Jonesy and Squeeze seemed disappointed when they told her they expected more, they had been testing her for a few weeks. That she seemed promising up until the last moment and at that point well, she was irredeemable. Rocket stared at them, dumbfounded at how any of what she had just experienced could have been a part of the test. They didn’t explain further though, not even when she spent what must have been twenty(20) minutes just standing there.

“I don’t understand,” Rocket managed finally. Squeeze pursed his lips, the simple action seemed to pain him.

“Listen kid,” he said, finally looking her in the eyes; “there are lots of reasons people don’t pass this test but for you...you don’t notice anything.”

“We heard you paused to talk to the Logitanton,” Jonesy cut in, referring to the giant mantis like beings in the lobby, “you didn’t notice that one of them had a broken wing, or that Gab wasn’t native to this land and had followed you inside.”

“Gab is the tortoise by the way.” Squeeze uttered.

“I can’t be expected to notice all those things,” Rocket shot back, her chest growing tight.

“We know you can’t, but someone else can.” Squeeze replied truly sounding sorry for the first time. He gave Rocket an apologetic smile before turning his attention back to whatever paperwork he had been tending to. The room fell silent, and all Rocket could manage to do was stand there staring; feeling as if she had been cheated out of the opportunity to truly be given a chance. But what could she say? That they were wrong? That she somehow deserved this over the others that likely also spent most of their lives to prepare for something as poorly structured as this test? Without a word Squeeze leaned over to her, handing Rocket a small envelope that was patterned with snakes. She took it, forcing herself not to flinch away from him as if she had been burned. She didn’t open the envelope, but instead just turned and walked out the door and into the lobby. This time the doors didn’t change, the group of Logitanton were still there and this time she did in fact notice that one of their wings were broken. They chriped at her, sounding the same as they did the first time. But if she had been paying just a bit more attention she would know that they were trying to offer her words of comfort, Rocket pushed past them, they offered her a farewell.

Rocket made her way straight to the Oasis, refused to let her vitals be checked and locked herself in her temporary room where she flopped gracelessly onto the bed without even bothering to take off her clothes or turn on the lights. An hour passed, then a few more and by the time she even began to consider getting up again her pillow was soaked with both snot and tears. She rolled over to her side, glaring at the room around her. Since Rocket had left Earth she had done her best to make this room more cozy, more like hers but even after all this time it seemed glaringly unfinished, grossly temporary. Especially now. She had put posters up of her favorite shows back home, promotional cards for podcasts she liked. There were books scattered throughout the room on the desk, on the floor by her bed, she wanted to bring plants but was worried they wouldn’t survive the trip. Although one time she noticed that someone else on the ship had room filled with plants that seemed to be thriving and though it was a smart decision for Rocket not to bring any plants personally, she still chided herself for not doing so. She sighed and turned over again, facing the creamy orange colored wall.

Knock knock.

“Come in.” Rocket called, pulling the blankets over her head. She heard the door slide open and close, but there was no sound other than the click of the lights being turned on. She didn’t move, but for once didn’t hold her breath. It took a moment but eventually she turned toward the door, at first she didn’t see anything, but the longer she stared at the door the more something flickered into view. On the door was a triangle shaped note, Rocket stood and took it, waiting carefully for the letters that she couldn’t recognize to change into something that she could, it read

Sorry about your luck. When convenient, meet at the dead end by the commons.

“Wow I hate that,” Rocket said, grimacing at the door. When she looked back down at the note it had turned into a blue smoke in her hands leaving an equally blue stain on her palms and fingers. She frowned and flopped back down on the bed. She sat like this for hours, tossing and turning and getting blue all over; and still the blue did not come off of her hands in fact it spread further down her ams. Soon another knock on the door which slid open and shut and soon another letter but this time it just said

Please.

“Later,” she replied, as if whoever wrote the letter could hear her but to her surprise the letter changed to

Very well.

And then diminished. As if seeming satisfied it didn’t leave any markings behind this time; and although the blue didn’t dissipate from her skin it stopped spreading which was fine enough she supposed---she would have to take care of that in the ‘morning.’ It didn’t take long for Rocket to sleep the next few hours away and call it morning. Her body feeling heavy and throat sore, but she got up and made her way through the commons, eventually finding the dead end. And the being that waited there for her was in the truest fashion of the term an Acynobis.

Acynobis’ weren’t well known on Earth---or anywhere for that matter and though Rocket was sure that they were regarded as something else by other beings, she knew that by humans Acynobis’ were thought to be angels. They had the head and tail of a dog, and similar looking bodies to humans. Like all beings Acynobis vary in size, shape and apperance; but this particular Acynobis had four(4) eyes, pointed ears, a long curly tail and a muzzle that came to a rounded point. She wore mint colored head scarf that was patterned with roses, a pink dress that reached just below her knees and equally mint colored shoes. Above her head was a golden triangle shaped halo. She didn’t say a word but Rocket glanced away from the Acynobis anyway as if she had said something wrong. The Acynobis’ ears drew back, her tail flicking in annoyance and making a soft thudding sound against the wall.

“Sorry,” Rocket began, “I think I’m in the wrong place---didn’t mean to intrude.”

Again the Acynobis said nothing, only tilted her head just a bit. Rocket snuck another look at her, and immediately had to withdraw her gaze---Rocket’s eyes burning the moment she tried to look. The Acynobis’ form shimmered and at the same time her black fur seemed to erupt into smoke although there was no flame.

“Um, I was supposed to meet someone in the-like a hall near here do you know where---?”

The Acynobis narrowed her eyes. Maybe she couldn’t speak?

“Is there something I can call you?” Rocket asked nervously, and watched out of the corner of her eye as her new acquaintance held out a hand. In her fingers something materialized out of violet smoke, a triangle shaped letter reading

Sa’Loane.

Rocket clasped her hands behind her, and pursed her lips. What was she to say? An Acynobis had called for her and she had ignored it. She glanced passed Sa’Loane to the window, outside one of the suns was beginning to set, while the other would soon rise and begin casting a deep hot purple color over the sky. As much as she hated the total darkness of the nights back on Earth Rocket began to miss them some, and though this was a brief and fleeting thought, she had the strange desire to tell this to Sa’Loane. But she had to focus on the matter at hand. Deep breath.

…

….

Okay.

……

“So,” Rocket began slowly, letting her breath out as she spoke, “what did you need me for?”

There was still no verbal response and at this point Rocket was too afraid to ask about it, so as a result she took another deep breath and continued.

“Because I don’t have anything to offer, not here or on Earth.” As Rocket finished her sentence Sa’Loanes ears drew back, giving her a slightly worried look. Sa’Loane shook her head, and gestured for Rocket to pay extra attention to her. She reached up for her halo, took hold of it and approached the young human and held it out. Rocket took it and was surprised to feel how cold it was, so cold that her bones began to ache. Sa’Loane stepped away until her back hit the wall. The halo tore out of Rockets hand, leaving a trail of frost in its wake while simultaneously burning her hand and stripping the blue from her skin. Rocket drew her hand to her chest and watched as the halo repositioned itself over Sa’Loanes head, momentarily glowing red before settling back into gold.

“That sucked,” Rocket said with a frown.

Sa’Loane nodded. She picked up her halo again and this time threw it in Rocket’s direction, but after a few inches it retreated and returned once again to its owner. Again glowing red.

“Aren’t angels supposed to be able to choose if they have halos or not?” Rocket asked.

“We aren’t angels, we never have been. Halos are a sin to have, help me get rid of mine.” Sa’Loane hadn’t opened her mouth, in fact Rocket wasn’t sure that Sa’Loane had even spoke directly, her voice came to Rocket in the back of her mind, as if blending with her own thoughts.

“How?”

“I’ll walk you through it.”

“Why me?”

“You didn’t fail your test for lack of awareness. You were cheated.” Sa’Loane stared at Rocket, unblinking and silent for a moment; and then Sa’Loane sighed, she snapped her fingers, and in between the two(2) of them a triangle burned through the air, opening a portal.

“Let me know, just say my name.” Then she stepped through the portal and was gone.