As Hailey and Elaine returned to the party, the tone of the party had changed. People had been partying since midday and it was late into the evening now. And with the addition of the alcohol everyone had been drinking, people were starting to get tired.
There were exceptions of course such as Apollo and Valerica who seemed to be having a nice and genuine slow dance and others who can handle their drinks better than the rest. But for the most part, the party was dying down and guests would soon be leaving.
Elaine also noticed a look of dejection on Hailey's face as she looked towards Apollo. "What has you so glum now Hailey?" Elaine asked, not meaning for her words to sound as jagged as they were.
Hailey gave Elaine a side glance before she sighed. "I just don't know when I am going to see him again. Tonight is the happiest I have been in a long time, and that is with all the shit I trudged up in the labyrinth. Gosh, these next four and a half months cannot go by faster."
Hailey then fully looked at Elaine and showed a soft smile. "Thank you for being my emotional punching bag tonight. I feel so much lighter having gotten it all out of my system. You are a good person Elaine. See you in the morning." Hailey said before walking into the hall alone, so she would not raise suspicions.
Elaine smiled warmly as she watched Hailey re enter the party and as expected, walked straight over to where that man, Apollo, was. A sudden thought came into Elaine's head at that point, and she smiled playfully as she thought. 'You have done me a favour sharing truths with me tonight Hailey. How about I make sure you have one more day with your crush?'
She then giggled to herself as she was still a little drunk and proceeded to walk back into hall where upon she was immediately surrounded by her handmaids who began inquiring as to her where she went.
A few hours later, Guests had began leaving, being ushered back into the large luxury ships they came in to sleep of the drinks, or heading back home in their respective auto-pilot vehicles if they lived on the planet.
"Thank you for coming! You have all made my night a memorable one." Elaine said as she said goodbye to everyone that was leaving one by one. There was still a few stragglers, but in her case, the stragglers were a good thing.
As I sat by the bar, I said to my friends and companions. "Ok, I will admit. I reaaaly drink. It is so flavourful. They should make a non alcoholic version as well, people need to try this" After saying my peace and Kathrine rubbing my back as she smiled tenderly, I looked at the barman and indicated to pour another. In response, he looked at me absolutely mortified as he had been serving me all night.
I picked up on his face and although I was not offended, I felt the need to ask. "Is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" My tone was not threatening in any way as I was truly just curious, but the phenomenon the man had bore witness had caused him to stumble over every letter that escaped his mouth.
Eventually, he looked behind me and suddenly went quiet as he lowered his head and placed his hand over his heart. It was then I suddenly felt two hydraulic presses squeeze into my shoulders.
"It is because young man, You have drank enough of that beverage to kill everyone that was in this room twenty times over ,bar myself and Jocasta, and still seem fully coherent you fucking manimal! HAhahahaha!"
Turning around, I smiled as I replied. "Oh, good to see you again. Did you end up enjoying the party in the end?" The gentleman smiled as he replied. "After our first shared drink, I opened up a little bit, decided to take the edge of with Jocasta's insistence. It was a pleasant change of pace to turn my brain off for once, but duty calls."
The man then turned to the Tall redhead to my right and smiled. "Valerica Hyllus, a shame we did not get a chance to speak properly. You know if you grow bored as a guardian, you can always come work for me. The military would be grateful for your presence."
Valerica smiled and did a small head bow. "I am grateful for your offer sir, but I am happy with my current standing. I get to train more now instead of shitty drills with no purpose to them other than keeping the rank and file busy. Oh no offence."
The man smiled at Valerica before looking back at me and once more back at Valerica. "Very well. However, do me one favour? Tomorrow morning, Inform this young warrior of who I actually am yes? I am sure you will all get a kick out of his reaction. Come Jocasta."
The man said as he turned around and began walking away. Jocasta lingered a moment as she looked at each and every one of us. "It has been a pleasure. Till we meet again." I smiled at the cyborg woman and my science brain began to think, causing my words to lose their filter.
"It was nice meeting you as well Jocasta. I would love to see underneath your robe the next time we meet. I would very much enjoy examining your body and learning all its intricacies." I may be a genetic scientist, but I would wager learning how a woman such as her has adapted to all those metal augmentations might help me with my own genetic strengthening.
Everyone present looked at me in shock as I began to stare at Jocasta blankly, as my mind began racing with possible experiments.
"[Binaric squawk]" Jocasta proclaimed as the flesh she still had on her cheeks turned pink. She then looked at the three women who all showed signs of disbelief at the man while also all showing different levels of sexual arousal towards him.
'He is a prime specimen after all. It does make sense.' She thought in the millisecond after the involuntary squawk on her part. "Very well Apollo. It seemed my deception of having no reproductive organs earlier did not dissuade you. I would be suggestable to a bisensuous collaboration between the two of us. Your body is an enigma to me after all and I am more than intrigued to learn of your intricacies as well."
She looked for any distaste towards her suggestion and found none so she continued. "You have also shown a desirable trait of not having a distaste towards my body despite it being mostly inorganic at this point, which has peaked my arousal. If you are ever on the world of Vallerand , come find me at my at my repository and we will begin our experimentations right away."
She then used one of her metallic tentacles to stroke my chin as she clunked away. I furrowed my brows at the interaction and turned to my companions. "Ok, I am not always the best at picking up emotional cues in humans, but did that invitation to collaborate on an experiment seem sexually charged to you gals?"
The three women gave me a deadpan expression at my question. Even the bartender that was stumbling for words a moment ago muttered. "Seriously dude?" Kathrine felt the urge to scold me, being the most knowledgeable of my tendencies, but suddenly, a lewd suggestion came to her mind and she thought to capitalise.
"Oh It was nothing Apollo, you have had a lot to drink after all. Come, lets get you back to mummies. There we can get you nice and relaxed and perhaps find a way to release some of those naughty thoughts you are having."
I could tell Kathrine was plotting something, meaning I had definitely missed something in my previous conversation with Jocasta. 'Shit, did I accidentally say something misleading again? Maybe I should do some micro bonking with the stick when I get home to stop my outbursts?'
Shaking that thought to the side for now. I looked away as I spanked Kathrine hard on the ass, causing her to jump off her chair. "Don't try to act like you were not just gunning for your reward." I said causing Valerica to raise her eyebrow and Hailey to furrow hers.
"Though a promise is a promise. Are we ready to leave? Oh Hailey. Do you have somewhere to stay? I am sure your auntie would not mind you coming back with us?" Hailey opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She could not tell Apollo that she was spending the night here. It would lead to suspicion about her standing. Fortunately she was saved from answering when a woman walked in front of them.
"Oh Lady Hyllus' and friends. Were you planning on leaving? I must say, your little groups festivities moved me this night. You all truly embodied what I wanted out of my guests this night. I would love for you all to spend the night in our guest rooms so we may speak and revel about tonight over breakfast what say you all?" Elaine pitched, making sure not to make eye contact with Hailey the entire time.
Valerica seemed to pick up on Elaine's motive, while I was once again slightly freaked out by the way the queen was staring at me. 'Seriously what is that? It is not as intense at Willows thing, but something is off with this woman.'
Being the matriarch of her Family, Valerica naturally had final say over her two children on where they should spend the night. So she replied.
"Of course your grace. We would be delighted to spend the morning with you, please feel free to join us all for a night cap once we have been escorted to our lodgings."