6465/The Hawk and the Storm

The Hawk and the Storm
Date of Scene:	05 June 2021
Location:	Palm Tree Boulevard and Post Road
Synopsis:	Nazo shows hers, so Hawkman shows his. The pair get taken to a high. Then pointless crap is added at the end quickly because the +scene/continue timeout made things dumb.
Cast of Characters:	Nazo Sarwani, Joseph Gardner

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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
Home was finally in sight.

It was one of those days. Days where an arrogant seller assumed that the woman buyer, obviously an ignorant ... what was that word he used? 'Towel head?' ... could be snookered. Where the seller then got abusive as Nazo identified the forged and the slipshod goods within seconds of seeing them buried under the small number of authentic carpets.

Her boss was a good man, though, and backed her up. Even apologized for the behaviour of the seller as if he was to blame for others being unpleasant.

Still, the end of the day was nice. A quick stop on the way home and she had that thing she pretended not to ever eat in a bag in her right hand. Happy Burger Big Burger. With fries. It's not halal, but sometimes you just have to care more for your mental state than your soul's. She'll pray harder to make up for it.

That's how it works, right?

Joseph Gardner has posed:
A huge shadow flashes across the afternoon sky. It's enough to drop a bunny with terror. The hawk seeks his prey and finds it, locking eyes on it. There is a cry or 'Wheet!' a whoosh wings and Hawkman lands, wings flaring to kill his momentum. He has a slit secing od hang time and then his boots touch the pavement, in front of a food truck. The driver raises an eyebrow and has little reaction. This s Happy Harbor. They get all sorts. Turning away Mutant students of the school is a terrible business model. Still this man is way more out there in terms of costume than most.

"Let me have a coffee, black with two sugars, and a hot dog please... anything you'd like to report?"

The truck driver works on the order.

"Yes, that'll be $10. We don't get a lot of hawk people out here,"

"I'm not surprised with prices like this!" Hawkman snaps taking his dinner. He notes Nazo trudging along and gives her a smile and says, "Salaam aleikum," placing his right hand over his heart.

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
That was ... unexpected. Hearing a voice speaking a greeting like that out in the street. Nazo looks up, looking around for the Muslims talking to each other.

Nothing.

Just the weird winged man.

Who does not appear to be Muslim.

But does appear to have been talking to her.

"Wa alaikum salaam," she replied in her heavily-accented (some might call it barbarously accented!) Arabic. Then, still confused... "You're a believer?" There might be the ghost of a hint of some stress on 'you're' there...

And there's more than a hint of surprised staring at the man with wings and a beak helmet. And far too much of a muscular chest showing. As she realizes this, she quickly turns her head away to look anywhere else right now.

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman takes a sip of coffee before before answering. "Not a believer, just a poor traveler. Knowing local languages and greetings is just being polite. I've mostly been to the Meditteranean and Northern Africa." That's in this life anyway. His memories of other lives take him everywhere. His Arabic is decent though. He plainly used it a lot. Mostly it was to say things like "Friend! Friend!" and "Please don't kill me!" then the wings and he learned numerous pleas for mercy. Also the terms for Mace of God, Hawk demon and less savory names.

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
Nazo hazards another look, keeping it safe and chaste by focusing on the face, half-obscured as it may be. "I'm from Afghanistan," she says. Then, in response to an unanswered question, almost a defensive social reflex. "That's why my accent is so barbarous."

Yeah, someone's been mean to her about it at some point.

"I've been as far as Pakistan, though, and Kashmere." Best not mention it was training camps for the Taliban and even less savoury groups. "Now I live here." Duh.

She seems a bit ill at ease. It's probably the wings. And emphatically not the bare chest she's forcibly restraining herself from looking at.

"I buy carpets. For a carpet seller."

Because that's relevant to this conversation. Someone is reaching for conversational topics.

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman goes for a sip of coffee. He can't seem to tilt the cup far enough, with his beak in the way. He tilts his head way back and lifts the cup. He takes another sip, his bicep providing an excellent profile.

He sighs a little and says in Arabic, "Well better you buy carpets than hookahs. So... and Afghan who speaks Arabiya, was in Kashmere and Pakistan... congratulations on getting away little sister. Welcome to America. Don't worry about me. I will keep my mouth shut about this 'guess'. If anyone troubles you remember you have a friend in high places. I... understand about doing what you must to survive." He takes a bite of the hot dog.

"Truly there was fresher and more natural meat to be found in Eqyptian tombs. But... so good."

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
At first Nazo flinches at the mention of the 'guess', but then something sparks in her. A hidden little bit of flame covered by her timidity.

"They couldn't have stopped me leaving if they'd tried," she says, briefly standing straighter, more backbone in her posture, and a strange flash in her eye. Dignity?

But then it all collapses back down into her timid posture.

"But thank you for the welcome. I spent years readying to come here. I learned English..." Speaking in an accent that's almost as barbarous as her Arabic one. "...and studied America." She snorts, then, and there's a suggestion with the crinkle around her eyes that she might be doing some kind of smile. Possibly self-deprecating. "A lot of good THAT did me! This place is too big."

She glances at the hot dog. "Those ones are pig," she says. "You need to ask for halal. Or kosher. Both will suffice. The meat is better."

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman finishes the dog and shrugs saying, "Agreed about the hot dogs. Kosher or halal is far better. But if I was going for halal I would get lamb on. a pida or hummus or Flalfel if I went kosher. American food is... mostly terrible. You need to know where to eat. Also Greek food is good in general, but it is almost the same as Turkish food. Do NOT say this to a Greek. Better you should wear a shirt with Vlad Drakul on it than to say it to a Turk." He throws his litter away. the wings snap out ready for flight.

"I'm called Hawkman... Horus by some. I wish you well in your new country."

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
"I am called Nazo Sarwani." Nazo eyes the wings with interest. "You can fly?" she asks, stupidly. "You're one of these 'meta' creatures then?"

She looks around, lowers her voice a bit, before saying, looking Hawkman in the eyes with an intensity that's a bit out of place for the casual meeting. "I fly as well, but ... it's ... not as splendid as those wings of Uriel. It's pretty plain."

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman tilts his head down to whisper to her, mimicking her cautionary tones. "Shukran. I like the... Uriel? That's what I get for being coy. But... flying is always splendid. No matter the means. Lifting yourself up to the heavens is magical. I'm not... exactly a metahuman... shouldn't call them creatures. We're metahumans or Mutants. Me, I'm fairly ordinary apart from the wings... and talking to birds." He takes the long hafted, flanged mace from his side in both hands. Evidently center of mass is a factor in smooth flying for him.

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
Another furtive look around. Nobody paying any particular attention. (Even if there were, this is Happy Harbour where supers are a dime a dozen on Thursdays.) Nazo's outline blurs oddly, like she's shedding d...

And there it goes. The body is gone and in its place is a small whirlwind of ... sand? Dust? Razor-sharp tiny shards of silicate glass? Something like that anyway.

And then it coalesces, back into Nazo's form.

"Much plainer," she says, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "I'm dirt. But I can fly."

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman shakes his head at her terminology. "Dirt is the wrong English word. It connotes filth and uncleanliness. Sand, dust, soil, earth. Not dirt. Do you... want to take a short flight as yourself, as Nazo, not sand?" He holds a hand out holstering the mace again. "I know... in your country this is inapprorpriate... but this is America and we are metahumans. It is a professional courtesy. You showed me your powers, I show you mine. And there's a very charming falcon who flies with me sometimes." No smile now. Dead serious.

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Nazo Sarwani has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Let us enter a mind in a state of civil war. We'll call the participants of this war 'S', 'E', and 'I'.

I: He wants to hold us! I do so want that chest against us!

S: It is forbidden! He is a man, and not related!

E: It would be rude. He is being kind and expressing himself appropriately for America.

S: In America they recognize that not all people must behave the same. He will understand. Forbidden!

I: Look. At. Those. Arms. Look at that chest. He wants to be near us. We want to be near him--and don't bother telling me you don't, because I can feel that itch!

E: I barely know him. I do not want to give myself to him...

S: I TOLD YOU!

E: ...shut up!...and nor does he want me to.

"I... think that could be OK?" Nazo says after a slightly awkward period of silence with her face frozen like she'd been turned off and turned on again.

I: *smug grin*

S: Oh, hush!
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Hawkman has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Hawkman has a slight disconnect himself. The Pharaoh mutters something in the back of his head. "Her way is not yours. It was courteously offered but wrong." Joseph Gardner surfaces, coming on strong. "Her way is for her to choose. She made it this far so she's already a nonconformist. Don't let the clothing fool you." So he does a sort of side hug arrangement, like some repressed people with reality shows did when they were courting. He suddenly wishes he was wearing a shirt. And welding gloves. With one arm around her and the other thrown out for some balance the Nth metal seizes them, gently and they float, propelled by the wings. Nazo will feel light as air, despite remaining solid. the contact is more to preserve that aura of non-gravity than actually lift her weight, though he does hang on tight.

Not too tight.

One flap though and they're a hundred feet in the air. the wings open stil further and Hawkman does a lazy circle, gliding about the noise of people and cars.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm< End of Hawkman's pose >mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Nazo Sarwani has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
For someone who can probably, if dropped, just turn into a cloud and safely land, Nazo lets out a bit of a squawk when suddenly they're thrown into the air a hundred feet, tensing up a lot. (The balance issues get a bit complicated when it turns out, too, that Nazo is quite a bit heavier than she looks. Like at least double. Maybe more.)

"This feels completely different!" she exhults as she stares at the ground below her. "This is ... this is almost magical!"

The fluttering wind renders the niqab next to useless at its assigned task of covering her lower face, revealing beneath it as it flaps a broadly-grinning mouth with childlike wonder in the eyes as she stares out over the ground.

"I've seen this from an airplane!" she calls out. "But it's so much different in person when you're in the air yourself without a machine!"
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Hawkman has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Hawkman smiles. He looks quickly away when he sees the veil performing so poorly, thinking she is lovely when she smiles. "He that sows discord shall reap the whirlwind," is the quote from Khufu that comes to mind. He thought it was from the Bible, but maybe they heard it from Khufu.

"Almost magical? I will try not to be affronted. Flying is the best but... how high can you go in your sand form?" he says with a chuckle.
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Nazo Sarwani has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
"I flew up the side of a ... I don't know what they're called. A big video sign in Time's Square. It was 100m tall. So I know I can fly that height at least."

Nazo chuckles, still staring in amazement at the ground unfolding beneath her.

"I have flown up many cliffs that were perhaps a little taller. But I've never just flown to see how high I could fly."

She goes silent to admire the view.

S: The view. Pay attention to the view. Not the arm holding you.

I: Let the girl worry about whatever she likes.

E: Would both of you shut up?

"I don't know why I couldn't go higher. I don't need air to fly."
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Hawkman has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Hawkman nods then enters a thermal and uses it to lift them higher, flapping the wings for added effect. Effortlessly he takes them higher, easily a thousand meters now where the sun loses much of its bite and the air turns chilly.

None of that is immediately obvious to him, shielded in a way by his Nth metal gear.

"I... can reach the edge of space, space itself briefly. Let me know if this is too high for your human self. I'm mostly immune to high altitudes. The Super people or the Lanterns can fly higher and faster than me to be sure. I think I make it look good though. I... have a lot of experience using the wings, several lifetimes in fact."

"Maybe you were holding yourself back for some reason."
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm< End of Hawkman's pose >mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
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"I just never had a need to," Nazo says after some thought. "Nobody needed me to fly this high so I never tried. I was always near the ground."

Left unspoken: killing American soldiers.

Someone who's travelled in that area, who may have trafficked in some corners that held Taliban or Al-Qaeda or ISIL affiliates may have heard about the mysterious sandstorms that certain elite mountain tribesmen had some affinity with that raised Hell with troops, sometimes stripping them down to their skeletons in seconds. They had command, it was said, of an actual Habub.

"Everything is so small now. It looks ... peaceful. Even though I know it isn't. From this height the things people squabble over are shown to be ridiculously small and unimportant, aren't they?"

The philosopher-killer speaks.

"I don't know how much air I need," she finally says. "Now seems fine. Let's stay here."

First expression of nervousness there.
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Hawkman has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Hawkman smirks under the mask. "We should hope we are both good at keeping secrets, the Angel of Death and the Taliban-Sandstorm. We... were an archaeological expedition. The raiders came and well piracy is always a danger in expeditions these days. A lot of Russian mob activity. These were bandits and slavers. People who think slavery is in the past are idiots. They killed the local workers and guards but Americans were a commodity. I got away and nearly died before I found the wings and the mace and... then I was Horus, the Avenger. Unlike Horuys I could not bring the deceased back. I could wreak vengeance. I guess I am safe telling the Djnn of the Desert that."
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Nazo Sarwani has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
"So you know."

Nazo's voice sounds sad as she says this, and her body language feels like she's shrinking in on herself.

"Are you one of the watchers? I know I have some. This is a test, no?"

That smile has vanished into something more stoic. Enduring. Probably the face she wears most of the time as she lives out the drab little life she has now where once she was lionized. Celebrated. Respected. By freedom fighters. Or murderers. Depends on your point of view.

"It was the advertising display. I showed myself. And now you want to check up on me."

Not questions. She's working out an elaborate web of what led to this moment.

"I have killed nobody."

Body language and voice: evasive.

"I have been good, as I'm meant to be."

That feels more honest.
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Nazo Sarwani has posed:
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Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman stops the beating of his wings and slowly glides. Though they still are moving fast enough to make talking difficult. He works some trickery and his helmet snaps back and he looks at Nazo with his bare face. "Joseph Gardner. That's my name. I'm not a watcher or whatever. You told me your name. It's nice to meet you and fly with you. But I should let you go home." Like that the gentle glide turns to a dive as wings fold and gravity is let back in. The dive slows when the wings open as widely as possible and with a final flare they return to an upright position. Hawkman lets Nazo free and stands rubbing the back of his neck.

"So... stay good I guess."

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
"I always try to live my life well," Nazo says gravely once they hit the ground. She stares briefly at Hawkman, focusing on his eyes, trying to read in them whether he's telling the truth or not.

"Thank you for showing me the world from above. It is a different place."

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Suddenly there is a flurry of wings and a red tailed falcon is perched on Hawkman's shoulder. Hawkman raises his hand and the bird hops onto his wrist, perching on his gauntlet. "You don't let a falcon perch on your shoulder. If you move your head too quickly... there goes an eye." The bird looks at Nazo and skreees. Not exactly in an aggressive manner.

Nazo Sarwani has posed:
Nazo almost, but not quite, jumps at the falcon's arrival. "Oh my word!" she says, resting one hand on her chest as she settles herself, the dust that was beginning to break off of her as her change began settling back into place. "That is quite a fierce bird. I hope it's ... friendly?"

She backs away a bit toward her door.

"Thank you again for the flight. I hope ... we can meet again."

And with that she's in her building. In hiding.

Joseph Gardner has posed:
Hawkman is left a little bemused by the sudden exit. The falcon trills at him.

"None of your fucking business is what. Go... chase some mice or a squirrel."

<Skree!>

"I said none of your business. If you keep bothering me about it I will let your friends know I had to save your tail from those crows."

Hawkman leaps into the air and keeps going. the falcon tumbles a moment then opens his wings and takes off after him.

<Skree!>

"I said none of your business!"