Mao Mao's Sisters

Meetings in Secret

Mao Mao walked into the kitchen, finding Badgerclops and Adorabat pouring themselves a bowl of cereal. Ever since Minori arrived, they've eaten five star meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Looking back, Mao Mao saw Minori wrapped up tightly in a blanket.

Tanya stepped into the kitchen, arching her back as she stretched her arms into the air. "Morning Mittens, what's for breakfast?"

"Well, it looks like we'll be feeding ourselves today," Mao Mao grumbled, moving over to the counter, he took up the box of cereal. "What's on the itinerary for today?"

Badgerclops held up piece of paper as he took a bite of cereal. "We're starting the day off with a quick patrol, then king has a meal we need to taste test for poison, afterwards is hero training with Adorabat while I have a nap on the couch."

Mao Mao grunted. "Sounds like Tuesday."

"Sounds like you have a good system in place," Ashaki stood in the doorway, her fur sticking up in places from all the tossing and turning in her sleep. "May I?" Ashaki gestured to one of the seats at the table.

Badgerclops and Adorabat's mouths fell open, the milk and cereal waterfalling back into their bowls. They heard that another one of Mao Mao's sisters is in the kingdom, but this is their first time meeting her.

Ashaki sat down at the table, giving Adorabat and Badgerclops a look over. "Interesting." Her eyes squinted, she looked past the metal hull of Badgerclops' arm, seeing all the intricate wiring and workings. For such a limited space, there was quite a number of weapons packed into it. The craftsmanship is master level. As for the child, much like other sweetypies, her anatomy was nothing like Ashaki had ever seen; her bone structure was incredibly dense, and her skin had a thin layer of phlegm on it that was slowly coagulating, forming another layer of skin. "Very interesting."

"Hi! I'm Adorabat," the blue bat flapped her wings.

Badgerclops, on the other hand, felt the calculative gaze that swept over him. For whatever reason, he felt the need to cover himself.

"A pleasure to meet you," Ashaki said back.

"Where have you been?" Tanya folded her arms.

"I've been up at the castle, combing through its archives," Ashaki answered quickly. "And I'm almost done with it."

"I'm guessing you'll leave when you're done?" Mao Mao surmised.

Ashaki tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Perhaps, but I also would like to study the Ruby Pure Heart. Despite the kingdom's namesake, there's not a single book about it in the archives."

"Really?" Tanya actually found this perplexing. "Not a one?"

"None so far," Ashaki leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling. "If it's anywhere it's in one of those last books."

Mao Mao turned his head at the sound of sheets ruffling, seeing Minori stir from her rest. She righted herself into sitting up on the couch, the fur on her heat stood up, pointing this way and that.

Minori arched her back as she threw her arms to the side. Her eyes held shut from grogginess, through slits she could make out the black and green of Ashaki. Her mind immediately went back to the night prior, and promise Ashaki asked of her.

Minori jumped up and went into the kitchen, about to ask Ashaki how her night went, but stopped as the words rose in her throat. Instead she said, "good morning everybody!"

"Morning," Adorabat called back. "We're partnered today!"

Minori fist pumped in the air. "Hell yeah! Let's ruin some monster's day!"