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 Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:06 am
Riley nodded, lifting her shoulders to flex the muscles that made the wings move. They're not ready to support my weight, which is why I would hang limp from the wings. Honestly, it's not difficult to imagine, I just..
Her hand fell from her shoulder, and wrapped around her opposite arm.
Why do you want me to fly, Jericho? Are you.. I mean, would you rather..
She paused, and her eyes hardened flatly.
If you're getting tired of me being your rider, you should just say so.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:13 am
The words and accusations stung Jericho pretty hard and it actually caused him to take a step back and away from Riley. Did it really come across that way? That wasn't what he wanted at all.
"No, it's not that at all," he started as his wings began to sag down some, "I love having you as my rider... I just.. thought I'd try to help turn something you consider a curse... into a gift."
"Maybe this really was a bad idea.." he said before starting to turn away.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:19 am
She'd hurt him.
Jericho, wait. Stop. Please. Both her hands lifted up as she took an awkward hastened step to grab him and pull him into a crushing embrace. Don't you dare ever look at me like that again. You know I can't stand it when you do. I just didn't like the idea of losing you, that's all.
She pulled herself back so she could get a look at him, perfectly contrite.
Come on. Teach me how to fly.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:31 am
Before Jericho knew it, he felt Riley pulling him into a tight embrace. Feeling a warmth within, a small smile crept back onto his features before he turned around to face her again.
"You can never get rid of me. You should know that by now," he smiled before hugging her tightly in return. Pretty soon, the spark of determination had returned to his eyes.
"Alright. Let's do this. Let's focus on trying to hover first. It'll help you get a grasp on the amount of power needed to control the crystals. It'll.. kinda be like when a fledgling is first flapping its wings to build strength, hopping up and down to try and gain a little bit of lift to practice before the first real flight attempt."
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:48 am
Oh, Jack. What had she gotten herself into..
As soon as the excitement was back in his voice, she looked hesitant. After all, he was asking for her to do something that no other mindflayer had ever done. It was going to be.. weird.
Do you have any ideas as to how I can do this without picking myself up like a ragdoll? Because, well..
Her wings flared to life behind her, vibrant and glowing with power. They flapped, just once, and Riley was lifted an inch from the ground - pulled forcefully by her back. The rest of her hung loose and, well.. more than a little pathetically.
This does not please me.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:58 am
Jericho watched as Riley demonstrated the crystalline abilities. It did... look a little pathetic there. Furrowing his brow, he rubbed his chin while thinking it over.
"Do you have any extra crystals? Perhaps... at least until you develop the muscles to hold yourself more properly, you can carry some crystals within your hands to push yourself up. Either that or have small psionic crystals all around your body - in your clothing to help counter being lifted like that?" he suggested.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:24 pm
Immediately Riley was back on the ground, and the glow that exposed the membrane of power holding them together ebbed away. There's one small problem with that, unfortunately. The only reason my skin isn't ripping out as it is, is because it has become tough and hardened with scars. That, in addition to the Fear Nurse Cricket infused into it, is why I'm still intact. If I try to use crystals anywhere else on my body..
She reached up and cracked a crystal right off her wings. It flared angrily in her hand, and started to try and burrow into her skin. Blood blossomed from the slices it raked, and Riley flicked it back up into her wings, where it was pulled like a magnet back into the fold.
She held up her palm, with three very thin slices, like papercuts, growing bright red with blood.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:40 pm
Eyes widening as he saw the crystals attack her, Jericho soon frowned while taking her hand to look over the small incisions. So much for that plan. There would have to be another way to stabilize her body so that she wouldn't just be hanging limply in the air until she developed the strength to do so.
"Is there anything you can do with science to use as a way to stabilize yourself?" he asked. She would know the answer to that question more than he did, "Otherwise... you'll just have to make due with strengthening your back so you could keep yourself upright when flying and hovering."
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:46 pm
Riley's flat, doubtful look quickly morphed into a spark of excitement. Science? What a wonderful idea.. perhaps there was something that could be done scientifically to keep her straight while the wings-
Instantly she thought of Malodore's wings, and a plan formed in her mind.
Now that you mention it, there might be.. She walked past him, lost in thought. Her hand tapped the front of her face as her mind drew up blueprints. It would be temporary, of course, much like Malodore's slings were. She looked like she was just mumbling into the wind, but Jericho could hear her every word.
Slung around the wings, held taut, with hand and leg holds, they could even double as an exercise regiment.. it could work.. She had almost forgotten Jericho couldn't see in her mind, or else she would give him a better explanation of what she had planned.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:53 pm
His suggestion seemed to spark something within Riley, which caused Jericho to grin further. As she walked past him, he turned around and started to follow after her. Though, since she was sort of rambling more to herself, he was having a little trouble getting at what she was describing.
"Wait... what do you mean?" he asked while stepping in line besides her. Right now, he had the image of Riley strapping her hands and legs to her wings which put a bit of an odd image in his head. Not to mention that would make landing and walking a little difficult most likely.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:59 pm
She stopped as soon as Jericho interrupted her thoughts, and looked up at him with a touch of confusion. It vanished and she nodded, blinking the rough idea into his head. She was using the wings as some sort of glider, having attached slings to the top, and the bottom wings. From the slings were hand and footholds, that she could grab and pull, keeping her body taut using her own strength while the wings remained rigid. It was exploiting the rigidness of the wings, instead of letting that be a weakness.
And it was an exercise in muscle strain, holding herself rigid until she could do it without the help of her arms and legs.
Something like that might work. For a while.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:05 pm
As the image was projected into his mind, Jericho blinked for the moment before smiling widely at his best friend. Leave it to her to figure something out like that.
"Great idea!" he said, "That should definitely work until you're able to hold yourself up without needing that. How long do you think it'd take you to make that? Once it's done would do do our first mini test flight with it!"
He was pretty excited about this. And he was glad that she was finally on board with the idea as well.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:08 pm
Well it really shouldn't take long at all. I'd just need some stuff from the Fitness Club. You could tie it around my wings, and... we can hope for the best.
Her hope was that her wings wouldn't slice through the slings in mid-flight. That was about it.
She reached up and mussed his hair. Come on, you troublemaker. Let's go.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:25 pm
Smirking, Jericho nodded and chuckled as she messed with his hair.
"Alright," he said before heading over towards the fitness club with her so she could build the support for herself.
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:37 pm
When they arrived at the Fitness Club, Riley unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. The first thing I need is to pull off the handlebars of some of the rock climb. We can get them replaced later. Probably.
Or people could just get stuck in mid-climb and have to find out alternative ways to get through.
Either way.
She chuckled and started climbing a few steps, grabbing a random handlebar and prying it viciously from its affixed location. The sound of broken nails was grating on her ears.
I need four of them. Then, we'll make some slings.
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