Wingsurfing

Hector: is out for a morning stroll. Things are...complicated to say the least. There's not a whole lot going on this early in the morning. He tends to 'practice' early in the morning and late at night. Whether it be with the Scythe or the Wings. He moves out onto the steps that lead down to the beach, carefully squinting around to spy for people. His ghosts companions don't see anyone either, at least not anything human at the moment. Non-humans could sometimes see through the glamour anyways. He reached up and used a little key to unlock the collar at his throat and out popped massive black silken wings. He unfurled them with a groan and a stretch. A few raven feathers were set free into the wind. They twitched and wriggled as he moved the left one up and gave it a hard flap and then did the same to the right. Then both went back, stretching up as far as they could go to catch the breeze. Hector held out his arms, simply feeling the wind through his feathers and against his face. It made his hat wiggle a bit and his hair catch but somehow the hat didn't fly off. He was a master of keeping hats upon his head. A cigarette dangled from the corner of his lips and he smiled, a serene look of 'freedom' poised upon his features. He looked as if he was about to take flight, but for the moment he's just standing there among the sea spray and wind.

Arix Thunderhawk was always up late, or early depending on how one looked at it. Not requiring much sleep, she typically did repairs and various other jobs throughout the night and early morning as no one tended to bother her and she could complete them in a timely manner. She felt more than saw movement toward the docks and curiously would wander in that direction. Her boots carried her into the grass where she paused just beyond the girth of a tree to spy the barkeep, Hector. What was he doing up so early? Or perhaps he hadn't gone to bed yet, he did say he kept weird hours. As the wind blew inward from the sea, Arix was silently grateful for being upwind as she couldn't be caught by scent. Not that it would matter, she typically smelled like nature anyway. It was when the black wings unfurled that her brows went up and she looked about to see Hector's ghosts keeping eyes on things. She smirked at them, putting a finger to her lips to instruct them to keep quiet as to her presence there. As a fellow reaper, of sorts; she had done the job before though her tasks were numerous when it came to the supernatural realm, the ghosts might listen to her but at least she could regard them casually. They may be able to see her true face depending on how strong they were and might cause them to grow agitated or frightened or even happy she was there.

Blake Jermyn slowly made his way over the hill, a look of steely determination in his pale blue eyes. While a wheelchair which was very much not an all-terrain model weaving its way through tall beach grasses might be an unusual sight as it is, the keenly observant would notice that the chair wasn't so much rolling as hovering, its wheels only moving for show. Once he reached the cliffside, he set the thing down for a moment, caught his breath, took in the salt-scented air as its gentle breezes floated through his hair, felt the sun shining on his face. A moment's relaxation as his gaze drifted across the sea, only to halt, his jaw dropping. Was that Hector?! With WINGS?! Not wanting to call out to him yet and potentially Make Things Weird, he stood back a moment, wondering exactly what the protocol for letting your friend know you saw their secret wings was. His head cocked as he caught the sound of another presence there, gave an awkward little smile and wave. Welp, guess there was no pretending he didn't see anything now...

Hector: was not paying much attention after he started that big stretch. It felt soooo gooood. He was still getting used to the massive weight of them. He was having to eat more protein and his back was muscling up rather quickly. He was sore all the time and the stretching, the practicing was becoming more like a NEED than a desire. Every day he sought out times like this because he absolutely NEEDED to stretch. He felt confined in his body, pinned down, and if he threw a coat or a blanket over them it was nearly unbearable. His wings had attitude and that attitude was FREE! They needed to be open, to be flapping to be STRETCHING! And he needed to be learning how to better control them. He had gotten good rather quick at the wing hug. He could bring them around people and objects, and around himself. He was pretty sure he could use them to shield himself and things of that sort, but the whole...flying thing...yeeaaah not so much. It was actually Hat Man that sensed Arix first, and he wasn't about to say anything. His mischievous nature enjoyed the inclination that she was there and poor Hector was going to have to explain himself. And then there was Blake. This just kept getting better. Could he have picked a WORSE spot? Apparently not. Maria appeared sitting on the ground next to Blake, trying desperately not to giggle. Now poor Hector has an audience. He's unaware, and that's good. He stretches his wings out wide, climbs up onto the banister. His arms raised in a V. Leaning into the wind he closes his eyes and...JUMPS! He's air born for all of three seconds. He gives a few mighty flaps and even says a happy YAHOO! but then it all goes to Hell. He banks left, banks right and nosedives right into the sand. OOF!

Arix Thunderhawk turned to see another spying on Hector and she shook her head. This might get out of hand if too many people came to witness the glory of .... a faceplant. Well, it was to be expected. She let out a soft sigh and shook her head. While she may have been made with wings and they were second nature to her, she could understand the struggle too well of trying to find the right wind, the right pitch, the right everything to take off. He was going to need some help. After a few moments consideration, she decided it was better her than someone who might tell on him and get him put away in the asylum or worse, dissected. She moved through the brush and toward the deck before making her way down. "Hey," she said quietly and then hurriedly put her hands up "Don't worry or run, I'm here to help," she continued to trod toward him through the sand. "I promise. Don't uh.... freak out as they say." She would look him over with a smile, somewhat glad to see someone else with something familiar. "How did this happen?" She gestured upwards at the glorious wings and continued to smile at Hector pleasantly.

Blake Jermyn beams as Maria pops up next to him, recognizing her from the church. "Hey lil buddy," he whispered to her, leaning over the chair, keeping his voice soft, "is it like, cool that I know he has wings? Because if not then I was never here." A conspiratorial little wink and a grin, before he cringes as poor Hector faceplants. Flying sure as fuck wasn't easy, whether it was with wings or telekinesis, as Blake had been distinctly finding out as well. However, as the third person on the beach, a woman he didn't recognize, immediately runs to the fallen Hector's side, Blake's own expression shifts to concern. She could be a friend? She seemed like a friend? But then again, she might not be, and he might be needed down there. But, of course, the only way down there was a whole lot of STAIRS, not exactly something he found easy to deal with at the moment. Unless... With that look of raw determination coming over him again, he gently bade Maria scoot out of the way before slowly rolling the chair back.... And rocket straight over the cliff, Thelma and Louise style. His was a more controlled fall, of course, grabbing both himself and the chair with telekinetic will before they simply crashed to their deaths below, but the landing wasn't easy all the same, his body popping out of the chair and rolling across the sandy shore before he simply popped up with both fists in the air and a triumphant grin on his face. "WOOOOOOOO!"

Hector: actually flails as he moves to get to his feet. He is used to faceplanting. That was actually his best flight yet and he was rather proud of himself. He almost felt like he was getting the hang of it. It's not scaring him anymore. Now it's a matter of trying to figure out how to get the lift. What makes him flail is the sound of a person. He almost makes a 'reee!' sound but then he realizes it's Arix and puts a hand to his chest. "I can explain!" He puts a hand to his chest but then quirks a brow as she was telling HIM not to freak out. "Uuuhhh...ok." Now he just feels weird. He rubs at the back of his neck and then dusts some sand off himself. "Er, well, you want the long or the short version? The wings are new, but I was born 'different.'" In the tumble he dropped his cigarette, but managed to find it still burning in the sand nearby. He picked it up and took a puff. "Good ole' mom and dad used to call me the 'Devil's Son.'" He smirked sardonically. "I'm not normal, but then you probably already figured that out." A shrug that reached his wings, making them rise and fall over his shoulders before they gave a massive shake to get the sand off of them. And then Blake literally did the same thing, only in a fucking wheelchair. Hector looked up, face going pale as he held out his arms like he might catch the young man and the wheelchair. "BLAKE WHAT THE FUCK!?" Stuck the landing. He stood in awe before just raising his hands and starting to clap. "Bravo, bravo, that was dope as Hell. Did you do that just to impress the lady since my ass derped?" He winked teasingly. "Ah...well, this is interesting. Umm, Arix, this is Blake, Blake this is Arix and yes, I have wings. Turns out I'm a Grim Reaper."

Arix Thunderhawk took to plant her weight on her back foot as someone came careening off of the cliff and landing in the sand. For the span of a heartbeat, she was ready to assist before she saw their fists pop up and the exclamation of excitement. Blinking a few times at them and then turning back to Hector when she deemed them 'safe' she shook her head. "That much I can tell," she said quietly. She seemed to regard his wings with a sense of awe, much like others had done to her previously, as to create a sense of 'humanist' approach to them, completing a mortal disguise. "If that's what you call it anyway. Look," she took another step forward and then folded her arms again. "You're crossing through the wind, you need to face the wind. Have you tried just hovering a few feet off of the ground yet?" She rocketed right into instruction as if she knew what she was talking about. "I've piloted a few things in my day," wasn't a complete lie. "I might suggest trying to glide next rather than gain altitude," her lips pursed as she eyed him. "I'm sure you're sturdier than most but I wager you might hurt yourself eventually. Her green gaze settled on Blake then and she passed him a friendly smile and nod. "Are you alright over there? Do you require assistance?"

Blake Jermyn just laughed as Hector freaked it at the sight of him blasting over the cliff, waving one hand to dismiss his concern. "Naw, naw, I'm all good, dude! Just thought ya could use some company down here," he laughed, scrambling his way back to the chair on hands and stumps in a way that seemed by now well practiced. "Hey Arix," he said as Hector introduced her, offering her a friendly upnod and bright smile, "a-OK over here, and good to meet ya! You and Hector buddies?" he cocked his head, curious. He'd felt pretty protective of Hector when he'd first arrived, hungry, shaken and alone, but the man seemed to have bounced back onto his feet magnificently. All the same, he couldn't shake a sense of curiousity about the guy's life, how it had blossomed since then.

Hector: furls his brows when Arix instructs him on how to get more lift and suggests he just try gliding. "Piloted things, riiiiiight." He looked like he didn't entirely believe her, but at the same time what was he going to do? Ask what she REALLY was? That was even more rude than asking her age. So he just let it go. He shrugged it off and gave his wings another flap, nodding to her every word. "OK, gotcha." Deep breath. "They didn't come with instructions." He chuckled. "They're also very heavy and my back and spine were not originally built for them. I think I'm adjusting pretty well though. I can use them like appendages and my back is getting some crazy muscles in places I didn't even know muscles grew." He made a teasing flex before looking to Blake with a nod. "She comes to the pub to have a few beers after fixing people's toilets. Among other things." He snickered. "Arix is good people. And Blake is also good people. He's the one who found me when I washed up on shore. I might have died were it not for him and Father Vharcoleti from the church." He'd told Arix about how he'd been in an 'accident' and ended up washed ashore on the island, cold, delirious and half drowned.

Arix Thunderhawk looked between the two as Hector explained, her smile growing slightly as she grew a bit more relaxed. "Well, glad that you had friends find you instead of someone else, then," she said both about washing up on shore and about the current situation. She waved to Blake with a pleasant 'nice to meet you' before turning back to Hector. "Eventually, I imagine, you will grow used to them though I can't say for sure. But, if kite dynamics is similar, you want to get a feel for the wind and how it batters your undercarriage first." That caused her to have a thought. "How would you feel about tying a rope around your waist and gliding you out to sea like a kite?" She knit her brow, totally serious. "If you fall, at least the water can catch you and you might not break anything," her smile returned, perhaps a bit teasingly. "That way you can feel what each movement of the wing does when you have the wind under you, you know what I mean? Not unlike the ailerons on a plane."

Blake Jermyn shook his head, marveling at the wings. "Damn, dude, I didn't know wings were this much WORK. I thought you just, drank some red bull and fluttered away." He laughed, knowing full well that Hector was the only one who would get that joke. "Aww man, I miss Murphy's," he sighed, "been shacked up over at the tea house... Don't say it, I already know," he said with a laugh. As the discussion shifted back to Hector and how to get him off the ground, Blake's eyes went wide. "Oh man that's a GREAT idea! Could do like, a windsurfin' kinda thing, except with your actual wings! Need to go pretty damn fast though, and I dunno if anyone here got a boat..." Immediately, the gears in his brain began to tick, which could mean only one thing: MISCHIEF AND SHENANIGANS.

The priest had been fully intending on going for a walk, nothing more than that--but the curious sight of a gathering had set his inquisitive nature afire at the moment. He's likely caught the tail end of Arix giving instructions on how to take flight--well, that was a new one, but nothing he's entirely mystified by. The tall, gangly reaper with wings is a familiar sight, and he dips his head in greeting towards Hector and Arix. The one in the wheelchair gets a perfunctory glance, but nothing more. The golden-maned man is quiet as he stands on the edge of the rock face, and it's more than likely that he doesn't mean to interrupt the flight lesson. That would be rude, to say the least, and unwelcome.

Hector: blanched slightly at the idea of being flown out over the sea like a kite. It was only because he didn't particularly like water. He could swim, but he'd just nearly drowned so many times it held bad memories. He suffered from PTSD after all. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, centering himself. His mother was dead and he was not nine years old and being pushed under the water of a bath tub. This was many many years later and entire different. "I mean, I suppose I'm down. My er..." What was Bela? Boyfriend? No can't say that. "A companion of mine suggested the top of a building and a rope and me try flying around it in a circle. The water might be better though since...yeah, if I fall it's into water instead of smacking into a building like a bird into a window." He couldn't help but laugh. It felt so good to be having a NON-normal conversation. He loved not normal conversations. It made him feel less like a freak and more like a person. Then Blake was gushing and he started to laugh, holding his stomach and shaking his head. "You need to get some stumpy legs so you can shuffle down to the pub and have drinks with us."

Arix Thunderhawk narrowed her eyes slightly at him as he spoke. He seemed hesitant. "I understand your aversion. I promise I will come save you if anything happens. Perhaps we won't fly you so far you can't touch the ground in the water, yes?" Her back straightens and her gaze goes slightly wide as she senses more than hears Vharc wandering up. Swallowing a bit she turns to look at him on the ledge and nods, passing a slightly worried but resigned glance and a nod with a pressed smile. How long had he been there? She turned back to Hector and let out a long sigh. "I wouldn't start at the top of a building unless you want a couple months in the infirmary, that's just logic. But, the rope is a suggestion only and you are not required to follow it. I am, after all, a bystander with some working knowledge of ...planes," the last word was paused. She would let assumptions gather as they may, if she was searching for the word in English or not. Her mechanical skills were at least verifiable as more than one had witnessed her repair the unrepairable, so perhaps she had worked on an airfield at some point too?

Blake Jermyn cocked his head as Hector went pale, but didn't inquire any further. He was, after all, the LAST person to go digging into people's sordid pasts. Do unto others, right? A small laugh at the suggestion of a rope off the tall end of a building. "Not to knock your buddy or anything, but that sounds like some Jackass shit, so, a surefire way of getting yourself hurt in a pretty awesome way." He clearly didn't disapprove of such a concept given the wheelchair cliff dive he just made, though. "Maybe start with the windsurfing, move to hoppin' off buildings?" Yeah, that seemed like a good plan to him. A cheerful smile and wave were offered to the priest as his unmistakeably massive frame appeared over the cliffside.

Hector: holds up his hands and waves back and forth when Arix narrowed her eyes. "It's fine, truly. I'm a little spooked of water. I've almost drowned numerous times in my life. Water just doesn't like me." He also has a Drowned Woman that follows him around, so ya know, water is a sore subject. But he seems fine. "So uuuhhh...we doing this now?" He looked out over the water thoughtfully, stroking at his chin. Smirks looking back to Blake with a shrug. "I mean, are you one to talk about 'getting hurt?' Mister, 'I stepped on a landmine?'" Winks teasingly. "I don't believe that for one bit by the way. But if you want to tell me what really happened, you know how to find me." Then there was a Vharc. He bit his bottom lip and blushed slightly. Not in a sexy way, but more like he was practicing with the wings that Vharc gave to him and he wanted the other to be proud. "Ah, oh, hi there, Father Vharcoleti." He brought a wing around and made it wiggle wave to Vharc up above.

Vharcoleti tips his head at Arix, perhaps noticing the tension in the smile that's offered to him. No, he's not planning on making her blush with his titillating remarks, mark his words--that, at least, would be guaranteed. He is respectful of the repairwoman's free time, that is certain--she is sought after. "Good evening. I hope I have not interrupted..." The low, deep tenor is apologetic. Golden lashes drop down as he glances askance at Hector, and it's hard to discern what's in that gaze that's raking over the Reaper's frame. Concern, perhaps? Long, sculpted fingers raise up in a friendly wave towards Blake, and he climbs down upon the rock face with all the grace of a mountain goat--short heels digging down upon the rough stone--before he stumbles, miscalculating--and thus, WHAM. It's a good thing that his face is cushioned by the sand, yes. He's fine, though, judging by the quick thumbs-up he aims towards the three. As sure and with all the graciousness of a dancer, he peels himself off the sand and dusts his coat free of any particles that might have clung to the fabric there.

Arix Thunderhawk rose her brows as she heard Vharc clamor down and then hit the sand next to her. So far, she was the only one who *hadn't* taken a face full of sand that day. As she was closer to him, she would reach down with a strong arm in an attempt to help him up and dust him off. "Maybe I should cover myself in sand so I match you three," she said teasingly. "I don't believe you have interrupted, Father," she said softly before turning back toward Hector. "Then we can start off easy. Maybe a foot of the ground or so. Get a feel for the wind first and see if you can even gain some lift and catch a breeze, yeah? Come here and I'll tie this to you. I promise the Father and I will reel you in if we see you struggle," she automatically volunteered Vharc for Hector Kite duty. Or maybe just she would depending on his answer. Unfurling the rope, it was a good thirty feet or so, she kept it at about ten for the moment and offered Hector the other end of it so that he might wind it about his own body; she wasn't about to reach around someone without consent.

Blake Jermyn nodded as Hector went on to explain his fear of water anyway, putting a hand to his chin. "Alright, so nix the water... Maybe sand? Seems like it'd be a gentler landing than anything else on dry land... So the beach is kinda a perfect spot." However, his cheerful words cut off abruptly as Hector called out the lie, his gaze flicking away to a spot on the sandy shore, his body curling in on itself in the chair. Fuck. FUCK. Weren't landmines everywhere in a war? So how had NO ONE believed him when he said he ran afoul of one? Well, it didn't matter, what did matter was that he needed a better cover story, and pronto. He grins as Vharc returns his wave, before immediately struggling to suppress a giggle as the poor man tumbles right down off the cliff and facefirst into the sand below. "You alright, buddy?" he asks, shifting to peer over the back of his chair, "don't feel too bad, you ain't the only one... Hell, Arix over there's actually the only one who HASN'T swan-dove into the sand today," he pointed out the stray bits of sand still clinging to his skin and clothes adding credence to his words. His eyes went wide as the process of getting Hector to windsurf on his own wings began in earnest, wriggling back around in his chair for the best vantage point. Oh, this was gonna be GOOD.

Hector: blinks as Vharc does as both he and Blake did. This sand really liked to get onto people. But that was sand. It got in all the cracks. He shook his head to Vharc. "You're not interrupting anything. I was just practicing with the wings and these two caught me. Now we're talking about ways for me to practice without breaking my neck." Walking over to Arix he held up his arms so she could tie the rope around his waist. "Go nuts. I heal pretty easily. Just don't want to lose my hat." Though he doesn't take it off despite saying this. He nodded to Blake about the sand. "Yeah, I use the sand here and then there's a really nice plush spot behind the Asylum that has lots of thick grass. I jump off the Gazebo up there and practice like, flaring them out and just feeling the weight." And his Scythe, but he doesn't mention that. "Never been flown like a kite. Guess I can cross this off my bucket list."

Vharcoleti only has the temerity to gaze at the Valkyrie with an expression that veers dangerously close to fond exasperation. "...Oh, you're volun-telling me to help? How very generous of you." The wink he aims at her takes the bite out of the dryness that's coating every word, yes. "I suppose there are worse things to suffer than being in the company of the people I'm ever fond of." A world-weary sigh--and though he isn't familiar with young Blake, naturally, he includes the being in the wheelchair. He does, however, take up position, taking up the end of the forked rope in hand and tying it around his waist in a sailor's knot, the kind of tie that would moor and anchor sails to wood and metal in the midst of a storm. Quite handy for fastening /other things/ too, but ah--not getting into that now. The strength and solidness that the vampire carries in his own frame would surely be enough--right?

Blake Jermyn grinned as Hector appeared to be thinking along the same lines, giving him a thumbs up. "Nice, dude. Kinda like hangliding..." Or trying to master the gliding controls in a video game, but that wasn't exactly a reference he could make with the others around. A little snicker at Vharc's 'voluntelling' quip, but then he just perks up. "I mean I'd offer to help, but..." A brief glance down at his legs, before he shakes his head, that bright-burning look coming into his eyes. "Actually, y'know what? if Hector here can rock out with his wings out and nobody's starting to bleed from the earballs or whatever, I don't see why I gotta be stuck in this chair..." So saying, he grit his teeth, squared his shoulders, and.... Began to float, clean out of the chair. "Don't tell anyone I can do this..." A look towards each of them, both intimadating (or attempting to be,) and pleading at once. "Alright, y'all need an extra pair of hands?"

Arix Thunderhawk moved closer to Hector and wrapped the end of the rope to the man's waist, making sure to loop in the belt loops of his pants (if there were any). She tied a solid knot as well but it was loose enough it wouldn't be uncomfortable though her knot was much more utilitarian and pedantic. "Alright," she said quietly and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Keep your wings out and angled into the wind and step back until you feel it blow you back a bit okay? Then angle them in a bit like this," she tilted her hand forward, showing the degree at which Hector could mimic to catch a bit of a loft. "We've got you if anything happens," she turned to look, briefly, back at the priest as she caught the wink. "Yes because obviously I couldn't hold him on my own, he weighs more than I do," she claimed. In truth, she could hold him and probably another two on her own but, mortal mimicry was still prevailing for her even if it wasn't for anyone else. Arix passed a look to Blake and rolled her eyes. "Is everyone here 'special'?" She hissed under her breath and took the sight in stride as she did with everything else.

Hector: does, in fact, have belt loops. And he's not wearing a belt so that works and the pants are pretty form fitting. He nods to her, very clearly paying close attention. He steps back as he's instructed and angles his wings. He closes his eyes and steps back, back, back, the wind catches and he stops for a moment letting them stretch out further. More stepping backwards as it catches further. He sucked in a deep breath and let his arms hang loosely at his sides. More back peddling, but he slowed himself down. He was tip toeing now as the wind caught him and started to lift. He tilted his wings as Arix had instructed and then started to ignore the 'need' to stay down. His legs started to wobble and he moved forward and back. Brows furled tightly together as he forced his wings to stay in the angle that Arix instructed so he could get some lift and after a bit, even though his toesies were trying...they were no longer touching sand.

The priest raises his brows as he takes in the spectacle of Blake...just floating in midair, but the lingering questions are for later, not now. A psychic could conceivably move other things not in reach if they had the motive or desire to. "Your secret is safe with us." This, murmured as a promise. "Could you catch him if he falters or falls? It would be a shame to have to work on a broken wing, not to mention the pain..." The revenant wisely trails off on that subject, and he sets his gaze upon the winged Reaper--a product, a project of his own creation. "You're doing good. Keep moving, and be wise to the wind currents."

The encouragement is not needed, but he figures that the necromancer is heartened by the praise. Naturally, he tracks the movements of the others from the corners of his eyes. And the hissed remark from the Valkyrie gets a perfunctory raising of a brow. "Are you 'special' too? I might very well be motivated to figure out what you are..." Among other things, the tone says without stating it outright, of course.

Arix Thunderhawk watches as Hector rises a bit and wraps the rope around her arm and waist for balance. Her gaze is steely and determined but she's smiling as she sees the reaper lift a bit. "Alright, feel that? How it hits your wings? Think of them like a sail. The more you move into it, the more wind you'll catch and the more lift you'll get," she instructs. "Try tilting them a big more on your own, see how it feels. We've got you," she reassures Hector with a winning smile. Just as she heard Vharc ask the question she gave him a side-long glance. "In that I fix the town's septic system, perhaps," she said quietly. "Very few are willing to do that as well so in that regard someone could be considered very rare,"

Blake Jermyn gave a sheepish smile to Arix. "Trust me, this might look cool, but it ain't all it's cracked up to be... Besides, if you're here and we're not gettin' hit with backlash, maybe you're not as ordinary as ya think, right?" He smiled encouragingly as he gave his clueless, oblivious pep talk, before hovering along the sand to where Hector was trying to take off. Vharc gets a thumbs-up and a big smile as he readies himself to catch any falling Hectors. Once he saw that teeny tiny bit of liftoff, he cheered. "You're doin' it man! You're fuckin' DOIN' it! Wooooo! Keep it up!" Let it never be said that Blake wasn't an excellent cheerleader.

Hector: 's ghosts have been hanging back, enjoying the spectacle. Maria moved down to sit on the rock and dangle her feet over the edge. Hat Man is off in the shadows and Agatha in all her ghastly visage is under a nearby tree so that she wouldn't scare anyone. Maria was the most 'normal' of the three and she could manifest as just a creepy child in a pink dress, clutching her stuffed animal and watching in glee as Hector was flown like a kite. 'Oh how wondrous! We can catch him, if need be. Worry not, Friends.' The ghostly apparition of the child was a bit spoopy, but other than being pale, she was not in her 'truest' of ghoulish forms today. Just a creepy little girl, no need to be alarmed. Well, no more than with any other things. And then there was praise from Vharc and yes, as he expected it made Hector blossom. He opened his eyes and smiled wide, kicking his legs for about two seconds before going steady again and furling his brows. He concentrated VERY hard and started to tilt his wings slowly,

[11:06] Hector: bringing himself more lift and moving upward, more, more, oh he's definitely hovering like a kite now and the wind would begin to tug on that rope in earnest. The little girl on the ground giggled and kicked her feet some more. 'We could find out what she is.' It was probably meant to sound cute, but with the way her voice echoed slightly and she had a whole 'The Shining' vibe to come play, forever and ever and ever and ever and ever...that was probably a bit chilling. And then Blake cheers and he couldn't help but laugh. He looked down and well...got a bit woozy for a second, before shaking it off and giving the people below double thumbs up.

Vharcoleti clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, an audible noise of mild-mannered discontent. "I get the feeling that there's something you're not telling me. But--what is a man? A miserable pile of secrets." The priest actually winks, though, clearly indicating that he's only jesting--on one part, or both? That much is left unsaid.

He turns his gaze upon the congregation of spirits rising to gander upon the spectacle of Hector actually taking flight. They meant no harm, by his reckoning, and thus is not alarmed, no--he's rather calm, serene. The frown lines carved upon his visage actually lightens a little as Blake fills the role of cheerleader, but he is left to wonder as to who's the cheerleader for Blake. The leonine beast of a man lifts his chin a tad as his attention drifts upon the Angel of Death in flight. "You're doing wonderfully! I'm proud of you for being so brave and trying something you haven't done before, and the trust you place in the piece of divinity is...astounding. I am honored." There's no trifle of mockery or dryness in that statement, no. He means what he says here.

Arix Thunderhawk leans back a bit, anchoring herself into the sand a bit as Hector rises in the sky. She has to put her weight into it now to keep him from being pulled up and back by the strong, oceanic winds. "Blake is right, everyone has something special about them," she agreed with a slight grunt as she looped another wrap of the rope around her forearm. "Alright, slowly try to control your descent by coming down the same way," she called up to Hector. "Angle the wings the other way gingerly until you touch the ground." With the additional movement of the man above she had to shift in the sand to keep her own traction solid, bumping into Vharc's shoulder on accident. She made no apology about it except for the quick, understanding glance that these things did happen sometimes. She paid no heed to the ghosts in the presence of others and would behave as if she did not see them. Their horrors were not unknown to the otherworldly woman and if they would try to shock or spook her, she would not tarry from her current task.

Blake Jermyn gulps as Hector wobbles for a moment, then cheers again when he sees that thumbs up. "Dude you're doing great!" He hollered, absolutely beaming up at Hector as he manages to stay airborne, before turning to Maria, offering her a fistbump. "He falls, we both try an catch him, yeah?" He said, a little quieter and out of Hector's earshot, not wanting to freak the guy out, "looks like he ain't gonna need it though, dude gettin' the hang of it quick." The miserable pile of secrets line actually prompts Blake to snort a little laugh out loud, though one hand hastily lifts to cover his mouth. He supposed he should feel called out if anything, given that 'miserable pile of secrets' was honestly a pretty apt description for the boy, but, come on. Classic line was classic. Arix got a grin and a fingergun, Blake still completely oblivious as to any hidden natures, before he fixed that pale blue gaze back on Hector, just in case coming down was a bit trickier than going up.

Hector: is getting a bit overwhelmed with all the praise. He's not used to it. He doesn't know how to act. A few yays is cool, but after that he just starts to feel flustered and weird. His face turns red and he's not sure what to do with his hands. Concentrated on what he's doing is harder and he has that moment of 'all eyes on me' and is absolutely sure he's about to fuck something up. Stage fright hits hard, as Hector tends to need to lose himself in something or the 'eyes' on him just make him aware of his own flaws. He shuts his eyes tight and tries to hum to himself, but still pay attention to instructions. He angles his wings and tries to bring himself down slowly, but of course it's a bit faster than he intends. It's not enough to really hurt himself, but he does land hard in a super hero pose that...while he didn't intend, actually looked pretty awesome. One fist goes into the sand, his wings fly out in every direction, he's down to one knee and sand just EXPLODES in every direction. THUNK! Damn that looked cool. Not very graceful though. He'll have to work on that.

Vharcoleti cords the length of his arm around the rough bit of rope that's tethering the reaper to both Arix and himself, supplying the man aloft and in the air with the unstated security that's being bound to another--anchoring him to the ground and away from any unwieldy wind currents that might have otherwise interfered with his descent. Arix's occasional bumping into him is enough to earn a raise of a brow that has just a touch of coyness, but that's about all he cares to pursue at present. He does, however, peer beneath the rectangular lenses of those spectacles over at the sight of Hector entirely new shades of red at the praise. Curious. Is the necromancer not used to genuine encouragement and compliments?

Blake also gets an inquiring look--but before he could address the youth, he's caught off guard by the sudden drop--unexpected, to say the least, and he's off balance, the weight that's inherently placed on the rope inevitably disappearing. The revenant pitches to his immediate left and...his face winds up buried right between the hint of cleavage that's discernible beneath the woman's workclothes while his body collapses hard against the Valkyrie's frame. At least his face had a soft landing... even if it's causing the glasses perched upon his nose to fog up and be askew. Yes.

Arix Thunderhawk watched Hector like a hawk, keeping her eyes keenly on the man's frame. As he might start to wobble on the down, she tried to yank hard to get him to catch a bit more air so he would land more smoothly. Instead, she was knocked-aside by Vharc's sudden fall and, she too would fall backwards as his face fell into quite a precarious spot. "AH FUCK!" She cracked out before hitting the soft sand beneath. As the dust settled, she opened her clenched eyes slowly to make sure no one was hurt before looking down at the revenant planted squarely in the warm, doughy confines of her bosom. Their welcoming bounce would far surpass anyones obvious assumptions about them and, as she swallowed and tried to spy the man over the mountains he was buried between, she swallowed hard and her cheeks flared brightly. The rest of her body was splayed somehow beneath him, tangled in rope, sand, grasses, and, she imagined, his legs. Her head turned upwards as she followed the line of rope and saw Hector had at least landed on his feet. It was a start, at least.

Blake Jermyn tenses as he sees Hector dropping just a bit too fast, readying himself to burst out there and snatch him out of the air, but thankfully he thunks to the ground with a cool, if not perfectly controlled, superhero landing. This just prompts another round of applause from the oblivious Blake, not really picking up at all on poor Hector's stage fright. Guy was a rock star, right? So of course he's fine with praise. Sensing eyes on him, he casts his pale blue gaze back to Vharc.... Only to see him faceplant right straight into some titties. Immediately, one hand claps over his mouth to keep himself from bursting into laughter and embarrassing the poor things even more, but his wide eyes and red cheeks are still plain as day to see. Now if THAT weren't a scene straight out of a fuckin' hentai he didn't know WHAT was! "Y-you guys good over there?" He called quietly, trying to keep the mirth out of his voice.

Hector: is stunned for half a second before pushing himself to his feet. He looks up to make sure that everyone else is ok, seeing as how they had been holding him and he just DROPPED out of the air unceremoniously. He started to rush across the sand, only to stop and stare at Vharc's face is firmly nestled betwixed two large bewbs. His eyes go wide and he lets out a little snerking sound before coughing into his hand. "Ah, mmm, well, you all right there, FATHER Vharcoleti?" He said with great emphasis on the FATHER part. The nearby ghosts all roared with laughter, only for the sound of voices to make Hector let out a 'tch.' "Damn...looks like it's lunch time." He reached up to fiddle with his collar, carefully locking it tightly to put his glamour back into place. The wings would shimmer out of existence to the untrained eye and he went over to help Blake back to his wheelchair. "Looks like we've out-stayed our welcome, I'm afraid. The divers are coming up for their lunch break." He looked back to Vharc and Arix. "Ah...you uh...you ok? And, thanks for that...truly I uh...just thanks." He turned bright pink and shifted a bit.

The scene has all the appearance of a start of either a really good or a really bad porn scene, from Blake's perspective. Golden tendrils of gossamer skim across the mounds of soft, yielding flesh as he finally lifts up his head, probably not helping Arix's current predicament. Being faceplanted into a helping of large breasts is thoroughly not what he was expecting, to say the least. He does, however, peel himself off from the woman, peering askance at the obvious flush upon the Valkyrie's face. "Ah, I suppose I'll have you to thank for the...soft landing?" There's a little quiet laugh, rich and low. Being able to laugh at himself is one of the benefits of having been so long-lived.

The enunciation of 'father' from Hector is not lost on Vharcoleti, and he rights himself into a seated position upon the sands with as much dignity as he can muster. "I am fine. More worried about the lady I broke my fall on." The length of those fingers raise upwards, adjusting his own glasses so they were seated rightly upon the bridge of his nose again. No worse for the wear.

Arix Thunderhawk was glad that Hector moved toward them as her arm was taut and above her head, causing that much more 'exposure'. It wasn't the first predicament she found herself in, but she was certainly coloring brightly despite it. "Try not to make it a habit," her voice cracked a little and she tried to clear her throat. The soft sensation of his face on tender, untouched skin made her squirm a little as he moved off of her. Her eyes shot to Hector and Blake and she huffed as she sat up when Vharc also righted himself. "I'm alright," she said, unraveling the rope from her forearm. There were indentations but no red marks or burns upon her pale skin despite the righteous tug the rope gave her. "Hector, do you have a better feel for it now? I'm so proud of you for trying. I know it's tough," she assured him, trying to replace her smile though the blush still remained on her face and the zipper of her front had been pushed down a bit with the way Vharc's chin landed.

Blake Jermyn began to hover over to where Vharc and Arix lay.... Entangled, trying to see if he should offer assistance or leave the two of them alone, but as he does so, his control over keeping himself aloft starts to waver, his floating growing wobbly, unsteady, before at last he just collapses clean into the sand again, a tiny trickle of blood leaking from one nostril. "Shit..." Though his smile was as bright as it ever was, there was a faint tremor to his limbs as he pulled himself back up again, a faint pallor of exhaustion on his already too-fair skin. All the same, he happily crawled back over to the chair, only to offer Hector a look of surprised gratitude as he helps him back in. "Thanks man... You did great out there, you ever wanna do that again just gimme a holler, alright? Happy to help with that or anything else whenever." He held up one hand, offering the other man a high five. He very carefully and pointedly looked away from Vharc and Arix as they sorted themselves out, not wanting to rub in the moment of embarrassment any further than he already had.

Hector: reaches down to undo the rope around his waist, making sure that Arix's arms were fine and Vharc didn't break his nose on the boobs. He'd bloodied his own nose on a boob or two in his day. Then Blake's nose is bleeding and he knows how that goes. He fishes a hanky from his pocket and dabs at Blake's nose, handing him the handkerchief so he could keep it and then clapped the high five. He moved behind Blake and would start walking his wheelchair back and forth to get it to the stairs so he could help him up off the beach and to the streets above again. "Come on, Blake. You're exhausted and so am I. Imma push you back to Siekki and I need a nap." He sighed out and nodded to Vharc and Arix. "I do have a much better feel for it. I'll have to go out into the forest away from everything and really focus on the feel of the wind. Thank all of you, truly. I think everyone might need a bit of a break eh?" He brushed a bit of sweat from his brow.

He's caught the sound of Arix's voice cracking and...is probably stowing that for further exploration and examination later, yes. He's not quite tired yet, but upon seeing the tremor of Blake's frame and the sagging of Hector's broad shoulders while they draw themselves up to the wheelchair--well, that would draw a look of genuine concern upon his visage, and the frown lines carved upon his brows and at the edges of his lips deepen just a little. "You and Blake did an excellent job. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the spectacle of your first flight. You need rest and recuperation..." The murmur is fond. "Don't forget to eat, both of you. Sustenance is required for replenishing energy in the wake of strenuous physical activity." And yes, he's also including Arix. He does, however, draw himself up from the sand to a standing position, shaking stray sand particles from the golden mane of his hair. Preparing to go up the stairs in search of a shower to rid himself of the dirt settling upon those strands? Yes, yes, he is.

Arix Thunderhawk didn't make eye contact with the priest as she, too, pulled herself up to a standing position. She dusted her body quickly and yelped a little when she realized her zipper was tugged downwards. With a lightning-fast 'zzzp!' she pulled it back up and swallowed heavily. Anyone walking up might assume some odd things. Not that she cared what others thought, but it was still funny to think about. She tried for a smile and nodded between the three men. "Well it has been... unpredictable, to say the least," she rubbed at her ear sheepishly as she looked at a random rock on the ground. "I hadn't expected to see that today. Just ah.... maybe pick a less conspicuous place next time, yeah?" She spoke to Hector then. Yet she was still glad for him to have caught a feel for it. Had it been a different time or place she might have even joined him, but the guise was yet still intact for now. Tucking a strand of sandy hair behind her ear she winced and audibly frowned; she too would have to wash her hair and what a feckin' chore that was. "In any event. Are you two capable of getting to where you need to go or do you require assistance?" Her tone was pleasant and nurturing, as it always seemed to be when she addressed any of them either singularly or en masse.

Blake Jermyn blushes a bit as he takes the handkerchief, wiping at his nose a couple more times before the trickle of blood slowed to a stop. "Thanks man... Wait, exhausted? Oh hell no, party's just getting started!" The words were spoken with his usual exuberant energy, but his body told a different story, as did the way he didn't even try to fight Hector when he began helping him up the stairs. "Hah, guess I didn't think that one through...." If it weren't for the help, he'd have been stuck waiting on the beach for a moment when no one was looking to hoist himself and his chair back up and over the cliff. As Vharc showed concern as well, Blake's back straightened a bit, shoulders square, smile bright as if to, turn the volume up on the mask, pave over any cracks that might be showing. "Don't worry about me big guy, I'm all good. Just jonesin' for a drink after a nice day on the beach, ya feel me?" A light, airy laugh, before he turned to Arix. "What, ya mean like, directions? Naw, I know the Seiiki distict like the back of my hand now, won't be hard showin' Hector here around."

Vharcoleti just stares down the bridge of his nose at Arix when she looks anywhere but in the direction of the priest. It's likely that she can feel his regard, depending on how empathetic she is to such things. There's something of a scoff voiced within the depths of his throat, but he doesn't pursue it now. Blake, however, gets a thoroughly-skeptical glance, but he just shakes his head. "I'm going to pursue a shower. Was lovely meeting with you all. Take care of yourselves--or I will." A wink. And it's here he turns on a heel, his massive frame stepping off in the direction of the townhouse he and his ghoul share.

Blake Jermyn waves to Vharc and Arix as the two start to head out, only for his eyes to go wide at that subtle, winking threat, his cheeks going a faint, pale shade of pink. Well, if THAT wasn't going to put thoughts in his head for later on... A cough, a shake of his head, and he was all smiles again, cheerfully chattering Hector's ear off as he wheeled him down the street.