Note: read “Sea and Sky”, “An Actually Nice Day At The Park” and “That’s The Sound Of The Beast” first. Spoilers for the Alien Invasion and Primal Earth Sagas.
Shortly after the Alien Invasion, and Earth’s induction into the Intergalactic Federation, immigrants from other planets began moving to Earth.
Many of these alien immigrants were easy to accommodate.
But one of those alien races now living on Earth require certain conditions to survive.
The Hydroxians, a fishlike race who must frequently immerse themselves in water. Whether it is saltwater or freshwater doesn’t matter. As long as it’s clean water.
Water purity is one of the most important matters to Hydroxians, and they have provided Earth with the same water purification technology used on Hydrox.
Earth’s oceans are gradually being purified after years of contamination.
For the Hydroxians, many new water features have been built, and many cities around the world have built entire new neighborhoods for the Hydroxians.
With the tech and magic now available, such a feat was trivial.
In the city many still, not entirely jokingly, call Korkeaopolis, there is a neighborhood now dubbed Little Hydrox.
Canals run through the entire neighborhood, and occasionally, a Hydroxian jumps in for a swim.
“Hold on, guys! I need to get some dip!”
Swimming is a vital part of Hydroxian culture, being a primary method of transportation for them, and a way to stay alive.
Other Hydroxians happily frolic, play, and relax in fountains and pools.
Some of the Hydroxians have fluffies with them.
But these are rather unusual fluffies.
Instead of having hooves, they have flippers, much like a seal’s. Their tails look like dolphin tails.
And they have gills.
Yes, Valerie finally succeeded in replicating Splash’s power to breathe underwater.
By using Splash’s DNA, as well as DNA from various aquatic or amphibious lifeforms, including Hydroxian DNA, she succeeded in engineering fluffies that can survive on dry land and underwater. And, like Hydroxians, they can live in both saltwater and freshwater.
The new aquafluffies were rolled out once every last kink had been worked out.
The Hydroxians immediately fell in love with the aquafluffies. Even back home on Hydrox, they’re becoming popular.
Fluffies, uh, find a way.
Gyll, a Land Hydroxian, tall and dark-scaled, enters his house, holding a carrier.
While his family initially lived in New Quezon City, they decided to move, as Gyll has gotten a new job.
Alpha didn’t hold it against them, and told Gyll’s family that they’re always welcome to visit.
A Land Hydroxian house is comprised of round rooms. There’s baths in every room, including the bedrooms.
Where do you think they sleep?
The place is decorated with shells, and where there would usually be flowerpots, there are instead pots of coral.
Gyll’s children are sitting in the living room bath, watching a large TV mounted on the wall.
Gyll has three children. Fynn and Webb, his two sons, and Skyl, his daughter, the youngest child.
Like humans, they usually only give birth to one child at a time. The only difference is the egg the child comes out of.
All of the electronics in the house are thoroughly waterproofed, by the way.
So don’t worry about that.
Gyll can smell that his wife Turo is in the kitchen, cooking dinner.
Mmm, smells like sea bass.
Gyll calls to his children.
“Hey, kids! Daddy’s got a surprise for you!”
The three young Hydroxians turn to their father, and see what he’s holding.
They immediately climb out of the bath and run over.
“You got one, Dad!”
“Finally!”
“I’m gonna love him and hug him and hold him…”
Gyll chuckles as he lowers the carrier to the floor and opens it.
Turo hears the commotion and walks in, and she smiles when she sees what’s going on.
“Took Val long enough, Gyll.”
Gyll chuckles.
“Tell me about it, Turo. I’ve been waiting just as long as you have, kids. Come on, we’re here, you can come out now.”
The aquafluffy Gyll just brought home clambers out of the carrier and looks around.
He’s a unicorn stallion, with dark green fluff, matching Gyll’s family’s scales, and a turquoise mane and tail. His eyes are ocean blue.
“Dis am da bestest homesie!”
Gyll’s children kneel down and introduce themselves.
“Hi there! I’m Fynn!”
“I’m Webb! I’m so happy you’re here!”
“I’m Skyl, and I hope we’ll be good friends!”
They turn to their father.
“Does he have a name yet, Dad?”
Gyll shakes his head.
“Not yet. I thought of a good one on the way home, but I wanted to know what you guys think before I made it official.”
“So what’s the name, Dad?”
Gyll tells them.
They all approve.
So does the aquafluffy, but of course, fluffies will accept any name that isn’t rude.
Gyll’s family all smile down at at the aquafluffy, and Gyll himself gives the aquafluffy his new name.
“Welcome to the family, Neptune.”
The next day, at the Dr. Pierre Faucheuse’s School for Gifted Individuals, Gyll meets with Calvin Korkea in the latter’s office.
“So how’s Neptune settling in, Gyll?”
Gyll nods happily.
“He’s doing great, Cal. All settled in. He loves his new saferoom.”
Calvin cracks a grin.
“I think this is the first time there’s been a bath in a saferoom, Gyll.”
“And he loves the new waterproof toys, that was a clever idea on Val’s part.”
“Yeah, she plans for everything.”
Calvin’s grin turns into a warm smile.
“I’m looking forward to working with you, Gyll. Val’s working on an aquadynamic battle suit, just for you.”
“Thank you, Cal. How are things going, by the way? I know you’ve been taking time off.”
“It’s good, me and John just took down an asshole who was force-feeding his fluffy laxative and then beating the poor thing for crapping on the rug. Shameful. But we got little Bruce out of there, and he’s in a regen vat at the Foundation–”
Calvin is interrupted by Afroman’s Because I Got High.
“Oop, sorry Gyll. I need to take this.”
“I can wait.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
Calvin answers the phone.
“Yo, Lou. What’s-- hold on, slow down, man. Oh.”
Calvin is so shocked he almost drops his phone.
“It’s got the rock? Fuck. Bring Yoshi to the School immediately. Bring your brother, too. Huh? Okay, yeah, I get that, Yoshi must be shaken up after that, I get why you didn’t call sooner. Calm him down, and then bring him. Okay? Okay. See you soon, Lou.”
Calvin hangs up and turns back to Gyll.
He sighs.
“Looks like we’ve got a situation. Do you have any experience with dinosaurs, Gyll?”