3 Bachelors

Written April 19th 2009

3 friends who're bachelors set out to travel to some special places in search of a wife. The first place they're heading is the biggest city in their country. It's a mix of so many cultures and people with plenty of party-houses they're sure they'll find women worth marrying there. But they become lost. In a beautiful forest, full of old trees, with systems of symmetric waterfalls so decorative in appearance they're unnatural, and glowing lights darting between the trees. They set up and sleep in their tents.
Ixnomay is an intellectual. His affections are for geeky things, his encyclopedic knowledge of some subjects implies obsession, he's shy but with his two friends is bursting with enthusiasm.
Hok is an athlete. He has a daily routine of exercise to keep his physique in shape. He's careful about what he eats, having packed the meals for his travel to go with his diet. He seeks challenges for fun, "bet I can hit the highest apple on that tree twice-in-a-row!", "I'll be first across the river!", etc. 'round his friends he encourages friendly competition and for them to believe they're physically capable, "you can handle this cliff Ixnomay. You're the man!"
Atee is an engineer. He appreciates the formal qualities of things. He's looking forward to seeing the factories in Tespagh Ytillin. He shares some of Ixnomay's interests and accepts Hok's challenges though he usually loses. He often stares off into space, noticing the small details on things or feeling good just watching beauty, the flat metal birds of wind chimes tinkling together.
While the boys sleep hands touch them. But the exploration is felt so slightly none of them wake up until Ixnomay, the lightest of the boys, is lifted off the ground. He shocks awake to see glowing forms are slowly drifting him through the air towards the tent flaps. He lets them lift him outside and through the air. There's a commotion. His friends fought the things off when they woke up. They're flying out of their tents hurriedly in a panic. Atee caught one by the legs. He sees the small things frightened face and apologizes letting it go. Hok yells at Ixnomay to fight free but Ixnomay yells back he's fine. The other two boys follow Ixnomay to wherever he's going. The faeries direct them, pointing out easier slopes around the ground. They come upon a steep rocky hill, almost an angled cliff, and Ixnomay is carried out of view. The faries gesture to a slope around the hill which'll presumably take them the same way their friend has gone. Hok objects, preferring to take the steep cliff face. Atee follows him. They make it a fair way's up (more than half) when Atee is out of breath and must stop to rest. Hok encourages him but Atee says, "go on without me". The faeries surround Atee and carry him up the rest of the way.
Hok's playing with one of the faeries. He slides a hand between its' legs to poke it quick. It dives down and slaps his crotch before swooping back up. He swipes at its' chest. Its' breasts jiggle and it flys higher, leaning down, swaying left and right while giggling. Hok jumps to twist a nipple. It laughs, curves up, and hovers down a bit higher than before, shaking its' breasts at Hok. "They don't mind if you touch 'em. It's like a game to them."
His friends are startled when Ixnomay comes over in his boxers. Hok had to do a running jump off a rock to get his faerie again. "Aren't they beautiful guys?"
"Kinda stringy for my tastes"-Hok
Their eyes aren't human. They're sharply angled and colored (some dark, some glowing, some squint-to-view bright colors, each a single color gradient), wispy eyelashes trail high and curl at the ends, their lips are pale, thin and long, their noses almost come to a point, their hair is a bird's-nest combination of lion's mane and afro, close view of where insectoid wings connect with scapula looks disgusting, the exoskeleton extending over skin, then discolored skin.
"Not really"-Atee.
Hok's faerie, tall enough to come to his hip, holds his fingertips (held high as they can reach with him flat-footed) to lead him away.
"I'm going to spend the night here."-Ixnomay.
"I'm going back to our tents. Make sure no one steals our shit."-Atee
Atee backtracks to sleep in his tent. Ixnomay enters a pack of faeries.
The next morning, Hok returns under a pale light. He starts packing up Ixnomay's tent.
"Where's Ixnomay?"-Atee.
"He decided he's going to stay with the faeries. I'm wrapping up his tent as a going away present. Or wedding present. He thinks he'll marry one of the things."
"How're they in bed?"
Hok laughs. "They don't have beds. The one I was with took me to a little cave. There was a place in it where the floor was soft with moss. I couldn't even put it in she's so small."
"So you didn't get laid?"
"...I sorta did. She rubbed on me until I came and I returned the favor."
Atee and Hok split the weight of Ixnomay's provisions and follow the path Hok took to get down. Ixnomay comes out of a cloud of faeries to meet them. He thanks them for coming. He accepts his stuff and introduces his fiance. She flits away after bowing to Atee and Hok.
"How do you even keep track of her? For all I could tell she's the one I fucked last night."-Hok
"She's one of the few with black hair. She has pastel green eyes. She's shyer than most. She has the cutest laugh..."
Atee sees one with black hair...a second with black hair that is lost behind several others...a glint of green in a momentary gap between flesh...he tries to keep track of just one faerie up front but it soon is positioned behind several other's. It's like they all want a look at Hok and Atee but also want to stay close to each other.
The friends bid each other well and take what (through Ixnomay's half-conversation with his wife-to-be) is the route to Tespagh Ytillin.
They're halfway through some misty marshlands, the noon sun making them sweat heavily, when whooping people come running towards them. They're beaten and their packs stolen.
"After them!"-Hok.
The boys give chase and come up to dryland just as it starts to rain. The trees are so thick above the dryland there're only a few pools made from steady dripping.
Atee drops his speed to a walk thinking caution's best. Hok charges into firelight around a spot of trees and bellows how whoever has his stuff better come forward before he finds 'im and beats 'is ass!
Hok is surprised to find everyone around the circle's a topless woman with atleast single D tits. He recognizes some of his belongings in their hands, being traded and shown off to one another. One with most of his tent and possessions beats her chest and yells at him. He raises his fists. She charges. You can't really follow what's happening as blurred limbs flash out, they bang into rocks, scatter sticks, roll on the ground, and keep hitting each other. Eventually Hok stands up and gathers his stuff. His opponent seems knocked out. Hok is asking for his other things, scratched, clothes torn, bleeding a few spots, hoping to regain his possessions by intimidation, not wanting to fight again while some of the women resuscitate his opponent. She gets up. Hok turns around at the sound, preparing himself for another tangle. She grabs his crotch and his mind flashes fear until she kisses him. Hok sets down his things to squeeze on her ass and tits while she makes him hard. When she feels he's ready she runs away. Hok chases her. Around some bends is a little tent of limbs and leaves with a cover of bound-together twigs. He has his schlong hanging out when she grunts and points back at the tent opening. He covers the tent.
Atee goes around finding the women who have his things and trying to get them back. The bravest eventually worked up the nerve to steal what Hok set down and after a scramble to grab the remaining bits, like kids for a pinata, the new possessors are back to bartering. The women Atee gets the attention of puff out their chest (which's effective but not in the way they intend). They raise their fist and get ready to strike but he pushes them away and holds up his hands defensively. He tries to explain he doesn't hit girls. They get the jist he won't fight them, some after landing a few blows, then they yell at him. Apparently to get out of their sight or something as they chase after him and kick him in the ass until he's far enough away. Atee's getting more and more pissed off. He has been cast out from a bunch of these women's meeting places. He's looking for one that's reasonable. Weary, he walks into one of their tents. This woman, smaller than most and without a little hoard piled up, recoils from him. He tries to scare her more and yells to know where his things are. She can't understand him beyond the necessity of fear. He sits down. Eyes adjusted to the light he sees she's much more bruised than most of the women. He reaches out to her and strokes her shoulder where one of the larger marks are. He meant it as a soothing gesture -or thought he did- but finds he's overwhelmingly horny. Maybe from negotiating with barbarians who go around shirtless all day. Atee presses against her and kisses her neck. Her bush is so thick it reminds him of the long grass of the marsh w/its' moisture hidden beneath.
In the morning Atee looks over and can't believe he had sex with this thing. She's more ripped than he or Hok. She's dirty like, "what's a bath?". The expression on her face is stupid while she sleeps. Her brow's big. The bruises, cuts, and scabs turn him off further. Atee gets up and leaves.
Hok's fiance and him make a great team. They've collected all of he and Atee's stuff . It was a sweaty morning workout to fight so much. Hok's bleeding but he's exhilarated. The last few holders gave up their possessions without a fight. Some included other things in what they gave. The missus demanded extra things from some. One woman had buried one of Hok's sandwiches. He was going to let her keep it (he's not eating the thing after it was leaf-wrapped and put in the Earth) but the lady insisted he take it. Hok asked to find his friend and his fiance got it. She asked around and led him towards the room he'd been in,making sounds that sounded like disparaging remarks about Hok's chosen company.
"Meet Ms.Ribbins."
"Already? You move faster than Ixnomay. Aren't you going to be betrothed for awhile first?"
"I don't think they actually have a marriage ceremony..."
"Alright. I'm going to continue going the way the faeries said Tespagh Ytillin was in. Fuck, I don't really wanna go alone. Why don't you come with me. We know where this place is we could always double-back."
"We agreed setting out that along the way we'd leave whoever wanted to settle-down, even if it was in Tespagh Ytillin."
"I don't think I'd walk all the way to Morast now for a wife. I'll probably look for work in Tespagh Ytillin. There're so many women there I can probably spend years checking out options. I guess I'll pick the fruit we saw on the trees we passed coming here..."
"Why?"
"I need something to eat. I didn't get any of my shit back man."
"Don't worry about it. I'm going to live here. I can scrounge up some more stuff. Here."
Hok hands over the collected provisions of himself and Atee that were in salvageable condition.
"What about your wedding present? Atleast keep your own stuff."
The missus is pissed off Hok's giving their morning's earnings away. He whacks her once to silence her protest. She doesn't understand having enough to give that much away.
"How about this: you take these now and when you've a job in Tespagh Ytillin buy some nice clothes for my wife and come back here."
"I'll do that. Thanks alot."
"Anytime Atee. Anytime."
Twice the provisions seemed a great idea but it more than halved Atee's progress. On a frosted field of grass he can see pillars of smoke rising. It's a slight detour.
There're usually folks on the street but usually less than 10. People are closing what shutters they have open. A man goes into an unlit house, the lights turn on, smoke starts coming out of the chimney. Atee sees an industrial building 5 and a half houses long. He goes inside. Warm air drafts from the open door. He's admiring the scenery when a gal goes to punch out next to him. He sees she's covered in soot. Her hands are black with oil. Flecks of metal sparkle in her palms. There're stains on and holes in her clothes. Atee can tell from a sideview, where her stomach's visible, she's curvy. Even under overalls he can tell she has a good bust. He looks at her, she looks at him, and she's awesomely pretty. She walks outside. Atee chases her outside and talks to her. She turns around and responds in a different language. Every marriage has its' difficulties....