FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Truest Form

By Furio, 6/25/07

For D., Q. B., Di., and all who love zizzards. :)

NOTE: The setting and races are taken from the game "Final Fantasy XII." Square-Enix, and all respective artists/creators own all rights to the original material and if I've forgotten anything else legal to add before sending this story to friends, let me know. :)

NOTE 2: This story contains sexual/sensual acts between an adult human male and an adult anthro-lizard male. Just letting you know beforehand, for those who prefer that.

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Forix thought it odd: how could the streets of a city look the same in peacetime as they do in wartime? Rabanastre was how it had always been: bustling, hot, and one big mess. The city looked no different to him now than it looked ten years ago, during the Archadian disaster. He silently praised Queen Ashalia for managing to take care of it and keep it organized.

Then again, chaos always looks more sensible from afar. All other cities seemed to envy Rabanastre as a principal hub of commerce and communication. All races lived here, even the Bangaa, which never dared show themselves in Archadia. He was only thankful that the treaties that were signed helped alleviate most of the leftover tension. There were still some fires burning here and there, but Forix had hoped that most would turn their heads to sensibility, as the leaders of each empire had done.

He had only time to wonder how Larsa would even begin to rule his empire when his nose suddenly met a huge bed of wet, smelly leather. He staggered back to realize that if he had indeed referred to the Bangaa's belly as that out loud, he probably would have been a principal character in fueling an even bloodier war.

"'Ey now! Watch where yer walkin'!"

"I'm...I'm sorry. Mr. Bangaa, sir!!" stammered Forix. He shivered upon realizing that that sounded incredibly silly, but it was definitely safe to imply a sense of respect to any bangaa, he knew that.

But unfortunately, as his mother had reminded him, much respect can be taken as self-serving patronism.

"Oh ho!!! MR. Bangaa, eh? You've got a slick tongue there...see that you don't be jokin' with anymore of us like that, eh!" The bangaa casually shoved Forix aside with one foreclaw and continued on his way. Fortunately, Forix was still strong enough to stand his ground, rather than be knocked down like most humes.

Forix sighed. He had only seen a few bangaa in his lifetime, being brought up in Archadia for most of his life. It had been 10 years since he saw the first bangaa here, and it was not a good experience...

No, dwelling on the past causes immobilization for the future. He re-slung his bag of possessions over his shoulder and continued onward, looking for opportunities for work. He wondered: Would it be prudent to find a job working for a bangaa? He had heard that two of the heroes of the last war were simple humes who had done the same thing. Maybe he could be like them?

Forix laughed at the idea. A hero, like them? It was stupid. He was strong, yes, and he definitely had proved himself against his father that he was suited for the army. But asking to be a scribe (and one other private matter) kept him out of any militaristic opportunities. No, he was just another speck of dust in the broad sands of Dalmasca, swept wherever the wind blew him. Maybe this time it would be to new adventures, he thought.

Unfortunately, the method of getting lost in one's head managed to introduce Forix's head with an even heavier bangaa belly. "Dammit, not again!" he thought angrily to himself.

"'Ey! Whatcha thinkin', bumpin' into me like that, boy!"

Forix felt himself flush not just from the embarrassing collision, but also because he was hardly a "boy" anymore at 30 years of age. Maybe he still looked it.

"I'm sorry, sir, I was just careless for a second. My apologies." He did a quick bow, briefly wondering just how horrible things would get if he accidentally said the "L" word.

The bangaa grunted and shook his huge head, his hanging ears waving lazily. "Think yer so high and mighty with dat formal talk, eh? Stupid kids..." He, too, shoved Forix aside and started to go on his way.

Forix was starting to get perturbed. Was friendliness and good manners always rewarded with scorn? He had always been annoyed by things that seemed to go against the natural order. Well, maybe not ALL things.

Suddenly, he realized that the bangaa might be able to help him point out some job sites. He turned and called out, "Excuse me, Mr. Bangaa, sir?"

A bad move. Most of the people around him heard him and a few giggled a bit at the illustrious titles given to the simple bangaa. The bangaa turned around slowly with an expression full of irritation. He lumbered towards the smaller hume, slowly enough for Forix to really get a sense of what he was.

He was large, like all bangaa, and a somewhat rich purple, with a more tan belly. His skin was wet with perspiration, but all over could be seen the rough reptilian skin common of bangaa, which smoothed out more at the underbelly. He was muscular, too, but also seemed to carry an apt amount of fat in the belly. It did not detract, however, from the power he seemed to exude, now that he was standing directly in front of (and over) the hume. "What is it, Sir Hume-of-us-all?" he said in a slow, mocking tone.

Forix closed his eyes, the best way to rid himself of any angry feelings he was feeling (a trick he learned from his mother). "Look," he said, "I'm sorry I embarrassed you. I haven't been in contact with many bangaa in my life and I just wanted to make sure I didn't make a bad first impression." He opened his eyes to see that the bangaa was cocking his head in an odd manner, but not making eye contact with him. It almost seemed that the bangaa was studying Forix the same way he had looked at the bangaa. It was very odd.

But after a few seconds, the bangaa resumed a glare at Forix, followed by a grunt. "Mmmph. Fine then, but ya can just say 'Excuse me, Belgruth,' instead of lavishin' me with sweets 'n' stuff, right?"

Forix nodded quickly. "Yes...Belgruth. Um...thanks."

The bangaa raised his foreclaws in a near-shrug. "Can I go now, hume?"

"It's Forix, sir, I mean, Belgruth," said Forix. "And if you don't mind, I wanted to inquire if you knew of any, well, job opportunities around here for me."

Belgruth cocked his large head again. "You're new here, ain't ya?"

Forix nodded. "I was in Archadia for a while, but I wasn't really satisfied there. Thought I might branch out to other more industrious areas and see where my talents prove fruitful."

The bangaa laughed heartily, surprising Forix. "So our fame spreads, eh? Never mind, you'll find work here somehow. Start at Lowtown and work yer way up. G'day." He proceeded to walk around Forix and away from him.

"Do you really think Lowtown needs a scribe?" asked Forix before Belgruth got too far.

Something Forix had said apparently made Belgruth's ears twitch and dangle momentarily. He turned around to face Forix again. "A scribe?"

Forix shrugged. "That's my talent. I take dictation, write, correct records, among other things that require the skills of a fast quill." He smiled.

The bangaa was silent for a moment. He appeared to be studying Forix again for a moment before he said, "So ya write...hmmm...not much call for that here, ya know."

"I do know," said Forix quietly. "And ideally it would be nice to be the queen's personal scribe, but as you say, I have to start somewhere lower and work my way up. Does the local bar, what is it called, the Sandrose, employ any scribes for their accounts?"

"The SandSEA, it's called, and no, I'm thinkin' they've got their hands full wit' as many employees as they have customers. And most are one 'n' the same."

"Ah," said Forix. He felt a little lost now. What other paths lay open?

The bangaa was quiet for a bit longer until he said, "Ya know, I could...ah...no."

"What?"

"Forget it. See ya." He turned again to leave.

"No, wait! Please tell me, Belgruth. Do you know of another opening?"

Belgruth shook his head. "No, I ain't interested in hirin' humes."

"What?!! Why not?" Forix had thought the days of inequality were over.

"C'mon, boy," said Belgruth. "Ya know bangaa and humes ain't kin. The things I got fer a scribe to do are fit fer a bangaa scribe. Not a hume."

"Are you talking about strength or something else?" Forix was starting to feel annoyed at this silly obstacle to what could be a very good job.

"I'm talkin' about 'ya can't work for me.' It wouldn't work."

"How do you know that?" asked Forix with some force. "Why not give me a week to work for you so you can really see, and if I do horribly at it, you can kick me out? You've got nothing to lose, right?"

The bangaa sighed angrily, arms akimbo.

"What would you need a scribe for, anyway?" asked Forix.

"Arms," mumbled Belgruth, looking again at the hume in that odd manner.

"Huh?"

Belgruth shook his head rapidly. "I sell arms near the outer part of the city. I need some'un to keep tracks of the accounts, tabs, customers, and shipments. Can't do it alone."

"I can do that," said Forix confidently. "Do you get a lot of business?"

Belgruth folded his arms and gave Forix a rather scalding look. "Personal question, kid."

"Sorry, I just meant that if you don't, I could probably draw up some flyers or advertisements for your store. It would bring you more customers."

"How do ya know that?"

Forix sighed, "I don't for sure, obviously. But I'm speaking for experience when working for my father's store. He sold some of the best armaments in Archadia."

Belgruth thought again and looked in a random place.

"Look, if I do well, let me stay for a month, and then I'll leave. If not, you can kick me out in a week. Is that fair?"

Belgruth waited less time this time before responding. "Yeh, fair, I guess. Can ya haggle with customers as well as ya haggle wit' me? Ya might be able to rake in more money with that duelin' tongue of yers."

Forix laughed. "I'll focus on accounts for now," he said.

For the first time, Belgruth seemed to issue a smile. "Right then, you're hired for a week at

present. Follow me." He turned to leave, this time, with an eager hume following him close behind.

Things are looking up, he thought. He had a job his first day in the city, and with a bangaa, no less!

He watched the huge creature stride confidently in front of him, his huge tail swinging side to side in slow rhythm.

"What amazing creatures," Forix thought to himself.

The conditions Forix was introduced to for room, board, and work, were rather cramped, but normal for living situations in Rabanastre. Everyone lived side by side, and Belgruth's store/home was tall, and went farther in back that could be seen from the outside. Forix was introduced to the work area, what would serve as his bedroom, and a main room for eating. He also noticed that there was a back door in the main room with a heavy bolt on that.

"I'm guessing that's where you keep the latest shipments?"

Belgruth looked at Forix questioningly for a moment, but then regained himself. "Yep, that's right. Only I go in there. Can't let loose arms be found by anybody here. We have as many thieves 'n' pirates here as we do in any town."

"Except Balfonheim," thought Forix. Out loud, he asked, "Where will you be sleeping, Belgruth?"

"In the store," replied the bangaa. "I got meself some cushions 'n' a blanket, and that's a finer bed than anythin' else I could want."

"Are you sure?" asked Forix. "Aren't I stealing the actual bed upstairs from you?"

"Espers around me, but ain't YOU so sweet and nice? Gak! If yer wantin' to know, the bed I made is MORE comfy than the thing YOU have, so if yer worried me about losin' luxury with you 'round, I'm gainin' it, alright?!"

Forix was taken aback with Belgruth's brash attitude but figured it to be common among bangaas. He nodded.

"Now, places!" said Belgruth loudly. "I closed the place for a bit so I could go out and ... think...for a whiles, and now the place might get busier, so I'm openin' it again!" He rung a loud bell nearby to signal the re-opening of the store. Forix wasted no time in moving to his position and getting a scroll ready for tablature.

Unfortunately, his ready attitude was not met with results that day. Only ten people actually entered the shop, and three actually bought something. By the time of the shop's closing, Belgruth was grunting impatiently, angrily striding around to lock and secure the doors.

"I'm sorry, Belgruth," said Forix.

"Ach! Dammit all! Stop wit' yer 'I'm sorries!'" yelled the bangaa in frustration. "It ain't yer fault we're getting nobody in the shop! Now do ya see why I didn't wanna hire ya?" He strode over to the inner room to prepare dinner.

"It's alright, Belgruth. But I'm still happy I'm here. If I had been hired in Lowtown, I probably would have found even less work than you find customers, don't you think?"

"I dunno," mumbled Belgruth, as he busied himself with a pot and some ingredients he picked off of shelves. "I'm makin' less money as it is these days, and I still gotta pay YOU somethin'!"

"I don't want a single gil if I can just stay here," said Forix obstinately. "I told you, I'm staying here for only a week at first, to see if things go alright. And I'm getting good experience, too. I'll leave after that, as necessary."

"Stop bein' so damn nice," said Belgruth. "I...I ain't used to it." He continued repetitive searches in cupboards, making himself look busy than actually working.

Forix shook his head and smiled. "Can I help, or would that be considered nice?"

Belgruth sighed. "Just set this here fire and get me that water boilin'." He busied himself with another concoction. "Damn humes," he muttered. "Ya got it all, don't ya?"

"Huh?" said Forix.

"Don't play nice, now. Ya can do everything, cast magic, walk all nice and stately, ya know..."

"You can't use magic?"

"Bangaas can't. Ya know that. Talkin' like this, we can't say them fancy words to make the spells work. Ya humes got everythin'. Ya even look-I mean,ya...ya got everythin'."

Forix shook his head. "Bangaas are strong and clever. Humes could definitely learn from that."

"Whatever," said Belgruth. They resigned themselves to silence as they prepared the food, which consisted of a simple spiced stew, water for Forix, and some potent brew for Belgruth. They sat down to eat at the small table, facing each other.

Belgruth started again, "Sounds like you don't see much Bangaas in Archadia, eh?"

"They don't live there," responded Forix. "Most live here or in Balfonheim, to my knowledge."

"Ya ever met one before?"

"Once," said Forix quietly.

"Well, when was that?"

"Ten years ago." He resumed eating.

Belgruth was silent for a while and then started laughing in a very gruff manner.

"What? What is it?" asked Forix, feeling confused.

"Ya called him a lizard, didn't ya?" Belgruth smiled broadly across his huge snout.

Forix was silent. He bowed his head. Belgruth laughed again. "I knew it! You kids callin' things whatever ya want. Ya paid for it, didn't ya? No wonder ya treat me so high 'n' mighty!"

Forix didn't respond. Belgruth took a swig of his drink and said, "Don't worry, I ain't upset at ya. I just thinks it's funny, 's all. Ya just..." He stopped. Forix's shoulders were shaking, and his head was still bowed.

"Hey, y'alright there?" said Belgruth quietly, suddenly feeling an unfamiliar feeling cross him.

Forix took a deep breath and raised his head, which was rather flushed. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry, but I just don't feel proud of what I did. I learned my lesson, alright?"

"Hey, nothin' harmed here, boy," said the bangaa. "Besides, I've heard the word so many times in MY life, it prol'ly wouldn't hurt ME no more."

"Really? That's...that's unfortunate," stammered Forix. "You really hear it that often?"

"Used to," said Belgruth, taking another large gulp of both stew and drink. "Mostly from other bangaa."

"FROM OTHER BANGAA??!!" exclaimed Forix, so loudly that it widened Belgruth's eyes completely, and nearly caused him to choke.

"What? Spirits 'bove, what's wrong with ya?"

The redness of shame was replaced with the redness of fury. "Why would any bangaa call another bangaa a lizard?"

"Dunno, maybe 'cause he's purple, eh?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Belgruth slammed his drink on the table, spilling some of it. "Great Raithwall, I keep forgettin' I'm talkin' to the kid who don't know many bangaa. Listen, boy, how many purple bangaa do ya know?"

"Well, just one, obviously."

"Well done," said Belgruth flatly. "And that's how many there are."

"What?!"

"I'm the only purple bangaa in the world, and I've been mocked fer it much. Prol'ly some mixed parents in my past or somethin', a nu mou and a bangaa, maybe. Doesn't matter."

"But...but you're not..."

"Boy, you listen to me," said Belgruth, leaning forward in an intimidating fashion. "This world here's full of jerks 'n' asses who just can't wait to sit on other jerks 'n' asses so they can feel better 'bout stuff. I knew that when I was young, and I still knows it. It don't hurt me or anger me, so don't let it hurt ya either, right? Just worry 'bout yerself. I'm a regular ol' bangaa, and ain't worth the spit on my tongue."

Forix felt so confused by all this, that he wasn't really aware that Belgruth was cleaning up the plates and was wishing him a good night's sleep when he finally left the room. In fact, he felt a very empty, hollow feeling inside. He could only imagine what it felt like to carry that feeling inside your whole life.

The new bed was definitely something to get used to. It was smaller than his luxurious one in Archadia, and definitely hard. Belgruth wasn't kidding when he said his pile of cushions was more comfy. Oh well, it relaxed him nonetheless.

He thought about Belgruth often during the night, and it kept him awake. He wished he could do more to help Belgruth. But what could he do? He didn't have money or connections to help him. All he could do was get through this week working the best that he could. He prayed that it would be fruitful for his future somehow.

His thoughts were interrupted by a "DAMMIT!" from downstairs. Forix bolted upright immediately and quietly ran to the door to listen for Belgruth (or worse yet, someone else who was currently downstairs). He quietly opened the squeakless door and tiptoed towards the second floor balcony to see where Belgruth was, and if he was in trouble.

Getting down almost completely on his belly, Forix was able to see downstairs from the edge of the balcony while keeping a minimum portion of his body exposed. He saw that Belgruth was downstairs in the shop area pacing back and forth slowly, and clad in nothing but his loincloth undergarment. On a side of the shop, there was a full-length mirror that obviously had not been there that day. Belgruth must have brought it out for some other reason.

Belgruth seemed rather annoyed. He sat down in a chair closeby and sighed deeply. Nothing happened for a quite a few minutes, and Forix was considering returning to his bedroom when something DID happen.

Belgruth looked down at one of his foreclaws. He raised it very slowly above his lap and looked at it carefully and all around. He used his other foreclaw to spread his individual digits around his hand, whereupon he slid down to his wrist, and then up to his forearm, and then to his shoulder. With his other arm, he looked at it closely and then slowly extended it and flexed it to show definite bulging muscle. He paused a bit to take in how he looked before standing and walking over to the mirror. He slowly spread his foreclaws around his large gut and up to his chest, and back down again.

Forix felt himself grow warmer watching this session of self-exploration. He felt a stirring below his abdomen that only increased as he watched the bangaa slowly remove his loin cloth and let it fall to the floor noiselessly. Forix couldn't see much of the front of the bangaa from his position, but he surmised that Belgruth had a very attractive midsection. He could see that the hips were wide to accommodate his large belly, but were definitely carved with muscle, too. He also noticed that Belgruth's back was broad, muscular, and showed signs of a solid, strong body. He felt a slight chill run through him at realizing that he liked what he saw.

Belgruth did nothing, but appeared to examine his whole body in the reflection of the mirror. His face carried a very blank countenance that gradually darkened, until it changed to one of anger, then even darker to rage. He suddenly began beating himself violently on the chest, grunting angrily all the while. "Stupid, ugly thing!! Why..." and he trailed off into something unrecognizable. After a bit of this self-flagellation, he sighed and picked up the mirror, turning back just in time to miss Forix ducking further back behind the balcony.

Forix was afraid that Belgruth might be returning the mirror upstairs, in which case he would definitely be in trouble, but thankfully, he seemed to be going towards the back room. He heard keys jingling, more angry muttering, and finally a door closing. At this point, Forix made his way quietly back to his own room and laid back down, thinking all the while.

Why was Belgruth exploring and beating himself like that? And why was a full-length mirror in a room with arms shipments? And was he really referring to himself as a "stupid, ugly thing"?

If so, Forix wasn't ready to believe it. He drifted off to sleep, thinking of Belgruth.

Morning seemed to come early, and Forix wasted no time in dressing, cleaning up (with what little hygienic items were available), and getting downstairs to start the day's work. He called out to Belgruth, but there was no response. He did, however, find the pile of cushions that the bangaa had slept on, which sure enough, made Forix envious for some nice comfort.

But Belgruth seemed to be missing. Forix knocked on the padlocked door, in case Belgruth was in there, but there was no response. It was only when he went to the front door that he found a scribbled note posted:

Boy,

Left to get materials for sharpening and repairing broken arms. Today's a day of mourning in memory of the king, so I have to close the shop, but we'll still be busy getting ready for tomorrow. Stay put until I get back.

Belgruth

Forix sighed angrily at being referred to as "Boy" again. The damn creature had his own problems, but he still could stand to learn a few manners.

He paced around the shop looking at the several impressive swords and axes that laid around, wondering again what was the reason for Belgruth's behavior the former night. It was very odd, indeed. He seemed to be both interested in and repulsed by his own body. Forix could only half understand, as he had a great appreciation for the male body, in all its various forms.

He wished he hadn't thought of that. It was hard enough dealing with his preference for attraction when he was younger, and he was only too happy (and lucky) to have parents who were patient enough with him about it. Only his father had been upset when he realized it would block him from joining the Archadian military, but Forix took this as a high blessing in disguise. He probably would be dead by now if his desires laid with women, or if he had tried to hide his true self! Forix smiled. So there WAS value in being yourself.

As he thought these things, he noticed that a francisca was carelessly laid out on the floor, instead of up on the wall or in the display case. Forix hurried to it and picked it up, surprised at the heavy density carried by something so small. He earnestly looked for a place where the small axe may have fallen or been removed, when he remembered that Belgruth said the back room was for those arms that were loose or laying around. But it was padlocked, right?

Forix slowly carried the axe over to the door to discover that this time, it wasn't. A shiver went through Forix's spine. He readied the francisca in both hands, prepared to show any intruder an air of dominance that would hopefully halt its actions. He pressed one hand on the door and forcefully pushed it open, flinging the door back quickly.

No one was in the room, but Forix almost dropped the axe at seeing something even more shocking in it.

The room was huge, with an almost nine-foot height to the ceiling. While it definitely would make a good storeroom for every weapon imaginable, there were no visible weapons in the room. At first all Forix could see was white cloth almost everywhere, in separate pieces, covering separate things. And each thing seemed to be a figure of some kind that stood on its own. There must have been about thirty or more reasonably large figures standing around the walls of the room, each covered in a delicate white cloth, but Forix didn't have to remove any to get a sense for what they were.

In the middle of the room were a few items: a canvas, a stool, a vat of wet clay over a few burning firestones, and an unfinished sculpture.

Forix could only repeat the thought over and over in his head, trying to make it sound reasonable.

He's a sculptor.

He couldn't believe it. The gruff, impolite, huge bangaa was an artisan. Was such a thing common among bangaa? Was it unheard of? Millions of questions exploded in Forix's mind as he quietly set the francisca down, approached the unfinished sculpture and looked at it carefully.

It was definitely a bangaa, but headless. One arm was positioned so it was bent with its foreclaw on its hip, while the other arm hung at its side. The legs were shown bearing a strong amount of muscle and flesh, and the feet were impressively shown in their digitigrade position. Forix was amazed at how Belgruth was able to balance the statue properly on such a small foundation of the tips of the bangaa's footclaws.

Forix realized, also, that his hand was reaching out to the bangaa's chest. He wanted to touch it, to feel the smoothness that the clay had achieved after hardening. But then he backed off, realizing that he could easily tip the thing over and smash it to pieces. He found himself backing away slowly, not even daring to breathe.

Still, he looked at the sculpture long and thought only one thing.

It was beautiful.

The bangaa truly had a beautiful talent. Did he realize this? Forix went to one of the covered statues and lifted the cloth slowly to see that it was another bangaa, fully complete. Forix was amazed at the detail put lovingly into the statue. He touched the muscular chest, feeling the incredible cool smoothness of hardened clay, then stroked the long, curved snout tenderly. It, too, was beautiful. Even the eyes seemed to carry a countenance of warmth, a talented display for something set in cold clay.

Forix suddenly remembered that one his major interests in bangaa was definitely derived from his love of their unique physical form. Forix's hands explored the bangaa statue tenderly, marveling at the smooth curve of muscle, skin, and flesh that Belgruth had obviously excelled at capturing. He smiled and found himself moving closer to the statue, preparing to give it a tender kiss on the large snout.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN' HERE???!!!!!"

Forix froze, his heart suddenly bursting into a panick. He wanted to turn, but was too scared to do so. He quickly tried to explain, "The...the door was open, and I found..."

"GET OUT!!!!!! NOW!!!" screamed Belgruth, his yellow eyes raging with anger. Forix turned, his eyes widened with fear as he realized that Belgruth had picked up the francsica. He ran to the open door.

"Get to yer room and DON'T come out today!"

Forix stopped to face Belgruth. "Now hold on! I'm not a kid, and I..."

"I SAID 'GET!' NOW!" Belgruth didn't brandish the axe, but Forix still felt afraid that he would use it. He ran up to his room, closed the door, and to his shame, burst into tears.

Needless to say, the rest of the day was boring, spent in a cramped room with only Forix's thoughts and desires to accompany him. He thought of the tender, unblemished beauty that was created by a violently angry bangaa. He was angry at Belgruth for overreacting to his presence in the "forbidden room," but at the same time, he was ashamed for being in a place that was obviously private and secretive. He knew that it could have been very easy to break things in that place, for sure. He just wished it could have been different, somehow. He wished...

Forix sighed. He knew what his true wish was. It was to be closer to a bangaa. That's what he wanted. He wanted to prove to the world how races didn't need to be separate, and how true peace could be attained through the close relations of two entirely different creatures. But it seemed that today, he had proven just the opposite. Wonderful.

Oh well. Forix stood up from his bed, unbuttoned his shirt, unclasped his belt, and pulled off his boots. He readied the water in the small washtub to take his evening "bath," as he could best call it. Pulling off his loincloth, he raised one leg on the bed to prepare to scrub it.

"Listen, hume, I've had it with-" The door suddenly flew open.

Forix turned his head quickly to look at Belgruth. His heart stood still, frightened that at this time, he was completely susceptible to anything Belgruth wanted to do, as at this time, he was completely naked.

But Belgruth had stopped in midsentence, and even in midpose. He had one foreclaw raised as if to lecture Forix, but it slowly began to lower. Both beings resembled statues, unmoving in an action they had been captured in. Belgruth's jaw was still open, but his yellow eyes seemed to soften (and widen) as they gazed upon the naked hume. Forix could see that the eyes were slowly moving all over Forix's body, in the same way they had gazed on him when they first met. And as if to respond, Forix looked at Belgruth in the same way, drinking him in as he had done when they first met.

Forix could also see (and hear) that Belgruth was breathing heavily. And he was beginning to shake. Was he...?

"It's okay," said Forix. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry." It sounded awkward to say such a thing when naked, but Forix said it. Again, he wanted to reestablish friendly ties with the bangaa as best he could, for his future's sake, if nothing else.

Belgruth's eyes suddenly went back to Forix's eyes in a stupefied manner, as if to say, "I'M the one who's supposed to say that in THIS situation!" But he couldn't say anything. His snout and jaw moved in way that seemed like he was trying to talk, but nothing came out.

Suddenly, the eyes turned to anger again. The breathing was still heavy, but now seemed like he was trying to contain growing rage. Forix suddenly lowered his leg, covering his genitals, and backed away a step or two.

The bangaa closed his eyes tightly and growled, "Ya humes got EVERYTHIN'."

Forix could have sworn he saw wetness of the corners of the eyes before Belgruth slammed the door shut.

The bangaa stomped down the stairs angrily and picked up his chiseling francisca before entering the sculpting room. He approached his unfinished sculpture, and with an earsplitting roar, laid a crushing blow on it, causing it to fall and splinter into several pieces. He strode to a finished bangaa sculpture, threw off the cloth, picked it up, and threw it across the room, breaking it and two more sculptures. He ran to another sculpture and threw off the cloth, raising his axe in fury.

He stopped for a moment.

The sculpture was smaller than the others, and showed a male hume in the middle of walking, his head happening to be positioned to face the bright purple bangaa that was intent on destroying him. Belgruth raised the axe higher, his eyes fiery with rage and jealousy.

The sculpture looked back, obstinately refusing to react.

Belgruth closed his eyes, and the axe dropped from his foreclaw, blessingly missing his footclaws. He began to shake all over, his empty foreclaw still raised in anger. A burning sensation enfolded his body as he suddenly felt incredibly weak.

Belgruth fell to his knees and covered his eyes, tears pouring out and sliding down to the end of his snout, where they were finally allowed to fall onto the cold stone floor. He doubled over and fell to his side, crying, and mumbling, "Why...why the hell am I even alive? What do I live fer? What am I to anyone? Why aren't I...I..." He couldn't continue, his throat and heart racked with 83-year-old pain.

Even his large belly hurt. He clenched it and angrily beat it with one foreclaw, damning its existence and failing to notice the soft white glow that momentarily shone within.

Forix woke up to crusty eyes, thanks to the needless crying he had done the previous night. He rubbed them clean and sighed, wondering if he should just leave and find other work somewhere else, where there wasn't so much drama or personal problems. How could he work for his employer now? There could be nothing but tension, and he wasn't sure if he could work like that.

After cleaning up (with the door carefully locked this time), dressing, and taking a few deep breaths to ready himself for facing the bangaa, Forix walked downstairs. He opened his mouth to announce his decision to leave when Belgruth, his back to the hume, interrupted.

"Kid, we've gots lots of customers today, thanks to the closin' yesterday. You'll be busy, so get ready." There was no trace of anger, or anything else, in Belgruth's voice. It was flat and business-like. There would be no mixing of personal problems today.

Forix nodded, and made haste to the scrolls, ready to work to forget about the previous days' events. Sure enough, the day was busier than the first, with many people coming in to get repairs done, make purchases, and even sell more arms that Belgruth had nowhere to place. As Forix was making the tablatures, he worried that they would end up buying more than selling.

One viera came in to inquire about a longbow that could carry the newly crafted wyrm arrows. Belgruth offered one bow that was definitely a prize for most viera, being made of mythril, and therefore very hard to bend. From his place in the shop, Forix could see that Belgruth was having trouble making a sale. He approached to two to listen more closely.

"I sense that this bow wouldn't be prudent for the beasts on Cerobi Steppe," said the viera. "Most marks there would not fall to this, and how could it handle the new arrows?"

"Ah....well..." Belgruth stammered, unable to find a reasonable pitch to make to this particular customer. It was nothing to be ashamed of, though, thought Forix. Viera were very sensible customers and were NOT to be lied to.

But Forix had indeed read up on longbows, and he knew of the wyrm arrows' traits. "Pardon me," he said. "I don't mean to interject, but this bow would be very good for a piercing weapon, and especially for the ring wyrms."

"How do you figure?" asked the viera.

Forix took hold of the bow from the stunned bangaa. "From what I know of this kind of bow, pulling it at a slightly higher position than exact middle will bend it more easily, only because the metal bows are crafted differently for this purpose." He demonstrated for the viera. "It offsets the aiming a little bit, but it allows greater force for the arrow, and therefore a greater chance of piercing through armor, which the ring wyrms of Cerobi Steppe are definitely known for."

"I'm not sure I would want a bow that offsets the aiming."

"You're right, it is indeed different that way," said Forix. Now he sensed that HE was having trouble making a pitch.

That's when Belgruth took hold of the bow again. "But the viera already have advanced aimin' skills. I'm certain ya could master it very quickly." He smiled, hoping that the compliment would do the trick.

What was scary was that it DID do the trick. The viera bowed her head slightly, trying to hide a slight coloring of her cheeks. "My clan would make great use of this, and we would be willing to pay highly if we were assured that it could make its mark, as you say."

Forix chimed in again, this time asking Belgruth, "Do we have any tinctures of zexcyll, used on the Deathbringer swords? We could add that to them for ensuring a true hit."

Belgruth looked at Forix. The bangaa had a very odd light in his eyes. "Yep, I think we do." He turned to the viera. "We could do that for ya and yer clan. How many orders would that make?"

"I think ten for now. If we recruit more, and the bows do indeed work, I will call on you again."

Forix looked at Belgruth just in time to see the smile on his snout broaden even wider. "Then we have a deal." And they did.

After the viera paid, thanked the two, and left, Belgruth looked down at the hume beside him. He did not say anything, but put one foreclaw on his shoulder, and smiled.

Forix smiled, too, wanting to touch the bangaa, but not daring.

The day continued in this matter in separate instances. For most of it, Forix spent his time tabulating accounts, but every now and then, he was able to assist Belgruth with a sales pitch that always ended in a sale. Belgruth's emotional level seemed to rise through the day, and by closing time, he had locked the door and turned to the hume with a gentle smile on his snout.

Forix smiled back, not knowing what to say, as anything would have shown an air of pride that he could not issue to Belgruth at this time. The two retired to the dining room, where they silently prepared a simple dinner and sat down, Belgruth filling Forix's cup with his own brew.

"Oh no, it's okay, I-"

"Drink it, c'mon, boy. It's my extra payment to ya tonight."

Forix smiled and took a sip of the brew, which flew down his throat with a swift, spicy zing. He coughed twice at the unexpected taste.

Belgruth laughed heartily. "Ya humes can't handle bangaa tastes, can ya?"

Forix chuckled. "It's one of our many flaws."

That remark caused Belgruth to look at Forix for a bit before shaking his head and continuing to eat. The two remained in silence for a few minutes before Belgruth swallowed his mouthful and muttered something, his face downcast.

"I'm sorry?" said Forix.

Belgruth looked up at Forix and said, "Thank you," in a surprisingly stately manner.

Forix smiled. "You're welcome, Belgruth." He raised his glass to toast the bangaa, who returned the toast. But Belgruth didn't return to eating. He looked down at his plate and continued to mutter and mumble something to himself.

Forix set down his cutlery. "Belgruth, what's wrong?"

"Yer not flawed."

"Huh?"

"What, ya need an earhorn or somethin'? I tells ya that yer not flawed!"

"Yes, I know. I just didn't know what brought that up."

Belgruth sighed loudly. "I don't know why you and other humes say stuff like yer bad 'n' stupid 'n' ugly 'n' stuff! It's frustratin'! Yer just...yer...yer NOT! Ya get me?"

Forix smiled at the compliment, brash as it came out. "Well, neither are you," he said with a nervous swallow, as he definitely didn't think that in the past few days.

"Don't lie, boy," said Belgruth, narrowing his yellow eyes at the hume.

"I'm sorry," said Forix. "I know I'm perturbed at your behavior sometimes, but I guess that's just who you are. I need to accept you for that, right?"

Belgruth grimaced. "Well, I'm no Foray, am I?"

"Foray? What's that?"

Belgruth looked long at Forix. "Ya really don't know?"

Forix shook his head, feeling suddenly very stupid. "What is it?"

"Ya mean, 'Who is he?'! Foray! The supposed god of the bangaa!"

Forix felt confused. "But I thought Adrammalech was your god."

"Naw, he's our totem. And we hold 'im in high esteem, fer sure. But Foray, he's even BETTER. He's the one who's spoken 'bout in only whispers, ya know."

"Really? Um, should we be talking about him now?"

Belgruth laughed loud. "'Course we can. What I mean is that no one's sure if he really existed or was worshipped for real. That's why I says he's a supposed god."

"I see. What do you know about him?"

Belgruth shrugged. "Not much. Only what me parents told me and what I heard from other bangaa. He supposedly was a mighty, strong, and thoroughly amazin' creature. I think he was also a bangaa...but he looked different somehow..."

"How so?"

"I dunno! Don't interrupt!"

"Sorry," said Forix, quieting down more.

"Anyways, he apparently roamed this world makin' friendly with many creatures, talkin' to them, spreadin' his messages about peace, love 'n' all that stuff, wantin' to make a perfect world his own way. He didn't want nothin' about takin' back the reins of history, like those Occurians argued 'bout. He just wanted bein's to love each other 'n' stuff. Simple creature, but really incredible."

"Wow," breathed Forix. It sounded like he was on the same level.

"Whatever," said Belgruth carelessly. "But what was weirdest was when he died..."

"Really? What happened?"

Belgruth folded his foreclaws on the table, leaning forward, as if trying to remember. "From what I know, he said somethin' about bein' reborn one day, within somethin' or someone. It would only be fer a while, to grant his will onto others, so that his work would continue, and wit' those who were the most prime examples of it. 'The age of gods is gone, but the age of mortals is nigh,' as he said. I think he wanted us mortals to continue his work somehow. Beats me." He took another swig of his drink.

"That's an amazing story," said Forix.

"Heh, you humes would think so!" laughed Belgruth. "I still think it's stupid fairy tales for hatchlin's. Though it would be nice...ya know...to have that kind of peace 'round here..." He looked down at his drink oddly, as if he was deep in thought.

Forix looked long at the bangaa. "Belgruth..." he whispered.

"Well, off to bed now. We may have another big day tomorrow, so let's get rested. Thanks 'gain for yer help today, boy." Belgruth rose to put away the dishes. Forix rose as well, and approached the door to leave.

Suddenly he heard a word he hadn't heard before from Belgruth.

"Forix!"

He suddenly turned. "Yes?"

The bangaa didn't say anything, but looked long at Forix, his eyes again moving all over his body. "N-nothin'," he said quietly. Forix turned to leave again.

"FORIX!" shouted out Belgruth, almost scaring Forix.

He swung around again. "What? What is it?"

This time, Belgruth looked directly into Forix's eyes for a long time before shutting his own and saying, "Damn, nothin', sorry. Go upstairs." He opened his eyes again to see that the hume was staring oddly at a lower part of his body for a moment.

"Er, yes, um, good night, Belgruth." He turned to leave, this time without interruption, and headed up to his room where he undressed and laid down for the night.

But he continued to think. He could have sworn he saw something very odd around Belgruth's belly. Maybe it was just a trick of the light.

Belgruth pulled off his lower garments, hung up his coat and hat, and laid down on the cushions in only his loincloth. He sighed deeply and relaxed, willing himself to sleep. It was a good day after all, he thought. Good conversation, good work, and very little interruptive thoughts about bodies and art and stuff to keep him from the important things.

But he was still jealous of the hume. This time, though, it was probably more envy than jealousy, because he knew, deep inside, that he didn't HATE the hume. He was just wishing for things that weren't the hume's fault for not existing. He wished he could think as rationally as his pale-coloured cousins or even the viera. It still didn't feel right being a bangaa for life.

His stomach gurgled loudly. "Damn malboro brew," he thought. He loved the taste of it, but recently his engorged belly had been giving him more and more problems, moreso after he met the hume. He was sure it was due to the agitation of the past few days, coupled with his drinking, which had thankfully decreased over time. It felt warmer, too, more than usual. He shrugged it off and curled up among his many pillows, trying to get to sleep.

But something inside him moved his mind again to Forix and images of his naked body. He indeed had a splendid form, and an incredible shape, as all humes do. But why was it that Forix sparked feelings and emotions in him that no one else had? He turned upwards, feeling that he could almost see the naked hume standing before him.

He blinked.

He WAS standing before him.

But he wasn't naked. He was still wearing his loincloth undergarment. But for that matter, he could have still been naked. Belgruth's eyes widened and his enlarged bangaa heart did multiple palpitations as the hume stepped back a bit in fear.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to wake you...I just...I needed to say...I..."

Nothing was said for a long time. Belgruth moved his jaw up and down, trying to get angry words to come out, but they couldn't come. Why couldn't he get upset?!!

"I...I think you're...beautiful."

Silence.

Belgruth's snout stopped moving. His eyes refused to blink. His brain was awash in confusion and wonderment at the simple explosive words.

It was then that he was aware of a soft, warm, brilliant light that started to shine. He looked down, aghast, to find that it was emanating from his own belly. Forix saw it, too, and his mouth dropped open in wonder. But as gently as it started to shine, it gently faded away, leaving nothing but the round, smooth, tan underbelly of the purple bangaa.

Belgruth looked up again at the hume. His mouth opened to say "Go upstairs," but he found he couldn't get the words out. He didn't need to, though, as the hume backed away, turned around slowly, and went back upstairs, his expression glossed with a sense of awe.

Belgruth understood it all too well. He quietly stood up and silently walked to the backroom, unlocking it and walking inside. The room still contained the remnants of crushed statues from the previous night, the francisca still on the ground near the unharmed hume statue.

Belgruth quietly walked towards the hume statue, his bare footclaws making a soft clicking sound on the stone floor. His legs moved with fluid strength as his arms swung slowly at his sides, making his shoulders slightly flex his back muscles.

He stopped in front of another cloth-covered statue. Gently, he removed the cloth to reveal another bangaa statue, this one had one muscular arm raised, as if beckoning someone or something to him. He carefully picked up the statue and placed it beside the hume statue so the arm was resting behind the hume's back, in a position of comfort, encouragement, and friendship.

Belgruth placed a foreclaw on each statue's shoulder, as a clergyman blesses the union of a wedded couple. He closed his eyes, feeling a wetness again forming at his eyes.

He was happy. For once in his life, he knew he was happy.

The glow in his belly brightened again. Somewhere inside, a voice silently echoed, "Soon..."

Forix awoke from dreams of Belgruth, which he did not know were pleasant or sick, and found that he couldn't even remember their details. He got up, cleaned up, and dressed, coming back downstairs. He saw Belgruth getting the store ready to be opened, and was greeted by the warmest smile he had ever seen in his life. Forix thanked the gods above that the bangaa was not angry at his actions from the former night.

"Good morning, hume," said Belgruth.

"Good morning, bangaa," responded Forix with a big smile. Belgruth rolled his eyes, though it was clear that he was taking the joke with good humor. "Ready for the day?"

"Indeed," said Belgruth. "Let's get started."

The day had followed even better than the previous one, as they received even more customers. Apparently, news of the refurbished bow had spread to others, and more customers were coming to see if other weapons could be just as well adjusted. Most could not, but this didn't stop them from seeing the variety of wares that Belgruth's shop happened to offer. Forix helped Belgruth with a few orders (but since the shop was not his own, Forix thought it best to leave Belgruth alone when he was handling sales successfully). When there were no accounts or sales to mark up in the day, Forix drew up a stylish flyer to attract customers and hopefully get in more business.

"Don't be getting' too many customers, now," said Belgruth at one point. "We can only handle so many ourselves, and there's not enough room to hire another person."

Forix understood and used his accounts to see how much profit they would need to do reasonably well, without getting too much. It was difficult to find a balance, but he tried his best, and Belgruth could see it.

But Forix was being hounded by another thing in his mind. As he was already going the honest track with Belgruth, why not tell him another truth that would hopefully make him feel even better? As Belgruth closed down the shop at the end of the day, Forix approached the large bangaa.

"Belgruth?"

"Yeh?"

"I, um, just wanted to say that...well...I know that that room is private and you don't want me in it,"

"Yeh?" said Belgruth quietly, apparently still upset about that incident.

"But I thought the statues were absolutely incredible. I mean it."

Belgruth looked at Forix long to see signs of insincere flattery, but oddly enough, could find none. He grimaced. "Thanks," he said, flatly.

"Have you sculpted long?"

Belgruth sighed in response.

"Does it bother you that we're talking about this, sir?"

"No, boy, it doesn't. I don't mean to be upset," said the bangaa in a roundabout apology. "But it's just been giving me problems, 's all."

"Why? You sculpt beautifully!"

"Yeh, you would think so, but I just can't do bangaas right, okay? I mean, I can do...uh..."

"Yes?"

Belgruth shook his head. "I can't do bangaas, okay?"

"Can you do anything else? Like Nu Mou?"

Belgruth laughed. "Nu Mou??!! Damn, those are even more ungainly than bangaa! Sorry, haven't tried yet, and I doubt I can make them as beautiful as you find...I mean, as beautiful as...as they think they are."

Forix smiled, as he shamefully agreed with him. "What about humes?"

Belgruth had walked over to the money chests when Forix asked the fated question. He stopped suddenly.

"H-have you tried them?"

There was silence except for an odd gurgling that seemed to come from Belgruth's belly. "Y-yes," he whispered.

"And? You can do them alright, right?"

Belgruth was silent for a minute before he slowly turned to face Forix, a plaintive expression on his face. "Please...I...I can't...I just can't..."

"I'm sorry," said Forix. "I just thought you might be able to sculpt them, because they have simpler feat-"

"No, not that, boy! I mean, I...I CAN sculpt them...I just can't...I mean, I can't..." It sounded like Belgruth was trying to continue a sentence, rather than finish it.

"Can't what?" asked Forix, daring to approach nearer. He really wanted to know what was bothering Belgruth so much.

Belgruth looked down at the hume. "Look, this is really difficult for me. This is somethin' I've been fightin' my whole life. It's...it's really hard..."

Forix suddenly felt a light dawn on him, and ignored the gentle glow that came from below. "Belgruth, talk to me. It's okay, I'm not going to get upset at you." He reached out a hand to touch Belgruth, but was responded with a forceful dismissal by Belgruth's larger foreclaw.

"Stop it...I...ya wouldn't understand...ya just wouldn't, alright?!!"

Forix's expression became dead serious. "Belgruth, I'm going to ask you a serious question now, and I need you to be honest with me."

Belgruth sighed. "What?" he asked flatly.

"How would you react if I told you I need to leave right now and find another job?"

Belgruth's eyes widened. He suddenly grasped Forix's shoulders and yelled, "DON'T!!!"

"Why not?" asked Forix unblinkingly.

Belgruth realized too late the appearance of his response. He quickly let go of the hume, recomposed himself, and said, "Well, uh, we need the business. And yer...uh...yer a good employee. One of the best I've ever had, actually."

"I see," said Forix. "Is that the only reason?" He looked straight into Belgruth's eyes.

Belgruth opened his mouth to say, "Yep," when he found himself looking at the hume's body again. He remembered his first encounter with him. He thought of seeing his majestic, muscular form towering over his bed. He thought of the human statue it had taken him two years to create. He thought of the many nights when he had gently molded the clay in his foreclaws, spreading his pads over it to maintain the smoothness of the chest, encircling the legs to form the correct thickness, and laboring over the friendly, tender countenance that could defy even a bangaa to destroy him in a fit of self-deprecating rage.

"Belgruth," whispered Forix.

Belgruth's snout opened, and a deep, rich, stately voice that was not Belgruth's came out:

"Please do not leave him."

Forix blinked, surprised. "What?"

Belgruth suddenly shook his head. "I mean, ME. I mean, NO! I mean.. I...I mean...I mean..."

Forix smiled at the sudden nervous attitude the bangaa had taken, after days of showing dominance and confident behavior. "It's okay, I won't leave. Please let me stay for more than a week, if I continue to help this shop thrive."

Belgruth breathed deeply, happy that the hume was staying. "Th-thank you. Sorry for actin' so...so...weird." He shuffled his footclaws a bit, feeling very stupid, but also happy.

Forix nodded. "It's okay," he said, "but I do have one request."

"What?"

"Have you done a hume sculpture?"

Belgruth nodded slowly.

"May I see it?"

Belgruth slowly opened the back door, feeling an incredible weight of shame to show him the mess he made only a few nights before. Forix was aghast at seeing the broken, unfinished sculpture.

"I'm sorry," said Belgruth quietly. "I just...I just hated the damn thing. I lost control..."

Forix said nothing, but sighed deeply. It was a shame to waste such beautiful art. He also saw that a couple of other statues were smashed. He was only thankful that the bangaa did not take his rage out on all the statues.

Forix walked quietly towards the back of the room, where a smaller sculpture and a larger one were both covered with a single cloth. "Is this it?" he asked, taking hold of the cloth.

Suddenly Belgruth remembered the previous night and felt a chill of fear. "WAIT, FORIX, DON'T!" But it was too late.

Forix threw off the cloth to see something that set his heart aflame.

An incredibly formed bangaa was standing next to a figure of an aptly strong male hume that seemed to be in the midst of walking towards him. The bangaa had one arm extended, the foreclaw stopping to rest at the back of the hume, and the bangaa statue's head was turned to face the hume.

They were two separate statues, but in this position, it looked exactly like they were getting ready to embrace each other.

Forix looked long at the statues. Belgruth could feel the cold blood in his veins suddenly run hot and heavy. He didn't think the hume would be upset, but the sudden showing of such private feelings in his heart scared him to the bottom of his soul. He shook all over with tension, wishing things weren't so damn silent at this time.

Forix could not take his gaze off the statues. He somehow wished they could come to life and not spend their whole existences in this position, almost ready to be closer, but never actually completing the action. Never getting beyond the first step of friendship. Never to express their honest feelings.

Never to love.

Forix slowly turned to face Belgruth, whose expression was full of tension and fear. Forix could hear his voice go the wrong way and nearly choke as he said, "It's beautiful."

Belgruth nodded quickly. "Th-thank you. Yeah, it's...it's beautiful."

"I mean it, Belgruth."

"I...I know ya do. Sorry for bein' so nervous, I just...I've never been complimented on my stuff before."

Forix looked at Belgruth and then back at the statues. "Do you like sculpting hume figures?"

"Well," said Belgruth, "Yeh, yeh I do. That's the only one I made, but I liked it lots. I might do it again someday."

That was when Forix remembered something. He turned to look at Belgruth.

Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.

Belgruth's composure returned and he breathed normally. He knew he could say it. He knew he could ask it. So why was he still so afraid?

Forix sighed. It was clear that he couldn't and shouldn't force anything on this bangaa who he truly knew to be a friend now. He smiled at him and said, "Well, shall we go get dinner ready?" He passed him and went to the door.

"No."

Forix stopped and turned to face Belgruth. He still had his back to him and had not moved from his position.

"Would...would you mind...?"

Forix smiled. "Not at all," he said as he began to unbutton his shirt.

Belgruth piled more and more clay on the floor and shifted it as he began to mold out the general form, without any particular features. Forix stood on the stone floor in nothing but his loincloth undergarment, patiently allowing Belgruth to model after his position.

"It's okay," said Belgruth. "Ya don't need to be so still at this time. I'm just gettin' the basic form now."

"Sorry," said Forix, glad to relax and breathe for a bit. "I'm obviously not used to this kind of thing."

"No, but ya sure were damn ready fer it!"

Forix laughed loud. "I'm sorry, Belgruth. But I just wanted to help you be yourself."

"Huh? Ya think I'm not myself?" He wet the clay thoroughly with water and began to press it deeply, separating chunks where the hands and feet would be.

"Well it's clear that you have a very tender, artistic side to you, but you just seem to cover that up with a very...gruff exterior."

Belgruth shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe lots of bangaa are like that. I know the tan-coloured ones are usually more 'tender' as ya say, but I just do what I do. It just feels like something inside me's callin' out, ya know?"

"Like that light last night?"

Belgruth shuddered momentarily. "Boy, don't bring that up. That scares me."

"You don't know what it is?"

"No, and I don't care to know. Fer all I know, I've got a Bomb creature in me, and I could blow up any day now. And I wanna live my life, not worry about when I'm dyin'."

Forix nodded in agreement, but was still curious. Belgruth continued to pile and mold bits of clay here and there getting a thick, featureless form of Forix's body. Belgruth stood back and proceeded to say some odd words in a growly voice. Instantly, a clear bubble surrounded the pile of clay, making it look wetter than before.

"There," said Belgruth. "That's one of the few high-level spells bangaas know. It'll keep the clay saturated so it won't dry out. Fer now, put yer clothes on and let's get dinner."

"So soon?" asked Forix. They had only worked for about an hour or so.

"We can't make the statue in one night, boy! What do you think I am, an agile viera? Do these ears stand up?" He lifted his long dangling ears high to mimic those of a viera. Forix almost doubled over in laughter, and Belgruth surprised him by laughing too.

Forix redressed and Belgruth further surprised him by opening the door for him. Forix looked long at Belgruth and smiled at him.

"Young hume," said the bangaa, "Thank you for doing this for me. It's a passion of mine, and I'm glad you're here. You're...you're a real pal."

"You're welcome, Belgruth," said Forix. He reached out a hand and patted the bangaa on his broad back, to which Belgruth did the same for the hume. They smiled at each other again before Forix threw caution to the four winds and threw his arms around Belgruth, hugging him close.

Belgruth was stunned. He did not reciprocate the hug, but looked with confusion down at this young 30-year old hume who was hugging this old, oddly-coloured 83-year old bangaa. However, as the hume continued to hug him, Belgruth thought "What the hell" and put his huge arms around the small hume, hugging him close in return.

The two beings hugged long before finally letting go. Belgruth smiled. "That...that felt nice..."

"Sure did," said Forix. "But that belly of yours...I don't think that's a bomb."

"It feels so warm now, it's gotta be a bomb. Now let's eat before I explode." He strode towards the kitchen area to get dinner ready.

The next few days were somewhat routine, but never boring. Forix and Belgruth learned much about each other, from Forix's enriched upbringing, and Belgruth's lonely war-filled life. Every other night was spent working on Forix's sculpture, and it was in those times and during dinner that the two learned more about each other and grew closer. Every night ended in a warm hug before they went to bed, and Belgruth came to calling Forix "young hume," using only "boy" when calling him to do certain things or even as a teasing remark.

Customers came to see both beings as close friends, and even as co-owners of the shop. Forix always put this remark aside, stating that Belgruth was the true owner of the shop. But for some reason, Belgruth could not confirm this completely to a customer (but neither could he say Forix was a co-owner).

The problems with Belgruth's belly seemed to dissipate over time. Forix finally found time to go out into Rabanastre to browse several magic and medicinal shops, looking for any clues as to what was wrong, but since the problem had faded, Forix had guessed that it was nothing to worry about any longer.

Then, one night, it happened.

Forix undressed again for the session in sculpting. Belgruth had done a marvelous job at forming the legs and feet with utmost care, though he would save more precise sculpting, like the toes, for the final touches. Now he was working on the torso. He took off his coat and hat, leaving his own huge torso exposed, in case any clay got on him. Forix did the best he could in not showing his interest in the bangaa's muscular body.

They conversed as usual while Belgruth worked. "So you really haven't seen many bangaas in your life, eh?"

"No," said Forix. "None are to be seen in Archadia, and I only met a few...last time."

Belgruth couldn't help but snicker as he spread the pads of his foreclaws around the midsection. "Yeh, I know...we must seem a strange race to ya, eh?"

"I've always been interested in studying the bangaa, yes. I was always impressed with their strength and feats of wonder in past wars."

"Ha, ya flatter us, as usual."

"Maybe so, but I've always wondered something..."

"What's that?"

"Where are...I mean, are there any female bangaa?"

Belgruth fumbled with the clay for a bit. "Yeh, yeh there are a few."

"A few?" said Forix, surprised. "But...how...how do you..."

"I'm afraid it's not a good thing," said Belgruth quietly. "Ya see, bangaa women are so rare, that they are more or less used by male bangaa as birth-givers. And they usually give birth to males, so they are very much seen as valued and sacred members of the bangaa race."

Forix shuddered. "But that's horrible! Being used by the men just to procreate?"

"They know it, and they know why they have to do it." said Belgruth. "And the good bangaa make sure that they're okay with it, rather than force them into somethin' bad. If it makes ya feel better, the viera have the same problem, but they have men in low 'vailability."

Forix nodded. "Yes, but...well, is love unheard of among the viera or bangaa, if procreation is so based on survival of the species?"

"What ya talkin' 'bout?" said Belgruth, ignoring the question, and looking at the torso from all sides. "Ya do the same thing, right?"

"Well, not always. I mean, humes do it to express their love, too," Here, Forix checked himself. "And also, well...because it feels good."

Belgruth laughed. "Ya crazy humes..."

"But you didn't answer my question. Is love unheard of?"

Belgruth was silent. He continued to look at the torso.

"Belgruth?"

"Dammit, be quiet, boy. I can't get this torso right. It's not the right thickness." He looked alternately at Forix's body and at the sculpture, but it seemed like he just could not decide. He got up from his stool and approached Forix, looking down at this torso. "Be still, alright, boy?"

Forix was silent and looked straight ahead as the bangaa looked closely at the hume's smooth, nearly flat belly with the slightest hint of muscle carved around it. He noticed the hairs below the navel disappearing into the loincloth. He looked around to note the soft curve of the spine going down into the lower back and parting into the small, with another group of fine soft hairs around that area. Belgruth breathed deeply and Forix shivered as he felt the heated air of the bangaa's breath surround his waist.

Belgruth rose again and looked down at the torso. He was quiet for a minute.

"I've never been in love," he said.

Forix looked at Belgruth questioningly.

"Love is rare among bangaas," said Belgruth, "and it does indeed exist, but usually between those females who care about the male bangaa they are mating with. That's all."

"And you have never found a female like that?"

Belgruth shook his head, his ears waving about lazily. "I never felt like I needed one. Few bangaas do. But..."

"Yes?"

Belgruth sighed and turned his head. "I...I've always wanted it."

Forix looked long at Belgruth, reached out a hand, and placed it on his shoulder. "It's okay, Belgruth. I know it can hurt. I'm sorry that you've-"

"OH STOP IT, BOY!" said Belgruth, pushing the hand away. "Why are ya like this? Why are ya so damn nice??!! Why do you treat this stupid ugly purple bangaa like he's the damn lord of yer life?? WHY???!!"

Forix turned red with anger. He was tired of this. "Because you're NOT, Belgruth! You're not stupid or ugly!! You're BEAUTIFUL! YOU'RE A DAMN BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL CREATURE!!!"

Belgruth grabbed the hume's shoulders with his claws and shook him back and forth "GODDAMMIT, I'M NOT, OKAY??!! You're the hume!! YOU'RE the one's who's beautiful! YOU'RE the one who's good and wonderful!!! YOU'RE THE ONE I LOVE!!!"

Belgruth stopped, his breathing heavy and laborious, his wet, clay-covered foreclaws still on Forix's shoulders and squeezing very tightly. The tip of his snout was about an inch away from Forix's lips. His yellow eyes were full of primal fire, and deep below, his belly rumbled as the silent voice echoed "Now."

Forix looked directly into the yellow eyes, and for the first time, was actually able to see beyond the primal fires of the bangaa tribe, and was able to see a greater warmth, a beautiful light beyond anything he could possibly imagine. He put his own hands around the bangaa's back, looked directly into his eyes and whispered the unblemished truth.

"I love you, too."

Belgruth's eyes widened. He quickly let go of the hume's shoulders. He stepped back a pace or two, suddenly feeling very unbalanced.

Eighty-three years of loneliness, of hiding, and of buried feelings, all washed away in a second.

He looked at the hume and felt all manners of confusing things flow through his mind, which were suddenly interrupted by a stabbing pain in his belly.

"Awwwwwrrrrrrrr!!!!" groaned Belgruth as he doubled over in pain.

Forix ran towards him, suddenly worried that he had given the bangaa a heart attack or something. Belgruth held up a foreclaw. "Don't....keep....away.......I....oooowwwww...." He fell to his side, clutching his belly, which was beginning to glow again with a very bright white light, as bright as the light of Holy itself.

"Belgruth, what's wrong??" Forix now felt very frightened for his friend, as he continued to moan and growl in pain. He looked down and saw with horror that Belgruth's belly was growing, swelling more and more with every heaving breath he took, like a woman in labor.

"Ohhhhhrrrrrr..... oooowwww..." he moaned. Suddenly, he stretched back on the floor. His footclaws splayed out and Forix could hear noises of popping and stretching as the feet began to grow. The stretched and contorted as the toeclaws grew larger and the breadth of the footclaws elongated and quivered with tension. Belgruth scratched his feet rapidly against the stone floor as they continued to expand. Forix's eyes widened as he saw that the legs were also following suit, stretching and thickening the muscular shape. The bones and muscles popped and stretched as they reformed and reconstituted themselves. It wasn't long before Belgruth's lower garments completely ripped off, along with his loincloth, leaving him completely naked.

"Oh gods above!" screamed Belgruth. "What's happening to me??!! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO---RRAAWWRRRRR!!!!!!" His right arm fell stretched out to its side. The purple skin rippled and seemed to almost bubble, as if it was boiling liquid, or as if a group of insects were crawling inside his skin. The bones and muscles of that arm extended and thickened. Belgruth made a fist and pounded the stone floor hard as it, too, grew larger and bigger than ever before. He roared as he pounded the floor a second time, smashing a deep crack in it.

"BELGRUTH!" screamed Forix, feeling extremely frightened now. The light from his belly was growing even brighter than before and almost near blinding. Belgruth's legs were thicker than tree trunks now, and his clenched fist was almost the size of the three-foot high stool. He spread out his foreclaws, showing thick strong digits, each tipped in a long claw that ended in a dull point that made them large, but not fearsome.

Belgruth continued to roar in pain, his voice seeming to deepen more and more. He rolled over and got on his foreclaws and knees, his back stretching and expanding more and more, the muscles inside flexing repeatedly and thickening to unprecedented amounts. He was nearly twice his normal size by this time, and still he grew larger. Tears poured out of his eyes as his brain was flooded with sensations of pain mixed with the pleasure and excitement of his large form being impregnated by an even greater power.

Forix felt guilty for feeling that warmth in his abdomen again at watching this incredible transformation. Part of him said that it would probably be wise to run and call the night watchmen, but another part of him told him to stay put. For some reason, he remembered Belgruth's odd words, "Don't leave him."

Belgruth's back arched and expanded, and two huge unsightly lumps appeared at the shoulder blades. They grew larger and larger with each heavy breath, until with a deafening roar, they burst open, unfolding two gigantic purple bejeweled wings.

His huge tail creaked with more stretching as it, too, thickened and lengthened to three times its width and length, sprouting purple bejeweled flaps all over it.

Belgruth's eyes were shut in utter pain. Inside, his body twisted and turned as every organ inside him tripled in size and density. The silent voice inside him echoed: "I will return you soon...but first...I must be reborn...accept this side of yourself."

Belgruth snapped his eyes open.

They were bright blue.

His snout grew bigger and a bit wider. He opened his jaw to show mighty teeth that grew longer.

His skin stretched with his growing body and grew brighter, and seemed to sparkle a brilliant purple light, almost as brilliant as his wings.

The light from his belly grew even brighter as his chest expanded and grew broader to accompany his back. He gradually stood on his footclaws.

Forix covered his eyes as Belgruth's belly exploded in primal light with one final roar from Belgruth's transformed lips.

Forix kept his eyes covered, unable to see anything with such pure light. But now it seemed to fade. He slowly lowered his hands from his face.

What he saw made him breathe deeply and drop to his knees.

Standing before him was what could veritably be called the King of all bangaa. It was an eight-foot high bangaa, but it looked ten times stronger, and twenty times more beautiful. It's skin was the same rich purple as Belgruth's, only it seemed to sparkle with radiance. It was also covered with markings that seemed similar on other bangaa, but these symbols reminded Forix of the esper cartouches all humes knew well. The bangaa was coated in thick, massive muscle on every part of its body. From its back protruded two giant wings that seemed a cross between draconic and angelic, as they shone with their own brilliant light, but carried the deep purple that seemed common among dragons. And what amazed Forix most of all were the eyes - deep blue eyes that echoed the furthest reaches of the sea and sky, and at the same time, seemed full of the deepest love that one could ever have for another.

Forix was still on his knees before the great creature who looked long at Forix and smiled tenderly. Forix felt himself shake all over, afraid of this completely unknown creature. "Who...who are you?" he asked quietly.

The creature took two large strides over to Forix, who had been kneeling about seven feet away from him, but was now literally at his huge feet. The creature made a motion with his right foreclaw, and Forix was horrified to find himself lifted off the ground so he was staring at the creature face to face.

"Fear not, young hume. I shall not harm you. I promise." The voice was deep, rich, and sent Forix's heart into a deep passionate fire. He suddenly felt a strong desire to embrace this creature and never let go, but he dared not do such a thing.

The creature smiled again at Forix. "I am Foray."

Forix's jaw dropped. "You...you're....??!"

"Yes, the god of the bangaa. Although sadly, I am forgotten. Still, I am not upset or angry with anyone about it. I would prefer anonymity for my actions anyway." His countenance seemed a bit sad, but he continued to smile.

"I...I can't believe it....this is incredible..."

The creature laughed a deep, beautiful laugh. "Yes, it is incredible. To have waited over five thousand years to be reborn. And to be in this beautiful creature's heart. You have done so well in reawakening both me and him."

"Me?" said Forix surprisingly. "And...his heart? I don't understand..."

"Yes," said Foray. "It's your love that spawned me. And it's Belgruth's tenderness that gave life to me. Belgruth may seem callous and brutish on the outside, but he never knew that he always carried me within his body, an embryo of his truest form. Only for both of you to share the perfect union of bangaa and human could have called me back into existence, if even for a short time." He closed his eyes and allowed a single shining tear to fall, but still not breaking the smile.

"I...I'm so honored!" said Forix, bowing as best he could in mid-air. "You are...you are truly the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!"

"Thank you," said Foray. "Your heart is that of a truly noble and endearing hume. I have sensed that Belgruth loves you dearly, and has always wanted that union between hume and bangaa as well. He has just been too afraid to act upon it, and too hateful of himself to allow it."

"I wish I could heal him," said Forix. "I don't like seeing people try to escape themselves."

"You have already healed him, when you confessed your love to him. It shattered all the pain and heartbreak he has felt these long eighty-three years, and returned the love that was originally shared between me and my beloved, a hume female."

Forix was completely abashed by this. "You mean, you...?"

"Yes," said Foray sadly. "She was a beautiful, loving woman. I loved her deeply, and we tried to set an example to all those of how love can cross even the boundaries of race. Few allowed this or even acknowledged it as a good thing. We shared the fruits of each other, and from our love, life was born. It took root, grew, and developed to create more life, which, as time went on, produced the bangaa that you yourself love."

This was too much for Forix. His jaw moved erratically, not knowing how to respond. Foray simply laughed and touched Forix's face with a single claw. "It's alright. You do not need to respond. You have done so much, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have shown Belgruth how powerful and real love is, and how beauty can be found in so many things. Forix Algoral, I love you."

With these words, the mighty bangaa slowly wrapped his gigantic foreclaws around the hume and slowly pulled him into his broad, muscular chest. Forix was overtaken by the stirring scent of the bangaa's body, as well as the lulling rhythm of his enormous heart. He suddenly felt moved to tears, and began to cry into the bangaa's chest, kissing it over and over.

Foray reciprocated with kisses of his own to the hume's head, and he stroked the hume tenderly with his foreclaw. "But we cannot embrace long, my love. My time on this plane is short, and I will not return again, as I have fulfilled my promise to be reborn. But I am ever thankful that you have given life to me, and I have only one request of you to fulfill for me."

"What is it? Tell me, and I will do it," said Forix.

Foray stroked the hume again. "The circle must be completed. I ask you to share your love with Belgruth. Only then will I continue to exist in this plane, within both of you. Only then will my work continue, and only then will love forever be in this world. Promise me."

Foray released the hume slowly, and he floated back in front of Foray's face. "I promise," he said quietly.

Foray smiled broadly. He began to glow with a pure white light. "My love...my happiness...and my heartbeat..."

Suddenly Forix felt scared. "Don't go! Please don't go!"

The light grew even brighter. Forix floated back down to the ground and could barely see the blueness of Foray's eyes gaze back at him tenderly. "I'm not going...I'm always here...Always...."

Forix damned himself for crying, as his vision blurred with tears. He only saw a fuzzy blinding light and heard "...I love you..." before collapsing on the ground.

After Forix finished his bout of crying, he took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes. The light was gone, and the room felt completely empty. He sighed and damned himself for getting so weepy, though he knew deep down that he would never experience or feel anything like that again.

Suddenly, he remembered. "BELGRUTH!" he cried out, and saw that the bangaa was lying, face down, a few feet away from him. He ran to him and knelt by his side.

"Belgruth, wake up! Please be alright! Please!" He managed to turn the bangaa over on his back and shook him violently, praying that he would be alright.

Sure enough, Belgruth made a grunting noise or two and gradually turned his head to set one yellow eye on Forix. He opened the other eye and looked long at him before speaking.

"I...I felt 'im....the god...I felt 'im..." he mumbled.

"You did? Did you know what happened?"

Belgruth shook his head. "All I felt was....this warmth...this sense of undying passion...like he wanted me for his husband or somethin'."

Forix smiled. "Well, he did kind of want...well..."

"What?"

"No, it's nothing. No, I mean, it's not nothing...it's just...well..."

He was stopped by the mere look in Belgruth's yellow eyes. They were full of that same warmth, that same deep love. He could see the sparkle...the brilliance...

"Forix," said Belgruth for the third time in the past few weeks. "did ya mean it? You meant what...what ya said...?"

Forix looked long at Belgruth. "Yes," he said quietly.

Belgruth reached out a foreclaw and gently put it on the side of Forix's bearded face. He slowly pulled down Forix's head so snout and mouth finally connected. Belgruth's snouth parted and Forix gently inserted his tongue to brush against the frontmost teeth of Belgruth's snout and the tip of his long lizard tongue.

It was an awkward kiss, but the meaning was not lost on either of them. It was powerful. It was real. It was love.

They let go of the kiss very slowly and looked at each other again. Forix kissed the tip of his snout gently, then the underside, then the base of his neck, his chest, his belly, his legs, arms, foreclaws, and footclaws. And all the while, Belgruth moaned and lolled his huge head as he felt unbelievably strong feelings take hold of his body. Feelings that he had always dreamed of having. He suddenly reached for the hume and pulled him close, not willing or wanting to let go.

"I...I love you..." he whispered, feeling a heavy weight taken off his shoulders for finally setting the truth free.

"I love you, too," said Forix, who started to shiver with a realization of just how much he had wanted this in life. Both bangaa and hume shook for a while in each other's arms before holding each other even closer and allowing themselves to burst into tears. Belgruth rocked the hume quietly in his muscular arms, only wanting to continue this incredible feeling of love and closeness. Forix continued to kiss and explore the bangaa's marvelous body, eventually coming to massage and kiss the thick reptilian legs. As he did so, he noticed something interesting about Belgruth's midsection. Namely, it was smooth. There was no sign of any genitalia.

"That's interesting," said Forix. "You don't seem to have any...any..."

"Any what? Oh...that," said Belgruth. He smiled and leaned his head back again. "Don't worry. Keep doin' what yer doin' and you'll see soon enough."

Burning with curiosity, Forix gently kissed and massaged the large midsection of the bangaa, relishing the growls and murrs of pleasure that escaped from his snout. He watched with amazement as a small lump began to form right in the middle of the smooth skin. The lump grew larger and more prominent as Forix continued to touch it, until it proceeded to stretch and extend beyond the flat plane of skin. It thickened and lengthened more and more, until it reached its limit: ten inches long, and as thick as Forix's wrist.

Forix breathed deeply, "Wow..."

Belgruth laughed. "Yeah, it's big, ain't it? Ya can touch it if ya like."

Forix tenderly stroked the massive bangaa penis, with utmost reverence. The skin was smooth, like on his own penis, but he could definitely feel the blood coursing within, making it strong and solid. He surmised that bangaa kept their testicles internal, if they indeed produced sperm like hume males did. And as he continued to touch Belgruth's member, the bangaa continued to loll his head and moan.

"Nobody's...ever....ever....oh....yessssssss...." he slurred his 's's together in traditional reptilian fashion, which excited Forix greatly. Forix went back up to Belgruth's face and they shared another deep kiss.

Suddenly, Belgruth seemed to spring to life, his yellow eyes snapping open. "Oh I can't stand it any longer!" He took the hume by both shoulders and they rolled over, so Belgruth was on top of Forix this time. He spread both foreclaws around the perfectly contoured chest. "Please, please let me worship ya!"

Forix was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what?"

Belgruth's eyes were again full of fire. "For so long, I've wanted to touch a hume, to explore 'im, be with 'im, to make love with 'im! I've wanted to explore the hume body to its furthest potential, to worship its grandeur, to love it completely! Now that I know ya love me and that I love ya, please, PLEASE allow me to worship ya!" His voice had taken on a stronger, more confident tone that sounded more himself than anything else.

Forix had never before felt so sexually excited. He splayed out his arms and legs completey and smiled at the bangaa he loved. "Take me. I am yours."

Belgruth's snout opened wide in a huge, broad smile. He thought his heart would burst. He spread his foreclaws all over the hume's body, allowing them to slide and roam wherever his heart desired. He knew that this was like exploring a beautiful statue he created, except this could love him back, and this could touch him in return. He marveled at the shapely legs, the finely tuned shoulders, the pliant feet with their plantigrade shape. He, like Forix, kissed and licked several parts of the young hume's body, loving him thoroughly, treating his body with utmost care and tenderness. The long lizard tongue slid all around the hume body like a soft silk ribbon, making Forix completely wet all over. And it wasn't long before he discovered Forix's own genitals.

At this time, Forix was already erect, and his testicles had increased in size with his arousal. Belgruth looked in awe at the amazing shape and the curious "sacs of life" (as he referred to them) that he stroked and licked tenderly. Forix went wild with pleasure at feeling the long, moist tongue spiral around his penis, and slide all around it.

It was then that he lost it completely. He got up, and embraced Belgruth powerfully, giving him the most passionate, deepest kiss imaginable. Belgruth suddenly placed both foreclaws on the sides of Forix's head and looked deep into his large brown eyes. He growled deeply, suddenly feeling strong animal desires of the most feral bangaa take control of his mind and body. The two kissed each other over and over again, blindly grasping at each other wherever their hands found flesh. Real, solid, beautiful flesh! The two rolled over and over on the stone floor, their bodies getting hotter and hotter with pleasure, and wetter with sweat. The resulting scent sent their desires into only higher passion, rubbing their penises against each other over and over again.

Suddenly, Belgruth quickly grabbed wet clay from the vat and spread it all over Forix, pasting the young hume body with massive quantities of clay. He felt his excitement grow even more at spreading the medium of his art around the man he loved. He wanted to mold this hume for real. He wanted to create him and sculpt him with his own hands. His foreclaws quivered with excitement, his yellow eyes wild with an uncontrollable fire of sexual passion, hidden deep in his heart for 83 years.

Fortunately, Forix felt that same fire in his heart, and taking more clay into his hands, did the same to Belgruth. The bangaa growled and murred in contentment as Forix spread the sweet wet clay over Belgruth's large snout, the thick, warm belly, and the wonderfully contoured footclaws. Their bodies rolled over and over in different positions, so they kissed each other's feet, back, genitals, arms, and any part they made contact with. Their penises repeatedly found each other, grinding against each other deeply, probing each other in many different areas. It wasn't long before they lost track of where they were and how much time had passed. Nothing was real anymore except each other.

Finally, Belgruth released himself from Forix's arms, and growled deeply. The fire in his eyes never burned brighter. He turned around, got on his hands and knees, and raised his huge tail high and to one side, exposing the thin, moist crevice of a tail-hole.

Forix took a deep breath and found himself stunned. "Belgruth?"

"Please, take me...."

"Belgruth, are you sure?" He really didn't want to hurt the bangaa, and he wasn't even sure how such an act could be done with such a different being.

"Forix, listen to me. I love ya. I always have loved ya. Yer the most important thing in my life and I devote myself to ya 'til we're both dead. And the work of Foray must continue. We must become one, and right now, more than ever, I want to feel ya flow deep inside me. Please, Forix. Make the circle complete."

Forix listened to the words of Belgruth and heard the deep, loving voice of Foray echo them. He approached the bangaa slowly, spread his legs, and positioned himself so the tip of his erect penis was right at the tail-hole. It was an awkward position, but they managed to make it work somehow.

"If I hurt you, please let me know, okay?"

"I promise," said Belgruth. "I trust ya...I do..."

"Alright," said Forix. "Here goes..."

He slowly pressed his penis, lengthwise, against Belgruth's hole. Forix saw the mighty bangaa's head rear up and go "Ooohhhhh..." He gently rubbed his penis against the hole, feeling it relax and begin to widen.

"Please, hume...enter me....pleeeassse...."

Forix was sweating up a storm from the previous passionate actions, but managed to insert the tip of his penis into Belgruth's hole. He was surprised to see how easily it entered, when suddenly Belgruth squeezed his sphincter muscles and pulled Forix's penis in completely.

Forix gasped and felt a sudden rush of power surge through him.

Belgruth's yellow eyes widened and the pupils engulfed them completely.

Forix's hips began to slowly pump back and forth into the bangaa's anus, his legs feeling a bit weak at first, but feeling more renewed with every thrust. Belgruth inhaled and exhaled deeply at the extraordinary feeling of being fucked by a hume. A hume he LOVED and who LOVED HIM.

"This is it..." he whispered. "This is it!! THIS IS LIFE!!!"

"This is love..." Forix whispered between heavy moans. It was then that he resolved he would stay with this bangaa for the rest of his life. This act of penetration was an act of commitment. He knew that when he ejaculated, his semen would flow deep within the bangaa's body for the rest of his life. And they would truly be one.

With a shaky hand, Forix let go of one side of the bangaa's belly and reached down to find the pulsing, dripping penis. He could not encircle the whole member in his hand, but he was able to stroke it up and down as best as possible.

Belgruth could not believe it. The hume was pleasuring him in two ways at the same time!! His love for the hume tripled, and tears formed at his eyes upon realizing what a jerk he had been to refuse love for so long from him, or anybody who had been nice to him.

"I...I'm sorry, Forix! I'm sorry for everything stupid I said to ya or done to ya! I was wrong!! I..."

"It's okay, Belgruth!" said Forix, still thrusting deeply. "I love you! I forgive you, and whatever happens between us, just promise me we'll solve it together!"

"Oh gods above!" cried out Belgruth. "Thank ya!!! Thank ya for deliverin' this beautiful hume to my heart!!!" The tears flowed from his eyes freely as the arousal within them continued to grow.

Forix opened his eyes again but was met with a strange vision that fortunately, continued to make his excitement grow.

He saw Belgruth's back and head as usual, but interposed in front of them was another vision, which seemed to be Foray standing before him, smiling broadly. The vision of the huge winged creature's magnificent body caused Forix to pump even stronger than before into Belgruth, and pump Belgruth's thickening penis even more. Forix saw Foray slowly raise one of his foreclaws in front of him and above him. Slowly he began to draw what looked like a large circle. But as he drew it, Forix could feel his own body getting closer and closer to orgasm. He felt that, when the circle was complete....

"Oh Forix!! Forix, I don't know how much longer I can....oh gods!! Forix!!!"

Forix was only vaguely aware of Belgruth's words. He began seeing other visions...the first meeting of Belgruth in the streets of Rabanastre....the half-finished sculpture he first saw in the room....the first tender smile on Belgruth's face....the transforming arm and fist just a few hours ago...the deep loving smile of Foray...the huge powerful footclaws...the shining wings....Belgruth's glowing belly....and through it all, the circle three-quarters complete...

"FORIX!!! MY LOVE!!! I...I'M GONNA...."

Forix's back stretched, and he pulled out of Belgruth's ass momentarily.

Foray's claw finally completed the circle.

Forix suddenly slammed his penis into Belgruth's ass.

The bangaa's eyes widened completely, his jaw dropped open in shock.

And they were one.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"OH GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!"

Forix pumped over and over into Belgruth's ass, feeling white-gold explosions of life pour into him thoroughly, while at the same time, Belgruth's own penis seemed to blow open in a mighty geyser of semen, the pure milk of life pouring from his body like beautiful ribbons of silk. Forix suddenly let go of Belgruth's penis and threw his arms around the bangaa's waist, hugging him from behind and holding on for dear life, as if the slightest tendency to let go would separate them forever. Belgruth roared over and over as the orgasm rocked his body and senses in ways he had never before experienced. Both beings screamed untelligible words and joys to each other that resembled fireworks on a royal wedding night.

Suddenly, Belgruth felt a burning desire to actually see Forix. He turned over, collapsed on his back, his body shaking violently, belly rhythmically swelling and deflating with heavy breaths, still feeling the penultimate effects of orgasm.

"Forix," whispered Belgruth shakily. "...I can't....I..."

"Belgruth, I'm gonna...."

Both beings, completely sexually exhausted, collapsed onto each other and into a dreamless void of unconsciousness.

It felt like a night without stars, or maybe one star that seemed to burn brighter than the rest. Forix soon recognized it as the lamp that illuminated the sculpture room. He moved his eyes around to realize he was resting on the bangaa's thick leathery chest. He sighed with happiness at realizing that the bangaa had one foreclaw on his upper back. Forix reached up to rest his own hand on the Belgruth's upper arm, kissing his chest tenderly.

"Ya know," said Belgruth quietly, his eyes still closed. "I can still feel ya inside me..."

"Really?" Forix lazily asked.

"Yeh...flowing deep...in my veins...part of my blood now, and my life..."

"Belgruth...this is truly amazing....we truly have come together, haven't we?"

"Yeh, fer sure," said Belgruth. "And I want ya to stay with me, fer the rest of my life..."

"Seriously?" asked Forix, happy and excited beyond belief.

"Seriously," said Belgruth. "I've always wanted someone to co-own the shop with."

Forix smiled and embraced Belgruth strongly. "Besides," said Belgruth, "I still have yet to figure out how to sculpt yer damn torso!"

They both laughed out loud and nuzzled close with a gentle kiss. "Yeah," said Forix. "We need to get that done to start on our next project, anyway."

Belgruth cocked his head. "What project?"

The door opened, tinkling the chime as it had always done. The customer was the viera from three months past, who had bought the refurbished bow.

"Ah," said Belgruth happily. "Welcome back! I trust the bow worked well this time?"

"It definitely did," said the viera with a smile. "And as I promised, my fellow clansmen here would like to purchase twenty-five for our travels." She beckoned to a group of other younger viera who bowed and smiled to the two shopkeepers.

"At once," said Forix, readying the bows from the cellar storeroom, where the arms shipments were truly protected.

"Do you think that the principle you applied to them would work with other weapons?" asked one of the younger viera.

"Not sure," said Belgruth. "It might not be a good idea to use too much zexcyll on other weapons, depending on their strength. Hey, Forix!!! Can you come up here for a sec?"

Forix climbed back to the main room. "What do you think?" asked Belgruth "Can we put a knockout capability on other weapons?"

Forix grimaced. "The Deathbringer sword already has that characteristic, because it's loaded with zexcyll within the blade and hilt. But it also decreases the actual strength, and possibly even the evasion rate. It's better for the bow, thanks to the quick hit and piercing capabilities. But we'll experiment a bit and see."

"Thank you so much," said the viera. They all bowed, made their payments and left the shop.

When they were gone, Belgruth went up to Forix, put an arm around his shoulders and looked deep into his warm, brown eyes. He smiled, saying, "Never has a bangaa been so lucky."

Forix embraced Belgruth close, saying, "Never has a hume been so blessed."

The viera left the shop, eager to continue on their hunts, stopping only to admire two things that all customers of the shop praised:

First, the quirky sign, designed by Forix, that stated "Welcome to Bel-ix"

And second, the coupled statues on the pedestal in front, depicting a hume male and a bangaa male, side by side, arms around each other's shoulders, proving to the world that love in its truest form knows no boundaries.

The End

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AFTERWORD: Thank you for reading, and in case you're wondering, yes, I did plan it out so the shop name would be the same as one of the best furs in the whole wide world. I love you with all my heart. :) *huge loving hugs* Send your votes and comments if you'd like!

Furio