Warm overhead sun coats the tall waving grasses flowing across the field. As a gentle wind coasts over the tops of the thin stalks, a section bends down out of sight in front of a growing trail. Faintly peaking over the ambient drone of air sifting through the new green leaves in the trees, friction of movement and soft clatters of polymer sound out at the front of the freshly sunken path. Another swath of grass falls down close to the base of a tall hill. A pair of dark brown eyes peek just above the dense green blades and search through the thin stalks above. Checking around the vicinity, Gerald adjusts his camouflaged hat and searches his jacket pocket. He pulls out his aetherphone, taps through the security, and squints at a digital map.
Tucking back stray dark blonde hairs under his cap, his eyes sift through the topological data, and he twists his mouth in contemplation. Glancing towards distant hills, mountains, and other surrounding landmarks, he nods confidently to himself and puts the aetherphone away. Crawling slowly up the slope of the hill, he gently elbows the full pack into the center of his back. Nearing the crest, he stops and blinks in surprise. Angling his ear towards the top of the ridge, his eyes dart around his mind, hearing the soft noises. Gripping the ground in front of him, he slides himself up cautiously and raises his head for a clear view.
The breeze rushes up the other side of the incline, sways patches of colorful flowers, and blows around Gerald’s face. Drifting through the air, happy chirps, playful growls, and excited squeaks float up from the gently sloped field. Gerald’s dark brown eyes widen, and he eases off his pack to the side. While maintaining a careful watch down the hill, he silently unzips his backpack and reflexively pulls out camera. Switching the device on, he aims the lens towards activity and peers through the viewfinder. Near the bottom of the hill in a field bordered by a forest, five young dragons play in the clearing.
The light from the clear sky reflects off different coats of blue scales and warm the small, emerging bony plates on their bodies. One lazily sprawls out upon a bed of flowers, stretching his large pair of wings on back with his smaller pair lower down. After opening his small maw into a long yawn, it bites off a large flower and chews. Two young dragons square up, flutter their wings, and kick up clods of dirt. Managing only squeaky roars, the pair butt their heads against armor plating and get into a pushing match. Another young dragon charges in bounding leaps, strains to flap its wings, and barely musters a momentary coast before flopping into the tall grasses. The final draconic pup sits calmly and wanders its attention around the field, spotting flits of activity from butterflies and other insects.
An excited grin grows wide on Gerald’s face. He deftly dials in the zoom and focus on the attached lens, and triggers the camera repeatedly. His aim shifts between the napping dragon, the pair play fighting, and the one struggling to fly. After the first round of pictures, Gerald’s hand snakes into his backpack, feels around for the familiar, and grips hold of a larger lens. With deft motions, he carefully swaps out the attachments and resumes hunting for the right shot. Shifting his attention between the different young blue scaled dragons, he adjusts settings and captures picture after picture.
After getting another set of images from the previous group, Gerald directs his aim at the dragon idly watching over the field. He waits patiently after a few photos. As the young dragon turns its head to gaze over another section of the field, Gerald takes a stream of photos. The dragon blinks it yellow eyes and continues to turn its head around to lazily glance behind. An eager smile brightly shines on Gerald’s face, and he captures another chain of pictures as the creature gazes up the hill. Excitement overtakes Gerald and drives tweaks to the aim, zoom, and focus. The young dragon narrows a curious stare directly at the glint of the lens.
A loud series of frustrated chirps rumble into irritated growls. Gerald swings his camera and focuses upon the playfully fighting duo of dragons. They wrestle around into tumbles and feline raking kicks. When the two break away into pacing around each other and snorting, Gerald snaps his aim back to the watchful dragon.
He finds an empty spot.
Searching around where he last saw the critter, Gerald scans between the lazy one, the sparring duo, and the one bounding around. Panning his aim just above the tall grasses, he hunts around for the fifth one. He furrows his brow with the emerging concern on his face and grimaces briefly. “...where are you...”
A blurry object appears in the optical viewfinder, and Gerald startles back to awareness. He tilts his head away from behind the camera and gazes ahead. The watchful dragon lifts his head up to a meter off ground and narrows a curious stare upon Gerald. Two maintain a long stretch of still eye contact. The young dragon cocks its head, perks his brow, and chirps. Gerald blinks blankly and glances around awkwardly.
The dragon’s attention shifts to the lens hood. Leaning his head down slowly with an opening maw, it moves its mouth closer to the polymer shroud. Gerald angles the device away from the curious sharp teeth with an awkward smile. The young dragon follows the end of the lens with an open maw. Gerald tries to lead the camera assembly away from the determined mouth of sharp teeth. A faint breeze blows up the hill behind Gerald. The young dragon halts the chase and sniffs the air. It’s yellow eyes follow its nose and settle upon the backpack. Gerald glances at the pair of hungry eyes, his backpack next to him, and back at the intrigued creature.
Watching the initial light rakes of claw tips over his pack, Gerald winces and eases out a defeated sigh. He carefully reaches out his hand under the observant gaze of the young dragon, grips a zipper for a bulging pouch, and pulls it open. A cascade of colorfully wrapped trail bars spill out. The watchful dragon’s eyes widen, and it drops his head to sniff the treasures. It lifts its head up, glances around, and stares briefly at its siblings down the other side of the hill. After a moment of eye contact with Gerald, it snatches up a wrapped granola bar into its maw and chews into the treat. Faint purrs of delight rumble out as the young dragon savors each moment. After swallowing, it studies the flavor themes on the wrappers and wanders its nose between the bountiful selection.
Gerald ponders a moment at the situation. With a sneaky smirk, he cautiously, drags his backpack away from the young dragon enjoying the treats. Catching glimpse of the yellow eyes locking an avaricious glare at him, he tosses the remaining trail bars out of the pouch into the pile in front of the dragon. With a satisfied snort from the draconic child, Gerald sorts through his gear and retrieves a different lens. After quick equipment swap, Gerald slides a little down the hill, aims his camera, and starts taking picture after picture of the young dragon deliberating on which treat to enjoy next. Dragging a cutting claw tip over the crinkly wrapper, dragon uses its dexterous paws to pull out the granola bar from the cover. Emerging satisfaction lights up the draconic face, and a greedy grin grows wide.
Four other pairs of dragon eyes pop up over the crest of the hill. Angry barks sharply lead into a sibling squabbling. The watchful dragon plops down upon its horde and wraps wings and tail around it. The others spit out irritated whines, chirps, and snorts between each other. The heated conversations spike louder and louder, until the watchful one roars out. Its yellow eyes bounce between the awaiting glares of its brethren. Ducking its head down, its rummages around. With an indignant toss, a granola packet flops between the gathered four blue scaled, bony plated siblings. One cocks its head and curiously chitters back to the watchful one, who snorts back defiantly.
Another explosion of squabbling resonates out into the area. Backing into a strategic retreat, Gerald snaps a few more photos before sliding his backpack away from the fighting draconic children and then backing a meter away himself. After a few more meters, Gerald settles back down and braces his camera. He triggers shot after shot of the heated conversations between the children. With patience wearing thin, the previously sparing duo pair up to try to roll over the watchful dragon to its screaming protest. Caught up the moment, Gerald snaps another series of pictures while shade slides over him.
The cooling darkness pulls Gerald attention away. He squints at the clear, cloudless horizon in the distance. Furrowing his confused brow, he studies at the oddly shaped shade around him. Tilting his head up he finds a large pair of bright green eyes staring right through him. Color leaves Gerald’s face, and he remains motionless. A powerful gust rushes around him from the nostrils of the huge armor plated head of a massive blue scaled, bony plated, four winged dragon. Faint trembles rattle the end of Gerald’s camera as the monstrous being studies him. Spotting the camera in Gerald’s hand, the huge dragon pauses in thought, and lifts an eye brow with an intrigued, slow laugh.
Another loud bout of draconic squabbling screech out from the children. The old dragon rumbles out a series of growls and snorts, and the young ones freeze in place. Carefully stepping around Gerald, the massive beast calmly walks up to the young dragons along the crest of the hill. With a fatherly stare upon them all, the children wisely back away from the fought over pile of granola and shredded wrappers. Narrowing his bright green eyes upon Gerald, the huge dragon sighs. “My apologies. They are young and too curious. You may have your food back.”
Gerald blinks blankly and eventually manages a nod. “Oh, uh... They were no problem. No harm.”
He glances over at the ripped open bars with a coating of dirt and grass stuck upon them. “I got more. They can have them... If it’s okay with you... Um...”
The huge dragon grants an appreciative nod and cracks a faint smile. “Thank you. A rare treat for them.”
He narrows a disciplining stare over the five children. “If they behave...”
The five draconic kids shrink slightly and awkwardly glance around. Shaking his massive head, the elder dragon sighs with a roll his bright green eyes. “Much to learn.”
Thinking quietly a moment, he perks his brow and steps towards the top of the hill. He opens up his two pairs of wings, stretches them out to the full fifteen meter width, and stares curiously at Gerald. As he straightens up his posture, the large dragon poses with a growing prideful smile. “What are you waiting for?”
Gerald blinks bewildered. “Uh, waiting for what?”
Grinning brightly as sun glints off the blue scales, the large dragon chuckles. “Take your pictures.”
----
An alarm chimes rings out from a worn and battered aetherphone on the counter top. An ivory skinned hand taps hard a few times against the hesitant screen, and after a few attempts the device goes quiet. Mera side steps from in front of the stove to face a bamboo rice steamer on top a metal pot. Turning down the hot plate underneath, her crimson eyes stare uneasily down at the faint jets of steam slipping out through the aged wood. Drawing in a hopeful breath, she lifts the lid carefully and waits for the rush of steam to vent away. Within the steamer, fading wisps of haze rise from a bounty of fluffy white rice. Tipping her head of a long, braided gray hair back, Mera mutters a thankful evuukian prayer and stares relieved at the faint cracks in the cheaply textured ceiling above. She closes the lid on the bamboo basket, cuts the hotplate off, and removes the pot from the heat.
Her long nipped tip ear twitches, and she snaps her attentive gaze upon the sizzling of cooking oil in a deep round-bottomed pan occupying most the surface of her small stove top. With a swift shift over, Mera studies the cramped collection of ingredients on the other counter top next to the stove. After glancing between the boiling oil and the selection of vegetables and meats, she draws in a long breath, exhales to a calm, and narrows her determination. Following a process trained in her mind, she plucks up ingredients, tosses them into the pan, and keeps the cookware moving. Her crimson eyes watch the subtle changes. The greens of vegetables darken, some morsels of meat brown while others pale, the tubers soften, and chopped roots and bulbs sizzle towards a caramel coating.
Sniffing the air, a hint of confidence slips out onto Mera’s face. In the flurry of activity, a small dish of mixed seasoning loses balance on the edge of the crowd counter top. A crimson flash lights up Mera’s eyes and her hand snaps a point towards the container. A translucent field engulfs the area below and floods up from the floor. Individual specks within the cloud of spices slow to a halt mid air. While one hand keeps contents within the round bottom pan moving, Mera gestures deftly. The mass of seasonings collect back into the small floating glass bowl. The container levitates back up into flow radiating out from Mera’s hand as she grasps the bottom securely. Easing out the pent up tension with a sigh, she places the small bowl in the middle of the counter top, pinches out a measure of spices, and sprinkles them into the pan.
After a few more tosses of the pan, Mera turns off the stove burner and slides the cookware bottom to a cooler spot on the stove top. Searching anxiously, she pulls a large wooden spoon from a mason jar next to the stop. Scooping up a sample, she lifts it closer to her face for inspection. She sniffs the fresh steaming aroma, and her eyes study the culinary creation as she cools with gentle blows. After a brief gritting her teeth, she sighs reluctantly and tastes the results. Easing away from a fearful wince, she searches her mind and sorts through the flavors. Her crimson eyes open wide and her shoulders relax. She spouts out a victorious evuukian phrase and grins triumphantly.
Rushing over to the small round table in the dining area nearby, Mera scoops out equal servings of the stir fry onto two plates. She returns the deep pan back to the stove top and picks up the top basket of the bamboo steamer. After placing the bounty of fluffy rice on a large plate in the middle, she checks over the arrangement of two rough table settings and tidies up the plain tablecloth. She steps away from the setup. She takes in a deep breath, exhales, and gazes over the area. Turning her attention on the opposing counter next to the scratched and dented fridge, she eyes two mugs with tea bags and a cheap electric kettle at the ready.
Mera nods to herself. She straightens up her posture and smiles with a confident surge. Inspecting her plain shirt and shorts, she twists her mouth unhappily and grumbles to herself while finding specs of fresh cooking stains. Picking up her aetherphone, she mumbles herself and reads the time.
Her lungs yank a surprised gasp. She rushes through the central living space, loosening her messy clothes. Sliding into a small bedroom, she quickly searches through drawers then piles for clothing while stripping. Just after managing snag a few articles of nicer casual attire, a door bell rings. Squelching a reflexive evuukian curse, she sweeps up a decent shirt, skips awkwardly into some socks, and secures her long gray hair back neatly. She calls out towards the entry door to the apartment. “I’ll be right there!”
Mera stumbles into a steady gait up to the door. Grasping the knob, she refocuses herself and opens the door.
Chelindia turns her attention ahead and her turquoise eyes met Mera’s. With a pleasant smile, she bows her head of dark green braided hair. “Good. I found the right apartment. It was not easy. A few doors don’t have clear numbers on them.”
Mera gazes at Chelindia’s dark tan face. After a moment, she flutters her eyes back from a daze, and smirks with a sigh. “Yes. I think they had some numbers before, but some children thought it was funny to steal them. No one has figured out where they all went.”
Turquoise and crimson eyes meet again. The two glance around awkwardly for a moment. Mera snaps back to attention, and steps back into the small apartment. “Come in.”
She smirks with hints of embarrassment slipping out. “It is not much, but I can afford it. I even have enough left over after everything to buy a nice thing.”
Chelindia surveys the central living space, the few, simple furnishings, and other rooms connected. She gazes at Mera with a warming smile. “It is nice and yours. Traveling with the rangers, I am camping out most the time. We sometimes stay at a hotel or motel, but that’s between long runs.”
She sighs with a slight slump of her shoulders. “You have to travel very light, which really doesn’t allow you to have much else other than the necessities.”
Eyeing her modest long-sleeve top, knee length shorts, and canvas top shoes, Chelindia glances around uneasily. “This is most of the normal clothing I have right now.”
Mera perks up and smiles at Chelindia. “It all looks nice. I have been trying to get a better selection, too.”
She twists her mouth and rolls her crimson eyes. “Though, I really don’t know what is in style right now. I’m trying to catch up still.”
Chelindia walks out into the living space and gazes over at the mismatched blanket covered couch, scratched up coffee table, and old television. She smirks at Mera and shakes her head at herself. “Do not feel bad. I still am trying to, too.”
Mera closes the front door, steps up next to Chelindia, and chuckles. “Yeah. I’m just glad that Mokka and the girls at Fval Spice have been helping me. And, they’ve been explaining a few words of Americ I never heard of before, and a few I’ve forgotten.”
Tilting her head to the side, Chelindia exhales slowly with traces of defeat. “Oh. Good. There are a few I will have to ask you about. So many new things since we left.”
She blinks as she notices the concern from Mera and presents a reassuring smile. “But, I’m okay with it. A lot of has proven quite wonderful...”
Sniffing the air, Chelindia’s nose guides her curiosity and she gazes quizzically at Mera. “Did you bring home some Fval Spice for us to eat?”
An eager smile graces Mera’s ivory face, and she nearly skips over to the prepared table in the dining area. With a dramatic wave of the arms, Mera presents the freshly made meal for two with a proud grin. “No. I cooked some for us.”
Chelindia approaches the table with genuine surprise and astonishment. While Chelindia gazes over the setup, Mera pulls out a chair for her. “I thought it’d be nice to just have a home cooked meal, instead of going out. Just sit down, relax, and... Talk.”
She steps over to the counter, plugs in the electric kettle, and gestures towards the mugs. “I was even able to find good tea. Not quite what we made in the forest, but once I save up I think can get the right herbs from a local reagent shop. Should be easier than wandering the local forest for them-”
Pivoting around, she startles briefly at Chelindia standing close. The two gaze into each other’s eyes. Chelindia gently holds Mera’s hands, smiles full of color, and warmly whispers an endearing phrase of evuukian. Traces of tears well at the corner of Mera’s eyes, and she lightly squeezes Chelindia’s hands. She sighs, briefly averts her gaze sadly, and states a few remorseful evuukian sentences. Chelindia continues to smile proudly at Mera and nods understandingly. “I think the phrase is, one day at a time.”
Mera nods and chuckles. “Yeah. When I was thinking about everything lately... I just... I missed... This... With you, Chel.”
Meeting Mera’s eyes, Chel gazes in delight. “I missed this, too. And... You, Mera.”
Holding each others hands, the two exist quietly within the moment. Seconds later, a whistle of steam from the kettle bounces around the small apartment. Chel blinks back to the attention and giggles. “We should eat. I wouldn’t want this wonderful meal to get cold.”
Mera shudders back to awareness and nods. “Oh, right, yes. I’ll get the tea.”
----
Bright sun radiates down upon the green spaces between old brick architecture. College students meander down the paved walkways linking campus, and groups congregate between the buildings. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves upon rows of well-kept trees along the paths and scattered through the courtyards. Slowing her steps to an uncertain standstill, Veevi wanders her lost gaze around. She narrows her pink pupil eyes to a distant landmark, glances down at her aetherphone, and drags around the digital map. She inspects a nearby structure, stares along the walkway under her, and cocks her head at the phone display. Twisting a frustrated grimace on her face, she sighs to a mumble. “...where is it...”
Lowering hand with the aetherphone to her side, she combs her plain brown, tied back hair with her sharp nails. She furrows similarly colored eye brows and pivots in place with anxious wags her short-hair, dark brown tail. Gritting her teeth briefly, she wrestles a nervous expression on her tan face and frowns. She pauses a moment to collect herself, and her fuzzy ears perk to the activity in the plaza in front of a large building. Thinking a moment, she nods to herself and walks down the paved passage under the arching canopy of double tree rows.
Wandering her attention between the nearby gathering of students, faculty rushing back to offices, and administrative staff rushing to their cars, Veevi slows to admire the old architecture of the college blending with the newer developments. She holds up her aetherphone, taps through the menus, and stares at the digital map. The position icon jitters around the display, and Veevi twists an irritated frown on her mouth. “Gods, what’s wrong with you?”
Veevi walks down the long winding path into a plaza, while her attention remains fixed on the erratic locator on the map. She rolls her pink pupil eyes, groans out her frustration, and slowly shakes her head. Holding her phone up and out, she wanders her aim in a vain hunt for signal, as the indicators jump between levels. After a few failures, Veevi brings the device close and squints at the display. Tapping around the screen, she studies the digital layout and glances to the sidewalks, plaza decorations, and large library.
A voice calls out. “Hey!”
Veevi’s fuzzy ears flick towards the source, but her focus remains on the aetherphone. Another person directs their voice. “Hey, you with the brown hair and tail!”
Blinking blankly to attention, Veevi glances around and spots a group of students watching her. A flush of embarrassment fills her face, and she perks her brow awkwardly. “I’m sorry. Are you talking to me?”
An emin man with spiraling horns nods. “Yeah. Are you trying to use your phone to find something?”
Veevi tilts her head in surprise and smiles. “Oh. Yes! Uh, I guess it’s a little obvious. Is there any reason why the positioning system wouldn’t be working?”
A fvalian woman rolls her red eyes and laughs out loud. “Ha! The engineering department blew out a transformer. Two of the geopositioning towers on campus are down.”
A blue haired evuukian man shakes his head and shrugs at Veevi. “Yeah. Everyone’s been wandering around wonder what’s wrong with their phone. What are you trying to find?”
Putting away her aetherphone into her pants pocket, Veevi motions her hand around the area and sighs. “Yes. I’m supposed to meet my advisor to find out all I need to do sign up for classes this summer. But, gods, I can’t figure out where the Advisement Center is.”
The emin man furrows his brow and glances between the others. “Damn... They moved that recently. Where the hell did they end up putting that?”
Shrugging his shoulders, the evuukian man crosses his arms. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to my advisor since I started taking my upper division courses.”
Pondering a moment, the fvalian woman nudges the shoulder of a young man with ear cupping headphones, rocking his head side to side. “Hey, Jhai. Jhai... JHAI!”
Snapping to a rigid, surprised posture, Jhai slowly pivots on his seat upon the decorative brick and slides down his headphones. “Uh, yes?”
The fvalian woman motions to Veevi and cocks her head. “You know where the Advisement Center is now?”
Jhai darts his hazel eyes around his mind briefly and nods. “Uh, yeah, actually. I just talked to my advisor, yesterday. They moved it into the new student union building on the other side of campus.”
Perking up with a delighted smile, Veevi retrieves her aetherphone and taps up the digital map on the screen. “That’s great. Could you show me where it is on this map?”
Plucking up his phone tethered to his headphones, Jhai blinks at the time displayed and stands up. “Um, I can actually walk you there... Uh, if you want?”
Veevi glances around and tilts her head curiously. “I won’t say no, but I don’t want to interrupt anything.”
Jhai scratches the back of his head and chuckles. “Oh, no. I’ve got to head towards a history class and I walk past the place on the way there.”
An appreciative smile grows on Veevi’s face, and she nods graciously. “Oh, thank you. I’d do it myself, but this whole positioning system thing is really messing everything up.”
Sweeping up his backpack, Jhai waves to the trio lounging in the shade of the plaza and walks next to Veevi. “Don’t worry about it.”
As Jhai steps ahead, Veevi nods thankfully to the others. “Thanks for the help, again.”
The trio wave goodbye to Veevi and Jhai. As the two walk out the plaza down a main walkway, the emin man glances between the evuukian and fvalian. “I thought his history class wasn’t for another hour?”
The fvalian woman rolls her red eyes and snorts. “It isn’t.”
Laying back down the short grasses beneath a shade tree, the evuukian man laughs. “Oh that fucking figures. Can’t blame him for trying.”
Veevi and Jhai walk down the wide main passage through campus. Passing by older and taller trees, Jhai points towards the larger, older buildings. “That’s where computer science department is, and it’s also the oldest building on campus.”
Furrowing her brow incredulously, Veevi glances over to Jhai. “They put the computer science department in the oldest building on campus?”
Jhai shrugs his shoulders with an awkward grin. “Yeah... I mean, they’re not happy about it either. My friend says they’ve been trying to get another department to trade with them. No takers.”
He snaps his attention to the large glass window front of a huge cafe. “Oh! That’s the campus cafe. It’s open really late at night. It’s got really good coffee.”
Veevi nods while combing back a few stray plain brown hairs over her fuzzy ears. “Okay. I’ll probably be going there a bunch.”
Sorting through a few thoughts, Jhai summons up a barely nonchalant smile over his self-perpetuating awkwardness. “Yeah. I mean, especially depending on what you are studying for. So... Um... What are you going to major in?”
Biting her lower lip, Veevi draws in a slow breath and chuckles lightly. “Well, if all goes well... I’m going to try to get into the pre-med program.”
She glances away and sighs. “But... that’s if I can get the right grades in all the per-requisite courses. There’s a few of them, and they’re really strict about what you need to be accepted into the program.”
Jhai nods with a goofy grin. “Wow. That’s pretty cool. I mean, you got to be pretty smart to even try to get into that program. I mean, I’m pretty dumb, so I could never pull that off. But, um, you can probably do it.”
Perking an eyebrow at Jhai, Veevi curls an amused smirk out of the corner of her mouth and watches the man fumble for his next words. “Well, thank you. So, what are you majoring in?”
Springing to the subject, Jhai scratches the back of his head. “Oh, music production. I figured it’s the one thing I’m pretty good at. I just started out in the program. I finally getting into the studio to record stuff.”
Veevi furrows her brow curiously and smiles at Jhai. “Oh. What kind of music are you into?”
Jhai shrugs his shoulders and chuckles with a grin. “I’m in a synth metal band. We do all kinds of weird shit. I mainly play the piano and sing. Oh! And, our current album is a rock opera about that old Zone Runners game-”
He halts mid thought, glances at the attention from Veevi, and awkwardly averts his gaze. “But, yeah, I mean, um... I listen to all kinds of music, too. I try to keep up with all latest trends and such. You just never know what will get popular.”
Veevi nods in agreement and flicks her fuzzy ears. “Tell me about it. But, it goes away just as fast.”
Jhai snorts and shakes his head. “Yeah, I mean there was all that drama about Veevi Valiant a few month ago. Then, nothing. So weird...”
The fur on Veevi’s tail puffs out, her posture stiffens, and her face blanks into a stare ahead. Jhai glances over at Veevi, thinks a moment, and opens his eyes wide. Veevi fights to maintain a calm facade and her fingers flex tightly. Swallowing down a wave of embarrassment, Jhai glances around and awkwardly chuckles. “Oh gods, I’m sorry. I totally didn’t get your name. If you don’t mind me asking?”
Furrowing her brow, Veevi searches her mind frantically. She presents a smile to Jhai and nods to him. “You can call me Viv.”
Jhai smirks and rocks his head side to side. “Viv. That’s a cool name. Is it short for anything?”
Veevi rolls her pink pupil eyes and sighs. “Yeah. You could say that.”
Jhai smiles and readjusts the backpack on his shoulder. “Totally understand. I went by my middle name in high school. Decided to use name first name when I started going here. Go for a fresh start, you know?”
Nodding with a humored smirk, Veevi draws in a calming breath and chuckles. “Yeah. I know the feeling, too.”
----
A chime above the door rings out over the chorus of scattered conversations. Throughout the sandwich shop, different pockets of customers discuss and debate between enjoying their meals. A variety of employees rush around the different stations behind the long, decorated wooden counter. Lifting her head up from checking the time on her aetherphone, a young woman spots a middle-aged woman with long, blonde hair, and perks up to attention. “Oh! Hello, Lydia.”
Lydia holds the metal framed glass door open and smiles towards staff. “Sorry about the wait, Jessie.”
She smirks with a roll of her brown eyes and shakes her head. “Someone just wouldn’t leave school until she handed out ALL her birthday party invites.”
Stepping through the doorway, a little girl with a similar shade of blonde hair gazes up with a frown. “But Mommy, I didn’t want miss anyone!”
Easing the door closed behind the little one, Lydia sighs with a smile and pats her child on her wild blonde head. “Mommy understands, Leigh.”
As Leigh skips happily down to a section of stools lined up against the far end of the long bar counter, Lydia walks up to Jessie and whispers. “Her birthday is two weeks away, I think we have enough time.”
Jessie shrugs her shoulders with a smile. “Well, it’s a big thing at her age. You only turn six once.”
Granting an understanding nod, Lydia lifts up a hinged section of counter top and greets the rest of the staff while inspecting the stations. After reaching the far end of the bar, she watches Leigh climb up upon a floor anchored stool with extra foot rails. “You need help?”
Leigh strains on the last pull and manages to get herself on top of the seat. “I got it!”
Lydia shakes her head with a loving smile and gazes upon her daughter. “There’s just been no stopping you. So, what are you hungry for today, my little adventurer?”
Reaching out over the counter top for a pack of crayons hidden behind a specials display, Leigh excitedly chimes. “Peanut butter and jelly!”
With a chuckle to herself, Lydia ties back her hair and rolls her eyes. “At least some things don’t change.”
While Lydia washes her hands at a sink, Jessie steps nearby and points to the front register. “I got everything taken care of at the register. Should be ready for you, unless you need me to stay a little while longer.”
Lydia glances around the lobby at the thinning customers and empty line, and tilts her head towards the back. “I should be good. Get out of here. You have a good rest of the day.”
With a happy nod, Jessie quickly steps to the back while loosening the work apron around her waist. Lydia deftly opens a small cabinet and retrieves a tub of peanut butter. From a nearby fridge, she swiftly slips a hand in and produces a glass jar of jelly. While sliding loose sheets of paper from a pack off to the side, Leigh hungrily watches her mother prepare the sandwich. “Use the good bread, mommy.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Lydia narrows an incredulous stare at the child. “It’s all good bread, Leigh.”
Mustering her best scrutinizing glare, Leigh frowns. “You know what I mean. Don’t use that yucky bread.”
Lydia sighs and nods to her child’s joy. “I won’t.”
Turning her attention to the sandwich in the making, she mumbles to her self. “...try to use whole wheat once...”
The chime above the front door echoes out. A man with white, wispy hair steps through. He surveys the sandwich shop lobby with his gray eyes and leads his gaze to front counter. Upon spotting the woman and girl with blonde hair, a delighted smile grows on his sun touched, tan face. Stepping his thin frame over, he sits down on a stool and adjusts the blue scarf loosely wrapped around his neck. When Lydia turns around with a plate of food, she meets the man’s gaze and blinks in surprise. “Oh my gods... Isaac?”
Isaac chuckles lightly with a faint tinge of embarrassment and nods with a smile. “That I am, Lydia.”
Setting the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and apple slices in front of Leigh, Lydia keeps her attention on Isaac while plucking a small cup from a stack. “It’s certainly been a while. Almost a year, I think.”
Briefly averting his gaze, Isaac sighs regretfully. “Almost. I’m surprised you remember me after all this time.”
Filling up the plastic cup with fruit juice from a dispenser, Lydia smiles with a giggle. “As if I could forget someone like you. All your exciting stories and talk about your work. I’m just happy to see you again.”
She slides the drink into the reaching hands of Leigh, and perks her brow towards Isaac. “So, I have to ask... What happened to you?”
A faint trace of tension stiffens up Isaac’s posture, and he chuckles with a shake of his head. “My previous work, unexpectedly, needed me to go to other places on a very tight schedule. It was quite a chaotic time, to be frank. Admittedly, it was quite the blur of activity.”
Lydia focuses a curious gaze at Isaac and smirks. “I see. I was wondering what happened to you. Hated to loose a loyal customer. So... What brings you back to Hattan?”
Isaac furrows his brow in thought, twists his mouth, and searches his mind for a moment. Relaxing his shoulders, he smiles with a sigh. “Well, my previous research fell through after a running into a number of set backs... And a significant dead end. Unfortunately, I only realized that my efforts weren’t going to produce any fruit a little too late.”
With a smirk out of the corner of his mouth, he chuckles lightly and rolls his gray eyes. “Thankfully, a few dedicated associates were able to show me that I needed to reconsider what I should pursue.”
Lydia tilts her head to the side and quirks her brow. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. That’s got to be frustrating to put all the time and effort into some big project like that, then have it not turn out.”
Isaac rocks his head side to side. “A little, admittedly. But, in all honesty, I’ve actually found it quite relieving.”
Glancing over at the crayon drawing her daughter sketches on between eating some of her sandwich, Lydia smiles with a trace of surprise. “I guess I could see that, finally free to do other things and all. So, again, what bring you here, today?”
Pausing briefly in thought, Isaac smiles sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. “Well... After my previous research fell through, I was let go from the Grand Library. But, it was a more mutual departure.”
He works through the flits of awkward embarrassment of his face. “And in strange twist of fate, I stumbled into a new job. I think the best way to explain it is that I’m a government contractor now.”
Lydia cocks her head and narrows an examining stare upon Isaac. “Government contractor?”
Isaac wrestles a grimace on his face. “There’s a few organizations involved and legal literature is fairly dense with the contracts between them all. But, my prior research got the attention of the GAA, and they made me an offer I couldn’t reasonably refuse.”
Leaning forward slightly, he directs a humored whisper towards Lydia. “And between you and me, it was very generous offer. So, of course, I took it.”
Lydia smirks amused and points out the leftover crusts of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich to Leigh. When the child tries to musters a refusal, Lydia concentrates a firm, maternal glare. Leigh huffs once, eyes the bread edges, and frowns while picking up the pieces. Isaac chuckles to himself and glances at Lydia. “Yeah, that’s always a battle.”
Lydia rolls her brown eyes and shakes her head. “Yes, it is.”
When Leigh finishes the last bit of crust from her sandwich, she returns to drawing on paper with crayons. Directing her voice to Isaac, Lydia whispers. “Honestly, I just got tired of eating all the leftover crusts.”
Issac snorts and nods his head understandingly. Lydia furrows her brow and inquires with newfound interest. “So, what does the GAA have you doing right now?”
Blinking back to attention, Isaac collects his thoughts and smiles proudly. “Putting my experience to good use. I’m following up on a lot of archaeological investigations out in locations that are out of the ordinary or need special skills to safely handle.”
A spark of interest glints in Lydia’s eyes, and she grins intrigued. “Really? That actually sounds exciting... And, a little dangerous?”
Isaac shakes his head with a dismissive laugh. “Oh, it’s mostly clean up and cataloging strange sites after they get discovered. All the excitement will have already happened by the time I arrive.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Lydia sighs with a smile. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. Hattan has been nice and quiet, and I’m certainly not complaining... Especially, after certain incidents.”
Her eyes flit open, and she leans closer to whisper to Isaac. “Did you hear happened south of Amaranth Valley?”
Issac blinks blankly and grants a solid nod. “Yes. I have. Quite the event. I was... In the neighborhood.”
Holding up a finger towards Isaac, Lydia glances out the window front and spots a crowd of people wandering closer to the front door. She eyes Isaac with a sly grin. “Okay, before I we talk any further, you want your usual order? I think remember most of it... Especially the extra olives.”
Averting his gaze away briefly, Isaac chuckles at his own expense. “Yes. I apologize if I was too insistent on that.”
Waving off the concern, Lydia smiles amused. “Not worst request I’ve had. Do you want it to go... Or... Are you going to eat here?”
Glancing around the space and meeting Lydia’s gaze, Isaac resettles himself upon the stool and rests his arms fully upon the counter. “I think I’ll have it here.”
Lydia nods with a smile and steps over to the register. Leigh glances up at Isaac from her drawing of adventurers around a monster. “You have any more stories? With heroes and stuff?”
Darting his eyes around his memories, Isaac grins happily and nods to Leigh. “I think I do. I have a few. They’re about someone who thought he could never be a hero. But... Despite thinking that and running from adventure, it turns he was the best hero when he was needed the most.”