"Mom, I'm going!"
"Haoong!"
Michael said his goodbyes to his mother when he passed by the living room, followed by Hao who gave a soft howl with a bright expression that can make anyone's day brighter!
"Goodluck son, and don't forget to buy some fruits on your way back, okay?!" Michael's mother replied to him as she turned her body to face him from the sofa, with the sound of a TV show being played on the as the background sound between their conversation.
"Got it!" replied Michael before the front door while putting on his shoes.
"Later!"
Michael ran towards their family's car, a grey pick up truck with Hao in his arms.
He placed Hao on the seat beside him and drove the truck towards the town center.
Along the road, Michael saw the usual sights along the streets, with people jogging, people walking their pets, or a group of aunties gossiping with each other in one corner.
The only thing that changed ever since then is that dogs are not the only ones being taken for a walk now, there are also monster pets from superhumans who took their pets out for a walk and garnering attention every time like the usual celebrities getting surrounded by paparazzis.
Hao pressed her face on the car window as she curiously watched the passing scenery with bright curious eyes!
"Oh my god! What an awesome monster! Did Kira get a new pet again!?"
"Just what you'd expect from the only Beast Tamer in town! Based on Monsterpedia, that monster is actually quite rare and it's called Flame Hound!"
When he was almost at their destination, Michael saw a crowd up front gathered in front of their Town's Bell Tower and a 24/7 establishment across the road, and heard those passing words as he slowly drove past them and saw a beautiful young woman with a dog type monster that's as big as an adult Great Dane.
The monster had full black fur except for the lower parts of its legs because it looked like the monster was wearing flaming red socks, and it also had this pair of horns that curved backwards.
'Flame Hound? Looks like Houndoom's brother from another mother'
Michael chuckled when had that thought inside his head as he looked at them from the rearview mirror..
"Haoong!" Hao suddenly let out a soft yelp as she left the side window and leaned on the rear window of the pickup truck, gazing at the tall bell tower in the distance with a longing look in her eyes.
"Alright, we'll go there later after I'm done with the registration, yeah?" Michael gave Hao a quick look and answered her with a slight chuckle as he smiled brightly.
'It feels like I'm looking after my child or something, which is weird'
"Hao~!" replied Hao with a bright expression with stars all over her like an anime character.
Michael just smiled and drove the truck in front of a three story building with the Town Hall across the street on its left and the Town Plaza in front.
He got down from the truck and Hao ran towards him and jumped as the former quickly caught her.
With Hao in his arms, Michael closed the door of the truck with his foot and locked it with the remote in his hand.
Beep! Beep!
"Terran Association, I've finally arrived here as my first step to a new beginning" said Michael in an emotional voice while smiling as he stared at the tall building before his eyes.
"Hao~!"
"Let's go!"
Getting motivation from Hao, Michael gave a yell with bright expressions on both of their faces as he finally took his first step forward to a bright future!
…
"Kyaa! She's so cute!"
"Alice, help me take a picture of her, quick!"
"I'm next after her! She's even cuter than those slimes and horned rabbits!"
"Michael is lucky to have her! I wish I could also get a companion like Hao!"
"Haha, then become a superhuman first dear!"
Currently, a group of women had surrounded Hao as they took turns taking pictures and hugging her.
"I knew it. Cute is really justice for these people, and it's like deja vu all over again~"
Michael doesn't want to admit it, but he's a little jealous of Hao from getting surrounded with a group of beautiful women!
'It should have been my time to shine!' Michael thought with a crying expression on his face while clenching his fist.
Poor him.
Earlier, Michael had just finished registering as a superhuman, and when he had just gotten his identification card in his hands.
The female staff suddenly turned into hyenas as they left their post and pounced at him, and "kidnapped" Hao from him!
Everything happened so fast that he felt like there was lag in the timeline!
And when he had finally regained his bearings, he witnessed the scene of the girls surrounding Hao and taking "liberties" from her!
It hurts!
The pain of being neglected!
And Hao on the other hand wasn't even bothered with the attention she's getting.
In fact, she quite likes it as she would even smile at Michael from time to time with that signature bright expression on her face like she's bragging!
In the end, Michael just watched them as he let the women get their fill as he wasn't really worried that Hao might hurt them, as she...probably doesn't even regard them as threats to her at all!
And even if that wasn't the case, the staff of the association are all wearing protection.
From their work outfits, to even their underwear, they are all considered protective garments.
Like what priests and wizards wear in online games.
This is the reason why they weren't even the least scared when they "kidnapped" Hao from Michael.
"This is the first that there's actually a pet more famous than Kira's"
Suddenly a man came over and took a sip of his coffee as he stood beside Michael.
Michael turned his head and saw a man in black suit and wearing a pair of glasses. He didn't recognize him, so he raised an eyebrow and said, "Kira?"
"Ohh~ her. I saw her near the Bell Tower on my way here, getting surrounded by a group of people with cameras"
He was perplexed at first, but then he remembered who she was.
"Hao~!"
Michael wanted to talk more with the man when he suddenly heard Hao, and so he quickly turned around and walked towards the ladies, saying, "Okay ladies, enough playing. You already got enough pictures with Hao"
"Aww~ can we adopt her?"
"No" Michael gave a firm reply and picked up Hao from the chair and started walking away to the door.
"Do visit us again, and make sure to bring Hao with you or don't even think about stepping foot inside here!" shouted a woman around thirties with a bright expression, but no one can ignore the blatant threat at the end of her words.
Michael was planning to say goodbye to them before he leaves, but he quickly aborted his plan when he heard her and hastily left the building without even looking back.