The Doki's Go Babysit!

"I can't believe we agreed to this. It's not like we owe him a favour or something."

"I am perplexed as to why we decided to partake in this endevour as well. We have no previous experience in this field at all."

"As much as I'm up for new things, I don't think we can handle this..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself guys! Think about it in a positive light - we as a club get to expose ourselves to new situations, which is only going to help grow our writing. We made it through the night so far unscathed, as long as we put our minds to it I'm confident the rest of the night will go the same way."

"Psh, of course that's your take on this nightmare. You're the one that offered to do this in the first place! Why did you say we'd go watch over his cousins for him? What, do you have a thing for him or something?"

"What?! Eww, no way. Although...seeing as though you guys didn't exactly say no when he asked everyone to help me in the clubroom, shouldn't I be asking you all that same question?"

Silence fills the dinner table, lit by a dangling lightbulb at the center. The situation looks more like poker night, with Natsuki, Yuri, Sayori, and Monika all sitting down dinner as the kids watched a movie. And Monika has just revealed her winning hand, leaning back into her chair, crossing her arms in satisfaction as her other club members struggle to find an excuse for their being here.

"Well, anyways, it's already 9 PM. We can put them all to bed. There's three of them, so I suggest we split up. Sayori, you take the baby. Yuri and Natsuki, you take the boy, and I'll take the girl."

"What?" Natsuki leans into the table to confront Monika, "Why do you get the easiest one out of all us?"

"I'm just pairing us up with whoever we had a greater rapport with. Sayori has really taken to the baby, and," Monika covers her mouth with a clenched fist, looking to the side. "There's just something about that girl..."

Natsuki narrows her eyes at whatever that's supposed to mean. "I'm going to make fun of you for that later. But for now, let me ask you why you think me and Yuri have some sort of rapport with that brat? He's awful!"

"I know, I know, but that's why both of you are going to take care of him. I know you two together can handle it!"

"Oh bullshit, if that's the case why not you and me do it? I bet it's just because you don't wan-"

Yuri's deflation at her suggestion goes unnoticed as Sayori pipes up with her arms up in a "stop!" gesture, "Hey, hey, let's quit arguing okay? If the girl is really easy as you say, then she'll just fall asleep on her own without Monika's help. Then she can go help you two if you're having trouble. Right?"

Natsuki grumbles in agreement. Monika breathes a sigh of relief and says "Okay, everyone! Let's get them from the living room and put them to bed!

---

Sayori gently nestles the baby into her crib. She, Clara, was already passed out on the couch, and she only had to be carried into her room.

"There you go. Whew! That wasn't too bad, was it? I should get to Nats and Yuri before they go rip each other's-"
And then Clara starts wailing.

"Oh no! Did I wake you up? Was I that loud? Ahhhh..." She picks Clara back up into her arms and tries to cradle her to stop the tears. A few minutes pass and the cradling seems to have been a fruitless effort.

"Aiyah, this isn't working. What should I do?" She looks towards the door, considering getting help from someone else but she steels her resolve.

"No! I'm not going to be bailed out by anyone else! Everyone has their own kid to take care of, and I'm going to take care of mine! I can handle this on my own! Now where'd my phone run off to..."

---

Natsuki and Yuri trudge up the stairs silently. Natsuki is used to Yuri being quiet, but she feels something different from her normal elegant steps.

"Yuri, are you all right?"

"W-why of course. For whatever reason would you be so inquisitive? Do I look a little flushed?"

"Honestly, you look a little annoyed. What's wrong?"

"I think the instigator of said annoyance would know all about the issue."

"Oh. Oh, is it about what I said at dinner? Come on, you know I didn't mean it that way."

"Regardless, you seemed more than eager to suggest the switch. Am I really so intolerable to be around that you must say things like that?"

"Yuri, don't make me go and admit it..."

"Admit what?"

And then they reach the boy's door, their discussion interrupted by the maniacal yet hearty laughter emitting from the room. Natsuki sighs, opens the door and says "Josh, quit being so loud, people are trying to sleep! And get off the bed."

Josh stands with his back to the two, the bathroom towel tied around his neck blowing in the wind provided by the fan. "Hahaha, so you have finally found the lair of my Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! No matter, you are too late. I already have the nuclear device in my possession. So, what lousy X-men have they sent to defeat the mighty Magneto?" He turns around, revealing his red football helmet. "Ahh, an unlikely duo. Psylocke and Wolverine. Simple foes to quell."

"Did this kid just call me Wolverine!?" Natsuki rolls up her right sleeve.

Yuri stops her fellow X-man with a grab of the shoulder, "Calm down. While I am flattered you have attributed Psylocke's exotic and alluring appearance to me, Natsuki, you are acting rather, 'in character', right now."

Natsuki turns to point a finger at her purple-haired partner. "Oh don't you start with me too, bub!"

Josh boasts another heartful laugh. "It seems I have to barely lift a finger. As it looks right now, you two are ready to fight each other to the death." Another laugh that pierces the walls.

"N-now listen here, child. You will get off the bed and go to sleep! We were very gracious to not only let you watch your X-man movie, but we have also let you watch it to the end despite the scheduled bedtime your parents provided us. Now," Yuri steps forward but Josh grabs something from the bedside table.

"Not another step! Or else I activate the nuclear device, straight at you!" He reveals a 2L Coke bottle, 75% full, and in the other hand, a pack of mentos.

"Is this kid seriously threatening us with that? Okay, playtime's over.." Before Natsuki steps forward, Yuri halts her movement once again.

"Wait, Wolfey. This device is going to explode over not just us, but all over the floor. How will we ever clean up the mess before their parents get home?"

"Tch, you're right..." Natsuki ignores the sudden roleplaying, knowing how dire the situation is.

"Mwahhahaha! Begone, fools! Lest you deal with something you cannot manage." Josh jumps and lies down on his bed, and he switches his Game Boy on, playing the catchy sound clip we all know and love.

"Let's go Yuri, leave the kid to his fantasies. Let's make ourselves a game plan."

---

"So the flap goes this way and then this one goes....here? Awah, changing a diaper is hard!

---

Compared to the other rooms in the household, the girl's is naturally quite tame. A room of a junior high schooler, it is kept abnormally clean. Monika sits by the bed, helping Maria out with her science homework.

"It just all seems so tedious."

"I know, but eventually I realized it's just remembering the meaning behind the words, and understanding a few simple concepts that get you the good grades. If you're not really interested in the material, just think of it as memorization practice."

"Haah, I guess so. Anyways I'm pretty much done. Let's say we do something fun before I go to bed?"

"Uhm, my friends have their hands full with your siblings, so I should go help them.."

"Something quick then, like one game of chess?"

A wave of nostalgia hits Monika. "Ah, I loved that game back when I had the time for it as a kid. Okay, sure, why not?"

The board is set up on the bed and Monika is given black. As they play Maria makes idle conversation.

"So I've seen you around at school a lot. You keep yourself pretty busy, always running around managing sports and clubs." Maria starts by moving a pawn in the center.

"We go to the same school?"

Maria clutches her heart "That hurt. I guess it's just hard to keep track of all the freshman, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah I guess that's why.." Monika moves her knight into the fray.

"But anyways, your friends seem really fun to be around. I wish there were more people like that in my year. Like, Yuri just seems so eloquent and sophisticated.." Maria tries to set up a pin with her bishop...

"Haha, if you can handle all those words she throws around!" ...only for it to be delayed with an check on her king.

"And Sayori just seems like a blast to be around at all times." Maria then responds by moving her king back.

"It is great to have her around a lot.." Monika goes for another check...

"And Natsuki, she has some real backstory! Considering her home life is riddled with fatherly abuse and all..." ...only for Monika's hand to freeze as she picks up her queen.

"How did you know that?"

Maria snorts. "Same way you did. What, what's with the look? Did you think you were the only one here that could see the truth? Please, you're not special."

Monika continues moving her piece. "Hah, so it seems I was right about you. So how far do your abilities go?"

"Basic access to reading and manipulation. No deleting though."

Monika's releases the breath she didn't think she was holding. "Hmm is that so? Maybe when you get older you'll learn to delete."

"Maybe. Or how I about I just get you to do it?" Maria sets up her pin once again, aiming for the king.

"Now why would I help you do something like that?" Monika moves her king away thoughtlessly, too focused on the conversation.

"Well, if you decide not to, I can, as you put it, untie the knot?" Maria takes a rook for free from the pin, to Monika's dismay.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on them. Let me remind you that I can delete things freely, including you." Moves start being made at a frantic pace.

"And what will you say to your fellow club members and my parents when they find me missing? Will you manipulate their minds a bit to fit your story? Such contemptious actions."

"How about I just make you say whatever I want instead?"

"Why don't I do the same?"

Both Monika and Maria are left with but a king, and several pawns. Stalemate.

Monika begins to rub her chin, "Here's a suggestion. Another game of chess. If you win, I'll be your slave. Whatever whim you wish to see out of this place, I'll try to code it for you. But if I win, you don't touch my friends and we keep this facade going. How about it? Up to the challenge?" She is already resetting the pieces of the board.

Maria agrees. "A localized battle that harms less files. Not what I was hoping for but," She flashes a smirk "I like that deal. I'll enjoy playing with you like a puppet."

Monika returns the grin. "I don't think you'll ever be able to know that pleasure. I was going easy last time. Let's see how you'll fare when I actually have something on the line." And she moves her pawn forward.

---

"Here's comes the choo-choo train! Open up wide! Oh come on Clara, it can't taste that bad."
"....Oh ugh! Ew! Okay, I concede. But please stop crying already!"

---TO BE CONTINUED---