The Nature of Predators - Nova's Children (8/10) (Patreon)

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Elia and Ari were close enough developmentally to do everything together, for a while. The two of them took classes side-by-side; after some lobbying by Noah to get permission for his non-human daughter, that included physical education—a class that had only been offered to Terrans, until her. The duo ate lunches with the same classmates that were superficial friends, and would come home for gaming sessions. In the off-season, that was when they spent the most time on Earth, relishing playful days in verdant parks; beyond just the lighter gravity being a welcome vacation, there was no comparable wilderness on Skalga. The sole event they didn’t undergo together was birthdays, only because they were born on different days.

The Venlil child was often accused of starting up trouble, with her roughhousing and defiance; she wasn’t nearly as studious as Ari, and got caught cheating off of his homework several times. For that reason, Tarva was looking forward to when the two would be separated. Of course, the former governor wouldn’t realize until long after that it just forced Elia to find more resourceful ways of not doing her work. It required Noah’s delicate touch to persuade her that activities other than athletics were important to her future at all. Those debates were still a work-in-progress even in the year 2152, as any fly on the wall could tell.

Even as the children got older, and both were aware that Venlil matured with more expediency than humans, it was exceptionally difficult to explain why they couldn’t stick together. Why did Ari need to stay in school longer than a Venlil; that meant by merit of his species, he either had to learn more complex subjects, or his brain processed lessons slower than Elia’s. There weren’t academic studies confirming these different standards, so it was standing primarily on the backs of tradition. That wasn’t a sufficient reason for Elia, given how much of a joke she thought the Venlil’s longstanding habits were.

Whereas Ari would’ve been happier being born a Venlil, there were many regards in which Elia wished she were human. Perhaps that was the irony of it all. Both children saw the differences between each other, and what they were missing respectively.

“Why can’t Ari take the same classes as me? What if I just…flunk this year, so I can stick with him?” Elia shouted as they walked in their family home, after seeing their course selection options not aligning with each other. “It’s not like I care, anyway.”

Tarva pinned her ears back in rage. “Some of us do care if you make something of yourself! You were meant to have the opportunities that generations of Venlil didn’t get. Do you have any idea how lucky you are?”

“What I know is that my life shouldn’t be about living out your dreams. When will we ever use any of the shit we learn at school?”

“Watch your mouth. You’re foul-mouthed and crass, just like those predator shows you watch.”

Ari flinched. “I…won’t be in the same classes as Elia anymore. We don’t like being treated differently. That’s what this was supposed to be about.”

“I know it’s difficult for both of you to be placed in separate grades,” Noah intervened, glancing up from reading the news on his holopad. “That just means that Elia gets to be done with school sooner, which I imagine she would like. Isn’t that right?”

The Venlil sulked, folding her arms as a human would. “I want to be in classes with my brother. He’s supposed to be the older one!”

“You mean you want to be lazy,” Tarva challenged. “You want him to do your work.”

“You just admitted he’s the smarter one! Why do you insult his intelligence by holding him back a grade?”

“You talk like I did this personally.”

“You were the governor, so you basically did!”

“Elia! I do agree that you should be more respectful to your mother.” Noah took a step toward her, fixing her with a scowl; if looks could kill, the young Venlil would’ve dissolved into a puddle on the ground then and there. “You know that Ari is a bit more fragile than you. He just needs more time to grow up. You’ll have to do some things on your own, because we can’t bridge all of the differences. And that’s okay.”

Ari’s eyes watered. “If Elia grows up faster, one day, she’ll be gone. She’ll leave before me, and I’ll be alone. I’m not like other Venlil or humans.”

“You are unique, but you’ll never be alone. Tarva and I will be here, as long as we breathe.”

“I want to grow up like my sister does! I don’t want to…watch from the sidelines as she goes out into the world!”

Elia lashed her tail. “Ari and I should be on the same footing. Screw whatever standards are supposed to apply to our species! It’s all made-up, and I think it’s time things changed. When I’m old enough, I’m going to make sure it does.”

“That’s a noble thought, but for now, you’ll have to play by the rules. We all have to, at some point,” Noah replied.

“No, we don’t. I’m going to figure something out. Ari’s worth it.”

Memory Transcription Subject: Elia Williams, Venlil Athlete

Date [standardized human time]: October 12, 2152

On one paw, it felt as if it took forever for it to be the day before the Olympics commenced; on the other, it was like I’d blinked visiting Ari’s aunt in South Africa, and woke up right before the moment my whole life had been leading toward. It was good fortune that the whack over the head during our run-in with the exterminator nuts hadn’t done any serious damage, and that my legs hadn’t gotten banged up beyond minor bruising while being shoved and kicked to the ground. My ribs had been a bit tender for awhile, since that Venlil kid could throw a mean kick; he should’ve gone into soccer, instead of abducting famous kids with his mother.

Noah wanted my brother and I to speak to a therapist, but I wasn’t as shaken up by the exterminators getting their just desserts as Ari. It’d been the wake-up call I needed on my priorities, and the agents that swooped in to save us drilled it home that Tarva was looking out for us. The sole thing that stuck with me was how it felt, when I thought I’d lose my beloved sibling. I barely perceived my fifteenth birthday, which crowned me an adult as far as Skalga was concerned. Nothing felt any different, after that legal milestone, except that others expected me to step up. With the big race coming and my family cheering me on, I found myself suddenly wishing it was all over. The Olympics ceremony was to be hosted in front of a massive crowd tomorrow, the first of its kind on Skalga. The day after that was the race.

I didn’t know if I’d have any sort of stage fright, when the cameras were rolling and the race commenced. Running was usually a liberating experience, regardless of my emotional state, but there would be an enormous amount of eyes on me. Should I not perform up to par, no doubt the critics would be vicious—Tarva’s daughter couldn’t be a failure. I was used to having people watch my life, but this had me feeling like I was on trial: like I was proving whether I was worth the gene mods. My own mother doubted how I utilized my opportunity, not always approving of the obsessive time I sunk into this hobby. Not only was I representing my family and my entire species’ abilities, but I was proving my skill to her.

At Noah’s urging, I toured several schools in North America; he seems fond of the University of Michigan, since it’s his alma mater. I’ve been wearing a Wolverines sweatshirt around just to get my mother off my back, but going off without Ari…no. Beyond the fact that I hate being cooped up in boring classes, it doesn’t feel right.

“Rawr!” Ari shouted, raising his plushy fingers to look like claws. He was running our local track with me for the final time, before the global event. “It’s me, Noah Williams. Just an innocent Gaian, Glim! Don’t you want a hug? Why are you running? Aw, don’t go throwing yourself in front of a train. That’s not cool.”

I giggled, knowing my father wouldn’t appreciate me pretending to be Glim. “You know, that day, Noah proved that parkour videos on Skalga could take off. Running past all kinds of cameras like a madman.”

“Why are you talking about me in past tense, Glim? It’s not like you saw me bite Tarva’s face. Which would be very yummy...”

“You’re gross! That’s our mother!”

“But not to Noah. It’d be valid for him to say.”

“Shut up. I am going to run far, far away from you. Eat my dust!”

I pushed my legs into overdrive, pounding my running shoes into the track; Ari wheezed, unable to match my burst of speed. This could be what I needed, if I was neck and neck with another Venlil approaching the finish line. It was the second wind I needed to find either way, since I didn’t just want to surpass my competition. My goal was to stamp a record time that would prove my athleticism beyond a shadow of a doubt, lasting as a mark to beat for years to come. After the emotional horror we’d endured, with our very lives almost cut short, it would be easy to push through physical exhaustion.

My lungs burning would be a bit more tolerable on race day if I imagined Ari chasing me. He did have a noticeable spring in his step, since learning the truth about his biological parents; it was like a weight had been lifted. I could feel his lingering excitement, after Aunt Lesedi had agreed to join our Christmas celebrations this year.

I wondered what it must’ve looked like to a bystander who wasn’t familiar with our school. A Venlil child running for her life from a predator, who was brimming with manic energy and making jokes about face biting. Once I truly pushed my body to the limits, there wasn’t enough oxygen filling my respiratory system to make any comments with my brother. All I could think inside was that I wanted to be home for more than just holiday reunions; I hadn’t spent any of my childhood without a loving sibling, and Ari shouldn’t either. As wonderful as it would be to have independence from Tarva’s overbearing gaze, I knew I’d be miserable on Earth alone. Ari being human—being my family—was the only thing that connected me to that planet.

Noah gives a connection too, after everything he showed us, but it never felt like my planet. Not that I’d want anything to happen to Earth, and that I don’t like visiting. It’s just little reminders, like Ari has on Skalga. Every time I walk past a tattoo shop, I wish I could get one, but what would I do—shave my fur, forever? Their culture isn’t meant for me.

With my thoughts racing, I dug in deeper, trying to sprint fast enough that it’d shut my brain off. It barely registered as I bolted across the finish line; despite his own tiredness, Ari was lightning fast at recording the time. His teeth bared in an elated grin, pride shining in his binocular eyes. I keeled over, as the human caught up to me and showed me the numbers. The mixture of playful banter and anxiety at leaving my family had given me a massive push, with conflicting yet strong emotional surges. The time was a personal best: one I needed to replicate at the Olympics. My brother couldn’t chase me down the track on the big day, and without him to balance out my angst, I couldn’t afford those distractions either.

I needed to deal with my inner turmoil, just like Ari had to tackle his insecurities and doubts. My struggle had never been knowing who I was; that had come naturally to me, always a certainty in my mind. The misgivings were about whether I could carve out a successful future and stay true to myself. What would it say about me if I lost the people I loved in that pursuit? What was the point of any level of athletic success if I alienated myself from my family? Life was short, something I’d gotten a harsh reminder of recently, so I wouldn’t waste it following someone else’s dreams. There had to be something I could do that would appease Tarva, without abandoning my brother for something my heart wasn’t in.

“I thought you’d be happier, seeing a lap time like that,” Ari commented, knitting his brows with concern. “Are you hurt? Did you push yourself too hard?”

I stopped for a moment, signaling “Wait” as I caught my breath. “I just…don’t want to leave you. It’s not right that you feel different; that you’re treated different! I’m not going away to college, end of story. Not without you.”

“Mom might have Agent Wolf black-bag you to the university,” he snickered. “I’m not sure you’ll convince her to go along with skipping school altogether. You might want to approach Dad first…and after the Olympics. You need to focus!”

“That’s exactly why I need to sit down with them, and have a discussion, right now. The expectations everyone has for me, they weigh on me just like the uncertainty you had. I need to settle what I’m doing with my life, and I have to get Tarva onboard.”

“Ha. Elia, you’re fifteen. You don’t have to decide what to do forever, right now. Things change over time.”

“You sound like Noah. You look like him too, down to the way he raises his eyebrows nonchalantly.”

A voice cleared his throat from the sidelines. “Ari does sound like me…except for imitating my exchanges with Glim. Yes, I heard that kerfuffle. I’d scold you about how it’s not funny that Venlil were kept as cattle, but instead, I think we need to take you through one of those cattle exhibit museums. We haven’t made it real…but another day.”

“We’ve seen pictures and videos in class, and on the internet,” Ari said.

“It’s not the same. Never is, using one of your five senses—maybe two if there’s sound—on a video screen. You’re detached from it. Some things aren’t joking matters, though I know you think it’s amusing.”

I raised my paws innocently. “I didn’t start it this time. Really!”

“Yes, I know. I’ll say that I am happy to see Ari in a playful mood, as is your mother. We’re excited to watch how you’ll do at the Games, Elia, and we’re very proud. Both of you are growing up so wonderfully. I still remember the first day I held you in my arms, knowing right then you’d be my world. That magic happened a second time when we met you, Ari.”

“Was it really the same, Dad?” my brother asked, tilting his head.

“It was a different feeling than a live birth. It was more that I was picturing the two of you together. It was like I saw you growing up before my eyes, that very first moment. You completed this family, my son. I love you both so very much.”

“I love you too,” Ari said, as I signed the three words in tail language to my father. It was one of the few nonverbals he knew, from a decade and a half married to my mother. “I couldn’t have asked for a better father. A better human.”

“You’re making an old man cry. As much as I’d love to give you both a hug, I think we should go speak to your mother. We just want you both to be happy. If Elia needs this resolved to run on her big day, then we should handle this here. Come on.”

My tail drooped between my legs, noticing that it wasn’t just Noah who seemed to have overheard our every word; Tarva was watching from the bleachers as well. Ari’s expression looked mortified for me, though our father seemed as unconcerned as ever. I supposed I needed to get the Dossur off my back, and tell her upfront that my mind was set on not heading off to college; there could be no room left for discussion, since I was an adult now. Holding my ground would set some boundaries, and certify my independence. It went beyond just my typical defiance of how I “should act.” I’d been separated from my brother in schooling for too long, and now, I finally had the power to do something about it.

“Look, I don’t want to leave. Going to college isn’t for me, at least right now. I want to stay on Skalga,” I said, somehow meeting my mother’s eyes. “Go on, get angry with me, then. It won’t change my mind.”

Tarva pinned her ears back, before ensnaring me in a hug. “Okay. It’s your decision, Elia. I…worry about you a lot. You look so much like Stynek, down to the speckled patches of fur on your back. You’re so much different from her, yet that likeness…it’s always there. All I want is for you to take the world by storm; my job is to set you up for the future she didn’t get. No matter what choices you make, I’ll always love you. You’ll always have a place in our home.”

“That’s it? You’re not going to kick me out, or lecture me? You’d let me stay?”

“Of course I would! I’d never do anything to hurt you, or cut you off from me. Don’t mistake this for my agreement with your choices; I think it’s important for you to plan, and make backup plans on top of those. Part of why…your reckless behavior angers me, is the fact it puts you, and sometimes Ari, in harm’s way. If I said nothing, and something happened: I don’t expect you to understand. Yet if you think for a second I’d ever abandon you, or that I have anything but your best interest at heart, perhaps I’ve failed you as a mother.”

My nose twitched in surprise, feeling a twinge of sympathy in my chest. “Don’t say that. Look, sometimes your protectiveness is a lot—I mean a lot, a lot. You and Noah have been taking us everywhere since the incident; so I know it’s hard on you, worrying. I just don’t want to follow the straight and narrow all the time.”

“Any of the time,” Ari teased.

“I have to do things my own way! Other Venlil couldn’t do the things physically that I can—things that I love—and I want to put them to full use. I was born for this. Maybe there’s a great athletics program at these schools, but it’ll still be there in three years. I can take a pawful of gap years: get some work experience, and try out some options for running! When Ari graduates, then we can make decisions about our future, and whether to go to college, together.”

“You don’t have to do that for me, sis. I don’t want you to put your life on pause.”

Noah chuckled softly. “Elia’s doing it for herself, I think. These aren’t steps she wants to take alone either. She took it hard, when you were separated in grade school. I remember her little tail quaking with fury.”

“We never should’ve been ripped apart! I can’t imagine going to classes on Earth without Ari,” I responded. “I belong with my brother. My life won’t be on hold—it’s time to start up that running video channel. Maybe all the eyes on us could be put to good use, especially if I make waves at the Olympics.”

Tarva flicked her ears. “Which you will. You deserve success…and I would offer to be your first subscriber. However, if you’re going to be jumping off of roofs on Skalga, I don’t think my heart can take watching that. I don’t want to know what you look like, doing that.”

“I won’t go straight to that, Mom. I need practice: training!”

“I can feel the years taken off my life already. Let’s go home, before Elia’s plans age me any further. She needs to be rested up for the big day.”

My mother curled her tail around my waist, herding me back toward our ride home with a loving touch. My human relatives followed behind us, giving us a bit of space in this rare moment of closeness. With the surprising acceptance of my decision from Tarva, I was ready to face the all-important race with a lighter heart. The gold medal was mine already; it just didn’t know it yet.

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A/N - Part 8! Elia trains before the Olympics with a much happier Ari, and now turns her attention to resolving her own issues with her mother. Tarva is accepting of Elia's decision to stay at home, and align her timeline with that of her brother...something she'd wanted to do since humans and Venlil were separated in classes. Will Elia be able to hold up under the pressure and watching crowd on the day of the big race? Is it understandable why Tarva has been so overprotective and judgmental of her daughter, at times?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!