Mike & Karen Ch. 30

"And, uh, I'm a redhead," Lisa said, fumbling about what threat she could possibly lay on Percy to follow those two acts. "We've got tempers, and if you... if you make us mad, then we just lose our minds and eat you... nya-raff!"

Percy yelped in fright and jumped behind Millie's legs when Lisa made a biting motion at him. Mona and Janet couldn't help snickering, almost in tears as they tried not to laugh. Even Karen was pursing her lips, restraining a titter.

"Tima!" Percy whimpered, looking up at her.

"What? Why should I help you?" she asked. "You tried to get me arrested at the airport. Why don't you try being nice to people for a change? Now let go of my leg and introduce yourself, sir."

Percy trudged back out from behind her and stood in front of the three women, looking at the floor sullenly. "Hullo. I'm Percival Harding. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Percy," they all agreed, standing up again.

"Let me get little Lord Everything to his room and ready for bed, ladies," Millie said, turning Percy and heading toward the door. "Once he is safely interred in the arms of sleep, I promise to return. In the meantime, feel free to make my sister's life as difficult as possible."

"Can do!" they all chorused as they dragged Jenny back to the chesterfield before laughing.

"Li, what the HELL was that noise you made when you threatened to bite him?" Janet gasped, holding her chest.

"Well, I don't know what the onomatopoeia is for eating a snotty kid, gimme a break!" Lisa protested. "I improvised, okay?"

"You're doing better than my staff, for the most part," Karen mentioned, making Valentina blush. "He tried getting his hands on one of Andrea's work tank-tops, and ended up hanging from a clothes peg."

"He can be a bit of a handful, my grandson," Jenny admitted, shaking her head. "Gets it from his father, who got it from my husband."

"Sure, countess, we totally believe you, it had nothing to do with you," Janet laughed. "Still, you've got a lot to catch us up on."

"And the same with you," Jenny gushed. "I cannot wait to hear what you have all been up to. From your own perspectives, of course, rather than through the filter and Kat, her husband, and her son."

"How're you getting along with these two doofuses, anyway?" Mona laughed, indicating Mike and Alex.

"About how one would expect, really," Jenny replied with a shrug. "I am quite ready to marry Alex's sense of humour, and I was not here three days before falling into bed with Kat and the lord of the manor."

They took a few seconds to absorb that information before responding. "So... you're already knocking boots with Mike?" Lisa queried.

"Nobody's used that term for decades, you little lameoid," Janet laughed. "And I guess we shouldn't be surprised. I mean, Bresc and I weren't back two hours before we dragged him into a room and boffed him."

"Really, guys?" Lisa said, trying to sound offended. "Kar takes me downtown for clothes, and you two just pick a bedroom and begin rutting with Mongo like animals?"

"And?" Janet and Mona chorused, shrugging.

"They were nice enough to give me the large suite right next to theirs," the countess explained while Valentina brought her a White Lady to match Karen's.

"That must be the one that was locked," Janet mused, nodding. "They were keepin' us out so that we wouldn't get any hint you were here."

"And that means your sister and grandson are the ones staying on the second floor," Mona added, smirking at Mike. "Well, you've got aristocrats staying in those rooms, so even if you didn't tell us the whole truth, y'didn't lie, either."

"Meaning the only other locked door around his place is Alex's," Janet said, giving him a look now. The young man just glanced innocently at the ceiling.

"He's usually in there giving his girl a right proper shagging when the door is locked, I would surmise," Jenny said easily, winking at Alex.

"You've met this mystery girlfriend?" Lisa blurted, trying to sound upset or offended. "How's that fair?"

"You just got here, woman, and Penrose has been here for nearly a fortnight," Karen pointed out, giving her friend a wry look. "Of course she's had the chance to meet her, as you will tomorrow."

Downtown...

Alexa swallowed nervously and wiped some sweat from her brow.

The Dunsany Lounge...

"The more I think about it, the more I'm not surprised that you're already doin' it with the big man," Mona laughed. "Nobody here'll blame you."

"And he is the one who told Kat to call me and get me back into her life," Jenny said, smiling dreamily. "So doing unspeakable things with him was the least I could do."

"Why'm I not surprised this was all your idea?" Janet laughed, getting up and going to give Mike a hug from behind. "Same as ever, Mongo, thanks for thinkin' ahead for everyone. This is gonna be the most amazing reunion ever."

The condo...

"It will, Lexi, it will," Jeanie said gently, hugging her friend on one side while Freja was on the other, and Alexa was in the middle, crying quietly. "Let's just keep watching, hm?"

Back at Blackshack, a guest room on the second floor...

"Now, then," Millie said as she tucked Percy into his bed. "You've had quite a day, even for you. I suggest that you go to sleep, and wake up with a better attitude tomorrow. God save us, you still smell like Nivea cream, boy."

"But Tima, I'm not tired," Percy protested tiredly, rubbing at his eye.

"Clearly," the baronetess lied, shaking her head. "Tell you what... be a good boy, stay in bed and sleep, and if you're not a total prat in the morning, I'll see to it that Theresa fixes you an extra-nice breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Why won't these people say I'm better than them?" he grumbled. "I'm an earl."

"And I've suffered mightily for that fact on several occasions, your lordship," Millie said simply. "This isn't Blighty, these people don't have nobles. Nobody is better than anyone else here."

"That's stupid," he groused, making a wry face.

"Maybe, but that's how it is, and if you want to get along, young man, you need to stop telling everyone to bend the knee," she said firmly. "Nobody bows and scrapes for your grandmother."

"Yes they do," he protested, scowling. "I've seen the servants do it."

"Yes, but she's a very important person, and, more to the point, she's nice to them," Millie sighed. "Percy, nobody respects a prat. You could be the Duke of Everything, and if you're not nice, you'll get no respect, and more than a few arse beatings. Try to be nice."

"I'm going to sleep now," he grumbled, turning on his side and facing away from her.

"Well good night to you too," Millie muttered, going to sit on her bed and wait until she heard him snoring. Thankfully, he tended to go out quickly, and then she could count on him to sleep until morning. Being a prat required a lot of energy, clearly.

She sighed and leaned back on the bed, looking at the ceiling in the darkness. She hoped that she and Jen could get Percy under control in time for the major festivities. She shuddered as she thought of what would happen if her nephew told the Baroness Belasyse that he was better than her, or the Lord Huntley, because Scottish peerages didn't count...

Maybe she and the girls could visit the compassion greenhouse to calm her nerves...

***

Back in the Dunsany lounge...

Jordan had excused himself for the night, citing it was time for bed, and the girls all hugged him warmly before he left, promising to see him at breakfast. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he thought of the other surprise that was awaiting them come the morrow. As delighted and emotional as they'd been to see the countess again, it wasn't a patch on what their reaction would be to the return of Alexandra, that much was certain.

He let Andrea and Marie escort him back to his cottage.

Back in the lounge, Mike and Alex were listening and watching while the five women caught up, babbling almost incessantly. Jenny had assured them that she was here on an extended visit, and there was plenty of time to catch up. All the time in the world.

She winked at them. "In fact, I am even staying until late May, just to go to this... what did you call it, Kat?"

"The pan-nerdic convention," Karen answered.

"Yes," Jenny agreed, nodding. "I am staying long enough to go to this convention, and even participate with dressing up in costumes."

"Ahhh, really?!" Mona gasped in delight. Of the three girls, she was the most inclined to cosplay and nerdy pursuits, since she was the animator. "Have you got your outfits picked?"

"And have even been fitted for them," the blonde announced. "I've always wanted to dress up, that is, ummm, cosplay, as Barbarella, and I am joining Kat in strutting around as one of those Sisters of Battle..."

"Eeeee, I love that cosplay!" Lisa squealed, her knuckles to her mouth as she tippled her feet against the floor again. "Kar always looks so sexy like that!"

"And they are refitting an outfit of hers for me, since her costume docket is already so full," Jenny added, smiling slyly. "Pardon me if I get names or nomenclature wrong, but... they are refitting a so-called hardsuit for me, one belonging to a young lady named Sylia Stingray, from some Japanese cartoon called 'Bubblegum Crisis'."

"You're gonna be Sylia this year?!" Janet exclaimed, while both Lisa and Mona seemed equally stunned. "That's awesome!"

The lawyer turned toward the redhead now. "Li, you have to find a way to stay for the con so you can be Nene now, no question. We'll need you to complete the set, and only you fit that armour."

"I dunno," Lisa sighed heavily. "Donna was pretty set on me gettin' back there, she wasn't even swayed by Mona's or Alex's birthdays, y'know? But I'll try."

"Oh, do, lovey," Jenny cooed, reaching across Mona and taking Lisa's hands in hers. "It's been so long since we've seen one another, after all."

Across the small seating area, Mike was watching subtly but intently. He could see the conflict in Lisa, the desire to stay, but also the feeling that she needed to go back to Boise. She'd apparently made a promise, after all. It would be interesting to see how she worked it out, if she did at all. Something was different about Lisa now, and he was still trying to figure out what it was.

Patience.

Millie joined them some minutes later, sitting down on the long chesterfield with the other girls, who were all laughing and recalling stories about conventions past. They even extracted a promise from the younger Penrose sister to choose an outfit to wear to the event, since she'd been persuaded to go. She finally settled on one Alex showed her on his tablet. He seemed to already have something in mind that fit the bill.

"Oh, well, that's not so bad," she mused. "Creepy, somewhat gothic, but not difficult to make or wear, yes?"

"We could have it fitted and done in two days for you, pretty sure," he agreed, saving the picture. "The more the merrier, after all."

"What about you, big boy?" Mona asked, looking at Mike. "Doin' the same old, or got some new offerings?"

The titan man shrugged. "Doing the Space Wolf terminator armour again. It's a big hit, and it just needs touch-ups to be ready. I've also decided on the Jim Fitzpatrick Nuada for this year."

"Oh, God, yes!" Mona breathed, nodding and almost squirming. "Please do that, I love Fitzpatrick's work!"

"And that just leaves one more, I'm trying to decide between a little cultural appropriation and going as Guan Yu from Dynasty Warriors 5, or kicking it retro and breaking out the ol' Gaiking suit."

Janet almost cackled. "I dunno who Gun Boo, is, but I would love to see Gaiking again. I've kinda had a wet spot for that mecha ever since you put him in your dingy little cleaning closet office, DeBourne."

"What about you, Kar?" Lisa asked. "Since you're goin', what're you cosplaying as?"

"Well, aside from the Sister of Battle, one of my outfits is a secret, only Michael and Alex know at this point," Karen said, smiling almost conspiratorially. "So you might have to wait a bit. Also, Alex has convinced me to go as a psychopathic and sadistic woman named I-No from some video game he plays called 'Guilty Gear'."

"Hey, at least you're playin' to type," Janet laughed as Alex picked up a tablet on the table and showed a picture of the character to his aunts. They all nodded on the suitability, mostly because of the character's bobbed hair and prominent tits.

"I'm even learning to play guitar for the occasion," Karen added. "Alex and Michael are coating the guitar strings in magnesium, so that there is a shower of sparks when I screech my metal pick up and down their length."

"You guys're too much!" Lisa laughed, enjoying all the banter while she drank her wine. She couldn't believe how wonderful and liberating this felt. She turned to Alex now. "And you, little man? What can we look forward to seeing you in?"

A shrug from Alex. "I'm keepin' it kinda basic, really. There's so many new outfits, and adjustments to make to existing ones, that I decided to not do anything labour-intensive. I've got my Largo outfit, so that I can match you guys in your hardsuits..."

"Please tell me you're going as Stayhard von Lohengrope again," Janet said eagerly, her eyes glinting as she looked at her nephew. "That outfit always got my motor running when you wore it."

"It's Reinhard von Lohengramm," Alex said dryly while his aunts all burst into giggles. Even Karen was smirking, because she knew Janet was teasing her little boy. "And yes, I'm wearin' him too. That leaves either the Blood Angel armour, or goin' as Gilgamesh from Fate/Grand Order."

He showed them the latter, since they were familiar with the former.

"Oooh, our sexy little man could be walkin' around the con half-naked," Mona said, clearly enjoying the imagery. "You'll have all the girls trailing after you if you go in that."

"Probably easier to get laid in that than in the Blood Angel armour," he chuckled.

"Don't let your girlfriend hear you talking like that," Lisa chided, giving him a look. "What if she found out?"

"Are you kidding?" he laughed. "She's comin' along, she's cosplaying, and she's lookin' forward to getting laid by nerdy con bunnies too. It was almost her idea, in fact."

"God, I already love her and I haven't even met her!" Janet laughed.

If you only knew that you have... Mike mused, smiling to himself.

Downtown...

"Y'see?" Jeanie cooed, kissing Alexa's cheek. "They already love you and they haven't even met you."

Alexa was silent, her eyes stinging. Alex had been right about everything, and she didn't know what to say...

The Dunsany Lounge...

"So who else is comin'?" Mona asked, fanning herself as she pictured Alex as Gilgamesh and Mike as Nuada. She was getting wet thinking about it.

"Hopefully Miss Fischer will," Karen replied. "Alex found her some perfect outfits in one of his video games. She is also playing host to a young Egyptian woman, her name is Nanu. I would not be at all surprised if Nanu wanted to participate as well. She is very exotic-looking, certainly."

Karen now looked at the corner of the room. "And Miss Prospero has expressed an interest in coming as well. She says it is in order to attend to my husband's and my needs, but since she also seems keen on wearing a costume, I suspect that Michael and I are merely a flimsy cover for a chance to party for a weekend while getting paid."

"Mistresssssss!" Val whined in protest while everyone laughed. She made sure she bounced up and down, which had a decidedly pneumatic effect on her figure, and even Jordan couldn't ignore it. "I'm a good girl, admit it!"

"Very well, Miss Prospero," Karen said breezily, with a goddess-like wave of her hand, as if she'd just altered the universe. "You are indeed a very good girl, and everyone knows it."

The Italian girl sighed happily, relaxing now that she'd been validated. She busied the next round of drinks. They began discussing outfits for Janet and Mona to wear, since they plainly meant to be in attendance. Janet had given herself a long furlough from her practice, and Mona more or less was able to write her own hours, as long as she met deadlines. Mona pondered the question before looking at Mike and Alex.

"Any ideas, boys?" she queried. "I guess I kinda wanna keep my hair natural in this 'fro, so what works?"

The two men considered. Mike answered first. "Easy enough for you to go retro and rock out a Misty Knight from the early Eighties look. You've still got the figure for it."

Mona blushed. "Shut up..." she mumbled.

"What about Kofi from Cowboy Bebop?" Alex suggested, showing her a picture. "Really just an outfit change, but lots of recognition to it as well."

"Don't bother tryin' to get me to wear ten different outfits," Janet added, shaking her head. "Melody and Priss are more than enough for me."

"How about you, Aunt Li?" Alex asked, looking at her now. "Aside from Nene and Josie, y'got any ideas?"

"I mean, no," the redhead admitted, blushing. "Like I said, I can't even promise I'm makin' it, right? What's the point in coming up with ideas?"

"Well, in case you can, it means we're ready," he reasoned. "Better'n finding out you can come and then not being ready, right?"

"Fiiine," she sighed. "But nothing too, what's the word... 'fanservice-y', okay? I hate it when people can see I have no boobs or butt."

"How about this fantasy Queen Elizabeth armour?" Alex proposed, showing her some artwork he pulled up on the tablet. "I promise, it won't be made of metal, so easy to move around in."

Lisa studied the pic. "Well, it's a full set of armour, so y'can't see if I've got no boobs or butt, so I guess that's pretty slick. It looks really nice. I could do that."

The girls went back to interrogating Jenny about her life. Mona could barely express her awe of what Jenny had done. "Yeah, we all came to understand that Mike was Kar's true love, and we would never switch that for the world, but... God, you're so strong, and you loved Kar so much, moving aside like that for someone you didn't even know."

Jenny smiled and nodded. "I thought I would never recover, but I went on to lead a very happy and fulfilling life before Kat entered into it again."

"Phrasing, Penrose," Karen said somewhat flatly, making the other girls and Mike laugh as she wagged her finger at her dear friend, sitting next to her. "What Little Miss Received Pronunciation here meant to say was that now we are back in one another's lives and she remains happy."

"That is true, Kat, I am very happy," Jenny said, clasping Karen's hand and then leaning in to share an affectionate kiss with her. Mona almost squealed in delight as she watched the two. The last time she'd seen them together, they'd been in love. Maybe they still were, in many senses, but she'd never seen anyone, anywhere, as desperately in love, or as perfect for one another, as Mike and Karen were.

And she was so happy Jenny had always understood that.

Lisa sniffled and wiped at her eye. "I wish I didn't have to live so far away. I... I miss being near you guys."

"Oh, lovey," Jenny cooed, leaning forward and putting her hand on Lisa's. She loved all these girls dearly again already. "If it makes you feel any better, I have a family and responsibilities to get back to as well."

Lisa tried to smile, still wiping at her eye. "Not gonna lie, Jen, but it's probably a little bit easier for you to jet-set back and forth than it is for me. I'm just a loudmouthed lesbian activist living in bumfuck-nowhere Idaho, er- no offence."