Ch. 38 Surviving a Swap for Two!
Joseph opened the front door. He tapped his shoes on the concrete floor before stepping out of the house. Yume stood within the arch of the doorway as she watched him exit her home. He headed for the convenient store down the block.
"Be careful!" She cried to him. Joseph waved to her.
"I'll be back later!" He yelled. As he walked, a shadow was tailing Joseph behind the stone walls in the alley.
A. A Pokémon's Perspective
"I know you took me to go shopping…" Rito spoke. "But, can you leave me out of playing dress-up?"
"Aww, but it's so relaxing!" Lala replied.
"Pikapi!" Jolt agreed. The three had just finished going to the market and were strolling down the street. Lala remained in her Deviluke attire while Rito in his school uniform with just the white shirt. Jolt simply idled on Rito's right shoulder. Many people couldn't help but look over at the couple passing by. To the right of them approached a small, white dog with scruffy hair wagging its tail.
"Rito, look!" Lala pointed to the pup. "A little doggie!" Jolt jumped off Rito to greet the passerby.
"Pikachu?"
"Rawf!" The dog answered.
"It's soooo~ cute!" Lala commented on the dog. "It looks almost like you, Rito!"
"You think so?" He asked.
"Yep, and Haruna-chan has a dog, too. It's really cute!"
So, Haruna-chan has a dog, huh…Rito lazily fell into one of his fantasies about the girl he likes. If I were that dog, I'd get to be with Haruna-chan all the time. I'm so jealous… Jolt caught Rito daydreaming.
"Pika?" He jumped and knocked on Rito's head.
"Huh?" Lala also noticed him losing his focus.
"What's wrong, Rito?" Lala asked.
"Nothing," he folded his arms. "Just wondering how nice it would be if I were a dog."
"Eh? You want to be a dog?"
"Oh, do I ever!" Rito chuckled. Lala snatched the dog from the ground and rushed to a small alley between two buildings.
"Rito!" she ushered him to follow her. "This way! This way!"
"Pi?" Jolt followed right behind Rito. As the two made their way to Lala, she pulled out her D-dial and summoned forth another one of her new inventions. This one had two large pods just large enough for one person to fit in each. Separating the pods was a medium-sized computer terminal with a diamond antennae rooting from the top. Rito stared in shock at the large contraption.
"Heh…?" Lala grabbed Rito by the arm and shoved him into the metallic pod on the right. "Hey—Wha?"
"There! Rito, you stay in here!" She settled the pooch in the pod on the left. "And the doggie goes here!" Lala rushed over to the terminal and punched in the settings. Jolt looked at the dog. It started smelling the inside of the chamber. It raised its right leg.
"Pika!" Jolt quickly jumped at the dog before it marked its territory.
SLAM!
The dog hopped out of the pod, leaving Jolt stumbling to his feet.
"Switch on!" Lala pressed the button. The doors closed and the chambers began filling with pink smoke. A shot of yellow light came from both windows as the transfer began.
"WHAA…!" Rito cried.
"PIKA…?"
CHIIIIIIIIIIIN! Ding~!
From the left pod came Jolt rubbing his head.
"Pika…" When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his small yellow hands. "Pi!?" He looked over himself from his body to his tail. "PIKA!? {What the!?}" From the other end of the machine came Rito. He toppled over and fell to the ground. His height was unadjusted as he tried to stand straight.
"Pika!?" he said.
"Awwwwwwwwwwww!" Lala hopped with delight. "Rito, you're so cute!" She lowered herself to Jolt's (now Rito's) level. "Isn't it great? It's a machine that simultaneously exchanges two bodies!" Rito flailed his arms about trying to yell at her.
"Pikapika! {Change me back!}" He yipped. "Pikapika! {Change me back!}" What the heck!? She doesn't understand a word I'm saying!? The dog quickly turned around and started running out of the alley.
"Pikachu!" Jolt quickly chased after the pup.
"Ah-!" Lala realized this and ran after Rito (now Jolt). "Wait a minute, Rito...I mean, Jolt!"
"PIKA PI! {I'm over here!}" Rito went running after Lala. "Pikachu! {Hey wait!}" This isn't good! Rito's path was cut off by an old man in a yukata. Hmm? His hair seemed to have shifted to the side of his head and his small mustache rested above his snarling teeth. He wasn't too pleased to see Jolt. He gripped the dust broom tightly as the veins popped out of his head.
"Gotcha!" The man glared at the mouse. "Yeh Mischievous Rat!" Rito began to sweat. "Yeh've been the one eatin' outta mah trash, have yeh? But today…today…" He ran at animal. "I ain't lettin' yeh git away!"
"PIKACHU!" Rito yelped. Th-That dog was that kind!? But now I'm the one getting blamed!
"Get back here!"
"PIKA!"
Just ahead, Jolt continued racing after the small dog among the crowd of people. He ran on all fours trying to keep up. People moved out of the way as the two passed. Lala tried her best to run after the two.
"Wait for me!" she cried. "Come back!"
…
The middle-aged gentleman continued to dust off his collection of books. To his right, he saw a young girl reading one of his books titled: To Live for Love. She continued scanning the pages patiently.
"Erm~~~" the man tried not to interrupt her reading. "Miss, you've been standing there reading for the past four hours, but…"
"Please wait," Yami offered. "I'll be done with the shelf in just a minute."
"Huh!?" The man's glasses almost slid off.
"Earth's literature is pretty interesting. Good thing I've already memorized this country's lettering."
Wha…What is this girl talking about? The man was stumped.
"Waaaaaiiiitttt!" A voice rang behind Yami. She turned around to the source.
"That voice just now…" She exited the shop. "Princess?"
"Pika!" Jolt leapt on Yami's back. He held tightly by crossing his legs around her waist and putting his arms around her neck. "Cha!" He nuzzled his cheek next to Yami. She stood frozen as Jolt hung on.
"…" Yami's hair began to transform. Lala approached from the left.
"Ah!" Lala waved to Yami. "Yami-chaaan! Grab him!"
SLICE! SLASH! CRUSH!
Yami hacked away at trying to crush Jolt.
"Pikachu!" Jolt cried. He quickly jumped away and ran down the block.
"GYAAAHH!" the store clerk yelled.
"Yuuki Rito…" Yami stated. "I'll accept that as a declaration of war!"
…
Rito slowly limped his way around the alleyway. He used a small stick from a nearby tree to keep his balance. Scratch marks and dirt smeared over his yellow coat.
D...Damn it! Rito talked to himself. That old man...Why did he have to hit me so hard...? Uuuugh, this sucks. I'm starting to feel unsteady. I've been running around too much...
*Growl~*
...I'm hungry too. Rito fell forward. I...can't move anymore. He closed his eyes and rested for a moment to regain his strength.
"Rarf!" A dog barked at Rito. "Rarf! Rarf!"
"Where are you going, Maron!?" A girl's voice sounded from above. Rito looked to see a Boston terrier looking at him with big black eyes. The dog had black and white fur and a wet tongue sticking out of his mouth.
Wh...What's he doing? Rito thought. There was a collar around the dog's neck followed by a long red leash. The leash wrapped around the hand of the owner. She looked down on the beaten Pikachu.
"Oh, you poor thing!" Haruna cried out. Rito's eyes shot wide open.
H-Haruna-chan!?
…
Approaching at the end of the sidewalk was Saki Tenjouin along with Rin and Aya to accompany her on this pleasant day.
"Fufu…" The young princess giggled. "It's not so bad walking among the commoners once in a while."
"That's our Saki-sama," Rin concurred. As they continued, they heard people screaming and shouting up ahead. From a distance, it looked like someone was running on all fours and chasing after a small dog.
"Hmm?" Saki blinked. "Isn't that…?"
"Pika pi!" Jolt panicked. His new body couldn't stop in time.
"...Huh?"
BAM!
"KYAAAA!" Saki screamed as she fell. Jolt's face shifted back and forth. He tried to scramble free, but the darkness underneath her skirt blocked his vision. "AHH…STOP IT!" She pushed against his head. "WHA…WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Aya and Rin quickly rushed to her aid.
'Wh…" Aya shrieked. "Why you!"
"Get off of Saki-sama!" Rin demanded.
"Rarf!" The dog yapped. He leapt on Aya and started nuzzling her bouncy chest.
"HYAA!" Aya screamed. Jolt finally escaped and lunged for the pup. Unfortunatley, he missed and fell onto Rin. He went grabbing onto her.
"Cut…Cut it out!" Rin ordered while stimulated. The dog quickly scampered away with Jolt chasing after him. All the girls glared in hatred as Jolt made off without a second thought.
"H…Hold it right there!" Saki shouted. "You dirt bag!" The chase continued throughout town. One young boy was about to enjoy his ice cream on a cone when…
WHISH!
Jolt had accidentally formed a waffle horn on his forehead.
"AAAAAH!" The boy cried. "My ice creeeeaaaammm!" The two went bashing past the décor outside a ramen shop. The owner ran out and shouted at the pests.
"Hey you!" The people became more aware as the two were causing a riot around town. They would lift girl's skirts, rush past pedestrians, or topple private property. Lala watched from the sky.
"Wow…" Lala said amazed. "What an unbelievable doggie…"
"Indeed…" Peke replied.
…
In an apartment complex, Haruna was taking care of the exhausted mouse by feeding him some fresh milk from the kitchen. Rito happily licked the dish with his small tongue.
"Thank goodness," Haruna sighed. "You look lively." Rito looked to Haruna as she smiled at the Pikachu's healing condition.
Thank goodness…He implied. It feels like I'm getting better! Ooh, milk and everything…It's like I'm a real pet. But, she did save me. He wagged his tail with joy. Haruna reached out to pick him up.
"C'mere you ," she greeted him. She lifted him over her shoulder and carried him down the hall.
Haruna-chan…Rito grinned. You're so kind…I'm happy even if I'm not a dog…Haruna opened the door and stepped into a small room. She began removing her skirt and revealed her polka-dot bra. Rito froze in a state of shock.
"Now, time to get that filth of you!" She looked to the small mouse. "Let's take a bath together!
A…A BATH!? Haruna grabbed Rito and took him into the shower stall. She turned the faucet and rinsed herself with the shower head. Rito cowered in the corner trying to keep his eyes shut. UWA-AAAAH! I MUST NOT DO IT! I ABSOLUTELY MUST NOT PEEK!
"Okay!" Haruna turned around. "Up we go!"
Heh? Haruna walked over and picked up Rito. He flailed about trying to free himself from her grasp. Hey wait!
"It'll be fine!" Haruna removed Rito's bandanna and placed it on the door handle. She slowly scrubbed his head to his back. She noticed Rito's tail had a symbol printed on the side. "Be a good boy!" She scrubbed thoroughly with the brown loofa to remove the tattoo, but it wouldn't come off. "Is it stuck on your tail?" Haruna stroked harder until the bubbles expanded from behind. Rito squealed at the unexplainable sensation.
"PIKAPIKAPIKAPIKPIKAPIKA!" She switched over to scrubbing his underbelly and moving lower and lower, until…
"CHUUUUUUUU~!"
After the bath, Haruna placed Rito on the counter top next to the sink. She dried Rito's fur with her hair dryer until his coat shined like brand new.
"There!" Haruna smiled. "All done!" Rito's face held no expression. He stood motionless keeping his vision forward.
Haruna has done something unthinkable to me…! Rito hummed in his head. My heart's still beating wildly! Haruna left Rito standing inside her bedroom.
"Now, you stay here for a little while." Haruna left the room. Rito simply idled around Haruna's room. A small desk, a bed, window, and some small stuffed animals sitting on the shelf of a drawer. This was definitely a girl's room.
This is Haruna-chan's room…Something had caught Rito's attention…Hmm? What's that? On the dresser was a small picture framed with different kids in black, middle school uniforms. That picture…In the picture was both Haruna and Rito in their seventh year. From when we were in middle school?
{Hey}, the terrier welcomed him.
{OWAAAAHHH!} Rito jumped back towards the door. Ha-Haruna-chan's dog? That shocked me…
{You are looking better now, newcomer! You should be grateful. When I found you on the street, you had already collapsed.} Rito paused for a moment.
{A…A TALKING DOG!?}
{What are you getting so worked up about? You're a dog too…aren't you? My name is Maron! I am a proud Boston terrier. What's your name?}
Na…Name? Rito tried to introduce himself. {Ah, I…I'm Rito…}
{Rito? That's a weird name…}
I just got dissed by a dog…
{It must be fate to meet like this.} Maron patted his head. {From now on, you are my underling. And you may become my little brother.}
{Th…Thanks.} Little brother…? After some time, Haruna and Maron went back to playing on the bed. Maron would lick her cheek as she giggled from the ticklishness.
"Hahaha!" Haruna laughed. "Maron, that tickles~!" Just watching her smile made Rito happy he was with her today.
{Haruna-chan…} Maron finally finished and leapt off from the bed.
{Hey!} Maron called to Rito. {What are you doing? Go do the same!}
{You…You mean me!?}
{Of course!} He started shoving Rito towards the bed. {Do you see anyone else here?}
{UWAAH! Wait…!} As Rito shimmied over to Haruna, he looked up. She exposed the underside of her skirt. He quickly covered his eyes. {Ahh! Haruna-chan is wide open!} Haruna picked Rito up and held him to her face.
"Come here," she asked. Rito was stunned by how close he was. "Your name is Jolt, isn't it?" She smiled. "It's nice to meet you!" Rito blushed.
H-Haruna-chan…
{What are you doing?} Maron barked. {Hurry up and do it! Lick her!}Rito gulped. He stuck out his tongue. He inched forward trying to give her a good lick. His nervousness and worry made him tremble.
{I can't do it!} Rito cried.
{Seriously, young ones these days can never get the job done.} Maron made a large jump for Haruna. She dropped Rito to the floor. {All right! You do it like this!} Maron stared licking Haruna across the face. The tickling sensation started taking effect.
"No, Maron!" she laughed. "Are you being jealous?" Maron continued licking all the exposed areas where he might cause stimulation. "Stop that already, Maron!" Rito watched in awkwardness as Maron went at her with no restraint.
{Even if I've turned into a pet…} Rito yipped. {Doing something like that…}
{Hey!} Maron ordered. {Hurry over!}
{I can't!} Rito shook his head.
{You can't?} Maron glared at him. {Were you serious when you said that? This is how we build our relationship with humans. Anyone who comes to this house and acts carelessly towards the owner is going to get it! If you can't even do that…then don't be a dog!}
I would if it was possible. Rito sulked.
{Hurry up and do it! ARE YOU SAYING YOU CAN'T FOLLOW YOUR BIG BROTHER'S ORDERS, YOU STUPID DOG!?} Maron leapt behind Rito and prepared his hind legs. {You can start anywhere. Just make sure your licking is appealing!}
*Kick!*
Maron shoved Rito from behind. He went flying next to Haruna. The two looked at one another. He stood paralyzed.
I guess I have no choice. Rito's masculinity was on the line. I'm a man too! I'm going to do it! Rito jumped into the fray. I'll do it!
"Eh?" Haruna paused.
Lick~! Lick~! Lick~!
Rito made his move. He began licking Haruna all over her body. His tongue went around under her armpits, her legs, and beneath her skirt. "Yaa-n~" Rito couldn't keep up with it.
I can't do this! Rito leapt from the bed and ran for the door. Maron and Haruna watched as the mouse ran out of the room.
"...I wonder if he didn't like the bath…"
{Oh dear,} Maron shook his head. Rito continued running away as far as he could.
Sorry, Haruna-chan! He kept telling himself. I'm sorry!
…
The sun had started setting over the city. Lala stood near the park with a leash in her hand. On the other end was Jolt with a collar around his neck.
"I finally caught you," Lala sighed. She wagged her finger. "No more running off whenever you feel like it."
"Pika..." Jolt lowered his head.
"PIKACHU! {Lala!}" Rito called out. He came running down the alley towards Lala.
"Ah, it's Rito!" She lowered herself to Rito's height. "Hey Rito, where did you play?"
I wasn't playing!
...
CHIIIIIIIIIN! DING~!
Rito stepped out of the right pod. He felt his human hands and feet escorting himself out of the switching machine.
"Haaa..." Rito shuddered. "I'm finally back in my own body."
"Was it fun being Jolt, Rito?" Lala asked. She cuddled the pikachu in her arms.
"I've had enough of it."
"Pikachu..." Jolt agreed.
Although...it might have been a valuable experience for me...In more ways than one...
"It looked like Jolt had fun running around in your body," Lala suggested as she petted him.
"Pi-ka-chu." Jolt shook his head.
"I thought I'd find you here, you savage!" Saki shouted. She arrived at the park with Aya and Rin beside her staring angrily at Rito. "How dare you commit those shameless acts on us?"
"Huh?" Rito looked confused.
"Yuuki Rito..." Yami walked in on the scene. "To be honest, your elimination wasn't terribly important to me. I didn't plan to rush it. However, because of that humiliating act...I'm ending this today." Thing weren't looking too good. An angry mob had formed behind Rito.
"There he is!" Random people started calling him out.
"It's the pervert!"
"Wait!" Rito tried to reason with a persuasive and informative argument.
"GET HIM!" The crowd chased after the boy.
"UWAAAAA! THAT WASN'T ME!" Lala and Jolt watched as Rito went running into the sunset.
"Pika..." Jolt rubbed his head.
After he bought snacks and drinks, the figure waited for Joseph to approach.
"Man, I hope she likes chips and soda for dinner," Joseph stated. A leg stepped forward in front of him. Joseph stopped and noticed a tall man appearing from the corner. This man had his blonde hair combed back, light-blue eyes looking his outfit up and down, and a tan complexion. He had on his white shirt and green jacket over his skinny physique. His blue jeans and black boots made him look tough, but he still had this cool and relaxed composure.
"Sup, mate," the man greeted Joseph.
"Uh, hey," He responded. Joseph tried going around the man, but he quickly blocked his path.
"Where are you heading off to?"
"I'm bringing dinner home. Look, I don't have any more money, so..." Joseph tried shoving his way through the man. He passed by, but the man grabbed on to his groceries. He started to grin.
"You're not from these parts, are ya?"
"I can say the same thing about you." Joseph pulled the bag away, but caused a large rip to drop the supplies on the ground. "What do you want!?" The man snapped his fingers. In an instant, a large staff appeared in his grip. The white shaft was arched and twisted with black graffiti. The blade edged out with razor sharp teeth curving outward. The tip of the stick had a skull resting with green and yellow patters across the head. Joseph saw all this and stepped away from the man. "W-What are you?"
"I'm just like you, mate...A reaper." He pointed his scythe at the boy. "I'll be taking the soul from you if you want to go back to your bonza sheila."
B. Wonder-ful Love
It was a quiet night with a crescent moon overhead. The building lights remained on as the late monorail drove through the city. In the central park, a dog tugged on his master's leash. It forced her to run with him.
"Stop running so fast, Maron!" Haruna asked. Her red-heeled shoes could hardly keep up. It wasn't long before they came to a stop by a park bench and a lamp post. She could finally catch her breath.
Step, step, step, step…
Haruna heard the footsteps of someone approaching from behind...Again?
...
Ms. Mikado's Mansion
Inside the home of Doctor Mikado, the woman herself sat within the office observing the needle in her hand. She wore her regular lab coat and casual apparel while discussing with her patient.
"Alright," she concluded. "I'll be sure to prescribe you with some medicine." The alien had a large green oval head and large blue eyes. He wore a blue jumpsuit with large rings wrapped over his shoulders. He looked to be carrying a mild fever.
"Thank you, Doctor Mikado," the alien appreciated. The nurse, Oshizu, wrote down his prescriptions. She wore the average pink uniform with a small hat. The alien rose from his seat and lingered over to his belongings.
"Take care!" Oshizu sent him off. Lala, Rito, and Kurumu watched as the alien adjusted his suit and disguised himself as a gentleman. He had a business suit with square glasses. He took his leave through the exit.
"So there are aliens like that who pretend to be humans!" Lala said with surprise.
"And I thought monsters had it rough," Kurumu added.
"How classic," Rito nodded. "Wearing a costume." The three went over to the professionals.
"Oshizu-chan, you're living here?" Lala asked.
"Yes!" Oshizu winked. "Since Mikado Sensei needs to give my artificial body maintenance, she allowed me to help her out."
"Even though she's a bit clumsy…" Ms. Mikado smiled.
"Yeah, we know," Rito sighed.
"Artificial?" Kurumu asked. "You mean this isn't your real body?"
"That's right," Oshizu explained. "I actually passed away years ago and am now using this body to house my spirit!"
"No way." The two girls began conversing among themselves.
"Anyway, Lala-san," Ms. Mikado interrupted. "Thanks for helping me with the medical supplies. It helped me a lot."
"No problem!" Lala was flattered. "Zastin is usually the one to prepare it."
"Oh yeah," Oshizu recalled. "Since it's my break time, I'll be off shopping, Sensei."
"Sure, if you like," Ms. Mikado approved.
"Come on," Kurumu offered. "We'll walk and talk."
"Alright!" She and Kurumu headed out. "See you, Rito-san, Lala-san. Take your time!"
"Okay!" Lala replied. The two walked out of the office. "They look really happy."
"Maybe because she has someone she can relate to," Rito guessed.
…
As the night carried on, Kurumu and Oshizu chatted with each other over regular things like style, culture, and recent events.
"You're a succubus!?" Oshizu said with surprised.
"Totally," Kurumu explained. She showed the tail coming from her skirt.
"Amazing! Are there other monsters out there?"
"Yeah, like that guy back at the office." Oshizu pulled her wallet from her pocket.
"Let's see, this is a 100 yen coin. This is a 10 yen coin."
"Currency is hard to handle, huh?"
"It really is. It's so hard to keep up to date with the newest things."
"Tell me about it. All these new technologies and fashions with humans; can't they just choose one and stick with it?" Kurumu and Oshizu turned the next corner. A girl came running from the right with a dog in her arms.
"KYAAAAAAAAA! A DOG!" Oshizu screamed in fear at the site of the Boston terrier.
"Eh?" The girl noticed the shrieking nurse. "Oshizu-chan?" The ghost left her body and turned away in fear.
"No! Don't come near me!" Her body fell to the ground while her apparition floated with two small balls of flame hovering nearby. Her legs were now replaced with a ghastly tail.
"Easy!" Kurumu tried to comfort her. "It's only Haruna!" Oshizu paused and turned around. She calmly noticed her friend with her dog.
"Eh?" She floated to her. "Haruna-san?" Haruna smiled nervously.
...
Ms. Mikado's Mansion
Kurumu and Oshizu accompanied Haruna back to Ms. Mikado's home to meet with the others.
"Someone was following you?" Lala asked.
"Yes," explained Haruna. "Lately, I can tell whenever I take Maron for a walk. I get this bad feeling."
"It might just be a stalker," Kurumu suggested.
"But who would stalk Sairenji…?" Rito thought out loud.
"Maybe it's the Headmaster?" Ms. Mikado assumed.
"That might actually be true…" Rito sighed.
"Anyway," Oshizu announced with a daring fist. "Let's all go and catch this stalker! Someone causing trouble for my friend…It's unforgivable!"
"I'm with ya, sister!" Kurumu agreed.
"Bark!" Maron added. Oshizu tensed up and ran behind Rito.
"If that's the case, I have a good idea!" Lala inserted.
"Good idea?" Rito asked.
"An investigation using a decoy!" Lala placed her hand on Haruna's shoulder. "I'll turn into you, Haruna, and as a decoy, I'll catch the criminal!"
"You'll turn into me?" Haruna didn't quite follow. "What do you mean?"
"By using that!" Lala revealed her transferring machine. "Maru Maru Change-kun! This machine allows two people to switch bodies!"
"Wait—isn't this…!"
"That's right!" Lala started punching in the data on the terminal. "Haruna, you go in there." She pointed to the pod on the left.
"Eh?" Sairenji nodded. "Okay…" Lala stepped aside toward the pod on the right.
"Hold it," Kurumu grabbed Lala's arm. "I'm not gonna miss out on this piece of the action." Lala was stunned by Kurumu's bravery. So, she agreed and allowed Kurumu inside.
"Alright!" Lala cheered. "Let's go!" The pods closed with the girls inside. The machine began operating as the exchange began. On the screen, Haruna was on the left while Kurumu was on the right. The diamond antennae rotated over the terminal.
CHIIIIIIIIIIIN! Ding~!
The machine stopped. The doors opened and released pink smoke from each pod. From the right came Haruna, while the left revealed Kurumu.
"Ya-hoo-hoo!" Sairenji winked. "Looks like it worked!"
"Eh?" Kurumu spoke softly. "I've turned into Kurumu-san."
"It's a success!" Lala approved.
"Eh?" Rito was confused himself. "But Kurumu just went into that one, and Sairenji went into this one…" Haruna (now Kurumu) looked at her new physique. She clasped her chest together.
"Hmm…" Kurumu wasn't impressed. "I feel like my size just dropped." Rito and Haruna (now in Kurumu) lit bright red at her antics.
"We get it! Just stop doing that!"
"Eh?" Oshizu tried following the situation. "Kurumu-san is Haruna-san and Haruna-san is Kurumu-san?"
"As usual," Ms. Mikado grinned uneasily. "What an outrageous invention."
...
Sainan Park
Everyone returned to the park where Haruna walked Maron earlier. Kurumu held Maron in her arms ready to follow with the plan.
"Alright then," Lala explained. "You're going to take Maron for a walk, okay?"
"Pssh," Kurumu shrugged it off. "It's as easy as being bait."
"Kuruna-san," Oshizu reminded her, "you are the bait!"
"Kurumu is fine," Rito corrected.
"Maron-san too…" Kurumu tugged Maron by the leash and dragged him into the park. Haruna began to worry.
"Will Kurumu be alright?" Haruna asked. Rito looked over to Haruna who took on a new look. But, he didn't know how to handle it.
She looks like Kurumu, he thought. But, she's actually Haruna-chan!
"I'm a bit scared."
"It'll be fine!" Rito assured. So cute! Why is my heart beating so fast?
"Kurumu can do it!" Lala agreed.
Kurumu walked to the middle of the park. With no signs of the stalker, she decided to pull another route around. From the bushes, Lala, Haruna, Rito, and Oshizu watched for anything suspicious.
"Nothing showed up," Oshizu noticed.
"Do you think we should stop this?" Haruna asked.
Step, step, step, step…
Footsteps started coming from the back. It looked like a round figure with a coat, brown fedora, and medical mask over its face. Oshizu instantly noticed the follower coming near Kurumu.
"Eh!" She alerted them. "That's…!" Kurumu continued walking; unaware of anyone behind her. The stranger reached out for her.
"Kurumu still hasn't noticed yet!" Rito hastily whispered. The figure lunged at the girl.
WHISH!
Kurumu instantly vanished.
"Huh?" The stranger stood shocked. Kurumu vanished.
*Grab!*
Kurumu latched on to the brute's right arm and pulled it around up their back. She struggled to keep the enemy inflexible.
"Try to get out of this!" Kurumu retorted.
"Let me go!" The stranger shook Kurumu away and threw her a few yards back.
"What the crap happened to my powers?" Kurumu looked at her chest. "…Oh, right."
"Please stop!" Oshizu called out from the bushes. She went running next to Kurumu and pointed her two fingers at the stranger. "Focus Blast!"
Crush!
The ground below the stranger crumbled into a large crater. They quickly jumped out of the way just before falling in.
"What the hell is this?" the stranger yelled.
"We won't let you get away!" Kurumu rose to her feet. Maron jumped to his allies' side.
"Bark! Bark! Bark!" Maron woofed. Oshizu panicked and shifted her focus blast elsewhere.
*Rip!*
Kurumu's attire tore open exposing Haruna's body in the moonlight.
"…Huh, they're bigger than I thought," Kurumu noticed.
"Oh…" Lala noted. Rito watched in fear as he looked at the revealing Kurumu.
"Kurumu-san!" Haruna cried. "Cover me up!"
"I'll repair it!" Peke assured.
"I'm so sorry!" Oshizu apologized. The stranger turned around and took off.
"I've had enough!" She screamed. Oshizu noticed the perpetrator escaping.
"Please stop!" Oshizu raised her hand and summoned her telekinetic powers. From behind came a levitating trash bin, street pole, and park bench. In one swing, Oshizu flung the flying objects at the fleeting suspect.
Crash!
The debris piled over; preventing anymore escapes.
…
"Alright!" Lala ordered. "Time to explain yourself!"
"Why were you following Sairenji?" Rito added.
"I never would have thought that an earthling would have this kind of power," the stranger stated.
"Earthling?" Kurumu pondered.
"I have no interest in women. I've fallen in love with…" She pointed forward. "…him."
"Bark?" Maron tilted his head.
"I beg of you…" She removed her disguise and revealed the species of half pit-bull and half human. "Please let me keep him!" The kids all watched traumatized at the person following Haru—er, Maron this whole time. All except Oshizu, who was trembling in complete fear.
"NOOOO!" she shrieked. "ANOTHER DOG!" With Oshizu in a panic, she chucked as much objects at the alien that she could find.
"Oshizu-chan!" Haruna insisted. "Calm down!"
"Get a grip, girl!" Kurumu tried to emphasize.
...
Ms. Mikado's Mansion
The patient was bandaged and restrained from the many bruises and bumps received from the nurse.
"An assistant who increases the number of injured people isn't doing a good job," Ms. Mikado sighed. Oshizu shivered.
"I'm…I'm sorry!" she pleaded. Kurumu walked over to the girl and patted her shoulder.
"We'll work on that later," Kurumu offered. Oshizu sniffled.
"Oh yes," Ms. Mikado walked to the girls. "You're friends with Mr. Ortega, aren't you?"
"Hmm? Rai, yeah, that's right…"
"Has he heard any word on what he's looking for?" Kurumu pondered this for a moment.
"No, I don't think so."
"I see…" She walked over to her computer on her desk. As she streamed her inbox, she found there was a new message from Zastin. When she read it, her expression turned to a serious stare.
"Something wrong?" Ms. Mikado snapped out of her trance.
"Oh, no, it's nothing." She stood up and smiled to them both. "I hope you take good care of Oshizu-chan!" The two girls looked at each other. They giggled.
…
Haruna walked with Maron down the alleyway.
"I'm glad it was a misunderstanding," Haruna said relieved. As they came to the next turn, a tall dark shadow had accidentally bumped into Haruna by her shoulder. They both stopped underneath the street light. "I'm sorry!"
"…" The shadow looked over its shoulder. It revealed two dark, red eyes staring intently on the girl.
"Grrrrrr," Maron suddenly started growling. The shadow resumed its walk and vanished into the night. Haruna stood there alone in the spotlight.
C. Raimundo Style
Rai pinched his eyes together and removed the small crumbs of dirt within his sockets. His eyelids were already baggy and slumped forward while he walked. From his view, the sun was just about to rise up behind the city.
Damn, I'm tired, Rai said to himself. I can't believe I pulled through an all-nighter.
...
10 hours earlier...
Rai was dressed in his formal waiter attire. The white shirt and black tie complimented his black pants and brown shoes. As he balanced four stacks of plates on his arms, he dropped them all into the sink for washing.
Ka-chink!
The last customer had exited the cafe. Mio, in her cosplay kitty-maid outfit switched the front sign to close. Rai cleaned the sweat off his face and removed the apron around his waist.
"Alright," he called out. "I'm clocking out."
"Wait!" Mio rushed to Rai. "We need to make sure all the dishes are clean for tomorrow."
"It's supposed to be Takemari's turn tonight, right?"
Ka-chink!
One of the employees exited the store. "...That was him, wasn't it...?"
"Yep!" Mio smiled. Rai scratched his head.
"I'll get started then." He walked over to the staff sink.
[10:55 p.m.]
Rai finished washing the last utensil. He readied his regular clothes and proceeded to the exit. As he opened the front door, a man in a gray sweat shirt and pants wore a red baseball cap and held a clipboard. "Uh, can I help you?"
"Hey buddy, I'm looking for a café around here. Is this the place?" Rai observed the papers as it mentioned the restaurant in question.
"Yeah, this is it."
"Great! We got a shipment here for supplies ordered by the manager. We were supposed to be here tomorrow, but I guess we got here kinda early." The man waved the truck backward as it approached in front of the café. When he opened the trunk, boxes had piled up from top to bottom. Rai's eyes widened from the amount of work needed to bring them all in. The man gave Rai the clipboard. "If you could just sign here."
[1:24 a.m.]
The last box had been finally shelved and tucked away in storage. Rai closed the door and wiped his hands together. He quickly grabbed his pack and made for the exit. "That's it! I'm done! I'm going home!" Rai felt his pockets. He checked his back. "...fuck, my wallet." He turned back and entered the crew room. When he arrived, he saw a stranger in black clothes and a ski mask with holes for his eyes and mouth. He seemed short and had a protruding, round belly. The lockers were open and he held almost all of the female staffs' uniforms.
"W-What are you doing here!" The stranger demanded. A vein popped over Rai's head. His eyes glared down on the man who was messing around the crew room. Rai reached for one of the frying pans lying next to the shelf of utensils. The stranger started shivering. "W—What's with the—?"
"I'm not gonna hit you." Rai slowly approached the man with a twitching grin. "I'm not gonna hit you. I'm not gonna hit you."
[3:46 a.m.]
It was the third police car that braked in front of the café. The officer stood outside in his white buttoned shirt and blue hat. He wore his long blue slacks and held the flashlight towards the officer standing by the ambulance.
"What happened here?" The officer asked.
"Well," the second officer explained. "According to the call, a man was caught robbing a restaurant. When we rushed over, we found the robber outside beaten with bruises and the employee standing beside him with a cooking pot."
"Did the employee attack him?"
"He claimed it was self-defense." Rai exited himself from the ambulance and proceeded back into the restaurant to grab his things.
"Well, if you guys have everything under control," Rai waved them off. "I'll be going then."
"Not so fast," the officer blocked his path. "You will need to answer a few questions back at the station."
"Wait—What do you mean?"
"We still need to file a complete report on this guy. He's actually a repeated felon and we'll need your information to provide evidence for his case." The officer escorted Rai to the car. He looked out the window as the sun started peeping over the city.
Ah, nuts...
...
Now
Rai finally arrived at the front steps of his temporary home.
"What a night." Rai lifted the key underneath the mat and opened the door. "I can't wait to knock out after what I've been through..." He entered the house and removed his shoes. Lala came walking in from the bathroom with a towel covering her washed body.
"Oh, Rai!" She welcomed him. "Good morning!" Rai stared at her.
"...Morning," He answered dulled. Lala looked at him curiously as he dropped his bag in the hallway.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, just a little tired." He made a quick glance at Lala and looked elsewhere. "So, did you just come out of the shower?"
"No, Peke's not done charging yet."
"Peke..." Rai went in the living room to see the small robot napping on the couch. "The robot needs to recharge?"
"Yeah, we stayed up almost all night reading a manga together. I'm still kind of sleepy, but I have class chores today."
"Oh, I can relate." He looked outside to see the sun rising overhead. "You might want to hurry up, or you're going to be late."
"But I don't have my uniform..." Rai considered an alternative.
"You're an inventor, right? Don't you have some kind of device that can change clothes?"
"Ah—yes!" She pulled out a small badge from behind. "I have the data from our uniform inputted into the 'Peke Badge Express' I made last time!"
"There; problem solved." Rai stretched his back and proceeded to the living room for a nap. "Now if you'll excuse me..."
"Wait!" Lala latched to Rai's arm. "I can't change clothes since the badge doesn't allow form changing! Can you bring Peke to school when he's done charging?"
"Me?" Rai tried to find someone else for the job. "What about Kurumu?"
"She wanted to meet Oshizu-chan before class."
"Rito?" He looked at the clock.
[7: 35 a.m.]
No, then he'll be late. Rai turnedto Lala who now had puppy dog eyes. "Oralé...I'll meet you at school when it's ready."
"Okay!" Lala smiled. Rito reached down the stairs.
"Man, why were there panties in my bed?" He asked himself. "Or, to rephrase that, why was Momo there when—?" He walked in on Rai and Lala in the living room.
"Ah!" Lala greeted him. "Good morning~!"
"La…Lala!" Rito stuttered. "Why are you dressed like that again!?" Rai pushed Rito and Lala toward the front door.
"Yeah, we've already been through this," Rai explained. "You guys get going. I'll see you at school." He tossed Rito and Lala their school bags and shoes. The two began pacing through the front yard.
"Well then, Please take care of her~!" Lala waved him off. Rito still panicked at Lala.
"Where's your clothes!?" he asked. Rai shut the door and walked to the living room. The small machine was still napping.
"I hope it wakes up soon," Rai yawned. "I'm not gonna wait all day."
"Raimundo-san?" Momo entered the room. She wore her green dress with black lacing underneath just puffing near her shoulders. A small black bow was tied neatly in the center above her skirt.
"Momo? When did you get here?"
"Fufu, you could say I spent the night~!" She blushed. Her cute wink left a heart. "Did you just come back from work?"
"Yeah, I wanted to turn in, but Lala wants me to wait for Peke to finish charging."
"Peke-san?" Momo noticed the small android. The little robot tussled in its sleep. It leaned toward the back of the couch. An idea popped into Rai's head.
"Hey, are you an inventor like Lala?"
"An inventor?" Momo placed a finger to her lips pondering the thought. "Well, I do have some knowledge of devices and simple machinery."
"Do you have anything that might wake him or speed things up?" Momo pulled out her D-Dial.
"Hmm, let's see if I can come up with something." With a few touch of some buttons, a small, round device appeared above Rai's hand. He caught it as it landed flat in his palm. It was sturdy, almost like a fire alarm installed in homes. However, this machine looked to have a purple-edged surface with a big red button in the center.
"You sure this is the charger?" Rai looked it over.
"It should be…I made this on my spare time when I was working on Trouble*Quest." Rai tossed it in the air and caught it.
"Cool, let's charge it up!" Rai approached the sleeping bot and inched the device toward its head.
"Um…" Momo stuttered. "Please, wait a minute!" Rai placed it on its forehead. "I'm not 100% sure…!"
*FLASH*
Peke's body flashed in a giant burst of light. The house brightened as Rai and Momo watched the device react to Rai. A sudden force began sucking him in.
"WHAT THE—!?"
…
Ding~! Ding~! Ding~! Dong~!
The female students were all changing into their gym clothes for their next class. The standard attire was a white shirt, green shorts, and white sneakers. One student stood outside the girl's locker room. She waited for Rai to appear before class would start.
"Rai and Peke aren't here yet," Lala said to herself. She started to worry.
"Onee-sama!" Momo called to Lala. She came running down the hall with the small robot in her arms.
"Ah!" Lala was surprised to see her. "Momo!"
"Here! Rai told me to give Peke-san to you so he can rest!"
"Yo…I mean, Hello, Lala-sama…"
"Wow!" Lala clapped. "Thank you so much, Momo! You've helped a lot!"
"It's nothing," Momo assured.
How did I get into this mess…? Rai thought to himself.
…
"What the hell happened to me!?"Rai waved his short arms as he cried to Momo.
"Sorry, Rai-san!" Momo apologized. "It's the device we used for the game to transport matter into the fantasy world. It seems that your body has been digitized and transferred into Peke-san."
"I don't like this!" Rai sweated. "I sound like someone hit max on auto-tune!"
"Although changing back is easy…it might take about two hours."
"That long?" Momo thought for a moment.
"I know! How about you pretend to be Peke for just today?"
"...You're serious…?"
"I'll tag along and help as well," she smiled. "How's that~?"
...
"All right, Peke!" Lala readied her command. "Please Form-Change into my gym uniform!" Rai sweated.
Don't tell me this thing is her complete wardrobe!?
"It's fine if it's you, Rai-san!" Momo whispered to his ear. "I know you can do it!"
Is it the same as soul breaker? But, when I do it, I'm partially not in control…
"Come on!" Lala suggested. "We have to hurry!" Rai had no choice. He had to just wing it.
"Here goes!" Rai leapt from Momo to Lala. "Peke bot: Transform!" In a quick shot of light, Rai swooped around Lala and started assembling her space bounty hunter outfit.. He shaped himself into a light-blue, tight jumpsuit covering everything from the neck down. Portions of the suit had darker areas such as her knees, sides, and elbows. On her right breast and back sides of her hands were glowing purple symbols of Deviluke. Lala's hair was tied into one long ponytail as Rai kept his hairclip form.
"Eh?" Lala wondered what outfit it was. Momo blushed from the racy apparel.
"Uh-oh..." Rai sweat dropped.
"Come on—you got the wrong one, Peke!" Lala bickered. "I need my gym clothes!"
"My bad, my bad!" Rai apologized.
I guess it's not going to work...Momo thought.
…
The female students all started their routine exercises: Stretching their left arm overhead and bending to their sides, followed by loosening their tense muscles. The process continued for another ten minutes. Lala maintained her routine while next to Haruna and Oshizu as they followed the teacher's instructions.
"One, two, three, four—" The teacher instructed. Peke (now Rai) held his best to stay in Lala's gym uniform.
Alright, I'm good, Rai concurred. But, this is just too weird! Rai tried to avert his attention away from Lala. She started stretching her back until her chest pushed up against the shirt. Every move she makes, it's like I can tell her height, measure, and body structure…Lala bent forward to touch her toes. I can easily read her physical condition as well as her temperature…I can see everything so clear…and a high school girl built this?!
"What's wrong, Peke?" Lala asked. Rai remained in incognito.
"Uh, nothing!" He responded hastily. From behind the sports shed, Momo watched to make sure Rai had no problems.
"I wonder if Rai is doing fine…?" she pondered.
...
"So that's why Peke says sama after mentioning Lala," Rai realized. Momo carried him in her arms as they flew to the school. "While onii and onee means sis or bro, and san is formal terms, right?"
"That's right!" Momo congratulated. Rai was preparing himself to take Peke's place as Lala's assistant.
"Hey Momo, don't you think you should tell Lala what happened? She is your sister and this is her robot…"
"I'm sorry, but I don't want Onee-sama to know about my failure."
"Why not?"
"This happened because I mistook the usage of an item…" She held Rai tighter in her arms. "That's why you're inside Peke's body. Big sister would definitely scold me." Rai could feel the guilt coming at him.
"*Sigh*…You know…it was my fault since I asked you to use one of your gadgets in the first place." Rai patted her arm. "Don't worry about it, I'll just put up with it until you can change me back." Momo smiled with joy.
"Thank you, Raimundo-san!" She hugged him tight.
"No problem! Just loosen up a bit!"
…
"Lala-san, we're doing the long jump today," Haruna waved to her.
"Al-right!" Lala responded.
Whew, Rai sighed. At least warm ups are over with…Rai relaxed his tension. I'll just close my eyes for a second…Lala's shorts fell to her feet. "Huh?"
"Ehhh!?"
Doosh!
Lala tripped.
"Lala-san!" Haruna cried.
Note to self, Rai confirmed, Clothes depend on my reactions…
"Peke," Lala sniveled, "What's going on?"
"Sorry, sorry! Don't worry, I'll fix it." Rai focused the shorts back into place. Unfortunately, his focus forced the shorts to quickly rush in and grip between her legs.
"Awww~~~!" Lala cried. "It's too tight, Peke!"
Come on! Get it together! Rai breathed in…and breathed out. The shorts fitted perfectly around her waist. Cool, I got this. From a distance, Momo suddenly started breathing heavily.
Even though this isn't good…She started blushing. But Rai-san is inside Peke, and when I think that Rai-san is wrapping tightly around Onee-san's helpless body, it makes me…
Okay, I should just have to survive regular classes and I'll be fine.
"You may now start running five laps around the track!" The teacher ordered. Lala followed the other girls as they started jogging. Her chest bounced while running.
…This is going to be a long day…
...
Math
Mr. Honekawa wrote the next problem on the board.
"...And if you take the exponential function and apply it to the binomial format..." The class continued to follow his lecture. Meanwhile, Kurumu was picking at her nails, Rito stared out the window, and Lala jotted down her notes. The dull voice from the teacher began lulling Rai into a deep sleep.
The number goes on top...and that one...stay…below...zZzZzZzZz...Rai nodded into dreamland. The front latex of Lala's uniform dissolved, revealing her belly button.
"Huh?" Lala realized the dissipation. "Peke! Wake up!"
"Wha—!?" Rai snapped out of his daze. "Right! More clothes!" In a large flash, Rai changed up Lala's outfit again. This time, she had on a blue denim jacket, her hair tied in a ponytail, but with more bangs falling from the front. Her brown, tight cargo pants were held up by a brown belt. Her shoes were replaced by climbing boots that reached to her knees. Rai now served as a red necklace around her neck. Everyone watched with surprise at Lala's new adventure attire.
"What's with the getup?" Kurumu asked.
"Lala!" Rito shouted.
"Eh?!" Lala stared with surprise. "Peke!" Momo watched from outside the window as she hung upside down.
Oh my...Momo sweat dropped.
...
Cooking
Lala chopped away the carrots on top of the cutting board. Each slice would be closure to completing the class assignment. Rai smelled the heavenly aroma that came from the other students with their dishes. Everyone had finished showing their display of sashimi and rice cakes. For Lala, her finished project was a large block of dark matter oozing with a cloud of purple gas. Rai could hardly take the smell of unwashed gym clothes and spoiled sour cream.
"Did someone die in this thing!?" Rai couldn't stand the stench. In a flash of light, he morphed around Lala and retreated to around her waist. The smell was gone. "Woo, much better."
"Peke!?" Lala cried.
"Now what?" Rai looked back up to Lala who looked more vigilant in her Guardian Corps uniform. She had a green metallic pauldron over her left shoulder with stripes. A brown belt dangled around her waist and connected to a small pack wrapped around her right thigh. Her brown boots now had metal braces wrapping up her ankles. Her red cape ruffled behind her white coat.
"Lala!?" Yui's jaw dropped. "What are you doing!? You're in cooking!"
"Eeeeeeh?" Lala was still dumbfounded.
"…Shit…" Rai spoke with an unamused expression.
...
Bathroom
Lala roamed the halls in search of a specific room. Rai remained dazed as his energy began to diminish. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up…
Creek~!
"Huh?" Rai heard the door open. He noticed the stalls and the sinks in the tiled room. But, there was an extreme lack of urinals. Wait—is this…? Lala opened the stall to her right. Rai instantly noticed the toilet bowl as they approached. She slowly removed her skirt down her ankles. "Oh, hell no!" Rai shot the skirt back up to her waist.
"Eh?" Lala flustered. "Peke! I have to go!" She wrestled with Rai to remove her uniform.
"Can't you just hold it!?" The two were at a standstill. Lala was beginning to shiver.
"I…can't hold it anymore…!"
"Okay, okay. Let's agree to disagree…"
10 minutes later…
Lala stepped out of the girl's bathroom. The other classmates watched with surprised as how Lala's outfit changed from a school uniform to a large, princess outfit. It had a pink gown that touched the floor with white gloves reaching to her elbows. The sleeves on her shoulders her puffy while her collar was turned up around her neck. There were two deep pink panniers, used to accent the gown's frame with Lala wearing pink high heels underneath her skirt. The brooch on her chest was Peke's face button nestled within the dress. On Lala's head was a gold crown with two rubies and two sapphires in alternating patterns. Lala lifted the dress while she walked.
"Peke, are you feeling alright?" Lala asked.
"Uh, yes, of course!" Rai answered. That was too close…
...
Lunch
Lala and Haruna were both enjoying their meals: one with a bento box of rice and cooked vegetables, while the other…curry bread. The two carried on in their conversation about their day.
"Is Peke alright, Lala-san?" Haruna asked.
"Hmm…" Lala pondered. "I might need to look her over after school." Rai's energy remained depleted.
I can't keep this going...Rai thought. One more slip up and…?
Squeeze~!
A pair of hands grabbed on to Lala's chest.
"Hello there, Lala-chi!" Risa playfully smiled.
"Risa!" Lala laughed. "That tickles!" Rai's face shot to bright red.
"...Yep," he muttered. "...That did it."
Pshhhhhh!
Smoke started steaming out from the badge.
"Hmm?" Risa noticed Lala's head radiating haze. "What's with the smoke?"
"Eh?" Lala looked at Peke.
FLASH!
Rai gave off a giant blast of light. The whole classroom became blinded by the dazzling pink energy. When the sparkling light subsided, Lala was now changed into a strange new outfit. Her head was wrapped with a black headband with white lining on the edges. She bared a dark-grey combat vest that was unzipped over her navy-blue tank top with white floral patterns. On her left arm was a white wristband while on her left arm was a grey, fingerless glove covering her forearm. Her shorts were now darker and with a black strap dangling from her left side. She retained her knee-high socks, but now harbored a white stripe on the knees and wore dark tan boots. "Huh?" Haruna and the others were stunned at Lala's sudden change into a dark, combat outfit.
"Oh my," Risa sweat dropped.
"Peke?" Lala asked. "Why did you suddenly—KYAAA!"
Squeeze~!
The tank top started shrinking against Lala's chest. Her shorts straining tightly between her cheeks. Her headband forcefully constraining her head. Lala fell off her chair to the floor. "Peke!" Lala tried to rip the clothes off. "Maintain your form!"
I'm trying! Rai screamed inside. My body won't let me do what I tell it too!
"Lala-san!" Haruna rushed to her side. "Are you all right!?"
"We have to help her!" Mio cried.
"Right!" Risa agreed. The girls hurried with the gloves and continued with the boots. A black wing suddenly shot out from the badge and wrapped tightly around Haruna.
Flash!
In a quick flash, Haruna's clothes were now changed into a yellow tank top, blue shorts with red suspenders, and red sneakers. As for Risa and Mio, the two were wrapped in Rai's wing and warped into two large snowsuits. Risa in a blue parka while Mio in a pink parka.
Whoa! Rai watched with surprise….How did I do that? Momo hovered by the window as she watched the scenario from the window.
"Don't tell me…" Momo presumed. "Because of Rai's existence…Peke's system is going on a rampage?" From the surprised students, Yui moved in on the scene.
"Hey!" She declared. "Why are you wearing that in the middle of class!?" The wing snaked around Yui's body.
FLASH!
In a quick shot of light, Yui's outfit had changed into a pink, strapless mini-dress with three zippers with a white halter top underneath including a black hood. She now had three bracelets on her right wrist, a black belt, and lilac sneakers. Yui completely froze. "…H…Ho…HOW SHAMELESS!"
Whish! Whish! Whish!
The black wing warped around the classroom: shifting everyone's uniform in a flurry of crosses and lashes. The class grew into a panic as they all ran for the exit. Momo watched with uneasiness as everyone's uniform was changed into different styles. As for Lala, she continued to struggle with the outfit Rai continued to strain on her.
"P…Peke…" Lala cried.
Can't…focus, Rai huffed. I need…to…rest…The badge released electric sparks. In a blinding white light, Rai separated from Lala and plummeted to the ground below. Lala remained on the floor with no clothes.
"Eh? Peke?"
"Onee-sama!" Momo quickly entered the classroom. She made her way against the screaming classmates with a Peke Badge Express in her hands. "I entered the data of your uniform on the Peke badge you were using earlier." She placed it on Lala's head. "So use this for now." In a bright puff, her school uniform returned. Momo rushed over and picked up Rai.
"Momo?"
"Peke-san's condition seems quite bad, so I'll give him some maintenance." She ran out of the class. "See you!"
"?...?...?" Lala stared in confusion.
Momo walked home carrying Rai in her arms. He remained quiet as he tried to rest after the long day.
"I'm sorry, Rai-san," Momo talked to him. "Having you act as Peke-san must have tired you out." She stopped. "But still, you stuck with it and didn't tell Onee-sama." She looked at the sleeping robot. "You really are a nice person." She smiled. "...Everyone must be happy to have someone like you."
...
Yuuki Household
"Peke." Lala lectured Peke in the living room. "You should say something if you are not feeling well!" Peke, back to her old self, was a little muddled on the subject.
"Hah?" She tilted her head. Jolt, Rito, Kurumu, and Momo stood nearby as they watched their discussion.
"So, what happened to them?" Kurumu asked.
"I'm not sure," Rito replied.
"Oh, nothing much," Momo explained. She turned to the small chair occupied by Rai sleeping. Jolt jumped on his stomach and poked his face.
"Pi?" Rai didn't move. He finally had his well-deserved rest.
Good night, Rai-san~, Momo smiled.
The clock ticked back and forth as the sound echoed throughout the house. Yume sat on her bed waiting for Joseph to return from the market. She shifted her seat each passing hour.
"Where is he?" she told herself. Unable to wait any longer, Yume rushed downstairs and grabbed her coat. She reached for the door.
Creeeek!
The door slowly opened. Yume froze as the intruder made his way inside.
Bam!
He fell faced down on the floor from exhaustion. His clothes were torn and patches of his skin were cut and bruised. Blood dripped from his mouth.
"Joseph!" Yume grew terrified. She quickly lifted him over her shoulder and dragged him to the living room sofa. When she settled him down, Joseph slowly regained consciousness.
"...Yume?" He whispered.
"Joseph, what happened!?" Yume asked. Joseph cringed as he tried adjusting himself.
"...I got ambushed...by some guy on the way back."
"You were attacked?" Yume hurried to the phone. "We have to call the police!" She picked up the phone from the panel.
Joseph jumped from the bed and grabbed the phone from Yume.
Slam!
He banged the phone onto the dock.
"Joseph!?" Yume stepped back.
"Yume...we can't call for help."
"Why not? Can't you see you're hurt? What if he tries to come back?"
"He won't..." Joseph's hands started trembling."...I made sure of it." Yume's eyes widened in fear.
"...Y-You..." She shivered.
"The guy was trying to kill me..." He turned to her. "...and you..." He leaned against the wall. "I couldn't live with myself if something were to happen to you." He couldn't stand to look Yume in the face. "I'm...I'm sorry..." Yume inched closer back to Joseph. She slowly held to his arm and comforted him by leaning by his side. She slowly rubbed the sore and scars. When she reached for his right arm, she felt a sturdy rod gripped in his palm.
"Joseph...what is that...?" Joseph looked at the mysterious rod himself. The dark shaft stretched forward as long as 7 feet with a curved blade jutting from the top. The back portion was curved like a crescent moon. Around the neck of steel were two ribbons; one white and one red. Two gold bells jingled behind the ribbons as the scythe's blade rested on the floor.
"...I don't even know..."
-To Be Continued-
Yami: It looks like the writer has exhausted himself from working and studying for his finals.
ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz
Yami: …I'll end it off then. All right's reserved and material used in this story so far belong to their respective owner's.
ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz
Yami: Be sure to leave a comment and review.
Next Time on Anime Unleashed: Let's go to Outer Space!
ZzZzZz…huh…wait; did you say Outer Space?
Yami: Yes…I did…
WOOHOO! ROAD TRIP!
Yami: …That was fast.