The Unified Soul

We're Engaged!

The stars were still shining so beautifully in the moonlit sky as the newly engaged couple and their daughter sat by their tent. The magical moment of finally being engaged to one another made Aaron and Aphmau just stare at the stars in disbelief. They loved each other more than anything in the entire world, and now they were going to experience that world together with their daughter.

Airis on the other hand wouldn't stop smiling, seeing as Aaron promised to adopt her on their wedding day. She finally had a full family again, and just thinking about the future got her excited. Perhaps one day she would get a little brother or sister, or maybe even both if Aphmau and Aaron wanted it. Either way, she was ready to experience life again.

"Did you really ask me to marry you?" Aphmau asked still in disbelief.

"Yeah." Aaron answered.

"And I really said yes?"

Aaron chuckled, "Yes."

"Wow!"

"And I'm really gonna be adopted by you, right Papa?" Airis asked, trying to enhance the idea in her mind.

"Of course I will." He answered.

Airis squealed in pure joy, "This isn't a dream. This is really happening! I'm getting a Mama and a Papa all at once! This is so exciting!"

"I agree Airis!" Aphmau said, "Pinch me."

Aaron did so and pinched her.

"Harder, I couldn't even feel that."

Aaron tried again, this time much harder.

"Why couldn't I feel tha-AAATTT! Oh wow! Okay! I felt that." She cried out in her sudden sharp pain, "Why did that take a while to feel?"

"Hmm... I guess your tolerance for pain increased." Aaron suggested.

"Is that because..."

"Probably."

"Right. Speaking of which, there is so much we have to tell everyone. I mean, aside from my ears and tail."

"I know. It's gonna be a lot."

"It doesn't have to be everything at once, Papa. One step at a time, right?" Airis said.

"Sounds good..." Aphmau smirked, "Or we could just tell everyone the news extravagantly. Like, maybe we get a big old chocolate cake and pop out of it and say "surprise! We're getting married and Airis is getting adopted"!"

"Mama, you do realize you can't have chocolate anymore, right?" Airis reminded her while Aaron laughed.

"What?" 

"Oh, come on, you knew this." Aaron added.

"Right, right, I knew that. That's gonna take some time getting used to." Aphmau chuckled nervously.

"Speaking of which, I think that while we're up here, we should work on hiding your ears."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we can try at least. Then maybe we can talk about the wedding."

Aphmau squealed in delight, wanting to get right to the planning of their future wedding. Airis was already playing it out in her head. The way Aphmau would glide down the aisle dressed head to toe in white. Aaron smiling while waiting for her hand. And herself laughing and calling to her parents as Aaron signed the documents to legally adopt her as her father. 

It was a time that she didn't want to wait for, but had no choice but to do so.

Without even noticing, three days had passed since they hiked up to Phoenix Peak. Every day, Aaron and Airis would help Aphmau with hiding her ears and tail, going through the motions that they were taught when learning to hide them themselves. Airis had more experience with hiding her ears and tail, so she did a little more instructing than Aaron. Nevertheless, they both helped Aphmau learn, sometimes sidetracked by wedding talks and all that.