An Arrival of a Rival. CH 29

(Previous Chapter: https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-28/)

Chapter 29

Natalice and Matilda Take Center Stage.

“Ahhh…this is heaven…” Relaxing in the bath, Karika practically melts into the tub as the hot spring waters seep into her skin. Karika’s right wrist was still a bit raw from the slight burn from her encounter with Helleina, but it didn’t take long before she acclimated to the pain.

“You know, we could stop by a pharmacy tomorrow and get some burn cream for your wrist, Porky.” Reiza couldn’t help but worry for Karika. She had dismissed it earlier, but was reminded of it when she noticed Karika wince in discomfort when she submerged her right hand into the hot spring water.

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt as much as you think.” Knowing Reiza was only worried for her, Karika leaned back, staring at Reiza behind Faulkner before smiling. “More importantly…” Then, turning her attention back to Faulkner, she leaned forward, squishing her left breast against Faulkner’s right arm. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Faulkner. You’re sandwiched between Reiza and me, and you haven’t made a single move on us yet…” Faulkner doesn’t even turn to face Karika. Instead, he takes in the sights of the open view before leaning deeper into the tub.

“That’s because I’m trying to relax. This IS a hot spring, Karika. Even if it isn’t in a traditional sense, I’m trying to soak in the waters and relax.” With most of his body, save for the top of his shoulders, submerged in the tub, Faulkner let the hot spring water caress his aching body. There was a therapeutic effect that made his muscles feel like jelly. He could easily sink into the tub if he wanted to.

“Yeah. We can save the fun of having sex AFTER we get to bed.” Agreeing with Faulkner, Reiza uses her tail to pull a wooden pail floating on the water over to her. Scooping some hot spring water, she pours it over her head. As the water cascades over her head, the flames on her horns remain unaffected by the water, flicking as if nothing had happened.

“Boo. You guys are boring…” Karika relented for the time being, staying quiet as she leaned back against the tub to soak. “Well…I guess this is nice too…” As she relaxed into the water, she used Faulkner’s right shoulder as a pillow. “We still got what, today, tomorrow, and Friday before Nalaa and Mala’s concert, right?” Karika turned to Reiza, who followed Karika’s lead and leaned on Faulkner’s left shoulder.

“Yup. We probably won’t be able to go far in those three days alone, but I know there’s at least one remote hot spring we can visit. Though there’s also that one island that’s full of nothing but cats…” Contemplating their next destination, Faulkner found it a little harder to relax with two women as their bodies rubbed against his. “What about you, Faulkner? Do you have a place in mind?”

“Hmm…” Crossing his arms, Faulkner hummed in deep thought. “There’s only one place I wanted to visit. And that’s Mount Fuji.” Karika’s ears perked up, eager to get some exercise while taking in breathtaking sights.

“Oh, that sounds fun! Is it far from here, sis?” She turned to Reiza and shook her head.

“Nah. It’s about a two-hour drive from here. But the hike’s basically half a day. If we want to go there, we’d probably want to leave as soon as tomorrow. And as I’ve said earlier, with the hike taking up half a day, we’d spend a night there resting.” Between the time it’d take to go there, hike, rest, and come back, Faulkner shook his head at the idea.

“Well…that’s probably not a good idea then. As much as the idea of going to Mount Fuji appeals to me, we’d be taking up more time than necessary. I guess we should just stick to Tokyo for the time being and visit local highlights instead.”

“Aww…damn. I guess we’ll have to come back here some other time if we want to go there then…” Karika expressed her disappointment by submerging her mouth in the water and blowing bubbles.

“Yeah. It’ll probably be two years or more before we go back, so don’t get too excited.” Faulkner also wants to go, but if they did, they’d have to rush the experience. He’d rather take their time to take in the sights and experience the hot springs.

“It’s better off that way. Honestly, two days is the bare minimum we should spend at Mount Fuji. It’d suck if we rushed it.” While Karika was sulking, she looked down at the clear water. Seeing Faulkner’s cock, she found a solution to lighten her mood. She reached down with her left hand, grasping his cock.

“Ah?! K-Karika?!” With slow, purposeful strokes, Karika knew exactly what kind of movements she needed to elicit an erection.

“What?! We’re in a love hotel, for fucks sake. I’m not wasting this chance…” Without hesitation, Karika hops onto Faulkner’s thighs, blocking his view of the window before pulling his head between her breasts.

“Hmppf?!” Faulkner tried to push Karika off, but she had already wrapped her arms around her head, locking him in place.

“There’s no point in resisting. I can already feel a stiffy poking me on the stomach…” Karika slid her hips forward, rubbing the flat of her stomach against Faulkner’s twitching member.

“Hmppf…puwah!” Faulkner managed to pull his face away from Karika’s breasts, breathing heavily with the bottom of his chin sitting firmly on Karika’s collarbone.

“Reiza…a little help?”

“Hmm…” Reiza turned to Faulkner, seeing he was still trying to pry Karika off him with his hands grasping her shoulders. “Nah…I think I’ll enjoy the view for a bit. Besides, I promised to let her have her fun first. ”

“Wh-what?!” Surprised, Faulkner’s resistance wavered, giving Karika the chance to pull his face toward hers before planting a firm, deep kiss. “Hmppfff…” Tasting the alcohol on Karika’s lips, he felt his limbs relax, knowing it was pointless to resist.

“Besides, this IS a love hotel. Might as well enjoy its unique perks. Though I’m going to enjoy this soak first…” Rather than jump in, Reiza decides to watch and let Karika take the first lead.

“Mlaaahhh…Faulkner…” Lifting her hips, Karika was already lining her vaginal entrance above Faulkner’s cock. Grabbing hold of his shaft, she kept it steady while maintaining lip contact.

“Karika…” Moving her hands from her shoulders down to her waist, Faulkner helped stabilize Karika before lowering her hips. She stopped just as she felt the tip of his cock nudge at her vaginal entrance.

“Puwah…ehehe…” Pulling away from their kiss first, Karika chuckled mischievously. She rocked her hips forward and back, teasing the head of his cock in polishing motions. “Well…Faulkner DID say he wants to relax. So maybe I should just get off him…” Karika teased at the idea as she let go of his shoulder.

“Wh-what?!” Faulkner’s voice faltered as Karika sat up and got out of the tub. Turning to face her, Karika purposefully moved her tail aside, giving Faulkner an unobstructed view of her plump asscheeks. The warm water clung to her dark-tanned skin as the bathroom lighting made it shimmer. “I’ll go get dressed then…” Walking toward the door, Karika reached down for her clothes with the purposeful intent of bending over. The bright pink of her glisteningly wet pussy lips is clearly visible.

Taking her time, Karika already hears Faulkner rising from the bathtub. The sounds of his footsteps echo, getting closer until she feels his strong hands grasp her asscheeks. Standing tall and rigid, the veins on Faulkner’s shaft pulsed in time with his rising heartbeat.

“Kyah! Faulkner…what’re you doing?! Didn’t you say you wanted to relax?” Feeling his fingers sink into her asscheeks, Faulkner grabs hold of his cock with his left hand, lining the tip at her pussy entrance before thrusting his hips forward, slamming into her. “OOOOHHH!!!” Stretching her vaginal walls open, Faulkner rammed his cock deep inside her, bottoming out in one thrust.

“You think I can just sit there and relax after all that teasing?!” Faulkner didn’t give Karika the chance to acclimate, thrusting his hips front and back with force that made the surface of her asscheeks ripple.

“EEEKK!! H-hey, H-hold on!” While the bathroom floor was slightly textured to match rough stone to help prevent accidental slips, the fact that it was wet led to a high risk of slipping. Looking for anything to hold onto, Karika looked up and grabbed hold of one of the towel racks.

“You’d better hold on tight! We’ll slip otherwise!” Facing the wall with her back slightly arched, Karika clung hard onto the towel rack as the sounds of Faulkner’s hips slapping against her asscheeks filled the room. Accompanied by their moans and the squelch of their fluids mixing together, Reiza could scarcely relax as she turned to look at the two.

“…” Watching Karika getting railed from behind, the deep, sensuous moans resonating in the bathroom were impossible to drown out. Before she knew it, Reiza was already reaching down between her legs, lightly dragging her fingers along her pussy slit. “Aahhh…” Moaning softly under her breath, Reiza was getting lost in the symphony of Faulkner and Karika’s moans.

“Dammit…you’re so tight and wet…” Faulkner started strong, but the constricting, tight walls of Karika’s vagina quickly whittle him down, forcing him to slow his movements. This gave Karika a chance to catch her breath before flexing the muscles in her groin, strangling his cock tightly inside her.

“Fuwaahh…g-getting ahead of yourself, are we? Now it’s time for my counterattack!” Winding her tail around Faulkner’s right leg in a possessive wrap, she bucks her hips back and forth, forcing Faulkner to hold onto her hips more tightly, lest he slip and fall on the bathroom floor.

“S-so much for relaxing…” Reiza was barely there for thirty minutes, rubbing her clit while listening to Faulkner and Karika’s moans close by. Rather than cum in the tub, Reiza decided it’d be better to stand up and leave the bathroom. “You know what? It’s hard to enjoy the scenery when I hear you two fucking like horn dogs in the background…” As she walked towards the towel racks to grab two towels, she gave Karika and Faulkner a knowing smile before leaving the bathroom to dry herself off.

“Phew…that felt nice…” With one towel wrapped around her head to dry her hair and another for her body, Reiza walked over to the coffee table with the pail of Holstaurus milk.

*Pop!* Popping the cork off the top bottle, Reiza took a big sip of the milk. The ice-chilled milk paired well with the warmth from the hot spring water still lingering in her body.

“Puwah! Man. That’s good stuff!” Taking another sip, Reiza walks over to the bed, sitting on the edge of the bed before looking out at the city view. She narrows her gaze, staring at the glittering neon lights and signs adorning every building in sight. She recalls her memories with Taito once more, smiling to herself.

[“Hey, what took you so long?” Right around seven at night, Meredith saw Reiza and Taito meeting them back at their rendezvous point, where they first met Saito and Taito. Saito, looking somewhat disheveled with his tie undone and white-collared shirt untucked, waved at Taito and Reiza. Meredith, who stood next to Taito, simply winked at Reiza while clinging to Taito’s left shoulder, pinning his arm against the right side of her chest.

“Sorry. The movie lasted longer than expected, so we’re just a bit late.” Taito, by comparison, looked about the same as when they left. Aside from their dinner date, Reiza went to the arcade with Taito, playing some games together, and even won a phone charm for her before finishing their practice date by watching a horror film.

“You guys watched a movie together? Sounds like you two went on a date.” Saito looked at his younger brother Taito with his arms crossed and his right brow raised in suspicion.

“Oh, well, um…” Taito, unable to come up with an excuse, was rescued by Reiza when she clung to Taito’s right arm.

“Eh, we only had the movie on as a way to tell time. After all, Taito was quite the gentleman…” Reiza, doing Taito a solid, blushed like a schoolgirl in front of Saito. She even reached out for Taito’s chest with her other hand, caressing it tenderly.

“Wh-what?! R-really?!” Saito, looking utterly baffled, looks back at Taito for confirmation. Taito then recalls a conversation he had with Reiza earlier after they finished with the movie theater.

“It was quite the experience. I learned a LOT from Reiza.” Following through, Taito goes for Reiza’s right shoulder, rubbing up and down the length of her arm with a smile on his face.

“Well…color me surprised, bro. I didn’t think you’d step up like that!” Looking up at Taito, Reiza curls her fingers around Taito’s chest, encouraging him to play along.

“What about you, bro? Had a good time with Meredith?” When asked about how his day went, Saito’s face completely goes red. Meredith flashed Reiza and Taito a knowing grin before she let go of Saito’s arm.

“I-it was great. Honestly, the best experience of my life…” Walking over to Taito, Reiza moved out of Taito’s way, walking behind him before gently pushing Taito forward toward his brother.

“Go on. Make sure to give him ALL the details, Taito.”

“Hahaha…yeah.” Afterward, the two brothers, Saito and Taito Ichiba, bowed to Meredith and Reiza before walking off together. Once they were out of sight, Meredith looked over at Reiza and gave her a grinning side-eye.

“You two didn’t do it, did you?” Returning Meredith’s smile with her own, Reiza shook her head, showing off the black kitten phone charm Taito won for her.

“Nope. Taito’s a total greenhorn. He was too nervous to do anything lewd, so we just spent the day on a faux date.” Turning away from the Ichiba brothers, Meredith and Reiza walk back to their hotel.

“Well, it looks like you had a good time, but aren’t you hungry?” Reaching for her purse, Reiza pulls out a small candy tin. Labeled as ‘Ramune-flavored Spirit energy candy,’ she pops one in her mouth.

“Nah. Between the food we ate and this, I’ll be fine. If I need a quick fix, I can always seek out a guy later. What about you, Mom? Was that Saito guy all talk?” Giggling to herself, Meredith puffed her chest, placing her right hand above it with a maternal smile.

“Saito was much more docile than his appearance suggests. He had a…mommy kink. So you know how that goes…”

“Sheesh…you sure do get a lot of guys like that. Don’t you get sick of it?” The flames on Meredith’s horns suddenly lose their usual flicker, shrinking into a gentle yellow flame with a steady burn.

“Not really. It’s kind of cathartic. Reminds me of when I used to coddle you when you were little.”

“Mom…I’m way past that…”

“Really? You’re barely eighteen. To me, you’re always my baby girl…” With a soft smile, Meredith reaches for Reiza, gently patting her on the head.

“M-mom…” The flames on Reiza’s horns turn pink in embarrassment, flickering as a show of embarrassment.]

“…” Despite recent circumstances, Reiza couldn’t help but smile. Meredith’s actions are certainly unforgivable, but there have been times when Meredith showered Reiza with maternal affection. It made her question when Meredith changed. What caused said change? Was it Reiza’s growing sense of independence that made Meredith act out?

“Mom…” Again, Trisha’s advice resonates within Reiza’s mind. Perhaps talking with Meredith might not be such a bad idea. Despite being raised by Meredith for nearly all her life, Meredith hardly talked about her past. She recalls how Meredith described sex with her father a year before meeting Faulkner and Karika.

‘Warm, caring. No man has ever held me so gently before. Where many could scarcely keep themselves in control, he restrained himself not out of nervousness or doubt, but compassion. It was only through his embrace that I felt genuinely cared for and loved.’

Ever since she recalled that memory when she ate at ‘Pounded Burgers’ with Karika, she couldn’t help but want to know more about her father.

“FUWAAAHHH!!!” Reiza’s thoughts were cut off halfway when she heard Karika scream out from the bathroom. Inside, Karika was on the brink of cumming as she clung desperately to the towel rack.

“Karika! Aaahhh…I’m going to cum!” Faulkner, nearing his limit, slams his hips back and forth against Karika’s asscheeks, causing them to ripple with each thrust. Faulkner slid his hands forward, reaching for Karika’s swinging breasts before groping them tightly with his hands. He pinches her nipples hard, tugging at the turgid buds.

“Do it! Fill me up!” Bucking her hips back to meet his thrusts, Faulkner rams his cock deep inside Karika’s vagina. Cumming hard, Karika’s legs stiffened as she felt him pouring spurt after spurt of warm semen into her.

“Ooohhhhh…” Sticking her tongue out, Karika let out a long, dragged-out moan as she bucked her hips with each spurt, milking his orgasm for all its worth.

After the last spurt, Faulkner pulls his waist back, letting his softening cock slip out of her vagina. Excess semen leaks out from Karika’s vagina, dripping onto the bathroom floor. Afterward, he pulls Karika up, forcing her to stand up with his hands still firmly grasping her breasts. Karika’s legs shook like a newborn fawn, leaning back on Faulkner for support.

“Fuck…that was intense…” Karika turned her head to face Faulkner from the right side, planting a loving kiss on his lips. “Hmppfff…” Letting her tongue slip between his lips, Faulkner suckled on Karika’s tongue, returning her kiss with loving enthusiasm.

“Mlaaahh…I’ll admit, this was pretty hot…” Faulkner spoke in between their kiss, teasingly nibbling at her bottom lip before pulling away. “Can you stand up straight, or do I have to carry you out?” Weakly nodding, Karika pulled away from Faulkner and stood fine on her own after a few seconds.

“I…can stand. We should probably wash up again before leaving…” Reaching down between her legs, Karika wiped the excess semen clinging to her inner thigh with her right index finger, bringing it up to her lips before licking it clean. “Hmm…delicious…” Faulkner’s face was already red from being in the hot bath, but he nonetheless blushed in arousal, seeing Karika lick his cum clean off her finger.

“R-right. I’m sure Reiza’s been waiting long enough for us…” Going back to the shower area, Faulkner and Karika wash each other’s bodies, making sure they’re clean before draining the hot spring water from the tub.

Back at the hotel’s main bedroom, Reiza had finished her bottle of Holstaurus milk, putting the empty glass bottle on a nearby plastic crate where the empty bottles are put. Still waiting for Faulkner and Karika, Reiza looked into the bedside drawers out of boredom, reaching for a disposable dildo.

“Hmm…” Tempted to masturbate, Reiza shook her head before closing the drawer. “Nah…I can wait…” Digging into her purse, Reiza pulled out her phone and looked at the time. It was two thirty in the morning, so they still had four and a half hours left in their stay. She noticed a few messages on her phone from Trisha.

“Mrs. Trisha?” She opened her messages and saw that Trisha had messaged her, Karika, and Faulkner to ask if they were okay. The messages were sent an hour ago, so she figured she’d call Trisha instead of texting.

*Ring, ring.*

[“Reiza? Are you guys doing alright?” At roughly ten thirty in the morning, Trisha was at her office reading through documents Nakoto sent her before answering Reiza’s call.

“Yeah. We’re alright. I got your texts. I take it you know where we’re at?”

“Not exactly. Faulkner only told me you guys were heading to Kabukicho. I wanted to warn him about something, but he hung up before I could say anything.” Reiza could hear Trisha sighing in frustration before continuing. “But…from what I heard, you guys did run into trouble. Though thankfully you three came out relatively fine…”

“Wait…you know what happened?”

“Uh-huh. A good chunk of Kabukicho is currently under Helleina’s control. I had a feeling you’d either run into her or one of her followers while the three of you are there. So I called Lady Tama to have someone check on you guys to make sure things didn’t go south…”

“Oh, I see! So that’s why Helleina backed off when she did. The person she was talking to was Lady Tama.”

“No. Not exactly. The person Helleina was talking to is Lady Tama’s bodyguard. She’s also my Kohai. Lady Tama ordered her bodyguard to tail you guys until you were somewhere safe.”

“Wow. We couldn’t even notice we were being followed. Is she still following us?”

“Nah. Lady Tama just texted me thirty minutes ago, letting me know you guys found a love hotel to stay in.” Chuckling sensually, Trisha’s voice took on a sultry tone. “So…I take it you three will spend the night there fucking around, huh?”

“Heh. What else? I let Porky have a go at him first. They stopped moaning in the bathroom, so I’m sure they’ve finished and are actually showering there by now.”

“Hah. Well, alright. I’m glad you three are fine. Otherwise, you guys enjoying your vacay?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty nice. I mean, I’ve been here already. But being here with Faulkner and Karika makes it feel like an entirely new experience.”

“Heh. That’s good. I remember my time in Japan. You guys found some good booze for me yet?” Reiza could practically feel Trisha on the other side of the phone drooling in anticipation.

“Not yet. But we’ll probably go looking for souvenirs for everyone starting tomorrow. We just had a long day. For one, we went all over Akihabara, going to the different shops for things that we can only get there. Then, we went to the maid cafe that started it all. Then, we went back to our hotel to drop things off and rest before coming to Kabukicho.”

“Sheesh. I don’t think I’d have the energy for that kind of day anymore. Getting old sure does suck…” Reiza raised her right brow, doubtful that Trisha was running into those issues despite her age.

“You’re not even in your forties yet, Mrs. Trisha. Plus, aren’t Blue Onis like, super strong?”

“Yes. We’re strong. But we don’t have that much stamina. Well…unless I’m drunk…” Trisha giggled to herself before looking at the time on her computer monitor. “Whoops, I gotta get back to work. I’m glad you guys are fine and enjoying your vacation. Make sure you remind Faulkner to get me my booze.”

“Hah. I will.”]

Hanging up first, Reiza heard the bathroom door open as Karika and Faulkner stepped out. Like Reiza, Karika wore a towel over her head and body, while Faulkner simply needed a towel over his waist.

“Hey, you two finished fucking in there?” Swinging her legs onto the bed, Reiza lazily plopped onto it, lying on her back before turning to face Faulkner. “It’s my turn, so don’t get too comfortable yet…” Faulkner’s body visibly shivered, not just from the contrast of the cool air after stepping out of the steamy bathroom, but from the intense gaze he felt from Reiza. Her lewd intentions were practically seeping into his bones.

“Well…it’s a good thing we have this then…” Walking over to the coffee table, Faulkner grabs two bottles of the Holstaurus milk. He turns to Karika, giving her one glance. “Here.” Tossing a bottle to Karika, she effortlessly catches it with her right hand.

“Thanks.” Popping the bottle’s cork open, they each took a generous gulp. “Puwah! Man, I guess the Jap’s were right about a nice cold bottle of milk after soaking in the hot springs!”

“It helps that this is Holstaurus milk. I doubt it’d be nearly as refreshing without it.” Feeling energy swell within him, Faulkner takes his time drinking. Karika practically chugs hers, finishing the bottle before setting it down in the container for empty bottles.

“Aaahhh…alright.” Sitting down on the couch across the coffee table, Karika stared expectantly at Faulkner. “Go on then, rail small tits over there with all you got.” Looking at Karika and the somewhat awkward place where she sat, Reiza couldn’t help but chuckle as she was reminded of something.

“Heh…so that’s what you’re doing, huh? From this angle, it looks like you’re sitting on a cuck chair. Must be thrilling to watch me fuck Faulkner in front of you like this…”

“Ack! N-no! That’s not…” Karika turned her attention to Faulkner for a moment as he walked past her, joining Reiza on the bed after setting the half-empty bottle of Holstaurus milk on the bedside table.

“Don’t antagonize her, Reiza…” Scootching toward Reiza, Faulkner leans close, bringing his lips to hers for a soft, tender kiss. Reiza reciprocates with gentle pecks, moaning softly before she reaches for his chest with her right hand. She splayed her fingers, tracing the tips over his left pectoral before dragging them down to his abs below. Her touch left a trailing sensation of heat wherever she touched, like she smeared warm balm over them.

“Mlaaahhh…Reiza…” Feeling restless, Faulkner brought his left hand over to Reiza’s back, pulling her closer to himself before deepening the kiss, slipping his tongue between her lips. Reiza giggled softly, opening her lips slightly as his tongue tangled with hers.

While kissing, Faulkner moved his other hand to her chest, groping her left tit over the bath towel. Reiza let out a soft moan before reaching for the hem of the towel with her left hand, undoing it to expose her bare chest for him. Without hesitation, Faulkner pinched Reiza’s left nipple, tugging it gently, causing Reiza to moan softly into their kiss.

Watching them, Karika rolled her eyes in jealousy before turning to face the wall-mounted TV, turning it on to watch something while waiting for Reiza and Faulkner to finish.

“Let’s see…” The first thing displayed on the TV when Karika turned it on was an advertisement page from the hotel, showcasing a variety of porn videos or music ambiance to set the mood. “Ah…” Many of the porn videos showcased were monster girl themed, with a few featuring human-to-human. Unsure of what to watch, Karika turned her attention back to Faulkner and Reiza, seeing that they’d since changed positions, with Reiza straddling Faulkner’s hips.

“Heh, looking good from up there, Reiza…” Resting his hands on top of her thighs, Reiza smirks at Faulkner from below, teasing the tip of his cock by holding it right at her pussy entrance, gyrating her hips in slow circles.

“You’re not so bad down there either. You’ve got a nice, wide, muscular chest for me to rest my palms on.” Using Faulkner’s chest for support, Reiza lays her palms flat on his pecs, splaying her fingers. She twists her palms outward, bringing her thumbs and index fingers together to pinch his nipples.

“Ack!” With a gentle tug, Reiza flashed Faulkner a toothy grin, giving him no time to adjust before she wiggled her hips, causing the tip of his cock to sink into her vagina. “Aaaahhhh…”

“Ohh…that’s a sweet moan you’re letting out. Does it feel that good having your nippies twisted and tugged at?” Sinking further down, Reiza slowly takes Faulkner’s cock into her, letting out a soft gasp after swallowing the whole length.

“Aaahhh…s-so hot…” While not as tight as Karika’s, the warmth of Reiza’s vaginal walls provides a soothing sensation, leaving Faulkner moaning softly. He then felt heat radiate from his chest.

“Feels nice, warm, and fuzzy, doesn’t it? I’ll make sure you feel so comfortable that you’d never want to let go…” Shifting her weight, Reiza moved her hands up to Faulkner’s shoulders, laying her chest flat onto his. The soft, pillowy touch of her breasts squishing onto him made Faulkner buck his hips up from the movement, pushing Reiza up slightly till her lips were level with his.

“Reiza…” Leaning forward, Faulkner pressed his lips against Reiza’s for another kiss. Reiza eagerly returned it, moaning softly as she met his encroaching tongue with hers.

“…” Having watched the whole time, Karika already felt her arousal rising. The soft moans Faulkner and Reiza let out as they kissed and the subtle creaking of the bedframe had Karika biting her lower lip in jealousy. She turned back to the TV, scrolling through the videos to see if she could play anything to distract herself with. “Let’s see…” Talking under her breath, she clicked on one of the videos titled ‘Spoiling your husband.’

The video starts with a typical hardworking office man getting home from unappreciated overtime from his boss. There, his Hakutaku wife greets him with a gentle smile and a familiar cliché line. She wore nothing but a white apron over her naked body.

[“Welcome home, dear husband.” She plants a gentle peck on his lips.

“Glad to be back, dear. I’m sorry if I’ve been coming home late. You don’t have to stay up to wait for me, you know?”

“Nonsense. How can I sleep the night away knowing my dearest is working hard for me? It’s only fair I do my part and greet you. So then, what would you like to start with? A dinner, a bath, or…” With a not-so-subtle gesture, the Hakutaku pulls at the neck of her apron, giving her husband a tantalizing view of her cleavage. “Me?”]

“God…so cheesy…” Karika rolled her eyes, having seen and read the trope to the point of dreadful monotony. But as the scene faded to black to transition to the next scene, her eyes widened to see the two in the bath. The Hakutaku wife was in the large bathtub with her husband, holding his head above the water’s surface as he nursed from her, her right hand cupped behind his head. Suckling away peacefully, she had her left hand on her husband’s cock, stroking with body soap lathered on her hand to wash and pleasure him at the same time.

[“To think you’d want all three? You’re so greedy, dear…” The Hakutaku wife was lactating, shown by the line of milk leaking from the corner of the husband’s lips.

“Sorry about that. But when you greet me the way you do, I just can’t help myself. Besides, milk’s the perfect drink while taking a nice, hot bath.” Stroking his hair, she pulls his head deeper into her right breast, moaning softly as he sucked harder on her nipple.

“It’s alright, dear. I’m happy to spoil you like this…”]

“O-oh…” Karika felt her chest tighten from within. Faulkner’s sucked on her breasts before, but she wondered how different it would feel if she was lactating.

“Aaaahhh!!! H-harder! Fuck me harder!” Hearing Reiza, Karika turned around to the bed. Reiza clung to Faulkner’s shoulders, moaning loudly while Faulkner frantically bobbed his hips, driving his cock in and out of Reiza’s vagina.

“Reiza!” Faulkner held onto Reiza’s hips, keeping her both stable and moving her hips for her. Her eyes rolled at the top of her head, her vision blurred in and out of focus as the frenzied movement of his hips was quickly bringing her to orgasm.

“Fuck! T-too fast! Faulkner…g-going to…” Clenching her fingers, Reiza’s nails dug into Faulkner’s shoulders. Her body went rigid, squirting on Faulkner’s crotch.

“R-Reiza! Me too! I’m cumming!” Feeling Reiza’s vaginal walls clench hard around his cock as she cums, Faulkner succumbs to the tight pressure, cumming hard and filling her with semen.

When their shared orgasm wittles down, Reiza’s the first to go lax, collapsing on top of Faulkner with her chest smothering his face.

“Hmppff…” Dragging his nose upward to breathe, Faulkner feels around for one of Reiza’s nipples with his lips. After finding her left one, Reiza’s tail stiffens into a straight line as she feels his lips tugging at her sensitive peak.

“Oooohhh…ehehe…what are you, a baby?” Reiza teased before moving her right hand behind Faulkner’s head, pulling his head deeper into her left tit. “Too bad I’m not pregnant. I’m sure you’re curious what my breastmilk would taste like.” Reiza then turns her gaze toward Karika. She overheard the dialogue on the porno Karika was watching. “What’re your thoughts, Porky?”

“Tsk, what do you think?!” Getting up from the couch, Karika made her way to the bed and grabbed Reiza by her shoulders from behind.

“Eh?” Without warning, Karika yanks Reiza back, causing Faulkner’s lips to pull away from her left nipple, followed by his cock slipping out of her vagina. She lands on the bed on her back with Karika looming above her the other way. “Hey! What’s the big idea?!”

“Nothing. I just figured now that we each had a turn with Faulkner, we should give him a break by messing with each other for a bit…” Leaning down, Karika brought her lips to Reiza’s, nipping at Reiza’s bottom lip.

“Tsk…you could’ve just asked instead of being a tsun about it, Porky…” Reciprocating the kiss, Reiza pushed her lips more onto Karika’s, sticking her tongue out first. Slipping between Karika’s lips, Reiza probed for Karika’s tongue, flicking at one another before deepening the kiss. Their moans made Faulkner, who had been watching them silently up until now, blush before he sat up, reaching for the half-empty milk bottle he left at the nightstand.

As he drank to finish the bottle of milk, his gaze turned to the TV, watching the Hakutaku riding her husband cowgirl style as the scene moved on to the bedroom. She had one hand braced on the bed’s surface, while the other cupped around the back of her husband’s head, pulling his head deeper into her left breast.

[“Hnnaaahh…dearest husband…h-how long do you plan on nursing from me?” The Hakutaku’s moans were more ragged from moving her hips and having her nipple sucked on at the same time.

“Until they’re both empty, dear…” Seeing his wife struggling to maintain her pace, he moved both of his hands onto her hips, squeezing his fingers around her asscheeks before thrusting his hips upward, driving his cock hard and deep inside her.

“D-dear! Aaahhh! S-soo deep!” Rivulets of milk spray into the air in arcs from her right nipple while her husband greedily suckles on her other nipple.]

“…” Looking back and forth between the TV and the milk he’s drinking, Faulkner’s cheeks turn red before he turns his attention back to Karika and Reiza.

“Hyaaahh…s-small tits! What’re you…” Changing positions while he wasn’t looking, Karika propped her back against the bed’s headboard, leaning against it as Reiza straddled Karika’s hips. Copying what she was seeing on the TV, Reiza had her lips firmly latched onto Karika’s right nipple, suckling softly and tugging at her nipple with her teeth.

“Come on…mlaaahh…you’re the one watching breastfeed porn play. You know you want this…” Stopping for a moment, Reiza pulls away from Karika’s right nipple with a wet pop. “Puwaahh…be right back…” Reiza pokes Karika on the nose with her right index finger before crawling toward Faulkner. “Hey, Faulkner…” Following Reiza’s gaze, she chuckled, seeing his cock was already erect. When he noticed, Faulkner blushed in embarrassment.

“Uh…y-yes?!”

“Do me a favor and reach into the top drawer on that nightstand there. There should be a pink one-use, double-sided dildo and some lube in there.” Opening the drawer, Faulkner pulls out a pink, flaccid dildo wrapped in plastic.

“Huh? Th-this?” The plastic wrapped around the dildo ensures it hasn’t been used before. As for the lube, there were several to choose from, but he picked the water-based one. The wrap on the dildo crinkles as he hands both to Reiza.

“Yup. I forgot how small these are.” Removing the plastic on the dildo, Reiza brought it next to Faulkner’s dick, straightening it to compare its size and girth to his. “See? Your dick’s bigger by two inches. And thicker too…” Reiza gave the head of Faulkner’s cock a playful pat.

“H-hey?!” Reiza pulled away before Faulkner could do anything, before crawling back to Karika.

“The fuck? Why are you using a dildo, sis? We have Faulkner here!”

“True, but why don’t we give his dick a break, hmm? Besides, I’ve always wanted to do this kind of play with you…” Opening the cap on the lube, Reiza applies a liberal amount on the whole dildo, ensuring it is nice and slippery before testing it by shoving one end into her vagina. “Hmm…not bad. I can get off on this if we’re rough enough…” Shoving it in and out of her vagina a few times, Reiza clamps onto it with her pussy.

“Okay, Porky. Spread your legs nice and wide for me.”

“Wha…l–like this?” Feeling shy all of a sudden, Karika’s legs shook as she spread her legs wide. Giving Reiza access, Reiza grabbed the base of the dildo, aiming the other end at Karika’s pussy before thrusting forward.

“Aahhh!” Karika wasn’t expecting much initially, but she felt a wave of heat spread into her upon entry. It felt like the dildo was part of Reiza somehow. “Wh-what is this?! It’s so hot! Are you…”

“Hehehe…it’s called magic. I’ve been doing this several times with you already with my mouth and fingers. But with something girthier like this dildo, I can pour heat more evenly onto it.” Reiza gave Karika no time to adjust, grinding her pelvis against Karika’s in slow circles. “Feels like I’m fucking you with a dick, huh?”

“Sh-shit…fuwaahhh…” Karika moaned loudly, gripping the bedsheets while her toes curled in pleasure. The girth and length didn’t fill her up as much as Faulkner’s cock would, but the magical warmth Reiza was pouring into Karika enhanced the pleasure she felt severalfold, making each thrust feel more pleasurable than it should be.

“Heh…maybe we should buy a strap-on when we get back home? I could…get used to hearing you moan like this, Porky…” Enjoying the initiative she got in Karika, Reiza moves her hands down on Karika’s hips, gripping them tightly before she starts bucking her hips back and forth. The force of it made Karika’s breasts bounce and the bedframe creak. Reiza was feeling good from this too, given the other half of the dildo was ramming deep inside her, but it was Karika who was feeling more pleasure forced into her.

“…” Having finished his bottle of milk a while ago, Faulkner was watching Karika and Reiza, stroking his cock as the porno playing on the TV had long since been forgotten, playing in the background merely for the ambiance.

“Aaahhh…sl-slow down! I’m still…sensitive!” Karika cried out as she convulsed in pleasure. Seeing Karika like this egged Reiza even more, leaning closer until their chests rubbed against one another.

“Th-the same goes for me, you know? Hell…y-you had more time than I did…” Reaching out for Karika’s left hand, Reiza wrapped her fingers around Karika’s. “Are you just going to let me do all the moving, or are you going to buck your hips with mine? I don’t mind either way…” Reiza expected Karika to push her away, annoyed at being teased to take the initiative. Instead, Karika’s grip on Reiza’s hand tightened, pulling Reiza even closer until their lips were mere inches apart.

“I-it’s fine if you take the lead. Just…go a little slow…!” Karika often acted submissively toward Faulkner, but rarely did for Reiza. So whenever she does, Reiza takes advantage of it, finding Karika cute whenever she gets needy.

“So cute and needy. Hehe…alright, sis.” Reciprocating Karika, Reiza leans forward, kissing her deeply before Reiza quickens her pace. The two would moan loudly, breathing into one another’s lips as the sound of their hips slapping against each other and the creaking of the bedframe filled the room.

Reaching her limit first, Karika’s grip on Reiza’s fingers tightened, nipping at Reiza’s bottom lip as she held her impending orgasm off as much as possible.

“Mlaaahhh…I-I said slower, didn’t I?! I can’t…hold on for much longer!” Reiza’s moans were getting louder, moving her hips faster in an attempt to bring herself closer to climax to time hers with Karika.

“I heard you, but seeing you like this…just makes me want to fuck you harder! Just hang on…a little longer…” Feeling Karika’s grip on her hand tighten even more, Karika’s tail swished excitedly behind her, finding Reiza’s tail before twining around it. With how desperately Karika held on, she never got tired of seeing Karika like this. The thrill pushed her to the edge before Karika broke. “C-Cumming!”

“HMPFFFF!!!” Moaning into each other’s lips, they deepened their kiss, swallowing each other’s moans as they orgasmed at the same time. Their bodies go stiff as they dirty the bedsheets below.

“…” Having cummed twice in a short time, Karika was the first to go limp, her body convulsing from the aftershocks of her orgasm.

“Puwahh…” Breaking their kiss, a string of saliva connected the tips of their tongues before breaking away. Reiza looked down at Karika, satisfied to see her sister’s face wracked in ecstasy. “Hehe…from the looks of it, you felt better from that than I did.” Reiza teased, planting a soft kiss on Karika’s forehead.

“F…fuck you, small tits…” Breathing heavily between her words, there’s no real bite to her insult. “I can’t use magic to enhance pleasure and shit…”

“And I can’t produce scent pheromones that stir my lust. Quit whining…” The two exchanged snarky smiles before turning to Faulkner.

The porno playing on the TV had since moved on to the next scene where the husband’s fucking his Hakutaku wife from behind. Though it went completely ignored, as Faulkner’s eyes were on them the whole time.

“Did you enjoy the show, Faulkner?” Flashing Faulkner a toothy grin, Reiza stared at Faulkner’s face, expecting him to blush in surprise. Instead, he said nothing, his face almost unreadable as he crawled on the bed toward them. “Faulkner?”

Without warning, Faulkner reached out for the pink, double-sided dildo still inside Karika and Reiza before pulling it out.

“FUWAH!” Moaning at the same time, Faulkner set the dildo aside before lining his cock between their pussies. He gave them no time to relax before shoving his cock between them, sliding it over their wet pussy slits.

“HNNNGGGG!!!” Karika’s body goes stiff again, clenching her fingers around Reiza’s tightly in reflex.

“OOoohhh! H-hey?! Wh-what’re you-”

“You two really went at it, didn’t you? Why use a dildo when you got me right here, huh?” Slightly jealous, Faulkner slaps Reiza on her right buttcheek, leaving behind a red handprint. “I’ll make sure to fuck both of you, so don’t go relaxing just yet!” Getting them excited first, Faulkner moved his hips quickly, but carefully, to avoid slipping into Karika or Reiza. He wanted to make them feel good at the same time first, feeling their pussy lips rub against his cock from top to bottom.

“W-wait! Stop! I…I need a break! I won’t…be able to…” Karika tried to beg Faulkner to stop. Instead, her cries acted like a beacon, taking Faulkner’s attention before he angled his cock downward, spearing into Karika’s vagina. “UGGHHHH!!!!” Arching her back, Karika’s eyes rolled at the back of her head. Her vaginal walls clenched around Faulkner’s cock like a vice, making him flinch for a moment.

“Geez. Talk about brutal.” Reiza looked down at Karika, seeing how she could barely keep herself conscious.

“Reiza! Turn your head to face me.” Calling out to Reiza, Faulkner reached out with his right hand, cupping Reiza’s right cheek from behind.

“Huh? Yeah?” As soon as she turned to face him, Reiza felt Faulkner’s lips on hers, kissing her deeply while thrusting in and out of Karika from below. “Hmppfff…” Helping him keep his balance, Reiza moved her left arm and put it under Faulkner’s left armpit for support.

Karika was already on the verge of her third orgasm so soon after her second, clenching her vaginal walls hard to hold back. But with one brutal upper thrust, the head of Faulkner’s cock rubbed against Karika’s G-spot, causing her to cum a third time.

“AAAHHH!!!” Cumming shortly after Karika, Faulkner rammed his cock deep, shooting ropes of semen inside her. Karika convulsed with each pulse, milking his cock with her clenching walls before falling exhausted on the bed. Her tail unwound from Reiza’s and fell limp under the bed.

“Hhmppff…” Never breaking his kiss, even as he orgasmed, Reiza felt his moans through their kiss, looking down at Karika, who was utterly fucked raw and senseless. But to Reiza’s surprise, she felt Faulkner’s cock prodding at her pussy entrance. With how much he’d already fucked, Reiza figured he’d be soft by now. But as soon as he slammed his cock into her, he was as hard as ever.

“PUWAH! Ah…d-damn! Wh-where you’d get all this energy from?!” Breaking away from the kiss, Reiza tried to stifle her moans, drooling slightly from having just cummed herself.

“Holstaurus milk, silly. That gave me more energy than I realized.” Moving his right hand back to Reiza’s hips, Faulkner thrust his hips faster. While not as tight as Karika, the warmth inside provided a soothing contrast, making each thrust feel like he was melting in bliss inside her.

“Aaahhh…aahh…dammit. Maybe…we should order Holstaurus milk back home?” Suddenly, Faulkner stopped moving his hips, freezing in place. “Faulkner?”

“Don’t…get me wrong. The Holstaurus milk is great. It’s delicious, but I’d rather not rely on it to keep up with you two. I only drank it because it’s thematically appropriate after a nice hot spring soak. Personally, I’d prefer to drink your guys’ breastmilk…” The lack of blush on his face made the idea of Faulkner nursing from her that much more embarrassing.

“Ah. You said that with such a straight face. You want to drink mine and Karika’s titty milk that badly?” Instead of responding with words, Faulkner moved his right hand to Reiza’s stomach and gently caressed it.

“Sure. But I gotta put a baby in you two first.” Taken by surprise, Reiza completely lost her nerve, going from teasing Faulkner to blushing like a maiden.

“Wh-wha…wow. You’re really going to say something that embarrassing in front of us? Well…you’d better get to work creampieing us good then.” Without delay, Faulkner starts thrusting his hips once more, driving his cock even harder and faster inside Reiza. “Aaahhh! Aaahh!”

“Reiza…Reiza!” Having heard their conversation from below, Karika leaned up and planted kisses on Reiza’s neck and collarbone.

“Ah?! P-Porky?!”

*Smooch, smack.*

“You two sure had a sweet moment while I was cumming my brains out.” Eager to pay Reiza back for earlier, Karika regained composure. She goes for Reiza’s breasts, pinching her right nipple with one hand, while latching onto Reiza’s left nipple with her mouth.

“OOOHHHH!!! N-no fair!” Attacked by Faulkner and Karika, Reiza was rapidly approaching her orgasm. Her vaginal walls clenched hard around Faulkner’s cock caused by her body stiffening from Karika’s oral assault below. Her wings flapped involuntarily before her wings and tail stiffened. “I’m cumming!”

Feeling her legs trembling, Reiza nearly falls on top of Karika, hitting her forehead against the headboard while Faulkner held her hips up with his hands, feeling her pussy walls clench tightly around him as she cums, squirting on his groin.

“Shit…” The rhythmic, tight squeezing of Reiza’s spasming walls brought Faulkner to his fourth orgasm, pouring more cum into her already filled insides.

“Puwah! H-hey, are you alright, Reiza?” Concerned, Karika pulled her lips away from Reiza’s left nipple, looking up before seeing Reiza’s blissed expression. Her jaw slack as drool leaked from the corners of her lips while her eyes rolled at the top of her head.

“F-fine…j-just…fine…” Reiza could barely speak, breathing heavily between her words. She looked back at Faulkner, seeing his head down and breathing just as heavily as she was. His fingers were dimpling her hips with how hard he was gripping them. “S-so…you still got one…in you?” Slowly pulling his hips back, Faulkner gasped as he freed his cock from Reiza’s fluttering vaginal walls. Semen leaks from her pussy entrance in a thin, steady stream, falling onto the bedsheets below. Despite his fourth orgasm, Faulkner’s cock was still rock hard.

“Somehow. It’s painfully hard, actually…” Faulkner glanced at the empty bottle of milk at the bedside table. “Holstaurus milk’s more potent than I thought…”

“Heh, maybe it’s spiked with some aphrodisiacs? Or maybe you’re getting more and more used to this. Oddly, you’re still not showing visible signs of becoming an Incubus, but I can tell you’re getting more and more stamina over time.”

“Maybe…” Faulkner let go of Reiza’s hips, giving her the chance to lower her hips onto Karika’s. Karika reached out, gripping Reiza’s shoulders and gently pulling her down into her arms.

“Need a few seconds, small tits?” Karika teased while squeezing Reiza’s shoulders

“Shut up. I’m fine.” Turning her head, Reiza looked behind her at Faulkner. “Faulkner, get your ass over here and switch places with us. Lay your back on the headboard with your legs straight.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Porky, you take the left side of the bed. I’ll take the right.”

“Huh? Alright.” Changing positions, Faulkner sat where Reiza and Karika had been, resting his back against the bed’s headboard. At the same time, Reiza moved to Faulkner’s right side, while Karika moved to his left. “Okay, now what?” Karika and Faulkner both turn to Reiza, wondering what she has planned.

“Here’s the next step.” Pinning Faulkner’s right upper thigh with her chest, Reiza pushes her breasts together before pressing Faulkner’s dick between them. “You see where I’m going with this, Porky?”

“Oh, we’re doing that.” Copying Reiza, Karika pins Faulkner’s left thigh, pressing her breasts together with Reiza’s, trapping his throbbing cock between their breasts.

“I see. You two are going to finish me off with a paizuri, huh?” The size difference wasn’t as big as he’d thought. Reiza’s modest DD-cup breasts were only slightly smaller than Karika’s F cups. Though smaller, Reiza’s breasts felt warmer and softer compared to Karika’s, which were soft but had a firm give to them.

“We’ll wring out your last shot like this.” With the tip of Faulkner’s cock peeking more from her side, Reiza leaned forward, sticking her tongue out before flicking under the corona.

“Ahhh…” Hot to the touch, Reiza started by pushing her breasts more against Karika’s, stroking her side up and down the length of Faulkner’s shaft.

“H-hey, wait for me!” Applying more pressure than Reiza, Karika’s breasts envelop the right side of his glans completely, smooshing Reiza’s nose in the process. “Ah…th-that tickles, small tits!” Flicking her tongue, Reiza continued to lavish the tip with faint kisses and licks from her side, while Karika buried the whole length with soft, firm pressure.

“Fuck…th-this feels…better than I thought.” Trapped between Reiza’s softer, warmer breasts with a hot, wet tongue flicking at the tip and Karika’s larger, firmer breasts that covered his cock from base to tip, precum already started to leak from the tip. Not missing a beat, Reiza was the first to flick the tip clean, lapping it clean.

“Hey, me too!” Not wanting to be left behind, Karika pushed her breasts down, letting the tip of his cock poke out from her side. Sticking her tongue out, Karika joined Reiza, working together to lick his glans.

“Aaahhhh!” Feeling their tongues at the tip, they glanced at Faulkner, watching his face contort in pleasure. They both chuckled, seeing how close he was to cumming already.

“Mlaahh…hey…Porky. Bring your lips closer…”

“Puwah…hmm? Oh…” Reading Reiza’s expression, Karika leaned closer, kissing Reiza with the tip of Faulkner’s dick wedged between their lips.

“HNNGGG!!!” More stimulating than simply licking the tip, Faulkner’s hips bucked up from the sensation.

“Whoa…easy there, Faulkner. You’re gonna buck us off…” Reiza put more weight on her chest, keeping Faulkner’s hips firmly planted on the bed.

“Aww…our little cowboy can’t handle us, huh?” Giving him no time to rest, Karika starts to bob her breasts up and down, stroking his cock from her side. Reiza follows suit, bobbing her breasts in sync with Karika’s. Each time the tip peeks out, they’d lean forward, giving it a quick flick with their tongues.

“I-I can’t…take any more of this!” Throwing his head back, Faulkner cums one last time. The moment he does, Karika and Reiza press their lips together on both sides, creating a seal around the head. They scramble for the spurts of cum shooting from the tip, fighting with their tongues to lick them off, which in turn increases the pleasure even more.

“Oooooohhhh…” The whole time they fought for his cum, Faulkner’s fingers and toes curled. His legs stiffened, threatening to cramp from how hard he was flexing them. It was only after his orgasm tapered off that Karika and Reiza pulled their lips away with a theatrical pop.

*Pop*

A mix of their saliva and Faulkner’s cum stretched from their lips as they pulled away. Karika licked her lips clean, while Reiza wiped hers with her right hand. Both looked at Faulkner, slumped on the bed with sweat and ecstasy on his face.

“Fuck…y-you girls were…sucking my soul out with that…” With barely any feeling in his arms and legs, the fifth ejaculation tucked Faulkner out proper. He could only move his head, glancing at the clock on the nightstand and seeing they had roughly four hours left in their stay. “Hey, uh…we should probably get some sleep while we’re here…” When he turned back to the girls, he noticed Karika was gone, while Reiza stared with a toothy grin.

“Uh…where’s Karika?” Before he could get an answer, Karika held a bottle of ice-cold Holstaurus milk in front of his face. His face paled as he turned to face Karika, who flashed him a toothy grin herself. “Ah?! W-wait! I know this stuff gives me stamina, but it’s not like it’s a miracle drug that suddenly cures exhaustion…”

“We’re here to have some fun, Faulkner. You can go for at least another hour, right?” Karika turned to Reiza, who grabbed the milk from Karika’s hand before pulling the cork out.

“Of course he can. He’s a man, after all. Besides, I need more spirit energy than usual so I can keep the translation spell I cast on you both active.” Bringing the lip of the bottle to Faulkner’s mouth, Reiza and Karika chuckle darkly. “Now open your lips and drink up…”

____________________

Spending their Thursday and Friday going around Japan sightseeing and buying souvenirs for themselves, friends, and loved ones, their hotel room was filled with bags of them ready to be taken back to California.

But before that, they still have Nala and Mala’s debut concert to attend. Waking up in their hotel around eleven thirty in the morning, Faulkner was the first to sit up, letting out a loud yawn before stretching his arms up.

“Ughh…come on, Karika, Reiza. We’d better get ready…” Sleeping beside him, Reiza sat up next, yawning softly before looking at the bedside clock.

“You think two hours is enough?”

“It should be. Not like you two eat slowly. And you’re not too bad in the shower either…”

“That’s only because I have convenient fire magic that can dry my hair quickly. I’d like to see you with long hair and see how long it takes for that to dry.

“Hnnn…too loud…” Waking up last, as usual, Karika groggily sits up, rubbing her eyes with her right hand. “Why do we even have to get up this early? We have backstage VIP passes, don’t we? We can just skip the line and go when it’s close to their performance time…”

“We could, but then we wouldn’t get much time to chat with Nala and Mala before their performance. I want to be there beforehand and let them know we’re there for them.” Knowing how nervous they were on their day off, Faulkner wants to console them as much as he can before their performance.

“Right. It’s totally not because you want to see them again for a quickie…” Reiza teased, jerking her right hand forward and back in a hanjob gesture.

“Shut up. It’s nothing like that.” Getting up from the bed first, Faulkner turned his head back to look at Reiza and Karika. “I’ll take a shower first. That’ll give you two some time to wake up.” Heading to the bathroom first, the sound of the shower running in the background filled the room before Reiza got off the bed herself, wearing nothing but a tank top and sleeping shorts.

“You need a few minutes to boot up, Porky?”

“I’m up, I’m up…” Groaning, Karika begrudgingly gets off the bed, stretching her arms, legs, and tail. “Please tell me we’ll have something good for breakfast. I’m never trying that Nato stuff ever again.”

“Heh…I knew you wouldn’t like it. But you didn’t listen to me…” Referring to the other day, Karika was curious to try one of Japan’s breakfast staples, nato.

“With how stringy it looked, I thought it was going to be cheesy or something. I didn’t expect it to taste like I was eating a stringy, gooey ball of Switch cartridges!” The trauma of that experience was so bad for Karika that she willingly took a dollop of wasabi just to overpower the bitter taste that lingered in her mouth.

“That’s why they give you mustard to go along with it, dumbass…” Walking over to their suitcases, Reiza rummages through them to see what clothes to wear today. “What do you think, Porky? Should I wear something eye-catching, or something comfortable?”

“We’re going to be at a live concert with lots of people, right? Doubt you have anything on you that could be flashier than the other attendees. I wouldn’t bother and stick to wearing something comfy.”

“Alright. Thanks for the input.” With Karika’s help, Reiza picked out a simple white T-shirt with a cup noodle brand plastered on the center, along with knee-length blue jeans to go with it. “What’re you going to wear?” Joining Reiza, Karika rummages through her luggage.

“Probably something similar to what you’re wearing.” Karika pulls out a red cardigan and pairs it with black cargo shorts. “Does this look good?”

“Looks fine to me.” Setting the clothes aside on the bed, Reiza’s phone suddenly goes off. “Hmm?” She picks up her phone and sees the caller is Fereida. “It’s Fereida.” Without delay, Reiza answers the phone.

[“Hello? Reiza, you there?” To Reiza’s surprise, she could barely hear Fereida, as the background noise of what sounded like a crowd of people nearly drowned out Fereida’s voice.

“Yeah, I’m here. Where the hell are you? Don’t tell me the concert started early?” It was the only conclusion Reiza could draw, given the noise level. She put the phone in speaker mode so Karika could hear Fereida too.

“What? No. I’m at Tokyo Dome with staff members getting things set up for Nal…I mean, Natalice and Matilda’s concert. I’m just calling to verify something. You have your backstage VIP passes, right?” Glancing at Karika, Karika grabs the three VIP passes they had sitting on the bed’s nightstand.

“Yeah, we have’em.” Karika calls out to Fereida on the phone.

“Karika? A-anyway, good. I want you to give me a call when you’re heading over, alright? I’m sure you can hear it in the background, but there’s already a group of people waiting in line for the concert. I’ll come for you three when you get here and guide you backstage so you can skip the lines.”

“Oh, that’s convenient. Alright, will do.” Reiza let out a loud sigh, happy she doesn’t have to crowd around with so many people.

“Good. Alright, I gotta go now. See you guys there.”]

Hanging up, Karika and Reiza turn to the sound of the bathroom door opening. Steam pours out of the bathroom as Faulkner steps out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Alright, I’m done with the shower…” Walking past Faulkner, Karika gave him a teasing slap on his back.

“Alright. My turn. Oh, and Fereida called us just now…”

“She did?” Before Faulkner could ask Karika for further context, she already went into the bathroom to shower.

“Basically, she told us to give her a heads-up when we get there. It already sounded pretty crowded there, so it’ll be a total clusterfuck by the time they start letting people in.”

“Already? I guess Nala and Mala’s concert was more anticipated than I thought…”

“I mean…we see adverts for their debut all over, from billboards to TV ads. Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. In any case, Fereida will take us backstage so we can skip the line. I’m pretty sure we’ll have front-row seats to the concert too.”

“Ah, alright. Any place you two had in mind for breakfast? Or are we just getting room service?” Taking a moment to figure out where they’d go, they still had a good four hours before Tokyo Dome opens. “Oh, I was always curious about that silk ramen place you, Karika, and Fereida went to. We can probably lunch there and make it back.”

“Ah, that’s right. You still haven’t gone there yet. Yeah, good idea.

____________________

Upon arriving at Tokyo Dome’s front entrance, Faulkner’s eyes went wide, and his jaw hung open at the sheer number of attendees. On the outer walls of the dome were various restaurants and gift shops. Several large displays showed current and upcoming events, with the obvious highlight being Natalice and Matilda’s concert happening now.

“H-holy…okay…” Wearing a plain green button-collar T-shirt with brown khaki pants, Faulkner dressed casually along with Karika and Reiza, with Reiza already on her phone talking to Fereida to let them know they were there.

“Alright…” Hanging up, Reiza puts her phone in her pants pocket. “Fereida told us to sit tight by the front advert TV billboard display. She’ll come over there to pick us up.” Pointing at the billboard, they walk over, passing other attendees, some wearing various idol merch from Natalice and Matilda.

“Who knew those two would get SO popular. They were both nervous wrecks just a couple of years ago…” Karika still remembered when Nala and Mala would quickly quiver to one another whenever they made a flirting pass at Faulkner, and she’d scare them away.

“I’ve only been around TMRC for one year, so I didn’t get to see as dramatic a change as you did, Karika. But I imagine Faulkner did…” Reiza points at Faulkner as he reminisces about the first time he had Nala and Mala in his class.

“Of all of you girls who graduated, Nala and Mala were among the more difficult girls in class. Their separation anxiety made it difficult to have them do work separately. Though they had good reasons for it, given the environment they lived in. They said they felt safe in TMRC, so it was one of the few places they were comfortable being away from. But that wasn’t the case when they first got there. Staff members had to scramble to find them the one time they got spooked and teleported all over TMRC to hide. I ended up being the one to find them…”

“Aww, that’s nice. Did they come to you for a hug afterward?” Reiza guessed, knowing what she did about Nala and Mala.

“Ha! No! They brandished their claws and scratched the shit out of me. I was still getting used to my job, so I wasn’t exactly delicate with my words. Trisha ended up being the one to calm them down.” Faulkner still remembers the multiple applications of Band-Aids and antibiotics.

“I attended TMRC about six months later. By then, Nala and Mala had calmed down. They were already flirting with Faulkner at that point, so he must’ve done something in that six-month time to make them comfortable with him.” Glaring at Faulkner, Karika stared as if expecting him to elaborate.

“Huh, that’s right. I never did explain that, did I?” Sighing, Faulkner was about to go over it before he heard someone calling out to them.

“HEY! There you guys are.” Flying toward them, Fereida came by wearing a white T-shirt with Natalice and Matilda’s likenesses as chibis. Over her shirt is a vest that reads ‘Staff.’ in Kanji. “So…your passes?” Carrying their passes, Karika, Reiza, and Faulkner flash their VIP passes at Fereida. “Alright. Follow me.” With Fereida in the lead, she leads Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza through the crowds of people before reaching the front entrance. There, two guard staff members, a Dragon and a Nekomata, recognized Fereida and exchanged light bows with one another before making way for her, Karika, Reiza, and Faulkner.

“Hah…that felt nice. Walking past that ridiculous line…” Karika felt a smug sense of entitlement walking past the people already lined up for the concert.

“Well, you three are the only ones with backstage passes. To begin with, Tokyo Dome doesn’t typically have backstage passes for the general public. You three are the only ones. And honestly, I’m glad you’re all here early. Nala and Mala have backstage jitters, so they need a bit of encouragement.” Fereida noticed that as the crowds outside rapidly

“Really? I thought they’d be prepared for that by now?” Karika was surprised, convinced Nala and Mala were more than prepared, but Faulkner didn’t seem the least bit surprised.

“Nah. They’re doing pretty well covering up their nervousness in front of the staff, but when it’s just me with them, they vent and ask if I could bring you three here sooner.”

“So that’s why you wanted us to give you a heads up.” Reiza wondered why they were asked to show up thirty minutes before four in the afternoon.

“Exactly.” Arriving at one of the backstage rooms, a piece of paper was taped to the door with the words ‘Natalice and Matilda.’

*Knock knock.*

“It’s Fereida. They’re here.” Hearing rapid footsteps, Nala and Mala burst through the door before they scrambled to jump at Faulkner.

“FAULKNER!!!” Jumping at him together, Nala and Mala slammed against Faulkner’s chest, wearing matching white T-shirts and black shorts.

“Gah!” They knocked him to the ground, knocking the air out of his lungs before they nuzzled their cheeks against his. Fereida panicked, looking around the halls to see if anyone else was there. Thankfully, no one else was there. But the noise Faulkner made would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Couldn’t you two wait until he was inside?! Karika, get those two off him, now!”

“Got it!” Without hesitation, Karika grabbed Nala and Mala by the necklines of their shirts and lifted them off. Karika then dragged them into their room as Nala and Mala waved their limbs in protest.

“Heh…I guess some things don’t change, huh, Faulkner?” Reiza, finding the short exchange entertaining, offered her right hand and helped him up. He smiled back, grateful for the help, then took her hand and stood up.

“Oh…they changed, alright. They’re even more clingy than usual…” Walking into the break room, Fereida looked around one more time to make sure no one was there to see that before closing the door.

Inside the break room, the back wall was lined with vanity mirrors and lights, sitting above a wall table. Each row had its own divider for individual performers, with Nala and Mala’s rows having their idol uniforms, makeup, and wigs when they were out in public.

In the middle of the room, Karika still held the twins up by the scruff of their T-shirts. She soon let Nala and Mala go, prompting them to turn around before sticking their tongues out.

“Bleh!” They both mocked before Nala and Mala returned to Faulkner’s side, with Nala clinging to his left arm and Mala to his right.

“Glad you could make it, Faulkner. We thought a whole lot about you after our day off, you know?” Nala purred, rubbing her cheek against Faulkner’s shoulder.

“But we practiced really hard. So we’re starving for some praise.” Mala added, doing the same on her side.

“You two sure are exhibiting more of your selfish cat behaviors lately. Need I remind you who it was who flew all over the place to find the desserts you two were begging for as ‘rewards’ for your work?” To placate Nala and Mala into adhering to their dance practice, Fereida often had to order interns to grab whatever the twins requested, sometimes having to make the rounds herself to meet their growing demands in the days leading up to today’s concert.

“Those were totally necessary to keep us motivated, Fereida!” Mala argued, groaning slightly.

“That’s right. We practiced until our limbs practically gave out!” Nala chimed in, remembering that between their breaks, they’d put ice packs on their aching bodies.

“Yes, yes. I’m very proud of you two…” Fereida caved, admitting that the twins did give it their all practicing for their performance. Nakoto, who was even there one day to observe, clapped in surprise at how captivating they were.

Pulling away from Faulkner after a few more seconds, Nala and Mala stare at Faulkner. Their eyes widen expectantly as they flatten their ears. He knew exactly what they wanted, recalling the first time he did this for them.

“Geez…you girls are older now. You really should think about how this looks.” Despite what he says, Faulkner places his hands on top of Nala and Mala’s heads and rubs them gently. “Good job, I’m proud of you two.”

“Eheheh…” The twins giggle in delight. Their tails swish left and right in contentment, practically shivering with suppressed joy.

“Hmmppff…” Feeling slightly jealous, Karika pouts, watching Faulkner give Nala and Mala affection. Reiza, on the other hand, chuckled.

“Hey…stop that, Porky. We have Faulkner to ourselves every day. Let Nala and Mala have their turn, especially given today…”

“Fine…” Keeping her mouth shut, Karika pouted to herself a little more before she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Her ringtone soon followed. “Hmm?” Taking her phone out of her pants’ right pocket, she saw the screen showed it was a video call from Tera. “Hey, Tera’s trying to do a video call.” Nala and Mala’s ears perked up, pulling away from Faulkner’s hands before crowding around Karika, climbing onto her from behind with Nala’s head peeking from Karika’s left shoulder, while Mala was on her right.

“She is?!” The twins said in unison as Fereida and Reiza moved behind them to peek at the phone. As Karika answered the call, they saw Tera and everyone from their graduating class in TMRC on screen.

[“Oh? She answered! Hey, everyone, they’re there! Nala and Mala, what’s up?!” Behind Tera, they Faulkner’s group saw the girls in one of the reserved party rooms at Janice’s bar, ‘Aphrodishiack.’

“Hey, change the cameras so they can see us!” Kilala’s voice echoed somewhere before Tera changed the cameras. Panning the whole room from the back camera, they saw the Orcs Persha, Sarah, Kami, Naomi, Jun, and Sena set the party table with a bounty of dishes ranging from Buffalo wings, French fries, burgers, hot dogs, pizzas, and jalapeño poppers, with various desserts like a black forest cake, assorted cupcakes, and cookies.

Erma and Chelsy were also at the table, setting up various drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, waving high to the camera as Tera panned over to them.

Around the walls of the party room were various colored ribbons themed around the colors of Nala and Mala’s idol outfits, with Zedrada and Janice setting them up along with promotional posters imported from Japan.

Finally, Vanessa was also there, helping the Orcs with setting up the table.

Another detail Nala and Mala noticed was that everyone there was wearing T-shirts with Nala and Mala’s idol personas plastered on the front, and their logo on the back.

“There, I got everyone. Happy now?”

“H-hey?! You forgot to show me, dammit!” Kilala flew in front of the back camera, waving to Reiza, who was watching from the phone.

“Whoa…is everyone from class there, Kilala?” Shaking her head, Kilala knew one person was absent from the group.

“Not everyone. Denise is busy with work and couldn’t make it. And Miss Trisha’s at home with Markus and Vey. Though for today at least, they’re all wearing the same T-shirts we’re wearing…” Kilala then turns her attention to Nala and Mala, who stayed silent the whole time. “Hey, you two. How’s it poppin’?”

“…” At Faulkner’s group, Nala and Mala were whimpering. Tears welled up in their eyes as they were overcome with emotion.

“WAAAHH!!! W-WE MISS YOU, GIRLS!!!” Taken by surprise, Tera pulled her phone back, turning the screen around so everyone else could see Nala and Mala crying from behind Karika.

“Y-yeah, we noticed. We wanted to call just in case you two needed some motivation. Judging from your reactions, I’m glad we did.” Karika scoffed from her side, smiling at Tera’s group.

“Please. We came here to give them a pep talk too. So don’t act like you guys came up with the idea first.” Reiza then scooted herself into the camera’s frame, sitting right in front of Karika.

“Still, we’re glad you called. Nala and Mala could use all the moral support they can get.” Panning the camera over to Nala and Mala, the Cheshire twins can barely keep their tears from falling.

“C’mon. Stop crying, you two. Honestly…if it weren’t such a nightmare to plan, we would’ve taken a three-day PTO just to see your concert in person.” Tera pans the camera around as everyone nods in agreement.

“Too bad that for some of us, our bosses wouldn’t permit ‘sudden’ PTO’s. The best we could do was arrange a time to meet to watch the concert live.” Erma said before turning to Janice.

“That’s when the girls had the idea to hold the meetup here.”

“Hold on. I thought Aphrodishiack doesn’t open till four in the afternoon? Isn’t it like… thirty minutes before noon there?” Rather surprised, Faulkner scratched his head at the idea of Aphrodishiack opening earlier than usual.

“Ah, what can I say? After hearing what Tera and the others planned, it’s not like I could say no. Plus, it’s not like I’d not get anything out of this…” Pinching her paws, Janice blinked and clicked her tongue, making Tera, still in the frame, roll her eyes.

“Uh-huh. In any case, we’ll be here to watch your concert from start to finish. So make sure you two give it your all, alright?” With Tera’s encouraging words, Nala and Mala turn to each other, nodding before looking back at the group.

“Th-then…we need a bit of a pep talk. Girls…we’re scared…” Despite all the time they had to prepare, Nala and Mala still felt pre-stage jitters.

“Just thinking about standing on stage in front of so many people…what if they end up being disappointed in our performance?” Mala twiddled with her paws, visibly shivering in her attempts to calm herself.

“We’re not even sure if our performance is up to par either. There’s one element we think we’re missing…” Fereida said nothing to Mala, noting that from her perspective, their practice rounds were flawless. But she did see dissatisfaction on their faces in each performance.

“Something missing, hmm?” Kilala chimed in, flying into the camera’s view before crossing her arms in thought. Tera turned the camera to the others, who crossed their arms in thought as well.

“Something missing. Is it like a dance routine, a special move, or something flashy that you’re missing?” Chelsy tried to think of something Nala and Mala could do to spice up their performance. “You two are allowed to use magic in your performance, right?”

“Uh-huh. We’ve already got a routine down. It just feels like one element’s missing…” Nala’s tail swished side to side in frustration, and she was tempted to scratch her head.

“Maybe the element you guys are looking for isn’t something you’ll find within yourselves…but within your audience?” Nala and Mala turned their attention to Janice, who spoke up.

“What do you mean?” Nala and Mala asked simultaneously.

“Well…to me…whenever I see a customer who doesn’t know what they want to order, I try to think of what I think they’ll be in the mood to take that day. I look closely at their body language, the tone of their voice, and even how they glance at the menu to estimate what they would want.” While her advice was useful, Fereida didn’t see it as very useful in Nala and Mala’s line of work.

“Wait…I think that way of thinking only works in food service, Janice. I don’t see how that’s going to help Nala and Mala…”

“True. Well, at the end of the day, what’s important is how you two feel. Think of what emotions you want to convey to your fans in a way that shows your appreciation for them.” Considering Janice’s advice, Nala and Mala always danced and based their routine on one thing. The feeling of being liberated. They took this inspiration from how they felt empowered by Faulkner’s guidance, learning to not just lean on one another, but on others whom they trust deeply.

Going silent, everyone turned their attention to Nala and Mala. With their arms crossed, the two slowly opened their eyes. They stared at one another as their lips curled into a soft, knowing smile.

“Okay…I think we got it…right, sis?”

“Yup. We know what to do now…” Keeping things vague, Nala and Mala turn to face the other girls on Karika’s phone.

“Watch us, girls! We’ll make this a grand debut!” From their side, Tera looked over at the other gals in the group. While confused, Nala and Mala’s smiles and unflinching declaration left no doubt in their minds.

“Well…alright then. We’ll be here to watch the whole thing. So make it a spectacle.” Waving goodbye, Tera and the others gave Nala and Mala their regards before ending the call.]

“So…you two are good now?” Putting her phone back in her jean pocket, Nala and Mala hopped off Karika’s shoulders. Turning to face them, they nodded at Karika, then turned their attention to Faulkner and Reiza.

“Uh-huh. We’re just dandy. Though…” Gazing at Faulkner in particular, their smiles sharpened, looking more like proper Cheshires before they leaned toward him.

“You’ll watch us closely, right?” Nala leaned closer first, pressing her cheeks against Faulkner’s.

“You won’t be on your phone, right?” Mala did the same shortly after, pestering Faulkner by crowding around him. They wanted to be absolutely sure he paid attention to them during their performance.

“L–look, I promised, didn’t I? I swear I’ll watch your performance closely.” Narrowing their eyes, Faulkner could feel them peering into his very being. He reached out and patted them on the head to calm their nerves.

“Ah…” Feeling his warm hands, Nala and Mala’s ears folded flat as they purred softly from being petted.

“It’s not just me watching. Everyone back in Cali’s watching.” After a few more seconds of petting, Nala and Mala pull away from Faulkner. With their doubts washed away, there’s a glint of confidence in their eyes as they flash him a toothy grin.

“Right!” With their pre-performance jitters gone, a worker knocks on their door from the other side.

“Natalice and Matilda, you’ve got fifteen minutes to get dressed. The show’s about to start.”

“Well…that’s convenient.” Fereida scoffed before turning to face Nala and Mala. “You heard’em. You two get dressed and ready. Faulkner, Reiza, Karika…” Putting her hands on her hips, Fereida walked past them before stopping right in front of the door. “I’ll take you guys to your seats. You’ll be front and center.”

“Yeah. We should get to our spots.” Karika moved first, putting her hands behind her head.

“Good luck, Nala, Mala.” After giving them some words of encouragement, Reiza followed Karika, waiting with her and Fereida for Faulkner.

“Give it your all, girls.” As the last to go, Faulkner waved at Nala and Mala one last time to encourage them.

“Yeah!” Opening the door, Fereida waited for Reiza, Karika, and Faulkner to walk out, then closed it behind them. Walking silently with them, Fereida turned back to look at Faulkner between Reiza and Karika.

“I know I said it already…but you really are a lifesaver, Faulkner. Thanks for calming their nerves. I don’t know what I’d do if Nala and Mala decided to bail. I’d have to explain that to Nakoto…and she’s not exactly privy to things not going her way…”

“Glad I could help. I’ve seen Nakoto when she’s…stressed. Even Reiss gets on her knees when Nakoto rebukes her.” Speaking as a witness, Faulkner wouldn’t wish that kind of tongue lashing on anyone.

“So you’ve seen it too? In some ways, it seems like Nakoto’s the head of the company, not Reiss.”

“No kidding…” Technically coworkers under the same boss, Fereida and Faulkner laughed in unison, with Reiza and Karika following closely behind.

“Sis, you sure you’ll be okay if Nala and Mala do decide to…you know?”

“Still worried about that? I told you I’m fine with it. I mean…I willingly let you join, after all. What difference will it make accepting those two?”

“Is that right? Well…you have my thanks for being SO accommodating.” Exchanging snarky remarks, they could hear the hustle and bustle of the crowd behind a large double door leading to the Tokyo Dome’s interior stadium. Ahead of the doors were security guards stationed there.

“Ah, Fereida. Are those three the VIP’s?”

“Yup. I’m taking them to their seats now.” Making way for them, Fereida took a moment to pull earplugs from her pockets and put them in while the security guards opened the doors. The moment they did, a gust of wind from the thousands gathered filled the halls with cheers loud enough for Reiza, Karika, and Faulkner to recoil, covering their ears to mitigate the noise.

“ACK! Fuck! It’s loud as shit out there!” Karika’s ears were a little more sensitive than the others, so she recoiled more noticeably than Faulkner and Reiza.

“What’d you expect?! It’s their debut concert, after all!” Fereida smugly replied, but Karika couldn’t even hear herself think, let alone hear her.

“We should’ve brought some earplugs!” Reiza commented before they were led outside. The vast rows of seats were already filled to full capacity. Tens of thousands of attendees carried light sticks of light blue and bright red, matching the aesthetic colors of Nala and Mala’s idol costumes.

The stage itself was separated into three parts. The main stage was a wide, rectangular space where performers had plenty of room to move in. It stretched out from the middle by a narrow walkway that led to a diamond-shaped center. It stretched out far enough that front-row occupants could wrap around the diamond center. It then stretched out again from the other end with another narrow walkway that led to a smaller rectangular stage. With barely enough space for four people, the very end was likely meant for single or duo performers. At the front of the last stretch of the stage were four seats spaced away from the rest of the crowd. A metal barrier wrapped around the stage, walkways, and sections, with staff members spaced evenly for crowd control.

“Alright. There are your seats, including mine. I arranged some things for you guys as well…” Fereida points to a bag sitting under each of the seats. Faulkner was the first to reach for the bag before sitting down, sifting through its contents. The first thing that caught Faulkner’s eye was a set of light sticks.

“Oh? There are light sticks here for us.” Holding them in his hands, he flicked a switch at the base. Like the ones the other attendees carried, each light stick glowed bright red and light blue. There was also a handheld fan with Nala and Mala’s likenesses on it, along with some other idol-themed merchandise. Karika and Reiza took their seats soon after, looking through their bags before Karika found something that made her sigh in relief.

“Thank fuck!” Finding a small tin containing earplugs, Karika sighed in relief before putting them on. The earplugs dampened the noise just enough so she could hear herself think.

Seeing the relief on Karika’s face, Reiza and Faulkner found their earplugs and did the same. Once comfortable, Reiza took a moment to look at the stage, seeing rows of lights around the edges and walkways leading to the other sections. And it wasn’t just the lights on the stage. Around the rim of the dome’s upper crust were multi-colored floodlights, all pointed at the center stage.

“Well…I’d say we got the best seats. We’re close to the very end of the stage, so we have a good view of it all. And we’re separated from the rest of the crowd by a metal barrier and staff.” Reiza said smugly, staring back at the crowds of people already cheering for Nala and Mala’s debut.

“Good. I’d rather not bump against total strangers if I can help it…” Karika wasn’t a fan of big crowds. Just the idea of being cramped made her skin tingle and her tail curl.

“Putting the crowds aside, just how long is this performance supposed to last?” Faulkner wasn’t familiar with idol concerts, so he asked Fereida, knowing she would.

“Natalice and Matildas? Their performance will last about four to five minutes, give or take.”

“Wait, what? There are THIS many people attending the concert, and they encourage you to queue up early. But then the actual performance is only four to five minutes long?”

“Uh-huh. The rest of the time will be spent on fan appreciation events. For example, they’ll have a Q&A session after the concert, followed by a meet-and-greet. It’s their first concert, so they have to make a big impact on their fans.”

“Ah…right. I guess that makes sense. And given the number of people here…”

“Well, they’re not going to be able to meet EVERY fan, so only those who bought the extended passes will go. Though we sold out almost immediately when they went for sale online…”

“Oof. Sounds like Natalice and Matilda will have a long day ahead of them.” Turning his back to look at the crowd, the number of attendees easily rose into the thousands. Even tens of thousands, since every seat seemed to be filled to the brim. Before he could ask if any other events were planned, the loudspeakers buzzed to life.

*Attention! Thank you for coming to today’s event! Natalice and Matilda will be on stage in five minutes. Please remember the rules here at Tokyo Dome Tower…*

“It’s starting…” Fereida crossed her arms and turned her attention to the stage. Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza did the same as the whole dome nearly went quiet.

“There are so many people here…yet it’s nearly quiet now…” Karika was taken by surprise. In concerts in America, it doesn’t get nearly this quiet when the performance officials are talking.

“That’s just how well-disciplined Japanese folk is…” Reiza whispered back before they went completely silent to listen to the rules. The announcer lists some obvious rules, such as no unruly behavior and the forbidden use of photography and video.

Then, after two more minutes, the stage finally flares with bright red and blue lights. Accompanied by light pyromaniacs, they started from the left and right sides of the stage, going off in sync and moving closer and closer to one another until they hit the center stage. Once the lights and smoke settled, Natalice and Matilda stood.

Standing back to back, Natalice’s idol costume looked like a mix of a flamenco and kimono dress with red highlights around the seams. The skirt ruffles alternated between black and red, with black ribbons on the sides of the uniform. She wore black tulle on her arms, paired with a black-and-red ribbon clipped around her right ear. Contrasting her dress was a light blue cloth with white bells and a light blue color around the rims. Completing the bolder look was a pair of black, short heels.

Matilda’s bell-shaped dress was white with blue highlights around the edges to contrast with her sisters. The bottom of the skirt was lined with short, thin, translucent ribbons. An ornate yellow bell hung around the collar of her dress. On the sides of the dress, where the waist meets the hips, were two white cloth bells with more translucent ribbons hanging from inside. On her wrist, Matilda wore white floral wrist cuffs, and a white bell with light-blue rims hung from her left ear. Instead of short heels, Matilda wore sky-blue high heels. Like Natalice, a black ribbon with red accents around the edges was wrapped around her waist, matching the ribbons on Natalice’s dress and contrasting with the whites and blues of her dress.

With Natalice and Matilda’s eyes closed, the whole Tokyo Dome went silent. Slowly opening their eyes, they push away from one another in a slow, dramatic flare before smiling, facing the audience as the dome fills with screams and cheers.

“Hello everyone!” With mics attached to their earpieces, Natalice and Matilda yell to the audience with smiles on their faces. They twirl in sync, moving around the stage in circles before stopping at the center in perfect unison and striking a pose, with Natalice’s right and Matilda’s left paws close together to form a heart shape. With their other paw, they hold each other’s paws with their mic at the center.

“Here we go!” The stage screams to life even more with cheers not just from the fans, but from Fereida, Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza as their performance begins.

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