Another lovely, sunny day heralded the afternoon in Estle City. Amidst the physical flimsi and ink books and many databanks with pads and info spikes, librarians and guests were quiet but busy, keys tapping, pages flipping. In that hallow peace scurried one figure, waifishly thin if not for the bulk of oversized third hand clothing, cloaks, and a fluffy, stained bathrobe, tall if not for the permanent stoop of a spine. He stretched up on toes, the hood covering his head falling back as he reached for a top shelf, pulling down a volume covering starship route chartering and astrogation basics. It joined a neat pile, and then the figure bent to lift the whole stack.
A moment of effort, and then slowly, with a grunt, he stood. Took two steps. A tail flicked out, offering balance, trying to manage the tower that abutted his chin.
But his arms trembled something awful, and it was obvious the burden was too heavy for the man, who struggled down the aisle precariously.
It had been a lovely day so far for Elly. She woke up nice and early, so she was able to make breakfast for herself and Sulla before shipping her off to school. The sitter for Lektra was right on time and polite as ever, and the sun was out to brighten up every part of the Firrerreo’s life.
The woman had taken a rather unique case that required plenty of research, which she was more than happy to do. It gave her an excuse to visit the largest library in Estle City, where she got to peruse the various forms of literature to find the unique laws and statutes of Selen. She was in the midst of pulling a large hardcover book from a shelf when she noticed a struggling individual. With a moment’s pause, she recognized them as the man who had healed her in Tranquility. A concerned, almost panicked look crossed her face as she watched him struggle along. Surely, he wasn’t planning on grabbing even more.
Elly slotted the book back onto the shelf and quickly made her way to Rue, scooping the books out of his hand. “Careful now, don’t want to fall.”
Rue startled with a flinch when the shadow of a tall figure suddenly rushed up onto him from behind the books, and would have dropped the stack– had they not already been rescued from his grip. He looked up from his hunch at hearing the familiar voice, and gaped briefly.
Then he uncurled – as much as was possible for his stooped spine – and smiled brightly.
“Mistress Elly!” the hybrid squeaked. Then suddenly worry flashed over his features. “Is there an emergency?”
Elly smiled back down at Rue upon seeing his own lips curled up in glee. She readjusted her grip on the stack of books, feeling pretty awkward. When they were under Holmes, the lawyer didn’t think much of it, but now that the two were in a place where Elly was often seen, she felt very uncomfortable being addressed as if she were someone more important than she was. She was just a lawyer, nothing special, and she liked it that way.
“You don’t need to call me mistress, Rue. And there’s no emergency, I just saw you struggling to carry these, so I came to help.”
“Oh,” the hybrid said, relieved. “Thank you, Miss.” He dipped a bow. “This one only thought– Miss Elly said her contact was only for emergencies. So it thought perhaps, there was one. But this one is pleased to see you again without one. Hello!”
His smile brightened again.
“Nothing to thank me for, okay?” She said, resisting a cringe at his bow. She didn’t know what was up with Rue and it was a mystery that ate at her. The whole reason she had resisted looking into him was because she knew she wouldn’t like the answer, she knew she’d get dragged back to a darker place.
“This was just a chance meeting. No emergency, nothing going on. Just chance.” She smiled softly. “Would you mind showing me where you were bringing these?”
Elly followed the hybrid, her steps wide but silent. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she began to count the amount of books Rue had decided to bring over to his lil corner. “Did you bring all of these over here?” She asked, astounded by the mess he had managed to make.
“Yes, Miss,” Rue replied brightly. He skittered over to the bare spot by the plant and settled right into it, looking up at her. “I am taking notes of many things. Does Miss Elly like the library too?”
“I do,” she answered, approaching closer to the man, up to the edge of the sea of books and notes. “I spend a lot of time here, actually. I have to do research for my cases or sometimes Selen’s history so I can help my daughter with her schoolwork. Do you have a place for
“Anywhere is fine, ma'am, thank you, ma'am,” he answered, but seemed less interested in his books suddenly and moreso in her. Or rather, “Your daughter? She likes studies also? Oh this is wonderful. So wonderful.”
Golden eyes seemed misty suddenly, but he was smiling.
“What is schoolwork? And what are your cases?”
“Well…” Elly began but quickly tapered off. She set the books down beside one of the chairs. “I wouldn’t say Sulla likes studying. In fact,” the woman lifted a stack of books off of a chair and placed them down near the table before taking a quick seat. “she hates it.” The Firrerreo adjusted in her seat, making sure to pull her simple green tee down to her beltline. “Well, I wouldn’t say she hates it. She hates doing it at home. She’s got quite a knack for doing it at school, though. Top of her class, just like her uh…” Elly cleared her throat and flashed a fake smirk. “Do you not know what school is?”
Rue seemed enraptured by every word about the woman’s child. He smiled all throughout the explanation, then shook his head at the last.
“This one does not know, no. But it sounds as though Miss Sulla is quite proficient at studying At School? Does she like something else At Home?”
“When she’s home? Well, that’s when she likes to be having fun. A lot of the time we’ll watch some of my favorite holofilms from when I was her age. I just bought her this big playset that she can’t get enough of.” A genuine smile returned to her face “She likes to read and daydream and tell me all these crazy stories she just thinks up out of nowhere.”
“That sounds…wonderful,” Rue sighed, almost dreamy, and wiped at his eyes a bit. He fussed with his notes and books, tucking them up to busy his hand. “I am sure they are most wonderful stories! This one does not know of a holofilms or a playset but it is glad she has them, and that Miss Elly and Miss Sulla enjoy them together.”
“You don’t know many things, do you?” She asked with concern in her voice
The hybrid’s expression fell for a blink before it shored back up in a soft and kind smile. He dipped his head on a bow.
“Indeed, many things, this one does not know. Other things it does. It knew everything, before. But now, out here in the World, it seems to know nothing. It– I, am learning.”
Elly just watched the man with a small frown. What happened to Rue to make him this way? Something like this doesn’t come naturally. Whatever had happened was done to him.
“And that’s okay. Learning is good, we love to learn.” She paused for a moment “I could show you what a holofilm is? And what a playset is. If you’d like.”
He perked up. “This I would love this!” He beamed, and bowed, and then sat back up in excitement, his tail swaying. “If Misses Elly and Sulla love to learn then…This one can teach…of healing, and medicine, and many many plants! Botany and herbalism and language. And I have stories and songs. Many of them, from grandmother, and ones this one imagined too. I sang them to my litluns. Just like the one to you and Sir Mikhail.”
Elly smiled at Rue. Though it was genuine, it was hiding a myriad of emotions, one of them being mild regret. She didn’t hate herself for being kind and trying to help people, but she was realizing what she was signing herself up for as Rue rambled on about the things he wanted to do with them. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that she rarely had the time, and even if Elly did, she wouldn’t. This man needed friends, needed things to do, and she could see it. Especially after he reminded her once again that he used to have kids but doesn’t any longer
“That sounds perfect, Rue. Thank you. I’m sure Sulla would love to learn more about the plantlife here.”
“Then– yes!” the man chirped, a happy purring, chittering sort of noise. His tail stood up straight in delight. He seemed to just bask for a moment in the joy of the idea, not unlike he basked in the sunlight from the window, before he gathered himself, smoothing his robe and cloak and adjusting them to cover better again, and it was like he tucked all those emotions down too. “Apologies, Miss, this one gets excited. Thank you, Miss. Thank you, thank you.” He bowed his head. “And Miss helped this one. Miss was surely doing something more important, researching for her…cases? Apologies for this interrupting.”
The lawyer’s heart warmed in the glow of Rue’s excitement. The different noises different species of people could make always amazed her. For her kind, it was the natural growls and purrs, other things deemed to be more animalistic. It seemed Rue shared her penchant for purring, except he had a few more noises to add to the medley that came from his body.
“Don’t apologize. It’s okay to be excited. And you weren’t interrupting anything. I can read whenever I want to. It’s not every day I get to talk to you, right?” She said, trying her best to assure him this was what she wanted.
A rose flush colored the hybrid’s lavender cheeks, and his saffron eyes dropped down as he fidgeted, smiling almost like he would cry, but seemingly not knowing what to do with the whole feeling. He touched at his shimmering hair, and began idly braiding it, his tail and teeth coming to assist. In a matter of moments, it looked like a small waterfall.
“Oh,” he whispered, and then, “Okay, Miss, yes. This one would be happy to talk to you also.” He fidgeted a bit more, then pulled the last strands of hair from his mouth and finally scraped his gaze back up to look at her. “What is M– Elly reading?”
The woman waited patiently and just watched Rue work on his hair, twisting it into a beautiful fashion with only a hand and his teeth, it was quite the show if she was being honest. Watching him do something she could never dream of figuring out, and with only one hand to boot, was a little mesmerizing.
“Me? Oh, I’m not reading anything special.” She said, finally grabbing her own book off of the piles and showing it to Rue. It was a thick hardcover book and was titled with the name of an old court case: “I’m researching precedence for an argument, really mundane stuff.”
Rue peered at the cover with interest, and titled his head.
“What is…precedence? This one knows it means becoming of before, but Miss says it like she says school. Like a special thing.”
“Well, you’re right in saying that it’s more special when it comes to law. In my job, precedence is something that is determined by past verdicts. This case here,” She gestures to the book in her hand, “Is almost exactly like the case I’m working on now, so what I’m going to do is build off of the precedence of this past decision and make it stronger and relate more to my client whilst also making very obvious references to this case here.”
Rue’s face pinched as he listened with obvious effort, evidently trying very hard to piece together everything she said. He bit lightly on his finger, then went back to his notebook and scribbled some things down.
“This one does not know some of these words. But, I see now that Miss works with the laws. Miss Kerissa is being explaining many of these to this one. This one had many rules before and knew them all. But out here they are different. And there are also laws and they are different and there are many of them and they are complicated.” His eyes shone at Elly, and he looked awed. “Miss must be of great genius to know all of the laws!”
“I wouldn’t say I know all of the laws, but I know a good amount of them. At least the ones that relate to what I do. I’m a defense attorney, so my job is to defend someone who is accused of a crime in a courtroom.” She explained, “I appreciate you thinking I’m a genius, but I’ve just got a good memory, is all.” She just couldn’t help but undersell and undervalue herself. It was a habit she still couldn’t manage to shake.
“Who is Kerissa? Is she the one who takes care of you?” She asked, wanting to move the conversation away from her and back to hybrid.
Rue wrote furiously while Elly spoke, making his best approximation of the words to look up later. He looked up at her question when done, his brows furrowed.
“Miss Kerissa is this one’s…friend.” His gaze skittered away briefly, a nervous gnaw on his lip and the whisk of his tail screaming to just about anyone of nervousness, nevermind a criminal attorney that cross-examined people for the truth in court. “We also met at the library, yes. She helps this one, like Miss Hunyi does, but this one is not taken care of. Or rather, it takes care of itself, and tries to take care of others also. We help each other. Miss Hunyi and this one camp and forage, mostly. And Alk!” He smiled at this last, gesturing to the sleeping creature under the table. “He is this one’s very best friend. He is still a juvenile of his species, and Miss Hunyi and this one care for him.”
Elly’s lips turned to a slight frown as she noticed Rue’s metaphorical aura completely shift to something nervous and secretive. She wasn’t sure if she should push, but she slid the moment into her back pocket for later use.
The lawyer listened and took a moment to think over Rue’s words before forming a response. That was quite the info dump. Not only did he not have four actual walls and a roof to sleep in, but his food source was dependent upon what he could find that day.
“Rue… when’s the last time you had a full meal?” She asked carefully, “Something filling that was prepared properly for you.”
Rue blinked at her, seeming more confused by the question. “Just this morn, Miss. Hunyi and I broke fast on many fruits and cooked roots. We do not know their names here, but, they are…very good. Like the Hot Drink you made us. Different, of course, but that good.” He seemed more delighted discussing as much, his tail flicking, a mrw to his words. “I like them. We will eat also this night. Hunyi wishes this one to eat many meals a day, but that is too many. So we are at two, and sometimes, a snack.”
“you… You don’t even know the names of the things you’re eating? You’re just eating them and hoping for the best?” She asked, a shit ton of worry in her voice. She was happy to hear Rue’s glowing tone but worry got the best of her
“Hunyi is wise of these things, and tries them first; she insists,” he clarified, picking up now on her concern. His own tone softened, and he turned to face her better, smiling as if soothing. “And I know plants extremely well. There are several species I recognize as edible and healthful in multiple ways, as does Miss Hunyi. What this one means is, we do not know the names called by those who live here, so we say, ‘the big orange ones,’ or the like, until I find the name. I am studying, you see?”
He pointed over to one book in the stacks, which declared itself: The Ussunian Botanical Annuals, 4th Edition. Then, he picked up one notebook, flipping through, and turned it to show her.
On the page were sketches, finely detailed recreations of a particular palm tree with fruits clustered in the leaves. Then the next page had the fruit itself and a bisected cross plane depicting the interior. Tight handwriting cramped all over between the images, noting various properties and descriptions.
“Please do not worry for this one, Miss Elly. It assures you, it eats well.” He paused, and looked guilty. “And it no longer does the commerce alone, and knows now that it is…not…a rule here…to always take the medicine.”
The way he spoke of such a rule sounded like talking of gravity; an absolute must, and one he wasn’t comfortable with doubting, now.
“Oh yes of course, Miss.” The hybrid dipped past her, little more than paper thin, and lead her along to a spot far in the back against the wall, by a pair of narrow, tall windows. There were two armchairs and a small table, a potted plant next to them. Based on the amount of other books already spread over the surfaces, and the open notebooks, the satchel, and the little mott snoring under the table, this was Rue’s spot. The only clear space was on the floor beside the plant, evidently where he’d been sitting. The chair cushions were stacked with books.
“This is a good spot. You can have sunlight,” he informed Elly.
Elly clenched her fist and, for a moment, took a silent breath, trying to calm herself. She was glad he and Hunyi could identify safe plants to eat, but foraging still wasn’t a steady enough source of food, at least in her mind. “Rue…” She looked down at him, unsure of what to say or do. It wasn’t her place to have him committed so he could be watched while his diet was managed to get him to a healthy weight and healthy state. Something told her that might be even more traumatic for the man.
“Okay…” she decided it would be for the best if they moved on from food and shelter before she got too frustrated. “Did something happen when you were buying something?”
The guilty expression redoubled, blanching into full on shame tinged with panic at the edges. He drew up tighter into himself again, cringing slightly away from her as if he expected to be struck for what he said next.
“…yes, Miss,” Rue admitted, gaze nailed to the ground. “This one and Hunyi were on The Oval and it only went exploring a bit, it promises, but– a merchant asked it if it wanted to buy things, and it was very excited about doing the commerce! And doing it…right. It thought it was doing it right. And the merchant said it was ‘the best medicine’ and this one must always take medicine, all of it, as ordered, this has always BEEN. Except Hunyi says not anymore, and so does Miss Kerissa…” he rambled slightly. “This one took all the medicines and got very sick. It does not remember the next events. But it awoke with Hunyi in a clinic and she was horribly distressed and it felt terrible for upsetting her so. And she made this one promise not to do the commerce alone again for now, which Miss Kerissa agrees with, because she says there is too much still this one does not know, and she is teaching it the new rules and laws…”
He frowned at the floor, and his voice softened to a whisper.
“…This one is trying to do better. It didn’t mean to do it wrong. It is sorry. It will do better and learn all the right ways. It– I, supposed to say I…is…am…a ‘person.’ And I…w…want. To try. And learn. And get better.”
Elly’s heart somehow sank even further as she listened to Rue recall the story of him getting taken advantage of by a dealer in Port O'Val. The lawyer wasn’t surprised but it broke her heart all the same. She didn’t know how to comfort him, how to show him that she wasn’t one to be feared. So she kept talking.
“Yes, you are a person. A very kind and caring person.” Elly affirmed “And it’s good that you’re learning about rules and laws. The galaxy is a complicated place with complicated rules to follow, but I know you’ll catch on.”
It seemed to be the right thing to say, as Rue simultaneously seemed to brighten up and melt under the praises. He uncurled some, and fiddled with his notebook, smiling.
“Thank you, Miss. This one will try very hard!” His gaze darted back up to her, then to her book, searching for something. “If Miss Elly who is an expert thinks I can, then, perhaps it shall be.”
“Good.” She smiled down at him, happy to see a smile on his face once again. He was just so fragile. “If you ever need help with the laws just let me know, I can teach you about them. And if it ever comes to it I can try and bend some for you too.”
He tilted his head, a curious flick of his tail accompanying the motion as it unfurled. “Are laws…physical? Also? Are they hard to bend? Miss Elly seems very strong based on her musculoskeletal physique, yes…”
“Laws aren’t physical, no. They’re purely social constructs and contracts that need to be followed.” She put a hand to her chin “How to explain this…” She mumbled “In the same way that a rule or law can be broken, it can also be bent. Essentially what you’re doing is almost breaking the law or rule but not quite.”
Never in her life has Elly wished she had a piece of dry pasta with her
“Oh. This one sees,” Rue noted, and wrote that down. Then he looked back up. “So Miss Elly…follows the law…but also bends it? And this is…good, allowed, right?”
“Eehhh… I wouldn’t call it good, no. It’s not a good habit to develop. I only ever bend rules if it’s to help people.”
The hybrid considered. “This seems like…a good reason.” He nodded to himself. “Bend the rules, but only to help people, yes, alright.” Another note taken down.
“Maybe someday when you know the rules and laws well enough I can teach you to bend them a bit. But it’s very tricky and risky to bend them, so leave that to me for now. Okay?”
A bit of a pout came to his face, but he nodded readily, obediently. “Yes, Miss, of course, Miss. This one would like to learn also the bending.” Then a pause, and he glanced away again, looking around and gnawing on his knuckle, before he leaned in closer, whispering, “I think…this one sometimes bent the rules before. And it did break them, sometimes. But only to help.”
It was a strange mix of reactions; admitting it obviously caused some stress, by his nervous, twitching body, phantom flinches, and he rubbed at his stump of an arm through his sleeve. But at the same time, his tone sounded almost hopeful, as if he was a bit proud and risking letting her know.
Elly gave him a devilish smirk, flashing her sharpened canine teeth “Good.” She said, offering affirming praise to the Hybrid. “Helping people is an admiralble act, never feel shame for that.”
His smile flickered back to life, quivering at the edges as she affirmed it was allowed. He grinned back, showing equally sharp canines just like Elly’s. “This one– I– will try not to. I won’t. Don’t. Not for those times.” He nodded decisively, tail flicking. The lawyer might be reminded of a tooka being mischievous.
Elly definitely noticed his change in body language but instead of being worried she gave him a small chuckle “What’s going through that head of yours, Rue?”
“Memories,” the man answered promptly, and rubbed at his arm again, as if it might pain him. “Of…breaking the rules. D-defying the…Masters.” His smile fell somewhat, then picked back up, a tired but peaceful look in his eyes as he met and held Elly’s gaze outright for once. “They hurt. But I do not feel shame of or regret them. I am glad of them. And if Miss Elly also bends rules to help, then perhaps…that is…more allowed, less a sin, than this one thought it was. Perhaps it did good things. That is nice.”
Elly just barely resisted the urge to reach out and ruffle the man’s hair and tell him good job, but she managed.
“Helping people isn’t a sin, as long as you aren’t hurting good people in the process.” She drummed her fingers along the book in her lap. it was probably smart to pull him away from a topic that could potentially turn out poorly very quickly.
“Rue, why are you still wearing that robe?” She asked
“Because it is very soft and very nice and I like it,” he answered happily, hugging himself. He petted at the material. “It is the softest thing this one has ever known or had. And Sir Mikhail said this one could keep it…so it is…mine?”
“But it’s stained and well… Do you not have anything else to wear?” She didn’t have it in her to tell him it made him look like a bit of a slob.
He blinked at her. Looked down at himself, and parted the robe to better show her the clothes he wore underneath. “Yes. This.”
“And that’s it? Nothing else?”
His metallic brows scrunched. “This is a lot.”
Elly took a moment to consider what to do next. The man was obviously traumatized beyond belief to think that what he was wearing was a lot.
“You need more than one outfit, you can’t just wear the same clothes every day.”
Rue’s brows only crumpled further. He looked stymied, then distressed, then alert again. He reached for his pencil.
“This is a law? No one has told this one…” he sounded frustrated, and mumbled to himself, “Why did they not tell…of course…that is why Kerissa and Mikhail have always different clothes…no, wait, but Hunyi does not…so not a law? A rule?”
He looked back to Elly, desperate for clarity.
“It is… How do I phrase this…” She thought for another moment or two “It’s a social contract. It’s a kind of… Guideline of sorts to have more than just one set of clothes. It helps you stay clean and keep your clothes clean as well. And it’s just nice to own more than one outfit so you can express yourself in different ways.”
Rue seemed somewhat assuaged at the words social contract, recognition obvious. He rummaged around for a moment in his stack of journals and pulled another out, flipping to one marked page, making a notation, and then flipping to blank pages and writing notes down.
“But this one and Miss Hunyi daily only wear these clothes, and daily wash them and the bodies. Is this not fulfilling the social contract? Miss Hunyi is very wise.”
“But if you do that your clothes will wear out faster and you’ll end up ruining them.” She said, trying really hard to phrase things correctly. “I’m sure Miss Hunyi is very wise, but Wookies don’t have to wear clothes like you and I.”
“Miss is referring to the social contract and laws concerning nudity,” Rue surmised, tapping his pencil on the page. “Which is not a law applied universally depending upon one’s species and also applied differently based upon one’s sex and age and also depends upon where one is and what is allowed…however, Miss has a point about ruining clothes.” He bowed his head in concession of this. “I do not want to ruin these clothes. This one has never had his own before that could…‘wear out’. The Masters and Mistresses replaced our garments regularly when overly soiled.”
Elly shuddered at the description of ‘overly soiled’.
“No… But you’re right that you and I need to wear clothes because of our species and lack of fur. I’m just worried you’ll ruin the things you seem to like, and I want you to have other things you like…. Do you have plans for later today?”
Rue paused, worrying a knuckle, then answered with a dip of his head. “This one planned to read until sunset began, and then Hunyi would be done working and come get us and we would make back for camp. But Miss Elly…” He seemed a little overwhelmed, shy. “This one… already had so many things it– I like. This robe, and these clothes, and Alk and Hunyi and friends with Miss Kerissa and Sir Mikhail and the outside and plants and camping and sunlight! Oh the sunlight. And! And the library!” he gestured around. “There is so much! Too much. I…” Some of the steam faded as he seemed to reconsider her words. “But. But if Miss wants me to have more things, then this one will have more things, of course, yes.”
“Would you like to come clothes shopping with me? We can get you some more outfits. Maybe discover your style while we’re at it.”
“What is a ‘style?’” the hybrid asked, demeanor gone compliant.
“Well… Style is… It’s what you enjoy wearing and seeing on yourself. At least in this case. There’s a lot more nuance to it.”
Rue consider this, petting the robe again, then tried, “I enjoy… warmth. Soft.” His voice was small.
“Well… There are plenty of soft and warm things out there. Could get you a shirt and pants that are nice and soft. I’ve got a hat or two at home that I don’t need anymore since I left Holmes that you might like.”
“Hat…” He murmured, thinking. He had seen lots of people wearing lots of things. “Which is this?”
“A hat is something you wear on your head to keep it warm. Some come down past your ears and keep them nice and warm too”
Rue gaped at her. Then wonder overtook his expression, much like it had when she’d made him the Hot Drink. His hand moved up to cup his ear on the only side he could, and he whimpered.
“The ears can be warm?”
“They can, yeah. Every part of you can be. Your hands and your feet, your neck too. I doubt they sell scarves or gloves on a planet like this but I’ve got some of those at home too.” She smiled, loving his expression.
“Oh,” he whispered, and looked down at himself, continuing to touch, first his neck, which was at least rather covered, save the front, thanks to the robe’s collar and the scarf wrap hood he wore when covering his hair. His feet were ensconced in shoes, and the planet and the sunlight were so lovely and warm, but he remembered the cold in those small bones better than he did breathing. His hand…
He flexed the appendage, tears welling in his eyes and spilling over as he looked back to Elly.
“My hand– can be w-arm?”
Elly was suddenly overwhelmed by an array of emotions. How in blazes had she managed to make him cry. She had tried to pull away to a topic that wouldn’t be stressful.
She slid off her chair and onto her knees beside Rue “No no don’t cry, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” She reached out to grab his hand but then hesitated and pulled away. “Your hand can be warm. All of you can be warm.”
The hybrid hiccuped, and smiled at her, sniffling. It was him that reached out and took her hand, squeezig. “It’s alright, Miss Elly, don’t worry. This one is crying because it is…good. It can be warm. This is wonderful. Just like – like sunlight, and the library, and Alk, and friends, and the Hot Drink, and that your daughter is healthy and happy. It’s all just so very wonderful.”
Elly had no idea how her daughter fit into it all but was more than happy to hear that Rue’s tears weren’t of sadness but instead a sort of melancholic joy. She gently clasped her hands around Rue’s singular limb and smiled once again “You’re right. It is wonderful, and you deserve to have wonderful things.”
“Thank you, Miss Elly,” Rue said with intense, genuine gratitude. “So do you, and Miss Sulla.” He paused for a moment, thinking of what she’d said of Sulla ‘s activities. Those didn’t seem to fit… “And…does Miss Elly see any other children? Infants? She smells of mother’s milk, but this one is not certain if a baby still feeding would be doing the 'school’ and studying books.”
Elly just looked at Rue for a few moments “I uh… I’m sorry? Mother’s milk?” She was thoroughly confused. “I’ve only got my two daughters, I don’t ‘see’ other children. What does that even mean?” She crossed her arms, suddenly feeling awkward emotions
“Oh! Two daughters, yes!” With her hands pulled away, he just clutched his chest, as if he might have been clasping them together if he’d still had two. “And– they are both healthy?”
“Yes, Rue. Both of my daughters are happy and healthy. At least I hope they’re happy. It’s hard to not worry.” The woman was confused by Rue’s reaction. Why would he suddenly be happier that she had multiple daughters instead of just the one. “Would you like to see pictures?”
Rue gasped, hand covering his mouth. He nodded excitedly, half-standing to more vibrate next to her, a chittering purr rising from him.
Elly felt a little nervous with how excited the hybrid was about her kids but paid it no mind for the moment. She reached into her bag, which I probably forgot to mention, and pulled out a datapad. She tapped around on it a bit to pull up a full album and motioned for Rue to sit next to her “Come on, sit”
“Yes, Mistress!” he chirped in his enthusiasm, and promptly folded back down next to her, waiting obediently.
Rue made a sound like a squeak or a squeal, covering his mouth again, then reaching out almost as if to touch the screen before snatching his hand back. It resumed its place against his lips, knuckles shoved between his teeth, muffling any further noises.
And then he started to cry yet again. Shushed, shaking little sobs and sniffles, smiling all the while. It took him a moment, but between hiccoughing breaths, he eventually pried his canines out of tiny holes in his hand and said, “Oh, Elly, they are beautiful. They do look healthy. And– and happy. Safe. This o-one. Is so. S-so so ha-ppy.”
Golden eyes finally left the screen to look at her, brows scrunched in gratitude.
“Thank you,” he stuttered. “Miss does not k-know the gift she gives. It’s. It’s just wonderful. Litluns who– who look like this. A-and have you. And. Yes.”
“I… You’re welcome…?” She said, thoroughly confused by Rue’s reaction. “Why are you crying?” She asked, her curiousity getting the better of her. With a mix of concern for her little ones mixed in
Rue wiped at his eyes. “Because it is wonderful. The Lady Goddess blesses us…” Rue whispered.
He looked away then, a faraway look in his eyes, smile falling, dimming, and it seemed like all of him dimmed too, from the golden shimmer of flush to his cheeks to his scales and hair. Surely just a trick of the light?
“Where this one was, before… My daughter,” he nodded towards Elly, indicating the song and hot drinks shared, “all my litluns…so, so many…they…we…we were not made to…to last. To be healthy. That was not our purpose.” He seemed to struggle, not out of emotion, but simply out of trying to find the right words or phrases. He gestured around them. “This one has had…perhaps as many children as books in this library. And none of them reached adolescence. It is itself exceptional, as some others were, but even they faced termination or succumbed. It– I have held so many litluns, named them, rocked them to their last dreams. The way we were…that is normal to this one. But here it is not like this. Here the children it sees in the streets are happy and healthy. So it is a beautiful thing to see Sulla and your baby healthy and happy. For my friend to have this happiness for her family. It brings so much joy. I am grateful.”
Elly’s heart did what it had a tendency to do around Rue. It broke. Once again she learned something new and horrible about the man. Not only did he have a daughter, he had multiple. And all of them died. None of them were left. The part about more than the amount of books was confusing and improbable but she associated it to trauma potentially clouding his memory.
“Rue…” She said softly “I’m sorry”
A gentle smile came back to the hybrid’s face. He reached for her again and squeezed her shoulder.
“I am not. I have happiness. Today, with you, and each moment I had them. But this one thanks you for caring. You are incredibly kind, Elly.”
Elly paused for a moment. What was she even to do in a situation like this? She couldn’t just sit there and hold in her tears… So she did what she thought was right and wrapped her arms around Rue. She pulled him in close and let out a soft sob. “I can’t imagine…”
Rue hummed, his long body tucking up into her hold while his thin arm slipped in turn around Elly. He wasn’t nearly as strong as her, not physically, but he held her as best he could nonetheless, and he kept humming gently that same song he had when they all sheltered together in the blizzard.
“I know, I know,” he whispered. “It is alright. It’s alright, sweetpea…shhh…you can cry, it’s alright…I know it hurts. Let it out…” More soft humming, then another pause. “But you are alright, and so are your children. Shhh, shh. I couldn’t imagine things like that. It’s so wonderful.”
Elly squeaked and held Rue even tighter than she already was, pulling him in as close as she could. Maybe he knew, maybe it was coincidence, but when he said sweetpea she fell apart.
“It’s not fair… I should be comforting you”
“You are,” the hybrid encouraged gently. “And this one is comforting you. We both feel hurt. So we together can be held and happier. It is alright, Elly. It is alright to cry. I am here with you, sweetpea,” he repeated, rocking a little. Not that he could move much. She was very strong. He made no noise though for the bruising bones, and felt pleased for it. “Would you like a song?”
Once again her grip tightened the moment he called her sweatpea. “Don’t sing… It’s okay…” Her voice shook slightly. The last thing she needed was to hear the song he sang to his very not alive daughter. “Just gimme a minute…”
“Okay,” Rue said, and quietly waited, his thin hand rubbing up and down her back where he could reach. Her body was entire planes of hard muscle under the clothes. She shook. “This one does not know how to give minutes, but I will try for you.”
His tone lifted a bit at the end, a sort of question, but more squished. More like when Sulla tried to tell her a joke she had heard in school or from a book for the seventeenth time.
Elly listened but chose to stay quiet for a while longer. She didn’t end up crying too much more after that but she couldn’t bring herself to let go of Rue for a few more moments.
Finally, with a sniffle, she pulled away. She wiped the tears from her eyes and softly smiled “I’m glad you’re here”
A smile spread softly back, and his eyes squinched, brows furrowing, like she’d given the highest compliment.
“Thank you, Miss,” he whispered. “I am glad you are here also.”
She reached out to his shoulders and just held them for a moment, letting her arms slide down to her biceps and then setting her hands down on her own lap, “you don’t have to thank me, Rue.”
His head tilted. “Perhaps not, but I would like to, if that is allowed.”
“It’s allowed, but not necessary.” She sighed and looked away and towards the window. What a day this had become. “Come on,” she said, starting to stand.
“Yes, Miss,” Rue said immediately, and then, “Where are we going?”
“Well, I’d like to buy you some new clothes” She said, trying to move on from the sadness and onto something positive. It felt like no matter what direction she went she always managed to upset Rue or herself.
“Oh, yes, yes Miss of course,” he said, recalling the previous conversation before that of the children. He began gathering up and closing his multitude of journals, using little colorful tags Kerissa had gotten him to mark his place in his many books– at least the currently open ones. Those went into his bag, and then he began slipping his arm under a large stack of books he hadn’t gotten to before Elly arrived.
Elly was quick to walk over and helped lift the stack of books for Rue “I can handle these. Are you bringing them home or can I put them away?”
“Just what this one can carry back to camp, Miss,” he answered, and moved for a different set of books. “I will get them all back the next time this one is here. It would not to to leave these all out in the sand and dirt so. Also, Alk tries to eat the paper.” He laughed lightly as he said this, his tail flicking out to gesture at the napping mott under the table.
“Well… It’ll be hard to bring all of this back to your camp and get clothes. We could drop these off at your camp and then go shopping?” Elly felt a little weird saying that. Usually Minnie was the one trying to her her to go shopping, Elly rarely went out of her way to on her own.
Rue blinked at her slowly, looking down at himself, then back up.
“But this one would wear the clothes…”
“Rue just because we’re getting you more clothes doesn’t mean you’re going to get rid of the clothes you’re wearing. You still get to keep the robe and what you’re wearing underneath.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “But…” He considered. “This one supposes…it need not wear all its clothes all of the time…like having books. But it must be able to carry it all, and this one is quite weak.”
“Is your camp not always in one place?”
Rue shook his head. “We move sometimes, to find new forage without venturing as far, or if we are disrupted by others. Our current spot is in a stand of quetzii trees and very close to the beaches. It is nice.” He smiled happily.
“So how do you…” The idea of living a frugal and possessionless life was foreign to Elly, something she never understood the appeal of. She likes having things. “But… I thought at least you’d be in a steady place you could call home”
“I have a place. It is where we are,” the hybrid answered kindly, smiling still. “It is… different. But nice. This one enjoys being outside so much. It is wonderful. Oh! Miss Elly could camp with Miss Hunyi and Alk and this one at a time! The stars are most beautiful at night under Mother Moon, and it is always warm here on the Selen.”
“Maybe someday I will. I like nature in small doses, I’m a city girl at heart.” She smiled softly “Is Miss Hunyi at the camp today?”
“She is at the work presently. If we wait for sundown, she will come here fetch Alk and I.” His tail flicked in curiosity. “What is a city girl?”
“Oh that just means I prefer more urban environments as opposed to where you live out in nature. Do you have Hunyi’s contact information? Id like to ask her if she’s okay with you coming shopping with me.”
“Yes, Miss,” chirped Rue, and dug out a datapad from under all the books and notebooks and…herbs and plants and roots and sand? He handed it over, a blocky thing with some dents and scratches that was likely secondhand and several generations old. One look would tell there was sand in places in it that would n e v e r come out.
The woman accepted the datapad and gave it a quick inspect. “Rue… did you use this as a shovel or something?” Elly chuckled softly, a little amused at the state of the datapad
“What is a shovel?” he inquired curiously, and already a notepad was back out (might as well not even pack it up).
“it’s a tool used to dig holes in the ground. With how much sand is in this thing” she lightly slapped the side of it to see if any sand would come out “I thought maybe you were shoving it in the beach or something.”
Rue looked a little sheepish. “This one uses it at the beach very much, but not to dig holes. We just…dig, for that.” He made a digging motion. “Miss Hunyi is better at it, her large hand and long claws are quite suited, but we work much better together with this one holding back the sand.” He smiled proudly. “Alk tries very hard also. His head and horn are evolved to root for insects and plants. But mostly he just plays and tosses sand about.”
That drew another laugh, and distracted him from writing down what shovels were in order to pet the mott, rousing him from his nap. He made a grumbly little bleat.
Elly tapped around on the device’s screen for Hunyi’s contact info and quickly memorized it before offering it back to Rue. “It sounds like the two of you really get along.” Elly commented
The hybrid started to make a purring sound. “Yes, this one is very fortunate. The Moon Mother blessed and smiled on it, to bring Miss Hunyi into its path. I am so very grateful for her and love her very much. I want…to make her happy, also.”
Saying so, he picked up yet another book, but clutched this one to his chest, clearly not willing to put it back either. The back cover indicated it was a primer on Shyriiwook.
Elly pulled out her own datapad and typed in Hunyi’s contact information and sent Hunyi a message asking if it’s alright to take Rue out shopping. At the same time she spoke to Rue.
“It’s good that you have someone like her to take care of you. I’m sure she’s happy just to have you around.” She sent the message out and looked directly at Rue. “I’m happy to have you around.”
“We take care of each other,” Rue repeated, quieting again when she caught his eyes and stared. His cheeks pinked and flushed with a metallic gold shimmer, dim indoors. “I am happy to have you also. May this one ask…Miss Elly…does this mean we can be friends?”
Elly sighed and smirked “Yes Rue, we can be friends. Just…” She didn’t know how to tell him to stop calling her Miss and that she feels a little uncomfortable about how he talks about her kids but she knew herself well enough to know she’d get over it quickly enough.
“Just promise you’ll behave.”
The hybrid immediately bowed with his book and bag held tight at that.
“Of course, M– Elly! Yes! This one promises. It will always behave.”
“And don’t bow. Just… Treat me like a friend. Not your superior. We’re equals, okay?”
“Oh, yes, this one is sorry, Mi– Elly.” He straightened up, tail coiling closer to himself, eyes down in nervousness. “S-sorry, this– I am…it is. Was. The rule. It is. H-hard. Not to. But Miss Hunyi and Miss Kerissa and Sir Mikhail do not like its bowing and many many other things about this one either so it– I– am changing them. It will be good– I will. Be good. Behave. Learn the new rules and do good, I promise.”
“it’s okay if you slip up from time to time. Just keep trying, okay? It’s good that they’ve been encouraging you to see yourself like you should ”
“Okay,” he whispered, and smiled at her tremulously.
It was at that time that Elly received a message back. It read:
Y ESBE HO M E BT NIG HT
“Good. It’s all I ask” She smiled to at him and began to type out a message back, assuming she was getting the go ahead
I’ll have him home at a good hour, don’t worry.
Rue peeked over, clutching his things and bouncing on his toes.
“Are we to go?”
“We are,” Elly said with a big of an excited lilt in her voice. She never really took the lead when it came to shopping, she always deferred to Minnie on that. This would be the first time she was in charge of where to go and what to do and it was gonna be new and fun
“But first we’ve gotta get these books back to your camp.”
“Yes!” Rue cheered, quietly, because the library was sacred. He kept bouncing and beamed at Elly, and as they got the rest of his books put back up and headed out, the hybrid directed them down the street, a sleepy Alk trotting along slowly and guided by his tail.
Rue made that happy chirrup again as soon as they stepped outside, pausing to lift his face towards the sunlight. He just stood like that, basking in the light and warmth, eyes closed and soft smile, his metallic hair shining with each minute shift of the air.
After a moment, he exhaled and turned back to Elly, gesturing forwards.
“It is this way. This one can bring us.”
Elly was quiet but smiled in reaction to Rue’s excitement. What had started as nervousness about a trip to get clothes was suddenly something Rue was happy to experience and it made Elly happy in turn.
She followed him out of the library and was more than okay to pause and watch Rue as he took in the sunlight. She wasn’t in any sort of hurry and it seemed the tortured man was enjoying himself. So she just watched at Rue smiled and savored the feeling of the sun on his skin.
“I’ll follow you,”
“Okay,” Rue chirped, and started on, carefully arranging his bag over his shoulder and chest and then pulling up his scarf to cover his head, tucking his hair out of sight. It was a fast change, but faster was the change in his demeanor; as soon as they set off into the populated streets, the hybrid grew smaller, spine curling, shoulders pinched inward, as if he could disappear into his bathrobe. He shied and cringed away from every person, flinching visibly at loud noises or sudden movements, hearty calls. The only exception seemed to be when anyone went by with children, in which case he’d stutter to a stop and watch them go, always looking both in awe and sadly smiling.
And he stuck close to Elly, as they went. It seemed she was deemed safe, where no stranger was. He ducked almost into her side once or twice. Eventually they descended into the second of the city’s rings, Rue following some landmark or another he recognized when not automatically dipping his head to everyone they passed.
Elly frowned at the sudden change in demeanor but there was nothing she could do to stop or fix it in this moment. He was rather shy for someone who was willing to both buy and take drugs from a stranger.
Any time he would suck close to her she’d make sure he’d have room. She was half tempted to hold his hand like she would Sulla’s to help him feel secure and to just keep track of him.
“I should’ve asked earlier but how far is your camp, Rue?‘
“It is outside the city walls,” Rue answered, coming closer again to mumble, quieter now than he’d been. “Not too far,” was added in assurance.
The second ring of the city, where most of the shopping districts were, was much busier than the third. Rue just about glued himself to Elly then, taking her sleeve in hand, as if to hold on but not yet sure how allowed it was. They’d need to come back here to do their own clothes shopping, but for the moment they were just passing through, people, shops, stores, eateries, entertainment, speeders, and foot traffic all around.
“Ah kriff it…” Elly mumbled before shifting to take Rue’s hand in her own to guide and comfort him. He might be an adult but Elly couldn’t help but worry about him as if he was a vulnerable child.
“Almost there.”
Rue startled at the touch, but then clasped tightly back, with what little strength he had. Elly could feel every tiny bone in his hand and the way he was shaking.
“Thank you,” the hybrid whispered, flicking a glance at her from under his hood, then back forward, to guide them. “It is. There is very much here. This on– I am not accustomed to so very many people all moving about or big spaces… openness, noise, color. It is still difficult. Miss Kerissa s-says I am doing well, that it took her time to get used to and was hard also. Hunyi does not mind. She lets me hide with her when I need. And roars v-very loud when the crowds get to be too close too much.”
“when I first left Heaven on my own I felt overwhelmed too. So many noises and smells. It’s enough to drive us crazy.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze “But you’re gonna be okay, you’ll get used to it. You’re strong.”
Rue looked at her at first with shock, then confusion, and then it settled to another trembling smile and tearful eyes.
“Thank you, M– Elly. I will. I will do better.” After a few more paces, “Was Heaven your home?”
“It was. My mother was searching for a safe place for my family to live and found a small mining station on an asteroid. It was abandoned so she… Well I guess she kinda stole it and made it our home.”
“Stole it…” Rue murmured. “This is a thing Kerissa explained. She said it is when someone takes something that belongs to another without permission. Which is different from borrowing or giving. But that it is not stealing if the thing does not belong to anyone. Which is why it is fine that Hunyi and I forage, because nature does not belong to anyone, except when it does, like property. There are some beaches we are not allowed to go because they are owned. If the station is abandoned, does that mean it is owned, or not owned?”
“I mean… Technically it was owned by a corporation but Mom took care of that. It’s good that Kerissa is teaching you about theft though. Last thing I wanna be doing is defending you for accidentally commiting a crime”
A squeak left Rue. “I do not want to do any crimes!”
“Good.” Elly chuckled “Very good. Don’t worry, like I said, I’ll teach you how to follow the rules and laws so you don’t accidentally commit any crimes”
He nodded rapidly. “Yes yes, I will take more notes.”
They walked a little longer, getting nearer to the third ring, the lowest and largest, before Rue spoke up again.
“Did you like Heaven?”
“I loved it. I still visit plenty when I can. Sulla loves getting to visit the rest of the family. Between you and me, I think it’s because of Brick’s cooking. It’s… Well it’s plenty better than mine. Not that it’s hard to be better than mine” she chuckled, feeling bad about the meals she puts Sulla through. She never had to cook for herself until she was an adult so it was always an adventure trying to get something done.
“Hunyi has been showing this one how to cook. We roast vegetables and fungi over the fire.” His head tilted. “Who is Brick? Does Elly have a large family? That sounds wonderful.”
“I have a very large family” The Firrerreo smiled as she thought about the people who took her in and raised her as their own. “When mom first adopted me it was only her, Thea, Brick, and my brother. But over time we were able to save the rest of the family and suddenly Heaven was so full of life and happiness.”
“That is just wonderful,” Rue repeated, smiling up at her – he sure could hunch a lot.
“I think so too. Wh-” Elly just barely caught herself. She was so caught up in the moment of talking and walking that she almost asked Rue about his family. “Whats your favorite food?”
The hybrid blinked at that, and then seemed to be very deep in thought, clearly considering hard.
“That is difficult. This one had no favorite foods before. And now there is so much food. The fruits are all so good! Ahhhh…” He fussed, gnawing on his lip, as if the declaration was the most fraught decision he’d ever made. “And what of drinks? Your hot drink was…so good. How do I pick one?”
“Well, picking a favorite food is pretty difficult. And for lots of people it changes day to day depending on what they’re craving. Maybe while we’re shopping we can try even more food to see if we can’t find your favorite”
“Maybe …” Rue allowed. “This one cannot eat very much though…if it eats now it will not tonight…”
“why’s that?”
“We were not fed very much, where this one was. If this one eats too much, it grows sick.” He straightened up somewhat suddenly as he began to explain, tone assured, “Excessive administration of nutritions in foodstuffs leads to hyperglycaemia and its sequelae of osmotic diuresis, dehydration, metabolic acidosis, and ketoacidosis. Neurological symptoms display in paresthesias, weakness, mental status changes, or seizure, and cardiac dysfunction can also lead to total cardiovascular collapse and failure.”
Elly noted the fact that he said we and not I, definitely something to ask about in the future. “…If you don’t wanna eat that’s fine.” She shrugged “I’m gonna eat though.”
“Oh, of course, M– Elly! Please do, please.”
In due time the pair made it out of Estle, past the walls and into the roads that lead out towards beaches, jungles, and other smaller villages in their course. Greenery was everywhere. The buzz of insects and calls of small animals and birds were an entire wall of sound in and of themselves. There was very little transition from city to jungle forest; only a few clear feet on either side of the road before thick, vibrant nature arose untamed and full of life.
As soon as s they passed into it, Rue visibly relaxed. His smile and posture grew easy again with each step further from the city, and his gait widened. His hold on Elly loosened until their hands were swinging between them rather than clinging for safety.
“It is not too far,” he assured again, mindful of her saying she was a ‘city girl.’ “We are by the beaches.”
Elly nodded to Rue and decided some silence would be good for a bit, give Rue the opportunity to try and acclimate to the hustle and bustle.
Elly wasn’t a stranger to nature but she still wasn’t the biggest fan of it. But there wasn’t much she could do to help it in this situation, they needed to get Rue’s things to the camp so they would be able to carry whatever they decided to buy.
“By the beaches, huh? Can’t stand swimming” she said, assuming Rue and Hunyi did those things
“Really?” Rue asked, leading them off the road almost immediately. He and Alk just walked along happily, picking their way into the brush and foliage like two happy peas in a pod. Colorful birds flew from the trees they passed under. Colorful rodents and frogs scurried about the bark or laid in puddles. “This one does not know yet how to do the swimming, but Miss Kerissa has informed of the deepness of water and the danger of drowning. I want to learn. It is nice in the water. We had a ‘beach day with her and Mikhail. It was nice,” he chattered pleasantly, tail swishing.
“A beach day? Huh…” Elly was mildly distracted as they pushed their way through the brush and foliage. The last time she was in a forest like this she had spent the week after finding sticks in her hair. “Swimming is overrated though, I’d much rather be spending my day on the sand.”
“Oh the sand is wonderful!” Rue enthused, chirping again. He turned and beamed back at Elly, having let go of her hand now, walking backwards and hood falling free. “It’s so warm and has such texture. You can burrow in! And! It’s warm! Laying in it in the sun. Perfect. We find seashells and small crabs and built sand hutts once. Hunyi does not like the sand in her fur, so she stays up further, and Alk and I play very much. I like to nap there too. Elly can come sun with us!”
Elly chuckled, happy to see Rue so happy after how much he seemed he was suffering earlier. It made her second guess bringing him to buy clothes but she knew it would be for the best to get him some more.
“Im with Hunyi in that one. I hate it when sand gets in my hair. But… That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the beach with you someday.”
He beamed back at her. “I would love that.” The hybrid slowed a bit to allow her to keep up in her trek– thick jungle wasn’t exactly friendly to city girls. He peered closely at her hair. “Yours changes color too. It is very beautiful.”
“My hair or skin?” She asked. “Either way, thank you. Your hair is quite beautiful as well” She was grateful that she had decided to dress casual for the day. She couldn’t afford ruining another suit.
Rue looked all the more interested. “Your skin does too? Oh!” He smiled wider, flushing again at her compliment.
Elly held back the usual laugh she gave when someone was amazed by a random fact about her physiology and instead kept the smile she had before and nodded
“It does. Whenever I feel an extreme emotion it’ll turn silver. Like when I’m angry or sad or embarrassed. Some species it’s just their cheeks but for me it’s my whole body that changes color. But it has to be to the extreme to get everything to change.”
“What about happy?” the hybrid inquired, brows furrowing a bit at her listed emotions.
“What about it?” She asked, confused
“Do you turn silver when happy? You only named things that do not seem nice to feel.”
“Oh no, I stay like this when I’m happy or excited. I only turn silver when I… Well when I don’t feel nice.” Elly noted that description down, it would be a good way to explain it to Lektra someday
“Interesting,” Rue commented, looking thoughtful. “I wonder if that is a biological defensive mechanism to convey warning to other predators, as with flared crests or bright colors in poisonous species,” he mused, and spun away, looking down at his own hand. “This one– I think…I may do that too. But I am unsure.”
Elly shrugged “Doesn’t much matter why. At least to me it doesn’t” she made sure to clarify. “I’m a lawyer at the end of the day, not a predator. And you don’t need to know if you change color when you’re in extreme distress, because hopefully you won’t have to be in any situations that can get you that scared or angry.”
Rue’s demeanor dimmed somewhat even as birds took flight overhead. He shook his head, a sadness and mourning to him. “I do not want to be angry,” he intoned softly. “It poisons. It hurts. When God is angry, or the Masters and Mistresses are angry, there is only pain. I never want to be angry. I see anger in my friends. And I wish more than anything…anything… I could have stopped it.”
He was whispering by the end, staring off, having stopped in place. Alk kept going, monching on leaves.
Elly nervously bit the inside of her cheek. It seemed they had stumbled upon an extremely dry powder keg. “Ah… That’s… Hmm…” She searched for the right words. To her, anger was a tool. One of the best tools in her arsenal that kept her and her family alive and stable. But if Rue thought differently, if Rue saw through Elly and into that pit inside her, it couldn’t possibly end well.
“Then I suppose we’ll just have to make sure to stay calm then.”
It was a long pause, but her words resurrected a flicker of hope in his face. He looked up at her with a soft gaze, and he seemed oddly old around the eyes, for his features. “One hopes so, yes. You are a kind soul, Elly. If I can, I will protect that.”
He smiled, then turned back to walking.
“It isn’t much farther.”
Elly maintained her smile until Rue turned away, that’s when she rubbed a hand across her face and covered a sigh. He was going to protect her from anger, when anger is what she will use to protect him.
“Good, I’m gonna need to sit for a minute” she said as she started to follow once again
The trio soon emerged from the jungles into a break in the thickest of the forest, emerging suddenly onto a slope that rolled down green hills and into white-gold beaches, then directly into the ocean, aquamarine shining to the horizon. Rue turned and followed some cues she didn’t know, Alk running ahead, and guided them closer to the sand. Eventually they came to a stand of tall, leaning trees with long fans of leaves, waxy green and bearing small, red pits in clusters near the trunks.
Set about the space was a tidy camp, or at least the evidence of it: a cold fire pit ashes covered in dirt, bedrolls and bags tied up tight above, tucked close to a trunk and covered with leaves; a divot in the sand that was big enough for a Wookiee, probably, and lots of smaller divots that were likely from Alk, given he immediately started nosing and stomping similar ones.
Rue pulled off his bag and emptied it of books, leaving just one notebook and pen, and then went over to a bushy plant and dug a bit in the sand. With a grunt of effort he pulled free a container from under a thin layer of sand, then opened it and took out some rope and another tarp. He wrapped his things in it, then tied it and tossed the rope over a branch, using the dangling side to haul it up, then tied it off.
“Okay!” he huffed, panting hard from that effort. “We can go! Unless Miss Elly would like to eat something as she said? We have food.”
Elly was taken back by the view that the camp offered. Even she could enjoy something like this. In small doses of course. She followed Rue along and watched him dig around and get things settled, completely amazed at the state of things.
“No I’m uh… I’m good…” She paused and then crossed her arms. She tapped her foot a bit and then finally said “So you live… Just… In the dirt?”
“And sand! And trees. And plants. I know all these plants,” the man rambled, reaching out and running his hand under one fern, cradling the leaf. “They are lovely. We hear all the animals and the sea and the sky is open above. It is just wonderful. I love it.” He smiled, brows scrunched up like he might tear up again. “Miss Kerissa has an apartment, and Mikhail uses hotels, of which there are many! They are also nice enough. I am glad they like them. But this one did not want to sleep on the bed that was too soft. Or be closed in again. It feels…trapped. Kerissa…understands. When we visit Kerissa, she opens the window for me, and she says I can leave anytime, and I can see the sky, and feel the sun still, and it is…nicer. But here with Hunyi. I like this.”
“And I’m glad that you’re happy and I’m glad that you like it but… Is it really safe? I mean, what if it rains? I’m sure this planet has a variety of predators to worry about…” She put her hands on her hips and she sighed. Elly wanted to go on and on about how he could have a house that had some rooms, something nice and simple, but still be outside most of the time. “Just… I’m glad you’re happy, Rue”
“Oh it rains oftentimes. We shelter with the trees and tarps, or just enjoy it. And there are some more predatory animals, but they do not come close to people generally. Hunyi knows many things and especially nature, and she is very skilled. She promised to protect us.” His brows pinched. “I see you are worried, Elly, but yes, we are happy. Thank you for your caring.”
Elly could respect wanting to be in touch with nature. She could respect valuing the sense of freedom that Rue seemed to get out of being unconstricted by walls and a roof but to deny himself of things that he had been denied for a very long time, well, it didnt make sense to her.
“But you’re…” She didn’t know how to phrase weak and vulnerable in a kind way so she just put it plainly “But you deserve more. You could have more”
“This one does not speak of deservedness,” he said, a firm, quick shake dismissing the notion. “But it. I. Have very much. Very much more than I have ever known. I am…happy. I like this place, and have now three friends. And Alk. What more does this one need? Is this wrong? Is it breaking a law?”
“No no no, you’re not breaking any laws, don’t worry.” Elly quickly assured. “Just because I’m a lawyer doesn’t mean everything I say is a law, okay? Please don’t tell me you’ve been going along with everything because you feel like you have to” she paused “But do tell me if it’s the truth”
He didn’t seem assured, if anything tensing more. “What is ‘everything?’” he whispered.
“Talking to me and letting me come to your camp and agreeing to let me buy you clothes.”
Rue’s gaze fell to the sand. His tail had coiled up tight around his leg, and his hand was shaking finely.
“Only the clothes, Miss. This one wanted to talk to you and was happy to come here.”
Elly took a deep breath and snarled as she turned away, her hands flying up to her hair. She tightly gripped her locks and took a couple deep breaths. “Damn it, Elly…” She mumbled to herself
The hybrid flinched at the snarl, dropping down to his knees in an instant when her back turned, bowing his head. His eyes clenched shut, and he knew, he knew she’d said not to, but–
He knew on his knees better.
Alk, at least, was oblivious. The little mott trotted over to the large divot and flopped down, used to sleeping there and clearly thinking it was camp time. Rue just waited, struggling to summon up his voice to apologize.
Elly stayed facing away for a moment before finally turning back to see Rue on the ground. She was confused at first, thinking maybe he was crying but it took a moment for her to realize he was doing exactly as he had done before which was see himself as lesser. Elly closed her eyes and clenched her fists and took one final breath. Being upset with herself was only making things worse for Rue, so she did what she did best. She opened her little box inside, pushed all the anger in, and locked it shut like usual.
She took a few quiet steps over to the Hybrid and knelt down beside him “What are you doing down here?” She asked, her voice taking a more motherly and caring tone.
Rue tensed up more when she was next to him, trembling softly. He couldn’t bear to open his eyes or look at her, to see the same sadness or disappointment or anger in his other friends.
“Th– I. What I am supposed to,” he whispered, sounding lost and frustrated. “I don’t know. It’s. Wh-what. I…was supposed to. When it errored. But–”
He stopped. Asking for punishment, or about it, or trying to explain how lost he was without it, only brought out the worst reactions.
“What. Now. Miss?”
Elly stayed nice and calm and put on the most assuring face she could before simply saying “Could you please look at me?”
It was obviously extremely hard, the hybrid’s shoulders hitching, breath stuttering and jaw clicking as he shook harder, fighting his own body just to open and lift his eyes, to turn his chin up and tilt a few inches. Gold irises couldn’t quite meet her gaze, but they skittered to a point on her chin.
“Keep going. Look at my eyes and tell me what you see”
Breathing shallowly and sharply, he obeyed the order and glanced up a bit higher, then back down.
“Miss’ eyes.”
“Try again”
“This one doesn’t know,” Rue croaked desperately, voice cracking, desperate for the right answer, terrified he didn’t know what she wanted him to say or do, what was correct, what would not earn punishment and anger and hurt–
…
His heart was drumming so fast the edges of his vision were blackening. That was. Fine. It would pass.
But he risked, “M-miss d-does n–n-not look angry?”
“Of course I’m not angry, Rue. I just got a little frustrated with myself. Not with you. But I’m over it now and it’s all gonna be okay.” She paused “Is it okay if I touch you?”
“Yes, Miss,” he said immediately and automatically.
She reached out and took his hand in her own and clasped both of her own around his. “What color is my skin right now?”
His gaze went down instantly, easily, much more so than looking at her face. He stared at their hands instead, and his brow furrowed slightly, replies beginning to come easier now he had succeeded at two. “Uh-m, a-a tan. Orangish.”
“And not silver, right?”
“Not silver, Miss,” Rue agreed.
“which means I’m not upset, right?”
A longer pause followed. “…right. Whatever Miss says. Miss is not upset.” He stuttered a little. “She said, not at this one.”
“exactly. I’m just a little upset with myself. Not you. You’re okay. I promise.”
“Okay,” Rue whispered back, still looking down. He twitched, and his hand spasmed in her grasp. “Yes, Miss.”
She began to slowly rub her thumb soothingly along his digits “It’s gonna be okay”
“Okay,” he echoed again.
It took some time, but gradually his body began to unclench, and he started breathing a little more fully again. Alk basked peacefully in the sand and sun.
“Would you like to come sit in the sand with me?”
His shoulders lifted a little at that. “In the sun?”
“Yeah, in the sun. With the breeze and the sounds of the ocean”
Rue looked up a little more, smiling the tiniest bit. She was repeating what he’d talked about enjoying so much of the camp earlier.
“Yes, this one would like that.”
“Can you stand?” She asked, her voice keeping its soothing steadiness
“Yes, Miss,” again a swift, automatic answer, and swift movement, though he wobbled a bit when he did get upright, waiting for her direction further.
“Okay,” she kept a hold on his hand “Lead the way”
That obviously befuddled the hybrid for a moment, being told to lead, a shock which was not only comical from his sudden owlish look and the chirruping meu he made, but seemed to break him out of his stricken demeanor. He blinked sever times, then bit his lip, looking around, judging the best spot to introduce Elly to the beach with.
“Oh. Well. Well, yes, Miss Elly, just…just this way. Alk! Hrwrrar.”
The mott seemed perfectly fine being told to stay, already snoozing away for the most part in the bedtime spot. Rue took a breath and lead Elly a little further out of the canopy and shelter of the trees and down onto the beach. It instantly got several degrees hotter, the sun knifing down sharply where the treeline no longer reached and baking the pale sand, which reflected heat right back. Rue lead her past several spots that looked roughed up, as if Alk had played in them, and down to the shoreline itself, stopping just where the sand got dark with the wash of waves running softly, constantly over it.
“This is a good place. One can take off their shoes and feel the water on their feet, if they wish. Or do some splashing, or build sand hutts, which Kerissa learned by watching some children play and they taught her and then she taught me.”
Elly was happy to see Rue’s expression change, even if it wasn’t to a smile. It was good enough for now. She stood with him and followed him to the beach. Discomfort almost immediately overtook her as the temperature raised, but she was tough.
“This is perfect, Rue.” She said, making sure to use his name so he knows he’s a person “Where do you wanna sit?”
“Here is good. Or we can go in the water if Elly wishes. Although that means striping,” he nodded, “Mikhail and Kerissa said so. But not all the way. Some clothes is a law.”
“You can if you would like to, Rue” Elly said with a soft smile before slowly lowering herself to the ground “I’m not really a fan of the water.” Elly was ecstatic to see Rue back in good spirits
“I do not know how to do the swimming, yet,” he admitted. “But splashing is fun. Why does Elly not like the water?”
“It’s mostly my hair. It’s difficult to get it dry and then brush it afterwards to keep it from getting more matted than it already is just by swimming around.”
“Ah yes,” he murmured, realizing she had already mentioned the difficulty of her hair earlier, and he had forgotten. “I do not mind the hair so very much.” He searched for something else to say. “What was Heaven like?”
She giggled softly to herself as she thought about her home “What do you mean?” She asked, wanting to know what Rue was really wondering about it
His head titled, his lips curling up at her laughter. “What it was like? The place, and living there. Elly said there were others…mother and Brick and…ah…”
“Like, what does it look like? Kinda dingy, really. We could never figure out a good way to clean the outside so it’s kinda one big mess out there.” She laughed “Still drives my aunt crazy.”
“Did you have sunlight?”
“Eeeehhhh kinda. There was a sun but it only reflected off of other objects in the system. We never got direct light from it.” She shrugged “But I didn’t mind. Heaven was home, and I was happy no matter what.” She said with rose colored nostalgia glasses
“That sounds nice. I am glad.” Rue smiled at her.
“You like the sun, don’t you?”
His face tilted up, eyes fluttering closed, smile on his face and a purr in his chest. His lashes and scales, metallic like his hair, glinted multicolor in the light.
“Yes,” he whispered.
“I’m glad you get to enjoy it then. I’ll do my best to make sure you get to keep it, okay?”
Rue gave a little mrr, not initially taking stock of the comment, absorbed in his warmies. But then a slow blink, and he turned back towards her and blinked again, syrupy. “I do not understand. It is not mine to keep. Also it goes away at night, when the Goddess rises for Her watch.”
“You don’t need to understand right now,” She said, looking out towards the water. “But someday when you do, just know, I’ll be there to make sure you get to keep it.”
He blinked at her again, then nodded. “Okay. Then this one is happy, if it means we will still be friends someday.”
“Are we not friends now?” Elly asked. Rue would be able to see the woman’s whole demeanor sink just a bit as she began to think about all the ways she’s managed to fuck all this up so far
“What? But!” Rue squeaked, also looking heartbroken suddenly, and then seemed to realize Elly was upset, and rushed to grab her hand. “No no! We are friends! Elly said yes so– so yes! Right? This one meant. We are still friends. It is not gone now because I didn’t behave, because Elly is not mad at me for it.”
“I thought you didn’t want to be friends with me because I got angry at myself earlier and because I was pressuring you into getting more clothes and I just…” She sighed “I’m glad you still want to be my friend.”
He didn’t entirely understand what she meant about pressure, but shook his head and squeezed her hand, smiling at her again. “I really want to be friends with you,” he repeated. “I am glad also.”
“I’m surprised at that. I’ve been making friends recently and it’s been… it’s been odd. I’m not used to it.” She sighed “I used to be completely alone and I was okay with it but then I met people and now I can’t seem to live without it.”
Rue’s brows crumpled again, and that look from earlier was back, when he’d hugged her for his lost children. It was an expression so much older and wiser than he looked. He squeezed her hand again.
“This me too,” he said. “You are my…fourth friend. Ever. This one used to know everything, and it was…not alone, but also that. No friends. No sunlight, or warm clothes, or hot drinks, or outside, or many things. Only this one, and the others like it, and the Masters. But here…is so different. And thi– I do not know what it I am doing. But now there are four friends,” another squeeze, “and it is much nicer with them.”
“Fourth, huh? I’m sorry about that. You deserve more. Much much more. And you’ll get it someday I hope.” She sighed and squeezed his hand back “You keep talking about hot drinks… Do you like them that much?”
“They are very good,” he stressed, as if this was a critical point. “What Elly made us, during the storm. It tasted like sunlight feels.”
Now knowing how Rue reacts to the sun, Elly was beyond flattered that he felt that way about it. “Well… Maybe someday I can make it for you again? Except better since I’ll have all the proper ingredients. Does that sound good?”
Tears sprang up in the hybrid’s eyes, his tail flicking rapidly back and forth as his skin flushed with a glittering sheen of gold over the lilac, not a full change but more like a blush. He nodded hard, rapidly. “Yes yes yes! Oh this one would love that!”
“Perfect. I’ve got everything needed at home so when you come to visit someday I’ll make sure to make some for you and Sulla, okay?”
The hybrid beamed and nodded, eyes squinching shut making those tears fall, trailing down happily stretched cheeks. “Okay! This one will wait patiently for Someday! And be good and behave! It I promises.”
“just do your best to follow the rules, okay?” She lifted his hand up and gave it a gentle squeeze “It’ll be soon. Just have to spend more time together before you come over.” Rue’s happiness was beyond contagious and had her smiling all over again
That only seemed to encourage his excitement rather than put any damper.
“More time with Elly?” he chirped. “This one would love that.”
“I would like that too. I’m glad you feel the same way.” She looked to him and then the water and then to him again “It’s not often I hear that.”
“Oh? Then…this one will say it more! I would love more time with Elly,” he repeated, smiling.
She giggled and smiled wider. “I appreciate it, Rue. But if you say it too much it will lose it’s meaning. That sort of sentiment is special, and it’s something you express more by doing than saying.”
“I–” Rue began, and then stopped abruptly, jaw clamping shut. He looked away suddenly, hand twitching in hers, biting his lip. His tail whisked nervous now, but he visibly made an effort to look back. “It. Um. M-may th-this one…ᵈᶦˢᵃᵍʳᵉᵉˀ”
“Of course you can disagree. You have every right to. What’s on your mind?” She smiled, feeling a sense of pride watching him advocate for himself
He gnawed on his lip a bit longer before finding his words, emboldened by her encouragement, “Saying something too much…does not make it lose meaning. If one always means it, then it is. Is true. This one told the litluns and Kerissa and grandmother, I love you. Every day. Which is a lot for a very long time. And it always meant it. So it did not lose meaning.”
Elly looked at him for a moment and considered his words, trying to inspect every last detail of his face and get a read on how the heck this guy was feeling. “You’ve got a good point. You truly can never tell someone you love them enough. That is a fact. I tell my daughters I love them as often as I can.” She didn’t have the heart to argue her point, too happy that Rue had managed to go against what she said to care.
His shoulders lifted a little, the sort of held flinch in him relaxing as he nodded slowly. “Yes…yes this is what your one means.” He paused, still chewing, and then looked back at her with slightly wider eyes. “I have never had a good point before.”
“Well I’m honored to have been here for your first one” She said with a big ol’ smile, wanting nothing more than to pull him in and hug him
A knowing look crossed Rue’s features, and he lifted his arm a little at her. “Would you like a hug?”
“The real question is would you like a hug?”
“Of course,” he replied
“Then yes,” she released his hand and opened her arms “Id love a hug”
Rue leaned over and wrapped his one arm around the woman, giving her a squeeze.
And she did the same, except with two arms and a much heftier squeeze “Proud of you”
Rue gave a squeak as the air was squished out of him, but also for the words. No one had said something like that to him since…since Grandmother. And that had been very long ago indeed.
“Oh,” he whispered, squeakily. “Thank you.”
She lightened her grip on him ever so slightly. “You’re welcome,” She said quietly.
After a long moment of hugging, when they gradually pulled apart – Rue didn’t move to retract, so Elly eventually did – the hybrid tilted his head at her.
“Does Miss Elly still wish to go to the shopping?”
“I would like to, yes. But I don’t want you to be made to feel uncomfortable by it. I won’t be hurt or offended if you say you don’t want to. I just want to make sure you have enough clothes so you can change into new things from time to time. I want to at least get you more underwear for the sake of hygiene.”
“This one is not… uncomfortable with it. It only seemed…it is different. A lot. Excessive. But Miss makes logical points about the wearing out of clothes. I do not want these to be damaged, even if this one’s hygiene is acceptable, as we wash daily,” he pointed out again. He started petting at the robe, just enjoying it. “This one did not…have things, before. And the dressings for this one and the others were all the same always, and the Masters changed them when necessary. But many things are different. Everything. More clothes. Warm clothes. The bathing. The sky. The sunlight. Having things, and friends. This one does not yet understand…having…or wanting…very well.”
He pet at the robe again, then shrugged.
“I would…like to go…if Elly wants to go.”
Elly let out a sigh of relief “That’s great to hear.” She paused “Great to hear that you wanna go shopping, not great to hear about how things used to be.” She quickly clarified before either of them could overthink it.
“I’m excited to see what you end up liking” she tried to skirt around the topic of his past for the sake of keeping the happy
Rue himself didn’t seem at all fussed by his past, nor did it dim his present smile. He just grinned at her and said, “Okay! Then, we should be going back to the city, if we are to be back by dark to meet Hunyi. Alk! Wrra!” he called, scampering upright and off across the sand. He went up to the camp to the mott and wrapped him up in a hug, gently rousing and tugging him along.
Elly took a moment before standing on up. She did a couple easy stretches and shook some sand out of her hair “Are you sure you want to bring him along?” She asked with concern in her voice. She didn’t want to separate the man from his friendo but she was worried it might not behave.
“We must bring him!” Rue stressed, fondly scratching under Alk’s chin and then rubbing his horned nose. The mott yawned as he stood up, shaking off sand. “He seems big, but he is still young. Hunyi or I have to be with him. He would be defenseless.” His tone turned sweet and cooing then, making once more obvious his fatherhood, “Though he is very clever and very brave, yes, little crocus, aren’t you? Sweetheart.”
Elly’s heart melted as she watched the moment unfold, once again being taken in by Rue’s little bits of enthusiasm and excitement. She put her hands on her hips and made a faux pensive look before bringing a hand to her chin “Hmmm… I dunno…” She mumbled for a moment before smiling “Sure. He can join us.”
Rue nodded firmly to that, and then growred at Alk, bidding him along.
And shopping they would go.