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 Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:35 am
The court was empty save for one lone coyote, dribbling, panting, and muttering to himself now and then. This had been required for his rehabilitation and therapy - which Kinnara and Bijin were paying for. Physical activity had to be a part of his everyday routine. He'd been too lazy for too long - and Dragon's quick medical evaluation placed him well below the proper healthy numbers for his age group. Which meant he had to exercise. His heart, his lungs. Build up some resistance, try and keep his muscles from just sliding off him, as he hadn't been eating too well either. Or rather, hadn't been eating much of anything. As it was, he was having a hard time catching his breath. But he knew he had to keep at it, or he'd never get used to it. He dribbled down the centerline of the court.
"It's Aeka down the court... "
He faked left then right, and shot.
"He goes left, he goes right - he shoots!"
The ball bounced off the backboard, and across the court to the other side.
"... and misses! That's the game folks! The sorriest loss in the history of ever."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:48 am
"I wouldn't say in the history of ever. Maybe in the history of five minutes, but forever is a pretty long time to suck, eh?"
The voice emanated from not too far away. Eyes of brilliant sapphire had been observing Aekepi for a few minutes as the distance closed between himself and the court boundaries. Talons closed gently on the orange sphere as it lazily ended its journey before him, and Carl quickly smacked the edging of it - causing the ball to spin on one of his tapered appendages. The basketball was some odd twice his size but the bird was by now used to this manner of size difference. A smile playfully tugged at his features as with the object he approached the coyote, offering it back to him.
"So, are you in the habit of playing basketball with one man or is this just a practice run?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:00 am
Aekepi panted, and took the ball back, starting to dribble again, and running up the court to actually sink a basket, as he could jump high enough to throw it in. He spoke between panting breaths.
"Had... no one... to play with. He shoots... he scores! The crowd goes wild!"
He laughed, using up more breath, caught the ball, and started dribbling again, around the court.
"You must be... one of the new... people. I am.. too."
He shot again - missing wildly. Short shots he was good at - long ones, not so much.
"My name's... Aekepi."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:06 am
Carl observed him for a moment before retrieving the ball again. This time, he withheld it at his side and waited for Aekepi to come back. The initial smile wavered as he watched the ragged, labored breathing the boy exhibited.
"My name's Carl, and yeah, you could say that."
He gestured him to come closer, beckoning him with a claw.
"C'mere for a sec and take a load off. The hoop isn't going anywhere fast."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:11 am
The coyote nodded, and moved over to where the smallish other was, seating himself right on the ground, and leaning back on his hands, chest heaving for breath. That had been a crazy workout - even though he'd just been shooting hoops for a little over a half hour. His flaming tail flicked behind him as he looked up at the other.
"You're.... really small." he said, not meaning to be rude. "What... exactly... are you?"
His breath was still running away from him and hadn't been caught. If it went on like this much longer, he though he was going to have a heart-attack. Dragon wasn't kidding when he'd said to take it easy for the first couple of weeks. Whoops. Aaah well. He'd calm down soon enough.
"You... play.. Carl?" he asked, expectantly.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:28 am
The bird looked a bit peeved for a moment. Granted, Aekepi was several feet higher than he - so the response was only natural. Carl resigned himself to it, bouncing back almost as swiftly as he'd retreated into a defense.
"I'm a Velvet, we're all this size or a little taller."
Damn those two inches to hell.
An inclined glance was directed towards the coyote boy's chest as he gently directed the conversation.
"Yeah, I play, though you look like you're not used to it. Not that it's my business, but you should take it easy on your first few runs."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:32 am
Aeka laughed and nodded as the bird chastised him. Yeah - he probably should take an easy. And he should lie down, too. Dizzy was an understatement right now. He crawled his way over to where a tree was shading a bench, and heaved himself up onto it, flopping down on his back, still unable to full catch his breath. Woefully out of shape.
"I.. used to... play...a lot." he said, resting one hand over his stomach, and letting the other dangle. "Before... my dads..."
He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence. It was still too painful, and even now he felt tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. He didn't want to see that in his memories again - feel it, either. Instead, he changed the subject.
"How... long have you... been here?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:49 am
Carl pursued him. The eagle carefully maneuvered himself up the side shingles of the bench to reach the threshold where he perched. He clutched the metal railing for a minute before swinging himself over to land on his new acquaintance's chest where he settled in comfortably. To the snippet of past memories he offered a sympathetic smile before this fell away to a normal sort of state. After all, he figured he got enough of those kinds of looks without his contribution. Carl fiddled with one of his feathers.
"I haven't been here long. You're the first person I've met since arriving here. Maybe, when you're rested, we could shoot a few hoops. I know I'm small - but I bet I could give you a run for your money."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:01 am
Aeka was too tired, now that his mind had caught up with his body, to argue that point, even though he'd like to. Rest, at this moment, seemed particularly inviting. His heart was still going a mile-a-minute... so why was he so sleepy all of a sudden? He closed his eyes, sighing as his breath finally started to come back. A breeze tickled through the leaves of the tree, and Aeka yawned wide, a tremor running through his body as the chill of the wind hit his skin. He didn't seem to mind having the bird on his chest. Actually, he was too exhausted at the moment to even care. He managed a grin and a retort though, after a few moments of his being able to breathe again.
"I'll take you up on that... once I'm up to it. I don't feel so good."
Which was true. He still felt dizzy. And a little sick. Too much exercise maybe? ... But wasn't it supposed to be impossible to exercise too much? Whatever, he'd ponder over it later.
"Just gonna rest here for a while... it's nice out."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:23 am
Carl nodded in agreement. Wistful tendrils of cool air played delicately through the fringes of his feathers as the wind began to pick up. It was a refreshing sensation which offered an almost audible suggestion to take comfort in the frigid embrace. His beak parted in a yawn as he stretched out and lay down on the considerably larger being, his head coming to rest just above the second rib on the left side, nearer to the sternum than the edging. The heart beat just below that point, its rhythm erratic and wild for someone so tired. It was enough to worry the boy, and he pushed himself up a bit to look at Aekepi again.
"Does your chest hurt, Aekepi?"
It surely sounded like it would, to have his heart hammer so forcefully. Was he sick or something?
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:47 am
"A little, yeah." he admitted, with a shrug. "It always does, after I run around or do anything active."
He yawned again, and closed his eyes. His heart still refused to behave, however. He didn't pay it much mind. More than his heart and lungs were on his mind, and the foremost thing ON his mind WAS his mind. Specifically, his therapist. The man was a b*****d, by Aeka's reasoning. But he'd promised Kin and 'Jin that he'd go through with this, and he was going to keep his promise even if it killed him.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:56 am
Always? Well...he might be used to it than. Carl settled back down, uneasy about the broken cadence of the vital muscle. In time with the beat, his tail twitched, giving some semblance of warning to the boy. Even if he didn't think it worth noting - something in the predatory instincts of the eagle were sending off all manner of red flags.
He tried to dismiss it by offering some insight to his own situation, to balance them out.
"I know how you feel. My heart does that sometimes...but mostly when certain people are around. It won't calm down at all around my uncle. He makes me anxious for some reason."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:04 pm
He laughed at that, and shook his head a bit. Something was nagging in the back of his mind. Something Dragon had said before he walked off this morning and left the house to Aeka. Something about... a eagle! He started, and looked at the one on his chest... then laughed again. Once he'd caught his breath, he spoke to Carl.
"Your mom wouldn't happen to be named Donna, would she? My dad mentioned something about an eagle for a cousin."
Taking a deep breath, he sighed, closing his eyes again.
"My dad's Dragon Arrikanez."
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:11 pm
Carl pushed himself up, slightly alarmed, and feeling more than a bit awkward. Woo boy...he'd really screwed up this time. Had his mother failed to mention that his uncle had been spotted again?
To the query, he nodded, a bit wide eyed at the sudden announcement.
"Your dad is Uncle Dragon? Holy crap...and yeah, Donna is my mom. She didn't mention I'd have to look out for a coyote to..."
Though she had mentioned just about everything else. As far as she was concerned, he was prime target for Dragon to snatch up and whisk away to the castle dungeon or something. Carl scooted back a little.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:23 pm
Aeka reached up to scoop Carl back onto his chest. If the eagle fell and got hurt, he'd never forgive himself. Besides - it felt nice to have someone on his chest. Even if they WERE tiny. He grinned.
"Oh, Dragon's not that bad. I don't know why your mom would say he is. He took ME in, after all."
Once Carl was settled again, Aeka dropped his hand to hang once more, and took a deepish breath. He still couldn't get his heart to stop dancing all over the place. Whatever, he'd worry about it later.
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