Such a thing to come of it... (Open +Delerium)

[Marr-bles™]

Darkened eye's stared at the site infront of him. Nothing looked so bare to him before and he was amazed at the site of the almost dried up lake. He looked behind him at his mother, whose eye's were on the water as well. She walked slower than her son, but she reached the edge of the water just as fast as Rete' did.

"Mommy, did you ever visit this place? Before it got all dried up...?" THe little boy asked, taking a step on the area that once held water. The water closer towards the middle was still there, but it had receded. He bent down and picked up some dirt letting it run through his tiny fingers. Ria bent down beside her son, placing a hand on his back.

"Yeah, Actually I did. Just a few times. I was more of an inside girl. I used to hate being around alot of water, you know why of course, but I do miss the way it looked!" She told her son, and picked up a rock looking at it's color. Pure white was in the middle of the rock, it's shape was cut in half, probably from trama of being dropped or the years wore away the edge. She ran her finger over the white part of it and handed it to Rete'. "Here you go. A momento of your first visit to Dotado Lake. Mommy told you it used to be called Cassis lake...

[Enigma]

Enigma sat up slightly and leaned over on his cane to see what was moving behind him. He turned his head and watched the two people move about. They hadn't appeared to see him laying on the bench, probably due to his stature. He watched as she put her hand on his back. And assumed that they were related. Brother and sister perhaps? Maybe mother, but he doubted it. He looked out over the 'lake.' Mother... his mind began to wonder to his own mother, that hid him, and used all her power to send him here. His mind began to slip, along with his hand. His hand suddenly lost grip on his cane, and he tumbled off the bench, landing on his front side, with a loud 'THUMP!'

[Delerium]

Tibarn needed to stretch. Seriously. But unfortunately, he'd learned from experience that to just open one's wings and take off in the middle of a busy human settlement was a major no-no.
The hawk king still had the scar on his leg where the bullet had taken a good piece of his flesh.

Granted, that had been a number of years ago, but if Tibarn's two plus centuries of life had taught him nothing else, it was that humans were highly resistant to change - especially if it was for the better.
However, in this wide open space, Tibarn would be able to spot any potential hazards to his health from quite a ways away and couldn't resist a short flight.
Feeling his powers take over his body as his form melted into that of a great hawk the size of a small horse, Tibarn let loose a shriek and took to the sky.

"KRREEEAAAAAA!"

Oh, wait... what was this? His sight, being much keener in his true form, took in the unmistakeable shape of two humans crouching near no-doubt what was once the shoreline of this greatly diminished lake. Whoops. Tibarn hoped he hadn't scared them... If they'd seen him transform, that would've been bad enough, but to go and screech like he was about to tear someone's eyes out... Bah.

For now, Tibarn circled overhead, debating whether or not he should go apologize and explain himself.

[Marr-bles™]

Rete' jumped slightly hearing the awful screetching sound and Ria acted fast, covering the poor boy as he haunched down beneath his mother. She surveyed the area, her eye's finally reaching the sky seeing the gigantic bird. She held her hand out, electricity surging throughout her hand, ready to zap it if it came near or tried anything funny. Rete' moved from under his mom when she finally released him, letting him move about. Ria was still uneasy with the thing flying around. Too big to be a normal bird. She shook her head and kept an eye on it as Rete' went back to looking at stones and other artifacts of rocks. He smiled picking up a flat rock.

"What is that thing mommy?" He asked, letting his vision go to the bird circling overhead. Ria chewed on her lower lip, letting her hand down, releasing the tention in her hand, the static shock now disappated.

[Delerium]

Ah, well, that was interesting. Tibarn watched in detached fascination as a human boy seemed to just slide right off the bench. Well, humans were nothing if not absent-minded... Among other things, right?

But aside, from that, it seemed he'd scared the mother and her son after all. Bleah. Well, there was nothing for it; he'd have to go and apologize.
Sweeping his wings back elegantly, Tibarn's streamlined body expertly poised for a dive, his wings flaring open and halting his descent at a respectful distance from the pair. As his feathered form melted away and his booted feet touched ground, Tibarn folded his wings neatly and smiled disarmingly. "Sorry about all that, miss. I didn't mean to scare you and your young one... Just stretching my wings, is all!"
He took a step forward and held out a hand in a friendly fashion. "The name's Tibarn. And don't worry, I'd tear out my own heart before even thinking of hurting you or your son."

[Marr-bles™]

"I'm not very sure Rete', but don't worry about it...." Ria comforted the boy turning her attention to the rock that he had found. He seemed pleased with the hardened sediment. She bend down to his level and let him tell her something about the rock, but her vision instantly went back to the bird, noticing that it was starting to decend. What was it doing? It was making it's way back to earth. She stood back up not letting Rete' see her reactions, he kep doing what he was. I'm ready just in case... what... or who is that? She thought instantly as the birds form melted away as boots touched the ground and the rest of the body now present to see. The wings were still there. A gifted indeed. She had to admit, his manners were very polite, something she'd never heard before. At this point, Rete' saw the man with the wings and instantly hid himself behind his mother.

"It's fine... Just wasn't expecting company, I guess we're just a bit jumpy here. Figured this place was baren... Didn't know it was still a place to meet people!" She said noticing the hand and smiled as she took the gesture. "Ria... and this is my son, Rete'. Do you live around here Tibarn?" She put her hand behind herself and brought out her son. He looked to his mother then smiled to the tall man.

"Where'd the gigantic bird go, Ti...barn?" He asked now looking around for the bird that had startled him and his mother.

[Delerium]

Tibarn's hearty laughter boomed out. "I was the bird, little one!" The Laguz king took an instant liking to the young Rete'. "The 'gigantic bird' is right here." He pointed at his own heart.

A genuinely friendly smile split his scarred features. "Ria, huh? Well, aren't you well-mannered for a human! I like that! Why don't you have a seat?" As if thinking to lead by example, Tibarn seated himself cross-legged on the grass. "And I don't know about this place being barren, it just seemed like a good place to stretch my wings without getting pegged by some overly paranoid human." His smile faded some.

He appeared thoughtful for a moment before the smile returned and he motioned once more for Ria and Rete' to sit with him. "Come! Come! No, I do not live around here. Although, this is a very nice place and I think I'll stick around for a while. The humans here seem very tolerant of me, if a little leery, and that's a vast improvement over many of the places I've visited, let me tell you! So tell me a bit about yourself, Ria. Do you live around here? And do you like this place?"
His expression was open and friendly, suggesting he was just making conversation and prying into someone else' personal life was not his intention.

[Marr-bles™]

Rete' lowered his head, realizing that the bird was him and felt just a tad bit embarrassed by his question that he asked. He wasn't trying to make fun of him or offend him by his words. "That was really cool, Ti...barn!" Ria ran a hand over his back as he looked up to her instantly with a crooked smile, and she reassured him with a nodd and a grin to him. Rete' felt better turning his crooked smile into a grin just as his mother did.

Ria sat down taking the same position as he did, crossing her legs. She took the gesture that Tibarn offered and was rather impressed that he wanted conversation and manners of his own. She reached for Rete's side with both hands and sat him down in her lap, he leaned his head on his mothers shoulder. "Well, Tibarn, it's pretty great here... alot of .. humans... don't come here. This used to be a place full of gifteds and since the war, alot of people... even gifteds don't come back here. It was a rare thing for even us to come down here today, but it's great to meet someone here!" She finished up as Rete' seemed like he was burning with a question for the new friend, but continued for a moment. "Well, me and Rete' live right on the lines of the city.... it's different from what this place used to be, but it's home!"

"Hey, Ti - barn... Can you turn into that bird again.. like whenever you wanted to?" He asked with a huge smile, letting his eye's wonder to what he could see of his wings. He glanced at Ria for a moment before turning his attention back to the feathered friend.

[Delerium]

The Laguz gave Rete' an encouraging grin. "Yes, it is quite 'cool' isn't it? Even after all these years, I never get tired of the feeling of transforming!"

Once Ria began speaking, Tibarn leaned forward with an elbow on a knee and his chin resting in the palm of his hand, paying full attention and appearing immensely interested in what she had to say. "Oh yeah? A friend of mine told me something like that had happened... Tragic. It reminds me of a quote I keep close to my heart: 'Whom men fear, they hate; and whom they hate, they wish dead.' I wish it wasn't true, but... clearly it is." He sighed and shook his head slowly. Then he was all smiles again before going on. "Likewise! I wasn't expecting for there to be anyone so far from the town, hence why I chose this place for a little exercise. But you're a very nice human, and I'm glad I've met you, Ria!"

Tibarn burned with a question of his own, but let the little one go first. Impatience will always be the foothold of youth. Seeing Rete''s eyes light up as he spoke, Tibarn couldn't stop the full grin that took hold of his craggy features and spread his wings so the little one could get a better look. "Yes! I was born able to transform into a hawk whenever the need arises. I won't be able to it again for a little while now, as it takes a fair bit of energy to take on my true form. Perhaps I'll take you for a small flight sometime - if your mother allows it, of course! Ha ha ha!"

Having hopefully satisfied the boy's curiosity somewhat, Tibarn could no longer resist posing his own question. "But tell me, Ria, who, or what, are these 'Gifteds' you speak of? I've heard the term around town but haven't really met someone whom I felt I could freely ask..."

[Marr-bles™]

Rete' seemed satisfied with him agreeing with him comment, and seemed to wanna get up from Ria's lap. She held him there, not wanting to let him go just yet. The child stayed put when he started to speak again, watching as he seemed like he was interested in what his mother had to say. He sighed silently and started to fiddle with his fingers, yet couldn't help glancing at the wings.

Ria in return listened as he spoke. Such conversations weren't very common in her household of just a seven year old boy, but she didn't mind that. She rocked Rete' side to side until he finished. "War is an awful thing... changed the city for the worse... but things worked out in the end..." Rete' moved from Ria's lap and sat beside her, crossing his legs, wanting to do the same as the two grown ups in his presents, but took in the site of the mans wings as he spread them out. Rete' seemed to be mesmerized by the sight of the wings, but a pat from Ria told him not to stare and the boy quickly took his eye's off the feathered wings.

"Rete', remember your manners!" She said in a whispered tone to her son, then smiled to Tibarn. "I wouldn't mind of course. I think it would be good for him... but we won't trouble you, Tibarn." She paused a moment to think about what to say with his question. She knew he was evidently gifted, but to let him know about their powers? To tell him they were the gifteds that he had heard about.

"Tibarn... You are looking at a gifted... Well, actaully two of them. YOu see, My son and myself are those... gifteds. We are human, yes, but special." She said seeing Rete's reaction to her talking about the powers that they had inherited. "if I may be so bold... but you are also a gifted! My son... can control technology and myself... well, lets just say that I can also transform myself into something. Electricity!" She told him, waiting for his reaction to the confession of their powers. Something she rarely did, but he seemed different from anyone else that they had met along the way of life. He seemed trustworthy.

[Delerium]

Tibarn pursed his lips to keep from chuckling as Ria gently scolded her son. Some things in life would never change, and Tibarn was glad that children were one of those things. Without errant children causing mischief, the world would be a dull place indeed!

"I wouldn't mind of course. I think it would be good for him... but we won't trouble you, Tibarn."

His smile broadened considerably. "Trouble? No trouble at all! Wouldn't I be a plucked pidgeon if I suggested something and then dare say it was trouble! We Laguz do not speak unless we mean what we say."
He listened intently to her explanation of Gifteds. "Is that right? I see! I shouldn't have been so ignorant to think that a 'Gifted' would be easy to spot! Ha ha ha!"
At her insistance though that he were Gifted, Tibarn frowned slightly. "Well, I don't know about that... I don't mean to alarm you, but I'm not human." His smile returned and he puffed his chest out slightly. "I am Laguz! And there are many like me, so I don't know if we could be called Gifted... but suit yourself, I won't argue with the monkier of being special!"
He nodded respectfully when Ria admitted to her and Rete's powers. "Ah. Interesting indeed!" The Laguz looked a little leary of her though when she mentioned electricity, but it was quickly gone and he brightened again. "And I can see why you are reluctant to admit it; we share much in common, Ria. We Laguz too, are forced to sequester ourselves from the rest of the human world..."

[Marr-bles™]

Rete's seemed to get a burst of energy, he stood up immediatly and clapped his hands, looking to the friendly stranger and to his mother yet again. "Really Mommy? I can.... can I...?" The energy of the little boy seemed to be over exaggerated as Ria tugged on the boys shirt to get him to sit down. "Sorry about that Tibarn... usually he's not this... hyper! You know?" Rete' looked to his mother, and instantly shy'd away from the sitution and sat beside his Ria, leaning his head on her arm, but still his eye's went to his wings and he smiled again.

Ria thought in her head about him saying he wasn't human. Well, most gifteds weren't human were they? Humans didn't have powers, but when she said they were humans only special, she meant that they looked like humans that held a deep secret, but she shrugged her shoulders a bit wrapping her arm around Rete' again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you at all by saying you were gifted... I just meant you, like me, were not exactly human, as you said! " Ria paused a moment as Rete' poked on Ria's arm. "What is it Rete'?"

Rete' stretched up to Ria's ear and quickly whispered in her ear, Ria smiled as he sat back down. Rete' watched the winged man for an answer. Kids questions were innocent. They craved information. "Rete' wanted to know if you had any kids his age?"

Ria asked Tibarn, letting her gaze wonder around the lake's scenery, suddenly noticing that there was actually someone there that she and her son had not seen. She gave a questioning glance to Tibarn. "Who do you suppose that is?"

[Delerium]

Tibarn waved a hand dismissively. "Not at all! I'd be concerned for the boy's mental health if he wasn't excited at the prospect of trying something new! It just proves to me that he is a normal young one, and that he has a very caring mother." Kindness and understanding shone in Tibarn's fierce amber gaze.

At her insistence that she didn't mean to offend him, he waved her words away again. "Offended? If I were offended, you would know my dear lady! Ha ha ha! No, we Laguz are not easily insulted unless that is the offending party's intention."

The hawk was respectfully silent as Rete' shyly whispered something in his mother's ear.
"Rete' wanted to know if you had any kids his age?"

Tibarn's sunny disposition faded somewhat before he replied; "No, no... not personally, but there are quite a few hawks around your age back home! Mind you, we Laguz age much more slowly than humans, so I'd be hard-pressed to tell you if one of our young ones is 6 or 24! Heh heh heh!" The sun returned to his expression and he patted the grass beside him, motioning for Rete' to sit with him. "Come now! There's no need to be shy! If you have any questions, any questions at all, young Rete', please do not hesitate to ask! After all, one who asks questions today is that much wiser tomorrow!"

At Ria's inquiry pertaining to the youth who had slid off the bench, Tibarn could only shrug. "Don't know. But he's not doing us any harm, so we'll let him be, right?"

[Marr-bles™]

"Well, I guess your right!" SHe said as Rete' moved to get up and took off towards Tibarn, letting his feet drag in the grass as he slowly made his way towards him. Ria watched as he did so, smiling just slightly. "He's a good kid, really... He really hasn't had much for him to get excited with."

Ria sighed watching her son sit beside Tibarn, his features hadn't let go of that smile yet, then directed her attention back to Tibarn's question. "Well, I guess so, but it was just kinda wierd to see him there, and after all this time, I hadn't noticed him... Well..." Her words kinda edged off at the end as Rete' inspected this man. He really was much taller than he had anticipated.

"So... what's it like to fly? I always have to walk everywhere. Mommy gets to travel by elec..trici...tee! She gets to go almost everywhere... can you?" He asked wondering if he was able to travel like his mom did, but he was excited to hear about the places he's been. "What's you ...home like, Ti - barn? Is it nice there... lots a people?"

[Delerium]

Tibarn's smile merely broadened (if such a thing were possible) and he nodded in understanding.
The hawk's face glowed with delight when Rete' overcame his shyness and took his place at Tibarn's side. That warmed his heart mightily!

"Well, young Rete', I suppose flying isn't as convenient as traveling via electricity, but..." He let out a joyful sigh. "There is not much to compare to the feeling of nothing but the wind beneath you and picturesque scenery as far as the eye can see! A bird's eye view is truly a wonderful thing, and something everyone should experience, I think." Tibarn spoke a bit more on the matter at hand, never take his eyes off Rete' and illustrating his point with informative gestures and simple words. Yet he never once talked down to the boy as though he were inferior.
That alone could tell anyone that the big Laguz clearly -and- dearly loved children...

"And my home? Well, my opinion is probably biased because it is my home, but Phoenicis is the most beautiful island you could ever lay eyes on. Nature virtually untouched! And as long as I'm king, that's the way it'll stay! My people don't exactly exist in large numbers, but Phoenicis boasts the largest population of hawk Laguz in the world! You and mother will have to come visit someday..."