2132:Phoenix

Chapter 31

 This room had wide open windows with baby pink curtains. The floor was still stone, but the bed and the chest at its foot was light-colored wood. A bookshelf sat on the far wall, but I wasn't sure if the chip would work on my eyesight. Fuchsia chairs sat around the bookshelf as a reading nook. Black metal accents danced around the room like CGI magic. Even with the open windows, the room felt like a cage. There was no energy barrier so I tugged on my mental link with Calepus. He sent a smile back down. Everything is okay. I didn't know what happened earlier, I spaced out when Calepus told me about the Torexx happy cocktail. When I came back Calepus was realigning my dislocated shoulder. The world was just there. I wasn't really in it; like I was watching my body move. I walked out of one of the window doors to find a stone patio with pink flowers in little boxes. The air smelled like the ocean, and I wondered if we were far from a beach. I spent a week at the beach with my best friend. We ate, played games, and won prizes. It was probably one of the best trips I'd ever been on. I wasn't going to try to run. The more I thought about it the more stupid I realized my plan was. I couldn't speak the common tongue, I had no idea where I was, and now my shoulder was out of Commission. I'd be a lost human in a galaxy that seemed to be hostile. Calepus was moving closer, and I wondered if he'd come to see me. So when a knock rang on my door I opened it as best I could, but the brown-eyed Torexx was standing there with a glass of clear liquid and a small blue box with a golden fox painted on top.

"May I come in?" What was he... I stared at him for a while debating his merits when the door became heavy. I wouldn't be able to keep it pried open much longer and that forced my decision.

"I guess." He took the pressure of the door off of me and I retreated toward the center of the room. Not Calepus. He had dark tousled curly hair that was stark against his off-grey white skin, and his dark blue scales cut his face harshly, etching a permanent scowl onto his features.

"My name is Rozener. We didn't properly introduce ourselves earlier." He extended the box to me, and I stood there still watching him. I didn't think it was possible when his scowl seemed to deepen, but he corrected himself. "It is a tradition for my family. When someone is brought into the house we offer them a game. Usually, it is one that can be played alone, but this can be played by two as well." He offered the box to me again and I took it, careful to not touch his hand. "Are you thirsty?"

"Where's Calepus?"

"He was with my aunt last I saw. Perhaps I could teach you to play, then you can show him later?" Something was off, but I didn't know why.

Are you okay? Calepus was still there, he sounded worried though.

Yeah... Your cousin is here.

Does he have a game?

Yes?

You'll have to teach me later. It felt like he was excited. I didn't know Calepus enjoyed games. Rozener stood waiting awkwardly glancing around the room. Calepus was coming back, I was not alone, and I could make friends with Rozener.

"Sure," I nodded. He smiled slightly and sat on the floor.

"This is for you though." He handed me the glass but I wasn't sure what it was so I sat it beside me and opened the box. Inside were stacked glass chips with black and green rims. A few of them had gold spots, but they were barely noticeable sitting in the box. "Which color would you like?"

"Green," I asked. He nodded, so I picked the stack out of the chest and handed him the black one. I pulled one from its stack and it started to glow. I dropped one on my leg from surprise. Rozener pretended not to notice, but the scales on his cheeks scrunched slightly with his smile. He set them up as rings with the spotted ones, so I did the same. When they were all laid out a grid formed and small animals formed in the middle of each of the circles.