OOM: Part One

[theresnodoor]

Rachel's been back in Milliways for a while. Long enough to soothe questions - or ignore them outright - about where she'd been, why she left, what she did. Long enough to put a pair of boots, a hat, and a few other unique items of clothing into her closet, buried deep in the back.

Long enough to get antsy again, even while she smiles and gets back to their routine.

The balcony doors are open and Rachel fights back a shiver in the cool air. It's not that bad, but she hasn't bothered getting dressed yet. Mostly for the opportunity to stop Tobias from taking off right away.

"Hang on. I'll come with you."

He doesn't always like an audience when he's hunting but she feels like flying today.

Comments

[whoiwasmeant2be]

Tobias pauses, his head turning back to examine her. It's been a while since they've flow together.

But he waits. He's not going to refuse her, after all.

[theresnodoor]

Sometimes, it's important to stretch your wings, even part-time wings. Tobias knows this better than most; Rachel doesn't feel any need to explain.

Some morphs go easier than others and this was one of her first. Familiar feather-shaped tattoos appear on exposed skin and the material of her morphing outfit, itching faintly as they burst into real barbs, fluffy black and white feathers covering her body.

Today, the last change is her eyes. Sky blue to fierce gold as she spreads her wings and hops up onto the railing beside Tobias.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

<Hi> he says, a smile in his voice.

[theresnodoor]

No one smiles like Tobias. And not just because he does it audibly.

<Hi,> Rachel returns, her voice very similar to his. She ruffles her feathers a little. <I'll follow you?>

[whoiwasmeant2be]

He bobs his head, then leans forward slightly and launches. The hawk's scream almost seemed to laugh and say 'catch me if you can'.

[theresnodoor]

Oh, well, if he's going to start out like that...

There's laughter in his head as the eagle spreads its wings. Rachel launches off the balcony, flapping hard. She has more strength than he does but that means nothing, when it comes to Tobias' flying skills.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

Well, not nothing. But Tobias has an advantage, and he knows it. And he's not afraid to use it. He dives for speed, then pulls up, banking into an updraft that sends him soaring upward.

[theresnodoor]

Rachel chooses her morphs for strength, size, power. It's rare that she regrets it.

<Show off!> she calls, but there's still laughter in her voice, and a bald eagle diving to stay sharp on his tail.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

<It's not my fault you're so slow> he shoots back, sounding fond. Perhaps all the moreso by the fact that she isn't slow. For all his extra practice, she's not far behind him.

[theresnodoor]

Oh, he did not just.

Rachel settles back a little, lets the eagle take more control. She knows how to fly without it but it will always be able to focus better on this than she can. Her wings flare and her tail feathers shift and she rockets back up into the air just behind him. A pocket of warm air helps speed her along and the eagle screams right behind him, taunting.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

His voice laughs in her head as he tilts forward into a dive. A serious dive. Wings swept back, head tucked slightly, tail feathers pulled in tight.

Very few things can out-dive a red tailed hawk.

[theresnodoor]

It's not that often that Rachel really feels clunky in this body. Watching Tobias fly - and specifically, dive - is one of them.

She's just about to follow him when another idea occurs to her. Instead of diving along behind him, she banks sharply and disappears into the trees.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

In the middle of the dive, Tobias isn't aware of much but his arc and his target, but as he pulls out of it, skimming above the trees, he glances back to find that she's not with him.

He swivels his head, trying to spot her. Trying to guess where she might have gone.

[theresnodoor]

Nothing there. Not in the trees, not above him. The only landmark close enough from here is the giant cold spot of the lake they tend to avoid for lack of thermals.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

Tobias circles, banking over to the nearest thermal and slowly gaining some altitude, still trying to spot her. And hoping that nothing has gone wrong.

[theresnodoor]

Nope, nothing wrong. But when you can't be faster and stronger isn't helping in a race, you find other ways to jump forward.

Like, the fact that they avoid the lake for thermals - and for Tobias.

Bald eagles, on the other hand, are water birds, and are very good at keeping their speed when just a few inches above the surface.

She catches a thermal right off the beach and all but rockets up to him, laughing wildly.

Should've looked down.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

He banks away on instinct and surprise, but then his laughter joins hers. <Nice one!>

He recovers himself and slides into position off her left wing.

[theresnodoor]

Rachel can't believe that actually worked, honestly. Not that she'll be admitting it.

She's still laughing as they settle in, wings spread to coast comfortably beside him. <I hate when you dive like that during a race. It's cheating!>

[whoiwasmeant2be]

<There is no cheating> he chuckled. There was a sense that he might have shaken his head, too, though it didn't move.

They'd learned that long ago: all that mattered was winning.

[theresnodoor]

They can be maudlin some other time. Rachel's too busy defying gravity at the moment.

<Cheating,> she insists, sounding amused. <Go get some breakfast, I'll stretch my wings.>

[whoiwasmeant2be]

<See you in a bit> he answers, clearly agreeing. Then he stoops again, diving into the trees.

[theresnodoor]

Rachel veers off in the other direction, a sharp turn that tests the eagle's agility. She won't rush him, but that means she can take the opportunity to push the morph and have some fun.

She's scouting a little bit, too. It's been a while since she spent a full day with Tobias, not just flying, but they might as well take advantage of it. She's wandered Milliways before but there's plenty of it she hasn't seen by air.

[whoiwasmeant2be]

It takes a bit, but eventually Tobias shoots upward out of the trees again, the hawk's scream signaling his rise as he scans the sky for Rachel.

[theresnodoor]

Rachel cries back to him, the eagle's cackling call sounding over the trees. She circles back around as soon as she spots him, flapping lazily.

<Where do you want to go?>

[whoiwasmeant2be]

<Wherever you do> he answers. Then chuckles in her head. <Got anywhere you want to explore today?>