**Revision v.1 Completed 03 Jul 17**
Disclaimer:
The characters and setting of Omamori Himari are properties of Fujimi Shobo and Milan Matra. Please support the author and publisher by buying the volumes in your country or region. I'm a fan of the series and all, but hey, it's not mine. And never will be. I only write for fun, not for profits. That's what a fanfic should be all about.
Also, all other characters referenced in the story, including OCs, belong to their respective owners.
Legend:
"Normal (Japanese) speech"
{"English speech"}
"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"
Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective
######
Useful notes:
1) The Brooklyn flashback at the beginning has full English dialogue.
2) Itadakimasu and Gochisousama are Japanese phrases spoken before and after eating a meal, respectively. The translation for both is, "Thank you for the food," but if you want to get technical with the former, basically it means "I will eat this meal now."
3) A hanger is the lower portion of a skateboard truck that holds the wheels via the ends of the axle.
Sixth Round – Maid to Serve
Chapter pic: Gordon at a mansion poolside being served lemonade by Himari in a black maid outfit. Shizuku is simply floating in the pool, wearing her school swimsuit from the previous chapter.
(Eight years ago, Brooklyn)
It was Gordon's eighth birthday back at his house. All of his friends were there to celebrate, including Rika's parents. Not to mention his father. Everyone has had their fill of food, and it was now time for Gordon to open his gifts.
"Come on Gordon. Open up your present."
The child turned his head and right next to him was a woman in her thirties with curly black hair, dark skin, brown eyes, and a pretty-looking face, wearing a set of lavender scrubs with floral patterns sewn at the hem.
"What is it, mom?" Gordon asked curiously.
"You have to open it if you want to find out," Laura Evans, Gordon's mother, smiled.
"Okay!" he beamed as he began tearing the wrapping on the box in front of him. After opening it, he reached his hand inside and felt something rough and gritty, almost like sandpaper. A slight gasp escaped the boy's mouth as he grabbed the object and took it out.
Upon taking it out, there were numerous reactions within the room.
"Wow! Neat!" Rika exclaimed.
"That's freakin' cool, man!" Dante chimed in.
"Nice," Ishani gave her two cents, with Ronnie simply nodding.
"I like the design," Masato Hayashi, a Japanese man approaching his forties with short black hair and a beard, complimented.
"Very nice," Saki Hayashi, a woman of similar ethnicity in her thirties with long black hair, nodded in agreement.
Held in Gordon's hands was a skateboard with the Haitian flag emblazoned on it, blue on the top and red on the bottom with the country's crest right in the middle over a white background. A silver tribal band outlined the board. The trucks featured a silver baseplate and a black hanger, and the wheels were a swirl of red and blue to match the deck graphic.
"I had that board commissioned by a good friend of mine back at work," Laura explained to her son. "Her husband's friend owns a local skate shop up in Flatbush, so it'll last a lifetime. Do you like it, Gordon?"
"Yeah, I do, Mom!" he beamed. "I really do! I can't wait to ride it!"
"Hold on there, tiger," she gently chided, patting Gordon's head. "You still need a helmet and pads before you can ride that."
"Aw come on, Mom! Do you know how long I've wanted something like this?" he asked, holding his skateboard for his mom to see.
"I know," Laura said understandably. "But you still need protection. I'll buy you a set of pads and a helmet when next time I get paid, okay?"
"Haah... Okay, mom..." he groaned, shaking his head dejectedly. It was a real bummer he couldn't ride the new board yet. But that didn't matter as long as it came from his mom.
Unfortunately for Gordon, that skateboard would be the last birthday gift his mother would give him prior to getting shot and killed the following year.
As for the skateboard itself, it now rests in his room on one of the bookshelves, stripped of its hardware.
(Japan, present day)
SQUISH!
Gordon's eyes shot open the moment he felt something soft in his hand. He lifted his head up slightly to see what he had just touched, and his eyes instantly widened upon seeing his right hand resting on a sleeping Himari's breast.
"Oh...boy," he thought nervously.
Considering this was the first time Gordon ever laid a hand on a girl's breasts, especially ones that were as big as Himari's, he should be freaked out a little. "There's a first time for everything," as the saying goes.
Even if one of them happens to be accidental.
Taking a deep breath, Gordon started thinking of a way to get out of this predicament without waking Himari up. He may have felt her breasts on his back and chest (and in his face) a couple times, but he'd be damned if he cops a feel.
On the other hand, he was rather impressed by how soft it was, almost like a nice, fluffy pill…
"Shit!" Gordon cussed in his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. Seriously, how can he be thinking like Brandon at a time like this? Knowing the playboy barber, he bet he was laughing his ass off right now if he was awake.
"Screw this! I'll just pull my hand off and be well on my..."
The New Yorker's eyes immediately widened when he saw a familiar hand resting on top of his. He slowly tilted his head up to see Himari, who had an amused smile on her face.
"Aw man..." he moaned in his head. "Uh... Morning, Himari. Didn't mean to wake ya up there," he told his guardian, faking a laugh.
"Good morning to you too, Young Lord," Himari returned his greeting, still keeping her smile before glancing down at her breast. "It appears you have grabbed a handful of my bosom while I was asleep, no?"
"Now hold on just a-!"
Gordon's protest was cut off by Himari pressing a finger against his lips. "It is all right," she assured him. "While it may be embarrassing to admit, being touched by you...does not offend me at all."
"R-Really now?" a confused Gordon asked.
"Of course," Himari answered, nodding. "So do you happen to like girls' breasts, or do you prefer only mine for yourself?" she asked, half-lidding her eyes.
"...What?"
"Come now, do not be so modest," she purred, inching closer to Gordon. "I have already told you I am not offended by you touching my breasts. Not at all."
"You can at least try to be modest, Miss Samurai," Gordon muttered in his head before speaking out. "Look, I appreciate your...rather sincere offer, Himari, but I really need to get going."
But upon moving, he felt something cold and wet on his bed, right near his nether region. He frowned at this, knowing that he's way too old to be wetting his bed.
And he had a clue on just who it might be.
The young Benigawa lifted up his bedsheet to reveal Shizuku hiding inside.
"Good morning...you know," the red-eyed greenette greeted.
"Yeah...morning, Red-Eyes," he drawled out, taking notice of Shizuku's new haircut.
There's a story as to how the little Mizuchi came to live at Gordon's house, dating back to yesterday. While Gordon was taking a bath following his usual morning workout, she suddenly appeared, keeping her promise of killing him next time they met.
But that wasn't before she explained to the New Yorker her history about her entire clan being killed by the Jibashiri - another demon slayer family - one hundred years ago, and that they were once revered as gods. Following that fateful event, she came to the belief that demon slayers as a whole are evil, and held a deep-seated grudge for them ever since.
Then things started getting hectic in the living room...
######
"Now hold on a minute!" Rinko blurted out. "I know the Skate Punk may be a bit rough sometimes..."
Gordon's eyebrow twitched at the remark. "I'm not rough, dammit," he grumbled.
"...but he's not a bad person at all!" the brunette finished.
"Yeah!" Yuuto voiced his opinion. "You can't just flat-out accuse him of being evil without getting to know him first! Besides, didn't humans and ayakashi used to coexist with each other a very long time ago?"
"That was before the demon slayers came in...and upset the balance...you know," Shizuku explained, sitting on the floor.
"Still, it just doesn't make any sense!" Yuuto protested.
"Amakawa's got a point, Red-Eyes," Gordon added his two cents. "Yes, I have demon slayer blood, but that doesn't make me a bad guy by definition!"
Shizuku's eyes narrowed. "And just how are you going to prove that...you know."
"What?"
The Mizuchi stood up and pointed an accusatory finger at Gordon. "How will you prove that you're a demon slayer who just doesn't attack ayakashi indiscriminately!? You know!" she shouted. "How will you silence the howls of hatred and resentment the ayakashi that have just been slaughtered! You know!"
{"..."} Gordon lowered his head.
"Answer me, Gordon Benigawa!" Shizuku demanded, baring her teeth.
{"Kh-!"}
Desiring to teach the little Mizuchi a lesson, Himari went into catgirl mode and slowly marched over, unsheathing Yasutsuna along the way. However, she was stopped by Gordon putting his arm in the way.
"Young Lord..."
"Stand down, Himari," he ordered the blackette.
"But...!"
"Just do it!"
Himari hesitated at first but quietly obeyed and resheathed Yasutsuna. She still kept her ears and tail out as a warning, not seeming to care that they triggered Yuuto's allergies.
Gordon lifted his head up at Shizuku, who was still glaring daggers at him.
"Christ, I feel like I'm walking through a minefield with this girl," he remarked before saying his answer. "I... I really don't know, to be honest. I mean, I'm just a plain skateboarder, for Christ's sakes. What do I even know about hunting down demons?"
"..." Shizuku just stared at him intently.
"And while I may do boxing, I don't use it to pick pointless fights with anybody. I only see it as a hobby and a way to defend myself when needed," the black teen further explained before looking at his fist. "Also...if what Amakawa said about ayakashi and humans living together in the past is true, then... I want to make it happen again."
"Evans-san..."
"I will make it happen!" Gordon yelled out. "This whole thing about demon slayers killing ayakashi out of plain spite is a bunch of bullshit! I'm not like those guys at all! Not one bit! I won't stand for something like that! I won't! Absolutely no-!"
His rant quickly ceased when a familiar set of kimono-sleeved arms encircled his waist from behind. "Himari..."
"That is enough, Young Lord. Please calm yourself down," the cat samurai gently placated, resting her head on his back.
"Haah... I am calm, Himari," he told her after taking a breath. "It's just that...I don't want to kill anyone, you know? I can't do that. It's not me at all. I only came here to learn more about what Japan has to offer, discover my roots, make memories that'll last a lifetime. And..." A brief pause. "I want to know about Gramps. Who he was, what his life was like before he met my grandma. I'll be happy with just that."
"I understand," she told him. "And you will learn about your grandfather in due time, Young Lord. You just need to wait a little bit longer."
Gordon gave a brief sigh. "That's a promise, right? You're not just gonna break it like last time?"
Himari shook her head. "I give you my honest word, Young Lord," she answered earnestly. "And please, have faith in your cat."
Gordon remained silent for a few seconds before turning to his cat-eared guardian with a light smile. "All right, then," he said before gently stroking Himari's chin, eliciting some giggles from her as she nuzzled his chest.
"Aachoo!" Yuuto sneezed, snot dripping out his nose. "Aw man..."
"Jeez, Skate Punk! Can't you see you and the Cat Princess are making Yuuto's allergies run?" Rinko complained.
"Hey, I can't help it, okay? You guys know I'm a cat person. Ain't that right, Himari?" Gordon argued while tousling Himari's hair.
"Seriously!?" was all Rinko could say
"Meow~"
Meanwhile, Shizuku was busy dwelling in her thoughts. Could the demon-slaying foreigner be telling the truth? That he just wants to learn his country's roots? And that he hates killing despite being a fighter? Also, his friendship with the Crimson Blade...happens to be a rather odd one, to put it at best. He treats her not as an ayakashi, but rather as a person.
And a cat, too, if his stroking her chin and affectionately petting her were any indication.
But what really got her curious is what he and the other boy said earlier about ayakashi and humans coexisting again. Can it really be possible?
It was at that moment she spoke up. "Then..."
"Huh?"
Shizuku looked up at Gordon and tugged his shirt. "If that's the case, then...I'll stay here as well…you know."
...
...
A long, dank silence filled the room.
Himari's cat ears perked up while a confused Gordon said, "What?"
The green-haired child tugged the dark-skinned boy's shirt harder to further press her point. "You heard me. I will stay here...and observe you very closely...you know."
"Now wait just a minute!" Rinko began to protest. "I may be okay with the Cat Princess living with the Skate Punk, but I'm definitely not okay with someone like you moving with him!"
"Wouldn't that make you a hypocrite...you know?" Shizuku countered before giving a hard glare at Gordon. "You know?"
Beads of sweat rolled down the young Benigawa's cheeks as he tried to come with an answer that doesn't run the risk of him getting drowned.
######
WHOOSH!
Almost out of nowhere, Himari swung her Yasutsuna at Shizuku, its gleaming blade stopping nearly a centimeter from the greenette's nose.
"I had a feeling you would try beheading us in our sleep, but..." the cat samurai assumed, her voice firm. "What brings you here, Mizuchi?"
"Heh. For a kitty, you sure know how to get up quick...you know. I already told you I'd be keeping an eye on the Benigawa foreigner, you know," said Shizuku.
"A sorry excuse for sneaking into the berth I share with the Young Lord!" an irate Himari shouted.
"Uh, just so you two know, I was the one sleeping here to begin with, okay?" Gordon said flatly, raising his hand. "Since this is my room and all."
"...Gordon Benigawa, do you always sleep with this cat...you know?" Shizuku asked, raising a brow.
"Do I even have a choice?" he shrugged. "Besides, what do you expect from someone who takes her job as a bodyguard seriously?"
So seriously she would use his body as a hugging pillow and smother his face with those gigantic melons of hers.
The little Mizuchi had her eyes half-lidded. "How perverted you are...you know," she scolded flatly, forcing Gordon to palm his face while Himari wrapped her arms around her distressed master's neck.
"Perverted? Now that is just absurd," she purred. "If you ask me, I think basking in each other's own warmth gives us peace of mind, do you not think so?"
"You're not helping, Himari," Gordon shook his head annoyingly, still hiding his face.
"Hmm... If that's the case, then you wouldn't mind me sleeping with you, right? ...You know." Shizuku suggested.
"..." Gordon simply stared at Shizuku, a tick mark forming on his forehead.
Next thing the Mizuchi knew, she was being forcefully pushed out of Gordon's room, not showing any resistance as she turned to face him.
"And stay outta my bed, will ya?" he ordered before slamming the door in her face.
Shizuku continued staring at the door for a couple seconds. "Idiot...you know," she muttered before walking away.
Back in his room, Gordon let off a sigh while leaning on the door, rubbing his temples in frustration. He really started to regret letting that girl stay at his place, but it was either that or risk having his entire house flooded.
"I really should keep my eyes peeled," he thought worriedly. "She may be a child, but she's creepy as hell."
{"What...the..."}
"Whoa..."
"Wow..."
Gordon, Yuuto, and Rinko (the latter two who just came in) were awestruck upon what was laid on the kitchen table.
It was a traditional Japanese meal - rice, miso soup, and all the other workings - with fish as the center dish.
"Did Himari-san make all of this?" Yuuto asked.
"Beats me," Gordon shrugged.
"Twas not I," Himari answered. "It was already set up upon making my descent here. Though I am a bit perplexed myself. A meal of this caliber would have at least taken a few hours to prepare."
"So if it wasn't you, then..." Gordon's eyes drifted down to Shizuku, who glanced up at him.
"What!? She did this!?" a surprised Rinko said in disbelief. "No way!"
"That's incredible," an equally surprised Yuuto gaped.
"Just hurry up and eat...you know," Shizuku urged with a sigh. "It's only going to get cold, you know."
"Might as well have a taste," Gordon suggested himself as he and the others sat down.
"Itadakimasu!" they chorused as they began eating.
"Mmm...mmm... Whoa...!" Yuuto gasped after swallowing a bite of his rice. "This is amazing!"
"Kuh! This stuff's not half-bad, I suppose," Rinko grumbled in her head while clenching her chopsticks, wishing she could do better.
"Mhm... I gotta hand it to ya, Red-Eyes. You sure know how to cook a mean meal," Gordon complimented. "Sorry Mrs. H, but you just lost the 'Best Chef' crown to a hundred-year-old kid."
"Gochisousama."
"Huh?"
Gordon looked ahead to see Himari standing up, then glanced at her finished meal. There wasn't a speck of food left save for the fish bones. Heck, even he can't finish that fast unless he was willing to throw it all up later.
"Where're you off to, Himari?" he asked.
"Since I am the first to finish, I figured I might go ahead and do the laundry," the blackette explained.
"You don't need to bother. I already finished that...you know."
A surprised Himari looked down at a grinning Shizuku, then huffed before saying, "Then I shall dust..."
"I did that yesterday…you know," the green-haired child interrupted. "I didn't want to live in a dirty house."
"Well, sorry if it wasn't clean enough for ya, Red-Eyes," Gordon retorted in his head while watching the tension fly between the two ayakashi. Something was telling him this wasn't going to end on a happy note.
"I'm kind of surprised you would be this good at housekeeping, Shizuku-san," Yuuto complimented the Mizuchi.
"It's normal for us, you know," she began explaining. "Before worrying about demon slayers, doing everyday household chores were far more important than fighting...you know. Speaking of fighting..."
WHOOSH!
"!"
Almost in an instant, Shizuku appeared in front of Himari, startling the blackette.
"Cat, all the foreigner wants is to learn his roots in this country, while all you've ever known from heart is fighting," the Mizuchi said wickedly. "What can you do to provide for him...you know?"
Himari narrowed her eyes slightly, drawing Gordon's concern.
"Great, now you've gone and done it, Red-Eyes. No doubt you're gonna get Miss Samurai pissed off."
But the young skater thought wrong when Himari simply smiled and made her way to the doorframe.
"A sword is not needed in times of peace. It makes sense, after all," she said before taking her leave, the slam of the front door confirming it.
An uneasy silence filled the kitchen for a bit before Rinko broke it.
"Aren't you gonna go after the Cat Princess, Skate Punk?" she asked Gordon. "You're her Young Lord, after all."
"Like I don't know that already," he told her as he made his way out.
"Gordon Benigawa."
Gordon had his head turned to Shizuku upon reaching the door frame. "Yeah, what?" he asked, clearly annoyed.
"If you find the cat, can you tell her to go shopping?" she suggested. "The fridge is almost empty, you know."
Gordon frowned at the Mizuchi. "Fine," he muttered before leaving, another slam confirming it.
Another brief silence filled the room, with Rinko once again providing the break.
"Okay, you lolita snake, what're you trying to pull?" she demanded, eyes narrowed at Shizuku.
"...What do you mean?" the Mizuchi asked in her usual stoic tone.
"Don't tell me what I mean!" Rinko shot back. "Just yesterday you were trying to kill the Skate Punk and now you're serving him! It's just crazy like that! I want to know what you're really planning, and don't leave any important details out!"
"..." Shizuku remained silent before giving the two humans her explanation.
######
One detailed explanation later…
"SAY WHAAAT!?" Rinko and Yuuto yelled out.
Shizuku just stood unfazed. "Did I leave something out...you know?" she asked.
"No, but... Tricking the Skate Punk into joining you guys!? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!"
"Yeah! What makes you think Evans-san will...? Uwah!"
Yuuto blushed wildly after seeing Shizuku lift up Rinko's skirt, exposing the ribbon girl's white panties.
"Ah-!"
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!-!"
A resounding slap was heard after that dreaded shriek.
"Dammit, where the hell did she run off to?"
A frustrated and concerned Gordon was riding his skateboard through Takamiya's bustling streets, his eyes darting left and right in his search for Himari. It's been almost fifteen minutes and the Brooklyn teen was starting to grow worried. Still, he'd have to admit it was quite amazing how someone like her was able to cover so much ground while wearing something as restrictive as a kimono.
Then again, Himari is a cat, so it's a given she would have the speed and agility of one.
A while later, Gordon immediately stopped upon seeing the kimono-clad girl at a playground, sitting on a swing with her head slightly down.
Shaking his head at the display, he picked up his board and went in to meet with her. {"Yo!"}
Himari perked up when she spotted her skateboarding master approaching. "Young Lord," she spoke, getting off the swing.
"Honestly, Himari. Do you know how long it took for me to find ya?" he told her.
"...I apologize," she said meekly, turning her head away.
"Hey, it's cool, alright? As long as you're okay..."
Gordon's words fell short when he noticed all the children keeping a safe distance from him, some even holding their mother's hand in fright. The New Yorker even felt a bit of pressure from their mothers' stares, forcing him to rub his temples.
"First, let's head someplace where I don't feel like I'm being preyed on," he suggested with a sigh.
######
Gordon and Himari sat on a park bench facing a river, the former guzzling down a can of strawberry milk he got from a vending machine nearby.
{"Ah~ Now that's what I call good milk,"} he sighed happily before getting to the subject at hand. "Okay, I understand you're a bit upset at Shizuku getting the better of you, Himari, but did you really have to run off like that?"
"But what the Mizuchi said was true, Young Lord," Himari admitted solemnly, sighing. "I am a Crimson Blade; fighting is the only thing I know of."
"N...Now come on, don't be like that, Himari," Gordon tried persuading. "What about that delicious bento you made a while back? That alone shows you're more than just a..."
"That is enough, Young Lord."
Himari stood firmly, looking straight ahead. "A bodyguard has her pride as a bodyguard and nothing more," she declared. "I need no pity, especially not from you."
"God, who says I was feeling sorry for you, Himari?" Gordon asked, also standing up. "I only said that it tasted..."
"Save your breath," she huffed. "If you only brought me here just to make me feel better, then you're wasting your ef..."
The blackette stopped the moment her wrist got grabbed by Gordon, who had his head down slightly.
"Yeah, you're right, Himari. I'm just wasting my time," he admitted dryly. "But guess what? I'm not leaving without you, even if it means having to drag you down myself. And I'm not saying this as your Young Lord, but as a friend. No, I take that back..." He let go of Himari's wrist. "You're my best friend, Himari, just like Rika and The Crew back home. You're just as important to me as they are."
"..."
{"..."}
"...What nonsense you speak of, Young Lord."
{"Huh?"}
Himari had her head turned to him, a faint tinge of red forming on her cheeks.
"I-If you think that I will be swayed over by such words," she began saying, "then you are a fool, at best."
Gordon inwardly smiled at the blackette's response. "Heh. Yeah, I'm a fool, alright. A total asshat," he admitted, chuckling a bit while picking up his skateboard. "Now come on; we got a few errands to run before we go back. I don't want Red-Eyes drowning us again if we come back empty-handed."
Himari giggled while linking her arm with Gordon's, surprising the New Yorker a bit before smiling back at her as the two started walking.
"You know, I think we look like a couple of newlyweds when we are like this," Himari noted, resting her head against his arm.
"Yeah, nothing shouts newlyweds like a Yamato Nadeshiko and a black, skateboarding foreigner. No doubt it'll turn heads," Gordon said humorlessly, Himari giggling at his response as she hugged his arm tighter.
Upon approaching the city, both of them stopped upon seeing a pretty girl their age with blond hair tied in long ponytails that reached her legs and blue eyes handing out flyers at a train station. She had on a blue maid costume with a white apron in front and a detached collar with a red ribbon tied around it, a frilly lace headband, and a pair of brown, lace-up boots. The outfit had an exposed chest, revealing a large set of breasts with a significant amount of cleavage. Like Gordon, the girl is also a foreigner, European to be exact, given her features.
Still, who would've guessed there would be another foreigner besides him in a town like Takamiya?
"Our shop has been completely remodeled and is now open for business!" the blond maid announced cheerfully. "Please come on in!"
"Young Lord?"
Gordon looked down at Himari. "Hm, what's up?"
"...I think I found something I can do, too," the cat said, staring at the foreign maid.
"You...don't say now?" he answered slowly, looking back at the maid.
The next day…
"Huh, so that Cat Princess got a part-time job? No wonder Yuuto and I haven't seen her around lately."
Gordon, Rinko, Yuuto, and Shizuku were hanging out at the city plaza, the ribbon girl and Mizuchi sitting on short concrete posts.
"Yeah," Gordon confirmed, adjusting his black fitted hat with one hand while holding his skateboard with the other. "I was a bit surprised, too, when she first told me that."
"I think the reason why Himari-san would want to get one is because of what Shizuku-san told her yesterday," Yuuto chimed in.
"In other words, she just wants to prove she's not some petty freeloader...you know," the greenette said.
"Hey, some of this was your fault to begin with, Red-Eyes," Gordon chided. "You're the one who told her she can't do anything."
"I was merely stating facts...you know."
"Well, it's true that holding a job is something the Cat Princess can do that you can't, Shizuku," Rinko told her.
"Hmm..."
{"Whoa!"}
Gordon suddenly found himself in Shizuku's embrace, his hat knocked off his head as the little Mizuchi hung around his neck.
"Maybe if I give a little service like this to a few men, I can make a decent earning out of it...you know," she suggested.
"Now hold on just a minute!" the New Yorker protested. "What if someone sees us like this!? I'll get arrested!"
"Hm? Well, if it isn't Amakawa, Evans, and Kuzaki. Fancy seeing you three here."
All three teens turned and to their surprise saw Ms. Kisaragi. The glasses-wearing teacher had on casual clothes instead of her usual business attire, which consisted of a violet tube top that exposed part of her large breasts and cleavage, an olive green sleeveless cardigan over the top, grey jeans, and white Chuck Taylor hi-tops. An elaborate gold necklace hung around her neck.
"S-Sae-chan!?" Rinko blurted out, only to find herself on the receiving end of a noogie from the green-haired teacher.
"I thought I made it clear I didn't want to be called that, riiiight?" she told the ribbon-wearing brunette with a false grin.
"R-Right! I'm sorry, Kisaragi-sensei~! Uuuu~!" Rinko cried out.
Gordon made a quick side note not to call Ms. Kisaragi by that name before he was given a scrutinizing look by the teacher herself.
"Oh boy," he thought, sweat rolling down his cheek. {"Uh..."}
"Evans..." she said darkly.
"Now hold on, Sensei! There's a perfectly good reason for this!" he pleaded while attempting to fabricate a lie. "You see..."
"There's no need, Evans," Ms. K told him, putting a hand to stop him. "I understand you're young and want to hook up indecently with the opposite sex, but I'd rather you not do it with anyone during your stay here, especially with children. Last thing I need is to be up to my neck filling out deportation forms."
"Yeah...I'll keep that in mind next time," Gordon said nervously. Yeesh, Ms. K can be quite open when it comes to the topic of sex. If that was the case, why couldn't she be the sex ed teacher?
"Anyways, all jokes aside, who is this kid? I haven't seen her before." Ms. K asked, gesturing at Shizuku.
"...I'm Shizuku... I'm a relative of Noihara, you know..." the Mizuchi introduced.
"Noihara?" Ms. K stroked her chin. "You mean Himari Noihara, right? Never thought she'd have a sibling..." she murmured before shrugging it off. "Oh well. Since this is a rare opportunity, I'd like to invite all of you out for tea. My treat."
{"Huh?"} a surprised Gordon asked.
"Whoa, for real, Sensei?" Rinko questioned.
"Sweet! Lucky!" an excited Yuuto said.
Gordon's POV
A short walk later led us to a coffee shop called Café Relish located in Takamiya City's shopping district. Ms. K told us it serves excellent tea there, and got her personal stamp of approval because of that.
All five of us entered the café, the ringing of bells marking our entry. The very first person I saw was the blond-haired maid from the other day, who happily greeted, "Welcome~!" to us before recognizing Ms. K.
"Oh, Sensei, you brought company with you?" she asked the teacher.
"Yeah, I did, Liz," Ms. K answered. "These are all my students, save for the little one."
Somehow, Red-Eyes wasn't at all pleased at being called little.
"So I'm guessing you want the smoking section, right?" the blond maid known as Liz suggested.
"Wait, you smoke, sensei?" Rinko asked, a little shocked at her teacher's habit. That fact got me concerned as well since I'm not too fond of breathing secondhand smoke, nor do I like people doing it in front of children like Red-Eyes. Not that it mattered since she's not really human, but it's still wrong.
Then it wasn't long before a familiar voice called me.
"Ah! Young Lord, you came!"
I turn around and my body froze stiff after seeing Himari come in, wearing the same maid outfit as Goldilocks (my nickname for Liz) but with unique additions in her cat ears and tail, the latter lifting the back of her skirt.
And as always, they made Yuuto's nose run. Not that Himari seems to care as she was way too focused on me to even notice the boy's ailment.
Still, I have to admit she does look cute in it. Heck, she might even give Rika a run for her money if she was into cosplay.
...
Oh god, what the fuck's wrong with me!? I'm already at risk of developing a catgirl fetish, for crying out loud! I don't need another one creeping up. And why am I comparing Himari to my next-door neighbor, of all people!? Goddamn it all!
"How do you like my maid outfit?" she asked, making a curtsey with her skirt.
I try to answer, only for Ms. K to beat me to the punch.
"So you work here, huh, Noihara?" she asks Himari, taking her seat.
"Yes, I do. I did not expect the homeroom teacher to be here, but please, make yourself at home."
"Thanks, I will."
While Himari was distracted, I decided to ask Yuuto something.
"How come Sensei didn't notice Himari's ears and tail?" say in a whisper.
"It's normal in places like this," he explained, sniffling. "They're pretty popular, after all."
"If you're an otaku, that is," Rinko adds her two cents. "Speaking of which, you should check out Akiba sometime, Skate Punk. It's pretty much nerd heaven over there."
Akiba. I'm guessing she means Akihabara. As tempting as that sounds...
"I'll pass, Ribbons, thanks," I say right before Himari hugged me from behind, my cap once again being knocked off. Man, I knew I should've gotten a smaller size. "One half-size bigger," they said at the store. Yeah, right.
"Hey, let go of the Skate Punk, you slutty cat maid!" Rinko yelled out. "You're making Yuuto's allergies run again!"
"Yeah, and you're making a scene here! Get off!" I told Himari, but she didn't seem to listen.
"But I am a maid who solely serves the Young Lord and no one else," she says with a purr, hugging me tighter while nuzzling my cheek playfully. Jeez, does the phrase "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," mean anything to you, Himari? Have some common sense, will ya? You're at work; keep the flirting to a minimum!
All hell nearly broke loose until a third voice intervened.
"Himari-san!"
Himari and I both turn to see Goldilocks approaching us.
"We can't give our customers special treatment here! As maids, it is our duty to ensure that all our customers receive fair and equal treatment."
Yeah, you go tell her, Goldilocks. I'm rooting for ya since I can't seem to shake her off at the moment.
And like magic, Himari released her hold on me.
"Yes, you are correct. I am new at this, and I overstepped my boundaries. I'll do a good job from now on."
She gave an apologetic bow at Goldilocks and after she left leaned to my ear.
"Young Lord, the blond gal you just encountered is not human, so be wary of her."
That warning Miss Samurai gave left me confused. Goldilocks? An ayakashi? That can't be right. She's just doing her job, for crying out loud. I don't think she's the kind of person to harm someone unless she wants to get fired.
Still, I can't just take Himari's warning for granted. The best I can do is keep a close eye on her. I know it's rude to do something like this, but what choice do I have?
Haah... Sorry about this, Goldilocks, but you just have to bear with me for a bit.
General POV
It was a rather normal work day for Lizlet L. Chelsie. Ever since the tea-serving maid came to Japan from England many years ago, she aspired to spread her love for British tea to the Land of the Rising Sun.
But most of all, she wants to make all her customers happy, since seeing their smiles after drinking her delicious tea makes her want to smile as well.
However, right now doesn't seem to be the case for her, thanks to a certain someone.
The blond Englishwoman glanced back at the dark-skinned boy Sae brought over, the one with the skateboard. It's been well over ten minutes and he was still staring at her!
Now Liz was starting to get worried. Having been in the waitressing business for a long time, she knew that skateboarder wasn't checking her out or the maid outfit at all. What's even more unsettling is that he gave off a very troubling scent the moment he came in. Almost like those ghost hunters from that movie she saw once, or that boy from that superhero show with those stained glass creatures she saw a few years back.
Could the black skateboarder be one of those people? And what about that new girl, Himari? She seems to be in league with him if her earlier interactions were of any indication, not to mention she gave off the scent of blood when she first came in for the job.
What if they're both plotting to kill her?
The thought alone caused Liz to shake her head in distress. No! She couldn't have that! She just couldn't! She loved her job at the café! All the patrons tasting the delicious tea she brews. The smiles on their faces and the compliments she received. She can't afford to lose it all! Not like this!
Liz reached into the pocket of her apron and took out a small vial with a skull-and-crossbones label printed on it. All she had to do is put a little bit of it in his tea and that skateboarder will be right out the door!
Gordon's POV
I shake my head and sighed after a couple minutes of observing Goldilocks. Turns out she's just a regular girl in my book. Geez, thanks a lot, Himari. Now she'll probably think I'm some kind of creepy, perverted stalker with a maid fetish because of that warning you gave me.
Speaking of which...
"What on earth are you dawdling for! Hurry up and order!"
I shift my focus over to Miss Samurai, who was pestering a male customer to finish his order. I almost feel sorry for the guy getting yelled at like that. And if that wasn't enough, later on she scolded another customer for pouring too much sugar into his tea, claiming it'll ruin the taste.
Yep, I say she's handling herself well. Really well.
"Worried about the Cat Princess, Skate Punk?" Rinko asked.
"You have no idea, Ribbons," I answered, shaking my head with a sigh. "I just wish she'd calm down instead of making a fuss everywhere she goes. I'm already getting a friggin' headache."
"Oh you don't need to worry," Rinko smiled, waving her hand casually. "She's just being a tsundere, that's all."
"Tsundere?" I ask confused. I did hear the term a few times from some of the guys at Touryou but never really knew what that meant.
"It means she's just hiding her soft side by being harsh, and it takes a while before it shows up," she explained. "Plus it's kinda popular with the guys, believe it or not."
"You don't say now?" I wonder hesitantly. Are guys here really interested in those type of girls?
"Well, well, Evans. Your first visit to a maid café and you're already checking out the maids," Ms. K interjects, her chin resting on her hands with a sly grin on her face. "I didn't know you were into that kind of thing. Heh heh."
"Uh...yeah, how about no, sensei," I retort at her comment. "I'm not prone to fetishes like that."
Except for one that's developing with no end in sight.
Unfortunately the answer I gave Ms. K didn't ease her curiosity in the slightest. In fact, it only made her grin wider. "Aw come on, there must be something about them that turns you on. Heh-heh."
Okay, just what the hell is she, 20 Perverted Questions or something? You're better off asking Masaki, for what I know.
"Are you sure you should be asking Evans-san things like that, Sensei?" Yuuto asks, showing concern.
"Why not, Amakawa? It's only natural. Besides, I bet you're thinking the same thing with Kuzaki if she wore one just for you," Ms. K continued teasing, causing Yuuto to blow a gasket.
"Wh...What?" he squawked.
"Sensei, what are you even saying!?" Rinko blushed, obviously feeling flustered. "You're a teacher, aren't you!?"
No, I don't think she is, Ribbons. She's probably an adult book writer working incognito, looking for some new material for her next bestseller.
Then it wasn't long before Goldilocks arrived with our teas.
"Thank you for waiting," she announced, serving the teas. "Here's your Earl Grey, ginger, Assam, and Darjeeling."
"Thanks. Man, I can't wait to taste it."
I was ashamed this café didn't serve cinnamon buns. They should, though. I would drop by every day for a few bites if that was the case.
"I-It's nothing. Please enjoy yourselves," Liz bowed before taking her leave. Her walking was a bit hasty, though. Given the number of customers here, it's almost a no-brainer she was trying to get as many orders as she can.
At least my ginger tea's here. Man, I really can't wait to...
SPLOOSH!
What the hell!?
I look up and my eyes widen with shock the moment I discovered Shizuku's tongue inside my tea. Rinko did a perfect spit take at the sight, while Yuuto's face paled.
Feeling obviously pissed off by the stunt, I lean over to the girl while she withdrew her tongue.
"What's your tongue doing in my tea, Red-Eyes!?" I whisper to her in a scolding manner. "You got your own tea to drink, don't ya? And what if Ms. K or the other customers saw what you just did!?"
"What's the matter?"
I look over to Ms. K with a cigarette in her hand, her mouth teeming with smoke.
"N-Nothing, Sensei. Don't worry 'bout it."
I swear Ms. K's gonna lose a lung one day, just you wait and see.
"It's poisoned...you know."
"Huh?" Now that struck me by surprise. Poisoned? Who would do something like that?
"Cat... It's the blond...you know."
Wait, what? Goldilocks? Why the hell would she...?
"Hyaaaah!"
Aw, fuck me in the-!
General POV
"Hyaaaah!"
Lizlet was suddenly caught off-guard by a sword thrust from Himari's Yasutsuna, barely dodging it and almost falling down while she did.
"I am the Noihara Crimson Blade and the Young Lord's bodyguard," the cat-eared samurai maid proclaimed proudly. "I didn't know what you are initially, so I waited until you inevitably made your move."
"I-I'm...against violence..." Liz protested shakily, trying to back away.
"How dare you say that after spiking his drink, tea demon!?" Himari snapped while swinging Yasutsuna down.
"Kyaa! I'm a tea sprite~!" Liz cried, jumping high to avoid it.
"Himari-san, stop! There're too many people here!" Yuuto shouted, standing up.
"Yeah, you're gonna tear up the damn place if you keep this up!" Gordon added, also standing while putting back his cap.
Meanwhile, Rinko was busy taking a sip of her tea while repeating in her head, "I don't know her, I don't know her..."
Sae was also busy drinking her tea, observing the fight between the two maids. However the green-haired teacher had a different mindset than the ribbon-wearing brunette.
"No doubt I'm gonna have to clean this mess up," she thought annoyingly. "Sometimes I just can't seem to win."
Back at the fight, Himari was swinging her Yasutsuna in all directions in an attempt to cleave Liz. Unfortunately, with every swing the cat ayakashi took, the blond tea sprite keeps on dodging every swing. It was almost like chasing a fly who just refuses to get swatted, and it was just as frustrating.
"Kyaaah! Please stop!" she begged after dodging a horizontal swing that nearly cut her apron. "I already told you I'm against violence! Hyah!"
"Silence, fiend!" Himari roared while taking a swing at her legs, only for Liz to jump back up. The feline maid jumped after her in an attempt to close the gap. However...
"Black Tea Spray!"
"Kh-!"
Himari was temporarily blinded by the tea leaves the blond threw, preventing her from attacking.
"And what do you know about me, anyway!" a descending Liz told the cat before stomping on her sternum, shouting,
"Take this! Deadly Tea Plunge!"
CRASH!
Gordon averted his eyes for a brief moment looking to see the blond maid crouching on Himari, who was knocked out on the cracked hardwood with her eyes wide open.
"Yowch, that's gotta hurt. Still, I have to give Goldilocks props for standing her..."
STAB!
The New Yorker's eyes widened in horror upon seeing Liz get stabbed at the heart by Himari's Yasutsuna. Apparently the cat samurai still had some fight in her, even after taking a hit like that.
"Aaah! Cat Princess, what have you done!?" Rinko screeched, terrified at the sight.
"Hold on, Rinko! Look, there's no blood coming from that blond!"
"H...Huh? Hey, you're right! What's going on?"
Gordon was just as surprised when he heard Yuuto say that. Upon taking closer inspection of Liz, he discovered that indeed no blood can be found on her at all. And what baffled him more is that it was a direct hit, straight through the heart, no less. No one can survive something like that and still be up.
Just who the hell was she, anyway? Some kind of zombie?
Meanwhile, Himari was just as confused as the other three were. She stabbed the blonde foreigner square in the chest so she should be dead by now.
Something was off. Way off.
Unless...
"Aaaahh! Look what you've done!" Liz cried out. "You've torn a hole in my maid outfit~!"
A thick bead of sweat appeared on Himari's forehead until she heard Gordon call her name.
"Himari!"
The blackette turned to see her master approaching her. "Stay where you are, Young Lord," she cautioned him. "She's still..."
"S-Stay back!" Liz warned.
"Geez, just knock it off already," Gordon told her, putting his cap on. "Besides, we don't know why Goldilocks would..."
"She's neither tea demon nor tea sprite...you know."
Gordon turned to Shizuku, who was calmly taking a sip of her tea. "If she was, there would be a faint trace of demonic energy in the tea she serves. But there isn't any...you know."
Aside, Liz let out a defeated sigh, disappointed that her "tea sprite" title had been mythbusted.
"Yeah, but that alone doesn't explain how Goldilocks can still be up after getting stabbed," Gordon told the Mizuchi.
"I believe I have an explanation for that," Himari chimed in.
"Alright, Miss Samurai, fill us in," the dark-skinned teen encouraged, earning a nod from the cat maid in return.
"Certainly," she obliged before glancing at Liz. "You see, after I impaled my Yasutsuna into Lizlet the brief moment I was knocked down I did not feel any kind of resistance from her, almost like I was piercing a hollow shell. And then there was the lack of blood like Yuuto-dono mentioned."
"Yeah, I was thinking about that, too," Gordon murmured, holding his chin while also glancing at the blond maid. "And how Goldilocks only got away with just that hole in her outfit..."
"There's no mistaking it. You are a tsukumogami, are you not?" Himari asked the blonde.
A surprised gasp from Liz confirmed the cat's suspicion.
Yuuto and Rinko were equally surprised and confused as well. A foreigner like Liz, an ayakashi? How can that be even possible? Weren't they only indigenous to Japan?
"Tsukumo...gami?" Gordon repeated.
"Normally after a hundred years of inactivity, an inanimate object is sometimes given supernatural powers, and in some rare cases, a new life," Himari explained.
"This girl is merely a projection, which means her real body must be hidden somewhere in this shop...you know," Shizuku added.
"If that is the case, then..."
Himari turned to a man with a red bandana on his head and a white apron wiping the countertop.
"Owner! Is there an old tea-related item somewhere in this store!?" she demanded, startling him.
"Huh? Uh...yeah, that teacup right over there," the café owner answered, pointing to an ivory teacup with gold accents stored in one of the shelves, resting on a small saucer.
"That cup used to be part of an old set from England," he explained. "I bought it at an antique shop a couple years ago."
"That must be it!" Himari thought as she rushed over to the shelf and grabbed the teacup, preparing to throw it down.
"This is her true form!" she declared, bringing fear and panic to Liz.
"Aaaah! Wait, what are you doing!?" she cried out, trying to keep the cat-eared maid from performing the deed. "Stop! If you break that, I'll die~!"
The teacup then slipped out of Himari's hand, bringing even more panic to Liz.
"Ah! No, my body~!"
She tried making a grab for it...
"Kyah!"
But it quickly fell out of her reach after tripping over one of the floorboards. Time immediately slowed down for Liz as the fearful maid watched her precious teacup make its descent to the ground.
"I-I'm really going to die~!" she cried in her head, closing her eyes to keep her from seeing the dreaded outcome.
A few seconds later, Liz's eyes snapped open and to her sudden surprise realized she was still alive. But that wasn't the only surprise.
"Phew! Man, that was a close call. Hey Goldilocks, you okay?"
The British tea maid looked ahead and her eyes widened with surprise after seeing Gordon right in front of her. The blond's cheeks then flushed red upon realizing she landed right on top of him, making her draw the conclusion he broke her fall. She then let out a slight gasp when she spotted her teacup in his hands, completely unscathed.
Now Liz was really confused. The boy whom she thought was going to kill her...just saved her life?
{"Yo! Earth to Goldilocks!"}
"?"
The boy's sudden English brought Liz out of her reverie. It's been a long time since the Englishwoman heard her mother tongue let alone speak it (though she did have a hand in translating the menus for foreign customers), and she was afraid she might mess up conversing with the boy who saved her life.
Nonetheless, Liz decided to go for it. It was the least she could do, anyways.
{"Y...Yes. I'm all right. Thanks,"} she answered slowly with a nod, a light English accent escaping her lips. {"You're...not hurt, are you?"}
{"Yeah, don't worry 'bout me,"} Gordon shrugged off. {"Believe me; I've had worse falls than this on my board."} The young Benigawa took some time to admire the teacup he just saved.
{"So this teacup here's your real body, huh? Hafta admit it looks real nice."}
Liz's cheeks flushed a little at Gordon's complement. {"Th-Thanks,"} she said shyly, fidgeting a bit. {"U-Um...can I please have it back now?"}
{"Huh? Oh right, sorry. Here."} Gordon handed the teacup over to the young English maid, who held it close to her chest after receiving it. "Now lemme ask you one question, Goldilocks. What was up with you spiking my tea for?"
Liz blinked after hearing the New Yorker's switch to Japanese but was quick to follow. "W-Well, it's just that... You've been staring at me for so long and...I assumed you and Himari-san were plotting to kill me," Liz answered, lowering her head shamefully.
Gordon couldn't believe the story he was hearing from the British tsukumogami. Though to be fair, he was also at fault for making her paranoid with his staring.
"Haah... Alright, listen Goldilocks," Gordon began in trying to set the record straight with Liz. "I'll admit Himari can come off as a loose cannon sometimes..."
"Mu..." Himari frowned, a tick mark appearing on her forehead while her cat ears twitched.
Shizuku resisted an urge to snicker.
"But in reality, she's not at all a bad person. She was just looking out for me is all. And I wasn't even thinking of killing you at all. I was just observing you."
"Observing...me?"
"Mhm," Gordon nodded, sitting up cross-legged. "While I was watching, you were just doing your job like any other normal waitress would. And you really seem to like it, from what I can tell. I don't see any harm in tending to your customers at all."
"I-Is that so?" Liz asked, scratching her cheek shyly.
"Yep," Gordon answered the blonde. "Still, you're the last person I'd expect to try and poison me."
"I'm really sorry for that! Really, I am!" she apologized frantically, only for Gordon to wave it off.
"Hey, hey, it's cool, alright? As long as you understand. Just don't jump to conclusions like that, okay?"
Liz gave a light nod. "O-Okay. So that means...I can go back to what I've always done?"
"Yeah, you can go back to making your tea," Gordon stood up, dusting his cap on his shorts before putting it back on. "Just...don't spike mine next time, alright?" he told the blonde. "I really don't want something like this happening again."
"O-Okay!" she beamed.
"...So in the end, that girl simply acted out of fear...you know," Shizuku noted with a sigh.
"I have more than enough reasons to cut her in two," Himari said cautiously, observing the conversation Liz had with Yuuto and Rinko. "However, it is as the Young Lord said: she merely jumped to conclusions. But that alone does not mean I can forgive her for attempting to take his life. And also..."
"..." Shizuku casted an inquisitive glance.
"The fact that Lizlet is an ayakashi of foreign origin...leaves me worried about the possibility of ayakashi existing in the Young Lord's hometown," the cat voiced her concern, watching Gordon join in. "And should that be the case, then I must find a way to awaken his powers as soon as possible," she added in her head, closing her eyes.
"Noihara!"
Himari turned around and spotted Ms. Kisaragi with a check in her hand.
"That was some good entertainment you put on back there," she commended. "How much did it cost with the show?"
The blackette raised a confused brow while the green-haired teacher grinned. "Well?"
Gordon's POV
When we got home, I was quite surprised the strife at the café didn't make the six o'clock news. What's more strange is the other customers don't seem to have any recollection of the whole thing. It's almost like...they've all had their minds wiped out or something.
Himari told me there were some ayakashi with the ability to manipulate people's minds, and she was just as stumped as I was. The only ayakashi that were there during that whole incident were her, Red-Eyes, and Goldilocks.
Could there be another ayakashi there during that fiasco? And if so, who?
And the next morning...
"Uugh... Himari?"
"Yes?"
"You know you're off from work today, right?"
"Yes, I know."
"Okay, then tell me why the hell you're wearing that outfit for!?"
I have just woken up to see Miss Samurai dressed in her work uniform, which is, of course, her maid costume. Her cat ears and tail were out, too.
"I still haven't received your answer on how I look in it. Well~?"
She says while lifting the sides of her skirt up slightly and leaning forward, showing off her cleavage. Shit. If I knew this was gonna happen, I probably should've stayed asleep longer. Not that it would make much of a difference.
My entire body froze stiff when Himari began crawling on my bed, inching slowly towards me. Unfortunately my back was already up against the wall and before I knew it she was just mere inches away from my face. It also didn't help that her cat ears were twitching cutely, almost begging me to say yes. Damn her!
I bite my lower lip in irritation, which only made Himari's grin grow wider as her hand glided against my cheek.
"Well, well. It appears I have exploited the Young Lord's weakness quite well, have I not?" she asks mischievously.
"Sh-Shut up," I retort through clenched teeth. "It's your fault for teasing me with those damn ears of yours."
Himari lets off an amused giggle while caressing my cheek. "Maybe I should give you some extra service if you like my ears so much."
{"Say what now!?"} I almost exclaim at Miss Samurai's implication, inviting more giggles from her as she drew closer. Aw man, I can see where this is going.
"What a perverted master you are...you know."
Himari and I quickly turn our heads to see Shizuku at the door. For some reason, she, too, was wearing Café Relish's maid uniform. How on earth she even manage to get her hands on one, however, is beyond me.
Needless to say, Himari wasn't at all impressed.
"Explain yourself why you are wearing a maid outfit, Mizuchi?" she demanded, approaching the greenette. "For one, I do not recall the café hiring children."
"That's a trade secret...you know. Plus I don't like my master getting seduced by a raunchy kitty like you, you know."
Shizuku responds with a flat stare.
Aaaand here we go.
"The Young Lord is not your master!" Himari began arguing.
"Oh, yes he is. Besides, I know what he wants. A nice, small body that he can hug anytime he pleases...you know."
Shizuku proceeds to hug herself to further prove her point. Uh...yeah, no way in hell am I gonna sleep with a centuries-old reverse pedophile, if that's even a word.
"As if the Young Lord would be pleased with those mosquito bites you call a chest!" Himari yells belligerently.
"Well, I'm sure he's tired of those useless sacks of fat on your chest, you know," Shizuku shoots back, Himari turning her head away with a proud huff.
"Hmph! I will have you know the Young Lord is quite fond of my bosom. So much so, he would rest his head on them whenever we sleep."
Himari made her point known by lifting her boobs with her arms. Okay, in case you hadn't noticed, Miss Samurai, you're the one who keeps using me as your personal hugging pillow!
"They're still useless sacks of fat."
"They are not!"
"Are too."
"Are not!-!"
I resist the urge to palm my face as the bickering intensified. Yeesh, now I really wish I stayed asleep.
General POV
"Ugh! Man, cleaning up that incident at the café yesterday was a huge pain in the ass. Seriously, does that cat have any self-restraint? She nearly wrecked the damn place!"
A frustrated Sae was in the bedroom of her house, dressed in nothing but a towel with her hair let down, having just left the shower (thankfully all the curtains were closed). Her bedroom wasn't at all clean, but it wasn't too messy either. There were only a few misplaced items here and there, mainly her teaching materials.
After taking one last drag of her cancer stick, throwing the butt in the ashtray with all the others (she made a mental note to clean that out later), Sae sat down on her bed, laying back while looking up at the ceiling with her legs crossed.
The green-haired teacher breathed a relaxed sigh. "Well, Taiji, it looks like your grandson may be following in your footsteps after saving that teacup," she said to herself before stifling a giggle. "Let's just hope he doesn't lose his mind to his pet kitty and the snake."
######
SQUISH!
Gordon had his hands touching the chests of the two ayakashi maids, his left on Shizuku's and his right on Himari's.
"Any reason why you two are making me touch your breasts?" he asked, his left eyebrow twitching.
"Because we require your opinion on this matter, Young Lord," the cat maid asserted, with Shizuku nodding.
"We need to know if you like them big...or small...you know," she added.
"Like hell will I answer that," he snorted. "Now would you two let go?"
"NO!" Himari and Shizuku said in unison, the latter adding a "You know!" at the end.
"Ugh... Why me...?" Gordon sighed irritably. Seriously, why did it have to come down to this?
And there we have it, folks! We finally reached the end of the Introductory Arc! Next up is the Noihara Arc, also known as the Roots Arc since it'll focus on Gordon discovering the demon slayer roots left behind by his grandfather. Expect some real good shit to be happening there.
But before that can happen, there will be two extra chapters aptly called "Extra Rounds." The first one will feature Gordon and Himari's webchat with Rika that was mentioned in the last chapter, and it takes place after chapter three but before chapter four. The second one will feature three shorts all set in between certain chapters, followed by a summer festival segment based on chapter 9 of canon.
So before I go, here's a deleted scene!
Deleted Scene: After Passing Out
"...rd... Y...ng Lord..."
{"N-Nnnh..."}
"Young Lord!"
Gordon's eyes snapped open with a gasp, the first thing he saw was a worried Himari looking down at him.
"H-Himari..." the New Yorker moaned while holding his head. "Ugh, my head. What the hell happened?" he asked.
"You lost consciousness from being in the bath for too long," the cat explained.
"The bath...? Oh, that's right. Red-Eyes! Where is she? Huh?"
Gordon looked down and found himself fully clothed in his purple Decepticon T-shirt and grey shorts, begging the question how he got them on if he was knocked out to begin with.
The answer then hit him as he turned to Himari. "Did you..."
"I did not look!" she shouted, waving her hands in protest. "I had Yuuto-dono helping me, I swear!"
{"Mmm-hmm..."} Gordon gave a slow nod at the cat.
"I'm serious! T'would be improper to look at you inappropriately in a state of undress!"
"Right..." Gordon drawled out.
"Honestly, Young Lord!" Himari cried out. "Do you not trust your cat at all!?"
{"..."}
"..."
A brief silence ensued between the two, the only sound being a bird's chirp before Gordon finally broke it.
"O...kay, sure, I'm gonna trust ya, Himari," he answered slowly. "Like I already have a problem having my entire naked body looked at by a perverted cat. God this is so embarrassing."
Himari breathed a sigh of relief. Sure she felt sorry about having to lie to her own master like that, but there were...*ahem* certain manners that would best be left unspoken.
Next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer: "Extra Round – On Skype with Rika"
This is KID2NR, signing off for now. See ya!