continuousgroaning

Of course! I'd love to see them and to hear more about your adventures. [ . . . ] What kind of creatures?

[ please don't say unicorns, please don't say unicorns... ]

There was a unicorn, and something that was kinda horse-like. I looked it up later and it's called a Qilin or a Kirin. They were both gentle- weak, though.

Good. So they didn't hurt you or do anything too weird?

No, they were mostly just confused and injured. Both times I had them brought to the stable where I board Jake and someone from the government had to come help.

Poor things. I hope the government could give them the help they needed.

[ also, secretly - she's glad they're not all violent or out to attack imPorts on first sight. ]

Me, too. I never heard anything after handing them over, but I guess they do have their hands full with everything appearing. I just wish I could have done more to help.

You did what you could - and trust me, that's more than enough to be a hero. [ a small, quiet laugh - ] I've never once believed you needed superpowers to do your part.

Yeah, and I always try my best. I wanted nothing more than to pet a unicorn and ended up saving one's life; it was a little harrowing.

I bet!! That sounds like a story and a half. Maybe one you could tell me about in full detail sometime?

Just say when and I'll be over.

Are you in the same city?

Yep, still in Heropa! I didn't move that far, but it felt like time to live with Tohru. We'd been dating long enough.

I really hope it works out. Moving in together is such a big step.

You and me both. I haven't lived with a boyfriend since I was back home, and... [ she swallows. Saying 'he passed away' doesn't do the situation justice. ] It determines if you're gonna make this last, you know?

Yeah... [Tina sounds almost wistful.] It's a sign of how much you care about each other. And that you're in it for the long haul.

Exactly. It's our way of testing the waters before anything like marriage. [ oh, there's something to consider. ] If... you know, anything like that's in my future.

It's kinda scary to think about, but... it's nice, too. I've thought about my wedding a lot, even if I don't yet know who the groom's gonna be.

Yeah? [ What girl hasn't, really? Even Iris has thought about it in the abstract, from how she wants Dad to walk her down the aisle to how Barry was going to give a speech... ] What would your dream wedding be like?

At one point I thought Jimmy Junior was going to be my groom and we were going to eat lobster, but that's changed.

I know I want it to be outdoors. And have horses involved. Like riding to the altar in a carriage since I guess it'd be kinda hard to ride the horse itself in a dress... unless I had a special riding dress made or just went nontraditional and wore pants...

Well, it is your wedding. If you want your wedding dress to also be a riding dress, who's to say it can't be both?

[ thousands of years of tradition, sure, but aren't rules meant to be broken? ]

Yeah, and I'd do anything to accomodate having horses there.

My other big problem is my wedding party. I can't decide if I want Mom or Louise to be my maid of honor or if I should just have both of them. Because Mom would probably be too busy crying the whole day to do much, but Louise would keep her head.

Well, I don't know how it usually works in your world, but my college friends went with their sisters more often than not.

[ Iris, lacking said sisters, would probably choose Linda Park or Kara Danvers (and if she were to get married here - Ashley Williams), but that's a story for another time. ]

When the time comes, and you're back home, float the idea by both and see what they think.

And I think it would be fun because Louise would take charge while I'm frazzled with everything else. She's good with that. She's kind of the leader of the 3 of us even though she's the youngest.

I have talked about it with Mom before, but she says I'll probably change my mind a million times before it happens and that it's OK if I go with none, too. She and Dad got married at the courthouse, so it was never an issue for her.

[ the courthouse sounds kind of anticlimactic, but who is Iris to judge, really? ]

I can believe it. For now, it's more fun to imagine, right? You can worry about the actual details when the time rolls around - and it's gonna be a when, knowing you.

Dating and chasing after a ton of boys has got to pay off sooner or later, right?

[There's a tone of gentle teasing in her voice.]

[ she laughs - ] Exactly.

But no, I was thinking more, you're smart, and sweet, and really down-to-earth. Any guy - or girl - would be lucky to have you.

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;