Another short story written as part of a set of challenges between myself and a friend, this was one of my first jaunts into a more science-fiction flavor. Enjoy this tale of intergalactic mating.
*****
I've always thought traveling space and meeting alien races was mankind's eventual fate, but never would have guessed I'd see it in my lifetime.
Well, I was dead wrong.
I won't lie. The thought of meeting an alien or watching a spaceship land on Earth and crack open to reveal its crew used to freak me out. Not because I feared a massive hostile invasion like movies would have us believe is inevitable- I guess it was more of an existential crisis I feared, and the fact that the truth really was out there. I suppose it was the smartest strategy he could have taken, to fulfill his purpose. Where better a place could an ambassador from another world choose to meet humans than at a sci-fi/fantasy convention?
I was prowling the dealer's room, searching for the same few things I always look for at cons (hentai, cool tee shirts, and
anything
Sailor Moon), dressed in my Princess Serenity cosplay when I began to pick up this really tantalizing scent. I was by myself and since it wasn't an anime convention I wasn't being stopped for photos every five seconds, so, I decided to deviate from my swag search and investigate. The smell was spicy-sweet, like a really lovely flower or botanical lotion and for some reason or another it fixated me. I followed my nose, hoping I'd find out what it was called and where I could buy it for myself. It was full of honey, cinnamon, ginger, clove, citrus, and pine. At least, that's what my nose registered. With all those notes of aroma I didn't understand how it didn't send me gagging, but the more I breathed it the more I needed to know where it was coming from.
Before long, I followed my sense of smell to a less clustered area of the con's dealer's hall, and saw a man standing casually against a wall, just sort of people-watching intently. My first thought was
Wow, that's one hell of a good costume.
He was tall, but not freakishly so. A good 6+ feet for sure, but not Guinness-Book-of-World-Records-tall. His upper body was a normal, rugged and extremely sexy male physique, featuring pure, pale gold skin, actually
metallic
to the eye. However, that was mostly his chest and abs- a slick, shining green color crept around his shoulders, continuing down his arms and hands. His hips also had the verdant coloring, and that crept all the way down his legs, which were completely rich, vibrant green, shimmering in the light, and decidedly
not
human shaped at all. I was convinced he was a master of prosthetics. The physiology of his legs was somehow leonine and reptilian at the same time- the thigh and calf connected in a very dragonlike way, and the feet were heavy, taloned paws that nevertheless had the slightly iridescent skin texture of chameleons. He wore a brown, leathery looking loincloth tied low around his hips, and I could see a very long and lifelike tail of the same green sweeping idly around the floor behind him. Even his face was shaped and colored differently, carrying the features of human, lion and lizard. His chin was on the narrow side, and just a bit elongated, his brow strong, nose slightly upturned and sharp. He had long, wild and
coarse
hair, thick and brown-blond. Some of the green crept from his throat around his jawline, and he had just the coolest, strangest eyes I'd ever seen. From a distance, they appeared one solid color, no visible pupil, and eerily yellow-gold. He was also pretty hot, and I felt like I just had to compliment the dedication. As I walked closer, the smell I'd been following got stronger and it didn't take me long to realize that mystery man was the one giving it off.
"Hey," I said, once I was close enough to catch his attention. He looked at me with interest and smiled. "I just wanted to say, you look
amazing
. How long did it take you to get ready?"
"Years," he replied so casually I thought it had to be a joke. His voice was deep and slightly smoky.
"Well, it shows," I cheerfully responded. "The detail is incredible. Where are you from?" I meant the show or the comic, something that would give me a new story to read or watch. Up close I could see veins of dark emerald running through his green tinted skin, and the smooth, snakelike texture of extremely fine scales on his arm. Upon further inspection I could even see the powerful, lithe fingers and structures of his hands were slightly altered to fit the body.
"I hail from the world Dyronius, in the galaxy you will know as Andromeda." Oh, so he was incredibly in character. Well, that's cool, I thought. I can deal.
"Ah, then your people prove that mine have
really
dropped the ball on space travel and extending the hand of friendship to our galactic neighbors." I said sagely. "Welcome to Earth, I'm Alice. Some of us humans are ok." My new con friend gave me a toothy little smile. I noticed he had an interesting set of dental prosthetics too- a pair of incisors at the top-front, but flanked by two sets of canines, the second pair longer than the first. The bottom teeth were
all
sharp.
Damn, he's good. He should be on one of those movie make up TV shows.
To my surprise, he gave a scratchy laugh at my comment.
"You have 'dropped the ball', as you say. My people have been observing your world for some time, and have grown exasperated watching what you have done to the planet as a species, not to mention, one another." I groaned and nodded.
"Ugh, I know, right? Some of us are fairly sick of it too. We've only got this rock to live on, why are we killing it?" I threw my hands up in a shrug. He continued to smile, his eyes somehow never blinking, and looked at me intently. Around us no one seemed to be sparing a glance, like this dude wasn't dressed as a seriously awesome lizard man.
"My name is Aran'syr, of the Brood of Mother Hela'syr." he said, stepping toward me. "It pleases me to meet you... A-liss." My throat went suddenly dry, and the smell kicked back in, strong. Now it was making me dizzy. "Why did you come to me, little female earthling?" Somehow, the way he said it made me pause. It was so serious when he addressed me like an otherworldly creature I began to wonder if he was just that committed, or, if he
believed
his persona.
"It was... Just kind of coincidence, I guess," I mumbled, growing kind of hot and weak, but more in the knees and pussy than anything else. The scent taunted me, tickling me deep inside. "I smelled something really nice and just wanted to find out where it was coming from..."
"And you have since discovered it is me, have you not?" he said sweetly, and reached up to stroke my cheek. I sucked in a hard breath. His hand was burning hot almost, and the feel of his skin like pebbled, sleek leather.
"Look, I didn't say you could touch me," I began testily, but his irritatingly calm, too-knowing smile never faded.
"You did not," he agreed, not withdrawing his hand. In fact, he pounced and dragged me closer to his body. I was about to struggle when the scent rose again, directly from his skin; it immediately calmed and intoxicated me as I breathed it. "Now, answer me."
"Yes," I blurted, stupefied. "You smell so lovely..." it was all I
could
say.
"My pheromones have worked magnificently," he said almost to himself. "A-liss, do you think I am one of these folk gathered here, these 'science fiction' enthusiasts playing pretend?" Holding me into his chest, he stroked the back of my head, cozying me to him like I was precious.
"I...
did
," I told him warily, before darting my nervous glance up to him. "Are you... truly visiting from elsewhere...?" He took my chin, and made me align my gaze with his own endlessly yellow-gold stare. Despite the lack of a pupil, up close I could see bolts of lighter and darker shades in them, and subtle changes flickering through as the light wavered around us. Once we locked eyes, I felt myself freeze inexplicably. A current of energy washed through my body and I felt suddenly naked.
You scented my pheromones, and you see me as I am, not merely the guise I am wearing to pass for human. No one else but you can see how I truly look.
His voice rang clear through my head and stunned me.
Further, I see that you have come to this convention dressed as a character that speaks a truth in your spirit, even though no one would expect to see it here. I also feel the lusty, creative creature you are inside. It is no wonder you came to my call- You are open to the new and the strange, and always to yourself.
What... What's going on?
I thought back, unable to speak or move. Whether from his, for lack of a better term, 'mind meld' or from shock and confusion I wasn't sure.
I have come to this planet to assess whether or not an alliance can be formed with your world. I did not lie when I said my people have been observing you. Our race is highly advanced, and we hope to make peace with worlds that may be able to reach us in the future, so that we do not have to make war instead. We are also quite good at that.
Good to know
, I mused back somewhat sarcastically.
What does this mean to me, right now?
He smiled again, and I
felt
rather than
saw
it.
Part of my mission is also to find a viable mate,
he replied, hungrily.
Males of my species are incredibly virile, and female births are rare. We often must find our mates among other-worlders. My pheromones can only attract strong genetic matches for my seed.
Mentally, I gasped (somehow).
Ohhhh no. No. Don't I get a say in this?
I tried to struggle, verbally, physically- but it was no good. I couldn't talk while he held my stare, and his grip was fucking
steel
.