The four of us left the house and headed to the infirmary, the heavy door closing and locking behind us. Sura was run through the usual routine of height, weight, and all the checks I remembered getting back four years ago. She was a bit underweight for her height, again likely from her poor eating from before her enrollment, but we'd see to it that she'd catch up to where she needed to be and that she wouldn't go hungry.

Her pulse was fast, probably out of stress, but everything else seemed to be where it needed to be for her age. She walked around on high alert, startled easily by any stray bump or creak the building made. We kept her close as we moved to the cot for the final round of questions, and so far nothing seemed terribly out of place.

"Sura, if you'd like to, you can tell us anything you'd like us to know about your life before coming here," Daniel invited from his chair, pen readied. "We won't force ya, but the option is always there and it'll help us know how best to take care of ya."

She looked down to her lap and fumbled with her hands, but Riv put his arm around her and pulled her into his side.

"If you're worried about your parents finding out, please don't be," I said, petting her dark hair. "They can't hurt you anymore."

"...Do you promise?" she whimpered.

"Absolutely, sweetie," I replied, leaning over and touching my nose atop her head. "I know this is all very difficult, but we're here for you and want you to feel as safe and comfortable as possible."

Sura rubbed her arm, her big brown eyes still downcast in reflection.

"If you don't want to tell us, we won't make you," Daniel said, nudging his foot against hers. "The invitation is always there."

"Would you be willing to tell him what you told me this morning before breakfast?" I asked. "Or, if you'd prefer, I could tell him, but it would be best those things come from you."

"...Dad would...only let me eat during dinner," she quietly confessed.

"You only ate once a day?" Daniel asked, writing his notes.

"...Mhm."

"Well, that explains your size," he said through a furrowed brow.

"If...If I tried to eat anything else he'd scream at me or throw things. Mom never helped me and just...let him do that."

"That's pretty terrible," he said, continuing his note-taking. "Is there anything else you want us to know? Maybe anything else you told Reverend just this mornin'?"

"Dad...liked to cook food and tease me with it," she said, gripping her arm. "If I went into the kitchen he'd yell at me. He...He yelled at me a lot, for a lot of things."

"Did you think we were goin' to do that this mornin'?" Daniel asked, looking up from his notes.

Her frustrated frown told us all we needed to know.

"Well, sweetie, I assure ya that won't happen here, okay?" he said, putting aside his notes on the small desk. "We want ya to feel happy and cared for here."

"...But I'm a dilute, and you're not."

"Please don't call yourself that, Sura. You're a new type, but that don't mean anything to us. Does it bother you that we're pure types? We'd understand if it did given your background."

"...Why are you nice to me? Why are you nice to Riv?"

"Riv is our son and we love him to bits," Daniel said. "Why would we treat either of you badly? Just because you're different? Why should that matter to us?"

Sura wasn't sure how to respond and just continued looking down to her lap. I remembered back four years ago just how nervous and apprehensive Riv and I both were around each other when it was just the two of us. He was nervous to approach and I was as well to be approached. It took a while for both of us to overcome such a trivial thing, but it still happened and I wouldn't have him any other way.

"Sura, when I was brought here I was the only new type out of twelve kids," Riv said, his face against her head. "The kids from back at home hated me and they still hated me after I got here. I was really scared of Father at first because he's a pure, but...he said I belonged here. He was always nice to me. It didn't matter what I was."

"...Was Daniel nice, too?" she asked, her eyes meandering over to the man on his chair.

"Of course, and he's always been," he said, rubbing his blunt snout on her head. "I know he's big and Father's really nervous all the time, but they're both nice. I love them both, Sura, and they love me, too."

"You know, Sura," Daniel started, bringing one leg over the other, "my parents were killed in an accident when I was real young. I was actually raised in a system just like this one way back in the day. The parents running the place basically adopted me, and they were new types."

"...Really?" she said, slowly turning her head toward him.

"Mhm," he affirmed. "I'm from a place with both pure and new types. People are people to me and my parents didn't treat me any differently just because we were different. We loved each other just how we were, just like how I love just how you are."

"...My...parents never said they loved me," Sura sniffled. "They always pushed me away. Was...Was I bad?"

"Not at all, sweetie," I said, combing through her hair. "Sometimes people do or say horrible things we don't deserve. It doesn't make you bad, or anything you've done bad, it's a choice they're making."

"...Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Is there anything else you'd like us to know today?" Daniel asked from his chair. "You have all the time in the world, and I'm very happy you felt comfortable enough to tell us any of this."

"...That's all," she whispered.

"Are you sure?" he asked one more time. "If there's anything you'd like to tell us out here, you just gotta let us know."

"...I'm sure."

Daniel stood up with Sura's file and unlocked the filing cabinet. Grabbing one of the hanging folders he wrote Sura's name on the tab, placed the file in the folder, and stowed it away safely in the cabinet. With it locked up tight he turned to offer his hand to Sura, which she hesitantly took, and he helped her off the cot. Riv led the way as I took Sura's other hand, the little boy pushing open the heavy door to let us through.

"Thank you, Riv," Daniel laughed. "You're getting big and strong, ain't ya?"

Riv beamed as he flexed his skinny arms while Daniel locked the big door behind us.

"Daniel, would you mind running a quick errand for me this morning?" I asked, pulling out my wallet.

"Sure, what'ya need?"

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind getting Sura her own hairbrush so she doesn't have to use Riv's," I said, pulling out a few small bills. "And maybe some hair ties for both of them? Their hair is quite long and they might like the option."

"Please, I can just go get that on my own, so put that away," he chuckled. "Since the mornin' stuff is all done I'll go deal with that now, maybe grab somethin' nice from Ulimi's shop before I head back."

"Oh, y-you don't have--"

From behind me came a big arm that swept me up and pulled me in close, taking me by surprise as it held me against Daniel's front. I awkwardly looked up at him, my eyes wide and confused, but he just nuzzled my forehead and giggled. I looked over to my children as Sura finally cracked a smile, albeit small and hesitant, before looking to Riv about what she'd just witnessed. Riv just smiled and shrugged.

"I'll be back in about twenty minutes or so, so try not to miss me too much," he said, giving me another nudge on the forehead before finally letting me go.

I smiled and rolled my eyes as he planted his snout against the head of each child before beginning his walk into town. With him on his way I took Riv and Sura back inside the house and up the stairs, letting them go to carry about their time as I grabbed a clipboard from my bedroom desk. With the academic outline and a few sheets of paper I went back out to the staff room to figure out some new schoolwork for Riv and some remedial content for Sura. Remembering Riv's old work I didn't think it'd be too challenging to get her up to where she needed to be.

Before long the two kids came in to join me. Riv sat at the table with his art supplies and Sura had some of the books from the previous night. He helped her learn some more words in one of the books, spelling them out on the paper and using the same letters to make new words. She had a little difficulty with the silent E and some double-vowels at first, but she got the hang of it before too long.

"Father, are you making more schoolwork?" Riv asked, turning his head upside-down to face me.

"Mhm," I mumbled through a little smile as I sorted out some math problems. "I'm making some for you too, Sura, so please don't worry. We will help you if needed just like we do with Riv, but you don't need to worry about starting on these until Monday. Let's try to get you settled in a little bit first."

Sura just tilted her head from where she sat, though she looked a bit less unsure now than she did just this morning. She was slowly coming around.

After a short time of Riv helping Sura with some of the words she was able to read one of the books on her own. It was a simple book, but progress was progress. I set down the clipboard and leaned forward to pat and nuzzle her head, her turning around as I gave her a gentle smile.

"I'm very proud of you!" I exclaimed. "See, you'll get your reading level up in no time. You're already reading on your own."

"...But I had help," she said.

"So?" I shrugged. "We've all needed help with learning new things. That's why it's called 'learning', sweetie-- nobody is born an expert."

She looked down to the floor but gave me a little smile.

"And you," I started, placing my hand on the far side of Riv's face and pulling him in for a nudge, "I'm so happy to see you being so kind and helpful."

Riv giggled as I rubbed my snout over his head, Sura smiling as she watched from where she sat. I was very glad they both got along so well, and Riv's cuddliness and empathy would be exactly the thing Sura would need. I stood back up and returned to the sofa to work more on their upcoming schoolwork, letting them get back to their activities.

Daniel soon arrived back home, carrying a bag. He knelt down in front of the kids to present Sura with her own little hairbrush and gave both children their own packs of hair ties.

"And last, but not least," he said, pulling some seashell pastries from the bag and giving one to each of them.

Riv eagerly bit into his, but Sura just stared at it.

"It's okay, sweetie," Daniel said, patting her head. "They're a pastry the grocery shop owner sends home for Riv a lot. I told him about ya so he sent one for you, too."

"...For me?" she asked, looking up at him.

"He likes to do that for us sometimes, just like how he sends us sweet cornbread for Reverend."

I giggled from the couch, flipping through different pages on my clipboard and continuing my writing.

"Daniel, Sura read one of the books on her own while you were out," I said through a smile. "Riv has been very helpful."

His bright eyes lit right up and he returned with a big smile of his own. He leaned forward to hug on his two children, petting and rubbing his snout atop their heads. His face bared a warmth just like it did back those years ago, when Riv cuddled up to him in my large bed. I couldn't help but continue smiling at the big man proud of his kids.

After he pulled away to join me on the couch Sura finally relented and bit into the pastry in her hands.

"Do you like it?" Riv asked.

Sura gave Riv a gentle nod and a little smile. As they ate their pastries Riv gave Sura half of his paper and set his art supplies between them to draw with if she wanted. While Daniel and I worked on the next week's schoolwork both children sat side-by-side and drew pictures or continued reading practice. Sura seemed very interested in getting down reading, so she'd also practice writing the words she saw in the books. Riv would offer words to try to spell and she'd write them down for him to check, going over each until she got them correct.

Around noon we went downstairs for a simple lunch of sandwiches and fruit with a glass of milk. Sura seemed to be almost in disbelief as she looked to the plate in front of her, but Daniel pet her head to reassure the nervous girl that yes, she was allowed to eat and do so until she was no longer hungry-- and not just once a day.

Much of the day was passed as the usual goings-on as far as weekends go, which was perfectly fine with me. Sura had made a lot of progress already in such short time and I couldn't be more proud. I'm sure Daniel would agree. As the day went on she seemed to smile more often and her ears seem to carry higher, little by little, perhaps realizing that this place really would be different from where she'd come.

With the week's schoolwork done and set aside we spent some of the later afternoon outside, taking a stroll around the wilds of the back yard. It was a little cold outside but fortunately one of Riv's old jackets fit Sura just fine, and she seemed happy enough to even get that much. Riv led her around to his favorite places as Daniel and I watched from where we stood. The little boy was all too excited to finally have someone with whom to share experiences and grow and Sura needed exactly the kind of person Riv was turning out to be.

Dinner would soon be upon us, so we returned to the house to figure out what to make. Rifling through the stuff in the icebox Daniel found some chicken, eggs, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. From the freezer compartment he retrieved some frozen red sauce he'd made previously and found bread crumbs and spiral pasta stowed away in the cupboard.

"I know what I could do with these," he said, greasing the skillet and turning on the stove. "Riv, could you crack and beat a couple eggs into a bowl for me?"

"Sure!" he said, hopping off the bench and grabbing an egg.

Sura stayed by me on the bench, holding on to my tail as we both watched. Daniel poured two other bowls: One held flour and one held bread crumbs. To the crumbs he added a generous amount of the parmesan cheese and a few types of spices. The chicken was coated in flour, then the beaten egg, and then in the bread crumbs before being carefully placed in the greased skillet. Sura's ears perked as the hot pan hissed and Daniel washed and dried his hands.

"Alright, should take a few minutes per side," he said, shuffling through a lower cabinet for a can of tomatoes. "How're you holdin' up, Sura?"

She hugged my tail a little harder and gave him a tiny smile. He responded with a gentle pat on the head for both children as they patiently waited by me at the bench.

After a few minutes the chicken was turned over and we resumed waiting. Daniel took out a plate in preparation, moving over the chicken once it was golden brown on each side. To the skillet he added some water, the can of tomatoes, and some of the pasta sauce, stirring everything together and bringing it to a boil. Once there, the pasta was added and the pan was covered, allowing it to cook for a short time. Daniel took a seat by us for the time it'd take for the pasta to get to nearly done, Riv leaning on his side. The bigger man brought his arm around the smaller boy and ruffled through his hair, rubbing his snout over his head while the food cooked.

Sura looked over to both of them, then looked up at me. The motion caught my attention so I turned my gaze to her and opened my arm. She fidgeted with the long fur on my tail a bit before scooting closer and gingerly resting against my side. I held her close and combed my fingers through her black hair, her back and shoulders slowly losing their stiffness as she lay against my small ribcage. With my snout held softly against her head she seemed to finally begin to relax.

After about eight minutes Daniel stood back up and placed the chicken back in the pan, on top of the pasta. After a few minutes some slices of mozzarella were added to each piece of chicken and allowed to melt under the cover. In the meantime he gathered four plates and four glasses, Riv taking the initiative to pour everyone a glass of milk and set it on the bench.

Finally it was time to eat, Daniel scooping out a liberal helping of pasta and topping it with the chicken on each plate and setting the plates on the bench. With everyone served and situated, we dug in. Sura's eyes were glossy as she ate and I wondered when might have been the last time the child ate three meals in a day. It shouldn't take too long to fill her weight out a bit, I hoped.

Dinner was flavorful and filling, and just the thing we needed on a cool day like today. I stood up and stretched, Daniel following, and got started with the dishes. I washed and he dried, Riv taking the dry dishes and putting them away while Sura watched and learned where everything went. After everything was done we all headed upstairs to the staff room to resume the evening before going to bed.

Cracking open a book Daniel took his usual place as I retrieved my calligraphy pen, paper, and ink from my bedroom. The two kids took their places on the loveseat drawing pictures, reading, and playing little games. After some time it got rather quiet, so I looked over to see both of them had fallen asleep with Sura on Riv.

"I s'pose it's late enough," Daniel quietly laughed, standing up and stretching before gently picking Sura up and off of Riv.

She blinked open her bleary eyes, but was too tired and full to do much more than turn her head to lay against his shoulder. He rubbed her little back before heading to their room and putting her to bed for the night, my following close behind to fulfill my part of the routine. I rubbed my snout atop her forehead and she gave me a little smile before completely nodding off. Daniel then entered with a groggy Riv, laying him down for bed and tucking him in. With the usual of nudges to the forehead we left the sleepy children and closed the door behind us.

Looking back down the hall before we retreated to the staff room I saw the nightstaff eyeing us, but was quietly reassured when I noticed Kuri's door ajar. A narrow slit of ruddy brown told me he was there and intently watching and listening, so I tried to quiet my anxiety. I knew Morissey wouldn't be too happy about my taking in another new type, but given that she was sharing a room with Riv I thought about trying to reason with him. He...did say he wasn't above such a thing.

Daniel went to our room to change as I gathered our things from the staff room, stepping out to allow my entry and privacy to put our things away and change into my own sleepwear. Once finished I let him back in, his going first to the bed and inviting me in with the opened comforter. I slid my way in and he pulled me in close under the covers.

"Feel better now?" he asked.

"About Sura?" I inquired.

"Yeah, you were awfully worried about her last night but she's already making progress," he said. "She'll get to where she needs to be in no time at all, we just gotta keep being supportive."

"...Am I doing enough?"

"Honestly, you're doing far better than most people with your background might. It's actually pretty impressive given your lack of good examples."

"Well...I just try to do the things I wish I had."

"Hey, I'm not gonna question the method if it leads to happy kids," he laughed. "I think you're doin' plenty, and I'll still be here to help ya the whole way."

"...I hope so."

He nuzzled my snout with a gentle smile.

"You're awfully affectionate today," I chuckled.

"I don't see you complainin'," he shrugged.

My eyelids were heavy as I granted him a bemused smile before resting my head against his warm chest, his snout atop my head finally lulling me to sleep.

---