And carry me away as light as a feather...

[noimpulsecontrol]

Della Duck was an unstoppable pilot... When she had a plane. When she had wings, it was apparently a very different story. And she found that incredibly frustrating, so when Crane had offered flying lessons, she'd jumped on the chance. It didn't hurt that she really enjoyed spending time with him.

She bounded out to the field where they'd planned to meet - it was out of the way, so there was no need to worry about Crane being seen as a crane, or Della crashing directly into an unsuspecting civilian - grinning eagerly. When she spotted Crane, she waved to him. "Hey, teach! I'm ready to get up there!"

Comments

[kawkaw]

He doesn't say anything, mostly to let her concentrate and so he doesn't have to think about how he was still holding on to her.

For balance, of course.

Once she was standing, he pulled back his wing a little bit to let her get used to her own balance, though still kept his foot to steady the log.

[noimpulsecontrol]

She continued to focus on finding that center of gravity, on just... Balancing. And after a moment, she was able to stand steadily. "Crane!"

She looked over her shoulder at him with a grin. "Crane, I'm doing it!"

[kawkaw]

He smiled, nodding as he drew back his foot as well. "Good. Try holding it for a bit longer and then you can hop down."

[noimpulsecontrol]

"You got it, teach!" Della said, too excited about her success to mind having to wait around just balancing for longer.

...Well, at first she was too excited. A few seconds passed, and she started getting a bit bored. "So, uh... How've you been?"

[kawkaw]

He chuckled; while he normally would have preferred that she focus on what she was supposed to be doing, having her multi-task would actually be helpful for her.

"I've been getting by. Still getting the hang of acting human, but it's been getting easier."

[noimpulsecontrol]

"I think you've gotten good at it, when I've been with you in the Index," she commented. "Although, I still don't totally get it. You're already a person. Just... A bird."

[kawkaw]

He shrugged a bit. "I...don't really know myself. I find that it's easier for people to expect a human than try to explain everything, but..."

Why was he so desperate to hide the fact he was a crane and not a human? He still wasn't sure.

[noimpulsecontrol]

Della shrugged - just a little. "Well, I think you're great like this," she commented casually, before asking, "Am I almost done with this part?"

[kawkaw]

His feathers ruffled a bit at that, and he flustered a bit, "Oh...well, uh...thanks."

...That was a strange feeling all of a sudden. But pushing past it, he cleared his throat. "Y-Yeah, uh...go ahead and hop down."

[noimpulsecontrol]

"Alright!" Della grinned and - oblivious to Crane's confusion and able to mostly set her own aside - hopped down. "So, now we fly, right?"

[kawkaw]

Clearing his throat again, he shifted back to the teacher role...especially because he knew she wasn't going to like this next part.

"Unnnnnfortunately it's going to take more time before you get up into the air. Finding your center with and without your wings needs to come more naturally, so we'll have to keep practicing that more until you don't have to think about it."

[noimpulsecontrol]

"Aw, phooey," Della muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. Still, her temper didn't fully act up. She had to admit he had a point, and besides... She kind of thought it was cool, how patient and rational Crane could be. It was admirable, especially to someone like Della who so strongly lacked those traits.

Still, she wasn't happy.

"So I'm just going to stand on a log on-and-off all day?"

[kawkaw]

"Well, no. There are other ways to exercise and practice balance."

There was...something about his smile that Della might want to be wary of.

[noimpulsecontrol]

No, she doesn't like that smile. She knows that smile from personal experience.

"Like what?"

[kawkaw]

He motioned to the log again. "Climb back up, and I can show you."

[noimpulsecontrol]

"...Okay," Della sighed, stepping up onto the log after a pause.

[kawkaw]

While she climbed up onto the log again, he hopped and flew back a few feet. "You might want to use both feet for this."

Then, crossing his wings in front of him, he spread them out with a quick snap, sending out a rush of air from the tips of his feathers. Instead of dissipating, though, the wind blew around him and followed his motions; as he swept his wings up, the wind followed, drawing up pebbles and small rocks from the ground.

[noimpulsecontrol]

Della was taken entirely by surprise, and so she fell right to the ground - but she didn't even care, just sat there.

"Why didn't I know you could do that?!"

[kawkaw]

He grinned a bit, holding the pebbles and rocks floating on the wind currents.

"You never asked," he retorted. "Now, are we going to do this or what?"

[noimpulsecontrol]

She smirked at him, rolling her eyes. "Alright, alright, fine. And you better believe we're doing this."

She climbed back up onto the log. "Hit me with your best shot."

[kawkaw]

"If you insist."

Raising the pebbles and rocks higher, he then started kicking them in her direction, one at a time, for her to dodge while balancing on top of the log.

[noimpulsecontrol]

Della was determined not to get this right, and she started off doing well, too. Her dodges were well-timed, and she managed to stay on top of the log as she pulled them off, though not without it wobbling.

"That's your best shot?"

[kawkaw]

With a grin, he then spread his wings out in another quick motion, pulling up more rocks from the ground. This time, he sent each one at her in a more rapid succession, as well as sending some towards her at different angles and directions.

[noimpulsecontrol]

"Uh-oh."

Della tried to keep up, but in the end, her attempts had her tumbling back to the ground - this time, though, rather than being in embarrassment or awe, she was laughing.

"Okay, okay! Uncle!"

[kawkaw]

With another snap of his wings, the wind dissipated, and the rocks fell harmlessly to the ground. Hopping up, he crossed the distance back to where Della was sitting.

"It was a good attempt," he offered. "Plus, now we know where your limits are, and can work on them from there."

[noimpulsecontrol]

She laughed a bit more, getting to her feet and dusting herself off. "That sure sounds better than saying I failed, so sure. Let's put it that way."

[kawkaw]

"I wouldn't call it failing," he said. "Everyone's got to start somewhere."