Opening the doors, both Kitty and Storm saw that the outside deck was buzzing with activity. The deck was packed with guests. Mostly women, which surprised Kitty, and neither of the two could see any children at all. Rows of tables were occupied by groups of ladies with the occasional man sprinkled in. Others mingled around the various bar stations or leaned against the railing. Maybe fifty more splashed around in the enormous pool at the center of the deck, the water unnaturally crisp and clear, with the BLISS logo prominent at the bottom. Everywhere the pair looked, smiling, shapely members of the staff, women dressed in white skimpy dresses, similar to Holli’s and men in tight polos and Bermuda shorts handed out glasses of champagne on silver trays. Both Storm and Kitty accepted the glasses of bubbly without hesitation from a pretty, deeply tanned girl whose dress showcased plenty of her smooth, youthful flesh and daring curves.
“Like, hi!” their server gushed, “My name’s, like, Gigi. Let me know if you need anything. I am here to serve!”
“Thank you, but I think we’re OK for now,” Ororo said to the excited blonde, eyeing the girl up and down. The crew on this ship were certainly enthusiastic.
“I’m happy to hear that. If you want, I can show you an open spot so you can, like, see the ship off,” Gigi giggled, “It’s, like, so much fun!”
“That won’t be necessary,” Kitty added, beginning to feel overwhelmed by all of the artificially-enhanced women they were encountering.
Storm and Kitty found themselves an open space on the railing and looked down on New York harbor. There was another chime and the same syrupy voice from before sounded over the ship’s speaker system, “Hello again, you lucky people you! The captain has informed me that the engines are warming up and within minutes we’ll be leaving on our blissful sea voyage! It’s all so exciting! Now, I hope each and every one of you enjoys the complimentary glass of champagne. If you already drank it… well talk to your server, and sweet talk them into giving you an extra!" Kitty could practically hear the wink in the woman’s tone. “I’m sure they will if you ask nicely!” the woman stopped and giggled again. Composing herself, she finished up with a final pair of instructions, “The captain will blow the ship’s horn and that will signal a group toast, so be sure to cheers with your fellow guests around you! And from your friends at BLISS Pleasure Cruises, we wish you the very best of times! Have fun!”
The prospect that the cruise was about to begin erased all hesitation Storm and Kitty had felt about the fat man, his girls and even of the shapely BLISS girl that had handed them their champagne. THe pair couldn’t help themselves, beaming at each other even as they continued to look down upon the masses below, their fellow shipmates and the immense ship. They felt a building excitement at the prospect of their sea voyage. Everything seemed wonderful, and the pair existed only in the present wonder of the BLISS cruise, and in the eager anticipation of what was to come.
It was then that the powerful horn sounded and there was a happy cry that rose up from all of the guests on board the main deck. The two women were caught up in the exuberant attitudes of their fellow guests and clinked glasses to toast their cruise. They then took tentative swigs from the champagne flutes, and like Pepper before, felt a pleasant tingle spread throughout them thanks to the delicious liquid.
It didn’t take long for the other guests around them to begin toasting both Ororo and Kitty, and the pair responded happily to their fellow shipmates. The sound of glasses clinking was drowned out by pleasant conversation. Everyone was especially excited when it was revealed that Storm had won a prize and had invited Kitty as her guest. The African mutant was so caught up in the conversation, that she never realized that her champagne glass was empty. A pretty young twenty-something that they had been speaking with peeled her tall, slender model-like frame away from her husband who appeared to be in his fifties and called over to Gigi to come with a full bottle of champagne.
Kitty looked over to where the young, aristocratic woman was calling over and saw the female staff member that had handed her and Ororo their champagne just minutes before. Kitty remembered the vacant eyes and the too-happy tone of voice coming from the clearly augmented woman and wondered briefly if the platinum blonde, heavily-tanned girl could manage the simple task of pouring a bottle of champagne without spilling it?
What she saw, however, shocked Kitty. She caught a glimpse of Gigi and a short, yet somehow equally curvaceous Asian staff member. Kitty watched as Gigi’s hand started on the girl’s thighs, and slowly moved slowly upwards. Gigi lifted her friend’s brief, practically transparent dress and rubbed the girl’s sex through the fabric of her exposed bikini bottom. The gorgeous Asian girl threw her head back and appeared to let out a moaning exhale, before Gigi ran a finger under her chin to turn her head so they were both staring hotly at one another. Their pretty faces slowly moved towards one another until both BLISS staff members’ lips met in a long, passionate kiss.
“Gigi! More champagne!” the model-like woman called again, and the heavily tanned, platinum blonde was shaken from her kiss. She grabbed a new bottle and minced her way over to where Storm, Kitty and their little group were all conversing.
Kitty flinched away from what had felt like an uncomfortably voyeuristic moment, wondering if anyone had caught her staring. It wasn’t that she was homophobic, and she didn’t think she was a prude, but the sight of the staff member doing that sort of thing in public and on duty, combined with all of the other oddities she’d noticed earlier gave her pause as to what was going on aboard this ship.
“More champagne?” Gigi asked, a bright smile on her face.
Technically, only the first glass was free, but Kitty wasn’t going to pass up on her offer.
“Sure,” Kitty answered, but sounded a little uneasy. It was something in the girl’s eyes. They were so vacant, and yet, somehow so cheerful. The brunette mutant then added, “Th...thank you.”
“I am here to serve!” Gigi chirped, before moving on to pour more of the delicious liquid.
Kitty looked over to Ororo, who seemed completely oblivious to what had just happened. She brought the glass to her lips and took a drink. The familiar tingle spread throughout her body and for a moment, she became light-headed, as if the tingly bubble had spread up from her mouth and into her brain. Letting out a giggle at the thought, Kitty closed her eyes for a moment, to both savour her drink and to attempt to clear her head.
“And you are our dear prize winner’s friend!” came a deep, but pleasantly soft voice, and Kitty opened her eyes. She saw that the tall woman that had called Gigi over had attached herself once more to the handsome older man. The two of them, along with Ororo and a few others were looking at her.
“Oh, um, yes,” Kitty managed, flashing a happy smile, “I’m lucky to have a friend like Ororo!”
“That you are, my dear,” the man smiled. He had a healthy tan and a lean figure, which was obvious in his lightweight linen long sleeve button-down shirt. His business-like hair had flecks of gray in it, but despite his obvious age, he seemed to have a youthful energy about him, “My name is Robert and and this is my wife, Patricia. This is our third cruise with BLISS. I just know you’re going to love it!”
“Isn’t that wonderful, Kitten?” Ororo asked, a carefree smile on her face.
Kitty’s response was to smile brightly up at her friend. The champagne was making her light-headed.
“Don’t worry about this round, girls,” Patricia addressed the two mutant women. The other half of the couple wore a white sundress and wide-brimmed summer hat, both of which complimented her raven hair, olive skin tone, and her tall, graceful frame. Still, from her designer sunglasses, to the diamond tennis bracelet and dangling diamond earrings that gently brushed the side of her face as she spoke, it was clear that she wanted for nothing. To both Kitty and Ororo, it was a welcome surprise to see a woman blessed with natural beauty, as opposed to the artificially-enhanced women that made up much of the ship’s staff and even some of the guests as they had just witnessed. Even her makeup was muted and only complimented her naturally pretty face. Despite all of her expensive baubles, the woman was friendly and gracious as ever to the two strangers, “This one’s on Robert. Trust me. He can certainly afford it.”
As she said this, Patricia lowered her Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses and gave the pair a wink. Both Kitty and Storm looked over to Robert, who smiled sheepishly at his proud wife’s boast and shrugged his shoulders.
Kitty and Ororo looked at one another and laughed. Their frivolity was interrupted for a moment by the sensation of the large cruise ship beginning to slowly move away from the New York City harbor dock. A loud cry of excitement went up from the passengers on the main deck and Robert once more held out his champagne flute to the three women.
“To Storm and Kitty on their first BLISS voyage!” he grinned.
“Hear, here!” Patricia exclaimed.
Maybe it was just the champagne, but neither Ororo or Kitty had anything to say to the welcoming couple. So with their heads tilted in respectful nods, the pair of superheroines clinked glasses, and drank deeply of the fizzing, slightly pink-tinged liquid that had been provided for them.
Overhead, the great horn of the the BLISS Pleasure Cruise resounded through all twenty decks as the only ship for miles continued along its inexorable course.