Umbral Home
This is a short story I wrote after I got inspired by experiencing Furality Umbra, a Furry VR convention which was held from 6th of June till the 10th (2024). Though for most of the convention the experience was pretty similar to a normal furry convention near the end there was a light/music show at which I had a small revelation. This is what inspired this short story.
I hope you will enjoy, so without further ado I present “Umbral Home”
Between the Real and the Unreal, Fiction and Fact, we find Truth
The week of work before was grueling getting the old junker of a space ship repaired at the spaceport before the weekend of the solstice celebration was near madness, still it was a job, and kept the food on the table. As they finished the last few tuneups, Botch moved their hands over the controls, for a moment pretending they where flying the thing out of here. Reality came crashing down soon though as their boss knocked on the door
“Hey you finished?”
“Yeah, just some polish”
“Good the celebrations are about to begin, you don’t want to miss it right?”
“Yeah, Yeah, shop is closed anyway”
Botch stepped out of the cockpit, a sigh leaving their mouth, some day perhaps they could be out there.
The next few days went by in a rush, for some reason this years celebrations went well, maybe it was the social training they where doing, maybe the knowledge they had left their job finished, the ship was ready for pickup next day the shop was open, or something else that cured their social anxiety, even if it was just for the moment. As these thoughts crossed their mind, they decided it didn’t matter, hanging out with friends, both old and new was more important right now anyway.
Almost suddenly Botch found themselves standing on the edge of the mesa, it was dark, in a few minutes the final act of the celebrations would begin. They where sitting down on the rocky ground, talking when the music started.
“It begins!” someone shouted, maybe it was even themselves it didn’t matter.
Standing there on the edge, the light show towering over them, the music surrounding them, they realized that even tough they disliked how the sand could get in their fur, or how the suns could burn down on you, watching the fireworks, with their old and new friends at their side…
They where home.