Glenn bathed and changed before resuming Dione’s feeding. This time there were no spills, and Dione was able to finish off the rice porridge. Afterward she rested for a while, until she’d recovered enough to sit up. Soon, she’d fallen asleep with her knees to her chest. It was probably more comfortable for her that way. There were few places where she could truly stretch out.
“Oh, good!” Sapphee said. “It looks like Dione is feeling better.”
“Yes…she enjoyed her meal.”
Glenn was pleased that her digestive capabilities had returned. You can’t sleep on an empty stomach, and she needed sleep to recover from the heat fatigue.
“The harpies work fast, too.” Glenn said, looking up.
“I think they’re used to it,” Sapphee answered.
“I’m glad to see that Arahnia’s heat-shielding fabric is already being put to good use.”
Great swathes of it had been secured to either side of the valley, creating a makeshift awning that covered the entire village in shadow. The pegs hammered into the surrounding cliffs wouldn’t come out easily. The harpies had ensured that Dione’s digestive capabilities wouldn’t be diminished again by the heat.
“Do you think the gigas will recover now, Doctor?” the young man that had led them here asked.
“Yes, I think she’ll be fine. Please keep her as cool as possible.”
“Understood.”
“Also, there are rumblings of a storm coming, so please be careful.”
“Yes, we’ve heard. But this awning can be folded up if necessary, so please don’t worry!” the young man replied confidently. Perhaps the harpies were used to disasters.
Sadly, there were no houses large enough for Dione to shelter in, but at least she could keep cool under the awning.
“Goodbye, then,” the young man said, returning to his work.
Glenn heaved a sigh of relief.
“Mmm?” Dione rubbed her eyes. They’d probably woken her with their conversation. “Was I sleeping? Hey, it’s cool now.” She opened her mouth in a big yawn.
Glenn felt another chill as he remembered being stuck inside that mouth.
“Ohhh, what is this shade?”
“The harpies put up an awning for you,” Sapphee said cheerfully.
“I see. Heh heh! They’re always taking care of meee.” Dione laughed.
“Those clothes you’re wearing are made for winter,” Glenn said. “You should remove them when you can move again.”
“Okayyy, I will.” Dione was always easygoing.
Under different circumstances, Glenn might have suggested that she change right away, but there was no one who could possibly help her. She’d have to do it herself, which meant she’d have to wait. But with the shade from the awning and the river right there, she could probably keep her temperature down for now. There was no hurry.
“Gigas have it rougggh,” Dione muttered. “I’m sure we weren’t made to liiive.”
“Dione, you shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Hee hee! You’re sweeet. But it’s okay. I understaaand. I mean, nutritional deficiency while eating is weeeird. If we’d known everything you just taught me, then the gigas wouldn’t have died ooout.”
Glenn didn’t know what to say. Sometimes evolution led to interesting places. Even adaptations that seemed strange to humans always existed for a reason. That said, species went extinct all the time because they couldn’t adapt.
“If only you’d been around thousands of years ago. Maybe my kin would have been savvved.” Dione giggled. “Hee hee! Don’t look at me like thattt. I know it’s impossibllle. And that might not even be the reason. I’ve wondered before if they died from the common colddd.”
There were probably many reasons why the gigas had died out. Perhaps one of them was that they took everything too lightly. Dione’s own personality was incredibly easygoing, which was a nice way of saying that she lacked the ability to sense danger…a potentially fatal trait.
“Dione, this might be a bit too personal, but…” Sapphee looked up at the gigas. “Have you ever considered having children?”
“Children?”
“Your species is unique, but you’re still a monster. Most monsters can mate with humans and have children. Your child could also mate with humans, and your species could continue.”
“I seee.”
Though it remained a biological mystery, monsters and humans could indeed breed. There were many such couples in Lindworm, and Glenn and Sapphee would join them once they were married.
In most cases, the children of these couples inherited monster attributes. For species like arachne, which were all women, female children were born as arachne and male children were born as humans. No one could say for sure without testing it, but Dione should be able to breed with humans.
“Is it something you want to consider, Dione?” Glenn asked.
Dione would die someday. It was important for her species to survive. But more importantly, she should be able to share her life with her own kind. Glenn wanted to help her experience that.
“It is a wonderful thoughttt, but…” Dione said. “I’m too different from other speciesss. I’d always be afraid of crushing my…boyfriend? Husbanddd?”
“Is that so?”
“What if I eat them by accident, like I almost did with Glenn?”
Dione had a point. It was easy to say that love would be enough, but the size difference presented a significant hurdle. A hurdle that couldn’t be overcome with mere words.
“I’m sorry for bringing it up,” Sapphee said.
“It’s fiiine. Of course…I envy beautiful briiides.” Dione chuckled. “You two are engaged, riiight?”
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.”
“Yeahhh. When I see you two, I think, ‘Hey, marriage looks great, you know? I wonder if there’s anyone for meee?’”
Glenn stared into her eyes, partially hidden behind her hair. For some reason, when she’d asked this question, she’d looked straight at him.
“Dione, you’ll live a long life! You’ve got plenty of time to find a good man!”
She was gripping Glenn’s hand with her tail. He looked at her quizzically, not understanding what was going on.
“You’re riiight. Maybe someday I can become a beautiful wiiife.”
Survival of the species. The last of a nearly extinct monster. Despite the severity of the situation, Dione was as relaxed as ever.
“I’ll do everything I can to make sure you live as long as possible, Dione. I’ll work hard to understand your biology so you’ll always stay healthy.”
“Thank you very muchhh.” Dione looked around. There was food here, and an awning, and a whole village of harpies to look after her. “The gigas died out because life is tough. But if everyone helps each other, maybe that’s enougggh?”
“That’s one way to look at it.”
“Heeey, even if I don’t marry…I’m happyyy.” Dione smiled, looking down at Glenn and Sapphee, who were holding hands.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sapphee and Glenn decided to spend the night in the harpy village. Scythia Transportation would pick them up the next day. They would stay in the temporary housing where they’d stayed in the past.
“Heeey, it’s already time for everyone to eeeat.”
Dione’s dinner was rice porridge again, with nuts mixed in this time. Glenn and Sapphee took the opportunity to enjoy a meal together on the riverbank. The fruits and nuts in the village were very nutritious. As usual, Sapphee was drinking alcohol.
“That reminds meee,” Dione said. “Lately, Illy has been going to a spring deep in the mountains. What’s that abouuut?”
Glenn and Sapphee looked at each other. They hadn’t heard this.
“A spring…in the mountains?”
“Yesss. She seems so busyyy. I’m lonely because she won’t talk to meee. Why does she keep flying offf?”
“Is this spring used for something?”
“Sometimes the harpies go there to baaathe, but it’s nothing specialll, you know?”
Glenn tilted his head. Illy was always busy working, delivering the post. He couldn’t even get a hold of her to perform her physical exam. He’d thought that after her fight with Plum she might have felt awkward around him. But maybe that wasn’t the case. Why would she go so far to bathe if she was busy with work? There was a bathhouse at Scythia Transportation, after all.
“I also want to see Illy. I need to examine her for the ambassador election, but she hasn’t let me yet.”
“Is that riiight? I wonder whyyy?” Dione tilted her head to the side.
Does it have to do with her going all that way to the spring?
Was she doing something at the spring to prepare for the exam? But what would she even do there besides bathe?
“It’s so lonelyyy when Illy doesn’t visit meee,” Dione said sadly.
“Maybe there’s a reason she feels awkward right now.”
Dione looked at Glenn quizzically,
“Apparently she was fighting with another young woman in town.”
Glenn wasn’t sure it was the best idea, but he decided to tell Dione about the fight. Ever since Illy, who loved to fly, and Dione, who lived on a mountaintop, had first met, Illy had been the one to bring news of the town to Dione.
“Perhaps the fight is difficult for her to talk about,” Glenn suggested.
“She probably thinks you’ll worry about her, Dione.” Sapphee sipped her date sake, which was brewed right here in the village.
Glenn thought that it was sweet of Illy to avoid Dione so that she wouldn’t worry.
“I seee. Fighting is no goood. If Illy comes around, I’ll tell her to see you, Doctorrr.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Let’s all be friendsss. Otherwise…” Dione brushed aside her hair, revealing wide, innocent eyes. “We’ll all go extincttt.”
Heavy words from the massive gigas.
“Ehh, just kiddinggg!” Dione laughed, back to her normal, carefree self in an instant.
But Glenn couldn’t even bring himself to smile.