His brother had taken up the job of a watchdragon some time ago, and so he became familiar that around this time of year things could get weird. He's the middle dragon. He remembered his brother telling him about Gloaming, so he quickly sought her out, a smart move.
Limp had a "feeling" that choosing to leave while he could would be a good idea. He was right. While his offensive abilities aren't much, his ability to speak was supposed to have come in handy. He feels this happened to his clan because of his belief that he's been cursed by a goddess named Arenji, and wants to make things right. Whether he's right or if it's purely bad luck remains a mystery.
Gloaming is no stranger to dealing with Shadowsong, but it doesn't mean she likes it. At first it had only been Limp and Aim, she had been called on right before the rest of her clan had fallen to speak with Shadowsong.
Gloaming is rather done with having to deal with Shadowsong these past few Nocmas, and wants to get it over with.
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Tefu is the one the mimic bonded to. He had been looking for food ingredients, and what had appeared to be rare ingredients turned out to be a mimic.
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Dewdrop is the nocturne that had originally promoted the suspicion of Aim. Normally cheerful, he was able to recognize when she started sounded a little too upbeat.
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Gloaming was
not happy about any of this. Instead of a low risk errand she was used to running, it had become a task with stakes, one that she couldn't afford to fail. Her experience with mimics included those who had been around when she was on that rescue mission, and the one that had replaced Midnight so she could get away from her mother.
"Do you two have any idea as to who it might be?" She asked.
"This won't make you feel better, but I don't exactly want to do this either," Limp said to her. He could recognize what her agitated crest flickering meant, unlike their spiral companion.
"Dewdrop's fine," Aim said to the two of them, "So that's one less dragon to worry about."
Limp and Gloaming both looked back at the light purple nocturne, who Shadowsong had freed.
"I wonder if Midnight -"
"It's clearly not Midnight," Aim said to Gloaming, cutting her off. "She isn't into hoarding stuff.
"I take it you know who it is then?" Limp said to him sarcastically.
"It's easier to figure out then you think," Aim replied. The sarcasm was missed due to him either not wanting or caring to read crests, but it sounded like the response would have been the same regardless.
"Enlighten me."
"Who's possessive?"
"I mean Mothwing's pretty possessive of Nightshine -"
"You know I would really prefer if we didn't end up dead," Gloaming mentioned to him bitterly. It didn't matter if Aim missed the emotion - she wasn't speaking to him. It was Limp who wasn't taken this seriously enough.
"Fine. Stormcircuit and Shine both like their stuff." He then turned and whispered to her, "I think death would be a better fate than what I think would happen if we actually did."
"What's that meant to mean?"
"It means we - or at least
I can't fail."
"Circuit likes organizing things," Gloaming noted. "But I don't think that's the same."
"Shadowbinder, you two. Do any of those dragons actively seek stuff?"
"Pretty sure Bill seeks world domination," Limp mumbled. "Shine likes her gems, and I guess Tefu like she cooking."
"Finally, you're on the right track. My bet's been on either Shine or Tefu-"
"It's Tefu!" Gloaming exclaimed. "I think I remember him mentioning ingredient hunting."
"I'm inclined to agree," Aim said. "Look."
Aim extended a claw to wear Shine was walking by. Though they weren't shouting, the otherwise quiet centre of camp should have been loud enough for Shine now hear them. Despite that, the nocturne carried on oblivious.
"So we find Tefu, get rid of that mimic, and find the rest of our clan? Speaking of, where are they?"
Gloaming looked around. While she had previously accounted for the silence to be due to the nocturnes patrolling, she couldn't spot any of her normal clanmates anywhere.
"How many dragons knows the extent of what Zard can do?" Limp asked suddenly.
"I... I don't think it's a
secret, but I don't think it's the first thing that comes to mind about her."
"Then what
is, if you mind sharing?"
"That she's... kind of weird?"
"As long they didn't go to her first we should be fine." Limp mumbled something that vaguely sounded like the letters "R," "N," and "G," but the other two couldn't quite figure it out.
"And we take your word for this why?" Aim asked.
"Would you rather me tell you they're dead?"
Aim didn't give any answer.
The three of them beelined to where Tefu lived.
"If it's him," Gloaming said. "He might hear us."
The nocturne was sleeping, his familiar nowhere in sight. No noticeable mimic, either.
"Maybe it's hiding?" Aim suggested. "I'm pretty sure the damage has already been done, there'd be no need for it to expose itself."
None of the three had ever been in the chef's lair. It did look like it contained many different ingredients.
Silently Limp entered, looking around for any potential mimic.
"What do they look like again? Shadowsong wasn't exactly clear?"
"They don't have a set appearance. I just hope we recognize this one."
"Think it could fit in this chest?"
Aim extended a claw towards a spiky purple and silver chest.
"When did he even get this?"
Turning around, Gloaming's crests flickered in alarm.
"Aim be -"
"...careful."
"I take it that's the mimic?"
Limp watched with a neutral stare as Aim twisted around, trying to get his arm free from the sudden bit of the Ectoplasime in front of them. Sighing, he aimed a white bolt at the creature, pushing it away from Aim.
"I recommend we find someone like Biohazard to dispose of it."
