Ducking in and out of medical pods had been a once-tired affair for Camellya.
Unwittingly, her time spent stewing around the Black Shores - a crude hunk of tacecite that served as humanity's database, analyzing laments - gave way to acquainting herself with the populace of robots that skittered about the elusive archipelago.
They were always wary of the Resonator, giving the associate a large berth whenever she stalked past, careful not to catch the jagged edges of her frequent restlessness and draw her attention.
But it was a futile endeavour - the Bloom Bearer constantly bored, practically shackled to the island, attending endless check-ups between operations.
So, the KU-Roro units made for her entertainment.
There was KU-Haha and KU-Hehe stationed at the Tethys hub - affectionately dubbed the twins by Camellya. They endlessly bickered day-in and day-out, fighting over who’d been hogging the charging ports and it was all the world's delight fanning the flames of their arguments, hoping they’d escalate.
KU-Cass, KU-Bert, and KU-Ponder, the more studious of the bunch, were markedly less fun to talk to, seemingly impervious to Camellya’s teasing.
KU-Money, while similarity indifferent to the Bloom Bearer's antics, occasionally threw her a bone, entertaining questions and conversations.
It was surprisingly astute for an artificial being.
Camellya couldn't help but to think it had felt bad for her.
A lot of people felt bad for the Havoc Resonator.
The Bloom Bearer was her organization's volatile problem child - constantly throwing fits if she didn't get her way.
All too often, seniors regarded her with a look of resignation on their faces, callously brushing off her behaviour with words like troubled or amnesiac.
The Black Shores associate hated it.
The only place where she wasn't treated with misplaced sympathy was during the thick of battle - trivialities and other unsightly woes lost to its fierce, all-consuming fire.
It was why Camellya liked Rover.
She couldn't have cared less about who the Resonator was, having brusquely pinned Camellya against the ground, holding a blade up to her throat.
Indulging her baser instincts, Camellya had tailed the Lady Arbiter like a lead, inadvertently discovering the explanation to her fascination as she peeled back the layers of her psyche.
No matter which long, winding hallway of the Stellar Matrix she trawled through, exploring her alternate selves, Rover proved to be at every intersection in Camellia's life - an undisputed constant in a sea of blinking variables.
To her chagrin, the Havoc Resonator was but a shrinking ghost in her wake, perpetually overshadowed by the Lady Arbiter's countless responsibilities throughout every reality.
"So fickle," the Bloom Bearer pouted to nobody in particular, swinging her dangling legs off the edge of Veiled Rock.
More often than not, she found herself retiring to the crag to watch daybreak stretch its arms over the island - quietly observing the first light as it hit the Tethys' Space Anchors, its fractal glass brilliantly reflecting the sun.
Since sharing with Rover a little slice of her world, the little spot Camellya called her haven had changed ever so subtly.
She sensed it in the breeze and soft swell of waves lapping the shore below - the Lady Arbiter’s gentle, lingering presence.
Camellya sighed, craning her head to bask under the rays of peeking sunlight.
"Ah," a shrill, warbly voice suddenly tutted beside her ear. The Havoc Resonator startled, flaring her vines as if they’d been quills. "Do my sensors betray me - or is that a hopeless romantic I see?"
Happily chirping before Camellya, a sleek black robot eagerly stood at the associate's feet.
She could only stare, aghast, as it gave her an oafish bow - the unit’s large, cumbersome square frame making the curtsy look clumsy and laboured.
"I'm pretty sure I know every KU-Roro bot around here," Camellya carefully began, warily eying the bubbly unit. She pointedly crossed her arms, shooting the unexpected guest a pointed, "Who are you supposed to be?"
"KU-Officiate, at your service!" it exclaimed. Wasting no time to launch itself into its pitch, the robot excitedly added, "Do you have any plans about getting married, Miss Camellya?"
Taken aback by its abrupt question, she could only manage an incredulous, "You know who I am? "
KU-Officiate, seemingly patient as it was excitable, offered her a courteous nod.
"Of course, I've heard many great things about you!"
The Bloom-Bearer scoffed.
"Only good stories, I hope," Camellya sardonically cracked. She cleared her throat. "But no - I'm not interested in marriage," the Resonator half-heartedly shrugged, scuffing her heel. "I don't get all the buzz about it, anyways."
Marriage was a lofty, fanciful idea she hardly ever indulged in.
The Black Shores associate didn't know whether it was coincidence or bad luck that she could be inexplicably entwined with Rover - their relationship spanning across different universes - being everything to each other except partners.
"Well, for just three-thousand shell credits plus tax, you can book your very own micro-wedding at the Black Shore's scenic Greenhouse facility!" KU-Officiate plowed on, oblivious to Camellya’s plight. "Sitting atop the island looking over a stunning view, the building boasts a humble, but sizable two-hundred square feet. You'll be able to accommodate an upwards of four-"
"-Hold on, micro-wedding?" The Bloom Bearer owlishly interrupted, trying to digest the robot's spiel.
"Yes - that's right! The Black Shore's has since been expanding its’ business ventures, offering all kinds of different services," KU-Officiate beamed. "It's part of KU-Money's proposed initiative to stimulate our economy."
"How shrewd," the Havoc Resonator deadpanned, sourly pinching the bridge of her nose. Camellya waved off the robot, hand lazily batting the air as if she meant to swat a fly. "Look, sorry - but I'm not your girl."
-Not somebody for idyllic, happily-ever-afters, she quietly added to herself.
At that, KU-Officiate deflated, the corners of its pixelated mouth drooping into a disheartened frown.
"Oh," it morosely chirped, "are you sure?"
"Marrying isn’t in the books for me," the associate icily clipped as she examined her nails, trying to look indifferent. "The whole affair sounds like a tedious process, anyhow. I wouldn't even know where to begin."
Suddenly, the robot perked up, eyes glittering.
"You know, it's actually quite easy to apply for a marriage license!" KU-Officiate preened. "It isn't much of a hassle to fill out the registration, given that you only need your partner's personal information to complete it on their behalf."
Camellya stilled, heel twisting to a sharp halt just before she could leave.
Ubidden, the Resonator's thoughts wandered to the upper access she'd been granted to search the Tethys’ database - pondering the entire library of personal files laid at her disposal to peruse.
"Is that so," the Bloom Bearer hummed, slowly digesting the information as a carnivorous plant did their prey.
She spun around - scrutinising KU-Officiate with curious, renewed interest.
"Would you care to explain how somebody might go about reserving a wedding venue in more detail?"
-
A micro-wedding - however scaled down the ceremony was compared to a regular one - still required a notable amount of work to put together
Fortunately, Camellya had knocked two birds out with one stone - the pair of hands she enlisted to decorate the venue also helping double up as her wedding guests.
Encore, a young and excitable Black Shore's recruit, eagerly snapped up at the offer to be Camellya’s maid of honor - practically shaking with glee.
The Consultant was rowdy as she was strong - Camellya doubtless of her burgeoning resonance potential.
But for now, while she had a few years of seniority and inches on the girl, the Havoc Resonator figured she still could afford to boss her around for a bit longer.
Buckling under the Bloom Bearer’s withering glare the second she laid eyes on him, Aalto proved to be even simpler than Encore to coerce.
Camellya hadn't much to say about the man, except that he knew how to dutifully keep his head down and work.
"Encore wants to know when your bride is going to be here," the younger Consultant incessantly prodded, tugging at the hem of Camellya’s dress just as she finished fixing a colourful strip of tapestry across the wall.
The Havoc Resonator grinned, stooping to kneel before her.
"Mm," she thoughtfully hummed, glancing at the door. "It'll be in a bit - I just have to pick her up," she assured the other Resonator, winking. "You and uncle Aalto keep busy decorating until I get back, alright?"
"Okay!" she cheered. Turning to face the figure half-heartedly arranging a bouquet, Encore cupped her hands, shouting, "Aalto! Big Sis Camellya says to continue working - we can't slack off!"
He only grunted in response, wordlessly bobbing his head.
"Good girl," The Bloom Bearer chirped, ruffling her hair.
Giving Encore a cursory wave, Camellya left the greenhouse - a single appointment on the forefront of her mind.
-
Camellya sat upright, hands neatly folded in her lap, as she absentmindedly stirred her tea, expectantly glancing out the window every so often.
Uninspired Smears of grey jackets and slacks littered the streets, aimlessly bustling to and fro.
If their souls could beat, they would've exuded dull frequency like a weak, failing pulse.
They weren't like Rover who vibrated with life and energy, outshining everybody else. The woman carried a strange, electrifying air about her, causing Camellya’s hairs to invariably stand on end whenever she was near.
The Bloom Bearer hardly needed to hear the soft tinkle of the door bell to know Rover arrived - feeling a familiar, tell-tale sensation of pricks suddenly raking across her skin.
The Black Shores associate shot up, oafishly greeting the other woman with a cacophony of rattling cutlery and clinking glasses as she jostled her table.
"Rover," Camellya said a little breathlessly, slightly ducking.
About to inwardly berate herself, the Havoc Resonator paused just as her eyes landed on the Arbiter’s rapidly rising and falling chest - appearing as though she had also sensed their sharp, invisible tug.
The thought of Rover being just as helplessly wound around Camellya's pinky finger as she was hers stoked a pleasant sensation inside the Bloom Bearer.
"Camellya," the Lady Arbiter began, eyes cautiously darting between the associate and their surroundings. "I arrived as soon as I could - didn't you say that the Stellar Matrix's influence was giving you residual headaches after leaving?"
"Oh," Camellya giggled, twirling a lock of silver hair, "I said that?"
"Yes, you did - even contacted me earlier today about it, too, if you'd conveniently forgotten," Rover squinted, slightly affronted. "I urgently notified the lab to prepare for thorough diagnostic testing - but here I find you, sitting at a cafe looking as if you haven't a care in the world," the Arbiter tiredly griped, rubbing the sides of her head.
She retired into the booth across the other Resonator with a huff - squeaky pleather protesting underneath her sudden weight.
"Aw," the Havoc Resonator gushed, propping both her elbows on the counter. "Hearing the unconquerable Rover getting so riled up and concerned about little ol' me - gosh, you really know how to make a girl blush, don't you?"
"I'm just taking precautions," the Arbiter bristled. She restlessly picked at her cuticles, worrying the skin. "I witnessed you overclocking in an instance of the Matrix," she hoarsely gritted out, pointedly avoiding Camellya’s curious gaze. "You didn't experience it like I did, helplessly watching the life leave-"
Suddenly unable to finish, Rover choked, throat bobbing like a drifting buoy.
Camellya frowned.
"Leave what?"
Rover hurriedly waved a hand.
"Forget about it," she insisted, hastily composing herself with a cough. "Why did you want us to meet?"
The Havoc Resonator tapped her chin as she drew out their silence, enjoying the way the Lady Abriter imperceptibly squirmed under her gaze.
"You're going to be helping me," she finally crooned, shooting Rover a suggestive wink.
Before the other woman could eke out a protest, Camellya leaned over their booth, sliding a single beige envelope across the table.
"...And this is?"
Camellya inwardly gushed at the cute furrow knitting the Arbiter’s brow.
"A little itinerary of sorts, you could say," she playfully sang.
-
There wasn't much in the way of comparison when it came to finding a bakery.
The Black Shore's had few retail businesses - barely measuring up to the sheer amount of shops Jinzhou boasted.
Any store that offered catering sounded good to Camellya as far as she'd been concerned.
"Mhm," she hummed, tasting a swipe of colourful frosting. "Which one do you like?" The Bloom Bearer mildly inquired, thrusting a platter of cake samples at Rover.
She lounged back into the plush chair of the parlor, expectantly watching the Lady Arbiter through a curious, half-lidded gaze.
"I don't know - I suppose they're all alright," Rover said slowly, eyeing the silver trays set out before them - each boasting an assortment of flavours. She haltingly cautioned a slice. "Why are we doing this again?"
"We're celebrating," Camellya pointedly clipped as if it'd been the most obvious thing in the world, exaggeratedly waving her fork like a conductor.
"Celebrating what, exactly?"
The Bloom Bearer shrugged.
"Anything, everything - what isn't there to commemorate with cake?"
Rover pursed her lips, unconvinced.
"Fine," The Havoc Resonator huffed, giving in with a roll of her eyes. "If you must know, I just wanted to do a little something for the both of us.”
"Us?"
"Sure - to mark our alliance, partnership, or whatever you should call it."
The other woman gnawed her lip, contemplative.
"-Angelica," Rover quietly mumbled.
Camellya quirked a brow.
"Come again?"
"We should choose the cake with the Angelica toppings," she reiterated, hands twisting in her lap. "They say it's the flower of resilience - kind of like you and I," she explained. "Despite all the odds, we've found each other time and time again in every universe."
The Havoc Resonator paused - something warm and fond suddenly welling up in her throat.
"How thoughtful of you," Camellya cooed, inching up to Rover's face with a sly grin. "To our fateful reunion in each and every universe, then," she toasted, smearing a generous dollop of whipped cream over the Lady Arbiter's cheek.
"Wh - hey!" Rover floundered, hands frantically flying to grab Havoc Resonator.
"Don't get all shy on me, now," she sang, throwing a leg over her waist. Just barely straddling Rover's hips, Camellya leaned over, leveraging her height, and eased her back into the sofa. "If it wasn't fate bringing us together, would you still try to find me?" the Bloom Bearer whispered, tickling the shell of the Arbiter’s ear.
Rover ducked, chin practically tucked flush against her collar.
"I-"
"-Is there anything I can additionally assist with?" came a sudden quip poking out from the corner, sporting an all too-chipper smile.
The Bloom Bearer inwardly groaned, reluctantly pulling herself off of the Arbiter.
She fixed the employee a strained grin.
"...Could you ring up an Angelica cake for us?"
-
Rover hesitated, glancing nervously at the full-body mirror where Camellya was twirling herself in front of. "So, if the cake was for a celebration," she began, trailing off as she became distracted by the rhythmic sway of Havoc Resonator's hips. The Lady Arbiter swallowed hard, quickly looking away. "...what's the meaning of all this?" she finally managed, awkwardly gesturing at the Bloom Bearer's frilly dress.
"Can't a girl dress up once in a while?" Camellya quipped, scrutinizing her reflection.
"That isn't the issue, it's just - am I even supposed to be in here?" Rover weakly protested, pressing herself impossibly tight into the fitting room corner, looking as though she was trying to disappear.
The Black Shores associate huffed, teasing her hair.
"I don't see why not," she drawled. The Resonator tilted her head, ruffling her skirt. "Do these gold accents compliment me?" Camellya quipped, spinning around.
The Lady Arbiter scratched her neck. "It - they suit you."
"You've been saying different variations of that exact phrase for the past half hour. Do I have to strip naked to get a reaction out of you?" Camellya pouted, earning herself a little, scandalised squeak at the crass suggestion. "I'm trying to look good," she sighed.
"-For who?"
The associate blinked, slightly taken aback by Rover's nearly instantaneous quip - the other woman all of the sudden eyeing her with trepidation and doubt.
"They're - hm, how should I describe it?" she playfully thought aloud, purposefully dragging out each of her vowels. "A special acquaintance of mine, I suppose," Camellya grinned, enjoying Rover’s troubled expression.
"Is it somebody I know?" the Lady Arbiter frowned, racking her brain.
"They're closer than you think, let's just say."
The Bloom Bearer had to fight a giggle, watching Rover's usually stoic and collected face pucker at that.
"Shouldn’t you be getting this friend of yours to help pick out a dress instead of asking me?
Camellya shrugged, biting down a smirk.
"You're both pretty alike."
Rover puffed out her chest.
"Have they ever scaled Mount Firmament and confronted a Sentinel face-to-face?" she began to list. "Apprehended the lieutenant of an underhanded organization?”
Unable to help herself, the Havoc Resonator broke out into a laugh.
"Easy, tiger. Those are tough acts to follow," Camellya wheezed, tears beading the corners of her eyes. "My friend likes petting stray cats and going to all-you-can-eat buffets, rather." Squeezing Rover's arm, she added, "They don't hold a candle to your prowess, if you were worried about that, Lady Arbiter."
"I wasn't," Rover flinched.
"Your pouting isn't very convincing."
She rolled her eyes.
Before Rover could get up, Camellya quickly seized her wrist, breathing, "I'll make it up to you."
"What?" The Arbiter squirmed.
"Let's get you all dolled up - pick out an outfit and everything, hm?" the Bloom Bearer offered, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"I don't-"
"-You and I could get matching attires. Wouldn't we look grand?"
Either taken to the idea or something else entirely, Camellya’s proposal somehow did the trick - Rover having wordlessly acquiesced, letting the Havoc Resonator pull her along to peruse a rack of clothes.
-
All the while the day was eventually winding down, dyeing the world in gentle hues, Camellya was adamantly peppering little activities here and there before her and Rover were due to return to the Greenhouse.
They visited various stores, stopping to buy tiny nick-knacks and the like. Walking down mainstreet, an entire block of food stalls greeted the Resonators, prompting them to retire under a little outdoor seating area to indulge in a few skewers and glutinous rice cakes.
The associate couldn't be sure if Rover had been cognizant of her little ploy - the Arbiter surprisingly pliant, letting the Havoc Resonator herd her around for the better half of the day without question.
Soon enough, the Bloom Bearer found an opportunity, quietly sitting under a gazebo, to try and prod.
Emboldened by the companionable hush that settled between them, Camellya turned to Rover, quiet.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked.
It was the most anxious the typically confident Resonator sounded all afternoon.
"I am," Rover airily replied, an almost oblivious smile on her face.
"You aren't bothered by the fact that I practically hogged you for a day?"
The Arbiter craned her head at the sky, face softening.
"Not really. It just makes me wonder if we've ever spent time like this in another universe," she mused, "or if moments like these were rare - overshadowed by threats of TD outbreaks and laments."
Camellya felt her lip quiver - a traitorous warmth beginning to bloom in her chest.
"Is it selfish to want to be alone together?" she whispered, voice stained with unsightly yearning.
"...I wouldn't think so."
Suddenly, as if spacetime was buckling in on itself, the world appeared to begin shrinking around the Resonators like a constricting vice - their faces inexplicably drawing ever closer to each other.
"Rover," Camellya rasped, eyes restlessly flitting between the gold flecks of the Arbiter’s irises and her lips, unable to decide. "You-"
Breaking their electrifying reverie, the Bloom Bearer's Pangu Terminal abruptly chirped, notifying an incoming call.
“Sentinels above,” she cursed, awkwardly fumbling with the offending device. "Sorry."
"It's okay," the Arbiter quickly assured her, waving a hand. "You should take-"
Before she could finish, Camellya mistakenly grazed the receiver in a frantic bid to silence the incessant tittering.
"-Hey, we're just about finished setting up the venue," a gruff voice reported, playing out of the handheld terminal. "There's only a couple decorations left for us to hang."
Rover paused, cocking her head at the message.
"Isn’t that-"
"-Perfect! thanks a bunch," the Bloom Bearer hurriedly interjected, visibly paling.
She hissed at herself.
Gathering the remnants of her wits, Camellya turned to the other woman, mustering her most resolute expression.
"I… have one last place to bring you."
-
The exact way to enter the Black Shores had been as elusive as the organization itself.
Far too often Camellya forgot how disorienting it was, sifting through the island's dense layer of encrypted fog.
The fresh recruits she brought to the hidden archipelago would kick and flail as she callously muscled them through the strange frequencies, having to tuck their hands and feet to stop them from resisting.
It was a typical reaction - one the associate occasionally found herself blind sighted by if she wasn’t careful about her steps, straying too far out the given path.
Troubled about Rover's lack of protest, Camellya didn’t know what to make of her indifference when she guided the other Resonator to the data hub.
"You hardly look surprised, suddenly getting dragged here," the Bloom Bearer tried to jest, pulling Rover up ashore the beach.
For a second, Camellya’s breath caught in her throat, entranced by the Lady Arbiter’s silhouette against the sunset - her figure diffused and ethereal. The other Resonator appeared especially striking wearing the outfit she picked out, donning a dapper, slim-fitting suit while the associate fashioned a poofy white dress - complimenting each other's ensembles.
"If you had something up your sleeve I would've expected something to happen by now," Rover shrugged. With a teasing grin, she added, "Or is that too presumptuous to assume of the person who selflessly picked off the Fractsidus goons and Scavengers following me before?"
Camellya crossed her arms, cheeks traitorously flushing.
"Don't flatter yourself - I'm obligated to safeguard every promising seed I find."
“To think I was getting special treatment."
"You're incorrigible," she mumbled under her breath, pointedly grabbing the other Resonator’s wrist. "Enough teasing - we have somewhere to be."
"Where are you-"
"-Missus Camellya, Rover!" a shrill voice suddenly rang from out across the shore, excitedly gesturing at them.
Encore, the Bloom Bearer distantly realised, catching a blur of pink hair.
Camellya froze, feeling dread begin to settle in the pit of her stomach like viscous tar.
The Consultant's unexpected appearance suddenly ground the Havoc Resonator’s thoughts to an abrupt halt - thoughts sputtering and coughing in protest as her mind drew a horrified blank.
"Encore was getting worried you weren't coming back," the Black Shores Consultant panted, skipping up to greet Camellya and Rover.
Not too far behind, a tall, lanky man wearily joined the fray.
"Sorry, I couldn't help the little rascal - when Encore saw you guys arrive, she instantly sped off on her own," Aalto exhaustedly wheezed.
"I - you were expecting us?" Rover sputtered, peering between the duo.
"Of course," he chuckled. "How could I miss your big day?"
"My what?"
"Both Encore and uncle Aalto are here to attend your wedding ceremony!" Encore enthusiastically supplied.
"Wedding ceremony?" the Lady Arbiter gaped.
"Honestly, I didn't think you had it in you, committing yourself and all that," Aalto whistled, "but I can't say I'm not happy for you, pal."
He slung an arm around Rover, pointing an additional nod at Camellya - something akin to begrudging respect on his face.
The Arbiter fixed the Havoc Resonator an incredulous look, eyes wordlessly beseeching her to explain.
If there was any moment her plan risked falling apart - this was it.
She squeezed her fists, bracing herself for the fallout.
Before the tension-laden silence could grow deafeningly loud in her ears - the Bloom Bearer already shelving her fanciful make-belief scenarios with Rover into a dusty corner of her head - Camellya heard a voice hesitantly pick back up again.
"...I - thank-you, Encore, Aalto," the Lady Arbiter breathed, shyly ducking her head. "It - um," she fidgeted, "It's really nice that the both of you came. I appreciate it."
Letting out a breath Camellya didn't know she was holding, the Bloom Bearer practically deflated, relief washing over her like a tide.
Whether Rover was playing along or agreeing to the sudden arrangement, Camellya couldn't tell - the Arbiter's face adamantly turned away, expression hidden.
"Hehe, it's just like Encore’s favorite fairy tales!" the younger Consultant gushed. "Say, how did you and Big Sis Camellya meet?" She tugged at Rover's waistcoat, gaze wide and searching. "Was it love at first sight?"
"O-oh, that-"
"-We'd better get going to the venue before we miss our time slot," the Bloom Bearer hurriedly coughed, chest racing. "KU-Officiate should be waiting for us."
-
"Sorry this was such short notice," Camellya mumbled, smoothing out Rover's suit.
They stood outside the venue, basking in a second of quiet before the ceremony was due to begin.
"I'd argue that I didn't get any notice," the Lady Arbiter chuckled.
"Don't get smart with me."
Rover put up both hands, a bemused grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"How did you make all of this happen, anyways?"
The Havoc Resonator hummed, adjusting her bow tie.
"I filled out a marriage license using your personal info I found off the Tethys System."
"...What would it say about me if I don't find that the least bit surprising?"
"It just means you're finally catching up to my speed," the Bloom Bearer giggled.
Exasperated, Rover rolled her eyes, sporting a small, good-natured smile as she gently shoved the other Resonator .
Swept up by the easy atmosphere, Camellya lazily draped her arms over the Arbiter's shoulders - holding the other woman like a promise.
"Are we really getting married?" Rover suddenly murmured, the question barely above a whisper.
Hearing the uncertain inflection of her voice, the Havoc Resonator frowned.
"I want you," Camellya husked, possessively snaking her hands around the Lady Arbiter's waist, making her resolve known. “I want to leave myself all over, marking you so that everybody, without needing as much of a single glance, knows your mine."
She tilted her head, prompting the other Resonator.
"What about you?"
Rover wordlessly flapped her lips, face painted a hot, radiating crimson.
"I-I'm-"
"-You ready yet?" came a gruff holler, cutting the Resonator off. Appearing from a corner, Aalto shot the Arbiter a curt nod. "I'll be escorting you first."
"Oh, y-yeah, okay," she hastily replied, anxiously flattening the front of her vest.
Before Rover could turn to leave, Camellya leaned in to cup her ear, softly whispering, "Let me know your answer at the altar."
Impossibly red, the Lady Arbiter just gnawed her bottom lip, bowing her head.
-
Camellya's bridesmaid was teeming with excitement - at the ready to follow her down the aisle, holding a generous fistful of the Havoc Resonator’s bridal train.
Contesting for second place after Camellya herself, Encore had perhaps been even more restless than the Bloom Bearer about the wedding. She fussed over her makeup and dress, ensuring every detail was picture-book perfect.
Given that, it was probably a little cruel, stalling outside the Greenhouse and keeping everybody waiting just to take in the venue in its entirety.
She wanted to capture each and every moment and sear them into her head like a brand.
For all Camellya knew, her fantasy could begin unraveling within a few minutes time, come Rover’s answer.
Gathering the last of her diminishing bravado, the Havoc Resonator stood up a little straighter, raising her head at Greenhouse.
"Let's head inside," she declared evenly.
An excited squee slipped past Encore’s lips - the Consultant an inexhaustible vessel of energy.
While there wasn't a line of performers to annotate the Bloom Bearer’s bated entrance, her presence was acknowledged with an almost reverent hush - conversations at the altar immediately dying into wordless murmurs as her heels gently clicked across the floor.
Each measured step climbing the spiral of stairs brought Camellya ever closer to the two figures standing aside the Modulation Device - the piece since adorned with little flowers and filigree for the occasion.
Camellya was careful to pace her strides, taking in as much of the elaborately decorated venue as she could.
White and gold streamers hung from the domed ceiling, creating intricate, woven patterns above their make-shift chancel.
Meanwhile, silver ribbons gave the greenhouse an elegant finish - its shine catching the hazy light peering in from the glass windows.
Beginning to make out the unmistakable sleek black frame of KU-Officiate and Rover's best man, Aalto, in his grey top and slacks, Camellya pointedly looked away before her eyes could land on the Arbiter.
Threatening to take the Bloom Bearer's remaining confidence with just one fell swoop, Rover’s unnervingly quiet disposition had Camellya's feelings hanging on a precarious balance.
Finally finding her place upon the altar, neck still craned to the ground, she stood before the other Resonator.
"At last," KU-Officiate eagerly chittered, situating itself between both women. The robot paused, casting a thoughtful glance at the considerable berth separating them.
Quick on the uptake, Rover hastily amended the distance, scrambling to hold Camellya's hands with a nervous smile.
Preoccupied with quiet fascination over her pale, lithe digits, the Black Shores associate was unable to return the Arbiter’s sentiments.
Careless, she subsequently missed the minute expression of Rover's face falling, appearing disappointed.
"Ahem," the robot began again, clearing its throat. "Today, we stand here as a gathering of both friends and colleagues alike to celebrate the union between these two Resonators."
At that, Encore gave a little cheer, bouncing on the balls of her heels.
"Formidable and courageous in their own right, Missus Camellya and Rover have traveled the world's expanse - finding none other than each other's company able to temper their wild, beating hearts."
Daring a peek at Rover, Camellya found the beginnings of a flush painting the Arbiter's face pink - the Havoc Resonator suddenly unable to help herself but to match it.
"Stirred by the Lady Arbiter's unwavering spirit, Camellya resolved herself to follow Rover to the ends of Solaris," KU-Officiate continued. “The dedicated Bloom Bearer, possessing throbbing, unadulterated passion, sought-”
"-Okay, that's enough, thank-you," Camellya hissed, mortified by the robot's choice language.
KU-Officiate stilled, processing the Resonator's curt interruption.
"Oh? there's still quite a bit of the speech to go."
"Can you just skip to the vows?"
"But-"
"-Look, I appreciate it, but we could really do without the rest," she insisted, trying to ignore the stares around her.
Collecting itself, the unit noiselessly hummed, reluctantly pivoting the ceremony.
"Marriage is a seed of patience, love, and understanding that dares to bloom in the face of turbulent challenges - thriving only under the care of devoted hands," KU-Officiate said solemnly, directing a nod at the Resonators. "Do you, Camellya, Rover, promise to walk alongside one another, enduring any hardships together forevermore?
Camellya bowed, scuffing the tiles beneath her heel.
"I do," she replied.
Caught in a dizzying contradiction, torn between wanting to hear Rover's response and wishing the wedding would just end at the exchange, the Bloom Bearer nearly forgot to breathe.
Every second she waited, restlessly picking the hem of her dress, felt like an eternity.
The Black Shores associate couldn't have been sure if it was real when a hand suddenly reached out to lift up her chin - its touch featherlight and warm.
Camellya was positive her heartbeat seized right then when she met a fond pair of gleaming irises.
Wearing a shy, lopsided grin, Rover gingerly brushed the pad of her thumb over her cheek.
"I do," the Arbiter echoed.
Plunging Camellya's reality into a world of both disbelief and elation, those two words had knocked all the air out of the Havoc Resonator's lungs.
She could barely eke out a sentence edgewise before a chorus of claps and whoops celebrated their vows.
"Congratulations," Aalto bobbed his head, presenting a velvety black box to her.
Going through the motions, thoughts still fiercely racing, the Bloom Bearer retrieved their rings - a matching pair of bands delicately twisted out of her vines.
"Sorry they look so shabby," Camellya began, self-conscious. "I didn't have enough time to-"
"-I think they're perfect."
A jolt of electricity raked down the Bloom Bearer's spine as she tentatively slipped on the band, watching as it grazed each knuckle of the Lady Arbiter's ring finger before settling flush around her digit - mesmerized.
In turn, Rover followed after the gesture, her touch setting Camellya's nerves alight.
KU-Officiate, watching the Resonators with glee, excitedly chirped when both rings were finally fitted.
"In sight of the Sentinels above and these witnesses, I pronounce you wives," it warbled, giving a deep courtesy. "You may now kiss!"
Despite having scant reason to doubt Rover's sincerity after hearing her vows, Camellya still found herself pausing before the other woman - frozen in front of what was undeniably the last step to seal their union.
She frantically searched the Lady Arbiter's face, trying to look for any signs of hesitation.
But the growing intensity of Encore and Aalto's cheers pressured the Havoc Resonator to act. Enacting a split-second decision, Camellya seized Rover’s wrist, flipping it with haste. Her lips hovered over the back of the Arbiter’s hand as she readied herself to deliver a chaste peck.
Before she could lean in, a firm tug at her waist unexpectedly sent Camellya tripping into Rover’s arms.
Amidst the swell of everybody shouting with glee - the Bloom Bearer’s chest matching the rhythm of its noisy clamour - Rover made the move to kiss her.
-
"...So this piece of paper is legal proof of our marriage?"
Camellya lazily cocked her head at Rover, drinking in the outline of her profile as she scrutinised a document, eyeing the neat little scrawl of their signatures.
The two women were splayed out before the stars on a grassy patch of the Veiled Rock, letting the lull of the after-ceremony sink in.
They were alone, save for Encore and Aalto standing a couple feet away helping themselves to the half-collapsed Angelica cake Camellia had lugged around earlier - the pair likely too busy to pay her or rover any mind.
"Yup," the Havoc Resonator candidly replied, popping the 'p' . "Ironic, isn't it? That a single loose leaf could represent such a momentous commitment."
Rover let out a soft, thoughtful hum.
She seemed deep in contemplation, comparing the simplicity of the page against the complexity of their union.
"I never thought it would be so easy."
"That's a micro-wedding for you," Camellya chuckled. In nearly the same breath, the associate added, "If we apply for a contested divorce tomorrow, we should be able to dissolve our marriage in less than a few weeks time."
The even delivery of Camellya’s quip slipped out of her lips as conversationally as a frank briefing.
It took a Rover a beat, haltingly nodding along the Bloom Bearer, before her words sunk in.
"Wait - divorce?" the Lady Arbiter sputtered, shoulders suddenly squared-off and defensive. "You - but we just got together," she protested, owlishly gesticulating in the air. "You're already considering the logistics of our split ?"
Camellya snorted.
"Wouldn't it just give you trouble, being affiliated with me?" she shrugged, flexing an outstretched hand. "I have an unsavory reputation, you know. What would your colleagues say if they knew about us? I bet that little Midnight Ranger always hanging off your arm would freak."
She absentmindedly brushed the pads of her fingers over her still-tingling lips, trying to stave off a wistful sigh.
"But you and I don't have to do it so soon," Rover insisted. "For all the effort you put into this, isn't it a waste to immediately separate after our wedding?"
“If I didn't know any better, I'd actually think you want to be married to me."
"Is it so bad if that was the case?"
"Don't be a tease," Camellya softly chuckled. "While it was only for a day, thank-you for entertaining this whole thing," the Bloom Bearer assured the other Resonator with a small, resigned smile.
Rover, now laid on her side, fixed Camellya a pointed look.
"Are you really okay with that?"
Camellya clenched her extended fist, imagining her hand swallowing up all the stars in the sky.
"I'll have to be,” she quietly mused. “You're a leader in every universe, always getting yourself swept up by some tide or another. Compared to you, what am I against the great backdrop of fate, anyways?"
"Well, in this world at least," Rover breathed, shuffling closer to Camellya, imploring the Havoc Resonator to meet her eyes as she reached over to cup her cheek, "my wife. "
Moving like she had an invisible score to settle against Camellya’s doubts, Rover unabashedly leaned in to kiss her again, hands possessively settling on the small of the Bloom Bearer's back.
Somewhere between the tugging and shifting, they had become a tangled heap - Camellya a helpless mess slowly dissolving into Rover's touch, barely able to keep herself upright.
Distantly, she recognized grass tickling her face when she opened her eyes again, finding herself pinned under the Lady Arbiter.
She looked ethereal, moonlight framing her hazy silhouette.
"Isn't this familiar," Camellya breathlessly puffed out, lazily taking in the view. Not to be bested, the Havoc Resonator squeezed Rover's hand, pressing little kisses from her palm up to her wrist. “But we've had this song and dance already," she continued, relishing in the sight of the Arbiter fighting a shiver. "Why don't you show me something new?"
"-Insatiable," was all Camellya heard before Rover dived back in, planting nips along her jaw.
"Says you," the Bloom Bearer managed in between a gasp, giggling.
Either beginning to cause a scene or finally exhausted of Angelica cake, both Encore and Aalto turned to cast the Resonators a cautious sidelong glance.
"Uncle Aalto, what-"
"-Leave them be. They're, uh, just having a moment."
Clear they had an audience, Camellya reluctantly parted from the Arbiter, chest still heaving.
Rover was slower to recover, needing a few seconds to blink away her dazed expression.
"...What a ceremony, hey?" she tried to recoup, awkwardly scratching her head as she sat up. "So, um, how about that cake?"
"Encore saved you and Big Sis Camellya a piece!" the Black Shores Consultant exclaimed, thrusting a plate at the Resonators.
"Oh, that's very kind of-"
"-Make a wish!"
Encore snapped her fingers, lighting the half-buried sparkler peeking out of the icing using her Forte ability.
The Bloom Bearer laughed, entertained by the display.
"Aren't you supposed to do that for birthdays?"
"Please?" the girl pouted, hopeful.
Behind her, Aalto shrugged - equally as lost.
"Sure - let's do it," Rover acquiesced, kneeling. She playfully nudged the Havoc Resonator, adding, "Shouldn't hurt, right?"
Camellya sighed, hunkering to stoop beside her.
"Yeah - alright."
"Yay!" Encore squealed. "Okay, on the count of three!"
"You going to wish for anything in particular?" Rover jested, peering at Camellya.
"One!"
"Can't say - it won't come true, otherwise," she winked.
"Two!"
"Now I'm really curious."
"Three!"
With eyes on the Lady Arbiter - attention steadfastly fixed on her rosy cheeks and impossibly wide smile - Camellya blew the flame.
-
Predictably, another call whisked Rover off to duty shortly after the wedding.
Left to her own devices, Camellya was incurably bored once again, playing out her routine day-to-day tasks at the Black Shores.
The Bloom Bearer could only do so much by herself, trying to extinguish the gossip about her and the Lady Arbiter that traveled like wildfire. Rumors about their union even found its way into discussions amongst her seniors, impossible to tune out.
Even so, as suspicion hung in the air, Camellya still wore her engagement ring - touting it around like a trophy.
Only in the company of two particular colleagues was the Havoc Resonator freed from constantly having to explain herself.
“Panning for gold?” she playfully cracked one morning, finding a familiar pair of Consultants hunched over a dock.
Aalto grunted as he pulled a piece of scrap from the water, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
Nearby, Encore was similarly gathering metal parts alongside her Woolies, running back and forth along the berth.
“Oh - hey,” he distractedly nodded, hauling a particularly large beam over his shoulder. “Just trying to recover bits and bobs of my ship.”
“Did it get plundered by pirates or something?” the Bloom Bearer snorted, observing the growing pile of bent steel frames.
Aalto sheepishly ducked his head.
“Actually-”
“-Big Sis Camellya!” a voice suddenly cried, tackling the Havoc Resonator.
“Kiddo - hey,” she wheezed, bodying Encore’s bone-crushing hug. Camellya grinned, unable to help herself from tousling her fluffy hair. “How come uncle Aalto’s putting you to work, fetching these scraps?”
“Rover borrowed his ship a few days ago,” the younger Consultant animatedly explained, gesturing with her hands. “While she was sailing to Rinascita, it got swallowed up by a fierce tide and then - wham! A huge whale split the deck in half, plunging her into the sea!”
Camellya blanched, entirely out of the loop about Rover’s apparently life-threatening escapades.
“...Really.”
“Yeah - but she’s okay! Uncle Aalto said the seas have been calmer these past days, so it was the best time to scavenge the pieces.”
“Encore, let’s maybe not use language like wham or plunged, unless we want to freak her out,” Aalto sighed, shooting the Bloom Bearer an apologetic look. “Anyways, it's just as she said - Rover's thankfully alright. We even got in touch with her, recently.”
“Did she say anything about me?” Camellya couldn't help but to ask - the words falling out of her lips before she could think twice.
Immediately, she cringed, hating how desperate she sounded.
Aalto just chuckled, rifling through his jacket.
“Actually, she asked me to give these to you,” he said, offering the Havoc Resonator a stack of postcards.
“Souvenirs?” she frowned.
“Take a look.”
Settling against a steel rampart, Camellya began to examine each and every card. Colorful pictures of Rinascita’s various tourist spots greeted the bloom bearer as she flipped through the collection.
After a minute, she noiselessly sighed, unable to parse the Lady Arbiter’s inscrutable messages.
About to pocket the offerings, a thin, folded piece of paper suddenly caught her eye. It was discreetly tucked at the back, looking as though it’d been slipped in the pile as an afterthought.
Unfurling the curious article revealed it to be a photograph - the picture overexposed and only half-discernible.
But Camellya couldn't have mistaken the figure in the photo.
It was Rover, sporting a sheepish smile as she held the camera up to her face, capturing herself mid-wave.
Catching a familiar band on the Arbiter’s ring finger, the Bloom Bearer’s heart leapt up into her throat.
Rover was still wearing the wedding band-
-still her wife, even an entire sea apart, the Havoc Resonator giddily mused.
The thought radiated warmly in her chest, rivaling the late afternoon sun.
Kicking her feet, she closed her eyes, tuning into the birds circling overhead and the faint bickering of Encore and Aalto - thoughts wandering to what she could send Rover.
In no race against the universe, she let herself think for the rest of the day, head up in the clouds.