Upon Vestia: Chapter Nineteen

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(Day 11 I think)

Danika sighed and nodded, glad he wasn't still too mad. "Bad wolf-people make dad mad"

Asher smiled softly. "I don't think they're bad, they're just... very different. Kay sees things one way, they see things another. They have the same sickness he does so the full moon makes them angry too."

Danika tilted her head, listening to Asher, but she didn't believe him "Same sickness? Why?"

"It's complicated," Asher said. He didn't really think he could explain the complexities of lycanthropy to a week-old hatchling. "Somehow they all got that sickness, and so they all get angry easily around the full moon." He petted her head with a fingertip, "The good news is, in a few days they'll all be back to normal."

Danika sighed and settled on his hand, relaxing against him. She didn't like that Kay got mad so easily or that the others did too.

"Third?" Luka looked confused, and then wary as she tentatively reached out to take the pendant. Clearly she didn't trust Third. "His idea?" Nope, was not processing. That creature wasn't nice and it sure as heck wasn't thoughtful. "t.. thank you?" She looked confusedly down at the pendant, turning it over in her hands.

Poor Danika, having Kay disappear like this, after all that rage, had to be hard for her to make sense of. Still, she was doing pretty well, all things considered. "He'll be back soon," he told her gently, "And he'll be so happy to see you."

Moone nodded and smiled at Luka "Well, it was his idea to give you something to cheer you up when he came to me to cheer me up." She shrugged at that. "After reading I figured you might like that, so I made it for you. You do like it, don't you? Or would you rather of had one of the mirrors?" Yeah, she was proud of what she had made

~~
Danika hummed at that, she wanted to see Kay again, even if he was mad, but Asher and Starr wouldn't allow that, so she had to stay here with them. "When soon?"

Asher considered that. Assuming the full moon wasn't influencing Kay here on Vestia, the effects of it should wear off before too long, right? The magic made things less predictable, of course, but still, it probably wasn't going to last. Unless he shifted, in which case Kay was going to be exhausted and sleep like a rock tomorrow... Hmm. "He might be better tomorrow, but I'm not sure," he said after a few moments.

well, that was not good "No see Kay-dad today?" Danika asked with as close to a pout as she could get. She was already used to spending the days with Kay and liked that. "Stay with Asher-dad?"

Aww, poor kid. "You'll have to wait to see him, I'm sorry," Asher told her. "You can stay with me if you want for a while, or you can stay with Starr and your siblings." He did want to check on Kay as well, but here was a disappointed little dragon who wanted company, and that was at least as important. After all, Kay could look after himself just fine, even if his temper was a bit more frayed than usual. Danika couldn't. He should fuss over her first.

Danika looked up at Asher then stood, moving up hid arm to take her place on his shoulder and curl around his neck a little. Well, that was one way to answer. If she couldn't have one dad, she would take the other

Asher smiled affectionately at Danika. It sure must be weird having three parents to choose from.

Ellie glanced up from the other dragons, eyeing Asher oddly. She wasn't sure a rogue android should be near kids. Yeesh. She looked to Starr questioningly. This couldn't be okay, could it?

Luka smiled softly. "Made it? It's beautiful." She crouched and pulled Moone into a gentle hug. "thank you Moone." and after a moment "and third... " weird, very weird. Was he just being nice or was there some ulterior motive? Who knew? But she trusted the kid at least, even if she was dubious of the fox.

Starr had her eyes closed as she sat in the chair. She knew Danika was safe with Asher just as Vela and Kerr were with Ellie. She didn't see the look Ellie gave her. "I need the babies to stay here tonight. I feel I should go tot he festival as a representative of my people, but they should stay here, and safe." She said, sitting up and looking from one to the other. "If I am to be queen over my people, I need to act like that."

~~~
Moone grinned and hugged Luka back, glad that she liked it and felt a bit better now. She glanced to Third (If he is still with her?) then whispered to Luka "He said our being upset interrupted his nap or something like that"

Ellie considered that. Babysitting, versus a party. Tough call.

"I can look after them," Asher volunteered, looking thoughtful. "Someone will need to check on Kay," keep his words vague for the kids' sake "but if we can arrange that, I can certainly do this."

Starr nodded and gave Asher a smile. "I doubt you will be the only one staying after today's mess and the knowledge that the infected will be out." She hadn't expected that herself

Asher smiled at Starr. "You're probably right. I think we can work something out."

Ellie sighed. "Stupid full moon making everything complicated. Why wouldn't they make a new moon festival?" She was still sorta thinking about going, but man, what a bad idea to have a festival then, and with a group of Infected attending, no less.

"New moon means there is no light from the moon, that makes it harder to move around for a celebration" Starr said then shrugged

"They could use floodlights," Ellie suggested.

Asher looked amused. "I think that would kind of ruin the romance of the occasion to use something like floodlights."

"Pretty MAGIC floodlights," Ellie amended.

Luka smiled a bit uncertainly. "Don't worry, i'll be fine. " She told moone gently. "Thank you." She repeated, she was truly touched by the gesture. "How are you doing?" she added, remembering how upset and annoyed moone had been earlier too, when she herself had been way too steamed up to do much other than fume.

James wasn't really sure what to do now that he didn't have Luka to fuss over. He headed to the holodeck, hoping to try a fencing program. Good to practice in case he had to stab a werewolf, right?

~~
Tala checked her messages on a computer on the Silver Devil. She got and email that she couldn't hope to read, darn it. She put it through a text-to-speech program and listened to the questionable Galactic Common translation.

"Tala, most glorious of warriors! It has been many winters since when lastly we communicated! I am at a southern place striving with collaboration to translate this to the tongue in which you wrote, as I have little practice.
"I seek to convince our tribe to take to the ships and fly from this place before the faceless demons spread their plagues upon us as I wish not to leave our people to face these savages, but many are most unwilling to depart the land of our people. I shall prevail for I am also strong, and I shall find you and we shall once again battle together!
"With excessive romantic sentiment,
Nadira"

~~
Eventually Ethan began to regain control of himself, trying to focus on the solidness of the floor he was sitting on, the sight of the empty room he was in, and the sound of his automated ‘breathing’, instead of the turmoil of his thoughts. Nobody was going to hurt him here, he reminded himself firmly once he felt calmer. This was the first time anybody had shown any malicious intent toward him since the mirror universe. It wasn’t a sign of things to come. It couldn't be. If it was though, then he was going to have to--

No, he wasn't going to think that way. He focused on the fake breathing again until the calm returned. Even if this Kay did turn out to be a sadistic little piece of shit, the others wouldn't let him get away with it. Ethan wouldn't let him get away with it. And nobody on this ship was like those soldiers on the other Vestia. He didn't need to worry about their type of “friendly” teasing now that Shock had apologized, and Merith the was gone.

This wasn’t the other universe. Kay’s demon eyes might still be just as frightening when he was angry, but the man behind them wasn’t in his owner files, even if his owner files had meant anything any more. And yes, the bad memories and the fear had brought him close to doing something terrible, but he hadn’t. He’d controlled himself even when the Kay was standing WAY too close to him (Ethan shuddered at the thought, before carefully focusing on his stupid automatic fake breathing, until his emotional processes returned to something resembling calm again). That alone counted for a hell of a lot.

He was going to be okay. Really.

Ethan wasn’t in any rush to return to the lower decks where all the people were, much less go to the capitol. He practiced meditating for a while longer, because it did seem to be helping. Finally he decided​ he needed a book to occupy himself with, so he got up and, bracing himself to face the world, unlocked the door and headed for the library.

Starr chuckled softly at Ellie's suggestion then shrugged a little, closing her eyes again and leaning back in the chair. "Most peoples have the festival on the full moon because traditionally the moon made enough light to be able to go out even at night, so it was seen as a sign of life, while the new moon was seen as a time of darkness and death since you could easily walk off a mountain or into a hole because of the darkness."

~~~
Moone shrugged, taking a step back "I'm not as angry now, but I wouldn't take back what I said."

"Oh." Ellie thought about that. "Okay. The murder wolves kinda ruin the fun though. The satare get it, these guys here don't though."

Starr shrugged "Just wear silver and don't get close to them if you are going to go. Silver would look good with that dress Flora got you. Necklace or bracelet."

Ellie winced, remembering the nasty scarring on Kay's hand. Who would have guessed silver was so scary? Yuck. "Good idea. Wear silver, and keep someone else between me and the werewolves. Yo Asher, you sure you don't wanna come along and be my date-slash-meat shield?"

Asher gave Ellie a long suffering look. "Do you even have to ask?"

Ellie sighed. "Fine. Maybe I'll find James and talk him into it then."

Asher looked mildly amused.

Ellie looked at Starr again. "Are you gonna wear silver then?"

"Shane will go with you if you ask. I believe he and Matt went shopping, right?" Starr asked then looked to Ellie "I will have silver with me, but I cannot openly wear it. That might be seen as an insult, and without a land or a free people, I cannot purposefully insult anyone."