An Arrival of a Rival. CH 25

(Previous Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-24/)

Chapter 25

A date with two Idols.

“Okay…now what?” Separating from the rest of the group, Karika, Reiza, and Fereida sat in the Tokyo Dome hotel’s lobby. They agreed to split up with Faulkner, Nala, and Mala to give the twins alone time with him. “What’s the plan, sis? You said you’d show us around places you’ve been, right?”

“Yeah. There are a few standout places we could go. Of course, that also depends on WHAT you two want to do first.” As if on cue, Karika’s stomach grumbled. Reiza and Fereida turn to her with shit-eating grins on their faces.

“WHAT?! I’m hungry, alright?”

“Well…at least that narrows down our first destination. A place to eat.” Fereida was also hungry, but she didn’t want to embarrass herself like Karika, so she kept to herself.

“Where should we eat then? Any preferences?”

“Ramen!” Right away, Karika raised her fist with enthusiasm. The prospect of eating authentic Japanese ramen already made her mouth water in anticipation.

“Had a feeling you’d say that. I know a few ramen joints around Tokyo. But they’re all in restaurants.”

“Eh? Fuck that.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Understandably confused, Fereida wasn’t aware of what Karika wanted.

“Bah! I can get ramen in restaurants in every other country! I want to get ramen from one of those food cart vendors! The best kind of ramen always comes from those kinds!”

“You watch way too much anime, Karika. There are plenty of good ramen joints in buildings…”

“It’s not just about taste, Fereida! It’s about the experience! Come on, sis! You know a place, right?”

“Unfortunately, Porky, food cart vendors move around often. I can’t say I know any local vendors nearby that serve ramen.” Karika’s jaw slacked open in disappointment. Her ears and tail swished in frustration.

“What?! Dammit!” With all the whining Karika was doing, she garnered the attention of other guests in the lobby. Thankfully, they all seem to take her ramblings in amusement rather than annoyance.

“Hmm…” While Karika was busy gripping, Fereida racked her head as she recalled one such vendor at some point while chaperoning Nala and Mala. “You know…now that I think about it, there’s one vendor that serves ramen I know of.” Karika’s ears stood straight before she turned to face Fereida.

“Really, where?!”

“It’s around the more rural parts of Tokyo if I recall. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets. Though you wouldn’t know it given the line there.” Karika had stopped listening after the rural part of Fereida’s sentence as she stood up and clutched her arms together close to her chest. Her tail swished around in excitement.

“Then we should go right now! Before the lines get any bigger!”

“But…”

“Fereida…“ Reiza calls out Fereida with a knowing stare. “You should know better than I do that once Porky here makes up her mind, there’s no convincing her…”

“Fuck…yeah, I know. Screw it. It’s a bit of a walk, but let’s go.”

“Yes!” With their first destination set, Fereida takes the lead as she, Karika, and Reiza leave the Tokyo Dome hotel.

____________________

“Um…girls…” Meanwhile, passersby watch in a mix of awe, jealousy, and curiosity as Nala and Mala cling to Faulkner from both sides as they walk. “It’s hard to walk around with you two clinging to me this closely…” Nala clung to his left arm while Mala clung to his right. They whine and groan in unison, refusing to leave his side.

“It’s okay. We’re in no rush to go anywhere.”

“Yeah! What Mala said. We just want to milk this moment for all its worth…” Feeling how closely they clung to him, Faulkner realizes he might’ve underestimated just how much the twins miss him.

“So, you girls have been working and practicing to become idols for the past two years, right?”

“Yup! It was hard at first, but we managed, right, sis?” Nala nods with Mala. But Faulkner knows them better.

“Hmm…well, I’m sure you girls would still like a change in tedium. Where would you girls like to go first?” Nala and Mala look to each other for a moment, silently nodding and shaking their heads as if they’re telepathically communicating. “Uh…girls?”

“Hehe. We want to go to an arcade first!”

“Yeah! When Fereida told us she and the others went to the arcade back in California without us, we got mad.” Their joint pouting seemed exaggerated, but they genuinely felt left out after hearing the news from Fereida.

“An arcade, huh? I missed out on that, too, since I was with Trisha at Aphrodishiack.”

“Great! Then, as the ones that missed out on all the arcade fun, it’s our turn to play.”

“Yeah!” Without delay, Nala and Mala excitedly drag Faulkner with them as they make their way to an arcade close to the Tokyo Dome. On the sign hanging from the arcade’s entrance, the word ‘GiGO’ is on it. “Here’s the arcade! The first and second floors have tons of claw games.” Nala’s mind raced with fantasies of Faulkner winning her and Mala prizes. The idea of it alone made her ears and tail flick in excitement.

“And on the third floor, there’s a crap ton of arcades. The basement’s where they keep all the rhythm games. So in total, there are four floors.” Mala was more interested in the rhythm games, as she was eager to show Faulkner how well she danced.

Either way, the excitement ebbing from both girls was palpable. Faulkner knew he was in for a long, exhausting day, but he steeled himself before smiling.

“Right. Let’s have fun, you two.” Patting their heads, Nala and Mala’s ears fold sideways as they start purring. They grab his arms and pull him inside. Faulkner was somewhat stunned at the sheer number of claw machines inside. And this was only the first floor.

“Okay. How many coins should we get, sis?”

“Hmm…we have plenty of cash on hand. So let’s just get the maximum amount.”

“Good idea, sis.” Letting go of Faulkner, Nala pulls out her wallet from her purse. With a cute pink jewel charm adorned on the wallet’s zipper, Nala took out fifty thousand yen worth of bills. With a handy, cat-shaped, purple coin purse, she starts to put the collected coins inside. “Uh…sis, I might need your coin purse to hold the rest…”

“Got it.” Joining Nala, Mala pulls out a matching coin purse, but a slightly darker color, before putting the rest of the coins in her coin purse. Even then, the amount of coins they got was more than they realized, prompting Faulkner to join and collect the rest with a plastic bag that the arcade provides for free to carry said coins.

“Geez, you girls got a crap ton. You sure we’ll be able to use all of this?”

“Oh, trust me. We’ll burn through this easily.” Nala sneered

“And even if we don’t, it’s always convenient to carry coins anyway.” With their coin purses filled, Mala pulls Faulkner with her to the first claw machine that caught her eye. “The first floor’s mostly for food items. So let’s see what they have here!”

____________________

“Fereida, how much longer?”

“We’re almost there, Karika. Quit your bellyaching.” Back with Karika, Reiza, and Fereida, they arrived in Shibuya after taking a train there. As the central district in Tokyo, Shibuya gets a lot of traffic.

“Shibuya, huh? It’s hardly changed since the last time I went here. Busy as fuck with billboard signs and tourist traps as far as the eye can see…” Among the various colorful signs adorning the buildings around them, the foot traffic in Shibuya was heavy compared to what Karika is used to in California. Sure, there were certain places in California that were just as bustling, like San Diego. However, even the foot traffic there pales in comparison to what they have here.

“Yup. I won’t deny this place can be…annoying to traverse. Still, there’s plenty of good eats if you can navigate through the trendy social media foods and crappy tourist trap eateries.”

“As long as they have authentic ramen, I couldn’t care less where we go.” Following Fereida, they stray further and further away from the bustling sections of Shibuya. Eventually, they reach an alleyway that seems empty.

“Fereida, you sure this is the right way?”

“Sure do. I take this route with Nala and Mala to reduce the chances of fans recognizing them. This place is called Tomigaya, a quieter portion of Shibuya.” Taking a few more turns in the narrow walkways, Fereida spots the food cart she was looking for. “Ah, there it is!” As they passed through a narrow corner, Karika and Rezia saw a food cart ahead of them.

“Ah! Finally! I can’t wait to-” As Karika ran forward, she saw who it was that ran the food cart, catching her off guard before she turned around to face Reiza. “S-sis! Look!”

“What is it?” Taking a look, Reiza’s eyes widened in surprise. She wasn’t as stunned as Karika, but it still. She turns around, facing Fereida to confirm they found the right food cart.

“Fereida, this is the ramen place?”

“Uh-huh. You won’t find any food cart like it.” Measuring twice the size of a typical food cart, the person pulling it was a Jorou-Gumo. With striking red eyes and distinct markings on their cheeks, the lower portion of their bodies is that of a spider. Rather than a kimono, the woman wore a black shirt with an apron over it. The apron itself featured the food cart’s logo.

“Oh? Looks like I got some foreign customers today.” Walking up to the cart, it had a unique ‘U’ shape design. The open end of the cart has a collapsible bar that the vendor uses to push and pull the cart around.

“Uh…yes. We-” Reiza was about to introduce herself when Karika interjected.

“Yo! Lady, you sell ramen here, right?!”

“That’s right. ‘Junichi’s Silky Ramen’, named after the founding owner and my great-great-great-grandmother. I’m Julia. You three must be tourists.”

“Yes! Finally! I’m effin starving!” Karika wastes no time taking a vacant seat. With the food cart having three sides dedicated to seating, with three seats on each side, Reiza and Fereida took the other vacant seats next to Karika, sandwiching Karika between them.

“I thought it’d be busier than this.” Looking around, Fereida was sure this ramen stop would be busy, given how the last time she came, there was a line around her food cart.

“That’s because it’s in the middle of the day. Most of my regulars are currently at work. So, the only types of customers I expect right now are some oddballs and tourists. And since this is my first time meeting you three, it was the most logical guess I could think of.”

“Makes sense to me. Anyway, we’re starved for some good ramen.” All the walking they did to get here made Reiza just as eager to eat as Karika. Fereida had eaten earlier, so she wasn’t as hungry as Karika and Reiza.

“Glad to hear it. In that case, here’s the menu. Just take your time looking through the menu to see what you like.” The menu was relatively simple, with pictures of each item illustrating what each item looks like. “Can I start you ladies off with some drinks?”

“Hmm…” Karika sorted through the menu, finding the drinks listed at the bottom. With a toothy grin, she saw what she was looking for. “I’ll take hot sake.”

“Hmm…I’ll have sake too. But I’ll have mine cold.” Reiza ordered sake as well, eager to taste good sake again.

“Isn’t it a bit early to be drinking? It’s only four in the afternoon.” Staring at each other, Karika and Reiza chuckled at what Fereida said.

“Hah. You said the same thing Faulkner did not even two hours ago.”

“We already had beer earlier. So there’s no point in holding back.” With Karika and Reiza both choosing alcohol to start with, Fereida felt pressured into doing the same.

“Of course. Eh, fuck it. I’ll have sake too. Cold.”

“Okay. I just need to see your IDs, please. It’s for age verification purposes. I hope you understand.” Fishing out their IDs from their wallets, they all flash their cards for Julia. “Thank you. I’ll get your drinks right away.”

“Now that I think about it, how old are you exactly, Fereida?”

“Me?” Fereida’s brows furrowed. She’s not too keen on talking about her age. But it wasn’t because she wanted to keep it secret or felt ashamed of it. “Uh…I turned thirty last year, November…”

“T-thirty?! You’re older than us!”

“For fucks sake. This is why I hate telling people my age to others. Is it shocking to know I’m that old?” Fereida’s cheeks turned red out of anger, putting her ID back in her wallet before looking back at the menu. “Forget it. I always have to deal with people misinterpreting my age anyway…”

“I mean…that’s a good thing in some ways, right? At least you don’t have to worry bout looking old.”

“Maybe, but looking too young’s a problem too. Particularly with finding men…” Reiza chuckled, knowing Kilala had similar problems.

“Just keep looking. Kilala has it worse than you, but she recently got herself a boyfriend.”

“Wait, for real?!” Both Fereida and Karika turn to Reiza, their faces filled with shock.

“Yup. Kilala’s keeping things on the down low, testing the waters to see if the relationship sticks. So far, it’s going along decently.”

“Damn. I can’t believe Kilala got a boyfriend before me. Dammit.” Fereida, Kilala, and Chelsy were the youngest-looking in Faulkner’s class back in TMRC. Of the three, Kilala’s the only one so far with a boyfriend. Chelsy hasn’t been trying to find a boyfriend yet, as she’s too absorbed with her ideas to care. On the other hand, Fereida secretly harbors jealousy for Karika and Reiza. Her previous attempts proved less than favorable, as many guys felt uncomfortable dating her. Reiza saw the frustration on Fereida’s face, evident in both her expression and tone of voice. Wanting to help, she came up with an idea.

“Why don’t you ask Kilala how she got her boyfriend? I’m sure you’ll learn something from it.” Taking Reiza’s advice to heart, Fereida mulled it over only for a short bit before nodding.

“Good point. I’ll text her later about it.” With her mood lifted, Julia finished pouring their drinks and handed them over.

“Here you go, two cold sakes and one hot. Have you girls decided what type of ramen you’d like?” Julia wasn’t referring to anyone in particular, but the three of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t even looked at the menu properly yet.

“Oh…uh…” As the girls sift through the menu, Karika was the first to raise a suspicious brow at the oddly named ramen.

“Silk ramen? Uh…does that imply what I think it does?” Reiza and Fereida also focus on the ‘silk’ part of the ramen’s description. The pictures show the ramen noodles looking smooth. But the truly novel aspect was the color.

“It’s white…” Fereida stated with doubt in her voice.

“Hehe. Don’t judge a book by its cover! I guarantee my ramen will knock your socks off. And don’t worry, the ramen noodles aren’t really made out of my silk. The white color of the noodles is simply aesthetic. You’ll see.” While initially carrying doubts, Karika’s growling stomach urges her on to order.

“I-if you say so. Lady, give me the largest size you have of the tonkotsu ramen. Go heavy on the pork.”

“I’ll have shoyu ramen. Regular size.” Finishing their order, Fereida was the last to order.

“I’ll have shoyu as well. Smallest size you have.”

“Alright. Just sit tight, ladies. I’ll have your bowls done in a jiffy.” Too curious to chat, Karika, Reiza, and Fereida watch Julia at work. The decadent scent of ramen broth fills the air. Karika’s mouth was already watering with excitement as her ears and tail flicked in anticipation.

However, what caught Reiza and Fereida’s attention more was the noodles. Pulled from a drawer compartment, the noodles were pre-made and wrapped in clear plastic. Pale white, the noodles looked like they were woven like silk as Julia dumped them in hot water to heat up. While heating the noodles, Julia worked on slicing pieces of chashu pork, using nearly an entire piece of pork for Karika’s order. Julia puts it and the other toppings, like eggs boiled in soy sauce, kikurage, spring onions, menma, nori, and sesame seeds. The toppings for Reiza and Fereida’s shoyu ramen were mostly the same, but Julia added narutomaki fish cakes to it.

“Oh yeah…that’s what I’m talking about…” Drinking her sake as she watched, Karika sighed happily at the warmth she felt from it. “Hot sake feels better going down my throat.”

“I’d rather enjoy hot sake in hot springs and stuff. For casual outings like this, the refreshing taste of cold sake hits me better. What about you, Reiza?”

“I don’t have a preference. Both are good to me.” All eyes were on Julia once she pulled the heated noodles from the boiling pot of water. “Is it just me, or do the noodles look more plump?”

“Good eye, young lady. These noodles initially look stringy and thin like silk. But once they boil in hot water for a bit, they plump right up.” Shaking the water off the noodles, Julia’s arms suddenly turn into a blur. Switching between the three baskets, Julia shook them all dry before serving Karika’s bowl first.

“Whoa…” Mesmerized by Julia, Karika watched as the white, silky noodles were pulled and stretched repeatedly. Weaving the noodles like they were silk, Julia didn’t stop until the noodles were the perfect length and thickness before setting them down on Karika’s bowl.

“Alright. That’s one bowl done.” Naturally, Reiza and Fereida were just as enamored by Julia’s skillful movements. She made quick work of Reiza and Fereida’s order before handing them their bowls one by one. “Okay. One extra-large Tonkotsu ramen with extra pork and two Shoyou ramen.”

“You know…these noodles kind of remind me of rice noodles.” Fereida seemed hesitant to take a bite. Reiza was a little less so. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, Reiza pulls some of the ramen up. She noticed the toppings clinging to the noodles, almost as if the noodles were sticky.

“Huh? The toppings are sticking to the noodles really well.”

“Thanks for the food!” Too hungry to care, Karika thanked Julia for the meal before diving in for a taste. Slurping the ramen, Karika closes her eyes as she chews to focus on the flavor. A few seconds of silence pass after she swallows. Then…

“Good! It’s damn good!” Karika doesn’t hesitate and pulls more of the silky white ramen into her mouth, humming in delight as she slurps it all up. Seeing Karika’s reaction, Reiza goes for it and slurps her ramen as well. The flames on her horns and tail flared bright red in delight.

“It is! Somehow, the broth clings to the noodles better than any ramen I’ve tried before. I thought the noodles would feel weird on the mouth since they seemed sticky, but that cohesion seems to disappear the moment I put them in my mouth!”

“It’s that good, huh?” Fereida was the last to try ramen. To her pleasant surprise, she found the noodles’ texture to be surprisingly chewy and firm despite their silky appearance.

“Hehe. It’s always worth it to see apprehensive customers’ faces change whenever they take their first bite. Glad you girls like it.” Suffice it to say, Julia was quite satisfied with their reactions.

“How’d you manage this kind of texture, Julia? It’s certainly the most unique type of ramen I’ve eaten yet.” Reiza had fair experience with good ramen in Japan during her first visit there. Yet, after tasting Julia’s ramen, she’s confident it’s the best she’ll ever have in Japan.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you how I did it. It’s a family secret.”

“Whatever you did, it’s great, lady!” Karika was already halfway done with her bowl. She was more focused on the noodles than the pork, oddly enough. The pork cutlets were still fantastic, but the impression the silky-white noodles left stuck with her.

“I’ll say. With noodles like this, I’m surprised you’re not busy even with-” Just as Fereida says that, three Kamaitachi customers show up, taking their seats on the left side.

“Ah, welcome, Sanaki, Nishiki, Ichiki.” Julia recognizes the three as regulars of her shop. They drop by whenever they can to eat ramen here.

“Hey, Julia!” Greeting Julia in unison, the Kamaitachi, Julia takes her time greeting her regulars.

“Neve rmind…” Fereida held off on what she was about to say and focused on eating. “So…you two are here for a whole week, right? Any plans on what you’ll do to pass the time till the concert?” Looking at each other, Karika and Reiza smiled.

“We have a few ideas…”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Well, we want to go to a hot spring first. Visit the famous Tokyo Tower, maybe one of those cat cafes. There’s so much we want to do…” Reiza was just listing things off that she had done before.

“There are also those shrine places where we can do prayers and stuff. I always wanted to try that.” Having finished first, Karika gulps down the broth of her ramen bowl before letting out a sigh of satisfaction. “Fereida, you’ve been in Japan for a while now, right? Do you have any places to suggest?” When asked about places to visit, Fereida’s eyes narrowed before sighing.

“You really think I have time in my schedule to go places? Aside from managing Nala and Mala’s clothes, I also have to tailor designs for other monster idols. I hardly have time for myself…”

“Sounds like you’re in high demand. Doesn’t the idol industry have other tailors at its disposal?”

“They do, Reiza. The problem is, when your designs are as popular as they are, you tend to get a lot of requests. I’ve gotten so many that I’ve had to put a lot of them on hold! The people requesting my input think I can just come up with a design on the spot. The only reason I was able to make Nala and Mala’s costumes so well is that I know their personalities. It’s not enough to just know about their measurements or who they are.” Fereida’s exasperation was palpable to even Karika. In addition to her duties, maintaining and creating new costume designs for Nala and Mala, as well as the constant requests she receives from veteran and aspiring idols, consume nearly all of her free time.

“They have other fashion designers, don’t they? Why are you singled out?” Posing a valid question, Karika wasn’t all too familiar with the inner workings of fashion work. Still, she knew it was still odd for Fereida to get so many requests when she was not the only one in the business.

“Ugh…because with success comes infamy. Nakoto’s not helping any since she’s advertising my talents to other industries.” Having finished her bowl, Fereida starts to drink her frustrations away. “Seriously! She tells me to ‘hang’ in there like it’s easy…”

“I can’t imagine it’s any easier for Nakoto. After all, she’s Miss Reiss’s secretary…” Reiza would get occasional calls from Nakoto inquiring about her progress with Reiza’s college studies. And each time, Reiza notices Nakoto’s voice sounding exasperated.

“Fair. These days, Nakoto always seems to come to work with dark circles under her eyes. Eugh. Enough about me and my work. What about you two? You’re still studying to become a psychologist, right?”

“Uh-huh. I still have another four years before I can become one. Thankfully, I’m getting used to my college schedule, so I’m thinking of picking up a part-time job. That way, I can at least earn a little income for myself instead of relying on allowances from Faulkner.”

“I admire your reasons, but with Faulkner’s income, you shouldn’t feel pressured to work if he’s willing to help.” Finished taking her regulars’ orders, Julia turns back to Reiza and the others to check up on them.

“You girls still doing fine here?”

“Yeah. We’re done with our bowls.” Reiza and Fereida hand their empty bowls to Julia. Karika, on the other hand…

“Not yet! I’ll have one more bowl of the same order. But this time, just put the regular amount of pork in it.”

“Hah. Sure. Another bowl coming right up.” Karika could feel Reiza and Fereida staring at her judgmentally. “What? It’s damn good.”

“Right. Karika, what about you? How’s your job as a construction worker going?”

“It’s going. I’ve had offers from my boss to move up several times already. But they all involve managerial duties. And I’m not into that crap…” Cocking her right eyebrow, Fereida was confused, considering High Orcs typically favor leadership roles.

“I thought you liked being a leader?”

“Yeah, to people I know. I mean…Sure, I know some of my coworkers well enough, but I don’t want a position that has too much responsibility. Maybe when I’m older, but I’m happy where I’m at now.” Taking care of Karika’s order first, Julia hands Karika her second bowl of Tonkotsu ramen. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” Happily slurping up her second portion, Reiza and Fereida gave one another a knowing stare. They’ll be here for a bit, so they requested refills for their sakes in the meantime.

____________________

“Um…girls…don’t you think we’ve gotten enough?” Back with Faulkner and the twins, they had gone through a plethora of claw machines. With their persistence and abundance of coins, Nala and Mala amassed a great number of food items from the first-floor claw machines.

“Oh, come on! There are so many cool figures here! I’m sure there are some that Reiza and Karika would like here.” Scouring everything they wanted on the first floor, they’re now on the second floor, where most of the claw machines had anime, video game, and pop culture merchandise.

“Yeah! Plus, there’s a limited-time run on a certain plushie Nala and I have been looking for!” Dragging Faulkner along with them, he carried a majority of what they had won in the claw machines in two large plastic bags provided in the arcade.

Finding what they’re looking for, Nala and Mala stop at a particular claw machine. Inside, a chibi plushie of a Cheshire cat lying on her belly with a slice of salmon nigiri strapped onto her back with nori.

“Yes! They still have the salmon ones! These are so cute!”

“Isn’t it?! Let’s try to win it!” Taking turns, Nala and Mala put coin after coin into the claw machine. Despite their many attempts, the claw’s grip didn’t seem to strengthen. Growing increasingly frustrated, Nala and Mala hiss at the claw machine.

“AH! This thing’s cheating!”

“Yeah! The game’s rigged!”

“They’re always rigged, you two. The claw won’t have enough grip strength until it reaches a specific payout limit.” Turning to face him, Nala and Mala glared at him.

“Oh yeah? In that case, why don’t you give it a shot, Faulkner?” Mala steps back from the claw machine. Nala takes the two bags from Faulkner’s hands.

“I’m sure you can win it.” Mala wanted Faulkner to try after getting frustrated with failing, and Nala wanted him to try because she believes in him.

“Well…if I keep playing, the claw will eventually keep its grip.” Walking up to the claw machine, Faulkner observed the claw’s grip strength when Nala and Mala were playing. It hardly seemed to change from all the failed attempts, so Faulkner was prepared to play at least ten times before he’d get it.

Only…

“No way! He got it, first try!” Nala and Mala exclaimed together as they clapped each other’s paws. Seeing his slight reflection on the claw machine, he was slightly slack-jawed at the odds of getting the plushie on his first try. He was so sure the payout rate hadn’t been reached yet.

‘Well…whatever. At least I won the plushie…’ Reaching for the plushie in the drop box, Faulkner grabs the plushie and turns around to hand it over to them. That’s when he realized something.

‘Eh…wait. Who should I give the plush to? They both wanted it, right?’ Finding himself in a dilemma, he couldn’t decide who to give the plushie to. No matter who gets it, the other would most likely pout in jealousy.

“Uh…so, Nala, Mala. Which of you two wants the plushie more?” Rather than try to figure it out, he asks them directly.

“Well…we both wanted. But you did win it. So…” Speaking in unison, they grin mischievously.

“You decide!”

“Ah!” While they seemed indecisive, in reality, they simply wanted to mess with Faulkner. It was their nature as Cheshires leaking out. They rarely display behavior associated with their species before due to their nervousness in the past. But thanks to Faulkner’s tutelage and Nakoto’s guidance after, Nala and Mala have, for the most part, gotten out of their shells.

‘H-how am I supposed to pick between the two of you?!’ Debating his options, Mala seemed more frustrated, while Nala was more anxious. Sensing his unease, Nala and Mala chuckle before they wave their right paw in dismissal.

“Aww, we’re just joking! No need to get so worked up over it.”

“Uh-huh! We both want it, but we don’t mind sharing either.” They took the plushie from Faulkner’s grasp, flashing him a toothy grin. They were satisfied seeing him all flustered. However, just getting one didn’t sit right with Faulkner.

“No. That won’t do.” Moving past them, Faulkner puts another coin in the claw machine. “I’ll win another one so you both can have one. I’m proud that you’re both considerate enough to share, but there are times when it’s okay to be a bit selfish…” Taken aback by his unexpected response, Nala and Mala’s hearts skipped a beat. He couldn’t see it since he was too focused on the claw machine, but their faces were bright red in embarrassment.

It took a little over a dozen attempts before Faulkner won another plushie. The whole time he played, Nala and Mala watched silently.

“Here you go.” Handing the other plushie to Mala, they flash Faulkner a softer smile this time around, hugging him from both sides.

“Aww! You’re so sweet, Faulkner!”

“Yeah! So considerate!” Patting them on their heads, Faulkner had just noticed people staring at them. The attention he garnered could be a problem if they recognize Nala and Mala, so he gently nudges them to let go.

“Hehe. Come on, you two. I want to see the other machines here and see if there’s something I can get for Karika and Reiza.” Grabbing the two bags back from Nala, Faulkner explores the second floor for any good Karika and Reiza might be interested in, while Nala and Mala follow him closely.

A few machines did catch his eye. One had an action figure of a character in a video game Karika plays. This machine was more skill-based as it required Faulkner to push a rod through a designated hole. It only took three tries for him to get it, securing Karika’s gift as Nala and Mala clap for him. For these kinds of machines, they need to flag a staff member to collect their prizes. Thankfully, there’s an abundance of on-site staff patrolling the arcade’s halls. With help from one of them, Faulkner thanks them before looking around the other machines for prizes that Reiza might want.

“That was fast.” Mala took over for Nala, carrying bags with their winnings. Nala was content simply watching Faulkner play.

“It helps that this game is about skill and repetition. You just have to be patient and observe.” Roaming around the second floor, they run into another claw machine. The prizes inside were perfect for Reiza.

“Hoodies?” The twins stare at the hoodies on display. Each had different colors and styles to choose from.

“Yup. Reiza collects ones she thinks are cute. I’d like your girl’s input.” Humming in synch, Nala and Mala took a few seconds to think before pointing at the same hoodie.

“This one!” The hoodie they pointed at was different shades of blue with flame designs on it.

“Hmm…good choice. Alright.” Cracking his knuckles, Faulkner honed in and aimed for the blue hoodie. The claw machine’s payout wasn’t great at first, so its grip was too weak to grasp the hoodie he wanted. It took a few more tries before he finally managed to nab it. “Phew…got it…” To make it easier to grasp, the hoodies were rolled into a cylindrical plastic tube. Taking it out, Faulkner checks to see if the hoodie was too small or too large for Reiza.

“Nala, Mala. This hoodie’s not too big or too small for Reiza, right?” The girls only took a glance before nodding.

“Seems right to us.”

“Great. That’s one prize for Karika and Reiza.” He couldn’t see it since he was too busy stuffing Karika and Reiza’s gifts in his bag, but Nala and Mala were pouting from behind. It’s only natural that Faulkner thinks about his two lovers. Still, Nala and Mala couldn’t help but feel frustrated since this was their only free day. And they had him all to themselves, no less. They nod to one another as if they knew what the other was thinking.

‘Tonight, we’ll make our move!’ With a mix of determination and mischievous intent, the twins steel themselves before locking arms with Faulkner.

“Welp, why don’t we go to the third floor now?” Nala stuck to Faulkner’s left arm, while Nala was on his right.

“The arcade games are on the third floor, if I recall.”

“Sure. Let’s go.” Nearly dragged over to the escalator, they head for the third floor. Here, all the machines were arcade games. Some were even monster-friendly to accommodate large-bodied monsters like Centaurs or arachnids. “Wow…there’s quite a lot here. I wonder what we should start wi-” Before he could even finish his sentence, Nala and Mala had already teleported away from Faulkner. By the time he found them, they were ogling a rail-shooter game.

“Ooohhh! This game looks fun!”

“Let’s try it!” Joining the twins, Faulkner crossed his arms, wondering how Nala and Mala would play.

“Uh…not to ruin your enthusiasm, girls. But how do you plan on playing? The trigger guard on the guns doesn’t give enough clearance for your paws to slip through.” With a coy smile, Mala raised her right paw and pointed her finger upwards before waving it side to side.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. That’s not a problem, Faulkner.” Presenting their paws to Faulkner, the part of their forearms that was covered in fur starts to glow a bright purple light. In a blinding flash, the furn around their forearms disappears. As for their paws…

“Tada!” Taking Faulkner by surprise, Nala waves her hands in front of him. They were now like human hands. “This should let us play!” Faulkner had nearly forgotten. Considering they could teleport, it wasn’t far-fetched for Nala and Mala to use transfiguration magic to change parts of their bodies. It requires an advanced form of magic with extensive training to accomplish.

“Huh. That’s impressive. Transfiguration magic’s pretty difficult to perform.”

“It’s only natural that we can do it. Compared to teleportation magic, transfiguration’s nothing.“ Nala bragged about her skills with magic, to which Mala side-eyed her sister in doubt.

“You say that, but we only recently managed to change both of our arms. Not even a week ago, we could only change one of our arms to that of a human…” Mala was more focused on the game they were playing than on bragging, so she ended up outscoring Nala in the first round.

“Hey. It still counts for something.” It was rare to see Nala and Mala argue. They almost always agreed on the same thing. On the rare occasion they butt heads, Erma suggested they flip a coin to decide who was right in that moment.

“Heh, come on, you can do it, Mala.” Cheering her on, Mala’s tail sprang up, causing the back of her dress to lift upwards.

“Yeah! Count on it!” Mala turns around, sparing Faulkner the sight of Mala’s butt. She wore purple striped panties that matched the color and stripes of her fur.

“Uh…sis. You might want to lower your tail.” Nala points at Mala’s rear to get her attention, causing Mala to freeze before turning her head back.

“Eh?” Mala’s face turns red after realizing she was flashing her underwear, causing her to pull her dress down in a panic. “Ah! How embarrassing!” Seeing Mala’s predicament, Faulkner pats her on the head and scratches behind her ears.

“Relax. No one saw aside from your sister. You can do it, Mala.” Purring in delight, Nala bit her lower lip in jealousy before Mala stepped back, handing the toy rifle over to Faulkner.

“Hehe…thanks, Faulkner.” Feeling motivated, Mala steels herself as the twins start with the second round. Seeing Nala and Mala compete the way they did reminded him of Reiza and Karika.

“Yeah! I beat her that time!” This time, Mala came out on top after locking in. Part of what contributed to Mala’s victory came from Nala, who felt spiteful seeing her sister getting attention from Faulkner.

“Grr…” Putting the light gun down, Nala stomps over to Faulkner with her arms down and fingers clenched. “No fair! I want pets too!”

“N-Nala?” Moaning and pouting, Faulkner’s seen this kind of behavior before. Karika would often pout whenever she felt she didn’t get enough attention compared to Reiza.

‘Positive reinforcement is vital for keeping their motivation and happiness up…’ Reaching out to pat Nala on the head, Faulkner took it a step further and brought his other hand under Nala’s chin to scratch it.

“Aaaahhh…that feels nice…” Like Mala, Nala starts purring when Faulkner pets her. The tips of her ears peered through the bundle of hair hiding them from the blonde wig she’s wearing.

“Oh. Nala, your ears.”

“Hmm? Crap!” Nala puts her hands on her head, covering her ears.

“You know, since you girls were wearing wigs, I thought you’d have your ears tucked under them? That, or you could’ve used transfiguration magic and have human ears.” Mala puts her light gun away, chiming in to explain how their wigs work.

“We tried that. But for one, putting the wig over our ears hinders our hearing. And two, our ears are incredibly sensitive. It’d itch and drive us crazy if we did that.” Mala shuddered just thinking about how uncomfortable wearing a wig over her ears would be.

“As for the transfiguration method, we just learned how to do it with our hands and arms. We don’t know how to change our ears yet. So we have these wigs custom-made. The hair around the top of our heads conceals our ears.” At Nala’s gesture, Mala moved some of the thicker orange hair covering the top of her head, showing her cat ears to Faulkner.

“Huh. I guess that makes sense.” Hearing a ‘game over’ prompt behind them, the rail shooter game Nala and Mala were playing timed out, ending their match abruptly in a tie.

“Oops. I guess we took too long…” Rather than risk the twins trying again and getting mad at each other, Faulkner pats them both on the head and thinks of something else they could play.

“It’s alright. I saw another game you two can play together.”

“Oh? What is it?” Leading the way, Faulkner carries their stuff while Nala and Mala follow. He leads them to an air hockey game. Unlike regular air hockey, this one was meant for four players, with two on each side working as a team.

“Air hockey?” Nala and Mala look to each other. They’ve never played the game before, only having observed others do so.

“This one’s a bit different from typical air hockey. I’ve played these types with Karika and Reiza before…” Typically, Faulkner presents himself with a modicum of modesty. But, with air hockey, he smiles with a confident, almost mocking look. “And not once have I lost against them.”

“Ah?!” Nala and Mala both stood in shock. His bold, taunting words lit their competitive spirits. Taking their spots, Nala and Mala glare at Faulkner with determination in their eyes. “We won’t lose!”

“That’s the spirit…” Faulkner genuinely felt proud of his skills in air hockey, but his ploy was to turn the twins against him in hopes of unifying their teamwork. “I’ll start us off…” Getting the puck first, Faulkner took a moment to observe the table and paddles the twins were holding. In a flash, Faulkner’s right hand swipes with a speedy blur. Before Nala and Mala could even react, the puck bounced off the table’s right side before sliding past their paddles.

“What?!” Nala froze in amazement. In that split second, Faulkner had already scored a point.

“S-so fast…” Mala seemed calmer, grabbing the puck from their side after. “Sis…let’s hone in and work as a team…” Naturally, Nala and Mala’s teamwork should give them the edge. Learning from their idol lessons, they have natural mastery over dancing and singing in perfect harmony. When they focus, it’s as if they share one mind and body.

Yet…

“Gah! What is this?!” Despite their teamwork, Faulkner’s skills were just too much. His speed, his reflexes, his eyes, all honed on the puck like a dragonfly to its prey.

“What’s the matter, you two? I thought you had flawless teamwork?” Faulkner genuinely wanted to coax their competitive spirit so they’d work together to beat him. However, as the game went on, the excitement caught up to him. It was a habit born from Karika and Reiza’s naturally competitive spirit. Because of that, he took the game too seriously, ultimately coming out on top with an overwhelming victory.

“This isn’t over!” Rather than sulk after their devastating defeat, Nala and Mala felt humiliated and sought revenge on Faulkner, who looked so smug after beating them.

“Next game!” Tempered by their brutal training regimen to become idols, Nala and Mala persist as they jump from one game to another.

Maria Kart, Gal-Ga, Pak men, and all other manner of rail shooters. It didn’t matter which game they played; it was the same result.

“Your teamwork is flawless, girls. But you both lack skill.” Against Faulkner’s gaming skills, which were finely honed by his desire to win against Karika and Reiza, their efforts were for naught.

“Wh-what’s with this unnatural skill?!” After suffering sweeping defeats again and again, even Mala found herself growling in frustration.

“It’s totally unfair!” Frustration filled them as Faulkner’s demeanor only grew more smug. It was a drastic shift in his behavior. All this just because he hates losing and got caught up in the competition. It seemed they were destined for a complete loss. That was until Nala had an epiphany. “Don’t be so smug, Faulkner. There’s one…No! Two things we’re better at than you…”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Riding off his winning streak, Faulkner wasn’t in his right mind to think straight. So he took Nala’s provocation without hesitation.

“Hehe…” Laughing evilly to herself, Nala leans close to Mala and whispers. Whatever Nala said also raised Mala’s mood. So now, they both carried smug grins on their faces, befitting their Cheshire nature.

“We’ll take our competition on the bottom floor, Faulkner…”

“What? On the crane machines?” Nala’s eyes narrowed in amusement before she shook her head.

“No, silly. There’s a floor beneath the first. Basement floor one…” Faulkner wasn’t even aware there was a basement floor. Following Nala and Mala with their stuff in tow, Faulkner quickly realized why Nala and Mala were so confident all of a sudden.

“Welcome to the basement floor, Faulkner. This is where they have all the rhythm and dancing arcade machines…”

“Aww…fuck…” Just as quickly as it arrived, Faulkner’s smug demeanor, born from his victories, melted away. He knew he was screwed before even starting.

“Oh, here’s a classic. Let’s do Taiko drum first!” Mala points to their first game, which consists of two drums and drumsticks. “The game’s pretty simple. You just have to strike the drums to the beat of the songs. I’ll go first.”

“F-fine. I won’t make this easy…” While he wasn’t the best at them, Faulkner did have some experience playing rhythm games, so he was hoping he wouldn’t get completely curbstomped.

“Oh, don’t hold back on my account, Faulkner.” Starting the game, Mala didn’t hesitate to pick the highest difficulty right off the bat. As soon as the match began, Faulkner was bombarded with fast-moving prompts he could barely keep up with. On top of that, there was more to the game than just striking the drums. Not only did he have to hit the drums quickly, but he had to strike at specific points depending on the prompt. Some would have him strike the outer edge, while others would require him to slide the drumsticks across the rim.

Either way…

“Yay! I won!” The match was over before it even finished. While Mala had a near-perfect score, Faulkner fizzled out a quarter of the way into the song as he missed too many times and got a game over prematurely.*

“Fuck…that was…a lot harder than I thought it’d be…” Looking over at Mala, her kitty-lipped, shit eating grin stung Faulkner in his pride. “Tsk! On to the next game.”

“Alright. I’ll go next. Follow me.” When it was Nala’s turn, she led on and chose another rhythm game. This one has a circular touch screen with eight buttons around the screen. “You’ve seen this game back Zone Zeta, too, right, Faulkner?”

“Yeah, I know how this game works.” Having played it a few times with Karika and Reiza, he only won against Karika because of her poor coordination. Reiza dominates him in this game, even though Reiza admits she’s only half decent at it.

“Good. Then we’ll skip the tutorials and go straight for the action…” Just like Mala, Nala shows Faulkner no mercy, picking the hardest difficulty before they started playing.

“Go, sis!” Cheering Nala on, Mala watched in glee as Faulkner’s hands darted all over the place as he tried to hit the notes in the proper sequence. It didn’t take long before he got overwhelmed and lost before reaching the halfway point.

“Dammit!” On the other hand, as Faulkner turned to watch Nala, her arms moved with such speed and precision that they seemed to blur with inhuman precision. The roles have reversed with Faulkner losing yet again.

“Hah. Easy. There are a few more games to try out here. Are you still with us, Faulkner?”

“Of course. I won’t stop after two humiliating defeats!” True to his word, Faulkner had no desire to stop, even after suffering loss after loss. Halfway through their matches, he calmed down and remembered what led to their competition in the first place. Watching the two cut loose and have fun while embracing their mischievous side as Cheshires, he couldn’t help but smile despite it all.

“Alright! This is where our TRUE talents shine!” Having played most of the rhythm games that relied on hand and finger movements, the next game the twins settled on was DDR.

“Oh…um…” Chuckling nervously, Faulkner was never one for dancing. Let alone dancing in public. “Look. I need a break from the constant losses. I want to see you two dancing together if that’s alright?”

“Eh? Are you being a sore loser now, Faulkner?” Nala and Mala were still milking their victory over Faulkner. They hoped to egg Faulkner into dancing with them to embarrass him.

“It’s alright. I admit my loss. Besides…watching you two play will give me a glimpse at how well you two dance together.” Flashing a genuine smile at them, Nala and Mala’s faces turn red. They couldn’t look Faulkner in the eyes before looking straight down.

“Ah…” Slowly, they brought their heads up and nodded in unison. Nala was the first to take her spot on the left side of the machine.

“Alright. We’ll show you how much we’ve improved. Let’s go, sis!” Offering her hand to Nala, Nala takes her sister’s hand and joins her as she takes the other vacant spot.

“Yeah. Let’s give Faulkner a show.” Undoing their transfiguration spell, Nala and Mala’s arms return to normal. They don’t need the precision that comes with human hands in DDR. Once the game started, they chose the highest difficulty rating and began dancing. The song has a slow build-up, but quickly picks up after a minute. Watching the arrow prompts fly on screen, the only thing that moved faster than the prompts were Nala and Mala’s perfectly synced leg movements. Looking back at Nala and Mala, their movements weren’t the only captivating spectacle to watch.

Their joyous expressions, their giggling, and the healthy bounce in their step. Faulkner’s seen their performances as Natalice and Matilda online, but seeing them dance in person, even if it wasn’t their usual routine, was leagues above what he first saw when they were doing volunteer work at the Kitty Gritty Cafe.

“Yeah! We did it!” Mesmerized by their dancing, Faulkner had only broken through it once the song was over. As soon as Nala and Mala gave each other a high five, Faulkner clapped his hands and congratulated them.

“Hah. Nice work, you two. Honestly, watching you two dance was so captivating, I couldn’t keep my eyes away.”

“Aww, that was nothing. You should see us when we perform as Idols.” Mala closed her eyes, put her paws on her hips, and puffed her chest in pride, a sentiment Nala copied.

“I know. I’ve watched your prior concerts. It’s one thing to see you two perform on screen; it’s another to see it in person.” The twins blush before looking at each other.

“H-how many of our shows did you watch?” While Nala asked first, Mala was just as curious.

“All of them. Ever since I heard about you two becoming idols, I watched everything from your debut up until the latest.” Their cheeks turn a bright shade of red.

“W-well…that’s great! We did a lot of practicing behind the scenes, too.” As happy as it made them, Nala and Mala decide to brush Faulkner’s compliment for now.

“Yeah. But enough about that for now.” Stepping away from her spot, Nala pushed Faulkner on the DDR pad. “For now, let’s see how well you can dance…”

“Wait…uh…” Faulkner was already bad enough in rhythm games, let alone dancing.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to pick a nice, easy dance for us…” Purring with a mocking tone in her voice, Mala picked one of the easiest songs on the easiest difficulty. Seeing her act so smugly riled Faulkner up enough to want to prove her wrong.

“Don’t mock me! I can at least do normal, alright?” Insisting on changing at least the difficulty of the song to normal, the game soon starts with Faulkner already missing the seventh prompt of the song.

“See? I told you we should’ve started with easy…”

“Leave me alone! Just focus on your side!” It was bad enough that Faulkner had no sense of rhythm. However, being one-sidedly beaten by Mala, his abysmally poor dancing skills, and his apparent embarrassment from dancing in public all worked against him. He tapped out before he could make it through half the song. Mala was only paying half attention to her prompts as she mainly focused on watching Faulkner fumble.

“Okay! My turn!” Nala was eager to play against Faulkner when Faulkner suddenly stopped her.

“No! I…I don’t need another embarrassing loss like that…” Now, it was Faulkner’s turn to blush a shade of red. Seeing him blush made Nala and Mala happy…

But it wasn’t enough to satisfy the devious, cheshire nature that awakened in them.

“That’s nice and all, but I want to have my fun with you, too, Faulkner. If it makes you feel better, we don’t have to play DDR.”

“Really? Th-then I’ll play whatever…” Hearing exactly what she wanted to hear, Nala chuckles before she points behind her with her left thumb.

“Alright. Then we’re going to play ‘that’ game next.” Picking another dancing rhythm game for them to play, Faulkner’s jaw hung in disbelief at what Nala picked. In the back of his mind, he cursed himself over and over for agreeing to play again without thinking.

“You’ve heard of this game before, too, right? It’s called Dance aRound.” Using motion capture cameras, this arcade game tracks a person’s movements in real time to ‘accurately’ judge the player’s dancing abilities based on a grade system. It features a large, vertical display with cameras mounted on multiple sides of the machine, capturing the player’s movements when sitting on the designated pad, located a few feet away from the machine.

“Fuck…” With two machines spaced next to each other, Nala took the right machine, while Faulkner took the left. Begrudgingly starting the game, a quick tutorial shows how to play. Players have to mimic the dance moves shown on the vertical screen in sequential order. Once the machines were calibrated to their bodies, the game started.

To Faulkner’s surprise, the game was relatively lax with the movement prompts. There weren’t many dynamic poses needed to follow along. However, he did miss a few prompts since it was his first time playing.

“Yeah! Looking good, sis!” Mala cheers Nala on as Nala dances with more pep in her step. She and Faulkner were playing the same song and dance, but Nala was moving more energetically. Her movements were dynamic and accurate. Faulkner could only look to the side as he was trying to focus on dancing. Thankfully, the scoring system was somewhat forgiving. Tallying their scores, Faulkner was given a B+. Nala’s performance has her at SSS+.

“Wow, not bad, Faulkner. B+ is pretty good for your first time.” Congratulating Faulkner, Mala was genuine that time. Faulkner simply chuckled and dismissed his performance.

“Eh, it’s not a big deal. I honestly thought this game would be harder than DDR, but it’s actually easy. Still, you thoroughly beat me.” Faulkner knew going any further would result in more losses. Moreover, the twins already made up for their losses from the previous floor before the DDR and Dance aRound matches. With one win over him each, he threw in the towel. “In any case, I give up. I’m not as spry as I used to be, so I’m exhausted. You two win…” Turning to each other, Nala and Mala exchanged a knowing stare before taunting Faulkner.

“Really? We call BS on that.” Knowing Karika and Reiza, the twins knew Faulkner was just making excuses to stop before suffering a curbstomping defeat. “Fine. I guess you can take a break and watch us play.” Eager to see them dance again, Faulkner makes way for Mala as the two pick a hard, energetic song to dance to.

Right away, their movements were both fluid and dynamic. With the flexibility afforded to them in Dance aRound, they moved around more like they would during their concerts. Their enthusiastic dance moves caught the attention of other patrons.

“Whoa, look at them go.” Growing quickly in numbers, a sizable crowd soon gathered around Nala and Mala. They cheer them on with fervor as the song they’re dancing to reaches its peak. Their cheers would’ve normally distracted and bothered Nala and Mala at this point. Instead, they twirl and flash a confident smile at the cheering crowd. There wasn’t a trace of fear or anxiety in their faces.

‘Amazing…they’ve come so far compared to the attention they got when they were volunteering at the Kitty Gritty Cafe.’ Seeing them so confident and happy made Faulkner swell with pride. ‘That said, this crowd is a problem if they start recording. Plus…’

“You know…those dance moves kinda look familiar.”

“Right? You don’t think it’s Natalice and Matilda, do you? Those chicks are both Cheshires, after all.” The more observant of the crowds could probably figure out it’s them if they watch Nala and Mala closely enough. Once the song was over, Faulkner approached the twins, patting them on their heads.

“Good job, Nala, Mala.” They return the gesture by hugging him on both sides. Naturally, they attained a very high score on their performance. Mala outperformed Nala, but only by a single-digit margin.

“Heh! Were you impressed by our moves?” Nala more or less ignored the crowd around them, instead focusing on Faulkner. Mala, on the other hand, felt slightly anxious at the possibility of being found out.

“I sure was.” Seeing that all eyes were on them, Faulkner took Nala and Mala by surprise by grabbing the sides of their hips and pulling them closer to himself.

“F-Faulkner?” Mala’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red, embarrassed at the sudden close contact. Nala was all for it and hugged him even tighter.

“Oh. That guy must be their boyfriend.”

“Yeah. Natalice and Matilda are single, after all.” It’s only through overhearing the crowd around them that Mala caught onto Faulkner’s plan.

“Come on, you two. I’m sure you’re both hungry by now.” Grabbing their bags, Nala and Mala follow Faulkner close behind, playing the charade as his boyfriend till they were out of sight from the crowd.

“That was close…I thought they’d figure us out…” Mala let out a sigh of relief as she clung to Faulkner’s left side.

“Yeah. That’s why I approached you two the way I did after. As much as I would’ve loved to see you two dance more, the risk of being exposed to the public wasn’t worth it.” Letting go of Faulkner from her side, Nala walked in front of Faulkner with a kitty-lipped grin.

“Whether they got close or not, it doesn’t matter. Those folks only got to see half of what we’re capable of anyway.” Confused, Faulkner raised his right brow before Mala gasped knowingly.

“Oh. That’s right. There’s one other place we want to go to.”

“Where’s that?” Grabbing his arm afterward, Nala, along with Mala, dragged Faulkner with them as they eventually led him to a hole in the wall Karaoke bar.

“Welcome, dear guests.” Greeted by a peppy Succubus cashier, her modest business suit attire did little to hide her curvaceous body. Nala smiles back at the cashier before holding three fingers up.

“Hello. We’d like a room for three. We’ll rent the room for three hours.” Typing away at her computer, the cashier checks the system for any available rooms.

“Are there any specific rooms you’d like? We have two rooms on the fifth floor and one room on the seventh floor available.”

“We’ll take the one on the seventh floor. Oh, and we’ll have unlimited alcoholic drinks in that room.”

“Oh? Understood. I’ll book you three right away.” Waiting a few seconds after the cashier types in their order, a small piece of paper emerges from a printer next to the register. She places it on a small clipboard before handing it to Nala.

“Here you are. Just follow the elevator down the hall. Stairs are on the right if you prefer to use those.” Using her tail, the cashier points Faulkner and the twins to the hallway leading to the elevator.

“Thank you.” Faulkner bows to the cashier before being tugged along by Nala and Mala. The cashier waves back at the three with a smile.

“Heh…” As soon as they were out of view, the cashier’s eyes narrowed as her smile turned sultry. “Enjoy your stay, sir…”

Passing through the hallway, they pass through several rooms. They could faintly hear the sounds of people singing in each one. Sticking close to Faulkner, he pressed the call elevator button. Once inside the elevator, Nala and Mala exchange knowing glances with Faulkner, oblivious to it all.

“I take it you two felt the urge to sing?” Breaking the silence, they look up at Faulkner and nod.

“Yup. After all, if we dance, we might as well sing too.”

“Not that we could in public. People would recognize us right away. That’s why a Karaoke bar’s perfect for filling that need without risk of exposure.”

“Right. That makes sense. I’ve heard some of the songs you girls sang. I can’t wait to hear you two sing in person.” Unintentionally hyping them up, Nala and Mala swell with excitement before reaching the seventh floor. Once they found their assigned room, Faulkner was surprised at what he saw inside. Compared to the space in Aphrodishiack, the karaoke bars in Japan were relatively small. However, the lively decor more than made up for the tight space as the soundproofed walls were lined with vibrant colors.

“Huh. Smaller than I expected. ” The spacious couches hugging the right and bottom side of the room’s walls offered great vantage points for the large, forty-seven-inch TV. At the bottom of the wall-mounted TV was an impressive karaoke machine with the latest sound system.

“Wow, they have the same equipment as the ones in our studio, sis.”

“Nice! Only the best equipment can do our voices justice!” Sitting right in the middle of the room is a wide, rectangular table. There’s a total of four microphones of various colors sitting on top of the menu and promotional pamphlets. Nala and Mala take their spots on the couch to the right, making space between themselves for Faulkner.

“Interesting. They have plastic wraps over the microphones…” Faulkner took the yellow microphone in hand, plucking the plastic cover off. Nala, who sat closest to the karaoke machine, took a tablet sitting on top of the machine.

“They put those on microphones each time they clean them. No one wants to use a dirty microphone covered in someone else’s spit.” Turning the TV and karaoke machine on, Mala takes the blue microphone while Nala sets up the machine.

“Okay. We can order our drinks from this tablet. What’re you getting, Faulkner?” Looking past Nala’s shoulder, the drinks available from the unlimited drinks list were fairly limited, but what was there was all solid choices.

“Most of the beers they have here are pretty light. Thankfully, there seems to be at least one dark stout among them. I’ll take that one.”

“Eh? You like stout beer?” Taking Faulkner by surprise, Mala jumps on Faulkner’s back from behind, peeking over his left shoulder. “I always thought that stuff tastes too bitter. Sis, you know what beer to get for us, right?”

“I do, don’t worry.” Shortly after entering their drinks, their stomachs growled in near unison. The soundproofing in the room makes it easy to pick up the sound their stomachs made, causing Faulkner to laugh.

“Why don’t you order some food while you’re at it, too? I’m hungry myself, to be perfectly honest.” He couldn’t see it since Mala was behind him and Nala was in front, but their faces were bright red from embarrassment. That said, Faulkner didn’t need to see their faces as Nala’s drooping ears were enough for him to go with.

“Y-yeah! Sure. A lot of the stuff they have here is appetizer-like foods. But they do have a few filling options as well.” Looking at the menu together, they all decide on a platter of Chicken Karage, a side of Takoyaki, and the chef’s sushi platter.

“There. Our order’s placed. Now, why don’t we sing to pass some time?” At Nala’s suggestion, she and Mala turn to Faulkner.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You’ve heard us sing from watching our performances online, right? On the other hand, we haven’t heard you sing in forever!” Nala flicks the tablet over to Faulkner. Hesitantly picking up the tablet, Faulkner goes through the list of songs. Thankfully, there’s a generous amount of Western songs for Faulkner to sing to.

“Huh? They have Journey here. Alright, I think I found something.” Feeling a little more confident in finding a song he likes, Faulkner stood up and moved next to the TV. The song Faulkner chose was Separate Ways by Journey. Nala and Mala turn to each other, surprised at what he picked.

“♪Here we stand. Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two.♪” Taken by surprise, Nala and Mala’s ears perked up listening to Faulkner sing. The tone of his voice and his rhythm were on point, but he was physically stiff the whole time he sang as he poured his efforts into singing in tune.

“Yeah, go, Faulkner!” Mala cheers Faulkner on while Nala fights the urge to sing along with him. By the time he finished singing, they heard a knock on the door before a Devil server came in with their drinks.

“Hello, dear guests. I have your drinks here.” Dressed in the same business suit as the receptionist, she carried their drinks on a silver platter before placing the large mugs of beer at the table. “I’ll be back with your meals as soon as they’re ready.” As quickly as she appeared, the Devil gave them a bow before leaving. Faulkner finished singing soon after.

“Phew…how’d I do…” Scoring him based on tone consistency and lyric accuracy, Faulkner scored a respectable ninety-two points. “Huh. Not bad at all. Though if I were to ask the real experts here…” Faulkner glances at Nala and Mala. Both of whom took healthy chugs of their drinks.

“Puwah! Aaahhh. You did pretty well, Faulkner.” Handing Faulkner his glass, Nala raises hers and cheers with Faulkner before he does the same with Mala shortly after.

“Uh-huh. The grading system in the karaoke machines in Japan is a little stricter than elsewhere, so getting a score over ninety is pretty good.” Mala takes another chug of her drink before gesturing for Faulkner for the mic. “Now it’s my turn.”

“Oh yeah? Alright? Show me.” Grabbing her blue mic, Mala sifts through the list of songs on the touch pad. Choosing to sing individually first, Mala picked a song from an isekai anime.

“No man’s dawn. Heh.” Nala recognized the song, but chose to stay quiet and let Mala’s singing do the talking. While the song is J-pop, its melody is more melodic than most J-pop songs. Matching the song’s tone, Mala’s angelic voice carried the song through its softer notes. Yet, when the highlights of the song hit, her volume and tone rose to match. Coupled with her smooth, graceful movements, Faulkner imagines Mala in her idol wear. This left Faulkner almost unwilling to drink as he focused all his attention on listening to Mala sing.

Faulkner’s enamored gaze didn’t go unnoticed as Nala pouts away from his periphery. When Mala finished, she took a deep breath before scoring a perfect one hundred score.

“That was fantastic, Mala. You’re voice is so soft, yet has so much presence when hitting the higher notes.” With Faulkner’s genuine compliment and smile, Mala couldn’t help but hum in glee. Her ears folded while her tail swung around happily.

“Alright, sis. It’s my turn now…” Cutting in before Mala’s ego got to her, Nala took the purple mic and tablet, picking an unexpected, but more upbeat song from the list sung by a virtual J-pop idol popular in Japan.

“Pomp and Circumstance. This song’s normally sung in a group, but it can be soloed too.” Starting the song, Faulkner’s face flushed a deep red only seconds after the music began. Both the lewd close-ups of the singers’ lips and their suggestive moans caught him off guard before Nala started singing. Energetic and quick-paced, Nala danced along to the song, often making eye contact with Faulkner. Both the intensity and rhythm kept him on the edge of his seat, finding himself too enamored once more to take a sip of his drink. It’s a shame Nala wasn’t wearing her idol costume, as it would’ve accentuated her dancing, Faulkner thought.

“Hmpff…” Pouting in slight jealousy, Nala finishes the song with a perfect score, just like Mala.

“Nice. That song was unexpected, but it definitely fits you.”

“Why, thank you.” Nala glanced at her sister, Mala, sticking out her tongue as if she had won a non-existent battle.

“Oh, sis, that was good and all, but did I hear a crack in your voice in the last verse of the song? All that moving must’ve exhausted your stamina more than you realized.” Unwilling to take Mala’s retort unchallenged, Nala sneered before crossing her arms together, staring down at Mala.

“You caught that, did you? Well, I noticed earlier that your lack of movement and softer tone suggest you have less stamina than I do. I hope you won’t bog me down when we sing together…” Again, Nala and Mala get into an argument. Faulkner’s more than familiar with a scene like this, given Karika and Reiza often argue. Still, Nala and Mala are usually more supportive of each other than antagonistic. He’s faintly aware of why they’re like this. Before their argument escalates, the Devil server from earlier returns with their dishes.

“Sorry for the wait. I have an order of Chicken Karage, a side of Takoyaki, and the Chef’s Sushi platter.” Setting the dishes one at a time, Nala and Mala’s little spat came to a halt when they looked at the dishes. They weren’t anything special to write home about, but their hunger made the dishes sparkle in their eyes. “Enjoy your stay.” Giving them a brief bow, the Devil server leaves the room.

“Wow. Those look pretty good. Time to dig in.” At Faulkner’s signal, Nala and Mala go for the sushi first. Nala took the fatty tuna nigiri, while Mala took the fatty salmon nigiri. Both reacted with a hum of glee.

“Hmm! So good!” Faulkner partakes in the chicken karage himself, humming in delight at how light and crisp the batter is compared to Western fried chicken.

“The chicken’s damn good, too. I didn’t think a light, crispy batter would work for chicken, but it does.” Getting their chance to fill their bellies, Faulkner finally took a hearty chug of his beer, sighing contentedly at the taste. “Phew! This beer’s pretty damn good! I might have to get this stuff imported once I get back home!” For a brief moment, one so brief that Faulkner couldn’t have noticed between drinking and eating, Nala and Mala bit their bottom lip before smiling again.

“There are lots of good dishes for you to try while you’re here, Faulkner! Here, try the sushi! It’s leagues above the ones you’d get in America!” Taking the initiative, Nala grabs another fatty tuna nigiri in her paws before bringing it close to Faulkner’s mouth. Mala frowned, seeing Nala take initiative before grabbing another fatty salmon nigiri, shoving Nala away to feed Faulkner.

“No, try this one first!”

“R-relax, girls? I’ll try them.” Since it was closer, Faulkner took Nala’s fatty tuna nigiri first. “Hmm…that tastes really good.”

“Doesn’t it?” Smiling as if she’s won, Mala doesn’t even wait for Faulkner to finish chewing before she hand-feeds him her fatty salmon nigiri.

“What about this one?”

“Hmppf?!” initially surprised, Faulkner recovered quickly and took the nigiri into his mouth. Since Mala took a more forceful measure, he unintentionally licks her paw. While he didn’t notice it himself, Mala recoiled almost immediately, holding her right paw in her left before shooting Nala a snide smile.

“This one’s pretty good, too. I can’t decide what I like more.” This time, Nala and Mala pout in unison, grumbling in discontent before they crowd together, smushing their faces against one another cheek to cheek, close to his face.

“That’s not what we wanted to hear!”

“S–somehow, this feels too familiar…” Trying to calm them down, Faulkner grabs the plate of Takoyaki and presents it to them. “Come on. Let’s try the Takoyaki next. This stuff’s best when it’s still hot.” Popping one into his mouth, regret immediately hits him as he opens his mouth, blowing on the Takoyaki he had just put in his mouth, desperately trying to cool it off.

“Why would you put one in your mouth without blowing on it first? Of course it’s going to be hot…” Nala stated in an unapologetically sarcastic tone.

“I dunno. It tastes pretty good to me…” Mala, on the other hand, was utterly unfazed as she hummed in glee. “Overpriced or not, these Takoyaki are pretty good…”

“Eh…and you just have no concept of pain…” Considering the lightheartedness of the situation, it’s been a few weeks since she and Mala could cut loose like this. Nala couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter.

“Sis?”

“Hehe…sorry. It’s just…man…it’s been a while since we’ve gotten to relax like this, huh?”

“True! I already feel all the stress we built up melt away!” Infectious as smiles can be, Faulkner couldn’t help but chuckle with them. He takes a sip of his beer before picking up the mic again.

“Well, we’ve barely used an hour of our time, let’s have some more fun and sing some more.” Looking at each other, Nala and Mala cheer Faulkner on as they’re more than eager to hear him sing some more.

“Yeah! You go, Faulkner!” For the next hour, the three of them took turns singing. Faulkner mainly chose Western songs. Nala and Mala sang songs from a wide variety of genres, from rock to operatic. They had gone through their first drinks and gotten refills by the time half of their allotted time had passed. Just before it was Faulkner’s turn again, a thought crossed his mind.

“You know…I’ve seen you two dance together earlier in the arcade. Now…I want to hear you two sing together.” Seeming hesitant, Nala and Mala shrug their shoulders before nodding to one another.

“Well, it would’ve been more surprising if you saw us perform at the concert.”

“Then again, it’s not like we have to sing ‘that’ particular song yet. Let’s pick something we can sing together then, sis.”

“Right!” Huddling together, Nala and Mala sift through a list of songs on the tablet. Eventually, they settle on a song from a mobile game that had recently gained international popularity. They take their place in front of the TV with Nala on the left and Mala on the right. The title of the song soon pops onto the screen.

“Sunbeam cheer? Can’t say I’ve heard of that one before?” Listening intently, the first notes of the song already gave away its uplifting nature. Nala was the first to sing with a bright, high-pitched tone. And while he had never heard of the song before, their choreography as they moved around already gave Faulkner an idea of when Mala would pick up. Sure enough, Mala takes over for a moment, singing in a more melodic, softer tone. Then, as the song picked up in tempo, Nala and Mala sang in unison, moving closer to one another until they linked their dominant paws together.

“Aaahh…” Unknowingly scooting forward, Faulkner was on the edge of his seat as Nala and Mala danced whilst singing. There was just enough room between the TV and the table for the twins to twirl. Their tails bend and swish in perfect harmony, matching shape, but not direction. They wink at Faulkner, forming a cute heart shape with their paws. It’s a shame they weren’t in costume since it would have accentuated their movements more fluidly. Still, their performance up until the end left him enamored more than he was ready for.

As the song reaches its climax, they slowly wrap their arms around each other’s waist before pulling themselves close together. Then, just as their lips were about to meet, they moved their heads down, bumping foreheads just before the song ended.

“…wow…just…wow…” Naturally, the twins scored a perfect score on screen before hugging one another.

“That was great, sis!”

“Yup. Another stellar performance!” They were overjoyed having sang and danced in synch on the spot. It shows they’re more than ready for their upcoming concert. It helps that they were performing in front of Faulkner, the one person they wanted to impress most. So when they turned to see his reaction, they cocked their heads in confusion when they saw him staring blankly with his mouth slightly agape.

“Faulkner?” They had dazzled him through their performance to such a degree that he initially couldn’t hear them. It wasn’t until they brought their faces close to his that he finally noticed them. “Faulkner, hey!” They call out to him together, making him flinch.

“Ah! S-sorry. I was just so captivated by you two that I was left speechless.” His earnest praise was expected, but Nala and Mala still blushed before giving him space.

“Oh, come on. You’re just exaggerating!” Mala waved her hand dismissively, unwilling to let his praise get to her head.

“You should see us once we’re at the Tokyo Dome stage! That’ll leave you truly breathless!” Nala took Faulkner’s compliment in stride, eager to show him a better performance at the Tokyo Dome.

“You two usually agree on the same thing, so it’s pretty funny hearing two different answers from you two.” Nala and Mala didn’t expect that kind of response from Faulkner. Seeing their confusion, he sighs before elaborating. “Compared to when I first met you two, I never would’ve imagined you girls would have the confidence to dance and sing in front of such large crowds. Heh. I know the phrase ‘they grow up so fast’ typically applies to parents with their children, but I can’t help but swell with pride seeing how far you two have come.” Noticing something different with Faulkner’s smile, Nala and Mala felt their hearts fill with soft, soothing heat that made them clutch their chests.

“Girls?” His words of pride, his genuine smile. Their feelings of affection for Faulkner reached their fever pitch before they steeled themselves for what was to come. But before that, they needed a little more push. Without saying a word, Nala and Mala grab their beer mugs. They start to chug hard, tilting their heads back as they empty their drinks before slamming them down onto the table.

“Whoa! Hey now, I know those are just beers, but that’s still a lot to drink all at once!”

“Puwah!” The twins exhale loudly shortly after. The thirty-five-ounce mugs were no easy task to drink all at once. And while the alcohol content of the beers was relatively low, so was their alcohol tolerance. That and those were their second beers.

“Aaahh…hic!” It was subtle, but Faulkner could hear the twins’ purring engine running. Nala was the first to make her move, moving in from Faulkner on his left.

“Faulkner…”

“Eh?!” The flushed look on her face, the slow winking, and the way her ears and tail limply swayed side to side, he knew where things were going. Before he could attempt escape through his right, Mala was already there, blocking his path. “Oh crap…” Trapped on both sides, he couldn’t escape in front, either, with the table in the way. He could climb over it, but then he’d have to maneuver through the plates and mugs. And he’s too tall to crawl under. The only solution left for him was to persuade them to calm down.

“Look…Nala, Mala. You’re both drunk. Why don’t you two calm down and-”

“We are calm…” They interrupted Faulkner before he could even finish his sentence. Mala was the first to lean in this time, rubbing her cheeks against Faulkner’s right shoulder.

“To be honest…we’ve been so stressed. Day in…day out. We’d practice nearly every day, only getting one break a week.” Aside from pouting, Mala’s tone made it clear that she had been bottling up her frustrations.

“We also miss everyone back home. Zedrada, Chelsy, Tera, Kilala. Heck, even Erma. We miss everyone…” Rather than occupy his left shoulder, Nala instead lies on Faulkner’s lap. She grabs his left hand, pulling it toward the top of her head between her ears. Without asking, Faulkner knew what she wanted from him before he started petting her, causing Nala to purr louder.

Maybe Faulkner read them wrong. After using up all their energy having fun at the arcade, they probably just wanted some time to relax and vent now that they’re alone. Knowing them, he figured Nala and Mala wanted praise for a job well done.

“I get that. And you know, the girls back in Cali miss you both, too. They’re going to watch you two very closely on your Tokyo Dome debut performance.” While petting Nala on her head, Faulkner turns his attention to Mala, scratching behind her ears. “Of course, the same goes for me. You’ve both blossomed so much in only two years. Good job, Nala, Mala. I’m proud of you both.” Hearing his earnest praise, Nala and Mala’s ears perked up. Mala looks at Nala from below, while Nala looks at Mala from above. They smile at one another.

____________________

“H-holy crap! We’re so high up!” Just around eight in the evening, Karika, Reiza, and Fereida were on an elevator as they moved to the highest floor in the Skytree tower in Tokyo. They originally planned to visit more places after arriving at Skytree Tower at two in the afternoon. But they were distracted by the shopping district and the aquarium. By the time they realized how much time had passed, it was already seven in the evening. That’s when they shift gears and book tickets for the last tour of the Skytree tower for the Tembo Deck and Galleria combo.

“Man, of all the things we did today, I think learning that you have a fear of heights has GOT to be the highlight of my day…” Clinging closely to Reiza from behind, Karika’s shaky legs were making it hard for Reiza to stand still.

“Can you not cling so tightly, porky? I can barely stand…” If it weren’t for the other people around them, Reiza would’ve spoken more loudly. But out of consideration for them, she kept her voice down. Fereida wasn’t as considerate as she was barely able to hold her laughter in.

“Pfft! If you’re such a pussy when it comes to heights, why didn’t you just stay behind on the ground floor?”

“Shut up, half-pint. I’m not about to be left behind in our girls’ night out.” While Karika retorted with a snap, she kept her eyes closed the whole time. When they finally reached the highest peak they could on the tower, Reiza had to drag Karika with her out of the elevator.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” At four hundred and fifty meters off ground level, the nighttime view of Tokyo was a sight to behold. From that height, the lights emanating from the surrounding buildings sparkled brightly. Fereida took her phone out to take some photos.

“Come on…open your eyes already, Porky. You’re missing a hell of a view clinging to me like this…” Reiza would’ve done the same thing, but Karika had her arms firmly wrapped around Reiza’s shoulders, effectively pinning Reiza’s arms to her sides.

“Nuh-uh! I can already feel just how high up we are! There’s no way I’m letting go. What if I fall?! I don’t have wings, but you and Fereida do.” Using any excuse she could think of to cling onto Reiza, the flames on Reiza’s horns and tail glow orange in irritation before wrapping her tail around Karika’s waist in a futile attempt to yank her off.

“We’re inside the damn tower, porky. There’s zero chance of that happening.”

“You don’t know that. What if the windows break?” Clinging even tighter around Reiza, Karika uses her tail and wraps it around Reiza’s right leg. Fereida was too caught up in the view to care about Reiza and Karika’s squabble. But as late as it was, a thought crossed Fereida’s mind before she turned to face them both.

“So…you two sure leavin’ Faulkner alone with Nala and Mala?” In that moment, Karika stopped shaking. Her ears and tail relax before going limp. “I know it’s late to guess second that now, but if I had to guess what’s happening right now…”

“They’re fine. What happens, happens.” Karika said dryly. “There’s no point regretting it now.”

“Really? You don’t sound too sure of that. What if they end up winning his heart like Reiza did?” With Karika’s grip finally loosened, Reiza took this chance to free herself by ducking, slipping through Karika’s embrace.

“I don’t think that’ll happen. Faulkner will probably have sex with Nala and Mala. But I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a one-time thing.” Unlike Karika, Reiza wasn’t so sure if what Nala and Mala want is to be together with Faulkner.

“I get where those two are coming from. Imagine seeing the one person you love after a two-year separation. What would you do, Fereida?” Karika retorts, confident that she’s right.

“I mean…I’d say I’d jump their bones, but that person’s in a relationship with another. And in Faulkner’s case, with you two. It just strikes me as odd. I remember when you were gatekeeping everyone from Faulkner after they started dating each other. Then, when Reiza came into the picture, you suddenly conceded. I just don’t get how you two are so lenient with it…” Forgetting her fear of heights for a moment, Karika leans into the metal railing and stares out into the distance.

“Fereida…you know why I liked to be the center of attention back then, right?” Without context, Fereida would’ve easily laughed that question off. But she knows what Karika was getting at. “It’s because I wanted companionship. I mean…feeling like a boss feels nice too. The point is, I know how painful it is to feel left out. They probably won’t admit it, but I bet they’ve been lonely all this time. And that’s on top of the stress that comes with their job. So, if Faulkner does end up accepting them, I can see myself accepting them too, given time and some boundaries…” Standing by her word, Karika seemed unflinching, only for her legs to shake once she looked down.

“Heh..right. Well, okay. You seem convinced Nala and Mala will join you two, but Reiza thinks differently.” Sighing after seeing Karika’s legs wobble, Reiza taps Karika on her left shoulder, offering her right hand before Karika takes it, holding on tight.

“If you ask me, Nala and Mala most likely just need a release. Popping their cherries will probably help them destress. That and scratch an itch. And by itch I mean fuck Faulkner. They’ll likely be satisfied after that and move on…”

“Okay, why do you think that?”

“Because I can relate. When I first met Faulkner, I just wanted to sleep with his ass to mess with Porky here.” Karika frowned at first, but quickly closed her eyes and huddled close to Reiza after getting another glance out the window. “But getting to know her and Faulkner afterward, I genuinely felt the desire to be with him to see if sleeping with him would be different compared to when I slept around with others.”

“Wait, if that’s what you’re suggesting, wouldn’t that lead to the same conclusion as Karika’s?” Fereida was understandably confused. The way Reiza worded things, she thought she was saying the same thing as Karika was.

“No. What I’m saying is that once those two get it out of their systems, they’ll likely be able to move on. From what I can guess, they probably don’t know if they genuinely love Faulkner or not until they have sex with him. Maybe they only feel like they love him because they haven’t experienced it yet? With that in mind, I’m leaning toward them feeling satisfied after, clearing their doubts so they can move on and find someone to love truly.”

“Oh…okay…” Clarifying Fereida’s misunderstanding, she put her left hand out in front before bopping her palm with her right hand clenched into a fist.

“With that in mind, Fereida.” Reiza’s eyes narrowed before her voice took a serious tone. “Between Karika and me, which of us do you think is right? You’ve been around Nala and Mala for quite a while, so you surely know how they feel more than we do.” Hearing Karika and Reiza’s thoughts, Fereida crossed her arms to think.

____________________

Huddled closely against Faulkner, Nala kept herself comfortable on Faulkner’s lap. Mala was equally comfortable leaning against his right shoulder.

“Okay…why don’t we order a glass of water to help sober you two u-aaahh!” Without warning, Faulkner felt something wet and rough on his stomach. Looking down, Nala had pulled his shirt up, exposing his abs, and started licking him there. “Wh-what’re you doing, Nala?! S-Stop that!” Reaching with his right hand to stop Nala, Mala grabs his wrist before he can stop Nala. He turns his attention to Mala as she brings her lips close to his.

“Faulkner…” Uttering his name softly, Mala closes the gap and kisses him.

“Hmpppfff!” It wasn’t just a light peck. Mala pushed her lips more onto Faulkner’s as he felt her tongue slip between them. He tried to deny her entry, but when Nala from below dragged her tongue up toward his chest, the rough texture of her tongue made him gasp, giving Mala the clearance needed to kiss him deeply.

“We’re sorry, Faulkner. But we can’t hold back anymore…” Nala pulls Faulkner’s shirt up even more, dragging her tongue all over his chest. Combined with Mala’s deep kiss, their dual oral assault left Faulkner at the mercy of their whims. By the time they pulled away from him, Faulkner was left taking deep breaths. His chest is slick with Nala’s saliva, while the taste of beer lingers in his mouth from Nala’s kiss.

“Mlaaahh…we…we’re so pent up. So…even if it’s just this once…” Stopping mid-sentence, Mala began to strip her dress, starting with the straps on her shoulders. Her bra’s patterns match her striped panties.

“We want to make this night…memorable…” Following Mala’s lead, Nala strips as well until she has nothing on but a purple lace bra and panties.

“Nala…Mala.” Still taken aback by their sudden, bold advances, he felt a pressure between his legs. Looking down, Nala had bitten down on the zipper of Faulkner’s pants. With a deft pull, Faulkner’s erection tents proudly against his boxers. “Whoa! Nala! W-we can’t! ‘I’ can’t! Reiza and Karika would never-” Nipping at his right earlobe, Faulkner gasps before Mala whispers into his ear.

“Ah…but they would. Otherwise…they wouldn’t have left you with us…” Pulling herself away, Mala eyes the bulge in Faulkner’s boxers. Seeing it twitch in arousal has roused her and Nala’s resolve. The heat of their bodies, the loud purring, at the back of his mind, Faulkner suspected this could happen. And while he didn’t know it, Karika and Reiza had foreseen and expected this outcome. If what Mala said was true, then maybe, just this once, he could indulge the Cheshire twins in their wish.

“Please…Faulkner, just for this one night.” Nala and Mala spoke in unison, unflinching and eager to lose their virginity to Faulkner.

(Next Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-26/)

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