savetheearth | One Star [TEXT]

Bear with me guys, I'm a bit new to all this.
[That being the superhero or whatever it was being called, thing.]

The name is Ariel. I've suspected for some time that I was different, but until recently I didn't think there was really anyone else like me. Now I know I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm here more to offer help than to blather on about myself. My dad is a photographer of some renown, popular in fashion mags and stuff. He is best known for his "fusion photography" which is combining nature and models together to create awareness about the environment and stuff. Well, I know there are a few of you out there whose appearance might not be considered normal, so I'm making this offer to you, drop me a line and I'll get you in touch with my dad. Maybe you could put a positive spin on things before the media fear mongers you into something you don't want to be.

[A small hesitation in typing. It's conceivable that there are people who want to be feared as well, and she knows it.]

This is only if you want to try and change public opinion of you or maybe start a new career. [Talking to you Julian.]

Anyway, aside from that, I'm curious to know just how many people out there have a thing for archery? I recently discovered I am quite good at it. Like, insanely good. I'd like to maybe have a friendly competition between archers one of these days. You know get to know each other and all that.

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Fashion doesn't sleep and neither does my dad. Any time is cool. Mom might kill you if it's past 11pm though [she laughs and smiles at that.]

I'm a creature of the day, don't worry.

So how's the park doing now that things are thawing?

We're getting more visitors by the day. Or so I'm told. I haven't been back yet. I decided to try and help out around the city for a little while. So much damage was done.

Cool. Yeah, no kidding... I wish I could help more with that stuff.

Must be hard for you to do much. Do the feathers get in the way a lot?

All the time. [Sigh.] I can pick stuff up with some of them, they're like jointed. It's troublesome!

[Much as Julien would like to dwell on that - he does, in private - he's also invested in seeming okay, in always seeming positive.]

But, I'm getting better at it.

Jointed feathers? That sounds pretty interesting actually. How long have you been practicing?

Ah, well... Maybe since the twentieth? A little before that? I've had these for longer, but I didn't really figure out I could move them until more lately.

[Because he first tried to leave the city, then came back and spent much of his time in a depressive funk.]

Ah, makes sense. You wouldn't think feathers are prehensile. The nature lover in me wonders just what kind of bird you might be.

Yeah... Well, I'm pretty sure I know. A couple people actually thought 'eagle' but really now, I don't have toes or claws like that and it's just as well.

Plus there is your coloration too. But it's not a big deal now. You're unique after all.

There aren't any all-white eagles, are there? Except albinos. I don't think I'm albino now - my hair's white these days, I dyed it, but my eyes aren't blood-colored. And I've still got color in my skin.

Well, there's that! Really the species isn't glamorous. You see them everywhere.

I honestly don't know enough about albinos to hazard a guess. But hey, aren't some non predatory birds white? Like herons or something?

Egrets. Nah... [Julien snort.] What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think "white bird"?

[She laughs.] You don't want to know.

"Chicken", huh? I'm better off than that, at least. Someone will figure out by the feathering, or my feet, or my smell, I might as well say it.

[He exhales a little sharply.]

...It's dove. White pigeon. However you want it said.

Actually, I was thinking Duck. But you don't have webbed feet. But I can see dove. Yes actually I should have thought of that!

...also I'm better off than duck. Though people seem to think those're cute.

Not exactly what I'd have picked if someone'd held a gun to my head and said choose a bird... [Julien snorts.] What would you pick, Ariel?

[Without hesitation:] Falcon or a hawk. Something quick and fierce.

There we go. Yeah, that'd be cooler, too.

Dove is nice as well though. They make cute cooing noises.

Still. Prey species - "vermin". People say they spread disease. Really, they don't. But you remember in the fall they were dying everywhere? So many people didn't care.

[In September Julien echoed back a virus that killed a lot of them and weakened others. Given long enough some of the survivors' descendents will be sentient. Already there are some individuals that are just smarter. Julien went and set up a little rescue in an abandoned house, getting his friends to bring him sick birds.]

...maybe I knew.

[She remembers that. Her mom had raised funding to study the cause, but not much had been done about it.]

My family cared. I remember mom raising funds to investigate it.

What did you know?

And I'm glad about that. I am. And there were other people who wanted to help them, even when it just started. But... well, they're not popular birds.

[City pigeons get a lot of hate.]

Maybe I knew this was where I was headed. Maybe that's why I cared.

[...Julien carries spiders outside instead of squashing them. He's always had a soft heart, and he likes to feel useful.]

Well, yeah. It's hard to conjure up love for an animal called the winged rat. Personally, I think European Starlings are worse. Pidgeons are at least native to the Americas and are just adapting to humans, but Starlings are a pest.

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