Duran-kun and Kiyo-chan's Omake Theater

(featuring the Kuga-Fujino family pets)

"This festival is a lot nicer than last year's," Natsuki decided as she walked between the rows of booths.

"I do not recall Natsuki attending last year's Founders' Day Festival," her girlfriend observed.

"Yeah, that's my point. Last year, I was off doing fight-the-ancient-conspiracy stuff, and you were stuck meeting with major backers as the student council president. We never got to walk around together and, y'know, do stuff. Like eat." She stuck a takoyaki in her mouth to illustrate her point.

"I suppose that's true," Shizuru observed.

"And what kind of crazy school sends a kid to negotiate with its financial supporters, anyway?" Natsuki wondered. "Not that you didn't do a good job, but it's silly that Mashiro asked you to do it in the first place. Of course, it's not like she was really a headmaster, either, in that sense."

"True." Shizuru paused to think. "I do not envy this year's student council, though. Many of the school's backers were actually secondary members of District One, providing financial support because the school was an important part of their plans. With the organization no longer in place, they no longer have a reason to continue their donations."

"Actually, I think Mashiro, Reito, and Mr. Sakomizu arranged to pilfer District One's operating budget during the week after the HiME Star was destroyed. A few surplus billions helped make up the shortfall quite nicely. Blast, I'm out of takoyaki." She tossed the empty box into a garbage can. "Do you see a hot dog stand anywhere, or is it all Japanese food?"

They looked around at the row of booths. Kiyohime seemed very interested in a goldfish-scooping game, all six heads peering intently through the sides of the tank.

"That's not a sashimi stall, Kiyohime," Natsuki told the hydra. "Those are for kids to catch and take home as pets."

Kiyohime's first head gave her an inquisitive look.

"No, I don't know why anyone would keep seafood as a pet, either."

The hydra flexed her heads in a kind of shrug and slithered along, confused by the mysterious ways of humans.

"Perhaps Natsuki should worry more about Duran?" Shizuru suggested.

"Why? He's being a good boy." The biker wasn't even being defensive; Duran hadn't gotten in trouble once. He hadn't even so much as tried to take a bite out of the cotton candy.

On the other hand, she had to admit that some people were giving the massive steel wolf a wide berth. As Duran sniffed the air for the scent of hot dogs, one mother even ushered her toddler behind her, away from him.

"I don't get it. He's a perfectly nice dog. He's not even a vicious breed or anything!"

"Some people no doubt consider large-caliber firearms on an animal to be intimidating," Shizuru observed.

"That doesn't even make sense. I mean, how much gun crime is committed by pets, anyway? Not a lot, I'll guess!" Natsuki somewhat incoherently defended him.

"It's the way of the world," noted Shizuru dispassionately. "Why, some mean people talk about Kiyohime like she's a snake!"

The hydra's fourth head hissed indignantly.

"I suppose you're right. And guns don't really suit the festival atmosphere," Natsuki admitted. "But it's not his fault. I mean, he can't just take them off."

"Ara, that is a problem."

One of Kiyohime's heads tugged on the hem of Natsuki's skirt.

"What is it?"

The hydra pointed all six heads in the direction of a vendor.

"That's a good idea. Duran! Here, boy!"

He came bounding up to Natsuki and they went over to the balloon seller. Natsuki bought a couple of helium-filled mylar balloons, one with a big smiley face and one with a pink heart, and tied one to the barrel of each of Duran's rifles.

Shizuru giggled.

"He looks very cute that way, Natsuki."

Kiyohime's second head gave Natsuki a questioning hiss.

"No, you can't have a goldfish. But I'll buy you some grilled squid if we can ever find where they're selling it."

The offer appeared to suit her. At the very least, Natsuki had never seen the hydra hum while she slithered along before.

~X X X~

A/N: This story was an entry for the Carnival of Muses at Mai Universe (the February-March prompt was "balloons").