Hey guys. First off, sorry I'm so late on this. Had work this weekend, and was out since Friday. Second, I unintentionally dropped a bait-and-switch about Kyu. I'll make it up to you guys. Promise.
Lunalove25: I hope I don't disappoint!
TopPriority: There's fun to be had with V, don't worry.
CrazyNuiHarimeFan86: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lead you on! But Kyu ain't out of the story, not by a longshot.
"Audrey, with all due respect, I like my hair just the way it is." Tala couldn't even remember a time before she stuck with keeping it natural and wearing it all back. The flashiest part about it were the bangs she kept draped over her shoulders. In her opinion, anything else just didn't look good on her.
But little redhead would have none of it. Whirling on the amazon, she went into rant mode. "Hey! I'm putting in the work and getting B's in my fucking classes! All for you! You're gonna start doin' shit for me too, you got that?!" And with that, she turned tail and made her way to the hair salon that the amazon was so reluctant to even go near, not even waiting for the giant woman to follow.
While Tala followed behind her possessive little princess, a thought occurred to her. 'Wait, isn't Kyanna a hairdresser?'
The thought was confirmed when Tala stepped into the salon, now an explosive battlefield. "Whaddya mean you're fucking booked up?"
"What can I say?" A jolly, Latina voice shrugged. "When you're as good as I am with hair, women are lining up to see me."
"Don't give me that bull crap - you're just sitting reading your stupid magazine!"
"Appointment in five minutes, hon. Like I said, you'll have to come back - oh hey, Tala! Dude, how's my gym buddy doing?"
"Hope I'm not interrupting," Tala smiled as she marched in, accepting Kyanna's firm high-five. The gym rat had always had a bit of a 'bro' streak in her. "I actually came here to see if there was time for a drop-in. Didn't know you worked here."
"What can I say, it pays the bills." Kyanna sauntered over to the cashier's desk to flip through the schedule book. Audrey was already just an afterthought to be left dumbfounded at Kyanna's station. "Sorry you had to see that argument," Kyanna whispered. "She's a regular but I can only handle so much of that snippy little bitch at a time. I am clear for the next hour, so what'll it be? A trim, colouring, or something completely different?"
Tala inhaled awkwardly through her teeth. "That's the thing, I'm not sure. You'll um, have to check with my stylist..."
Kyanna followed Tala's thumb jerk to the ruby red princess glaring at the two of them. The Latina's eyes dropped like dinner plates. "Her? Wait, why would you - How do you - Stop just a second; how do you know Audrey?"
Tala clutches the bridge of her nose, holding an awkward laugh. "Well, you see... we're kind of uh... in a relationship."
"Kind of?!" That earned the giant woman a hard punch to the shoulder, which actually made her rub the impact area.
Tala responded by pulling the violent little chihuahua to her side while the smaller redhead just crossed her arms and kept her glare. "Friends with benefits," the giant woman explained.
"I bet…"Tala was an entire foot taller, and roughly three times Audrey's size. Lust looking at them side by side was food for a lot of lewd thought. But her friend and her enemy's sex life aside, Kyanna gave Audrey a good once-over and noted that Tala definitely appeared to have a positive effect on the girl. For one, she wasn't wearing one of her obnoxiously frilly dresses, instead a pair of jeans with a sweater jacket. And the pungent smell of smoke didn't permeate the salon!
Audrey shot her brows, throwing out her hands. "Well? We got a fuckin' appointment or what?"
Kyanna frowned, but looked back to Tala again with a smile. "You have got to tell me how you two got together."
Tala nervously laughed as she took a seat at Kyanna' station. "It's a long story," she exhaled.
"And none of her goddamn business," Audrey added, planting herself at the side of the chair to supervise. Catching the glare from her lover, she added, "although I wouldn't say no to hearing all about how I blew your world with my fabulousness."
"Here we go," Kyanna sighed.
Tala gave the basic details while Kyanna snipped and Audrey sniped comments about how to fix the amazon's hair. Soon Kyanna had a mental map of Tala's teaching gig at Glenberry University, her adversarial relationship with her redheaded student and the continual pushing and testing of boundaries that had infuriated the two until they found each other irresistible.
Audrey had her own comments on Tala's history lesson - "Um, n'uh-uh, you were totally desperate to get with me!" - but the delicate nature of Kyanna's work meant that she had to tone down her voice and physicality. Secretly, she was nursing a nervous pit in her stomach.
'She'll like it, right?'
"Aaand that's a wrap," Kyanna declared, pumping down the barber's chair to give Tala a proper look in the mirror. "Whaddaya think?"
Tala sat up, turning her seat in the direction of the mirror to inspect her friend's handiwork. No longer fully swept back, parted down the middle, yet she still had the same volume that gave her hair its profile. But what she really liked was how her bangs were parted and draped on either side of her cheeks. "I love it!"
Kyanna immediately brightened up with a cheek-to-cheek smile. "Dude, you have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that!" Setting the scissors down, the fitness chick took a step back to let the giant woman out of her seat, running a hand through her own hair.
"It fits me just as well. You certainly have a knack for this." Tala just couldn't take her eyes off of herself now. "See what happens when you two work together?"
Audrey, who was standing next to the amazon, rolled her eyes at that notion. "Pfft! As if! I'd rather hang myself first!" Tala could faintly hear Kyanna mutter under her breath something along the lines of 'without someone like her, you would'.
"Worth a shot..." the larger redhead reasoned to herself before finally tearing her eyes away from the mirror and looking to Audrey. "You like?"
The redhead made a show of humming and stroking her chin. "It's a start," she declared. Her fingers immediately poked at Tala's stomach. "It'd look a helluva lot better if you ditched the tank tops and army boots, stopped dressing so butch."
Kyanna squee-ed in agreement. "I know! This girl's got killer legs; wouldn't she look just stunning in a dress?"
"Good enough that I could maybe show her off around town and not be completely embarrassed."
Tala tried to share in their delusion, conjuring a mental image of herself in a billowing, white sundress and a wide-brimmed summer hat, a pure and innocent maiden giggling in a field of wildflowers. She quickly crumpled up that daydream and burned it with fire. "I don't know you two..." but Kyanna and Audrey's wavelength was resonating.
"There's a sale on at La Chic Boutique."
"Ooh, I've totally got an employee discount there!"
"Fuck, seriously? C'mon Tal, we're getting you cleaned up!" Two hard yanks from the Latina and the French girl sent her stumbling out into the mall.
XXXXX
Audrey's knuckles rapped on the changing room door. "So? Let's have a look already!" Inside, Tala groaned to herself. She'd given Audrey a lot of rope today, but letting the red-headed prima donna choose her clothes was probably a step too far.
"Audrey, these really aren't my style."
Kyanna gave a boo from outside. "Aww, c'mon! Show us, Tal! We want a runway show! C'mon! Fa-shion show! Fa-shion show!"
"Yeah, stop being a whus!"
Had they put aside their mutual grudge just to humiliate her? "All right, all right," Tala grumbled. She flipped the lock, opened the door and stepped outside.
Audrey studied her handiwork from toe to head: black, high-heeled sandals that made the Irishwoman stand tip-toe, a tight leather skirt clinging to her toned butt, and higher up, a tube top that looked suspiciously like a corset. With a cherry-red leather jacket, striped thigh-high stockings and fishnet gloves, Tala looked ready to take the stage in the loudest of punk rock bands. Kyanna licked her lips, but Audrey nodded proudly. "Much better," she declared. "Just needs one more thing..."
Motioning for the giantess to bend down, Audrey snapped a strap of black, studded leather around Tala's neck. "Every good dog needs a collar, don't they?"
"I am not shopping with you again anytime soon." Tala murmured. Trying to move her stalwart frame around resulted in stiff arm and leg movements. "This damn skirt is killing me!"
A heavily imaginative and blushing Audrey kept her cool and continued her inspection, circling the larger woman and landing a skin-marking slap on the giant woman's leather-hugged rear, making the larger redhead cry out and clutch her backside. Tala reached for the prissy little pooch, but Audrey, well-trained in the use of high-heels, smirked and sidestepped, and Tala, who definitely wasn't staggered forward, only lucky enough to catch herself against the wall.
Kyanna, who was watching the spectacle unfold, clutched her sides as she bawled in laughter until she struggled for air. "Ahahahaha!... You... oh my god!"
Audrey just looked so pleased with herself
Only when the sun went down did Tala, Audrey and Kyanna emerge from the mall, loaded down with a caravan worth of shopping bags. Of course, Tala, beefy arms abound, had to carry all of the bags. But while she lagged behind, Kyanna and Audrey were busy walking side by side, talking up a storm.
Tala figured that so long as they were talking about her and not each other, that they could stay friends. Maybe she'd talk to Kyanna first and then Audrey about befriending each other. Either way, she enjoyed seeing the good she brought. She almost couldn't believe that this morning they'd been ready to gouge out each other's eyes.
"Hey, Meat-for-brains! Kyanna says she knows this kick-ass smoothie bar downtown. You gonna treat us or what?"
"Coming," Tala chuckled, eager to provide the glue that cemented Audrey and Kyanna's cheerful camaraderie.
XXXXX
After a long night of juice bars, celebrity gossip and carrying shopping packages for the diva and Latina, Tala declared the following morning a day of rest.
She didn't screw Audrey senseless like she had planned but instead considered keeping the collar with her usual outfits. But of course, Nikki gave it a thumbs down. Nonetheless though, she had a great time with Audrey and Kyanna. She liked helping others. That was all there was to it.
But on the thought of Nikki, and by extension Aiko, her smile faded. It had only been a couple of days, but to the amazon, it felt like ages since she's enjoyed time with them. Especially Aiko. She had important plans involving a certain half-wraith up until the afternoon, so she'd have to get back to her two lovers in the evening. Retrieving her Huniebee from the desk next to her laptop, she shot Aiko a text.
=Hey Sexy. You, me, this evening. Whatever you like.=
=Fuckin A! I'll swing by at 9. Be ready to have fun!=
Tala hadn't expected an immediate reply, but she was nonetheless pleased.
=I will. Take care.=
With that taken care of, next on her list was Nikki.
=Hey Nik, you there?=
Tala very well knew that Nikki, if she wasn't on her shift at the cafe, would be near near her laptop or phone.
=morning, Tala=
=Are you busy tomorrow? I wanted us to spend time together. Just me and you.=
=Really?=
=Mmhm. Today, I gotta bury the hatchet with Amelie and I got some alone time with Aiko this evening. Audrey is at school, Momo is asleep and so I'm on my way to make things right with Amelie this morning.=
=Now I can't wait for tomorrow!=
=Be patient, Baby Blue. Take care. I love you. ;3=
=:)=
With that that taken care of, Tala put on her brave face and contacted Amelie.
=Hey Amelie? It's Tala. I want to meet up this morning so I can apologize to you in person. If you accept, I'll be at the mall at 10 this morning. If you don't want to see or talk to me, I understand. You have every right to tell me to go to hell. But if you do want to meet up, I want to make it up to you.=
The reply wasn't as swift as Aiko or Nikki's texts, but when the message did chime through, Tala gave a relieved exhale.
=10 am. I'll be there.=
XXXXX
Tala found herself waiting outside the food court and scanning the crowds. She wasn't too startled when she finally noticed Amelie hovering at her shoulder. The surveyor knew how to move unnoticed in a crowd.
"I'm glad you came," Tala smiled.
Amelie shrugged. "I'm glad you're not attacking me. Dieu knows ah deserve it." The half-wraith accessorized with dark sunglasses and a scarf around her bruised neck. Tala motioned for her to join her at a table. The blonde woman basically dropped into her seat and began gushing, head in her hands.
"Tala, ahm sorry. What ah did was unacceptable, totally unacceptable."
The amazon just shook her head. "No no, I was the one... well... I was the one that was more wrong. I grabbed you, I dragged you, I threw you… I was just being stupid!" Tala would've continued her self-berating had Amelie not raised a hand.
"Ah should have seen jus' how good you treated Miss Yumi, Nicole, an' Audrey. You took on Aiko's burdens at work, you risked your life to save Madameoiselle Nicole, to say nothing of Momo. Even zhat bete Audrey has turned a new leaf or so I am told. I am appalled wit myself for what I did to you!" Despite the sense of justification at Amelie's explanation, Tala was the one that felt bad again.
"Amelie..." Tala reached across the table and rested a hand on her arm. The pale-haired woman looked up from her sulking to stare back into the amazon's emerald eyes. Having got her attention, Tala retracted her hand and sat back in her seat.
"You were doing what you thought was right. Can't say I blame you. I knew what I was getting into, and that I had the unpopular oopinion. And that's fine. Because I'm doing what I think is right." Collecting her thoughts once more, Tala sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm not mad anymore, Ammie. I don't want to be mad anymore. I don't. Let's just... let's just bury the hatchet and move on, okay?"
Taking a deep breath, the small woman nodded, tucking a lock of hair back behind her ear. "Yes, I agree. I don't like feeling guilty. An' this debacle's been eating at me ever since."
Tala just nodded. "So," she began. "how's Beli? Did this stop the both of you from enjoying your time together?"
Amelie went invisible with embarrassment for a second. "No, um, not at all. Things were fine. We returned to her place and had a lovely evening."
Tala couldn't help but grin at the awkwardness. "So... you stayed in and watched movies?"
"We watched movies, had some wine..." Amelie played it off as casual, but her cheeks were far too coloured for a simple movie night. Tala leaned forward.
"Aaand...?"
Amelie's face broke into a smile. "And maybe she kissed me on her sofa. Many, many times."
"Ah Glenberry, the city of love," Tala declared with a blissful smile.
Amelie could just nod in whole-hearted agreement. "I agree. How are things with your erm... girlfriends?"
"Wellll..." Tala started recollecting her thoughts. "I've been spread out rather thin, but I've put time aside for my three goddesses. Most of last night, Audrey dragged me through the mall, making me try on a whole new look. Between you and me, the only good thing that came out of it was the hair." Tala gestured to her new cut.
"Magnifique. Where'd you have it styled?"
"Kyanna's salon. I never dreamed those two would find common ground but apparently, I'm the best thing they have in common."
"SPeaking of, what about de others?"
"I promised Aiko I'd treat her to whatever she liked this evening, and then tomorrow with Nikki. I'd go by days as far as time with the ladies, but Aiko never really needed a whole day. Especially with her job."
"I wasn't going to complain, mon'amie. I am... well aware Mizz Yumi is not de quiet time loving type." The Japanese beauty, whenever she worked her magic, had Tala under a spell just as much as Audrey did. At least, that's what all their dirty talk and making out told her.
"Any time with her is rarely just us lounging around. Quiet time doesn't come often with her around. But that's for later. I said I'd make it up to you, and I'm free for the afternoon. We don't even have to do anything together. It could could just be a favor for you, if you like. Just... something to make up for manhandling you."
Amelie tapped her nail on the table as a devious gleam sparkled in her eye. "Anything at all, you say?" She rifled through her purse, tossing out various wadded tissues and receipts before finally slapping a coupon on the table.
"Ah jus' so happen to have zis two-for-one pass to the Tea Leaf spa. Considering the time you'll be spending with your lovers, ah think you'll need an opportunity to unwind."
"I'm flattered,but are you sure you want to be spending that on me considering your own little lady?"
Amelie scoffed, both at Tala's objections and her description of her Beli as a 'little' lady. "Please! Among friends, you can throw around coupons, but for someone you truly adore, spending thriftly is degoutant. Besides," she added as she stood up, "You're the one paying for ze spa."
Tala just chuckled. "Fair enough." It crossed her mind that they'd run into Kyu, or at least a couple of her clients during their time there, but it didn't seem pressing enough to have to tell Ammie. Standing herself, the amazon motioned for the half-wraith to follow her to her car.
XXXXX
The Tea Leaf Spa was a nice and quiet place to relax.
This was the more expensive of the two in Glenberry, different from the one Kyu regularly used to de-stress her love clients. That was good news for Amelie as she and Kyu were rarely on the same page. But it was clear to her that Tala was a different kind of woman.
"Two premium passes, please."
The two women quickly found themselves in a little slice of heaven: massages, a cleansing mud bath, and a steaming sauna. All the aches and accumulated stress gradually melted away, until Tala found herself laughing as she swapped stories with Amelie.
"Audrey kept going on and on in her paper about how this Russian Czar had been 'kidnapped', so I finally said - okay, show me the source book! So she huffs and pulls up the website. I look it over and -"
"Aaand?" Amelie pried, holding back her guffaws as they lounged at the spa eatery. Tala kept her waiting while she swigged down her beer.
"And I read this passage, and I say, Audrey, it doesn't say he was 'abducted'; it says he 'abdicated'! Those are two different words!"
Amelie slapped the table. "HA! Oh, mon dieu, to see her face after that..." A buzz from her phone pulled them off topic. "Zut, that's Beli. She says she has a dinner reservation tonight. We may have to cut zis short..." Her eyes were legitimately regretful, but a higher power was calling…
"Then go ahead! It's not polite to keep a lady like Beli waiting." Tala urged, proving her point by taking the last swig of her drink.
"Zhen I shall be going. We must do zhis again sometime." With that, Amelie hastily took her leave, Tala now left to her own devices. At least, for a few moments.
No sooner than Amelie's lithe form had rounded the corner, the amazon heard a posh, soothing voice from behind. "Quite the surprise to see the giantess unwinding at a spa."
Theiatena Venus rounded the table in her sexy stride before taking a seat across from the Amazon. The goddess wasn't dressed in her usual elegant dress and accessories but she still radiated wealth and royalty through her white, golden-trimmed blouse and slacks. Long, spring-green hair draped freely down her back in volumes.
"I knew something like this would happen..." Tala muttered before putting on her best smile and turning to face the goddess. "How may I help you, goddess of love?"
But the mythical beauty only waved her hand in dismissal. "Venus," she clarified. "Just Venus. You don't have to be so formal around me, Tala. I want us to be comfortable with each other. Completely natural."
"Venus it is," Tala conceded, though she wasn't ready to just drop her defenses completely. "So why -"
"Oh, I'm completely over you," Venus interrupted. "So if you've been mesmerized with thoughts of me and my luscious body, you're out of luck." The goddess had left her blouse unbuttoned seductively low, and she leaned her elbows on the table as if to offer Tala a better view. The Amazon just kept her arms crossed and face neutral, waiting for the other shoe to drop. After a failed minute, the goddess retracted her offer and played things casual.
"It's just that -"
'Here we go...' Tala thought.
"Well, that little comment you made, about being adored as a goddess instead of as a woman? It's been weighing on my mind. I've started looking at my servants, my courtesans and wondering 'would they really serve and love me if I was a little less extraordinary?' It's been eating into my beauty sleep, as I'm sure you've noticed."
Again, the goddess lay back in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs as though showing off her assets. Tala tried not to roll her eyes.
"So I started thinking, 'Who do I know who's so beloved for being herself?' No magic, no influence - just a good, salt of the Earth type who could give me some tips on how to be a real woman's woman?" Her eyes took on a tiny scowl. "Who put me in this wretched state to begin with and owes me a favor?"
Tala raised a brow in disbelief. "Me? Owe you a favor? Err... no." The green-haired goddess had to take another moment to admire the mortal woman's audacity. Even in the face of a goddess, Tala would bare her fangs.
But she wasn't a goddess for just her looks. "And yet you're still sitting here, considering it."
Her aggravating grin made the amazon grow a scowl of her own. "Maybe I'm just such a good person I can't turn down someone asking me for help."
"Which is exactly why your women love you so.".
Tala gave an unsure look, cautiously eyeing her divine acquaintance. "... I'll put my skepticism aside for once and help. I can't necessarily break it into a science the same way Kyu does, but I can tell you how to be a bit more charismatic." If this mega-bitch was willing to put her divinity and her status aside and humble herself enough to learn the finer points of her own affinity, than who was she to help?
Venus gave a cunning smile. "Well then, let's not waste any time! Show me your secrets!"
"Right now?" Tala rubbed her forehead wearily. She had a date with Aiko in several hours; not to mention tomorrow with Nikki. No, best to start right away. She didn't need an irate goddess causing trouble because she'd been 'stood up'. But where to begin? Tala thought about it for a minute, then stood, motioning for Venus to follow her.
"I'm a firm believer that your lover should also be your friend, so maybe we should start by having you meet some new people - start interacting with them on a social level."
"Teaching by example. Acceptable," the goddess nodded. She lowered her smoldering eyes. "So who is this friend you want me to role-play with? I'm dying to meet them."
XXXXX
Back at Tala's house, the goddess was singing a different tune. "You're joking ... right?"
"Nyaa~? Who's this lady, Tala?"
"Ah! Momo!" Tala gave a bright smile as she walked over to the sofa chair and sat on the arm, the catgirl raising her head from her curled up position in the soft seat. "This is my dear friend Venus. She's our guest." By the time Tala finished her introduction, Momo was already stalking around the goddess, her body briskly brushing against the divine's wide hips and her firm rear.
Venus, rather than feeling repulsed, smirked and rested her hands on her hips while the adorable one continued her inspection. "Charmed. Quite the affectionate one, isn't she?"
"Saving Momo's life does that. Are you hungry, Momo?" the amazon asked, standing back up and heading towards the kitchen.
Momo, seeming to have already forgotten about their guest, scampered after her. "Uh-huh! I wanted to fix something, but it wouldn't be fun without you!"
Satisfied, Tala motioned Venus into the kitchen before she headed into the freezer. "You want anything?" Bending over as she scrounged for ingredients, Tala's tight, firm buns went on full display, hugged closely even by her size-fitting jeans.
Venus followed Tala's wiggling rear with a predatory hunger. "How about a little butter to slap on those buns…"
"Huh?"
"Oh, I said 'how kind, but I'm a little full, Tala hon'."
Tala narrowed her eyes suspiciously but gave the goddess the benefit of the doubt. "Okay... right then." She stood up with an armful of foodstuff. "Tuna fish sandwiches for Momo and me, then. Care to help us?"
"I suppose I can acquiesce to manual labour this once," Venus shrugged. Straightening up, she clapped her hands twice.
She waited.
"What're you doing?" Tala asked after the goddess tried clapping a second, and a third time.
"Helping you prepare your food," Venus explained matter-of-factly with a frown. "This is strange... Your house fairies don't seem to be responding. One clap and they ought to be scrambling to get a banquet prepared."
Momo giggled. "Nyaa, I like her, Tala! She's silly! Misses-Venus-Lady, there's no fairy girls here!"
Venus looked flabbergasted.
"N-no household servants? But, but how do you people have your food made?"
Tala had to fight to make her grin genuine and not a shit-eating one. "Make it ourselves, of course! In the real world, you contribute as much as you enjoy. You really enjoy what you work for. I'll help you every step of the way, if you're really willing to get your hands dirty."
She sound much less sure this time. "I... suppose?"
Tala's grin quickly changed...
XXXXX
An hour passed...
But after some tireless convincing, long ramblings on society and even longer simplifying on Tala's part, she let Venus stir the ingredients. And it seemed to pay off.
"Mmm! Simply delightful! I had no idea fish of all things could taste anything like this! I always thought tuna fish was a lowly worker's meal!"
While Venus continued to bask in something new, her hosts just stared. Venus didn't even bother putting it into a sandwich like Tala did or into little cakes like Momo. Though there was nothing wrong with that, the goddess' excitement after the first bite gave Tala more than a little pride. And Momo couldn't take her eyes off the spectacle.
"What else?" the goddess inquired. "What sort of after-dinner festivities do you mortals enjoy with your friends?"
Momo's eyes inflated like balloons as she tried to process the goddesses' speech. "Umm... well, Momo likes playing with her mousey!" The catgirl scampered off and presented Venus with a mouse-shaped squeaky toy. The goddess puzzled over the plaything like it was an ancient scroll to be deciphered.
"What do you do with it?"
"You throw it," Momo chimed, "and then Momo catches it!"
"All right ..." Venus gave it a half-hearted toss across the room. Momo slapped on a serious face and crouched low as she stalked the rubber toy. With a flying leap, Momo snapped up the toy in her hands, only for the mouse to slip through her palms like a bar of soap. Momo dove after it again, slamming her palms overtop the mouse, but the toy kept squeaking out of her grasp again and again!
Venus appraised Tala, who was stifling a grin at the catgirl's antics. "This is the most juvenile display I've ever endured," she exclaimed. "It's utterly ridiculous!"
"Yeah, but it's got you smiling," Tala pointed out. The goddess' fingers flew to her face, and sure enough her face had cracked into a loony grin.
"Oh my, I believe you're right."
Venus felt her face as if she was convinced something was growing there, but the whole time, she was doing her best to stifle a laugh. When Momo was finally able to retrieve the little mouse toy, she scampered back over to the funny lady on all fours with a pleased cat smile and deposited the tiny squeaker at Venus' feet. Without even thinking, the goddess reached down to pick up the mouse and flung again. To see Momo crouch and pounce again like her life depended on catching such an insignificant little mouse sent Venus into knee-slapping hysterics.
Tala just shook her head and smiled. "Enjoying yourself, are you, Venus?"
The goddess leaned over, resting a hand on the amazon for support. "Quite, quite!" Tala placed a supportive hand on her back. "You must show me more!"
'Give a child one piece of candy, and they never stop asking.' With a clicking noise, she got Momo's attention, and patting her lap, the catgirl mewed in excitement and hopped into Tala's lap, curling up to fit on even the Amazon's large thighs. "Not so fast, Big Shot. There's a good lesson to learn here." Tala patted the seat next to her.
Venus took the offer, cutely scooting her rear back into the couch. "Oh? Do tell."
"What can you tell me about Momo, from what you've seen of her so far?" The catgirl in question was winding down, resting on her master's thighs.
"Ah, a test." Tala got the creeping suspicion she's rarely been on the other end of one, if at all. "Very well, Tala Stone. I accept your 'kitty quiz'." Venus' spring-green orbs landed back on the tired Momo, racking her mind for observations. "It cannot be denied that you are to her what I am to my fairies."
Tala pursed her lips, nodding. "Kinda. But that's not what I'm getting at." With a hand, she began running her fingers through Momo's hair. "Think back to the tuna, the playing, and now. What motivates Momo?"
"Fun, affection, and good food. Simple."
"Exactly. All Momo ever wants. That in mind, if she gets any of the three out of what we do, there isn't a thing this little one won't do for me."
"And the moral of this story?"
"If you know what someone likes, wants, or thinks, and the goal is for the both of you to get out ahead, everyone, you included, gets what they want. Just gotta get to know people."
Venus took a moment to process this, and she looked genuinely impressed. "I… never thought of it that way. Though, what if our goals are not alike?"
Tala shrugged. "Have some empathy. Take me and Momo for instance. I want a little love and Momo is just hungry. So, I have us cook together. We both are left happy and she gets what she wants by following me."
"You're certainly a woman's woman, Tala Stone. No wonder Sugardust sought you out."
"So she could add me to her record? Pfft…"
That got a light chuckle from the goddess. "You yourself have quite the history of adding to your ranks."
"True, true."
"Anything else you would like to teach a goddess, while I am still here?"
"As fun as it is is to teach an old god new tricks, there's only so much that I can teach you with this cute little bundle of joy." Tala ran her hand through Momo's hair once more, enjoying the pleasured purrs. "Perhaps sometime during the weekend, after we've both had time to spend with our lovers. It'd be a good chance for you to start applying that new skill. I imagine you got plenty of opportunity to practice."
Venus thought it over. "Well, I do have quite the full schedule, what with being the goddess of love. But perhaps we can continue this? On the weekend?"
Momo's eyes brightened. "Nyaa! Tala, Momo wants to play with Misses Venus again! Pleeeease?"
Tala gave Momo a generous scratch under the chin. "How could I possibly say no to that face?" She turned to Venus. "Um, here, let me give you my huniebee number."
The goddess produced her own huniebee, customized to look as ancient as it was advanced. After receiving her host's number, goodbyes were waved as the goddess trotted out the front door. Tala smiled. "You know, Momo, just when you think you've got someone pegged, they surprise you. I guess we all have the chance to change for the better."
XXXXX
Back in the palaces of Sky Garden, Venus gave a wicked leer at her updated huniebee. "You can try to teach an old dog a new trick, Tala darling, but take care that old hound doesn't play a trick on you."
Tala Stone couldn't help but take small, wounded creatures under her wing. The catgirl was proof enough. One day of playing the fool was all it took to get the Irishwoman's number. "Influence spreads like a weed, Tala Stone. I will tend mine patiently. And when its tendrils wrap themselves around you, then you will know you belong to me." Oh to have that woman purring in her own lap like a well-trained pet!
But fantasies could wait for now. Venus clapped her palms, calling for her house fairies.
She had the strangest craving for tuna fish...
So, enter the goddess. But Tala isn't slowing down in her own affairs.
There's a lot more story to go for V to learn what makes our favorite amazon tick, but if she stays true to her word and bides her time patiently, she just might have a strong, vibrant flower to add to her garden, and we'll have plenty of opportunity to watch said flower finish blooming.
