(open.) take these broken wings and learn to fly

[steler]

CHARACTERS: Kaz Brekker & Open
DATE: during january but before leaving oska.
WARNINGS: None, probably, but I'll warn as needed
SUMMARY: Kaz tries to figure out how to use his new crow powers and mostly fails. It's definitely a training montage.



a. - early january, training center

[kaz receives a scroll that details a new power he's been given. it's still strange to think of all the different kinds of magic that exist, above and beyond what the grisha were capable of and weirder still to think he's been granted a magic no one would ever be able to use at home. but he's not complaining - far from it.

kaz wants to know everything about how to use it. what use was a new skill he was just going to ignore? he reads over the scroll again and again until he's got the entirety of the instruction memorized. he figures someone might know how to do this already, but he doesn't seek out help. he can learn on his own, and that's fine.

once he's satisfied with the concept, he pockets the scroll and heads off towards the training center. it takes him a little bit of trial and error to figure out how to make it actually work, but eventually it creates a nice, chill landscape. a few hills, no enemies. just space to try and make this magic happen.

kaz takes a deep breath and concentrates. concentrates on the idea and shape of a crow. what it might feel like. he concentrates so hard that he barely notices when he manages to make the shift -- only to shift back to human a few seconds later.

time to try again.]

b. - mid january, courtyard.

[a few seconds had gradually become a few minutes and a few minutes had become, well, ten minutes. ten minutes was pretty much his peak right now, but it was a fairly consistent ten minutes each time. it's enough time, that, if he were good at flying it would be all he needs for most normal sorts of break ins. Not the best for eavesdropping, maybe, but there's still time to keep learning.

he's moved his practicing from the controlled environment of the training room to the courtyard. yes, it's a more open venue and he's therefore more likely to be harassed by random agents, but he needs to not feel safe. real abilities had to be good when it counted, regardless of pressure, regardless of audience.

so far, he's mostly been concentrating simply on taking the form, on keeping it. trying to get ever longer intervals. but now, it's time to learn how to really fly. there is, however, one slight issue with that: the crow that kaz turns into has one poorly healed wing. as he gets off the ground, his balance is hard to gain. it's hard to get higher. it tires him out and for all that ten minutes might have been consistent while he was standing still, flying is a whole other concept together. two minutes, three minutes, a little into the air and then he shifts back, falling to his knees in the grass.

kaz doesn't seem to be hindered by this, although he could do with a nicer landing and without the shock to his leg each time but he pushes past it and tries again. one more time, one more time.]

c. - late january - around

[with almost a month under his belt of relentless attempts to get a handle on this thing, kaz is at least finally consistent enough that he doesn't think he'll die trying to get anywhere in crow form, although he does often get flashes of his botched bank job and falling off a roof. he doesn't want to be cautious, but he doesn't really want to get hurt either. practice makes perfect - he shifts into crow form, takes off and flies six feet off the ground, ten feet, fifteen feet before flying back down to make a perfect landing before changing back. The landing is important. Truly, his practicing is much improved now that he isn't coming down hard on his leg.

maybe it'll become useful - but it's still going to take a lot more time before he can hold it consistently for any long period of time. it's unlikely to be the key to any heist, but, hey, dude can turn into a literal crow now. that's kind of cool. kaz thinks so, though he might not ever say as much.]

Comments

[steler]

[for a moment he weighs the cost benefit analysis of giving her a lecture about how presumptuous shes being versus just accepting her hand and dealing with it... and ultimately decides to just take her hand, giving her his own gloved one to accept her help to his feet.

but that doesn't mean he's going to just not comment]

I didn't ask you to come over here.

[fintastic]

Yeah, but I did.

[ Despite her deceptively small frame, her grip is solid and she's strong enough to help pull him up. ]

My name's Feferi. [ And, ] Are you normally a human, or a bird? Just wondering!

[steler]

[you can't just ask people if they're human feferi!!]

Normally a human. The bird is...a recent development.

[after they shake hands and he reclaims his bubble of personal space:]

I'm Kaz Brekker.

[fintastic]

It's nice to meet you! Is the bird thing something ALASTAIR taught you?

[ She may or may not be trying to subtly size him up to see if there's any obvious injuries that she can point out. She got the message loud and clear that he wasn't interested in her help, but that sort of thing doesn't really deter her. ]

[steler]

That's correct.

[it's less her help and more...touching in general. but also her help, i guess.]

No one can change shape like this where I'm from. Around here, though... [there's a cursory nod in her very gray and vaguely fish like direction] it hardly passes for fantastical.

[fintastic]

I don't know, I think it's pretty fantastic myself!

[ She knows what he means, and she knows she's not human, but humoring the euphemisms and subtle hinting is way less fun than pretending she doesn't get it. ]

If I could turn into something, I think it would be a whale, or a dolphin... but that's probably not as useful as a bird, huh? --what do you think of seagulls?

[steler]

[kaz doesn't push the point at least...]

Whales or dolphins would be a little useless in a world like Perdition's Rest. [but maybe they'll end up under the sea one day he honestly wouldn't be surprised.] Seagulls work if there's water nearby. [beat] I'm sensing a trend.

[fintastic]

No, what? Really? I'm sorry, I just don't know what you mean!

[ She wiggles her fins a little, even while she pretends to be shocked and confused. ]

--are you really sure you're okay?

[steler]

Cute.

[he really doesn't think it's cute.]

You don't have trouble breathing above water, I take it.

[fintastic]

[ It's okay; she thinks it's cute, enough for the both of them. ]

Either that, or we're secretly under water! [ She hums. ] By the way, my name is Feferi. You promise if you do get hurt, you will let me know. Okay?

[steler]

[ok that one gets something of a laugh from him]

I'm Kaz Brekker. [hes not sure why she cares but the least he can do is say:] I'll let you know. Thanks.

[fintastic]

Alright. I guess I will be on my way then, and let you get back to being a bird...

[ She'll relent... for now. She breaks away, already heading back on the path she was originally heading down, walking backwards for a moment. ]

It was nice meeting you! Remember... you promised!

[ She still sounds a little reluctant, but she said she'd be on her way, and she makes good on that. She makes note to hassle him again later. ]