Above The Clouds The Mind Soars

EmiRose

The Shipping Enthusiast
Inactive
Mar 24, 2018
3,983
Finland
Posting Status
Hiatus
This wasn't the first time Huilu had walked in this campus and seen the academy in flesh. But tonight she was looking at it with new eyes, due to the thoughts that had been swirling in her mind as of late. Huilu hadn't shared her thoughts with anyone yet, she wasn't certain of how realistic and grounded they were, but the one that would be able to tell her about that was Irso. And he was the one Huilu was here for.

Huilu sat down on a bench near where Irso had said they would meet. Huilu knew that Irso had the tendency to be punctual, so she had purposefully come 15 minutes before his last class ended. It was Friday night, so Huilu didn't have to worry about Eein and the rest of her children, they didn't have school tomorrow and didn't need reminding about homework. So Huilu was free to enjoy her time with Irso without any worries. Well, naturally there were few worries, Huilu was always slightly worried about her children.

The air was warm and the summer was here, but Huilu had still dressed warmly in a snug hoodie and jeans. The air and wind were colder up in the air, and that was where they were planning to go. Huilu wanted to share the joy of flight with Irso, especially since she had barely flown in her partially shifted form. It would be wonderful to share the new experience with Irso, his presence gave it even more value.
Huilu waited impatiently, already wanting to see Irso. It was always a delight to see him, but today felt special.


@Lich King
 

Lich King

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2016
633
Malazan
"And that is why the War Of The I'kratan Plains was both necessary and damaging to the Kilraki tribes."

Irso released the button on his laser pointer, a very efficient tool, and stared out to the class in front of him. The seats were filled minus a few early leavers and the sounds of keys clacking and pencils scribbling engulfed the silence of the room. Today's lecture had been a decent one and the class had done him the courtesy of asking him questions immediately and not after class so that he could leave on time.

It was considered odd by some of his coworkers that he let his students in on his personal life but he had no shame in it. While he could do without the romantic teasing he received from the more extroverted in the class he enjoyed sharing a bond with his students. He knew so much about them so why not reciprocate that? The class announcement of the day was his outing with Huilu after work, which had garnered him a chorus of ooohs~ from his pupils, and how he was not one to be late. After a wave of "We know Professor" from his students he happily proceded with the more scholastic announcements.

But here he was now.

With a swift bow and caring goodnight to his class, he exited the room. His pace oozed determination as he said his farewells to teachers and students alike throughout the hallways. By the time he entered his office, which was immaculate by the way, his constructs had already packed his bag and organized his paperwork. How lucky he was to have endless service from his loving creations.

"Alright, then Susany take my stuff home....and don't talk to strangers." He looked to the short blonde haired construct with parental eyes and like clockwork, the girl nodded and scooped up hi briefcase and jacket.

" Worsi, make sure she is protected." His eyes drifted up to the more masculine and broad looking male construct. Bald, and with no mouth to speak out of the strange looking piece nodded as well. Like a mother to her pups, he picked the smaller girl up and placed her on his shoulders.

Time was racing and with a small nod of approval, Irso opened the window to his office and flew out into the night sky under the glow of a full moon. That was the plan for tonight, to relax with the woman he loved feeling the air hit him as they flew. It sounded far more romantic over the phone when they had planned it but he was genuinely thrilled to just spend some time with Huilu.

The night sky didn't help him spot Huilu from afar but since the spot was predetermined he knew the only person on the bench could be her. If there was one thing Huilu was not it was tardy. Her knack to always appear earlier than scheduled while surprising at times was also greatly appreciated.

By now she would surely be able to smell him and like an angel in the night, which he was, he gracefully landed down next to her and crossed a leg " The rumor in my class was that a beautiful woman always appeared on this bench around this time. They'll be excited to know its true." He chuckled at his bad joke and greeted Huilu with a smile.

" I hope you didn't wait out here long for me."

@EmiRose
 

EmiRose

The Shipping Enthusiast
Inactive
Mar 24, 2018
3,983
Finland
Posting Status
Hiatus
Huilu had taken out her phone while waiting and was smiling gently at a message that Whisp had put in their family group chat, teasing Huilu about this particular outing. In the end Huilu's family had accepted Irso quite quickly, which was a big relief for Huilu, since she felt a deep connection to the man and could see the two of them staying together for a long time. If both their feelings and time would allow it.
Huilu lifted her phone to take a picture of the campus gardens gently glowing in the moonlight, her phone had many many pictures of many different kinds of things. Whenever Huilu saw anything she considered beautiful, interesting, amusing or in some other way inspiring she couldn't help but take a picture of it. And later she could remember the moment via the image, get inspired again, and that helped Huilu make the statues that now were her and her children's bread and butter.

As Huilu watched the gardens through her phone's high-quality camera she could smell a familiar scent, that brought a smile to her face. And as Irso landed by Huilu she took the picture, the quite sound of a shutter resounded and Huilu turned her head to face her beloved, a happy smile on her face.
"Then your class will be happy to hear that the beautiful woman never reveals her secrets. The passage of time is not relevant for her when waiting for her beloved. Or so the story goes."
Huilu went along with the joke, and in turn chuckled. She leaned over slightly and pressed a kiss on Irso's cheek.
"It is wonderful to see you. I hope you had an enjoyable day."
 

Lich King

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2016
633
Malazan
His soul bounced when he felt Huilu's kiss reach him. She had a strange way of doing that, and while at first, it made him somewhat confused he was quickly adapting to the feeling of love. He'd spent so long observing it that he'd never thought he'd have the time to find it himself. If he had been asked a couple of hundred years ago if he would be dating an ice dragon he would've told you the probability was .000015% now here he was.

" It was a productive class. The students were nice enough to be punctual about asking their questions when they arose. What about you? I hope you didn't spend the whole day inside. It was rather pleasant out earlier today."

His classes were scheduled later in the day on Fridays so he spent his early morning writing up exams, lesson plans, and mapping out how he could fit a proper piano in his office space. He still hadn't received a co-worker to share his office with but he wanted to be considerate and not use up their potential space. In the time Irso had been here he'd personalized his portion of the office as best he could with books and cultural artifacts from his travels.

The one thing his students always seemed to admire was his decor, whether it be in jest or actual appreciation.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now considering were going out." He chuckled rubbing the back of his head. He hadn't mentioned it before but he was deeply excited to see what Huilu looked like in her more natural form as a dragon. It was a strange occurrence to be integrated into a dragon clan but never see a dragon, the land space within the city just didn't allow it.
 

EmiRose

The Shipping Enthusiast
Inactive
Mar 24, 2018
3,983
Finland
Posting Status
Hiatus
Somehow Huilu had been able to tell, that being in love was in some way new to Irso. New, or he hadn't experienced it in a long time and he had to get used to it again. Nevertheless Huilu thought it was endearing, and it made her feel even more affection towards Irso. Thankfully Huilu was very much used to loving and being loved and she showed her affections without any to much hesitation.
"You will be glad to hear I in fact did not spend the whole day in my workshop. I helped Eein train today, he accidentally broke some plates and needed help in strength regulation."
Huilu explained. She had told Irso of Eein's current growth spurt and sudden increase in strength, so she didn't need to elaborate further.
"And I myself trained my partial shifting slightly as well, I would hate to cut our outing short because I flew into a tree."
Huilu chuckled a bit, she had told Irso of her partial shifting as well, but he hadn't personally seen it yet. She wanted to surprise him.

"Then shall we go and see how the island looks in the moonlight from the sky?"
Huilu asked after Irso mentioned them going out, and she stood up. She held out her hand for Irso, not only to help him up but for the physical contact as well. And once Irso took her hand Huilu closed her eyes and began to partial shift.
Huilu didn't partial shift the whole way, only her wings, shoulders and arms. Two large, incredibly ice blue wings sprouted from her back, pushing through the two thin flaps Huilu had on the n her shirt and hoodie. The clothes were specially designed for people with wings. The thin leather in between the wing bones sparkled in the moonlight. Two thin, blue horns had pushed their way out of Huilu's head and they were almost the same shade as Huilu's hair. Bright turquoise smooth scales had covered Huilu's back, shoulders and arms and they climbed up Huilu's neck and few more formed on her lower cheeks. Huilu's hand, although it didn't change much in size, now had dark grey, long claws and small scale ridges along the fingers that were attached to the hand. Huilu's ice fingers didn't change, merely grew in length a bit with the other fingers.
And when Huilu opened her eyes her pupils were slits, and the colour had somehow become brighter and more defined.

The shift only took about 10 seconds, and during those seconds Huilu couldn't help but be slightly anxious. She wasn't scared that Irso wouldn't accept her like this, she was certain that he would be fascinated, but this was the first time Irso would see concrete evidence that Huilu indeed wasn't actually human. So Huilu's mind went to the worst case scenarios, where Irso's affection wavered because of Huilu's true form and nature.
Despite these thoughts and feelings Huilu looked at Irso with a smile, folding her wings, waiting for Irso's reaction. If there was going to be one, if he merely moved on without making any special comments that would also suffice just fine.
 

Lich King

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2016
633
Malazan
Having Huilu fly into a tree would indeed be a bad time considering he wouldn't allow it to happen and would expend countless bodies to ensure she landed gracefully. But, he wouldn't mention that part, the last thing he wanted was for her to feel pressured or nervous. Just having faith in her and being prepared for the worst would have to suffice.

"Of course." He said taking Huilu's hand and standing up, taking a few seconds to adjust his clothing.

As he finished his personal grooming he felt the temperature of Huilu's body change and the physical shape of the hand he was holding morph into something more...draconic wouldn't be the right word but in her case, and as he noticed what was happening, the wording was more accurate.

As was to be expected Irso's mind immediately began to run faster as Huilu shifted. His inquisitive mind mixed with his imagination made watching Huilu transformation a grand spectacle to behold. Comparing how Huilu appeared to all his recollected meetings with dragons species took mere seconds as he tried to identify comparable traits or details. Her wings and its curvature, her horns and its apparent strength, the reoccupation of scales over her skin. Everything was being mentally recorded and stored away in that "Akt'Anir" file in his head.

He could tell that it meant a lot to Huilu being able to take on this hybrid form so of course, he gave a small celebratory clap as she finished. Parts of her body gleamed from the moonlight and she had truly taken on a powerful visage of beauty and strength. " I see the training has paid off greatly." he chuckled while his hand mindlessly drifted to hovering over her horns. If he was left to his own devices his hands would eventually touch them and continue tracing around them.

Almost simultaneously with his tracing, he would begin to float up into the sky. "Come, my love, I can show you the world....or at least the island for now." He smiled down at her hoping she would rise with him and he wasn't pulling her off the ground. If he was pulling her he would still continue to bring her up into the air.
 

EmiRose

The Shipping Enthusiast
Inactive
Mar 24, 2018
3,983
Finland
Posting Status
Hiatus
The clap was greatly appreciated, and Huilu's smile widened, showing her sharpened canines briefly. The other teeth had also become slightly more pointed, but not much so.
"I am inclined to agree with you, and happy with the results."
Huilu said, and she clearly looked happy. In truth she could've just shifted the wings and nothing else, but Huilu had wanted to show Irso her nearly completely partially shifted form, she had known the man would enjoy seeing it. And he clearly did, since Huilu hadn't missed his other hand hovering over her horns. Huilu let Irso touch her horns and trace his hand along them, she didn't feel the sensation as the horn was mostly bone, all the nerves residing deep at the center of it.

As he was still feeling Huilu's horns Irso began floating up, inviting Huilu to join him to the sky.
"We will see the world together one day, but for now seeing the island with you is more than I could ever wish for."
Oblivious to the reference Irso had just made Huilu chuckled, and took one more second to partial shift her tail and unfurl her wings. She had to let go of Irso's hand for a moment to take off, she needed some space for that. Huilu only had to flap her wings few times to take off, and she took off fast. Fast enough to leave Irso below her. Huilu looked down with a happy, if not challenging smile, and she beckoned for Irso to come and catch up if he could.
 

Lich King

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2016
633
Malazan
A small smirk appeared on Irso's face as Huilu smiled down at him. Was she challenging him? He had years of flight experience...but then again so did she. It was a playful act that garnered him to shoot up to her level before coming to a gentle stop. His body lacked the motion that Huiliu required to keep herself aloft. He was simply a flying man in a suit and unless someone had peculiar powers they would've never guessed he was an angel. He rarely thought about it but Huilu had never seen his wings before. There was just such little need for him to have them out unless to stretch them. Maybe he'd surprise her later on with a small showing.

" Well Well, it seems someone is in a flattering mood. I'll be sure to make this evening as enjoyable as I can. You deserve a break from motherhood every now and again no?" He stood parallel to her as he began to circle her, sizing her up. " And who knows maybe something out here will instill more muse into your soul. The city can be even more magical at night."

Irso lifted himself a substantial distance higher than her then looked down mockingly with the near identical challenging smile she had given him before only he couldn't help but laugh. "Though try to keep up, explaining to your kin that I lost you in the air won't fair well for me." He continued to laugh as he began flying toward the city at a decent pace, it wasn't like he actually wanted to lose her.

The distance between the academy grounds and the city was quite vast but Irso had no worry they wouldn't be able to get there at a moderate speed. Plus the night was about the scenery and company, not the location. He'd turned his head to make sure Huilu was doing okay several times, already contracting emergency plans in case she was to fall.
 

EmiRose

The Shipping Enthusiast
Inactive
Mar 24, 2018
3,983
Finland
Posting Status
Hiatus
As expected Irso caught up quickly. Flying overall was most probably much more simple for him, he didn't need to flap any wings or keep his balance while doing it. Huilu was just a bit jealous, but right now that feeling was overshadowed by a mile with happiness and wonder. Huilu's happy smile didn't disappear anywhere, and a small laugh escaped her lips as Irso spoke.
"You are a very good start to the wonders that will give me inspiration tonight."
Huilu said, purposefully being flattering again and having a small playful smile on her face.
"Am I not always in a flattering mood, my love?"
Huilu said, following Irso with her eyes as he circled her. Huilu was doing a good job keeping herself afloat, and her wings flapped powerfully but surprisingly quietly.
"Mother's role is eternal, but I do believe tonight I will allow myself to be slightly less motherly than in daylight."
Huilu answered, feeling slightly lighter after saying that. Huilu loved being a mother figure or just a simple caretaker, someone who was needed and loving. But Irso was right, once in a while she needed to step out of those shoes and feel the wind in her hair, so to say.

Irso flew higher, and Huilu followed him with her eyes, not quite yet going after him. And when he mimicked Huilu's smile from earlier and laughed Huilu couldn't help but laugh along with him.
"Do not worry, I will keep up just fine. My kin will have no need to challenge you im aerial racing."
Huilu answered, still laughing, and as Irso began flying towards the city she flew after him. It didn't take long for Huilu to catch up, although she stayed a bit behind Irso so her wings wouldn't accidentally hit him. Huilu looked down and around and though view from the air wasn't new to her it was different. Maybe it was because of the company and different form, but everything seemed...more beautiful, and detailed and clear. Huilu had an awed smile on her face, and she looked ahead at Irso just when he was looking back at her. And somehow even his features looked more beautiful now. Huilu's smile widened slightly.
"I can already tell I shall not be lacking in inspiration after this outing."

After the two had almost reached the city Huilu decided, that it was time to fully shift. But she didn't say anything to Irso. Instead Huilu suddenly flapped very hard few times, lifting herself significantly higher, so she wouldn't even accidentally hurt Irso. And she closed her eyes and shifted. The scales covered her whole body, Huilu began growing in size and her body's shape changed completely. And not 10 seconds later in Huilu's place there was a large, feline-like dragon with brilliant scales of all shades of blue, and bright eyes of yellow and green. She glimmered in the moonlight, and the wavy pattern in her wings looked like it flowed like a river when the light shone through. Huilu, flapping her now much more bigger wings, stretched and let out a small roar, which sounded like a mix of whale song and songbird chirping. It was among the strangest roars in Akt'Anir, very different from the normal screeches and roars dragons usually had.

Huilu looked at Irso, wherever he was now, and though she couldn't smile now her eyes were still the same, gentle and warm. Yet again she didn't say anything, and would just leave any kind of reactions to Irso first. Because this was Huilu's true form.
 

Lich King

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2016
633
Malazan
Irso wasn't looking back or up when Huilu decided now was the time to go full dragon mode on him. What set him off to the change was the change in the air around him and the peculiar noise that accompanied the change. Turning back what he saw put a shocked expression on his face. He had made many guesses in his head as to what Huilu looked like in her more natural form. Seeing some of his assumptions both be correct and wrong gave him a feeling of completion any researcher got when something panned out of their work. Her shimmering blue scales made her a beacon in the moonlight and he had to wonder what it looked like from the ground below. Maybe someone was mistaking her for a shooting star? One could never know now.

He wasn't sure how her hearing was in this form but he took the risk of looking foolish to speak her " You sound so innocent but your appearance tells another story" Her roar was cute he thought like a young child coming into their own and announcing themselves to the world. Irso slowed down his pace so that he could fly next to Huilu head. With her even bigger form he didn't want her looking somewhere that wasn't ahead and fly into a flock of birds or something.

Irso had never dated a dragon before so knowing that the woman he loved so dearly was now the giant scaled creature next to him was jarring in the best of ways it made him think of what other members of her clan looked like and how they differed. How was the genetic mixing carried out by nature that the person next to him was produced? Huilu never spoke much about her father, and for understandable reason, and his knowledge on her mother was rather limited. Though at this moment he could make assumptions on how the rest of her kin looked based off this moment.

" I'm afraid this is as big as I get at the moment. Just don't think less of me because I'm so small." he was joking but the size difference between them was something to behold. He had to imagine that if people were looking at them from the ground Irso was now completely overshadowed by the blue scaled dragon.