Loyalties

"A friend's mettle is never tested in the fairest weather. Only the foulest."





Renne had been there, heard the entire exchange.

He'd found himself confused. And angry. At what, he wasn't entirely sure; at whom, he wasn't sure of that either. Renne was sure of three things that night but he'd found himself only able to act upon one of those things. Dude Three went down and Renne was afraid.

Afraid for a Human. Get ahold of yourself.

Renne tried to ignore the cynical streak he'd grown over the last few years. He silently countered it with the fact that a few Humans hadn't displayed a betraying or deceitful nature. When the cynicism sniggered, the blue oddity took his yellow scarf and wrapped it snugly around his shoulders.

He was quiet in this room, seeming content to let his mind wander a little. Awake and thinking, the blue oddity often turned his thoughts to Montgomery "Dude Three" Scott and nearly squirmed. Renne listened to be sure the man still breathed. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Loyalties Question of Place

"A friend's mettle is never tested in the fairest weather. Only the foulest."





Renne didn't entirely know much here.

Fact is, he suspected the Human's consciousness level but he didn't try to check or verify that for himself — his ways are his only ways and that'd not be right. So the oddity remained seated in the little chair at Dude-Three Scott's bedside. The scarf around Renne's neck was once or twice taken off and put back on again. Did they always keep these rooms so cold"

His mind sometimes lost itself so much in thought that Renne caught himself trilling a time or two, trilling perhaps a line of a song. Most likely one of the few uplifting bits he knows.

However, at one point, Renne whispers in English neither knowing or caring if anyone hears him. It's how he feels. He was there and for no other reason than being there. The question was one only he could answer himself; one only he could resolve. It had come up again and again and again throughout his life. He was often there for Humans, but could he learn to let even one past his walls"

"Rrrr-enne noh trrrus-t Hew-mahns. Bu-t Rrrr-enne be hee-rrre fohrrr Doo-d Frrree."

During the initial treatment phases, the Chief of Staff had kept appraised of Montgomery Scott's progress. However, lingering guilt at being party to cause the young man's injuries prevented her from establishing direct contact with the patient.

It took her a few days to muster the courage, but finally, Maranya quietly stepped into the private room where Scott resided. She tugged one of the room's chairs over to the other side of the hospital bed, seated herself, and gently clasped the possum playing young man's hand between her ringed ones.

"I am sorry that you are here, Scott. If only I had made you listen to me, you would not have gotten in that fight with Harris."

Her breath escaped in a soft sigh, and her shadowed hazel eyes closed against a sudden rush of tears that was held in for the time being.

"I understand that men must fight, to be men. But, when I warn you about someone being dangerous, I wish that you would trust my judgment, and listen to me. I do not lie about such things."

The Good Doctor's dark blond haired head bowed over the hand she gently cradled. "If I could, I would wrap you in cotton wool, to protect you from the dangers out there. But that would stifle you as a man, and as a fighter."

Maranya looked up and regarded Scott's bandaged and bruised face with tear brimming hazels. "I will not do that to you, Scott. But please?." Her voice cracked with the sadness and guilt she felt, and she took a shaky breath to steady it before she continued speaking, "Please, listen to me next time. I have your best interests at heart."

She blinked a few times to stay the fall of tears, but one escaped her control, and dripped onto the hand she held.

"But if you ever do something stupid like this again, by the Beyond, I will knock you upside the head myself when you recover from it."

Maranya silently bowed her head over the joined hands again, and softly sighed.

Loyalties

"The sun is always a pleasure, but to rise above the storm; that is the scale upon friends are placed."





Renne hadn't left his spot except once.

He'd not been gone for more than perhaps an hour or so but his return was quiet upon hearing and smelling Maranya now in the room. Renne's ears perked forward thoughtfully. She was right, in all that she said.

A thought struck him and on crawling back in, he gave Maranya a brief, appreciative nudge along the way. She was one of the few Humans that had begun to make him question his thoughts on the species. She. And Dude Three. So he listened to Maranya Valkonan and when she had her say, the blue beastie carefully crawled right up onto Montgomery Scott's bed.

Under the sheet he wriggled, like a puppy until he found the perfect spot. Two chirps later, the oddity curled up beside the Human with but his nose peeking out from beneath the bedsheets.

"Rrrr-enne noh wahn-t Doo-d Frrrree hurrr-ted noh mo-rrre."