14808/When Cats Fly

When Cats Fly
Date of Scene:	30 April 2023
Location:	Main Room - Titan's Tower
Synopsis:	Terry needs to be a bird briefly so he can get married on Kian's world. Surely this is a perfectly safe and reasonable thing.
Cast of Characters:	Kian, Gar Logan, Terry O'Neil

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Kian has posed:
    When Kían flits out of the open shaft, down from the residential level of the tower, he is a Bird on a Mission.
    …which mission is immediately sidetracked by the need for a tumbler full of purple sugar water.  Kían has priorities.  At this point, Terry could be dancing naked on the coffee table in front of the TV and Kían wouldn't notice.
    Mostly.
    He's distracted, not insane, after all.
    Even so, he's still a Birdman on a Mission, so once he has his oversized serving of diabetes inducer, then he looks around to see who's there.

Gar Logan has posed:
    One of these days, Gar might just set up some 'feeders' around the Tower for Kian, with… straws, maybe.  Something that won't make a big mess.
    Today is not that day.
    It's a gaming day, which is usually on a day that ends in a Y.  He's got an online kart-racing game in progress, using a steering wheel accessory as he livestreams for his fans and viewers.  Often, he leans in the direction he's making his racer go.
    Catching Kian coming through, he calls out a quick, "Yo, birb!  Thirsty?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry was not dancing naked on top of the coffee table.  Firstly, you can't do that because there's usually a box of pizza on the coffee table—or coffee cups.  Right now, it's Gar's streaming gear, so no naked dancing.  Caitlin would probably object if he did, anyways.
    No, Terry is on the couch, just off-frame from Gar's stream, and he was thoroughly and soundly asleep in the midst of an absolutely epic catnap, hugging one of the cushions and snoring softly.
    Every now and then, he twitches, vaguely swatting at something he is dreaming about, or holding a mumbled argument with someone—probably?  Himself.

Kian has posed:
    "Oh!  Kié, Gar tenár'h, have you seen Ter—"  A snore interrupts Kían, and he notices Terry, and grins, sort of.  "Oh… I hate to wake him up.  He sleeps so cute."
    He raises his tumbler.  "A little thirsty, yes."  He flits over the kitchen area to the gaming area, and drops to an easy perch on the back of the couch.  "What game that I won't understand are you playing now?"

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan has a pair of headphones on, but he adjusts them so one of his pointy ears can hear better.  Yes, these are custom headphones that are shaped to prevent discomfort with the more abnormal ear shape.
    "He's over here," he says as the next race waits to be set up.  It gives him the chance to turn the camera toward the napping Terry/Vorpal, whichever form he's in right now, then he directs it toward the winged one.  "It's not often you get a cameo from these two," he says into the mic.
    After that he adds for Kian's benefit, "It's a racing game.  Battle Karts.  It's kind of Mario Kart meets Twisted Metal meets Forza."  More words Kian probably won't understand.  Sometimes it's fun just to see the reactions.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry is in his feline shape, hence the catnap.  He's discovered he sleeps better that way—cats were, seemingly, made for napping.  Among other things.  The camera pans on him and, a few seconds in, he bites the edge of the cushion.  A few seconds later, and the argument gets louder.  He kicks at something, and moves to get out of the way of something.
    And that's when he rolls off the couch.  Thud.
    "I'M AWAKE I'M AWAKE!" he says, in a fashion that is way too loud to be speaking truth, as he sits up and looks around with a disoriented expression on his face.
    "bwu… what happened?" he asks, blinking.

Kian has posed:
    "You fell asleep, Terry tenár'h," Kían says simply.  Because he did.  Simple!
    And Gar is right, his game makes no sense to the birdman, but that's okay, so few Earth games do.
    "Let me know when you're really awake and not panic awake, Terry, I have to ask you something."  Kían is patient.  He remains comfortably perched on the back of the couch, watching the Cheshire Cat work out which way is up from his landing on the floor.  "Gravity is pulling against this way," he offers helpfully, jerking one thumb upwards.

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan turns the camera back around on Vorpal in time to catch the biting of the cushion, then whatever is going on within his chaotic mind, then the crash and burn.  "Hahahaha!" he reacts, everyone watching the stream getting a good look at the result, including a more direct and zoomed-in view of confused cat-man face.
    "Ooh, Kian has a question for Vorpal," Gar narrates, shifting the camera toward the Akiar for a moment before landing back on himself.  "I wonder what it could be?  But first, the next race!"  It's starting up, so he repositions the camera and settles in with the wheel controller, a tooth from his mild but definite underbite visible past thinned lips as he concentrates.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    After a few blinks required to re-orient himself, Terry grabs for the coffee table and pulls himself up, stretching.  He's wearing his hoodie and sweatpants—what used to be his Titans uniform before he came up with his own.  He used to wear it so often that some threatened to change his codename to Hoodie Cat.
    "What are you two carrying on abo—GAR did you just stream me waki—"  He sighs and rubs his forehead.  "You little stinker."  He decides to plop down on the couch right next to Gar, touching shoulder to shoulder, right under Kian's perching spot.  That means he's on camera now.
    He looks up at Kian and arches an eyebrow.  "Thanks for the tip, by the way," he says, and leans a little into Gar.  Affectionately, but he might also be trying to throw off his game by being in the way.  Cats are vindictive.  "…you know what would help me get super awake?" he tells Kian.  "Coffee.  Coffee would."

Kian has posed:
    "If you want coffee," Kían says, "you'll have to make it yourself.  You know what it does to me, and having you carry me to bed would be inconvenient right now."
    Streaming?  What the hell is streaming?
    Any uptick in the number of bags of coffee sent to Kían in the next few weeks, he'll just give to Terry or donate to the kitchen stores.
    And wonder why people are sending them.
    "Let me know when you're awake enough to entertain a serious question," he says tolerantly.  Being with Terry, you learn to tolerate a lot.

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan merely flashes Vorpal a Cheshire-like smile of his own, eyes bright, then he directs the expression toward the camera set up for the livestream.  "I don't know what you're talking about!  You looked cute as a bug in a rug—which is a very silly saying by the way—and I couldn't wake you.  You slept right through everything."  Then shoulders bump, and he digs in so his racer can keep to the track.
    For the most part, all three of them are in view.  He's got a laptop set up in front on the table, so the stream itself can be seen with the watch count, the comments, and a couple picture-in-picture spots for the camera view and the game itself.  "I can think of other things that would get you more awake, but not while I'm gaming for all my fa—was that a remote bomb?  Someone bribed my pit crew!  Not right!  Totally not right!"
    On the screen, his racer has exploded, leading to him dropping back numerous spots on the leaderboard.
    Distractedly, he glances Kian-wards.  "Bird bird bird, b-bird's the word.  What is the word?"  Pause.  "Bird."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "I think someone has given him too much sugar, Kian," Terry comments, and presses a cold nose to Gar's neck, and then he glances at the camera.  "He's usually much better than this.  But this is what he gets for making fun of me!  Learn that, dear viewers: Cross a Cheshire and bad luck follows.  We're harsh and cruel mistresses."  Pause.  "Misterses.  Misters."
    He frowns, and then he glances back at Kian.  "Okay… serious question… let's have it.  I'm awake enough, even though my fiancé refuses to give me the liquid of life.  I shall carry on, somehow."

Kian has posed:
    "The liquid of life is chocolate milk," Kían says decisively.  "Coffee is the liquid of comas."  Yeah, well, alien biology.
    "So, I have talked to my cousin, who's a rhyákh, about a joining rite for us, and you need to have a medallion, like me and Gar do.  So have you given any thought to what kind of medallion like ours you would want?"

Gar Logan has posed:
    Right about the point that Gar's recovering from a shiver from cold cat nose, his eyes widen on the stream as questions begin to pop up about 'fiance' followed by 'joining rite.'  Quickly, Gar closes out of the game and feigns an excuse, "Whoops!  Sorry guys, time got away from me!  I just remembered a meeting I need to be at!  See you later!"
    In near record time, the livestream cuts and he turns toward both Vorpal and Kian.  "Well, you can be sure that's gonna be all over social media in seconds!"  He wasn't lying about the meeting, being that they're right here.
    "Wait, what are you talking about, Kian?" he adds after a moment, the prior words sinking in.  "Is he doing the flight?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "…medallion?  Gee, I hadn't thought about it… I'm going to have to give it some thought…."
    He taps his chin.  "If I thought about anything that had meaning to me on that aspect… hm.  I don't know.  I'm going to have to think, but don't I need to—"
    He pauses when Gar asks the question, and he pivots to look at Kian again.  "Wait.  Wait.  Go over that again… I have to do the flight?"

Kian has posed:
    "Uh, well, yes."  Kían isn't much for dissembling.  "Without a medallion you're not an Akiár adult, and without a First Flight you're not an Akiár adult.  You'll have to use your wingset, of course," he explains further, as if this were perfectly normal and obvious.
    Almost obliviously, he carries on, "It'll be just like Gar's, except that your mother should be there to give you permission to jump.  And I don't know if you want to do it here at the Tower, or at the building your apartment is in.  But, uh, we, uh, can't have the joining rite until you have a First Flight."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan wipes his hands over his face.  "Are you sure he's ready to fly like that?" he asks Kian, leaving out the fact that when he did it, he made it more dramatic than it needed to be.  There was no landing, grabbing the pendant, and going on, no.  Instead, he claimed it while in full motion, passing over the spot it'd been placed at.
    "I guess this is a logical and natural progression of things," he says in such a way that suggests he doesn't believe much about this is logical or natural.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "So just to… just to sum it up," the cat says, arching an eyebrow and looking from Gar to Kian and back.  "I can't Akiar marry you until and unless you throw me off the tower while completely butt-naked, with my mother present.  And that is the only way in which I will be able to have our union ceremony."
    He frowns.  "Does it even count if it is done with a wingset?  I mean, I know those were created for those who could not fly on their own for one way or another… but has the first flight ever been done with a wingset?"

Kian has posed:
    "Well, I've been thinking about that."  Kían leans forward, and sets his sugar water aside.  "No, it's never been done with a wingset before, because no one who doesn't already have wings has needed to take the ritual."
    Apparently the 'throwing Terry off the tower' is taken for granted.
    "So you'll have to do it with the wingset.  And that's fine, because if I speak with the authority of the Lady Kiáre, then if I say it's fine, it's fine."  Sounds like someone has finally twigged to what's been put into his little three-fingered hands.  "Especially if I'm officiating, which I expect to be.  So yes, doing it with the wingset is fine.  The Rhyták t'Kiáre has said so."
    That is an unspeakably smug smirk the birdman has.  Wonder who he might have learned it from.
    "And you can't tell me your mother has never seen you completely naked, Terry."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan gets up to start putting away the streaming equipment.  He's a responsible gamer.
    "Remember, I was the first non-natural Akiar to take the flight, and we've been doing one first after the other.  Why not one more?" he states.  Makes sense, right?
    Though, he points out, "If this guy here needs to focus, maybe we should consider holding off on the whole birthday suit thing.  And you have the authority to go with that, you know," Gar reminds Kian, giving him a little shoulder nudge in passing before adding, "You'd better be extra careful, Vorpal.  You're not as good with wings as we are."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "I—I dare say I am just as good!  Who was it who took a ribbon from Raka during the game, I ask you?"  Pride has been touched.  Cat mode is ON.  Whether it was an intentional manipulation by Gar or simply luck, the Cat's contrary button has been pressed, and he seems to have decided to double down.  "I will jump from the tower as naked as a jaybird and it will be glorious!"  With a raised eyebrow, he says, "And I have decided, my pendant will resemble a Kingfisher!"

Kian has posed:
    "You still want to take it easy, Terry," Kían advises, recognizing that tone of voice.  "I was raised to know what flying felt like even before my wings grew in.  And Gar seems to have absorbed all my knowledge when he used me as the model for becoming an Akiár himself.  We really just need you to get to the bottom, and back to the top again, without incident.  That's all, nothing fancy.  And if anything happened to you, your mother would be right there to take it out on me, so behave."
    Kian smirks again.  "And Gar is right, I'm going to use my authority to make being skyclad optional.  Mostly because I'm going to be concentrating on the rite and I won't be able to blow drones out of the sky."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Whether Gar meant it about the flight capabilities or he was just trying to draw a reaction out of Vorpal, he's not saying.  But he does give a half-smile.  "I know you like showing people everything, but you don't always have to," he teases.  In this, he sounds like he's siding with Kian's more sensible position on the matter.
    "The main thing is just doing the ceremony.  It's meant to get you accepted as one of them, or as close to one of them as you can be.  So let's make sure it's safe.  You can save the more difficult stuff for… later."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Drones?  Terry pauses for a second.  "…right, if word gets out, we might end up with—"  Yyyeah.  He didn't mind paparazzi snapping pictures of him and Gar kissing, really, but being snapped in the buff was something else entirely.  "Okay.  Not skyclad, and I'll take it easy."
    He pauses, and asks tentatively, "…not even one loop-de-loop?"

Kian has posed:
    Kían laughs.  "Not during the rite!  And no glitter, and no Rabbit Holes either."  He reaches down to rub between Terry's ears.  "We can work on advanced aerobatics later, but you need to get through the I'takár in one piece."  And then he tweaks one of Terry's ear-tips.  "And remember, if anything happens to you, your mom will probably take it out on me, and do you really want that on your conscience?"

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan lets Kian cover the rest of the details for the flight plan, though he definitely looks amused at the bird focusing on the cat's ears.  In the process of them distracted by that, he's suddenly not there any longer.  Rather, he is, only as a hummingbird suddenly flitting around Kian's head a couple times before going in for a sip of his very sugary drink.  "I'm thirsty!  Just gonna help myself here real quick before I go."
    Whatever the response, he darts off for the elevator shaft rapidly.  "Let me know what you figure out!"