A/N: So this has been a long time coming. After reading back over what my ten year younger self wrote, I just didn't feel it. It sounded super cliché and didn't really fit with how Alita has evolved now. So I struggled a bit with reshaping this particular sequence and ended up cutting out a lot of the original. But, I think this feels and flows a lot better. So without further ado, the next chapter!
Phoenicis is not what Alita expected. She had envisioned something similar to Kilvas since they are both islands and they both house bird folk. Instead, the hawk island has a brighter feel to it and is more open in the architecture. The castle and dwellings not built into the side of a cliff utilize a vast array of unobstructed openings that resemble entryways instead of windows with how large they are. Alita had commented on it upon her arrival, mentioning the vulnerability it posed only to be informed that the island is so well protected with the cliffs and ocean that the crows would be the only ones who might have a chance of inflitrating with out the king's knowledge.
It took Alita several weeks to get used to the concept of such invulnerability. During that time she was able to build up strength in her wings, if her barely concious arrival was any indication. Her exercises consisted of staying aloft for varying periods of time, which Janaff was always happy to accompany her during, or swimming through the surf using only her wings as propulsion, which Ulki typically oversaw. After a day of exercises Alita was usually too worn out to socialize so didn't see the herons or Tibarn, except maybe in passing on her way to her rooms or the kitchens.
Even if Alita ended up too exhausted to do much of anything in the beginning, she views her time with the hawks as one of the best she's had. Probably the best if she's honest with herself, especially the development of friendships and other than friendship interests, which she is still trying to wrap her mind around. But most of all is the feeling of being home. She can't deny that this island and its people call to her in a way that the mainlanders and even the crows couldn't. Maybe it's the fact that she is part of the raptor group, or maybe her family lived off the sea like the hawks do and it's an integral part of her. Whatever it is, Alita doesn't want to lose it or the new family she has found as a result.
Regardless of her strength, or lack there of from before, now she is strong. She is strong and determined to best these hawks in their training games she is now ready for. Said hawks alert Alita to their presence by a gust of wind as they circle above before descending to the courtyard Alita is currently waiting in. She finds it odd to have this much flat space on such a hilly island, but Alita hasn't had the chance to explore anywhere else to see if the whole island is rolling or not.
Snorting Alita shakes her head at Janaff's acrobatic attempt to impress. If anything he only made a larger fool of himself by stumbling his landing in mid transformation. His mouth promptly eats dirt and his legs bend over him in a very scorpion-like position before they fall back down.
"Stop acting a fool" comments Ulki, walking over to the boulder Alita is seated on.
Completely ignoring Ulki, Janaff is already up with a grin on his face. "So, the hatchling becomes a nestling eh?"
In response, Alita snaps her right wing out knocking him in the face. The sandy hawk yelps as he takes several steps back and holds his nose protectively.
"You deserved that" Ulki declares, not even batting an eye.
"Besides, I didn't even hit you that hard," continues Alita, rolling her eyes at Janaff.
"Still uncalled for..." he pouts rubbing his nose. It's short lived as his grin returns. "Anyway~ today is your lucky day! You finally get to learn how to transform!"
This draws another snort from Alita. "Right. You've been telling me that for a while now."
"But it's true! This time I swear!"
"I'll believe it when it happens" Alita sighs while hopping off the boulder. "Now what are we doing today?"
"You didn't tell her yet?" Everyone turns to see Tibarn landing with Reyson. "I thought I told you to let her know." His words are accompanied with an arched brow and crossing of the arms at Janaff.
"He has been letting her know. For the past month or so. She doesn't believe him" Ulki promptly replies, pinning Janaff with a cutting glance of his own. The hawk in question has he decency to look sheepish.
Tibarn lets out a long suffering sigh, rubbing his forehead. "Well, doesn't matter," he waves it off turning to Alita. "We're going to get you to transform using this." He holds out his hand where an unsuspecting, cinnabar stained stone sits. Alita looks at the stone in question, frowning at how dull and lifeless it looks. "With that?" She looks back up at the king. "A dull river-stone?" She expected more.
An eruption of laughter ensues causing Alita to frown harder. "What's so funny?" Her frown starts hardening into something more volatile when they don't answer. They only laugh harder, eliciting a growl from Alita as she snatches the stone from Tibarn's hand. "Seriously, it's just-" Before she can finish there is a bright flash of light and she feels the stone heating. As soon as it appears the light vanishes, dropping Alita to the ground, which she didn't know she had left, with an indignant squawk.
"A river rock indeed..." chuckles Tibarn, a grin spread across his face and twinkle in his eye. Alita is sure her face would be flushed from embarrassment if it could, and because of that she promises revenge. Specifically in some fashion to make him look like a fool. She caws in a retort while righting herself, fluffing her wings only once from the indignation, then snaps her right one out at Janaff again. His laughter is suddenly cut off in a gasp that morphs into a wheeze when contact is made to his delicate bits. His mouth open and closes a couple times before he decides against it and just waves that he's fine. Alita watches with satisfaction as he carefully wobbles over to the bench near the boulder she had perched on.
"Smoother than I thought it was going to be. Good" nods Tibarn, fully composed as he circles Alita. His close scrutiny starts to irritate her and she ruffles her feathers again to express her annoyance. Is her beast form not good enough? After all the training she's done, is she still inadequate when compared to Ulki or Janaff? Just another trinket for a pirate to hoard?
The sudden wave of hurt takes her by surprise, having not realized just how attached she is to this place and its people, but especially how much she seeks Tibarn's approval. If she is good in his eyes, then she finally has a place to belong, which the possibility of not makes his perusal hurt even more. Almost immediately the hurt is blotted out by an all consuming rage. She refuses to be another conquest, another rarity to be put on display as a power play in a game of politics, both laguz and beorc. She will not, will not, fall into a hole by become some weak thing dependent on the praise and acceptance of others. She will forge her own path, find her own answers and locate her own place to live. No more trying to fit in.
As soon as the king starts another round Alita snaps out with her beak and catches him on his thigh, tearing cloth and skin while drawing blood. His reaction is an immediate back hand across her face, whipping her head har enough to cause her to stumble. She should have seen that coming, should have counted on him retaliating in some fashion. But her anger is blinding. Alita is already turning and extending her wing, making sure to hit Tibarn as hard as she can before giving a loud and piercing screech of defiance.
The look Tibarn pins her with is all molten amber with a glow that seems to get brighter the longer he looks at her. If looks had power, that one would have melted her on the spot. Alita screeches again, raising the pitch of it slightly to deter Ulki, who stops his advance to hold his ears with a wince. Janaff keeps coming, but Alita doesn't plan on being caught.
With a powerful downward stroke of her wings Alita launches into the air, tearing two hefty clumps of weed and dirt. On the second downbeat she releases the debris, the draft pushing it earthward harder and incidentally pelting the hawks while blinding them for mere moments. Moments enough to give Alita time to gain altitude and speed off. She debates briefly on whether to grab her bag or not, her most valuable items she carries with her at all times. The only thing of value left in her rooms would be the book she stole from Kilvas. She ultimately decides to retrieve it, having gone through too much to just leave it behind, so banks to the right in the direction of the hall.
The only warning Alita gets is a slight shift in the wind pattern when she is broadsided by the bulky frame of the king. The impact sends her careening away, struggling to right herself in the out of control spiral. A brief moment of panic swells before instincts enable her to recover. As soon as she does she is hit from the other side and sent tumbling through the air again. A screech of frustration erupts from her as she falls fueling her ire. Instead of struggling to stop though, she manuevers herself into a dive to gain speed. Roughly a tree length away from the ground, Alita snaps her wings over and dips changing the angle of the feathers just enough to rocket her way back into the sky. It's something shes been practicing in her human form and is ecstatic to see her hard work and practice pay off.
At the apex of her ascension Alita banks left to drop a little and level out. Then she is pumping her wings hard to build up speed, heading back towards Tibarn. She screeches out her intent receiving a warning caw in return. She ignores the warning. She collides with the hawk, talons grasping at talons and feathers, wings beating against bodies and beaks snapping at eyes. It's exhausting and painful since he is not only bigger and stronger, but more experienced. Even if she is currently lacking in those areas, if there's one thing Alita is, it's crafty.
Alita suddenly stops fighting, going limp except for her grip on his talons. The extra dead weight pulls Tibarn down, forcing him to work harder to stay aloft. In his momentary distraction Alita swipes her talons across his chest to leverage herself enough for a launch away from him, speeding off towards the ocean. Forget the book. Leanne will keep it for her.
He calls after her, no doubt giving chase. Alita would be more surprised if he didn't come after her. She did out right attack him after all. She puts on another burst of speed entering into cooler, grittier air. Glancing down confirms she is over water, which seems to stretch on forever. Flashes of silver catch her attention and she cocks her head to the side for a better look. She glides around the area studying the vigorous churning of water that's drawing seagulls over. Alita realizes it's a school of fish and suddenly she is eager to test her fishing skills.
Before she can Alita is swamped with pain, eliciting a cry from her. It radiates from the center point of her back, right between her wings. Tibarn has attacked her from above, his talons digging into the tender joints. His momentum not only knocks her off balance but plummets them to the sea in an out of control spiral. She tries to right herself, or even just twist away from him, but whatever he hit has number her wings momentarily.
They hit the water like a slap, scattering the fish and dazing Alita in the process. She manages to take a breath before they sink beneath the surface. Unable to hold onto her form any longer Alita transforms back, the stone still clutched in her hand. She pockets the stone and flaps away from Tibarn while he goes through his transformation, a fluid effortlessness honed by decades of experience. Before he even fully regains his shape he reaches for her, snagging at clothing to pull her back.
Alita works harder to get away, both kicking and flapping, but the water presses around her like honey and he has a firmer grip on her now that he's fully humanoid again. He jerks her towards him, her shoulder popping at the force of it. The stab of pain pulls a grunt from Alita as she glares at the king before her. Tibarn ignores her look, and her for the most part, as he propels them upward to the surface. Alita gnashes her teeth as she is dragged, but helps swim since her chest is beginning to burn with the lack of oxygen. She is not going to pass out and allow him to take her back. She is leaving, one way or another.
They break the surface with an outward splash, continuing up so they are no longer in the water. Alita takes a large gasps of air, chest heaving slightly. She flips her hair out of her face and tugs on her arm for Tibarn to release her. "Let go." He refuses, tightening his grip as he pulls her to him again, this time securing her against him with his other arm wrapped around her like iron. She growls in the back of her throat struggling against him before she is surprised by his sudden and fierce kiss.
No! She bites his lip hard enough to draw blood causing him to pull back with a hiss which frees up some space for her. She takes the opportunity to follow up her bite with a strong right hook to his jaw. It's enough to get him to let her go. "Such anger... I wonder what I did to deserve it?" muses Tibarn as he licks his split lip and rubs his jaw looking at her.
"I am not some prize or piece of meat," Alita growls in response. "I don't care who you are or what you've done for me if that's all you're going to see me as. And as such, I will be leaving" she bites out.
"You're not a piece of meat or a prize Alita" Tibarn calmly explains. She raises an eyebrow at this. "Oh really? Then what was all of that circling you were doing?"
He blinks perplexed before realizations dawns. "That? I was checking to make sure you were in one proper piece. There have been times before where someone would grab the stone carelessly and the force of the transformation so suddenly left them...not right. I simply wanted to ensure you were you. When you bit me I thought you had gone mad, that the transformation addled your mind. I'm glad to see that is not the case."
Alita frowns at the explanation, mulling over the possibilities of what happened to those other people. She supposes that in that sense, he was trying to protect her or at least ensure her safety. Maybe she did act a little rashly, but that doesn't excuse him or his lack of explanation. She narrows her eyes on him again. "And what about the kiss?"
Tibarn hums a bit, his eyes getting an extra gleam to them as his lips turn up in a satisfied smirk. "That? Well... you're a very strong willed and spirited person, Alita. Someone who knows what they want and is not afraid of going after it. Couple that with how fierce you can be...well..." he shrugs in nonchalance, "It makes for a heady concoction of attraction. Not to mention the added benefit of reciprocation."
Alita scoffs crossing her arms. He is so full of himself! As if he knows all about her and her desires. "Tch, whatever you say. I'm still leaving." She tilts her head up a bit in defiance. There is no way she can stay any longer now knowing his intentions towards her. As much as she might like to act on them, and she most definitely will given the right circumstances now that that barrier between them is broken, she has family to find and a heritage to discover. Anything else can wait until after.
"If that's what you want. You were always free to go. At the very least, stay tonight to rest and recover. You can stock up on rations as well." She pauses on briefly before she nods her consent and starts following him back to the island. It would be a folly to refuse such survival necessities with the long journey ahead of her.
