Kihara Noukan

"Man this was tiring. Who knew Academy City had so much paperwork." It was a bit past the afternoon and Touya Kamijou had finally at long last finished reviewing and signing some papers associated with the deal he made with Academy City. Quite a bit to, having had to review at least over a dozen pages, then make certain none would screw him or his company. Last thing he needed was missing a page that said all assets of the company would belong to Academy City with him and his fellow workers being left jobless.

'While I do want to trust the city, even I know this place has some less than good people working in the background.' Not just him, but many people outside the city had suspicion over Academy City and any 'deals' they made outside of it. That wasn't to say the average people mistrusted the city, just that they tried being careful when involving themselves with Academy city. Going double for businessmen like Touya.

The elder father and many of his friends hearing on the news that sometimes Academy City made deals that really only benefitted them, yet weren't blamed as the people who signed the contracts did it willingly. Only a few places ended up with good deals like Touya that didn't screw them over.

Even then the man made certain to be careful when reviewing the contracts and papers. Word having that there are many shady individuals in the city that made dubious deals, and while it was just a rumor, Touya knew there wasn't such a thing as being to careful. Having made certain no strange things were in the paperwork.

And would you believe it, he found a few things that shouldn't belong there. Like how the city would own 35% percent of their stocks, and that they would be employees of the city. Hah, well not them.

'I better talk to the man who gave this to me. See if I can set things straight.' Touya thought slightly vindictive, not liking how some people were trying to take over his workplace just like that. Thought they could fool him just because he was a representative. As if!

"But maybe tomorrow." He'll deal with this stuff later, instead deciding to spend the rest of the day outside and having some nice winds blowing against him. He's been in this room for way to long, best to have a walk now and then. Good for the body and mind.

"Oh right." Touya then said recalling something. "She should also be coming as well." With those words said and done, Touya soon got dressed for the appropriate weather. Some tanned shorts that went a bit passed his knees and a simple buttoned up blue shirt. Nothing special really, but then again,it wasn't as if this was a special day. Just a regular day taking a walk with a friend.

"Now then, time to have some fun."

It was a weekend, so many students were out and about enjoying their day from talking to simple arcade games. Of course in the city of science where education is of most importance, there are some students who use this time to study themselves up further. Or in other cases, make up work that they failed to accomplish. In a certain high school three students were a testament to that trying to make up their work siple because they are dumb or haven't done their work properly.

"Ah, this is good ice cream."

"I know, that's why I grabbed some."

Not that it mattered or concerned Touya and his friend Sara, who were walking a bit with some delicious ice cream. A nice refreshing treat to cool them down as the sun was high and raising the temperature in the city be a few degrees. If one looked closely, they would see many other students wearing loose clothing and cold treats from drinks to ice cream to help them.

Though there are a few interesting people who instead drank something warm, like a certain scientist with many little students. Students that were now shouting at her as she for some reason taking off her collared shirt embarrassing them as she revealed certain assets.

"Huh, what's going on over there?" Touya asked noticing some shouting from a bunch of kids.

"Eh, probably nothing." Sara said licking the ice cream. It was a new type of frozen dairy that supposedly didn't melt at all in the hot sun. A new product made by what rumors call a creepy guy who had a wicked smile and talked to himself like a weirdo. On the plus side, the mascot was some cute girl that for some reason Touya found eerily familiar. Weird.

"Okay, so, what do you want to do after this?" He then asked his esper friend. Who was getting a lot of stares as she wore a bright white dress that was a bit shallow as if someone looked closely, they could see the outline of her undergarments.

Touya also got an equal amount of stares, but with rage instead of longing. Then again it wouldn't be good if he got that type of look either.

"Hm, no idea." Sara revealed having no knowledge on what to do after this walk. The girl having planned for some ice cream but nothing else. "Maybe visit the arcade or go to the pool."

"The pool huh, does sound nice." Getting to swim in nice cool water, floating like a log. Plus, if he was being honest with himself, see some nice woman. 'Shame the majority of said women are actually just girls.' Touya mentally thought sadly. In this city, the population was really just teenage girls or younger, with only a small amount being fully grown woman. Touya is many things, but some pediphile he isn't. As if some teenage girls body would turn him on.

"Ouch!" From nowhere Sara just elbowed him on is side.

"Tch!" She simply said for no reason, Touya unaware that her 'instincts' as a girl told her Touya was thinking something stupid. On another part of Japan, another woman was thinking of calling her husband for a much needed talk once she finished her yoga classes.

A woman's intuition should never be underestimated.

"Okay…" Touya said slowly, not sure why but feeling he should be careful what he says, as if he were on fragile ground. "How about the arcade?"

"Why not the pool?" She then asked glaring a little.

"I got no trunks and I feel like it would be a waste going there." Sara then looked away appearing a bit annoyed by his response, confusing the man as he recognized such a look. It was when he said something that for some reason upset his wife. Realizing he was on troubling ground, Touya tried thinking of a way to lift up the situation.

"How about the library instead. It's cool and quiet where we won't even have to talk to each other." With a grunt and a swift turn of her head Sara moved ahead from him in silence in muted anger. It would seem that was the wrong thing to say.

The sun was at its highest, and Touya is looking a bit red. Being in the sun for too long would do that to a person. The poor man having been sitting on a bench near a river under a bridge for a while, wondering what exactly he said wrong.

"Woman...will I ever understand them." It was starting to become clear where a certain spikey headed boy gets his dense feelings from.

As he just watched the river, Touya was unsure what to do at the moment. He pondered if he should just leave, but he had a feeling Sara would be upset for some reason. All his years with his wife had developed such feelings when dealing with a woman, or in this case, a girl near adulthood.

Is there any difference?

"Oh boy, this is really troublesome." Touya said out loud feeling a bit dry. He reached for a water bottle without cooking, not finding it for a bit until soon he felt it, yet had some metal on it for some reason, the shape he felt kinda like a hand. Then, unintentionally, he said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome sir." Touya then drank it without a care at all.

Pshhh!

Then promptly spit it out as he turned to see just who spoke to him. Finding it to be...a dog!?

Pshhh!

Once again he spit out whatever remained in his mouth. Though it was mostly just spit since he already spit out his water earlier. Not that it mattered as he was surprised that a dog of all things was talking to him!

"Please, do not be disturbed." The animal said where...a freaking cigarette was in his mouth! Touya concluded it is some kind of golden retriever, yet vastly different as most dogs didn't have some kind of arithmetic circuits externally attached to it. Wearing a collar and some backpack with robotic arms built into it.

'Yeah...Academy City is pretty weird." Touya thought. The city might be a place of science, but it apparently had its own strange oddities and attractions here and there. Touya once watching a video on a trip where some praying mantis robot was cutting a tree. Why would Academy City even build a giant robot mantis in the first place!? Likely some scientists had preferences in creating animal machines for one reason or another.

Was this dog one of Academy City's inventions, a robot?

"I can assure you kind sir, that I am a full on living dog. Just a bit, how'd you say, special." The dog then said having read Touya's expression shocking the man once more. The dog then using one of the robotic arms to head right at him holding a...can of warm tea.

"Here, drink this. Believe it or not a warm drink is actually better for you on a hot day." Hesitantly, Touya took the drink while keeping a good eye on the dog. He honestly had no clue what to say or do, but was also astonished that there was a real life talking dog. Although, that just made him curious about one thing.

"Are there more talking animals?" He bluntly said not even realizing he said it. The dog just chuckling a bit knowing most people reacted funny upon seeing him. Granted only a few actually saw him talk, usually those who would likely not speak of his existence since nobody would believe them. Or those who would die if they spoke about him to others.

"Hehehe. No, not really." The dog told Touya while using his robo-arms to scratch his own back. "Academy City really only focuses on technology, not biology aside from a few cases. Well, there was a whale I guess, but sadly circumstances had it made that it died out."

"...Wow, so um, you're a special breed..huh?" Touya nervously said, not sure what to say to this talking animal.

"More or less." The dog said, letting out a puff of smoke ike it was natural. "I was 'created' this way by a certain man, but made myself into something else you could say."

"Like...a animal rights person/dog?" Touya said rather dumbly, making the dog mentally slapped his head. He was beginning to wonder if that boy got some of his intelligence from this man.

"Why yes." Of course not like the dog could say he's actually a super important person in the city. Who's own name strikes fear to many. An animal that is known to cause many to shudder from just his words. If they go to far, then they'd find his bite to be worse.

"I see." Touya replied not realizing he was being tricked, by a dog no less.

"Yep." The dog confirmed.

"..." The bench was then quiet, the two not talking at all. Instead just watching the calm river and feeling the nice cool breeze. Enjoying the refreshing air that cooled their temperature. A man drinking a warm drink, and a dog smoking...what a strange sight to behold.

"So, what are you doing here on this hot day Kamijou?" The dog then asked as if it were a normal thing.

"Wondering where I went wrong." He then answered, apparently now speaking his problems to an animal of all things. Man's best friend indeed.

"Oh, care to explain?" He asked.

"Sure, why not. Where to begin." Touya then went to proceed on what happened. How he met up with Sara, they talked a bit, had some ice cream. Then he said something that apparently made her mad. "Worst part is, I don't even know what it is." Touya explained.

"I see." The dog said using his robotic appendage to scratch his chin. "Woman, even with all of the knowledge in Academy City, they remain to be a mystery, even to us."

"I take it you have a problem with women as well?" Touya asked.

"Sorta." The dog recalled one of his students, a bright and lovely young woman who is brilliant in her own way. Yet he had a feeling she saw him beyond a teacher, and worried about how far she would take it sometimes. There was a reason he had a penthouse all to himself. Last thing he needed was finding her on his couch again next to his face. Between good and bad, it was good, but between like and dislike, he found it rather...uncomfortable

"In any case, perhaps you should go to the pool with this lady, have fun there. Sounds like she wanted to go." The dog advised him.

"If she wanted to go to the pool though, why would she ask?" Touya questioned.

"Woman like to use misdirection sometimes. They say one thing, then suddenly mean something else." Like the time his student asked if he wanted to be groomed a little. He agreed only to later find himself in the shower with her stripping. One of the few times he had to use a spray that knocked a person unconscious, while wiping their memory.

"Don't I know it." Touya grumbled remembering times Shina did such things. Those were the days. "Still, I guess I should go talk to her. Thanks for the advice ma-I mean-uh-dog?"

"No problem at all Kamijou." The animal canine said as he then hopped off the bench. "I was just relaxing around and wandering a bit when I found you by mere accident. I bid you a good day. Goodbye." The canine then ran off without looking back at all. Leaving Touya alone as he watched the dog disappear.

"Hm, nice dog." He then turned around deciding to walk off to hang out with Sara, who was actually coming to him in a jog. Nice. As he walked off though, something then came to mind.

"Hold on, how'd he know my name?" Before he could figure that out, his phone then rang. It was his wife, oh boy.

Not to mention Touya never did get his name. I should note that Noukan was really just taking a walk, and just spoke to Touya with no ulterior motive at all. He was just relaxing, even people/animals like him need a day off. Both revealing their lady troubles so to say. Anyway, next week Touya won't be the focus at all, but instead I'm taking a suggestion from one of my reviewers. Fencer 29. Until Next Time.