June One Shot: Introducing Chayuli! (And Hezati, and Kelti, and Ixani...)

“Well, that explains why it’s soul-crushingly hot outside. Guess my transgressions finally caught up with me. Though if memory serves I’m only supposed to meet you after crossing the Styx. I’m Alek-” the young graduate student was abruptly cut off as the ebony-skinned woman to his left replied with not words or a gesture, but a deep-throated snarl with plenty of dangerous looking teeth to back it up. One of her heads did at least, its bright yellow eyes regarding him with unvarnished hostility and suspicion. Fortunately for his prospects of acquaintanceship, but not his sanity, the other two heads looked much friendlier. The middle one turned their body slightly so he could see all three of them head on. She was smiling reservedly, clasping her two central arms in front of her while the far head, who seemed to have full control over her left-most arm, waved him over with a broad, furred paw. He wondered just how dextrous her fingers could be with such leathery pads and shaggy fur. Wherever she was from, hot or cold, insulated extremities were clearly necessary. Around them, the few students who had also signed up for the 8 AM energy production and sports performance lecture looked on with silent interest. Aleksander laughed within the privacy of his own mind. They are scared of this?

“I’m sorry about her. Would you mind sitting on our left instead? Wouldn’t want you to get bitten,” a similar but much friendlier voice slipped from the onyx lips of the most distant head. 

“What do you think you’re doing, Kelti?” the hostile head wondered. Her shaggy, wolf-like ears remained locked onto him as he picked up his backpack, vaulted over the table into the next, lower row of the auditorium-style lecture hall, climbed up the stairs on the other side, and took the seat directly to her… or was it their left.

“I’m doing what we were chosen to do, Ixani, make friends! I’m Kelti, by the way,” the left head introduced herself. Her equally golden eyes were soft and welcoming. “The shy, collected one in the middle is Hezati. And you’re already acquainted with Ixani.”

“Aleksander Volkov, random graduate student and aspiring physical therapist at your service,” the young man replied, earning another growl from the right head.

“You see? He is not even Alpha Division. We are not here to find random human pets.”

“Enough!” Hezati finally spoke, holding up her hands. Were she human, they would not have been in any sort of odd position. It was the two arms that rested beneath and dorsal to her shoulders, those which belonged to Ixani and Kelti, that made the woman something out of fantasy. Turning left to face him, she extended one hand. “I… we are Chayuli. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Aleksander. Your face is strange. What human tribe are you from? Ah… did I say something wrong?”

“No, not at all. Just been a while since I’ve been asked that question,” Alek explained, waving it off with a smile. “The whole ‘where are your from’ question doesn’t really mean much these days. For what it’s worth my dad is mostly Russian and my mother is Japanese. Only had time to study the basics on the way here?”

“Yes, because figuring out your skin color was top of our list, right under whether you still allow trial by combat and if your food would kill us or not,” Ixani scoffed, resting her head on her body’s far right arm. Alek was almost certain that she possessed full control over that particular appendage.

“Don’t listen to her. You’re kind of right. There are so many types of humans!” Kelti exclaimed quietly. Their voices carried within the mostly empty lecture hall, even at a reasonable volume. “It was a bit confusing to be honest.”

“Don’t worry about it. How many tribes do your people have?” he wondered. 

“Just the one. We are all Atzi,” Hezati replied seriously, her ears twitching as the door at the bottom of the lecture hall opened and their professor strode into the room. Immediately his eyes found her and he cleared his throat.

“I apologize for being a few minutes late, everyone. My name is Doctor Parker and I’ll be your professor for this semester, minus your Friday recitation of course. Given how few of you there are, I suspect you’ll all be in the same classroom for that as well. Your teaching assistant will be sending out details this week so please ensure that we have a working email address on file for you. Now before we begin I would be remiss if I did not address the elephant in the room… or should I say alien? Miss Chayuli, welcome to my class and to Earth. If you have any concerns please let me know. I hope the rest of you will help to make her feel welcome here, given that a handful of our own are currently on Hades Two at this very moment, the other half of our cultural exchange with the Atzi people.” The professor’s eyes flicked quickly towards Aleksander, but he was watching Chayuli’s three heads. He cocked a brow as even the excitable Kelti remained quiet and allowed Hezati to speak for them all.

“That’s very kind of you, professor. Thank you for the warm welcome,” she said clearly, clasping her hands in front of her.

“You’re sure you’re not too warm?” he asked politely, noticing the bulky cable knit sweater that the alien was sporting, seemingly without complaint despite the fact that it was about ninety degrees and humid outside, another late Philadelphia summer’s day.

“We are just fine, thank you.”

“Very well then!” Dr. Parker didn’t belabor the introduction. “Since you’re all here at eight AM I take that to mean that you actually intend to learn something this semester, so let’s get right down to it. You should have a copy of the syllabus on your personal tablets and paper copies are available on request. We’ll go over the structure of this class, my expectations of you, practical learning requirements, and how your final grades will be assessed. In all of our classes I’ll aim to give you all at least a five minute break once an hour. Today that should easily take us through the introductory material and we’ll spend the second two hours on much of the underlying biology that you will find necessary in order to succeed in this course. Finally, if you would humor me, there should be a virtual clicker application attached to your electronic syllabus. I will be attempting to engage you with questions throughout the lectures, if only to keep you awake. Now then, let’s begin…”

As Aleksander bent over and reached into his backpack for his tablet, he chanced a glance at Chayuli’s legs under the table. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting from an alien woman with three heads and four arms, but the size of her lower body still surprised him. Like her top, she was conservatively dressed in a pair of jeans that would have looked suitable enough on any human woman were they not hiding a pair of prodigious, digitigrade legs capable of stabilizing a body of her size and weight. The denim hugged her thighs nicely all the way down and past her knee, before loosening significantly on account of her feet which took the form of large paws complete with claws, pads, and what looked to be very insulating, dense fur, just like on her hands. He was not nearly as discrete as he thought. The moment he glanced up he saw Kelti’s eyes watching him like a hawk.

“No fair,” he whispered with a smile. To his relief she played it off and returned the gesture. After all, between Hezati and Ixani there were more than enough eyeballs for the class syllabus. More than enough hands to operate her tablet as well. Alek noticed they had opted for a larger model that allowed for bigger buttons and resolutions on-screen. It made sense given that her fingers seemed to have evolved for protection alongside dexterity, unlike his relatively delicate and facile digits. 

When the syllabus proved unable to hold their attention, Alek opened up a blank sheet of virtual notepaper and began scrawling with a stylus. Since she was already partially turned his way, Kelti found herself far more interested in what he was doing, craning her head slightly for a better view. Ixani still had a scowl on her face but was paying attention to the discussion about the midterm exam, while Hezati took notes with their body’s two middle hands. That still left one free to poke at him. He passed his tablet over to her, having given his best effort at writing out their four names in English. Kelti gestured silently for his stylus and he gave it to her. After a few moments she passed it back, having corrected his spelling. She also included what he supposed were chosen English names for the three of them, Samantha, Rebecca, and Tallulah. He shook his head and erased them.

I prefer your real names. Just bear with me for a day or two?

Whatever emotion Kelti experienced upon reading his words, it seemed to be conveyed in short order to the other two heads. Ixani huffed dismissively, but Hezati regarded him passively for a moment, studying him. Despite the quiet and collegiate atmosphere, that many eyes on him, predatory eyes at that, gave Alek reason to feel uncomfortable for the first time in her presence. He even wondered if perhaps he’d offended her by associating her with hell. Smacking himself internally, he realized he almost certainly did. Unfortunately for him, there were far too few students in the room for them to fade into the crowd. Not that Chayuli had any hope of doing so anywhere on Earth. In the end, Alek was forced to place his thoughts and misgivings about his most intriguing colleague on the back burner for the duration of the class, especially when the professor transitioned to the reference material. While mitochondria and glycogen were second nature for him by that point, it was clear that Chayuli was struggling to take it all in. Out of respect he remained silent and gave up on the passing of notes, tabling his rapidly expanding repertoire of questions until 11 am finally rolled around.

\-----

“Oh man, I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat!” Kelti exclaimed when they were finally released. To Dr. Parker’s credit he timed the lecture well, wrapping things up at about 10:58. 

“It’s human custom to wait until around noon for meals. We will have to make do,” Hezati replied as she went about tidying up their things. A standard backpack was no less useful despite their four arms, but it was clear enough to Aleksander that it had not been made by any human manufacturing process. 

“Any chance you’ve got another one of those you’re willing to sell? That’s some really nice leather,” he tried to keep the conversation going. Ixani waved at him to get out of her way as the alien that was Chayuli finally stood to her full height in his presence. 

“Damn,” Alek whispered, stepping out of the row of desks to make way for her. He was no shrimp at 5’10”, but he only came up to her noses as she stood to full height and stretched, revealing a long, almost whiplike tail that surely aided in balance and movement.

“If you know what’s good for you, human, stay out of my way when we’re hungry… or better yet, just stay out of my way.”

“Ixani, there’s no need to be so mean to him!”

“And there’s no reason to be nice to him either, Kelti! Trust is not freely given, regardless of what humans do with one another.”

“Enough, both of you!” Hezati finally called for calm, silencing her two auxiliary personalities. “Aleksander, while it was nice to not spend our first class alone, we will be going now. I apologize for Ixani’s rudeness but she is right. I… our species is not known for its hospitality, much less when hungry.”

“I’m guessing you probably need close to 5,500 calories a day, right?” he guessed, taking an analytical look at her body. “No way you have less muscle mass than I do and I need about two and a half to three depending on the day. That and you’ve got another pair of heads and arms. I know a good place where you can grab a snack, quick liquid calories. Never really go there myself but if you need something to tide you over I think it’ll work out.”

Alek, as well as a couple individuals on their way out of the lecture hall, watched with utter fascination as Chayuli’s three heads looked at one another, their various arms scratching ears or cupping chins. It was Hezati who gave their reply.

“We would appreciate that. Please lead on, Mr. Volkov.”

“Ixani, if the food isn’t good I’ll lend you my arm so we can strangle him!”

“Kelti!”

\-----

“So, you were just kidding about the whole strangling thing, right?” Alek hoped to clarify as he and Chayuli stood in line at the one Pete’s Coffee on campus, still located at the corner of Locust and 40th after decades of serving the student body. Even after such a short walk he could feel sweat running down his spine and soaking into the waistband of his boxers. The extreme air conditioning of the building was a godsend, the central air rumbling overhead and practically pouring cool relief down on him.

He’d chosen to remain to Chayuli's left, giving Ixani plenty of personal space, or however much personal space could be expected when sharing a body with two other, quite unique personalities. Kelti flashed a smile, displaying plenty of pearly sharp teeth in her dainty maw. Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, underneath her sweater and crossed arms. “You know what, don’t answer that. Wait, are you cold?”

“Next please?” the likely underpaid barista requested, keeping alive a storied tradition of taking customer orders personally and likely screwing up their names on their cups. Alek was sure Chayuli would be a special sort of challenge as she stared up at the menu. He had figured ladies first was the right idea, but the situation soon proved him wrong. “Miss, if you’re having difficulties the local Alpha Division student center is two blocks east of here. If you could help us keep the line moving please-”

“Oh come off it, you think humans even know how to read that fucking thing?” Alek asked loudly, striding up to the counter and finding himself next to Ixani. “Can you three eat chocolate?”

“Yes,” Ixani grumbled.

“Cream and milk?”

“Yes?” Hezati replied.

“Sugar?”

“Oh yes please!” came Kelti’s reply.

“You put any other artificial crap in your hot chocolate or is this place still worth that ridiculous price tag?” Alek demanded of the cashier. “Well? You wanted the line to get moving! And don’t try to bullshit me. You kill an alien exchange student on her first day and there’s gonna be trouble.”

Aleksander’s tirade got him a first-hand look at the ingredient list on the chocolate powder used for the shop’s non-caffeinated and mocha beverages. He offered it to Chayuli who examined it carefully with all three heads, checking the occasional ingredient with her tablet. Eventually she handed it back to him and nodded as the remaining customers waited contentedly in line. Even seventy years after first contact, alien encounters on Earth were still quite rare.

“Three hot chocolates, the largest size you got with extra whipped cream… and a small black coffee,” Alek placed his order and swiped his credit chit, motioning politely that Chayuli should step to the side with him and wait for her drinks.

“You didn’t need to pay for us,” Hezati told him as Ixani looked ready to return to her home planet right then and there.

“Consider it a peace offering. If you three are really loaded with alien student exchange money or whatever, feel free to buy me dinner some other time,” he suggested, accepting his own beverage with muttered thanks. While he added sugar and a splash of milk to taste, Chayuli continued to shift from foot to foot, keeping her arms wrapped around her body. When her beverages were finally prepared, Alek grabbed three straws and led the way outside. Her relief upon returning to the heat and humidity was palpable. A moment later they crossed 40th street back to the campus proper, sitting on an open bench. Alek chose the shady half, while Chayuli seemed to relish the heat of the sun. Kelti was the first to dive in and place her mouth around her drink’s straw, holding his attention for a brief moment as she pursed her unnaturally dark lips and sucked. The moment the beverage hit her tongue was obvious, her eyes closing and ears fluttering in delight. Seemingly persuaded by their sister’s experience, the other two heads dug in as well. Aleksander gave them time and space, retrieving his tablet and running a couple searches for public information about her homeworld: Atzichulati. That was the closest English translation, at least. Colloquially, due to the morphology of the Atzi people, humanity immediately granted them the nickname ‘cerberi’, and their planet ‘Hades II’. 

“Well that explains a lot,” he murmured to himself, finding that the average ground temperature on Chayuli’s world hovered somewhere between ninety and one hundred degrees on a normal day depending on the location. Volcanic activity and water were plentiful in equal measure, explaining more than a few aspects of Chayuli’s interesting morphology that he’d previously noted. Plenty more remained a mystery.

“You could have just asked,” Hezati said quietly. Alek glanced up at her to find the central head not looking his way at all, her feminine cheeks flushing slightly darker than the surrounding skin. Ixani was scrutinizing him, however. Her orientation atop their body giving her a perfect view of him and his tablet.

“Sorry, I know well enough what it’s like to be hangry. Didn’t want to interrupt. So three heads really are better than one?” he proposed, shrugging and putting away his device. A too-curious squirrel batted at Chayuli’s tail and was promptly swatted away. “Guess the calorie burn is worth it?”

“It’s not like we had a choice when we were born, human,” Ixani scoffed between sips of her hot chocolate. “But thank you for the beverages. These should tide us over for a couple hours.”

“You’re welcome,” Alek replied neutrally. Ixani seemed pleased with the brevity of the interaction and returned to her drink, looking behind them at the grassy open spaces and trees. Plenty of students were out sunbathing and wearing very little indeed.

“So when’s your next class?” Kelti wondered.

“Should be 1:30, so I’ve got plenty of time. You?”

“Noon, Human History since 2027,” Hezati supplied. Kelti’s face fell.

“Aww, yeah I guess we do. I hope it’s warmer in the next classroom.”

“Hey, you three have English down really well. All we need to do is find some long johns with four arms and you’ll be fine!” Alek insisted. “How long did you study, by the way?”

Hezati, who had already consumed her entire hot chocolate down to the last dollop of cream, replied. “The journey to this planet took about a year by your calendar. It was plenty of time to practice and interact with other humans.”

“You… came all this way? For what?” he asked, dumbfounded. “Damn, I guess even warp drives have their limits.”

“Beyond cultural exchange and its symbolism, you mean?” Ixani cut in, her tone indicating she didn’t particularly care for those lofty ideals one way or another.

“Yeah. Why did you three come here? Why did Chayuli come to Earth, I guess?”

“Are you always so forward when you meet women?”

“Ixani!”

“Just because we haven’t been in a fight for more than a year doesn’t mean you can let your guard down, sisters. Humans are small, squishy, and prefer to settle scores without violence first. One of us needs to keep a level head here. We stand out far too much and we are a target for anyone who is opposed to our integration into the galactic partnership. I only say this in your presence, Alek, because I’m confident in my ability to hunt you down and kill you if need be.”

“Yep, still terrifying even after more than a thousand calories of hot chocolate,” Alek laughed nervously. He was glad that Kelti joined him, but he did offer Hezati an explanation. “Sorry, would rather laugh than soil myself, you know? I’m not really, I guess. Sorry if I didn’t see you that way. Aliens are just… I don’t know. I study and work with the human body and its mechanics. Alien physiology is just one step further, one damn interesting step further. Besides, I thought you might be lonely on your first day.”

“Disgusting,” Ixani scoffed.

“Isn’t it just?” Alek surprisingly agreed, taking a sip of his coffee. “Like some awful rom-com. But you don’t pass up an opportunity to meet an alien, at least I don't. Those cats still keep to themselves out in their compound, and the space elk don’t seem to find us very interesting other than as hired guns. Glad your people saw an opportunity. But so the whole trial by combat thing. You really-”

“It’s time to go, Hezati,” Ixani ordered, looking down at a slim band on her wrist that was clearly an Atzi version of a common watch.

“What? But we’ve got fifteen minutes left!” Kelti insisted.

“Both of you, please.” Hezati held up her arms to rest on each of her sisters’ cheeks. Alek couldn’t help but notice the stress on her face. He could only imagine having to deal with two disparate personalities like that attached to one body. “Kelti, Ixani is right in this case. Mr. Volkov, let me assure you first that it has been a pleasure meeting you as far as humans go. That said, you are not our friend. Perhaps one day if we know more about you, you will know more about us.” Chayuli stood and he stood with her, offering his hand. Even with three cups in her hands, she still had one to spare for him. Alek found his hand pressed against tough, resilient pads and blanketed by coarse, protective fur. It was a bit of a challenge wrapping his fingers around the other side of her palm. “A pleasure. We will see you Wednesday, Aleksander.”

Her tone left no room for negotiation, and with six wolfish eyes staring down at him he took the proffered olive branch as presented. “Sorry for prying. Humans have always been too curious for our own good. I look forward to Wednesday then. Take care.”

Alek turned and watched as Chayuli strode past him towards the center of campus along the main walk. Between her powerful legs and four arms, everything about her screamed predator. He swore he could even see muscular definition through her bulky sweater. Without much else to do, he returned to the bench and looked up at the rustling leaves above. “Well, that’s one way to start a semester.”