When they got back home, Inichi released them all and sent a mental thought to the rest of the monster family. There were still a few hours left to the restaurant, and he knew they all would want to see Kamiko to ensure she was well. Her palm was carefully bandaged and set with ointment for pain. Of course, Tsuruga was mad that he missed a good fight. Kamiko was able to create new clothing for herself easily, and another shopping list for underclothes was created for her. A room was easily claimed now, and she began to help Tacki with her foot injury.
"I want to wait for the others to come back," Tacki said and winced when Kamiko put a bandage over her injured claw. "It's important."
"That's fine," Mitsumi nodded and sipped a cup of tea from where she was on Saitama's lap. She noticed that Genos was watching her now, and she frowned. "Is everything okay, Genos?"
"Oh. Yes. Just trying to get some ideas by observing Master Saitama with you," he nodded. Now Saitama glanced at him with a sigh.
"I'm just…relaxing with her. Everyone tends to have different ways in a relationship. At least you'd think so. You don't have to copy me on this," Saitama said and accepted a sip of tea from Mitsumi's cup. "We are happy doing this. You and Kamiko may have other ways to be happy. Look at Rendor and…her. Yeah. She's happy to sit on his shoulder. Fubuki and Inichi just talk and have fun. I like to keep Mitsumi in my lap to always hold her. You'll figure something out."
"Saitama, I have a question for you," Mitsumi said softly.
"Hmm?" he glanced at her.
"The first night…after we met and you saw me change old. You went back to your apartment to sleep. Did you sleep?" she asked. "I was told you practically crashed out hard the second night."
"I didn't really get much," he admitted. Genos nodded to confirm it.
"You…why?" she frowned. Now the others looked at him.
"I was too worried about you," he said gently. "At first I lay awake trying to sleep. Then I was pacing the entire time and kept fighting the urge to leave and come back down to see you to ensure you were well. I managed to get some sleep here and there from sheer exhaustion…but it was only about five hours' worth. Possibly less. Even then, I kept waking up. I was able to fully wake up when Inichi nudged me, but I was still…pretty drained out. The only time I finally did fall asleep was when I crashed on the couch. Because I was here. And you were safely with me."
"I love you," Mitsumi said softly.
"I love you," he said back and kissed her intimately. "Do you think we should change out of these clothes?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I want to, but we don't know how Tacki will be after this. You know?"
"True…" he frowned and let her press her head against his neck. When she started to play with the zipper on the front of his costume again, he gave her a small grin. "What are you doing?"
"Playing with this," she grinned back and got kissed heavily.
"So…playing with a zipper turns you on? Weird," Zenchu muttered from where he was on the couch. Kamikaze looked over and coughed.
"At least I know it can," Saitama smirked at him and lifted Mitsumi up in his arms. "We are going to take a bath. Maybe change clothes."
"Oh! I…ow!" Tacki winced. "Never mind…"
"I can handle the bath water for now," Kamiko smiled and pat her shoulder. "You stay off that foot!"
"Okay…" Tacki frowned and sighed.
"It'll be fine, okay?" Kamikaze said.
"Oh, ah, Mitsumi? May I see the extra fans?" Bane asked from where he sat. Kamiko was the one to get them for him. "Thank you."
"Let me know when you want your bath," Kamiko said.
"Okay. You let us know when the others are back in case we don't get to the bath," Saitama said and kicked the bedroom door closed after carrying Mitsumi into the bedroom.
"We should go back out there," Mitsumi smiled and gasped when he pulled her closer. "What should we wear?"
"Right now? Nothing," he growled and kissed her hungrily. In the main room, Zenchu had the television turned on to watch a random show that was running. Inichi was mildly chatting with Fubuki when he suddenly paused and swerved to the television.
"The news! Now!" Inichi demanded. Zenchu blinked and was quick to bring it up. At the news reporter giving out information that Sweet Mask was looking for the one that sent him the anonymous script, Inichi chuckled. "Good. He did it. Of course, he'll have his staff sort through the liars. The ones contacting him will have to tell him the full plot. A drama about people and pets."
"So…bestiality?" Zenchu asked and dodged a quick swipe from the floating monster. Fubuki barked out her laughter and hid her face in her hands. Kianna bristled a bit and shook her head when King looked away with a small grin. Rendor was supporting Tatsumaki's napping form on his shoulder and gave a dirty look at him now.
"You are disgusting. But…also truthful in various ways," Inichi growled to get Zenchu laughing at him.
"Maybe I need to learn your attitude," Kamikaze mused to get Bane looking at him with a shake of his head.
"Please don't!" Tacki seemed to beg to get Kamikaze grinning lightly. "I don't need another pervert around here! I can clean rooms. I can't clean minds."
"Hey!" Zenchu frowned to get the others laughing hard. At Tacki's hard sigh, Kamikaze frowned at her.
"What's wrong?" he had to ask.
"I just…I'm bored…" she admitted. "Usually I'm going over dishes, checking rooms, making sure laundry is done…"
"Ah…your foot is broken right now. I know you said you can heal slowly, so let's see. Hmm. Oh. You ever heard of something called Cat's Cradle? It's like…a game with string. I think. You get a long string, tie both ends and loop it around each of your fingers. Then you keep looping with your fingers to make intricate designs," he said.
"Really? Huh! Um…I know we have lots of thread…" Tacki mused. "I only have four fingers now and my thumb, though. My pinky is the wing extension."
"Right. But it's worth a try. If it will help keep your mind off of things for now?" he shrugged.
"Here," Kamiko said and was able to cut a foot of string and tie it off. Tacki was now able to try it out and found herself highly immersed in it.
"This is…a bit fun!" Tacki smiled.
"Nice idea!" Kamiko chuckled and found herself pulled next to Genos.
"If tonight goes well, I may need to visit with Dr. Kuseno. He's the one that changed my body to become this. He repairs me and upgrades me. So…" Genos sighed and seemed to look away.
"He would be the one to talk to…if…we want to…?" Kamiko asked slowly.
"Yes," Genos nodded.
"Okay. Well, if we decide to go that route, you know who to talk to. That's fine," she chuckled. "Maybe I can do some quick shopping to fix my wardrobe again. Certain things I can't make. Tacki could, but…"
"Huh?" Tacki asked.
"If I need your help making something, I'll ask," Kamiko nodded. Tacki just nodded and started to feel restless again. She set the string down and sighed.
"Kamiko, you have some, eh…polish? Tacki, here. Clean this," Kamikaze said and took his sword up to let her clean it. "You really do only have fun cleaning! Hmm…"
"I know," Tacki said and got the rag and polishing cream from Kamiko to get to work. A sharpening stone was also brought to her, much to Kamikaze's surprise. Damn! She'll shine and sharpen every weapon I have!
"Maybe she needs to take up knitting," King thought. "I'd say a game, too, but knitting is something and she can make things."
"I loooove knitting!" Tacki gasped. "And crochet! And needlepoint! And stitching…"
"Okay!" Kamikaze laughed softly. Kianna now brought over one of the knitting crafts that Mitsumi did as an old lady.
"We had a lot of these for Lady Mitsumi when she changed to her older body. It helped keep her mind occupied on other things," Kianna said softly.
"Tacki, why don't you make me a new haori, eh?" Kamikaze asked.
"Kamiko can get your measurements and get me the materials," Tacki nodded. "I can do that, too, and won't need to stand."
"Good. We'll keep you busy," he nodded. At the sudden shout heard from Saitama from the bedroom, Kamikaze just seemed to grumble. "He's making me a touch jealous now…"
"Why?" Tacki asked.
"Eh…sometimes…it's hard to explain," Kamikaze said and chewed on the stick a bit in his mouth.
"You're not getting laid?" Zenchu asked.
"Shut up. Yes, damn it…" Kamikaze grunted to get Zenchu laughing.
"Oh…" Tacki frowned and looked away.
"Ah…crap. I did it again. Didn't I?" Kamikaze grimaced. The others in the room were quick to stop paying attention.
"Well…" Tacki said with a light smile. "If I was human…things would be…better. Right?"
"Oh?" Kamikaze now regarded her curiously.
"I'm not saying you're not attractive at all," she started and looked away with a light blush. "It's just…my current figure…I have no idea."
"You dated before?" he asked.
"I have. And…yes…went all the way…" she chuckled softly.
"So…if we can cure you…?" he asked now with a small grin.
"We'll see if we last more than a week. That's…how long it lasted for me until the guy found another girl…" she frowned lightly and shrugged. "Nicer body, apparently. He didn't care for personality. And I was…pressured into it. So to speak. Not that it wasn't nice, but…"
"Where is he now?" he growled and chewed on the stick a bit harder.
"Oh, I don't know. Probably showing off his body on a beach somewhere. He just liked me because I fixed up some of his clothing," she shrugged again.
"I like you for more than that," Kamikaze said. "Granted, it's a nice thing you did. It did impress me. But…I saw something else. Not many girls can keep up with me. You might actually be the one to keep me on my toes."
"You think so?" she asked with a beaky smile.
"With how you always like to keep busy, it would not surprise me," he chuckled. Inichi paused and gestured to Kamiko to start up the bath in the bedroom. After she left to do that, Inichi floated over to Tacki.
"I don't know the one in your thoughts, but he looks like one of those…Tanktop heroes. But not a hero. I'm sure things will be better," Inichi said calmly. "For now, we need the others to return to see about that urn of yours."
"Yeah. I don't know if I should touch it. Or if another should touch it…I just…I don't know," she frowned.
"We messed up the symbols on it. We were able to touch it just fine. If you fix it up…you touch it," Zenchu nodded.
"Okay," she nodded and glanced at the door when it was knocked on. Kianna answered it to let in Lightning Max. Kamikaze regarded him coolly and rested a hand on Tacki's bird knee.
"I found this," Lightning Max said and handed over a parchment.
"Interesting how you are finding so much," Inichi mused.
"I know who to talk to," Max said. Then he paused when Kamiko walked out of the bedroom to chuckle and wave at him.
"I'm the, ah…chameleon girl. I got cured," she smiled and went to sit with Genos. He put a protective hand on her now to show she was not single.
"How?!" Max had to ask.
"The charm I had. It was a monster," Kamiko frowned. "It had to get removed from me. Once it was gone, Saitama crushed it. I'm free again."
"I…wow…" Max blinked. He looked over at Tacki reading the small parchment. She was in shock on what it said.
"I…have to open the urn after it is fixed," Tacki said slowly. "This is a piece of a diary! I think it belonged to the same one that owned the urn! Max! How did you get this?! I mean…"
"I said I know people," Max chuckled.
"Is that sword sharpened?" Kamikaze snorted now.
"Stop it," Tacki muttered at him. "He wanted to help. He helped."
"I know…" he grunted.
"If we last longer than a week together, then I know I won't have doubts," she chuckled. "Ah. My toe is better. I healed up. Okay. Is Lady Mitsumi ready to come out?"
"Stay put, please," Kamikaze said and kept his hand on her bird leg. She looked at him oddly.
"What's going on now?" Bane asked from where he was sitting calmly.
"We are not moving from here until the others are back. Just work with me," Kamikaze said. Lightning Max found a place to sit down now to think.
"Does anyone need to eat? Drink?" Inichi asked. "I can still serve things."
"Some tea would be good," Fubuki nodded. Inichi nodded and used his bubbles to start to move items around to prepare the water for boiling. Then he blinked his red eyes opened and looked at Zenchu.
"Television! The news channel!" he said. Zenchu turned it back to the news to see the Takashi family boasting that they wrote the script for Sweet Mask. They all looked up to see Saitama darting over in a towel around his waist to look at the screen now. He clearly looked pissed.
"I'm not letting her see this. I have to," Saitama said and studied what each family member looked like. They all had pasty skin, black hair and various body types. When he looked up to see Mitsumi walking over quickly in a bathrobe with her long black hair trailing water behind her, he cringed. "No! Back in the bedroom! I don't want you to see this!"
"No. I need to see this, too," she said and moved to press into him. "Please? I just…I need this to help with any form of closure."
"Okay…" Saitama sighed and pulled her into his arms. Kianna and Kamiko both moved as one to get extra towels to help them dry off. "We weren't done with the bath. This was just…too important."
"The tall, thin man is my youngest brother. He was the one found in the lab," Mitsumi said. "The thin, slender girl is my other sister. The bulky man is my oldest brother. He's the one that wrote the script. Atsuko was the oldest one. Then you have the fat one that easily swallows all of them around her."
"Pfft…" Zenchu hissed out his laughter.
"Wow. You weren't kidding about Atsuko almost fitting into the same dress as that woman. That's…sad," Saitama frowned.
"It's terrible! She used to be so pretty until she just decided to stop being careful. But she was still vile," Mitsumi frowned. "She was just as money hungry as Father was. I was kept civil around her until she found the will."
"Hmm," Saitama frowned hard and kissed her forehead. "Just stay with me. I'll always protect you."
"I know," Mitsumi sighed and watched the corrupted family leave in a limousine. "I find it funny that they are leaving the nest so much."
"They are daring the Hero Association to come after them," Inichi said. "The others are returning from the restaurant. We should all go there tomorrow."
"That's fine," King nodded.
"Let's finish our bath and we'll help Tacki. About ten minutes?" Mitsumi asked. Saitama nodded, gathered her up in his arms to carry off and went back into the bedroom to kick the door closed. While the others started to prepare small snacks and drinks, Saitama and Mitsumi discarded the towels to sink back into the bath with relief at the hot water.
"They all have to be stupid to come out like that," Saitama sighed.
"They are corrupt and used to political slander. To them, this is no different," she frowned and got a soapy towel. "Let me get your back?"
"Ah. Sure," he smiled and turned to let her do that for him. He closed his eyes at the feel of the massaging towel and still found it surprising that he was able to feel her very touch all over his skin. "Amazing…"
"Hmm?" she smiled and rinsed him off gently with a small cup before handing him the towel to get her back next. He moved aside her dampened black hair gently from the long length of it to keep it from getting in the way.
"To know that I can feel you. Even now if I squeeze you…I don't hurt you. It's like…my body knows. I simply…know…" he said and ran the towel over her shoulders and down her back leisurely. He poured the water down her back now to rinse her from the soap and ran a hand over her back to caress her.
"Do you?" she asked softly to watch him toss aside the towel before wrapping his arms around her to pull her back into his chest.
"I feel nothing with everyone else…" he muttered and pressed his mouth into her neck. "But with you…I feel everything. Like hell will I lose that…"
"Saitama…" she whispered and let him pull her into a fiery kiss of intense claim. When it broke, he simply held her. "I want see to Tacki now."
"Same," he nodded. He kissed her again and squeezed her gently before finally letting her go. They managed to leave the bath, dry off and dress in civilian clothes again. She chose a full shirt with a dip in the center neckline of a dark pink in color with grey shorts and undergarments. He was wearing a light blue shirt with blue shorts and boxers. He kissed her temple and opened the bedroom door to see Orotsu just moving into the kitchen. Everyone was clamoring over Kamiko with complete joy.
"Yay!" Fumio beamed and hugged her.
"At least we know it's possible," Tsuruga chuckled.
"That's right," Zenchu said.
"I may not move as fast, but that's okay. I can run a register and greet people. I was thinking of a side-by-side profile picture of me next to how I looked before. It can show that we truly are trying to be cured," Kamiko nodded. Inichi knew it was a sound idea, but he now motioned for silence on Saitama and Mitsumi appearing at last. It was time to help Tacki, and the urn was brought out.
"Oh! Lady Mitsumi! Your hair isn't dry," Kianna said and was quick to gather up the long strands skillfully to wrap a towel around her head to help dry her hair. "There. If the bath is done, we can clean it up after."
"Yeah, it's done," Saitama nodded and pulled Mitsumi into his lap. "Eh…I wanted to cook dinner for you."
"We still have time. Let's see to Tacki," Mitsumi smiled and kissed him.
"Okay," Tacki said when she stood up in full to examine the urn. Kamiko placed several tools to help restore pottery down for her. Tacki nodded and studied where the runic marks were scratched out before carefully getting to work to apply replacement clay putty and molding it into place.
"That's very intricate," Kamikaze said.
"Yes. It's something I did, too. I restored things. Rebuilt them. All of that," Tacki nodded and focused on fixing the urn. "Okay, it's done. Nothing is happening yet, but the diary page said I had to open it."
"Diary page?" Mitsumi frowned.
"Yeah. Max found it for me," Tacki said and showed her. Mitsumi was clearly in shock, but Saitama nodded for Tacki to keep working with the urn.
"Child Emperor wanted to be here, but he got caught up in schoolwork and being with his family. He will be here tomorrow. He knows that Fumio's tests are done, so we will all come back here with him after the restaurant is closed," Inichi said. Everyone nodded at that and went back to watching Tacki carefully open the urn. She set down the ceramic lid and paused at a note found in it.
"This note…it's not old. It's about…a couple years old," Tacki frowned and opened it to read it. "'To the one that restored this urn. If it changed you, you have my deepest sympathy. It was not my intent to have it harm. It was meant to show how one truly is on the inside and bring it outward. If it changed you, all you must do is drink the contents in the urn. There is only enough for one dose. If it was only one that got changed…destroy this urn in full to keep it from harming any others…'"
"So, it's not the ashes of a dead man?" Zenchu asked.
"There's more," Tacki said. "'I am sure the question is asked…who was in this urn? The truth is I am still quite alive while writing this note. This was a test to see if the urn was true. That it would only work with one with a skilled and innocent touch and a passion to see the truth come to life. The only thing in this urn is the antidote to the torment of possible change. Fill the urn up with water and drink from it. Then destroy it. Do not look for me. I do not know if I will be alive to see this come to fruition. Do this request for me to keep others safe.'"
"So…" Kamikaze frowned. "Drink from that with only water needed. Is it empty? Or is the antidote actually lining the urn?"
"I think that's what it means," Genos nodded.
"Here," Orotsu said and gave a cold bottle of water. "It did not say hot or cold water, correct?"
"No. Just mix it. Oh. Um, Kamikaze? Can you pluck all the long feathers from me? It's for keepsake and I can do something with them. If it fails, I'll grow them back by morning," Tacki said. "It'll only hurt me for a moment."
"Even the wings?" he frowned.
"Yeah. I want to…make something. For everyone. I think the feathers will stay. I used them for the fans, too," she chuckled.
"Oh! The fans have your feathers?!" Mitsumi blinked.
"Yes," Tacki chuckled. Then she winced at the feather plucking. "Careful with the tail feathers! Those are a bit deep…"
It took ten minutes to carefully pluck all the needed feathers from her. She looked very different without the colorful peacock feathers, but she didn't care. Kamiko was able to smear ointment over any area that needed it to keep her skin clean of infection. Max now started to sort out the feathers with Kianna into various bags for later uses. Once it was done, Tacki poured the bottled water into the urn and gently swirled it.
"I'm right here," Kamikaze said and stood next to her.
"Here goes nothing…" she sighed and put the urn to her beak to drink down. "Ugh! It's so vile!"
"Don't stop," Inichi warned.
"You got this," Saitama nodded. Mitsumi had to get held down tightly in his lap to keep her still. "Easy, Mitsumi. It's okay."
Tacki choked down the rest of it before falling away from the table. Kamikaze caught her and gently set her on the floor. That was when he noticed that her lips started to smooth back out and her nose separated from her mouth to reform normally. Her hair reformed to the light brown again and seemed to come just to the middle of her back. Her hands reverted and the feathers simply fell off her. "Huh. We didn't have to pluck them! How does her skin look? Is it still bad?"
"I don't think so," Kamiko said on studying her. She did peel away the scales from her legs and feet when they started to look paper thin. The talons simply fell off and dissolved into powder. Then she saw something and quickly put a towel down over Tacki's hips. "No pants. She didn't need them before."
"Oh! Yeah. Nice on the quick thinking," Kamikaze nodded.
"So…she appears to be normal again," Bane mused.
"What's going on?" Tatsumaki asked when she woke up.
"Tacki is human now!" Rendor grinned at her.
"Oh? Is it your turn next?" she asked.
"Ah…we can wait a couple days," he said.
"No! We shouldn't!" she said.
"We can," Inichi chuckled. "It will be fine. Ah. She's starting to wake up."
"Eh…" Tacki started to blink her brown eyes open and she gasped at her hands. Then she saw her legs and burst into tears. "I…I'm…!"
"You are," Kamikaze nodded and pulled her into his lap.
"Max…thank you…" she sniffed.
"Anytime. Rendor? I'll see what I can find out for you, too," Max said.
"That would be appreciated. Tsuruga also was changed differently. We don't know how for him. We may need Child Emperor to help with that," Rendor said. "Inichi did draw out what changed me before."
"That I did. Ah…here," Inichi said and handed over a rolled parchment.
"Okay. I'll look into it," Max nodded to him.
"I think it's time we cooked dinner," Mitsumi said. She did move to hug Tacki and got a tight hug back. "Just like with Kamiko, you can always stay with me as my sister."
"I want that," Tacki sniffed and was given a tissue to blow into by Fumio. "I can't fly anymore, but I still…feel like I can clean and stuff. Like how I did before. Normal stuff I always did. I'm fine with it."
"Good. If you start feeling tired, I'll take you to bed," Kamikaze said.
"Oh? Shouldn't she sleep separate from you?" Bane smirked.
"It's just sleeping…" Kamikaze said with a mild glare.
"It will be fine," Saitama said and waved his hand at them. "Anyways, eh…dinner anyone?"
"Yes!" Kianna said with King. The rest of the night was spent cooking, fixing up new wardrobes and helping the newly healed girls get used to their bodies once again. Mitsumi and Saitama just had a massive sigh of relief that the monsters were finally becoming human. Child Emperor would see the results for Fumio and see what happened to possibly find a cure. That would be after the restaurant closed as they discussed.