Remnants of the Earth

NAME
Obsidian Rubitri

ALIASES
Obi. Siddy. Sid.

AGE
29

GENDER
Male

SEXUALITY
? ? ?

SPECIES/ETHNICITY
Kulshedra

HEIGHT/BUILD
6'9" - Build like HUGE MAN. Also pretty and buff.

OCCUPATION
Squad member of the Ryun Raven's.

RESIDENCE
Ryun


__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

PHYSICAL
Obsidian, otherwise known as Obi, is a large imposing man. He's broad, built and shiny. Covering about 90% of his body is a set of scales. They're more textured than regular kulshedra scales, which are softer and more snakelike. The greatest thing that probably distracts eyes is that he has no cheeks. Obi is an interesting genetic anomaly, more scales, rougher texture. It's unclear if his size is connected to this genetic wrong, but he's a large man regardless.

Instead of cheeks, the sides of his face are heavily scaled and instead of the false cheek to look Not So Alarming that regular Kulshedra do, Obi's

PERSONALITY


ABILITIES
Telepathy - a little above average, he's better at getting notes than sending them
Telekinesis -  Decent!   Doesn't use it. Usually forgets he can do it.
Obsidian can teleport. It's short distances and sometimes leaves a strange tingling sensation in the air form where he's been.  Because of his ability to disappear and reappear, his chip has a more pin-point location on him at all times.

RELATIONSHIPS
Pol

Ren

Nym

HISTORY


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Long Story Short
The Red Lotus is a small group of highly trained courtesans.
At any given time, there is only nine (9) of them.
They are being paid to spend time with their patron but sex is not expected. If sex happens between a Red Lotus and a Patron it's up to that individual - sometimes it costs more, sometimes the Red Lotus is happy to provide. It's entirely up to them.

Secret Story Short
Not all Red Lotus are Spies, sometimes though people whisper things and keen ears hear them. There is no set 'side' they're on but they need to be careful either way. Do they sell it? Do they keep the information for themselves? It's up to them. Being a spy is not a prerequisite but something that simply tends to happen because they find themselves with a wealth of knowledge.

Physical tells of Red Lotus's
All Fully Trained and working Red Lotus's have a tattoo on their left forearm of jewelry of some sort. A series of chains and a gem. Each tattoo is unique to each Red Lotus. Some have their 'gems' displayed in the open all the time ( such as on the back of the hand ) while others have theirs 'hidden' away ( the inside of the arm, under the elbow).
Trainees have chain tattoo's but no gems. The rest of the tattoo is filled in when they finally fill in a role.
Usually a Red Lotus takes on a trainee when they're older and more ready to retire, though sometimes others will take on trainees. Some don't take on any and simply wait for someone elses trainee to take their spot when they finally retire.

Contracts
Credits can buy anything. It's up to the Red Lotus how much they want to sell. Contracts are always signed and always in favour of the Red Lotus - they're shrewd business people, far more educated than necessary and usually looking out for number One.

The plebs
Because they're so expensive to spend an evening with, they have other ways to reaching the rest of Aedolis.  Merchandise such as posters, picture books and mimic jewelry. Maybe even figurines.  TV spots and perhaps a few acting scenes in movies or television shows. They may not get to spend time with all their fans but they can do their best to make the regular people of Aedolis love them.

You Wanna Play One? - These are the important bits all Red Lotus's adhere to. There are Seven(7) Spots left! (( and who knows, maybe there's a spy in there to spy on the spies))

• They are in their mid to late twenties, early thirties or older. They're a companion, they're educated, knowledgeable and are confident.
• They have a very secret social life.
• They do not have scandals. Rumours are one thing, scandals are another and a thing that does not happen.
• Surprisingly, nude pictures of them tend to not exist, if they do it's because of more nefarious deeds such as being stalked or illegal activity on the patrons part ( for which they will be sued!)
• They are not allowed to expose themselves in front of cameras. They can be risque but no complete nudity.
• They have been training for this for most of their lives and are in training until one of the 9 retire, in which the eldest/one ready to 'graduate' takes their place and gets the rest of their tattoo filled in. Trainees are subjected to the same harsh rules. They're the cheaper less experienced version of the fully trained Red Lotus.

The rain was fake. 

It was rain though, which was cool because he couldn't really picture it anywhere else. All sorts of green crap here. It had been a restless evening and it was closing in to midnight faster and faster until Ellis decided he really couldn't sleep and to just get up and go for a walk. Being so unused to the sound of it, he couldn't really sleep when rain did fall, it was so... Noisy. So, pulling on a coat and tucking his feet into some weird waterproof boots that didn't quite fit and were made of shiny material that didn't soak in water -- They also had a pattern of tiny happy looking squid -- Ellis made his way ... Around.

It was a simple wander. Hands in his pockets, head down, water soaking through his silvery hair. He'd never hated the water, he just hadn't gotten used to the sound of it yet. Though, he'd heard people tell him it was soothing he just wasn't to that point. While he walked, he listened, letting his eyes close briefly and just soaking in the noise of water when in the distance there was a terrible retching sound.

Curiosity welled up in his chest and he turned his head towards the noise, a dark alleyway with rivers of water pouring from it and a strange black cloudyness to the water. Ellis slicked his hair back and rolled his shoulders before he meandered down there, boots splashing in the small puddles that collected. Another retching noise and his eyes adjusted and...

"Hello?" His voice was as gentle as he could make it before he found the person hunched over, throwing up whatever that was. Ellis pursed his lips and reached out a hand, resting it on the middle of the persons back and giving soothing rubs between the shoulder blades. Or as soothing as he could manage. "You doing okay, Buddy?" His voice was firm but gentle and his hand continued the rhythmic motions. No one liked throwing up, and in a cold alleyway in the middle of the night? "You have somewhere to be? C'mon, I'll take you home." Ellis held out his free hand and was more than ready to escourt this person to his home to dry off and get warm.

 That's what kind people did, right?

The day was uneventful. Brunch with Sev had been nice and as he had promised the bubbly woman in the Pilot Chat he'd milled around Adstreia, finding it easier to stay and meander around the shops and find various gifts for his new friends. Iridescent wasnt really sure what everyone liked yet, but everyone liked presents. A good way to start the new year, gifts from a new... Friend.

Were they friends? Iri wasnt sure. They felt like friends. The day dragged until the evening and he spotted Mia instantly and turned his head every which way to catch the light in his iridescent hair and scales. Pulled it out of the braid it was in so it fell over his shoulders like a waterfall much to the little Pilot's delight. It was odd to be in a crowd of people on purpose

Felt like he was wearing a costume. The suit of someone people trusted.  Everyone was so at ease and he let himself be pulled around and introduced as the shiny guy. Iri accepted it and with Mia as his guide, he spent the evening quietly observing. Iri didn't know how to do anything else.

It was just after midnight, various faces were being smooshed together and with no where else to look because it was rude and awkward to watch people kiss he quickly glanced aside. There was a loose box of what looked like fireworks. Unattended. If he'd been looking anywhere else he wouldn't have noticed the spark of light arc into from an unknown hand.

High alert, Iri jerked towards it, rushing. Moving as quickly as he could towards it. "A bomb!" He shouted -- But that was all the warning he could manage before the sounds of explotions -fireworks and who knows what other noises - were too loud to take.

[Cheesigatoooor]

Work hard, play hard.

Going to see some sort of strip show wasn't exactly Lavenders ideal way to start his weekend but his co-worker ( who he hesitated to call a friend) had paid his cover and promised him a few drinks the first of which, Lavender swirled around in his glass was almost done. It took a bit to get him drunk, he couldn't remember the last time he could afford it. Still, he could get buzzed and that was the goal tonight. Lavender licked his lips, shifted in his seat so his tail could relax down and curl around his chair.

Having tripped his fair share of people before, Lavender knew better than to just let it hang out and about. He pressed his tail to his boot and sighed, pressing a hand to his face and imagining all the other more fun things he could be doing. Like who. Where. Lavender couldn't help when he licked his lips and stared off into space before the low hum of music happened at the lights turned onto the stage. Bright blue eyes were taken instantly.

"Well, fuck." He rushed out, voice a low purr.  That wasn't a human. Fire. His eyes turned to his coworker, a big buy, blonde, green eyed. Lavender liked imagining holding him down and giving him the ride of his life, hearing the man moan and gasp. Pant. Well, kind of moan. The blonde was always wearing a gag in his imagination.  Of course, he'd never actually do it - Lavender didn't fuck his coworkers - but damn. The man knew what he liked. It was easy, Lavender liked everything.

Really liked this girl though. He watched like she was water and he was dehydrated and begging for it. The rest of the whole world melted away and he just... Stared. Ears twitching while he wanted, shoulders straight. Was his mouth watering? His mouth was probably watering and he licked his lips and tried to look more professional. Like he wasn't a slobbering idiot but holy fucking fire. She'd look hot with a gag. No, a silk scarf just pressing against her lips.

Lavender wasn't aware when he began to purr his appreciation but he didn't stop until his coworker slapped his arm and told him to shut the fuck up.  A grunt and he just... Turned back to staring. Damn. Damn damn.  Hot damn. God she had great tits. "Can we meet her?" He asked his coworker, eyebrows up, looking at the stage and the little glass she was in. "I really wanna meet her."

"You and sixty thousand other people dude," the blonde said, rolling his eyes.

Lavender grinned widely, "Yeah, but fifty-nine thousand other people aren't Kulshedra," He tapped his cheek and licked his lips again before he rested his head on his hand and just continued to watch. Was there a room behind him? Probably.

"She mingles after the show a little sometimes," the blonde man said, giving Lavenders elbow a nudge, "Maybe she'll come say hi."

"fuck, I hope so," Another purr and Lavender still couldn't tear his eyes away.

[Lion!]

It was bittersweet.

Annaluna sighed, leaning up against the elevator door, head down. Cap pulled down to cover her face, sunglasses so large they covered half her cheeks. She'd been crying all morning since she read the message from her mother.  Arek had been accepted into candidacy. That was the greatest gift right? Annaluna licked her lips and shifted her shoulders, snuggling down into the puff coat and hefting the case of alcohol in her hand.

It was still too fresh a wound to go visit her parents - they should be excited. Her mother had seemed excited. A Pilot! Little Arek would be a Pilot. That was amazing right? Get to be a world leader maybe. Her little... Another sigh and the ding of the elevator let her know she'd reached the right floor. The one person she knew she could cry on. Let some heartache out. She let herself into his apartment, putting her case down before she toed off one of her boots and shut the door loudly.

The scarf went on the floor, the hat went on the floor, the coat went on the floor.  Annaluna sank down to the floor, too. It took a moment for her to wrestle a drink from the container but she opened it and guzzled half of it before belching and frowned down at her remaining boot. How was she gonna get that shit off?

"Honey, I'm hoooome," she singsonged from the door, seating in her pile of outside clothing. "Come grab a drink, take off my boot and carry me to your couch so I can cry on you please." Was Virgil even home? Annaluna didn't know, really, so she resorted to getting on her hands and knees and dragging the case down the hall with her while she crawled some of the way there - at least until her knight in shining armor woke her from the weird dream nightmare.  Too much effort.

Annaluna tossed her braid of red hair over her shoulder and sat up again, frowning at her boot and finishing off the first bottle. Perfect. One down, eleven to go. Maybe seven to go so she was still half-awake enough to go get more later. Maybe get delivery. Anything to forget. What the fuck was she supposed to do? Encouraging letters?

A watery sigh and she ducked her head down, tears filling her lovely pink eyes. Off went the sunglasses onto the floor too, replaced by her hand to cover them instead. A watery sigh and she sat there in Virgils hallway, one boot on, a case of something at her side and an empty bottle in one hand. That was her son. Why would they... "Virgil?" He was home right?

NAME
Amaryllis "Ellis" Melledy

ALIASES
Ellis? Pilot Melledy. Melledy. Sometimes Melody.
"TenTickles" in Aedolian chat.

AGE
22

GENDER
Male

SEXUALITY
Loves All Things 3

SPECIES/ETHNICITY
Human - Mostly? A hodgepodge of many other things.

HEIGHT/BUILD
5'11"

OCCUPATION
Squad member of the Margad Scorpions

RESIDENCE
A humble apartment covered in nic-nac's and various cute things in Margad.

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

PHYSICAL
Ellis is a young man who's inner sheer joy of existing shines through his eyes. A beautiful forest green, his irises are larger than most, giving him a youthful look to go with his round face and perpetual smile. Around his eyes is a gentle gradient of lavender scales, his cheek bones, up along his temples and over his eyebrows. The tips of his ears are ever so gently pointed, covered by the same scales. Under his eyes is a purple marking, completely natural and he finds it gives him a mysterious look. His hair is swoopy, short and usually styled back. Ellis has never decided if it was a silvery lavender or a lavendery silver but, it's pale, shiny and he finds giving himself silly hairdos in the shower fun. He has full lips, usually in a bright smile with teeth that are perhaps a little too sharp.  There's a line down his lip, from the cupid bow to half way down his chin the same purpley-colour as the marks on his eyes.

Ellis is built slimmer but muscled. Built for speeds more than strength, he got a somewhat dainty frame and slim hips. All his height is in his legs. Legs for days! Taking up his torso and some of his legs is a tattoo of a red octopus. One tentacle crawls up his back and around his neck and the rest go various places. Two of them hug his torso, one curls around one arm each to his wrist, the other ones go down his legs and over his hips. Ellis calls it his hug monster.

PERSONALITY
A bright and happy young man. Ellis is proud of his country, proud of his accomplishments and proud to be where he is. Proud to have done well by his parents. He's warm, caring and has had to work to keep himself as such. Candidacy put him through the wringer, having lost friends and a loved one but... He's here now. Alive and he's stronger for it. Ellis is mentally strong, stubborn and caring. Another word for stubborn would be pushy. Ellis can be pushy at times, not giving up or going away until someone gets angry at him enough to bark.

Very intent on the end goal, he can get a bit wrapped up in the details and not see the bigger picture which, sometimes, make him come off as a bit of a jerk and a little insensitive.

Another thing of note, as a young man he experienced a rather traumatic head injury. They managed to fix most of it, but a very specific place was left too long and would require too much work to fix. It had healed. However, the scarring on his brain left him unable to experience true fear.

ABILITIES
Telepathy: Ellis is decent with telepathy, able to hold a decent conversation while doing something mundane like dishes or cleaning. His go to is looking like he's picking link off a sweater or a coat. His distance isn't amazing, but he's working on it. Always working.

Telekinesis - His favourite 'super' power. Ellis can be notoriously lazy and so his telekinetic abilities aid him in that. He's made entire cups of hot chocolate from his living room and the ability to do this never fails to entertain him and make him cackle. It's not particulairly strong, but he's managed to make it work like many invisible arms.

Umbrakinesis - A specialized ability of illumokinesis, Ellis is near masterful with umbrakinesis. Shadows and darkness are his home and his favourite place to be, not for any particular reason, he just likes it. He practices mostly in his house, taking the light from the overhead and keeping it 'off' as long as possible. Ellis is more subtle and consistent and does his best at working blind and in the dark.

RELATIONSHIPS
Apple - Ellis's dragon. A large girl, a lovely metallic green with a beautiful regal face who's feet are all mechanical, along with her ribs and some of her spine. Apple's wings are interesting in that they can function as second set of arms - or one pair of arms. She can grab things with them and climb as well as fly. She chose Ellis because she felt like he was hers and she enjoys his sunny look on life.

HISTORY
tbd


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NAME
Lukabelle Eleniel

NICKNAME
--

AGE
26

GENDER
Female

SEXUALITY
Heterosexual,

SPECIES/ETHNICITY
Mix of human/fae/elf/various other things.

HEIGHT/BUILD
5'4"

OCCUPATION
Waitress/cook/barista

RESIDENCE
Adstreia - Margad


__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

PHYSICAL
Lukabelle is a lovely looking woman. Her hair is long and opalescent, shimmering different colours in the light. Her eyes are large and a beautiful ocean blue. Pale skin with rosy lips and rosy cheeks. She is, for the most part, a beautiful woman. Aside from her interesting colour hair and slightly pointed ears, there's nothing remarkable about her. She's short and well built, perhaps a little plump. Though all that's given her is a generous bosom and a decent pair of hips.

She looks best in tight jeans and comfy sweaters. A secret love of hers is cute shoes and hair accessories, having become a grand fan of headbands, bandannas and barrettes.
 
PERSONALITY
Patient and wholesome. Lukabelle grew up being taught to look for the best in people and to not be disappointed if she doesn't find it. Still, she tries her best and has been taken advantage of before and will probably be again. Optimistic and sunshiny, little gets her down and she's a 'glass half-full' type. An open ear, a shoulder to cry on, Lukabell tries her best to be a strong individual when someone needs her to be.

The downside of this, however, is she isn't too good at being on her own. Lukabell doesn't know how to live by herself, when she is she gets lonely and lethargic and seeks to find either a new roommate or a new lover to fill the void of lonely. Still, she can manage.Despite her sensitive nature when not being the caretaker, she's a decently strong individual and does her best to live each day to the fullest, even if she's working two shifts and ready to die on her feet. Day's half over, so why not make the next half better than the first.


ABILITIES
Can scrabble eggs like a pro and make a mean cup of joe. 
Also dabbles in painting, knitting, artsy-things and is good at standing for sixteen hours at a time and pretending to be very nice and happy to see people.


RELATIONSHIPS
Her Fetus (Taken to calling it her Little Sunflower )- Lukabelle has recently discovered she's about a month pregnant by a relatively good looking young man she met from her work. Not wanting to cause him trouble - and not wanting to cause herself trouble by mentioning it - she has not mentioned it, even though she's seen him once or twice since. As it is, Lukabelle is still conflicted but is slowly finding herself growing excited at the prospect of being a mother to a tiny human.

HISTORY
Born in mid-level Adstreia, Lukabelle and her family lived a normal quiet life. Her parents worked together in a factory and she got enough schooling to read and write. Know a little bit about history. By the time she was fifteen she was working more often than not and as the years went on she worked about the same. Lukabelle had been working in her little coffee shop for a good number of years. As 'mom and pop' as Aedolis can get. Like one of the family.

It was a tragic accident that took her parents from her. One missed step, one tiny mistake and at 20 she was an orphan. Not able to make rent, she had to leave the home she'd lived in her whole life. Sell her parents things. Sell her things. But a lovely regular at the coffee shop took her in. An older man who had a daughter of his own who'd gone to try to strike it big in Haviah some years ago - she never got that far though. Lukabelle lived with him for some time, helping him with rent and groceries like a caring uncle. Still to this day she lives with him, her room in his house a tiny den of her own. Pictures of her parents. A picture of his daughter.

Aside from herself, he's the only person she's told about her current state. Scared for the life of herself and her child, she's strong but frightened of the consequences. Lukabelle is considering moving but... There was time. Just a little but just enough for it to count.


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Light at the end of the tunnel, right?

Harley shifted his stance from foot to food. He'd felt... Awful. Angry. Irritated. Nishi was angry at him and pouting probably and he was just a weird jerk. Was he supposed to feel guilty for getting a surprise guest? Nishi was married and not even interested in him like that! Why would she get so hurt over it? Harley looked down at Butterscotch at the end of her sparkly purple leash, her little dog harness snug over her orange-ish dog-shaped body.

A brief smile and Harley looked down at his com.

Absolutely not going to come out. She was in bed. Go home.

Harley tipped back his head, took a deep breath and howled. It was eerie and high pitched sounding, it echoed down the hall and Butterscotch bounced a few times before joining it. One long note and then, Harley squeezed his eyes shut took another deep breath and did it again.

"Awooooooooo!"

A few happy Butterscotch barks and again, she parked her butt, tipped back her head and joined in with the howl along to coax Nishi from her house. Harley wanted to talk and walk and he'd be damned if he didn't annoy his way into making the floofy Valkyrie go with him.

(TW: vague reference to attempting suicide)

Walking with his head down, backpack slung over his shoulder, Harlequin stared down at his com. Eyes rolling before he smirked and fired back a reply while he wandered from the rail station to the next stop. Then from there to the next stop. His heart throbbed higher in his throat the closer her got to his family home. It was a kindess to him. Them. That he visit. They were his family. His real family. Real fake family? He pushed his hair from his face and looked at the building. All pretty and pseudo-marble. It reeked of credits.

It reeked of home.

It was a giant building. Businesses and homes and his own family - the Kingschildes. They were at the top. The last three floors of the top of the building were theirs. The elevator ride up felt like an eternity. Harley scanned his chip to be let into the building, went through the guard. Let his bag be checked. Get a pat down. Deemed safe ( on this floor ) and away he went. Harley waited for the elevator, com in hand, looking down at the little window to the Pilot chat. His little window of ... Friends? Were they his friends? They thought they were his friends.

Harley said his goodbyes.  Hit the send. Smiled at Addie's reply before he tucked his com away. Addie was nice. Harley swallowed thickly before he cast his mismatched eyes to the ding of the elevator. In he went. Up he went. There was one more check point in the middle, where he switched to the elevator that took him directly to his parents home. Another security checkpoint. The looks from the guards when they scanned his chip was the silver lining. They went from hesitant to frightened. A little in awe.

The one that scanned his chip today was kind of cute and the nervous jitter she gave made him blow a breath of cool air at her. Waved through, into the last elevator. His chest felt empty and he closed his eyes and tried to breathe. His pulse was thick in his throat and he swallowed back the strange wave of nausea. Anxiety. It was always the worst in the elevator. He closed his eyes and let his head rest against the elevator door.

ding.

His eyes popped open and he looked out to the room when the doors slid open. It was a grand apartment. Huge. A mansion on top of the world. Everett was sitting on the couch, relaxed in a suit and reading the news on a tablet. His finger scrolling through it and his bright eyes flicking across to read the words - it took a moment but finally he spotted the little black and white kulshedra at the entrance.

"Harlequin!" He said, grinning wide, moving to slide off the couch. Everett was a pretty man. Tall. Long dark blue hair. Bright amber eyes. Harley's heart gave a flutter and he dropped his bag before walking to his brother. The hug was warm but over too soon and Harley's shoulders were given a squeeze. "I didn't know you were coming over this wee--"

"Just tonight," Harley said, cutting him off smiling slightly before he finally looked passed Everett to his mother. A harsh but beautiful woman. Hair pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head, Everett got his hair from his mother and most of his good looks. Harley swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to smile.

"Hello Mother," He said, voice soft.

"Hello, Harlequin my dear," She came forward, heels clicking against the stone floor. Her hand reached out and she stroked her hand over the top of his head. His ears flicked slightly and her own amber eyes watched them. She'd always suggested to him to keep his ears in check. Flicking them and moving them was a tell and having a tell on what you were feeling was bad. Harley did his best to smile at her. She gave a cold smile back, looked at him, looked at his backpack and just raised her eyebrows with the smallest of 'really?' smiles.

"Are you over for dinner tonight, my dear?" She asked, turning away and grabbing the tablet Everett had been using to read the news.

"Yes, I mean, that's what the invitation said so I --"

"Ah yes, I remember. Of course, my dear. Your Father won't be able to be here for the first course but he'll be by for the rest of it." A glance over her shoulder, another smile and off she went with the tablet, scrolling through various contracts and news articles. Always working. Harley pat his hair down from her head pat. A small smile at her retreating self. Everett smiled at Harley and Harley smiled back.

The evening wasn't any different than usual. Now that Harley was literally capable of stabbing someone through the neck with icicles nothing else happened. Being here brought back awful memories but... That was in the past. Things could be different now. Luckily dnner started at five sharp.  So he and Everett only had to make awkward conversation for an hour and a half.

"Harlequin," the deep voice made him shiver and his eyes flicked to his Father. A taller man. Salt and pepper hair. Goatee. Harley quickly flicked his eyes away and looked down at his food, the plate empty. "How are things in Solarta? You know we have mines down there that need looking after if you wanted some extra work to do." He chuckled and Harley smiled awkwardly before looking down and away.

"Things are fine, I'm actually pretty busy taking care of the squad. They're... An interesting bunch."

"Yes," His mother said, wiping her mouth politely with a napkin - which was immediately replaced with a clean one from a maid, " I heard about the Commander losing an arm. Dreadful news." She went back to eating. Didn't ask anything. Didn't ask if Harley knew him. Didn't ask how he was now. Didn't ask anything. Harley watched her for a moment, waiting for anything from her. Nothing. His throat tightened and he looked back down at his meal. Well, the new plate of food. The last course.

Dinner didn't take long, the courses were finished and as usual it had all tasted wonderful. Of course it did. It was strange to think that Yavul's experimental mac and cheese and been better than the chef made meal. Harley was pretty sure they didn't even use the table. Just sat on the floor and ate in front of the tv to watch some movie he'd been deprived of during his childhood. He smiled softly at the memory to himself at his plate.

"Well, goodnight my dears." Harley looked up at his mother at one end of the table, across the table to his brother. She got up, cupped his cheek and gave him a kiss on the head, moved to the other side of the table and kissed Everett just the same. The one dinner ritual he'd missed. The brothers scrunched their noses at one another. His father got up and left the table. Things were different now. They'd never be better though.

"Good Night," He said softly, getting up from the table, smiling over at Everett who nodded. "Good Night, Harlequin." Everett smiled and off he went. Harley sighed and relaxed, getting up and going to his bedroom. Same as ever. Sheets freshly washed. Black and white diamond pattern. The door to his bathroom was open and he looked at it. The bathroom was majestic, the tub sunk into the floor and had steps to get into it. A standing shower in the corner. Tile floor. Harley looked at the bathtub. He hadn't brought the stuff for his scales but... Would that matter? Harley didn't bother getting undressed while he started the bath, pressing a few buttons for it to fill up to the tippy-top. 

Didn't really bother making sure the water was nice and warm with the settings. This seemed like the best solution. Phareen was in Solarta. Everyone was everywhere. His own mother didn't care so... Why would anyone else. It was pity, Harley convinced himself. Harley took the first step into the water, disliking the feeling of wet fabric against his legs. Still in a suit.

The water was cold. Different than keeping himself cool in Solarta. A few more steps. Thighs wet. Just a few more steps and... He could just be a fish. He was already scaly.

Harley frowned, not realizing all he'd been hearing was the rush of his own blood in his ears and the throb of his heartbeat. His hand fumbled in his pocket and he sucked in a breath realizing the rhythmic chirping was from his com. The message sat on the screen, from a Pilot Hugh McConway. Harley gasped and looked around, blinking widely  before he swallowed thickly and sat down on the steps. It sunk him in the water to his chest and his hands trembled.

"Hey, what's up! are you free yet? I miss you. - Hugh "

Harley stared for a moment before he squeezed his eyes shut. Fuck. A glance at the ceiling.

"Yeah, just finished dinner. Was just getting into the bath, I can come meet you at your place if you want a movie buddy or something."

It wasn't an untruth, Harley hit send and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Soaked now. He almost did that. He shifted to sit on the edge of the tub, laying back on the floor to look up at the ceiling. One second later and his com would have been under water in his pocket and then... What?

Harley rolled over and crawled away from the water, heart pounding before he crawled to the toilet to throw up that pristine dinner. Again to laying on the bathroom floor. Eyes on the ceiling. That could have been so stupid. He had so much ahead of him and ... He didn't know why but people seemed to care. They weren't Mother. The one person he craved to acknowledge him. The little kid who'd do anything for her praise and approval.

Again, he was pulled from his thoughts by the rhythmic chime of his com and he rolled over to look at it, eyes burning and feeling awful but...

"8D yaaas! I'll send you the deets and we'll have a movie night! I can't wait. So excited to see you again. - Hugh"

A small smile and he got up on his hands and knees to go change out of his wet suit. Another chime.

"( ˘ ³˘)❤ ( ˘ ³˘)❤ ( ˘ ³˘)❤- Hugh "

Harley gave a chuckle and wiped at his face again before he scrubbed at his cheeks. Well, he had something to do this evening he guessed. Harley looked out the window. The sun had gone down a while ago. And now he had a date. Apparently. He changed into a different suit, wrung out his other one and shoved that into his bag. Harley needed to think. Thinking was good.  Moving to leave the apartment, his brother Everett was at the couch and he smiled at him from his work.

"Not spending the night?" He said softly, putting his tablet down and removing his glasses.

"Nah, got a message from a friend. Gonna meet up with them before I go back to Solarta."

Everett winced slightly and looked away, giving a small nod before he stood up.

"Well, it was nice seeing you Harlequin. Call me if you need anything, okay?" His voice was soft and he tried to smile again before he looked down and away, putting his glasses on and returning to his work.

"Yeah. See you Ev," Harley smiled, sighed and hit the button to call the elevator. The doors slid open and in he walked in, pulling his com out of his jacket pocket.

" Nuclear Ginger okay?- Hugh" 

Harley rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same.

" Ginger like the root? I can't wait."

For the first time in a long time, the elevator didn't make him sick and he waited impatiently for the little chirp of his com to signal a reply. The people in the sky didn't love him. But the people down here did. The ones that tried to get to know him. The ones that... Threw sandwiches at his face and took him to pretty star-projectors whatever that was called. Harley sighed and rubbed at his chest, palm pressed to his heartbeat. The Valkyries. The Hellions.

They were his family. He got it now. Well, the idea of it. The hurt little boy that craved his family's approval was still in there but... He was bigger now. And had the approval of other people. The ones that accepted him for him. Flaws and all. He flicked through his com while he made his way to the Citadel, smiling at Yavul and Grisham's names. Sparrow. Mia. Adele. RazzleRabbit. Even Hannibal's.  He could do better for them.

He just had to choose to and stop letting the choice be made for him.

"I can do that," He said softly to himself, smiling gently when the chirp of another message made his ears flick up.