This Is My Exodus

Chapter 8

In the next area, the sky was draped in an autumn orange. Its somewhat eerie ambiance held a strange comfort for Chalala. Her mind felt like it had been submerged underwater. Just like Xalei's touch, it seemed familiar, but at the same time, it felt strikingly different from anything she had experienced so far in that world.

If Xalei's touch resembled burning one's hand on the stove, then the feeling she now experienced mirrored running her hand under comfortably warm water. She felt that the water should have burned her, yet it never did. Something tickled her arm. When she turned her head, her mouth fell slightly agape as she saw a butterfly with wings matching the sky. As if on cue, more butterflies flew to meet her.

Most of them landed in her soft waves of white hair. They nestled and explored there. Some landed on her arms. Wherever they landed, she awed their unnatural beauty and patterns.

"Ah..."

One fluttered near her arm. She held out a single finger, and she smiled when the insect crawled onto it with its tiny legs.

Silently, Xalei stood motionless, his mouth sealed shut. He gazed intently at the fluttering butterflies as they alighted delicately upon Chalala's tresses, adding to her natural beauty. His countenance remained inscrutable, making it impossible to discern his thoughts or emotions. However, a barely perceptible twitch of his nose hinted at a reaction brewing beneath the surface.

"Achoo!"

Maybe not, but didn't that sneeze sound forced? Who knows? Chalala jumped a little. A few of the butterflies flew away. She glared at Xalei. "Did you seriously have to sneeze that badly right when they were getting comfortable?!"

One of the butterflies landed on her shoulder again. She tilted her head with a whine. "I'm sorry. Did the mean bunny brain scare you? Just ignore him. He probably can't tell the difference between his rabbit droppings and that cereal made for children. What was that called again?"

Xalei ignored her, looking in a different direction.

"Hello?" Chalala turned her attention to Xalei. "Are you even paying attention to me? I just insulted you."

"Yeah."

She huffed.

I need more than that sad excuse for a response!

"Okay, how about this? I'll ask you a question, and you answer it. What are your hobbies?"

"Don't have any. If I do, I can't remember them." He continued looking at his surroundings.

She raised an eyebrow. "Well, you're boring, aren't you?"

"There's not much to talk about. What is this, an interrogation?" he sarcastically replied.

She crossed her arms with a smirk. "Yes, it is, actually. Give me something to work with or I'll send my butterfly army after you."

Mockingly, he said, "Cute. So scary. What's got you so interested in me, anyway? Are you coming out as a furry? Gross."

She scoffed. "You cannot call me a furry when you look like that."

"Do you even know what being a furry means?"

"Of course, I do!" she replied. "It's when you dress up and think you're an animal. You're an anthropomorphic bunny, so that makes you a furry."

"I'm not a bunny. Is your eyesight okay?" Xalei sighed, putting his paw up to his forehead. "And no, you're only half-right. I'm not dressed up like one. So your observation makes no sense. Is your emu a furry?"