Chapter 1 >You look over your shoulder and admire the view. Countless empty cardboard boxes litter the front hallway and spill outside onto the front porch. >”Whew. That was a good bit of work, eh? But with the both of us being here, we sure got the move-in done rather quickly!” >Your feline friend walks over next to you, grimacing slightly. >”Y-yeah. We got everything moved in… But look at this mess! You better take responsibility and help me clean all this junk up, Dave!” >You chuckle and lay a hand on her shoulder good-naturedly. Star inadvertently lets off a short purr before shyly stepping away, her ears flushing red. As always, she pulls her wide, star-covered hat down to hide her face. >”Hey, have I ever left you to clean up a mess I made?” >”Y-yes! Remember o-our Alchemy 101 class project…?” >”Heh. Yeah…” >You smile wistfully as the short, black cat punches your shoulder playfully. >”Yeah, he says. Anyway… we better get to work, huh?” >”Yeah, yeah…” >You thank Karma that both you and your best friend decided to study the magical arts at Placid Knoll University. And it just so happened that a particularly cheap two-bedroom house had just been put up for rent. >As a warm smile crosses your face, Stargazer turns those beautiful yellow eyes on you, smiling bashfully. >”David, c’mon. These b-boxes aren't gonna take care of themselves.” >”Oh, uh… sorry. Just… thinking.” >You walk over to the cat and start picking up boxes. >”You know, Star, the new semester starts tomorrow. And I'm not gonna be in all of your classes. I can’t believe that you've decided to train to be a witch!” >Stargazer looks at you and lets out a huff. >”I'm training to be a witch-doctor. Not a witch! Th-this isn't some make-believe story!” >”I know, I know. I just… it's weird, I thought you'd major in Alchemy, like me.” >”W-well, y'know… I like helping people! And besides, I kept staining my fur…” >”Whaaat. Your fur’s all black, Star.” >”W-well… I-I mean…” >”Heh. Hey. I know you didn't like Alchemy 101 last semester. And potion-brewing isn't for everyone… Will you be learning to fly an enchanted broom this time around?” >Stargazer’s bright yellow eyes grow wide with excitement as she looks up at you. >”Y-you bet I am! I'm so excited! My mother was a certified witch-doctor, and even let me fly with her a few times as a kitten…. N-now I’ll be learning to really fly! All by myself!” >”Ha, you'll have to take me along sometime. My folks didn't go for broomsticks.” >She blushes again as she carries an armful of boxes off to the trash. >”Y-yeah… that’d be n-nice…” >As you follow Star off to the dumpster, you let your eyes gaze over your feline companion. >Standing at just under 5 feet, the black Bombay cat has never been the tallest person you’ve known, but she makes up for her small stature with a big heart…. But goodness, is she shy. Even though you've known her forever, she still has some trouble opening up without becoming a stuttering, blushing mess. >Especially whenever her figure is complimented. >She’s the most literal definition of “shortstack" that you could imagine. Thick thighs, a wonderfully large bust, and the softest, fluffiest fur that you'd wish you could put your hands on. >One of her biggest problems is her lack of self-confidence. Star wears a very long and baggy black robe that hides her physique. She even keeps her wide-brimmed witch’s apprentice hat pulled over her face a lot of the time, leaving only her luminous eyes peering out. One day you hope to have her open up and be a little more confident… >Her tail wiggles about as she tosses the boxes into the dumpster; the soft jingling of her tail bell tickles your ears. She's worn one of those since the two of you were kids… >You throw your own load of boxes away, then Star scoffs, bonking herself on the head with a fist. >”Dave, why are we carrying these? Don't you remember what Professor C taught us last semester…?” >”Uhhh….” >She pulls out her wand with a flourish. >”Levitating inanimate objects? Ring a bell?” >”Oh, yeah… right…” >She giggles and points her wand at the remaining boxes, murmuring a spell. With a shimmer of white sparks, the boxes lazily hover up and bob over to the dumpster, then suddenly plunge into the container with a THUNK. >Star smiles triumphantly before stowing her wand back into her robe. >”Isn't magic great? I'm so glad we decided to go into it.” >”Yep! Hey, uh… c-can you remind me what that spell was again? I kinda… forgot that incantation.” >”Dave! You're hopeless! I'll lend you my notes later… but I want em back, okay?” >”No guarantees!” >She sticks her tongue out and laughs. >”But seriously; thanks, Star. I'll be sure to give em back ASAP.” >She nods affirmatively. >”Well… I think that's everything d-done, right?” >”Right. You wanna go check out the neighborhood? Meet the neighbors?” >”Uhhh…” >”C’mon, Star, don't be so shy! I'll be with you.” >”Well… okay.” >”That’s the spirit! Let's try the house next door. Who knows! Maybe we'll make a new friend.” >”Yeah… m-maybe…” >She nervously pulls her hat down as you walk up to the neighbor’s door. A little door knocker styled like a skull awaits, so you use it to rap on the black wood door. >”...well, shoot, nobody's home, Dave, guess we better-” >The door swings open, cutting Star off. >From inside, a tall woman emerges. >Her features are canine… but more strikingly, she seems to be mostly skeletal. Her head and neck, arms, legs, and even tail are all bone. Rather oddly, even her ears and nose appear to be part of her skull. >A very tight, white V-neck shirt and some dangerously-short shorts barely cover her shapely, black-furred torso. >She grins, chewing on a huge bone. >”Hey dere! Y'all musht be da new neighborsh? Oop, hold on.” >She pulls the bone from her mouth. You realize, just before she replaces it, that it's part of her arm. >”There! So, you two are my new neighbors, yeah? Awesome! I'm Marris, and you are…?” >Star looks about ready to pass out right then and there. You quickly speak up to make sure you both aren't just standing there staring at her. >”Uh, hi! My name… is David… and this is my roommate and best friend, Stargazer. We're the new neighbors… Yup…” >The skeleton blinks her empty eyesockets a few times, then bursts into wheezing, raspy laughter. >”You two look like you've seen a ghost! ...and, to be blunt, you have! Heheh. But don't get all pale on me; I'm not gonna haunt you or anything. Nah.” >Star looks relieved, but still trembles a little. Marris frowns slightly. >”...oh geez, I came on too strong, yeah? Didn't mean ta scare you, miss.” >”N-no… you're fine… r-really…” >”Nah, nah… I get it, yeah? I'm pretty spooky.” >You try to help out Star before the both of you spill your metaphorical spaghetti all over your neighbor’s front porch. >”We’re just still getting used to being here in Placid Knoll, I guess. We took most of our introductory courses on the human world campus.” >”Ohhh! Y'all are from the magic college, yeah? That's awesome. Well, lemme be the first to welcome you to our fair city. I promise we're not all spooky! Just… most of us!” >”Thank you. We actually know a few Hallows from our classes…” >”Nice. That's always good, meeting some of us outside ol’ PK, yeah? Gives you time to adjust.” >Star finally finds her voice… albeit, she still stutters. >”Y-yeah… it t-took a while to get used to them…” >”I feel ya. Heck, if I weren't BORN one, I'd probably be outta my skull trying to figure PK folks out, yeah? Sometimes ya just gotta learn to say ‘Yep, that's a Hallow alright.’” >”R-right…” >Marris smiles, stretching and yawning. >”Mmf. I'd love to keep chatting with y'all, but I just got off a long shift… I'll see you two around, yeah? If ya need something, I'm right next door. I'll try to keep an eyesocket on things for ya too! Guess you could say… I'll be SPINE on ya, nyeh-heh!” >”Thanks, Miss Marris…?” >”Heheh… ...I'm just kidding, yeah? I ain't gonna spy on ya… Eh, forget it. See ya around!” >She shuts the door gently. Star immediately breathes a sigh of relief. >”Phew… th-that was… uncomfortable.” >”Hey, you did good. Keep it up!” >Her ears grow red as she smiles from beneath her hat. >”Th-thanks, Dave…” >The two of you return to your house and get your supplies ready for the big day tomorrow. >”So… tomorrow. Our first day on PKU’s campus… are you excited, Star?” >”You bet! I wonder if anyone we know will be there…?” >You watch her tail flit around as she ponders her own question. The bell tied to it jingles softly. >”Well, we know Professor C will be there. She said she was filling in, remember?” >”O-oh yeah! I liked her…” >”Ha, me too.” >Star adopts a sly smile, punching your shoulder. >”Uh-huh. You just like that dress she wears~” >You feel a blush coming to your face as Star giggles. Rather than accept defeat, you nudge her right back. >”Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I'll get you one just like it for your birthday this year!” >The cat immediately stammers wildly as her ears practically glow red. >”W-w-w… y-y… I-I…” >”Take it easy… I'm just kiddin’.” >She eventually simmers down, putting on a little pout. >”Not. Funny.” >”Okay, okay… sorry.” >Her frown turns into a little smile. >”Apology accepted. You know I can't be mad at you.” >”Thanks, Star. Man… I'm lucky to have such a great roommate.” >”Ha, I feel the same way…” >You quickly assess your supplies for tomorrow… yup, everything’s there. Star seems to reach the same conclusion after examining her knapsack. >With that all settled, you walk over to the window, looking out at the nighttime streets. A light fog seems to be rolling in… >It's surprisingly lively out given the time. Some strange-looking ghouls wander about, nodding and waving to each other. >You've heard about Placid Knoll from some folks at the University's human world campus, but being here in person is a different story. It's quite literally a whole new world. >You vaguely wonder if everyone here is gonna be as weird as your new neighbor… >You glance over towards Marris’s house, peeking through a window to see a huge black coffin in the middle of the living room. It's sealed tight, with a DO NOT DISTURB sign laid on the lid. >Chuckling, you turn to find Star heading off to get ready for bed. She soon returns in her sleepwear… an equally baggy set of powder blue “pajama robes.” She swears they're the most comfy thing she owns. >She even has a matching nightcap… >Star climbs into her bed, yellow eyes glimmering. >”G’night, Dave. I'll wake you up in the morning so you're not late again.” >”Night, Star. Thanks.” >She nods and practically burrows under the covers; soon, only a sliver of her face is visible between the blankets and her nightcap. >You quietly get ready for bed yourself, taking care not to disturb her as she falls asleep. Once you're all set, you lie down in your own bed, sighing contentedly. >Tomorrow’s the big day. The beginning of the next chapter of your life… you couldn't be more excited if you tried. Chapter2 >You slam your hand over the top of your alarm clock, effectively silencing it. >You didn't get a lick of sleep last night, but that doesn't matter, because it's the first day of the semester! And, by extension, your first day on the Placid Knoll University main campus. >As you dress yourself, you wonder what’s in store for your you and your feline friend... >You tuck in your shirt and throw on your overcoat. You definitely want to make a respectable first impression on your Alchemy professor. >As you leave your bedroom, you see that Star is already awake and ready for the day herself. >She has her typical baggy, enchanted robe over whatever she’s decided to wear today. >You vaguely wonder what could be under there… >”Howdy, Star! Ready for our first day?” >Stargazer spins on the back of her footpaws and looks at you with an enthusiastic glint in her eyes. >”You gosh-darn know I am! Jeez, David I'm so excited! I-I hardly got any sleep last night!” >With a few waves of her wand, Stargazer whips you both up a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. Damn, magic cooking is so convenient… >”Thanks for the meal, Star!” >You scratch the back of her ears, watching with amusement as they flush red. She purrs quietly. >”N-no problem! ...w-we better get going, doesn't your Alchemy class start in like, 10 minutes?” >”Oh shit, yeah! Let’s go.” >The two of you dash out of the apartment, rushing past the various townsfolk milling about on the sidewalks. Thankfully the campus isn't far from your new place… [https://youtu.be/MR4IZRW_SFg] >The entire campus of PKU is made up of one enormous building composed of dark blue bricks. The mortar seems to shimmer in the daylight. >A huge clock ticks down ever closer to your being late. A glowing eye in the center of the clock face stares down at you, bemused. You note with momentary confusion that the numbers go all the way to 13’o’clock… >No time for that now, you're not gonna make it if you dilly-dally! >You bid Star a hasty farewell and dash into the Alchemy classroom, barely making it to a seat before an ominous bell chimes. >A friendly, high-pitched voice speaks up from the head of the classroom. >”Oh, splendid! Nobody’s tardy after all! I was starting to worry.” >The professor smiles and walks over to a massive chalkboard, waving with one arm and using another to write her name - Professor Candy. You kinda remember her from the human campus; she had to fill in for someone else last semester… and only for like a week, so you don't remember her too well. You didn't even remember what her name was other than it started with C... >You take a good look as she turns to face the classroom, refreshing your memory. >Her skin is a light blue, and it almost seems to be softly textured like… sugar? Fluffy, bright pink hair cascades down her back and face, with red eyes glinting beneath her bangs. A couple of wispy antennae sprout up through her hair. >As she stands, she folds her arms… and yet also has her hands on her hips. Indeed, she has four arms, with a small pair of insect wings visible on her back. >Perhaps most striking is her outfit, which you DO remember… it almost resembles a playboy bunny outfit, but comprised of fluffy pink wool. She also wears elbow-length gloves of the same material on each arm. >It's hard to avert your eyes from her rather inappropriate dress… >The professor clears her throat and speaks, blushing pink slightly. >”N-now, I know what you're all thinking… I'm not dressed for this job. Well, uh… it's not by choice, exactly… but you people didn't come here to listen to me ramble, you came to LEARN, right?” >Her enthusiastic chatter is met with half-hearted, half-asleep mutters. Professor Candy looks crestfallen for a moment, but picks herself back up. >”Ha, sorry. I forget not everyone’s a morning person. (Or on a permanent sugar high…) Let’s just start with the basics, eh? Let's all introduce ourselves!” >This is met with a collective groan, but the professor barely seems to notice as she excitedly clasps all four hands together. >”Since you came in last, why don’t you start us off?” >Dammit. >”Uhhh, hi, I’m David… I came here from the human world campus, and I'm majoring in Alchemy…?” >Professor Candy looks thrilled that you're playing along with her class so far. >”Nice to meet you, David. Wow, all the way from the human world… we don't see that very often here! And might I say, you picked a great major. Heehee!” >Candy then points towards the back of the room to a dark figure that’s hunched over. >”And how about you, next! What’s your name?” >The figure stands up… and, yup, she is most definitely a girl. The gargoyle-like woman has no clothes to speak of whatsoever. Her “skin" appears to be stone, even though she moves around as if she’s made of flesh and bone. >Wait a minute…. You're pretty sure you recognize that rock-solid rack. >”Hello, everyone. My name’s Jas and I'm a general studies major… I visited the human world campus last semester as a part of the cultural exchange program…. And…. Uh…” >Jas trails off, quietly sitting back down. Candy smiles patiently. >”Good to see you in my class, Jasper. How are your parents doing?” >”Huh? They're fine, thanks…” >As soon as Candy points to another student, Jasper slams her head onto her desk. Loudly. >She's snoring in seconds… just like when she was in your class on the other campus. At least you'll know SOMEONE in this class…! >The gargoyle’s prodigal weight makes her desk groan in protest, a fact that has the professor’s concerned eyes darting over to her every few seconds. >The introductions go around the room rather quickly, thankfully. When Candy points at the very last student, you nearly have a heart attack as Jasper’s desk finally dies with a massive crash; her stone form falls to the floor, where she wakes up. >”Bluh! U-uh…” >Professor Candy sighs and shakes her head. >”Are you alright, Jasper? Don't worry about the desk… that can be fixed.” >”Yeh, I'm fine…” >The gargoyle stands up, shaking her head… and leaving an arm behind. It seems to have cracked right off when she fell. >Candy’s face goes pale as she puts a hand over her mouth. >”Oh my! Ah… David, can you please escort Jasper to the nurse?” >”Sure. C’mon, Jas.” >She sighs and stretches, then follows you, carrying her still-wiggling arm. >As soon as you're in the hallway, a grin spreads across her stony face, her yellow eyes glinting mischievously. Her weird plus-shaped pupils widen… somehow. >”Dave! Man, I THOUGHT that was you. What's up?” >”Not much… doesn't that HURT?” >”Whuh? Nah, it's good. I've had worse than this happen, heh.” >No matter how many times you see her, Jasper still stands out as one of the strangest people you know. >Her skin looks and feels like stone, even though it moves like flesh; meanwhile, she somehow has hair atop her head and at the tip of her long tail. Two solid horns jut from the voluminous poof of hair nestled between her ears. >Her figure is fairly modest, but with a decent bust; she's also fairly muscular, which you chalk up to her spending a lot of time climbing buildings. >...aaaand she's completely naked, barring some mummy-style wraps on her arms and legs. >It's a bit distracting, really. Hard to talk to someone when she's got her tits out 24/7… at least they don't bounce around constantly… >As you and Jas make your way towards the nurse’s office, you hear giggles and… and… stifled moans...? >You signal Jasper to tread as quietly as she can as the two of you cautiously approach the office door. >You crack open the door ever so slightly and peek inside… >.... to see what appears to be the school nurse, whom you met at an event on the human world campus, getting frisky with… someone. >A cloth privacy screen blocks the finer details, but it's pretty clear that the nurse, who you remember as a spider-lady with large… uh, legs, is doing something fairly saucy. Alongside her shapely silhouette is an even curvier one, one you don't recognize at all… >A long, spidery limb clearly goes under a dress, and a low, silvery female voice lets out a high-pitched squeal before laughing in a seductive tone. >”Oh, Claire, you ARE shameless~ What if someone catches us~?” >You hear another voice, which surely must be Ms. Clarissa’s. >”Then they’ll just have to watch…. Or maybe they can join us, I'm sure you’d LOVE that~” >”Hmhmhm, only if you’d be okay with it, darling~” >”You know I would~” >You and Jas quickly shy away from the door. You don't want to get caught and be labeled as a Peeping Tom. >Before you can say anything, Jasper speaks up. >”Okay, Dave, j-just knock on the door so they know that we’re here… I seriously would like to get my arm back on today WITHOUT having to sit in a room that smells like wet c-” >There's a rustling from inside the room, and Jas immediately shuts her mouth. >”...did you hear something, darling?” >”SHHHHH. Pipe down, Cordy, I'm listening!” >”My apologies.” >There's a pause, then Miss Clarissa speaks up. >” Hello? Anyone out there?” >You stay dead silent, but Jasper shrugs. >”Yeah, Jasper Stonewell.” >The two women gasp and dissolve into giggles, whispering inaudibly, then Clarissa speaks up again. >”One moment please! I’m, ah… well…” >The other voice calls out. >”She's a bit tied up at the moment! (Or, more accurately, I am~)” >”(Shhhh!) Uhhh, I'm just finishing up with another patient, just give me a minute, please!” >Jas cringes. >”No worries, I’ll wait.” >You hear the sound of cloth ripping, then something… or someONE landing on the floor. >”(Thank you, darling; we'll finish this later.)” >”(Love you, Cordy.) AHEM, uh, c-come on in, Jasper!” >You take this as your cue to leave before you're spotted next to her; you hurry back to Professor Candy’s lecture. >You walk back in as she's in the middle of a recap on the applications of Alchemy. >”...and on top of allll that, there's always the persistent rumor that one can create an elixir of life with Alchemy! Buuuut, that's just a rumor. Nobody’s ever officially made one, unfortunately. Of course, these days there are countless ways to extend one’s lifespan with magic anyway, so it's not really all that fruitful to research the elixir anymore. That said, some people just like the idea of it! I've heard tell that the very founder of this university has a standing offer to pay anyone that can make such an elixir handsomely for the recipe…!” >The professor takes a deep breath, having said all that without stopping for so much as a second. >”...oh, hello David! Did you get Miss Jasper taken care of?” >”Yes ma'am.” >”Did you see Miss Clarissa?” >”....y-yeah… you could say that…” >Candy continues to lecture for another few minutes, and then releases you for your other class. As you leave, you swear you see the professor tear a handful of wool off one of her gloves and eat it… >...magic folk are so WEIRD sometimes. >You quickly walk over to the courtyard and meet up with Stargazer. >”Hey, Star! How was your first class?” >Your companion jumps up and down excitedly, her pointed hat almost falling off her head. >”Y-you would not believe how fun it is to learn to fly an enchanted broom! Well, w-we didn't actually do any flying around today… but it was so cool getting to work with an actual flying broom! Holey moley, David! When I get the hang of this we won't even need a car to travel around anymore!” >You can't help but feel her excitement; it's contagious. >”Well that’s great, Star.” >”What about you? How’d Alchemy go?” >”Well, uh… guess who's in my c-” >You’re interrupted by a familiar voice calling from across the courtyard. >”EY, DAVE! STAR! UP HERE!” >The two of you turn around and look up. >Standing atop the clock tower, on one foot, is Jasper. Before you can react, she takes a step forward and off the roof! >She plummets down to the ground at an alarming rate, slamming into the dirt with an earthshaking THUD. After a moment, she stands up and walks over to you as if nothing happened, placing a hand on your shoulder and one on Star’s. >Star’s small stature is even more pronounced near the tall gargoyle. >”Good ta see ya, Star! How’ve ya been?” >”I’ve been well, Jasper! Th-thank you for asking! It’s been a while since we've last seen each other.” >You let the two ladies catch up while you look at your class schedule. >Fortunately, today is a short day for you. Only two classes on today’s docket, so there’s only one more class left to go to today. >Unfortunately, it is not a class that you're looking forward to being in. >Advanced General Spellcasting is considered a “general education” course, so everyone has to take it. >You never could really get the hang of casting spells. And you sure weren't about to waste money on a wand that you’d hardly use. >At least you can get somewhat weaker effects by just channeling spells through something else, like the enchanted ladle you use for your cauldron. >Eventually, the time comes for you to get moving. You bid Jas farewell, then you and Star head off to what feels like certain doom… [https://youtu.be/vI1t0kWvexc] >The entire classroom is bathed in dancing purple light cast from a selection of enchanted candles. Each one flies and sways about lazily, a haze of magic holding them up. >Behind the desk stands a woman that immediately draws your eye. >The purple-and-black-striped bee woman towers over everyone in the room, casting glowing orange eyes over the crowd with a bemused expression. She stands with her weight on one leg, one hand on her hip, the other swishing a long, thin, curved wand about. A massive hat that resembles a mushroom cap is balanced atop her head. A massive pouf of pinkish-purple fluff surrounds her neck like an all-natural boa. >She has an absolutely stunning hourglass figure, helped immensely by sheer thigh-high stockings and a very revealing purple dress. A frankly indecent amount of deep cleavage is on display, and the slits on either side of the dress go up far enough you swear you catch glimpses of pink, lacy underwear when she moves. >How does she get away with wearing that kind of stuff to work…? >When the bell rings to start class, she takes a bow, putting her wand away and making the candles land on her desk neatly. >Your blood runs cold when she speaks in a very familiar, low voice. >”Good afternoon, everyone. I trust you all are enjoying your first day back at PKU?” >Most of the room nods and murmurs in the positive, including Star, who sits right beside you. You're too mortified to speak. >Surely she's not... >”Wonderful~ I am Professor Cordyllia, it's a pleasure to meet you all.” >...yep. She's definitely the same one from before. >Shit, that's gonna make it even harder to focus. >”Since this is the first day of class, I won't stress you… LOVELY people out too much… That being said, this is an upperclassman’s level course, so we will NOT waste a day by simply going over classroom expectations and syllabi. That being said, do recall that spells can be dangerous. If any sort of magical injury or malady occurs, please go see our… wonderful nurse, Miss Claire~” >Good lord. You feel dirty just listening to this woman. >”So! To keep things interesting, rather than have you introduce yourselves, here's what we'll do: I want you all to think about how you'd introduce yourselves. Think looong and haaard. Once you have that introduction, keep focusing on it; I shall go around the room, using a rudimentary clairvoyance charm to read your minds. This way, I can learn who you are, and you are saved the embarrassment of standing and speaking.” >Shit shit shit. >Stop thinking about her boobs, stop thinking about her dress, stop- >”Now then… you there, the human gentleman beside the cat with the fetching chapeau. I'll begin with you.” >FUCK. >You try to empty your mind of anything objectionable. >It doesn't work. >You feel… something… in your head. It doesn't hurt, but… it feels WRONG. >The professor’s glowing eyes fill your vision as you feel her perusing your mind. >Her voice echoes inside your head as she gasps. >”My my… seems someone is a tad preoccupied~ Hmhm, your mind is practically FLOODED with indecency. What is it you're most focused on…? Could it be my chest? My long, slender legs? Or…” >She trails off, and you hear panic creep into her voice. >”Oh. OH. Oh my. Ah… I had thought Jasper was alone….” >Her presence abruptly leaves your mind. Professor Cordyllia clears her throat and coughs, unable to make eye contact with you. >After an awkward moment, she shoots you a glance, and her voice flares up again. >”Perhaps… next time, you'd like to join in~?” >Your face flushes with embarrassment as you keep ramrod still and refuse to look directly at the professor. >This class is gonna be harder than you thought… >...and so is something else… >Professor Cordyllia’s class goes by painfully slow. >It's definitely no help when she teases you with her telepathy spell. >By the end of her lecture, you're positively glowing with embarrassment. >As if that wasn't enough, it also seems that the professor has decided to play match-maker with you and Stargazer. >That crazy lady must be using an advanced spell that roots through your subconscious or something… >You were already dreading this class beforehand, but now… >...well, at least it won't be a boring course. >After what feels like an extensively non-consensual interrogation, Cordyllia releases the class. >The professor gives you a knowing wink as you and Stargazer exit her classroom and begin your journey home. >”Well that was… uncomfortable.” >”Huh? I thought it was fun…” >”FUN?” >”Y-yeah…? You didn't?” >”No, I didn't think it was fun; that crazy woman was digging around in my head all class.” >”W-why would she do that?” >Star puts on a little smirk and punches your shoulder playfully. >”Were you thinking about something… spicy?” >Shit. Don't spill your spaghetti. >”W-what? Of course not! I just don't like the fact that one of my professors can know what I'm thinking.” >”I don't know about you, Dave, but I trust Professor Cordy to not go crazy and start reading through my private thoughts.” >Okay, this is your chance to get out of this without spilling any pasta. Just play it cool. >”M-me too.” >Smoooth. At least you didn't blurt out that you were having lewd thoughts… >Oh well. At least Professor Candy’s class isn't so invasive. >As the two of you arrive at your apartment, you let Star in first. >”Ooh! What a gentleman!” >You quickly decide that your first course of action this evening is to take a shower and clear your head. You let Star know that you're going to hop into the shower while she starts to whip up dinner. >”Okie-dokes, Dave! J-just save some hot water for me, please.” >As you wash away the day’s stress under a hot stream of water, you let your mind wander. >Getting to meet Jasper again was nice, and you're super proud that Star is readily learning how to fly an enchanted broom. And you're glad to finally remember Professor C’s name. You're a bit ashamed you forgot a name as simple as “Candy.” >You quickly finish up showering and re-dress yourself, getting ready for dinner. >Once again, Stargazer outdoes herself with a fine coq au vin, prepared in record time. >You swear you'd be living off of ramen noodles and store brand canned soup if it wasn't for her. >”Holy crap, Star. This looks absolutely delicious!” >The feline’s ears swivel around as she tries to avoid showing her telltale blushing. >”I-it’s just some soup… It’s n-not that special.” >Star, I really mean it. Traditionally, it would take a few hours to prepare this. Thank you. I really mean it.” >Her tail begins to wag around and twitch wildly at all the praise. The bells tied to her tail jingle madly. It becomes almost impossible for her to hide her ears’ bright red flushing now. >”O-oh, stop it, you! Now eat up, David! I need my man to be smart and strong.” >You somehow let her slip-of-the-tongue slide by as you hungrily decimate your shared portion of the French dish. >After you both finish your meals and clean up the kitchen, you don your sleepwear and bid each other goodnight. >”I'll see you tomorrow, David. Sleep well!” >”Same to you, Star. Have a good night’s sleep.” >With that, you're off to bed, laying down and thinking about what sort of day awaits you tomorrow. >Hopefully it'll be less… awkward than today was... Chapter 3 >Fortunately, the next day was not as awkward. >Before you even realize it, the first month of the semester has already come and gone, and the first round of exams are coming up. >The both of you have been cramming for Cordyllia’s spellcasting exam, and Star has helped you with remembering alchemy properties for Professor Candy’s class. >The one thing that will be the most difficult to study for is Star’s broom flying exam. >Unfortunately, the majority of the bombay’s allowance goes towards rent, groceries, and utilities, so it's unfortunately obvious that she won't be able to buy an enchanted broom for herself. >You've offered to help chip in just so she can get one of the cheaper models, but she outright refuses. >That means she’s stuck practicing whenever PKU’s pitch is open and there is a university-owned broom available. >You even skip the study session that Candy set her class aside for just to make sure that you could help Stargazer get at least a minimal amount of flying time in before her exam. >Thank goodness there's a single broom left today. If there hadn't been… well, you don't know what you'd have done. >You help Star up and onto the rather spartan broom. >”Thanks, Dave. I… appreciate you taking so much time to help me. B-but don't forget to study for YOUR exams too!” >”I know, I know. Right now, I'm more worried about YOU than ME.” >Her ears flush red as she pulls her hat down shyly. Her tail swishes, ringing her bell quietly. >”...w-well, anyway… I'm gonna do a lap or two, okay? Time me.” >You nod and pull out a stopwatch. With a swirl of magic, the cat is off like a shot. No matter how many times you see it, you're amazed by the speed of a flying broom. >Star sets comfortable pace and carefully slaloms through the rings and walls placed strategically along the pitch. >You smile and cheer for her. >”GO, STAR, GO!” >She looks over her shoulder at you and waves… >...only for the broom’s bristles to clip a wall as she moves. The speed causes several of the enchanted straws to fall out, sending the broom careening off-course! >The feline rockets off towards town, yelling out in what sounds like a mix of terror… and excitement. >You run after her to the best of your ability, hastily gulping down one of the energy potions you've been brewing for late-night cram sessions. >Eventually, the broom sputters, coming to a halt before falling straight down, and Star cries out as she falls headfirst into a decorative barrel in front of the local photographer’s shop. >You run up, then stop as you take in the sight. >Since she's upside-down, her robes fall “up,” allowing you a peek at what she's got on under there… >........................................ >Boy is it a sight for the ages. >The first thing you notice is a severe lack of pants…. Or leggings?... Whatever. >A one-piece swimsuit styled undergarment shows off her midnight black fur… and her gloriously thick thighs and buttocks. You can only guess that the bathing-suit styled clothing comes up all the way from her groin to her neck. Her arms flail as much as they can, showing long sleeves and thumb-holes to prevent them from riding up and bristling back her fur. The slim fitting of her clothing shows how floofy the fur on her flanks and legs are. >Star’s tail flicks in annoyance. >”Uhhh, hello? Dave? Anyone there?” >”Y-yeah, I'm-” >You’re interrupted by the shrill blow of a whistle from across the street. >A voice you don't recognize calls out angrily as… wet, squishy footsteps approach rapidly. >”FREEZE! I've caught you in the act, you hoodlums!” >You jerk your head around and definitely catch the second welcome surprise of the day. >A mouse made of what appears to be maple syrup brandishes a sword made of the same material. The rodent woman swings her sword wildly, slinging small strings of sticky stuff all over the sidewalk and storefront. >A small constable’s cap, again comprised of the same material, balances atop her head… >...and she seems to have on a VERY tight fitting police uniform made up of yet more syrup, though at least this portion of her (including the hat) seems to have… uh… blue food coloring in it…? >Nonetheless, it does little to hide her impressively wide hips and thick thighs. >You can't help but notice she's almost exactly Star’s height… heck, maybe even a little shorter. >The mouse huffs indignantly as she reaches you and Star, her sword appearing to morph into a notepad and pen. >”Tsk tsk tsk. I heard you two causing a ruckus. Mind explaining what's going on here? A couple of delinquents getting steamy in the middle of public? That, sir, is a CRIME!” >Her pen becomes a magnifying glass, and she examines Star closely. >”...(nice.)” >Angrily, you clear your throat. >”Excuse me??” >”Huh? You heard me, punk; public indecency is a crime in this fair city!” >”It's all a misunderstanding. Star was flying a broom-” >”Is she licensed to fly?” >”Not yet, she's learning; the broom went haywire.” >”A likely story.” >”It's the truth, miss.” >”MISS? I'll have you know, my name is NOT ‘miss.’ I am CONSTABLE Maple Syrup, understand?” >She angrily waves her magnifying glass, which morphs back into a sword before your eyes. >You definitely want to calm this Maple lady down before the ACTUAL cops arrive. >”Alright, alright; sorry, Constable.” >”Hmph. That's better! I WAS going to let you off with a warning, but I'm afraid I'll have to give the two of you a ticket for indecent exposure.” >”That’s hardly fair, Constable.” >”Don't do the crime if you can't pay the dime.” >She jots something down on a sheet of syrupy “paper,” then nods. Before you can react, she roughly slaps it onto Star’s ass, then bolts off. >You gingerly remove the paper as Star’s tail jolts about wildly. It has a phone number almost illegibly written on it, alongside the message “call me!” >Sigh. >”Uhhh, Dave? W-was that… was that you just now…?” >”What, no! It was, uh… it was some weird mouse woman.” >”Huh. W-well, can you help me out of here?” >”I’ll try my best.” >It seems that you're just going to have to pull her out by the hips. >Fuck, you just hope Star doesn't think any less of you for this... >”Okay, Star… here's what we're going to do: I'm going to pull you out.” >”Oh, goodness thank you, Da-" >”B-by your hips...:” >..... >”Wh-what? I-Isn’t there anything else we can do to get me out?! This seems so… l-lewd!” >You try to console her as best as you can. >”Look, Star, we can't turn the barrel over because it’s it’s cemented in place, and you're pretty well stuck in there.” >Stargazer’s tail flits about wildly, her bells jingling. >”A-are you calling me fat?!” >”Wh-what? No you're not fat!” >”Then w-what do you mean?!” >Fuck, don't spill your spaghetti, David. >”You're thicc and…. Uh… poofy…” >”Thick? That sounds like a ‘nice’ way of calling somebody fat….” >SHIT. >”N-no, that's not what I mean… I mean… curvy! Yeah. Like padding in all the RIGHT places!...” >Star falls silent, her tail going still. You hear extremely faint purring begin. >”...” >”Star?” >”...th… thank you…” >Well, that went better than expected. Home free now, just don't say anything stupid. >”I-I mean it; you're smoking hot, Star!” >Nice going, dickhead. >”I…….. I am…..?” >Her purring gets louder. >”...uhhh, w-well, anyway… could you, uh, p-pull me out now? I'm getting a little dizzy…” >Fuck. And here you are just buttering her up while she’s upside down. You don't need her to lose consciousness and have you carry her back home. >Although her fur does look awful soft… >Dammit, man, focus! That's your friend, stuck in a barrel, with blood rushing to her head. >Attempting to clear your thoughts, you carefully wrap your hands in her dangling robes to make things less awkward, then grab onto her plush hips. >It takes quite a few pulls, but you eventually free the curvy cat from her prison. She breathes a sigh of relief, and you catch sight of your third surprise in a row: >Her hat is still in the barrel, so her face is on full display. >You've seen it before, but only glimpses. Star’s always been very shy about showing her face, even to you. >And it's the most beautiful face you've ever seen… >Midnight black fur mostly covers her face, but gray accenting highlights the fur around the bottom of her eyes and where her eyebrows might've been if she were human. >Speaking of… her yellow eyes are piercing, but gorgeous as the light shimmers off them. Her narrow pupils focus on you as an appreciative smile spreads across her face, exposing the tips of her fangs. >Her ears twitch happily, as do her whiskers and pink nose. >”Th-thanks for getting me out of there, Dave! Hehe….” >Suddenly, her ears flush and fold back. She brings her hand-paws up to cover her face bashfully. >”C-can you please get my hat for me…?” >You smile and silently reach into the barrel and fetch her hat. You catch her eyes one more time before she dons her large hat and tugs the edge over her face. Her tail and ears twitch madly. >You really need to boost her self-confidence. >”Let's go on ahead and return the broom to PKU and break until we have to go to Cordyllia’s class, okay?” >Stargazer nods and picks up the enchanted broom as you walk side-by-side back to the university campus. You toss the sticky note that “constable" left into a nearby rubbish bin. >”Wh-why did that lady have to slap my b-behind? Now my fur there is kinda sticky… “ >You chuckle at the mentioning of the odd syrup-mouse as you continue to make your way to PKU. >”H-hey David, mind if we stop for a sec? This syrup in my fur is driving me crazy!” >You agree and stop in an alleyway. >”D-d-don’t look, okay? Th-this is gonna be so embarassing…..!” >You turn around and face the exit of the alley, making sure nobody can see past you. >The street is completely empty, but you feel obligated to at least not look back. >...... >...........maybe one little peek couldn't hurt, right? >As you peek over your shoulder, your eyes nearly pop out of your head. >Star’s baggy cloak is shifted up and one of Star’s legs is off the ground. >Your feline friend is licking the syrupy mess off her buttock like a housecat. >That’s… pretty damn hot…. >Star seems just as flexible as a housecat as she lifts her leg and licks her sticky fur. >You quickly look back at the entry to the alleyway, hoping she didn't catch you peeking. >Eventually, though, she finishes cleaning and returns to your side, ears flushing red. >”Th… thanks, Dave. Let's get back t-to class…” >You nod, and the two of you head back to the campus. >Outside, at the courtyard, Professor Candy is already waiting, nervously chewing on a wad of her wool. The “constable” from before is talking to her, shooting you and Star smug glances every now and again. >The moment she sees you, Candy rushes over. >”Oh my goodness, are you alright? Constable Maple told me you crashed!” >The professor wraps all four arms around Star, and sounds on the verge of hysterics. Star’s face may be mostly covered, but you can still tell she's visibly uncomfortable. >”I-I-I’m fine, thank you…” >”I TOLD them we needed to install some safety charms on those brooms, but NOOOOOOO! Let the students learn without training wheels, Candy! They'll sink or swim, Candy! I'm taking this to the president, this is ridiculous. Miss Stargazer, I would very much appreciate it if you'd go see Miss Clarissa to make sure you're not hurt.” >Before Star can reply, the hyperactive insect is marching off across the courtyard, huffing and babbling angrily. >The mouse from before walks over and nods. >”Don't worry, folks, I explained the whole situation. There were some concerns that you two may have stolen the broom for a joyride, but thankfully, we cleared that up.” >She smiles. >”You two stay out of trouble, alright? Take care.” >She walks back towards the town, then stops, looking thoughtful. >”...did you throw away that ticket from earlier…?” >”Uhhh, n-nope, we kept it, h-heh…” >”...well, alright. Thanks.” >Maple winks and sprints off, giggling. >What a weirdo. >Star breathes a sigh of relief now that it's just the two of you again. >”Phew… so, uhhh… g-guess I'm going to the nurse.” >”Want me to come along?” >”Yeah, p-please.” >As the both of you walk towards the nurse’s office, you sling your arm around Stargazer’s shoulder. >”Hey, Star. You did well on the broom today, despite the little incident. I know you're fine, even though we're going to Nurse Clarissa anyways.” >A bashful smile is barely visible under her hat brim. >”Th-thanks, Dave. It was… kinda fun, heheh. And yeah, I'm f-fine. Just don't want Professor Candy to worry. She's nice.” >You both enter the Nurse’s office via the courtyard entrance and see that Cordyllia and Clarissa are talking in hurried whispers. They both snap their heads over to the door when the two of you walk in. >Star gulps quietly and musters up the courage to speak. >”H-hey, Professor Cordy. Hello, M-Miss Clarissa. I had an… a-accident with one of the flying b-brooms earlier today. Professor Candy w-wanted you to make sure I didn't really h-hurt myself.” >The nurse immediately takes on a motherly tone. >”Oh dear. Let me take a look, sweetie.” >Clarissa scuttles over on 8 long, thin legs, sizing Star up with wide, amber eyes. She attempts the closest thing to a warm smile she can manage with her mandibles. >...No matter how many times you see her, Miss Clarissa is still a strange sight. >Her lower half looks like a normal spider, albeit colossal; her entire body is covered in peach-colored, short fuzz, almost like what you might see on a tarantula. Her abdomen has a faint white caduceus marking on it. >Her upper half, however, is humanoid, with a bust that puts even Cordy’s to shame. Her white nurse’s uniform looks about ready to pop a button any second now… >She cups Star’s chin with a gloved hand, being as gentle as possible. >”Hmm. Does this hurt, dear?” >She tilts your friend’s head back and forth a few times. >”N-no ma'am.” >”Mmkay. How about…” >....after about 15 minutes, Clarissa seems satisfied. She nods happily and gives Star a handful of candy from her desk. >”...yeah, I know, I know; you're an adult. But come on, who doesn't want free candy?” >”Th-thanks, Miss Clarissa.” >”Don't mention it! I'm just glad you aren't hurt. Those brooms can be dangerous.” >”H-heh, yeah… Professor C-Candy was saying the same thing.” >Cordyllia chuckles. >”Ah, Candy. She's so adorable sometimes. Isn't she, Claire?” >The spider shoots a somewhat annoyed look at the bee; Cordy visibly enters the same sort of trance she went into when reading your mind, then gets a faint smile before nodding. >”...ahem. Right, right. So! On account of you two having this incident to worry about… I believe I can give you a little extra time to study for today’s exam. How would you like an extra hour?” >You and Star look at each other and smile. You will take as much time as you can to cram before your first Spellcasting Exam. >”T-that sounds great, Professor! Thank y-you!” >”Hmhm, my pleasure, darling. It wouldn't be fair to penalize you for an accident, now would it…?” >Star nods politely as Cordyllia turns to you. >”So, David; did you help Miss Star out with her accident?” >”Y-you could say that…” >Before you can say “Aw shit" you feel a familiar, not-so-welcome presence in your mind. Glowing orange eyes fill your vision, winking. >The nosy teacher roots around in your memories of today: what you had for breakfast, when you took your shower (OwO), and the magical broom accident where you helped out Star by pulling her out of her confines. >Cordyllia’s form appears next to you as you relive the awkward moments of Constable Maple and her butt-slapping shenanigans. She seems to be a sort of projection full of purple stars, rather than being there in the flesh. >You blush madly as the magician pushes you aside, moving in and pulling Star out herself. >She’s definitely getting handsy with the spectral vision of the feline in your head. Her voice echoes, as if she's speaking from the other end of a tunnel. >”My, my. Star’s fur is so soft! ...and what plush thighs~ I just might have to keep her all for myself! You better be careful before someone else steals your girl, Dave~” >You've had enough of the older woman’s reading into your own private thoughts and push her spectral form away from the memory of Stargazer. >”Look, you've had your fun. Can we please just… go study a little more for your test today?” >Cordyllia smiles and begins to fade from your mind. As your head empties itself of her presence, she leaves with one last quip. Her tone is almost obscenely seductive. >”Aw, don't be so mean, Davey~! I've got my Claire and you've got your Star! ...But… that doesn't mean we can't... share~” >The vision of your memories abruptly ends, and you're booted back to reality. A faint orange blush is visible on Cordyllia’s cheeks as she clears her throat. >”Ahem, right, right. You two go ahead to my classroom, the door should be unlocked. You have ample time to study, I feel. I wish you both the best of luck. (Especially you, Stargazer…)” >Your friend tilts her head inquisitively. >”H-huh?” >”Errr, nothing! Nothing…” >You and Star leave the nurse's office; you glance over your shoulder to see the two bugs whispering again. Clarissa’s eyes widen as she conspicuously stares at Star. >You pretend not to notice as you follow the bombay feline to the insect’s classroom. >As you expected, the door to Cordy’s classroom is unlocked and nobody else is inside. >You both walk inside and immediately begin casting spells in an effort to perfect your techniques. >To no surprise, you pretty much spend the vast majority of the study hour watching. >You just hope that you don't completely bomb the very first test. >.......... >Before you know it, Cordyllia is sauntering into the room, nodding in acknowledgment of you and Star. >”Alright, you two; are you ready for the exam?” >”I-I think so.” >”Splendid. Dave~?” >”Well…” >”You'll do fine. I'm sure of it.” >You lift your cheap wizard’s wand in your hand and begin muttering incantations… Chapter 4 >...well, you expected this test to be pretty hard, but you weren't exactly expecting to fuck up the very first spell. >Was it “Specticus Classimus”? “Rettimus Maximus"? Who knows. >Either way, whatever spell name you mumbled out was NOT the correct one, and now you're dealing with the consequences. >A small gang of demonic imps run around Cordyllia’s classroom, trashing the place. The professor’s expression is inscrutable as she scribbles something down on a sheet of paper. >Fucking shit, you can't fail out of the class on just the first test! >”P-Professor Cordyllia! ...A little help, please!” >The older anthro laughs merrily, as if it's all just a game to her. Does she not see the legions of Hell tearing up her classroom?! >”Mister David, if I helped you out, that would be cheating! Now, be a good boy and clean up your mess~” >Jesus, does everything have to sound like some sort of sexual innuendo with her!? >An imp approaches, and Cordy waves her wand, causing herself to levitate off the floor. She lounges on her side in midair, smirking a little at the imp futilely reaching for her. >One of the little buggers starts to climb and claw at Stargazer’s robe. >With a very loud “Eeep!”, the small feline frantically waves her wand and starts blurting out spells. >”B-b-begone, you d-dirty Hellspawn! R-riftonius Ma’iq!” >As Star finishes her panicked spellcasting, a rift opens up in the middle of the classroom floor. All of the creepy demonic midgets are quickly sucked back to whatever damned dimension they came from, and your professor releases herself from her own levitation spell to assess the damage. >”Hmmm. Well, it's nothing I can't undo… but, Miss Stargazer, that was some impressive wandwork!” >”R-r-really, Professor?” >The scantily-clad bee-woman struts over, swaying her hips, then puts her hands on them. >”Absolutely! I'm very pleasantly surprised that you've got some Conjuration spells mastered… Especially a banishment spell, at that!” >Your teacher them walks over to her desk and bends over to rummage around in one of the drawers. >You swear she's teasing you both on purpose... >”As a thank you for helping out little Davey here, I'll give you this little gift card for a local restaurant. The least your man can do is take you out to dinner~. You did, in fact, save him after all.” >She hands over the gift card, then turns to you, putting on a stern look as she shifts her weight to her other leg. >”As for you, Davey. I must say, I'm a little disappointed. Candy told me your performance was amazing… but you didn't seem to bring your A-Game here. I understand my class is not part of your major, but I urge you to take it seriously nonetheless. Every magic user should learn a variety of spells! As you just saw, it never hurts to have a few tricks up your sleeve.” >She smiles, losing her stern tone. >”That said, from a strictly technical point of view, that your managed to summon such a volume of imps, even accidentally, is fairly impressive considering your inexperience. With a little practice, I'm sure you'll have me seeing stars the next time you whip out your wand~” >”I, uh, I'm sure I will, uh… Sorry, Professor…. I-I’ll try to make sure that I last longer next time…” >Holy crap did you just spill your spaghetti. Stupid sexy professor… >Cordyllia’s eyes practically light up as a faint orange blush hits her cheeks. >”Uh, w-we’ll be going now… Come on Star, l-let’s leave her to her work.” >As you rush out the door, you swear you hear her mutter something under her breath. >......”so many little guys all over me….” >YUP YOU WILL BE GOING NOW. >In your haste, you didn't even ask what restaurant the gift card was for. >Crap. Guess tonight’s dinner is a crapshoot. >Stargazer’s tail flicks one way to another excitedly. The two bells tied to her tail jingle playfully. >”So Star, where are we eating at, exactly? >Star’s tail flicks quickly at hearing your voice. >”I-It looks like a local steakhouse. A pretty nice place! ...B-but not too fancy… thank goodness.” >”Sounds nice. Is it enough for both of us?” >”...looks like it, y-yeah. I wonder if Professor Cordy was g-gonna take Miss Claire out…?” >”Maybe so? Who knows with those two, heheh.” >The two of you quickly make your way back to your apartment. >”L-let’s take our time to get ready. We’re n-not pressed for time or anything… a-and I wanna wash my robe after that imp touched it…” >”Heh, yeah, I can see that.” >As you head into the apartment, you're stopped by someone whistling from down the street. >”Ey, Dave! Star!” >You look over to see Marris heading down the street, a bony grin on her skull. >”What’re y'all doing home so late? I thought class ended like an hour or two ago, yeah? I was startin’ to worry about you guys! You really had me rattled, nyeh-heh.” >”O-o-oh… s-sorry, Marris. It was a b-busy day.” >”Hey, don't you apologize to me; I'm just glad yer both home now, yeah? I like y'all, heh! Best neighbors I've had in a while. Wouldn't want my new buddies gettin’ in trouble or anything, yeah?” >”Thanks for looking out for us, Marris.” >”Shucks, ain't nothing but a thing, Davey-bones! ...oh, I almost forgot to tell y'all what I heard today! They say some poor shmuck crashed her broom and landed upside-down in a barrel… nyeh-heheh, can you just imagine what a sight THAT musta been! Hope she was wearing clean undies, yeah?” >Star’s ears practically glow red as she pulls her hat down. >”H-ha… yeah, I-I-I bet that w-was funny… >Before Stargazer collapses from embarrassment, you pipe in. >”S-sorry, but we’ve gotta cut this short, Miss Marris.” >”Aw shucks. Alrighty then, good to see y'all, take care, yeah? Y'all oughta come hang at my place sometime, it'd be fun!” >”Yeah, we'll have to plan something… see ya around.” >She waves goodbye, then glances over at her skeletal arm, nonchalantly biting down on it and ripping it off before chewing on the bone. >Star shudders and heads inside; you follow right behind her. >”D-do you mind if I take my shower first, David? I want to get my fur nice and clean before our da- uhhh, I-I mean, dinner.” >”Sure!” >You hold the bathroom door open for your feline friend as she walks in with her basket of fur care products and a spare set of undergarments. >As the door shuts, you go about and decide what you want to wear. >Th-this totally isn't a date….. You wouldn't be opposed to it… but for now it's just two close friends enjoying a nice dinner. Maybe some wine to share… and a dessert... >...and maybe a kiss... >...Okay, so maybe it might evolve into a date. >You may or may not keep your fingers crossed. >After finding a suitable dress shirt and slacks, you hear Star call out from the hallway. >”The shower is all yours! I-I’m pretty excited!” >You quickly shower off after the long day, shave off the stubble you let grow over the last few days, and dress yourself. >Star is already waiting at the front door while you tie your shoes. >As you round the corner, you take your time to admire her. >Just like her everyday robes, Star wears a pure-black dress that hangs fairly loosely over her form. >The most telling difference is the material, as it appears to be an expensive, silky fabric. Some floofy fur peeks out playfully from her dress collar. >Her bare head looks straight at her own feet as she shifts nervously from side to side. >”I… uh… d-didn't bring my f-formal hat from home…” >You cup your hand under her chin and scritch at her neck. Her know her tail is twitching wildly due to the tell-tale bell ringing. Her ears quickly twitch as well; you get her to look straight at you with enough scratches. >”Remember about what I said earlier. You look great, Star.” >You let her lead you out of the doorway and onto the sparsely populated streets. >”W-well… at least nobody w-we know is around…” >You both make your way to the address printed on the gift card. Your hand brushes Stargazer’s a few times before coming to rest against hers. >You feel her intertwine her pinky with yours in a one-finger hand hold. As you smile and look down at her, she looks about ready to faint. She presses on though, fighting her nerves and getting ever closer to the eatery. >The walk to the restaurant doesn't take long, thankfully, and you soon come to the front doors of the establishment. [https://youtu.be/VD-E0NYf-6I] >You both walk through the double-doors and are surprised by the sheer… normalcy of the place. >It's almost as if you had stepped back into the human world… >The whole place is pretty smartly decorated, but, as Star promised, it's not intimidatingly fancy. Definitely the nicest eatery you've seen in Placid Knoll, though. >Even the Hallow staff members are well-dressed and cleaned up, despite some having pretty obviously monstrous features. >A human(!) man waits for you at the reception booth. >“How can I help y’all this evening?” >Poor Star stares back at her feet, and you feel compelled to speak up. >”Uh, table for two please. Yea. Just, uh, the two of us.” >A genuine smile comes across the man’s face as he leads you over to a small table in the back of the restaurant. A few candles illuminate the dim atmosphere. >”Well you picked out a great place for a first date together, sir!” >You try to correct him. >”Well, uh, it-it's really not-" >”Our first date!” -Star interrupts you. >The grin on the man’s face somehow grows wider as he lets out a little chuckle. >”Well, either way, I'm happy for you two. We have a special bottle of wine specifically set aside for couples coming in for special occasions. Would you like to try some?” >Before you can politely decline, Stargazer peeps out a barely audible “yes, please” and your host hurries off to find a bottle of the specified drink. >Star smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of her head, chuckling. >”S-sorry, answered without thinking.” >After a few minutes, the man returns with the bottle of wine and pours you each a glass. >It smells slightly sweet. And after a few tentative sips, you realize that it's not too awful. >Wine was never your drink of choice, but this was definitely better than some of the others you'd had before. >”W-wow, this stuff is really good! Dry reds a-are a favorite of mine!” >Star quickly pours herself another glass before you've even ordered your food. >You’ve heard her mention drinking wine before, but you've never actually seen her in the act. It's actually kind of adorable, seeing how enthused she is. >You both quickly order your preferred entrées and share the wine. >It's pretty apparent that Star has drunk the majority of the bottle, as her speech gradually becomes more slurred. That said, her nervous stutter seems to evaporate as she gets more intoxicated. Man, you wish sober Star was this confident. >”Hhhey Daaaaave. Are you gonna share somma your food? Hehe... I'll share somma mineeee!” >Star pokes at your dish several times in an attempt to get some on her fork. >”Sharing isssss carrrrring, right Davey? Hehe, I called you Davey… Just like how Professor Cordy does…” >You try to goad her into eating her food in an effort to soak up some of the alcohol in her system. >”Hey now, Star. It's time to eat! You uh, drank a good bit.” >”Nahhhhhh, it’s allll good, Davey~ I jus’... jus’... h-heheh… y'know, you're kinda cute when you're worried about me… I never told ya this, hehehe, b-buuut I always thought that you were preeeeety good lookin’.” >As you continue to eat, Star finishes off her own meal and starts picking away at yours. >”Gotta maaaaake sure that I’m nice and curvy for my Davey~” >You can't help but blush a little bit at her flirting and compliments. You know that, were she sober, Star would be a little fuzzy ball of embarrassment right now… >As the host returns with the bill, you thank whatever deity was looking over you tonight. The gift card covered the majority of the expenses. The only real thing you have to pay for is the tip. >Huh. The receipt doesn't list the wine… >You flag down the host. You're not gonna be dishonest about this, even if it's probably gonna be pricey. >”Hey, uh, we had a bottle of wine too, and it's not on the receipt.” >”Oh, I know. Someone paid for it ahead of time! Said they wanted the two of you to enjoy yourselves.” >”R-really? Who was it?” >”Ha, they asked to stay anonymous. You folks have a nice night, okay?” >Stargazer enthusiastically replies. >”Th-thanks, mister host, siiir!” >You gently pull her back home before she can embarrass either of you any further. The walk back to the apartment is just as quick back. Star leans on you the whole time, her soft fur caressing your skin. >It almost seems that some of her senses have come back to, thanks to the large meal and the time you spent keeping her preoccupied over drinking more wine. >”I, uh, put some conditioner in my fur… So that it would be extra soft…” >One of her pinky fingers finds itself around yours once again. >As you step into your apartment, Star slowly stumbles into your bedroom. >”Ugh, the room isssss spinning, Dave… H-help your date feel better… P-please…” >Before you can react, Star sheds her silk dress and falls face-first onto your bed with a soft thud. A very basic pair of undergarments are all that save her modesty. >Star loudly groans into your pillows. >”Guhh… I shhhhoulda stopped sooner…” >You shed off most of your clothes and join her on the bed, patting your feline friend on the back softly, occasionally scratching the back of her ears. >”You're going to really regret this tomorrow, Star. You should've moderated yourself.” >She nods ever so slightly, acknowledging her mistake. >”We’ll talk about all this in the morning, okay. Now… Get some sleep, okay?” >You climb in next to her and cuddle her as the big spoon. If she gets to embarrass you in front of all those folks at the restaurant, then you'll just have to repay the favor. >...God, her fur is so soft and warm… >You kiss the top of her head as you whisper a “good night” into her ear. >........... >”Good night, Dave…. Love you.” >You feel the familiar presence of sleep take over your mind as you lose yourself in a floofy forest of midnight-black fur. The last thing you hear is Star’s familiar purr... Chapter 5 >As you gradually awaken, you feel like you're hugging the softest cloud imaginable. >Smiling groggily, you bury your face further into the soft mass, only to abruptly realize two things: >It’s fur. Midnight black fur at that. >You then register the soft purring coming from your “cloud.” >You scoot back and realize you had your face buried in the fluff of Star’s belly. The… amazingly soft fluff of her belly... >Your face burns with embarrassment, but you can't help but take a peek down south… >You note with a little relief (and some minor, fleeting disappointment…) that she’s still wearing her underwear. A slight paunch hangs over her panty line. >Damn she thicc…. >You burn the image into your memory and consider your options: you could get up and just leave her in the bed to wake up by herself, you could wake her up now, or you could stay in bed with her. >You quickly make up your mind and once again bury your face in her glorious tummy floof. So… warm... >A deep purring lets you know that Star is waking up. You just hope she doesn't die of embarrassment. >Your feline friend wraps her legs around your shoulders and buries your face into her stomach as much as she can. You feel her handpaws knead absently at the bedsheets. >Her purring grows louder as you scritch her lower back and sides. Her bells ring as her tail thrashes wildly. >Eventually, Star fully wakes up. >”Mmm… what happened last- D-DAVE?!” >You knew she was probably going to freak out when waking up with you. You continue to give her calming scratches as she tries to recollect what happened last night. Without so much as pulling your face out of her fluff, you speak in an attempt to relax her. >”What's up, Star? You feel better?” >You feel her shift around slightly, moving her arms. >”Ugh… I-I need water… Can… y-you go get me some?...” >That's right. She got drunk last night. She must have a pretty bad hangover right now. >”Sure, kitty-cat. Give me a second.” >You reluctantly pull yourself away from Stargazer's softness and trudge into the kitchen. A tall glass of cold water and a couple of aspirin are just what she needs right about now. You quickly grab the pills, fill a glass, and head back into the bedroom. >”Here you are, Star. Take these, and be sure to drink the entire cup of water. You're pretty dehydrated.” >The black-furred feline quickly tosses back the pills and downs the water. She doesn't move when you take the glass and lay back down with her in the bed. >You position yourself to where you're looking at her in the eyes. You grab her hand, keeping your pinky locked around hers just like yesterday afternoon. >”How much of yesterday do you remember?” >Star looks like she’s about ready to burst into tears as she tries to respond. >”I-I think I remember…. Most o-of the night…. W-we had d-dinner…. We d-drank the wine… A-and held hands…. A-and went to b-b-bed together… W-we didn't….?” >You grab her handpaw and shuffle closer to her. >”N-no, we didn't do anything lewd, Star. Y-you passed out as soon as you hit the bed last night. You drank a lot… I would never take advantage of you being in that kinda state.” >She smiles thoughtfully, her fangs catching the early morning light. >”I-I know you wouldn't, Dave. Y-y-you're too nice.” >Butterflies fill your stomach as you ask the question you've been dreading. >”So, uh… D-do you want to talk… About… Us…?” >The tell-tale sign of bells ringing show that Star’s nervous. She lets out a shaky breath as she stretches out and rubs her cheeks on your forehead. >”I-in a few hours. C-can we just lay d-down for a while? ...I feel... really bad right now.” >You feel her wrap her small hand in yours, intertwining her clawed fingers between yours as she gently closes her eyes and gets some more rest. >You might as well catch some more sleep as well… >.................. >You have no idea how long the two of you have slept, but it must be the afternoon now. The sun shines brightly outside, even though it's a brisk Fall day. The usual thin, wispy fog Placid Knoll is known for lingers in the streets. >Star is still asleep, her cheek pressed against yours as she purrs quietly. Occasionally, in her sleep, she rubs it against you a few times, her whiskers tickling your bare skin. >You plant a kiss on her forehead and, with an adorable little “mrr” sound, Star wakes up, her yellow eyes shining in the afternoon sun. >”Mm… morning, Dave… wait, what time is it…?” >Panic momentarily dawns on her face. >”A-are we late for class?” >”Nahh. No class today, remember?” >She immediately looks relieved. >”Oh. G-good…” >”So, uh… Y-you wanna talk about… us…?” >Her eyes refuse to meet yours as she stretches. >”Y-yeah. But w-would it be okay i-i-if I got dressed first?” >You scratch the underside of her chin and she begins to purr loudly. >”Go on ahead, Star. We both might as well, seeing how late it is.” >She nods, hops out of bed, and dashes off to the bedroom, grabbing her robe off the chair she haphazardly draped it over last night. You can't help but watch her… jiggle a bit as she runs. >You take this time to put on some comfortable shorts and an old tee. >She soon returns, her figure once again concealed beneath her large cloak, as always. >At least this time she isn't wearing her hat. She's left her beautiful, bashful smile on full display. >Star hops back onto the bed, sitting next to you shyly. She says nothing, but takes hold of your hand once again. >”So...uh… W-what are we, Dave?” >You hold her hand tight and look her straight in the eyes. >”I honestly don't know, Star. I, uh, didn't think that yesterday was really going to evolve into a full-blown date…” >She begins to look physically uncomfortable. Before she begins to panic, you shuffle closer and wrap your arms around her. >”But I'm glad it did. It was fun, and we both enjoyed ourselves.” >”Y-yeah. It was… A l-lot of fun.” >You tilt her head up to look you straight in the eyes. >”And I’d like to do it again.” >Stargazer’s tail twitches madly and she audibly sucks in a breath, processing what you've just said. >”R-r-really David?” >You lean in as close as you can, feeling her breath mingling with your own. Your lips brush against hers as you speak. >”We've been best friends for so long now. Why deny ourselves what we both clearly want?” >You give her a quick peck on the lips and bring yourself back. >The way Star’s ears, tail, and whiskers are twitching, you decide to give her a few minutes to collect herself. >”How about we take a walk in Placid Knoll’s park today? Just the two of us. Enjoy that nice Fall air.” >”...I-I’d like that… l-lemme get my hat, p-please.” >She quickly reclaims her cherished hat; you head into the bathroom and change into warmer clothes. Once you're both ready, you depart, stepping out into the cool, foggy afternoon. >Unsurprisingly on a day like this, the streets are fairly lively. The usual assortment of Hallow folk are milling about, nodding and waving politely. >The local blacksmith exits her shop, stretching, and clumsily makes her way down the sidewalk. The other citizens gently clear a path as she passes, dragging an absolutely massive, visibly dull knife. >Star stares over at the sabertoothed amazon; what little fur you can see on the nape of her neck stands on end. >Star silently grabs your hand, and you interlace your fingers with hers. You look over at the blacksmith woman, expecting the usual friendly nod and wave… >...it doesn't happen. She continues to walk, unmoved. >Oh well. Guess not everyone in this town is friendly… >Star breathes a sigh of relief as the hulking feline vanishes from your line of sight. She turns to you, a smile very faintly visible under her hat brim. >”S-so, uh… the p-park? I don't… actually know where it is…” >”...me neither, heh. Jas told me about it, but now that I think about it, I don't think she actually said where it IS.” >Your companion snickers. >”Sounds l-like Jas, alright.” >The two of you continue to look for the city park when you find a directory. >”Huh. Come look at this, Star. Apparently there's the city park as well as an amusement park on the outskirts of town. I'll have to take us there on another date night.” >Stargazer becomes visibly flustered, but doesn't shoot the idea down. >”Th-that…. Yeah, that sounds really nice…” >Well, now you know where the park is as well. Turns out, it’s only a few blocks away from your apartment. You just went the wrong way when you both left the apartment. >You and your fluffy feline friend backtrack to the park; Star again holds her breath and your hand as you pass the blacksmith again. This time, the towering sabertooth turns towards you for a moment. You realize with a bit of guilt and sympathy that her eyes appear to be bandaged. >And you thought she was just being unfriendly... >Anyway, you make your way to the park with almost no further interruptions. Star quietly walks alongside you, a faint purr constantly emitting from her as she holds your hand. >You look up at the tallest building around, (which is apparently a hospital or something?), half expecting to see Jasper perched up there. Not today, at any rate. Wonder where ol’ rockhead is…? >You swear you must've jinxed yourself, because you immediately hear a WHOOSH and THUD as your gargoyle buddy swoops out of nowhere. A large imprint is left where she impacted on the ground. >”Ey, Dave! Star! How you guys doing today?” >You watch with a mixture of fascination and concern as a crack spreads across one of her stone horns, only to slowly fill itself in over the next minute or so. >”Uhh, fine, Jas. How about you?” >”It's the weirdest thing, I suddenly have a headache for some reason…” >Gee. Wonder why that is. >”That IS weird.” >”Eh, probably just the cold weather or somethin’. Whatcha guys doing?” >”W-w-well, Dave and I were actually headed t-to the park, j-just the t-” >Jasper’s eyes widen, her strange plus-shaped pupils following suit. >”Oooooh! Wait, which park? Like, the one over there? Or the amusement park?” >”The city park, yeah.” >Jas nods, her enthusiasm deflating a bit. >”Oh. I thought you guys might be going to check out the rides… I can't find a good place to watch the amusement park in town, it's too far away!” >”Yeah, it’s on the very edge of PK, huh.” >”...what’s on the very edge of PK?” >Even though it happens pretty often, it still catches you off guard when Jasper gets so distracted she forgets what she was talking about. >This time, she's staring down the street at something. >”...Jas?” >”...” >Star tentatively prods the gargoyle’s stony side. >”J-Jas? You alright?” >”Whuh? Oh, uh, sorry. Just people-watchin’, y'know.” >”Heh. See anything interesting?” >”Well, uh… Miss Razel’s out early today. Must be a slow day at the knife shop…” >”O-oh yeah… w-w-we saw her walking e-earlier.” >”Really? (Heh, I’d smash that...)” >”Excuse me, Jas?” >The gargoyle has a horrified look cross her face before she looks away from you. >”N-nothin’… I, uh, I better go. Things to see. People to do… ...wait, shit.” >The stone woman avoids spilling any more spaghetti by simply trotting off. >Star stifles a giggle until Jasper is completely out of earshot. >”Well, I-I wasn't expecting THAT. The way Jas talks about her Alchemy c-class, I thought she was crushing on Professor C-Candy, heheh.” >”Guess not…” >Star grabs your hand again, heading towards the park. >”C’mon, Dave, l-let’s go!” [https://youtu.be/8q4LZx08FlQ] >Perhaps unsurprisingly, Placid Knoll’s city park is pretty… weird compared to most parks you saw back home. >All manner of weird plants grow in various pots and planters, including some toothy carnivorous buds, some wispy, towering vines, and even massive, glowing fungi. Another planter even has some pumpkins on display, just in time for Halloween. >The trees are covered in fall leaves, as is the ground. A refreshingly cool mist rises off a small pond; not a single animal disturbs the pristine, unbroken surface of the water. >A handful of wrought iron benches dot the spacious park, all of them empty. >In fact, the whole park is empty… most folks must be in town shopping or something. >You and Star take a seat on the bench nearest the pond. Amazingly, the iron is comfortably warm, despite the cool air. An incredibly faint lattice of orange magic sparks goes a long way towards explaining that. Someone from the university must’ve been kind enough to enchant the benches. >...huh. Someone seems to have stuck a sticker to the underside of the seat. Any other day, you'd probably rip it off, but… eh. >You're content to just wrap an arm around Star. >Your feline companion scoots a little closer, purring as her tail gently wraps around your arm. >”This is nice. Just us….. hanging out, you know? .....Sure we're a couple, but not a whole lot has changed. We're still best friends.” >Star stares out over the still water, clutching your hand as though it were some precious gift. >”...yeah. You’re right, D-Dave. You're the best f-friend… n-no… best b-b-b… b-boyfriend… I could ever ask for.” >You stay quiet as you listen to the sounds of the park and the surrounding city. >Suddenly, you pick Star up and put her on your lap. >”W-w-wait! What are you d-doing!?” >Despite her verbal protest, she doesn't get off your lap when you set her down. In fact, she snuggles back into your chest. >You both hear and feel her purring. >Star awkwardly tries to punch your shoulder, giggling a little. >”Y-you jerk. Heheh…” >You gently rock the both of you side to side, not saying a word. After what seems like an eternity, a skeletal family passes you by. The father of the bunch seems to be clad in dirty overalls and a plaid shirt with its sleeves rolled up. >”Just think, Star. That could be us someday…” >The floofy cat looks up at you. >”I don't know about you, m-mister, but I don't plan on walking around as a living skeleton. I-I’d scare myself to death!” >”You know what I mean, you goof.” >She puts a hand to her chin, then puts on an exaggerated look of perplexion. >”You wanna become farmers?” >She tips her hat back just enough for you to see her playfully sticking her tongue out; you counter with a quick peck on the lips. Star’s ears immediately flush red as she pulls her hat back down. >”...th-that’s cheating…” >”Hehe, nope! Cheating is asking professor Cordyllia to help me banish some pint-sized demons during an exam.” >Star giggles a little. >”Well, w-what do you call ME banishing em f-for you~?” >”A very kind favor from the best girlfriend I could ask for.” >Star’s purring intensifies, as does her blushing. Her tail flails about madly. >”...th-thanks, Dave…” >Star turns and stares at you in silence for a while, just purring. From what little of her face you can see, you can tell she's smiling warmly. >”...so, it's o-official, huh. We're… we're a couple.” >”Guess so.” >”...well, it's not OFFICIAL until it's sealed with a k-kiss.” >Star suddenly plants her lips on yours, pulling you into a passionate, purring kiss. You reciprocate by scratching the back of her ears. >Her purring grows louder and louder until she finally breaks the kiss off, taking a deep breath. Star smiles bashfully as her ears flush a deep red. She mutters under her breath: >”(I-I can't believe I DID that…)” >You hug her close and whisper in her ear. >”It's okay Star. We can take things at your own pace…. Whatever you feel most comfortable doing. There's no rush for us.” >You slide a hand down south and playfully grab a handful of furred ass. >”But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to tease you~” >She lets off an embarrassed squeak, but smiles. >”I-I wouldn't have it any other w-way, Dave~” >Before you can react, she mirrors your sneaky grab, squeezing YOUR ass with a sly wink. >This girl…! >”Hehe. W-we could even invite that Constable Maple lady… Sh-she seemed to have a thing for you.” >With all the teasing, it seems like you've hit the ceiling on her. She squirms in your lap and buries her head in your chest. >”Th-that's so…. LEWD!” >”...I'm not hearing a no~” >Star giggles nervously, her face still buried in your chest. >”N-n-n… n-no, hehehe…” >You both settle down and listen to the afternoon peace and quiet. The skeletal family that passed you earlier has settled in for a picnic down by the park lake. >Star resumes her purring and kneads at your chest absentmindedly. You bury your face into the soft fur on the top of your fur. >All of this feels like a dream. Your best friend of so many years is now “officially” our girlfriend, you both live together in a happy little apartment, and are studying the arcane arts at one of the best magically-accredited universities. >It’s not long before you notice that Star’s kneading has stopped. You soon hear quiet snoring as your girlfriend dozes, her face adorably smooshed against your chest. >You kiss her on the forehead, then rest your head against hers once more. >........... >You're not sure how long you've sat at the bench with her up against you, but the setting sun definitely gives you the impression that you've been here for a while. >”H-hey, Star. Time to go back home.” >”Mmf… f-five more minutes…..” >You pick up and carry Star back to the apartment, letting her sleep the whole way home. >As you approach your door, Marris steps out of her home, stretching. You're surprised to see the mostly-skeletal hound clad in little more than a jack-o-lantern-patterned bikini. OWO >”Oh, howdy Dave! Sta- oh, she's asleep. Sorry, yeah?” >”It's alright… where are you headed dressed like THAT in the middle of October?” >”Huh? Oh, this ol’ thing? Heh, I'm headed over to the hot spring uptown. I've been working overtime this week, and these ol’ bones could use a good soak…” >”I didn't even know Placid Knoll HAD a hot spring.” >”Yeah? Huh. I always forget you're new in town, yeah? The spring’s been around a while now… you and Star oughta check it out sometime! Y’know, w-when she's awake, yeah?” >You immediately note that idea down as a potential weekend getaway after these exams are over. >”I think I will! Thanks, Marris! That sounds like something she'd really enjoy.” >”Why, don't mention it, Davey-bones! Just glad to help, yeah?” >”Have fun, Marris.” >”Thanks, you take care of that girl, yeah? She's a good’n.” >With that, your neighbor wanders off, plucking her bony tail off and nonchalantly gnawing on it as she walks down the sidewalk. >Chuckling, you shake your head and gently open the door. >You carefully lay Star in her bed, watching as she gently curls up in her sleep, getting comfy almost instantly. Once she's settled, you head over to your writing desk, pulling out a copy of a tourist’s guide to Placid Knoll. >You jot down the number for the hot spring, planning to call and make a reservation in the morning. >...or hell, they're still open now, apparently; why not just call em up? >You caaaaarefully sneak into the bathroom with the phone, closing the door and speaking as quietly as possible so as to avoid waking your snoozing friend. >After a few minutes, you emerge triumphant, ready to hit the spring with Star this weekend. >You can't help but smile, imagining the warm look on her face when you tell her… >You wonder what she has to wear while you soak up some water and relieve some stress? >Maybe something that will…. accentuate her figure? >One can only dream… for now, that is. >As you sneak back into the bedroom, you notice that Stargazer’s cloak is mostly shuffled down past her knees. >She must've tried to shed it off while still half-asleep. >You gingerly peel her garment the rest of the way off and take off most of your clothes as well. >You slip in behind her as the bigger spoon and wrap your arms around her slightly-chubby midsection and rub her tummy softly. >You're not going to sleep just yet… but you sure as heck aren't gonna miss a prime opportunity for cuddles. >As you explore the fluffy wonderland that is your girlfriend's front side, you hear her begin to purr in her sleep. >Her ears swivel slightly as they pick up occasional sounds. Star's tail snakes around your legs and keep you against her. >God, she's adorable. >Despite her somewhat forward actions in the park today, you bet she's going to be a little fuzzy puddle of embarrassment when she learns of your plans... >You can't wait to tell her. Chapter 6: That one Swimsuit Episode in every fucking anime ever. >”S-so David. Why are we shopping again? I thought we already h-had enough clothes!” >You continue to lead her to the department store by the pinky, only occasionally looking back over your shoulder. >”Yeah, we do for the most part. But we also need some seasonal clothes….” >Star groans and rubs her temples. >”D-D-Dave! I have enough long sleeve shirts and hoodies! A-and it's fall. It's not like we're about to go to the beach o-or anything…” >”Haha… I didn't say anything about the beach… but we still should get something each to swim in.” >Stargazer looks visibly agitated. She huffs in exasperation. >”D-Dave. Come on. N-n-nobody wants to see a f-f-fat cat in some gaudy swimsuit.” >You immediately swing around and hold her by her shoulders. >”I'll be having none of that. I have a special place for us to visit and I want my gorgeous, CURVY girlfriend to be a little more confident in herself.” >Star blushes wildly at your compliment on her figure. You give her a quick peck on the cheek before letting her go, ducking into the clothing section. >With the current season, you both have to dig through mountains upon mountains of clearance-priced clothes until you come across a pair of swim trunks that suit your fancy. >They're nothing special; you can't really go wrong with a solid color scheme. >You haven't seen your fluffy feline friend again since you both started looking at the discount racks… >”Hey Star, I think I found some trunks for me. How’s your search coming?” >You hear her muttering something from within the fitting room, so you decide to wait for her. >”....straps barely hang on….. fit……” >Star quickly pokes her head out, presumably to call for you. You seem to catch her by surprise when she sees you standing next to the door. >”D-D-Dave! Aahh!” >Stargazer panics and steps back, accidentally falling backwards onto her behind. The unlocked fitting room door swings open to show what she's currently trying on… >... >A dark purple bikini graces Star's figure. The eggplant-colored two-piece certainly doesn't leave a lot to the imagination: the top securely holds her large bust, but also allows wandering gazes to drift to her thick fluffy fur on her sternum. The bottom portion of the set is barely held in place by a cheaply-manufactured ring of sorts. >Just like her normal underwear, Star's paunch hangs a little bit over her bikini line. Oof. >Despite you looking away almost immediately, you know that image of her flat on her ass and legs spread will be forever ingrained into your subconscious. >Star looks horrified as her usual stammering immediately worsens. >”U-u-uhh… I-I… oh g-g-god…” >Still looking away, you step forward and offer your hand to the cat. She takes hold, shaking, and you help her up. Once on her feet, Star almost immediately lets go of your hand and shuts the fitting room door tightly, locking it this time. >You hear her taking deep breaths, steadying herself, then the swishing of her robes as she presumably changes back into her usual getup. >You back away from the fitting room and give her another few more minutes to collect herself. >Eventually, Star steps out of the fitting room, her hat pulled so far down you can barely see any of her head at all. >”...s-s-s… s-sorry, Dave…” >”For what? You didn't do anything wrong!” >”I-I just… you caught me off g-guard.” >”Yeah… I'm sorry for that.” >”N-no… I'm sorry. Y-you shouldn't have t-to see your f-f-fat girlfriend try to fit into something too small f-for her… “ >You stop dead in your tracks and look her in the eyes. >”Damn it, Star. Stop saying that. Please stop putting yourself down. I love you for who and what you are. You're absolutely beautiful, both inside and out.” >She looks away, but doesn't put away the swimsuit that she was wearing in the fitting room. Instead, she brings it to the check-out counter. >She whispers, barely audible. >”Th-thank you, Dave.” >You gently pat her shoulder as the two of you pay for your outfits and exit the store. >Star peeks into the shopping bag, her ears flushing red as a faint smile glimmers under her hat. >”S-so, why did we buy those, anyway? It's November!” >You give her a wink and continue walking down the street. >”Well… I thought we deserved a little relaxation time after our hectic first exams. I thought that a day at the Placid Knoll spa would be right up our alley!” >The telltale twitch of Star's tail and the jingle of her bells immediately lets you know that she's not opposed to the idea. >Good thing she doesn't have the stereotypical feline fear of water! >”A-a-a spa day?! Ooh, Dave y-you shouldn't have!” >With renewed vigor, Star grabs your hand and lets you lead her to the spa. >It's a good walk across town, but neither of you mind. You soon arrive at the spa, a surprisingly cozy-looking establishment. [https://youtu.be/4N7Y5ZXX33U] >You hold the door open for Star and follow her inside. As the two of you reach the counter, you hear a disembodied voice call out from somewhere. >”Why, hello there, my little pretties! You must be mister David: the nice young man that called me and reserved a spa room for two?” >You have no idea where the voice is coming from, but you just hope he or she doesn't get any ideas about peeking in on you change. >”Uh, y-yeah, that would be me.” >There's almost no pause between your answer and her reply. >”Splendid, splendid! The changing rooms are over to your left! They are separated by gender…. And please do not try anything saucy in the dressing rooms! I had to clean up spider webs the last time someone decided to…. Get hot and heavy before they even stepped into their sauna room.” >Spider w- >Oh….. OH….. >With that… image in mind, you step into the changing room. >You quickly change clothes and head to the private sauna room that has your names taped to the door. >D.T. & S.B. >Yup, that's y'all. >You step inside and quickly note that Star isn't here yet. But that doesn't mean that you can't start without her. >You quickly start a fire underneath the room’s rock bed and allow the rocks to heat up. After a few more minutes you pour a little water over the hot rocks. >Steam almost immediately fills the small room. You take a seat on one of the two small benches in the room. >Ahh… You're glad you caught Marris when you did. This is pretty darn relaxing. >The door to the sauna rattles, and Star tentatively pokes her head inside, immediately letting off a loud purr when the steam wafts across her face. >”Oooh~ You already got it started? Th-Thanks!” >She steps into the room, wrapped in a towel; she only drops it after you encourage her for a few minutes, giving you another look at that plum bathing suit. >”S-so I really do look good in this thing…?” >Your feline friend turns around in a little circle, showing off all sides of herself. >You swear, it should be illegal to be as stacked as Stargazer is. She wasn't lying about the bikini not being the best fit; the bottom portion tries desperately to stay together as it hugs her magnificent curves tightly. >Okay, David. Don't spill your spaghetti now. Help your girl relax with a nice massage. Kneading is a basic form of affection for felines, right? >You may have read somewhere on the internet that cats can also get sexually aroused with rear-end spankings….. >.... Focus! >”H-hey Star. How about you lay down on your bench and let me give you a massage? Its, uh, the least I can do as a sort of apology for earlier.” >Star blushes a little and smiles. >”Uh-huh. Just an apology, h-huh? No… ulterior m-motive…?” >Stay calm. Stay calm, dammit. >”Exactly.” >She smiles wider and bashfully lays down, incidentally presenting her rear as she does so. >”Th-thanks. I've been kinda tense since exam week… a massage d-does sound nice.” >You nod and lean forward, rubbing her shoulderblades deeply. Star almost immediately starts purring again, closing her eyes as her whiskers and tail twitch happily. >You push in pretty hard, making sure that any knots are worked out. After a few minutes you move to her back. Kneading and pushing, kneading and pushing. >Stargazer's purring increases in volume every minute or so. After a while, she's pretty much a blob of black, furry, purring putty in your hands. You swear you've never heard her purr this loud in your life! >She stops talking altogether, just occasionally looking back and smiling at you warmly. >You slowly move down her back and to her thighs. You don't want to be too forward here. Not yet. >She doesn't object to your movement, so you're at least not creeping her out or anything. >It’s amazing how SOFT she is… not just her fur, but the skin beneath it. Your hand practically sinks into her fluffiness with every knead. >Beyond that, the steam filling the room is also incredibly soothing, in a strange way. You've never really been to many spas; this is kinda nice… >Before long, you've made it past her thighs and out of the danger zone. No spaghetti spilled; crisis averted. Phew… >You grab her feetpaws and begin massaging the pawpads delicately. Star lets out a long sigh. >”I could get u-used to this. We should come…..back here…. Often…” >As you continue to rub her feet, you swear you hear a couple girls giggling. >Well damn; it sounds like you've got Peeping Toms. You listen and realize that the sound is coming from behind you. >”Pssst. Star. W-we, uh, might have some uninvited folks watching the show…” >She immediately sits up and turns to you, whispering urgently. >”W-we can't let that happen! ...I-I hear them too….” >Both of you creep over to the wall where the laughing is coming from. >As you search the wall, you see a tiny hole in the wall that shows the next room over. >You and Star peek through the crack in the wall; it's apparent that the two girls in the next room over are not at all interested in your own romantic escapades. >A very naked Professor Cordyllia and Nurse Clarissa are teasing each other with caresses and love-bites. >”My, my. It looks like I've caught this cute busty bee. Oh, whatever shall I do to her? Does this gorgeous girl need to be… punished?” >You and Star look at each other. You know your mouth is hanging open, but you're more concentrated on the show in the other room. You hear Star breathing heavily as the lewd acts continue. >Clarissa wraps her arms around Cordy's midsection as she continues to lay on her honey-coated words. >”I think I could just…. Eat… You…. Up.” >You see the spider's head dip down south and hear some definite moans of pleasure. You quickly tear yourself away from the wall and look at Stargazer. >It's pretty apparent that Star was really getting into it. Her hard nipples poke conspicuously at the strained fabric of her bikini top. >You decide to speak up. >”W-wow… That was something else, now wasn't it?” >Star doesn't answer at first, staring slackjawed into the other room. >”...h-huh? Oh, uh, y-y-yeah, it s-sure was…” >Star gets back onto her bench and lays down. >”H-h-how about we continue where we….L-left off…” >You swallow loudly and begin to start rubbing her feetpaws again when Star interrupts you. >”A little higher, please, David?” >You move up to her calf muscles and start rubbing. >”Higher, please.” >Thighs? >”J-just a little… H-higher?..” >Holy shit. Okay… You've got this. >You brace yourself and take a handful of each plush asscheek. >Star purrs loudly with anticipation… >Gulping nervously again, you gently begin kneading. Star’s purring reaches new heights of volume almost instantly. >Between that and the faint moaning from the next room, your face is beet red and you feel yourself blushing. >You try to stay stoic. >Just don't think about it, Dave. Just ignore the moans, the purring. The… >Amazingly soft… plush ass you're handling… >The sight of your beautiful girlfriend laying there in sheer relaxation… >You work your hands in smaller and smaller circles, edging towards the most sacred crevice of all. >You hear Star meowl lewdly as you lean over her from behind. >”S-S-Star. Are you, uh…. Uh, sure that you want this?” >With a blank stare you hear her feathery voice. >”I've never been so sure of anything in my life… treat me…. Like a goddess…. Please… like your goddess…” >With those last words of encouragement, you gently rub circles over her covered snatch. You can immediately tell that she's been worked up from the show in the next room over. The bikini bottom is pretty damp… >Deep breaths. Don't pass out and freak out your girlfriend, David…. You've got this…. >A deep rumble and sultry moan emit from Star as you continue to rub her off through the bikini bottoms. >Dear God, you hope she doesn't look down. She'll see you're hard as a rock, and you’d rather not die of embarrassment today. >After a few minutes you pick up the tempo, tightening the circles that you're rubbing, occasionally glancing over the magical button on the top of her womanhood. Never before has a button been so very alluring… >”D-Dave… This is great… B-but I want more… I l-love you so much… I n-need more!..” >To hell with it. Your kitty is gonna get what she wants. >She lets out a cute little “Eep!” as you pull her bottoms to the side and examine her up close for the first time. Her lips are swollen with arousal, and the fur all around her lower entrance is soaked. It's almost enough to tempt you to lean in and… >Stargazer lets out another moan of approval as you slide your tongue all the way across her, from one lower entrance to the other. >”Dear goodness, David… I've n-never felt so good in my life! Oh my heavens… P-please do that again..” >You wordlessly answer with another swipe of your tongue over her womanhood and her asshole. She shivers with excitement. Her womanhood is DRIPPING with arousal. >Y-you weren't sure a woman could even GET this worked up. >You notice that her reactions are particularly positive when you glance over her… back entrance. >Holy crap. You would have never thought Star would be really into butt stuff. >You continue to eat her out like it's your last dinner on Death Row. You listen to the music that is your girlfriend's moans. >”Oh, gosh, Davey. I'm close. Dear God!” >You feel her legs shoot ramrod straight and lock up as she climaxes. You refuse to let up on your oral onslaught. >”Jesus Christ, you're so beautiful, Star. I love you so, so much.” >You move upwards and kiss and nip at the back of her neck. Going for the gold medal, you take a little bit of her nape into your mouth and biting down softly. You end up laying on top of Stargazer, her purrs vibrating you to your very core. >After a few minutes of respite, you pull yourself off of her and lie down on the sauna room's floor. >The warm tile feels heavenly… eventually, you hear Stargazer shift herself off of the bench and lay next to you on the floor. >”That was… nice.” >It certainly was. It certainly… was. >You notice that the room next door is silent as well. Presumably the bugs have had their fun… You slowly creep over to the wall and take a peek…. >..... >”W-wow! I can't believe it, Cordy; Star and David… they really are together now!” >”Are you absolutely sure that it was them, Claire…?” >”Honey, I'd recognize that fluffy behind anywhere. Plus I saw David… going down…” >”My, my. I suppose your gift card idea worked after all. That's why I love you, darling, you always know exactly how to keep a relationship moving~” >Well, so much for keeping your relationship on the down low. You just hope that the two lovebugs don't tease the two of you too much when you see them on campus again… >Before you can step away from the hole in the wall, Clarissa presses the side of her face against it, her eye practically glinting as she stares at you. >”Hey, Star? David? If you cuties ever want a few private lessons, just come on over into our room. We can give you…. hands-on experience~” >”We normally visit this place every other Saturday, and don't think we didn't see you darlings peeking! Oh, but don't fret; there's no shame in being curious~” >Yup. You are NOT looking forward to your next class. Chapter 7: To be thankful >Over the next week, you continue with your studies and exams. >Surprisingly enough, Prof. Cordyllia makes it a point to not dig through your mind in class and take a peek at your intimate sauna moment. >As a matter of fact... she doesn't make any references or innuendos during your class periods with her. She's been remarkably professional, for once… >Nurse Clarissa has been the same way, the few times you've had to see her (mostly escorting Jasper there when she breaks something again…). >Maybe it's you. Or maybe everyone else is also just as ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving break. >Even the eternally-peppy Professor Candy is a bit more mellow than usual. ...a bit. >As you and Jasper mix the last ingredient into today’s assigned potion, the professor’s rapid-fire speech flares up at the head of the room. >”Oh, by the way, everyone! I'm going to be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner in the cafe tomorrow. You're all invited to join us, we're going to have plenty of food! But if you're all going to be with family instead, please don't feel obligated to show up!” >Huh. Sounds like that could be fun… maybe Star would enjoy it. >Jas grins broadly. >”Niiice. I've heard Candy’s a kickass cook. I'll be there, definitely. What about you, Dave-O? You and Star comin’?” >”I dunno, I'll have to ask her. Probably, though!” >”Sweet. I'm lookin’ forward to it, man.” >As Candy dismisses the lecture, you find a welcome face waiting for you right outside your classroom. >”H-hey Dave! How was class?” >Star grins warmly as she gives you a hug, purring quietly. >You note, with happiness, that she's sans hat today. You're so glad she's finally starting to come out of her shell; a face that beautiful deserves to be shown off, not hidden away. >”Did you h-hear? Professor Candy’s gonna be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner!” >”Ha, yeah, I was actually just gonna tell you that. Where'd you hear it?” >Star blushes a little and wordlessly points her wand at you. You feel a warmth in your head as her eyes fill your vision. >She drops the mindreading spell immediately with a proud look. >”I-I aced my final with Professor Cordyllia! S-so I tested it out on Professor C-Candy earlier.” >”I TOLD you that you'd ace it, Star! I'm so happy for you.” >The Bombay feline digs a footpaw into the floor. >”I-it really wasn't that difficult… Believe me.” >You give your girlfriend a quick kiss between her ears and she blushes wildly. >”Whether it was easy or not doesn't matter; all that matters is that you're THAT much closer to becoming a witch doctor.” >You grab Stargazer by the handpaw and lead her back to your shared apartment. A few students you've spoken to before compliment Star on her hatless appearance, much to her delight. >By the time you get home, her ears are as red as stoplights. Her purring is almost constant. >”Finally home! And now we officially begin our Thanksgiving break!” >The two of you share a simple meal together and a bottle of wine. >Star sighs happily, staring at you with those wonderful yellow eyes. >”...Dave, I-I hope you know how much I… I l-love you.” >You set your glass down and take hold of Star's free paw. >”Star, there is nobody else I'd like to share this moment with more, than you.” >Neither of you say another word as you both stare into each other's eyes. You both slowly lean in and share a chaste kiss. >As the night wears on, you continue to laugh and joke with your best friend. >It's still so hard to believe; you went from friends to best friends… and now to full on boyfriend and girlfriend. >And you wouldn't have it any other way. >As you and Star finish your meal, she again lets off a contented sigh. >”Ahhh~ That was pretty good, David! B-but don't fill yourself up t-too much. I'm pretty sure that, uh, there's d-dessert in the bedroom.” >Dessert in the bedroom…? Of all places? >..... Oh…. OH…. >Never have you ever ran to a bedroom any faster. >You quickly get changed into your bedclothes and hop into bed, waiting for “dessert.” >Star shyly peeks around the corner of the bedroom door, then slips inside, clad in her nighttime robes. >Before you know it, she's cuddled up right next to you, her paw clasped tightly in your hand. She purrs loudly as she rubs her cheeks against your face, her whiskers tickling your nose. >You wrap your arms around the soft, warm feline, and she returns the favor. >Star’s eyelids flutter as she yawns quietly. >”Mmf… g’night, D-Dave… love you…” >You kiss her on the cheeks repeatedly as she drifts off to sleep in your arms. >”Love you too, Stargazer. More than anything in the world.” >You close your eyes and let sleep envelope you like a dark blanket. >......................................... >Before you even realize it, the next morning has arrived. >As you let yourself wake up, you feel a nice soft wall next to you. >Wait a minute… >Star must have warmed up overnight, because her bedroom robe is kicked off and lays in a crumpled heap at the foot of the bed. >She's clad in tasteful purple undergarments, and still snoring quietly. >You position yourself as the big spoon and enjoy the morning with her in bed with you. >The sunlight shines in through the curtains, giving the room a faint blue glow. You vaguely wonder if it's foggy out again today… >...wait, wasn't there something you wanted to DO this afternoon? Some kinda… party or something…? >As you wrack your brain, the realization hits you like a brick: Professor Candy’s Thanksgiving dinner! >It’s a good thing that the planned dinner is still a few hours from now. You're still kinda hungry from your “missed dessert” from last night. >You feel Stargazer press her backside against you as you ponder whether to wake her up. >You feel a familiar rumbling… guess Star is about to awaken anyways. >”G-good morning, David! W-wait… W-what is that poking at my butt?.....” >”..... do you really wanna know?” >She giggles and smiles. >”I-I think I can guess~” >You blush and chuckle. >”Sorry.” >She scoots forward a little, then rolls over to face you, yawning. >”I-it’s okay! So, uh… are we g-gonna go to Miss Candy’s Thanksgiving party?” >”Of course!” >Star’s purring starts up again as she smiles excitedly. >”Great! I-I've been looking forward to it, heheh.” >You slide your hand up and down her back. >”Yea. I think it'll be a fun little get-together. But first…” >You grab a handful of fluffy ass. >”I need my breakfast in bed~” >Star blushes madly and dissolves into giggling, but slowly begins to slip her undergarments off, as do you… >...... >Eventually, the two of you finally leave the bedroom and start getting cleaned up. >”W-whew, Star… That was… nice.” >”Y-yeah… thanks, D-Dave. Love you~” >”Love you too.” >You share a chaste embrace, then rush to get ready. At this rate, you're just BARELY gonna make it to the dinner on time… >You both hop in the shower and quickly scrub each other of a certain noticeable musk. >Despite the temptation for more… lewd shenanigans... you pull your girlfriend out of the shower and quickly dry the both of you off. >You throw on some black jeans and a v-neck while Star tosses on a cute floral print dress. >With that, you rush outside. You turn to make sure Star’s keeping pace… and slam right into something. >You bounce off and land on your rear end pretty hard. A familiar voice gasps. >”Damn! Sorry, Dave-O.” >You blink a few times and look up, a bit taken aback by what you see. >Standing over you, in a surprisingly fancy suit, is Jasper, grinning sheepishly. Her usually unkempt hair is neatly groomed, and her stone skin looks to be polished up nicely. >The gargoyle helps you to your feet handily. >”Sorry bout that, man. You alright?” >”Yeah, I'm… I’m fine, thanks. What's with the getup?” >”Huh? Oh yeah, this. Well, uh… I just kinda figured I should, y'know, wear SOMETHING nice. And this was all I had in my closet that worked.” >Star smiles warmly at your mutual friend. >”You l-look great, Jas!” >A faint red glow creeps to her stony cheeks. >”Aww, thanks, Star! I haven't worn this bad boy in a while… I'm just glad it still fit.” >The three of you chat idly as you continue to the PKU campus cafe. Jasper momentarily tops talking when you pass by the blacksmith’s shop, blushing quietly as the towering sabertooth steps out and begins making her way down the street. >Star winks and elbows your stony companion with a giggle. Jas mutters a half-hearted defense of herself, but otherwise doesn't react to Star’s ribbing. >The moment Miss Razel is out of sight, Jasper returns to her usual self. >As you make your way onto the university campus, you see another… err, “acquaintance” at the university entrance. >”Hello, Mi-Constable Maple!” >The syrupy mouse greets you all with a wave of the hand. You notice that she gives Star more than a few lingering gazes at her chest and backside. Your feline companion either doesn't care or refuses to show interest. >You hear the beat cop mutter under her breath. >”(J-jeez. She's packing some serious heat. I may need to stop-and-frisk her.)” >Jasper hears her too. The gargoyle frowns down at the diminutive officer. >”Excuse me? You're not talking about my friend there, are you, ‘officer?’” >Maple has the sense to look a little sheepish. >”H-huh? I don't know what you're talking about, sir- MA’AM! You must've m-misunderstood, hahah…” >Without hesitation, the mouse turns and sprints off into the cafe. Jas chuckles and shakes her head. >”Some people, amirite?” >You laugh and nod, as does Star. >”Some folks just can't take a hint, I guess.” >The Tipsy Vixen Cafe appears to be mostly empty as you walk in, Star in tow. You take your hand out of her grip and sling it around her shoulders, bringing her in close. She lets out a cute little “Eep!” as you give her some scritches and kiss her cheek. >It looks like Cordyllia and Clarissa made it to the party as well. The bee is actually remarkably conservative in dress for once, without so much as an inch of cleavage on display. Clarissa’s hair, usually in a tight bun, is untied, flowing down her shoulders elegantly. The two bugs quietly hold hands as they chat happily. >A goat Hallow sits a few spaces away from the two professors. It appears that her long “hair” is made of paper talismans, and a few hang in front of her face, masking some of her features, eyes included. Her salt-and-pepper fur is striking next to her dark green suit. She nods in acknowledgment of you and Star, adjusting the glasses balanced at the end of her snout afterwards. >Roaming around the room, Professor Candy greets everyone as they arrive, a beaming grin on her face. Her usually somewhat skimpy wool seems to have grown a lot since yesterday, now resembling a pink dress rather than a Playboy Bunny suit. Her red eyes fall on you, Jas, and Star, and she waves excitedly. >A loud guffaw echoes from one end of the massive table as a human man and a red fox Hallow in a white labcoat double over in laughter. Marris, clad in a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a black T-shirt, looks proud of herself as the couple laugh. You suppose she's just being Marris, as usual. >Next to the interspecies couple, the hulking, blind blacksmith sits, her usually tattered ensemble a bit more cleaned up than normal. A colossal, rusty, dull knife is propped against the wall behind her. >An extraordinarily tall, completely nude cat Hallow sits beside the sabertooth, her tongue partially sticking out of her mouth. A long, thin black tentacle idly waves from the space where one of this woman's eyes should be. Her intact eye, green and somewhat glassy, seems to stare right through you. >You scan the rest of the room, seeing if anyone you recognize from class is here… but you don't see any other familiar faces barring Maple. >The rest of the attendees are just people you've seen in passing around the college. A white-furred Kitsune woman… a lithe, muscular hellhound… and of course a few assorted human students. >It’s frankly amazing how many people have shown up for this dinner. >Star shakes slightly, a nervous look spreading across her face. She looks up at you, then smiles and squeezes your hand. >Her nerves calm down almost immediately. >You make sure to sit where Jasper and yourself are on either side of her. >As everyone settles down into their chosen seats, Professor Candy speaks up in her usual sugar-fueled, motormouthing way: >”I'm so glad that all of you made it to my home-cooked Thanksgiving meal. Today we've got fried turkey, green bean casserole, a whole honey ham, macaroni and cheese, and gelatin! And before we eat, I would like for us to each say one thing that we're thankful for this holiday.” >You half-expect a collective groan, much like the one your family gave out when your grandmother proposed the same exercise every year. However, that doesn't happen. Instead, everyone present happily complies with Candy’s request, much to her apparent delight. >Cordyllia stands up first, clearing her throat. >”I'm thankful for my career, which has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful young mages and share with them what I have learned over the years. But, moreso than that… I am thankful for my darling Clarissa, whom I love more than anything in the world.” >There’s a collective AWWW as the spider stands, blushing furiously. >”U-uhh, well… I’m thankful f-for… for my wonderful girlfriend Clarissa… w-who I want to ask something very important…” >With some difficulty, the nurse kneels down, producing a small ring from her shirt pocket. Cordyllia immediately bursts into tears. >”I… Cordy, will you-” >”Of course I will, Claire! O-of course I will.” >The room is filled with cheers and applause as the couple share a warm, loving embrace. Professor Candy’s eyes glimmer with tears of happiness as she motions for someone to keep the chain going. >The goat woman stands up, smiling gently. >”I'm thankful for my coworkers… my job… everything. Working at Placid Knoll University is such an honor, and I'm so very grateful for the opportunity to teach what I know to the students here.” >The moment she sits down, the fox woman stands up, pulling her human companion up with her. >”I’m thankful for this man right here!” >He chuckles, embarrassed, and mumbles something under his breath. The fox snickers, red-and-yellow eyes glinting happily. >Marris stands next, gnawing on her arm bone again. >”I’m sankful fer my sensh’a humor.” >Candy motions towards Miss Razel, and the lanky cat next to her taps the sabertooth’s shoulder. She grunts and stands up, ears twitching. >”....err… ...thankful for… m-my friends…” >She sits back down as fast as possible. Next up is the one-eyed cat next to her. >”I’m just thankful for Placid Knoll, best town in the Otherworld, keheh! And all my friends, of course!” >Maple stands up, looking uncharacteristically shy. >”...well, uh… I'm thankful that my job lets me protect the town and people I love.” >After her, the folks you don't know all stand and give their answers. It eventually comes down to you, Jas, and Star. >The gargoyle stands first, smoothing her outfit down a little. >”Uhhh… damn, Candy, you gave me a hard one, heh. I have a lot to be thankful for. My pals, my family… I'm grateful for all of it.” >Once she sits down, Stargazer takes a deep breath and rises to her feet. >”I, uh…. Just wanted to say that I'm thankful…. For my best friend and boyfriend, Dave.” >She looks down at you, straight in the eyes and continues. >”B-before David, I was a nervous wreck… H-haha. I had no confidence in myself. But now….. N-now I feel safe, loved, and most importantly: happy. Happy with myself, and I'm truly happy with who I am and who I plan on being in the future.” >Star raises her glass in the air. >”This Thanksgiving, I'm most thankful for my Davey. I, uh, love you David…” >She slowly sits back down and leans into your shoulder. Professor Candy speaks up again. >”Wow, Miss Stargazer! That was beautiful! And may I say, you and Mister David make an absolutely adorable couple! Now, how about we dig in before our food gets cold?” >As you all dig into your plates of food, you can't help but look over. Star is positively beaming, despite the pink shade on the insides of her ears. You grab her free hand with your own under the table and give her a reassuring squeeze. >It doesn't matter what happens moving forward, or how crazy things might seem; you're determined that and Star are gonna get through this life. >Together.