Xenotober 2022 18 Evolution (Lin, Tatsu, Elma)

a/n: All dialogue as Team Tatsu has a disagreement about Miran indigen.

I cannot remember who came up with this brilliant biological point, but I love it.

All good things belong to Monolithsoft.


"Telethia."

"Yggralith."

"Telethia! Noponfolk majestic and terrifying!"

"Yggralith! You all are stinky and nasty!"

Elma had had enough. She set a warm hand on Lin's shoulder, giving a warning squeeze, then nudged Tatsu's back with her knee. "I think this has gone on long enough."

"Elma! Tell this dope that he's wrong. Nopon are NOT like Telethia."

"Elma! Defend protected species and teach Linly truth."

"Honestly, I'm not sure why you are comparing the Nopon to either creature." Elma lead them into the kitchenette and started handing out mugs. She switched on a kettle. True to form, Lin immediately took over, starting to mix up her favorite cocoa (which coincidentally was Tatsu's favorite as well). Elma managed to swap tea for herself before water was poured. She might have to mediate a fight between literal children, but that didn't mean she had to drink at their level.

"This discussion started at the end of the mission, correct?"

"Oh, let's be honest," Lin Lee admitted. "We're having a fight."

"Fight fight," agreed Tatsu.

"But it started on the mission. What caused it?"

Lin and Tatsu looked at each other. Tatsu wobbled and flailed with his minor arms, a sure sign of an empty skull. Lin shrugged and answered. "Probably after that Curator finished giving us the lecture about saltat and liceor birds, and the different kinds of evolution. Like real evolution and convergent stuff."

Tatsu bounced brightly. "Two monsters made round and loud, maybe kindred, maybe just same good idea."

"Exactly. Round and loud just like Nopon," said Lin.

"And that was the start of the insults?" asked Elma, praying for strength.

"Oh no," said Tatsu quickly. "Not insult, because not true."

"Yeah, because clearly Nopon aren't shaped like saltat. You guys have arms as well as wings, even if they are kind of dinky."

"Still useful for delicate work," Tatsu replied.

"So we both agreed that Nopon couldn't be related to them, but it crossed my mind that there were animals with wings and arms. LIKE YGGRALITH!"

"TELETHIA!"

Elma set her cup of tea deliberately on the table. The sharp clink was enough to bring the teens to a halt. When Elma was angry enough not to drink her tea, it was a very bad sign.

"Sorry." "Sorry."

Elma counted silently to five. "Thank you. So, let me understand. You've been having a heated discussion about whether Nopon could possibly be related to ultrafuana menaces."

"Yep, pretty much," Lin said. "I mean, I'm not sure how we'd prove it, but I still think one is more likely than the other."

"No it not."

"Yes, it is!"

Elma considered tapping her mug on the table again, but was afraid she might break it. "I'm going to stop the argument right now. Lin, you have the losing side."

"What? No way!"

"First of all, Yggralith aren't a native part of Mira. They came from off-planet."

"So do Nopon!" cried Lin triumphantly.

Tatsu shrugged and looked sad, but spoke with refreshing candor. "It true. Nopon sail from far far away, on special rafts."

"Sailing on the ocean of this planet," Elma said gently.

Tatsu scratched along the edge of his hood. "Maybe, maybe not. Nopon scholars think ocean go beyond planet somehow."

"Be that as it may, the other reason is more persuasive. Lin, how many legs does an Yggralith have?"

"Four, plus the wings."

"Are you sure?"

Lin whipped out her comm device and waved a tiny display of the world-devouring monstrosity. "Four. One, two, three, fou-, well shoot. It has six. Plus the wings."

"And Nopon only have four. Legs, minor arms, and their wingarms." As she spoke, Tatsu was doing a triumphant dance, demonstrating each part as Elma listed it.

"See? Nopon built like Telethia," he crowed.

"Yeah," Lin admitted. "I guess I don't do a good job counting legs when I'm busy shooting at the thing."

"Linly also busy screaming."

"You were screaming too, round boy."

"Yggy very scary."

Lin looked at more records. "I suppose. Look, telethia also have things like claws on their wings. Kinda like Nopon wingarms. THEY STILL AREN'T RELATED, I BET."

"Maybe friends discover fabulous secret."

"Maybe I'll peel and boil you."

Elma sank her nose in her tea and let the standard argument flow over her. She could ignore this. It was so common as to be almost soothing.


a/n: Thirteen year olds make terrible friends but they do their best. I forgot how many legs Yggy has too.

Next up: Reunion. donotbringbackAverydonotbringbackAverydonotbringback...