September Patreon Story [#2 of 2]

Hello everyone,

Second prompt complete! Try not to tie next month, it's hard to do two Patreon stories back to back, even if they are shorter than normal.

Joking aside, thanks for waiting!  October's theme will be announced tomorrow!

~Benn

Theme: The Sequel Treatment

Sequel to: https://www.patreon.com/posts/june-bonus-story-38997449 

Original suggestion by: Relia (Thanks again!)

Nominated for sequel by: Clarissa Zenith and rayneDrone 4800 (Thank you both!)

~1392 words

CW:

• The biggest polycule you’ve ever seen
• Anxiety
• Ethically questionable workplace relationships
• Diplomatic nightmares, but it works out
• Cuddling

~~~

You brush your hair out of your eyes. It’s a little breezy, so you have to mess with it constantly. It’s making you a little self conscious, but they haven’t seemed to notice.

Turning your head, you look at them. All seventy-nine of them. They smile, and you shake your head and grin.

Feels a little like being a tour guide. And, well. Technically, that’s what you’re supposed to be.

It happened at the convocation.

~~~

You were minding your own business, tuning the threads of the Waveform Current Reader. Feeling a bit. Lonely.

The Vah Vi Dah had been a constant presence on the ship, for months of travel. Always around, always being slightly too friendly to possibly keep your definitely not allowed relationship under wraps. The captain and head convocation representative on the ship even called you to the meeting room once, and half demanded, half pleaded with you to try and keep this under wraps from the rest of the convocation, at the very least until the treaties were all signed. You had to have a talk with the Va Vi Dah, who reluctantly agreed that you had to stay on the ship for the negotiations.

Wow, you hadn’t expected to feel this lonely without them hanging over your shoulder though.

You sighed. They’d been gone for a few days. Pretty soon, negotiations would be over. If you were lucky, they’d send some of their bodies back to their sector of space, so you’d be able to spend a little more time with them before going your separate ways.

The WCR tuned, you replace the spinning wheel. That was the last of the maintenance you had been assigned. You still felt antsy, and wondered if they needed any help restocking the mess hall or something.

But, you were interrupted.

The ship’s resident diplomat, and her guard.

“Reader Natanili. You’re needed on station.”

Oh, you thought. This must be for my trial.

Because of course you were going to get punished. You threw a delicate mission into disarray. You could have set back relations with the Vah Vi Dah! All for.. Your own personal relations. Terrible! You have one job, and it’s to not mess with the VIPs. Well, also to steer. But they are equally important jobs!

As they led you off the ship, through the halls and open spaces of the massive convocation station, you quietly pondered your fate. Too nervous to ask what was happening, anxious enough to assume the worst. Maybe they’d execute you. Does the convocation execute people? Do they use a big axe? Probably.

They brought you to the main deliberation hall. Definitely an axe, you thought. The diplomat looked at you, finally noticing your silent panic.

“Look Nat, it’s fine. Just, go in there, and act professional. It’s not like you’re gonna die.”

Ah, so a fate worse than death, you thought. “Gotcha,” you said.

The convocation representatives from all the member species watched you as you entered the room. The Va Vi Dah stood to one side. Five of them waved at you. The diplomat led you to the podium, then took her normal place.

“Reader Natanili.” The Speaker, a Delipha person, leaned forward.

“Hi, yes, that’s me,” you said, like a dumbass.

The Speaker looked over to their fellow representatives, then back to you.

“Quite. We have called you here to honor a slightly unusual request from our newest convocation members.”

“O-oh?”

“The representatives of the Vah Vi Dah have requested, before settling into their role here at the convocation, that they be allowed to visit some of the convocation worlds. They believe that their unique state as a shared mind has ill prepared them for working together with other species and governments, and would appreciate some insight into the lives of their new allies.”

“Yes, that makes sense.” You’d started to calm down by this point.

“And, they requested that you be their tour guide for Earth.”

“Oh, wait what?”

Calm out the window. You looked over to the Vah Vi Dah. Four of them gave you thumbs ups, two winked, and one on the end blew a kiss. You instantly regretted teaching them how to do all three.

If the Speaker had eyebrows, one would have been raised. But, they continue.

“They insisted on you particularly, citing your impeccable hospitality and their comfort around you.”

Don’t blush, you thought to yourself while blushing.

“We are aware that giving tours isn’t exactly in the scope of your responsibilities as a crewmember aboard a diplomatic vessel, so consider this the convocation asking for a favor. Will you accept?”

~~~

So, here you are. On Earth, leading the whole flock of Vah Vi Dah, helping them pick out Earth fashion outfits. (They couldn’t decide what style they wanted to go with, so they settled on seventy-nine different ones)

The trip is at the convocation’s expense, which made you very nervous. The Vah Vi Dah essentially set this up as an extended date, and you’re getting paid for it, as a job. You expressed your concerns as to the ethics of this whole mess to the ship’s diplomat on the way to Earth.

“Look Nat. It was very, very important that the meeting with the Vah Vi Dah go well. They had been very skeptical of the convocation in the past, isolated. Getting them to agree to send dignitaries was hard enough. Then, on the way, they spend time with you. Suddenly they agreed to join first day of negotiations. Everyone was shocked. I think your influence has been a big part of this. You’re doing a lot for the convocation, even if it’s a mostly for selfish reasons. So. Just enjoy your trip, okay?”

~~~

You lead them to the hotel, the only one in the area that had a suite technically big enough for eighty people. Technically it’s intended for twenty people, it’s just huge and fancy.

It took some explaining, and flashing your convocation paperwork, to get the staff to rent it to you, but now, settling in, it was worth it. You’re sitting on an extremely comfortable couch, with one Vah Vi Dah in your lap like a cat, and three more draped over you, luxuriating. There’s a fountain! Two Vah Vi Dah are in the fountain. Will the hotel get upset? It’s fine. They won’t break it.

“So, I had a question.”

One of the fountain pair answers.

“Of course, Reader. We are an open book, as you say.”

“How many Vah Vi Dah bodies are there?”

“Several billion. Well. Eleven billion.”

“So, has our fling been like. Entertainment for your whole planet? Or are you partitioned?”

“We are one mind. And we are very entertained.”

“Geez. I better not go back to your planet then, or I risk be dog piled by the entire species huh.”

They all giggle lightly.

“Does that not sound enjoyable, Reader?”

You grin and rest your head on one of them. Another thought crosses your mind.

“So, you’re going to other convocation worlds after this?”

“We are heading to them currently.”

“Oh! Like, other bodies?”

One standing by the bookcase answers now.

“Yes. We considered making you give us tours of dozens of planets you had never been too, but decided it might become stressful for you.”

“So then, what happens when we’re done with the Earth tour? Are you all going back home?”

“What do you mean?”

“Err, like. Where are you gonna go?”

“Where are you going?”

“Um, back to my ship, then back to Earth for shore leave mostly.”

“Then that it where we are going.”

You start as the words sink in.

“Y-you’re staying?”

“Would you be lonely without us.”

“I mean of course, but you don’t have to-”

“Then we stay.”

“Oh gods I don’t know if my apartment is big enough for all of you,” you joke, feeling a little lightheaded.

“We’ll help you pick out something bigger.”

“You. You all really want to stay around me?”

“You are part of us now. And none of us like to be lonely.”

Tears sting at the corners of your eyes.

“I- I guess I can’t argue with that logic.”

Several of them nod. Most of them smile.

You wipe your eyes, and let out a deep breath.

“So. What do you want to do tomorrow then?”

~~~