Adonai:
One month has passed since the council announcement, the great four races left and all the portals around the globe became active. Day by day extraterrestrial life enters our home, but they are peaceful, most of them at least. There are sure to be troublemakers that you'll find everywhere but that's no concern.
The leader Lord Varuna appointed to advice us arrived first, his name is Vice Golgotha, a sleazy looking guy, a bit old, short hair, the common traits in the leviathans human appearance seems to be their hair that looks like a cascade falling in it's own, their anormal eyes and their split mouth.
Unlike Varuna's eyes his seemed more tamed but powerful nonetheless. He presented himself and his family, a son and a wife. After that he gave a boring speech that I won't bother to reiterate.
But he keeps the truth of what the Leviathan Lord said, the streets are peaceful, new laws have been incorporated and our police was instructed with how to handle different matters. The elite military squad and the rest have to keep training in their own houses and be ready for a call if necessary.
Wherever you go on the streets now you can see multiple creatures, people with green skin, sharp features, wings or small, or slightly gigantic, werewolf or vampire-like, whatever we thought of as mythology is in fact a reality.
But you can't solve the racism all together and the troublemakers, they will slip through, always, but he's at least trying.
Right now I'm heading to meet with a teacher specialized in martial arts. After the recent incidents from a while ago I decided to not keep the status quo and to at least put a bit of effort into learning self defense. Because of my focus in magic I decided it would be in my interest to be able to try and protect myself if the need arises.
"Zinyuan Dojo" I guess this is it.
As I entered the dojo I was greeted by the sight of multiple species. Some of the other races took residence on this planet so it's not out of the question to see them taking lessons in our culture and self protection either.
"Hello, I talked with you on the phone, I'm here to enroll in this dojo."
"Ah yes, you, once again my name is Zinyuan and please follow me."
Zinyuan is an old human male but very fit from a single glance, he really practices what he's preaching about I guess.
"You said you want to learn martial arts for self defense, am I right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I have to congratulate you, young man, with magic going around. People gave up the training of the body which is sad, what if one day magic stops working? You'll be forced to rely on nothing but sheer strength and technique to survive. This is even more important if you're on a squad that does beast hunting."
Beasts are a big concern for society, not everything is stable, beasts manifest on every planet wilderness, just like humans they are a form of life that we have to either coexist with or kill. But coexisting is rarely possible, beasts feed on souls of the deceased, instead of letting them wander they eat them. Teams have been formed to take care of them and keep them out of society boundaries.
What the old man said it's true, not the magic disappearing part but the fact that people started to ignore body health for magic, but who am I to talk?
"You're completely right, people should take more care of their bodies, that's why I'm here after all."
"Very good, the fee will be 2000 parallax for 3 months, advanced payment."
"Old man ... aren't you a bit expensive?" I asked as I handed the money half-heartedly.
"In this economy this is cheap. Now let's get you changed and start on the basics."
With us becoming a trade center we had to change our currency to something called 'parallax'. Parallax is a concept for us humans but seemingly a currency for everyone else. The mutual understanding of everyone is realizable through magic as well so there are no language barriers.
A few hours passed.
*Phew*
"Tired?"
A young man with feathers on his body, but a delicate figure approached me and asked.
"First day, I'm bound to be tired?"
"Water?" He asked.
"Don't mind if I do. My name is Adonai."
The young man hesitated a bit, looking curiously at me.
"My name is Halo. I'm a Kinnara."
"Like the video game?" I asked.
"What?"
"Nothing."
A Kinnara, I can only assume is a bird like creature from the way he looks but better to ask than to assume in such situations.
"What's a .." I got interrupted.
"A Kinnara is a half bird species that specialize in singing, my name is not from some game but from a song. You see we're part human part birds, but essentially our half body is more bird and we have feathers all over our skin."
Taking a look at his feet I saw them, birds like legs, not even resembling humanity, they are just what you would see at a big bird.
"So what's a singing bird like you doing in a martial arts dojo? No offense" I asked.
"You're less racist than I expected, or not at all for that matter but self defense is something we all must know right?"
"Point made, you're right, that's the same reason I'm here."
And then silence overtook both of us, not knowing what to talk about. It is annoyingly suffocating.
"Do you want to go eat and get to talk a bit more? You know, it wouldn't be bad to have a few friends who are locals." I said, trying to break the ice.
"Sure, you pay." He retorted.
Son of a ...
Some time later
"And then I told him 'Get the fuck out of here, you ass'. And the dude started running and singing with his pants on fire. Man it was great"
The bird in front of me got drunk and really talkative.
"I have to ask, but are you allowed to drink?"
"In bird years yea. And we're using bird years, why? Because I'm a bird that sings. Pfoa hahaha."
...
Personally I'm not the biggest fan of alcohol but hey a time like this is nice to get to know another person and to share stories.
"Anyhow man I have to give it to your race, you have really beautiful womens around here. Mind introducing me to someone?" He asked.
Without being able to help myself, I spilled my drink.
"I'm sorry but I fear that if I go in the proximity of another woman looking like I want to introduce myself or flirt even if for you, one of my friends will chop my head off." I stated as a matter of fact.
"Oho, do tell me *hic* is she cute?" He said while eye browning me.
"I'm not letting you near her even if my life depends on it." I said as a matter of fact.
"Such a pity, anyway it's great that you have friends."
Do I look like the anti-social type?
"Because you know you look like the anti-social type."
"Can you read my mind?" I asked.
"No, but you're pretty obvious."
*Sigh*
"Anyway, how do you find your staying on Earth?" I asked.
"It's been nice, except you know the occasional racism but it can't be helped, after all we are alien life that came here, some for trade, some settled. While it would be nice to be able to live in peace I don't think that will be so easy." He said with a let down face.
"I'm telling you it won't get better, until alien life came here we had issues with our own, based on skin or part of the world they come from. These issues still exist but they are less frequent, all the attention is on everyone who is new."
Pondering my words for a while he seemed lost in thought.
"I guess its the same everywhere then, fuck it, we will get used to it, nothing to worry about"
A smile formed on my face when I saw the positive attitude this stranger adopted in face of the inconvenience he's posed with. This is a good approach for living your life.
*Ring*
"Come home I prepared the food, better be here in 5 minutes or you'll sleep outside."
"Your wife?" No, worse, my best friend.
"Is she cute?"
"I have to leave."
Before getting up, Halo put his phone number in front of me with a clear intention.
"I would like to chat again sometime, we're colleagues in the dojo but I mean outside."
"Next time, you pay." I said.
"You bet."
We both laughed and then I left.
Kath's been staying at my place overnight after the first incident quite a bit, not constantly but she visits quite frequently. She put it as 'Better to spend as much time together as possible, who knows what might come tomorrow.'.
I told her she's a bit paranoid but either way there's nothing other than what's left from my sanity to lose in this deal. Come to think of it, I have a beautiful girl at my house cooking me food and waiting for me, isn't that what a wife is?
From being lost in thought I didn't realize the distance I walked and I found myself in front of my house. The door opened and I got greeted by the sight of Kath with a smile on her face telling me "Welcome home."
"I'm home. Is the food ready?"
"That's what I typed you about isn't it? Now eat up and go to bed, we have to start the day tomorrow early."
"You're right."
Involuntarily I reached out and patted her on the head. Blushful she didn't seem to mind.
Tomorrow is the day I promised her about for a while, it's our date.