Dick Gumshoe and Maggey Gumshoe
Empire Bellagio, Los Angeles
Gumshoe’s Condo Suit 707
December 24, 2025, 11:54 PM
The fireplace was their tiny sun for the evening, casting long shadows over the rug, mimicking the warmth of the day. Cozy by the flame, the couple sat on the rug before it, their features illuminated by the flickering light, the only one in the room. Together, they stared at it, as though in a hypnotic state of peaceful bliss, holding hands and reveling in the subtle heat.
“This is so nice, honey, just you and me.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Maggey tittered, lids drooping with exhaustion. “Assuming we’re lucky and the baby doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night, I think you may have me for about 5.5 hours if our eldest son’s previous Christmas morning wake-up record is anything to go by!”
“So then for the precious little time that I have you to myself, I’m going to savor it.” Gumshoe turned and dropped a gentle kiss on top of his wife’s head. “I love our kids, don’t get me wrong! But it’s been so long since Gordy was a baby; it wasn’t until Jeff came along that I’d forgotten how much I took sleep for granted!”
“Yeah, I’m lucky if our colicky bundle of joy lets me get four hours of shut-eye at night!” Maggey comfortably rested her head on her husband’s broad shoulder. “Tonight I couldn’t seem to get either one of the boys to sleep! Jeff was cluster feeding like crazy, and the older Gordy gets, the harder it gets each year to get him to go to bed, especially at Christmas, because he’s so stoked about Santa! He’s still convinced that if he stays up late enough, he’ll be able to hear the sleigh and reindeer on the rooftop! ”
“I remember last year we got to sleep in … He woke us up at 5:30!” Gumshoe groused, raising his mug of hot cocoa to his lips. He secretly wished it could have been spiked with a stronger substance, but as his breastfeeding wife still was unable to drink, he didn’t think it would be fair for him to indulge, either. “I think that was his personal best!”
“Speaking of the future ring bearer, you and I have a wedding to attend next year, Mister!” She playfully poked him in the side. “Therefore, if I fully intend to wear a dress that’s not a tent, I have to get my butt in gear to be back in pre-pregnancy shape in time for Maya’s nuptials! This means you’re responsible for eating all those cookies he left out for Santa, not me!”
“Even if you were wearing a tent, you would still be the prettiest woman at that wedding.” Gumshoe’s eyes glowed with the same love and admiration that had been in his eyes from the moment he had first set eyes on her. “No matter what, Maggey, you will always be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, you know!” Maggey blushed modestly and then nuzzled her nose against his. “You keep sweet-talking me like this, Dick Gumshoe, and I just might commit some sort of crazy action, like marry you and have your babies!”
“Ever the wise guy! Luckily it’s one of the million things I love about you!” He chortled quietly, then his expression turned serious as he cupped his wife’s face in his large hands. “Maggey Gumshoe, have I thanked you for our two beautiful sons yet?”
“Around this same time last night, when we peeped in on our sleeping cherub, I noted that Gordy was steadily turning more and more into a miniature version of his Daddy with each passing day.” She smiled tenderly at him, even as her orbs glistened. “I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who gets emotional and sentimental at Christmastime.”
“How can I not be? It was Christmastime seven years ago that I proposed to the love of my life.”
“I still remember every word of your proposal. You said: ‘When I think of the future, I like to picture us as two trees planted side-by-side, our roots growing together more firmly as the years go by, and our children sprouting like seedlings around us. Let’s make a plan. Ten years from tonight, we’ll tell our children the story of how I proposed to you.”
She gazed at him adoringly.
“Only four more years to go before we put our older son in therapy when we tell him the story of how he prompted you to get on bent knee because he was a special mystery guest at our wedding!”
“Come on! I was gonna ask you to marry me anyway and you know it!” He laughingly protested, relaxing slightly when she stuck out her tongue. “But for the record, I said one other thing before that. I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. I told you I’d be completely lost without you because while you just saw yourself as the unlucky Goddess of Misfortune, I thought I was the luckiest man in the world to be blessed enough by fate to have found you.”
“Right! I remember now!” Her face lit up. “I said to you: ‘I still have to learn to love myself, but honestly, I’ve liked myself a little more ever since you came along.’
“Maggey, I said it before, I’ll say it again, and I hope you’ll never get tired of hearing it: loving you was the easiest thing I ever did.” He kissed her tenderly. “Even when it was hard, it was easy. Loving you was like breathing. And after you said yes, you told me that I’d never need to feel lost again, because we’d found each other.”
The clock above the fireplace chimed quietly then, indicating that it was now midnight.
“Merry Christmas, sweetie.” She leaned over and kissed him back. “This topic of conversation has prompted me to give you one of your Christmas presents early. I thought it was particularly important now since as of this holiday season, we have not one, but two little house apes.” She went over to the Christmas tree and grabbed a tiny box with his name on it, presenting it with a flourish.
“You want me to open it now?” He gawked at her with surprise.
“It is officially Christmas!” She smiled shyly. “I hope you like it.”
The police chief eagerly tore into his present like an excited child, hastily discarding the beautiful, intricate wrapping paper and festive bow, and then let out a whoop of laughter when he saw the contents, quickly clapping a guilty hand over his mouth, in case he woke up the children.
Inside was a shiny gold dog tag, attached to a balled gold chain. The engraving on the back of the tag had their address and phone number engraved on the back, but on the front, circled in a heart, were the words: ‘If lost, please return to Maggey Gumshoe.’
Rising his head, Gumshoe’s puppy dog brown eyes were misty as he stared into his wife’s loving face. Surprised by his reaction, Maggey stroked his cheek with a concerned frown.
“Did I hurt your feelings, sweetie?” She asked anxiously. “I thought it’d be kind of an inside joke with us, you know? I figured you wouldn’t take offense to me getting it as a dog license tag – it seemed so much more creative and unique than putting the inscription on a regular boring old piece of jewelry, but if you don’t like it, I can certainly take it back…” Her words were cut off as her husband lunged at her then, setting her sprawling backward on the carpet as he covered her lips with his own, effectively silencing her.
“Don’t you dare even think about returning the most thoughtful, meaningful piece of metal I have ever gotten from you, ever since the day you put that wedding band on my finger, Maggey Gumshoe!” He commanded fiercely, before claiming her lips once again.
Maggey wasn’t sure what had gotten into her, but she felt completely breathless, a situation only further compounded by the questing mouth roving insistently against hers. It was as though they were back in their courtship days all over again, and their tongues had fallen madly in love, gotten married, and moved to Paris.
“Wow,” she breathed, when the two had surely atoned for all their former years of parental kisslessness, and finally came up for air. “I cannot believe you still have that effect on me, all these years later, Dick! I wonder if this is how it is for everyone?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. I never felt this with anyone before I met you.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. That isn’t a line.” The flickering flame of the fireplace matched the burning intensity of his gaze. “Allow me to demonstrate how serious I am about that, Mrs. Gumshoe, as I also further express my appreciation for this most wonderful Christmas gift of mine.”
“Kiss me, Dick,” she sighed, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes full of love and promise. “I think if we stop kissing, the world is going to explode.”
“Seems like it,” he murmured, staring dreamily into her eyes, and then proceeded to do just that.
Heathcliff and Cathy had nothing on them.
Maya Fey and Longines Beaugosse
Paris, France
December 24, 2025, 10:00 PM
“I can’t thank you enough for coming with me on this last-minute two-day Christmas trip,” Longines said to Maya as they exited the music hall, where they had just seen the ever-riveting holiday ballet, The Nutcracker. Naturally, the hair heir owned personal boxed seats. “I give you my solemn vow that we’ll be back tomorrow evening with more than enough time for us to have Christmas dinner with Luke and Pearl in Kurain, Scout’s honor!”
“I don’t know quite how to take that,” Maya teased. “Considering you told me you got kicked out of the Boy Scouts for giving unsolicited haircuts to all the boys, without parental permission!”
“Let’s just say I started practicing my expertly honed crafting skills early in life, but not everyone appreciated them back then!” Longines joked. “I think the true reason the parents got so steamed is that my expertly nimble schoolboy fingers gave their kids better hairstyles than the craptastic ones that they were paying their hairdressers for, or should I say, butchers?!”
“Perceptibly, the whole thing did nothing to shake that unshakable Beaugosse confidence!” Maya laughed. “And for the record, you don’t need to thank me again, Longines. I didn’t have any business affairs this time, seeing as how it’s the holidays but I still can’t believe that you did!”
A gusty winter breeze washed over the duo then, and Maya shivered slightly.
It was only about 2 degrees Celsius in Paris this time of the year, and she was a tad chilly, despite the wool cloak she had over on over her floor-length, rose silk Chanel gown. It was the most stunning item she’d ever owned, an early Christmas gift from Longines for agreeing to the last-minute trip – at this point her friend now knew that pink was her favorite color. The slim-fitting dropped waistline dress had sparkling jeweled accents, along with shimmering gold lace, which cascaded down from the off-the-shoulder neckline, through the torso, down to mid-thigh. A luxurious, pastel pink, tulle overlay on the layered, flared skirt was the final addition, and perfectly complemented her gold Louis Vuitton heels.
“I said I needed some company for a last-minute trip.” There was a mischievous twinkle in his sky-blue eyes as he ushered her into a limousine that had been waiting just outside the opera house. “I never said it was business-related!”
This revelation earned him a confused mocha-eyed glance, and he flashed an impish grin.
“I merely conveyed I was going to be making an impromptu trip to France, and if I swore to not subject you to any animal limbs or organs as cuisine, this time around, would you once again be my delightful European travel buddy?”
“Surely thou jest!” Maya gaped with amazement through the tinted window at the beautifully, lit-up nighttime view of the City of Lights as they whizzed by. “Do you mean to tell me that we flew here on your jet at the crack of dawn, on a complete whim? For no purpose, whatsoever? Just because you’re a billionaire and you can?”
“Well, seeing as how the nearly conjoined teenage lovebirds have been as thick as thieves since Luke got to your village yesterday – your words not mine! – I thought you wouldn’t mind being whisked away, and taking a night off from being the third wheel.”
He gently placed his hand on top of hers.
“I know last Christmas with your ex was a very big milestone in your relationship, which made it all the more devastating when things ended just a few months later. Therefore, I thought I would try to provide some sort of distraction, for what might be a particularly painful time of year for you.”
The Kurain Master rapidly blinked back hot tears and glanced down at her lap, where her one hand lay flatly beneath his golden, well-manicured one, while her free, French-manicured one was clenched tightly into a fist. There was no way to deny the truthfulness of her friend’s astute observation, however, desperately she’d tried to conceal it.
While Franziska was easily her closest female confidante, Longines Beaugosse now filled the close buddy void in her life that Phoenix had left behind, in that he truly had become her best male friend within the last eight months. It had not been an overnight process, but the kind-hearted man knew Maya very well by now. He now instinctively knew when she was happy – genuinely happy, as well as when she was sad, even when she had her happy mask in place.
Since losing Phoenix, Maya would have described her heartache as a glove of ice, encasing her heart in the same way a cage encased a tropical bird. While her heart longed to fly again, to stretch its wings and soar, and see the vast possibilities of life laid out before her, it stayed locked up in its frozen prison, afraid to pick the lock or try to break the bars.
When Nick appeared in my life, first as my friend, then my lover, suddenly all the love songs made sense. However, it was only after he left that I understood all the sad ones.
When she had first met the salon tycoon, as much as she’d been fond of him, she’d also known right away that a new relationship was the last thing she’d needed, not right on the heels of Phoenix. While Maya hadn’t wanted to rebound on Longines, knowing he deserved something real, someone to adore him until the end of time, nevertheless, the blond man wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Every time she pushed him away, the hair heir gave her no resistance, but every time she fell, he seamlessly picked her back up again, without any sort of thank-you required.
Every time she’d feel she was going to break down and cry, Longines had taken her to see a funny movie or comedy club so that the only tears she’d shed were ones of mirth. Whenever she’d wanted to shut the whole world out, he’d wined and dined her at the most fabulous LA eateries, even ones she’d never even heard of before, as though sensing her heart could be healed if he first started with the appeasing of her bottomless stomach. The few times she’d just wanted to have a few drinks and lose herself in mindless oblivion, he’d arrived to fetch her that very evening. Next, he’d whisk them both on a whirlwind shopping excursion at the mall to buy each of them a brand-new outfit for the night, and then escort her to the trendiest LA nightclubs, tearing up the dance floor by her side while she tipsily shimmied and shook her groove thang until her feet ached. In the clubs, with that pulsating music, that beat, those crazy, crazy lights, she once again truly felt she was alive and real and would think: Reality bites? Nah! It’s freakin’ awesome!
Dancing proved to be a phenomenal way to release pent-up frustration. They went nearly every weekend Longines was in town. It didn’t hurt that Maya’s gorgeous dance partner had VIP access to all the best places, and had moves like Jagger, either! Many times he would boogie in circles around her, leaving her in his dust!
By the end of the night, Maya would be quite drunk, knowing she should cut back, but who was counting? Certainly, not Longines, who occasionally would indulge with her in a few drinks, and they’d leave the club arm in arm, wobbling down the lamp-lit alley to hail a cab. The next day she’d check out the previous night’s photos on her cell phone of the two of them and their drunken antics, and laugh her ass off.
This man is too precious. It’s only because of him I’ve gotten through this past year. I simply adore him.
In that same manner, the spirit medium had only been able to endure the otherwise depressing holiday season because of her best friend. This trip had been just what she’d needed. This Christmas, she was still so raw from the previous one that she had welcomed the change of scenery, pace…country…continent.
As always, Longines knew just what she needed. The fact that she hadn’t fallen apart thus far was because of this man, who’d become her best friend. As a compatriot and loyal companion, the Master loved him to pieces. She truly did.
“It is me, who should be thanking you, Longines, for putting up with my walls and guarded exterior for so long.” Maya raised her eyes to his face with an earnest expression. “For the longest time, I hated Nick for doing that to me, for making me so guarded. You have no idea how badly I yearned to go back to when I was ingenious enough to think everyone had my best interests at heart and meant what they said. I hate that trusting people has become so much harder.”
“You were worth sticking around for, Maya.” He said kindly, squeezing her hand. “In my life, I have learned to determine that people are like businesses, in the sense that some are worth the investment, whereas some are not. You were worth every bit of it, ergo, I regret nothing. However, because you’re so dear to me, there are few things, life lessons if you will, that I would like to share with you at this time.”
The psychic nodded and leaned forward expectantly.
“Go on,” she urged softly. “I’m listening.”
“Torturing yourself over these two things in life will most surely ruin you, Maya.” He regarded her steadily. “First: what you thought could have been, and second: what you thought should have been.”
“I understand what you’re saying, Longines. I truly do, even though, nine months later, I keep clawing at my skin, trying to get back to where I was before. However infrequent, though, there’s a part of me that is still plagued by tormenting thoughts. ‘Why did he have to be the one to teach me how to hide?’ and ‘Why did he make me associate love with this’?”
“Does it still hurt?” His eyes were bright with compassion.
“Yeah, a lot,” she admitted, then smiled faintly. “But it’s getting better. It doesn’t feel hopeless anymore.”
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Maya.” He squeezed her hand, then tapped on the glass partition until it opened slightly, leaning forward to murmur a few French words into the driver’s ear.
The diviner hadn’t realized that the limousine had come to a complete stop. When she saw where they had arrived, her face lit up with excitement and awe.
“Mon Dieu!” She gushed as she stepped out of the limousine. “That’s the Eiffel Tower!”
“So it is,” Longines replied innocently, his eyes sparkling in the manner of the glowing lit tower behind them. “I realized that when I took you to Cannes, I let your cousin have all the fun in Paris, yet never gave you a chance to check out France’s number one tourist attraction. This is my chance to make reparations for that, as well as for the food I forced you to dine on!”
“It’s all so majestic!” She was positively giddy as they walked towards the entrance. “I can’t believe we’re really here!”
They had just gotten into the elevator, about to ascend, when Longines suddenly blushed sheepishly and slapped himself on the forehead.
“I am such a dunce!” He exclaimed. “I forgot something in the limo with Jacques – you go on without me and I’ll be right up in a minute.”
“I can wait,” She offered. “We seem to be the only ones who are willing to freeze our butts off on Christmas Eve going up there, so nobody else is waiting for the elevator. I can hold it for you.”
“No, no go ahead, I insist!” Longines shooed away her offer with a wave of his hand. “The view is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and I’ve seen it a million times, but there’s no reason for you to delay! You go on ahead, and I’ll be up before you know it!”
“As you like it, then!” Maya waved. “See ya later!”
When she arrived at the top, she was surprised to see that she was the sole person up there, and shuddered slightly at the initial heavy breeze that washed over her. She wrapped her arms around her body, wishing she’d worn a more substantial garment than her thin cloak for warmth.
Then she peered out at the view below her for the first time and forgot about the chilly atmosphere entirely.
To behold the elevated panorama of Paris by night is akin to receiving a celestial greeting. The City of Lights captivates one’s breath in the most enchanting manner imaginable. Down below, myriad souls illuminate the urban landscape, their lights shining as brilliantly as the artificial bulbs overhead. Each individual is a star, obscured only by the haze of routine life that causes them to forget their extraordinary essence, rendering themselves ordinary. Yet, akin to the ‘ordinary’ air and ‘ordinary’ water, they embody the purity that renders the world so captivating, beautiful, and worth embracing.
She shook her head in marvel at her surroundings.
Originating from a quaint village, such moments kindle a desire to embrace city life, where the night sky gleams with artificial brilliance, guiding my path through a landscape that staunchly opposes the encroachment of silence. In this dynamic environment, incessant movement prevents self-indulgence in pity, amidst a multitude of faces I may never acquaint. It’s a realm where boredom and listlessness are foreign concepts, and my soul converges with my loftiest aspirations.
It was little wonder that this romantic, glorious tower had been where the smitten Pearl had first fallen for Luke, who was now her boyfriend. The place fairly shrieked l’amour pour tout le monde! For Pete’s sake, Maya could be up there with the Hunchback of Notre Dame and still probably fall under his spell, because the breathtaking backdrop would do all the romancing work for him! Heck, up here, even The Evil Magistrate would possibly appear to have some sex appeal!
Wait, what?! Ugh, how did I seriously just think that about a fictional antihero on a kiddy TV show? Man, it has been way too long since I’ve ridden the train to Pound Town!
Suddenly, right behind her, came a boomingly maniacal, yet somehow well-known laugh.
I guess Longines finally came up here. Maya didn’t even bother turning around and closed her eyes against the now blissful night breeze blowing in her face. All the same, I don’t think the cooler temperature of Europe this time of year is agreeing with Mr. California. What’s up with that campy, weird-ass, cartoon villain laugh of his? Is he catching a cold?!
“HOHN! HOHN! HOHN! HOHN! I have found you, at last, Pink Princess!” A deep, foreboding male voice sneered from behind her.
Holy Jumping Moses in a sidecar! Seeing as how she was the only one up there, the Kurain Master reflexively spun around, and her eyes nearly bugged out of her skull.
Maya knew she came from a rare, gifted family with mystical psychic powers. Thus far, however, said powers had been limited to necromancy and had never entailed the clairvoyant ability to mentally conjure another living creature/person and have them summoned, to appear right before her eyes!
Or rather, in this instance, a fictitious character who was technically living but didn’t exist in the real world!
Standing before her, in living color, was The Evil Magistrate from The Steel Samurai and Pink Princess TV series, who, as far as she knew, did not exist outset her TV set or movie screen.
Yet somehow, there the fiend stood was, no matter how many times she blinked, and even rubbed her disbelieving orbs! All 6’5” inches of him, in his proverbial purple samurai suit, black and fuchsia cape, demonic white mask, and enormous, very authentic-looking katana, which was pointed straight at her while he let out that diabolical cackle once more.
“There is nowhere for you to run, Pink Princess! You cannot escape me now! Prepare to meet your fate!”
“Oh, my gucking fod!” She cried in horror. “I –I’m not the Pink Princess! There must be some mistake!”
I am not a fictional character on a TV show! My name is Maya Fey, I am very real, and I have no desire to be turned into a human kebab!
The Master had a profound realization, finding herself in The Twilight Zone for the second time in her life. The previous instance occurred almost seven years ago on her 21st birthday. In the restroom of The Borscht Bowl, Franziska had passionately tried to persuade her about the existence of Ema Skye, whose striking resemblance to Maya had prompted Phoenix to take on her case. Maya had initially dismissed the idea of having such a notable doppelgänger, only to have the petite brunette waltz into the ladies’ room at that precise moment, irrefutably proving her wrong.
So of course, the shocked and alarmed spirit medium hypothesized that she must be in some sort of alternate universe! How else could she possibly explain the fact that she was helpless, alone, and on the receiving end of a make-believe evildoer sword on the top level of the Eiffel Tower?!
Where the hell is Longines?! She wondered frantically. I am a damsel, I am in distress, and since the Steel Samurai does not exist, I sure as hell hope my hairdresser pal miraculously appears with oversized shears or at least an enormous pair of hedge clippers as his defense weapon!
“Spare me your lies!” The Evil Magistrate lunged towards her and yanked her towards him, wrapping an enormous arm around her tiny waist, leaving her no means of escape. “I know who you are, and I have come for you! You belong to me, Princess! Forget the goody-goody Steel Samurai and join my side as I conquer Neo Olde Tokyo!”
Maya was too terrified to even try to process the gibberish coming out of the bad guy’s mouth at the moment. While his grip on her was not painful, it was as hard as the iron suit he appeared to be wearing, and her impotent struggles only made him cackle more loudly.
Then, completely out of nowhere, the Steel Samurai theme music began to blare piercingly into the night. The next thing she knew, the spear-wielding hero himself materialized out of the blue at that exact moment.
“Unhand her at once, Evil Magistrate!” The Steel Samurai commanded, pointing the sharp tip of his spear just inches away from his nemesis. “Her heart will never belong to you! The Pink Princess is mine, vile fiend!”
Screw you guys! I don’t belong to either of you!
Maya was fuming indignantly at this Neanderthal possessive display but then decided that the wacko playing the Steel Samurai could very well be the lesser of both evils and instead affixed her most doe-eyed, pleading expression.
After all, The Steel Samurai at least isn’t known to forcibly manhandle a girl! Sands of Zanzibar, why am I rationalizing any of this as though it makes any sense, or as if either one of them is lucid?!
“My hero!” She pretended to swoon, clasping her hands to her chest and batting her eyelashes coquettishly. “Save me!”
The Evil Magistrate shoved the spirit medium aside and readied his sword.
“Prepare for battle, arch-nemesis! We will settle this, once and for all!”
“I have foiled you before, diabolical one and I shall emerge triumphant yet again!”
Maya began inching her way towards the door to the elevator, jabbing insistently at the button to go down, while casting a frantic glance behind her. The two men had begun a set of very complex and choreographed fight moves with their weapons, while the music continued to play from some mysterious source in the background.
Christ on a Sunday would you just HURRY UP, you stupid elevator?! She silently pleaded, to whatever forces were listening. There was no way, in her high heels, that she would make headway down the stairs, should one of these lunatics give chase!
“Victory is mine!”
She cast another furtive glance over her shoulder and saw that The Evil Magistrate was now lying facedown on the ground, The Steel Samurai standing triumphantly with one foot on his foe’s back, wielding both the spear and katana victoriously in his hands. He turned his head then, spotted her attempted escape route by the lift, and let out a chagrined cry.
“Maya, wait! Please don’t go!”
The necromancer clapped a hand to her chest, this time genuine. Despite being somewhat muffled by the mask, the hero’s voice sounded vaguely familiar…
The Steel Samurai yanked off his head, and a gleaming tumble of golden waves spilled out.
“Sweet Alaskan Asparagus – Longines?!” Her jaw hit the floor. “Is that you?!”
“Curses! This is all fucked up like a soup sandwich! I had this all planned out so perfectly, too!” He moaned. “I don’t know what to do now! Um, is it possible for you to pretend that you didn’t see it was me if I were to put my head back on now?!”
“What in the world are you talking about?!” Maya gawked at him. “Planned what?!”
“Well, I guess there’s no time like the present, to um, present…” He mumbled, fumbling into his pants pocket while sinking onto one bent knee, while his front foot remained on the poor man trapped beneath it.
“Oof! Merde!”
Ignoring the pinned Magistrate’s grunt of pain, Longines produced a velvet box and popped it open, revealing a glittering, ginormous diamond ring inside.
At the sight of the jewelry, Maya was so bowled over that she fell back with a heavy thud against the wall by the elevator, lips still parted in shock.
“Ultimately, I have learned that we are all searching for someone whose demons play well with ours. From the day that I met you, you have been the greatest ally I’ve ever had in my life. The peanut butter to my jelly. The peas to my carrots. The Pink Princess to my Steel Samurai.” Longines gazed at her with ardent cerulean eyes. “There is nothing I can’t do with you by my side and that includes handling the responsibility of running Neo Olde Tokyo!”
He lunged forward, once again disregarding the villain’s injured cry of “Zut, alors!”
“In war times or peace, in a utopian or dystopian future, whatever good or evil forces that may come, Pink Princess, will you be my fellow liege and give your hand to this Steel Samurai?”
Maya gawked at her best friend as if he’d just produced a pink, polka dot rhinoceros from his pocket and was certain she resembled a pop-eyed toy from one of those claw machines at the funfair. She could just imagine the sparks in her brain, desperately trying to connect the dots and instead just causing a short circuit as she tried to process what she’d just witnessed – the most insane, over-the-top… hilarious marriage proposal on God’s green earth!
Before she could even answer, however, the completely forgotten Evil Magistrate beneath Longines’ foot let out an agonized yowl, sounding like a squealing pig in a vacuum cleaner.
“Mon Dieu! Arrêtez! J’en ai assez! Monsieur, zees is all très romantique,” he rasped, in a very high-pitched voice. “I hope zee belle mademoiselle says oui, mais s’il vous plait, retirer votre chaussure de mon dos!”
“What did he just say?!” Maya gasped, amazed she was only now noticing The Evil Magistrate suddenly had such an unignorable, thick French accent!
“Sacré bleu!” He wheezed. “Get off my back! Eez killing me!”
“Great Odin’s raven, Jacques!” Longines hurriedly removed his foot and helped the other man to his feet, which he did quite slowly and painfully, clutching his lower back dramatically as he did so. “I am so incredibly sorry! I guess I just got caught up in the moment!”
“Zat veel cost extra, Monsieur!” The driver grumbled, already trudging towards the elevator. “As veel my medical bill! Mon pauvre dos! Maudit marques de talons! I veel see you in zee car.”
“Merci beaucoup, Jacques!” The blond man winced. “À bientôt! Et je suis très désolé!”
A disgruntled grunt was the limousine driver’s reply as he limped theatrically to the elevator and exited the scene, stage left!
With a heartfelt expression, Longines walked up to Maya and took her hands in both of his.
“It’s kind of hard to be in character without the mask on, so I’m sorry if the previous proposal sounded too ridiculous to take seriously,” he apologized. “Speaking to you now, Maya, as Longines Beaugosse and not some fictional TV character, I assure you, the question was still very real, even if the Steel Samurai isn’t.”
He popped open the ring box, exposing a platinum band ring, with a positively enormous, solitaire, Princess-cut, pink diamond, big enough to skate on!
“Maya, I promise you, no one will work harder to make you happy or cherish you more than me. Life offers many challenges, and I know I can meet them if you’re willing to face them with me. Maya Fey, my dearest friend, faithful companion, and treasured confidante, I madly adore you. Will you give me your hand in marriage?”
She shook her head back and forth, her mind reeling as she tried to process all this.
I want love, but I also want to be independent. I imagine a relationship like a teeter-totter, where we’re a team but still individuals. It’s like trusting someone not to let you fall off. That’s how it is with Longines and me – we support and rely on each other, creating a balanced and harmonious connection. We enjoy the highs together, appreciating and loving each other no matter what. It’s like riding the ups and downs of life as a team. Nick – he let me crash to the ground. Well, I’m done with my feelings of what Longines has described as la douleur exquise – the heart-wrenching pain of wanting the affection of someone unattainable. I want something…real. I want a best friend I can trust. Fuck passion – hugs, laughter, shopping trips, and a killer dance partner make one helluva consolation!
“Longines Beaugosse, not only do you treat me like a real-life Princess, you have been the rainbow in my cloud.” Maya’s eyes were shining. “You too, are my best friend, and most revered comrade. Words cannot express my fondness for you. My answer is yes. I will marry you.”
“Really?” His eyes glimmered with delight. “You’ll marry me?”
“I really will.” She nodded, smiling happily, as she reached out her arms to him.
The billionaire let out a loud whoop as he grabbed Maya, lifted her off the ground, and spun her around and around. She giggled hysterically as he shouted cheers in a garbled mixture of both French and English and then gasped in amazement as fireworks suddenly went off in the background, bright pink fireworks, in every shade imaginable on the pink rainbow scale!
“Youpi! Mon cœur joyeux! She said yes! She said yes! She said yessssss!” Longines shouted over the loud boom of the explosive Roman candles as The Steel Samurai theme music somehow magically resumed playing in the background while the laughing Kurain master wrapped her arms around his neck. “You hear that, Paris! She said yesssss!”
Pearl Fey and Luke Triton
Kurain Village
December 25, 2025, 2:00 PM
“I swear this won’t take very long,” Luke promised Pearl, as the two teenagers walked the snowy path through the woods, hand-in-hand, towards the snowcapped mountain lake area up ahead. “I know that we’ll be having Christmas dinner in just a few hours, and I did promise Mystic Matilda that we would help out with the preparations.”
He flashed an adorable, embarrassed smile.
“Although having never had a tofu turkey before, I’m not quite sure how long it would take to roast one in the oven…”
“Coming from a country where meat is very rampant in dishes, what with black pudding and steak and kidney pie, do you find the vegetarian ways of my village difficult to adapt to, Mr. Carnivore?”
Even with her teasing tone intact, Pearl’s gleeful beam hadn’t budged since her boyfriend’s arrival, brightening up her comely face to spectacular effect.
“Not at all!” Luke insisted gallantly. “It gives my arteries a chance to unclog for the fortnight I am here, and there is absolutely nothing I am unable to become accustomed to, including being the only male in this entire matriarchal village! However, I shan’t lie to you; a part of me cannot wait until Longines gets here with your cousin, so I have some male companionship! Or at least give all the ladies someone else to rubberneck at!”
Pearl wisely kept her mouth shut in the spirit of Christmas. Also, she didn’t want Luke to think she was being petty. Instead, she just thought it hard!
I still don’t think the village people will notice another man is here when Longines arrives, considering he’s prettier than most of its female residents!
In all actuality, she had legitimately thawed out towards Maya’s new friend. While she didn’t think she could ever love him the way she had Phoenix, being with Luke had made her more open and had given her an unexpected maturity in adapting to new situations, and she’d finally come around to semi-grudgingly accepting him. Her cousin seemed less saddened in his presence, and for that alone, Pearl supposed she liked the blond man somewhat.
Layton’s former apprentice was the key factor in the resuming of her friendship with Trucy, a decision the teenage girl didn’t regret in the least, but still hated herself for not doing sooner. The former Professor’s apprentice had explained that while Maya may have been putting on a brave face for her little girl’s sake since breaking up with Phoenix, the love the Master had for her was still unwavering. Therefore, if her guardian had claimed that she was OK with the two girls keeping in touch, despite the bond between her and Trucy’s father being severed, she had more than likely meant it.
Also, the English lad had wisely pointed out, that the teen punishing Trucy, however unwittingly, for the sins of her father, would be the cruel equivalent of Maya shunning Pearl herself, because of Morgan’s evil crimes, a concept the teenage spirit medium had never once considered.
Nonetheless, the spirit medium had waited until they were face-to-face at Maggey’s baby shower to make amends. She’d wanted to be able to look into her best friend’s eyes in person, hold her in her arms, and promise never to let go of her ever again. It had been a very emotional and tearful reunion, but with both Luke and now Trucy once again being part of her world, Pearl had never been happier in her entire life.
Having her best friend back, Pearl realized just how desperately she had missed her, and she couldn’t wait until the other girl got to meet her boyfriend at Uncle Scruffy’s New Year’s Eve party in person. Prior to their enigmatic woodland stroll, Luke and the magician had been acquainted through a Skype introduction. That morning, the couple had called the magician to extend Christmas wishes to Trucy. Delighted by their camaraderie, the trio engaged in an hour-long conversation before parting ways. Although her beau had desired to greet Phoenix, Trucy revealed she was alone, explaining her father had stepped out to run to the store.
Blissfully unaware of the spirit medium’s magatama revealing the psyche locks triggered by Trucy’s seemingly innocent fib, Pearl wisely kept her knowledge to herself. Though she cherished Trucy, Phoenix’s whereabouts were no longer her concern. Deep down, she acknowledged her enduring care for him, even if it wasn’t reciprocated. It saddened her that Trucy was alone on Christmas morning at 9:00, knowing her father’s absence wasn’t due to a brief errand, especially on a day when almost everything was closed.
“This forest is pretty big,” the youngest Fey commented, impressed with the area expertise knowledge her boyfriend exhibited as he led them to their destination. “You must’ve really had a chance to explore it in depth when you woke up to take your daily sunrise stroll.”
“It’s been my daily morning ritual ever since I was a young lad. It clears my head and helps me get ready for a new day.” He gave an embarrassed grin. “Truth be known, you’re right, the surrounding area is a lot bigger than I thought and I did get lost a couple of times! I had to ask a couple of squirrels and chipmunks for directions on how to get back to the village!”
“I was surprised you chose to go alone, though.” She giggled at the image of her boyfriend being Doctor Doolittle. “I usually wake up pretty early myself, to meditate. Your room is right next to mine, so why didn’t you come to knock on my door? I would’ve been happy to join you.”
“Um…” Luke suddenly appeared nervous and awkwardly scratched at his newscap. “I wanted to see if my ability to communicate with animals was the same in America as it is in England, should the need have arisen. And ha-ha, it did! The local creatures here can understand my British accent with no qualms whatsoever!”
Immediately, a psyche lock, bright and red, with thick chains, appeared before Pearl’s vision.
OK, this is now the third person I’ve caught keeping secrets from me! The spirit medium was both annoyed and bewildered. Why is everyone around me lying to my face?! Especially, my boyfriend?!
This most recent hidden truth bothered her the most. She and Luke told each other everything! He knew her mother was incarcerated! She knew all about his adventures with the professor in his youth, some of which had even been death-defying and consequently left him with a few lingering phobias of such innocuous things like suits of armors, due to his paranoia they would suddenly spring to life and attack! So what the heck was he hiding from her now?
They finally reached the clearing, with Pearl still mulling over her other half’s secrecy, as Luke turned and beamed at her.
“I wanted to give you your Christmas present in private,” he explained. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s a good thing that I thought to bring yours with me, and that it’s compact,” Pearl answered, fishing into her jacket pocket and handing him a tiny box. “My gift requires a short explanation, but I do hope you like it.”
Smiling, Luke lifted the lid and found a bright blue magatama made of Lapis lazuli.
“This is so pretty!” He held it up to his eye like a magnifying glass and peeked at her through the hole in the loop. “Is this thing glowing?!”
“It’s a magatama,” Pearl explained, her cheeks reddening slightly. While Luke was very well aware of her spiritual powers, she had never really explained psyche locks to him and she hoped that he wouldn’t think the premise silly or unbelievable. “You know that all members of the Fey clan wear one, and it’s charged with my spiritual energy. I know you deal with animals, which don’t normally tend to lie, but this mystical gemstone allows you to see a secret someone might be hiding in their heart, so you’ll always know if somebody is being truthful or not.”
“I see.” Luke inspected the 9-shaped stone with admiration. “This is so neat! So it’s kind of like a built-in lie detector?”
“Something like that.” Her cheeks turned even pinker. “A long time ago, I gave the one that belonged to Mystic Maya to Mr. Nick, and the entire time they knew each other, he said he kept it with him always because it reminded him of her. This sacred symbol is very special to my family, which we only give to those very dear to us.”
Staring down at the snow, she shyly traced a design on it with the toe of her boot.
“I hope you don’t think it’s silly or weird. We’re apart most of the year, and it seems like every time we part, you take a piece of me, Luke. This time, when we have to go our separate ways, I guess I wanted you to have a real, tangible part of me to take with you, so maybe you’d feel like I’m always with you. Because … I always carry you in my heart.”
Luke had already been touched by the token of affection before she’d even gone into her explanation; he’d instinctively sensed the extraordinary nature of Pearl Fey’s gift. Since the very beginning, he had recognized her as a rare individual – her aura exuding an unmistakable sense of uniqueness. Her gaze held a depth that surpassed the ordinary, with thoughts that wandered to the edge of the world, surpassing those of most. As he now witnessed her shy, downcast expression, his heart swelled even further, a sentiment he hadn’t deemed possible.
Pearl Fey, he yearned to whisper. Being with you is the only antidote I have to this world. If you were to ever leave me, you would strip away the best part of me. Leave me and you will take the best part of me with you. Without you, I am a mere fragment, incomplete. When I hold you close, I wish for a vow of eternal embrace. In return, I pledge unwavering love, defense, and safety. In all this cold universe, if there is only you who I can truly love, it is enough. You are the spark to my flame, the one who keeps me ignited when logic decries my light should have been extinguished long ago.
“I love it,” he murmured huskily and drew her closer to him. “Thank you.”
With the weight of unspoken words lingering on his lips, Luke lightly tilted her chin with his hand, guiding her face towards his. In a gesture of ardor, he pressed his lips to hers, leaving the faintest whisper of a kiss.
As his fingers brushed through her hair and he kissed her with exquisite tenderness, there was something about the tentativeness of the brief touch of his lips that made Pearl feel so beautiful. Even with the silence between them, she could understand how genuinely happy he was at that moment, as well as how deeply moved he was by her gestures and words. And beneath it all, as he enveloped her in his strong embrace, she felt his adoration.
His body, now pressed against her slender frame, was so familiar to her already, even the sound of his heart beating, but this was the first time she’d felt it, the sensation of his lean, hard muscle against her skin a revelation.
Luke Triton, being held by you feels like a slice of heaven – warm, snug, and comforting. I wish I could freeze time just to linger in your embrace a little longer, feeling safe and secure. Your arms around me bring tranquility I’ve never experienced before, calming the storms within me. You’ve brought light into my life where there was once darkness, a beacon of hope in a vast emptiness. With you, I dare to dream of a brighter future, where fear fades away, replaced by sunshine, lush trees, and kindness. You, alone, are everything I’ll ever need.
“It’s your turn now.” He rested his chin on top of her head, loath to release her. “Would you like your present now?”
Her eyes glowed.
“You do know Luke, that you being here with me is the greatest gift of all. However…” she tilted her head to the side and flashed a sweet smile. “Who am I to refuse the gift if it came from the heart? And if it’s coming from you, I know that’s exactly where it’s from.”
He nodded, his dark eyes dancing as he drew her away from her, put two fingers to his lips then, and whistled.
In the next moment, Pearl Fey felt as though she was a Disney Princess in an enchanted fairy tale come to life.
The teens may as well have burst into singing “Love is an Open Door” from Frozen.
There was a stirring in the trees, and a rustle in the bushes, and then the next thing she knew, various woodland creatures approached them, everything from rabbits to foxes to chipmunks to squirrels, all happily chattering amongst themselves as they formed a perfect circle around the couple. A chubby raccoon approached Pearl with a gift box in its little paws, receiving a confirmation nod from Luke before presenting it to her and returning to the circle, leaving a space open. Moments later, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and Mountain Bluebirds flew overhead, forming a vast blue and red heart shape with their tiny, fluttering bodies.
“Oh my…” Her hands flew to her cheeks. “This is the cutest, most incredible thing I’ve ever seen…”
“You haven’t seen anything yet!” He whistled once more.
A faint jingling reminiscent of sleigh bells echoed through the air, heralding the arrival of a magnificent stag and doe, gracefully harnessed and pulling a wooden sled adorned with a sizable package wrapped in a vibrant red bow. Guided by an unseen force, the deer maneuvered the sled into the center of the circle, pausing just a short distance from the couple. With a sense of anticipation, Luke approached to retrieve the package, which, to the girl’s astonishment, seemed to be… in motion?!
Upon closer inspection, Pearl realized that in her surprised state, she had inadvertently dropped the gift box that had been presented to her earlier by the adorable raccoon. Bending down to retrieve it from the snowy ground, she noticed it had fallen open, revealing a delicately woven purple bracelet adorned with a heart-shaped tag. Straining to decipher the inscription etched onto the tag amidst the glare of the morning sun on the silver metal, Pearl cupped her hand over it, finally discerning the words with crystal clarity.
I love you.
There it was, in writing, the very words her heart had been singing, almost from the first moment she had first set eyes on Luke Triton. And it seemed like he felt the same way! She swallowed back the sentimental tears forming in her throat and found herself too choked up to speak.
“Zounds!” Luke turned around from the sled, the large box in his arms, his face distraught. “You were supposed to open this one first!”
Confused by his reaction, the acolyte let the bracelet fall slack in her fingers and nodded mutely, her arms already reaching out to take the enormous parcel from him, which now appeared to be making little yipping noises. Puzzled, but curious, she lifted the lid off the box and reached inside, only to pull out a miniature version of Constantine, The Wonder Pup, from its contents!
Several thoughts hit Pearl’s mind at the same time. First of all, the bracelet she had opened was a dog collar for this gorgeous, pint-sized, button-eyed bundle of white fluff that was now in her arms, happily wagging his fuzzy little tail. For a split second, her heart sank, as she realized the I love you on the collar had been an intended message from the puppy to his new owner, and not from the gift giver to the recipient, after all!
She did not have time to dwell on this anymore, however, as Luke was already chattering animatedly, and the baby dog left no room for her to have anything but merriment within her heart as he repeatedly licked her nose with his tiny pink tongue. It was the most wonderful, magical, incredible Christmas gift in the whole world. In the same manner, as when she had met the puppy’s father, Pearl completely dissolved into a helpless pile of goo. It was love at first sight for both the puppy and the new owner.
“I had to rise super early this morning to meet the deliveryman who brought this little fellow,” he explained. “He was shipped over from England. Unfortunately, I couldn’t accompany him on the plane due to the necessary shots and certifications, which took a few days to complete. Constantine holds a special place in Barnham’s heart, but as he’s aging, my friend wanted to ensure a part of him would endure. So, he began searching for another Bichon Frise to breed him with last summer. While he’s keeping all three offspring, this one, now two months old, was the exception. I mentioned to him how Constantine played a significant role in our acquaintance, but more importantly…”
Luke loped over to Pearl then, and placed one hand on her shoulder, while the other one gently stroked the puppy.
“I guess great minds think alike, Pearl, as this time, as I prepare to depart, I realized I wanted to leave a piece of myself behind with you as well.” His voice quivered with emotion. “Before taking this step, I naturally first sought Maya’s blessing. Also, Sister Bikini loves him so much – she was babysitting him all morning from his arrival until now – I had to essentially pry him from her overly loving arms! She also said she would be delighted to puppy-sit whenever you and Maya have to go out of town on business. I – I hope you like him.”
“I love him, Luke. Thank you so much! He’s so…perfect!” Tears of joy filled her eyes as she smiled down at the squirming bundle of fur in her arms. “I promise you, little one, that I will be the best mommy in the world to you!”
“What are you going to name him?”
“Hmmm….” Pearl absently stroked the puppy’s fur as she pondered, then flashed a radiant smile. “I think I’m going to name him Feyt. F-E-Y-T. Because that way, he’s a part of us both, and after all … fate is what brought us together, Luke.”
In that instant, euphoria threatened to overwhelm the chap. Though his heart surged with emotion, he found himself speechless, his silent internal monologue yearning to vocalize the sentiments that eluded his lips.
Shifting the puppy into one arm, she raised her free hand to stroke his cheek and looked at him apologetically.
“I’m sorry I opened the wrong box first, Luke. I thought it was a bracelet at first! It was an accident, I swear! I never meant to ruin the surprise of this little guy’s message to me.”
What a silly, wonderful, non-presumptuous angel of a girl! Luke was astounded by his girlfriend’s lack of guile. I swear I couldn’t love her more than I do right now, and yet I know I will tomorrow…
“It wasn’t from your new fur baby.” He swallowed nervously. “I – I mean, I do not doubt that Feyt does love you already, but it wasn’t intended to be a message from son to mommy. It – it was a message… from me to you.”
Pearl’s heart somersaulted inside her chest, and her mouth fell open at the unexpected revelation.
“Pearl Fey, I love you,” Luke declared, his gaze tender and earnest. “My love for you knows no bounds, no beginning nor end. You’ve become as essential to me as any vital organ. I cherish you with the pure innocence of a boy enamored with a girl, devoid of fear or expectation. All I ask is the privilege of holding you in my heart, that I may forever be enriched by your strength, your gaze, and your indomitable spirit, which granted me wings to soar.”
He took her palm then, and just like that day back in the Scottish fairytale castle, placed it against his heart.
“Regardless of where I am, whenever I’m with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again.”
She was too choked up to speak. Aside from Maya, and a long time ago, Phoenix, nobody had ever told Pearl they loved her, not even her mother. Tears of joy rolled down her pastel cheeks, but she couldn’t utter a word in response. Her heart was too full.
Luke leaned forward then, and Pearl knew what was coming and bashfully glanced away, then peeked up at him through her lashes.
His hand slipped beneath her hair, tracing the contour below her ear, his thumb tenderly grazing her cheek. Drawing nearer, he found his own reflection in her glistening eyes. In that silent exchange, amidst the gray depths that spoke volumes beyond words, Luke discovered the answer he had yearned for. It was a mutual understanding, a connection transcending speech.
Their lips parted, intertwining breaths in a delicate dance. Luke’s hand gently rested atop hers, anchored on his chest, while his free hand roamed through her hair, caressing her cheek with tender strokes. As his thumb traced along her lower lip, her breath quickened, silently urging his lips to meet hers. A pause ensued as they locked eyes, a silent exchange of longing and anticipation.
Pearl’s breath hitched as anticipation gripped her, her gaze locked with his as he leaned in, his lips tantalizingly close to hers. With bated breath, she awaited his kiss, her heart racing with every passing moment. He paused, savoring the tension, his eyes tracing the contours of her lips. Then, with a gentle yet decisive motion, he closed the distance, and their lips met in a soft, tender, and flawless union.
A radiant warmth enveloped her, emanating from Luke’s heart and the tender touch of his lips on hers, flooding every fiber of her being. From the spaces between her toes to the bends of her elbows, even to the tips of her ears, love saturated every inch of her. As they briefly parted, locking gazes, a moment pregnant with anticipation passed before they leaned in once more. Their lips met again, igniting a spark akin to magic, and the kiss deepened, sealing their connection.
His fingers traced a tender path across her cheek. She remained perfectly still as she reveled in the exquisite gentleness of his touch.
“Luke,” she breathed, his name carrying the weight of a prayer on her lips.
“Say my name again,” he urged, his voice a soft exhale.
With closed eyes, she leaned closer. “Luke.”
“Pearl?” He took her soft, tiny hand into his, relishing the perfect fit, and leaned down towards her.
“Yes?” Their foreheads touched a shared intimacy.
“Will you please tell me you love me?” He whispered hoarsely. “Before I implode from longing, right here and now?”
And then, laughter bubbled between them. Feyt was set aside as Pearl found herself enveloped in Luke’s embrace, their lips meeting in a fervent reunion. At first, their kisses were swift, eager to reclaim lost time, then languid, knowing they had all the time they needed. Luke’s lips were like honey, each movement deliberate and passionate, conveying his appreciation for the taste of hers. Amidst their kisses, she professed her undying love to him, over and over and over again.
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