DUCK MINGLE!

[wilder]

Who: The Mighty Wonderducks (and visitors)
Broadcast: Maybe?!
Action: SS Wonderducks
When: Whenever!

[Welcome new Wonderducklings! The ship is still a bit beaten up from that space battle, but repairs are underway! Do what you'd like, for it's a mingle!]

Comments

[wilder]

[A PAUSE. And he does a quick glance with his eyes to see if his wings are out. Whew, okay - they aren't]

Huh? What do you mean wings?

I mean, I guess I am the pilot...

[diomedea]

[She makes a little face. Why did people have trouble understanding her? The words seemed to fall from her lips, but they were clumsy, like tripping.]

Kept inside, like fetters for feathers. Not out.

[wilder]

[Aw crap]

Wait- you can...tell that?

[diomedea]

I can see. You keep them close. Can't let them see, ship the feathers off. Make some use of the damned things.

[Her tone is even, but she looks him over.]

[wilder]

[He listens and. Yep. That definitely sounds about right. It's very unnerving, but...he remembers someone in Exsilium who could do the same thing. So instead of completely freaking, he pinches the bridge of his nose. Nevermind he's still tense]

...Great. You're psychic.

[diomedea]

She sees things, hears things, like the books are screaming at her.

[But more pressing matters.]

It should be a battle, not a duck. A battleground. Something like hope. It was called Serenity, after a fight.

[wilder]

...And let me guess, you can't turn it off.

[Not if she describes it like that. not if she sounds...well, like this. The other psychic was certainly more cohesive, more together. But he frowns]

What do you mean? Was there a ship called Serenity? This one's only seen one battle I've known about it- and it wasn't one worth naming anything after.

[diomedea]

Would if she could.

[And she smiles a little.]

Looks like the Ship That Is Not A Duck. Serenity was home.

[wilder]

...Ah.

[His expression softens a little.]

I think I get it now. [Why she is so extra adverse to the name] Well, afraid I don't think it'd be the same if we called it Serenity.

[diomedea]

No, home is the people. No jacks to play with in the cargo hold.

[She smiles softly.]

You don't have cats. They remember what they are in the ship, still cats.

[wilder]

Right.

[He doesn't even know the rules of jacks]

Never owned a cat. [He shrugs] Just...a fox-like thing, once.

[diomedea]

Would you like a cat? They have them in the other ship.

[River, no, you can't steal Slay or Alicia.]

That was worlds ago. You have Initiative.

[wilder]

Not really...What, is someone looking to get rid of their cats?

[GOSH RIVER. And he makes a face at that word]

I like Curry. I'd rather get her back than leave her with whatever remnant of those guys there are.

[diomedea]

Earth-that-Was that was. Not your first rodeo.

[She looks him over.]

You're different now. Not the the hair, it was a symbol. Hack it off, out with the old.

[wilder]

[He gives an awkward shrug] Yeah well, sometimes change is good.

...It's a good change, right?

[diomedea]

Not always.

[But she nods a little.]

Better, though. More YOU you, less you.

[wilder]

Heh, that's...a good way of putting it.

[At least it made sense to him? Maybe he should worry]

What about you? I don't think you've said your name yet- so who are you?

[diomedea]

They call her River, it's the label on her skin.

[She tilts her head a bit.]

You're the dog stars, but under that it's Wilder than the sky.

[wilder]

River...pretty name. [Maybe even fitting, but eh. He was never really the poetic type.]

[But there's that star thing again. It doesn't faze him now that Hiro explained about the constellation. There's a slight unnerving chill when she states his real last name. He missed that name, more than he missed "Zelos". He doubted his parents had spent much time picking out his first name. Hell, they probably just grabbed it from the scriptures at random. It wouldn't surprise him. It certainly wasn't fitting.]

[But "Wilder". Ah. Now there was a name he loved even though he knew he shouldn't. Along with everyone else who ever stood under that name]

Heh...you kids have the fanciest ways of saying my name.

But seriously, just "Kaneis" works too.

[diomedea]

You disconnected, she understands. She changed too. She's more than she was, she's not the same. But they still call her River.

[She offers him a small smile.]

She likes it, that's what her Simon calls her. Do you want to be the dog stars or is it a hairshirt? Did you hang the albatross?

[wilder]

[Well, if that's the case- He was about to ask if she wanted to be called something else, but then she mentions Simon liking it]

Oh? Whose Simon?

[Annnnd then that last part makes no sense. Sorry River he's not entirely fluent]

Uh- you might have to be a little clearer about that last part, River.