Saki
Tama said something to Lyran, who turned to Tama in shock. They talked for a moment and then Tama reappeared next to me. “Nya! Lyran wants you to meet his friend! She is really nice!” She said happily.
I swallowed my rage as best I could. Why was I upset? She was just a girl and he was a guy. These were genders. They were people. They were…
“Saki, your tails are coming out!” Tama said playfully as she grabbed my third tail. I panicked and pulled them back in before coughing hard.
“You know Tama, he seems busy, we should..” Before I could finish, the girl turned and walked directly up to me. She held out a hand and with a chipper smile said “heya! My name is Emberly. It is so nice to meet Lyran’s girlfriend in person!”
The world seemed to tilt slightly at that and I asked “G.. girlfriend?” My tail instinctively wrapped around me and my illusions formed over me instantly.
“Yea, you.. Are dating right? Lyran didn’t outright state that he is pretty shy after all. But based on what I have heard of y’all. Definitely an item. Am I wrong?” I stared blankly as she continued. “Especially after y’alls date at that diner? Sounds romantic as all get out. Lyran is one lucky guy.”
I had no words, my mind drew a blank. “Wait a moment, Emberly! I never said we were dating.. It’s.. it's not like that!” Lyran said as he rushed up and bowed to Tama and me. “I am so very sorry. She doesn’t mean it. This is Emberly, we have been friends since childhood. She is actually in town for the coronation.”
I took a deep breath behind my illusion. I felt.. sad? So.. I wasn’t good enough? No.. it’s.. It's not like that. I was.. He was.. I mean.. We weren't officially a thing right? But to just.. Say it like that.
“But Tama thought you and Saki were together and we were going to have that three person thing in private!” Tama said, causing my face to suddenly catch fire and apparently Lyran’s cheeks flushed red as well. I looked away hyperventilating as I heard Tama continue. “Tama thought you only did that with someone special right Saki?” She asked innocently.
“Someone special?” Emberly sounded annoyed. “I mean, if you wanna get all hioty toity about it I guess, but it's a natural thing and you should be able to do it whenever and wherever ya want!” She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes as she muttered something under her breath.
“Look Emberly, Saki and Tama both mean a lot to me and I personally believe me and Saki have.. Had something.” He started and I felt my chest tighten. I met his eyes, they looked hopeful.. I looked away.
“Nya! This is stupid! Tama is going to get more fries! Does Emberly want to get fries with Tama?” Tama said seriously. I looked up at Tama in shock.
“Yes actually, I would. LEt these two work out whatever they got going on.” Emberly replied with a smirk. She shoulder checked Lyran who made a cute whiny sound and then they both left.
“Did.. did Tama just.. Leave?” I said in disbelief.
Lyran laughed and shook his head. “I swear, Tama is chaos incarnate. I wonder if Emberly will be okay or get pulled into some kind of wormhole.”
I glared at him and he looked away. After a long moment of silence he finally spoke up. “I.. I’m sorry for everything. I…” He trailed off and I looked at him. He was staring at the ground and playing with his fingers.
“Don’t be.” I said simply. He looked up at me in surprise.
“What.. I..” He started, but I cut him off.
“Don’t be.” I repeated myself. “I made a mistake, I let my emotions win and I hurt you. I am sorry for what I did. This was my fault.” I stepped forward. My feet felt like lead and I almost tripped.
Lyran looked at me in shock. “But about Tama..” He started but I waved him down.
“What about Tama exactly? Yes she is my best friend and I would do anything to protect her. But she is her own woman and I am tired of pretending she isn’t” My voice was calm, but my heart hurt from how fast it was beating.
He looked at me uncertainly and I continued. “And you know what Lyran. I am a person too. So I am only going to ask you this once and only once. Do we have a thing.. Or did we?” I looked him dead in the eyes. Letting my illusions drop, I showed my look, how I really felt. My vision grew hazy and I wanted to flee. I grew two of my tails and forced them into the ground.
“I… I don’t know” Lyran said finally. He looked back down to the ground and after a moment said. “What.. what do you want?”
I took a deep breath and did something I had done hundreds of times before when seducing worthless men. Yet this time, this time felt painful. It felt hard.. It felt.. Natural. I wrapped my tails around him, all three currently out and grabbed his face. Looking directly up and into his eyes.
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I pulled him in and kissed him. A long moment passed as we just held there. Then I let go and backed up. I looked away, my cheeks felt on fire. I had nothing left to say.
“I.. I want you Saki.. If you would have me.” He said breathlessly. He looked frazzled and I giggled.
“Then let’s make it official.” I said, trying to calm my nerves. Fighting the lich and being trapped in an underground city for close to a year was somehow less nerve wracking than this. I used to make fun of romantic books where the girl caught all.. Ugh. I shook my head and looked him in the eyes as I stepped forward and raised my hand.
Slowly, Lyran raised his and took it. For just a moment. Saki’s heart seemed to stop, then it started again and she pulled him into a hug. She never wanted to let go. Not of Tama, Not of Lyran and never of herself. Never again.
I smiled up at Lyran and pulled his ear to her before whispering. “Want to see what I meant when I said my curtains match my drapes?”
His face went red and I giggled before pulling him up to the counter. “Room for two please!”
The man at the front desk raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes and saying “Please make sure to not make too much noise. That will be five gold pieces.”
Saki ignored the man and dropped the money on the counter. Taking the key, she lured Lyran up the nearby stairs giggling the entire time.
I woke up satisfied. I won’t lie, I had definitely had better. But that was still the best I had ever had in all the ways that counted. I giggled as he climbed out of the bed and ran to the bathroom. I closed my eyes and imagined our life together. I felt my cheeks begin to heat up and I shook my head.
“Nya! There you are! Tama got fries!” My eyes jerked open and I turned to see Tama standing next to the bed with fries. I looked at her in stunned silence. Now? Really?
“Tama, Please go away for now.” I whispered pleadingly as I looked over at the bathroom.Lyran was whining about something and I heard a crash as he must have tripped. I looked back at Tama.
I looked back and our eyes met. She smiled and leaned in, giving me a kiss on the cheek and whispering. “Tama is so happy for Saki. Tama will be outside when you need her.” and just like that.. She was gone. I laid back down and idly wondered what she was going to do. I will be out in a few hours. Surely she didn’t need me for a few hours.. Right? I looked over at Lyran and he tried to look sexy walking out of the bathroom and I had to hold back laughter.
I glance over at the door and worry for a moment. Then shake my head. I was sure Tama would be fine. Lyran jumped on the bed and I looked over at him. She would have to be fine. She was her own person too.
Lyran
“As always Lyran, you failed” Miss Susan said with a withering tone. “I was told you were intelligent. Perhaps your mother just thinks too highly of you.”
I winced at her words as I took the test she had graded and put it in my bag, pushing my magic scooter to the side and adding it to the pile of failed tests. Turning back to her I asked “What did I get wrong though?”
She paused and looked at me for a moment before asking me “What did you get right Lyran?” The disappointment in her voice stung and I left the room without another word. Making my way down the hall I stopped and watched as Emberly made out with her boyfriend. After a moment she noticed me and after a quick butt slap, she rushed over to me. “Did you pass?” She asked hopefully.
I shook my head as I looked at her with sadness. Her Foxkin ears drooped and she looked away for a moment before saying. “You know what Lyran? She is just a bully! You don’t need her! You can do anything!”
“But If I don’t pass, how do I become an inventor?” I asked weakly.
She shook her head. It’s not about the test. It's about what you can do! So you are bad at filling out boxes Lyran. Your magic scooter thing is amazing and that's nothing to what I have seen you do! We are barely teenagers, we have plenty of time. I know! Mark wanted to know if you wanted to go to a party tonight with us!”
I turned to Mark who was shaking his head no. She turned and kneed him in the groin before turning back to me. He is just shy, come on! You will have a great time! I heard Mark moan in pain as he rolled on the ground.
I turned back to Emberly and asked “Why hit him there, did you know that the amount of excess force you just used could prevent him from having children in the future.” I fixed my glasses slightly and pointed to Mark as he held his crotch and sobbed quietly.
Emberly rolled her eyes “Well, I would hate for him to pass on his genetics if he is as much a douche as he was just acting!”” I looked at her perplexed.
“Do you not wish to procreate? That is what the act is for isn’t it?” Emberly pursed her lips before saying “Not everything needs a reason Lyran, some people do things because they enjoy it.”
I nodded, still uncertain what she meant by that but asked. “Would you like to borrow my scooter again today?” I took it out of the bag and pointed to the three new runes I added. “Due to problems with fluctuations, I added a stability rune that makes it stay upright on its own! This one is for speed, and this one is for testing possible flight!”
“What a nerd!”” Mark said, finally getting up, still nursing his crotch. “Do we have to bring him?”
Emberly swirled on him and they started arguing. I took a step back and slowly traced my runes, trying not to listen
Tama
I made my way down the street. Saki and Lyran were doing adult stuff at the inn. I didn’t want to get in their way. Emberly had met some guy she called cute at the fry place and they went to go do adult stuff too.
I blinked to a nearby roof and looked down at the people passing by. “Who are you!” I heard a voice behind me. Whirling around I saw a tall man with white hair. He was sitting on the balcony and pouting. He was skinny and wore a t-shirt and shorts.
“Tama is Tama!” I said happily. My tail wagged as I turned fully from the street and hopped down on the rest of the roof. Walking over to him I asked. “Who are you?”
The man snorted and said. “I am just someone who is leaving. That new worthless Princess fired me from my job and now I have no reason to be here.” He sounded annoyed and upset. I tilted my head.
“Tama is a princess, maybe she can help!” I said excitedly.
The man perked up at that. Instead of happiness, he seemed like he just realized something. “You? You are Fuyuki Tamaneko the third?”
I nodded “Nya! That is Tama’s name!” I said excitedly. My tail wagged faster and I jumped up and down.
“You are the one who fired me and you don’t even know me!” The man said, his voice filling with rage. “What gave you the right!” He stood and stepped forward.
I drew Serenity and narrowed my eyes. He looked at my blade and scoffed. “As expected of a princess. A fancy sword and probably no idea how to wield it correctly. I’ll tell you that the stance is decent.”
“Tama is the greatest Ninja ever! You take that back! She learned from the greatest Swordsman who ever lived!” I snapped back angrily. No one insulted Sensei’s training!
