8041/5000 Light Years to Birdland

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5000 Light Years to Birdland
Date of Scene: 29 September 2021
Location: Kian's home, Kyshan, Akiar Imperium
Synopsis: Even alien families are embarrassing, and big sisters are evil. Also, lending Terry some wings can surely cause no possible problems...
Cast of Characters: Kian, Gar Logan, Terry O'Neil




Kian has posed:
    There had been much staring at the green Akiár, and the unwinged fuzzy thing snoring on the cushions, when Kían's family arrived.  There was also much hugging, and much crying, and much joy, and so very many questions.
    One was missing, actually—Kían's blood-parents, Kái and Erýn, and his brood-father Tarán, and his sister Shíri and brother Keth were there, but his brood-mother Íla had to stay home with a new baby sister born just two months before.
    That news seemed to have shocked Kían even more than his unexpected arrival home.
    In any case, having Terry sleeping simplified Kían's task of explaining things to everyone.  The word kherhýs—demon—surfaced precisely once, earning an unexpectedly hostile response from Kían himself that Terry was not a demon, and that anyone who repeated that word could leave now and never let him see them again, at any time, for any reason.
    There were further surprises as the conversation continued.  Kían was delighted to learn that his home had not been reassigned in his absence, and was still in the maintenance mode he'd put it in before leaving Kyshán.
    He was less delighted to learn that because of the "miraculous" manner of his disappearance, he had since been named "k'Rhytak t'Kiáre"—Avatar of the Goddess Kiáre—whether he liked it or not, and he was sure that his "miraculous" reappearance would only cement that further.
    Raká had seemed surprised at Kían referring to Terry and Gar as tenár'yw.  Kían had seemed surprised at Raká referring to Kiár and Áre in the same way.  That was going to have to be a conversation later.

    Ultimately, though, it meant Kían going home—his own home, carrying Terry and leading Gar.  It isn't far away.  In fact, Kían and Raká's estates shared a border.
    It is as vast as Kían showed in his memories, even though he insists his home is considered a small one.  Gar will have noticed two things: one, the mental 'background hum' of the kirát, the house control systems, and two, the cluster of rut'yw that inhabit the branches of the trees the house is strung along.
    After depositing Terry on the vast round bed in Kían's room, and defining Gar as an allowed presence to the automated systems that managed his home, Kían disappeared for about half an hour to take "the first proper shower I haf had in a year and a half."
    Perhaps by the time he reappears, clad in a deep blue kilt with his hair tied back with a loose yellow band, Terry will be awake.  He's still fussing with the hair tie as he says, "My family will be here soon.  I tol' them we need a little time to catch our breath, but you understan' they wan' to see me."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan had fingered the copper-fire phoenix pendant he was wearing, especially visible while he is an Akiar.  Enough introductions were made, but the very green Akiar tried to stay off to the side so Kian could have all the proper reunions that were needed.  It gave Gar a chance to find something a little more suitable for Vorpal to wear, though the options here weren't especially varied.
    There was a lot of mental speak.  So this was what it was like for the Akiar, all the time.  Voices here, voices there, voices everywhere.  A different form of communication that required some focus to handle, but not overwhelming.  So far.  He would study Raka a bit, especially given the terms Kian used for his Titans friends.  Well, it had been roughly a year and a half since the disappearance.
    Soon, they took to the air and it became much more real that this could not possibly be a dream.  That had already been decided by now, but the rest only cemented it.  Vorpal did a Vorpal thing, then he ran out of juice with a sputtering of glitter prior to sleeping a deep sleep.  He needed it, and the question would come as to how to get back home.  For now, other matters took priority.  Gar was not going to get in the way of Kian seeing to the most immediate things that needed doing, though he did have to question the kirát and how that worked, before he chuckled at the rut'yw that scampered about.  "It looks like you have a lot of little friends waiting for you," he says, before waiting on the shower.  He might have asked about one himself, but… later.
    "Yeah, you must be relieved to be able to see them again," Gar adds, and for just a moment he looks down.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry has managed to wake up, eventually, although he is still very much groggy and slightly sluggish—he clearly hasn't fully recovered, but the excitement of everything is enough to make himself stay up and conscious so he does not miss a moment.  It was still daytime here, and it wouldn't do to sleep through it… they could sleep at night.
    He walks out, clad in a blue kilt and nothing else, being perfectly dressed by Akiar standards.
    "So we are actually here…" he says, sleep still drooping from his voice as he pads into the room.  He is still Cat.  In fact, any attempts he's made to turn back to his human form have not worked, like any attempts at summoning his magic.
    Garkiar gets a glance, and then the feline ends up leaning on the green teen.  Not because he needs physical support, nope.  He is not woozy at all.  No siree.  "We're going to meet your family?" he asks, glancing at Gar.  It was rather funny, how they had scheduled things so they wouldn't have to meet Gar's adoptive father, "…what have you told them about us?" he asks, his curiosity peaking.  After all, he was asleep for all of it.

Kian has posed:
    "We already did meet them—well, Gar an' I did.  You were sleepin'.  I haf tol' them you are tenár'yw an' that you both haf your own rhy'thar'yw.  I do not think they know what to make of you, Terry… but many people haf that reaction to you, yis?"  Kían grins broadly.
    Gar will have noticed that the house systems have slowly been getting more active as news of Kían's return spreads, until Kían issues a 'no alerts except from immediate family' order and it is mentally quiet again, back down to an easily ignorable hum.
    "I think maybe they were more relief to see me," he says absently to Gar's question.  "I had no reason to think anythin' had happen to them, an' they had every reason to think I was…."  He trails off awkwardly, realizing the significance of Gar's question.  Finally, all he says is, "It iss more a relief to let them know I am well."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan stays close, his wings rustling.  It's a sensation that is still different to him, no matter how many times he takes this form.  Though it feels comfortable, and though he has the right instincts when it comes to their use, his natural form still does not have them.
    "They told me I was very green," he reports for Vorpal's benefit, hands resting at his hips.  His head tilts toward nothing and yet everything all at once, until the alerts die down.  "It sounds like a lot of people know you're back," he remarks.
    Following this, a nod for what Kian says about the relief.  "Yeah, that makes sense.  You disappear, boom, just like that," he says with a snap of the fingers, "and there's no sign of you… they're gonna think the worst happened."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "You are very green.  It's one of the things that makes you so distinctive," Terry agrees, leaning in to nuzzle Gar's cheek for a moment, "It's my favorite color nowadays!"  He's always a little lovey-dovey when he's groggy, after all.  Leaning on Gar, he looks to Kian, trying to order his memories.
    "Raka was there… I remember.  Have you told him about…!"  He glances at Gar, and then back to Kian, letting the question float for now.  "Also… am I properly attired to meet your family while conscious or should I really dress up and wear… I don't know, a hairpin or something?"  Yes.  He is teasing Kian about Akiar sartorial customs.  That indicates he is slowly getting back to normal, at least.

Kian has posed:
    "My mind registered wit' Raká's kirát," Kían explains, "an' since I was suppose to be… you know… it automatically sent out many alerts.  An' people do not come back from the dead like that, so I suppose it iss not a surprise that my appearance iss… interestin'.  I haf tol' the house to only let me know about messages from family for now, or it will get crazy."  A pause.  "Crazier," he amends.
    Kían sighs heavily.  "Yis, he knows you are my tenár'yw.  An' since I disappeared, he an' Kiár an' Áre are now tenár'yw.  It iss complicated."  There's an understatement.  "We will probably haf to haf a long talk about that."
    The kirát goes off gently, and Kían looks over his shoulder, then flits over to a wall niche that opened.  "As for what you should wear, Terry," he says, with definite amusement in his voice, "I might suggest this."
    What he withdraws from the wall can only be described as a pair of wings on a light harness, clearly mechanical although designed to look reasonably natural.  "These are sometimes use in emergencies, an' if you can not fly you will fin' it hard to get aroun' even jus' my house."  He grins broadly.  "An' besides, you haf always said you wan' to fly."

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan isn't trying to think too hard about this kirat stuff, just that he's noticed it and the difference in Kian having it dialed back on the alerts.  "It sounds to me like you might have a bigger gathering here soon," he says, "along with whatever high-ups here who might want a closer look at you!"  He's already gathered that's going to happen much sooner rather than later.
    A wing instinctively spreads a ways around Vorpal, the tip flicking at his kilt.  "Look at what you found, there!"  Of course, he's dressed much like Kian.  "And it sounds like you've got a love triangle going on.  No, more like a love dodecahedron.  But isn't that normal from what you've said?"  Free love, 60s style.  And then some.
    Curiosity registers when the niche opens up and Kian comes up with the wings.  "Okay, that's pretty neat.  But are you sure that's a good idea?  This way leads to one thing: glitter bombs from above."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry beelines for the harness.  "No!  Mine!" he says, reaching for it before Gar can make any objections.  "I've always wanted to fly and I am not going to let you spoil it for me Garfield Logan, or I will threaten to marry you again!" he says, working out how to put it on as fast as he can.  Yes, he is definitely getting back to normal.

Kian has posed:
    Kían helps Terry put the wingset on—so much for being the voice of reason and common sense.  The 'feathers' are some sort of gray plastic and despite being a full-sized set of bird wings, are surprisingly light.  "You probably should not go outside wit' them without me or Gar, at leas' not until you are use to them.  Right now they will not work outside the range of my estate; since you are not a telepat' it will rely more on the kirát for control.  But I think they will work jus' fine for you."
    Gar's question gives him a moment's pause.  "The complicated part iss that normally one does not take on a new tenár wit'out any existing ones bein' part of the decision.  But I thought I woul' never see Raká again, an' he must haf thought he woul' never see me again.  So I do not know.  Kiár has been tavárik'h for years… but I coul' never be more than tavár to Áre.  I like her, an' she has always been a great frien'… but…."  He trails off a little embarrasedly.  "It iss unusual to only be attracted to one sex or the other," he admits.  "It iss not wrong or anything, but it iss unusual.  So if Áre iss wit' Raká now, that… iss complicated.  For me."
    He steps back to admire his handiwork with Terry.  "Well, go on, spread them."
    Remembering who he's talking to, he quickly adds, "An' I mean your wings!"

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan merely smirks as Vorpal rushes on ahead and gets super possessive about it.  He falters briefly at the m-word being brought up, and a wing extends to lightly swat the back of the cat's head.  "Dork.  You'd better be careful with that.  It's a long way to fall if they stop working, and you don't have your rabbit holes right now, remember."
    Look at him, being the responsible-sounding one.  Will wonders never cease?
    "That's kind of an exceptional circumstance, yeah," he remarks to Kian.  "And… I get it.  I like everybody.  Well, almost everybody, but you know what I mean.  Maybe… ahh, I can't really tell you anything about your customs and how they apply to you.  They're yours."
    He can only roll his eyes at the last.  This time, it's Kian who gets a wing swat.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "I'll be careful, I'll be careful!" Terry says, working the wings carefully, and then attempting the spread.  "This will be the first time I'll get to fly without being on a magic carpet or something like that, you know!"  The lack of Rabbit Holes… yes.  He doesn't know if it is temporary or permanent.  If it is permanent… their roles are reversed and they will be the ones stranded in a strange world.
    Best not to think about it right now.

Kian has posed:
    {Don't worry, if something goes wrong, the kirát will override him and bring him back here.  And if need be, I can tell it to override him and bring him back here,} Kían 'sends to Gar, which should allay some of his worries.
    Kían is supposed to be the sensible one, after all.
    Gar will sense the minds approaching—Kían did too, and turns just in time to nearly get tackled by a birdwoman.  «Íla chal'h!»  He looks around quickly—there's one missing that had been among the visitors at Raká's house.  «Keth is watching our new sister?»
    «He is, you are coming over to see her soon, yes?»  She shares a mental image that Gar will be able to 'see', and can pass along to Terry—but really, other than the hands and feet, the new member of the family looks like any other two month old baby.
    She seems suddenly aware of the offworlders' presence, and Kían takes up the task of introductions since Terry was asleep the last time.  There's really no question which of the two are his biological parents—his wings are a near perfect match for Erýn's, and his hair, jaw and nose are Kái's.
    Íla says the inevitable about Gar: «He's very green,» and Tarán laughs and says, «We told you he was!»
    Green aside, though, Gar is normal… by a local definition of normal, anyway.  Terry is in for the lion's share of curiosity, especially since the last time they saw him, he was an inert mass in a cushion pile.  «He has fur.»
    Kían snickers.  «I know, Dad.»
    «And a tail.»
    «Yes, Mom.»
    «And twelve fingers.»
    Kían rolls his eyes.  «He's right here, you know!»    

Gar Logan has posed:
    Shaking his head, Gar crosses his arms as he watches Vorpal trying to figure out having wings in this form.  He is quiet, allowing him to consider more what Kian sends just to him, which he returns with a slow nod.
    A response is left ungiven as the other minds may or may not be touching his yet, but their presence is clear.  By the time Kian's parents and other parents show up, the one called Ila is rather openly on the move to express her joy at seeing him, and Gar takes a step back to give them space.  {Ah… wow.  You don't have wings when you're that young?} he questions, before making contact with Vorpal to give him the information and the visual.
    {Very green,} he adds, then he raises a brow at all the observations being made about Vorpal, who he nudges again.  {He's got ten fingers, eight plus the thumbs.  And I was thinking if I ever met any of you….}
    Vorpal will lose out on the mental contact for a moment, for the green Akiar now wobbles around as a green duhon.  "Kie!" it says.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Vorpal is having a bit of a hard time keeping up with everything, and he is about to say something when he hears of his different characteristics being remarked upon.
    But then Gar goes and does that.  He silenly smacks his forehead and shakes his head, trying to suppress a laugh, because he suddenly remembers the conditions under which Gar last turned into a duhon, and he is suddenly very glad that Kian's family can't read his mind.

Kian has posed:
    If Gar's intention was to draw some of the attention away from Terry, he succeeded.  A dancing duhón is one thing, but a talking one is another matter entirely.  «And that is his rhy'thar,» Kían remarks dryly, reaching over to touch Terry's shoulder so he's not left out of the conversation while Gar is in a non-telepathic form.  «He can turn into any living thing.  The first time I met him on Eart', he turned into an Akiár, which helped a lot since I hadn't learned their language yet.  And Teri here… is a little harder to explain for so many reasons.»
    No kidding.
    «As near as I can figure, he's the reason we're here.  We were dreaming together and I was having an especially vivid dream and his rhy'thar latched on to that and… and here we are.»
    It's a lot to absorb.  Doubtless there will be many, many questions, but it's his sister Shíri who asks the Big One: «To stay?»
    And Kían can only look helplessly at Terry, and at Gar, and stammer out, «I… I don't know yet.»

Gar Logan has posed:
    The duhon does indeed dance for a few seconds, then at some point during Kian's explanation, for Gar can't hear it for the moment, he takes on his entirely human form.  Purely coincidental.  "I learned Kie is like me saying hello," he explains, failing to realize the only word the Akiar might understand is their own.  "We're… oh, right."
    Back to 'Garkiar,' bringing the wings back, the body change, even the clothing change, and the mental link once more.  {I can turn into any animal or creature I can think of, and when I met him back on our planet,} he says of Kian, looking his way, {I was able to become one of you.}  Yeah, Kian just told them that.  Oops.
    He also grows a bit awkward at the question from Shiri.  {Yeah… right now, we honestly have no idea.}  He looks toward Vorpal and adds, {It pretty much depends on if he can get us back or not, unless we can figure out where Earth is from here.}

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    The Cheshire frowns, and is silent for a few seconds before he finally speaks, trusting Kian and Gar to translate for him.
    "It all depends on whether my powers come back.  I've never traveled this distance before and I might just be… tired."
    Green eyes rest on Kian.  "If… if my powers come back, then it means you don't have to choose.  You can come and go as you wish…" he says, reaching over to touch Kian's hand.
    "If not… well.  I guess we're not going back!"  He glances at Gar, a guilty look on his face as he realizes he may be responsible for taking Gar away from his friends and family just like that.  Not to mention his own family….

Kian has posed:
    Kían dutifully translates, neither his face nor his voice giving away the turmoil in a private corner of his mind, not shared with family-by-blood or family-by-choice.
    Did he want to stay?
    He genuinely didn't know.  The comfortable familiarity of everything he knew was tempting, very tempting.
    But he hated the idea of Gar and Terry having to go through everything he did trying to get accustomed to a new world and a new language and a new reality, even though they would have an advantage that he himself didn't when he landed on Earth.
    And if they could go back?
    If they could, he wanted to stay with them.  Which seemed terribly unfair to his family, who had thought him lost forever and only just gotten him back.
    Even without being privy to Kían's private thoughts, his father Kái rather hits the nail on the head.  «This is a lot to take in.»
    «It is,» Kían agrees.

Gar Logan has posed:
    {We'll find a way.  We know where Earth is.  Kian didn't know where… uh.} Gar sounds adamant in this, though he falters in his comparison.
    The doubt creeps in.  There is a very real possibility the tables could be turned on them now.  Could he fit in here?  Maybe.  He could be an Akiar, maybe in a more permanent sense.  He's never tried something like that before.  The only time he kept a different form for an extended period was the starfish on the ocean floor.
    And what about Vorpal?  He could use the mechanical wings, but he would always be different here, like Kian would always be different on Earth.
    Suddenly, the mindlink being what it is… it leaves Gar needing an escape from it.  {I'm sorry.  I can't right now.}  The wings shrink and disappear.  The Akiar shape returns to his own human appearance, still all green.  He takes in a deep breath, turning to look outside, away from the rest.  That thought did just flash through his head, about not seeing the others again, not seeing anyone he knew except for Kian and Vorpal.  And, it hits him as he wraps his arms around his upper body, at the shoulders.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Vorpal instantly beelines to comfort Gar.  stepping up behind him and wrapping him in what he hopes is a gentle, comforting hug.
    "We'll figure it out.  Even if I have to improvise eldritch magical rituals to fill myself up with magic again, I'll do it.  You'll see.  Didn't I come back to you after being trapped in another universe?  This is the same universe, so that's even closer.  Trust me."
    He glances at Kian, and then he says to him, "And when my powers come back, you could even bring some of your family back for a visit for a day or so.  You know, so they can see Earth.  Know that you can always come back.  Or stay there for six months and with us for six months, like a winged Proserpine."

Kian has posed:
    "I… Dad is right, this iss a lot," Kían says blankly, switching back to English for his friends' benefit, though he does not join them.  "Even if your rhy'thar does not return, if we can fin' Eart', you two can take a transpor' back… if we are in the same galaxy.  Or universe.  But I could not because I can not be aroun' an active star drive.  That iss what started all this."
    Something icy settles in the pit of his stomach, and his parents are on either side of him with a supportive embrace.  «c'Chal'yw, if we can go back to their world… I might have to go with them,» he admits, adding into the silence that follows, «At the very least, they are tenár'yw.  I need to be with them.»
    Remembering that neither Gar nor Terry can understand Akiár'shak fully, he says, "I haf tol' them that I might not stay, that I mus' be wit' my tenár'yw."
    Shíri glances back and forth between her brother, and the two aliens, grows the wickedest little smirk, and destroys the tension in the air with one remark: «The sex is that good, huh?»
    Kían does not explain why everyone is laughing, and why he is blushing.

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan flinches from the initial touch, showing he's on edge.  Those doubtful thoughts are threatening again, in danger of taking over.  He was a duhon just a few moments ago.  Now he's an insecure young man, that side trying to take him over.  "I… well, yeah, and it took, uh, a lot to… to do that, and…."
    He remains tense, it's in his muscles, in his shoulders, in his entire body, and he frowns as he looks in the direction of the Akiar contingent.  "I don't know right now," he admits, shaking his head at a loss.  The laughter doesn't even register with him right now, his brows knitting together in confusion.  Might be best he not know, or perhaps it would be?  "You told them what?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "Look, Logan, it's very simple," Vorpal says, sounding as assertive as he can sound, "Either I get us back, or Raven comes to get us.  And if you think for a moment that she wouldn't, you forget she wouldn't pass up an opportunity like that to terrify Kian."
    He doesn't touch Gar again, he can tell he would only shrink away from him, so instead he turns back to join Kian and find out what is going on.  "What's everybody laughing about, Ki—ah!"  Too late, Terry isn't accustomed to wearing wings and the balance is all off for him.  As he approaches Kian he sort of tilts this way and that, and then shoots out a hand to stabilize himself—
    Touching Shiri's arm.

Kian has posed:
    And Shíri, being a decent sort, had automatically reached out to catch Terry when she saw him stumble.  «You're not used to those ye—oh.»  Her eyes widen.  «Oh,» she repeats, getting a full dose of Cheshire brain right across her frontal lobes.
    Kían is there promptly to prop Terry up and rescue his sister, but she resists removing her hand for just a moment, and Terry can 'hear' the translation this time: «Yeah, I'd imagine it is
    Kían flares red again.  «Not your business, Shíi!»

Gar Logan has posed:
    While Vorpal may have a point, to which Gar murmurs, "Yeah," the mood is not exactly getting better just yet.  When the cat with the wings starts to waver and Kian's sister reaches out for him, Gar blurts, "Wait—!" but it doesn't stop things in time.
    Now he's left to rub his face with both hands as her reaction follows, and he doesn't even need to be able to hear it in his head to know what's happening.  He's experienced it himself.  Didn't like it all that much.
    In the midst of all that, he decides he has to get out of here for a spell, just get away from everything.  "I'll… be back!"  Without much else for a warning, he turns into a sparrow and darts out, to get high above the home, the trees, the land.  If nothing else, it will allow him to see more in the area.  He just can't deal with the rest at the moment.

Kian has posed:
    Kían guides Terry safely away from his sister's clutches, and doesn't even have time to get out a "Gar, wait!" before he's sparrowed and out.
    Well, Gar will be back, Kían is sure of that—after all, where else does he have to go?  And no one understands the head-clearing virtues of a good flight more than he himself.
    All he can think of for some reason is the stereotype of his clan, the t'Kaeh, as being weirdness magnets.
    And Tarán overheard Kían's thoughts.  «You're an overachiever,» is all he says.