[He considers. It's kind of weird how quickly Geir did the turnaround from zero to "let's go under the island!" in their last conversation, but if Geir intended harm to Jay, there are frankly a lot of better ways he could act on those intentions, so this is probably just a weirdness. Also, he really, really wants to know what's under the island.
He smiles.]
I'd still like to see, if you're confident it will work.
[Geir switches eyes again, his only sign of uncertainty. truth to tell, he isn't really sure about this trip on a lot of levels, most of them having to do with not being sure if Jay wants him there... but he liked Jay, before their strange spat and subsequent awkwardness, and he has a dim sense that he can't let Jay's reactions dictate his relationship with his own thoughts and feelings. he's impulsive, and had the impulse to offer Jay the trip... to prove before them both that even if offering his thoughts and feelings on his own situation caused Jay to reject him and call him a coward, he, Geir, is still the one who decides what he will offer in the future. perhaps there's some wisdom there, and it's fine to own that.]
I'm not. I know I can hang on, but you're going to have to be the one to tie yourself to me; I can't reach back there. It's up to you!
[Geir drops the coil of rope he'd found in one of the backpacks in front of the door to Jay's hut, and slithers his way off where he's draped half-on the roof, to stand up straight on the beach. as long as Jay can get the rope solidly around his neck, it shouldn't be too hard to rig up something that keeps him securely between some of the ridges on Geir's back. it might not be a comfortable trip if he doesn't spread the pressure out, but it's possible regardless.]
I'll try to catch you if you fall. It'll be embarrassing if Genette has to come get us.
[With some difficulty, he manages to get the rope around his something something the player, unlike Jay, knows fuck all about rope or knots. He ties himself securely to Geir, is the point. His mouth quirks up at that comment, too.]
[Geir takes off in a sweep of wings; that part is normal enough, and Jay has probably experienced it to some extent on their exploratory trips. Geir isn't bothering to fly extra slowly and carefully with Jay tied on like this, though. it's much more a rollercoaster than an airbus this time.
the other part that isn't normal is that after a brief soaring hop, he wings his way to the edge of the world. Geir deliberately picks the spot without ocean that's closest to the ocean -- he wants to check what that looks like from underneath -- and lands there. and there he stands poised for a moment, scuffing his claws dubiously at where rock meets space. don't fail him now, grip strength.]
Okay. Keep holding...
[he folds his wings in tightly and starts progressing headfirst down the cliff, picking out clawholds as best he can.]
[He's tied to Geir as tightly as he could manage and also clinging on with his arms and legs, but he still gets a little jostled. He peers down as well as he can while still clinging to the ropes. For the moment, he's silent, letting Geir concentrate on making his way down.]
[there are variegated layers of rock and compacted earth as they descend, tree roots crawling in and out of the space, rough edges and loose bits of dirt knocked askew by Geir's claws... it really is, for all the world, like someone just chopped a piece of ground off of a world and shoved it into space instead. it gets a little colder and more airless as they descend, too, though Geir is sticking close enough to the rock surface that there's still something left to breathe.
Geir, for his part, is making an effort to go slowly and carefully, not jarring Jay too much. he can feel the shifts on his back and hunch up his shoulderblades as much as he can to try to use gravity to keep Jay onboard. at the same time, there are places where he has to scramble or let himself slide to get to the next clawhold, and they have more than one hair-raising near miss when his claws need to clutch at the cliff face twice before they make a catch.
as Geir finally ducks under the island, the space around them... opens up. Jay can feel himself hanging bodily upside down from the ropes and his grip on Geir's back, but he might also be distracted by the view:
"The best thing about it would probably be the potential 360 view of outer space since there are different planets and astral bodies, like an asteroid belt loop, that are better seen from underneath the island."
Geir pauses to look at it with a little indrawn breath.]
[He has to take a breath himself at that sight; despite the Legacy being . . . the Legacy, he's never actually been in space before, much less seen it from so close a vantage point.]
[there's a yearning note in Geir's voice; he's never wanted to so much to spread his wings and go look closer at something in his life. but Jay is on his back, and he doesn't know if he could keep going out in that inky black, much less Jay. so he keeps his wings tightly folded and his claws locked in the stone.]
Look at the colors...
[he continues his progress forward over the rocky underside of the Hub, but except for what's needed to maintain solid clawholds, he's definitely not paying attention to what the rock looks like.]
There's no weight. No air to beat your wings. After a couple of minutes, Qri pulls you back... I wonder what could be done to make up for that, though. I bet there's something.
[not right now, though. he pauses in shock when he feels trickling wetness under one claw and snuffles at the stone, tearing his gaze away from the vista of stars.]
--I taste salt. I think we're under where the sea is.
Ugh, and here I gave Genette the list of questions yesterday... that wasn't on it. Maybe next time?
[Geir crawls a bit further along the bottom of the ocean, upside down. after a couple of moments, the edge of the water just comes into view far ahead: seen from below, the imposition of ocean against the starry reaches of space is just strange.]
I can feel that there are places where the soil is loose instead of rock. And I can feel places where it's wet from the water above. There are even tree roots coming through.
[he crawls out further, looking around as much as possible, but it certainly appears that the bottom of the island is literally... just the bottom of a giant rock. it's not really remarkable, except for the incredible view spread out below them.]
...what holds the water there? Why does any of this work? This isn't like the wells under the Tree, this is all in this realm...
I think it must be magic. If Qri is the one holding it all together, she's wasting a lot of power...
[...Geir trails to a stop again as they pass another rock outcropping and get an even better view of the asteroid belt. it has strange rainbow reflections, seen from this angle. he can't even think of any other words to comment on it, and just takes a moment to stare.]
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He smiles.]
I'd still like to see, if you're confident it will work.
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I'm not. I know I can hang on, but you're going to have to be the one to tie yourself to me; I can't reach back there. It's up to you!
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[He's fairly good at it, actually; it's one of those skills he learned spending long, lazy days with the Oresoren. He steps closer to Geir.]
Let's try it, at least.
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I'll try to catch you if you fall. It'll be embarrassing if Genette has to come get us.
[if she even can, that far from the edge.]
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I appreciate it, but I'll try my best to hang on.
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[he flaps his wings a couple of times, testing how the rope lays.]
Ready to start hanging on?
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Ready when you are.
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[Geir takes off in a sweep of wings; that part is normal enough, and Jay has probably experienced it to some extent on their exploratory trips. Geir isn't bothering to fly extra slowly and carefully with Jay tied on like this, though. it's much more a rollercoaster than an airbus this time.
the other part that isn't normal is that after a brief soaring hop, he wings his way to the edge of the world. Geir deliberately picks the spot without ocean that's closest to the ocean -- he wants to check what that looks like from underneath -- and lands there. and there he stands poised for a moment, scuffing his claws dubiously at where rock meets space. don't fail him now, grip strength.]
Okay. Keep holding...
[he folds his wings in tightly and starts progressing headfirst down the cliff, picking out clawholds as best he can.]
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Geir, for his part, is making an effort to go slowly and carefully, not jarring Jay too much. he can feel the shifts on his back and hunch up his shoulderblades as much as he can to try to use gravity to keep Jay onboard. at the same time, there are places where he has to scramble or let himself slide to get to the next clawhold, and they have more than one hair-raising near miss when his claws need to clutch at the cliff face twice before they make a catch.
as Geir finally ducks under the island, the space around them... opens up. Jay can feel himself hanging bodily upside down from the ropes and his grip on Geir's back, but he might also be distracted by the view:
"The best thing about it would probably be the potential 360 view of outer space since there are different planets and astral bodies, like an asteroid belt loop, that are better seen from underneath the island."
Geir pauses to look at it with a little indrawn breath.]
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It's incredible . . . .
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[there's a yearning note in Geir's voice; he's never wanted to so much to spread his wings and go look closer at something in his life. but Jay is on his back, and he doesn't know if he could keep going out in that inky black, much less Jay. so he keeps his wings tightly folded and his claws locked in the stone.]
Look at the colors...
[he continues his progress forward over the rocky underside of the Hub, but except for what's needed to maintain solid clawholds, he's definitely not paying attention to what the rock looks like.]
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Have you tried flying off the edge of the island yet?
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[not right now, though. he pauses in shock when he feels trickling wetness under one claw and snuffles at the stone, tearing his gaze away from the vista of stars.]
--I taste salt. I think we're under where the sea is.
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[Geir crawls a bit further along the bottom of the ocean, upside down. after a couple of moments, the edge of the water just comes into view far ahead: seen from below, the imposition of ocean against the starry reaches of space is just strange.]
--geez, that looks weird...
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[He falls silent, still looking around them at the odd view this vantage point affords.]
It is decidedly odd.
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[he crawls out further, looking around as much as possible, but it certainly appears that the bottom of the island is literally... just the bottom of a giant rock. it's not really remarkable, except for the incredible view spread out below them.]
...what holds the water there? Why does any of this work? This isn't like the wells under the Tree, this is all in this realm...
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[He doesn't really have better answers than that. Why did Qri choose this place--?]
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[...Geir trails to a stop again as they pass another rock outcropping and get an even better view of the asteroid belt. it has strange rainbow reflections, seen from this angle. he can't even think of any other words to comment on it, and just takes a moment to stare.]
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. . . she is. It would have been easier to keep us in Aimintas.
[But he's still looking at the asteroid belt.]
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Maybe we can just dig a cave down here for people to sit in and look at it.
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. . . I think you'd have to take charge of that particular project.
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[there's something of longing in Geir's.]
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[He shrugs.]
We like it where it is, for the moment.
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