag over his shoulder and picking up his large axe, before walking out into the fading daylight.



godmod of max avec permish

[Elise]

The aide was friendly, judging from his behavior with Maximus and Zephyr. Like Zephyr, he seemed like a nice guy to befriend, despite his fierceness with the drunk. Hearing Maximus introduce her as the 'expert human warrior', Elise quickly shook her head and said with a smile, "Just a warrior, Max, you flatterer."
She pushed her empty plate away from her and got to her feet as the aide walked outside.
"Did he say that he'd transport us home?" she asked the others in confusion. She must have heard wrong, cause what kind of vehicle could carry them across the wasteland? She hadn't seen any cars in Nanea.

[Daoine]

Daoine nodded to Max's thoughts which he expressed out loud. Following Namiko and see what his plans were seemed to be a good idea at this point.

Moments later Namiko came down the stairs and approached the group again. Finally he asked who they were, which sounded quite logical to Daoine. No one in their right minds would go on a journey with a group of unknown strangers, right?! As she moved to introduce herself, Max had already done so for Elise and herself.
"This is Elise, our expert human warrior, and Daoine, the peacemaking dragon."
Daoine smiled, no one had ever called her that before. "Gold, as you might have guessed by now/ she added with a happy wink to Namiko.

Then Namiko walked outside. Daoine took her bagpack and walked towards the door aswell.

"Did he say that he'd transport us home?"
She turned around to Elise "Yes well ... now that you mention it. I wonder what he means by transporting? Let's go outside and see what he has planned."

[Namiko]

Namiko waited as Elise and Daione followed him outside. Looking around Nanea one final time, Miko concentrated hard. Just as he was beginning to transport the others, he heard a disgruntled "Eek!". He opened his clenched eyes impatiently, and glared around to see what the noise was. He looked down and saw an irritated looking Jack staring up at him. Miko grinned sheepishly, and scooped up the tiny dragon and her shiny collection. He closed his eyes again, letting out a few deep breaths, before taking the group back to the Elysian Market Place.