The Finest Little Honky Tonk on Skalga [9]
Thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the universe and thanks to the other fanfic writers for giving me the inspiration for this little masterpiece of nonsense I have cooked up.
Intro: Merry Christmas all. Today Tiltva and Halin will experience their first Christmas dinner. A lot of new and old traditions will rush by them before they even know what is happening. I reiterate, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Memory Transcription Subject: Tiltva. Venlil Country Singer in Training.
Date: [Standardized Human time] December 25, 2137
Halin and I once again approach the doors of the “Table Rock Grill”. Like the rest of Little Branson, it too is covered in strings of blinking lights. Additionally, a beautiful wreath sits proudly above the entrance giving a very homey feeling. Harvid and Kerila were invited as well but chose to opt out. Instead, they are attending a Christmas party with one of the book club families. Hah, good luck Harvid. He’s been grumpier than usual lately. Maybe we should take him on a nice trip somewhere? The hospital has been getting rough for those two…
Walking inside, Halin’s tail begins to wag enthusiastically, which in turn wags my entwined tail as we head over to the ‘human section’ for the first time. Soon, I can’t help myself from wagging in my own excitement to see Halin in such a good mood. Unfortunately for him, there doesn't appear to be any significant differences on this side of the restaurant besides a few old firearms on the walls and the fact that all the center tables are pushed together in one large feast table. Looking to the bar, there is a long row of various dishes and sure enough, there’s meat.
Ray had warned us that there’d be some, but seeing it in person just hits a different part of the brain. Come on now, power through it Tiltva and socialize your new coworkers. Be polite and be a good guest. Uhh, ugh…
Around the big table, a collection of people are talking and laughing with drinks in hand as a soft song plays in the background. Well, not everyone is drinking, one Letian lady is holding the Stars cutest little pup I have ever seen. With our entrance, Hilda spots us and announces our presence to the room.
“Oh, hello you two!” She points between us and gives a broad introduction to the room. “Folks, this is Halin and Tiltva, the newest employees of Little Branson!”
She rushes over and then maneuvers behind to push us towards the crowd of our new coworkers. For a little while she leads us around from person to person and has us introduce ourselves by name and job. The reactions from everyone are nearly identical, relief that Halin is taking some of the load off of Ray as apparently he’s been on the decline for quite a while and the lake incident was the “final straw”? The meaning gets across well enough, he couldn’t take his workload anymore even if he’d never say it.
The reactions to my job are unanimous as well. Pure excitement. Evidently, my singing Ray had me perform a cycle ago had gotten quite the reaction from the band members. Honestly, it feels nice to have a part of my identity that I hate be appreciated. Oh how I’d like to go back and show them all, but then again it’s praise from humans, they probably still wouldn't care...
Finally, without Hilda literally at our back, Halin and I wander this side of the restaurant tail-in-tail to take in all the photographs and memorabilia on the wall before stopping in front of a large piece of shaped and painted metal “Front Bumper, 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle”. Wait Ray’s human time app says their year is 2137, so this was… 169 years ago?! Humans had cars that long before FLT? Ray is a car designer, maybe this one is special to him?
Suddenly a symphony of “oohs” and “aahs” erupts from the group behind us. I spin my ears and eyes around to see what has gotten the attention of the group only to see that they are all looking at Halin and I. A few are even pointing at us or something above us? As if he already knows what question I was about to ask, the bartender Braden, attempts to clear our confusion.
“Halin and Tiltva stopped under the mistletoe!”
“The what?”
“It’s the plant hanging above you.”
I scoff at the non-answer.
“Okay? What about it?”
“It means you have to kiss.”
Halin and I respond together.
‘Huh?!”
The Letian lady, Milly, responds to further my embarrassment.
“Oh, you don’t know about kissing yet? You do it like this!”
She puts the pup in her pouch and pulls her human husband Josef down into a mouth-to-mouth kiss.
Yeah okay lady, I know what kissing is!
Halin begins to fidget beside me before responding.
“Ah, oh guys, uh Tiltva and I actually aren’t in a relationship. We’re just good childhood friends.”
On reflex, I begin to flick an ear in agreement but catch myself before I can play traitor to my own feelings. I turn to Halin and pull his face into mine as I lick the side of his snout. He immediately turns a bright orange, but he doesn’t reciprocate the act as if to embarrass me further.
I hate you. I love you.
How do I get it across!? The love part that is…
“Yeah, we’re just good friends. So, why did we have to do that?”
Milly responds again.
“Old human tradition. I learned a lot about it last Christmas.”
At this comment Josef’s face turns a bright red. The group awkwardly goes back to their socializing, but they have now begun sitting at the table. Milly waves us over and points at the seats beside her, intending for Halin and I to join them. As we sit down, Kam and his Grandma Brelkam sit across from us. Noticeably, no one has begun to eat yet and I’m starting to feel a bit peckish. Halin must feel the same as he asks our neighbors for me.
“So, when can we start eating?”
Brelkam looks up to answer.
“We are waiting for one last guest, shouldn’t be too much longer.”
Milly leans over and whispers in my ear.
“Open your arms, I’ve got something for you.”
Nervously, I comply with her command and spread my arms as wide as they can go without intruding on her and Halin beside me. Milly then reaches into her pouch and pulls the precious pup out and sets him on my lap. The little pup opens his sleepy eyes to look at me for just a moment before spreading his fluffy body and wrapping himself around me, pulling deep into my chest wool. My heart just melts and a primal fuzzy feeling fills my chest. I look to Milly to see her practically glowing at me.
“Isn’t Jr. just the sweetest pup? He’s starting to get his gliding reflexes too! Just the other day he started to spread out his limbs in the air of the fan! Josef said I could have that victory if he gets to-”
Abruptly, the doors to the restaurant burst open and a brown-wooled and burn-scared Venlil in a heavily decorated Exterminator suit barges inside. She holds a long black object in her paws and points it at the group of us.
“Dirty predators and tainted prey, put your paws in the air or suffer the consequences!”
Halin and I spare no time throwing our arms up at her command, but no one else moves even a tiny bit, besides Milly grabbing Jr. off my lap. Then Braden does the unthinkable.
“Fuck off and get in here Begelen. We’ve all been waiting on you to eat.”
Kam snaps his head to Braden in response.
“Don’t you talk to my Aunt like that! But he’s right Aunt Beg, get your ass in here, I’m starving.”
Wait, is that really? There’s no way right?
“Begelen? Like Mirror Lake’s Chief Exterminator Begelen?”
The woman briefly flicks her tail in excitement before regaining her composure and setting down what is now clearly an umbrella by the door.
“Yes Miss, what’s it to you?”
“Thyla mentioned you the other paw. Wait, so is Brelkam your mother?”
“Uh, yes she is? Why do you think these idiots haven’t been shut down yet? Ray barely tries to hide the meat selling anymore and that's on top of the no masks. Speaking of meat, where’s the fake turkey? I haven’t had any in a while. Also you can put your arms down now.”
With that, Halin and I awkwardly lower our paws while the rest of the group stands up and heads over to the buffet. They all line up at one end and start making their plates as they shuffle down the row. I line up just behind Milly and Halin behind me as we wait our turn. Following Milly’s example, I scoop up various vegetables, dips, and breads. They all look so good and the air tastes divine. We come up to the meats and surprisingly, Milly takes a very small bit off two meats labeled “Imitation”. Milly notices my tension and gently smiles. Despite the kicking within her pouch, she whispers back to me.
“It’s just salty plants made to look like meat, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?”
Nervously, I take a slice of not-meat and Halin does the same. We follow Milly back to our seats and soon everyone is seated together at the table. Begelen takes a seat beside her mother and nephew. With a devious look, she pulls a bottle of 95% liquor from her suit while happily flapping her ears. At the end of the table, Debbie from the band gently taps a glass to get everyone's attention.
“Before we begin eating, I’d like us all to take a moment and be thankful for the loved ones in our lives. If they're here with you today, please let them know that you appreciate them.”
I readily turn to Halin and signal “Thank” “You” and he does the same with a bloom across his snout.
“And now, let us have a moment of silence for all of our loved ones who have passed on. Thank them for the happy memories that make their absence so tough.”
Debbie’s request crashes across me. With a shaky breath, I look internally and muster up some words for the missing rock in my life.
Hey Dad, I can’t believe it’s been an entire solar rotation without you. So much has happened. We’ve learned so much: what we lost, what we’ve gained, what is to come. Not a paw has gone by where I haven’t been waiting for you to call me again and listen while I tell you everything. The good, the bad, the funny, the sad. I have a new job and am making new friends again. Oh! You were finally proven right, there are people who do appreciate my voice. In fact, they want me to sing in a band. I think you’d be proud. I love you and please tell Mom the same.
“Alright, let’s eat. Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas!”
I feel a paw wipe a tear off my snout. Beside me Halin looks at me with ears flat in worry. Brelkam, Kam, and Begelen across the table look at me the same. Brelkam tilts her head and signs “Okay?”
“Yeah I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s- it’s just been a tough rotation without Dad.”
Brelkam softly smiles and raises her ears.
“Oh darling, I know how you feel. It’s been two solar rotations since my Vetgen died. It’s hard going on without the people we’ve been with so long. After he passed, I was left here running the farm on my own”
“So how did Ray come to own the property?”
Brelkam stiffens up a bit as Kam and Begelen turn to the side with light orange blooms across their snouts.
“So when none of my children or grandchildren offered to come and take the property off my hands, I had to put it on the market but I didn’t get a single offer due to it being so heavily lakefront property. Then, one paw not many cycles after first contact, my realtor told me some human couple wanted to buy it. But, I wasn’t planning on letting several centuries old family property go to some predators.”
“That was until one paw, I was walking in the city on my way to visit Beg at her office when suddenly, raid alarms started going off. A stampede started, and in just a moment, I found my old bones shattered on the pavement, waiting to rejoin my Vetgen. Then out of nowhere, a large figure with a weird hat stood over me and parted the rushing Venlil.”
Halin speaks up beside me. “No. Way. Ray was in the stampede during that raid?”
“Yes he was. Imagine my surprise when the large human crying like a little pup over my broken arm and shoulder was the same one that wanted to buy my farm. Negotiations were much easier from then on, doubly so when they agreed to let me stay on the property till I pass on and I’ll get to be buried here alongside Vetgen.”
Ray was there? Could he have saved? No, not a chance.
“That’s the same raid that killed my Dad. He was trampled outside Bunker 25.”
Begelen grimaces at my confession.
“I’m sorry to hear that, uhh Tiltva right? Things on this planet have only been getting crazier and crazier. Just when I thought it was all starting to calm down, some brahkass comes in here and tries to attack little Thyla. After it took cycles to even get her to talk to me, that whole mess reset her.”
Cycles to get to the conversation stage?! Oh Stars help me.
Halin sadly chuckles and responds.
“Yeah I guess she's taken it rather hard. We had first meal with Ray the other paw and she came in and fed us a glass of ‘cow’ milk without telling us or Ray.”
Milly gives me a nudge in my side and points towards my full plate.
“Speaking of meals, get to eating! It won’t stay warm forever.”
With a nod, I mentally settle my stomach from the thought of the cattle milk escapade and I pick up a three-pronged skewer to pick at the variety of food in front of me. The white scoop of boiled and mashed tubers are just like they were the first time here in the restaurant, smooth and salty with little bits of the skin for a wonderful texture. The long, green beans carry the same familiarity, crisp and savory with a hint of spice from small black flakes. Next is a scoop of soft, baked strayu bits mixed with various herbs and vegetables. The flavor is complex as the mix appears to the eye and if there wasn’t so much else on my plate, I’d need to get more.
Shyly, Begelen slides over a few glasses of the 95% and I throw the first shot down the hatch. I'll need it for this next part.
Finally, I steel myself to tackle the meat. Though it may just be plants shaped and textured to look like the real thing, it’s the thought that counts. With an unsteady hand, I poke into a bit of the “turkey” and raise it up to my mouth. Instantly I am met with a delicious combination of savory flavor and fibrous texture. I rush my skewer to grab another piece only to be disappointed that I had grabbed only one from the buffet line. Begelen looks at me amusedly.
“Turkey is great food isn’t it? Can you believe that this stuff is allegedly not even half as good as the real meat? Some paws I wish I’d been born a predator…”
Kam lightly drives an elbow into his Aunt’s side.
“Beg please! We’re at the table! Also it’s silly to want to be a predator.”
“Oh that’s rich coming from the boy that pretends to have a human accent in front of customers.”
“My accent is great! Even Ray said he likes it!” Kam looks to Halin and I. “You two, my accent sounds pretty cool right?”
Halin fidgets a bit before answering.
“Well it uhh, it’s uniquely not Venlil!”
“See? They like it too!”
Begelen shoots daggers in her eyes at us before trying to respond but nothing comes from her as she flaps her mouth. Changing the topic, she asks us a question anyway.
“Well, how are you two liking your time here so far? I being Little Branson employees as fun as you imagined?”
I look at Halin and motion that I’ll answer first.
“I’ve only worked a single paw so far but it’s been interesting. Ray has been extremely kind and understanding while I’m learning to sing.”
“I figured you were the new singer with that voice and all, good to hear it’s been nice so far. What about you?”
“Oh it’s certainly a lot nicer than my last job already. Ray was helping me to learn the management programs and next time he’ll be teaching me about the different programs that fund the business.”
Kam ears pop up and he excitedly looks at Halin and I.
“Speaking of jobs here, you two better start thinking about how you want your hats and boots to look. Can’t be proper Honky Tonk employees otherwise.”
The group around us bursts into giggles as Halin and I nod in promise to consider a new set of work uniforms. Briefly thinking deep towards how I’d want my own set of boots and a hat, I bloom in remembrance how Halin looked in his hat.
Oooh, Halin in a hat again. Can’t say I’d be mad to see that more often. Every paw if possible. Wait, how long does the mistletoe stay up? Maybe I can accidentally get us over there again after this meal?
The conversations around us fade into the background as I stare at Halin. I slink my tail up his back until I wrap his shoulder and pull him into a micro-muzzle before releasing him back to his meal.
Just you wait Halin, I’ll figure out for the both of us how to reveal your feelings. If it takes one paw or a million paws, I’ll figure it out.
Posted Dec 27, 2024, 5:15 PM UTC