“What instruments do you wish to learn to play?” Dhivael asked the siren. She was interested in what Kay told her about sirens being naturally gifted with perfect pitch, but she did not say that all sirens were gifted with it, only that they had a tendency to be that way. It was something which seemed familiar to Dhivael. Every now and again, though it was extremely rare, a child could be born who felt emotions more strongly than most Rihannsu. They had a tendency to stifle those feelings over time to better fit with the social norms instilled on ch’Havran, but it was said that they had problems for much of their lives because of it. “Do those who are born without perfect pitch suffer among your people?”
The Rihan thought for a moment before answering. “Children are free to pursue whatever they desire on my planet. Their parents do not stop them. However, a parent may nudge the child into a specific path, but it may not work in such a way.” She didn’t add that she had been nudged by her mother away from studying the humanoids of Earth. It didn’t seem pertinent.
“I studied some classic literature before I came to this planet. I was told William Shakespeares plays depicted humans in many different emotional states, so I thought it would be pertinent to read some of them.” Dhivael responded. In fact, she hadn’t really learned why people did the things they did, only that they did them. The characters in the plays were usually incredibly irrational and illogical. It was difficult to understand how such things served as entertainment.
“I have used Google. It is good to know that I was not incorrect in my assumption. Google itself is a noun naturally, is it not? It is a proper noun, yes? I have studied the rules of grammar in various languages – some not of this planet. I agree that the… website is useful.” She paused, contemplating Kay’s description of the comic book she had researched. “What about it made it ‘silly?’”
Her eyes scanned the smiling face of the blond siren across from her. “That is one of the few statements I have heard since I arrived that is logical to me.” Practicing early to hone skills to better the chances of winning was simple logic. Logic was something to which the extraterrestrial tried to cling, but it did not always permit her to understand this new world that surrounded her. Dhivael didn’t know any other way, so she had many difficulties on Earth.
“I believe it is important to take care of the things around you. I do not understand why so many beings pollute their own homeland. The Rihannsu of ch’Havran are much more technologically advanced than the humanoids of Earth, but we have always ensured that our planet is healthy and not corrupted by unnatural chemical influences.
She had learned much about how the animals of Earth killed to survive. Even the less sentient life forms of ch’Havran occasionally had to kill to live though it was all vastly different from Earth. However, this knowledge ensured that she felt it was sensible for the sirens to lure ships to shore in order to find food. Perhaps the terrain on which they lived was not very habitable.
Dhivael wondered at the redness in the siren’s cheeks when she was asked if she used her abilities to convince others to do her will. It was perfectly cool in the cafeteria, and she had sensed no illness in Kay for the time they had been speaking. It must be an emotional response evoked by thoughts, but what emotion was it? It didn’t seem to be anger. In fact, this woman before her seemed never to really anger. Then again, she had only been speaking to her for a short time. Perhaps she would see a display of fury at a later time.