Year of the Dragon [Open for the Most Part]

[terra_inflexus]

Characters: China, Toph, and Sohki!
Location: All over Death City
Rating: G!
Time: 31st of Oct. Whatever time you like!
Description: It's a case of the blind leading the blind, ala dragon style~ Sohki's leading China and Toph on an adventure through the streets of Death City while all are beneath the colourful traditional dragon costume. Only not big

Comments

[/Here, have a curious dragon]

[shendefeng]

Temeraire had to make several trips to the library to get a good sense of what this particular holiday was, and even more so because the American part of it was somewhat different from the British version, and he didn't even know that because it started getting popular a couple of decades after he was there. It seemed to be an interesting sort of thing for the humans, because it would be rather silly if he should ever try to dress up as anything for the occasion. Laurence probably could have tried to get him to dress up, and might have been successful, but alas, there was yet another reason to miss the man terribly so.

He was walking out and about to get some exercise, and to enjoy the people passing around walking in their various sorts of costumes, when something came close to him.

He tilted his head toward the side as he examined it. What was it? It seemed familiar, only because it somehow reminded him of Mushu and that one Kiao Sea Dragon he met before. He looked it up and down, and then saw its feet: they were human feet. It was then that memory brought him to the celebrations back in China, where these dragon-like things were used by humans in the theater act he had witnessed.

He himself raised his head higher into the air after it did, and looked on with curiosity as it started to shake its head. Well, he did not know who was manning this costume, but he wanted to play along with them for the meantime. Since one of them spoke in Chinese, he decided to reply in the language as well.

"You seem to be a pleasant sort of fellow, even if a little odd in how you shake."

Yay for curious! 8D

[holy_prankster]

The faux dragon responded in kind when Temeraire played along. There almost seemed to be a playful response in return, as its jaws opened, and the eyes blinted again.

"Oh ho~ have you not seen the dance of the dragon before, Temeraire-kun~?" Sohki asked back in perfect Chinese.

[ooc: posting order Sohki -> China -> Toph -> Temeraire? : > ]

[closedmarket]

China was regaining his footing, meanwhile, blinking under his part of the dragon as that voice drifted back in. That wasn't... Sohki-- well that was Sohki, but he was talking to-

Temeraire!

China would've said something, but he wasn't at the head, and one of the rules (what rules?) was-- well, not speaking if you weren't the one who was supposed to speak. He moved a bit to the side, anyway, as if that would let him see the real dragon. It might've pulled and dragged some at the other two, but...

He didn't mean it, really? Temeraire was just a bit of an instant-distraction.

[terra_inflexus]

"You guys do remember I just look like what I'm guessing Chinese people look like, right?" Toph asked in a whisper. "I don't speak Chinese. What's going on? Why'd we stop?"

The problems with being the tail end of a dragon.

[shendefeng]

He was about to reply in Chinese, when he heard a younger voice talk about not being able to speak the language. He spoke in his clear, British English for the benefit of the young person so that they could understand as well.

"I am afraid I haven't seen 'The dance of the dragon' at all, though I remember people using a costume like this in a theatrical act in China."

Though he wondered why there should be something called a dance, when as far as he knew, none of his kind ever danced in a way like humans would. Maybe aerial acrobatics, but not on land - it would be awkward otherwise, what with the heavyweights capable of making the ground shake with every step they take.

"But it would be interesting to watch, if ever the opportunity comes."

/dodges thrown rocks for bad pun. I COULDN'T HELP IT /sobs

[holy_prankster]

Sohki was pulled out of his playful banter when his midsection decided to take a walk. He stumbled a single step because of it all, but laughed in good humour.

"How positively embarrassing, it seems my stomach has run away with me," the kirin playfully joked about China before Toph spoke up from behind.

"And what a display we could have put on! Had our abilities not been stripped from us. Alas, this is all that can be provided~" he said about the dancing, but there was nothing but amusement in his voice. He'd smoothly switched back to english purely for her, before making the head appear to turn around to talk to its tail. "My my, it seems that every part of me is vocal today. If you must know, two dragons are having a conversation, my talkative rear-end."

kasjnkj I LOVE PUNS /l-laughed will admit this.

[closedmarket]

"It is Temeraire. Did you not meet him before?" In a stagewhisper right back to Toph, which meant that it was a very good thing they weren't moving, because otherwise China'd go crashing right back into Sohki. As it was, he had to swing his neck back around as he went from looking back at Toph to -

Side-stepping back into line, for one. Yes. Will pretend that hadn't happened.

"The opportunity could be now, aru!" He tried to (failingly, for more than one reason) mimic Sohki's voice, giving his section a bit of its own shake. "We are a small dragon, but the dance should not be restricted so."

[terra_inflexus]

"Nope. ...Wait, he's a dragon?! Like, a real live dragon?! They talk?"

Toph nearly broke the line to go around and see this for herself. She knew Aang and Zuko had met the last two, but this was a real, not-from-home dragon. And he talked!

[shendefeng]

He gave the faux-dragon a smile along with a slightly uncharacteristically amused, short chuckle. He had to admit, it was rather amusing to have a sort of conversation with three people wanting to impersonate a dragon, especially with the lead admonishing the other participants as if the body parts were sentient themselves.

"Pray do not worry about it, it is quite alright, kind sir."

Oh? Who was this? That sounded like China in the middle there! He quickly replied with an enthusiastic, "Ah, I wonder now sir, if your stomach has much more confidence in your general abilities than what you seem to give yourself credit for."

With the young one speaking up, he gave a slight nod as he broke off from the general banter he thought he was supposed to be doing in order to answer her questions, "Why yes, I am a real live dragon. I do not know what it is like for you, since you are part of one, but we are capable of speaking. Why should we not be able to do so?"

Well, it seemed that he managed to work in the bit of banter after all.

[holy_prankster]

The fact that China was attempting to mimic his voice only made the entire situation all the more worth it. There was no doubt within Sohki's mind, that the kirin would hold this over his dear country's head for many centuries to come.

Yet when China urged for the dance, Sohki didn't bother hiding the mischievous smile from spreading over his expression. Not that it truly mattered anyway, considering the fact that it was completely hidden by the outfit. If only Naga was here to see this, Sohki had no doubt that the dragon king would be fightfully upset. Which was a pity, since he did rather enjoy teasing the manipulative dragon.

Sohki didn't begin it yet, though, and instead allowed for Toph to meet with Temeraire.

[closedmarket]

"It is a world thing!" Again, an over-the-shoulder clarification for Toph, though this one was probably wholly unneeded: China just got a bit carried away when he was enthused. And this was definitely adding up to being something to be enthused about. "There are hundreds of dragons in his world, and they all can talk. Or, well, most all."

As for that confident booster... Well, yes. He shifted foot to foot, if only to give the middle section some movement, which had to look funny when the rest were standing still --

When China got carried away, he really got carried away.

[terra_inflexus]

Oh, wow. She knew Mushu was a dragon, but he was tiny and more lizard than dragon. This guy sounded (and now that Toph knew what she was picking up from the vibrations, looked) like a real, properly sized dragon. She had to meet him.

"Anyone mind if I get out from under this to meet him?" she said, not bothering to mimic anyone's voice. "They're practically extinct back home, so I've never seen one not Mushu-sized."

[shendefeng]

Even if China was trying to have a low sort of voice, he could still hear him quite clearly. Seeing the man-country move his section of the costume did make it look funny, but if it were to have been the start of a small taste of a dragon dance, it would be quite worth it to wait for the others to-- ah, the young one seemed to be set on meeting him.

He was rather inclined to let her do so, especially if the situation were dire as she said so back in her home world. It was not as if he were unapproachable, and he was rather curious at how this young one was unlike most others back home, rather eager to meet him instead of running away like other people back home would.

He shook his head as he took a side-step toward the tail-end of the costume, "I personally would not mind it in the least."

[holy_prankster]

He honestly didn't mind at all, but that wouldn't stop him from playing it up either. "Well I suppose that the illusion is no longer there," Sohki said with a playful sigh. Shaking the dragon head along with his own, the kirin cheerfully murmured, "We can take a short break before resuming our task."

[closedmarket]

"Then we are going to have to disentangle ourselves from this, aren't we..." And leave it on the ground? It seemed like a crime. But - "Go on, Toph; you would need to do this."

See what they were up against, dragon-wise. Which, as far as China was concerned, made their costume look very funny indeed.

... Maybe they could just keep under it while she snuck out... It'd leave the tail dragging, but - it had already been drooped rather low, considering.

[terra_inflexus]

"Sweet."

Toph disentangled herself from the tail end of the dragon costume and went around meet Temeraire properly. "I'm Toph," she said, reaching out to feel that, yes, he did have scales.