A Step Into Normalcy

Chapter 34: A Step Into Normalcy

Kael-X walked through the city streets, blending into the crowd as best as he could. His dark coat concealed most of his battle-worn attire, and his long, unkempt hair still covered his face, but no one seemed to care. The people of this world were too preoccupied with their own lives to notice an outsider among them.

Maya walked beside him, occasionally glancing at him to make sure he wasn't drawing unnecessary attention. "So… what do you think of Earth so far?"

Kael-X observed the moving traffic, the digital billboards flashing advertisements, and the countless humans walking past them, engaged in conversations or lost in their own thoughts. "It is… different from what I expected."

Maya smirked. "And what exactly did you expect?"

Kael hesitated before answering. "More chaos. Less… structure."

Maya laughed. "Oh, trust me, we have plenty of chaos. Just not the kind you're used to."

Kael-X stopped in front of a store window, looking at his reflection. His hair, messy and long, completely shadowed his eyes. The glass also reflected Maya's puzzled expression.

"You really should do something about your hair," she suggested. "You can't see properly, can you?"

"I can see well enough."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you also look like a guy who just crawled out of a cave. Come on, let's fix that."

She grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward a nearby barber shop. Kael-X didn't resist, though he wasn't entirely sure why this was necessary.

---

A Simple Change

The barbershop was a small, well-lit place, filled with the sound of clippers buzzing and casual conversations. The moment they walked in, the barber, a tall man with graying hair, glanced at Kael's appearance and raised an eyebrow.

Maya gestured toward him. "Think you can help my friend out?"

The barber chuckled. "Yeah, but we might need a lawnmower for all that hair."

Kael-X took a seat, remaining still as the barber got to work. As strands of his dark hair fell to the floor, Maya leaned against the wall, watching with a satisfied expression.

"So, how short are we going?" the barber asked.

Kael-X barely reacted. "Just enough to manage."

Maya grinned. "And enough so he doesn't look like a walking horror movie character."

By the time the barber was done, Kael's hair was trimmed slightly shorter, but it still fell over his eyes. He instinctively ran a hand through it, feeling lighter, though he still preferred to keep his face partially hidden.

Maya examined him and nodded. "Better."

Kael-X turned to the barber. "Thank you."

The man chuckled. "First time I've seen a customer so serious about a haircut. You're welcome, kid."

---

A Taste of Normal Life

As they left the shop, Maya led Kael into a small café. "Alright, now that you've had a haircut, let's try something else—food."

Kael stared at the menu with mild confusion. "I do not require sustenance as frequently as humans."

Maya sighed. "Yeah, but you can eat, right?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Then let's eat."

She ordered for both of them, and they sat by the window. Kael-X observed as she unwrapped a burger and took a bite. He followed her lead, biting into his own meal. The flavors were… unexpected. It was different from the nutrient-dense rations he had consumed in the past. This was—what was the word? Enjoyable?

Maya grinned at his reaction. "See? Told you food was important."

Kael chewed thoughtfully. "It is… acceptable."

She laughed. "That's the most neutral compliment I've ever heard."

As they ate, Kael-X realized that, for the first time in a long while, he wasn't fighting, running, or surviving. He was simply existing. It was strange, but not entirely unpleasant.

Maybe, just maybe, he could learn to live here.

As Kael-X finished his meal, he placed the wrapper down carefully, studying the remnants of the food as if it held some hidden truth. Maya observed him with a smirk, sipping her drink.

"You eat like someone who's analyzing a battlefield," she teased.

Kael-X glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Food consumption is a process. Understanding the composition and taste can provide insight."

Maya shook her head, laughing. "Dude, it's just a burger."

Kael-X leaned back slightly in his seat, looking out the window. The city bustled with movement—cars speeding by, people walking in hurried strides, flashing billboards changing advertisements every few seconds. It was a world constantly in motion, yet strangely structured.

Maya noticed his gaze. "You're thinking about something."

Kael-X remained silent for a moment before replying. "This place… Earth. It is unlike what I have known. Yet, it functions."

Maya tapped her fingers on the table. "Yeah, we have rules, systems… but it's not perfect. People struggle, fight, cheat… but they also care, build, and try to live. That's what makes it human."

Kael-X considered her words carefully. "And you? Why do you care to explain this to me?"

Maya tilted her head. "Because you need to understand it if you want to fit in." She smiled slightly. "Besides, you're interesting. I've never met someone like you before."

Kael-X didn't respond immediately. He wasn't used to casual conversations. Most of his interactions had been based on survival, strategy, or battle. This—this was different.

---

A Walk Through the City

After finishing their meal, they stepped back onto the streets. Maya led the way, and Kael-X followed, hands tucked into his coat pockets. The city's neon lights reflected off the wet pavement, creating a strange, artificial glow.

"So, what now?" Kael asked.

Maya thought for a moment. "Well, you're supposed to be adapting, right? That means you need a place to stay, clothes that don't scream 'alien warrior,' and, uh… a way to not get arrested."

Kael-X frowned slightly. "I have broken no laws."

Maya snorted. "Yeah, tell that to the dozens of people who saw you flying around and smashing things."

Kael-X remained silent. He had never considered how his presence was perceived by normal humans. To him, battle was battle. But here, destruction had consequences beyond just victory or defeat.

As they walked, Maya suddenly grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward a clothing store. "Come on, time for the next step."

Inside, Kael stood stiffly as Maya browsed through the racks. "You're tall, so you need something that fits but doesn't make you look like a walking shadow."

Kael glanced at his own dark outfit. "What is wrong with this?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "It makes you look like an escaped supervillain."

Kael-X sighed but allowed her to pick out clothes. Eventually, she handed him a few items and pushed him toward the fitting room.

"Go, try them on."

He complied, changing into a plain dark hoodie, fitted jeans, and sneakers. When he stepped out, Maya clapped her hands together. "Now you look like an actual person!"

Kael-X examined himself in the mirror. The new clothes felt… strange, but not uncomfortable. He turned to Maya. "And this is how one blends in?"

She smirked. "Step one, yes."

---

Finding a Place

After leaving the store, Maya checked her phone. "Alright, we need to find you a place to stay. You can't just roam the streets."

Kael-X glanced around. "I can manage."

Maya gave him a flat look. "No. You need somewhere to stay. A bed, a roof, maybe even a TV."

Kael-X frowned. "TV?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. Come on, I think I know a place."

As they walked, Kael-X felt something different—something he hadn't felt in a long time.

For the first time, he wasn't just surviving. He was living.

Back at Maya's cousin's apartment, Kael-X sat on the couch, staring at the television screen. The images flickered rapidly—news reports, commercials, movies, and strange human entertainment. He studied them with the same intensity he would use to analyze an enemy's attack pattern.

Maya plopped down beside him, tossing a bag of snacks onto the table. "Okay, so… adapting to Earth means learning the basics. You already look normal enough, but now you need to act normal."

Kael-X turned to her. "Define 'normal.'"

She sighed. "You know, doing regular things—eating, sleeping, watching TV without looking like you're planning to destroy it…" She waved her hand at the remote. "Pick something."

Kael-X picked up the remote and stared at it. Then, instead of pressing a button, he turned to Maya. "This device controls the screen?"

"Yes."

"Does it have battle capabilities?"

Maya burst into laughter. "No! It's just for changing channels."

Kael-X finally pressed a button, and a loud explosion echoed from the TV speakers. The screen showed a group of warriors engaged in a dramatic battle. His eyes narrowed. "This world glorifies combat."

Maya shrugged. "Yeah, but only in movies. Real fights aren't so fun."

Kael-X leaned back. "I see. Entertainment serves as a form of simulated battle, allowing humans to experience conflict without danger."

Maya tilted her head. "You really break everything down like that, huh?"

"It is how I was trained."

She watched him for a moment. "And if you weren't trained like that? What would you be?"

Kael-X didn't answer. The question lingered in his mind, but he had no response.

---

Adjusting to Earth

Over the next few days, Kael-X slowly adapted to human life—at least, as much as someone like him could.

Maya's cousin, Elijah, was rarely home, leaving them to their own routine. Kael-X learned how to use the apartment's appliances, though the concept of a microwave confused him at first. He spent hours watching the city from the window, analyzing human behavior.

Maya took him out occasionally—to crowded places, to quiet streets, to places where he could observe and blend in. He learned how to order food, how to walk without drawing attention, and how to respond when spoken to.

But deep down, he knew something was missing. He was pretending to be human, not truly living as one.

One evening, as he sat on the apartment balcony, Maya joined him.

"You've been quiet today," she said.

Kael-X exhaled slowly. "This… is different."

She nodded. "Yeah. But different isn't always bad."

He looked at her. "And yet, I am not one of them. No matter how much I pretend."

Maya was silent for a moment before she spoke. "Maybe not. But that doesn't mean you can't find a place here."

Kael-X glanced up at the stars. He had fought countless battles, faced death more times than he could count. But this—this quiet, uncertain existence—felt like a new kind of challenge.

And for the first time in a long while, he didn't know if he could win.