44. Two sides of a coin

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Dumon doesn't waste a second and jumps after her. In the nick of time, he manages to grab her and teleports them both away into the water. A safe landing. After that, he takes her back home. To the rooftop of her building. 'Neith, I can't help you if you don't talk. Seeing you doing that... do you want to make your sister an orphan?' 

'Right now, there are only two people that I trust. That is Celeste and you, Dumon. You are the only two who know everything.' She wrings the water out of her hair. 

He shakes his head disbelieving. 'I can help you if you let me. What you did is not a solution. I know you met Kite's family. What happened?' 

'Oh, that was fine. It's what I've learned when I was alone with Kite. They're looking for the Numeron Code and he's willing to do everything to prevent that it falls in Barian hands and Astrals.' She shivers from the cold. 'Hold on.' She opens the door to the living room. 'Cosmo, can I get two towels.' 

'Here, miss.' The robot grabbed the towels when he saw her. 

She hands one over to Dumon. 'It seems like I have ears and eyes everywhere to know what is going on in this city.' 

'Then do something with that. Expend the company, hold a tournament if that was such a success.' Dumon dries himself. 

Being dry enough, she goes inside. 'You want something dry and a cup of tea?' 

'I would, yes. I'm not free of any medical conditions on this planet. The last thing I want is to get sick.' He follows her inside. 

In a bedroom, she takes pants and a sweater from the wardrobe. 'Here is the bathroom. I'll see you in the kitchen.' 

He smiles. 'Thank you.' 

Neith goes to her bedroom and takes something dry out of her wardrobe. To change in the bathroom. In the kitchen, she puts the waterboiler on for tea. Not a moment after that, she can see Dumon. 'Almost ready.' She gets his dry clothes. 'There is a dryer. I was waiting for you.' 

'Thanks, that is quicker.' He does like that. 'What are you going to do? With the information? You can make a difference, Neith. Hold a tournament, expand the company. It seems like nothing can happen in this city without you knowing. You can reinvent yourself. Find new meaning and a place for yourself, believe it or not but you have quite a settled life. If it wasn't for the war, you would have a quiet life with the company, Celeste, and even a dog.' He pets the Golden Retriever, who comes to him and sniffs him. 'How long do you have a dog?' 

She pours the tea. 'A few years. Comet was a gift to Celeste.' 

He can see that his tea is ready. 'Comet? Who gave you that name?' He laughs when the dog puts both his paws on his leg. 'He likes to cuddle?' 

Neith knew that Dumon is friendly but now even Comet decides that he's friendly and a good person. 'Comet has spoken,' laughing she goes to the couch. 'When you're friendly to me and Celeste then he will approve you. If not, he would growl. Comet can be protective.' 

 'Take him with you to the company then. You would have some security.' Carefully, he sips his tea. 'I don't know if you have corporate enemies?'   

'I don't,' she answers while thinking about his words. Even seeing that Comet jumps on the couch and puts his head on Dumon's lap. 

Sipping his tea, he pets the dog. 'I don't know what will happen when the war is over but I'm sure that Earth is caught in the middle. There might be some damage and someone has to rebuild it. Why not you? I think that Alastair Corporations can have quite the influence.' With his eyes on the dog, who seems rather happy with his new friend, he continues. 'I understand your position. Because of your sister and the company, you have one foot in the human world. However, you aren't fully human. Being Barian, you have the other foot in Barian world. I don't think I could ever ask you to choose without including your family.' 

'I will always choose my family. As long as I have them, they will come first.' She makes up her mind. 'Maybe I needed that fall to focus on what matters to me.' She finishes her tea. 'There is one thing, say that the war destroys Barian world, worst-case scenario, what happens when I'm here on Earth?' 

He looks up. 'I have honestly no idea, Neith. My guess, is that being Barian that you will come after us. But there is no way of knowing until it happens.' His eyes go through the living room. 'Where is your sister?' 

'Outside with friends. I only expect her home for dinner unless she calls me on time to ask to stay with a friend for dinner. In that case, I eat alone.' Neith knew by how Comet greeted her. 

'What about Kite? I am sure that you see him. Especially during the weekend.' 

'You would think so but no. He doesn't have an office job from nine to five.' She places her empty cup on the coffee table. 

Dumon mirrors her. 'That sounds like your life can be rather lonely.' 

'I like alone time. You can't compare being alone to loneliness.' She folds her legs under her. At the same time, she notices something outside. 'That's one of us, isn't it?' 

He gets up and heads for the window, moving Comet out of the way. 'It could be Mizar.' He hears a soft growl. 'Sorry, Comet.' Now to hear the dog yelp. He can't help but smile when the dog comes to him. 'It's Mizar. I have to leave.' 

'I'll see if the dryer is ready.' To come back with his clothes. 'Most of it is dry.' She looks where he is and finds him in the bedroom without a shirt on. 

'I have to be fast, thank you.' He takes his clothes back. 

She shrugs. 'No, I need to thank you.' She leaves him alone to change and goes back to the living room. It didn't do anything to her by seeing him shirtless. 

'Neith, you have the best of both worlds. You have a life here with your sister and Comet and the powers of being Barian. Like two sides of a coin. That can tear you apart or you use it to your advantage, that is your choice.' He turns his head when Comet barks and jumps up to him. 'Sorry, buddy, I have to go.' He pets him. 'I'll come by sometimes.' 

She can see that Comet and Dumon can get along. 'I like your company, Dumon. You are always welcome but do consider the time.' 

 'Of course, you want your time with Celeste. However, you can't wait long with Kite. He will find out.' After petting Comet for one more time, he disappears through a portal.   

 His words still echo in her head about balancing her life in both the human world and Barian world. 'He does have a good point.'   

*** 

Okay, she was able to get rid of some of her thoughts. Thank you for that, Dumon. She's slowly finding her way back to herself. 

In the next chapter a new day. 

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