Space Criminal and Chillboi

Jay casually sauntered behind Nova as they explored the garden maze aboard the Utopia. It might have looked like he was admiring the flowers, but really he was hoping he didn't turn a corner and run into someone he knew. He figured a maze would be the best place to hide, but clearly it wasn't great if he was slamming into random strangers.

She couldn't have been from the crustiest of the upper crust if she wasn't at the banquet. Then again, he wasn't there either. She was dressed the part, but the colored streaks in her hair weren't common for someone of her status. She caught him staring and seemed a little alarmed.

"What?" she frowned.

"Sorry," he said, leaning back a bit. "I was looking at the highlights."

"What about it?" she asked, a little apprehensive.

"Nothing," he said. "It's a mod, right? Did it hurt?"

Nova seemed a little surprised that he didn't scold her on how terrible and low class these wild modifications were. More subtle cosmetic changes were welcome in their high society, but unnatural colors and tattoos were a scandal.

"No," Nova said hesitantly. "I mean, it stung a little. When they were going into the hair follicles to change the pigment of the melanin. And then it was sore for a week when my hair started to change and grow in this color."

"Huh," he said, looking at it again. "My pain tolerance isn't great. I've got a tattoo on my ankle, but it only took a couple seconds with the laser. I always considered turning my whole head of hair purple, though."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him with surprise. He had hoped she wouldn't look down on him if she had similar interests, but maybe he wouldn't be so lucky. It would've been nice to find someone worth talking to.

"You have a tattoo?" she asked.

"Are you going to tell my mother?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to," she said. "Can I see it?"

They stood there and looked at each other for a moment, apparently both surprised at each other. Then he shrugged and put his foot up on the arm of a garden bench. His mother would have a heart attack if she saw him now. He lifted his pant leg and pulled his sock down to show the tattoo of a small dragon on his ankle.

"It looks good," she said. "Why a dragon?"

"Why not a dragon?" he asked. "Dragons are cool."

She looked back up at him with an amused grin. He pulled his sock back up and put his foot down on the ground again.

"It's a little easier to hide that a head full of purple hair, though," he chuckled.

"Probably."

As they started walking again, Jay put a hand in his pocket and made casual small talk.

"So, Miss Nova," he said. "Are you headed to Stoneshell, or are you one of those round-trippers on an extra long vacation?"

"I'm getting off at Stoneshell," she said. "I have plans to move."

"To Stoneshell?" he asked.

"I don't think that's any of your business," she said.

"Fair enough," he said with a shrug. "I'm getting off at Stoneshell, too."

"What for?"

"None of your business."

She gave him an annoyed look, but he could tell she was amused. As they rounded the corner, they found the center of the garden maze. It sported an elegant marble fountain with a sculpture of a fairy at the top.

"Ever seen one of these?" James asked.

"A fountain?"

"No, a Zetan Wishing Fountain," he said. "You make it an offering and make a wish."

"I don't have any wishing coins on me," she told him.

"That's fine, they don't want coins," he said, pointing to the fairy up top. "On Zeta they believe in spirits of nature. Sort of like nymphs. They have no use for our money, so they want other things. Sturdy sticks. Woven baskets. I dunno, nuts?"

"Do you have a woven basket in your pocket?" she questioned.

"No, but we're surrounded by flowers," he said, gesturing to the hedges. "I'm sure they'd appreciate that."

She turned to one of the hedges and plucked a fluffy orange flower off the stem. Then she closed her eyes and made a wish. She cracked an eye open to look at Jay.

"Aren't you going to make a wish?" she asked.

"I don't think a fairy can give me the things I want," he admitted.

She closed her eyes for a couple more seconds, then gently laid the flower to float over the water.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

"A fairy can't give me the things I want, either," she said. "I wished for a miracle. For both of us."

"I hope it comes true."

They heard voices nearby and Jay grimaced, recognizing it as Taylor. Without thinking much of it, he took Nova's hand and pulled her back to hide behind one of the taller hedges. Through the hedge, he was able to see Taylor walking with a girl a little ways away.

"Who's that?" Nova whispered.

"My society-assigned minder," he grumbled.

"Huh?"

"Uh, my cousin," he whispered back. "Taylor Spaulding."

"Like... Spaulding tea bags?"

"Yep," he said. "And he's a bit of a tea bag himself."

"And he's your cousin."

He shushed her as Taylor turned the corner and Nova gave him a sort of indignant look, but she didn't ask any more questions. She didn't seem to know who Jay was right away, but it didn't take long to piece together the family tree and learn that Taylor's mother was Miriam Whitley, Jay's aunt. Luckily, Taylor didn't turn the same corner as them. He disappeared with his companion down a different path. Jay let out a deep sigh.

"I better head back to my room and pretend to be asleep," he said. "They've been trying to make me socialize with stuffy peacocks all night."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound too fun."

He turned back to her and shifted awkwardly, not sure what more to say.

"Uh, what deck are you on?" he asked. "I'm on the first deck. I can walk you back."

"I am not on the first deck," she said simply. "It's alright. I can walk myself. Go hide before your chaperone finds you."

"Right," he chuckled. "It was good meeting you, Nova. Maybe I'll see you around again."

"Maybe."