Actual Bit of Joy [OTA]

[scarsolderthanyou]

Stone's ability to shapeshift has come and gone since the hole got blown in the tree, and he is, frankly, reveling in them whenever he gets the chance. He hasn't been able to take his winged form in over a year, and every chance he gets now, he's taking it.

Of course, there are only a handful of places he fits, in his winged form: the kitchen's seating area, the medical floor, and the common space where the tree used to be. He's about as big as Kethel, his wingspan maybe eighty feet across and his hands capable of picking up anyone else on the ship with ease, only his face is more humanoid, and he has a mane of long flexible spines rather than a crest, and his feathers scales are so faded a black that he's almost gray, rather than the flat matte black of Kethel's plates.

Find him sprawled between the tables in the kitchen with his tail curling and uncurling, wings tucked in tight, surveying everyone working with a content, almost smug expression.

Find him curled up snoozing in the remains of the medical floor, coincidentally blocking the entrances to all the padded rooms so nobody can get locked away until his power reverts.

Find him clinging to the edges of the residential floors with one hand and his foot-claws while he cranes his neck towards that hole in the ship, or even climbing up (he can't fly; there simply isn't room to properly flap his wings even in the common area) to poke his head out the hole. If anyone else wants a look, he's happy to lift them up, or let them cling to the ridges of scales at his collarbone while he climbs. Raksura, being aerial predators, are immune to altitude sickness... so that's nice.

And he's actually happy, if just for a little while, finally having a little choice in at least what shape he can wear.

Of course, the fits of shapeshifting don't last forever, so you might instead find him clinging to the edge of that hole looking surly, before he manages to start climbing his way down, or suddenly disappearing from the eating area in a cloud of dark smoke and returning sprawled on his belly on the floor. "Ugh. Too good to be true," he mutters to himself.

Comments

[punched_hitler]

That makes Steve grin, and he does indeed step on. "Thanks, pal. It's good to see you got this back."

He knows it won't last, but that doesn't make it good, nonetheless. It's better than the last time he was on a ship where inmates got their powers back, at least. "Don't need me to pull any thorns out of a paw in return, do you?"

Stone... probably won't get the reference, but oh well.

[scarsolderthanyou]

Stone does not, but he makes a huffing sound that sounds kind of like laughter. He lifts Steve up to the level of his collar bones, where there's a ridge of raised scales. On a regular Raksura, that ridge would be a perfect hand-hold. On Stone, it's practically a seat Steve could fit his butt into and dangle his feet off of. He taps those with a free claw. Sit and hold on there, and Steve will be safe from any stray spines or frills that might accidentally cut him.

[punched_hitler]

Steve follows the claw and seems to catch on pretty quick. "It's like you've done this before," he says with a rueful smile, and climbs from Stone's hand to his scales, shifting a bit to get himself situated before glancing up - and then down, too. "This is even better than a flying car," he decides.