The trip to Vick’s place had been rather quiet. Both Arkay and Litvir were carrying little overnight bags, but Litvir had also sneaked a bottle of berry vodka into his bag. It wasn’t until halfway through the trip that Litvir realised that doing so was pointless, but he didn’t care. He was a little all over the place already. Kuta was there in a bid to keep Litvir steady, as he had been a little wobbly and no one was sure why but since Kuta was also a vampiric Psion, Letharus had decided to invite them too. Considering how quiet Kuta had been so far, Arkay had admittedly forgotten Kuta was there, up until Litvir decided to speak.
“Now that I think about it, Arkay has slept with both of us.”
“To be fair, Elkay has also slept with both of us…” Kuta added, before suddenly realising that this was a weird topic to be talking about.
“That is true, yes!” Litvir suddenly changed the subject. “Are we there yet, Arkay?”
Arkay tutted, concentrating on flying the ship. “Nearly. Litvir, are you picking up on the kid stuff or something?”
“Why are you flying the ship if you are the one going on a… a thing to do with kids?” Kuta interrupted. “You are going to be a kid for a few hours, yet you are flying.”
Arkay tutted some more. “Litvir is too weird right now and you suck at flying. Meanwhile, I’ve been able to fly a ship since I was five years old.”
Kuta and Litvir both stared at Arkay.
“That probably explains a lot about what Vick wants to do with you!” Litvir exclaimed. “I know Kuta and I were child-slaves who raised our own siblings, but by the Light, we were not controlling air-based vehicles at that age!”
“Well, I was. But we’re already well aware that I lacked a childhood. Frankly, I think a lot of the Thantir had similar problems.”
“We should arrange an event for everyone then!” Kuta suggested. “Not today, of course, but in the future. Maybe set it up like a Temthan kids’ birthday party, with balloons and cake and stuff. Also, Arkay, are we there yet?”
Arkay rolled his eyes. “Yes. We’re here. Let me land the fucking ship.”
Arkay did as he said he would and rather angrily landed the ship and shut the engines off. However, despite them being in Litvir’s ship, Arkay held on to the keys and dragged Kuta and Litvir outside. It turned out, Letharus and Vick had heard them arriving and were waiting for them.
“Hello, dears!” Letharus waved as everyone approached. “Are you ready to have fun?”
Litvir grinned. “I am always ready. Kuta is also ready. Arkay is not ready but he will be having a different sort of fun. Admittedly, I do not know what fun you have planned…”
Letharus eyed Litvir briefly. “Are you alright?”
“Yes and no, but now is not the time for not being alright. I am here for fun.”
“And we shall have lots of fun!” Letharus was also grinning. “However, we need to send Vick and Arkay off on their trip first. Because things may get rather silly and vulgar here.”
“May?” Kuta teased.
“Oh. No. Definitely. Things will definitely get vulgar around here. Anyway, Vick, my beloved, do not fret, us three terrifyingly powerful Psions will make sure that your bar is safe and sound. Everything will be fine and you may leave.”
Vick snickered a little. “I’m sure everything will be dandy. Arkay, do you mind coming with me, please? We’re going to take my little ship.”
“Sure. Is there… a plan?”
“There is, but you’ll find out as we go along. It’s going to be a nice little trip, a nice surprise. Have you got your little bag?”
Arkay hesitated a little, then shifted his shoulders slightly, revealing his bag. “I do, yeah.”
Vick held out his hand. “Do you want to head off, then?”
“Yeah.”
Arkay hesitated again, then reached out and grabbed Vick’s hand. Neither Arkay nor Vick noticed, but Arkay’s body changed slightly, and he got shorter, skinnier and more child-like.
“Say bye to your friends, Arkay.”
“Bye!” Arkay waved.
“Be a good boy!” Litvir, Letharus and Kuta all waved back. “See you soon!”
Vick smiled, then led Arkay off, to the little ship parked around the back of the pub. There was a bit of a splutter as Vick’s ship, the Ventra 044, spurted into life, but the ship quickly lifted off into the air and faded off into the distance.
“Alright, I just want to confirm with you two…” Letharus’s smile faded a bit. “Did… did Arkay get smaller and actually turn into a child?”
“I… I think so?” Kuta was also rather confused. “I mean, I know Arkay can shapeshift, he DOES shapeshift on the regular, but that… that was weird.”
Litvir wasn’t as bothered. “According to Arkay’s older sibling Elkay-En, when Arkay was mortal, he had an illness called… uh… I do not remember, but it was some kind of schizophrenia that also affects how Arkay looks. I suppose Arkay also unintentionally shapeshifts to how his brain thinks he should be, and since he is… pretending to be a kid, he turned into one?”
Letharus and Kuta both stared at Litvir.
“Really?” Letharus asked.
“Apparently.”
“Has he turned into-”
“No, and do not even suggest that!” Litvir hissed. “This is the first time any of us here have seen a kid Arkay. Apart from Vick, perhaps. Anyway, what is our plan, since we know nothing of your plan either.”
“Hah!” Letharus’s smile swiftly returned. “We will have a night of drinking and chatting and playing stupid card games. Because I have acquired a copy of that card game we had at Elkay and Teekay’s wedding, and I have been desperate to play it with someone.”
Kuta wasn’t sure what Letharus was talking about, but Litvir seemed unsure.
“I thought we need four people minimum for that game?” Litvir asked.
“We do. Which is why I have invited a fourth Vokaic telepath to the party. After all, we have two purple Psions here, we need two white Psions too.”
A sleek, silver ship interrupted the conversation. As it parked, a familiar face appeared.
“Hello!” Thyel grinned, carrying a large sack filled with bottles and food. “I see we are all here for a good time!”
“Hah, we definitely are!” Litvir perked up. “We are going to have a lot of fun…”