WHO: Xavin and Clary WHAT: Random encounter WHEN: Recently WARNINGS: No warnings, really STATUS: Closed and Complete
Xavin was not really sure what was going on, still. Ze had received the briefing, both from the partygoers ze had inadvertently dropped naked in on, and from the greeting committee which had arrived soon after. Even so, ze felt a little out of focus, a little unsure. Ze had an assigned apartment, which was bigger than any space ze had ever lived in by himself.
Ze had not anticipated that happening, really, ever. Even if ze had managed to return to earth, which ze had not been sure ze would be able to, ze had not been sure what reception ze would receive. And now, well, ze was trudging through a park toward the shopping market. Ze needed food, and ze had no idea what ze was going to get.
Maybe ze would find something that looked like Skrull food! Ze brightened as ze thought of that.
***
Clary had a thing about cutting through parks: she liked to do it, probably because her mother had told her not to do it when she was a kid. She was, for the most part, a good girl, but she'd never really been any good at being told what to do.
Even though her mother wasn't here anymore, she still enjoyed the peace and quiet that came from walking through a snowy park in winter. There weren't many others there, aside from a girl coming the opposite way.
Since the snowed-in path was only wide enough for one of them to go at a time, she nodded her greeting and stood aside to let what appeared to be the other girl pass.
***
Xavin smiled as ze spotted the woman, nodding. “Hi. Nice day for it, yeah?” Ze enjoyed the way the park felt, and the cooler weather really made zir blood pump. As she passed, she paused and spoke up again.
“Say, can you tell me where the market is?” Xavin was pretty sure ze was headed the right way, but ze also knew that ze could get lost easily. Especially in this brand new place.
***
“Yeah, sure. It’s just uh…” Clary paused to orient herself, then pointed in the correct direction. “Out that exit, down two blocks, turn left, and go until you hit it. You’re new here, huh?”
It was obvious enough. Most people got to know the market pretty quickly. That was where all the great food was.
***
Xavin glanced the way she pointed, trying to store that information, then nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” She smiled.
At the other’s question, she smiled. “Yes. I am very new here. And completely lost. About… everything.”
Sorry, Xavin is having a day.
***
“...okay,” Clary said. She wanted to be helpful, but it was hard to figure out where to start.
“I'm guessing you're not from this kind of world?” She hazarded. “I can try to answer your questions, but ‘everything’ could take a long time.”
*** Xavin facepalmed then chuckled. “Sorry. I… just got here, and I am… no, I am not human. I am a Skrull.”
And just like that, ze shifted, zir body flowing without seeming warning or edge and becoming a reptilian, greenish, and taller being, eyes a glowing reddish gold that shone with the light of the sun.
“I am Xavin. And I… sometimes am still not used to being here.”
A moment later, ze shifted back to zir other form, the female one ze wore most of the time.
***
“Oh, you're an alien,” Clary said, and that explained a lot. Simon was going to be so happy to hear about this.
“How long have you been on earth?”
Obviously long enough to know the language and to know what a market was.
***
“I suppose, from an Earther perspective, yes,. I am.” Xavin chuckled.
“I just returned when I was brought here. I was on it for a year, previously.” Xavin remembered the days of being a Runaway fondly. It had been a good time.
***
“I have a friend who’d love to meet you,” Clary said. “I’m sure he’d be happy to answer any questions you might have. I have to head home, but maybe I can get you guys connected later.”
Simon would be over the moon about this opportunity.
***
“Oh? I would be glad to meet him.” Xavin nodded, smiling faintly. Ze had no objection to meeting new people. They usually had objections to meeting zir.
“And I am sorry for holding you up.”
***
“It’s okay,” Clary assured her. “It was nice meeting you.” She was sincere about that. It wasn’t every day she got to meet an alien.