Rogue heard the door bell and wondered what it was.
"Come in?" she asked.
The door opened, and in walked Gambit.
"Gambit!"
Gambit grinned, hugged Rogue and gave her a kiss.
"Hi Cherie," he said.
"Ah'm so glad to see you," she said.
"And I'm glad ta see yo' too."
"Where are you staying?"
"Oh, I was hoping right here," he grinned, gesturing to his bag.
"Oh, oh of course," Rogue grinned. "Make yourself at home."
"I will."
**********
Meanwhilst, Oliver was greeting Zac, and family.
"Hey dude, welcome back."
"Thanks."
"Hey, you're not looking very Adigian at the moment... just the blue skin."
"Daddy looks like he's cold," Saku giggled.
Zac grinned.
"I guess there's enough Daths, Sems and Mutants onboard to stop me from going all the way. Which, might I add, is a major relief."
"So, how come you're not on the surface?"
"Tay and I... have had a falling out. I thought it might be safer to come here."
"And who is everyone?"
"Oh... silly me. Okay, well, you know Saku."
"Yo dude," Saku giggled.
"This is Tru. Dee Dee is the baby that Ella, my nanny, is minding. And this is my friend Kylie."
Kylie blanched at being referred to as a friend.
"It's good to finally put names to faces," Oliver nodded.
Rogue, Gambit, Oliver, Zac and Yvette
"It sure is crowded," Rogue said, looking aroudn at all the people.
"Yep," Gambit agreed.
"Hey, Mitchel's shop is open!"
"Whose's Mitchel?"
But Rogue had bounded over to the shop. There was a few people in there looking around at all the pets.
"Hi Rogue," Mitchel waved.
"Hi," Rogue smiled. "This is my boyfriend, Gambit. Gambit, this is Mitchel. He's the one who was telling me about breeding fuzzles."
"Ahh, that's right," Gambit nodded, shaking Mitchel's hand.
"How come your shop's open, when it's the tournament?"
"Best time to be open," Mitchel replied. "Before the station, it wasn't so easy to get fuzzles and ka'millians. And even now, it isn't so easy for people on the surface. The YIRAAS events are the best time to be open."
"Oh, okay."
"Oh, while I'm thinking about it... this is my last solid Ultramarine fuzzle - the same colour as Max."
"Ooooh," and Rogue peered at the beautiful blue fuzzle that Mitchel pointed out. "A girl?"
"Yep," Mitchel paused. "If she gets along with any of your boys, I'll be happy to swap her for Rosa..."
Rogue looked up at him, then back down at her fuzzles.
"Well... lets see how they get long," and Rogue opened up her fuzzle bag, and fished out her three boys.
Liberty also took the... liberty of popping out and sitting on Rogue's shoulder. Rogue grinned and put her boys on the counter next to the blue fuzzle.
"Give them a couple of minutes and see how they go," Mitchel said. "How many fuzzles would you be interested in trading?"
"Umm... three for three?"
"You're goin' ta go ahead with it, Cherie?" Gambit asked.
"Why not? Ah think muh fuzzles will be happier with partners. Besides, Libahty and Red may have another litter, so Ah'd rather know what Ah was doing."
"Well, let me give you some advice," Mitchel said. "This little ultramarine one is mature now. Get an immature one for your second fuzzle, and then wait until the second one is mature before you get a third. That way you can spread the litters out."
Rogue nodded.
"Okay," she said.
**********
Oliver, Yvette, Zac and his entourage were sitting in the eatery. Large screens had been setup in the commercial level so that everyone could watch what as going on, as not everyone could fit into the fields (or whatever the case may be) for the different events.
"Hey, isn't that Rogue over there?" Zac pointed.
Oliver looked.
"Hey, it is too," he said, waving an arm above his head. "Rogue! Over here!"
"Who's Rogue?" asked Yvette.
Rogue noticed, and tugging Gambit's arm, they walked over.
"Hi," she said.
Introductions all round...
"I didn't know you were on the station," Oliver said.
"Have been for about a week."
"Huh. Shoulda tracked me down and said hi."
"Sorry," Rogue smiled.
"Hey, you've a fuzzle bag," Yvette said. "Hey, isn't that one of Mitch's?"
"Yes, you know him?" Rogue answered. "Ah just did a coupla trades, and he threw in the playground free... and of course, it came with it's own carry case, so y'know..."
"Mitch's my brother."
"Oh cool."
"Can I see your fuzzles?"
"Uncle Tay's got fuzzles," Saku nodded. "They're cute and they -"
"And you are not going to chase them," Zac cut in.
"Oh but but but... they're so much fun to pounce on..."
"You're not going to pick on Rogue's fuzzles."
"Aww."
Rogue grinned and pulled her fuzzles out.
"Okay these red ones are Libahty, Scarlet and Rusty. Caleb is magenta. Zurinah is white. Azure is blue and Oran is green. Oh, well, technically, Azure is ultramarine, and Oran is emerald green, but whatever," Rogue giggled. "And in a few months... after Oran's matured, I'm going to make another trade. Probably Rusty, as Ah think that Oran and Scarlet will hit it off..."
"Matchmaking fuzzles," Yvette giggled. "That always amuses me."
"Hey, the race is about to start," Kylie cut in, rather rudely, and pointing to the screen.
Why would anyone want a ball of fur for a pet? Really!
"What crawlled up her butt and died?" Oliver muttered to Yvette.
Yvette giggled and turned her attention to the screen.