Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I think you’re ready for a new recipe, sweet tooth.”

Vii sat on a stool and leaned their elbows on the bar. “Only if it doesn’t involve lettuce. I can’t handle another week of your ‘famous’ soup.”

Reth set down the tankard he was drying and flung the towel over his shoulder. “Come on, it builds character. Just look at Chayne.” Reth tilted his head toward the tall, thin priest near the hearth speaking with Innkeeper Ashura. “He’s got more character than all of Kilima put together.”

“Because of your soup?” Vii said.

“Because of my soup,” Reth said.

Vii crossed their arms on the bartop. “I think Chayne’s character has more to do with his priesthood than your soup, but whatever makes you happy, I guess.”

Reth gave them a wily smile. “Thank you, Vii. That does make me happy. But seriously, he loves that it only has two ingredients.”

“Well, I’d prefer to build my character without so much lettuce, if you don’t mind,” Vii said. They pulled out a small leatherbound notebook and a piece of charcoal from their pack. “Something with meat would be good. I’ve got more sernuk cuts in my ice box than I know what to do with, and as much as I love grilled steak, I wouldn’t mind something different.”

“Like some soup?” Reth said.

“Like some soup,” Vii said.

Reth took the notebook and the charcoal from them, saying, “You’re the only person in Kilima who truly appreciates my genius, Vii.”

When he finished writing, Reth slid the notebook and charcoal back to Vii. They took a quick peek at the ingredients and made a sound of approval.

As Vii was placing the notebook and charcoal back in their pack, Vii saw a familiar face coming into the Ormuu’s Horn. They quickly turned back to Reth, hoping the new arrival hadn’t noticed them staring.

“So that’s why you always come in the afternoon,” Reth said. He dropped his head into his hand and leaned down on the bartop to stare up at Vii’s face. “You know, you could just go talk to Hodari instead of acting like a burrow-bound chaapa. Tell him about your grilled steak. He loves grilled steak.”

Vii glared at him.

“Quick, he’s not looking,” Reth whispered.

Vii stupidly believed him and glanced over their shoulder. Hodari was, in actuality, looking directly at them and their eyes met. Vii spun back around so fast that it loosened the bun on the back of their head.

While they fixed their hair, Reth half-heartedly suppressed his laughter. He said, “Sweet tooth, you are too easy.”

“If you weren’t my friend and my only source of dietary variety,” Vii growled, “I’d throw you in the river.”

“Don’t look now,” Reth said, “but he’s coming this way.”

Vii rolled their eyes. “Sure he is.”

“Hey, there,” came a deep, cheerful voice.

Vii nearly jumped out of their skin and did stumble out of their stool. Luckily, they landed on their feet. They tried to play it off as if they’d meant to stand up.

Hodari had come up to the bar and leaned an elbow on it quite near where Vii had been sitting. He gave Vii a timid look of concern and inclined his head in greeting.

“Vii,” he said.

“Pavel,” Vii replied.

“And I’m Reth,” Reth said. “What can I get you, Hodari?”

“I was hopin’ for a grilled steak,” Hodari said, leaning his other elbow on the bar.

Reth gave Vii a blatantly smug look.

“I’m gonna,” Vii muttered, hooking a thumb over their shoulder. “I’m gonna go. Thanks, Reth. Have a nice day, Pavel.”

“Uh, thanks,” Hodari said, raising an eyebrow. “You too.”

Vii turned on their heel, almost ran into the force of nature that was monster-hunter-turned-blacksmith Sifuu, and descended the tavern’s steps in two strides. They took off at a brisk walk along the cobblestones of the town center and didn’t slow down until the path became a dirt road.

Vii put their hands in their pants pockets and felt a small, smooth object on the left-hand side. Vii pulled it out and inspected it. It was the shiny blue pebble they'd dug up while tilling their garden the other day, and they'd put it in their pocket for a reason.

Vii headed for Fisherman’s Lagoon. Einar would be there on the dock, fishing, like he was every day, fulfilling his “Oneness.” At the lagoon, Vii stepped up onto the dock and strolled over to Einar at the very end. The Galdur, almost twice as tall as Vii, rotated his spherical head and looked down at them. He reeled in his bobber and turned the rest of his metal body toward Vii.

“Ah,” Einar said. “A human has arrived, and this human is Vii. Have you come to join in my Oneness?”

“Hello, Einar,” Vii said as they fished the pebble out of their pocket. “I actually came to bring you this.”

Einar held out one of his large, coppery hands, and Vii dropped the small, blue stone onto his palm. It made a pleasant plink. Einer took the pebble in two of his fingers and brought it to his ocular lenses.

“Yes, I believe this one will get along with the others.” The light in his lenses transitioned into happy crescents. “Thank you, Vii.”

Vii smiled up at him, and decided a bit of fishing sounded nice. They pulled their disassembled fishing rod out of their pack. “Shall we engage in some Oneness?”

Vii lost track of time and the world beyond the water. Fishing with Einar had become one of their touchstone activities since they’d emerged from the Phoenix a season ago. The Galdur, like Vii, were from a time before the Majiri and the Grimalkin had lived on the planet, and Vii found Einar’s mechanical presence to be somehow familiar, though they remembered nothing specific of their previous life.

Despite there being other humans around the region, Vii identified more with the foreignness of the Galdur than their own kind. Vii hadn’t yet met anyone, human or otherwise, that presented themselves the way they chose to, and it made them a little more lonely than they thought they might otherwise be.

No Majiri they’d met, though, had once questioned what Vii was, and for that Vii was grateful. Because they could not remember who or what they were before the Phoenix, Vii couldn’t be sure they’d always been this way. But they knew, really knew, that who they were was who they wanted to be.

Maybe that's my Oneness, Vii thought.

Vii had just finished putting a worm on their hook and casting the line into the water when they felt the vibration of someone walking on the dock through the planks. Vii thought nothing of it, though. The dock on Fisherman’s Lagoon was a popular fishing spot, and humans had been coming and going since Vii'd arrived in the early afternoon.

“Greetings, Hodari,” Einar said. “You do not share our Oneness, but your companionship is welcome.”

It took Vii’s mind a moment to register the name Einar had spoken. When it dawned on them that it was just the person they’d run away from a few hours ago, Vii turned about and took an unfortunate misstep off the dock. They fell flat on their back into the scummy water, still holding their fishing rod. Vii could stand in the muck that lined the bed of the lagoon, but the water came up almost to the top of their chest.

Vii wiped their face and looked up to see Einar and Hodari peering down at them over the edge of the dock. Vii was mortified.

“I admire your commitment to our Oneness,” Einar said as he squatted down and pushed up his straw fisherman’s hat. “But I think this strategy will not get you many fish.”

Hodari gave Einar a look, then kneeled down. He stretched out a gloved hand.

Vii stared at Hodari’s hand and forgot what it was that they were supposed to do.

“Grab on,” Hodari said, spreading his fingers. “Unless you prefer t’stay down there.”

Vii tossed their rod up on the dock, wrapped one hand around Hodari’s, and grabbed the edge of the dock with the other.

Hodari hauled up Vii faster than they'd been anticipating. They weren’t quite able to get their footing on the now wet, slippery wood and clumsily fell into Hodari.

“Easy there,” Hodari said. He held Vii’s shoulders until they got their feet under them.

“I, uh, got you wet,” Vii fumbled. “I mean, thank you.”

Einar curved his tall body to peer at Vii. “Are you damaged?”

“No, I’m okay.” Vii cautiously stepped to the edge of the dock and wrung out the bottom of their shirt. Then, they swiped their hands on their bare arms to flick off as much water as possible.

“I hope I didn't startle ya,” Hodari said apologetically.

Vii glanced at him and pushed the stray, dripping hairs off their face over the top of their head. “Oh, you didn’t startle me. I just, uh, I lose my balance…sometimes.”

“Vii,” Einar said, tilting his head and narrowing one of his ocular lenses. “If you have a newly developed human medical condition, you should speak to Chayne.”

Vii looked at Einar without moving their head. “Thank you, Einar. I’ll do that.”

“I’d be happy to walk ya over there,” Hodari offered. “Just in case you need another hand.”

“What a good idea,” Einar agreed. “We will share in our Oneness another time.”

Einar returned his complete self to the act of fishing.

A breeze picked up off the lake, and a shiver ran through Vii’s body. There was no easy way to get out of the situation, and they resigned themselves to their uncomfortable fate.

Vii picked up their fishing rod, but when they went to grab their pack, Hodari had already hoisted it over his shoulder. Vii walked by him and couldn’t bring themselves to look at him as they passed. They could hear Hodari following close behind, though, and they decided that once they reached the ground, it would be less embarrassing to walk next to him on the road instead of ahead of him.

“Why did you come down to the lagoon?” Vii asked eventually. “I've been told that you don't do fish.”

“Fish ain't exactly my favorite, no,” Hodari said. “But I just wanted to tell ya that you can call me Hodari. Truth be told, I don't much care to be addressed by my family name. At least, not by people I know.”

Vii stopped in their tracks. The bobber at the end of their rod wobbled back and forth. “You came all the way down here just to tell me that?”

Hodari shrugged, hoisting the pack back up over his shoulder. “Well, sure. I don’t see you too often, unless y’need some minin’ advice, of course. The lagoon's on my way back to the Bay, and I like the walk anyhow.”

“Oh,” Vii said, blinking. “That’s very kind of you. Hodari.”

Hodari smiled, subtly. “Not so bad, is it?”

Vii tucked some hair behind their ear, but it was too short to stay put. “I don't actually have a balance problem,” they admitted.

Hodari rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “Did I do somethin’ to rub you the wrong way?”

“What?” Vii asked.

“Seems like every time I come ‘round these days, you up and disappear like you don't want nothin’ to do with me,” Hodari said. “And if somethin's amiss, I'd rather set it straight. ‘Specially with my being the head of the mining guild and all.”

Vii looked down at the rod in their hands and tried to think of an explanation that didn't make them feel completely vulnerable. But their mind had gone as empty as the cloudless summer sky above.

“S'alright,” Hodari said. “I understand. Some people just don't get along with others, and that's that.”

“I'm not avoiding you,” Vii said at last. “I think I just find you a little intimidating.”

“Intimidating?” Hodari scratched his cheek. “I know I’m a bit rough around the edges, but I don’t think anyone’s ever called me intimidating before.”

“The first time I saw you, you cracked a boulder in half like it was a peki egg,” Vii said. “I’d call that pretty intimidating.”

“I guess you’re right,” Hodari said. He put his free hand on his hip. “I've seen a bit of what you can do, though, and I listen to what people say ‘bout ya. Nothin’ but good things. If anyone should be intimidated, it oughta be me.”

“Um,” Vii said. “You probably have work you need to get back to. Thanks for carrying my pack. I think I've got it from here.”

Hodari slipped the strap off his shoulder and handed them their bag. “Suit yourself. Well, have a good one, Vii.”

“And you have a better one, Hodari,” Vii said as he walked away, and they immediately regretted opening their mouth.

What a stupid thing to say, Vii scolded themselves.

“Oh!” Hodari said from a few steps down the road. “I almost forgot. The Maji Market starts t’night, if no one told ya. You oughta come.”

“Thanks, I’ll think about it.” Vii said.

Hodari gave them his signature wave-salute and sauntered off toward Bahari Bay.

In order to avoid any neighborly ridicule about why they were soaking wet and covered in slimy green scum, Vii circumvented Kilima Village to get back to their plot of land. Unfortunately, Chayne also happened to be headed home, and Vii felt it would have been rude to pretend not to see him when they both reached the crossroads.

“Good day, Embra’s child,” Chayne said. “You look a little worse for wear.”

Vii said, “Good to see you again, Healer. I’m alright. Just took Einar’s Oneness a little too far.”

Chayne chuckled. “I see. Well, if you’re feeling up for it, the Maji Market is this evening. It would be wonderful to see you there.”

“Pavel—Hodari—mentioned it,” Vii said. “And I’ll think about it.”

“Very well,” Chayne said, and he gave them a small bow. “Dragon’s blessing, Vii.”

Vii nodded, smiled, and started up the hill.

Back on their property, Vii collected the mail on their way into their house. They set their rod and gear down by the door and opened the single letter while they slipped off their soggy boots.

Hey, Vii!

Tish and Jel are going to pick you up for the Maji Market tonight, so make sure you’re ready. Also, you have no choice.

See you tonight!

- Reth

P.S. Hodari asked about you, but don't worry, I only stretched the truth a teensy bit. Okay, maybe a lot a bit. Anyway, you two should have plenty to talk about at the market.

Vii set the letter down on the small dresser by the door and lay in the middle of the floor. They stared at the ceiling for a minute before closing their eyes.

“I need better friends,” Vii moaned to the house, but did so with a smile.

Chapter Text

Vii did the last fastener on a dry shirt as they went to answer the knock on the door.

“Vii! I'm so excited for you to see the market,” Tish said. “And, oh my Dragon, your house is so cute. I love the furniture you've been making.”

Vii stepped aside so Tish could come in. Jel gracefully stepped in through the door behind her.

“Thanks, Tish,” Vii said. “I have a good teacher.” They closed the door. “How'd your seclusive self get roped into this, Jel?”

Jel clasped his hands behind his back. “Though it will be far more quaint than the ones in the Capital, the Kilima market is bound to be full of inspiring sights and sounds. I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“What he means to say,” Tish said as she inspected the underside of a sidetable Vii had finished just yesterday, “is that I wouldn't let him miss it for the world.”

“Vii,” Jel said in his soft voice. “Is that what you'll be wearing?”

Vii looked down at their clothes and back up at Jel. “Yeah.”

Jel made a pensive little hum. “Bold.”

Vii looked to Tish for an interpretation, but she was too busy running a finger along the antler of a small ceramic sernuk sculpture to notice.

“Where did this come from?” Tish asked.

Vii grabbed their sleeveless jacket from the coatrack and shrugged it on. “My kiln.”

“You made this? Vii, I didn't know you were such an amazing artist,” Tish said. “If you ever make more, I'd love to sell them in my shop. In fact, you should sell them at the market.”

Vii rolled up the ends of their shirt sleeves. “How about we just start with going to the market before I get involved with the market?”

The weather could not have been more pleasant that evening. The air was fresh and alive as crickets serenaded each other from blades of grass. Both moons were in a new phase. Stars blinked in the sky where the sun's tint no longer reached, and the darkness of the moonless night made the lights of the market all the more magical.

The Maji Market was tucked into a small valley that opened up onto Kilima Lake. Decorative wooden arches hung with lanterns led the way into the stalls and crowds moving about them. The Maji blues of the roof tiles on the permanent structures was radiant in the light of the paper lanterns, as was the blue on the benches, arches, and signs. Gentle, encouraging festive music wove in and out of the laughter, shouts, and general revelry of the crowds milling about.

“Don't you just love it?” Tish asked.

“Wow,” Vii whispered.

Tish hooked one arm around Vii's and the other around Jel's. The three of them walked down into the market together until Jel became absolutely taken by something Vii had missed and Tish floated off to find her brother Reth. That left Vii standing alone next to a pen of chaapas in hats, which required a double-take.

“Vii, thank the Dragon you're here. I'm bored out of my mind.”

Vii located the speaker standing in a booth that was selling merchandise related to the hat-wearing chaapas.

“Hey, Kenyatta,” Vii said. They picked up one of the plushies and gave it a squish. “Nice outfit. Very on-theme.”

“Ha, ha, very funny,” Kenyatta said, then looked Vii up and down. “It’s not much worse than what you're wearing.”

Vii set down the plushie and smoothed down their jacket. “Why's everyone on me today about my clothes? Do I really look that bad?”

“You sure you want me to answer that?” Kenyatta asked.

“I’m pretty sure I don’t,” Vii said. “So. What's what at the Maji Market?”

“Well,” Kenyatta started as she put a hand on her cocked hip, “there's the Chaapa Chase over there (it's my dad's thing). Zeki's got some weird machines he invented, but you need special Zeki-specific coins to use them (typical). Delaila and Reth are selling food. Hodari and Najuma have fireworks, which you humans seem, like, really weirdly obsessed with. And then there's lucky me and my stupid costume.”

“Najuma?” Vi asked. “Who's Najuma?”

“Hodari's daughter, duh. You've been here, like, what, three lunar cycles and you haven't met Najuma yet?” Kenyatta gave Vii a playful smile. “I thought you had a huge crush on Hodari or something. I mean, he's, like, super hot, so I get it. But I'm shocked you didn’t know he's got a kid.”

Vii poked at another plushie. “I do not have a crush on him.”

“That's not what I hear,” Kenyatta taunted.

“I don't really talk to him much, so I don't really know much about him.”

“He's gorgeous, he's got muscles for days, and he's a dad.” Kenyatta put up a finger for each item she listed. “What more do you need to know?”

Vii stared at the empty bead-eyes of a plushie and put their hands in their jacket pockets. “Thanks for telling me about the market, Kenyatta. I'll see you later.”

“Bye, or whatever,” Kenyatta said.

Vii wandered through the upper lane of vendors. To their relief, Hodari was nowhere in sight, at least not on this level. There were a lot of other humans in the market, not many that Vii knew personally, but it felt kind of nice to be one among many for once. Vii stopped briefly to visit with Delaila, which earned them a sweet treat, eyed Zeki's contraptions with a healthy skepticism, and eventually settled at Reth's booth on the next level down to get a bite to eat.

“Tell me how this is,” Reth said, and shoved something on a stick at them.

Vii took the stick and rotated it to get a good look at the food. “Okay, but what is it?”

“It's a corn dog,” Reth said, taking a human’s currency and passing them some food wrapped in waxy paper.

Vii held the corn dog away from their face. “There's dog in this? Like plumehound?”

Reth jumped to the other side of his stall and stirred a pot. “It's not literally dog, Vii. That's just what it's called. Wait, wait, wait.”

Reth snatched a bottle from his apron and popped off the top. He held Vii’s hand to hold the corn dog and globbed a thick, yellow sauce onto the fried outer crust.

“Okay, now try it,” Reth said, and he put his chin on his hand.

Vii took a bite of the corn dog. The yellow sauce stuff had a spicy kick to it without being hot, and the fried cornbread exterior was almost sweet. There was steaming meat in the middle, slightly salty, that almost burnt Vii’s tongue, but they chewed and swallowed quickly to avoid a tongue catastrophe.

“Honestly?” Vii said.

“Honestly,” Reth said.

“Really good.” Vii nodded several times. “Like, really, really good.”

Reth smiled at them, clearly pleased with himself, though Vii was learning to recognize the insecurity that hid in his eyes. “I knew you’d like it.”

Vii took another bite and got out of the way of a group of hungry human customers. Vii watched Reth orchestrate handling the exchange of money, managing several dishes on the stove, and preparing food orders all at once. Despite the fact that Reth had abandoned his Path, which he once shared with Tish, it seemed to Vii that Reth was not only a good cook but also enjoyed the work—and not just the food part, but the people and the juggling as well.

A loud, popping explosion set off above Vii’s head, and they dropped the last bite of their corn dog.

“Here we go,” Reth groused. “Time for the human pyromaniac show.”

Vii squatted down to pick up their corn dog stick when Tau came up to them and put a paw on Vii’s hand.

“You want it?” Vii asked the plumehoud.

Tau tilted his head and whined.

“Yeah, I don’t want it to go to waste, either.”

Vii pulled the last bit of corn dog off the stick and tossed it to Tau. Tau snapped it out of the air and chomped it down his throat, liking his lips as if to express how delicious it was.

Another firework went off, but this time it was out over the lake. Vii tossed the stick in a rubbish bin and stepped out from under the booth’s canopy to watch as a few more humans set off purple, blue, and yellow fireworks. People ooo-ed and aah-ed, and Vii found it amusing how so many of them had stopped to stare at the impromptu spectacle, themselves included.

Tau came up behind Vii and shoved his head between their legs, wedging his ears against their pants. Vii was startled at first but quickly understood.

“I don’t really like how loud it is either, Tau,” Vii said as they looked down at his yellow eyes. Vii stepped away and knelt down, but Tau bowed, barked, and bounced off toward the chaapa pen where Hassian, with whom Vii exchanged a nod, stood nearby.

Vii stood up and looked around to see what else there was to do in the market. Having had enough of docks and fishing for the day, Vii opted to avoid going down by the lake. They spotted a gazebo at the top of a hill on the other side of the valley. No one seemed to be up there, and Vii realized how much they needed a respite from the crowd.

Vii searched out a way up to the gazebo and headed back towards the market entrance. They swung around the stables and found a footpath up the hill. At the top, Vii leaned against a gazebo pillar and stared out over the lake at the ancient human aqueduct ruins that fell off into the water.

Another round of fireworks went off, this time from a group of humans on the docks. One of the fireworks burst into a Phoenix and flew off toward the horizon. The display was beautiful, and Vii wondered if it was one of Hodari's creations.

Vii stepped away from the gazebo and closer to the hill's steep edge so they could observe the market from above. They finally spotted Hodari and his booth below them in the one part of the market they hadn't explored. Vii noticed a young, red-headed Majiri next to him handing out the fireworks as Hodari handled the currency.

That must be Najuma, Vii thought. She looks older than I thought she’d be.

Vii stepped back and leaned their hip against a large rock, hands in their jacket pockets. They were glad they’d come to the market. Vii imagined what it would be like to have their own stall alongside the Majiri they'd been getting to know better and better as the weeks went by. They thought about what Tish had said about the little sculpture they'd made and tried to picture a table full of sernuks and chaapas and muunins, perhaps some mantises and stink bugs for Auni or some salmon and gillyfins for Einar. They found themselves thinking through how they'd create ormuus and pekis and moths and bushtails, and they even let themselves wonder what Hodari might enjoy.

Vii shifted their seat against the rock. Becoming a vendor at the market—selling ceramics in Tish's furniture shop—felt so…serious. It was a commitment, a promise. A promise to stay, to belong.

Why does that scare me so much? Vii thought.

“Time to go home,” Vii said under their breath. Then, they shook their head and chuffed a humourless laugh. “Wherever that is.”

Just as they pushed off the rock, they saw Hodari notice them all the way up on the hill. He gave them a sharp wave. Vii timidly waved back.

Najuma followed her father's gaze, and she spoke with Hodari for a moment. Then, she, too, gave Vii a small wave, and Vii waved back.

A firework burst near the gazebo behind them. Vii ducked and covered their head. When the explosions ended, they heard Hodari yelling at someone across the market as he stepped out of his stall. Hodari turned and looked up at Vii, and Vii thought it best to give him a thumbs up to let him know they were okay. Hodari returned the gesture and went back to his booth, throwing them a lingering glance before his attention was demanded elsewhere.

Vii came back down the hill and found Tish and Jel near the stables.

“So, what do you think?” Tish asked. “Isn't it amazing?”

“Uh, yeah,” Vii said. They half-turned toward the lake and searched the undulating market crowd for Hodari's dark-haired head, without success. “One too many fireworks for my taste, but otherwise good.”

“Looking for something in particular?” Jel asked.

Vii pried their gaze away from the crowd. “Nope. Just taking it all in.”

Jel hummed again and exchanged a look with Tish.

“Anyway, thanks for bringing me,” Vii said. “I'm going to head out.”

“Of course,” Tish said, and they gave Vii a hug. “Sleep well. And don't forget we need to talk about those sculptures.”

“Yeah,” Vii said. “Goodnight, Tish. Goodnight, Jel.”

Vii turned to go as Jel and Tish rejoined the flow of market-goers. They reached the first arch when they thought they heard someone calling their name. They paused and checked behind them. Their stomach did a somersault when they saw Hodari pushing his way through the tightly packed people, and they couldn't be sure if they were queasy because of him or Reth's corn dog.

“Vii,” Hodari said, a little out of breath. “Leavin’ so soon?”

Vii shrugged. “Long day.”

“I know the feelin’.” Hodari crossed his arms. “Sorry ‘bout the close encounter with the firework, by the way. Shouldn't happen again.”

“No harm done,” Vii said. “That Phoenix one is pretty amazing. How do you get it to do that?”

“Me?” Hodari laughed, and it was the first time Vii had ever heard him do so. “I ain't smart enough to make those fancy things. That's all Najuma. She's more like her mom that way.”

“I see,” Vii said. “Well, she's very talented.”

“I'll tell her you said so,” Hodari said. A dimple formed near the corner of his mouth in what Vii thought was the beginning of a smile, but it disappeared. “Anyway. Don't wanna hold you up. Glad you're alright, and sorry again.”

Vii heard a young voice shout, “Dad!”

They looked past Hodari, who turned, and saw Najuma's red head pop up above the people around the fireworks stall. She waved both her arms over her head and pointed at the queue forming in front of her.

“Duty calls,” Hodari said, looking at Vii with that almost-smile. “G'night, Vii.”

“Goodnight, Hodari.”

When Vii said his name, Hodari's mouth cracked into a half smile quick as a flint strike before he dashed away.

Vii made sure that they were facing the road when they smiled, too.

Chapter Text

Jina and Vii stared over the edge of the cliff together.

“That's a long way down,” Jina said.

Jina's voice drifted off into the cavern that engulfed the Temple of the Waves. At the bottom of the cliff, a moat of dark water stared up at them as if they were trespassing. The white and gold stone structures that lay beyond the water, crumbling with age, sat tired and indifferent. They were human buildings, or they used to be.

Vii could feel Hekla behind them ready to snatch Jina from harm at a moment's notice with the uncanny speed of her mechanical Galdur body. Vii hoped that Hekla would do the same for them.

“This would be so much easier if we had a glider,” Jina said. She scratched the side of her head in thought.

Jina and Vii stepped back, and Hekla visibly relaxed.

“A what now?” Vii asked.

“A glider,” Jina said. “You know, the Majiri-sized device that lets you safely descend from great heights by gliding down on the air. Though I suppose for you it would be Human-sized. It's quite simple, really.”

Hekla pounded her metal fists together and the sound rang out like a hammer on an anvil. “My Jina will not be using any such devices.”

Jina gave Vii a shrug and a look of lighthearted helplessness. “I'm afraid I have a favor to ask.”

Vii said, “I'll bet you do.”

“If we could get you a glider,” Jina said, “do you think you might be able to jump down there and investigate? I know it's a lot to ask, but I would never even consider it if I didn't have confidence in the idea. Or confidence in you, Vii.”

Vii crossed their arms. “I appreciate that, but I'm going to need to know a lot more before I go throwing myself off of cliffs for some dusty, old tablets.”

“Naturally,” Jina said. “I've never used them myself, but I can tell you what I know.”

“How do I get my hands on one?”

“Well,” Jina said as she pushed her glasses back up her nose. “Perhaps someone mechanically inclined could help you build one?”

“Like Sifuu?” Vii asked.

Jina pursed her lips and tapped her chin with her fist. “Sifuu's certainly a skilled blacksmith, but she's no engineer, not the kind you need for a glider. Hmm.”

After a few seconds, Jina snapped her fingers. “I know! Talk to Najuma. I bet she could build one.”

“Hodari's kid?” Vii said. “I guess it’s about time I met her anyway.”

“Oh, I thought since you've been here so long, you would have—”

Vii cut Jina off with a wave of their hand. “I know, I know. I already got an earful from Kenyatta.”

“Sorry,” Jina said. “Najuma's nice, but she's quite shy. She doesn't come to Kilima at all really, now that I think about it. It's probably best that you go see her in Bahari Bay. The road east out of Kilima will take you there. You’ve been to the Bay before, yes?”

Vii adjusted a strap on their pack to get it settled on their shoulders the way they liked. “Yeah, but only a little here and there. I take the old mining passage at the back of my property.”

“Ah, so you've not crossed the aqueduct yet,” Jina said. “Well, good luck. I'd like to stay here and learn as much as I can in the meantime. Let me know when you're ready to risk your life for history!”

Vii grimaced a little. “Thanks. Have fun.”

Outside the temple, the sound of the waterfall falling past the stone-carved path greeted Vii. They took a deep breath of misty air as they walked behind the cascade. They had to admit that it was interesting to see and learn about all the human remnants, and Vii was keen on helping Jina unlock those mysteries to satisfy their own curiosity. But as they passed the entrance to the Phoenix Shrine, Vii felt unsettled. In a way, that was where they'd been born. Jina and Hekla had been the ones to welcome them into their new life when they'd emerged, having no memory of the life they'd led before—or any idea how they'd gotten stuck in the shrine in the first place.

And who was that voice, Vii thought, speaking to me before I emerged?

Vii shuddered and turned their attention on the hike to Bahari Bay. First, though, they had a delivery to make in Kilima Village.

Vii came in by the library and popped into Tish's furniture shop in the town center. When Tish wasn't there, Vii checked Jel's shop two doors down. They saw her inside as they came up the front steps but paused when they heard Reth coming out of the Tavern as he said something to Ashura.

Vii stepped off the stairs and took Reth by the arm, guiding him a few strides away from the shop against his protest.

“Yeesh,” Reth said as he straightened his smock. “If you're this desperate to get close to me, you could just ask next time. Better yet, a little dinner and dancing—”

“What did you tell Hodari the other day?” Vii asked.

“Relax, Vii,” Reth said. “I didn't tell him anything crazy. I just dropped in some little facts about you into our extremely short conversation. He's not much of a talker.”

“Why didn't you tell me Hodari was married?”

“Vii,” Reth said. “Hodari’s wife’s been—”

Tish came out of the shop and stared down at them over the stair railing. “What are you two doing down there?”

Vii and Reth looked up at her.

“Nothing,” Vii said. “We were just on our way to see you.”

Tish stood up from the railing. “Okay, then. Well, why don’t you come inside instead of being all suspicious in the corner.”

Vii and Reth glanced at each other, then joined Tish at the top of the stairs. They all met Jel at his worktable towards the back of his shop where he was unrolling a bolt of fabric.

“Ah,” Jel said, eyeing them over his small, colored glasses. “Just the inspiration I needed. It is so good to see you both.”

“Jel, I’m here every day,” Reth said.

“Well, it’s good to see you all the same,” Jel said. He began laying out the first section of paper pattern on the fabric.

Tish spun her scissors around her finger as she turned to Vii. “So, what did you decide about your sculptures?”

“That’s what I came to talk to you about, actually,” Vii said.

Vii slipped their pack off their shoulders and squatted down to open it on the floor. They pulled out a bundle of fabric and revealed a small ceramic sculpture of a chaapa. Unlike the one that Tish had seen at their house, Vii had added a glass glaze to this one. It had taken some experimentation, but once Vii had figured out the right glaze mix and kiln temperature, the process became easy to replicate. Vii held the sculpture out for Tish to take, and she squealed in delight.

“Oh my Dragon, Vii, this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!” Tish said as she cupped the chaapa in her hands.

Jel set down his pins and came around the worktable to have a look. “My, Vii. That is remarkable. The orange color is exquisite.”

Reth gave the sculpture a pet on the head with one finger. “This thing is so adorable, it might even convince Hassian to stop hating them.”

Vii put the cloth back in their bag and shrugged the pack back on. “Hassian has good reason to hate them, but thank you.”

“So,” Tish said, holding the chaapa close to her heart. “When should I expect the first batch for the shop?”

“I still haven’t made up my mind, but I wanted to at least show you that,” Vii said. “Anyway, I’ve got to get going.”

Vii said their goodbyes and headed out the door.

It was an easy walk to Bahari Bay. Vii said hello to Hassian, Tau, and Auni on the way. They waved to Chayne as he came back from the shrine. Sernuks bounded off when they were startled by Vii's presence, and Vii took the opportunity to pick some mushrooms and pull up some wild ginger and onions for dinner later.

While they walked, Vii caught themselves thinking about what they would say if they came across Hodari on the road. Ask him how the market had been? See how his mining business was doing? Get his advice on finding more minerals for their ceramic glazes?

Hey, Hodari, Vii thought. So, that wife of yours. Ignore everything I’ve ever done or said because I didn’t know you were already married even though I’ve lived here for what feels like a million years. And I’ve never met your wife. Or your daughter. Because I’m a peki-brained coward.

Vii passed through the gate into Bahari Bay and looked around for a spot to sit and have a bite to eat. As they came around the huge cliff to their left, they spotted what must have been the Pavel household just down the road. Vii avoided going in that direction.

Instead, they kept heading east and diverted off the road to have a rest on some old ruins near Hassian's private grove. They snacked on some dried meat and surveyed the landscape, watching the sernuks and chaapas grazing and resting in the open fields between the outcroppings and boulders.

Movement in the distance caught Vii's attention. A figure was walking up a hill that overlooked a pond. The figure was Majiri and had red hair, and Vii recognized them as Najuma.

Vii swallowed the last of the dried meat they'd been chewing, stood, brushed off their pants, and headed toward Najuma. They were nervous for some reason, and they kept an eye out for Hodari and his mystery wife.

No one else seemed to be around, though, and when Vii walked up to Najuma and said hello, Najuma jumped.

“I didn't mean to sneak up on you,” Vii apologized. “I'm Vii.”

Najuma clasped her hands close to her chest. “It's okay. I remember you from the market. My dad told me who you are.”

“That's good,” Vii said with no confidence whatsoever. “I mean, I guess that's good. Anyway, it's nice to meet you, you know, because I don't think the waving really counted.”

Najuma shrugged. “I guess not. Um, it's nice to meet you, too. My name's Najuma. You probably already knew that.”

The two of them stood there awkwardly for a moment.

“So,” Vii said, “Jina said you might be able to help me build a glider?”

Najuma perked up. “I've been working on a schematic for one, and I need some testsubje—I mean, volunteers—to help me perfect the design. I'd test it myself, but my dad would ground me for the rest of my life if I tried.”

Vii hooked their thumbs in their pack straps. “Looks like we've got ourselves a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Najuma's otherwise reserved expression cracked a tiny smile. “I'll need you to get me some supplies though.”

“No problem. What do you need?”

“Sapwood for the structure and sernuk hide for the sail.” Najuma tapped her gloved palm to punctuate each item.

Vii nodded their head a few times. “Easy enough.”

Another round of awkward silence came and went.

“Want some jerky?” Vii asked.

“Um, sure,” Najuma said.

Vii sat down in the grass and pulled their pack onto their lap. Najuma sat down, too, and Vii handed them a piece of dried meat. They both stared at the pond while they chewed.

“So, um, what's life like as a human?” Najuma asked.

“What's life like as a Majiri?” Vii countered.

“Fair point,” Najuma said and seemed to shrink in on herself.

“I really want to know,” Vii followed up. “If you don't mind sharing.”

Najuma shrugged. “I don't know. I guess it's pretty okay. We have Paths, which you probably know about already. It's like a really big deal to pick one, and it's what you dedicate your whole life to.”

“Do you have a Path?” Vii asked.

Najuma pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “I'm a demolitionist.”

“Sounds exciting,” Vii said.

“It'd be more exciting if my dad wasn't so overprotective. He won't let me do anything.”

“Why don't you ask your mom to talk to him?” Vii suggested.

“What?” Najuma said, casting a confused sideways glance at Vii. “Like, have a seance? My dad would never believe it was her. He doesn't even believe me that the mines are haunted.”

Vii felt the blood drain from their face. “I think I've made a terrible mistake. Your mom isn't…around anymore, is she?”

Najuma really looked surprised now. “My mom's been dead for ten years.”

“I'm so sorry,” Vii said as they folded their hands in their lap.

“It's okay. It was a long time ago.”

Najuma stood up, and Vii did the same.

“I should get to the workshop,” Najuma said. “Just bring me that stuff and I'll build your glider for you. Um, thanks for the jerky. Not many people come out this way. It was nice to talk to you.”

Vii put their pack back on. “Thanks for being willing to help. And your fireworks are amazing, by the way.”

Najuma smiled shyly again. “My dad already told me what you said at the market. But thanks.”

Najuma stood there for a second, half turned, and finally walked off. Vii watched her disappear over the top of the hill before they got distracted by the Pavel house across the pond.

That was when Hodari walked into view on the path from Kilima. Vii tried to slowly back down the hill before he saw them creepily staring at his house, but Hodari spotted them and waved. Vii waved back and thought maybe he was just being polite, but then he started coming toward them around the pond, and Vii knew they had no choice but to meet him halfway.

“What're you doin' all the way out here, Vii?” Hodari asked in a neighborly tone.

“I'm sorry about your wife,” Vii blurted out, and then seriously considered diving into the pond and drowning themselves.

“My wife?” Hodari said, clearly taken off guard. “Oh, you must not've known. But thank you anyhow.”

“I was talking to Najuma,” Vii said. “That's why I'm out here.”

“Y’know, I didn't even think about you two never havin’ met until after the market th’other day,” he said.

“Well, now nobody can bother me about it,” Vii said, and forced out a laugh a little too hard. “She’s going to help me build a glider. Jina needs me to do some daredevil nonsense for her research.”

“Najuma’s been working hard on that design,” Hodari said. “Just as long as she don’t try and use it herself.”

Vii rolled a pebble on the ground with their boot. “Is there a reason you won’t let her into the mines? I could always go with her if—”

“That ain’t something you oughta trouble yourself with,” Hodari said, and Vii heard the warning in his voice. “I'm off to the mine. Have a good rest of your day.”

“You, too,” Vii said.

Vii headed back toward Kilima along the road and mentally chastised themselves for being such an idiot. How could they not have figured out that Hodari’s wife was passed away? And what were they doing thinking they could question Hodari’s parenting after only having talked with his daughter for a matter of minutes?

Most of all, Vii was horrified at the relief they felt knowing that Hodari wasn’t taken, at least not anymore.

Vii took the northern road back toward their house, and paused outside of Sifuu’s home. They decided to knock on the door and see if she was there.

“Vii! Good to see ya!” Sifuu said when she opened the door. “Come on in. I’m making some steak if you wanna stay for dinner.”

“Yeah, okay,” Vii said, and went inside.

Visiting with Sifuu turned out to be exactly what Vii needed. After Vii offered their mushrooms, ginger, and onions, Sifuu put them to work. Vii was glad to get their mind off of relationships for a while and focus on using their hands and doing good work. Chopping the onions gave Vii a sense of control over their life again, a purpose, though small and temporary, and Sifuu’s confident camaraderie renewed Vii’s sense of self.

At the dinner table with perfectly cooked and seasoned sernuk steaks and mushrooms, Sifuu said, “Hassian told me he ran into you on your way to Bahari Bay. Tryin’ to sneak in some quality time with Hodari, were you?”

Vii stabbed their steak with a fork and dug into it with their knife. “As a matter of fact, I was. We had a picnic on the beach and he serenaded me with a song.”

“Really?” Sifuu said around a bite of steak. “I had no idea the old grump could sing. Or that he had a romantic bone in his body.”

“I’m kidding, Sifuu,” Vii said. “I was there to ask Najuma for help with building something.”

“Aw, I coulda helped you, you know,” Sifuu said.

Vii popped a cut of steak in their mouth and held it in their cheek. “You know how to build a glider?”

Sifuu scratched her head. “That one’s above my paygrade, actually. Talkin’ to Najuma was the right move.”

“Sifuu,” Vii started. “I want to ask you something, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I understand.”

“Ask away, Vii. I’m tough as nails.”

Vii swallowed their mouthful of mushrooms. “How would you feel about someone being romantically interested in you after having lost Taylin?”

Sifuu chewed thoughtfully and then took a long pull of water from her tankard. “Fine, I suppose. I haven’t had anyone in a while, but Hassian and Tau have kept me plenty busy. Haven’t really felt the need to have someone, you know?”

Sifuu paused, and Vii waited for them to continue.

“Taylin wouldn’t have wanted me to be lonely just because she wasn’t around anymore,” Sifuu said. “I’ve mourned her, and I miss her. But she would want me to move on and find someone else if that was what I wanted.”

Vii took a drink of their water. “Thank you.”

Sifuu stared at Vii for a moment. “This is about Hodari, isn’t it?” Sifuu laughed. “Leta’s been gone for years. Not that it’s my place to say, but it’s about time that man got himself someone to share his life with again. Poor Hodari’s so focused on his kid that he can’t think about himself.”

“Don’t you worry about Hassian, though?” Vii asked.

“Hassian can take care of himself,” Sifuu said. “And he’s got his own life to live. I can’t keep him under my nose forever. Najuma’s younger, but she’s got a Path and a good head on her shoulders. He’s gotta let her go some time. But I get it. I’d be scared, too, if what happened to him had happened to me. Not my story to tell, though.”

Vii set down their knife and fork on their empty plate. “Thanks for dinner, and the advice.”

“Anytime, Vii,” Sifuu said. She stood up and took Vii’s plate, stacking it on her own. “I’ll take care of all this, don’t you worry.”

“I’ve got some things to check before the sun goes down,” Vii said.

“Come back with a story!” Sifuu said as she disappeared into the kitchen.

At home, Vii quickly finished the chores that needed doing and collapsed on the couch by the time the first star came out in the sky. Vii let their head fall to the side so they could stare at the sernuk sculpture. There was a companion sculpture drying out in their workshop, waiting to be fired in the kiln, and Vii was looking forward to seeing the two pieces together.

Chapter Text

Vii was having a pretty good day.

They’d started their morning by cutting down an oak on their property for sapwood and breaking down the felled tree for the glider. It took about half the day to finish, but Vii worked up a healthy sweat and enjoyed the labor. Their skills had improved significantly since appearing in Kilima, and after being such a social klutz recently, it was a joy to feel like they were good at something for a few hours.

After a quick lunch, Vii loaded up their pack and prepared for an afternoon of bow hunting.

The old mining tunnel was damp and cool, but by the time they reached the northern side of Bahari Bay, Vii was glad for the warm sunlight on their face. They paused to string their bow and set up their hip quiver, waving at a group of humans that walked by.

Vii made their way through the pines to one of their favorite hunting spots. As they were stepping up a hill, a chaapa ran in front of their feet. Suddenly, a deep, sharp pain erupted in Vii's leg, and they stumbled sideways, falling onto the grass.

“Dragon above!” Vii exclaimed. They looked down. An arrow was sticking out of their thigh, and their anger surpassed their pain for a moment.

Vii looked around for the shooter. A human was running up to them, a bow in hand and a quiver on their back.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry,” the human was saying as they got close. They briefly covered their mouth with their hands. “I am so sorry.”

Vii glared up at them. “You must be new,” they said.

“I was following a chaapa, and they change direction so fast, I just wasn't looking, and I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you.”

Vii stared at the babbling human and waited for them to finish. “Better my leg than my heart, I guess. What's your name?”

The human looked taken aback. “You're not upset?”

“Of course I'm upset,” Vii said as they rolled to a sitting position. “I have an arrow in my leg. But it was an accident. So tell me who you are.”

The human held their bow in front of them with both hands. “I'm Qieran.”

Vii got their good leg under them and hopped up, leaning on a nearby sapling. “I'm Vii.”

“Nice to meet you, Vii,”

“Nice to meet you, too, Qieran.” Vii probed the shaft of the arrow and winced. “You wouldn't happen to know how to take these out safely, would you?”

Qieran opened their mouth to answer when Tamala’s voice came from behind a mature pine.

“I wouldn’t trust him even if he did, my dear,” Tamala said as she stepped out from behind the trunk. “I know a thing or two, though.”

Vii looked between Qieran and Tamala before settling on Tamala. “You’re going to help me just like that?”

Tamala feigned a hurt expression. “I’m not some evil witch of the woods, dear. But if you’d prefer to limp all the way back to Chayne, by all means. I’m not about to stop you. Could be entertaining, actually.”

Vii reasserted their grip on the sapling. “What’s your help going to cost me?”

“Can’t a woman just help a poor soul in need?” Tamala said.

Vii stared at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, fine,” Tamala said. “You’re even more obstinate than Hodari, and that’s not an easy thing to do. If I do this for you, you’re just going to have to owe me a favor in the future.”

“I’m not agreeing to anything before knowing what it is first,” Vii said.

“You’ll just have to use your imagination,” Tamala said in a softer voice as she approached Vii, hips swinging with each step. “And remember, the price will match the service.”

Vii took a deep breath and said, “Whatever. Get this arrow out of me.”

Tamala grinned. “Right this way, my dears.”

With Qieran’s help, Vii followed Tamala back to her house. Vii didn’t trust Tamala, but the woman seemed more mischievous than she did harmful, at least most of the time.

During the painful walk, Vii turned their attention to the human that had shot them, mostly to distract themselves. Qieran looked to be many years younger than Vii. He was shorter than them, and he had darker skin and hair than they did. But he was strong enough to help Vii, and that was all that really mattered.

Vii had never been inside of Tamala’s house before, and somehow it looked exactly how they’d thought it would. Potions, dried plants, and vessels of every shape and size lined every surface in view. Tamala cleared off a table and instructed Vii to sit atop it. Qieran stood nearby, looking completely lost and overwhelmed.

Tamala had a good look at Vii’s leg and gave the arrow shaft a little twist.

“Ow!” Vii said. “What are you doing?”

“If the arrow was lodged in the bone, then we’d have a much bigger problem,” Tamala said. She stepped away to grab some items from a cupboard. “You’re lucky this human’s a terrible shot.”

“Hey, I’m working on it,” Qieran protested.

Tamala leaned one hand on the table, the other hand on her hip, and got closer to Vii’s face than was necessary. “I’ll have to push the arrow through, and that means pain, and lots of it. We might even hear you scream.”

Vii tried to put some space between themselves and Tamala. “Just do it already.”

“Shame,” Tamala said with a pout. “I was really hoping you’d beg me not to. You don’t even want anything to numb the pain?”

“You make the walk to Kilima more and more appealing by the second,” Vii said.

Tamala snapped her fingers at Qieran. “Hold them down.”

“Wait a second,” Vii said, but Tamala was already pushing them onto their back and Qieran had his hands on their shoulders before they knew it. Tamala gave them a stick to bite down on, and Vii resigned themselves to stubbornly suffering the next few minutes in silence, and in fear.

“Now, try not to fidget, dear,” Vii heard Tamala say. They couldn’t see her behind Qieran leaning over them. “The more you move, the harder this will be, for both of us.”

What felt like hours passed in a few minutes. Vii’s trouser leg was cut, the arrow was out, and the skin was stitched up. Tamala poulticed the entry and exit wounds, handed Vii their severed trouser leg, and sent Qieran and Vii on their way.

Outside Tamala’s house, Qieran shuffled his boots in the dirt, his head lowered.

“I’m really, really sorry about all of this,” he said quietly.

Vii tried to ignore how ridiculous they felt with one trouser leg missing, and they wondered if they’d be able to reattach the tube of fabric they held in their hand.

“Would you mind,” Vii said, “walking me home?”

Qieran nodded vigorously. “Of course! It's the least I could do.”

Quieran found a dead branch on the ground that Vii could use as a walking stick and carried their possessions for them. Vii tried not to be irritated at the major disruption getting shot was already causing them.

“When did you emerge?” Vii asked Qieran.

“A few weeks ago,” he said. “From the Phoenix Shrine.”

“Did you hear the voice?” Vii asked. “Before you materialized.”

Qieran's shoulders rose. “Who was that in there? I mean, how could there be a voice in nothing? It doesn't make any sense. Was it Embra herself? Who else could it have been?”

Vii shook their head. “I've wondered all the same things.”

Qieran stopped in front of the entrance to the Elderwood. Vii stood next to him a step or two later.

“Have you been in there, yet?” Qieran asked.

“Only once,” Vii said and kept walking.

The rest of the way home, Vii asked Qieran questions about himself and how he was adjusting to life in Kilima. The gist of it was that Qieran was struggling with the small town living. There was too much to learn, too much to remember, and too much walking for him. Not because he was lazy but because he just knew he wasn't cut out for it. He was planning on leaving for Bahari City or the Capital as soon as he could.

A pin of jealousy pricked Vii as he talked. They wished they had his confidence about what he wanted to do, what he knew he wanted to do. Qieran’s certainty was mildly annoying, especially because of how young he seemed. It didn't feel fair to Vii, stupid as they knew that was.

At Vii's house, Qieran offered to stay and help Vii with some things to make up for shooting them, but Vii told him not to worry about it, and he continued on into Kilima.

Vii was relieved to be alone, and yet they felt lonely. It had been nice to talk to another human, which was not something they did often. Most humans were too busy to get to know, and Vii had been a regular in Kilima for so long that they were starting to feel more Majiri than Human.

Vii eased themselves onto the bench outside their front door and poked the wraps around their leg. The arrow had struck them about midway down the thigh in the front muscle mass above the bone. Tomorrow, they would go see Chayne, just in case Tamala hadn't been completely forthwith about her abilities as a healer.

Auni came bobbing up the road and through their gate. Vii waited until he reached the mailbox to say hello.

“Whoah,” Auni said. “What happened to you? Was it a monster?”

“An arrow,” Vii said. “From a human. Qieran.”

“Oh, yeah, he's new! I was showing him my smoke bombs the other day. Why did he shoot you? Was he mad at you?”

“No, nothing like that,” Vii said. “It was an accident.”

“Did it hurt?” Auni asked, getting a little closer and eyeing the bandage. “Can I see?”

“Yes, it hurt. It still hurts. And no,” Vii said sternly, “you may not see it.”

“Aw,” Auni said. “One time, our ormuus got in a fight and one of them gored the other one with a horn. It was disgusting. There was a lot of blood. They were both fine, but it was kinda cool.”

“Auni, do I have any mail?” Vii said to divert his attention away from any more gruesome stories.

“Oh. No. Nothing today.”

“Hang out there while I write a quick letter,” Vii said and hobbled inside.

A minute later, Vii had finished the letter. They handed it to Auni outside, and he went trotting off.

About an hour after that, while Vii was fashioning a makeshift crutch in their workshop and enjoying the evening breeze blowing through the open space, they heard their gate creak open. Kenyatta joined Vii in the workshop. She turned a chair around and sat on it backwards.

“Heard you got shot from Auni,” she said. Her chin was resting on her crossed arms over the back of the chair. “I bet you're gonna have a really cool scar.”

Vii set down their whittling knife on the workbench. “So far, all I have is really uncool trousers.”

“Jel can probably fix those for you,” Kenyatta said.

“I'll ask him,” Vii said. “When walking doesn't feel like there's a chaapa trying to dig its way out of my flesh. You just come for a visit, or…?”

Kenyatta picked up her head and shook her bangs out of her eyes. “I came to see if you were okay. But also to say sorry. About the market. I was kind of a jerk.”

Vii smiled. “Only kind of?”

Kenyatta rolled her eyes. “Okay, like, a lot a jerk.”

“It's okay,” Vii said. “I haven't been the best person to be around lately.”

“I was only planning on asking about the leg, but, like, how are you?” Kenyatta put her chin on her arms again, staring intently at Vii.

Vii shifted in their chair and tried not to groan when it hurt. They crossed their arms. They stared at the stone floor of the workshop. They closed their eyes.

“I don't know,” Vii said.

A stillness settled over the workshop. The kiln purred in the corner, and when the wind blew just right, the hot air it expelled washed over Vii's skin. They opened their eyes. Kenyatta was still watching them.

Vii lifted one of their hands and gestured frustration. “I don't know what I want, what I'm doing. I've been here for a whole season, built a house, made friends, started building a life, I guess. And I still feel, I don’t know, restless? I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know why I’m still here.”

Kenyatta tilted her head to one side. “Where would you even go?”

Vii put their elbow on their workbench and dropped their head in their hand. “I don’t know. Maybe I just need to travel.”

“You could do that,” Kenyatta said. “That’s kind of what I did with my Path. Like, with the trying different things out. But I’d miss you. And if you didn’t bring anything back for me, I’d never speak to you again.”

Vii smiled at her with a devious eye. “You sure you want me to bring you gifts?”

Kenyatta gently toed her chair. “Maybe not. But you’d come back, right? If you left?”

Vii let their gaze wander slowly around the space. “I don’t know.”

“You know who else would miss you?” Kenyatta asked, and she sounded entirely serious, which was unusual.

“Reth?” Vii suggested.

“Hodari,” Kenyatta said.

Vii pursed their lips. “Hodari doesn’t even know me.”

“He talks about you,” she said. “I mean, he talked about you when I was trying out mining. Which was a huge mistake, obviously. But it led me to my Path healing animals. Reth says he talks about you, too, so it’s obviously a thing.”

Vii huffed out an impatient sigh. “I’m actually getting really tired of everyone trying to tell me ‘Hodari this’ and ‘Hodari that’ when it’s impossible to know what he’s thinking. I’m sick of everyone getting involved in my business.”

“It’s a small town, Vii,” Kenyatta said. “There’s no such thing as not being in people’s business.”

“All the more reason to leave,” Vii said. “I can’t stay here just because someone might be interested in me.”

Kenyatta sat up. “Then find out.”

“What?”

“Give him a box of chocolates or a heartdrop lilly or whatever and find out,” she said. “If Hodari’s a reason to stay, then just go get it over with and then you’ll know. That’s what I did with Nai’o.”

Vii stared at Kenyatta. “Fine.”

“Really?”

“Once my leg is healed, I’ll give him the chocolates.”

“Wow, okay,” Kenyatta said. “I didn’t think you’d, like, actually go along with that.” She laughed. “Damn. I respect your resolve.”

Vii grabbed their crutch and stood up. They gingerly tested their weight on their injured leg and let out a grunt.

“Thanks for stopping by,” Vii said to Kenyatta. “I’m going to get some rest.”

Kenyatta stood up and put the chair back where she’d found it. “Yeah. Glad you’re okay. And you have to give me all the details after you give him the chocolates. Your love life is, like, the most exciting thing in Kilima right now.”

Vii tapped Kenyatta in the leg with their crutch and teased, “Get off my property.”

“Whatever,” Kenyatta said, smiling.

Inside the house, Vii sat down on the bed and carefully stripped off their clothes. They unwrapped their binding before taking a big, deep breath. Their ribs ached for the first few breaths, as they always did. Vii slipped a fresh shirt over their head and pulled on a pair of shorts. They hopped over to their bathroom and ran water in the sink to wash their face. After they dried off, they stared at themselves in the mirror.

Most days, Vii didn’t bother to look at their reflection. They knew what they looked like, and they didn’t change their appearance much day to day. But the thought of giving Hodari a romantic gift was making them reconsider. Vii brushed the back of a finger along their long, dark eyelashes and stared at the flecks of amber and brown in their hazel eyes.

Vii pulled the leather tie from the back of their skull and ran a hand through the straight, purple hair with streaks of white. They twisted their finger around a chunk of white hair and pulled it over their forehead, wondering if they’d always had this much grey hair or if it was a side effect of their emergence from the shrine.

That last thing Vii did in the bathroom was turn to the side and pull their shirt tight across their chest, revealing the shape of their small breasts. Vii sighed and let the shirt spring away from their body. Then, they crawled into bed and fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Late the next morning, after a housecall from Chayne, Najuma appeared on Vii's property. Vii was in their garden watering their plants one-handed while balancing with their crutch. Vii saw Najuma as she approached the garden fence.

“I got your letter,” Najuma said.

“Hello to you, too,” Vii lowered the watering can in their hand, and the water sloshed. “I’m glad you got my letter, but why are you here? Does your dad know where you are?”

Najuma narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a baby; I can go where I want. Except the mines. And the Elderwood. Anyway.”

Vii shifted the crutch under their arm and waited.

“Um, I feel like it's my fault you got hurt,” she said. “So I came up here to say sorry and maybe help you? To make up for it.”

Vii hefted the watering can. “Here. Finish watering the garden.”

Najuma climbed over the fence and took the watering can in both hands. She poured water on the next plant, and she looked confident doing it.

Vii made their way to the fence and leaned against it, resting their crutch beside them. “You look like you know what you're doing,” Vii observed.

Without taking her eyes off the work, Najuma said, “We have a garden at home.”

Vii wiped the back of their hand across their forehead. “You had nothing to do with my getting shot, by the way. It was a complete accident.”

“I'm the one who sent you out for those sernuk hides,” Najuma said as she stepped sideways to the next plant. “If I hadn't done that, you never would have gotten hurt.”

“You forget,” Vii said, “that I chose to go out hunting yesterday. I chose the time, I chose the place. I could have gone anywhere at any point, but it just so happens I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so was Qieran.”

“Who's Qieran?”

“The human who shot me,” Vii said.

“Oh,” Najuma said.

“Point is, it wasn't your fault,” Vii said. “There’s not way it could be.”

Najuma moved on to the next plant and poured water over the soil.

“You’re doing me a huge favor by making that glider,” Vii said. “I just wanted to let you know that it was going to take me longer than I thought to gather the materials you need. I didn’t want you waiting around for no reason.”

“I have plenty of other things to work on,” Najuma said. She lifted the watering can and stepped forward to the next row.

Vii lightly crossed their arms. “Like what?”

Najuma pulled up the can and looked at Vii over the growing stalks of rice. “You wanna hear about my projects?”

Vii shrugged. “Sure. Between the fireworks and the glider, I’m really impressed with your inventions. I’d love to hear more.”

“Wow,” Najuma said as she started pouring water again. “No one ever wants to hear about my designs.”

“Not even your dad?” Vii asked.

“Well, sure, he does,” Najuma said. “But he’s my dad. He has to be supportive, even though he doesn’t know what I’m talking about half the time. He’s not as good with all that technical stuff like my mom was.”

Vii looked down at their boots for a second. “It must have been nice to share that with her.”

“I was like five when she died, so I don’t remember a ton of stuff about her,” Najuma said. “But yeah. Watering can is empty.”

Vii pointed over toward the small pond nearby, and Najuma fetched more water.

When she came back, she asked, “Do you have parents? Obviously you had to have parents. But are they still around?”

Vii shifted their weight against the fence and tightened their crossed arms. “I don’t remember much of anything from…before. I actually try not to think about it.”

“I understand,” Najuma said. “I don’t really like thinking about my mom too hard either. All finished.”

“Great, thank you,” Vii said. They pointed to the corner of the garden. “You can set that over there.”

Vii grabbed their crutch and met Najuma by the garden entrance. “If you have time, could you help me unload the kiln?”

“Sure,” Najuma said and followed Vii around the house.

In the workshop, Vii instructed Najuma on how to open the kiln and carefully unstack the contents. There were several pieces inside, mostly cups and bowls, but the piece that Vii was most looking forward to seeing was the second sernuk sculpture.

Najuma held it in her hands, eyes wide as she carefully examined it. “This is so cool. How did you make this? It looks so alive.”

Vii lowered themselves to their workbench chair. “Too bad we can’t use that one’s hide.”

Najuma flashed them a quick smile at their joke and handed them the sculpture.

“There’s another one,” Najuma noted as she came up to the workbench.

Vii rotated in the seat. “That was the first one I made, and I brought it out here to see how these they matched up. They’re not meant to be alone.”

Vii stood the second sernuk sculpture with the first and slid them together. The two pieces, rearing and twisting, fit together almost perfectly.

Najuma studied them. “There’s room for a little sernuk in there.”

Vii looked at the sculptures from a few different angles and had to agree. “Well, then a little sernuk I shall make. But not today. Thanks for the help, Najuma. And don’t feel bad about yesterday.”

“Okay,” she said. “I hope you feel better soon. I’ll see you later.”

“See you later,” Vii said.

Najuma was halfway to the gate to Kilima when she paused and spun around. “I really like talking to you, Vii,” she announced.

“I like talking to you, too, Najuma,” Vii responded.

“Okay, bye!” Najuma turned and ran out of sight.

Vii crossed their arms on the surface of the workbench and placed the side of their head on top of them. They stared at the sernuks dancing together and puzzled out a pose for a juvenile sernuk that could stand between them.

Vii picked up their head and pulled their sketchbook and charcoal towards them on the table. They skipped to the most recent recipe from Reth and flipped to the next blank page, sketching out a few ideas for the new sculpture.

A few sketches later, however, Vii was drawing what they thought their parents might have looked like and wondering about their brothers or sisters, if they’d had any. What they could remember of their life before felt more like dreams than memories. Impressions, really. Feelings. They knew their name. They knew they weren’t a man or a woman. They knew they were human. Everything else, though, was locked away or being discovered. Then they had a thought that made them put down their charcoal and close the sketchbook.

What if I already have a partner, and what if I’m a parent? Vii thought. What if I have my own Najuma? And what if she’s out there right now wondering where I am, even if she can’t remember me, or her other parent?

Not knowing made Vii’s chest tight, and they clutched their shirt when it became hard to breathe. They closed their eyes and tried to calm down, taking slow breaths in and out, but their heart was racing now.

Vii reached for their crutch and knocked it to the ground. As they went to pick it back up, they bumped their workbench. The two sernuk statues toppled over the side of the table and struck the cobblestone floor. They shattered, shards scattering in every direction.

With every shard that skated across the stones, Vii felt a piece of their heart go with it. Still holding their shirt at the chest, they sat as frozen and lifeless as the broken sculptures around their feet.

Carefully, Vii made their way to the floor, their bad leg outstretched. They picked up two bits of ceramic that were once a whole sernuk antler and touched the broken edges together. Nothing they could do would put the sculptures back the way they were before. They'd been irreparably changed.

Just like me, Vii thought. I can try to recover a past that doesn't exist anymore, or I can move forward and make something new.

Vii held their hand close to the floor and tipped the pieces out of their palm. They leveraged themselves up with their chair, rested, and then hop-limped to get the broom. They swept the broken statues into the pile next to their kiln where imperfect pieces were destroyed, then traded the broom for their crutch and went inside to make lunch.

Chapter Text

It took a week or so for Vii's leg to feel functional again, and Chayne made sure to remind them to take it easy until the wound was further along in the healing process. The thought of being cooped up on their plot for another few weeks drove Vii crazy, though, and they decided to take Chayne’s advice as suggestion rather than order.

Hunting and skinning sernuk took Vii longer than it normally would have, but they didn't mind so long as they could keep moving. Eventually, they had everything they needed for the glider, and they eagerly hauled the materials to the Pavel residence.

Vii found Najuma in her father's workshop, and the two of them worked together most of the day to build the glider.

“Now we test it,” Najuma said once she'd put the finishing touches of paint on the glider’s skin. “Well, now you test it. Are you sure you'll be okay with your leg?”

Vii picked up the glider off the table and held it over their head. It was lighter than they thought it would be, but it felt reliable.

“Only one way to find out,” Vii said and set the glider back down on the table.

Najuma collapsed the glider and tucked it under her arm. “I know the perfect spot.”

Vii followed Najuma out of the workshop and around the pond. The east side of the pond was a gently sloping hill with outcroppings on either side. Najuma handed Vii the glider, and Vii unfurled it.

“Okay,” Vii said. “Here we go.”

Vii held the glider above their head and a gust of wind from the west pulled the glider out in front of them. Vii held on, though, and started running down the hill with the wind. They jumped, and the glider carried Vii the rest of the way until the ground rose up to meet them, thankfully well before the towering rockface at the base of the hill. Najuma cheered from above, and Vii whooped in agreement.

Vii walked back up the hill and ignored the pain that was creeping into their injured thigh.

“That was so cool!” Najuma said. “I can't believe it worked.”

Vii gave her a skeptical smirk. “What do you mean you can't believe it worked?”

Najuma winced. “It's the first one I've built and been able to test. Sure, it looked good on paper, but you never really know until you do it for real.”

Vii smiled at her. “So, what next?”

Najuma glanced around and pointed at an outcropping. “There. We need to see how it does with a sheer drop, no running start.”

Vii hopped up into the shorter rock ledge and walked out to the edge of the outcropping. The drop was almost twice as tall as Vii, not enough to kill them, but definitely enough to make them wary.

Vii held the glider against the front of their body, and Najuma gave them a go signal. Vii leapt off the rock and let the glider fill with air and swing over their head. Their legs swung out in front of them, but the glider handled it perfectly. A few seconds later, Vii landed on the ground.

Najuma ran up to them, grinning. “Okay, now we gotta go up really high.”

Vii collapsed the glider. “How high is really high?”

Najuma pointed to a nearby structure, an ancient Human column that, though still standing, sat slightly askew in the landscape. It was at least four times as tall as what Vii had just jumped from.

“That’s a little too high," Vii said.

“You have to jump into a gorge, right?” Najuma asked. “Is that about how far down it is?”

Vii looked at the tower again. “It’s probably farther than that, but I see your point.”

Najuma waited out in the middle of the field below while Vii climbed the tower with the glider strapped to their back. At the top, Vii sat on the weather-worn stone and scooted across until they were able to put their legs over the edge. Vii's bad leg was really starting to hurt now, but Vii pushed the pain aside.

Vii got the glider ready, waiting to deploy it until they jumped. Najuma hopped in the air and waved, and Vii pushed off into the open air.

Their stomach lurched into their throat with the drop, then shot back down to their feet when the open glider caught the air. Vii steered the glider to the left and to the right, and they flew over Najuma’s head with a body-length to spare. As they descended, they realized how fast the grass was passing beneath them—how fast they were moving—and they hit the ground so hard that they lost their grip on the glider and rolled several meters until they came to an abrupt stop at the base of a juniper.

“Vii!” they heard Najuma shouting. “Vii! Are you okay?”

Vii pressed themselves up and sat back against the juniper. Their leg felt worse than the day they'd been shot, but everything else felt okay, for the most part.

“Maji's breath, Vii, are you alright?” Najuma said as she slid on her knees next to Vii.

“I'm alive,” Vii said, trying to sound more lackadaisical than they felt.

Najuma groaned in frustration. “I can't believe I got you hurt again. I never should have made the glider or that stupid design. Everything I do just hurts everyone around me. I'm such an idiot.”

Vii sat forward and rested their fingertips on Najuma's knee. “You’re not an idiot, and you didn't hurt me. This isn't your fault anymore than the hunting accident was. We didn’t know the glider could go that fast, but that's why we tested it, right? Now we know. Experiment successful.”

Najuma's downcast face was pinched in pain. She stood up suddenly and said, “You don't understand,” and then ran away up the hill towards the house.

“Najuma—” Vii said, but they knew it was too late.

Vii fell back against the juniper and rested their head on the bark. They closed their eyes and took a mental survey of everything that hurt. They were so inwardly focused that they didn't notice someone walk up to them.

“What was that about?” Hodari asked.

Vii knocked their head against the tree, startled by Hodari's sudden appearance. They rubbed the back of their skull, muttering under their breath.

“You alright?” Hodari asked. “Dragon, Vii, you're bleedin’.”

“Huh?” Vii said and followed Hodari's gaze.

Their bad leg was bleeding in two places and had soaked through their trousers.

“Must've opened up the arrow wounds,” Vii said. “I can’t say Chayne didn’t warn me. That’s what I get for not following his advice.”

“I don’t tend to follow his advice much either,” Hodari said. “Even though I ought to.”

Hodari held out a hand, and Vii took it. He pulled them up and, smooth as the beat of a butterfly's wing, had their arm over his shoulders and a hand around their waist. Vii didn’t dare look him in the face for the blush they knew was rising up their throat and over their cheeks.

“The glider,” Vii said, pointing to it where it lay on the gound. It had collapsed itself back into its portable configuration.

“I’ll come back for it,” Hodari said. “You’re a bit more important. Let’s get you up to the house.”

All it took was a few steps for Vii to figure out how badly they’d messed up their leg, even with Hodari’s support. They couldn’t walk on it without crying out, and they had to tell Hodari to stop for a second.

“That bad, huh?” Hodari said.

Vii—eyes closed, head down, and jaw clenched—nodded, their loose hair waving. Before they knew it, Hodari had lifted them in his arms and started trudging up the hill without so much as a warning. Vii could have died of embarrassment, and they worried about whether or not he could feel the binder under their clothes.

Hodari set them down at the picnic area outside the house and lowered them to the bench.

“Best elevate that,” he said. He pulled a camping stool in front of them, then set Vii’s foot on it. “Now, stay there unless somethin’s on fire. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you,” Vii said before he could leave.

Hodari pointed at the bench they were sitting on. “Don’t move a muscle.”

Vii was in no mood to argue. Hodari walked off with a purpose, and Vii rested their elbows on the tabletop behind them. They let their head sink into their shoulders and rolled their face back towards the sky, eyes shut. It occurred to them that they ought to wrap their leg or put pressure on the wounds, but they’d left their pack in the workshop and that was well outside their ability to walk to at the moment.

They looked around the picnic area for some cloth or a towel, but there wasn’t anything suitable nearby. Near the garden, though, just across the way, there was a handkerchief hanging off the handle of a farming implement leaning against the garden bed.

After checking to see if Hodari was in sight, Vii picked up her leg from the stool and dropped it on the ground, leaned forward, and staggered over to the garden. They grabbed the handkerchief and half fell, half sat on the edge of the garden bed. They wrapped their leg with the cloth and pulled it tight enough to hurt but not so tight that they’d cut off the rest of their leg.

Vii scooted off the short garden bed wall onto the ground and leaned back against the thick planks. “10,000 years in the future, and the best I can to is a dirty handkerchief,” they mumbled as they closed their eyes and dozed off.

“Vi? Vi! I told him to stay put,” they heard Hodari saying over the sound of his boots on the dirt and gravel. “Won’t listen to Chayne, won’t listen to me…”

“I’m right here, Hodari,” Vii announced.

Hodari came around the garden and stared down at them, the glider in one hand. “What are you doin’? I told you not to move. You’re as bad as Najuma. Come on, then.”

Vii accepted his help back to the picnic bench and said, “I wonder where she gets it from.”

“Don’t get smart with me,” Hodari said, but he didn’t sound like he meant it. “I was gonna offer ya dinner, but—”

“I don’t want to impose any more than I already have,” Vii interrupted. “I just need a few minutes, and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Like hell you will.” Hodari set the glider on the table and sat down on the bench. “I talked to Najuma, or tried to. She’s real upset. You mind tellin’ me what happened?”

Vii adjusted the handkerchief, grimaced, and took a breath. “We were testing out the glider, and I had a bit of a crash landing. She thinks it’s her fault. I told her that’s not true, but she didn’t believe me.”

Hodari had his mouth resting pensively against his fist as he listened. He sighed. “Well, she’s shut up in her room now, and she won’t be comin’ out any time soon.”

“I’m sorry if I got her into any trouble,” Vii said.

Hodari shook his head. “Nothin’ of the sort. Najuma’s a teenager. I’ve been told this is just how they are sometimes. I just…never mind.”

“What?” Vii coaxed.

Hodari pursed his lips, looked like he was about to say something, but seemed to change his mind.

“Sorry,” Vii said. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You ain’t pryin’,” Hodari said. “I just wish I wasn’t raisin’ her on my own is all. Parenting’s a big job to do alone. And I don’t seem too good at it these days.”

Vii studied his face for a moment, aware of his vulnerability. “What were you like at her age?”

“Me?” Hodari gave a humourless laugh. “Chaotic as a chaapa and more stubborn than an ormuu. I don’t know how my parents put up with me, or my siblings. I’ve outgrown a lot of how I used to be, though. I s’pose Najuma will, too.”

“Hmm,” Vii hummed. “I don’t think you outgrew the ormuu part.”

Hodari glanced at them, looking partly surprised and partly amused. “I’d say it’s even worse now.”

“And you turned out alright,” Vii said.

Hodari shrugged. “If y’say so.”

“Najuma’s gonna be okay, too.”

Hodari scratched the back of his head with a gloved hand. “Y’know, I think this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had. It’s kinda nice.”

“It is?” Vii asked. They were caught off guard by his comment. “I mean, I also think it’s nice. Except every time I run into you I manage to hurt myself or fall in a pond or something.”

Hodari chuckled quietly to himself but then looked horrified. “I don’t think those things happ’nin’ to you are funny. Dragon, what a damn fool I am for laughin’ like that. I apologize.”

Vii nudged him in the arm with their elbow. “Don’t worry about it. I think it’s hilarious, at least after the fact. And now I understand Najuma’s self-criticism.”

Hodari ran a hand through his hair. “I ain’t always settin’ the best example for her, am I?”

“Well,” Vii said, folding their hands in their lap, “based on what I’ve seen, you’ve raised a smart, hardworking person who generously offers their skills in the service of others. She had to learn those things from someone, and, with the exception of the smarts, I think she learned it from you.”

“I’ll take the compliment,” Hodari said as he gave them a roguish side eye. “I ‘ppreciate you saying so. Really. I do.”

Vii and Hodari smiled at each other.

Hodari cleared his throat. “I’m not used to this much talkin’. You like grilled steak, don’t ya?”

“Reth told you, didn’t he,” Vii said.

“He mentioned a few things,” Hodari said. “Can’t for the life of me figure out why, but it don’t hurt to know more about my neighbors.”

Hodari started walking towards the house, but he paused, looking Vii dead in the eye.

Before he could say anything, Vii put up their hands in surrender and said, “I’m staying right here, I promise.”

Hodari cracked a half-smile that struck Vii in the heart before he continued on his way, leaving Vii in a bit of a stupor until they remembered that Hodari had called them him.

Chapter Text

Vii stood at the bottom of the steps that led to Zeki’s General Store. They knew they probably looked odd to the other humans coming and going, but they just couldn’t make themselves take that first step.

Right when they were about to give up, Zeki spotted them and motioned them in. There was no turning back now.

“Well, look what the palcat dragged in,” Zeki said.

“Hello, Zeki,” Vii said.

“What can I do for ya?”

Vii approached the counter and mumbled something under their breath.

“I didn't quite catch that.”

Vii said it a little bit louder.

“You're gonna have to speak up,” Zeki said.

Vii huffed. “You have twice as many ears as I do and you still can't hear me?”

“Oh, I can hear you,” Zeki said. He got that mischievous glint in his eye. “I just want you to ask at a normal volume like a normal person.”

“I want a box of chocolates!” Vii announced, throwing out their arms.

A few humans in the shop glanced at them, but Vii didn’t care.

“Happy?” they said.

“Sure am,” Zeki said, flashing a toothy grin. “In fact, I'm so happy, I'll throw in a little something extra, just for you.”

“Just give me the chocolates, Zeki.” Vii placed currency on the countertop and slid it over to the Grimalkin.

“Your loss,” Zeki said. He placed the box of chocolates between them and took the money.

Vii waited a moment and then asked, “You’re not going to ask who their for?”

“Don’t need to,” Zeki said as he dropped the coins into the register drawer, one by one.

Vii didn’t know what to say. “Thanks.”

“Give Hodari my regards,” Zeki said to them as they walked away.

Vii hesitated, rolled their eyes, and started for the Inn.

“Hey! Vii!” Kenyatta called from across the town center. She ran up to them. “Did you do it yet?”

Vii held the box behind their back, and they wished they’d slipped onto their pack right away. “I'm working on it.”

Kenyatta shifted her weight to one leg and put a hand on her hip. “What're you hiding?”

“Nothing,” Vii said, and tried to side step around Kenyatta while keeping the chocolates obscured.

Kenyatta followed them, and they circled each other for a few steps. “If you're not hiding anything, then why are you acting so weird?”

“I'm not acting weird,” Vii said. “You’re the one that's following me.”

Kenyatta feinted one way but then ducked the other, catching Vii's arm. “You only just bought them? Vii, it's been, like, two weeks!”

“I've been busy,” Vii said. “Jina can be very demanding.”

“Yeah, sure, because the ruins are going somewhere real fast.”

“Let go, you’re gonna make me—”

While wrestling their arm back from Kenyatta, Vii ran into something solid and heard a distinct oof. Both Kenyatta and Vii froze and then stood shoulder to shoulder, each of them with a hand on the chocolates behind them.

“Hey, there,” Hodari said, brushing off his jacket.

“Funny running into you,” Vii said.

“Working on your Badruu impression?” Kenyatta mumbled. “Come on, give him the box.”

Kenyatta nudged Vii hard. Vii glowered at them.

“Ev’rythin’ alright?” Hodari asked.

“All good,” Vii said, slapping on a smile.

Hodari looked between the two of them, clearly unconvinced.

“Okay, then,” Hodari said. “See ya ‘round.”

Hodari continued on to the inn, and once he was inside, Vii whirled on Kenyatta.

“What is your problem?”

Kenyatta shrugged. “What? That was funny.”

Vii yanked the box of chocolates from her and stuffed it into their pack. “Look, I’m sorry that this place is so boring, but I’m not your dancing muujin. Go find some other human to play with. Better yet, figure out how to make your own life more interesting so you stop ruining everyone else’s.”

Vii was pointing their finger at Kenyatta’s chest, and they registered how worked up they’d gotten. They withdrew their arm and put their pack back on.

“Whatever,” Kenyatta said and stormed off.

Vii rubbed their eyes in frustration, knowing they’d crossed the line but not having the capacity to fix it at the moment. They hopped up the stairs to the inn, deliberately didn’t look at Hodari at the table to the right of the entrance, and sat on a bar stool to talk to Reth.

“You just can’t stay away, can you?” Reth greeted them. “Is it my charming good looks or my world-class soup?”

Vii folded their arms on the bartop and plopped their forehead on top of them.

“How early is too early to start drinking,” Vii muttered.

“Depends on who you ask,” Reth said.

“Is Hodari still here?” Vii asked. Their voice sounded extra loud in their ears.

“Vii, he walked in like two seconds ago. Of course he’s still here.”

“Damn,” Vii said. They picked up their head and tried to smile even though they could feel how fake it was. “How are you today?”

Reth stopped whatever it was he was doing. “Wow. You really do need a drink, don’t you? Let me give Hodari his lunch and then we’ll figure out whatever this is.”

Vii set their pack on the stool next to them. They checked on the box of chocolates to see if it had suffered any detrimental damage, but it seemed to be intact, though slightly worse for wear. Vii opened up a side pouch and pulled out their sketchbook and charcoal.

They opened the sketchbook and perused the drawings, notes, and recipes. They paused on the sketch of a baby sernuk sculpture, grimaced, and then looked at all the drawings they’d done of imaginary humans’ faces.

“Those are good,” Reth said before he walked around through the kitchen.

“The eyes are always too small,” Vii said. They started sketching Reth on a new page.

“Are we going to talk about what’s going on or just brood in Jel-like melancholy?”

Vii make a few marks on in their sketchbook before answering. “I think I want to leave Kilima for a while.”

If Reth was phased by what they’d said, he didn’t show it. “Planning a nice Capital vacation? Or a getaway in the mountains? Oh, I know: island spa retreat.”

“I’m just restless here,” Vii said as they sussed out the edges of Reth’s hair. “I don’t feel like I have a purpose. It’s like I’m waiting for something, but I don’t know what it is. And I feel like I’m wasting time.”

Reth nodded slowly, listening.

Vii started another sketch of Reth. “Don’t get me wrong. You and everyone have been great. I’d miss you all. But I feel like I need to meet more people and see more Majiri culture. I want to see what other humans are doing across the region, too. See how they’re adapting, and how they’ve found purpose. Might help me.”

“Sounds a bit like you think the spice sprouts will be spicier on the other side of the mountains,” Reth said. “You sure you’re running towards something and not away from someone?”

“That’s one thing I wouldn’t miss,” Vii said, suddenly angry. “Everyone making my personal life their business. Why can’t you all just keep your noses to yourselves? You’re as bad as the chaapas.”

Vii shut their sketchbook and tried to shove it in their pack. In their haste, Vii dumped their pack on the ground, its contents spilling out—including the box of chocolates.

“Need some help?” Hodari asked.

Vii looked up at him. He had an empty plate in his hands and passed it to Reth across the bartop.

“No, thanks, I’ve got it,” Vii said. They started scooping items back into their pack as calmly as possible, hoping that he hadn’t noticed the box.

“S’no trouble,” Hodari said as he squatted down.

Vii went straight for the box of chocolates under some loose papers just as Hodari was lifting it off the floor. They locked eyes. Vii panicked and tried to think of something to say that would explain why they had them.

“They’re not for me,” Vii rushed. “I’m giving them to someone.”

“Ah,” Hodari said, and there was a distinct change in his voice. He took back his hand. “Well, whoever you’re givin’ em to sure is fortunate. Best of luck.”

Vii stood up at the same time as Hodari, and Hodari left.

“I’m sorry, Reth,” Vii said. “For what I said.”

Reth shrugged. “I’ve heard worse. Besides, that’s what happens when you live in a little community like this one. Everyone’s business is everyone’s business, whether you like it or not. Personally, I hate it. But Tish loves it here, so, that’s that.”

“Still,” Vii said, slinging their pack on.

Reth leaned on the counter. “So. Chocolates, huh?”

“Kenyatta’s idea.”

“But you have no idea what you just did, do you?” Reth said.

Vii looked at him. “What? I said they weren’t mine.”

“Yeah, dummy. He probably thinks that you’re interested in someone, and that someone isn’t him.”

Vii put their face in their hands and felt like screaming. “All I meant was that I was delivering them to someone.”

“I'm not the one you need to tell, sweet tooth,” Reth said. He shooed them away from the bar. “Go!”

Without thinking about it, Vii ran after Hodari. They jumped the inn steps and tore off down the road. Hodari hadn’t made it past the Central Stables yet.

“Wait!” Vii shouted. “Hodari, wait one second.”

Hodari turned, surprised. “Whoah, Vii. What's the hurry?”

Vii tried to catch their breath. “I just needed to tell you,” they said, “that I meant to say that I'm just delivering the chocolates, not giving them to someone.”

“Ain't none of my business,” Hodari said, holding up his hands, palms out.

“No, you're not understanding me.” Vii took a deep breath. “Or I'm not explaining well. I'm not romantically interested in anyone.”

“Like I said, ain't none of my business.” Hodari said. “Look, I gotta get goin’—”

“They're for you,” Vii blurted out.

“Pardon?”

“From a human,” Vii said. “A secret admirer.”

“I ain't got time for no games,” Hodari said and he half-turned to leave. “Let alone time for mysteries.”

“You don't want them,” Vii said.

Hodari shook his head. “If somebody wants to tell me somethin’ then they oughta tell it to me straight. If you'll excuse me.”

Vii watched him walk away until they noticed Nai'o glancing over at them from in front of the stables.

“Stop staring at me, Nai'o,” Vii said.

Nai'o approached them. “Sorry. That was just an interesting conversation you had there. So, who's this secret admirer?”

“I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really not in the mood to chat, Nai'o,” Vii said.

“Okay,” Nai'o said, and he returned to the stables. “See you later, then.”

Vii crossed the southern bridge and made their way up to the Remembrance Shrine. They didn't feel like going home, but they didn't want to be around anyone either. The Shrine was usually quiet, and even if the company was the company of the dead, at least they wouldn't have anything to say.

At the main shrine, Vii took a moment to read the inscription. They thought about the people they couldn't remember. They thought about the family they may or may not have had. They wished they at least knew if they'd had one or not so they could mourn.

The not-knowing gnawed at them. It felt impossible to move on, and even that thought begged the question of what it was they were moving on from. Vii was stuck in a liminal agony.

Maybe I just need to make a choice, they thought. But I don't know how.

On the off chance that it would help, Vii lit a stick of incense and noticed that there was another freshly lit stick among the ones that had long run down. Vii scanned the forest of tall, thin slabs to see if the mourner was still in the Shrine, and they saw Ashura's large, humble form kneeling before a stone.

Not wanting to bother him, Vii politely turned away and started leaving.

“Vii,” they heard Ashura call, his voice gentle as always. “Good to see you.”

Vii looked back. Ashura had stood up, much taller than the stone before which he'd been kneeling.

“I didn't mean to disturb you,” Vii said. “I was just leaving.”

“You didn't disturb me,” he said. He came down the Shrine path. “I should be in bed, but I was missing my Sabine. I find that taking the time to remember her here helps me sleep better.”

“I'm glad,” Vii said.

“What brings you to the Shrine?” Ashura asked.

Vii scuffed their boot in the dirt. “I was trying to be alone, actually.”

Ashura gave a low, pleasant chuckle. “You still can. I'll leave you be.”

Just as Ashura was at Vii's shoulder, they said, “Ashura?”

He stopped his easy gait and looked on them with kindness, his eyes expectant and patient.

“What do you do when you feel stuck?” Vii asked.

“How do you mean?” He faced them, and his presence was like the warmth of a hearth.

Vii shrugged and lightly shook their head. “I've been here for a while, in Kilima, I mean, but I feel like there’s something else I’m supposed to be doing.”

Ashura stroked his beard, and his gaze wandered around the Shrine. “What is it that you're in such a hurry to do?”

“I don’t know,” Vii said. “And that’s the problem. I’ve been thinking about travelling, but then I worry about finding somewhere I feel more at home than Kilima. I’m settled here, more or less. I’ve gotten comfortable in this new life since emerging. Why would I throw this one away to go off and start another one?”

“I understand how difficult it is to begin again,” Ashura said. “And how appealing it can seem.”

“I wish I could remember my family,” Vii said. “And who I was before. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so…lost.”

“Sometimes I wonder if it would be better not to remember,” Ashura said.

“Wanna trade?” Vii asked, joking.

A darkness fell over Ashura's face. “No one should have to bear what I witnessed in the war. Count yourself lucky to be free of those nightmares.”

“Right,” Vii said quietly.

“Maybe you should try spending more time with humans,” Ashura offered. “Being around your own kind might make you feel less alone. Helping others always gives me a sense of purpose, even if it’s temporary.”

Vii quirked their mouth in a half-smile of uncertainty. “Worth a try. Thanks, Ashura. I didn’t mean to keep you so long.”

Ashura put a strong, steady hand on Vii’s shoulder. “I’m happy to help a friend.”

Vii wished him a good sleep and wandered around the Shrine a bit longer. They sat on a bench, setting their pack next to them. They put an arm over the back of the bench and looked out at the landscape below.

Sernuk and chaapa were grazing together in the open fields, and Vii noticed a human creeping around among them. It was Qieran, the young human who’d shot them in the leg. He was working on his hunting skills, it seemed, and he hadn’t improved much since the last time Vii’d seen him.

Vii threw on their pack and leapt off the cliff, deploying their glider and circling to the ground near Qieran. He nearly fell over he was so startled, and Vii was glad he didn’t have an arrow strung.

“Hey, Qieran,” Vii said. They collapsed their glider and put it away.

“Where did you—what was that?” Qieran asked, flustered.

“The glider?” Vii said. “You can try it out if you want.”

“No, no, I’m good.” Qieran pushed back his dark, curly hair. “I can barely handle this hunting business. It’s a good thing Reth thinks I’m cute because I’m pretty sure I’d starve to death otherwise. Or eat the wrong mushroom and die.”

“I can help you with the hunting, if you want,” Vii said. “I’m pretty comfortable with a bow at this point.”

“Sure! Let me just…”

Qieran tried to put the arrow in his hand into the quiver on his back, spun around once, and ended up dumping all his arrows on the ground.

Vii couldn’t help snorting out a laugh, and to their surprise, Qieran laughed, too.

“I’m just not cut out for this,” he said. He held the quiver while Vii put the arrows inside.

“It’s okay,” Vii said. “I don’t think I am either.”

“What? You’re like the most confident, capable human I’ve met,” Qieran said. “I wish I could be more like you.”

Vii held out their hand for the bow and took an arrow from the quiver. They strung the arrow and took aim at a chappa up the shallow hill. “You really don’t.”

Vii released the arrow and it struck the chaapa in the heart, killing it instantly.

“Are you kidding me?” Qieran said. “I need to be able to do that.”

“Well, here,” Vii said, offering him his bow back. “Show me what you can do.”

Qieran pulled out an arrow and strung it, but the fletching wasn’t aligned the way it should have been. Vii stood behind Qieran and reached around him, their head over his shoulder. They took his left hand in theirs to hold the arrow steady and notched it so the fletching was facing the right way.

“Like that,” Vii said.

Qieran audibly gulped.

Vii stepped away and dug a piece of paper out of their pack. “Hang on.”

On the paper, they drew concentric circles with their charcoal, snagged an arrow from Qieran’s quiver, and then jogged over to a thick tree. They stabbed the paper into the bark with an arrow and jogged back to Qieran.

Vii pointed at the paper. “Just try to hit that. Anywhere on there. Get closer if you need to.”

Qieran took a dozen steps forward and Vii followed him, staying slightly behind.

“How do you even know what you’re aiming at?” Qieran asked. “Hassian told me, but I didn’t really understand, and I was too afraid to ask him to repeat it.”

Vii made a noise of amusement. “I don’t blame you.”

Coming close to Qieran again, Vii asked him to raise the bow but not to draw the string. They rested one hand under his forearm and lifted it slightly while they looked over his shoulder to see down the shaft of the arrow.

“Okay,” Vii said. “When you’re ready to draw, breath in, focus on where you want the arrow to go, then release with a little exhale.”

Qieran took a deep breath and pulled back the string, anchoring his hand against his mouth. He held for a two-count and then unleashed the arrow.

The arrow stuck in the side of the tree, piercing a corner of the paper with a satisfying thunk.

“Holy Maji, I did it!” Qieran shouted. He danced around, lifting his bow over his head, arrows bouncing in his quiver and falling all over the ground.

“Nice job,” Vii said, laughing softly at his youthful delight.

“Wow,” Qieran said, looking a little on the embarrassed side. He started picking up his arrows. “That was amazing, Vii. I wish I'd asked a human for help a long time ago.”

Vii retrieved the paper and the arrows from the tree. “Why's that?”

“We're just different,” Qieran said. “I just feel more comfortable with other humans. I still haven’t gotten used to their skin. They all look stained or something.”

Vii was taken aback by his statement. “Humans have wildly varying skin colors, too, you know.”

“Sure, but our skin is normal,” Qieran said.

Vii wasn’t sure how to take that. “You sure Hassian didn't just give you a bad impression?”

“Oh, I get that Hassian's just the way he is,” Qieran said. “But it'd be nice to not feel so foreign for a while, I guess.”

Vii and Qieran walked together back toward town, Qieran carrying the chaapa kill by the base of its tail.

“I know!” Qierna exclaimed. “We should have a human party!”

Vii raised an eyebrow. “What does that even mean?”

“A social gathering for humans!” Qieran explained, gesturing with his bow and almost hitting Vii in the head. “We host it at the inn and invite all the humans around to come and just have a good time.”

“You should probably ask Ashura first,” Vii said. “Before you start making flyers.”

“So, you're going to help me, right?” Qieran jumped in front of them and walked backwards.

Vii kept their gaze focused ahead of them. “You get Ashura's permission, and I'll help with some of it. It's your idea, so it's your responsibility.”

“Yes!” Qieran drummed the air in victory before swivelling around to walk forward again. “This is going to be so great.”

Chapter Text

Ashura agreed to host a “human party,” and Qieran and Vii planned it together, though Vii ended up doing most of the work. Reth would cook and serve drinks, Badruu would perform music, and Hodari would bring some pyrotechnics for a finale at the end of the night. Zeki even offered to bring one of his prize machines and a table of tiles. Vii compensated them all out of their own pocket.

The day of the party, Vii coordinated with Qieran and Tish to decorate the inn with festive banners, table settings, and candles. Vii had to admit that the little shindig was coming together, and if the flyers they'd passed out and their word of mouth advertising paid off, then it would be quite the party indeed.

To everyone’s surprise, a large crowd of humans turned out to the party. When Vii arrived almost an hour late at the inn after having gone home and changed, they were shocked that so many people were in attendance. They wondered where they’d all come from. At no point in time did it seem like there were that many humans in all of Kilima and Bahari Bay.

Vii had to squeeze in the front door and wait a few minutes for an ale from a very busy Reth. In the corner, Badruu was playing his heart out as humans danced nearby. There was so much chatter and music that Vii could hardly hear themselves think.

“Vii!” Qieran called, and he slid between two humans having a laugh to get to them. “Isn’t this crazy?”

“Yeah, it sure is,” Vii said, projecting their voice to get above the noise in the room. They took a drink of their ale.

“Dragon, I feel so at home right now,” Qieran said. “I’ve met so many interesting humans from all over, and—oh, he’s playing that song again! Vii, we have to dance!”

Qieran grabbed their hand and dragged them along. Vii barely had a chance to set down their ale on a table that had been pushed to the side to make room for dancing before Qieran hauled them onto the open floor and started spinning around with them.

Vii lasted two songs before they slipped away and went back to their ale, taking a long pull. They waited on the edge of the dancing and watched Qieran move freely with other humans, many of them young like he was. Vii was a smidge jealous of how open the young man was. There were humans of all shapes, sizes, and ages dancing, but Vii wasn’t one of them. They downed the rest of their ale just as a new human came up to them.

“My name’s Lennon,” the man said. “Would you care to dance?”

Vii gave the human a once over. He looked to be about Vii’s age, if not a little older, judging by the grey at his sideburns and his salt and pepper stubble. He was thinly framed but not slight, and there was evidence of finely tuned muscle beneath his fitted tunic. There was something pleasing about his narrow brown eyes, and there was definitely something pleasing about the way those eyes were eyeing Vii.

“I’m Vii,” Vii said, taking his hand. “And I would love to.”

Lennon and Vii danced together for the better part of three songs before Badruu took a break. Vii had been having so much fun that they didn’t think about the fact that they hadn’t eaten in a while. The ale Vii had chugged was having a noticeable effect on their judgement, and, as they started on their second tankard, they noticed that Lennon was getting more attractive by the minute.

Vii and Lennon found a quieter corner of the inn’s main floor and chatted. Lennon, almost a head taller than Vii, who was already tall themselves, stood over them, one arm braced against the wall and the other holding a drink. To speak to each other, they had to put their faces near each others’ ears, and the sound of Lennon’s voice tickled Vii’s skin.

“So,” Vii said. “How long have you been out? Emerged. You know what I mean.”

“Long enough,” Lennon replied. “You?”

Vii swallowed a mouthful of ale. “Almost half a year. Or maybe a few months. I can't remember right now. Not that it matters. I'm not staying.”

“Oh?” Lennon moved his body closer to theirs. “Got a destination picked out?”

Vii shrugged and got distracted by the way their body was responding to him being so close. “I'm open to successions, I mean, suggestions.”

“Well,” Lennon said, boldly playing with the loose hair over Vii’s forehead. “The only place I recommend you go is with me to my room upstairs.”

“You're staying at the inn? How far did you come to be here?”

Badruu picked up the music again and there was an eruption of cheers and shuffling of feet and bodies.

“What?” Lennon said. “I couldn’t hear—”

“Okay!” Vii said loudly.

“Okay?”

“Let's go to your room,” Vii said in his ear.

Vii threw back the last of their ale and abandoned the tankard on the nearest surface. Lennon guided Vii hastily up the stairs and into the first room around the corner. Once they were inside and the door was shut, Lennon kissed Vii hard on the mouth, pressing them against the free space on the wall next to the door.

“It's been so long,” he said between kisses.

Vii was mostly kissing him back, but they were still a little caught off guard by his fervor. That, and something funny was going on with their balance. Or the room. They couldn’t tell which it was.

“I can't wait to be inside you,” Lennon dispensed in dark growl against their neck.

Vii put some pressure on his chest to get him to back off. “Hold on a second.”

“What?” Lennon said, and he sounded irked. “Too much for you?”

“Maybe,” Vii said. The room started pitching to one side. “I just don't feel right. This doesn’t feel…”

“Don't worry about it,” Lennon said. “I'll take good care of you.”

Lennon grabbed their wrists and pinned them against the wall above their head. Vii gasped, confused by the emotional concoction of pain, surprise, and arousal they were experiencing. They didn’t like this. They didn’t want this. This night was supposed to be a fun way to let off steam, to release some frustrations. But not like this.

Lennon passed off their wrists to a single-handed hold while the other went after their shirt. He started undoing the garment, quickly working his way down.

“Maji, I knew it,” he said. “You are a woman.”

“No, I'm not,” Vii said and tried to wriggle their arms free.

Lennon reasserted his grip on their wrists and fingered their binding, loosening it where he could.

“Stop it,” Vii said, and their voice sounded so far away.

Lennon did not stop.

When they couldn't get their arms free, Vii resorted to kneeing Lennon between the legs. They kicked him away. He collapsed on the floor groaning and muttering obscenities. Vii felt for the door handle and fled the room as fast as they could.

They raced down the stairs and fell the last few steps on their hip. When they got up, no thought as to the impending pain, they held their shirt together with both hands and shouldered people out of the way.

Vii got free of the inn at last, and they had to stop to breathe. The ground tilted, and Vii couldn't tell if they were falling or not.

“Evenin’, Vii. Where d’ya want these?”

Vii spun their head and sent the town center whirling. It took them a few seconds to find Hodari, and it was difficult to look at him because he kept shifting to the left over and over and over again.

“Whoah there,” Hodari said as he set down a box of fireworks, or they were pretty sure that's what they were. “Y’look rickety as a newborn sernuk.”

Vii waved him off vigorously, as if he were an annoying insect, and it threw their balance. “I'm fine, I'm fire. Just fair, air, that's what I need.”

Their shirt was open they remembered. Vii slapped the garment closed it like a robe across their chest, holding it tight with one hand while the other sought out something stable to hold. The road kept slipping away.

“What in tarnation is goin’ on?” Hodari said, closer. “Did somethin’ happen?”

“Nothing happen, nothing happened, I mean. I meant. Nothing.”

There was a stir inside the inn, and Lennon came bursting out on the front steps, snarling, “Where is she?”

Vii backed away until they found a bench and tried to sit down, but they ended up on the ground somehow, leaning against something solid and cold.

Hodari moved to intercept Lennon. “Anythin’ I can help you with?”

“Yeah,” Lennon said as he stomped down the stairs through a curious group of humans and met Hodari head on. “You can get out of my way so I can teach that thing a lesson.”

Lennon tried to move around Hodari, but Hodari got in his way. “I suggest you go on back inside.”

Lennon scoffed in his face. “Or what? Your short Majiri hide will feed me to your dragon? Please.”

Lennon stepped forward, and Hodari put a hand on his chest. Lennon batted his hand away and clocked Hodari across the jaw.

Hodari rubbed his jaw. “I tried to ask nice.”

Lennon began speaking again, but before Vii could register what he was saying, Hodari levelled the man. Lennon dropped like a stack of bricks to the road, and Hodari shook out his hand.

Vii tried to get up, but the horizon kept moving. Nausea roiled in their stomach, and they fought to focus on the box of fireworks.

Hodari knelt in front of them. “Let's get you off the ground.”

Hodari took their hand and tried to pull them up, but Vii didn't want anyone else touching them. They pushed away from him and landed against a wall.

“I don't knee hell,” Vii slurred. “I'm go, going home. To my house. You stay there.”

Vii walked themselves hand over hand around the retaining wall and faltered once they got out on the street. They fell on their knees, then their hands, and that's when they finally threw up.

“Dragon above, Vii,” someone said, but it wasn't Hodari. “How much did you have? Invite me next time.”

It was Kenyatta.

Vii spat a few times and sat back on their rear to get away from the liquid mess on the cobblestones. “Kenatta—Kenyatta. I’m sorry fur, for what I said. It wasn’t fair, and what are you here, why are you doing here.”

“I was staying out late to irritate my mom, but apparently now I’m helping your sorry butt,” Kenyatta said. “We're taking you home.”

“I'm oak, I'm okay,” Vii said.

Vii leaned to the side and rolled to their feet. Hodari caught them by the shoulders when they couldn't stop falling to the right.

“Kenyatta, I'm outta my depth here,” Hodari said.

“What, never been sloshed before?” Kenyatta did up Vii's shirt for them. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Hodari,” Vii said to Kenyatta. “He’s a ice man, a nice man. I like his eyes. He wouldn’t be bean, I mean, mean.”

“I think somethin’ happened,” Hodari said.

“Nothing happen,” Vii said. “Mime fine. I’m away. He's over taking a nap. You did that, Hodari.”

Vii pointed at the unconscious heap of human near the inn entrance. Several humans were gathered around him. Someone grabbed the box of fireworks and slipped off, followed by a slew of people. Humans crowded around the inn’s entrance, greedy eyes watching the entertainment.

“Kenyatta, can’t you take Vii?” Hodari asked.

“Are you kidding me?” Kenyatta said. “Vii weighs more than a pregnant trufflet, no offense. I can’t carry them.”

“What'm I suppose to do with him? Her. With Vii.”

“Get them to their house, and I'll take it from there,” Kenyatta said with a groan.

Hodari picked Vii up in his arms. They thought they protested, but mostly they didn't remember much from that point on beyond the punchy booms of the fireworks, the distant cheers of humans, and the earthy smell of Hodari’s jacket.

Chapter Text

A stampede of sernuks trampled Vii's head. Or, at least, that's what it felt like.

Vii squinted open their eyes and oriented themselves to their surroundings. They recognized the light fixture on the ceiling and the color of the walls. It was dim in the room, and Vii’s sensitive eyes were glad for it.

Vii sat up, slowly, in their bed. They squeezed their head between their palms and moaned at the throbbing the change in posture brought on.

“Good morning, party peki,” Kenyatta said through a loud yawn.

Kenyatta was sitting in the armchair in the corner of Vii's bedroom. A blanket was draped over her lap, and there was a steaming mug of what they assumed was bean juice sitting in the bay window to her right.

“Did you sleep here?” Vii asked. Their throat felt hoarse.

“Someone needed to take care of you.” Kenyatta rubbed her eyes. “Not like Hodari was gonna do it.”

“Hodari? Oh, crap.” Vii massaged their forehead. “What did I do?”

“Nothing that exciting,” Kenyatta said. “Unfortunately. Seeing Hodari all worked up was kinda worth it, though. I'm sad I missed the fight.”

Vii put a hand on their chest. They couldn't feel their binding, and for some reason their hip hurt like crazy.

“Wait, what fight? There was a fight?”

“Dragon, Vii, do you not remember anything?” Kenyatta propped her chin on her palm, fingers curled. “Some human guy was, like, super mad at you. He hit Hodari—who, by the way, totally protected you. Hodari knocked that creep out cold with one punch. Or so I'm told. Again, I'm upset I wasn't there to see it.”

Vii pressed the heel of their hand into their temple and tried to recall the events of last night. Once they did, as much as they could, they wished that they couldn't.

Vii’s hand went back to their chest. “His name was Lennon. I shouldn't have gone upstairs with him. I'm such an idiot.”

“Hey,” Kenyatta said. “We've all done dumb things we regret.”

“I regret more what I said to you yesterday,” Vii said, looking her in the eye. “I was way out of line. I'm sorry.”

Kenyatta shrugged. “You were right, though. I mean, that totally wasn't cool what you said, but you had a point. I should focus on my Path instead of using you as a distraction from my own miserable life.”

“Sounds like I put on a good show, though,” Vii said. “Does Hodari…know what happened?”

“I think he has an idea, yeah,” Kenyatta said, and her voice had a serious edge. “Neither of us really know for sure, but, like, I can guess. Vii, are you, like, okay or whatever? You can talk to me, if you need.”

Vii took a full, depth breath before answering. “I’m more concerned about my hangover at the moment. But thanks. You should go home and get some real sleep.”

Kenyatta flipped the blanket over the arm of the chair and picked up their mug as they rose. “Suit yourself.”

As she walked by the bed, Kenyatta put their hand on Vii’s shoulder. It felt awkward, like Kenyatta wasn’t quite sure about the gesture, and Vii was equally disconcerted. But they appreciated the effort.

Kenyatta said, “For real, if you need anything, just, like, ask, okay? We know you’re big and strong and independent and stuff, but, you know…we care about you.”

Vii reached up and squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”

“Okay, anyway,” Kenyatta said as she backed out of the room. “There’s fresh bean juice in the kitchen. Bye.”

“I’ll see you later, Kenyatta.”

Vii listened for the front door opening and closing before sliding their legs over the side of the bed. They gingerly made their way to the standing mirror by the bedroom door. They lifted their shirt and pulled down their waistband, and there was a nasty bruise forming on their hip. Vii counted themselves lucky that falling down the stairs was the worst that had happened to them.

It’s no wonder the humans destroyed themselves, or it seems, they thought. We’re terrible, terrible creatures. Maybe it’s better that we stay extinct.

With one hand on the walls, Vii shuffled into the kitchen and found a piece of rice bread to nibble on. They managed to cook themselves an egg, and after an hour of keeping it down, they moved on to a stove-heated cup of bean juice.

The morning still had a chill to it outside, but the cool air on Vii’s face and neck was a balm against their headache and their nausea. They took a careful breath in through their nose as they stood on their back porch, processing the smells of the garden dirt and dew, before having their first sip of bean juice.

You’re a woman.

“But I’m not,” Vii said quietly.

And Hodari thinks you’re a man.

In truth, they didn’t know what Hodari thought of them.

What if he treats me the same way Lennon did? Vii worried.

They shuddered at the other things Lennon had said to them in his room. They could feel themselves spiraling in all the horrible what-ifs their brain could conjure, and it summoned a round of nausea in their stomach.

“I’m fine,” they told themselves. “Nothing really happened. I did it to myself, but I got out. I’m okay.”

Then why didn’t they feel okay?

Vii didn’t have an answer.

The rest of the day went by at the pace of a garden snail. Mostly, Vii rested. It was simply a matter of waiting out the effects of the ale on their body. They took long breaks between tasks and drank so much water that they grew annoyed about the inconvenience of using the restroom so many times in a day. They didn’t rebind their chest, but they did wear a fitted leather vest over their shirt to keep themselves comfortable while they worked.

When Auni came with the mail that evening, he had several letters for Vii. The first one was from Reth, checking up on them after the party (“Did I or did I not see you sneak off with some guy last night? Details, now!”), complaining about how messy the humans were (“How can you be the same species as these people? Yikes. I’m glad you’re not too much like them.”), and asking them to come see him in the Underground soon.

Ashura sent them a letter, too. He wrote that Lennon had been kicked out of the inn and banned from ever staying there again. Ashura apologized like it was his fault he’d let the human book a room. The only incident he mentioned was the fight with Hodari, and Ashura apologized again for the disruption to the event.

The last letter was from Hodari informing Vii that he would be bringing them some steak dinner. The letter was terse but not rude—much like Hodari himself—and it seemed that Vii did not have a choice in the matter. So, they got ready for a guest.

Hodari arrived as the sun was setting. Vii saw him coming down the old mining cart path from where they sat in their workshop. They stood up to greet him, leaning against a post of the pavilion that sheltered their workspace.

“You didn’t have to bring me dinner,” Vii said once Hodari was within earshot.

Hodari said, “Good t’see ya up and about, Vii.”

Vii self-consciously rubbed their arm. “I’m really, really sorry for last night. You should not have had to deal with that.”

Hodari smiled shyly at the ground, and Vii noticed the discolored skin around his mouth and along his jaw. “Let’s just say I sure was glad when Kenyatta walked by.”

“Yeah,” Vii said. “How’s your face?”

One of the hands that was holding the cloth-wrapped package he’d brought touched his jaw. “This? Can’t hardly feel it. I’ve see chaapas throw better punches than that dirty, old, peki-brained son of a—”

“I get the idea,” Vii interrupted. “Is there some way I can pay you back?”

Hodari handed them the package. “Take this, and we’ll be square.”

Vii could smell the cooked meat through the cloth, and the weight of the warm dish felt good in their hands. Suddenly, they were famished.

“Do I have to eat it alone?” Vii asked before they could stop themselves.

Hodari’s blue eyes flashed them with surprise and he rubbed a hand on the back of his head. “I fig’red you might not want me ‘round given last night and all. Save droppin’ this steak off, o’course.”

“Hodari, if you hadn’t been there, Lennon probably would’ve—”

Vii cut themselves off. They couldn’t bring themselves to say more. They didn’t want Hodari to know how embarrassed they were, what they’d let Lennon do to them. The last thing they wanted was for those images to be in his head or for him to think they were a promiscuous plumehound who’d follow anyone to a bed after a drink and a dance.

“Thank you for getting me home,” Vii said, and they dropped their gaze, rueful. “And for dinner. You don't have to stay if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Vii, there ain't nothin’ ‘bout you that makes me uncomfortable,” Hodari said. “Nervous, maybe. But not uncomfortable.”

Thorns of shame raked Vii's heart, and they wanted very badly to hide their face. “Get to know me better and you might feel differently.”

“No disrespect,” Hodari said, “but I don't much like people tellin’ me what to think. I'll be makin’ up my own mind about you, Vii.”

Vii saw in his eyes, true as an azure sky, that he meant what he said and that he would stand behind it like a mountain.

Vii hugged the edge of the package to their stomach. “Would you like to eat by the garden? I have a camping table and stools set up. It’s some of the first furniture I made, so it's not pretty, but it is sturdy.”

“After you,” Hodari said with a nod and a smile.