House of Madness

Treasure

Void
Muir whistled softly to himself as he waded through the manta ray's petting tank. The grey creatures glided through the relatively shallow water, each of them only about two to three feet across with little tails trailing along behind them. The water demon smiled as one of them brushed along his finned thigh like a silken, yet rubbery ribbon. He let the ray glide past then splashed forward to the glass wall that separated the water from the adoring public. Or would separate them when the aquarium opened in about ten minutes. He was running behind, but the baby sharks were so delightful at this age! And distracting.

The glass squeaked as Muir scrubbed off the thin film of algae along the edges of the glass. The water lapped at the edges of his shorts, and his muscles rippled under his thin, sleeveless shirt bearing the aquarium's logo. One of the spots was proving to be difficult, so with a simple wave of his finned hand, the water parted, giving him access to the annoying spot. There! Clean. And with three minutes to spare.

He gave one little manta a soft pat before wading back to the stairs out behind the "employees only" chain. He sat on the steps and toweled his legs dry. Next a change of shirt, this time one that wasn't so similar to a wet suit and was a little looser. Now just to sweep up and wait until time to feed the sharks as a special event for the visitors.
 
Alexander flew through the city. It was overcast, small rays of sunshine peaking through the thick clouds. Summer was turning into autumn, making mornings somewhat chilly. Thankfully, the avian had his feathers to keep warm.
Things hadn't been going too smoothly for Alexander. Some time ago, he had a decent-paying job stocking shelves at Walmart. Unfortunately, apartments weren't cheap, and he wasn't earning enough to cover that and other bills. That resulted in him getting evicted from his home. A month later, he had dropped an entire box of full egg cartons, making a huge mess on the floor and other foods. This hadn't been the first time he'd done it, and it was the last. He was fired on the spot.
Alexander had been living off the streets ever since with nothing but a purple purse containing his cellphone and charger and wallet. Despite struggling to find food, water, and shelter, the birdman always wore a smile, hoping that someday, he'd have a nice job and house once more.
 
Children loved the aquarium! Many adults did, too, but adults were usually boring and reserved, hiding their delight under "propriety." Children ran around and stared with unabashed delight and joy. Of course, children were also annoying when they tried to get into the water - especially the water based races - but they also soaked up new knowldege like... well, like sponges soaking up water.

After a couple of hours of herding children away from the pools' edges and making them stop trying to smack the glass or pet the fish, Muir took a break and stood out back behind the aquarium sipping a bottle of Krill water. It was a good day today!
 
As the avian humanoid flew about, his sapphire orbs caught site of...an aquarium? He quickly blinked and did a double take. Yep, there was definitely an aquarium! He might be no water foul, but that didn't mean he didn't love fish. Grinning and emitting happy chirps, Alexander flew down towards it, slamming full force into one of the large side windows, thankfully not shattering it. Dazed, he slowly slid to the ground and remained prone for a moment. Rubbing his head and face, he slowly got up with a quiet moan and looked about, sheepishness reddening his face.
 
Muir jerked violently at the sudden thud. What in the world?? He looked over in time to see a bundle of feathers hit the dirt then slowly wobble to his feet. Smiling and shaking his head, Muir approached.

"I thought we talked about windows and aquariums already, Alexander," he grinned. "You are not allowed to eat my fish. Or break my windows."
 
(Oh, they already know each other.)
"Uh...sorry, Muir," Alexander said in his high voice, dusting himself off, some plumage covering the ground. "I can't exactly help it. It's a bird thing, you know. And, I don't eat fish...raw."
 
Muir smiled and offered to help Alexander up. "That's alright, although I think this is the fourth time you've run into our window? Maybe I should talk to the manager about putting up some kind of window decal."
 
Alexander gently grasped his hand and stood to his full height. "Really? I've done this that many times? The decal could work, but I don't exactly watch where I'm flying."
The avian chuckled softly. "Anyways, what's up with you? Fish doing okay?"
 
Muir smiled in amusement and decided not to ask how one could not watch where one was flying. "Things are going well! The fish are healthy and happy! I cleaned the manta ray tank today, and they like scratching their fins on my leg. Meanwhile, my landlord is painting the main bathroom, and the house smells like paint."
 
"Well, at least you'll have a nice-looking bathroom when you're finished here," Alexander said, then frowned. "The job hunt hasn't been going too hot for me. After the stunt I pulled at my last one, I doubt I'd be hired for anything now."
 
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"Oh, come on, you'll find a new job soon," Muir encouraged. "At least you have a roof over your head, right?" He grinned, oblivious that Alexander did not have a place. "You are a good person who tries hard. You'll find a new job where they'll appreciate you."
 
Alexander's frown deepened, and he clutched his purse close. "Um...actually...no. I was evicted very recently, because well...no job, no rent money. I've been trying to find a shelter or hotel, but I've heard shelters can be iffy, and hotels aren't exactly cheap. Don't worry about me, Muir, I'll find somewhere soon."
 
Muir frowned as he straightened. "Really? You have nowhere at all to go? No family or friends with empty rooms?" It must be bad if Alexander was considering a shelter.
 
"Well, I do have my parents, but I don't want to go back to living with them. They're great folks, but I want to keep living as an adult," the birdman replied.
 
Muir hesitated. "I suppose that is not optimal," he agreed, "but you can't just live on the streets! If you really don't have anywhere else to go, then I suppose you could come stay with me if you don't mind sleeping on the floor. It is not exactly high-end luxury, but it is better than a park bench."
 
Muir shrugged and grinned at his friend. "Sure! Why not? You're fun to talk to, and it'll just be until you find a new place. How bad could it be? Besides, I can't let a mate hang in the wind."
 
Beaming, the avian's eyes welled with happy tears. He ran forward and embraced the water demon. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Muir!"
 
"You're welcome! You're welcome," Muir chuckled, patting his back. "Careful, your feathers are going to get all wet." He gently pushed Alexander back. "Tell you what, get your things together and meet me here after work. I'll be done in about four hours. I'll take you home with me and introduce you to the crew."
 
"Crew?" Alexander cocked his head. He patted the purple purse strapped across his chest. "And, uh...I already have my things. If it's okay with you, maybe I could keep you company while you work?"
 
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