---3rd Person POV, Slaanesh Territory---
Rushing into Slaanesh's palace covered in grave wounds, the Greater Daemon Kanathara weakly cried out to his lord, hoping to get her attention. Not finding her in the garden or throne room, it dragged itself down a myriad of corridors to Slaanesh's private room. Forgoing its master's strict orders, Kanathara burst into the room hoping to find her still alive.
"Who the fuck dares interrupt my slumber!?", Slaanesh snarled, shooting up from her bed entangled with a life-sized body pillow of Victor. "You'd better have a fucking good reason for interrupting my lovey-dovey time with my man!"
Seeing no one standing in the doorway, Slaanesh slowly crawled to the foot of the bed and found Kanathara lying on the floor. Glowering at her Keeper of Secrets with annoyance, she raised her hand to strike him but stopped when she noticed his critical injuries.
"Who did this to you, Kanathara?", Slaanesh questioned, letting go of her body pillow.
"My lady… Please… Run…", Kanathara whimpered, barely hanging onto life. "The enemy… They are after your life… Escape while… You can…"
Watching her cherished subordinate die before her eyes, rage flared up within Slaanesh's heart. Equipping her war gear with a wave of her hand, the Chaos Goddess rushed outside her home to find her palace under attack. Surrounded by an ocean of daemons she had never seen before, she cursed herself for not noticing this sooner. Taking a few steps forward, intending to join the fight, a cold chill suddenly ran down her spine.
"So, you are the abhorrent deity these filthy creatures call a god. I am unimpressed.", Nemesis spoke, sitting atop Slaanesh's home.
"What was that?!", Slaanesh snapped, turning around to refute that comment. "Who are you to judge…"
Seeing the heads of Fulgrim (Daemon Prince) and her other commanders on pikes atop the palace walls, Slaanesh's body began to violently tremble. Unlike the pleasurable sensation Victor gave her, this person made the very essence of her being quiver in fear. Able to tell the difference in their strength immediately, the Chaos God took a cautionary step backward.
"It would appear you are capable of some degree of intelligence. Since I am a merciful being, I will make your death swift if you surrender now.", Nemesis said, as Marauders began blocking her escape routes.
Frantically looking around her, Slaanesh could feel the noose slowly closing in around her throat. Refusing to accept dying here and now, she went with the only option she had left. Having planned for a potential invasion of her territory long ago, there was an emergency teleportation array nearby she could use to escape. Carefully surveying her surroundings, she picked a route to take and immediately took it.
"Haha, how unexpected of a rat to run away. If only I had planned for that…", Nemesis snickered in a venomous tone. "Oh wait, I did! KILL HER!"
Using her agility and speed to weave through the enemy ranks, Slaanesh ignored Nemesis' words and focused on escaping. Approaching the hidden teleportation array at high speed, just as it came into view, a gargantuan hand pierced through the ground. Diving out of the way, the Chaos God narrowly avoided being crushed by falling debris as a Titan revealed itself. Unleashing an ungodly roar that violently shook her private dimension, she momentarily froze in sheer terror.
"DEATH TO THE CHAOS GODS!!", a Marauder howled, cutting a deep gash in Slaanesh's back with his Crucible blade.
Knocking the wind out of her with that blow, Slaanesh's body skipped across the ground like a stone across water. Landing on the teleportation array, she willed herself to utter the activation phrase as her body was racked with immeasurable pain. Coughing out several Aeldari souls, the Chaos God flipped everyone the bird before vanishing in a flash of purple light.
"Interesting, she managed to slip through our fingers and extend her life a bit longer. This is going to be more enjoyable than I thought.", Nemesis cackled, pleasantly amused by this development. "Dispatch a contingent of Agaddon Hunters after the wench; bring her back to me alive. I want to be present when she draws her last breath…"
Bowing their heads, the Space Marine Marauders swiftly left to carry out Nemesis' orders.
---Victor POV---
Completing the preparations for Primarch Manus' resurrection, several of his sons took up positions at the edge of my magic circle. As Manus' last moments alive were on the battlefield at Isstvan V, the chances were very high he would awaken in a frenzy. Believing it was best if his sons were the ones to subdue him, if it came to that, their Chapter Master selected the strongest among them to carry out this duty. Ensure his body parts were in the correct position, I looked toward my grandfather and gave him a nod.
"Everything is good to go. Are you ready?", I questioned, retrieving Azura's Star from my inventory.
"Please proceed.", the Emperor of Mankind spoke, stepping forward to observe the process closely.
Offering the Greater Daemon's soul trapped within the star; I called forth Manus' spirit from the Warp. Receiving a response almost immediately, an astral form of the Primarch appeared before us in seconds. Activating the magic circle, ethereal chains appeared from the floor and wrapped themselves around him tightly. Carefully pulling his soul back into his body, I used several healing spells to restore his body to pristine condition.
"Sil Ahrk Slen, Meyz Gein!", I shouted, using the Thu'um to stabilize the fusion.
(AN: Soul and Body, become one.)
Watching as Manus' chest begin to slowly rise and fall, the Iron Hands started silently weeping with unbridled joy. Having waited nearly ten millennia for this day to come, several of the marines ran over and hugged me tightly. While the marines thanked me profusely, the Chapter Master approached his Primarch and warily placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Primarch Manus, rise and greet your son's once again!", the Chapter Master said, gingerly shaking him.
Reacting to his name, Manus released a low groan as his eyes fluttered open. Recognizing the space immediately, as he had been here many times, the Primarch slowly sat up and surveyed the room. Uncertain how he got from Isstvan V to Terra, he asked Corvax and Vulkan what had happened.
"The last thing I can recall is us being caught in Horus' trap. In all the chaos, I chased after Fulgrim and we ended up...", Manus said, remembering what happened now. "I am certain Fulgrim removed my head on Isstvan V. How can I believe alive and well on Terra now?"
"Aremus' biological son resurrected you, brother.", Corvax spoke, giving him a familiar smile.
"You have been dead for quite some time. Over ten millennia, to be precise.", Vulkan added. "Welcome back, Manus."
Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Manus rose to his feet and stretched out his stiff body. Giving several of his sons a fond pat on the shoulder, the Primarch came to a halt when he noticed me. Walking straight over and pulling me into a warm hug, he squeezed me tightly before abruptly letting go.
"There is no denying it, you are the spitting image of our brother Aremus. Had Corvax not mentioned you were his biological son, I would have mistaken you for our brother.", Manus spoke, giving me a reassuring nod. "Given I have been dead for ten millennia, it is safe to assume I have a lot of catching up to do. If it is all the same to everyone, do you mind if we catch me up over a hearty meal? I am so hungry, I just might be able to stomach Leman's cooking."
Laughing at Manus' joke, memories of fonder days began coming to the forefront of my uncles' minds. Agreeing to his son's request, the Emperor called out to the palace servants to begin preparations for a hearty feast. Taking the opportunity to excuse myself, I bid everyone farewell for now, and began opening a portal back to the party.
"Yes, have the Custodes and Grey Knights converge on the throne room immediately. All other forces need to garrison and lock down nearby hallways and spaces. They are to hold their positions unless otherwise instructed by the Emperor of Mankind.", I spoke, making decisions without thinking. "Hold off on initiating an evacuation. We should refrain from needlessly inciting panic amongst the civilian populace."
Quickly recalling it wasn't my place to make decisions for the royal palace, I spun around and apologized to my grandfather. Telling me not to worry about it, he approved of my plan and gave his blessing to proceed with it. Acknowledging his authorization, Jarvis sent the call out to the relevant parties. With our forces en route to face the threat, everyone present raced off to meet them there.
---Golden Throne Room, Five Minutes Later---
Charging into the throne room with weapons at the ready, we entered the space just as a small fissure opened. Watching a heavily injured Slaanesh flop through and crash onto the floor, for a brief second, we glimpsed the hellscape on the other side. Spotting several Agaddon Hunters racing toward the breach, it slammed shut just as they were about to reach it.
"What the fuck were those things? I have never seen daemons like them before.", Leman commented, intrigued to see something new after spending millennia in the Warp.
"Neither have I...", Grandmaster Dragio said, turning to me. "You wouldn't happen to know what those were, would you?"
"Yeah, they are called Agaddon Hunters. Zephrim probably dispatched them to hunt down Slaanesh.", I said, cautiously approaching the Chaos God. "They are excellent trackers, and are laser focused on whatever objective they are given. Any psykers in the immediate vicinity should be wary of a potential psychic attack."
Walking up to Slaanesh, I looked down at the exhausted deity with an amused smile. Staring back up at me, she released a long sigh and told me not to say a fucking word about her predicament. Forcing her extensive injuries to heal, Slaanesh slowly rose to her feet with a defeated expression.
"What business do you have with us, foul beast? Speak quickly, before I cast you back into the Warp.", the Emperor of Man spoke, gripping the hilt of his sword.
"PLEASE, ANYTHING BUT THAT!", Slaanesh shrieked, rushing behind me to hide. "My subordinates are dead, my territory has been overrun, and a madman is trying to take my head off. I came here to find my hubby and future father of my children because I have nowhere else to go."
Reaching back and grabbing Slaanesh by the collar, I lifted her into the air and brought her round so we could speak. Asking her to run that by me one more time, she boldly repeated what she said once again.
"Look, Victor, I recognize your opinion of me is very low because of our first interaction. Give me the opportunity to show you just how much I love you, please!", Slaanesh pleaded, much to the shock of my grandfather and uncles. "I will be the best wife in existence and shower you with my affections. We can even do naughty things that your current wives probably refuse to do."
"Haha...", I laughed, bringing Stormbreaker's axe blade to her throat. "Listen closely, Slaanesh. The only reason I won't kill you right now is because it will further empower our enemy. Since you are bound to cause trouble for the Aeldari and Imperium, we will travel together for a bit. Attempt to harm my family in any way, and dying will be the least of your worries. Just ask the Greater Daemon I bound to the toilet in the Space Wolves' barracks."
"Haha, it is the most popular toilet in our barracks.", Leman laughed, grinning ear to ear. "Nothing like listening to the muffled screams of a daemon as you are shitting down its throat!"
(AN: Duke Nukem anyone?)
Immediately swearing to follow my instructions without exception, Slaanesh pleaded with me not to be turned into a toilet or urinal. Even though she was the Dark Goddess of Pleasure, there were some kinks even she couldn't get behind. Setting her back down, she asked me to wait a moment as she had a present for me. Reaching into her bosom, the Chaos God began blindly fishing around for something.
"Before you jump to any conclusions, it isn't anything cursed or naughty, I swear!", Slaanesh asserted, finding the object she was looking. "This is a peace offering from me to you. I hope it improves your impression of me, even if only a bit."
Pulling the final Crone Sword out, she handed it over with a smile. Making sure she understood I would hand this over to the Aeldari, Slaanesh acknowledged this and was fine with it.
"You are banging two of their beloved goddesses. I figured you would use it to smooth things over with them.", Slaanesh spoke matter-of-factly with a smirk. "You know, since they brought me into existence with their horniness, that makes me their goddess as well."
"I am already beginning to regret this arrangement...", I groaned, opening a portal back to the New Genesis. "As I said a moment ago, I will take charge of Slaanesh and ensure she stays out of trouble."
"Given the circumstances, there really isn't a better option. Do your utmost not to succumb to her temptation.", the Emperor spoke. "No amount of curves or sexual acts are worth the baggage!"
With that, the two of us returned to the party. Mentally preparing myself for the shitstorm about to kick up, I hoped everyone would be somewhat understanding of the situation.
(AN: Thank you all for your understanding last week. My brother and his fiancée were involved in a bad accident two weekends ago during a cross-country move. I am happy to say both are alive and well, but it was touch and go for a while.)
Introducing Slaanesh to everyone when we returned went far better than I had expected. While Cegorach and Hoec were understandably wary of her, everyone else treated her like an ordinary person. Informing my family she would be staying with us as my guest for a while, I promised to explain things in detail to them later. Trusting my decision without hesitation, they welcomed me back with open arms.
"Hold on a second, you are going to play along without batting an eye?! This abomination is responsible for the deaths of trillions and tearing apart our pantheon.", Cegorach protested, looking at Isha and Lileath with concern. "Vaul, help us talk some sense into these two. Their love is blinding them to the very real danger she poses to us."
"It is not proper for outsiders to interject themselves into someone's family matters. Who are we to tell them who they should and should not trust?", Vaul rebuffed him. "In any good relationship, partners trust each other's decisions without demanding explanations. Victor brought our mortal foe here for a reason; we should trust his judgement and leave it at that."
Thanking the smithing god for trusting me, I assured him I would disclose everything later this evening. Nodding his head, Vaul attempted to restart his conversation with Liam and Hiro when Hoec spoke up. Rising from his seat, he leaned over the table to get a look at Amallyn.
"Surely you must have an opinion on this, Amallyn Shadowguide. Are you okay with allowing this monster aboard?", Hoec questioned, hoping she would talk sense into me. "This walking disaster is responsible for the deaths of millions aboard your Craftworld and the fracturing of Biel-Tan."
"Victor would never place our lives or safety in jeopardy; of this I am absolutely certain. I trust he has a good reason and will wait for him to tell us when he is ready.", Amallyn stated, expressing her unwavering faith and trust in me. "All that said, I fully admit to hating this whore with every fiber of my being."
Annoyed that no one else was upset by her presence here, Cegorach and Hoec begrudgingly placed their trust in me. Expressing their hope that this would not blow up in my face, they topped off their beverages and sat in silence. Thanking the men for trusting me, I assured them it would all make sense to them later.
Intrigued by the deities' fear of Slaanesh, Hiro and Liam turned their gazes toward the mysterious Aeldari woman. Unable to gauge her strength or threat level, what they did notice was how their gazes kept wandering to her breasts. No matter how hard they tried to look away, their subconscious pulled their focus right back to them. Sensing where their gazes were going with their sixth sense, Mimi and Rosetta grabbed the two by the ear to pull them away.
"Thank you, Rosetta. I am not sure what came over me; my eyes kept wandering back to those cannons.", Liam spoke, being forthright with his wife.
"Same here!", Hiro agreed, tapping the table vigorously. "I am sorry, Mimi; please forgive me. My ear... you are tearing it off. I YIELD!! UNCLE!!"
Releasing her vise-like grip on his ear, Mimi looked away and began sulking. Upset that Hiro was ogling another woman right in front of her, she considered heading back to their ship for the night. Profusely apologizing to her while cradling his ear, Hiro swore he had not done it purposefully.
"Ladies, please forgive them; it is not their fault. Slaanesh may not look like it, but she is the Dark Goddess of Pleasure.", I explained. "They were under the influence of the hypnotic aura she subconsciously emits. Only those with a great deal of willpower can resist its effect."
"The Dark Goddess of Pleasure? Are you certain it has nothing to do with her curvaceous body and cute face?", Mimi questioned, glaring daggers at Slaanesh.
"What Victor says is the truth; I was formerly the Dark Goddess of Pleasure. Earlier this evening, my home and territory were razed to the ground by a usurper. I managed to narrowly escape death, but the respite will not last long. The usurper sent several lackeys after me, hence why I came running to my pookie bear.", Slaanesh asserted, attempting to wrap herself around my arm.
Pushing her away with a firm shove, she stumbled backward before rushing back to my side. Telling her to only refer to me as Victor, Slaanesh nodded her head with a beaming smile. Going to take my seat at the head of the table again, something Mimi told me suddenly clicked with me. Turning back to Mimi, I asked her to describe how she saw Slaanesh. Describing the Chaos God exactly the way I saw her, the Chaos God began giggling with glee.
"Hehe, I made my permanent appearance reflect exactly how you see me. I hope you do not mind.", Slaanesh spoke, following me.
"Do as you please; it is your body, not mine.", I remarked, taking a seat and picking my mead mug up. "Find yourself a seat, and dig- "
Going to plop herself onto my lap, I scooped her up with the Force and ferried her to an open seat beside my family. Puffing her cheeks out in protest, my wives gave her a smug smile before pouring her a glass of wine. Telling her to relax and enjoy herself, Slaanesh relented and went along with their request. Maintaining her composure for the rest of the evening, we slowly wormed our way into the various ongoing conversations and began to enjoy ourselves.
---Next Day---
Arriving on our rental island early the next morning, a fleet of robotic housekeepers greeted us as we stepped off the shuttle. Taking everyone to their accommodations, our housekeepers led us out onto a pier where we took a lift down to the mansion. Mesmerized by the abundant colorful fish swimming by, Nuelalla's eyes lit up as we entered the viewing area. Squirming out of Amallyn's arms, she ran over to the window to look out over the reef.
"It is so pretty!!", Nuelalla proclaimed, grinning ear to ear. "Da... I mean, Mister Victor, can you please teach me how to swim? I want to go swimming with all the fishies."
"You can call him Dad, Nuelalla.", Amallyn assured her. "I must admit, I do not know how to dive or swim either. Could you teach the both of us?"
"Of course, we can get started once we unpack.", I stated as one of the housekeepers offered to show me to the master suite.
"Can we do it tomorrow?", Amallyn requested in a panicked tone. "Our... Our plan was to go shopping today for a few items."
Inquiring if they wanted me to tag along with them, my family unanimously requested I sit this trip out. Noticing the flushed expressions on the faces of those I had recently made my wives, it was pretty apparent what they were going to look at. Agreeing to hang back and relax here at the mansion, I elected to build sandcastles on the beach with Nuelalla. Excitedly voicing her support for my plan, Nuelalla ran after me to ask what a sandcastle was.
"I think he is onto us...", Angelica said in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, I think so too...", the Lethan Twi'lek Binja agreed.
"Good going, Amallyn.", Bo-Katan laughed. "You blew our cover."
"Ladies, you do know I have incredibly sharp hearing, right?", I teased them, calling out from the master bedroom. "The three of us will keep ourselves busy while you are away. Go on and enjoy yourselves; see you later today!"
Heading toward the exit after shouting "I love you" to me, they asked one of the housekeepers to call a shuttle for them. Acknowledging their request, the robot advised them to return to the launchpad for pickup. Listening to them begin to chat about their plans as they went topside, a naughty smirk crept upon my face. Quickly remembering Nuelalla was with me, I contained myself and focused on making today special for her.
"Alright, Victor, spill it. What exactly is a sandcastle?", Slaanesh asked, just as curious as Nuelalla. "Is it a sandstone fortress, or something like that?"
"Haha, I think it would be easier to just show you.", I chuckled. "I'd recommend changing out of your clothing into a swimsuit."
"Uh... What is a swimsuit?", Slaanesh inquired, having never heard the term before.
Realizing neither of them knew the first thing about going to the beach, I took it upon myself to change that. Ordering two swimsuits for them from the New Genesis, Luxion transported them over once they were ready. Helping my daughter into her swimwear, she looked at the teddy bear patterns with glee.
"Hehe, Victor, are you certain this is a swimsuit? Where I am from, this is called a bra and underwear.", Slaanesh giggled, giving me a flirtatious wink. "If you wanted to see me like that, all you needed to do was ask. I will show you whatever you-"
"Enough; do not corrupt my daughter with your filthiness! Whether you believe me or not, what you are holding is a swimsuit.", I snapped, irritated she was doing this in front of Nuelalla. "The only things special about it are the size, which was adjusted to custom fit you, and the color, which I picked out for you."
"Wait a second... You... You picked out the color for me? Really!?", Slaanesh gasped, her ears wiggling with delight. "Thank you, Victor... I promise to treasure it for the rest of time."
Mentally commanding my armor to transform into swim trunks, Nuelalla and I head out while Slaanesh stood there in a daze. Telling her to join us once she came back to reality, my daughter and I headed topside with a bottle of sunblock in hand
---Twenty Minutes Later---
Manufacturing several molds and trowels for us to work with, I showed Nuelalla the basics of sandcastle building. Starting with a moat to keep the ocean from washing away our work, we proceeded to use a few molds to construct fortification towers. Spacing them out evenly on the edge of our work area, Nuelalla started to connect them with meticulously crafted walls.
"So… What exactly is the purpose of building this fortification? Is it meant to distract tiny creatures away from us, or something else?", Nuelalla inquired, trying to make logical sense of work.
"Haha, it is nothing like that. This is just something I enjoyed doing as a young child.", I chuckled, finding her creative imagination humorous. "During ancient times, at least for us humans, people used to hold sculpting competitions quite frequently to display their artistic abilities. These competitions would sometimes use different mediums, like ice, snow, and wood, to further increase the difficulty for contestants. For those that did it recreationally though, sand and snow were the preferred choices because of abundance and affordability."
"I see, so this is just a recreational activity meant to stimulate the mind.", Nuelalla remarked, nodding her head in understanding.
While I could see how my daughter came to that conclusion, she completely overlooked the real reason for doing this. While it upset me a bit, I could not fault her for the misunderstanding. From birth, Nuelalla had been taught to look at things logically and never express emotions. We have made great progress in peeling back her defensive shell, but it looked like it was too soon for us to start building a father-daughter bond.
'This could also be a societal norm hardwired into her brain. Amallyn, Isha, and Lileath are anomalies when it comes to marriage and rearing children in a family household. Most Aeldari pair up to have kids, and only one parent raises the child.', I thought, looking at Nuelalla carefully. 'No, I am certain that is not it. Even though it is very abnormal, Nuelalla has always asserted both her parents were involved in her life. I need to try harder for her sake!'
Rinsing my hands off in the ocean, I gingerly patted Nuelalla on the head and praised her work. Suggesting we get started on the keep itself and worry about the finer details later, we began piling up wet sand in the middle of the work area. As we started carving out the castle from the large mound, an energetic Slaanesh came barreling down the pier.
"Oh Victor, what do you think of my amazing swimsuit?", Slaanesh inquired, shaking her breasts over exaggeratedly as she approached us. "Be honest, were you being truthful when you said this color looked good on me?"
Looking in her direction, the first thing that drew my attention was her inside-out top piece. Letting it slide, as she had never worn a bikini before, I took a moment to closely look her over. Fully recognizing Slaanesh was a drop-dead gorgeous woman, her terrible past overshadowed it completely. If she had been a benevolent deity, like Isha and Lileath, we might have had a chance as a couple. Since she had deeply scarred four of the most important women in my life, only a monumental miracle would put her on my radar.
'At this point, if I was forced to pick, I would choose Loki over Slaanesh in a heartbeat. Both are annoying as hell, but at least Loki has not harmed the ones I love.', I thought, giving Slaanesh a smile. "I knew royal purple would look good on you, but there is a slight issue. Your top piece is inside out."
"Ugh… I thought so, but I was not one hundred percent sure about it.", Slaanesh remarked, reaching back to untie it. "Could I maybe get your help with this, hehe?"
"You are more than capable of fixing it yourself, but I suppose I can help tie everything together. Last thing I want is for you to have a wardrobe malfunction.", I compromised, retrieving the sunblock from my inventory. "Here, you will want to put some of this on as well. Without any protection, your pale skin will quickly burn and start blistering. Believe me when I say, sunburn is no joke."
Walking up to me, Slaanesh took the bottle from my hand and quickly looked it over. Popping the lid off, the Chaos God went to take a swig of it when I was not looking. Noticing what she was about to do, Nuelalla quickly stepped in to stop her. Turning my attention to where my daughter was looking, my expression soured a bit.
"Are you seriously that stupid?! Read the damn label, woman!" I snapped, wondering if all her brain's nutrients were stolen by her breasts.
"You did not tell me to. How was I supposed to know?", Slaanesh spat back, inspecting the bottle closer. "It does not say how to use the… For topical use only. Seek medical attention if ingested…"
Flinging the bottle at me with an embarrassed expression, Slaanesh berated me for not being clearer from the get-go. Demanding compensation for this humiliation, she commanded me to apply the sunblock to her body. Rejecting the demand immediately, I offered to apply it solely to her back since she could not reach it. Agreeing nearly before I could finish the sentence, the Chaos God dropped her top and turned her back to me.
"I want to be crystal clear here. One moan or sexual noise from you, and your ass gets an express ticket to the middle of the ocean.", I said, adding some lotion to my hands. "I will not have you perverting my innocent daughter's mind with your filth."
"Jeez, Victor, you are taking all the fun out of this for me.", Slaanesh giggled, accepting my conditions. "Just so I know in advance, should I expect a cold or slimy- "
Pressing my palms to her back, Slaanesh released a high-pitched squeal as a cold chill shot up her spine. Leaping forward, she tripped over her own feet as she landed and faceplanted in the sand. Picking herself up in a hurry, Slaanesh began immediately apologizing to both of us.
"I swear, I did not make that noise on purpose! When you put those cold hands on my back, the scream just came out on its own.", Slaanesh asserted with a flushed face. "Please do not throw me out to sea. I cannot swim!"
"It is fine; calm down. What happened was a natural reaction, not a forced provocation.", I said, doing my utmost not to fall to the ground laughing. "Some people have extreme reactions when something cold touches their warm body."
Relieved I was not upset with her; Slaanesh walked back to me so I could finish applying the sunblock. Applying it evenly across her whole back, she fixed her top pieces and handed the strings back to me. Double knotting her top for extra protection, I was confident she would not have any mishaps.
Blood Sugar ResearchIf You Have Diabetes, Read This Before It's Removed!
"Alright, now that is out of the way, what the heck are you building? Maybe a scale model of the finished product, or are the enemies we are facing super small?", Slaanesh asked with a straight face.
"No, this is just a simple sculpture in the shape of a castle.", Nuelalla proudly explained.
"I see, so this is an artistic activity then. Victor, may I build something other than a fortress?", Slaanesh questioned, looking over our work thus far like a judge at a competition.
"Yes, but keep it age appropriate and clean for Nuelalla's sake.", I agreed, handing her a pail and trowel.
Graciously accepting the tools from me, Slaanesh wandered a few years from us and set about building up a five-and-a-half-foot pile of sand. Once the desired height was reached, she proceeded to compact it into a block and then began carving it meticulously. Leaving her to it, Nuelalla and I resumed building our sandcastle.
---3rd Person POV, Shopping Center---
Stepping off their shuttle, Angelica and company stood on the catwalk surveying the massive shopping center before them. As this was a resort world, everyone had anticipated finding only a few luxury and novelty stores here. Instead of that, they were staring out over a large island covered in a variety of businesses and shops. Uncertain where to begin their search, several women began to wander away.
"Olivia, there is a confectionary shop here!", Angelica proclaimed, pointing to a cute café a half mile from them. "We need to go check it out right away!"
"Holy shit, is that a gun shop I see over there!", Bo-Katan gasped, squinting her eyes to get a better look. "Aela, Samus, Roxanne… Let's go check it out!"
"This is completely different from the resort worlds I have vacationed on in the past. Those crappy destination worlds only had goofy gift shops and rundown convenience stores.", Samus remarked, following Aela, Bo-Katan, and Roxanne. "I do not want to even think about how much Victor paid for a two-week vacation here. All I can say is… I think we should express our gratitude to him appropriately."
"Oh, believe me, we have that covered.", the Lethan Twi'lek Binja giggled, looking back at her fellow newlyweds. "Right, ladies?"
Nodding their heads in near-perfect unison, the formerly enslaved women were eager to show Victor their unwavering love for him. As the first and only man to ever show them kindness and love, they felt honored to share his last name. Ready to take the next step with Victor, each of them silently hoped soon many tiny bundles of joy would fill their home.
"LADIES!!", Mylene shouted, wearing a disappointed look as she demanded their attention. "Where do all of you think you are going? Before you go off on your own, we need to support our fellow harem members by helping them purchase their first lingerie and nightgown."
Apologizing to Binja and the other women, the group began visually searching the waterfront for a lingerie shop. Finding only curio, shoe, and swimwear shops, Mylene took point and began walking into the shopping district. Checking the front windows of stores as they walked by, they continued down the main strip until Lucoa's patience ran out. Telling Mylene to stop for a moment, she marched up to a robotic worker who was sweeping the sidewalk.
"Excuse me, but where the fucking hell are the lingerie shops?!", Lucoa snarled, upset they did not have a guide or map to help them.
Sensing the hostility in her tone, the robot put down his broom and dustpan to give Lucoa his full attention. Politely requesting her to repeat her request, the pink Zeltron Eoffi stepped in to speak on Lucoa's behalf. Gesturing for others to pull the dragoness away, she apologized to the robot and politely stated her request.
"Could you please point us toward the nearest lingerie shop? We want to purchase a few items to commemorate our honeymoon.", Eoffi said, giving the machine a warm smile.
"Thank you very much for your assistance!", Olivia said, bowing her head respectfully.
Watching the women head down the street, the worker was about to resume cleaning when another voice called out to it. Turning back to see who it was this time, it was startled to find a small, spherical robot floating right in front of it. Immediately recognizing it was not a staff member, the worker attempted to run a deep scan of the machine.
Surprised to learn such a person existed, the worker pressed Cleare for additional information. Happy to oblige, she asked a few questions herself, trying to gauge the situation here. Chatting for several minutes, Cleare excused herself and went to catch up with her charges. Watching his fellow AI fly off, the worker decided to share this discovery with his fellow AIs.
---3rd Person POV---
Receiving an enthusiastic welcome at the front door from the robotic staff members, Victor's family was hurriedly ushered inside to begin shopping. Instead of taking the women back to the fitting rooms, staff brought out a plethora of options for them to review. Overwhelmed by all the color, design, and fabric choices, Binja and the others attempted to ask questions but were quickly drowned out by the salespeople. Informing them about all the ongoing sales they were having, some of the women began having panic attacks from information overload.
Interjecting herself to protect her charges from harm, Cleare erected a barrier around the women and pushed the sales robots away. Surprised to discover the women were being accompanied by a fellow AI, they stopped their frantic sales pitching and gave Cleare their undivided attention.
Understanding they had pushed the women too hard, the humanoid robots bowed their heads and apologized to them. Accepting their apologies, Serana inquired why they had come on so strongly to them. Motioning toward the empty street outside, the sales manager explained that they were the first people to visit the district in several months.
"Now that you mention it, we have not seen another person here the entire time we have been on this island.", Mylene remarked, just now realizing it. "Why don't more people come here? This place is a paradise in our eyes."
While robots were incapable of expressing emotions like biological creatures, these units were clearly in distress. Assuming a warehouse job would be a slow descent into madness for a hospitality/sales robot, the women felt pity for them. While they could not come up with a solution to their conundrum, Olivia silently suggested asking Victor about it later tonight. Agreeing with her, everyone hoped he had a use for them somewhere within his massive operation.
"These lovely ladies are in need of special lingerie and a nightgown.", Mylene spoke as Binja, and the other newlyweds stepped forward. "They are recent additions to our husband's harem and are eager to have their first night with him. Can you help them, please?"
"To be honest with you, we have only ever worn company uniforms and our husband's old clothing.", the Red Zygerrain Nalen explained. "This is the first time we have ever purchased something for ourselves..."
Acknowledging her words, the robots put everything they had pulled off the shelves back and wheeled out a selection of fabrics for them to sample. Explaining the pros and cons of each fabric at length, they had the women touch the fabrics to see what they preferred. Watching over the newlyweds from the waiting area, Deirdre turned to Ahsoka, Bo-Katan, and Samus with a confused look.
"Hey, I just realized something. Why are you three not up there picking out lingerie and nightgowns too?", Deirdre inquired. "Don't tell me you are second-guessing things with Victor..."
"Of course not, we are in this for the long haul, same as everyone else here!", Bo-Katan snapped, insulted that Deirdre was suggesting otherwise.
"Then get your asses up there and start looking.", Clarice giggled. "Over these next two weeks, Victor is bound to make a move on each of us. You should get your ducks in a row so when the time comes, you are ready."
Looking at one another nervously, none of them had really given the subject much thought. They had already moved into the master suite, shared a bathroom and bed with everyone, and even showered with Victor from time to time. It was only logical that sex would come up soon, but it had completely slipped their minds. Accepting that it was going to happen sooner or later, they rose to their feet and walked over to join Binja and the others.
"I am proud of you, Clarice and Deirdre.", Mylene said, nodding her head approvingly. "Keeping everyone on an equal playing field is the best way to maintain harmony within any large household."
"Agreed; however, I think we all know one of us holds more sway with him than anyone else.", Angelica commented, glancing over at Roxanne.
"Hehe, I haven't the faintest idea what you are insinuating.", Roxanne asserted, trying to hide her smug smile. "If I were to be in such a position, rest assured I would never use it to cause trouble for everyone."
"That is good to know.", Isha stated with a bloodthirsty smile. "If you did... We would have a very big problem."
Nodding their heads, Lileath, Mylene, and Olivia completely agreed with Isha. They were more than willing to stab any bitch who came between them and Victor. Making a mental note not to test the four of them, Roxanne and the other women began discussing where they would go next.
---Victor POV, Evening---
Firing up the grill, as the shuttle returned with my family, I started putting down burgers, chicken, and hot dogs as they stepped off the shuttle. Spotting Nuelalla and me from the landing pad, the women ran down the stairs and hurried over to us. Flaunting some of the day's scores, my wives had gone all in on catering to my personal preferences. Wearing booty shorts, crop tops, and miniskirts, they were putting their natural beauty on full display for me to admire.
'I can already tell what the plan is for most of this vacation, hehe!', I thought, keeping my thoughts to myself. "Welcome back. How was your shopping trip?"
"We bought way more than we needed, but we had a blast doing so.", Amallyn said, looking at Nuelalla, who was sitting next to me eating a slushie. "How about you, Nuelalla? Did you have fun with your father?"
"I did, but that lady did not.", Nuelalla spoke, pointing to a large mound of sand close by.
Seeing nothing wrong from our angle, I suggested they walk around and see for themselves. Doing as I recommended, it only took them a few dozen steps to see what Nuelalla was talking about. Discovering a half-buried Slaanesh, the Chaos God frantically called out to them for assistance. Confused how this could have happened, Isha and Lileath asked me for the details.
"Slaanesh built a sculpture of me lying atop a bed and attempted to cozy up to it. When she was halfway onto the bed, the canopy collapsed on her. She has been stuck in there for over an hour now.", I cackled.
"Ah...", my family replied in near-perfect unison.
Reluctantly deciding to help her, several of them grabbed Slaanesh by the legs and began to pull. Hearing several loud cracks, presumably from the Chaos God's spine, she flopped onto the beach gasping for air. Scrambling to her feet, Slaanesh stomped over to me, demanding to know why I had not helped her.
"I had more important things to do than save your life.", I commented.
"Hehe, I love it when you talk to me that way.", Slaanesh spoke, shifting around uncomfortably. "Oh! Is it dinnertime already?"
"Yes, it is.", I acknowledged, showing her what I was cooking. "What would you like?"
"I will take what you are packing in your- ", Slaanesh began to say, before I hammer-fisted her head into the sand.
Requesting a chicken breast, in a muffled voice, Slaanesh quickly popped her head out with an aroused smile. Eating up the abuse and pain I had dealt her, she backed off and took a seat close by me. Putting the grilled meats on a large serving platter, I put some corn and various vegetables on next as sides for the meal.
"Victor, do you have any use for additional robots within your military operations?", Olivia asked, walking over with a mug of chilled mead in hand. "We learned today that here in the Grakkan Empire, they are phasing out traditional stores on planets in favor of warehouses. All the sales robots will probably be scrapped, and I want to help them. Is there anything we can do?"
"I have been thinking about adding more robots to our forces, but sales robots are unsuited for combat or logistics.", I responded.
"They are designed for hospitality and sales.", Angelica chimed in, coming to her friend's support. "What about using them within your medical division? They could be repurposed as med bots."
Adding their support as well, Clarice, Deirdre, and Mylene pushed me to at least consider it. Agreeing to think about it, I promised to have an answer for them before our vacation ended. Asking everyone to put business and work aside for now, tonight was all about family bonding and having fun together.
---3rd Person POV, Five Days Later, Galactic Republic---
Dropping out of warp on the fringes of the Terminus System, the Deviluke fleet notified the Republic's defense forces of their arrival. Promptly requesting King Gid's presence on Terminus, Anakin and Obi-Wan wanted his input on the defense strategy they had settled on. Agreeing to meet with them, Gid's flagship descended onto the planet while his fleet moved into position with the Republic ships. As the helmsman guided the ship in on final approach, several soldiers marched onto the bridge with the trio of mischievous sisters in tow.
"My liege, forgive our interruption. We found the princesses stowed away in the cargo hold.", one of the soldiers announced, saluting the king and queen.
"What was that!?", Gid howled as both Sophie and he looked behind them. "Was I unclear when I forbade you from coming with us? This is a bloody warzone, not a casual trip to the grocery store. I did not want you here because I cannot guarantee your safety and well-being. Some of those mindless killing machines are far stronger than me..."
"Father, Mother, we know you mean well, but we are not children anymore. From a young age, you have consistently taught us that those in power have a duty and obligation to help those in need. The people of the Republic are in dire need of help, and we refuse to sit idly by on the sidelines.", Momo spoke, meeting both of her parents' gazes. "We have invented something that will help improve morale among the..."
Stopping her response mid-sentence, Momo's eyes went wide as they broke through the clouds. Discovering the spaceport was still packed with civilians, a knot suddenly formed in her stomach. Watching transport ships begin to depart, families tried to get their children aboard before the bay doors shut completely. Getting the feeling people were preparing for death to take them, she covered her mouth and began to tremble. Turning back to see why their daughter was so worked up, Gid's jaw clenched up while Sephie's face went pale.
"What is the Galactic Republic doing?!", Sephie screeched, leaping to her feet and rushing over to the viewing window. "They have had ample time to evacuate Terminus' population, but there are still so many people here. Are they intending to sacrifice these poor people to buy the military time elsewhere!?"
"Sephie, please calm down. Before jumping to any conclusions, we need to speak with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.", Gid spoke, joining his wife by the window. "There may be another reason Terminus has not been completely evacuated yet. I do agree with you though; this is unacceptable."
Having the helmsman expedite the docking process, Gid, Sephie, and their daughters headed to the airlock to join up with their armed escort. Stepping off the ship once it was tethered, a crowd of civilians quickly formed at the end of their pier to meet them. Telling his men to use minimal force to clear a path forward, Gid advised his daughters to stay close as this could get ugly. Complying with their father's request, as soon as they drew near, people began trying to thrust children into Lala, Momo, Nana, and Sephie's arms. Doing their best to tune out the numerous cries for help, they kept their eyes forward and kept moving.
---Twenty Minutes Later---
Reaching the Republic's makeshift base, Gid ordered their guards to wait for their return. Acknowledging their king's orders, the soldiers took up sentry positions outside the main door. Stepping inside with his family, a clone trooper rose from his seat and warmly greeted them. Taking the foreign dignitaries straight to the war room, he promptly announced their arrival to everyone inside.
"General Kenobi, your guests have arrived.", a clone trooper announced. "King Gid, Queen Sephie, and their daughters are here to see you."
"Thank you, please send them- ", Obi-Wan started to say as Sephie barged into the room.
Sticking his hand out to greet her, instead of accepting his gesture, Sephie delivered a strong slap to his face.
"Why are there still civilians here on Terminus!?", Sephie seethed, grabbing him by the collar. "Those monsters are hours away, and they have nowhere to run or hide. Are you intending to sacrifice all those poor souls?! How dare you Jedi call yourselves defenders of the peace!"
"Sephie, please calm down.", Gid gasped, running over to pull his wife away. "General Kenobi, please forgive- "
Raising his hand, Obi-Wan acknowledged she had every right to strike him. The evacuation situation had him distraught as well, but his hands had been tied by the Senate. Quickly calming down, Sephie demanded to know what he meant.
"Every transport vessel the Republic possesses is currently tied up ferrying refugees to planets far from the frontline. The remaining civilians were supposed to be picked up by chartered vessels, but less than half showed up to fulfill their obligation. We were forced to abandon hundreds of millions on the last three worlds we made a stand on because of those fuckers.", Anakin spoke, slamming his fist into the table. "I have repeatedly requested further assistance from the Senate, but they are gridlocked on how to best proceed."
"Queen Sephie, we are just as angry and upset as you are.", Obi-Wan asserted, barely able to contain his emotions. "Neither Anakin nor I have been able to eat or sleep much because of this..."
Seeing the pain painted on their faces, Sephie realized she had been too hasty in passing judgement on them. Apologizing to both men, she stepped back and hung her head in shame.
"Have you asked Victor for assistance? Knowing him, he will offer his full support if you ask him.", Lala spoke, confident in her assessment of the Primarch.
"Yes, like my daughter says, what about asking Lord Stark for assistance? With his technology, evacuating Terminus could have been done in hours.", Gid agreed, having read many detailed reports on his potential son-in-law.
"When his vessels dropped off our arms and munitions, they readily offered to help us out.", Obi-Wan stated, wearing a bitter expression. "We took the proposal to the Senate, and they... they..."
"Those cowardly leaders overwhelmingly voted against allowing Victor's people to render any further assistance! Just under two-thirds of the Senate made it abundantly clear they are against allowing him to continue helping with Republic matters anymore.", Anakin hissed, enraged they choose their political image over helping those in need.
Unable to fathom why they were rejecting his help when they clearly needed it, Obi-Wan informed them it came down to fear and optics. Victor's continued interventions in the Republic's affairs had started negatively impacting public opinion of the Senate. The Hutt and Orion Syndicates were allowed to operate unhindered for decades, but now Victor is systematically dismantling their criminal empires. Border worlds overflowing with refugees were left to fend for themselves; Victor stepped up to create a safe passage for supply vessels to reach them again. While the Senate was doing the bare minimum to quash the slave trade, Victor's forces were actively hunting them down and freeing slaves.
"As if that were not enough, word has begun to spread about the Imperium of Man's rebirth. Rogue Traders have been telling anyone who will listen that the Imperium has entered a second golden age. Corruption is being violently rooted out, food and water are abundant, the standard of living is on the rise, and their people are more united than ever.", Anakin said, trying not to laugh. "The Imperials are calling him the Imperium's Light, the Prodigal Grandson, and the Second Coming of the Emperor. Poor guy cannot catch a break, haha!"
"Needless to say, all his actions have shown the public just how ineffective the Senate is. The masses are beginning to call for radical changes, and many senators are afraid their authority and power are at risk. Instead of trying to right their wrongs, most doubled down and are trying to sweep this under the rug. By shunning Victor and relying on our own strength, they believe things will return to the way they were.", Obi-Wan sighed, disappointed in how things turned out.
Understanding the situation, King Gid was furious so many senators chose their livelihood over serving the public's best interest. Taking matters into his own hands, Gid decided to make the call and request Victor's immediate assistance. Telling the foreign ruler it would not be necessary, Commander Lawson of Helldiver Division stepped into the room with a curt nod. Looking at Obi-Wan for a moment, the royals turned to Lawson with a confused look.
"This is not widely known, but Lord Stark is a member of the Jedi Order. The Jedi High Council requested his assistance shortly after the Galactic Senate rebuked our help.", Lawson spoke. "We have been actively working not only to evacuate Terminus but also the entire sector itself. My men are going from building to building, ensuring that no one is left behind. We will begin evacuating the spaceport within the hour."
"That is wonderful news!", Sephie said, relief washing over her face. "If I may, where are you taking the refugees too?"
"We are utilizing a quantum tunnel to move civilians to the planet Kalevala in the Mandalore System.", Lawson explained, wearing a warm smile. "Senator Kryze has chartered vessels onsite that will take them to various worlds in the Outer Rim Territory. The senators from the Outer Rim Territory are working with her to ensure they will have proper food, housing, and water upon arrival."
Apologizing to Gid and his family for not saying this from the get-go, Obi-Wan wanted them to have a full picture of the difficult situation they found themselves in. The Order was risking a lot by disobeying the Senate, but they refused to allow more lives to be lost. If this arrangement were to be discovered, the ramifications would be severe for the High Council.
"I would not worry about that, General Kenobi. Lord Stark has already decided to take full responsibility for our deployment here should the Senate learn of this.", Lawson assured him. "If the Galactic Senate makes a fuss about it, we will take this matter public and let them deal with the fallout. Let them explain to their constituents why the best option was to abandon these people to be devoured. It is political suicide, pure and simple."
"Haha, that it is.", Gid laughed, happy to see his potential son-in-law had a pair of balls.
"Now then, I suggest we start reviewing our battle plans. We have unmanned drone ships tailing the Hive Fleet from the rear. They are providing us with real-time data on their movements and position.", Lawson spoke, walking up to the table and refreshing the digital map. "Our first line of defense will be the automated defense grid at the edge of the star system. My colleague, Commander Eagleson of the Naval Division, relocated all weapon batteries to the portion where the Tyranids will enter from. To their limited power supply, it should only be brought online once the bugs begin entering the system..."
Giving Gid a full overview of their defenses, the Devilukean King provided a few suggestions based on his prior knowledge of the beasts. Standing back and letting Gid do his thing, an unfamiliar robot popped their head into the room. Asking the four women if they were willing to help with the evacuation at the spaceport, Lala inquired how they could possibly help.
"Father... May we go and help?", Momo questioned.
"Of course, in fact, I implore you to go and help.", Gid said, wearing a proud smile. "Tell Zastin to join me in the war room and take the rest of the contingent of guards with you."
Acknowledging his request, the four women hurried out of the room, eager to get to work.
(AN: Sorry for the late notice, but I will be away next week for the 4th of July. I meant to put the word out Monday, completely slipped my mind. Since my brother and his partner are at their home recovering, the family is taking the festivities to them. Catch you all again in a week!)
---3rd Person POV, Two Hours Later---
Reconvening as final preparations were wrapping up, Commander Lawson, King Gid, and Jedi Master Obi-Wan reviewed the Hive Fleet's status. Refreshing their live feed, the ships stalking the fleet had them placed just outside the fringes of the star system. Promptly activating the automated defense grid, Obi-Wan ordered their naval forces to prepare for contact. Watching laser and missile batteries spring to life, Gid took the opportunity to contact Anakin.
"How is our defensive perimeter looking?", Gid asked over the radio.
"We are as ready as we will ever be.", Anakin responded as the lights momentarily flickered. "The city's shields just came online, and our ground forces are in position."
"And my daughters and wife?", Gid questioned.
"They should be heading your way now. I received word a few minutes ago that the evacuation had been completed.", Anakin remarked with an exhausted tone. "It took longer than expected to complete because of several squabbles between evacuees; nothing your family could not handle, though."
Relieved to hear that, Gid turned to Zastin, who was standing silently beside him watching events unfold. Instructing the knight to prepare for departure, he entrusted his loyal soldier with the protection and safety of his wife and daughters. Distraught to learn he would not be fighting alongside his lord in the upcoming battle, Gid apologized and insisted he had no other choice.
"While I sincerely hope my daughters will respect my wishes today, in the event they do not, you must protect them with your life. You are the greatest swordsman in the history of our nation; I am placing my most valuable treasures in your hands.", Gid spoke, looking at Zastin with a sincere expression. "Though outward appearances may suggest I view my daughters as expendable pawns, I truly care about their well-being."
"I know, my lord.", Zastin acknowledged, snapping to attention. "I, Knight Zastin, humbly accept the task you have given me. Please rest assured I will give my everything to protect your family, even if it costs me my life."
Thanking his trusted knight for his understanding, a clone trooper stepped in to announce their arrival. Swiftly departing to join them, Gid returned his full attention to the updating map. Watching a swath of weapon batteries abruptly go offline, the three commanders immediately contacted the fleet to see what happened.
"I need a report on what is going on out there. Did something happen to the defense grid?", Obi-Wan questioned. 'Please do not say the Hive Fleet has grown long-range weapons. Our plan did not account for that because it has only ever happened once in recorded history.'
"G.R.S. Damascus reporting in.", a radio operator announced. "The enemy fleet launched a small, unknown object into the star system ahead of them. When it reached the first line of defense, it exploded and released a strong EMP blast."
(AN: GRS stands for Galactic Republic Starship.)
"It did what?!", Gid shouted, startled by this new development. "We have no record of this happening before. They have always adapted to fight whatever threat they were facing in that moment. Not once have they come prepared with countermeasures in place."
(AN: I researched this a bit and could find no mention of a Tyranid with the ability to generate an EMP.)
Recalling that not all their systems were hardened against EMPs, Obi-Wan contacted Anakin to apprise him of the situation. Asking the Jedi Knight to handle the problem as best he could, Anakin questioned his former mentor on how he was supposed to do that. Building something to shield equipment from an EMP was vastly different from jerry-rigging a podracer.
"I will contact our Engineering Division and see if they can spare a few hands to help. What mission-critical systems need hardened?", Lawson inquired.
"There are several systems I would like addressed, but the most crucial is the backup power system. Without the backup, the primary system will be overtaxed within minutes of their planetfall. If we have complete power loss, we will be forced to abandon Terminus.", Obi-Wan said, bringing up a map of the city. "The backup system is located under the planetary governor's residence. Everything is already unlocked; they should not have any trouble getting in."
Nodding his head, Lawson put out a call for some engineers as the fleet began pouring into the star system. Throwing everything they had at the Tyranids, everyone in the war room watched the live updates with bated breath. Having already accepted that the enemy would make landfall on Terminus, all they could do was hope their numbers would be modest.
---Victor POV---
Walking onto our private beach, my family and I got ready to enjoy another blissful day in paradise. Setting out the beach chairs and umbrellas, I enthusiastically took it upon myself to apply sunblock to my beautiful wives' backs. Allowing me to do as I pleased, while giving Slaanesh smug smirks, the Chaos God stood close by with a miffed expression. Once everyone was sufficiently protected, I inquired what everyone wanted to do today.
"Can we go diving on the reef, pretty please!", Nuelalla requested, looking up at me with her puppy dog eyes. "My swimming skills are still not that good, but I really want to swim with the fishies."
"Diving on the reef sounds like a wonderful idea!", Olivia agreed, kneeling to give the young girl a hug. "Right, dear?"
"Of course we can.", I said, retrieving an underwater propulsion unit for her. "This will make getting around underwater much easier for you."
Handing the child-sized device to her, she looked at it with a mixture of amazement and wonder. Taking her out into the water for a quick lesson in its operation, Nuelalla was soon zipping along the coast giggling with delight. Calling out to her mothers as she darted all over the place, they enthusiastically praised her while laughing along with her. Coming to a halt after a few minutes, the young Aeldari slowly swam over and hugged me as tightly as she could.
"Thank you for the gift, daddy!", Nuelalla said, emphasizing her last word.
"You... you are welcome, Nuelalla.", I replied, overcome by joy. 'She finally said it!'
Hugging my daughter back, my family began tearing up as they knew how much hearing her say that one word meant to me. Letting go of my daughter after a few seconds, I motioned for everyone to come join us. Running down to the water, we were about to head out to the reef when several voices called out to us.
"Hey, wait a second. Can we come along with you?", Tohru called out, sprinting down the beach at high speed. "We are tired of lounging around in the bangalowes, so let us tag along, please!"𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
"They are called bungalows, halfwit!", Loki snapped, walking around the bend with Elma and Ilulu. "Between these three and the two drunkards in my residence, I am slowly going insane. Please let us join you, or at the very least, take them off my hands. I beg you!"
Hearing the genuine frustration and pain in her tone, Lucoa released a long sigh before apologizing to Loki. Reluctantly agreeing to take them with us, she made her childhood friends swear to behave themselves. Promising to adhere to our rules, they blitzed past us and dove headfirst into the water. Forgetting to check what was under the waves first, Elma crashed into a concrete pylon while Ilulu and Tohru slammed into a rock.
"Should we let natural selection run its course?", Bo-Katan questioned, uncertain if it was okay to say it.
"Ha, if that was all it took, we would have died a very long time ago.", Lucoa snickered, recalling their escapades of yesteryear. "Give them a moment; they will bounce back like nothing ever happened."
"Sorry, Loki, I expressly told them not to do this before we checked in.", I apologized, glancing back at the Aesir goddess. "Nice swimsuit; the green with gold accents really suits you."
Refusing to meet my gaze, Loki quietly thanked me before inquiring about what our plans were for today. Excitedly telling her we were going diving on the reef, Nuelalla reached out her little hand to show her the way. Hesitantly accepting her hand, Loki allowed her to lead the way. Casting a water-breathing spell on everyone, we dove into the water and made our way to the reef.