Hey all ginger here. Happy belated merry christmas i present to you my attempt at literature

===To Cut===

My first impression of the Mankanshoku home is how small it is.

Looking at its exterior, it's much more comparable to a hut. The wood that comprises its entirety looks all too ramshackle and weathered. Like a gingerbread house made of scraps of trash, rather than candy and sweets.

Yet somehow through some miracle or two, it seems to hold up just fine against the torrent of rain.

Feeling the need to comment on this, I turn to the girl next to me. "Nice roof."

Mankanshoku, who's arm has supported the umbrella above us, beams at the praise. "Thanks! Dad stole it himself!"

That- doesn't sound right. "… The whole thing?"

"Mhm! For free, yeah!"

I… I feel like that warrants a response. But right now I don't think I have the mental aptitude to give one fitting enough.

I just settle with a slow nod.

We've reached the house's front door now. With the doorbrim- or at least something resembling one- above us we're given a respite from the rain, allowing Mankanshoku to close her umbrella without getting soaked.

The girl in question looks over to me and offers a friendly smile. "What're you so nervous-looking for?"

Nervous, she says. "Nobody's nervous."

Mankanshoku blinks. Matter of factly she mutters, "But you are."

I can feel my spine twisting in real time. "I'm not."

"Listen, Shinshun-…" Her arm reaches for the door's knob, and for some damned reason I feel my heart jump. "S'not like anyone in my family's gonna bite you. Well, maybe Guts, but…" I'm sorry, who—

I open my mouth to question that last little bit, but I don't get the chance to voice anything. With a twist of her wrist Mankanshoku opens the door, and the light and smells of her home cascade over us.

In front of me, Mankanshoku saunters in. "Everyone, I'm ho~me! And I brought a boy!" Wawawawa—

Immediately upon her declaration, four different heads poke themselves out to face the door at once. "You brought home a boy?!" "Ra-ruff!"

Uh. Wuh. "Who are you people?"

Mankanshoku gives me a perturbed look. "They're my family…?"

Irrelevant. "The question still stands."

The biggest of the four, a large man with slicked back brown hair, marches up to me with a sneer fixed onto his giant mouth. "Who'dya think you are, coming into my house with my daughter, huh?!"

Where do I start? "I'm Eboshi Shinshun, uh… I don't have a house, and your daughter took pity on me." There. The allegations have been—

Behind the man, I see a dainty fist raised. It falls down upon his head with an all too loud plonk, causing blood to spew from his mouth and knocking him down to the ground.

I sidestep the falling titan as his large body impacts the floor. Looking back up I'm now met with the eyes of a brown haired woman. On her face is what I can only describe as a more subdued version of Mankanshoku's own exuberant smile.

She speaks in a cheerful tone. "O~h, don't mind my husband, he's just speaking out of his ass." After that hit I don't know if he'll ever be speaking again. "You're a friend of Mako's, yes?"

Friend. Um. "I, uh…"

Mankanshoku, surprisingly, comes to my rescue! "He sure is! Actually, he helped me out of a pickle earlier today, so I invited him over for dinner!"

A pained groaning noise reverberates from below me, as does the smell of blood. "Mrhm, yes yes… that's a very kind thing for you to do!"

Mrs. Mankanshoku- because who else could this Mako-like woman be- gives an approving hum. "It's good timing too! I made too many croquettes again, so I was afraid we'd be having another incident in the bathroom!"

Pardon?

An arm grabs at my empty sleeve, and begins pulling me along to the house's one and only living room. I'm haphazardly thrown to the floor, and above me a wooden table falls from somewhere. All around me the three members of the Mankanshoku family- plus a pug, who's innocuous presence hasn't escaped me- sit down, and plates of food are thrown in every direction. After that it's not long before crumbs and other specks of debris begin going airborne too.

A wayward plate flies over to my side of the table. On it are croquettes, fried to what I could only describe as golden perfection. Stuffed in them are numerous things: seafood, bones, vegetables.

In particular, the head of an empty eyed fish haphazardly sticks out of a croquette's torso. Its lip flaps lifelessly with every shake of the overcrowded table.

I look down at the fish.

The meat stares back.

"So today, I almost got robbed, right?! And—"

"—and then Shinshun came outta nowhere, scooped me up, and got me on the tram!"

"Matarō, sweety, what did I say about robbing people?"

"Ruff! Ruh-uff!"

"I- I just said I got robbed mom! The old lady had this uh, this giant bazooka—!"

"Hey honey, could ya' get some bandages from the pantry, I'm getting blood all over the food!"

"Now now, you know better than to lie to your own mother—"

"I can't eat this."

The chaos halts. All eyes turn to me.

I look up at the incredulous looks of the Mankanshoku household, then back down to hazard another look at my plate. "… It's the meat. My… my stomach has problems digesting it."

… Complete and utter silence. There's not a sound, save for the incessant pitter patter of the rain against the roof above us.

Mrs. Mankanshoku is the one to break the onset of quiet. "I'll be right back." With a smile she stands up, dusts some crumbs off her apron, and walks into the buidling's only other room.

The youngest brunette of the household- a snot nosed brat with sunglasses affixed to his head- jabs a pair of chopsticks my way. "That sounds made up dude. You vegan or 'sumthin?"

I try to meet his eyes, but my own simply refuse to do so. "… S'true."

I'm… afraid? That's what this feeling is, I think. Or perhaps it's embarrassment. Especially toward this kid, or anyone sitting in this house really, I shouldn't feel anything like this.

But that's just the thing, this is their house. And I'm at their table, with a plate full of their food. And I…

My eyes wander back down to the fish's. I couldn't stomach it, even if I forced myself to. Even if I starved a thousand times over eating it would just leave me feeling dead anyway.

I feel a nudge at my side. It's Mankanshoku. "… You didn't tell me you were vegan."

I almost find myself biting back with something along the lines of "why should I have," but… no. I really should have said something.

The only thing I can offer is a smile, and platitudes. "Sorry. I didn't think I'd get this far. S- sitting at a table and eating with your family, I mean."

At that she grimaces. "That doesn't make any sense. Of course you'd have ended up here, I invited you in the first place!"

Yeah I know, I know. "I just didn't think that far ahead..." I bow my head, as if it'd be enough of an apology for my admittedly rock-brained blunder.

Matarō, the mother called him that, I think, looks over to Mankanshoku, and she looks over to him in response. Wildly, the boy makes a circling gesture near his ear.

That's… no, that's warranted. I deserve that.

With a wet sound Mr Mankanshoku wipes away the blood and crumbs around his mouth. "Uh, so Eboshi-san, how long have you been in Honnō city for?"

Topic changer, my beloved. "I just got here today, actually."

"Is that so? Y'know, I sorta figured you weren't from around here! You're pretty memorable, with a face like yours!" My face, huh.

Something about that makes Matarō snort. Under his breaths he whispers, "The missing arm would also help with that, I'd think."

He wasn't quiet at all, by the way. Mankanshoku elbow jabs them with a "be nice!", eliciting a pained yelp from her younger brother.

As quickly as it was cleaned, Mr Mankanshoku's mouth is dirty and full again. "'Na, 'as a 'octor 'an 'ur 'ather…" A swallowing noise. "Urp, I don't recommend rough housing during dinner! But yes, be nicer Matarō."

"I'm just sayin' what everyone else is thinking!"

"Ruff! Ra-ru-uff!" The crazy looking Pug feels the need to make noises.

Mankanshoku bends down and softly scratches the dog's chin. "Calm down Guts. You know how it is, we can't eat 'till everyone's at the table."

Speaking of which. "Mankanshoku—"

Three pairs of eyes instantly lock onto mine, and three voices belt out at once. "Yeah?"

… I think that about cinches. None of these people are real. "M- Mako. I was asking Mako." I turn to face her, just in case there's still any doubt in these lunatic's minds. "… Are you sure I'm allowed here?"

I swear to god I hear her eyebrow raise. "Yeah~…? Of course you are, why wouldn't you be?"

There're so, so many reasons why. "I just- I'm imposing on you and your folks hard, y'know? A- and the food, I won't even eat any of it."

"Shinshun, if this is about us knowing you're vegan, you don't gotta worry about that! We're all tolerant here!" What are you- Mankanshoku you fucking dolt.

If it wasn't for this girl, I'd be out in the rain slowly dying from the cold. I told myself that I'd follow her. That I'd let her take care of me if only for the sake of being able to wake up tomorrow in a state adjacent to the word healthy.

But that's just the thing, all of this is to my sole benefit; I don't think she can even comprehend how much of a leech I'm being. And by all accounts I shouldn't feel bad about the fact. Why should I, when she was the one who offered?

But… she's just too fucking kind. What the hell.

I'm at a crossroads. Tough it out in the rain, and risk waking up catatonic tomorrow… or debase myself even more by siphoning off kindness that I'm undeserving of.

If given the choice between the two…

I act before I come to my mental decision. My legs spur into movement, ready to take me far away from here—

"Dinner's ready~!" Mrs. Mankanshoku comes walking into the room carrying plates full of food. Because of how small the space is, she's more or less blocking the way out, so I'm forced to wait until she rounds the corner to make my retreat.

I don't get the chance though.

With a ka-klink the woman drops the newly made food on the table in front of me, completely heedless of the plate of fish flesh already there.

"Ah…" … I look down at the new spread of food. Then back up to the Missus. "What is this?"

Mrs. Mankanshoku takes back her seat next to her husband. "Well, you said you couldn't eat meat, so I went right back to the kitchen and whipped something up for you!"

… Gently, I pick up a croquette off one of the plates and run a finger over its surface. Onions, cabbage, potato, ginger. The smell of a variety of different ingredients waft out of the dozen or so croquettes. But no meat.

The woman continues. "I'd personally still call them mystery croquettes! After all, there's lots of things you can cook into croquettes that aren't meat—"

I don't care. "Why'd you do this for me?"

At that she tilts her head. On her face though, is that same incandescently bright smile. "That's a silly question, isn't it? Your Mako's friend. And our guest, to boot."

… Friend. Friend, she says.

I want to deny that word with all of my being. Spit it out and shove it back into their mouths. I'm not her friend, I just met her today, all I've done is something slightly above decent for her, we've known each other for a total of two hours tops.

But then I look at the girl in question. At her bright eyes, and brighter smile. Her hope, which pours hopelessly out of her, leaving me feeling both exhausted and invigorated. Tired, and content.

How can I say no to the chance to feel that?

Something wells up from my stomach. It travels up my spine, then to my eyes. A feeling of wetness quickly follows.

What little pride I have left forces my head down. "Thank-… thank you."

I feel a soft hand gently pat my back, and from that same direction a reassuring hum. God dammit Mankanshoku, you-… you happy go lucky dork.

I take a bite of my own into a croquette. It's a clusterfuck of flavors, and my tears didn't fail to leave them a bit soaked. But none of that doesn't stop me emptying my plate and going for seconds.

Before long the room is filled with a symphony of chewing, laughter, and conversation. I'm lost in it all, jumping from topic to topic, joke to joke.

It's a night well spent.

=THE COTTAGE=

I'm in my futon right now.

The once dining room's been fashioned into a bedroom. Food debris was cleaned up, the table was tucked away somewhere, and everyone in the household took turns brushing their teeth in the bathroom, along with tending to their own host of nightly rituals.

I only wanted to brush and floss, but everyone insisted that I showered. Again, I didn't want to impose, but… damn.

The water was hot, there was no nondescript gunk stuck to the floor… I'd forgotten how nice showers could be.

The lights are off. Just about everyone except Mrs. Mankanshoku and Mako are snoring like bears.

I don't mind of course. I've slept through worse.

I discreetly turn my head to the side, where Mankanshoku's- the younger one- prone form lay. Her eyes are half lidded, but still somewhat full of life.

I whisper under my breath. "Mankanshoku."

"Eep!" This girl, jeez.

I let out a quick and sharp shushing noise. "Don't be extra now. Everyone else is sleeping."

"Haha…" A nervous chuckle. "Sorry, just… didn't know you were awake. Were you a ninja in a past life?"

Harhar. "Mankanshoku, can I ask you something?"

In the darkness I see the silhouette of a nod. "Sure. What's up?"

"What's…" Unconsciously, I lick the dryness off my lips. "What's Honnōji academy like?"

Mankanshoku hums contemplatively. "Hmm~. Well, I mean… I dunno. It's Honnōji academy. What's there to say?"

"Let's see… is there anything specific that I should look out for? Taboos, or the like?" The encounter I had with that trap master or whatever still lies in the back of my mind. He was inexperienced, no doubt in my mind about that, but strong. I'd rather avoid conflict with him, or anyone with a Goku uniform.

Just gotta keep my head low. That's all.

"Taboos? Nothing specific comes to mind. Well, other than the normal school stuff; don't talk back to anyone in the student council, bow when you're told to, follow all orders without thought…"

Mankanshoku. "None of that is normal."

I can see her scratch her head in what I assume to be confusion. "Is it not…?"

No. But that's beside the point. "I already knew about all the loyalty stuff." It was sort of implied when I found out they publicly tortured students here.

"Then what're you asking me for? Sounds like you're already plenty ready for tomorrow."

She's probably right. "Yeah, just… I guess I'm excited? Or maybe expectant. I dunno, I just- I haven't been to school in a while."

"Oh~." That seems to get her excited, for some reason. "Are you a delinquent?"

Yknow, that's- that's not incorrect, per se. "Of a sort, I suppose. I dropped out of high school for a bit."

"Huh. Well… I hope you're happy to be back then."

Thanks. "I am, yeah."

…

"… Hm. Hmm. Hmm~"

What is she…? "What are you doing? Why're you making noises?"

"Uh. I'm thinking, I think."

"… About what?"

"I dunno! Pretty sure I forgot."

Ha. "Don't go frying your brain. You'll need it for tomorrow." No matter how small it is.

"Haha~. Yeah, I know."

…

"Good night Shinshun."

"… 'Night, Mako."

=THE COTTAGE=

"bwAAAAAAHP!" The hell—

At the shrill scream of pure noise I shoot out of my futon. Immediately after, everyone else around me similarly jumps to their feet, and in seconds the room becomes a typhoon of human activity.

My head hurts. Too much noise, too much movement, too much everything. "W- what the hell is happening?!"

Amongst the chaos Mankanshoku shoots her head out of the bathroom. In her mouth is a toothbrush, and her lips are wet with toothpaste and saliva. "'Shi'un, 'et 'eddie!"

I think I heard a get ready in there? Yeah, ok, sure.

I lethargically waddle over to the corner of the room, where my backpack is. Opening it up, I start digging for my no-star uniform.

Let's see… jeez, why'd I do such a shit job folding everything? Ah- I think I see it. But my katana's in the way. With nowhere else to place or hold it, I have to pull out the sheathed blade with my only hand, place it in my mouth, and dig for the uniform with my now free arm.

My hand brushes against a familiar material. There. I grab onto it and—

I feel an equally familiar grip grab onto my empty sleeve. "Shinshun, we gotta go go go!"

I'm completely caught by surprise. Mankanshoku's meager strength is enough to manhandle my already tired body away from my backpack, out of the living room, and through the one and only door of the house.

This is getting old. I jerk my body away from the girl, causing her to falter in her mad dash and let go of my shirt's abused fabric.

"Wah—!" She nearly trips from the force, halting her momentum entirely.

Quickly, I throw on my uniform and take the katana into my hand. Looking down at Mankanshoku, I narrow my eyes. "Are we calm now?"

She stands up ramrod straight. "Not really! And we still gotta get—"

"Stop." I lightly bonk her on the head with the butt of my blade. "Talk. What's going on?"

"Uh, You don't know…? Wait—!" She smacks her forehead. "Doi, of course you don't know! I completely forgot to tell you!"

Before I get a chance to so much as raise an eyebrow, Mankanshoku grabs my head and directs it infront of us. "Look over there, you see all those people?!"

I do in fact see. This girl's general mania kept me preoccupied, but now that I can actually assess my surroundings, I'm suddenly cognizant of the sheer amount of moving bodies all around us.

It's almost biblical. The sheer amount of people- mostly students, from the looks of things- filling the streets is frankly inane. It's like I'm watching some sort of mass exodus.

It takes more courage out of me than I'd like to admit to pose the question again. "… What's happening?"

The girl begins wildly gesturing. "I read it somewhere in the school-mandated attendance rubric, something called no-tardy day!" She starts moving forward again, and I've no choice but to follow close behind. "I don't remember too much about it, just that if we're late-…!"

Distantly, massive structures begin sprouting from the ground with no rhyme or reason; stairs that lead to nowhere, loop-de-loops, flamethrowers, knives, cannons- it's absolute chaos.

I'm lost at the sight. Completely and utterly, totally and absolutely lost.

"—it's expulsion for us, effective immediately!"

===To Cut===

Author's Notes:

Cliffhangers amiright

Always nice to get back into the groove of this story, Shinshun's deadass delivery is fun and different to right; gotta think differently when i'm in his head. The main goal of this chapter overall was to juxtapose the zaniness of the Mankanshoku family with Shinshun's straight man-ness, and make said zaniness as similar to the zaniness in Kill la Kill as possible. Personally I think i got a passing grade in that regard haha

This whole development of no-tardy being the day after Shinshun officially rolls is something ive been thinking on for a while and have been rlly excited to get to. Like the idea of throwing this wet dog directly into what is comparable to the fires of hell for his first day of school was too enticing to pass up.

That is all. Have a good day yall