Chapter 2

Faize couldn't remember how much time had passed ever since he passed out.

However, when he woke up, his aircraft wasn't moving anymore.

All he knew, he was in lying position, and that he definatley had to know where he was and what was going on. He slowly sat up, finding out that there was a blanket wrapped around him.

A blanket.

"?" he quickly discarded the blanket away, and hopped off the bed.

Bed? Blanket?

He looked around his surroundings, bewildred.

First off, the place he resided was atleast not hostile. It was a simple room, with a bed, desk, two windows. The room he occupied was not small, yet not too big. He instantly reached for his belt – his rapier was gone. However, he soon found it next to the desk, unharmed.

Suddenly, he found out that discarding the blanket was indeed a stupid idea, as it was really cold. For a moment, he lit up,

"Am I on Lemuris?" he remembered, that planet was really cold, from the moment he and his group of friends arrived. If he's on Lemuris, that would mean…

"Lymle?" he rushed out of the room, heart pounding, secretly hoping that a familiar voice would answer his call,but he only found a corridor, that led to three rooms – one was a kitchen, the other one seemed to be another bedroom, and the other room seemed to be the living room.

He quickly put his hands on his ears – thank Heavens, he still had his ear-devices. Now, he glanced down at himself, and to his horror, his clothes were changed. Instead of his Eldarian suit, he was wearing something almost identical like Earthling outfit. He hadn't seen one ever since he saw a documentary movie about Earthlings. Ugh… these clothes are not even his size!

He was wearing a grey shirt, and a blue pair of pants. The pants were almost too baggy, whereas the shirt was laughably oversized, especially since he was extra thin.

He was not a fashion-follower, but still… he preferred his Eldarian outfit…

"Lymle!" Faize exclaimed, his tone slightly skipping a few octaves out of embarassement, "Undressing me and making me wear these awful clothes is certainly the worst prank you ever did to me! We must have a serious-"

"Quit yelling all kinds of random stuff, and be thankful!" an annoyed, slightly high-pitched voice replied, Faize immediatley recognizing it as a female's voice, however not a familiar one. Soon, the voice's owner also came into vision, as she neared the alien.

She had silver eyes, and even her hair looked like it was silver… atleast, her hair was brown, chest-lenghted, but still, it had a very light, almost white fair tone in it. She wore a pair of jeans and a white top, nothing out of the ordinary, but her eyes, which seemed to sentence Faize to death as she glared at him,

"And my name is certainly not Lymle!" Faize goggled at her. Where in the galaxy is he?

"Where am I?" he blurted out. The young girl raised an eyebrow at him,

"You're in the outskirts of a city. Like a farm, if you wish."

"My question may not have been obvious. I was referring to the planet. Which planet have I landed on?"

"On the Mars." she snapped sarcastically. It was Faize's turn to raise an eyebrow,

"That is impossible. The Mars is uninhabitaded, not to mention, it's surface is also dry, and the whole planet is covered in red stones. Hence I have not yet seen anything close to that, I must say, that the planet we are having a conversation on is definatley not planet Mars. I have many questions to ask of you. Please, answer this one also truthfully. And I would also like to know what year is it and…" he sharpened his gaze, "Were you the one who changed my clothes?"

The girl sighed tiredly and rubbed her temples as she spoke, "Man, you are quite a chatter, are you? You are on planet Earth in 2010. And yes, I did change your clothes, because you really could be detected within kilometres. You fell into the nearby forest in that aircraft of yours, falling out, and bleeding. I thought you would not want to be eaten by wild animals, so I brought you here." she crossed her arms, "And what on Earth were you thinking, driving such an aircraft in a state like that? Did you do that for the NASA or what?"

"NASA?" Faize blinked, "I have no idea what NASA is, however the fact that I landed here is because I have been in a battle that wore me out so much, I have lost control of my own ship, and landed here, on planet Earth. I had no intention to scare you, or do anything harmful. I humbly thank you, for taking care of my wounds, and not letting me to face the ultimate demise by the fangs of wild animals." he slightly bowed from chest, his green bangs falling infront of his eyes.

The nameless girl blinked, seemingly trying to believe everything he said.

"I only believe you, because you have green hair,and that it seems like your eyes are naturally this purple without contacts and also… I have seen those weird blue glowing tattoos on your body. Not ordinary tattoos, if you ask me. Who… and… what are you…? Are you a UFO? And what is your intention here…?" she blinked, and for the first time in their conversation, her facial expressions seemed to soften. She led him into the living room, onto the sofa. Faize sighed.

Edge and Reimi were not this difficult…

Edge… Reimi…

He closed his eyes,

"My name is Faize Sheifa Beleth. I am an Eldarian, or an „alien" if you wish…" he eyed the girl, "As a matter of fact, neither do I know who you are."

She nodded, "My name is Sonia Maverick."

Maverick? Is she…?

"M-Maverick?" he blurted out. Was he talking to a kin of Edge? She doesn't even look like him! Or have his personality!

"What?" She snapped "That's a really common surname!"

"…" Faize looked into her eyes now, "Also, you have mentioned the difference in my eye colour. How come yours are not "normal" either? I thought you Earthlings only have a variety of three colors – brown, blue and green."

She let out a sigh, "One might think that it is cool to have such an eye color, like mine. But it really is not. I have this, because I have an eye-infection that has no cure at all. Some might say it is „wolf-blindness" but this is not that, just similar to it. The only difference between the normal wolf-blindness and mine, that my eyes actually changed color. I cannot see a thing in the darkness or in a dimly lit room. It is quite a curse, as I cannot live a normal lifestyle of a teenager."

For a moment, Faize felt sorry for the girl.

"So um… what are your intentions? Do you not wish to go back to your home… planet?" he felt that the girl still could not fully digest the fact that she is speaking to an outer-space-being. He shifted in his seat,

"I have made a huge sin before… departing towards your planet. And I wish to have a new life. To repent everything I have done wrong."by the end of his sentence, he was staring at his shoes. When did he develope such a childish behaviour?

Childish

*Flashback*

"Lymle!" The scream of Faize could be heard in the Calnus, as the little girl somehow managed to draw on the wall on his side of their shared room.

"What in the world were you thinking, doing something illogical like that!" even though she was an arm-reach of him, he still yelled at her. The little girl gazed at her shoes in embarassament,

"Faize… you've been so weird lately, kay?"

"That is not a reason to behave so irrationally! Lymle, act like your age when you're rooming with me!"

She looked up at him, "But Faize… you are being allogical too…"

"That's illogical Lymle, and-"

"You always keep saying, I'm just a little girl, kay? And you always treat me like one…"

"Lymle I-!"

"And when I do something wrong…" she slightly tilted her head, "You scold me as if I were your age. Faize… you're weird, kay?" That statement hit him like a brick.

"Lymle… I…"

"You dummy, Faize." Lymle sniffed, "That's nothing harmful, kay? Only a protection symbol. But if you don't like it… Then wipe it off. I don't care, kay?" with that, she marched out of the room…

*End of flashback*

"…Faize?" he suddenly snapped out of his memory.

"Excuse me. I was not paying attention." he replied back. Sonia raised an eyebrow,

"Believe me, I have noticed. I asked, where will you live."

"That is a really good question indeed." he crossed his legs now, only to hold onto his knee, "It would be disrespectful from me to ask shelter from you, as you already had done more than you could for me. That I thank you for. Now I must ask for a proper accomodation-"

"Hold your horses, space-boy." Sonia held up one hand, "Even though your such a chatter, and seem to be clever…" Faize's left eye twitched, "…I'm impressed you haven't noticed, that this place is a kind of hotel for those, who seek to have trip in the mountains. So basically, it is my job to give strangers room to stay."

Faize's eyes widened, "That would conclude as-"

"You are indeed allowed to stay." Sonia nodded, her long hair snaking forth as she bobbed her head, and ending up on her chest, "However, I do need a kind of payment. You'll do the chores."

That was a sentence Faize never wanted to hear. Desperatley, he said "I must disappoint you – I am a horrible cook."

"Who said you have to cook?" Sonia grinned. "You'll help me with the animals."

"Animals, you say?" Faize quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes,"she huffed, "I have three horses and a wild dog, who lives in the forest, but we have bonded quite well. Oh, and some chickens and cuccoos aswell. So yes, plenty of stuff to do."

"If I'm not rude to say but… you don't look like an ordinary farm Earthling."

"Don't judge a book by it's cover, space-lad." Sonia said sharply, yet slightly playfully. "You're too fast to jump to conclusions. I run this hotel, or motel, or how to name it properly, yet I still have a great city life when I'm not working."

"Besides… " she looked at Faize's change clothes, "You indeed need proper way of dress. I mean, clothes. You look quite horrible in my ex's stuff."

"Your axe?" He asked bewildred, making her chuckle.

"My EX. Ex- boyfriend." to his stare, she continued, "My ex… Parnter? Mate? Male partner…?"

"Alright, I understand now." he replied, blushing slightly.

"We'll depart tomorrow to the city." she said, "We'll get you some stuff. We'll have to lie about your identity though… I'm not sure what would they say if I said I have a kid from the Mars…"

"Eldar." he corrected, annoyed. She raised both of her hands,

"No matter, though, really. They will all think you are elven, no matter what we say. Oh well..."

"Elven?" he blinked,

"In… Earthling mythology, it is said that elven people have pointy ears. They are only in fantasy books, though. Like fairytales." she stretched out, yawning,

"All right, I have worked hard all day long. I deserve a plenty of rest. How about you Faize?"

"I indeed feel tired aswell. It seems like my wounds are sapping my energy."

"I doubt that the slightest." she nodded and stood up. Even though the Sun was still up, she needed to get in bed before darkness came.

"Miss Sonia." Faize called, as Sonia was already at the doorframe. She looked back,

"Yes, Faize?"

He smiled slightly, "Thank you once again for taking me in. I am in your dept."

She snorted and smiled, "You may call me Soni if you wish. Just don't get too formal, kay? Good night."

Kay…

He let out a sigh, as soon as she was out of ear reach.