Apparition x Jasmine

Jasmine had been exploring the lakeside for the better part of the afternoon, hopping from one patch of exposed stone to another whenever she wasn't flying. Walking was perfectly fine when she had to do it, of course, but there was something terribly inconvenient about having to go around things when she could simply spread her wings and fly over them instead. Her lantern swung gently from the curled end of her antenna, casting a warm little patch of light over the rocks beneath her, though there was still plenty of daylight left. Old habits, perhaps. She liked having it with her, and besides, it had come in handy more than once when she had poked her nose into places that were much darker than she had expected. The little dragon landed on a broad stone near the water, her wings folding against her back as she peered down at the lake. There were flowers growing between the cracks nearby, tiny things with pale petals that she had already been considering collecting, when something moved beneath the surface.

Jasmine lifted her head. The water had gone strangely still, even though the breeze continued to stir the flowers behind her. Then a dark shape rose from the lake, large enough that the water rolled away from it in rippling waves. Apparition emerged without so much as a warning, their enormous body breaking the surface before settling partially back into the water. The Colossal dragon was a peculiar sight, though that was hardly surprising considering the things that lived in the depths, and Jasmine found herself watching with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. She had heard of Apparition, certainly, but hearing about a dragon and seeing one appear out of the water right in front of you were two very different things. Her wings lifted slightly from her sides, ready to carry her away if necessary, while her lantern swung forward and illuminated a small section of the creature's strange body. Apparition made a low, rumbling sound that travelled across the lake, and Jasmine tilted her head, unsure what to make of it.

The answer came when the water beside Apparition began to turn. At first, Jasmine thought it was simply a current, some movement caused by the enormous dragon shifting beneath the surface, but the swirl grew steadily wider until the water formed a proper whirlpool. The surface dipped inward, circling faster and faster, and the light reflecting off it twisted into a strange, moving pattern. Jasmine took a little hop backward on her stone, her eyes fixed on the water. Another whirlpool formed farther out, then a third, each one turning in a different part of the lake. Apparition moved between them, their body barely visible beneath the surface as the water curled around them, and soon the lake looked as though several enormous drains had opened beneath it. Jasmine's antennae lifted, her lantern bobbing as she leaned forward to get a better look. Oh, that was rather impressive.

Apparition wasn't finished. The first whirlpool widened until its swirling edge nearly reached the stone where Jasmine stood, and she spread her wings instinctively, ready to take off if the water came any closer. Instead, the current curved away from her perch, sweeping around the rock in a wide circle while leaving the stone itself untouched. A second whirlpool began turning inside the first, creating a smaller, faster spiral at its centre, and then the whole thing rose into a twisting mound of water that briefly lifted above the lake before collapsing back into itself. The splash sent droplets flying across the stones, some of them landing on Jasmine's face and scattering over her pale feathers. She blinked, shook her head, and gave a surprised little chirp. Her lantern swung wildly from her antenna, its light skipping across the water as she shifted her feet to keep her balance. Apparition answered with another deep, resonant sound, and the remaining whirlpools began to circle more quickly.

Jasmine couldn't help herself; she took off. Her wings spread wide, catching the air as she rose above the shoreline, and she flew out over the water far enough to see the entire spectacle at once. From above, the whirlpools were even more remarkable, their circular currents drawing the light into twisting bands across the surface. She banked around the nearest one, keeping a sensible distance from the spinning water, and then turned toward Apparition. The Colossal dragon's head had risen above the lake, their attention fixed on her as she circled overhead. Jasmine's antennae curled with excitement, and she gave a series of bright, questioning chirps before swooping lower. She wasn't quite sure whether Apparition had made the spectacle specifically for her, but it was difficult to imagine they hadn't noticed her watching. She hovered over the water for a moment, her wings beating steadily, and tilted her head toward the nearest whirlpool as if asking how such a thing was even possible.

The answer, apparently, was another whirlpool.

It formed a little farther away this time, spinning up from an otherwise calm patch of water before joining the others in their strange dance. Jasmine gave a delighted trill and followed it with her eyes, her lantern swinging beneath her antenna as she drifted back toward the shore. When the water finally settled, the lake returned to its usual quiet state, leaving only the ripples spreading toward the banks and the occasional droplet sliding from the rocks. Apparition remained partly submerged, their enormous shape looming beneath the surface, while Jasmine landed on her stone and carefully folded her wings. She looked down at her damp feet, then back at the lake, and finally toward the strange dragon who had provided her with such an unexpected afternoon. After a moment's hesitation, she gave a small, friendly chirp and lowered her head in a shy little greeting.

Apparition answered with a soft rumble, the water around them rippling gently. Jasmine's antennae lifted, and she seemed to consider the response before hopping closer to the edge of the stone. She still didn't know much about this enormous creature, and she certainly wasn't about to pretend otherwise, but she had to admit that the whirlpools had been wonderful. Her lantern swung forward, its warm light shining over the water between them, and she remained there for a while longer, watching Apparition beneath the surface and wondering what other strange things the lake might do in their company.