It had been a hectic week so far for Yuuto Kazama, considering he had taken out all his squad mates on dates, and he was glad when Friday rolled around. He had anticipated that Zombina would just want to hang out nearby and go catch a movie together, though when he met up with her at their meeting point, he was surprised to see Tio, Manako, and Doppel with the zombie, all seated at the same table in one of the local cafes. There he would find out that this would be his most hectic day yet.
''You want me to do what?!'' The blonde exclaimed at the group, not happy to hear what the red-head of the group had planned for him.
''I said you're gonna take us all out on dates today!'' Zombina exclaimed boisterously back at him with her signature grin.
''I'm sorry, Kazama-san.'' Manako apologised to him in her usually meek tone. ''I tried to talk her out of it, but she was having none of it, as per usual.''
''Oh Mana-chan, don't be so glum about it.'' Tio chirped while giving the monoeye a warm smile. ''Just roll with it and have fun, I know I will.''
''Besides, it's always fun to make Newbie blush.'' Doppel added with a mischievous grin crossing her lips.
The human of the group sighed to himself before looking back down at the group with furrowed eyes from where he was standing. ''I already feel exhausted from going on dates four days in a row now. Don't you think another four dates on top of that, on the same day I may add is asking a bit much, even for me?''
''What's the problem, Beesh?! You're gonna have a blast today! And besides, don't you wanna get them over a done with so you can do it with Headless?!'' The zombie practically shouted for the whole world to hear.
Yuuto's cheeks went red at her comment. He couldn't deny that he wanted this whole dating situation out of the way so he could spend time with Lala again, but he would've appreciated it if the undead woman in front of him hadn't practically told everyone in the vicinity of them that he was dating a liminal.
''Well, yeah. I'd like that very much.'' He said in an embarrassed tone as he broke eye contact with the girls of Squad Alpha. ''I just wish I didn't have to jump through all these hoops for Ms Smith, just so I can legally be with my girlfriend.''
''I canna condone the actions o' the Organization meself, but if it leads tae our inevitable union, then I am willing tae support ye through yer trial ahead.'' Lala spoke up from behind her boyfriend from seemingly out of nowhere.
Yuuto causally turned to face her, unsurprised by her sudden appearances by now, and gave her a loving smile. ''Hey Babe. What're you doing here?'' He asked as the pair embraced each other.
Lala smiled to herself as she nuzzled up against him. ''The undying one asked me tae witness the unfolding events that ye are about tae partake in.'' She replied before pulling back to kiss her boyfriend on the lips.
Yuuto gave her a confused look before turning his attention towards the zombie. ''Zee, you invited Lala too?''
''Hell yeah, I did! Seeing this is your last day of dating us, I thought it'd be a good idea for Headless to come along, just so she knows we're not trying to bang you!''
Manako's face went bright red upon hearing what her captain had just said out loud. ''Must you be so crude?! We're out in public!'' She exclaimed in an embarrassed tone.
''Doubt she even gives a fuck.'' Doppel said to the monoeye, an amused grin evident on her face. ''I think she prefers to take it.''
Zombina was laughing her head off at the doppelganger's wisecrack, much to Manako's disapproval.
*Sigh* ''Have you two no shame?'' The meek girl muttered to herself in a defeated tone.
Lala smirked to herself as she separated herself from the human, placing a hand over her face as she shifted back into her reaper persona. ''It pleases me tae hear that ye have nay intentions tae interfere with our union. Ye have me deepest gratitude.''
''Ooh, I can't wait for our date, Sweetie!'' Tio exclaimed joyfully from her seat. ''It's going to be so much fun!''
''Alright, let's get this started!'' the zombie shouted out as she jumped out of her seat and produced six earpieces from the pocket of her bomber jacket. ''I'm gonna need all of you to take one of these so we can keep tabs on everyone.''
Everyone there took an earpiece each as the red head passed them around. Yuuto and Lala took theirs, though the dullahan looked at hers with a sense of confusion, not sure what to make of it.
''Lala, you put that in your ear, then you press your finger to it if you want to talk to us. That way, we can stay in touch.'' The blonde explained to his girlfriend.
''I see. Then this relic will be o' great use tae me.'' She replied as she placed the object in her ear, though she nearly tipped her head off balance as she did so. ''I just wished ye did nay have tae go through this ordeal.'' The continued with concern lacing her voice.
''Well, I doubt there's any way for me to get out of it, so I might as well go with the flow.'' Yuuto replied before turning his attention back to the other MON operatives. ''But I have to ask, who am I taking out first?''
''Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head about that, Beesh. We've got everything planned out already.'' Zombina replied with a mischievous grin.
The human just sighed to himself again, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.
Yuuto soon found himself out on the high street nearby with his first date. He soon realised that if he wasn't careful, it could very well be his last.
''AHHHH! THOSE CLOTHES ARE SO CUTE~! '' Tio squeed in pure joy as she dragged her date along by the hand. ''C'MON SWEETIE! LET'S GO HAVE A LOOK~! '' Little did the ogress know, she was literally dragging Yuuto across the sidewalk, who was struggling to keep up with her bubbly excitableness.
''Will you calm down a second, Tio?! You're going to kill me here!'' The human yelled back at her in hopes that she'd put an end to this torture.
''OOH! LOOK AT ALL THOSE SWEETS! LET'S GO GET SOME~! '' She continued as she ignored his pleas, unaware of what she was putting him through.
''Seriously, Tio! Time out, time out!''
''OMIGOD! ANM48'S NEW ALBUM IS OUT! I'VE SO GOT TO HAVE IT~! ''
''Fuck sake! Where are the brakes on this thing?!''
As he continued to be treated like a rag doll by his towering co-worker, he noticed a woman walking her dog not far from them. An idea popped into his head which would hopefully be his salvation from this situation he was currently in.
''Hey, Tio! There's a cute dog over there!'' Yuuto yelled as loud as he could to get her attention.
Tio turned to face where he was pointing and saw the woman with the dog. The dog was a tan-furred Shiba Inu wearing a red collar, happy panting as it walked alongside their owner.
''AWWWWW~! '' The ogress squeed as she let go of her date who dropped face first onto the ground and rushed her way to the dog in question. ''WHAT AN ADORABLE WIDDLE PUPPY~! '' She continued as she knelt down to pet the canine, who in turn was nuzzling up against her at the affection it was receiving, while the owner stood there in mild surprise, unsure of how to react to the sudden appearance of the towering ogress. ''WHO'S A GOOD WIDDLE PUPPY?! YES, YOU ARE! YES, YOU ARE~!''
As Tio fussed over the dog, Yuuto slowly got up onto his feet and brushed himself down, taking deep breaths as he did so. ''Geez, I thought I'd be dragged straight into Limbo there…'' He muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his head.
''Damn Beesh.'' Zombina said through his earpiece with a sense of amazement. ''I knew you were tough, but I'm surprised you survived all that.''
''Well, I have to be to keep up with you girls.'' He replied as he smirked to himself. ''I just hope for my sake Tio takes a chill pill soon.''
''At least try to survive long enough for my date, Newbie. I've got something special planned for us.'' Doppel teased, trying to get a reaction from the human.
''Gee, thanks for your concern, Doppel…''
''Me Love, stay strong. Ye need only tae overcome this trial, and we can finally be free tae be together fer all eternity.'' Lala said in hopes of encouraging her boyfriend.
''You certainly have a way with words, Lala.'' Manako complemented the dullahan. ''I'm actually quite jealous.''
''Anyway Beesh, all I gotta say is that the last thing you wanna do with Tio is resist. Just go with the flow, and you'll be just fine.'' The zombie suggested to her fellow captain, her voice full of confidence.
''If you think that's best…'' Yuuto replied unenthusiastically.
''I know it is! Now get to it, you've got at least three more dates after this one!''
As the blonde operative sighed to himself, Tio came rushing back to his side with a cheerful smile on her face. ''That was such a cute doggy, you should've petted it too, Sweetie.'' She said with a pout on her face.
''Sorry Tio, my mind was elsewhere.'' He replied while rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
''Well, snap out of it, Sweetie. We haven't got long, so let's make the most of it.'' She complained to him as she puffed out her cheeks more.
''Alright, just calm down, will you?'' He replied as he chuckled at the cute face she was making. ''I think that clothes shop you like isn't far from here if I recall, so let's go there next.'' He suggested, hopeful it would brighten up his co-worker's mood.
''Ooh, that's so thoughtful of you, Sweetie~!'' Tio exclaimed before wrapping him into a hug, burying him in between her cleavage. ''We're going to have the best time today~!'' She continued as she started carrying him off towards the shop in question.
The human was struggling to breathe, but he was able to readjust his head so he was looking up at her, and simultaneously increase his air flow. ''Okay, but do you mind letting me go? People might get the wrong idea if you carry me in like this.''
The ogress looked back down at him in confusion, before realising he was still trapped within her fleshy prison. Now embarrassed, she let go of him and stepped back from him as she gave him an apologetic smile, her cheek turning a deep red as she did so. ''Oh, sorry Sweetie.'' She said as she flailed her are apologetically in front of her.
''It's alright.'' He replied, giving her a warm smile. ''Now c'mon, I'll race you there.'' Yuuto jested as he jogged ahead of her, which he would soon regret.
''That sounds great~!'' She exclaimed as she started charging towards him without a single care in the world. ''Last one there is a rotten egg~!''
Suddenly, Zombina started yelling through his earpiece. ''RUN BEESH, RUN!'' She screamed before laughing her ass off, which was a real possibility for the undead girl.
Shock was soon evident on his face as he was now legitimately running for his life. ''Seriously Tio, turn it down a notch!''
Eventually the pair made it to the shop, the human thankfully out of imminent danger for the time being. Tio spent a great deal of time perusing the store for different outfits while Yuuto followed behind, giving his input when asked. After a while, the ogress took the items she liked into one of the changing cubicles with her while her date waited diligently outside for her, feeling embarrassed as people passing by gave him questioning glances, seeing as the store catered solely for women. Not long after, Tio stepped out wearing a black and white striped long-sleeved top, a long pink frilly skirt that almost reached her ankles, and a pair of tanned high heel shoes.
''So, what do you think, Sweetie? Isn't it adorable~?'' The ogress asked as she twirled around on her tippy toes to show off her outfit.
Yuuto's face went bright red upon seeing her, immediately noticing that the top she was wearing were struggling to contain her assets. ''I think it looks great.'' He replied with a nervous smile, unable to meet her gaze as the top stretched against her large breasts. ''But, don't you think that top's a little… small for you?'' He asked, choosing his words carefully.
The blonde woman pouted at him, unhappy about his comment. ''This is the biggest size they have here, and you know how self-conscious I am about my height.'' She whined as she leant down to be at eye level with him and puffed up her cheeks more. ''Saying stuff like that to a girl is really insensitive, y'know.''
''Wait, she's more worried about her height than those massive melons of hers?!'' The human thought to himself as he glanced back at the towering woman in front of him. ''Yeah, sorry about that, but I want to make sure everything fits you okay, that's all.'' He eventually replied while rubbing the back of his head.
Tio smiled back at him as she returned to her cheery demeanour. ''Oh, that's so sweet of you~'' She chirped as she stood to her full height once again. ''I just really want to look my best for Nikolay.''
Yuuto gave the girl a questioning look. ''Nikolay?''
''Yeah, he's my boyfriend, silly~'' The ogress replied as she held her hands to her now reddened cheeks. ''He's like the sweetest guy I've ever met~''
''BOYFRIEND?!'' Zombina and Doppel shouted through their earpieces, nearly deafening everyone else.
''Since when did you get a boyfriend?! This is the first I've heard of it!'' The zombie continued to yell in an annoyed tone.
''Well, remember when Tio and I said we were meeting up with a friend of ours the other week? That was him…'' Manako replied timidly, explaining the situation to everyone.
''I can't believe you've been holding out on us, Tio! You're definitely spilling the beans on this after we're done with our dates!'' Zombina demanded, not taking no for an answer.
''You can be so bossy sometimes, Bina-chan…''
''Forget about that right now.'' Yuuto spoke up to get the ogress' attention. ''We still got to find you an outfit that'll make Nikolay speechless.''
Tio's face brightened up as soon as the human mentioned her boyfriend, and she headed straight for the changing cubicle with renewed determination. ''You're right Sweetie! I need to find something that make my Puddin the happiest guy in the world~!'' She exclaimed as she skipped her way over.
''I keep forgetting how erratic her mood can be sometimes.'' Yuuto thought to himself as he let a smirk cross his lips.
''Hate to ruin the mood Newbie,but you do remember what happened last time we helped Tio pick out an outfit, right?'' Doppel asked in a teasing tone, to which the smirk on the blonde human's face was instantly replaced with a look of dread.
''Is there some ill-begotten fate that awaits me Love?'' Lala questioned with worry lacing her voice.
''No doubt, but that's Beesh's problem, not ours!'' Zombina replied in a carefree tone.
Suddenly, Tio shot her head out from behind the curtain of the cubicle, he eyes threatening to burst into tears. ''SWEETIE! COME HELP ME!''
''Oh, dear God no…'' He thought to himself, already painfully aware of what was causing the ogress great distress. ''What's the matter, Tio?'' He asked as he made his way to her.
''I can't get this skirt off…'' She whined from within the cubicle, the sounds of her struggle obvious to him now. ''My butt is too big…''
He face-palmed himself, now unable to avoid what would be asked of him by his co-worker. ''…Do you need a hand?'' He asked despairingly.
''If you don't mind, Sweetie…'' She replied in an embarrassed tone.
Yuuto sighed to himself as he made his way to the cubicle. He stepped in to find the ogress struggling to pull her skirt down, her face red from the embarrassing situation she found herself in. His face also went red at seeing the skirt stuck halfway down her rump, not to mention that the woman's pink frilly panties were also clearly visible to him. Yuuto quickly clutched his nose tight as he hurriedly turned his gaze away from them, trying his best to avoid a nosebleed.
''Is everything okay back there?'' Tio asked as she glanced back at him, trying her best to pull the skirt down.
''Snap out of it, Yuuto! This isn't your first time seeing panties, so get a grip!'' The human shouted inwardly at himself as he smacked his cheeks with his hands in an attempt to help him focus. ''Yeah, I'm good.'' He eventually replied as he gripped the waistline of the skirt hard. ''I just need you to do one thing for me.''
''What is it, Sweetie?'' The ogress asked, giving him a questioning look.
''…I need you to hold on to your panties, we don't want a repeat of last time…'' He requested, his face going a deeper shade of red as he broke eye contact with her.
''Oh, good idea Sweetie. You really are smart~'' Tio replied with a cheery smile as she grabbed the back of her panties with one hand, the other still gripping hard to the side of the skirt.
''More like common sense…'' He gripped hard on the waistline and locked eyes with his co-worker again. ''Now, suck your gut in and pull down hard on the count of three, got it?''
She merely nodded back at him.
''Okay, here goes nothing…'' He muttered to himself before taking a deep breath. ''One. Two. Three!''
The pair pulled down on the skirt as hard as they could, and the fabric started sliding down ever so slightly. ''Hey, I think its working!'' Tio shouted in joy.
''It's not over yet! Just one more hard tug should do it!''
They tugged at it one more time, and the skirt came off. Yuuto couldn't help but smirk to himself in satisfaction of a job well done, but the moment was short lived as he glanced up again, his smirk replaced with a look of fear. In their attempt to pull the skirt off, the ogress lost her balance and started toppling backwards towards the human, a look of shock evident on her face.
''Oh shit!''
Before he could react, Tio landed on top of him and the pair were sent crashing to the ground as they fell out of the cubicle. After a moment or two, the ogress sat herself up straight and rubbed the back of her head in pain.
''Owie, that really hurt…'' Tio complained to herself before she started looking around for her date. ''Sweetie, where are you?'' She asked before looking behind her, only to find Yuuto lying flat on his back stuck in an ogre-shaped crater in the ground. ''OH MY GOD! SWEETIE! ARE YOU OKAY?!'' She screamed as she pulled him out of the crater, holding his limp body to her chest as she was on the verge of tears.
Not long after, the blonde human started coughing as he regained consciousness, waking up to see the worried face of his co-worker looking down at him in her arms. ''Oh… hey Tio… Did we get the skirt off?'' He asked between ragged breaths, more concerned about her dilemma than his own wellbeing.
The ogress was filled with joy upon seeing he was alright, before she tightened her arms around him and brought him into a crushing hug, trapping his head in between her cleavage. ''OH, THANK GOODNESS! YOU'RE OKAY!'' She shouted as she loosened her grip on him and looked him in the eye. ''I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT THAT! I DIDN'T MEAN IT, I SWEAR!''
''Hey, it's okay. I'll live.'' He replied weakly, barely able to sit himself up straight as smiled back at her.
Tio calmed down with the help of his comforting words before bringing him into a lighter hug, gently resting his head against one of her breasts. ''Thank you for today, Sweetie. I've really had a fun time so far.''
Yuuto blushed at the contact between them, though he couldn't deny that he felt really comfortable right now. ''Yeah, me too…''
''TIME'S UP, LOVEBIRDS!'' Zombina shouted through their earpieces, which startled the pair from their peaceful moment.
''Aww, but I haven't finished picking out an outfit yet…'' The ogress whined as she puffed up her cheeks.
''Tough luck, Tio.'' Doppel replied before focusing her attention towards the human of the group. ''Hey Newbie, get your butt into gear and meet me by the entertainment district. And don't even think about making a girl wait.'' She continued in a commanding tone.
Yuuto was still resting his head against Tio's breast as he let out a defeated sigh. ''Ain't no rest for the wicked, is there?'' He complained inwardly to himself, not looking forward to what the doppelganger might have planned for him.
Sometime later, Yuuto found himself walking down the nearby entertainment district with his next date for the day, though Doppel had decided to disguise herself as Mako-chan, though this Mako-chan was fairly different from her usual teen witch disguise. The appearance she took on was one of a high school girl with shoulder length black hair which had a long cowlick that stuck up and arched over her head, and the bangs clipped back by a pair of brass hair clips. Her dark brown eyes were framed with a pair of slim black-framed glasses, giving her an air of authority. She was wearing a white dress shirt with a red bow and ruby-like jewel affixed around her collar, which she wore under a dark green school blazer, as well as a light brown plaid skirt, black tights, and a pair of dark brown formal shoes. The blonde didn't exactly feel comfortable walking around with someone who looked like a school girl, though that was exactly the reaction Doppel wanted from him as they walked around aimlessly.
''Okay, serious question Doppel. Why Mako-chan, and how come it's different from your usual Mako-chan disguise?'' Yuuto asked as he felt the stares of people passing them by.
The disguised doppelganger looked back at him with a smirk and lowered her glasses at him. ''Don't you like this new Mako-chan? I thought the manga artist did a great job of her character design this time round, plus she has that mature air to her.'' She said as she used her arms to push up her breasts. ''Unless you're a major Lolicon that is.'' She continued in a suggestive tone, giving him a teasing grin.
''Do I look like a member of the Pioneer Orc Renaissance Kinsmen to you?'' Yuuto asked as he gave her an annoyed look.
Doppel chuckled to herself before she focused on where she was going again. ''Nah, I suppose not. Those pork cutlets are on a whole other level of perverseness than you, makes having a lingerie fetish seem tame in comparison.'' She answered with a massive grin on her face.
*Sigh* ''Seems like everyone in the office knows about it by now…'' He replied as his face went bright red.
''Well, everyone on MON at least.'' The doppelganger responded as she snickered to herself again. ''Anyway, I've got something big planned today, and I need your full cooperation to pull it off.''
''Great, another one of your grand pranks I presume?'' The blonde asked unenthusiastically.
''You know it Newbie, and it's going to be my biggest one yet!'' She exclaimed as she was almost getting giddy just thinking about it. ''You have no idea how long I've been planning it and how much work has gone into it!''
''I just wish you'd worked as hard at the office as you do with your pranks, Doppel…''
''Oh, don't be such a downer. I'll make it worth your while if you help me out.'' She replied as she smiled suggestively at him. ''Maybe I could sort something out for you and Lala sometime~''
Yuuto's eyes shot open at her proposal, not quite believing what she just said. ''Wait, seriously?''
The disguised Doppel stopped suddenly and turned to face him, her face only mere inches away from his. ''Yeah. Whatever you two want and I'll pull whatever strings I can to make it happen.'' She replied, giving him a confident smirk.
''Me Love!'' Lala spoke from his earpiece. ''This is an opportunity we canna ill afford tae turn down! We could finally have a chance tae whatever we desired, and without the Organisation interfering if the shapeshifter stays true tae her word!'' She said rather overenthusiastically compared to the normally dark and foreboding demeanour of her reaper persona.
''You heard her.'' The doppelganger interjected. ''Now, do we have a deal or what?'' She asked as she raised a hand for a handshake, seeking to seal the deal.
Yuuto stared at her for a moment, not sure he could believe what Doppel had told him, but if what she said was true, then he and Lala could finally have a day to themselves without anyone interfering, not his squad mates, Ms Smith, or anyone from the ICEP. After mulling it over, he finally smirked back at his date and took her hand into his own. ''I'll hold you to it.'' The replied as he shook her hand.
''I knew I could count on your help, Newbie.'' She replied before she let go of his hand and took the lead again, with the human following close behind. ''First thing's first, we need to find our target.''
''And who would that be?'' The blonde asked, giving her a questioning look.
Just as they were about to reach the corner of the street, Doppel stopped him before peeking around the corner, motioning Yuuto to do the same. ''Right around here, and precisely on time too.'' She answered as her smirk became a devilish grin.
Yuuto peeked around the corner as well, his curiosity getting the better of him, and he saw a somewhat quiet side street with an old looking theatre just across the street. What had caught his attention was the group of people standing just outside the old building, and low and behold, it was Kimihito and his homestays chatting amongst themselves.
''Wait, they're the target?'' The blonde whispered to his date.
''Yep, Buddy is taking his sweet time picking someone to hook up with, and this lil' prank of mine might just help push things along a bit.'' Doppel replied as she slowly started untangling her hair, now returning to her default form.
''You just want to scare the shit out of them, don't you?'' He asked, giving the woman a knowing look.
She turned her head to face him, a seemingly innocent smile now crossing her lips. ''Wouldn't be much of a prank if I didn't now, would it?''
Yuuto just sighed to himself, but he could hardly back out now after the deal he made with the doppelganger. ''So, what's your plan then?''
Doppel narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a smirk. ''I'm glad you asked.'' She said before she grabbed his hand and guided them down a nearby alleyway where no one could see them. They stopped when they came across a black duffle bag, which the woman picked up and handed over to the human. ''First, I'll need you to change into the outfit in this bag for me.''
Yuuto took the bag from her and crouched down to open it, quickly scanning the contents with a look of confusion. ''The hell is this supposed to be?''
A devilish grin crossed the doppelganger's lips again as she walked up to him and whispered into his ear. ''You'll see. Now, here's the plan…''
Back outside the theatre, Kimihito and the girls were waiting to see a magic show Ms Smith had told them about, and to their surprise, gave them all tickets for the show, it was almost too good to be true. Still, they couldn't turn down a free show, and the host just put it down to being government expenses to help the advancement of human-liminal relations.
''Yay! This magic show is gonna be great!'' Papi exclaimed excitedly.
''Magic show!'' The blue slime girl exclaimed with an adorable smile on her face.
''Can you little ones quiet down for a second please?'' Rachnera groaned as she was nursing her hangover. ''I think I had a little too much caffeine last night…''
''Well, you only have thyself to blame for thy affliction.'' Centorea replied in an annoyed tone. ''Thou could do with some fresh air.''
''Urrrggghhh, cram it Horse Flesh…''
''Well, I think it's wonderful to go out and see a show once in a while.'' Mero said, clasping her hand together with a sweet smile on her face. ''I wonder how these surface shows will compare to the ones back home.''
''Compared to what you might be used to, probably not as grand…'' Kimihito answered as he rubbed the back of his head. ''Still, it's nice of Ms Smith to offer us tickets for the show, but it's a shame Lala couldn't come with us.''
''Oh, forget about that drama queen, Darling.'' Miia interjected as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her breasts against his back. ''We can enjoy the show without her, and besides, she's probably having more fun with Kazama-kun anyway.'' She continued as she started slowly wrapping her tail around her host.
''Well, what a pleasant surprise to see you here, my dearest Miia!''
The group turned to face the source of the disturbance to find a very androgynous looking dragonewt with short styled blonde hair with a long fringe and bangs. Their blue eyes dazzled with confidence as they unfurled their large green draconic wings, whipping their long green reptilian tail from side to side as they ran their scaly green hands through their hair. They were wearing a maroon dress shirt, black trousers, and a pair of white trainers, as well as holding a light brown trench coat under their arm.
''Oh, hey Draco…'' Miia muttered unenthusiastically as she shielded herself behind Kimihito, rather not wanting to deal with the pest of a dragonewt.
''It's been a while Draco, but shouldn't you be with your host family?'' The human host questioned, which caused the dragonewt to sneer at him.
''I'll have you know, human, that I have an IAP now!'' Draco exclaimed, pulling the ID card out from her purse. ''A proud dragonewt such as myself cannot be confined by your feeble laws!''
''Look Draco, I don't really care.'' Miia interjected from behind her Darling. ''Try anything weird, and I'll tell Miss Smith you've been creeping on me and Liz again.'' She spat with a hint of venom in her voice.
All the bravado and confidence the dragonewt possessed earlier had deflated after hearing the lamia's threat, and she started to break down and tears started trickling down her scaled cheeks. ''B-B-But Miia, I just want to make up for what I've done!'' Draco exclaimed in distress, practically pleading to her lamian crush.
''Aww, don't be said mister pretty boy.'' Papi chirped in an attempt to comfort the dragonewt. ''I'm sure this magic show will make you feel better.''
''Boy?! But I'm a girl!'' She exclaimed in embarrassment.
Suddenly, Draco found herself tied up in spider's silk in a diamond pattern which accentuated her particularly small breasts, with her mouth gagged and her wings and tail tied together so they couldn't thrash. Rachnera then skittered up behind the poor girl and placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to look into her six crimson eyes as a look of panic took over the dragonewt's face.
''Oh, so you are a girl, and a naughty one at that from what I hear.'' The arachne drawled with a sinister grin on her face, which sent a cold shiver down Draco's spine. ''And you know what we do with naughty girls, right?''
Draco was struggling as hard as she could, but alas, her efforts were in vain as she screams of panic were muffled by the gag.
Kimihito sighed to himself before he interrupted the pair. ''Rachnee, can you stop scaring her please? I don't think she's here to cause any trouble.'' He said as he gave the arachne a stern look.
Rachnera stared wide-eyed at him for a moment before cutting the girl free and skittered away from her in a huff. ''I was just having some fun, Honey…'' She moped about having her teasing interrupted.
Draco was on her hands and knees as she slowly recovered from her assault as she took in several deep breaths to calm herself down. As she did so, Kimihito walked up to her and crouched down to see if she was okay.
''Are you alright, Draco?'' He asked with a concerned look on his face.
The dragonewt looked up and sneered at him again, though as she glanced behind the human, she saw Miia giving her a disapproving look, which instantly caused her anger to dissipate, leaving her with a solemn look on her face. Guilt-ridden, she turned back to the host and bashfully nodded in response.
''That's good to hear.'' Kimihito said with a smile on his face as he offered her his hand to help her up. ''Here, let me help you.''
Draco was reluctant at first, but still feeling the lamia's gaze on her, she eventually accepted and placed her hand in his as a blush appeared on her face, unable to look the human in the eye. Kimihito proceeded to help the dragonewt up, but as soon as she was on her feet, she pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her chest with a huff as she broke eye contact with him.
''I didn't need your help, just so you know…'' She muttered in a low tone, embarrassed that she let herself be help by the man in front of her.
''Oh, alright…'' Kimihito replied as he rubbed the back of his head.
Miia suddenly pressed herself against the host's back again as she snaked her arms around his waist. ''Forget about her, they should be letting us in for the show soon anyway.'' She said as she put on her biggest smile for him.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, and he pulled the tickets for the show out of her trouser pocket. ''Speaking of which…'' He said as he directed his attention towards the dragonewt again. ''Draco, do you want to join us? We have a spare ticket if you're interested.''
Draco's eyes went wide in surprise, not quite believing what the human had offered her. ''Really?! You mean it?!'' She exclaimed as tears started welling up in the corners of her eyes, hopeful for the chance to make up with the lamia in front of her.
''Darling, you can't be serious!'' Miia yelled in shock. ''Have you forgotten what she did to me?!''
''No, I haven't, but it's obvious that Draco wants to make it up to you. It's only fair to give her a chance, I mean look at her.''
The lamia redirected her focus towards Draco, the dragonewt's eyes pleading to be given a chance to make up for the wrong she did. The blonde girl only wished to make a friend, and Miia couldn't help but pity her. Eventually, she relented and decided to trust Kimihito's decision.
''Well, if you thinks it's a good idea Darling, then- ''
''WELCOME!''
The group jumped at the sudden yell, now looking towards the entrance of the theatre. Standing in front of them were a pair of humans, who they presumed were part of the show they were going to see. The man had long white hair, blue eyes, and a thin white curly moustache, and was wearing a black tuxedo with a white dress shirt underneath, a red bowtie, a long cape which was black on the outside and red on the inside, and a black top hat with a red strap on the rim of the hat. The woman had long curly blonde hair and hazel eyes and was wearing an extravagant silver sequin dress which reached just above her ankles, as well as a pair of matching silver sequin high heels. Both of them had massive grins on their faces as Kimihito and the girls just stared at the pair in confusion.
''Greetings my dear audience!'' The man exclaimed as he gave the group a deep bow. ''I am the Great Imitazioni and thank you all for coming so far to see my show!''
''Wow, he must be the Magic Guy!'' Papi shouted as she waved her wings in the air excitedly.
''He's called a Magician, Papi.'' Kimihito corrected the blue-haired harpy.
''My apologies for keeping you all waiting, so when you're ready, please follow us in.'' The magician said as he started making his way into the theatre.
Kimihito and his homestays obliged and started following him in, though Draco was a little hesitant to do the same. Soon the woman in the sequin dress came up behind her and started pushing the dragonewt towards the theatre entrance.
''Don't be shy Sir, you don't want to miss the show.'' The blonde human said with a polite smile.
''But I'm a girl!'' Draco exclaimed in irritation, her wings unfurling in anger.
''Oh, I do apologise, Madam. It's hard to tell with the way you dress.'' The woman replied. ''But still, don't you want to see the show with your friends?''
Draco's face went a deep red at the question, being both embarrassed and happy to hear the woman call the others her friends. ''Well, yeah, I guess…'' She replied in a timid tone.
''Good. Now let's get you inside then.''
The dragonewt nodded in response before being escorted by the woman into the theatre. Once inside, the pair made their way to the theatre proper, the room itself was based off a western stage, with rows upon rows for seats lining the room. At the front near the stage, Kimihito and his group had all taken their seats where the were able to, with Centorea and Mero forced to sit in the isles while Rachnera decided to weave and hang up a hammock above the others, making herself comfy as she stretched her legs out. Draco was eventually led to the front, where there was a spare seat between where Miia sat and where Mero had parked her wheelchair in the isle.
''Oh, it is good to see that you've decided to join us, Miss Draco.'' The mermaid said as she gave the dragonewt a warm smile. ''Please, do take a seat.''
''Yeah, go on ahead.'' The blonde human added before making her way backstage. ''I need to get ready myself.''
As the woman walked off, Draco hesitantly took her seat next to Miia, though she was unnerved by the harsh gaze the lamia was giving her. She couldn't exactly blame her after what happened between them, but she hoped that they'd eventually get past it. The dragonewt wanted to say something to help ease the tension between them, though from what she gathered, Miia didn't want to hear any of it, so Draco decided to keep quiet for the time being until her mood improved.
Miia decided to turn her attention back to her host who was sitting right next to her. ''Darling, is it me, or do you think this theatre looks a little rundown to you?'' She asked with a look of concern on her face.
''Hmmm…'' The human hummed to himself as he took in his surroundings. ''Now that you mention it, it looks like it hasn't been cleaned in a while.''
''Who cares about that?!'' Papi yelled excitedly from the other side of him. ''I just want the show to start already! This is gonna be awesome!''
''Awesome!'' Suu exclaimed from her seat next to the harpy.
Suddenly, the overhead lights for the stage lit up, and the velvet curtains drew open as music started to play in the background. On the stage were the magician and presumable his assistant they met outside earlier, along with several pieces of equipment that were to be used throughout the performance.
''Welcome, one and all, to Imitazioni's House of Illusions!'' The man exclaimed overdramatically with his arms spread wide open. ''Here, nothing is as it seems as you bear witness to some of the greatest feats of magic known to man and liminal kind! Helping me will be my lovely assistant, Jezebel!'' He continued as he motioned a hand towards the woman standing next to him, who in turn gave a curly with a wide smile on her face.
The majority of the small audience clapped in response, though Rachnera just gave a bored look as she lay in her hammock, trying to stifle a yawn, while Centorea took notice of the fact that they were in only people in the theatre, which she found odd.
''Now, without further ado, let us commence!'' He shouted as he drew their attention to a rectangular box stood atop several wheeled stilts. ''First, we have a classic, and a personal favourite of mine! My assistant will lay herself in the box, as a proceed to saw her in half!''
''Oh no!'' Papi exclaimed with worry.
''Are you seriously going to dismember her right off the bat?!'' Miia shouted as her face went pale, her fear of dismemberment becoming clear.
''Worry not young ladies, my assistant has done this many times and has come out unscathed!'' He replied as Jezebel entered the aforementioned box, her head and her feet sticking out from either end. Imitazioni then proceeded to shut the lid of the box, and picked up a pair of dividing panels, one in each hand. ''As you can see, I will use these dividing panels to sever Jezebel in half! For most people, it would certainly mean death! But, in the House of Illusions, this is merely another state of being!'' With that, the magician promptly thrust both panels through the top of the box, right down the mid-section.
Apart from Rachnera, the group let out an audible gasp, fearing for the woman's safety.
The magician then proceeded to unlatch several catches on the box and pulled both halves apart. He spun both halves around to show the successful dismemberment, as his assistant gave the audience a wide grin to show that she was okay. Kimihito and most of the girls clapped in applause, though Rachnera merely let out a yawn, unimpressed by the simply trick. Both Miia's and Draco's faces had gone pale as a result.
''How do people find this sort of stuff entertaining?'' The lamia asked out loud.
''Why is it always the guy sawing the girl in half?!'' The dragonewt exclaimed in annoyance. ''I bet he doesn't have the balls to be cut in half himself!''
''Wait, that's your problem?'' Miia said as she gave her fellow reptilian a look of disbelief.
After a moment, the magician latched the two halves of the box back together before pulling out the dividing panels again. Jezebel soon stepped out of the box unharmed with Imitazioni's help before the pair gave a deep bow to the audience.
''Wow, that was amazing!'' Papi exclaimed in amazement.
''How did they do that, Master?'' Suu asked her host with a look of confusion.
''How?'' Kimihito replied as he pondered the question himself. ''Well, it's simple.'' He continued as he smiled towards the harpy and slime pair. ''It's magic.''
''Yeah, it's impressive what you can do with a pair of fake legs…'' Rachnera interjected while she was doing string tricks with her silk out of boredom.
''Rachnee, don't ruin it for them…'' He responded, giving the arachne a disapproving look.
''What? It's not good for them to believe every little thing they see.''
''Well regardless, I think this show has been rather entertaining so far.'' Mero said as she clasped her hands together.
''Mayhap, but dost thou not feel that something is off about this performance, Milord?'' Centorea question from behind the mermaid.
''What do you mean, Cerea?''
''This theatre has not been well kept, and we are the only souls here. I fear this whole show is but a ruse of sorts…''
Before the pair could continue their conversation, the magician spoke out again. ''Now, some of you may think that was a simple trick, but my next feat shall surely astound you!'' He exclaimed as he gestured towards a large back container with the front covered by a large black curtain. ''For centuries, people have sort the secrets of transmogrification, but today, you shall witness the magic of the Cube of Transformation!'' He continued as Jezebel pulled the large curtain back to reveal the empty space inside, knocking hard on each of the sides to show there was no other way in or out. ''I will now have my assistant stand inside like so,'' He started as he pulled the curtain back in front of the container, hiding the blonde woman from sight. ''and upon conjuring one of my most powerful spells, she will come out as something completely different!''
''Ooh! I wanna see an elephant!'' The blue-haired harpy exclaimed in excitement.
''I think that might be asking a little too much, Papi…'' Kimihito said to her as he rubbed the back of his head.
''An elephant it is then!'' The magician responded enthusiastically.
''What?!''
''Like hell they have an elephant in this dingy little place.'' Draco said with a smug look on her face, her nerves finally under control.
''Yeah, even I find that hard to believe…'' Miia added.
''Do you doubt the magic arts?'' The magician said as a smirk appeared on his face. ''Then you give me no choice but to defy your expectations.'' He continued as he faced the box and started chanting at it, waving his arms in graceful motions as he did so. ''Oh, Cube of Transformation! Show us your powers and transform this woman into what the people desire!'' He then grabbed the curtain and rushed to the side with it in hand, turning his vision away from what was inside.
With the curtain now wide open, the audience were greeted with a sight beyond imagining. Instead of an elephant as promised, what they saw was an indescribable creature, a large mass of flesh that was covered in eyes, fangs, and claws. Everyone's face went pale as they laid eyes on the Cthulian terror in front of them.
''AAAAAHHHHHHH!'' The group screamed in unison.
Papi and Suu quickly covered their eyes as best as they could. Centorea rushed to cover Mero's eyes from behind the mermaid. Kimihito was sat there with his eyes wide open as he became a panicked mess, while Miia subconsciously wrapped her tail around her host, and surprisingly clung tight to Draco with her arms as the dragonewt did the same. Rachnera was so caught off guard that she toppled from her hammock and landed on top of her host and the two reptilian liminals. After a moment or two, the creature started untangling into a mass of long silver hair, soon revealing Doppel at the centre of its mass.
''Gotcha~'' The doppelganger said out loud in a sing song tone with a massive mischievous grin on her face.
''DOPPEL?!'' Kimihito shouted from underneath his arachne homestay.
''Zounds! I should've known that harlot would be behind such a deception!'' Centorea shouted in annoyance.
The doppelganger starting laughing to herself over their reactions. ''Man, that was priceless! You should've seen your faces when you saw me!''
Miia and Draco eventually crawled out from under Rachnera, both sending angry looks towards the MON operative. ''What the hell?! You practically traumatized us!'' The lamia shouted as she clenched her fists.
''Is Ms Smith on this to? She was the one who gave us the tickets.'' The host added as he tried to make sense of the situation.
''Oh, that was me too, Buddy. Sorry~'' She replied without any hint of remorse in her words.
''Of course, it was…'' He muttered to himself as he let out a defeated sigh.
As things calmed down, Imitazioni eventually moved to Doppel's side, an amused smirk present on his face. ''Honestly guys, I can't believe you fell for that.''
Kimihito's eyes went wide as he recognised the man's voice. ''Yuuto?! Is that you?!''
The magician removed his top hat and cape, soon followed by the silver wig and fake moustache, revealing him to be none other than the human MON operative. ''Took you long enough to notice.'' He replied with a cheesy grin.
''Kazama?!'' Draco exclaimed in shock. ''I swear, I can explain why I'm here!'' She continued in a panicked tone while flailing her arms frantically, believing she was in trouble with the ICEP again.
''Kazama-kun, how could you help that little troublemaker scare us like that?!'' Miia yelled at him in annoyance.
Yuuto broke eye contact with the group as his face went red. ''Well, Doppel made an offer I couldn't refuse…'' He replied in embarrassment.
Doppel finally calmed herself down as she smirked at the group again. ''Anyway, calm your tits. It was only a bit of fun, no harm, no fou- '' The doppelganger was interrupted as a string of silk shot between her and her human comrade, a look of shock now crossing both their faces.
They looked back to see Rachnera standing on all eight legs again, giving the pair a sinister grin as all six eyes seemed to pierce into the very souls. ''Only a bit of fun, huh?'' She said in a low sadistic tone. ''Then I suppose you don't mind me having some fun with you and my silk now, would you?''
''Err, Doppel?'' Yuuto started as his voice grew fearful. ''You wouldn't happen to have an escape plaAAAAAAAHHHHHH!'' He was interrupted as the doppelganger wrapped several locks of her hair around his waist and started dragging him towards the backstage.
''Of course, I do!'' She shouted as she ran as fast as her legs could take her. ''Now, quit yapping and start running!''
''Heh, I'm going to enjoy tormenting the two of you once I catch up.'' Rachnera said to herself as she started skittering after them.
Now backstage, the two MON agents were running for dear life as they rushed towards the emergency exit. As they neared the doors, Yuuto picked up the duffle bag in the corridor the were running down with his casual clothes in and strapped it around his shoulder.
''Okay, how the hell do you propose we outrun a god damn arachne?!'' He shouted as he broke out into a cold sweat.
''Don't worry that pretty little head of yours. I've got an idea once we're outside.'' She replied as she looked back at him, giving him a wink.
''I fucking hope so.'' The human muttered to himself.
As they pushed open the doors and got outside, the blonde quickly shut them behind them, hopeful it would at least slow down Rachnera. As he turned around again, he was surprised to see Kestria of all people, though he quickly realised that it was Doppel in disguise.
''Oh, don't tell me you plan on- ''
''Either that, or you can play masochist for your arachnid friend of yours.'' The doppelganger replied in the raptor harpy's voice, before she lifted herself in the air with her wings, and clasped her talons around the human's arms, the pair soon soaring into the air.
As they flew off, the arachne burst through the doors, knocking them from their hinges. She then looked to her right and found that they were already out of reach.
''You might've gotten away today, but you'll have to come to our place sooner or later!'' She yelled with a sinister grin, anticipating the moment she'd get to pay them back for their prank.
After a minute or so, the MON agents eventually landed on the rooftop of a small apartment complex. Doppel dropped Yuuto close to the ground before landing herself, soon untangling her hair as she changed back into her default form.
''Nailed it~'' She said out loud with a victorious look on her face.
''Well, someone looks like they enjoyed themselves.'' Yuuto said to the girl with a smile on his face.
''Admit it, you had a blast yourself.'' She replied as she gave him a playful smirk. ''You really got into your role.''
''Well, hanging out with a chuunibyou for three years, and now dating one helps in the acting department.'' He replied as he started getting changed from the tuxedo back into his casual clothes.
As he took off the black over coat and white dress shirt, Doppel noticed his toned abs as they glistened with sweat, causing the doppelganger to blush lightly at the sight. ''Looks like someone's been working out.'' She said as she winked at him suggestively.
''Take a picture, it'll last longer.'' He joked as he smirked to himself, though before he could put his t-shirt back on, he was caught off guard from the flash of the woman's cell phone, which she somehow conjured from out of nowhere. ''I was fucking kidding!'' He shouted in annoyance.
''You shouldn't be teasing a girl in the first place, Romeo.'' She replied as she gave him the bedroom eyes before giggling to herself.
Yuuto gave her a quizzical look as he just about finished getting changed. ''Romeo? The hell happened to Newbie?''
''Let's just say you graduated with that successful prank of ours.'' She replied as she gave him a playful smirk again. ''And besides, it's more fitting for a lady killer like yourself.'' She teased as she placed her fingers over her mouth.
''Not funny, Doppel…'' He replied in an annoyed tone.
The doppelganger giggled to herself again before she calmed down and looked him in the eye. ''Anyway, thanks for helping me out today. I really had a great time.'' She said as she now gave him a warm smile.
Yuuto eventually returned the warm smile as he zipped up the duffle bag. ''Yeah, surprisingly I had a good time too. Though, you still owe me for helping you out.''
''Don't worry Romeo, I haven't forgotten about helping you and your precious Juliet.''
''Yeah, I guess she is…'' He muttered to himself as he though about his girlfriend, Lala, a blush quickly taking a hold on his cheeks.
''Err, I'm sorry to interrupt, but your time is up, Doppel.'' Manako said meekly through their earpieces.
''No worries, Manako.'' Doppel replied. ''We're just about done anyway.''
''Oh, okay.'' She replied timidly as she started talking to the human. ''Kazama-san, meet me by the nearby shrine as soon as you can. There's a festival I wish to go to today, if you don't mind taking me that is…''
''Manako? A festival? Now I've heard everything.'' He though to himself with a look of surprise on his face before he replied to the monoeye. ''Sure, I don't mind. I'll see you in a bit.'' He said to her in a caring tone to help put the girl at ease.
''Better hurry it up, don't wanna keep her waiting now.'' Doppel teased with a smirk on her face.
''Yeah, I know.'' He replied as he ran past the doppelganger and rushed towards the staircase behind her. ''Thanks for today, Doppel. I'll catch you later.''
''Yeah, see you later Romeo.'' She replied with a warm smile as she waved him off with several locks of her hair. Once out of sight, the doppelganger sighed to herself as a blush took hold of her cheeks again. ''Seriously, that guy it too nice for his own good sometimes…''
Suddenly, her phone started ringing, and checked to see that it was Kuroko who was calling her. Doppel quickly answered the call and pressed the devise to her ear. ''Hey Boss, what's cracking?''
''So good of you to answer, Doppel.'' Ms Smith replied in a stern tone. ''Tell me, what's this I hear about you impersonating an ICEP coordinator for one of your pranks?'' The woman asked as her tone grew grim.
Doppel's eyes shot wide open as her smirk was soon replaced with a look of worry. ''Err, I can totally explain…'' She said as her voice grew nervous.
Rachnera's threat of punishment from earlier would be nothing compared to what Ms Smith had planned for the troublemaking doppelganger.
A/N: Okay, I think this is my longest chapter to date, and I still have Manako's and Zombina's dates to write. Hope you guys can wait a little longer on them.
As for the anniversary special, I'll be scrapping the whole Q&A idea as I've received no question for it, so what I'll do instead is show you guys my original concept for the story, long before Squad Bravo was even an idea. Hopefully it'll be an interesting read, though with my current writing schedule (or lack there of), I'll be posting it before the second half of the Squad Alpha dates, aiming for April 10th.
As always, please follow and favourite the story if you enjoyed it, and feel free to leave a review or any suggestions to help me improve, and thank you very much for reading. Until next time!