Tamani and Ulimi kept Riv and I company for the remainder of the day and well into the evening, helping with small chores and with Riv's schoolwork. Kuri had also dropped by to deliver his paperwork, which I eagerly started the moment it entered my hands. Riv, though still on-edge from my current condition, seemed pleased with having visitors in the house. I couldn't blame him, really, being cooped up inside all day and night like some kind of animal. It broke my heart that I couldn't do something so simple as taking him outside and into town, lest more angry citizens direct their...misgivings at him.

I wasn't unfamiliar with the brand of tension they carried. The reasons behind it were simple enough-- crossing lines between a new type and a pure type resulted in first-generation new types. The phenotype associated with new types was simply dominant to ours. You could tell those individuals apart from the rest by their "sunset eyes", or an ombré from orange to a new type color. Honestly, I always found it a very pretty and fascinating feature. This person could cross lines with a pure type and there would be a fifty-fifty chance at producing either another first-generation new type or a pure type. In summary, this relation can suppress the further generation of pure types, and that is what they fear. Really, it's not a baseless, irrational fear at its core, but these outbursts certainly were.

...Not that this phenomenon could affect me in any way anymore.

Riv could not help what he was any more or any less than any other person.

Any more than I could, even where I was.

We are born what we are, and there is...nothing wrong with this.

It took years to understand this for myself, but to see it happen to another -- someone I care deeply for, no less -- was just horrible. Though he was part of the group I once feared so much, to now be on the opposite side made me really wonder about my own biases and actions, hoping I'd not done anything to him to lose his trust. While he might say one thing, that nagging insecurity is always there.

I sat behind my front desk and shuffled through my assignments, what few I had. A sore gut and face couldn't impede me, especially if I needed some kind of way out of here. From here I'd look across the room to my small charge as he'd sound out letters and words, or see how high he could count with the help of my two ramiotran friends. I really could not be more fortunate to have them around, always willing to help. It wore on me that, given my situation, there wasn't much I could do for them...maybe if they had some menial desk-jockey work to spare. I wouldn't mind that and I don't think they would, either.

Occasionally my attention would turn back to the strange card. It was a vague, unassuming card lacking any kind of name or address. Not knowing what else to do with it I kept it on the inner shelf of the desk should the person drop by again.

Come nighttime the two ramiotrans needed to head back home. We said our goodbyes and waved as they departed for town. Closing the door behind me I looked down to the small child who returned my glance. I felt I should say something, but no words would come to me. Something about his face seemed to indicate the same.

Instead I just reached out my arm, inviting him closer. He took my invitation and came in for a soft hug, not wanting to squeeze too hard. Given my bruising I appreciated his restraint, wrapping my arms around him and gently rubbing his back. How this small boy could go through so much and still come out how he had was astonishing. These were the things that broke people, and it wasn't about to get any easier.

After he released me I took him by the hand to head upstairs. The house was quiet and settling, the creaks and thuds making both of us jump. We did find our way to the upper level and to his bedroom, my folding back his comforter so he could settle into bed. Once done I slowly bent down to cover him up and tuck him in, careful not to move my sore gut too much.

"...Riv, I'm very sorry for what happened today," I said with a heavy sigh. "I thought if I left early enough I could avoid those people from last time, but...I guess more people know now than before."

He just blinked and looked down as his ears slowly crept back. I pet his head, gently brushing the hair from his eyes.

"Can you forgive me?" I asked.

"...But I wasn't mad at you," he replied.

"Even so, I should've...tried to explore some other option," I whispered, my hand on his small head. "What I did was horribly reckless and could have gotten you hurt. Very hurt. Should that have happened I...I don't know what I would have done. I'm sorry."

He paused for a moment before reaching up to his head to grab my hand, bringing it to and holding it against his cheek. I smiled and ran my fingernails lightly through the fur on his cheek as he closed his eyes.

"I will make things work...how ever I can," I said hushedly before standing back up to my feet.

"...Father, would you like me better...if I were a pure?" came a tiny voice as I walked back to the doorway.

I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes widened. Something shorted in my head and my mind went blank. From a time beyond I began to recall a memory not unlike this occurrence, one where I'd asked my father a similar question.

But my answer was different...as it should be.

"Riv," I said, slowly turning my head back around.

He shied away farther back under the comforter.

"You are perfect to me as you are. There is nothing about you I would ever change."

He slowly poked his head back out from hiding, ears forward and alert. I looked down at him from the doorway, a smile creasing my sore, tired lips.

He really was.

"I will be up for a while to get more work done, but I will be downstairs tonight," I said. "I don't know how late I'll be up, so if you wake up before me in the morning please do me a favor and wake me up too, okay?"

"Okay," he said with a small, hesitant toothy smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," I said. "Sleep well."

I grabbed the handle and slowly pulled it closed until the lock touched the strike plate, just like always. From there I headed back downstairs to get back to work in the lobby. It would be a dull night, but at least this way I could react faster should something happen, as much as I dreaded the thought.

I reached the desk and situated myself along with a glass of water, looking through what work I had left. I didn't really like being down here at night, the rather empty lobby seeming so creepy and hollow in the yellow lamplight. Probably didn't help, the lack of furniture in here, but I couldn't imagine it doing much more than getting in the way. I tried to distract myself with the dull text and blanks on the pages before me.

Numbers here, words there. Sips of water in between. Small equations on the side, some identifications elsewhere. Pick up loose pages and tap to stack them again and put them in their parent folder. Repeat.

Words here, identifiers there, compare these values with these other values. Ensure the math adds up; once, twice. Find any outliers. Report them when found. Pack the loose pages back up with their stack of receipts. Repea--

A knock on the door broke my concentration.

A knock...at this hour? It must be at least ten at night by now. The lobby was too lit to properly see out the main window, so I very slowly and very carefully stood up and advanced upon the door. I tread lightly on my toes with my shoulders hunched, ready to run as I grabbed the handle.

Slowly I turned it, bracing myself for what may come as I eased open the door.

On the other side was a single pure faraden, a few inches taller than me. He stood straight with his head low and his hands behind his back, his fierce orange eyes staring right into mine. His ruddy brown fur and orange eyes seemed to glow in the warm lamplight emanating from the lobby.

"Good evening," he said in a deceptively low voice.

"Um, good...evening..." I replied, looking around for any others.

"I assume you received my card," he continued.

"Oh, uh, I...I guess I did," I said, looking back to my desk.

"Might I come inside?" he asked.

"...Please let me see your hands first," I requested.

"Of course," he replied, bringing his empty hands out front where I could see them.

"...Alright, please come in," I waved and stepped side, closing the door behind him.

The stranger paused and looked around the lobby, but for what I don't know. He stood in silence and I waited for some motion or invitation.

"So this is the house I've heard so much about over the past few days," he said, his hand on his chin.

"You've...heard about it..." I said quietly, my ears creeping back.

"Mm, word travels fast in such small towns," he said, slowly stepping around the perimeter of the room as I stood in the center. "Information is valuable, after all."

"...I suppose?"

"I may have also heard about you," he said, turning his head back toward me.

"M-Me?" I stuttered.

My heart jumped up into my throat and I raised my hand to my chest to settle it.

"May, may not," he sauntered about the floor. "Maybe I heard that fewer places are willing to work with you lately. Something about...a child of yours?"

Just...how much do people talk?

"Your expression tells me all I need to know," he smiled. "What I have for you is a proposal, an offer you'd be a fool to refuse."

"I-- Pardon?"

"My organization would be more than willing to offer you the funding to continue running this home, as well as a set of dedicated staff to man it, should you agree. This would include, ah, home security?"

He stopped his pacing just in front of my desk as I stood, eyes wide and hanging onto his every word.

"Financing this place would not be too difficult," he continued. "We have already taken to this practice elsewhere in this town, after all. Your home's intended purpose offers a rather...interesting asset to us, again, should you agree."

I waited, growing nervous.

"We would very much like to...incorporate it into a greater network of housing fulfilling a similar purpose," he went on. "This, too, means that your home could return to the state you maintained when Stipa was destroyed."

I thought back to then, when my volunteers brought to my lobby a sizable group of children needing housing-- all the bright eyes looking up at me.

All the love and care we could provide, the broken hearts we could mend.

The chapters we could write.

Could this...really happen again?

"You will have the funding you need, the staff you require, and the security you so desperately seek," he grinned. "Of course, such is not without a price, hm?"

"...I'm listening," I said, ears flattened.

"In return, you will function as my employee," he said, returning his hands behind his back.

"...What else?" I asked, incredulous.

"Mm, you're a perceptive one," he smiled. "With this bounty I offer you, I ask three simple things in return."

"Okay..."

"One: I provide your staff. If I'm to finance a place, it will run to my expectations. Those expectations are not unattainable and I can be reasoned with in some cases. However, I can and will also impose what new rules and regulations I see fit as time goes on, should I feel the need, just like any other...workplace."

"...Alright."

"Two: With your employment, you will join my growing organization as we strive to...make the world a better place-- A Greater Society. In doing so, you will relinquish your identity; your name will belong to me."

"My...name?"

He let out a small chuckle.

"A name is earned, not given," he shrugged. "Those in your place may refer to each other by titles, but your names must be earned. Our duty is to help our people-- to get into their broken, bleeding cores and rebuild them from the ground up into much, much stronger people. This is but a part of a greater process."

"...And the third?"

"Your home will be happily, reliably financed and staffed, as stated...for every pure faraden you house," he grinned.

I was taken aback.

"I know of your current charge," he continued. "I doubt there's anyone in town who doesn't by now. I'm...not asking you to do anything about him, good or bad, so please set aside your guard for a moment."

I looked aside, but straightened my posture with my small fists clenched.

"I see he...means a great deal to you, the dilute--"

"Don't you call him that," I cut in.

"...The new type child. Testy, are we?"

"...Please, don't call him that."

"...Now then, you can continue to house him if that is what you wish. His care will not come out of our pockets and thus must come from yours. Should you put your money toward him, that is entirely your prerogative. I will, however, restrict your income and the home's financing the more new types you decide to keep, starting with him. You can...turn away new additions, if you must."

"...I cannot do that in good conscience," I said.

"Very well, it is your house and thus your choice," he said, running his fingers down the edge of the desk. "Of course, do remember that choices have consequences, beginning with him."

"I don't understand--"

"Ah, worry not," he said loudly, through a smile, "for these things grow very apparent in due time."

"I-I am not sure I can--"

"Now, now, I'm not asking for a decision right this second, my friend," he winked. "Take the night and sleep on it, take the week if you must! We are never too far."

The chance to have a reliable income.

The chance to revive our dream.

...The chance to finally have enough to provide Riv a better life.

...All of this at the cost of a name that meant nothing to me, that I avoided giving to people should I be recognized.

"...I'll...think about it," I said quietly as he meandered toward the door to depart.

I opened it to release this stranger back outside to the dark world beyond.

"...Before you go, I would like to know what to call you," I requested.

"Ah," he took my hand in a firm grip and gave it a shake, looking me directly in the eyes, "call me Morissey."