Unipsi, lovely entity
chapter 86c: wedding
Walking back after an entire day spent hiking and playing in a river was exhausting. The fact that Weeping Sky’s days were even longer than any of the days from their home words didn’t help. While several asked to ride the robotic mules to return, Iris and Brillo didn’t. They were still hyperactive and going strong as if completely unbothered by the long day. Scilla herself was not exactly fresh out of bed so she played a cheap card. Scilla tapped on Iris’s shoulder as she was chatting with a completely drained Paz.
“Iri, I’ve something for ya (you)”
Iris curios looked at her
“what is it?”
Scilla pulled out of her pocket a small plastic yellow tube. She twisted the cap to open it and attached to the cap there was a plastic structure. It was basically a rod with one circular hole at the end. The “magical” device was a common toy for children, a soap bubble maker.
“whoa, what’s that?”
“and you have yet to see what it can do”
Scilla gently blew into the circle to produce a bubble that started to float in the wind. Iris just stopped to stare at it. She and Brillo followed the bubble with their heads until the wind blew it into a branch and it exploded.
“gimme gimme gimme ( give me, give me, give me)”
Scilla passed the toy and with no hesitation, Iris did exactly as Scilla did before yet instead of gently blowing into the hole she emptied her lungs into it. Confused at the lack of bubbles she repeated the process several times and even made Brillo attempt at it. When they all failed she returned to Scilla to ask for better instruction. With that simple “trick” Iris self entertained herself for basically the entire trip back.
Before entering their home Iris and Scilla discussed the plan for the evening and the following day.
“so what’s the plan for now, this evening and tomorrow?” asked Scilla.
“mmh. Well we still have several hours before sunset so I think we should stick with your ideas to spend some time alone with our friends and people of the same sex. Then we can eat and I was thinking, maybe after that how about some common activities?”
“something in mind?”
“I kinda want to sing a song… maybe 2. I don’t really care if I do so privately or not but maybe they would enjoy singing as well”
“like some karaoke night. We can do that”
“what’s karaoke?”
“exactly what you said. Singing together. When I was away I also bought a couple of board games, maybe we can also try them”
“sure. Then… when we go to sleep… can… can”
“don’t worry. I didn’t forget. I’ll ask Wiola later.”
“yuppi!”
As decided they split for the remaining hours before dinner. Iris took with her all the Esterians and the Ibarras. Even if they were mostly Scilla’s friends, Aura had grown attached to Iris as she remembers fondly their first encounter and the time Iris spent reading her own comics to her. Paz and Nuria just followed mostly out of curiosity and a bit of concern to leave Aura alone with just Esterians. The remaining went with Scilla. Csuicha’s guards even if several were females remained with her, also Iris didn’t want nor liked them. While Scilla spent her time mostly chilling with exhausted friends talking and fucking around playing cards or whatever came to mind, Iris went for a different route.
Iris took the group to a remote chamber in the Iridana complex. It was a crude place with few comforts but unique features. One that Scilla rarely saw at work, a Fabbricatore (manufactures, in this case a proper name). Definable as an advanced 3D printer. The fabbricator consisted in an entire room of adjustable processing machines ruled over by a software that selected what was needed to produce the requested goods. Iris’s idea was to work for a bit on Nuria’s leg while the rest was going to design and print their own clothes or costumes. Surprisingly her idea was going to work amazingly.
“Where are we?” asked Nuria.
“a special room. I often spend time here when I conclude a prototype and I need to make a sample. What you are seeing is the control room of Iridana’s fabbricator. A self-adjusting production line meant to build experimental weapons.”
the space for them was sort of small compared to all the others used so far, yet it was understandable. It was never made to be lived in. Iris had changed it over time bringing in some enormous pillows that she used as beds and tables to work on. For the occasion, Iris also deployed a couch large enough to accommodate all of them if the Esterians squeezed in.
“oh, a couch. You don’t mind if this old gal…” started Paz. She was indeed old being around 120 years old. She didn’t have the same energy as the others.
“of course not. I place it for you. Scilla told me you were old even if it doesn’t look so”
“kid those days, not a once of respect. Calling me old”
“but aren’t you old?”
“I’m old enough to spank some sense into you kiddo.” replied Paz in a playful tone.
“how old is old enough?” replied Iris confusing those presents.
“well.. emh. From when you can have kids.”
“so I’m old enough to do the same to you?”
“Idra. I think you are missing the point” said Nuria.
“which is?”
“that to show respect to the elders you usually use more refined words, not just old”
“is that so. I never knew. You know I never met an old person. My sisters all died just after reaching adulthood”
“oh… I’m…”
“nah, don’t worry. Their death is not fresh nor should you feel sorry. I kinda like speaking about them. Now. Let me explain what I have in mind…”
Iris proceeded to explain that she wanted some help to make some clothes for everybody in her group. She also asked for help making something stunning because she had in mind a karaoke night and wanted to sing for Scilla. In the meantime she also wanted to scan Nuria’s leg to produce a new limb for her.
Iris fell on her feet, as unknown to her Aura had a passion for clothes. The youngling immediately started to look at things with the chimeras that were interested as well. Paz was mostly just resting unbothered while Alba and Nixie kept a bit more decorum.
Iris placed Nuria on a scanning bed and activated the machine that dropped from the ceiling.
“Idra” started Nuria.
“yes?”
“thanks. For looking at my leg, but why?”
“why?”
“why bother? I mean it’s working and it is not like you are going to score good girl points with Scilla. You are already getting married to her”
“is that what you think? That I need a reason to do things?”
“Isn’t it normal?”
“Scilla believed the same. Do you girls all think so?” asked Iris to everybody in the room.
They all confirmed, but Alba added something.
“You know how our system works. We give the intelligent the right to rule. Those are people who act to have some gain and at the same time give something to the community making everybody gain. You can only do worse than that. So I firmly believe that you are getting something out of your actions. But I think it’s not something tangible or external, like approval. I think you are helping Nuria out of curiosity. Curiosity of Lean technology and probably your predecessor work.”
“I can tell why you work in the intelligence” said Paz.
“thank you.”
“you must have studied my sisters a lot”
“well.. sort of…” Alba was embarrassed to admit so.
“you are right. I do things cause I’m curious or cause I feel like it.”
“then you make me curious as well. Why do you never show your face?” asked Nuria.
“oh. It’s a combination of things. I believe that the beauty you don’t know is more intriguing than the one you know. I also believe that you should keep your beauty, for those you love. There are more reasons why I keep it concealed. Yet the main reason is Scilla herself. As she puts it I’m so stunning that my appearance could kill. I don’t know if it’s true or not...”
it was true.
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“after all beauty is all about personal opinions right?”
yes and no.
However, someone would stand out. Instead of friendly chatting, Nixie would try to insert some political talking. She couldn’t let go of her doubts or her anxiety for the future of the ETU. She knew that whatever Iris was going to say would become law. She needed to have Iris on her side before meeting the Supreme Council to avoid the “worst”. Yet she failed to understand that her invasiveness was only going to bite her back.
“I didn’t know you were so much of a conservative” said Nixie.
“I won’t define myself as one. I have no care for political wars. Nor I care to know what side believes in what. As long as you don’t betray our Founder I have no reason to harm you.”
“but you are important for our people. They would look up at you and make their own ideas if you don’t state your position.”
“so be it. People loves to talk and trapping their imagination will only harm our culture of scientific freedom. Let them speak. Let them talk. Let them share ideas. Their opinion of me has no value.”
“but what if they started to believe that you support them while you don’t”
“it won’t happen. If I’m so loved people would try and mimic me. Mimic how I speak, how I dress or eat. They would support me, but it doesn’t impact our ruling system. If you are so easily swayed by words of others you will never pass the technician test. I can force my hand, but I have no desire to. I would say that the problem fixes itself”
“but what… what if people and technicians want war.”
“this is no place nor time for such conjectures. I don’t care.”
after some scanning, Iris and Nuria joined the design process with Aura and the chimeras. Alba also joined as soon as Iris expressed her desire to have her closer. Nixie on the other hand remained isolated as she kept her passive-aggressive methods. Such move resulted in her being forced out of the group and the room. Being cast out Nixie walked to Scilla and her group. When she entered the room Scilla immediately asked
“hi. Does Iris need anything?”
“oh… emh. No…” Nixie had a shameful and depressed face that Csuicha noticed.
“is something wrong?” asked the Liin.
“no. I… wanted to see what you were doing”
“doubt that. Iris would have not allowed it. So what happened?” asked Scilla.
“I got sent out”
“why?”
“nothing important”
“it’s important to me. Give me a minute girls and I’ll be back”
Scilla stood up and walked beside Nixie who stood there looking down. She reached Iris and went straight to the point.
“Iris did you expel Nixie?”
“yep. You can have her”
“why?”
“I don’t like her.”
“elaborate”
“She kept going on with political shit. I don’t care, all I want is to have fun before getting married. And now if you will excuse me. This is a private party”
Then Iris closed the door sending Scilla back. She understood Iris’s point and so Nixie joined them.
The two groups joined for dinner. Iris’s group also ran 5 minutes late, yet their arrival was met with surprise and awe. They were all wearing different clothes, all of them particularly stylish and elegant. Paz was now wearing a typically male outfit. She had a light blue shirt with a dark blue vest (gilet) combined with a dark blue tie and blue coat. Her hair had also been put in place to give off a cool elegant vibe. Similarly could be said about Nuria’s clothes that were in shades of grey. Aura, Alba and the chimeras were wearing typical Esterians dresses full of floating and moving parts yet all with some difference be it color, patterns or amount of floating elements. Last to join them was Iris. She was completely different. Now the clothes fit her so instead of guessing where her body was, it was now put on display yet entirely covered. The torso was covered with a long-sleeved shirt with sleeves opened at their end and dropped 30cm lower than the arm. Those sleeves could also be rolled around the arms and blocked to make the dress more usable during dinner. On top of this, Iris wore a full torso soft corset or sleeveless shirt. It looked as if it was made of big fabric leaves with golden finishing. It compressed lightly the sides to show Iris minute figure and It enchanted Iris breast keeping it up in place and enveloping it. The leaves left an empty space on the upper breast that however was covered. From the shoulders dropping to just below the butt, there were wide strings of fabric resembling a moss wall, or Brillo’s plant fur. The lower part was covered with the usual black pants with golden leaves pattern. On top of them a long skirt open on one side that however was closed by a second piece of clothing underneath basically leaving 2 small side gaps from the kneed down on Iris’s right leg. On top a smaller light veil-like skirt that reached just above the knees. Of course, Iris remained with her dark veil that covered her entire head. All of their clothes were beautiful and amazingly thoughtful.
Scilla was just speechless when Iris sat beside her.
“what… what a surprise. Where… where did you find that?”
“do you like it?”
It was a rhetorical question. Just by looking at Scilla’s eager eyes, Iris could tell the answer.
“you look absolutely fantastic.”
“thank you. I wanted to look even more beautiful for you”
“now I feel stupid. I look like the usual half-wet rag on the floor”
Iris brought her hands up to softly touch Scilla’s face.
“don’t say that. You are all the beauty I’ll ever want” such was followed by a kiss.
While dining the topic of clothes was brought up again especially because Scilla couldn’t keep her hands off Iris.
“you really like it don’t you?” said Iris.
“how could I not”
“I love it too. Credit is given where credit is due…”
a small transport robot entered the dining room and carried an ingot about 30cm by 8cm to Aura before placing it on the table.
“Scilla once told me that people pay each other work and time with so called money. I don’t have money nor use them. But still long ago Scilla told me that people extract minerals because they are valuable and exchange them for money or use them to make money. So Aura that’s your reward for it. It’s a platinum ingot. Now all 26kg of that are yours”
Aura was surprised. She just had a blast making clothes.
“we can’t accept it. Aura was just playing and she made a lot of dresses that you are already giving us. We should be the one paying you.”
“you are right. Aura made me more than one dress and considering how much Scilla likes this one. Just one ingot is not enough”
a second bot carried out an ingot of gold of the same size.
“the fuck no. we can’t accept. I just told you.”
“you can either take them willingly or I’ll just make so to have them pop around your house” replied Iris. She was a woman of her word.
“Nuria, just accept. It’s not like we lack anything. It’s Iris’s will to give them to you.” said Scilla.
“Indeed. You should accept my queen's generosity.” said Alba to put more pressure on Nuria. There were going to be no real repercussions in denying the gift, but Alba’s wording makes it sound otherwise. Like reusing a gift from your emperor.
In the end Nuria accepted and the night went on. They sang and played together until late in the night when they went to their rooms.
Scilla had asked Wiola a peculiar question and she accepted the request. That night instead of sleeping in her room, Wiola went to Iris’s and Scilla’s house.
“Law sis are you sure that you don’t mind?” asked Iris to Wiola.
“It’s a custom for us to sleep in the same bed with your family from time to time. I’m more surprised that you want to share a bed with me”
“it’s not with you alone. It’s with you and Scilla. I… I kinda want to, feel like a family. You know what you sleep with mum and dad as a child. I don’t have those memories. I thought…”
“that this was your best opportunity? You could ask me whenever you want. Tomorrow you will be part of the family. But if you two get lewd beside me I’ll bash your skulls in” said Wiola.
“I'll try my best sis” replied Scilla smirking.
And with that their day ended and soon it was time for the wedding.
The next day 2 hours before noon they left the structure to venture into a small flower forest nearby. Flower forests were mostly as the word suggests. Forest consisting of plants that almost always have flowers. In particular, they reached a small clearing inside the forest. The clearing was basically a lawn of multi colored flowers surrounded by trees blooming with even more colorful flowers. The place had been prepared to host the ceremony and the following lunch. The stage for the wedding was just a small wooden rise and a crystal arch with some inscriptions. Scilla took her place in front of the arch while the guests took their seats. Once all was ready Iris emerged from the trees wearing a fairly classic huge white wedding dress. Her face was still covered by a thick veil yet her hair left outside kept together by some strange huge white flowers. They looked akin to lilies if instead of smooth petals they had spiky one and they were 3 times bigger. Once both before the arch Scilla started her speech.
“I’m Scilla Lis. I’ll be honest. I’m suppose to tell my side of our story, but it really sucks cause it shows how much of a dickhead I have been. I have always been driven by my own gain and you are no exception. You have probably grown bored to hear me talk about my time before you. Even if that time is what brought us together. My own desire to end my pain brought me to the best decision of my life. The pain I felt. It hurt so much that I will never forget it. Yet, even if this makes me a masochist, I have never been happier to feel such pain. Because from it you were brought to this world. I’ll admit. I have been the absolute worst person you could ever find. I never listened to you, never looked from your perspective. Only thought of myself. Yet in all that shit. Instead of leaving me to die, which was more than fair. You beat some sense into me. You carried me out of my self-made misery without wanting anything back. Grateful is not enough to describe how I feel. It’s not enough to describe what you did for me. And after all that. You also decided to reciprocate my love. I can say for sure that I own you my life but I never learn. My love for you is not to reciprocate what you have done for me. I love you because I’m selfish once again. I love you because I can’t think of a life without you. I can’t think of a single moment I wish to not have you by my side. You have become essential to my own being to the point that I can’t function without you. I can no longer think without including you. I can’t let you go. Not now nor ever. I want you to be mine and mine forever. Now and not until death tore us apart, but even beyond death. I want to share every second of my life with you. Iris Aurum Fermi. Would you accept me as your husband now, forever and even beyond eternity?”
Scilla keeled before Iris extending the hand without the ring up to Iris while the guests were surprised to learn Iris’s surname. Yet none spoke. Alba made so of that.
“yes. I do accept you as my husband. I don’t know what awaits beyond eternity, but I know that I want to be with you.”
Iris put a green ring on Scilla’s hand. It was the same ring that she was wearing and now it was her turn to speak.
“I am Iris Aurum Fermi. Last of all Idras. Only heir of the Foundation. Only remaining protector of Weeping Sky, land of the Founder and tomb of his blood. my life has always been simple. Always repeating over and over again. Yet something was amiss. I was bored. What was the point to study and explore when none would ever know of your discoveries? Then you showed up. A complete mess. Unbelievable. An intruder on my planet. In my home. Yet you were not. I was the one coming from the outside. A duplication of my own, alongside my own reality. You asked me multiple times what would I gain from helping you. I always told you that I had my own gains. I just felt what my sisters always felt. Accomplishment. They had a purpose, something to look forward. Objectives to complete, yet I had nothing. Until you came. What I stand to gain from our interaction is you Scilla. You freed me from the nothingness of my life. You provided me with the constant stimuli that I needed. You fill my life with exploration and uncertainty. A pleasant unknown that I always wanted. You may be moved by your own selfishness yet I’m not different. I don’t want to turn back to what used to be. Not once I have experienced the most intense 3 years of my life. Years of never discovered joy. Scilla Lis. Would you accept me as you wife now, forever and even beyond eternity? Would you accept me as the Leermorf that I am?”
With those words, Iris started shifting. From her back 2 pairs of crystal wings grow out. One pointing up and one down. There was no membrane between the crystal bones just a falling bluish dust. Iris started floating a bit above Scilla while her hair dropped forward. Strange eyes appeared floating like illusions between the crystal bones. But Scilla didn’t care. She grabbed onto Iris’s hair and gently pulled her back to the ground. Then she took her hands, put a ring equal to the one made with the orange stone that she wears and took off her veil. Revealed in her infinite beauty, Scilla kissed her. After the long kiss, all she said was.
“yes. I do accept you as my wife. No matter what you are or will become. I want you eternally by my side”
such lovely entities are hard to come by. Yet their story doesn’t end here, but ours does. You now know what you should record observers.
Fine