Shiro looks over to the barn entrance as someone emerges at long last, then carefully squashes his disappointment when he sees that it’s just Pegasi Master Mori; she’s a busy woman, he knows she is, knows that’s why she would be the first to leave, but he still can’t help but wish that it was Uryuu instead of her.
“So these rumors are true,” is how Mori greets him as soon as she gets within speaking range, expression shading towards amusement.
Shiro rolls his eyes, already tired of this conversation. “Which rumors?” he grumbles half-heartedly, suspecting he knows what she’s talking about but wanting to be certain.
She grins at him, all teeth and mischief like her charges, and says, “That you’ve taken an interest in someone at last, m’lord.”
“An’ what of it? Got somethin’ ‘gainst him?” he needles even as Getsuga swings her head around to eye Mori up.
(He refuses to tolerate petty rumormongers in positions of power.)
(There’s a reason he forced the previous Pegasi Master into retirement years ago.)
(If he has to do the same to Mori, he will, and damn the consequences.)
Mori tosses her head back and laughs, cheerful in a way that has claws, and gestures a ‘no’ in response. It’s enough to make some of the tension slip from Shiro’s shoulders as he waits for her to answer properly, even as he wonders about the cause of her laughter: he didn’t think his words were that amusing, but her reaction says otherwise.
(He has to wonder if there are more rumors going around than he’s aware of.)
“Ah, thanks for that, m’lord,” Mori finally forces out as she wipes tears from her cheeks. “The idea that I’d have anything against a damn natural like Ishida… tch.” She takes a deep breath and shakes her head, the last traces of amusement fading from her expression as she says, “I want you to promise me something, m’lord. I don’t care why he decided to suppress his magic so thoroughly that people thought he had none, but now that he’s using it again… keep an eye on him.”
Shiro frowns at the sudden seriousness in her voice; he knows that magical suppression is nothing to make light of, and that Uryuu is likely to have issues with his control for a time, but Mori’s words make it sound like there’s something more to it.
Mori purses her lips as the silence stretches and waits a few moments longer, before softly saying, “To go from total suppression to bonding two pegasi will put extra strain on his body. I’m not sure how bonding a wyvern works, but with pegasi, it’s a weaving of your magic with the pegasus’ magic. It’s likely he will be tired, perhaps to the point of appearing sick, but it’s important that he continue to use his magic daily. Just like it’s important that he return every day to further strength his bond with his pegasi.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Shiro agrees with a sharp nod, already planning to run her words and suggestions past Hat’n’Clogs. Everything she’s said makes sense — and he’s not about to contradict her recommendation of Uryuu bonding with his pegasi every day — but he wants to make sure that’s everything he needs to watch out for.
Magical suppression is not exactly a common phenomena, after all, especially to the extent that Uryuu did it.
“Good,” Mori says as she takes a step back and gives him a shallow bow. “Now, if you’ll pardon me, I need to get back to work. If he’s anything like other newly bonded pegasus rider, he’ll be back with his mounts: enter through that door and take a right, look for the name plates saying IceStorm and WindShadow.”
Shiro acknowledges her words and glances at the barn thoughtfully, wondering if he should intrude or not; he’d like to get a better look at the two pegasi and see how they react to him in close proximity to Uryuu, and also to properly congratulate Uryuu on his pairing with them. He’d also like to see how they and Getsuga react to each other, but that’s not something he wants to do in the near future: better to let the three settle into familiarity before shoving a predator like Getsuga into their midst.
Though speaking of shoving a wyvern into their midst…
“Ah, Mori-san, one last question,” Shiro says before Mori can get too far away. When she pauses and half-turns back to him, he tips his head slightly towards Getsuga and asks, “Ya said they’ll put up wit’ wyverns in close proximity. Will that continue if one of the free wyverns decides t’ make a pest of themself?”
She arches an eyebrow at him. “A free wyvern, is it?” she asks with a touch of amusement.
Shiro gives her a wry smile and explains, “Several of the first wyverns Uryuu met took an interest in ‘im. I don’t know if that interest will continue once the wyverns realize that Uryuu’s chosen pegasi instead, but y’know how wyverns can get.”
“I do know,” Mori agrees with a sigh of exasperation. “IceStorm and WindShadow shouldn’t mind, but IceStorm might take offense if the wyvern gets too insistent. That mare is picky about who she lets near her, and I suspect that will extend to Ishida-san now that she’s picked him.”
“Good to know, I’ll warn Uryuu ‘bout that. With luck, they’ll show up, see the pegasi, an’ get bored,” Shiro says, though he doesn’t have high hopes of that outcome. Worst case, Whirlwind and her two flockmates will make utter nuisances of themselves until Getsuga chases them off for good.
Mori snorts and gives him the look his words deserve, then says firmly, “Do remind Ishida-san that, while it has certainly happened before, I will be most displeased if he decides to partner with a wyvern so soon after finding IceStorm and WindShadow. He needs a minimum of three months with those two before bringing a wyvern into the mix, and I would prefer it if he did not formalize a partnership with a wyvern until at least a year has passed.”
“I’ll let ‘im know, promise,” Shiro says with a nod. “Thanks.”
Mori lingers a moment longer, as if waiting to see if he’ll think of another question to ask, then nods at him and turns away, striding across the field to one of the smaller barns on the other side.
Shiro considers her words as he watches her go, then sets the potential future mess aside to handle later — there’s no use borrowing trouble when they have so much already — and reaches up to pat Getsuga’s muzzle. “You’ll keep Whirlwind an’ those other two in line, won’t cha, girl?”
Getsuga’s lips pull back enough to show the tips of her teeth and she bends down enough to shove him towards the barn, before straightening up and pointedly scanning the sky overhead.
Shiro laughs as he stumbles forward from the shove. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll go see what Uryuu’s up to, eh? You can go do whatever, I’ll call ya when we’re done.” He laughs again as Getsuga chrrs in agreement and then launches into the air, sending him staggering from the wind stirred up by her powerful wingbeats. He shades his eyes and watches her soar above him, pride-awe-love curling through his chest as he does: years on and he’s still in awe of the fact that Getsuga chose him.
He wouldn’t trade Getsuga for the world, and he suspects that’s exactly how Uryuu feels about his new mounts.
Well… time to see how Uryuu’s doing, and if he needs or wants anything that Shiro can provide.
(And time to meet the pegasi properly.)
(He can’t wait.)