Somewhere in the middle of Saturday afternoon, Graham's phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon, Graham cracker~! How are you doing?" It
was Val.
"Uh, just fine, thanks." She'd had to pause a game in the
middle of a fairly exciting section to answer, but that wasn't too
different from having to place a bookmark in the middle of a
momentous part of a novel. Neither one would be worthy of comment to
an employer, at least.
"I've got a little problem..uh, let's say a conflict,
going on, and thought you might be able to help solve it for me. See,
some associates of mine down in the demon realm want me over to talk
about an important business proposition their son's got, and they
want to meet tomorrow morning. I've got an assistant manager tied
down to handle the workers, but when it comes to the kinds of
customers we've been getting a lot of lately, weeelll..."
"You're sayin', you want me to come in to work tomorrow
morning?"
"It would really help me out. I solemnly swear I won't
make a habit of asking you—maybe I won't have as much trouble
finding a college student with a tail or wings to hire for weekends,
given recent events? But this is just such short notice! I'll
pay you time and a half?"
"Hmm...well, all right. Under those conditions, you understand.
'Till about noon?"
"Yes, yes! I'll definitely be back by then. Or if I am slightly late, it's not your problem. That's the assistant manager's job to figure out."
"Yes, yes! I'll definitely be back by then. Or if I am slightly late, it's not your problem. That's the assistant manager's job to figure out."
Onida woke up Sunday morning, turned to look at the clock and
register that it was the time her alarm usually went off, then turned
back over and went back to sleep for another hour and a half. This
was still earlier than her night-owl brother used to always get up,
but for her, it was sleeping in. After all, it was her day off.
An idea occurred to her in the shower, while she was thinking about
what to do for breakfast, and after using a hairdryer on her tail for
even longer than her hair, she went across the hall to knock on the
door to her brother's room. Well—'sister' was technically more
correct here, but the idea of Damon as her brother was stuck too
firmly in her mind to not think of the brown-haired wolf-girl that
way first.
A soft bark responded after her third, somewhat louder and more
insistent attempt. "Rrfh...hmmn?"
"Hey, Damon. You awake?"
"Who's asking?" (a typical joke of his...hers, that basically meant 'yes').
"Hey, Damon. You awake?"
"Who's asking?" (a typical joke of his...hers, that basically meant 'yes').
"You wanna go out to brunch today?"
"Oh! Yes!"
"Okay then, get ready. I'll go tell Sam."
"Okay then, get ready. I'll go tell Sam."
The three werewolves piled into her car to drive out to the
restaurant she had in mind. They were walking across the parking lot
of the shopping center it belonged to when Damon seemed to
more-or-less accidentally glance a certain way and stop in her
tracks, gasping slightly. It was a voiced sort of gasp that conveyed
shock but not horror or distress, and when Onida looked the same way
her sister had, she just saw a clothing store—in fact, one they'd
been to quite recently. "What—you see an outfit you like?"
"Uhhm...no. It's—Sam!" she turned abruptly, grabbing the
other girl's forearm. "Are catgirls real!?"
"Aah..yeah. I mean..like," she put a hand up behind her
head as Damon let go of her, "there's all kinds of beastfolk
besides werewolves, after all..."
"And—do I remember wrong, or..? I really like catgirls, right?!"
"Nnnow that you mention it, aah, yeah. I, kindaaaa remember something like that." Onida was getting pretty used to Sam's way of talking, and had the feeling this hesitant, drawn-out response wasn't an indication that she barely remembered Damon bringing it up once or twice, but rather the complete opposite.
"So, you saw one in the window just now?" Onida cut in.
"Yes! She had really bright white hair and fur and looked super cute!"
"And—do I remember wrong, or..? I really like catgirls, right?!"
"Nnnow that you mention it, aah, yeah. I, kindaaaa remember something like that." Onida was getting pretty used to Sam's way of talking, and had the feeling this hesitant, drawn-out response wasn't an indication that she barely remembered Damon bringing it up once or twice, but rather the complete opposite.
"So, you saw one in the window just now?" Onida cut in.
"Yes! She had really bright white hair and fur and looked super cute!"
"Well, I don't see her now."
Damon looked through the window again, and her ears drooped slightly.
"Yeah..."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Sam said consolingly. "If
she's in town, we might run into her again. Or, aah, maybe someone
even cuter?"
"C'mon, aren't you hungry?" Onida said. This
brightened her sibling up immediately.
"Yes! Let's goooo~!"
"Yes! Let's goooo~!"
After eating, and after talking over plenty of things both important
and trivial, Stella and Thomas sat in silence for a moment. It wasn't
awkward or uncomfortable, but more had the sense of them peacefully
keeping each other's company. The celestial seemed to jump slightly,
either remembering or thinking of something.
"So, listen...there's a small, fairly trivial thing...which, I
am hoping you might be able to help me out with."
"What kinda thing?"
"I hardly need you to do much more than stand around looking
intimidating while I talk to some people. For a dragon, just crossing
your arms and not looking too happy is more than enough."
"Okaaay?"
"Right, you obviously require context," she said, nodding. "A pair of Kitsune tricked me the other day—harmlessly, I assure you. I'd just like to return the favor. As far as I understand, they will view this as a friendly gesture."
"Uh-huh. And, you want to be friendly with them?"
"I believe I would like to make many friends, and these two seemed like fun. Besides, the population of foxes in the world has grown quite large in recent centuries—if my initial knowledge is to be believed, that is. Therefore it would be helpful for me to learn firsthand how to ingratiate myself to them."
"Right, you obviously require context," she said, nodding. "A pair of Kitsune tricked me the other day—harmlessly, I assure you. I'd just like to return the favor. As far as I understand, they will view this as a friendly gesture."
"Uh-huh. And, you want to be friendly with them?"
"I believe I would like to make many friends, and these two seemed like fun. Besides, the population of foxes in the world has grown quite large in recent centuries—if my initial knowledge is to be believed, that is. Therefore it would be helpful for me to learn firsthand how to ingratiate myself to them."
"Well, okay then. I guess I don't mind, but—I'd still like to
know what your plan is? Also, I've met at least one Kitsune
before, and Zotha knows some, so..."
"Right, right," she nodded. "Their identities may be relevant too. I shall tell you all of the details, then."
"Right, right," she nodded. "Their identities may be relevant too. I shall tell you all of the details, then."
Graham was having a fairly boring shift overall; practically no
customers showed up the entire morning. She noticed some of her
coworkers playing on their phones, or on small handheld consoles, and
almost felt a slight pang of jealousy. Something like: I could
be doing that too, if I had one! She actually had to remind
herself that playing while on the job, even if there weren't any
customers, was incredibly unprofessional. Still, given their
collective, boring situation, she couldn't blame them, and certainly
didn't feel compelled to really say anything. Besides, when the
assistant manager came out and walked around, he clearly saw them
doing it didn't so much as comment on it.
So maybe this week's pay, with the extra from today, would be enough
to get an older handheld from that place she'd gone to before...
She was more or less daydreaming about that, maybe half an hour away
from the end of her shift, when some people actually walked in. She
wasn't anywhere near the front door, but her feline ears twitched and
turned and easily picked up on some of their conversation...despite
the fact that it was kind of half-whispered and probably not intended
for eavesdropping.
"I, aaah, really doubt she's still in here, you know?"
Well, that voice sounded pretty familiar. "It's been over
an hour."
"It's fine. I want a couple more outfits anyway. And maybe you wanna try something new on?" Graham was pretty sure she didn't know this one.
"Uhm, no, I've got enough clothes." And that was..!
"It's fine. I want a couple more outfits anyway. And maybe you wanna try something new on?" Graham was pretty sure she didn't know this one.
"Uhm, no, I've got enough clothes." And that was..!
"Well, you'll have to at least pretend to be shopping if
you want to go looking all around the store, right?" said the
second voice.
The Neko took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. They had
never actually met in any sense of the word she knew, so
acting excited or overly familiar would just make her seem strange.
Besides, she was still on the clock. So, she went casually and
slowly walking around toward another section to intercept their
footsteps. Her coworkers would surely appreciate the opportunity to
keep playing rather than having to deal with customers anyway, right?
The two wolf-girls Graham recognized from (mostly) a few recent
nightly streams were with a third one around the same height, with
bright silver hair and a small chunk seemingly bitten out of her left
ear. She walked up toward them with a friendly wave. "Hey there.
You ladies need any help?" she asked.
"I think we'll be okay," the less-familiar one said; the
one who wasn't 'incupokal' seemed to have stopped in place as soon as
she saw the Neko. "You work here?"
"Sure do. Part-timer, name's Graham," she said, pointing to her nametag. "Actually, I'm afraid I've got you two at a bit of a disadvantage here," she added with a slight gesture Damon and Sam's way.
"Sure do. Part-timer, name's Graham," she said, pointing to her nametag. "Actually, I'm afraid I've got you two at a bit of a disadvantage here," she added with a slight gesture Damon and Sam's way.
Damon jumped slightly, and then nervously (and rather adorably!) took
a slight step forward. "Um, hi! Y-you know us somehow?"
"Maybe, aaah, seen us on stream?" Sam added, and the Neko
nodded. "Oh, wait. Smores?" she guessed aloud.
"'Smores'?" The silver-haired one repeated in confusion,
obviously completely out of the loop.
"Er, an online name I've been using lately," Graham tried
to explain. "Something of a pun."
"Yeeaah, Smores! Nice to meet you in person!" Sam said, nodding and waving a hand out toward her in a friendly-seeming gesture. "Had no idea you lived around here. Aaah, this is Damon's sister, Onida," she added, finally introducing the third girl.
"Yes, that's me. I guess you've..chatted with them some?" she asked, seeming slightly uncertain about the right terminology.
"Off and on," Graham shrugged. "Not to get too distracted though—you sure you're all fine on looking for clothes? I'm the only one here this morning equipped to help folks with, uh..certain traits," she added, curling her tail up to in front of her waist to gently point at it a couple of times.
"Yeeaah, Smores! Nice to meet you in person!" Sam said, nodding and waving a hand out toward her in a friendly-seeming gesture. "Had no idea you lived around here. Aaah, this is Damon's sister, Onida," she added, finally introducing the third girl.
"Yes, that's me. I guess you've..chatted with them some?" she asked, seeming slightly uncertain about the right terminology.
"Off and on," Graham shrugged. "Not to get too distracted though—you sure you're all fine on looking for clothes? I'm the only one here this morning equipped to help folks with, uh..certain traits," she added, curling her tail up to in front of her waist to gently point at it a couple of times.
"Oh, that. I—we already kinda figured that part out, to
be honest," the silver-haired girl said.
"I was, aaah, born this way, you know," Sam said.
"Yeah, and, I had some help from Val the other day, if you know
her?" Onida continued. "Buuut..." she gently elbowed
her sister. "Maybe you could still teach Damon a thing or two,
hm?"
The wolf-girl squeaked slightly, her face flushing a little bit.
"Uh—y-yeah! I'm, uh, y-you know.."
"Still not so used to being a lady?" Graham guessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Believe me, I know what that's like, too."
"Um! R-really!?"
"Still not so used to being a lady?" Graham guessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Believe me, I know what that's like, too."
"Um! R-really!?"
"Sure. Someone offers to make you young and healthy again, you
don't ask too many questions at my age," she said with a
shrug. 'Smores' had already mentioned how old she really was a few
times, after all, alongside talking about being quite new to games in
general.
"Th-that's great! Um, maybe you can recommend some stuff, then?"
"Don't mind at all," the catgirl answered.
"Okay, well, you two have fun, then," Onida said. "You don't need to yell if you need any help from me, though, alright?" she added to Damon, pointing at her damaged ear.
"Okay, well, you two have fun, then," Onida said. "You don't need to yell if you need any help from me, though, alright?" she added to Damon, pointing at her damaged ear.
"Guess I'll go with you?" Sam suggested, following her off
toward another part of the store.
Out of other ideas—since of course none of the previously
magic-unaware members of her 'cult' had any idea where to find a
dragon—the goddess tried the people who she and Jess had first come
to to report their 'unexpected changes'. She'd gotten an answering
machine and left a message, and only now, after a couple of days of
patient waiting, was she finally getting a call back. "Hello?"
"Miss Zotha. Something we can help you with?"
"Miss Zotha. Something we can help you with?"
"Yeah. Soooo...a guy I know awakened as a dragon. You're
probably already aware of her, I'd guess."
"Indeed. We tend to keep an eye out for anything that
powerful. She has been very well behaved so far, if not outright
helpful."
"Great. It's just—she's having a little bit of difficulty
adjusting to the new instincts and everything. So I was wondering
whether you might know of any other, slightly older dragons
who might be willing to help her adjust."
"We can contact someone for you. No guarantees, you
understand—dragons generally do whatever they wish."
"Sure, sure. I would absolutely want someone who actually wants to help anyway."
"Sure, sure. I would absolutely want someone who actually wants to help anyway."
"Very well. We'll be in touch."
"So, uhm...your tail's uh...forked?" Damon asked, just
fishing for some reasonable topic of conversation.
"Yep. Ever since I first grew it," Graham said, drawing it
around in front of her again and sliding it across the palm of her
hand to right before where it branched off. "This split's been
moving up toward the base now and then, too."
"That's not like uh...an unhealthy thing, is it?"
"Nah." She let go, allowing it to go back to swishing back and forth behind her. The wolf-girl watched, half-transfixed by this motion, but tried to focus on what she was saying: "From what I was told, it's a pretty good sign. Nekos like I turned into have their tails start splitting if they're 'wise' enough, and once it goes all the way up, we get 'amazing magical powers'. Supposedly."
"That's not like uh...an unhealthy thing, is it?"
"Nah." She let go, allowing it to go back to swishing back and forth behind her. The wolf-girl watched, half-transfixed by this motion, but tried to focus on what she was saying: "From what I was told, it's a pretty good sign. Nekos like I turned into have their tails start splitting if they're 'wise' enough, and once it goes all the way up, we get 'amazing magical powers'. Supposedly."
"Oh, th-that's really cool!"
"Lessee here...you're into 'tomboy' looking outfits, I'd guess?
Maybe some tank tops like this?" she suggested, gesturing.
"Shorts? Skinny jeans?"
"Y-you um.." The werewolf felt her face flush slightly. "Think I'd look good in those?"
Graham didn't seem sure how to take the question, and hesitated for a second. "Er...the right fit, sure," she nodded.
"C-could you..pick a good color, then?"
"I'm not too good at coordinating, to be honest...maybe just somethin' dark?" Graham said, her tone making it quite clear she was just guessing. All the same, she went to pull a couple of things off of the rack, continuing: "Or, reddish to bring out your eyes?" She pulled out four pieces she'd just picked, holding them out where Damon could see them.
"Y-you um.." The werewolf felt her face flush slightly. "Think I'd look good in those?"
Graham didn't seem sure how to take the question, and hesitated for a second. "Er...the right fit, sure," she nodded.
"C-could you..pick a good color, then?"
"I'm not too good at coordinating, to be honest...maybe just somethin' dark?" Graham said, her tone making it quite clear she was just guessing. All the same, she went to pull a couple of things off of the rack, continuing: "Or, reddish to bring out your eyes?" She pulled out four pieces she'd just picked, holding them out where Damon could see them.
"Um, th-that'll work!"
"Off to the changing rooms, then." She started leading the way. "I gather there's some details to what happened to ya you couldn't share on stream." This put Damon behind her to watch that slim white tail flicking back and forth, which was quite the distraction...but at least easy to follow. "You and your friend and sister are..werewolves, I guess?" she asked, pausing briefly in her walk to turn her head slightly backwards. "Don't mean to pry or anything."
"O-oh, no, that's okay! It's—um—well. Onida and I weren't, before, you know? I-I actually got bitten by, what I thought was a huge bear, a-and...and, on the next full moon..." Her voice kind of trailed off at the mere thought of that entire experience.
"Off to the changing rooms, then." She started leading the way. "I gather there's some details to what happened to ya you couldn't share on stream." This put Damon behind her to watch that slim white tail flicking back and forth, which was quite the distraction...but at least easy to follow. "You and your friend and sister are..werewolves, I guess?" she asked, pausing briefly in her walk to turn her head slightly backwards. "Don't mean to pry or anything."
"O-oh, no, that's okay! It's—um—well. Onida and I weren't, before, you know? I-I actually got bitten by, what I thought was a huge bear, a-and...and, on the next full moon..." Her voice kind of trailed off at the mere thought of that entire experience.
"Oh, pardon me. Sounds awful touchy."
"Uh, th-that's okay. It was—someone super nice helped me out, in a way that kinda, also happened to accidentally make me a girl. So, that's how that happened. I...also lost a lot of my memories at the time. But she managed to track down my sister, and...somehow, even though I couldn't remember anything and looked completely different, we still recognized each other. It was like ma—uh, like that nice person...made a miracle happen, just by being there."
"Uh, th-that's okay. It was—someone super nice helped me out, in a way that kinda, also happened to accidentally make me a girl. So, that's how that happened. I...also lost a lot of my memories at the time. But she managed to track down my sister, and...somehow, even though I couldn't remember anything and looked completely different, we still recognized each other. It was like ma—uh, like that nice person...made a miracle happen, just by being there."
"A 'miracle', huh?" Graham stopped in front of the door to the changing rooms, turning around. "Guess that's how I'd describe what happened to me, too. I was pretty sick at the time, you know, and my granddaughter was desperate for anything that might help me keep going. Joined up with some..not so nice folks. Somehow or other, it worked out, though—they got the attention of someone powerful but kind, who offered to grant everyone a wish. Rachel—that's her name, by the way—'wished' me better. That's who made me young again too, later on."
"Oh! Um..." Something occurred to the werewolf at right
this moment, after hearing all of that. "Do you think
maybe..it's possible...we're actually talking about the same
person?"
"Could be. Named Zotha?"
"Yes! That's her exactly! Wow. Hahah—small world, huh?"
"I suppose so," Graham said, smiling. Oh, and she had the
most beautiful smiling face. Was she blushing a little bit
too? Damon wasn't entirely sure; maybe 'just slightly red' was how
her cheeks normally looked? She paused, reaching her free hand up to
twiddle the end of one of her feline ears for a second. "Er, so,
these're the changing rooms. I don't expect you need help getting
these tops on."
"Uh—n-no no, I should be fine," Damon said quickly, taking the tank tops as soon as the catgirl offered them over at her. She was probably going to cost Onida a little more money than expected at this point, because she'd have a hard time not buying anything if Graham smiled at her like that again while she was wearing it. Well, she'd make it up to her sister somehow, later.
"Uh—n-no no, I should be fine," Damon said quickly, taking the tank tops as soon as the catgirl offered them over at her. She was probably going to cost Onida a little more money than expected at this point, because she'd have a hard time not buying anything if Graham smiled at her like that again while she was wearing it. Well, she'd make it up to her sister somehow, later.
"Goodness, I hardly recognized you, Boreas! I mean, I
know some people age differently from others, but..."
"Can it. It's a long story anyway."
"Pfft. I guess I don't have to doubt your identity, at least.
Same old sour disposition." For the moment, the old-made-young
werewolf was sitting behind her counter, playing host to the grandson
of an old friend. He looked like a fairly unremarkable human,
a fit thirty-something-years-old man with brown hair and brown eyes,
but his scent would give him away to any werewolves..or other canid
types like foxes, for that matter. There was also the mouth full of
razor-sharp teeth he showed whenever he opened it to talk.
"Doubt
I smell too different, either," she answered.
"Smell? How could I smell anyone in here?" Her guest waved his hand around in front of his face for a moment. "The scent of all these chemicals carries for miles, you know. I'm astonished the EPA isn't snooping around just beyond the borders of this little realm of yours."
"Smell? How could I smell anyone in here?" Her guest waved his hand around in front of his face for a moment. "The scent of all these chemicals carries for miles, you know. I'm astonished the EPA isn't snooping around just beyond the borders of this little realm of yours."
"Araneus.
You haven't been for a 'visit' since Lucent's funeral. I don't
imagine this is a
social visit, either."
"I'd
be more inclined to come chat if you were more sociable in
the first place, old man. Old..girl?" he corrected, shaking his
head slightly. "Whatever. I know you're as disappointed as all
the others that I didn't take up the old man's crown. But I'm just
not cut out for managing that many people.
Giant packs are out these days, anyway."
"You think a
lone wolf like me ever cared about that? Lucent was already talking
about dissolving the 'last great pack' before the heart attack
anyway."
"Yeah? I guess
you'd be the one to know.
"But!
Speaking of that. My little girl's grown up during all that time. You
should see her—a real powerhouse on
the full moon already. And I believe she might already be making
moves toward forming a little pack of her own. I couldn't be more
proud." Araneus grinned big enough to bare some of his teeth. He
always looked his most threatening when he was happy.
"Hmmh. Maybe you could take her to meet me someday."
"Hmmh. Maybe you could take her to meet me someday."
"Maybe
so, maybe so! She might especially
like to if there's something to be grateful to you for."
"You
want a potion," Boreas said flatly.
"Ooooh no no!" he spread out his arms dramatically, then used them to point sideways at an imaginary other person. "She wants a potion! Something very particular, at that. Can you imagine it? 'Daddy'," he said in a falsetto tone intended to imitate a small girl, "'can you buy me a potion?' She's never had much of an interest in alchemy before! Great big moon, I didn't even think she knew potions were real!"
"Ooooh no no!" he spread out his arms dramatically, then used them to point sideways at an imaginary other person. "She wants a potion! Something very particular, at that. Can you imagine it? 'Daddy'," he said in a falsetto tone intended to imitate a small girl, "'can you buy me a potion?' She's never had much of an interest in alchemy before! Great big moon, I didn't even think she knew potions were real!"
"So
you thought of me
first. How touching."
"Weeeellll.." Araneus exhaled. "The thing is, what she wants specifically, sounds just a little bit impossible? But I'd still like to give it to her if I can. I know we spoil her a little bit, but Lue's turning out great so far! So—I think the strategy is working, and I'd hate to give it up now. You...do still enjoy a challenge, don't you, Boreas?" he asked, leaning forward and putting an elbow on the counter. "Especially if that newfound youth has resharpened your mind...perhaps you'd like to test it? Money, you know, is no object for me," he added with the brief gesture of rubbing his thumb across his other fingers.
"Weeeellll.." Araneus exhaled. "The thing is, what she wants specifically, sounds just a little bit impossible? But I'd still like to give it to her if I can. I know we spoil her a little bit, but Lue's turning out great so far! So—I think the strategy is working, and I'd hate to give it up now. You...do still enjoy a challenge, don't you, Boreas?" he asked, leaning forward and putting an elbow on the counter. "Especially if that newfound youth has resharpened your mind...perhaps you'd like to test it? Money, you know, is no object for me," he added with the brief gesture of rubbing his thumb across his other fingers.
Onida looked at the small pile of clothes on the countertop for a
moment, then over at Damon. "I'm not sure we really should've
left you alone with her," she said—a joke, but deadpan.
Damon didn't initially recognize it as a joke. "Um—"
"At least these all fit you, right? You tried them all on?"
"Yes! I did," she nodded quickly.
"Please don't feel like you have to get all of that if your budget's tight," Graham said. "I know what that's like, ya know."
"Pfft, it's fine," Onida said, finally letting out a small laugh. "I'm just glad to see some actual variety here. Anyway, we really should get outta here. I think Sam is shopped right out." She pointed to where the third wolf-girl was leaning against a nearby wall with her head tilted upward and her eyes closed; Sam audibly yawned at this point.
Damon didn't initially recognize it as a joke. "Um—"
"At least these all fit you, right? You tried them all on?"
"Yes! I did," she nodded quickly.
"Please don't feel like you have to get all of that if your budget's tight," Graham said. "I know what that's like, ya know."
"Pfft, it's fine," Onida said, finally letting out a small laugh. "I'm just glad to see some actual variety here. Anyway, we really should get outta here. I think Sam is shopped right out." She pointed to where the third wolf-girl was leaning against a nearby wall with her head tilted upward and her eyes closed; Sam audibly yawned at this point.
"Uh. S-so uh. When you're, done working. Do you, maybe wanna
hang out and play some games or something?" Damon offered
hesitantly, stumbling through half of her words. "We, I mean I
have a lot of different..things to play on. At home."
"Well, I'd like to sometime, sure. Not this afternoon, though—I promised Rachel I'd take her out to lunch since I had to work all morning," Graham said. "I could give you my number to figure something out later, though."
"Well, I'd like to sometime, sure. Not this afternoon, though—I promised Rachel I'd take her out to lunch since I had to work all morning," Graham said. "I could give you my number to figure something out later, though."
"Um, yes! That's, that would be fine," she said, nodding
rapidly.
After the three of them left, Graham checked her phone to find her
shift about fifteen minutes past over. "Well then. Guess I'll be
off, too."
"Proooofiii~iit!" Looking over toward the door, she found Valoz coming in, looking positively gleeful. "Excuse my outburst. Was that your doing, my good luck charm?" she said, waving excitedly behind her after she hurried over toward the Neko.
"They made their own decisions on what to buy," Graham said, crossing her arms.
"Proooofiii~iit!" Looking over toward the door, she found Valoz coming in, looking positively gleeful. "Excuse my outburst. Was that your doing, my good luck charm?" she said, waving excitedly behind her after she hurried over toward the Neko.
"They made their own decisions on what to buy," Graham said, crossing her arms.
"Well, you're fifteen minutes overtime anyway. So I might
blame you just enough for a small bonus to appear in your next check
anyway," she said, ruffling the catgirl's hair with one hand.
"I suppose I would appreciate that regardless. Anyhow, I've got to get on now."
"Yep! See you later~!"
"I suppose I would appreciate that regardless. Anyhow, I've got to get on now."
"Yep! See you later~!"
Thinking about on her way out...Graham decided there was no way just
a few more clothes sold had put the Mammon in that good of a
mood. Presumably her meeting that morning had gone well, too.
Wow, it's been over a year on this one, huh? I've had a lot of writer's block with this one, but feel like I've managed to mostly get out from under it.
One fun and exciting challenge/intense frustration (depending on my mood) with this story is trying to make sure it "syncs up" with Midas Journal just right. Not only for basic consistency reasons, but also because I want characters and events from the two stories to interact with and inform each other. Chronologically, this time period in Midas is where there's a fair number of time skips, which means I have to find some way to fill that time over here. I've been hoping to make a bit of a quick-montage of a week or so's worth of time on "this end" to help deal with that, but some things just really needed to be established and/or tied up before I could do that.
But, yes, speaking of Midas Journal: I have made some progress on that story too. There's a couple of parts that I want to form a "pair" and publish close to each other, and the second one is more or less fully planned out but has been unexpectedly difficult to finish. Anyway...a certain person's former name was never revealed over there, was it?
No comments:
Post a Comment