He, she and all the stuff inbetween them.

[Kaili Talith]

It seemed to Kaili like only yesterday that the world was fine. She hung out on the beach, she was being told not to give into the dark side and to always be mindful of her emotions. It seemed like just yesterday that she was having fun and being a perfectly normal human-slash-garhoon being.

But things change, and things don’t always change for the best.

Kaili was sort of grown up now and apparently she had to know. Mother had asked her to sit down so they could talk. At first she thought nothing of it, perhaps a follow up on the yelling she had gotten for getting into a fight with Micah, but it was worse. It was so much worse. With the curse of adolescence came the curse of ‘other things.’

It had been no sooner than the second she stepped inside the house again after running around the forest that her mother had approached her. She asked little Kaili to take a seat on the sofa and the kid duly obeyed her mother. At first they started to talk about obvious things. Yes, Kaili was a girl and yes she was almost a teenager soon. Yes they loved her very much yes it was very hard for the little girl to understand why they were having these talks. Even more so it was hard to understand why there was a certain kind of awkward silence between them.

But then it happened and it all made sense.

The parents opened their mouths and soon the world would never be the same. The little girl was in for the ride of her childhood and there were no safety brakes for either party involved as they made mention of all the things. The fact that the little girl had only barely grasped the concept in the end was perhaps not a good thing.

Bewildered she sat in her couch as it had become [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]’s turn to talk. Hopefully he would make more sense than [member="Kira Talith"] had. Which sadly, as stated, was not much sense at all.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"]

For a few seconds Soliael simply sat there drumming his fingers on his chin.

There was quite a few things he could say, though Kira had said enough for them of them already. His children were generally smart enough to figure things out on their own, Aela certainly had and when they had tried to talk to her...well there had been more than one red face and a bit of screeching about not needing this.

He smiled at that memory, though it quickly faded away.

“Kaili.” Soliael said raising himself up. He took into account the fact that all of them undoubtedly knew something, and that all of them undoubtedly had already had at least some general concept. “Why don't we do it this way...”

He trailed off for a second and looked at Kira as if she should have had a handle on this. “Do you have any questions?”

It was easier that way, for all of them.

 

[Kaili Talith]

Her tiny mind still trying to wrap itself around what mother had said the tiniest Talith blinked as she put on a thoughtful face. She understood what they were saying, but deep down it didn’t make sense? Liking boys? Gross. Eventually she looked up at her father in confusion over what kind of questions he was expecting her to ask.

“Like what?” She blinked. “I mean, mother said that...”

She was aware of this, of course, but to have to ask questions after a talk like that? About the stuff coming from... No. How could she find words after that? Aela was, well Aela was Aela. She was the smart one, the well-read one. Kai was the impatient, not-really-listening-at-all-times one. All times except this and right now she had no words.

“So, uh, are you saying that...” Eyes strayed between looking at mother and then father. “Everyone goes through this? I mean, they do, but uh, even Micah?” She finally rest her eyes on [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]. “Does he also have to... Has he... ? Is it the same for him? The, uh, hugging.”

[member="Kira Talith"].​

Because she wants to read it.​

We both know it.​

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“Kind of.” Soliael explained. “His is the other side of the spectrum.”

Her father explained almost non-chalantly. Kira had already explained the broad spectrum to Kaili, and her question wasn't all that detailed, thank kark for that, so it was really the only answer that he could give her. “It's honestly something you won't have to worry about for a long time.”

He severely hoped.

“We wanted you to know because it's important.” Soliael said looking to Kira again. “It's not something you have to entirely grasp or understand right now. Just knowledge that you should start to have.”

 

[Kaili Talith]

Well then, that was good to hear. A nod up and down had her thinking on what she had been told. Kira, or mother rather, had been very kind in her explaining of things. In retrospect the question felt strange, but stupid questions and learning sort of went hand in hand. Or at least so she had been told.

“And you were saying that Micah and Maleah was under the influence of horr-moans.” She dropped the thoughtful facade for a moment and let the tiniest of frowns be put on display. “Is that why Micah and Aela don’t get along?”

Because yes it sucked. “You said it can make people emotional and rash. I mean, that sounds like them.”

The silence was allowed to linger as she looked at her father again. “If so, I don’t think I really want that to happen to me. I don’t want to argue with anyone.”

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"]

“Kind of.” Soliael said quietly. “It's different for everyone. Some people get a bit angrier, some people get more independent, and others just get more...wild.”

Not to mention that his children also had to deal with a genetic cocktail of different species. Maleah especially was trouble in that regard, her garhan genes showing through pretty much everywhere, something that hadn't happened in her twin. “Micah and Aela are just...different. They function at a different level, want different things. Thats why they argue.”

“You are in control of your emotions Kaili, not the other way around.” She knew that lesson well, he had drilled it into all of his children, and although sometimes they forgot it, the lesson would always be there.

 

[Kaili Talith]

A second nod. So they were just different. It didn’t make things better but Kai could still pretend to understand why that would cause the two siblings to argue over everything. Still, today wasn’t about the problems the young girl might have had with those around her as much as the problems she would get to experience herself as she grew older.

“I know, father.” She smiled. “You don’t need to remind me.”

The frown had turned into a smile which had in turn transformed into the same thoughtful facade as before. She understood it, most of it, at least the parts she’d listened to. The flower analogies which had been funny enough to listen to, talk of hugs. After all, at this part of her life she was still just a little girl looking to understand what the adults was telling her about ‘becoming one of them.’

Then she realised what adults could do.

“Oh!” She looked up at her father. The joy bustling within of her. “Does this mean I will get my own speeder and/or ship?”

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]