Eventually, everyone moved inside the Base to discuss things. Miia's mother then turned to Caboose. "So I understand you're from...off world?" she managed to ask carefully.

"Yes!" Caboose declared happily. "I'm not from New Japan. But I really like it here! All the girls are super pretty and super friendly once they aren't scary anymore!"

"Not scary anymore?" Miia's mother inquired doubtfully. "What do you mean?"

"Well girls are scary when you first meet them!" Caboose explained eagerly. "Especially the super pretty ones! ...or maybe that's just me. Anyway, once I get to know them, they're not so scary anymore! And everybody gives great hugs! Miia even gives full body hugs!"

"Full body hugs?" Miia's mother asked in surprise, turning an arch look Miia's way. "I must say, I'm surprised she's being so forward. She was always so shy when she was younger."

"Mama!" Miia wailed out in embarrassment as several of the girls giggled.

Miia's mother chuckled. "Well, I want to thank you for taking such good care of my daughter, so I brought a treat." She pulled out a large bottle labeled 'Lamian Tea'. "This will be on the market for humans soon, so-"

"Oh, thanks! I'm so thirsty!" Caboose declared as he snatched the bottle and began to chug. Miia's mother's expression changed from joy to shock to slowly dawning horror as she watched him chug the bottle down like it was nothing. "Oh, that was super tasty!" Caboose declared happily. He then noticed her expression. "Oh no, I passed another fox, didn't I? Was this for everyone? I'll go get coffee! I'll be back soon!" With that, he dashed out of the Base.

Miia's mother flinched as she felt a small cold hand on her right shoulder, a massive warm hand on her left, and an odd-feeling hand on her head. "So…" Zombina growled darkly.

"Is this the part where you explain that there was a neurotoxin in there…" Tio continued.

"And you were trying to dose everyone and Caboose right in front of members of MON?" Doppel finished, giving Miia's mother a deadly glare.

Miia's mother chuckled nervously. "I...It's not harmful…" she promised. "Well, not in small doses. It was...just gonna knock everyone out. Just giving me daughter a helping hand with making a move?"

"Regulations clearly state you need to approve her engagement to Ambassador Caboose before she can be allowed to do that," Manako pointed out flatly from her seat at the opposite side of the table. "And that would mean agreeing not to target Caboose as a tribe husband, as those not approved for engagement to him would not be allowed to 'engage' with him."

"Mo~om…" Miia growled darkly, turning her eyes towards her mother with a lethal look.

The elder lamia chuckled nervously. "Uh...shouldn't we make sure he's okay? Like I said, in normal doses-"

[Contents of tea bottle were scanned as it was brought into the house,] Polt's Freckle suddenly spoke up. [Substance was determined completely harmless to Captain Beloved, and thus not worthy of attention unless it was distributed to others.]

Miia's mother blinked in surprise. "H...how can he be immune to Lamia neurotoxin?" she asked in surprise.

"Well, he regularly drinks Freckles' fuel thinking it's lemonade," Cerea pointed out, her eye twitching as she recalled. "We think it's how he's able to enjoy Miia's cooking…"

"He ate toxic waste once!" Papi pointed out. "Knew to tell Suu it tasted super bad!"

"He did walk on water once," Miia added. "He claimed it was because he knew where the stones were...on the bottom of the lake…"

"He threw a container of toxic waste more than 50 miles," Kii observed calmly from where she was tending a decorative-seeming plant, which was actually alive.

"Death has come for him many times, and yet has never been able to touch him," Lala added calmly.

"We're pretty sure he's either part dragon or part god at this point," Polt concluded thoughtfully.

Miia's mother turned this over in her mind. And...this is the sort of person I'm trying to trap as tribe husband? She turned worriedly towards Miia. "And...you're sure he's who you want to be with?"

Miia nodded firmly. "He...he loves me for who I am," she said softly. "He doesn't judge me for being a Lamia, or being unfamiliar with human customs, or anything like that. As he put it...if I can be happy with him being him, then he is happy for me to be me, especially if it means being me with him." She sighed lovingly. "I originally wanted him all to myself...but his heart's too big for that. We...we all feel the same way about him...and I can learn to accept sharing him with others who love him like I do, and who he loves."

Miia's mother shook her head as she took this in. "Well...if you're sure, Miia, then I won't stand in your way." She managed a smile. "If he ends up leaving the world...are you going to go with him?"

Miia blinked in surprise. She'd honestly never considered the idea that Caboose would leave the planet. "Well...if he'll let me go with him, I'd want to," she found herself saying, surprised by her own answer.

"Then I can only give my blessing," the elder Lamia allowed. And get out of here as soon as possible! "Where do I sign to approve the engagement?" she asked Zombina curiously.

Caboose returned as Miia's Mother was signing the documents. "I got coffee for everyone!" he called out happily as he handed out the cups. "Oh, what's that?"

"Mom's signing the paperwork!" Miia declared happily. "Our engagement is approved, Darling!"

"That's wonderful!" Caboose declared happily. He turned to Miia's mother. "Does that mean you want Tucker?"

"Is...is he anything at all like you?" Miia's mother asked carefully.

"Oh, he's a much better soldier than I could ever be!" Caboose declared happily. "He can do things I'd never dream of trying!"

Like this, but more so? the elder lamia thought, doing her best to disguise her expression of abject horror. Quick, think of a diplomatic refusal! "While that's very thoughtful of you, I wouldn't dream of taking one of your friends away from you. I can tell your friends, your family, is the most important thing in the world to you."

"The importantest!" Caboose agreed happily.

"So I will have to refuse," she continued. "After all, I want Miia to be happy...and that means keeping you happy."

"Okay!" Caboose declared happily. "I'll be sure to tell Tucker next time I see him that the tribe of sexy ladies didn't want him as their tribe husband for endless bum-chicka-boo-boo-pe-do."

Rachnera suddenly burst into laughter as she pulled Caboose into a hug. "Honey, you're a right!" she giggled, sounding somewhat tipsy. "And I thought I could be cruel!"

"I hope you won't take this as rude," Miia's mother whispered to her daughter, "but I would like to get out of here as fast as possible. Frankly, your choice of husband terrifies me!"

Miia giggled happily. "I understand perfectly," she agreed, embracing her mother. "I love you."

"I love you too, dear."

"Family hugs!" Caboose declared expansively.

Before anyone could really react, they were all bound up tightly together along with a giggling, playful Rachnera.