This page is dedicated to a book of fantasy called Mirth. It’s inspired by folklore, the furry fandom, paganism and alternative subcultures. Mirth traditional folklore motifs with urban fantasy and contemporary, slice of life storytelling themes. Mirth takes place in an advanced yet organic magitech setting – inspired by my love of fantasy and RPG gaming since adolescence. The various characters in each chapter are members of distinct species known collectively as sapients – inspired by the talking beasts of classic fables as well as classic fantasy races. Mirth takes place in an idyllic town called Rancho Duna – which is inspired by my life in Southern California, as well as my love of cozy desert cities.
Chapter I
Above the verdant communal courtyard, Eugene makes his way down the steps beyond the door to his apartment, with his messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and walks briskly to his car – parked safely in his assigned spot, before making the drive to his place of employment. Among the tree lined streets in midtown along his route are pleasant stores, appealing restaurants and cozy suburban neighborhoods.
Every home and shop is made with care and ornate details – using an eclectic mix of traditional materials like stone, brick, terracotta and wood in various cultural styles. The streets and avenues are broken up with car and pedestrian traffic from time to time – as well as sapients riding beautiful horses, birdish aurans, lizardish ignans and newtish aquans in an array of sizes and colors.
In Southern California is a particular city named Rancho Duna. Like many contemporary cities in North America, Rancho Duna is full of temples and fellowships of all kinds – their devotees honoring the intrinsic sanctity of various gods and goddesses in different ways. In the center of Rancho Duna is the Wellspring Temple. Inside of its temenos is the Lotus Bookstore. In this bookstore, Eugene works as a cashier. He sells not only books but also sacred charms and spiritual supplies to the general public. He also offers emotional and spiritual consultation to those who need it.
The grounds of Wellspring Temple are even more lush than the rest of Rancho Duna. Tall, elegant juniper trees line the cobblestone pathway leading to the main temple. The whole area where the temple sits is just as much an arboretum as it is a temenos – possessing well-maintained shrubs, various herbs and flowers of many types and colors. These are all regularly maintained by members of the Wellspring Fellowship as well as volunteers in Rancho Duna.
The main temple and the bookstore next to it are made in a modest, traditional Gallo-Roman style – with bright pillars, simple doors, small windows and terracotta shingles imported directly from France and Belgium. In addition to the clear European influences are Near Eastern architectural motifs from modern Assyria, Canaan, Arabia and Kemet – as well as woodwork and cobblestone from England and the six nations of the Celtic Union. In addition to Celtic motifs are strong Scandinavian influences including runic stones and god poles around the temenos. Approaching the entrance to the bookstore, Eugene takes a moment to admire the work his community has put into the temple – before readjusting the bag on his shoulder and opening up the store for the beginning of the day.
Eugene is a middle-aged sylvan with boarish, bristly brown fur and a light touch of gray. Like most days, he is currently dressed in casual clothing – but not without a bold necklace, large gauges in his ears and rings around his adult tusks. His personal style is not only a manifestation of his own gregarious countenance and mystical mindset, but is also a reflection of the individualism that is cherished in Earth’s contemporary culture – especially in the United States of America. This individualism stands in stark contrast to the collectivism of the distant past. This is the lively, mirthful spirit he brings to his work at the bookstore and the consultations that inevitably follow.
After taking some time to settle in and tidy up shelves, the bell above the front door of the Wellspring bookstore chimes brightly as a new customer arrives into the space. Unlike Eugene, this young, male glaesan is short and slender – with vulpine features, large ears and fur that’s a mix of white and red. He has the more reserved and hesitant attitude of an uncertain, fresh-faced college student exploring the world on their own for the first time. In contrast to Eugene’s more seasoned, bold look, Preston has a more understated aesthetic – preferring muted tones and a comfy hoodie. He’s wearing thick framed glasses and is carrying a satchel over his shoulder.
“Welcome! Is this your first time in the store?” Eugene says cheerfully.
“Yes, it is.” Preston says plainly. “I was invited here by a friend.”
“That’s wonderful! Your friend has good taste.” Eugene replies. Noticing various band pins on the satchel he’s carrying, Eugene continues, saying, “It seems you have your own sense of good taste with music. Is there anything you like to listen to especially?”
“I listen to a little bit of everything” Preston says with a bit of a guarded expression. “I like to get lost in the vibe of a particular album on my walks.”
“It’s good to keep an open mind” Eugene says with a smile, “but it’s okay to prefer certain things over others. My boyfriend Magid and I love underground music the most.”
Relaxing his posture, Preston replies, “Lucien has been introducing me to a lot of new genres. It’s been a lot of fun. He’s the guy who invited me here too.” Preston smiles nervously and strokes the back of his neck for a moment.
“My name is Eugene. What’s your name?” Eugene says.
“Preston. It’s nice to meet you.” Preston replies.
“It’s nice to meet you as well” Eugene says.
After a brief silence, Eugene says, “We have a lot of books here in the store – including many about fairly germane subjects. Feel free to take a look at them while you wait for your friend. We have a dedicated study area in the back if you find something you want to explore further.”
“Thank you” Preston replies quietly.
Taking some time to peruse the shelves at the bookstore while Eugene deals with a steady stream of customers, Preston takes a few books and passes through an open hallway to the study room that Eugene mentioned earlier.
Passing through a short hallway, Preston notices a small kitchen to the left and a door past it that leads to a back patio. Further down, the hallway opens up to the main room. It has comfortable couches, a coffee table, and a small nook surrounded by shelves of obscure books. There is a draped window with midday sunlight pouring through and soft incandescent lighting around the whole space. Preston decides to take a seat in the cozy nook at the far end and enjoy the quietude of the study room.
After some time of reading, and a little bit of daydreaming, Preston hears the soft steps of someone down the hallway. Looking up, he sees Lucien gazing at him with a soft smile and a confident, masculine glaesan pose.
“You look cozy” Lucien says playfully. “Did you find anything good to read?”
“A few things” Preston replies sheepishly while looking at the sizable stack he brought into the study room before Lucien arrived.
“I can see that!” Lucien says with a laugh. “So, I heard that Eugene talked to you a little bit about music when you first arrived. Him and Magid can’t get enough of the underground. I’ve definitely picked their brains about music, art and culture many times.”
“How long have you known them?” Preston inquires.
“I’ve known them for a few years now” Lucien replies. “Right around the time I was first looking for a new temple – something different than the one my parents go to, I met Eugene and Magid at a music concert. They invited me to the Wellspring bookstore shortly afterward.”
“Do you go to the temple a lot?” Preston asks.
“Sometimes” Lucien replies. “I often make offerings before big exams or when I need some spiritual motivation in my life.” Lucien looks at Preston intently with a soft smile. “You should come with me during the summer solstice. There’s a big midsummer festival coming up. There’s tons to do.”
Preston is hesitant, but he has trouble saying no to Lucien’s brilliant amber eyes.
“Alright. Let’s do it!” Preston says.
In the balmy summer days leading up to the solstice festival, Eugene spends his free time preparing the bookstore for the increase of customers that are bound to soon arrive. For this particular festival though, Eugene is deferring to his other workers – particularly Irene, who is quite eager for the opportunity to help the store in a big way.
In addition to assisting with festival duties around the temple, Eugene is going to act as the head priest for the main solstice ritual – a high festival in honor of the Egyptian Ptah. He is a deity of particular significance to the Wellspring Temple.
“I know you’ve been putting in a lot of effort this year, Irene, but I thought a few volunteers would be in order – given all the public interest, and how many donations our temple has been getting so far” Eugene says calmly. “This is Lucien and his boyfriend Preston.”
Lucien and Preston both give friendly yet casual waves to Irene.
With Lucien’s hand placed firmly on his shoulder, Preston is reminded how imposing his boyfriend actually is. Lucien is shorter than both Eugene and Magid, but his physical strength is well-attested by a sculpted physique – one that he freely shows off with fitted jeans, a tucked-in shirt and an extra-large, wolf’s head belt buckle.
Irene says, “I’m very grateful to you two. If you’ll give me a moment of your time, I’ll walk you through some of the things I need the most help with.”
Irene, much like Preston, is quite slender, but she’s rather tall – even for a crowish linean. She’s barely a few inches shorter than Eugene or his boyfriend Magid. She has a dark beak and soft, shimmering, black corvine plumage. She also wears glasses, but prefers a bit more flair to her outfits than Preston – particularly during the solstice, where her love of summery boho aesthetics and bold accessories really shines brightest.
Hanging back a bit is Irene’s girlfriend Cassandra – a tall and athletic young linean with an intense gaze and formidability that rivals the goddess Sekhmet. In contrast to Irene, she finds herself most comfortable in activewear with a form-fitting tank top – belying her strong interest in gym life and the scenery she hikes with Lucien as her trail buddy.
“So, Cassandra and I will deal with setting out most of the festival items to sell in the bookstore” Irene says. “You and Lucien can set up signs, decorations and whatever else you can get to today. Let me know if you have any questions.”
After separating into two groups and getting to work, in a moment of silence Cassandra says, “Hey sweetie. I just wanted to say I appreciate you putting in a good word with Eugene. Working here has been so much more relaxed and getting into meditation here has been a nice contrast to my high energy workout routine.”
“It’s my pleasure” Irene says warmly. “Speaking of temple activities, did you know that Lucien will be teaching traditional martial arts at the Wellspring?”
With a lot of surprise, Cassandra replies, “He told me that he had something big planned, but I had no idea it was this involved.”
“I only ask because, despite appearances, Lucien has a soft heart” Irene says. “He wants to ask you to be a part of the class after the festival, but he doesn’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I’d love to be a part of something like that, honestly” Cassandra replies.
“I agree. It would also give you a way of contributing to the temple in a more substantial way than being an errand gal for your girlfriend” Irene says playfully.
Cassandra smirks and says, “Well, I can still help you with heavy lifting from time to time.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way” Irene replies.
Cassandra fondly recalls how her and Irene met. She remembers her reticence to interact with anyone – much less someone as striking as Irene. In those early days – fresh out of high school in fact – the difficulties she had in school were still fresh on her mind.
Being quite the tomboy, there was a fair amount of teasing from girls – especially other lineans – who thought she would be better suited to catty bathroom conversation than the sports she was far more interested in.
Though Irene is hardly the sporty type herself, many of her older brothers are, so it just so happened that they were learning martial arts at the same dojo as Cassandra. Despite her bookish nature, Irene quite boldly asserted herself into conversation between Cassandra and her older brother, and in the days that followed, Cassandra and Irene began talking regularly.
In time, Cassandra grew more trusting, so being encouraged by Irene to enter a fight competition was a big step for her – both in her relationship and her ability to be more confident. This confidence was also reinforced by Eugene’s boyfriend Magid – a great fighter in his own right.
In a small reading area for kids, Eugene’s boyfriend Magid is sitting on a chair with a group of younglings. They’re all sitting on the floor and looking up intently at him with wide eyes. It’s clear from their glances that many of them are utterly fascinated by his bold punk attire, band patches, flashy jewelry and imposing boarish countenance. But more than that, they are captivated by the way he tells captivating stories.
“Since the solstice festival is upon us, I thought I’d tell you all about the creation myth of the sapient races” Magid says warmly to the children before him.
“Raise your hand if you have heard of Ptah” Magid says aloud. A few kids cautiously raise their hands – one after the other. “A few of you do, it seems. Very good. You can put your hands down now.”
“As the story goes, Ptah, the great architect, is a very special god. Unlike many other deities, he emerged as a fully formed being” Magid says brightly. “Ptah emerged from out of the sacred waters, at the edge of the first land – the fertile soil that rose up from the endless abyss. This is what would become known as Earth – the planet that all sapients live on.”
“What makes him so special?” a juvenile male sylvan asks Magid.
“Long ago, after creating a beautiful world for plants and animals, the gods desired folk to praise them and live in the land they created. With material the gods and goddesses gathered, Ptah created all of the sapient races on Earth. Fishy testans were formed from shells and froggish vitreans were moulded from glass. Snaky ferreans were forged from metal. Crowish lineans were woven from cloth and harish pellans were formed from hide. Goatish corneans were formed from hide and Deerish osseans were carved from bone. Boarish sylvans were carved from wood and foxy glaesans were formed from amber. Cattish gemmans were fashioned from jewels. Glabrous humans were formed from clay and bearish petrans were sculpted from stone.”
Eugene walks over to Magid and sets a gentle hand on his shoulder before saying, “In addition to being a grand creator god, Ptah is also a great protector and a guide for ethical conduct. He also has names in many other cultures that are sacred to us at the Wellspring Temple.”
Magid says, “Ptah loves joy and play too, but he doesn’t like too much mischief. That’s why we all want you to be on your best behavior during the solstice festival. Make sure to listen to the adults around you and don’t wander off during the main event.”
The children nod in agreement and Magid continues telling them more about the festival itself before the rest of storytime is finished.
Once the children clear out for the day, Eugene gives Magid a gentle kiss before Magid says playfully, “What was that for?”
“You’re so good with kids” Eugene says warmly.
“You don’t think I’m too firm with them?” Magid asks.
“Sometimes kids need a firm hand. You did well today babe” Eugene replies.
“Thanks Eugene” Magid says.
“You’re welcome.” Eugene replies. “Let’s finish the rest of the festival preparations together. I want us to get this just right when we perform the ritual together.”
“Me too” Magid says. “It’s gonna be amazing.”
“I agree” Eugene replies. “Let’s get to it.”
***
As the day of the summer solstice festival finally arrives, the grounds of the Wellspring Temple – even more than usual, is brightly decorated. Sacred statues from a large array of polytheistic traditions in and around the main Wellspring temple are decorated with cloth sashes, vibrant summer flowers and a wide assortment of food offerings or other votives from the local community. Various vendor stands line the square as children and their families explore them with cheerful wonder. Escaping from the dry desert heat in Rancho Duna, some of the patrons outside make their way into the Wellspring temple bookstore as well.
Above the main entrance of the bookstore is a worn sign that greets customers as they pass through. Eugene, along with other founders of Wellspring, commissioned the sign from a local craftsman. Given the opportunity to choose a name for the store, Eugene decided on Lotus – both because of the watery associations of the lotus flower and because of the store’s focus on blossoming spiritual potential.
Unlike most days however, the current focus of the Lotus bookstore during this festival is less about quiet refuge and more about lively celebration. This change in tone is shown in the ways Lotus mirrors the bright festival décor outside. Sacred charms and jewelry for the occasion are on full display, and festival relevant books are available for purchase.
In addition to Eugene and Magid, the other original temple founders, Phineas and Lucretia, are also participating in the event. Whereas Eugene and Magid are set to perform a ritual in honor of Ptah in the evening, Phineas and Lucretia are providing healing and blessing services to attendees of the summer solstice festival.
In contrast to sylvans like Eugene and Magid, Phineas and Lucretia are tall, statuesque ferrean with snaky features, olive scales, and dark eyes. They are both modestly dressed for the occasion, but not without sacred jewelry to adorn themselves with.
Taking a break from services in the temenos, Phineas and Lucretia visit Eugene and Magid inside the Lotus bookstore – approaching the front counter with cheerfulness.
“Greetings Eugene” Phineas says. “I see you’re busy as ever.”
“That’s certainly true, but I’ll have some free time in a little while” Eugene replies.
“That’s good to know” Lucretia says brightly. “Phineas and I wanted to know if you’ll be at the martial arts demonstration in the community center on the west side of the temenos.”
“Lucien and a few of his new students will be showing off their skills and giving a basic introduction to the festival attendees who are interested” Phineas says.
“I thought you were busy with healing services today” Eugene says.
“Phineas and I are finished for the day” Lucretia says. “All that is left for the festival is the martial arts demonstration, some festival entertainment and the evening ritual you and Magid will be performing.”
“Well, I was just about to close up the shop for the day – since the festival entertainment will be taking precedence over quiet book reading after sundown” Eugene says.
Irene chimes in, saying, “Magid and Cassandra will also be a part of the demonstration, and they both want us to watch them.”
“Give me and Irene a little while longer and we’ll meet you over there” Eugene says.
Sometime later, Eugene and Irene enter through the large double-doors of the west building in the Wellspring temenos. It is a large open area with multiple rooms for things like crafting, workshops, meditation and the martial arts demonstration they are all about to watch.
Much like both the main Wellspring temple and the Lotus bookstore, the Wellspring community center is built with a mixture of Gallo-Roman and Alexandrian elements. There is a lot of warm wood and the colors of terracotta clay – evoking not only the importance of hearth cultures but also the themes of pure water and fertile mud that dominate Wellspring.
There are several small shrines in different locations around the space, but one of the largest is a shrine dedicated to the powerful god Sobek. In the back of the area set aside for martial arts and other more physical activities is the particularly watchful gaze of a crocodilian Sobek statue – carefully adorned in honor of the summer solstice festival.
With a similar intensity to Sobek is Lucien – dressed in a white martial arts uniform along with Cassandra, Magid, his newest students and a number of excited guests.
“Like many of the practices from ancient times, what I’m about to show you is focused on grappling and wrestling techniques” Lucien projects into the room. “So, it’s always best to learn how to fall more than anything else.”
Cassandra steps up towards Lucien and they both get into appropriate stances – trading off between coordinated throws and opposing grapples to demonstrate the core concept.
“What I’m about to show you now is how this works in practice” Lucien says. “With the help of a few of my experienced friends, I’ll show you what sparring looks like.”
Turning up the heat and intensity, Lucien and Cassandra jump into much more of a combative posing – getting quite close and really showcasing their skill. Lucien lands the first throw – making a loud slam on the floor. With a look of excitement, Cassandra comes back towards Lucien with more zeal – exchanging a few more grapples and averting another throw by Lucien before tripping him successfully. She grabs his hand and pulls him up to his feet.
With much the same excitement, Magid gets into a combative stance before Lucien, and the intensity gets even stronger than before. Despite Lucien’s small size compared to Magid, he produces just as much strength and intensity. Lucien and Magid exchange a series of powerful trips and throws, with slams and grunting that reverberates throughout the community center – drawing the attention of attendees who seem quite entertained by the display.
Once they are done sparring, Lucien’s eager students practice with him. As well, a few of the attendees jump in to experiment with his techniques – emboldened by the excitement of the event. This sparring continues for a while longer – before a brief moment of silence falls over the building. Lucien, Magid and Cassandra make a silent prayer before the Sobek shrine and the demonstration ends with a sense of peace and calm.
All of the people who participated in the demonstration head to the locker rooms, take showers and get back into their normal clothes before exiting the community center into the open-air festival that is still going on outside.
“We have a little bit of time before we need to prepare for the ritual” Eugene says sometime later. “Would you like to enjoy some of the festivities until then?”
“Definitely” Magid says. “I’m absolutely starving.”
Under the warm glow of festival fires and lanterns, Eugene, Magid and his other friends enter into the main square beneath the imposing grandeur of Wellspring Temple – in the hours of early evening after the particularly energetic martial arts demonstration moments earlier. Vendor stands with various items and delicious food are quite popular – even more than then during the hours before sundown, and the cheerful noise of festival goers fills the air.
Quite the extravaganza, there are jugglers, illusionists, fire breathers, dancers, musicians and artists from all around Rancho Duna and elsewhere – filling the festival with the vitality that Wellspring is best known for. Not content to make the summer solstice a solemn festival, everyone involved has brought their excitement to every aspect of the celebration – something that fills Eugene with great joy and satisfaction as he explores the rest of the temenos with Magid and his friends.
“We are incredibly lucky” Eugene says with a soft smile.
“Why do you say that?” Magid says.
“We have so many people who are dedicated to making Wellspring and the Lotus bookstore inviting places for people to be” Eugene replies. “This year has even more excitement than ever.”
“It’s truly wonderful” Magid says “I’m sure that you and I will be able to show our gratitude when we perform the ritual later on tonight. But for now, let’s just enjoy some revelry.”
“Sounds good to me, babe” Eugene says happily.
Before the festival comes to a close, Eugene and Magid quietly break away to set up for the Ptah ritual – getting into more formal clothing, lighting candles and incense and setting up various other ritual items.
Sometime later, Eugene’s friends and various attendees assemble into the Wellspring temple and stand in rows before the main altar space.
“On the night of the solstice,“ Eugene begins “We honor the fecundity, fertility and abundance of the season and the many blessings of Ptah – the craftsman of the folk.”
“We present you many offerings and votives on your most sacred day” Magid says before presenting and addressing several offerings around the temple floor.
“We honor you as He who emerged from chaos and formed sapients from sacred matter – out of the land at the edge of the abyssal waters of creation” Eugene intones.
“We ask that you keep us in your blessings, protect our community – particularly our women and children, and are honored by what we present to you now” Magid says.
In the Wellspring Temple, sacred music and dancing fills the space. More offerings are brought into the temple and his statues are blessed with fine oils and fragrant flowers of various types.
“As this most blessed evening ends, may all sacred divinities, powerful spirits, wise ancestors and assembled festival attendees depart in peace and benevolence” Eugene says – finishing the solstice rite with his solemn words and extinguishing all the candles with the help of his partner Magid.
***
A few days after the end of the summer solstice festival, Preston takes some time to browse the shelves at Lotus while Eugene works on his laptop behind the register. Finding a book of interest, Preston makes his way through the back door of the sales floor into the back study room.
Sometime later, after Preston has settled into his favorite nook in the study room – curled up not unlike his wild, feral vulpine cousins, the quiet hum of downtown Rancho Duna is interrupted by Lucien coming through the hallway into the study. Today, more than ever, he has a certain intensity that still intrigues Preston – months after their first date and those that followed.
“Hey Preston” Lucien says casually. “I’m glad to see you’ve made yourself comfortable again. I’m done running my errands now. Would you like some tea from the kitchen?”
“Sure” Preston says with a soft smile before returning to his book.
Lucien quietly makes his way into the kitchen to prepare some tea. Preston closes his book, moves himself over to the couch and checks some messages on his speculum. Lucien has a broad smile of contentment on his face and hums to himself as he boils water on the stove.
Lucien grabs some loose-leaf tea and sets it aside. As the water heats on the stove, Lucien glances longingly at Preston from inside the kitchen and thinks to himself how adorable he is when he curiously scrolls through his speculum with gentle motions of his finger and his attention to unseen etheric images projected into his consciousness.
A bit distracted by the pleasant view, the shrill and sudden sound of the kettle coming to a boil is enough to snap him out of his daze. Taking a breath, he pours boiling water from the kettle into a teapot filled with tea leaves. Taking a moment to compose himself, he grabs some honey from the kitchen counter.
Moments later, Lucien places a serving tray with both a teapot, teacups, honey and spoons onto the coffee table and sits on the couch next to Preston. “We’ll just let it steep for a bit now” Lucien says softly.
“So, I was thinking” Preston says. “Since I chose our first big date location at the playhouse, I thought it would be nice to do something you enjoy. I know theatre is not your favorite, and I’d like to expand my horizons.”
Lucien pauses for a moment – carefully choosing his words before saying, “Well, there is something I’m planning to do with Eugene and Magid in a few weeks, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
A look of frustration washes over Preston’s face and with a sigh he says, “It seems like everyone wants to tell me what I’m supposed to like or dislike.”
“I’m sorry” Lucien says. “I don’t want to be yet another dismissive or controlling person in your life. I’m just so used to people passing judgment on me because of my tastes in music.”
“What kind of music?” Preston inquires genuinely.
“I like metal music” Lucien replies nervously. “A lot of people have strong opinions about it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being passionate” Preston says reassuringly. “I’ve never listened to metal, but I’m willing to give it a try if you’re willing to share your favorite artists and genres with me.”
Lucien gives Preston a relieved smile and says, “Okay Preston. I’ll try to be more open.”
Sometime later, Lucien pours tea into each of their cups. They sit quietly in the study room and Lucien introduces his boyfriend to a little bit of the history of metal music – as well as various styles.
“Have you ever had your leaves read?” Lucien asks.
“No, I haven’t. I didn’t know you did tasseography” Preston replies. “Sure. Go ahead.”
Lucien looks down at each cup – studying the position of the leaf fragments sitting at the bottom and interpreting the shape that appears. With a look of amusement and shock, Lucien says, “Wow. I can’t believe it. We both got the same symbol.”
“Which symbol?” Preston asks – leaning forward with increasing interest.
“We both have the symbol of the goat in our cups” Lucien says. “It is not only a symbol of independence, change, revelry and exploration, but also one of the most iconic symbols of metal.”
“Seems like fate to me then” Preston says with a smile.
In the days that follow, Lucien introduces Preston to more bands. With even more enthusiasm, Preston finds even more music on his own and starts to develop quite a nascent appetite for the metal genre as a whole. Preston grows even more excited to go to the concert with Lucien because of the sheer variety of bands he would be able to enjoy in such a tangible way.
On the day of the concert, Eugene offers to drive Lucien and Preston along with his boyfriend Magid riding in the front passenger seat. Turning towards Lucien behind the driver’s seat, Magid says, “So, are you gonna join me in the mosh pit again Lucien?”
“You know it!” Lucien replies excitedly.
“Don’t worry too much about what you should do at a concert” Eugene says to Preston while glancing at the rear-view mirror. “Everyone enjoys the music in different ways. I’m not into moshing, but some people definitely love it.” Eugene turns to his boyfriend and with a playful tone says, “Though I sometimes wonder if some people like it a little too much.”
After a short drive, the four men arrive at the concert venue – seeing crowds of people with band shirts and battle vests pouring into the building from the parking lot.
Seeing Preston’s nervous yet excited expression gives Lucien a lot of joy, and although there’s a part of him that thinks he needs to offer consolation, he resists the temptation and lets Preston take in the frenetic, powerful, anticipatory energy of the venue as the chaotic noise of the space begins to build.
Once they all find a spot for themselves, their double-date at the metal concert begins in earnest. With an unyielding intensity and enthusiasm, the bands begin to play. The roar of the crowds and the rhythm of arms and feet join the chorus of sound on the stage. Preston feels – for the first time in his young life, the power of live drums, deep bass and fearsome distortion. He hears the virtuosity of their instruments and the penetrating, evocative sounds of extreme vocals of many types.
Preston watches as Magid and Lucien are drawn to the mosh pit like moths to a flame. Seeing the chaos and aggression of the crowd is shocking at first, but also entrancing to Preston. With a gentle nudge from a smiling Eugene, Preston makes his way over to the mosh pit.
Feeling the power of the music and following the flow of the moshers, Preston joins in – being welcomed like a young man on his first hunt. Lucien finds himself nervous, but although he is tempted to step in, he decides to just stay close instead. The two of them share big smiles as the primality of the mosh pit sweeps over the venue – joined by a cacophony of extreme sound.
In the midst of the crowd emerges a particularly unruly mosher – more than a little drunk and quite disagreeable among an already chaotic group of people. This imposing, drunken male ferrean pushes people nearby. The snaky jerk finds himself irritated by the joy around him – particularly Preston, who is smiling brighter than anyone. The olive scaled reptilian quietly yet firmly shoves Preston – which draws the attention of those in the pit.
With a fiery look in his eyes, Lucien draws nearer to his boyfriend. But just before he’s able to step in, Preston jumps high and head-butts the ferrean right in his short snout. As he stands there quite dazed, an amused, gargantuan male sylvan chucks the drunken ferrean out of the pit and gives Preston a high five as everyone gets back enjoying the metal concert.
During a brief intermission, Lucien notices that the drunken asshole gets removed by security. Turning back to Preston, he notices how joyfully his boyfriend is befriending other people at the venue – exchanging numbers and being quite popular as a newbie to the metal scene.
Preston draws close to Lucien and says, “Thanks.”
“Thanks for what?” Lucien replies.
“Thanks for letting me be myself” Preston says with a big smile.
Preston pulls Lucien by the hand back towards the main stage where new bands are about to perform. Lucien finds himself in awe of the man he’s dating – stopping them both for a moment before saying, “Hey.”
“Yeah babe?” Preston says.
“You’re amazing” Lucien replies.
“We both are” Preston says with a smirk. “Now let’s finish the rest of the show. I can’t wait to see the headliner!”
Chapter II
Down the street from Wellspring is a local restaurant. It has the rustic, earthy charm of an independent bistro and the vibrant colors of the local art community showcased in the frame prints that line the walls – as well as a few small shrines maintained by the owners.
Like the name implies, Fern Grill is well landscaped with healthy green foliage that invites customers inside. This eagerness is only exceeded by the enthusiasm of its staff.
One such enthusiastic staff member is Luke.
Going to the same state university as his roommate Preston, Luke has been gradually gaining experience as a cook– shooting towards food service careers that allow him to best utilize his refined vitrean palette. He’s even made a few culinary creations for his roommate – in the rare times when he has time off from his theatre or performance classes.
Like other vitreans, Luke has smooth, froggish, viridian skin – with large eyes and a prominent jaw. He’s not especially tall for a vitrean, but his love of food definitely shows in his fuller physique.
On one particular night, Luke takes a lunch break on the covered patio near the entrance. Just as he sits down with his meal, he sees lineans Irene and Cassandra pass through the entrance. Luke made friends with them at Wellspring recently after running a food stand at the midsummer festival, and he was impressed with how well they were running the Lotus bookstore with Eugene.
Trailing just behind his two linean friends is a female vitrean he has never seen before. Wearing bold, warm colors with comfortable fabrics, she has a certain intensity that draws Luke’s attention.
Sometime later, the three women come outside onto the patio near Luke.
“So, you finally are taking a break from cooking?” Irene says with a playful smirk.
Luke nods and takes a few bites of his dish and takes a nervous sip of water – just as his eyes briefly meet those of the mysterious young vitrean just behind Irene.
“Yes. It’s pretty hard not to get hungry when you’re cooking so much good food” Luke replies. “Did you and Cassandra just order?”
“Yes, we did, Luke” Cassandra interjects. Gesturing towards the female vitrean, she says, “This is our friend Hayden. She started working with me and Irene at Lotus recently.”
Hayden glances at Luke and waves softly at him before saying, “I hear this food is to die for, so I just had to come here when we all had time off from the store.”
Irene, Cassandra and Hayden sit at Luke’s table – with Hayden giving Luke a measured, curious glance from across the table. Shortly afterward, their food arrives and the three women enjoy an array of dishes and drinks as Luke is about to finish his own dish.
“Why don’t you meet up with us after your shift is over?” Cassandra says.
“Sure” Luke replies. “I’ll text you when I’m done.”
After several more hours of working the grill and a blur of evening customers, Luke takes off his apron, hops in his car and drives down to the Lotus bookstore. Irene and Cassandra are waiting for him at the entrance.
“Eugene is working the closing shift right now” Irene says. “Hayden is in the back study with some fresh tea and engaging reading material.”
The three of them make their way through the store and back down the hallway into the study. Hayden is relaxing on the couch and reading under soft, warm incandescent light.
Irene and Cassandra glance at each other for a moment. Cassandra says, “We’ll be in the front if you need us, Luke.”
Luke hesitantly sits down on a loveseat across from Hayden and takes a sip from his teacup before breathing a relaxed sigh, leaning back and getting comfortable.
“What are you reading?” Luke asks.
Hayden pauses her reading for a moment, looks up and says, “It’s a book about anthropology, history and linguistics. I was just reading a bit about our religious and cultural history.”
“What did you find out?” Luke replies.
“After the fall of the Roman empire, state religion completely collapsed” Hayden says. “Every attempt to centralize religious authority failed. In the centuries that followed, many large temples fell into disrepair, were abandoned. Some were repurposed. Religious practice became almost entirely domestic and public religious fellowships were both small and very private – mostly in regular households.”
“What changed?” Luke asks.
“Over time, sapients began to form philosophies that honor the sanctity of the individual. This was reinforced by cultural developments during the Renaissance and Enlightenment” Hayden replies. “The new temples that were formed in the following centuries emphasized personal gnosis and rejected the orthodoxy of the distant past.”
Hayden gives Luke another curious glance and asks, “What do you think?”
“I think it’s good that collectivism faded away all those centuries ago” Luke replies somberly. “It’s really amazing to me that there are so many kinds of people in the world. Members of all ten sapient species can all come together as equals to honor the gods and goddesses in different ways. I think that kind of spiritual harmony is really beautiful – all things considered.”
“I completely agree” Hayden replies. “I think it’s better to belong to cultures and communities rather than to form your identity around them. We can only have true fellowship as individuals.”
Luke finishes his tea and says, “Would you like to go for a walk in the temenos?”
“Yeah. I’d like that” Hayden replies.
Luke and Hayden stroll around the Wellspring temple grounds as the balmy summer evening is in full swing. Deep into the temenos is the public garden – with plants of many varieties and a beautiful, idyllic pond under the glowing light of the moon.
Luke and Hayden watch koi fish swim in the pond nearby and enjoy a moment of silence together. Breaking the silence, Luke says softly, “Looks like they are enjoying this beautiful garden as much as we are.”
“Indeed, they are” Hayden says in a breathy, relaxed voice.
“So, I picked up something on the way here” Luke says. “Would you like to see?”
Hayden nods as Luke pulls out a small box. “I brought some chapulines. Irene told me you like them.”
“I do” Hayden replies. “You’re too kind. Let’s share them, okay?”
“Sure. If you’re offering” Luke says.
Luke and Hayden sit on a bench in the Wellspring garden and savor the grasshoppers for a while.
“I’d be interested in tasting some or your cooking” Hayden says boldly. “Irene says your roommate Preston is always impressed by your culinary skills.”
“Really?” Luke says as he rubs the back of his neck a bit nervously.
“Absolutely” Hayden says brightly. “How about next time I meet you at your place?”
“Sure. I’d love to cook for you” Luke says excitedly. “I’m sure Preston and his boyfriend Lucien would love to meet you too.”
“So, it’s a date then?” Hayden replies.
“Definitely!” Luke says emphatically.
***
In the bustling noise of a mid-day gym full of customers, Tariq finishes up his last personal training session with a client before changing into his own workout clothes and having his own private session at his work. Though it’s certainly true that maintaining a solid physique is something his job demands of him, he’s trained guys and gals with all different body types and goals, so his desire to make time for his own fitness is more for his own aspirations than any sense of obligation.
Opting to go with a classic isometric routine, Tariq does a standard free weight workout before doing light cardio on a few of the machines, and soothing his gemman muscles in the spa for a while. It was after he briskly towels off – paying special attention to his cattish, taupe colored, tabby fur, long ears and whiskered snout, that he puts on his casual clothes, ties his boot laces and gets a swift ping from his phone. He puts on the last of his gold accessories before he pulls the phone out of his gym bag.
Sophia: Hey Tariq.
Tariq: Hey babe.
Sophia: Are you available later?
Tariq: Yeah. What’s up?
Sophia: Eugene and Magid want to meet at the park later. Are you down?
Tariq: Absolutely. I’m just finishing up my workout. Can you pick me up?
Sophia: Sure sweetie. I’ll see you soon.
Sometime later, after Sophia picks up Tariq in her sedan, the gemman couple turn into the parking lot of a small, cozy public park inside a quiet, quaint residential neighborhood across town from the Lotus bookstore. The car gently comes to a stop as Sophia makes sure she’s neatly in the lines and both Tariq and Sophia take some time to enjoy the calming atmosphere of this little spot – reminding them a lot of fun outings as children.
“Are you ready?” Sophia says to Tariq – turning over to him.
“Yeah. I’ll get the bocce set from out of the back.” Tariq says quietly as he unbuckles and makes his way over to the game lying in the back seat of her sedan.
Sophia makes her way out of the front seat and closes her door shortly after Tariq is done in the back. She stretches a little bit and looks around the park. Just as she does, she sees her enthusiastic, boarish sylvan friends Magid and Eugene make their way towards her and Tariq.
“You know I’m gonna beat you at that game, Tariq” Magid says with playful boastfulness.
“We’ll see, Magid.” Tariq replies back. “I’m sore from the gym, but I’m still a force to be reckoned with on a grass field.”
“Are you gonna join us, Eugene?” Magid says inquisitively.
“No, that’s okay. You go on ahead.” Eugene says calmly.
Eugene and Sophia watch Tariq and Magid as they search for an open stretch of grass to play bocce ball before Eugene turns towards Sophia, saying, “How are you and Tariq doing, Sophia?”
“Tariq has been my rock since the incident” Sophia replies.
“I know it’s difficult dealing with people who claim to be spiritual but really are more about ego than sharing any kind of wisdom” Eugene remarks. “That’s the kind of negativity I hope to prevent through Wellspring and the Lotus bookstore.”
“You’ve done a tremendous job” Sophia says. “But Tariq encouraging me to confront those witches was something a guy has never done for me. So many other guys would have tried to be a white night and solve my problems for me.”
“It took a lot of bravery for you to confront them” Eugene says. “They were trying to convince young girls like you to hate men and perform some pretty awful curses against men them deemed to be worthy of their ire.”
“I’ve never hated men” Sophia interjects. “I just want to be respected like anyone else. I don’t hate those girls either. I just think they have a lot of pain they need to work through.”
“Cultivating respect is easier said than done” Eugene says. “Hopefully through the Wellspring temple fellowship we can encourage a bit more of that respect in Rancho Duna.”
“I’m just glad that I can be a part of that” Sophia says. “Perhaps in time we can convince more people like the girls in that coven – even if those two are a lost cause. It’s a shame really.”
The two of them pause and enjoy a bit of the bocce ball show out on the grass – chuckling to themselves when they see the two men being so animated about such a simple game.
Eugene turns back to Sophia and says, “So I wanted to ask you something.”
“What’s that?” Sophia replies.
“You’re a really good diviner. I think you’d be an excellent addition to Lotus” Eugene says excitedly. “You could set your own hours and do readings in a small table on the main floor whenever you’d like.”
“Tariq and I could definitely use a little extra money” Sophia replies. “We’ve been saving up for a few things around the house.” Sophia looks back at Tariq for a moment and says, “I’d also like to get him some workout equipment so he doesn’t have to always use his work gym.”
“So, what do you say?” Eugene asks.
“I’m definitely interested” Sophia says. “Just let me know what I need to do.”
“No problem” Eugene replies. “I’ll fill you in later.”
Magid and Tariq approach Eugene and Sophia after finishing up their last game.
Magid says, “Me and Tariq would like to do a couples game. Come join us you two!”
In the waning hours of the afternoon, the four of them play bocce ball and the voices of delightful, lighthearted competition fill the air – punctuated by the sounds of wooden spheres knocking against each other as they slide around the cool grass.
After a few more games of bocce ball, the two couples walk over to their cars and exchange both warm hugs and farewells amongst themselves. They all take a moment to appreciate the beautiful sunset colors that blanket the sky before ending their time at the park with each other.
***
As summer transitions into early autumn, Sophia is able to make time between her retail shifts and course load to start providing divination services at the Lotus bookstore.
A few days prior, Eugene set up a cozy round table against the wall inside of the main room for her, so she decided it was time for her to take clients – by appointment of course, while doing a bit of homework from time to time.
As a young woman living in the modern era, Sophia certainly is no stranger to her phone, but like most in her generation, she limits her usage to activities with more practical or utilitarian purposes – like education, news and economics. For everything else, Sophia prefers to engage with people directly whenever possible.
Sapients prefer natural connections more than anything else, and this is reflected not only in their desire to live in environments that suit their biology, but also in a desire to minimize waste, as well as a commitment to reduce artificiality – both in physical items, in culture and in personal expression. This is particularly evident in spiritual practices.
Though generations ago a lot of young people sought out divination and other spiritual practices through software and digital devices, sapient culture – over the past few centuries, has grown to value the much older, traditional methods over those that are dependent on electronics and programs. This approach is reinforced by polytheistic culture in sapient society as a whole.
Sophia is especially keen on one of the oldest and most culturally widespread divination techniques. She is a scryer and prefers clean water in a modest, darkly colored bowl when she is performing readings for clients. Despite her age, she has spent years cultivating her technique, and has also refined it further with the help of Eugene – an especially experienced diviner in his own right.
Before her client arrives, Sophia recalls the night of the incident, and the weeks that led up to it. She remembers her naivete in those initial chatroom conversations and her eagerness to reach out to other spiritually inclined people in her local community – weeks before Tariq introduced her to Wellspring.
Though Eden and Jasmine were particularly toxic, there are plenty of other practitioners like them with the wrong intentions. Unlike the more devotional polytheists that rely on the fellowship at Wellspring Temple, there is a vocal minority of witches and occultists who are more interested in power than cultivating meaningful relationships with the gods.
Though Irene and her girlfriend Cassandra helped her cope with the incident, Sophia still has dreams about the blood sacrifices the hominids Eden and Jasmine made. She still feels great pity for female witches like they that have such hatred towards men. She is grateful that her boyfriend Tariq – in addition to Eugene and Magid – are the kind of caring and supportive men she has in her life.
“Are you Sophia?” a young vitrean female says while approaching her table.
“You must be Hayden” Sophia replies warmly.
“That’s right” Hayden says. “Luke recommended you to me.”
“Have you ever had anyone scry for you before?” Sophia asks.
“I learned about it in university, but I’ve never actually seen it before” Hayden replies. “I’m mostly accustomed to runes or tarot – as you might expect.”
Hayden sits down on a chair across from Sophia and somewhat nervously places her hands on the table before saying, “Is there anything I need to do for the reading?”
“That depends” Sophia says. “Did you have a particular question in mind?”
“I don’t think so” Hayden says while trailing off a bit.
“That’s just fine” Sophia says. “Just try to relax.”
Sophia softly gazes into the scrying bowl for a while – allowing her vibrant gemman eyes to widen. She takes a deep breath, and after a short silence she says, “I see a young vitrean woman at the edge of a flowing stream holding a silver chalice. Out of the chalice jumps a fish – which goes into the stream and disappears out of sight.”
“That’s like the page of cups, but different” Hayden says.
“That’s right” Sophia replies. “You have an opportunity to explore your creativity. It is sudden, and seems like it might slip away from you, but there is more.”
Sophia gazes deeper into the scrying bowl before saying, “As the young woman walks along the stream, she finds a young male vitrean fishing. He catches the fish that you lost and beckons you to join him.”
“What does that mean?” Hayden asks.
“You have someone new in your life who will help you explore your intuition and creativity” Sophia replies. “This man is someone who is already familiar to you.”
“Luke” Hayden says with a soft smile.
“It seems so” Sophia says sagaciously. “Just remember that you’ll need to grab a fishing pole with him too. There’s a lot more fish in the stream.”
Hayden nods before saying, “Thank you Sophia. I appreciate it.”
Hayden digitally sends Sophia payment for the reading and the two women make small talk amongst themselves for a little while. A few moments later, Luke passes through the front door in the Lotus bookstore and approaches the two of them.
“Hey there you two” Luke says warmly. “I’m glad to see you two are getting along.”
Luke pauses for a moment before saying, “So Hayden, I was wondering if you would like to join me at the museum across town. There’s an exhibit I’d really like to see. I’m not sure if that’s your thing, but I think you might enjoy it.”
Hayden gives a knowing glance to Sophia, turns to Luke and says, “I’d love that.”
“You two have fun” Sophia says.
“Thanks” Hayden replies.
Luke and Hayden arrived sometime later at a local art museum. Luke selected it because of the sheer variety of styles represented. Though the grounds of the museum are a bit more modestly sized, Luke considers that a plus. The last thing he wants to do is overwhelm the girl he fancies with a long museum trip. Their double date at his place was quite enjoyable for everyone involved, and he was glad to show her his cooking skills. Today however, he wants to do something different with her.
As they both enter the museum, Hayden is in awe at the expansiveness of the space. In contrast to the minimalist color on the walls and floors, each piece of art breathes with the colors and passions of the artists who made them. The intuitions of artists and their admirers flows through the museum like a quiet stream and Luke is there to guide Hayden through it.
In the middle of their journey, Hayden is captivated by a traditional painting. Despite its age, it speaks to her across time. It has the cool colors of flowing water, the green of lush vegetation and the warmth of the setting sun shaped by the pigments of a meticulously painted scene.
“You know” Luke says, “I think you are quite creative.”
“I don’t know if I’m this creative” Hayden replies.
“Preston showed me some of what you’ve made at university” Luke says. “You may be a business major, but your art is really good.”
“You really think so?” Hayden replies with an elevated tone.
“Absolutely” Luke says with a big smile. “There’s a local exhibition for new artists soon. You should submit one of your finished pieces, Hayden.”
“What makes you think I’d do well?” Hayden says.
“I showed one of my art contacts some of your pieces online” Luke replies. “He said it would be a crying shame if you didn’t participate.”
Hayden looks into Luke’s eyes for a moment – holding his hand gently and replies, “If you think I should, I’ll give it a try.”
“I absolutely do” Luke says warmly. “But for now, let’s see the rest of the museum.”
“Sure. Let’s go” Hayden replies.
***
When they aren’t providing spiritual healing and advice through the Wellspring temple and adjoining community center, Phineas and Lucretia enjoy their lives as experienced working professionals with their own careers in the private sector – each of them taking financial jobs for various companies and providing skilled advice to some pretty major companies.
Not that long ago – at least to the both of them, they met each other at college. Unlike some of their other associates, they didn’t get their schooling in California state but instead sought out their education in bigger American universities. It was there – as they both sought out business degrees, that they met as undergraduates. They continued dating for some time and had a long engagement – even during the tumultuous experiences they had seeking their postgraduate education.
As both of their careers have become more settled and robust – with more free time to help manage the Wellspring temple, cultivate personal hobbies and do some remodeling of their home in Rancho Duna, they both decided it was time to have children together.
On one particular day, Lucretia was tending to her nest in the master bedroom of her and Phineas’ home. Sitting in sizeable basin is a small clutch of eggs – surrounded by soft substrate, in a modern, temperature regulated nest that she and Phineas spent quite some time searching for.
“Hey sweetie” Lucretia says while gazing at the eggs. “When did the egg sitter say she would arrive?”
“She should be here shortly after we leave for work” Phineas replies.
Phineas approaches Lucretia and puts his hands on her shoulders – the nervous movement of her tail subsiding as she leans into his hands.
“It’ll be just fine, babe” Phineas says consolingly. “Our sitter is very experienced and our babies are developing just like they should be.”
“I know” Lucretia replies with a sigh. “I just get nervous being away at work sometimes.”
“You can always call the sitter to check in on things” Phineas says. “She doesn’t mind. Besides… I’m sure she’d love some small talk while she’s alone here at the house.”
Sometime later, a stockier female ophid with bright olive scales and in casual clothing knocks softly on the front door and walks into the area just below the stairs – just as Phineas and Lucretia make their way down from the master bedroom on the second floor.
“It’s good to see you, Valerie” Phineas says warmly. “Feel free to settle in while you’re here.”
“Thank you both” Valerie replies. “I appreciate the work. I’m touched that you requested for me specifically. It means a lot to me.”
“You’re not just a sitter” Lucretia chimes in. “When the time comes, you have the skills to help with my babies when they’re born.”
“That’s absolutely right” Valerie replies. “I’ll be ready.”
In the months that follow, Valerie – an experienced medical practitioner and a friend of Wellspring, diligently watches over Lucretia’s clutch. She has a few of her assistants assist with watching duties when she has other at home patients to attend to through her established medical practice.
“It’s time” Valerie says to Lucretia through her phone.
“Okay, Valerie” Lucretia replies. “I’ll come home from work immediately after calling Phineas.”
Rushing home from their respective businesses, both Phineas and Lucretia arrive moments after each other. They quietly smile at each other as Phineas unlocks the front door and they both make their way up the stairs into the master bedroom.
Waiting for the expectant couple is Valerie with a shorter, female ophid assistant at the ready.
“You’re just in time” Valerie says excitedly. “Your babies are just about to hatch.”
Standing close to the nest, Phineas looks over Lucretia’s shoulder while gently embracing her from behind as they both gaze at the nest they’ve made with each other.
After what feels like an eternity for them, the three eggs hatch – nearly in unison, with gradual cracking that accelerates until whole sections of the egg burst off the top.
The small bodies of their ophid offspring emerge from their eggs – their delicate forms apparent to all in the room. They nonetheless breathe and move around with a vigor and intensity that reminds their parents that they indeed are full of life and vitality.
Valerie says, “Congratulations on the hatching of your three baby boys.”
Shortly afterward, Valerie and her assistant clean and inspect each of the young ophid infants, and once she is satisfied with these procedures, she gives Lucretia and Phineas time to bond with them.
In the time that follows, Lucretia and Phineas take parental leave and enjoy a lot of quality time with their three infants – even if these new responsibilities can feel overwhelming to them at times. With a custom stroller and plenty of supplies in tow, Lucretia and Phineas bring their babies to the Wellspring temple and enter into the Lotus bookstore.
Seeing the big stroller, Eugene and his boyfriend Magid come from behind the counter and approach Lucretia and Phineas – both of their faces beaming with joy.
“I heard about the hatching from you the other day” Eugene says. “It’s such a delight to finally see your hatchlings in person.”
“They look so healthy!” Magid says enthusiastically.
“Thank you!” Lucretia says while gently caressing each of her babies with a soft smile.
“Did you both pick out names for them?” Eugene inquires gently.
Lucretia and Phineas look at each other for a moment and with a gentle nod, Phineas turns and looks at Eugene before saying, “Lucretia and I talked it over for a long time, and we eventually decided on George, Douglas and Ciel.”
“Those are beautiful names” Magid says brightly.
“I agree” Eugene replies.
“They are absolutely adorable” Irene says as she comes out from the back study room with Cassandra.
“You definitely need to bring them around more often” Cassandra says. “I’m sure that many of us can help babysit when you need it.”
“Thanks a lot” Phineas says while placing his hands on his wife Lucretia’s shoulders. “That would be greatly appreciated.”
In that moment, Phineas, Lucretia and their friends at the Lotus bookstore enjoy the vitality of new life and the support they can all provide each other as they build their lives with one another. The store fills with a joy unlike anything else – something they all savor as much as possible.
***
Like most days throughout the week, Lucien works hard as a cashier at the grocery store, he’s employed at. He not only works the register, but adjust shelves, and helps customers find items in the appropriate aisle. One of the things he is most proud of though – even if it can be a bit tedious, is the compost in the back lot behind the store.
Like most food service businesses, the grocery store he works at is committed to managing waste. Any food that can’t be donated to the less fortunate is used to create compost or sold to various companies for use as raw ingredients.
Along every city street, shopping district and residential neighborhood is vibrant landscaping – plants that favor the arid environment of Rancho Duna but with plenty of notable exceptions in local or private gardens.
This ecological approach is even more emphasized in the kind of store that Lucien works at. As the diets of sapients are so diverse, stores like his are essential to providing not only nutrition but the culinary pleasures that are so sought after in Rancho Duna.
It’s this kind of culinary pleasure that draws Luke into Lucien’s store.
“It’s good to see you again, Luke” Lucien says. “Is there anything I can help you with today?”
“I’m trying to make something impressive for my cooking courses” Luke replies.
“Well, I know you’re an excellent cook” Lucien says brightly. “You should trust your instincts more.”
“Yeah. I think you’re right” Luke replies softly. “I think I’ll try some seafood this time.”
“Great choice” Lucien says. “Speaking of seafood, I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in joining me on the lake this weekend. Me and a few friends are going fishing. There’s also plenty of things to do around the lake if Hayden comes with you.”
“Let me ask her real quick” Luke replies.
Luke pulls out his phone and sends a message.
Luke: Lucien wants to go fishing this weekend at the lake. Would you like to come with?
Hayden: Definitely. Preston told me about it a little earlier. We’re planning a picnic at the park nearby.
Luke: Perfect. I’ll let him know.
“So, what did she say?” Lucien asks.
“It looks like her and Preston are already down to go.” Luke replies. “I look forward to this weekend.”
Days later, Lucien and Luke find a spot near the edge of the lake while Preston and Hayden set up a blanket and other supplies a short distance away.
Like many parks in Rancho Duna, this lake is surrounded by natural flora and fauna and is meticulously maintained by both city workers and the public citizens who enjoy it.
After a bit of setup and a little finagling, Lucien and Luke set up their fishing poles, tackle boxes and chairs and cast their lines – the both of them enjoying the idyllic view of the water.
The crisp morning air sends a chill across Lucien’s pale skin, and in response he playfully says, “If it’s this cold to me, your skin must be pretty icy.”
“I actually brought a jacket – like a normal sapient” Luke replies with a smirk while adjusting his jacket and gently tugging at his mouth.
“Here sweetie” Preston says as he approaches Lucien. “I made sure to bring your coat for you. You two have fun, okay?” Preston gives Lucien a brief kiss on the cheek and sweeps his tail across Lucien’s chair before sauntering back towards Hayden closer to the main park area.
Lucien and Luke sit and observe nature for a while – listening to the sounds of water and the songs of various birds whose names neither of them can quite place.
“We’re quite lucky, wouldn’t you say?” Lucien says softly.
“That we are” Luke replies in agreement. “Preston is quite a catch, and so is Hayden.”
“Speaking of catches” Lucien interjects. “Look at our lines.”
What begins as a bit small jumps continues as a loud whir – as both their lines are drawn out by unseen aquatic creatures on the edge of their hooks. At just the right moment – one after the other, Lucien and Luke set their hooks and begin their struggle with unseen fish.
As the pace continues, and the water is disturbed by each fish, it soon becomes apparent that both men have much larger fish than they expected. Two large fish nearly exhaust them through their struggle and they are just barely able to bring them out of the water and unhook their gaping mouths.
“These are some of the biggest fish I’ve ever seen!” Lucien says with a heavy breath. “These two alone will easily feed all four of us.”
Both men take a moment to bask in their accomplishment. In the silence, Luke says, “Let’s keep going, Lucien. Who knows what else we’ll catch?”
“Definitely” Lucien replies.
“Those are huge fish!” Hayden says with astonishment.
“Can we join you?” Preston says.
“Of course you can” Luke replies. “Let me set up some spare poles for you both.”
As the early morning sun crests over the horizon and brings with it the beginning of midday, the hominid and vitrean couples catch their fair share of fish – in many different sizes and varieties. They enjoy the warm afternoon sun, snacks, drinks and the friendly company of everyone around the lake before they eventually decide to leave.
Chapter III
Coming soon