[SE] The Mountain and the Sapling

HENRY

I was waiting for something extraordinary
but as the years wasted on...

Henry wanders along the street casually, taking his time to admire the shops that pop out to him and make conversation with fellow traders. He's attempting to make more connections, which is one thing he can definitely do while he's here. It's something his father will no doubt appreciate. Beyond that, he's losing confidence in his ability to get done what he's really here for. He's seen neither hide nor hair of anyone from the Order, and finding people who were willing to join an explorer's guild was... not as easy as he'd hoped.

Still, optimism finds its way into his light expression as he takes this extra time to enjoy a fine morning. He's now set his path towards the center of the city, to see how the sapling is faring. Even in Deepfrost, Torchline is a refreshing place to be. The sun is bright and warms the streets through the layer of fog hovering over the city's skyline. For a brief moment, Henry decides that Anden most certainly would like it here, a place so opposite from the dreary atmosphere of the Grounds but, he hasn't seen or heard much of the other man since Leafchange.

It is then, sinking into thoughts of his vanished friends, that Henry rounds a corner near the main square of Haulani and he collides with another man. The impact makes him stumble and grunt, "Oof!" Perhaps the other guy was in a hurry, or maybe Henry needs to just pay better attention. And bumping into someone in Torchline isn't exactly the best way to introduce yourself, especially considering that a pack of cigarettes is sent careening through the air, dropping near Henry's foot.

He picks them up as well as himself and finally looks up to see who it is, this person he's likely just made an enemy out of. Blue eyes trace up the taller figure until finally they land upon his face. It's none other than the governor of Torchline. Henry's seen him in passing and heard about him when he took on the title, but never formally met him. Still, he knew him when he saw him. He was kind of hard to miss.

"Shit." Dismay sullies his expression, "of course."

More fully addressing the other man - and extending a hand should the other need any help up - he says, "I am very sorry about that, governor." Henry smiles in an apologetic fashion. He offers the fallen box of cigarettes back to their owner and grimaces awkwardly, "Need to watch where I'm going."

nothing ever did
unless I caused it

when the world turns upside down, you should blame it on me

Yet again, errands around Haulani. Only this time something spots his eye, something he doesn’t usually see around here. A tree, in the middle of the city, one that seemed surprisingly large considering that he hasn’t seen it there prior. Intrigued and distracted, the governor slips toward it, head tilting slightly as he focuses on it. He doesn’t notice as someone rounds the corner and collides with him, the pack of cigarettes in his hands goes spiraling down and he does stumble back just a fraction, a hand lashing out toward the wall to regain his balance. “Shit,” he half rumbles and half laughs.

Ah, the curse of being tall.

It seems the person that’s ran into him has the same statement, the curse leaving him after he’s been surveyed – Sunjata righting himself and letting his steel gaze focus on the shorter man, an amused smile spreading across his face. As for the man calling him governor and apologizing, the Flood can’t help but to shake his head. “It’s okay, really.” He offers, flashing a wider grin, playfully fanged as the amusement begins to falter slightly – peering around the other man briefly to see where the tree sapling was to ensure he hadn’t got turned around somehow.

His gaze flickers back at the offered cigarette box that he’d dropped, the governor reaching out to take it easily and pull one from it to place between his lips, angling the box so that the other man might take one should he want one. “It’s the second time that’s happened to me this week. I need to pay more attention too.” An olive branch given, a shrug offered as if it didn’t matter much. "Was just on my way to see the tree everyone's been talking about." A brow raises toward Henry to see if he knew anything about it.

sunjata

Coding base by Odd!

HENRY

I was waiting for something extraordinary
but as the years wasted on...

The governor seems to be alright enough, Henry's probably the one worse off after that crash anyway. There's a mild surge of pain that ripples around the bruise on his face, clearly from a rough night. Well, a rough start to a night at least. It's only been a few days since Henry met Neos, so the mark from the drunk that punched him has started to fade. Still tender, though. He touches it with his thumb distractedly, as if to check on it, but regrets that decision immediately.

Henry returns the toothy grin with a more relaxed smile of his own. "Again, really sorry. I just got here not long ago and... I'd hate to piss you off, of all people, considering I'm going to be staying here for Deepfrost," as he speaks, the man's blue eyes peer past him curiously.

Henry tilts his head, ready to assume he's disrupted some sort of important task and the governor is simply being polite to entertain him. Although, that doesn't appear to be the case. Henry steps to the side and follows the look, spots the sapling, and a look of realization flickers across his face before it's replaced by pleasant surprise. It's not such a tiny sapling anymore. Even from where they stand, he can see it's grown quite a lot. The branches are fuller and the trunk taller.

Henry's smile remains, and he turns back to the governor with a cool expression in his gaze. "Oh, hey, thanks," he pinches a cigarette out of the box and holds it between his lips to listen to the other man. Sunjata's brow raises toward him, the curiosity palpable in his words and eyes, so Henry's brows raise right back.

"You mean you haven't seen it yet? Come on, I'll show you," Henry pulls the cigarette out of his mouth in a wisp of smoke, waving Sunjata along to follow him. He crosses the town's square to where the sapling stands strong. The branches swish and it could be taken for a trick of the eye, a stray breeze, but Henry knows better by now. There's something very special about this tree. However, he won't spoil it for Sunjata.

"Go on, governor," he grins, a sparkle of mischief in his tone, and nods to the tree, "give it a poke."

nothing ever did
unless I caused it

when the world turns upside down, you should blame it on me

The mention of staying here for Deepfrost does quirk a brow curiously. “Grounds, hm?” He asks, assuming as much. They’d taken Grounders for LongNight last year, this year he’d promised Wessex it would be no different. They were welcome here, to party and stay away from the terrors of LongNight year after year. He intends to keep that plan, even if it draws ever closer to a terrible week of darkness of Sunjata unsure whether Nate was going to make it out or not.

But he swallows it down with an inhale of smoke, a cigarette offered for the other man that’s drawn out. He offers the matches as well, listening at the mention that he hasn’t seen it yet. A snort leaves him, the tendrils of smoke curling from the cigarette hanging from his own lips as he pulls it from his mouth. “Haven’t had the time to yet.” That easy smirk remains, nodding to follow Henry toward the larger tree.

And of course, he’s heard rumors of how the tree reacts to things. But they arrive, Henry suggests giving it a poke, and to be honest Sunjata’s not entirely too sure he wants to. So instead, he partially shifts his right hand to that of claws from his dragon shift, one ebony sharp edged talon stretching out to brush along the bough of the tree, watching as it begins to giggle, as the boughs begin to wiggle slightly, and Sunjata can’t help the huff of laughter that leaves him with it. “Well, that’s certainly something.” His gaze flickers back toward Henry with a raise of his brow again.

sunjata

Coding base by Odd!

HENRY

I was waiting for something extraordinary
but as the years wasted on...

Henry nods in turn to Sunjata's assumption. "Yep, how'd ya guess?" He grins playfully, because the governor of Torchline must be privvy to the amount of Grounders that come here for LongNight. Suppose Halovians might want to spend the cruel, wintry months somewhere more hospitable and pleasant but, they don't seem the type, do they? Plus, they'd probably get heatstroke.

The cigarette given is lit with the match to pair, and he's puffing a generous drag off of it as if it's been a while for him. The nicotine rush that makes his head feel lighter is a testimony to that, and he makes a mental note to smoke... a little slower. Feeling a bit corrected and childish, Henry tilts his head this way and that, a shrug of sorts replacing his incredulism, "Right.. Of course. Believe it or not, I'm usually very busy, too, so.. I get it." He offers a more understanding, empathetic look. Of course, he doesn't know what it's like to govern a whole city but, actually, the idea is kind of intriguing.

Well, it's a goal to aspire to some other day, far off from now, perhaps.

Henry does his best to contain the secret of the little tree as he awaits Sunjata's discovery of its mannerisms. His arms fold and his eyes dash between it and the governor in anticipation, clearly not telling him something. Only, that look of mischievous excitement is replaced with confused surprise when suddenly the governor's arm is... clawed?! "What the-!?" He clamps his mouth shut, not intending to be rude, but his words do come out in a surprised exclamation.

The moment is suddenly forgotten and realization makes Henry's brows furrow. "Yeah, yeah, it's cute, isn't it? But- hey, how the hell do I get claws like that!?" He nods down towards them. His gaze, knowing and curious all at the same time, settles back on Sunjata's face, "What kinda shift are you hiding?"

nothing ever did
unless I caused it

when the world turns upside down, you should blame it on me

How’d he guessed? Well, he could say a few things but none of them seem to come out without sounding… Bad, to be honest. It wasn’t anything against Henry, just simply the fact Sunjata loathed the Grounds for the most part – having chosen to stick to Torchline and the warmth and ruggedness it offered rather than the cold barrenness of the Grounds. For what it’s worth though, he supposes it could’ve been much worse. “Lucky guess.” He teases back, finding it the safer alternative, as cigarettes are offered and lit, Sunjata dragging deep from his before they’re on their way toward the tree. A nod is offered to Henry’s understanding, though not much else. What was there to say?

But they’re there at the tree, Sunjata letting the cigarette hang from his lips as he reaches out with a clawed hand to poke at the tree, watching with amusement and laughter as it wiggles and giggles, its boughs fluttering and twitching as if he’d tickled it. His gaze slips back toward Henry just in time to spy the ‘what the-‘, amusement gleaming in the steel of his gaze.

Gods, how he missed surprising people with these things. It seemed nowadays more people knew things about him that even he didn’t know half the time. So he takes it in stride, withdrawing the clawed hand to pull it forward, closer to Henry if the kid wanted to investigate it further. “You attune.” He tips a wink toward Henry – of course, not knowing that the man is attuned. “Then you get more and more shifts and stronger with them. Then you get some fun ones.” The wink offered is still full of amusement as he moves to stand again.

“I’ve got a lot in here.” He openly admits, the clawed hand turning now toward talons of his macaw shift, before shifting to the panther claws. “That one was a dragon.” He informs Henry of the prior shift, the first he’d seen before he’d shown off a little. A big dragon.

sunjata

Coding base by Odd!

HENRY

a knife twists at the thought that
I should fall short of the mark

Henry recoils at first when Sunjata brings his scaly hand up for him to get a better look at. It's startling, okay? But he recovers quickly enough and tilts his head at it, leaning down to see how the fingers had shifted into something entirely non-human. He can't place it, he has no idea what kind of animal it could be. Maybe a reptile but, he'd never seen any animal with claws like that.

"I am Attuned," he remarks, straightening back up and lifting his gaze to look at Sunjata's face. Disappointment impacts his expression and tone as he admits, "but I can't do that yet."

He takes a quiet drag from his cigarette as the governor's hands change from one thing to another. The next partial shifts, he's able to recognize. That's a bird, the other's a cat. At the word 'dragon', however, Henry blinks. He's stunned for a second.

"A dragon!?" He suddenly echoes the fact with excitement. "Shit," he mumbles, "lucky fucker. This is all I've got,"

He suddenly gives in to the animal within, clothes replaced by feathers and talons. However envious Henry may have felt, the eagle is proud; a symbol of strength and inspiration. It stands before Sunjata with a lifted beak and outstretched wings.

After a moment, Henry settles his wings along his side and brings his beak down to prod the tree playfully. It giggles and a branch sweeps over his crest feathers. He squawks in response, a raucous sound that fills the street.

He then looks back to the other Attuned, and maybe Sunjata can see the dare in his gaze. Come on, show your dragon, Henry wills him, even though he knows it probably won't happen here and now.

middle of adventure
such a perfect place to start

you promised me sunshine, why's it gloomy? we'll wait 'til the night to catch the moonbeam

Henry’s confirmation at being Attuned sparks a crooked smile along the governor’s face. Oh, are you? He rumbles mentally, wondering if whether or not Henry would be able to hear him. If it were true, he’d likely get some sort of reaction, even if Henry might not be able to respond without being shifted. Sunjata remembers those days well – days where he only had the macaw and the panther to guide him during LongNight… Two seasons ago.

Gods, it’s really been that long, huh?

“You’ll get there.” He assures Henry easily, rolling his shoulders in a shrug but shifting his hand in an easy display of just a few of his shifts if only to show the boy some more options. The excitement from Henry at the mention of his dragon shift, however, arises a huff of laughter from him. “Hey, I started with one too.” He offers – perhaps a small amount of optimism for the kid.

Until of course, Henry’s already shifting into what Sunjata assumes is some sort of eagle, because it’s the only thing that makes sense for him. And he watches the avian reach out to prod the tree once more, before his mind is flooded with Henry’s voice. Ah, see, that’s the problem. I can’t actually fully shift right now. It hurts to admit it, honestly, but he’d rather let the boy know before shifting and having his broken wing out in the open for the rest of the public to see. Broke my wing in the jungles. I can fly in my other shifts, just not that one. And he doesn’t want to fuck up the bind that Nate had been so helpful in placing by shifting to his full-size dragon shift.

So he doesn’t, instead, considering the bird carefully. “But…” He says briefly, tugging at that part of him and shifting into that navy macaw of his, decidedly smaller thana the eagle’s wingspan. But in this form he wasn’t a predator, he was a parrot with a curved beak meant for crushing seeds rather than tearing flesh.

SUNJATA

HENRY

a knife twists at the thought that
I should fall short of the mark

The eagle tilts its head at such a degree that only a bird is capable of, the feathers around his head fluffing up in contented surprise. He can feel the Attuned bond now that they're both in shifted forms.

That beak looks like it could crack open just about anything! He barks out a squawk of amusement following the telepathic words. He rights his head and steps to the side, to get a better look at the vibrantly blue macaw.

I've been Attuned since I was younger, it was my father's wishes - to this day, I still can't say no to him. A long, winded sigh permeates from Henry, then, the breath wheezing out through the nostrils on his beak. I suppose I can't complain, though. The eagle is nice, I can fly with it, hunt with it, see better with it, and it's deadly enough - if you're a fish. Henry's chuckle fills the space in the bond. What about this? A.. macaw, is that right?

middle of adventure
such a perfect place to start

you promised me sunshine, why's it gloomy? we'll wait 'til the night to catch the moonbeam

Just about. He offers with a hint of playfulness toward the eagle. Of course, he can’t help but to show off – the clack of his beak and the flaring of his wings to show the entirely navy hues accept for the skin around his eyes and his beak, those a brilliant gold like the eagle’s beak. But he listens to the recount from the younger man, his avian head cocking, the governor growing silent at the idea of not saying no to his father. And he partially wonders what it’s like to have that choice, though he doesn’t air any of those thoughts. He simply just sends the feeling of understanding across the bond.

I imagine that beak and those talons work well against foes of any size. Go for the eyes. He muses, flashing the eagle a wink. It is a macaw. It was my first shift, Safrin gave it to me. He murmurs softly with a bit of relief at the thought. After a few moments those wings spread again and he moves to push himself from the ground, to take to the sky, hopeful that the eagle will follow. Then I got my panther shift after that. Found out about it during LongNight in the Grounds a couple years ago. This is said with a bit of humor trickled in. It made dealing with that hell a lot easier.

SUNJATA

HENRY

a knife twists at the thought that
I should fall short of the mark

Amusement reflects back at Sunjata at the instruction of 'going for the eyes'. I've had to do that a few times, actually.. I think it's the size that's scariest, though, he replies, letting the full length of his wingspan release once more in emphasis. People don't often see a bird this large. Their lives flash before their eyes! He chuckles. I can only imagine the reactions to a dragon.

Ah, Safrin. Of course. The one that likes beautiful things would give such a rare and spectacular shift. Henry needs no prompting to follow the hyacinth into the sky, wings already splayed, spirits lifting - and so does he. He ascends, flushing past the macaw to lead them over the buildings. Once in the wide open air, he hovers to let Sunjata take the lead again.

Henry pulses understanding through the bond, a bit more than he'd probably like to, but he can't hold back the pang of sadness and loss that follows. I hope things will get better... I would've stayed and helped the Ascended but, Wessex thought I'd be better off here. She's probably right.

middle of adventure
such a perfect place to start

you promised me sunshine, why's it gloomy? we'll wait 'til the night to catch the moonbeam

Mmm, he begins, flashing the sensation of playfulness down the bond toward Henry. It is fun to see their reactions. He agrees softly, recalling a few times where people had been terrified and confused to other times where they’d been far more excited than anything else. Sunjata, in a way, relished in both.

But he ascends to the skies, banking as Henry passes by him and sends out a waft of air that has Sunjata correcting his course, the navy macaw following the eagle quickly. The subject of LongNight does dampen Sunjata’s spirits, too, if only because of Nate’s requirement to go. She is probably right. Sunjata murmurs softly, trying to be encouraging despite understanding how hard it could be. I hope they succeed in their mission. He adds after, pulsing his wings a bit to try and pass the eagle to guide him toward the cliffs of Aumakua. In the meantime, however, I hope Torchline suits you well during it.

SUNJATA

HENRY

a knife twists at the thought that
I should fall short of the mark

Henry sighs into the breeze as his wings take hold of it, letting Sunjata direct their flight towards the ocean. He has no qualms with this. Although, he does cast one last glance down towards the firling before committing more fully to their chosen course. Me too.. he offers, quieter, grim. He ponders over this, though, over the possibility of failure. What that would mean for the Ascended, for the Grounds. Would they ever try again, if they did fail?

Oh, uh, my name's Henry, by the way. Dunno if I told you that earlier... He adds, a touch awkward. The rolling, bustling city limits are soon reached, and Henry glances up towards the macaw.

He can't not ask, though, because it's bothering the crap out of him. Eventually, his voice cracks through the silence, Do you really think they can do it? What if they don't succeed?

middle of adventure
such a perfect place to start

you promised me sunshine, why's it gloomy? we'll wait 'til the night to catch the moonbeam

They’re in agreement on whether or not they want the Ascended to succeed. Personally, if Sunjata had his choice, Nate wouldn’t be going. They’d finally get that nice and quiet LongNight they’d been trying to get for coming up on two years now that still hasn’t happened. But it isn’t in the cards, and the macaw slips closer toward the cliffs, to dive and play with the winds whipped up from the sea.

Pleased to officially meet you, Henry. He rumbles, giving an air of amusement toward the boy through the bond. Sunjata, though I’m sure you knew that already. There’s a hint of laughter that seems to trickle down the bond before it fades away completely with the comment offered from Henry, the inability to hold his tongue.

I have to hope that they do. If they don’t I imagine it’ll just be… Another cycle of death year after year. He sighs mentally, shifting his course to drift closer to the lighthouse. I’m worried what may happen if they don’t succeed.

SUNJATA