Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Fic] It's About Time...

[Toby Lupin]

Many people received it. An OpNet email, and the news was also communicated by word of mouth. It was a message that some thought would never appear into existence. Undoubtedly, despite the private communiques, it would get out into the world at large and spark a frenzy.

Mr. Darrik Reynolds, Ms. Agatha Donahue, and Ms. Guinevere Angelique invite you to celebrate their marriage:

September 24th at two o'clock in the afternoon upon Howland Island, Exalt! Nation.

The brides and groom in question were busy trying to plan things out and convert the unused Exalt island into a top-notch place for their ceremony and reception- and responding to comments, queries and news intrusions was the last thing on their mind. The two nova paparazzi that showed up were unceremoniously disoriented by quantum force and dumped into Bangkok whorehouses, with charges to their accounts.

For once, Darrik did not want the world in on this private time.

There's A Party Here In Agrabah

Anyone who is Darrik's family, friends or otherwise have good reason to be invited to the marriage, PC or NPC, can come. Clear it with me if it's ambiguous. And go ahead and post reactions.

[z-Infinity]

“Why, in the name of Mal?” Infinity dropped onto her bed, sending the blankets puffing into the air.

Puck, who had just answered his phone, asked, “Why what in the name of Mal?” Celeste peered up at him over her gravid belly but didn’t otherwise move. She was getting her feet and legs rubbed in some rare one-on-one time with the father of her child.

“Did you get Darrik’s invitation?”

“The wedding, yes. Is that what you’re going on about?” Puck winked at Celeste and mouthed, Just a moment. She didn’t protest because he didn’t stop his massage.

“I am not going on about anything.” Infinity sounded annoyed. “He’s not going to stop fucking other people, you know it. He’s not going to be faithful to the both of them. So what’s the point?”

“It’s something that Gwen and Agatha want, and while they may be Terats in practice, they are still not Terat.” Puck focused on a tight knot of muscle, drawing a soft moan from Celeste. “They’re clinging to the concept of baseline ideals of ‘their perfect wedding day’. Remember, they didn’t grow up in the Nursery but in a baseline-dominated society.”

“Still! Pointless!” Infinity sighed. “You going?”

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline was In The Eternal Now. Sifu Hawkins did not teach like Uncle Shen, and for that she was glad, but Qi Meng was Qi Meng, and if you didn't lose focus of the big picture during your Katas, you were doing wrong. Every muscle movement had purpose. Every gentle surge of her quantum and of the chi beneath was noted. Coraline Boehm was focused on the essense of drill, her execution inhumanly perfect, but the mental aspect of the the drill far more important.

The gentle beating of three other hearts in the mini-sub launching bay, the rustle of cloth moving in shadowy echo of her kata was part of that mental aspect. An act of generousity towards three Nova girls not so many years her juniors who had been through so much recently. This wasn't training, the metamorph was nowhere near passing her Uncle's instructions on, but it was a near effortless gift and it made the girls happy to echo the movements. Made Coraline happy to share them. It would have made her even happier to have the other two join her, Zia, Angel, and Rose, but three regulars were enough and there were evening meals.

The rapid patter of feet into the bay and the distinctive flutter of Thorn's feather's broke the timeless trance, Coraline straightening out of a toe touch and looking down into the over-excited grin of the younger Second Gen. "Coraline! Coraline!," chirped Thorn happily, "Guess what! Guess what!"

The metamorph could hear the other three unbend as well, face nuetral before asking, "Okay. What?"

The girl all but deflated at the quick surrender, her friends and sister snickering at her. Thorn rallied though, the cat who ate the canary, "Darrik is getting married on September 24th. We're all invited and it's taking place on Howland Island!"

Small gasps of excitement came from behind the metamorph and Thorn, excitement at a chance to get off the submarine leaking out. Even Cora permited herself a flicker of a smile before deadpanning, "Took him long enough."

More snickers stilled by a raised hand, "Thorn, go tell Maia if she doesn't know. I have twenty minutes worth of Katas to get through and thirty-five minutes before I need to be in Taiwan. Can you take care of that for me?"

An eager 'Yes!' and retreating flurry of footfalls later, Coraline grinned dazzling to her three remaining rescues at the good news before getting back to the task at hand.

[Maia]

Thorn had some issues around both Cora and Maia, though as Maia and she shared the common ground of having wings while flying she felt abit more kinship to her. Her long absence was deepest felt by Thorn, and she was happy to see the Angelic elder sister return. Maia was reading in her room, this time it was the Art of War.

Maia maia maia!" She rushed in and hugged her and Maia gently wrapped her arms in a hug around the younger nova. "Yes Thorn?"

She had gotten the Email too, even already RSVP'ed that she and Justin would attend. Still humoring Thorn wasn't beyond her, or unenjoyable. "Darrik's getting married!" Darrik had been the one to kill their tormentor so they felt great gratitude towards him, but the harshness of the act and Pip's reaction tarnished it slightly.

"Is he now, Gwen and Agatha have finally managed to tie him down then." She had a feeling it was simply their baseline upbringing talking, a good sign to be sure. The Terats were wrong in their quest to abandon the vestiges of humanity. They would create something new to be sure, and most assuredly fail to heed the lessons of the past and find there was still a large amount of common ground between nova and humanity.

"I expect We'll all be going to see our brother settle down then." The potential for the children to come was a calculated risk, one she didn't like, but since they all knew about it, it would take considerable effort to keep them from going now.

"I assume Cora and the others know." "She sent me to tell you." "Okay, well there's gonna be a gathering I'm sure, and we'll see if you and your sisters get to come along."

She looked at her. "If you do, you will promise to do exactly as we say, and stay with one of us while there."

Thorn looked up with a hopeful and expectant look on her face, and nodded. "I promise Maia."

[WhiteRain]

Chang listened to the future whispers of herself and Shiv, talking about the invitation. She sat in the chamber with her wife, watching the still, silent latex chrysalis, thinking many thoughts.

She thought along the tracks of many leaders in world history; wondering how she got where she was and why. In those she focused on her humble beginnings as a child in modern China. The girl of then would have been stunned to see the woman she would become.

Stunned, but not horrified.

The steps were clear, of course. Her memory was not flawless, but enhanced enough that it was largely safe from the predations of time. She wondered, when the history of the Nova race was written, if she would be recorded in it and whether her wife’s part would be known.

Chang turned them over in her mind, an adventurer through distant lands marvelling at the wonders which surrounded her. It seemed all the more remarkable in retrospect. The artist Nova who joined the Teragen out of idealism, left because of idealism, and ultimately re-joined for the same reason she left. It made for a strange tale full of incredible encounters.

That young, serious girl would have lapped it up. She would have smiled and been happy to know that her dissatisfaction with all she saw would lead to such incredible things.

And contrasting against these thoughts was the track of her mind that wondered if she might be turning egomaniacal and losing her perspective. The warning she gave Coraline Boehm about the mind of the precognitive haunted her now. That mind was her mind.

It did not matter that her particular understanding of the future might be different to that of The Mathematician or Shen or anyone else. Now her ears were trained to perceive the whispered echoes of the past and the rolling drumbeat of ceaseless, marching tomorrow. It frightened her.

Already Chang found herself laughing at jokes heard hours before their speakers pronounced them. Even though she did not quite feel it, her laugh always sounded just the way she remembered it. She would adapt, of course, and become used to ‘remembering’ the future and to playing the role she overheard herself playing in it.

Yet it still scared her a little. It seemed to put a huge amount of responsibility into her hands, philosophically speaking. And when did Chang not speak philosophically?

Was it her place to challenge the future, to change and shape it, or to act it out as she perceived it in advance? Only months ago she would have said the answer were obvious. Now it did not seem so, and that fool from months ago shamed her through those ignorant words.

“Every one of us has opinions,” she said, in a four-voiced echo, “and so few of those we have are informed.” Chang remembered hearing those words hours ago. They quite confused her at the time. Now they made sense, as expression of that self-criticism which so defined her life.

She heard Shiv’s near-silent footsteps on the spiral stairs. Impressive that she could be so quiet with such a twisted posture, wearing such blocky shoes.

The bondage goddess entered the room a few moments later, and whispered words that came as no surprise. “There is a message for you, your grace.”

She approached, bent down, head arched back extravagantly, showing her swan-like neck and offering a look down into a valley of cleavage. The valley blossomed as her breasts swelled. The creak of leather filled the air as her corset warped in a way a corset should not have.

Chang reached down between them. Her hand moved through hot softness into somewhere else, not her belly, but some other space within her. There were many things there. They were half-substantial, catching on her hand but slipping right through her fingers. A beachball, a sword, a motorbike, other things large and small that Shiv had devoured but not digested for one reason or another.

The slip of paper came to her hand and was solid. She pulled it out, and read Darrik’s invitation.

She kept her mouth closed for some time. The words she… spoke? To her it felt past tense, yet when she did speak, they came out as natural as though she had just thought of them. “It seems Darrik intends to be married. I can see this being a wedding to remember.”

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck laughed, the warm chuckle sending chills down her skin even over the phone. "I'll be officiating, actually."

The stunned silence on the other end of the phone drew a wicked smile from the spikey-haired nova; Celeste might have said something, but she was far too gone in the pleasure of her massage to come up with a quip.

"It'll be fun, dear," he insisted. "It's an excuse for a party, see a bunch of women in pretty dresses and men in suits, eat expensive food, and spend the night dancing with people. Knowing us, it'll end with a lot of sex."

"I'm up for that," Celeste chimed in lazily from the couch.

"So wear something slinky," Puck purred at her, "bring a friend or two, and lighten up. It's just a wedding. Silly or not, it's something they want to do and it'll be fun if you let it."

[Toby Lupin]

September 24th, 1:45 PM

Howland Island

The island had been saddled with a major construction - a fast but elegant building for the festivities - with a lush open-air courtyard of untouched natural landscape in the center for the actual ceremony. Expensive, and took a bit of time - but worth it. There were even dressing rooms for the brides on one hand, and the groom on the other to be separated until the ceremony.

Darrik was waiting for a little bit in the groom's room, since Gwen at least would need to be prepared, and the timing would have to wait on her. Ok - it was a bit of a farce, but they could reuse the building for more events - and aside from Gwen and Agatha being happy- since Darrik loved them and naturally would humor them for this - it was an excuse for a party, old and new faces.

The family too, though he wondered who would actually be around when he came out. Or had some rifts grown too wide?

OOC

Feel free to describe stuff, mingle in the courtyard, be present or arrive as you wish... interact, shenanigans...

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck was wandering around, catching the eyes of even those used to him with the elaborately textured and high-necked black suit he'd woven his eufiber into before heading to the island. The link hummed with excitement, conversations and emotions flowing through the bond between those physically next to each other or as far away as New Hope and a half-dozen other GNS ships and nascent colonies. He smiled at that, luxuriating in the comfort of his family's closeness in defiance of mere physics.

This is what I live for.

Not the wedding. That still mystified and amused him at the same time, but it made his beloveds happy and that was worth it right there to him. No, what need did you have for a handful of words and exchange of tokens when you could spend you day - you life - connected to all of your family in the most intimate ways possible? But they had wanted a wedding, and it harmed no one to indulge them, so here everyone was. And there would be cake afterwards, which was a pretty good excuse for just about anything.

Puck wound his way through the crowd, greeting any that approached him with a touch or a kiss, and searching out unfamiliar faces to introduce himself to more of Darrik's mysterious family or try to soothe the jangled nerves or confused thoughts of Gwen and Agatha's relatives.

Puck's Suit

Also, Puck is circulating and available for any RP if people want to approach him.

[Maia]

In the end, Maia didn't take the girls, nor did it seem anyone else from the Family would be attending. Still she owed it to Darrik to attend, if not to Gwen and Agatha, as soon to be sisters-in-law. Dressing somewhat more conservatively than normal, She wore a dark blue Kimono, suitably formal for the occasion, much as Justin wore a black one with a light grey haori.

"Now remember, we're decidedly Pilgrims in a strange land.." She smiled.

He looked at her and chuckled. "I've been around your Terat friends, including those of Cora as well Maia, I know when it gets to be too much. It's just hard to think of Darrik choosing that path."

She sighed, her long platinum blonde nearly white hair having formed itself in a classic raised up style, not needing the pins in it to hold it, but having them for ornamentation's sake. "I know. The only one I really know is going to be Norman, and I've met Yokiko a time or two."

Their arrival on the Island was quiet, though few could compare to the beautiful nova couple. While Justin wasn't on Darrik's level in physical attractiveness, He was still handsome, in a more matured, quietly confident way. He, like Maia, seemed to exude a simple and refreshing honesty.

Puck himself was a breathtaking sight, Even Maia admitted this much. Still she kept her wits about herself, and smiled. A part of her was saddened that the others wouldn't be coming, but a part of her couldn't blame them.

For the Terat novas beholding the beautiful couple in their midst, there was a decided "otherness" about the two of them. They were extremely different, and more to the point at least outwardly, seemed perfectly content amidst a sea of strangers.

[Sunstar]

Just off the soars, waves crash onto the beach, and from out of it comes a familiar Pink Haired beauty. She's clad in a simple blue dress and wearing a tan hat with a white ribbon on it.

Marina smiles weakly as she approaches the site of the ceremony. She did not approve of some of the choices Darrik made. But he's still family, and family is there for you during the big moments in life.

She goes through the crowds, spotting Maia. She waves to her.

[Maia]

Seeing a truly familiar Face, Maia and Justin moved to where her sister had just landed. "Came Stag, Marina? I thought for sure you'd have brought Butch with you."

She was pleasantly surprised to see her sister here, it meant at least one of them beyond her had some hope and feelings for Darrik. "I'm sure we can find you someone here if you want."

Justin chuckled. "I could always create a similar duplicate.." Maia just looked at him. "Yes I know you think she's pretty too..." He chuckled. "No need to get Jealous Maia, I'm simply offering the play escort to both of you, as I'm someone familiar with you both."

Maia looked at him and chuckled. "Well I suppose."

He looked to Marina and nodded. "You can always just stick with us, strength in numbers and all that."

[Shosuro Miren]

Few had missed Maia and Justin's entrance, though it was positively understated next to the arrival in Venus-style of another of Darrik's sister. A quick query through the link granted Puck a name, along with a fair amount of surprise from the groom the Marina would actually come to a place full of Terats, even for his wedding.

Puck wound his way over, giving the sisters a chance to greet each other before smoothly interjecting, "I'm certain a woman as lovely as you should have no few offers of companionship for the day, Marina." He held a hand out for hers, in the Old World style, and a true gentleman - for the moment - merely bowed over it. "Darrik is quite surprised and very happy that you decided to come. He rather thought your history with the crueler and more violent members of the Teragen would keep you away."

Puck's tone was the perfect balance between host-conversational and weighted by the gravity of what happened to Marina's parents. Best to say something first than have it linger like-

-like a pink elephant in the room, Sara provided as Puck searched for a proper metaphor.

Yes. I think perhaps we should find who did this, as Geryon at least would want to know who attacked a nova family - and now we have a face to put with a name. And a time.

I'm not sure she'd appreciate it, Gwen chimed in. That's something very personal and Darrik already said she hates Terats in general. Geryon's protective but he's still....

...an ass. Strangely likable at times, but still an ass, Agatha finished. Best to get Marina's opinion on it first, anyways, and not at our wedding.

The entire exchange occurred in the second or two that Puck was bent over Marina's hand; when he straitened his expression was speculative and he smiled. "Perhaps I could be your companion, at least until the ceremony starts. It should not be too much longer, but I could show you a little of the island and introduce you some of your brother's new companions." He nodded and offered handshakes to both Maia and Justin, "And the two of you as well, of course. Maia and Justin, yes?"

He laughed lightly at himself before they could answer as several members of the link pointed something out. "How rude of me. I am Puck. Welcome to the Exalt Nation and do please forgive my rambling mind today. So much excitement and planning, and I forget simple things like introducing myself."

[Maia]

Maia nodded to Puck and smiled. "It's been hard not to at least hear of you Puck, and all the public work you've done." It wasn't anything more than a neutral statement, and she nodded.

"Despite some differences, Darrik is still family, and this is a joyous day for both him, and our new sisters-in-law. I'm glad we were able to attend." Maia was the epitome of calm, cool, and in control, and it was almost eerie speaking to her. The closest similarity to be drawn was Dan Hawkins, but it went further, in that Maia was true second generation perfection, not a first generation former marine.

Still she was more adept socially, and it showed, as she seemed unfazed by her surroundings. Strangely enough, Justin gave off much the same sense as Hawkins had, Supreme Calm, far beyond his years

"It is very nice to meet you Puck, and thank you for hosting this for Darrik, Gwen and Agatha.IT's much safer here than most any other locale, and I know we're all concerned with that as of late." Maia sighed. Her Father's disappearance was still a fresh wound.

Looking at Marina, Maia smiled. That she disliked Terats was an understatement, same as Pip, and she was watching constantly, subtlely at least, to make sure she was okay, ready to provide her a rescue, or send Justin if need be.

[Sunstar]

"Wasn't sure if Butch wanted to come. Great to see I didn't come alone, sis. Speaking of which how long to you and Justin tie the knot?" She said with silly grin to her sister.

She looks over at Puck

"Yes. It would be wrong to not be here today for Darrik. Family is there for you in the big moments, even when they don't agree on everything."

Marina said trying to stay calm and collected. Last thing she would want to do is make a scene today.

[Maia]

Maia blushed and Justin just smiled. "When I ask her I imagine." He nodded. Marina was giving off all the signs of someone being agitated, and Maia knew it was do to Puck's very close proximity. "Well let's head inside, I'm sure we've detained you long enough Puck, there's still alot going on."

She waited for Marina to excuse herself, and hoped Puck understood she wasn't being rude, figuring he'd been told of Marina's issues. "We can meet up later on."

She looked at Marina patiently, and Justin.

[Sunstar]

"Yeah, I think we should head inside. Nice meeting you Puck."

She said rather quickly before joining Maia and Justin.

"Thanks for the save, sis." Marina looks a lot calmer. "I wasn't trying to be rude,but ,know what, nevermind. Let's just head in."

[Maia]

Maia looked backed to Puck, mouthed a quick "Sorry" and turned to Marina. "You realize he could and probably did hear that right?" She smiled and clapped her sister on the shoulder guiding her inside, going to look for Darrik. In a sea of unknown quantum fields, most heavily "scarred" by the pursuit of Teras, She really recongnized only one, finding their way to Darrik with minimal difficulty.

She looked at him and smiled. "You look great Darrik, Congratulations." She pulled him into an embrace and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I would have never guessed you out of all of us would get married, let alone be the first to do so."

His otherness was there, the effects of Teras something she could feel. For him it was a different Maia, one totally in control, an eerie calm running deep to her core.

[Toby Lupin]

When Puck had mentioned the arrival of his family over the link, Darrik supposed lingering in the groom's room wasn't an option any more. At least some of his foster siblings had not cast him aside. Especially Marina, who was like Epiphany. He doubted the feline nova would have done so.

As it was, he knew through the link her reaction to Puck, and Darrik granted many memories died hard. He let things go when his sisters and Justin showed up, smiling and accepting the embrace. "This may not be your traditional wedding..."

Since it wasn't - "Seriously, though. It's special still, I appreciate you all coming." He moved free and hugged Marina too, and shook hands with Justin. "I'll be around when you and Maia get your vows said, I promise." The otherness prickled, but the Qi Meng he ignored, they were family - and the choices of quantum path shouldn't split them apart like this.

[Maia]

Maia nodded. "I brought gifts for Agatha and Gwen, I made them, and Justin, made the fasteners." She produced a small pair of boxes. "I'm sure they have plenty of diamond jewelry, but I was hoping the personal touch would be alright."

Justin had one for darrik too. "We didn't forget you either Darrik, though it was abit more difficult to pick out." He smiled. "Would you like them now, or later, after the service?"

Justin shook his hand heartily. "When we finally settle down, I'll be sure to invite you and the girls." It was genuine. There was no point to lie to Darrik, he was a master manipulator himself. He'd see it a mile away.

He looked around. "Exalt has done fairly well for itself, its own island kingdom..." There was no mockery, just a feeling there was more left unsaid.

[Sunstar]

Marina Hugged Darrik back.

"Congrats, Darrik! Never thought I'd see the day you'd get married." She said grinning. All the uncomfortableness, all that mistrust, forgotten, as she's with family. "No Sweat, Darrik. I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

She makes note of what Maia and Justin gave Darrik

"Well my gift's not exactly tangible. But I'll give it to you all later."

[Shosuro Miren]

Laughter fluttered over the link at that comment, with Eirc outside immediately falling to a knee from where he'd been standing, speaking to Puck, and declaring, "All hail King Puck! May his reign be long and...." he paused, looking for the perfect word, "hard!"

Titters followed on the laughter, with only the few non-Exalt members blinking in confusion or blushing. Ari, one of unusually high number of pregnant novas at the ceremony, called from near the brides' rooms, "Oh, now, c'mon Eric! A little effort! You can do better than that!"

Puck pulled the blond man up to his feet and kissed him, sparing a glance for Ari. "Not until after the ceremony, he can't," the 'king' replied archly and fresh wave of laughter spread out over the group. Eric actually managed to blush, a rare feet for most of the Exaltites that spent any time around Puck.

One of the many baseline children dashing around playing inscrutable games amongst the adults piped in an imperious with a, "If Puck's a king, Imma knight!" Other children jumped in, setting out a medieval pecking order of titles and heading off in packs to find 'swords' and 'armor' for their impromptu tournament. The Exalt leader put a hand over his face and grinned as he watched them go. "Oh my, I think Justin may have started something....at least until the cake is served."

[WhiteRain]

It was not in Chang’s habit to be hurried. Nor was it in her nature to be late. Like much of royalty before and no doubt much after, she arrived exactly when she intended to, and in her own inimitable style.

A ribbon of Asiatic flesh stretched miles across the sky from island to island across the Exalt! Nation, until she curved over the gathering celebration. She whipped down and rammed head and shoulders into the ground. They melted instantly, flowing in a roiling liquid mass that gathered as her rubbery body snapped back. Her legs jerked off the ground back at the Court of Mirrors.

It took over a minute for her body to contract over the vast distance. In that time she reached out into the air with her quantum. She gripped the ragged ends of fading conversations and wove them back into the present, and so listened to what she had missed.

Her legs caught up. With a loud rubbery snap they disappeared into the pulsing, amorphous mass of her body. Chang rose and creaked into her humanoid body. For a moment she was naked, glorious and inhuman, then her hair billowed as if in a hurricane wind and began to wrap her body. It encased her massive cock and pinned it against her chest, then covered it in layer upon layer of raven strands that wove tighter and tighter. Then the moment of change came, and Chang wove her hair into a simple black hoody with the hood drawn up, and badly ripped jeans. Boots with too many buckles and a complex weave of facial tattoos completed her look. The white raindrop under her left eye was prominent, of course.

Chang ignored the few gawking onlookers and sought Puck, her student of years, all grown up.

A split second glance took in the assemblage. The girls and boy that were surely Darrik’s ‘family’ were of only mild interest. In the past Chang would have been fascinated, but she suspected that there was little hope for them. If they had internalized their ‘uncle Shen’s ideals half as much as Coraline they were lost already. No doubt Darrik would be glad to see them, and that was all that mattered. She would listen, though, like always, and see if they offered a surprise.

She caught the tail end of the jokes surrounding Puck’s manhood. “Have I chosen my time poorly? If we are going to start talking about things being ‘long’ and ‘hard’ I think I have the market cornered.”

Her voice was a four-voice symphony, smooth, resonant and musical, every bit the voice that redefined the Novox art by stripping away the lights and glamour to focus on the essence of singing.

She slid her hands into her jeans pockets, seeming tatty surrounded by those in their best dresses. But this was her choice. This was Darrik’s day. Better that she be shabby than take even a second of his spotlight.

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck bowed to his mentor, magnanimously conceding, "I would not even begin to compare, lest I find myself shrinking away in shame."

"My god, you know what shame is?" Cossette, another pregnant nova gasped at Ari's side and demanded of the gathering, "Alright now! Who's been teaching Puck naughty things?!?" She glared in mock suspicion at Ari, who held her hands up defensively. "Hey, I only teach him cuss words, thank-you-very-much."

The young godling shook his head and linked arms with his mentor, leaning down to murmur, "Two of Darrik's sisters are here, along with the lover of the one that is Einjerhar's daughter. Those two feel like Dan Hawkins, so I assume they are Qi Meng followers, and the other, Marina, her parents were killed by Terats and she holds resentment and anger for us all because of it." There was not recrimination in Puck's tone, just the quick exchange of information that he thought Chang might want to know before meeting those three non-Exalt guests; he smiled at her as he changed topics lightening-quick. "How was your bridging? Did you splash down in the ocean at all? You always seem to see the most interesting things when you do that."

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik nodded, and then the whole spree of Puck jokes began, highly sexualized, but... Puck. It was all perfectly funny to him. "Well done, Justin. Well done." He grinned, then the smile grew as his mentor touched down.

"And there," he pointed out the Asian hoodie-wearing elder nova, "my mentor, Chang, the Mirror Queen. I'm glad to see she made it."

[Maia]

Maia turned to behold the woman who'd guided Darrik down this perverted path, and stopped. He made his own choice, walks his own path. be happy that he possesses the conviction to do so, even if the choice isn't what you'd make, the path not the one you would walk. Her features remained neutral, outwardly she was the picture of control. Still she nodded. "Uncle would have come too, but he is away, he left after we returned, exploring the possibilities I believe. I've not heard from him, no one has."

Clearly this bothered her, and Justin Squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Darrik I'm sorry that the others didn't come. We're family, and even if we disagree, they should have been here for you, for Qwen and Agatha."

There was more Maia wanted to tell him, but she wouldn't not with so many strange ears around.

[WhiteRain]

Chang absorbed the information Puck conveyed with customary rapidity. Her mismatched eyes flickered over the congregation, identifying the people Puck referred to. When Darrik pointed her out to Maia, Chang gave a regal nod of her head. She observed the lock of facial muscles and rigid posture that betrayed a deliberate and conscious establishment of self-control in the young beauty. Perhaps Marina is not the only one with some reservations about the Teragen.

It seemed an odd thing to her. These children were so young, with so much to learn, and yet they seemed terrified of even chatting to her or her kin. One would think they would be eager to learn. But perhaps the rest were even more poisoned than Coraline, all infected with the same wilful

ignorance that Chang detected in the girl.

If they were, better they stay away. She had better things to do than waste words with people who only pretended to listen. Darrik did not appear uncomfortable, so she presumed that his new affiliation had not soured his familial connections. At some point down the line those connections might prove useful. Whatever they felt about the Teragen, it seemed likely that they would support their brother.

She filed that away somewhere secret. It behooved her to put together a little hand of wild cards and ‘just in case’ aces for the future. Someone would be after her and the Anavasi sooner or later.

“Do we know who killed Marina’s parents? It strikes me as a rather unusual action. Fertile Novas are too valuable to murder regardless of their political affiliations. Or was it an accident?”

“I think it may have been deliberate.” He added the next part in a voice so quiet only those of sharpest perceptions could have detected it. “It may have been a motherhunting operation gone wrong. The details are a little blurred.”

Chang’s mouth twisted. “She should have come to us. Our more wayward adherents need to be brought in line. Geryon would be furious. That is not what we set out to do. I will investigate this matter later.”

“She’s over there if you want to talk to her about it,” Puck said with a knowing grin.

Her ways and thoughts were once a mystery to her young student, but that changed after his apotheosis. He knew her now, and understood the complex logic which drove her actions. It was the downside of a somewhat mechanistic thought process. Those who understood the mechanics could predict her quite easily.

“It is not my habit to dredge up unpleasant details of a stranger’s past. If she wishes to discuss the matter she can seek me out at any time.” Chang’s four voices were soft, tightly focused. She seized the edges of the sound wave with her quantum and softened them until they would be all but imperceptible. The children might perceive them, but she doubted anybody would that she did not want to hear.

“As you wish, your grace,” Puck said with a wink. “So what about the journey over? Did you pop in on our friends in the deep?”

Chang smiled. “I did not, I fear. My mind was on the congregation and arriving at a precise moment. I will do so on the way back I think. I spied some interesting activity going on as I approached, and I believe I overheard a future clash between dolphins and sharks. Certainly some sort of sealife having a tiff. An artist must seek her inspiration when its offered. Animals are so much more… honest about their aggression than sentient beings. Perhaps I’ll morph into a coral reef. That does confuse the poor fish, though. I always feel a little guilty.”

[Toby Lupin]

Eventually, the ceremony had to come. The core of any marriage celebration - except not quite in this case. By any baseline standards, with Puck officiating, Infinity strewing flowers and Darrik as the groom, it was a sham, a waste of words and nothing more than an exercise in indulgence. Undoubtedly plenty of people would call it that when word got out.

But that was missing the point. Yes, sooner would Geryon become a peace-loving hippie before Darrik displayed even a hint of strict sexual fidelity, but Puck did not mention anything about that. There was no talk of religion or God or that from the alabaster-skinned nova.

Love of family, joy in togetherness, that was the point. The kids that Agatha and Gwen carried were Darrik's and they would raise the three children together. Even if he was not theirs alone in bed or totally in heart, he would always be there for them, and care for them deeply.

That was the point, casting aside the traditional confines of baseline marriage, the same thrill and happiness could still be genuinely present, and last. Darrik had heard the cheers as he and the girls shared their joint kiss, and from beyond it seemed the in-law relations had gotten the idea.

Perhaps his own family would not... the point in the oration he had worked out with Puck was to reflect the idea. Marriage getting a redefinition here... and with it over, the other major reason for the event resulted. Party time, what else?

At the moment he was cutting some rug with Gwen and Agatha upon the dance floor in the large reception room, but their fathers wanted a turn. Darrik retreated to give the parents their memories and space, and got himself a drink mixed at the bar.

[z-Infinity]

Infinity had enjoyed the ceremony, in the end. Yes, it was a sham. Yeah, what had happened here wasn’t going to change anything at all for the quantum-powered Lothario. That wasn’t the important part. The important part was that this was a celebration of love. A nontraditional celebration to be sure, but the celebration was the important part. Perhaps this would become more normal for Terats around the world. Infinity thought she might like that. After all, was not Teras about stripping away the things that humans cherish and replacing them with the things that novas should cherish? There was nothing wrong with that idea; Infinity just didn’t think it was marriage. It was something similar, but the core concepts had been changed.

That was a matter for another day and perhaps another generation. Changes were slow in coming, but they would come. The Terats were making them come, picking what worked for them and what didn’t. Infinity had faith that she would see them.

Agatha and Gwen were with their parents when she snuck up behind Darrik. Time for her gift to him. Hands slipped around his waist and then briefly cupped his ass. “Sooo… you’re married. Did you know that’s kinda hot?”

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik grinned as he felt Infinity's touch and her coquettish words, with the sexy offer implied there. Honestly, he was in no mood to disagree. "More than a few women have already said that, except I wasn't married quite yet. Sounds like a good wedding gift, if it is your's Infinity."

[z-Infinity]

“What the hell else would I get you, a tea cozy?” Infinity laughed at her own ludicrious suggestion as she moved to face him. Taking his hands, she debated taking him right there, but given how prudish some of his family was, it was best to take this private. Leaning back, Infinity tugged him out of the room, her smile making Darrik’s blood race. “No, I thought I’d give you something you’d actually enjoy… and use.” Her low, sexy laugh made various parts of his body respond before they were even out the door.