An Arrival of a Rival. CH 28

(Previous Chapter: https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-27/)

Chapter 28

A Nice change of pace.

“Well, come on. I’m waiting…” The tension in the air was palpable. Right now, a crowd of curious onlookers encircles Karika and Helleina. Reiza was helpless to stop Karika, knowing Karika had already made up her mind. Slowly, Karika approached Helleina. Her right fist clenched to its limit.

“Balrog, huh? You probably think you’re hot shit because you’ve never gotten your teeth knocked out, have you?”

“I don’t think I’m hot shit. I am one. Literally…” The air around them heats up even more, causing everyone within proximity to sweat. The air Karika breathed felt dry, making each intake of breath painful. “Forget about broken bones, I might burn you to a crisp before you even get a chance to land a swing…”

“You wanna bet?” Crouching, Karika’s wardrobe woes were all but forgotten as she flexed her calves. Bending her knees, she clenches her right fist before twisting her hips backward, winding herself for a lunging straight.

“Pffftt! Hah, seriously? You’re choreographing your attack so easily? Well, that’s fine.” Unfazed, Helleina didn’t take any stances. Instead, she rears her whip-like tail like a snake, ready to strike. Just when Karika was about to lunge, Andrea, one of the Pyrows in Helleina’s group, called out to her.

“Boss!” Holding a flip phone in her right hand, Helleina noticed the flames on Anrea’s horns were a pale red color.

“What now, Andrea? Can’t you see what’s about to happen here?”

“I-I do. Th-that’s why there’s someone on the phone who’d like to talk to you.”

“Can’t it wait?” Helleina saw beads of sweat on Anrea’s forehead as she shook her head. Andrea wasn’t sweating because she was hot. Andrea was breaking out into a cold sweat. “Fine…” Taking the phone from Andrea’s hand, Helleina let out an annoyed sigh. “Hello, who is this?”

“…” Still poised to strike, Karika was too far to hear who Helleina was talking to.

“Oh, hey. What’s up, Emmet? Huh? How’d you know I’m about to get into a fight? If you’re worried about collateral damage, I’ll…” Trailing off, Helleina raised her right brow at what the other person on the phone, Emmet, was saying.

“What’s going on…” Reiza, on edge, saw her chance while Helleina was on the phone and approached Karika. “Sis. Come on, we shouldn’t get into trouble while we’re here.”

“But…the things this bitch said…”

“They’re just words…” Seeing as Reiza wasn’t going to back down, Karika relaxed and broke her stance, standing straight before looking back at Helleina.

“What, you’re serious? Who’d vouch for these losers?” Whomever’s name Emmet brought up made Helleina flinch before the flames on her tail extinguished on their own. “No way….” Helleina fixed her gaze on Karika, Reiza, and Faulkner. “Who are these people?” Helleina listened closely for a few more seconds before begrudgingly nodding. “Fine…” Hanging up, she hands the phone back to Andrea.

“What’s the matter? Having second thoughts?” While Karika knew better, she couldn’t help but taunt Hellina.

“Don’t press your luck, pig. I dunno who you people are, but you lot aren’t worth the trouble.” Too unbothered to elaborate, Helleina turns around, raising her left arm. “Girls, let’s move.” Helleina gestures to the other Pyrows in her group to follow.

“Yes, boss!” The other Pyrows, including Andrea, spoke in synch before grouping around Helleina. Before walking away, Helleina turns her head to face Karika one last time. “Don’t cause any trouble in my district, and I’ll leave you guys alone. See ya…” Waving goodbye, Helleina starts to walk away, disappearing into the crowd that gathered around them. Once they were out of sight, people started walking about in Kabukicho as usual, leaving Karika confused and somewhat dissatisfied.

“Huh…wh-what happened?” While Karika stood there in confusion, Reiza let out a sigh of relief, slumping against Karika with Faulkner approaching them from behind.

“I don’t know. But, it seems we averted a crisis…” Karika kept staring in the direction Helleina left until she felt Reiza’s arms wrap around her waist, prompting Karika to look down before returning the hug. “I’m happy you’re here to defend me. But please…don’t get into fights you can’t win…”

“Ouch. You doubt me that much?” Karika was still feeling a rush of adrenaline from earlier, so she hadn’t noticed Helleina had burned her wrist from earlier, leaving it red and raw. It wasn’t an intentional burn, but rather a byproduct of mere physical contact.

“Reiza’s right. I’m glad you jumped in her defense, but you shouldn’t incite a fight either, especially if you’re a foreigner.” Hugging them from behind, Faulkner moved his right hand to Karika’s left ear before pinching the tip.

“Ack!”

“But, don’t ever instigate a fight like that again! We’re here to have fun, not cause trouble!”

“Owowowowow!” Stepping in place, Faulkner lets go after Karika got the message. “Ouch…that hurt…”

“You’re lucky things ended the way they did. The last thing we need is to get in trouble here in Japan…” Pulling away from Karika, Reiza looks in the direction Helleina left, wondering why she suddenly walked away.

“Not that I’m complaining, but I wonder why she suddenly decided to back away?”

“I’m not sure. And honestly, I don’t care. Let’s just be grateful things didn’t escalate beyond that.” Faulkner then pats Reiza on the head to reassure her. “For now, let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

“Oww…dammit. Did you have to pinch that hard, Faulkner?” Karika was still complaining about getting her left ear, rubbing it to soothe the pain.

“Don’t be so dramatic. You tussled with that Helleina woman not too long ago. A pinch on the ear’s nothing compared to that, right?”

“My ears are far more sensitive than my wrists, Faulkner. You gotta treat them delicately…” Looking at her wrists, Faulkner had just noticed how red and raw Karika’s right wrist was.

“Karika, your right wrist.”

“Hmm?” Staring at her wrist, the dull pain finally registered once she saw it. “Oh, I didn’t even notice. It kinda stings, but it’s otherwise alright.”

“Are you sure? Let me see.” Reiza grabs Karika’s right hand, pulling it toward her to inspect her wrist. “Your skin’s red around the places Helleina grabbed. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Uh-huh. It just feels like a sunburn. It’ll go away within a day. More importantly, don’t we have somewhere to be? Like a bar and a love hotel?” Wanting to steer away from the subject, Karika wraps her arms around Reiza and Faulkner. “Let’s forget about what happened and move on, yeah?”

“You’re the one who nearly got us into deeper shit.” Reiza scolded before sighing. Then, rolling her eyes, she smiles and tugs Faulkner’s right arm again. “Alright. Where were we, Gaijin-san?”

“Wah? W-we’re still committing to this bit?” Faulkner saw no point now that the people around them know who they are. Even so, Reiza paid it no mind.

“That only applies to the people who were around at the time. We’ll walk by plenty of others who don’t know who we are. Besides, it’s fun to fuck with you like this. Right, sis?” Looking over at Karika for her input, Karika nods in response, wrapping her arms around Faulkner’s left arm.

“That’s right, sis. We’re going to give Gaijin-sama here a night he’ll never forget…” With two incredibly hot gyaru’s sandwiching him, all Faulkner could do was smile nervously.

“Ehehe…I…I’m counting on you, ladies.” With that, they start moving again, walking down the streets of Kabukicho.

“…” Meanwhile, looming over the streets several buildings high, a woman clad in Kunoichi garbs watches over Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza from above, standing fearlessly atop a skyrise building’s ledge as her purple gaze pierces through the dimly lit skyrise. She wore rather revealing black-and-blue ninja clothing, showing off her ample bosom and a hip window for both looks and maneuverability. Shoulder and knee guards protect her vulnerable joints, while her magically enchanted sandals stifle noise, and her enchanted mask filters noxious gases. Her hair ran down to her collarbone in a pixie bob hairstyle for a mix of practicality and looks.

[“Kogarashi, has the situation escalated?”

“No, my lady. Thankfully, the crisis has been averted.” The Kunoichi named Kogharashi was on the phone with her master, seemingly making a report on her master’s behalf.

“That’s good. Did any of the three sustain injuries?”

“Faulkner and Reiza are fine. Karika had a momentary clash with Helleina. They gripped one another’s wrists. I suspect Karika’s wrists are, at the very least, burned from contact. She might’ve fractured Helleina’s wrist, too, but considering she doesn’t look like she’s in pain, the burn is likely light.”

“Great. I’m glad things didn’t escalate beyond that. I was worried I’d have to come down there to step in.” Kogarashi’s eyes narrowed, hearing the slight distress in her master’s voice.

“My lady, with all due respect, Helleina isn’t nearly strong enough to give you a challenge.”

“No. I’m more concerned with the collateral damage. I’d rather not have the surrounding buildings blown to bits. Not to mention the potential casualties. One must not underestimate the likes of Helleina. If she had her ‘sword,’ I’d have no doubt she’d pose a real threat.”

“Even so, you’d still win, right?” With unwavering confidence in her master, Kogarashi hears a chuckle from her phone.

“Heh. Kogarashi. I’d like you to tail Helleina for a little longer. I doubt she’ll make a move to harass them again, but still, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Understood, my lady.”

“*Sigh.* I’m sorry about this. I know this isn’t how you’d imagine spending your time off…”

“It’s alright. As your new personal assistant and bodyguard, it’s my duty to be of service whenever, wherever. It’s the least I can do to live up to ‘senpai’s’ standards.”

“Your senpai? Haha, I remember the last time you two met, you thought your ‘senpai’ was a pushover.”

“P-please. Don’t remind me of my chunibyo days. I’ve since overgrown it.” Kogarashi shares a nostalgic chuckle, reminiscing about their earlier days. “I’ll give a call if something comes up. Otherwise, I’ll leave a report via text message.”

“Got it. Take care of yourself, Kogarashi.” With that, the two hang up from their phones.]

“Goodness…” Feeling tension leave her body, she hears the sound of her bedroom door opening.

“My lady, your bath is drawn as you’ve requested.” Opening the door to her bedroom was one of her many Shirohebi servants. She paused mid-sentence when she saw what her master was wearing. “Those clothes…”

“Oh, these old things?” Chuckling lightly, her master had donned traditional samurai armor plating on top of her regal green and gold kimono. Covered in scars from battles of old, the plates were forged with rare metals not found on Earth, making them way more durable than their withered appearance suggests. But it wasn’t just her armor. In her hand was an intricate-looking naginata. The pole was a striking crimson, lacquered with a luxurious coat of resin. A golden end cap made of gold adorned the bottom, while a beautifully quadruple-tempered, single-edge blade sat atop. The striking hamon pattern on the blade resembled crashing waves.

“Y-you’re even holding your naginata. A-are you heading for battle, Lady Tama?” Shaking her head, Lady Tama smiles before setting her naginata against a dresser nearby.

“No. I was…simply reminiscing, seeing if my old battle outfit still fits.” Sliding off pieces of her armor, Tama lets them fall to the floor. “More importantly, you said my bath’s ready, Akari?”

“Yes, Lady Tama. And, per your request, I’ve taken the liberty of pouring Zipangu-brand hot spring salts into your bath.” Squealing in excitement, Tama moves past Akari, patting her on the shoulder.

“Oh, thank you. A nice, relaxing bath is just what I need to destress…” Lowering her voice, Tama then whispers to herself. “Especially after that scare…”

“What was that, Lady Tama?”

“Nothing, dear Akari. I’ll go on ahead…” With a somewhat devious smirk, Lady Tama turns her face to Akari. “You could join me if you like, dear? It’s always better to soak with company.” Akari’s face turned a bright shade of red before she shook her head and the tip of her tail in unison.

“Wh-what?! S-surely you jest, My lady! There’s no way I can join you!” At first, Tama popped the question merely to help Akari forget what she might’ve heard. But seeing her servant’s reaction, she couldn’t help but commit.

“Akari…” Placing her claws on Akari’s shoulders, Tama’s gentle, yet frightful smile left no room for debate. “That wasn’t a request…”

“Y-yes…my lady…” Leaving with Tama, Akari begrudgingly joins her master to bathe together. Meanwhile, around a couple of hundred miles away, back to where Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza…

“Oh, good. It’s still here. This spot here’s relatively safe to drink and party.” Standing in front of a nightclub, the bright electronic sign read ‘WARP’ in white on a blue background. The glass walls and door at the front entrance were lined with neon-blue fluorescent tube lights. “This is a nightclub Meredith went to often. I’ve never been inside since I was too young at the time, but it’s one of the few nightclubs here you can trust.”

“WARP. That’s a hell of a name. But if you say it’s safe, then I believe you.” Faulkner’s been to some nightclubs before. But he never went to one voluntarily. Instead, his college friends dragged him along.

“Sounds like fun. Come on, you two. Let’s go!” Karika, on the other hand, has never been to a nightclub before. Excited as she was, she dragged Faulkner and Reiza with her. While they made it past the entrance door, a tall, imposing security guard stood at another entrance leading inside the building.

“Hmm? You folks don’t look like regulars. Are you foreigners by chance?” Standing just shy of Karika’s height, the bald man was imposing enough, with bulky musculature confined in a professional black suit and tie.

“Yes, we are, sir.” Already aware of the procedure, Reiza shows Faulkner and Karika what to do by presenting her passport rather than her US state ID. “Here you go.”

“Hmm…that makes things easier.” The security guard then looks at Faulkner and Karika, prompting them to show their passports next. “Alright. Looks like you’re all of age. Come on through.” After moving past the guard, they then come across an employee stationed at the front registry. From the horns on her head, cow-print hair, and breasts bigger than her head, it was easy for them to surmise that she’s a Holestaurus.

“Welcome to WARP. Do you have a reservation?”

“Nope. We’re walk-in guests.”

“I see. Well then, the entry fee for men and women differs. Eight hundred yen for women, and two thousand five hundred yen for men.” Faulkner flinched midway through reaching for his wallet after hearing the price difference of admission between men and women.

“Ugh…is there a reason why guys pay more?”

“It’s quite simple, sir. Men are typically more common in nightclubs than women here. By having women pay less, it incentivizes them to participate. In turn, the influx of women will coax men into paying the higher price of entry.” Explaining what some would call a clever, yet blatant business strategy, the Holstaurus’s smile never wavered.

“I see…that makes sense…” Reluctantly, Faulkner hands his payment to the Holstaurus. Karika and Reiza do the same soon after.

“Just means it won’t be a total sausage fest in there.” Karika laughed off before being handed a ticket of sorts. “What’s this?”

“It’s a drink voucher. You can exchange that for one drink on the house. Of course, you can order more at the bar as well.” The Holstaurus hands a voucher to Faulkner and Reiza, then gestures to a poster behind her with a list of house rules. “There are a couple of rules that must be followed when in WARP. Some obvious ones are not harassing others, verbally or physically. Drink within reason. No drugs or weapons of any kind. And finally, the use of magic is prohibited here, with the sole exception of using it for self-defense.” It was brief, but the Holstaurus looked at Reiza in particular when explaining the last rule. It was a silent warning to adhere to the rules.

“Got it. We won’t cause any trouble. We’re just here to give Gaijin-san here a good time…” Reiza winks at Faulkner, a show of genuine affection, but also a sign to play along. Whether through acting or his genuine reaction, he blushes before scratching the back of his head.

“I see. Welp, you guys have fun.” Waving them goodbye, the Holstaurus gestured at the swinging glass door leading to the club’s main dance floor. The moment they open the door, the music they previously heard bleeding through the cracks blasts past them like a billowing wind.

“O-oh…d-damn.” WARP had two bottom floors. The first is where the entrance is located, which leads to one of two DJ booths. With bright, colorful spotlights moving all over, the dance floor was not occupied with nearly as many dancers, considering it was a weekday. Even so, there were definitely more people dancing compared to the nightclubs Faulkner’s been to.

“Heh. Pretty slow today. But that makes sense. It’s Wednesday.” Reiza didn’t seem the least bit surprised. If anything, her tone carried disappointment.

“Th-this is little to you?!” Karika herself could hardly hear Reiza, let alone hear herself think. Patrons of all kinds were dancing away as the DJ for that night was playing music from ‘All mix’ genre.

“All Mix? I can’t say I expected that. Nice choice…” Faulkner felt nostalgic hearing music he vibed with during his teenage years.

“Wow, Gaijin-sama. You’re really showing your age, are n’t’cha?” Karika teased, squeezing his left arm before they noticed the bar area in front of them. “Well, we should use those free drink vouchers to good use, huh?” Dragging him along, Karika and Reiza found empty stools to sit on. The shelves behind the U-shaped bar counter were lined with top-quality alcohol, ranging from wines, sake, whiskey, and much more. “Wishful thinking, but I take it these vouchers aren’t meant for those.”

“Nope. These are for relatively cheap beers. Still, their beer selection is extensive.” Reiza’s attention was more on the bartender. The Bartender was facing away from them, washing dirty glass mugs before noticing she had customers.

“Hmm? Be with you in just a moment…” They weren’t sure at first since they could only see her top half from where they were sitting, but as the bartender finished drying the mugs, a scorpion’s tail rose above their view. Her dark grey side bangs covered her left eye, leaving only her right eye visible as she wore a face mask for sanitary and personal reasons. “Sorry about the wait. What can I get you three?”

“A girtabilu…that’s rare…” Faulkner’s only ever seen one other Girtabilu in his life.

“Hello, miss. We’d like to exchange the drink vouchers we got on entry.” Reiza takes the lead for Karika and Faulkner, presenting their drink vouchers to the bartender.

“Very good. What can I get you three?” Reaching behind the bar counter, the bartender hands them a menu with all the drink options.

“Hmm…” Sifting through them, Faulkner saw something he liked and pointed at it. “I’ll take the Asahi Dry, Black.”

“Kirin Iciban light for me.” Reiza wanted something light and refreshing to start with.

“Hmm…oh. This one looks like it’s similar to Mike’s Lemonade. I’ll take the strong zero one.” Karika always preferred fruity drinks to standard beer flavors.

“Alright. One moment.” Reaching for the fridge below the bar counter, the bartender pulls out the beers they requested and hands each one over. “Here you are. Let me know if you’d like more.”

“Count on it. We just need a starter.” With no hesitation, Reiza grabs a bottle opener on the bar table and pops her beer bottle open, taking a generous swig. “Puwah…that’s the good stuff.”

“Hmm…” Taking a sip of his beer, Faulkner hummed in delight. It wasn’t what he expected compared to Guinness, but it was still a rich flavor he could appreciate. “This Asahi beer’s pretty good too.”

“Eh? What’s this?” Karika’s beer was the only one that was in a can. When she opened it, she was surprised to see a slice of lemon inside. “Ooohhh…lemon…” Picking the lemon out of the top of the can, Karika takes it into her mouth and chews the whole thing. Her lips puckered with the sour kick before washing it down with her beer. “Puwah! Wow, that’s even better than Mike’s!”

“That good, huh? I outta try it after finishing my drink.” Turning to face the dance floor, Reiza scouts the area for any open space they can dance on. When she spotted one, Reiza suddenly chugged her beer, finishing it all in a few seconds. “While you’re enjoying that…” Taking Faulkner’s left hand, Reiza jumps off her barstool, pulling Faulkner with her.

“Wah?! R-Reiza?”

“It’s my turn first, Porky!” Karika was in the middle of drinking when she saw Reiza pull Faulkner away. She nearly spills her drink as she reaches out in a failed attempt to stop them.

“Ah, hey, small tits!”

“Relax, I just want to dance with him for a bit. I’ll bring him back after one song so you can have a turn, Porky…” Taking Faulkner away, Karika reluctantly resigns to Reiza, slumping back onto her bar stool before finishing her beer. She crushes the empty can in her hand before turning to the bartender, who watched the spectacle with slight amusement.

“Excuse me. Can I get another one of these?” Karika saw the price of the drink from the menu earlier, pulling out the exact change to pay for one.

“Certainly…” Taking the coins, the bartender swiftly reaches for another can before handing it over to Karika. “I take it you three come as pairs?”

“Heh…sort of. I thought we’d dance together, but I guess small tits has other plans…” Resting her left arm on the bar table, Karika opens her second can, takes another hearty sip, and leaves the piece of lemon inside for the time being.

“You certainly seem like a lively trio.” Staring at Reiza from a distance, the bartender’s eyes narrow. As if she recognizes her. For now, she focused on her tasks, cleaning any dirty mugs she could.

“Hey, are you sure it’s fine to leave Karika alone there?” Faulkner stares back at Karika, who was already asking the bartender for her third can of beer.

“She’ll be fine. The bartender will keep an eye on her. Just focus on having fun and dance with me, yeah?” Vibing with the beat, Reiza swings her arms and dances to her heart’s content, nudging against Faulkner every so often to join her. “Come on, Gaijin-san. There’s no need to be shy, dance with me!”

“Ah…” Looking around, Faulkner knew the other dancers were too busy to notice or care, but he was never good at dancing in a way people could consider ‘cool’ at a club. At most, he swung his arms stiffly to the beat and swung his hips, making him look more like an awkward dad dancing with his daughter.

“Ehehe…you’re such a good slow dancer, but you suck at fast-paced ones like this, huh?”

“To begin with, I don’t vibe with this kind of music. So what makes you think I’d dance along to it?”

“It’s all about letting the music lead your movements. Just think of your body as an extension of the notes. Translate the tone and rhythm through your limbs. Like this!” Watching Reiza closely, Faulkner was entranced by her. Despite the reverberating bass that shook his very bones, his mind pushed the noise away, focusing entirely on Reiza’s lithe, yet powerful movements.

From the tips of her fingers to the spade of her tail, each dynamic movement complements the last. It wasn’t just her limbs either. Reiza joyfully smiles as her toothy grin leaves no room for doubt.

“Gaijin-san?” Noticing Faulkner staring more intensely than expected, she stops to check if he’s alright. It took a few more seconds before Faulkner registered Reiza’s concern.

“Ah…oh…um…sorry. What’s up?”

“Was I doing something wrong?”

“No…uh. You were…stunning. So full of joy and motion. Heh…geez.” Upon realizing how corny he sounded just now, Faulkner couldn’t help but chuckle out of embarrassment.

Compared to Reiza, however, her embarrassment was made even more apparent when the flames on her horns and tail turned pink, flaring almost violently before she smacked him on his shoulder.*

“Wh…dammit. How am I supposed to keep this act if you cheesy crap like that, Faulkner?”

“Oh, it’s fine. At this point, I don’t think there’s a reason for us keeping up this charade…” Feeling tired of acting already, Reiza was right there with Faulkner.

“Sure, why not. We can always put the act once we’re out in the streets again. So come on, dance with me, will ya?” Taking Faulkner’s hand, Reiza pulls Faulkner to the center of the dance floor.

“Ack…I told you…I’m not good at this kind of…” Feeling even more insecure about himself, Faulkner felt like eyes were all over him. Really, hardly anyone noticed them. The ones that did only glanced for a few seconds before focusing on either the beat of the music or their partners.*

“Stop looking around, Faulkner. Just focus on me. If nothing else, just copy what I do.” Reassuring Faulkner, Reiza coils her tail around his arm, guiding it to mimic her movements. She made sure her movements were easy to follow, letting Faulkner adjust. Seeing Reiza trying hard to help him overcome his insecurities, he focuses only on her, feeling captivated as he finds himself dancing alongside her.

“Like this?”

“Yeah. That’s it. Ignore everyone else. Just focus on your partner.” Moving a little faster, Faulkner adjusts his rhythm, keeping pace with hers. Faulkner, engrossed in Reiza’s movements, didn’t realize that Reiza herself was doing the same with him, ignoring everyone around them.

Ironically, their ignorance of others caught the attention of other dancers as their movements became more dynamic. Faulkner was simply following Reiza’s lead. But Reiza herself was no stranger to dancing.

“Man…I bet they’re having fun…” Back at the bar, Karika had just finished her third can of beer. She couldn’t see Faulkner and Reiza through the crowd gathering around them.

“Pardon me, miss. You came with those two, didn’t you? Why don’t you join them?” Having finished cleaning the last of the dirty glass cups, the Girtabilu bartender slumps onto the bar counter, resting her elbows and watching the dancer with Karika. Karika looked over to the bartender, raising her empty beer can.

“Hmm? Nah! I’m saving my fun with Gaijin-san for later. For now, when she’s done, it’ll be my turn to dance with him. Till then, I gotta get my mojo flowing. So hit me up with another can of beer!”

“I see. Very well, miss, here you go.” With a soft smile hidden beneath her mask, the bartender hands Karika her fourth can of beer.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad. You were a little stiff at times, but you’re a pretty quick learner, Faulkner.” Patting Faulkner on the back, Reiza had enough time to dance with Faulkner. She figured it’d be Karika’s turn, so she walked back with Faulkner to the bar.

“Heh. I was just following along. I can’t say I’ll be able to dance like that on my own yet. Just thinking about it’s making me shake.” Faulkner imagined the idea of dancing for a few seconds before recoiling and shuddering in embarrassment. “Yeah…I’m not a fan of the idea…”

“C’mon, you weren’t that bad. You just need some practice. Porky’ll be the perfect-“ With her eyes on Faulkner, Reiza felt two soft mounds hit her from behind.

“The perfect what, sm-*hic!*all tits?”

“Porky?” Noticing the red flush on Karika’s cheeks, Reiza cocked her right brow. “How many beers did you order?”

“Hmm…four. It’s not that much, right?” Karika giggled, waving her hand dismissively. “You…you were monopolizing Gaijin-sama for too long! Nowish my turn…”

“Uh…about that, Karika. We can stop…”

“Shut up and letz dance!” Without giving Faulkner a chance to protest, Karika grabs him by his shoulders and pushes him back onto the dance floor with her.

“And there she goes…” Reiza didn’t bother trying to stop Karika before sitting down on a barstool. She swiveled around the chair, resting her elbows on the bar counter to face the bartender. “I hope my sister didn’t cause too much trouble?”

“Sister? Ah, yes. She’s quite well behaved despite being a light drinker…” The Girtabilu bartender spoke softly, knowing Karika was already drunk.

“Good. Don’t worry, the only thing she’ll care about when she’s drunk is Gaijin-san and me.”

“Indeed. She spoke about having her turn after you finished with yours. Quite the lucky customer, that gentleman.”

“Same goes for us! He’s a riot. Oh, I’d like another beer myself. The same one my sister’s having.”

“Strong zero? Coming right up.” While waiting for her beer, Reiza watched Karika and Faulkner from a distance. The center stage cleared out for them, but only because of Karika’s erratic way of dancing.

“K-Karika! Stop moving around so much! You’re going to bump into the other dancers!” Reiza could hear Faulkner desperately reigning Karika in, using all his strength just to keep her from bumping into other people.

“Pshaw! You’re jhust saying that sho you can get all cloze with me!” Karika didn’t even bother with the people around her. As far as she’s concerned, the only person she sees is Faulkner. Everyone else was a blur both metaphorically and literally.

“Here you are.” Hearing the bartender behind the bar counter, Reiza turned around with a can of strong zero in front of her

“Thank you.” As Reiza cracked her beer open, the bartender narrowed her gaze unquisitively. There was something about Reiza that felt familiar to her.

“Excuse me. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you by chance related to Meredith?” Reiza stops just as she was about to take a sip of her beer. “Heh…I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Yeah. Meredith’s my mother.” Noting the somber expression on Reiza’s face, the bartender’s gaze softens before bowing in apology.

“I’m sorry. If I meant anything bad by asking, that was not my intention. I ask simply because I remember Meredith as a customer here years ago.”

“Oh? So that’s why you asked. Heh. I guess that makes sense. Though I don’t think Meredith and I really look that similar.” Unlike Reiza, Meredith’s hair is wavy. Meredith’s horns were also a quarter of an inch shorter. Meredith was taller, however, along with an overall more voluptuous body.

“I’m also aware of Meredith’s…actions from the news I’ve seen online. And for that, you have my sympathy.” The bartender was about to bow again, but Reiza quickly dismissed it with a casual wave of her left hand, using her right to take a sip of her beer.

“Don’t worry about it. I just got back from a close call with some Balrog chick named Helleina earlier. I’d rather not talk about it again.” The bartender’s eyes widened in shock, stopping in her tracks as even her tail stood straight.

“Helleina? As the leader of the Pyrows Helleina? Goodness.”

“Yup. Thankfully, she got a call and left us alone. Not sure what it is, nor do I care.” For a few seconds, Reiza wondered if she should ask the bartender to drop the subject or ask more about Meredith. While she still harbors resentment toward Meredith, Reiza’s conversation with Trisha about the matter made her curious to know more about her mother. “Normally, I wouldn’t care, but. What was my mo-I mean, what was Meredith like?”

“Hmm…well, Meredith was quite popular. Business here would always spike whenever she came. And because she was so punctual, we always knew what times our business peaked.” The bartender closed her eyes, reminiscing about the days she remembered Meredith. “Due to her consistent schedule, male patrons always knew when to come. And we’d be ready for the influx of customers coming in.”

“Oh yeah. If I recall…Meredith would come here Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.” While Meredith was there partying, Reiza was scouting men outside.

“That’s right. And each time she came, men would flock to her side. Meredith enjoyed the attention, but I noticed she almost always had a particular customer in mind each day. She’d often target men in suits. On occasion, she’d humor a young, brave man willing to dance with her.”

“Sounds about right. Meredith earned more money than I did. But sometimes, she’d come out with some overeager guy younger than her because she thinks virgins are ‘cute.” Finishing her beer, Reiza felt the urge to reminisce some more. Perhaps it was because this bartender was the only person who knew Meredith personally.

“Hey…what’s your name, miss?”

“Mine?” The bartender’s eyes point toward the badge on her uniform. “My name’s Pulchra. It’s nice to meet you, Reiza.”

“Hah…so you know my name already. Nice to meet you too. Say, do you have anything stronger than beer? Like…a house special?” Raising her right brow, the outline of Pulchra’s lips curves into a soft smirk under her mask.

“I do. It’s a bit costly at nineteen hundred yen, but it’s quite potent.” Reiza didn’t even bat an eye as she pulled out two thousand yen bills before sliding over to Pulchra.

“Done. I trust I won’t be disappointed?”

“Or your money back…” With that, Pulchra gathered a few bottles off the shelves and got started, mixing all sorts of strong spirits. She’d mix them with flair, adding bitters and various syrups. But what really took the cake was when she brought her stinger into view. “A query, Reiza. Are you planning on being intimate with your…client later on?”

“Oh, Faulkner?” Reiza looked back at the dance floor as Karika practically swung Faulkner around with her. “Yeah. Once we’ve had our fill here, we’re checking into a love hotel for some fun.”

“I see. Watch carefully now.” Moving the tip of her stinger above the glass, a drop of venom from her stinger drops onto the glass before she mixes it with ice in a shaker bottle.

“Whoa…you’re adding your venom in it? I know I said I wanted something strong, but that’ll do more than get me drunk.”

“True. Girtabilu venom is quite potent. But that’s only the case when it’s injected. The venom’s much less potent when ingested. You could say it acts as a very mild aphrodisiac.” After thoroughly mixing the drinks, Pulchra pours the cocktail into an eight-ounce wine glass. The lavender-colored cocktail fizzed with carbonation before she topped the drink off with a small umbrella. “Here you go. A house special, The Mirage.”

“Oh…that’s a fancy name.” Raising the glass high, Reiza took a moment to appreciate the subtle color of the named cocktail. “This stuff strong?”

“It’s not the strongest drink we have, but it is quite potent in its own right.”

“Great. Down the hatch.” Bringing it to her lips, Reiza takes a light sip for taste. The drink’s initial fizziness was quickly overwhelmed by a tart, almost sour kick with a citrusy twist as it went down, leaving a slight burning sensation in her throat. “Whoa…oh damn. I didn’t expect it to be sour. And the typical burn feel that comes from drinking alcohol feels a bit stronger than normal.”

“The sour flavor comes from one of the spirits I mixed in there. As for the burn you mentioned, that’s from my venom. While heavily diluted by the alcohol, it still harbors the same effect of building up the body’s heat.”

“Oof! No kidding. I’m no stranger to feeling warm and fuzzy inside, but this stuff’s something else.” The warmth Reiza felt in her chest was already rising due to the effects of Pulchra’s venom. It was still within a tolerable range, so Reiza continued to drink without a care in the world. As she did, she vaguely recalls one of her more recent memories with Meredith.

____________________

“Mom…who are they?” Recalling her days back in Japan with Meredith when she was still seventeen, Reiza patiently waited for Meredith, as they had planned to meet at the famous Hachiko statue. When Meredith finally did come, she came back with two people. Both were men, but one was clearly younger, as indicated by his height and meek demeanor.

“Oh, these two? I met these two darlings on my way to you. I couldn’t resist, so we’re taking care of them for today.” The taller of the two men walked up to Reiza first. With an air of confidence about him, he wore a black business suit with a red tie and a white undershirt. However, the fact that his suit was uncuffed, along with his styled and colored hair, suggests he wore the suit more as a fashion statement than as a symbol of work ethic.

“Sup. The name’s Saito Ichiba. Nice to see you’re just as cute as your older sister.” He was a typical sleeze from Reiza’s perspective. She didn’t even bat an eye at his off-handed compliment. When Saito saw his compliment hadn’t impressed Reiza, he chuckled awkwardly before Meredith hugged him from behind.

“Oh…don’t mind my daughter Reiza, she’s not an afternoon person…” Seemingly dressed appropriately, Meredith’s plush pink and black tiger-stripped jacket hid a loose mid-drift shirt. Her pencil skirt was a modest accompaniment to her uniform, though beneath her skirt was a lacy, black pair of panties that had been taken off more often than they had stayed on.

“Whoa…” Wearing nothing behind her shirt, Meredith’s pillowy breasts smooshed against Saito’s back. She made sure to radiate heat around her chest as it bleeds into Saito’s back. “I-It’s no trouble at all…”

“Sweetie…I’m gonna go with Saito here and…chaperone him around Shibuya. You can go with his younger brother here…” The younger brother, who honestly had little to no presence up until he was mentioned, meekly waved at Reiza.

“What? Hey, hold on…” Having dumped dozens of inexperienced men to her more often than not, Reiza wasn’t about to stay quiet and let Meredith leave her with another one. But before she could even finish her sentence, Meredith had already pulled Saito away, dragging him with her.

“Later. Take care of my younger bro, yeah?” Disappearing into the crowd, Reiza was left stunned with annoyance before resigning herself to her fate.

“*Sigh* Well…I guess it’s just you and me then, uh…” Waiting for the younger brother to speak up, his appearance was a far cry from that of Saito. A somewhat skinny fellow, his white-buttoned shirt was wrinkled all over, with one part of his shirt left untucked, dangling from the left side of his light-brown dress pants. His messy, curly black hair showed Reiza that he hardly cares about his appearance. Though the white gloves he was wearing did stand out from his ensemble.

“T-Taito. I’m Taito Ichiba. It’s a pleasure to meet y-you.” It was obvious he was shaken up by being left behind all of a sudden. His nervousness was palpable from the way his arms and legs shook.

“…pleasure. I’m Reiza.” Reiza made no effort to hide her frustration. Still, she at least held her right hand up for a handshake. But even that took effort for Taito to return, as his right hand shook just from reaching out to shake her extended hand.

“I-I’m sorry if my brother…left me with you. I was planning on going home, but he told me this would be a great way to be a ‘man.'” While Taito was a nervous wreck, he was at the very least considerate, unlike his older brother Saito.

“It’s fine, bro. I’m used to my mom doing shit like that.” Reiza dismissed Taito’s apology. For now, she wondered what she’d do with him. “So…you want to find a love hotel for a quickie? I’m up for most normal things…”

“Huh? Love hotel? Quickie?”

“…you’re joking? You can’t be THAT innocent, are you? You do know what I’m referring to, right?” To give Taito a not-so-subtle hint, Reiza brings her right hand close to her face, pumping it forward and back while pushing her tongue inside her cheeks to gesture a blowjob. It took Taito a few uncomfortable seconds to figure out what Reiza was referring to. His face flushed a deep crimson before he thrust his hands forward, violently shaking them and his head in denial.

“…wh-wh-wh-what?! N-n-n–n-no! Nothing like that!” Reiza raised her right brow in disbelief. Typically, even virgins would be eager to have their cherries popped. But Taito had no interest whatsoever in engaging in any sexual activities.

“You’re serious? Fuck…then…what do you want me to do then? We can just go our separate ways for now and meet back here when my mom and your brother’s done literally fucking around.”

“Um…I mean…we could…do that…but…” Looking down at his chest, Taito was struggling to say what was on his mind. “Actually…I’d like your help with something else…”

“Something else? Look, pal. Even someone like you can’t be dense enough to NOT know what my ‘services’ are. What else could you possibly want me to do with you?” Reiza was ready to see Taito buckle under the pressure and leave. It certainly would’ve made things easier for her. If Saito had the gall to blame her for losing Taito, she could simply point out that they left him to her without asking if she was willing or not, barring her from any guilt or responsibility.

“True, but…I mean…if your job is what I think it is…then…you can treat this as like a chaperone thing. In short…” Taking a pause, Taito’s face was blushing bright red before continuing. “I want to take this chance to practice for a date. So…let’s do that!”

“Ah…” Reiza was stunned. She’s gone on some dates before getting down to business. But this was the first time she’s had someone make that request without getting intimate with them. “I mean…I don’t see why not. You’re kinda missing half of the point of this, you know?” Taito didn’t seem bothered by that. If anything, not having to worry about getting into sexual activities after was a sigh of relief for him.

“N-no! That’s perfect! If you’re willing to help me, then I’d be eternally grateful!” Taito’s confidence rose before he bowed to thank Reiza. “Please, don’t hold back. I want you to be honest and critique me as honestly as you can.”

“S-sure. But…can I ask why?” Standing straight, Taito scratched the back of his head with his right hand.

“Well…mostly because I haven’t gotten on a single date before. I want…to make sure the person I eventually go on a date with has a good time. I know without experience, I won’t know how to provide a good date. So…I figured we could turn my…surprise appointment with you into something that benefits us both. I can get the practice I need for a date…and you don’t have to…do ‘those’ things with someone you don’t even like.”

“True. As long as I’m paid, I don’t really give a shit…”

“Oh, don’t worry about that! I’ll pay for any expenses we do together. As a man, that’s just a given in a real date. I’ll do the same, of course, for our practice one.” Seeing as she’ll have an easy day, Reiza simply smiles before nodding.

“Okay. I guess I’ll give it my all to make this a ‘date’ then. How exactly do you want me to critique you?”

“Um…you know…pointing out if I’m being obnoxious…or if I’m being overeager. Rate me on the places I pick for us and stuff like that. That kind of thing.”

“Heh. Alright. I won’t hold back then.” Dressed casually, Reiza was much more reserved in her clothing that day, wearing a cream-colored turtleneck sweater with a pleated white knee-length skirt. Rather than heels, she wore sneakers to walk comfortably. “So…first of all…” Testing Taito right away, she holds her right hand forward for him.

“R-right. Thank you…” Taking Reiza’s hand, she clicked her tongue before snapping a condescending smile.

“Bzzzt! That’s ten points off already! Your hands are shaking too much.”

“What? Ten points off already?! I-I mean…right!” Eager to do his best, Taito does his best to stop his shaking.

“That’s better.”

____________________

“Miss?” Hearing someone calling out to her, Reiza snaps back to the present, turning her attention to Pulchra. “Are you alright? You seemed out of it for a minute there.”

“Huh? Oh…yeah. I’m fine. I was just…reminiscing.” Reiza chuckled and laughed, spacing off with a sly grin. The flames on her horns and tail sputtered in an array of different colors and sizes, showing her diminished control over them due to her drunken state.

“I see. If you’re sure.”

“Sure, I’m sure.” Coming back from their dancing, Faulkner walks back with Karika’s right arm slung over his shoulders. “Hmm? Done already?”

“Yeah. If Karika kept dancing, she would’ve been liable to hurl…” One glance at Karika’s flushed face was all Reiza needed.

“Aww…that’s too bad. She likely won’t be able to handle this club’s special cocktail then.”

“Cocktail?” *Karika’s ears twitched before staring at the drink in Reiza’s hand. It didn’t seem like much to her, but seeing as Reiza was drinking it, Karika got curious and wanted one herself. “Hey…I’ll order one too, please!”

“Um…” Having watched the interaction between Karika and Reiza, Pulchra was hesitant about whether to let Karika order ‘The Mirage.’

“It’s okay. I’ll stay sober and take responsibility for these two…” Faulkner chuckled, helping Karika sit on an adjacent barstool next to Reiza.

“I see. It’s usually the chaperone that gets drunk, not your escorts.” Grabbing another glass to make another cocktail for Karika, Faulkner sits beside Karika just in case she needs help. She and Reiza were currently preoccupied talking smack to one another.

“You’d think. But well…I don’t mind being the responsible one.” Finished mixing Karika’s drink, Pulchra slides the glass over to Karika.

“Here you are, miss.”

“Ah, thanks!” Karika took a moment to marvel at the carbonated bubbles rising from the cocktail’s bottom, taking a whiff as the scent of alcohol and burning venom filled her nostrils. “Oof…that’s strong!” Taking a tentative sip, Karika’s lips puckered from the initial sour punch from the spirits mixed in provided before the warm heat of alcohol and her venom replaced it.

“Is it to your liking, miss?” Pulchra watched Karika closely, noting the redness forming on Karika’s cheeks. As the warmth settles into her chest, Karika chuckles softly before staring back at Pulchra. Her eyes reddened, turning glassy before smiling.

“Iz…goo-good! Zis stuff delikiious…” Karika was already drunk from the prior drinks, but just a sip of Pulchra’s cocktail pushed Karika to a state of drunkenness so profound that she couldn’t even speak coherently anymore.

“Yeah…I expected that…” Faulkner scratched his head, knowing he was in for a rough time later. “At least this saves me the trouble of embarrassing myself by going to the dance floor again…”

“Hmm, yes. I did observe you dance earlier. Personally, I don’t think you were too bad when dancing with Reiza.”

“Heh. That’s because I was following Reiza’s lead. That’s all. When I was with Karika…” Faulkner and Pulchra turn their heads in unison toward Karika, watching with amused looks on their faces as Reiza and Karika have each other’s arms slung over their shoulders to share a toast.

“You might want to take it easy, Porky. You’re slurring your words so much that I can hardly understand you.”

“Shappud! I’m…only…zlifghtly…durnk…”

“Well…good thing I only had one beer. It’s probably for the best if I take them somewhere they can rest at…” They’ve only been at the WARP nightclub for over an hour, yet Karika’s already gotten too drunk to move or speak coherently. Rather than risk an incident and cause a scene, Faulkner decides to cut their visit to the nightclub early.

“Karika, Reiza, fun as it is here, why don’t we go look for a hotel to stay the night?”

“Wat?! Arredy?! Itz been barley an hour!” Karika moaned and whined, already garnering the attention of some dancers.

“Heh…probably a good idea. Besides… there are things we want to do to you we can’t do here…” Reiza was much less subtle with her words as they came out with a slight purr. “Better finish your drink then, Porky…”

“Hah! Y-you zidn’t hafta tell me twize!” Without hesitation, Karika chugs the rest of her drink, setting it down on the bar counter and letting out a loud, exaggerated sigh. “PUIWAH! Thanks for the delicious drinks, miss!” Karika waves Pulchra goodbye before Faulkner helps her up, slinging her right arm over his shoulder so she could lean onto his left side.

“Y-you’re welcome…” Pulchra chuckled nervously, waving Karika goodbye. Reiza stood up, flashing Pulchra a soft smile.

“Take care, Pulchra. Thanks for being a good listener…” Returning the smile with her own, Pulchra reached for the right hook of her mask, pulling it off her ear so they could see her lips. Hidden behind her mask was a lip piercing on the left side of her lower lip.

“Sure. I hope your new life treats you well.” Reiza, Karika, and Faulkner’s eyes widened in surprise. They didn’t expect her to have a lip piercing.

“Wow. That looks good on you, Pulchra. And as you can see…” Wrapping her arms around Faulkner’s waist, Reiza pulls him close to hug him. “I’m perfectly happy where I’m at.”

“I can see that. Take care, all of you.” Without giving Faulkner a chance to say goodbye. Reiza pushes him and Karika forward, nudging them toward the exit.

“W-wait, Reiza. Uh…thank you for looking after them while they were drunk, Pulchra!” Going off with what he heard, Faulkner called Pulchra by her name to thank her before being forced toward the exit with Karika. Watching them leave, Pulchra simply waved in acknowledgment, stopping once they were out of view.

“What an interesting night. A shame they weren’t here for long. Oh well. Maybe they’ll visit again?” Putting her mask back on, Pulchra tends to her duties, using her free time to reminisce about the times Meredith visited.

Back outside the entrance to WARP, Reiza moves around Faulkner and Karika, taking the lead by holding onto his right hand.

“Reiza…that bartender, Pulchra. Do you know her? That is her name, right?”

“Nah. I just met Pulchra today.”

“What? Then…why’d you talk to her like she was someone familiar?” Karika, having felt the effects of ‘The Mirage,’ was so inebriated that she could barely see straight. She relied fully on Faulkner to walk around, not even paying attention to his and Reiza’s conversation, as everything she heard sounded distant and muffled.

“The thing is, Pulchra knew Meredith before the whole court case. And Pulchra then put together that I was her daughter.”

“I see. How does Pulchra know Meredith? Were they friends or something?” Curiosity compelled Faulkner to ask, but his focus momentarily shifted to Karika as she could barely walk even with Faulkner guiding her.

“Tell you what, why don’t we find a hotel to relax in before I tell you the rest? Right now, Karika needs all your attention, lest she fall over and throw up all over the ground.” Looking back at Karika, her ears and tail had gone completely limp, lazily snoring as she fell asleep.

“I hope not. And to think coming here was her idea in the first place. You’d think she’d be the one dragging us to all sorts of places here…”

“Eh…it’s fine. Honestly, there’s not much to see in Kabukicho’s red light district if you’re already spoken for. It’s mainly for single people.” Flipping through her phone, Reiza was looking for nearby love hotels where they could spend the night. “At least one of our destinations is just a few blocks away. A love hotel’s the perfect place to give Porky here time to rest. Which gives me all the time to have you to myself…” Reiza playfully squeezed Faulkner’s right hand, flashing him a knowing, side-eyed smile. The flames on her horns regained their ability to display colors consistently, turning an ashen grey.

“Ahahaha…you’re being rather subtle, huh?”

“Subtle? Oh…just you wait…Gai~Jin~San!” Reiza spoke Faulkner’s name playfully, pulling herself closer until her breasts squished against his right arm.

“Hey…careful. I’m trying to keep Karika from falling here.” Finding a decently rated love hotel for them to stay for the night, Reiza flashes Faulkner a sly grin.

“Alright. Looks like I found our spot.. We’re only staying for about three to six hours, tops. So this place shouldn’t be too bad. It’s about ten minutes from where we are, though. You can carry Karika for that far, right?” Letting go of Reiza’s hand, Faulkner crouched, laying Karika’s chest on his back before propping her up with her arms over his shoulders. He then had Karika wrap her legs around his waist from behind, holding her up by putting his hands under her thighs.

“This should help. Good thing I’ve been keeping up with my workouts.” Ignoring the small crowd of people watching, Reiza clapped for Faulkner.

“Wow…Gaijin-san’s so strong.” Reiza leans close, whispering to Faulkner’s ear. “If you want, I can use gravity manipulation magic to lighten Karika a bit to make it easier for you.”

“Right, I forgot you could do that. But I’m fine. I’d rather get the exercise. Let’s go.”

“Alright, macho man. Follow me.” With the directions to the hotel in her phone, Reiza and Faulkner navigate through the crowds of Kabukicho’s red light district.

They pass by other prostitutes standing and touts, ignoring the two after realizing Faulkner was carrying Karika on his back.

“Good thing the two of you are wearing outfits that make you blend with the crowd. I wouldn’t want to have to deal with random prostitutes and touts bothering us.”

“I mean…I’m sure some of them still see it that way. But the likely reason they’re leaving us alone is that you’re carrying Karika on your back. They’re not so uncouth that they’d bother us when they know you’re carrying someone like that. It’s not an uncommon sight to see people helping a drunk friend or client around.”

“True. It’d definitely be different if we were back in Cali.” Listening to Karika from behind, she mumbled to herself, seemingly half awake as she nuzzled her right cheek against the back of Faulkner’s head.

“Nnggg…yeah…right there…between my legs…” With little control over herself, drool from the left corner of Karika’s lips slowly seeps onto Faulkner’s hair.

“Great…the little idiot’s drooling on my head…”

“Good thing we’re almost there.” After walking past a corner, they finally arrive at the hotel Reiza pointed to. With a large sign reading “Romanji château’ at the front, Faulkner let out a sigh of relief after reaching their destination. “Here we are. This should make for a nice little rest spot. At least until Porky sobers up.”

“Um…I didn’t realize you picked a themed love hotel…” The front of the hotel says it all. Made of wood, the rancher-style entrance had the hotel’s name woodburned into a wooden plank hanging from metal chains.

“I figured it’d be more interesting than staying in a normal love hotel. Come on, this place outta be interesting.” Following Reiza with Karika in tow, the interior was even more bizarre than the front entrance. Astro turf was installed in place of the carpet leading to the front reception desk, leaving the rest of the cement floor painted to look like dirt. Several farm equipment items, like milk jugs, rakes, and even a miniature model of a tractor, filled the lobby’s space. The wooden cattle-fence-shaped desk and large cowbell in place of a call bell brought it all together.

“Well, howdy, folks! Rather rare to see guests at this time of hour?” Calling out to them was the desk receptionist. The Minotaur receptionist’s dark brunette hair matched her caramel leather vest top. Wearing torn blue jeans, she wore brown assless chaps over them.

“Heh…howdy there.” Reiza approached the front desk, greeting the receptionist with zeal. “We’d like to book a room for three, if you happen to have any?”

“Room for three, eh? Let’s see…” Checking room availability from a desk laptop, the receptionist smiles after finding a couple of rooms. “I sure do. I have standard rooms available. But we do have one premium room fitted with an indoor hot spring.” The moment Reiza heard about the indoor hot spring, she didn’t hesitate to jump at the chance to relax.

“We’ll take the premium room!” Reiza looks over at Faulkner, flashing him a knowing grin. “You don’t mind, right, Gaijin-san?”

“R-right. We gotta relax and destress after all that drinking and dancing…” Playing along some more, Faulkner rolls his eyes before checking on Karika over his left shoulder.

“Zzz…” Chuckling softly, Faulkner knew Karika was still a ways away from waking up.

“Oh? You’ve been partyin’, huh? Looks like your chaperoning night didn’t go as planned, eh, mister?” The Minotaur cashier winked knowingly at Faulkner, thinking he was the one who nabbed Karika and Reiza as prostitutes to have fun with. But there was a glint in her eyes, followed by a knowing smirk. “Well, don’t worry. We don’t judge here. Long as ya’ll had a good time.” Checking the three of them in, Faulkner pays for a six-hour stay, costing him roughly fifty-six thousand yen.

“Here you are.” Handing over cash, the Minotaur counts the bills, nodding once she confirms they’re the right amount before handing Faulkner back his change and the keycard to their room.

“Thank you kindly, sir. Your room’s on the fifth floor, five-o-five. Here’s your keycard. Enjoy your stay!”

“Thank you.” Reiza waved the Minotaur cashier goodbye, while Faulkner managed a light bow. “Alright. Fifth floor. Looks like we’ll get a nice, scenic view.” Reaching the elevator, Faulkner noticed something peculiar.

“Hmm? Reiza, do they not have a fourth floor?” Looking at the buttons on the elevator, Faulkner saw there were buttons for the lobby, second, third, and fifth floors.

“Oh, that? Japan’s really superstitious about the number four. The character used for it has a similar pronunciation to the word death. The fifth floor we’re heading to, for example, is actually the fourth.” Pressing the fifth button, the elevator door closed, humming as it ascended to the fourth floor.

“That’s…odd. I didn’t know that.” Once they reached the fourth floor, the theme and decor matched those of the lobby, with the walls painted to look like an open field. Ambient lighting from above the walls made it look like it was nighttime. Faulkner followed Reiza until they found their room.

“Here it is.” Pressing their keycard against the electronic padlock, the lock disengaged with a click before Reiza pushed the door open. The expansive living room had all manner of ranch-themed decorative furniture.

“Is that a…billow of hay shaped as a couch?” Aside from the aforementioned couch, the coffee table in the middle was shaped more like a picnic table with a milk pail sitting in the middle. In the pale itself was filled with ice and bottles of milk.

“Oh, free milk!” A note near the pail read ‘Complementary Holsie milk, courtesy of Haidie. Tastes best when drunk after a hot spring dip.’ A portion of the message has a blank slate where the name of the staff member who contributed their milk for that day is written. “That’s neat. Apparently, the milk they serve in the premium rooms changes each day.”

“That’s…interesting. Where’s the bed?” Looking around the room some more, Faulkner spots the bed on the right side of the living room. Styled after a cabin-home wagon bed, the frame was made out of polished oak wood. Lined with faux brown fur bedsheets with white pillows, Faulkner gently sets Karika onto the bed, laying her on her back and resting her head on the middle pillow.

“Hnnngg…aahh…soft…” The sensation of the bed’s soft surface dipping slightly against Karika’s bulk made her gasp softly in comfort.

“There. Hopefully you’ll wake soon enough.” On both sides of the bed were two nightstands with a lantern-style dimmable lamp on each one. The right had pamphlets of other establishments, while the other had an info brochure regarding the love hotel.

“Let’s see…” Reading the brochure, it lists all of the amenities included in their room. “Ah…” Reading a peculiar section, Faulkner pulls the drawer from the left nightstand. His face flushed red when he saw rows of condoms from different brands and sizes, various sex lubes with different scents and flavors. There are even one-use masturbatory toys for men and women.

“Hey, Faulkner. Check this out.” Hearing Reiza call out to him, he closes the drawer and turns to Reiza. She was calling out from a separate room. Heading over to the other room, Faulkner was stunned to see it was the bathroom. There’s a small section on the back with showerheads, fog-proof mirrors, and buckets lined to match the four faucets on the wall. On each of the four mirrors sat four shower stools.

However, the bathroom’s front stunned Faulkner even more.

“Heh. We get to soak AND get a gorgeous view. I’d say the price of admission’s worth it.” The front of the bathroom was partially connected to the balcony, giving a generous view of Kabukicho below. The edges and seats on the rectangular tub were made of bamboo, complementing the stone bottom. A faucet with a bamboo stalk for a nozzle sits on the left side of the bathtub.

“Wow. That is a gorgeous view.” While admiring the view, Reiza turns to the bathtub’s faucet, turning it on as a rush of steaming hot spring water pours from the nozzle. The scent of sulfur fills the air, making Faulkner recoil in surprise. “Ack! I-is this what hot spring water smells like?”

“Uh-huh. That’s how natural spring water here smells. The hydrogen sulfides and other minerals give it that distinct smell. Despite that, soaking in genuine hot spring water feels hella good. Well worth dealing with the smell for it.” Looking back at Faulkner, Reiza stifled a chuckle before pointing at his head. “Though…before you get in for a soak, you might want to take a quick shower. You’ve got a cowlick from all the drool Karika put on your head.”

“Huh?” Touching the top of his head with his right hand, Faulkner recoiled in disgust as he felt how sticky his hair had gotten. It wasn’t just the touch. Her spit stank of alcohol. “Eugh…crap. I’d better do just that before it dries…” Before undressing, Faulkner peeks out from the bathroom door to check on Karika. Sprawled on the bed, Karika was mumbling in her sleep with a smile on her face. “Good. She seems fine.” Closing the door to the bathroom, Faulkner starts to undress, putting his clothes in a hamper near the door before turning on one of the showerheads in the back. Coming out hot right away, Faulkner nearly fell off the shower stool.

“Hey, you alright there, clumsy?” Reiza couldn’t help but chuckle before she started undressing herself. “I might as well take a dip with you. I don’t think Porky’s waking up for another hour or two.”

“Alright. And yeah, Karika won’t likely wake up anytime soon…” Once he got acclimated, Faulkner squirts a dollop of shampoo provided by the hotel sitting close by. “Ah…that feels much better…” Faulkner let out a sigh of relief, feeling the warm water wash away Karika’s drool that had accumulated on top of his head. Looking at the corner of his vision to his right, he saw Reiza had fully undressed, taking her clothes to the hamper before sitting next to Faulkner.

“Too bad you didn’t get to drink much with us. I know we were supposed to spend at least two hours in that club.”

“Heh. It’s fine. To be honest, I’ve never been the partying type. The only reason I agreed to go was that you and Karika wanted to go. Though I guess going to places like that every once in a while is fine.” While washing her hair, Faulkner couldn’t help but peek at Reiza. He’s seen her naked plenty of times already, but as a man, he still couldn’t help but leer at her chest. Naturally, Reiza noticed him staring before turning around to give him a better view of her chest.

“God, you really are a boob man, aren’t you?”

“Ah?! Um…sorry. I guess I was being a bit obvious…”

“Why are you apologizing? I don’t give a shit. Actually, while we’re here…” With a knowing grin, Reiza takes one of the body washes there that smelled of lavender. “Would you mind washing my body? I’ll wash your body afterward.”

“Oh, sure.” Taking the bottle from her, Reiza leans back, raising her right leg.

“You can start with my legs first.”

“Right.” With a smile on his face, Faulkner applied some body wash to his hands before he started washing her leg. Smooth and soft to the touch, Reiza’s legs were daintier than Karika’s, whose legs were firmer. “Hmm…you’re pretty good at this…”

“Please. We’ve done this a few times at home. What makes this situation special?”

“Because we’re doing it at a love hotel. You’re well aware what’ll happen after we’re done soaking…” Reiza flashed Faulkner a knowing grin as he moved on to her other leg.

“Oh, I’m aware. But we sleep around at home all the time, too.” Focusing on the task at hand, Faulkner moves on to her hips next, applying a fresh dollop of bodywash before gently massaging around them and her butt. “You’re still not as sensitive on your tail, are you?”

“Hmm? Oh, I don’t care. Though I appreciate the heads up.” Working on her tail, Reiza let out a soft purr when Faulkner leaned forward, pressing his chest against Reiza’s so he could look at Reiza’s tail behind her. He starts at the base of her tail, moving his thumb on gentle, but firm sweeping motions, inching closer to the rest until he reaches the pointed tip.

“Reiza, do you mind if we pick up from our conversation about Meredith and Pulchra from earlier?”

“Hmm? I don’t mind.” Once he finished with her tail, Reiza gently nudged Faulkner back. She then turns around, presenting her back to him before unfurling her wings. “Oh…you already know, but be sure to be gentle with my wings.” Stretching her wings, the thin membrane of her black to orange plagiopatagium is something Faulkner rarely sees, as Reiza usually uses magic to tuck them into her hips for convenience.

“So…the reason why that Pulchra, that bartender, knows Meredith is because Meredith was one of their best customers. In particular, she helped bring in a crap ton of guys whenever she showed up on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.” Starting with the joints of her wings, Reiza felt Faulkner’s fingers slipping into nooks she normally has difficulty getting to herself.

“Wait…from what you’re saying, it sounds like you didn’t know any of this.”

“Well, duh. I was seventeen at the time. I couldn’t exactly go inside WARP.”

“Oh yeah…” Finished with Reiza’s right wing, Faulkner moved onto her left.

“Meredith would go there to find some suit or rich guy to sleep around with. It’s how she and I made a lot of our money at the time. As for me, since I couldn’t go inside WARP, I was like one of the many prostitutes outside, waiting for the right guy to sleep with for the day.” Reiza’s voice softened, taking on an almost somber tone. “While I was reminiscing, I had this one customer who was different from all the others.”

“In what way?”

“Well…in a way, he reminded me of you.”

“Of me?

“Yeah. Taito was his name. He was the only customer I had here in Japan whom I didn’t sleep with. Instead…he wanted to practice going on a date with someone. So that’s what we did.” Finished with her other wing, Faulkner then works on the small of her back first. Reiza let out a soft coo when she felt his hands on them.

“Really? That must’ve been a different experience for you.”

“Oh, you have no idea. You see…” While getting her body washed, Reiza loses herself in nostalgia, picking up where she left off from her conversation with Pulchra from earlier.

[Starting their first stop on their practice date, Taito and Reiza stop at a local fast food restaurant to eat. Reiza and Taito were waiting in line while Taito had a notepad on hand to take notes.

“So…sh-should I start dates with somewhere to eat first?”

“It depends. If you guys haven’t eaten at all, then it should be obvious to go somewhere to eat first.”

“Yeah…alright. I figured as much. Would going to a sit-down place work? Should it be somewhere pricey?”

“I don’t know about that. In my opinion, you’d likely scare them off doing that.” Contrary to what Taito believed, his eyes widened when he heard the opposite of what he expected.

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah. If you try too hard from the start, girls will know you’re being desperate. And if they are okay with you taking them somewhere expensive, then they’re only interested in your money.” Omitting the fact she’s using Meredith as an example, Reiza let out a chuckle watching Taito write down her advice.

“So, a place like this would work?”

“Maybe. You have to figure that part out on your own, dude. Everyone’s got different tastes and all that. So you can’t expect all of them to be into the same thing. The only reason I don’t give a shit myself is that one, this is just practice. And two, you’re the one paying for my time.”

“Well…it isn’t much of a practice date if you’re just going along with everything. I want you to be honest. Is…this place good?” Looking around, Taito had taken Reiza to one of the popular ramen chains in Japan, Ichiran.

“Right. Well…honestly, it’s not a bad spot. I can’t imagine many girls being picky over ramen. The only ones I’d think would have issues are either gold diggers or one of those trendy types. Both of which I wouldn’t recommend for someone like you.”

“I see…” When it was their turn to order, they simply had to use a machine to pick out their order, pushing buttons to pick the flavor and toppings before taking their ticket numbers and their seats.

“So…since this is like…your first date ever, is there someone you’re eyeing, or…” Reiza didn’t feel the need to ask, but she did so purely out of curiosity and to make conversation while waiting for their order.

“Oh. Well, my mother and father have…high expectations for my older brother and me. They want us to marry before we reach thirty…”

“Folding under parental peer pressure, huh? Can’t say I relate.”

“Right. Whichever one of us gets married first will inherit the family business. And our business revolves around making Japanese calligraphy ink.”

“Calligraphy?” Looking down at Taito’s notes, Reiza noticed his handwriting was much more formal and neat than she’d expect someone their age to write. “So that’s why your handwriting’s so neat.”

“Oh. Thank you. Um, my brother…I look up to him, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think he understands the importance of our family business. He’s just interested in inheriting the business so he doesn’t have to go job hunting…”

“Based on what I saw of him, that doesn’t surprise me at all. That Saito guy gave off the impression of a total sleeze…”

“I hate to agree with you, but yes. My older brother Saito does give off that impression. Compared to him, I take our family’s business seriously. However, I lack the confidence he does. He can casually strike up a conversation with any girl he approaches. Meanwhile, I struggle to maintain eye contact, let alone approach them to say hello.” Seeing their orders ahead, a waitress sets down their ramen on their table.

“Look, being confident is fine. But if you ask me, using your older brother as an example is stupid. It may be hard to believe, but girls actually hate guys like that. At least I know I would.” Reiza splits her chopsticks, waiting for Taito to do the same before eating.

“Oh…but they seem to react so positively when he does it…”

“If they do, it’s either because of how he looks, and he seems like a good catch to them, or because they’re interested in his money. Nothing more. There are a few girls who find that kind of confidence attractive, but that only helps so much.” Reiza takes a break from talking, sipping the ramen noodles into her mouth. The deep, salty broth clinging to the noodles exploded with the rich flavors of pork bone broth. “No offense to your older bro, but as far as I can tell, his only redeeming qualities would be the size of his pockets and his confidence. Though the second one’s more due to his ego…”

“H-he does give that impression, doesn’t he?” Taito chuckled nervously, unable to argue with Reiza’s point before sipping his ramen. “Still, that doesn’t change the fact that he is more outgoing and confident than I am. I’m trying to change that….”

“Well, the fact that we’re doing this now means you’re serious about that. Your brother…does he have the same interest in calligraphy as you do?”

“At first, yes. I remember our father showing him the ropes of the business when we were still young. Just preparations to get the ‘simple’ ingredients for the ink blocks require meticulous work, so my brother quickly lost interest after seeing how much effort it took, only to show interest again after seeing how much money he could make out of it.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds fascinating.” With the way Reiza worded it, Taito realized the topic at hand might have been uninteresting for her.

“Whoops. I didn’t mean to mouth off like that. I’m sure you’d rather not listen to me ramble on about ink blocks…” Waving her hand dismissively mid-slurp, Reiza finishes chewing before talking.

“I don’t mind at all. I said it sounds fascinating.” Rieza raised her right hand with her finger pointed up. “Listen up, Taito. Women like it when someone’s passionate about something. AS LONG as they tell you they’re interested in hearing more. And the important distinction is that you keep the enthusiasm moderate.”

“You think so? I can’t think of any girls who’d be interested in ink blocks…” Taito’s voice faltered, a sign Reiza took that he’s either tried before and saw no results, or doesn’t know enough girls to have a good consensus.

“So you had failed dates, huh? Hehe…just fucking with you. In all seriousness, it’s not necessarily the topics you talk about that’s important. But rather the passion itself. Being passionate shows you have the drive for commitment. It also shows how confident you are about said passion. So I’m happy to hear more about it.” Taito’s eyes widened, stopping just before he was about to slurp more ramen.

“What? Are you sure? I’m certain you have more interesting things you want to talk about.” Flashing Taito a smirk, she shook her head with a chuckle.

“I have nothing interesting to talk about myself. Unless you want to hear about all the different guys and gals I’ve slept with.” Taito’s face turns red thinking of the subject, let alone talking about it.

“Ahahaha…n-n-no, I’m good.”

“Good. Now then, you said something about ink blocks selling for a lot of money. I take it that has to do with the laborious process you mentioned earlier? Maybe…it has something to do with why you’re wearing those?” Showing genuine curiosity for the process, Reiza points at the gloves Taito’s wearing. Taito’s eyes gleamed with confidence as he pulled his right glove off.

“That’s right. You see…” As the glove slips off, Reiza sees that Taito’s hand and fingers are dyed a shade of black.

“Whoa…your hands…”

“Yeah. It’s come from years of meticulous kneading of wet ink dough. No amount of soap will wash these off. If I stop working on them for a year or so, I’m sure my hands will look normal again.” Taito puts his gloves back on before he takes another sip of his ramen.

“It’s not just the color of your hands. Your fingers and palms look much more calloused than your appearance suggests. That’s pretty impressive.” Taito’s cheeks flushed red just as he finished slurping his ramen.

“Oh, you think so? I thought they’d be off-putting…”

“Well, some women probably would be, yeah. But calloused hands show a hard worker. If a woman only sees them as unattractive traits and can’t see them for what they represent, then they’re not worth your time.” Not expecting that kind of insightful advice from Reiza, Taito’s eyes widened with surprise and appreciation.

“Wow…um…I don’t know what to say. I’m really glad you agreed to this, Reiza.”

“Heh. I think this is the first time I’ve had a client thank me while not straddling their waist.” Reiza was mostly teasing, but she was also genuinely happy to know she could help someone in means other than sex work. She looks back at Taito, who again was blushing out of embarrassment, but also at how cute Reiza looked to him when she gave him a genuine smile. “In any case, what do you think we should do next when we’re done here?”

“Oh, um…” Racking his brain, Taito crossed his arms in deep thought. “I guess going to the movies, right? Or…would an Arcade work better?”

“I’d say the movie’s a safe move. That way, you spend less on concessions since you’ve already gotten to eat somewhere beforehand. It also lets you two digest your meals. Going somewhere that requires you two to move around a lot, like an arcade, wouldn’t be the best with full stomachs.” Writing down Reiza’s advice, Taito smiles before they both finish their ramen bowls.

“Right! Well…shall we go to the movies then?” Feeling a little more confident, Taito offers his gloved right hand to Reiza. She smiles again, appreciating his growing confidence.

“Wow…that’s suave of you. Alright, lead the way. Let’s see if you can figure out which movie to watch with who then.]

“Oh…that’s interesting. So this Taito person has a passion for calligraphy ink block making.”

“Uh-huh. Honestly, once he described the kind of crap you go through just to make them sound SO tiring. It was fascinating to learn about.” Faulkner had finished washing Reiza’s body before it was her turn to wash him.

“I take it things went well with your guy’s date.”

“Yup. I’m not sure where he’s at now, but I’m confident he left that date of ours feeling more confident than before. As for his older brother Saito, they did just about what I expected, considering it was Meredith who was taking care of him…” Reiza’s tone softened slightly while scrubbing Faulkner’s back. “You know…earlier was a close call…”

“Are you talking about that situation with Helleina? It was. I’m not sure what saved our hides.”

“Maybe it was one of the Yakuza bosses? They generally don’t like trouble brewing near their businesses, so if someone causes a problem, they’ll usually get involved to stop it.” Suddenly, as they brought up the topic, Karika came into the bathroom, already half naked from the waist up.

“Hey! You’re not doing anything n-naughty to Faulkner, are you, small titz?!” While she’s sobered up some, Karika was still drunk from the flushed look on her face. Reiza was just getting to Faulkner’s chest from behind when she suddenly moved her hands down to Faulkner’s groin.

“Oh, Porky, you’re awake!” Without warning, Reiza wraps her hands around the base of Faulkner’s cock, causing him to jolt in shock. “And here I was just about to get to the good part…” Reiza makes a show by stroking Faulkner’s shaft from base to tip, feeling it pulse in her hand as his cock quickly hardened.

“Hah?! Hey hey hey, dun get a head shtart without me!” Karika rushed to take her skirt and panties off, nearly ripping them before tripping in her attempt to take off her leg warmers.

“Dumbass…” Reiza sighed before letting go of Faulkner’s cock, leaving it throbbing and fully erect. “Here, I’ll help you out. You’re liable to rip those if you rush…” While Reiza walked over to help Karika, Faulkner sighs at the spectacle before washing the body suds on his body with water.

“Faulkner, why don’t you get in the bathtub ahead of us? The water should be leveled by now.”

“Sure, no problem.” While Faulkner went for a bath to soak, Reiza had Karika sit on one of the shower stools before squirting a generous amount of shampoo to wash Karika’s hair.

“H-how long was I asleep for?”

“Hmm? You fell asleep just as we left WARP up until we got to the love hotel. So, you were out for about thirty minutes or so.” Carefully combing through Karika’s hair, Reiza gently threads her fingers around the curls, making sure every nook and cranny is scrubbed clean.

“Sorry if I ruined our fun. I was the one who planned to go to this place, and I just ended up nearly getting us into a fight, then getting too drunk to even stay for an hour at the club…”

“Oh, that? Nah. I’m sure you noticed, but I only agreed because I have some experience with Kabukicho. That and it’d be entertaining to see how you and Faulkner would do here.”

“Speaking of, what kind of love motel did you pick for us? It’s all ranch or farm themed.”

“Oh, hehe, yeah. This place is themed after stereotypical American-style ranches. I thought it’d be a novel experience. We picked out the most expensive room for about six hours. As you can see, the room comes with an indoor hot spring with an open window view of the city.” Finished with Karika’s hair, Reiza moves onto Karika’s body, scrubbing Karika’s thighs with body wash to start. Karika let out a soft, sultry moan that made Faulkner turn his attention to them.

“Hnngg…h-hey…easy. You know my inner thighs are sensitive…”

“Get over it, Porky. You need to be nice and clean before you set foot in the bathtub. A nice soak in hot spring water should help you relax after getting drunk.” Reiza ignored Karika’s moans, moving her left hand between Karika’s legs.

“Fuooaahhh…” Karika’s tail whipped violently as she felt Reiza curl two fingers into her pussy. “B-bitch…th-this isn’t…”

“Shh…just relax, alright? I’m just being thorough here…” Reiza plays with Karika while she’s drunk and vulnerable, pressing the base of her thumb on Karika’s clit.

“Ooohhh!” The hairs on Karika’s ears and tail stiffen as she feels a wave of pleasurable heat engulf her from the bottom, feeling the heat rising to her chest, causing her nipples to harden.

“…” Faulkner, meanwhile, was blushing deep red. It was partially due to the hot spring water, but it mostly had to do with hearing Karika’s moans. “Boy…this hot spring water’s hot…”

“You’ll acclimate, you big baby. Just take things slow…”

“Easy for you to say. You’re a literal fire demon…” Faulkner retorts as he slowly acclimates to the heat. The scent of phosphorus starts to fill the air. It wasn’t as pungent as the ones in natural hot springs, but the smell was just as strong.

Putting the smell aside, Faulkner felt the slight aches and fatigue in his muscles melt away as the therapeutic hot spring water seeped into his body.

“Oh…this is nice…” Just as he was about to close his eyes to focus on the water’s therapeutic effects, he heard another sharp moan from Karika echo in the bathroom.

“Aaaahhh…hhnnnggg…s-sis…that’s…” Reiza moved her right hand onto Karika’s chest, thoroughly rubbing body wash over her nipples. She kept her left hand on Karika’s crotch, flicking her clit just to tease her.

“Almost done, Porky. Just a little more, yeah?” Not finished with Karika, Reiza nuzzles onto Karika’s neck from the left, gently blowing onto it before she starts kissing her there.

“B-bitch…th-this isn’t just…fuwwaahh…cleaning anymore…”

“We’re at a love hotel, Porky. Messing around’s kind of the point, isn’t that right, Faulkner?” Reiza momentarily gazes at Faulkner from the side, seeing him turned around, facing away from them. His neck was bright red from listening to Karika’s moans. Reiza knew Faulkner was getting aroused from this.

“Mlaaahh…” Reiza gently nips at Karika’s neck, leaving a faint bite mark before licking it.

“Hnnnggg…sis…if…you keep this up…” Just as Karika was feeling the signs of an orgasm, Reiza pulls her hands away, leaving Karika quivering with phantom waves of pleasure.

“Alright, you’re all clean now.” Stepping away from Karika, Reiza folds her wings and does a little twirl before joining Faulkner in the bathtub. Reiza doesn’t even flinch as she dips herself fully into the bathtub, leaning against Faulkner before turning her head to face Karika. “Go on and wash the suds off your body before joining us at the bathtub, Porky.”

“Aaahh…y-you…little…” Karika’s voice trails off into a low growl of frustration before washing her body off with a showerhead. While Karika was washing herself off, Reiza took the chance to put her left hand on Faulkner’s right thigh, purposefully bringing it close to his erect cock hidden in the steaming water.

“Nice view, huh?” Looking out the open window, they saw the bustling lights creating a bright, colorful cascade over the night sky.

“It sure is…nice and-ACK!” Looking over at Reiza, she flashed him a wide grin as he felt her left hand cup his balls.

“Hmm…did you know that hot spring water in Japan is hot enough to soft-boil eggs? It’s not uncommon to see people eating them while soaking in hot spring water, you know?”

“I-is this really appropriate, Reiza? We’re in a hot spring right now…”

“No. We’re in a private hot tub filled with hot spring water. In a love hotel, might I add…” Without warning, Reiza jumps onto Faulkner’s lap, straddling him as she grabs onto his shoulders for support.

“R-Reiza?!” Below the water, he could feel Reiza’s stomach rubbing against his cock. Giving him no time to react, Reiza leans close, slowly closing her eyes and bringing her lips closer to his.

“Faulkner…” Reiza whispers Faulkner’s name in a sultry tone, moving slowly to raise the tension.

*SPLASH!* With Reiza’s eyes closed, she didn’t see the jet of water hit her square on the face.

“Hey! You started fucking with me, then you stopped just before I was close to cumming before going for Faulkner? Fuck you!” Karika sprayed Reiza across the bathroom, changing the shower head’s nozzle to a jet spray on Reiza’s face.

“Pfft! Puwah! Bleehh…damn you, Porky…” Reiza was half tempted to get out of the tub to get back at Karika, but she saw Karika already heading toward them before abruptly splashing into the bathtub.

“Ah, fuck! HOT!” Not expecting the water to be as hot as it was, Karika quickly jumped back out, holding onto the bathtub’s edge from the other side.

Laughing at Karika, Reiza dismounts Faulkner for a moment before facing Karika from the bathtub.

“Hah, serves you right, Porky! If you were paying attention to what I said to Faulkner earlier, you would’ve known the hot spring water’s hotter than the water that sprays from the showerheads.” Karika, in retaliation, bumps heads with Reiza from her side.

“You were finger fucking me while you were explaining that, small tits! How’d you expect me to pay attention when you got me moaning like that?!”

“…” Faulkner just watched the scene unfold, shaking his head before splashing both of them with the hot spring water.

“WAH!” They both yelled out in surprise before turning their attention to Faulkner.

“Stop arguing, you two. We’re supposed to relax in hot spring water, right? Karika, dip your toes in first and get in when you’re acclimated. And Reiza, keep your hands to yourself and enjoy the view!”

“Fine…” Karika and Reiza both exclaimed with exaggerated sighs before breaking off their fight.

Once Karika had acclimated, she sat on Faulkner’s left side, leaning against his shoulder, while Reiza leaned onto his shoulder from the right. They take in the sight, relaxing as the minerals in the hot spring water leech into their skin, giving them a therapeutic experience.

“I heard you two talking about something while I was taking my top off from outside the bathroom. What was it about?” Karika turned to Reiza, expecting an answer from her.

“I was just bringing up how I knew the bartender back at the nightclub we were in. In short, I was talking about a ‘customer’ I had when I was living here in Japan with Meredith. ”

“Was there something special about this customer?”

“Yeah. I already told Faulkner a bit about him, but I guess I can start over for your sake, Porky. You see, the guy’s name was Saito, and rather than sleeping with him like I usually did, he wanted me to go on a practice date with him…”

(Next Chapter: https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-29/)

624 Views