8295/Homecoming, Homegoing

Homecoming, Homegoing
Date of Scene:	02 October 2021
Location:	Kyshan: Kian's estate
Synopsis:	You can, and can't, and yet still can go home again.
Cast of Characters:	Kian, Gar Logan, Terry O'Neil

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Kian has posed:
    Without any question, in just three days, Kían has been a more relaxed birdman than either Gar or Terry has seen before.  Probably most of that was simply no longer having the worry of his friends and family not knowing what happened to him.
    Mostly the last day and a half, Kían has finished collecting a few things to take back to Earth with him.  There isn't much, just a few things.
    And so, there they are, on one of the balconies overlooking the lake.  His brother and sister are there; his parents did not want to see him leave, even knowing he could come back, and of course there's the matter of his new baby sister.  «I am going to miss this view,» Kían says, gazing out over the shimmering water and blue sky.  «Is it going to be selfish of me to not want to have to deal with a crisis as soon as we get back?  That's about the only thing I'm hesitant about, like we're going to get back and the Tower control systems will have gained sentience and is trying to evict everyone.»
    He snickers softly.  «That would be kind of mild, come to think of it.»

Gar Logan has posed:
    Continuing to go with the look of the Akiár while here, Gar seems ready to go as well.  "It's not that I don't like things here, because I'm already thinking about what we can do when we come back again, but… they're probably gonna find that the rental car hasn't gone anywhere in days and send the cops out to find we're missing, and then it's gonna be all over the news and we really don't want that kind of hassle."
    He's looking out over the lake, speaking aloud for the time being so Vorpal can hear him.  If Kían's relatives need to hear it as well, he 'thinks' it at the same time he says it.  "Whatever's going on, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "Better hope there isn't a crisis, because after we do this jaunt I'm going to need a few hours of sleep to recharge, otherwise no sparkly magic."  The Cheshire cat smirks, hands on hips.  He's still wearing the Akiár garb, because he didn't have anything but his underwear when he first jaunted through.  "Gosh I hope our stuff is still back there.  Even though my other body does have a full set of clothes… the car had better be there."
    He glances at Gar with a slight smirk.  "I'm sure you're already thinking about what you can do when you come back, popular pretty green bird."  A tease, because that's what he does, of course.
    "And the tower shouldn't attack us.  Unless Vic decided to go ahead with that Windows 10 update he's been threatening all this time…."

Kian has posed:
    «I can't believe you're going back,» Keth says.  «I mean, I believe it, but I don't understand it.»
    «He's useful there.  More than he is here,» Shíri says.  «I get that.»  She turns on Kían and even though they're essentially the same height, it's a Big Sister moment and in a weird way, she seems to tower over him for a moment.  «But you are coming back for regular visits.  The tri-d isn't the same.  Assuming where you're going is even within range.  So you are coming back for regular visits.»  It's not a question.
    "We are invited back," Kían says to his Terran companions, which is not quite the way his sister put it; Gar at least will have noticed the difference between Shíri's statement and Kían's "translation" of it.  «We'll be back.  You can meet some of my other friends from Earth.  I think most of them would like it here.»
    He chuckles at Terry.  "An' since when iss Titans disappearin' wit'out an explanation weird?"

Gar Logan has posed:
    "I'm popular wherever I go, it's true," Gar tells Vorpal, the feathers of his wings puffing out to some extent.  He could definitely find a place as a bird.
    There is a slight lift to a brow as he glances between Kían and Shíri based on the way he relays what she's just said, but he leaves that between them.  "I know I've got some flying to do again next time," Gar says while rubbing his hands together, likely anticipating it already.  "And we're not going to get back to suddenly be locked out of the place."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Vorpal smirks at Gar.  "You're always popular with me, you know," he says, leaning into him with a nudge, "or are you growing tired of me?"  The Cheshire is all teasing today, of course.  He winks and then walks over to Kían, a little lightbulb going off right over his head.
    No, really, there is a lightbulb actually blinking on, hovering over his head.  "I've had a great idea, Kían!  Why shouldn't we bring your family over for a visit over the Christmas season?  They could stay at the Tower and we can take them on a tour of Earth!"  He beams, glancing to Kían's sister.  "Tell them!  I'm curious to see if they'd be eager!"

Kian has posed:
    Kían blinks at Terry.  "That iss an Earth religious celebration, yis?  That might not be appropriate.  Especially wit' the robed winged figures I haf seen as decorations.  An' I do not have the calendars figured out yet.  There might be somethin' goin' on here."
    That said, he does offer a trip to Earth to his siblings, although he does not specify for Christmas, not least because that seems to be the secondary season for the consumption of large birds and that would really not be a good idea.
    It's fair to say that his siblings look dubious.  Finally, Shíri says, «If it's allowed.  They can't tell you not to go, Kían, but we're not Rhyták'yw.  We would need imperial permission to go.»
    Kían makes a pained noise and has the look of someone trying to fend off an impending headache.  «Don't you start with that.»
    «I'm not, I'm just stating the brain-seizingly obvious, Kíi.  It doesn't matter whether you think you're a Rhyták or not, you still have the title.  And yes, that's a little bump in status for the family but it doesn't extend much past 'Oh, your brother is a godling'.»
    «Well, then, if I say you can go, that should be enough,» Kían says, just a little smugly.
    «Except we have to come back here and live with the consequences,» Keth says, and Kían deflates a little.
    «Not that I'm not curious what a normal Eart' person is like,» Shíri adds.  «I'm pretty sure these two aren't normal.»

Gar Logan has posed:
    Gar Logan pinches the bridge of his nose as a result of all this.  For once, he has nothing to say to any of it except, "As much as I'm sure we'd all love to talk about taking trips back and forth, as long as we have ways to get messages to each other, that's good enough for now.  I would really like to get back home."  Someone is getting fidgety.
    Even pacing, the wings rustling.  He adds quickly to the other Akiár here, "No offense.  You've all been great, and it feels good that you've accepted me… and Terry, of course."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "My ears are burning, you know," Terry says, smirking and crossing his arms.  Not being in direct contact with the others, he doesn't get what they're saying, but he does get the gist that he is being discussed.  "Well, we should probably get going.  Unless your family decides they want to take another hit off the Cheshire Cat before we go to remember me by."
    It had become a running joke now.  Terry was The Perfect Drug.  He'd mentioned there was a song about it, back on Earth.  And he had promised to introduce Kían's people to ABBA which, even though it was 'music with half the notes missing', he promised it would be an eye-opening experience anyways.
    "Are we ready?  This'll be the first time I'll do this while awake, so it's bound to be… interesting."

Kian has posed:
    "Yis, I think I am ready.  I—" Kían begins, then falters… and gathers his sister and brother in for a tight hug.  «I'll… we'll be back.  Promise.  Besides, Gar wants to play more qihár and Terry's wingset is here.  So we have to come back.»
    Kían glances at the small gravcart carrying the things coming back to Earth with him—mostly clothes, his computer, a tri-d receiver… and a case of his father's brandy.  He did promise a bottle to Harley.  All things considered, he's travelling very light.  "We should go before I start makin' excuses to stay longer," he says, a little hoarsely.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "Alright, then.  Everybody gather round and… here goes nothing."  He gives Kían and Gar a nervous smile and says, "Don't distract me.  If I don't focus then my accuracy can be wildly off.  On Earth, that's not so much of a big deal—one street off, or a few miles, whatever.  But we're talking galactic scale here.  If I don't focus right, we might end up somewhere in the vicinity of Barnard's Star instead of Sol."
    He takes several seconds to focus, beginning with deep breaths and Leonardo's concentration exercises.  Then he goes into digging into his memories, the emotional attachments that he has to Earth, since it was Kían's own emotional attachment and vivid memories that facilitated this leap in the first place.
    The farmhouse where he and April spent the summers.
    Central Park with its Alice in Wonderland sculpture–
    The Tower
    His mother's office
    The park where his mother finally taught him how to ride a bicycle after far too many unsuccessful attempts
    Colette's swanky pad–
    The place in front of the Hall of Justice where he and Gar–
    He exhales and thrusts his arms forward, and a bright, purple-red flash appears before him.

    Distance distorts around the Rabbit Hole for a second, for a moment giving the impression that there is a far greater distance between everything than there was before—an almost impossible, staggering distance—
    The Rabbit Hole shows an infinity of colorful light, stretching into some unfathomable distance, so far that the end of the tunnel isn't even visible.
    And then, it happens in an instant: a pinhole of night appears in the very center of the swirling light, and approaches at breakneck speed until it fills up the Rabbit Hole.
    And there, right within arm's reach, is the campsite.  A full moon night glints off the paint job of the car, and the flapping fabric that is their tent, swaying slightly in the breeze.
    "…home!" Vorpal says, clearly drained by the magical effort, but sounding triumphant.  Because now he knows he can do this, although at a significant cost… but the bridge has been made.  Once they have crossed the Rabbit Hole, a they will have gone back and forth between nigh-impossible distances.  And what has been done before can easily be done once more.
    "After you," he says, extending a shaking hand towards the Rabbit Hole.

Kian has posed:
    Kían exchanges a final mental few words with his brother and sister; if Gar is still Garkiar, he can sense that much, but it is a private communication.
    And then Kían slips through, the gravcart following obediently.  Probably telepathically controlled, like everything else.  He turns and raises his wings to Shíri and Keth; standing back from the Rabbit Hole and looking down the still-unknown distance, they do the same.
    It will not be until Gar and Terry are through and the hole is closed up again that Kían repeats that word Terry used: "Home."