Author's Note: Happy birthday to my other son and you get three guesses as to who it is. 1.) Kida Masaomi. 2. Kida Masaomi. And 3.) Kida Masaomi. That's right. Happy birthday to Masaomi! I decided that we had to pay another visit to the Master of Lies. This time, he pays a visit to Kate Erina. I don't know if I will have Erina and Miku in an actual relationship. I will have to see what I feel like doing. Next up will be July which means it will be Vorona and Saburo's birthdays. Before that, season twelve of the Wasteland Project will start next Monday. I can't wait to get started! For now, enjoy this bite!


Master of Lies, Revisited

It's another slow night at Alice's. Miku swung around on the pole with the customers eyeing her. Erina and Hifumi made their rounds with the patrons around the club.

"Here you are," Erina said to one of the men. A salaryman in his forties looked up at her with a hint of mischief in his smile.

"Thank you, darling," he said. Erina took a step back before he could lift his hand. Thank goodness for the ability to see into the future. The salaryman still smiled up at her. Do they have to do this little act every night?

"Erina!" she heard over the loud music. The tadpole looked up to see a round, bald man in a shirt, pants, and tie navigating his way through the chairs and crowd.

"Yes, sir?" Erina asked. He came up just below her chin. He might as well be an ant compared to her. She could see his gold tooth in his grin.

"You've got a patron asking for you in the VIP room," the man said. "He asked for you specifically. He ordered the most expensive drink that we owned. And he paid with big money."

"Um… Okay, I'll be right there," Erina said.

"Good girl!" the boss said. The waitress moved away before he could even raise his hand to smack her on the ass. That was another one she had to dodge from his touches. She thought about getting a better job many times. This was going to have to do for now, however. Erina looked down at her empty tray.


Erina made her way back to the VIP room.

"Excuse me, I'm coming in," she said. The tadpole slid open the door. A man in a red kimono sat on the couch smoking a pipe. A confused look came over Erina's face.

"Izaya?" she asked. "What are you doing here? I never took you for the type to frequent strip clubs." But then Erina paused.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "You aren't him." The man frowned at her.

"Why do all of you keep mistaking me for this Izaya fellow?" he asked. "Who is he, anyway?"

"Who are you talking about?" Erina asked.

"Your brothers and sisters," he said.

"Huh?" she asked. The man held out his hand with a shrug.

"The other tadpoles," he said.

"How do you know about us?" Erina asked with her eyes narrowed.

"Oh! Where are my manners?" the man asked. "I am the Master of Lies. At your service." Erina took a step back.

"Oh, I've heard of you!" she said. The Master's eyes lit up.

"Great! I don't really have to introduce myself any further!" he said.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

"Nothing much. I just want to see your powers at work," the Master said. Erina froze.

"You can't be serious," she said. The Master leaned forward with a catlike smirk on his face.

"I know you have used it before," he said. "The ability to make people tell the truth." Erina moved her hand to her chest.

"It's awful!" she said. "I can't let anyone touch me anymore. And… And…"

"And?" the Master asked with his eyebrow raised. The truth tadpole lowered her head.

"I lost my boyfriend because it," she mumbled.

"Aw," he said. He didn't sound genuine. Erina felt so small in his presence. The Master was now standing over her. He lifted her head. It didn't help that he looked so much like Izaya.

"Serve me a drink and then we can talk," he said. Erina froze. This man had a strange hold over her.


Erina walked back to the club. The Master's words rang in her ears.

"I want to see your powers in action," he told her. "Don't use them on a stranger. That's just copping out. Not fun at all. I want to see you use it on someone you are close to." Her heart sank. She couldn't bring herself to do it. But she could feel the Master's eyes on her back. He wanted a show out of this. The truth tadpole's stomach turned as she held her fist to her chest.

This would be like last January days after she got her powers.

January 13th, 2015.

She and her boyfriend had been together for three years. He didn't mind that she had been in a mental hospital in her teen years. Everything had been going fine. However, one night showed that everything wasn't really going as well as Erina had hoped.

It had been a long day that day. The couple figured that they would stay in that night and cuddle up. Erina made dinner that evening. Her boyfriend loved her cooking as always. Despite this, Erina had a sickening feeling in her stomach. She couldn't help but know that something was about to go wrong. Erina tried to push that thought out of her head and act like everything was fine. Her boyfriend certainly didn't notice that anything was wrong.

The couple had dinner and saw a movie in the living room. They were sitting on the couch watching some anime film. Erina turned and kissed her boyfriend on the lips. He kissed her back. At first, it looked like it was going to be a steamy night.

But then, Erina paused.

"What did you say?" she asked. Her boyfriend looked up at her.

"What?" he asked. Erina reached down and touched his cheek. His eyes went empty.

"I bet you're a dirty slut," he said. "I keep wondering how many guys you've been with. I want to call you mommy." A look of disgust washed over her face. She slapped him across the face.

"What the hell?!" the truth tadpole shouted. Her boyfriend looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Erina's face turned red.

"I am not a slut!" she yelled.

"Huh?" he asked. Erina knew that she shouldn't have. But she couldn't help herself. Erina reached down and touched him on the cheek. His eyes went blank again.

"I have been trying to get into your pants for quite some time now. I'm getting annoyed that you won't put out more. I heard that crazy girls are really hot in bed. And…" Erina drew back her hand and cringed. She smacked him on the face again.

"Ow!" her boyfriend yelled. "What is wrong with you?!" Erina stared at him with big eyes as he pushed her off. She hit the floor with a thud. Her boyfriend ran to the front door.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" she cried. Erina leaped to her feet and ran to him. She tried to grab him by the arm. He shoved her off again.

"What is wrong with you?!" the boyfriend snapped. "I should've known! They warned me about you, you know?" Tears ran down Erina's cheeks.

"Don't leave," she pleaded. "I fucking love you!" Her now ex-boyfriend frowned and shook his head.

"We're over," he muttered. Then he walked out the door. The next day he came and got all of his things. He ghosted her after everything was said and done. It took months for Erina to get over him.

Present Day

Erina walked up to Miku's dressing room. It felt like walking up to an execution. She couldn't use her powers on Hifumi. That wouldn't work. Miku was the only other person she was close to in the club. Erina felt like crying.

"I'm so sorry, Miku," she said to herself. Erina knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" the dancer asked from inside. The waitress paused. Maybe she should turn around and go back to work. But that bastard in the VIP room wasn't going to let her back out this one.

"It's me, I'm coming in," Erina said. She slowly opened the door. The waitress poked her head inside. Miku sat at her vanity as she took off her make-up. She looked at the truth tadpole through the mirror.

"Oh, Erina," she said. "Did you need something?" The waitress closed the door behind her. She lifted her chin. Miku frowned with a concerned look on her face.

"Erina?" she asked.

"I'm so sorry to do this!" the tadpole blurted out.

"What?" Miku asked. The tadpole moved in so quickly that Miku didn't get time to sink in what was going on. Erina grabbed her by the wrist. Miku's eyes went blank.

"I really like you," she said in a monotone voice. "Like, really like you." Erina's face turned bright red as she let go of her friend's wrist. Miku looked up so confused.

"Uh… what just happened?" she asked. The dancer noticed the stunned look on her friend's face.

"Did you use your powers on me?" Miku asked. "Oh no, did I say something stupid? How bad was it?" Erina stood with her face so red for a long moment.

"Erina? Erina?" the dancer asked.

"I-I-I had no idea you felt that way about me!" the waitress blurted out. Miku stared at her as her face turned red as well.

"In what way do you like me?" the tadpole asked. Miku lowered her head.

"Oh…" Erina said quietly. The dancer lifted her head.

"I'm… demisexual," Miku admitted. "I may not look it but I have to get close to someone before I get attracted to them. We've kind of clicked since you've been working here. I don't know, but it just feel nice to talk to someone who isn't a dancer too." Her cheeks looked so flushed. Erina didn't know how to respond to this.

"I am so sorry!" Miku said, bowing. "I just made things more awkward, haven't I?" It took the tadpole a moment to think about what she wanted to say.

"Well… I'm flattered that you feel that way about me," Erina said at last. "But I just can't be in any relationship at all." She looked down at her hands.

"Because of your powers?" the dancer asked with her head cocked to the side. Erina shook her head. She broke down and told her the story of her ex-boyfriend. It hurt to bring it up again. But Miku had to know the truth. The waitress sank to her knees when she was finished.

"Oh," Miku said at last. "I'm sorry to hear that." Erina lifted her chin. The dancer gave her a little smile.

"But it doesn't have to be like that," she said. Erina stared at her with big eyes.

"What?" she asked. Miku stood up from her chair and walked over to the tadpole.

"What are you doing?" Erina asked. Miku stood inches away from her. She reached up and touched her cheek. Her eyes went blank again.

"I believe that we can make it work," Miku said in a monotone voice. "I know that you can work through your powers to be with someone." Erina gave her a blank stare as she moved the dancer's hand. She didn't have to ask if she was telling the truth. The tadpole tried to find something to say but nothing was coming out.

Meanwhile, the Master stood in the corner of the dressing room, watching everything. He chuckled to himself.

"Well, this should be interesting to see unfold," he said to himself.