Disclaimer: I do not own Daily Life with Monster Girls
Chapter 6. Day One: part 2
If I just don't look back...
The neighborhood really hadn't changed much. Across the street lived a large Hispanic family. Or was it Latino? Jack sometimes had trouble remembering the difference.
Further up the road was Mr. Linden's place. Jack could tell he still lived there 'cause of the massive Ford truck he kept in his driveway.
And the rest of the houses were pretty blank to him. Jack could recall meeting the people that lived on the cul-de-sac end of his street, but he couldn't associate any names or faces with them.
He shrugged and breathed out.
I should probably head back in. So they don't worry about me.
"Hey mister!"
Jack blinked and looked around for the child-like voice that just called out. He spotted a brown-haired boy on a bicycle maybe fifteen feet away. The kid wore a Force Awakens t-shirt and scruffy jeans and sneakers. He had freckles under his almond shaped eyes.
Jack raised a hand in greeting. "Uh hey."
"You the guy living in that house now?" He pointed toward the mansion.
Jack chuckled as he glanced back at his new abode. "'House' is a bit of an understatement, but yes. I live there now."
"And you got monsters in there too right?"
Jack nodded. "The term is 'liminals'. But yes I have two non-human roommates."
The boy dropped his arms and his eyes widened in interest. "Cooooool."
Jack couldn't help smirking. Remembering when he was that age and finding things fascinating and 'cool'. Actually, I still do.
"Would you like to meet them?" Jack asked.
One would have thought that he had offered the boy a thousand bikes and every Star Wars toy that ever existed. His face lit up in excitement. "Yeah, yeah yeah!" He nodded furiously.
Jack chuckled and headed back to the garage. "Wait here. I'll go ask if they want to come outside."
"Thanks mister!"
Jack shook his head and grinned. He headed back inside. He opened his mouth to call the girls as soon as he cleared the door. His breath stuck however when he saw them.
Deja vu, really?
Sula and Tetra were in almost the exact same position around the table he saw them earlier today, showing the exact same expressions when he first entered the house. Jack's mind blanked for second. Then he remembered why he came back in.
"Uh girls? If I could have your attention?"
Both turned their heads his way. "Oh hey Jack." Sula announced. "We cleaned up while you were out."
Jack nodded. "Thank you for that. Listen, I have a request for both of you." Sula tilted her head expectantly. Tetra just kinda smiled. Actually she's been kinda smiling since she saw me come back in.
"Yeah well. I ran into one of the neighborhood kids out there. I told him I am living here with two non-human guests. And he'd like to meet you outside." Jack explained.
Sula's eyes lit up. "Oh great. I like kids, even human ones." Jack blinked at her caveat. "I'll get my jacket." Sula slithered over to a sliding door closet.
Tetra nodded and shrugged. "Why not? Could be interesting." She started walking toward the door when Jack held up a hand.
"Uh Tetra actually...um If you could um.." Jack stammered.
The arachne stopped and looked at Jack confusedly. "What? You don't want me to go out?"
Jack held up both hands. "No no. I do. It's just um...If you could put on something more uhh modest. Please?"
Tetra tilted her head at Jack. "More modest?"
"He means you shouldn't dress like a slut." Sula shot over her shoulder. Jack hunched up and gritted his teeth in a nervous smile.
Tetra looked down at her blue crop top and matching sash "Oh, you don't like my outfit?" She stated false sweetly.
"No no, I do, I do." Jack assured her. "I just think that it might be too much for a young immature mind to handle."
Tetra's fangs gleamed. "Too much for an immature mind you say." She raised a finger under Jack's chin and stroked it lightly. Her six eyes locked with his. If Jack ever felt like scared frozen prey staring a predator in the face, this was definitely the moment.
"Oh, for the love of goddess!" Sula exasperated. "He just wants you to cover up a bit." She tossed a light black hoodie at the arachne. It landed on half her human side and covered part of her face. Jack took advantage of the distraction to back up a couple steps and adjust his pants.
Tetra rolled her eyes and slipped on the hoodie. "Oh very well. If you both insist." She zipped up the jacket half way. Leaving the bit of underboob that her narrow crop top didn't cover still visible.
Jack grimaced and closed his eyes briefly. He took a long breath and let it out. He reached forward and placed a hand on each of his guest's shoulder's. He had to reach a little higher to get at Tetra's.
"Look, you are both very lovely ladies. Almost too lovely." Sula blushed. Tetra's cheeks reddened a shade. "And it is almost a crime to conceal such beauty from the world in a house like this." He let go of each of them and grasped the zipper on Tetra's hoodie. "But for the sake of human and liminal relations." He raised the zipper more than a few inches up her chest. "Could you please not destroy society on your first day here." Jack stepped back and smiled satisfactorily.
"You...you think we're beautiful?" Sula asked.
"Of course I do." Jack stated like it was obvious. "I'd like to meet the man who would call either of you ugly."
Both his guests blinked in shock. "Why would you want to meet someone who said that?" Tetra was clearly offended.
Jack grinned lopsidedly. "I'd like to ask him how he survived." There was a brief pause. Then Tetra barked out a laugh. Sula gave a good belly chuckle too.
"Okay, that was a good one." Tetra motioned a claw at Jack and bared her fangs in a wide grin.
Sula tapped a claw on her cheek. A thoughtful expression blossomed on her face. "Yeah that'd be a very good question."
Jesus Christ I'm living with some very scary people. Beautiful, scary, scary people.
"I thought so." Jack replied. "C'mon." He jerked his head toward the garage. "Let's go meet the neighborhood."
There was more than one kid at the end of the driveway. The kid with the bike had a small throng of youngsters around his age. The boy turned back toward them "See, I told you."
"No way." "Look at them." "Monsters." "They're real."
Jack let the chorus of awe play out a second while the kids adjusted to the sight. He raised a hand and cleared his throat.
"Hello there." The kids all stared at him. "My name is Jack." He made a presenting gesture and stepped aside. "This is Sula. She is a Lamia."
Sula slithered forward and bowed. "Hello children. It's nice to meet you."
Some of them waved. A few even said hello back. Jack made another presenting gesture in a reverse position. "And this is Tetra. She is an Arachne."
Tetra stepped forward once and nodded at them. "Greetings."
Fewer of them waved. Only a couple said hello.
Shit. This might not have been such a good idea.
Jack took Tetra's hand. She looked down at him. She wasn't smiling or upset. He didn't have a clue what might be going through her mind. "It's alright see. She's my friend." He turned back to the kids. "They both are."
One of the kids spoke up. "My mommy says that monsters can't be friends with humans."
Jack looked at the girl. She looked like the eldest of the bunch. Probably twelve at the most. Her dark hair, relative height and maturing blue eyes gave her an air of juvenile authority. "Really?" Jack answered back. "Well these two are my friends."
Jack looked directly at the first kid, the one with the Star Wars shirt. "Would you like to be friends with my friends?"
"Yeah!" He exclaimed. Jack smiled at his enthusiasm. "What's your name kid?"
"I'm Calvin. Can I touch her tail?" He pointed toward Sula. Jack straightened up and looked back. "I don't know. Sula, you mind if he..?"
"Um.." She looked a little uncertain at first. "Okay I guess."
Calvin darted forward and to toward her side. He hesitated at the last moment before touching her scales. He looked up at her face. "I..may I?"
Jack could almost see her heart melt. Sula's apprehension faded and she almost gushed. "Yes, you may." Calvin smiled and placed his hand on her golden scales. "Whoa! It's so smooth."
"Hey I wanna feel it!" "Yeah me too."
Jack whipped back toward the rest of them. "Now wait a minute kids."
"It's alright Jack." Sula said softly.
"It's alright children." She said louder. "Just be gentle." They rushed as a crowd. Each picked out a point along her long body and felt her scales. Jack tried to reach out and slow them down. But they just ignored him. He panicked for Sula's sake and started toward her.
"It's okay Jack." She stated softly. "It...it kinda tickles."
He walked up to her and took one of her hands. "Okay. But if you feel uncomfortable about any of this, I'll drag them off myself if I have to."
She grinned back at him. "My hero." She half-mocked.
Jack was about to retort when she tilted her head to look behind him. "Oh. There's one left." He let her go and turned around. The girl that spoke up earlier stood alone on the driveway. She was staring at Tetra. Or rather, Tetra's hands.
Jack walked back up to her and knelt to eye level with her. "Hey." Jack nodded his head back toward the other kids. "You could at least try."
She blinked and focused on Jack. "But my mom..."
Jack put as much empathy into his voice as he could. "Does your mom love you?"
She was taken aback. "Yes. Mommy loves me."
Jack clamped down on his own emotions as hard as he could. "So does mine." He let the child process that for a second. And to help him reroute his grief to deal with later.
"And my mom taught me to respect all people." Jack continued. "My dad taught me to not be afraid."
The child's eyes hardened. "I'm not afraid." She said defiantly
Jack smirked lightly. "That's good. So if your not afraid, why don't you say hello." She focused back on Tetra but didn't move. "You don't have to be friends." Jack added. The girl blinked a few times then nodded and stepped forward.
Tetra extended her forward legs outward and lowered her human half almost the to ground. The tips of her 'knees' hovered a few inches off the concrete. She extended her chitinous arm slowly toward the girl. "Hello little one. What is your name?"
The girl stared at the arachne's hand for a moment. "Chloe." She raised her own hand and grasped Tetra's. "Chloe Tam."
When their hands parted Tetra asked. "So Chloe, what do you like to do for fun?"
"Well, I like to knit." The arachne's eyes flashed with interest. "Oh really."
"Yeah." Chloe reached into her jean pocket and retrieved a tiny piece of cloth. Jack focused on the small item and concluded that it was a tiny shirt. "I made this for my doll Jessica." Chloe said proudly.
Tetra turned a hand palm up. "May I?" Chloe nodded while handing the item over to Tetra. The arachne brought it close to her face and inspected it critically. "This is very good work Chloe."
The girl beamed at the arachne's praise. "But why did you make it?" Tetra continued. "Don't your dolls come with their own clothes?"
Chloe grimaced. "Yeah. But my stupid brother keeps taking them and ripping them up." She glanced over at one of the boys still enamored with Sula's tail. "He says he needs more action figures and throws them around all time."
Jack facepalmed and shook his head, remembering when he would play with his own action figures roughly as a child.
"Hmm." Tetra mused. "Such a naughty boy."
Jack's eyes shot open as he recognized her tone. "Uh Tetra.?"
The arachne produced a wicked grin and narrowed her eyes. "Yes Jack?"
He raised his hands cautiously. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to have a little chat with her brother."
Oh Jesus.
"Uh Tetra, I don't think that's such a good..." Jack was cutoff as the arachne pivoted toward the crowd of children.
"Which one?" She asked.
Chloe jogged up next to her and pointed out one of the boys. "That one. Hey Calvin!"
The first kid Jack had talked to turned around. "What?"
Before anyone could intervene, the boy was suspended a full two feet off the ground. Attached to his arms and shoulders were thick strands of webbing. The rest of the kids gasped and looked up in surprise. Sula's golden eyes stared in shock. Poor Calvin froze as Tetra stepped up to his face.
"You steal your sister's dolls?" She asked.
Calvin nodded. "Y-Yes."
"You will not steal or destroy your sister's things anymore. Agreed?"
Calvin nodded desperately. Tetra raised a hand above the boys head. Jack tensed up. Oh gods no don't do it.
Tetra inclined her head at the boy. "Say it."
"I won't steal my sister's things! I won't steal my sisters things!"
With one quick swipe, the strands holding Calvin up all snapped except one. His body jerked downward but he didn't fall yet. Calvin yelped sharply. Tetra grasped the last strand and Jack exhaled in relief as she lowered the boy down. "There. Good boy."
Tetra crossed her arms, withdrew a step and announced. "The same goes for the rest of you." She eyed each of the rest of them individually. "Do not take things that are not yours without permission. Agreed?"
All the rest of the kids nodded their heads. Chloe stepped up and raised her voice expectantly. "I want to hear you say it."
"I won't steal things!" "I won't take things!" "I'm sorry I won't do it again."
Tetra and Chloe stood together with their arms folded. Two queens bringing their realm to heel.
Calvin burst onto his feet and hugged his sister. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again. I'm sorry."
Chloe smiled down at her younger sibling. "There, there. It's alright. I forgive you." She patted his back as the boy cried. She looked up at Tetra. "They're such a pain sometimes you know?"
Tetra smirked and darted a look at Jack. "But we'll take 'em anyway."
Jack shook his head and beckoned the arachne. "Uh Tetra can I talk to you?" She lost her smirk and nodded after a moment. Jack walked her to over the far corner of the driveway. He turned back and made sure Sula was doing alright on her own before he opened his mouth.
The words stuck in his throat. What was he actually going to say? She didn't hurt the boy. Scared him, yes, but didn't harm him physically. Jack discarded anything that sounded accusatory. So what was he going to say to her?
Assuming a liminal could easily hurt a human is not bigotry. It's prudent.
Maiko's words from the other day echoed in his mind and gave him clarity. He decided to be honest with his feelings about that little incident.
Jack tried to replicate a concerned parent's expression. "For a moment, I thought that you were going to hurt him." Tetra's blank expression didn't change.
"I knew, that you wouldn't, but my heart felt it. I could almost see it happen." Jack lowered his gaze and stared at nothing ahead. "I think 'technically' you did nothing wrong." Jack's head swiveled back up at her face. "But, Jesus, did you scare the shit outta me."
Tetra closed her eyes slowly. "I apologize for distressing you. That was not my intent." She frowned at that last word. "I may have... overplayed the part of disciplinarian for the boy."
Jack glowered at her. "It's also not your place to do that."
Tetra's eyes flew open. "What do you mean?" Her frown deepened into a scowl.
"You're not Calvin's mom." Jack explained. "It's not your job to discipline him at all."
Tetra raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are not human children taught to listen to and respect adults?"
Jack blinked. "Well yes, but..."
"And aren't all adults considered authority figures in human society?" She continued.
"That's a bad generalization but yes." Jack admitted. "I can think of several adults that shouldn't have any authority over anything ever."
"They are likely exceptions that prove the rule." Tetra concluded.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"Would the adults you're thinking of be better authority figures if someone had taken more effort into correcting their behavior?" She posited.
Jack thought about her words for a minute. "That's an assumption after the fact. But in essence that is correct."
"Then I fail to see why I should leave the discipline of children solely to their mothers. Did you learn all your manners and behavior from just your parents?" She asked pointedly.
Jack stared ahead. "I...no. I learned a lot of lessons from people who weren't my parents." Jack rummaged through memories of names and faces throughout his life. Things he's picked up from several people over the years. Most things that make up what he is now he'd probably forgotten where he'd acquired them. "Alright. I can't fault you for teaching him not to steal his sister's stuff. I guess I'm just upset over the method." Jack finished.
Tetra nodded. "I suppose I shouldn't have used an arachne practice on a human." She smirked. "However effective it proves to be."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah it worked." He took a more serious tone. "But in the future try to shy away from even the appearance of threatening a child with your claws."
Tetra inclined her head at Jack. "Discipline without the threat of consequences is meaningless." Jack raised a finger to counter but Tetra cut him off. "But I take your point." She flexed her hands and fingers. "These are useful tools for weaving and personal defense, but rather excessive for teaching human children good behavior."
Jack nodded. "Good. I'm glad you understand." He took his smart phone out and scrolled through his contacts. "Cause I'm gonna have to let Smythe know about this." A little anger reawakened inside him the moment he mentioned the coordinator's name. He squelched it fast. Now was not the time.
Tetra's expression crossed from introspective to irritated in a flash. "Why? I haven't broken any laws. The boy is fine. If anything I've made him a better citizen and brother."
Jack snorted. "No doubt. But I'm worried that his mother won't see things that way. I'm giving Smythe a head's up that a neighborhood mom might be screaming his ear off in the near future."
Tetra's eyes narrowed. "She is not here. Her account of these events are useless. She can't accuse me of anything."
"No." Jack agreed. "But when her children tell her about their day and a certain liminal they met did something questionable..." Jack raised his hand like Tetra had earlier. "She'll likely take issue." Tetra crossed her arms and pouted. Jack found Smythe's number and connected. It went to voicemail. He left a short summary of events and asked for a call-back when available. When Jack ended the message, Tetra was still staring off somewhere.
"Human mothers can be ridiculously stubborn and over-protective." He told her. "And some might even be jealous of other adults teaching their children life lessons."
Tetra's eyes narrowed and scanned Jack up and down. "That's insane."
He shrugged. "Welcome to humanity."
"To be honest, I doubt anything will come of it." Jack reassured her. "Like you said, the boy is fine, I think you made a friend of his sister, and anyone who'd want to make a fuss will have to rely on second hand accounts."
Tetra seemed to calm a bit. She nodded a few times. "And if someone does try something against me for this?"
Jack's eyes hardened. "Then the Smythe and I will deal with it."
Tetra blinked. "Not me? Am I not allowed to defend my actions?"
Jack raised a hand. "You can defend yourself all you want. But I am your host." He placed his hand on his chest. "You are my responsibility. I answer to Smythe for your behavior and well-being. Any trouble that falls your way or on Sula falls on me as well."
Tetra smiled coolly. "There's that assertive host I like."
Jack gave Tetra a double take. She had a knuckle near her chin and was examining him up and down slowly. Her abdomen was twitching near the back as well. Jack didn't know what to make of any of that. "Right. Anyways, let's get back. I think we've abandoned Sula long enough don't you think?"
"As you wish."
Jack forced himself to ignore the sly undertone in her words. Yep, nothing to worry about. They're just two housemates going to check up on a third. Everything is totally innocent and fine.
Jack's self assuring rationalizations were interrupted by a shriek. Alarm chased away his previous thoughts as he started racing toward the source of the scream. A low wall with small bushes that lined the driveway impeded his path. They forced him to jog around and almost into the street. Jack glanced over and saw that Tetra had easily climbed over the bushes with her long legs.
For a brief moment Jack lost sight of her. He tried to run faster but slowed down when he saw her again. She wasn't moving. She was just...staring. "Uh Tetra, what's...?"
Jack stopped himself as he finally saw what was making such a commotion. Sula was on the grass laughing hysterically and ...crying? Her tail was curled around and held a few of the children in place by their waist but at least two were kneeling near her human half.
"No no, stop!" Sula managed to verbalize between breaths. Chloe reached forward and waggled her fingers at Sula's side, causing her to shriek in laughter all over again. Each of the kids were laughing hysterically too.
Jack had to admit that the image of a razer clawed, venomous, super-humanly strong monster brought low by mere human children was pretty funny.
Tetra covered her face with one hand. "Well, this is dignified." She dead-panned.
Jack snorted and glanced up at her briefly. Despite her words, Tetra was grinning at the sight as well. Jack cleared his throat. "Alright kids that's enough. Let her up."
A collective 'Aaawww' of disappointment answered him as he approached Sula. He haunched down and offered his hand to the poor lamia. She coughed once and took it. "Thanks Jack." She wiped her face with her other hand as he helped right herself up.
Jack nodded his head toward her tail. "Mind letting them go now?"
Sula blinked and looked over at the four kids still held by her tail. "Oh right, sorry."
She relaxed and four kids untangled themselves from her and ran up toward them.
"Can we play again?" "That was fun." "She's really loud."
Jack stepped in front of the lamia. "That's enough for today kids. We'll play again some other time."
Another collective 'aww' rang out. Jack smiled and shook his head firmly. "C'mon c'mon." Jack shooed them toward their bikes.
Before she left, Chloe kicked her stand in place, hopped off and jogged back up to Tetra. The arachne dipped her human half again to meet her. "I..I'm really glad your not a monster." The girl stated. Tetra blinked and furrowed her eyebrows. Chloe jogged back to her bike and sped off.
Tetra watched her go until she was out of sight. She looked down at herself examining her legs and arms. She looked over at Jack who was watching her. "But I am a monster, aren't I?"
Jack shrugged. "Not by my reckoning. You're not human, sure. But it's not like that excludes someone from being a 'monster' in their own right."
"Yeah." Sula added. "If we really were 'monsters' we wouldn't be playing with children."
Tetra nodded her head lightly. "I suppose."
"C'mon, I need to see the house again." Jack said as he turned back to the front door.
Sula caught up with him. "Didn't we just get a tour?" She asked.
Jack dipped his head and gave her a rueful glance. "I...wasn't exactly paying attention the first time."
The lamia glanced down. "Oh right. Sorry."
"It's alright." Jack assured her. After a second of thought Jack decided to change to a happier subject. "So, you're ticklish."
The echidna gave him a tight smirk that promised something unpleasant. "You dare try it and I'll bite your face off."
Jack chuckled. "Actually, I was more impressed with your self-control."
Sula tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Jack hooked a thumb behind them. "Back there you had four kids wrapped up in your tail while being tickled. But they're all fine."
"Oh." Sula said with a blush. "It's not the first time it's happened. Some of my daughters are relentless little sadists." She looked ahead with a nostalgic expression. "It was tempting at times to give them a tighter squeeze to get them to stop. But I'd hate myself forever afterwards." Jack nodded in understanding. "So I learned to keep a light restraint on them when they decided to mob me."
"Good thing those kids didn't tickle the tip of your tail." Tetra commented behind them.
Sula whipped her head back to the arachne, her features widening in shock. "How do you know about that?"
Tetra shrugged. "Experience."
Sula's jaw dropped.
Jack turned around and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, I'm missing something." He looked Sula up and down. Her jaw was still hanging off her head at an impossible length. "What's so special about the tip of your tail?" Sula looked over at Jack, clearly scandalized.
Tetra grinned wickedly and started to explain.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Comment and review please.
