the sweet smell of science

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

The Righteous Climb was certainly a climb, though what morality had to do with it the young aviator had no idea. He'd worry about it another day; for now, Ever was trying to map out the angle of the road's rise. No one ever planned to have to make swift ascents into Stormbreak, but perhaps if they did dire situations such as those written about in books would come about far less often. It might make tales of heroes seem far less realistic if the protagonists were always hyper-prepared for every situation - certainly, they would lack in drama - but those were good things in Ever's mind.

So it was that the once chubby and awkward boy who'd grown into a tallish and awkward man was sitting in the dirt with a protractor, a notebook, and a metal thing that looked as though it should be in some old-fashioned medical museum rather than in the hands of an aviator. Shading his eyes against the glare of the sun, Ever makes precise marks in the notebook on his lap while taking perfectly measured water-breaks every 15 minutes.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

Guard duty on the Righteous Climb is notoriously dull. Nobody much uses the one-time road anymore, not with skyships going in and out and keeping transport convenient. Why hop over suspended rubble when one can just fly into Stormbreak seems to be the common thread of thought. No, guarding the Climb is task for older Dragoons, or young ones who have drawn a rather short straw.

Like Koa, today.

"This is so dull," Koa announces, raising his arms in a stretch. Pipsqueak does not answer: she's napping in a sling across his back, desperately unhappy with the midday heat. The pair is making their languid way down the fragmented road, more for something to do than because any amount of patrolling is really required.

Except it seems they are not the only ones here today: as they round a bend a familiar figure comes into view, sitting in the dirt and staring at something that glitters in the light. Immediately the young soldier picks up, raising his hand in a cheerful wave. "Hey there, Ever!" Koa doesn't really get Everest Hart, but he's always found the other boy pleasant, if a little odd. He scrambles down a last steep bit of pathway before skidding to a stop near the seated man. "What's the word?"

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Deeply ingrained politeness keeps the aviator's face from showing his unease at Koa's presence, but that wasn't anything new. He'd have felt just as uneasy if the weather suddenly shifted or if he'd mistakenly brought an HB pencil instead of a 2B. "Hello Koa." Ever replied, his eyes narrowing only so that he could see the other man more easily.

'The...?' Frowning, Everest looks around as if expecting to see a brightly illuminated word glowing in the middle of the sky that the dragoon might be referencing. Seeing nothing of the sort, he concluded the word in question must be the one which he'd just written: height. "Height?" He replies, head cocked to the side like a puppy earing something high pitched and with an expression just as confused but eager to please.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

Yup, Ever is odd, but Koa is easy-going enough to roll with the somewhat unorthodox response. Hand shoved deep into his pockets, the Dragoon shrugs agreement. "Good word," he agrees, nodding good-naturedly, even if the answer makes absolutely no sense. He takes a step closer, smile still wide. "I'll give you one back: shiny."

Kneeling down to Ever's level, Koa peers down at the object that seems to have fascinated the other man. "What's this, then? Ascended tech?" Truth be told, sheltered as he's been, Koa wouldn't know Ascended tech if it flew out of the sky and whacked him in the head. He reaches out to poke the object, then seems to think better and pulls his hand back.

"I suppose I ought to bring it back to headquarters if it is," he muses thoughtfully, rocking back on his heels. "Store it somewhere safe, y'know? With the rest of the, uh... pieces."

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Blinking as if this might somehow encourage his mind to connect the word with their surroundings in a way which made sense, Everest is left only making himself slightly sun blinded. "Shiny.." Pausing, the aviator looks down at his notebook and writes the word in precise little letters as if it might be some clue over which to puzzle later.

Though the war was over and done with, as were the ascended, Everest still found himself incredibly uncertain about the morality of what and how everything had happened such that the mention of his instrument potentially being ascended tech had the boy swallowing hard. "Oh, no. It's just...it's called a quadrant." He explains, both looking and sounding a touch guilty as if the insinuation alone that it might be ascended tech was enough to render it improper to have.

"This part here is called the plumb bob, and this is a spirit level." Holding it up to demonstrate how the various components were meant to capture the rise and fall of the Righteous Road and how it slanted back down toward the sea, Ever glanced to Koa to see if the dragoon believed him.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

He hadn't meant to make Ever feel guilty, and had he a more attuned sense of empathy, Koa might have felt bad. Luckily for our hero, he tends to be rather emotionally dense, and so the other boy's discomfort flies right over his head. "A quadrant. Huh," the Dragoon responds, lower lip jutting out in curious acceptance of this new fact. "I thought that was a math term," he adds, though whether to appear as less of a luddite or because he truly believes it relevant is a mystery to all.

The whole contraption seems simultaneously simple and complicated. Koa does not reach for it; indeed, he seems somewhat concerned that it might bite him, should he try to figure it out. "Does it measure... ghosts?" he wonders faintly, because without access to Ever's internal monologue our poor hunky idiot is still rather lost. And, like, this is Caido. Measuring ghosts seems more likely than tracking the angle of the ground.

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Blinking up at the soldier, Everest is silent, not least of all because what Koa believed to be the case wasn't something he thought he should be commenting on. It wasn't just a math term, but who was he to judge the internal minds of those around him? Or rather, who was he to judge them out loud.

"Ghosts?" Failing at first to make the connection, when the attuned finally does, relief spreads across his normally expressionless face. "Oh, because of the word spirit?" He wonders, before giving the quadrant a little shake so that the yellowish liquid in the level jumped around a bit. "It's called that because it's a spirit inside. Not like a ghost, but like the way you call alcohol spirits." He explains, sounding all the more relaxed for being able to impart knowledge of which he was fairly confident.

On a roll now, Ever continues. " Now that we aren't attached to the ground anymore, we being Stormbreak, I wanted to try and give an aerial account of the rise of the Road. I'll do the grotto next, but that will be harder as I'll have to be shifted." He explains with a small shrug. Then, because he's sure it's polite to do so, he asks: "What..are you doing up here?"

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

Oh, ok, so he's managed to set Ever talking with his rather stupid mistake. Honestly, Koa will take it. He feels a surge of unearned triumph at getting Ever talking, and honestly, the whole topic is kind of neat. Confusing, and perhaps unnecessarily complicated (why do we care about the rise of the Road? We already know it's up), but neat.

"Huh," Koa says expressively, and then: "Why the Grotto and not some other spot?" Still squatting, he picks up a stick and begins scratching idly in the dirt beside him, doodles of dragons that don't come out particularly well in the dry earth. Seems like the Plaza or something would be easier, or the top of the Tower if we're really going for how up things are.

"Oh, we're on patrol." Koa looks up as he answers, spine growing straight. "Making sure the road is safe for researchers and travelers. Keeping out the ghosts." He waggles his eyebrows conspiratorially, amused by his joke. "But your thing is way more interesting. What do you do with all the info, once you write it down?"

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Raising his eyebrows slightly as if the reason should be completely obvious, Everest quickly schools his expression into something much more neutral and studious before answering. "Well, because previously there was nothing for the skyships to fly under, so none of the captains are particularly well-versed in what altitude is safe with respect to the floating city." He explains, once again seeming to relax if only because of the topic at hand. "Below the city the wind currents change significantly, and the ships can get caught in the upward air rising from the ocean. I'll have to calculate the safest angle of ascent where ships can still safely fly out from under the city." Had anyone asked Everest to do this? No. Was anyone bound to look at his research? No. Did he seem to mind?

Of course not.

Not understanding the joke for what it was and merely nodding his head agreeably, Everest taps his notebook. 'If I see any, I'll be sure to let you know.' As for his research? "I'll write it up formally and submit it for peer review." Did Ever have any peers to review this information? Hmmn. "I could always give a flying clinic if anyone was interested." They both knew no one would be.

"What's it like being a dragoon, now that there's no war to prepare for?" The question might seem sudden, but actually Ever had a list of questions to ask of dragoons should he ever stumble in to them while out doing research. It made small talk that much easier for him.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

"I never thought about that." Truth be told, Koa hadn't even considered the effects the city being in the sky might have on the airships - he'd honestly just figured things would go on as usual, but higher. But that's why people like Everest exist, he supposes. To care about the boring thinky things that normal people forget.

But a flying clinic? "Oh, that'd be awesome." Koa's grin has broadened, excitement sparkling in his copper eyes. "I always wanted my own skyship. See the world and all that." He nods his enthusiasm for the idea, still poking the ground with his stick.

"Oh, it's pretty great." Here Koa's enthusiasm fades a little, though his countenance remains upbeat. Resigned to the idea that they won't be standing up any time soon, the young man scoots to a nearby stone, perching upon it, elbows on his knees. "Lots of training, keeping the peace. Helping people out. And I like having a routine, y'know?" He shrugs, head tilting to the side. "Why? You thinking about joining up?" Another playful joke - Koa cannot fathom this young man as a soldier - but a good-natured one, without malice or edge.

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Eyes widening slightly, Everest's mind simultaneously lunges to correct what he'd said, well it wouldn't be for just anyone, while overwhelmed with the need to be polite. Instead of saying anything, he just mentally chokes on his own thoughts and nods stiffly. "Many do enjoy seeing the world." He agrees, knowing that to be true even if he was not one such person.

Oh did he ever. At this sentiment the young aviator finds himself nodding emphatically. It's very rare he agrees so strongly with the anecdotes and inclinations of men like Koa, but routine? Chef's kiss. "I always thought with how regimented Stormbreak was that there would be less of a need for the dragoon's presence, but I actually think it's the opposite." There was a lesson in that - or an academic paper more likely - but just now Ever is too distracted by Koa's question to make it.

"Me? No! No. Not that I don't think the dragoons are wonderful and absolutely vital in the city, I do, I just don't think I would make a very good one." Then, as his mind continues to reel with the possible connotations of what he's said thus far, he hastily adds: "Not that I don't think your training programs are excellent."

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

"I like to think we're part of what keeps it regimented," Koa muses in response, lips pursing crookedly. "No other place - far as I know - is as organized as Stormbreak, or as advanced." There's no little pride in his voice as he says this, and a great deal of confidence that it's true. Koa is a boy with deep attachment to his home, and anyone who might try and convince him Stormbreak isn't the best place on earth is up for a challenge indeed.

But Ever isn't arguing. Indeed, he seems to be agreeing, and this open admiration for Koa's profession only bolsters the boy. "Why not?" he wonders, brows raised in playful challenge. "You're smart, you look strong, you like following directions- honestly, you'd probably be a better fit than most of our recruits." Including Koa, honestly.

He nudges a rock with his foot, now very invested in the idea. "And it's not all fighting, especially now. Gods know we could use help getting organized. Too many meatheads in the Dragoons already. We need some smart people to keep us in line."

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Considering this for a moment Ever blinks a few times before nodding in slow agreement. "Actually, that makes sense." Nowhere else in all of Caido did they have such a regimented group of defenders, except for perhaps the Shields in Halo. From what (little) Everest had seen though, much of Halo's defensive abilities came from the region itself.

Crinkling his nose and looking as though he was experiencing extreme indigestion, the aviator can only nod his head fervently back and forth. "There's a difference between following orders because you like it, and following orders because you'd freeze without them." He explains, and though perhaps he should have been somewhat ashamed by his mental limitations when it came to setting his own boundaries and rules, Everest was very straightforward about it. "There are so many scenarios a dragoon might find themself in...and no matter how often or for how long things are practiced, there will always be new variables to take into account, and I..." Looking down at his notebook, at the safety of his notations, he sighs. "..I would not do well in that sort of environment."

Glancing up at Koa, Ever only gives his head a little shake. "Well, there's much more than meat in everyone's head. Dragoon or not."

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

For all that Everest is a creature of logic, Koa can't help but find his reasoning flawed. "You're talking like you can't do things without orders, but that doesn't seem right. I mean.... did anyone have to order you to do this?" He gestures widely toward their setting and Ever's various tools. "Maybe you gotta give yourself more credit, man."

He's picked up the small stone he was kicking and now he rolls it between his fingers, brushing off the dirt. The observation of more than meat startles a laugh from Koa; he glances back at the other boy, tilting his head. "My Ma would say there isn't more than air in mine," the Dragoon grins. He raps his knuckles over thick hair for emphasis, tongue clicking against his cheek in an exaggerated knock knock knock.

And then, with little more than a "Hey - think fast," Koa takes the small stone and tosses it Ever's way.

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone