I assure you, GH, it wasn't a coincidence.
Still working on the next chapter. The next book, however, I'll admit that I'm not particularly looking forward to write because I know it's probably gonna be a difficult one.
New chapter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:
Loose Threads
Yarin was still dealing with the ramifications of what that meant. He sequestered, Cloak-like, himself to his own threat, which was littered with its usual flooring of forgotten and discarded papers, pondering on what just happened.
He had never once, never truly examined the culpability of his species actions before now. Not really. He could see how presumptuous they were when they believed they were being truly altruistic. It is the folly of any civilization that believes that merely diverting the threat from their home, that it has been dealt with foevermore, and they do not bear any kind of responsibility for the lives and races that their former threat ravages.
The Nyac were not without sin in the Nyac-Furon war, as Yarin was forced to see. It was remarkable how different things looked from another's perspective. He realized how single-minded and pigheaded that even he himself could get.
Granted, it did not change his view that Furons had a very simplistic and black-and-white world view, which was very limited and narrow at the same time. Yarin, despite open hostility and mutual emnity he still felt towards the Furons, he could not help but pity them for this. All the splendor that was pleasant and wonderful in the world . . . and the Furons just saw things to destroy, to tramp underfoot, to conquer. What a sad existence such warlike species must live -- especially if death, destruction, and killing is all they know, when much loftier, more peaceful ideals and professions exist. How can you not pity them for that?
However, it isn't any better when an established civilization grows complacent with their power, like his kind -- like he himself -- had. When a civilization choses to declare that they are the good guys, by definition, and can do no wrong. That complacency, that arrogance, tends to slowly and gradually replace competence and genuine good will, after a civilization has set a number of years and the bile of corruption, thr virus thst degrades and decays integrity with selfishness and singular self-interest.
Cloak seemed to think that corruption was an inevitability in any system of government. Simple conjecture from that followed that corruption would inevitably precede a government's collapse, and the economy with it. Yarin had to admit he could see the logic in such an argument, as well as see how it could connect with Nyac's government, as well as practically every other democratic government, but he refused to believe any givernment was beyond saving. He chose to be optimistic in that, starkly contrasting Cloak, the self-admitted local pessimist.
Sure, there were governments that were broken, whether a little or a lot, but that did not necessarily mean that they could not be fixed. No, they were far from being a fargone conclusion. And all things can be fixed.
***
Cerulean was afforded a bit of a distraction in all this.
A
Kineceleran and a
Citrakayah had gotten into an argument. They were fiercely debating who was faster. Cerulean assumed they were arguing about who was a faster runner, rather than . . . other areas.
Cerulean could see why he was called in though. This was escalating. If
someone didn't intercede, this would become a shoving match. Shoving matches, if left to fester, invariably led to blows. The blows would invariably lead to an all-out brawl. He had to nip this in the bud.
"The solution to your problem is simple," Cerulean said. Bith the Kineceleran and the Citrakayah wore looks of mulish defiance, dislike and enmity contouring their features. "Just have a race. Simple."
They did, but it ended with a surprising conclusion. The winner was . . . Cerulean?
***
GH was introducing Leatherhead to RAF, or reintroducing him, rather. And, of course, he did it through song:
"Welcome, my friend, to RAF.
Here, have a flower on me.
Forget where you're from.
You're in RAF!
Child, come!
I'll show you that RAFian joie de vivre!
RAF holds the key to your heart.
And all of RAF plays a part!"
Shanker and Dameg sang:
"Just stroll two by two
Down what we call 'la rue'."
The other RAFians, other than Cloak, Cerulean, and Yarin, joined GH:
"And soon all RAF
Will be singing to you!
Ooh La La!
Ooh La La!
Ooh La La!"
Helen sang, ending it with a kiss with Parker:
"RAF holds the key to l'amour!"
Wild sang:
"And not even Freud knows the cure!"
Faerie said:
"There's love in the air!"
Saffa sang:
"At the RAF Follies Begere!"
Gaz sang:
"We RAFians have it down to an art!"
RAFians sang:
"RAF hold the key to your heart!"
GH sang:
"When you're feeling blue,
Come to Le RAF Moulin.
When your heart says don't,
The RAFians say do!"
The female RAFians sang:
"When you think you can't,
You'll find you can can!"
RAFians sang:
"RAF holds the key
To your heart!"
Azzy sang:
"You'll be 'tres jolie' and so smart!"
Dino sang:
"Come, dance through the night."
Broken sang:
"And forget all your woes."
GH and RAFians sang:
"The forum of light --"
Dbsp sang:
"Where a rose is a rose!"
GH and the other RAFians sang:
"And one never knows
What will start!
RAF . . .
Holds the key . . .
To your . . .
Heart!"
Then song ended with a strong flourish and Leatherhead looked beside himself with joy at the song and acceptance. Aquilai even provided him with a small lab coat thst gave him a superficial appearance similarity to a kiddified Lizard from Marvel Comics.
"Guys?" Cloak said, in reference to the song choice. "You do realize that Valentine's Day isn't for about two of your weeks, right? I mean, give or take."
