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The following is a fan-based

FICTION

Las Lindas and other products set in the same universe are all owned by Chalo/Chalosan and SoulKat.

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Chapter 3: Sea-Flavored Bite

Beta-Reader: Ant0nius

It was a busy week, but it was fair since it's that time of the year where people flock to sea-side restaurants.

It certainly helped that Pulsar, the great surfer and the High Prime's lover, was currently setting up a surfing competition to promote new people into the sport. It was no novelty, but it was good that it was happening right next to where the Shark Bite was located. Calypso thought so as she found her usually slow shift particularly intense and thus promising a greater pay for the month.

Whistling to herself, the brunette shifted around, cautiously keeping her tail from slamming anywhere as her size was still a factor to keep an eye on. She was tall and muscular- months of gym work had made her a gorgeous Shark Prime. But where she was attentive on her steps, her colleague and close friend Xeanica was, as one would expect if they had known her for more than a few days, clumsily going through.

Sometimes with her bra missing, at times her bottom, but the girl persisted as the sweet sunshine that she was. The pinkette was by all means a good-hearted waitress, but extremely silly with her mannerisms. Quite blunt and extrovert, but always making it feel like it was a struggle to come out so naturally geared to speak with so many people. The Dolphin Prime still phased through the various orders, getting them written down in notes and getting them to the kitchen.

She was working, she was doing her job right, but the amount of complaints that she got were just barely shrugged off by the many clients that were pleased by her jovial attitude. The owner of the place at least liked how she worked. Xeanica was just an adorable living being, that went without saying, but getting annoyed at her was pretty common. Just as easy it was for her to seek out Calypso for hugs and cuddles.

It was no secret that Calypso shared a bed with the pinkette. They had been together for two years now and... while it was quite common for them to get frisky at night, it was quite an innocent and pleasant relationship. So, it was no surprise that some jealousy surfaced when a particular request threw her off her routine.

"Oh, I was looking for Xeanica actually. I've been trying to get hold of her and I have been told she works here," The young man with blond hair and juicy muscles replied.

He wasn't a shower as he was hiding most of that hot body behind a sleeveless jacket and short pants. Quite a common sight on the beach but... humans were not. Not in this corner of the continent. The way he looked, so confident, sent Calypso in a state of suspicion. Could this be a potential ex boyfriend of her girlfriend? Xeanica had sounded quite honest when she said Calypso was her first but... what if she meant 'first girlfriend' rather than first serious relationship?

"Well, she does work here," The Shark Prime commented, thinking of an approach most appropriate for the occasion. "But I don't know if I should call her, I mean who are you to her?"

"Oh, we were close friends many years ago. One would say that I was around to help her up when she was this tall."

The height provided was surprisingly much shorter than how tall Xeanica was and... Calypso was slightly annoyed that she didn't get the chance to see mini-Xea and now she felt entitled to some childhood pictures. Still, this development shredded her unease as it became clear to her that this guy was actually... not a former boyfriend, but a legit surrogate sibling or something like that. A bit surprising since Xea hardly spoke of family, but she was quite tight-lipped about it in general.

"Then I guess I can get her if she's not busy, please do wait."

He merely nodded, seemingly at ease with sitting and waiting. He looked around, amused by the overall setting and Calypso drew a calm sigh as she went on with her chores. She should be able to spot Xeanica quite soon, the girl still around as she was concerned and... Maybe she was just being silly, but part of her felt like that despite their non-romantic bond, these two had some interesting stories that could make things even more peculiar than she expected.

After all, there's always this strange feeling about Xea, and Calypso wondered how big of a feeling it truly was in reality.

I have to say, Xeanica did find herself a nice place to work at.

Always a fan of simplicity, the Water Crest was just perfect as a waitress for a seaside restaurant, especially with the sea so close and a few aquariums to look into from time to time. The pay was nice, the people looked friendly and despite a few accidental exposures, the place was quite safe to wander through.

The only issue I had was not tied to Xeanica, but where Hope and Naerie had gone to. I trusted Naerie to be honest about her wanting to check on her father, but I had a feeling Hope may wander off without someone that wasn't keeping a watch over her. So, it was best to not waste too much time with this meeting and... that was easier said than done.

I was reading what was on the menu, right halfway through the list of drinks, when I noticed someone sitting right in front of me.

"Who are you, and how do you know me?" I could tell it was Xeanica speaking. She was no longer much of a squeaker, but her voice felt so similar and yet older, like a proper adult.

...I guess the face can make the difference, heh?

"Let's just say that I am someone you know, trust and probably missed me a lot."

She huffed. "That's a long name."

"Well, let's just say that some of that sass may have come from me. I was the one that bought you your first pun book after all."

...

It didn't take long for the realization to sink in. I could still remember how perplexed she was while trying to get behind sarcasm. It was something that Xeanica had struggled with as a younger Crest due to how little interaction she had with people and... she felt detached from the rest of her fellow Crests because of it.

Cue me getting books of puns for her to read, and dad jokes. It didn't give her a perfect understanding of it, but still set her up on the road to ultimately get that. Right now, triggering that memory felt the best way to approach it within the awkward way I felt about it. I was meeting with people I have missed for centuries, and it felt quite difficult to get through distrust since I left in such an odd way. Presumed death sure is a difficult thing to handle when you 'come back' from it.

Still, Xeanica reacted in what I would call a swift and merciless manner. She tensed up, eyes going wide open as she reached for the menu, slamming it down and removing the last barrier between us. Her eyes widening astronomically in recognition and I smiled at how beautiful she had gotten after so long and-

"THEO~!"

And the super-squeak call followed by a bone-crushing tackle-hug made a grand return much to my ribs' chagrin. The pinkette vaulted over the table, quickly grappling onto my body like a child with arms and legs before sending us both to the ground.

Ouch.

"Y-You are-"

"Nice and well, yes. News of my death was greatly mistaken."

"But Ambar and the others- And Apogeo-"

"The Gods took me out of the equation since the Emperor was dead."

...

"Y-You are back," She said while gulping nervously. "Y-You're actually back."

I nodded. "Back to stay," and I reached out for a tight hug. "I am back, Xea."

She cried a bit, sobbing on my shoulder and getting some more attention on us in the process, specifically from the big and buff Shark girl that seemed to have some sort of protective side towards her. But where I would normally dismiss this as mere friendship, I couldn't help but notice that she was looking right at Xea's rear. And that she was doing it so confidently as if this wasn't the first time so... I had a good reason to raise an interesting and yet embarrassing teasing point for the Dolphin Prime.

"So, I see you also got a girlfriend?"

The hug tightened as her body went stiff. With tears still in her eyes she huffed. "Y-Yeah."

"I am glad to hear that. Taller, with a job and a stable relationship. I am quite proud of you, Xea."

Cue a louder sobbing and crying for happiness. I guess I really couldn't hold my mouth when it comes to being this blunt around the others and... at least the brunette was chuckling to the point of tears at that entire situation. It was indeed a pleasant starting point for a lengthy conversation.

And while I shared a few memories with the pinkette, I forgot that two certain girls were currently 'MIA' and one of them was Hope.

AN

Things are about to get interesting... in a fight-sense of things.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c