Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil tourist

Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. End of 3rd Claw

Excited to get walking again, and try some good food, I took the lead and navigated to the Cafe.

The reactions to us walking down the street seemed to be very mixed. While the towering humans and even taller Tarlim were rather conspicuous, it seemed everyone could tell we were a Herd, and simply moved around us. I was thankful to see fewer venlil crossing the busy street.

Valek walked between Maeve and I while Jacob and Tarlim took up the rear. I watched busy shuttles fly through the spires when Valek brushed my shoulder.

“How’re you holding up Stormcloud? We had a heavy conversation back there.”

I flapped my ears to show my good mood, “It was… stressful. Locked up a couple times. But I think I’m feeling better now. Thank you, Valek.”

My tail tapped his back in thanks while we continued walking. My left eye drifted over Valek’s shape as I watched his purposeful steps, and I saw his happiness as he talked to Maeve. I was glad that I could see him so happy…

Even if it wasn’t because of me.

“... Well on Earth, most of our cities are subdivided into grids. Combine that with manufacturing not liking curves, and most of our structures are really boxy…” I caught Maeve out of the corner of my eye brushing through Valek’s crown, when a deeper voice asked from behind us,

“By the way, are you two mated?”

I stop in my tracks and Tarlim stumbles to keep from bowling me over. No! Could he tell?! Maeve can’t know about… Oh, no, what if it's for them! What if the Program takes her away?!

Maeve and Valek stop barely a pace ahead of me, and look back to stare at Tarlim. Valek put on a mask of confusion, but I saw his scruff flaring, and Maeve was as unreadable as always, under her burka.

Tarlim regains his balance and backs away from me, before noticing Valek’s conflicted signals, “W-Well, you’re always signaling a deep fondness when you speak to each other. I wanted to congratulate the happy couple!” And his ears focused on me while his eyes stayed on Valek.

Oh, No.

I could feel tears welling in my eyes. Am I really so obvious? Were we?

I heard Maeve’s voice ask with uncertainty, “Wait, you think they’re…”

Her shoulders sagged as I could feel her eyes bore into me.

Tarlim’s fur began to rise in worry. “They move together like my parents would when we went out to eat! He always puts himself between me and her, which I see couples do all the time when I’m running errands.” He started to relax, “Like you’re doing right now, Valek.”

He was right. Valek was holding his arms out between me and Tarlim. I thought about when we spun and laughed in the kitchen, and when he kissed my snout. I thought about a life with Valek, a small ray of hope that maybe it could work.

But… Valek looked at his arms and lowered his ears in shame. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to act like you’re a threat… again.”

“Yeah! They make such a cute couple!” Maeve’s voice called from just above Valek, but I could hear the smallest tremor behind it. “We, uh… we didn’t want to announce anything before they were ready. You know how relationships can be…” Her arm crossed over her chest, and she placed her back to the wall.

“No,” Tarlim flicked his ears in the negative. “Not really.” His eyes suddenly began to squint. “Why are you hiding something?” My heart fell to my feet as I watched Maeve sink into herself. Valek’s body was a trembling display of a dozen conflicting emotions and signals, simply devolving into ‘panic’.

I watched Jacob take a step toward Maeve, and lay a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch. “Hey. It’s ok. You’re not the only one.”

I grimaced along with my herd as Tarlim looked between the three of us. “The only… oh!”. He didn’t seem to know what to say. I didn’t know what to say. Was he judging us? Thinking we were weird? I really wish I knew what he was thinking. “Hey, Jacob. Do they need to be warned about Space Herpes?”

Okay… maybe I didn’t wish to know…

Jacob let out a noise as if he was spitting something, seeming to be amused at the comment. “Ha! You- you! Ha! Of course ya heard that with those ears of yers.”

Valek’s fur started to level while his tail twitched in confusion and mumbled, “Space herpes?”

Jacob brought his focus back to Maeve, “You’re fine. I don’t know what the UN would think of this, but I ain’t gonna let them know. I think you two look very happy together.”

Jacob turned to face me and belted another hearty laugh, setting the surrounding populace stumbling, “You’re not even the only thruple! Though Kaeden wasn’t so… attached.”

I couldn’t keep myself from giving a squeaky gurgle, my phlegm thickening from my grief as I was reminded of what I couldn’t have. Valek turned back to see me, before speaking to Jacob, “No, it’s… it’s just Maeve and I. She chose me, and I chose her, and nothing will change that.” Maeve met his eyes and just a little life returned to her, “Alvi is… Alvi is my best friend. She was the first to accept me and Maeve. She has done so much to help us. She’s… she’s like family to us.”

I watched Maeve breathe a sigh of relief as her sight wandered over the crowd and up the building, before meeting mine, and her stance slacked. She let go of her shoulder and raised her arm to me.

I ran into her arms and buried my face in her chest, coughing and hacking as I held back my sobs. “Like family.” She sighed, as her hand ran over the fur on my back.

Family. Family is enough. I can stay with them, and they won’t push me away. They won’t. They told me they love me, and I trust them.

Love you like family. Not like- Shut Up!!

Maeve lifted me from the ground and held my weight with her good arm, while my own arm slung over her shoulder. Turning to Jacob and Tarlim in turn, she sniffed before speaking in an even tone,

“I’m sorry you guys had to see that. The three of us are going to need to have a conversation, but I learned the hard way that these things shouldn’t be decided on an empty stomach. Would you like to join us at the Cafe? It should be just ‘round the corner, if I remember right.”

Good. Anything but this. The cafe was as good as anything to distract us! I watched as Tarlim crouched to enter the restaurant with Jacob an-

“PREDATORS!!!”

Maeve quickly stepped aside from the door and we huddled against the wall to avoid the small stream of people now fleeing the cafe.

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Jacob poked his visored head back out of the door, watching the herd scatter into the city. “Bit rude. Didn’t even get to introduce myself.”

“You get used to it!” Tarlim sounded a bit annoyed. “At least some of the staff stuck around.”

“Oh! And the Greeter, as well!” Jacob marched up to a venlil behind a podium that stood frozen, a holonote held by their ear. “Howdy there! We have been informed of the wonderful service of this establishment and wish to sample the wonders of your cooking!” He then took a much less dramatic pose. “Table for…” Jacob looked back at Tarlim, “eight, please.”

“C’mon man, I’m not that fluffy!”

The three of us giggled at the banter, while the Venlil at the podium stood shivering. Valek stepped up and spoke softly. “Hey there miss, look at me. Just me.” Her ears snapped onto him, though kept Jacob and Tarlim in her sight, “That’ll do. What’s your name, miss?”

“Th-Th-...” She tried to breath, but just hyperventilated, “Th-Th-Thee… Th-Thesh-sh-sh-shie”

“Good claw, Theshie! Thank you for not bolting. We would like to order a couple of those big bowls of Wenshifa you have painted on the window. Can we have a big table for our big guests, please?”

Valek flipped his ears in affirmation, which the greeter copied automatically, before turning around and walking to a larger table in the center-back of the restaurant. Maeve set me down and I found my own seat, watching Tarlim weave between the hanging lights hung at regular intervals.

I looked around at the restaurant, taking in its more modern design which made use of foreign woods and metal fixings, making it look pleasantly rustic. The overall darker lighting and tinted windows kept the temperature comfortably cool, and I for one was thankful the sidewalk couldn’t see in.

“Good response there, Valek,” I heard Tarlim say as he curled up into a seat. “Have you and Alvi had to deal with many people like that?”

“Well I had to deal with Alvi.” Valek chuckled, and I lashed my tail across his snout, “But yeah, sticking around Maeve you learn some tricks. The ones who stay are always the easiest. I’m just glad no one has been more… direct yet.”

I found my voice before Valek could tease me again, “You said you two were getting an apartment? Where are you staying?”

“In the Apartment Complex,” Tarlim responded, “what about you three? You hadn’t heard about me, so you can’t be from here. You acting as tourists?”

My tail swayed amiably, “Yeah, we’re staying with Valek’s family in The Grove. We were able to get a ride here since it's ‘culturally significant’ and Integration is all about that!”

“Integration?” Jacob asked.

“Valek can tell you about that.” I bumped his shoulder. But his attention was on the counter between us and the kitchen. A poor Harchen was being shoved out the door and pointed towards us by what looked to be a manager.

The Harchen tried to walk back into the kitchen, before being shoved out and knocked to the floor, the swinging doors behind them blocked by something. The harchen shifted through a full rainbow of color before settling on a terrified purple and started to walk in our direction.

“Oh that poor baby…” Maeve sang quietly, as they stumbled up to us.

On her approach, Maeve and Jacob found an absolutely fascinating mark in the center of the table to stare at, while Valek and I swayed our tails in welcome. “H-H-H-HELLO!” They squeaked, and cleared their throat, “Hello, and welcome to B-B-BowlEve! Where you will never BowlEve our cooking. How can we serve us-”

It went pale under its scales as they turned yellow in an attempt to blend into the painted walls, “YOU! You! How can we serve you… this meal…?”

All five of us lightly laughed; at the gaff or the terrible name, who can say. I couldn’t even be sure if the play on words translated for the humans. But the shivering Harchen stayed put and waited for our order.

“You have fresh Stringfruit, right?” Tarlim leaned down towards the reptile, signaling peace and calm. “As part of the Wenshifa?”

“S-S-Stringfruit shreds in a sweet wood broth seasoned with savory spice leaf and nightberry... Y-yes.” She rattled out in a blur while fumbling with the pad in her hands. “And the… p-predators?”

Tarlim wagged his tail. “Oh, the Stringfruit is for them! But everyone knows that it’s better fresh.”

I had to feel some amusement at how shocked the Harchen looked at that statement. “Th-them? They… they eat… plants??”

“Yep!” Jacob barked, “best is plucking a tomato right off the vine an’ eatin’ it right there! Oh, and bring out a firefruit! Those things’re delicious!”

Maeve’s face snapped to Jacob’s, “You eat those things raw?! Oh my god, you're such a Texan.” She gestured her head back to the Harchen. “My favorite are the Starberries! I love the sweet, and the minty chill.”

The Harchen stood in confused silence, her eyes shifting between the five of us. Seizing on its moment of confusion, I piped up, “Well, I know I like stringfruit so I would like an order of the Wenshifa, please!”

And Valek spoke up after, “I will have the spiced Bunt salad, with Juicefruit dressing, please?”

“Wenshifa with extra Stringfruit.” Tarlim stated.

“Ah heard Valek say that was what was painted on the window,” Jacob added, “it would be a shame if Ah didn’t try a signature dish. ‘Wooly soup’ fer me as well!”

We all paused and stared at the human. Wooly soup? What violations did the translator go through to give that?

Maeve was the next to order, “C’mon Jacob, if you’re going to live here the least you could do is learn the language. I would love the Wenshifa, please.”

My tail flicked in pride, and Valek’s in time with mine, when Maeve enunciated her whistling in perfect tone.

The Harchen stood stunned holding her stylus, the rest of us falling silent. Tarlim leaned on the table, his ears flicking up in amusement. “If you think that’s impressive, check out how he pronounces our city.”

Jacob cleared his throat. “Aharoreel.”

My ears shot up in surprise, and I wasn’t the only one. Maeve called in mock jealousy, “Hey, I’m still having a hard time with the Aharo sound!”

While Jacob chuckled at his prowess, the Harchen could have swallowed a Twilight Plum with how far her jaw dropped.

Tarlim wagged. “They are very impressive, aren’t they?” He then leaned down towards the Harchen conspiratorially, “and if you want, you can tell your manager we demanded to see them. We could give him a proper scare for hitting you in the face with that door. That looked like it hurt.”

The tip of their tail curled in mischief, and she took a moment to answer, “... I really shouldn’t…”

Tarlim flicked his ears happily, “Invitation stands! Did you get our order?”

She jumped in surprise, and I noticed her coloring returned to a neutral green, “Oh! Uh.. 4 stringbowls, a side of string, a side of fire, and one sweet and salty salad?”

All five of us gave our affirmative at the order, and with a final bow, the Harchen hurried off to the kitchen, looking more like the rush of a job rather than the rush of fear.

“She’s cute.” Jacob commented.

“Oh not you, too!” Tarlim exclaimed, while the rest of us burst out in boisterous laughter. “Okay, okay,” he moved to calm us, “but seriously, you three came here as tourists, right?”

Valek calmed himself and answered, “Right! Yeah we heard about the Arcade and wanted to celebrate Maeve’s new apartment. If you’re from around here, do you have any suggestions on things to do? Our handler got us a week at the Setting Sun.”

Tarlim scratched his chin and his ears swiveled in thought. “Well, you already know about the Gravity Arcade. I’m certain you haven’t done all it has to offer. There is the creek park, the sun is in a good position for a romantic view…”

Valek’s tail twitched at that.

Family. Like Family.

“...though if you want something informative, there’s the Art Museum, the Museum of Federation Sciences, and the Natural History Museum. That last one goes a good bit into how we lived before we had proper civilization. Dawn Creek as a place people live is surprisingly old!”

“Sounds like we got the full week filled! Thank you Ta-”

“E-excuse me,” a voice said, interrupting our conversation. It was a grey Venlil wearing an apron. “I-I am the m-manager. Y-y-you wanted t-to see m-me?”

All five heads snapped to the sniveling abuser, but it was Tarlim’s looming glare that stole the show.