Chapter 38: Big is Beautiful.
The group with their two newest comrades headed back to Raven Rock and once Wisp had let them all back in by powering down the security system before powering it back up in their wake so that no one else could follow them inside, Visa was very insistent about this last step.
Seven could see the obvious nervousness of Shepherds people around the two large female super mutants, but that wasn't exactly to be unexpected as Seven couldn't exactly imagine most human/super mutant interactions exactly going even remotely cordially or smoothly, but at least no one was shooting or you know eating people yet.
Seven noticed that Sheila's interest had been caught by Malakai who was scuttling around exploring the place, every time he passed through the main lobby on his way to another room as he helped take an inventory of what resources had been left behind her eyes tracked him and Seven could see fascination sparkling in them, finally, it got too much and she had to speak to him.
"Why do you's look like a spidey?" she asked him as he came into the lobby with Wisp in tow, both were carrying what looked to be boxes of what looked like military fatigues.
Malakai looked up and turned to look at her fixing his big amazed looking eyes on her, Seven saw his little mandibles twitch, "Who me?" he asked and she nodded stepping up close to look at him which made Wisp twitch behind him the smile that had been plastered over her new human face leaving rather rapidly.
Malakai seemed to be trying to sense of what she'd just asked and he quickly seemed to grasp what she was asking him, "I am an Arachnakai, we are a race of half-human half spiders that come to be from a blending of human and spider DNA, we come from a bunker underneath the Rockies" Malakai explained before launching into the story of what had happened that had brought his species into being while Sheila and now Shauna listened intently to him obviously both fascinated.
"Wow, this is the first time I've seen species actually blended through the use of Radiation that does not include some form of sexual reproduction to mutate the DNA into being able to bind," Shauna said.
"I think his fur is pretty, yellow is my favourite colour!" Sheila said happily as she reached out to touch his bright yellow leg.
"HEY! Don't you dare put your hands on him without his permission! He is not a pet he is a person!" Wisp yelled making them all jump including Malakai himself.
Sheila snatched her hand back like it had just been burned and cradled it against her chest, there was a look of shock painted on her face that quickly morphed into a look of sadness, "Me's is sorry, me's no mean anything bad by it, me's just wanted to stroke pretty yellow fur, looks very soft but me's didn't mean bad with it" Sheila said in a soft and quiet voice.
The look of anger that had been painted on Wisp's face instantly softened before vanishing entirely, she looked around at everyone that was gathered and could see that everyone was staring at her in shock including Malakai himself.
"Sorry I didn't mean to yell like that but you have to remember that just Malakai looks different that doesn't mean you can just put your hands on him without his permission, that's his body and it's sacred just like yours is, you don't like what the leader of the Amazons did to those boys and men she took prisoner correct?" Wisp said and now Sheila switched from sad to angry.
"No! Of course, me's don't! It was bad, she's is bad, she hurts them and does bad things to them!" she exclaimed loudly and Wisp nodded.
"Exactly and the fact you feel that way is a good thing because it means you are a good person, but you cannot just put your hands on people without their permission, you wouldn't like it if random guys just kept touching you without your permission would you?" Wisp said and Sheila shook her head.
"No bad mutants did that and this happened," she said gesturing to herself.
"Exactly and just because he is a boy and you are a girl does not mean you get the right to touch him either, I think he is the prettiest thing I have ever seen walking this Earth and I would not even dare to put these new hands of mine upon him unless he gives me the right to do so no matter how much I yearn to I do not have that right" Wisp said in a far far softer voice.
Sheila nodded obviously understanding now, she turned to Malakai and stroked her arm sheepishly, "Sorry Malakai me's did not mean to touch you's without permission, Wisp is right" she said.
Malakai smiled softly which to be fair did light his face up, "Its ok Sheila I can see you didn't want to hurt me and you can touch my leg if you want to and also thank you for respecting that" he said lighting up Sheila's face in pure joy.
She reached out her large hand and ran it up Malakai's bright yellow leg and Seven could see the visible joy written all over her face, but it wasn't a sexual thing and all of them gathered could blatantly see that it was just someone taking joy in something simple and joyful as a fluffy spider.
"I wish all spidys looked like you, world would be much better if world was filled with big, fluffy spidys with pretty yellow legs," Sheila said.
"I'm sure Wisp would agree with you on that one" Seven said.
"Don't need a world full, I'd be happy with just one" Wisp replied looking longingly at Malakai and this Immediately started Shauna laughing which rapidly started spreading to others and pretty soon all of them were laughing and Seven could feel the relief and stress of the last few hours just melting away.
That's when Malakai did something surprising, he rotated himself so he was now facing Wisp, "You can touch my leg if you want to as well Wisp" he said in a soft almost embarrassed to be saying something like that out loud kind of voice.
