Two months later

  Yotrohtsothian Space- The House of Yoth

  Lilchta and Ijsoth-Vojya, a very ancient scholar of Cthulhu arts and magic, are traversing the hallways of his family home. As usual, Ijsoth Vojya wears a solemn expression, both arms folded behind her back. Lilchta follows a short distance behind, imitating the scholar's serious demeanor and posture. However, he quickly becomes bored, dropping both arms down at his sides.

  "Ijsoth," Lilchta says in his deep, yet raspy, voice. "If I am a Cthulhu kin...Why do I not have the true appearance of one? In every book, every narration, and nearly every visual representation...All of the Cthulhu kin look more like my father than myself. Am I more human than my father? Is that why I have very few tentacles to speak of? I am told Cthulhu Volsoth is almost all human. Yet, even his face is covered in numerous tentacles. Why am I so different than all of the rest?"

  "Haha," Ijsoth-Vojya laughs under her breath. "You do not understand, youngster. You have been away from Yotrohtsothian Space for most of your young life. It is the essence of Yotrohtsothian Space...The very energy from our sacred dimension...Which bestows upon our brethren the visage you so desperately desire. As you spend more time amongst your people...As you absorb the energy all around you and perform your magic...You too will start to show your heritage. Cthulhu Yoth...Your father...Once had a face as bare as yours. It took many years for him to mature to the brave enigma you see today."

  Ijsoth-Vojya stops walking and turns to face Lilchta. She issues a long sigh, her eyes clouding over--as she remembers the past.

  "Ah, Lilchta. I still remember the morning your father woke up with his first face tentacle. I remember...It was the most happy day of his life. Cthulhu Yoth bragged about that single tentacle for weeks. Of course, he was not Cthulhu Yoth then. He did not take his father's name for many more years. Hahaha. Yes. Ha. Weeks."

  "Are you saying, Ijsoth-Vojya...That performing ritual magic will greatly accelerate the growth of my facial tentacles? Am I understanding you correctly, Scholar?"

  "That is indeed true," Ijsoth-Vojya says. "The use of Yotrohtsothian ritual magic accelerates the speed with which the transformation from human to Cthulhu kin occurs. But the change will happen anyway. Outside of Yotrohtsothian Space...The transformation will just take a little longer. Do not worry, Lilchta. You will look just as good as any distinguished Cthulhu cousin before too long."

  "I wasn't worried," Lilchta lies, once again folding his arms behind his back.

  "Mmm-hmm," Ijsoth-Vojya says, continuing to walk down the hallway.

  -

  -

  In the dinner hall later that night (Not true night-Yotrohtsothian Space is always dark.

  "You've barely touched your food, Lilchta," Cthulhu Yoth says.

  The Cthulhu elder peers across the extremely long banquet table at his son. Lilchta pushes his plate of various delicacies away and grunts softly.

  "I'm not very hungry," the young Cthulhu sorcerer complains. "I've only been home for two weeks, but I already feel...That I am missing Captain Hilyard. She is a very...Feisty woman. She often makes me laugh with her silly antics. When I was inside her head, I saw..."

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  Lilchta stops talking, glancing upward to meet his father's eye.

  "Nevermind," Lilchta says.

  Pulling his plate of various raw Yotrohtsothian animal parts closer, Lilchta uses his fork to stab a particularly juicy looking eyeball. He pops the succulent orb into his mouth and slowly chews. Across the table, Mr. Yoth intertwines the fingers of his hands and leans forward.

  "If you wish the captain to join us for dinner...Why not simply invite her? You are a sorcerer, Lilchta. She could be here in the time it takes for you to snap your fingers."

  "I wouldn't want to impose myself on the Captain. I'm sure she is very busy with traveling the universe and all. Perhaps, she will visit us when she is ready?"

  "And perhaps...She is waiting for an invitation?" Mr. Yoth counters with a sly grin.

  "Do you really think so, Father?" Lilchta asks, uncertainty in his voice.

  "I know so," Mr. Yoth says, leaning more onto the table.

  Lilchta practically jumps from his seat, happy for an excuse to see Aurelia again.

  "Then, I will invite her to have dinner with us. Tonight."

  -

  -

  Aurelia stands before the full-sized mirror in her bedroom. A brand new pirate hat is perched atop her head, wavy curls spilling from underneath. With one hand, the woman captain holds a freshly washed white blouse against her front. She turns from side to side, modeling the blouse in the mirror.

  "Hmmm. I wonder if this blouse will go good with my leather corset? Or maybe...I should wear a girdle? Less restrictive. More room for the bust. Hmmm."

  While Aurelia considers her options, she continues to mutter to herself. However, she stops talking when the image in her mirror warbles and then starts to transform. Aurelia's mouth opens as Zifawid Lilchta's face appears in the mirror--instead of her own.

  The Cthulhu heir looks Aurelia over and offers her a sly wink.

  "I think it will look good either way," Cthulhu Lilchta says. "However, I prefer the leather corset. Less room for the bust is alright with me."

  "Lilchta? What? How dare you...?" Aurelia begins.

  "How dare I....What?" Lilchta asks.

  He fully materializes within the mirror and steps out of it. Grabbing Aurelia up into his arms, he stares down at her puzzled face.

  "Give you a compliment? I will try to refrain in the future."

  "What are you doing here, Lilchta?"

  "I came to invite you to dinner with my father and I," Lilchta says, taking Aurelia's left hand and raising it to his lips.

  "Dinner? Oh. Oh no. I've already eaten. Sorry," Aurelia lies, her cheeks growing warm.

  "You are lying," Cthulhu Lilchta says, using two of his neck tentacles to caress Aurelia's face. "You forget...I can sense your thoughts. Well...Sort of."

  "That's not fair!" Aurelia exclaims. "I don't want you thinking you can pop up here whenever you want, Zifawid Lilchta. I don't want you in my head? Do you understand?"

  "Perfectly," Lilchta says, his eyes narrowing. "There's only one problem. What you're saying...And what your heart feels...Are not the same. I know this too."

  "Ha. You're wrong. That proves, you're just guessing. You have no idea how I really feel!" Aurelia cries.

  "Don't I?" Lilchta says.

  The former girgogh Zifawid leans forward. Aurelia's eyes immediately shift to the young Cthulhu sorcerer's mouth. Her own mouth opens slightly, in expectation of a warm kiss. Lilchta does not disappoint, kissing her tenderly. Aurelia wraps both arms around his neck. Her head swoons and strange thoughts race through her mind.

  One moment, she is in her own room. In the next moment, she finds herself sprawled on an unknown beach. In this daydream, Cthulhu Lilchta massages her bare shoulders with his neck tentacles. While his hands caress her face and hair.

  Returning to the present, Aurelia separates her lips from Lilchta's. She drops her arms from around his neck and takes a step back. Indecision causes her to stammer.

  "I can't, Lilchta. Something about this...Doesn't seem right. How do I know you aren't influencing me somehow? You're a sorcerer, Lilchta. How can I trust anything you tell me?"

  Lilchta pulls Aurelia back to him, staring deep into her confused brown eyes.

  "There is a human saying. 'Trust only half of what you see. And none of what you hear.' Look into your heart, Aurelia. And then, look into mine. What do you see?"

  Aurelia stares back into the Cthulhu sorcerer's gray-blue orbs.