Takumi made it to the final steps leading into the Von Caust Castle, a castle made to resemble a bat expanding its wings made from glass stone. It hovered just along the left side of the campus with misty clouds covering half of its grand structure, namely the clouds came out from the infirmarator that circled round and round right below the structure. The evening sun complemented its intricately crafted outer walls greatly. After a twenty minute ascension, Takumi finally made it to the top, passing through the mist that hid the thousands of steps that he cleared.
"Welcome, state your business." Takumi caught sight of two Sono-guards that helmed the outer gates. They were posted right in front of the floating castle's massive entrance doors, assuring no unauthorized civilians passed. Before going any further, Takumi looked back to the white puffy clouds that surrounded the castle and spread smoothly along the thousands of steps. If he didn't know any better, it'd be like gazing at a sunset whilst in heaven. The puffy clouds made the descending steps disappear due to all the mist and complemented the baby red sky that nearly blinded Takumi, who stared for too long, prompting him to face away. "Please state your business," the guard repeated.
"What a day it's been so far…" The realization of everything that went down that first day set in. It wasn't even over yet. Monday continued on and there was a lot he had to do still. "I still have to deal with that night stalker pestering Senji's cafe…" With this in mind, Takumi questioned what could possibly be so important that his sister had to summon him right after the entrance ceremony. "I bet she's gonna make me join that stupid council… or throw more work at me." Small purple birds passed the chamber door that creaked open, letting out harmonic chirps that snapped Takumi out of his spaced out state. Takumi glanced down to his wrist. The Le Chen Cour brand logo that was on his sleeve let out the current time upon detecting eye motion onto it. He knew it wasn't right since it said 2:12 a.m. Takumi scoffed, rolling up his other sleeve to check his watch.
"Ah, I forgot I placed that watch in my bag… Shima took it." He sighed. "Do you know what time it is?" Both had already registered Takumi's face in the school's database and now knew his identity. The guard patted his iron helmet twice. This action activated one of the helmet's interior features. The time appeared in the form of violet hologram numbers that floated in front of his face.
"Tis 6:17 p.m. at the moment, sir," the guard spoke in a deep chiseled voice. Takumi didn't respond, instead waving to him in thanks, and carried on, disappearing into the vast empty hallway with a solemn expression.
His steps were silent, as was the castle. He studied the various old paintings hung on the walls and came across an odd one of a shirtless Count Dracula in kinky clothes that consisted of a pink coat, a cowboy hat and black leather tights. "What kind of trash is-" Takumi shook his head, preferring to not question his sister's absurd taste in art.
"Wandering aimlessly is no use," he told himself before coming to an abrupt halt. It seemed as if the hallway were shifting shape, the hallway now narrow like a slithering snake, except the corners were in zig-zags. "Someone's gotta be messin' with me…"
Takumi stopped just in front of the flight of steps that led upstairs. "Green," he muttered at the sight of a green button shaped in the form of a smirking bat. Takumi pressed the green button that was below a statue of a clown beside the stairs. He waited for a moment and after a faint ringing sound, a feminine robotic voice asked where he'd like to go. "I'd like to go to the school council's main office, Principal Miyumi Cordelia." Takumi set his sights to a blue beam of light that landed on him.
At the top of the stairs, a blue goo-like substance dripped down and formed a see-through field that connected to both sides of the stairs. It slid down towards Takumi and the robotic feminine voice informed Takumi of how the goo was connected to the top stairs that'd lead him directly to the council room. Takumi stepped through this field and found himself on a new floor. He looked around, rather impressed that such an old castle was being renovated to such a degree.
"Transport complete," the same robotic voice said, with the statue at the top of the steps mouthing what the robotic voice said. Takumi nodded and shifted his attention to the large wooden chamber door that led into the office. It was only twelve feet away, he assessed, contemplating whether he really wanted to go in.
Before Takumi got to the chamber door, he spotted a set of heels and narrowed his sights upon the person they belonged to. "Ayami, what are you doing here?" He squinted, as her presence made him feel discomfort.
"It's been a while Tai-chi. It seems everytime I see you, you're bigger," she giggled under her breath, sliding a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Don't dodge the question, what are you doing here? I thought Miyumi shipped your ugly mug to France." Takumi slid his hands into his pocket and began to walk towards the office door with Ayami now stepping in the way.
"What does it look like?" She waited for Takumi to stop in front of her before she continued. "I'm accompanying your sister, as is Azami. We've been put in charge of monitoring Hirazawa and assuring the safety of students and the public of Osaka alike."
"Good for you," Takumi said with sarcasm in his voice.
"I'm sure you're well aware why your sister has summoned you. Go right in." Ayami stepped to the side. Takumi didn't respond and instead squinted his eyes as he walked past her. He set his palm against the pad. A refreshing breeze blew past Takumi causing his bangs to brush across his cheeks for two seconds before settling.
Takumi stepped into the room, masking his eyes with his right hand until they adjusted to the room's lighting and then took in the presence of the five who were present. Once adjusted, he automatically set his attention on the familiar scent of cherries that came from up ahead. This scent that he found obnoxious came from Hanami, who was seated on one of the black floating couches to the right side of the vast office. His gaze met hers when she turned around and blinked twice whilst nibbling on the edge of a muffin. Takumi turned his head away in disgust at how alluring it was to his Setsu side.
"Uh…" She raised a brow.
Azami and June looked at each other and quietly laughed amongst themselves after picking up on what was bugging him. The two were seated on a coach parallel to Hanami's. Miyumi ran up to Takumi just as he stepped onto a carpet.
"TAI-CHI!!! BABY BROTHER!!!" Miyumi pounced on him in her child form. She greeted him gleefully, nuzzling her cheek against his.
"You made it! Come right in and make yourself comfortable. Grab a zenzai!!!" Miyumi released Takumi from her grasp and skipped back to her desk.
Takumi observed the positive vibes Miyumi exerted. "That smile…" It irked him because he knew she wanted something he'd disagree with. The same one she used whenever one of his pets was killed by his father. He grew accustomed to it; all throughout his life, it was a way of Miyumi sugarcoating an issue. Takumi flat out ignored the food offer, knowing full well it's meaning.
"How about skipping to the reason you've summoned me? I have important things I still have to do today, so I'm trying to get home as soon as possible," Takumi spoke back bluntly in order to get his sister to control her hyperactive state. Miyumi practically seemed as if she were hyped up on too much sugar, the way she spun around with her floating chair. "And will you cut it out with all that giggling? You sound retarded," Takumi further muttered.
Hanami finished her muffin and dabbed a napkin along her lips, all the while trying to not pay attention to the way Takumi was speaking to his sister. "He has a really great sister, a great home, he's so ungrateful," she kept her thoughts to herself.
Miyumi continued to giggle to herself as if in sudden thought. To add more effect, she even kicked her feet around, humming over him.
"This is a total waste of my time," he went on. "You only called me in here to piss me off, that's it. Once a b*tch, always a b*tch."
Hanami's small plate clasped against the floating table in front of her. The sound interrupted Takumi. She let out a growl that prompted him to shut his eyes in an effort to ignore her. Her irritation slowly stirred. She couldn't stand the way he spoke to his sister, especially considering Miyumi was someone she greatly respected.
Shaking over, she kicked herself up and off of the couch and spoke up demandingly, "Your sister wants to tell us something important, so how about you shut up and listen! Don't be rude to Mrs. Cordelia!" She set her hands on her hips and reprimanded him, waving her index finger towards the end of her sentence.
"She's slipped into her feminine energy," Takumi thought, heading to the front of Miyumi's office table. Slamming one palm on its surface, he reached over and knocked his knuckles against the top of Miyumi's head in order to get her to poof into her more serious adult form, which she did in an explosion that spread a thick clump of white chilly smoke throughout the room. June stood up from the couch and clapped, facing the window just behind Miyumi's desk. The curtains slid aside as the windows automatically slid up by themselves. A gentle breeze blew in and then out, pulling the smoke outside with it. The rest of the smoke spread out evenly onto the ground, gradually clearing up.
This brief breeze made everyone raise their forearms up to their faces except Takumi, who waited for his sister to explain why he was summoned. Miyumi set her hands down on the desk and met the boy's eyes with a stern demeanor. Her lips parted, curving into a devious smile. No longer was she giggling silently. "If you want me to be direct, little one, it's regarding the promise you made father. You know, your little deal."
"Of course it'd be about that." Takumi squinted his eyes.
"This is just a reminder that you have to take up your duties of looking after Osaka while they're gone." Takumi closed his hands into fists whilst his sister continued to speak.
"In exchange for allowing you to play your precious basketball, of course!" Miyumi giggled with a glint in her eye.
"That was if you didn't interfere, but you sent little Miss Hanuisance over there at the most important moment…" Takumi spoke, not raising his voice.
Hanami shifted over in place, discontent at what Takumi said about her. "Really now!?" She called Takumi out on it, but he ignored her. "I-" Before she spoke any further, Miyumi quickly answered her brother.
"I've summoned you and Hanami here to sign the contracts for now," Miyumi started as Takumi dropped his head in frustration at what he just heard. "No complaining… you played your little game, and I sent Hanami to put a stop to it, okay? You'll have other days to play; for now, you have to sign, little brother." Miyumi slid a cabinet open.
Hanami had been close to yelling at him, but from Miyumi's answer and Takumi's reaction, she slouched back into the couch, embarrassed that he forced her to behave in such a way in front of Miyumi. "Humiliating…" she thought, dropping her head. Miyumi reached into the cabinet and grabbed a holo-pad she had prepared prior to the two's arrival.
"You'll join the council for requests." Just before Miyumi took the holo-pad out of the cabinet, Takumi replied, twisting his torso in the direction of the door. "I'm not joining any council, that wasn't part of the deal."
"It is now. If you don't want to be homeschooled that is… and you know what that entails," Miyumi replied, pursing her lips out with an authoritative gaze. The rest of the attendants stayed silent.as Hanami pressed her index fingers against her lips to hold back the urge to laugh. "Hey, that's what he gets. Makes it easier for me," she told herself internally, trying not to feel bad for almost laughing.
Takumi couldn't believe what he was hearing. He sighed a second time and ran his hands through his soft hair, scruffing it around. He didn't like the idea of being in the school council, but his sister wasn't giving him any other choice. He shot a glare at the others who were looking his way and over to Hanami. Everyone looked away, except for her. She went on to stick her tongue out at him to which June laughed, raising the back of his hand to his mouth.
"No integrity. Unfair as usual," Takumi thought to himself, only for Miyumi to pick up on his thoughts.
"Funny coming from you," she responded and turned over on her seat. "It's not like you'll be doing extra work, silly boy." Miyumi waved her finger around pretending she was spinning a basketball.
"Go on…" Takumi raised a brow and remained frozen, curious as to what she meant.
"The only thing you'd do as a school council member is go on the same requests you've been going on all this time. You'll be fulfilling your duties, except Hana and the others will be accompanying you at times. The Ikigai will have your back on certain occasions as well."
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"No, that's practically babysitting. I can do it alone. I was told to just handle my Setsu duties, not babysit some problematic brat like the one behind me! I'm not signing."
A bat formed out of Miyumi's hair. It tried carrying the papers for him to sign, but he slapped the bat away, making it nearly drop onto the carpet, but it managed to return back to Miyumi. Takumi dug his hands into his pockets and headed towards the door.
"Excuse me?!" Hanami slid in his way. Takumi rolled his eyes and looked down to her. "Problematic?!?!?! WHO'S THE BRAT?!" She shoved her index finger up against Takumi's chin.
"You," Takumi responded flat out, staring her down. The alluring scent once more poured out of her shoulders, swirling towards him. He found himself pulling in, finding it difficult to fight such a temptation.
At Takumi's blunt response, she set her hands on her hips and rose up on her tiptoes. "You're the one acting like a brat over the whole thing! You've got me worked up, it's not right! Take a moment to think about what comes out of your mouth!" She protested, but stopped talking the moment she noticed Takumi was moving down on her.
Her sights went from his lips, up to his purple gem-like eyes; she felt the difference in her height when he hunched down onto her, casting a shadow, but at the same time, it wasn��t as if she felt threatened, just anxious. "Why is he getting so close?!" She freaked out.
Takumi couldn't resist. What Hanami expected to be a stand-off, turned into a near-kiss as he brushed his nose against her nose. "Out… of my way." Those words were said slowly, close to her lips. This startled her, as she quickly staggered back, her pale cheeks shifting to pink as Takumi cocked his head sideways, directing his sights to June.
June protectively stormed in and tugged her over to his side as Hanami yelled, "J-JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?! Y-You almo-"
"I'm a pervert… a lustful animal. Keep her away from me," Takumi purposely said in a monotone voice. He looked away, directing this response at Miyumi as June was restraining himself from his urge to strike Takumi with his baton.
"UGHHH!!! You're so full of yourself! I just can't ta-" As Hanami spoke, Takumi made gestures with his hand indicating that she was yapping too much. In response, she rushed him and reached up, grasping Takumi's collar, but he swiped his hand up, catching her wrist and spun her out of his way. She tripped backwards, but June passed Takumi and caught her.
"Hana, breath." June lessened his grip and helped her up. "I'll handle this for you." When he let go, he reached down to his baton and grasped it. "You've gone too far! I don't care if Lady Miyumi is in the room. I'll teach you manners myself if I have to." June rose up as his shoulders reflexively tensed.
Takumi's dark purple eyes let out a ghostly glow. He stared at June from the corner of his eye. "Yet again," Takumi scoffed. "Buzz off, Goldilocks."
"Not gonna happen! You know, I'm getting real tired of your sh*t. Going too far with Hana is where I draw the line!!! Offend her again and we'll throw down. I'm not scared of you, punk ." June slapped his palm against his fist, his glove gripped tightly around the baton in hand.
Takumi had enough of the back and forth, he was tired of talking. His white claws shifted to black, gradually elongating as he was slowly sliding his hand out of his pocket for the second time that day. Miyumi, who had been silently observing them, shifted her sights onto each of the teens in a very unnatural way that they all felt. She emitted a killing intent, disrupting the hostility brewing in the office from both sides. Takumi eyed over to her with hatred. She noticed Takumi hunched back, defying her, and took a step out to lunge at June, who had no time to react to the claws that were already inches from his neck. "Sting the boy."
Then and there, Takumi's collar appeared again around his neck. Without him noticing, the collar activated. Only when he got zapped did he notice the collar appear, as it choked him. Such a voltage led him to spring up, before falling to the carpet floor. His arm spasmed for ten seconds as fumes spread along his clothes as he flopped in place three times.
"There you go, jerk," June muttered. leading Miyumi to reach below her desk. She tapped a button below the desk, causing the back of June's pants to buzz, registering electric shocks that sent him scooting forward until he caught himself. Then, Takumi slowly raised his head to glare at Miyumi, who brought out a nail clipper to cut the tips of her nails.
"Stinggg the boy," she sung, causing three silver marbles along the collar to spread down, encasing Takumi in a cocoon that electrocuted him.
Her authority ruled over and the faint release of her vibe got their full attention. Takumi knew all too well not to take it any further, at least not now. Miyumi considered using the collar to shock him again, but rather, proceeded to speak. "Takumi, that's enough. I won't tolerate this behavior towards your fiancee and my watchdog any longer. Your way of saying things is what leads you to being misunderstood. You can think about my order and take your leave after you give Hanami a modest apology for disrespecting her."
Hanami internally shouted in her head, "Right on!"
Takumi sighed as the cocoon shifted back into three marbles along his collar. "Right, I suppose…" From his response, Hanami thought that he was going to apologize. She folded her hands waiting, but instead heard something else. "All Hasegawas are problematic mutts and nothing will ever change that," Takumi sighed.
"Excuse me?!" Hanami raised her right hand high and slapped her left hand down on her right elbow. "That's enough!" She rolled up her sleeves, taking successive steps towards Takumi, with the sole intention of whacking him with her elbow. When she lunged up, she was surprised June caught her, slipping her into a half nelson when Miyumi telepathically told him to hold her back.
"J-June-pyo!" She gasped, not having expected for him to stop her. "LET ME GO! I'LL GIVE HIM PROBLEMATIC!!!"
Takumi let out a nasty smirk in her direction. "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!!! I'LL STAB YOUR EYES OUT!" She tried pulling her hand from June's grasp and continued yelling. "WHEN THE DOCTORS CAN'T RECONSTRUCT YOUR FACE, REMEMBER THAT YOU BEGGED FOR IT, PIG!" She viciously kicked around, wiggling her hips side to side in an attempt to get free of June, who now had her in a full nelson.
"He's Bipolar!!! Egomaniac!" She told herself.
Takumi rolled his eyes with a faint smirk and arrived at the door. He set his palm against the pad while the enraged girl took a few seconds to catch her breath, and then tussled around attempting to squirm out of June's grasp once more, but stopped again when Miyumi cleared her throat rather loudly.
The door slammed shut after Takumi exited the room. He ruffled the back of his head, muttering curses. Knowing his sister, he'd have to do so or else she'd follow through with her word, but right now he couldn't worry about that. He had to head back to the Gumi Cafe.
Miyumi massaged her temples. "I'm sorry for his behavior… I should have privately told him," she lamented. "It's best to leave him be for now."
Hanami sighed, as June let her go. She moved down and pressed her knees to her chest and messed her hair around, questioning how she'd possibly survive with a fiance like that.
"And please Hana, you'll have to stop letting what he says get to you. I know it's your first day with that sort of person … but please, that isn't proper" Miyumi kept a close eye on the girl who gave her a silent nod extremely ashamed.
"He's been the defiant type for some time, but least you're hearing me out," Miyumi giggled, signaling Hanami to come up. Although she was still put off by what had occurred a few moments ago, Hanami approached the desk and bowed, apologizing for the way she raised her voice. "It's understandable, just please don't hold it over him. He'll come around. There's a reason he acts out when it comes to his duties…" Miyumi's expression shifted into a worried look.
"A reason?" Hanami asked.
Miyumi waved it off. "It's nothing really important right now. What's important is that I explain why I brought you in. You see, I want you to join the council. It's very important, and your grandmother agreed that it'd be essential to your development."
"Join the council? If you don't mind me asking? Why did Nana give permission? What's a… council? I mean, I still have to form my kendo club," she explained.
Miyumi pondered for a second, recalling the conversation she had with Hanami's grandmother. Miyumi's demeanor changed into a serious one as she blinked. Hanami could see it in her posture, as her shoulders had risen and Miyumi set her palms in front of her face, with her elbows down on the desk.
"I'll be blunt here," Miyumi began. "By joining the council, you'll have the opportunity to seek out answers to your father's disappearance."
"My… my papa?" She nearly spaced out, but Miyumi tucked her chin down for two seconds. June took the signal and patted both of her shoulders to keep her from spacing out.
"There's a chance you may find the answers by taking part in requests while under our protection." Hanami set her hands together, listening attentively. "Certain endorsers pay a sum to the school and we send our best Setsu to go out to assist clients in whatever they need. All Setsu students take part in requests, to a certain extent, while majoring in their particular field. Requests are supernatural tasks our high school Setsus carry out. From cleansing to destroying, it's something only highly qualified Setsus are able to do… though there aren't many in our school this year. At times, you may have to deal with supernatural beings like Goshtras or even Shikis. Other times, you may run into Strays."
"Strays?" Hanami restated.
"Yes. There are different kinds, so I'll go over them for your sake." Miyumi adjusted herself in her seat, shifting back, sighing. "The first kind of Strays are humans who have been turned into mindless vampires. These humans aren't able to control themselves at night. As soon as midnight strikes, they become Strays and hunt aimlessly, seeking blood and flesh from everything around. It doesn't matter if it's big or small. If it has blood, it will hunt." Miyumi tapped the back of her pen down against the holo-pad. Behind her, the curtains slid aside as thunder flashed in the grey sky. "That specific kind makes messes without concern for anything. We slay them, no questions asked, due to their destructive nature. It is very rare for a human to become a stray and not slip into the curse befell upon them…" From Hanami's silence, Miyumi knew she had her.
"Moving on, the second kind of Stray is a basic Setsu who's run away from its home for whatever reason. Regardless of the reason, due to an agreement within the Order, those Strays are captured and returned to their families for their families to decide their fate, if possible. If it's not possible, they are killed. Strays either leave of their own accord or commit a taboo. It's very dangerous for a Rikuto house to allow an old member to leave, since that'd put their region at risk."
"The third kind are Strays that leave a region due to various circumstances and enter a new region legally."
"I don't want you to zone out on me now, so pay attention. Your father disappeared long ago. It's speculated that he was assaulted by more than one Stray, but his body was never discovered. He must've been abducted, but no one's come forth with a ransom or anything. What we do know is that there is a terrorist group seeking to terrorize and shake the confounds of this current society. We don't know what that potential group wants yet, but ever since, there have been many attempts to go against the Order orchestrated primarily by bastards who chose to curse themselves and the world around them." Miyumi clenched her hands together at the end, very uncomfortable by the topic.
"Being in this council and taking up requests means that you will run into these beings. I'm not saying you will right away, but you may eventually encounter a Stray that may know a thing or two regarding your father. You're quite sought after, whether you like it or not, and those who targeted your father will undoubtedly target you. Your grandmother knew about this and sent you to us. So, you're here to seek answers, and we'll protect you while you do."
Miyumi noted that she was being too serious and switched up to a cheerful tone. "Though you will be playing a special role too." Miyumi winked at her, loosening up her shoulders. "You get to meet so many who will depend on you. By joining, you must protect the lives of all of Osaka's inhabitants. What you do, the choices you make, will drastically affect those around you… not only yourself."
Hanami looked down to her shoes. She took it all in. "It's a huge responsibility, I understand if you won't be able to do it. Your grandmother just wanted me to tell you, so I don't expect you t-"
Before Miyumi could finish, the girl spoke up with determination. She had an assurance that was clear in her oak eyes, which had shifted from pink briefly. "I can, I will do it! I can handle it for sure. This moment is exactly what I've been waiting for" She walked up to Miyumi's desk and held her hand out to sign.
The way she had said it without giving it another thought briefly surprised Miyumi, who snapped out of it and set the pen on the holo-pad and slid it across the desk. The pad spun around and smoothly stopped in front of Hanami, flickering on.
"How could this girl just agree so easily?" Miyumi wondered, as she still had her doubts, but she just had to fulfill her promise and offer all the guidance she could. With this confirmation, Miyumi delightfully laid back and clapped her hands together twice as she poofed into her child form and stretched in her snuggly seat. "Being an adult is so hard sometimes-"
"Great! Happy to have you on board, Hana!!!" Miyumi swung up onto the table and jumped out onto Hanami. Her small arms linked around Hanami's neck and she whipped her around, almost making the latter lose her footing while they laughed. June stopped her from tripping over, and Miyumi unlatched and grabbed the pen as she walked over and accepted the document the girl had signed. "Your council uniform will be delivered to the mansion and I'll let you know whenever you have a request. Any questions?" Miyumi hopped up onto the desk and crossed one leg over the other.
"Not really, but I still want to make my kendo club," she mumbled. Miyumi nodded, clapping her hands together. "Kendo club! Yeah, you can make one. You just have to fill out a form."
"Awesome! Where is it?" Hanami looked along the top of Miyumi's desk, wondering which stack of papers the paper she had to sign was in.
Miyumi shook her head, setting her left hand below her right elbow. "Having a club is also a huge responsibility, and you're still a freshman starting tomorrow. So I'll have to test you first before I hand you the form."
"Awwwww." Hanami put her head down as June patted her head. She looked backup and nodded, raising her thumb up. "I'll complete it! What test?"
"I'll have you go on your first request. You'll just have to meet a woman tomorrow…" Miyumi tapped her bottom lip with her index finger, "And help fulfill her request. Takumi will accompany you after school. Succeed, and the club form is yours."
"Okay, got it!" Hanami lifted her arm up with a fist. "I won't let him get in my way," she reassured herself, then turned around and walked over to the couch where she grabbed her bag and lifted it up as she turned on the heel of her shoes and bowed.
"Good! Drive her home," Miyumi ordered her watchdog. Hanami waved goodbye and walked out of the office with June, as Miyumi turned her attention over to her office phone ringing.
"Keiichi, Ikigai Task Force," a female robotic voice repeated over and over, followed by a beeping sound. The orb rose up and hovered over to Miyumi's side. She stared down at the orb and tapped it as the orb expanded and shifted into a holographic image of the fellow. "Great. You have the report for me." Miyumi pressed the orb and stepped back as he came into view along with some other Setsu present within the lobby of the Ikigai's department.
"Aimi, gimmie. That pocky is mine!!!"
"NOOO, I grabbed it first!!!" Two young twins fought over some sweets behind Keichi.
"Things seem lively over there…" Miyumi giggled. Keiichi looked over his shoulder as Sayuri stepped in and lifted the two younglings up by their collars, keeping them apart as the one on the left wanted to attack the one on the right. After the girl on the left scarfed the pocky into her mouth and chewed, her puffy cheeks moved to the motion. The boy on the right started wailing as he dangled.
Another Setsu appeared in the frame and stuffed the wailing one with a pink bat shaped lollipop. "There, Cici quit your crying!" The one on the little girl made grabby hands at the lollipop. Linolin shook his head, blocking her from grabbing. "NO! You took the pocky!" His frown got the little one tearing up.
"BAAA!!!" Aimi bit down on her bottom lip, trying not to cry due to being yelled at as Keiichi turned over. "Can y'all keep it down?!?! I'm speaking to Miyumi!!!"
"Mistress Miyumi?!" Linolin whipped over and jumped to Keiichi's side as soon as he heard the name. He tried getting in the way, but Keiichi pressed his elbow against his cheek to keep him off, as two other Setsus grabbed him and tugged him off.
"Lively as always," Miyumi happily commented. "I'll be sending you the files so you and your pack can begin the request."