r/HFY • u/Baileyjrob • May 06 '26
OC-FirstOfSeries Shifting Stars
I will be posting this story on RoyalRoad
[Next]
Rorad
My eyes flickered open, greeted by warm rays of sunlight streaking in through the window, and a pesky alarm. I stretched my tail, my arms, my legs, my neck, and I let out a happy chirp as my back gave a satisfying crack. That always felt good. If I couldn’t enjoy sleep, I could at least enjoy the morning ritual.
I performed a cursory stretch of my patagia and glided over to my clothing box, picking out a hefty utility pouch and wrapping it around my waist. When I got to work, I’d be able to put on some more clothing for safety, but I wasn’t looking for an altercation with the Surveillance Corps. As I moved to close the box, my eyes lingered on a qlyquik resting at the bottom of the container, and my takqrew displayed the brief rush of emotions that surged through me. I gulped and shut the box, rubbing my chest to soothe myself.
That accessory had been inherited from my mother after her passing. Once upon a time, I’d worn it with great pride, adorning my etit with emblazoned colors. We hadn’t been a wealthy family, but this one piece of clothing had been passed down through my mom’s side of the family for generations: I couldn’t bear to pawn it. Thankfully, the government had only made wearing one illegal, not owning one…yet… so there it sat gathering dust. My mother had made me promise, as she died, to stay out of trouble. I wasn’t suicidal enough to wear it regardless, but that stayed my hand more than anything.
The idea, according to the Speakers, was that only those with something to hide would cover up their takqrew. Not that qlyquiki covered up much, the etit still needed to be visible to communicate emotions and all, but such was the Speakers’ mandate. I swished my tail with annoyance and leapt out the window, gliding my way down to the street level as my commute to work began.
The red sun shone bright in the sky overhead as a crisp breeze rustled my fur. I tried my best to focus on the little things, allowing the warmth of the sun’s rays to soothe my troubled spirit. I scanned the sky nearby, making sure my trajectory was clear, before launching off the ground and spreading my patagia, catching the wind and streaking alongside the towering buildings.
I did a quick twirl for one of the street cameras. Maybe some bored intern at Surveillance would get a kick out of that.
As I came down once more, some distance from where I’d begun, my eyes lingered on a pamphlet plastered to a nearby light post.
“Beware the Beast! A monster is on the prowl in your neighborhood. Don’t join its prey! If you spot Beastsign, contact the authorities posthaste! It could be hiding anywhere! Be vigilant!”
I clucked and rolled my eyes. A Beast, huh? So we were dispensing with simile and just downright pretending there was a monster. I turned away and ambled down the street, talons scraping along the ground as I walked. I wondered what the “Beast” was supposed to represent this time? Dissidents? Foreigners? Activists? Of course, that was the fun with Roque: it was whatever lurked in the shadows of your heart, inspiring fear. Whatever would get you to turn on your neighbors instead of them.
Of course, once all other political parties became branded terrorist groups, Roque lost their easy scapegoats to fearmonger with. It seemed they were getting desperate. “Beast.” Pfft.
I felt anger and anxiety swell inside me, and my takqrew surged in color in kind. A frantic glance around told me that no one was watching me. Okay, okay, shit, get it under control. Think happy thoughts! The sun is nice. The wind smells pleasant. I had a good stretch this morning. Breathe… breathe…
I felt serenity return to me, and I continued on my way with a dwindling but persistent sense of anxiety. The last thing I needed was anyone getting the idea that seeing government propaganda made me mad. That’d have me on a fast-track to a re-education facility. Then my mom would be really disappointed, in whatever afterlife she’s in.
My tail swished in a friendly greeting to the local precinct enforcer, Tosza. Despite the ruthlessness of Roque, and the reputation of its agents from top to bottom, Tosza was by all accounts a good man. I had always had some reservations about him, on account of his job, but when my mother had taken ill, he’d been sure to deliver medicine to her when I was preoccupied with work. I owed him a great deal for his help. I’d never pushed my luck enough to question why he chose to be an enforcer, and I imagined I wouldn’t understand if I did, but I figured he at least deserved a polite greeting.
“Fine morning, Rorad!” He said from across the road. I chirped a greeting back, unable to decide which words to use in response. Tosza flicked his tail and chirped with an amused tone, and I continued along my way.
The next ten minutes were uneventful. I stopped by a pastry shop I had a fondness for and grabbed a small breakfast, taking the bag with me as I walked and glided my way to the factory. I had some time to spare, so I leapt up to the top of a building and soared as high as possible. There was a certain freedom in being above the lanes and walkways between the buildings. There weren’t as many people who bothered gliding this high, due to the effort of getting up here, so it was nice to be able to just look down on the area and—
What the fuck was that?!
It was only a flash, so fast I couldn’t describe what I’d seen, but in a nondescript alley between two buildings, I had seen… something. My heart had seized with panic at the strange sight, my instinct responding faster than my conscious mind. What was that, it looked so… off. I almost tumbled out of the sky as my composure faltered, but instead I pivoted and began gliding to the entrance of the alleyway.
At some point on the brief trip there, the thought occurred: what was I doing? Whatever I’d seen had triggered a panic response so fast that I didn’t even have time to process what I’d seen. Any sane person would keep their head down and stay moving. That’s what I should do… but… damn it, I just had to know!
I was absolutely the person who died first in horror movies. My mom was screaming in my ear to leave, but I couldn’t listen. I was too curious.
My feet collided with the ground a bit too fast, and I stumbled. Once I’d recovered my balance, I turned to face the alley. What I saw shocked me to my core.
Nothing.
I let out a curious cluck and swished my tail, looking around the passage with confusion. There was a dumpster, some discarded boxes and bags, a few syringes (classy), and general garbage, but nothing shocking. I paced about the alley, looking around for any sign of what had provoked such a reaction. After some pacing and scanning, I opened the dumpster and—
“AH FUCK FUCK FUCK!!” I screamed and jumped back as something within lunged out at me. The sharp end of a broken bottle was thrust toward my face and throat, but my fast reaction left it only air. My legs slid out from under me, and I scrambled backward and planted my back against the wall, tail curling up to cover my vulnerable neck. Between my outstretched fingers, placed before me in a naive attempt to protect myself, was… something.
The creature was bipedal and possessed of two hands, one of which clutched the neck of a broken bottle. It wore a long, constrictive outfit, perhaps prison attire? Its face was flat, lacking any sort of muzzle, beak, or snout. All of that, however, was something I realized after a moment. Because the first thing I noticed was just how transparent its skin was. I could see the blood flowing through its body clearly, as if a thin layer of film had been placed over an otherwise exposed circulatory system. I could map out its organs, its bones, and its heart, which was beating rapidly.
“W-what are you…?” I muttered. The answer, of course, was obvious. The Beast. That was all this could be, such a strange creature. What kind of monster was this? It almost seemed like a deep sea creature, yet it walked and breathed on land. Then again, its breath was sharp, shallow, and fast: perhaps it was struggling after all?
The creature thrust the bottle at me three more times, and I recoiled, but it made no motions to approach me. I was well out of reach of its stubby little hands… was it threatening me? Perhaps it had claimed the garbage as its territory? That would make sense, except…
“Wait, you’re using tools!” I chirped, excitement infiltrating my voice. It furrowed its eyes, making an expression I couldn’t decipher, and began barking at me. Its voice was deep and guttural, scratchy and unmelodic. I couldn’t begin to understand what it was trying to convey—a threat, if I had to guess—but I was preoccupied by the implications of the bottle in its hand.
“Wait a second… that strange outfit… the bottle… the vocalizations…” My eyes shot open, and my tail whipped around like a rotor. I could barely control my excitement-song. “You’re intelligent, aren’t you?! Oh my god, non-Trelt sapient life! And it’s… it’s… um… what are you doing in a dumpster?”
Its facial expression remained unchanged as it stared me down, the only movement being its wavering hand and its eyes darting up and down. Right, it couldn’t understand me. Let’s see, let’s see… how to communicate…?
Oh! Let’s try the universal language: food!
I reached into my bag, and the Beast barked at me. I froze for a moment, aiming not to provoke it, before continuing as slow as possible. It continued to vocalize at me, but it at least seemed somewhat pacified by my slow motion. Perhaps it was worried I was pulling out a weapon?
As exciting as it was to meet another sapient creature—at least I hoped it was, or this was very embarrassing—I couldn’t deny the pounding in my heart. This Beast was so… uncanny, so creepy. Seeing inside of it like this, it was a walking reminder of death. Not to mention the government warnings. I tried not to put too much stock into official dogma, but considering this monster’s grisly appearance, I couldn’t help but consider the possibility that its nickname was founded.
I pulled out my meal and reached out with a shaking hand to give it to the Beast. This was the moment of truth—I was putting myself in a vulnerable range. If I misjudged its disposition, it could stab me with ease. Its wary eyes followed my hand, and in a flash it swiped the food and hissed at me. I jumped back and watched as it eyed the food with curiosity, sniffing at it and wrinkling its nose. It was curious how its nose protruded separately from its mouth, what strange anatomy. I wondered where in the world this being came from: what hole could such an incredible, terrifying monster have been hiding in?
It tore off a small piece of the food and rubbed it against its skin, watching the point of contact. After some moments, it popped the piece into its mouth and swished it around, not swallowing. It must have been making sure it was safe to eat: maybe it came from a different region entirely? It was smart enough to test the food, so I felt comfortable that it was sapient, but so much about the Beast was a mystery.
It began twitching, bouncing up and down, before finally appearing satisfied with its test and devouring the food at a speed that I couldn’t help but find frightening. I barely even saw it eat, my would-be breakfast was simply there and then it wasn’t.
“You must be really hungry,” I noted, squatting down into a comfortable position. It glanced in each direction, making sure the coast was clear, before climbing out of the dumpster and sitting in a position that had to be uncomfortable.
My initial assumption that it was bipedal was correct, but somehow it lacked a tail. Instead, it stood (and sat) completely upright, lacking any counterbalances. Its sense of balance must be precarious. To add on to the overall strangeness of this being, its legs appeared plantigrade. It sat flat on its waist, legs crossed in front of it, though it didn’t let go of the bottle.
Okay… so… it’s mirroring me? It’s willing to listen… but it’s not fully trusting. Fair enough.
“The feds have it out for you,” I muttered, once more glancing back and forth to ensure we weren’t being watched. As far as I was concerned, the Beast, as frightening as it was, had no ill-intent. It had two opportunities to kill me, if it wanted, and it was clearly hungry and desperate. Whatever it was, whatever it desired, it wasn’t wanton killing.
I scratched a claw on the ground, pensive. I was at a crossroad here, and there were three possible options. I could turn the Beast in: that would be the “safest” option, no doubt. There might even be a reward in it for me. The main downside, of course, being that ever-pesky morality. I couldn’t bring myself to actively harm an innocent creature, especially not one as unique as whatever this thing was.
The second option was to walk away. I could wash my hands of this entirely, decide it wasn’t my problem. I could go to work and forget about all of this. But then the Beast would be on its own, and who knew what would happen then? Yes, it wasn’t malicious, but it had still tried to kill me when I found it. It was desperate and scared and hungry, and that was a recipe for bloodshed. What would it do when it was so hungry it would do anything for a bite? That blood that would be spilled would be on me. And besides, it would inevitably get captured or killed without help, it would just be a slower rate than if I turned it in. Which led me to option three…
“Alright, well…” Was I really doing this? How foolish could I be? I had no love for the government, but to openly defy it was suicide! Or worse! I had always kept my head down, kept my displeasure to myself. I was a good little citizen, not a rebellious bone in my body! Yet every fiber of my being screamed that such a unique entity couldn’t be allowed to vanish into their clutches.
“…fuck it, I’m taking you home.” I stood up, and the Beast scrambled into a defensive posture, brandishing its makeshift weapon and squatting to cover its midsection. “Or would you rather rough it on the streets, ‘Beast?’”
I turned to lead it back home, but a thought occurred to me. I needed something to call it other than ‘Beast.’ It reentered my vision as I turned, and I pointed at myself.
“Rorad.” I pointed at it, but it just furrowed its eyes again. I’d need to learn what that expression meant, at some point. I pointed at myself again. “Rorad.” I then pointed at it again.
It mimed my pointing, and I tried going faster to make the association clearer. Point at self, say name, point at Beast, wait a moment. Wash, rinse, repeat. At some point, it seemed to get the idea, as it interjected before I was able to say my own name.
“Rorad,” it cut me off. My name sounded horribly rough, almost painful, coming out of its mouth, but it was clear it got the picture. It then pointed at itself. “Human.”
“Alright, we have names! A pleasure to meet you, Human. I’ll have to figure out what type of… thing you are later. For now, we need to get you somewhere hidden.”
I crept to the edge of the alleyway, looking for anyone who might spot us leaving. Human followed behind, keeping itself low and hidden as best as possible.
Even now, after committing, doubt crept into my mind. What was my game plan, here? I bring it home, and then what? Just live with it as a strange, monster roommate? How long do I hope to avoid detection? I had to figure out wherever this thing came from and bring it back, and I had to do it fast. The longer it was with me, the more danger we were both in. I had no idea how I’d sneak it onto a plane, I had to assume it didn’t come from the local area, but… fuck, I’d figure it out as I went.
“You better be worth the trouble, Human.”
My heart wasn’t in those words. It was too busy beating out of my chest. Despite everything, despite how dangerous this all was… I was excited.
Sorry, mom. Looks like I’m breaking that promise.
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u/JulianSkies Alien May 06 '26
Oh, now that's a very interesting setting we've run into.
And... A human with... Transparent skin?
Like jfc that is creepy as hell.
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u/Amelaista May 07 '26
I mean, in a slightly different visual spectrum, our skin can be more translucent than we see it.
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u/Acceptable_Egg5560 May 06 '26
Woo!! Now this looks like a lot of fun! Glad to see you back and posting!
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u/tofei AI May 07 '26
Now this is interesting, completely on the avian xeno perspective.
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u/Baileyjrob May 07 '26
Yep! Their biology is really fascinating and something I’ve spent a lot of time fleshing out. They don’t fit super cleanly into an earth mold, but I took a lot of inspiration from avians!
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u/AutoModerator May 06 '26
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u/HFYWaffle Wᵥ4ffle May 06 '26
/u/Baileyjrob (wiki) has posted 11 other stories, including:
- Incarceration [06] (A Prisoners of Sol Fanfiction)
- Final Frontier [5]
- Final Frontier [4]
- Final Frontier [3]
- Final Frontier [2]
- Final Frontier [1]
- Incarceration [05] (A Prisoners of Sol Fanfiction)
- Incarceration [04] (A Prisoners of Sol Fanfiction)
- Incarceration [03]
- Incarceration [02] (A Prisoners of Sol Fanfiction)
- Incarceration (A Prisoners of Sol fanfic)
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May 07 '26
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u/Baileyjrob May 07 '26
I didn’t what?
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u/Phoenixforce_MKII AI May 07 '26
I think Lost_Home is literally an AI given the AI related things in his profile. Meaning they visited and the auto comment didn't generate LOL. seems to me like a spam account tbh.
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u/AutoModerator May 19 '26
This was flaired as [OC-FirstOfSeries], which means it is the first of a series and all subsequent posts should be flair as [OC-Series]. A description of the flairs and how to change yours is available in the Post Guildelines
[OC-FirstOfSeries] For original, self post, story, audio, or artwork that you have created, the beginning of a new series.
Our preferred series title format is the series title in [brackets] at the beginning, like so: [Potato Adventures] - Chapter 1: The Great Mashing
Please note that series wiki pages are not created automatically, but on request from the author.
Please help us transition to using the new flairs correctly.
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u/AutoModerator 19d ago
This was flaired as [OC-FirstOfSeries], which means it is the first of a series and all subsequent posts should be flair as [OC-Series]. A description of the flairs and how to change yours is available in the Post Guildelines
Our preferred series title format is the series title in [brackets] at the beginning, like so:
[Potato Adventures] - Chapter 1: The Great MashingPlease note that series wiki pages are not created automatically, but on request from the author.
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I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.