An Arrival of a Rival. CH 20

(Previous Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch19/)

Chapter 20

Societal Norms Class, Unite!

“Dammit! That’s the fifth fucking time I got sniped! Stop corner sniping, you bitch!” It was another uneventful weekend at Faulkner’s house. Karika played video games in the main living room while Reiza watched to curb their boredom.

“I told you to peak before running through that hallway. If you go running without a plan, you’re gonna get popped…”

“But I’m running at full speed here. That guy must be using an aimbot or something!”

“No…you just suck at playing Rainbow. You’re not even using your character’s unique abilities. You just pick ones with guns you like to use.”

“Fine! Then you play the next round.”

“Hah! Yeah, right. I ain’t carrying your ass.” While Reiza and Karika bicker as usual, Faulkner is sorting out files to send to Trisha in the computer room.

“Alright…Muria Santiego…and Philip Fresko. Those two passed my inspection. What do you think, Trisha?” Chatting with Trisha on a video call, he saw Vey sitting on her lap while drinking milk from a sippy cup.

“Everything seems to be in order. I’ll forward their resume and your report to Nakoto.” Staring right at Faulkner from Trisha’s computer, Vey waves her right hand as if saying hello to him. In response, Faulkner smiles and waves back.

“Hey there, Vey. You’ve been a good girl?”

“Good! Good!” Vey had learned many words despite being one year old. Trisha would often boast Vey’s capabilities, most of all to Faulkner and Fae Fae.

“That’s right! You’re doing great! Yes you are!” Dotting as could be, Trisha had no qualms showering Vey with praises and kisses. Whether in private or in public, she’d show her motherly affection to Vey, much to Markus’s embarrassment.

“I see you still spoil her silly…”

“Shut up! How could you resist someone as cute and smart as Vey?”

“Heh. Vey only showed us how often she could wake us in the middle of the night. And don’t even get me started on how often we had to change her diapers…” Trisha’s smile turns into a frown as she moves Vey closer to the webcam on her computer.

“What’s that?! How could you complain about my precious Vey, huh?! She was a baby then, so of course she needed her diapers changed!” Taking a deep breath, Trisha was about to scold Faulkner. Thankfully, before she could give him an earful on child rearing, Markus enters Trisha’s computer room.

“Dinner’s ready. You’d better finish up before it gets cold.” While Trisha is a competent cook in her own right, Markus has taken up the position of househusband and cooks for them most of the time until he finishes college. “Oh, hello, Faulkner. How are you doing?”

“Hey, Markus. I’m doing fine. How’s your studies going?”

“They’re doing just fine. It helps that-“

“Papa!” Hoping off Trisha’s lap, Vey interrupts Faulkner’s conversation with Markus and makes a break for him.

“Oh! Do you want upsies? Alright!” Picking Vey up, Markus had Vey sit on his shoulders.

“Tch! Why is it she always goes to you for upsies?! I’m taller and stronger than you.” Trisha already gets plenty of time with Vey whenever she’s home. Despite that, she gets childishly jealous whenever Vey runs to Markus.

“That’s because you’re always scaring her. I mean, the last time you gave her uppies, she-“

“Okay! I get it. I’m in a business meeting with Faulkner! Get out of here already!”

“Hahaha! Alright. I’ll see you soon.” Laughing as he closes the bedroom door, Trisha glares at Faulkner, who’s staring at her with his right eyebrow raised. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. That’s all I have for you for today.”

“Good. Anyway, you’re free next weekend, right? We should go to Aphrodishiack.”

“Sure. I’ve got nothing to do that weekend. Plus, I’m sure Janice’s wondering where we’ve been.”

“No kidding. We hadn’t had time to hang out for a whole year. Well, I’ll see you on Monday. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Trisha. Take care.” Finished with their business call, Faulkner figured he should check on Karika and Reiza. “Hey, you two doing alright?”

“Hey, Faulkner, c’mere! Why don’t you join us and play a round of Rainbow?!” Beckoning him to join them, Reiza had a blast watching Karika lose again and again.

“ARGGH!!! God dammit! I fucking hate this game!” For Faulkner, this was a regular occurrence. Praising the game when she’s winning. Berating it whenever she loses.

“How many times have you said that before? What kind of match are you doing?”

“Porky’s doing casual, like a scrub.”

“Excuse me, like a what now, small tits?!” Putting her controller down, Karika butted heads with Reiza like usual.

“Don’t get mad at me! You’re an awesome player, right? If you’re gonna be mad at anyone, get mad at the cheaters.” Karika was still in the middle of a match, so Faulkner took it upon himself to help Karika out.

“Ah…alright then. As usual, I guess it’s up to me to pick up after your slack.” With their attention suddenly brought to Faulker, he skillfully finishes the first round of the match with three kills for his team.

“You probably pick the fastest character in the roster, right? Or the one with the biggest gun. The whole point of this game is teamwork.” Faulkner also made quick work of the second round, bringing the game to a tiebreaker. “When playing as a defender, your strat depends on the game mode. Since this one is to protect the bomb, you should stick close to the objective and ambush anyone who tries to come in.” As demonstrated by his attentiveness, Faulkner managed to salvage this game and was even despite the initial failed round from Karika.

“Man, I hate it when you show off like that. It’s boring as fuck to stand still next to the objective like that. You’d end the round faster if you went out and killed the opposite team first!”

“Only people with a high KOD ratio can do that. Remind me, what’s yours again?” Egging Karika on again, Karika gives Reiza a death glare.

“And what about you, small tits?! You don’t even play shooter games!”

“Yeah. Because I suck at them.”

“Then why are you making fun of my skills when you have none?!”

“Because it’s funny. Isn’t that my role as your ‘little sister?’ To annoy her older sis?” Before Karika and Reiza would inevitably fight, a text message ring from both their phones stops them.

“Hmm? Did your phone go off, too, Reiza?”

“I think so. Who’s texting us?” After checking their phones, Karika and Reiza’s faces lit up, seeing it was a group text message. “Oh, it’s a group message from Erma.” Reading the messages on their phones, Erma asked if the girls would be interested in planning a hangout party next weekend.

“Huh? You know, it never occurred to me that we never had a reunion party last year.”

“That’s because we technically reunited when we all went to Miss Trisha’s wedding. Hell, aren’t class reunions done every decade?” Wrapping up Karika’s match for her, Faulkner pats Karika and Reiza on the head.

“Normally. But it’s not like it’s an ironclad rule everyone has to follow. You’d be surprised what little time you’d have with your classmates now that you’re all independent. Take every chance you can to spend time with them.” Speaking from experience, Faulkner never went to his class reunion party as he was too busy with college at the time.

“I guess you’re right. Erma and the other girls are already making plans. They haven’t decided what to do yet, but they want to hang out next weekend.”

“How convenient. I have plans with Trisha next weekend, too. We’re going to Aphrodishiack for old time’s sake. We haven’t seen Janice since Trisha’s wedding, so that’s another reason for us to go there.”

“Huh? So you two might not be joining us this time.”

“Unless we go there too.” Karika fondly remembers the fun they had there the last time they hung out at Aphrodishiack.

“Maybe, but going somewhere else could be fun, too.” Reiza feels the same way, but variety wouldn’t be bad either.

“Fair enough. Do you have any suggestions on where to go?” Muddling through places she’d been before, Reiza smiled as she thought of a perfect place to go.

“Sis, remember that hole-in-a-wall Arcade joint you met me at back when I started attending TMRC?”

“Isn’t that place a little small?”

“They’ve since expanded the place. They have a bowling alley and pool table area now.”

“You know. I can’t remember the last time I went bowling. And I always wanted to try Pool. Sure. I’ll tell Erma your suggestion and see what she thinks.” While Karika went to work texting everyone in the group chat, Reiza headed for the kitchen to start dinner.

“So, does grilled chicken, rice, and veggie medley for tonight?” Reiza didn’t sound too happy announcing tonight’s dinner. Something Faulkner chuckled at.

“Sounds good to me. I’m curious, though. How long are you planning on this diet plan?”

“For as long as it takes. I know it gets bland, but dammit, I want to lose this belly fat.”

“That’s why I keep telling you to join me! Look, I promise I’ll ease you in!” Karika had just finished texting before showing off her stomach. “See this? With some work and time, you can have abs like mine.”

“I want to trim the fat, not turn it into a washboard!”

“Same difference! Stop making excuses, and just join me!”

“It wouldn’t hurt to join her, Reiza. Granted, it takes some getting used to.” With the help of Faulkner’s backing, Reiza had no choice but to concede.

“Fine! I’ll join you. But you’d better not leave me behind, Porky! And definitely no complaining!”

“Come on, sis! What kind of bitch do you take me for?! I’ll never make fun of anyone willing to exercise. Hehe, I can’t wait!” As strange as it was, Reiza felt a little better seeing Karika so enthusiastic.

“Right. I’ll call you two when dinner’s ready.” Thinking about it, Faulkner wonders what he’ll do tomorrow. It’s not often he has time for himself. He didn’t have any paperwork from TMRC to work on, so what could he do? It’d be a waste to play video games all day. He figured he could go out, but going by himself felt awkward. That’s when he had an idea of what to do.

____________________

“Hey…wake up, Reiza! It’s time for our morning jog!” Karika wakes Reiza up at eight the next day, much to Reiza’s chagrin.

“Ugh…fuck. I said I’d go jogging with you, but this early?” Rubbing her eyes, Reiza noticed Faulkner was still dead asleep. She poked his cheeks to wake him up but to no avail. “I guess he’s still sleeping.”

“Yeah, he was up late. I didn’t ask what kept him, but he seemed real happy.”

“Oh? That’s great. That means he gets to laze around all day while I sweat.”

“Stop complaining! Get out of those duds and put on something comfortable to jog with.”

“Alright, at least let me get a cup of coffee first.” After washing her face with cold water, Reiza headed downstairs to brew herself a cup. Karika joins her in the kitchen shortly after. “Hey, do you want me to make us something before going out on a jog?”

“Sure. Normally, I skip breakfast and wait after jogging, but since you’re joining me, we should get food in your system first.”

“Any reason why you don’t eat breakfast before jogging? Doesn’t seem smart considering it takes energy to jog in the first place.” Considering what they were doing today, Reiza opted to cook waffles and eggs for breakfast.

“I’m used to jogging by now. I go on five-mile jogs before taking any sort of break. Unless I sprint in each jog, I save eating until after my jogging session since it helps with recovery. But, for a beginner, it’s better to have food in your system now so your body has fuel to use for later.”

“Ah, that makes sense.” Reiza finished cooking their breakfast soon after. She hands a plate over to Karika before making one for herself and Faulkner.

“Hmm? What’s with the extra plate?”

“It’s for Faulkner. He’ll be up soon.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for the food.” Despite refuting her hunger, Karika devoured her breakfast before Reiza finished hers. “Man, I know it’s just waffles and eggs, but something about your cooking makes it taste that much better.”

“Heh. Don’t let Faulkner hear you say that. He already feels on edge about my cooking getting better than his.”

“By the way, sis. I’m curious. Does eating food do anything for you?”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…you’re a type of succubus, right? Isn’t the spirit energy you get from Faulkner enough?”

“Ugh…I don’t know why everyone thinks that. First of all, there’s a difference between the two. Succubi can indeed live on draining spirit energy from men. But only first-generation Succubi do that. Do you know why?”

“No, why’s that?”

“First-generation Succubi were known to look down on humans. To them, they were nothing but a food source. They don’t just feed on people’s spirit energy. They feed on the very nutrients that keep them alive. That’s why those they drain end up looking like mummies. The modern Succubi born from the current Demon Lord can only drain a person’s spirit energy. We still need food to keep our physical bodies fed. We primarily use the spirit energy we get for magic. The undead monsters are the only ones I know that are dependent on spirit energy. They use it to maintain their soul’s anchor to their body. They can eat and taste like us, but undead don’t get any nutrition from it.”

“Ah…I see. I could’ve sworn that you guys could survive on spirit energy alone.”

“Sort of. What you’re probably thinking of is the backup system built into Succubi. When there’s no food, we can use spirit energy to retain our body’s physical nutrients. In other words, we use spirit energy as substitute fuel. It won’t fill our bellies up or give us more nutrition.” Finishing up her meal, Reiza takes Karika’s and her plate to the sink to wash it.

“*Yawn* Ah…morning…” Joining them after the scent of freshly brewed coffee and breakfast roused him from his slumber, Faulkner makes a cup of coffee for himself before grabbing his plate.

“Morning Faulkner.”

“Morning. Smells good in here.”

“Naturally. Oh, Faulkner. Do you have any plans for today?”

“I do. I’m gonna meet an old friend from high school for lunch.” Taking them both by surprise, Reiza nearly slipped from how quickly she turned around, while Karika almost fell off her seat.

“E-excuse me?! A friend all the way back from high school?!” Karika sounded more surprised than Reiza, who only knew a bit about Faulkner’s life before TMRC. Still, she knew enough to feel just as shocked as Karika, given how reclusive Faulkner was regarding his past.

“Yup. I didn’t just want to sit around all day doing nothing. So, I figured I could catch up with an old friend while you jog.”

“That’s why you were up late last night. You were chatting it up with this friend of yours.” At that moment, Karika and Reiza look to one another. Putting their sisterly bond to the test, they trust one another before speaking in unison.

“That friend of yours isn’t a woman, right?!” Despite his confidence in answering, Faulkner still twitched. Their gaze pierced his being, observing the slightest hint of deception.

“Relax. Drayden Young. He was my best friend in high school.” Reiza and Karika exchanged stares before nodding in unison, convinced of Faulkner’s story.

“Fine. But it’s a bit fishy that you hadn’t told me or Reiza about him until now.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if he still considered me his friend after high school. Don’t forget, the schools I attended were all private ones that omitted Monsters from attending. Drayden was the only friend I made in that school since he and I shared the same doubts about what they taught us about monsters.”

“Ah. What’s Drayden like?” Thinking back on his conversation with Drayden last night, Faulkner’s smile put Karika and Reiza at ease.

“So far, he hasn’t changed. Drayden’s as optimistic and outgoing as I remembered him.” Finishing his breakfast, Faulkner hands Reiza his empty plate to wash. “It’s about a quarter till nine. I don’t have to meet up with Drayden for another two hours. If you two finish your jog before then, I can pick you guys up and bring you back home if you like?”

“Hmm…to be honest, I’m not sure. I guess it’ll depend on Reiza’s stamina. Ain’t that right, sis?”

“Uh-huh. Don’t worry, Faulkner. At worst, we could always call a cab home.” While news of Reiza’s trial has mostly fizzled out, Faulkner couldn’t help but worry. The looks Faulkner notices from strangers passing them by make him hesitant to let Reiza out in public without him. He has no doubt Karika can keep her safe, but the problem lies with Karika’s short temper.

“Karika, make sure you don’t overreact out there. And absolutely no fighting unless-”

“Ugh! I know, dammit! I won’t fight unless they’re out to harm us.” Having heard the same speech more times than she cared to remember, Karika scratched the back of her right ear in irritation.

“Good. You always boast about being the older sister, right? Make sure you live up to that and protect Reiza. And I don’t just mean in a fight.” Grateful for Karika and Faulkner, Reiza hugs them while they argue.

“Okay, that’s enough. Thanks, Faulkner. We’ll call you if we need a ride.” Patting Faulkner on his shoulder, Reiza turns to Karika before beckoning her to follow. “Sis, let’s get dressed and ready.”

“Right.” Following closely behind, Karika was astonished to find out Reiza had several pairs of sports bras and jogging pants. “Whoa! Hang on a minute. You said you’ve never jogged before but have jogging pants and sports bras?”

“I didn’t exactly wear these for exercise. Before I enrolled in TMRC, I wore these types of clothes for certain…clients. Suffice to say, I never wore these for their intended purposes.”

“I can tell. Most of these bras are for low-impact activities like walking or strength training. Here, wear this one. These should give enough support to lessen the strain you’ll feel later on your chest.” Karika picked out a white racerback sports bra and handed it to Reiza.

“Ah. This one? This bra’s the only one I didn’t buy for myself. The guy I was with at the time gave it to me. He wanted us to become a couple, but I found him too hot-headed, so I ditched him.”

“Ouch! You just ditched him without saying anything?”

“The guy’s a total sleaze ball. The second I dumped his ass, he went straight for Meredith.” Freezing up after putting the sports bra on, the color on Reiza’s face fades before looking down at her chest. There, she saw the bottom of the bra hugging the top of her tummy tightly. “D-dammit. I really have gotten fat…” Leaning down to look closer, Karika squints her eyes before pinching the slight pudge of fat on Reiza’s stomach. “P-porky?!”

“Man, you’re calling yourself fat over a tiny pudge like that?! You know some guys like a bit of pudge on their gals, right?”

“Th-this isn’t about impressing guys for me! This is for me! I want to have a slender stomach, not a pudgy one! I mean, look at you! Your stomach’s all smooth and rigid!”

“That’s because I want to have visible abs! It doesn’t feel right if my stomach doesn’t feel rigid and bumpy. Come on. There’s no use complaining about your chub now. The sooner we get you used to jogging, the faster you’ll lose that chub!”

“Tch! You don’t have to tell me twice!” Reaching for matching white jogging pants, the last thing Reiza wanted to pick out was which hoodie to pair her jogging pants with. In the end, she chose a forest green zipper hoodie. Then, there’s Karika’s choice of clothing. “Hey, sis. Is that really all you wear when you go jogging?” Consisting of a red sports bra and black seamless shorts, the only time Reiza recalls Karika changing her clothing style is during winter.

“Hmm? Yeah. What’s wrong with it.”

“It shows an awful lot of skin. Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Nah. I don’t care if people stare at me or not. I get the occasional cat call, but I don’t hear them for the most part since I wear earbuds when I jog. I won’t need them since you’re coming with me today.” Making their way to the front door, they see Faulkner on the living room couch, watching the morning news on the TV.

“Alright, we’re heading out now.”

“Okay. Stay safe, you two.” Leaving Faulkner alone, the current headline news kept his attention.

[“Today’s top story. The influx of Monster Migrants has increased over just one year. The increase in traffic had not gone unnoticed as government officials from Earth and Faelinth gathered to discuss the matter.

“That’s right, Hank. According to statistics, the influx of migrants comes from the recent success of a niche but essential institute called TMRC. Otherwise known as ‘The Mamono Reformation Class.’ While far from the only institute that focuses on teaching societal norms, they are the most successful.

“Business Tycoon Brandy Helen Reiss already has plans to create TMRC facilities across the globe after the original owner of TMRC, Tama Mitsuyuki, handed ownership of the institute to Trisha Sekigawa, who, in turn, became business partners with Reiss.”

“As for the officials that came to that meeting, many of Earth’s officials brought genuine concern regarding the efficacy of said reformation institutes. Antonio Digressa commented…

‘The rising number of Monster Migrants, while beneficial in some ways, brings concerns over rising monster attack incidents. While most of these incidents are sexual harassment and rape cases, assault and kidnapping aren’t too far. Are these institutions enough to quell the rising statistics?’

Officials from Faelinth response to this statement are as follows…

‘Just as Earth’s governments and those in power can’t control every individual, the same applies to us. We have institutes of our own explaining societal norms in Faelinth. Despite some attending said institutes, several Human migrants are breaking the rules or ignoring warnings which leads to incidents like rape or even assault. We are working together with government officials to rectify these issues.’

“Statements from Faelinth officials were called out as dismissive or evasive, prompting the Demon Lord herself to intervene.

‘In light of the recent events on Earth, I would like to dispatch a small, trusted unit of disciplinary soldiers from my castle to train talented individuals, those natively born on Earth, human or monster, to act as additional law enforcers.’

“Many Monster residents born on Earth argue this only exacerbates the growing racism stemming from stereotypes from Human residents of Earth voting and protesting to deport Monsters, asking government officials to take them back to Faelinth. It is one of the few recurring topics both Liberals and Conservatives agree on.”

“There are also those in both Republican and Democratic parties that argue against their deportation, stating the economic and environmental changes achieved by Monster’s introduction of magic has brought nothing but benefits for Earth and its residents.”

“Regardless of which side you’re on, one thing is sure. Tensions between Monsters and Humans will continue to rise.”]

“…shit…maybe I should’ve gone with Karika and Reiza?” As December approaches, the stress of work from choosing those who pass his class and his secondary duties of training Societal Norms teachers and anxiety from the general public recognizing Reiza from the news after her court case was made public made Faulkner buckle in a state of depression and doubt. He’s hidden what he’s going through, with only Trisha knowing.

“No…California’s fairly safe since they embrace Monsters here. I should focus on what topics to talk about with Drayden. Karika’s there with her, so she’ll be fine.” Dismissing his worries for the time being, Faulkner spent the rest of the hour relaxing before getting ready to meet up with Drayden.

____________________

“How’re you doing so far, sis?” Matching Reiza’s pace, they had only jogged half a mile before Reiza started slowing down. From their initial start, the black flames on her horns and tail had since shrunk and changed color from black to red.

“Ah…fah…fu-fuck…”

“Alright, time for us to switch from jogging to walking for a bit.” Taking it easy as Karika suggested, she walks with Reiza to give her time to catch her breath. “You alright?”

“Y-yeah. I’m okay. Sorry if we’re already slowing down.” They stop to walk on a sidewalk on their way to Correlia Park.

Since it was Sunday, the number of people outside at eleven was low. Still, the occasional onlooker was ogling at Karika’s frame, which mostly went unnoticed by her. Those she did notice looked away.

“Don’t be! I thought you’d only make it through a quarter of a mile, but you made it past that and a half! I’m impressed. Though, I hope you weren’t pushing yourself so that you could keep up with me.”

“M-maybe I was…”

“Didn’t I just say to take your first day of jogging lightly? You don’t jump into any kind of exercise full blast. You have to ease into it.”

“But jogging is such a low-impact activity compared to running.”

“Uh…did you really just say that after having done it right this moment? And out of breath no less?”

“…okay. I underestimated how hard it was. Can we just move on?”

“I just want you to do it right. I’d love to have you as another jogging partner. Maybe someday, you, me, and Faulkner can all jog together?” Patting Reiza gently on the back, she took her sister’s words of encouragement to heart, setting it ablaze before taking slow, controlled breaths.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t that be something? Phew, alright. Let’s keep going. I’ll take it easy this time.”

“Good. Don’t worry, I’d never leave you behind.” Now that Reiza knows her limits, she sticks to them and focuses on balancing speed and endurance, leaving Karika to match her pace.

____________________

“He should be around here.” Making it to their meeting spot at a local strip mall ten minutes after noon, Faulkner looks around for Drayden. He recognized a familiar ponytail in the distance among the crowd walking about. “Drayden, that you?” Hearing his name called aloud, the tall, slender man known as Drayden turns to Faulkner before smiling.

“Ah! Faulkner!” As he approached Drayden, Faulkner noticed his friend had changed some from the memories he could recall from his high school days. His brown eyes seemed sharper, complimenting the slight mustache on his lips. His hair, tied down in a ponytail that stretched down to his back, was slick except for his bangs that protruded forward. He was taller than Faulkner at six foot one, only two inches shorter than Karika.

“You’ve gotten…taller.”

“Yeah. I did, didn’t it? And you, you’ve hardly changed. Though, I can tell you’ve bulked up. And I guess you did grow a fair bit of hair around your chin.”

“Hah! I could say the same about your mustache. Are you trying to look older? Cuz news flash, you don’t.” The two share a familiar laugh. Despite not having seen each other in over twelve years, their shared laughter was the same as before. They would’ve kept at it if it wasn’t for Drayden’s stomach.

*Growl*

“Ah…”

“You didn’t eat breakfast?”

“Uh…no. Honestly, I woke up thirty minutes ago…”

“Ahahaha. Alright. Come on, let’s get something to eat then.” The strip mall they met at had a few places to eat. They settled on a cheap but tasty fast-food burger stop.

“Man, this place hasn’t changed its menu since it opened, right?

“Nope. The same four meals. A single or double burger with fries. However, a quote-unquote secret menu opens up a bunch more items.”

“Is that why you have that four-by-four burger there?” Drayden laughs as he points at Faulkner’s order, a four-patty cheeseburger with raw onions and two sides of fries. “You said you ate breakfast four hours earlier. Now you’re that hungry again?”

“Look, when you’re in my position, you tend to get hungry fast…” The two start by catching up on the past twelve years. Faulkner regales Drayden on his struggles to become an English Teacher, while Drayden recounts the countless nights he spent studying to become an IT specialist.

“I’m telling you, the amount of mathematical knowledge you need to be an IT specialist is total bullshit! I know I’m Asian and all, but fuck! It’s not as if all of us are born drawing mathematical equations.”

“At least all you have to worry about is studying. Competition from other applicants is way more arduous than studying.”

“That’s it, competition?! You don’t know what hell is like, Faulkner! To miss precious hours of sleep and only to rank third on your test results!”

“You’re still within the passing margins! Do you want to know what actual hell is like?! I could barely afford to eat out, let alone pay for necessities. I was juggling between my job as a fast food worker and applying to several schools, regardless of how far they were. That is true hell!” Despite complaining to one another, Faulkner and Drayden were having a great time. Faulkner and Drayden talk about other things, like their hobbies, which haven’t changed much between the two. It’s when the subject changes to their love lives that the cheery mood of the two has turned serious.

“So…it is true. These two are your girlfriends, huh?” Faulkner showed Drayden a picture of him, Karika, and Reiza on his phone. Since they attended the same high school, Drayden was surprised when Faulkner first told him about them from their phone call last night.

“Yeah. The High Orc here is Karika, and the Pyrow next to her is Reiza.”

“How did you meet them anyway? At the same time?”

“Uh…half and half?” Drayden raised his right brow.

“And…what does that mean?”

“Ugh…” Drayden watched in amusement as Faulkner’s cheeks turned red, wondering if he should elaborate. “I met both of them at TMRC as they attended as students in my Societal Norms class. However, Karika was already a student when I started teaching. She was one of the troublemakers in class.”

“Heh. No offense, but Karika does look like the type. What made you seal the deal with her?”

“I-is that really something you need to know?!” Admittedly, Drayden was prying as he enjoyed seeing Faulkner’s flustered reaction. However, he does have an underlying reason for asking.

“It’s not like I’m asking if you two fucked or not. Besides, I have a feeling you already did.” Seeing Faulkner avert his gaze, Drayden’s guess was on the money.

“Karika confessed her love to me after admitting her delinquent act was mostly a ruse to get my attention. Reiza was much the same way at first.” Faulkner’s tone softened when he got to Reiza. “But I’m the one who approached her.”

“I see. Sorry if I was prying too much.”

“Just tell me why you’re so insistent?” With a deep sigh, Drayden looks around the restaurant. Looking around with him, Faulkner sees a couple of Monsters eyeing them. Some would look away when noticed, and others would wink or gesture seductively.

“You notice it too, right? Those women are staring at me so lasciviously. I’m a guy, so I’m not opposed to losing my V-card. But how can I be sure they like me for who I am and not just because I’m a guy?” Until now, Drayden’s questions irritated Faulkner as he neared his boiling point. He knew Drayden was partly egging him on out of amusement, something Faulkner’s all too familiar with considering his students. What irritated him wasn’t being pestered. It’s the implication of Karika and Reiza being simple-minded. Still, Faulkner kept calm and continued to humor Drayden.

The unease in Drayden’s eyes. It reminds Faulkner of what he was like the first time he worked at TMRC. Even with the magic sigils enforced on students ensuring his safety, Faulkner still felt threatened by their sexual threats, even if they were just that.

To Faulkner, it’s as if he’s talking to his old self before working for TMRC.

“…I understand now. I wish you had started with that instead of using a roundabout method. I’ll be honest, Drayden. There are Monsters like that. Some will force themselves onto you, whether born from instinct or circumstance.” The bluntness of his voice and the sharp focus of his gaze did little to ease Drayden.

“Having said that, remember Humans are just as capable. The instinct to propagate is the same for us as it is for them. People only use that as an excuse to demonize Monsters when we’re no different in desires.”

“Wah? I don’t-”

“Drayden. Rape has always been a thing, right? Kidnapping, human trafficking, murder. These things aren’t unique to Monsters. Humans do it, too. When you think about it, the arguments of those who believe in stereotypes are no less Monsters than those they persecute. Their physical traits and ability to use magic are the only things that distinguish us from Monsters. Like us, they feel pain when rejected. They feel joy when they are accepted. Always treat others the way you want to be treated, right? If you do that, then you should be fine.” Faulkner’s smile in the end put Drayden’s mind at ease.

“I was just like you when I first worked at TMRC. The way my students talked to me as if I were just a piece of meat for them to fuck would turn any person off. The students there were all required to have a magic sigil placed on them to limit their physical and magical powers for staff safety. So I won’t lie; having that on them made me feel at ease.” Closing his eyes, Faulkner recounts the days he spent working at TMRC. Despite his fears, the desire to see them succeed drove him forward. It wasn’t just because it was his job to do so, but because he thought of them as his daughters. And as any good parent should, he strove to see them succeed.

“Still, they’re just like us. They feel the same desires and sorrows as we do. Karika and Reiza are my girlfriends, and it is not just because they forced themselves on me one way or the other. I wanted them as much as they wanted me.” Although he meant for his speech to end on a good note, Drayden couldn’t help but focus on one thing.

“Uh…that was a great speech and all, Faulkner. But. What did you mean by they ‘forced’ themselves on you?” While he kept smiling on the outside, Faulkner was internally swearing after inadvertently getting caught up in his speech and saying more than he needed to. “Well…I’m waiting.” Narrowing his gaze, Faulkner had no choice but to elaborate to Drayden.

…

“Let me get this straight. Before you started dating either of them, Karika fucked you, and Reiza gave you a blowjob? And you just let them?”

“H-hey…you said it yourself, right? I’m a guy, too. Besides, my mind was in a scramble during those times. I couldn’t just pry them off. It would’ve been insensitive.” It didn’t matter what excuse Faulkner had. The disappointment on Drayden’s face nearly invalidated his speech. “D-dammit! Don’t look at me like that! My point still stands!”

“Okay, okay! Calm down. I get the gist, alright? I just wanted to be sure before I make a decision.”

“Decision?”

“Yeah. You see, there’s someone I’ve been friends with online for over three years. We met at a chat server. We have a lot in common, so we became more trusting. Just last year, we decided to voice chat for the first time. When we heard each other’s voices, we were both surprised.”

“Let me guess? She didn’t know you were a guy and vice versa?”

“Yup. It hadn’t even been a minute before she asked me if I wanted to be her boyfriend. I was caught up in the moment and agreed since it was the first time a girl asked me. Then, six months later, we showed our faces for the first time. I was shocked to see she was a Monster since she never brought it up until that point.”

“Does she have a name?”

“Oh, right! I should’ve started with that. Her name’s Luluko, a HobGoblin. Anyway, I wanted your advice…or rather, I wanted to know your experience with Monsters since you’re dating not just one, but two of them.” Drayden could tell he was already doing something wrong from how Faulkner pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“Okay, my first advice is to call them by their names. Do you want me to call you based on your race?”

“N-no…”

“You said you’ve been friends for three years, right? If you’ve been friends for that long, why would it matter if Luluko’s a Monster? That won’t change the fact you two share the same hobbies. Or are you telling me that you’re so shallow that a mere difference in race is enough to sway three years’ worth of friendship?” Faulkner’s words stung deep into Drayden’s heart. Deep down, he knew Faulkner was right.

“No.”

“There you have it. Now it’s my turn to pry and ask what you two have in common and how exactly you met.”

“Fine. I do owe you. So, the chat server we met at, it was-”

____________________

“Whoa. Would you look at that…” Pulling out her phone, Karika had a stopwatch app to keep track of time. Karika expected to reach Correlia Park fifteen minutes later than her typical record since she had to slow down for Reiza’s sake. Instead, they made it there roughly five minutes earlier than expected. “You’re faster than I thought. Though, how you jogged earlier might’ve contributed to that.” Karika hardly breaks a sweat in her typical jogs, so she doesn’t even need to wipe her forehead down.

Reiza, on the otherhand…

“Ah…fuck! My legs! They feel like they’re on fire!” Having hunkered down at the first bench they saw, Reiza wiped away the torrent of sweat from her forehead and neck. Her legs lay limp as the burning sensation pulses with each heartbeat.

“Ahahaha! Yeah. That’s normal. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it after your second or third week. Assuming you jog four to five days each week.”

“Y-you’re insane if you think I can keep this up five days in a row…” The flames on her horns and tail were so small that they looked more like embers than flames. A clear indication of her exhaustion. “I think I need a drink…” Before Reiza could bring herself to move, Karika had gotten on one knee with her back facing Reiza. “Uh…what’re you doing?”

“Come on, sis. I’ll carry you.” Reiza thought Karika was fucking with her at first, but a second look at Karika’s serious expression said otherwise.

“Eh?! No, fuck that.”

“Don’t be stubborn, small tits. I’m not leaving you unattended. If you’re too tired to move, I’ll carry you.” Arguing with Karika would’ve brought more attention, so Reiza complied and got on Karika’s back. Reiza wraps her arms around Karika’s neck while Karika puts her hander under Reiza’s thighs for support. “You comfortable?”

“Yeah. I’m good.” When Reiza got comfortable, her stomach gave in and grumbled from hunger. Naturally, it didn’t go unnoticed, given that Karika could hear and feel Reiza’s stomach, prompting a toothy grin from Karika.

“Well, well, well. From the sound and feel of it, thirst isn’t the only thing you’re feeling, small tits.”

“Shut the fuck up, Porky.”

“Hehehe. I’m just fuckin with yah. To be honest, I’m getting hungry too. Why don’t we eat at the ‘Pounded Burgers’ trailer?”

“Uh…I’m here to lose weight, remember? Not add another two pounds to my waistline.”

“Oh, come on! I’m sure they have something healthy there.”

“Protein-rich, sure. Healthy, not really.” Recalling what Karika remembers of the ‘Pounded Burgers’ appearance, it didn’t take long for her to find it.

Staring at the green trailer with a sign depicting a big, juicy burger consumed by a chibi Minotaur, Reiza already imagines her stomach bulging based on the size of the burger.

But at the same time, her growling stomach and the smell of cooking burger meat shoved whatever apprehension she had aside. Karika was even worse off as she was practically drooling when her nose caught a whiff of the burgers.

Several patrons were already eating at several tables in front of the trailer. Watching them eat their meals made the wait behind two other patrons agonizing.

Manning the front counter was, of course, Vinny. He greets each patron with courtesy and grace. While Vinny took orders, his wife, Lenore, cooked each meal to sizzling perfection.

After servicing the last two customers in front of them, Vinny instantly recognizes Karika before calling out to Lenore.

“Oh! Hey, you two were at Trisha’s wedding, right?”

“Yeah. I’m Karika. The one I’m carrying behind me is Reiza.” Since Karika already reintroduced her to Vinny, she simply smiled and waved at him.

“Ah, that’s right. You two were the ones that caused a scene when Trisha threw the bouquet in the air.” The flashbacks of their embarrassing argument caused Reiza and Karika to reflexively cover their head when Faulkner smacked them there for causing said scene.

“Y-you don’t need to remind us.”

“Right. We’re here for some grub.”

“Alright, what can I get yah?” A quick peek at the menu confirmed Reiza’s suspicions. There wasn’t a single item on the menu that could be considered ‘healthy.’

“I’ll have the double bacon deluxe with fries and a Mexican cola.” Unsurprisingly, Karika ordered the largest burger they had.

“I’ll get a single pounder with tots and iced tea.”

“Alright. That’ll be twenty-seven dollars and forty-seven cents.” Pulling out her credit card, Karika pays for their meal before being told to wait.

While waiting, Karika put Reiza down by request so the two could sit at a vacant dining table nearby.

“Dammit, I hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Pay for my meal. I was gonna ask for separate checks.”

“Ugh! We’ve been over this, small tits. I have a job. You don’t. I don’t mind paying for simple shit like food.” There are still ten years of study before Reiza can work as a psychiatrist. Despite agreeing to focus on her studies until then, the guilt of being given things rather than working for them eats away at Reiza’s pride. It also reminds her of the times when she would take money from her past lovers.

“I know that! Still, I can at least find a part-time job. Maybe I could work as a cashier at a grocery store?”

“Fuck, no. Faulkner and I are already worried about leaving you at home alone. Who knows what kind of crazy wackos you’ll run into at a grocery store?”

“Yeah, yeah. I heard that a hundred times already from Faulkner.” Checking on their phones in the meantime, Reiza checks on the group message from yesterday. “It’s odd how Nala and Mala haven’t texted any of us back.”

“I know. Those two usually respond to the group chat. I wonder if they’re busy with something?” Before the two could contemplate Nala and Mala’s lack of response, Vinny called out their order before Karika went to grab it.

“Well, we still have a week before our class reunion. The plan is to go to a local arcade stop. You know, the one you dragged me away from. After that, we’re going to a Korean Barbecue restaurant close to Magicia Mall.” Wasting no time after handing Reiza her meal, Karika got to work on hers and took a bite of her double burger.

“*Chew, chew.* Hrrrvv u brr-“

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, stupid.” Taking small bites of her burger, Reiza couldn’t help but moan in satisfaction. Despite how simple her burger is, the flavor of the well-seasoned, juicy burger delights her taste buds.

“*Swallow* Phew. Sorry. Anyway, have you been to a Korean Barbecue joint before?”

“Plenty. I’ve met many of my past dates in those. Thankfully, the one we’re going to is one I’ve never been to before.”

“That’s good. It would’ve been awkward if we went to one you’ve been to before.” Preoccupied with her meal, Karika didn’t notice Reiza staring blankly at her burger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Whoa! Th-that’s pretty cool!” It took place a year before Reiza met Faulkner. She recalls one of the times she went to a Korean barbecue restaurant.

“We don’t even need the grills, darling. I can cook all sorts of meats at just the right temperature…” She accompanied Meredith on a double date with two bachelors that night. “Especially ones that get nice and hard.” Meredith had dibs on the meeker, smaller-framed man.

“…and that’s how I made it to the college football team. The coach was real tough on me, but I managed that last touchdown that won us the game.” Reiza was left to ‘entertain’ the bigger, assertive man. “If you stick with me, I can guarantee a cozy life for you, babe. Waddaya say?” Unlike the meek young man Meredith teased, who was more considerate and indecisive, the assertive one didn’t even wait for Reiza to respond as he moved closer to her. Then, after resting his right forearm on her left shoulder, he slips his right hand under her black tube top and squeezes her left boob.

‘Wow, your moves are as smooth as your brain, dumbass.’ That is what Reiza thought, but she couldn’t say it aloud. She’s dealt with guys like this before, and it never gets easier.

“Oh yeah? Maybe you can show some of that masculine charm in the bedroom.” Reiza could already tell he was all bark and no bite. When she and Meredith later went to a Motel, Reiza was unsurprisingly disappointed by the taste of his spirit energy.

“Bland. That’s all I have to say about that guy.” Fucking their partners to exhaustion, Meredith and Reiza were standing outside the balcony of their second-floor Motel room.

“That bad, huh? The kid’s reactions were cute, as I’m sure you saw. But, he was a hell of a quick shot.” Meredith enjoyed her lover more compared to Reiza, who felt unsatisfied. It wasn’t just that he tasted bland. The sex itself was boring. The jock would say otherwise, but it was all an act to get on his good side. Reiza felt no joy deep down.

“Mom…what was the best sex of your life?” Meredith crossed her arms, recalling what she considered the best sex she had during that time. “If I had to say, it was when I got scouted by a group of rich men looking for…”

“N-no. I should’ve been more specific.” Rarely does Meredith see Reiza look as serious as she did. Was the sex she had just now THAT bad? “Mom…what was sex between you and Dad like?” Reiza occasionally brought her father up to Meredith, to which she usually answered nonchalantly or diverted away. When asked how sex with him felt like, Meredith was caught off guard for the first time in a while as she scrambled to find an answer.

“I…uh…why are you curious all of a sudden?! That question’s a bit personal to ask your mother, right? Besides, I don’t like talking about your spineless father.”

“Mom, we regularly boast about who could fuck the most guys in a week or how much money we make from them. Compared to those, I think you can answer my question easily. I know he bailed out on us, but there was a time when you loved him. I’m sure sex with him felt different compared to the guys we sleep with now.” Reiza hadn’t noticed it then, but when Meredith looked away frowning, she saw Meredith shake while clenching her fist.

Most would interpret that as Meredith being angry like she said she’d be. But, when Reiza recalled Meredith’s tone…

“Ah…fine. When your father was in my embrace-”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sis! Hello?!” Forced back to reality, Reiza returned with Karika staring right at her. “Are you alright? You’ve been staring at your burger for two minutes.”

“S-sorry. I was recalling something.” Reiza had just noticed the other patrons staring at the two. No doubt it was Karika making a scene like usual. Now, can you pull your face away? You’re too damn close.”

“Sorry.” Karika had already finished her meal, so she waited for Reiza to finish hers before they continued jogging. “You good now?”

“Yeah. I can feel my legs again.”

“Good. We’ll do some laps around the park. Remember, we’re here to gauge how far we can push you without turning you into a limp noddle. I’m jogging at your pace.”

“I know. I’ll take the lead then.” Stretching her legs to limber them up, Reiza starts at a more relaxed jogging pace than when they started. It was slower, but Reiza could keep her breath steady as she experimented with different strides to see which was most comfortable.

‘She’s changing the way she jogs every few minutes. Not bad for someone who’s never jogged before.’ Staying close to Reiza, Karika occasionally looked around to see if anyone was following them.

While she spotted no such persons, she did notice the eyes of men on them. The smiles on their face made Karika subconsciously snarl in their direction. Once they see she’s poised to attack, the men look away and play dumb.

‘That’s right, look away. My lil sister isn’t on the menu.’ Karika would carry a smug smile whenever she scared a man to look the other way. She was proud to keep them from undressing Reiza with their gaze.

However…

‘Oh brother…they’re not looking at me, you idiot. They’re looking at you…’ Since Karika slowed her pace down to match Reiza’s, she had neglected her jogging form and put more bounce with each step, making her chest bounce. The men weren’t staring lasciviously at Reiza. They were focused on Karika.

“Ignore them, sis. They’re just staring…”

“They better stay that way. If anyone’s dumb enough to come close, I’ll rip their nutsack off!” Karika made it a point to be heard, prompting many to cross their legs instinctively.

“Hey, I appreciate you having my back, sis. But please, don’t say things like that aloud. We’re in public.” The pitter-patter of Reiza’s flames showed her embarrassment to Karika, to which she smiled in response.

“Aww…such a tsundere.”

“Shut up, Porky!”

____________________

Before they knew it, the weekdays flew by like a flash as the gals deliberated and settled on Reiza’s suggestion to meet at the Arcade she went to.

Arriving fifteen minutes past five in the afternoon due to traffic, Erma was the first to notice Karika and Reiza’s arrival when she saw them in a black truck approaching the parking lot.

“Oh, they’re here.” Turning to where Erma was pointing, the rest of the girls smiled as they watched the last arrivals appear.

“So, that’s Karika’s truck. A bit much, isn’t it?” Karika had taken a picture of her truck and sent it to their group chat so they’d know which vehicle they’d come in. Even so, Fereida didn’t realize just how big the truck was.

“Yeah. A truck like that wouldn’t fit in small garages. It’s good that Faulkner’s house has a big enough garage to accommodate it.” Choosing something more casual for their girl’s night out, Karika wore a sleeveless midriff orange top with blue knee-length jeans and white sneakers. Of course, she’s wearing the pink hair bow tie next to her left ear.

Reiza wore a low V-cut frilled white top that accentuated her cleavage. She paired it with a black shoulder crop jacket decorated with chibi charms to accompany her top. Reiza picked a short hot rod red peplum mini-skirt and short spats combo to accompany her top. For comfort, she wore open-toe light brown sandals. Of course, like Karika, Reiza has her black ribbon hair tie on.

“Hey girls! Sorry we’re late. Traffic and all that, you know?” With a collective stare, Tera, Kilala, Erma, and Zedrada raised their brow in doubt.

“Ah, it’s so good to see you again, Karika!” Lunging toward Karika, she held her arms open to accept Sena’s embrace before Jun, Naeomi, Sara, Kami, and Persha joined for a group hug.

“Ahaha! Hey girls! How have things been?” While Karika catches up with Sena and the rest of the Orcs, Kilala flies above Reiza’s head before landing there to sit down.

“Kilala, I swear your feet better not be dirty.”

“Relax, hot head. I promise my heels aren’t dirty. Nice to see you again.” Using both hands, Reiza gently scoops Kilala off her head and brings Kilala close to her face.

“Heh, likewise.”

“So, this your favorite Arcade joint?” Staring at the newly built neon sign, the name of the Arcade place ‘Zone Zeta,’ Chelsy put her right hand under her chin in thought. “Hard to believe this place used to be a small hole in the wall Arcade.”

“It used to be, yeah. A merchant recently bought up the place and spent what he earned in Faelinth to spruce up the place after he got hooked into Arcades. The place caters to Monsters now since before they got bought out, you’d be fucked if you weren’t human-sized like Arachne’s or Centaurs. Plus, they’ve added a bowling alley and pool tables too.”

“Heh, sounds fun.” Once Sena and the other Orcs got their share of hugs, Zedrada stared at Karika with all her eyes in a judgemental manner.

“Karika, that truck of yours…”

“Ah, my truck! I see the look in your eyes, Zedrada. You’re jealous, aren’t you? It’s nothing special, really. Just a two thousand fifteen Ford F one fifty XLT.” Completely misreading Zedrada, Karika crosses her arms and puffs her chest in pride at her truck. While Sena, the other Orcs, and Chelsy marveled at it, the rest weren’t so impressed.

When Reiza thought she saw everyone, she noticed two prominent sisters missing.

“Hey…wait a sec, girls. Where’s Nala and Mala?”

“Oh shit, you’re right, sis. Where are those two?” Everyone but Karika and Reiza seems to know from the look of their faces.

“I can answer that.” Fereida was the one who told the other girls as they arrived. So she’s about to explain again to Karika and Reiza, who arrived last. “Nala and Mala have a very important job audition they can’t miss overseas. So they’re not even in California now.”

“OVERSEAS?!?!” Reiza and Karika were both shocked to hear the news, yelling out at the same time.

“They left over a week ago. I can’t say much, but they’ll be gone for quite a while.” Staring at her, Karika and Reiza probe Fereida for more information. “L-look! That’s all I know.” Bringing her hands up to show she’s telling the truth, Karika and Reiza give up with perplexity.

“What kind of job could those two possibly have that requires the utmost secrecy?”

“Not sure. Whatever it is, it doesn’t feel right to party without those two. Hell, it wouldn’t feel right if none of us couldn’t attend.”

“I know, but Nala and Mala said we should celebrate anyway. They wouldn’t want us to stop just because they’re not here.”

“You know, I feel you know more about their situation than us, Fereida.” Following her gut feeling, Karika inched closer to Fereida to get an answer.

Fortunately for Fereida, Tera stepped in before Karika got too close.

“Leave her alone, Karika. We should just be happy one of us knows what Nala and Mala are doing.”

“True…” Before Nala and Mala’s absence dampers their moods more than it did, Naeomi clapped her hand together.

“That just means we have to party twice as hard for their sake!”

“Naeomi’s right! Come on, girls! There’s no use standing here all depressed. Let’s party!” Raising her right paw, Erma’s cry of encouragement ignites the flames near her eyes and the passion in everyone’s hearts.

“Yeah, you’re right, Erma! LET’S GO!!!” Seeing the attention they garnered from the others in the front entrance, Zedrada, Kilala, Tera, and Reiza omitted from joining the others cheer aloud out of embarrassment.

“Let’s just go in before more people decide to stare…” Going inside Zone Zeta, Karika and the rest of the girls follow suit.

Once inside, the girls all marveled at the sight of arcade bins and claw machines. The rows of arcade and claw machines had signs above the halls they lined, indicating which genre each row represented.

If the sounds of the arcade and claw machines weren’t enough of a sensory overload, the multi-colored lamps illuminating the halls made the place feel more like a club than an arcade. One didn’t need a sensitive sense of smell to pick up the scent of pizza and french fries somewhere in the building. Presumably upstairs from the flight of stairs leading up and down the floor they were in.

“Welcome to Zone Zeta. Are all of you in a group?” The girls were so enamored that they didn’t even notice the two Automaton receptionists behind a rectangular desk. They looked nearly identical. The only difference between the two was the color of their work uniforms. Above them were two fifty-inch monitor displays showing the building’s prices, games, and activities. The images would change every five seconds, with one image displaying the Zone Zeta as a ‘Monster Friendly’ arcade.

“So…this place any different from when you went here, Reiza?” Saying what everyone else was thinking, Kilala and the rest turn to Reiza.

“Um…yeah. It changed quite a bit. I remember the stairs back used to be blocked off.”

“Hmm? You’re a returning customer?” Overhearing Reiza, the Automaton to her left wearing the green shirt smiles at the girls.

“Sort of. I was here before the big renovation. I hadn’t looked into the changes online since I wanted to see it in person.”

“General public support and online campaigns helped with Zone Zeta’s expansion. We have since included a bottom floor for Recreational activities and an upper floor for dining and relaxation.” This time, the receptionist on her right, wearing the red uniform, answers. She sounded more robotic and apathetic compared to her partner.

“By Recreational activities, does that imply there’s more to do here than just bowling and pool?“

“Of course! There’s-”

“Come on! Why bother asking when we can go there to see for ourselves?! Let’s get our play cards, coins, or whatever so we can start doing shit!” Erma interrupts the receptionist as she approaches the receptionist’s desk. The girls could tell Erma’s excitement from how frantically her tail swayed.

“Erma’s right. Let’s find out with our own eyes.” Watching the rest of the girls follow suit, Kilala stays by Reiza’s side in her human size and pats her on her right shoulder. “Come on. Before they leave us behind.”

“Right. Gotta make sure we plan things out together.” Joining the rest of the girls, the receptionist in the green shirt starts by explaining group party plans.

“Alright. As my partner explained earlier, there are three floors in Zone Zeta for all to enjoy. Starting at twenty-five dollars for every person, you can have unlimited access to the Rec room and unlimited arcade plays for non-ticket or prize machines for one hour. We charge fifty dollars for every hour added to your playtime in the rec room.” Doing the math in their heads, everyone figured out the overall cost.

“So, the upfront cost for all of us is three hundred fifty for the first hour. How long do we plan on staying here?” Zedrada questions the girls as most at least considered staying over two hours.

“Originally, I thought we’d spend only two or three hours here at the most. But that was before I heard about their dining area. They only had drinks here in the form of vending machines before.” Aside from the monitors above the reception desk, pamphlets on a holder contained everything they could do in Zone Zeta were displayed on the desk. Reiza grabs one of the pamphlets and sees the menu for the dining floor above. “They got their standard fare of pizza, fries, wings. Most are party food, but they also have a Japanese menu.”

“If they got food here, we can stay here for the whole hangout. How long should we stay here then?” Asking the real question everyone needs clarification on, Zedrada felt it was her responsibility to rally the girls so they’d all be on the same page. “Alright. How about this? Let’s plan for six hours. We’re a big group with lots to do, and this place seems plenty big.”

“True. We can always visit that Korean Barbecue place in Magicia Mall when Nala and Mala return from their business trip.” Agreeing with Zedrada, Kilala and the other girls settle on a six-hour stay.

“Hey, what about the arcade games that give out tickets and the claw machines? Personally, I’m dying to see what kind of prizes they have for tickets!” Reminiscing, Fereida had fond memories of her first birthday party at a different arcade. She had a natural talent for winning at ticket games. And as she got older, she learned the ins and outs of claw machines. Now, Fereida wants to show off in front of the other girls.

“I can answer that.” Taking over for her partner, the Automaton in the red uniform points at the monitors above. “You must buy the play cards individually for the arcade and claw machines. We have two types of play cards for individual purchases. Our standard play card costs two dollars and fifty cents to activate. After that, you can add a maximum of ten thousand play points, which costs approximately a thousand dollars. Then, we have our ZZ member’s card, which costs twenty dollars to activate. Those with a ZZ member card get a fixed fifteen percent discount on points they add to their card. This discount also applies to the upper dining floor. Finally, members get thirty minutes of complimentary unlimited access to the rec room and unlimited non-ticket arcade plays every week, which can be stacked for two weeks each month for a full hour of play free of charge.” Reiza played a fair bit of claw machines herself. Though, she wasn’t nearly as good as Fereida. The fact they could spend up to a thousand on the play cards made Reiza cringe, wondering how much money she’d lose if she spent that much versus how often she succeeded in claw machines.

“H-holy crap. Up to a thousand dollars? Who’d spend that much on a play card?!” As Reiza said that, she could’ve sworn she saw Fereida look away. ‘Heh. I guess I shouldn’t talk shit…’

“Okay. I can see we’re all eager to get in there. First, let’s pay for the party plan.” Rallying the girls again, Zedrada was unanimously assigned as group leader out of instinct.

“Let’s see…there’s fourteen people for unlimited access to the rec room and non-ticket arcade games package. Including tax, the total comes to six hundred and forty-five dollars.” After the green uniformed Automaton tells them the bill, the girls look at one another, wondering how they’d split it.

However, Zedrada handed the Automaton her credit card while the others discussed it. Only after the receptionist thanked Zedrada did they notice.

“Ah! Zedrada! Why’d you do that?!” Speaking for everyone, Karika grabbed Zedrada’s shoulders and shook her around.

“St-stop shaking me, you idiot!” Pulling Karika’s hands off her shoulders, Zedrada rotates her shoulders from how sore they got. “It’s faster and easier for them if one person pays the bill! I don’t mind paying for the whole bill. I have the money.”

“Are you sure, Zedrada? I don’t mind covering half of it.” Karika had plenty of money for today’s hangout, so she felt blindsided when Zedrada suddenly paid for their admission.

“Look, what if you pay for my meal when we eat later? Sound good?”

“Deal!” The others would have to think of ways to repay Zedrada later. They all received the unlimited Rec and non-ticket arcade play card. Afterward, they each paid for their play cards for ticket games and claw machines. When all the girls finished, they passed through the reception desk and marveled at the arcade machines.

Of all the girls, Erma was the most excited. She’d turn back and forth between different arcade machines, eager to play them all.

“Fighting games, rail shooters, rhythm games! There’s so much to choose! Wait, I know! I want to play a racing game first! The ones in the arcades always feel more immersive!” Running ahead from the rest of the group, Zedrada shook her head, annoyed that Erma had left them behind. She uses two tentacle eyes to keep track of Erma.

“Alright. Can someone keep an eye on Erma? I’d rather have at least one person around her so we can bring her back when we go downstairs later.” As Erma’s bestie, Cheryl raised her hand.

“I’ll do it. Besides, it’ll be more fun to play arcade games in pairs, don’t you think?” Cheryl leaves the group, sparking the rest to split into groups for the first hour.

One group was the Orcs, Persha, Jun, Sena, Kami, Naeomi, and Sara. Then, Zedrada paired up with Fereida. The last group was Karika and Reiza, paired with their perspective besties, Kilala and Tera.

“You know, splitting up like this feels like it defeats the purpose of us all hanging out, doesn’t it?” Putting her hands on her hips, Kilala didn’t get why they suddenly split up when the whole point of coming here was to hang out as a group.

“Well, it’d be easier to split up into smaller groups than stick together, given there’s fourteen of us. If we all stuck together, some of us would have to wait while playing games together. With smaller groups like this, we don’t have to take turns. Plus, it’s easier to manage.” With a gentle pat on her head, Tera reassured Kilala before standing face-to-face with Karika. “So…it’s been a while, Karika.”

“Oh? Tera. You’re approaching me?” Giving each other dirty looks for fun, Reiza could feel the tension rise between Tera and Karika.

“I can’t beat the shit out of you without getting closer.” Adding more tension to their staredown, the two flex their muscles. The tightening of their muscles bulges through their clothes.

“Oh hoh? Then get as close as you want…” Putting the metaphorical cherry on top, Karika teased Tera by puckering her lips before letting out an audible smooch.

“What the hell are they doing? Is there a reference I’m missing here?” Reiza stares in awe before Kilala joins her.

“Don’t bother with those two muscle heads. Let’s go find a casual game to play first.”

“Sounds good to me.” Following Kilala’s lead, Karika and Tera noticed they would be left behind after they stopped fooling around.

“Wah? Oh, come on! Wait for us!”

“Yeah! It’s not our fault you two are uncultured as fuck!” Trailing behind Kilala and Reiza, the first game that caught their eye was a rhythm game where they had to move two giant circle pads with their hands.

“Why don’t you go first, Reiza? I’m curious to see how well you’ll do.”

“Alright, why not?” Looking through the songs listed, Reiza recognized a lot were from various anime and video games, with a few J/Kpop mixed in.

“Hot damn, there’s a lot of songs to pick from.” Looking through the list with Reiza, Kilala saw Reiza’s face from the reflection on the game screen. “Hey, you alright? You seem out of it.”

“Oh?! Uh, yeah! Don’t worry about me. Just sifting through the songs, you know? Oh, there’s one I know well. ‘Bad Apple.'”

“Ah, that’s a classic.” Karika and Tera had no idea what Kilala and Reiza were talking about. Rather than watch, they look around for another rhythm game to play.

“Hmm…isn’t there one more physically involved than just moving sticks or pushing buttons?” Looking around for something that gets them moving, Tera saw a rhythm game that uses motion sensors to detect body movement.

“What about those? There’s four of them over there.” Karika and Tera walk over to the machines to take a closer look. The game has an array of motion-sensing cameras pointed at an area where players should play. Karika had slight apprehension, given how terrible she is with dancing. Tera, on the other hand, was curious to try.

“Huh? Fancy.”

“What do you say, little Miss Piggy? Care to see which of us can dance better?” Tera saw the hesitation on Karika’s face, so she taunted Karika into playing. Fortunately for her…

“You talking shit, bitch?! You’re a fucking bull. You should focus on making sure you don’t damage the machine. I can dance circles around your uncoordinated ass.”

“Eh? Then prove it.”

“Fine, I will!” While Karika and Tera were preparing to play, Reiza had just finished her game and got a near-perfect score.

“Wow. That was on hard difficulty, too!”

“I guess I’m not as rusty as I thought.” They switched places as it was Kilala’s turn to play. Picking a song from an anime, she chose Clattanoia. Not only that, she picked a difficulty level above Reiza’s. “Trying to show off?” With a devious smile, Kilala cracks her knuckles to limber up.

“”What? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Even when Reiza focused on Kilala’s hands with laser precision, she could hardly keep up as Kilala’s movements seemed like a blur. Her movements weren’t just quick. They were precise. If Reiza tried to move at those speeds, she’d make many input mistakes. “I can see your face on the screen’s reflection. I’m committing that to memory.” Adding insult to injury, Kilala hardly missed a beat, even when temporarily distracted by Reiza.

‘Dammit, you smug little so and so…’

____________________

While the girls were out, Faulkner drove to Trisha’s home so he could pick her up for their hangout day.

*Ding, Dong.* Faulkner didn’t wait long before Markus opened the front door with Vey next to him.

“Hello, Faulkner.”

“Hey Markus.” It only took one glance from Faulkner to see the fatigue in Markus’s eyes. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, haha…yeah. My college classes have just been brutal, is all.” It took Vey a second to recognize Faulkner. Once she did, she got between Markus and Faulkner.

“U-Unky Fauky!!” Reaching up with both hands, Faulkner couldn’t resist Vey’s cuteness before picking her up like she wanted.

“Why hello, you little squirt.” It’s barely been a year since Vey was born, so her recognition memory had just kicked in two months ago. At that time, Faulkner, Karika, and Reiza babysat her twice. In that short time, Vey grew to recognize them more than acquaintances. The fact she was comfortable with the three after remembering them cements this fact. So, after learning her first words, Vey got into the habit of calling Faulkner her Uncle after Trisha taught Vey to call him that.

“Ahaha! Unky!” Gently moving Vey up and down, he cradles Vey against his chest while she pinches his right cheek.

“O-oww…” Carefully moving his face away from her longhorn, Faulkner knew it was a fool’s errand to pull her grip from his cheek.

“Sorry about Vey, Faulkner.”

“Don’t be. Vey’s a toddler, after all. Besides, I’m used to it at this point.” Vey’s a handsy toddler, so she’s not shy to poke and pinch anyone within her reach. Her immense strength for her age could easily tear his cheeks if Vey’s not careful.

“Thanks. Now then, come on in, Faulkner. Trisha’s still at the shower, so…”

“Of course. Even when I told Trisha when I’d pick her up…” Markus and Faulkner sigh before they go inside. As Faulkner follows Markus, he notices Markus’s gait seems sluggish. They make it to the living room before Faulkner gently sets Vey on the couch and sits beside her. “You don’t just sound exasperated. You’re kind of limping too. Are your college courses that bad?”

“Oh, that? Hehe, I guess I can’t hide it…” The subtle blush on Markus’s cheeks told Faulkner all he needed to know.

“Ah, I get it now.” Looking back and forth between Faulkner and Markus, Vey couldn’t understand what the two were suggesting. Rather than mull about it, she crawls on Faulkner’s lap and looks up at him. “Hmm? Oh, you want to play rocket ship, don’t you?” Putting his hands under Vey’s arms, Faulkner gently bounces his right knee. “Fwooosh! Wawawa! Airship Vey is ready for launch.”

“Ahaha! More, Unky!” Bouncing his legs some more, Faulkner imitates the sounds of a rocket engine before lifting Vey up and above his head.

“We have lift off!” Moving around the living room, Vey laughs as Faulkner holds her gently but firmly.

Markus watches in delight, seeing his daughter laughing and enjoying herself. A part of him also felt relieved since Vey’s attention was currently on Faulkner, giving him a slight chance to catch his breath.

“Oh, looks like your destination is almost here!” Slowing down after a few laps around the couch, Faulkner begins to make landing sounds. Knowing where he’s going with this, Markus plays along and spreads his arms out.

“Faulkner niner, the landing pad is ready to go.” Imitating the sounds of a sputtering rocket, Faulkner hands Vey over to Markus.

“Ah, Papa!” Hugging Markus with strength he didn’t expect, Markus carefully pats Vey on the head despite having her squeeze the air out of his lungs. All Faulkner could do was chuckle, empathetic of Markus’s epidemic.

“Oh, hey, Faulkner. I thought I heard you. What kind of sounds were you making?” Turning to a familiar, vaguely insulting voice, Faulkner would’ve initially starred daggers into Trisha if it wasn’t for the fact all she was wearing as she descended the second floor of her home was a towel hanging on her neck that was long enough to cover her chest and blue panties that blended with her skin a little too well.

“Of course…why am I not surprised…” Keeping his emotions in check, Faulkner covers his eyes with his right hand more out of annoyance than embarrassment.

“What? What’s Trisha do-dodoDOING?!?! Honey! Why’re you naked?!” Markus was left flabbergasted at how bold Trisha was. She showed no signs of embarrassment before taking Vey off his embrace.

“I just got out of the shower. It’d be weird if I were wearing clothes while bathing, Markus. Besides, I’m not naked. I have panties on, see? And my chest is covered just fine with this towel.” With comedic timing, Vey pulls the towel around Trisha’s neck as Vey starts to play with it. “…was…”

“Wh-whatever! Just some clothes on already, please!”

“Okay! Don’t yell. You’re gonna scare Vey.” Trisha couldn’t be more wrong as she found the banter between her parents funny. “I’ll be right back.” Returning upstairs with Vey in tow, Trisha heads back to their bedroom to put on clothes.

Only when Faulkner hears the bedroom door close above them does he remove his hand from his eyes.

“…hey Faulkner…”

“Yeah?”

“Does it get any easier with time?” Sharing the same woes, Faulkner scoffs before shaking his head.

“Nope. You just have to deal with it…” Markus could tell from Faulkner’s smile that Karika and Reiza pulled the same stunt on him. “Though…Karika and Reiza wouldn’t walk around naked if they knew a guest was in the house.”

“Just goes to show how close you two are as friends. Also, from your reaction, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen her naked.”

“It is. But I know Trisha well enough not to get surprised when she pulls stupid shit like this off.”

“Fair…” After five minutes of waiting, Trisha returns wearing her white braided sweater and black pencil skirt combo. Of course, she had the tiger stripe cloth tied on the left side of her bangs. Trisha had Vey sit on her shoulder before handing Vey back to Markus.

“Alright, let’s go, Faulkner. Vey, Momma will be right back, okay?” Kissing Vey on her forehead, Trisha pats Vey on the head before it was Markus’s turn for a kiss. “Mwah. If anything happens, Markus…”

“I know, I know. I’ll let you know.” Following Faulkner and Trisha out the front door, Markus and Vey waved goodbye as they watched the two drive off.

____________________

“Aww, yeah! Eat my dust!” Back at Zone Zeta, Erma and Chelsy were on their third lap in a motorcycle racing game. Playing against each other, Erma initially had the leg up in the race until Chelsy passed her by during a sharp turn. “Ah, what the?!”

“What was that about eating your dust? You really should learn how to drift. Ahahaha!” Chelsy took the win using the game’s drifting mechanics, leaving Erma frustrated.

“GAH! Dammit!” Before, Erma would throw fits akin to scratching and throwing whatever she set her eyes on when angry. Now, the most she does is cuss while stomping her feet.

“Hey, calm down. It’s just a game.” Walking toward her, Chelsy could feel the heat both metaphorically from the crimson red in Erma’s eyes and very literally from the flames near them.

“You know damn well telling me to calm down does the opposite…”

“True, but now, you’re just making idle threats instead of beating others down into submission.” Thinking back to Erma’s time working at Aphrodishiack, she remembers Vanessa, who tutored her for the week there.

“I wonder how Vanessa’s doing?”

“Vanessa…oh! The Sundew Alraune. What brought her on suddenly?”

“Vanessa and I would chat whenever work was slow. I was just remembering how close Vanessa came to killing herself when she had trouble job searching. I’ve graduated from TMRC, so I should have no problem finding a job now. Question is, what should I do?” Nakoto approached Erma regarding that matter at the graduation party two years ago. However, Erma refused to take what she considers ‘handouts’ and said she’d contact Nakoto once she found a job.

“I don’t know why you’re racking your head so much over this. If you ask me, it should be obvious what kind of job you should do.”

“Of course a literal Gremlin like you would know! So, what is it then, huh?!” In the relatively short time Chelsy worked alongside Erma, she developed a connection with her akin to dependency. In Chelsy’s mind, she needs to be around Erma to keep her in check. It is unclear whether Chelsy thinks this way due to the bond she formed with Erma during their test or out of some desire to feel needed.

One thing is clear, however.

“Uh…I dunno.” Chelsy did not have the answer Erma was looking for.

“Chelsy, you little-” Grabbing Chelsy by the collar of her shirt, Erma brandished her claws in a faint to scare Chelsy.

“Look! Why don’t we just find a job together, huh? If you have a hard time figuring things out on your own, then ask for help from others.”

“You know why I don’t like asking for help.”

“Even from a friend who’s worried about you?” Swinging with a retort that left Erma speechless, the flames around her eyes sputter randomly as her cheeks turn red from embarrassment before letting go of Chelsy.

“Wh-what’re you talking about, weirdo?!”

“Look, you don’t have to rush, Erma. We’re roommates now. You help plenty enough with house chores at home.” Around six months after her graduation, Erma’s two older sisters kicked her out of her house since she couldn’t decide what job to get. After which, Erma sought Chelsy’s advice on what to do next. That’s when Erma noticed how unkempt Chelsy was in her apartment.

Erma seldom mentioned it, but she’s somewhat OCD. The sight of Chelsy’s apartment made her visibly cringe, and the smell of unwashed dishes, clothes, and trash overwhelmed her nose. So before Erma even talked about what had happened to her, she compulsively cleaned Chelsy’s apartment.

Seeing Erma’s diligent work made Chelsy realize two things. Her reclusive nature led her to turn a blind eye to the unsanitary conditions she kept her apartment in. The other was realizing how good it was for Chelsy to have someone like Erma around to keep her bad habits in check.

That’s when Chelsy proposed the idea of Erma moving in with her. Their mutual interest worked for a while, but Erma now feels tremendous guilt since she couldn’t contribute to all their expenses.

“That’s not enough. I need to earn money to pay for my share of expenses.”

“Okay, I get yah. Let’s wait until we’re all grouped up again, alright? Maybe they have something?”

“S-sure.”

“Great. For now, let’s get back to gaming! Let’s go for a rail shooter next!” Switching topics back to gaming, Erma and Chelsy continued their gaming streak.

Moving on to the other girls, Sena and the other Orcs played any multiplayer games they could. Since most were only four-player games, they took rotational shifts between them.

“No! Not that way, Sena. You’ll block both of us off!” Playing a four-player version of Pacman, Jun, and Naeomi paid close attention to one another to avoid getting in each other’s way. Sena and Persha, on the other hand, were too preoccupied with collecting points.

“What, you’re the one who got in the way, Persh-” Blinky followed Perha, while Clyde followed Sena. Without paying attention to where Persha and Sena were going, the two got cornered and lost.

“No!” Yelling out in defeat simultaneously, Persha and Sena lost to Jun and Naeomi.

“Nice! Good job, Jun!” Giving each other a high five, Jun and Naeomi tease their sisters and point at them in fake mockery, prompting Persha and Sena to chase the two.

“Kami, shouldn’t we stop them?”

“They’re just playing around. It’ll be our turn to go against Jun and Naeomi when they’re done playing around. I just hope they don’t act like this in our job interview next month…” Referring to a job interview Nakoto helped them get weeks prior, Nakoto referred them to an organization that helps Monster asylum seekers.

“Nah. We’ll all be on our best behavior.” Hoping for the best, Kami and Sara eventually stopped Sena, Jun, Persha, and Naeomi so they could have their turn to play.

On the other side of where the Orc girls are playing, Fereida watches in awe as Zedrada effortlessly wins at a Pole-Through-Hole Catcher machine.

“I know I said I’m pretty damn good at these claw machine games. But you’re just as good, Zedrada.”

“That only applies to the prize machines that require skill, not luck.” Using her tentacle eyes, Zedrada had them spread out to stare at every angle in the machine. Since she could see from multiple angles, she had no problem triangulating the exact spot she needed the pole to be at. “Honestly, I have no idea how you can tell which machine is rigged and which isn’t.” Grabbing her prize, Zedrada won an anime figure that caught her eye.

“Depends on the machine. Claw machines are bullshit, depending on where you’re at.” Following Fereida, she points out several machines that require skills, while a few require timing.

“See that machine over there? The one with the conveyor belt lined with prizes? The way this game works has a light that goes back and forth in a straight line. Depending on where the light lands, the conveyor belt in front of it moves a little. In those types of games, your best bet is to wait for other suckers to play the game until the prize you want is close.”

“That sounds annoying. What if the prize you want is gone when you come here again?”

“Then tough shit. It’s gone. That’s why persistent players come every day.” Another game that caught Fereida’s eye was Stacker. “Here’s another popular game. Pretty sure the name’s self-explanatory.”

“Stacker…”

“Yup. Very popular. Unfortunately, not enough people know this game is rigged.” Staring at the machine, Zedrada didn’t see anything obvious that would’ve suggested it.

“I don’t see it. If the objective is to get the boxes to stack, then isn’t it just based on skill like reaction time and reflexes?”

“See, that’s where they get yah.” Explaining how it would’ve been easy enough. Instead, Fereida demonstrates this by playing the game. “Watch me.” Doing as instructed, Zedrada had all of her eyes on Fereida. The first six blocks moved pretty slowly as the game started. Anyone with moderate reflexes could get them. Then, two blocks before the minor prize checkpoint, the speed doubles. And the number of boxes to stack went down to two. Still, Fereida cleared the minor prize checkpoint easily.

“Alright. Getting to the Minor prize checkpoint is easy, as you just saw. But, the prizes at this checkpoint are nothing. They’re cheaper to buy with real money than wasting play points. The real prizes are the Major ones.” Of the Major Prizes shown in the machine, there were four to choose from. One was the latest tablet, another was the next-gen game console, the third was an expensive-looking boombox, and the fourth was a ticket cash out of twenty-five thousand tickets.

“Wow, that tablet does look nice.” Zedrada wasn’t much for tech, but she does like to draw. A new tablet would be nice for her to get.

“Tell you what? If I win the Major Prize, I’ll give you the tablet.”

“What? Really?!”

“Sure. Assuming I’m lucky. Now, watch real carefully this time.” The two blocks already start at double the speed. Even so, Fereida had no trouble getting it. After that, there was only one block remaining. The block’s speed doubles yet again. With her eyes, Zedrada could still see where the block was, but she was unsure if she’d react quickly enough to stack it. But Fereida managed to time it right and stack it.

‘Nice! Just one more.’ Now that Fereida was at the Major Prize checkpoint, Zedrada was admittedly excited about the prospect of a new tablet.

However, it wouldn’t be easy as the speed doubles one last time. For many, it looked like the block was skipping frames with how fast it moved. Fereida bided her time and waited for the right chance to press the button.

Then, when it came to it…

*Bzzt! Game Over.*

“Hey, wait a second?! What?!” Moving closer to the machine, Zedrada could’ve sworn Fereida had it. Instead, she missed the last block and lost. “That’s a load of ass. I know you pressed it at the right time. But the block moved one square away anyway.”

“Right? And that’s how they get yah. Stacker is a game of skill, but only up to a certain point. Once you get past the Minor Prizes, then the game becomes rigged.”

“I question the legality of a machine that shows promise of fabulous prizes…” For Zedrada, this was her first time going to an arcade. Aside from what she’d seen on shows and the internet, she didn’t know much about them.

“Eh. Playing these games is the same thing as playing with casino machines. It’s closer to gambling than it is to win prizes immediately. I mean, you can see the prizes here, right? That tablet, for example. If I recall, that model costs at least eleven hundred dollars. For the person who owns the machine to break even, he’d have to make two or three times the amount he paid for the prizes.”

“Oh…I get it. Geez. That’s still scummy.”

“Hey, they gotta make money somehow. If the game were truly skill-based, it wouldn’t take long before people would snatch the prizes away. They’d either have to lower the value of the major prices or just forgo the machine altogether.” From Fereida’s point of view, she noticed Zedrada’s issues with the machine lie more than just its mechanics. “Hey, did you figure out what kind of job you’re getting?” To Zedrada, Fereida’s question was out of the blue.

“Wh-why ask me that of all things all of a sudden?!”

“I dunno. I figured you’d have picked one at this point. Your talent will go to waste if you don’t use it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, your reflexes and vision acuity are fucking insane. To tell you the truth, I would’ve been convinced I missed the last block earlier if you hadn’t mentioned I got it.”

“You’re giving me too much credit. I could’ve misjudged it too, you know?” As a self-proclaimed fashionista, Fereida has an eye for detail. From their time as students to the time they worked together in ‘Bare and Brash,’ she knew how observant and sharp-eyed Zedrada was.

“Nah. I don’t think I am. Anyway, back to my question…” The look on Fereida’s face says it all. She wouldn’t drop the subject until Zedrada answered.

“Ugh. To be honest, I was thinking of getting into governmental work. But, I can’t imagine myself doing police work…” While Zedrada muddled over what she wanted to do, Fereida already thought of something she could do.

“Oh! I know! Why don’t you work in Forensics?!” Zedrada’s eyes widened at the same time before turning them toward Fereida.

“Ah…that’s…”

“Let me guess? That never crossed your mind, did it?” Fereida expected Zedrada to blush and go into complete denial. Instead, she smiles and pats Fereida on the head. “Ah, hey?!”

“Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll go with what you suggested, Fereida.” Wondering what time it was, Zedrada pulled out her phone and saw an hour had passed. “We should head for the stairwell leading downstairs. It’s been an hour now. I hope everyone else follows the schedule and arrives on time.”

“Sure.” Following Zedrada, the two head for the stairwell, waiting for everyone else to group up. Then, the rest of the groups followed one by one until Karika, Reiza, Tera, and Kilala were the last to show up.

“Hey, what took you four?!” Reiza and Kilala didn’t seem bothered by the look on their smug faces, which added to Zedrada’s irritation. “Didn’t I say to meet here an hour after?! You’re all ten minutes late.”

“Sorry about that, Zedrada, but as you can see…” Beckoning behind her with her right thumb, Reiza chuckles at Karika and Tera. They were moving noticeably slower than Reiza and Kilala were. “Those two had to insist on beating each other on a dance-off before coming here.”

“Is that why their legs are wobbling like that?” Erma couldn’t help but chuckle with Reiza. Karika and Tera’s legs shook with every step they took.

“H-ha! Hooves over here just couldn’t take losing to me consistently. That’s why she insisted on rematches.”

“Uh, are you brain damaged?! I beat you first! You’re the one who kept taunting me to play again after I beat you.” Butting heads, Karika and Tera pushed one another back and forth until Reiza and Kilala pulled them apart.

“Alright! That’s enough of that! We should get downstairs so we can start on the recreational floor. The question is, what do we do first?” Sena crossed her arms, wondering what to do down there. Perha and the other Orcs didn’t bother thinking and went downstairs first. “Ah! Wait up, girls!”

“They just couldn’t wait…” Zedrada shook her head before directing everyone else. “Alright. Let’s all go down there. We’ll figure out what to do first once we get there.”

(Next Chapter:https://touchfluffytail.org/story/an-arrival-of-a-rival-ch-21/)

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