《Size Doesn't Matter》


 Chapter 1

    <h2 style="text-align: center">PART 1- ONE WEEK ON LATIA</h2>


    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 1


    Kelsen covered his eyes and moaned as the ship began its landing sequence. ¡°This is a terrible idea. I can¡¯t believe you talked me into this.¡± The gray wolf shuddered in fright and anxiety.


    ¡°Relax, Kel,¡± said Niko, the brown mouse seated across from him. He¡¯d said it a thousand times already, and expected to have to keep saying it. ¡°Breathe slowly. In and out. You agreed because this is a great idea. Besides, it¡¯s way too late to back out now.¡± While Kelsen kept his eyes covered, Niko was staring out the window, marveling at everything outside. At how big it all was. ¡°This is gonna be awesome.¡±


    The two of them had just arrived on Latia after a few days in transit from their home planet, Moccs. Travel between the two was still quite rare, for one painfully obvious reason: certain differences in planet size, density, and oxygen levels had caused evolution on both to result in Latians being nearly ten times the size of their Moccan counterparts, despite their aesthetic and biological similarities, which still baffled all scientists researching the matter; there was ongoing debate about whether it was scientific impossibility or inevitability.


    Trade between the two had actually taken off spectacularly, as Latians were able to offer huge amounts of raw resources and materials and Moccans had advanced medicine and technology. They¡¯d achieved almost frightening commercial synergy; it was a shame that they weren¡¯t quite there socially yet. Unsurprisingly, both due to their size and their lagging behind in spacefaring technology, Latians were completely unable to travel to Moccs, while Moccans were generally afraid to journey to Latia, fearing for their safety. For now, they¡¯d managed to establish internet access between the planets, but even that was only mildly successful; outside of anonymous communication and a few outliers, most people decided to stick to speaking with people their own size.


    Kelsen and Niko, however, were such outliers. Or at least Niko was. When he was a child and Latia was first discovered by Moccan explorers, he¡¯d been ecstatic, and since then had always wanted to meet a Latian face to face. Two years prior, when Moccan technical engineers had successfully connected the fledgling Latian internet to Moccs¡¯ own, he¡¯d immediately scoured it for Latians willing to connect. As of now, he actually had more and closer friends that were Latians than he had Moccan friends.


    Kelsen, on the other hand, despite being Niko¡¯s best friend since childhood, was terrified. Of Latians especially, yes, but also in general. He had a severe anxiety disorder, and was prone to anxiety attacks, which were worse in unfamiliar environments or with strangers. Latians were so different that, at first, giving any serious thought to meeting one had caused him to hyperventilate...until three months ago, when he had found out that his long-distance girlfriend of one year, a white and tan husky named Ralia, was, in fact, a Latian. That had caused him some serious strife, but it was also a driving factor for him coming to Latia.


    A few days after he had found out and was no longer freaking out about it, Niko had a proposal for him: in a few months, they¡¯d be on break from university. Prior to the recent and admittedly gargantuan revelation, Kelsen had constantly talked about traveling to meet Ralia¡ªwho had heretofore been vague about where she lived¡ªand had brought up the possibility of going to see her over the summer more than once. With Niko tagging along, of course. Niko had been providing Kelsen with an anchor and comfort in new and strange places for over a decade now, and had also been curious to meet the woman who Kelsen had warmed up to so quickly and completely. Plus, he¡¯d wanted to see the sights. This, he¡¯d argued, wouldn¡¯t be that different. They¡¯d still be traveling to a strange place together, and they¡¯d still be seeing Ralia. A few details would just be...different.


    On hearing this proposal, Kelsen had shut himself in his room and listened to his favorite playlist on repeat for a few hours to calm down before simply saying no, no way, no how, not ever. It had taken another week of cajoling and bringing up the suggestion to Ralia, who was all for it, to get Kelsen to actually consider it, and another three to gradually change his mind. Niko was careful not to bully his best friend into caving; he wanted this to be what Kelsen wanted. And, after they¡¯d talked about it at length with each other and with Ralia, Kelsen had decided that it was.


    For the moment, anyway. Every time his anxiety spiked, he started stressing over the decision again, until either Niko or Ralia calmed him. Like now. ¡°I mean it. It¡¯s going to be great. You¡¯re finally going to get to meet Ralia in person, and I¡¯m¡ªoh, shit!¡±


    Kelsen immediately grabbed his seat¡¯s armrests tight, his eyes flying open. ¡°What?! What is it?!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, I just¡ªI forgot to tell you something.¡± Niko saw Kelsen¡¯s eyes darting back and forth, and knew he might just push him into an anxiety attack if he wasn¡¯t careful. ¡°No, really, it¡¯s okay!¡± He reached out and put his hand on Kelsen¡¯s. ¡°Kel, it¡¯s not something you need to worry about. There¡¯s just another person waiting to meet us at the starport besides Ralia.¡±


    Kelsen breathed somewhat harshly. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°A, uh, a friend. A gaming buddy of mine. You remember Pakos, right? You played a few missions with us a few weeks ago.¡±


    Kelsen finally started to settle down, though not completely. ¡°The wolf who kept cutting me up when we were on the same team?¡±


    Niko laughed. ¡°Yeah, him. I swear he¡¯s not always that bad.¡±


    ¡°It seemed more like it was on purpose.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just got a weird sense of humor. If you tell him to knock it off, he¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Rocking back and forth, Kelsen gave a short whine. ¡°I don¡¯t know about meeting a Latian in person if they¡¯ve got a ¡®weird sense of humor¡¯.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, really.¡± Niko settled back in his seat. ¡°Just a bit of a jokester, but I promise he won¡¯t be a jerk or anything¡­oh, shoot, I should send Ralia a text so she knows too.¡±


    ¡°How...how¡¯s that going to work? With us meeting Ralia and staying with her?¡± As usual, Kelsen wanted to know any and all specifics he could. It helped him deal with his anxiety. Niko felt awful for not mentioning this sooner and stressing his friend out, though to be fair, he¡¯d only solidified plans with Pakos two days ago.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna meet us at the starport and say hi, and then...I dunno, tag along with us sometimes when we go out. That¡¯s okay, right?¡±


    Staring at the ground, Kelsen huffed, ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s going to be an issue, I can talk to him about not coming.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    It really didn¡¯t sound fine. ¡°Kel, I want this trip to be fun for you. If having him along too is too much, you can say so. I won¡¯t mind, and neither will he.¡±


    Kelsen crossed his arms. ¡°I want you to have fun too. It¡¯s really fine. I¡¯m not upset about it. The anxiety is. I¡¯ll...deal with it.¡±


    Niko gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it. Right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Niko leaned back and looked around. The other passengers¡ªall four of them¡ªdidn¡¯t generally seem perturbed by Niko¡¯s outburst or Kelsen¡¯s demeanor, though one old bear did give them the evil eye. Niko just ignored her.


    ¡°All passengers: landing is complete and the port is ready for us. Prepare to disembark in the next five minutes. Your attendant will escort you off shortly. Local time is 14:43, or 1:43 PM, Thursday afternoon.¡± Obviously, Latians wouldn¡¯t call it Thursday, but they did have a seven-day week, just like Moccs, so the parallel was easy. More difficult was the 26-hour day.


    ¡°According to my phone, back in Salica it¡¯s 4:39 P.M. on Sunday,¡± Niko said. ¡°Let the weirdness begin!¡± He and Kelsen looked at each other. Niko was grinning, but Kelsen just looked like he was going to be sick.


    ...


    Fifteen minutes later, they¡¯d gotten their luggage and were passing through the Moccan starport. It was really just a handful of launch and landing pads arranged outside a central complex with a single baggage return and four shops¡ªthree restaurants of varying quality and one clothing store. Not much, but better than nothing, and a good start for the bustling starport this would hopefully be someday. They had plans to eat with Ralia, but Niko was starving now, so they stopped for a quick sandwich and fries before heading to the exit. On the walk, they marveled at how light everything felt here on Latia¡ªa much less dense planet than Moccs, with lighter gravity. It wasn¡¯t quite like walking on either of their moons, but there was an extra bounce to their step, and they could jump a little higher and lift a little more. Testing these effects would have drawn looks on Moccs, but here, the traveling Moccans just grinned at their antics or began testing the effects themselves. Niko silently gave thanks that their messing about seemed to raise Kelsen¡¯s spirits, as they were about to dive deep into potentially frightening territory.


    Thankfully, they¡¯d already completed all the¡ªlengthy and tedious¡ªpaperwork required, so they wouldn¡¯t have to visit the embassy next door; they could simply have their passports checked and leave to the other neighboring building, which was meant for Latians to meet Moccan friends and colleagues arriving from Moccs.


    To get there, they had to ride an elevator up, so they¡¯d be roughly at shoulder height of the Latians. They shared the carriage with a raccoon in a fresh suit and weathered briefcase, who looked at his phone absentmindedly the whole way up, and a snow leopard in casual wear who, judging by his rapid breathing, was about as nervous as Kelsen. Niko gave him a smile and a thumbs up, and he returned a shaky one of his own. As they exited and the raccoon marched off, Niko nodded at the snow leopard. ¡°It¡¯s just fine to be nervous. I¡¯m pretty nervous too. But it¡¯s gonna be fine. Latians are awesome people!¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The snow leopard did seem slightly relieved. ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡±


    ¡°Nope! See ya!¡± Niko gave him a wave and grabbed Kelsen¡¯s arm, lightly pulling him along towards a large sign marking the ¡®Pick Up Zone¡¯.


    Kelsen, meanwhile, was taking in their surroundings, and trying not to faint. They had entered a huge room, one of truly epic proportions; the ceiling had to be at least one hundred feet high, about sixty feet above their heads at the moment, and it was thousands of feet wide. It looked like a cross between a lounge and an airport terminal; there were a dozen and a half Latians around the place, most seated, while one or two leaned against the wall and a few¡ªstaff¡ªwalked briskly by. Another staff member, a hyena, waited for them at the edge of what was basically a long, tall counter. As they approached, he boomed something out in one of Latia¡¯s many languages.


    Niko and Kelsen immediately put their paws over their ears, dropping their bags in the process. It was loud¡ªtoo loud. Niko worried their eardrums might burst. For his part, the hyena winced, and tapped his ear with an inquisitive look. ¡°Damn it all,¡± said Niko, a little too loudly. ¡°Earplugz. We forgot to use the Earplugz.¡± Earplugz were a handy invention meant specifically for travel to Latia; not only did they muffle the Latians¡¯ voices, but they translated their speech into a variety of Moccan languages, including Niko and Kelsen¡¯s own. Niko took his out and put them on, turning them on and making sure they were working correctly, before making sure Kelsen had done the same. Then, he turned to the hyena. ¡°Sorry about that. We forgot our Earplugz.¡±


    The hyena simply shook his massive head, giving Niko an amused, almost-but-not-quite-mocking smile, and tapped next to his mouth.


    ¡°Mother...our Micz too.¡± Micz were the sister device to Earplugz, meant to boost Moccan voices and translate them into a language the Latians could understand. There were only a few programmed currently, but enough that Moccans could generally get by, provided they remembered to wear them.


    After getting them set up and troubleshooting the correct language settings, Niko and Kelsen were finally able to speak to the hyena on normal terms. Well, more normal. ¡°It¡¯s all right, it happens all the time,¡± he said with a bit of a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m just sorry I nearly killed your ears. Maybe we should put up a sign, huh?¡±


    Niko laughed with him, and even Kelsen managed a brief, if unsteadily, smile. ¡°Honestly, not a bad idea. One right next to the elevators. Would probably do people like us a world of good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up at the next staff meeting,¡± the hyena said with a wink. ¡°Anyway, I was asking for your passports. Soon as I see them and get one last bit of paperwork squared away, you¡¯re free and clear.¡± He guided them to a Moccan-sized terminal and directed them to scan their passports with it. After checking a screen of his own, he nodded in satisfaction. ¡°All good! Welcome to Latia, and please enjoy your stay!¡±


    ¡°Thanks so much!¡± Niko said, and Kelsen nodded along. Giving the friendly man a wave, they headed down the counter, towards the actual pickup area. Niko was glad that the first Latian they met had been so warm and friendly, the damage to their ears notwithstanding; hopefully, it would put Kelsen at ease.


    ¡°He was nice,¡± he said, glancing over at his friend.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kelsen agreed. His breathing was only slightly faster than normal, which Niko considered a win considering how new and intimidating everything here would be for him. ¡°Hey, I think I see her...¡±


    Niko looked up, following Kelsen¡¯s gaze. Another Latian had just entered the room¡ªa familiar-looking white and tan husky. She looked around for a moment before spotting them, and gave a short wave. ¡°Yep, I¡¯d say that¡¯s her.¡±


    Ralia hurried over, and before long, despite the counter they stood on, towered over them. ¡°Hey! Kel, Niko, you made it! Welcome to Latia!¡±


    ¡°Glad to be here!¡± Niko called. ¡°And great to finally meet you in person.¡± He glanced over at Kelsen. The wolf seemed to have frozen up, staring at the ground. ¡°It is great, isn¡¯t it, Kel?¡±


    ¡°Nnnnnn.¡± Kelsen trembled almost imperceptibly.


    To her credit, Ralia seemed to grasp the situation immediately. She crouched down just a bit, to make herself smaller, and took a step away. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kel. Take your time.¡±


    Niko put a hand on Kelsen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Remember, this isn¡¯t a stranger, Kel. It¡¯s Rails. Just last week the two of you were singing that stupid song about doves together and driving me insane. Remember?¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s mouth twitched. After a moment, he looked up, but didn¡¯t meet Ralia¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just hard. My head knows you¡¯re the same person, but my heart is trying to beat itself out of my chest.¡±


    If his words hurt her, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s totally fine. Take it as slow as you need to. We¡¯ve got plenty of time for you to get acclimated before I ask for a kiss.¡± She stuck her tongue out at him.


    That brought a ghost of a smile to his lips, and a blush to his cheeks. He met her gaze for a brief moment before looking down again. ¡°Ha-ha, very funny.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will get some quality physical contact from you sooner or later. When you¡¯re ready.¡± She reached down to pick something up. ¡°Speaking of, we didn¡¯t end up discussing it before you got here, but how would you prefer to travel? The city has been talking about adding, like, walkways or underground passages or something for Moccans to get around, but we¡¯re still a ways off from that happening.¡±


    Kelsen shifted from one foot to the other, and Niko shrugged. ¡°So? What are our options?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± She lifted a somewhat absurd-looking contraption up onto the counter. ¡°Some Moccans like to ride around in these. They¡¯re like...handheld taxis. And they¡¯re made so you can fasten a seatbelt to them in the car, and stuff like that.¡± The object before them was about ten feet by ten feet, and had plastic seats inside with straps attached to the top. It looked less like a taxi and more like a takeout box.


    ¡°Sure looks comfy,¡± said Niko sarcastically. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± Ralia looked away, seeming somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen other Latians just sort of...carrying Moccans around with them. With their paws.¡± She plucked at her shirt, which had two breast pockets and another two sewn on around the midriff. ¡°And I wore something with extra pockets sewn on, in case you wanted to give that a try. Otherwise...sorry, but there just aren¡¯t a lot of Moccan options on Latia yet, unless you want to walk and pray nothing happens.¡±


    Kelsen stared at the box, and Niko voiced his thoughts. ¡°That thing doesn¡¯t exactly look comfortable. And it seems like it would be hard to talk...I wouldn¡¯t mind giving riding in your pocket a try, if that¡¯s all right with you. Kel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really...like...any of those...¡± he muttered.


    Niko patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Sorry, man. But you¡¯re going to have to pick one. How about you ride with me? That way we¡¯ll both be close by, just in case, and Rails¡¯ paws will be free.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡± Niko looked up at Ralia and gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±


    ¡°All right!¡± She stepped back up to the counter, setting the Moccan ¡®taxi¡¯ back where she¡¯d taken it from. ¡°All aboard!¡± And with that, she reached down towards the two of them.


    Niko felt a surge of excitement with just a tinge of fear¡ªthe kind that made him feel good, made him feel alive. It was this feeling he¡¯d been pursuing since his first dreams of coming to Latia. This Latian, this staggeringly enormous person, was about to pick him up like he was a child. Or, more accurately, a toy. His safety was almost completely and quite literally in her paws...and he knew that, as a close friend, he would be completely safe with her. It was something he¡¯d never really be able to feel on or about Moccs.


    Kelsen, on the other hand, flinched and took a step back, perhaps involuntarily. Ralia froze mid-reach, perceptive as ever to his needs. ¡°Here, how about this? I¡¯ll just set my paw down, and you can climb on, at your own pace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Niko immediately chimed in.


    It took some doing, but eventually Kelsen let Niko lead him over to Ralia¡¯s settled paw. Getting him on was another story. It seemed even touching her filled him with fear...or was it something else? Kelsen was Niko¡¯s best friend, and he could usually read his moods. Whatever this was, it wasn¡¯t exactly fear, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on exactly what it was. A mystery for another time, he decided. After spending some time with his paw on hers, Kelsen finally seemed to acclimate to the situation, and let Niko boost him up onto her pad. He jumped up behind him, only to look back at their luggage, realizing it would be difficult to carry like this. ¡°Uh, Rails, can you?...¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll stick them in one of my extra pockets.¡± Of course she would. At her size, carrying around their luggage was easy. Trivial. Carefully, gently, she lifted her paw up to her breast pocket, and opened it with her free paw. The two of them had to more or less slide in. Niko knew that if anything went wrong, she¡¯d catch them; Kelsen held his breath and closed his eyes until his feet were secure, at which point he grabbed the lining and held on for dear life.


    As Ralia reached for their luggage, someone behind her coughed, clearly seeking attention. When she turned¡ªturning the Moccans¡¯ view along with hers¡ªa black Latian wolf came into view, grinning almost sarcastically. ¡°Hey there. If you¡¯re Ralia, this must be Niko and Kensen.¡±


    Niko grinned and waved. ¡°Hey, look who it is! Guys, this is Pakos. And it¡¯s Kelsen, not Kensen.¡±


    ¡°Right, of course.¡±


    Kelsen shrugged, though he didn¡¯t seem up to looking Pakos in the eye. ¡°¡¯Sfine.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh! He doesn¡¯t look so good,¡± Pakos chuckled. ¡°Need some air, little guy?¡±


    Kelsen responded by crouching lower in Ralia¡¯s pocket, so only his ears were visible. ¡°Maybe give him a minute,¡± Niko suggested. ¡°He gets a bit anxious around strangers and stuff, and Latia is pretty damn strange.¡±


    ¡°Aw, but he knows me! We play Devil Hunters all the time!¡±


    Niko put a hand to his hip. ¡°Pakos, seriously.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Whatever.¡± Pakos extended a paw to Ralia. ¡°Pakos! Don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever met before.¡±


    She took it with a warm smile. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Big city and all that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not just that. I¡¯m properly from Bonaco, but I¡¯m here in Teromod for a couple reasons¡ªone of which is to meet up with Niko.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cool! I have a friend in Bonaco I visit sometimes. It¡¯s a nice place.¡± Glancing down at the two Moccans in her pocket, Ralia asked, ¡°So, where to now? Do you want to get your stuff settled at my place, grab a bite to eat, or what? I¡¯m down for whatever you two¡ªer, three¡ªwant to do!¡±


    Before Niko or Kelsen could respond, Pakos chimed in. ¡°Oh, we should totally go downtown! It¡¯s not too far, and we can show them the twin statues. And then the old district is pretty to look at, especially if you¡¯ve never been. And then the park, the museum...lots of stuff!¡±


    Niko couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Pakos¡¯ eagerness. ¡°I¡¯d love to sightsee a bit! Kelsen, that okay with you?¡±


    The wolf slowly rose back to a standing position beside Niko. ¡°S-sure, yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s see some things. For a little while. But then can we go back to Ralia¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± both Niko and Ralia said at the same time. Ralia continued. ¡°If it ever gets to be too much for you, let us know, and we¡¯ll take a break or call it for the time being and head back.¡±


    ¡°Sounds...okay.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Niko leaned forward, one paw grabbing onto the pocket¡¯s edge for stability. ¡°Onward! I want to see some really cool stuff! And if you don¡¯t actually know the history of what we see, make it up! I must be entertained!¡±


    Ralia and Pakos both laughed at his antics, and Kelsen gave a slight grin. And with that, they were off.

 Chapter 2

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 2


    ¡°So, the legend of the twins,¡± Ralia was saying. ¡°They were prince and princess of Doxen, over a thousand years ago.¡±


    ¡°But here¡¯s the really cool part,¡± Pakos interrupted. ¡°Only the queen and her midwife knew she was having twins. Not even the king knew. The queen died in childbirth, and the midwife was left to raise the twins.¡±


    Pakos and Ralia stood in a large town square with their Moccan friends, staring up at a brass statue of two Latian ferrets. They were exactly identical, down to their rings and facial markings. It was impossible to tell which had been prince and which had been princess. Pakos continued. ¡°For reasons we¡¯ll never know, she raised the twins in secrecy. The king knew he had a child, and would see one or the other on occasion, but between being busy running the kingdom and being a reluctant father, he never really spent time with or got to know either. So he never noticed. And the kingdom was told that the king had a child, but the twins were kept hidden, so the people never saw them for long. And when they were teenagers, probably around fifteen, the king got sick and died. So one of the twins had to inherit.¡±


    Pakos paused to catch his breath, and Ralia continued. ¡°Right. But they¡¯d been raised alone together for so long, neither wanted to rule without the other. And the people wouldn¡¯t know the difference.¡±


    ¡°So they swapped,¡± said Pakos. ¡°They¡¯d basically take turns making public appearances, and no one knew the difference. And they worked together on policy and decision making and stuff. This went on for thirty years, and no one knew but the midwife, and she died not long after they took power. And keep in mind, these were some of the best thirty years Doxen had had in centuries, and would have for centuries to come.¡±


    Ralia took over again. ¡°But then, thirty-two years after they¡¯d begun ruling the country, Fadar, a rival nation, sent an assassin. It¡¯s unclear whether it was the prince or princess who was poisoned, but as they lay dying, the other penned a short note, saying that if their twin was to die, then so too would they, because their fates were intertwined and inseparable. And they took the same poison.¡±


    ¡°It was awesome,¡± Pakos said. ¡°By far the coolest story from when Doxen was a monarchy.¡±


    Niko nodded enthusiastically. ¡°That is really cool! And better than if you made it up. Okay, where are we going next?¡±


    Ralia started counting on her fingers. ¡°Well, out of stuff within walking distance, we¡¯ve got the old district, which has been around for like hundreds of years, the Doxen Museum of National History, and if we¡¯re looking to relax a little, the Teromod Central Park.¡±


    Kelsen, who had been quiet for a while, spoke up. ¡°The statue was pretty cool, but there are...a lot of people here. Can we chill in the park for a bit?¡±


    Niko and Ralia immediately answered that yes, of course they could, and Pakos shrugged and went along with it. Kelsen thanked them and slipped down far enough that he was hiding again, and stayed that way until they reached the park, where Niko patted him on the shoulder and helped him to his feet.


    The park actually had almost as many people as the plaza, but it was much larger, and the paths were separated by lines of bushes, hedges, and short trees, so they were only really in sight range of a few people at a time. Kelsen seemed to like this a lot more, and spent some time just staring at the plantlife. He even joined in the constant banter Niko, Pakos, and Ralia had going, which was currently centered around their favorite multiplayer game of the past few months, Demon Hunters.


    ¡°Assassin is clearly the best DPS,¡± Pakos said, confident in his main class of choice. ¡°More damage in melee than the Warrior, and similar damage at range to the Marksman. Plus all of its boss-killing abilities!¡±


    ¡°Pakos, dude, I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re wrong,¡± Niko responded. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that every class has its place in a party.¡±


    Ralia agreed. ¡°Cleric isn¡¯t flashy, but you wouldn¡¯t live long enough to use your combos without heals.¡±


    ¡°But just think about it. A full party of Assassins. I saw these guys do it online, and they beat Andramalech in two and a half minutes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because those guys are pros. They could probably run all Cleric and beat the boss faster than we could with a balanced party,¡± Niko said.


    ¡°I¡¯m a pro!¡± protested Pakos.


    Kelsen piped up, ¡°Not with your tendency to teamkill, you¡¯re not.¡± Niko and Ralia laughed, but Pakos seemed stung. Kelsen immediately backpedaled. ¡°N-no, I mean, I¡¯m just kidding.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right.¡± Niko glanced up at Pakos. ¡°He never looks where he¡¯s swinging his swords.¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Pakos seemed anything but amused. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just have to show you guys next time we play.¡±


    Niko snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll believe that when I see it.¡±


    ...


    At the end of their walk, they began planning out their next course of action.


    ¡°Museum sounds fun,¡± said Niko.


    Pakos hummed. ¡°Old district is pretty amazing in the afternoon, though. What time is it? Three? Good time to check it out.¡±


    ¡°How about you?¡± Ralia looked down at Kelsen, who was looking down despite their walk. ¡°What would you like to do next?¡±


    Pakos scoffed lightly. ¡°He just got to pick.¡± Niko silenced him with a glare and a shake of his head.


    ¡°Sorry, but...could we go get settled at your place? I¡¯m just feeling really...it¡¯s...a lot.¡±


    Niko nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. You¡¯ll feel better when we have a home base, huh? Somewhere we can go back to whenever you¡¯re tired out.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± said Ralia. ¡°I want to head back too. Gotta get rid of your heavy bags!¡± Niko laughed, but Kelsen didn¡¯t seem up to mustering a smile. A sign that they really needed to get him somewhere he felt more comfortable.


    ¡°Damn,¡± said Pakos. ¡°That¡¯s old district basically out of the question, and the museum closes at five. You probably won¡¯t be back around here by then, huh?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but no,¡± Ralia responded. ¡°It¡¯ll take us at least an hour to get to my place on foot, and it might be a bit until I¡¯ve got them settled, and then we¡¯ve got a dinner reservation tonight...I¡¯d invite you along, but I only made it for three.¡±


    ¡°No worries,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got some other stuff to do tonight anyway. How about we regroup tomorrow and check out the museum?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. Potentially, anyway. We¡¯ll text you in the morning and let you know?¡±


    ¡°All right. Have fun settling in. See you guys around!¡± With a mock salute of two fingers, Pakos headed out, and was soon lost in the crowd.


    ...


    It ended up taking Ralia an hour and a half to walk home. On the way, Niko thought to ask why so many people on Latia walked rather than taking their cars.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never really thought about it...I guess for a few reasons. For one thing, I think cars are a lot more expensive here than on Moccs, so not everybody has one. For another, the city is huge, and has a lot of people. You guys are from a smaller town, right?¡± Niko nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think it¡¯s actually the same on Moccs¡ªin bigger cities, more people walk, take public transportation, or ride their bike, unless they work somewhere outside the city. I do have a car, but I mostly save it for long trips, big grocery runs, and stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand,¡± said Niko. ¡°Still weird though. In Brenn, you¡¯re the odd one out if you don¡¯t have a car...I guess we weren¡¯t in Decegrad long enough to notice whether or not it had the same ratio of cars to people.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t,¡± Kelsen interjected from the bottom of the pocket. His voice was slightly muffled. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about it until now, though.¡±


    ¡°As always, you¡¯re more observant than I am.¡± Niko crouched down for a moment. ¡°How you doing? Any better?¡±


    ¡°A little. Still want to get to Ralia¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re here!¡± Ralia announced. The two Moccans looked up to see her entering a mid-sized¡ªfor Latians¡ªapartment building. ¡°I live on the second floor. Normally I take the stairs, but we¡¯ll take the elevator while you¡¯re here.¡± She entered the elevator and pushed the button for the second floor, and right as the doors started to shut, a Latian rabbit slipped inside.


    ¡°Whew, that was close! Hey, Ralia, I¡ª¡± She cut short as she spotted the two Moccans riding in Ralia¡¯s pocket. ¡°Whoa! Are those Moccans?¡±


    ¡°We sure are,¡± Niko said cheerfully.


    ¡°Damn! I¡¯ve never seen any of them in person. Of you, I mean.¡± She leaned in close, inspecting the two of them. Kelsen made himself as small and low as he could.


    ¡°And it¡¯s nice to meet you, but could you back up, please? My friend here gets nervous.¡±


    ¡°Aww, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine with me getting a closer look...¡±


    She trailed off as Ralia put her arm in between them, gesturing for her to create some distance. ¡°Lins, they¡¯re not zoo animals. They¡¯re my friends. Back up, please.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean...¡±


    The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Ralia stepped out, leaving Lins behind. Niko looked up to see a frustrated look on Ralia¡¯s face. ¡°She a friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Next door neighbor. Okay, but between you and me, a bit nosy. And she apparently doesn¡¯t know how to act around Moccans...¡± She glanced down and put on a sunny smile. ¡°But anyway, don¡¯t worry about that. Let¡¯s get you two settled.¡±


    She unlocked the door¡ªwith a metal key, which Niko and Kelsen found a bit old fashioned, accustomed to keycards as they were¡ªand stepped inside, closing the door firmly behind her.


    The first room in the apartment was a combined sitting room and kitchen. Ralia had her computer set up in the sitting room, attached to what Niko gathered was a large and expensive television by Latian standards. It was beyond massive to him, of course, but he could tell that most screens back on Moccs were proportionately larger. There was also a short leather couch, angled to face the television. The kitchen was immaculate, with a standard setup, from fridge to microwave and so on, including a drying rack with several clean dishes and a blender next to the fridge. Past the kitchen, a short hallway led to Ralia¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Here we are! Home sweet home for me.¡± She slipped off her shoes. ¡°Let me show you where you¡¯ll be staying.¡±


    Niko looked around. ¡°You, uh, made it sound like you had a spare room, but I¡¯m not...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a spare room. Here.¡± She moved over to a corner of the sitting room, on the far side of the couch. ¡°Like most things made for Moccans, it¡¯s not perfect quality, but I made sure the beds were comfortable. I hope it¡¯ll be okay.¡± Carefully guiding Niko and Kelsen to clamber onto her paw, she set it down slowly on the floor, in front of what looked like a tiny¡ªeven for them¡ªMoccan-sized house. ¡°It¡¯s got a bedroom with two beds and a bathroom. What, uh, what do you guys think?...¡±


    Niko gaped and opened the door, poking his head in. ¡°This is amazing! I can¡¯t believe you did this for us. I admit I was kind of worried about the logistics of us staying here, but this is great.¡± Kelsen hurried in after him and moved to one of the beds, immediately sitting down and starting a breathing exercise Niko recognized; it would hopefully help him calm down. Niko nodded to him and went to inspect the bathroom. ¡°Wow. Everything works.¡±


    Outside and far above, Ralia sounded pleased. ¡°I¡¯m glad it seems okay! I mean, most of it is plastic and it¡¯s not the most well made...¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Niko stepped outside, and found her setting down their luggage. He stopped in the middle of picking up Kelsen¡¯s. ¡°Hey, wait a minute! How much did this cost?! You really didn¡¯t have to go to this much trouble.¡±


    Ralia shook her head. ¡°Not as much as you¡¯d think. And I wanted to! I want you guys to have a good stay. So there.¡±


    ¡°All right, fine. But only if you let me and Kelsen set up your accommodations when you come to visit Moccs.¡± They shared a laugh, and he moved inside, setting Kelsen¡¯s stuff on the bed beside him. To his surprise, Kelsen had deactivated and taken off his Micz, though his Earplugz were still in. Feeling worried, he turned off his own Micz. ¡°Hey bud, why¡¯s your Micz off?¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t...want Ralia...to hear me cry.¡± Kelsen¡¯s shoulders shook, and he started to sob.


    ¡°Oh, Kel...¡± Niko sat down on his other side and put his arm around Kelsen¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry...just...everyone stares at me, and they¡¯re all s-so huge, a-and...why did we come here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be sorry. This is all pretty scary.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not scared. You and R-Ralia are having a good time. I-it¡¯s just m-me. Why am I-I so messed up? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°Hey! We¡¯ve been over this. There is nothing wrong with you. You just react a little different, and that¡¯s fine.¡± He pulled Kelsen into an embrace. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, and I¡¯m always gonna be here for you. Ralia too. And you are stronger than you think. You can do this. Breathe with me.¡± He breathed in slow and deep, urging Kelsen to match his breathing to his own.


    ¡°Uh, guys? You still haven¡¯t got Niko¡¯s stuff.¡± Ralia¡¯s voice came from outside.


    Niko reactivated his Micz for a moment. ¡°Uh, one sec, just settling in and unpacking and stuff! Why don¡¯t you give us a few? I¡¯ll grab it in a moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay. I¡¯m going to freshen up and change, then. Be back in a little while.¡±


    Niko held Kelsen until he had stopped crying and his breathing was calm, before patting him on the back and going outside to grab his stuff. When he returned, Kelsen was on his feet rubbing his eyes. ¡°Thanks, Niko.¡±


    ¡°Any time and every time, man. How about we get changed too? I¡¯m looking forward to trying some Latian food later!¡±


    Kelsen didn¡¯t seem too thrilled at the prospect, though Niko reminded him they still had plenty of time to prepare; they wouldn¡¯t be leaving for over an hour. Plenty of time to relax. Once they¡¯d showered and changed, they reactivated their Micz and Earplugz and headed outside their temporary quarters.


    ...


    Ralia was nowhere to be seen, apparently still in either her bedroom or bathroom. Niko led Kelsen across the carpet, which came up to their ankles in places, towards the edge of the couch. ¡°I¡¯d like to check out her computer, but I doubt we¡¯d make that climb,¡± he told Kelsen, boosting the wolf up. He jumped up after him, and they climbed up to the cushion fairly easily, all thanks to the comparatively lightweight gravity on Latia. Niko stretched out in the center, while Kelsen sat against the back of the couch. ¡°Man, I am having a great time, but I still can¡¯t get over how huge everything is. Like, it makes sense in my brain, but the rest of me is just ¡®Whoa!¡¯¡± He thought back to Kelsen¡¯s words at the starport ¡°...Is that kinda how things are for you sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much. Just worse.¡±


    Niko stared up at the ceiling. ¡°I think I get it a bit more than I did before, then.¡± They were silent for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m glad Ralia doesn¡¯t have a pet. Can you imagine?¡±


    Kelsen shivered. ¡°It¡¯d probably hunt us. Think we were prey.¡±


    ¡°Nahhh...okay, maybe at first. But I bet it wouldn¡¯t be that hard to train Latian animals to recognize Moccans as people too. Especially with Micz.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Niko glanced over at Kelsen. ¡°How about you? Whatcha thinkin¡¯ about?¡±


    ¡°Wondering what the restaurant is gonna be like...wondering what¡¯s taking Ralia so long.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably still in the shower. Some people, you know?¡± A mischievous grin spread across Niko¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, is that what you were thinking about?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ralia. In the shower.¡±


    ¡°N-no! I was just...¡±


    ¡°Wow, Kel. I wouldn¡¯t have thought it of you. Sitting in your girlfriend¡¯s own apartment, imagining her showering...naked...probably¡ª¡±


    The door to Ralia¡¯s bedroom flew open, and she came stomping out. Niko immediately shut his mouth, but she stormed right up to the couch. ¡°Sound carries in these apartments, you know! And do you know what else?!¡±


    Kelsen stammered. ¡°N-no, I, he, I, we wasn¡¯t, we weren¡¯t...¡±


    Ralia looked at him. ¡°Someday, maybe you will get to see my beautiful body. But not Niko. Niko is going to die alone.¡± She winked.


    Niko laughed uproariously while Kelsen blushed. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at him?¡±


    She shook her head, laughing a bit herself. ¡°Of course not. We¡¯re all way better friends than that. I don¡¯t mind some teasing.¡± She glanced over at Niko. ¡°And if he does annoy me, I will put him on a very high shelf to think about what he¡¯s done.¡± Niko just laughed harder, and Kelsen chuckled a little.


    Still grinning, Ralia, seemingly unthinkingly, flopped down on the couch one cushion over. While it clearly wasn¡¯t her intention, the force caused Kelsen to bounce a bit, though this was cut short by the back of the couch. Niko, caught in the center, was flung over twenty Moccan feet into the air. Gasping, Ralia reached out to both of them. ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so sorry! I wasn¡¯t thinking¡ªare you okay?!¡±


    Kelsen flinched at her paw, but not as badly as before. ¡°I-I think I¡¯m okay¡­but Niko!¡±


    Niko suddenly shot up. ¡°Holy shit! DO IT AGAIN!¡± he cried, giggling like a child. ¡°That was amazing! Do it again, do it again, do it again!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re...not hurt?¡± She gently poked and prodded at him.


    ¡°Nah, the couch is soft! Plus, Latian gravity has nothing on me! Again, come on!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do it again,¡± said Kelsen.


    ¡°Sorry, Niko, but only one of you asked nicely.¡±


    ¡°Awww!¡±


    ¡°Maybe later. Right now, let¡¯s just relax a little. We need to leave in a little over twenty minutes.¡±


    ...


    They sat for a while and talked a little, but not about anything in particular, and all too soon for Kelsen the time came to head out. They didn¡¯t have far to go; it only took Ralia about fifteen minutes to walk there. On the way, the streets were packed now that most people were off work and heading home or out to eat like they were. Niko happily waved at every passerby who noticed him, and was delighted when most waved back. Kelsen mostly tried to stay out of sight, but gave Niko a thumbs up when checked on.


    Things went smoothly at the restaurant, thanks to Ralia¡¯s reservation. They were seated at a table for two¡ªLatians, of course¡ªand the server, a serious-looking gazelle, brought out a smaller table, chairs, cups, utensils, and menus for Kelsen and Niko. ¡°This is fantastic,¡± Niko said as he opened his menu. ¡°I figured that only a few of the Latian dishes would be feasible to make for Moccans, but there¡¯s a whole bunch of items on the menu.¡±


    ¡°Kinda surprised how much stuff they have for Moccans here,¡± Kelsen agreed.


    Ralia smiled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not all that much yet. But as more Moccans come to live here, things for Moccans will keep getting better and better.¡±


    ¡°And things for Latians, too. The more we trade people, things, and ideas, the better off both planets will be,¡± Niko said, grinning back.


    ¡°You really believe that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I just...sometimes I wonder how exactly Moccans see Latians, without the filter of the internet.¡±


    ¡°I believe it,¡± said Kelsen quietly. He reddened as both Niko and Ralia made ¡®aww¡¯ noises. ¡°What? Just because I...I mean...I think so too...¡±


    Niko and Ralia were still cooing over Kelsen when the server came to take their orders. Ralia selected a lamb dish with roasted carrots and squash seasoned with garlic and parsley, while Niko ordered roast beef with a baked potato and roasted cauliflower, and Kelsen, after being gently prodded to stop hiding behind his menu, went with white sauce pasta with chicken and a simple salad composed of lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, and shredded cheese, declining any dressing.


    Of course, Latia didn¡¯t really have what the Moccans would call sheep, or cows, or even carrots; each item was replaced by an analogue of varying similarity. It was all edible, though, and most of it was easily recognizable to their palate. When they were done ordering, they handed over their menus, and the server walked briskly away.


    ¡°Not the friendliest Latian we¡¯ve met today,¡± Niko observed.


    Ralia¡¯s mouth twisted for a moment. ¡°This is a busy restaurant. She¡¯s got other tables to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Fair, fair.¡± Niko looked around at the other tables, and found that many of them were occasionally glancing their way. He waved whenever he caught someone looking over. Most seemed embarrassed, though one coyote gave him a shy wave back. ¡°I swear, being a Moccan on Latia is like being a celebrity or something. I love it.¡±


    ¡°I hate it,¡± muttered Kelsen. ¡°Eyes on us all the time...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just curious.¡± Niko waved to another looker, who immediately buried their face in their menu. He turned back to Ralia and Kelsen. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you stare if there was a Latian on Moccs?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    The conversation stalled for a couple minutes, before Ralia spoke up. ¡°So, I¡¯m curious¡ªwhat did your parents say when you told them you¡¯d landed?¡± Niko and Kelsen looked at each other uneasily. ¡°What? What¡¯s that look for?¡±


    ¡°We, um...we didn¡¯t message them,¡± Niko admitted.


    ¡°What?! Then do it right now! They¡¯re probably worried sick.¡±


    Kelsen looked at his paws. ¡°No...¡±


    ¡°Of course they are!¡±


    ¡°Hard for them to worry when they don¡¯t, uh, know there¡¯s anything to worry about,¡± Niko said.


    Ralia¡¯s stare grew colder than either Moccan had ever seen it. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t tell them we were coming,¡± Kelsen blurted out.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Niko glanced around and saw a few tables looking their way. ¡°Maybe not so loud,¡± he said quietly. ¡°And, yeah. Neither of our parents know we¡¯re on Latia...they just think we went to Decegrad.¡±


    Eye twitching, Ralia hissed, ¡°How could you not tell them?!¡±


    ¡°Ralia, you need to understand. I mean, your parents are cool. They support you no matter what. Our parents...aren¡¯t always like that. My folks aren¡¯t exactly thrilled about my Latian ¡®obsession¡¯. And you know Kelsen¡¯s parents. They tried to stop us from leaving Brenn! If they knew we were coming to Latia, they¡¯d totally freak out.¡±


    Ralia¡¯s response was interrupted by the arrival of their food. Once the server was gone, she leaned in close to the Moccans¡¯ smaller table. Kelsen shrank away, and even Niko flinched a little. ¡°That does not make it okay to lie to them about this. Send them a message, now.¡±


    Despite the huge angry woman only a few feet away, Niko crossed his arms and refused. ¡°No. They don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going back to my place until you have. We can just wait here at the restaurant all night.¡±


    Kelsen started rocking back and forth, clearly in distress. Niko frowned. ¡°Ralia, you can¡¯t just say stuff like that. That¡¯s not cool. We¡¯re not kids, and we don¡¯t have to tell our parents every little thing. Or every big thing. And holding that over us? I thought we were your friends, not your prisoners.¡±


    Ralia¡¯s eyes widened, and she leaned back, chagrined. ¡°You¡¯re right; I¡¯m sorry. I just...I really, really think you should tell them. You might be surprised!¡±


    Niko started picking at his food. ¡°Ralia, my dad literally called me a depraved freak the first time I told him I wanted to meet a Latian. He and my mom hate Latians. Think we¡¯re not ¡®meant to mix¡¯ and all that. Beyond that, they used to be really into separation of the species. No fur with scales. No fangs with non-fangs. Bullshit like that.¡± He took a bite and chewed it slowly. ¡°I tell them what I choose to. I don¡¯t owe them anything.¡±


    ¡°Niko, I had no idea. I¡¯m really sorry...¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s okay. But even if they weren¡¯t...I¡¯m an adult. I can make my own choices. Same for Kelsen.¡±


    They ate in silence for a while after that. Kelsen mostly pushed his food around, clearly deeply unsettled, while Ralia sunk into a guilty slump. Niko ate steadily with little emotion. Eventually, Ralia said, ¡°I really am sorry, you two. I just...I never do anything without talking to my parents about it first. I want their advice a lot, and even when I don¡¯t, it¡¯s just soothing for me to discuss what I¡¯m going to do with them. I guess I have a hard time imagining it being different for you.¡±


    ¡°¡¯S okay,¡± said Kelsen, still not looking up.


    ¡°Just...please give us a little more credit,¡± Niko said. ¡°I know we¡¯re small here, but we¡¯re big kids. And while I do like to play things by ear, Kelsen always thinks things through, and it¡¯s rubbed off on me. We can make our own decisions. One of those decisions was coming to Latia.¡± He paused. ¡°Another was trusting you. I stand by those decisions.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Kelsen hummed in agreement.


    ¡°...Thanks. I¡¯ll trust you guys, too, to know your business better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s try to enjoy the food. Kelsen, you need to actually take a bite. It¡¯s good, I promise.¡±


    ...


    Their conversation was much more lighthearted for the rest of the meal. When the check came, Niko had Ralia hold it up for him to read. ¡°Wow. I thought our food would be a lot cheaper, considering how tiny the portions are compared to yours. What gives?¡±


    ¡°Well, the fee takes service and prep into account, too, of course,¡± said Ralia. ¡°The food might be cheap, but people had to prepare it and bring it out and make sure you were happy all evening. That costs money.¡±


    ¡°Well, duh, me,¡± he responded. ¡°That should have been obvious...anyway, here, let me get it.¡± He reached into his wallet and took out a plastic card.


    Ralia just laughed. ¡°Okay, even if I wasn¡¯t definitely paying, how did you intend to pay?¡±


    ¡°With my card?...¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t take those here,¡± she said, still giggling a bit. ¡°Credit cards are nowhere near as common on Latia as they are on Moccs. At most places, like here, you have to pay with cash or check.¡±


    ¡°Oh...well, I mean, I don¡¯t carry a lot of cash on me, but it should cover it.¡±


    ¡°And did you stop by the bank to convert your Moccan currency into Latian dollars? For that matter, were you planning on carrying around a coin purse heavier than you are?¡±


    Niko facepalmed. ¡°No...¡±


    ¡°Then put that away. As long as you two are here, I¡¯m paying.¡± She stuck her tongue out at the two of them. ¡°You can pay when I visit Moccs.¡±


    ...


    The trip back was uneventful. Most people were off the streets by this time, and those who remained were generally in a hurry. Only one or two even glanced at Niko. Before long, they were back at Ralia¡¯s apartment, getting ready for bed. It was a little early, but they were both wiped out from traveling and the excitement of the day. Rather than sleeping in her room, Ralia took the couch, just in case either of the Moccans needed anything during the night, and, though she didn¡¯t tell them, in order to protect them in the event that someone broke in. Not that she thought anyone would, but she wanted to be sure.


    The two of them were a little wary of sleeping in the same room¡ªfor multiple reasons¡ªbut mainly because they wanted to sleep without their Micz or Earplugz in. Ralia assured them she¡¯d be very quiet, and would text them first if they needed to put on their equipment for any reason. They reluctantly agreed, and went to bed.


    Kelsen, exhausted from the admittedly taxing day, collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost immediately. Niko had barely changed and climbed into his own bed before looking over to ask Kelsen how he was doing, only to find the wolf fast asleep. He chuckled to himself, and was soon out cold as well.

 Chapter 3

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 3


    Whether it was because of the different time zone, how early they¡¯d gone to bed, or simple excitement, the two Moccans woke up quite early the next day, long before Ralia. Niko was awake first, but, aware that his two friends were still asleep, opted to stay in bed and relax. He¡¯d been daydreaming for around a half hour when Kelsen¡¯s breathing changed and he poked his head up.


    ¡°Hey there, bud,¡± Niko said quietly. He doubted they¡¯d wake Ralia with anything short of screaming from close up, but he didn¡¯t want to chance it. ¡°Sleep okay?¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm. Better than I thought I would.¡±


    A sly smirk flitted across Niko¡¯s face. ¡°Hear that?¡±


    A strange but vaguely familiar sound, not unlike a small jet engine, sounded from above. ¡°Is that?...¡±


    ¡°Yep. Your girlfriend snores.¡±


    ¡°...Okay?¡±


    Niko collapsed back onto his pillow. ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nevermind. It¡¯s about six local time. You wanna go back to sleep or wake Ralia up?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Neither. Let¡¯s just chill until she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Fine with me.¡± Niko adjusted his position to be more comfortable, and pulled the comforter back up to cover his chest. Teromod was freezing at night, and Ralia didn¡¯t have the heater on very high. ¡°So, what did you think of our first day on Latia?¡±


    ¡°Some ups and downs. The statue was cool, but I was too freaked to take in much else during the afternoon. And dinner was...¡±


    Niko winced. ¡°Yeah, that was a little awkward. Do you think I was too harsh on Ralia?¡±


    Kelsen paused for a few moments. ¡°No. You were right. It¡¯s our choice to tell our parents or not.¡±


    ¡°Glad you think so. Still feel like I could have handled it better.¡±


    Shrugging, Kelsen burrowed into his own covers. ¡°I dunno. But I have been thinking...maybe...I should tell my parents. I get why you won¡¯t tell yours, but my parents aren¡¯t as bad. They¡¯re just kinda...overprotective.¡±


    Niko¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow, really? I mean, that¡¯s up to you, but I wouldn¡¯t. What if they did something crazy?¡±


    ¡°Like what? We¡¯re already here, and we¡¯re adults. There¡¯s not much they can do. And...maybe they should know.¡± They were both quiet for a minute. ¡°I dunno. I¡¯m gonna think about it today and then maybe send them a message tonight.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha.¡±


    Kelsen was quiet long enough that Niko assumed he had dozed off before he spoke again. ¡°Any idea what we¡¯re doing today?¡±


    ¡°Well...the museum and the old district sound interesting. I was thinking maybe we¡¯d hang out here this morning, then meet Pakos for lunch and all go to the museum, then the old district after? How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just...Pakos is kinda high energy.¡±


    Niko gave a wry smile. ¡°He is, at that. But if he¡¯s getting too much for you, I¡¯ll rein him in.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Niko leaned up on one elbow, and stared at Kelsen until their eyes met. ¡°I will. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. I believe you.¡±


    ¡°Good...hey, you hear that?¡±


    Kelsen listened. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Ralia must be awake.¡± Seconds later, their phones buzzed. Ralia had sent a message to their group chat, telling them she was awake but that they were free to sleep in all they wanted. Switching on his voice gear, Niko made sure Kelsen¡¯s own Earplugz were in before calling up to Ralia, ¡°Nah, we¡¯re already up. Just been lying here listening to you snore!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t snore!¡±


    Niko snickered. ¡°I¡¯ll record it next time. Anyway, we were talking about what we wanted to do today.¡± He caught her up to speed. ¡°Sound okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds great.¡±


    Breakfast that morning was simple, though its implementation was a little complicated. Ralia made some eggs and toast, and then painstakingly cut off some Moccan-sized portions for Kelsen and Niko. As they ate, they solidified their plans on where they¡¯d get lunch¡ªa nearby bistro that, of course, served Moccan customers¡ªand Niko fired off a few messages to Pakos on where to meet them. When they were finished, Ralia cleaned up quickly, largely ignoring her guests¡¯ offers to help. ¡°Appreciated, but I can scrub this pan in less than thirty seconds. It¡¯d take you an hour,¡± she said with a smirk.


    They all went back to the front room, where Niko demanded a look at Ralia¡¯s computer. She obliged, and Niko, and Kelsen to a lesser extent, spent the next hour inspecting it and comparing it to Moccan hardware. They were largely impressed; some Latian components still lagged a few years behind their Moccan counterparts, but others were surprisingly modern. Once their examination was complete, they all hung around the computer, Ralia showing off some of her top-notch video editing software. Although she worked in tech support, she made short videos and compilations as a hobby, and occasionally spoke of running some kind of video channel.


    ¡°What, like a vlog?¡± Niko had asked a while ago, somewhat derisively.


    Defensive, Ralia had shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe? Latian internet isn¡¯t quite as inundated with that stuff as Moccan internet is. And I was just thinking about it. Nothing serious.¡±


    To their surprise, Kelsen had encouraged it. ¡°You¡¯re good at editing, and your voice is perfect for it,¡± he¡¯d said. He¡¯d also chastised Niko for being so condescending, for which the mouse apologized. He admitted he still found it a little silly, but never again implied it wasn¡¯t a real job.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°Let¡¯s record something.¡±


    ¡°What, now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why not? I know you want to. And you¡¯ve got two attention-getters right here!¡± He pointed to himself and Kelsen, who seemed unamused. ¡°You want to start a channel, right? Making content for the internet? I mean, I know I was kind of a dick about it before, but being here, seeing all these people...I kinda get it. What better first video to have than an interview with two Moccans?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, but then immediately followed up with ¡°Do you really mean it?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡±


    They both turned to look at Kelsen.


    ¡°Do whatever you want. Just leave me out of it.¡±


    Ralia pouted and stared at him with begging eyes. ¡°Three questions?¡±


    There was a humorous silence as Kelsen¡¯s stubbornness slowly eroded. Eventually, at Niko¡¯s silent urging, he sighed. ¡°One question.¡±


    ¡°Two questions and a quick bit of all of us together!¡±


    ¡°...Uuuuugh. Fine.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m TwistedSphinx. I¡¯ve created a few videos and compilations before, but I suppose this is my true debut in creating content for the online world. As luck would have it, I¡¯m joined today by something you Latian viewers probably don¡¯t see a lot: two Moccans, in the flesh! Say hi, guys!¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Hi...¡±


    ¡°For this video, I¡¯m hosting a bit of an impromptu interview with my two friends and guests here. Can you two introduce yourselves? Online handles are just fine if you don¡¯t want to use your names.¡±


    ¡°Hey there! I¡¯m Niko, but I usually go by Lytle Mouz, or Pint-Sized Friend online. Sometimes just Pint.¡±


    ¡°...NightKnight47. Does that count as one of my two questions?¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°No it does not! Okay, Pint. First question: what¡¯s it like to be a Moccan on Latia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy! Everything is so massive. The buildings, the plants, the people. But, like, crazy good. I feel like a celebrity. I¡¯ve been here less than a full day, but I¡¯ve already seen a lot of cool stuff¡ªlike the statue of the Twins in Teromod¡ªand run into a lot of people! I haven¡¯t gotten to make any new friends yet, but I am sure I will, and I am looking forward to it!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for that answer! It sounded really genuine. Let¡¯s all hope Pint here gets to make some new friends while he¡¯s here! Now, Knight, what was the worst part about coming here? Be honest.¡±


    ¡°You really want me to answer that?¡±


    ¡°Of course! If you¡¯re comfortable doing so. If not, I can ask something else.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s...well, personally, I get overwhelmed pretty easily, so coming here has been terrifying. I stand out. People stare at me. I feel like I¡¯m less than a person.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some pretty heavy stuff, but thanks for telling us. Maybe it can help our Latian and Moccan viewers adjust to each other a little better.¡±


    ¡°Uh, also...¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I mean, on a less depressing note, the prep to get here sucks. My dad is a social worker, and I¡¯ve never seen so much paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    ¡°Dude, he is not kidding. It was terrible.¡±


    ¡°And then there were all the shots...getting vaccinated for Latian diseases.¡±


    ¡°Oh man, don¡¯t forget the oxygen exercises and the adjustments on the shuttle.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Thanks for reminding me!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! There you have it, Moccan viewers¡ªcoming to Latia is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of work! And Latian viewers, keep in mind that any Moccans here had to go through a lot just to visit us! That¡¯s dedication!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We Moccans may be small, but we¡¯re tough! How do you like my war face?¡±


    ¡°It makes me want to pet you and call you cute names, to be brutally honest.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªKe, er, Knight! I thought you were on my side!¡±


    ¡°I must tell the truth, no matter how painful it may be to hear.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, oh my god! That was pretty good, we¡¯re definitely using that.¡±


    ¡°Definitely. Okay, haha, okay, next question, Pint. What is life like on Moccs? At least, where you¡¯re from?¡±


    ¡°Well, I grew up in a smallish city¡ªjust under one hundred thousand people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s smallish on Moccs?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. I guess your cities are smaller. Uh...population wise, haha.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, usually. Go on.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, yeah. Where I¡¯m from, you¡¯re born, you go to school, you go to college or university, then you come back home, find a spouse, and start a family across the street from where you grew up. Uh, mostly. I¡¯m a bit of an outlier, but that¡¯s the common thing to do.¡±


    ¡°What makes you an outlier?¡±


    ¡°Well, a couple things. For one, I¡¯m a crazy Moccan that wanted to visit Latia!¡±


    ¡°Haha, of course. What else?¡±


    ¡°Well, I never really wanted a family. For starters, I¡¯m gay and¡ªwhat? What is that?¡±


    ¡°Just saying maybe you shouldn¡¯t¡ªhere, we¡¯ll cut this part out. Just, uh, maybe don¡¯t go into too much detail.¡±


    ¡°I mean, if you don¡¯t want me to. But I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just...uh...I¡¯ll explain later. Start again, but be a little more vague about not wanting to start a family. Okay, go.¡±


    ¡°Uhh...okay...Well, I never really wanted a family, so that was out. And for reasons, I don¡¯t live very close to my parents. I¡¯ve got one roommate and my job and my car and my friends, both Latian and Moccan, and that¡¯s enough for me!¡±


    ¡°I see! Thanks for the response. Okay, Knight, your turn again. This is kind of a double question, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! But what are your experiences with Latians so far, on and offline? How are you treated? And then, how would you like to be treated?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s big...thanks for giving me all the tough questions!¡±


    ¡°We can always¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s, it¡¯s fine. Um. Well, this is my first trip to Latia, and I¡¯ve only met a few Latians...there was a guy at the starport who was really nice, he kind of joked around and helped me feel a little less nervous...also met a friend of a friend, who¡¯s kinda...wait, is he going to see this?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°...Who is a very nice person and I am sorry I was mean.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, man, it¡¯s P¡ªit¡¯s him, he¡¯s not gonna get offended.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a little high energy, when I like to be more relaxed. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°But factoring in the size difference makes it a little tougher?¡±


    ¡°...I guess. Um. Ran into someone else in an elevator, and they kind of...invaded my personal space. And stared. I guess I want people to not do that. I¡¯m a person, not something to stare at.¡±


    ¡°Noted. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s online stuff, but I kind of lurk a lot, so there¡¯s not much to say. And you never really know who someone is online until you meet them, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Maybe I¡¯ll explain why that¡¯s funny to the viewers in a later video.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Um, other than that, there¡¯s only one other Latian I¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°There is?...Oh.¡±


    ¡°And she is a very nice person and a gracious host.¡±


    ¡°Aww! Thank you.¡±


    ¡°And she snores. Don¡¯t forget that part.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hush, Pint. Nobody asked you. And viewers, I most definitely do not! All right, I think we¡¯re nearing the end of this video. Not that we had a script...anyway! Freeform! Any last parting thoughts, especially as concern Latians and Moccans interacting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say, don¡¯t be afraid, and don¡¯t hold back! Anyone, no matter the size, is just another potential friend to make!¡±


    ¡°Aww! How sweet!¡±


    ¡°I guess all I have to say is, while he¡¯s right, give people the time and space they need. They might want to be friends too, and just have to take things a bit slower. That goes for anyone, not just Moccans.¡±


    ¡°And that was wise. As for me...be everything you can for your friends! Be kind, be smart, be wise, be whatever they need! There¡¯s nothing more important in life than friends and family. Okay, goodbye, dear viewers!¡±


    ¡°Later!¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Ralia sighed and leaned back in her chair as the recording ended. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you guys think?¡±


    Shrugging, Niko stretched. ¡°It was pretty good. Stilted at the beginning while we were still kinda finding our voices and styles, and then a little awkward when you had me revise, but overall decent. A nice little intro. You¡¯re gonna need to write at least a basic script for all the hundreds of other videos you post, though!¡±


    ¡°Ugh. I still have to edit this one, and between you guys and then work after you leave, it¡¯s going to take forever.¡±


    Niko looked up at her. ¡°So what was that about?


    ¡°Oh...¡± Ralia grimaced. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...okay, I hope this doesn¡¯t come out wrong. Niko, you know I love and support you and I¡¯d never be bothered by your life choices or who you are...¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t like where this is going.¡±


    ¡°Well...¡±


    Kelsen looked up from his phone. ¡°Wait, what? Is this about him being gay?!¡±


    ¡°Yes...I mean...not from me! I don¡¯t care at all. I mean, it doesn¡¯t bother me at all.¡±


    ¡°...Then what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how it is on Latia,¡± she said lamely.


    ¡°What is how what is? You¡¯re doing a terrible job of explaining.¡±


    Ralia sighed. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s like this. The technology gap is wide but closing pretty quick, right?¡±


    ¡°...Right?¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re still working on the culture gap. And that¡¯s going to close a lot slower. As it is...a lot of people still think being gay is wrong or whatever here on Latia.¡±


    A bemused look crossed Niko¡¯s face. ¡°Wait, seriously? What is this, the Dark Ages?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone! Not most people, even. But from what I can tell...a lot more than on Moccs.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Niko breathed. ¡°I always just assumed it was because it was the internet and everyone is a dick on the internet. But that¡¯s why I saw...certain words being tossed around so often.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Please tell me I¡¯m wrong: you don¡¯t want people to hate your videos, so you have me avoid mentioning I¡¯m gay?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it at all! I don¡¯t want people harassing you for it online.¡±


    ¡°Rails, that ship has sailed. It is gone. The...five-ish people on Moccs who still care send me and people like me hate mail all the time. Or, you know, two of them meet up on a street corner to hold up signs to remind us how much their god hates us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible!¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m used to it...actually, that sounds really defeatist. I¡¯m not bothered by it, I should say. It doesn¡¯t get to me. It¡¯s just the shitty opinion of a few eighty year old fuckwads. Who cares?¡±


    ¡°Well...here on Latia, it¡¯s different. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t be as open about it.¡±


    Niko gave Ralia a flat stare. ¡°I¡¯d much rather get stomped on by a bigoted Latian for being gay than hide in the closet like people had to decades ago.¡± Relenting, he shrugged again. ¡°But you¡¯re right about one thing; your vid is probably not the best place for me to talk about it. For now, at least.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°I guess this is as good a time to mention it as any: I like Pakos.¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean?...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Does he?¡±


    ¡°I...I don¡¯t know yet. I hope so. Would he come all the way to Teromod to see me if he didn¡¯t? I guess we¡¯ll find out. Maybe today.¡± Niko looked down at his phone. ¡°Speaking of, we should probably leave soon if we want to make it to lunch.¡±

 Chapter 4

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 4


    The bistro was okay but not great. The museum, on the other hand, was a blast for both Niko and Kelsen, as they got to learn all about Doxen¡¯s history, from battles to discoveries and more. There was even a new section all about Moccs and Latia meeting, and Doxen¡¯s pivotal role in the trade and travel between them increasing. They were all delighted to find that the docent in charge of the exhibit was actually a Moccan herself, and they spent a good while chatting with her and a few other interested patrons about coming to Latia. There were two kids in this group, but both were well behaved and asked Niko questions politely, clearly seeing him as a person and not a toy or museum piece. Kelsen was feeling a bit too shy to participate much, but he gave them a wave when they separated to check out the rest of the museum.


    The old district was more relaxing than anything. Due to the way the area was colored, the late afternoon sun made the buildings, many of which were already impressive design wise, become absolutely stunning. They held an old-school charm that none of the modern, mass-produced structures Niko and Kelsen were accustomed to could ever hope to even mimic, let alone match, and were of course on a scale barely even comprehensible to either. As they looked around, Ralia and Pakos told them exactly what they were looking at; some were old government buildings, constructed when Doxen officially became a democracy, while others were museums dedicated to subjects far more specific than the national history museum they¡¯d just been to, like the Museum of Aviation, or the Museum of Archaeology. Both Moccans had a passing interest in seeing those at some point as well, but knew it¡¯d have to wait for another day, or, more likely, another visit, seeing as they were only on Latia for a few days.


    As the sun set, they slowly walked away from the old district, talking animatedly. Even Kelsen was having a good time. He was still nervous, of course, but he wasn¡¯t hiding as much, and joined in the conversation from time to time.


    Pakos checked his phone. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be anywhere anytime soon. You guys have dinner plans?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Niko responded. ¡°Wanna find a place?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± They looked as they walked, though they also used their phones, searching for another restaurant that served Moccans as well as Latians. It took them a solid fifteen minutes to find one that way, and another twenty to walk there. On the way, Pakos asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s with you guys and walking? I like to be fit as the next guy, but there are buses in the city. And don¡¯t you have a car?¡±


    Ralia looked over. ¡°Well, taking public transportation is kinda complicated with Moccans. They don¡¯t take up a seat¡ªnecessarily¡ªbut they¡¯re still people on the bus or train or whatever. It¡¯s not entirely consistent between cities or even districts as to whether they have to pay, and that¡¯s an argument I¡¯d rather not get into. More importantly, what if we have to stand, and then the bus slams on the brakes? I¡¯d have one hand holding on for dear life, and the other trying to make sure these two didn¡¯t go flying.¡±


    Kelsen shuddered. ¡°Please don¡¯t put these images in my head.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry! I guess I should have just said it¡¯s a safety issue. But, third, lots of people aren¡¯t prepared to run into Moccans, and I think it¡¯d be weird to be in a confined space with someone who got surprised like that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You talking, like, xenophobes?¡±


    ¡°Well...sort of, I guess. Overall, I just want to be in control of the situation, you know?¡±


    Pakos chuckled. ¡°Ah. That part I get.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, go back.¡± Kelsen looked up at Ralia. ¡°Xenophobes? Like, racists? I mean, I guess I knew there¡¯d be some, but there¡¯s enough that we need to be worried?¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not. Especially if we¡¯re careful. Which we are. It¡¯s all right, Kel. No one¡¯s gonna do anything.¡±


    ¡°Remember all the people we¡¯ve seen,¡± added Niko. ¡°Most have been excited or interested to see us, and a bunch were even too shy! Hell, I¡¯m probably the only one who needs to worry, what with the apparent homophobes around here.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± said Pakos.


    ¡°Oh, we were doing a thing earlier, and Ralia told me that lots of people here on Latia are still hung up over who fucks who, like it¡¯s any of their business. Super weird compared to Moccs. Not sure how I never noticed it online, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see the best in people,¡± Pakos said, a little too gruffly. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re too nice for your own good, you know?¡±


    ¡°Heh. I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡±


    The conversation stalled for a moment as they ordered their food, but continued after they sat down. ¡°Anyway, Kel, trust us. We¡¯ll be fine. We honestly probably need to worry about Pakos and Ralia more than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you bet your ass.¡±


    Niko laughed. ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m more worried about your ass sitting on me by accident than I am of some racist breaking my kneecaps or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Careful what you wish for.¡±


    ¡°Oh, get a room, you two,¡± Ralia said, grinning.


    Pakos just laughed, but Niko muttered something under his breath to Kelsen, who snorted uncharacteristically. ¡°What? What¡¯d you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Come on, out with it!¡±


    Niko deactivated his Micz and turned to Kelsen, who followed his lead. ¡°Hey, man. You seem to be doing a lot better now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Well...are you comfortable with Ralia?¡±


    ¡°Mostly, why?¡±


    ¡°You think you can get by for a day or two without me?¡±


    ¡°I...maybe. Are you going to¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Niko muttered something to himself. ¡°C¡¯mon, gotta just do it. Just gotta say it. Just gotta try.¡± He seemed to be trying to psych himself up.


    ¡°Hey, if you think it¡¯ll make you happy...go for it,¡± said Kelsen.


    Meanwhile Pakos had cupped his paws around his mouth. ¡°Heyyy, Latia to Niko! Let us in on the joke!¡±


    Niko steeled himself and turned his Micz back on. ¡°I uh, I said...I said, ¡®Bitch, we might!¡¯¡±


    Pakos laughed, and Ralia seemed somewhat amused but more shocked. Pakos¡¯ laughter soon petered out, though, and he leaned back and eyed Niko. ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    Running a hand through the fur between his ears, Niko coughed once and went for it. ¡°Well, I mean, what are you doing¡ªwhat do you think if we¡ªyou got space for a Moccan in your apartment?¡±


    ¡°Dude, that was three different attempts, and you botched them all. Spectacularly.¡± Pakos¡¯ smile was sarcastic, almost biting, but eventually let up. ¡°How about this¡ªyou want to ride in my pocket for a while?¡±


    Niko gaped. ¡°I mean¡ªI¡¯d¡ªI want¡ªyes! Yes, let¡¯s try that. And, you know, see what happens.¡±


    ...


    After they¡¯d finished, they talked about what they might do next, as the night was still somewhat young. Pakos suggested they catch a movie¡ªthere was a popular Latian film in theaters that wouldn¡¯t be available to Moccans for months, and which Kelsen in particular was excited to see¡ªbut Ralia suggested they avoid it for now, for similar reasons to her wanting to avoid using public transportation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really the same,¡± Pakos argued. ¡°These aren¡¯t people on their way to work¡ªthey¡¯re there for the movie, same as we are. And everyone is going to be quiet, facing the screen¡ªI doubt anyone will even notice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be pretty dark in the theater,¡± offered Niko. ¡°And even if we¡¯re not taking up a seat, we¡¯ll buy tickets. So we¡¯ll have just as much right as anyone else to be there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±


    Kelsen looked up. ¡°I¡¯m willing to give it a try. If we¡¯re careful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, all right,¡± Ralia finally relented.


    They cleaned up their things, and then Ralia put her paw down on the table for Kelsen to climb. Pakos had other ideas, and simply scooped Niko up as soon as he seemed ready. ¡°Wow, shit, dude,¡± Niko said.


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t like that?¡± Pakos asked, setting Niko into his jacket pocket.


    ¡°No, I just¡ªa little warning next time?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. If you want to be a pussy about it.¡±


    Ralia raised an eyebrow and Kelsen frowned, but Niko just laughed. ¡°Yeah, sure. I¡¯m a total pussy because I want a little warning before someone picks me up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, exactly. A real man desires no warning.¡±


    ¡°So a real man has no concern for his own safety?¡±


    ¡°Exaaactly.¡± The two of them laughed again.


    It was a short walk to the theater. Both in line and at the ticket desk, Latians, including staff, stared at Kelsen and Niko, but thankfully no one said anything¡ªuntil they went to the concession stand, at Kelsen¡¯s request, because ¡°You can¡¯t go to the movies and not get popcorn.¡± Not that Kelsen often went to the movies, but when he did, he insisted on getting popcorn. However, unfortunately for him, they found that not only did the theater lack seats specifically for Moccans, it didn¡¯t make food for anyone their size, either. Ralia ended up getting a medium sized bag for sharing with him, but as the cashier¡ªa young looking badger¡ªhanded it over, he paused, staring at Kelsen. ¡°Uhhh...are they...Moccans?¡±


    Kelsen nodded shyly and sank down a few inches, and Pakos snorted. ¡°No, they¡¯re just really, really short.¡±


    The cashier was unmoved by the joke. ¡°I, uh, I dunno if Moccans are allowed.¡±


    Reaching over a little further than should have been necessary to take the popcorn, Ralia smiled, though Niko noticed it wasn¡¯t quite genuine. ¡°Do you have any specific rules, safety, or health concerns concerning Moccans at this establishment?¡±


    ¡°I...dunno.¡±


    She pressed harder, one hand coming up to shield Kelsen, who had completely retreated into her pocket at this point. ¡°Well, then, seeing as Moccans have been ruled by Doxen to share the same rights as Latians, I don¡¯t see why they wouldn¡¯t be allowed.¡± She glared at the cashier. ¡°Unless your worry is something more personal? You wouldn¡¯t have any misplaced concerns about who is and who is not allowed to patronize your establishment that a superior would need to hear about...would you?¡±


    The badger shifted back and forth, before looking down. ¡°Enjoy the movie,¡± he muttered.


    As they headed for the room their film was to be shown in, Niko whistled. ¡°Damn, Ralia, you scary,¡± he said with a chuckle.


    ¡°Hardly. But it was clear he had some personal issue with Moccans...what a jerk.¡±


    Pakos shared a look with Niko, but what he meant to convey with it was lost on the mouse. ¡°Hey, Kensen. Coast is clear now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kelsen.¡±


    ¡°Right. Did it again, huh? Anyway, don¡¯t be a wuss. Guys like that aren¡¯t worth your time.¡±


    Niko mockingly punched Pakos¡¯ chest. ¡°He¡¯s not a wuss. But hey, Kel, Pakos is right. That guy isn¡¯t worth worrying about.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Kelsen gave a wordless grunt from within Ralia¡¯s pocket, and didn¡¯t peek out until they¡¯d entered the actual theater and found their seats near the back. It was a good thing he didn¡¯t, as looking over the railing would have shown him a dizzying drop. It was hundreds of feet from the floor of the bottom step up to the ceiling. Not that the room seemed small from where they were; the room wasn¡¯t quite so large as a football field, but it was certainly massive, easily the largest single room the Moccans had seen on their visit so far, barring a few special rooms back at the museum.


    As they sat through commercial after commercial, other patrons entered and found their seats. One middle-aged tiger and his family sat down one row ahead, and as they took their seats, glanced at Niko and muttered to his wife, ¡°Didn¡¯t realize they allowed pets in here.¡± She laughed, and the kids, completely ignoring their parents, got up and began running around the theater, disturbing other moviegoers. Neither parent seemed worried.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Kelsen ducked back down, letting out an almost imperceptible whine, and Ralia gave the back of the man¡¯s head a severe look. Niko was opening his mouth to say something when Pakos laughed. Niko glowered at him. ¡°Wha¡ªdude, not funny!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little funny.¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s not!¡±


    ¡°Jeez, sorry. It hurt your feelings? You want me to show this guy a thing or two?¡±


    ¡°No. I can handle myself.¡± Niko raised his voice. ¡°They must allow pets, if your kids got in here, huh?¡±


    The man turned. ¡°What did you say, you little pest?!¡±


    ¡°Hey man, I¡¯m sitting here with my friends, waiting to watch a movie, minding my own business, and your rude ass comes in and takes a shot, while your kids start screaming and bothering everyone. Who¡¯s the worse pest?¡±


    The tiger stood, and Pakos stood as well. Ralia was clearly worried, but Pakos seemed...almost excited, as if interested how this would turn out. ¡°I won¡¯t be spoken to this way by a Moccan insect!¡±


    ¡°Mouse, actually, asshole. Did you lose your eyesight when you lost your manners? Or, wait, did you ever have either to begin with?¡±


    Ralia stood as well. ¡°Niko, maybe we should¡ª¡±


    Pakos cut her off, jeering. ¡°God damn, you¡¯re being told off by a Moccan smaller than your paw. How¡¯s it feel, old man?¡±


    In response, he jumped over his own seat and approached Pakos, stopping only a few inches away, looming over both Pakos and Niko, who put on a brave face despite looking like he regretted getting in over his head like this. ¡°Another word, and I¡¯ll knock you out cold and get rid of your mouthy little pet there,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± muttered Ralia, grabbed Pakos¡¯ arm and pulled him back. ¡°Guys, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Pakos sputtered. ¡°What? If he wants a fight, I¡¯ll give him one!¡±


    ¡°Not with Niko and Kelsen here! Come on. We¡¯re leaving. This is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about.¡±


    The tiger didn¡¯t follow, and on their way out, they stopped by the concession stand again, this time to report the tiger. When they asked the still irritated badger for a manager, he tapped his name badge.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Ralia, feeling dumb for not noticing earlier. But when she reported the situation, the badger just shrugged. ¡°Unless there was a physical altercation, I am not required to take any action.¡±


    ¡°He threatened our friend!¡±


    ¡°And you admitted to threatening him.¡±


    ¡°Standing up for my friend isn¡¯t the same as a threat, jackass,¡± said Pakos.


    ¡°So, what? You¡¯re not going to do anything at all?¡± The badger shrugged again. ¡°Fine then. We¡¯d like a refund for our tickets. Please.¡±


    ¡°Your dissatisfaction is by no means the fault of the theater. I am not required to grant your request.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Ralia muttered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go?¡± asked Kelsen from the bottom of her pocket.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, let¡¯s go. I think we¡¯re done here.¡±


    Outside, Pakos put his paws in his pockets. ¡°Well, that was shitty.¡±


    Niko hung his head. ¡°Sorry. That was totally my fault.¡±


    ¡°Hey, he¡¯s the one who was an asshole.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I escalated it. If I had just let it go, we could have watched the movie in peace.¡±


    ¡°Not too sure about that. The longer we were in the room with a guy like that, the more likely he is to lose it. Trust me.¡±


    Sighing, Niko shrugged. ¡°Yeah, maybe. At least we got out without a fight.¡± He scratched the back of his neck, still feeling guilty. ¡°Should we try anything else, or call it a night?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking we call it a night,¡± said Ralia, just a little coldly. ¡°Are you coming back with us, or going to Bonaco with Pakos?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um...¡± Niko was clearly embarrassed.


    ¡°He can crash with me.¡±


    ¡°...Thanks.¡±


    ¡°All right. What about your stuff?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um.¡± Niko reached under his jacket and took out a small bundle. ¡°Fresh clothes, charger, and a couple other things.¡± Pakos looked down at him, amused. ¡°What? You can¡¯t spend as much time around Kel as I do and not try to think ahead. Plus, this morning I was, uh...¡±


    ¡°You were what?¡±


    ¡°Never mind. Hey, Kel, Rails¡ªwe¡¯ll see you around, yeah? Hopefully grab food and find somewhere cool to be tomorrow.¡±


    Ralia nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch. And...don¡¯t do anything stupid, you two.¡±


    Pakos put a paw to his chest. ¡°Please! I am a paragon of wise decision-making.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± With a wave, she started heading home.


    ...


    Averting the temptation to simply drop onto the couch and slump, Ralia eased down onto it to avoid jostling her passenger, then carefully checked on him. Kelsen had been silent ever since he asked for them to leave the theater. She found him curled up at the bottom of her pocket, covering his head with his paws. At her opening the pocket, he glanced at her, then looked away. ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±


    She was genuinely surprised. ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Looming. Staring down at me. Like I¡¯m a thing.¡±


    ¡°Kel, honey, you know I¡¯d never think of you like that.¡±


    Kelsen trembled. ¡°Those guys at the theater did. Your neighbor did.¡± He paused for a minute. ¡°Pakos does, kinda.¡±


    ¡°Kel, those guys were jerks. Not worth thinking about. Next time we go out, we¡¯ll be more careful.¡± She sighed. ¡°But...I am worried about Niko. I still don¡¯t feel like I know Pakos very well. What if he¡¯s different in person than online? God, I hope we didn¡¯t just abandon Niko.¡±


    ¡°Before the theater...I told him to go for it. I thought I was being supportive. But after the theater...¡± Kelsen shifted. ¡°Am I a bad friend?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± As she had many times before, Ralia wanted nothing more than to scoop Kelsen up and nuzzle him half to death, to hold him and tell him everything would be okay. But she knew as well as Niko not to make Kelsen¡¯s anxiety worse by thrusting him into unfamiliar situations too quickly, and, especially now, it sounded like he was worried about the unfortunate physical power dynamic between Latians and Moccans. Not that she could blame him; she¡¯d been afraid of the tiger herself, and could hardly imagine what must have been going through Niko¡¯s mind, let alone Kelsen¡¯s.


    ¡°Kel, honey, it¡¯s hard to know if letting him go with Pakos was a good idea or not, but it was his choice. For now all we can do is be here and be willing to help if, god forbid, anything goes wrong. And as for the others...some people are going to be like that. It¡¯s not something we can change overnight.¡± She peeked at him. He was no longer trembling, but clearly distressed. ¡°Kel...can I pick you up, please? I promise I will be very gentle and careful.¡±


    ¡°I...I dunno...wh-what are you gonna do?¡±


    ¡°I just want to talk to you, face to face.¡± She gave him a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard to hear you, all muffled down there.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I...okay, just...take it slow.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Opening her pocket wide with one paw, she cautiously reached in and curled her fingers around him, waiting until she had him in a good grip and position¡ªone in which he was basically half sitting, half laying down in her paw¡ªto lift him out. He seemed torn between wanting to withdraw into himself and wanting to hang on for dear life; it would have been a bit cute if she wasn¡¯t sad to see him upset. ¡°You¡¯re okay. I¡¯ve got you.¡±


    Slowly, ever so slowly, she brought him up to roughly face height, and smiled. For his part, Kelsen started to calm down, just a little bit. But then she shifted¡ªnot entirely on purpose, only to get more comfortable in a position that required her to hold a paw up to her eyes¡ªand that jostled Kelsen, and brought him too close to her face.


    Kelsen panicked. He started struggling in her paw, which was holding him very loosely in the first place, and managed to roll over the edge. In a slight panic herself, Ralia reached to catch him in her other paw, but being gripped like that only made things worse. He struggled harder, hurting himself in the process. ¡°Let go! LET ME GO! Please!¡± His desperation was painful to hear. Bringing up her other paw, she did her best to make sure he was secure without being so tight as to prompt him to struggle, and she jumped off the couch and leaned down towards the Moccan room she¡¯d furnished for him and Niko. ¡°Here, here, Kelsen! You¡¯re okay! It¡¯s me! You¡¯re all right!¡± Placing her paws in front of the room, she released him. ¡°Here, will this make you feel better?¡±


    He fell, rolled, tumbled, and staggered to his feet, then dashed inside and slammed the door behind him¡ªas far as he could slam the cheap plastic, anyway. Ralia heard the beginning of a sob, and then couldn¡¯t hear anything at all. Feeling awful, she slumped against the couch. A minute or so later, her phone sounded, then again and again. She took it out, and saw three messages from Kelsen.


    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.


    ...


    Pakos hailed a cab to get himself and Niko back to his place. Pakos spent most of the ride on his phone, saying little, and Niko stared out the window, trying to still his heartbeat. He¡¯d done it¡ªsort of, anyway. He¡¯d managed to get some time alone with Pakos. And the way Pakos went along with it, it seemed that he had similar feelings. Hopefully, they¡¯d get to know each other a lot better over the next few days. Perhaps they could even work up to some of the ¡®quality physical contact¡¯ Ralia had joked about sharing with Kelsen.


    Niko leaned back against Pakos¡¯ chest. The jacket pocket he half stood, half sat in was warm, and he could hear Pakos¡¯ heartbeat if he listened close enough. He closed his eyes and focused on it, letting it drown everything else out, leaving him alone with the steady drum and his thoughts.


    In a way, going with Pakos was potentially dangerous; he had only known the guy online before this trip. But he¡¯d always sensed something beneath the wolf¡¯s lazy, almost condescending sarcasm¡ªa sort of intensity, a longing for a certain kind of emotional contact with someone, and Niko felt the same way. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to be dependent on a Latian; rather, he wanted to be able to depend on them. And, if he was correct, Pakos didn¡¯t want to care for him; he wanted to care about him.


    It was a little weird, a little different, but was it so crazy? Moccans and Latians could be that with people their respective sizes, too. This was just more...pronounced. Less subtle. And if it made the two of them happy, who cared what anyone else thought? The same could be said for Latia¡¯s apparent homophobia.


    It was strange to consider that being gay was thought of as wrong by any more than a few fringe weirdos. Like he¡¯d stepped into the past, and had to fight that battle all over again, as people had had to decades and centuries ago. What was next? Arbitrary sexism? Speciesism? Would someone say he and Pakos didn¡¯t belong together because Pakos had fangs and he didn¡¯t? It seemed crazy.


    Pakos moved, and woke Niko from his introspection. Only then did he realize that they had arrived, and Pakos was getting out of the cab. They¡¯d stopped in front of an apartment building that was far different from Ralia¡¯s; while hers was all indoors, these apartments were outdoors, and the only way to reach the higher floors was via the stairs. All in all, it seemed far older.


    ¡°Better buckle up,¡± Pakos said with a grin as he began climbing. Every step jostled Niko in the pocket, and by the sixth step, he had completely lost his balance and was sprawled on the bottom. Still, the shaking continued. ¡°What, are you having a bad time?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t¡ªyou¡ªtake it¡ªa little¡ªslower?¡±


    ¡°Nah. We¡¯re almost there, anyway.¡± The tremors finally stopped, and Niko clumsily made his way to his feet, hanging on to the pocket¡¯s edge with a vice grip.


    Inside, Pakos¡¯ apartment was certainly more cluttered than Ralia¡¯s. There were some cast off clothes in the main room, and the kitchen counter was covered in papers, magazines, and electronics. The sink was full of unwashed dishes. The couch was scarred and beaten, and missing a cushion. Niko tried not to judge; he suspected his apartment would look somewhat similar if Kelsen wasn¡¯t such a neat freak.


    To his surprise, Pakos headed straight for the bedroom. Flicking on the light, he emptied his pockets on the nightstand next to his bed. Unlike the front room and kitchen, the bedroom was mostly tidy, except for the bed being unmade and for the random sock in the corner, which had missed the laundry basket next to it. Without a word of warning, Pakos reached into his pocket and plucked Niko out.


    ¡°Dude!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Niko shifted, making himself more comfortable in Pakos¡¯ paw. ¡°I know we were joking about it before, but you seriously need to tell me before you up and grab me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I am a person, and you are picking me up unexpectedly. And I asked you not to.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sheesh. Sorry. I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I wanted.¡±


    Pakos set him down on the floor. ¡°Anyway, bathroom¡¯s over there if you want.¡± He nodded toward the room¡¯s other doorway and started shrugging off his jacket.


    ¡°Oh. Um. Shit, I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±


    Pakos took off his shirt next, apparently intent on changing. ¡°Check it out. You might be surprised.¡±


    Puzzled, Niko did as he said, and inside the bathroom, found a small Moccan-sized room¡ªmore of a shack, really¡ªagainst the same wall as the Latian-sized sink and toilet. ¡°Wait, you have one too?¡±


    ¡°Just the bathroom. I had...someone else staying with me for a while. But he left.¡±


    ¡°Another Moccan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Duh. Anyway, had that installed while he was here.¡±


    ¡°He not around anymore?¡±


    ¡°No. He had to go. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    A minute or so later, Niko was shaking his hands dry and exiting the bathroom when he saw Pakos¡ªmore specifically, he saw Pakos in his underwear. ¡°Wow,¡± he said, mostly trying to avert his eyes. ¡°You sure like to get comfortable when you¡¯re at home.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Pakos turned to regard him, staring down with surprising intensity. ¡°Why are your clothes still on? We doing this or what?¡±


    ¡°Doing...this?¡±


    ¡°What are you, twelve? Do I gotta spell it out? This was your idea.¡±


    Niko¡¯s ears turned bright red. ¡°O-oh, oh. Wait. Hold on.¡± He found himself overwhelmed. He had wanted to get to know Pakos better, but this¡­


    ¡°The fuck do you mean hold on? Take off your pants and get over here.¡±


    Niko hadn¡¯t thought he could blush deeper, but somehow, it happened. ¡°W-wait. Pakos, man, I think you uh, I think you misunderstood. I wanted to come hang out, yeah, but this is...not what I was implying.¡±


    ¡°Implying? You literally asked me to take you home. And here we are. It doesn¡¯t get any more blatant than that.¡±


    ¡°I-I just meant we should hang out more, like, one on one! Get to know each other better now that we¡¯re in person. I mean, maybe I could see something like this somewhere down the line, but not yet!¡±


    The look Pakos gave him was chilling. ¡°You¡¯ve been flirting all day, and you as good as asked me if I wanted to fuck, and now it¡¯s all a misunderstanding? Really? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going with?¡±


    Niko sighed. ¡°It really was. Pakos, I like you. A lot. And I could see us being...intimate, sometime in the future. But I¡¯m not ready for that. It¡¯s too much. I only know the Pakos online. I want to get to know the real you.¡±


    There was a tense silence. ¡°Fine. That¡¯s cool, I guess. But I¡¯m tired as fuck. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± He sat at the edge of the bed, then held his paw out. ¡°Is sleeping on the pillow next to me too much for you?¡±


    ¡°N-no.¡± Niko stepped forward, and allowed himself to be lifted up and set on the pillow. Pakos quickly turned out the light and lay down, and seemed to fall asleep within minutes. But Niko found himself staring at the ceiling long into the night.


    What have I gotten myself into?

 Chapter 5

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 5


    After crying himself to sleep, Kelsen woke up in the middle of the night. He couldn¡¯t hear Ralia, and didn¡¯t know if that meant she¡¯d gone to sleep in her bedroom, or if she was just lying on the couch, awake. Either way, he was far too terrified to peek out and check, or, worse, text her back after the night before. After his threefold apology, she¡¯d tried talking to him softly, telling him she wasn¡¯t mad, asking him to please come out. But he couldn¡¯t. After a while, she resorted to texting him instead, clearly hoping that he¡¯d respond on a different, less demanding medium. Still, it was too much, and eventually she¡¯d left him alone, to sob into his pillow and ask himself, over and over, what was wrong with him, and why he had to be this way¡ªweak, scared, pathetic.


    Niko was the only one who knew the extent of his own self-hatred. He had trouble in school, could rarely find work that he was able to do, and was too fearful to break out of his shell. Even now, he was largely dependent on support from his parents and Niko. Niko and Ralia were his only real friends. All he did was play video games, listen to music, and hide away from the world.


    He couldn¡¯t be more of a loser.


    He¡¯d hoped that coming to Latia would change him, would make him a better person, a worthier person, someone he didn¡¯t have to hate. At first, it had seemed like he was getting better. He¡¯d managed to go out in public a few times, even if it was with two friends to anchor him. Things had seemed promising.


    But then he¡¯d fucked it up. One wrong move from Ralia, and he¡¯d panicked. Things were ruined between them. Ralia wasn¡¯t the type to hate, but now she¡¯d never look at him with anything but pity. How could they have any kind of relationship when she had to do everything, anyway? He was just a liability to her. Like he was to everyone.


    Briefly, he realized that he was going into a spiral of depression, and knew that Niko was the only one who would really understand, who could help him right now. But Niko was gone. He wanted to be with Pakos more than he wanted to be with Kelsen. That was fair. Who would want to be around him? Niko was probably more than sick of picking up the slack in Kelsen¡¯s emotional life.


    Kelsen took out his phone and looked at his contacts. Niko¡¯s name was right there. He could call. Hope Niko picked up. Hope Niko could talk him down.


    No. Niko had chosen to leave. To live his own life. Kelsen couldn¡¯t ruin that, like he¡¯d already ruined everything else. He scrolled, and found his mother¡¯s phone number, and their recent text conversation. She had asked about how he was doing in Decegrad, and he¡¯d lied and said things were calm, that he was having fun with Niko. Paws shaking, he began typing a new message.


    I think I made a big mistake. Niko is gone and I ruined everything and I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m sorry.


    Although it was near the crack of dawn in Brenn, his mother called him almost immediately. He didn¡¯t answer. I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t talk right now.


    Where are you right now? Text me the address and we¡¯ll come pick you up.


    And then Are you hurt? What happened? Where is Niko?


    Tears sprang to his eyes, though he managed not to sob like before. Here he was, making things worse, like always. I¡¯m not in Decegrad. I¡¯m not even in Salica. I¡¯m far away. I lied. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.


    Just tell us where you are. We¡¯ll get you home.


    He rocked back and forth. Should he tell them? Could he tell them? They¡¯d worry, and then there¡¯d be nothing they could do. He¡¯d already made them upset.


    I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t right now. I just need someone to talk to. I¡¯m so alone here.


    Walk us through it. What happened? Where is Niko? He¡¯s not answering.


    Of course they¡¯d already called Niko. Half the time, when things went wrong, they talked to Niko instead of him. All three of them talking about what to do about Kelsen, what was best for Kelsen. Just another sign of how much of a failure he was.


    We were staying with a friend, but Niko left with his other friend. Now I¡¯m alone with her and I just can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t even talk to her.


    Niko just left you there?


    I told him to. I thought I could handle it. I was wrong.


    Kelsen, please tell us where you are. We need to get you home.


    I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too much.


    Who are you staying with? Let us talk to her.


    I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll try to talk to you later. I should go to sleep.


    Kelsen, don¡¯t block us out. Tell us what¡¯s going on.


    He left that message on read and went back to sleep.


    ...


    Ralia spent a restless night on the couch, going over and over the previous night in her head. What could she have done differently? Not picked him up, for a start. But she couldn¡¯t just leave him in her pocket forever.


    Clearly, Kelsen wasn¡¯t quite ready to be separated from Niko. Not in such new and intimidating surroundings. She considered texting Niko and asking him to come back, or for advice, but eventually decided against it. Niko would come back when he was ready. In the meantime, she would step up and fill the void he left.


    If she could. The size difference was already a huge factor preventing her from doing so. Add to that Kelsen not knowing her in person for long and his being alone on a planet of aliens¡ªmuch larger aliens¡ªand it might be impossible. But she had to try. When morning finally came¡ªafter a few bursts of fitful sleep where she continued to agonize over how to approach the situation¡ªshe rolled off the couch and forced herself to perform her normal morning routine.


    When she was done, she began making breakfast, and texted Kelsen that it would be ready soon. He hadn¡¯t responded the night before, but perhaps things had been too raw. She was hopeful when her phone buzzed, but her ears fell flat when she read Not hungry. Sorry.


    Well, she would simply have to keep trying. She put aside a portion for him, to heat up later if he changed his mind, and ate alone.


    ...


    Late morning found Pakos and Niko back in Teromod. They¡¯d discussed their plans for the day earlier that morning, and were civil but not quite friendly. Things were still tense from the night before, and Niko was doing his best to move past it. When Pakos suggested they visit some of the museums they¡¯d missed before, he readily agreed. He even agreed that it would be just the two of them, as neither Kelsen nor Ralia had messaged either of them about the day, and Pakos said it would work out for the ¡®getting to know each other¡¯ Niko had mentioned. Niko had found the missed call from Kelsen¡¯s mother strange, but was too distracted by his current situation to call back.


    Things started off well enough. The Museum of Aviation was fascinating; initially, the pioneers of Latian flight had gone a totally different route than Moccs when it came to approaching the problem of getting airborne. The Museum of Archeology was all right, but Pakos seemed bored with it, while Niko was trying to pay attention and learn about all the similarities and differences in their respective histories.


    Worse, they received a great deal of stares, far different than those that had been directed towards them when Ralia and Kelsen had been around. Niko tried not to think about why, and did his best to be cheerful and friendly, but found that it was hard without Kelsen around. He¡¯d spent so long knowing that he was Kelsen¡¯s anchor and support that he¡¯d never fully realized that Kelsen was playing an important role in his life as well. They¡¯d never been apart for long since grade school, other than Niko¡¯s unfortunate forced visits to his parents, where he¡¯d always chalked up his poor mood to their verbal and psychological abuse. But maybe, in order to keep up his optimism, he needed Kelsen as much as Kelsen needed him.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ...


    After breakfast, Ralia took care of some work business on her computer, mostly just making sure her boss hadn¡¯t tried to foist any extra work on her during her week off, and then browsed the internet for a bit. She hoped that giving Kelsen some more time would help, but worried that this wasn¡¯t something time would solve. After an hour or two, she sighed, and went over to the small Moccan dwelling.


    This time, instead of saying anything, she carefully laid down next to it on her back, and stared up at the ceiling. She began to hum one of Kelsen¡¯s favorite songs, one they¡¯d sung together a hundred times, loudly enough for him to hear, but not so loud she¡¯d be overly disturbing him if his Earplugz weren¡¯t in and active.


    After she¡¯d gone through it three times, her phone buzzed. It was Kelsen.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    Holding back her frustration, she typed back. You have nothing to be sorry for. I should be sorry for not being careful enough and startling you.


    It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s mine for being like this.


    Please don¡¯t think like that. It¡¯s not your fault. Kelsen, I¡¯m not mad, or disappointed, or anything. Just a little sad, because I miss you. If you can¡¯t come out, please at least talk to me.


    ¡°...What do you want me to say?¡±


    She perked up. He was quiet, and sounded more upset than she¡¯d ever heard him, but he¡¯d spoken. ¡°Just anything. Tell me what¡¯s wrong. Tell me how I can help.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. No one can. Only Niko, and he left.¡±


    ¡°What does Niko normally do to help?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Kelsen seemed caught off guard by the question. ¡°He knows what to say. To make me feel less like...¡± He paused.


    ¡°Less like what, Kel?¡±


    ¡°...Less of a burden on everyone.¡±


    She¡¯d known of Kelsen¡¯s deep melancholy and sometimes depression over his anxiety, but he¡¯d never been so blunt about how he felt before. ¡°Kel, you¡¯re not...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡± His response was sudden and passionate. ¡°You know it¡¯s true! I know it¡¯s true! Everyone knows! I¡¯ve been nothing but a burden my whole life! My parents, Niko, the government. Now you. Everyone¡¯s nice, everyone¡¯s understanding, but they¡¯re still above me, because I¡¯m nothing but a liability, someone to take care of! It was always true on Moccs, but here on Latia it¡¯s much more...obvious. I¡¯m worthless!¡±


    Ralia blinked back tears. How could she never have realized just how badly he was hurting? ¡°Kelsen, please, listen to me. You are not a liability. You are not a burden. You are my friend.¡±


    ¡°It can be both.¡± From the sound of his voice, it seemed he was crying again now as well. ¡°It¡¯s worse when it¡¯s both. I¡¯ve been stealing away Niko¡¯s life as long as I¡¯ve known him.¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not true. Kelsen, my life is better for having you in it. I know Niko thinks so too. You are kind and wise and strong. You are so much stronger than you think you are. How many Moccans are brave enough to come to Latia? To leave everything they know behind and go somewhere all new, all strange, all huge? You did that, Kelsen. You¡¯re here. Even if things seem hard, you made it here.¡± She paused for a moment, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Remember when my dad was in the car wreck, and he had to go to the hospital, and they wouldn¡¯t let me back with him, and I had to stay out in the waiting room? You stayed up with me all night and kept me from losing my mind with worry. You kept me sane. You weren¡¯t a burden. You helped me during one of the most difficult days of my life. And it¡¯s not just big stuff like that. You make me smile every day. When I have a bad day, I know I can count on you to make everything better just by being there. No matter what your anxiety is telling you, no matter where your thoughts go when you¡¯re depressed, it¡¯s wrong. You bring joy to my life, Kelsen. I love you.¡± She¡¯d said it out loud before, but never with so much conviction.


    When Kelsen continued to stay silent, she spoke again. ¡°I know you don¡¯t feel ready, but please, come out. Come be with me, and we can face what¡¯s bothering you together.¡±


    The next few moments seemed to drag on for hours, but eventually, the door to the Moccan house opened. Kelsen shuffled out slowly, rubbing his eyes. Ralia glanced at him, but did not move from where she was. Kelsen walked over between her and the shelter, and then lay down on the carpet as well, eyes staring straight up. After a few minutes, he spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Kelsen...¡±


    ¡°For yelling. I should have never yelled at you. You don¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°If you feel bad about it, then I forgive you.¡±


    Another minute of quiet passed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change what I said, though. It feels like all I do is drag people down. I hate it. I hate me.¡±


    ¡°Can you try to tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m different. I¡¯m wrong. I¡¯m always afraid of everything and everyone. Going out in public terrifies me. Talking to strangers is an ordeal. I can barely get anything done. Everyone else gets along fine, but I struggle to do the most basic stuff.¡± He sniffed. ¡°I can hardly work, so my parents had to pay for my tuition. I can barely focus, so my grades suck. Half the time I¡¯m lost in my own head, and only Niko can get me out. He spends half his time, half his life just stopping me from losing it. He¡¯s the only reason I even made it this far.¡±


    Ralia restrained herself from reaching over and pulling him into an embrace. ¡°Well, you got two things right.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You are different. You¡¯re kinder and wiser than anyone else our age. You think a lot more, too. And that¡¯s both good and bad. You¡¯re thoughtful, but sometimes you think too much, about the things that can go wrong. And you are wrong¡ªabout yourself. Kelsen, most people are afraid of things. I hate needles and doctors, because they terrify me. I don¡¯t like driving, because I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll get in a crash, ever since my dad got hit. But I go to the doctor when I need to, and drive when I need to. Fear doesn¡¯t make you weak. Facing your fears makes you brave.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t face my fears. I am weak.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯ve seen. Like I said, I think coming to Latia was incredibly brave. And since you got here, we¡¯ve been out in public quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°I was hiding the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Not the whole time. And even when you were, you were still there. You¡¯ve talked to several strangers since coming here. And you¡¯re clearly afraid of me, but you¡¯re around me all the time, and you¡¯re making an effort to overcome it.¡±


    ¡°No...¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are!¡±


    ¡°No, I mean...I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡±


    Ralia glanced over and gave him a sad smile. ¡°Sorry, but it was pretty clear last night.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°Can you try?¡±


    Sighing, he did. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you like I¡¯m afraid of, like, Pakos, or that tiger at the theater. I know you. You¡¯re my friend. I know you wouldn¡¯t hurt me.¡± He paused, and she prompted him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to touch you. Because then it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s real?¡±


    ¡°The size difference. Online, I could forget. Even since I got here, sometimes, I can forget about it. But not when we touch. When we touch, it¡¯s real. You¡¯re big, and I¡¯m small.¡± He choked back a sob. ¡°We¡¯re doomed.¡±


    ¡°What on Latia do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be...what I wanted to be, when we¡¯re so different. We can only be friends. At best.¡±


    ¡°You...you¡¯re afraid to touch me because then you have to think about how big I am, and that makes you think we can never be intimate with each other?¡±


    He flushed. ¡°Yeah. I guess.¡±


    She regarded him sternly, rising to lean on one elbow. ¡°Kelsen! You said you¡¯re not afraid. I am going to pick you up. I am going to touch you. And I am going to show you how real it is.¡±


    ¡°No, wait...¡±


    She sat up and reached a paw towards him, and then stopped, inches away. ¡°Trust me. Please.¡±


    He froze, staring at her outstretched paw, and then started breathing rather quickly. It was clear from his face that he was thinking furiously. Probably overthinking. But after a few moments, he closed his eyes. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Finally, then, she did what she¡¯d wanted to do since they¡¯d met, though slowly and carefully. She picked him up and brought him over to her face, bringing up her other paw as well, and gently hugged him to her cheek. ¡°This is real. We are together, and it is real. I feel you close to me, and it¡¯s the most real thing I¡¯ve ever experienced. We¡¯re different. It¡¯s true. But we¡¯re better together like this.¡±


    He began to tremble, and for a moment, she feared she¡¯d gone too far. But then he grabbed onto her with both paws, and began to sob, clinging to her more desperately than he¡¯d run from her the night before. She found tears in her eyes as well; they mixed with Kelsen¡¯s to dampen her cheek. But, like Kelsen, she wasn¡¯t crying because she was sad. It was an outpouring of emotion at finally feeling the embrace they¡¯d each longed for for so long.

 Chapter 6

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 6


    Things weren¡¯t going so well with Niko and Pakos. For all he¡¯d said that their outing would bring them closer together, the Latian wolf had barely spoken to Niko all day, and when he had, he¡¯d been short with him, and constantly disparaged every choice the mouse made.


    After the museums, they¡¯d gone back to the old district, but whether it was the time they¡¯d gone or just Niko¡¯s poor mood, it wasn¡¯t quite as spectacular as before. They¡¯d walked around for perhaps thirty minutes before Niko sighed and suggested they just go back to Pakos¡¯ place.


    ¡°And do what?¡± Pakos had asked.


    ¡°I dunno. Just hang out? We can watch something, or play Demon Hunters or something. I dunno, man. I¡¯m just not having a great time out here.¡±


    ¡°Like you even tried,¡± Pakos muttered as he turned to take Niko home. Niko didn¡¯t have anything to say to that, and instead tried to distract himself with his phone. ¡°What, you¡¯re just gonna ignore me now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He looked up. ¡°No, sorry, I wasn¡¯t trying to ignore you. Did you want to talk about something?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Forget it! I said nevermind!¡± Pakos snapped.


    Back at Pakos¡¯ apartment, he flopped onto the couch and flipped on his TV, turning on some fantasy show about knights slaying dragons. Kelsen might have liked it, but Niko, with his predilection for science fiction, wasn¡¯t particularly interested, especially when he¡¯d prefer something about befriending the dragons instead. He didn¡¯t say anything, though. It was Pakos¡¯ house, after all, and he could watch whatever he wanted.


    When it was over, Pakos stood and stretched, and headed for his bedroom. Inside, he started to reach into his pocket for Niko.


    ¡°Pakos!¡±


    Pakos rolled his eyes. ¡°God! May I pick you up? Fucking drama queen.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And you don¡¯t have to be a dick about it.¡±


    Pakos scoffed as he picked Niko up and set him on the floor, then took off his jacket and threw his keys and phone on the nightstand. ¡°Whatever. Look, we gave it more time and hung out one on one, like you wanted. Can we get on with this or what?¡±


    ¡°On with...Pakos, I wanted to spend time together to get to know each other better. But all we did was bicker all day. No, we¡¯re not doing anything like that.¡±


    ¡°So now it¡¯s my fault? I did what you wanted! It¡¯s about time you did what I wanted. You owe me!¡±


    Niko was taken aback. ¡°The fuck? That is not how that works! Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like a total psycho!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking call me that! I¡¯ve been nothing but nice since you got here! I took you places, I paid for you, I let you into my home, and I want one thing!¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, you¡¯re acting like a lunatic! I¡¯m starting to see why your other ¡®friend¡¯ left!¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Without warning, Pakos stepped forward and kicked Niko, who went flying into the wall, bounced off, and hit the ground, aching and stunned. Pakos¡¯ eyes went wide, and his voice shook slightly. ¡°I...look what you fucking made me do! Fuck, fuck...get up!¡± He leaned forward and down, trying to get a better look at Niko, who raised his head just a bit, still dazed. ¡°You¡¯re fine, you¡¯re all right! Stop faking!¡±


    Niko tried to get up, but groaned and rolled over, holding his ribs. ¡°I...don¡¯t...dizzy. Hurts.¡±


    Pakos reached down and picked him up, ignoring his cry of pain. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re fine. Just...lie down. You¡¯re not really hurt.¡± He set Niko on his extra pillow.


    Niko couldn¡¯t concentrate enough to even be frightened or angry; the room spun around him, and soon he closed his eyes, asleep or perhaps simply unconscious.


    ...


    Ralia held Kelsen for a long time, and when she finally lifted him away from her face, it seemed that a barrier had been broken. He was no longer terrified of her touch. They moved to the couch and put on a movie they¡¯d each seen multiple times before, less to pay attention to than to have something familiar and comforting on in the background while they enjoyed each other¡¯s company. She sat on the couch, and rather than sit next to her or in her pocket, Kelsen sat in her lap, leaning comfortably back into her stomach.


    ¡°I texted my parents this morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°It...wasn¡¯t good. I was really upset and couldn¡¯t really get my thoughts together. I think I just made them worry.¡±


    She hummed. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t try and tell you what to do, but you could call them now and tell them you¡¯re doing better. You are doing better?¡±


    ¡°I...I am. I¡¯m still worried and anxious and I don¡¯t know how everything¡¯s going to work out...but now I¡¯m thinking, maybe there¡¯s a chance it will, instead of being sure it won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a start.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. Um...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m...ready to call them. But I¡¯ll send them a message that I¡¯m safe.¡±


    She settled her paw next to him, and rubbed his shoulder with a finger. ¡°Safe? What did you tell them before?¡±


    ¡°Er...that I wasn¡¯t in Decegrad, and that I wasn¡¯t with Niko. I didn¡¯t say much more than that, though.¡±


    Sighing, she shook her head. ¡°Kel, I know you didn¡¯t mean for it, but that¡¯s just going to make them worry.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± His phone buzzed, and he tapped at it. ¡°I told them I¡¯m okay and that I¡¯ll call them tomorrow. Do you think...uh.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Would it be okay with you if we call them together? I want to be honest with them.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Actually, I think it¡¯ll be nice to meet your parents. How about we give them a video call?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, okay.¡±


    ¡°And...¡± She paused, unsure how accepting he¡¯d be of her idea. ¡°Maybe, if it¡¯s okay with you, we call my parents after. I know they want to meet you, and this way you can get to know them a little without having to see them in person.¡±


    He thought for a little while, resting his arm on her finger. ¡°All right. We can give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Great! Now come here. I want some more cuddles before bed.¡±


    ...


    Niko spent a strange night moving in and out of consciousness. One moment, he was awake, looking up at Pakos¡¯ face, full of frustration and a hint of worry. The next, he was dreaming about running down a long hall; at the other end, a faceless Latian chased Kelsen towards him, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn¡¯t get to his friend in time, and the Latian moved to stomp on Kelsen. Then he was in the dark, and Pakos was next to him on the bed, asleep. He tried to move, and found he could, though his chest was stiff and hurt if he twisted too much. He lay back down, and was almost instantly dreaming again, this time of his parents. ¡°I told you, those Latians are no good,¡± his father said gravely. ¡°We¡¯re just not meant to mix. You need to come home so we can set you straight. No Latians, no fangs, and none of your queer attention-seeking nonsense!¡± He tried to argue back, but couldn¡¯t speak, and then the dream was gone, and he was sleeping so deeply that he did not dream, or at least could not remember any more dreams the next morning.


    ...


    After being smothered by Ralia, Kelsen had retired to the small Moccan house, and she to the couch, but he couldn¡¯t sleep. Thoughts and emotions swirled through his head. On one hand, nothing had really changed. He was still a dependent loser. Still had few if any prospects. Still that same person he was used to hating.


    But something was different now. Part of it was Ralia¡¯s pep talk; he doubted even she had any idea the impact it had had on him. She¡¯d said many of the things Niko would, and a few things he wouldn¡¯t, or couldn¡¯t. And she clearly cared about him, cared deeply. Maybe, if she loved him that much, there was something in him worth loving. And if there was something in him worth loving...maybe he could be more. He was trying, wasn¡¯t he? He did come to Latia. He did have that data entry job. His grades weren¡¯t great, but he was doing his best, and he was definitely learning.


    As for his relationships...well, he was definitely still a vampire, leeching off the positive emotions of Niko and Ralia and his parents in order to have some semblance of positivity himself. But maybe he could work on that? Work on being more supportive, on being less needy? It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but maybe he could try. With Niko and Ralia behind him...maybe he could make some progress.


    He knew that Ralia¡¯s love and support wasn¡¯t a cure-all, and it certainly didn¡¯t change the ¡®facts¡¯ in his life. But it made him feel like they could be changed, with great effort. And feeling like change was difficult but possible was a huge improvement over being sure that nothing would ever change.


    He nodded resolutely to himself. He would try. He would try to be better, every day. And even if it was hard, and even if some days it felt like he made no progress at all...he had Niko and Ralia to rely on. Having made up his mind about that, he decided on something else, too, and got out of bed, grabbing his pillow.


    It was dark, but he was able to navigate out and over to the couch, where he looked up. Ralia lay there with her eyes closed, both arms under the blanket she¡¯d covered herself with, though she wasn¡¯t snoring, so she was probably awake. Still, he whispered, just in case. ¡°Ralia? Ralia?¡±


    She didn¡¯t stir, and only then did he realize he¡¯d already taken off his voice equipment. He could go back and get it...but sleeping in it was incredibly uncomfortable, and he could text her if need be anyway. He raised his voice. ¡°Ralia!¡±


    This time, she opened her eyes, and looked around, bleary and confused, before noticing him. He waved, and motioned for her to pick him up. When she brought him up to the couch, she looked at him quizzically and said something in her native language, which he of course could not understand, though from her body language he surmised she was asking him what the matter was. It was a bit loud, but not quite deafening, and he motioned to his ears and mouth to show he was unplugged at the moment, at which she nodded and looked somewhat chagrined¡ªthough he couldn¡¯t hold it against her, as she¡¯d clearly not realized.


    Shyly, he held up his pillow, and pointed at it and then at her. She stared at him blankly for a moment, and then smiled, more widely than he¡¯d seen her since arriving on Latia. She wasted no time in cuddling him to her throat, positioning him just so he¡¯d be covered by the blanket¡ªand a fair amount of her fur¡ªbut have his head free.


    This time, he fell asleep almost instantly.


    ...


    ¡°Hey. Hey. Wake up.¡±


    Niko¡¯s eyes fluttered open to see Pakos¡¯ agitated face. ¡°Hey. You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re okay?...¡±


    He sat up, and did his best to stretch. ¡°I¡¯m...mostly just stiff. A little sore if I move too fast,¡± he said carefully.


    ¡°Thank god. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± Pakos backed off a little bit. ¡°You just made me so angry...¡± He ran a paw over his ears. ¡°I¡¯m not like that, really. I wouldn¡¯t hurt you. I just got a little crazy. You shouldn¡¯t have said that he...look, you just made me mad. But I¡¯m not mad now. We¡¯re fine.¡± He looked down. ¡°We¡¯re fine, right?¡±


    Niko looked back at him. He seemed genuinely worried, and maybe even a little sorry. But he also looked frustrated, bordering on angry. And if last night had been him getting angry...Niko didn¡¯t want to see that side of him again. ¡°I, yeah, we¡¯re fine,¡± he forced himself to say.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Good. Good.¡± Pakos stood up abruptly. ¡°Listen, I have to go somewhere. For work. Just for a while. I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°...All right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You can just...you¡¯ll be fine here. Just relax on your phone or something. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can, and we¡¯ll hang out, and get dinner later or something. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± With that, Pakos left. Niko lay back down, grimacing at how sore he was. It was mostly in his chest, though the rest of him was starting to feel it as well. Had last night really happened like he thought? Pakos seemed so contrite. Like it was an accident. But it hadn¡¯t seemed like an accident. Though he had been a jerk, calling Pakos names. Maybe things wouldn¡¯t have gotten out of hand if he hadn¡¯t been so insulting.


    He shook his head, and took out his phone. He was surprised to see more missed calls and some texts from Kelsen¡¯s mom. Confused, he called her. She picked up on the first ring.


    ¡°Finally! Niko, where have you been?! No, don¡¯t answer. Where is Kelsen? Where have you two gone? Are you with him?¡±


    Oh. Oh shit. ¡°Hey, Gloria...no, I¡¯m not with Kelsen right now. He¡¯s with Ralia. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Who is Ralia? Where are you two? I know you¡¯re not in Decegrad!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re...abroad.¡± Had Kelsen really never said anything about Ralia to his parents? Niko knew he¡¯d not talked about her much, but not at all? ¡°Ralia is a good friend we¡¯re staying with.¡±


    ¡°Abroad where? And why aren¡¯t you with him? Niko, you need to tell us what¡¯s going on! He sent us some very concerning messages and won¡¯t answer the phone! He finally said he¡¯d call today, but who knows if he even will?¡±


    ¡°Just...I think he should be the one to tell you. I¡¯m staying with another friend. Just for a bit. We¡¯re planning on meeting back up tomorrow.¡± That was sort of a lie, but he decided he¡¯d make sure it came true. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s doing fine and that he calls you, okay? I promise.¡±


    There was silence from the other end of the line. ¡°Niko, we¡¯re counting on you to get him home safe. You know he can¡¯t be on his own.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°He¡¯s not. He¡¯s with Ralia. And I will. Promise. I¡¯ll call him right now and make sure he¡¯s all right and that he calls you after, okay?¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°I will. Uh, bye.¡±


    He dialed Kelsen immediately, and was relieved when the latter picked up. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you good?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...I¡¯m doing okay. What about you?¡±


    Niko massaged his ribs. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Look, your parents are freaking out. They said you sent them some ¡®concerning messages¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°¡®Oh¡¯? What¡¯s going on, man?¡±


    ¡°I...I got upset. But I¡¯m doing better now. I told them I am and that I¡¯d call them today.¡±


    ¡°Maybe make it sooner than later. They¡¯re pretty worried.¡±


    ¡°All right, I will.¡±


    ¡°Good. Cool.¡±


    ¡°...Are you really doing okay? With Pakos and stuff?¡±¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m...yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll tell you more about it tomorrow. We should meet up tomorrow, by the way. And I¡¯ll probably be coming back to stay with Ralia.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Did he not...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow, all right? I¡¯ll text you tomorrow morning about meeting up.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t being...I didn¡¯t mean to be short with you. But I do need to go. See you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    ¡­


    Ralia walked back over to the couch from the kitchen, shaking her paws dry. ¡°What was that about?¡±


    Allowing himself to be picked up, Kelsen shifted until he found an agreeable position on her lap. ¡°Niko. He wanted to know if I was doing okay. He seemed a little frustrated, but said he¡¯s all right. Wants to meet up tomorrow, and said he¡¯ll be staying here for the rest of the time we¡¯re on Latia.¡±


    ¡°Things not working out with Pakos, then?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. He didn¡¯t like it when I asked.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and he said my parents are really worried, and I should call them soon.¡±


    Ralia grinned. ¡°Well, we¡¯re not doing anything, and we said we would. Why not now?¡±


    ¡°Okay, yeah.¡± Despite his verbal agreement, Kelsen made no move to make the call until Ralia nudged him with her thumb. Sighing, he opened his contacts. ¡°Fine, fine. Just know that this is going to suck.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°No. My parents are going to freak, and kill me when I get home. Then you for good measure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine once they see you¡¯re all right.¡±


    ¡°Doubt it.¡± His finger hovered over the phone before he finally forced himself to press the button. ¡°Here goes.¡±


    The second ring had barely started when his mother picked up. Her face was full of worry, and it seemed she hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. ¡°Kelsen! Finally, thank God! Are you all right? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Mom. Sorry I made you worry.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m going to bring your father in.¡±


    It took only a few seconds for Kelsen¡¯s father to join the call. From the looks of it, he was at work, on his computer, and not at home and on the phone like she was. His eyes were haggard as well. ¡°Kelsen? Are you hurt? Where¡¯s Niko? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Dad. I¡¯m okay, I promise. Niko is with a friend, but we¡¯re going to meet back up tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± His mother made it clear that she wouldn¡¯t ask again.


    ¡°I¡¯m...with Ralia.¡±


    ¡°Where? And who is Ralia?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± He glanced up. So far, he supposed Ralia¡¯s shirt could be mistaken for the wall or some sort of furniture behind him, though what they thought his voice equipment was, he had no idea. At least it was high quality enough that they hadn¡¯t even realized his voice was being translated twice at the moment¡ªthrough his Micz from his own Moccan language into Ralia¡¯s Latian language, and then from her Latian back into his Moccan through software on his phone, that being the same software he used to speak to Ralia. He had also had the presence of mind to translate their speech to her Latian, so she could hear it and understand it, and his Earplugz would allow him to follow along as well.


    Technology was cool.


    Ralia, meanwhile, was looking down at him somewhat sternly, and gestured for him to get on with it. Bracing himself, he turned his phone so that it showed his face, and Ralia¡¯s in the background. She smiled and waved. ¡°This is Ralia. I¡¯m on Latia.¡±


    His mother¡¯s jaw dropped, and with a jerk, his father fell out of his chair and out of the picture with a muffled curse. He struggled back up, livid. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, this is not funny! Turn whatever that is off and tell us where you are! You need to come home, right now!¡±


    ¡°What? You¡ªDad, this isn¡¯t a joke. I¡¯m not faking this...I¡¯m not sure how I would even do that. I¡¯m really on Latia, and this is really Ralia. My...girlfriend.¡± He blushed and looked away from the screen, where his mother continued to stare in shock, and his father sputtered meaningless words.


    Ralia, on the other hand, was not embarrassed at all. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m getting the impression that Kelsen hasn¡¯t told you much about me, but that¡¯s okay. He¡¯s staying with me during his time on Latia, and I assure you, he is safe and sound, and is doing very well here.¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s mother seemed to find her voice. ¡°Whoever you are, you need to let him go, right now! I will not hesitate to call the authorities! I will come to Latia myself if I have to!¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    Kelsen buried his head in his paws. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s not keeping me here! I came here to see her. That¡¯s why I came to Latia.¡±


    ¡°Kelsen, you need to come home, right now. We can help you find a way back.¡±


    ¡°I have a way. The shuttle back is in a few days.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to be listening. ¡°Oh, Kelsen. I can¡¯t believe you would go so far away. Clearly, your father and I have not been involved enough in your life lately. I thought we could trust Niko, but if he¡¯d let you go there, and leave you...¡±


    ¡°Mom, he didn¡¯t just leave me. I¡¯m with Ralia. And...it was originally my idea.¡±


    ¡°When you get back, you¡¯re moving back home, do you hear me? You¡¯re not ready to be out on your own. You just can¡¯t handle it. I was afraid of something like this.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°To think, some Latian tricked you into leaving the planet!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I did not ¡®trick¡¯ Kelsen into anything. He...¡±


    ¡°What kind of sick person deceives a child into visiting them? What did you have planned for him? I won¡¯t let it happen!¡±


    ¡°MOM!¡± His mother finally seemed to take notice, and paused in her tirade. ¡°Ralia didn¡¯t trick or deceive or anything me into coming! I wanted to! If you insult her any more, I am going to hang up! Damn it, this is why I didn¡¯t tell you! I knew you¡¯d freak out!¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m upset! You went halfway across the galaxy without telling us!¡±


    ¡°Because I knew you¡¯d try to stop me!¡±


    ¡°Because you shouldn¡¯t have gone! It¡¯s too dangerous! You¡¯re not old enough!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an adult. I can make my own choices!¡±


    ¡°Then obviously not mature enough, if this was your choice!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god! This is why I moved out!¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Kelsen kicked himself mentally. ¡°Nothing, nevermind.¡±


    ¡°No. What do you mean, this is why you moved out?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always trying to control me! You treat me like a kid all the time! Every time I want to try something new, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Going to Latia is extremely dangerous!¡±


    Before Kelsen could respond, Ralia cut in, trying to calm things down. ¡°I think we should all relax a little bit. Kelsen is not in any kind of danger here. And Kelsen, your parents are just worried about you. In this situation, I¡¯d be worried too.¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s father glared. ¡°You should stay out of this.¡±


    She took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°With all due respect, I will not. Kelsen and I are together, and he is staying with me while he¡¯s here. I am a part of this situation, and will not pretend not to be or silence myself. That said, I don¡¯t want for our relationship or our conversation to be contentious.¡± Her expression softened. ¡°Can we please speak a little calmer?¡±


    Both Kelsen¡¯s parents regarded her gravely for a time. Finally, his mother cleared her throat. ¡°You are well spoken, and correct that we have no choice but to involve you while Kelsen is there. Kelsen, we still have a lot to talk about, but tell me honestly: are you really okay?¡±


    Kelsen opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. ¡°Yeah, Mom, I¡¯m all right. In fact, I¡¯m good. I¡¯m not going to pretend everything has been perfect, but I¡¯m doing better than worse here. And staying with Ralia is very good.¡± He looked down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I yelled.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have shouted at you either. Your father and I are just very worried about your safety. Kelsen, whether or not you¡¯re safe with Ralia, traveling to Latia is inherently dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not...I¡¯m not being careless. And I should have told you. I just wanted to do something on my own for once.¡±


    His father shook his head. ¡°Quite a ¡®first¡¯ step.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡±


    ¡°Well. We can talk more about this later when I¡¯m off work. Can you promise to call us later? And update us while you¡¯re there?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll call every day, but I¡¯ll make sure to send you a message, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something, at least,¡± said Kelsen¡¯s mother. ¡°Ralia? I apologize for my rudeness. I am very concerned for my son.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Apology accepted.¡±


    ¡°Please watch out for him while he¡¯s there.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of doing anything else.¡±


    ¡°Then...goodbye, for now. Kelsen, I love you.¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s father nodded. ¡°Love ya, kiddo.¡±


    ¡°...I love you, too. Talk to you later.¡±


    The call ended. Kelsen groaned loudly and slumped over. ¡°I told you!¡±


    Ralia smiled and shook her head. ¡°That went much better than you expected it to.¡±


    ¡°Not really. They¡¯re still gonna kill me when I get back.¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°I might as well update my will.¡±


    ¡°Kelsen.¡±


    ¡°Will you write my obituary?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being dramatic.¡±


    ¡°I am dying. I am entitled to being dramatic.¡±


    In response, she lightly tapped the top of his head with a finger. He feigned injury with a loud cry of pain. ¡°Ow! I¡¯m reporting you for abuse!¡±


    They laughed. Ralia pulled him back into a sitting position. ¡°Okay, my grievously wounded friend. Halfway there.¡±


    ¡°Halfway?¡±


    ¡°We still have another set of parents to call.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Do you not feel up to it?¡±


    He checked something on his phone. ¡°No, I do. But this time you get to do most of the talking.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t count on it. In fact, I expect them to ignore me and focus entirely on you.¡±


    ¡°Nooo...¡±


    ¡°You are the boyfriend they¡¯ve heard all about, and haven¡¯t gotten to speak with. I¡¯m just their boring old regular daughter. They¡¯ll probably ask you a million questions and repeatedly tell each other how cute you are.¡±


    ¡°Nooo...¡±

 Chapter 7

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 7


    Later that night, Niko and Pakos went out to eat. Pakos had returned to his joking, sarcastic self, and offered to take Niko out wherever he wanted. Niko chose a large restaurant in Teromod¡¯s city center, not too far from the starport, where they¡¯d have seating and cooking for Moccan customers as well as Latian¡ªas Bonaco still lacked any large establishments that served both¡ªand acted like he was flattered and ready to enjoy it. Thankfully, the bus trip there was relatively uneventful, though Niko found himself mimicking Kelsen and crouching down in Pakos¡¯ jacket pocket.


    At the restaurant, Pakos chose a Latian-sized table outside, and at Niko¡¯s request, the server brought out a Moccan-sized table, chair, and silverware, and set them opposite Pakos¡¯ seat. ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to sit with me?¡± Pakos said, though it wasn¡¯t clear if he was joking or actually upset. Niko shivered. Sitting with Pakos would be warmer, but he was afraid to stay too close at this point. Most of all, he was afraid of making Pakos angry again. What if he did something to set him off, and Pakos went too far this time? Better to tough it out, be as pleasant as possible.


    And then what?


    He didn¡¯t know. But he had to say something. ¡°Oh, no, I just¡ªI don¡¯t want to make a mess,¡± he said, somewhat lamely. Thankfully, Pakos seemed to accept it, and began perusing the menu. ¡°I think the chicken sounds good,¡± he muttered. ¡°Yeah. We should get the roast chicken with rice, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was thinking of trying¡ª¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Pakos snapped, cutting him off. Maybe he was angry about Niko not sitting with him after all. When the server came, he ordered for both of them, and Niko gave up on trying to order what he wanted. It wasn¡¯t worth it. He did notice a fox sitting alone at a nearby table giving them an odd look as the server walked away, but chalked it up to his being Moccan. The restaurant might do its best to cater to them, but as far as he could see, he was still the only one there. That, or it was the gay thing again. Latians and their backwards sexuality. Suddenly, he realized that Pakos had been talking to him, and turned his attention back to the wolf.


    ¡°...tomorrow. Hey, are you listening to me?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I zoned out. What were you saying?¡±


    The wolf sneered a little. ¡°You should learn to pay attention. I said, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be meeting with your friends tomorrow after all. I have other plans.¡±


    ¡°...What? I mean...that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll have Rails come pick me up.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Pakos took a sip of his drink, a heavy Latian lager. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡±


    Niko furrowed his brow. ¡°Uh...I think I¡¯d rather see them. It¡¯s been a couple days, and...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not arguing about this. Besides, you¡¯ll like it. It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    Niko opened his mouth to argue further anyway, but their food arrived, so he grumbled under his breath instead. They were more or less silent during the meal, with occasional comments on the quality of the food. Niko thought it was perfectly fine¡ªgood but not great, and more or less what he¡¯d been expecting. Pakos kept complaining about it, though when the server came to ask them how they were doing, smiled and gave his compliments.


    Near the end of the meal, after Pakos finished paying for the food, Niko tried again. ¡°Pakos, I¡¯d really like to meet up with Ralia and Kelsen again. I need to make sure Kel¡¯s doing okay. He was depending on me to be around to make sure he didn¡¯t get overwhelmed.¡±


    Pakos just scoffed. ¡°That coward needs to toughen up. Besides, it¡¯ll be good for him to be out on his own, without his mommy coddling him.¡±


    Niko bristled. ¡°He¡¯s not a coward! And I don¡¯t coddle him. He just needs someone familiar to ground him every now and then. It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of!¡±


    Snarling, Pakos stood up suddenly. ¡°We¡¯re not meeting them. End of discussion. Get up; we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Maybe he was tired of being pushed around by the wolf, or maybe he was just angry at him for insulting his best friend, but Niko had had enough. ¡°You leave. I¡¯m going to call Ralia and stay with her tonight.¡± He took out his phone, only for Pakos to pound on the table only a few feet away, causing him to drop his phone.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not! Come here!¡± Pakos made as if to grab him, and Niko flinched, throwing his paws up in front of him, for what little good it would do.


    Pakos¡¯ paws never closed around him. Niko looked up after a moment to see that the fox from the nearby table had jumped up and grabbed Pakos¡¯ wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of watching this shitshow,¡± he said coolly. ¡°You need to leave, or I¡¯m calling the police.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to do anything!¡± Pakos shouted, and swung with his other paw. Both he and Niko were shocked when the fox grabbed it and used Pakos¡¯ momentum against him, swinging him around and throwing him headfirst into the table. Niko was thrown off his feet by the crash, and his ribs cried out in protest.


    ¡°S-sorry about that,¡± the fox said, still not sounding particularly heated, but disgusted instead. ¡°You all right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± said Niko. He stayed down for a moment, before searching for his dropped phone.


    Meanwhile, Pakos struggled to get to his feet as well, though now his nose was bleeding. All his charm and guile was gone, replaced by rage and condescension; this was the real Pakos, the Pakos that had shown his true colors the night before. ¡°You stupid fucker! You¡¯re dead!¡±


    The fox shifted his footing and raised his arms threateningly. ¡°If you attack me again, I¡¯ll do a lot worse than bloody your nose.¡±


    They both stood still for a few long, agonizing seconds, before Pakos backed off. He looked at Niko, who involuntarily took a few steps towards the side of the table the fox was on. ¡°This is how you treat me? After everything I¡¯ve done for you?!¡±


    ¡°After what you¡¯ve done for me? Try what you¡¯ve done to me! You fucking kicked me last night, because you didn¡¯t get your way!¡± The fox¡¯s eyes widened just a bit, and Niko found it was much easier to speak his mind now that there was someone between him and Pakos. ¡°Not to mention your constant bitching about everything I do and everything I like, or how you insult my friends at every opportunity! I¡¯m sick of your shit, and I¡¯m sick of you! Fuck off!¡±


    Pakos started to back away, all the time glaring at Niko, and after another few moments that dragged on far too long, he was gone. As soon as he was out of sight, the fox whipped his phone out. ¡°Calling the cops anyway. That guy should not be roaming the streets.¡± Niko found he¡¯d been holding his breath, and let out an explosive sigh. He waited patiently while the fox gave Pakos¡¯ description to the police, and passed along a few details as well. When the call was over, the fox huffed a sigh as well and offered Niko a paw. Niko stared at it a moment before shaking one of the fox¡¯s fingers, which seemed to be what he wanted. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m Fyche. You all right?¡±


    ¡°Niko. Yeah, I¡¯m okay,¡± Niko said. ¡°Thanks for the rescue.¡±


    ¡°N-not a problem. I¡¯ve dealt with guys like him before. They like picking on people who are, uh, too weak or too nice to stand up to them¡ªer, no offense.¡±


    Niko shrugged. ¡°None taken. A Latian could squash a Moccan like...well, a mouse.¡±


    This seemed to agitate Fyche. ¡°But you know we w-wouldn¡¯t, right? Not most of us. We¡¯re not all like that asshole.¡±


    ¡°No, I know.¡± Niko wandered to the edge of the table and sat down. ¡°Actually, before I really got here, I guess I was thinking no Latian was like that. I wanted to believe they were all kind and strong and good. Like you.¡± Not until he had said it aloud did he realize how that sounded, and blushed. ¡°Oh, man, that was cheesy, huh?¡±


    To his surprise, Fyche¡¯s cheeks reddened as well. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about all that, but most Latians are good people. I hope you can, can keep believing that.¡±


    ¡°If I meet more like you and Ralia, I definitely will.¡±


    Fyche shook his head, seeming both pleased and amused. ¡°A-anyway. You need a ride somewhere? I got nowhere to be anytime soon, and it sounds like you, well, want to get back to this Ralia.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Niko paused for a moment, thinking about it, before nodding. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that.¡±


    ¡°Then come on up.¡± Fyche set his hand at the edge of the table, and Niko clambered on.


    ...


    A knock sent Ralia to the door. ¡°Now who on Latia would that be? I swear, if Linds locked herself out again...¡± Kelsen watched from the couch arm as she opened the door. A Latian fox stood there, looking slightly nervous¡ªand he was holding Niko out in front of him at chest height. Ralia gasped. ¡°Niko?¡±


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    Niko stood up. ¡°Hey, Ralia. I¡¯m back. Finally.¡± He winced at the pain in his ribs, reignited by the fall back at the restaurant.


    Ralia hesitantly reached out and took him from the fox. ¡°Are you hurt? What happened? And who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Had kind of a falling out with Pakos. This is Fyche, he gave me a lift back.¡±


    The fox started to offer a paw, but dropped it when he realized hers were full with Niko. ¡°Er, pleased to meet you. And he¡¯s lying, by the way. That Pakos guy was abusing him, physically a-and mentally. Kicked him around, grabbed him without consent at least once. Treated him like shit the whole time I was looking.¡± Kelsen shuddered, and Niko glared at Fyche. ¡°What? They¡¯re your friends. You owe them the truth.¡±


    Ralia brought Niko up to her face, which was overshadowed with worry. ¡°He hurt you? Niko, I¡¯m so sorry. We never should have left you with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. He just knocked me around a little. No real damage. And it was my decision to go with him.¡±


    Ralia frowned, and looked up at Fyche. ¡°How hurt is he really?¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m all right!¡±


    Fyche shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t really get to examine him. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too serious, but definitely worse than he lets on.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Right here! Don¡¯t just talk over my head because you¡¯re bigger than me!¡±


    ¡°I was half worried I¡¯d need to take him to the hospital.¡± She gave Niko a stern look. ¡°And it has nothing to do with size. It¡¯s because you¡¯re being obstinate.¡±


    ¡°Am not.¡± She held her gaze, and he eventually looked away. ¡°Okay, maybe a little. But you¡¯re making a bigger deal out of this than you need to.¡±


    Fyche snorted. ¡°Not as far as I could tell. That guy was treating you like an animal. Probably worse, actually.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to call the police?¡± Ralia asked.


    ¡°A-already done. They¡¯ve been on the lookout for him for over two hours, now. For all I know, they might have found him already.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Okay, good.¡±


    Ralia set Niko on the couch next to Kelsen, who immediately pulled him into an embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a bad friend. This is my fault.¡±


    Niko patted him on the back. ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I told you to go for it, and I let you go with him. A good friend wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for...¡± Niko pulled back, then looked up at Ralia. ¡°This is no one¡¯s fault but mine, okay? I made the decision, and it didn¡¯t go so well. You don¡¯t need to blame yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Might be better to blame the wolf,¡± Fyche observed, only to glance down at Kelsen. ¡°The other one, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess he shares the blame, but not really. Not completely, anyway.¡± Kelsen, Ralia, and Fyche all gave him inquisitive looks. ¡°Look, it was kinda my fault. I was being a jerk, and I made a bad situation worse. I don¡¯t think he ever would have gone off on me like that if I hadn¡¯t escalated things.¡±


    Fyche immediately shook his head. ¡°No. Don¡¯t ever think like that. Guys like him, you spend long enough with them, and you start thinking everything that happens is somehow your fault. Like they only act like they do because you set them off. Seems like he already had you thinking that way.¡± He looked away. ¡°It¡¯s clear-cut abuse. Don¡¯t let him make you think the shitty things he does are your fault.¡±


    ¡°I...okay.¡±


    At everyone else¡¯s insistence, Niko took off his jacket and shirt and let Kelsen examine him to the best of his ability. He wasn¡¯t exactly a doctor, but he¡¯d seen Niko¡ªwho had been an overeager child, prone to accident and getting in over his head¡ªinjured enough that he knew the basics. Eventually, Kelsen straightened up. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. Some bruising. I think one of your ribs is bruised, too, but nothing is actually broken.¡± His eyebrows lowered. ¡°You need to go lie down.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I feel fine.¡±


    Kelsen bit his lip, and then drew himself up, making himself as tall and broad as possible. ¡°I¡¯m not asking! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll drag you there myself.¡±


    Niko smirked, amused at his friend¡¯s bravado. ¡°You really think you can?¡±


    Kelsen deflated, but didn¡¯t break his gaze. ¡°Th-then I will politely ask Ralia to!¡±


    Stooping over them, Ralia grinned. ¡°I will, too.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. Fine, I¡¯ve lost this one. Honestly, lying down sounds good right now.¡±


    Fyche raised a paw. ¡°Oh, um, before that¡ªI-I mean, before I go¡ªwe should give each other our info.¡± Niko raised an eyebrow, and Fyche coughed. ¡°You know, uh, in case the police need to talk to us, or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± They swapped phone numbers and email addresses. ¡°Hey, thanks again. You really did save me back there.¡±


    ¡°I was happy to¡ªI mean, it¡¯s all--that is, no problem. I¡¯m not happy that it happened. Uh.¡± Fyche glanced away and then back, apparently flustered. ¡°I-I should get going. See you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, bye.¡±


    Ralia called her own goodbye to him, and then shut the door and locked it. ¡°Okay, bedtime for you, Niko. Actually, we all might as well get some sleep. It¡¯s getting late.¡±


    ¡°Fiiiiiine. Gimme a lift?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ralia approached to let Niko jump onto her hand, and was surprised when Kelsen joined him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna sleep in there tonight,¡± he explained.


    Niko looked between the two of them. ¡°As opposed to?...¡± Kelsen flushed, and Ralia merely gave him a knowing look. ¡°Man, what happened while I was gone?¡±


    ¡°N-nothing,¡± Kelsen said.


    ¡°Nothing? That meant nothing to you?¡± Ralia gasped.


    ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not what I meant! Of course it meant a lot, I just...¡±


    He trailed off as Ralia grinned. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m just teasing you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean to me,¡± he complained.


    Niko threw up his arms. ¡°What on or off Moccs is going on with you two?!¡±


    Setting them down, Ralia stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°Ask Kelsen. I need to check something on my computer before bed.¡±


    A few minutes later, Kelsen and Niko lay in bed, listening to Ralia shifting positions on the couch. ¡°Okay, man. Spill.¡±


    Kelsen rolled over so that he was facing away. ¡°I told you. I got upset, but now I¡¯m doing better.¡± He pulled the blankets up to his shoulders. ¡°A lot better.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no, no. Details, or I will ask Ralia to explain as embarrassingly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Fine! God. You two are the worst.¡± He grinned back over his shoulder. ¡°After you left, I kinda freaked out. Part of it was that you were gone, and part of it was...my fear getting worse.¡±


    ¡°Of Latians, you mean? Or just general anxiety?¡±


    ¡°Neither. I...I didn¡¯t really talk about it with you, but ever since I found out Ralia was Latian, I¡¯ve been really worried that our relationship couldn¡¯t work out.¡±


    ¡°Because of the size difference?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like, how could she ever see me as anything more than a pity friend? Or a pet?¡±


    ¡°Kel, she¡¯d never¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. I mean...I think I know, now. We talked about it for a while. She said some things that made me feel better. And I told her I wasn¡¯t afraid of her...just afraid we couldn¡¯t be together.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°And...well. She picked me up and hugged me and told me...we were better together, and I guess that being different doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t be good for each other. And I sort of felt it, when we were touching and talking and...well...I¡¯m not as afraid now.¡±


    ¡°And you slept together?¡±


    Blushing, Kelsen nodded. ¡°Yes. I mean, only in the literal sense. I spent last night on the couch with her.¡±


    Niko whistled. ¡°I missed a lot.¡±


    Kelsen rolled back over. ¡°Okay, your turn. What exactly happened with Pakos?¡±


    ¡°Do we have to get into it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Niko sighed. ¡°Fine, okay, that¡¯s fair. Well, we went back to his apartment after the theater, and...he wanted to do something. Intimate. He wanted to fuck. I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And he kicked you because of that?¡±


    ¡°No. I said I wanted to get to know him better. He was annoyed, but accepted it and we just went to bed. I think I just sent him the wrong signals. The next day, we went out to some museums and stuff, since you guys never texted about meeting up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah...I was probably hiding in here at the time.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, things didn¡¯t go so well. We were both kind of pissed and kept arguing, and ended up calling it early. When we went back, he said that he did what I wanted, so I should do what he wanted. I told him he was crazy. Then he got pissed off and kicked me.¡±


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t take you to a doctor or anything?¡±


    ¡°No. He set me down on a pillow. Either he thought I was faking being hurt, or he just really wanted me to be faking. Had some weird dreams that night, and then the next morning, he apologized. Said he was sorry, and only acted like that because I made him mad.¡±


    Kelsen frowned. ¡°I think that Fyche guy is right. Remember back in Mrs. Donovo¡¯s class, the unit we did on negative communication? That sounds a lot like what she told us about abuse.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess. I think it¡¯s easier to look back and say ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s abuse¡¯ than it is to recognize it in the moment.¡±


    ¡°Probably. What happened after he said that?¡±


    ¡°He took off. Said he had to do something for work. He was gone for a few hours. Then he got back, we watched some TV, then went out to dinner. Came back to Teromod. At the restaurant, I said I wanted to meet up with you guys tomorrow. He said no. We argued. He tried to grab me, I guess to force me...but Fyche stopped him. They sort of had a little fight. He gave Pakos a bloody nose. Pakos ran off. We called the police. Then Fyche brought me back here.¡±


    Kelsen shook his head sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man. That really sucks. You just wanted to hang out with a guy you thought was a friend, and he turned out to be a jerk.¡±


    Niko shrugged. ¡°It happens.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But it does. Let¡¯s just be glad I wasn¡¯t hurt badly and he¡¯s gonna get what¡¯s coming to him.¡±

 Chapter 8

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 8


    The next day, they decided to take it easy, lazing around Ralia¡¯s apartment while playing games and browsing the internet. They didn¡¯t even properly get out of bed until half past ten, and thirteen¡ªan hour exclusive to Latia, which had a twenty-six hour clock compared to Moccs¡¯ twenty-four¡ªfound them lying on the couch, brainstorming ideas for what to do for the rest of the day. Kelsen favored continuing to stay in and watching a movie or three, and Niko found himself agreeing, rather than insisting they go out and see more Latian landmarks. After debating within himself for a time, he eventually suggested they invite Fyche over as well.


    When he did so, Ralia and Kelsen gave each other a look. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s such a good idea,¡± said Ralia.


    ¡°Yeah. Not to be mean, but Niko, the last time you wanted to hang out with someone you didn¡¯t know well...I mean...you got back yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± he said. ¡°But come on¡ªyou¡¯ll be here to make sure nothing goes wrong. And beyond that...if he really wanted to do anything, he could have last night instead of bringing me here. He helped me at risk to himself with no real reward. I don¡¯t think we have to worry about him being like Pakos.¡±


    ¡°Okay...but I¡¯m also a little hesitant about inviting strangers over to my apartment.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair. But, then again, he¡¯s not a stranger¡ªand he already knows where it is.¡±


    Kelsen put a paw on his shoulder. ¡°Look, I know you really want to be right about this...¡±


    ¡°I do! I do want to be right about this. I want to be right that I can trust Latians and I don¡¯t have to worry about them all secretly being monsters!¡± Ralia winced, and he shook his head. ¡°I mean, not you, obviously. But¡ªI just don¡¯t want to have to feel unsafe around the people I¡¯ve dreamed of meeting since I was a little kid.¡±


    ¡°I...all right. But I swear to god, if he says one rude thing about Moccans or acts at all like he enjoys the power dynamic, I¡¯m kicking him out.¡±


    ¡°That...makes sense.¡±


    Niko sent Fyche an invite message, and when he looked up from his phone, Ralia and Kelsen had decided to video call Kelsen¡¯s parents. He reluctantly agreed to join in. The call went much better than the one they¡¯d made previously, but there was still a great deal of tension that Ralia¡¯s cheer and Kelsen¡¯s good health did little to dispel. At one point, they spoke directly to Niko.


    ¡°I trust you¡¯ll run it by us before you make any decisions like this in the future?¡± Gloria, Kelsen¡¯s mother, asked.


    He bit back an annoyed response, but was still less tactful than he could have been. ¡°With all due respect, we¡¯re adults. We don¡¯t need to get your permission before we do something. That said, in the future, if Kelsen wants to tell you something, I won¡¯t say anything against it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem very pleased with that, but let it go.


    ...


    About twenty minutes after Fyche messaged that he was on his way¡ªand about ten after the pizza arrived¡ªRalia was summoned to the door by a polite knock, leaving Kelsen and Niko on her computer desk. ¡°That was fast,¡± she remarked as she opened the door, only to pale and take a step back. ¡°You need to leave right¡ª¡±


    Pakos shoved past her roughly, knocking her to the ground, and advanced on Kelsen and Niko. ¡°You little fucker,¡± he seethed. His eyes were bloodshot, he was wearing the same clothes he had the night before, and there was still a little dried blood on his face. ¡°The police are looking for me! All because of you!¡±


    Niko took a few steps back. ¡°P-Pakos,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re taking this way too far. Let¡¯s just calm down and ta¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fuck that! And fuck you! You ruined my life! I wanted one thing from you, one thing you fucking offered yourself, and now I¡¯m going to fucking jail!¡± He reached out for Niko. ¡°But before I get caught, I¡¯m getting some revenge.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s shock, Kelsen stepped between Pakos¡¯ outstretched paw and Niko. He was shaking, breath racing, heart pumping, and was even crying a little, but he didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Y-you¡¯re gonna have to go through me,¡± he said, voice cracking here and there.


    Pakos did actually stop for a moment, though it seemed less because he was moved or intimidated and more because of the absurdity of the situation. ¡°I¡ªYOU?! You¡¯re really going to¡ªyou think you can¡ªfine! Have it your way!¡± He raised his paw to strike, only to be hit from behind. Ralia stood there, paws in fists, teeth bared. But he barely seemed to register her blow, stepping forward, grabbing her with one arm and punching her solidly, sending her to the ground. With a dismissive snort, he turned back and struck Kelsen¡ªless a solid blow than a swat to get him out of the way, but it still sent him flying off the desk.


    Niko grabbed for him, but missed. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to hurt them, but they got in my way. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Pakos snatched Niko up with both paws, and began to squeeze. Niko yelled and then screamed as he was crushed. It felt like all his bones would break.


    I always wanted to meet a Latian. Now I¡¯m getting killed by one, he thought. As last thoughts went, it wasn¡¯t exactly comforting.


    Then a red-furred arm appeared around Pakos¡¯ neck, and Pakos was suddenly off balance, choking for air. ¡°Let him go, or I¡¯ll snap your fucking neck,¡± hissed Fyche from behind. At first, it appeared that he would refuse, but when Fyche tightened his grip, he let go, dropping Niko onto Ralia¡¯s chair, where he gasped and cried out in pain.


    Ralia stirred. ¡°Gotta...we gotta call the police...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already on the way,¡± said a voice from the doorway. It was Linds, holding her phone.


    ¡°Good, that¡¯s...Kelsen, where are you? Kelsen!¡±


    ¡°Over here,¡± Kelsen groaned from near the wall, where he was making an effort to stand. ¡°I think I¡¯m all right. Just hurts a lot.¡±


    ¡°Check on Niko,¡± said Fyche, holding Pakos, who had stopped struggling. He wasn¡¯t quite unconscious, but between lack of air and an opponent stronger than him, the fight seemed to have left him. ¡°This bastard was trying to crush him.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Ralia muttered. She grabbed Kelsen and brought him over to Niko, who was clenching his teeth and trying not to yell.


    Kelsen¡¯s examination of Niko was cut short as the police arrived. It took some time, but the story was eventually told, and medical technicians were called for, including Moccans. It turned out that Ralia was overall fine but would have quite the black eye, visible even under her fur, while Kelsen had hyperextended his knee and would have a number of bruises along his legs and torso. Niko was the worst; he had severe bruising all over, had cracked a rib, and had one of his shoulders dislocated. He was given a sling for his arm and a brace for his chest, and orders to get as much bed rest as possible until he could follow up with his doctors at home.


    So, of course, after the police left with Pakos, he insisted on getting back up. Ralia was too busy fretting over Kelsen to stop him. He limped over closer to the door, where Linds lingered. ¡°How did you get the cops here so fast?¡±


    She bit her lip. ¡°Oh, um. I called as soon as I saw that guy in the building.¡±


    ¡°How did you know what he was up to?¡±


    ¡°I...may have...overheard a few things yesterday,¡± she admitted. ¡°Like that he was hurting you and there was a fight and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Well, damn,¡± Ralia said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so relieved to have such a nosy neighbor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not nosy! I just hear things.¡± She tapped her large ears. ¡°I mean, how could I not?¡±


    Ralia couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t really complain right now. Thank you, Linds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome! And...¡± She turned to Kelsen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the other day. I was curious, and I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel unwelcome, but I did. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...I forgive you.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± She smiled and bid them all a good night.


    ¡°I guess she heard us recording the video,¡± said Niko.


    Fyche looked puzzled, but didn¡¯t ask. ¡°O-okay, that¡¯s enough. You really need to lie down.¡± He reached down, as if to pick Niko up. The mouse couldn¡¯t help but breathe in sharply and take a few steps back, throwing up his good arm in front of him. ¡°Oh. Oh, shit, I¡¯m sorry. I, uh, I shouldn¡¯t have¡ªnot right after he...¡± Fyche straightened up. ¡°I-I should go.¡±


    Niko clenched his fist, and made himself step forward. ¡°No, wait. I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t want to be that. I won¡¯t. I¡¯m not gonna let this scar me, or whatever. I¡¯m not gonna let this change the way I think, the way I act. I¡¯m not gonna be afraid.¡± He raised his good arm. ¡°Pick me up, please.¡±


    ¡°Are you...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Fyche reached down and picked Niko up as gingerly as possible. ¡°You are one tough guy, you know that? I-if I¡¯d had half the stuff you¡¯ve had happen to me, I¡¯d, uh, probably be in bed, drowning in self-pity.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d have kicked his ass every time, size difference or not.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Kelsen, meanwhile, was hugging Ralia¡¯s face as best he could. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Always apologizing. What exactly are you sorry for this time?¡± Ralia said softly.


    ¡°You got hurt because of me.¡±


    ¡°No, I got hurt because I opened the door without seeing who it was first.¡±


    Fyche looked over. ¡°Hey, do we have to go over this again? The only one to blame is the one who did it. Whatever excuses he has¡ªhis anger, his childhood, whatever¡ªthis is how he chose to react to it, by hurting others. Others who he knew couldn¡¯t fight back. He deserves all the blame and then some.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± Ralia agreed. ¡°Um, hey, Fyche? If you¡¯re sticking around, could you close the door? As helpful as Linds has been, she doesn¡¯t need to hear everything.¡±


    ¡°I...i-if that¡¯s all right.¡±


    She nodded at him encouragingly, scooting over on the couch to make room. He closed the door and sat down, careful not to jostle Niko, who spoke up. ¡°Of course he¡¯s staying. The pizza¡¯s probably cold, but it¡¯s still good, and we¡¯ve got a movie to watch.¡±


    Kelsen eyed him balefully. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Two working arms or not, I¡¯m not gonna let some jerk ruin our night. Right?¡±


    Fyche couldn¡¯t help but grin, and Kelsen relented. ¡°Only if you lie down. The whole time.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, fine, Dad.¡±


    ...


    After spending the next morning recovering, Niko was able to convince Ralia and Kelsen to go out and meet Fyche for lunch. While on one hand they were quite concerned with his health and his and Kelsen¡¯s safety, they wanted to see him happy. And besides, it was hard to say no to him when he put on a dejected look with his sling and brace. And Kelsen didn¡¯t say it, but he had noticed the way Niko and Fyche looked at each other the night before, and noted how badly Niko seemed to want to include Fyche in their plans.


    ¡°Only for a little while,¡± said Ralia. ¡°And we¡¯re not going anywhere that isn¡¯t Moccan-friendly.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Niko agreed.


    They had to workshop it a bit to find a time that fit with Fyche¡¯s work schedule, but eventually all met up at a popular restaurant in the center of the city. It was really only one step above fast food, but it tasted good, served Moccans, and was conveniently placed. Of particular interest to Niko was its second floor. He insisted they find a spot up there on the outside balcony, so he could look out at the city from just a little higher up.


    Kelsen, for his part, purposefully sat with his back to the railing, making sure he wouldn¡¯t have to constantly look out at the massive city.


    As they ate, Ralia asked Fyche, ¡°So, what do you do? Are you a student?¡±


    Fyche seemed embarrassed by the question. ¡°Oh, no. I, I just work at a grocery store. Been working there since before I finished secondary school. No college or anything.¡±


    Kelsen shrugged. ¡°I just got my first real job. Data entry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a job¡¯s a job,¡± said Niko. ¡°I¡¯m a ¡®virtual assistant¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Mostly that I manage emails and do a bit of customer service.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m in IT. You know, ¡®Have you tried turning it off and on again?¡¯¡± Ralia laughed.


    ¡°Oh. So you all work in, er, computers and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, basically.¡±


    Fyche looked down at his food. ¡°I d-don¡¯t have a computer, so I wouldn¡¯t really know about any of that.¡± He looked up to see that while Ralia was slightly surprised, Niko and Kelsen were looking at him like he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a computer?¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t really a...it¡¯s not a priority for me.¡±


    ¡°Dear god,¡± said Niko. ¡°I knew things were behind on Latia, but that¡¯s insane. On Moccs, having computers is a basic right.¡±


    ¡°It¡ªit is? Really?¡±


    Niko laughed. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just kidding. So you use your phone for everything, then?¡±


    ¡°Everything? I mean, phone calls and text messages, yeah.¡±


    ¡°But what about...¡± Niko trailed off as Ralia gave him a look, and realized he was making Fyche uncomfortable. ¡°Oh, uh, never mind.¡± He glanced around for some way to steer the conversation. ¡°Hey, do me a favor?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Take me over to the railing. I can sort of see from here, but I want a good look.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay, sure.¡±


    Fyche carried him over, just out of earshot of Ralia and Kelsen, but well within range for them to watch carefully. ¡°Set me down on the railing?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance in hell.¡±


    ¡°Eh, worth a shot.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Niko leaned out, leaning against Fyche¡¯s thumb, and peered over the city, at the hustle and bustle of Latians coming and going, on foot and in vehicles. He could even see part of the spaceport from here. ¡°Hey, sorry if I made you uncomfortable back there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...fine. I always wanted to have a computer and get into tech stuff when I was a kid, but things didn¡¯t really work out. I¡¯ve had to spend money on other things ever since I was sixteen.¡±


    ¡°I take it your parents aren¡¯t helping you out?¡±


    ¡°My dad passed when I was a kid, and my mom is out of the picture.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to pry.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s all right. I¡¯m just not used to talking to people about, well, that kind of stuff. The last person I was really open with was...a former partner.¡±


    Niko looked up. ¡°He was a jerk, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s where I learned all about abuse. He hit me sometimes, and just kind of...dragged me down, all the time. Made me feel worthless, and made me feel like everything was my fault. It took me a really long time to realize that he was the problem, not me. And at that point, it felt like I could never get out. I tried to leave, once, and he...this was a while ago, in a different city. The authorities didn¡¯t believe me, or maybe they just didn¡¯t care.¡± Niko wisely said nothing, and simply kept listening. ¡°That¡¯s when I started learning self-defense. It was hard to find the time and money, and harder to get to and from training without him knowing, but I did it. He didn¡¯t find out until I¡¯d been going for months, and when he came at me that time...I stopped him. Laid him flat out. And I realized then that he couldn¡¯t stop me from leaving. I guess all that¡¯s why I was so invested with you and that Pakos guy.¡± Abruptly he looked down at Niko, then away. ¡°S-sorry. I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m talking too much.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. I...want to get to know you better. And you being willing to open up is a pretty refreshing change.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t much of a talker?¡±


    Niko laughed a little bitterly. ¡°No, not really. Preferred to act.¡±


    Fyche shook his head. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s gone. They¡¯re both gone and out of our lives. Let¡¯s be glad about that.¡± Almost absentmindedly, he rubbed a finger down Niko¡¯s back, before realizing what he was doing and flushing bright red. ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to...¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Niko looked him in the eye and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    The fox¡¯s eyes widened before he looked away again. He muttered something under his breath.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°...Nothing. Just...this is...this is sort of what I was...ugh, I can¡¯t say this without sounding like an idiot or a creep.¡±


    ¡°Sound like an idiot, then,¡± Niko said, grinning.


    ¡°Oh, ha-ha. Fine. I¡¯m just shocked, because this is basically what I was looking for.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost me.¡±


    ¡°You know...hanging around Moccan-friendly places.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I...wanted to meet a Moccan. And be friends, you know? Ugh, it¡¯s so weird to say out loud.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Niko patted Fyche¡¯s thumb. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s weird. That¡¯s why I came to Latia in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re both weird.¡±


    ¡°Hey, fine with me. Now that we¡¯ve met up, all the normal people better watch out!¡±


    They both laughed, but Fyche seemed subdued. ¡°We are still weird, though. M-most people are nice enough to Moccans, but still think we should be separate, or only trade and not mingle, stuff like that. All my coworkers think I¡¯m, well, crazy.¡± He sighed. ¡°I just wish we could change that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...most Moccans think coming to Latia is crazy, too. Especially people like my parents. I doubt they¡¯ll ever change, but others might, in time. It¡¯d be cool if we could somehow help that...change...¡± He suddenly brightened up. ¡°Hey, I have an idea! Take me back over to Ralia!¡±

 Chapter 9

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 9


    ¡°Hello, viewers! I¡¯m TwistedSphinx, and I¡¯m here with another video with some friends, including the same Moccans from my first video! Say hello, everyone!¡±


    ¡°Yo! Pint-Sized Friend here!¡±


    ¡°...NightKnight47 present. Hi.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I was told to say my screen name is ValiantDefender, but that¡¯s definitely not going to stick, h-hello there?¡±


    ¡°What about GentleGiant?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Stick in the Mud?¡±


    ¡°Q-quiet, you.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Now, just to let you know, this video is going to be a bit more serious than our last one, for reasons that should become clear. We also have a more specific goal in mind. Interim Defender, care to explain?¡±


    ¡°M-me?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing.¡±


    ¡°I...I mean, I¡¯ll try. Look. Latians and Moccans found out they¡¯re not alone in the universe. That¡¯s, that¡¯s crazy and amazing. But even though we¡¯ve been trading and stuff for years, we barely interact at all, e-even online. Lots of people on both planets still think that wanting to associate with each other is wrong, or...or strange. And that needs to change. Latians and Moccans are better off working together. Moccan science and engineering have taken off with all the materials being shipped from Latia, and then traded those advancements right back. And, er, thanks to how we trade, poverty is almost nonexistent in developed countries on both planets, and continues to drop all over. Some people say we¡¯re entering a golden age, and I¡¯d say they¡¯re not far off. But if we want things to keep getting better, we, uh, we need to work for it. We need to...well...we need to recognize that we¡¯re all people, that we¡¯re all in this together. We¡¯re different, yeah, but we have a lot more in common. So I guess I¡¯m saying that what we want, what we¡¯re going to try to help achieve, is, well, for Latians and Moccans to change their attitudes towards each other, so that we can all...I don¡¯t know how to say it.¡±


    ¡°Be one big happy interstellar family?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m serious! That¡¯s what I want, anyway. There are always going to be barriers, but they can be overcome, and someday, there won¡¯t be Latians and Moccans anymore. We¡¯ll all just be people.¡±


    ¡°Pretty idealistic there, Pint, but I certainly hope so.¡±


    ¡°Sphinx, he¡¯s...he¡¯s a bit optimistic, but it can happen. A long time ago, on Moccs, it was the norm to separate based on things like gender, or whether you had fur or scales, or whether or not you had fangs. Or...or who you loved. It was messed up, and it took...well, literally thousands of years, if you think about it, but we did change eventually. There are still people who think like that, but they¡¯re far from the norm, and almost everyone thinks they¡¯re wrong to stop people from being with each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Knight has it right! We changed before, and we can do it again!¡±


    ¡°When you put it like that, it does sound possible. But Latia isn¡¯t quite the same. We still have some of those problems here. Even some people in power think women don¡¯t belong in the workplace, or think that you should only love someone of the opposite gender. Those are some huge barriers to overcome before we even get to differences between Latians and Moccans.¡±


    ¡°True, but if my experiences are anything to go by, that¡¯s mostly the older generation¡ªand, to be blunt, they¡¯ll die off, and the younger generations will take over, and they¡¯ll change things. That¡¯s how it went on Moccs¡ªevery generation was a little better than the one before, in terms of social progress. And the better technology got and the more people came together, the faster things changed. I think Latia is going to change much faster than Moccs did, in part because of culture exchange, and in part because Latians are realizing they¡¯re part of a greater community.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve, uh, you¡¯ve done a lot of thinking about this, huh?¡±


    ¡°You bet, Stick! I¡¯m pretty passionate about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, viewers, that¡¯s a pretty good way to put it. In summary, we want Latia and Moccs to change for the better by embracing each other, similarities and differences alike. And we believe it will happen, if we just try. So, we¡¯re going to do an ongoing series on this channel about Latians and Moccans interacting. Some of it will be general information¡ªnews about trade, technology, and so on¡ªand some will be more personal, with us talking to you and each other about ways Latians and Moccans can interact with each other, and about our own lives as we do just that. We¡¯d also love to hear from you and have some of you join us in videos, so I¡¯m going to leave a link here for you to contact us if you have stories or want advice about connecting with someone that¡¯s a different size than you. Assuming this channel gets off the ground, we probably won¡¯t have time for everyone, but we will do our best to communicate with as many of you as possible!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait to hear from you guys! Seriously. It¡¯ll be good to meet more like-minded people, or just people who are curious about all this.¡±


    ¡°In addition¡ªand please bear in mind that this is going to take a lot longer to put together¡ªwe¡¯re going to create a website and community for this. One of our long term goals is to foster meetups, first online and then in person when possible, for curious individuals. When we get closer to that goal, we¡¯ll give you more information. Until then, if any of you out there have skills or experience that you think could contribute to that, please contact us. We¡¯re eager to get all this done, but we are a small group of young people, with day jobs, bills to pay, and classes to attend¡ªand we¡¯ve never done anything like this before¡ªso it¡¯s quite the task.¡±


    ¡°But we will get it done, for sure. So I swear!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll definitely try, viewers.¡±


    ¡°I promise to do my best to help out when possible, even when it gets hard.¡±


    ¡°I...yeah, I¡¯ll help too, though I-I¡¯m not sure I can.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find ways for you to help, even if it¡¯s just appearing in videos from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can do that.¡±


    ¡°All right! Whew. It feels good to declare all this to the world, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°For sure!¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually. Though it¡¯s certainly daunting.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if it was weird that I¡¯m, well, oddly excited by this.¡±


    ¡°Not at all! We¡¯re going to be a force for change, even if only a small one for a few people. But we¡¯re contributing the best we can, in our own way. Okay. This might get split into a separate video after editing, but we have another thing to tell you all, viewers. Pint, who do you want to tell this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start. Okay, people, I want this to be clear¡ªwhat I¡¯m going to tell you should not at all dissuade you from going out and making friends and stuff. But, and this is especially for Moccans, it should remind you to take the proper precautions and not get in over your head. Okay. Okay. So. I mentioned in my other video how eager I was to make some Latian friends. Well, I was a bit too eager. I put myself into a vulnerable situation with a guy I barely knew. I told myself that I knew him better than I really did, because I was so impatient to realize my dream of meeting and getting to know Latians. So I went with him, alone, to his home, and was completely within his power for a few days. And, he...he took advantage of that. Tried to get me to do things I didn¡¯t want to. Used the power dynamic between Latians and Moccans to try to force me to do what he wanted. And, when I refused, he hurt me, as you can see by my very fashionable sling and brace. I had to be rescued by this big goof.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°It goes to show that no matter how, uh, idealistic most of us might be, there will always be a few people who want to use meeting new people as--as an opportunity to prey on others. You need to watch out for those people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Defender. We expect that this will mostly pertain to Latians wanting to take advantage of Moccans, but we¡¯d like to remind all of you to be careful, no matter your size or the size of the other party. It¡¯s okay to trust¡ªit¡¯s good to trust¡ªbut don¡¯t put yourself in dangerous situations. This is something we want to help with using the website and meetups: giving people a safe place to socialize and try new things without any danger.¡±


    ¡°And...listen to your gut. Your subconscious will pick up on things, and put things together, that your conscious mind doesn¡¯t. If it tells you that you or a friend might be in danger, listen. Some part of me knew that Pint shouldn¡¯t have gone off by himself, but I didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Knight, don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blaming myself. Just giving some advice.¡±


    ¡°...All right. That is good advice.¡±


    ¡°Okay, guys. That¡¯s enough for a video. Maybe two! I¡¯ve got a lot of editing to do. Let¡¯s give some parting remarks, shall we? Anything at all you¡¯d like to say to our viewers before we go?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, don¡¯t hold back, and don¡¯t let anyone or anything stop you from making the world¡ªboth worlds¡ªa better place, in whatever way you can, even if it seems small or simple!¡±


    ¡°Believe in yourself. You¡¯re always stronger, always better than you believe you are. If you have trouble believing that, look to your true friends. They¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh. I guess just be willing to take chances. It won¡¯t always work out, b-but it¡¯ll never work out if you don¡¯t at least try.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll say it again: be whatever your friends need, whether that¡¯s a heroic rescuer or just a shoulder to lean on! Goodbye, viewers!¡±


    ¡°See you later!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, bye.¡±


    ...


    The next day, after getting breakfast together, they began to say their goodbyes in the arrival/departure area. It was time for Kelsen and Niko to go to the spaceport, to board their shuttle home. Ralia hugged Kelsen tight to her chest, just below her throat. ¡°I¡¯m really going to miss this.¡±


    ¡°...Me too.¡±


    ¡°You need to come back as soon as you can, or I¡¯m going to lose it. Plus, you need to meet my parents.¡±


    ¡°Please god no.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that! They loved you!¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m afraid that if I have to meet them in person, they¡¯ll smother me.¡±


    Ralia clutched him tighter in response. ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Mmph!¡±


    Fyche, on the other hand, was holding Niko up to face height, chatting about the videos and their grand upcoming undertaking. ¡°It¡¯d be cool to be more involved, but I¡¯d have to, like, have an online presence for that. So I guess it¡¯ll have to wait until I can somehow afford a decent computer.¡±


    ¡°Well, that might be sooner than you think.¡±


    ¡°You mean b-because parts are getting cheaper thanks to trade?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, I mean, yeah, probably. But that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°All will become clear. In time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, uh, you¡¯re doing this just to mess with me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Fyche responded by tapping Niko on the nose. ¡°Bad mouse.¡±


    ¡°Whoa there! You are assaulting a poor, critically wounded Moccan! I should report you to the authorities!¡±


    ¡°N-not before I report you for psychologically terrorizing me.¡±


    It took some time for their laughter to die down. When it did, Niko cleared his throat. ¡°I have to say it again: thanks for saving me.¡±


    ¡°You, uh, don¡¯t have to keep saying it.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then. I want to say it again.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. You¡¯re welcome already. I-I didn¡¯t do it just to be thanked.¡±


    ¡°I know. That makes me even more grateful.¡±


    ¡°...F-fuck. That was smooth.¡±


    ¡°Right? Anyway, I have one thing for you, before I go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    In response, Niko leaned forward, holding on to the side of Fyche¡¯s muzzle with his good hand, and gave him a long, tender kiss, and Ralia and Kelsen let out a soft ¡°Ooh...¡± Fyche blushed bright red and went wide-eyed, but he didn¡¯t pull away. When Niko finally did, he sputtered. ¡°That was¡ªI didn¡¯t think¡ªI mean, not that I didn¡¯t want¡ªI just wasn¡¯t expecting you to...¡± He trailed off. Niko just smiled and motioned for Fyche to set him down.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I got to meet you, Fyche. I¡¯ll be in touch. C¡¯mon, Kelsen! I¡¯d love to stay longer too, but we¡¯re going to miss the shuttle. If we do, your parents will literally kill us.¡±


    Ralia set Kelsen and their luggage down. ¡°Not literally. You two exaggerate so much.¡±


    Kelsen shook his head. ¡°Someday, you will realize we really, really don¡¯t. Literally is right...Goodbye, Ralia. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Kelsen. Have a safe trip.¡±


    On the shuttle, Niko leaned back with a contented sigh. ¡°I told you it was going to be awesome.¡±


    ¡°You almost died.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I also got rescued, made a new friend, and made out with said friend. And don¡¯t act like things didn¡¯t improve for you, ladykiller.¡±


    ¡°More like lady...get...smotheredbyer.¡±


    ¡°That was your best?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately. Anyway, yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. I went from too afraid to talk to being able to touch and speak my mind. For the most part.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Hey, we wanted to make a big change in our lives, and we did. And despite some setbacks, it went really well, and we both got what we wanted.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess when you look at it like that, it¡¯s pretty awesome.¡±


    ¡°Hell yes it is! All right...now we just need to plan our next visit.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m down.¡±


    ¡°Yeahhh! And next time, it¡¯s going to be a much longer stay.¡±


    After saying his farewells to the Moccans and then to Ralia, Fyche walked home with an extra bounce in his step. It was everything he¡¯d ever wanted for years now. He had some new friends, some of them Moccan. People in his life who weren¡¯t just coworkers or roommates. And ??Niko...well, hopefully he¡¯d come back soon. Fyche missed him already.


    On his way to his apartment, he checked his mail; he¡¯d been waiting for an overtime check for a few days now. He was surprised to see a mid-sized package inside, with a note attached.


    Dear Big Goof,


    I was going to get you a computer, but I realized this was probably a more manageable step up...plus, computers on Latia are expensive as hell! Anyway, it¡¯s basically a computer small enough to fit in your pocket. I included some simple instructions on how to use it and on switching your info over. If you need any more help, feel free to call me any time. ;) Haven¡¯t even left yet, but I can¡¯t wait to come back. Thanks again for everything.


    Your friend, Niko


    Inside the package was a brand new, top of the line smart phone, along with instructions on how Fyche could use it to establish an internet presence, connect with friends, and transfer his contacts and data plan over from his more primitive phone. Fyche¡¯s breath caught, and then he smiled, wider than he had in years.

 Chapter 10

    <h2 style="text-align: center">PART 2 - ONE WEEK ON MOCCS</h2>


    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 10


    ¡°All right! Now we¡¯ve got some news for all of you. The new spaceport in Sangra¡¯s capitol has finished construction, and is set to open next month. We find that very exciting! It¡¯s another way for Latians and Moccans to meet and trade. Big_Goof_Ba11, what¡¯s your take on this?¡±


    ¡°W-well, it doesn¡¯t affect me directly; as our viewers know, I live in Teromod, Doxen, so I¡¯m already close to a spaceport. But I am happy for the Sangrans who¡¯ll get to meet incoming Moccans, and, uh, benefit more directly from goods and services coming from Moccs.¡±


    ¡°I for one think it¡¯s super cool! Maybe next time we visit, we¡¯ll ditch you guys and hit up the Sangrans.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Pint!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m just kidding. You know you¡¯re my favorite people, Sphinx.¡±


    ¡°I should hope so! Now, on to our next piece of information¡ªthanks to a new deal and competition growing to produce Latian pharmaceuticals, the price of medication in most Latian countries has dropped significantly. Now, they¡¯re almost as cheap as they are on Moccs!¡±


    ¡°One of my coworkers is p-pretty happy about that. He¡¯s got a chronic condition, and before, his meds were, well, pretty pricey. From what he¡¯s told me, they¡¯re literally less than half the price now.¡±


    ¡°And while we¡¯re on that point, with the new spaceport, we might see prices drop further.¡±


    ¡°Correct, Knight. Isn¡¯t this great?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s awesome!¡±


    ¡°That was rhetorical, Pint, but yes, it is! Now, for some news from Moccs¡ªthat new cancer treatment we discussed about a month back has started clinical trials, and so far everything looks promising!¡±


    ¡°This is great news for everyone; if this new treatment is successful, it¡¯s only a matter of time before it becomes available to Latians as well.¡±


    ¡°I wish more people were talking about this. Moccs and Latia are on the verge of curing cancer together.¡±


    ¡°It really is amazing. Okay, back to Latia, Doxen specifically: the capitol, Teromod, has announced the construction of a new district, one specifically for Moccans. Though some are happy about this, others are...less so. It¡¯s become quite controversial, on both Latia and Moccs, and even here among our little group. Pint, care to comment?¡±


    ¡°Boo from me! I get that it¡¯d be great for more Moccans to come to Latia, but getting cooped up in a compound completely segregated from Latians? What¡¯s the point in coming, then? If you want to live around only Moccans, stay on Moccs!¡±


    ¡°I, for one, think it¡¯s great. Not everyone needs or wants to dive in headfirst. Some people need to go at their own pace. Maybe, for some, that¡¯s coming to Latia, but still having Moccans and Moccan-sized things around.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you put it like that, Knight...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, t-that doesn¡¯t sound terrible when you say it like that. But I think a, uh, mixed district might be better. Stuff for people of both sizes. That way you¡¯re not completely thrust into unfamiliar territory, but you, you get to mingle and get used to each other.¡±


    ¡°I mean, that sounds cool as hell, Goof, but it¡¯s going to take some swaying of public opinion and some legislators getting off their asses for it to happen.¡±


    ¡°As you see, viewers, our own opinions aren¡¯t quite in sync. I myself am torn somewhere between Goof and Knight¡¯s opinions. But, and I¡¯d like to stress this, we can all disagree respectfully, and so can you down in the comments. I don¡¯t want to have to lock another thread, like I did last week. Now, it¡¯s time for our guest this week! Everyone say hello to Samet!¡±


    ¡°Yo!¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hi there.¡±


    ¡°Hello hello good people! I¡¯m Samet, a squirrel from Latia, specifically Bonaco, Doxen!¡±


    ¡°Welcome, Samet! We understand you wanted our advice on something?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, sort of! I also want to kinda talk to you and ask you about the Moccan district. See, I¡¯ve got a friend. A Moccan. We haven¡¯t gotten to meet yet, but we chat, like, all the time. We¡¯re real close! Now, she actually wants to move to Latia. I¡¯d love for her to. But she wants to move into the Moccan district when it opens, and like, I¡¯m wondering how that would even work? It¡¯d be hard to see each other, since Latians aren¡¯t allowed in. I dunno, I guess I just want to be able to spend time with her in person, and what¡¯s the point if she¡¯s stuck inside the Moccan district the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Mind if I take this one?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Go ahead, Knight.¡±


    ¡°All right. Well, Samet, this is a little tricky, but I do have some advice. First and foremost, this is definitely something the two of you should discuss more. If you haven¡¯t already, tell her how you feel about it, and listen to how she feels about it. Second, recognize that everyone moves at their own pace. Like I said, maybe moving to the Moccan district is a good first step for her. Even visiting Latia is a huge effort for Moccans, so if she¡¯s more comfortable starting off in familiar surroundings, let her! And beyond that...while it is true you won¡¯t be able to visit her inside, there¡¯s nothing stopping her from leaving and visiting you when she¡¯s up for it. So it¡¯s not quite the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, yeah. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not. And I guess I should talk to her more about this. I guess I was just worried what she¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right to be worried. Just don¡¯t let that worry stop you from communicating.¡±


    ¡°Okay, yeah. Thanks for the advice, man!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome.¡±


    ¡°All right, viewers. I think that¡¯s about as much time as we have left for this video. Thanks for your time, Samet! Now, does anyone have any parting remarks? Goof, how about you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, n-nothing from me. Just happy to have been here!¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m good too. Glad I could help, Samet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got something real quick. Latia, look out, ¡®cause me and Knight here are coming back soon, and for a longer stay this time! So lay out the welcome mat for us, will you?¡±


    ¡°We certainly will, Pint! All right, viewers. As always, be whatever your friends and family need! Bye!¡±


    ...


    It had been five months since Niko and Kelsen returned to Moccs. Things had been touch and go for a while with Kelsen¡¯s parents, but eventually settled down; Niko¡¯s parents, of course, hadn¡¯t been told. Kelsen and Ralia chatted every day and video called nearly as often. Fyche had slowly been integrated into their group, his progress hampered more by his lack of technological and internet expertise than anyone¡¯s reluctance to let him into their space. Niko and Fyche both seemed unsure of what exactly their relationship was, if anything.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The group had managed to get their website, Size Doesn¡¯t Matter, up and running, with both Ralia and Niko actively moderating, and Kelsen and Fyche as more passive moderators. Most of the time, anyway. They had quickly gathered a cult following of people from both Latia and Moccs who were excited to meet each other for various reasons; some were good, others neutral but benign, and a few less than wholesome. Those had been banned from the site.


    They had ended up on the news a few times¡ªmostly just local news in Teromod and Brenn¡ªand had been trying to get the public informed and interested, but they were still far from reaching the level of awareness they were trying for. Niko in particular was disappointed, as he wanted things to move faster, and had to be reminded over and over by Kelsen and Ralia that these things took time, and their results so far still weren¡¯t at all bad.


    After the video ended, they all stretched, sighed, or laughed, and turned to more personal conversation, but all too soon, for everyone, it was time to sign off.


    ...


    Kelsen dropped his rifle and slowly sank down against the wall of the office he and Ralia were hunkered down in. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this anymore,¡± he said, voice close to breaking.


    Ralia sat next to him, and took his paw in hers. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s tough. None of us wanted to be in this situation. But if we don¡¯t keep fighting, we¡¯ll die. And I won¡¯t let you die.¡± She raised her other paw to caress his face, drawing out an unsteady smile.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you die eith¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit, fuck! N-Niko, I¡¯m stuck again! How the hell do you move and turn at the same time?¡± Fyche blundered past the open door, rifle held rigidly in both paws, and began walking into the wall repeatedly. ¡°God damnit!¡±


    Niko followed close behind him, his movements much more fluid and relaxed. ¡°You gotta twist your wrist a bit. It¡¯s easy.¡±


    ¡°Easy? I appreciate that you guys, uh, got me these gloves, but they are impossible to use! Whose idea was it to make one side control paws and the other feet? It doesn¡¯t make any s-sense.¡±


    Kelsen raised a paw and pinched the bridge of his muzzle, both in person and in the game. ¡°Can you two stay in character for five minutes?!¡±


    Shrugging, Niko rested his rifle over his shoulder nonchalantly. ¡°Gotta teach Fyche how to play.¡± Ralia just giggled.


    A loud crash sounded outside, and the building shook. ¡°Well, teach faster. The Magans are here. And it sounds like they brought a deathbot.¡± Kelsen jumped to his feet and picked his rifle back up, quickly checking his ammo reserves. ¡°I¡¯m set. Anyone need any gear before¡ª¡±


    A giant robotic fist crashed through the wall, sending Fyche flying and knocking everyone else to the ground. Kelsen began firing at it, joined soon after by Ralia, but the bullets bounced almost harmlessly off the metal shell. ¡°It¡¯s a 2.0!¡± Kelsen shouted. Before anyone could reach for a different weapon, the hand grabbed Niko and withdrew.


    Niko¡¯s casual manner broke immediately. ¡°Uh, guys, a little help here!¡± The hand began to tighten. ¡°Sooner than later! Get me out of here!¡± Kelsen swapped to a grenade launcher and fired at the bot¡¯s elbow; he managed to blow a chunk out of it, but didn¡¯t do enough damage to make it drop Niko, who started to breathe heavily over his mic as his hit points plummeted. Ralia was blasting away at the bot¡¯s forearm with a plasma caster, but even that wasn¡¯t whittling it down fast enough, and Fyche had managed to fall through the hole in the wall, losing half his health from hitting the ground below.


    With a sickening crunch, Niko¡¯s avatar was killed and discarded. He ripped off his headset and visor, panting, while the others were dispatched one by one by the deathbot and Magan infantry support. When his breathing was back under control, he put his equipment back on.


    ¡°...bullshit,¡± Kelsen was saying. ¡°2.0s aren¡¯t even a challenge. They¡¯re just fake difficulty with having too many hitpoints and not enough destructibles. And sending one on wave three with four players? No. I¡¯m going to be complaining on the forums all night.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry,¡± said Fyche. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m just t-terrible at it. And these games in general. I appreciate you guys inviting me, I really do, but you¡¯d, you¡¯d probably have more fun without me.¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s kinda fun being able to teach someone else. Plus I like being able to show off to someone who¡¯s not as good as I am. Yet. Sorry about getting frustrated earlier.¡±


    ¡°Hey, how about we switch games for now?¡± Ralia suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s pick one a little less intense, so Fyche can practice using glove controls.¡±


    Kelsen hummed. ¡°Fine with me. Wanna just play around in that sim we found last week?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! Fyche, Niko?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    It only took a few minutes for them all to quit out and shift to a much more forgiving game that was more about socializing than combat or tactics. It was a surprise hit on both Moccan and Latian markets due to its extensive character creation system and precise virtual reality glove controls, which allowed Moccans and Latians to play as their respective selves at their respective sizes, or for them to try out being another size. Or, sometimes, for all players involved to be Latian-sized and team up to destroy Moccan-sized cities.


    Not that any of the four of them indulged in that. Kelsen did have a Latian-sized avatar, but only so that he and Ralia could spend time on the same scale; Ralia had tried it once, to see if it was fun at all, and ended up wincing and apologizing over and over after flattening one virtual car. Fyche was not interested in it all, and Niko¡¯s avatar was Moccan-sized. After Ralia¡¯s single attempt, they¡¯d come to the conclusion that while it might be a fun diversion for some people, it was in danger of normalizing murder, property destruction, and size complexes, and had done a few videos on why while they did not think it was necessarily bad, they wanted to warn players not to confuse games with reality.


    After all, letting the size difference cause them to do destructive things was something a certain black wolf might do, and none of them wanted to be anything like him.


    Once they were all settled in Kelsen¡¯s player home, he and Ralia lounging on the couch and Fyche holding Niko on an armchair large even by Latian proportions, Fyche continued. ¡°I mean it. I can stop p-playing for a while if you guys want. You¡¯d probably win for once.¡±


    Niko shook his head, and looked up at Fyche with a frown. ¡°Dude, chill. You¡¯re one of us. None of us mind. Not even Kel, even if he gets too into the game and gets frustrated sometimes. If you need us to confirm it every so often, that¡¯s okay, so I¡¯ll say it again: you¡¯re our friend. You¡¯re one of us. We want you around. We enjoy your company.¡± Fyche flushed and looked away. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t want to play with us, that¡¯s fine too. You can come out and say it.¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, no, I...I do like hanging out with you guys. And thanks. Maybe I do need to hear it once in a while¡­¡±


    Partially due to a traumatic childhood he¡¯d still barely mentioned to the others, Fyche hadn¡¯t had a close circle of friends in over seven Latian years. He was comfortable enough with his current roommate and civil with his coworkers, but other than one unfortunate abusive relationship, he hadn¡¯t been close to anyone for so long he¡¯d forgotten what it was like. At least, until he met Niko. Despite, or maybe because of the circumstances of their meeting¡ªspurred by Niko being attacked and later seriously injured by someone he¡¯d trusted a little too much¡ªthey¡¯d become very close, very fast.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep saying it. Bring it in, you big goof.¡± Niko gestured for Fyche to bring him closer, and he gave him a warm, if tiny hug. Or, rather, his avatar did one of the four hug emotes towards Fyche¡¯s avatar¡¯s chest, while, unseen by Niko or Fyche, Kelsen and Ralia gave each other very knowing looks that were clear even through the context of the game. ¡°Ugh. I mean, this is something, but it¡¯s no substitute for the real thing. I¡¯d give a leg to be back on Latia right now.¡±


    ¡°Not a l-leg. How would you get around?¡±


    ¡°Easy. I¡¯d make one of you carry me.¡±


    The group laughed. Shaking his head, Fyche asked, ¡°How are your plans for visiting again going, anyway? You mentioned them last night, ??but I haven¡¯t heard you say much about them for a while.¡±


    Niko scowled. ¡°We were hoping to come visit in like a month, but at this point, I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll be able to visit within the next three. My boss has been a total asshole lately. ¡®Niko, do this! Niko, do that! Niko, Email 2085f-17B was supposed to be filed under Promotional, not Informational!¡¯ And every time I screw up¡ªor every time he says I screwed up even though I¡¯m doing the exact same thing all my coworkers are doing¡ªhe looks down at his phone and says ¡®Hmm, with this performance, I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll be able to give you that time off you asked about.¡¯ The conference calls are total bullshit. I just know my dad said something to him at church.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, that¡¯s gotta be illegal,¡± Fyche said.


    ¡°Not if I can¡¯t prove anything. Swear to god, I¡¯m gonna quit.¡±


    ¡°For the record, I have recommended that he not do that,¡± said Kelsen.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe not,¡± Fyche agreed.


    Ralia took a few moments to respond. ¡°Niko, if you¡¯re not happy at your job, you should absolutely look for one that would make you happier. But I wouldn¡¯t just up and quit before you¡¯ve got one lined up.¡±


    ¡°But think about it! If I didn¡¯t have this stupid job, I could devote a bit more time to my studies, and a lot more time to Size Doesn¡¯t Matter! Get our message out there! Plus, once we had more viewers and users, we¡¯d start bringing in some money from ads and subs. If I worked hard enough at it, it could be my job!¡±


    The others weren¡¯t quite convinced.

 Chapter 11

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 11


    Niko lay on a warm, plush surface covering something tough underneath. It was almost like lying on a field of soft grass or moss obscuring the soil level below. But this surface moved, slowly, up and down, and somewhere deep beneath he could hear, even feel, a rhythmic pulsing. It was soothing to lie there and be lulled by the feel of soft black fur blanketing firm muscles, with the constant, steady drum of the heartbeat.


    No. Something about that was wrong. Black fur? It was supposed to be red and white. No, no, this was wrong, this was bad, this was dangerous. He sat up and looked around in alarm, only to find himself staring up at a black wolf¡¯s condescending yet expectant face.


    ¡°Now. Give me what I want.¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t.¡±


    And suddenly he was held in a vicelike grip. ¡°You¡¯re making me angry! So angry! Now I have to hurt you! It¡¯s your fault!¡±


    ¡°Your choice...your choice to be violent or not.¡± Someone had told him that. Maybe more than one person. But it only served to enrage the wolf further. He was being crushed. It hurt, so bad, so very bad, and then it got even tighter, and his entire body was in the worst pain he could imagine, and then it got tighter, and this was it, he was going to die, this was going to kill him, it wasn¡¯t fair, he wasn¡¯t ready to die, he wasn¡¯t ready to¡ª


    Niko opened his eyes, disoriented. Just another nightmare, he told himself. Nothing to worry overmuch about. Rubbing his eyes, he checked his phone. Seven-thirty in the morning. Earlier than he¡¯d usually get up, but too late to go back to sleep. And besides, the nightmare might be waiting for him if he did. He sighed and rolled out of bed before heading to his and Kelsen¡¯s shared kitchen area, where the gray wolf was already up and munching happily on a bowl of his favorite, way-too-sugary cereal. ¡°Morning, Ni¡ªwhoa. What happened to you last night?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Niko opened the cupboard and rummaged around until he found his coffee fixings. Sure, they¡¯d be easier to find if he put them back neatly in the same place every day like Kelsen, but that was too much effort. Once he¡¯d put the ingredients into his coffee maker, turned it on, and put them back away, he took a seat at the counter next to his best friend. ¡°Morning to you too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not nothing. What is it? Another nightmare?¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Yeah.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s been a few months, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. Since before I stopped seeing...you know.¡±


    ¡°How bad was it?¡±


    ¡°Not bad. Same old shit. He tries to make me do something, I refuse, he starts hurting me, I tell him he doesn¡¯t have to resort to violence, he does anyway. Basically exactly how things played out in real life. Just faster and blurrier.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should go see that doctor again, if the nightmares are back.¡±


    ¡°Just one. And it¡¯s not ¡®interfering with my everyday activities¡¯, so there¡¯s no need.¡± Kelsen frowned, so Niko rolled his eyes and continued. ¡°But if it starts happening regularly again, I will let you know. And if it starts impacting my daily life, I¡¯ll talk to you about seeing her again. Deal?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡­


    Fyche stopped outside Ralia¡¯s door. He¡¯d been surprised by her request, but in hindsight, perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have been. He knocked twice and waited, paws clasped behind his back. ¡°Fyche? That you?¡± asked Ralia, her voice muffled.


    ¡°Y-yeah, it¡¯s, uh, it¡¯s me.¡±


    He could hear her undoing the lock, and then the door swung open, revealing her standing there with a broad grin. ¡°Hey there! Thanks for coming. I know it was kind of weird for me to ask¡­¡±


    He shrugged, entering at her bidding hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I, I get it. I know how it is not to feel...safe...and to want to, uh, do something about it.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure here is fine?¡±


    He looked around her apartment. The front room was also the living room and sitting room, and was separated from the kitchen by half a chest-high wall. It contained a well-worn couch next to the door, a desk with her computer, and a TV on the wall beside the desk. In the corner, on the far side of the couch, sat the Moccan-sized...he wasn¡¯t sure what to call it. House? Room? It wasn¡¯t much different than a mobile home.


    In any case, she¡¯d moved the chair to the far side of the room, and there was more than enough space to get started. Once they moved on to more complicated movements, they¡¯d probably need to find a space outside, but that wouldn¡¯t be for some time. ¡°This is fine for now. So...um...just come stand here. One of the most important pieces of self defense, and hand to hand fighting in general, is where and how you place your feet¡­¡±


    ...


    ¡°Sir, have you tried closing the program, resetting the device, and restarting the program? In that case, can you please do that? I will remain on the line until you¡¯re finished¡­Uh huh...yes, I see...no more issues, then? Great! Yes. I was happy to be of service, sir. Is there anything else I can help you with today? All right. Have a great day, s...¡± The line closed with a click. ¡°...Sir.¡± Niko shut his eyes and counted to five before opening them again. There weren¡¯t any other calls waiting¡ªnot for him, anyway¡ªso he turned back to sorting and marking some of the hundreds of thousands of emails the company got every day. He¡¯d already sorted a few hundred today. The work was boring, time-consuming, and never-ending. But at least he got to work from home. In fact, if he strained, he could hear the music Kelsen was listening to while he slogged through his own data entry work.


    It would be nice if he could listen to music too, but the occasional call made that impossible. He had tried listening to music between calls once...but his supervisor had noticed, and he¡¯d received an official reprimand. Another one of those and he¡¯d probably be fired. So no music. The time he allotted to work would be over soon, though, and then he could take a break before catching up on his studies. Maybe Fyche would be up to chat? If not, he could probably count on Kelsen for some gaming.


    His musing was cut off by a direct call. Not from a customer¡ªthis was his boss. ¡°Hello, sir.¡±


    His boss didn¡¯t sound pleased. Then again, he never did. ¡°Niko, are you, in fact, paying attention to your work?¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    ¡°Not listening to music or watching videos again, are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then why in God¡¯s name did you sort email 8632l-152J under Greetings, rather than Welcomes?¡±


    ¡°...My mistake, sir. I¡¯ll make sure to fix it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not make the mistake in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I will endeavor not to in the future, sir, though I would like to point out that the line between Greetings and Welcomes is rather thin and difficult to see at times.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any of your smart mouth today, Niko.¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort intended, sir. Just trying to point out a potential problem so it can be solved before it causes additional errors in the future.¡±


    ¡°Niko, Niko, Niko...you know, the way you keep acting, the way you make so many mistakes on the job...I just don¡¯t see how we¡¯re going to have the time to let you go for so long.¡±


    Niko grumbled to himself for the rest of his shift, mostly about how unfair his boss was to him and how much he wanted to quit. He shot Fyche a message about chatting for a bit, only to remember halfway through that thanks to time differences and day lengths, it would be hours before Fyche was off work. Still, he wouldn¡¯t have to stay up that late to talk to him.


    Kelsen was busy hanging out with Ralia, so Niko pulled up some coursework on his computer and went over it. Again. For the third time. It was dull, but he still didn¡¯t quite feel like he understood it completely, and he knew this section was going to be prominent on the upcoming exam. It didn¡¯t help that he checked the time every five minutes, waiting for Fyche to respond. It was nearly midnight when Fyche texted him back that he was tired from work and didn¡¯t feel up to chatting.


    Well, that was just great. Shitty day at work, couldn¡¯t concentrate on school, and Fyche didn¡¯t feel like talking to him. Just. Great.


    ...


    ¡°Heyyy, Rails.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Kel! How¡¯s my sweet snugglewolf?¡±


    ¡°Ralia!¡± As always, Kelsen flushed when Ralia called him pet names. ¡°Niko¡¯s home! He might hear you...¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. Niko has heard me call you far more embarrassing names.¡±


    ¡°That I have, my fair cuddlepup,¡± Niko called from his room.


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Blushing harder, Kelsen got up and shut the door, then changed his audio to headset only. But before he could sit down, Niko knocked and then opened the door a crack. ¡°Come on, you already got me once, you don¡¯t have to come rub my nose in it...¡±


    ¡°Much as I¡¯d love to, I¡¯m just here to tell you I¡¯m leaving in, like, three minutes. See you when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay. Good luck!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna fuckin¡¯ need it. Later.¡±


    Kelsen sat back down at his desk and put his headset back on. ¡°You two are the worst.¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°On the contrary: we make an excellent team.¡±


    ¡°For the sport of Embarrassing Kelsen?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    ¡°Terrible. Terrible sport.¡±


    ¡°Great sport, but too easy sometimes.¡±


    ¡°It is. Why don¡¯t you challenge yourself and pick on someone else?¡±


    ¡°Because we know you actually love it, and because I love that little whine in your voice whenever we do it.¡±


    ¡°...Nnn...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that one!¡±


    ¡°You suck.¡± Kelsen heard the front door close. ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s gone now. Now I just have you to put up with.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s he go¡ªoh. His parents?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    Niko¡¯s relationship with his parents had always been dicey. As hardcore religious fundamentalists and political traditionalists, they were very outspoken against the ¡®evils¡¯ of atheism, homosexuality, species intermingling, and scale interaction¡ªbasically everything the mouse stood for. They somehow had managed to keep their relationship going all these years, but every visit, every phone call, pretty much any time Niko had to even think about his parents wore at him. He¡¯d gotten into a fight with them once, trying to stand up for himself and others like him, but from what Kelsen understood, it hadn¡¯t gone well. Niko still didn¡¯t like talking about it.


    ¡°Yeahhh...but he insists. Plus, I think he¡¯s trying to figure out if his dad really did try to sic his boss on him. Best we can do is be here for him when it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°I just hate that things have to be like that for him. I can¡¯t imagine life without my parents as they are. Sabotaging your own kid...¡± Ralia¡¯s parents, on the other hand, were ¡®cool¡¯, according to Niko. They supported Ralia no matter what, and were enthusiastic about everything she did, from her work to her hobbies, and everyone she associated with. They could at times be a little overbearing, of course, but they were willing to listen and take a few steps back when that was the case. All in all, Kelsen considered them to be the perfect parents.


    Contrast, then, his own mother and father. They were supportive as well, in their own way, but rather than being encouraging, they managed to veer between demanding too much from him and actively preventing him from leaving his own personal safe space in order to grow. Back during primary school, they¡¯d sometimes berate him for not getting a perfect grade or making a team, only to forbid him to spend time with other children, saying that socializing was expecting too much of him. He also knew from experience that if he talked to them about work at all, they¡¯d call his boss and get in an argument. He suspected he¡¯d only managed to stay friends with Niko for so long thanks to the mouse¡¯s sheer stubbornness.


    As for Fyche¡¯s parents...Kelsen didn¡¯t know much at all, other than that his father was gone¡ªdead?¡ªand his mother out of his life.


    Kelsen realized he¡¯d been drifting. ¡°Anyway. Ugh, I should probably actually get some work done while we talk.¡± He pulled up the software he used for his job and started typing. ¡°How are you doing today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good! And unlike some people, I¡¯ve actually been working this whole time. I have solved three customers¡¯ problems since we started chatting.¡±


    ¡°Were any of them more complicated than reboots?¡±


    ¡°Well...no.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still something! Oh, now you¡¯ve jinxed it. Hold on, I have to answer a call.¡±


    ¡°Mmkay.¡± He clacked away at his keyboard while Ralia spoke to a client with her mic off. They had begun doing this in the last few months¡ªchatting while they worked, since most of their work could be done without them having to pay full attention. Kelsen complained every time Ralia or Niko teased him about the frequency of their communication¡ªor when they teased him about anything, really¡ªbut he had come to cherish these voice calls. Between Ralia, Niko, him keeping his job, and a slight increase in his understanding and improvement in his grades at school, it finally felt like his life was going in a direction other than down. It was a warm, comfortable feeling, and his greatest ambition was to keep it.


    ¡°Okay, back! How¡¯s your day been?¡±


    ¡°Well, my two best friends have been torturing me...¡±


    ¡°Eleven!¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit.¡±


    ¡°Every time, you think I¡¯ll forget, but I never do. And I¡¯ll remind you again: for every time you complain about us being ¡®mean¡¯, I¡¯m going to smother you with cuddles until you can¡¯t walk the next time you¡¯re on Latia.¡±


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s only one solution.¡±


    ¡°Stop whining about it?¡±


    ¡°No. Never come to Latia again.¡±


    ¡°Like you could stay away! Oh, hold on. Another call.¡±


    He¡¯d never admit it, but she was right. Everything else on Latia could fall by the wayside, but he yearned to be with Ralia again. All the voice calls, the video calls, the VR hangouts¡ªthey were great, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. And Ralia had been the second person to ever pull him out of his shell, the first being, of course, Niko. And considering the differences in their relationship and the fact that he had two people he trusted intimately now...things were just better, and even better in person.


    ¡°All right, back! What were we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    ¡°Really? Because I faintly remember something about you lying...¡±


    ¡°Uh, what all¡¯s going to be in the next video, again?¡±


    ¡°You are trying to change the subject. And I will allow you to because I love you. Also twelve.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count!¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s up to me. I am the one with all the power in this relationship.¡±


    He sat silently as Ralia seemed to realize what she¡¯d said. ¡°Oh. Oh, Kel, honey, I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±


    He grit his teeth and counted to five. He knew she hadn¡¯t meant it like that, but it still stung. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I just meant...¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re more likely to display affection and stuff. I know. I know it wasn¡¯t a jab at me or my capabilities or my size.¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s all it was. I was just kidding around. I wasn¡¯t trying to make you feel bad.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± There was a palpable silence between them. ¡°And I¡¯m not mad or offended or anything, but sometimes it hurts to hear anyway, you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Kel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll get over it.¡±


    ¡°Can I help?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Tell me why you like me again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that all? Well, obviously, I like having a partner I can pick up and cuddle with...¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°But! But what I really like about you is how you look at things and people from every angle, and try to think of every possible outcome. I think it makes you wise, and I think it makes you empathetic and compassionate.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome. Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Mostly. I was actually thinking earlier, about how much better everything feels lately. Just life overall. And like...is it weird that I don¡¯t want anything more? I just want things to stay how they are. Uh, relatively speaking. Like, stay as positive as they are, for me.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re overall content?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so. I just want things to stay good. And things to be good for my friends too, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty happy, too!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. You¡¯re always happy.¡±


    ¡°Am not!¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean. It just comes more naturally to you and Niko than it does to me. Or Fyche, I guess. Actually, right now, maybe not even Niko.¡±


    ¡°Hm? You mean because of his parents?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, that. But he¡¯s also having nightmares again.¡±


    ¡°About that night?¡±


    ¡°And the situation in general, I think. I can tell it¡¯s weighing on him. The nightmares, his parents, his job...and something else, too, though I¡¯m not sure what it is.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I think I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, huh? Yeah, definitely could be that.¡±


    ¡°I know you saw the same thing I saw the other day. Those two keep flirting, sometimes outrageously, and yet nothing ever seems to come of it. I mean, Fyche even used that nickname Niko was calling him for his screenname! No way he¡¯d ever choose to be a big goofball otherwise, he¡¯s way too serious. I bet that¡¯s this other thing...or is at least contributing to it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. I wish we could help.¡±


    ¡°I mean, we can keep facilitating them having time together¡ªboth with us and without us¡ªbut we can¡¯t force it.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡­


    Ralia yawned, glancing at the clock as she idly twisted her chair from side to side. ¡°All right. It¡¯s getting late, I really do need to go. Good night, my darling nuzzlemuffin.¡±


    ¡°Ralia!¡± Kelsen muttered, exasperated but also flustered. ¡°You¡¯re impossible. Good night. Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you more!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this.¡± The call ended as Kelsen left. Chuckling to herself, Ralia pulled her headset off and ran a paw across her ears, giving her fur a good scratch. Even her headset, comfortable as it was, caused a fair amount of discomfort after being worn for hours on end.


    Stretching, she stood up and shut her computer down. Can¡¯t wait to crawl into bed, she thought, but before she could take another step, there was a timid tap at her door.


    Breathing in sharply, she immediately grabbed for her phone, preemptively entering the number for the police, as she fumbled under her desk for the bat she¡¯d taken to keeping there. As she stood up straight, phone prepped in one paw and a raised bat in the other, her phone buzzed.


    Cautiously, glancing back at the door, she checked it. It was a text from Fyche. Really sorry. I¡¯m on my way to your place. I hope it¡¯s not a bad time. Letting out a tense breath, she relaxed, setting the bat back under the desk. It¡¯s just Fyche.


    She¡¯d been jumpy ever since the last time she got an unexpected knock on her door and foolishly opened it without confirming the visitor, and wasn¡¯t about to make that mistake again. Her hand on the lock, she made doubly sure. ¡°Fyche?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah. Sorry.¡±


    The voice was definitely his. She opened the door to find him standing there, paws jammed in his pockets, tail thrashing anxiously behind him as he stared a hole in the floor. ¡°Fyche? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s...well...sort of, I just...uh...sorry to impose, but...can¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± she said, stepping back so he could enter. With a hesitant glance around the room, he sat on the far end of the couch. He took his paws out of his pockets and started wringing them together. Wanting to sit next to him but knowing it would make him uncomfortable, she sat on the other end. ¡°Fyche, tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    He glanced over, meeting her eyes for just a second before looking away again. ¡°It¡¯s just...d-do you...ever get...no, of course you don¡¯t¡­¡± Resisting the urge to ask more questions, she simply waited, and eventually he resumed his train of thought. ¡°Nightmares. I just...sometimes, I get these really intense...and it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t handle it, but I can never sleep afterward...I dunno, m-my head is all jumbled up. Sorry. I don¡¯t, uh, I don¡¯t know what I was thinking, just barging in like this.¡±


    She smiled patiently. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Fyche. I don¡¯t mind at all. Do you...do you think you might be able to get back to sleep if you stay here tonight?¡±


    His voice was very small. ¡°I-I think I¡¯d like to try that. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 12

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 12


    Niko stood on his parents¡¯ doorstep, sullenly resigned to be miserable for the next few hours. For reasons even he didn¡¯t fully understand, he made sure to visit his parents at least once a month, and tell them about his life and ask about theirs. It never ended with him happy or feeling at all close to them. He wasn¡¯t even sure if what he felt for them could be called love anymore. Could you love someone who detested you and everything you were? And if you could...was that a good thing or a bad thing?


    Why did he insist on coming back here, time after time? He¡¯d long since given up on changing their minds; between being the last of a generation intent on bringing back the ¡®values¡¯ of a society that had left them behind a long time ago and their sheer inherent stubbornness, they¡¯d never change. Ralia¡¯s parents could change when necessary, and even Kelsen¡¯s parents were softening with time, but Niko¡¯s parents? Not a chance, not ever. So it couldn¡¯t be for that.


    Was it to help him appreciate everything else in his life more? No, that was a stupid line from a stupid film. Real life didn¡¯t work that way. Rather than make him more thankful for what he did have, these visits always made him spiteful and morose, unable to recognize the things he had to be grateful for. So it couldn¡¯t be that, either.


    Maybe he just wanted to play family, to pretend like he had parents who loved him. Much as he would say to his friends that he didn¡¯t need their validation, did some part of him, deep down, crave it? Surely that was childish. Foolish. He was more mature than that, wasn¡¯t he? Too mature to see his parents on a regular basis in order to stitch all the less contentious interactions into a patchwork quilt of Normal Family Interactions that some part of him could cling to in order to feel loved?


    No, of course not. That was something a child would do. Or a crazy person. Normal people didn¡¯t do things like that.


    How normal am I, though?


    The door finally opened, and his mother greeted him by his name and moved forward to hug him. He hugged back, already uncomfortable. Physical contact with his parents always left a bad taste in his mouth. Weren¡¯t you supposed to hug someone because you loved them? And if so, if they did love him, why did they so openly hate everything about him, including¡ªespecially¡ªthings that just were, things he couldn¡¯t change?


    Niko realized that his thoughts were swirling round and round, more powerful and more demanding, and definitely more questioning, than they usually were when he visited his parents. But before he could wonder why, he was pulled inside, and in moments found himself seated at his parents¡¯ dining room table, the location they spent most of their visits.


    As he was trying to get more comfortable on the straight-backed, knobbly chair, his father entered the room as well. Though he¡¯d long since given up on making Niko stand whenever he entered the room, he still insisted on making Niko give him a firm handshake¡ªsomething to ward off Niko¡¯s ¡®queer posture¡¯. Not wanting to fight this soon, Niko simply gave his father the strongest handshake he could muster. He must have passed the stupid test, as his father said nothing and took his seat at the head of the table. ¡°So, Niko, what¡¯s new in your life?¡±


    He shrugged. He knew better than to tell them about Latia or Size Doesn¡¯t Matter, and outside of those things, there really wasn¡¯t much to tell. ¡°Work¡¯s the same as ever. Well, maybe a bit worse. My boss has really stepped up busting my¡ªuh, busting my chops.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Uh, little mistakes here and there. The sorting system is weird. Like, Welcomes and Greetings are two separate categories, and sometimes I forget which is which.¡±


    His father raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sounds like you need to learn. Have more respect for your job.¡±


    Count to five. ¡°Uh huh. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s entirely because I¡¯m such a failure, and has nothing to do with his buddies telling him to crack down on me.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°That it seems like you said something to him, because he was never this bad before.¡±


    His father harrumphed, crossing his arms. ¡°I have spoken to him at service, but I didn¡¯t ask him to target you, or whatever you¡¯re implying. I told him that I worry about you. Shouldn¡¯t a father worry about his son?¡±


    ¡°When there¡¯s stuff to worry about, probably.¡±


    His mother put her paw on his father¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯ve given us a great deal to worry about, Niko. You were always a wild child, but ever since you moved out...¡± She let the unsaid hang in the air.


    Seeing he wasn¡¯t going to win this one¡ªwhen did he ever win anything with them?¡ªhe changed the subject. ¡°Anyway. Other than that, not much going on. Still doing well in my classes.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve got three semesters left, then?¡±


    ¡°Including this one, yeah, and it¡¯s nearly over.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re studying...something with computers?¡±


    ¡°Web development.¡±


    ¡°Remind us what that is?¡±


    As if he didn¡¯t remind them every time he came over. Would it kill them to remember the basics, if they were actually interested? Not everyone could remember minute details of someone else¡¯s job, but certainly they could give their child the courtesy of committing the broad strokes to memory? ¡°Creating and maintaining websites. Lots of coding and programming.¡±


    His father shook his head. ¡°Still say you should¡¯ve followed in my footsteps. Would¡¯ve had a job at my firm right out of primary school. No need for college and all the fantastical ideas they¡¯re shoving in your head.¡±


    ¡°Which ideas would those be? The ones about not hating people for being different?¡±


    His mother gave him a look. ¡°You know not to take that tone with your father.¡±


    ¡°All right. But I don¡¯t have much left to tell. Kelsen is doing well.¡±


    His father scowled. ¡°Still hanging around with a fang?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And we still live together, too. I probably would have mentioned if that changed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not natural,¡± his father said. ¡°Living with a fang. Living with a man.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not together. Kel doesn¡¯t even like guys. And if...¡±


    ¡°Which is why I haven¡¯t forbidden it. But Lord knows I try to steer you back on the right path.¡±


    ¡°Forbidden it? If I must remind you, I am an adult and not dependent on you for anything.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. But I¡¯m still your patriarch. Still responsible, in part, for your spiritual wellbeing.¡±


    Oh, god. He hated it when his father started down this path. Better to change the subject. ¡°Anyway. How¡¯s the rest of the family? Effie had another kid, right?¡±


    His father bowed his head for a moment. ¡°Niko, most days I¡¯d let you duck out like that. But not today. I have been praying every night...¡± Ah, fuck. Not this again. ¡°...and I spoke with our pastor, and we came to the same conclusion: your sinful ways need to stop. Now. You can be forgiven, in time, for your dabbling. Everyone makes mistakes in their life, even if some make more than others. But if you keep going as you have been, your soul will be forfeit. Is that really what you want? An eternity of damnation, just so you can give in to temptation and enjoy carnal pleasures?¡±


    ¡°Well, considering I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s any kind of eternity, I¡¯m not too worried. Besides, ¡®carnal pleasures¡¯? You highly overestimate my dating game.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that,¡± his father said, lip curling in disgust.


    His mother nodded. ¡°We know you know God, Niko. You went to church every week for most of your life!¡±


    ¡°...Because I was a kid and you made me.¡±


    ¡°No one made you get baptized. That was your choice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s see...getting recognition from my parents and religious teachers, being the same as my peers at the time, and getting a party, versus having everyone be ashamed of me? How many kids that young would choose differently, much less understand exactly what they were getting into?¡±


    ¡°Children are closer to God, unsullied by the filth of the world! What about your own personal experiences? I know you¡¯ve felt the spirit.¡±


    ¡°I felt something, sure. When you¡¯re isolated and steeped in that stuff every day, and then you get caught up with everyone saying the same stuff, and you feel like you have to have some kind of breakthrough to be good...no, to be normal...yeah. Doesn¡¯t mean it was your ¡®spirit¡¯, or that any of the hateful bullshit you spew is true.¡± He¡¯d stepped over a line now, but hadn¡¯t they done so first? Then again, he¡¯d gotten into another big fight with them, and that hadn¡¯t gone well. Maybe he should pump the brakes before things got out of hand.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Niko! You take that back and apologize this instant! We raised you better than that! Your friends, your school¡ªthey¡¯ve changed you. It¡¯s like you don¡¯t care about us at all anymore.¡±


    Nope. Full steam ahead. ¡°Me not care? No, that¡¯s it. I¡¯m fucking done with your shit. Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°How dare you...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not finished talking! My fucking god¡ªall you ever do is tell me that I¡¯m bad, that I¡¯m wrong, that I¡¯m sinful, just because I happen to love people you hate. And I don¡¯t even mean being gay¡ªI mean being able to love someone who isn¡¯t just like me, being able to sympathize and empathize with someone who¡¯s got scales, who¡¯s got fangs, who looks different but is just as much of a person as I am. And yeah, the gay thing too. Just because I was born loving guys¡ªborn! I didn¡¯t choose to!¡ªyou think I¡¯m evil, that some devil has sway over my heart. You narrow-minded pieces of shit! I mean, I know religion in general is a lie, but at least some religions have stuff like loving everyone regardless of what they are as a core tenet, and at least some people actually try to live by that. But you? All you do is hate, hate, hate! The neighbors, because they dare to have scales! My best friend who¡¯s been with me through everything, because he dares to have fangs! Me, your own fucking son that you¡¯re supposed to love, that you¡¯re supposed to care about no matter what, because I dare to love someone regardless of whether or not they can pump out more babies to buy into your religion and pay more fucking fake taxes to your televangelist millionaire asshole! And you know what? You know the best part? Remember how much you hated it when I mentioned Latia growing up? Well, I went there! And I met someone, and we¡¯re in love! A gay Latian guy with fangs, a tri-fucking-fecta of sin! How about that?¡±


    His father stood, rage emanating from him. He didn¡¯t shout, but his barely-controlled, quietly sinister voice was far more dangerous and threatening than if he had. ¡°Get out of this house. Get out.¡±


    Niko stood too. ¡°Like I wanted to stay. Have a sad life, sitting around telling each other how good you are and how terrible everyone else is.¡± He left, slamming the front door behind him.


    He had to pull over halfway through the drive home. The whole conversation had been repeating itself over and over in his head, and finally tears came. He sat there, car off, forehead against the top of the steering wheel. He was right, wasn¡¯t he? They were wrong, and he was right. They hated people for stupid reasons. He didn¡¯t. So why did he feel so awful? Why did some part of him want to go back and apologize? What did he have to apologize for, anyway?


    Wiping his eyes with one paw, he took out his phone with the other and started writing a message to Fyche. Hey man, you got time to talk?


    But Fyche didn¡¯t respond, and of course not. He was still at work. Great. Awesome. Once Niko was composed enough, he drove the rest of the way home, sneaked in past Kelsen, who was still chatting with Ralia, and threw himself into bed.


    ...


    Kelsen woke up from a very nice dream that may or may not have involved Ralia. He stayed in bed for a few minutes, trying to imagine that he was still sleeping next to her, that he could hear her breathing, could be warmed by her fur, could feel her steady heartbeat.


    But, of course, it didn¡¯t work. Grumbling, he headed to the kitchen, where he was surprised to see Niko already up. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up early.¡± Niko didn¡¯t respond, or even look up. ¡°Hey, you okay?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Kelsen frowned. ¡°I missed when you got home last night. Things didn¡¯t go well, I take it?¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Kelsen put his paws on his hips. ¡°I¡¯m just asking.¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it. House rules.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Kelsen and Niko had decided on a set of house rules a long time ago, shortly after they¡¯d first moved in together. One of those house rules was that there were to be no fights, only conversations, and if you tried to start one or were nasty in a way uncalled for, you were forced to apologize and hug it out. ¡°I said, house rules!¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Niko said, almost robotically. His heart clearly wasn¡¯t in the apology.


    ¡°Nope. Not good enough. Come here.¡± Kelsen stepped forward and put his arms around Niko. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re upset. Talk to me.¡±


    At first it was like hugging a rock, but Niko eventually relaxed and returned the embrace. Kelsen was surprised to see that he was crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He clearly meant it this time.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. What happened?¡±


    ¡°My fucking parents happened. I just...I¡¯ve been so sick of the way they treat everyone. You. Me. I went in angry yesterday, and we got into a fight. I told them they were narrow-minded pieces of shit, about how they hate people, and me, and how I think loving people is better, and told them about...about Latia.¡±


    ¡°I understand. The fight must have been upsetting.¡±


    ¡°I mean, yeah! It was! And now I have all these uncomfortable questions to answer about family and myself and everything, and...and Fyche.¡±


    ¡°...Elaborate?¡±


    ¡°When I was shouting, I told them I had a Latian boyfriend. To really rub their noses in it, you know? I was just mad.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°But...I don¡¯t even know if I do. It¡¯s been months and sometimes it feels like maybe there¡¯s something there, and sometimes it doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So, you want to know where you and Fyche stand, basically.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Well...I¡¯d be lying if I hadn¡¯t been wondering the same myself. But if you ask me, the answer is pretty obvious. Tell him how you feel, ask how he feels, and then talk it out.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. You¡¯re right. I guess I¡¯m just...afraid of what he¡¯ll say.¡±


    ¡°Hey, remember what I said to Samet in our last video?¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s okay to be afraid, just don¡¯t let it stop you from communicating.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Niko shook his head. ¡°You know, I used to think it was weird that you were so much better about relationship stuff than me. But it makes a lot of sense when I think about it. You¡¯re all about open and honest communication. And that¡¯s a pretty good foundation for a good relationship.¡±


    Kelsen beamed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so. And about the stuff with your parents...Niko, I¡¯ve honestly always wondered why you force yourself to be around them.  They treat other people badly and look down on them. You have this innate love of others that¡¯s inspiring to see. If you¡¯re questioning yourself...you are right, and they are wrong. They don¡¯t deserve you. They never have.¡±


    Niko buried his face in Kelsen¡¯s chest. ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    ¡°Any time and every time.¡±


    ...


    Fyche slumped into bed. Work hadn¡¯t been too much worse than usual, but ¡®usual¡¯ was still pretty tiring. He needed to get up and make dinner and take care of a couple things in the kitchen and in his room, but he just felt drained. Pulling out his newish and cherished smartphone, he started browsing the internet. Even five months later, he marveled at having the combined total knowledge of both Latia and Moccs at his fingertips, most of it for free if you knew where and how to look.


    Not that he spent all his time on the internet learning. Like anyone else, he spent most of it watching videos, listening to music, and sometimes even playing games to amuse himself. But he¡¯d picked up a few things¡ªand begun learning Salic, Niko¡¯s spoken language¡ªalready, and was overall just awed at the mere possibility.


    As he browsed a subforum on Size Doesn¡¯t Matter he¡¯d come to frequent, he was interrupted by a message from Niko, saying he really needed to talk. He was tired, but felt bad for blowing the mouse off the night before, so he gave him a call. Niko picked up on the second ring. ¡°Hey, man.¡±


    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well...honestly, I¡¯ve been having a shitty few days. Kinda wanted to vent about it.¡±


    Fyche rolled over into a more comfortable position. ¡°Sorry to hear that. And, uh, sorry I¡¯ve been busy. I¡¯ve been having these, uh...nevermind. If you wanna talk about it, go for it.¡±


    Niko launched into a borderline tirade about the last few days he¡¯d had, from his problems with his boss to his visit with his parents, though he skimmed over more than a few details, like what exactly he¡¯d said to his parents to get kicked out of their house. Fyche was sympathetic, commenting and staying silent as appropriate. Once Niko was finished, he sat up. ¡°That really sucks, dude. And I know it¡¯s not easy, but it¡¯s better if you stop forcing yourself to see them. All they do is drag you down...I know I¡¯d rather spend time with people who build me up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Niko paused. ¡°I have another reason for calling.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°What are we?¡±


    Fyche stammered. ¡°W-we, uh, we¡¯re friends, right?¡±


    ¡°I just...I was wondering if we might be...a little more.¡±


    ¡°I-I, I uh, I don¡¯t know what you...no, I mean...I think I know what you mean, but...¡± Fyche gulped. ¡°I mean, I had thought about it a bit, but I was just never sure...¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean. It¡¯s been awkward. And we¡¯ve both been kind of dancing around the issue.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe we need to be more...direct.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that would probably be good.¡± There was an uncomfortable silence, before Niko blurted out, ¡°So, wanna make out again the next time I¡¯m on Latia?¡± Fyche burst out laughing, and Niko couldn¡¯t help but join him.


    ¡°I think we could give it a try.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been good with labels, but call it what you want. Together. Dating. Uh, boy...friends.¡±


    Niko sighed. ¡°So I do have a Latian boyfriend after all.¡±


    ¡°After all?¡±


    ¡°Oh...I guess I should fill you in. I may or may not have skipped over a few things. Like shouting at my dad that I had a Latian boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°O-oh.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me saying that and sort of...bragging about it, almost, is what led to him actually kicking me out.¡±


    ¡°Answer a question for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Why do you bother with your parents at all?¡±


    ¡°I...I really don¡¯t know. I ask myself that all the time. Been asking myself constantly today and yesterday. I guess because they¡¯re my family.¡±


    ¡°Your blood family, maybe. But as far as I¡¯m concerned, that doesn¡¯t count for much.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Family is the people who love you. Who want you. Sometimes family does want you to change, yeah, but only for the better.¡± Fyche paused, trying to swallow the raw emotion in his voice. ¡°Kelsen and Ralia are your family.¡±


    Niko surprised him by responding immediately. ¡°You are too.¡±

 Chapter 13

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 13


    Niko stared at his phone, resisting the urge to hang up on his boss. ¡°Hello, sir.¡±


    ¡°Niko. You know why I¡¯m calling.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t, sir.¡±


    ¡°Well, you should. You sorted that last email into Complaints.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    ¡°It belongs in Grievances. You know this. Or you should.¡±


    ¡°...My apologies, sir. I¡¯ll fix that now.¡±


    ¡°And waste at least another thirty seconds doing so. You¡¯re very good at that, Niko. At wasting time. Mine. The company¡¯s. Your own.¡±


    Massaging his temples, Niko responded, ¡°I¡¯ve already fixed the problem, sir. And with respect, I think you¡¯ve gone from instructing to insulting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to give you some...motivation. It seems you sorely need it.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I make a small amount of generally reasonable mistakes given the complex system we use, and fix them as soon as I find them or have them called to my attention. I do not believe there is an outstanding issue with my work, as you seem to think. From what I¡¯ve seen of my colleagues, they make a similar amount of mistakes in their work, but you choose to berate me the most¡ªwasting both mine and the company¡¯s time moreso than any single mistake I¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting awfully close to insubordination, Niko.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Maybe I¡¯ll just quit one of these days, then, considering how much you and the company seem to value me.¡±


    His boss laughed. ¡°Go right ahead. There are millions like you. You can be replaced in an instant.¡±


    Niko suddenly felt hot, like something had burst inside him¡ªsimilar to how he¡¯d felt at his parents¡¯ house a couple nights before. ¡°There is no one like me! The only way I¡¯m like anyone else is that I¡¯m unique, just like everyone is! I¡¯m a person, just like anybody else, no matter how much you try to pretend like I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not your fucking robot!¡±


    ¡°And there it is. Niko, you¡¯re fired. You¡¯ll receive your severance package, should you qualify for one, within thirty business days. Goodbye.¡± And just like that, his boss hung up. Niko grunted in frustration and disgust and ripped off his headset. He¡¯d fallen for his boss¡¯ scheme; the man had been goading him repeatedly for the last few months just to get him to slip and say something he could fire him for. And filled with rage and uncertainty and righteous indignation following his most recent visit to his parents, he¡¯d gotten carried away and given his boss exactly what he wanted. What his father had wanted.


    Idiot, he thought.


    ¡­


    Giving Ralia a goodbye wave, Fyche stepped out of her apartment and began the long walk home. They¡¯d had another self-defense lesson, and once it was over, they¡¯d just...hung out for a bit.


    That was still new to him. Just spending time with people for the hell of it, because you both enjoyed it. And she didn¡¯t pester him with questions, or talk too much when the silence ran long. They both just let it breathe. And maybe there would be more than just companionable silence. When he was ready.


    He was surprised to find she¡¯d added a piece of furniture to her front room. A reclining armchair. He was even more surprised to find that he liked sitting in it immensely. I need to get one of those myself¡­


    Arriving home, he set about getting dinner ready, and almost immediately yelped and stuck his burned thumb in his mouth. His phone¡¯s ringtone had startled him while he was mid-pour of some very hot soup. Shaking it and filling a cup with ice water, he checked and saw that it was Niko. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re up late. And responsible for some very serious burns.¡±


    ¡°Did your ringtone scare you again?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Sure it didn¡¯t. And it¡¯s not like I need to get up early tomorrow. I suddenly have a lot more free time.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t quit your job.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good.¡±


    ¡°I got fired.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwhat? You got fired?¡± Fyche couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned. ¡°Are you okay? Do you have savings? You¡¯ve got the apartment with Kelsen, right? Do you need help with rent or anything?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, dude, chill. It¡¯s fine. I have some savings, and I already put in for unemployment.  There are pretty good, what do you call them, social nets here in Salica. I should be able to find a new job¡ªthrough my school if I have to¡ªand even if not, I¡¯ll be able to get some unemployment money. More since I¡¯m a student.¡±


    ¡°O-oh. Good, then. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m flattered you were that worried about me.¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Fyche dunked his thumb in the water, wincing. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªI mean, Doxen has similar programs. They¡¯re just incredibly underfunded and...inexpertly applied, let¡¯s say.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re incompetent.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much. Better now than a few years ago, but there¡¯s still a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one more problem for this big happy interstellar family to solve. Speaking of, you practically had a heart attack, huh?¡±


    ¡°I mean...I was worried, yeah. You know I¡¯ve been one paycheck from crisis before.¡±


    ¡°I know. I wasn¡¯t trying to make fun. I¡¯m just charmed. You must really like me.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re definitely making fun of me.¡±


    ¡°No! No. Just...I guess we really are a thing now, huh?¡±


    ¡°I guess. Like I said, label it how you want. I just know that talking to you and being around you makes me happy.¡± Fyche blushed, looking around to make sure his roommate hadn¡¯t overheard that.


    ¡°It makes me happy too. So long as I¡¯ve got you in my life, I can deal with losing my job and any crappy job I have to get in the future.¡±


    They chatted for a while longer, not really about anything at all, just enjoying being together--such as it was, with half a galaxy between them. Eventually, hearing the sleepiness in Niko¡¯s voice, Fyche insisted he go to bed and get some rest. Reluctantly, the mouse bid him good night, and snuck in a ¡°Miss you,¡± at the end.


    Fyche stared at his phone, feeling his heart skip a beat, and was overcome with his own longing to see Niko again. Ever since they¡¯d met, everything had been better. He had someone to care about again. Someone who cared about him. Friends. A community.


    ...


    Niko had stayed up all night again, chatting with Fyche for quite a while. Kelsen got up so early it was still arguably late to join them around the same time Ralia logged on, so they could have a meeting to rehearse and discuss before the video they¡¯d be recording the following day. Early on, Niko mentioned losing his job to Kelsen and Ralia. Both were concerned, and quick to offer alternatives.


    ¡°Dude, that¡¯s so shitty...they¡¯re always looking for more clerks at my work,¡± Kelsen offered.


    ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯m sure we could help find something on the internet. Maybe something in web development? Finally put your skills to good use!¡± said Ralia.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. My skills are being put to good use already.¡±


    ¡°You mean Size Doesn¡¯t Matter, right?¡± asked Fyche.


    ¡°Correct. It¡¯s like I was saying before: I can put all my energy¡ªwell, most, I still need to put some into my studies¡ªinto the site. We¡¯ve been doing well so far, but I really think we can take it to the next level. Expand our userbase, increase ad revenue¡ªwithout pissing off said userbase¡ªand really get the word out. Maybe even crowdfund for the more ambitious stuff we want to do.¡±


    Kelsen winced. ¡°You know what I think about crowdfunding.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I really think you should reconsider. People have already offered donations here and there, and you know there¡¯s an entire subforum talking about how they¡¯d pay good money to have meetups and events arranged. We can do that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot of work,¡± said Ralia.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m under no illusion; it¡¯s going to take months, maybe years, and a great deal of work not only on my part, but on all of ours. But it¡¯s worth it. We wouldn¡¯t have started this if it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°...As long as you¡¯re not getting ahead of yourself,¡± said Kelsen.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Promise. I fully expect there to be days where I feel like we made no progress, or even lost it. There¡¯ll be days that suck, that drag one or all of us down. But we¡¯re all here for each other, to pull each other back up. I really believe that.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m in,¡± said Fyche.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Ralia grinned. ¡°All right. You¡¯ve swayed me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, all right,¡± said Kelsen. ¡°But you¡¯re going to have to deal with the crowdfunding stuff.¡±


    ¡°Done!¡±


    ...


    Later that day, Niko sat back from his computer. He still hadn¡¯t slept, but he had created a donation drive and made a post about it on Size Doesn¡¯t Matter, as well as spreading that post around on all social media and to every friend of a friend he could think of. It would likely be days before they got their first donation, and months before they had any significant amount of money, but this was a first step, and it felt good to have made it.


    A pair of arms came around the back of his chair, and Kelsen hugged him from behind. ¡°Hey dude. All done, then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Feels good. I know we¡¯re a long way off and it¡¯s going to take a lot of work, but it gives me hope, you know?¡±


    ¡°I think I do. How you doing? I know what happened the other day isn¡¯t going to just go away. You don¡¯t have to talk to me about it, but I thought I¡¯d offer.¡±


    Niko patted Kelsen¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m...well. I¡¯m still filled with a lot of emotions about it, but I think I at least will be all right, in time. It does feel like a big weight is off my shoulders now. I don¡¯t feel like I have to go back and subject myself to that anymore. You and Fyche were right.¡±


    ¡°You talked to Fyche about it, too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And other things. Shoot, I meant to bring it up earlier, but we got talking about the site, and then the video. Me and Fyche are together now. Like, officially.¡±


    Kelsen grinned, and playfully punched Niko on the shoulder. ¡°Way to go! But, no, really, good for you. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°It was super awkward at first, but I figured, hey, fuck it, I should go for it. And he felt basically the same way.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re going to stop making fun of me?¡±


    ¡°God no.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you suck. Do I at least get to make fun of you?¡±


    ¡°If you can find anything to make fun of. But I doubt you will. I am impenetrable.¡±


    Kelsen shifted his hug to a headlock. ¡°As if! Now I have you, and I will not release you until I find something to make fun¡ªhey, what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Nice try, fiend!¡± Niko twisted, trying to free himself.


    ¡°No, seriously. Does that mean there was a donation? Already?¡±


    Niko stopped struggling and looked at the screen. Sure enough, there was a donation. For one thousand Salican dollars. ¡°Ho-ly shit. Are you seeing this? Who the hell would put up that much so soon?¡±


    ¡°Can we check?¡±


    ¡°We can check what name they left it under, yeah, but it¡¯s probably a screenname or something anonymous, like¡ª¡± Niko cut off, staring at the screen.


    ¡°What? Who is...¡± Kelsen trailed off as well. There, on the screen, was the name Pakos.

 Chapter 14

    <h2 style="text-align: center">PART 3 - A BIG, HAPPY, INTERSTELLAR FAMILY</h2>


    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 14


    Pakos sat across from his probation officer, staring at his shoes. ¡°I¡¯m impressed with your progress, son,¡± he said. He was an older collie, the brown fur around his muzzle peppered with gray. ¡°Your psychologist agrees. You¡¯re far from the same man you were last year.¡±


    It had been about nine months. Nine months since he¡¯d been consumed by rage and lashed out, since he¡¯d lost control. It still came back to him in flashes. Shoving his way into the apartment, swatting the other Moccan away, punching the girl, grabbing Niko...paws wrapped around his small body, squeezing, his vision turning red as he made the mouse hurt, made him feel just a fraction of the pain Pakos himself felt¡­


    He shook his head, focusing back on the present, looking up. Learning from the past is good and healthy. Fixating on the past is harmful. Something his therapist liked to say. ¡°As long as you can keep this up, you¡¯ve got a good future waiting for you,¡± the officer said.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I want. Keep doing what I¡¯m doing, and move on with my life.¡± After a few more words, the meeting was over, and he left to catch a bus home.


    He had served three months in prison on a longer sentence, convicted of assault and Moccan endangerment but allowed to serve the rest of his time on probation for being a model prisoner. There were several terms, including performing community service, avoiding drugs and alcohol, remaining in Doxen, and staying away from the victim¡ªNiko¡ªin person. He¡¯d also been discouraged from contacting Niko otherwise, and had been informed that the mouse had a restraining order against him that covered direct telecommunications.


    Being a model prisoner had been easy. Keep your head down, remain unnoticed, do whatever anyone with power over you said so they wouldn¡¯t hurt you. A return to his childhood.


    He boarded the bus and took a seat, staring out the window but seeing nothing. He really had been following the terms of his probation. Recently. Four months ago, two months after he¡¯d gotten out of prison, he¡¯d tried donating to Niko¡¯s new fundraising campaign for the website, Size Doesn¡¯t Matter. That had ended the same day, with the money being refunded and an anonymous email containing somewhat specific threats, probably sent by the fox. In retrospect, it was phenomenally stupid, but at the time he¡¯d thought of it as additional restitution.


    A thousand bucks to say ¡®Sorry I almost killed you.¡¯ As if that would work. He closed his eyes as the shame washed over him again. He¡¯d been a complete asshole, for days on end, treating Niko like shit, and somehow been shocked when Niko stood up for himself. And he¡¯d reacted so poorly Niko had called the police.


    That was the worst part of it. Not being half strangled by the fox, not being rejected by Niko, not his months in prison. Being hunted by the cops. Knowing they were coming for him, knowing he¡¯d become a criminal, knowing he¡¯d become the person he¡¯d sworn never to be.


    He hadn¡¯t gone to their apartment with the goal of attacking Niko. He¡¯d been terrified, and knew the cops would go straight to his own apartment. In his emotional state, he¡¯d convinced himself that if he made up with Niko, things would somehow be all right.


    Instead, as soon as the door opened, the monster in him, that same beast that lived in his blood, rose up, and suddenly there was no hope, there was only revenge, only making everyone else suffer as much as he did.


    No person is ever one thing. A person is the sum of their actions, and thankfully, we can choose to do something better tomorrow to balance out the mistakes we made yesterday.


    The therapist was helping. But he still had plenty of bad days, like this one. He wouldn¡¯t be done coming to terms with that he¡¯d almost done¡ªwith what he had done¡ªand managing to somehow atone for it and forgive himself, not for some time. Not to mention working through his shitty upbringing and his monstrous bastard of a father. His hatred for the man was only outdone by the self-hatred he felt at slowly turning into him. How many times had he said he¡¯d never be like that piece of shit? And yet, here he was, treating people the same way his father treated them. The same way his father had treated his mother.


    ¡­


    Hopping down the last step off the bus, Pakos jammed his paws into his pockets and trudged towards his apartment, slowly climbing the steps. They didn¡¯t quite rattle, but the paint was fading and chipped. He¡¯d learned the hard way that shoes were a must if you didn¡¯t want splinters.


    He glanced at his jacket pocket. When Niko had briefly come to stay with him, he¡¯d gone out of his way to stomp up the steps, jostling the Moccan and making his footing impossibly unsteady. He¡¯d done it on purpose. Not maliciously, but perhaps with a hint of spite. Niko had been so excited, so happy. And just like always, Pakos wanted to bring the mouse down to his level.


    After a short fumble with his keys, he was inside and seated on his couch, scrolling news on his laptop. With a surge of guilt that failed to stop him, he checked on the SDM site.


    The same announcement he¡¯d seen earlier was still plastered over the front page, declaring that Niko and Kelsen would arrive on Tuesday. Tomorrow. They were coming to run a conference, a sort of meetup for both Latian and Moccan users of Size Doesn¡¯t Matter. There were several events spaced out over the next few days and a party on Friday. Hundreds were attending. A modest number out of context, but keeping in mind how short a time SDM had been up and running and the short planning time, it was impressive.


    He still found himself longing to be there, though he had no place without a ticket¡ªand that was without factoring in all the vicious attack stuff. He had, months ago, thought about donating under a fake name and showing up in disguise, but that would¡¯ve been beyond stupid; legal matters aside, that wouldn¡¯t exactly endear him to the Size Doesn¡¯t Matter team.


    He shut the laptop with a sigh.


    ¡­


    Ralia rose to answer the door, leaving the chain¡ªa newish addition to her door that she still fought with her landlord over¡ªin, cracking the door wide enough to check who it was. Installing a peephole would probably send the tyrant over the edge, from arguing to fines or a lawsuit. The chain would do for now.


    And in any case, she had nothing to worry about, as she saw Fyche standing awkwardly outside. The red fox never seemed to know what to do with his hands. It was cute and endearing that such a formidable bruiser was still so soft-spoken and shy, though she knew that was, in part, due to unhappy circumstances.


    Opening the door, she gave him a hug, which he returned somewhat hesitantly. He didn¡¯t seem to actively dislike warmth from his friends. It was more like it was always a confusing surprise, an unexpected and alien gesture. It was a shared goal of hers and Niko¡¯s to shower Fyche with affection until it was normal to him.


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re early. Good trip?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°It was all right.¡± That was probably all she¡¯d get out of him. And, come to think of it, he¡¯d shown up early for everything, ever since...well. It was understandable. A few moments had made all the difference.


    She shut and re-locked the door as he politely removed his shoes. The bags under his eyes were deep, she noticed, and his eyelids drooped. Had he walked the whole way? ¡°Hey, did you want to borrow my bed tonight? It¡¯s comfy. I¡¯ll be fine taking the couch.¡±


    He shook his head and barked a short laugh, not quite meeting her eye, per usual. In that, he was very like her lovely Kelsen. ¡°The couch is fine. I¡¯ve slept in far worse places.¡± He said it like a joke¡ªlike it was supposed to be funny. But the laugh wasn¡¯t real, and she knew he meant what he said.


    Taking a seat on the couch, she patted the space next to her, beckoning him to sit. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore, right? I wouldn¡¯t let that happen, and neither would Niko.¡± He just shrugged, taking a seat carefully, giving her plenty of space. ¡°I...wish I knew what you meant when you said stuff like that. I know you don¡¯t like talking much about it. There¡¯s so much about your childhood you make allusions to, then clam up about.¡±


    He stiffened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother anyone else with it. It¡¯s not your problem.¡±


    Ralia felt a stab of sympathy, a needle in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s totally up to you. I won¡¯t press you to talk about anything you don¡¯t want to. But it¡¯s not a bother for me to hear it. I want to get to know you better.¡±


    Fyche shifted, and started wringing his hands. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but...not now. Maybe another time.¡±


    She nodded, reaching for her phone. ¡°I understand, and I respect your boundaries. How about we give them a call? I know it¡¯s tomorrow, but I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He relaxed slightly, and the two of them leaned in closer so they¡¯d both be in the video feed.


    Niko¡¯s face came into view as he answered on the eighth ring, an uncharacteristically long time for him to get to his phone. The cause was readily apparent¡ªhe was reclined in his seat, a blanket over him and a pillow behind his head, and he yawned widely while blinking sleep out of his eyes. ¡°Hey, guys. Sorry, wasn¡¯t expecting a call so late.¡± He spoke in hushed tones; the other passengers on the shuttle must have been asleep as well.


    Kelsen¡¯s form was barely visible at the edge of the screen, though his snoring was clear and loud. Niko nudged him a few times, and he woke with a start, blearily looking around. ¡°What? Have we arrived?¡±


    Ralia and Fyche both began apologizing profusely, but the Moccans wouldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°No, this is great,¡± said Niko. ¡°Hold on. There are a bunch of people in here who¡ªhey! Guys! Who wants an exclusive preview?¡±


    He swept the phone around, showing several other passengers waking up around him, and introduced each of them. ¡°We¡¯ve had a fun trip so far. Meet Reorato, he¡¯s the raccoon, and then the squirrel there, that¡¯s Jess, wave to the camera Jess! Then we¡¯ve got Fomir the deer, his antlers have been the absolute worst in these tiny confines¡ªdon¡¯t fucking lie, you poked me in the eye yesterday and I still haven¡¯t forgiven you¡ªthen the quiet lizard there is Mauv, then the cat, sorry, ocelot is Niri, and the bat over in the corner giving me the evil eye is Voci, they don¡¯t like being woken up, I guess. That¡¯s all the ones in our compartment. Everyone, say hi to Fyche and Ralia!¡±


    The assembled Moccans cheered, only to have a shuttle employee slide the door open and shush them with a venomous look.


    Lowering his voice, Niko grinned. ¡°Oops. Guess we¡¯re all just too psyched for the next few days. Latia again! I can¡¯t fucking wait to see you guys.¡±


    ¡°Same,¡± said Kelsen drowsily. He seemed to be nodding off again already.


    ¡°Here, we should let you sleep,¡± said Ralia. ¡°You have a big day tomorrow. You¡¯ll all need to be rested.¡±


    Niko and a few others protested, but were interrupted by a particularly loud snore from Kelsen, and sheepishly agreed to bid the Latians farewell.


    ¡­


    Niko stared at the ceiling of the elevator, practically vibrating with excitement. He and Kelsen, as well as the SDM attendees from their shuttle compartment¡ªReorato, Jess, Fomir, Mauv, Niri, and Voci¡ªhad disembarked and made their way through the growing spaceport, and now had only one more hurdle to clear before they could see Fyche and Ralia again in person. Voice calls and VR games had been good these past few months, but they paled in comparison to the real thing.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re finally here,¡± said Jess, jumping from foot to foot exuberantly. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to meet Samet face to face!¡±


    Fomir nodded, grinning brazenly. ¡°You said it! I¡¯m looking to bag a Latian boyfriend myself.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°They¡¯re not trophy animals.¡±


    ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t they though? What greater prize than a partner ten times your size?¡±


    Niri rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, shut up, Fomir. Twenty bucks says you get friendzoned immediately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet!¡±


    Mauv shared a long-suffering look with Voci, but said nothing. Niko grinned and shared his own look with Kelsen. This group had met and been friends long before they¡¯d met Niko and Kelsen on the shuttle, and their affectionately vitriolic group dynamic had become apparent very quickly.


    Reorato, ever the peacemaker, managed to calm Fomir and Niri just before the elevator doors opened. Niko rushed out, taking in the arrivals room, noting the crowd of Latians waiting for Moccan friends, much larger than it had been on their last visit, and picked out Fyche and Ralia among the crowd. He gave them a quick wave. They wouldn¡¯t be approaching until the departing passengers finished a quick passport scan and computerized paperwork.


    Behind Niko, Kelsen, Reorato, Niri, and Mauv were exiting the elevator at a much more relaxed pace. He noted that while Kelsen and Mauv were calm, Niri and Reorato were both awed and increasingly fearful as they took in a large, crowded Latian room for the first time. He understood, to an extent; no amount of reading about or watching videos of Latia could prepare you for a firsthand experience. Unfortunately, theirs was the better reaction. Jess, Fomir, and Voci had barely made it out the elevator doors before freezing up, breathing shallow, frantic breaths.


    Well, he¡¯d had a lifetime of practice helping friends through anxiety attacks. He hurried back to them, speaking soothingly, reassuring them that everything was fine, this was the plan, yes, everything was overwhelming, but that was all right, they¡¯d adjust, and look, see the Latian hyena over there? That¡¯s Alexei, we¡¯ve met, he¡¯s a good guy.


    Kelsen joined him, less practiced with being on this side of things, but with a personal empathy Niko could never match. After a minute or so, everyone was breathing normally and laughing at themselves for reacting so strongly. Kelsen assured them it was fine, he¡¯d been even worse on their first visit.


    Before they moved toward Alexei¡¯s desk¡ªwhere he sat, computer and scanner at the ready, watching them with unconcealed amusement¡ªNiko made sure everyone set their voice equipment up, pointing out the new sign reminding Moccans to wear it before approaching. Once they were all set up, Niko activated his own Earplugz 3, a much newer model of Latian to Moccan translator and sound dampener, as well as his MoccsVox, a different brand of voice booster and Moccan to Latian translator than he¡¯d used on his previous visit, but one he found he much preferred, despite Kelsen¡¯s dogged insistence on clinging to the Miicz, a successor to the Micz.


    Together, the group made their way over to Alexei, who was still grinning insufferably. ¡°Ah, I remember you two. Glad to see you remembered your voice equipment this time. Have your ears recovered since your last visit? I understand volume devices like yours can be tweaked to act as hearing aids...¡±


    Niko cupped a paw to his ear. ¡°What?¡±


    The spaceport employee raised an eyebrow and spoke at a normal tone. ¡°I said, I remember...¡± He caught on mid-sentence. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re incorrigible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m very hard of hearing, you see. On my last visit to this planet, a monstrous oaf struck me down with torrential waves of sonic force. The doctors say I might never hear normally again.¡± Niko sighed dramatically.


    ¡°Yes, you must be suffering dreadfully,¡± Alexei responded dryly. ¡°Come on, get up here. I have to scan your passports and take a blood sample.¡±


    ¡°Blood sample?¡± Fomir said, paling.


    Alexei nodded. ¡°Yep. New requirement. I¡¯ll need at least two Latian quarts from each of you...that¡¯s not a problem, is it?¡±


    Niko burst out laughing, the others following his example one by one as they realized the absurdity of Alexei¡¯s demand. ¡°I gotta admit, you had me going for a second,¡± he said. ¡°Not on the amount, that was obviously bullshit. But I was trying to think how I¡¯d keep all the newbies calm enough to give blood.¡± He offered his passport, and waited for the hyena to clear him. The others¡ªminus Kelsen, mostly¡ªwere still hesitant, but they¡¯d warmed up to Alexei and his friendly demeanor, just as Kelsen had on their first visit. Niko inwardly acknowledged his luck that Alexei had been the employee to greet them again.


    Then again, it may not have been luck. As Kelsen led the way towards the pickup area, Niko hung back until he was reasonably sure none of them were listening. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see you at the first event, MisterAlex147,¡± he said slyly.


    Alexei started. ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°I suspected.¡± Niko shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t entirely sure until just now, though.¡±


    ¡°You really are an incorrigible little...person,¡± Alexei said. ¡°And I¡¯ll tell you what I really think when I¡¯m off work.¡±


    Niko saluted and turned to follow the others. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see you there!¡±


    Fyche and Ralia, clearly impatient at having to wait, rushed over to meet them. As they loomed¡ªthey didn¡¯t mean to, of course, but Latians couldn¡¯t help but loom even at their meekest moments¡ªFomir froze, body rigid, while Jess and Voci quaked, visibly terrified. Reorato and Niri put on casual faces, but they were clearly masking their own fear. Other than Niko, only Mauv seemed unfazed; even Kelsen was clearly focusing on controlling himself, though the moment he met Ralia¡¯s eyes and saw her soft smile, he melted into a mushy puddle with a sloppy grin.


    Knowing he needed to snap the others out of their fearful reverie, he motioned for Fyche to pick him up. The fox cradled him gently, hugging him to his chest. ¡°I missed you,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°I missed you too, you adorable goof,¡± Niko replied. ¡°This is way better than VR.¡± A glance to the side showed Kelsen getting similar treatment as Ralia clutched him to the side of her muzzle, eyes shut with contentment. The assembled Moccans below were still defensive, but at least a few seemed to be torn between fear and curiosity. ¡°Hey!¡± he called. ¡°Who wants to meet my big goof of a boyfriend? Don¡¯t worry! He¡¯s more afraid of you than you are of him!¡±


    Fomir laughed, surprising even himself, and Jess began giggling. ¡°N-no I¡¯m not!¡± Fyche said, protesting Niko¡¯s completely accurate accusations. ¡°I-I¡¯m not a-afraid. I just get t-tongue-tied sometimes...¡± He glanced down at Niko, and they shared a look. Good of him to lay it on thick and play along.


    ¡­


    Fyche felt something. Something he¡¯d rarely felt for years, but which he¡¯d recognized the previous year, when he¡¯d first met Niko. He wasn¡¯t sure it was happiness, exactly. Contentment. That was it. But while it was not quite as flashy an emotion as joy, it was vast. Deep. Sturdy.


    Okay, the metaphor was breaking down, but it was exactly what he needed. It was stability, the feeling that things were okay now, and they would be okay tomorrow, too. How badly he wanted to simply walk away now, to head back to Ralia¡¯s and just be alone with Niko. But no, that would have to wait. For now, he had responsibilities.


    And part of those was putting the Moccan attendees at ease. So he played up his awkwardness, his shyness in groups and with strangers. There was some truth to them, of course, but he¡¯d been living independently for years. The character he was playing was a codependent pushover. But it put them at ease.


    Or, it did, until a third Latian approached, a russet-colored squirrel with an oddly styled tail and a scaled vest that looked somewhat out of place in the spaceport. It was Samet, who had been a guest caller in their videos before. ¡°Jess! You made it!¡± He reached straight for her, prompting her to whimper and flinch.


    Supporting Niko with one paw, Fyche snatched the squirrel¡¯s wrist with the other. ¡°Not okay,¡± he said severely, glad to drop his bumbling persona.


    ¡°Definitely not cool, dude,¡± Niko agreed. He patted Fyche¡¯s paw. ¡°Set me down, babe. I¡¯ll go calm her down while you explain manners to Samet here.¡±


    With a pang of regret juxtaposed with a childish flutter of the heart at being called ¡®babe¡¯ by Niko, he did as Niko asked, then took Samet forcefully by the shoulder and steered him away. Ralia followed after setting Kelsen down as well. ¡°That was not just rude, but extremely dangerous,¡± he hissed.


    Samet blinked at him. The poor idiot was confused; he seemingly had no idea what he¡¯d done. Forestalling Fyche with a raised paw, Ralia took over. ¡°Samet, we understand that you¡¯ve been looking forward to this for some time. I know exactly how exciting it can be to meet a long-term Moccan friend for the first time. But you have to remember, that¡¯s no excuse for making them uncomfortable, and certainly not for endangering them, no matter how pure your intentions.¡±


    ¡°Endanger?¡± Samet asked blankly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna hurt her! She¡¯s my girlfriend! I was just gonna pick her up, like you did with Kelsen and Niko!¡± He looked between the two of them, as if offended by their hypocrisy.


    Fyche shook him. Just a little, with one paw, to get his attention. ¡°And how much practice do you have handling Moccans? How many classes have you taken? Do you have any certifications?¡± The classes had been around for years, though the certifications were new. They weren¡¯t technically required just for friends meeting friends, but were a must for any Latians working with Moccans in any professional capacity; Alexei likely had his.


    ¡°Uhh...none...¡± Samet lowered his eyes, his voice turning petulant. ¡°But certs? Those weren¡¯t even around when you met them.¡±


    Fyche kept a firm leash on his temper, but it was fiery even when contained when it came to Latians hurting Moccans. ¡°No, they weren¡¯t. But there were classes, and there were polite norms, like setting your hand down first unless it¡¯s an emergency, especially when you¡¯re new to handling them. One accidental squeeze, and you could break a rib! A little twist in the wrong place, and you snap their fucking neck! Is that what you want?¡±


    Ralia put a hand on his arm and gently pulled him away. He let her, knowing he was close to losing it entirely, and stalked away to cool down. He could still hear her explaining the polite and safe ways to interact with smaller friends, and Samet did, at least, sound properly contrite now. To a point. In Fyche¡¯s opinion, it sounded like he knew he¡¯d fucked up, but had no clue exactly how.


    He was reminded of another Latian SDM user who¡¯d called in and tried to interrogate Fyche and Niko on their relationship. That one had fully understood a Latian and a Moccan being friends or even lovers, but had struggled to understand how two men could be in love. They¡¯d been earnest in their desire to understand, but hurtful in the way they spoke about Fyche and Niko and their feelings for one another. Thinking about it made him feel sick. He couldn¡¯t hate people like that, like Samet, and he knew they¡¯d only improve through education by patient and compassionate individuals.


    But he wasn¡¯t one of them. For much of his life, he¡¯d hidden or run from his problems. More recently, he tended to punch his way through them. Both styles had their place, but neither would work here. This was best left to eternal fonts of charity like Ralia and Niko.


    ...


    Kelsen and Niko had just managed to assure the Moccan attendees that there was nothing to worry about, that Samet had made a faux pas but would be advised on what to do next time, when their transportation arrived. It came in the form of a stern brown shepherd wearing a stab vest over a business casual outfit.


    ¡°Hey! Donovan!¡± called Niko, waving him over. ¡°Everyone, this is Donovan. He¡¯s part of the security detail attached to our events, and we¡¯ve been in personal contact for a while.¡± Donovan stopped in front of the platform, paws clasped behind his back, and nodded at Niko. ¡°Oh, loosen up, will you? Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s ex-military. No better security around. Donovan, show us the goods!¡±


    The Latian shepherd complied, setting a Moccan room-sized object on the platform next to them. The outside was mostly nondescript, though it had the words MOCCAN TRANSPORT emblazoned on it in several languages, including his own. Kelsen¡¯s Earplugz 3 couldn¡¯t translate text, of course, but he was familiar with the product; after all, he and Niko had ordered it.


    Niko opened a door and peered inside. ¡°Way fuckin¡¯ better than the first models,¡± he said. ¡°Those things were jail cells with plastic slabs for seats. Check it out.¡± With some coaxing, he and Kelsen gathered the others to look at the interior. The seats were plush, with plenty of handholds and seatbelts, as well as a table with a raised grip in the center, both for putting things on when stability allowed and for holding onto for added safety. It even had windows, with shades tinted to allow passengers to look out without being seen from the outside.


    It had also been really expensive, as had the other five they¡¯d rented for the occasion. Security porters like Donovan would be working in shifts to transport the Moccan attendees to the hotel they¡¯d be staying at, a big one that had rooms for both Latian and Moccan guests near central Teromod.


    Still, despite the vastly upgraded comfort of the Moccan transport, the clustered Moccans were filled with trepidation. Kelsen knew the feeling. He gestured up at Donovan, who had moved back to his former position. ¡°You¡¯re in very safe paws with Donovan here. He¡¯s taken several safety classes, and he has every relevant certification there is. Also, he¡¯s a huge nerd about Space Trek.¡±


    ¡°Considering the fact that Latians and Moccans have discovered they are not alone in the universe and are striving to cooperate with one another, it seems to me that media depicting a hopeful quest across the stars to find and form peaceful relationships with intelligent life could be nothing less than miraculous,¡± Donovan said, the gravelly tone of his voice causing even Niko¡¯s smile to fade to contemplative reverence. He let his words hang in the air for a few moments, and then allowed the corner of his muzzle to curl slightly. ¡°Also, lightswords are cool.¡±


    They had a much easier time boarding the group after that, and before long, it was time to part ways; while Donovan¡ªwith Samet in tow, explicitly told not to touch anyone or anything until he had at least taken a class¡ªwas off to the hotel, the Size Doesn¡¯t Matter team would be heading back to Ralia¡¯s apartment for some much needed rest. Before Donovan picked up the transport, Fyche leaned over to whisper to him. From his place in Ralia¡¯s pocket, Kelsen could just make out the words. ¡°Keep an eye on the squirrel. I don¡¯t trust him.¡± Ever the professional, Donovan nodded, then picked up the transport and bade them farewell.


    The SDM team took another exit, and stood outside for a moment on the walkway, allowing the Moccans to adjust. Kelsen felt surprisingly okay, though that might have been because he knew the stressful part was almost over for now. It was Niko who seemed agitated, fidgeting in Fyche¡¯s grasp and staring off into space.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Fyche asked, concerned.


    ¡°I thought I saw...nevermind, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s get back to Ralia¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡­


    Pakos slipped around the corner, cursing himself for being an idiot. Against his better judgment, he¡¯d come to the spaceport, hoping to get a glimpse at arriving Moccans. Instead, he¡¯d nearly run into Niko himself. He was currently violating his parole, as well as being an absolute shitheel.


    It would be okay. It was an accident. And he wasn¡¯t approaching or talking to Niko. He¡¯d just happened to be nearby.


    And had happened to stay after noticing him, staring at him from afar like a stalker.


    He peeked around the corner, checking if he really had been spotted. Thankfully, they¡¯d all turned away, and seemed to be leaving. He started to heave a sigh of relief, only to notice something strange. There was a Latian gator nearby, also staring at the group.


    That wasn¡¯t completely out of the ordinary; even now, many Latians tended to stare at Moccans, especially if they¡¯d never seen one before. It was probably just a first-time gawker.

 Chapter 15

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 15


    Back at Ralia¡¯s place, Kelsen and Niko began to unpack, Kelsen in Ralia¡¯s bedroom, where she¡¯d installed some Moccan furniture and another Moccan-sized bathroom set, and Niko in the Moccan prefab shelter they¡¯d stayed in on their previous visit. It didn¡¯t take long, and soon they were chatting and relaxing in Ralia¡¯s sitting room, Ralia stretched out on the couch with Kelsen on the armrest next to her head, and Fyche reclining in the new armchair she¡¯d purchased with Niko in his lap.


    ¡°I seriously can¡¯t wait to meet all these Latian attendees in person,¡± Niko said.


    Fyche nodded. ¡°And we get to meet new Moccans. I¡¯ve still only met a few in person.¡±


    Stroking Kelsen¡¯s back with a finger, Ralia smiled. ¡°We get to help facilitate all these people, people from different planets, meeting and getting to know each other. It still blows my mind how successful SDM has been.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m just looking forward to it being over,¡± Kelsen grumbled.


    Ralia shifted her finger and poked him in the stomach instead. ¡°Don¡¯t be a wet blanket.¡±


    ¡°He cannot help it,¡± Niko said. ¡°He was born with soggy sheet disease. Terminal clammy-cover-itis. Diagnosed drenched duvet at birth.¡±


    Sighing dramatically, Kelsen stretched out on the armrest, putting his head back and crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°You are horrible bullies, and I am a victim. Also, if I had anything in reach other than my phone, I would absolutely have thrown it at you.¡± He noticed the other three staring at him expectantly. ¡°Fine! It will be cool if we can help Moccans and Latians get along a little better. One big happy interstellar family. Satisfied?¡±


    Ralia leaned over and gave him a quick peck. ¡°Very much so. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to use the bathroom. Be back in a minute.¡±


    As she rose and headed down the hall, Niko prodded Fyche¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, set me down while she¡¯s gone? I need to get an update from Donovan and talk to one of the caterers. I know that stuff bores you guys, so I¡¯ll go deaf and mute in my room.¡± By this, he meant that he¡¯d set his voice equipment to stop broadcasting his voice and to deafen him to Latian voices, allowing him to focus on Moccan voices¡ªor voices already scaled down in volume by his phone. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and anything particularly loud would still get through, but it was handy for making discreet calls and drowning out everyday noise.


    With Ralia gone to her room and Niko sequestered in the Moccan-sized dwelling, Kelsen and Fyche were left to their own devices, an uncommon occurrence. ¡°Uh, so,¡± Kelsen said, trying to remember what Fyche liked other than Niko. ¡°You see the season finale of The Dragon Guard?¡±


    Fyche stared at him blankly, making him feel scrutinized and uncomfortable. People¡¯s eyes shouldn¡¯t just pierce like that. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time for watching fantasy shows, between work and helping out with Size Doesn¡¯t Matter.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right. Sorry.¡±


    A tense silence grew between them. For his part, Fyche didn¡¯t seem to enjoy it any more than he did; he wasn¡¯t being terse on purpose. He was just...kind of like that. Kelsen understood being like that, though it was in a different way, and he hadn¡¯t yet figured out how to bridge the two.


    Fortunately, Ralia and Niko returned to save them from themselves. Ralia suggested they give Kelsen¡¯s parents a video call, to which everyone agreed, and soon Gloria and Robert¡¯s faces appeared on Ralia¡¯s phone. Kelsen assured them that they had arrived just fine, and yes, he was all right, yes mother he was fine, and yes, Niko was okay too, and they were having a good time, and everything was on track for the week ahead.


    They badgered Kelsen and the others with questions, some barbed, but were eventually mollified enough to say goodbye. They were getting better.


    A little.


    After another round of phone calls to make sure the preparations were still on track and nothing at the hotel or any of the upcoming venues was on fire¡ªthis time, Kelsen accompanied Ralia to her bedroom, and Niko stayed with Fyche¡ªthe latter two volunteered to go out and get some takeout for dinner, ignoring Kelsen¡¯s protests that delivery was easier. Ralia sided with them apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s easier for houses,¡± she said. ¡°Apartments are another story. I don¡¯t want to have to form a search party to find the hapless delivery driver who ends up two blocks over.¡±


    ¡°See? Once again, I am right, and you are wrong. Also, you are dumb and ugly,¡± Niko said helpfully as Fyche carried him out the door.


    ¡°At least I¡¯m not¡ª¡± The door shut. ¡°God damn it. That was a solid exit. I¡¯ll have to give him a friction burn or something when he gets back.¡± Kelsen rolled over, resting his head on his paws. ¡°Hey Ralia, wanna help me completely destroy Niko when he gets back? I¡¯m sure Fyche will let us¡ªnay, help us¡ªif we phrase it the right way.¡±


    Ralia, however, had a disturbingly mischievous look in her eye. ¡°No. But I might give someone a...friction burn.¡± She held out her paw to him, and despite knowing she was about to find a way to bully him further, he clambered on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like your tone of voice. You sound like you¡¯re planning to steal my soul or commit tax evasion or something.¡±


    She brought him up to her face. ¡°Final count, before you arrived today, was twenty-one.¡±


    He squinted quizzically at her. ¡°Twenty-one? Twenty-one what?¡± Her smile widened, and he found himself pressed up against the end of her muzzle. ¡°Oh. Oh, shit.¡±


    ¡°¡®Oh, shit¡¯ is right. Prepare for the nuzzling of a lifetime. There will be no mercy.¡± She began peppering him with kisses all over his body, stopping at random intervals to hug him tightly or rub him against her nose. It was somehow awful and gentle and wonderful and aggressive all at once.


    For a time, it was all right¡ªenjoyable, even, a sample of the promised ¡°quality physical contact¡± they¡¯d spoken of before. But as it went on, the act soured, and he felt a growing discomfort. ¡°Ralia, stop,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so. We¡¯re not even at two yet.¡±


    Her fingers were around his legs. What had once felt secure was now a feeling of being trapped. ¡°Ralia, please,¡± he said, more urgently.


    She cut him off with another kiss. ¡°I make good on my threats. You¡¯re not getting out of this so easily.¡±


    She continued her attentions, and now he felt ensnared entirely, he was stuck, he was trapped, in the control of this giant, this monster, he was completely at the mercy of its whim, and it was crushing him, he couldn¡¯t breathe¡ª


    ¡°Ralia! STOP!¡± He barely managed to get the words out as he started to hyperventilate.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    This time, she stopped immediately. ¡°Kel? Are you okay? Did...did I hurt you?¡±


    He managed to get a finger up, silencing her, while he started a breathing exercise. While her lungs and differing oxygen needs prevented her from joining him, she recognized what he was doing, and waited patiently.


    Eventually, he was recovered enough to speak, though he had to turn himself around. He couldn¡¯t handle looking her in the eye right now. ¡°I¡¯m...I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Is it your chest? Kel, I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to...do we need to get you to a doctor? What hurts?¡±


    He took a few more breaths, closing his eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t that. I just...I freaked out. I think I lost touch with reality for a second there. You weren¡¯t you, and I wasn¡¯t me, I guess. I panicked.¡±


    Though his eyes were still closed, he could hear the guilt in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kel. Do...do you want me to put you down for a bit?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. And it¡¯s all right...I know you stopped as soon as you realized I was serious. I just...need to be calm and not have eye contact for a bit. Let¡¯s lie down for a bit and just...be.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Whatever you need.¡±


    She lay back on the couch, and he lay down on her shoulder¡ªon her neck, really¡ªawash in fluff. ¡°Maybe we need to come up with a word or phrase, something so you know when I¡¯m just kidding and when I¡¯m...not doing so well.¡± He managed a weak chuckle. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare tell Niko. He would never let me live it down if he knew I needed a cuddle safeword.¡±


    ¡­


    Having picked up their order, Fyche was headed back to Ralia¡¯s apartment, the warm bag of takeout in his paws and Niko riding in his vest pocket. The Moccan mouse was waving at everyone they passed on the street cheerfully. He¡¯d done similar things on his previous visit before going off alone with Pakos, or so Fyche had learned from Ralia. Fyche was happy to see Niko¡¯s confidence and comfort had recovered enough to do so again.


    Niko must have caught him smiling, as he poked Fyche in the chest. ¡°Hey up there, what¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Fyche said truthfully.


    That wasn¡¯t enough, of course, as Niko began to jab him repeatedly, chanting ¡°Tell me, tell me, tell me!¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s funny! I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re having a good time.¡± He looked away. ¡°I was worried you¡¯d...you know.¡±


    Niko beamed and hugged Fyche¡¯s chest. ¡°I am having a good time. You¡¯re here.¡± Fyche found himself blushing, as only Niko could cause him to. ¡°And I will have you know, I finished the last level of therapy, beat the final boss, and achieved a passing grade, all of these things being both possible and rational things to strive for, and I know not everyone is out to get me. That one guy rolled his eyes, but he was probably just having a day. Everyone else today has been cool. Like these guys.¡± He gestured ahead at three Latians, a bear, a gator, and a goat, who were idling and chatting on the street corner he and Fyche were approaching. ¡°What is up, my dudes?¡±


    The three turned to look sharply, glaring intensely at the two of them. Niko whistled. ¡°Okay, not in the mood. I get it. Sorry, gents, didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. Later.¡± Fyche tried to hurry past them, only for the bear to step into his path. The gator and the goat stepped up beside him.


    ¡°What is this rat to you?¡± the bear spat at Fyche.


    ¡°Mouse actually, asshole,¡± Niko said. ¡°Is this about the gay thing? Again? For fuck¡¯s sake, I am a goddamn homophobia magnet.¡±


    ¡°This Moccan is my friend,¡± Fyche said quietly. ¡°Move, and we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°Leech,¡± the goat said. ¡°Fucking parasite. You having fun, leech? Coming to Latia to steal all our shit and all our jobs?¡±


    Niko sighed. ¡°I have a job, and what do you expect me to steal? A TV? How the fuck would I carry it?¡±


    The bear, a good Latian foot taller than Fyche, leaned down, meeting Niko¡¯s eyes. ¡°Parasites should stay in the swamp. Go back to your planet, leech.¡± Niko¡¯s flippant attitude seemed to shatter. Fyche could feel him shaking, leaning back against his chest. Emboldened, the bear raised a paw.


    Fyche didn¡¯t know what the bear¡¯s plan was, but he wasn¡¯t about to wait and see. Stepping to the left, he elbowed the goat in the face, sending him reeling back, clutching a bloody nose. With his right hand, he flung the takeout bag into the gator, splattering him with sauce and grease. Then, grabbing the bear¡¯s exposed paw, he kicked at the bear¡¯s leg and pulled him forward, sending him crashing to the ground.


    Before any of them could recover, he sprinted away, holding Niko as still as he could manage with his paw.


    ¡­


    Back at Ralia¡¯s apartment, Fyche paced back and forth. Niko, Kelsen, and Ralia were all seated on the couch, with Ralia¡¯s phone between them, currently on speaker. ¡°Yes, for the third time, this was an attempted attack on a Moccan,¡± he growled. Kelsen had one arm around Niko, who insisted he was fine, but would jump at any unexpected noises. ¡°I was walking back to a friend¡¯s apartment with my Moccan friend, and those three stopped us, then made to attack us.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve said, sir. But you indicated you attacked them first.¡±


    ¡°In self defense! He was about to hit one of us!¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm. Well, a uniformed officer will contact you to meet in person and ask further questions at the first possible opportunity.¡±


    Fyche threw up his paws, but let Ralia take over. ¡°First possible opportunity, ma¡¯am? Can you be more specific?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, all our officers are currently assisting other civilians. Please call back if you encounter an emergency.¡± The dispatcher gave them a clipped goodbye and hung up.


    Kelsen looked between Ralia and Fyche. ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°It means they¡¯re not going to do anything,¡± said Niko dully.


    ¡°That¡¯s their job! They¡¯re the police!¡±


    Niko muttered something about protecting private property, but was cut off by Ralia. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°You ran into some jerks. Let¡¯s just focus on what we can do. First off, we only go out as a group. No one goes off alone or in pairs. Sound good?¡± The others agreed, though the frustration in their voices was clear. ¡°Second, for anything public or with the event, we have one of our hired security with us.¡±


    Fyche shrugged grudgingly. ¡°Probably a good idea.¡± Kelsen agreed as well, though Niko only nodded absently.


    ¡°Good. Then...let¡¯s order some food. Delivery this time. We can receive it in the lobby, and I¡¯ll see if Lins wants to chat for a bit while we¡¯re there.¡±


    Kelsen gave Niko a squeeze. ¡°Delivery? Sounds like I was right, and you were wrong. Also, you¡¯re dumb and ugly.¡± Niko gave him a weak grin.


    ¡­


    After dinner, they all turned in early, Kelsen and Ralia in her bedroom and Niko and Fyche in Ralia¡¯s new armchair, which Fyche seemed to like quite a bit. After the events of the day, Niko fell asleep almost instantly.


    He found himself in a nightmare. He was in a hospital bed, his arm in a sling and his legs wrapped with bandages, but instead of a hospital, he was laid out on a Latian-sized pillow. A shadow fell over him, and he looked up to see three black Latian wolves. Each wore the same clothing as the bear, gator, and goat from earlier that night.


    ¡°Leech.¡±


    ¡°Cock tease.¡±


    ¡°Fucking parasite.¡±


    ¡°The cops are after me!¡±


    ¡°Go back to the swamp!¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    As one, the three reached for him.


    ¡­


    ¡°Niko? Niko?...¡±


    Niko¡¯s eyes fluttered open to see a Latian face looming over him. He yelped, trying to backpedal, and nearly fell. Hanging half off a leg, dangling above the ground, he realized he¡¯d been dreaming, and must have woken Fyche, who had, of course, checked on him. And he¡¯d freaked out.


    Fyche held him gently, concerned. He patted the fox¡¯s thumb reassuringly, and was lifted back onto his lap. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Sorry. Nightmare.¡±


    Fyche cocked his head, seeming to strain to listen, and only then did Niko realize he¡¯d taken off his voice equipment to sleep. ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± he said a bit louder.


    ¡°Niko is...okay?¡± Fyche whispered, his words heavily accented.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m all right. Just a bad dream.¡±


    Fyche nodded, but didn¡¯t seem calmed. ¡°About...before?¡±


    ¡°Heh, yeah...¡± Niko shrugged. ¡°Same as usual. I get them every so often. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Worry. Yes. Much worry.¡± Fyche hung his head. ¡°Want...do help. Make away.¡±


    Niko gestured for Fyche to bring him up to eye level. ¡°Hey. You do help. You¡¯re the best mattress a guy could hope for.¡± He winked. ¡°And...for serious...it sucks, but it doesn¡¯t happen all the time, and it¡¯s not fair to either of us to expect you to fix me. Getting to be here with you more than makes up for it.¡± He yawned, and Fyche followed suit. ¡°Fuck, I hope you understand what I¡¯m saying. Let¡¯s go back to bed. I¡¯ll elaborate on anything that got lost in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 16

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 16


    Niko was partway through his morning hygiene routine¡ªhaving had a quick shower and a thorough blow-dry¡ªand was carefully combing his fur to get it just right when the door to the small Moccan-sized house opened. Kelsen stumbled through, mumbling a good morning. His fur was beyond mussed, sticking up haphazardly in every direction. Niko set the comb down, a grin creeping across his face. ¡°Wow. Looks like someone got lucky last night.¡±


    Kelsen rolled his eyes, dropping his voice equipment on the counter and shoving past Niko and stepping into the shower. Pulling the curtain closed¡ªa measure they still found quaint, as their shower back home simply had electronically controlled tintable glass to obscure the user¡ªhe started throwing his clothes over the top, nearly hitting Niko in the face with his shirt. ¡°Ha ha. I¡¯m only lucky I didn¡¯t fall off the bed.¡±


    ¡°God damn. It got that intense?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a teenager. No, I kept tossing and turning. Had trouble sleeping.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I assume it would be hard to sleep when you¡¯re getting¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, I will end you. Go bother someone else.¡±


    ¡°If you insist.¡± Niko tossed the comb next to the sink and exited both the bathroom and the little building entirely, setting up his own voice equipment. Across the room, in the attached kitchen, Ralia was humming as she prepared breakfast. Fyche stood at the kitchen threshold, looking uncomfortable. Not exactly out of the ordinary. ¡°Heya Fyche, heya Rails. I¡¯m online again. Want some assist?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re my guest!¡± Ralia said, sounding playfully affronted.


    ¡°Come on. It¡¯ll be easier for me and Kel if you at least let me size down our portions.¡±


    Ralia frowned. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± At her direction, Fyche picked Niko up and set him on the kitchen counter, where he set to modifying the food¡ªa skillet scramble with plenty of chives and sausage¡ªinto workable, Moccan-sized portions. There were some foods you could order in Moccan-sized portions, but it was always difficult for Latians to prepare them, and due to scarcity and being labor intensive, they weren¡¯t as much cheaper as you might expect.


    Fyche hovered behind the two of them. ¡°Anything I can do to help?¡±


    Shaking her head without turning around, Ralia said ¡°Thanks, but nope. Have a seat and make yourself comfortable, we¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    Fyche did as he was told. ¡°Sitting around while others are working isn¡¯t exactly comfortable,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°It is very sweet of you to want to be helpful, Fyche. I really do appreciate it.¡± Fyche grumbled something inaudibly in response. ¡°Say again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Sweet, I mean. Doesn¡¯t count when I¡¯m just acting on behavior pounded into me.¡±


    Niko chuckled, though there was an edge to it. ¡°Nothing beats being punished for ¡®being idle¡¯. Something something devil¡¯s playthings.¡±


    ¡°Preach.¡± Kelsen joined them, having finished his shower in record time. His fur was still damp in places, but he hadn¡¯t lingered in the hot water as he often did at home. ¡°I just love being berated for being lazy for no reason.¡±


    Ralia moved the skillet off the stove, setting it on a hot pad, an agitated look on her face. Scooping up Niko and Kelsen, she brought them over to Fyche and proceeded to pull them all into a shared embrace. ¡°You all need a hug.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± said Niko. ¡°I forgot we were with a normie. She doesn¡¯t get the joke, lads. We probably sound like traumatized orphans to her sane-parented ears.¡±


    She just held them tighter. ¡°You do, though! I feel like I¡¯m listening to poor abused puppies at the shelter!¡± Eventually, she released them, though she still looked troubled. ¡°I was saving this for tomorrow, but now is probably a good time to mention it. My parents and sister are in town, and they¡¯re coming to most of the events. We were going to surprise you, but now I think we should see them today. You all desperately need some good parenting.¡±


    Kelsen ducked his head. ¡°We¡¯re just joking around. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Niko agreed. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t gotta make them up and change their schedule. We have a thousand things to finish getting ready anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t seem to understand. I had to talk them into not showing up to every event and helping with everything. They would be elated to meet you guys.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you say it like that...¡±


    Kelsen spun to glare at Niko. ¡°Dude, no.¡±


    Shrugging, Fyche nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me. If you and Niko think it¡¯s a good idea, sure.¡±


    ¡°Traitors!¡± Kelsen covered his face, hunched over slightly.


    Worried, Niko put an arm around his shoulders. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s all right. If you¡¯re not ready to meet more Latians right now, we can wait until...¡± He trailed off as he saw behind Kelsen¡¯s paws. The wolf was smirking. Scowling, he slugged Kelsen¡¯s arm. ¡°You bitch! I thought you were having a heart attack!¡±


    His smirk fading, Kelsen showed his face again. ¡°Oh, shit, no. Sorry. I was joking around. Like, I am terrified of meeting them, but not in a ¡®I¡¯m gonna fuckin¡¯ lose it¡¯ way, just in a ¡®Meet the parents¡¯ kinda way, you know?¡±


    Shaking her head, Ralia moved away to start serving breakfast. ¡°Just for that, I¡¯m telling my sister you called me fat.¡±


    ¡°Wait. No. Hold on.¡±


    ¡°No, even better: you told me I was ¡®very brave for wearing a size that small,¡¯ that sounds worse.¡±


    Kelsen sat down heavily. ¡°Just execute me right now. God.¡±


    Niko bowed his head. ¡°I will prepare your last rites, fallen soldier.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    ¡­


    After breakfast, they gave Ralia¡¯s parents a call and arranged to meet for lunch at a nearby cafe. The rest of the morning was spent making more calls and checking on arrangements, including informing certain staff at the hotel and Donovan that Ralia¡¯s parents would be around, and they had approval and access. At Fyche¡¯s urging, they also checked in with Jess, making sure Samet was behaving himself. She assured them he was.


    When they were done, they had less than ten minutes until it was time to leave, so they shrugged and headed out. As it was a little far to walk and Ralia rarely drove unless it was absolutely necessary, they took the bus. Thankfully, it was half empty, leaving them plenty of space to sit; Ralia still hadn¡¯t completely gotten over her fear of dropping Kelsen in a moving vehicle. Kelsen waited anxiously as they scanned their tickets, but everything seemed fine; Teromod had clarified rules on Moccan fares and seating, finally, though it seemed likely to change again at some point in the future. A comprehensive transportation network for Moccans was likely still decades away, unfortunately, at least for established areas.


    Niko, being Niko, struck up a conversation with a young otter sitting in front of them, entertaining her by describing Moccs to pass the time.


    Eventually, they arrived at their stop, half a block from the cafe. Upon entering, they found Ralia¡¯s parents and sister already seated. Her father, Andrew, was a golden brown husky like her, while Anna, her mother, was a merle shepherd with scattered black and tan coloring. Her sister Veros took more after their mother, though she had some faint husky-like face markings. All three rose and embraced Ralia, though they gave Kelsen a respectful amount of space. Both parents buzzed with excitement, clearly restraining themselves from sweeping him into a hug as well. It seemed Ralia had informed them of his boundaries beforehand.


    They showed Fyche the same courtesy, shaking his hand rather than swarming him. ¡°I hear you¡¯re the one to thank for saving these three,¡± Anna said to him, beaming.


    ¡°A very brave young man,¡± Andrew added.


    Fyche shrugged and looked away. ¡°Just doing the right thing, ma¡¯am. Sir.¡±


    ¡°Please, call us Anna and Andrew. No need to be so formal.¡±


    ¡°Er...¡±


    Sensing his embarrassment, Ralia steered everyone to their seats, the Latians around the table and the Moccans at a second, smaller table placed where the sixth plate would have been. They all picked up their menus, and her parents began whispering¡ªloudly enough for the entire table to hear¡ªabout how adorable Kelsen was, and didn¡¯t he and Ralia look so wonderful together? Veros, for her part, snickered behind her paw.


    Kelsen met Niko¡¯s eyes over their menus, and as his best friend, Niko could tell that he was screaming internally. Muting his MoccsVox for a moment, he stuck his tongue out. ¡°They¡¯re going to snuggle you to death, friendo.¡± At Kelsen¡¯s glare, he shrugged. ¡°I mean, there are worse ways to die.¡± Kelsen used the menu to hide a gesture¡ªdrawing a finger across his throat. The message was clear. ¡°Dude, chill out. They like you. And they¡¯re being very nice and relaxed about it. It could be a lot worse.¡±


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    ¡°I guess,¡± Kelsen sighed, forgetting to turn off his own Miicz.


    ¡°What was that, dear?¡± asked Anna.


    Kelsen reddened. ¡°Oh, u-uh, nothing, M-Ms. Reid. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Son, there¡¯s nothing to be worried about,¡± Andrew said placatingly. ¡°We couldn¡¯t be happier to have you as part of the family.¡±


    Only Niko caught Kelsen mouth the word ¡®family¡¯ in bemusement. He seemed both embarrassed and relieved. Unfortunately for him, Veros leaned forward, eyeing him critically. ¡°I dunno, Dad. I¡¯m not convinced. What do you do for a living?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, er, d-data entry, m-mostly...¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in university¡ªwhat were your grades last semester?¡±


    ¡°T-they...uh, so-so...I...¡±


    ¡°Veros,¡± Ralia said warningly.


    Veros leaned closer, ignoring her. ¡°I¡¯m just asking some general questions. What was the last thing you did to surprise my sister? How many times a day do you tell her how much you appreciate her?¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s eyes darted from side to side. ¡°Er...I-I...that, is w-we...¡±


    ¡°Veros!¡±


    Veros¡¯ face was right in front of their table, close enough to make Niko uncomfortable as well. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re worthy of someone as great as Ralia?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI mean¡ªwho could be?¡± Kelsen gasped for air.


    Ralia slammed her paw down in front of Veros¡¯ face. ¡°Veros! Stop interrogating my boyfriend!¡±


    Her sister shrugged, leaning back in her seat. ¡°I was done anyway. That was a good answer¡ªI like him.¡± Ralia sighed in exasperation.


    Despite feeling shaken, Kelsen indicated he was generally okay, and they proceeded to order. As they waited for the food, they made more detailed introductions. Surprisingly, Kelsen and Veros managed to form common ground; she mentioned that she was a social worker, just like his father. They compared notes, as she worked in a more psychiatric capacity, while Robert specialized in children and family services¡ªand then there were the similarities and differences between social work on Moccs and Latia, as well as between Doxen and Salica.


    Happily ignored, Fyche let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding, appeased at the banished tension. He and Kelsen had trouble communicating at times, but he didn¡¯t want the guy to suffer.


    Despite Ralia¡¯s parents¡¯ desire to linger over their meal, the SDM team had things to check on at the hotel venue. ¡°We¡¯ve been sort of putting it off,¡± explained Niko apologetically. ¡°Doing it over the phone and stuff. But we should really get down there in person and make sure everything is going okay and lend a hand with prep.¡±


    Anna nodded. ¡°Completely understandable, dear. You can tell us more about it on the ride over.¡±


    Ralia gave the others a look, exuding an aura of ¡®I told you so¡¯. ¡°We bused here, Mom. Gonna be hard to fit everyone in the car.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no prob,¡± said Veros, slipping a keyring out of her pocket. ¡°I drove too. How about you and loverboy come with me, and Niko and Fyche go with Mom and Dad?¡±


    ¡°Loverboy?¡± Kelsen asked, looking winded.


    Niko nodded sagely. ¡°That¡¯s your new nickname. And yeah, that sounds good to me. Fyche?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Coolio. See you at the hotel, loverboy.¡±


    ¡°I will devote my existence to ending yours.¡±


    Ralia glanced at Veros. ¡°Actually, that reminds me about something Kel said to me earlier...¡±


    Kelsen¡¯s only response was a choking noise.


    ¡­


    After reuniting outside¡ªKelsen still very much alive, somehow¡ªthe group entered the hotel lobby to find their shuttlemates hanging out there with Samet. Greeting the SDM team exuberantly, they explained that they wanted more experience being around Latians in a controlled environment. With the hotel staff and some of the hired security around, things were about as safe as they could hope for, and it gave them a chance to keep an eye on Samet as he tried to learn better safety. Fyche noted with some surprise that the Latian squirrel did seem to be trying, at least. Upon hearing they were there to work on prep for the week¡¯s events, all volunteered to help, which Niko accepted happily.


    They held a short conversation with the concierge and other hotel staff before heading over to one of the reserved rooms. Some of their hired help was already here, setting up tables and chairs, so they joined in. Niko and Kelsen were pleased to find there was plenty for them and the other Moccans to do, as many finer details needed a Moccan touch.


    As they worked, they discussed upcoming events and specifics, from seating to catering, the SDM team cluing Ralia¡¯s family in on the broad strokes and giving tantalizing hints about surprises to the attendees.


    Without needing much prompting, Ralia¡¯s parents followed through on her plan, generously doling out praise, compliments, and validation to everyone. Kelsen reddened but seemed to appreciate it, and while he was visibly embarrassed, Fyche didn¡¯t ask them to stop. For his part, Niko practically wallowed in the slightest bit of approval.


    Ralia, watching this happen with Veros, nodded to herself with satisfaction.


    ¡°Your friends are such geeks,¡± her sister said, nudging her with an elbow.


    Ralia sniffed. ¡°I am, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. It wasn¡¯t an insult.¡± Veros threw an arm around her. ¡°So, how long ago did Niko lose his parents?¡±


    Ralia sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question to answer. If you want to know, ask him yourself. Ask all of them yourself.¡± She looked over. ¡°But also don¡¯t, because you¡¯ll psychoanalyze them, like you always do.¡±


    Veros held up her paws. ¡°Hey, you are looking at a changed woman. I don¡¯t use my career knowledge for evil. Anymore.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t use it for evil. You just...push people¡¯s boundaries. And my friends have serious boundaries that you need to respect.¡±


    ¡°I will. Promise,¡± Veros said. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m absolutely going to fuck with them, because come on, look at them, they¡¯re practically begging me to take their lunch money...¡± She trailed off at Ralia¡¯s withering glare. ¡°But seriously, I¡¯m not gonna say shit to get under their skin or anything. We¡¯re mature, responsible adults, right?¡±


    ¡°One of us is.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m the older sister. I am more mature by default.¡±


    ¡°You have literally just disproven that by saying so,¡± Ralia deadpanned.


    ¡°Did not!¡±


    ¡°Oh, very mature.¡±


    ¡­


    Hours later, after bidding the attendees and Ralia¡¯s family farewell¡ªand turning down the latter¡¯s offer of getting dinner together¡ªRalia, Kelsen, Fyche, and Niko went home to change, then headed to a nice restaurant for a double date. It was the same one that Ralia, Kelsen, and Niko had gone to on their first visit to Latia.


    Once they were seated, Niko gestured at Kelsen with his menu. ¡°Okay, since we¡¯re here again, you¡¯ve gotta choose something different this time.¡±


    Kelsen opened his own menu, shielding his face from view. ¡°Make me.¡±


    ¡°You order the same thing at every restaurant every time.¡±


    ¡°I know what I like.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re five years old.¡±


    ¡°Choosing something random every time doesn¡¯t make you mature. It makes you pretentious!¡±


    As they bickered good-naturedly, Fyche looked between them and Ralia. ¡°This time? You guys have been here before?¡±


    Ralia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So, what did you guys think of Veros? I know she¡¯s a little overbearing, but she¡¯s still¡ª¡±


    Niko shushed her. ¡°Up-bup-up, not so fast. You¡¯re not getting off that easy.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Okay. Just get it over with.¡±


    With a wicked grin, Niko did so. ¡°Okay, so when we came here last time, we didn¡¯t tell our parents, right?¡± Fyche nodded, still clearly confused. ¡°Well, we let it slip while we were eating here, and Miss High Horse over here decides to give us a piece of her mind and lecture us about it.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lecture...¡±


    ¡°¡®Insignificant Moccan peasants! How dare theest not report to thine parentage! For gene donors are the most wise and noble beings in the land!¡¯¡± Niko cried.


    ¡°That¡¯s not even close!¡±


    ¡°¡®Yea verily, thou mustest inform thy parents that you¡¯re here on Latia, otherwise you shall be struck down with a plague! And I will kick you out of my house!¡¯¡±


    ¡°I did not say I would kick you out.¡±


    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t let us in unless we did.¡±


    Ralia hung her head. ¡°Oh, god, I did, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Kelsen got up to pat her arm reassuringly. ¡°We forgave you for that a long time ago. Right, Niko?¡±


    ¡°¡®Nay! Thyest shall carry the curse of my grudging for eons to comest! Ohohoho!¡¯¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a yes,¡± Kelsen translated.


    Fyche shook his head. ¡°I can hardly imagine that happening. Ralia doesn¡¯t have a mean bone in her body.¡±


    Niko spoke immediately. ¡°False.¡±


    ¡°Hey...¡± Ralia said weakly.


    ¡°Very false,¡± Kelsen agreed. ¡°Did I tell you about the time she hit me in the head? I was already dying, and she attacked me.¡±


    ¡°Hey...¡±


    ¡°A most cruel mistress.¡±


    ¡°I am not!¡±


    After the meal, Kelsen noticed a goat staring at their table. He shrugged and tried not to think about it. Just another Latian staring at him. He tried to remember what Niko had said: he¡¯d stare at Latians on Moccs, so it was only fair if they sometimes gave him the same treatment.


    ¡­


    They¡¯d gotten back to Ralia¡¯s and started to prepare for bed when Fyche stopped Ralia. ¡°Not yet,¡± he said. ¡°We need to practice. You¡¯ve skipped it too many times, and I agreed to hold you accountable when we started.¡±


    She nodded, chagrined. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. Okay¡ªKel, Niko, stay over near Niko¡¯s room, all right?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, are you gonna spar?¡± asked Niko, eyes shining.


    ¡°We are. With all the prep going on, I kept putting it off. But Fyche is right¡ªI wanted to do this.¡± She stood across from Fyche, and they each shifted their footing and raised their paws. To Kelsen and Niko, it meant little other than ¡®martial arts pose¡¯, but to Fyche, and now more and more to Ralia, there was purpose in their stance and in their movements.


    They started off slow, following a simple kata, which Fyche added to as they went along, increasing its complexity. They continued until Ralia faltered, unable to replicate his movements. He gave her a short break then, before they moved into a different form, and started exchanging practiced punches and kicks.


    Both due to her lack of experience and the small confines of the apartment, they didn¡¯t go all out, or even trade blows in earnest; rather, they were practicing motions and techniques. Fyche explained that many of these were good moves to know for use in a real fight, and that they were also handy for keeping up fitness and expanding on later.


    Even with the limits of their session, the sight was impressive, and not just because they were Latians. Ralia had improved greatly over the last few months, and it was evident even despite Fyche¡¯s double advantages of time spent training and larger size. ¡°Well, I think I feel a bit safer in public now,¡± Kelsen said.


    His comment went blessedly unmocked. ¡°Yeah,¡± said Niko. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty handy skill to have. Especially since it looks like I¡¯ll never get my electric stungun.¡± Moccan engineers had been working on an electroshock stunning device for Moccans to use on Latians in self defense, but still hadn¡¯t found a way to deliver enough of a shock to immobilize a Latian without it being a terrifyingly lethal weapon when used against Moccans. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be some way to zap a Latian without having to worry about absolutely frying another Moccan.¡±


    ¡°Like anyone would trust you with it anyway,¡± said Kelsen.


    ¡°That is an excellent point, but also, fuck you.¡±

 Chapter 17

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 17


    Pakos stalked behind the tour group, hood pulled low, trying not to look like he was following them. Which he was. Any court would see this as a parole violation. But, he told himself, he had good reason. This time. He¡¯d followed Niko and his friends on two other outings, and both times, he¡¯d noticed that he wasn¡¯t the only one tailing them.


    A convenient excuse to keep following Niko and watching him.


    Every time you lie to yourself, you lose a little more control, some part of him thought glumly. How many lies until you end up like your father? How many until you do something you can¡¯t take back?


    He wouldn¡¯t be like his father. He was following Niko to protect him, from others worse than Pakos himself. It¡¯s not like he could just tell the mouse. There was no way he or his friends would ever believe Pakos. Same for the police, at least until he had something concrete, preferably something that didn¡¯t incriminate him as well.


    Maybe if he did something good for once, he could hate himself just a little less. Maybe it would give him the push he needed to keep bettering himself. He¡¯d always been this way, after all. Always needed someone else to steer him toward good choices. He¡¯d hoped Niko would fill that role. Before Niko, it was his former partner. Before that¡­


    I miss you, Mom.


    The SDM team was out in front, leading a crowd of Latians and Moccans, some carried by friends and others transported by hired porters, through Teromod¡¯s Old Town. Unlike most of the rest of the city, these buildings were centuries old; a few were even older. Despite their age, their beauty far outshone the rest of the city.


    Pakos nearly stumbled into the person in front of him, caught up in staring at the tour. Muttering an apology, he glanced up to see a tall Latian bear, scowling at him. Accompanying the bear was a rough-looking gator.


    He recognized these two. He¡¯d seen both tailing the SDM team before. They turned and walked away, but he stood there, frozen, watching them leave. The people on the street around him¡ªsome locals, others unrelated tourists also wanting a look at Old Town¡ªparted, complaining of the inconvenience. Drawing attention to him.


    So caught up was he that he almost didn¡¯t notice the fox spot him. The brute practically threw Niko at the girl before sprinting towards him.


    Pakos ran.


    ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± he yelled breathlessly as they plowed through the sightseeing crowds. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªI¡¯m not here to cause trouble! Those other guys, they were following you!¡± The words sounded weak, even to his ears. The fox clearly thought the same, ignoring them and snarling as they ran.


    In the end, Pakos got away. They¡¯d made it over half a mile before a look over his shoulder told him his pursuer had turned back. He stopped to pant, not sure if he was actually the superior runner or if the fox had just decided to return to Niko.


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill him,¡± Fyche spat. Niko patted Fyche¡¯s cheek from his perch on his partner¡¯s shoulder, trying to calm him.


    Kelsen glanced over at the attendees, who were milling around uncomfortably. Most of them had seen one or more of the videos and posts the SDM team had made about Pakos and the things he¡¯d done, and had a vague concept of the severity of the situation. ¡°Are we going to call the cops?¡±


    Fyche shared a look with Ralia, and both of their faces fell. They seemed ashamed. ¡°Like before, it probably won¡¯t work,¡± Ralia said unhappily.


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Niko. ¡°There¡¯s clearly something you two aren¡¯t telling us. Out with it already.¡± Kelsen nodded in agreement, looking weary.


    Fyche sighed. ¡°A-all right. Do you remember that councilman from a month or two ago? We did a video on him.¡±


    Niko crossed his arms. ¡°That super bigoted guy who hated Moccans? Shit, we laughed at him for like, an hour straight. ¡®Moccans aren¡¯t sending good people here, they¡¯re sending spies and thieves over! They¡¯re forming a shadow government! They¡¯re leeches and vampires, all of ¡®em!¡± He took a breath, far from done. ¡°They do experiments on Latian babies! They¡¯re puttin¡¯ chemicals in the air that make the damn dogs gay!¡¯ That guy was a fucking nutjob to a ridiculous degree, what about him?¡± Fyche opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, struggling to form the words. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t fucking tell me...¡±


    ¡°He has support,¡± Ralia said, shutting her eyes. ¡°Way more than you¡¯d expect. Again, a lot of it is offline, and when it is online, it¡¯s usually concentrated in the kind of awful places we don¡¯t frequent. Conspiracy forums and anonymous, unmoderated threads where people can say whatever vile things they want without repercussion.¡±


    ¡°So just, like, idiots and bigots?¡±


    Ralia shook her head slowly. ¡°No. He¡¯s managed to get a lot of others into his following by playing up the fears people have about Moccans coming here and taking their jobs and diluting Latian cultural identities. And it¡¯s stupid, but it¡¯s a real worry a lot of people have. Moccans are still new and strange, and it¡¯s not like Latians can go to Moccs. Moccans just come here. And there¡¯s a few billion more Moccans than there are Latians...¡±


    Niko blinked. ¡°So those guys the other night...¡±


    ¡°Probably some of his fans,¡± Fyche said bitterly. ¡°And that¡¯s, that¡¯s not the scariest part. There¡¯s a lot of dipshits in law enforcement who listen to that bile.¡±


    Kelsen shuddered. ¡°So unless we get something irrefutable or get someone important on our side, the cops aren¡¯t going to help us with Pakos or anyone else.¡± Ralia and Fyche looked away and nodded. ¡°But...that¡¯s not fair! We don¡¯t come here to take anything! We came here because we thought Latia was awesome! Because Moccans and Latians coming together is good! Why...¡± He trailed off, blinking away angry tears.


    ¡°Absolute bullshit,¡± muttered Niko. ¡°God fucking damn it. Everywhere I go.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much Ralia and Fyche could do other than voice their support.


    ¡­


    The four of them uneasily led the attendees to the next event, a traditional Doxen meal at an upscale restaurant. While their participants dined¡ªthe Moccans and foreign Latians commenting on the food and the ways it pleased or offended their tastes¡ªthe SDM team discussed their next move. After a short debate, they agreed to cancel the museum tour they¡¯d planned; there wasn¡¯t enough security, and their transportation was limited. They would instead move up a future event, a party featuring some traditional games and competitions from Doxen and other Latian countries. It was really only a filler event, but it¡¯d have to do. Some attendees complained, but most were understanding after seeing Pakos earlier.


    Ralia¡¯s parents met them at the hotel, eager to lend a hand with running events. They assisted hired staff with entertaining the SDM guests while the team huddled with Veros to hurriedly re-plan the following day, when the biggest events were planned. In the end, while it was a painful monetary loss, they canceled a few events and rescheduled others in order to minimize the time the guests were low on proper security.


    To Ralia¡¯s amusement and everyone else¡¯s confusion, Veros offered the name of a private security team she apparently had close ties to. ¡°I thought you were a psychiatric social worker,¡± Kelsen said incredulously.


    Veros gave him a wink. ¡°Honey, that¡¯s my day job.¡±


    ¡°Wha?...¡±


    There was some discussion about whether to cancel the following day¡¯s finale¡ªa less formal outdoor cookout and music festival, with more authentic Latian dishes and live musicians. In the end, they decided to keep it, reasoning that they would be vigilant for Pakos; after all, the security team would have his description, and it would be a gated event.


    ¡°I almost hope he shows up,¡± Fyche said.


    Ralia nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to have a second round with him myself. Use these new skills and get some payback.¡± Fyche gave her a concerned look, which she shrugged off.


    They never did get further explanation from Veros.


    ¡­


    After overseeing another few events, which seemed sadly disappointing, the five of them headed back to Ralia¡¯s place, bidding Ralia and Veros¡¯ parents farewell for the night. At her apartment, Fyche and Niko settled into the armchair, Ralia lounged on the couch with Kelsen, and Veros sat cross-legged on the floor. She looked up at Ralia with an almost malevolent grin.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Ralia said. ¡°I know that look.¡±


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    Veros¡¯ grin widened. ¡°Oh, come on! It¡¯s been years! And I am so eager to get to know your friends...¡±


    Kelsen looked between them warily. ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°She wants to play a dumb, childish game.¡±


    Veros held up a finger. ¡°An elegant, sophisticated game, revered across educational institutions worldwide.¡±


    ¡°¡®Educational institutions¡¯ implies more than just middle school.¡±


    Laughing, Veros shrugged. ¡°And high school. And a few times in college. Come on! It¡¯s a great way to break the ice and get to know people. Pretty please?¡±


    ¡°Hell yes!¡± Niko said. ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡±


    ¡°Truth or Consequence!¡±


    Kelsen blinked. ¡°Like...truth or dare?¡±


    ¡°No! On Latia, it¡¯s called Truth or Consequence, and it¡¯s better. So there.¡±


    The wolf shook his head. ¡°Pass.¡±


    Fyche started to echo Kelsen when Niko turned and pouted, giving him his best puppy-dog eyes. ¡°Please? Just for a bit?¡±


    ¡°I...ugh. Fine. Just for a bit.¡±


    The mouse turned to Kelsen next, who was utterly unfazed by the pleading, shining eyes and responded with a raised middle finger. ¡°Come onnnn! Look, if you play, I¡¯ll do an entire campaign of Star Scavengers with you once we¡¯re back on Moccs.¡±


    Against his better judgment, Kelsen found his interest piqued. ¡°Including the expansions?...¡±


    ¡°Yes! The whole shebang.¡±


    Kelsen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s like, ninety hours of content, and I have never gotten you to play the whole way through. Deal.¡± He glanced at Ralia and Fyche. ¡°You¡¯re witnesses in case he tries to wriggle out of this.¡±


    Ralia sighed. ¡°Okay, I guess we¡¯re doing this. God. Ground rule: if anyone feels too uncomfortable, we stop. Fair?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Veros rubbed her paws together. ¡°Then the game begins! Here, we¡¯ll spin this soda bottle.¡± She placed it on the floor, and gave it a whirl. It stopped, pointing at Fyche. ¡°Ooh! We have a winner!¡±


    ¡°Um...¡± Fyche cast around before settling on Veros. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite color?¡±


    Niko booed, and Veros rolled her eyes. ¡°Dude. You¡¯re not really getting into the spirit of the game, but fine, it¡¯s blue. Here, you spin now.¡±


    Niko was next, though the angle the bottle landed at prompted a quick exchange of how to address Moccans being so much smaller and therefore less likely to be chosen, and clarification of the ¡®zones¡¯ each player occupied. He turned to Kelsen with an absolutely diabolical smile. ¡°Kelsen,¡± he said, his sweet tone threatening. ¡°Tell us the most embarrassing pet name Ralia has ever called you.¡±


    Kelsen paled. ¡°No...¡±


    ¡°Out with it! I know you two have been holding out on me! Say it, or you get...consequence! I will show even less mercy with your task than this simple question.¡±


    Swallowing, Kelsen spoke in monotone. ¡°¡®M¡­ my¡­ itsy¡­ bitsy.. . teeny¡­ fluffy¡­ w-widdle¡­ snuggle...¡¯¡± He coughed, then whispered. ¡°¡®...Kins.¡¯¡±


    Niko roared with laughter, collapsing against Fyche, as Veros held her sides, gasping for breath. Ralia tried and failed to suppress a giggle, for which Kelsen gave her a look of utter betrayal.


    She clamped her mouth shut and spun for him. This time, she herself was the winner. ¡°Aha!¡± Ralia exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Veros. ¡°This was your idea; time for revenge! Tell everyone what happened during the Young Love dance.¡±


    Rather than rage, Veros gave Ralia a round of applause. ¡°Ohh, good move! Okay, so...¡± She launched into a tale of how she¡¯d had two prospective dates, and somehow ended up promising to accompany both to the dance. Of course, everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, culminating in her being utterly embarrassed in front of the entire senior class with a thoroughly ruined dress and even worse reputation. Somehow, she seemed proud of this, rather than ashamed. ¡°We never did get the cheese sauce out of the bust. Had to trash the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°Good God,¡± Fyche muttered.


    Kelsen was next to be chosen. He steepled his fingers, glaring at Niko. ¡°Now it¡¯s time for my revenge! Give Fyche a big ol¡¯ kiss, loverboy!¡±


    Niko scoffed. ¡°Uh, yeah, okay, threaten me with a good time why don¡¯t you. Babe?¡±


    Fyche looked around the room. ¡°Uh...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Kelsen said quickly. ¡°We can stop the game right here. After Niko¡¯s consequence.¡±


    Seeming to steel himself, Fyche leaned over and kissed Niko, to everyone¡¯s surprise. Veros gave them a thumbs up.


    The bottle ended up pointing at Veros next. ¡°Okay, Fyche, I¡¯ve got a juicy one for you. Would you rather have sex with your boyfriend in your dad¡¯s body, or your dad in your boyfriend¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°Veros!¡± Ralia said. ¡°I cannot believe you! That¡¯s completely inappropriate!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny! It¡¯s supposed to be fucked up!¡±


    Niko looked over at Fyche. ¡°Babe, you good?...¡±


    Fyche sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to answer. Necrophilia is generally frowned upon.¡±


    Veros cackled at the response, her laughter dying out as she realized the others weren¡¯t laughing. Ralia smacked her on the arm and half dragged her to her feet, simmering.


    ¡°So, uh, I think we¡¯re done with that game,¡± Niko said.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± said Kelsen.


    Ralia pulled Veros to the door, ignoring her protests. ¡°I still can¡¯t understand for the life of me how you work with people on a daily basis when you¡¯re so socially inept.¡±


    Veros¡¯ humor had completely passed. She seemed to sense she¡¯d crossed a line, and let Ralia usher her out the door. ¡°Hey, uh, Fyche...sorry, okay?¡±


    He shrugged, and Ralia shut the door.


    ...


    Fyche was withdrawn for the rest of the evening. Niko stayed as close as possible, half hugging, half rubbing his cheek. Ralia assured him she and Veros were very sorry, and Veros would not say anything like that again. Both kept asking if there was anything he needed, was he okay, how could they help? What would he like to do? What would make him feel better?


    After watching this go on for some time, Kelsen lost his patience. ¡°Okay, you both need to shut up and knock it off.¡± Both looked at him in bewilderment, but he ignored them. ¡°Fyche, let¡¯s take a walk.¡± Further confusing them, Fyche nodded and stood up, offering Kelsen his paw and placing the wolf in his jacket pocket.


    ¡°But...¡±


    Kelsen forestalled Ralia¡¯s complaint. ¡°We¡¯ll stay inside the complex.¡±


    The two of them walked the halls of Ralia¡¯s apartment complex for a while, occasionally going up and down flights of stairs at random. Kelsen said nothing, allowing Fyche to go as he wished. Eventually, Fyche stopped in the middle of the hall. ¡°Well? When are you going to ask how I¡¯m feeling? Try to console me like I¡¯m a little kid?¡±


    Kelsen kept his eyes looking straight ahead. ¡°Do you want me to?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Fyche took a deep breath. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just want to be alone for a minute.¡±


    ¡°I get it.¡± Kelsen glanced up at him momentarily. ¡°Have some alone time. I¡¯ll just...be here.¡±


    Fyche stared at the back of the wolf¡¯s head, puzzled. ¡°What do you...¡± He trailed off, and let the silence stretch. Soon, he started walking again, stalking through the halls of the apartment complex.


    After another while, Fyche sat down at the bottom of a stairwell. He took Kelsen out of his pocket, setting him on his shoulder. ¡°Okay, maybe I do wanna talk,¡± he mumbled, staring down at the floor. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be fussed over like I¡¯m a child.¡±


    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Kelsen said, sitting down.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªI¡¯ve been on my own for years now. I have a steady job. I don¡¯t rely on anyone for support. I don¡¯t need Ralia to mother me like some unfortunate orphan. And¡ªI was in a bad relationship, fine. But I survived. I got out on my own. I didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. I don¡¯t need Niko to coddle me like I¡¯ll fall apart any goddamn second.¡± Kelsen nodded, not saying anything. Fyche started gesturing with his hands, speaking faster. ¡°Look¡ªI¡ªI shouldn¡¯t need to justify myself! I don¡¯t need a parent! I don¡¯t need a crutch, I don¡¯t need a hero to show up and save me! I don¡¯t need anyone!¡±


    Kelsen remained silent, prompting Fyche to turn to him angrily, tears in his eyes. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?!¡±


    Kelsen met his gaze. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Fyche looked away again. ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know what I want. I...I shouldn¡¯t have to feel like this!¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Kelsen asked softly.


    Fyche shut his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s all screwed up in my head. I¡¯m not mad at Veros. I¡¯m mad at Ralia! At...at Niko! Or...no. At myself. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m so confused.¡±


    ¡°Why would you be mad at them?¡±


    Fyche slammed a fist into the wall. ¡°Because it¡¯s not fair!¡±


    ¡°...What isn¡¯t fair?¡±


    ¡°That...¡± Fyche spoke haltingly, trying to piece it together himself. ¡°That Ralia got a perfect life, with parents and a sister who love her, and she doesn¡¯t feel like shit all the time, and have to think about people and opportunities she¡¯s lost, and cry herself to sleep every other night! And Niko is so happy and confident...even though he¡¯s seen bad shit, he got past it somehow, and it doesn¡¯t bring him down all the time, he¡¯s not dragging this huge fucking weight around. They...they like who they are. They¡¯re satisfied with their lives. And...and now they¡¯re in mine, and it¡¯s not fair that they¡¯re in it now, when I needed them then!¡± A sob wracked his body, and he started to cry.


    Kelsen leaned in, hugging him as best he could. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I do get it, a bit. Our lives would have been easier if we¡¯d met the right people at the right time. I think about it too, how my life might have gone in so many other directions if I had. I wish we¡¯d all met a lot sooner. But...all we can do is hold tight to what we have now, and focus on where our lives can go from here. Together.¡± He was surprised to find Fyche¡¯s paw come up, holding him close as the fox continued to sob, letting all the emotion out.


    A few minutes later, Ralia answered the knock at her door to find the two of them standing there, Fyche¡¯s eyes still watery and bloodshot. He offered no explanation, simply giving her and Niko each a hug before excusing himself to wash his face in the bathroom.


    ¡°Dude, what happened?¡± asked Niko.


    Shaking his head, Kelsen flopped down on the couch. ¡°That¡¯s something you should ask Fyche about. Once he¡¯s had some time.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Niko sighed. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I trust you guys to tell me if it¡¯s something I need to know.¡± He rubbed his eyes and yawned. ¡°Ugh. Once he gets back, we should go to bed. We need to be rested up for tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 18

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 18


    The next day was it¡ªthe day of the party. The SDM team met up at the hotel, along with a number of their hired staff, some friends, and Ralia¡¯s family¡ªincluding a much more contrite Veros, who sheepishly asked to speak to Fyche one on one.


    ¡°Look, I really am sorry about last night,¡± she said, not shying away from his flat stare. ¡°Ralia was right; I was acting like I did back in high school. I was kind of a bitch back then, and addicted to drama. I guess that part¡¯s still true. But I¡¯m mature enough to recognize I fucked up. I¡¯m not asking you to just forget, but...yeah. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°It was pretty fucked up. But it was funny. Or would have been if we knew each other better. I¡¯m still getting used to...socializing again. So that might take some time.¡±


    ¡°I have so many fucking questions,¡± she muttered, then held up her paws. ¡°But I¡¯ll wait to ask them until it¡¯s socially appropriate. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The attendees trickled in from the rooms above and outside, and things began in earnest. They had plenty of food, both snacks and Doxen fare, and a number of games and interactive events. They¡¯d even managed to book a few minor celebrities, and in keeping with the organizers¡¯ nerdy streak¡ªthey¡¯d met and kept in touch largely through video games, after all¡ªmost were related to shows, movies, video games, and so on.


    Other rooms held panels with speakers giving talks on issues related to interplanetary politics, from tech to medicine to social issues. The SDM team made appearances at more than a few of those, especially those related to tech and its application in facilitating socializing and interaction; Niko and Kelsen held a mock debate in one over the merits of their respective sound equipment. At another, concerning Moccans visiting Latia, Niko launched into a humorous story about himself and Fyche going in for a kiss and his head accidentally getting engulfed.


    Fyche held his head in his hands, radiating embarrassment like extreme heat, as Niko quipped that he was grateful for his partner¡¯s excellent oral hygiene.


    Despite the events they¡¯d had to cut, it seemed like things were going great¡ªthe grand majority of the attendees were enjoying themselves, there were no catastrophic injuries, and no sightings of Pakos. There were a few hiccups during a panel when two mouthy Latians starting asking baited questions about Latian superiority and Moccans being thieves and job-takers, and when a Moccan later piped up to question Latian intelligence, pointing to Moccan technological advancements.


    All three were quickly shown to the door.


    The organizers did their best to handle the situations with grace, denouncing talk of ¡®superiority¡¯ and stressing that the whole point of the meetup was to celebrate the excellence of Latians and Moccans working and being together.


    After a short break in a private room to destress and get some water, it was time to take everyone outside to the gated party.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Pakos was across the street, watching from a nearby retail store. He no longer had time to argue with himself about whether or not his intentions were pure; he¡¯d observed the three shifty-looking Latians following Niko and his friends on multiple occasions, and knew something bad was going to happen.


    He stood behind a coat rack, observing the goat outside on the sidewalk. He¡¯d been there for over half an hour, just waiting, which made the hairs on the back of the wolf¡¯s neck stand on end.


    Finally, he moved, crossing the street. A glance told Pakos that Niko¡ªwho had brought the tourists outside for some kind of party¡ªhad split up with his friends to try and organize the chaos. The goat reached the gate, grabbed the bars, and started screaming vitriol. ¡°Leeches go home! You¡¯re not welcome here! Fuck off and die on your bug planet!¡±


    Pakos hurried outside and started crossing the street himself, sensing that the worry he¡¯d felt was coming to a head. The fox, as well as a stern-looking brown shepherd in a stab vest, were coming out of the gate to apprehend the goat. As the security guard struggled with the goat, the fox noticed Pakos approaching, and seized him by the throat.


    ¡°You stupid motherfucker! I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Pakos held up his paws, showing he was unarmed, and gasped for breath. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m not with him¡ªfollowed him¡ªhere with others! Bear and gator!¡±


    The fox¡¯s jaw opened in shock, and his grip loosened. ¡°You said¡ªa bear and...¡± He turned back to the goat, apparently recognizing him. ¡°Those three...shit.¡± He gestured for Pakos to explain, and it all tumbled out of his mouth¡ªfollowing them for the last few days, seeing the bear, gator, and goat, having an awful feeling that something bad was going to happen. The fox snarled. ¡°And you didn¡¯t fucking do anything?!¡±


    Pakos flinched. ¡°Would you have believed me?¡±


    Shaking his head in disgust, he threw Pakos to the ground, advancing on the goat, who just laughed. ¡°Too late, fucker! Too late!¡±


    Two other security guards approached. The fox turned to them and started shouting, leaving Pakos to get back up as the guard cuffed the goat. ¡°Hey! I need you to check for N¡ªfor all the Moccans! Make sure everyone is safe and accounted f¡ªwhat?!¡±


    One of the newly arrived guards was shaking her head. ¡°We started checking when we heard shouting. Most are fine, but several are missing. Niko...¡± She continued listing names, but Pakos only heard the first.


    ¡­


    The worst thing about that day was how normal it was. As usual, Pakos and Loktos, his younger brother, had taken their sweet time coming home from school, knowing nothing good was waiting at home. They¡¯d stopped at the park, at a classmate¡¯s house¡ªthey didn¡¯t really have friends, not with their parents¡ªand walked a long, slow scenic route. But they knew if they weren¡¯t back by dinner, there¡¯d be hell to pay, so they couldn¡¯t stall too long.


    Their father, Clyde, was already home when they walked in the door. That wasn¡¯t common, and they¡¯d expected him to be later, giving them time to finish their chores. Instead, it seemed, he¡¯d gotten home and found the chores not done. On top of that, he¡¯d already been in a foul mood after work.


    His belt was already off. When Pakos, age fourteen and feeling rebellious, had refused to take his shirt off and turn around, it had whipped out and stung his cheek, leaving a welt and barely missing his eye. Hurting, scared, and taken by surprise, he¡¯d stumbled backwards, unable to fend off the larger man, who had shoved him to the ground, torn his backpack and shirt off, and let the belt fly.


    At some point, he¡¯d fainted from the pain, as he came to his senses to see Loktos getting similar treatment. He was initially confused by the wet feeling on his back, before realizing that a dozen cuts had been opened and were oozing blood. It wasn¡¯t the first time their father had drawn blood during punishment, but it was far worse than any other time, and judging by the deep ache in his chest, at some point the belt had been supplemented by punches and kicks. Dully, Pakos realized that there was a real possibility that Clyde would beat his sons to death.


    His mother Edith must have come to the same conclusion, as she tried to intercede¡ªagain, not for the first time. Most days, Clyde was less willing to harm her, at least in any way that left a mark.


    This was not most days.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    She managed to get the belt away from him, but that only made him grab the nearest thing available¡ªa table lamp, of heavy brass. It dented on her skull, but he struck again, and again, until she stopped moving and the lamp was a nearly unrecognizable lump of bloody metal.


    For a few moments, everything was silent but for the labored breathing of the whole family, some in pain, one from exertion. Then, Clyde picked Edith up and took her outside to the car. Pakos staggered to stand and followed on unsteady feet. He said nothing aloud, but his father answered the question in his eyes, saying he¡¯d be taking her to the hospital.


    And damn him, Pakos had believed him, thinking that as much as he hated the man, his father would never actually want to kill his wife. He¡¯d believed her to be in the hospital, until, at school a week later after a few ¡°sick days¡± to let his back recover, police had shown up to question him as to her whereabouts. She¡¯d never been to any hospital. She was considered missing for a time, and his father was taken into custody.


    Months later, first privately to his lawyer and then publicly in court, his father had admitted to killing her and disposing of the body.


    Pakos could still hear that officer telling him his mother was missing. And now Niko was, too. ¡°No...no, no, no, not again...¡±


    ¡­


    Fyche panted heavily, paws balled into shaking fists by his sides. It was all he could do not to panic. Ralia stood nearby, holding Kelsen, who had been found safe. The wolf was in a similar state to Fyche, trembling with worry rather than rage.


    They¡¯d shut the party down and had security escort all the guests inside, asking them to stay on and rotate in any available members in order to keep the remaining Moccan guests safe. Ralia had already called the police, who had promised to help, and even sent an officer to collect statements; that said, they weren¡¯t optimistic about law enforcement saving the day.


    As they waited for the squad car to arrive, Fyche attempted to question the goat while Donovan kept a watchful eye over them and Pakos. Paws still shaking, Fyche loomed over the goat, barely keeping his voice steady. ¡°Tell me where they are. Now.¡±


    He only got another laugh in response. ¡°I told you, you¡¯re too late. Those Moccan pests are already back at HQ. You¡¯re never going to see them again. They¡¯re gonna freeze!¡± He ignored Fyche leaning in close, fangs bared. ¡°Think they¡¯ll go blue wishing you bugfuckers would save them?¡±


    Donovan barely managed to grab Fyche in time, dragging him back by his wrists. The fox struggled until Donovan spoke quietly. ¡°It won¡¯t end well for you or Niko if you get arrested too.¡±


    Once released, Fyche had nearly gotten himself under control when Pakos took a step forward, waving for their attention. Half on instinct and half on his as yet undiminished blind anger, he reared back for a haymaker, only to let his arm drop at hearing what Pakos had to say.


    ¡°I think I¡ªI know where they are.¡±


    Fyche, Donovan, and Ralia, with Kelsen, gathered around to listen, suspicion fighting desperation on their faces. Pakos took a deep breath and continued. ¡°There¡¯s a cold storage warehouse¡ªseveral, actually, but they¡¯re on the same lot¡ªa few miles from here. I helped build them two years back. There was a gang that liked to hang around there, threw up a lot of graffiti. All very anti-Moccan, Latian supremacy shit. And I think you¡¯re right¡ªcops won¡¯t help us if they can avoid it.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell would we ever trust you?¡± demanded Ralia.


    Forestalling Pakos, Fyche spoke, crossing his arms. ¡°He¡ªhe tried to warn me. And that asshole mentioned something about freezing.¡± Ralia shook her head, looking incredulous. ¡°Look¡ªI hate the motherfucker as much as anyone, but he¡¯s all we¡¯ve got!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± Pakos muttered.


    Spinning, Fyche poked him in the chest with a claw. ¡°Shut the fuck up. I know you¡¯re only helping us because you¡¯re still obsessed with Niko. You admitted to stalking him. Just show us where to go, and then fuck off, and I won¡¯t report you for violating probation.¡±


    Pakos stared at the ground. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Donovan moved to block Fyche as he made to follow Pakos. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re emotional and not thinking straight. And I can¡¯t blame you; just let me do that for you.¡± He gestured at their tiny group. ¡°I highly doubt there are only three of them in total. If you go with him, you¡¯ll likely be outnumbered, and if they¡¯re willing to kidnap Moccans and assault Latians, I¡¯m willing to bet they¡¯ve got weapons.¡±


    Frustrated, Fyche threw up his hands. ¡°So, what, we sit around and do nothing?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not. We just need to think this through and gather all the support we can get.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not leaving us behind,¡± Ralia said, stepping up behind them. Kelsen nodded from her pocket, looking nervous but determined.


    ¡°I...¡± Fyche sighed, taking a deep breath. ¡°Okay. Okay. But we have to be as quick as we can. I am not leaving Niko with them any longer than necessary.¡±


    ¡­


    After giving their statements to the police¡ªand omitting Pakos¡¯ involvement, for the time being¡ªthey gathered up everyone they thought they could trust. Fyche, of course, could not be kept away, and would be a key member of the team with his self defense expertise.


    Ralia was by this point no slouch either, and she had clipped a canister of pepper spray to her belt. Kelsen would be riding in her pocket. Veros volunteered the moment she was apprised of the situation by Ralia, meaningfully showing her sister something inside her purse. Their parents agreed to stay behind and work with any sympathetic police and the event coordinators and hotel staff as best they could.


    Donovan informed them he¡¯d be coming too, though they decided against bringing any additional security; as helpful as they might be, they were needed to keep the remaining Moccan guests safe.


    To their surprise, another familiar face joined as well¡ªAlexei, the hyena from the spaceport. He made it clear that while it was not his intent to start a fight, he didn¡¯t want to stand by while Moccans were in trouble, and would do his best to assist with rescuing them.


    Finally, there was Pakos, who, while not having the same formal training as Fyche, had a strong build, and, more importantly, was convinced he knew where the Moccans were being held.


    As they made their preparations, they were approached by Samet, who brought Reorato and Niri with him. ¡°Look, we know what¡¯s going on,¡± said Samet. ¡°We¡¯re coming too.¡±


    Veros rolled her eyes. ¡°Eavesdropping, huh? Well, I can¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t have done the same. But you¡¯d better stay behind, kiddos.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Even Fyche was taken aback by the vehement passion in the squirrel¡¯s voice. ¡°I have just as much right to come as Fyche! I want to help Jess as much as you want to help Niko!¡±


    Fyche looked away. ¡°Fine. But only you. We¡¯re trying to save Moccans, not take them into danger.¡±


    Niri pointed accusingly at Kelsen. ¡°Oh yeah? What about him?¡±


    Kelsen shrank, and Veros couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Got you there,¡± she mused, nudging Ralia. ¡°Hey, maybe bringing some Moccans along will come in handy. Isn¡¯t that what your little party was about in the first place?¡±


    That seemed to be the final word on the subject. Fyche and Samet clenched their fists, Ralia double-checked her pepper spray, Veros patted her purse, Donovan hefted his baton, and Alexei swallowed nervously. The Moccans exchanged resolute looks, masking their unease.


    As a group, they headed out.


    ¡­


    One moment, Niko had been overseeing a food delivery, and the next, he¡¯d been snatched, stuffed into a bag, and jostled around as his captor sprinted away. After what felt like hours of being thrown back and forth, he was hauled roughly out of the bag by a Latian hand, stripped of his voice equipment and phone, and dumped out into a small wire enclosure¡ªa cage for small Latian animals. It was set on a shelf in some kind of large storage room full of what looked like frozen meats. His breath misted up in front of him as he looked around, rubbing his aching side, but before he could take in any more of his surroundings, something crashed into him from above.


    Something alive and struggling. He managed to disentangle himself and step back. It was Fomir, the deer he¡¯d shared a compartment with on the shuttle. ¡°Fomir. Fomir! Calm down! It¡¯s me, Niko!¡±


    The deer stopped thrashing, accepting Niko¡¯s helping paw to stand. ¡°Wh-where are we?¡± he asked, teeth chattering.


    Niko¡¯s answer was interrupted by the arrival of Voci, then Jess and Mauv. Next to them, another cage was being used to contain another dozen Moccans, all of them attendees. They tried shouting questions up at their kidnappers, a rough-looking band of Latians with undisguised contempt on their faces, but received no answers other than a rebuking shake of their cage that sent them all to the floor.


    Eventually, they were left mostly alone, other than a single guard that leaned against the wall, disinterested, nearby.


    With almost twenty terrified Moccans that he was responsible for, Niko forced down his own terror and gathered them near the shared walls of the cage, sitting back to back. He spoke quietly, trying to reassure them. ¡°I know this is scary, but we¡¯ll be okay. My friends will contact the authorities and rescue us.¡±


    Fomir rested his head on his forearms. ¡°Yeah, right. The police don¡¯t give a fuck about a few missing Moccans in Teromod.¡± Sniffing, Jess agreed, and several others were nodding despondently.


    Niko sighed. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that they were right.

 Chapter 19

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 19


    It was past midnight when Fyche, Ralia, Kelsen, and the others arrived at the warehouses. Donovan and Alexei moved on ahead, being the fastest runners, and scouted around. They returned to report that some very paranoid individuals were standing around one of the warehouses; while they hadn¡¯t recognized any of them, they didn¡¯t act like security guards, and it was a little late for any workers to be on site.


    In fact, they hadn¡¯t seen any security on the lot. Considering that surveillance systems were still being applied haphazardly on Latia compared to Moccs and the footage was grainy at best in the areas actually covered, it was odd not to have any actual people present. Pakos just shrugged and said they¡¯d probably been bribed to not show up, or at least to take a walk.


    The others were relieved that Pakos hadn¡¯t been lying or wrong after all, and they huddled together to plan their next move.


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight these guys,¡± said Ralia. ¡°If we take too long or make too much noise¡ªor a single one of them shouts or makes a call¡ªthere¡¯s no telling what anyone inside would do to the...the hostages.¡±


    Fyche shook his head. ¡°That door is the only way in, and there¡¯s no way we¡¯re sneaking past them.¡±


    ¡°A ruse, then,¡± Veros said, smirking. ¡°Look where we are. Dark out, remote area, bunch of ruffians. Prime spot for a drug deal. We just need someone to pretend to ask for the goods, then bail when they ¡®realize¡¯ they¡¯re in the wrong place. These assholes won¡¯t let them go, but they won¡¯t panic and alert the others, either.¡±


    Alexei raised a paw. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I mean, I¡¯ll be the distraction. They probably know what the rest of you look like¡ªFyche, Ralia, and Donovan for sure, at least¡ªbut I can get close without getting outed immediately.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m probably the fastest person here. All those years of track, finally good for something. Who¡¯d have thought?¡±


    ¡°But...shouldn¡¯t at least someone go with him?¡± asked Kelsen.


    Veros shook her head. ¡°The rest of us will be needed inside. Trust me. I¡¯m sure Mr. Ran Track in High School will be fine.¡±


    Nodding, Alexei stood up straight. ¡°Right. And two years in college, by the way. You guys just be ready, okay?¡± With a wink that belied the anxiety he must have been feeling, he made his way over to the warehouse, making sure to approach from a different direction to avoid giving the others away.


    They waited in anxious silence, listening. There was a low cry as Alexei was spotted, but as he approached with no obvious intent to hide himself, they thankfully didn¡¯t immediately raise the alarm.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m here, like you said. I have the money you asked for, where¡¯s the¡ªyou know, the stuff?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck? Who are you? What the fuck are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªare you not¡ªthey said the third warehouse from the left! I have the money, I just want my goods and I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°Grab him. No one can know we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°L-look, I ain¡¯t gonna snitch or nothin¡¯! If this is the wrong spot, I¡¯ll go. I don¡¯t want no trouble!¡±


    ¡°Get back here, you little shit!¡±


    There came the sound of a group running off, chasing down Alexei. Fyche poked his head around the corner, then motioned for the others to follow. They hadn¡¯t expected every single one to go running off, but it seemed they¡¯d had a stroke of good fortune.


    Knowing they didn¡¯t have long, they scurried over to the door. Fyche rattled the latch. ¡°Fuck! That last one locked it before he ran off.¡±


    Donovan put a paw on it. ¡°Strong steel. Far too sturdy to break open.¡±


    ¡°So we smash a window,¡± said Samet.


    Shaking her head, Ralia stopped him. ¡°Too loud. Breaking a hole big enough to climb through would alert anyone inside, and maybe the ones that went chasing after Alexei, too.¡±


    ¡°But not one small enough for us to squeeze through.¡± Everyone turned to look at Kelsen. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue about this. There¡¯s this door and the shutter, which was locked up even tighter. Unless you want to try and take on all the ones that chased after Alexei and get the keys¡ªwhich I really don¡¯t see happening, especially not fast and quietly enough not to tip off the ones inside¡ªwe¡¯re doing this.¡± Reorato and Niri nodded in agreement.


    Ralia clutched Kelsen close for a moment while Pakos and Donovan improvised some tape and the squirrel¡¯s jacket to muffle the sound. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always careful,¡± he responded, much more confidently than he felt.


    The three Moccans slipped through the hole, edging along the windowsill and finding a place to drop down to the floor. The closest window had been a few rooms removed from the back door, requiring them to sneak as they found a route back.


    With his voice equipment muted, Kelsen spoke quietly, trying to cut the tension. ¡°Heart¡¯s pounding just like when me and Niko used to sneak back in the house in the middle of the night when we were kids. Avoiding getting seen by kidnappers honestly doesn¡¯t feel that much different than trying not to wake my parents. Punishment is probably less severe, too.¡±


    Niri smiled weakly. ¡°Yeah. Just gotta pretend I¡¯m on the practice bar during gymnastics. One foot in front of the other, don¡¯t hesitate...¡±


    ¡°Be easier if it was just pickpocketing,¡± Reorato mused. When Kelsen gave him a confused look, he shrugged sheepishly. ¡°I grew up in...I guess you¡¯d call it a gang? They fed me and looked out for me, and I helped out by snatching wallets and picking locks. All the ones in the ¡®bad part of town¡¯ still used manual locks and keys back then.¡±


    ¡°God,¡± was all Kelsen could say.


    Niri held up a hand. ¡°Hopefully, those skills are about to come in useful. Look.¡± Around the next corner was the back door, with two Latians, a boxer and a calico, staring suspiciously at it. It seemed they were questioning why the door had been locked. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they raised the alarm.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Reorato shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t pick a lock that¡¯s almost as big as me, not without some serious tools and probably some Latian help.¡±


    Kelsen pointed. ¡°There. Keys on his belt.¡± As the others stared at the kidnapper he¡¯d pointed out¡ªthe boxer¡ªKelsen folded his arms. ¡°Shit. Okay. I have a really terrible plan. Reorato, think you can get the keys off his belt? I know it¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°If I can get up there¡ªyeah, see that shelf? If I climb up, I can probably jump across and snag it. But then he¡¯ll just grab me. No way I can outrun him.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t need to.¡± Kelsen took a deep breath. ¡°Okay. Niri, can you get up to the lock? Maybe using that table?¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. But...¡±


    ¡°Just wait. Here¡¯s what we do: I run out and distract them. They hate Moccans¡ªdon¡¯t see us as people. I really doubt they memorized exactly who they kidnapped. They chase me to put me back with the others. Reorato jumps across the shelves, getting the keys. Then he runs to the end of the shelf and throws them to Niri, who¡¯s at the lock. She opens it. Our friends come in and hopefully save my stupid ass before I get captured or squashed.¡±


    ¡°No way! We can think of something else,¡± said Niri.


    ¡°Nope. Go now!¡± Not giving them any time to stop him, Kelsen ran out in the middle of the hallway and reactivated his Miicz. ¡°Hey idiots! I got away! I¡¯m gonna go report you to the authorities now!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± the calico muttered, but both turned to chase Kelsen. Reorato was already climbing, and managed to get into position just in time. To his horror, the boxer quickly realized his keys were gone, and whirled around just as he was handing them off to Niri. Both of them were snatched up as she turned the key in the lock. Down the hallway, Kelsen had been grabbed by the calico. All three felt a prolonged moment of terror in their captors¡¯ clutches.


    Then the door swung open, and Fyche, Ralia, and Veros stepped through. Fyche and Ralia were furious, but it was Veros casually pulling a pistol out of her purse that really gave the two rogue Latians pause. ¡°If you move a muscle or make a sound, I will blow your dicks off and leave you to bleed out on the floor, writhing in pain. I graduated med school, so I can keep you alive long enough to truly appreciate the agony slowly and thoroughly. Do we have an understanding, gents?¡±


    ¡­


    Niko had no idea what time it was. Night, probably, but without his phone or another timekeeping device, it could be anywhere from dusk to dawn. Looking around at his fellow Moccans, he noted the downcast faces. After their earlier conversation, they¡¯d all gone quiet, no doubt wondering what fate their captors had in store.


    They were hopeless.


    And that was a problem. If they were all too depressed to care, even if rescue came or an opportunity to make a break for it presented itself, they¡¯d fail for sure.


    Niko was just as worried as they were, and he¡¯d been staving off panic attacks the whole time, his previous trauma trying to cripple him. But he was responsible for these people. He¡¯d brought them here. It was up to him to keep their spirits high.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯ve got no idea what time it is without my phone,¡± he said aloud. ¡°I can just hear my grandad bitching. ¡®Damn kids, always on they phones.¡¯ I didn¡¯t realize he was trying to prepare me for this.¡± That got a few exhalations. It wasn¡¯t quite laughter, but it was a start. It meant they were listening. ¡°Look, everyone. I know we¡¯re in a pretty tight spot here, and the police might not even care. But if they don¡¯t--fuck ¡®em. ¡®Cause we¡¯ve got something better, someone better.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Fomir rested his muzzle on his forearms. ¡°Who, your boyfriend? He¡¯s afraid of his own shadow.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I was going to say Donovan,¡± Niko responded casually, getting to his feet. ¡°What? Have you seen that motherfucker? Absolutely shredded. If I wasn¡¯t already spoken for...come on, man, you¡¯ve got eyes.¡±


    The deer couldn¡¯t help giving him a wry smile, standing up next to him. ¡°Abs for days. But he¡¯s one guy.¡±


    Niko shrugged. ¡°Well, then, I guess he¡¯ll have to bring my boyfriend along for the ride--the boyfriend who, sciophobic or not, has thrown hands more than once in my honor and come out on top.¡±


    ¡°Scio what?


    ¡°You know, shadow fearing,¡± said Niko.


    Another hostage started to disagree, but Niko cut him off. ¡°And then we¡¯ve got Ralia, who is probably smarter than everyone here combined--and she¡¯ll bring her sister, who I¡¯m almost entirely certain is an international assassin. And obviously Samet will come, and I can¡¯t speak for his history of violence, but I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s not happy about Jess being here.¡±


    Some of them were actually looking at him now. Still, they weren¡¯t optimistic. ¡°And so what if they come?¡± one asked. ¡°There¡¯s at least a dozen of these guys. Probably more. And some have guns!¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s gonna be easy,¡± said Niko. ¡°But people have made it out of more difficult situations than this. Hell, I¡¯m sure some of us here have. I full on cheated death in the form of very large, angry paws trying to squeeze the life out of me! Anyone else survive something bad?¡±


    Mauv stood up. ¡°Bottom surgery.¡±


    Niko blinked before patting him on the back. ¡°Well, fuck, you win.¡± He extended a paw to the rest of the hostages. ¡°But, see? That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Every bad thing always seems like the worst bad thing, and like it¡¯s the end. But we¡¯re gonna be okay. One of these idiots will move us with the latch loose, or our friends will kick down the door, or the police will surround the place. Something. So we have to be ready.¡±


    They still weren¡¯t exactly positive. But their resolve was firmer now, their eyes focused. Some still clearly disagreed, but at least that put them in the present, where they needed to be if they wanted a real chance at escaping.


    As they began to chatter among themselves, Voci stood up as well, signing something to Niko and Mauv. Fomir clamped a paw over his mouth while Niko gave them an apologetic smile and held up his paws. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said.


    Mauv spoke up, dispassionately. ¡°It was a dick joke. To paraphrase, they said it was a good thing I¡¯d transitioned in more ways than one--it would give me the inner strength to run faster, when the time came.¡±


    Niko couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. There was fear and panic behind it, yes, but it helped. Just as he was trying to do for them, they were trying to return the favor.


    ¡­


    Fyche and Samet quickly tied up and gagged the kidnapper pair using rope that Donovan had brought while he, Pakos, and Veros stood watch and Ralia checked on the Moccans. Kelsen and Niri had some slight bruising, but all were mostly fine.


    When Ralia offered them her paw, Kelsen shook his head. ¡°We might need to play distraction or something again. We¡¯ll follow you on our own.¡±


    Ralia frowned, but her response was cut off when Fyche savagely struck both bound kidnappers in the head, leaving them unconscious or at least dazed.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not safe like in the movies, right? They could get serious brain damage,¡± Veros said.


    Fyche glared at her, but to her surprise, it was Ralia who answered. ¡°And? They kidnapped our friends! For all we know, they¡¯re going to kill them! Fuck them!¡± Fyche nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Fair point, fair point. Just saying,¡± Veros said, holding up her free paw placatingly.


    With Fyche and Donovan leading the way and the Moccans bringing up the rear, they continued through the building, searching for where the kidnapped Moccans were being held. As they opened one door, they found another three of the hostage takers. One let out a strangled yell before getting a faceful of pepper spray, reducing him to a coughing, sputtering mess.


    ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± muttered Pakos as Fyche and Donovan quickly subdued them as they had the others. ¡°The rest have to know something¡¯s up. We need to hurry.¡± Ralia glanced at him darkly, but nodded in agreement, and they rushed to the next room as soon as they were finished.


    As the door swung open, time seemed to slow down. They¡¯d finally reached the room where the kidnapped Moccans were being held, huddled in two wire-mesh cages up on a shelving unit. There were also quite a few of the kidnappers¡ªnine in total, half again as many as the rescuers. Even worse, three had guns of their own, though only one, a fox, had his at the ready. Even still, he hesitated. Veros didn¡¯t.


    An explosive crack filled the enclosed space, causing several on both sides to flinch for a moment, including Veros herself. While she had fired immediately, she, along with Pakos, all the Moccans, and four of the kidnappers watched the fox fall, clutching his chest.


    The rest of the Latians leapt into action, Donovan smashing the pistol from a lion¡¯s paws and Samet wrestling with a rat for control of a rifle. A horse managed to close with Veros, trying to wrest away her pistol and causing her to drop it, sending it skidding across the floor. Fyche and Ralia rushed forward, entering the fray to keep the dropped guns out of play, struggling with two opponents each; it took all of Ralia¡¯s training to stay on her feet against a coyote and a labrador, and Fyche was out of his weight class fighting the bear he¡¯d encountered before, backed up by a mean-tempered badger. Donovan grunted as he narrowly avoided being surrounded, the gator joining the lion to take him down.


    Pakos hung back in the doorway, looking uncertain. As he vacillated, the final kidnapper, a boar, rushed towards the cages where the Moccan hostages were being kept. Whether he intended to harm them or use them as leverage was unclear but hardly mattered. Finally joining the fight himself, Pakos rushed forward, dodging around thrown punches and raking claws to grab the boar from behind.


    The melee continued for what may have been only a minute but what felt like hours. It was oddly quiet but for grunts of exertion and pain. Several times, fighters on either side made a grab for a gun but were stopped before they could get a shot off. The labrador managed to pin Ralia temporarily, giving the coyote a chance to grab for the lion¡¯s fallen pistol, only to find it gone; Kelsen, Niri, and Reorato had run into the chaos and carried it off. Before she could follow them out of the room, the coyote was struck by the badger, hurled into her by Fyche.


    The Moccans managed to do the same to the rifle, which at some point was thrown clear by Samet and the rat, but decided it was too dangerous to run for the remaining pistol as well, and chose another target.


    Veros lost her struggle with the horse and was thrown to the ground. He turned to the cages himself, clearly thinking along the same lines as the boar, only to find them empty. On the other side of the room, Kelsen and Niko were ushering the last of them out the door. Both flashed him a departing middle finger. His troubles grew as he realized that by leaving Veros unattended, he had given her the opportunity to free Ralia and was struggling with the coyote herself, the labrador lying dazed against the wall. Ralia, with no one to stop her, had picked up Veros¡¯ gun.


    Another painful report caused everyone to stop and look, checking to see whose side had managed to get their paws on a gun. Ralia swept the pistol back and forth across the panting kidnappers. ¡°It¡¯s over. My friends and I are leaving. If any of you try to stop us, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in you.¡±


    The bear chuckled and started to take a step forward. ¡°You don¡¯t h¡ª¡±


    He screamed in pain as Ralia shot him in the knee, sending him crashing to the floor, his blood mixing with the fox¡¯s as he wailed. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking around here!¡± She motioned for Fyche and the others to leave. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d focus on getting out of here before the cops show up, not on seeing how many bullets I have left.¡± Once everyone else was out, she followed, walking backwards with the pistol ready.


    ¡­


    As the rescue team spilled out of the warehouse with the rescued Moccans, they found the police just arriving on the scene, sent by Ralia¡¯s parents. Everyone was taken into custody, the Moccans and the shot kidnappers being split off to receive immediate medical care. The rest were questioned for the next several hours after being triaged¡ªthere weren¡¯t many serious or permanent injuries, but the Moccans all had hearing damage on top of their scratches and bruises; not even Kelsen, Niri, and Reorato¡¯s voice equipment had been enough to protect them from multiple indoor gunshots.


    To their dismay, they eventually learned that Alexei was in the hospital, in critical condition. The police wouldn¡¯t give them any further details until the questioning was over. Thankfully, they were released shortly after midday, as the evidence against the kidnappers was overwhelming, and it seemed at least some of the police involved had both ethics and backbone.


    The tourists headed back to the hotel with Donovan and Samet while Fyche, Ralia, Kelsen, and Niko made their way back to Ralia¡¯s apartment, telling Veros and Ralia¡¯s parents that they needed some time and space.


    Once they were alone, they collapsed onto the couch and let their emotions flow.


    ¡­


    Moments after sinking onto the couch¡¯s armrest next to Kelsen, Niko started shaking, then gave way to full-on sobbing. His fellow Moccan put an arm around him, holding him while he struggled to get his breathing under control. ¡°S-stupid,¡± he choked. ¡°F-fucking absurd. I-I made it through th-the entire god-d-damn thing wi-without...¡±


    Fyche reached over to the two of them, but Niko flinched away. Kelsen shook his head sadly, and Fyche let his paw drop along with his gaze. ¡°Sorry,¡± said Niko, rubbing his nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean...I¡¯m just kind of shaken up right now...¡±


    Kelsen patted him gently. ¡°It¡¯s all right, dude. You don¡¯t have to apologize for anything. That whole thing must have been terrifying. I¡¯d probably be downright catatonic. I can¡¯t believe this stuff always happens to you.¡±


    Glancing up at the pair, Fyche shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry about it. Only people I¡¯m mad at are the fuckers that took you. Assign the blame where it belongs, right?¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Ralia shouted, drawing the attention of all three. She looked up from her phone. ¡°You¡¯re not going to fucking believe this¡ªspeaking of where blame belongs¡ªthat fucking asshole is already making posts on social media about what happened!¡±


    Kelsen and Niko looked at each other, confused. ¡°Wait, what? Who? The¡ªone of the kidnappers?¡±


    ¡°No! That councilman we told you about, the one we covered before.¡±


    Niko shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s posting...about a xenophobically-inspired kidnapping...on social media? This is an actual popular politician in Doxen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Kelsen said, shrugging. ¡°So he posts some nothing fake apology. What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Ralia held her screen up to him, and he had to double take. ¡°It¡¯s not an apology,¡± she hissed. ¡°He¡¯s calling the entire thing a false flag operation by Moccan sympathizers. Saying it was staged to smear his supporters and make people feel bad for the ¡®Moccan elite¡¯ who are trying to take over the government.¡±


    Niko threw up his arms. ¡°Smear his¡ªI barely know who the fuck this guy is! I just wanted to visit my boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do we even do about this?¡± asked Kelsen. ¡°He name-dropped some of us in the post! How did he even get our info?!¡± He took a breath. ¡°But like, it¡¯s complete lies. Anyone can see that. Doesn¡¯t this mean he just shot himself in the why are you shaking your head.¡±


    Ralia stood up, clenching her fists. ¡°Because he didn¡¯t. Tons of people are eating it up, and the rest are platforming it. Bringing in influencers and talking heads to debate it and explore ¡®both sides¡¯ of the issue!¡± She looked down at her paws, where her claws were digging into her palms. ¡°I kept hoping we could just ignore it and it would go away, but no! There¡¯s a ton of people in my own country, in my own city, who are not just turning to hate but embracing it! It¡¯s disgusting! We talk about how much we want our happy interstellar family and for Moccs and Latia to cooperate, but the truth is, the bigots are almost right¡ªit¡¯s just the other way around. Moccs would be better off if they just left Latia alone. Everyone here is awful.¡±


    There was a tense silence for a few moments. Eventually, Kelsen tried to speak. ¡°Ralia, you know that¡¯s...not true...¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Niko, though he spoke halfheartedly. ¡°I¡¯ve got proof there¡¯s some real shitheads on Moccs too...it¡¯s not just here.¡± He looked to Fyche, but the fox looked away.


    They lapsed back into silence for a time, before Kelsen spoke again. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve had a hell of a day. Let¡¯s get some sleep. Things will be better when we wake up.¡± No one argued against getting rest, and they fell asleep on the couch, all leaning against one another.

 Chapter 20

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 20


    Pakos was the last of the rescue party to be released from police custody. His case worker and the police were suspicious of his involvement, obviously in large part due to his past actions. But, eventually, and no doubt thanks to the testimony of the others, he was released with a stern warning against any further suspicious behavior and advised to return to Bonaco.


    Instead, he headed to the dog¡¯s apartment, where he thought he could find either Niko or someone who could point him to the mouse. He was very nearly seen by the rabbit¡ªthe dog¡¯s neighbor¡ªbut managed to evade her. No reason to be seen by anyone who might not understand.


    You know you shouldn¡¯t be here.


    He ignored the inner voice and knocked softly on the apartment door. The dog answered, clearly expecting someone else, and immediately brought her guard up, emotionally and physically. ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing here? Whatever happened earlier, you¡¯re not welcome!¡± The fox approached behind her, hovering ominously.


    Odd. He remembered her as being less aggressive. Looking past them, he spotted Niko on the couch. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°I helped. And I swear, I¡¯ve changed. I¡¯m sorry for what I did. I¡¯ve been trying so hard to be better.¡± He ignored the fox rolling his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m serious! I¡¯m not that person anymore! Don¡¯t you understand¡ªcan¡¯t you see I¡¯m not like that anymore? Not a¡ªa monster? I made a mistake, but I¡¯m different. I came to save you! Can¡¯t...can¡¯t we...¡±


    Niko stood up, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. With a determined look on his face, he met Pakos¡¯ eyes. ¡°Pakos. I¡¯m grateful for your help. You did a good thing, helping everyone find me and the other hostages.¡± Pakos¡¯ heart lifted for a moment. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I owe you a fucking thing, and if you still think you deserve anything from me or anyone else, then you haven¡¯t changed. And even if you did the right thing just because it was right¡ªthat doesn¡¯t change what you did in the past. You can be forgiven, sure. You can, you can have healthy relationships¡ªwith other people. Not with me.¡± He turned away.


    Pakos opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the Moccan wolf, who moved to meet Pakos¡¯ desperate look in his friend¡¯s stead. ¡°Dude. You¡¯ve got a second chance. Don¡¯t waste it by making the same mistake.¡±


    The fox chose that moment to shut the door.


    Pakos stormed out of the building, not caring who saw him, and sat outside. Tears ran down his face as the old familiar anger rose up in him. It was all so unfair! He¡¯d done the right thing! Didn¡¯t he deserve something good? He wasn¡¯t selfish just because he wanted for someone to understand the effort he¡¯d put in! They were all bastards, arrayed against him like that.


    Then again, he¡¯d done an extremely stupid thing. A thing his father might have done. Had he actually barged into the apartment and demanded Niko take him back because he¡¯d done one good deed? There it was. They were all right. He was a monster after all. A worthless piece of shit, repeating the same old mistakes.


    Your pain is valid even when you know you¡¯re wrong. Few situations are all or nothing. He could hear his therapist¡¯s voice speaking through the dark chaos in his mind. No, coming here was not a good thing. But it wasn¡¯t a monstrous thing either. And Niko...Niko was right. He did not belong to Pakos. And it was okay for Pakos to feel pain at the situation. To actually feel it, acknowledge it, and process it, not to stew in it, not to grow it into resentful rage.


    No one owed him anything. Trying to force it would only hurt everyone. But if he kept improving, expecting nothing, he could become someone worth loving. And other people, people he hadn¡¯t hurt, might love him then.


    The most important step you can take is the next one. He hadn¡¯t¡­¡®become better¡¯. He wasn¡¯t cured of anger or making mistakes, he hadn¡¯t passed a mythical bar of goodness. Improving himself wasn¡¯t a flipped switch, wasn¡¯t a permanent state. It was a daily struggle...one he¡¯d be working at for the rest of his life.


    He scrubbed his eyes and stood up, turning to look at the building for what would be the last time. ¡°Bye, Niko,¡± he said softly.


    ¡­


    Late the next morning, the SDM team roused themselves from the couch, pained and exhausted. No one felt like going out or even cooking, so they ordered takeout. Ralia was still simmering and radiated bitter fury, and Niko was withdrawn and absentminded, so Kelsen took charge, enlisting Fyche to assist him. Fyche arranged the delivery while Kelsen contacted everyone he could think of¡ªRalia¡¯s parents, his own parents, Donovan, and the hotel staff, making sure everyone was all right and nothing further had occurred. Once they¡¯d eaten, he called the hospital too, and learned that Alexei was out of critical condition and had asked to see them. With some gentle pushing, he convinced his friends to go.


    At the hospital, Alexei was trussed up in a bed, his leg in a full cast. ¡°Broken in multiple places,¡± he explained. ¡°The, uh, the doctor says I might never walk again without a crutch or cane. I¡¯m still hopeful, though. My grandad shattered his elbow and was back at the steel mill a month later. Could arm-wrestle guys half his age right up until he passed. Strong bones run in the family!¡± He gave them a weak smile. ¡°I probably won¡¯t be a runner anymore, though.¡±


    Niko had to look away. ¡°Alex, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said thickly. ¡°This happened because you came to help me.¡± Fyche nodded, looking at the floor, while Ralia bared her fangs in regretful anger.


    ¡°Aw, psh,¡± said Alexei, waving as if to ward away their guilt. ¡°It was worth it, then. You all made it out. Small price to pay, right?¡±


    Despite his words, a persistent gloom hung over them all, and they left shortly after.


    ¡­


    They went to the hotel next. Ralia¡¯s parents and sister greeted them in the lobby, but were rebuffed as Fyche, Niko, and Ralia pushed past them, muttering about checking on guests. Only Kelsen stayed behind, transferred from Ralia to Veros, to explain their grim mood and apologize for their behavior.


    ¡°Fyche and Niko I expected,¡± he said sadly. ¡°After going through something like this again, of course Niko is shaken, and Fyche cares too much about him not to be emotional. But Ralia...I¡¯ve never seen her like this. She¡¯s so angry.¡±


    Veros nodded in agreement. ¡°She¡¯s not someone you want mad at you, but this is a whole new thing. She looks like she¡¯s about ready to rip someone¡¯s head off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...concerning,¡± said Andrew. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make sure to support her however we can.¡±


    ¡°This whole thing is a mess,¡± Anna said, drawing Veros, and therefore Kelsen, into a quick hug. ¡°Anyone would feel awful. We¡¯ll give her some time and space to work through it. Once she¡¯s ready, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll talk it over with us.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± said Kelsen. ¡°Actually, I uh...since they¡¯re not in a mood for talking right now...I wanted to talk something over with you.¡± The word family flashed in his mind for a moment, and he suddenly felt very self conscious.


    ¡°We¡¯d be delighted to,¡± said Anna warmly.


    ¡°All right...thanks.¡± Despite being with three Latians he was still getting to know, he felt anchored. ¡°So, it¡¯s like this...¡± Anna, Andrew, and Veros all leaned in, eyebrows raised, as he explained his thoughts.


    ¡­


    When Kelsen caught up to Ralia, Fyche, and Niko, he found that they were only going through the motions, and their demeanor was palpable, worrying everyone around them. ¡°Hey, guys,¡± he said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a break? Uh, Ralia and Niko, that is. You seem a bit tired.¡± He didn¡¯t say that they were probably doing more harm than good. ¡°Me and Fyche can take care of things for a bit.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± Ralia said dispassionately.


    Once they were out of earshot, he explained what he wanted the fox¡¯s help with. Fyche was dubious, but acquiesced. Roughly half an hour later, Kelsen stood on a Latian-sized table on the stage in the conference room, the majority of the attendees watching from the seats. With Fyche having gone back to check on Niko, he was alone in front of the crowd. His Miicz was set to amplify his voice even further than normal, almost as loud as a Latian with a Latian-sized microphone.


    He clutched his shaking hands together to still them and swallowed the lump in his throat. His voice shaking, he addressed the room. ¡°I have some things to share with all of you. I want to start with an apology. I wish I had worked harder to ensure the safety of everyone at this event.¡± There were a few murmurs as he continued. ¡°I am deeply relieved that everyone made it out, though it saddens me, as I am sure it does all of you, that several were injured, worst of all Alexei.¡±


    In the back of the room, he saw Ralia poke her head in, then Fyche, carrying Niko. Apparently they¡¯d come to hear him speak.


    He pressed on. ¡°Latia, and now especially Doxen, is becoming less and less safe for Moccans and those who count themselves our friends. Hate groups are on the rise, using Moccans as scapegoats for anything and everything, driving a wedge between our planets. I...I won¡¯t lie to you. I¡¯m scared. This kidnapping was not the first incident, and it will not be the last. There is a real chance that I, or any other Moccan, could be targeted again. And...¡± He took a few deep breaths. ¡°And something worse could happen. My friends and I started Size Doesn¡¯t Matter because we had a shared dream of a friendship between Latia and Moccs, and now that dream is in trouble. I...I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen next. I don¡¯t know how to fix it¡ªif I have any power to do so, if anyone does. So...that¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to an important decision.¡± He looked across the crowd, forcing himself to meet as many eyes as he could, Moccan and Latian. ¡°I¡¯m going to move here permanently.¡± Several people, including Ralia and Niko, gasped loudly. ¡°In the face of hateful nationalism, I refuse to run away to Moccs and stay where it¡¯s safe. I will do my best to be a present and audible voice for positive change; I can¡¯t do that from Moccs.¡± He looked back at his friends, taken aback by his words. ¡°My friends, old and new, have all set a shining example of cooperation and compassion in the face of strife, and they have inspired me to rise above my own fear and selfishness. I don¡¯t want to do nothing as long as things are good for me. I want to keep working until they¡¯re good for everyone. That¡ªthat day may never come, but I won¡¯t stop fighting for it until it does or I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Kelsen stopped to catch his breath, and amid whispers and mutters from the guests, Ralia, Fyche, and Niko made their way to the stage, joining him. Ralia spoke first. ¡°We couldn¡¯t be more proud of Kel¡ªour own NightKnight47¡ªfor stepping up and being our shoulder to lean on during this. It has been an ordeal and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll ever truly leave us, but as long as we have each other, friends like Kelsen, like Alexei, like all of you, we will keep moving forward.¡± She gave him a meaningful look as she stepped back.


    Niko went next. ¡°Well, shit, everyone! Imagine trying to follow their speeches!¡± The mood was still tense, but he got some scattered laughter. ¡°I mean, damn. I guess I can¡¯t help but follow my buddy¡¯s example now, right? What do you say, Latia? Room for one more?¡±


    ...


    ¡°And then everyone cheered,¡± said Niko, nodding sagely. After answering some questions, they¡¯d ended the impromptu meeting and regrouped in the lobby.


    Kelsen rolled his eyes. ¡°They did fucking not. Maybe one person clapped.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, though.¡± The mouse¡¯s tone was somber. ¡°Moving here? For real?¡±


    ¡°I...yeah. Gotta be a voice for good and whatever. Like you guys.¡±


    Ralia pulled him in tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kelsen. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been setting an example for us. I...I don¡¯t know if this resentment in me is just going to go away. But you reminded me it¡¯s not who I really am.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, dude,¡± Niko agreed. ¡°Mad props for taking charge while we were all...unavailable. And I don¡¯t think I properly thanked you for coming to save me. Niri and Reorato said you were pretty badass.¡±


    Nodding in agreement, Fyche chimed in. ¡°You didn¡¯t waver or lose focus the whole time, and you¡¯ve kept us all going. You¡¯ve changed quite a bit since the last time you were here.¡±


    ¡°No, I just...I...it was what anyone would¡¯ve...¡± Kelsen trailed off and gave up, collapsing into an embarrassed heap in Ralia¡¯s paws. ¡°Any time and every time, right?¡± he said faintly.


    ¡°Any time and every time,¡± Niko agreed. ¡°But next time, you¡¯re the one getting kidnapped, and I¡¯ll be the one rescuing you, okay?¡± Kelsen gave him a thumbs up.


    They were joined by Andrew, Anna, and Veros. ¡°Pretty ballsy move up there,¡± she said, nudging Kelsen. He would likely have fallen over if he hadn¡¯t already been sprawled out.


    Andrew threw an arm around Ralia, and Anna placed a paw on her shoulder. ¡°Glad you seem to be feeling a bit better,¡± said Andrew.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something Kelsen and I need to discuss with you later,¡± said Ralia.


    ¡°There is?¡± Kelsen asked weakly.


    Veros, meanwhile, had moved to Fyche and Niko. ¡°You were pretty amazing back there, you know?¡±


    ¡°Sure was,¡± agreed Niko, patting Fyche¡¯s chest. ¡°Saved me again.¡±


    Veros raised an eyebrow. ¡°I mean, yeah, him too, but I meant you, dude.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Niko leaned back against Fyche. ¡°Yeah, right. All I did was get grabbed and shiver all night.¡±


    ¡°Nah. You kept up morale for a bunch of hostages. Considering your past¡ªuh¡ªexperiences, it¡¯s pretty remarkable you held it together enough yourself to keep the rest of them from panicking, and got them moving during the fight.¡±


    ¡°Well. Thanks,¡± he said reluctantly. ¡°But I¡¯m one shock away from losing it. I keep...I keep getting spooked by people I know, who I¡¯m close to. Even...¡± He glanced up at Fyche, then looked away in shame, eyes wet.


    Fyche surprised him by bringing him up to face level. ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°No! Of course not! It¡¯s...just an involuntary response sometimes...you know I¡ª¡±


    He was cut off as Fyche leaned forward and gave him a gentle kiss. ¡°How about now?¡±


    Niko couldn¡¯t help but laugh and threw his arms around Fyche¡¯s muzzle. ¡°No. I could never be afraid of you, you big goof.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now listen to me: you¡¯re stable. You¡¯re strong. You¡¯ll be okay. And we¡¯ll be okay.¡± Neither of them noticed as Veros moved away, nodding to herself.


    Ralia, however, noticed very much as Veros grabbed her from behind, transitioning into a slightly awkward hug. ¡°Psychic powers used for good: check.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. You think we could hang out sometime with a little less thrill and danger involved? For your sake, obviously. I thrive on it.¡±


    Ralia shook her head. ¡°Sure you do. But yes, we do need to hang out more often. We were so busy planning this, then running it...I¡¯ll make more time in the future.¡±


    ¡°Bitchin¡¯. By the way...¡± She leaned over Ralia¡¯s shoulder, looking down at Kelsen. ¡°You could do a lot worse than this one.¡±


    Their parents enthusiastically agreed, and before he knew what was happening, Kelsen found himself drowning in fluff as he was pinned by a family hug four Latians strong. He wouldn¡¯t admit it any time soon, but the feeling was positively blissful.


    Later, after Ralia¡¯s family had gone, Donovan approached. He was supposed to be off duty, but he¡¯d been hanging around the hotel, stab vest and all, keeping an eye on things. ¡°Some guests would like a word,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°I am prepared to turn them away out of respect for your privacy and the stress you¡¯ve been under.¡±


    Niko waved away his concern. ¡°Bring ¡®em over.¡±


    The guests in question turned out to be Samet, Jess, and the rest of their friend group. Voci, the bat, insisted on clasping their paws one by one. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± they signed, Fomir translating.


    Jess, now riding in Samet¡¯s pocket, nodded. ¡°Without you guys, we¡¯d still be in that cage, or worse.¡± She shuddered. ¡°Being out in public like this is...kind of scary now, but we know what happened wasn¡¯t your fault. The only ones to blame are those jerks who grabbed us.¡±


    Fyche nodded along. ¡°Putting blame where it belongs is a good lesson to learn. And a hard one to keep.¡±


    Samet coughed. ¡°I, uh, I feel like I¡¯ve been pretty naive and selfish so far. But not anymore. There¡¯s a lot of stuff going on between Latia and Moccs, it matters to a lot of people. Like, there¡¯s reasons to care other than just how it affects me and Jess.¡± He scratched at the back of his neck. ¡°So I¡¯m gonna educate myself, you know? Maybe I¡¯ll be able to help out with SDM some time.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± said Fomir. ¡°I¡¯m not brave like you guys, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna move here or anything, but there must be other ways I can help, even if it¡¯s just knowing what¡¯s what and making sure everyone else in my life does too.¡±


    Niri spoke up. ¡°The rest of us feel the same way, and a lot of the Latians here do, too. So...I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve got your backs, you know? As much as we can.¡±


    Ralia rubbed her eye and sniffed. ¡°That means a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Niko. ¡°Thank you guys.¡± Fyche and Kelsen nodded in agreement. They all felt a little more confident.


    ¡­


    Later that night, they finally returned to Ralia¡¯s apartment. Like the day before, they were exhausted, but while they were weary, their resolve had grown.


    As they all settled into their favorite seats, Fyche leaned forward. ¡°I...I need to say something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± said Niko.


    Fyche shifted uncomfortably. ¡°So...you¡¯ve all given me space and time. You don¡¯t pester me with questions. I appreciate that.¡±


    Ralia cocked her head curiously, gesturing for him to continue.


    ¡°But...well...I guess it¡¯s only fair if I finally explain some things. Or, it¡¯s time? I¡¯m ready, that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Niko patted his shoulder encouragingly, and he took a breath. ¡°When I was a kid, my parents were...all right. Not great, not terrible. It¡¯s hard to gauge things like that when you¡¯re young.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Then my dad got sick.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Niko, the understanding of what his partner wanted to talk about finally dawning on him.


    ¡°I have...a lot of things and feelings and stuff about the whole thing, but I¡¯ll try to stick to the basics for now. Um. Having a sick parent at that age is weird, you know? You¡¯re old enough to understand that people who get sick like that can die, that they do die. But it¡¯s something that happens to other people. It¡¯s something you hear stories about. When it¡¯s your dad that gets sick...I don¡¯t know. I just kind of assumed he¡¯d be okay. And, of course, he told me he¡¯d get better, what else do you say to a kid?¡±


    He paused, seeming to collect his thoughts. The others waited in respectful silence. Niko gazed over at him from his shoulder perch, Kelsen stared into his own clasped paws, and Ralia stroked Kelsen¡¯s back absentmindedly. There was a tension in the air, but not an oppressive one. A necessary one.


    ¡°As you can probably guess, he didn¡¯t get better. He just...kept deteriorating. Stopped going anywhere but the hospital. His fur fell out in clumps. He¡¯d sleep all day and night...sometimes I went days at a time without actually seeing him.¡± Fyche took a harsh, shuddering breath. ¡°And when shit like that happens, you hear about how the rest of the family pulled together, how they helped each other through it. That...didn¡¯t really happen. My brothers started shutting me out.¡±


    ¡°You have brothers?!¡± Kelsen blurted out before snapping his jaw shut. ¡°Sorry! Sorry. Continue.¡±


    Fyche shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I have two brothers, both older than me. They always got along better with each other, but after our dad got sick, they made it clear it was the two of them and me, as opposed to the three of us. And our mother¡­¡± His lip curled in a snarl for a moment. ¡°She was much worse. In public, she was always lamenting how hard things were, how much it hurt her to see her husband like this, how difficult it was financially, how...well. That kind of thing. But at home, she was a completely different person. She¡¯d lash out at me or my brothers, tell us how useless we were, how much of a disappointment we were. And with Dad...sometimes I¡¯d hear her speaking quietly to him, telling him he was a liability, asking why he was bothering to hang on, saying...saying he should just let go already.¡± His breath caught, and he stopped again.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Ralia said softly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Fyche.¡±


    He held up a paw. ¡°Let me finish. If I stop partway through...anyway. Eventually, he passed. After so long, it was...kind of a relief, for everyone. Not in the way my mother meant, but just that--just...it was finally over. He didn¡¯t have to...ahem. Just kind of found myself at a funeral, wondering how I got there. Wondering what would happen now...I guess I thought that my mother would go back to normal, to how she was before. If anything, it got worse. She was so hostile, all the time...like she just hated me. Maybe she would have been like that with my brothers too, but at this point, one was already out of the house, and the other spent all his time away, so it was just me there to be the target of her anger.¡±


    He cleared his throat, accepting a quick hug from Niko. ¡°She made home life hell, and that was before she started dating. Maybe part of it was being an angsty teen, but they were all assholes. And she just...expected me to get along with their kids. Which I doubt I would have even if I didn¡¯t resent them for getting better treatment and more attention than I did. I started spending time away too. Got a job as soon as I could. And one day, I got home and found out she¡¯d sold our house. She was halfway packed already. Planned to move in with her boyfriend and his kids. Told me I had twelve hours to get my things and get ready. I...I packed up my things, like she said, but told her not to bother bringing me along. I¡¯d been talking to my uncle. He was kind of an asshole too, but nowhere near as bad as she was, and he was willing to let me rent from him for a decent rate until I was legally an adult. So...I took him up on it. Walked away from her. Haven¡¯t seen her or spoken to her since. Stayed in loose contact with my brothers for a few years, but eventually that faded away too. I guess none of us cared enough to keep it going.¡±


    Niko reached over to rub his cheek. ¡°That¡¯s all so shitty,¡± he said. ¡°But at least it¡¯s behind you now.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not quite finished.¡± Fyche shook his head. ¡°Almost. Uh. Anyway. My uncle sold the property I was living at a few months after my birthday, so I had to hunt for a new place. Found a guy who was looking for a roommate. The price wasn¡¯t too high and he seemed nice enough. And I found out pretty quickly he was...like me, like me and Niko. Keep in mind, it¡¯s still uncommon now, but this was almost a decade ago. Doxen wasn¡¯t very accepting, and Moccans were still just something you heard about in school, so the culture exchange wasn¡¯t exactly far along. So to find somewhere to live, with someone who accepted me, and to find out he was the same as me...we started dating pretty quickly.¡± Fyche looked down. ¡°I didn¡¯t start seeing who he really was for nearly two years, and at that point, his hooks were in deep. I¡¯d have to find a new place to live, a new job...he didn¡¯t like me getting close to anyone else, so I didn¡¯t have any friends. And it was hard to keep it straight in my head sometimes. He¡¯d be cold and cruel one day, but then another, he¡¯d be lovely and romantic and made me feel...it was a while before I really considered leaving, and first said it in front of him. We were arguing about--fuck, I don¡¯t remember, it was something stupid and small, but he could catastrophize anything. I told him I was going to leave. I¡¯m not even sure if I really meant it--it was more of a threat than anything, I guess, something to tell him I was really serious.¡± Fyche held his paw up to his eye. ¡°He gave me a black eye and bruises all over my chest. And then, the next day, he was so sorry, he didn¡¯t mean it, and it was really my fault for making him angry¡­¡± He put the paw to his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt so stupid for not just leaving then. It was another few months of hot and cold and fights and bruises before I finally got my head on straight. Started learning self defense...you know the rest.¡± He sighed, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Fuck. I¡¯ve never told anyone all that.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Niko started hesitantly. ¡°The other night¡­¡±


    Fyche nodded. ¡°Yeah. Or...kind of, anyway. I just hate being babied. I hate being treated like I¡¯m fragile...I¡¯m damn proud of how far I¡¯ve come, and I did it all on my own. But the truth is, I am fragile. I always feel like I¡¯m about to break. But that¡¯s no excuse for shutting you all out.¡±


    Kelsen shrugged. ¡°I mean, as excuses go, it¡¯s a pretty good one.¡±


    Fyche rolled his eyes. ¡°More importantly, that¡¯s not why I wanted to say all that. I want you guys to understand...um. I¡¯m just so fucking used to the people close to me turning on me, making me miserable. I...it¡¯s hard to trust anyone.¡±


    Nodding, Ralia stood up, bringing Kelsen with her. ¡°That¡¯s completely understandable.¡±


    ¡°I--I don¡¯t mean it like, I don¡¯t trust you guys either. What I¡¯m trying to say...despite all that, I...I¡¯m ready to let myself be fragile around you. I¡¯m ready to try and say what I¡¯m feeling and let people in and...I¡¯m just so fucking glad to have you all in my life now.¡± His body shook as tears ran down his face, and Niko and Ralia and Kelsen all brought him into a reassuring hug.


    When they finally separated, Kelsen gave him a knowing grin and a nod.


    ¡­


    After giving Fyche some time to settle, Niko waved for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°You know, we¡¯ve been through some serious shit,¡± said Niko. ¡°But like. As long as we go through it together, I think we¡¯re gonna be all right.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Ralia agreed.


    Kelsen groaned. ¡°As long as one of you is in charge, sure.¡±


    ¡°Baby.¡± Niko turned to Fyche. ¡°So, uh. Think there¡¯s enough room in your apartment for another renter?¡± He added a wink, to make sure Fyche didn¡¯t think he was serious.


    Fyche seemed to think for a moment. ¡°With our current living situations, it¡¯ll be...difficult for you guys to really move here.¡±


    Kelsen gave Ralia a questioning look, but she headed him off brusquely. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about moving in with me.¡± At his crestfallen look, she grinned. ¡°There¡¯s not enough space. We¡¯ll just have to look for somewhere bigger to live.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, uh huh. We¡¯ll all go live in a mansion together and live happily ever after.¡±


    Niko laughed. ¡°Yes, in the great realm of fantasy, we all move into the same house and go on magical adventures for ever and ever.¡±


    Looking away, Fyche grunted. ¡°I think it would be nice if we were all roommates,¡± he said quietly.


    His partner immediately changed his tune. ¡°No, yeah, that would be awesome! Me and Kel are already roommates, so that¡¯s half the job done already.¡±


    Nodding, Kelsen spoke quickly. ¡°Exactly, it¡¯d be super cool. I just meant, you know, it¡¯s expensive and stuff.¡±


    Ralia jumped in, saving them from themselves. ¡°It¡¯ll just have to go on the list.¡±


    ¡°The...list?¡± Niko asked, visibly confused.


    ¡°Yeah. The list of things we need to do to get ready for the future: getting the two of you long-term visas, then citizenship, moving your stuff here, finding housing that accommodates all of us, making sure we¡¯ll all got good enough jobs to provide for ourselves, and, of course, continuing to fight the good fight against bigotry and fostering friendship between Latia and Moccs to create our big, happy, interstellar family.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that all?¡± Niko said sarcastically.


    Fyche reached over and poked him playfully. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, that list does seem doable when we all have such a positive attitude and the unwavering support of our dear friends.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Niko said. ¡°I can¡¯t disagree with you when you¡¯re so relentlessly optimistic.¡± He gave the fox a kiss, which was affectionately returned.


    Ralia glanced at Kelsen. ¡°We¡¯re being outdone,¡± she remarked dryly.


    Leaning back into her chest, he snickered. ¡°We have nothing to prove. You should hear the jealous remarks Niko makes every time we¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Those aren¡¯t jealous!¡±


    ¡°Ooh Kelsen you are so cool and sexy and your every interaction with Ralia makes me burn with envy!¡±


    ¡°Lies! Slander!¡±


    ¡°Ooh Kelsen I notice your fur is mussed from all of the very nice intercoursal relations you must be having at any given moment, I cannot bear my own solitude and my inability to please my partner!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Fyche! Kiss me harder! We have to be as slutty as possible!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡­


    After a short lull, Niko, half asleep in Fyche¡¯s arms, looked up and snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh! Should¡ªshould we make a video about this? Explain all our plans to the rest of SDM and shit?¡±


    Ralia, from where she was curled up with Kelsen on the couch, shook her head. ¡°We can do that another day. Right now I just want to enjoy being with my best friends.¡±


    ¡°I can agree with that,¡± Kelsen said sleepily.


    Fyche yawned. ¡°Good plan. That stuff¡¯s important...but it can wait. I just want to enjoy this moment with you.¡±


    ¡°Well said,¡± Niko replied, settling back down. ¡°Very well said...I love you guys. You¡¯re the best.¡±


    There was no dissent there.


    <h3 style="text-align: center">THE END