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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/KyleKKent on 2025-12-09 23:22:59+00:00.
(And today mentally clunked, tomorrow there is a driving lesson too, sorry for all the recent delays.)
RAK and Roll!/Shadows Over Centris
She hangs up after the call and considers.
It is very, very hard to just hate someone when you see them holding their children and looking both so happy and so lost on what to do.
She looks to the picture on her wall and... the fury comes for what they took from her. But it’s not as hot, not as sharp and ragged. But it’s still there. She needs some kind of angle. Some way to get at them. Last attempt apparently made them stronger if the Njyhd hanging around them was any indication. But how do you weaken someone that turns danger into advantage?
She will have to think. Have to watch. And have to consider.
•-•-•Scene Change•-•-• (Danwin’s Mercy Hospital, Maternity Ward, Centris)•-•-•
“So... how much have you two actually read into Greek Mythology?” Garos asks as he uses his wings and hands to play with all four of his new granddaughters at once.
“We saw that movie about Hercules!” Nikka says and Garos blinks.
“And?”
“And we looked into the family. They looked so pretty, all shiny friendly. We want our little girls like that!” Nitta says and Nikka nods in agreement. Koa’s is mouthing the word abort.
“And you saw nothing else about it?”
“There was a show where a guy was playing Hercules. But it didn’t make sense. In that he was one of Zeus’ other wives sons in that one and Hera really didn’t like him for some reason. But that doesn’t make any sense! She’s head wife! He’s basically her kid anyways!”
“Oh! And there was with that Xena woman! That was cool! She had this big bladed disk weapon she could bounce off things to fight with!”
“Not enough hunky guys in that one though, it was better when she and Hercules teamed up.”
“Yeah but it still didn’t make sense. She and her friend weren’t going for Hercules or his friend so were they like, related or something? Is that why Hera is mad at Hercules? Did they get into a fight and is Xena the favourite?”
“Can I borrow this pillow?” Amadi asks pointing at an extra pillow on a chair.
“Sure.” Nikka says and Amadi smiles before grabbing it, shoving his face in it and howling with muffled laughter.
“Okay. Continue.”
“What?” Nikka asks. “Oh is this some kind of... oh! Right! It’s from Cruel Space so there’s something weird going on, the girls there can’t share.”
“Yes that is... part of the issue.” Amadi says with a very well controlled poker face. Reggie waves his hand in front of it and dispels the illusion to show he’s holding in a painful amount of laughter.
“Well?” Reggie asks leaning his face in close. Amadi is not saying a thing. Until they’re side by side. “They’re not wrong.”
The sound of air escaping slips out of and Amadi turns around to hug him and laugh into his shoulder as Reggie holds him up.
“What?” Nikka asks. “You just said we’re not wrong.”
“Don’t worry, like I said before, he has an overdeveloped funny bone.” Koa says.
“What am I missing?” Anaris whispers to Reggie.
“Pretty much all ancient Earth Pantheons had a huge amount of the stuff Nitta nd Nikka consider Icky. The exceptions are few and far between, and even in those exceptions you can interpret it pretty badly.”
“Like?”
“One of the main exceptions claims that humanity began from two people. Meaning the whole human species is horrifically inbred, and that’s the tamer stuff.” Reggie says.
She rests her head on top of his.
“That would explain some things.” She says in a deeply amused tone.
“And what does that mean?” Amadi asks amused.
“Excuse me? Is this where the Jackson family is growing?” A new voice asks and the crowd shifts to see... what looks like a Cloaken, but with a near Cannidor level frame and a massive neck hole in her clothing. She is carrying a tiny bundle that contains a tiny serpent head poking out and stretching to look out at them.
“Sorry about this.” Another voice says and a handsom man with stark white eyes, a blue diamond in his forehead and a pair of red slashes below each eye steps out.
“Mister Jameson?”
“Jameson the younger. Or Saint Redblade. Harold is best.” He says with a grin.
“And what are you doing here? You don’t really know us.” Reggie asks.
“My wife is... a little off balance and wants to see other human born children. Apparently there’s something up or off with all of my brother’s and she wants to see if it’s universal.”
“I didn’t say it like that.” Velocity says.
“It was more implied. Still, if we’re intruding...”
“It is a little crowded, so make it short.”
“I’m sorry about this I... I’m the first. The first of my species to bear a child and... I just... It’s so much.” Velocity says as she lets herself fade into visibility. Amadi lets out a whistle.
“Weren’t you pastel pink with white offset and red markings?”
“How do you know that much detail?” Velocity asks.
“I’m an illusionist. I pay attention to details like that.”
“So you notice the colour and not the fact that she’s now muscular enough to pick you up and hurl you like a Frisbee with minimal Axiom?” Reggie asks.
“She looks normal to me.” Anaris says with a shrug.
“Have we? Wait, what? Oh joke. Okay.” Velocity says. “Can I see the babies?” Velocity asks.
“Nitta, Nikka, the question is for you two.” Koa says softly.
“Oh uh... unless she eats babies it’s fine.” Nikka says.
“Why would anyone eat babies?” Nitta asks. “Even if it wasn’t evil there’s not much meat.”
“One wonders.” Koa remarks. Not mentioning that kalua pig is one of his favourites. Amadi gives him a smirk at that. He holds a finger up to his lips and gives the man a warning look from behind his wives. The smirk becomes a smile.
Velocity delicately picks her way through the crowd and crouches down to both look at the babes and to let Miracle get close to the tiny forms of Hera, Demeter, Athena and Hestia. Miracle starts sniffing around them and nuzzles close, eventually deciding that she likes the sensation of the little hats they’re wearing and rubs up against them instead.
“Is every single babe so...?” Velocity asks gently.
“Yep!” Nikka says.
“All tiny, all precious. They become more later.” Nitta says. “Our big sisters had all sorts of babies too. They’re always really precious.”
“So you all know what to do do you?” Velocity asks.
“Yep!” Nikka says.
“Then what do I do?”
“Everything you feel you need to! Haven’t you listened to any Gravids? We all know what to do with babies because we’re supposed to have them. You don’t need to be taught. You need to be willing to move.” Nikka says with a nod.
“But I’m not natural. The Vishanyan were made, not born. Not even bred. Just made.”
“So? You’re a person. You’re alive. Life calls to life to create more life. You’re alive. You know what to do.” Nikka says. “That’s Gravid basics!”
“... I suppose there needs to be something there if an entire religion was born around it.” Velocity says. “Still I... I don’t know.”
“What’s wrong?” Nitta asks. She has one of her wings shifting and reaching out with a rounded and soft hand towards Miracle who sniffs at and pokes at the hand. Velocity looks hard at the interaction that she had seen from Javra and how another, completely unrelated Metak that had never before met her, was doing the exact same thing.
“Nothing. You just gave me all my answers. Thank you. Your children are beautiful. And you should be very proud.” Velocity says. “Now if you’ll excuse me... I think I know what to do next now. Sorry for intruding for so long.”
She then picks her way through the crowd and before they go Harold stops her and uses some spacial distortion to rise up and kiss her softly on the lips.
“There. See?” He says to her.
“Do you have to keep being right?”
“I’m alright right, and if I’m wrong then it’s a ruse and you’re falling into my trap. Mua ha ha.” Harold replies.
“Okay, that’s the limit. I need to get some space again. You’re not the only new mothers and we’re getting ahead of congestion. Friends are great, but everyone but immediate family needs to leave now.” Louisa Gale says. “Come on. Clear my maternity ward, we have more mothers on the way.”
“Well that’s us kicked out. Think the celebration is still going on?” Amadi asks Abigail who considers.
“Probably, we’ve only been here for a few hours so... it WOULD be a right scandal to return in the middle of it wouldn’t it?” Abigail asks as she’s already hooked her arm around Amadi and is leading him to the car.
“Later ladies and gents. I’m off to make stuffed shirts gasp in horror.”
“Come now Amadi, a bit more elegant.”
“Farsooth we goeth to torment the swine most insufferable!” Amadi states.
“That was worse!” Abigail says with a laugh.
“Remember! You’re both back home by eleven!” Jenny calls after them.
“But of course! I’m a lady of my word after all!”
“Alright girls, back to the diner, maybe we can make the late evening rush.” Jenny says to her fellows.
“She still owes us big, interruption or not.”
“Oh yeah, we’re collecting in spades, don’t worry.” Jenny assures them and the Rabbis women rush out without rushing too hard.
Reggie takes a last moment to crouch down and gently rub the cheek of Athena with his knuckle. She lets out a half burbling raspberry. He smiles and stands up then holds out his hand to Koa who takes it and they shake.
“Well done.” Reggie congratulates him.
“Thank you brother.” Koa says and they nod before Reggie moves to leav...
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