Chapter Text
“Naga Ray.”
Echidna stood at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the shuttle platform. Somehow, even though he looked no different than he ever had, Naga shone as brilliantly as the golden mechanical life-form that stood at his side. Seeing the golden figure take Naga’s hand and gently urge him forward stirred something warm in Echidna that she didn’t understand and that she chose not to acknowledge. The pair descended together until they stood before her, and after a long silent moment of eye contact with Naga, Echidna lowered her head in respect.
“Welcome back.”
Naga looked to Balance and nodded, then let go of his hand. Naga stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Echidna’s shoulders, pulling her close to him. She made no action in response. “I am so glad that everyone here is safe.” His voice was different than Echidna remembered. It was much softer, gentler… His voice had a warmth to it that almost sounded like other beings did; Like beings from other worlds who knew how to feel without being consumed by it. She felt Naga hold her tighter but did not move, “I missed our planet.”
“You have outgrown this place.” Echidna responded with none of the same warmth, “What nostalgia could you have for a place that did not let you feel enough to become attached to it?” The lack of malice in Echidna’s tone and the pure reliance on logic in the question she posed caused Balance and Naga both to laugh.
Naga let go of Echidna and took a step back, “This is the place of my birth. My home is with Balance,” Naga looked back at his partner and smiled before turning back to Echidna, “but that doesn’t mean I never planned to return.”
“What is there for you to return to?”
“Everything!” Naga exclaimed, thrilled for a reason neither of them understood, “I may have wanted more than this planet could offer, but it’s still part of me. And I will always be part of this planet.” Naga smiled brilliantly for just a moment, the expression fading as Echidna suddenly turned her back to him. She pressed a hand to her chest and inhaled deeply, then let the breath out, as if to steady herself. Part of this planet… Naga lifted his hand and reached for Echidna’s shoulder, but was unable to reach her as she suddenly stepped beyond his range.
“I have made arrangements for the two of you.” Echidna spoke, looking at them over her shoulder from the corner of her eye, “You said that you intend this stay to be long term?” Naga was only able to nod in response, distracted by something buried in the tone of Echidna’s voice that he couldn’t place — but Balance could. He placed a hand on Naga’s back and nodded, letting Naga take the lead as they fell into step behind Echidna, and wondered why Naga’s words had managed to pull some trace of emotion from the black hole that was the ferocious snake woman’s heart.
The first stop was the Capitol, a building which had always stuck out to Naga as… different. It was the only building that remained of the planet’s old architecture from before their people had abandoned emotion. While modern buildings were minimalist rectangles of metal, concrete, and glass, the capitol was made of elaborately carved stone and marble, laid with shining silver and gold. Naga recalled that the first time he had seen the building was the first time he’d ever felt the stir of emotion that had driven the course of his life. He wasn’t sure what emotion exactly he’d felt back then, but the gold covering some of the carvings was the first and only color Naga had seen before leaving his planet; And when a lifeform in that same shining color appeared and promised him the one treasure his heart had longed for more than his rational mind could understand, Naga had felt no hesitation in running away with him.
Naga couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, unable to deny the joy and love that swelled in his heart as he leaned over to press his forehead to the side of Balance’s head as he had come to do regularly when he was feeling affectionate. Balance laughed as, in his usual response to Naga’s affection, he lifted a hand to muss Naga’s hair, “What’s gotten into you?”
“I’ve always wanted to show you this place.” Naga said gently, “l knew I could trust you because you were the same color as the carvings.”
“That was your first mistake,” Balance teased, “You know I was just using you to begin with right?”
“I know, but I was right about you in the long run.” Naga teased in response. The tone between them was light and playful, as if they’d had this back and forth before with some regularity. Without thinking about it, Echidna let out a low hiss as she strode through the large glass doors with the pair in tow. Just the barest hint of frustration, Balance recognized.
Echidna walked down the lobby’s main corridor, everyone bustling about the government building clearing a path for her and staring in her wake as she led the criminal-turned-hero and his captor-partner up a large winding marble staircase. They climbed three stories to the large office that took up nearly the entire top floor. Balance hesitated at the word above Echidna’s name on the door that separated the entryway at the top of the stairs from the office.
“Chairwoman?” Balance squeaked out, causing both Naga and Echidna to turn to face him.
“Yes.” Echidna nodded, “I am the leader of my people.”
Balance grabbed Naga’s arm, shaking him lightly, “You’re surprised too, right?! Why aren’t you reacting?! This is a really good time for that surprised face we practiced!”
Naga cocked his head to one side, confused by the commotion Balance was making. “Why would I be surprised? This is not new information for me.”
“What?!” Balance squawked, tugging Naga’s arm harder as Echidna unlocked her door, “How is it not news to you that the leader of your entire planet personally showed up to kill you?!”
“That is my job.” Echidna said flatly as she crossed the large, open room to her desk. Naga pulled Balance along as he followed. “My position is to ensure the well-being of our people, which includes neutralizing threats to our peace.” Echidna gestured to a pair of chairs as she rounded her desk to sit behind it, “Leaving it to anyone else means they might also be coerced into emotion. It is too dangerous, so for the safety of our people, I handle such matters myself.” Naga gently sat Balance in one of the chairs before sitting in the other beside him. Balance did not remain sitting, slamming his hands onto the desk as he leaned over it.
“So you just go around shooting any of your people that have feelings?!”
Echidna stared up at Balance as Naga futility tried to pull him back into his seat, responding in the same flat, neutral tone she did for everything, “I did.” She turned her gaze to the papers on her desk, sorting through them, “I have rescinded the warrant for Naga Ray, and the one on your for his capture, and approved his suggestions to attempt to bring our people into a healthy relationship with the prospect of emotions.” She paused, briefly eyeing the smile that emerged on Naga’s face, and then looking back to the forms, “I personally do not understand why this is necessary, and should there be any problems, I will shut the program down. But Naga Ray has seen fair success with your guidance, and if it is healthy for our people then I believe it could be worth pursuing.”
Naga tried to suppress the joy in his voice, but was unable, “I think in the long run, being able to connect to one another will make us stronger.”
Echidna did not look at him, choosing to instead organize and sign the forms on her desk. She placed them into a folder and placed it across the desk in front of Naga. “This contains the address of your living quarters, as well as a space to begin your program and all relevant permissions.” She said, still denying eye contact as she rose from her chair. “They are in the same building, for convenience. I will escort you to your living quarters now.”
“Are we not going to address that you and the leader of your planet tried to kill each other?!” Balance finally spoke up, waving a hand in Echidna’s direction as he shouted at Naga, “Or how weird she’s acting?!”
“Weird?” Naga looked between Echidna and Balance, “Balance, it was her job… I told you it was dangerous.”
“I didn’t think you knew what dangerous was! You didn’t know how to be afraid!” Balance paced around the chairs, “And then with what Akyanba did to you, I thought you probably meant that!”
Naga reached out to catch Balance’s arm, pulling his partner to his side in the hopes of settling him down a bit, “I knew what I was doing was a crime. But I wanted it more than anything. It was a risk I was willing to take to stay with you.”
Balance sighed, throwing an arm around Naga’s shoulders, “You picked up on being a sap pretty damn quick.” Naga laughed, and Balance eyed Echidna as she crossed the room away from them. Balance lowered his voice, “You do get that she’s being weird though, right? I mean she won’t even look at you.” Naga lifted his head to look toward Echidna as she stood by the door with her back to them. Was she acting strangely? Naga resolved to discuss it further with Balance once they had settled into their new home.
“Are the two of you done?” Echidna turned her head toward the two of them slightly, but Naga noticed that Balance was right. She very deliberately didn’t actually look at them. She had barely done so since they’d first arrived. Was it strange? Was it really any different than it had always been? Naga had never been able to feel strongly enough about Echidna’s actions to commit them to memory, so he couldn’t be sure. He nudged Balance forward with him, quickly taking the folder Echidna had given him before following her out of the office and into the city.
The walk was only a few blocks to a small, three story building with the same industrial metal and glass facade as the others around it. She took a key from the pocket of her dress, unlocking the door before turning and offering the key to Naga. “This will be your home on Rasalhague,” As soon as the key was dropped into Naga’s outstretched hand, Echidna turned away again, “If you have any concerns, you may come to my office.”
As Echidna walked down the street, Naga and Balance both stared after her. Her pace was stiff and quick. It wasn’t the measured, neutral stride of everyone else on the street. Echidna was deliberately trying to get away from them. Balance was right, Naga realized; Echidna was acting strangely, and it worried him.