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

Comments

[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.

[27_53]

"You are very welcome, Ibani." He says as he returns the hug. "I will gladly take you flying whenever you'd like to, so long as we are able to do so."

The yawn does not go unnoticed. Nor does her comment.

"You did not do anything?" He pulls a slightly 'confused' face as he looks at her. "You must have forgotten all of the things that we did today, all the things that you have learned. Those count for something," he lightly presses his fingertips to her forehead. "You learned a LOT. And learning takes work and effort. I would be worried if you weren't tired..."

[last_kallig]

She blinks in surprise. "It does?" That is news to her! She is less grumpy at herself with that revelation.

"Not time for sleep yet, though."

[27_53]

"Come on," he takes her hand, steps up and then into the Bar proper - it is busier now that it is around 'lunchtime', a bigger crowd has formed, pockets of patrons here and there. Skellig tucks his wings tightly to his body as they weave towards the counter.

"Bar, if you please - could you have some seeds and things to plant them sent up to our room? The type of flowers that Ibani saw, when she was in the mines."

Of course, the writing materializes on the napkin in front of him. Anything else?

"And a box for her treasures - she'll need a decent sized one."

I'll send that up too. Might be after the lunch rush.

"That's fine, Bar. Thank you," he pats the counter lightly, then nods towards the staircase. "Let's go back up and rest for a bit," he says as he guides her by the shoulder through the space. "It'll be quieter up there."

[last_kallig]

"Thank you," Ibani adds, speaking to Bar.

"Rest might just make me fall asleep," Ibani says, sighing.

[27_53]

It occurs to Skellig that the idea and concept of taking a nap is likely completely foreign and forbidden to her.

"There is nothing wrong with that."

Pausing to unlock the door to their room, he steps aside to let her enter first. (Though he does "listen" quickly to ensure it is as they left it.)

"And if you need to sleep, it will give you time for your body to work on healing itself... so you will still be working. Just on yourself."

[last_kallig]

Framing it as her body working on healing itself makes it seem more acceptable!

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," she tells him. "Was never an option before. We didn't eat if we weren't able to work all day." Which, of course, only made whatever problems they were having WORSE.

[27_53]

Skellig moves through the 'apartment' and goes to set his bag down on the coffee table, fetches his pear from it and then looks at her.

"I was going to wash mine and then cut it up for a snack, do you want me to do the same for yours? Then I might actually stretch out and rest myself, might nap."

[last_kallig]

"Yes, please," she tells him, removing the pear from her pocket. "Could I nap with you?" She feels safer around Skellig, and safe is good for resting.

[27_53]

"Of course. I don't mind."

The pear is fetched and they are both washed and cut, he shows her how to pick the seeds out (he saves them in a little cup off to the side, they can plant those later when they do the flowers) and then grabs a little plate for them both.

"So they are...kind of sweet? They're one of my favorite fruits," he says. "They come in different types, but I've never had them like this. Sparkly, I mean."

Typically his come out of a can, they're cheap enough for people to buy and donate to food pantries...so fresh is a luxury.

[last_kallig]

"I don't think I've had fruit before," she tells him. Unless there was some in the dishes she ate last night.

She tries part of her pear, makes a surprised but happy noise. She swallows. "They taste good, but not like anything I've had before." Since most of what she's eaten tasted like library paste, that's not surprising.

[27_53]

"The strawberries you had this morning were a type of fruit," he tells her. "They're kind of weird though, since their seeds are on the outside, and typically fruit...the seeds are on the inside."

Skellig cocks his head and studies her as she tastes it, smiling gently.

"I bet you will have to learn what flavors you like, what things you don't. And if there is anything that you ever try, that just...isn't good? Then you don't have to eat it," he says. "I promise. You can spit it out, and it is okay. Not everything tastes good to everyone, and that is normal. You won't get in trouble if you don't like something."

[last_kallig]

"Okay," Ibani tells him, although clearly she is skeptical of finding a food she doesn't like enough to spit it out.

She finishes her pear, then yawns. Clearly, her body wants a nap however the rest of her might feel about it.

[27_53]

Skellig finishes up the last of his also, watching as she yawns and her eyes struggle - already she is tired.

"Why don't you go on and wash up your hands a little bit, just so they're not sticky? Then we can get a nap," he suggests lightly, taking her plate. "I'll clean this up and then meet you."