A cream-skinned bunny woman with green eyes and short red hair stood behind a wooden counter. She yawned, her white bunny ears twitching. Like her ears, her bunny tail was also white. She yawned again, bringing her right hand up to her mouth. Her bunny ears gave another twitch, and then she lowered her hand. She blinked. Then her lovely eyes were drawn to the door leading into the building as said door swung open.

A petite cat woman, Black, darted through the doorway. She stepped aside and held the wooden door open. Her black shoes rested upon the wooden floor. Little pants slipped from between her lips. A bit of sweat showed on her face. She stood in Lock’s Market, her right hand on the silvery knob of the door she was holding.

Slimantha and then Mimi ran through the doorway, entering into the market. Pants came from Mimi’s mouth and sweat glistened on her cheeks. Slimantha glanced at Mimi and then at the softly panting Black. She gave the petite cat woman a smile. “Thanks for holding the door,” she said.

Black glanced at Slimantha, already catching her breath. “Don’t mention it,” she said. Her lovely brown eyes went to Samuel as he ran through the doorway. She shut the door. A puff of air slipped out from between her lips. Her eyes went back to Samuel. “You OK? You don’t look so great.” Her black feline tail gave a twitch.

Heavy pants slipped out from between Samuel the Hero From Another World’s lips. Sweat drenched his face. He wobbled a tad as he steadied himself. “I-I’m good,” he said. He wobbled a bit more. “I just need a moment to catch my breath.”

“Hi, guys! What’s up?!” the bunny woman called out as she headed over to the new arrivals. Her brown shoes tapped energetically against the wooden floor of Lock’s Market as she walked over. A pink short-sleeved shirt clad her torso, and a gray mid-skirt clad her lower half. She stepped up to Slimantha’s group, and her lovely green eyes turned to Samuel. Her white bunny ears twitched. “I don’t think we’ve met.” She smiled, and her ears twitched again. She leaned forward and extended her right hand. “I’m Lisa the Bunny Woman. I work here at Lock’s Market.”

Samuel blinked. His blue eyes were on Lisa. His gaze shifted up to her white bunny ears and then back down to her face. His blue eyes met her green eyes, and then he blinked again. “B-Bunny woman?” he said. “You are an actual bunny woman?”

“Uh … Yeah,” Lisa said, nervously withdrawing her right hand. Her white bunny ears gave another twitch. So too did her white bunny tail. “That isn’t a problem is it?” She stepped back. “You aren’t racist against us bunny people, are you?” Her bunny ears gave yet another twitch.

“No. No. No,” Samuel said. “It isn’t a problem at all.” He sighed and gave a bow. “My apologies if I made you uncomfortable.” He straightened up and smiled at Lisa. “I am Samuel the Hero From Another World.” He extended his right hand to the bunny woman.

Lisa blinked. Her lovely green eyes were on Samuel’s offered hand. Her white bunny ears twitched. She then looked at Samuel’s face and smiled. “So you are a hero,” she said, extending her own right hand. Her right hand met his right hand, and the two of them shared a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Samuel.” She smiled again and then withdrew her hand. She then glanced at the others. “So can I help you guys with anything?”

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Mimi’s beautiful golden eyes went to Lisa. “Actually, we kind of ducked in here to get away from the crows,” the mimic said. She then gave a sigh and glanced at the wooden door.

“Crows?” Lisa said, her white bunny ears twitching. “You mean birds?” She blinked and then looked at the door. She jolted back at a sudden bang from the other side of the door. “Just what is going on out there.” Her white bunny ears and tail both gave a twitch. Caws sounded from beyond the door. The lights flickered.

“Is there a problem?” another voice said. Footfalls sounded out as a tall cream-skinned bunny man with short blond hair and green eyes walked up to the group from deeper in the market. He had a friendly demeanor and was garbed in a green long-sleeved shirt and brown pants. A pair of brown shoes clad his feet. Like Lisa’s bunny ears and tail, his bunny ears and tail were also white.

Slimantha looked at the attractive bunny man, her beautiful brown eyes meeting his green eyes. “There is a murder of crows on the other side of this door,” she said, gesturing at the door. “I’m sure it will be fine though.” She smiled at the bunny man.

“I see.” The blond bunny man glanced away from Slimantha. “I don’t think we have anything for that kind of problem.” His green eyes settled on Samuel. “Have we met?” He blinked and then gave a friendly smile. “I’m Lock, the owner of this fine establishment.”

Samuel blinked and then gave a friendly smile himself. “I’m Samuel the Hero From Another World,” he said.

Another bang sounded from behind the door—this one louder than the last. “Kya~~!” Lisa screamed, leaping up into Samuel’s arms. Her legs and arms wrapped around the hero, a slight quiver to her body. She blinked, her lovely green eyes meeting Samuel’s blue eyes. A soft blush settled into both her and Samuel’s cheeks. “D-Don’t read too much into this.” Her voice was faint. Her cheeks still red.

Black blinked. Her lovely brown eyes were on Samuel and the bunny woman in his arms. Her black cat tail twitched. “Why am I suddenly kind of annoyed?” she said to no one in particular. Her eyes went to Slimantha, and her tail gave another twitch. “You mind if I jump into your arms?”

Slimantha turned to the petite cat woman and smiled. “Go for it,” she said, spreading her arms. Black leapt up, and the next moment, Slimantha was holding her in a princess carry. “Better?”

“Better,” Black said. Her black feline tail gave a relaxed swish. “This carry is quite nice. I give it a three out of three.” Her tail gave another swish.

Mimi’s beautiful golden eyes went from Samuel and Lisa to Slimantha and Black. A drop of sweat rolled down her right cheek. A puff of air slipped out from between her lips as she sighed. Her eyes then went to Lock, and she blinked. Lock blinked too.

“Do you want to jump into my arms?” Lock said. He flashed the mimic a friendly smile but was awarded with a moment of awkward silence.

“Of course not,” Mimi finally said, a fresh drop of sweat rolling down her right cheek. She then looked at Lisa and Black. “You two, get down. What are the crows going to think if they see this scene?” As if on cue, caws sounded through the door. The two addressed women did as told and got back to their own feet.

The door banged once more. The hinges creaked. Slimantha and the others took a step back, the soles of their shoes tapping against the wooden floor of the market. “I’m sure it will be fine,” Slimantha said, her beautiful brown eyes on the wooden door. She glanced at the others and flashed them a friendly smile. With one last bang, the door finally swung open.