Snapper cawed and thrashed her arms and legs about while buzzing her wings, her wide smile remaining locked onto Felucia as the wraith growled through her teeth at her. Before she could speak more on the matter Cindy took Snapper away into her arms, the young wraith holding the child close and whimpering with tears falling from her cheeks. Snapper gurgled and turned around to face her, seeing the saddened look the wraith had before she started murmuring and gently pawing at her.
“She’s my baby,” Cindy sniveled. “I love her, mother. I care about her. I see myself in her. Someone who likes to eat, who is good even though others think is bad, who is so cute and cuddly and… and… and so precious to me. I just wanted you to see her how I see her. I wanted you to see what I never would have seen before meeting Daniel.”
“Cindy,” Felucia softly said, words then failing to form as she was dumbfounded to see her daughter coddling the child.
“Felucia,” Daniel spoke up, with the wraith glancing to him as he walked closer. “We can all see that you love your daughter very much. You may be a sand wraith who thinks very little of others, but Cindy obviously means the world to you.”
“Of course she does. She’s my baby.”
“You have the capacity to care for her. Would it really be the end of the world to try and care about others as well?”
“Do you honestly expect me to care about that thing?” Felucia scoffed waving to Snapper.
“At the very least understand that your daughter cares about Snapper very much,” Daniel reasoned. “Look at her. See how happy she is holding that child? Can’t you see how much she means to Cindy? And how much Cindy means to Snapper?”
“But she’s just a-”
“Look,” Daniel insisted, with Felucia turning back to Cindy as the young wraith held Snapper in a tender embrace. The serene look on Cindy’s face, the way she was gently keeping the child held against her chest with both arms, and the way Snapper was softly purring while nuzzling closer to Cindy as she clung to her sandy shoulders; Felucia felt her anger slowly dissolving as she saw her daughter truly loving the young swarm.
“She cares about Snapper,” Daniel explained. “She cares about other people. We all do. It doesn’t matter if you’re human or monster, sand wraith or swarm, or even a harvester or salamander woman. We don’t judge based on what’s on the outside, but instead what’s on the inside. That’s our philosophy, that’s what we live by and what we’re out here to teach others.”
While Felucia struggled to comprehend that Daniel walked over to Sheal and held out a hand to her, the salamander woman hesitating at first before slowly taking hold of it. Pulling the salamander up to her feet he watched as she averted her gaze towards the ground at first in a shy manner, with him having to lift her back up to him by the chin in order to see her fiery eyes again.
“And that’s why Squeak didn’t leave you behind,” he continued. “Why she trusted you to be around us. She saw the person you were on the inside.”
“How could she have?” Sheal worried. “When she pushed me away from that falling tree she didn’t even know me. We had just met. Why save me then?”
“It was her instinct. To help others. She wanted to help people first and foremost, that’s why she was out here with us.”
“You told us she didn’t leave you behind to die by that scorpia’s claws,” Clover recalled. “She could have run, she could have left you there, but she didn’t. She came back to help you because she deemed you worthy of being saved, she thought you were a good person on the inside. And she was right. You helped her fight that scorpia, you helped us fight off The Sisterhood; you proved you were on our side and not theirs.”
“We’ve been trying to offer you meals with us,” Specca added. “Even our bath if you wanted to wash up. You may be a salamander woman but you’re not like those that sided with The Sisterhood. You’re like Rolian. You’re a good person, one that shouldn’t be judged just because of what you are. You don’t have to keep eating outside or avoiding us like you have been, you can talk to us if you like. It’s okay.”
“But I’m a salamander woman, one who was part of The Sisterhood,” Sheal worried. “Why… why do you all treat me like I’m not… I’m not…”
“A monster?” Daniel finished, with Sheal nodding to that. “Because you’re not.”
“Yes I am. We’re all monsters here except for you.”
“No you’re not,” Daniel decisively argued. “I have to say, I’m beginning to hate all of you being labeled with that word. When I first started this journey I always found that word to be a little disparaging. Monsters. Like you’re evil and abominations just because of how you were born. Monsters… monsters isn’t the right word for all of you.”
“That’s what we are,” Felucia told him. “We’re monsters.”
“No, you’re not,” Daniel told her. “The ones who hurt you, the ones who attack, kill, rape, and torture others, they’re monsters. The ones who took Squeak from us, they’re monsters. But my mates? You girls? I don’t see you in that way, you’re not monsters at all. Not even Reiko.”
“I’m not sure I would go that far,” Reiko chuckled. “But thank you for the sentiment.”
“You know what makes me angry?” Daniel asked the girls. “When this is all over, if and when everything is said and done, if our story gets told in the world, you know what’s going to be horrible? The fact that Squeak, my beloved mate who sacrificed her very life for our cause and for others, will be remembered as a monster. That my mate, my beautiful ant girl, will be spoken of like she’s the same as those goddamned gemini sisters. That’s what makes me angry.”
The girls lowered their heads in remorse from that while Felucia and Reiko silently watched as Daniel slowly took a breath and ran a hand down his face, displaying withheld frustration about that depressing notion.
“Well I’m not going to let my Squeak be remembered like that. She was brave, compassionate, caring, and beautiful from antennae to toe. I loved her, we all did, and she was anything but a monster to us. I need to succeed with my quest now, more than ever. Not just so Squeak’s sacrifice won’t be in vain, not just so you girls and your races can peacefully coexist with each other and mankind, not just to end the senseless cycle of violence in this world. I need to bring peace to this world and unite our races in Eden so that Squeak and all the innocent ones labeled as monsters will be able to shed away that degrading title and be remembered for who they were, not what they were. Girls. Daughters. Women of Eden. Because that’s what Squeak was. A woman of Eden. And that’s how she’s going to be remembered.”
“That’s so beautiful!” Luna sobbed, grabbing leaves from her skirt and blowing her nose with them. Around her Daniel’s mates showed similar tearful looks of pride and agreement as they felt a renewed sense of faith in their cause.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Specca admitted wiping away a tear.
“Fuck yeah,” Clover agreed.
“She will be remembered as such,” Triska promised. “We’ll make sure of it.”
“She’ll always be remembered,” Falla softly voiced. “Never forgotten.”
“You’re really serious?” Felucia asked in disbelief. Everyone watched as the wraith stared at Daniel while trying to believe his words. “What they’ve told me about you isn’t a joke? You’re really determined to unite our races in peace? You honestly think that can be done? That humans will ever stop seeing us as monsters? That they will… just accept us for how we are?”
“I know it can be done,” Daniel answered. “I’m proof of that. These girls around me, my family, my loved ones, I don’t see them as monsters, not at all like what monsters are thought to be in this world. Each of my mates I love and hold dear, because I love everything about them and cherish them like you couldn’t imagine. I would gladly fight for, and give my life for, each and every one of them.”
“Even her?” Felucia asked pointing to Sheal.
“She’s not my mate, but sh
e is certainly not a monster in my eyes,” Daniel admitted, with Sheal staring at him in speechless marvel with a small wisp of smoke coming out of her mouth. “Just as Squeak fought for her, so too would I.”
“You… would?” Sheal faintly said. “But… but I’m not worth that…”
“And her?” Felucia asked pointing to Reiko.
“She’s a little eccentric,” Daniel answered with a smirk. “And can’t be straight-out condemned for simply following her nature. Still, being a harvester who lives to reap souls, and yet refusing to harm any of us because of her own choice not to, that certainly puts her above the title of monster in this world as far as I’m concerned.”
“Again with the flattery,” Reiko coyly said fanning herself with one hand. “You can knock it off now, I already told you my heart belongs to Star. Nice try though.”
“And her?” Felucia asked pointing to Specca. Daniel nodded, with Felucia then pointing to Falla, then Pip, and then Alyssa, with Daniel nodding each and every time as the sand wraith showed further skepticism of what she was hearing.
“And… her?” she finally said, her finger now aimed at Cindy who watched Daniel with a warm smile. “You… you really love my Cindy?”
“I do,” Daniel assured. He approached Cindy and Snapper, giving the young swarm a gentle pat on the head before holding his hand to the wraith’s cheek. “I chose her as my mate not just because she’s beautiful, but because of the soul she has inside. She may be a sand wraith, but her desire to be good and help others overpowers her inner nature to blindly eat everyone she meets. She’s an amazing girl, full of life and potential, and I want the responsibility of taking care of her and making sure she lives a happy, fulfilled life. I mean it when I say I love her.”
“I love you too, Daniel,” Cindy said as she quickly moved forward and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. Snapper squirmed about between them before she started mauling Cindy’s chest again, the swarm’s growls and vicious snaps being heard amidst the silence as Felucia was rendered speechless. Looking around at the girls she saw Daniel’s mates smiling kindly at them while Reiko and Sheal merely had curious looks on their faces.
“But…” Felucia said looking back to her daughter. “Cindy… why him? Why choose this?”
“Because I love him,” Cindy told her. “He makes me happier than anything, even food. He makes me feel safe, loved, and appreciated. He feeds me wonderful, tasty things, he’s always here to comfort me if I get sad or scared, and he likes me just the way I am. I mean how I behave. He likes me when I look like this and he really likes me when I get naked for him.”
“WHAT?” Felucia screamed out. Daniel showed a nervous grimace to that as Cindy nodded with a bright smile at him. Snapper however spun around and pressed as far back into Cindy’s bosom as she could while silently staring at the enraged sand wraith who suddenly spooked her.
“It’s true,” Cindy bashfully admitted. “He says I look beautiful without clothes on. He does say I look beautiful with them on, but when I don’t have any on me he really likes looking at my boobs and smiles even more. It makes him happy seeing me like that.”
“Wait, what?” Daniel cried out. “Where is this coming from? That’s not why I smile at you, I smile because it’s you I’m looking at!”
“But you kept looking down to my boobs before,” Cindy curiously said. “I know I saw you look at them a few times when we were lying naked in bed together.”
“YOU WERE WHAT?” Felucia roared.
“It’s okay, mother,” Cindy promised her. “I wasn’t the only one naked then. All the girls were. We were all naked in bed with Daniel together. Everyone was naked, including Daniel.”
Felucia looked around at the girls with fire in her eyes and bared teeth, somewhat resembling an infuriated wolf that was getting ready to lunge at its victim for the kill, while the girls smiled weakly at her with small giggles as they could easily feel the aura of rage surrounding the woman.
“Now now, Cindy,” Specca managed to say. “This isn’t quite what we should be discussing at the moment. Or with your mother at all.”
“She looks angry now,” Luna worried as she hid behind her sister.
“Well, angrier than before,” Falla corrected as they backed up on the bed.
“It’s not what you think, really,” Alyssa weakly insisted with a forced laugh. “Well, I mean it kind of is, but it doesn’t involve your daughter. Well, maybe it does, but still…”
“Alyssa, please stop talking,” Triska said as Felucia was snarling like a rabid animal with death glares aimed at them.
“Please don’t misunderstand,” Doku begged. “Daniel hasn’t done anything depraved with your daughter. They haven’t even had sex yet.”
“Sex?” Cindy wondered.
“Yet?” Felucia yelled at Daniel. “What do you mean yet? Were you planning on fucking my daughter? You filthy pig, is that why you’ve been leading her on like this? How dare you corrupt my baby just so you could use her as your fucking sex doll!”
“Sex?” Cindy repeated. “What’s sex?”
“When a man mates with a woman,” Reiko kindly told her. “Or more specifically, when Daniel here puts his penis in a girl’s pussy. You know, that long thing he has on his crotch and that tight place between your legs, that’s what we’re talking about here. It’s something a man and a woman do when they’re in love and it feels suuuuuper good to do.”
“Reiko!” Daniel shouted at her. “Why are you encouraging this?”
“Because it’s making her so mad,” Reiko giggled, pointing to Felucia who had sandy patches slipping through her disguise on her face and chest in her rage. “Look at her, she’s absolutely furious with you. This is hilarious. She looks like she wants to murder you now, Daniel. Hee hee!”
“So glad you’re being nice to Daniel now!” Triska barked at her. “Thanks a lot! This is real helpful!”
“You’re very welcome.”
“You… fucking… bastard…” Felucia snarled as she trembled uncontrollably. “You were planning on having sex with my baby girl? That’s why you wanted her here with you, because you wanted to fuck her? Is that it?”
“You were, Daniel?” Cindy asked him. She blinked then gasped with a smile forming. “Wait, I remember now. That big hard thing you have between your legs, the thing I grabbed when you woke up that morning. That’s your penis? And it goes inside me between my legs and makes us feel real good? Is that true, Daniel? Is that what you wanted us to do? You wanted us to have sex together because you love me?”
“Oh dear god no,” Specca sighed looking down with a hand held over her eyes. “She did not just ask that.”
“Yeah… that’s not going to help the situation at all,” Falla said as the girls saw Felucia staring at Daniel with wide eyes and an open mouth. Daniel however was looking back and forth in shock between the stunned mother and overly-excited daughter as Cindy was now bouncing on her feet, with Snapper gurgling and kicking hers as she was hopped up and down in the wraith’s arms.
“You… you had her touch it?” Felucia feared. “You made her touch it already?”
“That’s not it at all!” Daniel pleaded. “Just hold on a minute, it’s not what you think, I swear! This is just a big misunderstanding!”
“I want to have sex with Daniel!” Cindy cheered hopping about. “I want to have sex with Daniel! Please, Daniel? Can we? Can we have sex? I want to have sex with you!”
“And now she’s saying it over and over again,” Specca groaned shaking her head.
“This isn’t going to end well,” Alyssa muttered with a face palm.
“Oh dear,” Doku worried. “Cindy, you really shouldn’t be shouting such things. Especially right now in front of your mother.”
“Um, Triska?” Clover said, raising an eyebrow at Felucia who was struggling to hold in her monumental scream of anger while at the same time turning red.
“Already on it,” Triska replied, unsheathing the Hellfire’s Edge. “Felu
cia, stand down. It’s not like that, that’s not what-”
Without pause Felucia roared like a lion and tackled Daniel to the ground, pinning him down by his neck while she sat atop him with a furious cry and half her face crumbling into sand.
“You fucking bastard! Nobody touches my baby girl like that and lives! You’re fucking dead, you miserable sack of horseshit!”
“Felucia!” Triska yelled charging forward.
“Dan!” Clover exclaimed.
“Mother!” Cindy cried out.
“Reiko!” Alyssa shouted, with Reiko merely shrugging with an innocent smile and small giggle.
“Boobies!” Pip cheered diving down into Luna’s cleavage.
“Seriously?” Falla shouted at the happy fairy. “You’re doing that now?”
“Squeak?” Sheal suddenly cried out. Everyone stopped and turned to see the salamander woman staring in surprise at something in the main court. Her eyes were wide, her mouth was opened, and her finger was shakily pointing at what had caught her full attention.
“Squeak?” Specca repeated. She got up, walked around Daniel and Felucia who remained still and quiet, came up beside Sheal, and then jumped with a shocked gasp. Taking off her glasses she quickly rubbed her eyes before putting them back on, her hands then covering her mouth as she seemed to lose all breath in her lungs.
“Oh… my… it can’t… be…”
“What is it?” Pip asked flying over to her. She blinked then hopped in the air with a yelp. “Squeak? Squeak!”
She flew off into the court in haste, with everyone exchanging puzzled looks while Sheal and Specca remained frozen in place as they seemed baffled by what they were seeing.
“What are you all talking about?” Alyssa asked, waving her hand sharply to the side and in turn throwing Felucia off Daniel into the wall with a hard thud. As the wraith dropped into a sandy clump on the floor Daniel and the girls ran over to the archway with Specca and Sheal following after, all of them coming to a quick halt outside the bedroom as they saw someone standing in the middle of the court that drew stunned looks and hushed gasps from everyone.
Chronicles of Eden: Season II - Act I Page 6
