Chapter X: Insecurities to Conquer

(Oh no... How did things come to this?) A Minotaur girl silently cried as she was surrounded by waves of human and monster pedestrians whom she easily towered over, doing their daily routines. "But... But I need to do this!" she steeled herself, and tried to hand them something but she stopped herself, "I... I can't! I can't do it..."

To see what Mina is facing we have to go back a few hours, mid-day around 9 to 10:00 AM after breakfast, "Part-time job...?" Siegfried asked as he was reading a book on the couch, "Nya! Mr. Heinz brought it to our attention, he said that his friend is in need of part-time workers, and if we're interested, we could take it and get paid!" Lily said excitedly, (Additional income isn't bad... But that requires me to be present to act as their Guardian.)

"Nya, so, what do ya think?" Siegfried thought for a second before Lily happened to see what Siegfried was reading and she read it aloud, "Socializing 101...? Nya?" Siegfried immediately closed his book, and tried to change the subject, "What exactly is this... job? Furthermore, can Non-Humans even be hired?" Lily fished out her phone, (Provided by the MRPA as a means of Communication to both the Coordinator Agent, Host-mates, and their Host himself.) "Nya, according to Mr. Heinz it's a part-time job to hand out flyers and tissues...?" and Siegfried reacted with a quiet, "Oh." And he continued, "I see." (That doesn't sound too bad...) he grunted, "Very well. What's the worst that could happen?"

Then the next scene shifted to him wearing the store's mascot costume. (I regret everything...) The mascot itself is a cute cartoon-style Red Panda. (By the Void, thankfully no one can see my face...) Outside of the store's premises, a male store worker clasped his hands in gratitude, "You girls came at a perfect time!" Lily, Mina, and Ivanna were wearing the store's uniform, and to Mina's fortune, the store's uniform has an XXL-sized shirt which also happens to be stretchable as well. The trio was also wearing a visor cap to shield their faces from the sun, Lily raised her hand and enthusiastically said, "Nya! No problem! Whatever it is we can handle it!" and Ivanna followed up, "What is it that we need to do?" and the store worker explained, "Oh, that's simple really. All you have to do is hand out these tissues or these flyers as a way to promote the store!" And handed the trio a basket full of tissue packs and flyers, "Nya, I see. So, we'll give these all away?" The store worker nodded, "That's right, once you gave these all away, you're done." After instructing the trio the store worker went back inside, then at the same time as the store worker went in, the store mascot went out and waddled towards them. "Oh my..." Ivanna saw the Mascot and blushed, "That thing is quite adorable... What are they called again?" "Nya, they're called mascots!"

Lily and Mina looked and also saw the mascot, "Nya, what the hell is that thing supposed to be?" Mina shrugged and remarked, "I don't know but it does look quite adorable!" and she realized something, "W-Where's Siegfried? I thought he'd be here to watch over us." Lily said, "Ivanna, we need to start now, with or without him. We can't be a burden to our Host forever." Lily defiantly declared, and Ivanna expressed her concern for the Minotaur girl, "But, Mina. Are you sure you can handle this?" Mina was shaking but slowly steadied and readied herself, "Y-Yes! I can. It's just handing out tissues, no?" And Lily thought for a second, "Ok! I'm counting on you Mina; I believe in you!" and Mina psyched herself up, (This is it! My chance to overcome my shyness!)

Then they started.

"Or not..." as Lily and Ivanna were already giving out their assigned items, Mina has yet to give a single one. "Tissues! Flyers! Come get it while we still have some!" Lily exclaimed energetically, meanwhile, Ivanna was doing a sales pitch, attracting customers with her natural charisma and gorgeous looks, she and Lily looked like models that were hired by the store, and the sales pitch is doing wonders and attracting an impressive amount of people to her to obtain her flyers, "Come visit our store! 20% Off on selected products!"

Then a young girl and her friend saw the trio giving out tissues and flyers and observed them then remarked, "Look! Look! Non-Humans!" and her friend replied, "You're right! Wow, they look so gorgeous! Especially the one with white hair." And the first one continued, "Wait, are they giving out tissues?" and her friend confirmed, "They are, and flyers for a store as well." And continued to observe, "Woah, the third Non-Human is tall as heck and really cute too!" And her friend continued, "Not to mention hella stacked too."

A wave of people went past Mina, as she held out a pack of tissue hoping someone will take them. (It's no good... How did things come to this?) A young woman in her twenties walked past Mina, and thought, (Oh, tissues? I should've gotten one. Oh well.) and continued to walk, after a few failed attempts to give out the items, Mina was getting discouraged, and seeing how hard the others were trying she was once again filled with determination to try harder. And muttered to herself, "T-This time! This time for sure!"

Siegfried (who was in the Mascot Costume) decided to give things a little nudge, "Psionic Suppressors: Release." And thought, (Perhaps a select few might do the trick.) Inside his costume, both his eyes glowed a mismatching faint light, red on the left, grey on the right.

He reached out his hand, and was about to release a very weak wave of Psionic Energy, as he was about to release, he then abruptly changed his mind. (If I use my powers now, that would be cheating. Forgive me, Mina. But I mustn't interfere, otherwise, I would stunt your growth.)

The girls from earlier were seen eating ice cream, "Noooo, I accidentally spilled some on my shirt!" Her friend stated, "Maybe some tissue would wipe it off." And they saw the trio giving out tissues, "Let's go over there and ask if we can have some."

While Mina's back was turned, the first girl beckoned Mina's attention, "Um, excuse me. Miss Demi-Human?" Mina was startled and taken by surprise, "Y-Yes!" and turned around a saw nothing at first then she heard voices below and looked down and saw two teenage Japanese girls with one of them having a noticeable stain on her shirt. "Sorry to bother you, but may we have a pack of tissue please?" Mina panicked and fumbled with her basket, before grabbing a tissue pack and handing it to the teen. "T-Thank you for accepting these tissues!" Mina declared as she bowed, and the two girls felt embarrassed, "N-No, we should be the ones who should be thanking you." And her friend chimed, "Thank you for the tissues, um..." she read her nametag, "Mina-san!" and they walked away. Then Mina felt joy and a sense of accomplishment, (I... I-I did it! I actually did it! I gave my first tissue pack!) Siegfried who was observing from afar felt a subtle sense of pride within him and nodded in approval, and he noticed this feeling within him and wondered as he had never this feeling before, (What is this warm and fuzzy feeling? I've never felt this before...) and shook his head to snap out of it.

Then people noticed that she was indeed giving away tissue packs and little by little people asked for tissue packs from her, from the slow influx of people and little by little she gained a little bit of confidence and actually went up to people and offered them tissue packs, "U-Um, w-would you like a pack of tissue?" she shyly asked, and their reaction would be pleasantly surprised or embarrassment possibly due to her innocent charisma they would accept it and thanked her politely. Lily and Ivanna saw in the corner of their eye and turned and saw Mina finally giving away tissue packs, "Mina... You did it." Ivanna smiled warmly and her face filled with pride, and Lily, "Nya! Oh my gosh, Ivanna! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?!" She nodded, "Indeed I am." Lily smiled widely, "I knew she could do it, Mina! It's a step to help her conquer her shyness." And Ivanna nodded in agreement, "Indeed, I agree Lily. All she ever needed is a little bit of confidence in herself." Lily and Ivanna looked at each and nodded their heads in approval. Then a rowdy group of Japanese men came into sight, they were in their early 20s, wearing gaudy outfits and emitting a very obnoxious and overall unpleasant aura, Siegfried felt this inimical aura and turned his head and saw this group and raised his guard. As Mina was giving out tissues, the men came in her way, "Yo, bro, she's handing out tissue packs." Said the first obnoxious bastard, and the apparent head of the group wondered, "Huh? Tissue packs? Where?"

Obnoxious bastard number one pointed towards Mina, and when they saw Mina, they were taken by surprise, "Woah, boss-man, look at the size of those... Jugs." They giggled maliciously, "Hey boys, why don't we 'grab' some tissue packs." And trudged on, and approached Mina, and Mina unbeknownst to her, she offered the group with her item, "H-Hello! Would like some tissue packs?" Head Obnoxious Bastard glanced to his group and grinned wickedly, and the men formed a wall to obscure the vision from the back, "Yeah... Sure, we'd like to have some." She got a pack and reached it out to him, and slowly Head Obnoxious Bastard was about to grab it with his left hand but missed the pack on purpose and aimed directly at her chest, inches go by as his hand was about to grab her breast. Then suddenly his hand stopped, and felt someone grabbing it tightly, squeezing it even. Head Obnoxious Bastard turned his head and was surprised when he saw a Red Panda Mascot gripping his wrist tightly, only inches away from Mina's chest, in his mind he thought, (What the hell...? Where'd this fucker come from? I didn't even notice him that he was beside me!) He tried to shake it off, but he held on tight, like a vise grip and the mascot talked in a high-pitched voice in fluent Japanese, "Good sir." he turned the guy's hand and presented his palm, fished out a tissue pack from Mina's basket and placed it on his palm. He then let go and bowed his head respectfully, "Please do visit one of our shops that are open in many branches nationwide." As he said that very calmly and politely, but at the same time he exuded a very intense aura of murderous intent, that Head Obnoxious Bastard felt it, (What the hell is this guy's problem? Why does the atmosphere... feels... so... heavy...!) The atmosphere felt like a weighted blanket, heavy, and suffocating but Mina seems unaffected and looked on confused and seemingly unaffected by the Mascot's Murderous Intent.

"Elder bro? What's wrong?" Concerningly asked by one of his friends, as he shook his head, but the others felt it as well, "Heavy..." To them, it felt like dumbbells were slowing but surely gathering on top of their shoulders, "N-Nothing! Let's get outta here." And gripped the tissue pack and shoved his juniors aside and walked off with them following behind. Mina didn't know exactly what just happened and looked at the Mascot, and said, "I'm, uh, not sure, what just happened, but thanks for assisting me in giving a tissue pack, Mister Red Panda!" Siegfried who was inside the costume bowed, and went back to his position. Inside the costume, he thought, (Good. I managed to defuse the situation without escalating it... for once.)

And went to his post, he thought to himself, (Self-esteem and confidence are all you need, Mina. Courage to talk to people and comfortability to yourself and to interact with others is key to conquering your shyness.) He grunted, (A small step... But a step nonetheless...)

After successfully distributing all their assigned items, Lily cheered triumphantly, "Aaaaand we're doneeeee!" she stretched, revealing her midriff momentarily, "That took forever, nya!" Ivanna chuckled pridefully, "Excellent work everyone, and especially you, Mina." Mina looked at Ivanna and smiled widely and proudly and looked down shyly, "I'm still shy, earlier when we started, I couldn't give a single one because I'm so petrified and scared of people..." and added, "B-But seeing how hard you girls work and yet giving them away so effortlessly inspired me to work harder." Lily and Ivanna didn't expect to hear those words from Mina, and were left with embarrassed looks on their faces, "T-Thanks, Mina..." Lily pouted as her ears reddened from embarrassment, then lightly scratched the side of her cheek, "T-Thanks Mimi..." she muttered and Ivanna giggled, "Thank you for your kind words, Mina."

Lily then looked around as if to look for something or someone, "Nya, we've given away all these tissue packs and flyers and yet we still haven't seen, Siegfried!" she gasped as to which she immediately jumped to the conclusion of: "Nya! Don't tell me he left us!?" Then a muffled voice spoke out beside them, it came from the Store Mascot, "I didn't..." They turned their heads and saw the mascot taking off its costume, as to which the trio tilted their heads in question and revealing the one wearing beneath, a handsome yet topless westerner bathed in sweat and panting heavily, (By the Void, this suit felt like an inside of a volcano...) the trio's look was of genuine shock and surprise, "Mr. Siegfried! You were the one in the Mascot Suit the whole time?!" exclaimed Ivanna in her bewilderment, looked at her as his suit sagged down revealing his shirtless top, his sweat glistened his body, his toned abs, as his pecs gleamed in the rays of the sun, his biceps more defined than usual, the girls enjoyed this unexpected front-row seat show of masculine eye-candy, so much so that unbeknownst to Siegfried that he inadvertently caught the attention of every woman near his vicinity, "I am." The girls weren't paying attention to what he was saying as they were too busy gazing at his chiseled and toned body, he looked down, "Oh. I forgot I'm not wearing a top."

After that, after receiving their pay, the trio went home, of course, they stopped by to buy get some snacks: Potato Croquettes.

Fish Croquette for Lily, Meat Croquette for Mina, and plain Potato Croquette for Ivanna, obviously Siegfried was the one who paid for them and watched them from behind as they enjoyed their snacks. As he was walking, he closed his eyes momentarily and grunted, (You girls did nice work today. Especially you Mina; a step towards improvement.) He said under his breath and walked home with the girls.

Then night-time in the Tokyo Cityscape, in an office building, sounds of gunshots, screams, and terrified and frenzied shouts echoed through the building, "Stop him! He's after Aniki! H-He's—!" He was cut off, and a streak of steel flashed and he felt something a stinging pain on his throat, he touched it and blood poured onto his hand, and collapsed promptly then died instantly. Blood-curdling screams continued to echo and gunshots continued to reverberate through the walls, "There he is! Shoot him!" Two men in suits aimed their guns and fired at the figure who loomed in the shadows, but to no effect, again the figure streaked past them they noticed blood was pouring out, they knelt and died instantaneously. And the last one the sole remaining member was pushed into a corner of the wall and began to cower, "N-No! P-Please! Mercy!" and began to negotiate with the figure, "W-What do you want? Spare me, and I'll give you anything you want! W-What do you say?!" The figure pulled out an Ogi, a traditional Japanese folding fan, raised it up high, and flapped down suddenly. As it flapped down it unleashed a Kunai Blade and struck the man dead center onto his head killing him instantly, blood trickled down his face and formed a red pool around his body. "Target eliminated." After a brief pause, the figure said, "How long are you planning on standing there...?" and turned around, "Joker?"

Then in the window's edge leaned a man in a fine purple pinstriped suit, hair tousled perfectly, his smile gleamed in the moonlight. "Bravo." He clapped slowly, "Proficient in killing as always, Akatsuki." The figure growled, "Grr... Get straight to the point already!" he held his hands up, "Whoa, whoa, whoa now, let's not be hasty here. I came here to hire you on behalf of someone. Someone I will not disclose, of course." And the figure grunted, "Hah. Hire me? Very well. Who's the target?" He fished out a photograph from the pocket of his suit coat and tossed it to Dawn like a shuriken and the figure caught it effortlessly between their middle finger and index finger and revealed the blank backside of the photo, then flipped it, and saw the candid picture of a female Japanese teenager in her 2nd year of high school, her expression cheerful, her looks beautiful, her hair red, like fire, "This girl?" and Joker nodded, "Yes. We won't disclose as to why we want her dead, but just make it happen. Your true client and I think very highly of your skills, and might be more than enough for her." And he scoffed, then he realized something, "Oh. Just a bit of warning as well. She probably has protection, I.E a bodyguard..." he leaned against the corner of the wall, "Be ready for anything." He chuckled maliciously, "We'll be providing you the necessary details, such as her address and location. Though I would recommend bringing your sibling, Dawn or Akatsuki." The figure, Dawn, scoffed, "Hmph. No need to bring my sibling. I'm pretty sure I can take her." And Joker shrugged, "Very well..." And Joker grinned maliciously. Then Dawn scoffed, "Heh. Don't worry, Joker. Consider her dead, you and your client owe big time for this, I expect a big, big payout." He waved his hand dismissively, "Oh but of course..." Dawn then tossed the picture in the air and without looking, threw a Kunai at it and it hit the photo with pinpoint precision at the concrete wall, with the Kunai stuck between the young girl's face in the photo.

*End of Chapter*

Current information bestowed for the public, provided by the Knights of Nights.

Subject: Monster Engagement and Employment Program Bill of 2014

"Since the historic date back on April 4th, 2012. Two years have passed and the UN has passed a Bill for Monsters/Non-Humans of foreign nature (Monsters that are not native to the country of origin) to be accepted in international and transnational workforces. This is known as Monster Engagement and Employment Program, or MEEP for short. Blue-collared or White-collared, this proved to be beneficial to both Races. As the increase in manpower meant the Economy of the country where they allowed Monsters in their workforce VS countries where they didn't, show an exponential 2.1% increase on their GDP and GNP and decrease of prices of goods and services."