Standing on The Bridge

    The air is starting to get warmer than it has been. The Sky was only lightly clouded as the sun continues to slowly rise in the horizon, casting rays of light through the trees and dancing over the water like diamonds.

Standing on the bridge outside of the Town of Beginnings, is a dark scaled Salamander named Xander Scaleharth. The man is leaning on the bridge heavy stone railing with his arms, seeming to just be looking out into the distance at really nothing. His heavy tail would flick from time to time, as he rolled a piece of dry, long grass around his lips from time to time.

    "Heeeeeeeey Xander."

    Apparently Salamanders attract other Salamanders. Somehow, the Red Salamander that is Atif has ended coming across the bridge, and perching up in a precarious crouch along the railing just a bit next to Xander without having made much noise otherwise prior to that. Thick tail flicking from side to side idly (even if he has to turn the rest of his weight to the opposing side in time with it to avoid losing his balance!) while he considers the Black Salamander there.

    "What'cha up toooo?"

    Suddenly an Atif, "Holymothershit!" The black Salamander nearly jumps and goes to draw his sword. His teeth bite down hard on that piece of grass which breaks it in half.

Soon as he realizes who it is, he spits out what remains of the grass and narrows his eyes at Atif, "You seriously need to like, not do that. It may be bad for your health one day." Thankfully Xander didn't draw his sword completely out of his scabbard and goes to push the blade back in. "Or maybe save your life." He mutters the last part gently.

    "And not much, just watching the sunrise and thinking about the coming Tournament in the Holy Empire." He then goes to lean his arms once more on the railing. "Maybe heading out early just to see what has changed out there with the expansion. If anything."

    Ironically enough, Xander's surprised reaction likewise makes Atif jump in place with a "GAH!" It might not be a big motion, but it's still enough to make the Red Lizard lose the balance on his railing-bound crouch to damn near fall over on the outer side of it, ending up needing to clamp both hands and feet TIGHT against it to keep himself hanging on rather than falling all the way down.

    "S-sorry, I just thought I'd say hi!" Atif mumbles in explanation of himself (not that it really explains why he decided to sneak up on the other lizard) while he pulls himself back up to swinging over to the top of the railing with a breath of relief.

    "Right... the tournament." He doesn't seem particularly excited about that, for some reason. "You're thinking of participating then, I'm guessing?" His head tilts slightly to one side with that.

    "Exploration is pretty fruitful at times too. Though... A lot of the changes have been kind of made just by Adventurer's, you know?" He coughs then, and peers off to the side, adding in a mutter, "Found the hard way it's not good to assume it's all game-side...."

    There may or may not be a hint of red on his cheeks for half a second.

    Xander raises a brow at those reddening cheeks, but he doesn't bring any further attention to it beyond a gently, "Uh-huh." Then he goes to turn his side against the railing, with one foot kicking over the other, with his arms crossing over his chest. "And yeah, I will be."

"For one, it is held by my alliance and secondly, be nice to do some pvp that isn't going to get me or anyone else in trouble." Xander chuckles a little. "I don't really like PKers overall, but I do miss the thrill of fighting other players for an actual goal." He grins a little at that.

"What? You not planning on joining? Or is pvp not really your thing?" Xander asks the other Salamander with a slight narrowing of one eyebrow.

    "I don't really like fighting other players, no," admits Atif. In the meantime, his hands grab at the railing both in front and behind him, using that hold to lift his feet up while he turns over sideways-- and lowering back down, he's thus sitting on the rail, instead of precariously balancing on it.

    "I mean, I do get it, it's nice to challenge yourself and it fits the competetive mindset and what not..." His lips purse, still, while he idly kicks his upraised feet in the air. "I don't know. I guess I just don't like fighting with people who could just as well be my friends. PvP always kinda rubbed me like that, especially if there wasn't a very good reason for it..."

    "That's the thing though, Atif." Xander explains with a grin, "It's a /tournament/." The Salamander makes a slight hand gesture as he walks. "You have people watching from /all over/. There are probably going to be prizes, if at least coin. So, if you win, not only do you get that feather in your cap..."

Xander then grin gets a little wider; A little more dangerous, "But you get the prestige and whatever prize." He then goes to stand up straight. "Not that /I/ will probably win, but I can still give it the good ol' college try."

    "Eeeehh... I mean, I know it'd be nice and all..." Murmurs Atif, with a more uncertain tone than usual, and he wryly scratches one red finger along his cheek.

    "But I kinda just don't care about any of that stuff."

    That statement alone might be bizarre enough for some people to think about. But then, after giving a shrug of his broad shoulders and looking at Xander again, he says something that is truly, properly baffling.

    "But even if I did, and I did happen to win, that'd just mean I'd be taking it away from someone else."

Xander slow blinks at Atif's words and then blinks again a bit more normally before he tilts his head gently to the side. "... What?"

    Atif mirrors Xander's blinks after he's uttered out that single-worded question. But to add further to it, he cocks his head from side to side in a manner that is probably much more canine than lizardly.

    "O-...oh, I'm sorry, I must have mumbled again..." He murmurs with a tone of *sincere* apologeticness. Yes, he actually believes that the issue is that Xander couldn't *heat* him.

    "I just said even if I was into it and I happened to win, it'd mean I took the prizes away from someone else. Sorry again..."

    As if this was a perfectly, completely normal thing to say.

    "Dude. I heard you the first time." Xander says staring at him. "And that is like-- the craziest thing I have ever heard someone say. To compete at something you don't /care/ if you take it away from someone else or not. You compete to /prove/ to yourself that you /can/ do it and along with others."

Xander sighs gently as he goes to fully stand up and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess," He looks at Atif. "You are not into spots, don't care /for/ sports, and were that kid in school that was picked on, yeah?" The dark scaled Salamander sighs, "Cause you sound like someone who doesn't have much motivation to be great and rather okay with just being average."

    "...Eeeeh? Why do I gotta be better than someone else at something to prove I'm good at it...?"

    He blinks his eyes rapidly again, and protests, "I'm fine with sports!" But, the accusation of being picked in school as a kid... well, that one seems to resonate with him to the point of giving a rueful look off elsewhere with lightly-pursed lips.

    "... I'm fine with having friendly contests and all that, for practice and fun and all," he murmurs, more quietly, now looking off into the distance far beyond the bridge proper. "But I don't like feeling like I'm getting something by stepping on someone else. Even with prizes from sports or something, like..." His feet lift up slightly, turning to tap talons against each other. "Someone else is probably going to need it more in the first place."

Xander sighs gently, "Then win it /for/ someone else if that is what makes you happy, but in truth-- it really should be for /you/, before the other. Not saying its wrong to give the prize away, but make sure when you do go to win something, that you do it for you first."

The black Salamander shakes his head. "Just as bad as the kids who don't even get the no guts no glory." He says softly rubbing the back of his neck.

    "Anyways, I'm not good at the civilian talk mindset, so-- ignore me, probably. I grew up on a military base, so my whole mindset is you win and win with everything or go take a hike." Xander admits as he goes to rest his hands on the top of his belt. "But I am serious on one thing though..." He hrms softly, "Do what makes you happy. Even with all the shit I am giving you. Just-- do what makes you happy in the end, Atif. I probably will never understand you, but hey, not for me to understand. You are your own man after all."

    "... THat's kind of it though," Atif sighs out, tail drooping downwards over the opposite side of the railing now. "I want to be good at things that make other people happy, is all. ... I don't really have a lot of interest in doing things just for my own sake..."

    His teeth worry at his lower lip briefly after he's said that, and he adds more quietly, "...though I guess that in itself is for my sake... it's not like I could do anything for anyone else before..."

    He ends up frowning at Xander, however. He gives a stare at him like that for a few seconds, and then...

    "Are you a dummy?"

    One foot swings over from his seat at the railing, to nudge at the other Salamander's thigh. "How's that a good enough reason to ignore you? Civilian or military, everyone's got their own thoughts and views that are all worth listening to. And besides..."

    Hands grabbing hold of the railing on either side of him, he leans his weight over while keeping his head turned to facing Xander, he flashes a wide smile, eyes closing momentarily.

    "You're my friend, you know? So all the more reason to listen and try to understand each other."

    Xander doesn't exactly look over ast Atif nudges him at the thigh. If anything he seems like he is ignoring Atif, but there was a smirk there. A friendly grin, before he reaches over and goes, "Come here, kid!" Then goes to noogie Atif gently while laughing softly.

He doesn't hold Atif long either and he makes sure the other Salamander doesn't fall back to get a drink in the water below. "As for being a dummy? Maybe! Been hit in the head enough times." He laughs at that a bit as well, with a grin.

    "Anyways," Now time for more serious talk it seems. "It's good and all you /want/ to do things for other people Atif, but you will never be /great/ at anything if you don't figure out what it is /you/ enjoy doing? Do you understand?" He looks the other Salamander dead on.

    "Uwah?!" Caught completely by surprise, Atif is easily pulled into the lock of one arm while a black-scaled hand noogies him through his fiery hair. "Waaah!" Nevermind that he's laughing in a good-natured way past those sounds.

    "Hahah, come on, come one..." He mumbles with a few playful bats given at Xander's arm when he finally retreats. "I knew you could smile, Old Man." Sharp teeth flashed with a bit of mischief there. Hey, he called him a kid so it's fair play, right?

    "Mmm?" His head cants sidewards with the more serious words given, and Atif's lips purse up a bit again.

    "Don't get me wrong, Xander," he says in an equally serious tone... but evne that doesn't last long before he takes on a much-too-warm smile. "I know what I enjoy doing. And I plan to go as far as I can, with it."

    Xander nods his head gently, "Good. You do that." He then gives Atif a pat on the shoulder, before he goes to step away from the railing entirely. "Anyways, I should make my patrol rounds, you gonna be good, Atif?" Oddly enough, he didn't correct the red Salamander on calling him old. "And hey! Even if you don't compete, at least come cheer me on yeah? Maybe we can do a little spar too." He does a few air jabs, looking a bit like an American Boxer.

    Atif's smile turns a bit sheepish from the pat to his shoulder, but his composure returns pretty quick afterwards. "I'll be good as long as folks around me are smiling, too," he promises. "So... so far so good."

    His eyes do sparkle a bit, then. "I might! Seeing people do cool things while fighting can be pretty fun too, you know." And with the other Salamander mimicing a few jabs, he sticks his tongue out momentarily. "Maybe. Maybe we will."

    "Good! Then I'll catch you around, Atif." Xander says with a wave before he goes to jog off for the path toward Alne. Was he going to jog that whole path? Probably!

One never knows what a Xander may do, but a Xander do.