The following morning in Jade Creek, Sally wakes naturally. It takes a few moments for reality to establish itself firmly in her consciousness, but soon the last remnants of the dream she was having fade, replaced by the simple yet charming environment of the bedroom she shares with Danny. Smiling contentedly, she snuggles up closer to her boyfriend, and settles into a light snooze.

"Good morning," Danny greets softly, awake even though his eyes are still shut.

"It's always a good morning waking up with you," Sally murmurs in reply.

For the next few minutes, the couple lay in contented silence.

"Hmm," Sally eventually murmurs.

"Something wrong?" Danny asks.

"No, it's just… Isn't Maria normally up before us? I don't hear her singing."

"Maybe she's keeping quiet so she doesn't disturb us."

"Probably." A few minutes later however, Sally hasn't been able to shake her suspicions. "Did she have a mission last night?"

"She would have told us if she did."

"When did she get home?"

Danny is about to answer, then realises he doesn't know. "Good question," he replies, opening his eyes. "I don't think she did. Which probably means she stayed in the barracks overnight."

"Probably." Sally pauses a moment. "I'm hungry. Breakfast?"

"Sure."

Sally slides out of bed, throws on her ochre bathrobe, then pads to the kitchen, Danny following behind clad in his purple bathrobe. As they prepare breakfast, they hear a vehicle approach and park in the garage. Concluding Maria has returned home, the couple return to the den with breakfast to find the lynx lounging in the chair, smiling a smile that only those who are in love smile.

"Sorry I didn't call," Maria greets, "but I… lost track of time."

"So, what's her name?" Sally asks as she and Danny sit on the sofa.

"That obvious?" Maria replies, blushing slightly.

"Not to me," Danny admits.

"Her name is Tai Wong," Maria reveals, "and she's the most amazing, most pretty, and most funnest girl I have ever met!"

"Congratulations!" Sally cheers. "We all knew you'd find someone. How did you meet?"

"Y'know I was being followed around HQ this past week or so?" Maria begins.

"Wait… That was Tai‽" Danny asks in surprise.

"Yep!" Maria grins. "Anyway, yesterday after sword training, I was determined to catch who was following me, so I walked around the gardens, and eventually I managed to outmanœuvre who I thought was following me. But when I pounced them, it turned out he was just an innocent leopard. I felt so silly, and once he'd gone, I wasn't paying attention, and I turned and walked straight into Tai, knocking her flat and falling on top of her!"

Sally stifles a chuckle semi‑successfully. "Sorry."

"I was already feeling so silly, and I felt even sillier after that," Maria continues, seemingly not noticing Sally's reaction, "but when I actually looked at her, it was like… It was like I couldn't see anything else, y'know? She was all I could see, and I was all she could see, and she's so cute, especially when she's nervous because she stammers, and that's just adorable, and I know it's only been one night, but I can't help it! I'm feeling all these wonderful feelings, and I never want them to end! And she calls me 'Tufty' because of the tufts on my ears, and I call her 'Rosy' because of her rosettes, and I'm seeing her again tonight! Isn't that just the most fantastic thing in the world ever?"

"It's starting to sound like you've found your soulmate," Danny concludes. "However, as your friend, I must advise caution: you don't want to rush into something, only to get hurt."

"Don't be such a silly!" Maria giggles. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Just be careful, OK?" Danny insists.

"You don't need to worry about me," Maria assures.

Maria's confidence is well‑placed. Her date with Tai that evening goes even better than the impromptu one the previous day, and this is followed by several more very successful dates over the next two weeks. However, with Maria unable to set foot in Shang Tu, and with Shang Mu being too far to reasonably travel for a date, the couple find themselves severely limited in what they can do that they haven't already done, limited as they are to Red Scarves HQ and the surrounding forest.

On the eighteenth day of the relationship, Tai decides it's time to mix things up a bit. And so, after dinner and a long walk through the forest to the river, when they're settled on the bank with their bare feet in the cool water, she decides it's time. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Maria agrees.

"Where are we going with all this?" Tai asks.

"I… don't understand what you're asking," Maria answers.

"Don't get me wrong, I love every second I'm with you," Tai assures. "It's just… Well, we've been spending all this time together, but it's always been in the same places."

"You know I can't go to Shang Tu," Maria reminds.

"I know, and I understand, I guess," Tai acknowledges. "But there's no such limit on Shang Mu or Shuigang, is there?"

"Apart from distance."

"Then let's make a weekend of it."

Maria thinks for a moment. "I'm free all weekend this weekend."

"Me too."

"I'll see if Meanie and Fluff‑Tail can recommend a good place to stay."

"I don't think I've ever tire of how cute you are," Tai sighs contentedly.

"I've been told I should register my cuteness as a deadly weapon," Maria jokes.

Tai can't resist a little giggle. "Wanna kiss and cuddle and stuff?"

"More than anything," Maria agrees, pulling Tai to her, embracing her lovingly, and kissing her passionately.

The next day, getting hotel suggestions from Hanna and Rob is as easy as expected, and Danny and Sally can't resist chipping in a few suggestions of their own. Maria and Tai quickly settle on a budget city‑centre hotel, and book it for the weekend.

Two days later, Maria and Tai arrive at the hotel, check in, and head straight to their room, where they unpack quickly then settle on the bed to rest.

"A whole weekend, just us hanging out and having fun," Maria sighs contentedly. "I'll be honest, after the last year or so of really crazy things happening, it's good to be doing something so… well, so normal."

"I'd like to visit the Gotoshi one day," Tai thinks aloud. "The way you describe it makes it sound so good."

"It'd be the first time I go there and be able to actually enjoy it," Maria admits. "But I think it's best to wait until they've recovered more from the civil war before we go."

"Yeah," Tai agrees. "Besides, we've got more important things to worry about right now."

"Like what?"

"Like how we're going to start our weekend."

"I was thinking a quick nap, then we get dinner at that sushi place… 'Seafood Joy', it was called."

"Sounds good." Tai pauses for a moment. "When you say 'nap'…"

"I mean kiss and cuddle and stuff," Maria self‑corrects.

Tai replies by rolling on top of Maria, holding her close, and kissing her passionately.