A not so Pleasant Return

First topic message reminder :

The guards had orders, and were not too happy to be the ones on shift to wake their visitor, one sent by Oculus to greet Slychotic.  As if pulling straws, they looked across at each other, and the younger one sighed and left  back into the keep, while the other guard looked down at Sly and the covered up dragon.  "Medic Sly, we have orders from Emperor Oculus himself that you are to..uh...accompany a certain individual.  Please wait for him to come." The guard spoke, slightly nervous about the whole station, but still maintained a strong posture as he watched and waited for his companion to return.  The wait was not too long, but it was about five minutes before the visitor that was to greet sly came out.  Clad in black armor, a figure came out of the keep suddenly, landing in front of Sly with much grace, his armor having special padding between each sheet to silence the clanking and his landing noiseless.  Lifting his head, or what was learned to be a he, the 'visitor' spoke in a meticulous and calculated voice, "Soooo, you are the target that Lord Oculussss has given me, I was told you would return to thisssss point eventually, ssssseems my sssssource was correct," he spoke in a hiss, his eyes glaring at Sly as if he were his prey.  Right underneath his eyes on a helmet were dark red marks of an order.   "My orders are to bring you ssstraight to Lord Oculusss, nothing was ssssaid about a companion. Sssso, thissss companion may ssstay and be welcomed here at the border until further orderssss," the male clad in black armor hissed, nodding towards the general area of the NightWing Capital.  "Now, for your sssake and the sssake of my back, I ssssuggesssst you don't resssissst, as'sss my orderssss are to bring you back alive, nothing wasssss ssssaid about conscioussss and with body unmarked."  The armored dragon, turned, very much expecting Sly to follow as he began walking through the gate, his ears perked up listening, and his gaunt seamless and stealth-like as no sound was generated from his lean body, one that had obviously been worked hard to achieve the tone and muscle underneath the black padded armor.

He could only look back up at Oculus, wearing an expression that was almost begging to some degree. Slightly pained. Sincerely he hoped he would not press on. He enough thinking for one day, especially to come up with a story like this.

Oculus then disciplined Sly, and Sly quickly looked downcast. It was amusing, really, that he finally bought the pursuers story. Though this also meant he really had to stick with the guards. What about the second journey? He found Sindra did he not? Sly doubted she would give any second thoughts to land if there were a group of them upon the mountains. Then again, he did not want to strain himself with a very tight schedule. Oculus warned him that if he were to go out on his own again and abandon the guards, he would be accompanying the messenger he met earlier at the gates. That would be interesting.

Sly failed to close his eyes when Oculus told him to. Before he could ask, the entire forest collapsed, shifting and distorting in waves that compressed and moved faster. It blurred the scenery a bit, before slowing, and there Sly knew he had returned to the chambers. The transition made the world spun before him, and he held in his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut. A third voice spoke as Sly curled there a bit, and it stiffened him that the one in the shadow only just went off to fetch water. How much time had passed? Not a lot in reality, but that world of illusions made by Oculus was like an entire hour.

He could not make any promise that he could keep his mind on a leash if he were to stay with the guards.

Especially if he had to meet with the Earthwings…

Sly shook his head and, noticing Oculus’ eyes remained red before he blinked, frowned at the emperor. My apologies. I… think I fell in a daze. Can you repeat what you just said? He tried to appear as oblivious as possible, giving a bewildered look as he looked around his surruondings. If Sly were any lesser dragon, they would probably have thought the same. This little…session of theirs proved to be very informative. He determined the nature of Oculus’ abilities, something only a few within the Empire ever experienced. But still there was more to be learned. Why were imprisoned patients, who recalled being sent to Oculus, were behaving radically? Why were they ‘broken’ and begging for death? Sly was all but eager to disobey him again so they could enjoy another ‘story time’ together. I have to come with to the Firewings? I would love to meet with them but… perhaps we should postpone it on another day? I cannot determine why, but I thought I lost consciousness for a moment there. And I have a companion waiting for me at the gate. Forgive me, but I believe you needed rest. Sly beckoned to Oculus’ eye, where the emperor was rubbing.

Oculus hated the fact that he was more exhausted than he should have been.  It was most likely having to stay up later and wake earlier to deal with the annoying meetings that everyone seemed to want.  At least he had cancelled he rest of them so he could sleep the afternoon away.  As he listened to Sly, it occurred to him that this was unusual, as whenever he has had to employ the Tsukuyomi on someone, it ended with a mental breaking to achieve information, unlike what he had done in trying with Sly, figuring damaging his medic's mental health would not be a good idea.  "I uhh, said that we will be going to the FireWing Queen to explain what happened, and possibly negotiate access to whatever herbs you needed there..." Oculus spoke in a quieter voice as a guard came in, bringing a glass of water for Sly before politely bowing and turning to leave.  "ah guard, please bring me a glass of water too when you get the chance.". Oculus then turned his attention back to Sly to respond about his companion request, depending on what type of 'companion' this was for Sly he thought with a sly smile.  "ah yes, your companion, go ahead and spend time with them today and tomorrow, but the next day, we go to the FireWing border and find where you crossed, then talk to the queen, ok?" he said, watchinG Sly as he blinked repeatedly to help force the minor headache and side effects away.