A Menagerie of Emotions

The setting sun basked the city of Ghirapur in its warm orange glow, the rays soaking into the various metal structures across the city as would the canopies of the twisting jungle trees of Ixalan. No… Ghirapur was much different from Ixalan.

But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Huatli smiled at the sight before her and was content to watch distant aethertide whales float through the swirling streams of the aether in the yellow-red sky. The roof of the workshop had become a favorite of Huatli's. Her arrival in Kaladesh some weeks ago had been… daunting, to say the least, but in time, she had climatized to the hustle and bustle of the urban environment. Ghirapur was no Pachatupa, even with Tocatli's arches soaring in the background, high above the Sun Empire's biggest city. The Sun Empire was surrounded by mountains and jungles, home to the most beautiful beasts of Kinjalli: The Avatars and Elder dinosaurs of Ixalan could only dwell under the cavernous canopies of the twisting jungles there.

Huatli's thoughts flickered back to the mad race that she had embarked on, the quest to find Orazca, and the Immortal Sun. She had succeeded in neither. Now, her homeland was galvanized into war against the peoples' of Ixalan, the madness of war even going beyond to Torrezon, under Apatzec Intili III. The fleeting moments she had with the mysterious Minotaur, and the mind mage and his gorgon companion had also troubled her.

What had she missed? And why were there other Planeswalkers there in her homeland?

She had learned much in the three weeks that she had spent here on Kaladesh. About her kind of people. About the wonders of the multiverse that lay at her fingertips. Never before had she felt so… satisfied. Even upon the advent of her appointment as Warrior-Poet by Apatzec Intili III, she had been lacking.

It was only with the benefit of hindsight that she realized what indeed she had been lacking.

Purpose.

Purpose in the meaning of her talents. She was a beastcaller, and rider of dinosaurs. The forested regions of Ixalan made her more at ease that her own family home did. She belonged there, not tied down to some position with a power-hungry Sun Emperor.

No, her duty was to spread the wisdom and beauty of all living things. And to tell of their ferocity, and commanding might that everyone should fear, and respect.

The cruising whales sped through the clouds and streams of aether at a leisurely pace, with the young nestled at their mother's sides, all curious and afraid of the world around them. Huatli spread her arms, before nestling her hands behind her head, where they cushioned her braided dark hair.

Gentle beasts stream through the sky,

Meandering through cloud and currents of blue-

Yet, fear their gentle ways, should they unleash their fury.

Huatli smiled as her spoken words reached out to the pod, which seemed invigorated by the echoing poem.

"I will always be amazed by your ability to do that." A low voice broke the peaceful silence of the sunset, as Huatli felt her face flush at Saheeli's unexpected appearance.

All at once, Huatli felt the crushing weight of the conversation she had that morning with her brothers, sisters, and Mother on Ixalan. Why wasn't she coming back? What other business did she have abroad?

Saheeli stood before her, a perfect picture of imperfection. There was wiring wrapped around both of her arms, along with welder goggles, a wench in her hand, and the various splotches of oil and aether that covered her leather clothes.

Kinjalli above, she is beautiful. Huatli recoiled at the unbidden thought, and hurried to answer her friend.

"I- It's not all that impressive," Huatli responded, "I was a warrior-poet. Poetry comes second nature to me." Saheeli had opened the solar to their roof, which Huatli must've missed while gazing that the uncommon migration of the aethertide whales. The bronze skinned woman had never before made her feel uncomfortable, at least, in this way.

"You are too modest," Saheeli chastised her, coming through the solar fully, her toned arms flexing when opening and closing the heavy glass panel, "Sorry if I surprised you, but I wanted to see if you had returned. Everything all right on your homeplane?"

"Yes!" Huatli beamed at her, stepping forward to give Saheeli a welcoming embrace. She focused on the effort of telling Saheeli of her day, rather than focusing on how warm and comforting Saheeli felt in her arms, "My family was very happy to see me, along with the news I carried about our creations…"

Huatli watched as Saheeli now shushed her, putting far too much credit for her metalwork on her teachers than that of her own skill.

"I think you'll be even more happy, to learn that I completed it, just now." Saheeli laughed, her cheeks a betraying a tinge of red.

Adrenaline coursed through her now throbbing veins, and Huatli perked up, "Really?!" The overall shape and framework of their loving creation had been in place for a full week. Weaponry and hydraulics that would house the flowing aether-blood of the creature stood out like streaks of blood in a raptor's pristine white feathers.

"I want to see! Let's go!" Huatli exclaimed, pulling Saheeli down towards the workshop bay. Saheeli followed with a warm laugh, and Huatli practically felt herself bouncing down through the storage rooms on the upper floor catwalk, into the massive machine workshop garage below. She could already see the beautifully curved metal plates of their creation, but she averted her eyes and she scrambled down the stairs, so that her first look would be up close.

And… by Kinjalli…

A real Ripjaw raptor stood before her, in metal flesh, here on Kaladesh. The giant raptor species on Ixalan was feared for its cunning, beauty, and savagery. The beast before her was gold and silver, with gleaming claws and teeth, and shining blue eyes, that gazed out of the smooth lines of the creature's face like twinkling stars. Huatli walked around the machine, transfixed as she examined every crease, every plane of metal skin that the giant raptor possessed.

"I took some liberties…" Saheeli admitted, "The chest cavity of the Servosaur contains the aether heart, along with a top of the line servo fabricator. In the tail, and six-foot-long corded wire ropes, with weighted steel balls at foot long intervals. A bit more painful than your average bolas, but with the swish of a tail, our Servosaur can incapacitate anyone stupid enough to run from this apex predator. The teeth have the needles that you liked, with the knockout injections that the new consulate uses for not lethal force. The top speed is a little lower than I would like, but she'll run faster than your average gear hulk.

Huatli felt tears spring to her eyes, as she marveled the sight before her. The Servosaur. The songs of her people had reached across the multiverse, and now, Dinosaurs walked in Kaladesh.

"Oh! I-I, do you not like it?" Saheeli fretted, seeing her tears, "We can change anything you don't like! I am so sorry! I know this was really important to you- your culture- I mean… you are- perfect- I shouldn't have-"

Huatli strode over to the stammering artificer and grabbed her smooth brown cheeks, pressing her lips to Saheeli's in a loving embrace.

Saheeli started once, then melted in her in return, and Huatli only deepened the kiss as she felt Saheeli's arms wrap around her neck. Yes. Ghirapur was nothing like Ixalan.

It was so much better.