1814/A Flighty Forum

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A Flighty Forum
Date of Scene: 23 May 2020
Location: Daily Planet Building - New Troy
Synopsis: Keagan meets Kian atop the Daily Planet.
Cast of Characters: Keagan Nichols, Kian




Keagan Nichols has posed:
    Things were more tense than usual.  His father was suspicious of his activities but was, for the moment, letting Keagan make his own way.  However, despite him trying to hide his nature from the world, he still enjoys going out flying.  Night time is the best time for it.  With his red wings and some dark clothing, most people don't even see him up there.  It's easy to glide through the buildings and sometimes he even just normally flaps his wings to fly.  Sure, he has other means but in a way it feels nicer this way.
    Then he spots a favorite perch of his and lands easily atop the world.  Well, not exactly the world.  It's the globe atop of the Daily Planet.  Ever since coming to Metropolis, he has enjoyed landing there, just sitting and watching the city go by, wings out behind him with no need to hide them.

Kian has posed:
    Kían loves Metropolis—not for what the city has to offer at street level, but for what the tall buildings do to the winds.  Nothing like them at home.  Cities on Akiár and Kyshán sprawl outward rather than spire upward.  Even canyon dwellings don't have complex winds like the glass canyons of Metropolis.
    After a good stretch, the birdman likes to cool down perched atop one of the taller buildings, taking in the night sky, relaxing before heading back to the Tower.  Since the Planet building is closest, and the latticework globe atop it is a convenient and comfortable perch, he dives—
    Oh.  Gods.
    Kían plummets from the sky, dropping to a perch no more than two meters away from the other birdman, staring, mouth hanging open in shock.  The only sound he makes is a gaspy "c'Rhys'yw!"

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    It probably doesn't help the mistake Kian is making that Keagan is psychic as well.  He has no telepathic abilities like Kian but telekinesis throughout his wings likely gives a similar vibe.  Speaking of which, the moment Kian enters into that space, the relaxed Keagan's eyes go wide and he already has his wings bristling.  Sure, there are others that fly in Metropolis but few in number.  Just, usually not at night nor atop the Daily Planet.  His senses tell him someone is about to land and then they do and he is already pushing himself up with incredible ease.  Like a puppet pulled up by its strings.
    He blinks at the word spoken by Kian and he tilts his head to the side.
    "Chrisywa?" he responds and the look and the other's face hardly belays an aggressive stance so he waits to see what else happens before taking other action even as his large red wings flex outward.

Kian has posed:
    No explanation is forthcoming from Kían, at least not yet—he continues to stand there, pale, wings spread, but not in a menacing way.  More like he's just showing that he has them too, like he's identifying himself.  "c'Rhys'yw," he repeats, not much louder, and adds, "tavrát'h!"
    And then with a single flap of his wings, he flings himself forward—not aggressively, more desperately.  With a look of beatific relief, of all things.

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    There's a slow blink as he watches Kian and then suddenly Kian is coming at him.  Immediately up goes Keagan's arms above his head as if he were really unsure of what to do with this situation and then Kian is, so to speak, upon him and Keagan is staring in stark confusion at this display.  Sure, he can tell that Kian has wings, too.  He just wasn't sure how to react.  Then he is suddenly hugged and he looks around as if expecting someone else to come along and explain this.
    <Well… this is new,> the voice in Keagan's mind states simply enough through his thoughts, <Definitely not a part of my usual flights around the city.>  He smiles a little and reaches down to place a hand carefully on Kian's head and speaks aloud, "There… there?  You're safe now?"  He really isn't sure what to do.  This was not in any manual anywhere.

Kian has posed:
    The anomalies haven't sunk in yet—the failure to make mental contact on sight or to recognize proper Akiár'shak, the unnatural height, the extra fingers, the Terran clothing, the English words.  The red-winged stranger is the closest thing to someone normal Kían has seen in months, even counting Gar's shapeshifting.  Akiár'yw might have green wings, but not green skin or hair.
    He himself doesn't speak—he's gasping for breath like he's trying to keep himself from crying all over the stranger.  Mentally, though, the 'words' torrent out in a mad rush: {Gods and Goddesses, how did you find me?  Where's your ship?  Did they figure out what happened on the Mýsai so you can transport me home without it happening again?  My family—have they been told I'm found?}  All of that is awash in a wave of gratitude and near-disbelief at his luck: he hadn't even been sure he was still in the same universe as his homeworld, much less the same galaxy.

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    Well, that was a bit more than expected.  The young man was not really able to fully keep up.  Not to mention the fact that he was hearing this all in his mind.  He stares for a long moment and then finally tries to push Kian back and stare at him for a moment.  <Okay, this is a lot… in my mind especially.  I don't know what you mean.  I am sorry.>  He stares at Kian carefully, trying not to be rude but still having to basically say mentally 'hold up'.
    He takes in a breath and looks to the side before adding, <Okay, take it slowly and tell me what is going on and how I can help.>

Kian has posed:
    Kían looks shocked.
    Finally, he seems to notice the nine inches of height between them, and his eyes widen.  He takes the other's hand, places his own up against it—his own three fingers and a thumb, not four.  He lets go, steps back breaking physical contact—and the mental contact vanishes.  "Hyu are not Akiár," he forces out slowly, in a strange accent.  Not a native East Coaster at a minimum.
    He stumbles back a couple steps, although never at risk of falling off the Planet's eponymous rooftop decoration.  "Not… Akiár," he repeats, and drops awkwardly to a seated position.
    His wings sag.  "Not… going home?"

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    There are several blinks as he watches Kian examine him and then he feels kinda… awkward.  After all, he really isn't used to being examined.  Then the guy is stepping back and looking very downtrodden and Keagan's wings sag.  He shakes his head.  "Well, and now I feel like a jerk for existing…" he says quietly to himself as he shakes his head, rubbing a hand against the back of his head.  He then looks to the side and then back at Kian before stepping toward him and shaking his head.  "Hey, umm, look. I don't know… what is going on here but I am, yeah, not Aky… umm, akey.  What you said," he states simply enough.
    "Look, where are you from? I'll see if I can help?" he asks and tilts his head as he steps closer to Kian and squats down to look at him.  "How about that?  Umm, Europe?  Asia?"

Kian has posed:
    And maybe the weirdest part of Kian's examination is that the smaller birdman barely took any notice of the other's wings.  Those are normal, everyone has… everyone should have them.  He says something further in that strange language, a clatter of syllables, sharply punctuated with trills and clicks… then shakes his head once.  It's obvious none of it was understood.  "No.  Hyu are not Akiár.  Hyu are… Ear't per-son wit' rhy'thar… nnh.  Wit' meta, iss mutan', yis?"
    He sits up a little, making an effort to gather his wits.  "Hyu are not can get me home.  I am not Eart' per-son.  I am… sor-ry I haf… I do not haf wor'd yet.  For grab hyu, for min'd touch.  I know, mos' Eart' per-son do not like min'd touch."
    He inclined his head forward slightly, and his wings spread a little.  "I am Kían," he says by way of introduction, "I was takin' a f'ly... nnh.  A f'light over the city.  Saw hyour win's.  Thought… thought hyu of my wor'l, my peop'l.  Hyu are not, I know now."

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A blink and then he looks to the side a moment and huhs.  Yeah, well… alien.  That makes things harder.  Can't trust fund your way into an intergalactic space ship.  He swallows and then nods.  "Well, sorry," he states and looks to Kian before looking around a moment and then considers.  He seems to be mulling something over before shrugging.  "I'm Keagan," he states simply enough and nods his head.  "And yeah, I'm a mutant."  He then looks over to his wings and back to Kian.
    "Oh, the thing…."  He then points at his wings and then looks to Kian.  "I hear with my mind through my wings most of the time anyway."  He idly holds up a hand and a feather simply slides free from his wing as if it were perfectly natural and then floats to his hand.  He smiles at Kian and gestures to it before he idly lets it loose and it simply flits up into the air befor it flies like a paper airplane to land right next to Kian.
    "For me, talking with my mind and listening with my mind is perfectly natural."  Except his lips don't move.  Instead, the feather seems to be the one making the noise even though it is Keagan's voice.

Kian has posed:
    Kían blinks twice at the feather and picks it up.  {So, you can 'hear' me?  In your mind?}  His mental 'voice' and his speaking voice are the same, but mentally there's no hesitation, no stumbling over a pronunciation, no searching for the right word.  He looks up, eyes wide again.  {Wow.  Anyway, I'm sorry for grabbing you and pushing my mind on you like I did.  I, I really thought you were one of my people and that I had been rescued and I was going to, to go… nnh.}  The thought's a little too raw to complete just yet, and try as he might, he can't keep a certain disappointment out of his mind.
    "Kígan," he tries aloud, and it's not a bad try, but he switches back to mental contact almost immediately.  {I am having a terrible time not asking you your clan, your line, which world you're from… other than your unbelievable height and your too many fingers, you really do look like one of our people.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A blink as he looks at him and then he shrugs as he responds carefully.  He is not usually able to mentally speak, well, mentally from his feathers.  He speaks through htem but not like this.  So, when he does it seems to take a bit more concentration to not just speak.  <I see.>  He then frowns and shakes his head.  <I don't really know what to say.  I want to apologize but that doesn't seem right.  That being said, I am sorry for your story.>  He nods his head as he shifts in place.
    <I wish I could help but sadly I am only able to do so much.>  He then shrugs and flexes his wings a little.  He gestures to them and then looks back at them.  He then looks over to Kian again and nods his head.  <I have a lot of control over my wings.>

Kian has posed:
    {Thank you,} Kían replies.  {I appreciate the sympathy… the truth is, I can't even be sure I'm in my own home universe, much less home galaxy.  I guess I haven't completely reconciled myself to living on this world; when I saw you, I… well, I made too many assumptions on just one quick glance.}
    He smiles shyly, and spreads his own wings.  {I didn't get to see you in flight; I only spotted you after you had landed.  I would hope you do have a lot of control over your wings.  I'd like to have seen you on the wing.  I don't know who could have taught you on this world, but you're up here so you must have learned one way or another.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A chuckle and then he looks back at his wings before he simply shakes his head.  <It is not so difficult for me.>  He gestures and then with a simple flap up and then down and he is in the air, floating there with his wings spread wide.  He gestures to the his wings and then looks back to Kian.  <I both fly by moving my wings and controlling them.>  He points to his head and then he simply flaps once more and he shoots across the rooftop like a blur and spins in air till he is floating behind Kian with a smile, wings lazily flapping up and down as he gestures to them.
    <It did take some time to learn to balance and move, but I taught myself for the most part.>  He then shrugs and with another flap he is standing beside Kian and then smiling.  <I could go into all of it but, it is complicated.>

Kian has posed:
    Kían watches raptly.  {I see—your wings are a full rhy'thar themselves… nnh, sorry, that's always hard to translate,} he says, aware that the concept didn't go through the mental link clearly.  {Your wings are not just wings, they are a power themselves.  I suppose that makes sense since wings aren't normal on this world.  No reason they should behave like ours since you're not Akiár.  That's really remarkable, especially on a non-flighted world.}
    Without warning, he slips over the edge of the Planet, catches a residual thermal, and rises into a lazy spiral upward around the rooftop decoration.  {I came out here to stay in practice, of course.  This world's gravity is a little higher than home, but not too much.}
    His own flight is an exercise in the graceful application of just enough power.  There isn't a wasted wingbeat, and he makes it look effortless.  He touches down on the top of the globe but only for an instant, then dives off, gliding out a little ways and then pulling his wings in tight.  At the last moment, he snaps his wings wide and brakes, and touches back down on the ledge as easily as stepping off a stair.  {I don't know about complicated, though,} he comments with a grin.

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    There's a bit of a blink and a smile as he watches.  He then looks over at Kian and nods, <Amazing,> he states and nods his head.  <I can move but it is not graceful like that.  It's just fast.>  He then considers a moment before he looks carefully back at his wings and then smiles at Kian.  <But if we're showing off….>  He gestures lightly to his left and then right before suddenly three feathers come off each wing, flying out to around him before he leaps from the building.
    The feathers arc around him, flying as he does, flowing through the air rather easily.  He then arcs left and right, the feathers moving like missiles around his form till he flies up and spins through the air, the feathers flowing around him till finally he lands on the roof and as he does four more feathers release and flow out around him, arcing about his form and spinning around the globe before all return to his back and into his wings.  He then looks up to Kian with a grin.

Kian has posed:
    {Forgive my saying, but that's very weird to see.  We don't have individual control of our feathers.  Having them come out is usually a bad thing,} Kían remarks.  {But, well, Gods-gifts are kind of weird, almost by definition.  They're certainly not normal.}  He shrugs; feathers rustle.  {And the Gods have peculiar senses of humor.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A laugh and he shrugs.  <I am not bothered by it,> he states simply.  <Only danger is that they can be destroyed and… that makes it harder to fly if too many get too far away or get hurt.>  He nods his head and shrugs before gesturing.  <It is quite different though, I guess.  Even for mutants.>  He nods his head and lightly touches his own right wing.

Kian has posed:
    {Well, of course,} Kían 'says' sensibly.  {The annual moulting season is an absolute pain.  Fortunately I've already been through the worst of mine, before the accident that brought me to this world.  I just wish I knew when to expect it next.  I don't know how Terran years line up with Kyshán local, or Imperial.  I've been here for I think three Terran months, but I think your days are shorter.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    <If I could help, I would,> he states simply and shrugs.  <Sadly, I have no idea.>  He then looks to his wings, pulling it lightly around so he can more easily see it.  <Each wing is linked together by my mind.>  He looks to Kian and then back to the wing briefly.  <I have looked at them, examined them.  No bones.  The feathers just grow and form together as they do.  Even if they are removed they grow back.>  He nods his head and then looks back to Kian and smiles.  <You might find it odd but when I first got them, I tried to remove them.  Repeatedly.>  He shook his head slowly.  <I was scared.>

Kian has posed:
    {I think I understand, sort of.  I mean, I can't understand wanting to be rid of one's wings, of course,} Kían explains, {but I did ask a redactor if she could block off the part of my mind that controls my own rhy'thar.  Apart from saving my family's lives when it first appeared, it's been nothing but trouble ever since.}  As he speaks, a faint blue glow starts to envelop him—a rich sky blue, appropriately enough.
    He sighs heavily.  {I wanted it taken away because after that, my life wasn't my own anymore.  It was all spent being studied at the Imperial University.  Unlike this world, special powers are extremely rare on our worlds.  I was the first Akiár to have a rhy'thar in a century.  And unless another one has appeared since I came to this world, I'm the only one.}
    He smiles shyly.  {I think we are quite a bit alike, Kígan.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A smile and he nods a little at Kian before he shrugs and pats his wings.  <Well, I have grown to love my wings.  I even use them sometimes to help but… I also try to keep them quiet and hidden when I can.>  He nods his head.  <It would… make things difficult with my family if they were to be found out by others.>

Kian has posed:
    Well, that earns a blank and uncomprehending look from Kían.  {Why?  I would have thought they would be proud.  My parents were, even if we didn't understand why I got chosen to carry a Gods-gift.  And it would be blasphemous to try to hide my wings.  That was part of the reason I had to leave… nnh. & Well, I've been asked not to talk about the place, but they wanted me to be kind of a secret, and that was very hard on me.  I'm staying at Titans Tower now—}  He gestures vaguely in the direction of the Tower.  {—and it's been so much better for me.  Even if they have weird things happening all the time.}  That last is accompanied by a slow shake of his head.

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A smile and he nods to him  <I know about the Titans.>  He then shrugs and looks at his wings.  <I do not wish to go into it but suffice it to say, my father is a very….>  He tries to find the words and seems lost.  <My father does not appreciate the attention such a, uh, gift would bring.>  He then looks over at Kian more directly.  <And as such, I am to hide it.>  There's definitely a feeling of pain there but he doesn't let it linger before he smiles and then looks over at Kian with a shrug.  <I find other ways to be myself then.>

Kian has posed:
    Kían shakes his head again.  {Then I do not understand your father.  How can he expect you to be anything other than what you are?  You can't be anyone else, after all.}
    The smaller birdman sighs heavily.  {Or this is another Earth thing I will just not understand….}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A blink and then she shrugs slightly.  <I cannot know.>  He laughs.  <How can I tell you what you will or won't understand?>  He then looks to the side and looks into the distance.  <I mean, you are as alien to me as I am to you.>  He then considers his wings.  <Which is strangely not all that alien in some ways but in others.>  He looks back to Kian and smiles.  <I guess, let us put it this way.  He did not want me to have this.  Just as you for a time did not wish to have that glowing ability thing you did.>  He nods his head.  <And as such, he denied it even if it is a reality.>

Kian has posed:
    Kían tilts his head; it's still not quite sinking in.  {Those are two different things, of course.  I decided for myself that I would see if my rhy'thar could be closed off.  My parents didn't make that decision.  They couldn't.  So I don't see… nnh.  I think I was right just saying it's an Earth thing I won't understand.  I mean, it's your life, not his.  I don't know how you mark adulthood on Earth, but once I passed mine, I was responsible for my life and decisions, not my parents.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    That gathers a bit of sad laughter from Keagan and he shakes his head.  <Yes, just a sad Earth thing, I suppose.>  He then looks to his wings again before he folds them against his back, though not as tightly as he can.  Just a normal folding and he walks over and sits on the edge of the building.  He looks to Kian.  <It is strange.  I have not really talked with anyone like this since a friend of mine a little while back.>

Kian has posed:
    {Oh?  Is there another winged person on Earth?} Kían asks with interest.  {I hope there are more of us.  It would be nice to have a whole flock we could inter-rely on.}  He leans forward slightly.  {I definitely want to go flying with you.  Maybe I can show you some techniques we use.  I can't fly with your speed but there's no reason you can't fly with my aerobatics.}

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A frown and Keagan shakes his head.  <He was not like… he was not winged.>  He looks over at Kian and shakes his head.  <He isn't alive anymore, Kian.>  He then looks to the side.  <He simply helped me to understand what I had and how best to use it.>  He nods his head.  <And I failed.>  He then chuckles.  <Do not worry about it too much.>  He shakes his head and looks to Kian with a grin.  <I am doing what I can now.>

Kian has posed:
    {I'm sorry for your loss.}  Kían shifts position uncomfortably.  From the feel of his mind, he doesn't deal well with death.  He's had very limited experience with it.

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    A soft smile and he nods.  <Thanks.>  He then looks over at Kian a moment and then reaches out to lightly pat him on the shoulder before saying, <You are a good person, Kian.  I'm sorry that you are stuck here but I'm also glad to have met you.>  He then looks toward the sky.  <Here on Earth, we have a saying.  It is that every cloud has a silver lining.>  He looks to Kian and smiles.  <I don't know where it comes from but it means that no matter how bad things are, there's always something good to come out of something bad.>

Kian has posed:
    Kían reaches up to put his hand on Keagan's.  {Thank you, I am glad to have met you, too.  I suppose you haven't heard this often, but you are a welcome breath of normality.}  He laughs shortly.  {And the Gods know I need a little normal in my life.}
    He kisses his fingertips, then touches his fingers to Keagan's cheek.  "Hyu are tavár'h," he says aloud.  "Friend of mine.  Kígan tavár'h."

Keagan Nichols has posed:
    The little ritual or whatever that was catches Keagan off guard and he stares in confusion for a long moment before he chuckles and says aloud, "Umm, friend of mine, too.  I guess.  Kian."  He shakes his head.  "And I am not going to try to say that last word but thank you."  He then idly pushes off from the roof, casually floating in the air, "I have to sleep."  He nods his head and gestures to the feather.  "Keep it."  He then taps his head.  <When I fly away, it will lose connection to me and I'll grow a new one by tomorrow.>  He then gives a little wave and turns to fly off.

Kian has posed:
    Kían nods once, holding the feather in both hands.  "Than' hyu," he says, getting to his feet and bowing.  "I do wan' to see hyu again.  We go f'ly together, yis?"
    He also kicks into the air, pirouetting lazily in place, pausing only to look in the general direction of Titans Tower.  "I am foun' at Titan Tower.  I am not know Eart' com-un-i-ca-tion well, but I am at Titan Tower."
    He flits a quick circle around Keagan.  "Safe skies, Kígan tavár'h."