Page 77 of Trove’s Purpose

“Wow,” she remarked, staring at the glass again. And she suddenly didn’t really care how this drink was made. Bees puked up honey, right? And cheese was just moldy milk. What did it really matter when the result was this good?

“You like it, huh?” Trove laughed, pouring the drink he had been mixing into another cup. The resulting liquid was a swirling color combination of purple and orange that never mixed together but also didn’t separate into two distinct layers. They just continued swirling together. “Sway, your drink is ready!”

Chee took another sip of hers as the farasie male came to get his order. It somehow tasted even better the second time, now that she was no longer braced for something awful.

“A Holotulle special, huh?” She asked, giving him a look.

“Every individual ingredient and technique used to make that drink all comes from a different species and planet,” he said, grabbing a bottle and pouring a cup for himself. “It could only be made because of a place like Holotulle.”

“It’s incredible,” she said, referring not just to the drink itself, but everything that must have gone into making it.

“I certainly think so,” he said, raising his drink to his lips.

“Wait!” She reached out, touching his arm and stopping him. He looked at her, watching as she raised her glass to his and clinked it together.

“What’s that for?”

“It’s an Earth thing. We toast when we drink together,” she smiled.

“Toast?”

“Yes. It’s like a well-wish. A salute. Sometimes, we dedicate them. Like, here’s to your good health,” she raised her glass and took a sip.

“Ah,” understanding dawned. “Here is to you,” he raised his glass to her and took a sip. “And here’s to your joy.” He did it again as she giggled. “And here’s to your safety.” Again.

“Trove,” she felt her cheeks heating.

“And here’s to your pleasure.”

“Okay, I get it,” she laughed, grabbing his hand before he could drink again. “You don’t have to toast that many times.

“Ah,” he pouted playfully. “That was the most important one.”

She shook her head, still smiling, “There are many more important things.”

“Such as?”

She thought for a moment, but there were already a dozen answers floating through her head. “Love. Trust. Faithfulness. Loyalty. Dedication. Safety.”

“All of that, but not pleasure?” He cocked his head back. “I don’t think you’re giving enough weight to how important pleasure is. Is there any greater purpose in life than seeking pleasure?”

“I think probably a lot,” Chee shook her head, still smiling. “Finding purpose in pleasure is just…”

“Honest?”

“I was going to say hedonistic.”

“Truthful,” he said, grabbing the green bottle of golden cider and refilling her glass. “Pleasure is the only purpose people live for.”

Chee made a face.

He chuckled. “You don’t agree?”

“It shouldn’t, but that kind of thinking seems… yucky.”

“Yucky?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Yucky. There’s more to life than pleasure, you know.”