“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!” I announce to the crew.

 

Funny how something as simple as that still sends chills down my spine. Granted, it isn’t really relevant in this case. Ships and rockets are completely different. But I don’t care. It’s fun.

 

I wave at family, friends, colleagues, and everyone else gathered around to watch us take off before finally putting a year’s worth of dreams and plans into action. I start gaining momentum, preparing to take flight as everyone else braces themselves. Once I gain enough speed, I bring us off of the ground and retract the wheels. We are now airborne. I guide us all the way to the top of the world, taking in the last sight of the beautiful land that I’m gonna get for 6 months. See you soon, guys. Once I’m far enough in the air, I bring my hand hovering above the thruster controls, preparing for the jump.

 

“Alright, hang on, everyone,” I warn, turning to my crewmates, “It’s gonna get a bit bumpy.”

 

After they grab onto their solid objects, I activate the thrusters and go full throttle, pushing us through the thermosphere all the way to the exosphere with the g-force proving to be strong, but us proving that we’re stronger. You’re nothing to us, science!

 

Once we breach past the last layer of the Earth, I ease up on the acceleration, bringing us to a stable cruising speed. All of us take a breath, relaxing as we head toward our target. I then decide to lighten the mood even more by turning on the intercom and saying in my best pilot voice,

 

“Attention, passengers, this is your captain speaking. You’ll be happy to know tha-”

 

“Alex, we’ve been through this,” Mandy intervenes, “You can either do the countdown or the pilot bit, but not both.”

 

“Apologies for my lack of fucks to give about your stipulations that I don’t seem to recall agreeing to. Furthermore, I am in possession of the steering wheel, so therefore I make the rules. And the first rule: I’m your captain.”

 

Everyone laughs at my comment with Jaqui saying,

 

“You’re such an asshole.”

 

“Affirmative,” I continue with my flawless pilot impression, “Now, like I was saying, you’ll be happy to know that we’re in pursuit of the unidentified flying object within Earth’s atmosphere and it should be smooth sailing from here on out. So you’re welcome to maneuver about with your magnetic boots on the ground at all times. We wouldn’t want another Dani moment, now would we?”

 

“I thought we agreed to never make that a thing,” Dani whines,

 

“And I thought I made it abundantly clear on how I feel about these stipulations that I’ve never agreed to, but here we are.”

 

“Plus, it’s not our fault that you thought floating around would be cool,” Jaqui chimes in,

 

“I told you I forgot where I put them,” Dani replies,

 

“They were right by your bed,” Mandy points out,

 

“You guys are mean.”

 

“We love you, too,” I say, smirking at her before turning back to the space road, “Now, quiet down. We’re here.”

 

We inch closer and closer to the foreign material. Jeez, it looks even weirder up close. I’ve never even seen anything like it. What’s that even made out of? It looks sleeker and more sturdy than any metal I've ever seen.

 

“Alright,” Jaqui starts as I bring the ship to a stop, “Soooo, now what? Do we just go up there and ring the doorbell?”

 

“We’re here to ask another species questions about their intentions, Jaqui, we’re not asking for sugar,” I reply,

 

“Fine, then. What do you suggest we do, ‘captain’?”

 

“Well, I’m glad you asked, my underling. The xeno station discovered a mutual galactic symbol that portrays docility. And Lincoln just so happened to stitch together a 60x90 flag that displays that symbol.”

 

“Uhhh...when?” Dani asks,

 

“Last month. They told him to make sure that he set it up under the ship.”

 

“Wait, wait, they told Lincoln to set that flag up on a ship a month before we did this?” Jaqui asks, confused,

 

“Well, yeah,” I confidently answer, “He was the only one who knew how at the time.”

 

“Do you really see nothing wrong with anything you just said?” Mandy questions,

 

“What? You guys are acting like he’s untrustworthy.”

 

“No, we’re acting like Lincoln was transferred to a different department 2 months ago because there was a message from the aliens that no one else could decypher,” Jaqui says, “You know, the one where it said that they will only speak to females. Hence the reason we’re here in the first place.”

 

“What? No. He left right before his birthday.”

 

“Which was?”

 

“....GODDAMMIT!!!!”

 

“How could you not realize this?!” Dani interjects,

 

“How was I supposed to know that the people relaying the message to me were wrong?!”

 

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe asking?! Or at the very least checking the damn cargo?!”

 

“Ok, ok, let’s just cool it. It’s not the end of the world.”

 

“Yeah, it’s the edge,” Mandy jokes, earning a groan from everyone,

 

“Another one of those and you’re staying here,” I warn, “Now, with everything we know about extraterrestrial language and symbols, surely we can display one so that these guys will know that we’re peaceful.”

 

“Longshot, maybe ours can mean the same thing?” Jaqui suggests,

 

“Yes, Jaqui, a symbol from a species that they’ve never interacted with in the history of their lives would know exactly what their symbols mean.”

 

“I said it was a longshot. No need to be such a jerk about it.”

 

“Well, maybe it will work,” Dani chimes in, “We’ve only known that these guys were here for a year. Who knows how long they’ve actually been here? Maybe they’ve been watching us, studying us. It wouldn’t be so outlandish to pick up on our subliminals.”

 

“See?” Jaqui says, defensively,

 

Huh. That’s a good point. It would only make sense for that to be the case if they were here for that long.

 

“Oh, so it’s a good idea when she says it, but I’m the idiot for coming up with it?” Jaqui says in an annoyed tone,

 

“What are you talking about?” I ask, confused,

 

“What do you mean? I have ears, you know.”

 

“I didn’t even say anything.”

 

Before she can say anything else, Mandy starts laughing, confusing us all.

 

“Dani, that was just mean,” she says through her laughter,

 

“What?” Dani questions,

 

“So you’re just gonna act like none of us heard you say that?”

 

“Say what?” Jaqui asks,

 

“Yeah, I didn’t hear anything,” I add on,

 

“Ok,” Mandy says, folding her arms, “Keep acting like you didn’t hear Dani calling Jaqui an actual idiot.”

 

“I think I would’ve heard that coming from lightfoot over here,” Jaqui says, bringing a hand to her hip, “Looks like you’ve been spending too much time with Justin and his herbs.”

 

“Woah, woah,” I intervene, “Now, that was just a low blow.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jaqui questions, “You mentioned it first.”

 

“I only said it as a joke. It’s not even confirmed he does anything yet. Plus, keep your voice down. They’re still listening in through the radio. I don’t wanna get him fired or something.”

 

“First, what moron couldn’t see that that guy clearly does shrooms? I’m pretty sure he’s safe. Todd does far more than that. Second, there’s no way you heard that. I was...thinking...about it...Oh.”

 

Yeah, it’s not hard to see what’s happening here. They’re making us read each other’s minds. So if they can do that, then maybe-...

 

“Alright, guys, I’m gonna try something,” I announce before closing my eyes and concentrating.

 

Um...Aliens! If you can hear me right now, and if you understand a single word I’m saying, just know that we are here with no ill intent! We’re only here to ask you some questions and research you and your kind! After that, we’ll be on our way! Please, give me a sign that you understand!

 

I open my eyes and...Nothing.

 

“Impeccable idea, captain,” Jaqui says in a snarky tone,

“Fuck off, crewmate,” I reply,

 

“What? It’s not my fault you’re acting like a su-”

 

“Finish that sentence and I’m punching you in the throat.”

 

She starts to say something else, but she’s interrupted as we all hear,

 

“Um...Attention, humans, we have provided your- uh...as you put it...your “spaceship” with a protective barrier filled with oxygen so that you will be able to breathe. We will now present you with a-...walkway? Ok, this has to be a joke. They cannot be this basic with their lexicon considering everything else...Ugh, fine. We will present you with a ‘walkway’ so that you have a way to cross over to our ship. Once you transfer here, we will be more than willing to answer any questions you have.”

 

I look over at Jaqui, who’s avoiding eye contact with me all of a sudden for some reason.

 

“What was that you were saying earlier?” I ask, taunting her,

“Fuck off,” she grumbles,

 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

 

I turn back to the controls and open the door. Once it’s open, we gather at the exit, waiting for the bridge to be drawn out. Moments pass and we’re still waiting. Any moment now.

 

“Sorry,” we hear the same voice say, “I forgot to mention that the materials we have used for it were crafted by divine beings, so it is impossible to see with the naked eye. But I assure you, it is as sturdy as the floor of your ship.”

 

Because of course it is. Why wouldn’t I expect a ship to contain a transparent bridge that’ll carry me across the unforgiving nothingness of the cosmos? I look back at the girls and just as suspected, they’re not exactly willing to walk on this invisible walkway. Well, this is the joy of being the leader, I guess. I close my eyes and take a breath before bringing my foot forward. But before I can place it down, I instantly hear,

 

“WAIT!!! WAIT!!! NOT YET!!!....Ok, now, you can go.”

 

Alright, now I'm terrified. Was it not out before? What happened? Ok, you know what? Doesn’t matter. It was just a mistake. No such thing as the same mistake happening twice. Plus, with that happening, no way these wussies would dare take a step. And since we’ve gotta move at some point, I make another attempt at walking in space.

 

I place my foot down and, just as advertised, there’s most definitely a ground. I step forward, bringing my other foot on the surface. Same result. So I take a few steps, showing everyone that it’s perfectly safe in an attempt to ease their nerves.

 

I look back and Jaqui’s the first to follow behind, reluctantly placing her foot down on seemingly nothing. Once she ensures herself that she’s not gonna die, she joins alongside me, maneuvering to the aliens’ ship.

 

“You guys are insane,” Dani announces, “How do we know that they’re not just gonna make it disappear beneath us? Or if they’re just doing this with their mind and all it takes is the slightest distraction to make us float off? Or i-”

“Oh, just shut up and move,” Mandy interrupts, pushing her forward, making her whimper in fear.

 

As we traverse to the other ship, I start to feel...weird. Like half of my thoughts have just disappeared. My fear of falling off this bridge lightens up. My worries about what kind of aliens we’re dealing with are vanquished. The stresses of home are no more. It’s like with each step those thoughts just slipped out of my mind. And I can tell that the same effect is being had with everyone else. Jaqui’s walking more confidently, Mandy doesn’t have to push Dani anymore, and Dani herself isn’t whimpering like a little pussy. What exactly are we walking into?

 

We make it to the entrance of the ship, waiting for it to open. But instead, a speaker descends from the top of the ship all the way to our level. After moments of anticipation, we hear the voice we’ve been hearing this entire time saying,

 

“We cannot help but notice that your kind wear soft materials over your body. And to our understanding, being in the presence of those without these materials is uncomfortable and frowned upon in your culture. But in our own culture, expression of the body is the norm. So if you are uncomfortable with that, you can tell us now and we will accommodate you.”

 

“Aw, sweet,” Mandy says in a whispered excited tone, “So you’re saying I can look at nude bods for the next 6 months and not be reprimanded for it? Sign me the fuck up!”

 

I smack her on the back of her head before saying,

 

“We have no issues with it whatsoever. If it’s part of your culture, we will respect it.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Absolutely. There’s no objection on our end.”

 

The speaker then retracts back to the top of the ship as we continue waiting.

 

“Did you have to hit me so hard?” Mandy complains,

 

“Do you have to be such a horn dog?” I respond, “They’re living beings just like you and me, and should be treated as such. There’s more to life than ‘Looking at nude bods’. There’s actual brains and personality inside of those bodies. Maybe try gawking at those from time to time.”

 

“Oh, cut the crap. I don’t need to read your mind to know that you were thinking the same exact thing.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t lust after every attractive body I see.”

 

“So you’re telling me if I ask them what you were thi-”

 

“Oh, look, the door’s opening.”

 

Thankfully, as I say that, the door actually opens, giving us access to the inside. Thank you, divine extraterrestrial beings. We step inside of the ship with it closing behind us. We then start walking forward through a short narrow tunnel decorated with pictures of an interesting looking planet, a few monuments from Earth, and a framed “I ❤️ NY” shirt. We gaze and snicker respectively at the items as we head towards the nearby doorway.

 

After stepping through it, we’re introduced to a giant monitor projecting various parts of Earth, a glass-like window showing the wonders of space, and most notably of all, three people standing on elevated platforms in front of the controls, looking back at us, completely nude as advertised. I thought I’d be able to have more self control over my mind, but I can’t keep my eyes off of them. Especially the last one. She’s so cute.

 

They all appear to be human women, but with some very differing features. First, they all have different skin colors. The left is purple, the center is light blue, and the right is hot pink. Second, all three have different glowing white markings all over their bodies. They have three straight horizontal lines below each of their eyes and vertical lines on their arms and legs, but the purple one has various paint brush shaped markings on her torso, the light blue one has what appears to be clouds, and the pink one has hearts. And lastly, their ears are...pointed? Wait a minute, are they-

 

“Greetings humans,” the center one says, looking at a sheet of paper, “Welcome to our...‘humble abode’?...Hm. Ok. Um, per your culture, we are to formally introduce ourselves. You are welcome to include your last names, but our kind does not follow that tradition. Forgive me if I find that tradition a bit ridiculous.”

 

“Well, she sure isn’t afraid to speak her mind,” Jaqui whispers to me.

 

I nudge her arm before saying,

 

“It’s not a problem at all. As I’m sure you’re aware, there’s a lot about our kind that makes no sense. So I guess we should start, since we’re the guests. I’m Alexis Young. You can call me Alex for short. This is Jaqueline Lace. She also goes by Jaqui. This is Mandy Ridge. You can just call her Mandy. And this is Danielle Phinton. And you can just call her Dani.”

 

“Wait a minute,” the left one says, “Dani Phinton?”

 

“No relation,” Dani jokes,

 

“Interesting. We must talk more about that later.”

 

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

 

“Well, before that, we need to hold onto our end. My name is Xen.”

 

“I am Liy,” the center one says,

 

“And I am Val,” the last one says, bowing, “I am pleased to make your acquaintances.”

 

“Showoff,” Liy mocks,

 

“I fail to see how that could possibly be the case. I am just communicating with the humans in the manner that they are familiar with. I mean, it is what we were to study before coming here, was it not?”

 

“Well, pardon me for being too busy to comply with the assignment. I am the pilot. Do you think that I would have the time to fully digest the knowledge in that amount of time?”

 

“We had two centuries.”

 

“Irrelevant information.”

 

We snicker at their banter before Dani says,

 

“Well, for what it’s worth, you’re all pretty fluent in our language.”

 

“Why, thank you, Dani,” Liy says, “It is nice to have someone finally acknowledge my strengths for a change.”

 

“So are you just not going to be truthful and tell her about our technique?” Xen questions in a smug demeanor,

 

“Are you not supposed to be taking the vow of silence? Whatever happened to your interest in that?”

 

“That was before the humans appeared before us. It would just be rude to remain speechless in front of our guests, would it not?”

 

“You two have been observing the Earth far too much.”

 

Wow. Do we really have an impact on extraterrestrial life? And is this really the take away from our kind? I don’t know how to feel about that.

 

“What’s the technique?” Mandy questions through a chuckle,

 

“If either of you answer, there will be dire consequences,” Liy says, sternly.

 

Silence.

 

“We are speaking in our native tongue,” Val starts, earning a look of malous from Liy,

 

“Basically, whenever we speak in front of those of other species, our voices travel through the foreigner’s mind and their perception of what we say is seen to them as if we are speaking in their language of origin and vice versa,” Xen adds on, earning the same look from Liy,

 

“However, due to different dialects and context structures within different languages, studying such mannerisms is essential whenever interacting with others. Otherwise, we would be speaking utter nonsense.”

 

“And-

 

“She-”

 

“Is-”

 

“Apparently-”

 

“Too-”

 

“Lazy-”

 

“To-”

 

“Learn.”

 

“I do not much care for either of you right now,” Liy responds, “That isn’t even a part of the reason as to why I’ve chosen to neglect this particular language.”

 

“Wait, then why?” Jaqui questions, “Our language is probably the language that makes the most sense on our planet.”

 

“Read.”

 

“Ok, I see your point.”

 

“Honestly, the mere fact that you humans not only learn such a complex structure, but do so at such a young age, yet fail to grasp other basic aspects of the universe is somewhat admirable.”

 

“I mean, it’s not that bad,” Dani objects,

 

“Oh, was that last example not enough for you? Well, there is also your nonsensical rule of the letter ‘i’ coming before ‘e’ except when it appears after ‘c’ in your words, yet more of your words break that rule than follow it, your incessant need to add letters to words for no apparent reason, such as ‘pterodactyl’ or ‘opossum’ or ‘queue’ or ‘freight’, how words break the rules that they set, for example, the word ‘apart’ appears when things are separated, yet ‘a part’ means those brought together, and let us not forget how all some words need for there to be a completely different pronunciation is a single letter to be added. How does ‘though’ become ‘through’?! And why does that have the same pronunciation as ‘threw’?! How inebriated were your ancestors when conceiving these concepts?!”

 

“What she is trying to say is your language can be infuriating,” Xen says,

 

“That is quite the understatement, Xen,” Liy punctuates,

 

“Now, Lyi, I am always presenting you with a quote that might help you: ‘The English language may be difficult at first, but it can be mastered through tough thorough thought, though’.”

 

“It is times like these where you make me want to throw away your lunch.”

 

“But that would be very unkind of you, now would it?”

 

“That’s a pretty specific threat,” I say with a chuckle,

 

“Our species is incapable of violence, so that is basically all that she can threaten me with,” Xen explains, “As you all have noticed, your mood has become more tranquil upon nearing our ship. That is the effect of our presence. We are so passive, any being that comes within range of us instinctively becomes at least twenty percent more calm.”

 

“So, you’re all essentially walking bottles of melatonin?” Mandy questions,

 

“That would be an odd way of looking at it,” Val answers with an adorable giggle, “But if it helps to better your understanding, then yes.”

 

“Also, if it makes it easier for your minds, since all of you have been wondering the same thing since you saw us, after extensive research on them, I believe we are similar to the mythical creatures you call ‘elves’,” Xen says,

 

“Oh, God, thank you,” Mandy says, “That’s been bugging me.”

 

We all look at her, dumbfounded.

 

“What?” she says defensively, “You heard her. We were all thinking about it.”

 

We roll our eyes before turning our attention back to the others.

 

“So,” Liy starts, “It is our understanding that you had some questions for us?”

 

“Oh, right,” I say, getting my mind back on track, “Well, um, I guess a good place to start would be where you’re from.”

 

Liy tries to answer before Xen interrupts with a dramatic tone,

 

“We hail from a distant galaxy far far away! Our brethren are those who are referred to as Deinlites. We-”

 

“So that would be the answer to that,” Liy interrupts back, “Apologies for her ignorance. She is excessively fascinated in your...your...‘theatrical arts’.”

 

“I fail to see the reason behind your exasperated tone. Theater is an exemplary innovative art.”

 

“...Right. So next question.”

 

“How exactly were you able to go so far with your advances in technology?” Dani asks, “I can’t even tell what the material used in your ship is made of.” 

 

“Oh, that I am afraid is a question we cannot answer.”

 

“Before you ask why,” Xen adds on, “Are you truly surprised that we refuse to give that kind of information to a species that is hellbent on accelerating their own extinction with each generation and always finds weird ways to fornicate with everything they see?”

 

We don’t even try to refute. They’re right.

 

“Alright, well, here’s something you might be able to answer,” Jaqui starts, “What made you choose Earth to study?”

 

“Oh, we are not studying you,” Liy answers, “Studying you would be too boring and dour. We tried it when we first got here. All we found out was that you humans really like destroying your own creations.”

 

“Umm, alright, so...no offense, but, why are you here?”

 

They look at each other before saying in unison,

 

“Because you humans are entertaining.”

 

“Your so called ‘memes’ are stellar, your shows, games, and movies are inspiring, your wide range of different cultures are very interesting, and some of your comedians are hilarious,” Xen explains,

 

“Also, your furry companions are endearing, your landmarks are breathtaking, and your music is ironically otherworldly,” Val adds,

 

“Not to mention your planet itself is interesting,” Liy continues, “It has its beautiful moments along with its chaotic ones. And the fact that both blend together so perfectly is nothing short of fascinating. You have natural disasters that ultimately create your remarkable scenery, you have the concept of death that looms over your minds, yet that only drives you to live out your passion, and you have your failures that inspire you to try again and succeed. You humans are quite the persistent organisms.”

 

“Wow, thanks,” Mandy replies, “That really means a lot.”

 

“No, no, thank you for the free entertainment,” Liy jokes,

 

“Oh, ‘Free entertainment’, huh? That’s gotta be nice.”

 

“It really is. Any other questions?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Mandy says, “I hope this doesn’t seem rude, but what do the markings on your bodies mean?”

 

“Fret not, it is not rude at all,” Liy responds before bringing two of her fingers to the markings on her arms, “Think of the marks on our arms and legs as the veins that you have under yours. They’re one of our many life sources, pumping various nutrients to every portion of our bodies. The brightness of our marks overall signify our health. The brighter they are, the healthier we are.”

 

“So does that mean that they become dimmer when you’re close to death?”

 

“Well, yes, but it has other meanings along with our decreasing life energy,” Xen informs, “It could also signify our decreased energy in general, such as if we are tired or fatigued. It may also symbolize when our mood changes. For instance, Val, would you like to inform the humans on the effects of your body markings?”

 

Val lets out a surprised gasp before turning away from us all. Then, after a moment, her markings gradually turn from white to yellow. Is...that her way of blushing?

 

“No, you are correct,” Xen continues, “It would be more effective to have a visual demonstration. Good thinking.”

 

Val immediately turns back to her, trying to voice her disapproval of Xen's idea. But it’s too late. Xen brings a finger to the center of her stomach, pushing one of her hearts. The heart then immediately starts glowing, causing a light popping noise to sound before Val lets out the most adorable giggle I’ve ever heard in my life.

 

“Hmm,” Liy says, approaching the other side of Val, “Something tells me that the humans do not yet fully grasp what her markings do.”

 

“No, no, they do!” Val objects in her giggling fit,

 

“No, I do not think so, Val,” Xen disputes, “From what I can tell from reading their minds, they are still confused.”

 

“I have noticed the same thing, Xen,” Liy cosigns, “It would seem that further demonstrations need to take place.”

 

Before Val can disagree with the sentiments of her associates, they start their barrage of pokes on various points of her marks, laughing as they earn more adorable giggles as she pleads for them to stop.

 

“No, no, stop!” she says through giggles, “They get it! They get it! Please tell them you get it!”

 

“How wrong would it be to join in?” Mandy asks,

 

“Don’t you dare,” I reply with a smirk,

 

“What, are you telling me you’re not the least bit tempted to poke her little body? Or...Oooooh, I see. You’re picking your moment for yourself, aren’t you? Or are you thinking of sticking your fingers in another part of her body?”

 

“Mandy, are you ever not thinking of something lewd? Is there any moment in time where that’s not clouding your mind? Any at all?”

 

“I’m not hearing a ‘no’~”

 

“I’m not saying a ‘yes’~”

 

“You seem to forget that we’re in front of mind fucking reading aliens. Lying really isn’t an option for you right now.”

 

“Who says I’m lying?”

 

“My next question.”

 

“You. Wouldn’t. Dare.”

 

Her smug smirk widens as I glare at her. And without turning away from me, she says,

 

“Hey, guys, I’ve got another question for ya. What’s Alex thinking right now?”

 

The commotion stops with Val trying to compose herself. After moments of silence aside from Val’s settling giggles, we hear Liy say,

 

“Oh, my.”

 

Xen then follows behind with,

 

“Uh-...You umm...It would probably be within your best interest if we did not tell you.”

 

“Oh, really?” Mandy questions, looking proud of herself,

 

“Yes, it is...not really...appropriate.”

 

“Ooo. Well, now I gotta know. Trust me, this wouldn’t be anything I haven’t heard before. Enlighten me. What’s in that dirty, dirty brain of hers?”

 

“Well, if you insist,” Liy says before clearing her throat and quoting, “‘Are you all aware of the time Mandy was caught by everyone at our base-...um...fornicating with a make-shift ‘hunk of a man named Fiago’ with rocket models shoved-...’ Please do not make me read anymore. I just feel...dirty.”

 

“Also, were the mental images really necessary?” Xen adds,

 

Mandy stands there, head tilted in embarrassment as her shame is now known to our hosts. I give her a smirk of my own, saying,

 

“Well, you were right. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before.”

 

“You know what?” she starts, “You’re not a nice person.”

 

“Yeah, whatever, kettle.”

 

“Anyways,” Jaqui says, grabbing both of our attention, “We’re also here to study you and your culture for a few months. So would there be a way for us to follow you to your home world?”

 

The three girls giggle to themselves before Liy says,

 

“What do you mean? You are already here.”

 

Confused, we look out the window and sure enough, they’re right. We’re no longer surrounded by stars and neighboring planets. We’re now on solid ground with a pink sky and surrounded by really weird looking bushes. What the hell? When did we move? When did we land?

 

“Humans,” Xen starts, gesturing to the wonderful view, “Welcome to Deinz! It is quite convenient, is it not? Along with mind reading, we also have the ability to transport back home if we stray too far. And we are able to transport back to our last coordinates. So once your research has been concluded, we shall bring you all back with no issues whatsoever.”

 

“Now, normally, we would be within bounds of our launchpad, but because of Liy’s inability to study, our landings are always randomized,” Val says, earning an agitated look from Liy,

 

“Must you take any and every opportunity to point out my flaws?” Liy huffs,

 

“Must you take any and every opportunity to make it easy for me?” Val responds with a smirk,

 

Liy grumbles in defeat as Val basks in her victory. Oh, she’s just a peach. These guys are certainly interesting. To think that they come to us for entertainment. But there’s a pretty obvious concern of mine looming about.

 

“Uh, what about our ship?” I ask,

 

“Oh, it is right out there,” Xen answers, pointing outside, “Not only can we teleport ourselves, we can also teleport any objects within range if we willed it.”

 

We look at the ground and, sure enough, there’s our ship, sitting right there in all its glory.

 

“Yes, your ship may be here, however, the reception could not carry over with it. We are five galaxies away from Earth, after all.”

 

“Five galaxies?!” all four of us say in unison,

 

“Worry not,” Liy assures, “Like Xen has informed you, when the time comes where you have all of the information you need, we will gladly teleport you back home. And we will continue watching your planet.”

 

“Well, that’s nice of you,” Mandy says, “And a bit creepy when you put it like that.”

 

The three girls chuckle as Xen pushes a button on their controls. Once she does, a buzz is heard throughout the ship before the side wall disconnects from the ship and slowly descends, forming steps as it gets lower to the ground. Aw, why can’t we have that technology? Once the wall makes contact with the ground, Xen gestures to the exit, saying,

 

“Shall we?”

 

We accept the invite, heading down the stairs and onto the foreign land. Right as my foot makes contact with the ground, I notice a few things about it: it’s so warm. And it’s so soft. It has the look of concrete but the consistency of grass. I then notice that there’s light increments of a fog-like substance low to the ground. I kneel down, getting a better view.

 

I lower my hand, getting a feel for it. Ok, this is strange. The fog is kinda cold, but the ground is warm. I love it. The contrast between the two oddly makes it work perfectly. It’s so...soothing. 

 

“I see you find our halcyon mist interesting,” I hear, snapping me out of my trance, “It is essentially the source of our tranquil nature.”

 

I look up to see Val standing above me with her hands behind her back, beaming at me with her adorable smile. But while I’m trying to focus on her smile alone, my eyes can’t help but admire her gorgeous body, her wonderful c-cup chest, and her-...

 

“O-oh, really?” I say, snapping myself out of yet another trance, “Wow. That’s-that’s really cool. A planet with natural pacifying mist. That’s...that’s just...wow.”

 

Yeah. Of course. “That’s just wow”. Why not just go full on idiot and say, “DuRh yOu So PrEtTy HhEhe” while you’re at it? Dumbass brain.

 

“Quite the vocabulary you have there, Alex,” Jaqui taunts,

 

“You really want me to show you the extent of my vocabulary, Jaqui?” I reply,

 

“No thanks, I’m good.”

 

Val giggles at our exchange, making my heart melt. God, her voice is just so cute. And her laugh is just to die for. I could hear it all day. Xen then interrupts my thoughts, placing her arm around Val’s shoulders, making her markings turn yellow again.

 

“Well, how would you all like a tour of our world?”

 

We all voice our approval of the idea and we get started. We traverse the planet of Deinz, learning about the lore of the Deinlites and how they came to be. While they’re telling us about their cultures, origins, and miscellaneous information, we do our individual jobs and record everything we can. Dani’s in charge of notes, Jaqui’s in charge of video taping everything, I’m in charge of snapping photos of everything interesting, and Mandy’s in charge of collecting available artifacts.

 

As we travel around the world, we start to pick up on a few things: there’s not a single car or motor vehicle in sight, no one seems to be in any kind of a rush, no factories are present, the streets are clean, there aren’t any weapons, and there doesn’t seem to be any kind of government or authority figure. Plus, everyone we come into contact with is very inviting. Everyone. I mean, yeah, it’s because of the mist and I should know this, but it’s still such a nice change of pace.

 

But before we know it, night eventually falls. We decide to take a break from learning for the night, giving us time to review everything we’ve learned and seen. I’m not gonna lie, I definitely need this review. Half of the things that were said basically went over my head. I just couldn’t stop looking at Val. Her adorable face, her short light pink hair, her cute freckles on her upper lip, her perfect curvy body, the way the sun expanded on it by giving her a gorgeous gleam, she really is a sight for sore eyes. I even found myself drawing her, masking it as me putting my take on pictures I took.

 

“So, how do you feel about our planet thus far?” Liy questions,

 

“It’s amazing,” I reply,

 

“Nothing like I’ve ever seen,” Jaqui agrees,

 

“Loving it so far,” Dani piles on,

 

“It’s out of this world,” Mandy comments, earning looks of disdain from everyone, “I refuse to apologize for exercising my rights.”

 

“So anyway,” Liy continues, ignoring her, “I apologize, but none of us own any shelter. We have found it infinitely better to sleep outdoors and gaze at the stars. You are more than welcome to find a place to rest for the night. Your currency will be converted to ours, so that should not be a concern. Plus, the rest stops here are immensely affordable, so expenses should not really be a concern, either.”

 

“Nah, we’re fine,” Jaqui says, “It’s like we’re camping back at home. Nothing better than a huge canvas of nothing but stars. I just wish we could make s’mores.”

 

“If you insist.”

 

They make their own means for shelter as Mandy, Jaqui, Dani, and I go over everything we’ve learned so far and holy hell, was it a lot. I’m still trying to figure out their science. How is anything with our language confusing to Liy when almost everything about this planet just beats the ever living fuck out of all of Newton’s Laws? Sometimes pushing one way results in a 90 degree angle, carbon doesn’t make fire here, but water does, reflections don’t exist unless you move, inertia speeds you up, their planet doesn’t have a core, and for some reason, echos don’t exist.

 

But aside from their weird logic and physics that bully ours, their history and day of life is so intricate. Their ability to befriend other beings, not just in their solar systems, but within SEVERAL galaxies is unreal. What’s even more unbelievable is how they manage to develop cures for every last one of their diseases within months of learning about it. Not to mention the fact that they’ve managed to create an infinite food source, which is still racking my brain. And that’s not even a quarter of the things that Dani wrote.

 

This world is gonna take some getting used to. And we’ve just got a measly 6 months to not only grab this information, but to actually digest it and really learn about it. Is it gonna be enough? Probably not. But is it gonna get easier? Definitely not. But at least they’re better teachers than Earth’s, so that’s assuring.

Hours pass and everyone’s unconscious. But since I’m such a night owl and so determined to catch up on everything I’ve missed, I’m nowhere near tired. Plus, I have no idea how I could possibly sleep with this view. Due to our light waves being completely different from theirs, the night sky is a variety of colors instead of just black. There’s violet with a hint of blue, specks of green, and deep orange on the horizon. Not only that, but their luminous leaves and vibrant city lights inspired by Earth make the scenery so much better. It’s kinda like I’m back at home. But with their creative takes on it and the leaves dancing in the air, it gives the different atmosphere that demands appreciation from the viewer. And I will happily concede to those demands. 

 

After reviewing everything, I just drop everything and lie back, drinking in the scenery. I take a breath, observing the beauty in front of me. It’s quite neat.

 

“Quite neat indeed,” I hear a familiar voice say, taking me off guard.

 

I turn to see Val, who’s lying right next to me on her stomach with her head in her hands, brightening my night with her signature smile.

 

“Jesus,” I announce with a chuckle, clutching my chest, “Someone should just put a bell on you.”

 

“I apologize for startling you. I am unable to sleep.”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“I am just so thrilled to have outsiders not only visiting our planet, but also enjoying it. My heart will not stop racing.”

 

“Yeah, I guess it would be pretty sweet to have foreigners show interest in you and your culture.”

 

“It is.”

 

Moments go by of us staring into the beauty before us. She then breaks the silence with,

“So, Alex, I have a question for you now.”

 

“Go for it,” I reply,

 

“I have noticed that you have been constantly comparing your planet to ours and your comparisons with Earth have always been negative. Do you hate your planet?”

 

“That’s a good question. But the answer might just confuse you.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Ok, well, you remember how Liy said that Earth’s mixture of chaos and beauty is what keeps it interesting?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, the way that I look at Earth is that exact same way. You can’t have chaos without beauty, you can’t have light without darkness, and you can’t have love without hate. With how the planet works, there’s a perfect balance of everything. For every meaningless war occuring due to leaders with a constant need to have a dick measuring match every five minutes, there’s a country willing to aid the damaged country in its time of need for the innocent. For every abusive relationship where one fears the other, there’s a relationship where both participants end every single day with a cuddle. For every idiot bitching and whining about the slightest thing and bringing our species backwards, there’s a kind-hearted soul doing things that push our species forward. For every Twilight series, there’s a Kung Fu Panda series. There’s always an opposite to everything, but the world makes it so that one never outweighs the other. For light to work, there needs to be something to light. And that’s where darkness comes in. The way I see it, there’s three ways of looking at it: you’re either seeing it through rose colored goggles and it’s glass half full, you see through blood-stained contacts and it’s glass half empty, or you just see it for what it is: a half cup of what the world has to offer. The comparisons that you saw were just my frustrations with the Earth and how easy it would be for all of negativity to be gone, but then realization set in about how impossible it would be to maintain it all if it were this positive. But that’s just my thoughts on it. Ask the other girls and they’re probably gonna say something completely different. And that’s the best part about Earth. Different perspectives can create such a different view of the same picture. Oh, sorry. I’ve just been rambling, haven’t I? A simple ‘no’ would’ve sufficed, wouldn’t it?”

 

“No, no, I do not mind at all. The entire point of a question is to have it answered, right? That actually kind of resonates with my views of Earth. The others and I constantly discuss things about the Earth and we always come to the same conclusion: it’s perfectly imperfect.”

 

“Well, I’m glad to be able to answer a question of yours for a change.”

 

We share a laugh before returning to the scenery. After a few moments, something that I’ve been wondering for a while suddenly pops up. And I need to know the answer or I’ll go insane.

 

“So speaking of questions being answered,” I start, “You got room for one more?”

 

“Always,” she replies,

 

“Your markings: were you guys born with those designs or do they just form after a certain point?”

 

“Well, we actually create our own designs. We also create the noise and the effects it can have once activated. It remains for a few years, then we create another whenever we desire if we so choose.”

 

“I see. Wait, so you actually wanted to be tickled?”

 

“It was-...as you would put it, a ‘drunken dare’. After a few generations of watching the Earth, we stepped down to obtain some of your alcohol. Soon after, your ancestors created the torture method of tickling. Now, with us not fully grasping that it was intended as a form of torture, it was brought up during a wager that you humans would just exterminate yourselves during that time. And clearly, I was wrong. But I got my revenge. Xen thought that you would not discover technology until the 25th century. And now, she has paint brushes that allow the activator to have her do anything they wish.”

 

That’s just hilarious. Even aliens aren’t exempt from the temptations of alcohol and dares. I laugh before saying,

 

“Woah, that’s hardcore.”

 

She joins in my laughter, saying,

 

“My intention was never particularly meant to be nefarious. In fact, it is the reason why we specifically requested qualified, mature, intelligent females. I just had her grab me some of your food.”

 

We share another laugh as I blush. She thinks I’m intelligent? Aww. But I guess we kinda missed the maturity mark with Mandy.

 

“Also, the effect of our markings are only as potent as the activator wishes. Which is why the level of torture was so grand earlier.”

 

Hm...interesting.

 

“So you’re saying that there’s a way to make it more pleasu- uh- I mean, pleasant for you?” I ask, fumbling the hell out of my words,

 

“Yes,” she answers, “It just requires a gentle touch instead of merciless pokes.”

 

Uh-huh. So she just needs a gentler touch is all? Well, with the assault that she endured earlier, surely she needs someone to alleviate that torment. I shift my body to face her, hesitantly raising my hand, saying,

 

“So-...So you mean if I just-...”

 

She grins, rolling over on her back, saying,

 

“Go on. I do not mind.”

 

That’s all I needed to hear. I bring my hand to the heart at the center of her belly, causing the markings to glow. This time, instead of a popping sound, it creates a humming sound as her body lightly vibrates. Val lightly giggles in response to my touch, looking me in the eyes. Don’tthinkabouthercutenessdon’tthinkabouthercutenessdon’tthinkabouthercutenessdon’tthinkabouthercuteness!

 

To keep my mind off of it and to hopefully dissuade her from reading my mind, I start circling my hand on her tummy. But the results of it are far different than I expected. Instead of giggling more, she...moans. I stop my hand movements and she stops giggling. This may not have been such a good idea. She then cements my thoughts of this being a bad idea with her markings turning from white to yellow. I remove my hand, relentlessly apologizing my ass off,

 

“O-oh my- I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know th- it was an- I thou-”

 

“I-it- it is perfectly fine,” she profusely accepts, sitting up, “It was only an accident. You had no idea of knowing. I should have informed you better. Please, forgive me.”

 

“No, no, you did nothing wrong. There’s nothing to apologize for. I should’ve been thinking before I acted. It’s my fault. Touching you was a big mistake from the get go.”

 

“But...I-...I was not...opposed to your touch.”

 

Now it’s my turn to blush. Before I can say anything else, she says,

 

“Listen, the past is the past. It happened and now we can either dwell on it, or move past it.”

 

Ok, good. She’s not too disturbed by me practically molesting her.

 

“I agree,” I cosign, “There’s no point in putting energy in something we can’t control.”

 

“Exactly. So how about we pretend that that never took place?”

 

“You read my mind.”

 

We share a laugh before laying back down on the ground, simply enjoying each others’ company. But now it’s completely different. I swear, I can feel...something with her right next to me. Not only that, I swear, she just said something. But I couldn’t hear what. Which is impossible. She’s right next to me. Even the slightest whisper wouldn’t be that quiet.

 

I’m awoken by the rays of the sun beaming down on me. The more things change, the more they stay the same, I guess. And that expression is proven even more as, like usual, I’m the first one up. My crew is still snoring away and Xen and Liy are still in their tents. But something immediately catches my eye. Val’s tent is completely taken down. Sweet. Now I have someone to talk to. But where is she?

 

I survey the area, seeing if I can spot her or some clue to tell me where she went. That’s when I notice that the door on our ship is open. Putting two and two together, I head over to the ship to surprise the invader. But as I reach the doorway, I spot Val sitting down with a bunch of papers in her hands, giggling as she observes them. Wait a minute, is she...wearing my clothes? Yeah, that’s my avocado tank top and Hello Kitty shorts. I didn’t think she’d have any interest in wearing clothes. Oh, that’s just precious. They’re so loose on her. But something about those papers she’s laughing at catches my attention. OH, SHIT, MY DRAWINGS!!!

 

I rush inside, trying to think of something that seems believable.

 

“Oh, hey, there, Val,” I greet, grabbing her attention, “Beautiful morning, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, it is, Alex,” she says before turning her attention back to the pictures.

 

Ok, something believable. Something believable. Alright, she doesn’t know that Dani can’t draw. Aaaand I just now remembered who the hell I’m thinking in front of. Please, don’t judge me.

 

“I would never dare dream of it,” she says with a chuckle.

 

I make my way over to her, sitting right next to her and saying,

 

“So what do you think? I didn’t make you look fat, did I?”

 

“No, no,” she giggles, “I really like it. You have a real talent for drawing.”

 

“Aww, well, aren’t you sweet?”

 

She looks at me, smirking and I smirk back at her. Wow, just look at those eyes. Just my luck that the greatest being I’ve ever encountered has my favorite color in their eyes. And it absolutely works with the rest of her. Emerald green and hot pink are a match made in heaven.

 

She gives me a room brightening smile as her markings turn violet, confusing me. Then, I remember what it means when her markings change color. So to stop things from being awkward again, I say,

 

“Uh-...shoot. I’m sorry, I-” 

 

But she stops me, bringing her finger to my lips.

 

“I am not offended,” she assures, “For me, violet means that I am happy. Your words are making me feel good.”

 

Aww. Looks like my brain isn’t completely useless after all.

 

“Well, I’m glad I could make you so happy with just my words,” I say.

 

Her smile grows even larger as I return one of my own. My attention then turns to my clothes on her body, making me uncontrollably snicker.

 

“So,” I start, pinching the shoulder strap of my tank top, “What happened? You just got bored?”

 

“Oh, I am so sorry,” she says, “I should have asked for your permission beforehand. I just always wondered what human clothing felt like since it is regarded as such an integral part of your species. I have made attempts to wear some in the past, but Xen and Liy would bully me for my taste. Honestly, I fail to see the appeal.”

 

“It’s alright, but is there any particular reason they’re still attached to your person if it’s not appealing to you?”

 

She shrugs before saying,

 

“I just got lazy.”

 

We share a laugh at her comment, enjoying the mutual relatability of it. Then, I get a random thought. It’s a longshot that she'll actually let me do it, but it’s worth a shot.

 

“So...” I start, trying to formulate the words I’m trying to say into a sentence without sounding pervy, “I mean-...You know-...If it’s just that uncomfortable for you...Do you want me to-...you know...help you?”

 

She gives me a look that I can’t quite pinpoint what it means. She then confuses me more as her markings turn...orange? Before I can even question her about it, she says,

 

“O-ok. I mean...only if you want to.”

 

Oh. Ok. Alright, then. Didn’t expect her to actually agree to that.

 

“Um, alright, then,” I say, standing up in front of her, “Well, for this to work, I’m gonna need you to lift up your arms.”

 

She does as instructed, raising her arms in the air. I then grab the bottom of the shirt, pulling it above her head, exposing her bare torso to the world once more. Also, revealing her-...chest...

 

“Um...what do I do now?” she asks, stopping my mind from being so enthralled on her,

 

“Oh, right,” I say, trying to push my lewd thoughts away, “Well, you don’t need to do much. I’ll just get you out of these.”

 

I kneel down in front of her, grabbing the waistband of the shorts and pulling them down her tender thighs as she lifts her legs to quicken the process. And there we go. She’s fully naked again. With me on my knees in front of her. With her legs spread apart from assisting in the removal process. Giving me a full view of her lower lips.

 

Before I can lose control of my mind and make her uncomfortable, I stand up, folding my shorts, saying,

 

“Alright...And...And there you go...Your body’s free, once again. Hehe.”

 

Silence. Shit, this just turned really awkward, didn’t it? She starts to say something, but we’re interrupted with Mandy practically screeching,

 

“WE’RE ABOUT TO BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN! MOVE YOUR ASSES!”

 

I swear to God I’m gonna kill her one day. I turn to Val and, unsurprisingly, she’s as yellow as a taxi. Definitely gonna end her existence at some point. But for now, we’ve got knowledge to cram. So I help Val to her feet before we both step out of the ship. She then turns to me, saying in a bashful tone,

 

“I should-...probably...um...check with the others to...see where we are going next.”

 

“Oh, sure-...sure,” I reply.

She gives me a small wave before heading to Xen and Liy, leaving me with my idiots.

 

“Ooooooooooo,” I hear the three say from behind me,

 

“Oh, shut up,” I say in response to their infantile behavior,

 

“Hey, don’t take your frustration out on us, you dog,” Jaqui says, putting her hand on her hip,

 

“Yeah,” Mandy chimes in, “Whatever happened to ‘looking beyond the body and studying what’s on the inside and gawk gawking the brain’ or whatever?”

 

“Oh, she’s studying Val on the inside, alright,” Dani adds, causing all three of them to laugh,

 

“You know, you’re all just a bunch of bitches,” I say back to them, turning away so they don’t see me blushing,

 

“Wow, do you kiss your Deinlite with that mouth?” Mandy jokes, earning more laughter,

 

“Oh, hardy har har,” I mock, turning back to them, “What about you? I see how you look at Xen. You wanna tell us what’s going on there?”

 

Now it’s her turn to blush, saying,

 

“I haven’t the slightest inkling as to what exactly you are referring to and frankly, I’m not too sure that I appreciate the insinuation.”

 

“Yeah, you mind saying that with her over here?”

 

“...I don’t need to take this abuse.”

 

She huffs away in a dramatic manner, leaving us to laugh at her instead. Good. Now I won’t be bullied throughout this entire trip. And I can actually get some work done.

 

3 months have passed and our knowledge on Deinz grows larger and larger. And as per our agreement, the incident with Val and I was never brought up or acknowledged. We’re just enjoying each other. It’s not awkward. It’s not forced. We’re really becoming quite close. Whenever she’s not quizzing me about Deinz, we’re just conversing about miscellaneous things about both of our planets. Our conversations range from silly subjects like what are the best animes and how many Deinlites would it take to purify the universe, to more serious things like death and the mind and our perception of how it works. She’s easily the smartest being I’ve ever met. I love picking her mind. I love being with her. I...I think I...like her a lot.

 

“Wake uuup~” I hear a soft voice say, “Come on, sleepyhead. It is time to wake up. Rise and shine. Wakey wakey and however the rest of that phrase goes.”

 

I arch my back, stretching as I awake from my slumber. But I’m immediately interrupted from my stretch as I soon notice something covering my eyes. What? What’s going on?

 

“Everyone, everyone, calm down,” I hear Liy saying, “You are in no danger. We just wanted to show you all the gratitude that you deserve for committing to our planet this much.”

 

“So,” Xen adds, “Using our knowledge that we have obtained from your planet when it comes to celebrating momentous occasions, we came up with the perfect means of celebration. We really wanted to make it count seeing as your time here is halfway over.”

 

“Now, as you all have probably deduced, you have been blindfolded,” Val says, “Keep those on, while we lead you to your surprise.”

 

Alright, then. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was an early bachelorette party. I stand on my feet, waiting for them to lead us to where we’re gonna go.

 

“Ok, you guys, over here,” Xen says from the left.

 

Alright, we’re gonna be following them. That’s new. So we follow her order, turning to the left and walking forward. After moments of going that direction, we hear Val on the right, saying,

 

“Alright, now this way.”

 

We turn right and follow. After a while of walking in various directions, I feel a wall in front of me. I feel for a way around it, eventually finding one. Then we hear,

 

“Ok, you can take off your blindfolds now.”

 

I bring my hands to my blindfold, removing it from my eyes. After they finally adjust to the light and overall consciousness, my mind immediately pauses. Before me is the greatest thing I could possibly encounter. Tables among tables of various alcoholic beverages. Wine, Tequila Sunrises, Screwdrivers, Margaritas, Long Islands galore. I’m...I’m home.

 

“Surprise!” the three angels behind us say in unison,

 

“We hope you enjoy,” Liy starts, “Obtaining this amount of alcohol was not easy.”

 

“Somehow, concocting the various recipes of these drinks was even harder,” Xen continues, “So we apologize if the quality is not to your standard.”

 

“Don’t even worry about it,” Jaqui says, already finishing half of a bottle of wine, “This is already plenty. Plus, it’s impossible for anyone to make alcohol taste bad.”

 

“Debatable,” Dani objects, “And have you no shame? You couldn’t at least wait to see if they wanted any?”

 

“It is no trouble, really,” Val assures, “There is plenty for everyone. Help yourselves.”

 

“Well, yeah, but still, common courtesy, you know? Mandy, back me up here.”

 

“Hm?” Mandy replies, downing a Mai Tai.

 

Dani gives her a look of unamusement, making me laugh. I then turn my attention back to the platters of the cups of sunshine. Ok, with how much time has passed, I think it should be about 11:30 or something. A bit too early in some areas. However, with how time here works, I’m pretty sure it’s around two hours ahead. So I’m pretty sure just a few drinks wouldn’t hurt.

 

I grab a raspberry mimosa, bringing it to my nostrils to give it a whiff. Good Lord, that smells like joy. I give it a sip, immediately melting at the flavors. This tastes amazing. I bring the cup away from my lips, looking to admire the beautiful drink again. But for some reason, the cup’s empty. Ok, I guess I was thirstier than I thought. Alright, as long as I just remember to pace myself, I should be fine.

 

I grab a wine glass and open another bottle, filling the glass half way full of the red liquidy goodness. Hm. Ok, this cup isn’t nearly as big as the ones we use at home. So just a little more should be a good amount, right? Sure, what the hell. I fill up the cup a quarter more. Ok, that should be good. I take a small sip, savoring the taste of the simple, yet satisfying treat. God, that’s delicious. I place the glass down, discovering that, yet again, my cup is empty. Ok, ok, that’s enough. No more.

 

But of course, just as I say that, I spot my kryptonite: the coconutty pineappley goodness just sitting right in front of me. No. No. It’s just a drink. It should be here when I’m ready to have another one. Oh, who am I kidding? Mandy’s gonna inhale it long before I give it another look. No. She’s too preoccupied with the others to even look in this direction. Plus, with Dani nagging her, that should dissuade her from this direction. That Colada is mine. I just need to wait.

 

Hang on, where’d it go? I look around, trying to find it to no avail. I eventually glance at my hand, finding the glass of the island sexiness. Ok, just one more. Yeah. It’s not even that much. This shouldn’t really be that effective, should it? Plus, with how much time passed between me taking out my blindfold and now, it should be around 5:00 now, right? Yeah, sounds about right.

 

After a few more drinks, I feel myself getting a little buzzed. Ok, I’ve got to stop now. I would just die if my first time letting loose around a different species ended up with me making a fool out of myself. My drunken state is something I wouldn’t dare expose to my worst enemy. Mostly because I live with four of them and they’ll bully me forever. So to avoid further temptation, I walk over to the wall, waiting for myself to sober up.

 

After minutes of posting against the wall, Dani stumbles up to me, giggling with a bottle of wine in her hand. Fuck, I forgot how much of a lightweight she is. She trips over herself, spilling some wine on the ground. I catch her, saving her from falling.

 

“Whoopsie daisy,” she slurs before giggling more, “I alm- I just- d-I’m almo- dieded. Thaaaaaanks, frieeeend.”

 

“No problem, Dani,” I reply, laughing at her drunken state, “Just be careful, ok?”

 

“Nonononono. I mean it. If- if y- if- if y- i- if you weren’t here, I’d be doomed. Hehe. Dooooomed. Dooooooooooomed. Heh.”

 

“Happy to help. Now, what do you say about putting down the bottle, ok?”

 

“I’m DRUNK!”

 

“I can see that. So you wanna give me the bottle for a second?”

 

“Okay.”

 

She holds out the bottle...to the opposite side. I chuckle before reaching over and taking it out of her hand. She giggles again before saying,

 

“You’re such a nice lady. The world needs more nice ladies.”

 

“Thanks,” I reply, putting the bottle on the table, “I try.”

 

“Y-yeah. Tha- that’s why you’re such a nice lady. You know how to try. You’re the friend best, Alex.”

 

“You’re the friend best, too, Dani.”

 

“No, you are. You don’t understand. Dude, I frickin love you, man.”

 

“I frickin love you, too.”

 

I rub her head, consoling her as she sputters and slurs more empty nothingness.

 

“I take it you all are enjoying yourselves,” I hear Val’s voice say from beside me.

 

I look up to see her, standing over me with two steaming mugs.

 

“Eh, you could say that,” I say, looking down at Dani,

 

“YOU’RE the only one with the dildo in yer butt,” she blurts out, making us both laugh,

 

“She seems quite inebriated,” Val comments,

 

“Yeah, just a bit,” I reply, “I think I’m just gonna take her back to the ship so she can sleep it off. Tomorrow’s gonna be a bitch for her, though. You mind if we just stay behind and look after her? That hangover’s gonna hit her like a truck.”

 

“Not at all. Take all the time you need. Do you need assistance with bringing her back to your ship?”

 

“Yes, please. The less movement with her like this, the better.”

 

“Ok, I shall grab the others.”

 

“No, the other two can hold themselves better than we can. I swear, they could inhale this entire gathering of alcohol three times over and they’ll act like it was just a drop. I wouldn’t wanna ruin their fun.”

 

“Alright. Well, just grab onto my shoulder and I shall transport you to your ship.”

 

I do as instructed, helping Dani to her feet before bringing a hand to Val’s shoulder. And before my eyes, we go from the party all the way back to our ship. She helps me lead Dani inside and onto a chair as she continues her monologuing.

 

“Just a sec,” I say before heading to the control panel.

 

I input the commands for her bed to appear, which it does after I enter the codes. I then lift her up with the help of Val, lying her onto the bed.

 

“You’re both so great,” Dani slurs, “Such a great group of people. All fifteen of you. Heh. You’re in your own hair. Isn’t that cookies? Hehehe. No, not cookies. Cookie. I don’t know why I would say cookies.”

 

Val giggles at her utter nonsense, placing the mugs of what looks to be coffee down on the nightstand, saying,

 

“I do not understand.”

 

“She’s trying to say kooky,” I explain, “She learned it from a pretty old show and I guess it’s just resurfacing now.”

 

“You really know your way around a cookie, you cookie heads,” Dani sputters, earning more laughs from us both,

 

“Any way you could put her to sleep?” I ask Val, “Staying up like this isn’t really doing her any favors.”

 

“Oh, yes, of course,” she answers.

 

She brings her hands to Dani’s temples, closing her eyes as her markings lightly start glowing before saying,

 

“Shhhh. You must rest now.”

 

And within seconds, Dani’s eyes are closed shut with her lightly snoring soon after. Val then removes her hands from her head, lightly stepping away from her with me following behind. We stealthily make our way out of the ship and shut the door. Once we’re out, we quietly maneuver to the entrance of Val’s ship.

 

“Thank you so much,” I say as we step inside,

 

“Oh, it is no trouble, really,” Val replies, “You are the one who has done most of the work. She is very lucky to have such a considerate friend like you.”

 

“Well, it was your transportation that sped up the process. You shouldn't down size your contributions. You’re too amazing for anything you do to be considered irrelevant.”

 

She turns her eyes away from me, biting her lower lip as her markings shift to yellow. I smirk at her demeanor, loving how absolutely cute she always is. Without thinking, I bring a hand to her cheek, grabbing her attention. As she looks me in the eyes, my mind endlessly wanders. I can’t think straight. My thoughts are moving a thousand miles a second.

 

Moments pass of being trapped in my own head as I stare at her beautiful face, feeling myself lose control with each passing second. Then, surprising both me and Val, I lean forward and plant a kiss right on her soft lips. A few seconds pass before I realize what the hell I’m doing and pull away.

 

Oh my God. Oh my God! Oh my God!!! What the hell did I just do?! Why did I do that?! Why did I think that that was ok?! Fuck! She’s gotta hate me now! Shit! I just ruined everything! Oh, God, I knew I shouldn’t have drank that much! Now we’re gonna get kicked out and we’re never gonna see them again! And it’s all my fault! It’s all my fu-

 

“Alex,” she says in her light voice, interrupting my thoughts, “It is alright. I am not mad. Not at all. In fact, I am quite relieved. I was beginning to think that the thoughts that you had about me were what you refer to as ‘intrusive thoughts’. But the fact that those thoughts are genuine makes me so...happy.”

 

She gives me a smirk, but it’s not like the other ones I’ve seen from her. This one’s different. The look she’s giving me is one I’d never expect her to even be able to know, let alone pull off. I then take notice of her breathing. It’s slightly heavier than before. And now, her markings are changing again. At first I don’t recognize the color, but only when it sets do I recognize it as a deep blue. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what this color means. She wants me to make her even happier.

 

She leans forward, planting a kiss of her own on my lips, taking me off guard. But I soon embrace it, reciprocating it as I bring my hands to her hips. I then push deeper into the kiss, earning a light moan to escape her lips. Fuck, I’ve been wanting to hear that sweet sound for so long. Ever since I first heard it, I could never stop thinking about it. Now I want more.

 

I tighten my grip on her hips before lifting her up. She makes a small sound of enjoyment of my sudden action, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, pulling me even deeper in the kiss. I maneuver my hands from her hips to her back, both to add more support for her and to explore her small, soft, sexy body. I want her. I fucking want her so bad. She giggles before briefly breaking the kiss and leaning into my ear, whispering,

 

“If that is true, then walk into the room on your right and show me how much you ‘fucking want me’.”

 

God, it’s like she knows exactly how to turn me on. She then pulls me back in to kiss me as I follow her directions, stepping into the room to my right. Right as we pass through the doorway, she extends her leg, pushing the button to close the door with her foot. I then step towards her bed, turning and sitting down on it, having her straddle my lap. She brings her hands to my face, caressing it as we savor each other’s taste.

 

My hands then maneuver around her body, sliding from her back all the way to her toned little tummy. I then remember a very interesting detail about her belly. Let’s see if I can recreate that. I snake my hand to the center of her belly, slowly and gently circling it. And just like last time, her body lightly vibrates, her markings light up, expounding on the deep blue that they’ve turned to, and finally, she blesses my ear drums with a soft little moan. The greatest sound I’ve ever heard in my life.

 

Still maintaining my circular motions on her tummy, I shift our positions, gently guiding her to the bed and lying her down as she keeps making her tiny moans, letting me know how good it makes her feel. I break the kiss to get a good look at her face. Just as I thought, she’s in pure bliss.

 

“You’re so sexy,” I say, grabbing her attention, “You like how I rub your little tummy like this? Feels good, huh?”

 

“Y-yes,” she moans, “I-I love it. P-please keep going. I-it feels so good.”

 

I chuckle at the neediness in her voice. She’s really enjoying herself. It just makes me wanna spoil her even more. I lean down to her neck, latching my mouth onto it and gently sucking on it, slightly taken aback at just how unbelievably sweet she is. She moans louder right as I make contact, arching her back and taking deep breaths. Seems like someone really liked that. I continue my actions, praising her neck and rubbing her tummy as she moans more and more, grabbing onto the bed sheets for dear life.

 

Her moans are turning me on even more. I can practically feel myself dripping. They’re also piquing my curiosity. If she’s like this just from me sucking on her neck, then what would happen if I did this?

 

After a few more seconds of treating her neck, I slither farther down her body, trailing kisses to her chest, taking her right nipple in my mouth and lightly sucking on it. This earns another moan from her right as I start sucking on her. This must be the very first time she’s done something like this. Am I really gonna be the very first being to have sex with her? Oh, that just makes this so much better.

 

I guide my hand from her stomach to her other breast, grabbing and squeezing it as I continue sucking on her. I then replace the former sensation with something even better, moving my knee up to her pussy and gently grinding against it. She shudders in response to my action, moaning even more. Fuck, she’s already so wet for me. She’s practically coated my knee with her arousal alone. Now I’m dying to taste her.

 

I pop her chest out of my mouth, looking right at her face as I descend her body, trailing kisses from her chest to her tummy. I kiss her right at the center of her marking before giving it a big lick, earning the same reactions I got from my hand. I then trail kisses from her tummy to her abdomen, stopping just above her pelvis before hooking my arms under her thighs. She lets out a small “Eep” as I pull her closer to me, making me chuckle at her reaction before sticking out my tongue and dragging it along her body all the way to her soaking wet pussy.

 

Right as I get the first taste of it, I’m already addicted to it. This is the sweetest taste that I’ve ever had on my tongue. I love it so much. She tastes so good. Everything about this girl is a treat.

 

I continue kissing and licking her sweet little pussy, earning moans and gasps in response, encouraging me to taste her more. I tighten my grip on her thighs, pushing her further into my face. She spreads her legs wider, giving me better access to her pussy.

 

After a few more minutes of light licking and kissing, I decide to go a bit further. I latch onto her cunt, making her moan even louder in ecstasy as I lightly suck on it. She grips tighter on the sheets, nearly pulling them off the bed as she tilts her head back.

 

Her voice, her actions, her taste, all of it is just driving me wild. I suck even harder on her, garnering more of every one of her perfect reactions. I feel her legs starting to shake in my arms as I eat her out. I take this as either the pleasure being so overwhelming to her or she’s about to cum. So I take my left hand from under her thigh and bring it to the entrance of her pussy, circling it with a finger before sliding it inside. She moans even louder as I slide my finger in and out of her tight little pussy, still sucking on her.

 

Within a few minutes of me fucking her with my finger, her markings start to change color again. They change from blue to red. No, green. Wait, now they’re gold. And now they’re pink. Now yellow. She moans louder and louder as her colors start changing faster and faster. So she is about to cum. I remove myself from her sex before moving up to fer face, deeply kissing her as I add another finger, curling them both.

 

After a few more moments of me fingering her, she lets out a loud moan into the kiss with her markings switching back to white, shining a bright light as she coats my fingers in her fluids. She rolls her hips, riding out the last of her orgasm as I slow down my fingers. She then lays limp on the bed and I break the kiss.

 

I look her in her eyes and she looks back into mine, catching her breath as her markings fade. My mind is completely blank. I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I don’t know what I’m thinking right now. I just became part of an alien’s first time. And she liked it. Hell, she loved it. I loved it. I love her.

 

She gasps after that last thought, signaling to me that she heard it. No. That’s not gonna cut it. That’s not something to be heard in someone’s head. I caress her face, staring deep into her soul before saying,

 

“Val, I love you. So much.”

 

Her fading markings then shift to lime green as she smiles at me.

 

“I love you, too,” she replies with a small chuckle, “You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

 

We share another kiss with her turning our positions so that she’s on top of me. She then brings her hands to the bottom of my shirt, saying,

 

“There are two things that I have always wanted to try when it comes to this ritual.”

 

She pulls my shirt above my head. She then reaches behind me, unclasping my bra and tossing it aside. She then leans down, planting a kiss on my lips before trailing kisses to my neck, making me moan as she brings her hands to my chest, toying with them as she worships my neck. She then starts sucking harder, elevating the pleasure for me as I finally get what she’s trying to do. After a few minutes of sucking on my neck, she finally releases me, giggling as she admires her work.

 

“There,” she says, “Now it is official that you are mine.”

 

I chuckle at her declaration, happily accepting it before saying,

“So if one thing you wanted to do was own me, what’s the other thing you wanted?”

 

“Oh, just this~”

 

She moves back, bringing her fingers to the hem of my shorts and panties and pulling them off of my body. She tosses my bottoms to the side, never breaking eye contact with me as she gives me a seductive look. She then moves back up close to me, bringing a hand to my pussy and gently rubbing it, making me lightly moan from her soft touch. After a few moments of rubbing it, she brings both of her hands behind her to balance herself. She then intertwines our legs, pressing our pussies against each other.

 

I lean forward, balancing myself on her leg as I grind against her. We both moan in tandem with each movement. Oh, God, I love this. I can’t believe I’ve never tried this position before.

 

She grinds harder against me, elevating the feeling for us both. I then pull her in for another kiss, speeding up my movements. She reciprocates the kiss, matching my pace as we both moan in each others’ mouths.

I then break the kiss, moving to her neck to return her previous favor. She moans louder as I ravish her neck. After a few moments, I release my mouth from her neck, looking at the hickey that matches mine.

 

“Now you-...belong to me,” I say in between moans, “You’re mine- ah...a-and I’m yours...Fuck...Now cement it for me-...Tel- oh, God...Tell me you love me. Say it. Let me hear it. I need it. Tell me you love me, baby- Yes!...Tell me.”

 

“I love you,” she obeys, “I-I love you so fucking much. Y-you are e- mgn! You are everything to me. I want you to be with me...Forever. Please say you will be with me...I wa-agn~...I want to be by your side...For the rest of our lives.”

 

I caress her face, giving her a grin, saying,

 

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here with you. I put that on my life.”

 

She embraces me in a hug as our movements get faster and harder. Within moments of our embrace, I take notice of her markings changing colors again, letting me know that she’s at her limit again. And I’m not too far away from mine either. So to do this right, to prove my words to be the truth, to absolutely give her no doubts whatsoever about what I just said and agreed to, I end the hug and look her directly in her eyes as our orgasms get closer and closer.

 

Her markings shift back to white and then get blindingly bright as we both let out a final moan, lightly spasming into each other as we release our fluids. I then lie down on the bed, pulling her down with me with her burrowing into my heaving chest as I catch my breath. Best. Day. Ever.

 

I don’t even know how much time has passed. Not since the party, not since us landing here, not even since I started going to school. I don’t even know how much time is passing right now. Seconds, minutes, hours, eons, no clue. And frankly, I couldn’t give less of a damn about it. With Val right here in my arms, I could die happy if this is how we spend the rest of our time living.

 

I hear her giggle, which is always welcome. I tilt my head down to her, saying,

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“Oh, nothing,” she says teasingly, “It is just always nice to hear what you think about me.”

 

“You just love being in my head, don’t you?”

 

“Well, whenever I am not, I always am.”

 

“Smartass.”

 

“I learned from the best.”

 

We share a laugh as I bring my hand to her head, gently stroking her hair.

 

“You know what else is funny?” she says,

 

“What’s that?” I question,

 

“No matter how different you humans are, you have your habits that bring you all together. One of which being your incessant need to pet other organisms that you have strong feelings for.”

 

“Well, it’s not our fault that the things we decide to pet are so gosh darn cute.”

 

I give her a kiss on her head and she gives out a noise of approval. More time passes as we enjoy each others’ presence.

 

“Please say it again,” she suddenly says,

 

“Say what?” I ask.

 

She turns her head up to me, saying,

 

“Please say you will never leave me.”

 

I look her in the windows of her soul, saying,

 

“Val, you can rest assured that as long as I’m still around, I’m gonna be right with you. I put that on my life.”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.”

 

Alright, the 6 months are up and we’ve gathered all the information we could possibly need. Departure is always the hardest. Especially when you made a very strong commitment. But some commitments just outweigh all others. Sometimes, you just need to prioritize where you’re needed the most. Sure, that might involve tears to be shed from those you’ve formed a powerful bond with, but with time, they will come to understand your decision.

 

“So are you sure you know how to land the ship?” I ask Dani,

 

“Alex, I went to the same school you did,” Dani replies matter of factly, “Earth’s stupid, but it’s not stupid enough to have just one person who knows how to drive an intergalactic vehicle.”

 

“Just checking. I just wanna make sure you all get home safe.”

 

“Yes, mom,” Mandy replies, “You wanna check to see if we brought our lunch next?”

 

“I’m gonna miss you, too, Mandy.”

 

“Promise you’ll come to visit from time to time?” Jaqui questions

 

“Well, all my stuff’s still there, so yeah. Also, our internet’s stronger than yours, so if I even feel that any of my stuff ends up being sold, I’m blowing up Earth, myself.”

 

“No promises,” Mandy responds, “Ow! What the hell?”

 

“I’m not dying because of you, you jerk,” Jaqui says.

 

I laugh as they argue amongst themselves before interrupting them with,

 

“Alright, bye, guys. Happy landing.”

 

“Bye, Alex,” they all say back before going back to arguing.

 

I’m gonna miss those morons.

 

“You know I would have understood if you went back, right?” Val says, looking up at me as I rub her back, “Earth is your home, after all.”

 

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t have felt right,” I reply, “Plus, I’m kinda into not having to deal with Earth and its shenanigans for a while. Everyone needs a break, you know? And it just allows me to make good on my promise to you.”

 

“That is true, I suppose. But are you not afraid that your superiors will mistake your absence for being a prisoner?”

 

“Eh, I  told them to say that I decided to gather some last minute information. Plus, if they don’t buy it, what are they gonna do? We don’t even have the resources to make it past Mars, let alone five galaxies. Trust me, we’re safe.”

 

“And you are certain that being without your clothing is not bothersome to you?”

 

“Absolutely. I’m perfectly content with following your customs. Plus, it’d be kinda unfair for me to see all of you and not return the favor.”

 

I kiss her little nose, continuing with,

 

“Don’t worry so much. I’m very comfortable with my choice. And everything’s taken care of. My people won’t come for me, I decided to lock away my clothes for the time being, and most importantly, I’ve got you with me.”

 

‘You never fail to flatter me, Alex,’ she thinks to herself,

 

“And you never fail to make it easy for me,” I reply, planting a kiss on her lips,

 

“Well, here is a challenge for you,” she says in a coy tone, “It will be about two hours until we make our return to Deinz and the others. Let us see how much you can flatter me in that amount of time.”

 

“You’re on.”

 

We share a chuckle, embracing each other in a deep kiss.