Iqi: Arrival

Chapter Six

"It is an abomination! A mockery to the Christian faith sent to test mankind's faith!" the red faced man yelled.

The woman to his left rolled her eyes. "He's a kid who happens to resemble a mythological creature from the religion Christianity. He is not here to bring about the apocalypse. He's not here looking to take over the world. He's not here to destroy the Christian faith. He is a lost kid looking for a place to belong in a galaxy where there is literally no one else like him. Sure the whole feather thing might have been staged but doesn't mean he has malintentions. If it was staged it probably was staged by humans, not some eighteen year old boy."

"Alien! It's an alien not a boy!" the man screeched. "It doesn't even look anything like a boy! It looks like a girl, which is no coincidence! It's taken on the form of a female angel to seduce and confuse good religious folk!"

"First of all, are you implying all religious folks are only attractive to females? Not a single religious person finds males attractive? Second of all, he is eighteen! Like any other teenager he's still trying to figure out where he fits in the world not how to seduce religious men to destroy their faith!"

"How do you know if he truly is eighteen?" the man asked ignoring the woman's talking points. "That's only in Earth years. As far as we know he could be hundreds of years old!"

The woman just stared blankly at the screen baffled by the man's stupidity.

"Time is a constant factor in any part of the galaxy. Since Iqi has been born the Earth has rotated the sun eighteen times. Therefore he is eighteen. Or do they not teach things like that in Catholic school."

The tv suddenly shut off. I looked up to see Hermione frowning at me holding the remote in one hand.

"Why are you watching this shit?" she demanded.

"I was just curious about how people thought I did at the event," I said feeling sheepish.

Hermione sighed. "Iqi, you're too dependent on others approval. Have confidence in yourself. Besides all of humanity won't be summed up by two idiots on the news."

"Only one of them seemed like an idiot to me," I mumbled.

"You need some fresh air," Hermione suddenly decided. "Let's go to the park."

"I'll go ask security," I sighed lifting myself from the couch.

"Oh for fucks sake Iqi. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. We'll sneak out okay," Hermione had a devilish glint in her eyes.

"I - I don't know..."

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. You can fly a little bit right?" She asked.

"Yes," I said wary.

"Perfect," she grinned.

A half hour later I was standing in a dirty alleyway, clutching a picnic basket and a white umbrella. I watched anxiously as Hermione shimmied down the fire escape. She could have just walked out the front door, but I think she found the sneaking out exciting. With a grin she leap down in front of me.

"See. Stick with me Iqi, I'll teach you how to live," she said taking the picnic basket.

There was one thing neither of us counted for. I was... recognizable. The Central Park was only four blocks away but we barely made it down the first block before people began to realize I wasn't a "cosplayer" but the real deal. Suddenly we were swarmed.

"Are you Iqi?"

"Holy shit you're really pale!"

"Wow, you got a Na'vi from Avatar nose going on!"