The Reason

Kiku, I just met the man in charge. Though I guess saying "man" isn't right. Not that he's a chick.

What I mean to say is that Tony's an alien.

Alfred might have only just realized how he did tend to stereotype people and the like, but in this particular case he was not saying alien to be offensive or because the person was that different. It was just that... this person was that different.

He was grey and small and did not really have anything Alfred thought was a nose and he had things that could be called eyes but were definitely not and...

He was talking around in public without wearing a single thing. No one seemed to notice. Then again, no one seemed to notice him at all. Alfred first wondered if this was a disease Chinese people could get. That was really unfortunate. At least, that was what Alfred first thought.

"You're in my fucking way."

"Walk around, dude," Alfred replied. There was plenty enough room after all. He had thought of moving for a second, but realized he would not do so for anyone else and he did not want to put too much attention on whatever this guy's disease was.

Those red eyes narrowed. Then they returned to normal. "I like you, kid. Fuck my meeting, want to see a helicopter?"

It was a non-sequitur. It was also really suspicious. Alfred probably should have been thinking like that, but he was not. "You have a helicopter?"

"I have everything."

And just like that, Alfred went off to see a helicopter.

He's just like I thought he'd be. Rich, confident, and has a knows an intelligent guy when he meets him. I never really thought much beyond that though, because there wasn't any point. I mean, who's ever heard of someone actually meeting him?

Alfred had seen pictures of helicopters, airplanes, stuff like that. He had never seen one before. People never did. That would mean there was something going on above their heads. There were very few people who did that. Alfred only knew the name of one of them. The most important guy in all of everything. The guy in charge.

"Are you Tony?"

"Who the fuck else would have this?" Tony replied.

"It's a sweet ride," Alfred agreed with a whistle.

"And loud as fuck. It's great."

"Wow..." Alfred stared at it, imagining the noise that could come from it. If it was really noisy, could people hear it if it was passing by overhead? Alfred had never heard one before. Maybe it was too far up. "What'cha doing here, in the Chinese Sector?"

"Whatever I want," Tony replied honestly. Considering how he had mentioned a meeting earlier, Alfred decided it was true. Tony could set up meetings and then not go to them if he wanted to. Which sounded epic.

"I wish I could do that, but I have to go to school," Alfred said.

"You all look the same fucking age after a certain point," Tony admitted, staring up at him. "How old are you?"

"I'll be sixteen next week."

"Birthday so soon, huh?" Tony sounded interested. Alfred grinned.

"Yeah. Matty and I..." Were supposed to celebrate together, for once. He was in the French Sector for our birthdays for the last few years. We were going to do this together. Then I came up on rotation. "Usually celebrate our birthdays around the same time, since we're only a couple days apart."

"Matty?" Tony repeated, seeming confused. "Isn't that an English name?"

"Yeah."

I knew he was an alien because he said "you all" like we were something else than him. I mean, there's no question about it. He doesn't even pretend to be human or anything. I tried to tell Yao about it, but he didn't get it. Tony's an actual alien.

But I never asked, actually. Don't know why. It didn't seem important at the time, I guess. It just seemed normal.

Now that I think about it though it doesn't really.

"You all look alike," Tony repeated, as if that excused his ignorance. "So, you're on rotation, huh? What d'you think of this sector?"

"I like it," Alfred responded as they walked away from the helicopter. Alfred sort of wished he could watch it take off. Hear how loud it got. See the propeller spin. It would have been so cool. Matthew and Angus would have been jealous. Yong Soo would have been jealous. Maddox would have... um, said something weird.

"Good, good," Tony nodded. "You know what, kid? It's fucking nice to know everyone isn't a pushover. Doesn't seem to matter which sector I go to, most people just fucking let me by without comment."

Alfred could kind of see why, but decided not to say so. "Weird. I know a lot of people who wouldn't have stood up for crap like that."

"Maybe I should check out the English Sector sometimes soon."

If there was any time to ask this question, anyone to ask this question of, it would be right now to the... person in charge of everything. "Why are we all separated?"

"What?" Tony asked.

Alfred frowned. "Why are there sectors? Why can't we travel around or something? Why so many regulations?"

So I asked him why we were all separated and why we aren't allowed to go around as we want. I asked him and you know what he said?

"Why the fuck not?"

Couldn't the same be said for the other way around? I don't get it. I wasn't unhappy with Arthur or anything, but why is there rotation if it doesn't matter what we know about each other in the long run?

Why doesn't it matter in the long run?

No matter how Alfred tried to describe it later, Yao looked at him as if he were crazy. Looked at him like that while, well, trying nicely to tell him how silly he was. It was like he was talking to Arthur (though less angry). It was rather patronizing.

"Do you believe in aliens?" Alfred asked Maddox.

"I believe in the belief in aliens."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "That's not what I was asking."

"I believe it was."

Maddox rose up on his hands and walked away. Alfred watched him go, impressed despite himself.

Kiku, I really wish you could be here while I'm here.


People are people, no matter where they are.