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[asmywitness]

[[Tyler screens his calls - anyone who tries to actually call him, he'll text back in reply.]]

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[asmywitness]

Star

Isis is still trying to pick up the card with her beak. She hasn't been told not to.

[fingersandteeth]

"Isis, no," Steven says softly. "Let's have them stay there, okay? You just-- put your little feet on the one that you think is right."

[asmywitness]

She tilts sharply at the use of the name, and echoes it back into Steven's head.

Isis.

But she stops picking at the card now (and it looks distinctly nibbled on, blunt as her beak may seem), and steps back to look at the cards again.

And pit-pats her little feet over to the star, and stamps one foot firmly down on it.

[fingersandteeth]

"That's you," Steven says. "Your name is Isis. Remember, Tyler can't hear and I think he has... trouble with talking, so he hasn't called you that yet. But he told me that's your name-- Oh! Oh, you good girl, Isis. That's right!"

She got star this time, after I explained she was supposed to put her foot on the right card, not eat whichever card she pleases. And I told Isis her name. I think she's pleased to know it.

[asmywitness]

Isis chirps in Steven's head again; the tone is still soft, but there's an energy to the word that sounds rather cheerful.

She's a clever girl. Tyler looks back at Steven so he can see the small smile he's wearing, before he puts his 'gear down so he can draw again and focus.

Isis looks at all the cards again, and bounces over to the square, before looking up at Steven again.

[fingersandteeth]

Square, he texts quickly. Steven smiles down at her and softly strokes her head. "I'm glad you like your name," he tells her. "I'm just waiting for Tyler to tell me if you got it right. I bet you did--you're such a clever girl."

[asmywitness]

Tyler sends back a square emoji, before he rounds Steven again to give Isis a pat as well; she even hops out from under Steven's hand to receive all of this excellent affection, but she does also turn back and nibble gently on Steven's finger. She still likes you too.

[fingersandteeth]

"You did get it right," Steven says. "You're such a clever girl, Isis. Okay. I've got an idea for something I want to try. It's a little more complicated, but it might be easier for Tyler than just sending sounds. Do you want to try it? Nod your beak for yes."

[asmywitness]

Isis is leaning into Tyler's scritching fingers a bit much to nod properly, but she's watching Steven with intense curiosity. Tyler notices her staring, and looks up at Steven as well - and draws a question-mark in the air, reversed to Steven as he gives the other Changeling a curious look.

[fingersandteeth]

I'm going to try something new with her, Steven texts.

"Okay," Steven says. "Here's what we're gonna try, Isis. I'm going to tell you something to relay to Tyler--but I don't want you to send him the sounds, I want you to send him the idea of what they mean. Can you do that? Chirp and stamp your feet for yes."

[asmywitness]

Isis chirps, and marches her little feet, but she also tilts her head in confusion. Tyler's stopped patting her, too, watching Steven with a faint frown.

[fingersandteeth]

"Okay," Steven said. "Let's try with, hm, 'The Wailmer is very bouncy.'"

[asmywitness]

The little bird stares at Steven, then turns her sharp eyes to the ground. There's the impression that, if she could, she'd be frowning in concentration.

After about thirty seconds of that, and an increasingly confused Tyler, he texts Steven. She just sent me a picture of a fat Wailmer.

[fingersandteeth]

"Good girl," he tells Isis.

Was he bouncy? Steven asks. I'm trying to see if she can. Well. Translate things that people say for you. Since just getting the sounds in your head seemed to bug you.

[asmywitness]

He's a little bit upset that Steven noticed that so readily, but he can't be surprised he wasn't subtle about it. It's not every day he hears voices in his head, and they've never been good before.

It was just a stationary Wailmer. I would like to stress it was extremely fat, even for a Wailer. Maybe she misinterpreted.

[fingersandteeth]

I mean, I suppose doing it this way does mean she's putting a sort of... bird filter on the information she's giving you. But it could work?

"Try this," he tells Isis. "'The ball is red and white.'"

[asmywitness]

Isis blinks.

Tyler texts Steven: A red and white ball?

[fingersandteeth]

"Good girl," Steven says. "He got that one too."

Yep. That's what I was going for.

"Hmmm. Something more complex. 'I steal pokemon?'"

[asmywitness]

The borb preens a little at the compliment, but goes back to staring at Steven shortly after.

It takes a full minute for Tyler to reply, She's not sent me anything.

[fingersandteeth]

Damn. Well, *some* things bird filter will work for, at least. The concrete stuff. Abstract might be more of a problem.

Do you think if you practiced more with listening to the sounds they would get easier for you to deal with? Exposure therapy?

[asmywitness]

He tries not to make a face, but the idea is immediately unappealing, and he rubs his face with one hand to mask his expression a little. I suppose so. It'll just be hard. I don't like hearing voices, apparently.

[fingersandteeth]

Yeah. I noticed. But aside from texting as much as possible and captioning our voice and video posts, I'm not sure what else to do.

Sorry I've been so useless about this.

[asmywitness]

I mean, that's still more than I'm used to getting back home outside of my friends. So I do appreciate it.

Isis chirps, and the movement of her flapping her wings catches Tyler's attention. He walks past Steven and picks her up to put on his shoulder again, and she nuzzles his cheek enthusiastically. I'll give it a go, but you know. I don't know how well it might work.

[fingersandteeth]

After the other day, I owed it to you. But really, this is what I should have done from the start.

He smiles a little as he sees Isis cuddling up to Tyler. He's glad they're getting along.

[asmywitness]

He's lifting a hand to gently rub her feathers too; the way his fingers gently dig in, and how her eyes unfocus and her crest shimmies, suggest he's gotten very good at finding her sweet spot. He keeps doing it as he texts as well.

You're putting in the effort now, that's not unappreciated.

Do you mind if I keep the deck? It'll be good practice.