“The Marriage of Diona: Alala has a new stepmommy!”
There was nothing particularly outstanding about Gonn, the world where the crew of the Dauntless took rest. The weather was fair and mild, the population simple and peaceful, and the land had a quaint, rustic beauty, with a few small cities dotted about dedicated to perpetuating the image of a relaxing vacation spot. This was Gonn’s one and only true claim to fame: it was a small, friendly, somewhat isolated world that pampered tourists and strove to make everyone feel like they were back at home. Firearms were strictly forbidden and so most of the crewmembers were delayed as they hung up their weapons and came into the world armed only with their teeth and nails.
Alala was sitting with the few friends she had made during the long adventure, quietly picking at her meal as she stared numbly at the table. She wasn’t used to excitement and had suffered from an overdose as the Dauntless hopped from one quest to the next—so sitting still and enjoying the day, which she once thought of as a luxury, had now lost its appeal. She wanted something to excite her and to challenge her, but lately, the only thing that came close was—
“What’s wrong, Lala? You look so gloomy…but you’re still cute.”
“Shut up, Marliir,” she grunted, stuffing food into her mouth. It was getting cold and had lost most of its flavor, but she was too stubborn to throw it out. “I am not in the mood to deal with you right now!”
“But you’re never in the mood to deal with me,” she pointed lovingly.
“That’s because for some weird reason, you can’t go five minutes without being a pain in the ass.”
“I think you enjoy it!” she laughed.
“Shut up!” Alala rose and stormed off, but was stopped suddenly by a local postal patrol robot. With the decline and subsequent removal of paper mail, nearly all messages and letters were sent electronically, which was very convenient for people who were always on the move, like Alala. The little postal robot looked at her for a moment before reaching out a short, flat appendage that lit up—it was a monitor.
Would you like to check your mail? it asked her. Alala felt her stomach knot up as she realized she had not looked at her inbox since before leaving on this trip.
“Oh, uh, yeah. I am Alala of Tigris.” She placed her paw on the monitor and opened her eye for retina scan; voice and palm print match confirmed it was her. Predictably, most of the letters were junk, and a few screamed out for her to pay her school bills, but one in particular caught her eye. It was from her mother on Tigris, whom she had not heard from in years. She opened the letter with childish excitement and read; her eyes bulged wider and wider the further down she went.
“What is it, kitten?” Yenae purred. Alala was too stunned to show the annoying woman any ire.
“It’s a wedding invitation from my mother,” she whispered. “She…she’s getting remarried. She wants me to be her maid of honor.”
“Oh goody, a wedding!” Yenae threw her arms around Alala’s waist and rubbed her cheek against her shoulder, yet even this did not disturb her. “It sounds fun! Does it say you can bring a guest? I want to go too and see what kind of wonderful person this mother of yours is! But wait, if this is on Tigris, then… Ah! We get to see the planet of cat-girls!”
“Get off,” Alala said emptily, shaking Yenae away. “It’s not that simple. I haven’t heard from her since before I entered high school, and she drops this on me? The…nerve of that bitch…”
“But don’t you love your mommy?” Yenae pouted. “This is supposed to be a happy occasion!” Alala suddenly exploded, throwing the defenseless postal robot away with a thrust of her arms.
“HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPY WHEN I HAVEN’T HEARD ANYTHING FROM HER IN SEVEN YEARS?! SHE NEVER EVEN BOTHERED TO CALL ME AND WAS PROBABLY FUCKING WITH THIS OTHER WOMAN AND HAVING THE TIME OF HER LIFE WHILE I WAS SUFFERING IN SCHOOL!! I’M GONNA REAM HER WHEN I SEE HER AGAIN!! COME ON!!” And not even knowing who she was grabbing, the infuriated cat-girl swiped Yenae’s wrist and dragged her along, her eyes aflame and her teeth bared. Yenae was surprised, to say the least, and was also shamed—mostly because she finally realized she was infatuated with a woman she barely knew anything about.
But then again, maybe this sudden layover would change all that.
……
Amy and the Acheron sisters seemed fine about redirecting their path—Tigris was quite a good distance away, but they would be able to make it in time—but in order to satisfy their curiosity, they asked Alala why she was so angry at her mother. Of course, in order to understand that, she had to explain a lot of other stuff, and with people interrupting her every so often (which led to one emotional outburst or another), it became difficult to hear the whole story. But what it boiled down to was this.
While Tigris was certainly not the only planet where the Felinis people lived (just as Gaea was not the only world exclusive to humans), it did boast the remarkable phenomenon of having females take up its entire populace. According to its history, a devastating plague about 200 years earlier wiped out the entire male population, even going so far as to prevent any future children from coming out male. On the other hand, it did give the surviving women the amazing ability to reproduce within their own sex, and given the nymphomaniacal and polygamist nature of the Felinis people, the population was easily replaced in a matter of decades.
Alala was not a purebred Felinis but actually the bond between cat-girl and a human woman. Her two mothers, Diona and Clarissa, met when Clarissa, her human mother, visited Tigris to study Felinis architecture. Diona had hitherto been flirtatious and free with her sexuality, but something about Clarissa made her choose to devote all her love to this woman, to the disappointment of the other cat-girls. Not even Alala knew how Felinis women got other women pregnant, but Clarissa had a child nevertheless, and Alala was born. Clarissa was a sickly woman, though, and in spite of all Diona’s efforts, she passed away quietly when Alala was still a child. The only memories she had of her birth-mother were pictures, portraits, and stories.
“Now don’t get me wrong,” she pointed to the entranced crew. “I’m not against this wedding at all. My mother has been a widow for fifteen years and it’s high time she found someone again. If it were that simple, I’d have all the happiness in the world. But she never even told me she was dating again, much less getting married!” Alala then went on to explain that she had spent the last seven years of her life abroad, in Phobos and Ares academies, the toughest schools that Mars had to offer (why Mars? Clarissa was born and educated on Mars, and it was the only real school Alala knew about).
“That alone was good enough to get her aboard this ship,” Amy said to the crew. “Merely attending those schools is a feat itself, but she got valedictorian for both. I only know of three other people who accomplished that feat, and one of them is the current Director for the UCM.”
“Anyway, mom never kept in touch for some strange reason, so you can understand why I’m so angry.”
“At least you’ve calmed down!” Shana squealed.
“Yeah, for now. I can’t be angry for long, but once I see her again, I’m gonna give her a piece of my mind.”
“Just don’t ruin the wedding,” Amy sighed. Alala snorted and crossed her arms.
“That goes without saying. I’m only gonna give her what she’s got coming. I’m not stupid.” The crew slowly scattered again and prepared themselves for a visit to Tigris; Yenae felt a quiet sensation of joy burning in her spirit that had very little to do with happiness. She always knew Alala was smart and adored her for that unsung brilliance, but it was also clear she had lived through the worst of what life had to offer, and emerged strong, proud, cynical, and defiant for it. She so desperately loved Alala for that invincible will of hers that sometimes, she felt unworthy of her presence. How could a goddess like her ever love a mere woman like Yenae? For all her personal achievements and glories, she couldn’t even touch Alala’s strength and dignity—but that only made her love the young woman more. Yes, she teased her, but only out of the purity of that love…and it really did look like the kitten enjoyed it.
Thanks to the speed of the Dauntless, the peerless skills of the Acheron sisters, and a bit of teleportation magic courtesy of Rachel (who loved weddings and cats just as much as anybody), the crew made it to the exotic jungle world of Tigris with time to spare. Its spaceport was fairly primitive compared to modern standards, and its technology was only slightly on part with 18th century Gaea; the world was mostly covered with lush vegetation, small mountains, grand oceans, and clusters of buildings that barely passed as villages. Once the Dauntless touched down and released its crew (or at least those who wanted to come along), a throng of exotic, sensual, sleek cat-girls came out to greet them, most of them already dressed for the upcoming wedding, while some were simply not dressed at all. Their eyes bulged and their hearts raced as they saw all the beautiful foreign women coming down to greet them, but one in particular showed more love than all of them put together.
It was fairly easy to see the family resemblance. While Alala inherited her birth-mother’s wild, fluffy, short silvery hair, it was obvious where she got her big, bright, sharp green eyes. Diona’s womanly body was not a genetic trait they shared (though years of practicing contortionism might have made Alala skinnier than most), but they had the same wavy tail, the same pointy eats, the same pink nose and lips, and the same sharp chins (Clarissa gave her daughter that innocent oval face). Diona pushed her way through the crowd and hugged Alala fiercely, and for a moment, the feisty cat-girl forgot about her anger.
“You made it! I’m so happy! Here, let me take a look at you.” Alala’s eyes filled to the brim with tears—no amount of rage can suffocate the bliss of a reunion—and she smiled with love. But then she remembered how mad she was and pushed her mother away.
“It’s good to see you, mom…but why the HELL DIDN’T YOU TELL ME you were getting MARRIED!?”
“I’m sorry, honey buns; I didn't want you to be upset and take away from the fun you were having at school—“
“Fun? What fun?!” she shrieked. “I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH NOTHING BUT SHIT FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS!” She went on to describe the ghastly details of her hellish experiences, and because she had been holding it in for so long, nobody dared to interrupt her. “Everybody picked on me, ya know why? Because I was nothing but a sex-crazed catgirl to them! And I didn’t have any more money after I spent everything you gave me! And I was smarter than them! I got beat up a lot, too, and I never had any friends—except…except one, who saved me, who I fell in love with, but she…she screwed with me and disappeared after graduation without ever saying a word! She left me just standing there at that bus stop, freezing my tail off!
“But that’s only the beginning! When I got to Ares, I fell in love again…and we…we really had something. She loved me back…but then she got engaged…she broke my heart, mom…her parents wouldn’t let us stay together because I was just some dirt-poor cat-girl to them…and she didn’t even put up a fight! I was so angry, sad, confused, frustrated, heartbroken, devastated…I couldn’t do anything but cry! And all this time, you were fucking around with some other woman…ugh, I’m sorry, no offense, wherever you are, I’ve got nothing against you…you were having all this fun and you didn’t even TELL ME you’re getting married!!”
“But you never told me any of THIS!” Diona screamed. “Why didn’t you ever send me any letters?”
“I don’t know!” she screamed, her eyes flinging tears. Diona’s temper flared up as well—another trait the two shared.
“I’M YOUR DAMN MOTHER, ALALA! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL ME THESE THINGS!!”
“YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU WERE GETTING MARRIED!!” And so it went on as mother and daughter screamed at each other. Even the bravest crewmembers didn’t want to be anywhere near that Maelstrom, and slowly backed away. A few started to have more respect for Alala, though, after hearing her tale of sorrow—especially Naja, who suddenly found herself attracted to more than just the cat-girl’s looks.
“Should we interfere?” Lyara wondered.
“Don’t,” said one of the cat-girls—a tall, tawny, serene-looking lady with long fangs that reached to her chin—she was a rare saber-toothed cat-girl. “This is a matter that mother and daughter must settle. I will wait until the storm has cleared. Are you Alala’s friends?”
“Most of us,” Naja muttered. The woman smiled and bowed slightly.
“My name is Calliope. I’m the current high priestess of Tigris, and Diona’s fiancée. I’ve heard a lot of things about my future stepdaughter, and I must admit, the stories don’t do her justice. She’s even stronger and more beautiful in person.”
“She certainly is,” Yenae sighed. “So if you’re the high priestess, who’s going to perform the ceremony?”
“A special guest,” Calliope said proudly. “Normally, it’s my job to do this sort of thing, and to watch over our religious affairs. We may be a sexually frivolous race, but that doesn’t mean we don’t believe in a higher power. My forerunner will be handling the ceremony today. She’s a friend of Diona’s as well, so it’s a matter of love and honor. I’ll introduce you once they stop bickering—oh, it seems they’ve already reached a happy medium.” Calliope smiled and watched as the squalling stopped and the two cat-girls finally made up, tears busting from their eyes.
“All I ever wanted was for you to be happy!” Diona sobbed. “I'm sorry if I messed up on that, but no matter how pissed you are, you're still the best thing that’s EVER happened to me and I'll always love you!!” Alala nodded fiercely and squeezed her mother tight.
“I love you mom!” she whispered.
“Oh, I love you too grumpy butt!” The cat-girl crowd and most of the crew fawned loudly at such a heartwarming display; they couldn’t help it. Yenae just cackled to herself in spite of how happy she was that all was well.
“Hee-hee-hee! ‘Grumpy butt’! I’ll have to remember that one! Heheheh!”
……
With that matter settled, Alala assumed the role of excited daughter, stepdaughter, and maid of honor, and formally introduced herself to Calliope, slipping several apologies in. Calliope understood how hurt her future stepdaughter was and didn’t blame her for it; she was just glad the two had made up again. She was a kind, soft-spoken, beautiful, humble woman, and Alala grew to like her a lot (of course, everyone started to wonder what it was like having sex with a saber-tooth cat-girl, but they just assumed Diona enjoyed it since she made no attempts to hide her affection). The real treat came later on, though, when the former Felinis high priestess was revealed.
Every religion has their unique figurehead that all future successors aspire to follow. Hinduism has Mohandas Gandhi, Buddhism has Siddartha Gautama, and Christianity has an army of saints and servants—and these are just the Gaean faiths. For the Felinis people across the Milky Way, Marsa Rosemont was their role model—the woman they looked up to, believed in, and followed. Her beauty, grace, wisdom, and insight seemed to keep growing with every year passed—and she was older than Alala’s mother. She was a patient, calm, generous, saintly woman, who extended her tender heart out to all creatures and strove to love those whom society deemed unlovable.
But Marsa Rosemont was also a revered heroine and warrior. She used her influence and strength to lead the Felinis through dark times, particularly when roving bands of slave traders invaded their world. Tigris might have been stripped bare of its resources and its people would have been shackled and caged if it hadn’t been for her. Marsa’s true claim to fame, though, was her ability to communicate with the spirit world, particularly the dead. She could even summon a specter from “the other side” for seven hours, to partake in its wisdom and knowledge. Even outsiders considered her a holy woman—but Marsa had her quirks, too. She showed no interest in the orgies and romances of her world, and never gave in to sexual gratification; she claimed to prefer males anyway, and put herself in exile in order to escape all that nonsense. But she was back now, and for the moment, glad to be home.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay for long, though,” she said to the group. “I am only here for three days, and then I’ll have to be on the move again.”
“So what’s more important than visiting dear friends?” Diona teased her. Marsa smiled sadly; she tried not to let her grave face show on this beautiful occasion.
“I simply have some business to attend to. My services are required. But I’ll be here long enough to see you two on your way. Dr. Miracle, could you please escort your crew to the main square? It’s an open area enclosed by gardens and a fountain. Please feel free to sit anywhere you like.” Miracle thanked her and led the way; now it was just the former priestess, the two brides, and their maids of honor.
“What should I be doing?” Alala said.
“I need everybody to come with me. Calliope, Diona, you already know what we’ll be doing, so if either of you would like to explain…”
“I think we’d all rather hear you say it, Mother Rosemont,” they grinned. Marsa chuckled sweetly.
“You don’t have to be formal with me. Well, for those of you who don’t know, a ritual of purification is required before the wedding ceremony can commence. Alala, Norn, the two of you and I will follow the brides into the sacred pool. We must remove our clothing and prepare pure garments suitable for the ceremony.”
“Y-you mean…we’ll all be naked together?”
“There’s nothing sexual about it,” Marsa assured her. “Calliope and I have both performed this many times. It’s a very holy ritual, my dear. The three of us are responsible for cleansing the brides and making sure they are prepared for their journey together. This honor can only be given to somebody the bride trusts with her life.”
“Oh.” Her face flushed pink as she understood why Diona chose her as maid of honor. “So mom, who’d you get before this?”
“I had your aunt Mavery perform the honors. Clarissa chose her rival for my affections; they had grown to become very unlikely friends.” Alala nodded and breathed deep as she prepared herself. The five of them passed through the thick curtain of a weeping willow into an open pond, with waters as clear as crystal and cool to the touch. Alala and Norn undressed the brides first, then removed their own clothes as they followed the women inside the water. Although Diona and Calliope seemed totally at ease with each other, Alala was a little nervous. She calmed down a little once she saw how frantic her stepmother’s maid of honor was, and reached out to hold her hand.
“It’s cold!” she exclaimed zestfully. Norn grinned and nodded.
“Yeah. Your mother’s really pretty.”
“Hey, are you checking her out?”
“You’d better get an eyeful, Norn,” Calliope called as she waded close to her bride-to-be. “This is the last time I’ll let anybody ogle my Diona. Whenever you’re ready, Marsa.” Rosemont braced herself and undressed quickly. She had pretty ginger fur and meek eyes that flashed with hidden strength; however, the eyes clenched shut and the fur shivered as she waded in.
“I’ve forgotten how cold it is!” she giggled. She shivered and laughed, then became a little more serious as she approached the brides and took their hands. “The two of you will soon be bound for life,” she chanted, “and so let this ritual cleanse you of your pasts so that you may begin anew. Let you not be shamed by one another, but delight in each other’s company. Let Diona serve and honor Calliope and let Calliope cherish and obey Diona. Have no more dreams; have waking delights together. Be not two women but one team. Do not grow cold to love, but be intimate and fruitful. Blessed be the goddess of our world who is called Tigress in our language, and in the ancient tongue, Felindra, archon of the world of those descended from the great cats, able to bear children with their own gender. Blessed be she and her Master and all those gathered here.
“Alala, Norn, please come here and cleanse these women who love one another.”
It was difficult at first to wash her mother’s body. Even though Alala loved her deeper than she could ever describe, it was awkward pouring water over that naked body and guiding it where it needed to go. But soon she understood what Marsa said when she said this was a holy ritual: there was no shame or discomfort in her actions. Pure love poured out of her body and into her hands; Diona was being cleansed and baptized with love. A beautiful, quiet smile drew out of her mouth, and she glanced over to see that Norn was now at peace.
“I missed you, mom,” Alala whispered.
“I missed you too, sugar muffin. I promise I’ll try and keep in touch with you from now on, but you’ll have to do your part, too.”
“Ahuh, I will. And I’m really happy for you, mom—for both of you. I know you’re going to have a wonderful life together.”
“What about you?” Calliope said. “I want to see my future stepdaughter happy as well. Are you in love yet?”
“Maybe,” she whispered bashfully. “I don’t know. I’ll have to see first.”
“Take your time, dear.” Calliope grinned—what a smile the saber-tooth cat-girl had!—and splashed a little water on Marsa’s face. The former high priestess squealed and fought back, and soon Norn was in on the game as well. Alala was about to join in when she noticed something strange about her mother. While she had been clothed, the woman’s girth had been hidden, but now her beautiful nudity revealed a rather startling revelation.
“Uh, mom? Is it just me, or…are you a little plump down there?”
“Oh, right! I almost forgot to tell you, fuzzy-heart! I’m pregnant!”
The splashing, the laughing, the shrieking, the rippling of waves—all creation seemed to stop at once as Alala was slapped with this news.
“Heh…heh…heh…you’re what?”
“I’m pregnant! You’re going to have a little sister soon!” Alala grinned maliciously and reached out to pinch her mother’s cheeks. She stretched them out until poor Diona wailed quietly, all the while seething with frustration. “MOOOOOOO-THEEEEEEERRRRRR, WHY DO YOU KEEP HIDING THINGS FROM ME?!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry—things were moving too fast for me to tell you!”
……
It was very difficult for most of the crew to behave themselves while they waited for the ceremony to begin. As much as the other people of Tigris loved sharing their affections with each other, they liked foreigners even more, as Rebecca could personally vouch for (in fact, she even recognized several old “friends” from her last trip here). The only reason the two sides didn’t break out into a massive lesbian orgy was because the Felinis people had all made personal promises to stave off their urges until after the ceremony. It would shame and dishonor the two brides if they came out of the pool only to discover a massive heap of bodies engaged in carnal affairs, and as much as the Tigris ladies loved sex, they wouldn’t dare disappoint two very dear friends. But of course, once the ceremonies were over, all restraint would be cast to the side.
“I wish this would hurry up,” Chandra sighed.
“Me too,” Naja groaned. “Hey, you think they’d mind if we snuck off and had a little ‘pre-game warm-up’?”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t if we were discreet about it,” she giggled. They didn’t even get the chance to stand up, though, as Marsa Rosemont emerged from the willowy curtain dressed in her old traditional priestess gown. It was a humble white peplos, a sort of toga similar to the type of dress worn by ancient Greek women, and a crown of lilies circled her head. Diona and Calliope came in from opposite sides, escorted by their maids of honor; all five of them were beaming and glorious. Marsa understood how impatient everybody was and decided to keep this one short and simple.
“Twenty years ago, I stood on this same spot to bless the union of Diona and Clarissa, two women of different worlds who, in spite of their diversity, managed to find love together. Although the passing of our dear friend Clarissa was tragic, Diona has found the strength to move on, and has since opened her heart to another. Ten years ago, I left this world we all love to spread my message across the stars, and while my absence was mourned, I felt assured that by leaving my dear Calliope in charge, the goddess Tigress would smile down upon you and there would be prosperity greater than what I have sown. Today, now, we join these worthy souls in the bonds of marriage—a rarity on this world, I must admit, and all the more precious because of this rarity. I am sure everyone is in favor of this union, but if there is one among you against such a blessed match, feel free to speak.”
“You’ll have me to answer to if I hear a single peep!” Alala growled. The crowd, the brides, and even Marsa laughed, and no objections were made. Diona and Calliope wept for joy as they sealed their union, and Alala fell upon them, wailing happily even before Marsa could announce them as a couple.
A day and a night passed. For those who wished to attend, there was a wedding celebration held after the ceremony—though calling it a celebration seems a little tame since it was little more than an orgy involving most of the guests, and even a few people from the Dauntless attended. When morning came, the delightful absurdity of girls loving girls roused those who had slept in late, and Marsa Rosemont quietly dismissed herself for her next task. Instead of hailing a ferry from the Ozmund Company, like she did when she arrived, Marsa went straight to Amy Miracle, who had spent the night alone in one of the hotels. She was a bit surprised to see such a lovely woman sleeping all by herself, but she just figured not everyone was into mindless lesbian cat-girl sex. She certainly wasn’t.
“Good morning,” Miracle sighed as she stretched and yawned. She looked much older with her hair flowing so freely, but she also looked very attractive as well: not merely beautiful, but magnetic and charming and even compelling. Marsa could understand why so many people were drawn to be members of her crew, and quietly admitted to herself that she felt that same unexplainable love.
“Good morning, Dr. Miracle. Did you sleep well?”
“Hardly,” she groaned as she rubbed her eyes. She also didn’t have her glasses on; their absence made her look even more womanly and mature. “I was up half the night trying to drown out all those sex noises. Are they like this all the time?”
“It was a special occasion today,” she explained. “Group sex usually isn’t their thing, or at least it wasn’t when I lived here. At most, they usually have three or four women at a time, but anything goes on Tigris.”
“I see. Well, you came all this way to see me, so what can I do for you?”
“I was actually hoping you could do me a big favor. I came here out of love for Diona and Calliope, but my real destination is Rajani, the so-called ‘dark planet’.”
“Because of the curse.” Amy stared directly into Marsa’s eyes and held the gaze with surprising firmness. The former priestess nodded quietly.
“I’ve been asked to lift it, if I can. This will be very difficult and I was wondering if you and your crew could lend me a hand. The only thing I can pay you with is my gratitude, of course…”
“No, don’t even think about that. I’d be glad to help you. You see…” She pulled her right foot out from the covers and unwrapped the bandage, which was now almost soaked with blood. A little trickle still bubbled out of the wound, and Marsa gasped sharply. She jerked out of her seat and backed away, waving her hands defensively as she shook in terror. Amy sighed and calmly redressed her injury.
“So you do know what this is. Perhaps there is a way you can pay me back after all, Lady Rosemont.” Marsa slowly calmed down and tried to smooth out her jitters. She took a seat and rubbed her face; her hand came back damp with sweat.
“That does seem like a fair exchange. I can’t guarantee you anything, doctor, but I’ll do what I can. Just tell me one thing: where did you get that?” Amy took a deep breath, raised her face to the ceiling, closed her eyes, and quietly chanted—or sang—something that sounded like the fragment of an epic poem, or a prophecy.
“T’was wrought upon my sole along the shores of Death’s ferryman.”
“And is this place close to your birth?”
“In the cradle of the god of wealth, guardian of the underworld, did this Miracle come into being.”
“What manner of creature gave you that mark?”
“The one I have been destined to struggle against since my own mother began to age.”
“And where is this creature now?”
“The seed has been sown into the earth, and it is our human right to reap…or crush.” Marsa took a deep breath as well, and helped Amy braid her hair.
“I’m ready to leave whenever you are. I’ve already said my farewells.”
“That’s good. You should always tell the people you care about when you’re coming or going. We’ll be ready to leave in two hours. The hard part will be trying to convince everyone to leave this place. Lucky for me, the god of wealth gave birth to me. How else do you think I was able to enlist so many?”
……
Just as Amy predicted, it was nearly impossible getting most of the crew to leave their new sweethearts. She knew she had promised them that they could come and go as they pleased, but she also felt it would not do any of them much good to stay on this planet, when their true hearts were devoted to adventure, glory, and exploration. During this time, Yenae quietly pulled Diona aside, and smiled at her. The newly-married cat-girl had never seen a woman with horns before, but she thought they were rather lovely and didn’t flinch.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“You’re Alala’s mother, right? You two look a bit alike.” Diona grinned.
“I’m afraid she got most of her beauty from her other mother, Tigress rest her soul. Are you a friend of hers?”
“Yes, but she doesn’t know it yet. Listen—I have a confession to make, but this may seem a little awkward for both of us. You see, Miss Diona, I’m in love with your daughter.” Diona suddenly gasped for joy and reached out to embrace Yenae, but she was held back. “Don’t make a scene! I don’t want her knowing yet—not like this, anyway. I want to prove to her how strong my love is. Your daughter is the most amazing woman I’ve ever known, and I’ve met some very brilliant people in my lifetime. I fell in love at first sight and I’ve grown fonder of her ever since. Of course, I don’t know how to tell her, so I just keep teasing her.”
“I think that’s the best way to go about it,” Diona giggled. “Alala is a very sweet, caring, kindhearted young woman—she can just be a little temperamental at times. She gets that from me. I think what she needs more than anything is someone who will love her unconditionally…someone who will stay by her side even when it hurts…someone who will fight for her, and challenge her.”
“I promise, I will do all of that and more. I just want your blessings.” Diona smiled sweetly and drew Yenae in for a rough hug.
“I’d be happy to have someone as sweet as you as my future daughter-in-law. I know she’ll be leaving soon…she always has been a big fish in a small pond…so I want you to take care of her. Um…what’s your name, dear?”
“Yenae, Yenae Gwen Marliir.”
“What a pretty name! Please watch out for her, Yenae dear…and come visit us soon! I’d be more than happy to give my daughter away to you.” They hugged again, but were separated suddenly as Alala pulled Yenae away.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing? My mother’s a married woman now!”
“I know! We were just exchanging pleasantries, ‘grumpy butt’!”
“Grumpy? MOTHER, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TELLING HER?!”
“Nothing at all, sugar muffin!” Yenae laughed out loud along with everyone else in range.
“That’s even better! ‘Sugar muffin’! I love it! Got any more?”
“Oh, dozens!”
“MOOOOOOOOM, WHY DO YOU GOTTA EMBARRASS ME LIKE THIS!?”
Preview of next chapter:
Kyrie: Yo, I haven’t been seen for a long time! Wassup with that?
Vimmy: I’ve noticed that nobody’s paid much attention to me either, I’ve certainly been watching everyone myself, I have to say that being cast aside doesn’t feel very good… (blah, blah, blah)
Herut: The next chapter has the idiotic crewmembers going to a dark planet to lift a terrible curse. Why do things like this keep happening to us?
Kyrie: Who cares? I need some star time! And fire! And sex!
Rachel: I’ve barely been mentioned and I don’t mind at all!
Vimmy: Yes, but who could ever forget a genie, whereas I keep getting the short end of the stick, but I am the richest person onboard, I have to keep track of finances and important business deals… (yak, yak, yak)
Herut: All this excitement and more in, “The Dark World: lifting a curse on a wing and a prayer!”
Kyrie: And hopefully more lines!
Herut: That too.
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