Do not mock the humble survey

[poll_the_stars]

Avet... has found herself annoyed. She has only one form. This isn't the problem, but this is what led to her noticing the problem. There is no way to preview what a dragon will look like. There are species books of birds and bugs and animals - but some of them are sub-par on noting where the dragon's colors go, and miscellaneous gods that she doesn't worship help you if you want to see what your color will look like on the form.

She is going to solve this problem. By taking some surveys. As in, grab photo paper, gather up a list of lines to go visit, and then knock on some doors and ask some questions and create a book series that organizes all possible forms, all known forms, what known lines look like in the forms - that sort of thing.

She starts with blue groups, because blue groups have the most available forms - she's gotten all of the big lines (well, all of the big lines that gave her the time of day) and is on the smaller ones. The ones with only one or two people. Or, in some cases, none.

This particular one's easier than some others; she doesn't need to fly to another country. It's Esmaar. She flies to the address of one 'Avar,' no line name. Apparently he had one and had some kind of explosive spat about it and gave it up. Not that it's her business. He's just another person for her survey.

She knocks on his door.

Comments

[thisvorlunatic]

He shows her all his other forms! The merlin is super teeny. The river otter is little and sleek. The mountain goat is curly and small and has neat little hooves.

The snow leopard is housecat-sized and the fluffiest thing alive.

[poll_the_stars]

She takes pictures of them all.

"Your snow leopard form is heartbreakingly adorable," she informs him, in a very serious tone.

[alicornucopia]

Finnah scoops up snow-leopard Mial and scritches him, grinning.

[thisvorlunatic]

Snow-leopard Mial purrs and nuzzles Finnah.

"Damn right," he says smugly.

[poll_the_stars]

Avet giggles. "Well, that concludes the survey, thanks for your time." She turns to Avar. "And if you're still willing...?"

[on_my_word]

"Yes," he says.

[poll_the_stars]

"Full name, please?"

[on_my_word]

"Avarvaidamgesnekorinalnah."

[poll_the_stars]

Write write. "Thank you. What are your forms, please?"

[on_my_word]

"Human and shrike."

[poll_the_stars]

Write write write! "And - shit, I just sort of assumed for you, Finnah, correct me if I was wrong and you are a parunia - are you a parunia?"

[alicornucopia]

"I'm not," says Finnah.

[on_my_word]

"I am," says Avar.

[poll_the_stars]

"Thank you." Write, write. "And now for the photos. May I?"

[on_my_word]

"Yes."

[poll_the_stars]

Avet takes two pictures of the relevant forms.

"Thank you for your time."

[on_my_word]

"No problem," says Avar, turning human again and scritching his smug fluffy son.

[poll_the_stars]

"All right then, are there any other dragonishes in the house...?"

[on_my_word]

Avar shakes his head.

[poll_the_stars]

"Thank you, then. If any of you pick any more forms and would like to further contribute to my obsessive project to catalog forms, my name is Avetlarin, feel free to mail me. Also if you would like a copy of the thing when I've finished, feel free to ask and I'll send copies. Though it's going to take a while to finish, I think."

[on_my_word]

"I imagine it will," Avar agrees.

[thisvorlunatic]

"I'm definitely going to want a copy," says fluffy Mial.

[alicornucopia]

"I'll just borrow his," shrugs Finnah.

[poll_the_stars]

She smiles a bit. "Sure." She retrieves another bit of paper that looks very list-like, and writes Mial's name on it. "And if there's nothing else...?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Doesn't look like it," says Mial. "Are you really going to survey all dragonishes?"