Worlds Apart

"You need a new clownfish," he insisted, "I think you've outgrown the last one."

"I can't believe you still remember buying me that thing," she replied, shaking her head. She was trying to maintain a neutral expression, but it was starting to crack, the beginnings of a smile appearing on her face.

"Do they have giant, stuffed clownfish on Borealis?" Jamie asked. "I'm guessing not."

"I feel like clownfish are becoming a 'thing' with us," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "I don't want our thing to be clownfish."

"Do you want the clownfish?"

"Yes," she conceded, "I want the clownfish..."

He handed it off to her, Liz examining the soft toy for a moment, smirking at its friendly face. They brought it to the cashier, who seemed remarkably nonplussed about seeing someone buying a giant fish for an even larger alien, Liz tucking her prize under her arm as they left the aquarium.

"You want to get something to eat?" Jamie asked, gesturing to the many restaurants along the boardwalk.

"Always," she replied, "but I'm paying. Feeding a full-grown Borealan is going to bankrupt you."

They selected one of the seafront cafés, choosing one that had outside seating so that Liz wouldn't have to cram into a human-sized building. She pushed the chairs aside again and sat on the wooden deck cross-legged, placing her clownfish in her lap. If she had to duck now, it was to avoid hitting her head on the colorful parasol that rose from the middle of the round table. They ordered a meal from the alarmed waiter, chatting as they ate, Liz's portions no less impressive than the half dozen burgers she had eaten at the diner.

It was Jamie's turn to get some salt and grease, so he was eating a rather large burger on a sesame seed bun, melted strands of yellow American dripping down onto his plate. It came with a helping of fat fries that had been liberally salted and soaked in vinegar, and it was all washed down with a bottle of root beer.

Liz's plate was loaded with meatball subs, several of them stacked one on top of the other, like a spread of hotdogs at a backyard barbecue. She lifted one, taking a large bite, chewing happily as Jamie smiled at her from across the table.

"How does Earth food compare to Borealan cuisine?" he asked. "Did you miss eating greasy burgers while you were there?"

She paused for a moment, finishing chewing before she replied.

"Meat? No," she began. "Beef and pork are great, but the homeworld has plenty of tasty and exotic animals to make into steaks. What I missed most was the cheese, believe it or not. There are livestock that produce milk on the homeworld, and they know how to make it into cheese, but their palate is completely different. It has no bite, no zest, and they like their salt."

"You never liked sweet stuff," he continued, popping a fry into his mouth. "I would have figured you'd prefer Borealan food, if anything."

"That's true in some cases. For example, they don't use sauces on the homeworld, there's nothing like ketchup or mustard. Instead, they refine their favorite flavors into oils, usually from the various kinds of fish they catch in the lake. They keep them in little vials and just sprinkle it onto their food. Imagine going to a restaurant and seeing a guy pull a little bottle of soy sauce out of his pocket, and shake a few drops onto his pasta. That's the kind of stuff they do."

"Fish oil?" Jamie asked, sticking out his tongue.

"Or vegetable oil. Borealans can't taste sugar very well, so it's all about savory dishes."

"Do they have restaurants there?"

"Of course," she replied, taking another bite of her sandwich. "Food is a huge part of Borealan culture, especially in Elysia, where they import all kinds of exotic dishes from all over the planet. It's a little different, though. Every meal for them is a banquet because they have to feed a whole pack of between maybe four and eight people." She waved a hand across their little table, holding her sub in the other as she described the scene. "Imagine if you stacked four or five dining tables side to side, then piled them with meat and gourds, medieval style. We're talking entire roasted animals, cuts of meat stacked 'this' high," she added as she raised her hand. "And they'll eat the whole spread in one sitting, like they're at an all-you-can-eat buffet, ten thousand calories apiece or more."

"I'm imagining a pride of lions eating a zebra," Jamie laughed.

"You wouldn't be too far off. The Alpha gets their pick of the best cuts, of course, then everyone else digs in. It's fun, a little like attending a dinner party every day. It's much more of a social experience. Everyone eats with their hands, too," she added as she flexed her claws. "We come with our cutlery built-in."

"I'll keep that in mind if we ever go out to eat anywhere fancy," Jamie chuckled. "It sounds like there are quite a lot of things you ended up liking about Borealis. Are you planning to stay on Earth long-term, or are you going back there at some point?"

"I didn't really think that far ahead," she replied, scratching her chin with her black claws pensively. "I figured I'd just show up and see how we got along before I made any serious plans. I'd invite you to visit, but I don't think you'd fare well on Borealis," she added as she gestured at him with a half-eaten sub sandwich. "The gravity alone means that humans can't stay there unaided for more than a few months, and the heat! You get out of that shuttle on your first landing, and it's like being hit in the face with a red-hot shovel."

"Are there no planets out there that are just perpetual autumn?" he wondered, finishing up his burger. "Sign me up for that colony."

"So, what are we doing next?" Liz asked. "We've got a whole afternoon left."
"I'm trying to think of some things we can do that you can't do on Borealis," he replied, considering for a moment. "Oh, I have a perfect idea!"

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" she asked.

"Nope, it's more fun that way."

***

They finished up their meal, then made their way back in the direction of the city, the towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline ahead. They stopped at a churro stand briefly, Liz loading up with a large paper bag of the long pastries.

"I thought you didn't like sweet flavors much?" Jamie asked, confused by the choice.

"I don't," she replied, popping one into her mouth. "I love the texture, though."

They entered a nearby building, riding an elevator up to a mag-lev platform on one of the higher floors, taking the car deeper into the city. The train sped along the magnetized rail, winding between skyways full of pedestrians, weaving around buildings like a theme park ride. They were so high up that the streets below were scarcely even visible, giving the impression that there was no ground, only a city suspended in the clouds. Liz couldn't sit, the seats were too small for her, but she was content to stand as she peered out of the windows.

After switching to another train, they arrived at their destination, taking yet another elevator down to ground level. The streets in this part of the city were aglow with neon signs and holographic advertisements, every building adorned with flashing billboards. After leaving the aquarium, it almost looked like they had once again being plunged into the depths of an ocean, surrounded by a bioluminescent coral reef. In place of shoals of fish were cars driving along in perfect synchronization, the glass facades of the skyscrapers taking the place of the sheer walls of a deep-sea trench.

Liz's reflective eyes glittered as they caught the light, her attention drawn by a holographic depiction of a Chinese dragon as it snaked its way between the buildings above the street, belching a plume of flickering flame. Its scaly body was semi-transparent, wavering a little as it floated along, but the projectors made the effect convincing enough.

"Bet you don't get this on Borealis," Jamie said, nudging his companion.

"I don't remember it being so vibrant," she replied, turning on the spot as she watched the dragon's feathery tail phase into an adjacent building. "Then again, I can't remember the last time I came down this way. I feel like I didn't appreciate the small things while I was here. I assumed it would last forever, that there would always be time."

"Come on," Jamie said, taking her by the furry hand. "This isn't what I wanted you to see."

He led her through the streets, the abundance of distractions giving them pause what seemed like every few paces. They stared into store windows, seeing holographic depictions of animated characters dancing, the bright shades of neon from the flashing signs above bathing them in pinks and blues. The sun was starting to set now, darkening the sky, only making the colors pop even more.

They eventually arrived at their destination, the foot of a building that seemed even larger than the impressive skyscrapers that surrounded it. Liz craned her neck as she adjusted her clownfish, looking up at its tall spire, the structure seeming to melt into the very sky itself. It was hard to get an idea of just how large it was from such a distorted perspective.

"Is this..."

"The tallest free-standing building on the East coast," Jamie replied. "The spire reaches ten thousand feet, about two miles. The tethers are taller, obviously, but I never found glorified cargo elevators quite as impressive."

They entered into a lobby that could have fit several smaller buildings inside it, a cavernous space filled with curving steel and glass, the architect displaying an aversion to straight lines that gave everything an organic and somewhat disorienting feel. The floor was polished to a mirror sheen, giving the impression that the lobby was twice the size it really was, a maze of walkways and support beams extending high above them.

The elevators here actually had rows of seats, as the ride to the top of the spire could take nearly three minutes. They were too small for Liz to sit on, but she was content to stand, watching as even the towering skyscrapers that surrounded them shrank down to the size of glass shards.

"This is what I wanted to show you," Jamie said, standing beside her as they looked out over the city. The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange, making the layered clouds above seem to glow. It filtered in through the windows, bathing them in its light, casting long shadows behind the rows of chairs. "For roughly every five thousand feet that we climb above sea level, we get an extra minute of sunset. It's almost like reversing time, making it last longer."

"It was worth the mag-lev ride over here," she replied, pressing up against the glass as she admired the view. "There are no sunsets in space, you know. The sun dips behind the Earth, yeah, but all of that beautiful color is created by the sun's light scattering in the atmosphere. No atmosphere, no lovely colors."

"Then, we can't get a whole lot higher while still being able to see the sunset?"

"That's right. If you flew a shuttle up to the edge of the atmosphere, it wouldn't look nearly this good. There's other stuff to look at, of course."

The elevator finally came to a stop at their floor, and they stepped out into a large observation deck, a disk-shaped platform of glass and steel that projected out from the tower's facade. The floor beneath their feet was transparent in places, giving a practically unimpeded view of the nearly two-mile drop below. Jamie peered at the building beneath them, an optical illusion created by its immense height and tapered design making it seem as though they were perched atop a giant pole, the spires of the city's skyscrapers piercing through a low-hanging carpet of clouds.

There were a few other tourists milling about, but it was late, and the deck was mostly deserted.

He followed Liz over to the far window, watching the last rays of the sun dip beneath the horizon, the pastel colors giving way to twinkling stars. They were far closer to the ground than to the edge of space, but the darkness that slowly draped itself over the world gave the opposite impression. In the distance, they could make out one of the orbital tethers. It was the only structure that rose higher than their current vantage point, covered in blinking warning lights that were intended to ward off errant aircraft.

Liz turned to smile at him, her large frame silhouetted against the window.

"This was nice," she said, leaning back against the reinforced glass with her clownfish clutched beneath her arm. "I'm not used to a lot of tact when it comes to males. Borealans aren't renowned for their sensitive side, after all. I've never really been on a date before," she added, her cheeks warming as she glanced up at the stars. "I mean, this didn't really feel any different from the stuff you and me used to do back in the day, but...maybe that's why I like it so much."

"Glad I made a good impression," he replied, Liz reaching down to ruffle his blonde hair with her furry hand.

"You're still as sweet as you were when I left, just as thoughtful. The fact that I've been living around savages for the better part of three years kinda gives you an unfair advantage," she added with a grin, "but hey."

"Who said I had to play fair?" he asked, Liz chuckling at him. "Are you ready to go? The sun has gone down, there's not much left to see."

"Let's stay just a little longer," she replied, turning her eyes back to the horizon.

***

They stepped off the mag-lev at Jamie's building, riding the elevator up to his floor. Liz followed him along the hallway to the door, where she waited as he turned to face her, leaning with her upper arm against the wall above the frame. She still had her fish tucked under her arm, the neon-orange, smiling toy clashing with every other aspect of her appearance.

"I had fun today," she said, her leather jacket creaking as she lowered her head a little to see through the doorway. "You know, I...debated whether I should come back at all. I didn't want to just butt in on your new life, I didn't know if you would have your own thing going on, and if there might be any room for me. I'm glad I did, though."

"Me too," Jamie replied, rubbing his arm awkwardly as they stood there in silence for a moment. "You know," he added, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb. "There's a bouillon cube with your name on it if you'd like to stick around a little longer."
"Nah, I should get back," she replied as she stood up straight. "Your couch shouldn't have to suffer on my account, I have a perfectly good bed waiting for me in my hotel room back at the spaceport. Don't worry," she added, brandishing her clownfish. "I've got this little guy to keep me company."

"Alright," Jamie replied. "So...I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

He had phrased it as a question, wanting to know whether the date had been a success, and Liz was swift to answer him.

She crouched to bring herself level with him, his heart leaping as her emerald eyes locked to his own. They were just as he remembered them, glittering as they reflected the light that bled out of his apartment, her feline pupils dilated into circles in the gloom of the corridor. She suddenly thrust the clownfish into his chest, giving him little choice but to wrap his arms around it, then she reached out to cup his face in her hand. He felt her silky fur against his cheek, the prick of her claws as she guided him closer, leaning in for a kiss. Their lips met for only a few moments, it was nothing like the desperate need that he had felt the night before, but the teasing strokes of her agile tongue as it darted into his mouth conveyed an unspoken promise. There was more to come, this was just a taste...

She snatched her stuffed toy from his grasp as she drew back, leaving him dazed, her cheeks warming as she returned the orange fish to its place under her arm.

"To tide you over until tomorrow," she explained, straightening her jacket. "I'll be here, same time."

"Can't wait," Jamie replied, not sure of what else to say. She returned his smile, then headed off down the hallway, the door closing automatically once she was out of range of the sensor.

He made his way over to the living area, collapsing down into the couch, staring at the ceiling. His head was still spinning from her kiss, and he felt like his heart was swelling in his chest, an electrical excitement arcing across his skin. He felt a little like he had the night that Liz had confessed her feelings for him in front of the fireplace.

He hadn't expected her to stay the night just yet, he wasn't even sure if that was the kind of relationship they were going to end up with at the end of this. Liz seemed just as eager to rekindle that old flame as he was, but she was just as cautious. They both knew that rushing headlong into a new relationship would be a mistake, that they had to take their time, make sure that their chemistry was born of more than just nostalgia. Liz was different, but she was still Liz, and he was liking the person that she had become more and more. She was confident, she was proud of her heritage, she no longer felt the need to hide from prying eyes. But even after all that she had been through on Borealis, she would still melt at the sight of a plush clownfish, she was still wooed by sunsets and burgers.

In truth, her appearance was so different from what he remembered that he hadn't really decided what to make of her yet. Gone was the five-foot-nothing girl who had to crane her neck to look him in the eyes, gone was the lithe figure, so light that he could lift her in his arms like a toy. Her sheer physicality was so overwhelming now, but every time he remembered how she had lifted her shirt in the diner to show him her sculpted midriff, he felt a stirring in his loins.

Would she even see him in the same light after spending three years living around guys who could bench-press a small car? He remembered how her furry hands had explored him, how she had tested the firmness of his muscles, but what would she make of him now? He was practically a child by her standards.

There was certainly an attraction there, that was undeniable, but he would have to wait and see what came of it. Lord, would he even survive sharing a bed with her if it came to that? The claws that had once left stinging trails on his back were now large enough to fillet him like a fish, and she had enough weight to crush his pelvis into dust if she wanted to be on top again.

He shook his head, driving such thoughts from his mind. There would be time enough for lurid speculation later. Right now, he needed to take a shower and figure out where he was going to take her tomorrow.

CHAPTER 7: SECOND DATE

Liz arrived right on time, Jamie opening the door to see her massive frame blocking it completely. She leaned down so that she could see him, waving a clawed hand in greeting. He invited her in, and she carefully lowered herself down onto his couch, her hips so wide that she could take up almost the entire thing by herself.

"Want anything to drink?" he asked, finishing off the last mouthful of his morning coffee.

"Nah, let's get some breakfast somewhere," she replied. "There are no pigs on Borealis, and I have a hankering for some bacon." She opened her mouth to yawn, exposing a set of sharp teeth, her long tongue coiling in the air like the tentacle of an octopus. "Sorry," she added, "still adjusting to Earth's schedule. Jumplag is a bitch."

"I know a place that does a great full English," Jamie said, pulling on his jacket. "I stop there on my way to work sometimes. Come on, it's only a few levels down."

They rode an elevator down to the nearest plaza, a commercial area that took up a few floors of the building, walkways and platforms extending across the open shaft that made up its core. There was a steady flow of fresh air that rose up from the ground level, convection keeping it circulating through the structure, the breeze rustling the leaves on the decorative trees and ferns. With the sunlight that made it through the carefully-placed windows, one could almost pretend that they were outside, at least enough to save from going stir crazy.