The pitter-patter of the rain against the window was punctuated by the distant lightning, basking the dark room in occasional flashes of white light. Noah laid on his bed restlessly, his arms folded under his head as the man continued staring up at the flaring ceiling. Spring was supposed to give way to summer, yet the sky continued to bask the town in water. 

Weather was perhaps one of the only downsides to the town of Namiport—this, and the cost of living. It didn’t have much history, being built in the 2010s by one of the Japanese megacorporations, but the amenities were simply sublime. For such a small town, it had everything: a shopping mall, hospital, airport, and a good public transport system. 

But despite this comfort, he couldn’t get over the feeling of strangeness that came from it. Just like its name, the town was a weird amalgamation of the American and Japanese cultures. Most of the signs were written in both languages, with a food selection to match. But instead of the fake Asian restaurants you found elsewhere, these were legit. Sometimes, it was easy to forget he was still in America.

A knock on his door snapped Noah from deeply thinking about nothing. Standing up, he found Mike waiting on the other side. His neighbor was pretty unremarkable: short black hair, dull eyes, and an average build. The only thing which helped him stand out from the crowd was the thin pair of glasses around his nose.

“Hey.” He waved, having this look on his face that just told Noah that he was about to ask him a favor. 

“What do you need?” Noah responded, trying to avoid the foreplay.

“Need help throwing out some old furniture. Shouldn’t take us more than like—I don’t know—5 minutes?” Mike said with an innocent smile, gesturing back towards the open door across from Noah’s. “Come on, I will get you something from the vending machine if you help me. Be a friend?”

Rolling his eyes, Noah picked up one of the cumbersome lamps and began marching with it toward the dumpster. It was located at the back of the apartment, the sound of rain against its metal lid ringing through the air. 

“So, did you consider my offer?” Mike asked, trying to make small talk during the job to make the time pass quicker. That way, maybe Noah wouldn’t realize that this is going to take more than just 5 minutes.

“Maybe. I don’t really have money for lessons.” He responded in a matter-of-fact way, throwing out a stained cushion. 

Mike continued talking as if trying to sell a pitch. “It’s good for your future.”

“I am doing economics.” Noah emphasized. “Not linguistics.” With all his money troubles, it almost seemed ironic.

 “You are going to need to learn Japanese at one point, Noah. Might as well get started early.”

He exhaled, putting down a scratched shelf into the steel container. “Just because most of the corpos here are from Japan doesn’t mean that you need to know the language. They are rich enough to hire translators, and most of them know English anyway.”

“It’s about making a good first impression.” Mike explained while handing over a can of chilled coffee to Noah. “The economic miracle has been going strong for the past 80 years. Don’t expect it to slow down anytime soon.”

Noah grabbed the drink, walking under the flat roof. The warm summer air indeed arrived on time, even if the spring rain remained. “Fine. I will think about it, alright?” His neighbor just gave him a thumbs up, walking inside the apartment building while sipping on the cold coffee. 

Just as he was about to follow, Noah noticed a cardboard box resting by the side of the dumpster. It was the type of box in which people would sometimes dump off the stuff they didn’t need anymore—clothes, books, whatever. Despite its waterlogged walls slowly dissolving, the man still felt compelled to look inside. Even if it was something he didn’t need, extra money was always appreciated. 

Opening the box, he noticed a small figure resting inside. She resembled a tiny woman—no taller than 2 ft. But despite her small height, the stranger had a plump body, with thick thighs and large breasts wrapped in an old, red blanket. What drew his attention, however, were the cat-like ears and tail which she possessed. They were both tucked in—a look of restlessness on her pale face.

Glancing over her body, Noah searched for any signs of life. She was perfectly still except for quivering red hands. A pair of bright blue eyes rested underneath messy short brown hair with a discolored pink ribbon attached to it—all drenched in water. They were lifeless, staring off into the void. With her tiny head tilted off to the side, the woman looked like a broken doll. And just like a broken doll, her right leg was missing, leaving in its place a short stump. 

There was a moment of silence filled only by rain and the sound of cars passing by. Getting over his initial confusion, Noah reached down to pick the creature down, pressing her body against his chest. She remained still, yet her heartbeat against his hand reassured the man that she was at least alive. Relieved, he retreated back into the apartment, slamming and locking the door shut. 

Now back inside, the tapping of the rain became dull, with only his own heavy breathing filling the room. Everything happened so quickly, there was no time for Noah to really think about it all. His body was working almost automatically, driven by a desire to help this…thing without thinking of why and what and how.

Noah placed the small figure on the kitchen counter, grabbing a few dry towels from the closet to gently pat her dry. As he did so, he noticed that her skin was surprisingly soft, having a very gentle feeling to it. Her trembling seemed to subside slightly as the warmth enveloped her. But now, she just laid there motionless. Somehow Noah felt that this was better, yet the absence of movement took away the little life the creature still had within it. 

Exhaling deeply, he sat on his bed, once again having his arms folded under his head. But instead of looking up at the ceiling, his attention was turned toward the bundle of towels wrapped around his new roommate.

"What in the world are you?" He muttered under his breath to fill the deafening silence. Unable to sleep, the man reached for his phone, blinded by its bright screen. When his eyes finally adjusted to it, he searched the web for answers. His search queries were disorganized and sporadic, but as if brute forcing his way to the truth, he finally found something. 

It was an older article from 2026, showing some business tycoon flanked on either side by two creatures similar to whatever he brought into his house. The businesswoman had a strong aura of authority, with her black business suit absorbing all the light in the bright studio; it still reflected off her pearly white smile and a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses. Her pets, however, were the exact opposite. They were all dolled up in scarlet dresses, sitting by their mistress’s long legs like accessories. The text itself spoke about the company—EikōBio—resuming their commissions for Kemonomimi pets. This was apparently a little publicity stunt to get people interested again. It seemed to have worked.

Noah rubbed his chin. He remembered hearing about those animal-people-pets-things somewhere before, but he has never actually seen one in person. One thing which he specifically recalled was the fact that they were supposed to be expensive—really expensive. Just as he had expected, a short search showed him that even a low-quality one could go for as much as 10'000 dollars. 

Immediately, a wide grin appeared on his face. Whoever lost this Nekomimi must be worried sick. Surely, if he were to be a good samaritan and return the pet back to his owner, a small reward awaited him. 

Snickering to himself, it was now not anxiety, but excitement which kept Noah from falling asleep. 

The sunlight slithered its way into the apartment, forcing the man to finally open his eyes after missing 3 different alarms. Smacking his lips, the first thing Noah did was look over at his counter. The pile of towels was missing, as was the girl. He really didn’t remember drinking yesterday, so the vivid nature of the memory puzzled him. 

This truly was bliss. It was like finding out that the professor had canceled an exam he wasn't prepared for. A heavy stone was dropped from his chest…but the feeling of something pressing against it remained. Lifting his bedsheet, Noah jerked back as he found the creature from yesterday currently sleeping on him, her drool-covered cheek plastered across his pecs as she continued snoring. It was a very quiet snore, the kind that most would find cute or at least a little endearing—like the snore of a cartoon character. 

“So she was real…” 

Having said that, the snoring stopped. Suddenly, the woman's eyelids flew open, her large blue eyes staring at him like two huge saucers. Unable to do much more, he stared back. Noah might have had no idea how to handle a Nekomimi, but this felt dangerous. Her carnivorous eyes with those thin black slits made him worry that the tiny girl was going to pounce at him if he broke eye contact. 

“Hello?” He finally broke the silence, trying to slowly look away just to find the woman’s eyes following his. She was like a machine designed to track an object—that object being his face. “Hi?” The man repeated after clearing his throat. Despite looking like they belonged to a hunter, her eyes sparked with this newly found intelligence. She wasn’t saying anything, but he had this feeling that she understood him. 

Gently lifting the cat girl by the armpits, Noah tried to get her off his chest. As soon as he did, he could see her arms flailing around widely, making him drop her back down. Despite her chubby little body and missing one leg, the woman moved with great grace, quickly managing to jump over to the carpeted floor while sticking out her tongue at him. 

“Ohayo!” She said, and this was about the extent of what Noah could understand as the woman continued speaking to him in Japanese and pacing around his apartment.

“Well, this is just great.” He groaned, making him think back to the offer Mike gave him. At least her pupils became round, making him less anxious about a possible assault. But at this rate, it didn’t look like the two were going to do much talking anyways. 

“Today’s supper…is a fish!” She spoke in English, making him a bit more confident. “Do fish?” Broken English, it seems.  

“Huh?” Tilting his head, Noah approached the fridge while maintaining eye contact. “You want…fish?”

“Yes, fish!”

“For breakfast?”

“Yes, fish!” 

He opened the fridge, just to be greeted by its cold white emptiness. The only thing inside was a can of energy drink, a single slice of cheese, two brown eggs, and a half-empty bottle of milk. “I don’t have fish- HEY!” Slamming the fridge, Noah turned towards Neko as she stretched, arching her back while turning her cheeks in his direction. He could not tell if the woman was intentionally trying to offend him.

“Wait wait wait, let’s start from the beginning.” He squatted down. “Who are you?”

“Tanji!” 

“Tanji? Is that right? Am I…am I saying it right?”

“Tanji!” 

“Alright then, Tanji.” He pulled up a stool, allowing her to climb on it. “Where are you from?”

“Osaka!”

“Osaka! We are getting somewhere. Listen, I want to get you to your owners. This isn't kidnapping or anything like that.” Noah coughed, looking away. “Eh…do you have somebody to call?” He took out his phone, a large crack across its black screen. “I don’t think I can afford a ticket to Japan.”

“Poor bastard.” She snickered, draining all the joy from the man’s face. 

“Very funny. Listen, I don’t know where that came from, but I would appreciate you being a bit nicer to me.”

“Please, say again!”

“Okay, now I think that you’re just fucking with me.” Annoyed, he took out a cigarette and a cheap neon green plastic lighter. Tanji pointed towards it, making a gesture of flame being lit with her fingers. “You…you smoke?” She nodded. 

While allowing the 2 ft-tall girl to play around with a cigarette and lighter against his better judgment, Noah jolted over to Mike’s door, giving it a sharp knock. 

“Coming! Coming!” The voice came from the other side, followed by the sound of something toppling over something else. A few seconds later, Mike appeared in a doorway, still combing away the mess on his head which passed as hair. “What’s going on, man? It’s Sunday, why are you all riled up?” 

“I will explain just…come on.”

A few minutes later, they both sat on Noah’s bed, with Mike gawking at the one-legged cat girl as she sat on the floor, finishing a cigarette. The air was filled with the silver-colored smoke, but both men were already used to the smell. 

“And you just…FOUND HER?” The man cried out, making Tanji look up in annoyance at the loud sound.

“Yeah. She’s called Tanji. Comes from Osaka. That’s—uh—Japan.”

Mike turned towards Noah, placing his hands on his shoulder as if he were a father explaining the value of money to a kid. “Do you understand how much a Nekomimi is worth?”

“...about 10’000 dollars?”

“About 10’000 dollars!” Mike echoed, clapping his hands together. “Of course, it depends on the physical and genetic quality. More exotic hair, skin, and eye color would bring a higher price.” He nodded while closing his eyes.

“What are you, a Kemonomimi expert?” 

“Are you kidding?” His eyes lit up. “I’ve always wanted to have one! I mean, having an adorable animal girl by your side? Doesn’t that sound great!” Looking down at Tanji, a grimace appeared on his face. “Although I expected them to be a bit cuter.” As Mike said that, Tanji gave him a middle finger while clenching her jaw. “Also, she’s missing a leg.”

“What’s wrong with her missing a leg?” Noah questioned, looking at the healed stump located just below the woman’s knee. “She’s able to move around alright.” As if to prove it, Tanji leaped up onto the bed, planting her fat ass on his knees.

“Lowers the value. Everyone knows that.” Mike said as if that was actually common knowledge. 

Noah rolled his eyes at the superficial assessment. "Look, we can't just think about the value here. This is a living being we're talking about." At least he had the decency of thinking about how much money they would get AFTER Tanji was returned to the proper owner instead of just selling here. 

Mike shrugged. "I get it, but it's not like we can just keep her here. You need all kinds of corporate permits and seals of approval to keep a Kemonomimi around. Plus, she probably has owners who are worried sick about her. We should try to find them and return her."

“That was my plan.” Noah said while instinctively reaching down to pet Tanji, just to find his hand bitten by the angry shortstack. “And let’s do that quickly.” Looking down at the fading red tooth mark, he winced. 

“Alright, here’s an idea.” Mike decided, standing up and picking up Tanji. Just as before, she began flailing around in his arms. “I will keep her in my room for the time being. I know a little Japanese, so I should be able to question her.” Cleaning his throat, he began relaying his plan in broken Japanese. 

She let out a laugh that would be cute if it were attached to a different face and leaped back to Noah, landing on his shoulder while pointing at Mike and saying “Bastard!”

Noah couldn't help but smile at the situation. It seemed that Tanji had taken a liking to him, or at least hated him less than somebody else. Regardless, she was now perched by his side, looking at Mike with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Looks like she’s your problem.” Mike said, giving a defeated sigh and a forcing a chuckle.

“Looks like she is.” Noah repeated, chuckling back.

“Are you going to be alright alone?” Noah questioned, throwing a backpack over his shoulder. Tanji raised her eyes from the dim TV, turning towards the man and giving him a half-hearted thumbs up. Taking it as a yes, he took one last look at the idle Neko before shutting the door. 

She was currently lying on what once was his bed—one he was now forced to share with the ungrateful visitor. Her body was wrapped in the red blanket in which he found her. The woman must have dug it out of the basket, despite him specifically telling her that he was going to wash it later. 

Well, Noah couldn’t really blame her. The weather might have been warm, but the woman had nothing to wear except for the black mini bikini he found her in and that decayed pink ribbon she refused to throw away. He offered her some of his shirts and hoodies, but she simply looked ridiculous in them, angrily scratching their fabric.

At least she was doing alright. He did go out of his way to give her medicines, even throwing in a few of those vitamin tablets that were supposed to be good for you. The last thing he needed was a sick Tanji.

“Hey, what’s up man!” Mike crept up from behind, throwing his arm around Noah. 

“You seem lively today.” 

“Well, you seem pretty depressed.” He retorted, sitting down on a bench overlooking the rails. The sound of trains wheezing into and out of the bustling platform was almost overpowering, forcing both to speak up. “Come on, we can focus on getting that reward money after class today.”

“What do you mean we?” Noah said half-jokingly as the two stepped onto the train. 

“Hey, don’t be like that.” Mike fixed his glasses, grabbing onto the handle as the cart began accelerating. 

The two soon arrived outside of the college. Its huge black gates greeted them inside after both swiped their keycards on the reader. The entire building was like this, with every door and vending machine operated by the same card they’d been sent upon getting accepted. It may have been a bit annoying, but the place was clean and modern—probably being the 2nd largest building in the town after the mall. Due to being the only college here, it had courses for literally everything. 

After a day of classes, Noah waited by the side of the gate for Mike to arrive. His eyes periodically drifted down to his phone, checking the time. Mike wasn’t usually this late, with the man having half the mind to just walk towards the station without him. But as soon as he began turning, the distinctively Mike-shaped blob in the distance began approaching him—somebody by his side. 

“Hey, Noah. Allow me to introduce you to Mia. Mia, this is Noah. Noah, Mia.” 

Despite her young face, Noah felt an aura of almost philosophical maturity pulsating from Mia’s face. She had long red hair, with a pair of deep green eyes staring at him. “Pleasure.” Mia said, moving her scarlet lips into a reserved smile. Noah couldn’t help but smile back. 

“So, are you two from the same class?” Noah spouted something to fill the void, finding maintaining eye contact with her difficult. 

“Yup!” Taking the initiative, Mike answered the question while pointing at Mia. “We're both doing bioengineering.”

“That’s right.” Mia confirmed, not breaking eye contact with Noah. “And Mike told me that you had a Kemonomimi.” She added out of nowhere.

“Oh, did he now?” Noah could feel his teeth clenching as he turned towards Mike.

“It sort of came up in a conversation.” He tried defending himself, looking away while forcing a laugh. 

“Oh, did it now?” The man continued staring at his neighbor, looking as if he was trying to make his head explode with his mind. 

“Is it true?” Mia asked, giving Noah a moment to calm down.

“Kind of. Well, yes. But it was supposed to be a secret.” He emphasized while looking over at Mike who still tried dodging eye contact. 

Mia chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Don’t worry. Mike just mentioned it in passing, and I was curious. I've always found the idea of Kemonomimis fascinating, but I've never seen one in person before." She looked down, taking a moment to ask the question this entire conversation had been leading up to. “Do you mind if I visit yours ?”

“I am sure Noah wouldn’t mind.” Once again, Mike decided to answer a question not destined for him. 

Backed into a corner of social expectations, Noah could only muster a “Sure. You can come over.” Quickly, he corrected himself. “Actually, my place is a bit messy. Maybe we can meet up downtown?” 

“Gladly.” Mie responded, taking out her phone and exchanging contact information. “I know a great BBQ spot.”

“Then it’s a date.” Mike clapped his hands together, waving off at Mia as both he and Noah walked towards the station.

Back at the apartment, it took a while for Noah to make Tanji presentable. All of his clothes fitted awkwardly around her body, with the tiny woman clearly annoyed by this as much as he was. 

“Alright, Tanji.” He said, fastening a cap tightly around her head. “We are going to visit a friend. So please be on your best behavior.” It felt silly saying this, with him even unsure if she could understand him. Tanji just gave him another weak thumbs up.

The four of them met up outside of the restaurant, with the mouth-watering smell of fried meat and spices emanating from the establishment. It was built in a way that was meant to resemble an old building, with artificially chipped wooden beams and outdated architecture, but at a second glance, it was easy to tell that it was actually modern.  

Mia looked lovely in her off-white blouse and tight jeans, but her trembling lip hid discomfort as soon as she saw Tanji following behind. Her almost comical appearance did very little to distract the crowd from the fact that she was a Nekomimi walking around the city center with a group of freshmen. It was like seeing a fast food worker driving around a Ferrari. Some of them even took out their phones to snap a quick picture, much to Noah’s dismay and Mike’s amusement. At least people weren’t paying as much attention to her missing leg. 

“Welcome.” Mia said after getting over the initial confusion, squatting down in front of Tanji. Her smile was met with a blank stare as the cat girl leaped up onto Noah’s shoulder—something he was getting progressively used to. Even her weight began feeling natural, like wearing a favorite accessory. 

“Don’t worry about her. Noah’s ‘mimi can be difficult sometimes.” Mike explained, padding the woman on the back. “Let’s go inside before it gets crowded.”

They were soon seated around the table. Well, the three humans were, while Tanji just opted to sit right on its surface—leaving the imprint of her ass on the glistening wooden surface. 

“I think people were looking at us.” Noah spoke up from the menu, looking over his shoulder. 

“Well, of course.” Mike said, not taking his eyes off the drink. “More people would watch if you dolled her up a bit.” 

Tapping the menu against the table, Noah noticed Mia peeking at Tanji as she stretched, shaking her little head. It was the type of place where you grilled the meat yourself. Personally, he just preferred to get his food and eat it. Judging by the fact that he had to physically restrain Tanji from reaching for the raw meat and gobbling it down, it looked like she shared his impatience. 

The sound of the sizzling filled the room as the neatly cut pieces of meat were placed against the hot plate. He watched as both Mike and Mia drizzled their cuts with all kinds of exotic spices. Settling for just salt, he placed a piece over the heat.

Tanji hovered above it, watching the frying meat with a carnivorous stare. It reminded him of the first day they both woke up in the same bed and how she looked ready to pounce. Her tail twitched with excitement the moment her piece made contact with the plate, immediately filling her cheeks with the beef. 

“Here.” Mia said, using a pair of chopsticks to pass one of the pieces she was frying over to Noah. The moment he uttered his thanks, Tanji reached down, adding it to her already-filled cheeks. Her reaction to Mia’s cut was a lot more exquisite.

“Tanji!” Noah scolded, watching the Neko continue to put all her strength into chewing. 

“Oh, don't worry.” Mia reassured, picking up another piece to fry. “I can make one for you as well.”

“Thank you.” Noah smiled, with Mike taking a picture of Tanji with her mouth full while suppressing a laugh. He will need to remember to ask him for a copy later. 

As the evening continued, the initial wave of excitement faded in a quiet, pleasant atmosphere, lit by both the candles and the grill. Its still-warm surface was less crowded now, with the dinner guests taking their time cooking the remaining pieces of beef so that they would not go to waste. 

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Mia spoke up, breaking the spell of stillness. “Do you plan on buying your ‘mimi a prosthetic? It’s a bit odd to see her walking on all fours.” She quickly corrected herself. “Sorry, all threes.”

“Don’t they normally do that?” Noah questioned, looking at Tanji lounging lazily on the seat next to him with her belly up. 

“No, it seems like she’s adapted to the situation. Good for her!” Mia continued praising Tanji as if to make up for her gaff. 

“Still, now that you mention it, I should probably get her one.” Noah looked up, thinking about how much that could cost him. With how exclusive these Kemonomimis are, he imagined that everything related to them must be equally expensive. Hell, they probably even sell a special 'mimi soap costing ten times as much as his! ”Walking on the floor is comfortable for her, but I guess walking like a human would be a lot more…decent?” He said, lacking any better word.

The night was still young, with Mia walking out onto the restaurant's patio. Seeing as both Mike and Tanji were dozing off, Noah decided to follow her out into the warm summer night. She leaned against the wooden railing, exhaling deeply. 

“Do you need a light?” Noah asked, reaching into his pocket. 

“I don’t smoke.” She responded, cracking her head. Not wanting to pollute the mood, Noah let go of the lighter, settling his hands on the railing next to Mia.

“What do you think about Tanji?” Noah spoke up, looking out into the sprawling town. It was getting late, yet the streets were as busy as always, with neon lights flashing to life in real-time. Shades of pink, red, and blue soon flooded the starry sky. 

“Waste of resources.” Mia responded after a few seconds of staring up at the sky. Taken slightly aback by her choice of words, Noah was still willing to hear her out—it was something he needed to hear. “There are many greater things which we should be doing with the new gene splicing methods, not making girl pets.” She turned towards him, her mature green eyes appearing calm like the surfaces of two old lakes. “I guess it took me seeing her to realize that.”

“Do you think she’s a person?” Noah asked, wanting to add something to the conversation. The question was directed as much towards Mia as it was towards himself. 

Tapping her chin, she finally responded with a “...not legally.”

“What?” He forced a smile—the type of smile one makes when they are confused and can’t do anything else. 

“I am a geneticist. Results matter. Tanji was made to be a pet, so she’s a pet. As simple as that.” As she spoke, the gentle femininity that Mia harbored seemed to fade away and be replaced by cold logic. When she said that she was interested in Kemonomimis, it must have been the same interest a biologist has towards an invasive species. 

“Doesn’t seem fair.” Noah spouted out without thinking. 

“It’s not fair. Nothing is fair in genetics. Your friend…she’s a vanity project. Like a potato made to be pink just because it looks cute.” Mia peered up at him, looking as confused as he was. “Wait, do you think she’s a person?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged before returning his gaze back to the Namiport. The city was bustling, yet still—wild, yet gentle. 

Mia stretched, turning away from the balcony. “Want to head back inside?” She spoke, with him losing the sight of her wise eyes.

Noah rubbed his index finger against the side of the lighter, exhaling deeply. “Sure. Let’s go.”

“I am home.” The man announced, plopping down on the bed just right of Tanji. The woman rolled onto her belly, moving away from him before stretching. 

Almost a week passed, and nobody came to pick her up. He’d tried posting anonymously online but had no luck with it. Returning a missing ‘mimi felt like returning a missing wallet. You had to be careful to avoid some rando off the side of the street coming and claiming it as his. At least she had a distinct feature that made her easy to identify, even without any other markings. 

Markings…An idea popped into his head. If dogs get chipped, why couldn’t Kemonomimi? He hadn’t inspected her body properly, after all. When she proved capable of washing herself without drowning, he had left Tanji mostly to her own devices. 

Giving himself a determined nod, Noah crept up to the lazy cat. This time, it was he who was the hunter. Tanji looked up at him in confusion at the display, her eye slits narrowing as his hands descended onto her torso. “Tanji…” He whispered softly, seeing her back slowly arch in preparation for a leap. Wrapping his hands around her soft belly before the grand escape, he saw the Neko thrashing around like it were the worst torture she had ever endured. “Hold still!” He ordered, feeling his grip on her plump body slipping. “Stop overreacting!” This only seemed to make her wiggle around more vigorously, meowing bloody murder. “Don’t you want to get back to your owner, you stupid cat!”

Their tussle was broken by the knock on the door, with Noah standing up to answer it as Tanji escaped by jumping on top of his closet. Opening it, two figures stood in the doorway. 

The one that immediately caught his attention dwarfed his door, with the woman having to lower her head just to be seen. She must have surely been 8 ft tall if not more, her amber eyes refusing to meet his and instead scanning the room like a drone. Her tanned muscular form poked from underneath a loose-fitting red jacket—the woman's constantly clenched fists not putting him at ease. She had a black dog collar around her neck, matching her short black hair adorned with two large wolf-like ears. They were inappropriately cute and fluffy, standing at attention.

Next to her was a man, his eyes obscured behind an expensive-looking pair of sunglasses. He appeared tiny next to her, but the realization that he was actually roughly the same size as Noah quickly settled in his mind. And despite being well-built, whatever stature he might have had was utterly overshadowed by his pet. Just like his eyes, his hands were also obscured by two black gloves. 

“May we come in?” The man questioned, fixing his short blonde hair with a synthetic smile. He had an accent that was very difficult to distinguish—one which sounded almost as fake as his smile. Noah opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but just watched as the two figures invited themselves in. The blonde man locked his doors with a satisfying click which made him tense up as the Amazonian wolf-girl loomed above him with her arms crossed. 

“What do you want from me?” He finally squeezed out, seeing the wolf-girl crack her knuckles. The man made a shushing expression as he gestured for her to stand down. Looking around the apartment for a couch and finding that his bed essentially constituted one, he ordered Noah to sit down. He did as he was told, his legs spread and the right one bouncing up and down. “If you want Tanji, you can just take her!”

The uninvited guest remained silent for an uncomfortably long amount of time, like a stage performer building the tension before his final act. “Tonight, two officers will come to visit your apartment.” He spoke while pacing around the room, walking up to the window. Compared to what he was used to, the sights outside of the lower-class apartment must have bored him, quickly turning away back to Noah. “They will look like the Namiport private police force. Will tell you they’re working on behalf of EikōBio.”

Once again, silence descended over the room. This time, Noah was the one to speak up. “And what do you want me to do?” 

Finally stopping, he approached the college student, probably trying to look him in the eye although Noah only saw his wincing reflection in the dark surface of his sunglasses. “You tell them…that the Nekomimi is yours. Say she belongs to your rich aunt, you're looking over her for a friend, you bought her abroad—I don’t care.” He looked up at his bodyguard with a nod, seeing her hand over a sturdy folder to him. “Either way, she is yours and you have all the papers for her—that’s what you tell them.”

It took a while for Noah to find a response. There were so many things he knew he needed to know and so many more he dreaded to ask. In the end, he settled for the only statement which he could definitely refute. “But I don’t.” 

The sound of paper slapping against wood was heard as the man threw a folder onto Noah’s cluttered work desk. “Now you do.” He cracked his neck, getting a little too close to the seated man. “They will probably not bother since it’s a pain in the ass but…if they say that she’s not in the system, you will tell them it’s a clerical error and you wish to get that sorted out.” 

“Why?” Noah searched for a clever line, but once again came up short. 

“Because my patron wishes it to be done.” The blonde man said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Better to have the target lay low with a nobody for the time being.” 

He felt as if he should have gotten more offended by the statement, but decided to play it smart for the time being. Recollecting his thoughts, he muttered “What if I were to refuse?”

In one swift motion, the previously statue-like form of the wolf girl sprang to life, extending her long arm and grabbing the collar of his shirt. A sense of vertigo overcame Noah as he found himself hoisted up against the wall. There was no sign of strain on her face or arms as the man remained held 2 ft off the ground, his feet dangling in the air. 

He looked at the bodyguard’s face, the neutral expression slowly turning into a cruel grin—like a slider moved from left to right. A row of sharp canines shone brightly in the weak light of the apartment. Being in a position where there was a non-zero chance of his face getting bitten off made Noah freeze. But the woman didn’t stop. She leaned in closer, bringing her chest to his pounding heart as if enjoying the scrambling cardiac orchestra. 

This was his answer. 

"Alright, alright! I'll do it!" Noah stammered, trying to catch his breath. 

“Yulka! Put him down.” With a loud thud, he impacted against the floor, the pillar-like form of the wolf girl towering above him. Rubbing his back, he slowly began standing up, grabbing the side of his bed for support. 

“Good man.” The man praised, reaching into his pocket and producing a 2nd envelope. It was placed by his feet, with the shape of something rectangular bulging through the paper. “Just pick a story and stick to it.” He gestured towards the envelope. “There is a burner phone for you to use here. My number is already in the contacts.”

Snapping his fingers, Noah watched the Yulka once again heed her owner’s command. She extended her arm for Tanji, having no difficulty with reaching the dust-covered top of the wardrobe where she hid. Despite the size difference, she continued trying to escape. But while he may have had difficulty, the wolf girl managed to hold her chubby little body like a stress ball—her hand wrapping tightly around her form. 

“In case they ask you for a product number…” Her owner gestured towards Yulka with an acknowledging nod. At his command, she split the cat girl’s legs with ease. Both Tanji and Noah looked away at first, their collective faces turning a shade of red. But when the initial awkwardness passed, his eyes darted back to the area the wolf girl indicated. On the inside of Tanji's thigh, the numbers “9-1-0” were tattooed in dark ink above a barcode. 

Yulka finally released the girl who landed on the bed with a soft thud. She immediately jumped back at the wolf with her claws, only to be swatted away back onto the bed like a fly. It was clear that she was practicing restraint, knowing very well that she could just rip the Neko apart.

“Come on, Noah. She’s your ‘mimi. You should have her trained to be polite around guests.” He joked, turning around to leave the apartment. 

The next few minutes were spent by the man fidgeting with the buttons of an old-fashioned bright red phone. Tanji sat by his side, folding her hands. Her bright blue eyes once again appeared lifeless, with the woman deep in thought. Whatever ideas were running through that little head of hers, he could not tell. He didn’t like to admit it, but seeing her so vulnerable somehow made Tanji seem more human. It was certainly a contrast with how she leaped at a creature over x4 her size. 

Not wanting to just do nothing, Noah had a quick look over all the documentation. Everything seemed in order, with a sales bill and medical records of visits she never attended. Sliding the meticulously forged papers back into the folder, a sour smile appeared on his face. It was this feeling of getting involved in something that was not one's business—falling in with the wrong crowd you had no choice of joining. 

The burner phone beside him started ringing, breaking him out of his thoughts. He picked it up, seeing a message from the one number logged into his contacts—“H.” His eyes squinted at the row-resolution screen. It was a text with a simple, but chilling message.

"They're outside. Do it now."

As soon as he finished reading it, the sound of footsteps in the hallway was broken by the heavy knock on his door. Opening the door, Noah saw two officers standing side by side. Their uniforms closely resembled those of the police force, yet lacked any badges, with the shirts themselves bearing a slightly darker, more foreboding shade of blue.

For what it was worth, Noah played his part. Even Tanji seemed to play along, not biting his hand and enduring the petting for both of their sake. Whenever they pried deeper, the man always had some fake document to act as his shield. Eventually, getting the feeling that their time was wasted, both officers left the apartment complex with forced smiles. 

Sitting down on the bed, Noah took a breath he didn't realize he’d been holding in. But just as he did, the phone strung to life again, playing the same short tune that he had slowly started to associate with impending danger. 

Clicking the call button, he heard a muffled voice coming from the other side. “Good job, kid. That should get them off our ass for a few weeks.” Noah listened, hearing the sound of liquid being poured on the other end. “Boss might have another job for you. And before you say no, I reckon you should see the care package we have prepared for you. How about we meet up?” Taking the silence as approval, the man continued. “Great! I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t worry about the location, we’ll find you. Oh—and bring Tanji along!”

The sound of gliding monorails screeched above them as Noah and Tanji sat down on the bench. It was the type of bench that would typically get demolished, one found in the middle of nowhere too close to the street and too far from anything important. Despite having no business being there, it remained, just like the two of them. Namiport danced in the distance—stuck in a twilight between night and day as the lights above them flashed to life against the gray sky. 

The man fidgeted with the bright red phone instead of his green lighter. He wanted to smoke, but couldn't find the motivation to do so. The only way to pass the time was looking at the street, with Tanji’s curious head following the bolting cars. Noah inhaled the cool evening air through his teeth, looking down at the cat girl. He was struck with an overwhelming desire to talk to her, but the language barrier was nothing when compared to trying to understand the woman’s mind. Was there even a way of comprehending something so foreign? And would talking to his little pink potato even be worth it? 

“You know, these rails are connected to most of the world.” He explained while looking up, taking a quick peek at Tanji to find her large blue eyes now focused on him. Just like before, the man felt understood despite the lack of any confirmation. “I typically just take the one going to the college and back, but they could go anywhere. Even to Osaka, if you take a few undersea tunnels.” Allowing for a moment of silence, Noah watched the woman’s lips twisting. He continued. “Wouldn’t it be fun to sometimes just jump onto one of them, and let it take you…wherever.” Tanji looked at him with an unsure expression, reluctantly nodding yes as if that was a statement she couldn’t fully agree with. Either that, or she only understood half of what he said. 

Noah himself wasn’t quite sure what the purpose of this mockery of philosophy was, but the sound of a black car coming to a halt in front of him forced the man to concern himself with the material world. The door swung open, with the inside as dark as the night sky. He patted his thigh for Tanji to follow him. The inside of the vehicle had a sterile smell to it, with Noah soon finding himself flanked on either side by two creatures. The one on his right was unmistakably the muscular silhouette of Yulka, with the wolf girl seemingly in standby mode until her master ordered her to act. This did not stop her amber eyes from following his every move. 

Only after his vision adjusted to the darkness did Noah manage to make out the form of the girl on the left. She had long straight ginger hair, with a cute face that didn’t match the dark, loose-fitting uniform similar to Yulka's. Like her companion, she was also a Kemonomimi—her fox ears relaxed and passive. Her fluffy tail was idle, taking up a lot of space considering how small the woman was—standing at a little over 3 ft. And just like her animal features, her human face also looked content, smiling as if she were sedated. 

Fortunately, the car was spacious enough to accommodate them—if just barely, with Yulka’s elbow digging into his side and Kitsunemimi’s puffy tail tickling his left hand. 

“Noah! Great to see that you were able to join us. Let's go for a ride.” H’s voice spoke up from the driver’s seat as the car began moving, the shaded windows making it impossible to tell where they were going. “This is Koko, by the way.” The blonde man gestured towards the Kitsune while not taking his eyes off the road.

Trying to slowly edge away from both Yulka and Koko, he found them clamped around his body like a vice. “You mentioned something about a package?” As long as he kept talking business, Noah had the feeling that the two ‘mimi thugs weren’t going to jump him. He did not need a repeat of the Yulka incident. 

H snapped his fingers, seeing Koko reaching below her seat and sliding out a small black briefcase. It was placed in Noah’s lap, forcing Tanji to jump down onto the ground. Clicking it open, he was given a moment to inspect the neatly packed contents. There were several miniature pairs of clothing and underwear for his pet—some tasteful and casual while others were more risque. The black metallic shape of a leg prosthetic and a red envelope were amongst the goodies.

“More paperwork?” Noah questioned, shaking the envelope. “The officers didn’t even go through half of the stuff you gave me.”

“Not exactly.” Despite not seeing his face, the sight of H’s eye squinting told Noah that he was grinning. “It’s stocks.”

“Stocks?” He shook his head. “For what?” 

“EikōBio. Not much, but something to get you started.” 

Ripping over the envelope felt dangerous, with the sound of the snapping paper seeming almost oppressively loud. But when Noah finally did get a glimpse inside, the blonde man was true to his words. The documentation seemed all in order, but considering the type of forgery H had access to, there was no way of really telling. He was going to trust him, for what else could he do?

“Sorry for the little fright with the officers, but trust me kid: that Kemonomimi might as well be the golden ticket. Very important for the boss.” Glancing down at Tanji, she looked up at him with an unamused face. “And there’s more where that came from.”

“So you work with them? I mean EikōBio.” 

“No, not exactly.” There was no shakiness in his voice the student had expected. 

Maybe it was greed or the deep-seated desire for independence, but Noah couldn’t stop his lips from forming a grin very similar to that of his driver. What did it matter what Tanji wanted? Why should he concern himself with the thoughts running around her little head? He had an actual chance here—a chance for a better life. Sometimes it takes being thrown against the wall to start making your way to the top. 

“Alright. What do you need next?” 

“Straight to the point!” The blonde man slapped the wheel in excitement. “I will need you to pick something up from the club tomorrow.” With so little information, there wasn’t even anything that Noah could ask. Maybe that was intentional. “Today, you get to relax. Oh, and I am handing Koko over to you. She will teach you Japanese and act as your bodyguard/translator/maid. Her paperwork has already been delivered.” Noah gave her a wave to see if the fox girl was conscious. Her tired yet alert face turned towards him, giving the man a deep bow. 

The car stopped with a satisfying purr in front of his apartment. Noah watched as his new “bodyguard” held a huge briefcase in each of her hands, appearing almost comical as she carried them inside due to the size difference. Yulka stayed by the side of the car as H squatted down in front of Tanji. It looked like the two were talking, judging by their moving lips. The blonde man appeared mostly stoic, while the pudgy cat waved her hand around widely with each word. He stood up after a moment, walking towards Noah while patting down his trousers. 

“That ‘mimi has a mouth on her, huh?” Of course. She was bad-mouthing him. “Kept talking about how creepy you are. How you let her sleep with you.”

“Nobody is forcing her to climb into my bed every night.” Noah asserted, trying to clean his fragile reputation. 

“Oh, no.” He waved dismissively. “It’s not because she doesn’t like it. Quite the opposite. It’s fun because it’s taboo. Doing something you’re not supposed to is always thrilling, isn’t it?” H’s words seemed directed at him as much as they were at Tanji. 

“Taboo?” Noah squinted, now fully paying attention. “I thought there was a whole sex industry with Kemonomimi. This seems a little…soft-core? I guess that’s the word.” 

“Fucking? Absolutely. Happens all the time. Gotta be gentle with mouse girls, though.” Judging by his casual tone, it seemed that the man had some ”assets” there. “But they have their own little sleeping area, not actual beds. Koko already brought hers.“ He paused. “There is one for Tanji, but I have a feeling that she isn’t going to use it. She likes being with you.” 

Before he even realized that he was smiling, his patron made sure to point it out. “You seem happy.”

Quickly dimming the smile to a professional grin, Noah cleared his throat. “She’s happy. It means I am doing a good job as an owner, right?”

He exhaled, his face suddenly becoming serious. Seeing him like that was almost as surreal as seeing Yulka smile. "Hey, buddy, let me give you a tip. The worst mistake a man can ever make is catching feelings for the product. I am not implying that you are, but…preventive medicine, you know?" The man patted Noah on the back just a little too hard. "Never forget that."

Product. That’s all Tanji was to the one providing for them. Maybe it would be better if she became the same to him. It would certainly make life easier. 

Back inside, Noah could see Tanji sitting on a stool with a prosthetic around her right stump. She was moving her legs up and down, trying to stop herself from fidgeting as Koko combed through her messy brown hair. Now instead of the pseudo-militaristic poncho Yulka wore, the woman was dressed in a maid outfit; a frilly white dress with black accents that he had seen pictures of before, but never actually saw in person—she even had a choker around her neck and a little silver bell!

“Welcome home, master.” Koko stood up from the stool before giving him another submissive bow, sitting down quickly enough to continue combing Tanji’s hair before she could escape. From the looks of it, the woman made it her duty to doll her up—with the Neko now wearing a short pair of jeans and a pink crop top. Seeing her like that was odd, but easy on the eyes. When she was finally released, Tanji clipped on the old pink ribbon he had found her with. 

Seeing Koko walk around his apartment—sweeping, cleaning, and folding—made Noah feel a bit guilty, but it was her job to do so. And besides, her perpetually relaxed and sleepy face didn’t even twitch as she continued her work. This, combined with her professional demeanor, made him feel that trying to help would have been seen as an insult. 

“Must be difficult being so far from your owner.” Noah spoke up, hoping to at least show the Kitsune that he acknowledged her existence. She was currently in the process of laying down her sleeping area, placing it purposefully as far as possible from his bed. Just as he had expected, it looked like one of those dog beds, providing enough space for the woman to curl her body snuggly against the pillow. 

“It is fine. The owner told me that I should do what you say.” Her calm demeanor and unchanging expression were almost unnerving, but he figured that was her quirk. Either that or some type of training. “He also gave me your study schedule. We will start with some basic phrases and greetings tomorrow.” Koko explained while taking off the oversized rubber gloves she wore during the cleaning. “Then, we can move to more challenging subjects.”

Noah nodded, turning towards Tanji. She took small steps while getting used to the new prosthetic, him seeing her body fully erect for the first time. He expected a more stellar response, but there was just a look of discomfort on her face as she circled the room. 

“What’s the deal with all this?” He asked while picking up bright red lingerie from the pile of clothing she had just washed. 

Koko was currently in the middle of brewing green tea for the three of them, allowing herself to climb onto the counter. “Oh, that is for tomorrow’s job.” 

“Can you tell me more about it?” The tea looked to be just about done, with the Kitsune carrying the beverage to his table.

“Of course.” She nodded, watching Noah lifting the cup to his lip to gauge the man’s response. Only after a satisfied smile appeared on his face did she continue. “It  is an establishment catering to clientele with specific tastes.” 

“I think I know what you mean by that.”

“Kemonomimi fetishists.” Seeing her cute face say that made him feel dirty, as if these were words not meant to be uttered by the petite maid—even if she was only using the proper terminology. “There is a device in one of the rooms. The owner needs you to retrieve it.”

“Sounds like something he could have done himself.” Noah reasoned. "Or one of his men." Having said that, he didn't actually have proof that there were any humans other than H and himself involved. For all he knew, his patron's patron was a 5-inch tall mouse girl. 

“Maybe you are the closest. Maybe he wants to test you. I don’t have all the information, master.”

Noah sipped his tea, tapping his free hand against the table. He felt like a pawn in some larger game, but could a pawn really complain when he is given an animal girl maid to clean and make tea?

“Master.” Koko asked, making him re-focus his eyes on her from the daydream. “May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.” He placed the cup down. “What’s on your mind?”

Jumping down from the stool, Koko walked toward one of the bags she brought with her. “I will hold down the fort once you head out with Tanji for the job.” After a few metallic clicks, the woman produced the slick gray body of a sniper rifle—the glint of the scope shining in his eyes after she removed the plastic coverings. “For the time being, this property is considered a corporate asset. So what is the best lookout position in the building?”

The doors of the car opened yet again, with both Noah and Tanji walking towards the glow of the club. The neon outline of a woman with dog ears raising and lowering her leg pierced through the darkness, with both of them looking at it with blank expressions as their faces basked in the bright pink light. With the muffled sound of droning music and the smell of alcohol coming from within, the pair felt almost repelled by the seedy building. But against their better judgment, they marched towards it, ready to play their roles. 

He gave Tanji a nod. She was wearing a simple black dress that warped and stretched around her curvy features. It wasn’t the most modest of clothes, but tasteful when compared to some of the outfits he had seen on other ‘mimis entering the club with their owners. Putting on the lingerie already required some finessing, and neither he nor Koko were willing to push their luck. And it wasn't like she was the only one here playing dress-up. He was wearing white trousers and a white shirt which were just begging to be stained by something—a gray blazer acting as his only line of defense. Koko even insisted on combing his hair and applying some gel to it. 

If he endured it, so could Tanji.

Looking at the line, it seemed like those with an escort had a priority. There wasn’t a separate queue or an official sign telling them to move on, but they were still allowed to slip through as if that were always a rule. Perhaps this was just a common understanding in those types of establishments—not that he would know. Either way, nobody complained.

They walked deeper inside, the mixture of sound, laser, and smoke discombobulating them—especially Tanji, who winced and whined while covering her sensitive ears. On the stage, he could see a huge shadow moving in the darkness. When the wandering light shined on her, he was able to make up her form. It was a woman. At first, he assumed it to be a work of some forced perspective, but getting closer he confronted the reality—she was 9 ft tall. Her ears were those of a canine, matching the black color of her long, braided hair. 

She looked at the crowd with glowing red eyes, making brief contact with Noah. He swore he saw her wink. The dancer made Yulka look small—an impressive feat. Just like H’s bodyguard, her movements were calculated and precise, almost snapping from one pose to another in the moments between the flashes of light, flexing her muscular arms each time a beam landed on her. How much bigger were those Kemonomimi going to get?

Just as he was lost daydreaming about big girls, his small one pulled on his sleeve. Tanji gestured towards the bar. There was another shadow he couldn’t quite make out behind the counter, serving colorful drinks to the patrons. Preparing to speak, he could see that the cat girl had already settled herself in an empty booth, getting comfortable against the leather chair. He ran up to her, sitting down and putting his hand on the laminated menu she was about to pick up.

“No, we are not getting drinks here.” He whispered, having to get louder to be heard. “Everything is overpriced in places like this.” The realization that he now had money to spend on luxuries failed to yet completely register in his mind, with the value of stocks assigned to his name seeming almost like incorporeal fairy dust. Tanji frowned, violently pointing towards the menu. Noah exhaled through his teeth. “Fine. One thing.”

The Neko took her time with the menu like a child being allowed to pick only one toy. Suddenly, the slits of her eyes narrowed, with the woman tapping against a certain item. Glancing down at it, the thing she chose was surprisingly cheap—just a glass of fresh milk. “Never seen a nightclub sell milk before.” He mumbled, flipping over the menu in case “milk” was a codeword for some exotic alcoholic beverage. “Not like I am going to complain.” Taking out his wallet, he headed towards the bar, catching one last glance of Tanji climbing onto the table.

Walking towards the stools, the server on the other side finally revealed herself in the dim light. He had to stretch his neck just to look over her breasts, catching a glimpse of her blonde bangs. Another ‘mimi—her 12 ft form told him that much. She had bovine characteristics, with two large droopy ears and curved white horns. There was a bright yellow plastic cattle clip pinned to her left ear, with Noah unaware whether it served an actual purpose or was purely decorative. Either way, they enhanced her cow-like appearance, as did the two huge jugs poking from underneath her black apron. She wore nothing else, her thick body seemingly content in the cool nightclub atmosphere with AC roaring above. 

“Hi! My name is Charlotte. Can I help you?” The woman asked, leaning and casting her shadow above him. She had a timid smile on her face, but the realization that she was twice his size lingered in his mind. Her purple-gray eyes continued staring at Noah, waiting for him to do something. When he did not, she assumed that he was confused, being more than half right. “We have menus at the table as well as here.” She slammed her weight against the counter, the sharp thudding audible even against the backdrop of the music.

Noah coughed, trying to shake off his initial surprise at the barmaid’s imposing stature. "Uh, yeah, we'd like to order a glass of milk, please." He managed to stammer out. "And I guess I’ll just have whatever is on the tap.” 

The waitress nodded, her eyes lighting up. "Of course! One glass of warm milk coming right up." She turned to reach behind her, her massive frame moving with a surprising grace despite being built like a bulldozer. “Hold this, please!” The bartender asked, giving the man a glass. But instead of warm milk, there was just cold air inside of it. Nonetheless, he held onto it, waiting for something to happen. 

Charlotte slid her black apron off to the side, freeing her right breast. It was firmly secured by her hand, with the cow girl bending over above the glass. She chuckled to herself, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to relax. Her palm squeezed, with the barmaid making an awkward face as she applied more pressure until streaks of white liquid shot out from her erect nipples. No matter how many times she did it, being milked was always awkward. What didn’t help is that customers would always stare! She had no issue filling up bottle after bottle in private, being one of her owner’s more productive cows. But despite this, she couldn’t stop loving it. 

The bright pink areola of her breast now fully secured itself around the opening of the glass, allowing nothing to escape as her warm milk began filling the container. “There we go~ There we go~” She murmured to herself as the stream grew wider, clamping her fingers around the dark nipple. Noah really didn’t know what to do, simply standing there as the glass slowly filled with her sugary, smooth liquid. His fingers burned from the heat, yet still held onto the container even as his knuckles turned white.

Pulling herself back, Charlotte gave him an innocent smile. With a beer in one hand and a warm glass in the other, he slowly walked back toward the impatient Tanji. She immediately leaped at the milk, sticking her tongue into the glass. Was this some kind of joke? The way she glanced at him—confused why he was the one gawking at her—reassured Noah that she was none the wiser. Perhaps it would be better to keep it that way, with the memory still fresh in his mind as the Neko licked the creamy liquid off her lips.

He’s already had encounters with two of them, but the silhouettes of ears, tails, and horns poking through the dense crowd told Noah that these creatures were all around him—blending perfectly into the murky atmosphere of the club. Going from barely ever having seen a ‘mimi before to being thrust into a world where they were everywhere was something he was going to need to get used to. 

One of the bunny girls walked up to their table. She was about the size of Tanji, if not smaller, but her pearly white ears gave her much-needed height. Without them, Noah wouldn't have noticed that the woman was even there. “Your room is ready!” The waitress gestured towards the hallway while taking away the glass of milk which the cat girl took the liberty of licking clean. 

Passing through the doors was like traveling through a portal to a different world, one reinforced by soundproof walls where the pounding of the music was barely an inconvenience rather than an ear-shattering screech. The room itself was comfortable enough, if not a little barren, with a king-size bed covered by gray sheets. On the nightstand, a remote for the large wall-mounted TV was flanked by an ice-filled bucket of champagne and a small bowl of mint sweets. Of course, Tanji was already gobbling a handful of them by the time he managed to sit down on the mattress. It shifted below him—soft yet firm. 

“Put those away.” He ordered, resisting the temptation of lying down on the bed which beckoned for him. “We need to find the device. It’s probably some kind of bug-listening-thing. Just look for something that could look inconspicuous but doesn't.” This wasn’t a good description, but looking for bugs was not exactly his area of expertise. 

It was hopeless. Noah had looked everywhere—under the bed, inside the cupboard, around the showers, and inside the trashcan. Tanji pretended that she was helping by checking under the pillows before lying down on them. His groans of annoyance were now accompanied by her serene yawns. Sitting down in defeat, the glint of something by the side of the towels prompted him to investigate. There it was: a small plastic box looking like a component extracted from another machine—red, yellow, and blue wires haphazardly poking from the side. He pocketed the thing, taking a deep breath as he settled himself next to Tanji. The room was clouded in silence—the type of silence that allows one to hear their heart. His ears were focused on the Neko’s relaxed breathing as she shifted and turned against the thin covers, trying to make herself even more comfortable. 

Comfortable? There was no time for comfort. They finished their job, and it was time to leave. “Let’s go.” He clapped his hands together, readying to stand up only to be met with the sound of the door slowly opening. In this stillness, even such a simple sound seemed impossibly loud, making both of them freeze. 

“Hello there!” The woman made no attempts at hiding her presence, quickly skittering into the center of the room after slamming the door shut. From the bed, they could only see the pink ears on her head, with both Noah and Tanji having to sit up in order to see their uninvited visitor. “My name is Maya! It’s so great to finally be able to meet you!” She grinned, jumping up onto the bed and arching her back. 

It was another Nekomimi, but much different. Despite her strange appearance, Tanji could sometimes blend into the environment. Not Maya. Her short bangs were pink, with the same bright shade decorating her lips and eyes—demanding attention. She was a lot more slender than the familiar Neko, lacking any of her roundness and having a very petite body. The long pawprint-covered white socks and gloves gave the illusion that the woman was dressed while in reality having nothing more than her underwear on. 

“What are you doing?” Noah raised an eyebrow as Maya rubbed her hands on his thighs, getting closer to his groin. Only two layers of fabric separated him from her eager face. 

She giggled as if he had said something funny. “My owner sent me to show you a good time, silly!” Resting her warm cheek against his bulge, Maya let out a soft purr. “I saw you sulking there with that rude pet of yours. You’re such a good man for taking care of a defective ‘mimi like this, mister." There was this angelic look in her eyes as if Noah was somehow a paragon of charity. "But we both know that she cannot satisfy like high-end merchandise.” Sliding off her right thigh, the stripper revealed a number tattooed near her lips. She was more proud of the 133 written on her skin in black ink than her delicious hips. 

“Sir.” Maya squeezed out between purrs as she unbuckled his pants. “Can you please tell that thing to wait outside, sir?” She said while glaring at Tanji still sitting by his side. 

Burning determination filled Tanji’s eyes. Was it pride? Jealousy? Either way, she pushed the unprepared stripper off to the side, sliding off Noah's pants so quickly that they went flying across the room and hurt his legs in the process. Maya played up her injuries, putting on a sad face as Tanji reached for his boxers. 

“What a rude thing.” She looked at Tanji with squinted eyes. “Sir, get it off you!”

No. Noah wanted to see where it was going. Letting this catfight continue would be a good way to end the evening. Perhaps H’s influence really did rub off on him. Instead of trying to break it up, he put on the type of face a cashier at a pawn store would pull—one of reserved interest. The two of them were going to make him a deal. 

Tanji was the first to place her goods on the table, taking off his boxers and grabbing onto the warm, throbbing shaft. It was held tightly in her palm, with the cat girl mesmerized by the smell. She swallowed, unsure of what to do next. She didn’t expect to get this far. Was she supposed to…stroke it? Would that feel good? The Neko shook her head, the time and effort Koko put into fixing it going to waste. No, it didn’t matter if it felt good. All that mattered was outperforming that dolled-up bimbo.

Her eyes lit up, and she used her other hand to grasp the bright tip. It pulsated in her hand, with the cat fascinated by the way it twitched and squirmed against the skin of her palm. Her mouth…she needed to use her mouth. Wrapping her hands at the base of her master's penis, Tanji found herself breathing heavily as it cast a dark line on her face. She opened her lips, sticking her rough tongue out and panting. Sucking her master’s cock? Gross! And yet, she found herself edging towards it, the warm breath felt on his penis.

SLAP. With a twitch, it plopped against her forehead. As if broken from the spell, the usual angry expression returned to Tanji’s face just as her features were becoming delicate. Looking around to vent her anger, she decided to take it out on the nearest object. She used her extended palm to whack Noah’s tip. WHACK. WHACK. WHACK. Take that! Stupid cock! How dare it slap her!

“Tsk-tsk.” Maya shook her head. “How disappointing. Look at her, so brash and rude.” She put her hand on Tanji’s head, pulling her away. “Allow me to comfort you, sir.” The pink-haired Neko cracked her neck before placing her hands on both of Noah’s inner thighs, their surface providing more than enough support for her tiny hands. There was no need for foreplay here. That stupid tomboy already wasted enough of the patron’s time. Instead, she was going to get right to work. 

Up and down. Up and down. Bobbing her head, Maya sucked on Noah’s thick cock, her tongue feeling rough against his skin. Unlike Tanji whose eyes tended to meander around the room, she did the professional thing and maintained eye contact with the one she was serving. 

Up and down. Up and down. She felt saliva building up in her mouth as her lips stretched as far as they could to take it all in. It’s just a dick. She had survived larger loads in the past. This was nothing.  

Up and down. Up and down. Why wouldn’t he cum? Her mouth and neck were getting tired, having to endure this massive thing. Was she not good enough? No, that’s not it. That idiot tomboy must have ruined the mood. Why else would he keep glancing at her disgusting, chubby body?

Noah watched as Tanji patted Maya’s back with a concerned face, rubbing it to cheer her up. It roughly translated to “Endure it a little longer, okay?” Where the hell did this come from? When the sound of choking escaped Maya’s muffled face, he could have sworn he saw the other Neko mouthing “Oh my god…” Despite competing with this girl, there was a look of empathy on her lips. Did sucking him off really look like that much of a hardship? The stripper seemed to be taking it like a champ. 

Popping the cock out of her slobbering mouth, she took a deep breath while rubbing the still-erect shaft against her warm cheek. “I don’t usually do it for newcomers, but…” She gave the tip a gentle kiss, reminding it that she was not done yet. “Would you like to stretch me, sir?”

Maya cracked her neck, hoisting her body onto Noah’s chest. She looked at the man, her thin lips tensing up. Why did she feel the need to prove anything to him or that stupid cat? He was a guest like any other. Not a VIP, not a regular, just…a guy. Despite his ownership of an actual ‘mimi, he had chosen the one at the bottom of the barrel. That put him above the common crowd that flooded into the nightclub to satisfy their urges (if just barely). 

There was something wrong with Tanji, she could tell that much. Nekomimis aren’t usually trained to be so difficult. Who would want to get bossed by a 2 ft tall squirt? For those who were into that kind of stuff, there were alternatives: dogs, wolves, bears, and—for the brave—hyenas. For an owner, he did a poor job in both choosing and managing his pet. It looked more like she was a friend or a roommate rather than a property. That was something Maya couldn’t stand. Shaking her head, she brushed aside all such thoughts. She had a job to do, after all. It wasn’t a matter of what she wanted, but what was good for the club—for her owner. 

The woman rubbed her pussy, preparing for what was to come. She was going to grant her guest an entrance. It was going to hurt, with Maya exhaling through her teeth in anticipation of the pain mixed with pleasure. As she did that, her pink eyes occasionally glanced up at Noah. Why did he have to stare? Her owner was never that awkward. She would always be distracted by something else, allowing her pet to provide the much-needed stress relief. 

Before she could fulfill the offer she absentmindedly made to her guest, Maya felt hands wrapping around her waist. It was that idiot again, picking her up high into the air before throwing the woman across the room like a basketball. While airborne, the stripper readjusted her position to land on her feet, cursing Tanji as she watched the scrub take up her position on Noah’s chest.

Compared to Maya, Tanji had a familiar weight to her—the same weight he had felt when the two first met. They were very much in the same position, with the strange Neko lying down on his chest and locking eyes with the man expecting something to happen. And just like that day, he could do nothing but stare. Something was different, however—she was no longer a stranger. She was Tanji. She was product 910. She was his roommate. And she was his little pink potato. 

Tanji took a deep breath, plopping her ass against his stomach. Noah felt the air forced out of his lungs as she did so, bracing for whatever she planned to do next. The woman turned back, giving him a sly look over her shoulder. Despite the language barrier, there was a common understanding between them. This was just a game for her. In the end, she was going to be victorious, but without allowing him to penetrate her. That would just be too easy, and where would be fun in that?

Spreading her legs, Tanji soon clamped them around his shaft. Her thick thighs pressed down on him like a soft vise, their skin covered by a thin layer of sweat—just enough to provide lubrication. The Neko shifted her weight from left to right, teasing him as her warm flesh gently squeezed his dick and her cheeks rubbed against his chest. She hummed something to herself as she did so, almost as if dancing to a song. 

Noah grinned. If she wanted to be sly like that, he was willing to oblige. Using both of his hands, he wrapped them around Tanji’s belly, getting a proper grip on her pudgy form. Every part of her was so incredibly soft—so inviting. Of course, she jumped up in response. The sensation of his finger caressing and massaging her chubby form made the woman pull an awkward face she would rather her master didn’t see, quickly turning away as beads of sweat rolled down her face. Fine. If he was going to play like this, she might as well finish him off quickly. 

Pressing her legs together, she wasn’t planning on letting him go, no matter how much his dick throbbed. Soon, she began moving back and forward, swaying as if she were rowing. That’s what she was getting for wanting to do it the hard way. Now, instead of getting her master to blow his load nice and quickly, she was getting a full-body workout. Noah began having difficulty holding onto Tanji both from the hypnotic pleasure as well as the thickening layer of sweat. In response, his grip got tighter, which only prompted the Neko to move quicker.

Maya watched from the corner, crossing her arms. What were they doing? They were in the middle of a dirty act, that much was clear (it was her area of expertise). But why did his defective Neko look like this? Why was she smiling? Why was she going faster? She wasn’t getting paid for any of this and has already proven herself to be a disobedient pet. So why? What was up with that smug look on her face? 

Lost in thought, Maya soon found one of her hands reaching a bit lower. It wasn’t proper to prioritize her own pleasure over that of her guest, with the woman rubbing around her lips as if they were too hot to touch. Her breath became labored as she inched closer toward her pussy, trying to keep quiet as she played with herself—watching the display. There was some appeal to how amateurish Tanji was, after all. 

Tanji continued her assault, occasionally turning back briefly to see if Noah was getting close to bursting without allowing him the satisfaction of seeing her lustful face. The time almost seemed to have slowed as a thin stream of seamen erupted from Noah’s tip, drawing a line across her body that coated her hair, face, chest, belly, and thighs. Noah laid back, feeling the immense pressure building up in his membrane released all at once. He drifted into a moment of bliss, one he wanted to savor for as long as possible. Tanji looked back at him, her sly face having turned angry as a woman puffed her cheeks—a streak of viscous cum drawn across her face, separating it in two. 

Apologizing with words felt pointless. Instead, the man extended his hand, drawing the woman into a hug. She tried to wiggle out of it at first, but eventually conceded and allowed his arms to wrap around her. Tanji’s eyes darted around the room—refusing to make contact with him. For a while, the two of them just spent a moment breathing together, the sensation of their chests rising and falling having synchronized. No matter how much time they spent together, there would always be a barrier between them. Noah could get better at scaling it over time by learning Japanese, but it would nonetheless still exist. So why talk? Why use words? Why tell Tanji that he cared about her if he could just show her? And so he did, spending the night embracing her—listening to her soft purrs as she rubbed her cheek against his chest. 

The stripper excused herself, giving the pair a bow none of them saw. She then locked the doors behind her, touching her warm face with the right hand. Looking down at her other hand, it was still coated with the sticky substance that stretched with her spread fingers. A grimace appeared on her lips. She really hoped that her owner wouldn’t be too upset about dripping onto the carpet…and getting off by watching the guests. 

After showering and dressing up the next day, it was time to leave. Walking through the nightclub during the daytime was surreal. It was so quiet and idle, with an unmanned bar looking depressingly empty and only the sound of a few patrons having quiet conversations instead of shouting over each other. 

They took a taxi back home. And despite Tanji still refusing to maintain eye contact, she wouldn’t stop clinging onto his arm whenever possible, even back at the apartment. Koko was clearly keeping busy, with the entire place looking almost unrecognizable. It’s been a while since his place smelled so fresh and looked so clean. 

“Welcome home, master.” She bowed, walking towards the fridge with a stool in her hand. “Should I prepare something for you?” 

“Breakfast would be great, thank you.” He smiled, petting Tanji who seemed to demand his attention. 

“Oh, one more thing, master.” Koko said while taking out a carton of eggs. “Should I have a sleeping area prepared for Tanji? I saw her climbing into your bed before, but she didn’t listen when I scolded her.” 

Noah looked down at the brown-haired ‘mimi clinging onto his arm the moment he sat down on the bed. “No, it’s fine.” He smiled. “Tanji can sleep with me.”

They shoveled forkfuls of the meal Koko had prepared into their mouths, the sound of chewing encompassing the table. Noah had cooked omelets before, but they always turned out too salty or had the consistency of wet clay. Koko’s food lacked any such flaws. Just as before, the maid waited, only daring to touch her own fork after a smile appeared on her temporary master's full face. 

On cue, the red phone rang as soon as Noah’s cutlery dropped onto the empty plate. Koko was already dragging her stool over to the sink in order to wash the dishes when he pressed the accept call button, bringing the device up to his ear. “Yes?” He began, clearing his dry throat—something he should have done sooner. 

“Noah! Good to hear you.” The unmistakable voice of H rang out on the other end. “I am assuming you have secured the device, correct?”

“Yeah, I have it right here.” He said, taking it out from his pocket as if H could see it.

“Good man!” The man let out a chuckle, with the sound of him shifting in a leather chair. “Drop by my place, okay? Let's get things sorted out, et cetera et cetera.” Once again, there was no need for Noah to ask for more information, with the man on the other end already knowing all that he didn’t know. “Listen, I am a little busy today, so I can’t give you the black cab treatment. How about you take a taxi? Koko has the address. I know the fares are expensive in the inner city, but you have a few thousand to spare now.”

Grabbing his other phone, he gestured for the two ‘mimis to follow, walking into the hallway just to be met with the familiar sight. It was Mike, a heavy green bag in his hand. The man was in the process of taking out the garbage, something Noah quickly worried about forgetting before immediately being reminded that Koko had already taken care of that for him.

“Hey!” The neighbor waved, glancing down at the ‘mimis by his side. When he found there to be one too many, his happy face turned to shock mixed with envy. “I see you’ve got a new friend.” He squatted down, staring at the passive face of Koko, waiting for her to blink to prove that she was not a doll.

Noah nodded, a wry smile playing on his lips. "She's a…temporary houseguest." He replied, deciding to keep the specifics of Koko's role a secret. Hell, even he barely knew what the maid/bodyguard/language teacher was here to do. For Mike's sake, it was best not to divulge too much—even if he had very little.

“How do you have ‘mimis swarming to you? Is it some pheromones or something?” He half-joked while reaching his hand to pet Koko. In a single motion, she reached to her side, the sound of something metallic clicking below her maid dress. 

“Koko, wait.” Noah ordered, watching her tense muscles relax. His neighbor continued petting the ‘mimi, unaware of how close he had come to being decommissioned. 

“Koko? That’s a cute name. Much cuter than Tanji. And look at that tail!” Mike was close to exploding as he ruffled his hand through the fox girl’s fluffy tail. Despite expecting her to break, Koko maintained her poker face—staring off into nothingness as the unprompted examination continued. She was neither in support of nor opposed to being treated this way. Her current master told her that this man posed no threat, so she was fine allowing him to do whatever. As long as it didn’t go against her actual owner’s code, of course. 

Tanji squinted at the display, mumbling “Bastard.” Somehow, it seemed directed at the both of them.

“I have to get going.” Noah rubbed his shoulder while his eyes darted towards the staircase. “Things to do.”

“Oh yeah, of course.” Mike stood up, giving Koko a break. “Any progress on finding Tanji’s owner.”

“No, nothing.” He instinctively spouted out, seeing the fox girl trying to correct her tail. 

“That's a shame. Looks like you’re going to have to deal with 2 ‘mimis for now.” A sly smile appeared on his face. “How about you give one over to me? Managing both must be a pain.”

“Actually, Koko is very well-behaved. She cleans after herself.” In truth, she did much more than that—cleaning up after both him and Tanji. “And no. I don’t think that would be the best idea.”

“Man, you’re hoarding all the good stuff.” He exhaled sharply. “Shame, but I can’t blame you.” Suddenly, his face turned serious. “Hey, Noah. You haven’t been in college for a while. Is everything alright?”

Noah froze. It hadn’t been that long, had it? No more than a week. Barely a gap, yet a gap nonetheless. “I mean, the summer is coming up. I just thought I would take an early holiday, you know?” 

“I see.” Mike nodded, turning to leave with the trash. “I wasn’t worried or anything. Mia just asked. I will tell her that you’re fine, then. Take care, dude.” One of the last remaining tethers to his old life disappeared down the staircase, leaving only the sound of the buzzing lights above. Inhaling deeply, Noah walked towards the doors, taking out his phone to call a taxi.

The ride went smoothly. Tanji took up a lot less space than Yulka, allowing the man to actually stretch his legs. His driver did occasionally glance back at him—seeing a college student with two ‘mimis by his side—but decided to keep quiet. For all he knew, he was just some kid using his daddy’s money to have a little fun in Namiport. Soon enough, their ride stopped in front of a skyscraper. It was made of dull black glass, having an almost menacing appearance as its true scale revealed itself with each step they made towards the building. 

They went inside, taking an elevator ride which felt unbearably long. Knocking on the door, the sound of something excitedly thrashing around inside was heard through the heavy wooden frame. When it was actually pulled open, Noah was denied the privilege of peering inside of H’s apartment by the dark silhouette of Yulka standing in the way—her wide body blocking the entrance like a wall of muscles and flesh; her amber eyes and wolf-like features looked as sharp as ever. And despite being a guest here, the man had a feeling that the bulky ‘mimi was ready to pounce at him at any moment, her heavy gaze etched into him even as he was finally allowed inside. 

H’s apartment was about what he had expected: lots of empty space, white walls decorated with abstract art, and a collection of tightly packed black leather couches that could likely accommodate an entire board of directors. He knew that his patron was waiting for him, but Noah couldn’t help but stare out of the window—taking a wide glance at the city. It looked a lot more appealing from the top, with all of its flaws fading away at a distance. 

“Doing some sightseeing?” H asked, walking up behind Noah. “Before all the pleasantries, how about we discuss business?”

Turning around, he reached into his pocket to retrieve the device. Taking it out seemed impossibly difficult, with Noah fidgeting with the pocket of his jeans for a good few seconds before finally producing it without much fanfare. Despite this, H’s eyes lit up—something that even his shaded glasses couldn’t hide. 

“Good man.” He peeled back one of the panels. After being pleased with whatever he had read, H handed it back to Noah as he walked over to the bar. 

The need to keep quiet and not ask questions once again crept into his mind. But this time, Noah managed to quickly vent it out, taking a confident step towards his patron as he tapped a cork against the tabletop. “Why was I sent to get it? Why was it important?” He deserved to know that much, if not more.

“Why was it important?” The blonde man repeated absentmindedly, currently in the middle of pouring rosé wine for the pair. “It’s important because you did what you were told—because you didn’t ask questions. That’s the kind of people I am looking for.”

Noah looked down. “So it was all pointless, then?”

“Pointless?” H scoffed, handing him a glass of the pinkish liquid. “No, not pointless. Necessary? Also no. But convenient—convenient for what we are trying to achieve.”

The wine swirled around in the cold glass. “Enlighten me. What’s the deal with the listening device?” 

“I am glad that our little rouse worked.” He closed his eyes, humming to himself. “It’s not a listening device. Not exactly. But we wanted people to think that it was. So when they found it, they would look for audio files and just find garbage. Anyone not in the know getting their hands on it wouldn’t have compromised our mission.”

“Are they encoded?”

“Bingo.” H opened his eyes, allowing his jaw to set. “They are encoded text files. When played as audios, they sound like a bunch of random noises. It would probably make whoever found it think that the microphone was busted or something.”

“Files? Files for what?”

H leaned in closer, his voice low and conspiratorial. “For the machine. It is the cipher we need to unlock it—to use it.”

Noah shook his head. “I don’t think I understand.”

“Well, would you like to see it for yourself?”

Looking down at his reflection in the glass, a determined face looked back at him. “Yes, I would.”

“Koko!” H snapped his fingers after taking a sip of the wine. “Please take Mr. Noah and Tanji to the laboratory. Thank you, dear.”

“You aren’t coming?”

“Can’t, I am afraid.” The man shook his head with a weak laugh. “Yulka gets incredibly lonely without me. Isn’t that right, girl!” H walked up to the giant wolf girl, allowing her to bow down before ruffling his hand through her silky black hair. Glancing back at the woman, Noah almost expected her to loll out her tongue or at least wag her tail happily. But no. Her annoyed face was steadfast, looking at him as if marking her territory over her owner. It was her will to ensure that Noah never received any more of her master’s attention—something he was perfectly fine with. 

Walking down a circular staircase, they soon found themselves inside a chilled room, one having a strong sterile smell. The walls were made of slick white high-grade plastic, with the dim room illuminated only by the blue glow of the computer screen. Electronics which Noah had no way of deciphering the purpose of decorated the walls, letting off a gentle hum of the many cooling fans. His nose scrunched at the scent of chlorine, with a deep pool resting in the center of the room. Many of the computers were connected to some unknown machines surrounding the reservoir through covered wires, giving the water a dim blue glow. Despite how makeshift it looked, the still water had a serene look to it. 

With the squeak of her chair, the woman behind the desk turned her tired eyes towards the new arrivals—dark bags hanging under them. She was wearing a white lab coat—one used as a status symbol rather than for any protection judging by how awkwardly it hung down her body. Her blonde hair was tied into a professional ponytail, with a pair of thin glasses across her bright green eyes. 

“You have the thing?” The doctor asked unprompted, standing up in front of him. No ears. No tail. It looked like H hired normal humans after all. “You must have. Hiro wouldn’t send you down here if you didn’t. Come on, take it out.”

Noah did as he was told, handing the device over to the woman. She plugged it into the side of her computer after circling through different wires for some time. The white bar appearing on the screen informed the both of them that something was happening—something that needed time. Swirling in her chair, the doctor now faced him, tapping her knees to keep her hands busy. 

“So…” She eventually spoke up, periodically glancing back at the screen—clearly never having heard that a watched pot never boils. “I am Dr. Galloway. You can call me Emily, I guess.” 

“Noah-” Before he could utter his surname, the doctor turned away, clearly having very little interest in it. He decided to stay quiet, keeping the hand he was about to extend into a handshake tucked by the side of his body. 

“This is taking a while so…I am going to assume you have some questions. Hiro likes to be cryptic. It’s part of the fun for him.”

He did have questions. So many questions, in fact, that deciding where to start felt like some conundrum. “What is all this?”

“I will give you the short version.” Emily exhaled, adjusting in her seat. “You know the current genetic modifications method available to EikōBio, GenoVista, KyotoSynth, and whoever else has their chips in the biotech business?”

“I have experience with them…” He glanced down at Tanji climbing up onto his shoulder. “…as a consumer.”

“They are impressive, yes. But I am looking for the next step. Nowadays, you are either genetically modified or not. Once your parents decide that they don’t want to throw in a full upgrade, that’s it. You better get used to living the rest of your life with diabetes or allergies—and those are the nice ones when compared to how many things can go wrong. No, what I am talking about is genetic modification on the fly: post-natal and full-body.”

Noah squinted in disbelief. “That’s possible?” Impressive technology seemed to leak from Japan each year, but this seemed like something out of a science fiction book. 

The doctor swirled back to the computer, seeing the bar edging at 90%. “It is now.” 

“You seem pretty passionate about this stuff.” Noah watched the screen even if he couldn’t understand a single command displayed on it. 

“That’s all thanks to Hiro.” A weak yet genuine smile appeared on her thin lips. “I used to patch up battered ‘mimis for EikōBio. Now? Now, I am making history.” The smile faded—just slightly. “The boss is still more interested in making better ‘mimis than actually working on human diseases, but I suppose I need to be patient. He already gave me a lot. The least I could do is make sure his business runs smoothly.”

“So this is an EikōBio operation?” He said, seeing the familiar red shape of a spider lilly decorating the equipment. 

“Technically, yes. I guess you could call us a cabal, but that’s a nasty word. We are on their payroll, but have our own motives.”

The man crossed his arms, feeling the weight of Tanji on his shoulder. “Why are you telling me all this?”

Her tone was much less serious than he had expected. “If you’re going into hell, you might as well come prepared.” With a blank face, the woman added. “Besides, do you honestly think that you are any threat to our operation?” Considering how quick Koko was to act, he decided to stay quiet, shaking his head.

The sound of the computer beeping in agreement made the woman glue her face back to the computer—her eyes a little too close to the bright screen. “And it’s done! Alright, tell Tanji to get naked.”

A look of shock appeared on both of their faces. “Why?” He forced out, looking at his cat companion already beginning to growl. 

She looked up at him as if that were a stupid question. “We’re going to modify her, of course! We will start with fixing the leg…and would you like her breasts to be larger? Maybe make her waist a bit thinner…pink hair could also be cute.” The cat girl scoffed at the suggestions, especially the one relating to pink hair—the memory of Maya still fresh in her mind. 

“Just the leg, please.” He muttered out, trying to keep Tanji from breaking anything. It still felt weird, talking about modifying a living creature as if he were ordering from a drive-through. 

Was transformation supposed to be witnessed? Emily was more interested in the graphs on her display, and Koko had the habit of looking into the great nothingness whenever given the choice. He was the only one amongst the group who actually kept his eye on the pool as Tanji awkwardly lowered herself, squirming and thrashing in the cold water as if it were acid burning her skin. This seemed to be just an effect of her genetics since the water that she splashed on Koko and himself was just that—plain H2O. 

The glow of the water seemed to transfer itself into her skin, particularly in the area around the stump. It was a lot less gross than he had anticipated, with the stump simply extending into a fully built leg as if created by an invisible 3d printer. The motion quickly returned to Tanji, with the parts not overpowered by the glow thrashing with the rest of her body until the synthesized toes wiggled anxiously. 

Tanji managed to crawl onto the land, her black prosthetic now sitting at the bottom of the pool—its dark silhouette casting a shadow against the white tiles. She was shaking, still having this look of terror on her face. Despite it having fixed her missing limb, she cursed the vile water, running up to Noah and using his trousers to wipe herself down before Koko provided the woman with a towel. 

“Alright, you are next.”

Noah slowly turned around, his mouth twitching at the doctor who was already typing something. “Me?”

“The next task requires you to take the form of ‘mimi. So…strip.” She didn’t even bother to look at him, tapping away as the clack-clack-clack of the mechanical keyboard filled the room. 

The glow of the transformation pool beckoned him, painting his face azure. There was a lot that he was willing to do for his patron, but this? It seemed excessive—humiliating.  “No. I am not going in there.” He made his objection professional and direct. At least he hoped it came off as that. 

“Suit yourself.” The doctor grumbled to herself while closing the tabs. “But remember, you have to play the game if you want to make it big. I played the game and looked where it got me.” She smirked, outstretching her arm as if trying to grasp the entire room. All the equipment here was hers to use and test and modify however she saw fit. 

Could he have a place to call his own? He had the stocks, sure, but they were nothing compared to all the assets this little clique had. This is what this was all about: making his life comfortable. Noah looked down at Tanji, watching as she struggled trying to reach her new toes—her plump body getting in the way. “I will think about it.”

Emily smiled at the prospect of finally being able to try the pool out on a human body. “That’s all Hiro wants.”

“Ha-ji-me-ma-shite?” Noah responded to the query, his answer posed as a question. The Kitsune teacher looked at him with a face that hid disappointment. This was only the beginning. There was no need for him to get upset yet, right? That being said, perfecting Japanese was something he was going to need to do sooner or later; looks like Mike was correct all along. 

He took a deep breath, trying to repeat the sentence while glancing down at the paper. Koko’s handwriting was really nice, with both the sentences and their translations having a geometric elegance to them. But despite this, he couldn’t appreciate the lesson, overhearing Tanji’s laugh. She did try to block it out, but it seemed to slip through her fingers into a feline mockery. Having half a mind to pick her up and shake the woman like a snow globe, he decided against it. She must also be struggling to learn English under the watchful eye of Koko. From what he had heard of her attempts, they were just as unfruitful as his (if not worse). 

“And that’s the time we have for today.” Koko nodded while looking down at her beeping watch. “Your progress is roughly on schedule.”  Despite sounding like an euphemism of some kind, the maid wasn’t really a person to say stuff just to make him feel better.

“Anything else is on our planner for today?” He asked, looking over his learning notes one last time before pocketing them away in a drawer. 

“The owner wanted us to look through potential apartments.” Koko responded, climbing down her stool. “While we are in the center, we could also think about buying Tanji a collar. In case she gets lost.” She added, with the cat-girl already scrunching her nose at the proposition. 

“Potential apartments?” He questioned, knowing very well that even continuing the collar discussion would be disastrous. 

“Yes, master. Now that the smoke has blown over, the owner sees it fit that you be transferred to a higher-quality living area. In case other ‘mimis are assigned under your care, this place is not spacious enough to accommodate them.”

“More ‘mimis, huh?” The man exhaled while reaching for his jacket. The prospect of having another animal girl around the house seemed less scary than it did at the beginning, but there was still hesitation associated with it. Right now, he has a nice balance of the brash Tanji and the polite Koko. Any new guest would shatter this comfortable dynamic. 

Perusing apartments, there was a clear pattern to the places they’d been shown. Each of them was better than the one before; Matryoshka dolls of luxury. “With a sprawling 4,000 square feet of living space, it boasts four ensuite bedrooms, each with its balcony offering panoramic sea views.” The guide recounted the various promotional material—the ‘mimis by Noah’s side assuring her that he was an affluent buyer. The man wasn't even asked to show any credentials, being simply allowed to waltz in here. “The interior features hand-painted frescoes, marble fireplaces, and a gourmet kitchen.” She turned back to him, sliding the doors open. “A highlight is the expansive terrace that includes a jacuzzi and a cozy outdoor lounge area, perfect for watching the sunset over the sea.”

Placing his hands on the railing, Noah took a deep breath. The sunset hadn’t shown itself yet, but he had a feeling that the guide wasn't lying. Koko stood by his side, her face pressed to the glass. She was analyzing the potential gunning positions while Tanji looked at the jacuzzi, disappointed that there wasn’t any water inside. 

“What do you think?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the city. 

“Decent location. Not too far from anything important. Good advantage point. Security in the buildings is average, but will be capable of slowing down any potential threat.”

Shaking his head, the man let out a chuckle. “I mean the accommodations. Do you like it?” 

There was a pause before the woman looked up at him, letting out a weak smile that nonetheless felt meaningful. “It is very nice, yes.”

“Will I be able to buy it?” Noah already knew the answer. This place purposefully appeared like a lesser version of Hiro’s apartment—both praising the man for his effort and asserting his superiority as his boss. When he walked inside, the same feeling of awe and luxury washed over him, one promising a better life. Hanging around with your successful friends, family, or coworkers tended to have a similar effect. This entire day was designed to make one truth clear to him: if he wanted to get a place like this—if there ever was a chance of getting a place like this—he needed to go through with the job.

“No currently, no. But my owner did mention that he was willing to provide you with some financial leeway if you were to take the next assignment.” 

Of course. This is what this has all been about. Getting him to participate in this next ”mission.” Turning into a mimi…Just the thought made him sick in the stomach. The pool would change him, and despite the process being (allegedly) completely reversible, he would spend time as not himself—as something else.

As he gazed at the palm of his hand, a certain thought persisted in the recesses of his mind he had already poked at. Did he even enjoy being himself? Who was he, really? It felt like every action thus far has been driven by some animalistic need for comfort—for a better life. The image of his own face was hazy in the man’s mind as he clenched his fist. “Alright.” He grinned. “Let’s do it.”

Back at the lab, Dr. Galloway was giddy with excitement. The fact that there wasn’t any paperwork for him to fill out was unnerving, but that’s just how the clique worked. Sitting on a stool, his leg bounced up and down as the doctor imputed his biometrics into the machine, meticulously filling out a new form. 

“So, is this safe?” He asked, wanting to start a conversation even though he probably shouldn’t have distracted her.

“Mhm? Oh yes, perfectly.” She responded, using the moment as a little break for her fingers. “Do you want me to prove it or something? I can still make Tanji-”

“No, it’s fine.” Fidgeting in his chair, the blue glow of the pool shined with energy, bringing back the memories of the night before. It seemed painless when Tanji was put under the machine, but her transformation was minor compared to what they were doing here today—something that the doctor was willing to admit. They weren’t growing a new leg or an arm, but restructuring a human body into that of a ‘mimi. Nearly every single cell needed to be changed. 

Grabbing the edge of the pool, he hesitated before heading in. He compared it to going to a dentist—an appointment that he wasn’t excited about but needed to get done nonetheless. Slowly, as if getting into a cold lake, he allowed himself to descend into the water, a breathing mask fastened around his face. The sensation of floating on its surface was relaxing—the reassuring embrace of the warm water blanketing him from every direction. 

Thud. Noah clenched his chest, feeling a powerful pulse coming from his heart. It was like one of those chest pains that goes away after a few seconds but is enough to cause a fright.

Thud. It happened again, his body getting warm as he clenched his teeth. The mask placed over his chest began fogging up, with his half-opened eyes squinting as the white light above him and the blue light below became unbearable. 

Thud. Something was changing within him, even if he had no way of fully comprehending it. 

He was shrinking, that much was clear. It was like going up an extremely warm elevator, the pressure pulling him inwards and towards his aching chest. The compression became faster, with it eventually being replaced with that of accelerating into nothingness. The mask slipped off his face, being too small for him to wear anymore. No matter. It was no longer needed.

Noah felt his chest beginning to swell, forcing him to take off his hands to relieve the pressure. Two small buds of flesh grew from within—the petite chest matching his new dimensions. He wanted to moan, but couldn’t, the surrounding liquid filling his mouth as the shrunken man began sinking to the bottom of the pool. 

The burning sensation spread to his penis, with it slowly taking up less space. When it finally disappeared, a different sensation replaced it—like something opening. There was a space growing inside of his lower abdomen, quickly taking up the volume as if it always belonged to it. The opening to this new cavity twitched in anticipation, waiting for him to act despite his lack of experience.

As what was once a man thrashed around the water in search of an answer, he felt something else growing on the top of his head. Two round, mouse-like ears soon decorated his scalp, their sensitive flesh overloading his tiny brain with information as warm water ran past them. At the same time, a tingling sensation manifested just above his butt, with his tailbone extending into a long, pinkish tail. 

The process had made him weary—not entirely conscious. Stuck in a space between the real world and dreams, he could feel his eyelids getting heavy. The last thing he saw looking up was the hand of a giant reaching down to pick him up, cloaking him in the darkness of its warm embrace. 

When he awakened, the implications of what had just happened failed to register in Noah’s groggy mind. The way in which it computed his surroundings seemed alien, with the attempts to get a grasp slipping through his fingers. Sitting up, he found his yawn to be oddly high-pitched, smacking his lips before inspecting the foreign landscape. The lab had grown in proportions, with it appearing like some strange military hangar. The towel draped over his shoulder fell to the ground. When he reached to pick it up—feeling the cool air on his smooth skin—he noticed the effects of his transformation.

The man ran up to a tall glass of water which acted as a makeshift mirror to examine himself. He threw his hands up in confusion, with the distressed reflection following as if to prove that this was indeed him. Where once was Noah, there was now a tiny mouse girl—no taller than 5 inches. She had short, messy white hair and a pair of matching ivory ears. With pale skin and bright red eyes, he was clearly an albino. Whether this was out of necessity or simply a design choice, he still found his appearance jarring. Turning around, there was a cute pink tail hanging from his lower back. Despite expecting to hate it, Noah found it oddly comfortable, with the tail providing some much-needed stability to his new body. The same could not be said about the mouse ears, with the looming feeling that he would never quite get used to them. 

“Why a mouse!” He squeaked out, the same high-pitched voice from before still present. Making a few random noises with his mouth told him that it was not going to go away anytime soon. 

The sound of something moving in the distance made Noah’s ears perk up, with the sight of the giantess form of Dr. Galloway and the two ‘mimis following behind. Koko was currently holding Tanji tightly around her chest, with the Neko trying to escape her grasp. When she saw the first glimpse of Noah, she froze, her eyes turning into thin slits. Typically, he found it cute. At this height, however, there was some primal fear within him which made the man freeze—his tiny body shaking as the doctor reached down with a doll-sized dress for him to wear. What made it worse is that these slits did not fade away, her carnivorous gaze continuing to pierce through him. She wasn’t actually going to try eating him, was she? It was best not to take any chances. 

“There you are.” The woman responsible for all this pointed towards a set of tiny clothing. He lifted it, his jaw tightening. Couldn’t she have picked something other than a pastel-blue dress? Something more androgynous, perhaps? At least he didn’t need to wear a bra. Noah should have been happy about it, but for some reason, he couldn’t help but feel the tingling of envy.

“Why did you turn me into a mouse?” He repeated, sliding on the dress—his tiny red eyes occasionally glancing at Tanji. Why did she have to stare?

“It would be better for transport.” The doctor suppressed a smile while looking at his tiny body, wanting to say something cute but fearing that it would be improper. She was a professional, after all.

“Transport?” Outstretching his arm, Noah gave the dress a swirl. “Transport to where?”

“Osaka, Japan. The flight is leaving at the end of the week.” Forcing an oversized thermometer down his throat, Noah felt himself choking on the thing before it was taken out. 

“Japan?” He squeezed out between gasps for air. 

“You will receive more information when the time is right, don’t worry. That’s just in case anyone tries to kidnap you or something.” Her matter-of-fact tone didn’t even try to hide how easy he was to carry away right now. All it would take would be a plastic bag, a few holes, and crackers for him not to starve to death. “What I can tell you is that you will be sent to a private ‘mimi resort. The mistress managing it has deep pockets and ways to contact EikōBio for a special order. Let’s just say that we have intercepted that order and—congratulations—you are now the product!”

“And I am going there alone?”

“Oh, no.” She shook her head. “You will be sent alongside Tanji.”

“Tanji!?” He yelped, beads of sweat forming every single time he looked at the woman. She looked ready to pounce, continuing her staredown. By now, she must have fully calculated the strength and distance required to dive for Noah to land perfectly down her gullet. 

“The order was clear.” Waving a piece of paper in his face, he could see data for two individuals: one Nekomimi named Tanji and one Nezumimi called Naomi. Again, couldn’t she have picked a more neutral name like Alex or Jack or Kai? But no. He was going to be a woman for now, whether he liked it or not. 

“Can’t you just make me human until then?” He pleaded, his eyes looking very cute despite him not even trying to use emotional manipulation. Not yet, at least.

“Aww~” The doctor couldn’t help herself, bringing her face closer to the mouse. “Sorry, little one. We need you to get used to his new body.”

“Wonderful.” Naomi pouted, puffing her cheeks and bringing her arms together. She wanted to make her life more comfortable, but it looked like things were going to get a lot more chaotic. At least that answered the question of who the 3rd ‘mimi was going to be: it was her. 

Naomi was trapped in a body which wasn’t her own, with a car taking her to a house which didn’t feel like home. While it looked spacious before, the new proportions made the apartment appear like some grand fortress. If it all didn't seem excessive before to Noah, it surely did now to the newly transformed mouse girl. The cushion underneath her butt was comfortable—so soft, she was practically sinking into it—but the woman couldn’t appreciate it. Looking at herself in the reflection of the black TV screen, Naomi ruffled a hand through her hair. Just as the other times she had tried this, the sensation was foreign, yelping as she accidentally bumped her ears. Telling herself that it was all temporary and she would surely return to being the man did not help with the adjustment period. 

Patting down her skirt, the Noah part of Naomi almost wanted to take a little peak beneath, even if it felt dirty. It was her body, wasn’t it? Surely taking a glance couldn’t hurt anyone. But was it actually her body? Whether it was some type of placebo or a side-effect of his brain being restructured, Noah was tempted to see this new form as something—someone—else entirely. Perhaps a "coping mechanism" would be a better term for this. 

The more time he spent debating that he was still himself the less real it felt. Noah. Naomi. Noah…

“Naomi.” The voice of Koko rang up, unknowingly taking a side in the internal debate. “I hope that you are managing alright. If there is anything you need aid with, it is my duty to help all ‘mimis assigned under my care.”

“Thanks…” A sour smile appeared on the mouse girl’s lips. “But you can just call me Noah, you know.”

“No, that’s okay. You are no longer considered my master, but a property of the company.” Naomi felt as if she should have gotten upset, but the way Koko said it simply prevented that from happening. This revelation that she was now no longer seen as a human was conveyed with the same finesse the Kitsune used to tell him that the dinner was ready—one which she could not argue with. 

“That’s cold.” She whispered, feeling somebody’s eyes burning into the back of her head. Turning back, the figure of Tanji continued her relentless observation from the floor above—her head peeking through the railings. “But I guess you are right, haha!” The mouse added, realizing that the maid was the only thing standing between her and the cat's maw. 

Giving the 5-inch girl a nod, Koko stood up from the couch—her giantess figure still looking surreal considering that she was once half Noah’s size. “W-wait, where are you going!” Naomi cried out in the same voice a kid uses when lost in a store. 

“The market.” She responded, looking away while throwing a red scarf over her neck. “While the building was kind enough to provide us with all the necessary cutlery, the fridge is barren. The doctor has already given me a diet plan for both you and Tanji. There is no need for you to make any requests.”

“A diet?” By now, Naomi was simply stalling, knowing very well what would happen when the door slammed shut behind Koko.

“It is nothing dramatic. Just a way to ensure that your hormone levels are correct after the transformation—for physical and emotional reasons.” She looked back at the shaking mouse before reaching for the brass handle. “If you stick to the diet, there will be no need for medication.”

Naomi wanted to ask something else—anything—but found her stutter overpowered by the satisfying click of the door being locked from the other side. Swallowing nervously, she dared not turn her head back. Tanji casted an oppressive shadow behind the mouse girl, bringing her nose close to her head. Naomi began vibrating even more than before as a gust of wind containing her scent entered the cat’s system, her tiny heart beating so quickly that it almost hurt. 

“Calm down! It’s just…just me. Noah!” Naomi tried laughing, but it came out more like a scream.

The Neko scrunched her nose. This was a conundrum. The figure claimed to be her old master, but it simply did not smell like him. No matter which way Tanji looked at the pale mouse, there was no way that she could justify it being a man she had once slept with—one she gave her body to. Perhaps she needed to get a…closer look.

Feeling something tucking on her tail, Naomi found herself lifted into the air. Like a pendulum, she swayed from left to right, catching glimpses of the cat’s fangs. Being pulled by the tail was more uncomfortable than just outright painful, but the white mouse already felt herself getting dizzy. 

Naomi put on a cute face, her red eyes becoming the largest they have ever been as her lower lip quivered. “Please put me down.” This only seemed to rile the cat up, prompting her to begin playing with her food. 

Now lifting the tiny girl by her dress, the Neko watched in glee as she tried holding onto it before inevitably slipping out and falling onto the couch naked. The dress was purposefully made modest, covering past Naomi's knees and giving the newly transformed woman a layer of security. While it may have been other ‘mimis job to arouse the mistress they were to be assigned to, the mouse was just supposed to act cute—titillating the senses in a different, less direct way. This made the contrast between its gentle blue shade and the woman’s pale, shaking nude body even more noticeable. 

Trying to back away, the overpowering head of Tanji was brought closer to Naomi, her warm, rough tongue outstretched. Seeing it was less disturbing than seeing the cat’s fangs, but it nonetheless inspired fear in the mouse. “Tanji! This isn’t funny!” If acting like Naomi wasn't going to work, perhaps trying to sound like Noah would. “Get away, you stupid cat!”

As the tongue descended onto the tiny girl’s body, she put her hands up in defiance just to find them immediately pushed down. A thin layer of spit began covering her form, with Tanji licking her like a lollipop—starting from the top and going to the button. She first felt her short white hair weighed down by the viscous liquid as the warm flesh of Tanji’s rough tongue rubbed down to her face, scratching her cheeks. 

Her white face turned pink when it reached down past her two tiny buds. They may have been small but were every bit as sensitive as the breasts of any other woman—if not more. The tongue slithered its way past her stomach before finally reaching between her legs, scratching the newly-formed lips of her pussy. The sensation was similar, yet different. Is this what it was like for girls? Perhaps it was the simple fact that everything always tasted the sweetest for the first time, but it somehow seemed even more intense. Her insides continued to quiver, begging for more against her better judgment even when the cat’s tongue had already passed.

The look on Naomi’s face conveyed the message of “are you satisfied?” to Neko as she licked her lips, savoring the flavor of the mouse. Reaching for her tail and hoisting her in the air again was the answer the tiny woman was looking for. No. She was far from satisfied. Not yet. 

Once again hoisted into the air by her tail, the mouse now found herself swinging above the dark abyss of Tanji’s mouth. Her warm breath made Naomi feel as if she was dangling above the mouth of a volcano, with the same disastrous consequences were she to fall in. Shaking her hands, a peculiar sound escaped the tiny’s mouth. Squeaking…she was squeaking! Her red face had turned even a darker shade of scarlet from embarrassment. Why the hell was she squeaking like some rodent?!

All it took was Tanji letting go of her tail for the tiny to begin falling. For a second, the time almost seemed to slow down as thoughts of life and death flashed through Naomi’s mind. Going through all the stages of grief in microseconds, she simply settled on a mediocre “guess I will die” as her tumble continued. 

Landing on the hungry Neko’s tongue, Naomi soon found herself harassed by it, its rough texture rubbing spit on every single part of her body as if she were a piece of candy. Occasionally she would bump against the pearly whites—a grim reminder of what could happen if Tanji decided to chew her food. “No, Tanji! Don’t!” She screamed out one last time as the opening of the cave which was her maw snapped shut. 

Naomi gasped for the limited stale air, trying to organize herself as the relentless assault of the tongue continued. It became difficult to tell which way was up, with her attempts to grasp onto anything proving to be a failure due to the slimy liquid coating her body. Occasionally she would be moved from one cheek to another, with the sound of Tanji trying to laugh with a full mouth coming from below. She couldn’t hold herself back even this once, could she? 

There was another movement of Tanji’s mouth, one pushing her backward. Now feeling her legs dangling down a narrow tunnel, the realization that she was holding onto the ridge of the cat’s gullet resulted in the mouse hyperventilating. Feeling her grip slipping, she screamed out one last time. “Tanji! Stop!” Small tears appeared below her eyes, not much larger than grains of rice. “Don’t eat me!” 

What a pathetic position to be in…begging a 2 ft cat girl for your life—begging to not be devoured. This was something no human should ever endure. No, much more than that. It was simply something that could not happen to humans.

With another powerful movement of Tanji’s mouth, Naomi was spat out, spending a good few seconds airborne before landing on the couch in a puddle of saliva. The Neko quickly grabbed onto the mouse, holding her tightly in her hand too tightly to be comfortable. She looked up, her half-closed eyes barely making out the figure of Tanji as Naomi continued fighting for air. The only thing clear was the shine of her wide, toothy grin. 

When Koko finally set the table, Naomi didn’t mention the little incident. Maybe it was shame, or maybe the fear of Tanji doing something else in relation. She would prefer to think the former. Even the idea of being scared of the stupid cat made her depressed. Instead, the tiny woman simply nibbled on her nuts, occasionally catching a glimpse of Tanji seductively biting into a huge apple as its sweet juice ran past her cheeks. 

Trying to tune the loud crunches out, one horrible truth lingered at the back of her mind. That apple could have been her—the sweet juice, her blood. 

Being dropped off at the airport made Naomi feel like she was a kid getting left at somebody else's house. Unlike the bulky airbuses off in the distance, their jet looked like a sports car—slim, shiny, and slick. The air felt cold against her skin, with the frills of her blue dress ruffling in the wind. 

When she was Noah, there were certain choices that she made—ones that put her on this path. It wasn’t like they were all just some hunch, but the reality of them adding up over time didn’t register in his mind. Perhaps it was a sunken cost fallacy, but a clenching feeling in her chest told Noami she needed to go through with it. Every time she thought about turning away and running, the promised life flashed before the tiny’s little red eyes. 

Slapping her cheeks for bravery, the mouse girl watched as the “company representative” (really just the good doctor who turned her into…this) spoke with one of the client’s partners. Surprisingly enough, when Galloway decided to do her hair and put on anything other than that old lab coat, she could look rather regal—something needed to seal the illusion. 

For all they knew, this was just another transaction with EikōBio. There was a certain elegance and professionalism that was expected from all the company salesmen, with Galloway doing an alright job with the stoic associate. The woman on the other side of the transaction had a simple black uniform with a simple black haircut, looking like she really didn’t want to be there but was for the sake of her mistress. If anything was wrong, that was the company's fault (or so she thought). 

“So this is the product?” She asked, the paper in her hand already having the answer—the company seal assuring that it was the truth. 

“Yes, this is Tanji. All patched up!” The doctor let out some of her excitement for the genetics in that last squeal, presenting the cat girl as if she were a runway model despite wearing just a simple loose-fitting gray shirt and no makeup. 

The associate sneered. “Mistress made no such requests.” 

“We take the initiative. She’s our most precious client, is she not?” Galloway replied as if this were rehearsed, using the type of voice that conveyed that she was politely calling the other woman an idiot. “I am sure she will be pleased.”

“I am sure.” She echoed, now turning her cold gaze towards Naomi. “And what is this?”

“A little extra.”

“The mistress doesn’t have a living area prepared for another ‘mimi.” 

Letting out a laugh, Galloway reached down into her carrier to pick up Naomi. “A living area? My dear, this little mousey could live inside of a spare sock! Isn’t that right, precious?”

Being expected to play her part as well, Naomi gave a well-timed hesitant nod. “O-o-o-of course, mistress!” Her stutter sounded like she was overdoing it, but this wasn’t exactly prime time to be giving out acting notes. All that mattered was that the associate was pleased. 

It wasn’t difficult tricking people into thinking that you were afraid when your body was only 5 inches tall. In truth, she was afraid—afraid of what might happen when the mission would actually begin. Being so small might have been convenient for making Naomi appear non-threatening, but it wouldn’t help her with trying to rescue the target. Well, “rescue” was a nice way of putting it. It was more of a reverse kidnapping. 

But the cabal was clear. They wanted both Tanji and her sister as leverage. Judging by the fact that her mistress put in minimal effort with tracking the runaway cat down, it was clear that she had favorites. What pet owner doesn't? Naomi had expected the pudgy Neko to react to those family connections, but the woman was hardly thrilled—more annoyed than anything. They didn’t actually have any visuals on her; it seemed to be some kind of earlier purchase, but one that Tanji would surely be able to identify. In her mind, Naomi tried to imagine what this elusive "sister” could even look like, with all her attempts coming up with a palette swap of the Neko she was all too familiar with. 

When they were finally allowed to board, the mouse found herself sitting on a chair that was far too large for her, mesmerized by the interior. The thin scent of lemon hung in the air, with the entire passenger area having a very refined style. This was certainly a lot better than the dog cages she expected ‘mimis to travel in. 

“There you go!” The flight attendant spoke up, handing a pocky stick over to Naomi as Tanji devoured the rest of the pack. In truth, one stick was all she needed, with her finding nibbling down on it to be very convenient. At least they weren’t giving her pieces of cheese—that would be just insulting.

“What did you guys get!” A playful voice called out, with a fellow ‘mimi popping her head over the seat—her long, blonde hair drooping down the other side and onto Tanji's face. The woman’s curious blue eyes scanned the seats, noticing Naomi first. She had the ears of a horse, being only slightly taller than an average human to the point that it was not too jarring, unlike the towering presence of Yulka. Naomi would be about the same size as the fellow passenger were she still human and not a Nezumimi.

Walking over to their seats uninvited, the woman plopped over on the other side, putting her hands on the table. The white sleeves of her long hoodie flapped in the air as she tapped against the surface with excitement—unable to stand still. 

“Some chocolate.” Naomi was about to offer her some just to find that Tanji had already eaten everything. 

“Nice!” She grinned, swaying her body from side to side. “Are you also going to Ms. Tanikawa’s place? Are you?”

There was no point in hiding it. If not there, where else would they go? “Yeah, we are.” 

“My old mistress showed me some images of her house. It’s really big!” She began counting with her fingers. “And there are fields all around it. And she has a gym. And a swimming pool. And a garden. And very nice rooms for all her ‘mimis. And-” The horse girl continued, gesturing for the sake of keeping her hands busy. 

“That’s awesome.” She forced a smile. Unlike Tanji, she was at least trying to pretend to be excited about the trip.

“My name is Mirei, by the way!” Putting on another smile, Naomi reached out to wave her finger just for the horse girl to have her hand swatted away. It was Tanji, glaring at Mirei—her blue eyes meeting hers. It took a moment for the woman to process that the chubby cat was actually trying to be rude to her, awkwardly retracting her hand back below the table. 

“Hey, what’s her problem?” She frowned, trying to reach over to Naomi once again. The same thing happened—her hand slapped away. “I just wanted to hold her a little bit.”

“It’s really okay, Tanji.” Naomi piqued up, unsure what tone she should take here. Upset? Calm? Understanding? Getting held by people was just a part of being a small 'mimi like herself. 

Tanji, however, didn't seem to think so. She picked Naomi up, holding her tightly as if Mirei was going to reach over the table and pry the mouse out of her grasp. Her protectiveness seemed slightly out of place. But then again, it was the type of protectiveness one might give to their last slice of pizza rather than a good friend. Nonetheless, the Neko continued holding onto the tiny, placing the girl’s body against her cheek. It was warm and soft—Naomi’s face partially sinking into it. 

“Hello?” Mirei looked at Tanji while wincing. “As I said, I just wanted to hold the cute mousey for a moment.” She tried to turn her eyes towards Naomi, but it was impossible to look at her face without that of the cat girl forcing itself into the frame. “Why do you have to be such a prune?”

Her opponents being twice her size had never stopped the Neko before, but causing a scene on the plane was something that Tanji wanted to avoid. So with a wide grin, she dropped Naomi down into her chest—the smug look on her making it seem like this was somehow a brilliant idea. 

The tumble may have ended in a soft landing, but the tiny soon found herself in a dark cavity between Tanji's huge breasts. Even when she was human they seemed large. Now, they appeared like two hills pressing down on her body. Trying to get any kind of footing or grasp felt pointless, with her hands coated with a thin layer of sweat as they sunk into the mammaries. After a moment of wiggling around, Naomi was forced to accept her position: trapped, with only her head popping above the warm skin. 

She stopped thrashing, her hands pinned to her waist as the mouse closed her eyes—trying to ignore the unfortunate situation. It was so warm and stuffy down here, with Tanji’s sweet aroma filling Naomi’s nostrils. Were these pheromones? In the past, she remembered reading some articles about how humans may not have pheromones the same way that animals do, but was it different for Kemonomimis? Or was it just her overstimulated brain playing tricks? Tanji’s smell…it was familiar. It was pleasant. It was enticing. 

From the moment Noah first brought the troublesome cat in, she had marked him as hers. Every time she rubbed against him or climbed into his bed, the Neko left a little of her smell on him. Now that he was Naomi, this aroma was gone, but the emotions associated with it remained in the shared mind. This was a reminder that she was still the man who decided to share his room with a stray—and thanks to her new sensitive nose—was finally able to appreciate how nostalgic it was. 

Slowly, her muscles relaxed. There was no more resistance and she allowed herself to sink into Tanji’s breasts as if they were a soft mattress. 

When Naomi awoke, the fact that she had slept through a 10-hour flight between the cat girl’s breasts was the first realization to come to her drowsy mind. It was only later that she noticed the room which she was in—one almost like the type you would find in a hotel. There were neatly folded sheets, neatly folded towels, and a feeling of detachment from reality as if everything here was almost too clean and ideal to be permanent. 

Across from her, the horse girl from before was sliding off her hoodie—travel exhaustion painted on her face. Women just undressing around Naomi as if she was “one of the girls” was an odd truth to accept, but it’s not like it was false. She had checked more than once, and Noah's manhood was definitely taken away—replaced with a strange new opening that begged to be played with despite the lack of experience. 

A little touch couldn’t hurt. Rubbing against the side of her thigh, the woman’s hand immediately jumped back as if she had touched something hot. No. It was far too early for this…or too late? It was hard to tell, with the lights blocked by thick black curtains. Being unable to answer even such a simple question added to this horrible feeling of dissociation as Naomi’s brain slowly began regaining its function like a poorly oiled machine. 

“Hey.” The drowsy voice of Mirei spoke up as the woman placed her head back on the pillow. “We’re here. Can you imagine that? We’re actually here.” She tried sounding excited, but the same force that kept her eyelids half-closed made her voice weak. “Tomorrow, the mistress herself will show us our permanent rooms.” The force won, her eyelids shutting close. “Isn’t that exciting?” 

She couldn’t see her nod as Naomi nuzzled against her own pillow. It seemed like whoever oversaw this project got the information that 3 ‘mimis were coming to guest rooms, and not bothered to check their sizes. This made it so the mouse could comfortably enjoy an entire field-sized bed while Mirei’s size 12s nearly dangled off the side of the bed. 

“I am glad. That we get our own rooms, you know. That annoying cat sure is loud.” She chuckled. Of course, Naomi had long ago learned to accept Tanji’s snoring as white noise, only now becoming aware of her presence across the room. “You’re from the same owner, right?”

“Yeah.” Naomi responded, looking up at the ceiling. “Same owner…”

“I see.” Mirei nodded, clearly growing tired of this pillow talk. “Goodnight, mousey. I hope you will be able to come by my place sometime.” If their new “mistress” didn’t prepare anything, getting put in the same room as the blonde girl wasn’t the worst fate. She was polite enough, if not a little overenthusiastic. But after what happened today, Naomi still felt the desire to be close to the nostalgic scent of Tanji; she had half a mind to just climb over to her bed. 

With her mind and body already rested, Naomi found sleeping to be simply impossible. For a while, she just continued looking up at the ceiling as if there was something interesting written on it. It was so quiet here. No cars. No traffic. No arguments seeping through the thin walls. No random drunk teens in front of the block. 

Suddenly, something shifted in the hallway—the sound of the door clicking. Turning her gaze towards it, the tiny noticed a 2 ft tall figure peeking through the crack, her pale fingers wrapped around its dark oak exterior. The shape quickly retreated back inside, a look of regret on her near-hidden face. At least, it looked like regret. She wasn’t sure. The only thing Naomi could see for certain were those gray eyes. 

As expected, the staff didn’t really know what to do with Naomi. Her name didn’t belong on any list, and while Tanji and Mirei were guided off to their suites, she remained behind—idle like the morning dew. Up the chain of command, the question of what was to be done with her traded hands. She may have been small, but a ‘mimi is still a ‘mimi (and worth more than their monthly salary). There was still a need to manage and secure her, even more so considering how easy it would be for any of the other girls to roughhouse her. 

She was alone, with only a maid to keep her company. It was the type of maid uniform that was hardly practical: long black and white frilly dress. Seeing it here further solidified the idea that the mansion existed outside of the “normal world,” with only a thin road leading towards it—pine forests as far as the eyes could see. 

Although it was difficult to tell, the servant currently holding her was the same representative who met with them when the group took off from Namiport: same short black hair, same distant stare (although this one was decorated with thicker makeup). It seemed like Ms. Tanikawa kept a small entourage. That would explain why the halls weren’t swarming with servants for a place of this size. Even this maid being here—taking care of a single ‘mimi—must have been putting strain on everyone else. Didn’t look like she was upset about it. 

Suddenly, there was movement. Grasping her finger, Naomi watched as the unprompted maid marched towards one of the rooms like a robot, staring directly ahead.

“Where are we going?” She piqued up, continuing to tightly hold onto her digits—their beige pedicure as blank as her face. 

“This has been going on for too long.” Letting out an exhausted groan, the maid finally made eye contact. “I am taking you directly to the mistress.” 

“The mistress? Really?” Too soon. She didn’t have a plan on what persona to use with her new owner. Being shy and timid has worked so far (it came to her naturally, after all) but maybe it would be better to show herself in a better light. Also, Tanji wasn’t here. As much as she hated to admit it, the tubby cat was the “muscle” of this operation.  

Inside the room, the first thing Naomi noticed was the smell of tobacco—thin silver slithers of smoke floating in the air. She had not smoked in a while, had she? Everything else came in a way. Before, Noah smoked for the sake of it. To keep his hands busy. To keep his mind empty. Just the scent of it in the air made Naomi calm, with her eyes lazily darting to the mistress. 

In her little castle, she was the queen—a wonderfully mature woman with short white hair clad in red. A Pearl necklace hung around her neck, just below her lips. Ms. Tanikawa was the type of woman who smiled because there was nothing to be sad about. Why would there be? She was at the top. “Hello there, dear.” She said as Naomi was deposited on her desk. There was something about the woman that demanded her to act. Was she supposed to do something? Shake her hand? Bow? Maybe both? “You have come a long way, haven’t you.”

“Yeah, I did.” Without the answer, Naomi decided to simply stand at attention—her hands tucked to the side of her body as she struggled to maintain eye contact. 

“You came with the same batch as my dear Tanji, did you not?” 

“Yeah, I did.” Naomi repeated, clearing her throat. “EikōBio sent us together. But that’s all I know.” Almost forgetting to do her job of pretending that she was just a stupid mouse, the woman rubbed her temples as if deep in thought. 

“That girl was always troublesome. Climbing into a random ship and hoping to not get dumped off in the middle of the Pacific.” Letting out a chuckle, the woman brought a fine cup of coffee to her lips. “No idea where she got that from. Maybe it was some genetic issue? Something associated with the missing leg, perhaps?” Even the speculation made Naomi feel uncomfortable. Sure, Tanji did have some…quirks, but essentially calling her a genetic failure just didn’t sit right with the tiny. Before she even knew it, her fist was clenched. 

“Is she important to you?” The question was a test. Naomi just wanted to see how the mistress would respond, hoping to justify her distaste towards the woman. In reality, it was more of a way for her to call out “I care about Tanji more than you!”

“Tanji? Oh yes! I’ve had her since girlhood. Her, and Tamiko. It was fun when we were young, but now…well. I am glad that she is back, but if her attitude doesn’t change, I am afraid I will simply need to give her away.”

Feeling herself pouting, Naomi stomped her foot on the desk. It would probably have been more impactful if she was larger, with the act sounding more like the tap of a finger. “You can’t just say that! You can’t just give her away!”

“Aww, little mouse. There is no need for you to be bothered with something like this.” 

Once again, her tiny heart was beating quickly. “She had to stay at some random guy’s house…she probably missed you!”

Normally, this type of outburst would not have been tolerated. But in this context, there was simply no way that Ms. Tanikawa could justify getting angry. What was she going to do? Have the security haul her away? Instead, she just laughed and used her manicured finger to ruffle through Naomi’s hair. 

The mouse girl was readying to continue her rant but was stopped by the sound of the door opening. It was Tanji. And the Neko next to her? It must have been Tamiko. Being slightly taller than her sister, Tamiko’s pigtails reached all the way down her back—the golden strands with pink stripes lighting up the room just like her smile. The entire house was regulated, so she could afford to wear a skimpy black bikini and loose-fitting socks indoors. Looking at it, both Naomi and Tanji let out a collective groan. Of course it had a cat paw print.

The bikini did at least match her skin tone, as it looked like the woman had just gotten back from the beach—her bronze face adorned with bright white makeup. This kind of style…Naomi remembered it being popular a few years back. Even when she was younger, it was already fading away from popularity. It was called Ganguro, although most of his friends just called these women “peach girls.”

Compared to Tanji, Tamiko looked more approachable. She didn’t constantly frown, her skin wasn’t as pale as paper, and there weren’t dark bags under her eyes. There was so much sweetness coming off her, it almost made Naomi’s liver hurt. 

“Okān!” Tamiko squealed, running up into the arms of Tanikawa as if they had not seen each other in years. Immediately, the girl nuzzled against her chest, allowing herself to be held close to her body. Once again, a difference between the two became apparent. If anyone tried to pick up Tanji like this—even her mistress—she would wiggle and squirm around until dropped. 

“Tami.” The woman chuckled, managing to get her pet to stop clinging onto her long enough for Tamiko to look in her eyes. “Your sister is here. You should say hello.”

With her eyes perking up, Tamiko immediately focused on Tanji. “Tanji!” She ran up to her with her arms outstretched. Briefly considering the pros and cons of driving a knee into her sister’s stomach, she allowed Tamiko to throw her arms around her neck—rubbing her cheek against hers. Naomi understood very little of the conversation that followed. Being an amateur speaker made it difficult to follow, with Tamiko’s thick dialect and speed not helping. Given Tanji’s short replies, it seemed the enthusiasm was one-sided.

After a moment of this apparent torture (at least Tanji acted like it was torture), she pulled away, putting her hands on her hips and laughing. The inevitable meeting between their eyes occurred shortly after, with them turning into slits as she saw the defenseless Naomi. 

"Did you bring me a present, Tanji? Did you? Did you" She shook her fist with excitement, darting between the frightened Naomi and unamused Tanji. 

Shaking her head, Tanji climbed onto the chair, reaching for Naomi. “Mine.” Being in her grasp was still embarrassing, but that was at least the demon she knew. 

“Okān! Okān!” Tamiko pouted, putting on a cute face. “I want a mousey! Tanji shouldn’t get it. She doesn’t behave well.”

“I am sure you two can share for now.” The mistress waved her hand dismissively, with Tamiko already inching for Naomi. “Don’t worry, I will buy you a little mouse later on. Would you also want yours to have white fur?”

“Yes, please! But can you make it’s eyes not red? It’s a bit creepy…”

“Anything for you, dear.” Glancing down at her watch, something more important than the wellbeing of her pet came up. “I have a meeting, dear. Why don’t you take Tanji and Naomi to your room for just a moment?”

“Of course!” Grabbing onto the wrist of her sister, both she and the handheld mouse soon found themselves dragged along. The maid followed like a looming protector—ensuring they didn’t do anything stupid. Tanji mumbled something under her breath, taking a moment to make sure that Naomi was secure in her hand before allowing her sister to continue pulling them along. 

“I’ve missed you so much, sister!” She repeated, skipping down the empty halls. “Would you like to try some of my outfits on?”

“No.” Tanji’s reply sounded precalculated. 

“Aww. Please? It will be fun, I promise.”

“Fine. But I am not putting on pants.”

As they entered the dark room, the door behind closed with an ominous click. Their accompanying maid melded in the blackness—her silhouette barely distinguishable from the void. With a flick of a lighter and the flash of a cigarette being lit, their captor’s face became visible for just a moment. There was a cruel smile painted across her lips, one which didn’t fade away as the rest of the room was lit up. 

“Ah. Mr. Noah and his pet. Plus one extra.” She snapped her fingers, gesturing to the pink-haired Neko sitting on one of the beds. Standing up, the unmistakable eyes of the girl from the club scanned the three victims. Even if they weren’t currently being kidnapped by her, the sight of Maya was enough to make Tanji show her fangs.

But before even preparing for a leap, all the wind was forced out of her lungs as the maid pretender kicked the Neko in the stomach, making her fold in on herself and crumble to the ground. The anger made her hold back tears as Maya wrapped a piece of tape around her face and arms. It was a cathartic moment, seeing the woman who outshined her collapse. And despite it feeling cruel, a grin similar to that of her owner appeared across the girl’s lips.

Making Tamiko submit was a lot easier. From the moment she noticed danger, the woman began bawling her eyes for the mistress. But nobody came to help, and she was forced to stop crying to conserve oxygen as she was gagged. 

With Naomi…there was no need to do anything. The maid simply picked her up by the tail, dangling the mouse girl in the air. “Good job, Noah.” Exhaling a puff of tobacco in his face, she snickered. “They always get sloppy with recruits, huh? What, you act surprised that I know your name. I didn’t even need to look at the guest registry to get it. In case you thought about getting a fake ID. No, this was a lot more direct. I’ve put snoopers on that thing, you know. Damn good one if the cabal wasn’t able to catch it.”

“...you know who I am?”

“Yeah. Everything from the machine. Including your biometric data.” The pretender waved her phone in Naomi’s face—the white text on a black backdrop appeared to meld due to the movement. Blood type B…you know what the superstitious folks here say about that?” She held back a laugh. “I guess this foretelling bullshit is right sometimes.”

For a moment, there was just silence. Noami glanced back at Tanji trying to struggle as if she could somehow help to undo the tape with her mind. 

“Hey? What’s up with the blank stare? Did the transformation make your brain slower or something?” Left to right, the mouse girl was swung like a pendulum until she began squirming. 

“What do you want!” Naomi cried out, knowing that there was nothing to lose now. 

“The same thing as you. Leverage against the family. As simple as that.” An actual hint of remorse appeared on the kidnapper’s lips for the first time. “Sorry you got stuck in all this. Should have taken the quiet way out, huh?”

“Is this about money?” 

“Nah. Not money.” There was another puff of smoke, this one at least not exactly at her face. “Got all the money I could want from the club. It’s more about security.”

Naomi squinted in confusion. “Security? From the cabal?”

“Market security, dear. ‘Mimis are expensive, and we don’t even need to inflate the market that much. It’s a happy little equilibrium.” Scrunching her nose, she looked directly at Naomi. “Imagine if suddenly you can turn people into ‘mimis. Near infinite supply. There is no way that other companies will be able to compare with EikōBio prices, once they become the industry standard. What they are essentially doing is turning our fine restaurants into fast food.” 

“There is a difference between a bred ‘mimi…and a human just turned into one.” Naomi justified, distancing herself from the tied-up products on the floor. Even if it felt dishonest or cruel, it was something she needed to hear. 

“No laws for it. And when they are established, EB will grease the palms. If it will be illegal everywhere else, there would always be Namiport.” She looked up, the silver smoke dancing with the weak light bulb hanging above them. “In Namiport, anything goes. Why do you think all the Japanese corpos have their facilities so far from home?” Extending her arm, the woman pointed towards the two floor-bound cat girls. “And if it wouldn’t pass, you were just about to bring them all the necessary collateral.” 

“Why not just get rid of me? You don't need me, right?" Her eyes darted towards the trash can—a perfect place for her body. "I am not even an employee.” Just talking for the sake of talking—to keep the woman happy…Naomi hoped that she wasn’t developing some sort of hostage syndrome. 

“Because I pity you, I suppose.” She shrugged, having a blank look on her face. “You don’t belong here, kid—you really don’t. You can try playing some corporate mafioso or a Yakuza wannabe, but you are just a student. Even now, you are pretending to be something you’re not. Isn’t that right, Naomi?” The maid clapped her hands together. “No time to waste. Off we are. Sorry for the rescheduling. I hope you enjoyed the accommodations while it lasted. Come on Maya, pick them up.”

A black cab. This is where it all started. This was where Noah was first plunged deeply into this world. Once again, he found himself sitting inside—a cap holder fashioned into a chair. But now, instead of bringing it to him, the vehicle glided away from the secluded castle of Ms. Tanikawa and back to reality. 

Tanji scratched at the car window as if that was going to do anything. Tamiko continued crying, hoping to somehow be heard by her mistress—her strained throat and puffy red eyes getting tired from the endeavor. And Naomi? Naomi just sat there, looking out of the window. Not being able to do anything was an acrid feeling. The thought of how easy it would have been for him to overpower the both of them—to save Tanji and her sister—if she were still a human made Naomi feel sick. 

The car of their captors glided across the road, with the pine trees becoming more sparse the further they moved from the mansion and into the suburbs of Osaka. There was no more silence, with the distant sound of the city roaring through the night sky. 

What was this place? Some kind of hideout? It looked like an ordinary house from the outside, but was barren, with only the most spartan of furniture. They were placed in a basement, descending a narrow set of stairs to a room filled with the smell of rubber. It may have once been used to store bicycles and other junk that had no place anywhere else, but now the fencing appeared oppressive—like that of a prison. 

“I wonder if stuff like this happens to anyone else.” Tanji grumbled, setting down on towels and sheets they had provided as bedding for the 3 of them. 

“No, just us.” Naomi added, putting her hands on the aluminum mesh. She could probably squeeze through if she tried, but what was the point? At least the fact that Tamiko looked more pathetic than the two of them was somehow comforting, even if it felt cruel to admit it. 

Tamiko appeared to have folded onto herself. “It’s over!” She looked like she wanted to cry, but there was no more water left. “They are going to kill us!”

There was a swoosh of air as a crisp slap landed on Tamiki’s face, leaving behind a pinkish palm. “Stop whining.” Tanji ordered, extending the very same hand she just slapped her with to her sister to get her standing again. “You’re going to choke yourself to death if you keep crying.”

Tamiko blinked in surprise at the sudden slap, her eyes welling up with fresh tears. She touched her cheek, feeling the warmth of the stinging mark. Eventually, she grabbed Tanji’s hand, dusting herself off. 

“Do you have a plan?” This probably should have come from Tamiko, but Naomi was the one to ask this question. Since Tanji was taking a dominant position here, it was at least worth hearing her out. 

“You.” She pointed at Naomi. “Get the keys. Open this thing. Then, we run.”

The first part of that plan seemed reasonable. Then, it deteriorated into “we run.” But there was no time to come up with a more sophisticated idea, so the mouse girl gave Tanji a reluctant nod. 

What followed was a few good minutes of Tanji trying to squeeze Naomi through the bars—her back scratched by the wires as she pleaded for her life. “Stop! Stop! I am not going to fit! Ouch-ouch-ouch!” She cried out, half of her body on the other side of the bars. With one final push, Tanji proved her wrong, managing to force Naomi through to the other side. The mouse girl landed on the ground with a SPLAT, her head spinning as she stood up. “You dumb broad! You could have killed me!” Naomi stomped her foot on the ground, puffing her cheeks and preparing to yell before Tanji shushed her. 

Seeing Tanji as the reasonable one for once…was odd. Naomi shook her head, pumping her fist and readying for the “mission” ahead. 

Climbing up a set of stairs was already a hustle. When she made it to the edge, Naomi heard the click of heels against the hardwood floor. It was their captor, her long slender legs appearing like two huge blue pillars as they were hugged snuggly by a pair of jeans. Ditching the strange maid outfit, she now dressed in a more comfortable white crop top. She had spent so much time with Tanji, that the mouse girl had almost forgotten how tiny she was. 

Hugging the wooden leg of a chair for support, Naomi felt tremors as the giantess paced around the room. Just like them, it looked like she wasn’t exactly thrilled about being here. “Did you prepare the extraction?” She hissed into the phone, using her free hand to pet Maya. It didn’t do much, but it was at least something to calm her down. “Yeah, I know. But this place is hardly safe.” She cracked her neck back, letting out a groan. “Yeah, I still have my car, but I need to ditch it. Just hurry up! There is nothing to drink here…”

On the counter, there was a glint of something shiny. The keys! They were strapped to a thin metal circle—one which could serve as a hula hoop for the tiny. For a moment, it seemed like the lazy eyes of Maya met with hers, making the mouse girl freeze up. Despite being a gentle shade of pink, there seemed to be a certain fire in them. Did she see her? Or was it just her paranoid mind playing tricks on her? Either way, she found herself unable to move, holding onto the chair while silently hyperventilating. 

When the woman and her pet left the kitchen, a sense of relief washed over Naomi, allowing herself to take a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Now, it was only a matter of climbing up to the top of the counter—a herculean task in itself. She thought about detaching some of them from the ring but ultimately decided to just drag the whole keyring as it clunked on her back.

“There…I got it!” Naomi squeezed out, watching as Tanji reached for her. “GET THE KEYS, NOT ME!” She wailed, feeling the pudgy cat trying to squeeze her back through the gate instead of unlocking the doors. 

Tanji blinked a few times before reaching for the keys. Calling her sister over, she forced her to go to her knees as she jumped onto her back, using Tamiko as a stepping stool. She took her time checking through the menagerie, occasionally pointing at the ring and waiting for Naomi to give her input. 

“No, that’s for the car. No, that’s for the mailbox.” Rubbing her face, the mouse girl decided to sit down as she watched the woman continue to fidget with her options. “Just try them all, Tanji.” The doors finally swung open with a satisfying click, allowing Tamiko to collapse to the ground the second her sister jumped off. 

Now that the “open this thing” part of the plan was over, it was time to run. Naomi got scooped up by the tubby cat, feeling herself rattling around in her grasp just like the keys. Both she and Tamiko had the feline agility he had seen Tanji display, managing to bounce up the set of stairs and into the main area of the house.

Their collective ears perked up as the door opened, seeing the woman and her pink-haired pet entering the room—laughing with each other and carrying shopping bags. There were a few seconds of silence as the two groups stared at each other, punctuated by the sound of breaking glass. The contents shattered as they dropped their bags to the ground in surprise, the cheap liquor leaving a large puddle. 

What followed was…messy. Tanji threw Naomi over to Tamiko while running up to Maya, kicking her in the side of her stomach and sending the woman flying. Meanwhile, Tamiko’s instincts kicked in—opening her mouth in anticipation as if her mistress was throwing her a treat. It was only after the mouse girl landed on her tongue and was nearly swallowed that she came to her senses, moving Naomi over to one of her cheeks and running outside through the still-opened door after her sister. As much as she hated to admit it, the creepy little mousey was delicious. 

The woman was preoccupied with tending to Maya, allowing them to get a few feet lead start. Already having an interest in cars, Tanji immediately gravitated to the black cab the kidnapped used to get them here. Using the other key on the ring to get the doors opened, she jumped in the driver’s seat—a wide grin appearing on her face. 

“Tan-zhee?” Tamiko mumbled with her mouth full, lifting the tiny mouse girl by her tail and allowing her to fall down into the cup holder. This had been the 2nd time she had been gobbled up by a Neko. She hated how used to it she was getting. 

Naomi watched as Tanji struggled to the car, twisting the keys in the ignition just to find that her legs were too short to reach the pedals and dangled in the air awkwardly. Tamiko jumped down with a determined look on her face, landing on the gas pedal. Despite how scary this was for a purse cat such as herself, she couldn’t help but giggle in excitement. The engine purred as the car began revving up, Tanji’s excited hands gripping onto the wheel as the vehicle slammed into something behind it. It was another car, the man behind the wheel stumbling out of the wreck. 

Tanji may not have been able to see a lot due to being vertically challenged, but Naomi was essentially blind. The mouse climbed up the white shirt her “driver” wore, ending up on her chest and using it as a vantage point. Fortunately, there was more than enough space on her boobs for her to stand on—her feet sinking into Tanji’s soft body. 

“Was that the police?” Tamiko exhaled through her teeth, afraid that they could get into trouble. 

She squinted, struggling to look in the mirror. Their kidnapper was helping the man they bumped into, with him pointing towards the other car as if to snitch. He must have been with her, then. “No!” Tanji responded, switching the stick over to “drive” while ordering Tamiko to put more weight on the gas. Soon, the car began moving again, with Naomi tumbling from recoil into the dark abyss of her chest—past her mammaries—before popping out the other side like some white marble.

“Stop!” Naomi tucked on Tanji’s shirt, just to see her smiling like an idiot at the road ahead. “Tanji, you don’t know how to drive!”

The car swirled from left to right as the pudgy cat tagged on the wheel for fun. Seeing that there was no way of getting through her tiny skull, Naomi jumped up to the wheel—repeatedly hitting the horn. Maybe it would at least save some pedestrians. 

The other vehicle—the one they dented—tried following them. Fortunately, Tanji’s driving proved to be impossible to track since it lacked any direction; both cars became completely lost in the concrete jungle. Tamiko was busy passing out in the corner while their impromptu driver explored the rest of the car. Once she found a coin inside, she walked and gave it over to the mouse girl as a little treat before going back to rummaging through the car. 

A coin…Naomi spent a moment playing with it like a metallic disc before noticing an old payphone. After a quick climb, she sat down on the body of the plastic telephone handle, covering her ears as it rang. This thing was ancient, with the woman hoping that it would work. “Hiro?” She inched her sensitive ear to the speaker, careful to keep her distance in case another electric screech came from the other side. “Hiro, this is…Noah. We have the girl. But there was an incident. Will explain later. We are…somewhere in the suburbs.” There was only silence. Naomi swallowed nervously, wetting her dry throat. “Listen, can you just trace this call or something?”  

Finally, a distorted voice came from the other end. “Somebody is on the way. Good job. You deserve a little leisure time, Noah.” 

“Do you have a smoke?” Naomi looked up at the driver. Having escaped their kidnappers by maneuvering a car through the suburbs, she still found herself squeamish about the idea of being in a car. Fortunately, the driver Hiro had sent was a pro and not just two Nekos playing with the wheel. 

The driver didn’t take her eyes off the road, instead taking out a packet of cigarettes and shaking them in the mouse girl’s face before popping the lid open. Sighing, Naomi retreated into the cupholder. She was too small to even hold a ciggy. This wasn’t news to her, so why did the woman feel so melancholic? Was it the fact that she was overpowered? While being Noah, they always prized themselves on being able to protect Tanji. This time, it was her protecting Naomi. And that just felt wrong. 

“Never mind.” She mumbled, cracking her neck.

Tanji seemed the same as ever, trying to subtly push away Tamiko who continued her habit of clinging onto her sister. Their eyes met, with the pudgy cat nodding her neck up as if they were in an understanding. She was at a loss for what this “understanding” might be.

It didn’t occur to her before, but she did feel bad for Tanji. Naomi? Well, she was getting a house out of this. Once she returned to being Noah again, a whole life of luxury awaited. Being the person who breaks a family out of poverty is the greatest honor a man could ever achieve, after all. This is why he was sent to Namiport—to carve a new path at a time when corporations were buying up farmland and threatening his family. 

But Tanji? She started as a pet, and she would end up as one. They had accomplished so much only thanks to her, yet she would always just be somebody’s ‘mimi—a property. It didn’t seem like she was upset about it. The only feeling that the tiny cat showed was an air of indifference. Whenever she cared about something, it was either food…or the wellbeing of her master.

She felt a tangled sensation in her stomach. Maybe this was for the best. Tanji may have been as smart as a human being, but there was no way she could function by herself. Besides, the life of a ‘mimi isn’t that bad, is it? Naomi’s mind jumped from one topic to another, almost as if fearing that diving too deep into any of her thoughts would uncover a terrible truth. No. She had been avoiding this for too long. The long car drive felt like a pocket reality created specifically to allow her to sit and think. And so she did.  

The car stopped in front of an office building, with a group of men dressed in security uniforms guiding Tanji and Tamiko away. They weren’t forceful but seemed more than ready to wrangle the tiny cats should they misbehave. Turning around before passing through a set of automatic doors, Tanji stuck out her tongue and winked at Naomi.

“That’s over with.” The anemic voice of Dr. Galloway called out “Hiro got his men on the case, cleaning up the collateral…” She tapped against the side of her chin, using her free hand to lift Naomi. “Might need to shut down our operations in Osaka for a while.” With a type of shrug that said “It’s not my problem,” Galloway took Naomi down an elevator and towards another laboratory. 

This one looked more primitive than the one in Namiport. There were electric tapes covering random sections of the panels, with colorful wires hanging above them like many exotic snakes. The entire room smelled of copper; the cleaning staff went easier on the chemicals, it seemed. At the center of it all, a similar transformation pool laid dormant. Without the blue glow, the ominous aura was gone, now just looking like a weird jacuzzi. 

“This facility has an older model. Might take a while…” The woman called out, almost ready to slap the computer into submission as its fan began slowly gathering speed like a starting rocket. “Want to see Tanji first? I know they hauled her off somewhere, but that’s only for genetic checks. You know, and some cross-references with Tamiko. Spit and blood samples.” She pulled away from the computer, the wheels of her chair swirling against the floor. “Don’t mind either way.”

“There is something I need to tell Tanji.”

Putting her palms on the arm of the chair, Dr. Galloway began getting up. “Let’s go then-”

“As Noah.” She quickly interrupted, making the good doctor slump back into her seat. 

Putting her hands on the keyboard, she moved the chair back in position. “Strip.”

The return trip is always easier, even when working with outdated technology. After solving the issue of muscle cramps in his leg, Noah was soon back on his feet—human again. Getting used to everything took some time, but being back in his body was like riding a bicycle. And although his voice being deeper was something that he needed to stop getting weirded out by, feeling his old lungs filling with air was refreshing. 

“How was being Naomi?” Dr. Galloway handed him some spare clothing. It was nothing fancy, just a white shirt and a pair of jeans. 

“Is this for a report?” Noah asked, sliding it on. “If yes, can this wait?”

“No, not a report. Just a curiosity.” She sat on his bed, uninvited. 

“It was strange.” He looked down at the palms of his hands. “Weird, but not in the way I expected.” Clenching his fist, the man looked up at the doctor. “After a while, it felt like a dream. I just…accepted being Naomi. It felt neither good nor bad. It just came something which…was.” Blaming himself for lacking better words, the man inhaled audibly. “Every time I thought about how weird it was to be a girl…it felt like another voice pestering me from the back.”

“I see.” She made a mental note, nodding along as if that made sense. “There could be some psychological basis in this behavior”

“Well.” Buckling a belt, Noah stood up. “You turned my brain into that of a 5-inch mouse girl. This goes beyond psychology and into biology.” 

“I am not so sure.” She added, with Noah already gone. 

Navigating through the complex took him a while. Just like every other of the cabal’s operations, it was run by a dedicated skeleton crew. Finally, he found the place where Tanji was being held. “Being held” wasn’t really a proper term, since she was just lounging there with her belly up. Her eyes turned into thin slits—the same slits that looked at him when the two first met. She immediately leaped to her feet, walking to Noah and looking up at him.

“Where is Tamiko?” 

“They are keeping her locked up.” Her tone was casual, clearly not grieving this. 

“I see.” He patted his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

“Go?” Narrowing her eyes, she was expecting some kind of trick on Noah’s part. 

“To the city. We are already here, and I always wanted to visit Japan anyway.”

“And you wanted to start with Osaka?” She winced at him, knowing something he did not.

“Anything wrong with Osaka…?”

Tanji thought for a moment, shrugging and leaping onto his shoulder in one swift motion. He never expected the weight of her bum to be nostalgic, but here they were. “No. Let’s go.”

Osaka was bright, with neon signs basking the city line in a pinkish hue with white flashes coming from the circulating commercials. The noise of said commercials mixed with the sound of the chatter, the wheezing of monorails, and the brave cars trying to squeeze through the traffic near the center. They tried to avoid most of the busy lines, retreating into one of the side streets. This was the beauty of not having a plan. The two of them could just walk, exploring the city as if it were some strange labyrinth with neither a map nor a sense of where they were. It seemed impossibly large, with this feeling that if they were to dive deeper into it, they might never come out. 

There was a smell of fried goods in the air, creating a thick cloud of flavors that was practically palpable. The entire place had a warm feeling to it, making Noah want to take off his jacket. He was stopped halfway through unzipping. Feeling Tanji pulling on his hair, he grunted, turning in the direction of a street vendor making many fish-shaped cakes. “You could have just said you wanted me to look here.” 

“Get me one.”

Cautiously approaching the stand, he took out his wallet. “Do you actually want one? Or is it just because it looks like a fish?” 

She grunted at such an insinuation. “Of course not! I like taiyaki. Get me one!” She repeated, and then there was a pause. “Please…”

When the cake was placed in her hand, the Neko proceeded to devour it as if she had been starving for a while. Noah quickly grabbed some napkins to wipe her face, hoping that the people around wouldn’t think he was some cruel owner who didn’t feed this pet. 

The two of them sat on a stone bench, watching as the city flashed around them. There was an old dead tree at the center of the clearing. With the tall walls all around them, this little clearing felt isolated—lonely, yet warm. 

“You want to visit the castle?” Tanji asked, swinging her legs back and forward as she finished her 2nd taiyaki. “Or the Ferris wheel?”

“Too crowded.” Not planning anything also had its disadvantages, it seemed. 

The Neko patted down her hands, getting the crumbs off. Her tail swayed slowly in the evening air. “It’s fine here as well…but it is getting cold.”

Taking off his jacket, he placed it around Tanji. She tried to be happy about it, but both could see how ridiculous it looked on her. “Maybe we should go somewhere else. But before that, I need to tell you something.” She turned her head slowly towards Noah. Her pupils dilated—the two blue orbs looking at him with in anticipation. Taking a breath, he prepared to say something stupid. “I love you.

Tanji squinted, scrunching her nose. “Why?” 

“Oh, come on!” Noah rubbed his forehead. “Does there need to be a reason? I just do.”

She looked down at the floor, stopping her legs from swinging. “You really don't, okay? Between humans and 'mimis…it just doesn't work out.”

“Why?” Tanji tried to look away, prompting him to grab her tiny hand. It felt cold against his skin as cold—as the day he found her in that tattered cardboard box. “Why, Tanji? At least tell me that much. You owe me.”

Turning back towards him, Tanji made the type of face one makes after having explained something a thousand times. “We will never be equals. Is that enough of an explanation for you? Noah, I can’t…I can’t do the things humans do, okay? It’s just…it’s just not the same—it's not normal!” She stuttered, suddenly finding herself breathing heavily. 

Noah tightened his grip on Tanji's hand, letting go after realizing that he might be hurting her. “I don’t care about you being normal. I don’t want normal. I want you.”

She laughed, her brain having no other reaction to this. “You say stupid things.”

“I know.” He couldn’t help but smile like an idiot as well. “The stupidest one was probably saying yes to the cabal.”

“But are you serious?” Grabbing onto his palm, she placed her tiny hand against his. “With all the stuff they have given you, you could pretty much bump any chick you want! Even the red-haired one.”

“Mia? Nah, not really my type.”

“So what is your type? A pudgy cat girl that calls you a bastard?”

“Yes.”

Tanji's ears twitched slightly as she listened to the distant sounds of the city, quickly refocusing on the man next to her. A weak yet genuine smile now decorated her lips. “I would like to believe that. Noah…I…” Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something. But before she spoke, there was silence. “Noah. I want you to treat me like you would any other human. At least for today…okay?”

He nodded. 

The inside of the Love Hotel was warm despite the empty lobby. Behind a counter, a woman was forced to look up from the card game on her computer, quickly putting on a friendly smile. “Welcome to the Passion Palace! Here is a list of all the available rooms.” She pointed towards a tablet built into the desk. “ Prices for additional items can be found in the rooms themselves.”

Having his doubts about the place, Noah admitted that the walls did a good job of blocking out the rest of the city. The room itself was modest but practical. The black paint contrasted brilliantly against the white sheets of the queen-sized bed, with red light coming across the street slipping through the cracks. “Reminds me of the nightclub we went to, huh?”

“The other place was nicer” Tanji blushed, climbing onto the bed and looking away. “But there aren’t any pink-haired bimbos, so…I guess it’s okay.”

Sitting down against the wall himself, Noah watched as the naked figure of Tanji climbed on his lap. His shaft laid against her asscheeks, with the Neko adjusting her position—feeling it getting harder. It was fun teasing her master like this…but he would return the favor. Using his hands, Noah explored every inch of the woman’s body. It was so incredibly soft to the touch, that his hand almost sunk into her skin, the satisfying sensation prompting him to continue his exploration.

Grabbing onto the rolls of her belly and thighs, he began massaging them, watching Tanji stopping herself from squirming. “Fo-foreplay?” She tried to sound dominant, but the shaky voice betrayed her. “I thought you would be more direct.”

“How can I not?” He whispered into her ear, cupping her breasts. Her nipples felt hard between his fingers, appearing like two blueberries against her pale skin. “Even for a human, these are huge. How do you imagine they look on a little Neko like you?” Putting his fingers together, Tanji began meowing in pleasure as he clamped down on her nipples. By now, there was no way that she could stay still. Her warm body was shaking, rubbing against his as the only source of relief. 

Noah loomed above the cat girl, now once again being able to appreciate her plump body. She laid naked across the bed, looking off to the side and only taking glances at him. They both knew what was going to happen next.

“Are you sure you can take it?” He questioned, placing his hand on her cheek. 

“Don’t oversell yourself.” Tanji slapped the hand away, looking at him long enough to finish the sentence. “Put it in already.”

Her pussy was tiny, with just his tip causing her to tense up and begin gritting her teeth. Trying to slide deeper inside of her slick cooter, the Neko began crying tears of joy mixed with pain. Every part of her was tensing up—her vagina stretched to its limit. Unable to get more friction, he instead opted to slide Tanji onto his cock like an onahole, grabbing her thick thighs and pulling the twitching mess towards him. Reaching new limits, the cat girl’s tongue flew out of her mouth, now drooling over herself. 

“You’re making a really dumb face right now, you know that?” He grinned, beginning to move his hips. Noah had a thing against pillow princesses, but he couldn’t blame her here. With her tiny brain overloaded with stimuli, all Tanji could do was twitch and let out feline moans. 

She finally managed to spit out something, closing her eyes so tightly that it hurt. “I want your kittens!”

Something about that request made Noah immediately blow his load, slowing down as his seed drenched the cat girl’s womb. The building tension was emptied all at once, with the man feeling his balls drained and prostate pulsating. She was overflowing, each squeeze of her muscles resulted in more of the viscous liquid pouring out. A thin strand of semen connected Tanji’s vagina with his penis once he took it out.

They spent some time shaking in each other’s grasp, processing what just happened. When they made love, everything seemed so natural, like going through a play they had both rehearsed. Now, they found themselves thinking about the things they did and said and the things they didn’t. 

In the end, the overwhelming feeling of drowsiness conquered them. Tanji nuzzled against Noah’s chest, placing her cheek against his abs. 

“And that’s that.” The doctor shook the small vial full of Noah’s blood, allowing him to cling to his arm to relieve the dull pain from the needle. She should have done it yesterday, but the man looked emotionally drained and anemic after the mission. Waiting a few extra hours couldn’t hurt. “Your hormone levels look normal. Will balance out in the next few days. Plus, your body now has higher plasticity when it comes to transformation.” Seeing him confused, she elaborated. “That means that there should be less issue with using the machine in the future.”

“In the future?” He looked up at the doctor like a battered kitten, seeing her putting the vile of crimson liquid away. 

“EikōBio might need you to use a 'mimi persona again. Hey, what are you so upset about?” She preemptively responded to his eyebrows beginning to move down. “Not right now! And—and this means job security. You know how many people would kill to be in your position?” There was truth in that, but Galloway also wanted her wonderful test subject to stick around. It was as simple as her liking to work with their new recruit. Hiro was right—Noah always did what he was told, even if he whined about it first.  “You need to get over this phobia of transformation."

Feeling his lips getting dry, Noah felt the need to speak up. “EikōBio?” He let go of his aching arm, changing the subject. “Why did you say EikōBio instead of the cabal?” 

“Feels redundant, doesn’t it?” She shrugged, swirling in her chair. “Hiro’s faction is pretty much in charge of the whole corporation now. We have leverage against the Tanikawa family. We have 2 working transformation sites…and I am working on something special related to the project.” The woman grinned at that last part. 

“You seem excited.” With how sleepy she was usually, Dr. Emily Galloway seemed to have an almost supernatural ability to channel all her energy into the things she was interested in. “Didn’t you say how turning people into ‘mimis was a waste of resources—how we should be making the human race better instead?”

“I love my work. Nothing wrong with that.” A sly smile appeared on her lips. “Besides, you’re the one who’s happy about all the ‘mimis swarming you. Don’t try to deny it.”

He put his palms up like a caught prisoner. “You got me.” Slowly lowering them, his mind stayed on the topic. “Emily?” He asked, turning towards her—a difficult task as she was still swirling around. “Can a ‘mimi and a human…reproduce?”

As soon as a Kemonomimi-related question was asked, her mind switched to lecture mode. “Humans and ‘mimis have the same base genome, with the identical number of chromosomes and roughly the same coding sites. Of course, due to the heavy genetic modification, the products tend to be less fertile and then there is the whole matter of altered menstrual cycles and-“ The office chair stopped to a halt, with the doctor slowly adjusting it to meet her eyes with Noah's. “Why do you ask?” The silence was filled only with the squeaks of the wheels as she slowly began moving closer—her face unmoving. “Why do you ask, Noah?” She repeated. 

“…no reason. Just a curiosity, you know. Kemonomimis are pretty interesting, after all, and most people know next to nothing about them.” He tried giving a genuine smile while slowly edging towards the door, seeing Galloway preparing to start speaking again—her face now seemingly oblivious.  

Free to roam the building, the realization that he had no idea where anything was washed over Noah. He just stood there for a moment, rubbing the back of his head while looking around. EikōBio building was futuristic, yet impersonal; the scent of lemon in the air was pleasant, but it reminded him of nothing. His mind went blank while staring at a white wall. Lost in this idleness, he didn’t notice a familiar figure sauntering down the hall with her arm outstretched—swinging back and forth with such speed that the sleeves of her hoodie almost hit him. 

“Mirei?” Noah squinted just to make sure it wasn’t some different ‘mimi with the same long, straight blonde hair, the same two horse-like ears, the same sapphire eyes, and the same cheery demeanor.

“Hello, mister.” Mirei waved at him, giving a weak bow. “Are you one of the handlers?”

“No, it’s me. Naomi.” It felt weird saying it, but it was the truth. “I mean, I was Naomi.”

“Is the mousey here?” She began looking over his shoulder, trying to find her mouse girl companion. Just as he had expected, she was slightly taller than him (…just slightly). 

“Naomi isn’t here. I am Naomi.” He reiterated, pointing at his chest. It didn’t really explain much, with Mirei tilting her head to the side as if trying to solve some difficult math equation. 

“That’s not funny, mister.” She crossed her arms, disappointed. “First you guys take me away from my mistress and put me in this building. My new mistress had a swimming pool, but I can’t even use the one here! The handlers say it’s for ‘aqua therapy’ and not for swimming. Hmph! That’s ridiculous! Every swimming pool is for swimming.” 

Her mind seemed slow, while at the same time switching between topics quicker than Noah could keep up. Giving an understanding smile, he put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. They are probably keeping you here since you interacted with Tanji and me.” 

“They did say something about that. Fortunately, the guy with sunglasses said I am not in trouble, so I am not that worried. And since I am not in trouble, you can’t be mean to me.” This must have been Hiro’s job, then. He really did clean up all the leaks. It almost made Noah feel more relaxed about making mistakes in the future. Then again, he was not omnipotent, and all it took was one blunder to ruin this entire operation. 

“Come on, Mirei. Let’s try to find everyone else, okay?” He grabbed her hand, beginning to walk forward with no direction on his mind. “I still need to find Tanji.”

“That chubby cat?” Mirei flinched. “I don’t know. She’s pretty rude.”

“She can be troublesome sometimes.” He exhaled, nodding along. “But I am sure that you will grow to appreciate her.”

Just as he was saying that the pair entered one of the many rooms of this building. Around the table, the menagerie awaited: Tanji was currently pulling on the party hat of her sister, making the strap hit the bottom of her chin. Tamiko tried to get her sister off, looking like she was about to cry. Koko stepped in the middle, pushing the two cats aside as soon as Noah entered the room, giving him a bow. She wore her maid outfit, with the sigh briefly bringing up bad memories of the mansion before its formal cuteness settled in. Yulka stood in the background like an omen of death. She was also in uniform, wearing the same black poncho as the security detail. Even the colorful party hat around her head didn’t make her look any more cheerful—the strap having snapped away due to the size of her head. 

Inside, looked to be a breakroom of some sort, with a misshapen white lump of frosting placed next to a well-crafted desert. “Is somebody having a birthday here?” Noah asked, trying not to laugh. 

“I told you we should have gotten him some vodka and office supplies.” Yulka shook her head in disapproval, clicking her tongue while looking at Tanji as she took a step forward. 

“Vodka?” Mirei rubbed her chin, trying to remember. “I think that’s a type of alcohol. Nice! Mistress never allowed me to drink alcohol, so I would like to try some.”

Brushing all of that aside, Tanji made sure to remind everyone what this was all about. “This is to celebrate you!” She may have worded it awkwardly, but the Neko was genuine, smiling with both her mouth and eyes.

“That’s right.” Feeling the need to explain, Koko overtook Tanji, now being so close to Noah that he had to bend his neck down. “You have been offered a permanent position in EikōBio. My owner sees you as a capable corporate asset.” She gave him another bow—this one deeper and more submissive than all the ones before. “He wanted to forward this offer himself, but both you and Tanji have disappeared somewhere. Today, he is preoccupied.” Redness appeared on both of their cheeks at the same time, with him making and then quickly breaking eye contact with the little Neko he "treated like a human" just the day before.  

“And what’s up with the cake?” Noah had never really applied for a serious job before, but he didn’t imagine getting a cake party thrown by a bunch of animal girls was the corporate standard.

“Tanji asked me to aid her in baking a cake. She wanted to congratulate you personally, and gathered all of us here.” Looking at the table, the cake which looked like—well—a cake was probably made by Koko. This meant that the misshapen mass was the masterwork of his bedmate. 

“I am just here to make sure nobody gets permanently wounded.” Yulka piped up, still casually grabbing a piece. “You better get that fat-ass cat in order.” Pointing the fork at Noah, she made it sound like that was his job. Well, it wasn’t. Not yet. 

Seeing as everyone was already reaching for Koko’s treat, he took a clump of the thing that Tanji made. His fork twitched in the air as it inched towards his mouth, bracing the hundreds of his taste buds for the worst. Too much flour. Too much sugar. Not enough milk. And too much…salt? It wasn’t great. At least he managed to force it down. That was enough to satisfy Tanji who already began gloating to her sister. 

Mirei was busy bothering Yulka with random questions, each making her fangs more apparent. Tanji remained by the side of her sister, explaining something to her with exaggerated hand movements. This left him and Koko alone, away from the table and leaning against the wall. 

“Despite how makeshift this was.” She began talking, brining a fork to her mouth. “I am glad that we were able to go through with the party.”

“Is this something EikōBio typically does?”

“No, not really.” Putting her plate away, Koko’s full attention was now on Noah. “But the circumstances of you being commissioned were hardly typical.”

Noah nodded, subconsciously copying Koko’s casual body language. “About the offer-”

“You don’t need to reply immediately.” She answered a question he didn’t have. “If you want to get back to Namiport, the company-provided apartment will be yours until the end of the month. So, 2 more weeks.” The maid was able to determine that without checking a calendar. 

“I see.” His lips tightened. “What would you do in my position?” 

“You shouldn’t ask me.” Koko began tapping her foot. “I am already with EikōBio. Any insight I may have is biased.”

“Thank you for being honest.” Noah looked back at the table. Koko always had this aura of lucidity about her, like she was more aware of her situation as just a ‘mimi than the rest. Tanji showed him the same lucidity the night before, so maybe this was something they hid well—or were unaware of. “So what happens if I accept?”

“Tanji, Tamiko, myself, and the newcomer—Mirei—will be placed under your management.”

“2 extra, huh?”

“Tamiko needs to be with Tanji for her wellbeing. Tanji needs to be with you to manage her behavioral problems.” She followed this chain of thought, now pointing to herself. “I am here for general assistance and corporate security. And Mirei…” Koko rubbed the nape of her neck, looking up at Noah. “She will be dumped on you, I am afraid. The goal is to get her out of Japan first and foremost. And since you have a sizable living area, it just makes sense.” With how distressed she looked about the prospect, it looked like the maid was giving him a bad prognosis. 

“I can manage Mirei.” He put a confident smile on.

“There will be extra funding-” She stopped herself, seeing that Noah seemed oddly fine with having that walking disaster of a horse girl around. Cleaning her throat, she continued. “Officially, you will be branded as a handler.” Handing him a green plastic bag, Noah found it to be filled with goodies: company-branded pens, company-branded keychains, company-branded water bottle, and even a company-branded mug. But amongst all the trinkets, there was something special—something with his name on it. Koko narrowed her eyes. “It appears like the administration is confident in you accepting the offer. Don't allow this to intimidate you.”

Running his finger against the smooth surface of the badge, Noah felt the thick laminated plastic. There was a silver raised lettering which had his name on it. “I see. And if I decline?”

“You will go back to Namiport without Tanji or me." There was a pause. "And there will be no further communication.”  No Tanji? This all started with her, after all. Having her just gone felt wrong. 

“I see.” He clapped his hands together, much like Koko used to do. “Let’s go, then. Tell Hiro I accept.”

“There is time.” The maid reassured him as Noah was already marching over to the two Nekos. All she could do was smile, quickly straighten her face, and walk into a broom closet. There were pieces of cake everywhere, and she had work to do—both of them did. 

“Hey Tanji, check this out.” He flashed his badge. The Neko quickly acknowledged it, not understanding the true significance of what it meant, before continuing to look down at her sister. Noah was curious, also checking what Tamiko was up to.

The woman was on all 4s, arching her back while closing her eyes in embarrassment. “Oh, h-hello Mr. Noah. Tanji told me you were that mouse from before, correct?”

“That’s right. But that doesn’t explain why-”

“I am sorry for putting you in my mouth and saying you look creepy.” She huffed out, struggling to maintain this pose. 

“It’s fine.” Noah assured, still curious. “Why are you on the ground?” 

“Tanji said I have to act like a normal cat if you are taking me with you-agh! That reminds me!” Following this, she began meowing instead of talking. 

Tanji began petting her sister before gesturing for Noah to do the same. “You need to stop messing with her.” He said as she let go of her sister’s hair—not before ruffling it. “Come on Tami, get up.”

“Hai.” She stood up, dusting herself off. “Mr. Noah…do you mind if I ask you a question?” Her features were soft as she looked up at him. “Is it true that I will never see Okān again?”

Noah exhaled through his teeth, not sure how to answer. He should have expected that Tamiko would want to go back to her mistress. Just as always, it looked like she was about to cry. “I don’t know. Not right now, at least.” 

“I see…” Shaking her head, Tamiko slapped herself on the cheek. “Tanji told me I should stop crying…so I will stop. Because if I cry, it makes me look like a baby.”

That wasn’t exactly the way he would have put it, but it was true that Tamiko was immature when compared to her sister. “We will work something out, Tami. I am sure.”

“Wish we could have gotten there by boat. I like boats.” Mirei complained as she walked inside a private jet —her words muffled by the blowing wind. Most people in her position would have the opposite reaction, considering that the flight would already take 10 hours.

Tamiko hesitated at the entrance, holding onto the handrail for her life. “I have never been on an airplane. Is it scary-AGH!” Tanji wouldn’t have it, already pushing the both of them onboard. 

There may have been only 5 of them here (herself included), but Koko was still taught to do a head count. After being satisfied with the results, she clapped her hands together, taking a seat around a table. 

“I really think you should have given it more time.” Koko whispered, putting her hand on her knees. “Becoming a permanent employee means that you are no longer just somebody the small sect of the company unofficially commissioned.”

“Koko.” His face was stern. “I am sure that this is something I want to do.”

“You may think so. But you have been conscripted into a war.” Just like him, her face also became eerily serious. 

“Is the corporate rivalry that bad?”

“You haven’t even seen the beginning of it.” Noah put down his phone, now fully focused on the fox girl. “The entire bioengineering sector of Japan is a warzone. And this warzone already has to exist within the shell game that is the modern economy.”

“The economy seems to be doing alright.” In class, reviewing the Japanese model and how it could be applied to the rest of the world was one of the major parts of the curriculum. 

“People in the mainland are using money they don’t have to buy offshore projects which don’t exist. In the center of it all is the Yūgen Banking Group keeps the corpos fighting. EikōBio…Genovista…and KyotoSynth…they are just pieces on the board for them.”

“So I guess we just need to win the game they’re playing.” 

“How can you keep being so casual about this?” By now, she was getting upset, furrowing her brow. “Your future is tied to that of the company. More ‘mimis will be sent to your house. More people will target you. It’s do or die.”

“Do or die—got it. But Koko, you also need to understand something. This is what I want. Finally, there is something in this world that I am good at. I like working with ‘mimis like you, okay?” 

She thought for a moment, looking out of the window with a sour smile as the plane began revving up its engines. “Just don’t get played.”