Over a decade passed since the war between Salacia and Dryland ended and the two worlds made peace, to live in harmony and swim together towards the future. The princes and princesses became kings and queens, their parents abdicating their thrones in retirement to allow their children to take control of their future. Like their parents before them, the new kings and queens had children of their own and in turn, they became great friends when they met each other at preschool and had their own adventures with each other.
The Octopus Queen Polvina woke in her bed after another night of unbridled passion with Octopus King Daniel. Rediscovering each other after a decade of not being able to meet awakened deep-seated desires for each other they never knew they had. After their coronation, Polvina became a freak in the sheets and a queen in the streets, while Daniel was able to learn what buttons to push to give Polvina the time of her life every time. The girl who was good all of the time became a "bad girl" behind closed doors with her "bad boy". Even after having two children, Polvina and Daniel were as intimate as ever.
Polvina got out of her bed, her naked body sticky and sweaty all over. She picked up her crown and her clothes which were scattered around her room. As she approached the mirror, Polvina briefly admired herself; over the past decade, she had grown into a fit and busty MILF. Polvina was about to put on her crown when suddenly, Daniel, who was also naked, came from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Morning, beautiful," he said seductively.
"Morning, handsome," she replied in a sultry manner. Daniel was kissing all over Polvina's shoulders and neck, putting his hands all over her body, including her chest, her backside and her crotch. "Frisky as always, I see. Your little friend's on my buns, too. Such a naughty boy, isn't he?"
"What can I say? He's so eager to meet them and the twins," Daniel replied, groping Polvina's massive mommy milkers. "So how 'bout it? You up for a quickie, or two?"
"Oh, but I have to take a shower before the kids wake up… what the hell. We can take a shower afterwards. Aldo can wake Penny and Antonio up for breakfast."
Daniel chuckled. "You're such a bad girl… a bad princess."
"You mean queen, but that's right. I'm a bad girl, a bad princess, a bad queen. Now take me! Take me, you horny stud!" With this, Daniel pulled Polvina back on the bed and went to town on her.
Aldo, knowing that Polvina and Daniel would be occupied with each other nearly every morning, went upstairs to wake up Penny and Antonio. As the children brushed their teeth and washed their faces, Aldo stood outside the bathroom so the children wouldn't see their parents in a primal and indecent manner. Once Penny and Antonio were done brushing their teeth, they were escorted downstairs to the dining room by Aldo, allowing Polvina and Daniel to take their clothes and head to the bathroom (while still in the nude) to take a shower together and have another quickie while they were at it. As they walked downstairs, Penny and Antonio commented on their parents' "morning commitments".
"They're doing it again, aren't they?" asked Antonio, knowing what his parents were doing and referring to it indirectly.
"Yep. Just like in the books," replied Penny. Their parents had brought quite a few sex education books for them so they had an understanding of the subject, along with topics like consent and sexual abuse. Like their parents before them, Penny and Antonio were smart kids and avid readers.
"It's a bit yuck."
"That's because you're too young to know better, Prince Antonio," said Aldo. "Those books the King and Queen brought you are to give you an idea about yourself and things like that. I'm sure you'll learn more as you grow older."
Aldo brought the Octopus Princess Penny and the Octopus Prince Antonio to the dining room of the Octopus Palace. There, Aldo had prepared a delicious breakfast for the royal family: fresh toast, jam, crackers, bread, pudding, cake, juice, tea and coffee. Penny and Antonio helped themselves to breakfast; when the Octopus Queen Polvina and the Octopus King Daniel came down, Penny and Antonio were just about finished.
"Good morning, Penny and Antonio!" said Polvina and Daniel.
"Good morning, Mother and Father!" they replied.
"We're going to see the Starfish and Shark Queens today, aren't we, Mother?" asked Penny.
"That's right," answered Polvina, "but you know you can call them Auntie Ester and Auntie Tubarina. The kings and queens decided we should be more like the commoners because we're really just like them."
"I know. It'll be nice to see Lizzie and Tina too."
Daniel asked, "So Antonio, do you know what we're going to be doing today, sport?"
"We're going to meet Uncle Duante and Uncle Parker in the city! Rohan and Broly will be there too!"
"And do you know why today is so special?"
"Because Saturdays are for the boys!"
Everyone at the table laughed. "Saturdays are for the girls too!" said Penny.
"There, there, you're both right," said Polvina.
Over at the Starfish Palace, Starfish Queen Ester and Starfish King Duante had finished an early-morning meeting with the Iemanja Alliance, an alliance of guardians dedicated to studying and helping sea creatures. The Octonauts and Bubble Guppies (who I'm pretty sure would look older at this point) are part of the alliance and they work in cooperation with like-minded organisations on Dryland.
Ester took out her phone and called the butler. "Ayrton?"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Is our breakfast being prepared?"
"Yes, Your Highness. It will be ready on time as usual."
"Thank you. We'll see you in the dining room." Ester hung up the phone.
"Our visit to the Octopod is still scheduled for next week," said Duante.
"Great. Let's head downstairs."
As Ester and Duante waited at the table for their breakfast, Starfish Prince Rohan and Starfish Princess Lizzie (short for Elizabeth) entered the dining room.
"Morning, Mother! Morning, Father!" Rohan and Lizzie greeted.
"Morning!" Ester and Duante replied.
"So, Lizzie, are you ready for today?" asked Ester.
"Kind of. What exactly are we doing with the Octopuses and Sharks?"
"It's a surprise that us queens have for you princesses."
"You ready for another game of seaball?" Duante asked Rohan.
"Yeah, and I'm gonna win!"
"Okay, but just remember…"
"It's not the winning that counts, but having fun."
"Good."
It was then that Ayrton came into the dining room. "Breakfast is served, Your Highnesses." Ayrton led the royal family to where the servants had wheeled out the breakfast trolleys.
Even though they had aged over the past two decades, Aldo and Ayrton were still happy to serve their respective royal families, who would constantly wonder when they would retire. They watched Polvina and Ester grow up alongside their parents and they were happy to keep watching their children grow up.
Earlier that morning in the Shark Kingdom, the Shark Royal Family and its subfamilies visited the Salacian War Memorial for a special dawn service. Usually, dawn services are held on 25 April, Anzac Day, as it was the time when the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at Gallipoli. However, the War Memorial were willing to hold a private dawn service for the Shark Royal Family on Dryland/Tiger Shark King Parker's request.
The Hammerhead twins Marc and Marina, the Electric Eel Princess Paula and the Stingray Princess Lucy laid wreaths in front of the memorial. The Drylander/Tiger Shark twins Broly and Tina read the Ode of Remembrance, then after Parker played The Last Post, there was a minutes' silence, save for the fussing of baby Shark Prince Joshua, followed by Parker playing the Reveille.
Even as Parker's 10 year international community service order had elapsed, Parker remained committed to maintaining peaceful relations between Dryland and Salacia. Every so often, he would go to different RSLs (Returned & Services League) for a meal, a drink and to listen to the stories of people who served or suffered losses in the war between Dryland and Salacia. Sometimes, he would be there for the daily 6 PM reading of the Ode followed by a minute of silence. He would also attend Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Surf and Turf Peace Day services at different places each year, sometimes alone and sometimes with his family.
Parker had also taken his family to the Dryland-Salacia Museum of War and Peace, which was located at the site of the former Unified Resistance Army base in Santos where the Dryland-Salacia Peace Conference was also held. He made it a point to visit the museum with his family and to encourage others to pay a visit as well so they could understand the background of the war and how the people of two worlds came to coexist once again.
Parker and Tubarina normally lived in their mansion on Kyontong Island, but they came down to Salacia for a few weeks as their children would be moving into the Shark Palace in preparation for the start of school, just as Marcello moved into the Shark Palace two decades ago.
As the group swam back to the Shark Palace, the adults got to talking. "Did you hear that the metropolis is planning to ban hate symbols and terrorist gestures, like the Nazi salute or the swastika?" said Tubarina.
"Yeah. It's so sad that there are saline supremacists out there and that they've appropriated imageries from Dryland supremacists," commented Veto. "What is it they say, the left can't meme?"
"It's like they don't know that the war's been over for more than a decade now," said Elektra.
Parker came in with a counterpoint, "Look, Nazi gestures and imagery are bad and all, but what if someone wants to play superhero and someone else thinks they're doing a Nazi salute?"
"Superheroes usually hold their fists straight up in the air, not a straightened hand at a 45 degree angle," Marcello pointed out.
"There's some heroes who pass their arms past that angle. What happens when they get caught at the wrong angle?"
"You're overthinking it, Parker," reassured Tubarina. "Some of the people who have gotten arrested for it only did because they're extremists who were stupid enough to perform it in front of cameras or police."
"Exactly," said Soraia. "I'm sure the people and kids playing superhero will be fine."
In front of the adults, the children were having their own conversation as well.
"Uncle Parker's so serious about remembrance ceremonies," said Marc.
"That's because he and Grunkle Bon Bon were enemies during the war," said Marina. "If it wasn't for Father and Auntie Rina, who knows if we would even be born?"
"Do you know where Mum's taking you today?" Broly asked his sister.
Tina replied, "I heard her say she was going to take me to this thermal spring pond somewhere in the Octopus Kingdom. Auntie Polvina and Auntie Ester are going to bring Penny and Lizzie too."
"How come I've never heard of it?"
"Because I think Mum wants to keep it a secret from everyone else, particularly boys."
"Meh. We've been to thermal springs before, but I think they're overrated."
"Okay then. You and Father have fun playing seaball."
"Our mothers are taking us to the mall after we do mainies," said Paula.
"Cool," said Lucy. "Wanna get some bubble tea and gimbap?"
"I'd love to. I hope we see more of our friends at the mall, too!"
"Yeah, especially since we're about to go to school soon!"
After breakfast, the Octopus, Starfish and Shark royal families met up at the main street and did some mainies. They met quite a few families on the street, starting with the Sea Snail/Whale Royal Family:
"Ayy Cameron, what's doin brother?" Marc greeted.
"Lelo, good to see you, man," Broly greeted.
"You guys ready for seaball today?" asked Marc.
"Yeah, looking forward to it," replied Cameron.
"See you then!" added Lelo.
"Back at ya!" said Broly.
"Our kids are so well-behaved, aren't they?" Leia commented.
Caramelo wondered, "Do you think it's because they know they'll have to work together with each other?"
"Kids are bound to have their arguments and disagreements," said Daniel. "It's up to us parents to teach them how to overcome them and reconcile with their friends.'
"Because we were kids once before and we've had our ups and downs," added Polvina. "We can't just cut fellow royals out of our lives, because they're important for Salacia's survival."
Next was the Dolphin/Porpoise Royal Family:
"Dylan! What's good?" Veto said as he gave Dylan a hug.
"Just taking Delfi and Rita for a walk," he replied.
"Delfi!" Soraia greeted as she gave her a hug. "How's the new one coming along?"
"Not much longer to go now. 'Lil Porpoise'll be out in three months."
Then, the Krill/Lobster Royal Family:
"Alright?" said Parker.
"Alright," replied Dustin.
"Got much goin' on?"
"A little."
"Tubarina," greeted Agostinha.
"Agostinha," replied Tubarina.
"How's the kids?"
"Got more coming." She pointed to her belly.
The Swordfish Royal Family were at the park, with the twins Flikin and Carlita being taught how to perform the Tsubame Gaeshi by Marcos…
"Ready… begin!" commanded Marcos. The twins began swinging their wooden training swords. "Your follow-through needs work, Flikin. Both hands need to stay on your sword until your upswing finishes."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"And Carlita, you need to be a little faster on the upswing. Your opponent won't wait for you to slice through them."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Marli!" Ester called.
"Ester!" The two of them ran up and hugged each other.
It was then that Liam returned with Mardillo. "Duante! You been well?"
"Better than ever, Liam! The Grouper Royal Family couldn't come out today?"
"Nah. Sarita's ill. I hope she gets better in time for the start of the school year."
"Yeah, me too. Wouldn't want her to miss out on the first day of school."
And finally, the Crab/Angelfish Royal Family.
"Sirilo! What's good?" greeted Marcello.
"Good to see you, Marcello!" replied Sirilo. "The twins are looking forward to their first day of school and their new twin siblings!"
"Have you thought of any names for them?" asked Elektra.
Angelica answered, "Well, we're having another girl and boy, so I thought Mielita and Comino would be good names. But no, Sirilo says they're too complicated and suggested Ximena and Clancy instead."
"Have you ever thought about having one of those names as a middle name?"
"Huh, we never thought of that idea. Maybe we should think about it, Sirilo."
Sirilo replied, "Yeah. That might be a pretty good idea."
Marcello realised, "Oh, wow, look at the time! We should be getting back to the others! See ya!"
At the same time, the others also met people like Dinho…
"Sorry I can't stay to talk! I've still got some more errands to run!"
Hugo and Tata…
"Even if I'm not the Turtle King, I still have my duties to the kingdom. Isn't that right, Gennart?"
"It's been great catching up with you guys! Say goodbye to the uncles and aunties, Estella!"
Isa and Nico…
"It's been hard readjusting to civilian life after the war, but Nico's been with me every step of the way. I have to tell you, I'm glad I don't feel the urge to publicly execute Jacky and Remi anymore. Postpartum depression is a bitch."
"You know, at first I wasn't too sold on that Drylander Jason being a match for Nicole, but now I don't think he's too bad. Sally and Rosie are great kids and they get along with ours pretty well."
Bia…
"Who dares to disturb the Abysmal Kingdom? Hehe, just kidding. This is Salacia, after all, and it's been nice to open up the Abysmal Kingdom to others, even if the abysmal fish need a bit of convincing not to eat the first person they see."
And even Caton and Maurico…
"It's nice to take a break from people every once in a while."
"You said it. Nothing like a drink and a laugh to keep you going."
With all the people they met during their mainies, it was time for the families to have lunch before they split off to do their separate activities.
Elektra and Soraia caught up with their families and friends at the mall. Paula and Lucy went off with their friends to check out the stores before they went to get snacks and bubble tea.
The fathers took the sons out to an indoor play centre in the metropolis. They hired out some courts to play seaball and laser tag, and they could also play on the giant slides. The fathers and sons had separate seaball matches before everyone got together for some laser tag.
Polvina, Ester and Tubarina took Penny, Lizzie and Tina to the secret thermal spring pond. Their first experience in the thermal spring pond would be something the daughters would never forget. While their children were enjoying the pond, the mothers got to talking about motherhood. Polvina asked, "Has your daughter been difficult to deal with?"
Ester answered, "I wouldn't say that it's been easy, especially when you have to juggle a son in the mix."
"I know, right?" added Tubarina. "Look at them. Don't they remind you of when we were little girls?"
"Yeah, they do!" Ester laughed. "They've had a lot of adventures together thanks to us. Now I know how our parents and Miss Marla felt when they had to deal with our shenanigans!"
"Our adventures weren't so much different than what they had, didn't they?" wondered Polvina.
"Well, they were young so we had to keep an eye on them… or at least, tried to. I'm sure they'll have many more exciting adventures when we're not looking!" laughed Tubarina.
It was then that the three of them began to reminisce about their childhoods – that magical time, full of discoveries and surprises, like when shells were valuable treasures, seahorses were the fastest means of transport, and any step or distance travelled always led to some new place. They met Drylanders, criminals and all sorts of creatures and people from different walks of life.
Then came the war and all the horrors that came in the line of duty, but it was from that that the girls met the Drylanders and reunited with the people they met once before. And when the war came to a close thanks to their help, the girls married the people that others wouldn't have expected them to marry; a Drylander who helped them a long time ago, a healer who was reluctant to tell anyone about himself, and the dangerous commander of the Drylander resistance who had a troubled past.
The future seemed very distant for the three young friends, but it came so quickly that they barely had time to say goodbye to the games and laughter. Along with it came new discoveries and joys, and while that magical sensation that it was back then never came back, they discovered new magical sensations that came with growing up and becoming a parent, plus they would bear witness to their children discovering the magical sensations for themselves.
The three mothers were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice their daughters sneaking eyes at them. "Hey, girls, are our daughters sneaking eyes at us?" wondered Tubarina.
"Why? It's not like there's anything else to look at in here," retorted Ester.
"My, oh, my," said Polvina. "I think I know what they're sneaking eyes at." She hobbled through the pond to the girls, with Ester and Tubarina following her. "Hey girls."
Briefly startled, Penny, Lizzie and Tina looked at their mothers' eyes. "Oh, hello, Mother," said Penny.
"You were sneaking eyes at us, weren't you?"
The girls didn't know what to say, but Ester reassured, "You can be honest with us here. Remember, no clothes, no barriers, no judgement."
Lizzie and Tina nervously gestured at themselves, saying, "Oh, we were just looking at your… er… er…"
"We were looking at your breasts," said Penny.
Polvina responded, "Oh these? My boobies? My tremendous twinnie titties? My massive mommy milkers? My super stuffed up sex mounds? My ginormous goddamn girl jugs?"
The girls burst out in laughter at Polvina's increasingly salacious descriptions of her breasts. "Okay Polvina, you can stop describing your boobs now," said Ester.
Tubarina explained, "It's nice to know you're curious about our ta-tas, and it's okay to be curious about them. After all, you'll be growing some of your own soon, won't you?"
"Do you know what they're for, girls?" Ester asked.
Tina answered, "I saw Auntie Raia feeding Joshua with those tits of hers."
"That's right, Tina," said Tubarina. "It's called breastfeeding, and we fed you and your brothers that way when you were babies, because that's what breasts are for. And that's the proper term, by the way."
"But that's not the only thing," said Polvina. "Your tiddies will drive boys crazy, especially when you eventually find the one you love. Just wait until they start growing!"
"Okay, Polvina, let's not mislead our daughters here," stopped Ester. "There's a lot of misinformation and misogyny out there as it is."
"Mother, will my breasts grow to be as big as yours? I hope they do," Penny wondered.
"Will they grow weirdly?" Lizzie added.
"What if they don't become as big as yours?" Tina questioned.
Polvina replied, "Now, now, girls, you don't have to worry about these questions now."
Ester added, "Exactly. Let nature do its thing. You're on the cusp of becoming women."
Tubarina finished, "And even if your ta-tas grow bigger, weirder or smaller than other girls, just remember that you're beautiful just the way you are." The mothers knew that they would soon have to talk to their daughters about puberty, sex and relationships, but for now, they decided to talk about other things, like looking forward to school and the adventures they might have.
That evening, the families went to a village in the Farlands to pick up their patriarchs and matriarchs before going out to a restaurant for dinner. After the former kings and queens abdicated, they moved to live in the village, which was at the former site of the Sea School's Farlands campus and had been in planning since the end of the war to prepare for the inevitable succession process. Being populated with former kings and queens, the kingdoms jointly funded a security force in the village that would be dedicated to guarding it and everyone within, for looking after and honouring one's elderly parents is the epitome of filial piety.
At dinner, everyone talked happily and had a great meal with each other before they went home with their stomachs and hearts filled. It was getting late by the time everyone returned to their palaces, so everyone got ready to go to bed, preparing themselves for what tomorrow would bring. Soon enough, it was time for the children to go to their first day of school…