Within Southern United Planets territory, jubilance raced through the night air. It was where ancient rivals, nature, and technology unified. Vast forests stood proudly as massive luminescent wisteria hung from the trees that covered its surface. It was a world of metropolises without pollution, emitting the sweetest scent. Planet Flora, the home of the butterfly people!

The Titanic trees harbored buildings nestled within their great leaves. The natives hurriedly flew through their tree city, Luekia, carrying food and decorations for a celebration. But amongst the loud hustle and bustle, two individuals met for a quiet evening in a restaurant. In the Happy Summer Inn, Favian and Lev dined together.

The two sat alone by a table in the center of the room. As Favian sat before Lev, he gazed at her with frustration and discomfort. He had told her over the holophone that he wanted to speak to her about business. But for reasons he couldn’t fathom, she took it as an opportunity to indulge in excess. Lev was beautiful, and she knew it. Red lipstick adorned the warrior woman’s face as a frilly short-trim pink dress covered her body.

"How's your nectar soup, Favian?"

"A bit sweet for my taste!"

"Live a little!"

"Easier said than done!"

"Suppose I can't argue with you there!"

A waitress came, placing a nectar sandwich, two slices of bread with oozing white flower nectar in between, before Lev.

"How I love the sandwiches here!"Lev grabbed her sandwich, taking a bite.

"Listen, Lev! I came here to apologize before our next meeting at Headquarters!"

"Apologize? What for?" Lev took another bite of her sandwich.

"Stop playing games! I understand now we'll need to take greater risks to win this war!"

“What’s brought this on?”

Favian rolled his eyes, exasperated, knowing Lev was playing coy.“I suppose being shot in the back twice brought me some clarity!”

"Well, maybe now we can stop butting heads!"

Favian cracked a small smile."I'm sure we'll find something else to argue about!"

Lev giggled, but a smashing sound flashed through the air. The two generals hurriedly drew their attention to the noise, readying for battle. But they relaxed, seeing it was a broken vase from someone hanging up decorations.

"Lev, remind me, what's this holiday about?"

"The Grand Flower Festival is a celebration of love. There's even a ball planned at the spirit wisteria field later that I neglected to find a date for! The price of being a working woman!"

"Sorry!"

“If you feel so much for my plight, why don't you help me?”

“How?”

“Accompany me! You wouldn't want me making a fool of myself, going alone. Would you?"

The puzzle quickly came together for Favian as he heard Lev. With a few short words, she displayed the military strategy that compelled Orion to promote her to the rank of general. She cleverly used his sense of comradery for a fellow soldier. Hundreds, possibly thousands of couples would be attending the festival. It likely would be immensely mortifying if Lev went by herself. It was clear to him that she wanted their meeting to be more than business. But what wasn’t was if he reciprocated.

"I-"

Hastily, Lev’s Lieutenant entered the room before Favian could decide. Norn, twenty-eight, a beautiful, slender-bodied Moira, a humanoid species with bright red skin, silver hair, and geometric black lines running across her cheeks and forehead, hurriedly came to the table.

"General Lev, I hate interrupting your evening, but it's urgent!"

"Norn, did the enemy breach our defenses?"

"Maybe, ma'am! We've received reports of unusual troop movement from the southern outpost! It needs your attention immediately!"

"Let's go!" Lev took out her money, readying to pay for the meal.

"Lev, please allow me to pay!"

"But you’re my guest!"

"I insist! Please focus on this matter!"

"How gentlemanly! Thank you!"

Lev put her money back into her purse, and she quickly left the restaurant with Norn.

Norn glanced back at the restaurant as they went. "General Lev, I must admit curiosity is killing me. Did you and General Favian talk about anything important?"

"Just a matter of unfinished business!"

"I see!"

Lev signaled Norn closer, and as she came, she put her mouth to her ear to speak.

"But woman to woman! He's quite handsome, isn't he?"

"Speaking as one happily married to her husband, very!"

Lev giggled, hearing Norn, but the two soon reached the edge of the structure in the tree. Lev walked off the edge, falling to the ground thousands of feet below them. But as she freed her wings, she rose upwards, cutting through the air. And Norn followed the general! She swiftly hurried across the chasm on a pathway of nearly invisible string!

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Meanwhile, on planet Earth, the Lily boutique was filled with business. Many were returning patrons overjoyed to learn Daisy, Aisha, and Belle survived the nemesis attack. Three months after Daisy and Carter returned from Planet Aqua, she kept her promise to her sisters. The young women returned to Liberty City and worked like never before to re-establish their company. And gradually, they succeeded, aided in no small part by generous loans from Carter.

Belle and Aisha happily labored over the sewing machines. The patrons browsed through clothes from men's to women's wear. Daisy commanded the cash register, serving the long line of customers as Linus, a caucasian man of thirty, approached the counter with a black jacket.

"That will be two dollars and fifty cents. Please," Daisy said.

Linus reached into his pocket, but as he rooted in it, he quickly slapped his forehead in frustration.

"I just remembered! I didn't bring any change! I'll put this back!"

"Linus, you said you needed the jacket for a special occasion! Your nephew's graduation ceremony today?"

Linus nodded yes.

"Well, just take it and pay us later!"

Linus’ eyes widened with shock."I don't know what to say!"

"It's no big deal!"

Hours later, the customers left the business. Their demands were satisfied by the women's supply of wares as closing time came.

"Another good day! Great work, girls," Daisy said.

"A thousand more like this, sissy, and we might just barely dodge bankruptcy!"

"Chief, can’t you be a bit more positive?"

"I guess I'm still bitter!” Belle dropped onto a chair, rubbing her temples. “The Nemesis rained hell on us. I swear to god, I’ll hate them forever!"

Daisy took a deep breath.“Belle, we’ve had this conversation before, but please don’t talk about them like that!”

“And why not?”

"Everton Blak was a great man, big sister, and a Nemesis!"

"Exactly! It's just like Ma David always says! Harboring hatred is an abomination to the lord!"

"I know, I know! I'm trying my best, but I'm so tired!"

Carter's car honked outside, and he quickly entered the boutique, carrying large fabric crates.

"Special delivery, ladies!"

Daisy ran to Carter, kissing him. But Belle stared worriedly at the large crates in Carter's hands. Fearing that his injuries from planet Aqua would make him drop them, hurting Daisy.

"Is it safe for you to be up and about, pretty boy?"

"I feel like a thousand bucks!"

"But like a quarter of your body was burned!"

"That was before the doctors at the United Planets gave me this stem cell thing! Now my handsome self is back to firing on all cylinders!"

Carter glanced at his reflection in a mirror and worriedly focused on a big scar across his cheek.

"But I'm told I better get used to this scar on my face!"

Daisy swiftly, lovingly kissed the scar on Carter's face, soothing any worries.

"Speaking of fire and burning, Daisy, how did you survive that big explosion again?" Aisha asked.

"I coated myself in the protective flames and-"

Carter spotted Clive coming with the rest of the crates through a window. "Red, tell the story later! Clive's coming!"

Clive quickly entered the boutique, and the group dispersed, attending to their jobs. But as Clive rested the crates in a corner, a table of scarves caught his eye. And he excitedly ran to Daisy and Carter, grabbing several!

"Daisy, are you busy? I need your help!"

"I can spare some time! What is it?"

"I need you to help me figure out which one of these scarves to buy!"

"I've been saying you should try something different from your standard dirty jacket and t-shirt. But a scarf, bud?"

"It's not for me! There's a girl!"

"Finally!" Daisy and Carter happily shouted in unison.

Clive clenched, his teeth enraged."What the hell do you two mean by finally?"

"We just want you to be happy!"

"What she said!"

"Whatever!” Clive angrily shoved the scarves in front of the couple. “Daisy, tell me which of these stupid things I should buy! I need a woman's perspective!"

"I'll do you better! Let me make you something from scratch!"

Clive's teeth unclenched, released from rage, surrendering to shock and gratitude."Great! But how much would I owe you?"

"Nothing! Consider it on the house!"

"I don't know!"

"Please, I insist! You're a friend, and this is a special occasion!"

"Well, if you say so! Thanks a ton!" Clive playfully and lightly punched Daisy’s shoulder.

Later, the boutique closed for the day. Daisy and the others left, heading towards Carter's car. But as they went, Samuel drove to them in his, and Aisha hurried to him as he came out! The two had begun dating since Daisy and Carter returned from Aqua. Over the three months, Daisy happily took notice of Aisha’s smile when she was around him. Aisha had many boyfriends over the years of their friendship, but Daisy could tell Samuel was unique.

"Babe, I thought you said you would be busy the whole day?" Aisha asked.

"I thought so, too! But they let me off the hook early!"

Aisha kissed Samuel with spirit!

"Wow," Samuel said.

"Now that we have free time! Let's go somewhere!"

"Sure, I-"

Dazed by the joy of Aisha's kiss, Samuel's heart skipped a beat, noticing Daisy and Carter. He looked at them nervously, but as Aisha saw him, she snapped her fingers before his face, waking him.

"Babe, what's the matter?"

"I-I guess I'm still a little star-struck, seeing General Carter in person!"

"I'm just a guy, friend!"

"Of course! By the way, would you and Daisy be interested in a double date?"

"That sounds wonderful! But Carter and I were looking forward to some alone time! How's the next time sound?"

"Great! Thank you!"

On Andrea Beach, Aisha and Samuel watched the waves crash onto the sand as he lovingly wrapped her in his arms.

"I must admit this place is quite beautiful," Samuel said.

"Isn't it? One of the reasons I wanted to move to the big city was to see the ocean!"

"What's it like growing up in a place like Kansas?"

"It's a lot different than a city! It's so much quieter. The land is prettier! And everyone takes a vested interest in one another! Like a nosy family!"

"Is that how you got so close with the Davids?"

"I was always friends with Daisy and Belle. But after Mommy died, they became my sisters, and Ma David like another mother!"

Samuel released Aisha, dropping onto a bench and panting.

Aisha quickly ran to Samuel's aid."What's wrong? Are you hurt, sick?"

"When you mentioned your mother, it brought back some bad memories. Mine died in a fire a long time ago!"

"My god!"

"I took this job, believing it could help me. But now and again, the memories return as vivid as the day I saw them!"

"I've been there! But it's just like Ma David always says. God can heal any ailment, mental or physical!"

Aisha hugged Samuel, and he quickly reciprocated, gripping her tightly as if terrified of losing her.

Later, Daisy and Carter picnicked under the oak tree in Sir Justin Park.

"Carter, how are my sandwiches?"

"Delicious! Your cooking keeps getting better and better, red!"

"Try the egg salad?" Daisy took a container from the picnic basket, offering it to Carter.

"Don't mind if I do!"

Carter stretched over to Daisy with his plate. She scooped a large share of egg salad, dropping it on it. As he took a bite, Carter grew a big smile, moaning in satisfaction!

"I'm glad you enjoy my cooking so much! By the way, thanks again for the money! We'll work hard to pay you back soon!"

"Don't worry about it, red! It's the least I could do for my girl!"

Daisy giggled, hearing Carter! But as she went to take a bite of bread, she stopped, growing a big frown.

"Carter, we need to talk!"

"What about?"

"It's been months since we visited Ma. And since then, we haven't been intimate!"

"Here we go again!"

"I know, but you’ve been such a gentleman! And I can't help but feel so guilty about you doing so much for me, and I can't return the favor!"

"Daisy, I have you locked down, and that's enough for now!"

Carter looked at Daisy from top to bottom, admiring her immense beauty.

"Besides, you're more than worth the wait!"

Daisy blushed, hearing Carter, and stretched over to him, kissing him.