12817/Two Birds

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Two Birds
Date of Scene: 18 September 2022
Location: Kála's estate, Kyshán
Synopsis: Gar and Kála have a chat about many things.
Cast of Characters: Kian, Gar Logan




Kian has posed:
    No, in actual fact, Kála has not let the qihár match go quite yet.  "I'm still studying the game footage," she says, sporting the translator Kían lent her.  "You Titans play an aggressive game!  It was more like facing four hunters and no blockers."
    Meanwhile, part of her mind is directing robot activity, bringing out refreshments to their shared chaise on a balcony.  Unlike Kían's mostly western view, her home wraps around the south and east faces of the canopy, and this south-facing balcony is perfect for soaking up the sun, brightened by her preference for yellow in her decorations.
    One flat-topped robot rolls up with a selection of tidbits; another with a bottle and two glasses—this one Gar will recognize as the pressings of a plant that has a flavor faintly reminiscent of coconut with a dash of cinnamon, and not Kían's preferred home-made rocket fuel.  Both are faintly golden, with muted blue piping: her team's colors, of course.
    She herself is dressed casually, in muted yellow halter and kilt, with her hair tied back with a blue tie.
    Out of nowhere, she adds, "I wish you could visit more often."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Garkiar, or Akigar, has been over to see Kála.  Their discussions about qihár have been worth it, as it's a sport the green Titan has taken to quickly.  No surprise, considering the template Gar's Akiár form mainly mimics.
    It doesn't hurt that Kála's taken an interest in him, either.  'Pretty green bird' and all.
    "I mean, even when I tried being a blocker the first time, I was really just looking for chances to take a ribbon," he explains, grinning at her.  "I've flown a lot, you know.  As actual birds, so this all feels really natural to me.  And I figured the faster we get the other side's ribbons, the less chances they have getting ours."  A reminder is made.  "Just after you got me back for the first one, I decided I'd try to turn it around and get you out… and I did."  He likes reminding her of that part.
    The robot is watched as the sun shines on them.  Whether or not his own mind can direct the things (or if they're coded just to Kala's mind), that's an interesting way of controlling them.  He sips the drink, licking his lips, and he's relaxed in traditional Akiár garb.  Mainly, kilt and that pendant of his.  All green for him, hair to feathers, a contrast to her black hair and yellow wings with a black stripe.
    "I like visiting," he agrees.

Kian has posed:
    "I guessed," Kála says, reaching over to trace her finger over Gar's pendant, once.
    "You've taken to the game faster than almost anyone I've seen.  I'm trying to figure out how much of that is because your Akiár form is informed by Kían's, and how much is just a completely different Earth way of looking at things.  Your blockers hunt, and your hunters block.  Nobody here plays like that."
    She leans back, and watches a small flock of birds fly overhead.
    "I know you can't stay, but I wish you could."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan glances down at the pendant, its coppery tones mixed with the greens of the patina that's formed.  A phoenix, rising from the ashes through fire.  He looks over for the details of her own, resettling on the chaise, wings off to one side.  "I dunno," he admits.  "Everyone's different where we're from.  Not like… any one thing, because some of us feel the same way about stuff and some of us look similar, but people also think a totally different way and some are a lot bigger or smaller, or other things.  And that's even within one country, not to mention the rest of the world.  That's not even getting into people who are more violent or more peaceful, either."  So many differences.
    His shoulders shift in a shrug.  "You use the ribbons and it makes me think of flag football.  That's a sport where you, uh, basically try to score points by getting from one end of a field to another, and instead of tackling whoever has the ball, which is rougher, you have to grab their ribbon and that counts as being stopped.  But everyone on the other side is trying to grab it.  The players on the side with the ball, some of them do try to block so they can go farther, so that's kind of similar, but…."  He waves it off.  Maybe she can see where some of the mentality comes from, but still isn't quite the same.
    Clearing his throat, he adds, "Sometimes I wish I could, too.  All of us here visiting?  We act like heroes back on Earth, trying to help keep others safe.  But it's nice here.  It's quiet, and there's no fighting, and yeah, I guess you have a lot of voices in your heads, but it's more relaxing."

Kian has posed:
    "You are heroes back on Earth.  It's not an act," Kala says.  "Kían has shown me some of the things you have to do.  It's… not easy to understand, I guess all I can say is that Earth is different.  You have quite a job keeping Kían's head in one piece.  It has to be weird for him, not even having the kirát for background noise."
    She sits up a little, and gives Gar an inquisitive look.  "You're really used to the quiet all the time, aren't you?  I had to stay near Shíri and Keth as much as possible when I visited Earth just to feel normal.  I took off on my own once and I don't think I lasted very long with the silence before I had to come back to the tower and the other Akiár'yw."  She shakes her head.  "I can't say I can't imagine, since I know what it feels like now, but I can't imagine being used to it."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan notes finer details on Kala's pendant.  An onyx hawk crossing a full moon, with another moon near to it.  After that, he considers the native Akiár further and says, "Yeah, I know we are heroes, but it's not like we're born for it.  We all decided that's what was right.  Some of us work better on our own, but the Titans are like a big family of people who pretty much have the same goals."
    Then he chuckles, shaking his head.  "You don't know how many times Kían's called something about Earth weird.  It's almost like that's the first word he learned.  Maybe it was."
    It's her question about the silence compared to the background noise that has him sitting there in thought for a few extra seconds, part of which is taken up by a finger trailing along her hair and on to a wing.  "Mmmhmm.  Maybe you get used to tuning out certain things, but the only ones who can hear others inside their heads are telepaths.  That's not normal for humans at all.  I'm way more used to it being quiet in my head, but sometimes I have so many things going on that I can't stop thinking about stuff, and that's almost like having other voices."

Kian has posed:
    Kála's feathers fluff out and settle at the touch.  "Maybe you were born for it.  I don't know.  Can't prove that one way or the other without being gods, and I don't know any.  Aside from Kían, anyway, and he's pretty sure he's not one, and I know the look I would get if I asked him."  She laughs.  "He doesn't talk about that at all, does he?  I think that's why he really wants to stay on Earth."
    She rests her hand on Gar's shoulder.  "Well, one of the reasons, maybe not the reason, tavárik," she amends with a grin.  "Does it bother you when I let my mind into yours?  It's kind of automatic for me, you know, but I can try to not do that if you don't like it."

Gar Logan has posed:
    There's a half-grin at the way the feathers shift around.  "I wasn't born for anything like this," Gar says, sounding completely sure of it.  "I wasn't always green, and I was totally normal.  But then things changed."  Details, for now, are left out.  "Kían definitely doesn't like the pressure of being seen as a god.  I know that much."
    Fingers shift back to the Akiár woman's hair when her head settles in closer.  "Heh… there's still a lot of your language I need to learn.  Kían's been teaching me some things.  And… no, not really.  It's kind of comforting.  And I know some of you really like touching Vorpal's mind."  An understatement if there ever was one.

Kian has posed:
    "Téri's brain is special, yes.  Although I wonder how much of that is his rhy'thar, and how much of that is being raised by Ágata Téri'chal, who is her own kind of special."  Speaking of understatements.
    Kála squeezes Gar's shoulder affectionately.  "I know you know what tavárik means.  And tenár."  She looks at him oddly.  "And I am having an awful time imagining you not being green.  Really, I have an awful time imagining you without wings and I've seen that."

Gar Logan has posed:
    "It's full of chaos," Gar states, chuckling.  "Even when I was flying with Kían, and we had Vorpal up there with us, I was Akiár and I couldn't handle it the first time I felt his mind like that."  He makes a show of zipping his lips with thumb and index finger at the mention of Agatha, mumbling out a 'Not saying a thing' to it.
    Then he reaches out to offer hands up around her own shoulders and wings, a massage.  "Oh, let me show you something," he says, pausing to dig up his phone, thumbing through it to pull up an old photo of him as a child with his parents.  They're in a jungle environment, his parents dressed like archaeologists or something.  He's just a year or two old, dressed in a romper, with normal human-colored skin and blond hair.  "See?  That was me… with my mom and dad.  It feels like another life."  His mood is somber.

Kian has posed:
    Kála studies the picture closely.  "It kind of was another life, wasn't it?" she says quietly.  She can sense the shift in Gar's mood; it's obvious even without telepathy, and she places her hand over his heart in a soothing gesture.  "Márek na Marí, yes?" she adds quietly, pronouncing the names in the Akiár fashion.  "I think they would be proud of the way you grew up.  I would be."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan nods once, tucking the phone away again.  Probably an inner pocket to the kilt.  The Akiár must have ways of carrying things that allow them to keep their hands free.  "It was.  And then I got bit by a monkey that had a disease that kills humans fast, but my parents saved me with an experimental treatment that turned me green.  A few years after that, I turned into an animal to save my mom when she was in danger.  But they both died when we got stuck in a current that took our boat over a waterfall, and dad told me to turn into a bird and fly off to save myself.  I always think I could have done something else to save them too."
    The hand at his heart can feel the way his chest rises and falls, a quickly caught breath that goes back to normal again.  "I hope so.  I'm still here because what they did worked.  So… uh, how far do you think I could get playing qihár here?"  It's a quick change of topic.  "You seem like you're a good coach."

Kian has posed:
    Kála doesn't nod, but there's the feel of the mental equivalent of a nod.  And telepathy tells her, without any exchange of explicit thought or words, that this is not a subject to be pursued, so she follows his topic change willingly.
    "I'm not sure you or Kían shouldn't be coaches.  The way you handled us the other day, I'm not proud of our performance!  Well, we weren't ready for your 'four hunters' strategy.  I may try that tactic myself some time.  Maybe next time you visit, we can arrange for you two to play an exhibition match in the interclan league.  I don't know, really—I've played at the interclan level and it really is a step up from intraclan play.  When we won the intraclan league two years ago, we got to play a match against our interclan team."  She shakes her head.  "And we absolutely got knocked out of the sky.  But we didn't get blanked like you did to us.  Sooooo… I don't know.  I'll see if I can get any interest.  I don't know if I want to show them the recording of the game we just played… I'd like to see how Terík deals with your tactics, without warning."
    And she delivers herself of a surprisingly evil snicker.

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan doesn't need to see the nod to feel it, and Kála may detect that he's pushing certain feelings toward another part of his mind so he can better tuck them away.
    "Maybe Kían, but I'm just playing on instinct.  Maybe four hunters is riskier because you don't have someone shadowing you as much for protection, but maybe you're more used to blockers not being aggressive.  I guess it's a risk vs. reward thing.  You could win fast, or you could leave your hunters vulnerable and lose fast."  He grins.  "But if you're asking me, I think you should try it and see what happens."
    He adds, "I'd like to see how we do against an interclan team.  I'm guessing Terík is on an interclan team?  Did you always know you wanted to play qihár or were you supposed to grow up and do something else?  What else do you like doing, when you aren't admiring the pretty green bird?"  He offers an innocent look her way.

Kian has posed:
    "Terík is the coach of the t'Káeh team.  I trained under him; he used to coach my team and I took over when he moved up.  He's asked me to move up too, but I'd rather coach the local team than be just another player on the clan team.  And I don't have anyone I feel ready to turn the team over to if I leave.  Or maybe I'd rather be the big bird in the little nest than the little bird in the big nest.  I might be able to talk him into an exhibition.  Except I want to play on your team, not his.  Don't think I haven't noticed that you and Kían paired together have not lost, I'm sticking with the winners!"
    She snuggles up a little closer.  "I think you already know what I like to do with an admirable pretty green bird," she says with a happy smile.  "As for what else I do with my time… not much.  I take the game seriously, I'm proud of my contributions, and I can move up later if I can train up a suitable replacement."

Gar Logan has posed:
    "Well, you should do what you're comfortable with," Gar suggests, noting how Kÿála is making herself more comfortable with him right now, a thought that filters through the mindlink.  "But if we ever do get to face that team, we should all play it as hunters.  I've been very fast birds like the peregrine falcon, and very slow birds like the, uh, woodcock.  Don't laugh!  That's a real bird!"  Going on, he asks her, "So when we do this it's you, me, Kian, and…?"  Who would her fourth be?
    He just grins and burrows back in in return.  "I have an idea or two," he verifies, giving her a rakish smile.  "We might be making Vorpal and Kían jealous."

Kian has posed:
    "Jealous?"  Kála looks genuinely confused.  "Why would either of them be jealous?  Yes, they're your tenár'yw, but they don't own you.  I know Kían doesn't partner with women, but that's him.  I know—he and I tried once and it was… well, we won't make that mistake again.  But he would never tell anyone else, even his own tenár, not to.  I don't know, is that a problem on Earth?  I don't know Téri well enough, I hope… he's not, is he?  Tell me if he is.  I… that doesn't happen here."

Gar Logan has posed:
    "I mean, I know what the Akiár believe, and there's a part of me that kind of feels the same way with you and Kían, but I started out not really knowing what I thought about Terry, who also became Vorpal… or I guess he was all along but it didn't show up until a couple years ago.  But he was interested in me before that, after he saw me with the Titans," Gar explains, doing a fairly decent job of covering the basics.
    He goes on to add, "Then we met, and one thing led to another.  But most people on Earth don't go beyond just one relationship with one other person.  That's just the way it is.  I just meant they might wish I was with them instead of you."  He winks, flashing a wide grin.

Kian has posed:
    "I wouldn't mind if they joined us, except I know Kían wouldn't.  I don't know for certain about Teri.  Although I like the time I get to spend with just you."  Kála laughs again.  "Except it's so much more complicated for you since you don't have the mindtouch in your rest-body.  And it probably wasn't any easier for Kían since he can't sense your minds without contact.  It makes me wonder how Earth's population got as large as it is."
    She makes a little happy trilling sound.  "But it's okay.  You are my exotic treat, pretty green bird.  I would never try to take you away from your tenár'yw.  And Kían at least would never object to you and me together.  Maybe I should talk to Téri while you're still here so I can be sure he's not bothered.  You are going to have to go back soon, aren't you?"

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan says with a hint of amused suspicion, "I have a feeling that's one reason Kían likes having me around.  And… people just, you know, talk.  Some do it better than others, and more often.  I talk a lot, about a lot of stuff.  For a long time, I thought I was only interested in women, then I guess that changed.  I mean, I like both men and women.  It's what's inside that matters the most.  Who you are, who they are, who anyone is."
    That sound out of her draws a more comforted, relaxed grin from him.  "Oh, exotic, am I?  I always knew I was special!" he jokes, reaching to fluff up her wings in a friendly way.  "You can talk to him, yeah.  That's not a problem.  Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be around much longer this time.  Maybe we can keep in touch?"

Kian has posed:
    "I'll tell Kían he has to let you use his communications gear," Kála says with a smirk.  "Otherwise I won't try to get him in to play an interclan team.  He's always wanted to, and if his whole rhy'thar thing hadn't interfered, I think he would've made it to that level, too.  And I am perfectly willing to use that against him."
    Big grin.
    "Meanwhile, if you're going back soon, I think we shouldn't waste the time we have left…."