The Family gets together and traditions shared

You were walking down the ramp of a copy of the Guardians of the Galaxy’s ship the Milano that your dad had lying around. Mariner, Tendi, Boimler, and Jessica were walking to your right while Laura, Shampoo, Katara, the Gwens, and Kyoka were on your left. Alex, your dad, and your mom were directly behind you for now. Hera, Sabine, and most of the rest had decided to stay onboard the IGS Sweet Flower and take care of the Winged Heart and to help with cleanup from the battle. Oddly, instead of Pixel walking beside you or on your shoulder, she was in your arms looking at the round object Jessica was carrying.

Just as everyone was about to reach the end of the ramp, Jessica looked down at the large dark and light green egg in confusion. “What kind of egg is this? And why am I carrying it?”

“Don’t you remember?” You asked. “After the introductions to my side of the family, they gave you all sorts of gifts–”

“I couldn’t forget that!” Jessica whined defensively. “But then after that…”

“With that crystal, you can pop by Gardner Castle whenever you want and from there visit any of the places connected to the hallway of doors. Mostly some of the other properties and IGS facilities,” Charles said as he placed a blue (and slightly glowing) crystal on a necklace around Jessica’s neck.

“And the Sarasaland Castle,” Poppy reminded him from her living chair made from a carefully grown tree.

“I was counting that one as other properties,” Charles rolled his eyes. He thought for a second before continuing with Jessica, “And eventually also connecting to your father’s new house once it's finished.”

“What happened to his old one?” Jessica asked, looking at you with a bit of worry.

“A rage monster broke it,” you commented while checking over the gift pile that your siblings and aunties and mommas have made in the ballroom sized room. “Well technically it was Starfire’s sister first and then the two rage monsters finished it off.”

Seeing a robot building kit you look for the hostile AI development risk. Seeing the high safety sticker, you put it in the approved pile next to the kid-safe NerveGear and stack of video games. Mariner had been letting you handle the gifts, figuring Jessica could handle anything your family could give her. You had been pleasantly surprised at the restraint and choices your family had made; so far you only really had to reject a few plant seeds and clippings whose danger ratings were a bit too high for someone of Jessica’s age, she likely doesn’t have need for a cowplant or whomping willow. You had also removed some games and books that might cause some questions about Prime World you weren’t ready for.

“Mama told me about her friend Starfire! Is it true she actually drinks mustard and she has four stomachs?” Laughter filled the room. You snorted as your family started a mess of inside jokes and recalling things with Starfire.

“She has nine stomachs and she absolutely loves mustard. Despite what some people say,” you lightly glare at Samantha (daughter of Auntie Midna) who gave you a mocking gesture with her head, “she’s not aggressive about it and eagerly shares.” Jessica frowns a little.

“I wasn’t worried about her not sharing?” She said a little confused but shrugged it off. “Am I going to meet her? I know mama was with you and Miss Starfire during the time travel thing so I know she’s on Risa.”

“Definitely,” Mariner said confidently. She was nestled between Auntie Bowsette and Poppy at a nearby table, having been sharing war stories and only ‘slightly’ exaggerated adventures until then. “She’s probably already helping with clean up or Search and Rescue.”

“We’ll see her along with a bunch of my friends once we’re cleared to send shuttles over,” you turn to your dad. “Which would be…when?”

“That’s for StarFleet to decide but I’m sure it’ll be soon.” Your dad looked over at the gift pile. “Well um, Kiddo? It looks like only ah few of the gifts are left. Why don’t you hurry up and then we can begin Selection.” Jessica was one foot to the pile when she paused.

“Selection?” She questioned, scratching her head. “What’s that?”

“It's where you take your pick of a partner,” you explain, dusting your hands off as you get up.

“What do you mean by partner?!” Mariner got up with balled fists and a stiff stance.

“Like Pixel and Glembor, Starfire’s umbreon,” you clarify. “You know how there are those fantasy stories with magic and stuff?” Mariner and Jessica nodded.

“I loved Perci Jackson.”

“I meant something a bit more fantasy but anyways, there is the idea of a familiar, a creature that would be your closest friend, a protector, someone who could be with you for the rest of your life though not necessarily,” you explain as Pixel teleported to your shoulder and gave your face a hug.

“Kirlia!”

“Hey! You’re covering my eyes!” You flayed a little as Pixel just held on tighter. That cracked the tension as Jessica giggled and triggered an avalanche throughout the room as your family cracked up. Mariner smirked and relaxed, putting a hand on Jessica’s head. You eventually got Pixel to let go but only after falling over a couch.

“Anyways, you will go into a room full of options and pick out the one that feels like you and done,” you shakily explain, standing up once again. “There is literally no wrong answer.”

“And if they’re a bad match? And what if Jessica doesn’t want a partner?” This time it was your mom who decided to answer Mariner.

“Well it's completely optional if she doesn’t want to and if they don’t become friends then neither Jessica nor her partner will HAVE to stay together and—”

“I wanna try it!” Jessica declared with a positively glowing expression, her hands pumped. “Nothing bad about having more friends!”

“Exactly how sapient are these partners?” Mariner suddenly asked. “Considering Pixel.”

“They are either slightly more intelligent animals or symbiotic species who need a friend/partner to grow,” Mama Midna answered. Mariner nodded slowly.

“Can we go now?” Jessica asked, hopping in place.

“Why don’t you finish your gifts? Your father’s uncle Walt will be upset you didn’t open his gift,” you dad suggested pointing to the remaining gifts once again. Jessica ended up confused about a trusty “13” canteen and gave the Giddyup Buttercup toy a gleeful look.

“Then you went to the selection room, ignored the duel monsters cards, bakugan, and digimon, along with a bunch of other options and went to the pokemon eggs,” you wrap up as Jessica looks down at her egg again.

“But that still doesn’t explain what type of egg it is? What’s a pokemon?”

“Your egg looks like it might be a grass type egg, I’m not a pokemon breeder but Pixel is a Kirlia, type of pokemon,” you then explain some more about pokemon before your group finally reached the end of the ramp. The ship had landed right outside of the villa you had been staying at previously. It had taken some doing to convince the traffic controllers and government officials to let the ship land there but your dad eventually won them over.

From the villa’s entrance, a certain group walked out to meet you. At the front there was one with short pink hair and another with long glowing red hair. You smile at your wives standing there in good health.