As Oct submitted the details of her required accommodations - which, as it turned out, were already accounted for in Blue Base's reconstruction, much to her amusement - the Queen had a formal meeting with the entirety of Team Blue present to announce that Mero's engagement to Caboose was officially approved, and the situation regarding Oct and elopements had been...resolved. That discussion did not go exactly as expected.

"What was the situation, anyway?" Miia pressed curiously.

As the Queen cleared her throat awkwardly, Mero spoke up. "Mother blew it a bit out of proportion in order to have a...tragic love affair with a human she'd become enamored with."

"...what?" Polt demanded very coldly.

"But that is unseemly behavior for a ruler!" Cerea declared in disbelief.

"Yes," the Queen allowed apologetically. "I...allowed my obsession with tragedy to blind me to my duties. Ambassador Caboose was kind enough to enlighten me to the consequences of my actions, and remind me of my duties to my people. I shall not allow myself to be so deluded again." Though she spoke firmly, her voice was sad and regretful.

"So you're going to be too focused on being a good queen to have fun, are you?" Rachnera teased, perhaps a bit more cruelly than she intended. "How very tragic for you."

"Yes..." the Queen began, only for her eyes to light up. "What wonderful tragedy!" she declared excitedly. "My duties as leader of my people isolate me from the pleasures my people enjoy, forcing me to be aloof and sacrifice my own desires and yearnings for the good of all who look to me for leadership! Oh the tragedy of a love that can never be allowed to be kindled! I can hardly wait to tell the King the wondrous news!"

"That was very helpful, Rachnera!" Caboose declared happily. "See everyone? I told you she was really good inside!"

"Yes..." Rachnera replied awkwardly. "I absolutely meant that to be helpful. A...harsh goad."

"Just like Carolina!" Caboose confirmed happily.

"How about we leave it to her then, and head home?" Miia suggested awkwardly. "Mero, we can still use the limo, right?"

"Actually, we'll need a larger vehicle," Mero allowed awkwardly. "We have an...extra passenger." She gestured to where Oct was smiling as she finished with Caboose's Freckle before sending a warm - and a trifle predatory - smile Caboose's way.

Miia glanced from Oct to Mero to Caboose...then sighed ruefully. "Darling, how many more girls do you think you'll be bringing home?"

[Blue Base currently can comfortably house eight more Demi-human individuals before it will need to be rebuilt to enable easier maneuvering for the size of the group,] Freckle offered helpfully.

"...so at least four..." Miia murmured sadly. Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders. "Can you at least give me warning if you think it's going to happen, Darling?"

"Okay!" Caboose offered happily.


Caboose calmly walked along the seaside where he'd been instructed to. When the group had returned, Zombina, Manako, Tio, and Doppel had expressed displeasure that they'd been left out of the intense events that occurred when meeting with Mero's mother, especially the addition of another girl (not that they had objections to that, per se. Mostly, they objected to not being able to vet her first). To make it up to them, Caboose was going to take each of them on a solo date to solidify their place in the engagement in their minds. Today was Zombina's turn, and she'd asked him to meet her here while she prepared something.

"I wonder why Bina didn't want to come together?" Caboose asked idly.

[Extrapolation: Second Lieutenant Zombina was preparing unusual weaponry last night,] Freckle observed thoughtfully. [Second Lieutenant may be expecting some sort of combat. Prevalance of various forms of salt and other purifying agents suggests anticipated conflict is with another undead.]

"That makes sense," Caboose allowed thoughtfully. "But why doesn't she want me along? I like making new friends, living or dead."

Freckle blipped a few times, then responded. [Given the physical capabilities of Captain Caboose as compared to that of other races of Demi-Humans, it is possible Captain Caboose is 'bait'.]

"Yay!" Caboose declared happily. "I love fishing-oh, what's that?" Bending over, he picked up a red envelope from the ground. "It's Red, so it might be enemy...oh, it's got my name on it!" He eagerly opened it up. Inside was a bundle of money, a blank marriage certificate, a photo of a girl dressed in ancient Chinese burial clothes, and a lock of hair. "...I am very confused."

"Wei!" someone called out, causing Caboose to turn.

Approaching him was the girl from the picture, though in this light he could see that her skin had a slight bluish tinge to it which excited him. "Hello!" he greeted happily. "Are you a new friend?"

"I see you found my envelope," she purred happily as she sauntered towards him.

"Oh, did you mean this for me?" he asked excitedly. "Maybe you can explain it?"

"Oh it's simple," she replied impishly. "You find, you keep...and you marry beyond the grave."

"Oh, you want to be my marriage friend too?" he called excitedly. "Yay! New marriage friend!"

The figure froze. "R-really?" she asked in surprise. "Just like that?"

"Well, you wouldn't have asked if you didn't know me well already, right?" he asked easily. "Besides, I don't see any problem with it. Oh, but not today. I'm here for a date with Bina-oh!" He looked at the envelope again. "Is that how you know about me? Are you friends with Bina? Is that why she wanted to date here? To introduce me to you so you can make a home with us?"

The woman stared at him for a time, plainly shocked. "And here I thought she was exaggerating..."

"I wouldn't dare," Zombina spoke up as she approached from behind the girl. "With Caboose, it might come true." She turned to Caboose. "This is Shiishii, the Jiangshi, a routine pain in my ass...and a friend when she isn't."

"Hi Shii shii!" Caboose greeted happily. "Was I right, Bina? Did you want to introduce us?"

"Well, either that or use you as bait to shoot her if she got unruly," Zombina allowed with a chuckle. "Still want in, Shiishii? I know you told me you were planning to get involved, but now that you've seen-"

"I wouldn't have put his name on my envelope if I wasn't sure," Shiishii interrupted.

"...wait, really?" Zombina gasped in surprise, only to smirk as Caboose held the envelope up. "Well, I guess that's settled."

"Is that all you wanted for the date today?" Caboose asked curiously.

[Alert: Rotten Comic Show begins in 20 minutes,] Zombina's Freckle spoke up. [Estimated time to reach Women's Doujinshi Convention from present location, 15 minutes.]

"The event!" Zombina and Shiishii declared urgently.

"Women D'jinni?" Caboose declared excitedly. "I can get lots of wishes!"

Shiishii turned to Zombina in disbelief. She merely shrugged, an odd smile and blush not quite matching her flat-eyed gaze. "You get used to it."