I slowly wake up, my eyes coming into contact with the rock overhang. I look around, eyes still blurry, noting i've slept on the floor with a head on a rock. Sore, I rub the back of my neck with a bit of a groan. I hear a chuckle, followed by a voice

"Good morning, Helena."

I look towards it, and the owner is Mei. I sigh and hang my head

"fucking...flying heads..." I say groaning "fucking fantasy station...fucking two-headed dragons...fucking vulture wyverns..." I continue mumbling to myself

"So Mei has told me. You two have had an eventful first day, haven't you?"

I turn towards the other person as my vision clears. Sure enough, I see a familiar shape...the woman from the night before. Sure enough, shoulder-length brunette hair and hazel eyes...and a horse's body for a lower half!

"FUCKING HORSE PEOPLE!" I say scooting back suddenly in shock, hitting my shoulder on a rock in the process. Her horse-body is covered with something similar to a skirt, except it covers the entire horse's body. Reminds me of what medieval knights would put on their own horses back in the day. Her horse body itself reminds me of a common thoroughbred, with brown skin. She must be at least 6-7 feet tall, granted her equine lower half. My eyes dart all over her, scanning every inch of her- when I come across her face. Her face has a startled, disturbed, distraught, and offended look, almost like she's about to cry. My eyes quickly dart to Mei, who's eyes are a bit widened at me. Suddenly I realize the gravity of what i've just said.

"Shit! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like...I swear, I'm not a bitch or racist, I swear I'm not a jerk like that. It's just...UGGHHH!" I Grab my head, face in my hands, and kick my legs "My fucking god why do I suck?! I'm so sorry!"

The centauride looks at me for a moment, then takes a slight breath and does an uneasy smile. "No...you're fine. It's alright."

"No, it isn't. I'm not a jerk I promise. It's just...freaking..."

"Let me guess, you've never seen a Centaur before nor any of the creatures you've encountered so far that have been new to you?"

"Well...After I assisted you last night, You collapsed shortly after seeing me. Mei on the other hand wasn't. I ran in to see what was wrong, and as Mei and I had deduced...you apparently fainted from shock. We had a short chat after we made sure you were...'comfortable' and she explained a few things, and I agreed to take shift for you two so you could sleep. You were out a while this morning still...Mei and I had a chance to talk again this morning, that's how I know your name, Helena. So I can assume you're not...aware of our home."

"...I'm sorry for freaking out, it's just...this has been a bit too overstimulating for me, I've been through a lot...already, before this place. I've seen a lot of things, but this place has hit me with too much too fast..." my tone is still uneasy and awkward. She chuckles a bit.

"It's fine. Though, I suggest you be prepared for more curveballs..."

"...yeah, no kidding...um...but what do you mean your home?"

"Does the word 'Pyria' ring a bell?"

"...no."

"...then yes, you're one of them."

"One of what?"

"We call them the Foreign Generation. Humans who don't know of the old home. Our old...non...whatever this is, home."

"...So you're aware this isn't-"

"an island? Yes. We had some insight before due to...reasons, and what Mei has explained and what very few Foreign Generation humans have said...it makes sense. Especially with what Mei has explained."

"You...explained to her about the stations?" I ask Mei, straightening and turning towards her. Mei smiles

"I...am not a scientist as you are. But...I had to recollect all my experiences, put myself in your shoes, and...well, almost, pretend to be you...It helped in the end explain everything to Layla."

I turn back towards the centaur. "Layla, huh? That's your name?"

"Yes, it is. Layla Allen."

"Ah well..." I get up onto my knees, look at her a moment, then raise a hand towards her, open

"If that's the case...can we try again? I'm so sorry."

Layla smiles

"It's no problem at all, Helena." she says, taking my hand and shaking it. "Truly, it is not, after what Mei has told me of you. You're a scientist?"

"Uh, yeah. Biologist to be specific. You know, I study animals and creatures. How they work, how they function, how they behave, their...everything."

"Ah, I see. Somewhat of a more...in-depth naturalist?

"In a sense I guess."

"No wonder you can't take my eyes off me. Especially if you've never seen a centaur before."

"...Yeah, no offense. Really sorry. It's just...can I say it?"

"...sure?"

"I just look at you and the biologist part of me just calls you a load of bullshit. A ton of nope. Again, no offense, I swear!"

"It's nothing." she says with a slight chuckle. "I can understand, you're not the first Foreign Generation human i've come across."

"Yeah, it's just...My mind is racing trying to figure out...how you even work..."

Layla gives an uneasy laugh. "I understand, don't worry. I've had similar conversations before. You're fine, Helena."

"...Well...thanks. It...freaking..."

"...Ok..."

"Ok?..."

"...I give up. You're not a genetic crossing. Like holy hell."

"...Oh, that's like what Mei was talking about. Well...my kind was not...manufactured."

"Ah...um...you mentioned...your previous home? What was it like?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Helena. I was born here. I don't know what Pyria was like."

"...you named this station after your old home?"

"after the land we came from, yes."

"well...i guess that's one thing."

"...you think I'm a fraud, don't you?"

"...No. It's a scientist's job to be skeptical. Like...My first look at you, experience tells me: 'She's a genetically modified creature, like the wyverns or basically everything else on this station. Just this is a weird twisted extreme'. But the more I look at you...the less likely...that...seems..."

Mei raises an eye. "and thus, Helena?..."

"...I don't know. But I know what's in front of me...a centaur. Something that really shouldn't exist but...is here anyway. I honestly don't mean to sound rude."

"I know, I know. Don't worry. Is there anything you're curious about? Perhaps I can answer it?"

"...do you mind me boring you, Mei?" I ask her. Mei smirks and shrugs "I'm interested in your own inquiries...i had my own, especially about the...Krasue?" she says, looking at Layla, who nods.

"Yes, they were called Krasue. Curious you knew them by a different name..."

"Indeed...anyways...Helena, as you may."

"ah, alright..." I say looking at Layla. "um, first off...human body actually, physically attaches to the human body, right?

"Yes ma'am. I lack proper humanoid hips, so it's just a longer central vertebrae column which connects to the bones in my lower half, a single skeleton. It's also why I can't lean back on my upper human body easy...or too far. I can lean forwards a bit fine, but again, this cord is a bit stiff and restricting."

"I see...the horse half seems strong at least."

"Indeed, I can keep up with most of the horses on this place...Equus, they are called? But yes, it comes with all the benefits of being a horse. So I can indeed kick with quite a bit of power behind it. It's literally as you would assume having a horse's body in place of legs. All of the benefits and drawbacks of it."

"Understandable...do you wear horseshoes?"

"i knew some who did. It's a personal preference. Then I knew those who actually wore a form of centaur shoe. Whatever floats people's boats, I guess."

"uh huh...um...What's the horse body like? Is it all muscle or what?"

"Most of it is. Most of my organs in my humanoid body are the same as in yours and work just fine..but there's some organs , like liver, bladder, and etc, are in the lower half for...obvious reasons."

"..ah huh. Explains your front." I say, looking at the nearly seamless, bare transition of her human body to horse lower, just before her "skirt" of sorts covers it up. She turns a bit red. "Yes...centaur children as you can guess can get quite large...heaven forbid we be forced to carry it in our human bodies."

"Yeah...your human half for the most part is fine...though a bit...big?" I say, tilting my head "then again, horse body..."

"I am a bit larger than a normal human, though i'm proportioned fine, just scaled up. The result is...well...obvious and self-explanatory."

"Yeah, you don't look too different."

"what?"

"...you're not a man so you're not as quick to notice but it's fine" she says with a chuckle. What does she...just then I understand what she means when I look at her chest. "oh. Oh. Ok. Jealous. Wow."

Layla chuckles. "It's the simple byproduct of being a 'scaled up' human. By chest is fairly normal for a woman of average size, but increase my scale and...voila."

No kidding. She's at least a D and at her size they're big as heck. "...Ok yeah, again, jealous."

"Don't be. You look fine yourself."

"...actually, that brings me to another question."

"hmm?"

"how are human relations between centaurs and humans?"

"cheery. Where we're from, our people are nomads by default, but we do settle down often. However humans and centaurs have worked together for eons. As Nearkin it's easy for us to bond with humans."

"Nearkin?"

"a class of humanoid...we're similar to humans physically but not exactly. So we look, well, NEAR to humans. Not exactly mamono, but hey."

"Mamono?"

"All-female races of humanoids."

"...how does that even work?"

"being sweet and productive, friendly members of society that are easily sociable or charming. Well...that or violent abduction and rape."

"you asked."

"fair enough. So there's males of your species too, since you're a nearkin."

"correct."

"ah..."

"also yes."

"yes what?"

"humans and centaurs can interbreed."

"...how. How and why."

Layla chuckles again "well...we're just like you, we just look a little different. We have feelings too. Sometimes our hearts settle on a human instead of a centaur. It takes a special kind of love and openness to fall in love with somebody of a different race, I believe. A truly special kind, to look past how that person looks and simply love them for who they are. Especially with...where things are located. And size differences. At least in the case of centaurs. For those who like being intimate, sometimes difference in size can mean harder to satisfy...from what i've heard."

"...uh huh."

she giggles again. "Yes, indeed...although..."

"although?"

"there WAS an offshoot of centaur males back in the day who believed centaur females shouldn't bother with human men. So they'd...forcefully have their way with centaur females who were in relationships with human men to break them mentally so they'd fall back in line."

"...that sounds like shit plots out of bad erotic stories."

"Maybe, but it's the truth. Our bodies are naturally designed to mate with each other, not humans. So it's harder for the physical satisfaction at times...but again, if you truly love somebody, then only that one person can truly make you happy and love you like nobody else. Though...sometimes instinct back in the day..."

"I get it. It's a common thing in nature for a female to reject an inferior mate for a more suited one, no offense."

"...made us feel more like animals than a race, honestly. That you could be happily involved with a human male and then, a group of ruffians just forcefully mounts you and despite you loving that man with all your heart...your body prefers those forcing themselves onto you, and despite you wanting to remain with the one you truly love...you just physically cant, your body just won't let you. There's been tales of a few centaur women who would do the same to centaur men who were in love with human women, but...well, that's all in the past."

"Well it's not a thing anymore from what i'm hearing. How was that abolished?"

"Forceful separation, in honesty." Layla says "kingdoms upon seeing these barbaric acts unified. Those breaking laws and forcing themselves onto others like animals were punished, and as many centaurs as they could were forced to live with different people. Females were confined to certain towns and cities, males in others. Since males and females were predominantly separated, they had to turn towards what was available to procreate...but to be honest? The centaur people as a whole understood, and in the end it just helped the bond between centaur and human cultures grow even more. It became a part of our physiology, over time, for our bodies to be used to, and easily accept, human or centaur as a partner. When the separation was lifted, well...it worked. Some centaurs still prefer their own kin and the same with humans, but with so many of each race being abundant, well, hearts, and genes, will cross. Things became to the point were those tried to act as they once did and well...it didn't work."

"To be honest, the fact so many people banded together to help a race intrigues me."

"chivalry and friendship are often common where we're from. There's a singular person responsible for that, and she was one of those who organized it...even if she wasn't at her true position of power yet by then. But yes, it's commonplace for races to assist each other in our old home. Such was our ways."

"To be honest I wish people back home were so unified in their actions and so willing to help others..."

"i've heard little of your world from others. Some of you seem to come from different time periods as others...and I agree...your world was quite cruel."

"Tell me about it. So you CAN crossbreed with humans...how easy is it?"

"...i think I know what you mean. Well...first off, there's the obvious barrier of us being half-horse. So there's that. Yet once that falls...it's easy in part. Centaur women often end up with human men easier for...obvious reasons."

"yeah, two of em." I say jesting. Layla snickers "true...i've never seen a centauride with a bust that could be considered 'small'..."

"Yeah now you're TRYING to make me jealous, and you are. Cut it out!" I say laughing, to which she chuckles. Mei simply smirks and shakes her head. Layla sighs

"At any rate, physical appearance helps for sure, but again...it's all about the heart. Centaur males have a bit more trouble finding human women at times, obviously...for obvious reasons. As for why?...well, while in human men looking at a centauride, bigger is better...but as for a human woman looking at a centaur...well, bigger is more intimidating."

I shudder "Ok, I get THAT. Wow."

"Indeed. Note I didn't take that as offense either towards my kin"

"I figured...but yeah."

"on that note, I'm technically a half-centaur myself. My mother was a full-blooded Centaur and my father was a human man. Yet here I am, and I don't look strange for a crossbreed, either."

"Indeed...how are things with your parents?"

"...well, they're together, and that's what they'd want."

"...oh. Oh, i'm sorry."

"No, it's fine...nobody saw it coming. At least they're together."

"...what happened?"

"well, our usual warning systems weren't there that day and...well we think the guards in the town, the sentries were either drunk or didn't see the signs...but our small village was besieged upon by an ogre. Despite how big and slow, blatantly obvious those brutes are...it got right up to us without anybody knowing. We weren't prepared and were...well...he had a feast, that's for sure. I think Falx and I were the only ones who escaped."

"...and I felt we had it rough the past day. I'm sorry, Layla. I don't know about YOUR kind of ogre, but if I know anything about the stories i've heard...they're not too good."

"no, they aren't. It was horrible..."

"...You've been on your own since?"

"yeah. I've been traveling for about a week now with Falx...trying to get to a nearby village. Things kept getting in the way and making things longer, though...But we're getting there. You're welcome to travel with us, if that's ok."

"We do need a place to go. If we'd be no burden, I wouldn't mind tagging along." I said. "Mei?"

"We had no true destination and were simply wandering aimlessly in the wild ourselves, at any rate. If you allow us to accompany you, we can pull our weight."

"You'd be no burden, trust me. We'd be happy to have you."

"...wait a second. Falx...is that the terror bird I vaguely remember from last night? Where is he?" I said looking around

"Oh, I sent him off this morning to forage a bit for food...knowing him he'll be back momentarily. I've had him since I was a child, we grew up together. He's more like a brother than a pet, if anything. My best friend regardless."

"Ah, that's good." I say.

"Yes, he's quite dear to me...is there anything else, Helena?"

"...that's about it, really." I say "I mean...yeah. In a nutshell, anyway. I have no further inquiries...yet. At least I think so."

"Well, I'll be happy to answer any questions you have in the future, Helena...oh, and if you're so jealous about my appearance...well, maybe you should look into the safer parts of the arts of Eromancy, hmm?" she says with a chuckle. I smile at first, but then what she says hits me. I tilt my head confused.

"...What did you say? Eromancy?"

"yes, I did."

"...so like...sexual and intimacy based magic?..."

"indeed."

"...uh...huh..."

Layla winks "Trust me, it's priceless when a Foreign Generation human finds out and experiences magic for the first time. Quite humorous, actually. You'll encounter it soon enough."

I look over at Mei.

"Part of me doesn't exactly agree with that..." I say low to her. Mei tilts her head and raises an eyebrow.

"Why not? If all these fantastic creatures are real, then surely magic, if it's spoken of by a denizen of the world these creatures come from, must also be real."

"...Mei, what have I said before? Everything happens for a reason, right? Everything can be explained, and can't be written off as 'just magic'. Like, people in your time and earlier used to grind and mix all kinds of strange things together to invoke bodily responses and they called it magic."

"Yet you've seen birds made of fire, floating severed heads, and a centaur?"

"...true. But I've been able to rationalize centaurs like Layla and the phoenix."

"and the Krasue?"

"...revisit the matter in about a week or so."

Mei chuckles. "Well," she says "I know for what I can't deny what's in front of me. I can see, Helena, the truth. The truth is that magic is real, if spoken by one who has experienced it before."

"...well, as we said. One of us is right in the end. And I don't mean to be an ass but I'm leaning strongly into the 'im right' theory here."

"And I prefer my own. We shall see, Helena. I for one am excited for this. I have heard of magic for so long, and to finally master it...or at least use it...I shall better myself with it."

Just then there's a strange noise, and sure enough, a terror bird with a saddle comes running up to us from around the corner. In it's mouth: of all things, a rabbit. Of all things I've seen on these stations, I've never seen, or expected to see, a freaking rabbit. One thing that catches me off guard though...this terror bird is both bigger and taller than the normal species I'm used to. Its wings are smaller, but it's neck is longer, the skull is also much longer and thinner too, ending in a dagger like beak. Layla smiles, having been laying down on her horse stomach, she smiles and holds the terror bird's head as it comes close, lowering it's head in a friendly manner. "Good boy, Falx!" she says, gently taking the dead rabbit from him "You must have worked hard, didn't you?"

The terror bird seems to chortle back affectionately a response, being gentle and loving to Layla. It doesn't even sound like a normal terror bird. "So...is..Falx a Kelenken?" I ask Layla. She turns to me confused

"I...beg your pardon?"

"uhh...crud. Assuming you don't know what that is, that's a likely no."

"...another type of terror bird you're used to?...if so, no. He's a Centaur Terror Bird."

"...uh huh."

"Well, several other races saw how humans were training their own species, and remembered how they got separate dog breeds and the like...so other races, one of them being centaurs, tried our hand. We wanted something in our usual habitats we could train to be our perfect companions. Able to keep up with us as well as protect us. We chose Terror Birds because they had more endurance than the other creatures and were fast enough to keep up. So we begun to breed the traits we liked...and in the end we got these guys. They're even omnivorous, as opposed to their carnivorous ancestors."

"Oh. Oh! Cool. I get it now. I'd assume the diet change was for ease on your kin?"

"yes, we're not often avid hunters of large game at times, so being able to eat what's on hand is crucial to us."

"Ah. Seems like i'm not the only poor hunter around here, eh Mei?" I ask

Layla smiles "Well...you're not 100% wrong. We don't often tackle large game...but we ARE skilled in combat and hunting. Centaurides like me are avid archers...though some of us take up the male's prospects of close-ranged combat. Sometimes there are those that prefer mastery over spears, like the men of our kind do. And vice versa, of course. But as a whole, each gender has a natural mastery and preference over one type of fighting and weapon. So I can hunt, it's just...well, i'm able to use whatever's available, you know?"

"makes sense for a race of nomads."

"indeed. At any rate? Shall we prepare this?" Layla says lifting it up

"Rabbit sounds good to me." I reply.

To think this ark would have an entirely new race of people on it. Everything in me wants to say by default that Layla can't be real. Her whole race has to be some sick joke of genetic manufacturing, right?...well, now that I've talked to her...no way. I just look at her. The way she talks, the way she smiles...she's truly real. I don't know where in hell her kind came from, but maybe those myths about centaur are real after all. At any rate, it thrills me she's here with me. Initial shock aside, I'm fascinated by her, as a biologist. She's not even ashamed about it or...any of that. She's ok with it, clear as day, understanding, and polite about my questions. Heck, I've stopped asking questions about her race and more about her now. Just trying to bond with a new acquaintance: and to be honest, I'm glad to have her as a new friend. Not just being able to encounter something like her for the first time, but also get to actually... well, talk and bond with her, is truly something. It's strange to say it out loud, but at any rate, I'm appreciative that she's even here, and that I can interact with her like this.

But as for Magic?

Magic?

I'm down for the possibility that mythical creatures are truly real creatures. It makes sense that so many mythologies have the same creatures show up if they truly exist...but, magic?

I can't be open minded to that.

No offense to Layla at all, but in all honesty, everything I know and have been taught tells me to deny that. Everything happens for a reason. Can't just be "because" or "magic made it do it". I mean, for god's sake, wouldn't magic deny some of the basic principles of science? There's only a finite pool of energy, you can't just MAKE it or force things to happen. Can't just CREATE matter. No rule breaking. There's set rules that we have PROVEN to work. You can't break those, no matter how hard you try. Granted there's probably all kinds of things you can do with the right technology- Diana and her people, even these stations- have shown me that.

But magic?

I can't. I won't.

I'll still be respectful of Layla, though. I'll keep my skepticism, call it stubborn skepticism if you will,
but I know my laws of nature. I know my laws of science and reality. You can't just...DO things.

Well, time to enjoy a proper breakfast at least. Then it's on to the town Layla's trying to reach. I don't know what we're going to do when we get there, or what even our end goal is...I just know I don't want to spend too much time on this station, if, and when, it does decide to lash out...

But to be honest, I'll take one breakthrough over another. Two-headed dragons...dragons and wyverns themselves being real?! Centaurs too? What's next? Elves? Chimera? Cockatrice?

Nothing seems impossible anymore, and it both intimidates and excites me.

I guess we'll know more when we reach the town ahead. I'd like to have a proper roof over my head, thank you.