The Legend Part 2

"Honey!" Alvo dusted the sleeve of his good vest. His wife and kids were invited to see Macker's first baby. Alvo had found his wife, Gracol, with ease and having children was easy, but it had taken centuries for Macker to find his wife, Cheyella. "You bringing the camera?"

Gracol bitterly grabbed the camera. "I don't see why we have to go."

"Macker's our friend," Alvo insisted.

"Your friend," Gracol insisted. "He is different, Alvo. I don't like being around him. There's nothing great about him."

"He's a little cold, yes, but he's always been good to me." Alvo sighed. "Deep down, he's a good guy. He's never let me down once."

Alvo, his wife and their three mischievous kids headed to Macker's house. They had always preferred to stay near each other, especially since Macker began to have difficulty making new friends. Alvo knocked on Macker's door. "Macker?"

Macker answered the door quickly. There was no smile on his face but that didn't mean anything was wrong. Alvo realized some time ago, he just never smiled anymore. "What."

"Baby?" Macker grinned enough for the both of them.

"Yeah. I invited you." Macker opened the door wider. "In the corner."

Alvo, Gracol (and their mischievous three) headed over to a small crib. Inside was a beautiful newborn warno. Two hands, two arms, two ears, two legs. Everything was perfect about it.

Except one thing.

"Dad?" Alvo's oldest son pulled on his arm. "It's got silver hair. Who has silver hair?"

"I've seen silver before." Alvo chuckled. "It's rare, makes it even more special."

"It does." Macker came over and stared at the baby. No happiness, and no emotions whatsoever. "Nothing wrong with it. I have a silver tail too."

"Not like that." Alvo's second to the oldest pointed as he moved the blanket off its tail. "It's not ringed, it's just a weird looking silver."

"Watch your language," Gracol scolded her son.

Alvo stared at the baby's tail though. Silver was unusual, but solid silver was unheard of. Orange, red, and blue were the most common. "No white at all? Have you checked him out?"

"He's fine." Macker simply said. "Isn't he Cheyella?"

"Fine." Cheyella said in a monotonous tone. "Healthy."

"Cheyella?" Alvo looked at Macker's wife. She had become more sheltered when she had gone out with Macker but he'd never heard her so removed. "You have a beautiful baby. You must be so happy."

Cheyella shrugged her shoulders. "Sure."

Alvo turned his attention to Macker. "How about you?"

Macker didn't even attempt a smile. "What?"

"What? Macker, your newborn son. By the planet of Pagnia, at least smile once," Alvo yelled.

"Hm." Macker looked over at Cheyella. "Dinner?"

Cheyella looked at him back with no love in her eyes. "We'll go out."

Macker nodded. "Fine."

"Let's go," Gracol whispered to Alvo. "He's gotten worse over the years. I'm sorry, Alvo, but you knew this is what he would do. This is always what he does."

"It's not what she always did." Alvo looked over at Macker. "At one time Cheyella would've been overjoyed at having a baby." He pointed with accusation. "Macker, you gave her your shards."

"Not all," Macker said, "I would never give her all. They're mine."

"You changed her!" Alvo yelled. "Look at her!"

Macker growled. "Yeah? You wanna fight about it?"

"No," Alvo said as he grabbed Gracol's hand. "We're leaving now." He looked at his kids. "All of you, come on. Mackerovich is no longer a friend."

"Hm," Macker shrugged. "I needed a mate."

Alvo looked at him one more time. Macker had always kept a trace, a small glimpse of feeling in what he did. Alvo just indicated their friendship was over and he didn't even blink. He didn't even care? "You're not you anymore. You haven't been you in a long time." He looked over at the crib. "I don't know what that is, but it's because of you. What you've done to Cheyella, it's because of you." He bit his tongue and gestured his family out.

____

"I don't like it."

"Grandfather." Margonia laughed as she patted Alvo on the back. "He's a great guy."

"He's got a silver tail. All silver," Alvo disagreed. "My granddaughter isn't marrying someone like that."

"Don't be prejudice," Margonia frowned. "He has a wonderful sense of humor and he treats me great. You'll see, you'll love him." Her frown turned into a smile. "You had better. We're going to have kids, you know."

"Don't say that," Alvo frowned.

"Well, it could be worse," Margonia humphed, "He could have had a pink tail."

"Don't even tease!" Alvo yelled. "This is a serious matter. When I was younger-"

"Oh when you were younger, blah blah blah." Margonia groaned. "I don't see why you have to have such a problem with the new kind of warnos. Silver hair and sleek silver tails. They're smart and powerful." she fanned herself. "They are hot, I don't know a girl alive who wouldn't want what I have."

"Gaw. Freakin' kids," Alvo grumped. "So fine, when do I meet our new relation?" he grumbled.

"His family is all meeting mom and dad tonight." Margonia smiled softly. "It would mean the world to me if you could come Grampy Alvo. It won't even be that big. My

darling Soli will be there, along with his mother Rapira. His father passed away, but his grandparents Cheyella and Mackerovich will be there. They're about your age so you might have fun together."

"What?" Alvo felt his heart practically stop. "Macker?"

"You know Mackerovich?" Margonia asked.

"Yeah, long time ago." Alvo crept over to a chest nearby. In it, he had kept all the things he treasured most in his life. He opened the chest and saw his Chronicle. Easy access to something used so often, yet inheritantly becoming more important as he grew older. He opened his Chronicle and brought out a picture. An old picture, of an old friend.

The last picture he ever took with Macker before his friend had started to change. He was leaning up against the inhibitor, smiling away while Macker looked unsure at the camera. Back then, he had always been unsure whether they were doing the right thing. "I'll be there."

____