FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

October 31st, 2014

Ganbe stood before his foe, a small gorilla with hooves in a brown shirt who panted harder than him. Ragged breaths dripped from his beak, his green-and-yellow body shining beneath the lights with his belly spikes glinting. In a desperate charge, the ape spun himself into a savage tornado, screaming fury with wild fists as Ganbe rolled to the side and walloped the back of the head.

It was a surprising blow, well-timed enough that the audience roared when the creature staggered to the chain-fence wall of the octagon arena and clutched himself to steady his balance. Psyching himself up, the small ape pounded his chest and lumbered forth with battered face as he took a wild swing and slowly built up his speed to lure Ganbe in.

The bird was not fooled, circling round the devilish monster who revved his body faster into a living typhoon. A howling wind picked up in the arena, causing hats and shirts to ruffle around the perimeter as the fence started to shake. Gen was pulled into the eye of the storm, as he lashed out his scythe towards the chainlink and clung on tight against the gale.

The monster kept pulling harder, spinning faster with roaring screams and sputtering snarls as Ganbe held on the fence harder waiting for the right moment, his wings fluttering behind him threatening to snap. The gorilla started to falter, staggering out of his spin as the bird launched towards him with the last gasp of fettered wind.

"GEEEET FUCKED!"

Lunging from the fence, Ganbe dropped both feet on top of the ape, crunching him down to the floor with the crowd going wild. The gorilla struggled to push himself up, and submitted easily with Gen throwing his arms in a victorious whoop.

"AND THE WINNER IS, GEEEEEEEN GANBEEEEEEE!"

"YEAAAH, YEAH, YOU LOVE TO SEE IT, HUH?! C'MON LEMME HEAR YA!"

The bird did a small dance around the ring before he grabbed the gorilla's hand and helped him back on his feet. They both shook hands with a pat on the back, and went to their quarters with the punk grabbing a water bottle and towel on the way.

"Heheyyyy champ!"

A reptile with giant hands and smaller head greeted him as he stepped through.

"NICE fight out there, high-four!"

"Thanks!" he slapped his hand against hers. "Hoo that guy was fun!"

"Yeah, the Whirling Devil's a hella cool guy, howsit feel hitting the big leagues?"

"It's fucking AWESOME!" Gen sat on his bunk towelling his beak. "Didn't think my first rounds would go well but, shit it's great!"

"It's been like a month and a week now," the large lass leaned against the wall, "took me three times as long to get into intermediate."

"Maybe we'll get on a tag team."

"Oooh yeah that'd be sick-OH, SHIT!"

She clapped her mitts and swung them towards a passing dog who was thrown against the opposite wall, yelping to grab a water cooler that upended on top of him and soaked his fur through and through. In a brief panic he shook his body hard causing water to spray, a cat suddenly hissing at him with fangs outstretched.

"HEY!"

The door beside the water cooler slammed open to reveal their boss, an old silver allosaurus with beady little eyes and slender build in a blue kimono.

"No horseplay in the damn quarters!"

"I didn't do nothing!" a red unicorn threw his hands.

"You know what I meant, no rough-housing! You fight out there, not in here!"

He slammed the door shut as the dog and cat backed off and apologised, the large-handed reptile waving bashfully as they did the same.

"Alright," she said, "I gotta step up for my round, later Gen!"

"Later Orga."

The grey-scaled creature waddled off swinging her hands aimlessly, knocking over two more beds and a bull who crashed into the sofa as she kept apologising to everyone. Gen laid back on his bed and slept off his wounds with a smile, the past month being nothing but a joyful ride into the depths of this arena.

Ever since he ventured into the Eight Wonders, he slept better, food tasted wonderful, and his nightmares became less frequent. He was almost frightened at this strange feeling of senseless joy, as if one day some grand overlord would come down upon him and rip his heart for borrowing too much happiness from the world.

It caused Gen to feel giddy with excitement, a bundle of nerves unravelling inside to smooth out in his head for the first time in years. No one disrespected him, no one insulted him, at worse he got some looks and a few jeers but nothing mean. The crowd always loved him, and his opponents always respected him. Life was somehow good.

"GANBE!"

Then it came back. That fear creeping behind when he heard the voice of Saureno bark from his office. He was here for a reason, a purpose not his own as he rolled himself off the bed, and walked to Goro's room. With its old fishing flags, belts and a calligraphy banner, the office exhuded a great strength reminiscent of a local town yakuza. The boss in a sea-blue kimono did not help.

"Siddown, drink up."

"Uhh, yes, th-thank you Saureno-san!"

On the mat of tatami they sat together, drinking sake at a low table whilst the bird tightened his beak.

"You been doing well," Goro said, "got a real knack fer fighting, the crowd loves your energy."

"Heh, thank you sir," Gen bowed, "it's been awesome, best fun I ever had!"

"I can tell, the crowd knows it too. You can't hide your excitement from them."

"Y-yeah, that's good."

"So why you nervous?" Saureno finished his sake and clasped his hands. "Every time you come in here you think I'm about to kill you."

"I-i'm...I just, don't wanna look bad," Ganbe forced his smile, "you guys have been so cool with me I just don't wanna screw it up."

"Why would you screw it up? You fuck up that bad on the surface?"

"Well...kinda."

The punk rubbed his arm with a nervous look, hoping that was enough to make Goro not push any further. The old reptile grinned with understanding, pouring another cup of sake

"You got nothin' to worry about down here, we're all friends, even if we're rivals."

"Got it," Gen nodded, "it's still weird to think how this all works, but it does and I like it."

"That's right." He offered Gen another drink. "No need to think any further than yer next fight."

"That's the way I like it, Saureno-san." The bird drank up. "How did this place even start?"

"Like any other place, it filled a need. A fight club fer thugs without the police stickin' their noses in."

"Orga told me this place was a lot more brutal before King-san came."

"Yep." The allosaur grinned pulling out an inhaler. "It was hell, all kinds of criminals and savages left an' right, every kaiju out fer themselves, some of them even killed but nobody gave a damn. Then Konnor-san came and...well...let's just say after the first fight he had, nobody said no to him."

"Wow, was he that good?" Gen gasped.

"More than that. He killed a guy...worse than any of us ever could."

Saureno put down his drink and clasped his hands.

"When I first met him he stank of money. None of us trusted him cuz he was some big-shot American who got hounded by the papers, and ran away to Japan like a bitch. I never asked why, I don't care enough to. Cuz I saw what he did to that guy's skull the first time he came in."

"Oh...th-that sounds...shit," the bird trembled holding his cup.

"Don't tell him I told you," said Goro with a deep vape, "he's a good guy, but you don't wanna dig up his skeletons."

"So why are you telling me?"

"Cuz I want you to learn one thing." The allosaur leaned across the table. "Don't dig around in other creatures' business. Got it?"

"Yes...Saureno-san."

Ganbe clenched his thighs fearing he had been caught, but Goro simply smiled leaning back to puff a cloud of pink smoke that drifted above his head, before he stood up and went to his dresser. Shuffling papers around as Gen looked at the table, a dark contemplation filled his mind as his hand reached for his sickles.

"Here ya are, your earnings."

Saureno walked back to hand him a few yen bills.

"Buy yerself somethin' nice, you're doing good out there."

"Hah...th-thanks!" Gen stood up and bowed. "I'll just uh, head back up top, see you all next week?"

"Mmhmm."

Departing from the office, Ganbe walked through Team Saurus' quarters and grabbed his leather jacket, heading out past the arena where Orga was pinned under a giant ant. Up the stairs towards the exit, he took a deep breath and braced himself to enter the long sewer passage back towards the surface.

"Ganbe."

"GUH!"

A voice came from his side as he stared upon the face of Krystalf Luzek, a large white reptilian covered in gems that studded down his back and formed a sharp razor beard.

"Leaving for today?"

"Yyyyyeaah?"

"You've done well past month. Reckless, but impressive."

"Oh, thanks!" the bird grinned. "You're pretty kickass too, you got a...real savage style."

"Thanks." Luzek crossed his arms.

"Youuuu uh, you coming up with me or-"

"I can't. Too many eyes."

"Gotcha...well, you want anything? I mean I was just about to leave so I dunno if I can come back, but if you need something-"

"What you talk about with Saureno?"

"Eh?" Gen squinted at him. "Just, yanno, how I'm doing in the ring, he said I was doing good."

"You are Jinuchu, yes?" Luzek slit his eyes. "Why you here really?"

"Because I'm sick of dealing with lamers up top, I wanted a real challenge down here, and guys like you are just that!"

"Hmm."

His eyes burned deeper into Gen's face, testing his resolve as the bird stared him back even harder.

"EYY, GANBE!"

Jogging up from the side was Zillatopoulos, the iguana with a blunt chin and a slender bod wrapped in a tank top and jeans.

"Going up?!" he patted Gen's back.

"Yeah, I'm done for the day," the bird nodded.

"//EY YO whassup Krys?!//" he slipped into English to high-four Luzek. "//Howsit hanging, yo that match last night was TIGHT!//"

"//Hmhm, thank you,//" the crystal beast slapped back, "//how's the old ape, Niko?//"

"//Aww yanno, still punching above his weight.//"

"//Is there anyone LEFT above his weight?//"

"//EY-EYY, don't let him hear you say that!//" the iguana jostled him with a shoulder-bump. "//How's uh, Ganbe doing?//"

"//Good,//" Luzek nodded slightly, "//fights well, for a Jinuchu.//"

"Wait, what you say about me?" Gen leaned in.

"//What's wrong with him being yakuza?//" Zilla thumbed at the bird.

"//I do not trust Jinuchu,//" Luzek shook his head, "//what if he is a spy?//"

"//Whut nawwww Ganbe's cool!//" the monster pulled Gen close. "//He's just a little guy, he wanna scrap, if he was an asshole he woulda like, fucked one of us up or yanno, blind me with them sickles.//"

"//He could be biding his time,//" said the beast, "//some of us cannot afford to be found, by Jinuchu or anyone.//"

"//Hey, Krys, we got you.//" Junior patted him. "//No one gonna touch you, we're all friends down here, not murderers or shit, Lisa tested him.//"

"Uhhh, I heard murder!" Gen raised his hand. "What're you guys talking about murder for I don't like that!"

"OH, no!" Zilla turned to him in Japanese. "I tell, Luzek, that you cool!"

"Yeah course I'm cool, who said I wasn't cool!?"

"I don't care about cool," Luzek waved his hand, "I care if you...legit, or not."

"//What you mean if he's legit?!//" Zilla slipped back to English. "What you never heard about them vashers he fucked up tryna beat up the homeless?!//"

"//He...wait, what?//" Krystalf turned to the monster.

"//Wuz like uh, month and a half back before he signed up, you know Kiyo-san she musta told you.//"

"//She...yes. She did tell me a Jinuchu punk helped her.//"

"//Well this is the guy, the punk-ass Jinuchu boy!//"

"Is that true?" The beast leaned forwards in Ganbe's native tongue. "Two months before...you fight vashers?"

"Uhhh, you're gonna have to be more specific," Gen rubbed his neck, "I've been fighting vashers all over the place-"

"The homeless camp. Who did you fight?"

"OH, yeah, there were three oni guys that were causing shit, me and Mei-chan kicked them out, this snake lady got banged on the head but-"

"You found someone to help her." Luzek smiled. "Thank you. She is friend of mine."

"Oh, she is?" Gen smiled back. "Damn she knows a lotta people huh?"

"Mmm. Can you give message to her?"

"Sure, I'm heading back that way."

The beast pulled out a letter with only the words "Mr. Check" written on its front.

"Give this to her. Do not open."

"What, course I'm not gonna open it!" Ganbe took it gently. "At least have a little fucking faith in me."

"Hm. Sorry." Luzek bowed before turning to Junior. "//Can you go with him when he delivers the letter?//"

"//Yeah sure no prob,//" Zilla grinned patting him, "//alright we out, later Krys.//"

"//Take care, Niko.//"

"I come with?" the iguana tapped Gen.

"Uhhh yeah, sure that's cool with me!"

Gen sighed with relief to have company, the passage to the outside world always frightening him with its flickering lamps and deep shadows. Junior always sensed this, somehow always available every time Gen was just about to leave. Always he was there with baseball bat in hand, a dark sleek length with his own tail imprinted on its side.

"Took down Whirling Devil good!" said Junior.

"Heh, thanks," the silverbeak grinned, "what're you up to today?"

"Dancing! Arcade, got new dance game!"

"Oh shit for real?! Damn I wanna check it out."

"YEAH, we do dance!"

"You go to the batting centre?" Gen pointed to the bat.

"Yeah, is fun!" Zilla twirled it in his hand. "I seen you there, you good!"

"Yeah I'm pretty awesome, maybe we should go see which of us is better?"

"OH, you ON, Ganbe!"

He gave a high-four that Gen returned, as they stepped on the elevator and felt it rumble up to the surface. Night had fallen on Yokohama with stars briefly glinting through, the autumn starting to end with a cold chill shrieking through the crates that filled the harbour.

Night workers and security guards greeted them in passing, the sound of crows cawing from the roofs who also waved down at them but especially to Junior. The little Japanese he spoke was fondly received by all they met with little jokes and Americanisms they shared, the warehouses become haunting edifices in the deep November night.

Hopping on the bus back to Issincho, they wandered down towards the homeless camp in the Commercial District, where most of the kaiju were asleep except for Kiyo-san sitting up against the old bathroom. The serpent in her ragged kimono looked up at the two approaching.

"Hey there."

"Hey," Gen waved, "I got a letter for ya."

"Oh? Do I get flowers too?"

"Sorry I'm taken...wait no, I meant-ugh just take it."

She chuckled and took the letter seeing the name on the front.

"Nice, caught me just in time for bed."

"Yeah I was just delivering," the bird shrugged, "see you around."

"Hey." She beckoned him over to take his hand. "I appreciate what you did for us, alright? Thank you."

"Uh...no problem. You have a good night."

"Night, ma'am!"

Zilla bowed as the two left her to sleep. They walked far to the east and into Chinatown, the Stega arcade buzzing with a crowd as they struggled to push inside to find the centre of excitement. A pair of brand new "BEATMANIA" machines with the latest hits thumping through, and already high scores were being made as creatures lined up to get a turn.

"Daaaaamn!" Zillatopoulos shook his head. "Place is PACKED, like beans in can!"

"Yeah this is gonna take a while," Gen shook his head, "woulda thought all the kids went home already."

"Wanna drink?"

"Sure get me a coffee, thanks."

Ganbe stood waiting in line whilst Junior went to the vending machine. The pounding drum 'n' bass from the new machines drowned out every other game as a frog and a hornet danced each other off with quick-stepping moves. The audience was pounding their feet and clapping along to the beat, as the bird found himself doing the same.

Zilla came back with a coffee can whilst he himself took an orange juice, banging their heads to the killer beat as kaiju came and went in pairs to try and beat each other to the step. With another crowd building behind them, they got closer and closer towards the tantalising dance pads, as Gen suddenly spotted a familiar face.

"HEY, MEI-CHAN!"

A long-horned beetle looked back with a sudden wave, his mandibles parting in cheer as his golden eyes gleamed from the crowd. He parted through the bodies to meet them, dressed in his typical blue hoodie with yellow strips.

"Eyyy Gen-chan, you off work?"

"Yep, we came down to see the buzz, you remember Junior?"

"Oh yeah, nice to meetcha!"

"Sup dude?!" Zilla high-foured him. "You dance too?!"

"Yeah!" Meiji pumped his fists. "I been coming to this arcade for years, I'm so excited to try out the dancing, Gen-chan we should do it!"

"What like, you and me?" the bird snickered. "Dude come on, I got Junior here wi-"

"YEAH, you go!" Zilla nudged him forth. "You two dance, together!"

"Wait, what about you?"

"My turn next, you go."

"Damn, thanks dude!"

Gen smiled as the American beamed with a widened snout. He caught the look of a brown komodo dragon in the crowd who chuckled briefly before turning away, the monster trying to squint through the crowd as Meiji pulled his friend onto the stage. A tall pale cricket was motioning others back, keeping order in the arcade with a red vest and traffic-signal hands.

"OOOH they got 'Joy to the Dance'!" cried Garonba.

"Dude you serious?" Gen rolled his eye. "Pick something modern."

"I thought you liked that song!"

"Yeaaaah I do...alright."

They both selected it, standing on opposite mats as a mid-2000s pop song came booming out the speakers and something possessed Ganbe's thoughts. When the first hook of the song pulled at his mind, he found himself back in a club two years ago, dancing his troubles away with his best and closest friend who dragged him onto the floor and made him copy his moves.

As a result, they synchronised surprisingly well in their own little dance, not hitting every single step, but not really caring about the high score as they clapped each other's hands, glided on their heels, and with a nick-nack-paddywhack of their feet, impressed the crowd more for their mimicry of each other, than by their actual moves.

On their own it was rather lame, with rolling hands, wobbling knees and fake-slaps across the face that felt more like a 90s idol routine. But their joy was infectious, their flagrant disregard to even try to look cool somehow wrapped back round to being stylish. Even when they started back-handing each other with bobbing nods and outstretched arms encompassing the sun, their cheerful honesty spread through the place.

Once the song was done, they stepped off to enthusiastic applause, their high score nowhere near good enough for entry, but the performance well worth it as they waltzed off together hand in hand. A quiet part in the back of Gen's mind wanted to pull away and scoff at such gestures, but for now it was silenced under his rosy cheeks as he pulled Meiji close.

"Yo Junior, you see that shit?!"

"Hell yeah!" Zilla clapped. "That shit TIGHT!"

"Thanks! Your turn now!"

"Yeah yeah, watch me, hold this!"

They stood back beside the crane catching games, watching the monster step up to the plate after he handed Gen his bat. Beside him was the brown komodo dragon he saw from before, garbed in fishing pants and a leather vest.

"OH, h-hey!"

"Hey." She winked at him. "Try to keep up."

She cracked her knuckles and tapped in a song without his asking, the monster seeing a modern synthwave hit come sliding in that he did not recognise. He focused on the arrows lighting up the screen, now trapped in a competition against this creature who started pounding on the mat.

Her body was swift with a devastating speed, her lithe feet tapping every single arrow with perfect step that shocked the crowd and made Zilla struggle to keep up. While not an extremely difficult song, his faltering at the start would cost him as he zigzagged his feet and did a few tricky steps that spun him on his heel with a flashy pose.

The stranger was much faster than him in reaching the steps, turning on a dime with the grace of a ballerina and even slamming herself down in a handstand to catch herself on the rung, a backwards flip at one point making the audience gasp with her incredible agility.

Zillatopoulos knew he wouldn't win. But that didn't stop him trying, pulling off his own hot-stepping moves as he planted his hand on the mat and spun out his legs above him, pounding the arrows with his fists much to the cackling rapture of the arcade. The song would end, and with a clear 700 points ahead of him, the komodo dragon won as she took her bow.

"//Not bad,//" she panted in English stepping away. "//You're pretty good.//"

"//Uh, ch-chanks!//" Zilla shouted back then clutched his face. "//I meant, cheers, I meant thanks, uh, SHIT!//"

"Alright move along," the arcade staff shoved them apart, "NEXT!"

"//WAIT, HOLD UP!//"

But she was gone before he could reach her, fading through the crowd like a phantom as he was shoved back and to the side. Gen waved him over to the crane machines and gave him back his bat as they walked out.

"Damn that lady smoked your ass," Meiji chuckled.

"Yeaaah," he sighed with a grin, "she...she was cool."

"Well I'm getting pretty tired," Gen rubbed his shoulder, "You wanna do baseball tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah, is late!" Junior gave them a fistbump. "You want food, before sleep?"

"Sure, If you're offering!"

They walked down to the corner of Iyazaki Road, the Geiger King lit up with its hungry dinosaur chasing after a burger with body wrapped round the corner of the building. A few rats were playing guitars on the street, and a barracuda in a sombrero lured Zillatopoulos in to a Mexican restaurant.

It was a lovely little place with white and yellow walls, like a taverna in an old Western film with candles at every seat, and a wondrous meaty smell filling across the room. Sitting in a charming cubicle, they ordered a soup of pozole made from hominy corn; fried tortillas with onions, meat and beans; enchiladas stuffed full of fish; and a classic guacamole.

"MMMPH, shit thish ish good!" Meiji snorted. "They got a lotta beans in this huh?"

"I guess," Ganbe grinned, "this whack-a-mole stuff tastes great but kinda weird, the fuck they put in this?"

"Tastes like avocado I think? Did you know if you scream Bloody Mary in the mirror three times, they kick you out the restaurant?"

"They-...what?"

"Just a neat trick I found, yanno if you wanna get out of there quick."

"Uhhh, that's not a trick dude."

"No no I'll show you," Meiji stood up, "come on, let's go to the bathro-"

"Sit DOWN you dumbass," the bird pulled him back in his chair, "how's your food Junior?"

"Is good!" Zilla scarfed down more enchiladas. "Mmmmh, take more!"

"Damn that's a lotta fish!" gasped the beetle.

"Love fish! Best food!"

"I can take it or leave it," Gen shrugged, "now this corn though, damn that's the good shit."

"So how's the arena?" Garonba asked nudging him. "You got less bruises on ya than usual."

"Yeah cuz I was kicking ASS! Damn I love intermediate, feels like my kinda pace!"

"We fight again some day?" Zilla winked at him. "Maybe you beat me."

"Heh, maybe I will."

The bird smiled back at him, taking some corn on the cob and nibbling through with tasty herbs and spices lathered across to add an extra kick. The finished up their food and left, with Zillatopoulos waving goodnight, as Gen and Meiji headed back to their apartment.

The 1st of November greeted them with a darker sky than usual, almost tricking them in thinking they had woken up in the night before they turned on the TV and saw the time was around 7am. A dull faded azure marked the sky with not a single cloud, as the news flicked on whilst they prepared breakfast.

"A terrifying night for those on the Meishin Expressway, as a running battle between two kaiju last week resulted in the deaths of thirty-seven creatures. One of the kaiju involved, was Gyao Shin Kaneyama, a member of the Daiei Alliance who was arrested by Kyoto Police who were first on the scene."

"Holy shit," Meiji muttered spooning his cereal, "HEY GEN, YOU HEARING THIS?!"

"WHAT!?" Gen cried from the shower.

"SOME BIG FIGHT ON THE MEISHIN HIGHWAY, THIRTY-SIX DEAD, SONIC BEAMS AND SHIT!"

"Yo WHAT?!"

Stepping out the bird towelled down his green-and-yellow bod, the hard teflon fabric scrubbing over his belly spikes as he watched the videos creatures took on their phones.

"Witnesses say that Sgt. Detective Gaho Murata, of Tokyo Police, attempted to protect vehicles that Kaneyama targeted with her sonic beams. Tokyo Police have said they have currently suspended Sgt. Murata, until further investigations of the incident."

"What the fuck," Gen shook his head, "that shit is nuts, who the fuck are Daiei Alliance?!"

"No idea," Meiji shrugged, "sounds like yakuza, I never been to Osaka."

"Me either. So, what you wanna do today?"

"I got nothing," the beetle grinned chewing his cereal, "what about you?"

"Iiiii-OH, yeah I gotta return that book."

"Aw neat, okay let's do that."

Finishing up their breakfast, they headed out into the crisp autumn morn and wandered over to the library just south of Chinatown. Kaiju now wore thicker coats, the wind from the sea tearing through their legs as office workers braced themselves for the last quarter. The library was still as quiet as ever, the old sour-looking ox sitting behind her reception desk with half-moon spectacles in the lavish hall of white marble and green carpet. She rolled her eyes at the bird's approach, with his insufferable swagger.

"Goooood morning ma'am!"

"Good morning...Ganbe-san."

"Just here to return my, buuuuuuk." He slid it across the counter.

"Two weeks. At the very limit, once again."

"YEP."

His smile beamed with penetrating glare as she stamped and checked it back in.

"Well I hope you enjoyed reading 'The History of Concrete'."

"Oh yeah, best sleep I ever had in weeks!"

"Thank you," the bull pressed her hands together, "can I help you with anything else?"

"I think I'm just EHHHH, gonna browse a few," the bird stretched out his arms, "see if I can't find any other good buuuuuks to check out."

"Very well."

She checked their library cards and let them inside, Ganbe rubbing his hands as he perused the shelves in the central floor with its towering volumes of wooden cases. Students and elders sat around charming tabels with circular sofas, taking their time to relax from the cold.

"Hey bro?" Meiji asked. "Why do you keep giving back books on the very last day?"

"Because," Gen grinned, "nobody makes a fool of my Mei-chan, so I just pick a random book, hold it long as I can, and bring it back without even reading it just to piss her off."

"Oh. That's...kinda mean dude."

"Well she was mean to you first, so fuck that old hag, I'm gonna ride out my privilege as long as I can."

"Why not get a book you LIKE instead?" the beetle scanned the crime section. "That way you get something out of it."

"What no, books are for nerds!" Gen leaned against the shelf.

"You like manga though, that's a book."

"They're not books, those are comics!"

"Uh, scuse me." A long-haired black dog peeked round the shelf. "You mind keeping your voice down, my niece is trying to learn."

"Oh, sorry ma'am," Meiji bowed, "what's she studying?"

"Local architecture," she rolled her eyes," and road maps."

"Damn, what kinda class is that?"

"It's not, it's for her silly treasure hunting games but if it gets her into reading I can't say no."

"Wait, treasure hunt?"

Gen and Garonba looked to each other with a glint in their eyes, peering round the shelf at the table where a familiar-looking pupper sat with an eyepatch. Beside her was a rosy adult pig of portly snout in a green blouse, who pointed along a map.

"Now right here," she said, "that used to be the video rental store."

"Wait, RENTING videos?" the child asked.

"Ohoh yes, back in my day we had these old videotapes, but you had to rent them from a store."

"Why not just download them?"

"We didn't have those when I was little, Jackie dear."

"Jeez, that sounds weird-OH, Marbul, Deadeye!"

"Heyyy Gutblade," Garonba nodded to her, "wow, small world huh?"

"We live in the same district dude," Gen rolled his eye, "what's up, you doing alright?"

"Do you know these two sweetie?" asked the adult dog.

"Yeah," Gutblade nodded, "they helped me with the treasure hunting!"

"Oh so youuuu're Marbul and Deadeye," the boar waved them over, "come here sweeties let me see you proper, I'm Grizelda Stevens, and this is my wife Kuro Kumen."

"Nice to meet you," Kumen bowed shaking their hands, "I was wondering why two grown-ups kept meeting with our girl."

"Oh, we just love treasure hunts," Meiji shrugged, "we're actually-"

"Library assistants," Gen interrupted, "we're kind of uhhh local creatures, community stuff."

"Oh how wonderful!" Grizelda clapped her hands. "Thank you very much for playing along with little Jackie and her friends, would you like some biscuits?"

"Uh, s-sure?"

Pulling out a handbag she offered some small cream-filled cookies that Gen and Meiji nibbled on.

"Do I like crispbreads?" the pig looked at her offerings. "I never think I like crispbreads, they always seem so thin."

"You were eating them before," said Kuro leaning over her, "to not feel guilty about taking all the custard creams."

"Ohhh yeeeees. Gods I'm so awful about that, remember you had to put a lock on the sweetie tin?"

"I did but you kept guessing the codes right."

"You expect to fool your wife who memorised every single emperor's date of birth?!"

The pig chortled as the dog rolled her eyes, the young pup giggling as the two males sat down nearby.

"Anyways, hope you don't mind, we're just trying to get to the bottom of this mystery."

"You mean the riddle we found?" Ganbe asked pecking his cookie. "How'd it go again?"

"Under the full moon," said Gutblade, "you'll find my treasures true. Between red and blue, their shadows cross over me, beneath purple dreams."

"Beneath purple dreams," Meiji munched on his biscuit, "I got no idea what that means."

"You sure it's not your grandpa's stuff?" Gen looked to him. "It was hiding in your forge."

"Wait, wait, your forge?" the adult dog put up her hands. "Did you take my girl to a forge?!"

"I own it!" Garonba offered his hand. "Meiji Garonba, of the Forge!"

"Oh, well I guess if you own it that's fine," Kuro shook his hand again.

"Don't worry ma'am, I wouldn't let anyone into my forge if I didn't give 'em permission."

"So it's gotta be a super-old place right?" Jackie tapped on the map. "If the riddle wuz there that long ago, it has to be on this old map!"

"Well my forge has been around for like sixty years," Meiji crossed his arms with pride, "anything on that map that's been there that long?"

"Well there is this library," the pig pointed up, "then the Sunlight Castle, the Djinnai Station's been through some renovations but it's largely the same."

"Ameritown's pretty new," Kuro rubbed her snout, "Only been there the past twenty years after the Atomic Rush."

"A little after my time yes," Grizelda tapped her chin, "father came during the Rush when I was about twelve years old, was quite exciting to uproot myself from Lancashire and into Yokohama."

"Lankusheer?" Gen grimaced rubbing his head. "Where's that?"

"England, dear. Then I met Kuro-chan at my school, childhood sweethearts you see."

"And then you had Jackie?"

"Well, she's our niece," the dog adult rubbed her ear, "my sister she...we don't talk about her."

"Jackie is our girl all the same," the boar smooched the pup, "she's family to me, more than your sister was."

"Let's not do this now."

"Sorry dearest."

"OH, THERE!" Jackie slammed her finger on the centre of the map. "VIOLET AUTUMN, that's like purple!"

"Jackie SHUSH!" her canine aunt gritted her teeth. "This is a libraryb esides that says Violon Autumn."

"Which is a terrible misspelling," the boar tutted to herself, "it's vioLIN you see."

"But it does sound close to violet," Meiji leaned over the map, "it is kinda like purple."

"So where's the red and blue?" Ganbe rubbed his head. "Didn't the riddle say it was between those?"

"I dunno, purple's what you make from red and blue."

"You are correct."

The voice of the brown ox came looming behind them, her large muscular body causing Gen and Meiji to cower slightly in her shadow.

"Everything going alright?"

"Oh yeah," Kuro nodded, "your assistants were just helping us out with the maps."

"Assistants?" She looked towards the punks who smiled bashfully. "Yeeees of course, my good little assistants."

"They're such absolute dears," Grizelda waved her hand, "helping our girl with her treasure hunting."

"I found the place!" the pup with the eyepatch beamed. "Now I just gotta tell my friends so we go there-"

"A-ah sweetie, no, Violon Autumn is...an adult playroom."

"Oh. Awww." Jackie frowned slumping in her seat. "I wanted to find the treasuuuuure."

"Hey, we're adutls!" Meiji put up his hand. "We could go find it for ya, I still got the key they left."

"OH YEAH, you can!"

"Shhh!" the librarian shushed.

"Sorry, yeah that'd be great, could you um...do that, please?"

"Why not." Gen shrugged too lazy to argue. "Got nothing else, might as well get this over with."

"Nothing else eh?" The ox leaned over him. "Then perhaps you would like to assist me in some other duties."

"Uh, what?"

"Since you ARE library assistants, as you said, you can help me with some things, correct?"

"R-right, yeah." Ganbe stood up with a forced grin. "You got it...boss, uhh, later Gutblade."

"Bye Marbul, bye Deadeye, thanks fer helping!"

"Let you know if we find something!" Meiji waved.

The aunts waved them off in turn as they rolled up the map and put it back on the shelf, taking some time to roam through the fantasy section for any fun pirate stories they could pick up on the way home.

On the other side of the library, the bull was leading Gen and Garonba to the staff quarters where a few other kaiju were milling about, cataloguing works in a cramped office full of filing cabinets and older books locked behind the glass.

"You know we're not REALLY library assistants right?" Meiji asked.

"I know that well," said the master librarian, "but now I'm here to collect, for the amount of patience you have cost me."

"Hey, you said two weeks," Gen jabbed at her, "I done nothing wrong, that's the rules you gave me-"

"I know what you were doing, but now you're in my castle, and you will follow my orders, ASSISTANT-kun. Or would you rather I tell that little girl's family that you're Jinuchu thugs, following children around and luring them into dark corners?"

"What the FUCK?!" he stomped his foot. "The fuck you think we are!?"

"A pair of disreputable punks," she smiled wide from her bovine lips, "and if you do what I say, you will only be seen as that, they trust my word a lot more than some hooligans."

"Damn she got us by the taint," Meiji rubbed his arms, "I don't wanna be put on the register bro, you know I'm bad with money!"

"You're a fucker you know that?" Ganbe snarled. "You know I'm Jinuchu, what makes you think I don't just bring down some boys to break your legs?"

"Because you're a low-ranking chump who works at the pachinko parlour."

The librarian crossed her arms and rocked on her heels to stand taller above.

"I know many creatures in this district, and I know many stories, you don't think I overhear the old biddies having coffee, chatting about their earnings in Kusonami and the surly silverbeak they have to deal with?"

"I can still kick your ass."

"You won't."

Her smile dared him to try. But she was right, as Gen clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Fine...what you want us to do?"

"I want you to put up these flyers." She brought out a box beneath the desk. "Place them all around the district to support our library."

Opening the box, they found the flyer was advertising a "Spirit of Icthymas" month, where hot coffee and extended hours of reading would be offered at the library come December. One thing of interest they saw, was the fact there would be no fees whatsoever for any books taken out through the month.

"Wait, hold up, no fees?!" Gen reeled back. "I thought you'd wanna be gouging the hell out of us."

"You think I'm in the library business for money?"

"Well yeah, why else would you be here?"

"Because I love books," the ox sighed rubbing her head, "and I love wanting creatures to read them, not pilfer them for two weeks to not even bother reading them."

"Well maybe if you weren't scamming folks into some kinda contract where if they screw up through no fault of their own, then rip their money out their pockets or they never get to read again-"

"You think I enjoy taking your money?!"

"YES!" Gen slapped the flyer down. "This shit is a racket, what's gonna happen after December huh?! The money comes back, you got a whole buncha members now so they're gonna be taking books, and then they forget cuz you got them used to no fees, then BAM, that's two-thousand yen gone!"

"Gen-chan," Meiji pulled him back, "come on don't do this again-"

"I may be a Jinuchu thug, but I know a scam when I see one, and this shit is a classic move! You might be able to fool all them oldies out there, but you can't fool me!"

"I am NOT trying to scam anyone!" she shouted. "I am trying to change the system!"

"That's shit and you know it!" snapped Ganbe spreading his arms. "If you wanted to change the system, you'd stop these fucking fees in the first place!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO!"

With a braying shriek the librarian surprised everyone in the room, even her regular staff who looked almost insulted by her shouting as she sat herself down in a chair.

"I know...what you are saying," the bull sighed, "and as much as I despise you, I agree with you on this."

"Wait...what?" Gen shook his head.

"Do you know why the libary has fees in the first place? Because we don't get enough funding from the government, so we are expected to maintain ourselves on additional revenue."

"So I was right," the bird rolled his eye, "you're running a business."

"Yes." The ox spun in her seat. "But only because I have to, because currently the system is bad about it."

She glided her hand across the desk, feeling across some old tattered books.

"I know the reason why creatures don't come here is because they are afraid of incurring debt. I know the fee system is outdated, and it presents an economic barrier that is unnecessary. You don't think I care, you don't think I don't want to change the system?"

"I mean...you seemed pretty hellbent on it before," Ganbe rubbed his neck, "I just wanted to wind you up for making Mei-chan feel bad."

"As petty as it was, I understand your frustration. So please understand mine, I WANT to change the system. I want to get rid of monetary fees for a better system that doesn't punish you with money."

"What would you do instead?" Meiji pulled up the flyer. "What's gonna stop folks stealing your books?"

"I don't know." The ox shrugged. "I don't want to put some helpless creature in arrears over a stupid library fine, they could just buy the book instead if they want to keep it. I just want to provide literature for those who cannot afford to buy books every week."

"You serious?" Gen snorted. "So why you give us shit the first time?"

"Because it's my JOB you little bastard!" she stood up towering over them. "I have to enforce the rules until they are changed or else I lose my job, and I want to help! So please."

She shoved the box of flyers towards them.

"If you want things to change for the better, then be that change."

"We kinda have to," the beetle clenched his mandibles.

"If it makes you feel any better, I will pay you back the fees you incurred before, after all you are my assistants, correct?"

"Well...I mean, if you're paying us," Gen muttered tapping his fingers, "can't really say no, but what's hot coffee and a book gonna prove?"

"Creatures want someplace nice and warm during December," said the ox, "the library can be just that, and if I can prove to my superiors that we don't need the fines, if I can just rank up the numbers faster in one month, then they will have to agree."

"Well, when you put it like that." Ganbe took the box in his hands. "Wouldn't mind a nice little place with some coffee in the winter."

"Thank you...Ganbe, yes?"

"Yeah. Never got your name."

"Liang Quan Niu." She bowed courteously and handed them a scroll. "I have a map of the district showing the best foot traffic for you to put them up."

"Got it, we'll letcha know when we're done."

A smile of relief came from Liang, the two heading out as Meiji would guide him to the first and closest spot to start putting up flyers. The sun rose higher as the sky turned a peerless baby blue, warming up slightly closer to noon as Gen and Garonba took turns carrying the box. Sometimes a passing local was curious enough to take one for themselves. Other times they convinced shops who were fond of the library to put it up in their windows.

Chinatown was not as kind, with its lucrative atmosphere and suspicious owners not wanting to spread the wealth. Iyazaki Road however was much forgiving, as well as the nearby Restaurant Row, the Red Light District and even parts of the Commercial District. They spent the rest of their morn taking a circuit round the place, following the map to the letter with noted businesses being more friendly.

When they found themselves in the Bar District, not too far from home, they saw a familiar-looking face down by the riverbank pulling a fishing line. A young mole cricket in a striped T-shirt and shorts, reeling in a big catch with the help of an adult gator in an old jacket.

"Thassit son, pull it in!"

"N-NNNGH, AAAH, T-TRYIIIING!"

"Come on son, get your elbow grease in there, one last pull!"

"NNNGH, NNNGH, NNNRRRAAAAAH!"

With a mighty pull the two yanked their fishing rod hard, ripping out a long-faced barracuda from the water that flapped viciously onto.

"I GOT IT, I GOT IT!"

"HEYYY GOOD WORK CHAMP!" the father rubbed the boy's head. "I'm proud of ya, that was a big one!"

"Th-thanks pop!" the mole cricket hugged him. "Whut you wanna do with the fish?!"

"Well, either we take it home and eat it, or we let it go. What you wanna do?"

"...pirates eat fish don't they?!"

"They sure do!"

"Then it's LUNCHTIME MATEYS!"

Putting the fish in a cooler box, they walked back up to the pavement where they saw Gen and Meiji.

"OH, Marbul, Deadeye!"

"Eyyyy Dirtblade." the bird high-foured him. "Nice catch with that fish, that was sick!"

"Yahuh, dad these're my treasure-hunting friends!"

"Ahhh, so you're them," the gator raised his brow with suspicious look. "How do you know my son?"

"We work at the library!" Meiji said catching on. "We uh, help out the local community, got roped into Dirtblade's treasure thing."

"Ahhh, I see, well that's good." The crocodilian offered his hand. "Krokugawa Shiina, nice to meetcha."

"Meiji Garonba," he shook back, "and that's Gen Ganbe."

"Sup?" Ganbe nodded. "So you're Dirtblade's dad?"

"Yep," the gator grinned wide, "that his pirate name I reckon?"

"Yeah we kinda just do that, it's a thing."

"You guys figure out that riddle yet?" asked Dirtblade pumping his claws.

"Actually Gutblade did!" Meiji pointed back. "She was at the library, you know, where we work, and had this old map, and her aunt gave us these cookies with a little cream in them-"

"We may have found the place," Gen cut him off, "but it's kind of an adult place, soooo we offered to check it out."

"Oh, AWESOME!" the cricket pounded his feet. "Yer gonna let us know if ya find anything, right?!"

"You'll be the first to know, promise."

"You gotta tell Nevar too, didya tell her yet?!"

"Uhhh we dunno where she lives," the beetle looked around.

"I got her address at home," said Dirtblade, "lemme put away my fish!"

Walking into the Bar District, the four of them went to a hovel at the very bottom of the street. An odd sour smell permeated the place, the curtains were always damp, and the floor of their house felt just as dirty as the road outside. The walls were bare and ugly, with cheap paintings hung up in some desperate semblance of a lovely home.

"Alrigh' Kou," the croc stretched his arms, "why don't you go play a bit, I wanna talk to yer pals while I get dinner ready."

"We gonna eat our fish?!" the boy grinned.

"You know it, you done good today. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks pop!" The mole cricket hugged him. "I'm gonna find that address for Nevar, be right back!"

The boy hurried down the hall to his room, the gator putting away the cooler box as their guests stared at the single kitchen/living room. Burn marks dotted the ceiling, and a crummy old flat-screen TV sat in the corner with a cheap sofa.

"Sorry about the place," Krokugawa shrugged, "don't normally have guests."

"Damn," Meiji muttered putting down their box, "it's uh, pretty nice though, it's got that u-uhhh-"

"I know, it's a shithole."

"Hey hey nah, we live up the street, we know how it is."

"Hm, fair enough."

The croc pulled out a chopping board with a single knife beside it, a sawtoothed 18-inch blade that he used to cut the fish's head.

"Either of you boys know how to cook?"

"Uh, yeah?" Ganbe shrugged.

"Got some veggies you can slice, help me out wouldya?"

The father offered a small paring knife as Gen stood alongside him, carefully cutting through peppers, carrots, and tomatoes.

"These feel kinda stale."

"Leftovers from the mart," said Krokugawa, "you take what you can."

"Yeah I hear that."

"Is that an army knife?" Meiji leaned in close.

"Sure is," the gator ripped out the fish's guts, "you know your blades?"

"Well, that and kitchen knives don't got a fuller on them."

"You mean like a blood groove?" Ganbe squinted.

"Nah that's not what it's for, it's to make the blade lighter and easier to wield by shaving off the excess weight."

"You learn that at the library?" said the father carving the belly.

"Oh no, I work mostly at the Forge."

"A fine place," the crocodilian smiled, "explains how my son was in there last month."

"Oh you know about that?"

"I know from the soot he had on his feet, that was fire soot that."

"Hey don't worry, we supervised him."

"Oh I know, he told me all about you." Shiina pulled out the guts from the fish's stomach. "Can't believe they spent a whole month on this damn thing, but I guess if it makes him and his friends happy."

A knock on the door came as he took the knife with him, peering through the hole and rolling his eyes as he opened it slightly.

"Hey Garb, what's up."

"Just letting you know shifts got swapped," said Garb outside, "you're working Thursday."

"What?! Are you fucking serious, I had plans with my kid!"

"I know, you hear about the pileup on the Meishin?"

"Whysat matter?" snarled the gator. "I don't got time to watch the news-"

"Vatra-san's dead."

"...what?!"

He opened the door wider as Gen and Meiji sneaked close.

"What you mean Vatra-san's dead?!"

"He was temping as a limo driver," said Garb, "some fucking psycho on a bike ripped his head wide open, the boss is throwing a fit."

"Fuck," the gator leaned on the doorjamb, "that...fuck."

"His clients are now yours until we find someone better."

"What?! I'm already fucking three ladies a week, how you expect me to keep up?!"

"We'll give you Vatra's supplies, you were both the same size right?"

"That's NOT the point Garb!" the croc slammed his hand at the door. "Vatra didn't have a son, I do, I have to help Kou with school, I need to spend time with him, the boss needs to get that through his head!"

"And he said if you don't get your dick through Vatra's clients, you'll be out in a month. I'm sorry, I'm just giving you a heads-up, it's the best I can do until we fix the schedule."

"Yeah...thanks."

The door closed as the croc went back to the kitchen, finishing up on the fish as Gen and Meiji looked to each other.

"What?" Shiina-san looked at them. "You gonna judge me like the other moms do at the PTA?"

"Uh, no?" The bird shrugged walking back beside him. "A job's a job, isn't it?"

"Not according to them," he ripped out the tailbone. "If those suburban tub-party bitches knew what I did, they'd think the worst. It's bad enough I'm a single dad, but also being a prostitute?"

"Hey dude come on," Meiji cringed, "we don't say that now, we call them 'sex workers'."

"It is what it is. I know they're all judging me cuz I don't have a lady's touch round the house, like it's necessary to raise a kid."

"That don't matter to us, my grandpa raised me, and I came out good."

"I had a mom and dad and they treated me like shit," said Gen finishing the peppers, "Dirtblade's a good kid, he's always helping his friends and honestly, he's the nicest of them because of you."

"Heh...thanks." The gator sighed rubbing his head. "Sorry, this ain't your problem-"

"Hey, we're community folks right?" Meiji grinned leaning forwards. "Yanno the library's doing a thing in December where you get books without any fees."

"Yeah?"

Gen offered a flyer that Shiina took and studied, a smile crossing his snout.

"They wanna change up the system, get more creatures to start reading."

"Hah...you know, Kou always wanted to get a couple books but, he told me he was worried about...well, making it harder for us. It fucking hurts."

The father put his knife in the sink to wash up.

"I love my son, I make sure he eats good and that his grades are solid, but I can only whore myself out so much before he doesn't have his dad. I left the army to raise him, and when his mom died, I was all he had. I just want him to be the best he can be."

"Hey." The bird nodded leaning beside him. "You're already a lot better than my dad was, we get it."

"Thanks, sorry I didn't mean to drag you both into this."

"Nah nah it's cool, my lips are sealed."

"You don't have lips," the beetle snickered.

"It's an expression, dude."

"No THIS is an expression," Garonba pulled a face and bugged his eyes.

"Hhhah hahah, I can see why my son likes you," Shiina cackled, "thanks fer keeping him out of trouble."

"No problem sir. Hey uh, since you work in that kinda stuff, do you know what Violon Autumn is?"

"Uhhh...I think I do, that was like years ago when I was just coming out o' service. Why you ask?"

"It's the place on the treasure hunt map," Garonba rubbed his hands, "not the kinda place for kids to be, so, we wanna check it out for their sake."

"Ahh, that's good of you."

"I GOT IT!" Dirtblade came rushing through with a scrap of paper. "I got Nevar's address!"

"Aww sick!" Meiji smiled. "Lemme put that in my phone, we'll let her know the news."

"You staying fer lunch?"

"Naaah we just ate," Ganbe shook his head, "save all that food for yourself, you caught that bad boy."

"Your friends helped with the vegetables," Krokugawa smiled washing his knife, "they're pretty handy with blades fer a buncha pirates."

"Awww vegetables, YECK!" the mole cricket shivered with disgust.

"Kouuu, don't be like that."

"Pirates don't eat vegetables!"

"Yanno what happened to the ones that didn't? Died of scurvy."

"You should listen to your dad." Gen nodded with a smile. "They don't tell you this in the books but, the strongest and best pirates, always ate their greens."

"Pfft, for real?" Kou snickered up at him. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Uhhh, the library? We work there, so we read a lotta books. Trust me I know what I'm saying."

"...huh." The boy scratched his head. "Okay, I guess, I dun like vegetables but...if you say the best pirates ate 'em."

The father gave a silent thank-you, the bird nodding in response as he stepped out the door.

"Alright we got some boring shi-uh work to do, thanks for having us."

"We'll tell you when we find the treasure!" Meiji waved back. "Later Dirtblade, later Shiina-san!"

"G'bye Marbul, bye Deadeye!"

With a farewell from both father and son, they carried their box up to the north end of the Bar District whilst putting up more flyers. Along the western side of Issincho, they found themselves on the outer reach of West Djinnai Station, just across the highway from Ameritown where gorgeous red-brick houses stood with lavish plants and personal trees.

Cafés and bistros littered the region with the fanciest hors d'oeuvres and the finest chianti, for eye-watering prices that made their wallets shrivel as they moved on quick. Along the way they found the address that Dirtblade had given, standing in awe at the miniature mansion.

With sandstone walls and pillars on either side of its doors, it more resembled a college building than an actual home. The windows were many, and through just one of them they saw a white beautiful room with laced curtains and a grand piano where Nevar sat playing on the keys.

"Woah," Gen gasped, "holy shit she's fucking rich!"

"Yo that piano's sick," Meiji muttered, "how come they don't make pianos out of metal?"

"What?"

"I mean, when you strike something made outta steel it goes TING like real nice, so why don't they make pianos out of it?"

"I don't fucking KNOW I'm not some pianologist!"

Ganbe knocked on the door, Garonba still on the street with the box in his hands as they were greeted by a slug. His white hairy body contrasted his suit of severe black, gloves covering his gooey hands and his eyestalks rearing above.

"Can I...help you?"

"Uhhh, hi," the bird waved, "we're from the library, we're raising awareness for an event they got going on for folks."

He handed him the flyer, the butler staring with a tight grimace before handing it back.

"Thank you but, we are not interested."

"Wait, why not?"

"We have an extensive amount of literature in our abode."

"Oh, well," Meiji scratched his head, "we also got a message for Nevar?"

"Nevar?" The servant sneered pulling back his eyes. "We have nobody of that name here."

"Yeah you do, she's there playing the piano."

"Ah. You mean Madame Karasami, her proper name."

"Yeah, yanno, Nevar."

"Anyways," Gen waved his hand, "we got a message from her pals, I guess one of them could have texted her but we were asked to pass along a message."

"Does this message relate at all to her school?"

"N-...no."

"Then it is not necessary, thank you, good day."

"Wait!"

Ganbe put his foot in the door as the butler thrust his eyestalks at his face.

"SIR. Vacate the premises now, or I shall have you arrested within two minutes."

"I just wanna give a message to Nevar!"

"Madame Karasami is NOT receiving visitors, this is your final warning-"

"Ellis-san!"

The young raven stepped up behind him as she peered over his shoulder.

"It's alright Ellis-san, I will deal with them."

"Madame Karasami, it is not advisable for a lady such as yourself to associate with the vox populi."

"HEY!" Ganbe snapped. "I tested negative for that, how the fuck did you hear 'bout that?!"

"Do NOT profane in this manor's grounds!" Ellis shoved him back down the steps. "Now kindly do not return again."

"Ellis-san wait!"

The crow put her hand in the door and stepped outside much to the butler's chagrin.

"I want to hear this message, if it's from my friends."

"Your mother would disapprove of associating with them."

"Mother has her own problems!"

"So do not contribute to them, Madame Karasami."

"Look." Meiji stepped up raising his hands. "We just wanted to tell you, we found the place the treasure might be."

"Really?!" Nevar gasped. "Where?!"

"It's one o' them adult places, can't have kids there so we're gonna get it for ya."

"Thank you!" She bowed. "I hope we see it soon, I've been waiting for a month to see this treasure!"

"M-madame!" the furry slug pulled her back inside. "Have you been reading those fantastical stories again?"

"No, I was playing with friends!"

"Your friends are at the croquet cluib, NOT gallivanting on the streets like shoeless peasants."

"Uh, WHAT?!" Ganbe looked down at his long-clawed feet. "The hell's your problem, plenty normal creatures go barefoot these days!"

"We are NOT normal," the butler sniffed haughtily, "we are of the elite, of which fine breeding and pernicious care in our appearances matter."

"Woah, dude!" Meiji shivered. "You can't talk about breeding in front of kids, that's cringe! You're cringe!"

"I am NOT...your dude. Now kindly cease all interaction with Madame Karasami, and stop enabling her malingering delusions about romanticised naval criminals!"

"Ellis-san enough!" the raven snapped at him. "I am the lady of the house when mother is not well, and you answer to me!"

"And soon as your mother is well again, I shall remember your disgrace for her to deal with. Now return to your lessons."

With a heavy sigh, Nevar stepped back inside, giving a thumbs up to Gen before the door would slam shut with a rattling lock as the bird walked down the street.

"Wow, what an ASSHOLE."

"Seriously," the beetle shook his head, "talking about breeding in front of kids just, UGH."

"Well we gave her the message so, whatever she got to deal with is her own problem."

"Should we go check out that Violon place?"

"Naaah," Ganbe waved, "let's do that tomorrow, I'm tired as fuck from walking."

"Yeaaah, you're right." Meiji looked up at the sun. "Shit, it's only noon, we did a lot in one morning!"

"All the more reason to go back home and do jack shit."

"Heh...sounds good to me, Gen-chan."

After returning the emptied box to the library, with a sigh of relief and gratitude from Liang, they headed home and vegged out in front of the TV. Gen watched a fair-to-middling action thriller, whilst Meiji took apart a cereal box to try and make origami with.

He failed multiple times, but he managed to make a delightful crane of shimmering yellow before Gen took a nap. The beetle looked over to him, a smile between his mandibles as he ducked out of the apartment, only once that day, before returning to keep him company.

"Mei-chan?" Ganbe roused briefly. "Dude, you alright?"

"Yeaaaah," the beetle laid down beside him, "you good?"

"Yeah...can't wait to get back to Eight Wonders."

"You love that place huh?"

"Gods you have no idea." Ganbe felt a pair of arms wrap round his body. "I've never felt more like...I belong somewhere, than I do with them."

"That's awesome," Meiji kissed the bird's cheek, "you've been a lot happier since you went in there, I'm glad you are."

"I...I hope I can still be there after...everything."

Gen tightened his chest with a rising fear that was soon washed away, by the tender hands of his friend cuddling up against his back. In the afternoon sun they cradled each other, lost in their wistful dreams.