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L eska! Cadence ran to her friend with Maximus bounding behind her.

Leska caught her and spun her around. There you are. How are you feeling?

Great. So comfortable. Did you know you could get clothes that don t hurt? Cadence was giddy.

Leska laughed. I have suspected it for a long time. I am glad you have discovered some.

Two strangers were approaching, and Leska waved to Raek. I hope I didn t miss dinner. The interviews and bios took forever.

The woman smiled. I have more to ask you if you do not mind, for our own records.

Cadence was humming and hugging her. Leska said softly, Caddy, huggy bear? You need to let me go so I can meet the others.

Cadence leaned back. Sorry. This is Maximus; he s my buddy. I hope he gets along with Morty.

Leska smiled and extended her hand to the stiff dog the size of a horse. Greetings of the day to you, Maximus.

The tail began wagging, and he lowered his head. Leska scratched him between the eyes and stroked his muzzle.

See? I knew he would like you.

She met Raek, and he touched her hand gently before staring at his fingers. Uh-oh. And then she met Im-bar. Hello, ma am.

It is good to meet you, Leska. Now, we are going to do those tests all over while the bots unpack for you.

Uh, I just have the one bag. It won t take them long.

Then, let s hurry to my lab so dinner doesn t get cold. Im-bar looped her arm around Leska as she pulled her along.

See ya, Cadence.

There was a bright laugh, and that made Leska smile. It was about time that Cadence felt happy. If wearing fancy pyjamas did it for her, that was great.

The physical was far more in-depth than the one she had at Z-Corp. Machines that Leska had never seen before were measuring and scanning her.

I give up. Why so many scans? Leska sat at the edge of the bed and kicked her feet.

Because no harmonic in history has ever had a best friend who was strictly human, and I am determined to find out what you do.

Would you feel better if I told you you were right? But she can t know. It would hurt her to know. She only trusted me at first because I said I was strictly human.

Im-bar blinked. Seriously? What do you do?

Leska lifted her finger, tapped Im-bar, and smiled.

You activated when you were fourteen, and went from a handsome boy with all the girls chasing him, to a woman who was wondering why she still had a penis.

Dr. Torenne is the same, by the way. I wonder if the hermaphrodite activation always goes with healers.

Im-bar blinked. You are an analyst.

Yeah. I knew what Cadence needed emotionally, and since I couldn t find her comfy clothing, I could give her a powerless friend who just wanted to be with her.

And I did. I was with her as often as I could, and when we separated due to her graduating, I caught up with her as soon as I could, and we both went to the job fair at Z-Corp together.

Im-bar nodded. You kept her calm.

As calm as I could. I will be more useful here.

I believe so. Now, do you have concerns about your own activation?

Well, the heats are annoying.

Im-bar blinked. What?

Oh. I am an omega. A tall one but an omega nonetheless.

How does Cadence not know that?

Oh. She has a minimal sense of smell, and it only happens twice a year, so I just tell her it s a bad period. She smiled. She sends me takeout for the few days.

She doesn t realize that it s an activation?

I think she does, but we don t talk about it. I just go over and sing for her.

Sing?

She writes it; I sing it. With her permission, we have worked on a few songs that Ekron has taken to the top of the charts. I put the funds in a retirement account for her.

That is sweet.

She does the work; she should get the profit.

Im-bar blinked. You are actually a good friend.

Don t seem so surprised, Doc. Is your situation a secret?

No. I am just not as commonly known as Dr. Torenne.

Well, your dress is perfectly tailored.

Im-bar inclined her head. Thank you. There are clothes for you as well.

She smiled. Good. You all look so comfy. I feel like I am standing out, and I do not like standing out.

We will fix that. So, you are an analyst and an omega. Any other surprises?

Not so far.

That s fair. I am running a full breakdown of your genome, including using all available testing around the globe. I am intensely curious to find out what you are made of.

Keep me posted.

I will. I will have to tell Raek, and you should tell Cadence.

Well, at least my stuff is all bagged up. Sounds like dinner chat.

You want to do that today?

Yes.

We just stabilized her pregnancy yesterday.

I know, but I also know that her harmonic self is going to start looking at me and finding out that I don t match what we think I am.

Im-bar blinked. You are right. She will notice.

Then let s go have dinner.

Im-bar held up her hand. I am going to get you a dress.

Thank you.

The doctor returned and handed her the dress after a moment.

Leska put the dress on and said, So, what do we wear when we are working out?

I am working on it. Im-bar smiled. You are very fit.

Muscles are modern corsetry.

Very true. Well, you are tight-laced. Your normal clothing does not reflect it.

Tough enough being an omega in the world without putting bait out.

My height and clothing tell them that they aren t seeing what they are sensing.

She tied the wrap dress on and verified all the connections.

She liked it. The sleeves went to the shoulder and then were open. She liked keeping her hands free.

They headed up to the kitchen and found Raek and Cadence setting the table.

Cadence looked at her, smiled, and then frowned. Something is different.

Leska nodded. Can we walk for a few minutes? I need to tell you something.

Sure. We will be right back.

They walked a few metres away from the house. Leska sighed. Do you know I am an active?

Cadence paused. You are? You weren t.

I was. You needed a friend more than a defender, and you desperately wanted it to be a human, so I locked into human for a number of years until you were better.

Cadence looked at her and touched her arm. She exhaled. That explains what I am sensing.

Part of it. I am also an omega. That is why I get the crippling period twice a year. Not a period, just brainless and horny.

Cadence laughed. That one I knew. So, what is your activation?

Analyst. I touch something and know its past.

Ah, which is why you knew I needed a human.

Yes. I wanted a friend, you wanted a friend, I just had to get that out of the way. Leska sighed. So, if you want me to leave, I can leave. It s perfectly all right. I love you to the tips of your fingers, but I won t force you to see me if I make you unhappy.

The hug was sudden. Seeing you makes me so happy. Does Zera or Kritz know?

No. I can hide the signs. I know what they are looking for. She glanced at the house and saw two intent people staring at them. Im-bar told Raek as well.

Why did you hide it? Cadence kept her arm around her.

So that they couldn t make me tell them which kids would activate. If I didn t have an activation, they couldn t use me.

The hug got tighter.

That completes the harmony. You still have notes unheard, but we can wait on that.

Do I? That sounds intriguing.

Doesn t it? I still want to learn how to do the thing with the silk.

We can do that, but you are going to have to go dual with me.

Yay! Cadence laughed. Raek might insist on being there to catch me if I slip.

You might be hovering yourself soon.

Oh, true. That will be fun.

Leska didn t mention that Cadence was already walking an inch off the floor.

* * * *

I m-bar passed the green beans. So, Cadence, Leska says she has been selling your songs.

Cadence blushed. Oh, that. It s the singer that makes them popular.

Raek smiled. You don t sing them yourself?

No, folks get hypnotized. Leska does the singing, but she refuses to let them use her voice. They have offered.

Leska shrugged. I am not into attention. The gymnastics are just something someone looks at, and when I am dressed normally again, they don t connect me with the movement.

And once you are out of the pretty outfit. That s something, too.

Right.

Raek nodded and took another bite. The rigging goes up tomorrow. Cadence cannot participate unless I am there.

Cadence sighed. I hate being right.

It s fine. You can just watch and let me know what you want for my form.

It is a fun form to watch.

Im-bar nodded. I have been to a few fundraisers with acrobats over the years. It will be interesting to see how it actually goes together.

There is a lot more cursing than you would think. Leska grinned.

Cadence laughed and then paused. Oh, it s moving again.

Raek leaned over and touched Cadence beneath the table. Cadence blushed at the warm fingers that touched her and the matched harmony that began to pulse over her belly.

Leska was grinning. Okay, that is just cool. When you two are in contact, something else happens. Oh, who feeds Maximus? I volunteer.

Im-bar chuckled. I usually do. You are welcome to take it on while you are here.

Yay. What does he eat, or is it who does he eat?

Im-bar laughed. I will show you after dinner.

Excellent.

Cadence smiled at Leska, involving herself and helping. She always helped.

Cadence paused. Leska, you are due for a week of takeout at the end of the month.

I can get some nullifiers, I am sure.

Im-bar shook her head. Not here, you won t. You will either go off premises or do your standard lockdown.

Oh. Right. How soundproof is that home?

Im-bar smiled. I guess we will find out.

Okay. I will set up a closet for it.

Raek frowned. A closet?

Yeah. I like to know that nothing can sneak up behind me. It is a particularly vulnerable event. She sipped at her water.

Have you ever had a mate?

She caught the water as it would have sprayed across the table. I am not letting an alpha get anywhere near me. They are all grabby and bossy.

Cadence muttered, And horny.

That, too.