“Are you alright?”
Something tapped Veeyel on the shoulder. He rubbed his eyes then slowly sat up. His back ached. He’d fallen asleep on a bench and somehow everything on his body was still intact. Then again, Veeyel didn’t have anything on him worth stealing.
“You don’t look alright.”
Veeyel finally looked up. Standing over him was… well, it was a Rethan. But they looked almost as odd as Veeyel did.
“I’m… not alright…” Veeyel muttered, sitting up straight and stretching his arms. “Who are you?”
The Rethan smiled meekly. Pitch black skin, almost translucent purple armour and three tendrils coming from his skull, just under his head plate. He was some sort of Hertan-type, but the blades that normally extended from his arms had been replaced with admittedly rather hideous tentacles.
“I am Vel.”
“Ah. I’m Veeyel.”
Vel smiled again and sat down next to Veeyel. “I am sorry for disturbing you. And I am sorry for possibly… betraying your privacy. It is just my telepathy picked up on you and I could not help but come over and meet you.”
“You have telepathy…”
“Yes.” Vel stared off into the distance. “I assume many have mistaken you for a Cassid-made monster. You clearly are not. Not horrible enough. But you do not seem truly Rethan either.”
“Would it be wrong to assume you are a… is there a nicer term I can use? A victim of Cassid experimentation, perhaps?” Veeyel asked. He was properly awake now, if only because he wasn’t sure what this Vel wanted.
“Either way, I assure you, you will not be treated well here. You should leave.”
Veeyel blinked. “Pardon?”
“No one here likes beings like us.”
“Well that I gathered!” Veeyel tutted, leaning back. “Kinda hypocritical since most vok here are the kids of outcasts themselves. Alright, yes, I am a… well, a new species almost. But that’s not the point! I just want to go home…”
Vel tilted his head to one side and flicked one of his tendrils over his shoulder. “You have a home?”
“Yeah.”
“Whereabouts?”
“I have a home with my fellow Ksa outside Portalia City.”
“Why are you not there?” Vel asked.
“Because I got lost and have no money and can’t afford a ticket back home.”
Vel fell silent. He quietly reached to a pouch on his hip and pulled out a leather wallet.
“I don’t want money!” Veeyel protested.
“Nonsense. You have a home to go to. I have plenty of money. Would be wrong to leave you here on your own.” Vel removed a hundred Evra and thirty Cassid Lires from his wallet and thrust the money into Veeyel’s hands. “Also, I am taking you somewhere for lunch. You look hungry.”
Veeyel tried to protest some more, but gave up. “Why are you doing this? I’m just… a random stranger.”
Vel shrugged and smiled. “Yes, but you are like me. Different. Only our friends and family look at us and see good beings.”
“You don’t even know if-”
“You’re Veeyel. From the L-Class Ksa, yes? You are good. And I would assume, if our roles were swapped, you would do the same for me.”
“Of course I would!”
Vel climbed to his feet, then helped Veeyel up as well. “There is a nice fast food place nearby. We can have lunch, then I will take you to the taxi bays and get you on your way home.”
“But…”
“No buts. Come now.”
Veeyel sighed, then followed Vel. He was hungry, after all.