[se] a rollercoaster kind of rush

Peekaboo Rise had become one of Alys's favorite places after the war. It was a place she could disappear to and look out over the landscape - a landscape that she hadn't fully appreciated at the time - and practice reading her cards, or spend time away from a family that didn't understand her, or just sit and think. Returning to the Rise now was a matter of nostalgia - and maybe a little bit to introduce Sascha to the places that she remembered fondly about the Hollowed Grounds. Not that the little cub seemed to care. She scampered this way and that, playing with butterflies and grasshoppers and gods only knew what else, oblivious to the view of the labyrinth and the rest of the expanse spread out before her. Alys, on the other hand, sat cross-legged atop the Rise, alternating between looking out over the Grounds and working on, of all things, a kite. She happened to know from her youth that this particular rise was the best for flying kites, and since everyone else seemed to be doing it and having fun, she'd decided that maybe she'd give it a try, too. Just now she was putting the pieces together, preparing a bright and colorful kite that did not fit her aesthetic at all to take to the sky. alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

Koa is flying a...

...uh...

...Well, it was supposed to be a kite, but that's being generous. After a very stupid argument with his sister over absolutely nothing, the young man had stormed out with the beginnings of the thing, loudly declaring that he'd make a kite all on his own, thank you very much.

That was days ago. What has resulted in that time is nothing short of a monstrosity. Haphazardly shaped and covered in patches, it's painfully asymmetrical and as aerodynamic as an elephant. Even Pipsqueak the Flightless Wonder seems unimpressed by the thing, her little lizard head tilting back and forth as she trills notes of perplexed disappointment in her bonded's work. "No, I didn't need to ask Noe to fix it," Koa snaps in response, glaring between Pip and the homunculus. "This is fine. It'll fly fine. It just needs.... a couple... oh, fuck!"

There's now a hole in the middle of the kite, where a hole definitely shouldn't be.

Looking up abashedly, Koa checks to see if anyone has noticed his outburst. Fortunately most of those gathered at the Rise seem occupied with their own lovely days (and functional kites), though one woman is still in the building process. Biting his lips and waffling immensely, Koa finally succumbs to Pip's mocking chortles and decides to approach the stranger. "Hey! Uh, you wouldn't happen to have some extra supplies, would you?" The poor vaguely tetrahedral donut is raised up beneath Koa's bashful grin. "We've had a bit of an accident. Could use medical attention."

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

When Alys had first braved Caido, wandering beyond the bounds of the Hollowed Grounds, she had not been the friendliest of women. She had been quiet, and withdrawn, and if a stranger had approached her with a broken kite and a disarming smile, she would have simply stared, unsure how to respond. But that woman had long since disappeared, and the seer as she was now took a look at the young man, the dragon, and the kite (?) and hid a smile. It seemed that her new companion had worse luck than she did when trying to put together his kite. So Alys did the only reasonable thing, which was to gesture for the young man to join her. "Be my guest," said the seer. "I've plenty to share." From behind the seer, a little white head poked out; Sascha peered up at the young man and the dragon with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Still, her best companion friend was a dragon, and the sight of Pip had the little ursur cub trundling out from behind her bonded, rising onto her hind legs to investigate the new arrivals. "Sascha," Alys said with a small sigh, resigned to her companion's behavior. "Sorry about her," she told the stranger as she wrapped a bit of fabric around a stick. Her kite was almost finished and ready for the air. As for his, well... the less said about it, the better, in her opinion. "She doesn't know if she wants to meet new people or if she's afraid of them." alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

Koa sinks down gratefully beside the stranger, mangled kite clutched tightly between his hands. "Thanks," he sighs, spreading the thing out on the grass to inspect for damages (and reparability). "I really should've just bought a premade one, but I wanted to prove I could do it and... well." The results are clear in front of them, in the form of the poor Frankenstein's homunculus that could generously be called a 'kite'.

It's abundantly clear that Koa doesn't have the slightest idea where to even begin on his repairs, but luckily his attention is quickly distracted by the appearance of a bundle of white fluff and sharp claws. "Is that an ursur?!" the Dragoon gasps, copper eyes flaring wide with excitement and delight. Leaning over for a better view, the young man all but wags his tail. "Oh my gods, what a cutie! Sascha? Hi girl!"

Koa extends a hand to the bear, while Pip claws her way up onto his shoulder, peering cautiously from behind his neck. "Awww, she's a good girl though. Nothin' to be scared of here, right?" His smile brings apples to his cheeks, the happiness punctuated by Pipsqueak's curious trill. "Pip won't bite, and we love new friends. Isn't that right, Pipsqueak?"

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

Alys eyed the sad attempt at a kite and did her best to put on an encouraging face. "It could be worse," she said. "If you just use some material to patch up this bit here - and here - and, uh, there..." She trailed off. Maybe he would be better off just purchasing a new one. Encouraged by Koa's excitement, Sascha took a few tentative steps forward, sniffing at his fingers. Quickly deciding that he didn't have anything particularly exciting in his hands, the little cub placed her paws in his palm, using his hand to balance as she stretched up towards the dragon with a plaintive mewl. Alys kept one eye on the ursur as she completed her kite, holding it up for inspection. "It's been a long time since I've tried to fly a kite," she admitted, holding it out to Koa. "Do you want to just share mine?" alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

The ursur's positive response has Koa grinning anew, delight brimming in him as the little bear puts its paws upon his callused hand. "Awww, there ya go," he croons, as Pip slithers further down the outstretched arm. Digging into his pocket with his other hand, Koa produces two lengths of jerky. Pipsqueak snatches the first one up, scrambling off the young dragoon to monch happily at the meat. The other he offers to Sascha. "Can't say I know much about what ursurs eat, but it couldn't be much different from dragons, right?"

Turning back to Alys, Koa's smile turns chagrined. "Would you mind?" he asks, expression pathetically puppydogish as he looks between the Seer and his wreck. "I mean... we're fine just watching, honestly. Maybe Pip can learn a thing or two about aerodynamics." The dragon stops her munching long enough to blow an indignant puff of smoke his way, before getting back into the jerky.

Having accepted his kiteless fate, Koa leans back into the soft grass, his elbows tucked beneath him. "I'm Koa, by the way. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have seen any moss growin' around here, would you?"

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

The young man's delight brought a faint smile to Alys's lips as she watched the interaction, charmed by his earnest glee. Sascha, for her part, was just as easily won over, and perked up even more at the appearance of the jerky. She took it daintily (much to Alys's relief) and began to gnaw on it, keeping an eye on Pip the whole time, as though worried that the dragon might try to steal her share. The seer was entirely convinced that she was going to make a fool of herself trying to fly the kite, but she got to her feet anyway, turning her face into the wind. "I'm Alys," she said, holding the kite up to test the breeze. It seemed like the contraption should fly... if the seer wanted to run to get it airborne. "And you've met Sascha." The ursur grumbled a greeting around her piece of jerky. Alys lowered her dark gaze to Koa, confusion on her features as she cocked her head to one side. "Moss?" she repeated. "Just any old moss, or...?" alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

Pip, having devoured her length of jerky (and decided not to steal Sascha's), turns her attention to Alys and the kite. Approaching the woman with a curious trill, she watches as the kite is lifted tentatively. Even as aerodynamically challenged as she is, the lizard can see that this isn't going to work: it needs momentum, a runway, wings...

"Snow moss." Koa has turned over on his tummy, reaching for rocks buried in the grass. So it is that he doesn't see the dragon rising on her hind legs, reaching for the kite. If allowed to grab it, the little dragon will then leap up into the air, her wings flapping furiously, her little body rising into the air as she....

"Pipsqueak Catsnake Wormling Carpenter the Noodle, are you flying?" Koa half-stands, slack-jawed, a mossy rock in one hand, his other one reaching dumbly toward the airborne dragon. To anyone else (sorry Alys) this might seem like a bizarre overreaction, but for Koa watching his little dragon flying- flying- flying------

Let's just say there are tears. Manly, manly tears.

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

Alys's first thought was, perhaps surprisingly, not that the young man was mad to be so enthralled by his dragon's flight, but rather that no companion had any right to have that many names. She froze in place, kite half-raised, little dragon clinging to the wooden frame and scraps of fabric and rising, rising, rising into the air. Alys stared first at Pipsqueak, then at Koa, then at Sascha, who looked up from her jerky with a sort of mental shrug that told Alys that her companion was at just as much of a loss as she was. Then there were - wait, was he crying? Alys had pretty good luck when it came to strangers - most everyone she'd met in Caido had been kind to her. Normal, even. This interaction? Definitely not normal. "That, uh, looks like flight?" Alys said after a moment, her voice lilting into a question mark, because honestly, what the fuck else were dragons supposed to do? alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

The Dragoon grabs Alys by her shoulders, shaking her gently with enthusiastic glee. "It does, doesn't it?" Too excited to think through his actions. It's not, like, sobbing or anything, but yeah, when Koa turns back to look at Alys, she won't need her powers to see the tears in his eyes. This is a moment that's been years in the making. It doesn't matter that Alys has no context for its importance. Sorry babe, you're part of this now.

Unfortunately, it turns out that just because she can fly, doesn't mean Pipsqueak is ready for it. Koa's thrumming enthusiasm shoots electric through the bond, filling the little dragon with confusion - and then panic, as she realizes that she's actually in the air. Shrieking her terror, the long wyrm clutches Alys' kite tightly, her little wings flapping wildly as she begins to careen through the sky.

It brings Koa's attention back up to her, his own joy melting into alarm. "Pip! Pip, flap!" he exclaims, waving his arms (and the mossy rock) in frantic demonstration.

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

Let's be honest, weirder shit happens in Caido than a random guy getting emotional because his dragon was flying. So Alys took this strange turn of events in stride, glancing between Koa and Pipsqueak with a bemused expression, letting the pair have what was clearly a moment - at least, until the little dragon shrieked in something that seemed a lot like fear and began to careen through the air, still attached to the kite. Koa, to his credit, tried to instruct the dragon, shouting and flapping his arms frantically. For Alys's part, she stood frozen, unsure if she should lift the kite higher, perhaps start running to give the contraption - and the dragon attached to it - some much-needed lift. Or maybe she should just... put them both down. If Pip wanted to fly (or not?), perhaps the little dragon should do it without having the access to destroy Alys's kite. Sascha just watched, her fuzzy head cocked to one side as Koa flailed with his arms. Alys debated simply shoving the kite into Koa's flapping arms and walking away, leaving him to deal with his companion however he saw fit. But, honestly, things were just getting interesting, and besides, she still had a kite to fly. "Easy," she crooned to the dragon at last, tightening her hold on the kite in an attempt to get it under control and stop it from careening through the sky. "It's okay," she continued gently. "You're okay." alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

Seemingly torn between flying away with the kite and curling into a ball, it's only through the steady, soothing voice of Alys that Pip (and Koa) manage to calm down. Slowly the dragon's frantic flapping steadies into something more productive, her blue eyes focusing on the Seer's. Needle-sharp claws unclench a little, though the dragonling doesn't fully relinquish the kite. Instead she tugs against it, gently, trilling a nervous inquiry as she looks between Alys and Koa.

The Dragoon swallows, his chest a knot. "Um... I think she wants to try again. To help get the kite airborne. Pip, you sure?" For all he's tried this past year to get the dragon flying, being here, so close to it happening, fills him with a deep paternal fear. "Do... do you mind? Maybe I can run with her to get things moving? But if not it's okay too! We can always try with mine."

Which is a lie. That poor destroyed monstrosity will never touch the sky.

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall

Alys breathed a faint sigh of relief as the dragon began to calm, her frantic flapping becoming steadier. It seemed as though Koa, too, was soothed by the sight of Pip beginning to act more rationally. Altogether, their little group seemed to breath a little easier, even as Pip tugged gently against the kite. The seer raised a brow at the little creature, then at Koa, but surrendered the kite easily enough. "Be my guest," she said, still a bit bemused. And then, because it seemed like the boy and his dragon were still a bit nervous, Alys added, "You got this," before stepping back to give them some room, her dark eyes watching intently. Fortunately, she had healing magic if something went awry, but she'd much rather it not be needed - even if the pair's reactions to Pip's almost-flight were... concerning. alys glasse

Some people crash two or three times
And then learn from their mistakes

"You're the best," Koa gushes gratefully, looking very much like he'd sweep the woman into a hug, would the kite not be crushed by the act. Instead he settles for taking it - and the dragon - gingerly from her, an air of intensity falling about him as he stares the wyrmling down."Alright, Pip - this is the day. I can feel it. Today, you're gonna really fly."

Looking back at Alys (who has wisely stepped away), Koa swallows, flashing a nervous grin. "Hear that, Pip? We got this," he whispers, laying a kiss on her fluffy head before yeeting her into the sky.

And so it goes, with multiple attempts and a great deal of shouting, both celebratory and disappointed. Eventually, though, they'll reach a point where Pip and the kite remain airborne - though which is actually keeping them flying remains somewhat unclear.

"Thank you so much Miss Alys," Koa beams, watching with blistering pride as the little dragon hovers in the wind, her wings outstretched, her fur like a flag. "I've been trying to figure out how to get her to fly for ages. This is... this is really great."

Koa Carpenter

But we are the ones who don't slow down at all
And there's nobody there to catch us when we fall