141 Wrong suit but it's all good

I am devastatingly cute.

The cutest. How could anyone argue against that against this face? Against these stupid little paws, that trap my limbs and digits annoyingly?

Ultimately it's my fault, yes. I can admit that much. But I am the most adorable.

Say it.

Say it!!!

"Noooo! I'm the cutest!" Lukas stubbornly refuses to admit the truth.

"I'm tinier, smaller and delicate!" I growl.

"I'm softer and squisher. Squish squish!" he molds his own face, vanilla creme fur complimenting the pink of his admittedly very fleshy cheeks. It's both at once incredibly stupid looking as it is adorable.

"Your squish may be cute now but it can't last! Give it a few years. I, however, shall stay...pretty and cute." I haughtily huff, for I know my own face and the future quite well.

As Lilyanne's twin, aren't I physically just as lovely and pleasing to the eye? At least on the surface level. I know my own worth and superiority here. I'm an absolute doll ok?!

I admit it's very petty to be getting into this argument with Lukas. My own minion, who is not the brightest child.

Yet there is just something so irritating about this child?!

"I'm cuter," he says in absolute certainty, holding his little nose up high.

That perfect little nose. The only thing he got exactly from Gable. I feel my irritation spike with a growl.

"I'm cutest and everyone here knows so." I wave, showcasing the entirety of employees, hired hands, and troop 'prisoners' hard at work on the bath renovation project.

Or well they should be. If only they didn't get so distracted cooing, awwing and staring.

I'm finally out and can see to things!

But for some odd reason, the price to pay was to stay in these little bear onesies.

"Nuh uh, I'm the cutest and everyone's too scared of your ma and da so they gotta say you're cutest. But everyone knows I'm cutest!" Lukas distracts me again from being the overbearing overlord mini boss that I am.

See. See, he's just so frustrating! He never just leaves it. Nooooo he had to be the best and cutest. When it's clear that I, with Lilyanne's face, am the cutest bear.

It doesn't even matter what it is! Lukas just has to be the best. Where does he get this arrogance from?!

"Amar! I'm the cutest and nicest and best. Not stinky yelly weak Rosa, right?" ice bear rolls over the short distance to the sleepiest brown bear.

"Lukas don't you dare. Stop acting cute. Hey hey hey Amar, that's not right and you can't lie. Aren't I the cutest?" I hastily crawl over to interfere with this unfair evaluation.

From his corner of our kiddy pen on this platform, raised high so I may oversee most of anything, warm fuzzy Amar yawns and rubs his eyes out of the nap he decided to take during the great debate between Lukas and I. Dazedly, he starts to blink back and forth as Lukas and I try to wake him enough to obtain a confession.

"I'm just as cute as those razor cubs we saw before. Right?! Rawrr rawr ahhhh!" Lukas rolls about shamelessly, displaying his tummy in an imitation of any wildlife he's seen before.

Oh that's bad, so bad. I think I hear some screaming and another accident down below.

Amar starts to nod, his loose hood and little bear ears bobbing with his head.

"But I'm a smaller and cuter bear cub. Look I'm honey themed. Don't you like honey? So sweet and yummy? So cute, right?" I show off my paws, patting them over Amar's face and side.

He also nods to that, but slightly faster.

Aha! I'm winning.

"No you're not! Grrrr Amar! I'm the cutest, feels. I'm so soft and floofies." Lukas comes over the brown bear's other side, sticking cuddling his whole body shamelessly.

Oh ho ho, it is on.

I should be working at observing and shouting orders from my high roost. For this is a viewing platform of power and not say, a kiddy prison.

From here I can watch as plumbers undo walls and work at pipes, as cleaners deep clean those tiles and manmade tubs, or as artists and movers create more dust clouds with the statues and decor. So many things to waste my time on.

And I have resorted to being petty.

"Not true. Hey Amar, am I the cutest? Saaaay it, I'm cutest. If you say it right now, I might even call you big brother?" I cling on, pawing. Going back between glaring at Lukas, who dares fight me for the title of cutest, and acting purely adorable.

"...Cute!" Amar stills but then starts to nod with much more enthusiasm.

Unlike Lukas, I do not have his oddly inflated sense of pride. Shame yes. But not pride ahahaha! For I am younger! Bwhahaha! Take that!

"That's cheating!" Lukas gasps, shaking himself pink with...little tears!

"Cute!" Amar responds, just as well.

Hey wait. Now that's cheating!

"But I'm the cutest. Hey hey, aren't I?" I tug and cry back.

How the hell am battling neck and neck against this brat? With another brat!?

"No me!" Lukas whimpers, looking positively pathetic.

"Big brother? Call me cute?"I blink up, pouting my foolproof techniques.

"Cheater, grrrr I'm biggest brother and the cutest and the bestest! " Lukas nuzzles up using everything he was blessed with.

"No you fool, that not even a word. It's me." two can play at that game, and I up my cuteness snuggles.

"Noooo me!" Lukas cries.

"...." Amar headbutts us.

Both. Then right damn in the middle. Ack, pain!

"...Cute." Amar rubs his head in between us, effectively ending the fight with pain and his fake fuzzy ears.

"That's not an answer," I complain, bringing my hands up to rub my head.

"Yeah!" Lukas cries, one spot on his forehead growing pinker.

"Good. Very very cute. " Amar pulls back from his nuzzles and smiles.

He has a rather small grin, more modest and subdued compared to most energetic children at this age. Yet there's something even more diabetically cute about it, made deadly with the bear hoodie.

When that little smile grows, with just a hint of teeth gaps still growing in, I feel myself seeing things. All soft sunshine and pastel rainbows and sleepy puppy dogs with those ridiculously cute sad puppy dog eyes, and ow ow ow aaaahhhhh!

"Aaaahhhhh!" Lukas screams along, rubbing his eyes.

We give! We give up! We'll be good and stop arguing. Just stop that face. Put it away! Ahhhh! Stop being so cute!

"Good girl. Good boy. Cute cute cute. " Amar continues grinning, patting us softly through our pain.

"Waaah!" Lukas screams, growing pink in pain and shame. The larger boy clutching me in his attempts to back away and I realize I too am equally shaking into Lukas's cream bear suit.

No, get back. Get this overdose of cuteness back!

A little sleepy, but very happily, Amar topples over to hug us both and we die.

My eyes! They sting. The bear suits are too much. Ahhh too much cuteness to bear! I mean bare. Oh same thing. Too dangerous! Too diabetically dangerous!

Time and work particular flows very differently with too cute kiddies in the picture.

For one, no one here notices that there are two terrible servents clutching each other. Watching and commenting over the whole thing. Or well if we did, we'd really rather not.

"We did so good." Georgie weakly squeaks, tightly hand in hand with a very unlikely person.

"It was worth the blood." Cass agrees face shocked still but equally clutching her bandaged white fingers.

Not that it matter since both she and Georgie seem to have gone white in the knuckles, staring at us kids in a very frightening way. They clutch at each other like emotional old ladies watching their shows. Some bad soap operas. Involving adorable little children they may have pinched and tortured into bear sweaters. Only these 'sweaters' extended to our whole bodies!

My poor feet. I can't run anywhere like this for risk of ruining my cute little paws.

"So. Worth it. " Georgie may have already been emotionally crying, tear stains rewetting themselves.

"Such torture. " Cass covers her emotions with an embroidered handkerchief.

"Have you ever seen anything so.... " Georgie cries, not even able to finish his sentence.

"....Once we hollowed out a large watermelon and put the lady's baby into it. When he started to try eating the melon, we called an engraver in immediately." Cass responds, eyes dead and still clutching on to both their handkerchiefs.

"An engraver?! Call for one at once! The commissions! Did you get that!? Are you drawing everything down properly?!" Georgie screams down to the artists already hard at work sketching on the sidelines.

Some with rapid insane movements, scribbling on to their boards and papers. Some not so...moving at all in their wet eyes staring.

I'm feeling very objectified right now.

"Not cute. " Amar squints through slightly sleepy eyes, doing his cute kiddy version of glaring.

It is very ineffective. Unless the effect was mean to be bear shaped arrows of cute straight through people's knees. Georgie is down!

Cass is still holding up but she's left carrying both their weights while at least two still alive artists seem to have flipped their pages, energetically drawing a whole new subject.

Behind them all, my little maid nervously plays with her own apron.

"U-um...G-Georgie...um- is that e-enough yet? H--hhow about si-sitting down?" Abbey sounds a bit fearful, yet reasonably concerned for his critical condition of squealing and swooning.

"You lazy butts, draw faster! Faster! Get it down! Ah, oh Abbey haha don't mind me. Sorry for scaring you....did you all get that! Did you get that expression?! Cass do it again, make him make that face again! Oh I can't with those eyes. " Georgie seems to go back and forth between life and insanity.

"...Watermelon. " Cass says with an eerie expression. Still staring intensely into the kiddy pen.

She is also still carrying a limp Georgie in her arms as he points about, giving energetic orders.

"Georgie? Why?" Amar blinks up, still not understanding nor forgiving my little assistant for all of...this.

Oh the curse of cuteness.

"That's it!" Georgie swoons, one leg kicking out dramatically, luckily already steady into someone's arms.

Cass not only holds him steady in her taller frame but uses him as a stress ball for all the cute chaos she's witnessing.

Abbey sighs.

I think I can feel Abbey's little emerging teenaged heart cool and harden. She looks at Georgie as he is in the moment, and reality, for a very long time. All until sighing to herself with a small smile and the resignation of her short but beautiful crush.

Ah the teenaged heart. So finicky.

It is good though that I get the return of my servant and not a lovelorn young girl.

As my only good and reasonable servant, she back gets back to work with the kiddy basket and unpacking our lunches.

"My y-young miss and all t-the creations are s-splendid. " she praises, laying out the rest of the picnic spread in our comfy kiddy pen

The pen on the highly viewable platform that we must stay in at all times or else it's pack back home time.

Definitely a powerful watchtower and not a kiddy prison.

"Abbey you're ok. But everyone's so loud and weird," Lukas says, not feeling a hint of hypocrisy.

He does however cling even harder to Amar and I when the pen fully opens. Not particularly when Abbey works her way through but at any movement of Georgie or Cass. Full distrusts, maybe bear suit related.

"Another one! Get that pose too! With the butt and tail!" Georgie demands of the artists.

I swear that's not the artists were hired for. Why are they aimed at us and not their draft work?!

I think Georgie is enjoying this situation, and these costumes, a little too much.

Summertime boot camp was not enough. This assistant really is too arrogant! Just who does he think he is? Some face slapping, bear dressing, maid seducing baby butler?!

"Your duty has a very interesting mouth." Cass looks down at him, dropping him like trash when she recovers from the cute attack.

"Ooompf, ouch. Uh, you all don't have to draw that part. In fact, focus on the nicer cuter bear. Where's the engraver?! " Georgie instructs from his heap on the floor.

" Excuse you, I'm the cutest. Georgie. That's enough. Abbey can take it from here. Not like we can go anywhere..." I survey the work stations and people below.

Design-wise there's a lot that can be improved. But not only do we have time constraints, but the kind of things that I may like would also be too strange and foreign for the public to accept. They're better off saved for any future private spas I may set up aimed at the wealthy and high class.

For a public renovation project, a donation even, like this it's better to keep the majority of things more or less the same.

The most important thing would be the quality of the water and its access of flow. As well as cleanliness standards.

One of the biggest flaws of the public baths is how some pools may have piping to lead water in, but not the proper drains to circulate or let water back out. Understandably these baths are quite old, built in a time far before my own grandfather. It's great that plumbing actually exists, but definitely not up to standard nor safe.

It's very different in a natural hot spring, connected and filtered in nature.

From my own modern common sense, it's utterly unsanitary. Closed spaces. Wet moist climate. In the worst-case scenario, a lot of people could easily get ill for many things. From one infected person, coming in contact with these stagnant pools, to just plain bathroom mold.

So it's time for that overhaul maintenance update, modernization, and deep cleaning while this place is closed down.

All the sculptors and artists are here, of course, to leave a wonderful public image of beauty and grandeur since this is my family's donation.

That and to fix up all the ugly cracks. Either from use over the years or something our own builders uh, don't have time to cover quite up or replace. Everyone likes beautiful things. Yes, make it all pretty and impressive looking.

No one needs to know about all the things accidentally broken. We're working with a lot of stone here, they're heavy.

It's more much-needed maintenance work and if need be, replacement parts, rather than anything new. Besides maybe a few pretty statues and fountain heads.

The only things that are really mine are the addition of two new spaces.

Clothing required common space for one. Somewhere that families and people can congregate in here comfortably, warm and dry, and without any of the naked business. The plan is pretty simple. Just a few of those shared lobbies, with heated stone floors. More things can be added on as the owners see fit, but it should be pretty comfortable like that. Much like certain spas I've visited before in the modern world.

Though the term visiting should be used loosely. Korean spas can be fun but ow ow ow my skin. The Parks really have no mercy. Just the memory has me shaking.

The second new space I'm planning and donating is a lost children center. Though I'm sure it will also be used for lost grannies and grandpas. It's just too easy to get lost in here! Have some organization and better safety centers.

Now they'll not only have safer easier mixed areas with the heated lobbies but a 'lost' center for kiddies, or crazy grampas, to locate and wait for their parents to find them.

How responsible.

Please don't lose your child or senile grandparent in the public baths. But in case you do, please try and locate them at the lost center. Don't forget to thank my family name, and me, when you do.

Oh hoho, I may be a villain but none of the commoners outside need to know that. Yes, what a villainy plan. Fall under the false sense of goodwill I'm imposing my power on.

Maybe add a cafe in later? What happens when people get hungry? Such a lost money opportunity there, but oh well. Not my business after this.

"Continue on with the maintenance. In fact, Georgie. I want you to head the lunch line and pass out the work meals. After all, we can't have anyone complain that the Ventrellas are abusing them, even if they're just our own troops working off dungeon time. Don't forget the soap. Can't have anyone falling sick here just because they're filthy. Go now. " I order, waving Georgie off.

"But-" my own assistant looks forlorn as if he can't bear to pull his eyes away from our cozy corner and enter the gross world of work below.

"Take the artists with you," I demand, my every movement getting drawn without my active approval.

Sheesh. What are they going to do with that? Keep it as my blackmail material. Urg, gross.

"Oh oh oh I know! Are they drawing the awesome me?! I gotta be more hero!" Lukas makes to stand, huffing his little arms and chest out.

"Wrong way. They're drawing your butt and tail. " I inform the dumb but cute child.

"Like this?!" Lukas starts rolling himself into a little ball.

I facepalm at his choice of poses despite Amar's little cheers and praises of "also cute!". No stop encouraging him like that!

"No! Oh never mind. Georgie! Go now and take them all with you, they're creeping me out!"

"It's all very professional, even Alfonso approves." Georgie whines, signaling to the artists to hurry up because their time was running out. It was only a matter of when my temper snapped.

"I lost Noodle?" Amar brings up out of nowhere, tilting his head around as he loses both his teddy bears to pet and pat.

He blinks like he's the one that's a little lost, looking up over directly at Cass from over the pen.

"You did not lose the black cobra. " she responds blankly to the boy.

"I lost Noodle. " Amar repeats, much more sure of himself.

"You set it free to play in the sewers right when we got here. I saw you. " Cass puts away her handkerchief with a dry-eyed glare.

"I lost Noodle in the sewers and it's lunchtime. Uh oh. Hope she doesn't get too hungry? Aren't lots of people working down there? " Amar paws to himself, as if truly worried for his hungry pet.

"Fine. Fine, I am going and getting the wretched pet snake. Do not cause the nervous little girl trouble and do not leave this place with your little friends. Do not play hide and seek, again. Understand? Come along chef, we are no longer welcome by the cubs. " Cass instructs over the pen, before picking up a tearful Georgie by the back of his shirt.

"But the baby bears! We spent too long on them! We can't just leave, oh and I haven't even gotten the engravers to work on -" the assistant sounds besides himself.

Now that I'm less creeped out and can look closer, he seems very sleep deprived. His flawless skin is a bit dull. There are hints of dark circles on both Georgie and Cass, who, by the way , have bonded ridiculously fast.

As if they've spilled blood together, maybe their own, from pricked fingers in makings all these onesies. Turning them insane from sleep deprivation and blood loss.

I never should have trusted Georgie with my drafts.

"Do not fret, I had the clay sculptor make tiny models earlier," Cass informs him professionally, still not blinking or looking away, even as they grow smaller and smaller.

"Oh. Oh, you are good!" Georgie gasps.

"I know. " she still glares, particularly at one little brown bear.

"I want 300 of them! Wait, how many different models? How many?!" Georgie fusses, too ready to shop.

I suddenly don't like those two being anywhere around each other.

They don't seem to be good influences on one another. Too much of this very specific sort of insanity around cuteness and onesies. I sense much suffering for any child in their grasps.

I think the others agree with me.

With the crazies gone Abbey pours out our chilled milkies. For tea isn't really a tasty option when you're as young as me or the boys. All while sighing for a love lost to the natural flow of time.

"You'll get over it ," I pat at her arm.

"He's like a super sidekick in training and cooks really yummy, but too mean and yelly. You don't want that for a mate! Hey hey hey what time do girls go hunting for mates? " Lukas pops into her lap to grab a bottle of milk.

"Girls do not!" I wack the strange child before resuming my comforting of my little maid.

Awww they just grow up so fast.

"....my y-yyoung miss.....e-everyone." Abbey goes between pale to red in her shock and embarrassment.

But her crush is just so obvious that even all the kids know. How adorably embarrassing oh ho ho.

"What's for lunch?" Amar sniffs and holds himself back, rumbly in the tummy. A growl that he can't control sounding out from the white belly of his suit.

"Yeah! Food! Is there meat? I smell only a little meat inside that pie. Meat? What about bacon? You should eat lots more Abbey, that will make you feel better!" Lukas holds out his hands.

"Almond pudding, fruit," Amar sniffs again, getting into dangerous territory.

" ...and honey pancakes." instantly Amar's little head disappears into one of the baskets, with nothing but a fuzzy tail on his small butt sticking out.

"Get out of the desserts Amar! Eat properly, not just sweets!" I instantly make to pull at him.

"Can we have bacon pancakes?!" Lukas asks.

"None of you get pancakes without eating your vegetables. Amar, no not the dorayaki! Noooooo! Stop eating them, not my honey cakes! Why do you always sniff out my stuff?! " I keeping pulling at Amar's legs and tail with determined strength.

Definitely not crying. Just a little sniffle.

Get out already!

The noise, and my efforts, get Amar to stop wiggling just enough for me to cram myself in and kick him out the basket. But with him, and his sticky thieving fingers goes my honey pancakes!

"Here. It's sweet and yummy." the sweets thief presents to my flustered maid.

A little bear with a stack of sandwiched pancakes. Another one in her lap, chugging down milk as creamy white as his fur. It's a scene right out of a storybook.

Against the powers of cute, cute, and hungry, Abbey's sighs turn to true acceptance and laughter. Not all questioning how we all know, it's just that easy.

Which is wonderful and all but please, feed us properly before it all goes to hell.

"Ahhhhh! There's a snake down here! Big snake! Mutherkrugersnkfasfjslkdfhw snake!!!!" someone screams from down below.

Another person or two seem to fall from the scaffolding of the roof near us, blood-stained handkerchiefs gently floating with them. Somewhere in the echoing distance, Georgie is screaming something about stews and colors and melons.

It already has gone to hell, but that's a problem for everyone outside the kiddy pen.

Pffft that's what you all get for locking us, me, up in here.

Abbey finally slices the warm savory pie, the main course, and the exploding aroma of herbed and creamed chicken distracts us all. We then have a lovely and peaceful picnic lunch, even if I have to sit inside the dessert basket to defend the rest of the sweets before it's time.

There are of course no leftovers.

----------------------

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---

Hey uh, not to be rude. But...does Georgie sleep anymore?

Also, can I get out of this thing already?

Somehow we've been forced to wear these bear suits for a very long time. These onesies have turned into our all day and all night outfits or something. Sure they're comfortable but are we really wearing nothing but onesies now?

"It fits! It fits!!!" Georgie laughs in glee, looking ever the worse.

His eye bags are even darker yet there is a gleam of pure joy and insanity in them

At the changing station is Lukas. Free from his stinky polar bear prison to not only bathe and wash up, but to change into a new skin prison.

"I'm awesome. " he wiggles his fuzzy blue legs, checking out his new much longer tail after Georgie plops him up and over. Every button perfectly in place.

"He's a dog." I deadpan from my spot.

"I'm a wolf!" Lukas wags in his new suit.

"A fake puppy. Georgie where are you even pulling out all of these? Have you slept at all? I get that you like them but..." I turn and am beginning to fear for my assistant.

"Why of course, Rosa. Now it's your turn~" Georgie says cheerfully. Too cheerfully.

I don't believe him.

Especially when he pulls out a little cat-eared onesie, complete with a tail...or tails? And a collared bell. Oh god, it has paws. The bell actually jingles! Cute and terrifying!

I would struggle and scream more, but at this point, looking at my assistant is just sad.

What has become of you, Georgie? Is cuteness a deadly drug? Is that what happened? Have you gone off the far end?

Oh all my drafted projects to be spearheaded into creation, I did not think animal onesies would be the top contender. I regret it, for it is clear now that the world is far from ready. Just look at what it has done to Georgie!?

"It's so perfect, ahhhhh!!!" he cries, buttoning me up and playing with my new ears.

Cuteness may run the world but this is borderline evil ruling the world. Georgie, please come back to your senses. Georgie, please go to sleep. This is not the kind of teenaged rebellion I was expecting at all. He's so hyped up?!

"Go on! Be cute! But don't fight...like cat and dog!" he cracks himself up with his own bad joke, placing Lukas and I down.

It's bad enough that both of us can't really say a thing. We have no idea how to react to an absolutely cracked and insane Georgie.

"I think he broke! " Lukas turns to me.

"Uh huh, it's really out of character." I nod, placing all the circumstantial clues together.

Do you know what Georgie's current state really reminds me of? A teenager hyped up on coffee and energy drinks. Something I admittedly had too much first-hand experience in. Ahahah I miss coffee.

Only with so self-control or self-awareness. As if he has just tried it for the first time and gone haywire.

"Dancing goat berries." says the fox.

"Ack when did you get there?!! Wait, Amar stop doing that, it's scary! Oh you get to be a gold fox? With very big ears? Oh, Georgie doesn't sleep at all anymore, these are ridiculously cute. "

"...Sorry?"

The oversized fox ears are very cute and graspable. Very soft to the touch too. Amar nods in sleepy comprehension, getting pulled from the front by my ear tugging and the another by Lukas playing with his 'floofie' tail.

In fact, all our new onesies come not only with a color change but longer ears and tails.

Was he saying something? About berries?

More importantly, I would like to complain that both boys have fluffier tails than mine. Given they are taller and can drag them around more, but still. The formal complaint here. Also, none of them have bell collars!

"How are you so cute without doing anything? How?!" Georgie cries a lot too overdramatically, clutching his heart.

I know we're adorable, but not to this extent of insanity? Hey is his heartbeat ok? I think I can hear it?

"No more dancing berries for you. " Amar nods to himself as if making a mental note of it, looking up at my squealing assistant.

"First sleepy caramels?! What did you give him now?" I tug, the fluffy cloth pulling his head down to me.

"Not me. " Amar quietly defends himself from the accusations, though unable to defend his butt from Lukas's sparkly-eyed tail grabbing. The little blue wolf rubbing his squishy face into the fluffy tail as if it here an ultimate hugging pillow.

It is very soft looking. Hey move over, I wanna test it out too.

"Sooooo cute!!!! Ack-"

Mid fanboying, Georgie goes still with a yelp of pain. As if someone had finally turned the off button on the Georgie operating system.

"That will be quite enough." Alfonso snaps back on his glove.

With it, and a subtle motion of his fingers, two secret guards drop from the ceiling. In not so secret motions, they quickly lift and carry off an unconscious and snoozing Georgie. Perhaps back to bed? Or maybe the sickbay? Hopefully not the dungeons.

"It is this servent's fault. This one did not realize he would consume so many dried dancing berries when he had no tolerance for them." Cass apologies from the side, standing and bowing low.

"Told you it wasn't me. " Amar pulls back his own oversized fox ears, petting them as if they hurt.

There there, don't be mad. Good minion, cute minion, now tell me more about these berries? I'll even let you play with ears? Come on. How can you resist this cuteness that is me!?

Also, someone please get Lukas off my butt and tails. We need a great talk about personal space and getting permission with this kid. But why do I hear more jingling? Oh god is there a bell and ribbon on there too?!

My butt jingles. God damn it.

"Tis my own lacking for a situation like this to even occur in the first place. I was too focused on the results. You are partly excused for your merits alone. " Alfonso accepts the woman's apology along with a very pink folded bundle.

So very pastel pink. Too big to be anything in my or any of the boy's size. I don't trust it.

"Don't. " Amar whispers to me suspiciously.

"Look look, it has the floofiest long tail!" Lukas whisper shouts on my other side.

"What that?" I point up and ask directly.

At that moment do the adults even bother looking down at us little fake animals. The amount of suffering we have gone through high and intense. I haven't worn anything resembling normal clothes in nearly three days. Just bears and this.

Alfonso stares down, contemplating with a gloved hand, before turning back to Cass with an order.

"You must take them out to safety. Before it's too late. Fail it and it shall be back the mines and quests, which would be an incredible waste of your detailed skills, is it not?" he says lowly.

Um...excuse me. What?!

"This servent thanks your immense graciousness and shall do what needs to be done." Cass curtsies and bows, her one thick plaited braid falling long over her shoulder.

Without her typical hairstyle or foreign clothes, she blends in a lot more. Just another person in the crowds of a well-traveled town.

"You may take young Abigail with you, use her as you see fit. A signal shall be sent when it's safe to return or if further relocation is needed." Alfonso hands her a modest sun hat, a fund purse, and a sturdy sort of briefcase, as if ready for a top-secret mission.

"I like top secret missions. " Lukas nods excitedly.

Is anyone ready to tell me what's going on yet?!

Before another word can leave anyone's mouth, off goes an extremely loud gunshot. Say a rifle gun version, perhaps the kind used by the extremely rich for hunting. Followed by a woman, who sounds suspiciously exactly like my mother, screaming.

"Darling no! Oh put that nasty violent thing away! " mother cries in anger.

"Perfectly normal at this time of year my love. So many horrible pests, prime fox season really." father sounds disappointed in a false shot, prowling the halls.

"Oh, you! That sweet dear is not a real animal, oh you stop that." mother echoes after him.

"You love coats and scarves, shall I carve you the fur for another? The hounds, why are they all so useless? Should I throw them all to the dungeons for retraining? Now then...l'll stop just as soon as I bag that blasted desert fox." father ponders in disciplining the guards.

"Of all the things, just when you get back? What am I? A paperweight on your desk? Oh, and don't you dare!" their voices sound to be growing further away. As if following another, possibly false and baited, trail.

It appears father is back!

Oh goodie, I have much to discuss with him regarding my homework at the baths. From workers to sewer systems, and to laugh at stupid artists who messed up this one statue so it looks more like a potato head. Speaking of potatoes I wonder if he brought me any fresh produce or gifts from wherever it was that he visited. It's only right.

So much I unfortunately still need the nerd to do and work.

"Go now. And remember, our young miss is the first priority above all. " Alfonso nods over at Cass, opening the window.

"Whooopeee! Gable never lets me jump out the window." Lukas goes running out.

Only to back track a second too late as if he forgot to drag us along with him. Too bad he goes falling. Bye Lukas.

"Where are we going? Why is my father running around with a hunting rifle instead of working or dealing with his own marriage? Am I going to get any work done around here? Am I being kidnapped again?" I respond to Cass lifting me up in her arm as she handles the case.

"Apologies my young miss. Your honorable Lord father and the lady require a bit of time to themselves. Even your younger sister had her arrangements transferred with your grandfather. Have fun around the town, my young miss Rosalia. " Alfonso bows to my demands.

Oh, it really can't be helped. Couples have it hard with kids around, even the gross ones.

"Bye bye, sorry for causing so much trouble. " Amar holds his hands together as he patters over to say his byes to Alfonso, looking down shy.

"...Just don't get caught anymore now. By anyone else. You are very small, with very little meat on your bones. " Alfonso pats his head, pushing him lightly along.

Amar pouts a little, face growing a tad warm, but nods and pitter patters himself over to Cass as directed. Waving goodbye with small hands behind her skirt.

"Hey hurry up slow babies, even Abbey is waiting." From the windowsill, Lukas pops up with his wolf ears first. He has somehow crawled himself back up and over.

Back on the floor, the little snowy blond makes a loud 'hmmm' as he looks Cass up and down, before shrugging loudly.

"Okay, you'll do! But don't lag! You can carry the hissing kitty but careful because she tries to clean everyone all the time. Come on Amar, " Lukas comes over to take Amar by the hand, and tail. Dragging the other little boy far along enough to throw over the window, before jumping himself.

Down below a voice that sounds like Abbey screams just a bit in shock.

I sigh at the mess of it all.

"Very well. I shall accept the outing. One must live a little, I suppose. Carry on." I clap for everyone to get back to their business, whatever it may be.

From somewhere in the very wrong direction, another gunshot goes off, with the sounds of a broken something.

"Very well, my young miss," Alfonso bows and smiles, the kind that scrunches up to his old wrinkle lined eyes. As if this were all great fun instead of the bothersome work it really is.

He looks exactly the same as I remembered him, way back then as someone else. Every gray hair from the top of his head to his well-trimmed beard. Somewhat ageless when everything about him was already so old and set in their professional place. All except for this sort of twinkle in his eyes.

I hope he's having fun. Even just a little bit. I hope the Alfonso of the past could have retired well.

"And please, my young miss, live more than just 'a little'. Don't sound so much like your Lord father. You may go." he chuckles at my earlier order, making his mustache poof a bit.

Cass bows to him, dipping me a bit along with her movements and making my bells jingle. Then quickly turns and without much effort, or even a running start, jumps out of the window.

I would scream, but my voice feels caught at my throat.

For we do not fall but glide down in a gentle manner. As if she were taking some smooth invisible escalator.

From down below, already in a very plain looking wagon carriage, Lukas jumps up and down a bit in excitement, arms raised high waving at us.

While Abbey, my growing little girl of a maid, stares up wide-eyed with her mouth gaping open. As if she has yet to see enough strange and magical things working in my service for the past year. Everything still so amazing to her naive eyes. A pink flush to her cheeks at the wonder of it all.

Only Amar doesn't care. He peeks up just a bit to see what the fuss is all about, before resuming munching on a sweet. The seated boy looks more interested in a snack that Abbey had previously handed to him.

There's something very strange about the mysterious woman carrying me down Mary Poppin's style. For one, the fact that I can't narrow down just exactly what is her ability, let alone all the secrets she may keep. For herself and anyone else.

What troublesome mob characters.

We touchdown with no great fanfare. No sparkles or popping magic. There is, however, a sort of transparent almost orangeish cube. One I only notice when it dispels, the moment Cass's two feet settle on the stable ground. I make the conclusion then, that it was was all around us as we floated down, blending easily into the daylight.

I wonder if I had noticed earlier, and possibly broke it, would we have simply fallen?

"To the minor square in the eastern neighborhoods, take a long route, expect detours," Cass informs the driver, swiftly taking a seat.

When she finally sets me down, moving us all out, Cass adjusts her hat that makes her look all the more mysterious. She cleans up very well. Glancing up with a cool look, to most everyone's staring, she simply raises a single dark eyebrow.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" she asks.

Minor chaos erupts as the carriage clops along, out of the resort, and to the rest of the day. Lukas clamoring over the older woman, already getting close in rolling on her lap, asking any and every question under the sun and then some. Abbey trying not to scream in anxiety or nerves, but curious. Her eyes darting to every detail worn on the woman. Me. Jingling loudly over the cobblestone streets.

I think I'm going to be sick soon. Not right now, but soon.

"It smells nice outside, " Amar sticks his head out the wooden windows, shocking and scaring any passer-by residents with the hooded ears.

The awwing I hear is obviously the gasps of improper shock.

"Really? Let me! It smells a little cold. Like crispy leaves and oh nuts, roasted nuts and sweet tatos and burning bark and and-."Lukas leaves his questions to Abbey, and pops out next to him.

If his tail was real it would wag, but his excited wiggling moves it in a very similar manner.

"Awwww!!" the sounds from outside grows louder, even as we make a sharp turn into the narrow alley streets.

I get a little sick from both the ride and staring at little long tailed butts, making to squeeze myself in the gap underneath the two of them.

"Air!" I breathe, popping out to sightsee along with them.

It really is nice outside today.

A lot of things to wonder about, from all my work to these unknown characters that somehow ended up sticking around. Oh hell, the great big mess of the future. I seem to have picked up some not so background mob characters as minions.

Lukas, and his lineage, I fear will be a very great headache to confront one day. But unexpectedly Amar comes with more and more slowly revealing trouble, and I don't just mean the homewrecking with my own mother.

Oh but my own family matters are more than enough to worry about. I won't bite off more than I can chew.

"What's that? Can we stop by?" I sniff at a dingey street food stall.

One that smells of something between chestnuts and peanuts. A steaming mashed paste getting stuffed and filled into donut looking balls. The carriage halts and one of the boys grabs the back of my hood to keep me from falling over the window. Lukas however bounces right on out, rolling over in a comedic tumble to prevent falling on his head.

Immediately locals and those in line at the street food stall come to the strangely dressed pup's aid, unneeded. They still crowd and coo, even as we step off, following very closely behind Cass's long protective skirt.

Hey Abbey, even you? Really now?

Walking out I wonder how much more trouble is coming my way. Or the kind of chaos that we're going to inevitably cause. Planned and unplanned.

But it really is too nice a day outside to worry about. Let's just leave it for when I'm a bit bigger. A job for future Rosalia. Good luck girl.

I have enough trouble on my plate as it is.

Though right now it will taste like some very peasanty streetfood donuts. That's fine. I'm only so small right now. Like a baby, I should still focus on growing up and growing well, and that means plenty of eating.

Oh?

Is it free?!

For how cute we are?! Yes! Free food always tastes the best! As much as we can eat?

Bring it on!

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This is the Rosalia mental observation journal again.

One may think I'm doing absolutely nothing but rolling around in cute onesies and stuffing my face lazily as of late. But that is far from the case!

Sure I'm being kept in the dark about some very important work. I've even been 'delegated' some common 'homework' in the public bath renovations to keep me distracted.

But that is not enough to blind me from all the hints and clues. In fact, I slap myself for missing the obvious.

I have figured out what my parents have been fighting about lately, and it's not just the work stress interfering with their gross couple time.

Mother is off her birth control!

I should have realized it sooner. For there is a certain useful tea that must be taken daily, missing from her morning breakfasts and nightcaps. It's a very rare and expensive sort of herb, that essentially can work comparable to modern birth control. So rare that it's not even known to many a noble houses, let alone the common masses. For it could, and would, be drunk into extinction!

It's a very precious ingredient to be used in the troop's apothecary and health centers, especially in menstrual delay and relief potions. Adventuring women and heroes across the ranks rely on those for many missions to go as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Sure this world could use more feminine hygiene education and products, but if such potions are an option isn't it a lot less a headache during critical times. Say hunting and escaping any magical dungeon beasts without the scent of blood leaking out of you.

As a busy young lady of a very large business estate, of course, the previous Rosalia made full use of such things, even the direct tea. Or well as much as Alfonso and grampa were willing to supply. For that monthly mess is really annoying and painful business. Especially at the sensitive age of teenagers!

But mother hasn't been taking it lately, she just had her cycle and is worse than ever.

Mother is seeking to be disgusting and perhaps bake another bun in the oven!

The death seeking nerd was right, and running for his life. Like prey to be hunted by a starving beast in heat!

Oh, I do somewhat apologize for being so crass, so scandalously improper in my wording, but think of it from my perspective. All I can see is a very...irate...sort of woman fueled on primal gross instinct. The signs are all there.

Seduction attempts, all failed of course, if not deemed a failure from the start. The too easy crying and mushroom growing moping while stress eating sweets in her 'give up' state, either in proper pajamas or a too lovely nightgown gone to waste. The dragging of Lilyanne and I into her empty bed, occasionally covered in candles and rose petals. To the destroyed practice dummies reserved for the guards, as if they were pounded and smashed to pieces, straight into the ground, for no explainable reason or culprit.

I smell desperation and distraught.

Just father being gone all the time. Or running off in the evening when he does come back. Those are clear signs as well.

I fear for the day, or night, that mother eventually catches him.

As a busy ambitious man with a tendency to overwork himself to perfection, of course, he doesn't want to bother with another child. He still occasionally reacts to shock and surprise that I was even born sometimes, rude.

Not too strangely, father has always had a very adverse reaction to his own lineage. Even refusing to tell me more about whatever his, possibly passive, bloodline ability consists of. Will he ever tell me? Or do I have to take desperate measures?

I will show up in front of the Bicchieirri's doorsteps if that's what it takes. I'll even fake being everyone's beloved Lilyanne for it to happen. But that is an emergency plan for a very far off date.

Right now we have the troublesome feud between mother and father. Particularly when father running off. Not exactly a healthy form of communication, even if he risks being violated when alone in mother's grasps.

It can't be helped, for this is a very busy time. Especially for him. It's not just the building projects and famine contingency plans, though those do admittedly contribute to his overwhelmingly busy schedule.

It should soon be that time. His rise to power, as this republic's controlling prime minister! Yes, that!

It would all add up and fit perfectly in the timeline. I expect it even, to some mild disappointment in the slowing of my current business plans. For the nerd is still quite useful. But none the less, I planned accordingly.

It comes with great shock then, when he tells me that is not the case.

"What nonsense are you going about now my little Chip? Such a position, how troublesome. To do such chores myself? " he almost laughs out loud, showing how ridiculous he thinks of it all.

"Oh, that would be horrible! Oh, no time at all, surely we can afford not to fall into that? " mother swoons, nuzzling happily right into his shoulder.

Hearts and flowers, smiles and happy vibes. It's all wrong. The nerd is sitting right there in peace and mother isn't attacking at all despite the hearts floating about and in her eyes. At most only snuggle, hugging, and crawling herself all over him.

Ridiculous.

He looks absolutely ridiculous.

"I admit, I have been somewhat preoccupied with selecting and supporting powers in play. It's causing quite a stir that a commoner is gaining traction. How interesting that will be. " he brings a hand to his chin in contemplation.

As if he wasn't behind this entirely new turn of events.

A commoner? A COMMONER?! Leading the race for the republic's prime minister?! What?! What is this, when did this ever happen, ever?! I don't understand?!

Maybe I ate something strange and am now hallucinating?

I knew I shouldn't have had too much unknown street food! But who can resist freebies? Free stuff is the best!

Or was it something from Amar's secret sweet stash?

Perhaps I really should stop confiscating and eating from there. You never know with the rotation he has. Oh but there's are these kinda addicting lemon honey drops that are very soothing for a little girl's throat after screaming and ordering people around all day. I thought I was safe if I just aimed for those and gave new things to Lukas or Lilyanne to try first?

I'm hallucinating very badly right now, right?

"Oh, how wonderful! Oh, my darling is so smart and wonderful in his shadowy plots and schemes, oh how absolutely cute you look relishing in that chaos you secretly cause. I will always love you so so much in everything you like to do. Even when I'm very tired, don't understand and hate you, I love you." mother sighs, rubbing her head in love and affection.

The invisible hearts she radiates are very pink.

Pink pink and oh my damn fucking god, why is my father sitting there acting like he's not wearing a stupid pink pastel unicorn onesie?!!?!!?! AAAAAAHHHHH?!!?!?!?

"Papa cute! Soooooo cuuuute cute cute, Lily want too. " my little sister copies my mother's motions, hugging his leg.

His very pink and fluffy leg, as if made from cotton candy dreams.

He graces the little sticky girl with a pat, pulling her up to the couch so she may play with his pastel rainbow tail. For the big sticky girl, he graces her with an affectionate kiss on the top of her forehead, taken luxuriously slow. The ridiculous glittering gold horn on his hood, stuffed with cotton and softness, not getting in the way at all.

Both mother and daughter squeal, clinging on with more hugs and gross shows of affection.

"I am very lucky, and can only continue to beg you for your patience with me, my love," he says seriously, taking her hand and looking into mother's wide sparkling eyes.

Something that would normally get her to swoon in weak knees and romance novel backgrounds, perhaps attacking in disgusting open mouthed kisses.

"Kyaaa so cuuuuute!!! My pinky pink darling is so cute!!!" she instead laughs and squeals. Petting at his rainbow unicorn mane, pulling and poking at all the stupid details.

I never should have left the onesie drafts to Georgie. Never. Just look at the chaos he has somehow created.

We have adult sized unicorn onesies now? No, the problem is that my father is wearing them! Father?! Lord Ventrella! Big bad shady secret villain to the villainess!?

Someone, please come wake me up out of this nightmare.

"It's almost over for this time, my extremely patient and good wife. You've done marvelously in all you do, with or without me to bother you. Always will. I live for your glory, and clumsily stive to please," father kisses both sides of her cheeks, unafraid of being attacked or eaten at all.

Not in that very unsexy pinky unicorn suit.

This is not the suit I mean to save the day. Not at all. Yet this is somehow the suit the Alfonso, of all people, advised and used. Where he got it, well I unfortunately know.

I blame my misbehaving assistant for this entirely, even if he wasn't the one to sew the damn thing.

"Oh daaaaarling! I love you!" she practically glomps whole the terrible man she calls husband.

"Lily too!" my sister refuses to lose out on this pink atmosphere.

"Of course, my girls. If it so pleases your fancy, we may even tour the progress locally made, that I have so been stolen towards. The ports are not only being expanded ahead of schedule but an autumn 'tasting' festival is being attempted. To celebrate. Such a lively novelty, only the grandest most joyful things for my girls. " father offers across the sticky female Ventrellas, before turning to look directly at me.

He could be saying literally anything right now, anything at all, and mother would just nod along with those heart filled eyes. Lilyanne following along exactly.

Only I show no reaction. In fact, my lack of a reaction is the greatest show of how exasperated, dead inside really, I have become.

That pastel pink and rainbow unicorn suit on my red-haired handsome devil of a father....is just too much.

A really devastating suit alright. The completely wrong one. But devasting and effective none the less.

I pinch myself.

Yep, still awake and still here in this ridiculous life.

"Rosalia?" father asks with an even tone, awaiting my confirmation of either his plans or to fall into some kind of stupid putty into his palm.

As if this sort of gaping gap moe would work. How stupid.

I facepalm instead. Facepalm in both my hands so I may no longer have to look at this monstrosity. Then roll myself away.

Goodbye now. I have work to do.

No! Noooo don't pull my tail! Noooo! Get me out of this thing?! I don't want to match! Especially not with the nerd?! I'm so pink! Get me out and into normal clothes again! I want out!

Someone please, get me out of here and this family of crazies. Help!

Hurry and grow up faster already oh little body of mine.

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