Chapter 2: Plump Pillows, Nameless Kings

Neon City, The SNaXX Dimension, 3023

"Snipe quills, what a day," Barista muttered to herself as she sat on the edge of Megumi's bed once again, opening up her journal and beginning to write a new entry.

The job interview didn't go well. In fact, it didn't 'go' at all.

Turns out I got the dates mixed up; the interview was scheduled for LAST week, not this week. As a result of that mix-up… the job went to somebody else. I guess that's fair. Doesn't make me feel any better about it, though.

I wanna do my part when it comes to paying rent for this apartment. Megumi says that she's more than happy to have me as her live-in house guest, but… I mean, I can't just sit around on my butt watching funny cat videos on the internet all day; I've gotta do SOMETHING practical or constructive, right? Not just for the sake of pulling my weight, but also to stop me from going stir-crazy. Megumi's at work from nine to five most days, and I can only play Chess with North so many times before it becomes monotonous.

Also, he tends to upend the board when he loses, scattering the playing pieces everywhere, so… yeah. Ratcicles, am I right?

Ever since my makeover the other day, I've been getting curious about that device in the bathroom. I'm tempted to experiment with it, see what other ways it can alter my hair. I know I told the AI that I don't want anything crazy, but… I can't help but wonder how I'd look with braids, or maybe even a mohawk. Ha! Yeah, right. Can you imagine ME with a MOHAWK? Lol!

Hmm, actually, I wonder if Megumi would be into that… Wait. What am I even writing?!

"Barista?"

"Gah!" Barista yelped, almost sending her journal flying in a panic at the sound of Megumi's voice at the doorway, the pen she had been writing with falling to the floor and rolling under the bed. The bat girl hastily snapped the book shut and placed it on the bedside table before looking up at Megumi, smiling nervously, irrational terror written all over her furry visage. Megumi rolled her eyes with a knowing smile as she stepped into the bedroom.

"I was just wondering if you would be liking some bread with your soup. It is nearly ready."

"Oh, um… right. Yeah, I'll take a slice or a roll or… whatever it is," Barista babbled, her words becoming quieter as Megumi closed the distance between the two of them and took a seat next to the bat girl on the edge of the bed.

"Are you feeling alright?" the bandicoot woman asked compassionately, placing an arm around Barista's shoulders, starting to caress the farthest one with gentle, circular motions much to the younger anthropomorphic woman's bewilderment and… something else - a feeling that Barista herself couldn't quite wrap her head around fully. "Is there anything you are wanting to be talking about?"

Barista stared up at Megumi, seeing the genuine compassion, warmth and concern in her violet eyes. She sighed and hung her head. "I guess I…" She hesitated. "I guess I just feel kinda stupid, getting those dates mixed up like that."

"We all make mistakes, my dear Garnet," Megumi assured her, the movements of her hand becoming slower, more deliberate as she continued to gently caress Barista's shoulder, which only further riled up the funny feeling in the bat girl's chest. "It is learning from them that allows us to be growing as people."

"Um, Megumi?"

"Yes, my little Garnet?"

"Could you maybe stop that, please? It's making me a little…" Barista said, trailing off while glancing somewhat apprehensively at Megumi's active hand.

"Oh! I am sorry," Megumi said, quickly ceasing her actions and moving her hand away. "I did not mean to be making you uncomfortable. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"It's okay," Barista said quickly, suddenly and strangely finding herself disappointed at how the literally one-sided shoulder massage she had been receiving was now over. "I know you meant well. You've always looked out for me, Megumi," she concluded, beaming up at her roommate. There was a brief pause during which the two smiled at each other, and then Barista's eyes began to well up with tears and she very suddenly hugged Megumi, much to the bandicoot woman's surprise.

"Wh-Whoa! Barista?!" the taller, orange-furred woman exclaimed, a little taken aback.

"I'm sorry!" Barista managed in a quiet sob. "It's just that… I love you so much!" Her eyes then widened as she realised what she was saying. "W-Wait, that didn't come out right!" she insisted quickly. "I-I-I'm not saying that I…!" her words were cut off as Megumi warmly returned the embrace, closing her eyes as she did so.

"It is alright, my dear Garnet," Megumi whispered. "I understand what you are trying to say."

Barista noticed that her right cheekbone was firmly but gently pressed up against Megumi's left breast, causing her blue eyes to nearly bulge out of her head. After a moment, however, she closed her eyes and leaned further into the embrace, letting out a contented sigh as she did so. She thought she heard a soft chuckle from the bandicoot woman; did Megumi somehow plan for the bat girl to end up in this exact position? …No. No, of course not. Megumi wasn't like that. She wasn't that kind of woman… was she?"

As the pair broke off the embrace a moment later, Barista found herself staring up at Megumi again, blue eyes meeting violet ones. The bandicoot woman was so beautiful, easily the most beautiful woman Barista had ever met. Beautiful in both body and soul. She was so kind. So tender. So understanding. So compassionate.

So very, very beautiful…

Megumi smiled at Barista. She smiled back.

Megumi started to slowly lean forward, closing her eyes as she did so. Barista's eyes widened as the bandicoot woman's lipstick-adorned lips began to purse… and then the bat girl closed her own eyes, pursed her own lips, and started to lean forward to meet Megumi halfway. A second passed… and then their lips met.

"Barista? Wakey-wakey, my dear Garnet."

"…Huh?" Barista opened her eyes, puzzled when she found herself still sharing a loving, compassionate embrace with Megumi, her cheek still resting on the bandicoot woman's chest. Had she… fallen asleep? She then realised exactly how she was positioned. "Ohmygosh!" she yelped, quickly pulling herself away from her roommate, her entire face flushing bright red underneath her light brown facial fur. "I'm so, so sorry!"

Megumi, on her part, just chuckled knowingly. "It is alright, my little Garnet. You were looking very cute and sweet sleeping in my embrace."

"Y-Yeah, but… I mean, my head was on your—"

"Pillow?"

Barista's eyes widened, her blush deepening. "D-Don't call it that!" she spluttered, looking mortified. Megumi just laughed.

"No, no! I am offering you a pillow!" she elaborated, picking up one of the pillows that rested on her bed as she spoke. "You might find it a little more comfortable than my torso! …Or not," she finished slyly before utterly bursting out laughing at her own uncharacteristically cheeky remark.

"Oh, you…! You're awful!" Barista exclaimed, snatching the pillow out of Megumi's hand and playfully rapping her over the head with it, the two women quickly descending into a playful pillow fight filled with much laughter from both participants.

N. Sanity Beach, N. Sanity Island, Present Day

"Come on, come on, you've almost got him!" Coco said, literally on the edge of her seat as she perched precariously on the very tip of the couch cushion, Tawna seated beside her, madly pushing buttons on a game controller like there was no tomorrow, the older bandicoot's eyes glued to the TV screen before her, upon which a human woman clad heavily in knight armour could be seen running around wildly with a sword and shield in hand, a towering man with a veritable mane of wispy white hair storming towards her with fightingly swift movements, swinging a gigantic blade of his own in a furious flurry of strikes, landing a powerful blow on Tawna's knightly avatar.

"Oh, crap, oh, crap, oh, crap, oh, crap, oh, crap!" Tawna yelped very fast, quickly making her character dodge roll away from the opponent, the avatar then taking a sip of an orange beverage in the brief window before the monstrous man could take another fierce swing at her, Tawna making her move out of the way just in time.

"Come on, just one more hit! Just one more hit!" Coco pleaded, closing her eyes and interlocking her fingers as though she were praying. With a furious yell, Tawna made her character move in and land one final strike on the opponent, the last tiny wedge of the boss enemy's health bar, just above which were the words 'Nameless King', emptying from said bar as the monstrous man stopped in place, suddenly slumping down onto the floor of the misty arena… and then he began to disintegrate into spirit particles, the words 'HEIR OF FIRE DESTROYED' appearing in the centre of the screen in all-caps.

Tawna and Coco just sat there in silence for a long moment, staring at the screen in complete and utter shock and disbelief, their mouths hanging open, and then—

"EEEEEEEEEEEE, WE DID IT!" they both squealed shrilly, causing a seagull that had been nesting in a nearby palm tree to take flight, squawking in alarm. The two anthropomorphic bandicoots leapt up, took hold of each other's hands and started dancing back and forth across the beach, chanting "We beat the Nameless Kiiiing! We beat the Nameless Kiiiing!" in childish sing-song.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm sorry, who beat him?" Tawna suddenly asked, the pair's shared victory dance suddenly brought to a halt, a smug look on the adventurous bandicoot woman's face as she gazed down at her adoptive sister figure, who suddenly appeared embarrassed.

"Oh! Well… I mean… I helped," Coco insisted rather feebly. "You know, a little. Moral support and all that." Tawna chuckled and playfully tousled Coco's blonde locks.

It was then that a shimmering blue light caught the Bandicoots' attention, the source of luminescence occurring right at the nearby water's edge, the glowing anomaly floating in the air.

"What the heck is that?!" Coco cried, equal parts bewildered and alarmed. She didn't have to wait long for an answer, for the ball of light was rapidly forming into a humanoid silhouette. As it solidified, the light faded, and then a figure splashed down into the shallows, lying there face-first, unconscious.

"Whoa, that's not good!" Tawna declared, hurrying towards the edge of the sandy beach, Coco at her heels. The older of the two bandicoot girls crouched down beside the unconscious figure, quickly turning them over so that they lay face up.

"She's a… panda," Coco said in realisation, taking in the sight of the anthropomorphic panda cub dressed in green, her eyes closed and her dark hair and black and white fur damp with seawater.

"Oh, man. She's not breathing!" Tawna confirmed worriedly. "C'mon, help me get her outta the water!"

Coco and Tawna hastily yet carefully dragged the panda cub onto the dry sand, with Tawna then ushering Coco out of the way before proceeding to give the unconscious bear mouth to mouth. On Tawna's third breath, the panda cub suddenly sat upright, coughing and spluttering.

"What'd I tell ya?" she babbled, the glazed look in her bright green eyes suggesting that she was delirious. "I'm flurry… and fast…" On that note, she slumped back against the sand, passing out once more, though thankfully continuing to breathe this time, her chest visibly rising and falling at a steady rhythm. Coco and Tawna glanced at each other.

"We've gotta tell Aku Aku," they said in perfect unison.

Just a short chapter this time, meant to break the ice more than anything... while also further pushing the implied shipping of Barista and Megumi, because I am such a tease like that. Lol!

...I actually forgot that I had already done a bit involving Barista's head resting against Megumi's chest back in 'Of Coffee Beans And Mutant Outcasts'. Oh, well; looks like I'm doubling down on that gag. Lol!