xp_logs | Kitty, Nathan and Lockheed (Reply)

[[OOC note: backdated to the 16th]]

Lockheed had found a favorite spot, it seemed - better even than just being carried. He perched himself on Kitty's shoulder, tail draped across the back of her neck to rest on her other shoulder and hand resting on the shell of her ear. He was light enough, still, that Kitty didn't mind too much, although she'd told him that if he wanted to be able to ride there long he'd have to cut down on the thrice daily snaks. Her shoulder could only take so much.

"Honestly, Lockheed, whatever you did seems to have put Remy in quite a snit," the girl muttered as she headed down the hallway towards Nathan and Moira's rooms. The dragon made a disagreeing sort of sound and Kitty nodded. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, but we still need to know what happend. Especially since you won't tell me if you can breathe fire now." She shot a look at the dragon, but he was looking around the hallway, aparently not paying attention to what the girl said. "Honestly!" Raising her hand she knocked on the door. "Mr. Dayspring? Are you in?"

"Come in, Kitty," Nathan called from inside, blinking a bit woefully around at the suite, which seemed a lot more empty than it really should. But Moira wasn't just elsewhere in the mansion, she was on a plane heading over the Atlantic, and so it was a different sort of emptiness.

"Hello, sir," she said, opening the door and stepping inside. "I've brought Lockheed... I hope you're not too busy?"

Nathan smiled, at the girl and the dragon both. "Not at all busy, actually. I just dropped Moira off at the airport, so... not doing a whole lot of anything." He got up, waving them to a chair. "Can I get you anything to drink or anything? What about you, Lockheed?" he asked, focusing on the dragon. #Food?# he projected experimentally, along with a sampling of various images of food, taking care to make both taste and smell part of the telepathic construct. Just to see the dragon's reaction.

Kitty opened her mouth to answer, but only got as far as, "No, I'm..." before Lockheed launched himself off of her shoulder.

#Food? Oh I smell food! Where is it? Can I have it? Please, please, please it smells so good and there's so much of it! Please? Kitty'll let me have it, if I ask, oh but where is it? I can see it, but that's not here where is that? I don't understand and I'm hungry!# The little dragon swooped around the room, peering into all of the corners and under the furniture, trying to figure out where the source of the smell was coming from. His jumbled thoughts (clearly in English and full thoughts rather than the normal images and scent-concepts) zoomed back and forth as he searched.

"What the...? Lockheed!" Kitty called, and the dragon stopped zooming about, dropping to the ground and looking over at Kitty with a sad look on his face. "I'm really sorry, sir, I have no idea what that was about... Really, Lockheed, what's gotten into you?"

#Oh... maybe I can't have the food. What did I do? Oh... Kitty!# The little dragon hurried back towards Kitty, settling down at her feet and looking up at her. #Shoulder... maybe too heavy if I eat the food. You ok?# He snuffled around her ankles until the girl picked him up.

Nathan gaped. And gaped some more. "O--kay," he said slowly. "That, I did not expect." He took a tentative step closer, his eyes fixed on the dragon. #I'll get you some food, if you want. What would you like?# he sent, projecting an image of himself coming back out of the kitchen with an empty plate, wordlessly encouraging Lockheed to fill in the blank.

"What didn't you expect? What's going..." Kitty cut herself off as she watched Nathan staring at Lockheed. She had lived with telepaths long enough to spot the signs. "Lockheed?" she asked, quietly.

There was a voice but no one was speaking and that was just confusing. Lockheed's head whipped back and forth before settling on the man in the room - it wasn't Kitty's voice, so it must be him. As he watched the man didn't move his lips as he spoke, which was very strange. Lockheed cocked his head, staring back at Nathan curiously with a quiet, "Coo..." It was definitely him carrying food in the picture in Lockheed's head. #Food? Yes please food please yes.# The image altered until Nathan was practically staggering under the load of several platters worth of meat - roast beef, stew, fried chicken, rare steak.

"Oh boy," Nathan said, blinking. "Uhh..." He amended the image, remembering that there were some chicken breasts in the fridge. He could stick them in the microwave? He pursed his lips and gave Lockheed back the original image of him and the groaning platters of food... but added a very fat dragon to it, and Kitty standing over him, shaking her head woefully, unable to pick him up. #Everything in moderation, little guy,# he sent firmly, replacing that image with another of him with a plate of chicken and a much more svelte Lockheed being picked up happily by Kitty.

Lockheed stared at Nathan for a second, then down at his stomach in horror, poking at it with his claws. #Oh no! I'm so fat how did I get big I'm just a little dragon and NO! Kitty's upset!!!! NONO NONONONO!!! It... it's gone. Stomach normal.# He poked it again, then looked up confused at Nathan. #Magic? He's a witch like KittyfriendAmanda. He's cursed me. He doesn't want me to eat all of his food. Chicken is good.#

Nathan told himself that hysterical laughter was not going to help the situation, and in fact would probably confuse the poor little dragon - not to mention Kitty - even more. He took a deep breath, trying to school his expression back to calmness, and smiled encouragingly at Kitty before he turned his attention back to the dragon. Just words, this time, maybe... #Would you like some chicken, Lockheed?# he sent back, carefully stripping the thought of any accompanying images. #I'll make you some if you want.#

Kitty sighed inwardly. Anything that required an encouraging smile out of a telepath was likely to give her a headache down the road. Ah well. If it cleared up this mess with Remy, it'd be worth it.

"Mer!" Lockheed said, startling her into looking back down at the dragon, who was staring at Nathan. #Talkign without talking again but chicken is good I like chicken yes please yes food-chicken.#

#Then chicken you get.# Nathan straightened and smiled again at Kitty. "Good news," he said, moving in the direction of the kitchen. "That was a lot easier than I thought. Also, he seemed to be comprehending telepathically-spoken English with no problem whatsoever. He's at least as smart as Feathers over there. Probably smarter." Bella hooted derisively and banged her beak on the bars of her cage.

"He understands English," Kitty said slowly, eyes wide. "You know, I probably shouldn't be surprised, but...

The hooting and banging caught Lockheeds attention and he winged himself into the air and onto a perch near the cage, giving a quiet, "Mer," at the idea that there was any doubt he wasn't as clever as 'Feathers'. Cages meant pets and pets meant Rule Number Two, but it did look tasty. But there would be chicken - the strange talkingwithouttalking man had 'said' so and that was good enough for Lockheed.

Nathan set the chicken on to cook and came back out to find Bella curiously regarding Lockheed through the bars of her cage. "What," she chirped bemusedly. "What, what, what?"

"A dragon, Feathers," Nathan informed her, and Bella made a noise that sounded very much like a raspberry, as if to say 'Dragons aren't real, thank you very much!' Nathan snorted, shaking his head. "As I was saying," he said to Kitty, "we were carrying on a verbal conversation. I tried images, too, but they seem to confuse him - he can't quite tell the difference between what I'm projecting and what's real."

"A verbal conversation... That's... ok, that's wierd. Doug still hasn't heard any meaning in his vocalizations, so I'd assumed that he couldn't... I mean, I know he's really bright for... for a pet, but this is just..." Kitty rubbed her hands over her face. "Ok. There's really not a point in trying to say what is and isn't normal when raising a dragon, is there? Does this mean you can find out about the fire breathing?"

Nathan made a thoughtful noise and went over to the cage. #Lockheed,# he sent, and the little dragon looked at him. #What happened with the fire?# Somewhat tentative, he sent an image of a scorched-looking Remy.

Lockheed's eyes flicked about, making sure the crazy firefood eating man with the bigheavy stick wasn't around. #This nottalking talking is hard,# he thought to himself. #Crazy man was eating firefood stick,# he thought, and without realizing it he projected an image of Remy, smoking out on the porch, #and he was nice so he shared it with me only it was hothothot and made my stomache owwww and then I coughed and the firefood became fire only just a small one and I didn't mean to cough on him but he went crazy and I wanted to make sure he didn't tell greenhaired Queen of the Kitchen and All the Food in the World that I did it on purpose cause I didn't and it's a lie! I don't want the greenhaired Queen to be mad and I don't want Kitty to be mad! Don't be mad, don't be mad, don't be mad!# He turned an imploring pair of eyes on Kitty, unaware she couldn't hear him.

No. Laughing. Nathan bit his lip, hard. "It was an accident," he said to Kitty. "He ate Remy's cigarette, and... uh, burped, I think. Hence the fireball. He thought Remy was going to tattle on him to Lorna... whom he calls the Greenhaired Queen of the Kitchen and All The Food In The World, by the way... hence the chasing. He was just trying to reason with him." He smiled, more kindly than in amusement. "And he wants to be reassured that you're not mad at him."

Kitty didn't quite have Nathan's control, so Lorna's 'title' startled a giggle out of her before she sighed. "Lockheed, no, of course I'm not mad," she said, moving over to run a hand down between his wings. "I'm sure you didn't mean to burn Remy. But why on earth did you eat a cigarette?"

Still not understanding that Kitty couldn't hear him, Lockheed was off into an explanation at once. #He gave it to me! No one can resist me I am the cutest in all the world (far cuter than The Boy and you should admit this and give him up) so when I asked he gave in (very stubborn and it took a long time but none can resist me!) and gave it to me. He had been eating it but had only had a little bit so I didn't mind sharing but it was hothothothot! People should not eat things that are hothothot and burning. It's bad for dragons.#

"I'm not sure Remy actually gave it to him." He needed to have a talk with LeBeau about flicking cigarettes at mythological creatures. Clearly there could be unforeseen consequences. "Uh... maybe you need to have a talk to him about things he shouldn't eat. Just to make sure? I could help."

"What do you mean Remy didn't actually give it to him? He stole a cigarette? God above, Lockheed, why?" Kitty sighed and continued, unaware of Lockheeds mental protestations that he hadn't stolen anything - hothothot food sticks were not for hoarding - and it had most emphatically been a gift to him from thecrazy man with the metal stick. "The list of things he shouldn't eat is... inumerable. I can't even imagine how to list them all. Which is not to say I don't want to try. But if he thinks cigarettes are food, well..."

"You're a very loud little dragon, you know," Nathan muttered aloud, blinking as he reviewed the images that had come along with Lockheed's explanation. "Maybe what needs to be emphasized is not taking food, or anything he thinks is food, unless someone makes it very clear that they're giving it to him. He does understand English, like I said..."

Kitty nodded slowly. "That makes sense, and it would probably keep him from snitching food off of plates. Do you understand, Lockheed?" she asked, looking at the dragon.

The little dragon looked back, cocked his head, and went, "Meh?" In his mind he clearly thought, #No.#

"Er... Well, I assume that was a question," Kitty said, "but..." She looked at Nate.

Nathan made a thoughtful noise. #Lockheed,# he sent, intently enough that the little creature looked around at him immediately. #No food unless someone says you can have it. All right?# He sent an image of Lockheed grabbing an unattended sandwich off a plane. #No.# Then, one of a hand reaching down to take the sandwich and hand it to Lockheed. #Yes. Do you understand?#

Uh oh. They must have found out about his raids against the mysterious 'fridge' which held All the Food in the World. He was no longer allowed to forage! He was no longer allowed to hunt the mythical Roast Beast! Next they'd keep him from hoarding! This wasn't right! It wasn't fair! A quiet little "Mer" escaped him. He couldn't make this bargin. He was a DRAGON. Dragon's, he was quite sure, HUNTED. He wrapped his paws over his snout, lost in the conundrum. Oh, but Kitty wanted it... He could tell... This wasn't FAIR!

"What's wrong?" Kitty asked, startled at Lockheed's behavior. "Nathan? What's wrong with him?"

Nathan gave a frustrated laugh. "He doesn't like the idea of not hunting. Damn. Feels like an instinctive thing, too..." He shook his head. "Any suggestions?" he asked the girl. "You know, apart from going through everything he should eat, item by item..."

Kitty considered, eyeing the little dragon. "Well... if he wants to hunt, let's define hunting. Lockheed." The dragon looked up at him, his paws moving away from his snout to give him a better view. "You can hunt, as long as you're still not hunting people or pets, and as long as whatever you hunt is alive. No hunting cooked food. And yes, I do know you've been trying to break into the refridgerator. You've got to stop that or Lorna's gonna be mad. Understand?"

Hunting living things meant that they'd be moving. He could just hunt moving things, cause hunting was different than hoarding and no one had said he couldn't keep his hoard. Besides, hunting moving things was more fun. He nodded at Kitty, to show that he did understand. Of course, he still didn't know what all the fuss was about. The hothothot food stick had been given to him by the crazy man with the metal stick, and it had been moving. So why was there a problem at all?

Oh, boy... Nathan shook his head. "He's devious," he said to Kitty. "The distinctions he's making between hunting and hoarding... it's very complex, really." He bit his lip. "I don't know," he said speculatively. "This may not work."

"Hoarding?" Kitty asked. "Oh, but that's different. You don't eat the things you hoard. Er... that is... he. The dragon. Dragons don't hoard food. Just, you know, interesting, shiny stuff."

"Huh." Nathan tilted his head. #Lockheed? Don't eat anything unless someone says the food is for you.# Well, that was a bit of a stab in the dark. He hoped he didn't get a pouting dragon, here.

Lockheed nodded. #Or if I huntkill it. Kitty said. Rahnewolfgirl gets to huntkill, so do I. But it has to be alive and moving and notcooked and not a pet or person. Ok.# The dragon sounded more tired than pouty. Really, how many times would they say the same thing in different ways. Hmph. He was a dragon, of course he understood. Dragons were very bright, and he was the cutest and best dragon of all.

"Okay. I think we have agreement here. And I think I definitely ought to stop projecting at the poor little guy." Nathan smiled. "I don't think he'll be eating any more cigarettes, at least."

Kitty nodded, then stopped and considered. "Actually, on that, can you help me train him? I mean, if he can breathe fire now..."

"Uhhh.... well, I can translate, if that's what you mean?" Nathan said helplessly. "I'm not sure I'd be any good actually training him..."

"Yeah, but you can supervise." Kitty grinned. "We're supposed to have adult supervision when we train with our powers, remember? I think 'breathing fire' counts, even if he's not a mutant. I'll try and get John to help me with the actual training, cause he'll be able to stop any fires from spreading."

Nathan raised a hand. "I might be a little short on time for the next couple of weeks," he said, thinking of his own training, "but I'd be happy to help."

"Thanks. I'll try not to take up too much of your time, I promise."