-Chapter VII-

Passing of the Seasons, A Day in the Life and Falling Leaves

“It is really getting colder lately, huh?” comments mom, as she pulls up her jacket a bit with a smile and a shiver.

“Mhm…” I lightly agree, picking up a fallen leaf that had alighted onto our table, spinning it by its stem.

Sky, who is sitting between us, her tail wrapped around her waist as a big lap warmer, simply give a little laugh and sips from her tea, “It doesn’t bother me too much. I rather like it like this.”

I look at her and smile. She is currently looking very fluffy and warm in her big wool turtleneck-sweater, and despite wearing a skirt in mid fall, her legs are covered in fur from the knees down and it makes her look like she is wearing fluffy stockings. With her long hair, droopy dog ears, and big fluffy tail, she is practically radiating the image of warm and huggable.

Despite having a small fire burning nearby, the cold of the mid-October air is quite chilly and feeling a bit wet, carrying the promise of rain in the near future. Still, despite the chill in the air, we are all out enjoying a nice tea party in the park. Taking in the sights of the tree’s leaves having changed into colors of oranges, reds, and browns before they eventually fall from their parent trees and cover the ground. Even if it is cold, we wanted to be able to spends some time enjoying the outdoors before the snow comes and ruins everything.

“Well, of course it doesn’t bother you much, you have fur. Us lowly humans have no choice but to bundle up and complain about the cold.” I rub my arms after setting down my own teacup and let out a huff before shifting my chair a little to be slightly closer to the fire, “I am really not looking forward to this winter. The last one was bad enough; at least this time we won’t be starving while we are freezing…”

“Well, it’s not like the cold doesn’t bother us any…” Tilting her head a bit and gazing at her namesake, she continues, “During the winter in my village, we had to stay in our huts and huddle around the fires on especially cold days. We were still getting used to our new lives here when the snow and ice came, so we didn’t have as much food stocked away for everyone… Still, we managed to get though it and most of the pups survived.” She says with a sad smile.

Mom and I share a sad look and I reach over to lay a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sorry you had to go through that Sky…”

“Hmm?” She tilts her head as she looks at me, seemingly a bit confused, before realizing something, “Oh, please don’t worry about that, Anna. Compared to when we were on the //World Tree, we did much better. Even with the cold, only a few of us starved and most of the monsters weren’t very active in the cold. It was honestly not that bad, rather peaceful really.” She says with a smile and then sips from her tea, clearly enjoying the taste. When she sets down the now empty cup, a server standing nearby politely asks if she would like more and then pours her another cup.

I watch the server do her work, a soldier playing at being a waitress, as I ruminate on the stories that Sky had finally shared with all of us a couple of weeks ago, after she had finished growing and her horns were finally more developed. She now stands at 5’2” and is a couple of inches taller than Lain now. Lain was sort of sad that Sky was no longer smaller than her, but at the same time she was excited because she apparently likes the idea of being the short one in the relationship. I shake my head as I pull myself away from Lain and her kinks. Not like I am one to judge anyways. On the subject of Sky’s horns, they have grown out to become a pair of majestic, rounded horns like a ram, and are a white ivory which she has lightly adorned with some silver jewelry hanging with diamonds.

With the necklace resting on her chest and her inhuman beauty, it is becoming easier to believe that she might actually be royalty. Her stories of the Kobolds history and that of their late Empress had been an honest shock to all of us, though apparently, she had told Lain the night before, and Dr. Doe and by extension the army sometime earlier. Apparently, she had wanted to keep the secret that she is the new Empress of the Kobolds as a surprise for Lain and us until she was done growing.

Admittedly it was all bit of a shock, but after the surprise of learning that the Kobolds aren’t actually just little sapient monsters but are actually alien refugees from a dying world; we honestly didn’t know what all to say about it, except to congratulate her and wish her luck. Apparently, she wants to build a kingdom…

As an aside, everyone is pretty sure that the two of them have finally crossed the line and done it now. They were all lovey-dovey with each other after they finally confirmed that they were dating; after Lain went and brought back a freaking T-Rex as a present and practically paraded it through the base as a confession gift. Now though, after Sky finished growing? They have a hard time just keeping their hands off of each other. Even when they have company over, they both look as if they are a couple of words away from running off to go and find a private room. One of the days that I came over, I am pretty sure that I ended up catching them just after the act. Sky was looking a bit spaced out and deeply satisfied, while Lain was acting a bit flustered like a kid that almost got caught playing videogames while being grounded. I refrained from sitting on the couch, it was giving off a weird vibe… I left to give them some privacy after having a cup of coffee and swore to myself to schedule my visits in the future. Mom just shrugged it off with a laugh when I told her and said that we have to give them some time to get it out of their systems, being a young couple and everything…

After finishing chewing on a cookie, Sky blushes a bit and with a giggle and continues, “Besides, the cold isn’t so bad… After all, all I have to do is say that I am feeling chilly and Lain will happily cuddle with me and share her warmth~” She says happily, her voice suggesting something more than just cuddles are happening, while she plays with her necklace. A blush on her face and looking as if her eyes are lost in a dream.

Mom simply laughs, a happy look spreading on her face as she watches Sky, “Hahaha, ah my daughter has such a cute girlfriend. But you really have no modesty when it comes to talking about stuff like that, huh? Not like I care, I’m just happy that you two are happy.”

Sky tilts her head at that, the chains on her horns giving a little clink as they shift, “Hmm…? Oh, that’s right. Humans don’t usually like talking about sex… I read that in a book. I’m sorry if it is weird, but for my people, we don’t have much of a problem with talking about it. After all, having a mate that is capable of performing well is seen as desirable. Its normal to brag about our partners, it shows that we chose a strong mate and will likely have strong pups.”

Mom gets a scary smile on her face as she leans forward, and I find myself blushing as she pushes the conversation forward into dangerous territory. “Oh? And how would you rate my daughter as a mate?”

Sky looks her dead in the eyes, “Very desirable. She starts off so gentle and loving, but when we get going, she turns into a beast. I sometimes find myself thinking that she is going to tear me apart and eat me alive~” She tells her, her face filling with a blush and a look of desire showing through her eyes as she plays with her necklace. “By the time we are done, I am left exhausted in her arms and hardly able to think straight. She is amazing.”

“Oh, high praise for my daughter from her girlfriend! As her mother I am very proud. So, tell me about…” She continues for a while, the two of them going a bit too much into detail about my sister and her proclivities in bed. A conversation that I wholeheartedly try to block out of my head as I bury all of my attention into the cookies and tea. A respectful distance away, I can see the soldier/waitress listening intently to their conversation, a blush growing on her face as she listens in while pretending to mind her own business.

Well, it looks like more rumors are going to be getting spread about Lain amongst the soldiers. But to think that Lain was wanting to do some of this stuff with me!? It’s so embarrassing to think about that. Definitely a secret that I am taking to the grave!

"And if I put a finger in her -" Sky continues, clearing not perturbed by my suffering.

I quickly interrupt, “Ah! Can you two please stop talking about stuff like that!? This is so embarrassing!” I exclaim, my face feeling like it is on fire as I interrupt them from talking about positions and things going places and then other places and Lain doing something with her tail that I wish I could forget about ever hearing!

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Sky simply shrugs and says, “If you want. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

I already am!

“Yes, please! I don’t want to hear about my sister doing stuff like, like that!”

Mom just tuts like a student caught goofing off in class, “There’s no need to be so embarrassed sweetie. Eventually, you will find yourself a boyfriend or a girlfriend and then you’ll be wanting to talk all about it to. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and when you are ready, I will be more than happy to talk with you all about it.”

“Mmmm…. Still, it’s embarrassing. Also, it would be a boyfriend. I know how I am sometimes, but my interest in girls only goes so far. I just like cute things because they are cute. Not because I want to sleep with them.” I tell her with a blush.

“Oh, So a boyfriend then!” She says getting excited, “I know that Lain probable won’t be giving us any grandkids; no offence Sky, we love you. But if you find yourself a husband, then we could have some grandkids to spoil! We have to find you a boyfriend! Maybe a soldier? Oh, but we already know that you would prefer a boy that is cute and smaller than you right? Maybe I can ask around work and see if anyone has a cute son…”

She continues going on happily, embarrassing me more and more as she continues. Sky simply seems to be enjoying herself on the sideline as she munches on another cookie while she listens.

“Mom please stop, you are embarrassing me!”

She laughs, “Hahaha, sorry dear. I’m just simply in a good mood and the idea of having some grandkids was too exciting for me.”

Feeling a bit nervous, I drum my fingers against the table, “Would you and dad be happy if I had kids? Even though we aren’t related by blood…”

She stops her laughing and get a serious look before it changes to a soft smile. Reaching across the table she takes my hands in hers and holds them tightly, “Sweetie, Anna, you may be adopted, but that doesn’t change the fact that we love you and think of you as our daughter. If you do get married and have kids, we will love them as if they were our own. Blood doesn’t matter, you are a part of our family.”

Saying that, she picks up my hands and gives them a kiss before letting them go.

“Thank you, mom.” I tell her, tears already threatening to fall from my eyes.

“Of course, sweetheart. And don’t worry too much about hurrying to find a boyfriend, we aren’t going to rush you into it. You can take your time and find yourself a good man. Your dad and I are still having our fun with picking on Lain for now.” She says with a devious little smile.

I give her a laugh, and deadpan, “Oh boy, so I’m next on the chopping block then?”

“Yup! Look forward to it.” She says with a big happy smile.

At this point, Sky cuts in, “Mom, I’m sorry that I won’t be able to give you any grandkids…”

Mom immediately starts to fret, “Oh no no, please don’t worry yourself about that. I am more than happy with just knowing that Lain has such a lovely girlfriend. The two of you don’t have to have kids to make me happy.”

“Mhh, but still… I find myself wishing that we could.” She says running her fingers through her hair, “I know that our relationship is… different. We aren’t even of the same people, and we are both females. As a Kobold, this is all very different from what I know… While two Kobolds of the same sex could become mates, it is something that happens incredibly rarely, if I remember correctly. But it is so rare that it might as well be not at all. I hadn’t even considered the possibility of it for myself until I met Lain…”

She takes a sip from her tea before continuing, “My people, we very rarely pair up out of love. It does happen, but the main reason is usually to make strong pups, to secure a strong mate, or to advance our position within the tribe. We do so with a purpose… a goal. But even though I am different, that desire is still there. The desire to make a pup, a child with her. Even though I know that we can’t… It also doesn’t help that we are currently in my people’s breading season... Hopefully this will pass before too long, and this desire will become more manageable.” She finishes with a sigh.

“You’re in your breeding season?” I have to ask.

“Yes. It’s not as bad for me as it was last year. Probably because of my changes. I understand that humans don’t have a breeding season?”

“No, we don’t. How was last season? Did you have any kids…?” I ask before realizing how awkward my question was, cringing a bit as I wish that I could take it back.

Thankfully it doesn’t seem to bother her too much and she just shrugs and waves it away, “It didn’t go well. I had just become an adult and gotten my name, but despite trying my hardest, I failed to get anyone’s attention. Looking back, I was just aiming to high and not offering enough to make myself worth it. If Lain hadn’t taken me, I would probably be still uselessly chasing after the chieftain’s son right now and eventually having to settle for some other male, or end up alone again…”

“Oh… So, wait, the girls pursue the guys during the mating season?”

“Hmm, no…” She says, playing with her long hair. “It depends on who is higher in… I want to say, rank, standing? Power, influence, riches… Those that are lower try too, hmm, I want to say sell themselves to those above them. One’s with everything wont waste their time with chasing those with nothing. Everyone tries to go up and they only really settle for those below them if they fail. Does that make sense?”

Mom decides to pop in with a smile, “So that would mean that you are the most desirable Kobold in the world then, right?” Obviously trying to bring the subject onto a happier track.

Sky, hearing this quickly inflates with pride as she nods, “Right! I have everything now. Riches, power, and I am now royalty. Chieftains would gladly go to war just for the right to pursue me. But of course, even if they did, they would have to challenge Lain to a duel for me, and there is no chieftain in the world that could beat her!” She declares as if her words were the truth of the world, an undeniable fact, law etched into stone.

Deciding to try and steer our conversation away from sex talks and relationships, I go ahead and change the subject again. “So, speaking of Lain. Do you know how much longer it will be until she gets back from her mission?”

At that, Sky plays with the tip of one of her new horns while she thinks, “She said that they would be out there in the city for a while, could be about a week or two, maybe a month at most... They wanted to capture an important location in the city before winter comes, and she has to stay out there to help guard the place from attacks. I wish that she would come home soon…”

Turning to the soldier playing waiter for us, I redirect the question to her.

“Sorry ma’am, but I don’t know anything in regard to the schedule for their mission. You would have to direct your request to Command, but I doubt that they would provide any answers. Information pertaining to missions, especially into the city, are on a need-to-know basis. It’s for security.”

“I see, thank you…”

She continues after considering for a bit, “If I may… She is doing amazing work out there. Because of her, the last three expansions to the base have gone much better than any others before. The teams that she goes out with always suffer the least casualties and we have even been able to push a bit further into the city. Many of us consider her to be something of a hero; to be one of us. She is in good hands out there. Those soldiers would sooner die than see her not make it home back to all of you.”

“Thank you... Uhm, what was your name again?”

“Private Casandra ma’am.”

“Thanks Casandra, it’s really helps to hear that.” Putting a smile on my face I decide to try and satisfy some of my curiosity, “Hey Casandra, can you tell me why it is that bunch of you keep acting like servants for Sky? Were you ordered to do it?”

She simply gives a laugh and shrugs, “No ma’am, we weren’t ordered to do it. We are under orders to be respectful around her though. Some of us just like to take it to the next step, be it for fun or bragging rights. After all, it isn’t every day that you get to serve a princess. Plus, it is an easy way to get out of other assignments. I would rather be serving a princess some tea and cookies than be helping move trees or cleaning up monster corpses after all.”

After finishing her statement, she happily pours all of us a fresh cup and then goes over to feed the fire burning nearby, throwing on some dry wood to help keep away the cold fall air. Sky rewards her for her hard work with a cookie, which she graciously accepts with a bow and a thank you.

As our waitress, Miss Casandra returns to her spot standing nearby, I look out at the trees and their falling leaves of oranges, reds, and browns. My thoughts going to my sister out in the city, probably running around and fighting monsters without rest. I’ve only heard stories of what happens in cities, so I can only imagine what is happening out there. Eventually, I am pulled out of my thoughts as I am brought into another conversation between mom and Sky.

We end up spending the rest of our tea party in the park talking about different things. A book that Sky read, some patients that mom had met at the hospital, and I tell them about some of the things that I have heard around base and rumors from patrons at the tavern. Apparently, the civilians are already suspecting that the army has some new weapon or something, rumors of a super soldier, which has us laughing. Apparently, some drinking soldiers couldn’t keep their mouths shut and let loose a couple of rumors about Lain. Although, because of how they’ve spread, the rumors have become wildly blown out of proportion to the point of being ridiculous. Like that the army has an eight-foot-tall super soldier, or that they summoned a demon from hell, that a hero from another world showed up to save humanity, and a bunch of other nonsense like magical girls and cults for some reason... Personally, I think people are just having fun with the whole thing and exaggerating it on purpose. Private Casandra informs us that those soldiers were caught and are on Goblin Fertilizer Duty for a whole month because of that mess. An incredibly undesirable punishment duty from how she describes it…

Regardless, from what I have seen. Even with the rumors being absolutely crazy, people seem to like the idea of having some superhero coming in and saving the day. Someone coming in and changing everything up, going around and pushing back the monsters, rather than just holding the monsters back from breaking down the walls. People want a hero. Who knows, maybe Lain and Sky will be able to live amongst everyone else before too long, rather than just being stuck here in the middle of the base all the time…