FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The camera zoomed through the Solar system. Past Jupiter, missing Mars and straight for Earth. Through the clouds, into a city on the Australian coast. Right past all the buildings to a home, through the back door, the kitchen... People have crammed this little home, making it more an isolated crowd than a house. The camera whips past dozens of faces, all idly chatting to eachother, and zooming right up to the front door. There was a loud knock.

"I'm coming!" Mrs. Starfury called out over the din of the people. The Starfury Clan's Family Reunion, currently being held in her humble, somewhat packed, home was taking it's toll; her already rather substantial stress buildup now at breaking point. Her frizzy brown hair trailed behind her, and she walked about in a long summer skirt of pale blue. She grasped the doorknob with a slightly wrinkled hand, almost dreading how many people might be on the other side, making a silent promise to give her husband a piece of her mind for making their home the location for the reunion. She turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

Hunter's Guild.

The door finished opening and her son, General Michael Starfury of the Hunter's Guild, walked in onto the threshold. Six foot two with spiked brown hair and bright green eyes, he was only twenty seven but he looked like he was in his late thirties. Even though it was probably too warm to be wearing, he was in a formal suit, black with a black undershirt and red tie bearing the Hunter's Guild insignia. She hugged him and said hello and then noticed the... Thing standing on the porch outside the door. It stood at about six foot, lightly built and was clearly female. Her skin was orange, and she had small pointed ears underneath a pair of smooth horns which jutted out from her long curly pink hair. Vibrant red scales covered her left hand and arm, and her legs deformed at the ankle, yet also showed the same sort of scales from the knee down along the front. Two large wings hung from behind her shoulders. She was wearing an oriental formal dress, green and white with gold inlaid patterns. Michael turned to look at her and gestured her in.

"And who's this lovely... Lady?" Mrs. Starfury asked nervously.

"Ah, mum, this is my adopted daughter. Remember I told you about her on the phone?" Michael replied, unphased, "Felrose, say hello to my mother."

The girl shyly blushed brightly and looked to one side. "H-hello; call me Rose..." Her voice sounded young and innocent, defying Mrs. Starfury's expectations of a gruff, monstrous voice.

"Why hello, young lady. Michael's told me so little about you." Mrs. Starfury responded sweetly, then turned to her son. "Michael, you do know what'll happen if-"

"WHAT IN THE WORLD?!" Michael's father screamed from the den. The music stopped and everyone turned to look at them.

"Oh, bloody hell." Michael's mum mumbled.

"STEVE! GET'CHER SHIT IN HERE!" The overweight man yelled angrily, striding up to the trio at the door.

"Hi, dad. Long time no see." Michael calmly said, glaring daggers at his father.

"Don't give me any of that shit, what the hell is this?!" He half yelled in Michael's face. Meanwhile another man, presumably Steve, came running in with a rifle. Michael waved at him.

"I'd put it down if I were you, Steve. My gun's loaded!" He yelled past his father, patting a pistol on his belt.

His father, always a man with a short fuse, snapped, swinging his fist at Michael's face. Amazingly it didn't connect, a scaly hand having caught him inches from Michael's face.

"Dad, everyone, I'd like you to meet my adopted daughter, Felrose." Michael yelled, stepping out from infront of her. "She likes to be called Rose."

There's a chorus of greetings from half the family, however most stayed nervously quiet.

"Rose, let my dad go, I'd like him in one piece." He said to her almost halfheartedly, to which she responded. "For now, anyway."

His father grunts, angrily. "I want her out of my house!"

"Andrew!" Mrs. Starfury snapped, sharply.

"No, mum, if that's his position, we'll go." Michael said, calmly. "C'mon, Rose."

Rose turned and stepped outside the door, spreading the wings on her back and jumped, drifting all the way down to their car on the other side of the street. Michael turned around to face his father.

"You have no idea how much this meant to her." He said bitterly.

"I don't care." His father replied, flatly. "I don't want freaks like that in my home!" Michael's eyes became thin.

"What, you think she's a monster?"

"Isn't she?"

"No. Today you're the monster here, and I'm ashamed to be related with you." He says grimly. Michael turned to walk out. "It was nice to see you again, Mum." He said glumly.

He walks out the door and across the lawn, pulling a tissue from his pocket. His mother's eyes dart from her son to Rose; and even from across the street she can see her physically crying.

"Wait!" His mother yelled after him. Michael stopped dead in his tracks next to the water-meter.

"Shiela, I don't want-" His father began, but stopped when she slapped him hard.

"You wanted this family reunion here, and I'm not turning away my son and his daughter; if you have a problem with that you can shove off!" She yelled in his face; turning back to Michael on the lawn. "C'mon, Mike. Door's open and waiting for you to stop letting the mozzies in." She said sweetly. "Rose is welcome too."

Michael waved to Felrose.

"C'mon, Rose, your family is waiting!" Mrs. Starfury yelled at her across the street.

Rose looked up and jumped back across the street, landing on the driveway and walked up to the door. Michel hugged his mum and walked in the door. He turned to face his dad, still shooting him an angry glare that'd make a bear cower. Rose walked up to Michael's mother and hugged her, still visibly crying.

"Thankyou." Rose whispered next to her ear.

"No problems, sweety." Shiela replied. "Don't be afraid of my husband, he's just an asshole until you get into his good books, then he's a jackass."

Rose nodded and let go; slowly walking into the house and up to Michael's father who was visibly going red in the face. She leaned close.

"If I ever hear you've harmed my dad or his mum, I'm who you'll answer to." She mumbled, her voice had icy echoes of truth in it that turned the large man's face white.

She straightened up and smiled sweetly to the dumbfounded crowd. Two children ran over and looked her up and down, smiling and laughing like she was the weirdest thing they'd ever seen.

"Hey, lady, you're all weird; do those things on your hand hurt?" One of them asked.

Rose kneelt down to them, still smiling.

"Nope, and they don't come off either." She replies. "Just like my Horns and wings, they're all me."

Their mother ran over and told them off. "That wasn't polite, say sorry to the lady, boys."

"No, no. It's alright, I get it a lot from children, harmless curiosity should be rewarded, not punished." Rose reassured the woman. She looked worried for a moment; badgered, which put Rose off. Rose stood up and looked apologetic, turning her face to one side shyly. Michael hurried over.

"Melissa, is that you?" He asked. "Melissa Sutherland from down Adelaide?"

"You remember me, do you Michael? Gee, you were only knee high when we last met!" She said, seeming to try to get onto a different subject. Michael looked around at all the rest of his rather lengthy family, all of who seemed to have gone not only quiet, but to be listening in quite intently. Michael came to a rather frustrated conclusion.

"No, that's enough. No more standing with your tail between your legs frightened, Rose." He started, his voice getting angry. "I return home after fifteen years to see my family and they treat my adopted daughter like she's a fly in soup. I hate it. You've no idea what we've gone through while you've been here enjoying your lives." His hands started clenching themselves into fists. "Do any of you even know the circumstances of how we became family? Do you know how hard it is for her, being shunned by everyone we've met outside the guild. We'd hoped that at least family'd be fair on us, but instead we come here to this... Gaggle of ignorant morons!"

His father sudenly grabbed him by the throat and hurled him against the wall.

"Why should we tolerate this in our midst?!" He yelled.

"Arthur! let him down!" His wife yelled, running over, but he simply pushed her back.

Rose, in a flash, appeared at his side and growled. Michael's father swung at her, but she easily dodged it and grabed the arm holding up Michael. She squeezed it tightly.

"Let him down." She said, her voice more snarl than speech.

"Or what, little lady? You're not scaring me with your pathetic grip!" He retorts

Her hand tightens, making him wince.

"Let him down or I'll snap your arm like a toothpick."

"I'd listen to her if I were you, dad. She's stronger than she looks." Michael coughed.

Michael's father threw him to the floor and turned to Rose. He grinned evilly.

"I'm going to enjoy breaking the bones in your body, bitch!" He said, swinging a fist into her gut. Rose knelt down as if injured and mumbled to Michael's mother:

"I'm sorry if I damage your beautiful home, ma'am."

She was lifted off her knees as Michael's father kicked her into the wall.

"Get up, c'mon!" he yelled. Rose slowly rose to her feet growling.

"That's the last free shot you get!" She snapped. He simply laughed and took another swing, Rose effortlessly caught his blow. The sound of cracking bones echoed painfully.

"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry, dad." Michael said sarcastically, "I must've forgotten to send you the file. My daughter, Felrose Starfury. Scientific species name Draconis Stupendus, common name Abomination. She's capable of lifting objects fifty times her weight. Usually shy, she shows an uncanny belief in natural justice. She's also the best mechanic we've got on base, but that's for another time."

Rose grabbed Michael's father by the belt and lifted the one hundred and ninety six kilo man into the air like he was a shoebox and glared at him, her clawed hand digging into his stomach.

"Let the man down, Rose. We don't want to hurt any more than his pride." Michael said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Rose dutifully lowered the humiliated man onto his feet and let go, walking over and helping up Michael's mother. Rose shyly opens her mouth.

"A-are you alright?" She asked cutely.

"Y-yes, I-I'm alright thankyou. And Mike?"

"Yes mum?" He asks, unphased by all the stares.

"We did happen to get the file you sent, thanks." She said, beaming at Rose. "However I'm the only one who's read it; would you like to tell the rest of the family about how you adopted her, maybe?"

"Only if they're willing to listen, I guess."

The rest of the family moved into the house, standing around them.

"I'll take that as a yes... Alright, it was about three years ago, I was sent on a mission to Mars, we'd discovered a new type of Undergrounder, a particularly dangerous one, that had been made in a facility in the Argos crater. I went in alone as the forward scouting party, unaware of exactly what might be inside. Once the doors shut behind me the hall I was in collapsed and I was trapped inside. 'Feral' Undergrounders were rather rampant inside, so I had to tread carefully. The entire research staff had been butchered by the wandering ferals, so there were no other people about for me to interrogate. After hours of searching I eventually came across a strangely deserted and much more fortified part of the facility, gestation lab section six I believe it was. Rows upon rows of bio-cells lined the rooms, all containing Undergrounders of different states of maturity. After about five minutes of walking in this seemingly endless sea of glass, I came across a sealed door. A heavy shield was blocking any access, so I had to blow the door open with an explosive charge. After I broke into the room, the lights inside flickered on and illuminated three more cells, all containing humanoids that looked strikingly like Rose here. In fact, one was Rose. I walked over to the large glass cylinders, put my hand to hers and she awoke. She started frantically banging on the glass in a panicked way and I broke her out. She had no idea who or where she was, let alone what. We found some researcher's clothes in a nearby room and we went along on the rest of the mission together. After the mission I couldn't just leave her; she was dependant on me to help her understand the world around us, so I legally adopted her as my daughter."

The crowd stood in stunned silence for a short, and extremely awkward, moment before someone asked a question.

"Why Felrose?"

"The first thing I saw apart from Michael and the cells was a biologically engineered flower codenamed 'Fel Rose', so I asked what it was and thought it was nice." Rose piped up, shyly. The room double-took at how dainty she acted in front of them.

"Ah, thanks Rose." Michael said, tightly hugging her, barely noticing his family's shock. "That's a lie, in truth. I named her Felrose, because although she is barbed, she is still a beautiful individual; just like the flower. Rose is very strong, yes. But she's scared of her strength hurting people unintentionally, and is thusly shy about people." He explained to them. "Honestly, this is the most she's said infront of a big group of people since-" He stopped in mid-sentence and looked down at a rustling movement in his jacket. He reached into his inside pocket and promptly got a loud noise of dissatisfaction. He pulled out a small, extremely light looking creature about the height of a pencil and held it up in his hand. It sat on his palm and scratched its eyes with the sleeves of its bright blue clothing.

"Mmmnyaah.. What's going on~? I was sleeping you bastard..!" It mumbled indignantly. "And on my day off, too!"

The rest of the family leaned in to his hand curiously, and it looked up.

"Who are all these people..." It asked, suddenly looking embarrased.

"Sah, this is my family; at my family reunion, all looking at you in your pyjamas." He replied, dutifully.

"W-WHAT?!" It yelled. "Put me back into your pocket!"

"What were you doing sleeping in my pocket anyway, Sah; you have a bed all your own for a reason! Ugh, this is embarrassing; family, this is my robotic secretary, Saharah Noodle. Sah, this is my family you've made aware of your existance."

"H-hello everyone, it's nice to meet you?" She ventured, trying to hide herself and her bright clothing.

"I'll be right back, everyone. I have a spare uniform of hers in my glove-box. Rose, try to get along with them please? They're the only family we've got." And with that he walked out the front door. The family departed out the back door leaving just Rose and Michael's mother standing in the room. The door closed just as Rose broke into tears and Mrs. Starfury rushed over to comfort her.

"This was a really dangerous situation to drag her into, Michael. What were you thinking?" Saharah's voice snapped from the back seat.

"Oh, C'mon, Sah! She needs to socialise sometime, what better place to start her out than amongst family?"

"From what you told me you got a chilly reception, I'd not be surprised if she's frightened of them!"

"Well, when we go back in a moment we'll be extra chilly back to them, eh?"

The sounds of Saharah changing in the back seat stopped for a moment, and then resumed at the same pace.

"What're you thinking?" She ventured.

"Oh, you'll see." he said, slyly.

She stopped rustling in the back seat and stood up, a brief glimpse of metal can be seen on her.

"How's it look?" She asked, smugly. "It was a tight fit, but I sqeezed into it; I think I've put on weight somehow..."

Michael turned around in the front seat and smiled.

"Looks good, the classic Gold and Black suit you well as per usual, Sah." He replied. "And I'll have a look at your padding layer when we get back to the office, it's probably filled with lubricant again. I'm told that the latest models don't have that problem, we might have to look at upgrading your frame one of these days."

She blushed brightly and he picked her up, seating her on his shoulder. He locked the car doors and walked back up to the front door, strangely Rose is standing next to it, tears falling from her face.

"...Rose?" Michael asked, "Rose, what's wrong, honey?"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and frightened.

"H-he locked me out!" She stammered, "I didnt know what to do!"

Michael looked down at Saharah and sighed.

"I've had enough of the old man." He stated. "Rose, no more tears, this is your day as much as his, even if I have to force it down his throat."

Rose looks up and smiled, fighting the tears back with a tissue in vain.

"What do you have in mind, dad?" she asked, almost eager.

"A little something the police call Breaking and Entering that I'm going to call a long deserved Wakeup Call. This time I'm going in the same way I went out." He grinned, evilly. "Very, very angrily. Rose, when I open the screen door, pull the wooden one off its hinges then duck for cover; ready? NOW!"

There's a screech of old metal hinges and then a loud crunch as the wooden door is pulled from its frame. They heard Michael's father hollar and his mother came rushing out.

"What're you DOING?! She snapped. "Your father is going to wring your neck!" Michael pulled her into Rose's arms.

"I'm planning on it." He replied, as his father, screaming his head off about the door and kicking Michael's ass, bears down upon him at an alarming speed. "Well, I'm planning on him TRYING, anyway." He finished with the same evil smile on his face.

His father came out the door like a rampaging rhino and stopped dead infront of Michael.

"Give me ONE reason why I shouldnt kill you where you stand, you insolent shit!" He bellowed in Michaels face. Michael simply stood calmly still and inhaled.

"Because you'll never manage it you massive piece of whale fat!" He yelled back, his tone almost comical. This seems to be too much for his father, who swings his fist out to hit him in the face, but has it caught by Rose.

"Hah!" He exclaims "hiding behind your monstrocity are you?" The overweight man laughed. "This is a laugh!"

Rose let go, and Saharah jumped onto Shiela's shoulder, her metal armour clinking softly.

"You have no idea what you've just said." She stated grimly.

Michael leant forward so that he was nose to nose with his father.

"Call her that again and you'll regret it." He stated, angrily. "You want to walk this road? Because there's nothing I'd like to do more than show you where it leads."

"Don't threaten me, you little shit! Get your sorry carcass and your monstrocity out of my yard or *unk!" He was cut off as Michael's fist connected squarely with his expansive gut. He surged forward, but Michael grabbed his belt and rolls him onto the lawn.

"Who do you think you're attacking, boy?!" He yelled as he got up. "Your own flesh and blood! How can you put us above IT?!"

"Andrew Starfury, that's it!" Mrs. Starfury suddenly called out. "You've organised this reunion, forced me to bear dozens of people in my home and then kick out your only son and his beloved, and sweet, daughter out on the street! How dare you presume that this is right! And I know the rest of you can hear me so listen well! This girl is strange, yes, but she's still a person no matter how she looks, and she's certainly welcome in my home! She needs no special treatment because she's different, she just needs to be treated like a member of the family, as she deserves. As we all deserve. So please get over the fact she's different, else I'll let her throw YOU around instead of our door!"

Michael's father, unlike everyone else, used the time during her speech to move towards her and Rose. Michael, seeing his father's intentions, pulled his pistol out and aimed dead at him.

"Don't make me shoot you!" He yelled making his father stopping dead in his tracks.

"You wouldnt shoot your own father, so what'm I worried about?"

"He doesnt have to." Rose piped up, still holding the heavy solid oak door, now like a weapon. "If you touch me, Saharah or this woman in any hostile way, you'll regret it." She had the horrifying tone of truth, even through her shaky voice.

"Hah, try it!"

Rose looked over at Michael, who simply shrugged.

"Just don't kill the man, we want him taught a lesson, not dead."

Rose stepped out from behind Michael's mother and slammed the heavy door onto the lawn, burying it into the rock-hard, dry soil about a foot deep. She stood up straight and cracked her knuckles.

"Now you get to learn first hand why she's been nicknamed 'The Wall'." Michael said.

"This won't take long, boy." His father growls. "When I'm done with this thing I'll give you what you've had coming to you for years!"

Rose glared at him, her innocent aura vanished, seemingly replaced with rage.

"That's the last insult you get for free. Now I'm not going to hold back, lardass!" She snapped.

Michael's father rushed forward, getting inches from Rose before she, in a flash, threw him across the yard. The overweight man struggled to his feet.

Rose shrugged her shoulders.

"Is that the best you can do?" She asked sarcastically, walking towards him. He roared and lumbered in her direction, swinging his fists back. She dodged his punches and slammed her hand into his chest, stopping him dead. He looked phased for a moment before falling backwards.

"He'll live." Rose said grimly. She composed herself and slowly turned to see the dozens of shocked faces staring at her from the windows of the house. Her face goes pale, her eyes wide and horror filled. Her eyes watered and she spread her wings before leaping onto the roof and hiding between the two chimneys, out of view. Michael sighed.

"I think I remember why I left in the first place." He said sadly. His father grunted behind him, finally regaining conciousness. "Why is it;" Michael said, projecting his voice at the rousing man, "that I'm the only person in my family that has no problem with the non-human races? What is it, is there something invisible on all to them that you can see that I can't?"

"I think it's the fur." Said a male voice. "We stay so comfortable at all times of year recardless of attire."

Michael turned around to find an Undergrounder Standing in full formal attire. He was roughly the same height as Michael, coated in a yellowish fur with darker stripes along his tail. A smile split his muzzle, a smile filled with sharp white teeth. Hazard Wrathgaze, the leader of the Underground faction and the man who had personally funded the founding of the Hunter's Guild, stood in the middle of the lawn.

"S-sir!" Michael said, snapping to attention.

"At ease, Mr. Starfury." Hazard replied. "This may not be social, but there is no point in formalities on your day off."

"Y-yes, Mr. Wrathgaze." Michael stammered. "T-to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Please, call me Hazard." He said. "It's unpleasant business, really. Your superior, General Harding, has died of heart failure; you're the only Guild officer in high enough a rank and with enough experience to replace him."

"Oh." Michael said. "I shall miss ole' Harding, it was fun playing chess with him during lunch hours."

"Indeed." Hazard said. "Although you're not exactly the deskjob type, your pay increases dramatically, and your title shall change. No longer will you be a normal General, you're being promoted to the Head of the Guild's militaristic power. You have no choice in the matter, I'm afraid."

"Thankyou, sir." Michael manages. "But I... Dad, you really don't want to fight this man, I'm under orders to shoot anyone who harms him seriously." He shot over Hazard's shoulder. "Rose is one thing, but this guy can kill you legally."

The overweight man looming over Hazard's shoulder growled. "Freaks."

"I'd kick your ass, but this is supposed to be a family reunion." Hazard flatly growled. "Go inside and be hospitable to your guests."

Michael's father sighed and walked into the house.

"That man really needs anger management courses." Hazard said. "And, speaking of Rose, where is she?"

Michael's face drooped. "She, after kicking my father's ass, hid on the roof." He sadly replied. "I'm sorry to ask you of all people, but I can't climb up there..."

"Say no more." Hazard said, holding up a hand. He took a step forth and grabbed Michael's belt. In one swift move he threw Michael onto the roof. "Don't say I never did anything for you!" Hazard called. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to visit a relative."

"No problems, Hazard." Michael called back. "Have a nice day."

Hazard waved over his shoulder as he walked towards a limo that was parked on the street. He got in, closed the door and the vehicle drove off. Michael started up the roof and knelt inbetween the two chimneys, looking right at Rose. She was crying her eyes out, and only noticed him when he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey." Michael said. "I said it before, and I'll say it again, this is your day as much as it is his. I know it's hard on you, but you're not a freak, no matter how he talks. Stop crying, please?"

She nodded sadly and leaned in, putting her head into his shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go back down there and have one final talk with that fat bastard; if he doesn't want to see things our way, I promise you'll never have to see him again, okay?"

She nodded sadly, standing up and walking down the roof with him. She jumped down, and caught Michael when he lept after her. She put him down and they walked into the house. They found Michael's father by the barbecue in the backyard, he was less than pleased to see them.

"Whadda you want?" He rudely asked. "I still don't want this freak in my house!"

"That's enough!" Michael yelled. "I've tried asking you nicely, and I've even gotten violent with you, but maybe if I yell at you you'll listen! She is as much a freak as you are! Look at you! Old, overweight, balding, short tempered and simple-minded! Everyone has their differences, be they good or bad, but we are all unique, and that's how we're supposed to be! There are no freaks, only differences! If you got to know Rose, you might actually get to like her, but no! You'd rather be king of your own little world! I know why you held this reunion here! I do! It's because you wanted the whole family to think you're a really great guy that'd go to great lengths for his family, but good god do I know better! Have you told them that fifteen years ago you kicked me out because I wasn't going to go into the same line of work as you? I took my miserable, rotten life here and turned it around, I joined the Guild; became an officer! I've a paycheck with more zeroes on the and than I care to admit! Do you know how much of that I use on myself? Almost none of it! I went out of my way to get myself all dressed up and actually eager to come back to this hellhole, and I made sure that Rose would at least look good when she got here!

"And while we're on the subject of my daughter, don't try to preach who I should and shouldn't adopt! I'll raise her how I feel fit! She may not be human, she may have wings, but at least she doesn't hate me like I hate you! For fifteen years the only thing that I've ever wanted was to show you and mum how far I've gone, to try to make you proud of me; I thought that maybe you'd be proud that I'm taking care of her, better care than you ever took of me! If you wanted this reunion to go in your favour, you shoulda held it somewhere else! If you won't let my daughter into your house, then there was no point in coming!" Finally he began to wind down. "I had faith that, of all people, my family would welcome her with open arms. I thought 'they're family! Surely they'll understand', because she's been given the cold shoulder her whole life, I wanted at least some people to love her as I do!" Now he started to choke up. "But I was wrong. It looks like, as always when it comes to my daughter being accepted, I was wrong. Guess it goes to show you that blood simply ties you to people who are really not worth knowing. Blood may be thicker than water, but if it's related to you, it's worthless. 'S funny, though; that your greatest failure in life, your son, is actually the only thing that has gone right." He stared the large man down, tears running down his cheeks. "I love Rose, I've shown that I'd do anything for her more times than I care to remember; but I can count how many times you were actually fatherly to me on one hand. If you want us out, we'll go; but if you wanted us out before because you thought it'd ruin this reunion... Too fucking late!"

Michael's father leant down, face to face with his son. "Get. Out."

"You heard the man, Rose." Michael said. "We've been shunned by everyone else, why not family, too. I'll meet you by the front door."

Rose, crying once more, made her way to the door. The eyes of everyone were on Michael and his father now, and Michael's face changed; he bottled up all of his sadness and changed it into rage. He clenched a fist and slammed it into the brick wall next to him.

"If I had my way right now, I'd tear this whole goddamned building down brick for brick. Often there are fathers in movies that say 'you're no son of mine', but to be perfectly honest I'd not want to be your son if you were the last father on earth." He turned to leave. "Goodbye, asswipe."

And with that, he walked out.

An hour later he and Rose were up in his new office. Michael was quietly trying to keep her calm; she hadn't stopped crying since they had been thrown out of the reunion. Saharah was in the room outside his office dealing with paperwork, her forte, while he and his daughter contemplated the events of the afternoon.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." He said sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Built for war, that's all I've ever been." Rose mumbled through her tears.

Michael hugged her tighter. "You know that's not true." He said. "Initially, you may have been intended as a weapon, but you're not like that. You could never be like that. I love you, you know that. Why would I love you if you were nothing but a weapon, hm?"

There was a knock at the door.

"Saharah, use the intercom, that's what it's there for!" Michael yelled.

The little intercom box on his desk fuzzled static. "Sir, there are some people here to see you."

"... There's nothing on the calendar..?" Michael hinted. "Not until late next week..."

"This doesn't seem like a formal thing, sir." Saharah said. "They've brought beer, and what looks like at least thirty kilograms of assorted foods... Shall I show them in?"

Michael sighed. "Why not? It's not like this day can get much worse."

The double-doors swung open and Michael's mother came waltzing in, followed by about half the family.

"My daft husband may not have listened to you yelling at him, but we all did." She said. She put her arms around Rose. "Your father may not think it, but I've always been proud of him. He did so well, to get to Major in a few short years; and then he got you... At first I was sceptical, but you're not some monster to be terrified of, you're my son's daughter, and I couldn't be prouder."

"Thanks mum." Michael said.

"Rose;" She started, holding her at arm's length, "we may not be related by blood, we may not be the same species, but you'll always find support when you need it with us. So let's see that smile. You've a brain and a heart, and truthfully that's all that matters."

"Thank you." Rose said quietly.

"Remember, you're family, it's what I'm here for." She said, hugging again.

"Family..." Rose mumbled, smiling brightly.