Volencia

OVERVIEW

       Volencia is a large island nation, nearly continental in size, situated on the planet Spira. The nation is divided into thirteen territories, each belonging to one of the Arsraad Houses. At the center lies the capital city Galomas, built around a crystal-clear crater lake formed by a massive meteor impact. From Galomas, rivers fan out across the island, and each House territory borders the capital, symbolizing unity.

CENTRAL REGION

Galomas: the heart of Volencia, located at the center of the island.

• Crater Lake: A deep, crystal-clear lake fed by underwater springs.
• Royal Citadel: A massive fortress built of glittering white stone on an island in the lake
• Priory of Galoma: Located in the hills just outside the city, housing the tomb of St. Galoma. 
• Architecture: Blend of fantasy and Art Deco styles, reflecting influences from all thirteen Houses.

TERRITORIES AND HOUSES

1. House Botono (Northwest)
• Climate: Resource-rich mountains and fertile farmlands.
• Major Cities:
• Danon: A mining town known for mineral extraction.
• Stonemire: Specializing in Power Stone harvesting.
• Goldleaf: Center of lumber production.
• Fieldsend: The breadbasket, known for vast farms.
• Oilgrove: Hub for petroleum extraction.
• Riverbend: Fishing and aquaponics center.
• Landmarks:
• Dormant Volcano: Located near Stonemire.
2. House Tenagra (West)
• Climate: Sub-tropical, lush landscapes.
• Major Cities:
• Silverport: Bustling trad hub with extensive railroads.
• Sunhaven: Tourist hotspot with beautiful beaches.
• Marketshire: Grand markets and commerce.
• Stonebridge: Famous for its colossal bridge over the Westflow River.
• Landmarks:
• Grand Rail Junction: Central hub connecting all Houses.
3. House Ranzlamora (Southwest)
• Climate: Germanic forests, waterfalls.
• Major Cities:
• Eichenwald: Capital city with stunning architecture.
• Starlight Near the Starflow River, known for its luminous waters.
• Landmarks:
• Starflow River- known for iridescent stones and bioluminescent life, shared with House DeLaVega.
4. House Valkris (North)
• Climate: Mountains and rugged terrain.
• Major Cities:
• Stonekeep: Capital fortress city.
• Ironforge: Known for weapon manufacturing.
• Highcliff: Fortress overlooking the Northern Sea.
• Stormwatch: Guards against northern storms.
• Deepcrag: Built into the mountainside.
• Landmarks:
• Fortress of Light: Located on the lighthouse island offshore.
5. House Horosof (East)
• Climate: Scrub deserts and salt flats.
• Major Cities:
• Gearhelm: Capital city and innovation hub.
• Steamwaste: Location of early steam-powered computers.
• Fulgor Flats: Testing grounds for new inventions.
• Ironspire: Radical architectural designs.
• Landmarks:
• Active Volcano: Near Gearhelm, used for geothermal experiments.
6. House Galifain (Southeast)
• Climate: Valleys and flatlands ideal for aviation.
• Major Cities:
• Skyreach: Capital City located on the floating island.
• Windfall: Major airship manufacturing center.
• Cloudhaven: Known for its flight academies.
• Aetherport: The largest airship port.
• Landmarks:
• Floating Irland: Home to Skyreach, moves in a figure-8 pattern.
7. House Scantillian (South)
• Climate: Mixed climates with minimal environmental impact.
• Major Cities:
• Grunwald: Capital city with a renowned university.
• Steinbach: Known for medical research.
• Lichstadt: Center for technological research.
• Landmarks:
• The Great Tree: A skyscraper-sized tree formed from their founder.
8. House Rhinehart (Central East)
• Climate: Canyon landscapes.
• Major Cities:
• Canyon City: Capital built into Kurtz Canyon walls.
• Redstone: Known for concealed military installations.
• Shadowcliff: Hiddeny city within the canyon.
• Landmarks:
• Kurtz Canyon: A long canyon from the show to Galomas.
9. House Chandra (South Central)
• Climate: Rolling hills and peaceful valleys.
• Major Cities:
• Ashagar: Capital city with the premiere magic university.
• Spellhaven: Known for arcane libraries.
• Mystvale: A city surrounded by magical phenomena.
• Runeberg: Focused on rune magic studies.
• Landmarks:
• Circle of Stones: An ancient magic site.
10. House Yoris (Northeast)
• Climate: Rivers, plains, lakes.
• Major Cities:
• Waterside: The sole major city and administrative center.
• Landmarks:
• Ten Hydroelectic Dams: Spread along major rivers
• Thirteen Atomic Plants: Located near lakes and rivers.
11. House Laysaar (Southwest)
• Climate: Large open spaces.
• Major Cities:
• Dunhaven: Capital with major industrial bases.
• Forgeplain: Known for manufacturing.
• Ironwood: Blend of preservation and industry.
• Copperton: Specializes in metalworks.
• Gearfor: Collaborates closely with House Horosof.
• Millstone: Focused on textile production.
• Landmarks:
• The Great Factory: An enormous manufacturing complex.
12. House Isoldir (Southeast)
• Climate: Diverse terrains from tundras to deserts.
• Major Cities:
• Belfrost: Capital in the frozen tundra.
• Sandport: Located near desert and beaches.
• Green hill: In tranquil valleys.
• Stormhaven: Near jagged mountains.
• Wetmoor: In the wetlands.
• Riverbend: Fishing and aquaponics center.
• Landmarks:
• Training Ground; Varied environments for civil servant training.
13. House DeLaVega (South)
• Climate: Vast plains, plateaus, mountain ranges.
• Major Cities:
• Relora: Capital city.
• Montana Blanca: City near white-capped mountains.
• Llano Grande: Located on the Great Plains.
• Landmarks:
• Nomad's Trail: Historical route of the people's nomadic past.
• Starflow River: Shared with House Ranzlomora.

SURROUNDING ISLANDS

• Lighthouse Island: North of Galomas, hosting the historic lighthouse and the Fortress of Light.
• Shipyard Island: East of House Galifain, a military shipper maintained by the four Military Houses
• Coral Wreath Island: South of House DeLaVega, surrounded by coral reefs with carefully marked passages.
• Fisher's Isle: West of House Tenagra, known for fishing towns with Welsh-like cultures.
• Seabreeze Island: Near House Isoldir, a tourist spot with sandy beaches.
• Stormbreaker Island: Off the coast of House Horosof, helps break up storms heading toward the mainland.

MAJOR RIVERS

• Starflow River: Runs from Galomas through Ranzlomora and DeLaVega territories, known for its iridescent stones and bioluminescent flora and fauna.
• Westflow River: Flows through House Tenagra, vital for trade and transport.
• Kurtz River: Cuts through Kurtz Canyon in House Rhinehart territory.

MOUNTAIN RANGES

• Iron Mountains: In House Valkris, home to their fortress cities.
• Silver Peaks: In House Botomo, rich in mineral resources.
• Whitecap Range: In House DeLaVega Near Montana Blanca.

OTHER LANDMARKS

• Active Volcano: Located in House Horosof, near Gearhelm.
• Dormant Volcanoes: One in House Botono and two in House Valkris.
• Fulgor Flats: Testing grounds in House Horosof for inventions.
• The Great Tree: In House Scantilian, a massive tree formed from their founder.

TRANSPORTATION AND TRADE ROUTES

• Railroads: An extensive network connecting all Houses to Galomas, with the Grand Rail Junction in House Tenagra.
• Highways: Major roads link the capitals and significant cities.
• Airship Routes: Airship traffic is extensive, with major ports in Aetherport (House Galifain) and Galomas.
• Rivers: Navigable rivers like Westflow and Starflow are used for freighters and trade.

DEFENSIVE STRUCTURES

• Fortress Cities: In House Valkriss and other military Houses.
• Mercenary's Guild Headquarters: A fortress in Galomas.
• Royal Citadel: Self-sustaining fortress at the heart of Galomas.

CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS SITES

• Priory of Galoma: Houses the tomb of St. Galoma.
• Circle of Stones: Ancient magical site in House Chandra.
• Statues and Monuments: Found in every House, honoring leaders and heroes.

NATURAL PHENOMENA

• Floating Island: Over House Galifain, home to Skyreach.
• Shooting Stars: Frequent due to Spira's particle ring shedding.
• Biru Grazing Lands: Vast plains where Biru are farmed.

...

An Offer

by Pyrodox 

   An obscure, seedy bar on an obscure seedy planet. Far away from more stringent definitions of Civilization in both distance and principle. Outside this ramshackle wooden structure, aside from the canyon it overlooked in which the mist was rendered blood red by the giant sun, was a congregation of private spaceships of varying degrees of dilapidation. Its owners were bounty hunters, criminals, smugglers, and various other lowlifes.

    One such lowlife bent over his drink with an apparent exhaustion with life. The skunk's unkempt hair and unwashed clothes could not fully mask the handsome features which suggested a better life now gone. As much as he tried to focus on the formless euphoria of alcohol, he could not help but reflect up this past. 

    Alvaro Munez, you’ve done it now. 

    That mantra he had once facetiously repeated to himself so many times during the most exciting moments of his life now reflected despair and ambiguous regret. 

     I did what I had to.

     But what he had to had cost him his will to live. He had blown his chance at a better life, and resignation to his old days of crime held no more allure to him. Life was no longer an option, only death or mere existence.

      He barely noticed the creak of the door and the slight lull in conversation. He glanced to see the reason for the crowd's nervousness: a large, particularly fat dragon in a heavy black leather trench coat. It was an unsurprising reaction, but he did not care enough to participate in it.

      The newcomer leaned over the table, ominously close to Alvaro, and ordered an Ouzo.

      “We have Sambuca.”

      “It’s the same thing.”

       Alvaro avoided looking in the dragon’s direction in a way that made it clear there was some effort.

       “I like the word Ouzo better,” said the dragon, this time to Alvaro, giggling like a fool making small talk.

       Alvaro was no fool.

       “Don’t waste your time. You’re here to kill me, aren’t you? Or capture me? I guess my scent won't deter your tastes.” The dragon twitched at that.

       “Kings generally want those who wrong them to stand trial.”

       Alvaro sighed. That was not the option he preferred.

       “You know, it’s funny,” the dragon said, turning around and leaning against the bar with his prodigious stomach dominating the space up to the wall. “I went through a lot of trouble tracking you down here. I mean, the first time around you made it look just challenging enough to trick an untrained eye into thinking one deserved the handsome finder’s fee (thank you for that, by the way), but this current business? So much less to lose, and yet, so much harder to find…”

      “Maybe I learn from my mistakes.” Alvaro eyed the dragon suspiciously.

      “Oh no, no. You’re Alvaro Munez. You’ve spent many years learning from your mistakes. Long enough to make better mistakes than the ones you made with me.” The Dragon glared at him piercingly, his false grin now gone. “You wanted us to find her. Didn’t you?”

      Alvaro hesitated for a few seconds before giving his antagonist a sarcastic grin. “I’m sure the King and his Court found no end of amusement from the irony of a dragon’s rescuing a princess.”

       “Yes, we all had a big laugh over that,” the dragon deadpanned while looking away absently. He turned his eyes back toward Alvaro and squinted. “Except for her.”

        Alvaro grew more tense and peered more intensely into his glass.

        “She was obviously heartbroken. Betrayed by the one man she thought she could trust, one she assumed would respect her. But she’s still being strong. Trying to balance her grief and principles. I can see the appeal.”

        “I loved her so much,” Alvaro sniffed. He could no longer pretend.

        “I know. That’s why you did what you did. Princess Amua, the royal who fell in love with a scoundrel. The scoundrel who learned to turn away from his life of gentleman-thievery. All based on hard-earned mutual respect. Happily ever after…until the princess’ father decided to marry her off to some other royal’s son.

        “One could only imagine the princess’ struggle. Torn between the man she loves and her duty to her people. A way to end the war (Seen it so many times among the Rathi, they should find a better mode of governance). Further complicated by the new guy’s being a perfect gentleman himself, just some poor guy in the same boat as she. And our gentleman thief hated to see her like this….so you simplified the equation for her.

       “You had to prove you did not respect her, saw her as property. Snuck into her room, used a control drug (nice touch by the way, very impressive sell), and spirited her off to some hellish planet just so she could be yours. 

       “And the gallant knight came with riding on a dragon and rescued her. And they lived happily ever after.”

        At this point, Avaro was sobbing silently. The dragon gave him a genuinely supportive pat on the back. “That’s okay, let it out. That’s what the bar’s for. If it makes you feel better, I’m not going to take you in.”

        “You’re not really a bounty hunter, are you?”

        “No, in fact,” the dragon leaned closer to his face. “I’m going to make you an offer.”

        Alvaro winced at theunholy mix of licorice, frankincense, and spoiled milk that was the dragon's breath. “What do you mean?”

        “Well, this latest episode has convinced my associates and I that you would be quite a good fit for our organization. You proved yourself cunning, adaptable, and persistent. But most of all…you displayed selflessness, a willingness to put the common good over your own feelings and comfort, even it meant society’s seeing you as a villain. And after all, my organization feeds off its own image problem.” The dragon patted his enormous belly, whose rumblings thwarted potential eavesdroppers. Alvaro was beginning to expect that the skull at the end of the overtaxed belt was not just there for the edgy aesthetic dragons are known for.

        “The Church,” he whispered.

        “Yes, the Church,” the dragon whispered back, “There’s a whole world you don’t even know about. A world that could pique your curiosity and fulfill your need for adventure. But most of all, a world that would give you purpose. An opportunity to bring order to a broken galaxy, to do good.”

         “I’ve heard of you. Pyrodox. I’ve never known the connection was true.” 

         “Well, the secret is going to be harder to keep as things get going. You want to find out the truth, about...everything? Well, you’re soon getting the opportunity, because you’re coming with me. Lead the way.”

         Alvaro rose headed toward the door, nervous but daring to hope for the first time in at least a month.

         “Sorry to rob you of a good customer,” Pyrodox winked as he flipped a generous tip to the bartender.

Choices - Part 2

< PART 1

     Sorova resorted to her usual compensating actions while waiting for them. Of course, she had legitimate reason to distract herself: her “home” was filled with tokens of a life that could have been. She attempted to mitigate the inevitable shock by looking at photographs of her other self’s family. 

      There were two children in the pictures. A young girl and a slightly younger boy. They seemed to have mostly taken after their mother’s serpentine nature with the exception of the window drapes that served as ears for her husband, and their grandmother’s rattlesnake lineage was modified in the form of a series of pom-poms at the end of their tails. They were beautiful.

       Their names were Monique and Wynfrith.

       Shuddering, she placed a framed picture down and approached a small shrine focused on something she had never seen, even though it required no introduction: her own skull. She stared transfixed as Wendell cautiously approached her side.

       “She was stricken by the S2 Virus shortly after Wynnie’s birth. Neither of them remember her.”

       “Just like me,” she whispered right before starting at the next sound.

       “Uncle Doxxie!” chimed two young voices from outside the door. Followed by an unusually reassuring rumble informing them that they had someone to meet.

        Sorova turned to the door and reflexively averted her face. She slowly returned it to see the two small children from the pictures and a deja vu of her dreams. 

        She collapsed in tears.

        Tensions melted away over the next few hours. 

        As Sorova demonstrated her renowned talent as a couch for her family, they laughed and reminisced with Pyrodox and Elder Saleria. 

        “Oh, you guys should have seen it. You two were really going at each other! I’ve never seen Saleria so mad.”

        “Good night, Wendy, what did you do?” Pyrodox chuckled. Wendell flinched at this. Sorova observed a slight, but civil tension between the two. 

        “I have a way with people, I guess.”

        “I couldn’t believe it and I saw it! You don’t even know, it was the worst fight I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure if they were trying to actually kill each other, because they almost did it by accident so many times! Imagine these two getting into a fight, I mean, y-you cant!”

        “Well…” Pyrodox mumbled. “We did get an impression.”

        “What do you mean?”

        “Wendell and I did partake in a staged fight…for charity.” Saleria answered as he pretended to drink from his gingerly held teacup.

        “That fight was over a charity,” Sorova inanely observed (she had already established that). 

        “It seemed to transpire in a way quite similar to your description,” the Elder observed.

        “Oh.” Sorova made a note to remember that so she could inform Saleria when she got back.

       When she got back.

       “I…I’m a little tired.”

       “You’ve had a long day,” Pyrodox said with genuine concern.

       “You want to go to the spare bedroom, honey?” He showed the way while nodding shyly at Pyrodox. 

       “Yes, thank you. I’m sorry.” Sorova was suddenly exhausted, but she appreciated her “husband’s” apparent restraint.

       Maybe he shared her misgivings.

       Spilling over a bed far too small for her frame, she stared at the ceiling until she fell asleep later than normal.

 

       Sorova’s uncertainty was tempered somewhat by the revelation that this version of Wendell was a not a half-bad cook. She dug into her breakfast with enthusiasm, her Rathi metabolism combining the concentration of a snake’s diet with the frequency of a humanoid’s.

       “Better get used to it,” she smiled at the amazed children. “It’s gonna be you in a couple years.”

       “Okay!” a bemused Wendell exclaimed. “Who’s ready to go to school!”

       “Can Mommy walk us?” Monique asked.

       Mommy.

       “Of course,” Sorova said uncertainly, then with genuine enthusiasm: “I’d love to!”

       “I’m making good grades!” Wynfrith said as they made their way to Education Center in the Compound.

       "Your'e going to be as clever as big Wynfrith, aren't you?"

       “And I want to get into singing, just like you!” Monique volunteered.

       “Oh!”

       After she had escorted the two to their studies, she returned home to find Wendell as he was cleaning up. Unsurprisingly, he was a stay-at-home dad. 

       “Hey,” he said without looking up. “Pyrodox missed you while you were out.”

       “Oh, that’s too bad…awkward without me?”

       “Oh, yeah.” Wendell quipped. 

       Sorova was not surprised at the tension between the two even in this world. Wynfrith had once told her of his own older brother, Olaf. He looked up to him his whole life, like a big friend. Idolized him. But as the younger dragon had fallen short of Gionachbalg standards, he had received so tongue-lashings from the older one. He had learned and improved from them, but there was always that tension henceforth, even if Olaf was unaware of it. They continued to be outwardly friendly, but it was never the same for Wynfrith. A brother cannot treat a brother like a naughty child in adulthood without permanent damage. The resultant feeling of otherness had contributed to his decision to cut himself off from that life, and he made it clear that he never wanted to make that mistake with her. She suspected he had no such qualms about is brother-in-law. Of course, she was not as eloquent about as he.

       “Big brother stuff, I guess.”

       “We have catching up to do, I guess.” 

       “I know. Maybe we should sit down.” She patted her prodigious coils, inviting him to sit.

        Wendell was exceededly pensive after her account was completed. He bit his index finger lightly. “Is that…Is that really what I’m like?”

        “No, its…Wendell, you’re everything I’ve always wanted. I-I…It’s me who’s broken. I’m fat, scarred...I…I’m not…I’m not the mother of your children. I’m a killer.”

        “It was me who did this to you, Sorova! I…I made you this, and yet after all that…you’re still beautiful. More than beautiful than I deserve…”

        “Wendell, you raised two children by yourself with out me…without her. You deserve her. And that doesn’t matter, anyway. This is wrong, and we both know it. We can’t have each other, It isn’t right.”

         Wendell hesitated, defeated. “I know.”

         “It’s just…hold me, just hold me.”

         They held each other tight until the tears stopped.

PART 3

             

Choices - Part 1

by Pyrodox 

So many years that we were one

So many things we've done

The memories alive

But most of me has died

As I struggle with events

I'm offered words of strength

They do not comprehend

The passion we possessed

People tell me what to do

Tell me how I should get through

But they haven't got a clue

Nothing else comes close to you

I see your eyes before they closed

They look right inside my soul

And they asked me not to grieve

I tried but still, I bleed

-Judas Priest, "Close To You"

     Duty supersedes personal plans, especially if one is a minister of the Church. Pyrodox did not want to travel to Varuda, but a high-priority target resided in this backwater planet, one that the Church made a priority that could only be trusted to the likes of him. It was an unpleasantly humid world inconvenient to draconic anatomy, and the harsh sunlight compounded the resultant discomfort by necessitating some protective covering: Pyrodox had to customize an unusually large cloak. Also, due to some arbitrary legalism resulting from the planet’s partisan disputes over arms policy, he could only talk his way into bringing one weapon. Prioritizing reliability over firepower, he brought his Gast projectile pistol. To prevent unwanted attention, he chose a craft more subtle than the Mercygiver. It was not going to be the most enjoyable job, and he was hoping that it would at least be over quickly.

 

     The grime was still palpable on his skin, exacerbated by the sweat that remained safely inside the folds of his ample abdomen. Pyrodox could smell himself, and he was desperate for the shower he did not have the luxury to take. Cameron Bix was too important a target to let go, even if it resulted in a stellar pursuit that could take weeks with the dragon’s jalopy. Pyrodox wiped the sweat from his brow and cursed his foul luck.

     But he was not going to let his man go.

 

 

 

     “I don’t know…” Sorova squeaked, stroking her neck nervously.

     “Sorova, listen,” the wolf responded. “You deserve so much better. There are so many worlds I have seen. Some unrecognizable, some barely different. Some of those differences are complementary, and if you knew how many puzzle pieces in some worlds fit in the spaces of others…you would know that those pieces belong there. I found your space. Believe me, I’ve helped so many in this way, let me help you.”

      “I’m not sure, I have so much to do…”

      “Sorova, trust me. All you have to do is walk through that door.”

       She hesitated.

       “You can come back if you want to.”

       She turned this over for a second and after some time, she cautiously slithered to the portal, and gathering her strength, rushed in.

        Zucca sighed and took a step or two backwards.

        Directly into a soft wall that that apparently materialized in the spot that instant.

        “I really don’t know how you manage to do that,” he quipped as he looked up at slim form that crowned the mass of flesh asnd dug its arms into said blob like the hips so lost in its bulk. It glared at him in a way he had since gotten used to.

         “What do you think you are doing, Zucca?”

         “I can read your mind, Pyrodox, so I know that you’re just saying that for effect.”

         “You know very well that the Church condemns this type of…circumvention of fate.”

          Zucca sensed hesitation in Pyrodox’s mind, and he saw the source of that in Pyrodox’s life, as well as the admittedly logical justification for it.

          “I can assure you, Pyro, she can make a choice. Besides, it could be said that fate allowed my access and power to traverse dimensions. I can solve people’s problems.”

          “Deny the problems, you mean. I do not approve of your influencing my sister in this way. We have our differences, but you do not involve my family. Get…her…back.” He backed the wolf toward the portal, entrusting the work to someone who could physically fit through it.

          Zucca suddenly felt trapped. 

 

       She was in the same place, one of the many portals that had been hidden throughout the galaxy. The only difference was that The Traveler was nowhere to be found in the ruins, save a token of his preparedness: he had left a starship for her. Punching coordinates into its computer, she sought out the one person that drew her like the exaggerated gravity of a black hole.

       As she approached MANNA’s Intra-Galactic Headquarters in the Alpha Sector, she updated herself on the relevant history, which, as it turned out, mooted her current course of action: MANNA CEO Wendell Roussimoff had been missing for seven years. Not being a complete fool, she modified her destination to Church Space.

        Home.

        The Noskaj-class frigate was no doubt perplexed by a humble civilian light freighter’s ability to navigate the storm that protected Church Space, but after some negotiation she was allowed to surrender peacefully. Sorova was detained, scanned, relieved of her suspensor coils, and transported to Notron-class battleship where she was eventually presented to the authority figure she had requested to see.

         As he caught sight of her, Pyrodox’s heavily guarded demeanor melted into bewilderment. Somehow, he knew that this was his sister. “S-Sorova?” he ventured.

         “Winnie…it’s me.”

         Pyrodox’s face hardened into a cold glare. After some visible struggle he stormed toward the door. “Watch. Her,” he ordered one of the marines. “Category 4 precautions.” He gave her one last uncertain look on the way out.

          Sorova was not surprised by this suspion.

             

          Transdimensionality could be confirmed through epigenetic and phenotypical tests, and thankfully non-invasive procedures were sufficient. Sorova was also quizzed extensively, particularly on the location of the Portal. By end of the week, she was allowed to see Pyrodox, who surprised her with a massive hug.

          “I wanted to run to you the first time around, Sis. I’m sorry, for the-“

          “It’s okay, Wyn, you did the right thing.”

           Pyrodox pulled back a bit and regarded her breathlessly with soaked cheeks. “Sorova, you-you’re the size of a house!”

           “Oh, yeah, all this? I’ve learned to live with it. Worked out enough to keep in good health, though.”

           “You…look great!”

            She chuckled knowingly, before something occurred to her. “Oh, Pyro, we have so much to talk about…” She spread her arms and smiled. “I’m a Minister! Just like you!”

            “Oh…” Pyrodox seemed uncertain at this.

            “Don’t worry, I’m one of the best! I’m really good at…”

            She noticed that her brother was nonplussed by the implication that she should have considered and decided not to press the subject further. “Don’t worry, Wynnie, I’m still Sorova.” She caressed his face, satisfying her ersatz brother that she had not lost her soft side.

             After composing himself, Pyrodox had something occur to him.

             “I almost forgot…there’s someone who wants to see you.”

             He stood taller, although he was still extremely short. Even more handsome than the first time she had laid eyes on him. Still present was his flamboyant taste in dress, albeit cleaner, and with a votive skull adorning the collar. He possessed good posture and was well groomed. Gone was the suspicious squint of near-constant inebriation, replaced with wide, alert, and loving eyes. It was Wendell A. Roussimoff as she had always dreamed for. 

             “Sorova!” Sacrificing all bearing, he rushed toward her and embraced her hard. Out of the corner of her eye, Sorova noticed Pyrodox smiling warmly in a way normally recognized to be physically impossible in this situation. It was everything she had ever wanted. 

             “Wendy…” she could not contain her own elated sobs. 

             “That’s okay, let it out, Honey.” 

              Sorova had never though such a sentence could come from Wendell’s mouth. After a small eternity, she finally composed herself.

              “Baby, you look so good, but-I’m sorry…you’re…huge!”

               Sorova was surprised he had not mentioned her scarred.

               She decided it was for the best not to tell him. 

               “Are you ready to see the kids?”

PART 2

 

Marion Mallory's Pop Life

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