Child

Family

You and your found family live in a treehouse. It's big and warm. It's got pulleys and everything. The first few nights, you sleep in a separate area of the treehouse to the rest of the group. You trust them, but it still doesn't feel good to be that vulnerable. Soon, though, you decide to join the pallet with the extra mattress they gave you.

They take you on a road-trip in the crocodile bike. Orso pedals, and even with the five of you, he doesn't break a sweat. They take you to all sorts of places, wreck them, and steal everything. Nirmal explains to you that stealing things is morally better than buying things in this society. You're not sure that applies to ever shop, but you go along with it. These people might be the first real friends you've ever had.

The great thing about a group of people who don't match at all, is that anybody can enter the group and it will still make sense. The pattern is chaos and that pattern extends to you.

The gang don't call you Child or Vein. They call you The Rabbit, or just Rabbit if they're talking to you. Every one of them is opposed to being classed as man/woman, good/evil, or even happy/unhappy. They do everything outside of society, but they rely on society to make them the packaged junk food they eat. They're rogues. And they need The Rabbit to keep them from getting caught. They need you and you need them, but your relationship is not conditional. 

Billie is a bit too pessimistic for her own good, you think. She should be proud of herself for what she's gone through and what she's accomplished. But she always calls it a horrible experience she deserved to have and credits her clever escapes to luck.

Nirmal is quite handsome under his mask. It doesn't agree with you, but he's polite. It has longer-than-shoulder-length black hair, which he likes, but doesn't like people seeing. It thinks his face is feminine but you think it's just androgynously pretty. Nirmal is the smartest and strangest kid you've ever met. He's quiet but when it speaks, he has a lot to say. 

Idowu is chaotic and friendly. A bit childish at times, but doesn't every family need a child? A Child. Now you're lost in thought and you don't know who you're thinking about anymore. Do the rogues need a Child, or does Ramona? Or someone else altogether, like your Mama?

Orso is tall. Billie calls him Tall Man.

"Pass the chips, Tall Man." she chimes. He reaches their long arm over to the crinkly bag, behind him and throws them to her. She catches the bag in both hands, but the chips fly everywhere. Nirmal takes a potato chip... and eats it. 

"Ew, that was on the floor." Billie tells him.

"The floor is clean, is it not?" Nirmal over-pronounces each word, tilting his head at Billie.

"Okay." she picks some more up and eats them.

Nirmal gags. "Billie, that one had dust on it."

Billie spits it out. The others laugh. 

"It didn't, billie, he's kidding." Idowu affirms.

"No," Billie tells them. "I could taste the dust."

"Well I was lying."

"Maybe you didn't see it, but I tasted a huge clump of dust." 

Everyone's smiling except Billie. Then Billie smiles.