I guess I can see where he is coming from, but I still need more information on him. Where to take him? Ah, the hole in the cliff that looks out over the fields. They were just cut so the crystals should look good under the clouds. Better view means a more relaxed conversation, that’s what Rachel always says. It turns out that the man can fly too, so we had no trouble getting there. I almost thought I’d have to carry him down the cliff to it. We get there and, after a proper introduction, I start to quiz him on more about himself. His name is Leon, he really hasn’t started to work on the station yet, he is on leave before he starts actual work. That is why he’s here, I guess, since he has the time to waste. He says he has a week or so.
Leon’s use of random languages was funny; he says that “the basic language used by the soldiers on the station is just a mogpog of other languages. A few weird words here, a few words from some underdeveloped planet there.” Yeah, so at times I had no idea what he was saying when he got lost in thought.
“You should sleep in my room.” I suggest after I pestered my mom enough to let Leon stay. He was just going to sleep in the back room of his shuttle on some hard table like bed thing. I won’t have any of that. Anyway, it was my mom’s idea to have him talk to me in the first place.
“Where are you going to sleep?” He asks.
“The couch or something,” I answer.
“No, I’ll sleep on the couch, it’s your house.”
“But I’ll fit on the couch.” Leon was 6” 2’, there is no way he’ll fit on the couch. Well it turns out he really doesn’t sleep much anyway. “36hrs schedule and all.” Yeah right, I’d still find time to sleep. That is not an excuse.
Days two and three of his visit were fairly productive. As far as I could tell, Leon had no bad intentions. Mom, though, is still biting her lip on this. She won’t tell me what it is about him that makes her worry. Dad is just going with the flow; he’s been so busy with work that he really hasn’t had much time with Leon. Except for the nights when he stays up to have a cup of tea after work. I told Leon more about my relationship with Vermillion. I know I love the guy, and I know he has some strange quirky Vermillion sorta way of love for me. Leon, being from a more stricter and adult oriented society (I even think they have arranged marriages there too, but I didn’t ask), had a hard time following how two nine year olds could even think about love. Especially during a war. I answer with “I’m nine, why should I worry about a war that hasn’t hit this town yet.” But then again, Vermillion could be on the planet we are at war with. I wish I could understand why, but I was just barely able to get the fact that he wanted to help with the war out before he up and disappeared.
Rachel gets back tomorrow. I sigh as I adjust my pillow. She’ll probably flip when I tell her what is going on. She may even pull him aside when she meets him. I wonder what time she gets back. The later the better though, that way I should have time to better explain the situation. I close my eyes and drift off to a dreamless sleep.
“Hey, wake up!” My pillow disappears from under my head.
“Ow,” The pillow stealer hit me with my pillow.
“Come on Nagie. Up.” I open my eyes, it was Rachel.
“What is it? What time is it?”
“Ten, and there is a strange man talking with your mom on the back porch.”
“That’s Leon.”
“Who?”
“You know, Leon.” I’m still not that awake.
“Who is Leon?”
I rub my eyes, “Someone from the GP station asking about Vermillion.” She put her hands on her hip and looks out my window. The scales on the back of her neck are twitching slightly, I think she is mad, “Right, and…” The scales stopped twitching, she turns around, “Hold on a second.” She opens the door to my room, “No following.” She leaves and closes the door behind her. I can hear her open and close the front door, I look out my window waiting to see if I can catch a glimpse of what she is doing. Too bad she knows I have really good hearing, she’ll probably tell him too. I can hear someone enter the house. They are coming down the hall, a knock at my door, “Can I come in?” My mom asks through the door.
“Yeah.”
My door opens, “Rachel shood me away. I think she is even more suspicious of him than I am.” She sits down in the chair at my desk and watches out the window, “Ah, there they are.” She points to the two, they had walked pretty far from the house. Rachel looks really mad. She’s not yelling, but I know she wants to. “Leon looks like he is trying to defend himself and I don’t think he feels very confident with his progress.” Mom observes.
“I can see what you mean. Rachel really has him on the run.”
“Hey, look at that.” Mom and I watch as Rachel jumps up and slaps Leon in the back of the head. She then points to the ground and walks off in our direction. She gets to the window, “Nagie, come.” She calls through the glass, “Mrs. Kurasawa, stay.” She orders.
I look at Mom, “I guess it’s my turn.”
She laughs, “Give him one for me.”
“I trust the guy, but okay, just to make you happy.” I leave my room and head down the hall to the living room, Rachel is outside the door to meet me.
“I think you’ll like this.” She says as she closes the door behind me, “Come with me, Leon has something to say to you.”
“What?” I’m a bit confused.
“Just come, it will make since once he tells you.” Rachel takes my hand and starts to lead me to where she left Leon. Her scales were twitching again, something is brewing inside that head of hers. As we get closer to Leon I can see that he is embarrassed. “Leon, tell her.” Rachel orders as we stop in front of him.
“Nagie, I,” Leon stops.
“Leon.” Rachel glares at him.
Leon’s voice changes, “It’s me, Vermillion.”
“What?!” I can’t hide my shock.
“It’s true, I know Catboy when I sense him. He can’t hide from me.” Rachel declares.
“Why?” I so want to hit him now, “Why lie to me?”
“I wasn’t lying, just omitting the truth.”
“Don’t use that with me.” I push him.
“Fine, I had to. My superior ordered me to.” At least he sounds like he regrets it.
“What is going on?”
“Leave it at that, Nagie.” I look at Rachel.
“Why?”
“Catboy has his reasons. And at the moment, I think it’s best to let them be.”
“That’s kind of you, Lizard Girl.”
“Only this once, come back again like this and I’ll have your head.” Rachel shakes her fist.
“So you’re leaving still.” I feel really disappointed.
“I have a job, as long as they don’t find out.” I sigh, he can be such an idiot sometimes, “But you can be happy that you at least know where I am.”
“I can call you, right?”
“Sure, just not all the time. I will be really busy when I get back.”
“At least he has a less chance of death there.” Rachel consoles.
“Yeah, so what are you going to do for the rest of the week?” I ask Vermillion.
“Be Leon and since my secrets out, catch up on what I’ve missed.” The three of us start walking back to the house, “Can we still keep this a secret among us?” You’re pushing it. “I guess, just this once.” I see Mom in my window, “Oh yeah, I forgot.” I jump up and slap Vermillion in the back of the head, “For my mom.”
