Chapter Text
Despite being small, and despite being somewhat out of the way, Hestia has its own secrets.
As they step out of the ship, a torch flickers a large flame in the middle of a busy town square. To Rhys, this is home. Not Pandora, and certainly not Helios. No, home is Hestia. Home is where he can walk through the door, kick off his shoes and work on robots all day for his robotics club. Home is a restaurant with the best ride-side yonks, a park with the best trees for climbing, and indentured servitude.
This is also Fiona’s and Sasha’s first time officially off Pandora. Sure, they’ve been to space before. Sure, they stared out the window the whole way here as if they’ve never seen it (in hindsight, Rhys agrees that space is its own wonder, but he’s seen too much of it). However, the moment they step onto Hestia, the sisters stood there agape. The port city Masterpost is a sprawling city with high skyscrapers and beautiful landscapes. Vaughn, too, seems excited. “I was a farm boy growing up, and even my college town wasn’t this big.”
Rhys loads up some money cards for the crew. He still has a lot of money. It still makes him suspicious, despite Jack’s reassurances. “Listen, kid, do you really believe I would just let the company rot? My god. Show me some slack.”
He shoots Jack a glare. “Well, okay. Fine.”
Rhys hands the money cards over to the other four. “Here, just don’t abuse these. These are your credit cards while you’re here. Ma’s probably working at her store, so let’s do a bit of shopping before she gets here, shall we?” Vaughn and Yvette seem more excited about the shopping aspect at first. Fiona and Sasha just stare at the money cards with unfamiliar power.
They first hit a department store. Rhys has to buy Vaughn a plain t-shirt before he’s even let inside, but Vaughn isn’t satisfied with only purchasing something like that. The sisters search around cautiously, as if someone is going to leap out and take their money before they can use it. Yvette quickly returns wearing a new, less Pandoran outfit.
Which, well, spurs up the sister’s realization that they could do whatever the fuck they wanted.
They didn’t want this department store. Fiona immediately drags everyone to the steampunk-esque store across the street. Rhys feels a lot of regret, and Fiona buys three more hats. He yanks them back on track towards the flower shop.
Vaughn sees a science store. Zip. He goes in, telling everyone to stay put. When he returns, he’s carrying a bag full of math technology he’s never seen before. “Yeah, Hestia is full of convenient tech,” explains Rhys. “But… they treat it like plastic. They force you to use a different calculator every year, for example. Buying a calculator shouldn’t be like buying backpacks!”
Jack tries to elbow Rhys. It fails.
Finally, they make it to the flower shop. There’s an older woman there; her red, curly hair is tied back in a ponytail by a rainbow ribbon. Rhys’s breath gets caught in his throat, and he realizes how anxious and nervous he is to see her.
It’s Parker.
She glances up and, at realizing the sudden crowd of people in the lobby includes her son, just smiles. “Well, you actually did come.” She isn’t the type to yell ‘Rhys!’ and run up and hug him. No, she’s more the type to ah… well, a few things.
Rhys frowns. “Please. There’s only one ship in and out of Pandora every month.”
“Does this mean you’re staying a month? Brilliant!” She straightens up and wipes the dirt out of her hands. “Can you keep your room clean for that long?” Yeah, Parker is the kind of mother to grill her child about his room and if he has a job.
“Ma!”
The others stare at Rhys, and then at Parker, before Yvette speaks up. “That’s your mother? You look nothing alike!”
“What? No.” Rhys moves to stand next to her. “We have soft cheeks and I have her eyes.”
“He looks more like his father.” Parker laughs.
Rhys’s eyes dart over to Jack, who is standing off to the side a bit. She’s right. They do look alike, don’t they? He hears clinking and is handed a set of keys. “I’m still here for another two hours, but if you want you can go home and get settled a bit.”
“Don’t you wanna know who-”
“Shh shh shh. Home first. You guys have been carrying luggage and bags around all day, haven’t you?” She pushes them out the door. “Git!”
Once out the door, Rhys calls for a taxi.
“Your mom was a bit impatient, wasn’t she?” Fiona mutters. Sasha takes the opportunity to laugh and smack Rhys on the shoulder.
“I see where you get it from now!”
Jack smirks. Rhys wishes Sasha could just slap him instead.