Chapter 5

As she and Tech walked the streets of Acmetropolis in late evening, Zadavia wondered to herself momentarily. Why had she been so 'keen' to take Tech out? Why was she finding herself glancing at his tanned face and stunning eyes frequently for no important reason? Why was she feeling more 'fascinated' by him? She recognised that she was feeling something different toward her trusted friend now than she had before when he was a coyote. It had begun the moment she had first laid eyes on him in his transformed human form. What was it? It could not possibly be…an attraction? Zadavia tried to wave the thought out of her head. She could not possibly be feeling such things toward her dear friend. Besides, they were of different races, incompatible species, they were too different; she was a Frelengian human, and he, rightly, should have been an anthropomorphic coyote. But his recent metamorphosis into a human had certainly put him in a different light to her. Now she could actually envision him as…a love interest?

"I never realised when you were a coyote how…appealing you are." she suddenly complimented to him almost without thinking.

Tech glanced at her humorously. "You mean you thought I was ugly?"

Zadavia almost blushed in embarrassment and her eyes skidded around in search of a distraction. "Err, let's stop for a drink! In that café over there!"

Zadavia pointed to a café conveniently located across the street from them, and she pulled Tech behind her toward it.

Some 15 minutes later, when their coffees arrived, Zadavia reassured Tech that it was perfectly fine to be drinking from a mug located right underneath his eyes. Tech was used to drinking from the end of a longer canine snout, so it felt unnatural for him to be bringing the steaming coffee mug so close to his face for once in the absence of his snout. Zadavia couldn't help chuckling at Tech's initial wary attempts at bringing the mug toward his now 'flat' face to reach his lips, but he succeeded eventually and was soon sipping his coffee stiffly like an overly-mannered gentleman. Good enough. As the pair spent the following 20 minutes chatting leisurely and joking, in his mind, Tech noticed how much he was enjoying Zadavia's casual company. He and the other Loonatics had always respected, appreciated and looked up to Zadavia as their benevolent and fair superior, their functional role mission co-ordinator, financial benefactor and team manager. Now she was almost like any other sociable lady in Acmetropolis as he conversed informally with her over coffee. Tech was unused to this novel relationship he was experiencing with her, but it was not unwelcome at all.

Soon after finishing their drinks, Tech and Zadavia made their way out of the café, back out into the cool night air.

"So, where to next? Back to base?" Tech asked.

"Hmmm," Zadavia thought for a moment, "I have a better idea. The Acme West Side Harbour."

"The West Side Harbour?" Tech quizzically repeated.

Zadavia nodded, smiling. "You'll see why when we get there."

"You're the boss." Tech joked as strapped on and activated his jetpack.

Zadavia experienced a thrilling sensation as Tech literally swept her off her feet and up into his supporting arms.

"Hang on tight Zadavia." he instructed smoothly.

Then he took to the air when he was sure that Zadavia's arms were around the back of his neck. Zadavia had never been out flying like this with any of the Loonatics, and now she was wondering why she hadn't. It was so exhilarating! The flying couple ascended up to a looming full moon in the evening sky. From her secure position in Tech's arms, Zadavia stared up at the twinkling stars. She casually wondered whether one of them could be her old home planet of Freleng.

It was not long before Tech began his descent to the ground when he and Zadavia spotted the recognizable docked ships of the Acme West Side Harbour. He landed gently on paved ground and eased Zadavia onto her feet again.

"Thank you for the ride Tech. We should do it again sometime." Zadavia thanked.

"Perhaps we should." Tech replied smilingly, removing his jetpack.

Tech then followed beside Zadavia as they walked along the harbour, the sounds of the washing sea filling their ears. There was a calm silence between them for some time as they walked. At length, they reached a bench facing out to sea and decided to sit down. The sky was now tinted with lines of blood red, diluted blue and lavender violet as sunrise beckoned over the horizon. Zadavia and Tech watched the sky's myriad of colours reflected on the sea currents.

"Freleng didn't have dawns as beautiful as Earth's" Zadavia commented.

Tech regarded her face, attempting to decipher what she was thinking exactly. "I bet if I ever went there, I'd find them fascinating enough. Things always look more spectacular from fresh eyes."

"Indeed." Zadavia remarked as she looked to Tech's tanned human face once again, his desert brown hair swaying in the sea breeze.

"Do you ever miss home?" Tech queried.

"Yes and no. I have some fond childhood memories from Freleng, but the lasting ones are not so pleasant." Zadavia replied. "But Earth, Acmetropolis is my second home now. And I have sworn to myself to keep it safe, even if I have to do so alone."

"Zadavia, you're never alone." Tech objected.

Zadavia smiled appreciatively at Tech. As the golden rays of dawn broke across the sea, she instinctually nestled her head onto Tech's broad shoulder. Half of her realised what she was doing, but she was so comfortable and content there that she didn't want to move. Tech was taken mildly by surprise as Zadavia rested her head on his shoulder, but he didn't stop her. She seemed so peaceful and happy. He realised then that he was feeling something new in his heart toward her, something that would never have occurred to him before when he was a coyote, and apparently, she was experiencing similar emotions toward him in his human form as well. But it could not last Tech realised, and his heart sank.