Mao Mao's Sisters

Confrontation

A new day was upon the denizens of Pure Heart Valley. It wasn't until late into the morning that the three Mao siblings woke up. Violet had been the first of the three to seat herself at the kitchen table for breakfast. Tanya watched the purple Mao sister intently, taking every micro movement into consideration.

When Mao Mao walked in shortly after, Violet averted her gaze, still feeling guilt after the way she and Minori treated him the night before. Violet's grip on her cup of tea clenched tighter, threatening to shatter the porcelain under the continuous strain of pressure.

"Morning," Mao Mao called out groggily.

"Sup, bro," called back Badgerclops. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"Just give me my coffee," leaning against the kitchen counter, Mao Mao held out his hand. Badgerclops passed him an ugly cup, it looked as if someone had smashed several cups and then attempted to meld them together with melted down gold. Taking a long sip of the dark liquid, Mao Mao's half lidded eyes opened a bit more. "Okay, what's on the agenda today?"

Badgerclops proceeded to inform the Sheriff of the day's patrol schedule. "Minori and I will be going out on patrol later this afternoon, then it'll be you and Adorabat, after she gets out of school."

"Can someone inform me why and how a five year became one of the protectors of this valley, if you wouldn't mind." Violet said, quickly adding that last bit.

"We first thought that she was older than she was," Badgerclops answered. "I mean, it's hard to tell anyone's age here."

"I see."

"Anyway, I've got some work to do," Mao Mao took a step towards his office. "With the king's party being held in the square tomorrow, I need to get the proper paperwork filed."

"It's a party, why does there need to be paperwork involved?" Tanya asked. "Throw up some streamers, make sure you don't run out of punch and you'll be fine."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but the king like to make things flamboyantly flashy. Even after bouncing ideas off me, he intends to make this party huge."

"And because of that," Mao Mao adding on to Badgerclops' statement. "I've gotta get the paperwork in order, putting up detour signs in the streets leading to the square, clearing out the area to get everything settled, putting up the equipment, all that and more will need to be filed."

"Sounds like a pain," Tanya said, watching Mao Mao as he moved to his desk.

"You have no idea," he mumbled back under his breath.

•••

Tanya bided her time throughout the day, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be given to her. Eventually, the most convenient set of circumstances were practically thrown into her lap: Badgerclops and Minori were out on patrol, Adorabat was at school, and Mao Mao, after finishing the paperwork, said he was going to be gone awhile. All of this meant that the only people at Sheriff HQ were just her and Violet.

Meditating out in the yard, Violet focused on nothing but the sounds of the environment. The shifting of the branches in the wind, the buzzing of a fly as it flew by her ear, and the rustling of blades of grass as someone approached her. "Did you want something, Tanya?"

"Answers," replied Tanya. "I've been under your employ for how long? I know next to nothing about what's going on."

"Under my employ? Your job was to get me here, it ended the minute we entered the village," Violet spoke, never opening her eyes or turn to face the tanuki. "As for 'what's going on' none of that is your concern."