On a small island in the middle of nowhere, a child was at a private beach building a sandcastle on his own. There were no other kids at the resort, his parents just came here to eat and sleep all day, leaving him bored out of his mind.

While going to collect a bucket of water to reinforce the structural integrity of his sand, he was suddenly surprised by a face popping out of the water in front of him. The sudden fright caused him to yell out before running back to his castle and hiding behind it.

As he peered out towards the person he just saw, his eyes went wide. It was another kid. Just a bit taller than him with purple hair and... Boobies...

He found himself gawking as the older kid emerged from the water and began to wring out her clothes.

The kid then noticed that the woman was about to do more than wring out her clothes. She was taking off her top!

Overwhelmed with anxiety, the kid hid behind the sand castle and closed his eyes for a moment before curiosity got the better of him.

Although Ash’s father had told him dozens of times that peeking at the guests while they are changing is rude, it wasn’t his fault that they do it in public! Ash just couldn’t help it. So slowly moving his head back round the sand castle, Ash went to peek, but suddenly realised the older kid was gone?

Ash began to scan the beach before suddenly, from directly behind, a voice spoke, "What’cha looking at?"

"Ahhh!" Ash suddenly screamed and turned around, only to realise it was the older kid.

Usually Ash would get embarrassed and stammer, but managed to accidentally spout out, "Pretty." Followed by Ash’s face turning beet red.

The older kid then smiled and stood up. "Aww, aren’t you sweet. I’m Keyla, what’s your name?"

"Ash." The Kid spoke, not able to make eye contact.

"Ash? Can you tell me, is this resort Oric? You see I took a swim and got pulled out by a riptide and I am a bit disorientated. Will you help me?"

Ash looked at Keyla and gulped, "The water is dangerous, did your parents not tell you? You need a boat to go out around here. Oh! Yes, this is Oric. Are your Mommy and Daddy big alcohol enjoyers as well?"

Keyla smirked. "Yes, yes they are. Now can you show me the way back to the resort proper? I don’t recognise this beach."

Ash nodded. "Of course! No problem. Wait..." The kid suddenly stopped realising something was off about Keyla. "Did you lose your wristband?" The kid then held up their arm showing a yellow band around his wrist.

"If you go back without it on, the security will not let you in until your parents come and collect you."

Keyla then put on a saddened face. "No... I lost it out in the water, it got snagged on some sharp corral. What should I do? I need to see my parents."

Ash began to frown in thought before an idea came to mind. "Wait here! I will be back in ten minutes! I promise!"

"Oh... Ok." Keyla muttered before sitting down in the sand and looking out to the sea.

Ash stopped moving for a moment before shaking their head and running away.

Ten minutes later he returned and the older kid was still there. "Keyla! I found it!

Keyla turned around from the little sand castle she had begun to build in boredom before spotting a purple wristband in their hand.

"My Mommy lost her wristband the first day we got here after getting blackout drunk. When they got hers replaced, we ended up finding it on the ceiling light in our room and didn’t give it back. You can use this. But it is an adult pass... But you are a teenager right? I think you can pass as an adult if you speak right."

"Aww. Thank you Ash. This is so kind of you to give me. And yes, I am a teenager. I am sure I can get by just well. Though are you not a teenager? You are taller than me? How old are you?"

"Oh... I’m eleven."

Keyla said nothing for a moment before shaking her head and muttering, "It’s ok, Apollo loves me for me. I’m his short stack~"

"What did you say?" Ash asked, prompting Keyla to shake her head.

"Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go back."

The two took a few steps before Ash suddenly felt Keyla’s hand on their arm, being made to spin around in the process.

"Actually, Ash... There is one more thing you can do for me... I am starving. I could do with a good meal. Can you help?

...

Picking the meat from her teeth, Keyla sat back in full satisfaction and sighed. "Ahhh~ that’s the good stuff. So tender and soft."

Licking her lips she suddenly heard from her left. "Yeah, I don’t like veal. I find it too soft, but with my family, if I don’t finish my plate it looks bad so I have to force it down anyway. I prefer fish." Ash said, slowly eating the battered fish on their plate.

"Meh, You are still eleven. I remember at your age I was also a picky eater. I could only eat certain body parts at any given meal. Nothing else would appeal to me. As you get older, your taste will change."

Ash looked down for a moment and sighed, "I don’t know. I don’t think I will ever like this life. I hate being paraded around the empire for my parents benefit... I just want a normal life."

Keyla looked at the child before her and thought of something before shaking her head. "Hmmm... I am sure you will be fine. A young boy like yourself will-"

"-I’m a girl..." Ash muttered, embarrassed, prompting Keyla to widen her eyes, her senses tricking her.

"Really?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I have to dress up as a boy and cut my hair short because I am less of a kidnap risk this way. Not like my parents would care... I would just be a ransom they would have to pay for their reputation..."

Keyla lent forward and took a covert sniff of the child before her. ’Oh? Well I wasn’t expecting this... I suppose I owe Samantha a housewarming gift...’

She shelved the idea for later, for now she was full and had another task to take care of.

"Ok, Ash, I have to go find my parents. It’s been a pleasure making your acquaintance."

Keyla then stood up and was about to walk away before Ash suddenly yelled from behind her, "Wait! I didn’t get your last name."

Keyla turned around and replied, "And I didn’t get yours."

"Oh.." Ash spoke, stretching the back of her head. She looked around, clearly about to do something she wasn’t supposed to do.

"I am Ashley Athena of Athens. I’m not supposed to tell people my last name because our family is ancient and that can lead to problems."

Keyla nodded her head before replying, "That makes sense. Especially when the last queen was an Athena. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me, now I really need to go."

Keyla then stood up, but Ashley wasn’t done. "I didn’t get your last name?"

"Oh? Sorry, I am still a bit all over the place from nearly drowning. My last name is..."

...

Out by the bar Delilah was giggling to herself while Zeona and her were barely able to walk without using each other as support.

"Zee Zee. I need my cream or I’m going to burn! We need to go to the beds!" Delilah spoke, but Zeona was pulling in the other direction.

"Stop lying! You might have ginger hair! But you don’t burn! We need more drinks before we sober up! I’m not letting you fall asleep midday again D. Come on, we are just having fun!"

Delilah gave in, Zeona was really letting loose and she couldn’t say no. She just had to survive... Though a potential saviour just shouted her name.

"Delilah! Zeona! Oh my goodness! What are the chances!?!"

The duo turned around and Zeona immediately positioned herself between Delilah and the incoming individual.

"Who are you? How do you know our names? We are here anonymously." Zeona questioned, prompting the approaching individual to put her hand over her chest, seemingly hurt by the question.

"You don’t remember me? We all went out together drinking with Archon Apollo. We got burgers together. I was even in the vehicle when we took you home to your apartment."

Zeona frowned as she forced herself to sober up slightly. Once she reached sufficient sobriety, her memory came back. Followed by shock and suspicion.

"Keyla? Oh my days! I remember you! So nice to see you again!" Delilah suddenly yelled and rushed to Keyla, hugging her.

Keyla hugged back for a moment before Zeona asked, "Keyla? Why are you here?"

This was the second individual with ties to Sophia she had seen on this planet. She was now sceptical and even more suspicious.

"Oh! Well, I had a falling out with Sophia. She was a right bitchy control freak, so I ran off with my wealth and I am lying low for a while. I am used to places with high crime levels so I came to the second best place to lay low for a few years. What a crazy coincidence that as soon as I check in, I see the two of you! So how have you been? spare no detail."