Chikaru was still gauging the potential legginess of Shion's dimpled knees when said legs sprang upright. Shion was squealing "Frosch! Frosch!" in nervous excitement.

Chikaru looked down to her feet where Shion was riveted and found a pudgy toad squatted in regal indifference to Shion's excitement, as if being fawned over was a regular occurrence. Precocious as she was, fearless, with a generous amount of cheek, slimy things are to Chikaru what kryptonite is to Superman.

Now there were two girls jumping on a chair.

Whereas one anxiously vibrated between wanting to leap into the arms of her frog prince versus keeping her flounces pristine, the other one was bawling for her mama.

Heads turned towards the racket. Shion's nanny was futilely shooing the impassive frog. The Minamotos at hand gathered, and one slim lady in a frothy dress picked up the agitated Chikaru. "Yosh...Yosh Chibi-chan," she murmured soothingly while rocking the girl, "You're not frightened are you?"

Chikaru and the lady looked down in unison. The lady gave a startled "Eep!" while reflexively hopping back from the beastly blob that had turned around to waddle away, clearly contemptuous of its 15 minutes of fame.

That is one BIG mofo! The lady thought with a shudder. Her years abroad made her vocabulary expansive and colorful.

Chikaru's eyes gleamed as she patted her shaken cousin's head, "Yosh...yosh YOU'RE not frightened are YOU?"

"Now there's the little o-Bakemono that we all love!", the lady said without malice grinning fondly at Chikaru. The collected aunts, uncles, and cousins that bore witness hooted with laughter.

"Who's your friend Chibi-chan?"

Chikaru's eyes lit up and she twisted to reach for her new friend, until she was put down on the chair. Reaching for Shion's hand Chikaru began, "Megumi-sama I'd like you to meet uhhh..." Chikaru turned to Shion who was looking forlornly towards the bushes where her frog prince's butt had disappeared. Before the nanny could supply her ward's name Chikaru brilliantly finished with "...Kerokero-chan!"

On cue, with one last sigh over her lost love, Shion looked up to the crowd and smiled sweetly, as if she thoroughly approved of the introduction.

Charmed by the gorgeous little blond (in a superb display of decoy aptitude), the Minamotos completely glazed over the unusual name as if they suffered collective amnesia, or they were becoming immune to Chikaru's weirdness.

***

Notes:

I'm sorry that I had to breakdown chapter 3 like this – and for the slow updates – I try to write when I can. Thx.