Mikan stared through the window of his brain vat at Étién. She was stirring, and he felt she could wake up at any moment.

Sashae spoke in her language as she finished a calming piece of music, “She is waking?”

Mikan didn’t look away from the window, “I think so.”

Étién’s eyes opened as Mikan finished speaking, and Ryan felt a tickle of confusion and disorientation at the back of his mind.

Ryan felt relief at her waking and sent out the Mk. I and Mk. II to tell the crew and Étién’s mother the good news.

Mikan put her hand on the window as Étién’s eyes looked around in confusion, “Étién! How are you feeling?”

Étién’s eyes locked on Mikan, but thanks to the tubes down her throat, couldn’t speak so only let out a groan.

Ryan commanded the vat to discharge some fluid and retract the various tubes connected to Étién, “Let’s get you out of there.”

Étién still looked disoriented, but the sudden retraction of several tubes at once made her writhe in discomfort, and Ryan could feel a bit of discomfort mix into the waning confusion.

Mikan grabbed a towel and waved for Sashae to come over, “Let’s get her dried off and take her to med bay.”

Sashae put down her instrument and walked to the brain vat, “Is her mind okay?”

Mikan shrugged, “She’s moving around okay, but she looks confused, so no idea.. We should carry her to a med table and scan her to see how she’s healing up.”

Sashae nodded and turned to the brain vat just as the window opened.

Étién put her arms over the edge of the open window, and blinked her eyes, “This… I know this place.”

Mikan handed her the towel, and she took it, “Had to put you in my brain vat. You were hurt pretty bad, and putting you in here with a bunch of nanites was the only way I could think of that might help.”

Étién turned around and found Ryan’s brain. She held out her hand, as if to touch it, but stopped just shy, “This... is the real you…”

Ryan felt uncomfortable having someone this close to his brain, “Yep. You’re the first person to get this close to me.”

Étién pulled her hand back and turned back to face Mikan, “Oh… You… Why… Why am I hurt?”

Ryan wondered if she’d lost some of her memories. It would make sense considering her brain damage, “You went off on your own to find the one killing and kidnapping the foragers and almost got killed by him.”

Étién put a hand on her forehead and went deep into thought.

Sashae turned to Mikan, “How is she?”

Mikan crossed her arms and thought for a moment, “She doesn’t remember getting attacked, so she’s lost some memories, but other than that, she seems fine.”

At least she was fine mentally. Ryan could tell by the way she moved that she still felt pain from her other injuries, probably the broken bones.

Sashae turned back to Étién, “Tell her I will help her out.”

Mikan nodded and turned to Étién. He wished he could help too, but Mikan wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of strength, “Sashae will help you out. Let her know when you’re ready.”

Étién groaned as she tried to push herself up, “I broke some bones? I think I remember hitting a tree? Or the tree hit me?”

Mikan nodded, “Both, if you consider that man a tree. He kicked you hard enough to break your ribs and send you flying into a tree.”

Étién winced as she started drying herself off with her less injured arm.

Ryan grabbed a bathrobe he’d set aside earlier and waited for her.

Étién turned to Sashae as she covered her chest with the towel, and held out her arm, speaking in English, “Help. Please.”

Sashae understood, and moved close enough for Étién to put her arm around her shoulder, then helped as she could as Étién climbed through the small window.

Ryan had to turn Mikan away as Étién’s naked body was on full display as she writhed through the window. Yes, he’d seen her naked whenever he looked in the brain vat, but it was easy to avoid the more private bits thanks to the small size of the window.

Sashae grabbed a bath robe placed on the nearest resurrection pod and draped it over Étién’s shoulders.

Étién slumped against the side of the brain vat as the injuries to her legs made it hard for her to stand.

Sashae looked apologetic as she put Étién’s shoulder over her and helped her walk to med bay.

Mikan followed behind, “I am going to scan you. We need to see if there’s anything else that needs attention.”

Étién sat on the nearest bed and laid down, “Thank you.”

Ryan started the scan, “Let’s see. Your brain looks perfect. No sign left of your injuries. Most of your soft tissue is healed too, which is good, because your organs were in bad shape. Hmm, looks like it’s just your bones left to heal...”

Étién smiled, “Thank you, Ryan.”

Mikan scowled, “If you really want to thank me, promise not to go off like that again! If it wasn’t for the nanites, I don’t think even Mayu could have saved you.”

Étién’s smile turned into shame, “I… I wanted to… I wanted too…” She shook her head, “To prove myself?”

Ryan had suspected as much, “Why? You know I don’t care how strong you are. I love that you want to prove yourself, but I’d rather have you alive than dead. Know what I mean?”

Étién blushed, “I… I wanted to show my mother she didn’t need to worry about me. That I could protect myself…”

Ryan could feel a touch of shame and regret tickle at the back of his mind.

Mikan shook her head, “Well, when your mother saw you this morning, she said you weren’t allowed to go out anymore so I think you did the opposite.”

Étién didn’t look surprised, “She… Yes, Mother is right. I should have stayed home and studied.”

Mikan frowned and shook her head, “No. I am glad you came out. It’s just… be more careful. Okay?”

Étién smiled weakly and Ryan felt the shame and regret fade a little, “You are glad you met me?”

Mikan gave a gentle smile, “Yes. I am glad I met you. You have helped me and are a great friend. If I still had a body, I would ask you out on a…” Mikan blushed as Ryan realized he had admitted his feelings for her.

Étién blushed too and Ryan felt her regret and shame change to expectation and hope, “Ask me to do what?”

Mikan’s blush extended to her ears, “A date! I like you and want to date you!”

Étién blushed, but looked happy, and Ryan felt happiness and embarrassment tickle at the back of his mind“I like you too, Ryan.”

Mikan started fidgeting, “You do not just like me because you like to cuddle Mikan?”

Ryan always wondered if Étién merely liked Mikan or if she liked him as a person.

Étién shook her head, “Mikan is Ryan. Ryan is Ryan. Mikan… She is small and safe. And soft. I like Mikan cuddles, yes, however… through Mikan cuddles I… I got to know you…”

Sashae had disappeared from med bay and returned with her guitar from the resurrection room and started playing a soft romantic tune.

When Mikan and Étién turned to her, she winked and continued to play.

Étién pulled her robe tighter around her, and Ryan felt embarrassment tickle at the back of his mind even stronger as his own embarrassment grew.

Mikan coughed, “So… I wonder if I can grow a body in my brain vat for my brain?”

Étién looked to the brain vat visible through the open door to the resurrection room, “Can it?”

Ryan didn’t get a reaction when he tried to access it like he had with the resurrection pods, “I… No. I have already tried.”

Étién looked a little disappointed and Ryan felt the same emotion tickle at the back of his mind, “Perhaps the Builder can help?”

A repair drone working on the dorsal sensor caught a portal appear next to Luna.

Mikan turned in the portal's direction, “It looks like your Mother is here. I should go meet her.”

Étién’s face turned blank and Ryan felt the disappointment turn to fear and anxiety, “Yes.”

Étién laid down and closed her eyes.

Mikan’s gaze lingered on Étién for a moment, before turning and leaving med bay.

As Mikan made her way to meet Niamh, Ryan thought about what had happened. He was sure he could feel Étién’s emotions and thought about the medicine Niamh had given him to link him with Mikan better. If there was still medicine in his brain vat, it was possible it had joined him and Étién. The link to her seemed weak, but with the way the emotions came and went with the same timing that she showed those emotions physically, it couldn’t be a coincidence.

Ryan decided to not bring it up to Niamh, and greeted her, “Hello, Ambassador. Étién is in med bay, but she’s awake, and seems pretty good if you ignore some memory loss.”

Niamh motioned for her guards to stop at the base of Luna’s ramp, then motioned for an attractive Elven woman in clean white robes to follow, and walked up the ramp, “Memory loss is to be expected for that kind of injury, but it is good to hear she is awake and well.”

Ryan studied the new woman for a moment and wondered if this was Healer Fawinn.

Mikan pursed her lips and turned back to Niamh, “Yeah, she’s already remembering stuff, so it’ll all probably come back to her after a while. Her only other problem is she’s still got a couple broken bones.”

Niamh leapt up to the main deck, ignoring the ladder, “As I said this morning, I will take her and let my healer watch over the remainder of her recovery. I appreciate what you have done for her, but with your healer incapacitated at the moment, I would like to keep her with someone I can trust.”

Mikan nodded and filled Niamh up, then waited for Healer Fawinn to climb the ladder, “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea, but she’s through the worst of it, so she shouldn’t need too much help.”

Niamh didn’t answer, and entered med bay with Mikan and Healer Fawinn just behind her. Sashae had already left, so only Étién remained.

Ryan immediately felt a twinge of anxiety come from Étién as she saw Niamh enter the room, “Hello, Mother.”

Niamh stopped at the foot of Étién’s bed and watched Healer Fawinn.

Healer Fawinn stopped next to Étién’s bed, and her eyes glowed as she looked over Étién, “Ryan is correct. I only see broken bones.” She turned to Mikan, “How did you accomplish such healing in such a short amount of time? My Lady mentioned small machines?”

Ryan made a hologram of a nanite, “Yup! Pumped her body full of these things, and they got to work. Just… don’t ask me how they work.”

Healer Fawinn turned back to Étién and her eyes glowed again, “I recognize this. It is like the medicine I prepared for you and your fairy.” She turned back to Mikan, “Does this mean much of our medicine are these machines?”

Mikan shrugged, “I’d have to scan it, but Étién told me not to scan the medicine you gave me, so... I don’t know?”

Healer Fawinn nodded, “If I provide you samples of medicine, could you ‘scan’ them?”

Mikan smiled and nodded, “Yup!” He didn’t want to reveal they had a better scanner than the med bay scanner, so told himself to be careful not to let it slip, “This scanner can easily see everything in the body.” He brought up a scan showing one of Étién’s broken ribs, “Like this.”

Healer Fawinn’s eyes widened in amazement, “I am not aware of anyone that can see on such a small scale.” She turned to Mikan, “Is it possible that I might obtain one?”

Mikan chewed her lip and considered the request, “I would need to control it. Don’t know how to build a computer that could use one.”

Healer Fawinn looked a little disappointed, “I see.”

Niamh stepped next to Étién, thankfully changing the subject away from giving away tech he Ryan didn’t want to, “Daughter, I assume Ryan gave you my message?”

Étién nodded once, “Yes, Mother. I will stay home until you say otherwise.”

Niamh’s face remained emotionless, “You were foolish, so until I feel you have learned from your mistake you will not leave the embassy.” She turned to Healer Fawinn, “I trust you to see her home. I have an important matter to attend to.”

Healer Fawinn bowed, “Yes, Lady.”

Niamh left the room.

Healer Fawinn turned back to Mikan, “Do you have a means to carry her home?”

Ryan brought a waiting repair drone into med bay from the fabrication room, “Yeah, I prepared a drone with some blankets and a pillow.”

Étién turned to Healer Fawinn, “Can I stay a little longer?”

Healer Fawinn considered the request for a second, “Ryan, can I see Lady Étién’s scans? I want to look over them before I leave with her.”

Ryan brought up the scans, “Sure.”

Healer Fawinn gave Étién a smile, then turned to the image.

Étién turned to Mikan, “I guess I won’t see you for a while.”

Mikan patted her shoulder, “You better not go anywhere with those broken bones.” Mikan leaned next to her ear and whispered, “I hid a new communicator in the blankets, so you can call me.”

Étién smiled and Ryan felt happiness tickle the back of his mind, “Thank you. That makes me happy.”

Mikan grinned, “I don’t think your mother will mind. She’s kinda scary, but I don’t think she’s mean. At least, she’s been pretty nice to me and the crew.”

Étién’s smile saddened and Ryan felt a twinge of sadness replace the happiness, “I… perhaps.”

Ryan wondered what he was missing about Étién’s relationship with her mother, and doubted he would ever fully understand, “Well, I can always talk to her about visiting. It’s not like she said I couldn’t come see you.”

Étién’s smile warmed a little, “Yes.” Her smile turned mischievous, “If you do not bring Mikan for cuddles, I will not forgive you.”

Mikan giggled, “See, I told you you just care about cuddling Mikan.”

Étién turned towards the door to the resurrection chamber, “If you meet the Builder, will you ask him to give you a new body?”

Mikan nodded, “I was always planning that. Mikan is fine, but… she’s not me.”

Healer Fawinn turned to Étién and Mikan, “I heard you two were close. Should I tell Lady Niamh to prepare for a wedding? Lady Étién is almost of age, so it is something to discuss.”

Étién blushed.

Mikan blushed too, “We’re just talking about dating! Marriage is…” Mikan glanced at the beautiful elf girl laying on the bed, “Well… uh… give us a few dates before we start talking about that.”

Étién played with her fingers, her face still red, “Yes.”

Healer Fawinn’s face looked neutral, “I see. Then I shall wait. I suspect Lady Niamh already knows how you two feel about each other. If she disapproved of your relationship, I assume she would have said something about it.” She studied Mikan, “Still, I do not understand how this will work. Ryan only has this fairy puppet, this ship, and several magical tools and no way to sire children.”

Mikan sighed, “Why are we talking about children when we haven’t been on our first date?”

Étién nodded vigorously in agreement, her face about as red as it could get.

Ryan brought the repair drone, turned ambulance, into med bay to change the topic, “I am already trying to find the Builder to work on getting a body, so hopefully we’ll have that issue fixed by the time Étién’s bones are healed.”

Étién looked at Mikan for the first time since the topic of marriage came up, “You know where to find the Builder?”

Mikan smiled and nodded, “Yup! I found a place he uses to watch another world he is building right now, but he left a note there saying he had a problem he needed to fix somewhere else. So, once he gets back I should be able to ask him about getting me a body.”

Healer Fawinn seemed surprised, “How did you find the Builder? He has not visited this world in centuries as far as I have heard.”

Mikan shrugged, “He’s called the Builder, so I went to where something was getting built.”

Healer Fawinn nodded in understanding, “I see.” She turned to the repair drone, “This is what we will use to take Lady Étién home?”

Mikan flitted to the drone’s storage compartment, “It’s kinda small, but there’s more than enough room for Étién to fit comfortably.”

Étién sat up with some effort, “Thank you, Ryan. I have wanted to fly using your drones.”

Healer Fawinn inspected the drone, “How fast is it?”

The repair drones had both fairy wings and a compact FTL, “They’re not as fast as the Wizard’s Eyes, but… well… it can get from Luna to the embassy faster than you can blink.”

Healer Fawinn nodded, “I see. So what I have heard is true.”

It didn’t surprise Ryan that Healer Fawinn had heard about his drones, “Well, it’s not like I was trying to hide it. I bet half the town has seen my drones jumping around.”

Healer Fawinn walked next to Étién and held a hand out to her, “Come, I will help you move to the drone.”

Étién slipped off the bed, and used Healer Fawinn’s shoulder to support herself, “Thank you.”

Soon, Étién lay in the drone’s storage, and pulled a blanket over herself.

Healer Fawinn nodded once, “Very good. Let us go.”

The only hard part about getting Étién outside Luna was the hatch leading to the lower deck. Ryan had designed the drone to fit through it, but it had to angle its nose down, so Étién ended up sliding forward.

Once they reached the ramp, they found Viennesoire standing to the side, watching them approach, her eyes glowing as she scanned them.

Mikan approached Viennesoire, and looked around to see if Jaren or any of the other cat girls were nearby, “Hi. Did you need something?”

Viennesoire said nothing, then walked away.

Ryan wondered what that was about.

Étién poked her head out of the drone, “That is the first time I have seen Viennesoire leave on her own.”

Healer Fawinn ignored Viennesoire, “I will return to Lady Niamh through a Gateway and report on her daughter’s condition.” She turned to Mikan, “My clinic is at the embassy. The guards have orders to let you inside, and Lady Étién can guide you the rest of the way.”

Mikan nodded, “Got it!” She turned to Étién, “I’m gonna close the hatch while the drone makes the jump.”

Étién nodded, “Yes!”

Étién slipped back inside, and Ryan closed the hatch.

The repair drone disappeared from next to Luna and appeared next to the embassy.

Healer Fawinn pulled out a crystal and squeezed it, “Then I will take my leave.”

A Gateway appeared in front of her and she walked through.

Ryan opened the drone’s hatch so Étién could see outside again, “Alright, we are here.”

Étién looked a little disappointed, “I did not notice anything.”

Ryan laughed, “It’s more interesting to watch from the outside.”

A guard approached the drone, “Welcome back, Lady Étién.”

Étién peeked at the guard, “Thank you.”

Another guard opened the gate, and the first gestured for the drone to go through, “Please enter.”

Neither Ryan nor Étién spoke, other than for directions, until they arrived at the clinic, which wasn’t far inside.

An attractive Elven woman in clean white clothes greeted them, “Lady Étién, I will help you to your bed.”

Ryan could have used the drone’s arms to help, but he felt the hard metal wouldn’t be the best things to use when moving an injured person.

Ryan moved the drone right next to the bed, and Étién easily slid out with the help of the woman.

Étién turned to the drone, “Thank you, Ryan.”

The aide turned to the drone too, “Yes, thank you.”

Étién had pulled the blanket from the drone out with her, and he saw her slip the communicator under the bed.

Mikan saw Jaren jogging towards Luna.

Ryan noticed Étién looked tired, and the woman was giving the drone an unwelcome look, so felt now was a good time to leave, “I better let you get some rest.”

Étién glanced at the woman, some sadness and disappointment tickling the back of his mind, “Oh. Yes, I am tired.”

Ryan moved the drone to the door and opened it, “See you later.”

Étién smiled, “Yes.”

Mikan met Jaren, “Something up?”

Jaren stopped, she looked excited about something, “The Three Stooges found your traitor fairy!”

Mikan’s eyes went wide, “Did they catch her?”

Jaren shook her head, “She keeps turning invisible.” She turned and waved for Mikan to follow her, “Says she’ll only come back if Mikan comes alone.”

Mikan groaned, “Of course.”

Ryan had actually hoped they never found Saki. He’d found her way too clingy to Mikan, and the things she’d done to Étién even before nearly getting her killed.

Jaren started jogging towards the forest, and Mikan followed.

Jaren looked over her shoulder, “Oh, congrats on Étién waking up. How’s she doing?”

Mikan smiled despite Ryan’s anger at Saki, “Just a few broken bones to heal, but she’s doing great.”

Jaren gave Mikan a relieved smile, “Cool. I was worried about her having brain damage.”

Mikan nodded, “Me too.”

Jaren’s expression turned playful, “Any… special connections now you didn’t have before?”

Mikan cocked her head to the side in confusion, “What do you mean?” She then blushed, “You noticed?”

Jaren giggled, “Nah, everyone already knows you two were crushing on each other.” She turned her head towards Shina’s, “I’m talking more about stuff like hearing thoughts, feeling each other's emotions. Stuff like that.”

Ryan remembered the sharing of emotions with Étién, even now he could feel a tickle of anxiety and tiredness in the back of his mind, “How did you…” He recalled Viennesoire scanning them, “What did Viennesoire see?”

Jaren giggled again, “You two are connected like us sisters now. Viennesoire saw your spirit connected to hers and hers to yours. It’s different than the connection we have, less… refined, but it’s there, and it’s getting stronger.”

Mikan stopped, “It was that medicine.”

Jaren stopped and waited, “That stuff you used to connect you and Mikan?”

Mikan nodded, “Yeah. I thought it got used up with Mikan, but it looks like it stayed.”

Jaren squinted her eyes, and she looked like she was suspicious about something, “Hmm, guess that means you can’t use your brain vat to heal people again unless you want to get connected to them too.”

Mikan sighed, but started moving again, “Yeah, but I don’t want to put people in there anyway with my brain there to get squished, and all.”

Jaren giggled again, “Yeah, I wouldn’t like that either. Never want to have someone get that hurt, anyway.”

Mikan smiled at that, “Yeah. Anyway, let’s get this thing with Saki over with.”

Ryan moved the Mk.I and II high into the air and looked over the forest in the direction Jaren led her. He couldn’t find anything through the thick foliage, but he’d narrow it down as Mikan arrived.

Jaren stopped talking and picked up speed.

Mikan had a hard time keeping up, so rested on Jaren’s shoulder.

Millefeuille appeared from the forest and sped towards them, grabbed Mikan, then ran ahead, easily leaving Jaren behind.

Millefeuille’s speed amazed Mikan as she easily sped through the forest, and before he knew it, they arrived at a small clearing.

Ryan moved the drones so they could see through the small gap in the canopy over the clearing.

Ryan thanked Millefeuille and entered the clearing.

Ryan heard Saki’s voice as soon as Mikan entered the clearing, “Cats go back!”

Millefeuille disappeared into the forest.

Saki appeared from behind a stump near the center of the clearing, “Mikan! Saki missed Mikan! Mikan come with Saki! Saki found new family!”

A fairy with grey hair and moth wings appeared in front of Mikan, and he noticed another on each of Mikan’s periphery.

Mikan fluttered backwards, but not in time to miss the cloud of dust that the moth fairy blew at her.

Mikan became drowsy, and Ryan found it increasingly difficult to control her.

Ryan jumped the drones into the clearing in time to see Millefeuille return, but it was too late as four fairies grabbed the now sleeping Mikan and turned invisible.

The last thing he heard from the fairies was Saki’s laughter.