13974/Into The Deep .... End.

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Into The Deep .... End.
Date of Scene: 21 November 2021
Location: Swimming Pool, The Triskelion
Synopsis: Yaozu wanders his way to the pool area (a rare happening), and finds Liansong there swimming. Nick Drago comes along with his escort and a sandwich. Some conversation is shares amongst the three.
Cast of Characters: Liansong "Song" Qing, Yaozu Lin, Phantasm (Drago)
Tinyplot: Fortunate Son


Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
It's quite often that the pool is in use by at least one person. Sometimes, there's nobody in it. But today, at this time, it's occupied only by a single figure. That figure seems to be predominmently white, and shaped a bit oddly. For instance, this person seems to have a swimming suit with flowy bits, so his, or her, body is mostly obscured. From time to time, a spot of pink where the face would be, can be seen. The pink is quite pale, almost bloodless in fact.

The figure is swimming quite one mindedly in the water of the pool, from one end to the other. Touch the side with hands, gather in the feet, turn and keep going, back to the other end. As one gets closer to the pool, the more clear the features are. Is that.. a beak? No, it can't be.

But then the figure gets from the pool. That's a beak. And sopping wet white feathers. Wings. Tail. Ear tufts that somehow stick straight up. Once he's out of the pool, Liansong pauses for a moment and shakes himself thoroughly. Water flies everywhere. Good thing this is a pool! And his feathers stick out like porcupine quills.

Once he's shaken himself off, Liansong takes himself along the edge of the pool, skirting within inches of the water. Heading toward the deep end. At the deep end, he turns and goes for the diving boards. The closer one is the lower, standard height board. He walks right on past it. Doesn't even give it so much as a glance. Reaching the higher one, with the longer ladder, Liansong scampers up it, nimble as can be. When he reaches the top, he takes a breath, and half closes his eyes, enjoying the height advantage the board offers.

Liansong seems entirely at ease up there, despite feathers that are entirely wet. He remains paused at the top only for a moment, and then he moves. Rapidly. Toward the end of the board over the pool. He brings his arms in front of himself as he reaches the business end of the board. His steps pause there as he bounces once on the board in prepartion for what can only be a dive.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It is incredibly infrequently that Lin Yaozu comes to this particular room on the base. In point of fact, he's been here only one time since coming to the United States, and that was because he went out the wrong door from the locker rooms. It was no better when he was in his native China. He wouldn't go into the pool room for any reason -- not for love nor money nor any other reason. It was quite simply: no. Whenever there were swimming drills or anything of the like, he simply wasn't present. Or if he had to be present then he was nowhere near the water and certainly not in the water. Never in the water. Never. The slight oddity in that situation is that there's nothing in his file that mentions anything to do with or about the water. Nothing at all. And it's complicated by the fact that Yaozu is not prone to talking about things. Any things, but especially this thing. Getting Yaozu to open up about things is worse than trying to open a can with a knife.

Either way, today, on this fatefully specific day, Lin Yaozu opens the door from the locker room and actually steps as quietly as he's able to do into the pool room. One small step and then another one. Really, the tables and chairs aren't that far! Just over there! It's rather clear that he's not here for the water. The water is not his goal. Not his purpose. What he's wearing gives that part away -- traditional Chinese silk robes in a very pale green, with leaves embroidered in a darker green. There are times when hearing the soft burbling of the water as it makes its way through the various overflows and drains and filters of the swimming pool is oddly pleasing to his ears, oddly soothing despite the ramifications of the fact that it means -there is water nearby-. He tends towards getting anxious just thinking about needing to walk past the pool in order to get to the space where the tables and chairs are.

The black ear tufts slick back, and his feathers flatten out against his body. His wings are held tight and snug against his back. For the moment, for this moment, he breathes, a thing that he actually pays attention to right now. Slowly, hopefully close enough to normally, a breath in and then a breath out. See? It's not that bad. Even if the sound of his breathing might not betray his presence, the beating of his heart might well do it, quicker than normal as it is.

And then he notices Liansong, apparently wet, apparently having already been doing the worst possible thing that Yaozu can imagine (at least for himself to do) which is swimming, and up on one of the diving boards. -Up on one of the diving boards-. There's a skitter of fear through him, and it's worse for the fact that it's Liansong up there rather than just someone, anyone, of the other agents of the base. Yaozu doesn't immediately move from that spot that's only a couple of steps within the room. Quietly, slowly, he exhales a breath, and he somehow manages not to grouse at himself in Japanese. Probably because Liansong would hear him.

His attention holds on Liansong, and he watches. And he can't make himself not watch even though there's a part of him that doesn't want to watch. Because there's something that makes his brain stall in the very idea of jumping intentionally into water from that high up. He doesn't understand the appeal of it. He knows that Liansong swims, it's been mentioned to him before. And so he tries to trust, and he watches, and there's a very faint sound of his prayer beads being moved one at a time along the cord that binds them. Inner calm, peace, tranquility.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
At least opening a can with a knife is doable. Getting a certain agent from China to talk about things is more akin to attempting to open a can with a feather. Most of the time, it's simply not going to happen. On a normal day, the beating of that specific heart would very definitely catch Liansong's attention. But on this day, Liansong's ears are full of the sound of water and splashing and rushing wind. Somewhere, he probably knows there's something out of place. But he's paying no mind at all to anything but himself, and the water.

Liansong would hear, on a normal day. He might even hear today. He might not pay any attention to grousing in Japanese today, though. He really might not. The appeal is simple. The rush, and then the sense of accomplisment at a well executed dive. Perhaps it's the sound of that too swift heartbeat that catches his attention. Perhaps it's the faint sound of the prayer beads clicking against each other. Perhaps it's a combination of both.

Whatever the reason, at the height of his leap into the air, Liansong turns his head toward it. His beak gapes in an obvious grin. Then he's looking at the sky again, beak pointed straight at it. He archs up, graceful and looking for all the world like he's going to spread his wings and fly at aaaaany moment.

Alas. Those snowy white wings stay tucked tightly against his back. His tail is as narrow as he can make it, and also tucked. And then he's turning, beak pointed at the water. And falling, swiftly, arrow straight. Straight at the water. Closer and closer Liansong comes to the rippling surface of the water. Rippling from Liansong's presence within it moments before.

Then comes the meeting. And a small splash, both visual and audible. And Liansong is out of sight, beneath the water. His white white feathers very nearly the same color as the pool tiles beneath the water's surface. Where /is/ he? He's so hard to see!

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It is, at least, something that he's trying to change about himself. But change is not an easy thing to do, not when it's so many years of ingrained habit. Lin Yaozu does try. It doesn't help so much that he and Liansong have been working a lot of opposite shifts in the past months and so have only had a brief amount of time in the mornings and late evenings for such simple (ha!) things as talking.

The fear that possesses Yaozu in these moments is a fear that is generally entirely absent. It exists like some vile creature within him that squishes the air from his lungs and makes it impossible to draw another breath. The fingers of his right hand move as almost automatically -- reach out for a bead, grasp it and slide it along, then repeat. Over and over and over again. There is a certain rhythm to it, soft and steady and even. There's naught that he can do to slow the beating of his heart save for what he's attempting to do already -- find the calm within.

One of his ear tufts, already slicked down, twitches a bit further down when Liansong leaps from the diving board. He stares as though half mesmerized, transfixed. Looking anywhere else would be impossible no matter how hard he were to try. There's a moment, oh such a little moment, when Liansong looks in his direction. And though he's not had his own feathers and wings for very long, Yaozu knows -- -he knows- -- that despite the appearance of it, Liansong isn't going to fly. Oh no he isn't. He's heading for the water. He watches that meeting happen, the splash that arises, and it's only then that he gives a bit of a shudder.

When Liansong vanishes into the water, Yaozu ends up holding a breath rather subconsciously. Where...? Where did Liansong go? He has to be in the water somewhere, because that's where he went to. One of his ear tufts creeps slowly upwards, and Yaozu steps cautiously towards the edge of the pool. Cautiously, but a bit quickly at the same time. His gaze doesn't leave the water, doesn't stop trying to pick out where Liansong went to. He reaches the edge of the pool and stops just shy of it, and his head tilts to one side. "Ah'Song?" he calls out, softly. He doesn't know anything about dives, or how long people can actually stay under water. He knows that too long is -too long-. "Ah'Song?" he repeats, louder this time.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Talking is rarely as simple as is advertised. Under the water as he is now, Liansong doesn't see that shudder. He surely is in the water somewhere, he just can't be seen from above. His dive takes him down, down, down. All the way to the bottom. He touches his hands to the bottom, and then turns to tap his feet there. He comes visible then, the motion rather than stillness giving him away. He stays there for a fair few seconds before he pushes off with his legs, feet semi firmly on the bottom. At a slight angle, heading toward the side rather than straight up.

He's down there for about thirty seconds, perhaps a minute, but certainly not more than that. And when he pops up out of the water, it's below and slightly to the left of Yaozu's chosen location where the black feathered avian looks into the water. The air he exhales when he surfaces can be heard, even as he's hooking his left hand on the top edge of the pool. He takes a deep breath immediately after, and pulls himself up out of the water.

"Hello, mate," says Liansong once he's gotten to his feet. He shakes his head, but not the rest of his body, and only in a way to get the feathers and water out of his eyes. His hands come up to further wipe the water away. Only then does he beak gape grin at Yaozu. Then he turns and, perhaps surprsingly, moves for the diving boards again.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a breath that he exhales through his nares, perhaps out of relief, when his gaze happens to catch the motion that is Liansong's figure moving through the water. It's not as though the water could or would have eaten him up! Yet fear is not a logical thing, and there had been a moment or two when it had appeared to have been exactly the case. Yaozu's other ear tuft slowly rises, and he continues to peer into the water. He doesn't trust it, but there are reasons for that. Not that there are many people who happen to be aware of those particular reasons.

Since he can see Liansong, at least he manages not to jump out of his skin or startle when his roommate surfaces near to him. His beak makes a soft snicking sound, and he steps back from the edge a bit hastily. Nope! Not staying close to the water. Not without a good reason. A very good reason. Like making sure that Liansong was okay. His exposure to bodies of water tends to be done on his own terms, and he's usually better with it.

He watches Liansong come up and out of the water, and he gives a small nod at the greeting he's offered. "Ah'Song," he says softly, a whisper of a smile parting his beak. The smile is short lived as Liansong starts for the diving boards again, and his ear tufts flatten back. He's going to do it again? -Again-?! He gives a slight shudder at the very thought of it, of willingly diving into the water and being submerged in it. His feathers all stay slicked down, and the prayer beads continue their steady walk along their cord one at a time. He takes a deep breath before slowly releasing it, and he doesn't move yet from where he'd retreated from the water's edge.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong sees Yaozu's reaction, and his own ear tufts rise a bit, spiky with the water soaking them. He pauses next to Yaozu where he'd retreated and reaches out one talon tipped finger. He taps the other avian square on his beak, gives a gaped beak grin, and walks on toward the diving boards. Up the tallest one, and another drive is executed. He dives into the water with a splash you'd expect from such a thing. Once again, the angle of his dive and the speed of it takes him to the bottom of the pool.

Just as he had last time, he touches first with his hands, and then flips to push off with his feet. He doesn't tary as long, this time, as he had the last time. But still, he's under the water for a good fifteen seconds, all in all, before he surfaces. This time, not at the side, but out in the middle of the deep end of the pool. Though, some distance from the diving board and closer to where it starts to get shallower with the slope up from the deepest water. That way, if someone else wants to dive, they can. Not that there's anyone else in here, but habits don't die easily. And this is a good habit to keep.

"Come ta swim, mate?" he calls toward the black feathered avian. Liansong spins in the water until he's facing Yaozu. He stays where he is, treading in the water to stay afloat. His wings are now splayed out somewhat, to help with keeping him afloat.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
That talon-tipped finger is gazed past, for a moment, in favour of watching Liansong. Yet the tap upon his beak causes him to go momentarily cross-eyed, blinking a couple of times out of surprise. He doesn't seem to have words, at the moment, which is perhaps not entirely surprising giving how quiet he typically is. He hadn't entirely been expecting that tap on the beak, though in truth he ought have been. Fear can do a lot of things to a person. His ear tufts rise, then fall, his inner eyelids sliding across his eyes as he shuffles slightly back a little bit further from the water. His feathers all fluff out, and then he gives himself a shake. His feathers stay fluffed a moment then slick anew as he looks up to where Liansong is on the diving board now.

And much as the previous time that Liansong had made a dive into the pool, he's not able to make himself look away. And so, he ends up watching, ear tufts lifting up then falling back at the moment of his impact with the water. He's not going to get used to that any time soon, chances are. He doesn't move towards the diving boards, not at all or even a little bit. He still hasn't really moved much towards where he had been intending to go, but at least there's just himself and Liansong here.

At the question asked of him, Yaozu blinks owlishly, and his ear tufts rise and fall again. Come to swim? Hell no! His beak snicks a little bit, and then he gives a little shake of his head, his braid moving hardly at all at his back. "I... did not. I... do not swim," Yaozu says quietly, his gaze falling to the water's edge. It's a moment before he turns his gaze back to Liansong, watching him. He's trying very hard to be okay with the fact that Liansong is in such deep water, but it's not an easy thing.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Even Liansong's tail feathers have spread out. It all helps keep him afloat, along with his feet and hands treading the water. Within the water, those crystal blue eyes blink several times in slow succession as Liansong stares at the other avian. "You... don't swim?" He seems mystified by that notion.

Liansong is perfectly comfortable in the deep water where he is. He hasn't even started to move closer to the edge. Not yet, at least. "Then why'd ya come here, mate?" Only now does the albino avian start to swim toward the edge of the pool. Closer to Yaoza's current location.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
That stare of Liansong's is one that he can feel even before his gaze has lifted enough to meet the look. His beak snicks a little bit, and he gives a small shake of his head. And he's quiet for a moment, which isn't entirely unusual for him. "No, ah'Song... I do not swim. I have not for many years," Yaozu says quietly. He does, at least, offer that much.

The fingers of his right hand still upon the current bead of his prayer beads, both fingers and beads lost beneath the fall of silk from the robes he wears. That hand moves to his side, and he tilts his head faintly to one side at the question that Liansong asks. A question which really isn't that strange, all things considered. He watches Liansong start to swim towards him, but still he remains as he had been. "I... the water," he says quietly, his ear tufts briefly lifting and then falling, "It has a pleasing sound, to listen to," he answers in a soft-spoken voice, a bit sheepishly.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It has been a busy day for Nick. There was a bit of bueracracy in the morning. Then, a meeting about evil terrorist organizations later. Annnnnnd since he's wearing the badge of Guestdom, the rest of the 'can't wander around alone' day consisted of looking at the inside of the meeting room for a sizable chunk of time after the meeting and a few more stops as the one showing him around (sort of) gets his plan on.

It was his stomach that narced him out. There's really no amount of looking cool one can do to offset the gurgle of a tummy declaring 'for the love of GOD give the man a sandwich.' So, After a side trip to the cafeteria, Nick ends up with a sandwich. And now he's sitting down at a table near the pool with said sandwich while even more planning is going on by previously mentioned chaperone.

Ugh. Pool smell while eating your meal is highly overrated.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Have not for many years. These words almost seem to echo inside Liansong's mind. "That.. just..." The albino shakes his head as he pulls himself from the water and onto the pavement. "I can't even imagine not swimmin, mate," he says. He pauses for a moment there and gives himself a full body shake. When he's still again, his feathers stick out in a spiky mess.

"Now I just need ta find a good place here where I can surf. Then I'll be happy." He pauses and clacks his beak together. The sound is sharp and echoes off the walls in here. "Once it gets warmer again. It's too bloody cold." No. Liansong does not like the cold.

His feathers all puff out, the ear tufts the most. "It does have a pleasing sound," he agrees. "The sound of the surf in Sydney on the beaches is..." He breathes out an almost wistful breath. "My idea of heaven." His head turns and his eyes land on Nick with his sandwich. He hadn't seen the man come in. He must have been under the water at the time. His beak clacks again, and he turns to head swiftly back for the diving boards. If one were paying attention, they might notice the slight flushing of pinkness around Liansong's very pale nares as he turns away.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There are sounds of others. And those sounds are difficult for keen hearing to not hear. Yaozu's beak softly snicks a little bit, and his gaze falls to the edge of the pool. His right hand softly slips back to the small of his back, his hand remaining out of sight within the sleeve of his robes. The prayer beads, wrapped neatly about his right wrist, also remain out of sight, though they do make soft sounds when he moves his hand.

His gaze lifts when Liansong moves to get out of the water, and he watches him for a moment before he gives a small nod. There is a small hint of a smile that parts his beak, just for a moment. "It is hard for me to imagine myself swimming, now," he says quietly. Whatever had happened last time had been enough to make him stop, for years. "I do not know where would be good for surfing. Perhaps there is an indoor establishment for it?" he suggests, tilting his head a little bit to one side. Then he's quiet for a moment before he gives a small nod. "It will be colder, when the snow comes," he adds softly.

"If ever I am there, then I will sit on the sand of the beach and listen to it," he says, giving a small nod. He watches as Liansong heads towards the diving boards, and he somehow manages not to shudder at the thought of it this time. His feathers fluff, and he closes his eyes briefly as he shakes himself again, his feathers settling but at least not laying dow quite so slick as they had been. His talons click-tick softly as he moves a bit further from the water, and though he keeps an eye on Liansong, he slowly starts to make his way in the direction of the tables and chairs.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Being that Nick is starving, the musician's attention is focused on the plastic wrapped meal in front of him. It is at the hardest part of the process, finding that damn end piece that unravels it all without smashing up the contents within. Considering the lines of transparent film blends in with the layers underneath, it proves to be challenging. Well, at least he knows the air didn't get get to it.

Rustle. Rustle.

FOUND IT!

Nick flashes a brief smile towards the sandwich, enjoying his moment of triumph. But the line to his lips soon drift downwards as he continues unwrapping the sandwich, pausing to take a bite once enough of it has been exposed. Chewing contentedly, pale eyes drift upwards to assess his surroundings, taking note of the darker one of the unique looking agents from earlier heading his general direction. His head tilts, taking note of the contrasting flash of lighter colored feathers heading towards the diving boards. Hmm. So they're together here as well. Could they be relatives?

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong blinks, steps pausing as he rounds the corner of the deep end closest to the diving boards. "Indoor establishment? For /surfing/??" Liansong sounds practically scandalized. "That'd have to be one big building," he finally says. His feathers all slick down when snow is mentioned. "I hate snow."

It's possible they're relatives. But to observation, there are a few minor differences. The two most telling is that their hands are different. The black avian has five fingered hands. The albino has zygodactyl hands. The albino has nothing but feathers evident. The black one had human type hair of a long style. They are very similar otherwise.

Liansong moves for the diving boards, and up the ladder of the tallest one. Once at the apex, he moves into the typical motion one would see in a diving situation. Run along the board, do the bounce, and and arch out over the water. Then face first toward the water, hands outstretched. His wings are, once again, held tightly to his back. His tail feathers as tightly together as possible. He hits the water with a splash, and disappears beneath for a few moments. White feathers blending quite well with the white tiles of the sides and floor of the pool.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The black-feathered avian casts a glance in Nick's direction as the plastic film covering the food container is rustled. He doesn't eat a lot of foods from the cafeteria, although that's out of his own personal preference rather than the fact that anything is wrong with the food. His head tilts to one side as he looks briefly over the man and his chaperone. His ear tufts slowly rise up, and his left hand remains resting at his side.

His attention turns readily back to Liansong, and he tilts his head to one side before he lifts one of his shoulders in a small shrug. "I do not know. It... would be a way of being able to enjoy it during the winter months, at least, without having to worry over the snow and ice and cold. Perhaps it would be worth it," he says softly. He's never surfed, so he really doesn't know a lot about it. There is a small smile that parts his beak a little bit as he gives a nod. "I know you do. I do not mind it, overly much. I am used to it, it would happen in the colder months at home," he explains in a soft voice. "This year will be different, though," he adds in a thoughtful tone. It will be his first winter as he is now.

Yaozu can't help but to pause along his way towards that section with the tables and chairs. And when he does, he turns his head in that owlish sort of way, to look over and towards the diving board. Towards Liansong. He watches, unblinkingly, as the dive is made, and his beak snicks softly as his ear tufts lay down. He's still not fond of it, no matter how well Liansong happens to dive and swim. It's only after the dive has happened that Yaozu turns his head back in order to continue along his path. Once he reaches the area of the tables and chairs, he makes a slight adjustment of his robes and then kneels to the floor before bringing his hands to rest lightly within his lap. The spot he's chosen isn't terribly far from where Nick is sitting -- he's not being entirely anti-social.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick ends up glancing up to the diving board once the movement in his field of vision indicates Liansong has made his way up there. He's seen people use a diving board before, but he could safely say that he hasn't seen someone like Liansong do it. That the splash isn't as big as he imagined it, does lend to a moment of being impressed. But he surpresses any action like cheering, clapping, or anything of that nature. That seems like it would be frowned upon in a place like this.

The arrival of the black feathered counterpart is not lost on Nick. He turns his head to look to the man quietly perch- *ahem* kneeling down and gives a polite smile. "Evening." He greets, the plastic rustling as he unwraps a bit more of the sandwich.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong might be guilty of eating meals from the cafeteria on a fair regular basis. But then, a lot of the meals available in the cafeteria are the same as, or similar to, where he's from in Sydney. Yaozu, on the other hand.. the food has to be something of a culture shock. Perhaps from hell.

The albino surfaces not too much longer, a few seconds perhaps. He swims to the side of the pool and pulls himself up and out again. He takes a moment to shake himself fully, and then looks at his sopping wet feathers. He shakes his head a little bit and glances around to locate where his fellow avian had taken himself off to.

And spots him over by .... Oh dear. Liansong's nares flush pink again. He stays where he is. And shifts from foot to foot for a few moments. Obvously he is indecisive in this situation! Yaozu, but an idol! To go or to stay, that is the obvious question.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There isn't an obvious glance given towards Nick, though with Yaozu's vision as it is, there doesn't need to be in order for him to see the fellow. And to know that he watches Liansong in the dive, as well. It also allows him see the look that is aimed in his direction. He shifts his position slightly, his left hand remaining vanished within the sleeve of his robe whilst his right partially shows.

Yaozu tilts his head a touch to one side and turns to look towards the man before inclining his head a touch. "Good evening, Mr. Drago," he offers in greeting. A touch formal, perhaps, but that's not an unusual thing for him. "Are you finding things to your liking?" he asks, a touch of curiosity to his voice. His voice betrays no indication of being aware of the man's fame at all. The sandwich is give but a brief glance and nothing further of his attention -- there are reasons he tends to cook his own food or visit Chinatown regularly for food. And tea.

His hazel gaze turns towards Liansong as he swims to the edge of the pool in order to get out of the water. Yaozu is, at least to outward appearances, a bit more at ease than when he had been closer to said water. There is a smile that comes to part his beak as he notes that moment of indecisiveness, and he lifts his left hand to make a slight 'come' gesture. "Come join us, if you wish, Liansong," he offers, giving a small nod.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The inquiry to how he's finding things gets a thoughtful look as Nick takes a moment to figure out his answer. "Well, Other than meeting rooms and hallways, I think the cafeteria and the pool areas are what would count as the highlights of the tour I'm kind of getting."

Pale eyes glance over to the one he came in with, who is currently engaged in another conversation. He looks back as Yaozu calls out to Liansong. With the invitation to join overheard, he turns his head towards Liansong, lifting up a hand to give a wave.

"I apologize if I'm asking a question you hear way too much but-" He looks back towards Yaozu, "Is there any relation between you two?"

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong hesitates a little bit longer, up until the 'come hither' gesture comes from the other avian. That stops the hesitation, and Liansong walks on over. The flush never leaves his nares. Silly bird.

He reaches the other two just as the question is asked. His beak gapes open and he laughs. "No, mate. No relation. I'm Aussie, he's not." Liansong sounds amused. And the flush is starting to fade from his nares. "I was born this way. Yaozu was not."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a small nod that Yaozu gives to the answer that is given to him by Nick, and a bit of a smile returns to part his beak. "It is a good beginning to knowing things," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. "There is a gym in addition to the pool, through the locker rooms there," he offers, turning his head to look in the direction of the doors for the locker rooms and giving a small nod. It stands to reason that if Nick is permitted to the pool then he would be allowed to the gym. His hands shift slightly within his lap, his right hand settling within his left.

His attention turns to Liansong, and he watches as the albino avian approaches. "It is not a question that I have been asked too many times, as of yet," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice and a glance going towards Nick as the words are spoken. He is quiet then as Liansong answers the actual meat of the question, so to speak, and then he inclines his head towards Liansong. "Exactly that, yes. I was born and raised in China," he offers by way of further information. He is quiet for a moment, and he looks down to his lap where his hands rest. Then he gives a small nod. "I was human, before." This is all the elaboration that he offers on that particular part of things. He's not exactly known for talking a lot, which is a thing that hasn't changed from when he was human.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick turns his head as Yaozu indicates where things are located. A tilt of the head betrays a bit of curiousity about the gym. The attention to the indicated is short lived as the two avian themed agents collectively answer his previous inquiry.

"Ah okay. I was wondering since both times I've seen one of you, the other was not too far away. And you two do bear some similarities."

He looks between the two. "Although, it's not uncommon for people to shift towards the familiar. Pretty interesting the both of you happened to be here."

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
It's okay that Yaozu doesn't like to talk a lot. Liansong usually more than makes up for it by how much he talks. He does have a tendency to talk a lot! "The gym is fun. I like the rafters." Of course he would. He has the wings necessary to reach the rafters without a ladder or climbing gear of some sort.

Liansong's beak opens a little. It might be a grin. In any case, the words that follow that expression sound amused. "That's because Yaozu is my mascot," he says. "Where I go, he goes." He turns his head and winks at the dark feathered owl-man. His pale pale blue eyes go back to Nick after. "He actually looked human when he arrived here. We wound up as suite-mates."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Perhaps your tour will venture there, next, so that you might see what is available in the way of equipment should you wish to make use of it," Yaozu offers, giving a glance towards Nick's escort. His attention shifts to Nick, albeit there is no direct eye contact made, and he tilts his head a touch to one side as he listens. "There will be a day, I suspect, when I will like the rafters as well," he comments, a touch of amusement to his voice. Unlike Liansong, though he has the wings necessary to reach such heights, he hasn't yet flown.

Yaozu shifts his wings just a touch, his hazel eyes showing a flicker of amusement in them at Liansong's words. "I think you mean that I am your shadow, Liansong. Although I played the part better when the robes I wore were black," he comments, a note of amusement to the words. Yaozu's ear tufts have perked up and the rest of his feathers seem to at last be settled at a moderately relaxed level of being fluffed. "It happens oft that we venture together. As Liansong said, yes. When I arrived here from China, in April, I was still human. The changes started after," he says softly. It wasn't a smooth process, but he doesn't go into any details on that particular matter. "Mm. We did," he says softly, a note of approval in his voice and his gaze lifted to Liansong. Unlike some who have issues with such things, Yaozu happens to like his roommate.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Suite-mates." Nick repeats, eyes looking between the two, "Makes sense you'd two end up together. I suspect it's a bit of a mutually beneficial situation. Bit of shared knowledge helps..." He looks to Liansong before the talk of the gym causes for him to glance back to the door once more. "Well, I do like a good rock wall." Nick murmurs, "It's very gratifying to get to the top on those."

The side of his lips twist downwards, considering matters. He'd just got back to his apartment, but right now the general feeling Nick's getting by being here is uneasy. "You guys were in on that meeting earlier today... How long do you think that'd take?"

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Speaking of wings, and lack of flight... Liansong fixes his eyes on the dark avian. "How're your flight excercises going, mate?" He snorts a breath out his nares, and nods. "Shadow, mascot, same difference," he points out.

As far as it goes, Liansong also likes his roommate. It works. He nods to Nick. "It really is a mutually benificial situation." He nods about climbing rock walls. "That can be fun. Flying up is even better."

His feathers all flatten out, in as much as they can when still pretty wet. "It depends, really. Mostly on how quickly all the different elements come together."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a nod from Yaozu as the fact that they're suite-mates is repeated. He studies Nick for a lingering moment, and then he lifts one of his shoulders in a faint shrug. "I believe that luck and timing perhaps played more of a part in things than any sort of intentional planning. We both happened to be coming here by way of transfers," Yaozu says, his tone thoughtful. It's unlikely that he's considered it to be anything more than just that, really. Time will tell if he will start thinking of it differently.

"Liansong is much more knowledgeable than what I likely ever will be," Yaozu says softly, his tone respectful, and he inclines his head towards the albino avian. In being an avian, and in many other things as well. He looks down for a moment, to where his hands rest there in his lap, and then his gaze lifts. "I have benefitted many times from Liansong's knowledge," he adds, giving a small nod. He's not entirely certain his own knowledge has been of much benefit to Liansong, though he's wise enough not to say it. Then he looks to Nick, and he gives a small nod. "There is a rock wall. It is good," he offers.

He tilts his head a little bit to one side at the question of the meeting, and he lifts one of his shoulders in a slight shrug. "It will go how it goes. I fear such things are best not predicted or placed on a specific timeline. There are many pieces to fall into place," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. His attention shifts to Liansong, and his wings give a slight ruffle. "The exercises are going well, I think. I have been doing them every day for some time now," Yaozu answers, his tone sincere. It's something that he takes fairly seriously, and has taken seriously since he was first told to do them.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
There's a quirk of the lips as Liansong mentions flying up being better but nothing's added to that. The confirmation that a rock wall does exist in the gym is welcome news. It also has the added benefit of lessening the it depends response regarding Fortunate Son.

"...So, in short. I shouldn't hold my breath on the matter." Nick surmises. Despite an effort not to, a small sigh does manage to escape. While he's sure Wade will be understanding with the tour schedule delays, he's probably being cursed ten different ways by the acting agency for that other project.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong says not a word about whether the room pairing was intentional or accidental. If he knows, he's not telling. His eyes narrow at the assertion that he's more knowledgeable than Yaozu, and fixes the avian with a glower such as only owls can summon. "I'm more knowledgeable in some areas, yu in others." It's good that the other avian is wise. He might get a tap on the beak otherwise.

Liansong steps away a little distance, and shakes himself again. Getting rid of more water. Far enough away that none of the spray gets on the other two. "Good," he says. "Are you having trouble staying on the ground yet?"

Stepping back toward the other two, Liansong's feathers are all fluffed out again. This makes him look like an albino porcupine with a beak. "Yup! That's about the short of it. It could take a few weeks. It could take a few years. It just depends on how things fall together."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"It would perhaps be better not to hold your breath. We will do what can be done, to help, and you will be kept as safe as you can be made," Yaozu says softly, inclining his head slightly towards Nick. "Work that is done rushed is not always thorough, and we aim to be as thorough as possible. Lives may depend on it," he adds, giving a small nod.

His gaze turns to Liansong, actually lifting to meet his gaze if only briefly, and he tilts his head slightly to one side, his ear tufts laying back for a moment at the glower he receives. He considers the words for a moment, and then he gives a small nod before lifting his ear tufts once more. "Perhaps that is so," he allows, a thoughtful tone to his voice. It's probably as close to agreement as he's likely to come without being convinced into it, really.

He watches Liansong step away to shake himself off, and then he gives a nod to the question. "Yes. This has been happening for a little while, now," Yaozu says softly. He shifts his position slightly before smoothly rising to his feet, and his right hand slips to the small of his back.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It's a bit too soon to say." Nick admits to the staying on the grounds part, "I'm not entirely sure what my situation is at the moment. The first hint that staying here was even a possibilty got brought up at that meeting."

Nick could drift to more brooding expressions but he is finding the Owl pair to be sufficiently distracting. As Liansong makes the transformation to puffball, Nick's brows raise while his lips press together tightly, trying to hold back a laugh.

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Liansong nods his agreement with the other avian. "Safe as possible." And again, with the agreement. "Rushing in science is usually a bad idea and leaves shoddy results. It's like good music. Never to be rushed." With 'perhaps' after his glower, Liansong snorts and scoffs at Yaozu. "Perhaps. Not 'perhaps'. It /is/ so, mate." His words are firm.

That Nick is trying not to laugh is not missed by Liansong. His eyes narrow and that owl-glower gets turned on /him/ next. "If you're gonna laugh, mate, just get it over with and laugh. I know I look like a big cotton ball." Especially when what he's wearing isn't much more than a pair of white swim trunks.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Whether the decision made is that you will remain here or that you will be at a safe house, it will not change the fact that you will be protected. Although I must agree, that remaining here is the safer option," Yaozu says softly, giving a small nod. His right hand remains at the small of his back, and his ear tufts lower as he turns to look in Liansong's direction. He considers Liansong's reaction for a moment. Then he shifts slightly, his right hand moving to settle to his left, and he bows to Liansong, respectfully. "I will not argue. Thank you, Liansong," he says softly, perhaps a touch modestly. He straightens, the movement graceful.

His right hand slips back behind him, to settle at the small of his back. His ear tufts lift, and he takes a moment to look from Liansong to Nick, and he wisely doesn't comment on the matter of Nick's impending laughter. "I end up looking like a ball of soot," he says softly. He ends up looking just as much like a fluffball when he's wet, although it isn't often that others see him thus.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick stills, looking towards Liansong's glare. At the invitation to just get the laugh over with, his lips stretch into a wide grin before letting out a slight chuckle. "Sorry, You just made me think of a baby chick when you fluffed out like that."

His eyes set upon the sandwich that was momentarily forgotten before he starts wrapping it back up. He looks over to Yaozu. "Nothing wrong with black feathers." He comments, tone obtaining a bit of a mischevious tone to it as he continues, "You'd just end up looking like a Goth chick when you get wet."

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
"Probably safer, yup," says Liansong. His eyes narrow again and he steps in closer to Yaozu. He reaches out and taps one talon tipped finger against the darker avian's beak. "Stop that, mate. Ya know I don't like all that bowin' shite." It's true. He really doesn't. "I'm a scientist, not a bloody king."

His crystal blue eyes turn back to the musician turned protectee. "I do. You should see it when my feathers are dry and I do that. Right now, I look a bit more like a porcupine than a baby chick." Liansong laughs at his own self here. "I used to have black feathers. Until I got too busy to keep taking the time to dye them," he says with a laugh.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a glance given to Liansong, and then his attention turns to Nick, studying the fellow for a lingering moment. And there's something about what he says that require a moment to be parsed. It's not necessarily an accurate sort of thing, give his cultural background. The black avian tilts his head to one side. His gaze holds on Nick, unblinkingly so, and then he tilts his head to the other side. His ear tufts lift, and then lay back, and his eyes narrow a touch. "A... Lolita girl? A... Harajuku girl?" he asks softly, sounding a touch confused. He gives a little shake of his head.

Then he ends up tapped on the beak, by Liansong. That's unexpected! He blinks once, and then a second time, and it takes him a moment before his feathers fluff up a little bit before settling once more. "Habits. They do not find an end easily, Liansong. I am trying," he says softly, inclining his head. He does try! He tilts his head a touch to one side. "I think there is nothing wrong with them being white," he says quietly, sincerely, giving a small nod.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The smile falters for a moment. "Loli-?" Nick shakes his head. Bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of the nose "No. I mean-"

He pauses, "Ok, it might have translated better if you had ended up looking more like a raven. Like Edgar Allan Poe's titular character from The Raven. An example of American Gothic Horror. There's this joke going around that raven fledglings are consequently Goth chicks. And being they have black-ish feathers..."

He frowns, "...Ok it's a joke that missed horribly."

Liansong "Song" Qing has posed:
Those taps to the beak always seem to wind up being unexpected. And yet, they should be fully expected! They happen often enough. He grumbles quietly. "Try harder," he says firmly. He does nod about his feathers, though. "I might redye them later. Maybe." He shakes his head a bit, and his body follows suit. It's almost as though that shake had come upon the Aussie unexpectedly. This gets water, though not a lot now, most of it has dried by this point, upon the other two.

He chuckles at Nick's explanation. "I got the joke. Poor Yaozu though, he doesn't have any sense of humor at all." Liansong winks one big blue eye at the darker owl man. It's not true, of course, despite how that wink might make it seem.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There are some things that just don't necessarily translate very well across cultures. And Yaozu had tried to take it and put it into terms of not only the culture that he was born and raised in but also to the secondary culture that he was raised with. Neither of them had particularly helped with his understanding. His ear tufts lay back, and he tilts his head to one side as his attention turns back to Nick. He exhales a breath through his nares, and then he gives a small shake of his head. "I am not very familiar with Americanizations. My apologies," he says softly, inclining his head towards the fellow, his gaze lowering. He probably hasn't read Poe's 'The Raven', but it will likely end up getting read in the relative near future now!

It is a moment before his gaze lifts and turns to Liansong. He gives a small nod. "Yes, Liansong. I will try," he says softly, his gaze lowering. He has been trying! His ear tufts rise up at Liansong's comment, and he makes a soft hmmph of sound. He manages to seem offended for only a brief moment. Then he looks over to Liansong and gives his roommate a quick wink. "It is not an American sense of humour. I am learning. Or trying to," he says, a bit of a grin parting his beak.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Oh, no need to apologize." Nick assures, "There are a lot of stories out there and it's near impossible to have read them all. Sometimes jokes work, sometimes they don't."

The musician's attention shifts, looking past the feathered agents towards another gesturing towards him. "...Looks like it's time to head off again." He states, finishing resealing his sandwich and getting up from his seat.

He looks to Liansong and Yaozu. "It was good to speak with you both. Have a good evening."