His firstborn always asks how hard is to get there.

Sevet tells him it was a very perilous journey through the seas where each current was more treacherous than the last.

In reality, people overestimate how safe a sea serpent can be on the open ocean, even one that is almost completely grown up like Sevet. It's easy to get lost. Even more so when pirates decide that you and your parents look like interesting food or something.

Sevet didn't like the darkness, but he went deeper and deeper and then... the water changed, from salty to fresh and there was light where he thought below was.

Most children enjoy hearing variations of the same story, specially very enthusiastic events.

Sevet's secondborn wasn't like that. And got Sevet to retell the story the same way each time, at least this part.

Out of nowhere, a large squid tentacle wraps itself around Sevet. He is almost grow, being twelve, but that's not grow enough to be as strong as he could. And his shapeshifting power is not all there yet. He can make a human face and arms... if he works for most an afternoon. He can't escape a grasp like this.

Luckily, all that the giant squid does is place him on the shore of a lake.

Sevet looks around. There is no river connecting this lack to anywhere else. That's not how water works. I mean, it can be, but where is the ocean?

Apparently, the ocean is nowhere to be seen. And it's hard to believe he failed to spot a island this big. There is a forest around and a building over there.

Also, sitting on the shores, not too far away from where Sevet landed there is a pair of twins with faces quite similar to Sevet's attempt at human faces.

"Is that?"

She looks up. "Apparently so. I told you this place is full of surprises."

His thirdborn really likes surprises!

There is plenty in this story.

Sevet looks up at the apparent twins, one is wearing oddly clothing, the other is a bit more recognizable like something from a Giant city-state.

If only they knew Sevet's internal monologue, regardless, he is wearing a gray suit with a white under-shirt.

"Hello, there. Welcome to Milliways."

She is wearing a very nice witch outfit made out of black silk.

"Are you okay, little one?"

"I am not little!" He protests using his arms to prop himself up, he looks more like a fish with arms and a human face than what some worlds would call merfolk. "I am larger than you."

"You sure are. He sure is." He repeats. "Why call him little?"

"Call it a sixth sense. But am I wrong that you are not fully grown yet?"

"How old are you?"

"I am twelve. That's almost grow up."

The two exchange a knowing look. "And what's your name? I am Stephania Farakhel and I prefer female pronouns."

"Stephen Grayscale."

Sevet's face frowns.

"I am Sevet Graydoor. Those are very similar names."

"They are. Have you ever been to Milliways before?"

Those people are kinda weird.

"No. And I don't know how I got here." He eyes them suspiciously.

"That was not our doing. Milliways exists between worlds and sometimes it will bring people from different worlds that are similar, but not quite. Like us."

"Why does it do that?"

Phaidra has a theory about that, it involves jumping up and down on the bed, not the theory itself, but the delivery method of said theory.

It does that so people can make friends from all over!

Sevet agrees with his fourthborn.

"No one knows. Maybe someone with a lot of power think of it as a cosmic joke."

"Don't scare the new one too much. More so if he is just a kid."

"We should warn him at any rate."

He was going to complain that they shouldn't talk about him like he wasn't there, instead he asks: "warn me?"

"Warn you. We are not just similar in looks. This place attracts people from different worlds but who are very similar in looks and history. These are called alts and each kind of alt is a template. People of our template have similar sounding names and some tendencies. Am I correct to assume you want many kids?"

"Many." He usually doesn't answer that with confusion or apprehension. 

"Don't tell him that he can't."

"...It probably won't work."

"Or we can find an alternative. Kid. Sevet, we have a lot of kids and we make a lot of mistakes on the way of making them. Sometimes, it costs us everything."

He squirms uncomfortably. "Not it doesn't."

"It costs us any chance of actually being part of their lives and having a normal family. When it doesn't cost more."

"It cost my life." She says turning gray-pale and see through.

In that case he will flee the weird Spirit. Back to the water he goes.

His fifthborn is glad that isn't the end but he shouldn't have fled.

Jokingly,  he always replies it was a strategic exit. And he continues how he went back to observe and see what the other two were doing. 

Sevet is hungry and despite spending many hours he couldn't find a way out.

And there are three of his alts on the lake's shore. One wears a crown. They are having a picnic.

Sevet is eventually spotted eyeing their food. The crowned Stephen approaches the shore and leaves a plate with food where Sevet can reach it.

The food must be safe. Sevet is definitely eating it. He doesn't particularly bother with table manners on the account of not have ever interacted with a table.

He approaches with more food. "So you're the young one." When Sevet keeps gorging himself he continues. "I am sorry Stephania scared you. She is a bit cynical."

"She is a weird spirit." Sevet says between bites.

"Not wrong. She should've been gentler, but it is from a place of caring."

Sevet makes an agreeable noise. "I am gonna have a bunch of kids and not die."

"Solid life goal."

He lets Sevet take another bite.

"Most of us have six children between three spouses. Mostly wives."

"Sounds nice. I don't need a wife. I will be able to change shape and be a girl and get babies all by myself."

"It sounds nice, but most of us don't end up very happy for it. Not the spouses. Not ourselves. Not the children."

"Why not?"

"Because we make mistakes."

Munching. Waiting for an elaboration?

"Most of us that screw up. Do it so because we can't stand having just a one partner to be with. And while we love that partner, they doesn't let us have what we want, even if they are not being pushy to us about it."

"Well, I won't screw up."

"Oh, good."

There is something about his posture that shifts and... is his shadow looking at Sevet?

"Communicate."

Sevet can't take a step back on account of not having feet, but he can put some distance between himself and whatever that shadow is. "What?"

"Communicate. Express your feelings. Tell the people you want to have children with about what you want and what you need. Don't underestimate your need for what you want, either."

"Okay."

"It's harder than it sounds."

"Why?"

"Varies, at least between each one of us. But there is always a theme of us having or finding a reason to do so. Whatever it is, it always makes it important for us to produce progeny. Or, enables us to produce progeny. It is not like we don't want to."

"I don't have anything like that."

"You don't actually need to. Sometimes it can just happen to us. Grayscale over there," he indicates with his head, "didn't, instead fate just conspired for him to forget his first wife and have kids with his new husband."

Uncomfortable shifting. "Why that happened to him?"

"The wars in his world are fought with weirder magic."

"But why that happens to us?"

"That much I don't know kiddo. Fate? I don't think it's impossible to bit, but I am the lucky one. In my world I am openly encouraged to seek out extra-marital pursuits and have tons of kids."

"That's unfair. I want that."

"Aw, I wish it was that easy for every one of us. And even I have caused some family-related disappointments. Though, they are harder to explain."

Sevet harumphs loudly and bitterly.

Lord Stephen snorts. "Oh, and it's not just us that get alted. We always have children with the same three people, the same six children even."

"What are they like?"

"Our wives, well, not always wives, but our spouses? Or our kids? Are you sure you want to know and not be surprised?" He doesn't wait for the young one to show annoyance. "Like us, they have a color in their last name. We always are gray-something. Theirs are Black, White and Green."

Sevet nods. He changes from a mostly blue-gray color scheme to one with stripes in the mentioned colors.

"Pretty. Well, let me start with the... Black branch. I get the impression it's usually our first wife, but the order may change. She strong, self-assured and when she cares, she cares with intensity."

"Sounds like a good spouse."

"She is. At least until our adultery ruins her. She doesn't handle feeling betrayed." He gives a pause to the small absorb that, and then continues. "We have two children by her, often our first and second borns."

Uncomfortable squirming, like there is something pressing around him. The shadow still is weird. "And our children?"

Lord Stephen Grayhunt smiles a very genuine smile.

"Ah, yes. By her, the Black-branch mother, though I suppose she could come in male in your world. Anyway, by her we have two. The first is adventurous, brave and noble like any warrior hero of a tale." He is quite obviously very proud.

"Are they a boy or girl?"

"Why does it matter?"

"It matters, for the Giants you're better as a man, and for the Faen you're better as a woman."

"I see. As far we can tell, the Black-branch firstborn comes in both."

"Okay. What's the second black-branch child like?"

"Where the first is wild, the second is quiet, studious, dedicated and practical. They care a lot about memories, keeping journals and being afraid of forgetting. When it's possible can, they get memory magic. Or mental healing magic."

"Okay." That sounds like you could get from the mental protection power? The one that does reincarnation. "What about the others?"

"Of course. Let's see... there is the White-branch. Our spouse of that branch sometimes shows up as a boy. That has yet to stop us from having children together."

That sounds good. "What are they like?"

"The White-branch spouse is... a very kind soul. In most worlds, they are the spouse that we tend to keep for longer. To their detriment."

Sevet makes an annoyed noise that sputters into something small and frail. He regrets making the annoyed noise. He regrets what happens to the white-branch spouse. And he hasn't even done that yet!

Lord Stephen and his shadow watch him with a calculating look.

"I for one, actually managed to keep mine happy. Though, seeing my other selves failing so much at... makes one doubt."

Miserable noise. "And the kids?"

"Our first from the white-branch is... they got the kindness of their other parent and then some. An inherently gentle soul."

"Oh, good."

"The second... their situation is more complicated, it's not always our fault. See, most of them have some kind of healing power."

"Sea serpents sometimes have that." Sevet asks confused, because his alt looks so grave.

"They are taken and someone forces them to use the power."

"Taken by who?"

"It's not consistent between worlds. Just someone who has use for healing."

"Are they okay afterwards?"

"It's my understanding that they are rarely harmed."

"But they are... scared?"

"Yes, little one. If you were anyone else I would not dream to share what I will share: they end up hating being seen as weak, specially because of her powers. They have intensively mixed feelings about their healing, but ultimately want to forge themselves stronger. It's a mindset that worries me, you can't be strong all the time. Or keep people out."

Sevet nods.

"Then there is the third one of that branch. Who is often our youngest child, sometimes with a larger age gap with the others. But he is also something of a old soul."

"Old soul?"

"Serious and composed since very early age. Sometimes grumpy. Unlike all of their siblings they are not fan of adventures. They just want to hone their music and tinkering hobbies while the family is safe."

"That sounds... old."

Chuckle. "I guess it does."

Sevet mentally counts. "There is more?"

"Yes. Our third spouse, the green-branch and our only child by them."

"You can just explain them, you know."

"But I enjoy seeing your reactions so much."

Annoyed sound.

"Alright, alright. The green-branch spouse - we only have seen her as a woman, so I will just call her she - is very practical, pragmatic and composed. Out all of our spouses I would say that she is the most likely to cooperate. White-branch... submits. Black-branch will burn bridges rather than cooperate."

He takes the younger one silence as a sign to continue. "Now our only Green-branch child. Sometimes a girl, sometimes a boy, sometimes will actively use magic to change gender, always the most enthusiastic of magic nerds. They are actually very open to learning and experiencing everything, but magic is their one true passion. Sometimes I think of them as a blend of our other two firstborns. Adventurous, kind and curious."

"Sounds nice. Why only a kid with the green one?"

Shrug. "Our involvement with them tends to be briefer than the others. Maybe whatever force of fate that causes our similarities also drives us apart. But... well, I did say she was practical and... we do cheat on them all."

Uncomfortable shifting.

Lord Grayhunt and his shadows observe.

"We love all of our kids, but we are not proper fathers to them. Right down to the moment of their conception."

More discomfort.

"Talk, little one."

"I haven't done anything yet, it's not my fault that you did any of that!"

"But are you going to?"

"I don't know! I don't have to do anything!" Sevet says.

Despite not looking anything like a cat, he conveyed the image of a cat with his hackles raised.

"You don't have to? Huh. Regardless if you have to do anything, there will be consequences."

Grump.

"I want to leave."

"If you are sure, I will hardly stop you."

A lot of his children find it so weird that he would leave. Given that he just told them that he was having a pleasant conversation with his other selves.

Sevet was very young and naive.

That doesn't sound like a good enough justification!

At that age you are very sure of things that you shouldn't. It's part of growing up.

Sevet is very sure! He is old enough to be sure that he wants to leave.

Alright, alright. They can go inside and try the door. Even if that was not the way which Sevet came from it should work.

Sevet has never been inside a build before, and in other situations he would've been curious about it. Not now. When they reach the door, it opens to somewhere underwater.

Is that the end of the story?

He usually gives them a different answer each time. Usually after a dramatic pause. Sometimes he tells then it is, and it's time to sleep. Sometimes he recounts the tale of when he mets their mother (or other father).