9633/A Unusual Sight

A Unusual Sight
Date of Scene:	18 October 2019
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Zorro meets a birdman and a angel
Cast of Characters:	Zorro, Kian t'Kaeh, Exile

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Zorro has posed:
    Footsteps echo across Central Park as a black figure emerges over the horizon.  It is Zorro, and he is clutching what appears to be a document close to his chest.  Behind him are two more individuals dressed in long, white polo shirts, black pants and wearing ties.  They were Athena Security employees, and they wanted the document back.  Earlier tonight, he broke into a office owned by Van Louc Automobiles, a corrupt automobile company, and stole some important documents.  However, he accidentally tripped a alarm on the way out and summoned Athena guards to his location, and they have yet to let off.
    Zorro turns his head around for a brief moment and grins as a idea comes up in his brain.  Quickly taking out a dagger, he throws it at a street lamp, shattering the light in the process.  The area he is in now dark, Zorro dives into the bushes nearby and grins as he hears the guards run past his hiding spot.  Zorro then starts to emerge from the bushes, a curious sight for anyone nearby.

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    Kían's preferred habitat is at a much higher altitude, but even with his vision, it's hard to observe humans from atop skyscrapers.  His compromise is to find a quite comfortable tree in one of the city parks, and sit and watch.
    Not always with much comprehension.
    He heard the running, noticed the runners… and assumed they were joggers.  He continued assuming that up until the moment a dagger shattered the nearby streetlight.  Not joggers.  Or at least not normal joggers.
    He remains perched in his tree, watching the black-clad one vanish into the bushes and the polo-clad ones fail to notice.  Stretching out on a branch above the bushes, he settles in to wait and see what happens next.
    As the black clad one emerges, a voice drifts down from the tree above.  "That can't have been comfortable in there."  Whoever it is genuinely sounds more curious than anything else.

Zorro has posed:
    As Zorro climbed out of the bushes, he shoves the document inside his shirt.  He would have to study it later.  When he he is out, he hears a voice from a nearby tree talking to him.  Zorro looks up and says, "Who said that?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    The branch isn't especially high, and the birdman stretched out along it is making no particular effort at not being seen.  "I can't figure out why you would have hopped in that bush.  It was a strange thing to do," Kían says, pushing himself up in to a seated position, and then dropping lightly to the sidewalk, braking his fall with a practiced snap of his wings.  "But then, there's a lot I don't understand, maybe it was a sport I'm not familiar with."

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro eyes widen in surprise as the birdman comes down from the tree.  His mind immediately ran through options on what to tell him, which varied from telling him the truth to fleeing.  He then says to him, "I have had a "disagreement" with these men.  I decided to avoid them for a while."

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    Kían blinks.  "Hide?" he asks, like it's an unfamiliar concept, then his expression brightens.  "Oh!  Of course, you can do that.  You'd think I could remember that by now."
    He takes a step back and bows, spreading his wings slightly.  "I'm Kían," he says by way of introduction, and tilts his head inquisitively, as if paying particular attention.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro grins lightly and says in his Spanish accent, "A pleasure to meet you, Kian.  My name is Zorro and may I ask what brings you to the park tonight?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    "So-ro."  This is Kían having a go at the name, and with only limited success.  "I am pleased to meet you."  He turns around, taking in the sights of the park.  "I like to watch humans," he says when facing Zorro again.  "Hopefully, some day understanding will come as well."

Exile has posed:
    There's the sound of wings beating overhead, something with a wingspan that's a good deal bigger than the average park pigeon.  And the form that comes down from above, drifting as if he weighed no more than a feather himself, for all he's as big as a decent-sized human… does so on long gray pinions.  The light's too dim for their subtle colors to show.
    But Hayal's standing there, a polite distance away.  Save for the wings, he really looks like's one of those borderline homeless that haunt the park—worn Army jacket, faded fatigue pants, long hair loose around his shoulders.  His guileless blue gaze is fixed curiously on Kian.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro nods at Kian, though his eyebrow is slightly raises when he hears about his reason for being in the park.  His eyes then widen again when he see what appears to be a homeless birdman fly in and look at Kian curiously.

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    Kian… looks absolutely thunderstruck.  He opens his mouth, closes it… and repeats the process four or five times before any sound comes out, and that's an inarticulate squeak.  His wings spread, but not threateningly, and he re-folds them again.
    When he finally gets a word out, it's at a higher pitch than before, and not anything in English.  "K-k-k'tavrát'h?"

Exile has posed:
    The… whatever it is smiles at Kian, fondly.  "I'm sorry," he says.  "I don't think I'm directly of your kin.  But yes, a wing-brother.  Hello.  I am Hayal."  The H of the name is aspirated, a little harsh.  Then he turns that dreamy smile on the swordsman, inclines his head a little to him, in greeting.  But his gaze focuses back on the other flyer, and his smile grows.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro is still obviously surprised by the arrival of the second creature, but still manages to nod politely and say, "Hola señor, the name's Zorro.  Yours?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    Now that the shock has started to wear off and Kían has a moment to think, yes, obviously, this Hayal cannot be of his people.  He's vastly too tall, his feet are wrong, he has too many fingers… no, he is not of Kían's people.  It's obvious now.
    This does not prevent a disappointed sag to Kian's wings, and a heavy sigh.  "I… yes, I see."
    He bows in greeting to the other birdman, in the same way he had to Zorro.  "Kían'takh… nnh.  I mean, I'm Kían," he says, and backs a little further under the tree.  From the way his wings are twitching, it may be to keep himself from taking to the air.

Exile has posed:
    "You can speak your nestling tongue to me, I will understand you," Hayal says, in that cool voice.  No particular accent to his own, strangely neutral.  "I know many find it comforting, and you are far from your people, aren't you?"
    Then he grins at Zorro.  "You don't look like a fox," he says, merrily.  "But it is a good animal to be named after.  Very clever, very wise.  There are a number of them who live in this little island of forest in the city, in fact.  A pleasure to meet you."

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro nods at the stranger and says, "Yes, the fox is indeed a clever animal.  It is also sly and cunning, something I closely resemble with the actual creature.  You know Kian's language huh?  You an alien yourself, señor?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    "That would not be fair to Zo-ro," Kían says, a little closer to getting the name right, and although returning to English, his accent is a little more sibilant and musical than it had been when he first greeted the non-winged member of the trio.
    He turns back to Zorro.  "Please forgive my rudeness to you.  I was… quite surprised to see another birdman.  And yes, I'm alien to this world."  He looks up, shakes his head, and sighs.  "It's a long story."

Exile has posed:
    "I know all kinds of speech," Hayal says.  He seems to mean it.  "But since we all know English, it will do, for now.  No.  I am not a birdman, nor an alien, not the way you mean it.  I was an angel.  Now I am… this."  And he spreads both wings and hands, as if to let them take in the sight.
    But what is 'this', really?

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro eyes widen in surprise upon hearing this.  So, this man used to be an angel.  But, if he wasn't in heaven, that could only mean one thing.  Zorro immediately starts to do the Sign of the Cross and starts to murmur prayers he heard his grandmother use.

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    Kían stifles a snicker when he hears the word 'angel'.  "I have been asked if I am an angel before.  I'm pretty sure I'm not.  If the Gods wanted me to be their representative, they would have let me know by now."
    He watches Zorro curiously, with a slightly baffled head-tilt, when he starts praying.  "I can't understand you now?"

Exile has posed:
    The prayers do seem to bear out Zorro's theory.  For Hayal bridles a little, takes a few paces back, ducking his head as if the murmured orisons bothered him.  The gray wings flare wide, each feather distinct.
    "Another human tongue," he informs Kian, and there's a harshness to his voice.  "I do not serve the Lightbringer," he adds to the human, wincing.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro stops his prayers, but not before doing one more Sign of the Cross.  He then says to the Fallen Angel, "Who do you serve then, Fallen One?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    "He didn't fall, he landed normally," Kían points out, completely oblivious to what the other two are actually talking about.

Exile has posed:
    "He speaks of a war between a god of this world and his defiant servant, with all their servants choosing sides."  Hayal's voice is vibrant with grief.  "I did Fall, as he means it.  I turned away from my Creator.  But he who chooses once may choose again, and now I serve no master at all.  I am free."  But his freedom gives him no pleasure, by the way grief sings in the undertones.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro says nothing buts nods as he hears the Angel's story.  So, he served no master, eh?  Well, at least he wasn't a servant of the devil.  Zorro then turns to Kian and says, "What planet did you exactly come from, Señor Kian?"

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    "I…" Kian begins, caught off guard by Zorro's question while trying to process the incomprehensible theological back-and-forth.  "My world is called Kyshán; I don't know where it is from here," he says almost automatically—the followup question is always 'where is it'.  "The homeworld is Akiár.  I don't know where that is from here either.  I'm kind of very lost."

Exile has posed:
 "How did you come to be here?" Hayal asks, gently.  As if he knew all too well what it was like to dwell in exile, lost and rootless.  A little bow for Zorro, presumably in thanks for him ceasing to pray.

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro nods in understanding at Kian before giving a nod in appreciation towards Hayal.  He then tilts his head, wanting to hear Kian's explanation.

Kian t'Kaeh has posed:
    The little birdman shakes his head.  "I did say it was a long story… and I only really have a best guess, I don't know for sure what happened."  Kían sighs.  "Basically my powers had a disagreement with what our standard stardrive does to local space and I think I bounced or something like that.  And here I am."
    He spreads his arms, and his wings slightly.  "Tadah."

Zorro has posed:
    Zorro grins and is about to say something when he hears shouting in the distance.  He turns around and sees the two security guards from earlier in the distance.  He turns to the two and says, "Sorry amigos, I must bid you adieu."  He then turns and starts dashing down the pathway, the security guards following.