"Are you okay?"

The words hung in the air, and Tyson slowly opened his salty and bloodied eyes.

"Are you?" Tyson mirrored the question back, struggling to rise from his belly. His muscles and senses flared with pain as he fought against gravity to pull himself back onto his feet. The boy with the strange name, Henryk, still had his hand leveled in front of him.

Tyson's gaze shifted in different directions. They were in the back of Neptune House, the door nearly thrown off its hinges by the wild winds of the setting sun, slamming loudly into the adjacent wall. Tyson wondered how Henryk could see him, and his eyes drew towards the many windows of the house where people were now staring at them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tyson noticed a pair of boys who looked like they were stimming, practically jumping from the excitement of the fight. They waved behind them, and a third friend joined the show. Groups of party girls, sons and daughters of high Neptune nobility, and champions and famous individuals stared upon them.

The alleyway that bordered House Neptune, or rather the halfway, held their garbage cans and recycle boxes, feeling more like a loading dock than an alleyway. There were a couple of cars, older models than expected, but a student did what he had to do.

Henryk sighed, drawing Ty's gaze back to him. Henryk had a few bruises on his form, nothing too severe, but the pain in his voice was palpable. The three other students of House Neptune either lay in exhaustion or passed out from the fury of the fight. Henryk had gone to each one, freeing them from Tyson's assailants. The injuries made Henryk want to keel over, his eyes stinging with tears, but he shook the thought away.

Tyson rose slowly with Henryk's help, their hands clasped upon each other. Henryk released his hold to wipe debris from his pants, and with a sigh, he began walking. Tyson followed after him.

"Hey, where are you going?" Tyson questioned.

Henryk didn't turn back, maintaining his pace forward as bruises started appearing across his features.

"Hey," Tyson called out, quickly storming in front of Henryk, effectively cutting him off.

Henryk paused in his stride, raising his gaze towards Tyson. In that moment, Ty saw the anger and pain etched into Henryk’s face, still bearing the bug-eyed adrenaline that flowed through his veins.

"What do you want?" Henryk questioned.

Tyson paused, exhaling a sigh. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

Henryk stared at him in silence, prompting Tyson to continue. "People don’t do that. Not for us, not for mutants."

Henryk slowly shook his head, then locked eyes with Tyson. "Why did you do that?" Tyson asked again.

Henryk clenched his teeth, wrestling with the decision. He knew he didn't owe Ty anything, but for a moment, a sense of kinship crept in. Perhaps someone like Tyson could understand the weight of being a reject, of harboring a hidden truth. Henryk's thoughts wandered to the cluster belt and his recent foray into powers and oddities beyond his usual realm.

His mind replayed memories of House Neptune, a place that started out fine but soon revealed its peculiarities. The odd house where everyone seemed uniform, and those who stood out were relegated to less favorable roles. It reeked of racial undertones, yet in the post-Xeno wars era, discussions of colored racism or superiority had dwindled.

Due to his birth circumstances, Henryk suspected he descended from Indi stock. But it wasn't that straightforward. His features were a blend of various influences, with dark blue eyes, messy curly black hair, and medium tan skin. He pondered the uncertainty of his lineage, realizing he could have roots in ancient Africa, the Middle East, or perhaps his father hailed from one of the core worlds. The son who knew his father through his greatest achievement grappled with his inability to comprehend the man and his journey, faults, and trials that led to that pinnacle.

A fleeting memory of his mother's words surfaced in Henryk's mind. In the vast expanse of the universe, humans, no matter their origin or advancements, found ways to discriminate based on ideology, race, or creed. Even as they spread through the stars, humans clung to hatred for the unknown. Now, Henryk understood why he intervened.

He sighed. "They were ganging up on you, three on one, and I’d be damned to let some crap like that slide."

Tyson stared at him, a silent pause enveloping the two men until Tyson broke it.

"Who are you?" Tyson questioned, snorting. "A real weirdo to be helping a freak like me."

"Hey," Henryk replied, but Tyson chuckled heavily. Blushing with embarrassment, Henryk turned a corner with Tyson following after him.

“My name is Henryk,”

“Henry?” repeated Tyson. “That’s a pretty rare name, haven’t met a dude named Henry in years.”

“No,” spoke Henryk. “Henryk, there is a K at the end.”

It took a second for Tyson to realize, and then he chuckled. Henryk noticed something interesting about Tyson during their walk – he was one who always smiled.

“Rare name still.” There was a point at which Ty paused, almost like a sign of resignation arose from him. Yet, it faded away, leaving a lingering sadness etched into it.

“What’s your name?” Henryk asked.

Ty smiled. “It’s Tyson, but people just call me Ty for short.”

Henryk nodded as the pair of boys started to walk down the street together. They waded within silence through the crowd of students. There were fewer people than when Henryk had originally arrived, but there was a static to the night air.

“You know there’s meant to be a party tonight?” Tyson raised.

Henryk raised an eyebrow. “A party?” He looked around and realized it. He turned his gaze forward and saw a group of people. They bore the brown of Pluto. No, Henryk shook his head, Pluto was an all-male body. Brown was of Earth, humanity’s birthplace.

Henryk watched as they hollered drunkenly. There were five in the group; some tried to hide that they were already drunk, while others screamed and were puking to the side. “Lucky bastards,” spoke Ty. “They can actually party and enjoy the mini break before classes. Damn it, I really need to find a house.”

Ty turned his gaze towards Henryk. “Henryk, why are you still houseless?”

Henryk turned to Ty, and maybe it was the confusion upon his features, but Ty stared at him. “You were in Neptune for hours, Henryk. You have to understand people were waiting out there for hours, and then you show up for like thirty minutes, beat the crap out of someone, and Logan of Neptune himself personally escorts you into the building. That’s insane,” Ty commented with pride and astonishment laced into his voice.

Henryk stared at Tyson for a moment. “Didn’t realize that it was that big of a deal,” said Henryk.

“It’s a major deal,” retorted Tyson, eyeing up Henryk. “That accent of yours, it’s got me thinking that you’re from the frontier.”

“Deep frontier,” Henryk cemented. “…and before you ask, I’ve talked to quite a bit of people, and yes, I know I hardly know my shit when it comes to the universe.”

Tyson sighed. “It’s not that big of a deal. Look, when you get the time out of all of this…”

Henryk rolled his eyes. “You really assume that we’re going to get out of this,”

Tyson continued. “…I'm just saying, open up a couple of your house's books. Whether it’s Neptune, Mercury, or Mars, you have to learn about the people you are serving and surrounding yourself with. Learning their culture, adhering to their traditions, becoming part of a bigger being. That is what it means to serve not only your Planet Lord but also your emperor.”

The words visually pained Tyson to form and came out cold.

Henryk stared at him for a moment, nodding along. He sighed, unsure of what to make of Tyson’s words. They strangely mirrored his own thoughts and opinions, but perhaps it was the way they were said.

Tyson spoke of it like it was something to be ashamed of, but Henryk did not see anything wrong with it. Wasn’t that the path he wanted to take, to gain the experience he needed and set out upon the stars? Whether as a mercenary, working for a Planet Lord, or even just fighting as a foot soldier. It didn’t matter to him whom he served; rather, if they provided him the means to care for those back home.

Because, in the end, when all else fails, family was all they ever had in this cruel universe. Maybe, just maybe, that was the reason why Henryk would grow to hate the Emperor so harshly. But to hate is to love, and to love is to hate. Henryk did not realize it then, but the coming tribulations would awaken the violence within him.

Henryk paused to say something, to speak, but the words he was looking for were in his head, and he refused to speak them. Instead, he opted out. “Sure.”

The simple word caused Tyson himself to pause, but he coughed into his fist, and they kept on going. From a young age, Henryk knew that talk of the emperor, lords, and especially higher-ups was a big no-no.

His mind whirled to a simple memory. Young, maybe eight or nine. His mother held him tight, as well as his little sisters, as the planetary head whipped a stealing beggar. Another boy, a couple of years older than him. He could remember the sound of whip against flesh, and there was a point to it all that the planetary head stated that he lost control, and the boy ended up dead. Shockingly, they replaced him with a new head, and he was arrested.

Henryk did not know what was plaguing him so to be thinking so much. “So, Henryk, where are you planning on going?”

Henryk shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really know. I am not too keen on finding a nice isolated place to sleep, thank you very much. Maybe,” Henryk paused and saw the faint lights of the diminishing sun still playing along the edges of the sky. “Maybe, there is still a chance to turn this opportunity into gold.”

“Into gold?” Ty repeated.

“Think about it,” Henryk whirled excitedly to Tyson. “This is the first real party of the semester. Think about it; there will probably be a good chance of networking with the houses. Maybe, I can throw around what I did at the cluster belt.”

Tyson, almost like light bulbs appearing in his eyes, spoke. “You still haven’t told me about what happened at Neptune?”

Henryk grew silent, his hand instinctively moving to the back of his head. “I...I didn’t get in,”

Tyson paused at that, and a smirk crept onto his face. “Well, it is what it is,” he sighed. “Sure, don’t get me wrong, it sucks, but like you…”

“Tyson, it’s not that,” Henryk interrupted, scrunching his eyes together. “I do not even know why I am telling you this.”

Ty shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe it’s because we’re both a bunch of rejects today.”

Henryk shot him a look, and Tyson instantly started to sputter and stammer. “Woah,” he backpedaled. “I-I wasn’t…I meant that you aren’t a mutant, but that today you are a reject. I am a mutant so the L is always on me, I guess.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Tyson forced a smile, but Henryk only shook his head. “I am not angry,” said Henryk.

Tyson calmed down, and Henryk’s mind whirled at what Tyson had said. “Two rejects,” Henryk whispered to himself, sighing. There was kinship here. Even though Tyson did not realize it, Henryk knew.

They found themselves around a corner. The campus road was relatively sparse, and there were hardly any people around. Sounds of partying and revelry echoed on both sides, but for now, they could speak.

Henryk groaned, but that groan trailed along his voice and turned into a sigh. “It’s not 'it is what it is,' especially when your family needs you. Especially if you had the chance to have everything, would you be willing to give something very important up?”

Ty paused at that. “That’s a pretty heavy question.”

“Yep,” Henryk simply replied.

Ty paused for another moment, taking a minute before he turned to Henryk to speak. “No, I don’t think I would,” said Ty.

Henryk, for a moment, parted his lips in shock, then a smile formed. That unknown kinship; for a moment, he had wavered in his decision. Perhaps, it was selfish. Sure, the weirdness and possible racial tensions of House Neptune. If he dealt with it, they could change his life.

“Why do you ask?” Ty spoke.

Henryk sneered and shook his head. “That bastard, Logan of Neptune,” he paused to take a breath. “He’s a real prick, you know. He was seeing you getting wailed on, and he was laughing at you, bringing up this racial hierarchy crap, and I was sick of it. I told him off and ran to help you.”

Ty paused and looked towards Neptune, and Henryk, for a moment, forgot what Ty was experiencing. He had waited on that line with him. He had wanted to be a part of those eager halls and promises of what Neptune could offer.

Henryk eyed him for a moment. He was a mutant, and he had seen others within the stock of the houses. Some scattered bore houses, but they bore patches of strange designs that noted their other, more important statuses. However, many more were houseless.

Henryk wondered if they knew, the other sanctioned wizards. Sure, he was probably trained better than others, but some of these guys probably had tutors.

“That’s it?” Tyson spoke. “It’s a hell of a reason, but…”

“They asked for my father’s WarCasket evisceration weapon,” Henryk spoke honestly.

Tyson paused at that, and Henryk saw the reserve in his eyes. Tyson looked at him. “I understand fully.”

“Really?” Questioned Henryk. “I don’t know, I feel relieved but…”

“Henryk, are you a fool?” Ty chuckled at the question. “Those weapon designs have been lost, and it’s a damn miracle to restore them. That was something from your father, your blood, your family. There is an honor in that, and honestly, it seems like you didn’t really like Neptune.”

Henryk paused at that. “They were still a real weird lot.”

“Well, from the way it sounds, they seem like they're a bunch of anti-mutant pricks,” Spoke Ty.

Henryk shook his head. “Yeah, maybe, but it felt different,” Henryk didn’t know what to make of it; he felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t really know how to gauge it.

Ty threw him a questioning glance. And Henryk sighed as he explained. “It’s just there was this weird guy and the way that Logan spoke to me a couple of times. Sure, the president was alright, but that guy was a bit off.”

Henryk thought about him for a moment. “They all bore blond hair and porcelain skin, and the only ones working were people of color.”

Henryk raised his hand, catching the fading light. He eyed the nicks and contours of his right hand and the dark tan of it. “My mother never knew where my father truly was from. I know he was from Earth, but the continents are many. A knight errant told me that in his opinion he could’ve come from the Middle East, South America, or even certain parts of old Europe.”

Ty rubbed the back of his neck. Henryk continued. “It’s just, I don’t know, that guy with the buzz cut felt like he just hated me,” Henryk paused, his hand going towards his chest as he felt his breath rise and fall. He tried to keep himself steady, but the days prior events started to reel into him.

The save from the cluster belt was clutch, but it worked, then the ramifications of what Edward was and the choosing. He had been sleeping in a park for two days. There was a public bathroom system, but no one dared to enter the showers. Henryk’s clothing was spotty and getting grimy and dirty. He felt sticky within his skin.

His breath came out hurried. “I felt it, killing intent,” Spoke Henryk in a fevered breath. Ty approached him and rose an outstretched hand.

After the alien came and battled humanity, hatred towards other humans was focused on the new threat, and for a time, that hatred, even after their extinction, still lingered in the form of the mutant.

However, there were pockets of some that believed another man’s skin or creed defined their existence. Sure, they were the minority now upon humanity's domination of the stars. Yet, the minority could always appear in the positions of the top.

Ty rose to speak. “Henryk,” Ty rose to speak, but Henryk was gone, and a frenzy emerged.

Henryk spoke, and the words came out rushed and hurried, and he felt like he was going to be upon tears. “When I was younger, there were these bandits that surrounded my colony when it was real small. They came in packs of three and descended upon us, there was a time in which…”

Henryk brought his eyes to a close, and a memory appeared within his mind's eye. His small hands covered in the grime of red carnage. Woods surrounding him as limbless men of claws descended upon him and his sister. He could remember the way she clutched to him, the tears filling his eyes as the purple ghastly shadows moved towards them. His hand clutched the revolver, outstretched, and he opened his eyes as the shot echoed within the present.

Henryk let out a bone-chilling exhale of breath. “Let’s just say, I know a thing or two about reading when someone or something is out to kill me.”

Tyson paused at that, and Henryk for a moment felt horrible for doing that to him. But Tyson smiled and nodded. “Well then you got a point about this place,” Tyson paused. “This place is not a normal school.” He said.

Henryk and him were both silent, and the air was tense. The wind hitched along their ears, and the impending semester hung heavy. Classes haven’t even started, and they were dealing with their first assignment that could get them expelled. He had till the end of the week, or he’d have failed.

“This assignment is bullshit, Henryk,” Tyson stated.

Henryk nodded.

“…and we’re still going through with it.” Tyson spat.

Henryk paused, and there was hesitation within his lips. “They are trying to…”

“Weed out the weak from the strong?” Spat Tyler at the inquiry. “Yeah right, I am getting real sick of this shit, Henryk. I know that you're not a mutant, but you’ve done right by me and I don’t forget my debts.”

“What are you going to do?” Asked Henryk.

Tyson paused, and he contemplated, but he turned to Henryk. He shook his head as he drew his attention to the floor. “I am a damn mutant, Henryk,” He snapped. “I ain’t no pretty one either, and all I’ve got is my strength and my abilities as a pilot.” He spat out the words.

His fingers rolled into fists as he eyed Henryk. “They won’t do a damn interview with me for shit. Neptune is a bunch of anti-mutant pricks, Earth told me that they have a damn list for mutants to join and I’d be at the bottom. And I’ve heard that Venus House does a bunch of weird stuff to their mutants.”

“Weird stuff?” Questioned Henryk.

Tyson paused at that. Henryk chuckled. “Come on now, you’ve got to tell me.”

Ty put his hands together, but Henryk continued. “Dude, come on,”

Tyson sighed. “I don’t really know. You hear, I mostly know things from hearsay from the other mutants and undesirables at the academy.”

“You lot all stick together like a crew,” Bantered Henryk.

Tyson chuckled at that. “Yeah, we’re a real tight band of fellows and rejects,”

They both enjoyed a hearty laugh at that. Tyson interrupted it as he spoke. “A guy told me that he went into there. Honestly, I was thinking of joining the house too,”

“…and this is before you figured this out?” Henryk commented.

Ty nodded. “So, this guy, he basically goes into the house and he states that this thing looked really nice. He stated that it was like a manor inside,”

“A manor?” Henryk repeated in disbelief. “I thought it was all dorm houses.”

“No,” Said Ty plainly. “Some of the houses don’t have dorms because they usually have a selective number of people in their dorms at times. I know that House Mars and Venus do it, but those are the more secretive houses.”

“Let me continue,” Spoke Ty. “Basically, he went in there, and they were doing all these weird tests on him. He has gill mutations, and he was telling me that they’re a weird lot. They touched him all over, played with his gills and his willy. Pushed the fucker off of him and ran through the house nude, and he saw this real strange mural.”

“Mural?” Henryk repeated. “That’s funny, you know that House Neptune got a mural. Got some old guy on a WarCasket.”

However, Henryk paused for a moment, his mind went towards the mural. And for a moment he…

Tyson chuckled at that. “Well, you’ll love to hear about the mural then for Venus. Weird lot, they had this weird thing inside of their house. From his eyes and words, he stated that they were doing a lot of weird stuff in that.”

“Weird stuff?” Repeated Henryk

Tyson eyed him. “Things that the ten abhorrents forbid,”

The air grew eerie along the cusp of their conversations. “I know you’re a hick from the frontier, but you must know of the abhorrants.”

“Of course,” Henryk replied. “My momma taught them to me as a boy.”

“So did mine,” Tyson said. “He stated that the mural depicted strange acts and figures. Within the mural, there was this three-headed snake, a basilisk…he called it. It slithered around and ate itself and the other heads, but the mural depicted the snake crying out in joy. Then, there were people around it. They were the worst he said, they were naked, man and woman. They were…fornicating together around the snake and he said that there was blood, fires, and weaponry. Some even making their own holes inside of the snake to…”

Henryk's voice cut through the disturbing descriptions. “Jesus Christ, enough,” he snapped. “I don’t need all that information. Just a bunch of freaky art people,” he spat.

“Yeah, a bunch of freaky art people, and they're one of the only ones willing to take a mutant,” Tyson replied, the words escaping like venom. He turned away briefly in frustration.

“These houses, this damn universe. Ever since I started showing mutation, I’ve been persecuted my whole life. Now, when I'm in a place where my skills should matter and be shown, they won’t even give me a damn chance to even show my face.”

Tyson clenched his fists, then seemed to find a calmer annoyance. “Henryk,” he said, calling out his name. “What’s your opinion of Mars?”

Henryk turned, arms wrapped around himself. “Why do you ask?”

“You worked with Ed,” Ty said. “…and you are different.”

“Different?” Henryk questioned.

“Yes, different,” Ty repeated. “You defended me when I needed it. You still didn’t give me an answer except kinship, but there is more…”

“Listen, Ty,” Henryk cut him off, stepping forward. He grasped a fundamental truth now.

They all needed to shine. To attract desirable attention to stand out, and within this attention, they would be inducted into one of the houses. He'd tried with Neptune and failed. Yet, his reputation still glimmered. Tyson knew it, and he was a stranger until today. He could use this. Yet, there was something else. Something that people would scorn him for. A tool, a skill that could mark him as an adept. With proper training, maybe he could make something of himself.

“Whatever you hear and see, I want you to know that I helped you today because you are another person. It was wrong for them to hurt you because you are a mutant. You didn’t choose this, and it’s wrong for the empire to allow this. That is why…”

Henryk paused, and Tyson looked at him.

“I was beside Ed, and he did not hesitate to follow me to save Sirine. He enjoyed it, but he was pivotal and risked his own life to save her. That was a leader. Stella, the leader of Neptune, stated that if the house we joined were enemies, she wouldn’t hesitate to scorn me.”

Tyson paused, his gaze locking onto Henryk’s.

“I am a Martian.”

Henryk stammered, and Tyson studied him. The weight of the harsh words—abhorrent, traitor, disgraced—echoed in Henryk's mind. He, burdened with the right hand of the emperor, conversing with another like Ed who concealed his identity.

As a loyal, conditioned servant of the empire, Henryk's jaw locked, his fingers coiling into fists. But then, he stopped, a sudden calm settling upon him.

Tyson looked at him and spoke, "You're an alright bunch, Henryk. So, I'll be honest with you. Are you familiar with the loopholes of being accepted into a house?"

Henryk shook his head in response.

"If you are accepted into the academy, you can join a house if you originate from it. There are sometimes restrictions, but House Mars has the lowest roster. I have my…" Tyson hesitated but continued, "I have what I need to be a full member, and I know that they need all they can get, especially now. They'll take me begrudgingly."

He spoke the words with a smile, but then sighed, "I wanted a life in one of the nice core worlds. Mars is practically an irradiated pit. Oh well, mercenary work was always an option to begin with," Tyson said.

"So, you're just going to give up?" Henryk asked, the anger laced within his voice evident.

"Henryk, this is getting a bit ridiculous," Tyson replied.

Tyson raised his hand towards the houses. "My mother passed away recently, and my father died when Mars fell," he hesitated at the words, but pressed on, "My mother was a scribe; she knew the intricacies of Martian culture and imparted said wisdom onto me. All that wisdom is currency now. Sure, I don't really know well the house of the academy, but I know enough of the culture and enough of the Knights of Mars to know the type of weird stuff they're getting up to."

Henryk rolled his eyes. "More weird stuff," he said.

Tyson smirked. "I'll take that weird stuff rather than the type of stuff that Venus is on."

It earned a laugh from Henryk as Tyson slowly started to walk away. He spoke in a wave, "See you next time, and unlike Stella, I hope we'll be able to stay either good acquaintances even though I align with Mars."

"Likewise, Tyson," spoke Henryk.

Tyson turned to walk away, but hesitation laced his movements. He paused and turned back to face Henryk.

"Henryk, you really are something else, you know that."

"This is meant to be a compliment?" asked Henryk.

Tyson shrugged his shoulders. "It is what it is, but you've really impressed me. After all the stuff you've had to deal with, you've shown candor and kindness."

Henryk waved it off with a smile. "It's fine," he spoke.

As Ty began to walk away, Henryk was left standing, the echoes of their conversation resonating within him. His mind churned with the words that had been exchanged, Ty's laughter echoing through the space, until it was replaced by a profound silence.

But in that silence, Henryk was met with the warmth of Ty's gaze, a gaze that felt like it was burrowing into his soul. "You are different than other men, Henryk," Ty said.

"Probably stupider," Henryk retorted, a self-deprecating quip.

Ty shook his head, his steps leading him further away. Even at a distance, his voice carried back to Henryk, a soft yet resolute tone. "A different mind is not a stupid mind, Henryk. It is because you think differently, that you act differently. That makes you unreadable... and that is a strength."

Henryk watched Ty's figure fade into the distance, contemplating the weight of those words. Part of him yearned to delve deeper into that conversation, to unravel the thoughts Ty had stirred within him. Logan's talks of honor, mirrored now by Ty's insight, resonated within him, resonated within House Mars.

The two boys diverged, each walking their own path, Ty acknowledging his Martian heritage with reluctance, while Henryk ventured towards the party, a gathering that seemed to carry the weight of destiny. Unbeknownst to them, their fates were destined to interweave and converge on this coming night.