Ruqayyah

Uh-oh, looks like this buoyant sorceress wandered a little too far from her home lair (sgkat, 158838), and now she's off to see the world! If ever you feel the urge to exalt, she'd really appreciate it if you could just return her home instead, or to the 'Dragons Off To See The World' thread, here.

As a hatchling, Ruqayyah had a bit of an accident involving Taalay's balloon machine and a charm gone wrong. As a result, she is stuck floating exactly four feet off the ground. Despite her considerable magical skills - she inherited quite the gift from her father - she has yet to find a counter-charm, so now she's off in search of an acupuncturist.


UnknownConcept

Ruqayyah thought that surely the magical portal she floated all the way into between crevasses and volcanos in the northern region of the Ashfall Waste would have a skilled magician that would be able to cure her current circumstances. The portal gave way to glowing pink grass that trailed into a paved path that winded into a town square with a massive tree in the center.

With a mighty beat of her wings, she pushed her way toward the square, but before she could reach it, a wooden staff suddenly swung into her path. With too much momentum to stop in time, all she could do was wriggle her body so her shoulder slammed into it rather than her face. A hysterical laughing fit erupted from the staff's owner. "What," he wheezed between laughs while pulling the end of his staff back toward him, "spell is... going on..." his final laugh morphed into some kind of cough, "here."

The stranger was a gaudy-looking Spiral dressed in red mage attire with wide, pink eyes, that felt rather ominous when Ruqayyah met his gaze. The more she looked into them, the smaller she felt, and she wasn't quite sure why. She broke eye contact and glanced toward his staff instead. Seeing as he was clearly magically inclined, she decided to ignore his rudeness so far and answer his question. "Some events from my childhood made me like this," she answered, "it's inconvenient and I'm looking for someone who can help me undo it."

The Spiral tilted his head, "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully and tapped a claw to his staff. "I'd think it's rather convenient, myself." He nodded in satisfaction. There was an awkward moment of silence until Ruqayyah spoke to fill the dead air.

"Do you think you could... help me?"

The Spiral shrugged. "I suppose I could give it a whirl. One moment." He closed his eyes and Ruqayyah watched as a small glow of magical energy began building around his body, shimmering in various colors that made her dizzy the more she looked at it. That glow grew brighter before launching out and enveloping her. Her vision blurred as a her body suddenly began shaking more and more violently until suddenly- the magic and its effects disappeared with an audible 'pop'. Blinking to clear her vision, she didn't need her eyes to see that she was still hovering four feet in the air.

"Welp," was all the Spiral said as he studied Ruqayyah's still hovering body until a flash of realization crossed his face. He reached into the pocket of his cloak, brought out a small metallic object and held it toward Ruqayyah. When he let go, it zipped out of his hand and clung to Ruqayyah's scales. "How odd. I've made you magnetic instead of returning your gravity. That's rather inconvenient." It looked as if he was using all of his willpower not to laugh again.

Ruqayyah was seething. She glared at the Spiral, "turn it off right now or I swear I'll--" before she could finish speaking, the other dragon lifted his staff and disappeared in a puff of smoke. She was somehow worse off than she'd started and she couldn't stand another minute in this place thinking about how some other mage might turn her orange or colorblind or something. Clearly, if the mages here were like him, she wanted nothing to do with this place. She set off to try and solve two problems now.



Hyzenthlaay

Ruqayyah gaped at the eggs in front of her. The tundra accompanying her did not share similar concern.

"H-how...I mean...when..."

"Overnight."

In the short time they had spent together, she had gathered that he was a dragon of few words. It hadn't been a problem when she simply needed a place to stay for the night. But if there was any time to expand his vocabulary, now would be perfect.

"Alright, but how?"

"Close proximity."

"I'm floating above you!"

"Not high enough."

"How did I lay eggs four feet above the ground?"

"Not well. I caught them."

Ruqayyah rubbed her temples. The conversation was wearing on her. The last thing that she needed to bring along with her were two hatchlings...

"They can stay here. I have a big family."

Ruqayyah's heart sank. On the one hand, becoming a deadbeat mother was never on her bingo card. On the other, she wasn't sure how much help she could be to them with her current buoyancy, and the road was no place for little ones to grow up. They needed stability - something she lacked both figuratively and literally.

"And that would be okay with you?" she asked, hesitating. He simply nodded.

"I...alright. I'll come back when I get this" - she gestured over her body - "fixed. I don't have any intention of abandoning my children, you hear?"

"They will be here."

They better be, she thought miserably as she left the two behind. Ruqayyah thought it best to leave before they could even see her. It would be harder for them to miss something that they never had.

It didn't erase the pain of not knowing what they even looked like.



Liseline

In the Ice lair she came to next, Ryqayyah was reading a book related to magic Zida had lent her, hoping to find informations about floating and magnetic problems there. It was then that she noticed Analiae and Emeliae coming her way.

"Erm, Ruqayyah?"

"Hey, what is it?"

"Did you... did Gradub..."

Alarmed, Ruqayyah peeked at Emeliae's face, usually so stern. The blue Fae smiled devilishly at her, not reassuring at all.

"What? Did something happen to Gradub?"

"It's nothing," answered Analiae, "it is just that... well.. he painted... so, did you... did you perhaps...?"

"Ohh, about the painting? Yes, he told me he was the greatest artist among your clan, and he asked me to be his muse as I have very bright colors like no other dragon around here. And because, well, a floating magnetic Mirror is quite peculiar. He said something about art flowing through his veins and laying a masterpiece."

Emeliae and Analiae sighed as one.

"Our sincerest condolences," said Emeliae.

"We should have warned you," Analiae added regretfully. "I'm so sorry."

...

A few days later, an irate Ruqayyah left Liseline's lair, as floating and magnetic as she arrived, this time with a combersome, ugly painting under the arm.





ashenfinch

"It certainly is a predicament," the Skydancer's gaze is solemn as she stares over Ruqayyah's form, floating above the ground as though a simple breeze could take her away. Aconitum had come highly recommended as a scholar and purveyor of potions and death rituals. Neither of which had struck Ruqayyah as particularly helpful, but it was the closest thing to a mage that the Clan here had.

"I'm afraid that I don't have much by way of answers. But I can give you some food for your journey, and some basic antidotes to other poisons. Preventatives even for other curses," she turns to go through her storage shelves, packing a small bag for the visiting Mirror.

"I understand," Ruqayyah tries not to sound too disappointed, but her tail gives a few frustrated lashes as she hovers uncontrollably. Taking the gifts and the words as patiently as possible before continuing on her way. The hospitality had been marvelous here...but with no answers she needed to keep moving forward...



(Continue her quest here!)



(Continue her quest here!)




Owners I've Had:
sgkat, #158838
UnknownConcept, #222148
nocturnesan, #19670
AndyJa, #257037
Slatinus, #549575
Hyzenthlaay, #452562
Liseline, #5524447
ashenfinch, #606075