Anton the Sax-Man

>It's last period
>You're dozing in class, as usual
>Not that it matters much, you've always had a knack for history and have a solid A in the class
>The Tengu teach doesn't care much for your attitude, though
>Or your friend's attitudes, for that matter
>Your mind drifts lazily as the teach drones on, when you feel a sharp nudge in your side
>"Hey, Anton, eye's open, Ms. Beeker's about to call for hands."
>Your red oni friend, Sherry, has always had your back, since grade school
>You sit up, and look towards the front, making eye contact with the teach
>"Anton, have you been paying attention?"
>You respond with a yes, and stifle a yawn.
>"Good, then can you tell me which major city was burned to the ground in the later years of the Tokugawa Shogunate?"
>You feel a poke in your other side, followed by an almost inaudible whisper
>"Starts with a K, you know this."
>Your oomukade friend, Angie, has also had your back since grade school
>The gears in your head make one turn, and you have your answer
>It's Kyoto, ma'am
>Ms. Beeker frowns slightly, and you can hear Sherry trying to stifle a chuckle
>"That's correct, Anton." The tengu says, and continues asking questions to your classmates
>"Whew, that was close. So, are you coming to my game tonight?" Sherry asks you quietly
>Of course you are, you're in pep band with Angie, you kinda have to
>You see the beginnings of a frown on Sherry's face, and you quickly say that even if you weren't in pep band you'd still go
>The red oni gives you a toothy grin

>Later that night, you show up at the high school with Angie, the two of you donning your green and gold pep jerseys
>You join the rest of the pep band in the school gym on the bleachers, sax and sheet music in hand
>Angie sits next to you, emptying the spit valve in her trumpet into an empty pop bottle
>You still wonder how her venom doesn't corrode the instrument
>The thought leaves your mind as you see your band instructor, a Valkyrie by the name of Mrs. Leifson, hold up a small white board
>You flip through your sheet music, and arrange them in the order Mrs. Leifson wants
>Hey Ya, Stacy's Mom, We Will Rock You, and Crazy Train, seems pretty standard tonight
>As you're making your final adjustments tonyour sax, you feel a tap on your shoulder, opposite of Angie
>Glancing over, you see Sherry's parents seated across the aisle, her mother Samantha waving at you
>You grin and wave back, before hearing Mrs. Leifson tap her baton against the bleacher railing
>Looks like it's time to start

>While the pep band plays, the other school's team, fans, and surprisingly, their own pep band, file in, sitting down on the bleachers on the opposite side
>Mrs. Leifson passes her baton over to her daughter Carol, a senior, in order to talk to the opposing pep band's instructor
>You always hated it when the visiting team brought their band, as it always fucks up the set list and what you can and can't play
>The band plays through the rest of the set, finishing up with the School Song, while the home team runs out
>Sherry's parents let out a whoop as their daughter runs into the gym, waving at the home bleachers
>The pep band settles down as Mrs. Lefison comes back, holding up her white board with the updated set list
>Looks like you'll be playing every other song, and you rearrange your sheet music, when Angie nudges you
>"Hey, don't look now, but there's an Apophis in the other band eye-fucking you."
>You keep your eyes down on your music, while your Oomukade friend pulls her phone out
>She brings up her camera and zooms in on the girl, while keeping casual
>Sure enough, there's a grapesnake in the other pep band, eyes locked on your position and licking her lips
>Fucking perfect, that can only mean trouble

>Your stomach growls slightly, and you curse yourself for skipping dinner in favor of grabbing food during the game
>Of course trouble would rear it's head now
>You tell Angie you're going to get some food at the snack bar, and ask if she wants anything
>You then ask her if she can also keep an eye on that Apophis, and send some sort of help if she decides to follow
>"No problem Anton. Here, while you're up, could you toss my spit bottle?" Angie answers, and hands you the pop bottle
>"And get me a Dr. Pepper and Skittles, if you can!"
>You tell her of course, and move to leave, asking Sherry's parents if they want anything
>"Just Nachos, hun, Ricky's got our drinks covered." Samantha responds
>Sherry's father smirks and taps the small cooler by their feet, cracking the lid open
>They snuck in a six pack of Leine's and a flask, probably filled with Vodka
>You're honestly not surprised
>With food orders in mind, you head down the bleachers, and leave the gym for the snack bar just outside
>You stand in line as you fiddle with your wallet, making small talk with one of your classmates, a weresheep named Sarah
>While the two of you talk and move up the line, you feel your blood freeze, as something scaly coils around your ankle
>"Well hello there, Sax-Man"
>Fuck

>Sure enough, the Apophis from the other pep band is behind you
>You give Sarah a look that you hope just screams "Help me", before turning to talk to the grapesnake
>With a simple hello, the Apophis moves closer, her tail squeezing your ankle tighter
>"You're pretty good on the Sax, you know. I could just imagine how much practice it took to get those lips, lungs, and fingers in tip-top shape~" she says, laying the flirt on strong
>Fuckfuckfuck
>You try to keep a calm exterior, and tell her it was simple practice, like anything else
>"Mhmmm, I get you, it took a long time for me to get good with the Clarinet. Such a hard, hard instrument, hehe~"
>You can tell Sarah's a bit uncomfortable from the exchange, the weresheep quickly buying her snacks and leaving
>"So, Sax-Man, what are you doing after the game?"
>You fiddle with your wallet again, when you feel a strong hand grip your shoulder
>"There you are! What's been taking you so long, Anton?"
>You turn to see Sherry's mom, Samantha
>Thank fucking Hathor
>You tell the grapesnake that you're going to your friend's house afterwards, and turn to Samantha, who catches on immediately
>"That's right, it'd be a real shame if you weren't able to make it over tonight."
>She gives a warm smile and pops her knuckles
>"I always hate it when plans fall through, it just makes my blood boil."
>You feel the Snake's tail quickly pull away from your ankle, and you quickly purchase the snacks
>You then toss Angie's spit bottle in the garbage nearby, while Samantha takes her Nachos, munching on them with a smirk
>She follows you back into the gym, and once you're out of earshot of the Apophis, she gives you a pat on the back
>"Man, that girl's got it BAD for you, Anton! Good thing Angie told me what's up, huh?"

>You agree, and let out an exasperated sigh you had no idea you were holding in
>"So then, Anton, since it was brought up, I know Sherry would just love it if you came over after the game."
>You tell the older Oni that you would like to, but wouldn't want to intrude
>She merely laughs and slaps you on the back, knocking the wind out of you
>"Oh c'mon, Anton, you're always welcome at our home, you know that!"
>It takes a few moments for your breath to come back, and you mention that if you do head over, and if her and Ricky are going to keep drinking tonight, then a game of Cards Against Humanity needs to happen
>The Oni-MILF just laughs again
>"Then it's a deal!"
>The two of you make your way up the bleachers, and just in time
>The opposing team just called a time out, and your pep-band is up next to play
>You quickly set the rest of the snacks down between Angie and yourself, and you pick up your Sax
>The band begins to play You Can Call Me Al, and as you play through the song, your eyes scan through the crowd on the opposite bleachers
>Sure enough, that Apophis is still staring at you, only now she looks as pissed as she is determined
>That's not the look you were hoping to see

>The game eventually ends, with your team winning by 20 points
>Sherry's parents are ecstatic, whooping and cheering for their daughter
>You watch as the opposing team and pep-band file out, yet the Apophis is nowhere to be found
>That's not good
>With that in the back of your mind, you begin to gather your things up, helping Angie with her stuff afterwards
>You feel a tap on your shoulder again, and turn to face Sherry's parents
>"Hey kids, we're gonna pick up a couple pizzas for tonight. Either of you want anything specific?" Samantha asks
>Angie looks somewhat confused, while the older Oni smiles
>"Did Anton forget to mention? We lost the Apophis by saying he had plans at our house tonight, and decided we may as well follow through. That invitation extends to you too, Angie."
>Your oomukade friend looks up, seemingly lost in thought, before looking back down at the older Oni
>"Sure, I may as well, my boyfriend's out of town tonight anyway. And I don't have any preferences, Mrs. Cooper, I'll eat whatever you buy."
>You tell the Oni-MILF you feel the same about toppings
>"Alright then! We'll see you in a bit, kids!"
>And with that, Sherry's parents left the gym, her father stumbling slightly
>No doubt from the booze he was drinking out of that flask
>"Now why didn't you tell me about those plans, hmm?" the oomukade asks, poking your side
>You tell her that it slipped your mind, as you were more worried about what that Apophis was up to
>"Guess I can't blame you there, the looks that girl was giving you were something else."
>With everything finally gathered, you exit the gym with Angie, stopping briefly to buy a couple bottles of pop from the snack bar
>The two of you then walk towards the exit, when someone bumps into you hard, knocking the bottles out of your arms
>"Oh jeez, I'm sorry~"
>Fuck, it's her


>You start to gather up the pop bottles, when you notice there's more than you originally bought
>"Sorry, some of those are mine."
>Of course they are
>Soon the bottles are gathered up, and the Apophis leaves without any more comments
>Well, that was weird
>You leave the school with Angie, and head towards your car, dumping your instruments in the trunk, and the pop in the back seat
>A short drive later, and you pull up to Sherry's house
>You can see your oni friend in the window, talking on the phone
>Her parents must have dropped her off before running out for pizza
>You grab the pop and head inside, making sure to take off your shoes at the entrance
>"Yeah Mom, they just showed up... I'm telling you, get a supreme, please, I don't care what's on the other pizza, that's your call."
>Angie scuttles past you, making a beeline for Sherry's TV
>Without hesitation, she's fired up the Oni's Wii U and is playing Smash
>Well, no sense in sitting out for a session of Smash
>You grab one of your pops and take a seat near the oomukade, while she sets up a three-player game
>You hear Sherry end the call with her Mom, and the oni sits down on your opposite side, taking her controller
>Angie picks Marth, and Sherry picks Ganondorf
>Looks like you're going to have to bust out Meta-Knight, again
>You twist the cap off one of your pop bottles, and pause
>That's weird, the cap was already opened
>Oh well, you probably opened it earlier for a drink and just spaced, wouldn't be the first time

>You take a sip of the pop, and continue playing Smash with your friends
>It's an intense battle, but Angie manages to knock you out first, the oomukade letting out a small laugh of triumph
>Huh...you wonder if she put make up on today
>Doesn't seem like her, that's not her thing
>Oh well
>You continue on with the game, scoring more knock outs as the timer counts down
>You feel sweat on your brow, and you wipe it away with your forearm
>You then ask Sherry if her parents turned the heat up, it feels pretty warm in her house
>Sherry shakes her head, and raises an eyebrow
>Eh, whatever
>You pause the game to take your sweatshirt off, and toss it aside
>Huh, Angie's little insect legs seem... kinda charming, in a way
>Wait, what?

>Oh god
>You know what's happening
>That Barney-skinned Bitch spiked your pop
>Just as you make the connections, it kicks in hard
>You try to scoot backwards, but double over in pain, as a burning sensation sears through your body
>The girls are at your side, and you let out a pained groan, followed by the handful of words you can squeeze out of your lungs
>"Pop"
>"Spiked"
>"Grapesnake"
>"Fucking"
>And "Wench"
>You lose consciousness soon after
>You only hope you won't do something you'll regret while you're blacked out
>You're only going to be a horny, uninhibited wreck, after all
>Right?

>The first thing that greets you as you come to is the ungodly amount of pain trying to bash it's way out of your skull
>The light shining in your eyes isn't helping things, either
>You groan and try to move, but something has you pinned
>Make that someone, as you feel what you now recognize as a pair of arms squeeze you tightly
>Ow
>Head hurts, chest hurts, stomach feels like hell, but that's it
>Wait
>You check again
>Your pelvis feels fine
>Oh thank Hathor
>You groan and try to move again, the arms loosening up on you
>"Hey sleepy-head, welcome back."
>It's Sherry
>You ask her what happened, as you cover your eyes
>Fucking lights
>"You went pretty nuts once you blacked out, trying to jump all over Angie."
>You sigh
>God damn it
>"Hey, it didn't go beyond that, you're lucky I was there to restrain you."
>Double Thanks, Hathor
>"It took fucking forever you tire you out, though! You we're really worked up!"
>Wait
>Does that mean...?
>"It means whatever you want it to, Anton."
>"But you still didn't make it to third base."

>You groan again as Sherry pulls away from you, the oni leaving her bed to shut the curtains
>With the painful light gone, you're able to open your eyes
>And the first thing you see is a big, bare-naked, red ass
>Well, you can't say you've seen better before, because, seriously
>Damn
>You can't help but continue to stare as Sherry slowly puts her underwear on
>The oni looks over her shoulder and sticks her tongue out at you, while shaking her butt from side to side
>And here you thought morning wood couldn't get any harder
>"Well someone's happy to see me~"
>You roll your eyes, it's not your fault she's got a nice butt
>Sherry gives you a wink, and pulls on a t-shirt, before walking up and poking your nose with her forefinger
>"I'll go make us some breakfast. You'll want to take a shower, trust me."
> And with that, the red oni left her room
>"Painkillers are above the sink, babe!" You hear her call out
>Good, you feel like you could eat a whole bottle
>You bring your hands up to run your eyes, and you pause
>What's that smell?
>You sniff your fingers an- whoa that's strong
>Oh
>Ohhhhhhhh...
>...
>Shower, right

>You slowly pull yourself off of Sherry's bed, the pounding in your head having lessened, but still nasty
>You're nude, which doesn't surprise you at this point, and you look around for something you can wear
>At least your boxers or somet-
>Oh, there are your boxers
>...how the fuck did they get on her ceiling light?
>Fuck it, you don't care
>You carefully snatch them off the light, and slip them on
>Now that you're somewhat covered, you leave Sherry's room for the bathroom down the hall
>You turn on the water for the shower, letting it warm up
>You then open the cabinet over the sink, and grab the first bottle of painkillers you can find
>Excedrin, Hangover Strength
>You close the cabinet and- whoa
>In the cabinet mirror, you see just how rough you look
>Bags under your eyes, bruises all over, and bite marks
>Sherry's, if the fang placement is any indication

>You take the pills and step in the shower, the hot water helping to ease your pain
>When you're done, you dry off, and return to Sherry's room, grabbing the rest of your clothing
>Your shirt had somehow fallen behind her dresser
>And your pants and socks had been kicked under the bed
>You guess it was just a clothing tornado in here last night
>Finally dressed, you slowly make your way downstairs to the kitchen
>From the voices you hear, it sounds like Sherry's parents are up, Angie as well
>You hope she won't be too pissed off at y-
>Oh shit
>You recognize those other voices
>Of course your parents are here
>Fan-fucking-tastic

>You slowly make your way out into the kitchen, hoping to at least sit down without being noticed
>There's an empty seat at the kitchen table, opposite of Angie and Sherry
>The oomukade and the oni are locked in conversation, talking about a sci-fi show they're both fans of
>Seeing that the two are still quite friendly with each other puts your mind further at ease
>"Hey, looks like the man of the hour finally joined us!"
>Ugh, of course Mom would notice you first
>Oh well, better face the music
>You turn and look at the other side of the kitchen, where Sherry's parents, and yours, have gathered
>Your father seems to be talking sports with Sherry's dad, Ricky, that's a good sign, at least
>Sherry's mother Samantha was at the counter, pouring coffee into a pair of cups, along with some Bailey's creamer
>Figures
>Your eyes finally stop at your Mom, your annoyed Blues locked onto her playful Reds
>At least the wide smile she's giving you means you're not in trouble
>Having a pissed off dhampir mom is not an experience you would wish on anyone
>"Anton, honey, how are you feeling?" She asks, walking towards you, and resting her palm on your forehead
>You tell her that beyond the drugging, black out, and splitting headache, you couldn't be better
>If she noticed your sarcasm, she didn't address it
>"Mhmm, what about burning sensations? How's your vision?"
>Fuuuuuck
>It's nice that your mom's an RN, but the 20 questions thing gets old, fast
>And now she's frowning, great
>Shouldn't have rolled your eyes at her, but the leftover pain has you pretty irritated
>"Hun, you were drugged, its a serious matter, so try to treat it as such."

>You let out a sigh, and tell her your vision is fine
>There is a slight burn, but it feels more like heartburn than anything else
>Your Mom is still frowning, and she takes your hand
>"Well, I'll need to check how much venom is still in your system."
>God damn it, she's going to bite your finger
>You don't care how accurate she is at guessing health issues through blood, you've always hated it
>You look away, and grimace slightly as you feel her fang prick your finger
>With a drop of your blood on her tongue, her eyes look upward, the dhampir lost in thought, her lips smacking every so often
>"Hmm... hm hm hmmm... mhmm... Alright then."
>Well that was fast
>"There's still a small amount of venom in your system, nothing too worrisome, but you'll need an over-the-counter anti-venom."
>Great, sounds easy enough
>"The only problem is the pharmacy in town doesn't carry an oomukade version."
>Of-fucking-course
>"But don't worry, hun, there's a walgreen's in Silverdale that should have it."
>Well, that's not bad, it's only a couple towns over
>"I'll drive, I got nothing planned today." You hear Sherry pipe up, making your mother grin
>Hey, that's not a bad idea, you could probably get some lunch with her later, make it a date
>You feel like you owe her already, anyway
>Besides, what could go wrong?

>With the day's plan in mind, you sit down at the kitchen table across from your friend's, and dig into the breakfast Sherry made for you
>Which is apparently two homemade breakfast sandwiches. Eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, the works
>It tastes amazing, too, and with the excedrin finally kicking in, you're able to appreciate it
>You take a second bite, when you hear Angie clear her throat
>You glance up at your oomukade friend, who does her best to avoid your eyes
>"So, um, Sherry and I think that girl got ahold of my spit bottle, and used that to spike your pop."
>You kinda figured that already, but you stay silent
>"So, uh, since I'm partially responsible for this mess... here."
>Angie then reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a 20 dollar bill, and sets it in front of you
>"I'll cover your anti-venom medicine til you're better, okay?"
>You smile, and accept the money, telling her not to worry
>Angie finally looks you in the eyes, and gives you a small smile
>"Just get better soon, Anton, I need my old practice buddy back in action."
>You laugh and reassure her, you won't miss out on band practice
>The rest of the morning went by without any real instance
>Though it has been a while since you saw your parents buzzed, in the morning, no less
>You guess that Samantha makes a damn good Irish coffee
>Smirking at the scene, you feel a tap on your shoulder, and hear a set of keys jingling
>You turn to see Sherry, already in her green and gold school windbreaker, shaking her keys
>"Well Anton, shall we get going?"

>You follow Sherry out to her car and- Jesus Christ, the Sun is still hurting your eyes
>You guess the painkillers you had weren't quite enough, as you make a beeline for your own car, soon fishing your sunglasses out of the glove box
>With your vision now shielded, you plop down into the passenger seat of the Oni's car
>Sherry was fiddling around with her phone, music filtering through the speaker system in short bursts while she searched for a song
>It wasn't long until the skipping stopped, the soft riff of "Wish You Were Here" filling the car
>Huh, you never figured she was a Pink Floyd fan
>Satisfied with her choice, the two of you were soon on the road to Silverdale
>You leaned back in your seat, letting out a sigh as your tired body sunk into the soft padding
>"Still hurtin', babe?" You hear the Oni ask, the volume of the music lessening somewhat
>Yeah, you reply, but its more from the light hitting your eyes earlier than anything else
>"At least its just that, huh?" She followed up with
>Thankfully, you tell her, before adding that you wouldn't know how messed up you'd be if the two of you went any further last night
>You hear Sherry let out an amused snort, but she surprisingly stays quiet after that
>That's not like her to stay quiet when lewdness is hinted at...

>The awkward tension hangs in the air for a bit, before you finally break it
>We didn't go all the way, right?
>"No..." she replies a few moments later, with a sigh of her own
>But, you wanted to?
>"Well duh, Anton! It took me a lot of willpower to hold back, you were already so out of it and violent, I..."
>She trailed off, trying to find the right words, but you helped her finish
>You didn't want to hurt me?
>"Gods no! I couldn't live with myself if I did, and..."
>And?
>"I didn't want to be another monster who just took what they wanted, without any care in the world! It's unfair to you, but, last night forced me to take action, and, and-"
>Oh shit, you think she's starting to tear up
>Not knowing what else to do, you hold your hand out to her
>She glances at it, then stares at you, unable to see your eyes under the shades
>You waggle your fingers, and she finally gets the point, taking one hand off the wheel, and grasps onto your hand
>You squeeze back tightly, and tell her that It's Okay
>The butterflies in your gut unsettle your breakfast, but you ignore them, and ask her how long she's felt that way
>"Gods, years now... we've been friends for so long, I just didn't want to ruin things."
>You struggle to stifle it, but you can't help but chuckle
>"It's not funny, Anton! You don't know how-"
>You interrupt her and tell her you're not laughing at her
>In actuality, you had been waiting for her for a while to step in and "Lay Claim", as it were
>You figured if you were the one to confront her first, it would have turned her away, being that bold
>Sherry's words catch in her throat, but she soon smiles, and squeezes your hand back
>She then starts to laugh softly, and you chuckle along with her
>"Jeez... we're both just a big mess, aren't we?"
>Yeah, could be worse though
>"What do you mean?" She asks
>We coulda figured this out ten or twenty years later

>With the tension finally resolved, the two of you soon arrive in Silverdale
>Being closer to the city, the suburban town was much larger than your backwoods town
>Though that would work in your favor, there's much more to do here, as far as a date was concerned
>Yeah, you figured you may as well call it that, if you and Sherry are going to be a thing
>You glance out the passenger window at the passing buildings, wondering what the two of you would do after stopping at the pharmacy
>Oh, there's the theater, that might be something
>That flick with that fat comedian and his orc wife getting lost in the middle east was supposed to be good
>Though Sherry might want to watch something more romantic
>"Hey uh, I just realized something..." Sherry said, pulling you from your thoughts
>You ask her what it is, and she grimaces
>"Do you remember what team we played against last night?"
>Yeah, it was the Silverdale Knig-
>Oh
>Oh fuck
>It just fucking figures, doesn't it?
>You tell her it's a big town, the odds of you two running into that bitch are one in... well, whatever the population of Silverdale is
>That didn't put Sherry at ease, though

>It took a bit of time, but the two of you eventually found the Walgreens your Mom was talking about
>Once inside, the two of you parted, you making a beeline towards the shelves of Antivenom, while Sherry perused through the aisles
>You scanned through the shelves, soon finding a box of Ven-Away: Oomukade
>Thank you Johnson & Johnson
>You just wish it wasn't $18 a box
>With your purchase in hand, you head towards the cashier and-
>No
>Nonono
>That can't be
>That's impossible
>That grapesnake wench is at the register
>And the smile she's giving you just tells you she intended this
>After a moment of hesitation, you make your way to her, and set the antivenom on the counter
>"Well well, if it isn't Sax-Man. Had a rough night?" She asks with a smug grin
>You merely glare at her, and set the $20 Angie gave you on the counter
>"No need to say anything, I can tell. Had a fight with your girlfriend, hmm?" She asks, scanning the box of antivenom
>"I hope it wasn't too bad, that would suck to end up single that way."
>Oh my god, can she just shut up?
>"Oh my, that is what happened, isn't it?! What are you doing this afternoon? I get off ar-" the Apophis starts, but stops once Sherry steps up next to you
>"WE are having lunch, why do you ask?"

>The Apophis looks like a goldfish, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to find something to say
>"J-just curious! You know, basic cashier chit-chat!" The apophis tries to cover with
>"Well you know, you look mighty familiar, Miss..." Sherry trailed off, glancing at the grapesnake's nametag
>"...Tammy. Just where have I seen you before?" She finishes, doing a poor job of hiding the irritation in her voice
>The Apophis is visibly shaking, you almost feel sorry for her
>Almost
>"Well uh, well I've b-been around here and the-"
>Her sentence is suddenly interrupted by a new voice, laughing haughtily
>"Oh goodie, how'd you fuck up this time, Tam-Tam?!"
>The three of you turn towards the source of the new voice, and you see a Pharaoh girl a few feet away, with an even bigger smug grin than Tammy's earlier one
>"Lemme guess, you put the moves on this-" the pharaoh starts, pointing at you
>"...man, if you want to call him that, and miss booze breath here didn't like it, riiight?~"
>You swear you could feel the heat of Sherry's anger pouring off of her, as she stepped in front of you
>"Uh, excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are?" Sherry asked, her hands clenched into fists
>"Heh, I don't have time to waste with a future AA member, so please step aside." The Pharaoh said, setting her shampoo bottles on the counter
>Tammy, looking even more shaken, immediately voided your purchase, and rang the Pharaoh's items quickly
>"Thank you, have a nice day." The Apophis quickly spit out, as the Pharaoh gathered the bottles in a cloth shopping bag
>"See you at school, Tam-Tam~" the pharaoh said, and glanced back at Sherry and you
>"Peasants." She said simply, and began to walk out the door
>"Yeah, well fuck you very much too, lady." Sherry spat out, flipping her the bird

>Sherry takes a few breaths, and manages to calm down
>She then turns to Tammy, who jumps slightly under her gaze
>The oni lets out another breath, and holds her hand out
>"I think we may have all gotten off on the wrong foot. I'm Sherry."
>The Apophis looks flabbergasted, but she takes the oni's hand and shakes it
>"Uhh... Tamara." She says simply, and lets go of Sherry's hand
>"So, does she always give you shit?" The oni asked, the grapesnake responding right away with a nod
>"Aira? Yeah, she thinks she's hot stuff cause her parents have money, everything she has they've bought, boyfriend included." Tammy replied with a frown
>"And she gives you shit for being single, I'm guessing. Okay, things are making sense now." Sherry said, and smiled
>"I can't blame you for setting your sights on Anton here, he really is something." she followed up with, taking hold of your hand
>"Yeah, um, sorry about all that..." the grapesnake said, glancing away
>"I just got sick of Aira's shit, and thought I might have a chance with someone out of town, who isn't getting paid off by her." She continued
>Wait, what?
>You pipe in and ask what she means
>The apophis leans against the counter, resting her chin in the palm of her hand
>"Yeah, any guy in school who shows me any interest? Aira gives them fat stacks to stay away, or sics one of her servants on them." She replied, followed by a sigh
>Okay, yeah, you feel sorry for her now
>Sherry, however, just looks even more pissed
>"I have never... just... wow, what a fucking cunt." She manages to mumble out
>"Do you got a scrap of paper on you by any chance, Tammy?" The oni then asks
>The grapesnake nods, and hands her a post-it note pad, the oni quickly scribbling something down with one of the pens on the counter
>"Here's my cell, text me sometime, okay?" Sherry says with a smile, and hands the pad back
>Tammy looks shocked, but gives you two a weak smile, before finally ringing up your antivenom

>"Thanks.... and, sorry again about the mess." Tammy replies
>Sherry merely smiles and shakes her head
>"Don't worry about it. In a weird way, we should be thanking you. Text me after work, kay?" The oni says, the two of you turning to leave
>You're about to ask Sherry what she wants to do next, when she suddenly stops, and turns back towards the Apophis
>"Say, what car does Aira drive?" She asks simply
>"Uhh... I think its an Aston Martin, something ritzy either way. Why?" Tammy answers, her eyebrow raised
>"Eh, no reason, just curious." Sherry says with a smirk, and the two of you leave the pharmacy
>With the day completely open, you ask the oni what she wants to do
>The oni glances at her phone for the time, and shrugs
>"It's too early for lunch, so... oh oh! Are there still batting cages around here?"
>Now that you think of it, yeah, indoor ones too
>You tell her you think the place is called Home-Run, or something along those lines
>Sherry, Angie, and you were there once for a field trip, way back in elementary school
>"Yeah, let's go there then, if they still serve burgers and pizza that'll take care of lunch." The oni says, and literally skips back to her car
>You follow, and climb into the passenger seat, pointing out that she seems pretty excited about the idea
>"Well, batting cages are always a blast, plus I got some aggression I need to take out." She replies, squeezing the driver's wheel tightly
>You swear you hear the damn thing crack, but you pay no further mind to it
>If she wants to take her anger out, better the cages than anything else
>It took a bit searching through Silverdale, but you soon managed to find the place, thanks to the mural on the side of the building
>On it was a bunch of gods and goddesses playing basball, under the banner "Herc's Homerun Rec Center"

>Sherry parks right up front, and the two of you enter
>While it's been years since either of you have been here, from what remember you swear not much has changed
>Maybe some new arcade machines, but beyond that everything looks the same
>Sherry wastes no time, and makes a beeline for the front counter, exchanging a $10 for cage tokens
>You follow close behind her, as she heads from the counter to the cages in question
>There's a couple people already there batting, but on the whole the area was pretty empty
>The red oni looks through the helmet rack, testing a few out, before finding one that fits right, her horns popping out of the precut holes
>She then grabs one of the bats at random, and walks to the last cage in line
>The 100 mph fastball cage
>You knew she was ticked, but jeez
>You just hope that neither of you will need to pay for replacement bats
>Or replacement anything, really
>Once Sherry felt ready, she handed you the cage tokens, kissed your cheek, and stepped inside, giving you a thumbs up
>You felt your cheeks burning from the affectionate peck, and smiled at her, placing the first token in the machine
>The oni readied herself, and... missed the first pitch with a wide swing
>You thought you heard her mutter a curse, before readying herself once more
>With a loud crack, the second ball went flying, hitting the concrete on the othe-
>Scratch that
>EMBEDDING into the concrete, somewhat, as the ball sat stuck in the wall
>At least it's not alone, you muse, looking at the few other balls stuck from previous players
>Though you feel the need to tell the oni to dial it back a tad, after she made it her mission to do the same to the rest of the pitches

>Sherry continued to swing away at the fast pitches, missing occasionally but hitting most
>You keep putting tokens in for her, til you burn through about half of them
>Its around this time that the oni decides to take a break, stepping out of the cage
>You're not surprised to see she barely broke a sweat, with only a drop or two running down her brow
>"Should we get some lunch now? I'm feeling pretty hungry, dunno about you babe." She asked
>Your stomach started to gurgle halfway between her last session, so you were good to go
>You nod, and the two of you meander towards the dining area, passing the arcade
>You can't help but wonder if that same roulette machine you got the jackpot on as a kid is still here
>When you near the dining area, you're surprised to see it's surrounded by safety netting
>You start to wonder why, when you look farther past, and see that the rec center now has a mini golf course
>Right as a hellhound girl puts a bit too much oomph in her putt, sending her ball careening into the netting, much to the dismay of her exasperated Mom
>You look over at Sherry, who also saw the scene unfold, and ask her if she trusts the netting
>She scoffs
>"Fuck no, are you kidding me? Let's go get some Chipotle or something instead." The oni answers
>Sounds like a plan, you can always head back and finish off those tokens later
>Moments later, the two of you are back in her car, and on the main drag
>After a short drive, you find a Chipotle near the theater you saw earlier in the day
>"Well well well, would you look at that..." Sherry trails off with a smirk, pointing at the theater parking lot
>Far out and away from the other cars was a black Aston Martin
>Uh oh

>Sherry slowly drove around the lot, circling the black luxury car like a shark
>You can't help but feel antsy, with the look in her eyes and the grin on her face, she looks like the cat that ate the canary
>You're already trying to dissuade the Oni from doing anything too rash, but she simply gives you an unsettling grin
>"Anton, c'mon, this preppy bitch is in some serious need of Karmatic Retribution." She starts with
>Well, yes, you can agree on that, but-
>"And don't you think Karma could just use a nudge, now and then?"
>Sherry
>Honey
>Please, you don't want to kick start a criminal record in your Junior year
>The oni rolls her eyes
>"Alright, tell you what. If we're supposed to be here, as agents of Karma-"
>You sigh
>"-then how about we get a sign that proves it? Everything's been way too coincidental today." She finishes with
>Well yeah, but what kinda dumbass sign are you expe-
>It's then that her iPod, still on shuffle, plays its next song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpbbuaIA3Ds
>The two of you stare at the iPod, as a smug grin slowly appears on Sherry's face
>You simply look up, eyes distant
>Hathor, Buddha, Jesus, whoever or whatever is up there and watching
>You've got a poor taste in humor
>With the Oni's actions justified, as far as she was concerned, you find yourself parked next to the Aston Martin

>"Pop the glove box, hun, I'll need your help on this." Sherry stated, pulling the trunk lever under the steering wheel, before stepping out of the car
>You do as the Oni says, and find a pocket knife nestled between an owner's manual and a cd wallet
>Okay, slashing tires isn't too bad, but still
>With a sigh, you open the door and step outside, glancing over at Sherry
>The oni was bent over, sifting through her trunk, wiggling her ass to the beat of the music
>It's almost mesmerizing, really
>"Hey, make sure you only pop three of them, kay babe?" She calls out
>Why three?
>"Most insurance covers you if all four get popped. Three? That's coming out of her own pocket." She answered
>Oh
>The more you know, you guess
>You quickly get to work, stabbing the knife into the passenger side tires, and circle around to slash the rear left
>You then fold the knife up and pocket it, walking back over to Sherry
>Just as she stands up from her trunk, tire iron in hand
>Uhhh
>Honey, slashing her tires was one thing, but, won't that set off the car alarm?
>Sherry just smirks, and pecks your cheek
>"Do you know how cute you look when you get flustered? " she says, causing your cheeks to burn
>"Besides, if she set an alarm, it woulda went off already." She finishes in a matter-of-fact tone
>Are you sure about that?
>"There's one way to find out." She says, still smirking
>Sherry then saunters over to the luxury car, hips swaying to the music, and swings the tire iron into the passenger window, shattering it
>"Whoops!"
>She then puts a hand behind her ear, leaning towards the opening with a wide grin
>Silence
>"Yep! Looks like we're in the clear!" She says, and continues to saunter around, dancing and smashing up the passenger side to the beat of the music

>Once the passenger side of the Aston Martin was completelty trashed, Sherry brought her attention to the windshield and hood
>You, meanwhile, kept a nervous lookout, your eyes darting about
>Thankfully, you didn't see anyone around, though the theater's security camera made you a tad antsy
>You should be far enough away from it, ri-
>No, you end that thought before it could finish
>That thought process has only gotten you in trouble, so far
>You look back at Sherry, and notice she's just about finished with the hood
>The Oni was attempting to pry the hood ornament off, and soon succeeded with a pop
>The winged ornament tumbled in the air, landing a few feet away from the wreck
>Sherry then slung the tire iron over shoulder, sauntering over to the ornament, and pocketed it
>"Well, that should do it, dontcha think?" She asked, turning to you
>Sure, but, why just the front and passenger side?
>The oni merely points back towards the theater
>With how the car was parked, Aira wouldn't see the damage until she was within yards of it
>Yeah, that should do it, you guess
>You climb back into Sherry's car, while the oni tossed the tire iron back in her trunk, soon joining you
>The two of you pull away from the scene of the crime, and parked around on the other side of Chipotle
>"Well, I feel refreshed! How about you?" Sherry asks with a bright smile
>You're still nervous as shit, but you decide to simply shrug, and say you'll feel refreshed after you eat
>As if on cue, your stomache gurgles once again
>Sherry just laughs in response, as the two of you climb out of her car and head into the restaurant
>The place is surprisingly sparse of people, and the bored employees perk up when they see you
>You step up to order lunch, a pair of steak burritos with the works, while Sherry picked out a spot to sit at
>Naturally, she picked a spot at the side window, that had a decent view of the wreck
>Soon with lunch and drink cups in hand, you make your way to the table

>Sherry had her eyes locked on the wreck, and you set her lunch down in front of her
>You ask her what she wants to drink, drawing the Oni's attention over
>"Hmm... surprise me!" She says, and gives you a smile, before sticking her tongue out playfully
>You return the expression, and head over to the fountain machine, drink cups in hand
>Seeing some fresh lime wedges off by the other condiments, you grab a handful and toss some into the drink cups
>Coke with lime just happened to be one of your weaknesses
>"Hey hey, hurry! The show's about to start!" You hear Sherry call out to you
>You pick up the pace, and quickly return to the table
>Just in time to see Aira, with a lunk in a silver and black letterman jacket who you assumed was her boyfriend, stop in their tracks
>The Pharaoh's eyes went as wide as saucers, and she slowly began to walk around her car
>Sherry immediately began to giggle as the rich girl started to shake her head, her mouth wide in an inaudible scream
>"Life's a bitch, ain't it?" The oni muttered, and took a sip of her soft drink, glancing back at you with a smile
>Aira already had her phone out, and was furiously tapping away at the screen, while her boyfriend surveyed the damage
>He must have said something wrong, and you wince as you watch the Pharaoh's phone bounce off the jock's forehead, knocking him out
>"Ooooh, someone's having a temper tantrum!" Sherry remarked, giggling again
>You can't help but join in with a chuckle, the sight of the rich girl stomping on her phone, then kicking the poor unconscious sap on the ground was far too funny
>Yeah, the bitch definitely deserved this

>The two of you quickly finish your lunch, as you had insisted that it might be best to leave Silverdale as soon as possible
>Sherry had wanted to disagree, but the sight of a police cruiser pulling up to report the incident spooked her
>Although, the Ogre cop taking the report from Aira looked like she was about to strangle the young Pharaoh
>It was a small comfort to assume her behavior wasn't helping her with the police, at least
>Without further delay, you leave the restaurant, and soon find yourself on the freeway back home
>A familar burn starts up in your chest, and you take a sip of your pop to ease it
>Remembering why you came on this trip in the first place, you reach down behind your seat, and grab the box of Ven-Away
>The instructions said to take it after a meal, anyways, so everything worked out there
>You take one of the gel capsules with another sip of soda, and take a deep breath
>You raise your eyebrow, and sniff the air
>Why do you smell burning sugar?
>You mention it to Sherry, and the oni sniffs the air
>"God I hope it's not-" she starts to say, only to interrupt herself with an upset growl, "Fucking hell."
>You look back out in front, and see smoke rising up from under the hood
>With a scowl, Sherry flicks her hazard lights on, and pulls over
>She then pops the hood with a lever under the dash, and you both exit
>The oni lifts the hood up the rest of the way, as a billow of smoke follows and envelopes her
>You hear mutter a string of curses between coughs, and sigh
>Gotta give Karma a "nudge", huh?
>"Shut up, Anton."

>You roll your eyes at Sherry, and pull your phone out
>With a few taps, you pull up your neighbor Morgan's number, and give her a call
>Her parents owned a salvage yard and a tow truck, and you hoped her father wouldn't be busy today
>After a few rings, you hear a click, and the faint sound of music
>"Anton! Whatcha up to?" You hear Morgan ask
>You quickly tell her the situation, and glance over at Sherry
>The oni was busy tapping away at her phone, no doubt sending a text message to her parents
>"Burnin' shugah smell ya said? That's prolly her radiatah, I'll give Pa a call then and have'em pick ya up and bring ya ovah, I can prolly fix it up no problem!" Morgan responds
>You let out a sigh of relief, and give Sherry a thumbs up
>She smiles, then gives you a questioning look, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together
>You ask Morgan how much the tow and repairs will cost
>"Uhhh... couldya give my Pa some cash for a pack o' Camels and a case o' Coors?" She asks
>As far as auto repair costs go, that's not bad
>You quickly tell Sherry the barter price, and she gives you a surprised look, followed by a smile and nod
>Yeah, that price isn't a problem, you let Morgan know
>"Great! I'll seeya soon!" She finishes with, and hangs up
>You smirk, and hold your phone in your hand for a few moments, waiting
>Sure enough, it starts to ring, and you pick up
>"Where in Silverdale are ya again?" you hear Morgan ask, and chuckle
>You ask if she's got a pen and paper handy, and give her the directions

>With help on the way, you lean against the crippled car next to Sherry, and let out an exaggerated sigh
>Today has been one hell of a day
>"Mhmm." The oni sounds in agreement, staring at the overcast sky
>You try to think of some small talk to pass the time, when you hear the familiar "Game Start" motif from Metroid
>Sherry pulls her phone out once again, reading over her new text message
>"Well, our parents are glad we got help, cause they're all too drunk to drive and don't want to miss the Valk's game." She says with a smirk
>No shock there, you think, remembering how generous Samantha was with the Irish coffee this morning
>Though at the mention of sports, a topic comes to mind
>You ask the oni if she's heard anything back about her college offers and scholarship apps
>Sherry raises an eyebrow, and shrugs
>"Nothing much, really, beyond the state colleges wanting me on their basketball teams." She says, folding her arms over her chest. "Why do you ask?"
>You tell her you're not sure where you want to go to college yet, but you were considering the main campus down in the cities
>The oni smiles, and slides her arm behind you, wrapping it around your midsection, and pulls you close to her
>"Ah ha, so that's what it is!" She replies, resting her chin on top of your head, her other arm wrapping around you. "I don't want to go to a college you're not at, either."
>You smile, relaxing in her embrace, and mention you're glad you're on the same wavelength
>You then ask what college team appeals to her more
>The Bulldogs, The Huskies, or The Gophers?
>"Hmm..." The oni sounds out, her fingers lightly drumming on your stomach, "It's gotta be The Gophers. Huskies are always too hungover to play right, and the Bulldogs are more about Hockey anyway."