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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2021 16:17:43 GMT
Tara was getting there in terms of figuring out this flight issue. It would take a few more tests, but she'd solved one issue and the space in her lucky pack that had previously held the candy bars she'd steadily worked thorough in her months lost now held the fabric she was working at helping her get her lift and "fly".
It wasn't an airplane, but being a pilot (or aspiring pilot) was more about catching air and using it; by any means possible, and Tara was committed to these current means.
Of course, her structural supports for hang-gliding wouldn't fit in her pack and would be harder to have with her all the time, so maybe she should figure out a way to guide just the sail in her gliding. She'd seen people do it.
Hmm...now what did the jungle have that would help that...?
Tara was just wandering as she thought, making her way closer to Pride Rock, though she knew better than just march up there, Kabili's friend or no, but sat on some of the rocks at the base and, in her thinking through her process, picked up some nearby leaves and bent them as best she could into something resembling Paper Leaf Airplanes, thinking on currents and watching different shapes and how they took to the wind as she tossed them into the light breeze.
"You know, maybe...", she stood and, pulling her sail like fabric from her pack, spread it out and examined it. "Something to pull here I think...", she continued with talking to herself and talking through the process.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2021 3:58:28 GMT
Zazu took notice of the new human from his perch on Pride Rock. "What have we here..." he muttered to himself, kicking off from his position to go into a dive, climbing back up, mostly gliding as he took a wide view... "Another strange bird?" he questioned in reference to the planes that had brought the humans. He came to a landing in front of her, "Who are you, and... just what are you doing?" he asked, in a tone that suggested a focus on the action itself being unusual.
He looked around after landing at the leaves, tilting his head... his scolding, hostile demeanor lent itself further into confusion. He awaited her response, spreading his wings out as he stretched, which happened to give her a great view thereof, before he returned them to their tight folded position against his body.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2021 15:48:08 GMT
As she examined her fabric, and pondered her ideas, Tara heard a voice speak and turned, her eyes already going wide in intrigue more than worry of fear. Was that a British accent? And it came from a bird!
"Oh my gosh you sound just like a butler!", Tara exclaimed, surprised and delighted, before she realized she'd been asked a question. She watched him spread his wings then fold them. She knew aviation but not birds. What kind was he?
She would have to get around to it later. First answering, "I'm Kaboili's friend, Tara, and I'm one of those flying humans", she grinned, and took for granted he would get how much of that last classification was a joke, "And I'm working on wind theory to make my sail fly". Directly after answering she asked her own questions, "Why are you British by the way when no one else is and we're in Africa?".
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 5:22:37 GMT
This girl didn't have the shyness of the new prince, that was for sure. She had to have become a good friend. He was about to smile, but her comments instead turned his beak to what could be called a scowl. He wasn't too offended, but slightly so.
"Flying humans, and we just got a non-flying one." he rolled his eyes, he could tell from her equipment and lack of wings she was joking. "A butler? Really? British...? I am speaking a tad more formally than most, is all." he shrugged his wings and his scowl softened some. As stuffy as he was, she was so bizarre to talk to he couldn't keep complete composure. "I would appreciate if you used my proper title of Majordomo."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 23:03:07 GMT
Tara chuckled as Zazu said Kabili was a Non-Flying one, and even if that was what she had sort of been implying, "Hey he's not doing too bad himself on some of the tests", she shrugged.
Not surprisingly, he didn't know what she meant by British or Butler.
Majordomo.
She had heard that title before...where?
"Oh! Yes, Kabili mentioned you, Zazu!", she recalled the name, "You work for his father". But wasn't a Majordomo just a butler then if he was a royal staff of sorts? She thankfully didn't say this. "Well it's a pleasure to meet ya, Majordomo Zazu", without thinking on if he would recognize the custom, she held out her hand for a shake. Sure sure, girls were supposed to curtsy, but she had been raised around an airplane hanger. She wasn't full tomboy but she did lack some grace, some might say.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2021 0:35:12 GMT
The hornbill gained a soft smile on his beak as she chuckled, he was clearly if not impressed, intrigued by what she was working on.
"Er... yes! But my title can be cumbersome." he admitted, "Either Majordomo or Zazu would be preferred. I have many duties for his highness and his children, including yes, those of a butler." he clearly thought higher of himself than that word entailed. "Also those of advisor and scouting the land, keeping everyone informed." he stated.
with a polite smile, extending his wing to meet her hand and shake. This was far from a formal situation after all, and found this fine manners!
"You are... trying to make a way to fly?" he asked , clearly finding it absurd, but moreso that she was speaking of it as a thing she had achieved. "Most intriguing. If I shall be having you join us in the skies... I ought to get to know you, shouldn't I? As well as a friend of the new prince."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2021 16:10:08 GMT
As he admitted he was basically a butler, Tara chuckled, "It's not an insult, most butlers are proud of their job", she added, and in case he had taken it as such, before nodding. "Wow it sounds like you do mostly everything".
Shaking hands[/i] hand and wing with a bird was just the coolest thing ever, and Kabili must have shown him some human customs or else he was so diplomatic he knew how to just go with it.
He said join them in the skies like he didn't think it was crazy for her to think she could, and she appreciated that! "Oh yes, it's a very human thing, solving what nature didn't give us, and yes, I would be so glad to get air current knowledge from an actual bird".
Standing back, she spread the sail and held two of the grips, "They're supposed to act like we did have wings, see?".
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2021 18:10:07 GMT
The hornbill tilted his head, "A variety of things, whatever the king needs of me!" he said, the more they discussed things the clearer his role became, and when she spoke of pride, it did cause him to think.. "It is a rewarding position." he bowed for a brief moment, "I apologize for taking you the wrong way, my pride was misplaced. I owe you due respect as a guest of our prince."
"I would be happy to give knowledge, air currents and otherwise. I've never thought I would meet a creature that could go from grounded to flying." he smiled. "Kabili had interest in seeing things through our eyes, I wonder if you share that?" he asked while she explained, and took a look at the contraption. "Yes... You are heavy creatures, I don't see you flying for long even with wings." he said, trying to sound constructive and realistic.
"I would be happy to help as I am able, of course."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2021 21:33:15 GMT
Zazu apologized. Tara waved a hand at him to dismiss it, but did appreciate it. "Oh that ok, when you want to be a female pilot in my culture, you get used to people not quite agreeing or thinking odd of you to do it".
"Yeah, I mean no pilot's ever got it straight from the bird's mouth!", she said excitedly, "So thank-you!".
As he asked, it might have been seeing it through their eyes. Tara thought a bit, "I never considered it, but...yeah I guess that is exactly what it is". Or in so far as she wanted to see flight how birds saw it, but now that she was wandering the Pride Lands at least a bit she was slowly gaining that respect that was easily come by and fascination about those there.
She giggled as he said she was too heavy to fly long, "Yeah, and that's why we made machines that can do it, and get up to speed to carry our weight and their own, even with gliders, they just...well glide, with some direction and trying to re catch the wind, but no flapping". She wasn't sure if that was a problem she could solve, probably only to an extent and she would just have to learn to work the best with riding what currents were there.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2021 5:38:02 GMT
Zazu chuckled, actually, as his formality was waved off. He certainly believed her to be Kabili's friend now. "Formality is lost on the young." he commented, but was perplexed at first. He picked up on her meaning however. "Female...? Kabili had mentioned some things humans did... I must say this culture of yours seems rather... uncultured." he said.
He smiled, "You are quite welcome, you will at least get it from one bird's mouth. Consider it an honor. Heh, honor. I could see you becoming an honorary bird, something like Kabili has become a lion, in time."
"Interesting contraption, however... hrm, no flapping would make it hard for me to fly." he looked over himself, "I shall try gliding myself, that could offer you some information I am sure. I would enjoy seeing this... glider in action."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2021 13:59:26 GMT
Tara smirked as Zazu said formality was lost on the young, it sounding like something some of those back home might say. She was coming to realize what Bili meant, even if he might not have said it in so many words, that the animals around here weren't just talking animals, in some ways they resembled still the personality types found in people as well and were all their own individual people.
She hoped not all the birds were like Zazu, but he was amusing.
Unlike some of the puffed up men back home, though he actually seemed shocked that some would tell her she couldn't fly just for her female status. "Yeah", she rolled her eyes, "I really think we are sometimes, but there's good too".
Honorary bird...
Of course she was going to have to perfect her glider, especially a way to tilt it and keep catching the air and stay up for as long as possible, breezes dependent, but...if she did that well enough to earn the respect of all the birds in the Pride Lands (or even just this one important seeming one) that was pretty darn near her goal of pilot! Something she hadn't expected to be able to fulfill here and part of her concern being she thought she had to go home and deal with stuffy unknown aunts or an orphanage to achieve her dreams.
Of course she didn't have the niche of a position that Kabili had, but she wouldn't even need that either and didn't have to live in a cave or anything, there were field type explorers who built cabins in woods and probably Africa too.
All of these were still very far away plans, but it gave her hope of a sense she hadn't felt before. She only smiled and said, "If I flew well enough for the birds, and to be counted one in a sense, that would be amazing!".
She nodded as Zazu assessed the glider. "Yeah, I'll have to work on a way to tip it and still catch air, like your wings do, but here I'll show", she said and assessed the wind direction, then, turning into it she tried out running along the ground before the sail caught and hoisted her up. It wasn't strapped to her arms, but more she held on to straps underneath and tested out guiding it with the wind.
She glanced to see if Zazu was near, "Ok, see, I can turn with the wind but it's, well gliding, still", she explained and even as the wind directed her back down and she...glided to the ground. "I gotta perfect the straps, or way they work, to stay up longer, but that was already success of a small bit! Any tips?".
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2021 18:48:48 GMT
The hornbill sighed as she echoed Kabili, "I will keep an open mind." he answered simply. He would sooner throw out the human culture they had, even at the cost of the good, but he certainly knew how to hold his tongue. Zazu smiled proudly, "Of course, really if you can fly at all and would want to live among us birds, I am sure they would not mind. We kind of get lonely in our nests." he chuckled. "You can imagine how different things are when you are so... different from everyone, and have the gift of flight that puts you literally above them." he gestured with his wing as he said this. The bird got ready, flying easily enough at her side. "Hrrm." he hummed as he thought, "Not quite flight indeed..." he would say as she landed, "You seem quite educated on what you are doing... It is not an empirical question, but a practical one." he said, "Er... that is, it's possible, you just might not have what you need." he clarified. He thought on tips, "You could work on identifying the current, a bit more planning... I feel this glider is more of opportunity. If things line up just right you could make use of them... but what practical applications have you?" he hrms. "Before I would call it 'flying' it must give you at least some of the advantages us birds enjoy. Speed is one thing, but the air offers birds much more." the way he spoke he was hoping she already had ideas, and would be impressed by her seeing them.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2021 13:32:49 GMT
Tara nodded, "Yeah, I find it kind of cool, you know? That pilots are often having to forge their own paths and a lot of birds are solitary too". Or maybe that was just her having to forge, given the resistance she had found.
She pondered what he said, "Well I'd need a big nest...or tree-house maybe", that was one option, if she did want to live near the birds, though that also wasn't required to just meet them in the sky every now and again. Though a tree-house could also just be fun in general!
She next laughed at his small joke. "Hey! And I could actually find out other things from the birds' mouth as it were, like if Eagles really are stuck up or if that's just something us humans made up about them".
Once they landed, she turned to Zazu for his assessment, and he wasn't too harsh. She appreciated that, and his being accepting rather than threatened by her "flight abilities". Maybe since it was still clear she wasn't naturally gifted.
Just not have what she needed...
That was possible.
Tara thought again, "Hmm...I might have to visit some of the wreckage again, once I have a better idea what I might need", she said, examining the flyer. "And maybe even find a gas mask or something if I plan to go very high...". About as high as the plane had been able to anyway, she both mused and answered Zazu.
"Once I got the design of the frame down, I'd probably work at tightening the sail, for speed and accuracy", more in line with bird wings.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2021 19:30:19 GMT
Zazu nodded, "Solitary... perhaps." he wouldn't have said that, but he could see her meaning. "Well of course, if you can build wings I'm sure you can figure out a nest." he chuckled, "But I'm sure if you find neighbors that would be glad to help and advise." he noted. He thought on her question, "Be sure to ask them." he answered instead.
Zazu started to see more in Kabili from Tara, and though more subtly he did think the process of having these humans try to live as animals was a wise one. "Er yes... once you have a better idea." he certainly encouraged the delay at returning to the wreckage, to human things. "A... gas mask?" he understood the words separately of course but would need it defined.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2021 17:09:10 GMT
Though he'd said it, or implied perhaps, Zazu didn't commit to the Birds As Solitary, and yet Tara couldn't blame him. You could hardly ever swipe everyone with one brush, as it were. She nodded, to both of his points. "Oh trust me, if I get the chance to talk to an Eagle, I am not passing it up", she grinned.
He also advised getting a better idea before heading back to the wreckage, or maybe he was just unsure about human things in general. Understandable.
Oh, of course he wouldn't know about gas-masks unless Kabili had brought it up, and neither of them would probably rush to bring up the war "Oh, they were just in the plane as emergency, the war being over and all...I don't know if Kabili mentioned the war we just got through...but anyway, the enemies made poisoned gas and so our soldiers would wear gas-masks to not breath it in and I'm thinking maybe if I work at it to work the other way I could maybe see if I can make it help me not get lightheaded if I got really high up...or I just won't go high up".
That was the solution if she couldn't make it work, and as she realized oxygen tanks would be harder to find and maybe what she would really need.
She also became aware of how this all no doubt sounded and sighed, "I know every-time we bring up other humans we probably don't make them sound too good, it's...complicated", she admitted.
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