Wild Rides

Chapter 19 - Bazaar

"Do you know what these things are going to look like? Or...how long I will be pregnant? I don't know if they make a maternity book for this species, but something would be helpful."

"Sure, give me a minute," I said, having my tattoos do a search. We were finally dressed in clothes that were not acting like full-body tourniquets and armed with empty tote bags that were neatly folded up inside a purse. "Tell your ship to dock on the other side of town or somewhere where there won't be cameras while we are out, too. This is the first place they will come looking for us."

Xoxo busied herself with a digital map of the city while I finished tugging on some shoes. Ah, the comfort of supportive soles that didn't require acrobatic balance.

My bracer pinged with the information. "It looks like Rothulian data is limited and they guard their offspring well. The spores can only be put into living flesh which is why they are probably having population issues. The host's sex does not matter, but females tend to be more calm. Though they grow rapidly, if the host's stress levels get too high or they experience strong negative emotion like anger, they will also die. Interesting. By day three, they should bubble up to the size of apples and will detach from the host's wound or body cavity. They will exit their spore sac and use their hook-like limbs to cling to their host as they continue to grow. High-sugar foods encourage swift development and by the end of one week, they will be- aw! Look!" I squealed, touching my bracer so that it projected an image of the cutie patooties.

Xoxo looked like she was going to faint.

They resembled green sloths with four arms and a single hooked finger, big, yellow, googly eyes spread apart on either side of their head. "Sloth babies!"

"What is a ...sloth?"

"Animal from my home planet. Listen to this. The Rothulings will stay with their host for a few months to a year as they grow, though not as quickly once they are ambulatory. Rothulings are viciously temperamental and will aggressively protect their host. Likewise, the host, who donated genetic material, but does not influence hybridization will also display high levels of defensiveness toward their offspring in a symbiotic manner."

Xoxo stared at her arm like she was contemplating lopping the entire thing off. I could not hold back the loud cackle that burst out of me. We could not have gotten luckier if we had tried.

"This is the best thing ever," I grinned.

My partner turned on me, terrified and upset. "Why do you think that? You aren't the one with...with...parasites in your arm!"

"Hey, you need to calm down."

"No way! I'm going to let them fall out! I am pissed!"

"No, you aren't and I'll tell you why. Firstly, endangered species. You are unkillable. The Rothulians, Caldum, and above-the-law Gelvonians won't touch a hair on your head. Secondly, you have an army of baby monkeys that are not only going to love you, but also protect you. Lastly, and probably bestly, we have to keep you happy, maybe even hiiiiiggghhh." I drew a heart in the air with my two pointer fingers.

Her mouth formed a tiny "O" as she began to put two and two together, immediately simmering down.

"And no horrendous, pussy-ripping, stomach-stretching, vomiting, shitting and pissing contractions or vaginal birthing. That...is how Olnarians give birth, right?"

"Mhm."

I clapped my hands together and then rubbed them. "Good morning! A lawful excuse to buy drugs! Annnnnd, since these babies have already sealed in their genetic coding and only absorb sugar and nutrients through you, they are universally resistant to toxins, chemicals, and alcohol. Sounds like me. Only able to be killed by stress. Fuck if that isn't true."