I swear, I work on other things! I'm working on a game that doesn't suck! Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona: I Changed It to Mask of Girls Before Changing It Back! Hey, just wanna tell everyone that over on DeviantArt that AlienSM and ZipSkyBlue have a bunch of commissioned art of this fic. There are spoilers though, so be aware of that!
Onto the reviews! To redskin122004: Well, we were following the plot. However, there is significance to their awakenings occurring along with Akira's. Besides, we kinda just wanted to introduce their Personas and Arcana as soon as possible. To StevieBond: Mwhahaha... To a bunch of people: I should probably mention that Godzilla's an Ultimate Persona, huh... To Kaider Dragon and Midgardsormr: ...Homura has an ex? To Sayians4ever: Thank you for not posting your story requests. And for that I'll reveal that Akira's harem will only happen if you allow it to happen.
Alright, time to find out how King Crimson works!
Sorry, I've been getting into JoJo lately...
Load Game... Start!
Chapter 16: Helping Out in All Sorts
(4/20, Early Morning)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
The darkened morning soon came as the clouds barely blocked the sun.
Asuka was soon enough the first to awaken as she yawned and rubbed the crust out of her eyes. "Mmm...Sunday can't come any faster, can it...?" She sighed out while sitting up before stretching her limbs.
Seeing that her roommate was still sleeping peacefully, Asuka snuck out of the bedroom to prepare breakfast for them.
"Okay, what to make for breakfast today..." Asuka mumbled to herself as she checked the fridge. "...Leftovers it is..." She decided, feeling too sleepy to actually make anything as she looked towards the door where her still sleeping roommate was. "Homu-nee, it's time to wake up." She softly called out.
"Oieialagnd." Homura mumbled out from within the bedroom.
"But we need to go to school." Asuka reminded.
"Asjfbrvw? Bdlbsneoans..." Homura replied.
"That is not an excuse Homu-nee! Now get up or else you won't get breakfast today young lady." Asuka soon enough ordered in a motherly tone.
"Urgh..." Homura groaned out as she walked out of the bedroom. "Okay okay...Just wanted a few more minutes of sleep." She muttered.
"I know Homu-nee, I know." Asuka replied in a sympathetic tone.
"Proving our existence to society is such a pain in the ass." Homura sighed out as she sat down.
"It's just life, Homu-nee. And besides, would you rather be a shinobi alone or a civilian one with me?" Asuka replied with a question as she smiled happily.
"Well...there are advantages to proving our existence." Homura giggled out as the brunette served their breakfast for the day.
"Itadakimasu." The two girls quickly whispered out before eating.
"Wow, even reheated, it still tastes good." Asuka got out. "We should buy takeout from there more often..." She then suggested.
"Eh, it's a little pricey though. We should save it for special occasions." Homura replied..
"Yeah, you're probably right." Asuka replied with a shrug. "...Do you think moments like these will last?" She suddenly asked.
"Hm?" Homura hummed out in confusion.
"I mean this...normalcy. It's been only a few weeks but so much had changed. We still have to deal with all the shutdowns after Kamoshida. And moments like these might go away." Asuka then explained in concern.
"Then cherish it." Homura replied. "We can't be together forever after all, so we may as well cherish every good memory we have of each other. You're only truly gone once you're forgotten." She soon stated.
"You've been really introspective lately, huh Homu-nee?" Asuka then remarked.
"Heh, well, the situation we're in now makes you think." Homura replied once more.
"Yeah..." Asuka muttered out before they quietly ate and finish their breakfast before taking her phone out and looked at the calendar. "Happy Weed Day...?" She read out in confusion.
"Why are we celebrating weeds? Don't they mess up gardens?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I think they're talking about the stuff in cigarettes...but those are bad for you." Asuka informed.
"Oh, that weed. Yeah, that's illegal." Homura stated before frowning. "Why is this a national message?" She soon enough asked.
"I'm...not sure." Asuka awkwardly replied, unaware of a certain hacker's small delight. "Let's just get ready for another day of school." She soon suggested.
After a quick bath, they got dressed and went out the door, ready to conquer the day.
(4/20, After School)
Another school day passed without much happening apart from the usual sneers, whispers and other such things that the Thieves had gotten used to at this point.
Homura yawned and stretched her arms as the bell rang. "I barely paid attention today..." She muttered out. "Hey, Ann, do you-oh right." She got out as she realized that the ash blonde was already gone. "Visiting Shiho." She mentally reminded herself.
Seeing Akira pack up his stuff, it reminded her that she didn't go job searching yesterday and decided to finally get down to doing that. But first off, she had to inform Asuka about it so she wouldn't worry if she was late.
"The injuries the volleyball team have are getting worse." Asuka noted with a frown.
"There's nothing we can do about it. Akira's still recovering. Don't get mad about it, we're going to expose him eventually." Homura replied in a serious tone. "In the meantime, I'm going job hunting again." She then informed.
Asuka in response nodded to that, understanding the reason why their Leader had to rest. "Ok, good luck Homu-nee, I'll see you later tonight." She replied and encouraged in a whisper.
"Have a good afternoon." Homura replied before walking out of the classroom.
"Okay...what to do today..." Asuka mumbled to herself. "I could always hang out with Ann-chan and see Shiho-chan...No. Not yet. Ryuji-kun said he needed to go home straight away earlier..." She thought with a frown as she tried to figure out how to spend her free time.
Suddenly, her stomach growled.
"Thank you, Gut-chan! Fried Bread it is!" Asuka happily got out as she stood up and skipped to the school shop.
Meanwhile, Akira got out of the bathroom, walked downstairs and and checked his phone. Ryuji was busy, so was Ann as usual, and he just trained with Homura yesterday and wanted to let his body rest. "Hey Morgana, I'm gonna hang out with Asuka today. Why don't you take a stroll outside?" He then suggested.
"Alright. Being cooped up in that bag all day, I wanna stretch my legs out. I'll see you at Leblanc tonight." Morgana got out as he climbed out of his bag.
"Be safe." Akira then requested.
The not cat however smirked to that request. "Don't worry Joker, it's me you're talking about." Morgana replied with confidence.
"I know. Just a formality." Akira responded with a nod. "See ya soon." He replied as the not cat walked off.
Akira really didn't have to go far to find the Vice Leader. She had bought some Fried Bread and was eating it outside in the courtyard.
"Ah, good afternoon Akira-kun." Asuka greeted after finishing her food. "Are you still unwell from last time?" She soon asked in concern.
"A little. I should be good to go after tomorrow but I still need some time to get some supplies and equipment." Akira informed.
"Oh thank God. We wouldn't want our Leader to be out of commission for too long." Asuka breathed out in relief. "Plus it's good to see you're doing fine now. So, is there anything you want to ask me?" She then added in a curious manner.
"Well do you want to hang out?" Akira casually asked with his hands in his pockets.
Blinking to the offer, the brunette then smiled. "I don't see why not." Asuka answered with a nod. "Let's go to Leblanc again. I want to start working there and earn some money while learning how to make coffee." She soon requested.
"Alright. Let's go." Akira replied with a nod before they started making their way to the coffee and curry shop.
(Shujin Academy, School Gate)
"Ugh, I don't have references...The only one I have is Suzune-sensei..." Homura muttered to herself. "Wait...She still thinks I'm loyal to Hebijo...Hmm...Probably a bad idea to call her but I could say it's mission critical..." She then quietly added.
"What are you mumbling about?" Morgana asked as he approached the tan skinned girl.
"What are you doing here Morgana?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm just strolling around." Morgana revealed. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing?" He then asked.
Homura in response sighed. "Job searching, gotta keep up with Asuka and get some money." She replied in a frustrated manner.
"Right, Lady Asuka got a job at Joker's place." Morgana replied with a nod. "So you know the two are hanging out today?" He then asked.
"Yep. Asuka texted me earlier. And with Ann at the hospital checking in on Shiho and Ryuji's well...being Ryuji, so I guess everyone's busy today." Homura awkwardly stated.
"Maybe afterwards you can assist me in resupplying for our next visit." Morgana suggested while grooming himself. "Joker is planning on getting more and better medicine tomorrow, but some updates to our equipment is in order." He then revealed.
This in turn caused the tan skinned girl to smirk. "Think he'll spend some of it on more soda?" Homura quipped out.
"Yes." Morgana immediately responded in a deadpan tone before sighing. "Anyway, would you like some help with job searching today Lady Homura?" He then offered.
"Uh...I think I can do it by myself. I don't think a talking cat with selective amnesia will help much." Homura replied.
"Hey, I've been getting used to the real world. I know a thing or two you probably don't know about this city." Morgana bragged.
"Like what?" Homura soon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Like...Um..." Morgana started before trailing off. "Uh..." He awkwardly got out.
"Oh my God, alright! I'll let you help me..." Homura relented.
"Thank you, Lady Homura. I promise you I'll be a great asset in your job search." Morgana replied in a reassuring tone.
"Ugh, I can't believe I'm asking a talking cat to help me find a job..." Homura groaned out.
"NOT A CAT!" Morgana shouted out as he landed on the tan skinned girl's shoulders.
"Look, I already look crazy talking to you so just go help me already." Homura bluntly requested.
"Well, the best place to check out is probably the Underground. There's a bunch of job listings there Lady Homura." Morgana soon informed.
"Okay, good place to start." Homura got out as she started making her way to the nearest subway entrance, with the not cat jumping onto her head. "Oi, I didn't say anything about that." She then remarked.
"Do you have room in your bag then?" Morgana then asked.
"...Alright, you can stay there for now." Homura sighed out after remembering all the books, emergency weapons and other crap in her bag. "Though, having a cat sit in your bag all day is probably counts as animal abuse, right?" She soon pointed out.
"I dunno. Akira's bag is actually pretty comfortable. I wonder if I can convince him to line the insides with fur or something..." He then added.
The conversation continued as the tan skinned girl and the not cat descended down the stairs and into the subway...
(Aoyama Itchome, Subway Platform)
...And the conversation had shifted before they even made it to the platform.
"I'm taking care of Joker more than he's taking care of me." Morgana insisted.
"Okay, you're right about one thing. I don't want our Leader getting into serious trouble because he's late. But do you really have to act like his alarm clock?" Homura asked, her eyes staring up at the not cat.
"It's important. Joker is our most important asset, so he should be taking care of himself 24/7." Morgana replied. "If our Leader falls behind, we all fall behind and Lady Homura, watch it!" He then quickly warned.
"Huh? Oh!" Homura got out as she quickly realised she was about to bump into someone's back. "Oh, whoops. So-" She was about to apologize...only to see who she was about to bump into. "Wah! Kawakami-sensei?" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Hjkslfsd!" Kawakami got out as she jumped and turned to the tan skinned girl. "H-Homura-san! W-What are you doing here?" She exclaimed in confusion.
"...Taking the train...?" Homura replied with a confused look on her face. "You're going home pretty early, sensei. I thought you'd be grading stuff at school." She then pointed out.
"Well...I prefer doing it at home." Kawakami responded, not exactly looking at her student.
"I don't know, you could save yourself so much time if you just stayed at school, ah, but don't let me tell you how to teach sensei." Homura pointed out with a shrug.
"U-Um, well, I'll take that into consideration." Kawakami replied before checking her phone. "Crap, I'm going to be late..." She then mumbled to herself.
"What was that sensei?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah! Um...I have a...uh...Look, I don't have time to explain, I need to go." Kawakami got out as she quickly started to leave.
The tan skinned girl meanwhile blinked a couple of times to witnessing this. "Huh. Kawakami-sensei always seemed tired, but why was she so nervous right now?" Homura mentally wondered before spotting something fall out of her homeroom teacher's pocket.
"Hey, she dropped something." Morgana informed.
"Yeah, I have eyes you know." Homura sighed out as she picked up the fallen item. "Hey, something fell out of...your..." She started to call out, only to realize what exactly fell out.
Housekeeping Services Victoria
Call us now and we'll give you a domestic service provider!
Only 5,000 yen!
Automatically, Homura and Morgana assumed the worst.
"Kawakami-sensei's into maids!?" Homura mentally exclaimed in disbelief as her eye twitched. "I did not need to know that." She outwardly groaned before noticing one little detail.
Now Hiring
This in turn caused the tan skinned girl and the not cat to blink a couple of times.
"Um...Lady Homura...?" Morgana got out as he slowly turned his head towards the girl.
"...Nope. Not trying this." Homura bluntly declared before burning the flyer. "Not worth it." She then added.
"I agree Lady Homura. You are much more than someone who should be a maid. Anyone choosing to work as one has no shame." Morgana stated with a nod.
Meanwhile, Kawakami sneezed as she felt as if she had been insulted...and completely agreed with them.
"Now come on. I think there's a rack of magazines with job listings near a weird smoothie place." Morgana then suggested.
"Alright." Homura replied with a nod. "...Where is that again?" She then awkwardly asked.
"In Shibuya's Underground Lady Homura." Morgana informed.
"I know that but where in the Underground is it?" Homura then asked, correcting what she actually meant.
"How should I know? Akira just goes there. I don't pay attention to the route." Morgana answered.
Sighing to that answer, Homura got onto the train. "Let's just walk around and look for it when we get to Shibuya." She soon suggested.
"That sounds good. Normal life isn't as easy as you thought, is it?" Morgana got out.
"Eh...No arguing against that. Hey, do you think I can get a job at Leblanc like Asuka?" Homura soon asked the not cat.
"I heard that Boss needed some serious convincing to hire Lady Asuka. I doubt he'd hire another employee so soon." Morgana answered.
"It was worth a shot..." Homura sighed out. "Speaking of Leblanc, I wonder what Asuka's doing..." She soon asked in a curious manner.
(Yongen-Jaya, LeBlanc)
As the two entered the coffee shop, the brunette bowed as she saw the owner. "Good afternoon Sojiro-san." Asuka politely greeted.
In response, the cafe owner looked up from his crossword puzzle to see his tenant with his female friend. "Ah, Shirokage." Sojiro got out. "You come in for work or to learn?" He soon asked.
"Both if that is alright with you sir." Asuka soon requested in the same polite manner. "It won't be too much trouble will it?" She then asked in a concerned manner.
Sojiro merely chuckled. "Not at all." He replied as he looked at his tenant. "Hey, get her an apron." He then instructed.
To that, the glasses wearing boy nodded as he walked to the back to get one before returning. "Here Asuka." Akira offered as he held out the apron.
Asuka in response took it and got it on. "Thank you." She replied. "I'm ready to start sir." She then stated in an enthusiastic tone.
The cafe owner in turn nodded to that. "Okay then Shirokage, how much experience do you have with coffee? What's your favourite flavor? How do you like it?" Sojiro soon asked.
"...I-Instant." Asuka answered, almost ashamed. "Sorry Sojiro-san..." She then apologized with a small bow.
"It's not that much of a problem. You didn't strike me as someone who would actually drink coffee in the first place." Sojiro admitted.
"I get that a lot." Asuka awkwardly replied with a giggle. "May I have a cup for a taste?" She then requested.
"How would you like it then? Black? With cream? Cream & sugar? Or would you like a surprise?" Sojiro questioned as he started preparing a cup.
"Hmm..." Asuka hummed out as she looked at her friend. "Any recommendations Akira-kun?" She soon asked in a curious manner.
To that, Akira had to think intently to his friend and fellow Leblanc employee's question as he knew this could possibly affect their relationship. If he chose wrong, she would be upset that he doesn't know her that well to guess how she liked her coffee.
Adjusting his glasses, the black haired soon looked at her friend. "I think cream and sugar would suit you Asuka." Akira soon suggested.
Nodding to that, Asuka looked back at the cafe owner. "Cream and sugar please." She soon requested in a polite manner.
Smiling to that, the cafe owner nodded to the request. "Coming right up." Sojiro replied. "Come around here so you can watch the coffee being made." He then instructed.
"Hai!" Asuka cheerfully replied as she walked around the counter.
Akira merely watched the cafe owner teach the Vice Leader the fundamentals of making a cup of coffee, who seemed really eager to learn it all, and it made him smile all the while.
(Shibuya, Underground)
Eventually, Homura and Morgana found some job listings in the Underground and started going through them and calling the places for an interview.
However...it was quickly discovered that Homura...well...
"OH! SO I'M A BITCH NOW, HUH!? That wasn't what you told me earlier, you damn disgusting shithead!"
...Was terrible at interviews.
"Well fuck you too! I hope you and your stupid dog get diabetes!" Homura grumbled out before hanging up.
"What job was that now?" Morgana asked.
"Part-time pet sitter." Homura revealed in a frustrated manner. "Next number, Morgana." She soon requested.
"That was all of them." The not cat deadpanned.
"...Shit..." Homura swore out as she slumped to the ground. "I'm not fit for civilian life. I'm going to be unemployed and freeload off Asuka for the rest of the year..." She got out in an ashamed manner.
"There, there Lady Homura." Morgana replied while placing a paw on the tan skinned girl's hand. "It's only just one day, a job will come up for you." He then reassured. "I mean job searching isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, civilian or shinobi." He soon added.
"Yeah, but I usually received my jobs. Hunting them down myself is new to me." Homura admitted. "I bet Asuka's having a better time than me learning how to make coffee." She then added.
"Hey, for all you know, Lady Asuka could having as hard of a time as you." Morgana then pointed out.
(Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc)
Asuka was having an easy time understanding the fundamentals of creating a cup of coffee. While it was a lot more complicated than she initially thought, she picked up on everything pretty quickly.
"Now then Asuka-chan, would you like to attempt at going?" Sojiro soon offered.
Asuka in response nodded to that. "Yes please." She politely replied as she got to work, the cafe owner instructing her all the while as she did so. Admittingly, she didn't do as well, but eventually got a cup of coffee made.
"Hmm..." Sojiro hummed out after carefully tasting the drink. "Well, not bad for your first attempt Shirokage." He soon praised with a smirk. "Let me explain! You used Kenya AA. Kenyan coffee farms are strictly controlled and are known to produce premium quality beans. Kenya AA is grown in the midwest of Kenya at high altitudes and AA signifies their quality. You should notice it has a full aroma with moderate acidity." He explained before taking another sip. "However, I do notice a lot of flaws in this. It's bland and the sugar and cream don't help." He then informed.
Meanwhile, Asuka was nodding as she took in the lessons with enthusiasm. "I see, well this was my first time, so I knew I would make some mistakes." She admitted. "It just means I have a lot to learn." She then added with a smile.
To hearing that, Akira merely smiled in an impressive manner as he continued watching.
When the cafe owner placed a fresh cup of coffee on the table, Asuka soon took the cup and took a sip, sighed in a peaceful manner as a result. "Aaaah~ This is really good Boss." She admitted with a smile on her face.
Sojiro in response smiled to that compliment. "Heh, glad you're enjoying it." He replied in a satisfied tone before looking at the other male in the room. "Hey, watch the shop for a moment, I have to get some more supplies." He then ordered as he walked out of the cafe.
Akira simply nodded to that as the two were soon alone in the cafe. "Not bad for your first coffee making attempt Asuka." He soon praised.
Asuka in response smilled to that in an adorable manner. "Hehe, thanks." The brunette replied with a giggle escaping her lips.
"You know, for a second I thought Surprise me meant splashing coffee on my face." Akira admitted.
Asuka in turn to hearing that giggled as she drank some more of her cup. "Hehe, you can be pretty silly sometimes Akira-kun." She replied with a smile on her face.
Akira merely chuckled in amusement. "Hey, I'm not some blank slate. Besides, I wasn't really like this back home." He soon revealed.
"How was your hometown? You lived in the sticks, right?" Asuka asked, curious about his home. She noticed he never really talked about it outside of what got him his record in the first place.
"Yeah. It was...quiet. Nothing really happens there, so you just spend your days hanging out with your friends or doing part-time jobs. It was kinda boring, especially if you had neither of those things and you just stayed inside, but it was home." Akira revealed, smiling to himself a little as a nostalgic feeling came over him. "But it also means word gets around pretty quickly." He then added as his smile dropped.
Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Yeah, I understand how you feel." She replied. "I sort live in the sticks as well, though mine was more...rural with my other job." She then added, though whispered the last part.
Akira nodded in response. "I see, training as a shinobi for most of your life must be tough." He replied.
"It was, but I didn't mind." Asuka replied. "I still want to be a great shinobi just like Jii-chan." She revealed.
"Why be like him? Go your own way." Akira however replied all of a sudden without much thought.
Asuka merely tilted her head to that. "My own way?" She repeated in confusion. "What do you mean Akira-kun?" She soon asked in a more curious tone.
"Uh...well...I'm not really a fan of having to live up to legacies and being compared to other people. I want to be great for entirely different reasons rather than just follow in someone's footsteps." Akira explained. "I wouldn't want to be just as great, I would want to become greater." He then stated.
Asuka in response blinked to hearing that. "Huh, I...I never really thought of it that way..." She admitted.
Akira in turn smiled softly. "Guess that means you got a lot to think about huh?" He then responded.
Asuka simply nodded in response to that.
"Well, it's just a sign of our wills of rebellion coming out in a way." Akira then reminded with a smirk.
"You mean...like how me and Homura-chan are sort of rebelling against the Good and Evil Shinobi law by being friends?" Asuka then asked.
"Yeah, like that. Create something new rather than improve something old." Akira answered.
"Hmm..." Asuka hummed out as she thought about it, going deep in thought as a result. "Yeah, that makes sense Akira-kun, thanks!" She replied in a more enthusiastic tone while pumping both of her fists.
Akira in response simply nodded, feeling as he saw the heightened motivation from his friend.
The Vice Leader then clapped her hands together as a thought came to her. "Well, let me help you learn how to make some sushi." Asuka soon suggested with a smile.
To that suggestion, Akira felt as though he had two responses to choose from.
Sure thing. A plain and simple answer. Nothing wrong with that persay.
Teach me Asuka-sensei! A bit exaggerated, but it made sense since the girl had more experience making sushi.
"Teach me, Asuka-sensei!" Akira replied before bowing his head...a little too quickly and ended up slamming his head onto the table. "Ow." He soon got out in pain as he then rubbed his head.
Asuka couldn't help but giggle a little at that. "Are you okay?" She soon asked in concern.
"I'm fine. I just wasn't thinking." Akira groaned out. "Which is probably why I need a teacher." He then got out in a joking manner.
Asuka's giggling didn't stop even after hearing this joke. "Come on, my unwise pupil. I shall teach you the ways of the Futomaki Roll." She soon declared in a playful manner.
Akira nodded with a smile as the Vice Leader started teaching him about sushi.
"No, Akira-kun, you put the ingredients there or else you'll ruin the sushi. Also, put less pressure when you roll it up." Asuka instructed in a serious tone.
To that, the Leader nodded as he followed the instructions. "This is a lot harder than I thought." He admitted. "However, Asuka's instructions are precise and clear and all without raising her voice. Just listening to her makes me feel like my Understanding has increased." He meanwhile thought.
After a lot of trials and definately more errors, Akira managed to make a decent enough roll. It didn't look as clean as he would like it to be but it was good enough for him for today.
"Alright, I'm gonna cut the sushi." Akira soon informed as he prepared the knife.
"Actually I like my sushi uncut just like Jii-chan's. You can only experience all the flavors by taking it as a whole rather than bit by bit." Asuka innocently revealed.
Akira in turn blinked to that reveal. "But don't you usually cut it?" He then asked.
"It's just my personal preference." Asuka replied.
Akira shrugged and put away the knife, seeing that he didn't need it. "Alright then." He breathed out as he put the sushi on the plate. "Here you go." He soon offered.
Nodding to that, Asuka picked up of the Leader's sushi. "Thank you for the food." She happily declared as she started eating it.
Akira soon waited in anticipation as the resident sushi expert tried his Futomaki Roll.
Soon, the brunette nodded in approval. "Great first attempt Akira-kun." Asuka complimented. "It's not perfect but you did well." She then praised.
"Alright!" Akira quietly cheered as he pumped his fist.
"Maybe you can look for a sushi book to read." Asuka also suggested.
Akira in response nodded to the suggestion. "I'll have to look into it." He replied.
"Okay! Now, let's clean this up before Boss gets back." Asuka then pointed out.
Akira nodded and with that, they cleaned up the restaurant just in time for the owner to come back.
"Welcome back." Akira greeted as the owner came through the door. However, instead of replying, his guardian noticed something… odd.
"Why is there a face print on my counter?" Sojiro asked.
"I uh...forgot a spot." Asuka answered in a sheepish tone before going over to clean it.
Sojiro, not wanting to know how that face print got on his counter in the first place, decided not to ask anything else about it.
"Ah, you made some sushi Shirokage?" Sojiro asked in a curious manner, noticing the plate of sushi.
"No. I did." Akira spoke up as he cleaned the dishes. "Wanna try one?" He then offered.
"Hm...Alright..." Sojiro got out as he sat down. He wasn't expecting much, but he could be surprised...as long as it didn't kill him.
"Don't worry about it, Boss. I tasted his sushi and it was surprisingly tasty. It had the right combination of flavor and texture." Asuka assured.
Suddenly, Akira started coughing. "Oh dear God, it's either that I have a dirty mind or that Asuka really is a suppressed pervert..." He thought in disbelief to hearing the Vice Leader's words.
"..." Sojiro remained silent before taking a bite of Akira's sushi. "Pretty decent, but tastes store-bought. Nothing special." Sojiro stated. "That's not the type of quality I want being sold here." He soon informed.
"That's understandable Boss." Akira replied with a nod. "I'll do better." He then stated.
"You better. I expect better of you from now on if you're going to live here." Sojiro responded.
Akira in response simply nodded to this.
"Here, I'll make you one of my specials." Asuka soon offered as she then got to enough, Asuka placed a plate of sushi in front of Sojiro and Akira in record time. "Alright, eat up." She announced, waiting in anticipation for what they thought about her sushi.
Her big, thick, long and juicy sushi.
"Uh..." Sojiro got out in an awkward manner.
Akira meanwhile blinked at the sight of the futomaki rolls. "Long...and thick?" He offhandedly thought.
"Here we go, Jii-chan's special futomaki rolls!" Asuka happily and innocently declared.
Akira and Sojiro could only look at each other before picking up a roll and eating it.
"Uh Shirokage...about these futomaki rolls..." Sojiro began as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Hm?" Asuka innocently hummed out while tilting her head.
"Well...It's great! Amazing even. There's a perfect amount of each ingredient in each bite." Akira interrupted.
"Y-You're just saying that…" Asuka muttered out with a blush on her face.
"I'm not a sushi enthusiast but I do say it's better than his." Sojiro admitted. "Expected, but still a nice surprise." He then added.
"Thank you, Boss." Asuka got out in a grateful manner with a bow.
"It's really is good. Shame we don't get to eat it often. I'm sure Morgana would like some one of these days." Akira got out.
"If you want Akira-kun, I can make you some sushi if you call me." Asuka then offered. "I'll swing over by Leblanc to make some. Hopefully Boss won't be too bothered by it." She then added.
"Of course." Akira replied with a nod. "And I'll help you get better at making coffee." He then stated.
"You better, Akira-kun. I'm gonna be the Number 1 Sushi/Coffee Maker in Japan!" Asuka soon declared.
"That's an oddly specific goal." Akira thought in an amused tone.
SHATTER!
Rank 3
Innocent Talk: Chance to step in after Shadow negotiation fails, allowing a retry.
"Alright!" Akira mentally cheered as he subtly pumped his fist.
"Hey, stop talking and help close up shop." Sojiro soon ordered.
"Hai!" The two workers replied with a quick salute before going back to doing what they were told.
After wiping down the floor, washing all the equipment and putting away the chairs, Asuka breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Good work, Shirokage. Now, about your pay…" Sojiro started as he went through the register. "1000 yen an hour sound good to you?" He soon asked.
"That sounds good. I am just a part-timer." Asuka replied with a nod.
"Good. However, just for today, you're getting a bonus five thousand for the sushi." Sojiro stated as he handed the cash to the brunette.
Asuka in response smiled as she took the money. "Thank you sir!" She happily replied. "Hey, do you mind if I grab some sushi? I don't feel like making dinner tonight." She then asked.
"Sure. Most of it is your sushi anyways." Akira answered. "Want me to pack it up for you?" He then offered.
"That would be nice, Akira-kun." Asuka replied.
"I've got a few containers in the back over there." Sojiro informed as he walked over and took some out.
Akira then went over and packed the remaining sushi in the containers before placing them into a plastic bag. "Here you go." Akira said as he handed over the food to Asuka.
"Thank you, Akira-kun." Asuka replied before leaning in closer. "And here's a little tip for your troubles and for the advice." She whispered as she handed him 2500 yen.
"Alright, it's getting late. You better head home Shirokage." Sojiro soon suggested.
"Hai, Boss. I'll see you tomorrow, Akira-kun." Asuka replied as she got to the door.
The Leader in response nodded with a smile. "Yeah, see you at school." Akira replied.
Smiling back, Asuka nodded as she exited the cafe and made a dash for the train station with the sushi in hand.
(4/20, Evening)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
"I'm back, Homu-nee! I made sushi at Leblanc." Asuka announced as she entered the apartment.
"Oh. Great. Glad you had fun today." Homura replied in a flat tone, huddled up in a fetal position on the floor.
The Vice Leader in response blinked to seeing this. "Why are you on the floor?" Asuka asked.
"Wallowing in my self-loathing." Homura responded in a miserable tone.
"What?" Asuka got out in confusion.
"I mean waiting for you." Homura quickly answered before sniffing the air. "You smell like coffee, fish and spices..." She noted. "I kinda like it actually." She then admitted.
"Er...okay...?" Asuka muttered out. "Anyways, do you want me to cook or do you want sushi for dinner?" She soon asked.
"Sushi Sis." Homura replied as she stood up.
"You're acting kind of weird." Asuka got out as she set the sushi on the table.
"Sorry, I'm just...I'm just really tired..." Homura sighed out as they sat down and started eating.
"So, how was the job search Homu-nee?" Asuka politely asked.
"Hell." Homura deadpanned.
Wincing at the miserable expression her roommate had, she decided to try and make her relax. "Oh...did you..." Asuka began to ask.
"No. Not even close." Homura sighed out with slight frustration in her voice. "For now, I just want to eat and then take a bath with you Sis." She soon requested.
Asuka in turn nodded to that as she patted her roommate's head. "It's ok Homu-nee, you'll find a job." She replied in reassuring manner. "...Do you wanna rest a bit and let Sweet Homura come out for a bit?" She then awkwardly offered.
"Huh? What? No! No no no no!" Homura quickly denied with widened eyes to that offer. "What made you think I would want that part of me to come out?" She then asked.
"Well...you seemed mentally stressed from what happened Homu-nee." Asuka meekly answered while the tips of her pointer fingers together. "It was just a silly idea." She then admitted with an awkward giggle escaping her lips.
"Please...it's just super embarrassing to me..." Homura admitted before looking at the needy expression on her roommate's face. "...You want Sweet to come out don't you?" She then accused.
Asuka's eyes in response widened to that accusation. "Wha-Guh...I...N...Yes..." She reluctantly revealed. "After everything you possibly went though, I just think you really need to take a small mental rest..." She soon explained.
To that, the tan skinned girl saw that her roommate's concerned expression, leading her to fully realize it was for own well being and not for a selfish reason. "...Ten minutes." Homura offered.
"How about after we eat and then bathe?" Asuka then suggested.
"That sounds good. Deal?" Homura started as she brought a hand out.
"Deal." The two replied in unison as they shook hands as they then sat down to eat their sushi before heading to the bath as they then soaked in the hot water.
"Aaaaaah~" The two sighed out in relief. "Sooooooo gooooood~" They then got out in unison.
They decided to spend the rest of the bath in silence before they went to their room, both still naked, ready to unleash Sweet Homura.
"Alright, ten minutes then bring me back." Homura reminded.
Asuka in response nodded to that as she readied the timer on her phone. "Of course Homu-nee. Ready?" She soon asked.
"As I'll ever be." Homura awkward got out while rubbing the back of her neck. "I still say you're too good for this crappy world Sis." She then added.
The brunette however shook her head to that. "No, you are Homu-nee." Asuka stated in a mutter as she brought up her hand and...
SNAP!
Immediately, the tan skinned girl's eyes became glazed as a sweet and gentle smile graced her face. "Ah, good evening Asuka-chan~" Sweet Homura politely greeted as she looked at her roommate and saw they were just in towels. "Had we just taken a bath?" She soon asked.
Asuka in response nodded to that. "Hai, me and Homu-nee made the deal that you would be out for ten minutes." She informed as she activated the timer.
Sweet Homura in response nodded to that. "I understand Asuka-chan~" She replied. "So, what shall we do tonight?" She then happily asked.
"Well..." Asuka started as she began thinking about. "What do you want to do?" She then asked back. "...I should've thought this through." She mentally admitted.
"Want me to pleasure you~?" Sweet Homura soon offered.
"No." Asuka immediately replied. "Do you have anything else we could do together Sweet?" She soon asked.
"Hmm~ How about a massage then Asuka-chan~?" Sweet Homura then offered.
"...eh?" Asuka got out as she blinked a couple of times to this new offer. "A massage?" She repeated. "You mean an actual message and not...groping like Katsu-nee does, right?" She then asked in concern.
Sweet Homura in response giggled in a feminine manner to what was asked. "Tehehe~ Of course not Asuka-chan~ I would never do something like that to someone as adorable, sweet and kind as you~" She replied with reassurance.
"O-Oh." Asuka stammered out to the compliments towards her with a blush on her face. "W-Well, if you're alright with giving me one." She then added.
"Of course I am~! It is the closest thing to actually pleasuring you~!" Sweet Homura happily replied.
The brunette in response to hearing that sighed in slight annoyance. "Sweet...please stop requesting to do that..." Asuka mumbled out in disapproval.
Sweet Homura however shook her head this request. "I can not Asuka-chan~" She politely responded. "Now please lie down so I can begin your massage~" She then requested.
"Okay." Asuka replied with a nod as she laid herself facedown. "Why is Sweet so keen on wanting to pleasure me..." She mumbled out with a pout on her face.
With a crack of her knuckles, Sweet Homura started her massage, as the brunette instantly felt its effects.
"W-Wow...y-you're g-great at giving- Oooooooo~" Asuka began, only to moan in a bliss filled manner from the massage with a blush on her face.
"So you like it Asuka-chan~? Does it satisfy you~?" Sweet Homura soon asked in a delighted yet soothing tone.
"Y-Yes, it is Sweet." Asuka replied as she closed her eyes. "Mmmm, right there~" She once more moaned out in satisfaction.
"I can feel how stressed out you are~ Mostly because of some butt-fuck rapist bastard, right~?" Sweet Homura guessed in a concerned manner as she kept applying pressure.
"Hai~ Kamoshida is a bastard~" Asuka mumbled out as she slightly narrowed her eyes.
"Please don't dwell on such thoughts and just relax Asuka-chan~" Sweet Homura soon requested. "Just tell me where your think I will be effective~!" She then added to the request.
"Well… maybe you can go lower… Lower...Lower...Lower...T-Too low Sweet! T-That's my butt!" Asuka instructed before exclaiming in embarrassment, however she then suddenly relaxed herself. "...Actually keep it there, that feels soooo good...~" She soon requested in a pleased tone.
"As you wish Asuka-chan~" Sweet Homura replied with a smile as she continued giving her roommate her massage. "You feel so smooth~ Like a newborn baby~" She then complimented, kneading her thumbs in.
"Y-You're exaggerating Sweet~" Asuka responded in denial to the compliments before relaxing again. "How are you soooooo goooood~?" She then moaned out.
"I honestly don't know Asuka-chan~!" Sweet Homura bluntly admitted with a smile.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Oh, it seems that my time is up~! However, do recommend an extension~ You're so tense that ten minutes isn't enough~!" Sweet Homura soon informed.
The brunette meanwhile had a glazed expression on her face as she heard this information. "...Then turn off the alarm Sweet, I want you to continue giving me a massage~" Asuka got out in a dazed yet relaxed manner.
Giggling to that request, Sweet Homura looked at her pleased roommate. "As you wish Asuka-chan~" She replied as she kept going after turning off the alarm.
"I'm sure Homu-nee will forgive me for adding a few...more...Zzzz..." Asuka, relaxed beyond all belief, fell asleep.
Without telling Sweet Homura to fall asleep or change back beforehand.
So Sweet Homura kept massaging her roommate all night...
(4/21, Early Morning)
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)
...and into the morning. However Sweet Homura didn't appear to be exhausted at all as she happily kept going without a care while humming a soothing tune.
"Mmm..." Asuka got out as she started to wake up. "Oh...it feels like I'm a fluffy cloud. Wait..." She mumbled out before realising something. "...When did I fall asleep?" She soon asked in confusion.
"Ah, you're awake~! How was your 10 hour massage~?" Sweet Homura asked in a curious manner.
To hearing that one bit of the question, Asuka's eyes widened. "Ten what?" She soon asked.
Asuka had to do a double take to see that the sun was rising right outside the window, not the dark sky she expected and wanted, causing her to pale as a result.
"Y-You massaged me all night Sweet!?" Asuka squeaked out.
Sweet Homura however innocently tilted her head to that. "Is there a problem with that~?" She questioned. "Original Homura was asleep the entire time~" She then informed.
"B-But that's not the point!" Asuka stammered out in a panic. "Oh I messed up...Homu-nee is going to yell at me for this..." She soon thought in a panicked concern.
"You seem stressed. Want me to pleasure you~?" Sweet Homura soon offered in an innocent manner.
"Stop asking me about that!" Asuka all but demanded. "Okay, Asuka, it's better to just face the music than delay it." She soon muttered as she brought her fingers up.
SNAP!
"What the-?" Homura got out when she returned to normal. "What happened? And why...do I..." She then started, however...
THUD!
"H-Homu-nee!" Asuka squeaked out as the tan skinned girl fell on top of her. "C-Can you please get up! We have school!" She soon requested.
"S-Sorry Sis, I don't know why, but my body feels exhausted...though I also feel mentally refreshed." Homura awkwardly replied. "...Carry me...and explain what Sweet did." She then got out.
"...She gives really good massages..." Asuka meekly revealed. "...Sweet was giving me one...and I fell asleep...sorry." She added with the apology.
Blinking to that reveal, the tan skinned girl simply nodded to learning this. "That's okay...just make sure to turn her off before you sleep next time. Besides, I don't think I can go to school like this." Homura replied.
"Oh...Sorry..." Asuka once more apologized.
The tan skinned girl however shook her head the apology. "Oh no, this is actually great! One less day of Kamoshida breathing down my neck." Homura got out before realizing something, causing her to pale slightly. "...But he's still breathing down yours." She then got out concern.
"...Then I'm not going to school today." Asuka immediately decided. "I can call the school and say we can't come today." She then decided.
"Sis, you don't-" Homura started.
"I want to." Asuka replied, interrupting her roommate as she then hugged her in a tender manner. "We can be bad girls together for today." She then added with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah, well most bad girls don't skip school because of overnight massages and hypnosis." Homura sighed out. "But yeah, bad girls it is." She soon decided.
"I-I didn't mean to hypnotize you though...and I still don't know how it happened in the first place." Asuka mumbled out. "Sorry..." She once more apologized.
"I keep telling you, it's okay." Homura assured. "I mean, as long as Akira doesn't call for another trip to the Metaverse it should be fine." She then added.
Suddenly, their hearts stopped as their phones vibrated.
"...It's still not your fault." Homura tried to comfort her roommate upon seeing the scared expression on her face. "Just don't-" She soon began, however...
"AaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH...!" Asuka screamed in despair.
"...Freak out..." Homura sighed out. "Sis, did you even check what the message says?" She soon asked.
"-AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH-Oh, right." Asuka stopped screaming as she and picked up her phone, remembering she could do that.
[TheWildJ0ker: I just found out Yongen has a batting cage. I really need to explore it more.]
As soon as they read the text, both girls sweatdropped at the random piece of info as they then just set their phones down.
"Of course he said something random as hell..." Homura muttered in annoyance.
"I'm gonna start the bath." Asuka stated in a flat tone.
"You go do that." Homura replied. "Though we're gonna have to stay in our apartment until classes are out for the day." She then added.
"I'm sure we can entertain ourselves until then." Asuka replied. "...In a sister like way I mean!" She then quickly added.
"Huh?" Homura got out in confusion. "Why did you say that?" She then asked.
"Uh...Well...Y-Y-Y-You know..." Asuka sputtered out as she started making her way to the bathroom. "I-I'll get the bath ready Homu-nee." She then decided.
Nodding to that, Homura layed on the futon as she looked at the ceiling. "So Sweet gives good massages..." She thought to herself in a curious manner. "So Sis, how did that massage Sweet gave you feel?" She then called out.
"It was amazing!" Asuka replied with enthusiasm. "I wish I could give one to you..." She then admitted.
"It's okay. Now stop regretting stuff! We should be enjoying this day off." Homura called back.
"I know, but maybe if you let me bring Sweet out again, I can ask her to teach me to give massages so I can then give you one Homu-nee." Asuka happily suggested.
To that, Homura blinked to the idea before shaking it off. "That's not happening any time soon." She replied.
Asuka in response merely giggled to her roommate's reply. "Yeah, I thought as much Homu-nee...though I feel really limber now..." She then awkwardly admitted.
"That's good. As long as you're happy Sis, I'm fine. Emotionally at least." Homura replied.
"Yeah. Hm… you think massages would help us recover after trips from the Metaverse?" Asuka soon asked in a curious manner.
"It would help, but going to a massage parlour every time would eat into our expenses and I doubt we can just do it to each other…even if I do let Sweet teach you how to give massages." Homura replied in a more serious tone.
"That's unfortunate, but it's something to put in the back of your mind." Asuka stated as she quickly checked their hair care products. "Shoot, out of shampoo. Luckily I packed an extra bottle." She thought to herself. "Ok, Homu-nee, let's get you into the bath." She then got out as she walked over to her downed roommate.
"Yeah." Homura replied. "Still though, Sweet gave you a ten hour massage without any rest. I would say it's impressive that that side of me has that much stamina," She then got out.
"I'm actually surprised that I'm not so relaxed that I'm like you." Asuka admitted as she picked up her roommate and placed her arm over her shoulder. "It was sssooo ggggooooooodddddd…" She responded, becoming slightly dazed as a result.
Homura however raised an eyebrow to the sight of her dazed roommate. "Uh… Sis?" She called out.
"Buh, what?" Asuka snapped out of it as drool started to drip out of her mouth. "Sorry…" She meekly apologized.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it so much but you need to keep yourself together." Homura giggled out.
"R-Right, Sweet did say it was the closest thing to pleasuring that I would allow..." Asuka soon remembered.
Homura's eye in turn immediately twitched to that statement. "Ugh, why does she keep asking!?" She got out in annoyance.
"That's what I keep saying! It's literally the only thing she refuses against when I ask her not to." Asuka then revealed.
This immediately caused Homura to growl in a low tone. "Damn former clan...its those sickos fault..." She soon muttered in anger.
"Getting mad about it now won't fix anything. Just be glad you're here. And I'm here for you now." Asuka responded in a soothing tone as the two walked towards the bathroom.
To that response, Homura's anger dissipated as she gave a small smile. "You really are too good for this damn world Sis." She muttered while being dragged.
Asuka however shook her head to that. "No I'm not. I'm just trying to make the most of my time." She responded in denial.
"Sis..." Homura got out in concern as the two got to the bathroom.
"Come on now, don't be sad. It's our day off as bad girls, now let me help you get in." Asuka responded as she lead the tan skinned girl into the tub.
"Mmmmm~" Homura moaned out in a satisfied tone being in the warm water.
"Okay, let me get a bottle of shampoo from my bag before I get in with you." Asuka informed before leaving the bathroom.
"Don't take too long Sis~" Homura got out as she lay in the tub.
Asuka went back into their bedroom and found her bag of supplies, non-perishable foods, extra weapons, and her various self-care products. However, she noticed a scroll amongst the items.
"Huh, what's this?" Asuka got out as she pulled out the scroll. "I don't remember putting something like this in here..." She thought to herself as she then noticed the note taped onto it. It was encrypted, but it was easy enough to solve in her head.
Asuka,
There may be a time and place for this technique to be used to its full effect.
Use it wisely.
Jii-chan.
"Thank you, Jii-chan." Asuka whispered out with a smile.
"You ok Sis?" Homura called out in concern.
"I am! I'll be right there Homu-nee!" Asuka called backed as she placed the scroll back. "I'll study it later." She thought as she went off to help her roommate. "I will make sure Homu-nee is happy from now on." She thought to herself in a determined manner.
Save Game... Quit!
Hm, at the pace we're going with the Confidant Ranks, they should be done soon after the Madarame Palace if I had to guess. Or Kaneshiro. Actually, considering my terrible scheduling, you shouldn't take my word for it.
UknownHero signing off, my friends!