A Love That Destroyed Time

by Melanie Ray

  "A little," Ezra moaned. "Muin said this outfit was the style of Earth. Is this the style?"

  A backless dress with only a tie at the top and a tie across the bottom of the back. "There are better things you could be wearing."

  "Oh, Muin." Ezra half chuckled, "even if she doesn't remember me, she hasn't changed all that much."

  "Eh," Yed worked down her back. He looked over toward Carress, who was glancing between the both of them. "What is it?"

  She shrugged her shoulders before looking over at Ezra. "You two look like a mom and dad."

  "I don't understand, can you explain?" Ezra asked.

  "Moms and dads are always really close where I'm from," Carress said. "The Protector is rubbing your shoulders like I've seen dads do for moms." Ezra and Yed were both quiet a second. "Sorry. You just looked comfortable with each other," Carress said. "Is the comfortableness the reason we were born?"

  "Uh, that's a valid question. Um, and one we'll get to later," Ezra said. "Yed's a friend, an old friend."

  "Not much older than you," Yed said as he moved back up to her shoulders. Her neck was losing some of the tension, the rubbing must have done some good.

  "What are you doing?" A dark voice from the door startled them.

  Yed watched Xiam step into his room. "Giving Ezraponia a massage. What?" His voice was more high pitched, he knew giving a back rub to Ezra in the outfit she was wearing looked suspicious. Like it or not, Xiam didn't trust him out of his sight. "There's tension in the neck, and it's causing the pain. Rubbing it might help so, Xiam, come over here. Do you know about massage?"

  "Not as much as you do," Xiam said still not buying his excuse.

  "Xiam." Ezra stood up from the bed with a clear look of annoyance. "Oh, who cares, I'm going out. Xiam, do you have some currency? I'll go grab some vegetables down the block."

  "There is none," Xiam said as he reached into his pocket. "They keep all their things to buy in gigantic storage areas. It makes it easier."

  "What?" Ezra looked between him and Yed. "Everyone shops in one huge place?"

  "Not the whole city, there are different stores," Yed tried to explain.

  "Different stores?" Ezra hung her eyebrow like they were joking. "So, they have convenient gigantic store areas so everyone can go to one place, but that aren't in one place in the end? Why not have little markets at the end of the block? There are always more jobs, the food is fresher, and the close distance equals less competing currency."

  "Ummm..." Yed didn't know how to explain that one. "It's just not the way it's done here."

  "Forget it, I-oh I just need out." Ezra looked at Carress. "We'll talk more soon. Okay?" She looked at Yed. "I'm going for a little walk. I need to go."

  "Actually, we're going to all be taking off soon," Yed said as he gestured toward Xiam. "If everyone's done, lets head for Bibble."

  "Bibble?" Ezra questioned. "Who's that?"

  "The smartest yet bi...not so nice alien down the block," Yed said.

  "Bibble's a bitch, a total bitch." Muin ducked her head in. "Everyone calls her Bitchy Bibble, even Wye, although he stopped himself. Wye? Trying to impress your girl?" Ezra and Yed both looked away. "Of course, it's hard to do that with the way your room looks." Muin stepped in further. "Spring cleaning, brother? It's only winter."

  "Muin." Yed stood up and headed out. "We're going to Bibbles already."

  "Hey Wye, " Muin winked at him, "I noticed you dropped some of your magazines behind your bed-"

  "M-Win, I'm warnin' ya," Yed yelled. Muin giggled while Xiam crossed his arms in an even angrier stance.

  Ezra tried not to respond to the situation. Her head hurt anyway, but the walk she wanted was at hand. She watched everyone head to the door, and wondered what would be outside. She only saw the backyard last night, so what was in the front? Or did they have a front yard, was there a traffic section right in front? She heard Yed yell at her sister, again. His accent was so different from what it used to be. Whenever he spoke to her, he seemed to try to recapture refined tone he used to have. Had he even tried to call her Ezra yet? When they were little, he used to call her Ezzy. Then it was mostly Ezra, and now it seemed Ezraponia would be it. In fact, he was trying so hard to be as gentle with her as possible.

  But as much as she appreciated it, she'd rather have him be his casual self with her. As hard as it was to deal with what happened, it happened. Treating her like a piece of breakable glass wasn't going to help. Besides, once she felt better, her first priority would be to talk to Tigeravich and Carressella. She practically raised her daughter, and the feeling of being a mother was not so complex. She had been given Carress to be raised with Iri when she was a baby. In a way, she was always her mom.

  The one that she needed to reach was Tigeravich. Ever since their first meeting, she sensed a connection with the boy, but she could not forget how Carress had been taken. Tiger had not been with a good crowd. Who had raised him? How did he survive, and how did he get separated from Carress? She caught a glance of him leaving toward the door, holding Carress' hand. Extra protective spirit, almost like Yed. Her lips turned upward, the cute similarity hard to ignore.

  "Are you ready?" Yed asked her. His voice, still trying to sound more appropriate to her.

  "Yes." Ezra continued to the door. "Let's go meet your friend."

  Chapter 51

  BIBBLE

  Ezra listened to the new alien. She had a feeling they wouldn't be the best of friends.

  "You need clothes, those are not native clothes at all. More like Romans if they had the flair of the sixties. You should get something to cover up the hair too," Bibble remarked as she chewed on something long and wooden."Although the Warno’s never minded that, it depends if you want strange looks or not. Then again, you're all so short you'll get them whether you like it or not. The skin tone too, must go." Her legs were high, she had a large bust and gorgeous red hair that rivaled Ezra's. However, her glasses were three times the regular size on Pagnia, and her cold attitude left something wanting. "You all look either sunburned, or you're in body makeup for a Halloween party. Humans are not green, red or purple. They aren't that white either pops, you look like a frickin' ghost." She pushed her glasses up as she continued to suck on something in her mouth. "What's with these long tails too, I've never seen that before, are those coming from your butts? Actual animal tails? With those ring colors too, you look like something that walked out of a children's drawing."

  "Okay, can the bitchiness, Bitchy Bibble," Muin spoke up. "We know what we need to change, we want to know how. Solve that, Einstein."

  "Einstein was a jerk, crazy in the right way but still an ass." Bibble took the object out of her mouth and threw it in the trash. "Jemias! I need 421 peach, 421 tan, and 421 chocolate."

  A smaller figure even than her, Ezra watched as Jemias came over. He was about one foot high, and he was using one of his arms to balance himself as he hopped over with a box of materials. She watched Bibble open it up and watched syringes poor out. Those didn't look comfortable.

  "I don't know what to do about your rainbow pride girlish tails," Bibble said. "I would get rid of them. I can give you some anaesthetics if you're too weak to handle the pain."

  Ezra felt a gasp in her throat, but Xiam spoke up.

  "Won't help BB, the tails regrow back." Xiam waved his tail once. "It's not like before, they'll never stay gone."

  "Then get used to kilts," Jemias laughed.

  "Shut up, stupid monkey." Muin groaned. "I'm gonna miss shorts as it is." She fumbled through the syringes. "Who's the lucky one to go first?" She grabbed the 421 tan and turned to Zaria. "How about you, sunburnt loverboy? Want me to do the honors?"

  Ezra watched as everyone who wasn't a native color of the planet Earth looked at each other's new conformity.

  "I have to say, I don't like this. I don't. What was wrong with purple? What?" Latitia groaned as she rubbed her arm. "This itches."

  "The feeling will fade off," Yed told hi
s mother. Ezra was glad she didn't have to go through that, but everyone looked different. From a peach, tan, to a chocolate color. It was a costume they couldn't remove.

  "Idenities, BB, how much?" Yed asked as he pulled out a wallet.

  Bibble looked at everyone and hummed a second. "Two hundred fifty thousand dollars. I'll have to cover worldwide, especially since they don't speak English obviously. India, China, Ireland..." She dwelled on Yed's sister. "...Philipines maybe. The rest wherever. Make sure that no one talks to them in the language they should understand yet."

  "Fifty thousand," Yed countered. "Not worldwide, we're all staying right in Dallas. They're going to learn the language faster than you think."

  "Fine, fifty thousand. I'll have them ready in two weeks," Bibble said. "One week for rush."

  "No need," Xiam said. "We'll be living with each other." He looked at Iri. "Showing them the sites. Oh, you're going to love it here, I can't wait to show you around. I want to take you around the world."

  "Okay, Romeo," Muin complained, "shutup. Our first stop is not round the world, it's the shops-and Wye," She turned around to look at Yed. "You dug out the extra money last night without telling me? We could have used that-"

  "-to party. Like I said, no party." Yed held out his hands. "No."

  "It would have been an awesome party." Muin winked at Zaria. "What about it loverboy, wouldn't you like to party?"

  "I don't know," Danva said as he tapped his mouth. "After all these years living like a waryes, a party would be acceptable. It would give us a chance to meet your friends, Yed."

  "I want a party," Phaver said too. "I'd love to get to know your friends, brother. Kick back, drink some water."

  Ezra watched as Yed fidgeted, he was clearly not in the mood. After coming home, she didn't know if a large party would be the best either. A huge gala wouldn't help her reach out to her son any better. Earlier that morning, Tiger had come to see her. He didn't say anything, just looked through the door. He felt the connection too, but how could she get through the walls? Standing up while everyone discussed the pros and cons of the party, she took the chance to steal a seat next to him. She met him with the simplest of smiles and said hello. He glanced at her a second and nodded.

  "How are you enjoying Earth?" Ezra asked him.

  "Nobody's shot at me, so I guess it’s okay." Tiger glanced back at her again. "How's your head, mom?"

  Mom? Ezra blinked. There was no way he could be comfortable calling her mom in a day. Yet if there hadn't been a war, she would have heard it every day. Every single day. "I needed fresh air, that's all. It doesn't hurt so much." No, something else hurt more as she looked at Tiger again. "Tiger, who raised you?"

  Tiger seemed surprised by the question and scooted further away from her. "None of your business."

  "I remember how you met Carress, so please tell me. Did they raise you?" Ezra tried to reach out for his hand, but he moved it away. "Tiger?"

  "Look mom, it doesn't matter. I'm calling you mom, we're living in the same place, what more do you want?"

  "I want to know you, Tigeravich. Would you like to move outside and talk?"

  "No," Tiger said. "I wouldn't like to, but thanks for asking lady. I mean mom."

  "I think you should go outside and talk."

  Ezra looked over and realized Yed had left the pro and con party conversation for theirs.

  Tiger looked over at Yed. "I think you're taking the dad role too far. I don't roll over and beg because I have owners now."

  Ezra felt a deep ache within. Owners? Is that all Yed and her were to him? "We're not owners, we’re family. Same as Carressela to you. Does she own you?"

  "No, but I'm the male, so I own her," Tiger said matter-of-factly. "I'm a nice owner to my sister so she's respectful and obeys my wishes without hassle."

  "What?" Yed sat down and looked at the boy in the eyes. "What kind of warped minds raised you, Tigeravich? You’re the boy, so you own her? Family owns you?" A growl came from behind Yed's throat, a primal growl. Ezra knew it wasn't directed at Tiger, but the ones who raised him. She looked away, keeping her eyes from becoming bleary. She knew the trek to becoming a real family would be hard, but with the way Tiger was brought up, could it ever be possible? Or would he simply 'submit' and let them 'own' him?

  Ezra got up and walked into the far corner. She wasn't surprised to see Yed follow her. "Yed?"

  "Yeah."

  "You know who raised him?"

  "I've got a good idea." Yed reached out for her hand. "He's still young."

  "Is he young enough?" Ezra closed her eyes. "What would they want him for? He was just a baby. I'm sorry." She wiped her left eye. "Can we go yet?"

  Yed tried not to look away from Ezra, but if their hunches were correct, Tiger's morals may never correct themselves. The only warnos who believe in ownership, were an odd tribe set outside between the main lands of the Warno Kingdom and Waryes Kingdom. They tolerated no outsiders into their group, their 'family'. Complete fanatics, even an innocent baby should have been slaughtered according to their beliefs. They believed they were chosen ones, and that they'd gain immortality once all the beings on Pagnia were gone. Brother, sister, father, and mother were not used with love. They were ranks, with the father being the leader and his word ultimate law.

  However, if he had been raised by those fanatics, then why wasn't he obeying Yed? He was also more affectionate with his sister, which didn’t ring right with fanatic beliefs. In fact, the warnos he met that knew Tiger before, were far from the fanatics. Yep, it was time to have a private chat. "Let's go."

  Tiger groaned as he sat on Yed's bed. Ezra sat on his right side, Yed on the other.

  "Tigeravich, we wish to speak with you about your guardians, when you were a child." Ezra reached out her hand to his. "The concept of family and worthiness were different to them, than to us."

  "They were idiots who thought they were going to be immortals and family wasn't anything but DNA," Yed repeated Tiger's tactless phrase from earlier. "It's more than that. Seeing you all grown up is a lot different than the little time I had with you before I left, but you're still relation."

  "Stop getting all weird," Tiger groaned. "It's a give and receive relationship. Parents own the kids, but when kids require extra support, they have to be there to make sure their property is safe by hugging and kissing, and making sure they aren't scared. That's all."

  "You can't wrap up what family is with one sentence like that," Ezra patted his hand. "We aren't here only when you need support, we're always here."

  Tiger laughed. "Yeah, right. You didn't even remember me."

  "Tigeravich," Yed scolded him. "Don't talk to her like that."

  "Because it's not respectful to my owners. See?" Tiger shrugged his shoulders. "Can I leave now?"

  "No. Why weren't you killed," Yed said, wasting no more time smoothing things over. "Fanatics don't give anyone outside their circle a chance, why did you get accepted?"

  "I wasn't accepted." Tiger crossed his arms. "I was worshipped."

  "Worshipped?"

  Tiger looked between the two of them. "I was pure. In their beliefs, a pure one would rise and lead to the end of everything, bringing them eternal life." He knocked his feet against the bed. "I never believed it, but it was convenient for awhile. Then something else happened, someone wanted me to prove my worth, so that was the end of the easy life."

  "Then you ended up with the ones outside the Waryes Kingdom," Ezra answered. "Not exactly family centered either."

  "You care too much about family. I call you mom and dad, and I haven't taken off yet. What more do you want?" Tiger stood up. "If I need a hug or the grandma character is strangling me, I'll give you a yell. Besides that, there's not much else to say."

  Yed watched Ezra grab at her head again. No doubt her pain was coming back from this added stress.

  "If I give you each a hug like a good son, can I leave?" Tiger asked.

  Ezra stood up too. "I'm going to go t
o my own room."

  Yed stood up last. "Go, Tigeravich." He didn't say a word as his son left. He looked over at Ezra. "I know this isn't easy, Ezraponia."

  "I'm not fragile glass, I am stronger than you apparently remember." Ezra took her hand from her head. "Yed, I lost my kids. You lost your kids. You don't have to try and make me feel better, it happened. So stop trying to protect me from the truth of reality. And really, stop trying to sound like how you used to eighty years ago. You talk to everyone else different from me. Why are you so uncomfortable around me?" She placed her hand back on her head. "Not again. The pressure in this place, it doesn't agree with me."

  "A lot of things don't agree with me," Muin said as she poked her head in. "You know your kids have been on Earth less than twenty four hours, Wye. Maybe pushing on them to accept you isn't smart yet. Might even help your little crush over there." Ezra didn't say a word as she left, but Yed stared at Muin. Muin shrugged her shoulders. "Just sayin'. Hate to rain on your girl's parade."

  "M-Win." Yed approached her, his stance straight and serious. "Number one, we've been gone most of their lives. Should I wait a week before approaching them? A month? Isn't saying nothing worse than something too early? I don't know, and I'm sure your sister doesn't know. There's no manual for how to approach your kids after eighty years, so can it chick, I'm not in the mood!" He walked past her and stopped. "Don't call her my girl and stop calling me Wye. She's your sister and my old friend. Show a little respect to us."

  "Well, you show her too much, one of the reasons she's not getting along with you right now," Muin snapped back. "I'd say either go to friend mode and stop with that royal doohickey accent, or tell her that you like her. It don't get simpler than that."

  "Muin, you don't even remember anything. Don't talk about what you don't understand," Yed said before he left the room. He saw Carress chatting with his mother. Too bad there wasn't a manual on late parenting. He could think of some excellent ones he'd buy. How to Talk to Your Son About Fanatics. How to Handle Little Warnos at Eight Decades. Even one called From Pagnia to Earth, Everything You Need to Know to Leave and Live on Your Own. That one could help out with some of the burden. He left Carress to get to know his mother while he stood there. At this time, what should he be doing? Getting to know his sister again? Seeing how Ezra was doing after that comment? Finding Tiger and talking more? He found the more he thought about it, the more he did nothing. There were so many 'should be doing' things, he didn't know what to pick.