Deep in the heart of Jade Creek lies a large lake, at the bottom of which rests the corroding wreckage of Thermal Base, a fortification built by Lord Arktivus Brevon during the Brevon Crisis. However, the young couple exploring that wreckage are not concerned about the events of that time over a year previous, nor are they concerned about the events of the Gotoshi Naisen, which ended a mere six weeks ago. Instead, their focus is on the here and now.
"Hey, Dan?" the hedgehog asks over the scuba radio. "I think I've found something of interest."
"Hold on, I'll be there in a minute," Danny Brock replies.
The peach‑furred hedgehog waits patiently for the ochre badger to join her, her pink‑tipped purple spines gently swaying in the eddy currents. "What took you so long?" she teases when her boyfriend finally appears.
"Come on Sal, you know I'm not as experienced a diver as you," Danny reminds.
"I've a lot to teach you, it seems," Sally Flynn teases. "Look at this," she continues, pointing to a small box that would be inconspicuous if it didn't have a flashing light on it.
"Submerged for over a year, and it's still functional?" Danny asks, surprised.
"It's easy to extract," Sally informs. "If I had to guess, it's some form of data logger."
"It could be a bomb," Danny theorises.
"How many bombs do you know of that shine a beacon?" Sally asks cheekily. "Plus, it has 'Data Logger' written on the side."
"You can read that language?" Danny asks in surprise.
"Thanks to the info from Pangu," Sally explains. "It became mandatory for all royal researchers to learn it as the stuff came in from the Dreadnought crash site."
"Fair enough," Danny accepts. "Let's take it to the surface."
A few hours later, with the afternoon slowly turning into evening, Danny and Sally are in their lakeside home, and have just finished combing through the contents of the data logger.
"Well, that was a total waste of time," Sally sighs, shutting down the device. "Nothing but worthless crap."
"At least now we know Brevon took the security of his lavatorial facilities seriously," Danny quips.
Sally can't help but chuckle at Danny's assessment. "By the Ancients Dan, that was terrible," she smiles.
"Thanks," Danny accepts. "Well, that's today's work done. What do you want to do now?"
"When did you say Maria's due back?" Sally asks.
"Not till sundown, she said," Danny reminds.
"Excellent." Sally throws herself at Danny, pinning him down on the sofa, and gives him a long, passionate kiss. "Any objections?"
"None whatsoever," Danny smiles lovingly, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend as they embrace.
"Whatcha doing?" a cute and cheery voice asks.
With the romantic mood broken, Sally flops on Danny with a weary sigh. "So much for having an hour or two to ourselves…"
"Maria, in the name of… I thought you weren't back till sundown?" Danny asks the olive lynx peering over the back of the sofa, his tone coloured with exasperation.
"I got all my chores done early, so I came home to hang with you guys!" Maria Shanmao informs. "Isn't that great?"
"Every night for the last two weeks," Sally whispers in Danny's ear. "I thought you were going to talk to her about this?"
"About what?" Maria asks.
"About giving us some privacy occasionally," Danny explains.
"You don't want me around anymore?" Maria asks, her expression a mix of cuteness and sadness.
"I didn't say that," Danny corrects. "Look, it's just… How about you go visit Hanna and Rob? I'm sure they'll be glad to see you."
"Well, Meanie and Fluff‑tail are always happy to see me," Maria thinks aloud. "And while it's further to go than if I went back to HQ, it would be less boring, and given I can't really go to Shang Tu because we're meant to be dead, and Shang Mu's too far away‑"
"Are you going or not?" Sally snaps.
"Fine!" Maria huffs. "If you're gonna be mean to me, I'll go!"
Maria storms indignantly out of the house, slamming the door shut on the way.
"That was uncalled for," Danny chides Sally.
"I know," Sally replies. "I'll make it up to her tomorrow."
"Anyway, now we have the house to ourselves, where were we?" Danny asks, trying to recapture the moment.
"Sorry handsome, but I'm not really feeling it anymore," Sally sighs.
"Shame," Danny reluctantly accepts. "So, what do you want to do instead?"
"I'll let you know when I think of something," Sally answers, settling down to simply cuddle.
Later that evening, on the balcony of their two‑storey part‑wood part‑stone house built into the base of a cliff in Rage Ravine, a fiery orange vixen and her silver hare husband lay together on the bare decking in each other's arms.
"Do you remember the first time we found this place?" the vixen asks.
"How could I forget?" the hare smiles contentedly. "That was the first time we went all the way."
"And yet, since we moved in, we've never revisited that moment. Until tonight."
The vixen gives her husband a long, passionate kiss, rolling to top of him as she does so. When the kiss breaks, the vixen pushes herself into a kneeling position, unties her halterneck, and allows the garment to fall to the decking.
"Now I know why you didn't want to use the deck chairs," the hare smirks, pulling himself up to his wife, allowing her to help him remove his vest as they kiss. With his vest removed and discarded, the hare reaches for the clasp of his wife's bra‑
"Ew, icky!" a cute and cheery voice interrupts.
Hanna stifles a curse as the romantic mood shatters. "In the name of the Ancients Maria, what are you doing here?" she demands, turning to glare at the interrupting lynx perched on the balcony rail.
"Blondie and Miss Spiky kicked me out," Maria pouts.
"Were you interrupting them when they were getting intimate?" Hanna asks. "Like you've just done to us?"
"Well… kinda," Maria admits. "But they had all day together already."
"We'll pick this up another time," Rob quietly assures Hanna, retrieving his vest and her halterneck crop‑top.
"OK," Hanna agrees as she refits her top. "You, downstairs, now," she commands Maria as she stalks into the bedroom.
"Is Hanna angry with me?" Maria asks Rob.
"We both are," Rob answers, his calm tone doing little to disguise his frustration. "You'd better get down there."
Silently, Maria drops down from the balcony, then enters the den to find Hanna standing in the centre, her arms crossed, her foot tapping, and wearing an expression of determined thunder.
"Chair," Hanna demands.
"Can I‑" Maria begins.
"No," Hanna refuses.
"But‑"
"Sit!"
Unwilling to meet Hanna's piercing stare, Maria silently shuffles to the chair and sits.
"Five times in the past two weeks," Hanna begins. "Five times Danny and Sally have kicked you out, and five times you've come here and interrupted us. It. Must. Stop."
"I agree," Rob adds, joining the vixen and feline in the den. "It's not as big an issue for us, as we live alone here and therefore enjoy a lot more time to ourselves, but it's gotten to the point where we're starting to worry about being interrupted."
"We know we've said so many times that you're always welcome here," Hanna continues. "But part of that was the implicit assumption you fucking call us first!"
"Easy, Hanna," Rob cautions.
"No: it's about time she heard this!" Hanna retorts defiantly. "Maria, you're eighteen years old: grow up!"
"Does this… Does this mean you don't like me anymore?" Maria sniffs, her eyes watering.
"For Ancients' sake, Maria!" Hanna snaps. "Obviously, we still like you! But right now, you're pissing me off no end!"
"Hanna, please, calm down," Rob pleads. "This isn't doing either of you any good."
"No, she's right," Maria admits. "I'm eighteen, yet I act like I'm eight. I do need to grow up. It's just… It's just… You two… you have each other, and Danny and Sally… they… they have each other, and Xander… Xander's got Chika, and… and…"
"Crap," Hanna sighs, realising what's about to happen.
"I'm so lonely!" Maria wails, her tears flowing freely as she curls into a ball in the chair.
"I told you to calm down," Rob quietly reminds Hanna.
"I should've listened," Hanna admits.
"I'll make drinks," Rob volunteers, disappearing to the kitchen before Hanna can argue.
But Hanna's not interested in arguing anyway. "Maria, I'm sorry I upset you," she apologises, her anger completely forgotten. "I should have guessed that living with one couple while also being friends with two more would be difficult."
Maria peeks out from her ball. "You're… You're not mad at me?" she sniffs quietly.
"Oh, I'm still mad at you," Hanna corrects. "But I shouldn't have lost my temper with you."
"No, you shouldn't have," Maria agrees as she stops crying.
"Come here," Hanna requests, beckoning Maria to the sofa as she sits.
Though initially reluctant, Maria eventually moves to the sofa and sits next to Hanna. "I'm sorry I interrupted you," she apologises.
"I know," Hanna assures, wrapping her luxurious tail around her best friend. "You should stay the night," she suggests.
"Really?" Maria asks, a little surprised.
"Yeah," Hanna confirms. "On one condition: this is the last time this happens. Starting tomorrow, you give Danny and Sally the space they need to be a couple. And if you want to come here, call us first. If we're not available, you find another way to keep yourself occupied. That sound like something you can do?"
"Yeah," Maria agrees.
"Good," Hanna sighs with relief. "Now that that's sorted out, let's salvage what we can of this evening."
"Can we watch cartoons?" Maria asks, her cheeriness returning.
"Not if it's the one about those insipid ponies," Hanna answers.
"I bet you'd like that show if you gave it a chance," Maria replies.
"I seriously doubt it," Hanna affirms.
"Your loss," Maria shrugs. "What about that new one from the Gotoshi, with those little animals that people collect and train?"
"I've not seen that one," Hanna reveals. "I suppose we could watch an episode or two."
"Yay!" Maria chimes, grabbing the remote and looking for the right channel.
"So, we're all friends again?" Rob inquires, returning to the den with drinks.
"Yeah," Hanna assures. "I've said Maria can stay the night, provided she gives Danny and Sally some space, and calls us in advance if she wants to visit."
"And what do I get in return?" Rob asks cheekily.
"I'll think of something," Hanna assures.