Mending Happiness (Mr. Fix It)

The story of an ordinary repairman employed at a monster girl orphanage, who’s in charge of its maintenance and makes sure its young residents feel safe and comfortable during their stay.

- - -
 (Anonymous  01/30/15(Fri)15:16:54 No.12976081)
>You'll never have a few of the girls follow you around all day, curiously watching as you go through your daily routine.

(Anonymous  01/30/15(Fri)15:25:50 No.12976109)
>you'll never be seen in fear and awe as rumors about you spring up among the orphans.
>you'll never eventually become friends with the one orphan with the courage to talk to you.
>you'll never have a teary heartfelt goodbye when she gets adopted by a good home.
- - -

- Breaking the Ice -

>You don't know why these kids got so interested in following you around the orphanage
>You don't really do anything particularly entertaining; you’re just the offstage guy
>Maybe they're just skeptical? Most of them don't even know your name
>Yet here they are, chasing after you to see what you do for a living
>”Children, come back! Leave him be, he’s very busy!“ You hear one of the caretakers call for the girls as you continue your usual routine
>"Nooo, I wanna go with Mr. Fix It!" One of them declares
>"Yeah, me too!" Says another
>Suddenly, the youngsters cling to your clothes in protest while you’re carrying a rather large toolbox in your hands, bringing you to a stop
>Well, now you can’t really pretend they’re not there anymore
>...Did they just give you a nickname?
>Maybe they're not that skeptical, after all
>And to think all of this started because of that tiny centaur who grew enough courage to talk to you
>She was a bit nervous at first, but who would’ve thought giving her a spare piece of candy would change things around this much
>Realizing that you're not a "bad guy" or anything of the sort, her little friends stopped hiding from you and spying on you from afar wherever you went
>They eventually began to get used to your presence, some even asking you things from time to time
>Now they just chase you around, probably trying to find out what you actually do around here
>At least they don't seem to be scared of you anymore
>Or at least not as much as before
>As for that brave little centaur, she eventually found a family to call her own and left the orphanage a few weeks ago
>It was kind of sad to see her go; watching her friends bid her goodbye really got to you
>But you're still happy for her, regardless

>With enough begging from the kids, their caretakers eventually let them stick around with you for the time being
>Not too long after, you finally arrive at the orphanage’s storeroom, with the kids following your every step
>Reaching for your keys, you can hear them whispering to each other behind your back as you unlock the door with one hand while holding the toolbox in the other
>("That box looks heavy!")
>("He must be really strong!")
>How flattering
>They may be kids, but a compliment's still a compliment, right?
>Turning the lights on, you walk into the rather dusty room, carefully placing the box back on its shelf
>Turning around as to leave, you're greeted by the sight of a bunch of young Monstergirls tinkering with anything they could find in the room
"...You kids aren't supposed to be in here, you know?" You tell them in a calm, yet stern voice
>"But I've never seen this place before! I wanna see what’s in here!" Says the curious Manticore as she hovers over your head flapping her tiny wings, exploring the top shelves
“Don't drop anything from up there.”
>”Hmm, I like this place too. I hereby declare it part of my royal domain!” Says a rather bossy-sounding Pharaoh carrying a red snake plushie, triumphantly raising her finger in the air while sitting on her new “throne”, which is really just a bunch of cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other resembling a chair
>Her Anubis friend claps in agreement, supporting her decision without thinking twice
>Before you can ask them how they even stacked the boxes so quickly in the first place, you feel someone tugging on your pant leg
>Looking down, you see a young Lich staring at you with her trademark deadpan expression
>”Excuse me, Mr. Fix It. Can I borrow this?” She asks in her monotone voice, showing you an old instruction manual on how to operate an electric drill she found lying around
“Uh...well, that book’s not exactly a fun read, you know...”
>”Mr. Fix It, Mr. Fix It! Is this your bedroom? Where do you sleep?” Asks a naïve Wurm as she slithers up to you
“Eh? No, I don't really sleep in here. I just keep some stuff in here.”
>”Oooh. Can we play in here, then?”
“Sorry, but no. This room isn’t really safe for you kids. The things I keep here aren’t toys and I can’t afford to have any of you getting hurt,” you tell them as you grab the flying Manticore and gently put her down on the ground. “Come on, you ought to get going now.”
>”Aaawww...”
>”Already?”
>"But we just got here..."
>Saddened, the kids put the stuff they found back in their places and gather up at the door
>Except for the werewolf girl, who’s seemingly too distracted to pay attention
>"Mr. Fix It, what's this thing?" She asks, glancing at you while pointing at something she found in the corner
"Oh, that? It’s a vacuum cleaner."
>"Vaah-coom...klee-ner...?" She repeats after you, staring at the thing with utmost curiosity
"Yeah, just be careful not to--"
>She turns it on
>Oh boy
>Her reaction upon hearing the sound of a vacuum cleaner for the first time reminded you of a GI going through his first day in Vietnam
>She immediately dashes towards you and latches on to your leg, shivering in fear
>Scared out of her wits, she barks angrily at the machine, as the other kids laugh at her silliness
>Chuckling a bit yourself, you unplug the vacuum cleaner from the wall, much to her relief
>What a fun little bunch

>After taking the children out of the room, you turn the lights off, lock the door and escort them away
>As you walk back to the main lobby, the tiny Monstergirls follow you around like ducklings following their mother
>Taking advantage of her flying abilities, the Manticore hovers over to you and lands on your shoulders, wrapping her little paws around your head
>”H-Hey, that’s not fair! You can’t do that without his permission!” The Anubis openly complains
>Turning to look at her, the Manticore sticks her tongue out while pulling an eyelid down, teasing the canine girl
>The little Lich walks by your side, holding your hand while quietly reading the instruction manual she found with the other, too busy to see where she's going, as you guide her through the corridors acting as her eyes so she won't bump into any walls
>”Mr. Fix It! Mr. Fix It!” The Wurm draws your attention, taking your other hand
“Hm?”
>”Can I come with you when you go to work?”
"Oh, I don't really think you'd want to--"
>”Hey, that's a great idea!” The Manticore agrees
>”I want to come too!” And the Pharaoh
>”Yeah! me too!” And the Anubis
>"Me too." And the Lich, looking up from her book
>They all gather around you, looking up at you with hope, as if waiting for your answer
>Taking a moment to share some glances with them, you eventually concede
"...Fine, I'll think about it..."
>What’s the harm in it, right?
>"Yaaaay~!" They shout in happiness
"...But only if you behave."
>"Yes, sir!"
>"Okay!"
>"I'll be good, too!"
"Right. Now then, isn’t it lunchtime for you kids?" You ask, checking your watch. "Your friends must be waiting for you at the cafeteria. You should get going."
>"But...are you not coming?"
"Oh, I can’t. I still have some things left to do. Maybe next time...”
>"W-What? Nooo, come with us!"
>"Please!"
"Sorry kids, I have to--"
>"Can't you do it later? Please, come with us!"
>"Just this once!"
>The children hold onto you as they beg for you not to leave, preventing you from moving
"Now now, what did I just ask of you?" You inquire, crossing your arms
>Falling silent, the girls stop tugging on your clothes
>"For us to behave..."
>Hanging their heads in disappointment, they slowly let go of you before turning to take their leave
>You watch on as the gloomy children quietly walk away; were you too harsh on them?
>Thinking it over, you let out a sigh of defeat
>If it’s for them, then perhaps you could postpone your tasks
"...Okay, okay. I guess I can do it later."
>"...Eh?"
>"Mr. Fix It...?"
"Let's go eat something. I was getting a bit hungry anyways."
>It sure beats feeling guilty for the rest of the day
>Their confused expressions soon turn into hope as you walk past them, heading to the cafeteria
>With wide smiles on their faces, the girls glance at each other for a moment before quickly catching up with you, grabbing both your hands to bring you along
>”Yaaay!”
>"Come on, mr. Fix It!"
>"Faster, faster!"
"Alright, alright, I’m going! No need to drag me all the way there...!"

And thus, the adventure begins.

- - -

- Words and Tricks -

>Yesterday’s episode was amusing to say the least
>You didn’t expect the kids to warm up to you so quickly
>It's not like you're taking care of them or anything
>Well, technically, you are now, but still
>Who knows, maybe it's just child's curiosity
>Maybe they just want to get to know you
>Maybe your uniform just looks funny to them
>Maybe all of the above
>But silly speculations aren't going to get you anywhere right now; the kitchen's plumbing isn't going to fix itself
>You yawn before going back to work
“Hm, need some tape,” you mutter to yourself while searching for it on the floor around you, still focusing your attention on the drain pipe under the sink
>”...Tayp!”
>You take the spool of thread seal tape and start wrapping it around the pipe’s threads, replacing the old, worn sealant with the new one
>Now that you think about it, getting the children’s attention doesn’t sound so bad
"Pliers...pliers..."
>You reach for the floor again, trying to find the tool you need, paying close attention to the plumbing for any faults that might appear
>"...Uuuh...thingy!"
>You take the tool in hand, bring it to your workspace, and start tightening the connection between the pipes
>Perhaps not being seen as some sort of villain might actually be a good thing
>It means you won’t get fired for scaring them, at least
>You finish tightening the slip nut and give the tool back to...
>Wait a minute
>Looking to your side, you find a young harpy in her pajamas, staring up at you with a curious smile on her face while holding the pliers you just gave her with her tiny wings
>Well, trying to hold it, since it's too heavy for her to grab it with her thumbs
>Looks like you got more attention than you thought

>You just sat there, calmly staring at each other for a little while
>You didn’t even notice her presence; how long has she been standing there?
>She’s so small, she barely reaches your chin in height, even with you sitting down on the ground
>Her light blue pajamas covered her almost entirely, except for the tip of her green wings, which poked out of the long sleeves just a little bit
>Kid doesn't look older than four
“Uh...hi,” you greet her, breaking the silence
>”Hi!” She replies
>You pause for a moment, waiting for her to say something
>But she just keeps staring at you with her naïve smile
"Do you...need something?"
>”Nuh-uh!” She replies, shaking her head
“...Okay. So uh...isn't it a little bit too early for you to be awake?”
>"Not tired!"
>You stop for a moment to check your watch
>It's 05:58 A.M.
>All the other kids are still asleep right now
>The benefits of youth are just absurd sometimes; you miss having this much energy everyday
>You’ve still got a job to do, though
"...Well, alright. I’m just going to go back to work now, okay?"
>"Okay!"
"Oh and uh, can I have those pliers you’ve got there?" You ask, pointing at the tool she's holding
>She glances at it for a second, then back up at you
>”Want thingy?" She asks, stretching her wings out to you
"Huh?”
>”Thingy!” She repeats herself, eagerly giving you the tool
“That’s not really what you call these.”
>”...No?”
“Yeah. See, this thing here, you call them ‘pliers’. You tell her, pointing at the object in question
>”Plee...yars?” She tries to repeat after you, struggling to get it right
“No, no. It’s pliers, with an ‘e'.”
>”Plee-yers.”
“Pliers.”
>”Play-ers!”
“Pliiiers.”
>”Pliii-ers!”
“There you go. That’s better,” you congratulate her, ruffling her hair before going back to work
>”Yay!” She commemorates, raising her wings up in the air as the hems of her pajamas slide down her arms
>She must be really young to still be learning words
>Maybe that's why she talks this way
>After doing the final checks on the pipes, you open the shutoff valve under the sink, enabling the flow of water
>You get out from under the sink and open the faucet
>As expected, the water starts running, with no leaks in sight too
>Excellent
>"Water!" The winged girl notices
“Yep,” you reply, closing the faucet
>You’re done here, time to go
>You crouch down and gather your tools, before turning to the tiny harpy at your side
“Hey uh, thanks for the help you gave me earlier, I appreciate it,” you tell her, patting her head again with a smile on your face
>Satisfied with your praise, she gives you a big silly smile in return
>You get back up on your feet and wipe some dust off your clothes before continuing
“Well, I oughta get going now, okay?"
>"...Ah?" She says, her cheery expression quickly changing into one of confusion
"You should probably go look for your caretakers if you need anything; they must be looking for you by now.”
>She keeps staring at you, as if not understanding what you meant
>On second thought, it’d probably be better if you kept an eye on her, just in case
>The kid looks too young to be wandering around by herself anyway
"...Or you can just come along with me. How’s that sound?"
>”Oooh...okay! Follow mister!” She says, her happy smile soon returning as she joins up with you
>You wouldn’t want her to be wandering around this place alone, she could get hurt
"Alright. Let's get going, then."
>You leave the kitchen, checking your mental list of things to do today, with the harpy following close behind
>Your next stop should be the classroom; you’ve been told one of the bookshelf is getting kind of wobbly
>As you walk down the hallway, you start to feel somewhat tired
>You yawn and rub your eyes, trying to shake it off
>”Is mister sleepy?”
“Yeah, a little bit, but it's fine..."
>Just the usual deal of getting out of bed before the sun comes up, as always
>"But mister needs a nap!" She protests
"I'm okay, really. No need to wo--"
>Your speech is interrupted as you trip on something
>Surprised, the harpy giggles at the spectacle you just put up in order not to faceplant on the floor
"...Maybe I do need a nap."
>"Ehehe..."
>Recomposing yourself, you look down at the ground to see what you tripped on
>To your surprise, one of the wooden planks that makes up the floor is coming loose
>It must've popped up when you tripped on it
>Hurriedly retrieving a hammer and a couple of nails from your tool belt, you start hammering it down
>"Ah?"
"It’s the floor board. It, uh...it broke off.”
>"Oooh. Flur...bwoke?" She says. "Bad thing?"
"Yeah. You could get really hurt on it."
>"Oh nooo..."
>You're glad to have found this before anyone else; you dread to think what would happen if one of the kids “found” it the same way you did
>Working early in the morning has its merits, even if it makes you tired
>After finishing with the nails, you kneel down and put your eyes near ground level to confirm if it's not sticking out
>The harpy blinks curiously at you for a moment before doing the same
>The plank seems to be leveled out
"Let’s take a look," you say, pressing on it with your foot to make sure it's well seated
>"Flur not bwoken?"
"Not anymore."
>After watching you step on it, the harpy pats the ground with her little feet a little bit
”I guess it's fixed now, eh?” You tell her, chuckling as she nods at you

>It doesn’t take long until you arrive at your destination
>Once in the room, you flip the switch on the wall, turning the lights on
>The first thing to come into view is the sight of many short, round desks, all surrounded by tiny, colorful chairs
>A large whiteboard hangs on the wall at the other end of the room, and a bunch of floor cushions can be seen stacked up in the corner, most likely the "seats" of the larger species
>Countless drawings and scribbles decorate the walls, depicting flowers, people, stars and plenty of other happy things
>How lovely
>Scanning across the colorful room, you quickly find what you were looking for
>Standing near a wall is a short bookshelf, containing all sorts of children’s literature
>You take a knee beside it and shake it a bit to confirm your suspicions
>The shelf wobbles around as you move it
>Quite a lot, actually
"This thing isn't looking too good," You mutter under your breath
>"No good, no good..." The harpy parrots you
"...Say, wanna help me out with this?"
>”Okay!”
“Alright, let’s begin.”
>Without further ado, you start taking the books off the shelf and neatly piling them up on the carpet
>She has a little bit of trouble holding more than a couple of them due to her wings, but she doesn’t seem to mind
>As you take the last few books from the shelf, something catches her attention
>"Ah...!" She goes, almost as if she wanted to say something
"Hm? What's wrong?"
>Coming closer, she inspects the books you have in hand as you put them down, before eagerly pointing at one of them
>"My book!"
"This one?" You ask, taking a better look at it
>It's a simple yellow phonics book with a picture of a cartoon parrot on the front cover
>'Wordy Birdy' spelled the big, colorful title
"Is this your favorite?"
>The harpy nods happily in response
>How endearing, it’s good to know she likes reading
>Speaking of which, you wonder what else the kids read around here
>Pulling another book out of the shelf, you take a look at the cover
>'Children's Introduction to Awanese, by Wendy G. Stretchmillan'
>Awanese, huh?
>Curious, you open the book and flip a few pages to see what it’s about
>...
>You don't know what you were expecting
>With the books out of the shelf, you gently set it down on the ground, showing its underside
>A quick look at it shows you the problem; the adhesive on one of the feet dried up and is coming off
>The screw that attaches them together also seems to be a bit loose
>It must've been really old to be breaking off now, but it's nothing a little bit of wood glue can't fix
>Taking a tool from your belt, you begin to carefully remove the rest of the old adhesive from the shelf
>"What is that?" She asks, leaning forwards to take a better look
"What, this? It's a chisel. It's for carving into things."
>"Chee-zul..."
"That's right. Now, let's see..."
>Making quick work of the dried material, you unscrew the shelf’s foot for a better look
>Reaching for your belt, you grab a small bottle of glue
>"...Gloo?" The harpy reads the label
"Yep," you answer, applying some of it to the piece and screwing it back in its place. “It’s for making things stick together.”
>Carefully bringing the shelf back up, you let it stand on the newly-glued foot as to keep it under pressure until it dries
"...So," you address her, taking the phonic book from the pile, “this is the one you like, right?"
>"Yeah!"
"I see. Would you show it to me?"
>"...Ah? Mister can't read?"
"...What? No no no, I mean...do you wanna read it together?"
>"Oooh. Okay!"
>With book in hand, the harpy trots over to a nearby table, taking a seat on one of the little colorful chairs as you sat cross-legged by her side
>It's gonna take a while for the glue to dry, might as well keep her entertained in the meanwhile

“’A giraffe is a very tall animal.’” You read a line in the book
>”A geeraff...is a very tall...aminal!”
"Annnimal."
>"Aaannnimal..."
"Nice, that's it," you congratulate the little bird, patting her head
>"Ehehe..."
>It's been a good while now, and there you were, reading a book with the harpy
>You’re not exactly a teacher, but she seems to be enjoying herself at least
>The kid's a fast learner too
“’They stay inside when it’s raining.’”
>”They stay inside when it’s...raining!”
“’The wizard is very knowledgeable.’”
>”The weezard is...”
>She stops for a moment, squinting in confusion as she stares at the book
>”...’naw-ledge-a-bow’...?” She inquires
“It’s what you call someone who’s very, very smart.”
>”Oooh...” She goes, turning to point at you “Mister is smart!”
“Am I? Why thank you,” you say, smiling at her. “Let’s see another one...’She waits for him to’...oh.”
>”She waits for him to oh!...Ah? Mister...?”
"Uh...looks like I got distracted there for a minute. Tell you what, I’ll take a little break while you continue that one, alright? I’ll be back in a bit.”
>”Hmm...okay.”
>Getting back on your feet, you take a quick look around the room
>How odd, the door’s closed; did you leave it like that when you got in?
>Well whatever, it’s about time you went back to work anyway
>You turn to check up on the shelf
>Only to find out that all the books you had piled up were now scattered on the ground
>That is also very odd
>You probably toppled it over by accident without realizing it
>Taking a knee, you check up on the drying glue
>”Uuuwaaahhh...!” The harpy goes, giggling to herself
>Sure sounds like she’s enjoying that book
>Standing back up, you stretch your back
>Being hunched over for too long is gonna do some numbers on you someday
>Scratching your chin, you turn to look at the bird girl once again, who’s still sitting on her little chair
>Which is now floating in mid-air
>Along with her book
>And the table
>And everything else in the room
>...Well, that explains her excitement

>Rubbing your eyes, you take a moment to absorb what’s happening
>The chairs and tables are hovering in circles around the room like some sort of slow-motion hurricane
>A mystical whistling sound echoes in your ears, as if an otherworldly presence lingered within the walls
>Enigmatic forces levitate the objects around you, stacking them on top of each other in the middle of the room as you silently observe the entire scene unfold before your eyes
>"Weee!" Goes the harpy with her insightful comment
>Noticing that the giggling harpy was still sitting on her floating chair, you nonchalantly grab her as she hovers past you, taking her into your arms so she won't get hurt
>”Ehehe, fun!” She chirps happily, unaware that she was six feet in the air not a moment ago
>Naivety is one hell of a trait
>Looking up, you watch on as the furniture dances its way to the top of the pile, almost reaching the ceiling in height
>Just as abruptly as it began, the objects finally stop moving, and the room goes quiet, leaving both you and the harpy sharing silent glances
>Well, you don’t see that everyday
>Suddenly, a ghostly silhouette pops out of thin air above the tower of tables and chairs
>Donning a simple white dress, the bluish, somewhat translucent figure slowly fades into view, proudly standing on top of the stacked furniture like a king standing atop his castle
>"Voilá!" It shouts in a childlike spectral voice, arms spread wide
>Still processing what you just witnessed, you stare at it for a couple of seconds
"...You--"
>"Wooow!" The harpy cuts you off, clapping her little wings in amazement
>Acknowledging the applause, the figure bows, as her long, black ponytail rolls over her shoulder
>Her white eyes glance at you from under her bangs, as if expecting something more
>Realizing what she's waiting for, you let out an understanding sigh, granting her a few claps of your own
>A modest grin adorns her face as she puts her arms behind her back
>"Danke, danke~!"
>Might as well recognize her effort, even if you don't know exactly what she’s doing
>Such is the un-life of this little ghost girl

"That was...different," you tell her, putting the harpy down on the ground
>"Ja! It vas great, right? It's my tallest one yet!" She says, sitting at the top of the furniture tower, happily kicking the air
"Uh huh, and you almost got your lil' friend here in big trouble while at it, too."
>"O-Oh?" She pauses, looking down at the rather clueless harpy you were pointing at. "Really? I-I mean, I vasn't going to let her fall, though! I vas paying attention!"
>Boy, that’s one hell of an accent
"It doesn't matter, she was still in danger. What if she fell off of it?" You continue, crossing your arms
>"Dayn-ger...?" The curious bird chimes in
"Yeah. The way you were flying up there was very dangerous."
>"'Dayn-ger-roos...dayn-ger fun?" She concludes
"What? No, nonono. It's not fun."
>"Ah? Not fun?"
"Danger is...something that can get you really hurt. It's not a good thing."
>”H-Hurt...?”
>She didn't seem to like the sound of that, but hopefully you got the point across
"Er...yeah. And you up there," you turn to the ghost, "come on down, will ya?"
>"Oh come on, nothing bad happened anyway! I vas just...you know, having fun!" She tries to reason, innocently pointing her finger at you
"I can see that, but..." You stop mid-speech, noticing one of your tools slowly levitating out of your belt, before taking it back. "...someone else won't like to find the room like this later on."
>"B-But I..." She protests, but your unamused expression was more than enough to make her reconsider. “...Yes sir.”
>Defeated, the child hops off the table, slowly floating down to the ground like a feather
>”Sorry...” She mutters with a pout, looking down at her feet with her arms behind her back
“It’s fine. Just be careful next time.”
>”I guess you're gonna tell on me too, right?”
"Tell on you...?"
>She seems really disappointed; were you that stern with her?
>Maybe there's still something left to understand here
“...Y’know, you did quite something here, stacking the tables like that. Where did you learn to do it?” You ask, trying to get her to talk to you
>”Eh? Oh, uh...I only do this sometimes...vhen Mrs. Isabelle isn’t around...”
“She doesn’t like it when you move stuff like that, does she?”
>”Yeah. She says it’s not safe...”
“I see. But why did you do it with us around, then?”
>”I guess...I really vanted to show someone vhat I can do...”
>Poor kid
>Taking a moment to look at her little 'work of art' once again, you give the situation a second thought
“Well, Mrs. Isabelle is right...”
>Kneeling by her side, you pat the ghost girl’s head to get her attention
“...But hey, I can keep a secret,” you reassure her, ignoring the fact that you have no idea how you’re headpatting a ghost
>”Me too!” Goes the little harpy, popping out from behind you
>”Eh? You...you von’t tell?” She asks, a glint of hope in her eyes showing her surprise
“Mistakes can happen. If they ask me, I didn’t see anything.”
>And that’s how you made the ghost girl go from disappointed to having a mile-wide smile in the blink of an eye
>”Really? Thank you so much, mister! You’re the best!” She cheers
>Smiling at her reaction, you give her a pat on the back as she jumps at you for a hug
“No problem.”
>”...”
”...”
>”Do I still have to...”
“Yes, you still have to bring the stuff back down.”

>After a good few minutes of reorganizing the tables and chairs, the little ghost joins you and the harpy in putting the books back on the shelf
>”Sooo, you’re zhe mister who vorks here, ja?” She asks, nonchalantly levitating a few books from the ground
"Yep."
>"And yooou...like to fiddle with stuff?"
“Uh, sure. I guess you could say that," you answer, catching the books in the air, one by one, and putting them in their places.
>"Mister can read, too!" Says the harpy
“Yeah, that too,” you chuckle at her remark, before turning to the ghost. “What about you, though?”
>"Me? I uh...I like to make art!"
"Art?"
>"Ja! Like drawing! Aaand...building things! And doing stuff like this!" She says, juggling the books in mid-air with her powers, a bit too close to your face, as the harpy watches in amazement
"Er...drawing, huh? You do it often?"
>"Mhm! I'm pretty good at it! Vanna see?"
"Well, why not. Just d--"
>"Okay!"
>The little ghost flies away before you can finish, eager to show off her skills
>Also leaving the books in the air before you could tell her not to
>Doing your darndest to catch the falling literature before it hits the ground, you watch on as she hovers towards the whiteboard at the other side of the room
>"Me too, me too!" Says the bird girl, quickly following suit
>Oh well, kids will be kids
>After putting all the books back in the shelf, you stand up and make your way over to them, only to find quite a peculiar sight
>The ghastly artist seemed quite busy in her endeavors, so you just left her to her own devices
>The harpy wasn't doing too well, however
>The kid was too short to draw anything properly; she could barely even reach for the markers
>Victim of her short stature, she was on the tip of her toes, raising her arms as high as she could to reach the whiteboard, but even then she was still having a difficult time with it
>Jumping up and down a few times in an attempt to make scribbles on the board, she eventually gives up
>"Hhhmmm..." She grumbles, looking up at the whiteboard in annoyance
"Having trouble there?" You ask
>Turning to look at you, the harpy nods, pouting in frustration
>Suddenly, her eyes widen in apparent realization, as if something just struck her
>Glancing at the whiteboard and then back at you a couple of times, she hops in surprise
>Looks like someone's just had an idea
>"Mister! Mister!" She beckons, tugging on your clothes
"Hm?"
>"Up, up!"
>Raising her little wings up at you, she eagerly hops in expectation, getting a chuckle out of you
"Alright, then."
>Taking a knee, you gently pull the bird girl into your arms and bring her up higher
>Coming closer to the board, you give her a marker and let her go wild
>Happy to see that her plan worked out, the harpy scribbles in glee, drawing all sorts of things
>Flowers, butterflies, a smiling Sun, and if your guess is right, a simple stickman-like depiction of herself
>As she was having her fun drawing whatever came up in her imagination, something catches your attention
>Among countless sketches, she takes a moment to draw something else
>A second stickman character alongside her own, except a bit taller, with normal "human" arms rather than wings
"Who's that?" You ask, choosing to be humble about it
>"Mister!" She says, giving you a big smile
>How lovely
>You can't help but smile back; she's a real nice kid
"Is that so? It looks great."
>You watch on as she continues, drawing more winged depictions of herself, except a bit taller this time around
>Well, practice makes perfect
>Hearing more scribbling sounds coming from your side, you shift your attention to the ghost girl
>Who’s apparently busy adding the finishing touches to what you can only describe as her own version of Wheatfield With Cypresses
>Which somehow looks just like the real thing, but with more flowers in it
"...Hey, that's...great,” you tell her, too amazed to think of a better compliment. “Where did you learn to do that?"
>"Hm? Oh, I just do it from memory!” She says, levitating multiple markers around her hands.
“From memory?”
>”Ja, it's easy! Here, I'll show you!"
>Curious to know how she managed to draw such an excellent picture in such a short time, you watch on as the little spectral artist erases her work and begins her ‘tutorial’
>"First I make a circle, like zhis...then I make some lines heeere..." She explains, slowly drawing shapes as she describes them
>Well, her process seems rather simple; how did she--
>"...And then I draw zhe rest of it!"
>Her circles and lines are now a perfect recreation of Starry Night
>What in tarnation
>You just stand there, blinking at her new masterpiece in astonishment for a few seconds
>You must’ve missed something at some point
>”Oooh! Pretty!” The little harpy chirps, amazed by the ghost’s skill
"...Wow."
>Satisfied with the feedback, the ghost smiles in return
>Who would’ve thought, she really does have some innate potential after all
>Either that or she's van Gogh's great-great-great-granddaughter
>Probably both

>Eventually moving on with a harpy and a ghost in tow, you head out to your last stop - the playroom
>Apparently one of the windows in there is taking a bit too much effort to open
>"Mister! Look, look!"
>Shifting your attention to the little bird girl, you see her floating in mid-air, gently hovering past you as she flaps her wings in glee
>Her spooky friend follows close behind, arms raised towards her, as if she were making the harpy levitate
>You did tell her to mind her powers, but after thinking it through, maybe you should let them enjoy themselves
>They’re still children, after all
>As long as you’re around, there shouldn’t be any harm in it
>You’re in no position to restrict them either way; you were a kid once, too
“Just be careful, you two,” you tell them as they float away
>”It’s okay, mister! She’s very light!” The ghost replies as they make their way over to the playroom
>Following them inside, you’re greeted by a sight even more colorful than the classroom’s
>A large foam floor puzzle mat covers the floor, complimented by many different ceiling decorations and light pink wallpapers full of cartoon animals of all sorts
>Quite modest, but still endearing nonetheless
>After a quick look around the room, you soon spot the giggling girls playing with a few plushies by the toy shelf
>Now that you think about it, it always struck you as a little odd how there aren’t too many toys around for the children
>Or at least you didn’t see that many
>You’ve always wondered if this is all they have; it doesn’t look like there’s enough for all of them
>Pushing those thoughts aside, you leave the two kids to their own devices and walk over to the window on the other side of the room
>Rolling up your sleeves, you take a quick look around the stills
>A brief attempt at pulling the window open gave you a good clue, and so you get to work
>After running your utility knife through the space between the window and the sill, you clean up the channels with a rag and spray them with some lubricant
>After a few more tries, lo and behold, the window slides open like its butter
>And with good timing too, just in time to catch a nice view of the morning Sun
>And a might beautiful one at that, now that you take a better look at it
>A gentle breeze flows in as you take a moment to enjoy the scene
>”Uwaaah...” The harpy sighs as she walks up to you with a teddy bear in her arms, seemingly pleased by the sunlight
“Warm, isn’t it?” You ask, receiving a happy nod from her in return
>”Ja, I love zhe mornings too. They’re so pretty...” The little ghost adds, leaning on your shoulder
>Before long, all three of you were just sitting there, enjoying the warmth for a little while
>Sure brings back some memories
>”Mister Denver...? Where are you?” A rather mature voice reaches your ears, coming from the corridor
>”Oh!” The ghost girl gasps, before quickly disappearing through the floor faster than a shy Kunoichi after receiving a compliment
>Just as she vanishes from your view, you see a familiar face show up at the door
>Sporting her usual summer dress, she pulls a few strands of her wavy cerulean hair away from her face as her light green eyes look up at you with a hint of comfort
>”Oh, there you are, mister Denver. Good morning!” She greets you with a smile
>It’s Dalilah, one of the orphanage’s caretakers
>Sweetest Sea Bishop you’ve ever met, too
“Hello Ms. Dalilah. Good morning to you too.”
>”Auntie Dallie!” The harpy chirps, eagerly running towards her
>”So that’s where you’ve been! I’ve been looking for you all morning, Aya!” The mermaid laughs, picking her up
>Aya?
>Huh, so that’s the kid’s name
>You knew you were forgetting something
>”Well, mister Denver, I was going to ask you if you’ve seen little Aya here, but I suppose finding her is no longer an issue.”
“Seems like it. I had a feeling someone would come looking for her.”
>”You little runaway, were you following mister Denver all this time?” Dalilah asks, patting her head
>”Uh huh!” Aya replies, nodding happily
“Yeah, she—“
>”Mister fixed water! Broke floor too! Very smart!”
>What
>”...Eh?” Her caretaker stops for a moment, confused
“T-The sink. She meant that problem with the sink you told me about. I’ve already fixed it, though, so don’t worry,” you quickly interject, trying to save face. “There was also a loose floorboard in one of the corridors. I...found it by accident.”
>By almost having an accident
>”Ah, is that so? That’s great! I was just about to ask you about it. I guess we can go deal with those dishes now...” Dalilah says. “But what about this ‘broken floor’ you speak of? Did something happen?”
>Not much, you almost kissed it, that's all
“Yeah, about that, I uh...I’ll tell you later.”
>”I see. Either way, thanks for looking after her. I was busy helping Mrs. Isabelle with the laundry and I didn’t see her passing by. She didn’t misbehave, did she?”
“No, not at all. She’s a good kid.”
>”I’m glad to hear that, and to have found her too. You’re always such a great help, mister Denver...”
>”Oh, it was nothing, really. I like to help when I can.”
>The lady pauses for a moment, smiling warmly at you
>Ms. Dalilah seems to appreciate your assistance, and that makes you happy to work here
>The pay wouldn’t feel as accomplishing without the gratitude she insists to express, even if you’re just doing your job
>Her day must be going great by the looks of it
>The little harpy’s curious eyes go back and forth between you and her for a few seconds
>”...Autie Dallie likes mister?” She asks, breaking the silence
>”...What? Oh! Well, of course I do, sweetie. He’s a great friend!” Dalilah replies, patting her head as you both chuckle at her remark
>Heartwarming
“I’m guessing she woke up before the others?”
>”Yeah, Aya’s quite the early bird, but you see, there is another runaway I’ve been looking for as well...”
“...”
>“...”
>Taking another brief pause, Dalilah suddenly gives you a 'she’s right behind me, isn’t she?' look through her smile
>”Boo!” The little ghost shouts, popping out of the wall behind her
>”Ah!” She jumps. “Oh, you got me again! Freida, dear, you know I’m not good with this sort of thing...”
>”Sorry, miss Dallie! I couldn’t resist!”
>The kids laugh in joy as their embarrassed caretaker recomposes herself
>You can’t help but stifle a chuckle yourself too
>”Okay now, we should get going, children,” the Sea Bishop says. “Mister Denver needs to go back to work.”
>”Aaah...! Mister!” Aya beckons
“Hm?”
>”Hug, hug!” She says, reaching out to you
>Sharing a quick glance with Dalilah, you come closer as she hands the little harpy over to you with a smile
>Spreading her wings, Aya gives you a big warm hug as you take her in your arms
>”H-Hey, I vant one too!” Freida adds, joining in
>”Aw, how adorable. Looks like you’re good friends already,” the mermaid notes. “Now now, let’s go, kids. It’s time for breakfast.”
>”Eh? Does it have to be right now? I’m not hungry yet!” The ghost protests
>Ghosts can get hungry?
>”Hm? Are you sure? Miss Isabelle is going to be very upset, you know~”
>”...W-Wow, I feel so hungry all of a sudden! I-I’ll race you guys zhere!”
>”Don’t go too fast, dear!” Dalilah shouts out to her as she flies out of the room, before turning to you. “Well, I’ll see you later, mister Denver.”
>”Bye bye!” The harpy says, waving at you over her caretaker’s shoulder as she turns to leave
>Without further ado, Dalilah exits the room, her mermaid tail gently waving up and down in the air as she walks away with the kid
>Well, more like hovers away by the looks of it
>You have no idea how a Sea Bishop can even move on land without any sort of assistance, or touching the ground for that matter
>Neither does physics, so you might as well not think too much into it
>Must be some sort of mermaid magic
>Shortly after Dalilah's departure, a pleasing aroma of pancakes and warm milk reaches your nostrils, telling you that the most important meal of the day was about to start
>Speaking of which, you really could use a cup of coffee right about now
>After picking up the tools you left by the window, you take a moment to check your watch
>08:03 A.M.
>Huh, already?
>Time really does fly when you have fun, after all

- - -

- Bright Ideas -

>One day you're fixing, next day you're fetching
>Your job’s all about versatility
>It makes work more dynamic, and it keeps you busy, but it never leaves you bored
>The residents sure make it all the more lively too, especially the little ones
>Naturally, you're always happy to help when asked
>Like today
>With a new task in your hands, you walk through the corridors of the orphanage, making your way to the back of the building
>A pleasant breeze blows past you as you open the door, stepping outside onto the wide, grassy backyard
>Oddly enough, you don’t see anybody outside today, at least on this side
>The kids are probably playing in the front yard; that's where all the sunlight goes to during the evenings anyway
>With a key in hand, you continue walking alongside the wall, heading over to a short row of stairs that led down to a worn, sturdy door below ground level
>With a brief turn in the lock, the clacking of metal announces your entrance, and a drawn-out creaking of wood welcomes you into the room
>Man, that was loud; these hinges could use some oil
>Making a mental note to fix the door later, you step into the ancient, untouched chamber under the orphanage
>The basement
>With the flick of a switch, a lone light bulb sparks into life, showering the room in light and vanquishing the darkness
>The sight, however, is not unfamiliar to you
>Lines of old bricks surrounded you from all sides, marking the limits of the wide room, with the occasional cobweb accenting its age near the corners, hidden away from the light
>Thick, washed-out wooden beams and pillars ran along the edges of the room, embedded within the walls and ceiling to support the building above, as the aura of the place spoke of generations gone by
>Of course, that’s just a fancy way of saying the room looks old, at least in comparison to the rest of the orphanage
>Still, you’d be lying if you said you’ve never been intrigued by it
>Sometimes you do wonder how old it really is, but that is a question for another day
>Focusing on your task, you survey your surroundings, quickly finding the reason why you came here
>Rows and rows of shelves lined up along the walls, loaded with boxes, festive items and other things that don’t see much everyday use
>It might take a while to find what you’re looking for, but you don't mind the work
>Ready to begin, you take a step forward
>And the lights go out
>...Right, even the lightbulbs are old in here
>But that will not be a problem; you came prepared
>Reaching for your tool belt, you draw your good ol’ trusty flashlight
>Flicking it on, you wave it around a little bit as to regain your bearings
>That’s good enough, all set
>You can sort that lightbulb out later; now, to find--
>Poof
>...
>Well, there goes the battery

>That was convenient
>You had a feeling something like this would happen
>And just like that, you go right back to fixing
>But that's what you're here for, after all
>Making a quick trip back to the storage room, you take a box of spare parts off a shelf and search through it for an extra bulb
>Sure enough, you find one; still in the package too
>Much to your chagrin however, you also find out that you’ve got no reserve batteries left for your flashlight
>Well, you can probably figure things out without it
>Putting the item in a pouch on your tool belt, you leave the storage room, locking the door behind you
>"Hey!" A voice suddenly calls out
>Pocketing your keys, you to your sides as to see who's addressing you
>Only to see an empty corridor, with no one in sight
>Who just...
>"Down here!" A second voice gets your attention
>Looking down at the ground, you see two little figures standing right next to you
>Donning identical yellow shirts, shorts, sandals, and even the exact same short, wavy amber hair, the two kids look up at you with cocky smiles on their faces
"Oh. Hello there," you greet them
>"You're the ‘Fix It’ mister we keep hearing about, aren’t ya?" asks one of them, pointing at you
"I suppose."
>"We heard you're strong! Is that true?"
"Strong? Well, I--"
>"Cool! We're strong, too!"
>"Yeah! We're awesome!"
>Even their voices sound similar
>And pretty brave as well
"Is that so? That's nice. And you are...?"
>"I'm Akira!" Says the one
>"I'm Homura!" Says the other
>"We're the super duper Sparkle Team!" They shout in unison, proudly raising their little arms in the air as a faint yellow glow emanates from them
>They must be some of them spirit-type girls
>What was their proper name, again? Chochin-Obake?
>And quite the energetic ones by the looks of it
”Ah I see,” you reply, smiling at them. “You do look pretty super to me.”
>”You bet!”
>”We’re super cool!”
>Although endearing, the kids seem oddly confident for some reason
>It’s almost like they’re looking for a challenge of some sort
>”We challenge you!”
>Oh
“Challenge me?”
>”Yeah! To see who’s the best!”
“...Alright. What do you kids have in mind?”
>Taking a moment to glance at her sister, who eagerly awaited her decision, Akira points at you once again
>“We’ll fight you!"
“Fight me?”
>”Yeah, uh...what? I-I mean, yeah!” Her sister agrees
“We can't do that.”
>”Eeeh? Why not? Are you scaaared~, mister?”
“No, I just don't think--"
>"Let’s get him, sis!"
>"H-Hyaaah!"
>Ignoring your advice, the girls jump at you before you can finish
>Holding tight onto your arms, they tug and pull at them, trying to wrestle you down
>Or at least that’s what you think they’re trying to achieve
>Either way, this doesn’t sound like a very good idea
"Kids..." You try to get their attention
>"Can't run from us now!" Akira says, playing tug-of-war with your left arm
"Kids, listen."
>"W-We won't lose!" Says Homura, practically using your right arm as a climbing rope
>Despite their efforts, the girls struggle to make you even budge, which isn’t really bothersome
>Still, they’re not listening to you either, and that is a bit of a problem
>Sighing in defeat, you lean over as they continue to hang onto your limbs
>"Hey, look! We’re winning!"
>"We're the best! We're the--"
>And then you quickly bring yourself back up, easily lifting them both off the ground as you raise your arms to chest level
>Hanging from your arms like kittens on a branch, the twins freeze in surprise, quieting down as realization dawns on them
>("...Uuhh...sis?") Homura whispers, nervously glancing at her sibling
>("Y-Yeah?")
>("I-I can't feel the floor...")
“Fighting isn’t nice, you know,” you tell them. "Someone might get hurt."
>"..."
>That got their attention
>You can't help but smile at their frustration as you put them back down on the ground
“Sorry, kids. You’ll have to think of something else."
>Can't let them go around play-wrestling, lest a certain someone saw you encouraging them
>You’ve got to be professional, after all
>But most importantly, you don’t want to get scolded
>"O-Okay, sooo you are, uh...just as strong as we are. Yeah, that. S-So we'll be nice and try something different..." Akira says
>"Er, y-yeah! It was a draw! We're gonna go easy on ya, just this once...!" Homura stammers, their attempt to save face getting a stifled chuckle out of you
"Thanks. That’d be nice."
>Turning their backs to you, the girls start talking in whispers
>(“What do we do now, sis? He's tougher than we thought!”)
>(“Hang on, I’m thinking...”)
>(“We should have thought of a plan B before!”)
>(“I know, I know!”)
>You can still hear them just fine from here
>(“...Oh! I've got it!”)
>(“What is it?”)
>(“You’ll see.”)
>Turning back around, the girls look up at you again
>"Let’s race!” Akira declares, arms akimbo
>"Uh, yeah! Let’s do it!" Her sister quickly agrees, showing a bit more approval of her decision this time around
>It really seems like they're bent on winning this little contest
>You still got a job to do, but you can tell by the look on their faces that they just want to play with you
>Oh well, why not?
“Hmmm...sure.”
>At least it's doesn't have anything to do with fighting
>Contests of strength have always been more of a fairy thing anyway
>"Okay! We'll race ya to, uuuh...where are we going?"
"Well, I was on my way to the basement today..."
>"What's a basement?"
"A basement is...it’s a place where you keep old things you don’t use very often. The--"
>"Cool! That place, then!"
>"We'll get there first!"
>Like two bright little shooting stars, the girls rush past you before you can finish, quickly turning a corner at the end of the corridor and disappearing from your view
>The little ones are mighty fast, but they forgot one thing
>You just stand there for a few moments, patiently waiting for it; they'll realize it soon enough
>Eventually, you spot a pair of eyes peeking at you from around the corner of the doorway they went through not too long ago
>Shyly trotting over to you, Homura returns with a somewhat embarrassed look on her face; you already knew what she was going to ask before she did
>"Um, mister Fix It...which way should we go, again?" She sheepishly asks, fidgeting with her fingers
>To which you answer by pointing in the opposite direction
>"Oooh. Aw geez, siiis! Come back! We went the wrong way!" She shouts, hurriedly going after her twin
>Amused by their carelessness, you let out a hearty chuckle before turning around and moving on
>These kids live too fast for their own good sometimes

>The trip back to the basement was quite entertaining
>Eventually catching up, the lantern sisters ran ahead of you, taking the lead
>To make sure they were going in the right direction, they would stop on occasion and look back as to see which way you were going, so they would know where to run off to
>Trying to put some effort into it, you quickened your walking pace, but to no avail; they’re Olympic sprinters in comparison to you
>Maybe you’re just getting old
>Besides, running with a tool belt on without dropping anything isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do
>”This way, sis!”
>”Aha! We found it!”
>”We won! We won!”
>To the surprise of no one, they eventually beat you to it
>Slowing down a little bit, you finally catch up with the girls, who're waiting at the door to the basement outside
>"You're too slow, mister!"
>"You gotta be faster than that!"
"Alright, alright. You guys won this round," you concede, as you go down the stairs
>"Mister Fix It, more like mister Turtle!"
>"Hehehe..."
>Reaching for the door, you stop to glance at their cheeky faces
"Hey now, I'm not that slow."
>"It’s okay, mister Turtle. We can give you another chance if you want--"
>Without any warning, you push the door open, making the old hinges creak loudly in all their grindy glory
>”Eeek!” The girls squeal, startled by the sound
“Yeah, I’d like that,” you tell them, smiling at their reaction
>”What was that?!”
>”That’s so noisy...!"
>Noisy indeed
>You really need to get this door sorted out, though; this thing is actually pretty loud
>With the aid of the fading light coming from outside, you step into the room and take a quick look around
>Yep, still as dark as it was fifteen minutes ago
>Now reminded why you came down here again, you assume that the girls won't be joining
“The lights aren’t working in here,” you explain, turning to them. “You might want to wait-- “
>Much to your surprise however, they actually follow you inside in spite of the darkness
>Holding onto each other's hands, they survey the room with curiosity, but also with a hint of wariness; not a single word escaping their mouths
“...Hey, you two alright?” You ask. “Does the dark not scare you?”
>”Eh? No, we...we’re fine.” Akira answers, her tone a bit more humble than before
“Are you sure? You don’t have to come along if you don’t want to.”
>”It’s okay, mister,” Homura says, looking around. “We’ve been in the dark before...”
“Oh, you have...? That’s pretty courageous. So you’re okay with it, then?”
>”Erm...yeah. Besides, that is where the bad guys usually hide, you know! We gotta be on the lookout!”
“Bad guys?”
>”Uh-huh! They can be mean, but we’re not afraid of them anymore!”
>You don’t quite understand what they’re talking about, but they don’t look apprehensive about it now
>Must be imaginary monsters; you did believe in them back when you were young as well
“Ah, I see. That sounds very brave, indeed. Can I count on you if one of them shows up? I could use a super team helping me out.”
>”Of course! We’ll go together!”
>”We’re the bravest!”
>And just like that, their upbeat nature is back
>Odd change of mood, but you quickly put the thought aside; it’s about time you got back on track
“Well then, let’s go. Stay close now.”
>"Haaai," they reply, holding onto your clothes for guidance
>Resuming your mission, you start off by cutting the power in the room through the circuit breaker on the wall
>You're not looking for any shocking experiences today, so safety's always first
>Like two little walking candles following your lead, the lantern sisters’ natural light shines in the darkness, helping you see things around you a bit better as you venture further into the room
>Such a nice little trait
>”Sooo, mister Fix It, why are the lights not working?” Asks one of the girls
“Because the bulb went out.”
>”Oooh.”
>”Did you go catch it?” Her sister chimes in
“When I repl...oh, you."
>"Hehehe..." Her twin giggles as she returns your amused glance with a toothy grin
>Cheeky little moppets
>Well, at least they seem to be more at ease now
>They adapt quite fast
>”...Huh? What’s that?” Akira asks, her smile quickly turning into a look of curiosity as she gazes at something in the shadows
“Hm? Where?”
>”Up there! Look!”
>Turning to look forward, you suddenly find four pairs of green orbs glowing in the darkness above you
>As if staring straight into your eyes, the orbs remain still for a few moments, as if studying your being
>Slowly, the orbs descend from the ceiling, as a mysterious silhouette takes form in the shadows
>Blinking each pair of its eyes at you, the figure stares and stares, almost as if it were emanating a sentiment of surprise, not unlike yours
>And then, with a toothy fanged grin, it speaks with a voice most jolly
>”Hello--“
>”YOISHO!” The sisters shout, raising their hands up at the figure and lighting up the darkness with a strong innate glow
>”A-Aaaahh! Ooooow!” It squeals, blinded by the light as it washes over its form
>Caught off-guard, you squint in reaction, your vision blurring for a few moments as it adapts, revealing the terrifying image of...a little spidergirl
>And quite a peculiar one, too
>Bearing a bulky lower body, her dark spider half contrasted with striking goldish stripes on each of her “knees”, being covered in a layer of small hairs that resembled a tarantula’s
>Hanging from the ceiling by a string of web tied around her hip area, she tries to cover her eyes with her hands in a desperate attempt of self-defense
>”Oh gosh, stooop! I can’t see!” She shouts, turning away from the light
>”Aha! We did it!” Says one of the lantern girls
>”We got the baddie!” Says the other, high-fiving her sister as they tone their glow down
>”W-Who are you calling 'baddie'?!” The arachne hisses at them, balling up her fists and rubbing one of her eyes
>”You!”
>”Only a bad guy would hide in the dark!”
>”You two again...!” The spider girl shakes her fist at them, frowning in anger. “When I get my hands on you, I’ll--“
>Her web suddenly snaps apart
>”...Ah.”
>And down she goes
>Reacting quickly, you swoop in to catch her before she hits the ground
>”Oof!” She mutters as she lands in your arms, faceplanting into your chest
>Surprisingly enough, she actually feels lighter than you expected for someone her size
>"Oooh! Hayai!” The sisters cheer, apparently amazed by your reflexes
>”Uuugh, not again...” The spidergirl grumbles, lazily recomposing herself
“Hey, that was close. Are you alright?" You ask
>"Uh, y-yeah...I think so," She replies, meekly fixing her dress and short, sleek dark hair with her hands. "Thanks, mister..."
>How strange; a spider who falls off ceilings?
"What happened up there?" You inquire, as the twins distract themselves by re-enacting your spider-saving catch with each other
>"Ah, it's just...my silk. It keeps snapping..."
"Snapping?"
>"Yeah. It happens sometimes...” She explains, a hint of disappointment in her tone
>Judging by the look on her face, she seems to be no stranger to it
“Wasn’t it dangerous to hang from the ceiling like that, then?”
>"Well--"
>”We broke Maggie's web with our powers, mister Fix It!” Says one of the lantern girls, pointing at the arachne
>”Maggie the Baddie can’t beat us!” Says the other, flexing her little arms
>”Gaaah, leave me alone!” She growls, skittering around your body and perching on your back for refuge
>’Maggie’, huh? So that’s her name
>Looks like they’re already acquainted with each other
“Oh be nice now, kids.” You tell them, amused

>Resuming your search for the ceiling socket, you make your way to the center of the room, guided by the sisters’ glow
>“So, whatcha doing, mister?” The spidergirl asks, peeking over your head
“I was searching for something down here, but the lights burned out, so I’m going to replace them.”
>“Oooh, so that’s why it wasn’t working...”
“Yep. By the way uh...Maggie, right?"
>"Hm?"
"How did you get in here, again?”
>”Eeeh...the door was open, a-and I, uh...got kinda curious, sooo...” She coyly answers, shrugging at you
>Of course you forgot to lock the door when you left, how professional of you
"Well, fair enough."
>Can't really blame her for her curiosity, though; even you seldom visit this place yourself
>Finally at the center of the room, you look up, soon finding the bulb socket
>”There it is!” Maggie points out
>”I see it now, too. Good eye.”
>Since the basement's ceiling is so low, the bulb is just within arm’s reach, but now that you've actually found it, you can barely see it in the dark
>Without your flashlight, it wouldn't be safe to work like this
>Looks like you’re going to have to tough this one out
>Unless...
>Rubbing your chin, you turn to glance at the lantern girls below
>"...What?" Asks one of them
"...Say, could you shine some light up here for me?" You ask her, pointing at the ceiling above
>"Huh...? O-Oh! Yeah, I can do that!" She quickly agrees, confident as always
>"Eeeh..." The arachne grumbles, taking cover behind you as to protect her eyes
>After a few seconds of concentration, the lantern girl raises her little arms towards the ceiling, intensifying her glowing powers
>"Huuuoooh!" She shouts, as if shooting a beam of light out of her hands
>It's a bit intense, but at least you can see what you're doing now
>”H-How’s that...?” She asks, still maintaining her glow
“That’s great. Just give me a moment...”
>With the help of her light, you quickly unscrew the broken bulb and take a look at it
>Burned out due to age, just as you thought
>”You can do it, sis! Just a bit longer!” Her twin cheers her on
>Pocketing the broken bulb in one of your pouches, you take the new one and carefully screw it into the socket
"There we go."
>"M-Mister..." The lantern girl mutters, visibly tired from focusing for too long. “I-Is it over yet...?"
“Yeah, we’re done. You can rest now.”
>”Whew...” She sighs, letting her arms go limp as her glow fades away
“Now you’re the one who’s burned out, huh?” You ask, much to the girls’ amusement
>”Yeah...j-just a little bit, though!"
>”Hehehe...”
"I guess even the best need to take a little break sometimes."
>"Mhm!" She nods
>"The best? Who?" Asks the spidergirl, glancing at the Chochin-Obake with a doubtful smirk on her face
>"Huh? Well, sis and me, of course!” She responds
>"Best what? Lamps?"
>"No! The best everything!"
>"You can't be the best everything, silly."
>"Yeah, we can."
>"No, ya can't."
>"Yeah, we can!"
>"Nuh-uh."
>"Yuh-huh."
>"Nuh-uh!"
>"Yuh-huh!"
“Er, right. Let's just turn the lights on...”
>"Oh, oh! I'll do it!" Says the other lantern girl, trotting over to the switch by the doorway as her sister and the arachne engage in some sort of not-so-friendly-looking stare contest
>Quickly finding the switch in the dark, she flicks it on
>Much to her surprise however, nothing really happens
>"Eh? It’s not working...?” She inquires, trying a few more times, but to no avail
"Hold on, there's one more thing..."
>Making your way over to the circuit breaker, you turn the room's power back on
"Alright, try it now."
>"Okay!"
>With one last flick of the switch, the room lights up at last, finally dispelling the darkness
>"Woooah...!" She marvels at her surroundings, as the other kids stop their little squabble to take a look around
>"This place looks so...different...!”
>”It looks so old..."
“It does, doesn’t it?” You agree, gently putting the arachne down on the ground
>You’re glad to know someone shares your opinion
>Now with a clear sight of the room, you turn to the kids
"Thanks for the help, uh...Homura, was it?" You tell the lantern girl by your side
>"Huh? No no, I'm Akira! Sis is over there!" She quickly corrects you, pointing at herself, then at her sibling, who’s standing by the light switch
>”Yeah, that’s me!”
"Oh, my bad. I was hoping I would guess it right..."
>"This always happens..." Akira pouts, crossing her arms. "Why does everyone keep getting our names wrong?"
>It seems they don’t like getting mixed up that much, but you can’t say you didn’t try
>Glancing between the two of them, you open your mouth as to say something, but nothing really comes to mind
>The fact that look almost identical doesn’t help much either
“Well, I wouldn’t know...”
>”It’s because you look the same,” the spidergirl chimes in, poking fun at them
>Well, that was a bit blunt
>”Eeeh!? No, we don’t!”
>”Yeah, we don’t!”
>”Yes, you do.”
>Here we go again
>”N-No way! I’m, uh...I’m a bit taller, see? We’re very different!”
>”Yeah! And I like to say ‘yeah’ a lot, too!”
>You’ll keep that in mind to remember who’s who later
>”...Naaah, still look the same.”
>”Nuh-uh.”
>”Yuh-huh.”
>"Nuh-uh!"
>"Yuh-huh!"
>”Nuh-uh!”
>”Yuh-huh!”
>Oh, they get along so well

>This place has more stuff in it than you remember
>Plenty of boxes and shelves everywhere, and yet what you're looking for is all but out of sight
>(”Hey, look what I found!”)
>You've been searching for a good while now; where could it be?
>("What's that...?")
>Box after box, you continue your hunt; it’s got to be around here somewhere
>(“E-Eeehh...?!”)
>After checking through yet another shelf, you take a quick break to stretch your back
>Can’t let your posture suffer too much from this, after all
>"KYAAAH!"
>”Mister Fix Iiit!”
"...?"
>Turning to check up on the kids, you see the sisters running towards you as Maggie chases them down with something in her hands
>"Hey, don’t run! They don't bite!" She says, giggling in joy
>"N-Nooo! Stay away!" Akira shouted, seeking refuge behind your legs along with her sister
>Catching you off-guard, the kids begin to frantically circle around you
>”Mister Fix It, make her stop!”
>”Hehehehe...”
“Hold on, what’s happening?”
>”Maggie’s being mean!” Homura said, holding on to your clothes
>”No, I’m not!” The spidergirl replied, attempting to reach the lantern girls as they desperately try to keep you in between them. “I just...wanna show them...someTHING!”
>Suddenly raising her arms, Maggie proudly displays her furred arachne hands
>With a bunch of little spiders hanging from each one of her fingers, like the strings of a marionette
>”AAAH!” The sisters yelp as they run away at the sight of the bugs, with the spidergirl quickly giving chase
“Kids, wait! Slow down!” You try to warn them, but to no avail
>Like cat and mice, the girls run in circles around the room, too fast for you to catch them
>”Come back here! I’m gonna get ya!”
>”N-No, you won’t!”
>”Go awaaay!”
>Round and round and round they go
>After countless laps, Maggie eventually manages to corner them
>"What’s wrong? I thought you guys were the ‘best everything’. Are ya scared now~?" She says, a devilish grin adorning her face
>Raising her little hands full of spiders at them, she begins a slow march towards the duo
>"Sis, we're gonna have to do that thing," Akira tells her twin, frowning at the arachne
>"T-That thing...!?" Homura replies, surprised. "...Er, what thing?"
>Pulling her sister close, Akira whispers into her ear, quickly clearing up her confusion as her eyes widen in excitement
>"Oooh! Alright!"
>"Let's go!"
>Taking a knee, Homura helps her sister up as she climbs on top of her
>"Eh? What are you doing?" Maggie pauses, looking puzzled
>With a little bit of struggle, Homura stands back up with Akira sitting on her shoulders
>"Super Sparkle Team Powerup!" They shout, triumphantly raising their arms in the air, now standing twice as tall as the arachne
>Taken aback, Maggie just looks up at them for a few moments
>"...Hey, that’s not fair."
>"DOSUKOI!"
>"GAAAAH!"
>Without warning, the sisters blast the spidergirl with light, again
>Blinded by the flash, Maggie recoils in reaction, quickly letting go of the bugs as to cover her eyes with her hands
>"Hah! Take that!"
>"We got her!”
>You ought to do something before they go too far
"Alright, kids. That’s eno--"
>"Let's get her, sis!"
>"Eeeek!"
>Still ignoring your words, the lantern girls start chasing after Maggie as she hurriedly tries to run away
>”It's our turn now!” Akira shouts, shooting light at the fleeing spidergirl
>”The good guys always win!” Homura adds, still carrying with her sister on her shoulders
>”Ooow! Hey, quit it! I never hurt anyone!”
>Unable to see what’s in front of her, Maggie accidentally bumps into a stack of boxes, tipping over the one at the top
>Right over herself
>”W-Wooaaah...!”
>”H-Hey, look out!”
"...!"
>Without a second though, you act, managing to grab the box in mid-air before it drops on her head
>For a brief moment, you let out a sigh of relief, thankful for being fast enough to stop the impending accident
>But then its contents fall out on top of her
>"Waaah!" The arachne yelps, covering her head with her arms as she’s showered in...Christmas decoration
>Volumes upon volumes of ribbons, poinsettias, stockings and other items fall over like an avalanche, burying the poor girl in ornaments of all sorts
>By the time it's over, she looks more like a Christmas tree than a spider
"..."
>"..."
"...You alright?"
>"Uuugh..." She grumbles, moving under the pile
>Thank goodness
>At least she's still alive, if a little bit disoriented
>Looking to your side, you see the lantern sisters with their hands on their mouths as they watch in silence, their mischievous smiles replaced by a look of surprise and worry
>"Why, you..." Mutters an upset Maggie as she recovers from her dizziness, digging her way out of the pile of holiday decoration while staring daggers at them
>Her stare is soon broken however, as you rest your hand on her shoulder, bringing her attention to you
“Are you hurt anywhere?” You ask, an unamused look adorning your face as you take a knee by her side
>”Uh...n-no. I’m...I’m okay...”
>After sharing a glance with her, you turn to look at the sisters again, beckoning them to come closer
>Quietly, the girls hop off of each other, shying away from your gaze as they meekly shuffle over to you
>"..."
"I told you kids to slow down, didn't I?" You calmly ask, looking down at all three of them
>"Y-Yeah..."
>"Uh-huh..."
“Well, did you?”
>”N-No, sir...”
>"B-But...but Maggie started it! She's the bad guy!" Akira says, blaming the arachne
>"Wha--?! N-No, I'm not! You are!"
"Now now, it doesn't matter who started it. I don't want to see anybody getting bruises over this."
>"B-But...!"
"Pointing fingers isn't very nice, you know."
>”...”
>Out of arguments, the kids fall silent under your gaze
>"Sorry, mister..." Little Homura murmurs under her breath, fidgeting in shame
"I know you are, but it's not just me you should be apologizing to," you explain, glancing between the three of them
>It takes them a moment, but your message eventually gets through as they turn to look at each other
>Avoiding each other's eyes out of embarrassment, they hesitate to speak
>"..."
>"...Um...I’m sorry I called you a bad guy, Maggie..."
>"Yeah, me too..."
>"I'm sorry I scared you guys with the spiders..."
>Much to your surprise, the girls come closer and share a group hug after their apologies, all without you asking them to
>How sweet of them; they've been raised quite well
"Okay, that's better. So, are we going to play nice from now on?" You ask, donning a friendlier expression
>"Yes, sir."
>"Uh-huh."
>"Yeah."
"Alright, that’s good to hear.”
>”Mister...are you mad at us?” Homura asks, looking up at you
“Don’t worry, I’m not. You’ve admitted your mistake. That was very responsible,” you reassure them, patting their heads to put their minds at ease. “I know you won't let me down."
>You’re glad things have calmed down; all is well in the end
>These kids can quite grown-up, after all
"...Now, who's gonna help me clean up this mess?"
>They immediately point at each other, much to your amusement
>Well, maybe not that much
>That’s one way to volunteer, at least

>You suppose keeping things organized is all part of the job, especially when the little ones are around
>Can’t stop them from making a mess, but they also need to know when to clean up; nobody likes an untidy house
>But most importantly, nobody likes getting in trouble for it
>Neither do you, so you just let it slide
>”Here ya go, mister,” Maggie says, handing you a few pieces of decoration she’s gathered
"Thanks. I think that was the last of them."
>Returning the items to the box, you put it back in its place and go back to your original task
>Finding a spot to sit nearby, the spidergirl starts fiddling with something in her hands, seemingly ponderous about something
>Meanwhile the sisters, now much calmer, continue to look around, albeit with reserved curiosity
>The kids seem pretty quiet now; they’re probably thinking you wanted complete silence when you asked them to calm down
>Well, that’s not quite what you were aiming for; perhaps a little chat might put them more at ease
“Say, Maggie...” You address the arachne, taking a break from your search to look at her
>”Hm?”
“What were you telling me about your silk? Does is snap too often?”
>”Mhm. Aunt Dallie says it’s normal.” She explains, looking down at her hands. “She says I’m unique...and different...but...”
“Different? How so?”
>”Like...this.” She says, showing her hands
>Putting the tips of her index fingers together, she slowly pulls them apart
>As if out of thin air, a delicate string of web appears, bridging the two fingertips together
>Now that’s something you’ve never seen before
“Hey, that’s pretty neat,” you say, getting her attention. “How do you do that?”
>”I can make silk from my fingers, but...it isn’t like the others’. It’s not very strong.” She continues, looking down at her hands and pulling them apart until the strings snaps
“Why not?”
“I don’t know...I guess I just can’t make it good enough...”
>So that’s why she fell her back then
>She must’ve been trying to get better at it
>You can tell by the look on her face that she’s gotten used to it
>Poor thing
>Maybe there’s something you can do to make her feel better
“...Well, I think she’s right.”
>”Eh...?”
“Aunt Dallie. She’s right about you being unique.”
>”...Really?”
“Sure thing. Your web may be different, but that doesn’t mean it’s worse. It just means you can do different things with it.”
>You're not quite sure what to tell her, but you suppose she still has room to grow
>”Oh, I dunno...” She fidgets, looking somewhat flattered
“To tell you the truth, I’m not aware of any other arachne who can make web from their fingers like that,” you tell her, patting her head. "Maybe you just need a little bit more practice. You’ll get it eventually."
>”Hmmm...”
>Fiddling with her hands again, Maggie begins to wrap silk around her fingers, nonchalantly making a loop of string around them
>Perhaps she’s pondering on what you said; hopefully your words were helpful in some way
>The case she’s had with the sisters not too long ago may have dispirited her a bit
>Sometimes the kids can get in a little squabble, like anyone else
>"...What's that?" Homura approaches, seemingly curious about what the arachne is doing
"Hm? Oh, this? It's just, uh...silk figures?” Maggie replies, shyly showing the loop of web string in between her fingers. “I like to make stuff with them."
>Quietly returning to your task, you let the girls have a talk together
>Their recent disagreements might've made them a bit quieter, but you're sure it’ll pass
>"What sorta stuff?"
>"Well, stuff like, um...this." The spidergirl continues, twisting and spinning the silk loop a little bit to make a diamond shape
>"Oooh," Homura marvels at her craft. "It's just like Cat's Cradle!"
>"Er, yeah...I think so."
>That sort of thing can happen from time to time, and that’s fine
>What really matters is what comes after the dust is settled
>"Can you make another one?"
>"Mhm. I can make...this,” Maggie says, fiddling with the silk further to make the rough shape of a butterfly
>"Wow, that’s so cool! Hey sis, look! Maggie can do Cat’s Cradle!”
>”Eh? Really? Can I see?”
>Discreetly watching over them out the corner of your eye, you smirk in amusement, pretending not to be paying attention to their conversation as you eavesdrop on them
>"I can make this one too..."
>"Hey, that looks like a star!"
>"Sugoi!"
>And just like that, things are back to normal
>It’s always nice when bonds are made; that’s when you know an important lesson has been learned
>Sometimes it’s best to let things happen naturally, with a little bit of guidance here and there
>"...And if I pull this bit here, I can make this!"
>"Wow, that’s, uh...what’s that one?"
>”It’s the Eyefell Tower!”
>”The wha-- oooh, I see it!”
>”Hey Maggie, can we try it too?”
>”Huh?”
>”Yeah! Please, teach us!”
>”Um...sure. Let me just undo this thing...”
>Carefully unwrapping the silk and snapping it, the arachne runs the piece of string between her thumb and index finger, seemingly adding more material to it as to make it a bit longer, before making it whole again
>”Oooh, how did you do that?”
>”I can make it with my fingers, see? Here, gimme your hands...”
>How heartwarming
>Kids may get in the worst of hassles sometimes, but they can also make amends like no one else can
>Leaving the kids to their own devices, you check inside the last storage closet you haven't searched yet
>You’ve lost track of how long you’ve been searching, but it has to be somewhere in here
>”...And then you pull this one with your thumb.”
>”This one?”
>”Yep.”
>It doesn’t take long for you to sweep through everything
>Just as you thought, you soon find what you’ve been looking for
>A small plastic box meant for storing materials
>Carefully retrieving it from the closet, you place it on your knee and take a quick look inside
>Craft foam rolls, EVA rubber, some packs of popsicle sticks, a big bottle of glue...
>Nice, it's all here
>Took you way too long to find this stuff
>Closing the box and turning to the kids, you see the arachne helping one of the sisters wrap a string of silk around her fingers
>”Now you pull your hands apart and...there!”
>”Hey, it looks like a little hammock!”
>”This is so fun!”
>Seems like they’ve been enjoying themselves in the meantime
>”Mister Fix It, look! I made a hammock!” Homura approaches you, eagerly showing the figure in her hands
“Oh, you did? That looks really nice.”
>”Sis, I wanna make one too!”
>”Sure! Let me just...uuuh...”
>”What’s wrong?”
>”I...can’t get it off?”
>”Eh? Why not?”
>”I don’t know, it’s...it’s stuck! Maggie, help!”
>”Hold on, lemme see.”
>They might also be having some technical difficulties
>With her hands wrapped up in silk, Homura tries to pry it off her fingers, but the more she tries, the worse it gets
>”What happened, Maggie?” Akira asks
>”Oh geez, what a mess,” the spidergirl says. “Did you tangle it up?”
>”I-I was just trying to get it off! I didn’t know it’d get stuck...”
>”It’s fine. I can do it, but it’s gonna take a bit...”
>”N-No way...”
>”Hmm...Oh! Sis, I know!” Akira chimes in. “We could use our powers to break it off!”
>”...Wait, what?”
>”Oh, yeah! Like we did before!” Homura agrees
>”Let’s go!”
>”N-No, wait--“
>”SUBALUWA!”
>And the entire room flares up yet again
>”GAAAH! Stop doing that!”
>You can’t help but join the sisters as they laugh at the situation, apologizing to the arachne as she rubs her eyes
>Yep, back to normal alright

>It took you some time, but you finally found what you were after; no point in sticking around anymore
>With the box under your arm and ready to take your leave, you turn to the girls, who're still playing around with string figures
"Alright kids, time to go."
>"Eeeh?”
>”Already?"
"Yep. Found what I came for," you say, patting the box
>”Aaaww.”
>”’Kaaay...”
>Guiding them outside and locking the door behind you, you take a moment to look at the sky above, only to notice that the Sun is starting to set
>Seems like you've been out here for quite a while
“It’s getting dark," you tell them. "You'd better get going before your friends realize you’re missing."
>”But we were just starting to have fun...”
>"Mister, what's that box for, anyhow?" Maggie asks, looking up at it
“Hm? Oh it’s, uh...”
>Just as you’re about to answer her question, an idea comes to mind
"...it’s a secret."
>”Huh?”
>"Secret? What secret?"
>"What is it? Is it for us?"
"Sorry, can't tell."
>"Whaaa...? Why not?"
>"No fair! I wanna know!"
>"Yeah, me too!"
>That sure piqued their curiosity rather quickly
"Ms. Dalilah said it’s something special. She asked me not to."
>”Aunt Dallie? Does she know?”
”Yep. If you want to know too, you’re gonna have to go ask her.”
>”Hmm...”
>Let’s see if they’re still up for it
“Tell you what; I’ll race you to it. If you find her first, you might find out what it is.”
>”Eh? You want to race us again, mister?”
“I still got the chance of a rematch, don’t I? I bet I can win this time.”
>”Oooh, alright! It’s on!”
>”Let’s go, sis!”
>Dashing past you, the sisters run away, taking the lead yet again
>”What? Race? What for?” The arachne asks, looking a bit confused
>”Maggie, come on!” Homura says as she comes back to take the arachne’s hand and pull her along. “We can’t let mister Turtle win!”
>”W-Woah! Okay okay, I’m going!”
>Picking up the pace, you try to chase the kids as they take off running, going back inside
>You obviously don’t stand a chance against them, but why not, right?
>”Quick! We gotta find aunt Dallie!”
>”Let’s go, let’s go! We’re gonna win!”
>”H-Hey, wait for me!”
>And off they go
>Looks like the sisters have a new member on their little team
>You can only wonder what sort of trouble they’ll get themselves into
>Or get you into
>Whatever it is, you’re sure it’ll be something fun

- Bad Beat –

>Another job well done
>And with time to spare, too
>The thought of being done ahead of time gives you good feelings as you walk through the corridors
>Taking a moment to check your watch, you notice that you still got a few minutes left
>Wouldn't be a bad idea to do some quick inventory in the store room before calling it a day
>There might be something running out of stock that you’re not yet aware of
>Other than new batteries
>Can't afford to be unprepared like that again; you can only improvise with living lanterns and spiders so many times
>Who knows, you might even have to start remunerating the kids with candy
>(”Eeek!")
>...Did someone just yelp?
>("Nooo!")
>Sounds like there might be trouble
>Picking up the pace, you stroll down the hallways, checking inside each room you pass by in search of the owner of the muffled voice
>("Aha!") A second voice shouts, sounding strangely more confident than the first
>The shouting becomes clearer and clearer the closer you get, and you eventually trace it back to the playroom
>As you arrive, you stop by the door and take a peek inside to see what's going on
>With a quick scan around the room, you soon find a few familiar faces gathered around on the floor
>The Chochin-Obake sisters are the first to come into view; side by side, Akira and Homura sat together, staring at something on the ground in front of them
>Sitting opposite to them was Maggie, accompanied by the ghostly Freida as they both faced the sisters
>A smaller figure sat in between the duos, choosing not to be on either side; easily recognizable by her bright feathers, little Aya curiously watches their activities from the sidelines, donning a naive smile as always
>Upon closer observation, you notice that they seem to be playing some sort of card game together
>With a few cards in hand, the spidergirl looks rather confident, not a hint of doubt in her smirk
>Akira however didn't look as comfortable, anxiety clear in her face as the other three spectate their match
>None of them seem to be in any sort of danger though; they're just sitting there
>You wonder what the shouting is all about
>"Here ya go!" The arachne says, drawing a card from her hand and throwing it on the little pile in the middle of the circle
>"Red...two!" Aya chirps, reading the card out loud
>"A-Another red...!?" Homura stammers, clearly worried
>"Gh...!" Akira grumbles, taking a card from the stack on the ground near the little harpy, looking at it, and adding it to her hand. "P-Pass..."
>"How about this!" Maggie continues, throwing another card onto the pile
>"Red...eight!"
>"N-Nani!?"
>"It can't be...!"
>"...Are you guys gonna do this every time?" The arachne asked, slightly confused by their loud reactions
>It seems they’re having a close game
>Forced to pick up another card from the stack, Akira frowns in frustration at yet another unlucky draw “Nnngaah! Pass again...”
>"Well, anyhow...Uno!" Maggie shouted, throwing one of the two cards she had left. “And I pick yellow!”
>”It’s...uuuh...?” Aya paused, unsure of what the card was supposed to be
>”It’s a ‘vild card,’” the ghost girl explained, pointing at it. “She changed the color of zhe next one to yellow now, see?”
>”Oooh! Yellow!”
>Looks like the Chochin-Obake are in a pinch, judging by the look on their faces
>"Your turn~" Maggie teases, smiling from ear to ear
>The two little players stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, as the others glance between themselves in silence like it’s a spaghetti western film
>Overcome by curiosity, you scratch your chin in expectation, waiting for the next move
>Maggie seems to have this one in the bag; could this be it?
>Out of options, Akira reaches for the stack again, looking just as nervous as her sister
>Closing her eyes shut and praying for the best, she draws a new card
>Slowly opening one of her eyes to look at it, Akira’s face goes from distressed to surprised almost immediately
>“Hey, it’s a...!” Her sister mutters, equally astonished
>Noticing a cocky grin forming on her opponent’s face, the arachne stops smiling herself
>This is gonna be good
>”Not so fast, Maggie!” Says the lantern girl as she throws the card down. “I’m changing it to green!”
>”E-Eh?”
>”Oh, it’s a ‘vild pick four’!” Says Freida, looking at the card
>”Peek For!” The little harpy parrots
>Surprised and frustrated, Maggie is forced to pick more cards from the stack
>”Now take this!” Akira continues, throwing another card
>”Green...skip!” Aya chirps
>”What!? No way!”
>”Nice one, sis!” Homura adds
>Oh boy, it’s a comeback
>This is getting more intense than you expected, but it looks like she has a better chance now
>...Why are you getting so into this?
>“And this one, too!” Shouts the Chochin-Obake with yet another card to throw as the harpy continues to spell them out
>”Green five!”
>Maggie’s looking very shocked; her previous demeanor is all but gone
>”Aaah, wait a minute!” She says as she fumbles through her cards, quickly finding something suitable to use
>”Blue five!”
>”Aha! I gotcha now!” Akira says, throwing another one. “Uno!”
>”Blue skip!” Shouts her sister along with the harpy, totally hyped by the reversal
>Freida just covers her mouth with her hand, giving her arachne friend a look of pity
>Maggie’s just staring down at the pile in complete disbelief at this point, shoulders slumped
>”Aaand I win!” Akira shouts, throwing her last card. “Blue nine!”
>”Yeeeaaah! You did it, sis!” Homura joins in, hugging her sister as they raise their fists in the air. “We’re the best! We’re the best!”
>”Yaaay!” Aya commemorates, clapping her wings in glee
>”...Really?” The defeated spidergirl mutters, dropping her cards. “This is so unfair.”
>”It’s okay, Maggie,” Freida says, patting her back in consolation. “We can still play two versus two.”
>And just like that, the sisters come out victorious
>By a miraculous save no less, talk about lucky draw
>...And you just realized you should be doing inventory right now
>Man, that's one hell of a kid's card game