“Epitaph: the artist’s true heart”
Epitaph, Shana Suing’s home world and the destination for the next stage of the journey, was a fairly ordinary world considering the variety available. The only really unique thing about it was that there were very few “short” people walking around; Shana was a rare example and so she had felt left out. Then again, this isolation did spark her interest in learning, memory, art, and solving puzzles, so it wasn’t a complete loss. However, there was also a considerable amount of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination on Epitaph; it was almost universal. The worst part was that there was no good excuse for this anachronism: the world was considered up to date in terms of technology, government, and learning, but their mindset was still primitive. Shana had fought hard to keep herself from joining the crowd.
Epitaph had many small villages, and very little desert, making it ideal for agriculture. It had an impressive ocean, the Strafdat, and lands full of fertile plains and forests. There was one main city, given the uninspiring name of Epitaph Central, and the other cities were either branches around the world, or villages and colonies. There were no countries or regions because a single world dictator governed everything. Most of the “branch cities” were very poor or corrupt, and Shana had the misfortune of living in one, cramped inside a small apartment with her two older brothers, three older sisters, and her younger brother, Allen, the only one she genuinely loved. Despite the number of cities, most of Epitaph remained unknown, and there are large numbers of underground passageways that had never been explored. Many legends of “monsters” living in these passages arose over time, but stories like that circulate everywhere; no civilization is without its urban legends.
As soon as they arrived, everybody disembarked and stretched their limbs: it was nice walking around a world without any considerable danger for a change. Because Shana knew this place the best, everyone looked to her to guide them around, but there was very little she could say about it she hadn’t pointed out already. She did note that the docking bay was rather sparse, even with the relatively low tourism, so twenty-three newcomers and one prodigal daughter was something significant. Epitaph hadn’t seen such an influx of outsiders in years.
“We used to get all our income from tourists,” she explained, “but now that we’re in a recession, we’ve turned to the ocean for our resources. It’s not an enormous problem, of course— we’ve got plenty of agriculture and domestic trade— we just have to tighten our belts a little and take care of what resources we have left. You’re all free to look around— you’ll be treated fairly well since we don’t usually get outsiders— I’m just going to visit my brother. I’ve got a lot of artwork to show him!”
“He’s the young man with the illness,” Fuuka stated solemnly. Shana nodded. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to come along and diagnose his symptoms.”
“That would be fine, but it’s getting to the point where I’m starting to lose hope.”
“I know just how you feel,” she replied forlornly. Herut wedged her way through the crowd and tugged on Shana’s arm. She was afraid that by now, her feelings for the young woman would be in vain, that she had chosen Mink to love and merely thought of Herut as a friend, but… Even if that was true, she still loved Shana and wanted to understand her own feelings more. She was supposed to be a maintenance and repair unit; she wasn’t mean to feel much of anything. And perhaps she still had a chance! She had to risk it, if only to realize her identity and come to grips with who— and what— she was turning into.
“Could I come too?” she asked meekly. Shana’s dour face turned bright all of a sudden. If only Herut knew how much she warmed her heart!
“Of course, I’d love to introduce you to my family! Let’s go find a trolley.”
“What’s a trolley?” Shana pointed to the roads, where large boxlike cars traveled across wires and rails.
“Those are,” she said. “Epitaph ran out of fossil fuels and crude oil long before I was born, so we were forced to rely on other sources of energy. These trolleys run on electricity, and do you see those?” She pointed to a fleet of yachts sailing through the air; they looked like crescent moons. “They utilize the wind to move around. Bicycles and steam-propelled engines have resurfaced in popularity, and we even have a few solar vessels. Say, what are the rest of you going to do while we’re gone? I’m afraid that Allen can’t receive too many visitors in his condition, so you’ll have to find something else to keep you busy.”
“That won’t be easy with our cute tour guide gone,” Lil purred. Shana giggled nervously.
“I’m pretty sure you’ll manage on your own. Let’s meet back here by about noon tomorrow.”
“You won’t stay any longer?” Fuuka asked. Shana smiled up at her.
“Allen wouldn’t want me tied down here with him. Besides, I’ve got more worlds to draw, and…you know…I want to see the most beautiful one before he…passes on. I’m just visiting.”
“But we’re in no rush.”
“We’re really not,” Eve said as she uncrossed her arms. “I mean, it’s not as if we have a lot to go on. Um, you know, with all this Origin stuff going around. We can stay another day.”
“I guess that settles it, then!” Fuuka beamed. “Let’s meet here by evening in two days.”
“Thanks,” Shana giggled. “I didn’t want to sound presumptuous by proposing a deadline.” And so the three of them found an available trolley and rode off in one direction, while the crew separated according to their tastes and desires. Mink lingered for several minutes, declining to join anybody, wondering what she should do about the current situation. She couldn’t help but wonder why Shana had not invited her. Had their brief, rebellious night together meant nothing? Did they defy Vimmy and consummate something special in vain? Maybe Shana didn’t want to expose someone so precious to her brother’s fatal illness— but why bring Herut? Mink understood that Shana loved the other woman just as much, and was happy for her— but even so, she couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit envious. Mink ultimately decided to believe that Shana just wanted to spend some time alone with Herut, and she would come back to her eventually.
“Wait for me!” she called, running after the last trolley.
……
“There’s something I have to warn you two about before we go any further,” Shana said as the trolley dropped them off at their destination. “It’s about my family, see. Allen, my brother, and daddy…they’re both good people, and I’m sure you’ll like them. But I have two older brothers and three older sisters who are…uh, I really hate to say it, but they’re pretty much scum. They’re either into drugs, into gangs, or both, so if we happen to run into them, just stay out of their way. My mother’s not quite as terrible, but she is an alcoholic, and she will curse at you if you do anything…well, let’s just say that she’ll curse if you do anything.” Shana had a dead-serious expression; the years of torment she spent in that squalid apartment, trapped with a family of degenerates, had been hidden well behind her sunny exterior.
“I had no idea,” Herut murmured as she realized just how strong her best friend was. Shana smiled feebly.
“It’s not the sort of thing you can talk about that openly. We’re also fairly poor, Fuji-sama, so don’t expect any payment for your services.”
“I could never dream of asking you for anything!” she exclaimed in shock. “Any real doctor wouldn’t let a thing like finances get in their way!”
“Well, Epitaph is just that corrupt,” she explained. “But even so, the only reason I left was so I could see the universe and what it has to offer, then show it to my brother, since he can’t even leave the house. Unless you can pull out a miracle— um, I mean, something extraordinary— Allen won’t survive for very long.”
“I always did value actions over prayers and divine intervention,” Fuuka said. “But considering what we’ve been through, I’m prepared to open my mind a bit. Tell me what he was like before you left him.” Shana filled them in as they walked the rest of the way. Thanks to the dystopian government, the abuse and neglect of natural resources, and the allocation of funding to the wealthy few, most of Epitaph’s cities were in ruin or else on the verge, and very few people still made their homes in the ramshackle shanties and dilapidated constructs. Some moved out to explore the unknown country in a desperate hope, while others sold themselves into servitude— or else gave up entirely. The only reason Shana’s family lived in relative comfort was due to their illicit actions. In a city congested with dismal morals and greed, drug dealers and gangs were the only trades that prospered.
Herut, meanwhile, clung to Shana with newfound appreciation and humility. She wondered how she could ever be selfish enough to worry about her own feelings when her closest friend was going through so much inner torment— and she kept her smile on in spite of everything! She had only tasted the darker side of life in her secluded, safe world of transport repair and maintenance: Shana had to live with this filth all her life. And all she wanted was to send Allen away in peace, with the universe spread out before him in perfect illustrations! Herut wept and held Shana’s hand; she didn’t know her questions about her humanity were being answered.
“It looks like we lucked out!” Shana exclaimed cheerfully as she approached her neighborhood. “The only ones home are daddy and Allen. It’s that little gray one over there.”
“They’re all gray,” Fuuka said. Shana giggled.
“Right, right. Ours is the one with the white and green graffiti. Hey, daddy finally fixed that window! Someone threw a brick into that window a few years back. That’s a piece of good news.” She led them up the crumbling staircase and through the front door, knocking quietly.
“Is your father expecting us?” Fuuka asked.
“Well, I told him I’d be back eventually, but I never said when. He’d probably just pretend I had only been gone for a few hours. Daddy, I’m home! It’s Shana!”
“It’s a nice home,” Herut mumbled, trying to make the best of things. Shana’s influence stood out like the proverbial diamond in the rough, as patches of color exploded out from the walls and certain pieces of furniture, giving pale life to the drab apartment. It stank a little, but most of the odor came from the plumbing, which had been broken for a week. Shana’s father was apparently trying to mask it with some cooking, and as Shana stuck her head through the kitchen, he waved at her as if she had never even left the building.
“Hey, great to see you! Glad you could make it: tonight’s dinner is grilled duck. I actually caught one live out in the wilderness!”
“Oh, cool! So what’s it like out there?”
“I don’t know what those weasels in Central are doing,” Mr. Suing growled, gesturing towards the door with his tuning fork. “They’ve been proposing a new development plan that will take all of us poor saps into the wild where we’re supposed to be building a better community. We all know they’re only doing it because they’ve drained this half of the world dry, and now they’re going for the other half. Vicki was actually out there protesting!”
“My oldest sister,” Shana explained. “I’m not surprised at all; she always was an activist. Uh, Vicki goes out into the wild and…uh, well, she harvests illegal substances.”
“It’s the least offensive thing I’ve seen in a long time!” Father Suing said, adding more seasoning and herbs to his pot. It smelled fairly nice, but his efforts were hopeless: the plumbing was downright acrid. As he returned to his meal, Father Suing muttered, “So who’re your friends? I see a lil’ lady about your age and…uh, size, and a woman that looks like a fox. That’s not a costume, is it?”
“No sir, I’m a Kitsune.”
“A what?”
“A fox-person, sir. We evolved from the foxes just like you humans evolved from— ”
“I don’t mind any of that evolution crap, but I suppose not all the aliens can be little green men…or little green women.”
“Actually, sir, one of our crew does have green skin,” Herut said.
“Your crew? Oh, that’s right! You went to sign up for Dr. Miracle’s voyage for treasure!” He put his utensils down for a moment to face them, smiling as he dried his sweaty face. “So how was that like? Is Dr. Miracle as terrifying as they say? What was the treasure? Did you see a lot of worlds? Is it too much to ask if you found something to help Allen?”
“Uh, maybe we’d better talk over supper, daddy,” Shana said. “You’re kind of flustering me with all these questions. They’re not easy to answer.”
“Apparently not, considering you look tougher and smarter than when you left. Well, I won’t be done for awhile, so go say hello to your brother. Now who are these people again?”
“My friends,” she explained as she made introductions. “This is Herut, a girl that works maintenance and repairs. We wouldn’t be where we are without her help. And this is Fuuka Fujiwara, or just Fuji-san, a doctor.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” he smiled, bowing politely. “So, a mechanic and a doctor, huh? Did you bring her here to see Allen?”
“Well, not specifically, but she said she’ll give a diagnosis.”
“I can’t make any promises, sir,” Fuuka replied. Father Suing shrugged and went back to his cooking.
“Just making Allen’s day a little brighter is all I ask for, and Shana’s probably going to take care of that. If you three are all that’s there, then you’re welcome to some supper. I reckon Deena and the kids might not show up today. Heck, Vicki’s probably in jail again! Well, at least she’s standing up for something. Anyway, I’ll call you when supper’s ready.”
“Okay, thanks daddy! C’mon, I’ll show you to my brother.”
The family resemblance between Allen and Shana Suing was strong, even though there was a difference in age…and height.
“Don’t make fun,” Shana groaned as Allen ruffled her hair. He was only thirteen, yet he towered over his smaller, older sister.
“Hey, I haven’t seen you since you ran away. I deserve a little brotherly abuse. What I’d like to know is why you came back! Turning tail was the smartest thing you could’ve done, Shan.”
“But I told you I’d be back to give you my pictures. You made me promise, remember?”
“Yeah, but here’s the thing: there’s this new invention called the mail. You can send packages with it and stuff. Why, you can even send me all your portraits over the computer!”
“But what good would that do if I’m not here to show them to you?”
“Yeah, there’s also this thing called a letter.”
“Stop being such a brat,” she moaned cutely. “And stop messing up my hair! I came all this way just to show you all these beautiful worlds…”
“I know,” he grinned impishly. “That was the welcoming reception. So who are your friends? They’re cute! I hope they’re single.”
“They’re both way older than you,” Shana grumbled. Fuuka laughed at them, and even Herut finally cracked a smile.
“I’m flattered, but spoken for. Shana, your brother is too adorable! I can see the family resemblance.”
“It’s not a dominant trait,” she explained. “Daddy and Allen are the only good apples in the bunch. Well…Vicki’s not too bad if you catch her when she’s clean.”
“We’re adopted!” Allen sang triumphantly. “Actually, we’re aliens from the planet Dwixl, invading the bodies of the unworthy for our crazy mad science experiments!” Fuuka laughed again; she was glad to see Shana’s terminal brother in such good spirits. He reminded her of herself, so very much…
“If only,” Shana sighed. “Anyway, this is Herut and Fuuka. Herut and I became best friends during our journey, and Fuuka’s sort of like a big sister to me. She’s a very famous doctor, so please behave yourself, at least for an hour.”
“I’m going to be watching the seconds closely,” he warned, pointing to an old clock hanging on his wall. “You have exactly three-thousand six-hundred of them to spare, doctor, before I’m free again. Of course, if you’ll go out on a date with me, I might extend them…or who knows! I might just give you less, if that’s your thing!”
“He’s so cute!” Fuuka squealed, giving Allen a hug. Shana giggled and admitted she was right (sometimes), while Herut stood off to the corner, smiling patiently. As Fuuka was examining Allen for his terminal illness, Shana put on a show for him, pulling out all her portraits and landscapes, describing each in turn. Along with the crew, of which was a greater interest to Allen in the long run, she showed him every world they had visited since the journey began: Strategos, the comet, Sargasso, Bibliopolis, Olria, Reversa, Sekhamank 4, Amazonia, Tigris, Rajani, New London, Cumulus, the Hagan system, the nameless primitive world, Saigrim, Necropolis, the Space Station, and finally, Hallow’s Point around Silvanus.
“So what’s the verdict, doc?” Allen said. Fuuka gave him a sad smile and caressed his face.
“It’s a terminal degenerative disease that slowly affects the nerves. I expect you only have less than two years left to live. Soon it will affect your spine and you won’t be able to walk on your own anymore.”
“Is that all?” he said calmly. “Hmm. And here I thought it was serious.” Fuuka stared at him in awe, blinked, and couldn’t help but grin: his resilience was remarkable.
“That sounds like the one you’ve got,” Herut said. Allen raised his eyebrows.
“You mean she and I have the same illness? Isn’t that weird! I guess…I should welcome you to the club! It’s very exclusive, you know, but we get the best care and company around!”
“Yes,” she said, her voice strained as she began to cry. Fuuka put her arms around Allen and let the tears flow. “You’re absolutely right, darling. We have the best there is.”
……
“What’s eating you?” Eve said as she glanced at Mink. “You look more down than usual.”
“Oh, it’s not so bad. You musts till be mourning for your friend.”
“Nah,” she smiled gently. “Zeta wouldn’t want me crying for him. Besides, I’m happier than I am sad. I just found out I got a real family. It’s not every day your dream comes true.”
“Your dream?” Eve blushed and scratched her cheek bashfully.
“Uh, yeah… Listen, I know it sounds really dorky, but the one thing I wanted more than anything else was a family that loved me. I had a xenophobic turd for a father and an iceberg for a stepmother. It…kind of rubbed off on me. Hey, if I ever caused you offense, I’m real sorry. I want to start being a better person now.” Mink’s lips curled upward very slightly, a sharp change in mood for her.
“You’ve never caused me any trouble. I’m glad you decided to change. And…I’m glad I decided to come along.”
“Everybody came along,” Eve replied simply. “And I can’t blame them. It’s about time we ran into a normal world.”
“That isn’t what I meant,” she said, giggling very quietly. Eve asked her about it, but Mink was resting her head on her shoulder, sleeping peacefully, trusting Eve to care for her until they reached their destination. She hesitantly put her arm around the taller woman and snuggled a little closer.
“Oooh,” Kyrie squealed. Kasberry snorted.
“Shut up.” Their trolleys soon sojourned at a transit station, just long enough for everyone to get out, get a snack, relieve themselves, or just take in the sights. Passengers came and went, but three in particular looked awfully familiar, especially to Sharyn and Lyara. The younger one had a very tragic, ethereal beauty on her face: she was as pale as the clouds themselves, fair but with curly hair darker than the storms, and she had a regal dress that humbly glowed with a misty blue, like the sky when dawn has approached on a clear day. She had no jewels save a pearl headband that kept her hair from flapping, and her feet were bare. The elder was striking in her mature beauty and commanded great respect and love with the smallest gestures as she greeted her guests. Her hair was much longer than her daughter’s, and it was flecked with dim silver and tied up to expose her silky neck, but age had clearly been kind to her and she wore her years proudly, although her ruby eyes did not even hold half the life they once did. They were Alto and Cirrus, former Queen and Princess of the Cloud Kingdom, and Sharyn knew them well, since she had helped save them from a dreadful curse. The third was a woman with brilliantly colorful wings— not like Rebecca’s pair at all, but naturally attached at birth, as much a part of her body as her eyes and ears. She had feathers for hair, cautious eyes and a sharp face, and when she recognized her fellow passengers, she yelled in anger.
“Oh, shit! You’re those meddling bitches from before!!”
“And you’re that foul harpy that soured our journey so much,” Sharyn growled. She pulled her sword but could not swing it; Amy came between them and hugged the bird-woman.
“Ferrara! It’s so great to see you again! How have you been?”
“Huh? Uh, hey! If it isn’t Amy Miracle! It’s great seeing you! I figured you’d still be traveling with these hoodlums!”
“How dare you insinuate that we are the villains here!”
“Amy, what the hell are you doing?” Lyara growled. Amy turned to face her friends, still clinging to Ferrara. Her sweet emerald eyes glittered with deep patience.
“I’m greeting a dear friend, of course! Ferr helped me out while I was stuck on that primitive world. We grew close and I found out what a good person she is.”
“A good person?!” Lyara screeched. “Do I need to remind you of all the trouble she’s caused us?!”
“Um, pardon me,” Alto said tenderly, “but what is all this about? You must be mistaken! Ferrara’s the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful person. She might be a little coarse at times, but that’s no reason to be so judgmental.”
“Highness, thou hast not the inclination to her treachery,” Sharyn hissed.
“You’re the ones that don’t have a clue!” Cirrus exclaimed, holding Ferrara close. “Ferr came and saved us when we were on the brink of starvation, without any concern for her own welfare. She took care of us and watched over us until we were fit to go on…and when we did, she came with us, because I had fallen in love with her, and I wanted to be with her.” At the mention that they were lovers, iron-willed princess and foul-mouthed brigand-bird, everyone gawked. Alto smiled proudly; Ferrara laughed.
“Uh, well, you know how these things go!” she explained sheepishly to Amy. “It’s pretty hard to refuse a princess!”
“So you two are together now?” Amy said. She smiled sweetly and clasped their hands. “I’m so happy! I just knew there was somebody out there who’d see you for what you really were.”
“Excuse us,” Lyara snorted. “But all that aside, your highness, weren’t you with the Dead Roses?”
“Yes, all too briefly,” she replied wistfully.
“What do you mean? They didn’t get rid of you, did they? Rose didn’t strike me as the type.”
“Oh no, gracious no. She actually made me her new first mate…and her lover.” Alto blushed warmly, a crestfallen smile on her lips as she recalled happier times. Tears formed in her eyes as she resumed her tale. “But all that ended shortly after the Space Race. You all were there, right? I’m assuming from your earlier question that you haven’t heard the news.”
“What might that be, majesty?” Sharyn asked. Alto took a steadying breath before answering.
“Captain Rose is…she’s dead. She was murdered by an assassin after the race.”
“That’s awful!” Amy exclaimed. “What about her crew? Couldn’t they do anything?”
“The crew was almost entirely wiped out with her, and the ship was launched into Hagan’s star. The only survivors are people like us, who weren’t onboard when the killer attacked. I’d say that at best, there are probably only a dozen of us left. That’s how Cirrus and I came to be impoverished so suddenly.”
“What a horrible fate!” Sharyn exclaimed. “The Rose that hath lived up to her name was a stern, strong, worthy adversary; tis’ shameful to hear of her demise. But who was the assassin?”
“We had the opportunity to meet him several days later,” Cirrus shuddered, holding both mother and lover close. “He called himself Barbarossa, Captain of The Flying Dutchman. We wanted to avenge our friends, but…we couldn’t. He decided to let the rest of us go: he said, ‘I have already finished my work. It would be a meaningless waste to kill the rest of you. Go and live with what you have left.’”
“Did he really call himself the Captain of The Flying Dutchman?” Amy whispered.
“Yes, why? Does that mean anything?” She didn’t answer them immediately. When the trolley came to its destination, Cirrus and Alto offered to treat everyone to dinner, and even though Lyara and Sharyn were still wary of Ferrara, they trusted Amy’s judgment and went along. They wanted to learn more about Rose, and her killer, and what happened when they left the Hagan system.
“I hope you’re prepared for a long story,” Alto warned them.
……
Fuuka Fujiwara stepped outside for a moonlit stroll once dinner with the Suings had ended. Shana’s family had returned in the middle, throwing a fairly utopian setting into chaos, and had surprised her with their deplorable ways; it was amazing that three pure souls had crawled out of that cesspool. Apparently, you really couldn’t judge a person based on just one factor, not even if you wanted to judge them positively. But she had other thoughts on her mind as well— for one, Allen Suing’s condition. It struck Fuuka as cruel that she and he both had the exact same ailment, and that Shana and Athena would suffer the same long, agonizing years of futile care and waiting. If only she could remove this deadly disease, or at least ease the agony it would cause! But that was impossible; it would be better if they both enjoyed what time they had left. Allen had so many beautiful worlds to look forward to, and Fuuka…
“It’s not fair,” she whispered to the stars as she began to cry. “I wanted to live so many years with you, Athena. I wanted to adopt children and raise a family. I wanted us to grow old together and die peacefully. I want to believe that there’s a godly force out there watching over us, but how can they be so heartless? Where has all the goodness gone in the universe?”
“Do you really wish never to die?” she heard a voice call out to her. Fuuka jumped in surprise and stepped back. With her sharp senses, she recognized her visitor immediately, and bowed politely as she welcomed the New Angel of Death.
“We meet again. Have you come for Allen…or for me?”
“No,” she answered, stepping into the light. Grave had gotten rid of her black cloak in exchange for normal clothes: she wore jeans and a pale blue long-sleeved shirt just like normal people. Even her scythe was gone; she just carried an ancient hourglass. “I had an appointment elsewhere on this world. However, when I heard you talking, I couldn’t help but get involved. Forgive me.”
“No forgiveness needed,” Fuuka replied softly. “You work on a different level than we do.”
“I’m not immortal,” Grave said, smiling gently. “This body is as fragile and ephemeral as yours. I just had an enormous task thrust upon me. But back to my earlier question.” Fuuka shook her head firmly. She knew better than to wish for everlasting life. She had seen enough anime— particularly the works of Osamu Tezuka— to know that those who wished for eternal life always regretted their decision.
“I know better than that,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t want to keep on living if everything I had ever loved was taken away. I just don’t think it’s fair that I have to die like that.”
“You’re not the only one who thinks that way,” Grave warned her. “As a doctor, you’ve seen plenty of examples of people my forerunner and I took ‘before their time’. But as you said, you and I work on different levels; I only take those my Masters have designated, and I rarely question their decision. Some of those people deserve to die, while others have earned the right to transcend suffering. You must understand, Dr. Fujiwara: a fair world would not be very good to live in. You would not like it at all. Mortals must be grateful for the mercy and grace of the higher powers; we shouldn’t complain. I am sorry that I will have to take you away sooner than you’d like. Believe me, I despise this job…but somebody has to do it.”
“What about your predecessor?” Fuuka whispered bitterly. Grave sighed forlornly.
“If I began that story, I would have to take you before it ended.”
“Is my time really that short?” she cried fearfully. Grave shrugged.
“All time is short to me.” Fuuka heard Shana and Allen laughing in the distance, and turned to look at them When she turned around again, her guest was gone, swift and silent as the evening breeze. She shivered a little and went back inside.
……
Since Shana was staying longer than she had originally intended, she asked to use her old room, which was little more than a space she shared with a few of her sisters. She had happily been spared most of their attention during her lifetime, and she had no reason to worry about rooming with them— but even so, they declined, saying they had other places to be, which could only mean trouble in their case. This worked out just fine for Shana, because now there were two spare beds, one for each of her guests. Fuuka turned in for the night without a word, but given the circumstances, her silence was perfectly understandable. Herut got a bed to herself, but she couldn’t imagine sleeping alone, so she snuck out and snuggled next to Shana, who took her in her arms very willingly.
“I was actually going to creep into your bed,” she giggled, caressing Herut’s face. In the sickly light of the outside, they both looked far older and more mature than they really were. “I want to thank you for coming with me…and for a lot of other things.”
“Don’t mention it,” Herut blushed. “I was happy to come along. I actually came here for selfish reasons, but I’m glad I got my priorities straight.”
“And what does that mean?”
“I’ve just been questioning my humanity. I mean, I am sort of an android when you think about it.”
“No you’re not,” Shana beamed, snuggling closer until their noses touched. She took Herut’s hands and held them to her chest. “I don’t know what you were like before you were an M&R unit, but does that really matter? What are you right now? Who are you right now? You’re my best friend, my rock, and my most precious companion, and I love you deeply. I would not love a machine. I mean, I’m not Eve.” Herut giggled warmly.
“But Eve’s turned over a new leaf as well. She’s got a sparkle in her eyes that wasn’t there a few weeks ago. Anyway, I don’t think I have any more questions. I used to hate Chandra because she was so frivolous with her emotions, but I also envied that side of her a little. I wanted to get in touch with that side of myself, even if it meant giving something up. I know it sounds trite, but meeting you really brought all that out. I’m not so scared or angry anymore. Of course, that probably has to do with the fact that I’m only in love with one person.”
Shana just smiled at her; she didn’t have to ask who that was. They kissed each other silently, lovingly, and made hushed promises to one another as they exchanged hearts. Night brought a sweet relief that had not been a part of their lives for as long as they could remember.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Preview of next chapter
Yenae: Guess what, guess what? The next chapter’s all about ME!
Fuuka: Oh, lucky! So we finally get to learn something new about the Holy Annoyance! I mean, besides the fact that she’s got a catgirl fetish.
Chandra: Can you blame her?
Yenae: There’s more to me than just passion! I’m one of the most infamous outlaws in the entire universe! You all should be grateful I’ve decided to become your ally!
Fuuka: Outlaw? I wonder what Alala would think about this.
Chandra: Yenae, if Alala breaks your heart, can I help you repair it?
Yenae: No way, I’ll never give up the pursuit for my sugar muffin! But aren’t you going through a period of emotional trauma and sexual confusion?
Chandra: Oh yeah, I almost forgot. DAMN YOU, AMY! You made my libido cry!
Fuuka: Anyway, please stay tuned to learn more about Yenae in, “The Holy Annoyance: Yenae’s audacious story is told!”
Yenae: Maybe now my honey will finally warm up to me!
Chandra: Wait, why am I wallowing in self-pity? I just have to remember my motto: lesbian threesomes solve EVERYTHING! Now where did Kyrie and Eve get to…
Fuuka: She certainly recovered quickly!
Yenae: Word.
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