HOSTILE TAKEOVER

HOSTILE TAKEOVER

Haruna, 'The Young Genius of Real Estate', heard the rushing footsteps in the snow and barely managed to face down the monster before it slammed into her. The beast was small but it was moving fast enough that the impact staggered her and forced the danuki to fall backwards onto her fluffy tail in the deep snow.

"Gratia! W-what are you doing!" the mortification in the ratatoskr aide's voice was plain, "My Lady, I'm so sorry, I'll discipline her immediately!"

The little ball of fluff was hugging Haruna tightly and babbling happily about trees. Soon the rest of her little playmates caught up and surrounded the group of adults, deluging them with excited questions and announcements of things they'd seen. Haruna hugged the tiny rodent as she pushed herself to her feet with a stern look on her face, "What is this!? I'm betrayed by my own retainers and my security detail does nothing!? It seems more the Ides of March than Advent!"

Freya's face went white as a sheet. Haruna laughed silently at the overly serious ratatoskr's reaction. She couldn't help laughing aloud when a heavily scarred oni with white hair rubbed her chin and retorted, "The way I see it we're not supposed to protect you from cute things."

Haruna sat the ratatoskr child on her shoulder and affected a stentorian tone, "What do you think Gratia? Should I forgive your Mom and these lazy oni?"

Gratia realized she was the center of adult attention and shyly hid her face behind Haruna's fluffy ear, "sowwy... I was 'cited becawse of all the pwetty twees..."

"It's OK. We're all excited." Haruna's eyes shone with glee. It had taken years of effort, and she'd had to tie up almost all of her prodigious wealth, but things were finally coming together. A real wilderness zone right next to her adopted hometown. A place where the wilder or more independent monster girls and their families could live in peace. The rolling hills were the perfect site for a slime kingdom of bucolic farms and small villages with plenty of space leftover for larger family owned weresheep and holstaur farms. The forest itself would be heaven for elves and fairies as is. It wouldn't take long before transplanted botanical girls could make the ecology robust enough to support larger beasts in numbers which would permit girls like mantises and werewolves to support themselves by hunting. In time, even the really big girls like dragons and wurms would be able to live off the land if they wanted to. At that point Haruna calculated they'd have access to enough magical energy to start making the zone bigger on the inside than on the outside. They'd never have to turn anyone away then. It would be a haven for all, a shining example of the danuki dream of men and monsters living together.

"Soon you and all your little friends won't only get to climb trees at the park or when your parents take you to the country." the danuki gestured broadly at the snow covered meadows giving way to swaying pines, "Once the deal is finalized we're going to build a place where everyone can be happy!"

***

"My Lady, there's a problem."

Haruna took off her glasses and massaged the bridge of her nose, "Can it wait? I need to prepare for the meeting with the Slime, Bee, Hornet, Ant, Elf, and Fairy Queens. Just figuring out who can calmly sit next to who is a pain with that bunch. Then I have to somehow have my meeting with the Spider Council without letting them bully the insect queens and-"

"My Lady, the zoning board has red flagged our environmental impact statement!" The karakasa-obake secretary dropped a report on the danuki's desk and closed her umbrella around herself in an involuntarily fear reaction. She wasn't the only one overcome with emotion. Haruna's mouth dropped open in stupification. Freya wrapped herself in her fluffy squirrel tail and started nibbling her own fur, a nervous habit she hadn't indulged in since she was little. The day's Blue Oni bodyguard pulled out a flask and drained it in a single gulp. Even her Red Oni sister, who didn't totally understand what was going on, picked up on the mood and anxiously fiddled with her tetsubo.

Haruna managed to gather herself enough to reach for the folio. The rustling of paper was deafening in the strained silence. She carefully examined the signatures on the final page and then dialed a very familiar, very private number. Despite the obvious rage in her eyes she forced herself to speak cheerfully when the recipient picked up, "Hey, John! It's Miss Haruna. How's the wife and kids? Looking forward to Christmas? Oh, that's great. Just great. The reason I'm calling is that I just received a report from your department which has to be in error. We cleared these issues up lo- ... No, I- ... John, I thought we had a better relationship than this! Why don't you come down to the restaurant tonight? Bring the family, it'll be on me. Afterwards we can- ... I see. ... I see. ... I guess we're done here then. Goodbye."

The umbrella tsukumogami dared to peek out only to snap shut again and start shuddering in terror at the look of cold fury on her superior's face. No one spoke as Lady Haruna's glare bored holes in the office wall. Although Freya did start to chitter softly like a distressed baby squirrel when the pen in Haruna's hand broke and blood began to drip out of her fist.

"Not only did someone bribe him, but they're either threatening him or offering him enough protection that he thinks he can safely offend me. Probably both." the danuki grit her teeth, "Freya, cancel all of my meetings and summon the troubleshooting team."

"At once My Lady!"

"I swear by the Demon Lord of the Old World we're going to find who's behind this and destroy them."

***

The news hadn't gotten any better as the day wore on. As if on cue dozens of previously settled permitting processes had been derailed. Government official after government official who'd previously been on board was suddenly claiming that they needed to hold up the project for one transparently contrived reason or another. At a stroke the entire wilderness zone project was in jeopardy.

Lady Haruna brooded in the darkness of the small apartment attached to her grand penthouse office. The pattern had proved her initial assessment wrong. No one was bothering to bribe or subvert all of these middlemen. Especially given that some of them had seemed downright apologetic. No, someone had enough money and pull to go right to the top. It wouldn't matter if Haruna managed to win back the mid level officials if their bosses were in the pocket of her unknown enemy. This presented a rather difficult problem for her since she had never countenanced a need to cultivate relationships with the higher level elected officials who had to be driving this. She just wanted to buy huge tracts of wilderness and develop them in a manner which would keep them pastoral indefinitely. It was such an obvious economic and environmental win-win proposal she hadn't even needed to bribe anyone! All that was required was the occasional bit of buttering up, some sincere persuasion, and most people had wanted to play ball. Even the people who didn't like monsters much had been receptive to the argument that the wilderness zone would tend to suck monsters out of the majority human urban center. But now all her plans were in tatters.

The polite cough startled her despite the fact she had been expecting it. She knew better than to try to pinpoint its source by now. Instead she rolled the barely touched tumbler of bourbon in her hand and spoke to the ice cubes, "Have you found anything?"

"Your enemy is Anon Incognito."

"The real estate magnate?"

"The same."

Haruna was familiar with the businessman, albeit only by reputation. The human male had come out of nowhere in the chaos after the portals had opened and built an impressive real estate empire. He was an extremely private person and little was known about him. Especially before the portals. There were a few anecdotes of verbal slips indicating political beliefs which would have been unusual pre-portals, but he was currently a staunch supporter of the Constitutionalists and seemed to have cordial enough relations with the Federalists. Nothing which would indicate anti-monster sentiment. Quite the opposite actually. Haruna recalled an amusing story about Anon striking a Unitarian Party official with his walking stick and calling the politician a 'communist'.

"It doesn't make sense. What could his motivation be?"

"We do not know. We are confident that he is not being influenced or coerced however. Whatever drives him comes from his own heart."

"Is a 'monster style assassination mission' a viable option?"

There was an uncharacteristically long pause before the voice responded, "No."

"He's that well protected?"

"It is moot. I would not ask it of any of my girls based on what I know. There is something very disturbing about his mana."

"Would more money change your mind?"

"You are a shrewd merchant, but you do not understand our path. We aid you for the sake of our dreamed for ninja village and the families we will build there."

"I see. Thank you."

Not even a whisper of breeze betrayed the chief kunoichi's exit. Haruna took a sip of her bourbon and mulled over the revelation, "Odd mana, hunh? I'd be very interested to see that for myself."

***

The Italian restaurant's dining room was empty apart from the single man seated at a table for two in the middle of the room. He looked up from his paperwork as his guards let a bespectacled danuki woman through the door, "It took you a little longer to figure out it was me than I expected."

Haruna tried to hide her surprise and confusion, "Oh? I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Cut the shit, Danukike." Anon scowled and made air parentheses with his hands, "I hate leaving my compound. I only reserved this public restaurant today so your stupid succubutt minions wouldn't be sneaking all over my properties trying to figure out where I was. Now say what you have to say so I can go home."

The danuki was shocked. Less by the use of slurs than by their absolutely archaic vintage. That suggested... but that was impossible wasn't it? Haruna narrowed her eyes and focused on the man's mana.

"Of course." Anon rolled his eyes, "Go ahead and sniff around the utterly unique ephemera produced by my immortal soul. Don't bother to ask my permission or respect my privacy or anything. Fucking monsters."

He had to be trying to shake her up. And it was working. Anon's mana signature seemed bizarre. It was like a black marble egg: beautiful and utterly impenetrable. It was as if he was a machine or an automaton. It didn't make any sense. She must be sensing it incorrectly somehow.

"You've got to be kidding me. Not even going to acknowledge me? Here, let me save us both some time." Anon sighed theatrically and started to tick off points on his fingers,
"One: I've learned to conceal my true mana.
Two: Fuck you.
Three: I seem to be the only one who realizes that your wilderness zone will be able to magically increase the amount of real estate near the city.
Four: Fuck You.
Five: Supply and fucking demand dictates that a magical expanding patch of real estate in a prime location will crash the property market near it.
Six: Fuck you.
Seven: Hey, guess who owns a ton of real estate around here and is going to get fucked if your little scheme succeeds?
Eight: Seriously, fuck you, you greedy fluff kike."

Haruna's fur bristled at the coarse insults, "How dare you! Everything I'm doing is to help monster families have happy homes!"

"If they want to live in the country I'm not stopping them from buying land out there. I'm just stopping you from creating what amounts to a real estate printing press."

"You're so cruel you're going to force monsters to live in dense urban apartment complexes just so you can make money?!"

"You're so entitled you're demanding that I hurt my business to help yours?"

The danuki hung her head. She knew that getting upset wouldn't persuade the human. Antagonistic emotions were rarely persuasive. Intimidating sometimes, but rarely persuasive. And Anon's smug smirk was proof that he knew she was in no position to push him around. Haruna set her anger aside and tried a different tactic, "Listen, I know from experience that sometimes business can become nothing but dollars and cents. Sometimes it's hard for a leader to look beyond the balance sheet and see the people behind the numbers. Behind these rents and acres there are real families with real children. So many little monsters who were born to climb trees or hunt wild beasts are growing up in small apartments amidst a concrete jungle. This project, this dream of mine, will let them live the life they're supposed to live while still letting monsters and humans to reside close enough to one another to share their lives. To live out the Old World's dream of harmonious coexistence."

Haruna slowly lifted her head to look at Anon through her lashes with liquid eyes. She had told the plain truth, leveraged her honest emotions, and garnished the whole thing with as much applied charisma and feminine vulnerability as she could. Surely she'd gotten through to him at least a little? To her shock Anon's reaction was ribald laughter, "Are you fucking kidding me?! 'A sad story about children to make me ignore laws and borders and my own interests and stuff'?! I thought danuki were supposed to be master manipulators!"

Haruna's face burned. She might have been a LITTLE manipulative there but she was telling the truth. She really did want to help sweet little kids like Freya's Gratia. She totally put herself out there and appealed to Anon's best instincts but now he was laughing at her! A flare of embarrassed anger exploded from her heart, "You evil bastard. You don't care about anything but money do you? I won't let you win! I'll build that wilderness zone no matter what dirty tricks you pull! I'll be breaking ground by Christmas, just you wait! We'll see who's laughing then!"

What that she stamped her foot and stormed to the door. Anon managed to stop guffawing and slapping his knee long enough to call after her, "Good luck! I give you three weeks before you realize how hopeless it is!"

***

The entire office was decked out in surprisingly tacky fashion. Cheesy multicolored lights covered the inside and outside of the building while veritable armies of Santas, reindeer, and elves stood guard in poster, plush, and statuette forms. Haruna usually preferred understated shows of wealth, subtle reminders that money had been spent. She considered it ideal when connoisseurs were impressed and the hoi polloi were oblivious. Just another test to measure potential business partners or enemies. But Christmas was different. Haruna's Daddy had always made Christmas special. Unlike most children Haruna hadn't looked forward to presents or parties. Instead she looked forward to the one time of year when her Daddy would force Mommy to ignore her financial business completely in favor of family business. She'd never felt neglected really, her Mommy had always made time for her, but there was something truly magical about a whole month spent together with her Mommy and Daddy. They rarely felt the need to dip into their substantial fortune. It was enough to spend time together doing simple things like baking sugar cookies, reading stories, or going on hikes.

Some of Haruna's happiest memories were of the days when her Daddy would contrive some physical work for them to do like splitting wood or shoveling snow. Just enough to pleasantly exhaust everyone so it would even more comfy when they went inside to drink cocoa and snuggle under a blanket. This Christmas on the other hand was the exact opposite. Haruna had been working herself to the bone to try to figure out a way through the maze of red tape Anon had placed before her. Unlike those halcyon days when she would follow behind Daddy with her little snow shovel and he would praise her sincere, childish efforts Haruna's current heroic efforts had earned her nothing but dismal failure. The stress had practically broken her. The past week had been marked by her occasionally excusing herself so she could indulge in secret crying jags.

The cheerful decorations mocked her now. Anon's prophecy had come to pass. Almost three weeks to the day he had rebuffed her she had given up. To be sure, there were still avenues to explore and gambits to try. But Haruna was shrewd enough to see the inevitable checkmate. All of her efforts had come to nothing. Worst of all, the time her employees had spent working on this project had been completely wasted. Every minute Freya had spent away from little Gratia to try to secure a better future for them had been squandered, stolen from the innocent little squirrel girl. The same price had been paid by every single person who believed in Haruna. Every person who believed in her dream. She wanted to scream. She had already cried. She could only see one option left.

"I think that's enough for now." Haruna forced herself to smile, "I'm giving everyone the rest of the week off."

There was cacophonous disagreement. Not many of her subordinates had yet realized how bad the situation was. Haruna raised her hand for silence, "Now, now, it's two days till Christmas. I'm not Ebenezer Scrooge. You've all been working way too hard on this. I'm ordering everyone to forget about all of this and go home to spend time with your families. We can get back to whacking away at after the break."

It took some more persuading but Haruna eventually got everyone on board and her office gradually emptied as employees left and managers went to inform their teams that they could leave early. Freya was the last to leave, just as Haruna had expected.

"Miss Haruna, do you have anything you want me to do before I go?"  the ratatoskr's sad look told Haruna all she needed to know. It seemed they were both aware of how little hope remained. Haruna almost broke down and confided in her trusty assistant. She would have given anything to let someone know how scared she was. But that would have been unfair. Haruna had already taken too much of Freya's life. Too much of her life with her daughter. It was best to stick with the plan.

"Take this." Haruna passed Freya a sealed envelope, "I laundered some money into private accounts. I want you to hold it in escrow. No matter what happens, there should be enough funds in there to buy land for our employees on the retail market. Depending on what happens you might have to be sneaky about how you distribute it though. I'm counting on you."

"Miss Haruna..." the despair in Freya's voice made the danuki wonder if the ratatoskr had figured out what she planned to do.

"None of that. If I can't help all the monsters in the city I at least want to help the families who supported me with their loyalty. Besides, Gratia deserves to grow up in a forest like squirrel girls are supposed to." Haruna struggled to keep a nonchalant expression on her face, "It really is the very least I owe you."

The squirrel girl stood in silence for a moment which lasted an eternity. Haruna could see the conflict raging behind her assistant's eyes. She was pathetically grateful when Freya didn't press the issue. She didn't think she could have maintained her resolve if she'd been offered her a way out. Instead Freya simply gave a respectful bow in the old style before leaving.

Haruna watched out her magnificent penthouse office window as the parking lot gradually emptied. When only a few vehicles belonging to the overnight security personnel were left she retired to her adjoining apartment. There she pressed a button cleverly hidden in a decorative molding and stood back as a hidden panel slid open to reveal a lacquered wooden box. Her reaching hands hesitated for a moment, as if in fear, but she gathered her courage and carefully slid the lid off.

Then, for the first time in years, she removed two blades. One of non-lethal mana charged silver and one of cold, hard steel. Tellingly, neither took the form of a katana or wakizashi. The jealous pride of the Zipangunese samurai reached across time and dimensions. She was a merchant and the daughter of merchants. Her kind didn't dare arm themselves with weapons which aped the forms of a samurai's sacred blades; a lesson once taught so brutally its memory was practically genetic. To this day most danuki felt a little nervous arming themselves with anything at all. Haruna herself didn't even feel comfortable practicing with her Western style blades in the privacy of her home. No dullahan knight or lizardgirl swordmaster she.

On the other hand not much in the way of skill was needed to use them the way she intended, she thought to herself as she ritually cleansed herself and laid out her best kimono.

***

The security at Anon's compound was relatively light. The magnate valued his privacy and guards intruded on that. His personal safety depended primarily upon his remote location and its lone approach. A single guard building could watch the only road in or out well enough. In the event that an assassin bothered to traverse miles of tangled forest on foot they'd still have to contend with the manse's excellent electronic security system, primed to summon the guards if necessary. It didn't hurt that the man himself was rarely out of arms reach of a weapon; usually a callously lethal pre-portals firearm.

The designers of the security system had made considerable efforts to account for the strange abilities of monsters. Sadly, there was only so much they could do. How do you plan for intruders who range from de facto armored vehicles to intangible specters? As a result, a tiny raccoon dog was able to make it all the way to the mansion's main door without being detected. There, the small creature disappeared in a puff of smoke as Haruna returned to her true form. The danuki looked like a figure from an ancient oriental revenge epic. Her long hair was uncharacteristically unbound, left to flow freely over her pale kimono. Tucked into her belt sash were her two swords, each ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. Most striking were her dull, dead eyes. They were the eyes of a woman who saw no future. Haruna paused to take one last melancholy look at the night sky.

Then she rang the doorbell.

If asked the security system's designers would have said that an alarm should have been sounded if the doorbell was rung when no guests had been admitted into the compound. However, during the actual design process the thought had simply never occurred to them. What kind of intruder politely knocks? So it was that a rather confused Anon answered the door and not a security fireteam. His eyes widened in shock and he quickly backpedaled while scrabbling for his sidearm at the sight of the armed danuki. He was even more surprised when she just looked at her feet and asked, "May I please come in?"

"Sure, why not? In the bargaining stage of grief, danukike?"

Haruna took no notice of Anon's gibe or how he was being careful to keep furniture between the two of them. Instead, she tried to ignore the man's disturbing mana and trudged to a decorative rug in front of a Christmas tree.

"You've taught me an important lesson. The invisible hand of the market is powerless against the invisible fist of the state."

"Bullshit I know, but I'm not above using it to my advantage."

"You must know how beaten I am. At this stage all of my assets are tied up in the land itself. I'll be ruined if I can't do anything with those properties and I don't have the resources or connections to win a bribery war with you."

"I've always felt that far too much of the pre-portal regulatory bureaucracy was retained. I blame the Unitarians. Fucking communists."

"So I've come to surrender."

"What?!"

Haruna knelt, placed her swords in front of her, and pressed her forehead to the ground in a kowtow, "You can do anything you want with me. Beat me. Fuck me. Keep me in a little cage and treat me like an animal. Just please, I beg of you, let the wilderness zone be built."

Anon frowned and said nothing. Haruna watched her own teardrops staining Anon's expensive rug as she groveled, "Please! I wasn't lying about those monster children! It kills me to see them living in the city! That's the whole reason I'm doing this! I'll do anything, just help those children!"

"Still with this, hunh? I'm a fucking cartoon villain who hates kids if I don't do what you want?"

"No, I mean yes, I mean, just, please!" Haruna sat up a bit and suggestively shifted her breasts so they threatened to spill out of her kimono, "I'll do anything."

This was apparently the wrong thing to say as Anon's face turned red with rage at her implication. His hand drifted to his side and developed a white knuckle grip on his gun, "Get out."

Anon's calm voice belied the incandescent hatred burning in his eyes. Haruna had opened her mouth to continue pleading her case but snapped it shut in the face of that horrible glare. They stared each other down in silence, one terrified and one enraged, until Anon's eye twitched and he started screaming, "GET OUT!"

Haruna panicked. There was another puff of smoke and a cute little raccoon dog fled into the woods. The only indication it was anything more than a wild animal was the two small swords it held in its mouth.

***

After her scare the previous evening Haruna hadn't managed to fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning. She awoke around noon on Christmas Eve grateful that she had disabled all of her communications devices but feeling a little guilty that she'd no doubt missed many calls. On the other hand it didn't matter much now did it? Her business was well and truly scuppered no matter what she did.

Feeling more despondent than ever she tried to cheer herself up by doing her Christmas rounds a little early. Haruna's cherished childhood memories meant she always felt guilty asking people to work around Christmas, especially if they had any family. But some things like security and building maintenance needed at least a few people on hand 24/7. She tried to make it up to them by giving them a nice bonus and a few presents personally. Her employees always loved it, although it did help that she tried to schedule people who were easy to shop for. For example, not too many oni would be disappointed with a nice bottle of alcohol and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink from the boss that they were free to enjoy it on premises.

This act of generosity had never failed to bring her joy before. This time should have been no different. The gifts and envelopes of money were gratefully accepted and the festive mood of the handful of workers was obvious. They certainly didn't seem to mind guarding the first floor when they had booze, snacks, and their husbands for company. It was a very cheerful scene. Even if Haruna did feel a little sorry for the nerdy looking man sitting on a red oni's lap and blushing while his wife felt him up and guzzled wine from an enormous earthen jar which probably weighed more than he did.

Unfortunately this year Haruna could only observe their happiness, not share it. Her worries overwhelmed her. After distributing the gifts she quickly made her excuses and retreated to her office-cum-apartment. There she moped and wondered how long she'd be able to afford to keep the company going. After wallowing in despair for a the better part of the afternoon she finally worked up the nerve to do something she'd been dreading and putting off. She took a slug of bourbon straight from the bottle in the office's dry bar, picked up her phone, and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom."

"Haruna! I've missed you so much!" Haruna could hear her mother trying to keep the emotion out of her voice, "Christmas just isn't the same without my little girl."

"Yeah, I'm sorry..." her tongue was leaden in her mouth. The thought of telling her mother that she'd failed was too much for her. She just couldn't bring herself to do it, "...its been really busy for us. Something came up at the worst time, you know how it is. Hopefully it will just be a one time thing."

"Oh, I understand." the barely concealed disappointment in the older danuki's voice was heartbreaking, "You have to do what's best for you."

"So, how are things going with you guys?" Haruna deflected the conversation into more prosaic topics. She barely listened to her mother's responses about the comings and goings of their friends and family. Finally, her mother said goodbye and put her father on the phone.

"...Daddy?"

To his credit her father immediately intuited her unspoken feelings. She heard him ask her mother to go get something so she wouldn't overhear and then he asked, "What's wrong baby?"

"Oh Daddy!" the dam burst and her tears started to flow. She told him the whole story while sobbing and wailing. Her plan, how she'd been stymied, and how she didn't see any way to retrieve the situation. He listened patiently until she'd mostly worn herself out, "...and, and, I'm WORTHLEEEEEESSSS! Mommy came through the portal and built up everything from nothing and married you and I took everything she gave me and turned it into nothing and I let everybody down and the children won't get to play outside and I'm all alone and-"

"Stop." her father's tone was firm, "I don't know what it is about you raccoon dogs but you're all so insecure. You all think you need to prove yourselves constantly. Your mother's the same way. When we were first married I was always struggling to get her to believe that she didn't have to hit the next target point in her wealth plan for me to keep loving her. It's a little insulting frankly. Do you think I'd have taken up with that hellhound who almost raped me in high school if your mother couldn't have afforded to buy us a house? Do you think we'll stop loving you if your business fails?"

"Daddy, I could end up bankrupt and homeless. If I can't develop or shift all of this real estate the taxes alone-"

"Do you think we wouldn't let you live with us? Even if we were dead, do you really think your friends would see you living in a box and pretend they didn't know you?"

Haruna thought of Freya's suburban bungalow and shy smile, "No..."

"I love you, my silly little bandit mask puppy. No matter what. I want you to stay calm. Your mother and I are going to fly up tonight so we can all spend a fun Christmas together."

"You don't have to do that Daddy."

"I want to. I miss Christmas with my baby. Just relax and try to cheer up. Let me handle all the arrangements, all you'll have to do is show up. Everything will seem better when we're together, I promise."

"... Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too my little hug hoarder."

Haruna hung up the phone, sniffled a bit one last time, and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. She did feel a little better. The situation was pretty bad but there were still people who cared about her. That was more important than money in the end. Who knew, maybe with her Mommy's help she'd be able to figure out a way to still make a place for monsters and humans to live together happily.

"'Daddy', hunh? You didn't seem the type."

Haruna yelped and practically hit the ceiling, "YOU!"

"I'm curious, is he your biological father or do you just like to call your lover 'Daddy' while he loosens your holes?" Anon sneered as he set down the pizza boxes he was carrying so he could punctuate his query with a very crude gesture.

"HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE!?"

"It's Christmas Eve. The building's skeleton crew is drunk and partying. It was pretty easy to persuade them to let me in. Although I think that wurm would have believed a man in a three piece suit was a pizza delivery boy even if she was sober."

Haruna's head spun, "Why are you here? Have you come to gloat? To revel in my failure?"

Anon gave her a cold look before flinging something at her. Shocked, Haruna didn't even attempt to dodge. Pain blossomed in her gut and she began screaming, "AH! NO! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

"Are you fucking retarded?" Anon looked at her as though she was, in fact, a mongoloid.

Chagrined, Haruna examined the object Anon had thrown at her. It turned out to be a document case. She opened it and began to examine the papers inside. Her eyes widened and her hands sped up as she saw what they said, "These... these are all my approvals! I could break ground today if I wanted to!"

"Merry fucking Christmas you fuzzy fucking kike." Anon snarled.

"But why? You had me completely beaten."

"You fucking guilted me into it, OK? I'm going to lose a fortune, but you'll get your stupid fucking monster zone. A wonderful, saccharine place where monsters and their fuck toys can raise insipid little shits with lots of fresh air. Another fucking victory for the fucking lost, fucking unlamented, final fucking Demon Lord and the power of love. It's a Christmas fucking miracle."

Haruna was completely taken aback. Nothing about Anon's beliefs mapped to such hatred of monsters or what they stood for. She carefully put the precious documents back in their case and looked at Anon with trepidation, "Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much this means to me. To the monsters of the city. I'll do everything I can to pay you back for this. But I'm still confused. Based on what little I know about you none of this makes sense. Why do you hate monsters so much?"

Anon didn't say anything for a long time. He just looked increasingly angry and bitter. Haruna was starting to wonder if she should have let well enough alone when Anon started pacing angrily while mumbling under his breath, "Why do I hate monsters she asks. Why do I fucking hate monsters?"

Suddenly, Anon grabbed Haruna's shoulders and held her against the wall, "The question is: WHY DO MONSTERS HATE ME?!"

In that moment, staring into the man's eyes, Haruna perceived Anon's true mana. Analogies were always imprecise when attempting to explain mystic phenomenon to to those who could not sense them directly, but in this case Haruna felt that her earlier impression of a black marble egg had been quite accurate. Only now she could see it in its entirety and what she saw horrified her. The beautiful, intricate sphere of Anon's mana had been shattered. It was as if someone had taken a hammer and swung it over and over again leaving a jagged crater surrounded by debris. Hazy flumes of energy leaked from the pit. The spiritual pain must have been unbearable. Seen up close and truly Anon's mana screamed of suffering and fear and loneliness and betrayal. Horrible, unjust, totally unexpected betrayal most of all.

Haruna's heart beat faster. This was exactly what her kind had been created for; this was exactly the kind of wound the last and greatest Demon Lord had granted monsters the power to heal. She longed to pour her love into that crater. She longed to show Anon he wasn't alone. Every fiber of her body ached to drown Anon's suffering in kisses and caresses, hugs and pleasure. But her brain held her back. How could Anon possibly have remained single this long? His true mana should have drawn a never ending stream of monsters desperate to marry him. And how had his true mana become obscured in the first place? It didn't make any sense. Then she remembered some of his archaic speech patterns and the last puzzle piece clicked into place.

"You're one of the First!" Haruna gasped, "You're one of the ones whose belief led us here! But... why aren't you married?! The First were snapped up, well, first!"

Anon released her and she slumped to the floor. She watched in fear as he held his head in his hands with his fingers tangled in his hair, "BECAUSE I'M SHIT! OR A PSYCHO! OR IRREDEEMABLE! OR WORTHLESS! WHO KNOWS?!"

Haruna shrank back in fear as Anon cackled madly, "All I know is the portals opened, the Day of the Rape happened, and I still ended up alone! I spent the whole day running around outside trying to catch someone's eye and NOTHING! Do you know what that was like?! Do you know what it was like to check the board and see everyone else posting pictures of their waifus?! Then to go home alone? To see monsters cuddling and holding hands with guys who didn't even know what a monster girl was before that day? To believe, and then... nothing...?"

Anon's voice petered out near the end. When he spoke again his voice was ice cold, "That was when I realized you fucking monsters are thots too. So I figured what the fuck, might as well get fit and rich. At first I think I hoped that if I improved myself I could attract a monster. Turn into a Chad to get a Stacy. But that was stupid. What's the point if monsters were the same as everyone else? Now I make money because I can and because it lets me do what I want. I let go of all that waifu bullshit and I'm finally free."

"But I guess I'm not that free since your little fucking performance just made me do something stupid and pointless." Anon growled in frustration, "Good job with the manipulation, cunt. Pat yourself on the back because you got what you wanted by leveraging the last shreds of weakness in my soul. Fucking shit. I fucking hate monsters."

Anon made a dismissive gesture and turned to leave but Haruna leapt forward to stop him. She clung to his leg like drowning sailor and looked at him with sad eyes, "Please don't go. Please let me make it up to you."

"Typical monster." Anon sneered, "Just like before. You just want to fuck me. Because I'm rich and now you owe me one. Step up your fucking game. Human women can do that shit."

"No!" Haruna tried to control her growing panic, "I want to help you! I can feel your pain!"

"Are you fucking kidding me? Who are you, Bill Clinton?"

His words were flippant but Haruna thought she might have heard a bit of curiosity in there, "I'm sorry about what happened when the portals opened. I have no idea what went wrong. Seeing your mana now I can't imagine how no one noticed you. But I can also tell how much that hurt you. I'm ashamed for myself and for all monsters that we betrayed a man like that, even accidentally, and especially one of the First. Please, please, please let me, let us, make amends. Whatever you want, whatever will make you happy. As a monster I believe that love is the ultimate but if you want something else we can get you that."

Anon raised his eyebrow, "It still sounds like you just want alpha dick."

Haruna cringed. How could her people have failed so badly that one of the First had come to hate monsters this much? "If you don't want a tanuki that's fine. I can introduce you to just about any kind of unmarried common or Zipangunese monster TONIGHT. If you want something more exotic it will just take a little longer."

"Really? And what if I'm in the mood for raccoon dog?"

Her heart skipped a beat, "Yes."

"That's all? 'Yes'? What if I want to tie you up and power rape you? What if I only want you occasionally and prefer a harem of other girls most of the rest of the time?"

"Love is patient, love is kind. If you'll accept it I'll give you my love and keep giving it to you until you can return it. No matter how long it takes."

"That seems like a pretty dangerous attitude."

"It's like you said. I can see the unique ephemera produced by your soul. I know you aren't evil, you're just in pain."

That seemed to set him off. Anon's brows furrowed as he grabbed her and threw her on a couch, "HOW DARE YOU! THAT'S PRIVATE!"

She squeaked in surprise as heavy human hands tore at her clothes, "You want this, hunh?! Well fine then! DON'T SUMMON WHAT YOU CAN'T PUT DOWN!"

Shivers of anticipation ran up and down her spine when he ripped her panties off and she felt cool air on her sex. One of his arms cradled her belly, holding her hips up while his free hand held her head down in the soft cushions of the sofa. She couldn't believe how excited she was. Her entire life was filled with relationships defined by either kind love or respectful obedience. Anon was just TAKING her. She didn't have to plan or command or do anything. She had never felt more desired. It seemed almost wrong to be enjoying it this much. She was supposed to be the one helping him!

All rational thought ceased as Anon brutally took her maidenhead. There was a moment of discomfort, but she was literally a sex monster and this was well within the realm of what she could enjoy. Soon she was moaning in pleasure and instinctively rotating her hips in counterpoint to his thrusts. Even better than the crude physical thrills were the mystic feelings. The sensation of their mana mingling was indescribable. She could feel them literally becoming one as his spirit energy exploded into her and her own dark energy rushed to fill the void in his soul. In the moment of peace after his eruption she leaned backwards, pressing her back against his chest and nuzzling her head into his neck.

Haruna could feel the indecision in Anon after what had happened. Part of him wanted to open up and be vulnerable with her but another part of him was still afraid and wanted to try to keep up a cruel facade to protect his heart. She didn't push him. She'd give him as much time as he needed. The frightened part of him won out that time and when their next bout started Haruna found herself bound with red ribbons left over from wrapping presents. True to his word he tied her up and power raped her. True to her word Haruna gave him her love and acceptance without asking anything in return.

As the night wore on and Anon used her again and again Haruna could feel the genuine part of Anon growing stronger. At first it was little things like him hugging her when he climaxed. Next he started stroking her fluffy tail and gently caressing her velvety ears. Finally he set her on his lap so they could hold hands and look at each other while she slowly rode him.

"I- I'm sorry."

Haruna leaned forward to tenderly kiss Anon, "It's alright. Everything is alright now."

Tears started to stream down Anon's face as he finished inside her, "I was so mean."

"It's OK." Haruna hugged Anon tightly as they lay back in her bed. Her tail swished happily, betraying her joy at finally being able to cuddle with a man. Her husband! She recalled what what her Daddy had told her and she whispered softly as the newlyweds snuggled and gradually drifted off to sleep, "You don't have to prove yourself anymore Anon. I'll love you no matter what..."

***

The 'Golden Emperor Pagoda' was a rather odd restaurant. The ren xiongmao proprietress, 'Lady' Chiang, was adamant that her establishment provide an 'authentic Mist Continent experience'. No bastardizations of old dishes for Western palates. No eating with barbaric Western 'silverware'. None of this crazy 'the customer is always right' nonsense. If you didn't want to go to a place with a menu indistinguishable from a medieval Mist Continent cookhouse then you could go somewhere else. Gweilo.

No one knew what the old nationalist tank in the front yard had to do with anything though.

Most importantly, Lady Chiang didn't give a flip if it was Christmas. Who cared if almost her entire staff was at least nominally Christian now? Her ancestors hadn't done anything special for this silly Western version of the Dongzhi Festival. Why should she? So it was fairly easy for Haruna's father to rent out the whole place for the day. He immediately got the staff on his side by basically inviting them to the party and even got on Lady Chiang's good side by donating a crate of a decent Italian Red which she promptly nipped into. It was obviously vastly inferior to baiju but she grudgingly admitted that it was acceptable. For Western garbage of course.

The hardest part was inviting Haruna's friends to the party on such short notice. Most people Haruna knew were more accurately described as 'business associates' than 'friends' and her father didn't bother even asking them. Most of the rest had other plans and politely declined but he managed to get a few people to show up. An old, scarred oni who met her husband while working for Haruna's mother regaled anyone who would listen with obviously exaggerated tales of past martial exploits. Freya sat next to Haruna's mother shyly hugging her tail and failing to work up the courage to talk to the business legend while their husbands conversed jovially. Meanwhile little Gratia ran in circles like a maniac stopping occasionally to place her ear on her Mommy's belly or to tell everyone that she had the best Christmas present ever: a new baby brother or sister!

Finally the guest of honor arrived. To everyone's surprise Haruna had a man on her arm. Freya in particular was shocked to see her boss, who had been utterly despondent two days ago, glowing with spirit energy freshly harvested from the man who, last Freya knew, had tried to destroy Haruna's business. For their part Haruna's parents practically threw their table aside in their rush to inspect their daughter and her new husband, with Haruna's mother's jaw hitting the floor when she recognized the bizarre mana of one of the First. It was a bit surreal for those who only knew Anon as a hard hearted adversary to see him shyly doting on Haruna. After a chaotic flurry of questions and sometimes awkwardly incomplete explanations, including the news that the wilderness zone project was now ahead of schedule, the party kicked into high gear. It was a long time before the new couple could get away from the crowd, and even longer before they could get away from Haruna's exuberant parents.

***

Haruna tipsily stumbled a bit as she tried to take off her shoes before entering Anon's mansion, eager to claim her man in a new location for the first time, "Heh, I'm sorry my Mom kept trying to weasel financial information out of you."

"That's OK." Anon looked downcast for a moment, "I probably deserve a lot worse."

"Hey, don't be like that. Water under the bridge." Haruna tried to portray the idiom with a gesture but failed as her hands got in each others' way. She drunkenly stared at them and frowned.

"Okay, alky. Let's sit down before you get into any trouble."

"Not drunk..." the danuki pouted but let Anon help her walk. Then she 'accidentally' stumbled and sent the two tumbling into a couch where they began tenderly kissing and cuddling, "Mmmm. Like it when you're gentle."

"I'm really sorry about before. I can't believe I literally tied you up and raped you."

Haruna's eyes sparkled as she pulled a spool of red ribbon from her pocket and smiled suggestively, "Like it when you're rough too..."

It took Anon a while to catch her after that. Even a drunk raccoon dog can be pretty wily. Afterwards he 'punished' her quite severely of course.