OOM: AU Child! Ibani

[last_kallig]

The last few months have been even harder than usual, after the death of her mother figure. Perhaps grief made her weaker, more vulnerable to sickness, because she knows she's dangerously ill. She hadn't meant to wind up here, wherever here is, but it has shown up in the nick of time.

Ibani shivers against one of the walls of Milliways, her body wracked with fever and hunger both. She's somewhere between seven and ten, clothed in fabric with far too many holes in it, and wearing a slave shock collar around her neck. Her bones stand out too sharply against her skin, and her eyes are fever bright and darting around the room.

She's not sure if this is some dying hallucination, if she's gone mad, or if she truly HAS wound up somewhere utterly strange. Whatever this is, instinct and her body DEMAND food, fuel to fight the sickness that is killing her. Untrained in the Force, she's grasping on instinct for any energy it can give her.

Maybe, maybe if she gets close enough to one of the tables she can steal some food without anyone noticing. Yes, yes that's a good plan

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[last_kallig]

Ibani perks up at the thought of learning how to fight. "Mostly I run away," she confesses. "It would be good not to HAVE to run away, though."

She huffs. "And some people need to be punched in the face, they just DO."

[27_53]

"Yes. Some people do just need to be punched in the face." A beat. "Or kicked in the face, but punching is usually easier."

He rustles her hair.

"But until you are strong enough to make sure they won't hurt you, running away is a perfectly good defense. But I will be with you, or nearby...so you run to me, and then we will teach them a lesson together."

[last_kallig]

"You make good plans," Ibani tells him, grinning.

She puts an arm around him. "I never knew there were so many colors," she tells him, looking at all the flowers.

[27_53]

"That makes sense, if you were underground. All of these plants...they need sunlight to help them grow. It feeds them, like food feeds us. Sunlight, and water, and nutrients from the dirt."

The air is slightly warmer as they near the inlet, a change in the breeze and the foliage; thick Scottish forest begins to mingle and mix with sparse Caribbean palm trees, and the grass changes beneath the bare feet, occasional patches of sand here and there. There is a small hill to climb that blocks the view of the inlet, the sand, and the sea - but it is a gentle slope.

A colorful bird flits by - some kind of wild parrot - blues and yellows and reds flashing brilliantly on its feathers as it squawks excitedly at them.

[last_kallig]

Ibani nods. "I saw a flower, once," she tells him. "There was the tiniest bit of sunlight, reflected down from somewhere I couldn't see by the crystals. The plant was so small," she holds her fingers about an inch apart. "But it was the most colorful thing I had ever seen. Three curly green leaves and a bright orange flower with ten petals in a circle around a yellow center." There is remembered wonder, awe, in her voice.

Her smile twists, wry and bitter for a moment. "Got caught staring at it instead of working." Skellig....can probably guess what happened after that.

The parrot startles her, makes her laugh. "I am NOT an intruder!" she tells it.

[27_53]

Skellig can absolutely guess what happened after that, with the way her smile twists to something pained and hurt.

"That sounds like the most beautiful flower. I hope one day I get to see one just like it. Maybe we can ask Bar for some seeds, and grow some of them on the balcony outside."

He is grateful for the bird's interruption as it swoops by them.

"Just visitors," he 'reassures' the bird, as they begin the walk up the slope. "Explorers, even!"

[last_kallig]

"Could we? I hope it's not too warm here." She sounds excited at the prospect of being able to show it to him.

"Exploring the unknown to me!" Ibani adds. She's guessing Skellig has been here before.

They reach the top of the slope and she sees the Lake/Sea. She stares in wonder. "I didn't know there could be that much water in one place."

[27_53]

"The weather outside tends to be pretty comfortable, it does rain quite a bit but there is enough sun for things to grow well."

(Skellig does not mind cloudy days or rain, even if they make his bones ache - it is easier to wear his coat without getting second guessed. He has learned to deal with the pain to avoid being stared at by those who would question why he's wearing a coat when it is a beautiful day outside.)

"We can go down over by the edge," he motions at the area of the lake where the sea clearly joins it - just how that works is Milliways Magic at play. "The water is warmer there, and the sand is soft."

And there is less chance of slimy rocks and mud to step on - the beach area is a big selling point, even with the sand in his feathers being a bit of a pain in the ass.

[last_kallig]

Ibani would happily help get sand out of his feathers.

Ibani runs down to the edge of the water, stops. "There's something BIG in the water, but it's not hungry right now."

She catches sight of a Sand Dollar near her feet, bends down to pick it up. "What are you?" she asks it, almost as if expecting an answer.

[27_53]

There is a large driftwood log that has washed up at some point, and is weathered enough to be smooth to sit on without risk of splinters. Skellig makes a quick 'hop' over to it and takes a seat, perching himself lightly on it as he watches her explore. He appreciates the warmer temperature here, and allows his wings to spread freely, stretching them out.

"I do not know the name of that one," he says. "But there are shells here, among the sand. Sometimes interesting rocks, and bits of glass that has been worn smooth by the water and washed ashore."

[last_kallig]

Ibani puts the sand dollar in her pocket. "A good place to find pretty things," she decides.

She looks at his wings. "Can you fly with them, your wings?"

[27_53]

"I can."

Spotting a few errant feathers on the leading edge of his right wing, he brings it around a bit, taking advantage of this time to preen a bit and work them back into place.

"And you are light enough I could carry you in my arms, take you up a bit."

[last_kallig]

Ibani doesn't say anything when he says he could take her up a bit, but her entire being fills with glee, and she's radiating :-D!!!

[27_53]

She doesn't HAVE to say anything, when he can FEEL the excitement and glee at the prospect of getting to fly surge through her body - her energy is practically glowing as bright as the sun.

"Give me just a few minutes to fix some of my feathers while you look for more treasures," he tells her. "Then we will go fly."

[last_kallig]

She nods rapidly, starts poking along the shoreline for 'treasure'. She's still thin, frail looking, but she's in much better shape than she was yesterday! And who knows how she might be in a month, a season, a year?

A crab scuttles along the shoreline and Ibani watches it, curious, until it hides under a rock. She finds a piece of blue sea glass that goes into her pockets, and what looks like a shark's tooth? How did THAT get here?

[27_53]

His feathers do not have to be in absolutely perfect shape before he launches himself off of the ground - he has certainly flown in much worse conditions than this - but it feels different, this time, since he will be taking her with him.

Preening efficiently, his focus is on her as she explores - everything is absolutely new to her, and he cannot even begin to imagine what she is feeling as she digs through the sand and rocks. (It both fills his heart with joy and a hint of sadness, at what she had to endure before...)

Once he is satisfied, he stretches again and shakes his wings out, then stands up on the log and hops off - moving to join her.

"Find anything interesting?"

[last_kallig]

"I found this," she says offering up the sea glass. "And a tooth!" The shark's tooth is also offered for inspection.

"And there was a scuttling creature that went to hide under the rock. It moves sideways over the ground."

[27_53]

"When we get back to the Bar later, we will ask her for some things to start growing flowers outside," he says. "And a chest for you to keep in our room, so that your treasures can stay safe."

Skellig looks at the shark tooth.

"Those are called crabs," he says. "The scuttling creature. Sometimes they can pinch with their claws, if you try to pick them up. But they are usually too quick for that, so I just watch them. This is a tooth from...some sort of shark. They swim in the water, much further out. They have lots of teeth and they fall out as they use them."

[last_kallig]

"Not a good idea to bother creatures if you don't need to," Ibani says, nodding. "I can watch them from a safe distance and they can go about their lives without worrying about me." Live and let live philosophy.

"Do you need help with your feathers?"

[27_53]

"Not right now," he says. "But I should teach you how to preen them - that's what it is called when I sort them back into place - I should teach you eventually, and you can help me sometime. It is faster and easier to get them into place if there is someone who can help reach the ones along my spine where my arms aren't long enough to get to."

He glances at her, knowing what she really wants from him.

"Ready to go fly a little bit?"

[last_kallig]

"I would like to know how to help you preen." It's something she can help with, and that feels very important. He's given her so much and there's so little she can offer in return!

"Yes please, Skellig."

[27_53]

"Okay, now just come over here and stand like this..."

Skellig talks her through the 'process' of getting her body lined up with his, so that he can hold her carefully in his arms with her back to his chest, snug and protected. He will not let her fall - and even if she WERE to slip (which isn't happening) he could catch her quickly!

Once she is settled, he starts by first just 'hovering' and bringing them a few feet up off the sand - his wings moving slightly, but he doesn't want to kick up dust. This way, she can adjust herself as needed. She is so light regardless, it hardly feels as if he's holding on to anything at all. Then - flying! He takes it easy first as he beats his wings, just getting them above the treeline, as he starts to trace the shoreline with his flight pattern.

The parrot from before is VERY confused!

[last_kallig]

Her heart is bursting with joy as they lift into the air. She's not afraid, she KNOWS that she's safe here in his arms.

The parrot is very confused, takes off making quite the racket!

Everything is new, and wonderful, and she's going to be EXHAUSTED later, but for right now everything is LIGHT.

[27_53]

Skellig will have to teach to her the pure and simple joys that accompany an afternoon nap, but this is something he will be glad to do.

He does not go into any major aerobatic motions; after all, she's never done this before and while he knows she is not afraid (he can feel her energy, it is all joy and Light and radiating happiness and exhilaration) he doesn't want to push it.

But this is a good way to give her a tour of the grounds 'out back'. He points out other things on the lake; does a loop around a few small clearings that he spots in the forest, there may be fun things to hike and explore later another day out there; the gardens where they were earlier, the stables, another area that looks like there is a training ground (for fighting and shooting) of some sort; the shop where metal is worked, the hearth is quiet today and nobody is beating iron but sometimes there is a smith who works there, with dark hair and a pale face...

He can sense she is getting tired as they near the back door - so he will land when it is safe to do so, helping to steady her as his feet (and hers) come back to the ground.

[last_kallig]

Ibani doesn't talk much, while they are flying. Mostly, she listens, takes things in. There is, after all, so very MUCH she has never seen before, so much to learn!

She wraps her arms around Skellig, hugs him tight. "Thank you, Skellig. That was wonderful!"

Then, her body betrays her by yawning. She scowls. "I shouldn't be tired, I didn't DO anything," she grumbles.