exarched: (pic#17853787)
G'raha Tia (Ph.D) ([personal profile] exarched) wrote2025-06-06 08:52 am
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"Hello, you have reached G'raha Tia. Please leave a message after the tone and I will return your call as soon as I am able."
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Alisaie L.
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Alphinaud L.
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Ardbert
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Aria F.
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Eliot S.
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Estinien V.
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baddragoon: (012)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-02 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Thirty minutes later sees him climbing in through the window. He'd already been heading back to Panorama when it had happened so it didn't take him long to make it back to the motel.

And rising behind him like a snake, long and covered in rough scales, with spikes along the length of it and a tip that looked more like a weapon, was Estinien's new tail. It lashes once, almost slamming into the balcony doors, before Estinien sets both feet on the ground and grabs hold of it with a hand. ]


As you can see, there might be a problem.
baddragoon: (014)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-02 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Too much feeling.

[ If he focuses he can still it, but the moment he does anything else it just... reacts, as given by the way it writhes in his grip. Only his gauntlet is currently stopping it from tearing his hand to shreds. Its agitated nature seems to belie some kind of turmoil that is completely absent from his face. ]

I can feel my hand upon it. I can feel the muscles working, the weight of it, the— [ He frowns, concentrating for a few precious minutes, and one by one the spines lay flat. The moment he stops, they spring back up again. ]
baddragoon: (012)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-02 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I am not a scalekin, G'raha. [ It is said, perhaps, sharper than he intended. His next words are a great deal more measured. ] And I imagine none of them can attribute their body parts to the great wyrm, Nidhogg.

[ Reflexively, the path trodden so many times it has been worn smooth inside him, he reaches for whatever remains of Nidhogg. It is quiescent, the same way it has been every other time he has checked, the way it is usually outside of battle. However, he cannot think of any other reason why he would spontaneously grow parts of his body. Not with his past. ]
baddragoon: (006)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-02 06:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It feels like he's being handled. Soft words and soft tones for the fragile man who needs it.

But—

Is it causing you any pain, my friend?

G'raha. Not even a moment of fear. Always so willing to help. ]


No. No pain. It is akin to an arm for me. A leg. A part of me.

[ A sharp exhale. He would fold his arms right now if he didn't feel as though letting go of his— of his tail would end in disaster. ]

But you might understand my concerns.
baddragoon: (Default)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-02 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Estinien... untenses. Places a hand on G'raha's shoulder and gives him a little shake. ]

I did not come to you to solve all my problems, G'raha. This is not for you to bear.

[ If he had his way about it he would have told no one. Would have kept his own council until circumstances forced it into the light. He can already picture the expression Alphinaud will throw in his direction the second he sees it. ]

I did not sense him. Do not sense him. And maybe I share the same arrogance here as I did in the past but... [ He shrugs. What is there to be done except wait and see? ]
baddragoon: (011)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-03 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. You think that—

[ He falls silent for a second, thinking, G'raha's words serving to jog his memory. In his hand his tail seems to calm too. Estinien tentatively lets it fall to the ground where it curls over one of his boots and then settles. The first time since he got it, he realises, and wonders how much of that has to do with the possibility of it being temporary, and how much of it has to do with—

Please allow me to assist however I can.

Paladin suits him well, Estinien thinks with no small measure of amusement. Such a stalwart protector. ]


I was passing through a diffusion zone, I believe, when the pain started. Though typically remnants of the zone cannot be taken from the zone [ unfortunately ] perhaps it's merely a function of those kinds of places existing.
Edited (forgot the gay im sorry) 2025-10-03 05:41 (UTC)
baddragoon: (008)

cw lil gore/body horror

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-03 09:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ Estinien nods along to all of G'raha's theorying, agreeing to the broad strokes of it if not to the specifics when—

Hm. This may be the first time he's ever gotten in trouble for saying too much, he'd wager. ]


The tail grew in over the course of an hour. It was not a smooth process.

[ There was... a lot of blood. Skin bulging grotesquely at the small of his back until he'd taken a knife to it. And then...

Estinien has been stabbed before. Has been gutted and burned and left broken and bleeding and still he doesn't think anything quite compares to— that.

At his feet his tail shivers, as though it knows it's under scrutiny, and even though he can feel it, it has yet to register as something belonging to him. Estinien sets a hand on it as though he is calming a wild animal and begs for patience. At least wait until he's left; he'd hate to be the cause of any damage to G'raha's belongings. ]


I'm fine.

[ Do not trust him, G'raha, you know what he's like. ]
baddragoon: (007)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-03 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Estinien sighs as though G'raha isn't the one doing him a favour, but he foresaw this the moment he mentioned the word 'pain'. All three of them are like this, as though Estinien was not born into strife, did not cut his teeth on war. Still— ]

My thanks.

[ —he would not be seen as ungrateful. He drops his hands to his belt, which is the only thing really holding his hastily altered jeans in place and starts to undo it. ]

Where would you have me?
baddragoon: (008)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-06 01:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The curtains hadn't even crossed Estinien's mind. He stares bemusedly at them as he walks over to the lamp, sliding the belt free from its loops as he does. The jeans immediately sag. He'd less 'cut a hole' for his tail as much as he's sliced the back of the jeans in twain; delicate work is certainly not among one of his strengths. And though the jeans are dark, it's easy to see that the material is stiff with blood, cold and tacky to the touch, and leaving the newly revealed skin smeared red.

However he is not still bleeding. The skin around his tail is healed, but it definitely looks raw. Red where the scales meet the skin. Estinien crosses his arms and focuses on his tail, holding it quiescent, the spines laid flat, so as not to accidentally injure G'raha while he takes a look. ]


As I said, I am fine.
baddragoon: (006)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-08 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Aye. [ The words come slowly, owing to his focus on his tail. ] A part of Nidhogg's revenge, giving blood to Ishgardian. We're all descendants of the original betrayers, and the power stolen from Ratatoskr can be activated thus. Though as far as I am aware they underwent full transformations once enough blood had been consumed.

[ He doesn't think he'd mind all that much if it was merely that. Dragons are by and large majestic creatures. Proud and powerful and more honorable than even the most fervent of knights— No, if it was merely the inevitable case of his draconic heritage rising to the fore he would not be here.

But he would not have Nidhogg lay waste to this place in his endless thirst for revenge. Not for his comrades and the innocents here, and not for Nidhogg himself.

G'raha's aether feels particularly cool against the fever of his skin. Estinien feels his shoulders lower by inches, feels it in the way his tail becomes easier to control. ]


...What does it look like? Does it spread?
baddragoon: (006)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-14 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[ For now. ]

Very well.

[ Then there is aught to do but wait, and it serves nothing and no one for him to stand around doing naught but mope. What comes will come.

And there is more of them this time. It won't have to fall to Aymeric to be the one to stop him, have to fall upon Alphinaud to be the one to save him from his folly. And...

Is it causing you any pain, my friend?

Please allow me to assist however I can.

Perhaps he need not keep his own council on this. Bear it wholly alone. ]


I believe it would be better if I kept my distance from town as much as possible. [ He pulls up his jeans as he speaks, rethreading his belt to hold it in place. Admittedly, his back does feel much better now and he offers G'raha a nod of thanks. ] But if you were willing, perhaps I might confer with you from time to time. To keep an eye on my affliction if nothing else.
baddragoon: (006)

[personal profile] baddragoon 2025-10-19 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's not a sigh he gives, because that would be to imply that Alphinaud's attention is some kind of burden. But his breath is heavy in his chest nonetheless at the reminder. ]

I... will not ask you to lie for me. Any questions you receive you may direct towards me. I only— If this is to be temporary then it serves nothing and no one to worry him so.

[ It if course goes without saying that if it is not temporary then they will have more pressing things to concern themselves with.

And speaking of pressing concerns. ]


Until it goes away, I must beg another favour of you. How... do I alter my clothes?

[ Local man has zero levels in every crafting job. ]

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