Chapter 4 - Room Hunting at Mecchen House (cont.)

Katsumi teased her lips with a hand and didn’t give a note of rejection. “That’s a step in the right direction, but I need a lot more… From all of you. Do you still have the women's clothes from long ago, Ms. Ishida?”

She explained that not only did she, but we had picked through them for what to wear tomorrow. Her eyes lit up. “So, you will be wearing girls' clothes… Hmph. I expect no one would be able to tell the difference anyway. You picked gender-neutral items, didn’t you? And what will you three be wearing to bed?”

We admitted to our choice of androgynous items and that sleeping-outfits were limited or uncomfortable.

Katsumi’s voice took on a high, hissing tone, “Oh, I’m gonna make sure you’re so very uncomfortable when I’m done. And you’ll be so wrapped up in female sensations that you’ll all pee sitting down each time you use the toilet and smell flowers everywhere you go. When you wash in the bath, you must use this particular soap I have which has lavender. It exfoliates and even is an anti-inflammatory. Everyone should use it, in spite of the feminine fragrance it leaves behind. I’d give you an intimate body wash to use but you don’t have female… intimate areas… yet! I’ll find one that will give intimate areas to wash, someday. I swear on it! And I have a girlish body spray. Use all those items and let me work on all of you before bed and you’re halfway there. Wear something really womanly to bed, and I’ll let you temporarily into this space. But just ONE, just A SINGLE, very minor infraction, and you’re all out and it’s the first-floor couch and carpet for the lot of you. UNDERSTOOD?”

Jamie rubbed his eyes. “I’d rather sleep on the floor. I’m sick of this lame treatment. You said you have futons?” Ms. Ishida nodded and led us back downstairs.

Katsumi followed us with wider eyes than usual. Her verdant orbs tracked our every move down the steps. She still had on her slender glasses. At least she’d changed out of that silly sports outfit and into a nice, silky pink robe. It would look better on Ami though.

On the second-story landing, Katsumi cleared her throat and added, “Any remaining third-story dwellers will also have to shave their legs, arms, and any other part of their body with significant body hair.”

I folded my arms and looked at her. “Are you just going to add things we’re going to have to do until we all cave and leave anyway?”

Her eyes narrowed again, but she said nothing in reply.

Once back on the first-story, Ms. Ishida pulled out a trio of futons.

Jamie’s first reaction was, “That’s a futon???” He rolled it out across the floor.

Ms. Ishida nodded. “I know the living room area doesn’t have tatami flooring. It’s a different style. My father was a lover of all fashions of interior design. But I’ve slept on it with just a blanket and no futon and didn’t have any problems. Of course, the couches are also spacious if you want to try them. Depending on how many decide to use this room, you can work out a deal for who sleeps where.”

Nathan eased onto the couch facing the wall. Jamie dropped onto the one facing the hallway. They both tested the comfort and Jamie asked, “Do the lights in the hall turn off?”

Ms. Ishida nodded. “The main lights are in three segments. Touchpad controlled, tap once.” She reached around to a white pad on the wall I’d dismissed as art beforehand. The lights near the kitchen and entrance went off and then back on with one touch, then another. She concluded with, “There’s another at either end of the hall. This way a bedroom set can have the lights off, and if someone’s up late, then they can still see their way around without disturbing anyone.”

I logged that into my memory. Katsumi grabbed at a box of clothing and coughed once. “It’s sure been a while, hasn’t it? Since your mom…” Her voice trailed off.

Ms. Ishida folded her hands in front of her. “Yup. But she’s left so many precious reminders for us.” Katsumi smiled a quite pleasant smile and dug through the box. She pulled out a dress-like garment with thin shoulder straps. She walked over and held it against me. “Doable. One chemise.” She put it on the end of the couch beside Nathan. Then, she pulled out a trio of pink robes and set them aside too. “For when you take your bath.”

She really seemed to be enjoying this. She came out with a variety of pajamas. One brown, one yellow, and one pink. “The pink one should fit our biggest girl.”

She held it to Nathan and giggled. “Excellent. Now for some panties…”

Jamie stomped a foot almost as loud as Katsumi usually did. “No! Boxers. And, besides, I’m not wearing it. I’m staying down here.” Katsumi shrugged and drew out a duo of pink boxers. One silk and one flannel. Naturally, the fly front was fake.

Nathan offered to wear the silk one.

I wavered a bit, “I think I might join Jamie down here. And I’ll take the futon if you both stay. I don’t mind. We just need to stay the night, then we can find easier lodgings.”

Katsumi glared. “Not after I went to the effort of finding cute clothes for you!”

This actually perplexed me. “I thought you’d be happy,” I told her. “This way you don’t have to worry about me trespassing on your… domain.”

“As I said. I claimed you. I’m not gonna let you go until you scream ‘I’m a girl!’ You’re not getting away so easily. No cutting and running. I’ve picked you. And you too.” She pointed to Nathan as well. “I need to make up for the lost work on your hair. And you.” Her attention turned to Jamie. “I made a promise to you as well. But I can still get you from the first floor. I’ll just need to be more covert. But a promise made from me is one which is guaranteed to be kept.”

Katsumi puffed herself up and let loose another speech. “I will succeed! For the sake of my maiden comrades who fell in the struggle before me! For the sake of maiden dignity! But most importantly, FOR THE SHEER CUTENESS! I knew I would face a harsh struggle. To secure the maiden domain and lock in eternal softness whoever would DARE to pass within our borders. If you see a man, make a maiden! If you see a god, make a goddess! NO QUESTIONS ASKED! NO MERCY SHOWN! Move forward to victory! I will not lose!”

Her arm swung like a blade through the air and her words cut like distant thunder.

The door down the hall slid open and Sumi padded into the room with a tired glare. “Pipe down, puddin’. Or you’ll make me regret not voting for something like…to put these three in your room.”

[Unfortunately the following visual of Sumi hasn't been drawn. So, have this sketch.]

She was wearing an untied robe. Her nipples were covered but a good portion of both breasts was revealed. And this did absolutely nothing for me. Not that I wanted it that way, that’s just the way it was. Getting hugged by a child-like teenager is one thing. This was troubling. While Sumi probably wasn’t much older than Tara, she sure played up her features.

Katsumi lunged at Sumi’s robe and quickly ‘drew the curtains.’ Sumi raised an eyebrow. “Wow, if you wanted a three-some, why didn’t you just say so, kitten?” Katsumi had inadvertently grabbed hold of Sumi’s chest when closing up her robe. I had to wonder if Sumi was actually sleepy, considering how she then chased Katsumi around the hall, cackling until Miki joined the fray. She had on her robe too, but it was closed all the way up.

Katsumi clung to Miki for support. She just groaned and asked Sumi, “Don’t you have better things to do?”

Sumi shrugged. “What can I say? I hear a girl screaming, and I ask where the party is.” Aneko had discretely made her way to the laundry room. Miki rubbed her eyes. “You two play tomorrow. I need a bath.”

“IT’S NOT PLAY!” Katsumi reacted.

More sound of feet. No door sliding open this time. I leaned forward. It was Reiko. She was dressed in a pink gown. She looked even less happy since last I saw her. Her expression didn’t change an inch. Two words just emerged from her mouth. “Shut up.” Then she left.

Sumi wagged a finger. “You heard her, sweet cheeks. Try spazzing out when people aren’t doing homework, getting ready for bed… and so forth. Oh well, my Pussy needs some loving.”

From down the hall came four fast feet across the wood floor. It was the cat that clung so happily to Sumi’s shoulder. It looked at Sumi with wide eyes. She scooped it up and produced a feather from her robe pocket. The calico tracked the feather with an enchanted gaze. It tried to slash at it. She smiled and said a last, “Ta-ta,” before finally leaving. I heard the sound of one door sliding closed and nothing more.

Katsumi flopped on the couch. Miki gave a little shrug and walked over into the bath across the hall. A few moments later, she walked back out muttering “Toothbrush…” to herself. Ms. Ishida emerged from the laundry room as Miki went back into her room.

Seeing Ms. Ishida return gave a boost to Katsumi’s energy. She bolted to her feet and grabbed the garments she’d collected ‘for us’ and said, “Please wash these next.” Her voice was still firm, but several degrees quieter. Aneko took the garments from Katsumi and asked softly, “Are you sure about this?” Katsumi stood resolute. “Naturally!”

She folded them in her arms and explained, “Making girls out of boys in video games and stories is a lot different than trying to do it in reality.” Katsumi nodded. “But I know what I have to do. I can’t give in to fear and doubt. And so long as these three are here, I will devote all my energy to their conversion.” Ms. Ishida nodded back and took the items into the laundry room.

Nathan coughed. “Really. It’s quite alright. You don’t have to go to all this trouble and strain.”

Katsumi actually managed to keep her voice low when answering Nathan. “Don’t you dare try that. You actually think I would bother with this if it had a detrimental effect on ME? This is what I do! And NO ONE is going to prevent me from making maidens. You can be willing additions to maidenhood, or you can be dragged kicking and screaming into it by my joyful grasp. The ‘if’ of you becoming girls ended the moment you stepped into this house, knowingly or not. You’re out-numbered.”

Nathan took a deep breath. “I can always sleep outside. It’s not a big deal.”

“I said you’re not leaving until I’ve gotten what I want!” She spouted those words swiftly.

I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. The drawn details allowed me to clean them reasonably well with my shirt. “What exactly is it that you want? You’ve made motions to boot us out for violating this place. You’ve made requirements that we wear particular clothes and acquiesce to certain emasculations. And now you seem to want us to stay to… what… get your pound of flesh? Live out some fantasy you’ve got going?”

Katsumi narrowed her eyes. “You just lost the privilege of being considered a male. From now on whenever I talk to you, it will be with the female pronoun. I will consider your gender that of a girl. And you will not earn this privilege back. But so far as bathing, public restrooms, clothing changes, and the ability to be a resident in Mecchen House, you’ll need me for that. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re not stuck halfway.”

I had half a mind to drop my pants like I’d seen once in an anime with a similar situation between a boy and a girl, but I just rolled my eyes. Ms. Ishida looked at us. “Well, this does seem like quite a spot for us all. Tell you what. I’ll wash these just in case, for Katsumi. And we’ll see if we can work something out.”

Katsumi drew her finger in the air between the three of us. “Choose now: in the open or while you sleep. I will have my maidens.”

Jamie looked bored. “Whatever. It’s not as though I care anyway. Go ahead and do what you will to me, just promise me when you’ve done your little game, I’ll get to rest, in peace and comfort, upstairs.”

Katsumi pursed her lips. “My work is never done, but I will offer you this. If you allow me to make you sufficiently feminine, then I will let you newly-inducted girls have your beauty sleep. Is it a deal? Ms. Forester? Ms. Gravina? Can we make at least one thing unanimous tonight?”

I wasn’t giving in that easily. Nathan wavered, but then he was willing to give in to her. After a cautious moment, he reiterated the sentiment with, “You may do with me as you wish.”

Naturally, she looked to me next. “And what about our final lady? Will she be willing to do what must be done? Will you?”

She’d already essentially castrated me. She clearly wasn’t going to give up any time soon. I could come up with plenty of excuses. I could run. I could grab the others and run for it in the late evening dusk. We could find our way to a hotel somewhere. Presuming this world even had them. We could go wandering around the path in the dark. We could return home maybe a year and a half after we went for a walk (assuming a nine-month time jump each time) and find that we’d lost everything. Or nothing. I could leave all this, this turbulence of so many wild and crazy girls, and go somewhere quiet, serene, nice.

But in the back of my head, behind the headaches and confusion and cynicism, I held thoughts of the residents of Mecchen House in my mind.

I thought of Aneko, Ms. Ishida, and considered her gentle touch and subtle presence. I thought of Miki and admired her determination in the face of ridiculous odds. I thought of Mami and recalled her sipping tea. I thought of Reiko and how Ms. Ishida spoke of her. I thought of Sumi and how she held her kitten. I thought of Tara with her innocent smile and child-like demeanor. I thought fondly of Ami and a kaleidoscope of gentle features to admire. I thought of Nana and her quiet, captivating mystery. And my thoughts finally brought me to Katsumi. I recalled her in the presence of Ms. Ishida and in other, unguarded moments.

I realized that, in spite of everything and maybe for it all, I liked Mecchen House. It was certainly a place of fun. How often does someone chance upon an anime realm with honest-to-goodness anime girls in it? And how much of a dream come true would this be for some of the people I knew?

I certainly had to look at the positives. This place was beautiful. It was unique, and I really had to wonder, if I turned my back on it, would I ever see a place like this again?

The idea and possibilities tugged back and forth in my thoughts. Wasn’t all this worth a little indulging of one crazy, wacko anime girl? The words flowed gently from my mouth.

“Sure. I will.”