Chapter 7: December 9th, 1983

Almost a year and a half went by like it was nothing. The sun was shining brightly on the Nevada desert. Even if it was December, the heat was still there. It felt like nothing had happened, yet it did. Many things did happen with some things that might have occurred or never occurred at all. The one obvious thing was that everything was usual in the desert. Tumbleweeds blew across the sands and shrubs that grew by the road. Located on Route 50, the long stretch of endless road would be the most unlikely place ever to be. What is called “The Loneliest Road” was seemingly never used nor had much there at all. It was a vast road that connected from California to Maryland. It had a history of being a pathway used by the Pony Express that helped deliver messages from East to West via horseback until the telegraph helped decrease the need for it. Constructed in the 1920s, the new road was supposed to be used regularly, but the new Interstate highways built would cause it to be virtually unused.

A 1982 Silver Chevrolet Corvette drove down the road. Almost like a speeding bullet, there was nothing to slow down the car as it drove a speed of 15 miles over the limit. Located somewhere forty miles from Ely, the vehicle would eventually pull over to the side of the road. Dirt and dust were kicked into the air as the car would come to a complete stop.

The driver’s side door opened up, and a slightly older Gary came out of the car. Dressed in black pants, a blue shirt, and a beautiful set of sunglasses, he exited the car and closed the door. He then walked around the vehicle to the driver’s side door and opened it. An older Fumi in her human form wearing a beautiful red, pink, and white kimono stepped out of the passenger side of the car. He closed the door of the vehicle as they looked at the vast expanse of dirt, scrubs, and desert.

“Well, we are here,” Gary commented as he looked at Fumi.

There was something noticeable when it came to Fumi. Her stomach was bulging heavily as her hand would naturally press to it. Her black silk hair was wrapped up and tied in traditional formal wear. Her eyes casually scanned the area.

“It is pretty for a desert husband,” she said as she looked at the area.

“Did we reach the right area?” he asked questioningly as he kept looking at the scene. “I see nothing out here.”

“Yes, we are.”

“I still can’t believe we were sent out here. It’s the middle of nowhere.”

“Same can be argued with our dens. We try to choose areas that humans don’t go. They choose the same thing. It makes sense.”

“Alright... , “ he gestured to her. “Let’s go walking into the expanse of dirt.”

They took each other’s hand as they began to walk away from the car. The dirt was endless, but the occasional grass helped break the path that made.

“Temperatures aren’t that bad,” he said.

“Yeah, even in a desert and having a temperature of 60 degrees, it’s pretty good. I guess it was a good thing we are in a desert in December.”

He looked at her belly as they walked. “How are you doing?”

“Baby is doing well. I am always fine,” she replied with a smile.

“I hate leaving Akari behind. I wish she could have come with us.”

“She will be fine. Mother promised to keep an eye on her.”

He shook his head. “Still ... I know your mom is dating that man now ... whatever his name is.”

“Jeremy?”

“Yeah, him. It didn’t take her long once she got that new home.”

“My mom has been eager for me to reach of age. She wanted to wait until I reached the right age before she went out looking for a husband. I know with her it will be her first actual time she will have a man.”

“She certainly sacrificed a lot to make sure that you had a good childhood.”

“She most certainly did,” she replied as she patted her distended belly. “You never know, I might pop anytime now.”

“Ugh ... not in the middle of a desert.”

“Uh Gary don’t worry about it,” she said, waving her hand. “Us Yuki are good at giving birth anywhere.”

“Yeah, I know all too well.”

They continued their walk through the desert. Gary turned his head back to look at the car.

“Getting anxious?” she asked him.

“No, I get nervous, leaving a nice car like that behind. Watching my car turn into the size of a Hotwheels car gets to me somewhat.”

“Don’t worry about it. Learn to relax a little bit.”

“I just want to make sure I make a good impression on these ... umm ... Coalition of Deities. They sound very serious, according to the den.”

“I know you are jumpy on this husband, but it will be worth it. I think it is a good thing our family is trying to reach out to them.”

“Who to think, we would be on a mission to talk to gods?” he asked her as he shrugged. “It’s just ... crazy.”

“I am real. They are real. My mother and the other den comrades aren’t kidding about other things out there, Gary. The fairy tale stories are real, and the gods do exist. Now it is time for us to represent the Yuki family to be the best we can be.”

“Yeah, that’s what makes me so nervous. I finally get a mission to be able to help serve your family. Now all the eyes are on me.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know what we will face either. That is why we will do this together.”

“Even though you may go into labor anytime?”

“They want this to succeed. We are not disabled because we are pregnant, either. Besides... , we sent the word to them. We want this to happen.”

“That we want to talk to them? To talk to deities and mythical creatures and things that shouldn’t exist.”

“To the mythics husband ... for them and us. We have been with the den in and out for a year. We have all the knowledge for this to work. Now we have to see if they will be here.”

Gary continued to look around, and he saw nothing. He only saw the mountains from a distance.

“Just nothing but desert...” He said.

“They will be here.”

“Did they say anything about where we will be meeting at?”

“Hmmm ... I remember the den headmaster saying something about the mythics having some sort of annual, party I think. Something they do regularly.”

He turned his head and looked at the car. It was just a small dot now with the distance they were walking. There was nothing. There were no people or any signs of life except the occasional plant or wildlife. He turned to look forward again.

“Gary ... do you want to have another baby after this?”

He looked at her and could see that she had a look of concern in her face. “Yeah ... Akari has been adorable. It’s funny to see another that is similar to you.”

“I love her black spots ... oh we make such cute kids.”

He nodded, “In for a penny, in for a pound.”

“I like that saying. I want to have another baby after this.”

“You are going to keep asking until I give in. I don’t think I will have many choices. I have a feeling that you will keep asking after I give in anyway.”

“You know it. We got plenty of money. I want that house to be filled with bedrooms. Having a family with you is the best thing ever.”

“And to think we were just friends five years ago.”

She practically leaned her head to him as they continued walking. “It was the best choice ever when I found you. You have been such a good mate. I promise to be with you for as long as you live.”

He tightened his grip on her hand. “Even if I am an old and wrinkly man?”

“Are you kidding? You will be just as exciting wither you are twenty or eighty. I bet you will still be providing for me no matter what.”

“I am sorry that I won’t be with you forever...”

“No,” she shook her head. “It’s alright. You don’t control that. We enjoy the time together, and that is that.”

He looked at the mountains. “Are you going to find another man after I pass away?”

“Hey... , what did I say? I don’t want to think that way until it happens. I promise you that I will always remember the man that took my virginity. I am going to remember the man that spends time with his baby, and I remember the man that keeps having sex with me despite being all round now.”

“Heh...” he tried to secure a chuckle.

“You know I think you like me being pregnant. I see how you look at my stomach when we have sex.”

“Man, you are really naughty today. The way you talk. That pregnancy isn’t make you talk funny, is it?”

She put her finger to her chin. “Maybe ... I think you might be right.”

There was a pause as he thought about it. His thoughts were interrupted, though...

“Hmmm ... you two seem to be in good spirits,” a voice said behind them. This caused him to react with surprise. The sound was a male voice, and it was from behind.

“What the?...” he said as they turned around to the direction of the voice.

Upon turning around, they were greeted by a man that was shorter than Fumi was. He was about three feet tall, practically a dwarf by human sizes. He even almost looked like a child, but he was bald. He had a skin complexion that matched those of the people of India. He wore a simple white shawl that covered most parts of his body. There was a series of beaded necklaces that he wore around his neck. There was something white that was carved on the center of his forehead that Gary could not recognize. He carried a small red paper umbrella that was opened up to block the sun.

“Who ... Who are you?” Gary asked the stranger that seemed to come from nowhere.

The man was peaceful and calm as he walked next to him. There was a friendly and straightforward demeanor that he gave off as he stepped up to take a closer look at him.

“Yes... , “ the stranger said with an Indian accent. “Hmmm ... an an interesting place to be walking around with you and your round friend here ... yes ... I am surprised that you don’t have anything for the shade here. I do see the sunglasses that you wear. I still think a good umbrella is all you need.”

Gary stood still as the man checked him out. He walked around, looked at him, and then walked up to Fumi. She looked at him closely as she had her hand to her stomach. The dwarf of a man seemed to nod as he stepped in front of them. He spun the umbrella in his hand while keeping the light away from his eyes.

“And ... yes ... not only a mortal but I see something else next to him. That aura ... yes I can see it quite well now. I hope your husband or mate knows the truth about you. It would be a tragedy to be carrying a child for him not to know who you are.”

Fumi expressed shock as she looked at him. “That ... you can tell that I am not human?”

With his free hand, he tapped his temples before saying anything more. “Of course ... not all the deities have that ability. It is not entirely easy, though. It is a very faint one, but it is one that does glow from you.”

“Who are you?” Gary asked.

“Ah... , where are my manners? My name is Vanama. Perhaps you may know me... , perhaps you might not. It is alright if you don’t.”

“I should have greeted myself too,” Gary said while lightly bowing his head. “My name is Gary, and this is my wife, Fumi.”

“Fumi ... what a pretty name to have,” Vamana said, looking at her. “You are certainly a mythic ... ah,” he snapped his fingers. “You are the guests we are looking for. It would make sense, especially to be out here all alone in the middle of nowhere. I was going to say that your timing seemed very good to be here at this time. I assume you are the representatives from the Yuki family?”

“Yes, Vamana,” Fumi replied. “I think I do know a little bit about you. You are the avatar of the great Vishnu. At least I think you should be. I went and read up as much as I could about the mythics out there as possible.”

“Good ... mostly right,” he nodded. “You will need that when you come to our annual festival. We have this every year by one of our gods Taweret. She wants to make sure we have time to come and settle down and relax. It allows us gods to enjoy and share stories together. A time like this is a perfect place to not only meet us but to get a chance to meet you as well.”

“God, Vamana,” Gary asked him. “Where is this place? We are in the middle of nowhere. There is no human activity for miles and miles.”

“That is the point. We always make sure that our festivals are always in the middle of nowhere. We don’t exactly want human mortals to come and see us by accident. You, humans, have populated heavily, but you don’t go here. That is why it is a good place to come to before it changes again eventually.”

“So ... where is it that we need to be at?”

Vamana gestured them to turn around. When they did, they were no longer looking at vastness of sand, grasses, and shrubs but a small grass shed in front of them. It was nothing big. The shed was seemingly big enough almost to be an outhouse. It only had one door and nothing else to it.

“Wait ... this is just a hut or cabin,” Gary commented.

“What about it?” Vamana asked him.

“I mean, this is small. You tell me that we came all this way to this tiny hut?”

“Is there something wrong with it being small?” Vamana asked him as he stepped in front of them. He got next to the door.

“Ummm ... no. It’s just that for a place to have a meeting. This place seems a bit ... hard to have it.”

Vamana spun his umbrella in his hand. He then closed it and got next to the door. He slightly tapped the entrance with his umbrella, causing a small amount of light to emit from the door. The doorway of the hut slowly turned to pure light, and then it turned into a large room inside it.

“Incredible,” Fumi replied, seeing it. Gary’s jaw dropped open.

“You should read more about me next time,” Vamana explained. “You might enjoy the stories about me. If it’s one thing about me, being small is not what I am about. Come inside and enjoy yourself. You are our honored guests.”

He gestured his hand to the door as Gary and Fumi looked at each other briefly. They nodded and looked at the entrance. They walked forward till they reached the doorway and stepped inside.

Upon stepping inside the hut, Vamana followed closely behind them. The door closed behind them. Inside the shed was nothing that it appeared to be. It was not a hut interior but a vast room. The place was well lit. It seemed to be almost like a bar and restaurant. It was very unusual in design and, in most cases very comfortable. Chairs of various sizes, tables of different shapes, there was a long bar table and multiple varieties of chairs all over. The floor was made with a brown soft, smooth marble that lined the floor. On one side of the room was a stage where you can perform. One side appeared to be a gambling table or various tables for playing games. There was a series of places that seemed to lead to somewhere else. The walls were lined with a series of hieroglyphics and carvings that depicted Egyptian artwork and figures from the ancient past. The sculptures didn’t end just there. The engravings would turn to other various sculptures from around the world.

Inside the room was a variety of people, and all of them looked to be completely different from one another. It was a sight to behold. Some creatures walked on digitigrade legs. Some of the creatures had wings; some had wicked claws and feet. Some had staffs; some had a variety of clothing on, while others had none at all. Some preferred to be naked. A few were human or at least looked human. He noticed that one of the humans had green skin to him. Another human had blue skin and four arms to him. Dragons, humans, feline creatures, reptilian humanoids, serpent-like women, demons, demonesses, monsters, minotaurs, walking foxes, vixens, it was endless in the room. One of them was a walking skeleton.

“Whoa...” was Gary’s only words.

“You won’t need to keep up that human shape of yours, Fumi,” Vamana told her. “Here is safe away from mortal human contact. Be yourself and greet yourself to the others.”

With that, Vamana walked away to join the clusters of various creatures and characters that lined the vast place.

“Ha...” Fumi seemed to chuckle. “I guess he is right. I don’t need to be human walking around here...”

She emitted the smoke from her body as her form reverted to the rat form again. She was at her normal height now and stood as the four-foot rat. Her silver-like hair was still tied up as before. Her pawed feet walked on the marble surface with ease.

“This is wonderful, Gary...” Fumi said. “It’s nothing like the dens.”

“I admit this place does not surprise me more than it should. I am used to seeing the many rats from the dens. It’s only the variety of individuals that line here that has me just looking at everybody.”

“We are not alone, my dear husband. This world is filled with characters from so many tales and stories. I can see that the Yuki family is the tip of that iceberg. I only hope that our family is worthy...”

“I imagine that they would take what the Yuki can offer them. Maybe it will be of some use to them. Come, let’s enjoy this place and meet the people.”

“I think we should meet this Taweret first. I think she is the most important person to meet here. She is the one that heads the party here.”

“I agree,” Gary replied. “The question is, who is she?”

She practically slapped his side as she looked at him. “Come on, husband, did you read the books that you were supposed to before coming to here?” she asked him politely.

“They were quite big and had a lot of information on them,” he protested.

“Taweret is a hippo goddess. I see a one ... no I see two ... make that three,” she scratched the back of her neck. “Ok ... so there is more to this than I thought.”

“A hippo goddess? ... A goddess of what?”

“Well... , “ she remembered as her cheeks seemed to turn almost red under her white fur. Her hand went to her stomach. “She is the goddess of ... childbirth. She is an Egyptian Goddess. Wait now, I remember. She should have a crocodile or alligator tail from her back. That is how we can decipher her from everybody.”

His eyes went and scanned the room as he found her. She was standing near the corner of the large room. The towering woman was with a pair of other individuals that sat at a table.

“I see her! She is at the corner of the room,” he pointed to her. Fumi turned to look at the direction, and they proceeded together down the long room.

As they walked, they could notice the many eyes that would befall them. Some seemed to ignore them and continue their chatting and relaxation while others would see the rat woman that proceeded past them. They noticed a minotaur woman that had her arm wrapped around a human woman as they held hands. In another case, they saw a pair of Kangaroo men that were busy talking to each other. In another example, they noticed a demoness that sat smoking a fancy cigarette on a bean bag chair with her talon feet perched up comfortably.

“It’s amazing that there is such a variety of people here,” Gary commented. “No two people are alike. I almost feel like I am in a zoo of some sort.”

“I like it,” Fumi commented as they got closer. “I can be myself here. We are not trapped by the dens or homes husband. I can be me. Our children can be here and be themselves.”

Gary had to admit that she was right. Taking up human form was like having to wear extra clothing all the time because everyone would be afraid or startled in how you looked. If they weren’t that at least, then they would all stare at the wonder that befell them. It was the sacrifice of having to live a life with humans. It was up to individual humans to have to put aside those sort of thoughts and embrace others despite their differences. His pairing with Fumi was a tribute to that.

“I agree with you, my love,” he told her.

They approached the scene that befell them. In the corner of the room was a towering eight-foot-tall hippo woman. She had an alligator tail that swung from her back and down to the floor. Her hair was long, black, and flowing down her shoulders. She had grey skin. She wore what looked like a red armband on one side of her arm. She didn’t wear much as it looked like simple coverings that covered her large breasts and lower extremities. She seemed very pudgy but stood on digitigrade legs. Her snout and face were almost precisely that of a hippo. The one thing that they noticed was the small black ink mark that lined her cheek near her eye. She was busy talking to two other individuals.