Two days had passed.
Kevin stood at the front door of his new house, kissing Holli softly on the lips as she prepared to leave early for the Ink & Paint Club.
"Fix things up quickly," he murmured against her mouth. "I'll see you later."
Holli smiled, her hand lingering on his chest. "Don't work too hard today, sailor."
She walked toward he car while Kevin headed to the backyard. The five young Martian cows were grazing peacefully on the grass, their bright red hides catching the morning light. The jellyfish tanks were nearby, the adult jellyfish pulsing gently in the water.
He fed the cows fresh wheat he had bought the day before, then moved to the jellyfish tanks. The Abyssal Chicken Eggs were still incubating and hadn't hatched yet.
After feeding, Kevin turned his attention to harvesting jelly. A small, custom-ordered machine had arrived yesterday. A compact version of the jellyfish jelly extractor from SpongeBob's world. It was a sleek, transparent device with a gentle suction chamber and collection jars.
He picked up a soft fishnet, carefully scooped one of the adult jellyfish out of the tank, and placed it into the machine's chamber. The device hummed softly, applying gentle pressure to the bell without harming the creature. A moment later, smooth, strawberry-scented pink jelly began flowing into the glass jar below.
Kevin removed the full jar, picked up a spoon, and tasted a small amount.
His eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit… this is incredible."
The flavor was perfectly sweet with a light, fresh strawberry note and a subtle floral aftertaste. It was far better than he had expected.
"Hey Mr. Harlan!" called a familiar voice from the fence.
Kevin looked over and saw three small heads peeking over the backyard fence.
"Hi!" added a small orange fish.
A pink rabbit girl with a yellow dress waved excitedly. "We saw you feeding the jellyfish! They're so pretty!"
Kevin blinked, then smiled as he recognized them, Gumball, Darwin, and Anais Watterson, his new neighbors.
He walked over to the fence. "What's up, guys?"
"We were just curious about what kind of cows those are," Anais asked, pointing at the bright red Martian cows.
Kevin chuckled. "They're Martian cows. They produce red milk. I'm still figuring out how to take care of them properly."
The kids' eyes widened with excitement, and they chatted animatedly for a few minutes, asking questions about the jellyfish, and the cows, before their mother called them inside for breakfast.
Kevin waved goodbye and returned to the house, shaking his head with a small smile. He had been shocked when he first realized the Wattersons were his neighbors. That was why Gaylord Robinson had looked so familiar, the whole family lived right next door.
He took a quick shower, changed into clean clothes, and prepared for his appointment with the Nexus Collective. A car was scheduled to pick him up at 9:00 AM. The main headquarters was located in Aetheron City, the gleaming capital of the federation. It was the central hub where most space fleets were based, advanced technology was developed, and alien artifacts from past conflicts were displayed. BnL dominated the stores there, and it was the place where major decisions affecting both humans and toons were made.
At exactly 9:00 AM, the doorbell rang.
Kevin opened the door to find a hulking, African-American muscular figure wearing sunglasses. His deep, slightly menacing voice rumbled, "Good morning, Sir Harlan. I'm Cobra Bubbles. I'm here to take you to Aetheron City."
Kevin nodded and glanced at the vehicle parked outside. It was a luxurious zero-gravity car, sleek and black with tinted windows.
He climbed into the back seat. The interior was incredibly spacious and comfortable. Cobra Bubbles got into the driver's seat and started the car. The vehicle lifted smoothly into the air and accelerated with almost no sensation of movement, the scenery outside simply blurred past.
Kevin was amazed by how fast and smooth the ride was. He leaned forward slightly and asked, "How long do you think before we get there?"
"Thirty minutes," Cobra Bubbles replied in his deep voice.
"That fast?" Kevin was genuinely shocked. According to his research, Aetheron City was very far away.
Cobra Bubbles gave a small nod. "Zero-gravity travel makes distance less relevant."
Kevin leaned back in his seat, watching the landscape blur by.