• Valon would walk along with Hikage back to the den, hand in hand, like that was the most normal thing in the world, but, given nothing, at least for him, had really happened the last couple days he'd run out of things to say, but, the statement that Hikage had wanted to show him where he came from, well, opened floodgates of curiosity, and he was soon peppering his friend with questions about it... weather, people, what his house looked like... but he would also branch off from that, asking what Hikage liked, favorite colors, other places He had traveled to... each new answer sparked more questions, but he always listened, never interrupted, yet barely seemed to contain himself with the excited, happy energy that was building again, just like how he was when Hikage first met him...

    ---------------------------------------------
    Hikage

    he laughed a little and would say little until the two were back at Valon's den, there once they had settled with some food he would begin to talk in the calm, steady way he had though Valon's antics and exuberant behavior had him pausing often to laugh or shake his head, he enjoyed so much life around him*
    "Well Valon...where I come from the weather is almost always beautiful with storms few and far between but when they do hit the light shines purple and orange lightning filling the skies with its thunder...the people. Well...those are a little more complicated and much like your own lands varied. There you appear as your heart dictates. If you are a good person it reflects on your visage...if you are a killer than oftentimes your visage is monstrous

    **which was true...when people from this world died and went to his own. Or found their way there...over time their natures dictated their Forms, as did his**

    -------------------------------------------------

    Valon

    He’d have to remind him to eat a few times, since he got wrapped up in the story, in asking questions... his Aunt was still there, providing constant tidbits of food to claim some of his attention, just like normal, but, the puppies would join in as well, claiming Hikage’s lap, and his, all listening to the stories even if they didn't understand more than the friendly tone...

    “What you say sounds almost like Avalon... Phoenix comes from there, but, he hasn't been around in ages. It sounds nice, though... and I can go sometime, with you? “

    --------------------------------------------------

    Hikage

    well....for a short period we could....my world has a strange affect though. If you’re there to long you become trapped...so at best...a single day..

    *he would let Valon sleep there...it was to risky he had seen people make it up to a week without turning but in the he end it always happened. He held a bite of food out for Valon to take, petting the puppy on his lap like it was the most natural thing in the eh world though for him all this physical attention was a real treat*

    my home is a large building...do you know what a pagoda is?

    -----------------------------------------------------

    Valon

    It's a dangerous place, then? Even if it sounds nice? If it traps people...

    he likely wasn't understanding the nature of Hikage’s home realm very much, but, the little furrow of concentration on his brow showed he was trying, at least until he was distracted with another question...

    “Pagoda? No, I don't know that word. What is it?”

    a building was a building to him, so, a different word for building was something very strange

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Hikage

    yes it can be a very dangerous place...but its also beautiful....its much like here. You need to take the good with the bad...I’ve tried to make it safer for travelers but its terribly difficult...

    *finished with his meal he would press it back and shift the puppy from his lap so he could lay down stifling a small yawn*

    I apologize .traveling between is very tiring....a pagoda is a very tall house. Like a tower...here

    *with his finger he’d begin drawing a crude sketch of a pagoda on the floor of the room *

    I live in a building like this...when I come to this place I travel from a pool of water at its base and into a reflective surface here...the easiest is into a fair body of water ..such as the hot springs. I have servants there though I consider them my friends more than anything. They take care of the home while I’m away and keep things running smoothly...although...Reynaud would prefer I not travel quite so much

    *he chuckled at the thought of his unusual friend*

    he thinks it unseemly forgetting that my father did the same thing

    ------------------------------------------------------

    Valon

    the puppy wasn't deterred, simply jumping back up to curl up with Hikage when he went to lay down...

    “If you are sleepy you can use my bed. The puppies can stay out here and play with me, though, once they are wore out they'll likely come back to nap with you. I would, too.”

    he was interested in Hikage, his home, his world, but, the more immediate focus was that he was tired, and that was something he could help with, even if it was in a soft spot to sleep and the knowledge he was safe there...

    “ Aunt said you liked my stars... it makes the room so much more special, like it's outside. But... they had to be just so or it wouldn't feel right. I dreamed it. You were... are? ...a dragon. Can dragons fly to the stars? “

    it was an odd topic, odd question, but, since he'd seen him earlier the curiosity had been there, and since he was feeling a lot more comfortable, he didn't hesitate any more to ask...

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    Hikage

    *that reminded him then of the picture and heed nod*

    yes we can fly there but its a long journey...and very cold...can we go look at it?

    **if he said yes he’d walk with Valon to his room and again look at the stars a crossed the area his fingertips touching the ones that formed the pattern**

    you dreamed this...where I come from the stars often tell of the future. Or a story...this set...tells about the ruling house there...the resemblance is uncanny..

    *he found himself flushing tired or no and would move to settle on Valon’s bed unconsciously making room for him, if he did settle he’d half curl around him and begin to speak*

    “In the beginning there was chaos...the realm was just a mass of lost souls. Some feeding upon one another. Others just afraid...everywhere there was confusion, no purpose...no order. It paved the way for wars fought a crossed the stars as the most powerful of the spirits battled to rule them all...in the end there were four...Shin...the black vapor.....Lillea'sie ..the angelic...Corantius..the soul eater...and Alkai'd..the dragon. they say the battle went for centuries with no side giving quarter...lives were lost..countless souls destroyed...

    **at this he paused closing his eyes at the bitter memories, he felt an odd sensation and touched his eyes with his fingertips. They were wet..? he rubbed the moisture between his fingers thoughtfully before continuing**

    Eventually Lillea'sie and Alkai'd realized that no matter the intentions..the war couldn’t continue, to much was being destroyed and soon there would be nothing left to rule...they agreed to form a union and from that union, their combined power, the war was put to an end as neither of the other two could contend with their paired strength. Corantius and Shin were cast out of the realm and into exile and the new rulers...Lillea'sie and Alkai'd brought peace and order to the realm...as time moved onward...they grew older..their spirits dimmed and they melded their conbined essence merging in a crystal... that essence grew into the current ruler ...who with the help of his people is trying to maintain what his father and mother had created.

    **he stopped..a little surprised at the length of his speach..he flushed, he hadn’t meant to say so much but Valon was easy to talk to*

    -------------------------------------

    Valon

    Oh... that's it... such a lovely story.

    he looked around to make sure his cousin wasn't here, then would pull the cover on the door that his Aunt wouldn't come in and see, before he went and turned all the other lights out, plunging the room into dark, except for the suggestion of light from each of his 'stars'

    ... Watch...

    no one knew he could do this, since, it was like having a visual bedtime story each night he needed the comfort of it... Hikage would be able to tell when he returned to his side, his large eyes reflecting the glitters of light, but, at the same time a whisper of sound, as if something had moved, yet, other than the two and the wolf pups, no life stirred... as if guided by an unseen hand the stars fluttered to brightness, or dimmed, giving the impression of communication, but, there were no words to go with the moving picture...

    Such a lovely story...

    it had been like he'd heard what was said all over again inside his head to match the movement of the lights... the chaos of the world, the magic, the creation of order and beginning of life... he'd caught what was said at the end and while the son of an angelic and a dragon would, to him, look like how you had earlier at the springs, he wasn't a conclusion that he'd drawn just yet...

    Did you see it, hear it, too?

    ----------------------------------------

    Hikage

    yes...how did you learn to do that?

    **he’d reach out in the darkness and feel for fabric. A hand..somthing..if he caught hold he would draw valon to the bed to sit down beside him where he could if not see, at least feel him nearby**

    its true...they say the stars took on the form of the dragon to symbolize the new era...there are others...there’s a star section for every story... you know..

    *he considered*

    would your family miss you if you left for just a couple hours?...I have something I want to show you

    -------------------------------------------------------
    Valon

    I've always been able to do that... no one taught me.

    *he was perfectly happy to curl close to hold and be held, thinking it was time for a nap, since Hikage was tired, and he hadn't slept since waking up to find him gone, but, the prospect of being shown something he had to sneak out of the house for, well, that would be worth staying up a bit longer for..

    . I sneak out all the time... they won't notice unless I'm gone a really long time.

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Hikage

    alright but first....lets get some sleep ..

    *he was incredibly sensitive to Valon’s needs as well as his own. He lay down fully stretching out on the soft bedding with him. the next morning would find he had shifted in the night so he was against Valon’s back his arm looped loosely over his side, cradling him to him, his breathing was light and regular but just at ouch rapid...like a resting birds or other such creature, he wore a small settled smile on his pale. Aristocratic features a curl of loose white hair falling over his cheekbone to drift down past his nose. And for once…his rest was comfortable and solid with Valon against him.

    - chapter 3

    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101064803#title

    - chapter 2

    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101060533#title

    - chapter 1

    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101055703#title