on a lark

[alicornucopia]

She combs and combs the world aside and there is another world, just ahead, and she steps in.

The combed-away hole closes behind her. She puts her comb in her pocket.

Thanjen (Unbitwise)

Blueberry (kappa)

Hivers (Rockeye)

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"But I go places without radio relays, remember?"

[wind_on_my_face]

"Well, if you come back. If you want to."

[alicornucopia]

"I don't know if I even can though."

[wind_on_my_face]

"I won't bother asking why you wouldn't be able to."

He's putting away the miscellaneous bits of glass and whatnot.he used for demonstrations, and his anchors in the beach pop out of the sand.

[alicornucopia]

She makes sure all her stuff is stowed in or part of the griffin. "Are you going? I guess I'll go too if you're leaving anyway."

[wind_on_my_face]

"I don't have any particular reason to leave, but I don't have any particular reason to stick around, either."

The solar mirror is still over their heads, but that's all. (Taking it away just yet would be being rude to guests.)

[alicornucopia]

"Okay. Thanks for helping me build the griffin."

[wind_on_my_face]

The solar mirror and engine flows apart into its raw materials, which disappear behind his mock-bodies. In synchrony, all three take on their bird-shapes again, and say:

"You're welcome. I hope you enjoy flying wherever you want to be."

And they run down the beach and take off in formation.

[alicornucopia]

She watches them go.

And then she pulls a comb out of her pocket, leans over the griffin's head, and combs at the air. Comb comb comb comb until there's a hole in the air, threads of local reality wisping around the edges.

She rides the griffin through the portal, and presently it closes.

[wind_on_my_face]

(Well, that explains some things she said. Except it's also impossible.)

He writes a continuation of his report, includes assurances of his sanity, transmits it, puts away his telescopes, and flies on.

Having learned that the universe is perhaps a bigger place than he thought.