BeeFFs (IC)

[Gizmo]

From atop Curl-bee's broad back, Jack took a step forward and bowed deeply with a flourish of his royal blue greatcoat. "Majesty, the pleasure is truly mine," the swashbuckler insisted, raising his voice to be heard in the tremendous room, but maintaining its charmingly melodic cadence. "As indeed was whatever small part I played in your people's history," he added with surprising humility as he straightened.

[Electra]

"YOU ARE WELCOME IN OUR HIVEZZ AND IN OUR COMBZZ," the Queen told Jack graciously. "PLEAZZ ENJOY YOUR ZZTAY HERE." She eased back into her recumbent pose and seemed ready to end the audience with that invitation.

Stesha spoke up before the Queen could get too comfortable. "Madame," she asked, "I don't want to be presumptuous, but you seem... different than the last time we spoke, and when you came to this world. Is there a reason for that?"

"IT IZZ NOT I YOU ZZPOKE TO BACK THEN, FLEUR DE JOIE," the Queen said, turning her regard on Stesha. "HER REIGN WAZZ AT AN END, HER BODY OLD AND HER WINGZZ WIZZTHERED. BUT ZHE DIED FREE, AND WAZZ JOYOUZZ OF THAT. I AM HER DAUGHTER, BEELIZZIMA AGAIN."

"Beelizzima Two?" Stesha guessed, looking very startled indeed. "I'm so sorry... I hadn't realized. I suppose I just assumed that I didn't see her because she was busy." She appeared somewhat at a loss for words, rare for the sociable superheroine.

[Gizmo]

Jack looked between Fleur and the Queen, his expression turning a touch concerned as he did his best to follow the conversation. It was difficult to judge just how the bees handled death, let alone the relationship between family members, and royalty in the bargain. Ultimately, the swordsman settled on his default policy of treating non-human sentient beings the same way he would anyone else. "You have our sincere condolences, Majesty," he told Beelizzima II with respectful nod, not presuming to say anything more than that.

[Electra]

"ZZHANK YOU, JACKOFALL BLADEZZ," the young queen replied. "IT IZZ ZHE WAY OF BEEZZ TO ZZEE THAT THE HIVE CONTINUEZZ WITHOUT PAUZZE BEEZZPITE THE LOZZ OF A BEELOVED QUEEN. WE HOPE TO HAVE MANY GOOD ZZEAZZONZZ OF RELAZZIONZZHIPZZ WITH YOU, FLEUR, AND ALL THE ZZQUIZZHY BIPEDZZ."

"That's good to hear, your majesty," Stesha said, inclining her head respectfully. "I hope you'll continue coming to me if you have any problems or needs here. It's very nice to meet you."

"COME," said Beeatrizz, gesturing to Curl-bee with her antennae. "IT GROWZZ DARK OUTZZIDE. IT IZZ ALMOZZT TIME FOR ALL TO REZZT." As the queen leaned back to allow her followers to tend her, the giant bees and their human companions headed back towards the tunnels. Curl-bee seemed reluctant to go, even flying backwards a little ways to keep his multifaceted gaze of longing on the queen a bit longer.

[Gizmo]

"C'mon, lover bee, time to go," Jack drawled as Curl-bee hesitated to leave the royal chamber. The queen was not one for extended conversation it seemed which was reasonable enough given her position. Meeting her had given the fencer a better appreciation of just how much the insects' dynamics differed from their closest human analogues. Courting a lady twice one's size was a new one on him. Maybe Dok A could given him some tips?

[Electra]

Reluctantly, Curl-bee turned around and flew in the proper direction, pouring on the speed to let him easily catch up with Beeatriz and Stesha. The trip out of the hive did not take as long, since they weren't sightseeing, and they came out of an opening much lower in the hive. As predicted, the sun was sinking in the west as they emerged, and the bees were returning to the hive for the evening. "FOOD!" Curl-bee announced with pleasure. "YOU ZZHOULD ZZTAY WIZH UZZ DRONEZZ, JACOFAL BLADEZZ. YOU CAN TAZZTE OUR HONEY AND TELL UZZ ABOUT MAKING THE ROMANZZ!"

[Gizmo]

Jack considered for a moment, rubbing the stubble on his exposed chin before shrugging. "Well, hate to say I came all this way and didn't at least try the local cuisine." He looked over to where Fleur sat on Beeatriz back. "That said, it's gonna be up to my ride, buddy. It's getting late and I don't want to impose on the lady." With an easy chuckle, he placed a hand to the side of his mouth in mock secrecy. "That's not romance so much as common courtesy, but you can't really have the former without the latter."

[Electra]

"WELL ZZHEN AZZK HER!" Curl-bee said impatiently, zooming over to bring himself up next to Beeatriz, putting the humans in comfortable conversational distance.

Stesha leaned towards him. "I'm not sure that would be wise," she told him confidentially, dropping her voice. "The honey he's talking about is fermented, and it can make them very boisterous. I'm sure they wouldn't mean to hurt you or anything of the sort, but they are, well, huge. And I'm not totally sure what the honey would do to you."

[Gizmo]

Jack suddenly had an extremely vivid mental image of a hive's worth of gargantuan bees drunk off their collective stingers. "Yee..." he managed through his teeth and a wince. There was just no way that could end well, and getting tipsy on fermented honey himself just seemed like a fundamentally bad plan, even by his standards. "Sorry, Curl, gonna have to take a raincheck. You and the guys have an extra round for me, huh?"