Chereads / Monster Girls of Omagi / Chapter 15 - Chapter 15 - An Aves Visitor

Chapter 15 - Chapter 15 - An Aves Visitor

| トントン | tapping

The swift tapping of a large kitchen blade on a solid wooden surface intensifies as the rapid chopping increases speed, accompanying this action a left firmly gripping a multi-coloured brick in the shape of a wide rectangle with a smooth sponge texture. All colours of the rainbow blended into this rock-like object, it edges closer to the knife which continues to tap the chopping board. Once the brick reaches the knife it stops, the knife then rises until it's erected above the rainbow brick before nonchalantly descending onto it.

| ヒトヒト | faint whistling

Effortlessly the blade slides down this brick as if it were butter, fully separating approximately 1/8th of its total mass as it contacts the board beneath. In doing so this brick exposes its lustrous prism of colour to the eyes of whoever watches, the knife rises again for another go. Continuously hacking the brick into fine slices until this rectangle becomes 8 majestic columns, the orchestrator of this action puts the knife & begins to rearrange these slices, moving them to their longer side before grabbing the knife once more & gradually slitting the blade down creating that faint noise of sand on a beach.

| ワクワク | excitement

The sudden sounds of excitement come from the faint moans of a woman with fiery horns & wide green eyes enchanted by the visuals on her meager phone screen, as the video changes to a hand grappling a chrome foil bag only to squeeze it releasing some kind of soft jelly substance out. She leans in a little with a glass of delicious red wine in hand ready to be drank as she views a compilation of satisfying videos.

| フワフワ | fluffy feeling

Haru: *Takes a sip of her wine*

She cups her pale lips onto the rim of the glass, inviting the strong drink to flow toward her by gently tilting the full-bodied glass.

Haru: "Tsah!"

She appreciates the taste of her wine aloud with a sudden moan & the tender smack of her lips, as the video goes on, she sits comfortably at the head of the dinning table watching with deep mesmerised green eyes tracing the little details. Her mind embarks on a stream of pure bliss as she sinks into the chair, wearing an unbuttoned beige cardigan & comfy blue tracksuits.

| プルップルッ | phone vibration

Faster than she could take her next sip the video on screen vanishes & in its place a low-quality image of a grassy garden with a grey stone path displays, "HAH! Unbelievable" frustrated at how abruptly her peaceful video was interrupted by a feed from the outdoor security camera this troubling thought is accompanied by a heavy sigh & a brief face palm before opening her eyes to inspect what's on screen.

Haru: "Hmm"

Something in the feed catches the attention of this Oni, upon deeper inspection by taking the phone closer she can see that someone has wandered into the garden & towards the front door. "A Human" is the first conclusion her mind can make when seeing what looks to be a young woman displaying zero monstrous qualities on the surface, there could be a chance that she is a Monster in disguise. "However, deep within a Human settlement there's a greater chance that she is just another Human" she uses this thought to justify her immediate conclusion.

She takes a brief look at the unhealthily pale skin of the hand which holds the phone up, her vertical slit pupils linger on this fact as she plans her next course of action. "So let's go on the fact that this woman is a Human, I will need some kind of disguise before proceeding" an obvious way to mitigate this problem would be to take a small dose of Masking Potion. "But that can be a risky idea" she tells herself when thinking about the possibility of their interaction taking longer to conclude than expected, "I have another option" she thinks as she puts both phone & wine glass down before stroking her horn with her right hand. The cogs of her brain begin to turn as she traces her fingertips along her crimson horn.

| コンコン | door knocking

But as Haru gathers the material she needs to prepare, the person outside finally knocks on the door.

Haru: "Right, now's the time Haru"

She mumbles to herself as she grabs a towel from the kitchen & wraps it tightly around her head, enough to conceal her pointy horns. "I hope the towel doesn't get damaged" wishfully thought while nabbing her phone from the dining table & carefully placing it into the pocket of her tracksuit pants, "am I missing something?" she asked herself as she enters the hallway with the front door staring her down from the other end.

This determined Oni makes her way down while passing a set of doors on her left before reaching the short wooden cupboard containing the shoes for each Monster Girl, conveniently sitting on the top of this shoe cupboard is none other than a pair of sunglasses & disposable face mask both kept within the vicinity of the front door in case situations like this arise. "This will conceal my eyes & teeth" she adds while putting them on, now with her obvious inhuman features hidden she looks the part of a normal Japanese woman going about her day off with only her grey skin being a call for concern, "but a few coughs can mitigate that risk". With Haru nearing the door, to her right, another member of her household floats into the hallway.

Hoshi: "Is something the matter? Dear"

Spoken in her typical antiquated manner, Hoshi hovers a full meter off the floor to inquire about the state Haru is in.

Haru: "You make me sound like a grandma when you call me that"

Her immediate response is one of annoyance as the floating Esper enters out of nowhere to almost startle the Oni.

Haru: "Now put your feet back on the floor, we have someone at the door"

Hoshi: "So I harked"

As usual, Hoshi responds using words so outdated the other girls fail to perceive what she said. Nevertheless, she does as Haru says & descends to the floor only to slowly shimmy herself until she's behind the doorframe leading to the room with the Tatami floor however instead of advancing further, she remains with half her body partially exposed to the front door so she can view Haru's interaction with this mysterious visitor. As Haru adjusts her onyx black tinted sunglasses with her left hand, her right reached toward the door handle.

| ピク | unlocking

She turns the tiny knob above the handle to unlock the door before grabbing said handle to twist it open, this action causes another subtle clicking sound to emanate from within the thick wooden door, allowing it to open. The opening of the door causes the hinges to grind creating a minor groaning sound.

| ピューピュー | wind flowing in

The sounds of wind flowing accompanied the air as it breaches the hallway to tassel Haru's blonde hair however the shining Sun & breeze do little affect to her as her eyes remain wide open behind her shades allowing her to observe the person at the entrance uninterrupted. In the foreground of Haru's view of the outside stands a modestly dressed young woman holding her hands together in front of her broad waist as if she were a formal butler, even down to wearing a fashionable beige blazer over a stainless white shirt which could put Haru's to shame if she had adorned hers at this moment.

The air being funnelled through the open doorway tassels the parakeet green hair, causing the subtle blue highlights in her hair to dance

As Haru proceeds to inspect this stranger further all she does is stare blankly with her sapphire blue eyes at the Oni woman, particularly the white turban she fashioned out of the towel or the fact that she's wearing dark sunglasses even though the two woman are in the shade.

Haru: "Can I help you?"

Breaking the silence, Haru speaks out hoping to get a clue as to who this person is.

Woman: "That's clever, concealing from Humans by pretending to be sick. I wish I could pull that off"

The Oni is taken aback by this woman's sudden response, as if she were deaf to the question this woman nonchalantly complemented Haru's method of hiding from Humans. This causes the Oni to furrow her brows until they are behind the sunglasses & shut her lips, "should I thank her for noticing?" she questions herself. "Though it's safe to assume that she is a Monster just in disguise" coming to that conclusion she takes one deep breath before coming back to the scene at hand.

Woman: "Oh wait, you're not actually sick right?"

Haru: "No, it's alright"

She brushes off that notion with a simple wave of the hand & head shake, "so she too is a Monster? I will assume" making this point in her head when words like "conceal" & "Human" were used in the same sentence in that way. "A simple Monster whistles if I've ever heard them" with that thought she feels assured & willing to investigate this character more.

Haru: "So you are?"

Straight to the point she tilts her head & asks a pressing question.

Woman: "Ah yeah I'm Ukiyama Shiho (浮山 志保), I'm here to pick up my little sister"

As this green-haired stranger proudly announces her name & purpose for being she gracefully holds her chest the way a butler would politely introduce oneself. To Haru, a few words stood out in that sentence, "Ukiyama", "pick-up" & especially "little sister". She paused for a second as three small dots appeared like blinkers to form a line above her head, allowing this information to process in her mind.

Haru: "You're Shika's sister!?"

Shocked by this revelation, she's taken aback & adjusts her sunglasses.

Shiho: "I am, you probably don't see the resemblance when I'm in Human form through"

Gesturing to her bare skin arms exposed by her sleeveless button shirt, not a single feather on them.

Shiho: "Is Shika~ri ready?"

| ドッシドッシ | loud stomping

Hearing a sequence of loud steps echoing through the hallway, Haru turns her head however before she can intercept whatever advances a thick luggage hits the floor with a deafening slam.

Haru: "Huh?"

Stunned by this sudden turn of events, the Oni swiftly arched to see a bright blue luggage resting on the floorboards with its grey metal handle sticking up & a barefooted teenage girl standing beside it.

Shika: "Shihonee~chan! You're here & so quickly too"

Delightfully calling out to her older sister while dressed in her sleeveless purple exposing her smooth tanned Human arms lacking a single green feather, beaming a shiny smile from her youthful face as she brushes off any loose dust or feather from short shorts & her bare legs.

Seeing this Haru is left astonished, "she's already packed & ready, even in Human form without me having to remind her" she confirms while picking up on Shika's eagerness to leave. This lively juvenile sprinting right past her to encounter Shiho who patiently waits outside the door frame with her arms open wide & calm blissful smile.

Shika: "Shihonee~chan!"

She cries with excitement, Haru standing inside takes her sunglasses off revealing the sharp vertical slit pupils of her venomous yellow-green eyes & ponders as she views this reunion. "Look at how happy she is" a gentle smile forms under her mask as she begins to focus on Shiho & contemplates, "just look at how tranquil Shiho is, Shika's opposite. I would never guess that they're related just by observing their behaviour". With Haru thinking someone enters the hallway from behind & comes to the door to spectate, Hoshi with her feet on the ground steps closer.

Hoshi: "Can thou know how long these two birds have lived apart from one-another?"

Asking Haru in a smooth voice, the Oni looks around to see who said it before lowering her gaze until the child-like Star Maiden enters her view.

Haru: "I can't say they see each other very often, look at how excited Shika-chan is to see her sister"

She subtly expresses her lack of knowledge of their relationship before drawing attention to the affection shared between these birds, Hoshi takes a good long look at Shika's arms wrapped around Shiho who pats her on the head with her right arm.

Shiho: "So are you'll alright if I snatch my lil sister away for several days?"

Hearing her ask such a question in such a nonchalant manner, this idea hits Haru like a tonne of bricks. She yanks off her face mask & exposes her shark's teeth.

Haru: "Your lil sister has never even brought this subject up!"

Going from whimsically amused to blatantly hostile, the Oni takes out her arm & points one of her grey fingers at Shika who remains in her sister's embrace.

Haru: "Young lady, you have school tomorrow"

She addresses Shika with a stern voice & flaring nostrils highlighting her dismay, though the Harpy teenager in Human form is all too familiar with this side of Haru she still reacts in her typical boisterous fashion.

Shika: "This is why I never told you! You'd act like!"

Resorting to the loud shrieks of a Parakeet & extending her open hand as if displaying to her sister what a raging Bull Haru can be.

Shika: "Shihonee~chan lives 14mins from my school by crow's fly so attending lessons on time won't be a problem, I've thought this through Haru~san"

Haru is taken aback by the seemingly common throw away phrase "crow's fly", knowing that these two are Harpies & Shika's tendency to defy rules the Oni moves to confront Shiho.

Haru: "Don't tell me you're going to let her fly in the open"

Directing her gaze to Shiho, hoping to plead some sense into the one expected to be the mature adult in their household.

Shiho: "She's a free bird & should be allowed to spread her wings" especially at this age when.

Seeing her older sister stand up to defend her in front of Haru, Shika views watches on with enchanted eyes as she pivots behind. Pitting the two women against each other.

Shiho: "Especially at this age when she's beginning her heat season"

Shika: "Kyaaaaaaah!!"

Shiho's blunt statement causes Shika to let out a deafening screech before rushing past them both & back into the house, the speed of her fleet generated enough wind to lightly shake both Shiho & Haru's hair. She even passes Hoshi on her sprint back to her luggage, opting to rest behind until the situation dies down. As a third-party observer Hoshi gently raises her short arm & steps forward to weigh in on the drama.

Hoshi: "I has't with a thought yond this could becometh beneficial for Shika-chan"

Seeing her announcement for supporting Shika staying with her sister Haru crosses her eyebrows & raises her chin somewhat, "Hoshi-chan you are supposed to be on my side" following this thought is a deep breath. She takes in a hefty amount of air & lets it settle in her lungs before a big exhale once the frenzy defuses.

Haru: "Alright Shiho-san, I'll let Shika stay with you for the week"

Turning to Shiho, she expresses her approval with a deep glare & steely cheeks. "She lives under my roof which makes me her guardian thus I have responsibility over her".

Shiho: "Well thank you, Mochizuki Haru-san…but she is my sister"

She meets Haru's menacing stare with a confident frame & assured smile but the Oni encounters this arrogant challenge accordingly, in deep silence her muscles remain stern even as she puts her flimsy face mask in her pocked then crosses her arms.

Haru: *sighs* "Just look after Shika-chan & don't make her do anything too reckless"

After a short sigh, she relaxes her eyebrows & shoulders to give her blessing to Shiho as if she were an overprotective father ceremoniously handing the precious daughter to her future groom. "What I'm allowing here is very risky, this Shiho is a stranger to me" with that thought in mind she steps inside to help Shika, lifting her hefty luggage with ease & passes it to her sister waiting just beyond the doorframe.

Shiho: "Wowo!"

Haru offers the luggage to Shiho, as soon as the Oni lets go it drops towards the ground at highspeed leaving Shiho stunned when she increases her grip in attempt to catch it before it hits the ground. The sudden weight causing her eyes to pop out & shoulders tense

Haru meanwhile turns back to Shika & gives her a big hug, comfortably nesting her head into her bosom.

Haru: "You be a good girl now & please stay safe"

Uncharacteristically for Shika, she rests her arms around Haru's waist & embraces this warm cuddle. At least for a few seconds before she pulls her head out & releases her lock prompting Haru to do the same.

Shika: "I promise things will go smoothly, Haru~san has nothing to worry about"

Confidently assuring Haru, she pumps her chest out & straightens her back like she's a soldier who has just received orders. With that said all Haru can do now is watch as Private Shika marches out of the house to aid her sister who's barely managing to drag the luggage away, the two grab each side of the handle & pull together until the reach the gate at the end of the garden. As they do so Haru & Hoshi bid their farewell for now with slow hand waving accompanied with comforted smiles.

--

| ソヨソヨ | gentle breeze quietly blowing.

A calm wind rustles the large trees & long grass creating waves of green as far as the distant mountains, this deluge of flora presents an untouched environment far from the urban sprawl of the familiar Saitama City

Standing at the debut of this grassy plain is Omagi's very own Parakeet in her illustrious green & yellow feathers being swished by the wind, even her bright green hair waves in the air.

Shika: "This scenery always makes me feel peaceful"

She mumbles with a small voice & approaching breath as her sweet teal eyes scan the jagged mountainous horizon.

Shiho: *galping* "Um"

A faint galping sound from behind reaches Shika's ears causing her to turn & face her sister who has suddenly become engulfed in a cloud of light accompanied by a subtle crackling noise not dissimilar to popcorn popping, within seconds like a phoenix Shiho emerges from the light in her pure Harpy glory. Spreading her large wings to display the dazzling tapestry that is her illustrious feathers, her colours range from bright sapphire to the same green as her younger sister. With her blazer whooshed to the side by the breeze Shiho stands tall wearing her elegant sleeveless white shirt & her tight navy-blue jeans leaving just enough room at the bottom for her bird-like talons to freely move.

Shiho: "How's that for an entrance? Shii-chan"

She assuredly inquires about her physique, spreading her long wings & presenting a formidable grin with a wing of her left eye. Seeing her sister's display of charm & badassery, Shika stood in awe with her eyes fixating on the radiance of Shiho's bold feathers & her sparkling pale skin contrasting Shika's darker tan. "Mama had skin that would sparkle like that" this detail causes Shika to go uncharacteristically silent & ponder with her wings lowered.

Noticing this change in mood, Shiho steps closer. Her large feet digging into the ground & carrying dirt along as she approaches.

Shiho: "Is everything alright?"

Dropping her cool persona to be there for her Imouto, she reaches Shika's left side & takes under her wing & caresses the cushion-like feathers of her upper right arm prompting her to open.

Shika: "Hasn't it been 6 years since Mama flew away?"

Such a question being dropped brought an awkward atmosphere & with it an uncomfortable sensation in Shiho, replacing her overly casual mood with one of shallow unease. Shika turns away & a deeper silence, keeping her shoulders tight while sinking into her sister's embrace. "Shika can't stop wondering how long it would take to find Papa".

Shiho: "Has it? I didn't realize it's approached 6 years already"

Attempting to confront this realization, she puts on a fixed smile & lowers her eyelids as if building the façade of a serene guise for Shika to find comfort in

Shiho: "I remember when your feathers were still white & fluffy, you could barely hover over the floor"

She lightly chuckles as she reminisces on Shika's days a little toddler with short wings, her shoulders & her cheeks rise in tandem when her chest pumps out tiny exhalations of laughter.

Shika: "I was 5 years old Nee-san!"

Shiho: "Come on, you'll always be that widdle chick to me"

As Shika pouts, Shiho reverts to her nonchalant ways. Turning back to face her Imouto with that familiar grin, but seeing her sister return to her normal ways she springs out of the warm nest Shiho had created with her wide winds & pointed her right wing up towards the Divine sky. A single sharp claw protruding upwards indicating her intentions to fly.

Shika: "I'll show you who's a widdle chick, a widdle chick wouldn't be able to beat you to the Sun like I am about to!"

Screeching out like a deadly siren Shika's conviction in herself is restored. Seeing this resolve build-up, Shiho tenses her talons & balls them like Human fists. Immediately following this action, she spreads her enormous wings & bends her legs slightly.

Shiho: "Bring it on! Icarus"

Accepting the challenge, she assumes a taking off position anticipating for the signal to lift from Shika. But instead, without warning Shika spreads her wings out & escalates at lightning speed using her moderately sized wings to push air down with every flap. "If Shika can keep this up like usual, she'll be able to beat Shihonee~chan to the Sun this time!" She tells herself as she climbs higher with ever increasing speed.

With a cascade of adrenaline pumping through her veins, causing her wings to flap as if a gold medal was hanging in the sky. Each feather pushing the air down as she ascends like a missile, her large bird feet dangling in a pincer formation while the claws on her wings cut through the air allowing her speed to increase. With the rush of wind waving her hair Shika begins to hum an action-packed tune.

Shika: *mild humming gradually becoming more intense* "Na na na na na"

Her hums start to form syllables, the higher she goes the louder her voice becomes correspondingly to the greater flow of air rushing past her ears until it's the only thing she could hear.

Shika: "Naa naa na na na na!"

This pack of loud noises prompts her to sing louder too, along with her beating heart those green & yellow wings take the shape of large nets to capture air, propelling forward until her surroundings turn grey with thick vapour. "This chill makes Shika feel alive!" A subtle biting cold engulfs her bare cheeks & the skin of her legs as she fully enters the clouds with the light from the Sun suddenly diminishing the further, she rises.

Shika: "Yahaa!"

She loudly sings with her powerful bird voice as the circular silhouette of the Sun begins to pierce through the grey clouds, bringing joy to a Harpy who spends too much of her time cooped up in the same four walls of her room in Haru's house. But now, she is an ascending winged spirit exercising her freedom in the most genuine way a bird can do. Soaring through the breeze like a proud emerald phoenix approaching the Divine source of light, what Hoshi would describe as a colossal ball of plasma dotting the endless expanse of space. That Esper always appears in Shika's thoughts when she attempts to reach the Sun during her flights above the clouds, "Shika is almost there!" she thinks as she reaches the up with her right wing to grab the plasma ball.

In doing so, her scaly talon is touched by a gentle cloak of heat & brightness. As her wing stretches further, she can see that she is about to exit the cloud, "finally, Shika is reaching the finish line. With no sign of Shihonee~chan".

| シューシュー | whoosh

Shika becomes stuck in pool of her own ego when abruptly a sharp gust of wind swiftly passes her body but this time parallel to her vertical climb, her eyes turn slightly left only to be confronted with a dim tapestry of green & blue. However, within a fraction of a second these colours disappear above the grey before Shika passes this great filter too.

Shika: "Hsst"

Her supple lips tense & retract exposing her pearly white fangs, glistening in the light of the mighty Sun. The fridged grey of the cloud is now replaced by a soft sensation of heat & a big blinding light which causes her to cover her face with her wings.

With the light blocked by green & yellow feathers, Shika can gradually open her eye lids before she can spread her wings once more to allow facilitate her gliding mode. As she does this, her eyes slowly adjust to the rich sunny glow of the World above the clouds. A perfect place to admire one's height above the ground & the serene turquoise Sky, yet at this moment Shika is distracted by a sight she hoped not to witness.

Shiho: "Yaoh!"

A joyous cry from her sister swiftly scaling the blue Sky like a Spider scaling a wall, rapidly closing the distance between her & the Sun.

Shika: "Noo!"

She lets out a cry of frustration accompanied by shaking of her head & whipping green hair, "this was meant to be Shika's time" she thinks while getting in a short childish tantrum. Her sister on the other hand reaches the Sun at long last, she rises until she is in between it & Shika's view.

Only to spread her wings & pump her chest out, making a champion's pose with the Sun as her backdrop. Creating the shadow of a triumphant bird icon over the puffy clouds Shika flies just above of, a display made for her by Shiho. "That's a cool pose as well" having nothing to do but reluctantly admire her sister's victory with a large pouty face as Shiho descends until she's flying side by side with her Imouto.

Shiho: "Not bad, huh?"

She charismatically asks with a nonchalant grin & gentle blue eye, her long hair waving in the wind & the Sun's beam radiating her beauty. However, unamused by this Shika just rolls her eyes.

--

| ガラン | metal clashes

The iron bars wobble as a metal gate shuts on Shika giving a puzzled look as she stands in the middle of a large metal cage, her teal blue eyes zigzag all over the place seeing herself surrounded by black painted iron bars. The person on the other side of these bars is none other than her beloved older sister, Shiho in her radiant Harpy turns away & leaves through a doorway to what looks like a cramped kitchen.

as soon as the door shuts, Shika's eyes wonder around the room the cage sits in. beyond the bars are four moth grey walls devoid of any decoration, strictly contrasting her poster filled wall in Haru's house. To her left is a plain single bed coated in a thick white duvet, as barren as the walls. To her right is a narrow desk with a smooth grey laptop closed & displaying a black circular icon on its surface.

Shika: "Umm"

Eyes coming back to the gate in front of her, Shika hesitantly lets out her insecurity with a slight moan & raised eyebrows fixed in place which is followed by a torrent of unease as her heart races causing her wings to flap uncontrollably.

Shika: *intense breathing*

This is where she starts hyperventilating as she frantically seeks an opening large enough to squeeze through, she rushes to the bars & reaches her wings out as far as she can. Grabbing the air with her sharp claws hoping for something to yank herself out with.

Shiho: "It's no use, Shii-chan"

The white wooden door opens & entering this tiny room with colourless words is the one responsible for placing her in this mini prison, Shiho steps in holding a purple ceramic mug on her right talon & tangerine Notchan bottle on her left. Her stoic façade highlighted by her relaxed eyebrows & calm demeanour as she steps closer to the cage.

Shiho: "But you gotta get out of this cage if you want this Notchan"

She unhurriedly says as her left wing deliberately advances to the bars, her talon twitches the bottle letting the liquid flow from right to left in attempt to taunt her Imouto.

Shika: "As if being stuck in this cramped pen isn't motivation enough"

Shiho: *still laughter*

The older Harpy couldn't help letting out a short, muted giggle at Shika's rare moment of whit

Shiho: "You're right, just think of this as your treat for escaping"

Nonchalantly placing the bottle onto her bedside table as she speaks, "damn, that looks delicious" Shika inadvertently realizes when seeing the bottle of enticing orange juice, with drips of condensation dripping down the side of its tangerine-coloured surface. "Alright, how can Shika get out of this?" she asks herself.

Scanning the cage for any ways out, the gate of the cage directly in front is her first place to look. "If it can be closed, it can also open. Right?" Unsure of how to approach this issue, Shika edges closer to the locked gate to search for clues. She grabs a bar with both of her talons & pulls herself forward to examine each of them. Hoping for something.

Shika: *furious pouting*

Shiho: "Is something wrong? Shii-chan"

Stranded within the cage, Shika tenses her lips & draws her eyebrows together as she marks the hinges on her left before turning to her right to see the tiny padlock holding it together.

Shika: "I think I have it"

She calmly announces with fatigued breath, "this must be it Shika" she tells herself as she strengthens her grip on the bars & gradually tenses her muscles. Starting from her shoulders, a force of pressure transfers down her wings & to her talons where she pushes forward. Her legs are angled to give her a greater amount of strength to push the gate open, "Shika doesn't care if the lock breaks" seeing the lock struggle to keep the gate in place she gets a minute feeling of bliss at the prospect of her plan succeeding.

Shiho: "I hope you don't break my lock"

Standing ahead watching Shika's attempt is Shiho, casually sipping on her coffee like some supervillain. "This is too difficult, Shika can't do this" those words repeat in her mind as she struggles to balance herself with her spaghetti legs, she holds onto the bars as if for dear life while her anxiety builds & builds. Her breaths become shorter & more rapid, her digits begin tapping the bars uncontrollably while her mind spirals into a storm of mayhem. "Are those bars getting closer?" After glancing at her bird-feet, she sees her claws almost touch the edge of the cage. The tiniest of gaps between her feet & the bars creates this illusion in her mind, a terrifying state of mind.

Shika: *hyperventilating*

Her once intact form is all but extinguished, in its place is a fragile powder cake in the shape of a bird. So delicate that the touch of one finger could cause her to ignite & explode, which is not too dissimilar from what fuels her heart to desperately shake her wrists & legs.

Shika: *tears build up in her eyes*

Her eyes get heavier as they fill up with tears, slightly distorting view of the black bars, the white room & her sister standing there with that mug of coffee.

Shiho: "Ok, I think you've had enough"

She says calmly before taking another long sip, two out of three of her bird digits clenching the mug's handle the way Human fingers.

Shika: "Huh! Wha!"

Unable to form proper words, Shika's teary eyes turn to her sister who sets the mug down on the bedside stand next to the orange bottle of Notchan then takes a few steps closer to the cage & reaches her right wing out to Shika's as if attempting to hand her something. Despite her view being distorted by her tears it's clear that Shiho is trying to give her something but when she looks at her sister's bare talon she can't see any item, only a little dot twinkling like a star.

"Could this be?" she asks herself, extending her left wing to grab this shiny speck hoping for the key to getting out.

"Is that?" she gets a greater idea of what this speck is as she feels it with her digits before slowly grabbing it off her sister, "It is!" she comes to this realization as soon as this speck is in her grasp & she feels its smooth metallic surface.

"Shika can escape with this" she concludes as her tear-filled eyes begin to dry up & her vision becomes clearer, she can now see the long metal pin in the shape of a spiral in her yellowy palm. "Shika has seen these be used to pick locks" with that thought her anxiety lifts contrasting her chest which feels like it's descending from a great height, "oh wait!" but just as quickly as that Shika is hit with an epiphany.

Shika: "I don't know how to pick locks"

She loudly mutters to Shiho with an embarrassed tone of voice & wide blank eyes only shining the colour teal with tiny pupils, her almond lips forming a disconcerted grin. Shiho sees this & furrows her brows in slight frustration.

Shiho: *deeply sighing*

--

Shika: "Thank you for teaching me how to pin locks, Shihonee~chan!!"

The young Harpy delighted by finally being free expresses her gratitude to her older sister with a large smile & tender hug, she wraps both her wings around her rescuer until her body is covered by long feathers.

Shiho: "Yeah yeah whatever"

In rection, Shiho speaks somewhat sarcastically as she's restricted by her Imouto's great cuddle. She faces one of the room's four corners with a look of disappointment & displeasure as if she's now trapped in that cage.

Said cage has been dismantled, its black bars now scattered the fluffy white rug on the floor. The two Harpy sisters sit on the bed together, its plain white duvet now sprinkled with colourful feathers like sprinkles on vanilla ice cream.

Shiho: "I won't help you next time, this is a very important skill to have"

She discloses with eyes shut & tense shoulders, Shiho wriggles her torso in attempt to free herself from Shika's strong grip.

Shika: "I promise I remembered"

The harpy with tanned skin responds with a blissful voice & kind smile as she loosens her grip on her sister, she uncouples her wings & releases her sister. With her right talon on the bottle of Notchan she gleefully drinks it like a champion causing slight discomfort in Shiho's eyes who straightens her white button shirt & brushes any feathers Shika's dropped on her lap.

Shika: "I saw the logo under than cage, by the way"

Taking the bottle away from her lips to make this announcement, Shika turns to her sister & admits what she saw as they were dismantling the bars.

Shika: "Those red Xs on the bottom & the name temptation, you got it from one of those exotic stores. Didn't you?"

Asking with a teasing tone as she points one of her digits to her sister & gently wiggles it like a disappointed teacher about to reprimand a student.

Shiho: "So what if I have?"

Her sister asks forcefully like she's guilty of something, turning away & hiding her cheeks only adds to this suspicion only to turn back with an exciting proposition.

Shiho: "We should get Haru-san to shop there"

Grinning as she suggests to Shika who only watches on in silence, "what has Shiho just said?" upon thinking this her cheeks go red like strawberries & her eyebrows shoot up.

Shika: "Would she like that stuff?!"

Swallowing down her drink before responding with a question about Haru, she closes the cap of her bottle & twists her body to face Shiho like she's about to engage in a game of some kind.

Shiho: "She seems ridged like a statue, I'm sure paying a visit to Temptation would be good for her"

Shika shuts her mouth & ponders that idea, "Shika wonders how Haru~san would react" she runs one of her claws through the ends of her green hair & looks up at the dull walls as she questions the very thing.

As Shika's mind gets lost in thinking about what shenanigans could arise if Haru entered an erotic store, Shiho took notice at the bed they sat in & the lack of space around them. She has a look of dread as eyes trace the smooth bland walls & narrow desk ahead of them with only her laptop on it, not even an artificial plant to give this room some colour.

Shiho: "Unfortunately I couldn't afford a proper nest for us to stay in"

Her admittance of that brings Shika back to this moment, she turns back to her sister & grabs the wing closest to her.

Shika: "No no this is still a comfortable bed, we don't need a nest! We're still half Human after all!"

She holds Shiho's wing tighter as she reassures her somber sister with her loud but warm words & slight tug of the duvet with her other wing. Shika gave her sister a gentle rub of the shoulder before extending the wing holding the Notchan drink out to catch Shiho's mug in a *clink*

| チン | the drinks clink

Shika: "Thank you for being there for me…when you can"

Hearing more words of gratitude from her Imouto, Shiho's eyes gradually light up & her cheeks rise slightly but this was not enough to beat back the sea of doubt & despair in her Soul.

Shika: "What's wrong? Shihonee~chan"

Picking up on this storm brewing within her sister, Shika shimmies her Heinie leftward until she is within breathing distance& brushes her feathery shoulder against her sister's.

Shiho: "I just know you miss Mama, I do as well"

She says while taking a tight sip of her vibrant coffee with her eyes shut, savouring every drop as it passes down her throat. "Mama? Shika really does miss her, but she went to find Papa. Mama is on a quest & she'll be back" she confirms in her head with the warm light of her optimism shining through. Hoping it can reach her sister as well.

Shika: "I do, so much. But I know she's looking for Papa so it must be difficult for her"

Shiho's ears stick up at the word "Papa", this is followed by her eyes opening & her temporary trance caused by the coffee is fatefully disrupted by Shika's words.

Shiho: "Ah, your Papa"

She mutters, so quietly it might as well be in her head. Not wanting to push such a mood onto her Imouto Shiho masks the dread within her with a white smile & tender eyebrows.

Shiho: "So Shii-chan, how about a movie?"

As she asks, Shiho sets the mug down on her bedside stand & gets up to turn her laptop on with the soft tap of her index claw onto one of the side buttons.

Shika: "Movie! Like when we were kids! Of course!!"

With Shiho's façade successfully fooling Shika, she radiates like a light bulb at the idea of such a nostalgic activity. She excitedly grabs her Notchan bottle & flings herself to the other end of the bed.

Shika: "I missed doing this, eating the corn snacks & jerky & snuggling in the nest"

perching her back up as she begins to list parts, she reminisces about with a luminous glow on her face like she's a princess of some child's fairytale.

Shiho: "Well I couldn't find jerky, but we have tonnes of corn snacks…"

she softly delivers that unhappy news while carefully typing away on her laptop with her exposed bird knees on the fluffy rug.

Shiho: "I managed to download some of our movies, Skyward House, Woodland Man, Safety Third & Alberto II: Dalerno's Castle"

She announces pivoting to the left to present the shiny laptop screen displaying an animated classic, she even rattles her wings like a feathery cheerleader presenting the winning athlete.

Shika: "No way! Alberto II!!"

She screams with excitement, shaking her legs as she sits causing a single feather to slowly drop to the soft duvet. So, excited she gets out of the seat she made for herself & crawls in all fours closer to the edge facing the laptop, even dropping the bottle in the process.

Shiho: "You're lucky that bottle is closed"

She comments as soon as she hears the thud of the 2/3rds full bottle landing on the floor.

Shika: "This was always my favourite growing up, but I couldn't find anywhere to watch it"

She says as she gazes at the screen with deep child-like wonder, widening her eyes like a curious parrot watching a bottle cap roll down the stairs.

Shiho steps away from the laptop & sits back down next to her Imouto as the opening credits greet these two little birds to an exciting, animated adventure. The excitement proves too much for Shika as she embraces her sister with her open wings, such a display of affection brings a tender smile to Shiho.

Shiho: "Oh Haru-san doesn't let you watch this stuff? I bet there's no freedom in that household"

In bringing up Haru in that way, Shiho can't help but grin at what she perceives as a win over the Oni in the department of raising Shika. After giving her Imouto almost everything she needs to be comfortable, she raises her chin somewhat preparing more words to justify her position.

Shiho: "I bet she doesn't let you fly in that big house of hers"

Shika: "Actually she has let me do that lately, if I clean up after myself more. She even lets me fly outside the city when the clouds are thick enough"

Hoping for an easy agreement & a jab at Haru, Shiho is left in dismay as Shika defends her Oni guardian by opening a small window into their arrangement on flying. Suddenly Shiho feels slightly betrayed, not by Shika but by her own assumption on the matter.

Shiho: "Well I bet you don't often watch stuff together like we did"

Now getting off the rug & gradually stepping closer to the bed, she comes at Shika with another incursion onto Haru. Once again attempting to dissolve this remarkable image Shika has for the Oni homeowner by pocking it like a balloon & pecking for shortcomings.

Shika: "I mean, not often but I don't enjoy the movies she likes. It's complicated smart-person movies & British period pieces, hardly stimulating for me"

Immediately giving into Shiho's game of defacing Haru, Shika brings up one weakness in their relationship however this has almost the opposite affect her older sister was wishing to gain.

Shiho: "How can my Imouto not like period dramas?"

She grieffully asks herself with a solemn sigh. 

Shika: "But watching movies with her would just make me miss our time together"

Just like that, Shiho's offensive on Haru is swiftly beaten down by Shika's warm & sincere words. Leaving her to sit & ponder those very words as the movie gets right into its first act, keeping her eyes on the colourful motion picture as she strokes Shika's soft green feathers.

Shiho: "That Oni does work hard to make sure you're comfortable & fed right?"

Realizing the pettiness of such a conflict she faintly discloses this truth to her Imouto who's eyes remain glowed to the action on screen.