RubieKanary » Lair » Mei

Mei

(#32225554)

All things in their being...

Familiar

Sweetheart Swan

Energy: 0/50

Personal Style

Apparel

Skin

Scene

Physical Attributes

Battle Stats

Measurements

Length

5.31 m

Wingspan

4.29 m

Weight

614.81 kg

Genetics

Platinum
Cherub

Heather
Facet

Moon
Underbelly

Hatchday

Apr 12, 2017
(7 years)

Breed

Adult
Skydancer

Eye Type

Shadow
Common

Level 25 Skydancer

Max Level

STR

126

AGI

DEF

QCK

INT

VIT

MND

Lineage

Parents

Offspring

Biography

..........“...I’m sorry. If you want to hear my songs, I’m afraid you’ll have to come at another time. It is quite late already, you see, and the little ones here are mostly asleep.”

“...Oh? You want to hear about the inn? You might be somewhat disappointed- There really isn’t that much mystery behind it. Lana must have greeted you at the entrance, and it is as she had said; Dragons arrive at the inn, lost and seeking purpose. They all leave once their way has been found. It is as simple as that.”

“No, no. I’m afraid you misunderstand. It is not the inn itself that provides them with answers for their questions, nor is it us, the ones who look after the inn. We and the inn merely provide a place, an opportunity for them, to think about what they really want. Something that is not commonly found in the outer world.”

“...What do I mean? Well, humor me for a moment; When was the last time you truly belonged to no one but yourself? We are sons and daughters to someone, if not mothers and fathers. If one is without family, then they are still bound by the community of which surrounds them. Even if one were to truly and fully isolate themselves, we are bound by our need for sustenance, still. Life enacts its silent constraints on us all. The inn merely takes away these constraints, if only for just a short while.”

“My songs…? Well, it’s nothing but a fancy for most dragons. But you see, some dragons have trouble putting down their past even as they arrive at the inn. But mt songs… Well, I just help them clear any disruptive thoughts, so they can think with their own minds. That’s all.”

“If you still wish to hear my songs, you are always welcomed to come back tomorrow morning or afternoon. You might find them… particularly enlightening… Hee hee hee…”

....................Mei, the Singer

..........Should you hear the reverberations of a soft, distant melody lingering within the halls of the inn, then you should know that it is the inn’s local singer, Mei, who is the cause of those eerie, haunting, yet captivating sounds.

The skydancer appears something of an enigma, or a vision of an oxymoron herself; Although beautiful in her own willowy way, she appears thin and frail. The way in which she holds herself is almost sickly, as if standing itself is a momentous task, and a sudden gush of harsh wind would shatter her into pieces. Yet, the moment she steps onto the small, somewhat haphazardly prepared stage show near the back of the main lobby, all pretences of her weakness dissolve. Instead, dragons become enraptured by her enchanting voice- Bold, yet not too brash; Fair, yet not too faint, and it leaves most on-looking dragons in a state of absolute trance as her song continues, then ebbs, before fading into still air. It is no surprise that there are those in the inn that seek her to calm their troubled minds, if only for a while.

Outside of her concerts, Mei is most often seen accompanying the inn’s local poet, Liam. Mei’s devotion to the male skydancer is quite apparent in the way she looks at, speaks of, and sighs at the mere mention of his name, and while her male counterpart seems far less likely to share her displays of affection, some residents at the inn remain convinced that, although unspoken, the male skydancer does care for her, in his own strange and unconventional way.

Unfortunately, Mei doesn’t appear too interested in discussing matters regarding the inn, and the mysteries which lie behind its misty veil. Still, should you desire to calm a particularly turbulent mind, then it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to drop by the main lobby for her nightly concerts…

Gallery

Archive

Mirror Poem by MythicalViper

I remember when I first met you
Below the swaying autumn tree
I was lonely and full of sorrow
But you were cheerful and free

I was younger than the new moon
I walked with shaky unease
But you smiled as you went past
And gave a name to me.

You were brilliant and you were honest
You were swaying and lost in the clouds
They called you a drunk and worthless
But you were more than they allowed

You were a master of the art of words
The wealthy begged for you by name
You wrote such flowing poetry
As a wanderer you had fame

But for all your delicate works of art
You were neither sleek or graceful
You were different from the other poets
In that you were always drunkenly cheerful

You didn't care what others thought of you
You drank and you sang and you composed
You were brash and arrogant and uncaring
You were like the twisted thorns of a rose

And on the day you gave me my name
I made up my mind to see you again
I would find you, through thick and thin
Even if you were like the wind

Two decades passed, I've travelled far
To see you sitting, gazing at the moon
And it was well worth the journey
Finally I could say how I admired you.

Story by GrinningFox

....................Mei found her son, Moony, sitting in a field of wildflowers with his face turned toward the sky. His icy pale scales glinted in the sunlight, and reflected the kaleidoscope of colors in the greens and pastels from the field. He looked peaceful. It was such a picturesque scene stretched out before her, but an old, ugly thought found its way into her mind to sour it.

When her boy was just a hatchling, she provided for his every need. Needs, in the strictest definition of the word. Food, shelter, toys; Moony had everything he needed to be comfortable. But Mei was never really there, not emotionally at least. It didn’t occur to her until much later that a growing child might require something more. Moony was always polite, quiet, courteous. Demanding nothing. Now she could see the distance between them, and recognize her own shortcomings in raising him. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Moony was always holding back, like there was a whole part of him she'd never known. She couldn't blame him, not really. After all, she never asked.

Watching him now in the field, she felt a familiar sense of sorrow, a dull ache in the middle of her chest. Her own son and she didn't even know him. What was he thinking as he stared into the sky? What did he dream about at night?

Ever since she felt that distance creep in between them, Mei had tried to gain some glimpse into his world. She’d try to talk to him, or just spend time with her son, but he never broke his perfect, polite mask. He would speak when spoken to, or answer questions simply, but without any real depth. Then Mei tried to teach Moony her arts. She hoped if he wouldn’t open up to her with words, he might do it through music. But even music failed her. Moony listened, and learned. He could reproduce any song she taught him, but it was only ever imitation. Moony put nothing of himself into the sound. Mei told herself it’s just the way Moony is - a stoic, solitary soul - but she was never quite convinced. Was it her mistake, or his preference? She couldn’t be sure.

Mei started off through the field, wading through tall, thick grass that came up to her knees. Moony gave her only a brief glance as she approached. She sat down next to her son and leaned over so their shoulders were touching. He made no move to leave, and she hoped it to mean she wasn’t intruding. Watching his face for a moment, still looking upward to the sky, she followed his gaze into the pure blue above them. They sat there together, wordless, watching clouds and the occasional bird pass overhead, until the sun sank low near the horizon. When they returned to the den, they returned together, walking side by side.

Mei still didn’t know what Moony was thinking, but at least it was a start.

Story by MythicalViper

....................“Mei!”

Mei jumped back from her sheet music, startled, as a Skydancer landed beside her. Canary was carrying a basket of herbs and medicines, her silvery feathers catching the sunlight as she folded them against her back.

“Canary,” Mei greeted her friend. “Are you back from collecting herbs?”

“Yup, I’ve just got to shelve these, and I’ll be done for the day after checking the patients.” Canary gave her a friendly nudge. “What’s wrong? You look distracted, and you’re usually so focused on your music that you don’t even hear me call your name until I hit you!”

Mei flushed. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

“Let me guess,” Canary leaned over. “Has Liam been drinking again?”

Mei’s feathers went up. “Canary!”

“What? He does that every other hour, and I’m seriously going to have to replace his liver at some point in the near future, if he doesn’t drown himself first.” she chuckled. “Remember that time he went fishing while drunk and almost drowned trying to net the moon?”

“He’s been getting better,” Mei chided. “He knows better than to forsake his health.”

“Ha, I’ll believe that when I see it.” Canary fluffed up her wings, peering over Mei’s shoulder to stare at the music. “So, what’s up, local singer? Is this the music you’ll be performing in next week’s concert?”

“Yes, it is,” Mei replied. She held monthly concerts for the inn’s guests, and while she had started them purely for her own enjoyment, now it was also a matter of entertaining others. She enjoyed it, of course - or she wouldn’t be doing it. But it was tiring, now so even more. “I’m just a bit stuck on this part.”

“You mean the lyrics?” Canary studied the sheet. “It’s a love song, isn’t it? ‘Your beauty and your grace…’ Please tell me you’re not talking about Liam. Have you seen him when he’s dead drunk and lying halfway off the porch?”

“Canary!” Mei protested, and her friend laughed.

“I’m just joking. Anyway, here,” she handed over a small vial. It was made of glass and filled with a suspicious scarlet-looking liquid that hopefully wasn’t blood. “Could you do me a favor and bring this to Lana?”

Mei jerked backwards, almost dropping the vial. “L-Lana?”

“Yup, she had a headache this morning, and I forgot to give her this when I was passing by her room earlier. I’ve got to go check on my patients, so if you could help…” she looked questioningly at Mei.

Mei told herself not to blush. She was pretty sure she was doing it, anyway. “S-Sure, I can do that.”

“Great! I’ll be back to help you later, if you need it. And send Liam to me when you see him later. I swear, his ability to drink like a fish will end him one day.” with a cheerful wave, Canary darted off, leaving Mei with the vial.

Mei took a deep breath. It’s just a short trip to Lana’s room to deliver Canary’s potion, she told herself. Nothing was going to happen, and certainly nothing exciting. Her face still heated up, and she put a wing against her face. What am I doing? I already have Liam! Why have I been thinking about her recently?!

It might’ve been two days ago, when she’d fallen into the nearby lake while fetching herbs for Canary, and Lana had manage to fish her out. Or it could’ve been last week, when she’d fallen sick and Lana had brought her medicine, the same way she was bringing medicine to Lana now…

Her face heated up even more. She wasn’t a lovesick teen. She’d already found true love. Liam, no matter what his flaws were, was her one and only soulmate. But even so, after spending time with Lana, Mei couldn’t help but admire her. Lana had the same confidence and easiness to her as Liam did. Furthermore, she was brilliant in her own, unique way. Mei had been raised on the tales of the Guardian’s achievements on the battlefield, on her wisdom and tact and intelligence. And, like many of the other children Mei had grown up with, she’d fallen in love with the hero.

Mei shook her head vigorously and tightened her grip on the vial. Whatever her problem was, she was sure it was just infatuation and obsession. After all, she’d been born after Lana’s untimely “death,” long after Lana had arrived at the inn. Mei hadn’t expected to meet the heroine of her dreams, and now that she had, of course she would admire Lana. It was as simple as that.

It couldn’t be more than that.

....................“Lana, I’ve brought you your medicine.” Mei peeked into the room after quietly knocking. Lana’s chambers were quite a bit of way from the guest quarters, and Mei had taken the long route to maintain her sanity.

It hadn’t worked, though. Looking at Lana still made her heart skip a beat, and Mei was sure that if it weren’t for Liam, she would’ve loved Lana. It made her wonder if she was refusing to love Lana because of Liam, and if so, what she and Lana could’ve been.

“Ah, it’s you,” the innkeeper looked up from a series of books. She smiled faintly. “Thank you, Mei. Could you put it over on that counter?”

Mei headed over to the vanity Lana used as a nightstand. “Do you, um, feel well?”

“Of course. It’s just a small headache, and Canary’s medicine works quite well,” Lana studied her, and Mei wondered if Lana knew her mental turmoil as of the moment. She wouldn’t be surprised - Lana had always been far more observant than Yukro or any of the others. Nothing escaped her.

Mei began to panic. What if Lana had noticed Mei’s feelings towards her? That was a breeding ground for disaster. But wait, if she had noticed - and Mei was sure she had - why hadn’t she said anything about it? Was it because she wanted to keep things the way they were? Or perhaps she was waiting for Mei to be the first to speak?

“Mei?” Lana’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Are you alright?”

Mei narrowly avoided knocking over the nightstand. “Y-Yes, I’m fine.”

“Something’s been bothering you,” the Guardian observed, and Mei felt her cheeks continue to heat up. “You know if something is wrong, you can always speak to me, or Canary.” she met Mei’s eyes, and she was so beautiful, so powerful and brilliant, that Mei could barely return the gaze, or stop her heartbeat from ringing in her ears. “We’re always here for you.”

Mei swallowed, hard. “I-I’m fine. I promise,” she managed, backing away.

Lana frowned. “If you’re sure,” she said, and Mei wondered if that was suspicion or understanding in the Guardian’s tone. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Lana’s eyes seemed to pierce through her, and looking into them, Mei was very, very sure that Lana knew.

But the Guardian simply went back to her notes. “By the way, I heard Liam passed out in the hallway again,” she said, tone conversational. “Could you possibly check on him?”

Mei jumped, relieved and concerned at the same time. “Of course.” she quickly hurried out the room. She might love Lana, or maybe she didn’t, but regardless, Liam came first.

....................True to Lana’s speculation, Liam was sprawled unconscious in a nearby corridor. He looked like he’d been attempting to make it back to his room, but had fallen asleep halfway there. Fortunately, it was a relatively empty hallway, and so Mei took the liberty of dragging him back to his bed.

She tucked him in and nudged him several times to make sure he was at least somewhat coherent. Liam mumbled a few things under his breath, and they all sounded like curses. Mei smiled. That was one thing that differentiated him from Lana. While the two were both strong, confident, and sharp, Liam was more unashamed and bolder than Lana. He was rough and brash, with a mind of honed steel and a wicked tongue for anyone who failed to recognize his brilliance. Lana, on the other hand, was relatively more composed. That didn’t mean she didn’t speak of her talents, or failed to appreciate her own abilities, of course. But when it came to insults of her skills, Lana was far more forgiving than Liam could ever be. After all, one who underestimated her was simply another one that would die by her claws.

Shaking her head, Mei curled up beside Liam to provide some comfort for her mate in his drunken stupor. For all his faults, she really did love him, and it was with no hesitation that she knew she’d choose him over Lana any time. Perhaps that was why Lana hadn’t spoken to her of her feelings. They were both mated, after all, and for them to love each other despite of that - no, that wouldn’t do. But how could Mei fix this, if Lana wasn’t willing to speak? She was sure that Lana was staying silent out of respect, but it wouldn’t be right of Mei to continue to let those feelings linger over both of their heads.

She had to come clean. That was all there is to it, though Mei wasn’t sure how she would accomplish that. But Lana surely knew of her feelings, and even more, she was sure to understand them. All Mei had to do was confess. Once everything was clear between them, Mei was sure she would stop feeling so conflicted.

....................“Lana. I have need to speak to you.”

Lana paused, halfway across the courtyard of the inn. She wasn’t surprised that Mei had called her name - she’d sense that the Skydancer had something tell her. Something conflicting, Lana thought, that the Skydancer perhaps wasn’t exactly comfortable with. Lana wasn’t sure what that would be, but she was willing to lend an ear.

“Mei,” she greeted as the Skydancer fluttered over to her. “Excellent performance tonight, as always. What can I do for you?”

Mei’s cheeks were flushed. “Could you walk with me for a bit?”

Lana wondered what was wrong. “Of course. Where-” before she could finish her sentence, the singer linked arms with her and dragged her towards the forest. Lana didn’t allow the sudden movement to check her, but secretly she was startled. Why was Mei suddenly speaking to her? Was something upsetting her?

They were well into the Starwood Strand before Mei slowed down. The sparkly boughs of the mysterious forest glimmered in the late night, and Mei finally pulled to a stop in the middle of a large clearing. She was definitely blushing, her eyes glowing, her head held high, and Lana wondered what could possibly be the matter here.

“So,” Lana prompted, after the Skydancer had started pacing restlessly. “What-”

Mei met her eyes. “I love you.”

Lana blinked. “You love who?”

“I’ve always loved you,” Mei continued, as if not noticing the question. “I’m sure you’ve noticed, and I’m sure that you might be uncomfortable, with Yukro as your mate already. But I love you, and I want you to know that no matter what, I will always love you. I love your grace and your intelligence, I love how kind and stern you are, and how you are capable of far more than I’ll ever be. I love every facet of your personality, because they are all parts of you that I can never hope to achieve, or have, and for those reasons, I admire you,” she took a deep breath, her wings fluttering. “Before, I used to think that I might love you, from the stories I’ve heard of you. But having met you in person, and seen you, and heard you, I know now that I truly do love you. You are everything I can never hope to be, Lana, and you are so much like Liam, and so perfect, that I can’t help but love you.

“But even so, I know I love Liam more,” the singer gazed at the sky, her irises crystalline. “He is my mate, and the reason I am where I am today. He’s a part of me I can’t possibly reject, and to say I love him is an underestimation. I’ve thought about him, and you, and I realize now that I love him more. I would be happy with you, but I don’t think I can breathe without him.” She smiled. “So, I’m sorry, and I apologize for all the discomfort you’ve surely borne in my presence recently, but Liam will always be my truest love, and I will not part with anyone, even you.” She leaned forward and gave Lana a quick hug, before spinning about and flying off through the woods, leaving a silence behind her.

A few crickets chirped in the undergrowth, even as the nightingales sang. Lana stared at the retreating back of the singer, her quick and capable mind trying to make sense of what had happened. She started after Mei, then stopped, shaking her head, and took another path back to the inn.

“That,” she finally decided. “Was weird.” She still had no idea what had happened, but at the very least, Mei seemed to have gotten something off her chest.

Thinking about tomorrow’s preparations for their guests, Lana headed home.

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Click or tap a food type to individually feed this dragon only. The other dragons in your lair will not have their energy replenished.

Exalting Mei to the service of the Arcanist will remove them from your lair forever. They will leave behind a small sum of riches that they have accumulated. This action is irreversible.

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