* Meeting Ara's family and ending up once more as a role model. :-)
*
'Nervous?'
Ara looked at Guy while she stood before the exit of the airship after she and the rest of the gang had landed at her home world. She smiled a little. 'I was when they chose me to go to your human world, and I guess I am now because I'm coming back not just with a human, but my lover. I don't know what everyone thinks about this.'
He took her hand. 'How do you feel about us?'
She smiled softly at him. 'Weird, but in a good way and happy.'
'Then isn't that all that matters? It's your life and yours alone.'
She sighed softly. 'I know, but it's family we're talking about.'
Guy nodded. 'That's why you should have faith that they trust in you, and will accept your choices.'
Ara looked through the opening of the exit and took a deep breath. 'Yes.' she said and exited the craft with Guy.
They walked through the port and Cani noticed how everyone seemed to look at them. 'I guess we're popular here as well.'
'It's more about being the only other species around here.' said Mami. 'I see none other than Ara's species.'
Ara nodded. 'We are a scary species after all. Who dares to come here?'
'We do.' said Cani.
Ara chuckled. 'Yeah, but I doubt we count as an average group of beings.'
'True.' said Guy. 'And I'm glad we don't because we wouldn't have ended up like this then.'
'Who'd ever imagine a screwed up bunch like us could even exist?' Mami muttered.
Cani ruffled Mami's hair. 'Don't forget you're one of the screwed up ones.' she said and sniggered.
Mami frowned and swatted at Cani's hand. 'Yeah, yeah, I know all too well.' she said and sighed. 'I'm probably the most screwed up one of all of us, giving up a royal life to live with all of you.'
Guy smiled at her. 'And I can't help feeling incredibly proud and happy that you did, my princess.'
Mami blushed and looked away. 'Damn you for being such a good guy.' she muttered and he chuckled.
At the exit they hailed a taxi and had plenty of space in what was essentially a taxi for four persons with lots of legs. The trip was quick to Ara's family and she took one more deep breath before getting out the taxi.
Guy took her hand and smiled softly at her. 'Remember, have faith in them.'
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. 'I have faith in you.' she said and they walked together up the path leading through a small cluster of big trees.
The girls and Guy watched countless silk strands spread out over the canopy. 'The kids love to climb the trees and spin their strands all around them.' said Ara. 'It's sort of the thing you humans have with drawings of your kids and fridges.'
'We might need a much bigger fridge in the future then.' said Cani.
'Why that?' asked Feli.
Cani grinned. 'For when Guy gets Ara pregnant.' she said and Ara and Guy blushed first, then the rest did when they thought more about it.
Feli bit her lower lip when she didn't know what to say but a sudden shout grabbed everyone's attention.
A spider woman rushed down the path. 'Ara, my dear! Welcome home!'
'Agi, my mother.' said Ara. 'Your first challenge.'
He chuckled and Ara's mother hugged her tight. 'I'm so glad to see you again.' she said and looked at the other girls. 'So glad to finally meet you. I've heard so many things about you.' She let go of Ara and turned to Guy and looked closely at him. He smiled politely at her and wondered what kind of mother in law she'd be. 'So, you're the man who's such an idiot for hooking up with a spider girl and even end up wanting to marry her.'
Ara's jaw dropped. 'Mom! Don't tell him what I wrote you!'
Guy laughed. 'She's putting it mildly.' he said. 'I'm truly evil to have lured her into my trap, just to keep her at my side along with my other victims.'
Ara's mother grinned wide. 'I figured she'd end up with a special person ever since she was a little girl and secretly dreamed of meeting someone who was not of this world, and proclaimed to everyone she'd marry an alien.' she said and hugged Guy. 'Good luck with her.'
Ara sighed. 'Can we go on without the embarrassing bits now?'
Cani grinned at her. 'I thought it became rather interesting.'
Agi led the group into the wide house and the living room. She gestured at another spider with broad upper body and greyish skin and short hair. 'This is Doro, my husband.' she said and gestured at a smaller female spider with a shade of blue in her long black hair. Β΄And this is Rina, my other and youngest daughter.'
Doro shook Guy's hand firmly. 'I'd never imagined the day I would welcome a human into my house, and even into the family at that.'
Rina clicked in dismissal. 'It'll end soon enough.' she said and walked away.
Agi sighed. 'Rina can't yet accept the fact that her big sister left for another world and will stay there. She's of the opinion no one likes our species.'
Guy nodded. 'I have to admit most people aren't fond of the spiders native to our world if they get too close, but there are also people who really like them and keep them as pets. It's still a trait left from our natural instincts.' He looked at Ara. 'But there's no such worry when we can communicate directly with them and understand them. Especially when they're attractive.'
Ara blushed and pushed his shoulder. 'Shut up.' she said and looked at her mother. 'See what kind of idiot he is?'
Agi smirked. 'Not bigger than the idiot who accepted his proposal after knowing all that.' she said and turned towards the other girls. 'I didn't mean you, of course.'
Cani laughed while Mami smirked at Ara and Avia and Feli blushed. 'No, we're all kind of idiots in a away.' said Feli. 'But there's nothing we can do about it, we're better off this way.'
Doro cleared his throat. 'Well, how about food and drinks to celebrate the idiocy joining our family?'
Guy smiled at him. 'I can certainly drink to that.' he said and Doro grabbed him by the shoulder. 'Let me show you our spooky wine cellar, my boy.'
Ara rolled her eyes. 'There's nothing but idiots here indeed.'
***
'It's true.' Doro said after Mami asked if there really were hardly any visitors from other worlds coming to this one. 'Apparently we're not the most attractive species to others. It's hard to get people to come when we've got nothing to offer that other worlds with more furry species don't have.'