In the scorching heat of the infamous Anarab deserts, mountains of dunes sprawl across the ocean of sand. Titan waves forever suspended at their peak, never to crash upon a shore. Only a faint breeze brushed through the area, pelting flecks of sand at the inhabitants. An annoyance to the newcomers of the sandy city, but something the locals have grown accustomed to. Nestled in the bosom of the dunes the Anarab city stood an in it a dune racetrack. All types of nefarious people were known to crowd here for many reasons. Gambling for their 15 minutes of fame or just the simple adrenaline rush of the head to head, no holds barred races, flocks of people crowded here. Bets were made and money swiftly passed through many hands as the races came and went.
Nagrendra sat motionless as the buggies speeded by, shaded by a large parasol. The stripes of blue and red were faded, beaten and washed out by the sun, the white in between dingy from the constant beating of the desert environment. He sat under it, his massive tail coiled around him and he lounged against the hues of soft brown and gray. One might think he was lost in thought, his honey colored eyes closed, oblivious to his surroundings. But in fact he was completely aware of all that was happening. Though his head didn’t turn and watch as the racers past like the other spectators he always paid great attention to the race. It was one of the few things he truly enjoyed. People screamed, cheering as the winner of this race crossed the finish line. The naga opened his eyes and smirked, reaching down and picking up a ripe banana from a straw satchel. His clawed hand delicately peeled away at the yellow skin revealing the soft yellow fruit. Nagendra took a glance over to the track, scanning to see who would be racing next. Faded yellow and an orange flags stood, fluttering in the breeze, presenting the next racers.
“Hm, it’s Wednesday. Must be Kayen…” he mumbled to himself, taking a bite out of the banana. Kayen was one of the few regular racers, a spunky kid who used an orange flag with a black jackal as his logo. Not to be confused with Sex Machine, the veteran who also sported an orange flag but with a more lewd symbol.
The naga settled into his coils, taking a few bites here and there, savoring his treat. The race would start soon. It should be a good one if Kayen was racing. He always managed to pull off some hot-shot stunt that occasionally went horribly wrong. It was entertaining at the very least.
"It's very easy to have more than nothing. Especially if you pour."
Days in Anarab were unlike days in any other city she’d seen, but then again, the Anarab native hadn’t seen many other cities. A glimpse of Nureese’s downtown district and the far off view of Genil were the only experiences she had to compare to living here. This town had once been lovely, in the days she’d been more naïve than anything else. The days she’d spent hanging upside down on a merry-go-ground were long gone, but certain things revived them, sounds, smells, and the rumbling of the dune buggies that raced around this circuit. They reminded her of the days where her father’s unconditional love had been enough to convince her that the moon needn’t rise for another month to end, needn’t disappear for another to begin. The breeze was non-existent today, but the weather wasn’t bad, not as it was during the peak of the summer. Those were the days that her skin sizzled as she stepped out of the doors of the Oasis, her eyes wincing in pain at the brightness of the sun.
The track was empty, aside from a few seasoned watchers as she moved across the sand swept miniature hills. A wide brimmed hat sat jauntily on her head, shading her face entirely, including the enormous black lenses of her sunglasses. They seemed to protect her from the outside world in more ways than she cared to acknowledge, cutting the harsh sunlight as well as keeping her identity secretive to say the least. A strapless dress, long and flowing, hit her ankles in a soft creamy mess of folds that seldom clung to her body beneath them, but was always changing in the way it moved when she walked. Customary heels didn’t adorn her feet in this place, no, soft sandals prevented her from falling into the constantly slipping sand and disgracing herself in front of anyone, something she tried to prevent at all costs. She moved, lady-like toward a creature that caught her interest for the strangest reason. Perhaps it was the way the sun glinted off of this jewel-like scales or the sheer amazement of such a large creature not looking out of place in the setting. Wordlessly, she sat down and pulled her knees toward her chest, the dress forming a fabric puddle around her. She didn’t mind the sand that crept onto the silk, knowing that unless it was wet, it would brush right off. The idea of rain in Anarab today was a laughable thought.
“Is Kayen making an ass of himself again? He should know that Mr. Machine will always win the race. At least he plays fair and without so much hubris.” Her voice was soft, but matter-of-fact as she kept her eyes directed to the racing karts below her. Slowly, a smile formed as one of them cut donuts on the well beaten track, causing plumes of sand to rise into the air. Perhaps that was what it was like to be free from inhibition.
Re: In the Dust [1-7-311]
The bright light glinted harshly off the shifting sand. Beladona's feet glided swiftly and surely over the sands. A smile broke over her face, despite the sun in her eyes. She watched the woman walk over to the naga and sit near him. How interesting it might be to join in that conversation.
"I think i will join them." She said to herself.
She walked steadily across the shifting sands to the edge of the track. Standing there beside them, she waited for their reaction.
Re: In the Dust [1-7-311]
Nagendra didn’t notice the woman walking through the sands up to his humble perch. He was far too engrossed in the race itself. Besides, no one ever came up here to see if that really was a giant snake or just signs of too much heat. Only Tehanu came up every so often to chat with him. He was the current acting owner of the races until another was found. A good man, or as good as they came in this city. He was the one who invited Nagendra back to view the races after his unfortunate ban from the tracks. The naga still got shivers thinking of the incident.
Quote:“Is Kayen making an ass of himself again? He should know that Mr. Machine will always win the race. At least he plays fair and without so much hubris.”
He froze, caught off guard by the feminine voice. A human, a female, up here, with him? Inconceivable. Nagendra sat there motionless, a banana hovering just below his mouth. It seemed as if time stopped for the serpent, but the sand continued to shift in the breeze around him and the racers spun around in their flamboyant antics as always before the race. The naga gave himself a mental shake, scolding himself for getting caught off guard and then for possibly scaring the woman. He knew it could be eerie and disquieting for him to just sit in his stillness. The humans always seemed nervous when he did it at the circus as if he were a giant snake poised to strike and devour them.
Taking a breath, the naga seemed to reanimate. Nagendra’s tendrils of snake-like hair moved with the barest of motions as he turned his head to peer at the human woman with the gumption to approach the serpent. He let his honey colored eyes rest on her form, assessing the woman. Nothing unusual about her other than her hat and glasses to hide her face, regular desert attire otherwise. Her dress, a lovely cream color, spilled around her as she sat on the sand. Everything about her screamed “debutante.” The real mystery, though, was why was she here at this run down race track?
“This is very true,” He purred, as he moved to leaned over his own coils to peer down at where she sat. Nagendra’s hands perched under his chin as he smirked at her. “But sadly the notorious Mr. Machine is not racing the exuberant Kayen. He is racing some new comer. We shall see if he stays long enough for me know his name and flag.” The serpent winked an amber eye at the young woman with a soft smile.
“I am Nagendra.” He extended a clawed hand but he froze in mid-motion, his gaze sliding to the approaching woman with a slight frown. Two visitors in one day. Very curious. The naga thought warily. As she stood a distance from them, he waited for her to speak, to state her purpose or greeting to them. The silence was heavy and awkward. He never was graceful in such social situations.
"It's very easy to have more than nothing. Especially if you pour."
Re: In the Dust [1-7-311]
“Sydney Raye--” The woman stopped her introduction quickly as the other woman approached. From her sullen behavior, or what Sydney took as sullen, she figured she was encroaching on her “property.” It was strange to think that a woman and a large snake would be an item, but the woman had seen stranger things. Rising gracefully to her feet and adjusting her hat to tilt slightly upward in the front, lower in the back, she stood firmly footed. Though the naga was oddly attractive and obviously personable, more so than most in Anarab, she wanted her intentions stated clearly. Sydney Raye got involved with no one because she could never tell them the full truth. Relationships? They were beyond her, she needed no man to survive and make that point quite clear. Never having had a lover, boyfriend, fiancee, or even male roommate, she was unsure of herself in that department as well. She made up for it by working hard and taking pleasure from her success more than anything else. With a hard lipped smile she nodded toward Nagendra and smoothed the skirt of her dress to shake the grains of sand off of it.
“I’m.. Sorry if I’m intruding on your date, I really meant no harm by it. I‘ll find another place to sit.”
Stretching her arms upward, her shoulder blades moving slightly under her tanned skin as she eased the muscles in each of her arms. Abruptly, she turned and found herself climbing the sand, her cheeks flushed red. The dress moved around her, pooling just right against the curves of her legs and thighs. Suddenly, she turned, one hand on her hip, the other hanging beside her. A set of bangles jangled and she shook her head slightly and smiled coarsely, more of a smirk. “But just so you know, it would have been more polite to introduce yourself as his girlfriend, rather than standing there like a prat. Believe me, I wasn‘t after his affections, I just wanted to know his opinion on the race.” She was still mistakenly believing that the dark girl who had appeared without speaking was a jealous girlfriend.
Re: In the Dust [1-7-311]
Beladona giggled to herself at the woman's remark as she stumbled her way over the sand dunes. "I'm sorry if I scared her away. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Beladona Nightshade." She bowed slightly in the tight corset, the loose sleeves of her pants and shirt hanging about her giving the slight impression of a much slimer body beneath.
"I was waiting for you two to finish your conversation rather than intrude. I appologize." She said to the naga politely, giving him an ample smile that showed her fangs.
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