Well, that somehow just happened.

After everyone settled down from the bizarre yet threatening incident, the Beastfolk of the Besthal Pet Shop all thanked the girls for trying to help. Even though they didn’t really do all that much, it still was nice of them. Personally, I felt as if Snow and her terrifying hoard had the situation under control and that we were more or less in the way.

That’s not to say I wasn’t concerned for the three adventurers. 

As far as I’m aware, this is the first time the three of them have faced one-on-one combat with something that isn’t a monster, barring Nikita and, in Sam and Meri’s case, each other. Only a tiny snippet of a battle occurred, so it’s hard for me to gauge how well it would’ve gone if the fight had been to the finish. I think they did well enough, though. So I make sure to tell them as such.

Sam grumpily plays off my attempt at praising here, mainly because she’s upset that she lost control of her anger and fell down so quickly. Meri and Zutiria are more optimistic about the brief encounter, though. They both seem to like the little combo they’ve thought consisting of Shaddaswap and Meri’s Reflect, as do I. It’s a convenient positioning tool and rife with strategic potential.

The Princess goes on to bring up some scattered thoughts she has about the villainous Pimp. Her Highness thinks it’s rather suspicious how Pimpington held back his true strength, which I’m very much in agreement with. There’s an unspoken understanding between the four of us that the gaudy, larger-than-life crimelord is a strong combatant. If he intended to take the Besthal Pet Shop women by force, today could have gone very differently.

No matter what happens next, we have to play it by ear and continue our preparations to fight him if it comes to that. The thought makes me nervous, Pimpington seems like a much more competent threat than Fleetfoot, and there’s no telling what other kinds of criminals the Duke of Dewhurst has laying in wait.

After a half-hour of waiting for things to calm, Cherry and Peri are escorted by Snow to meet back up with us at long last. Before we can take off, though, Snow begins to speak with us in a rather severe tone.

“Myaster, first of all, I would like to thank you and the members of your Guild for standing up to our troublesome house guest, nyaa.” She says, narrowing her eyes in suspicion and moving out in front of the other maids. “But I need to ask what that perverse man meant when he said that he’d be seeing you and your Guild in due time. I cannot in good conscience allow Cherry and Peri to go along with you if I deem the situation would put them into any sort of peril. Rest assured, you will be given a full refund if this is the case.”

Sam grows reasonably upset, but she takes it out on the wrong person.“Wait, wait, wait, we’ve been waiting weeks for you guys to get into town!” Sam protests. I stick my hand out in front of her before she can pester the manager anymore.

“Sam, please. Be more respectful.” I sigh as the Princess grumbles and holds back her tongue.

I adjust my glasses and rub my aching temples, which are still slightly reeling over my pimp-induced migraine. This is a roadblock I was hoping to avoid. I did intentionally not bring up the whole crimelord feud for a reason, after all, as I knew this would happen. I’m going to have to do my best to convince Snow to sign off on this. “I understand your concern, Miss Snowball. Truly. Therefore I will give you nothing but the truth and allow you to make your own judgment on whether or not you can allow.”

Snow awaits my explanation while Cherry and Peri wait nervously with their luggage in hand. Each maid carries a small, black, pawprint patterned suitcase presumably filled with their clothes, cat toys, and some cat treats by the smell of it. Speaking of scents, I catch an odd odor coming from Cherry’s luggage which I’m almost certain is catnip.

Cherry nervously keeps looking at Peri, who is in turn nervously looking back and forth between Snow and myself.

“I’m currently in the midst of a minor dispute with one of Dewhurst’s numerous crimelords. I’m afraid that the pimp whose acquaintance we had the displeasure of making is likely a subordinate of this villain- the so-called Duke of Dewhurst- or some such nonsense. I know this sounds bad, but I’d like to stress that I have an immensely powerful Grekkan mercenary serving as our Guild’s bodyguard and that there is no danger to be wary of. If anyone with hostile intent were to make a move on me, she would appear and defeat them.”

Snow masks her emotions, constantly remaining suspicious as she weighs my words. “...I take this to mean you intend on actually fighting this Duke of Dewhurst and not simply relocating to another town?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t have the option of just setting up shop somewhere else. The Dewhurst Adventurer’s Guild is a very special place that functions differently from the established system, as I own the land and the deed. I’m afraid that every other Guild in Karnalle is owned by the Association of Adventurers and that by giving it up, I’d be put under intense scrutiny. I can’t say for sure what would happen, but I know that it wouldn’t be good for my career. That, and if I’m being more sentimental about it... it was my grandpa’s. I don’t want to abandon the Guild he spent his entire life running.”

“...Sentimentality is lovely and all, and while your plight makes for a very touching story, but do you expect me to believe a single mercenary is enough protection?” Snow steps forward staunchly and stares straight at me. “You’re lucky I’m even giving you a chance to explain yourself, Myaster. Failing to mention such a glaring and dangerous circumstance is typically grounds to bar one from ever adopting from us ever again.”

Snow gets up in my face and rears her claws, poking one of them against my shirt hard enough to feel it against my skin. “Don’t take me for a fool just because I often end my sentences with ‘nyaa’. Anyone with half a brain could tell you intentionally left out this ‘minor dispute’ of yours because you were worried that we would reject you. Which we would have.”

This fiercely strong Catfolk stands resolute against me, and for once, I feel like I’ve met my equal when it comes to negotiation. I try and think of a foothold for an argument to convince the immovable manager, but Snow’s unwavering eyes send a chill down my spine.

Luckily, I’m not alone.

“I-It’s not just Nikita who would be protecting Cherry and Peri! You saw what I can do during the fight, right? I-I’m a Shield Maiden! I protect things. It’s my job!” Meri says as she cuts in front of me and raises her shield, protecting me from Snow’s wrath.

“Meri, don’t-”

‘She’s right, Snow. We can more than handle ourselves. I happen to be quite a powerful Black Mage, for what it’s worth.’ Zutiria inserts herself between us, followed quickly by Sam.

“And I’m fuckin’ strong, too! I woulda beat that slutty hench-bitch into a bloody pulp no sweat if the fight kept going!” Her Highness declares as she grips her fist and raises it towards Snow in a desperate attempt to prove herself.

For a moment, the pretty white kitty contemplates the words of the three adventurers before deciding that they mean fuck all. “...No. I don’t care. Cherry and Peri are not coming with you.” The stubborn maid puts her foot down and crosses her arms, looking straight through my girls as if they aren’t even there.

“I admit that I didn’t tell you about my battle with the Duke of Dewhurst on purpose, Snow, but you have to understand-”

“Do I?” She cocks her head arrogantly. “What could possibly make me understand why you thought you were justified in leaving out such a massive red flag?”

“Because it’s irrelevant. I’m going to take down the Duke of Dewhurst, that pimp, and any other threat stopping me from making my business prosper.” I try my best to project as much confidence as possible, but our prospects aren’t looking good.

Snow is resolute, and I can’t blame her. If a client came in and registered a quest while leaving out massive details that would cause harm to my girls, like, say... a certain Steezweed warmer recently did... I’d be pissed, too.

“Peri, Cherry, I’m very sorry to say this... but go and unpack your things. You won’t be leaving here today.” The maid says calmly, turning away from me like I were scum. “Don’t let me see your face again, ‘Myaster’. I’ll admit, your smell was novel at first, but I see now that it only served to mask your true self.

“I’m going,” Peri says. Just when it looks like I’m about to lose the chance to ever adopt a Beastgirl, the maid drags her luggage and joins Sam, Zutiria, and Meri in opposition. Snow’s eyes open wide as she turns back around to look at the defiant, blue-haired kitten. Peri, undeterred, states, “I’m well past the age where I can leave the tribe if I don’t want to be adopted, nyaa...”

“Peri!? You... you can’t! The tribe won’t look out for you if you don’t go through the normal adoption shit!” Cherry frantically starts sweating, her magenta eyes darting between Snow and Peri.

The head maid closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, flaring the nostrils of her pink cat-like nose as she does. She’s conflicted.

“I... I’m so tired of everyone making decisions for me just because I’m a little clumsy. I can’t leave because no one wants to adopt us since we’re such a hard sell, so...” Peri hangs her head, sniffling from tears. Out of frustration, she grips the frilled hem of her skirt hard and digs her claws into it. “I’d rather go and risk a bit of danger than stay with this stupid tribe my whole life...! I hate it here, and I want to make my own choices!”

“Your own choices...?” Snow says as her conflicted expression grows tenser, and I see my chance to strike.

I move forward as my girls scoot out of the way so I can approach Peri. Placing my hand on her delicate, exposed shoulder, the maid jerks backward and leans into my sudden touch. As she turns her face to mine, I see tears trailing down from the eyes hidden behind her bangs. “Peri, I want you to consider what you’re saying. I indeed intend to be a patient, kind and caring Master to you, but I won’t deny that there’s the potential for danger. It’s also true that I lied about this intentionally. If you can still forgive me for that, then...”

“I... understand that it could be dangerous... and I don’t care that you lied. You had your reasons, and I... I don’t care what Snow says. I think you’re a good man, despite that.”

“Is it really so bad here, Peri?” I ask her.

“It’s not all bad,” She admits with a frown. “But... would you want to just sit there your whole life while other people tell you they know what’s best for you and they don’t even consider your own opinion?!”

“No. I wouldn’t, Peri.” 

Snow watches this altercation silently as Cherry stirs. The brattier of the two maids pauses with hesitation as she weighs her options. Then, Cherry shakes her head and pushes this hesitation aside. She moves her luggage over towards our side of the proverbial line, standing with the rest of the girls. “Where Peri goes, I go...” She says, looking at Peri with an apologetic frown.

From the way she talks, it's undeniable that Peri means the world to Cherry, although they will need to work out some issues. Cherry might have to realize some uncomfortable truths about how her attitude has affected her friend, and maybe even more than that, Cherry’s going to have to learn how to live for her own sake.

With my free hand, I clasp Cherry’s shoulder. The young Catfolk blushes and softly whimpers at my touch, but she doesn’t jerk away and hiss at me like I expected. Instead, Cherry looks back at me and stares into my eyes with a dazed, bewildered expression as she tries to puzzle out whether she enjoys the feeling of my skin on hers. Eventually, the kitten purrs.

Cherry’s decision seems clear to me, but I want to make something clear. “You’re welcome to come along, but I’d like it if you came not only for Peri’s sake but for your own.”

Cherry hangs her head and nervously looks over to Peri. Her best friend reaches out and offers a paw to her slowly, and the two hold hands, Peri giving her a meek smile.

“I’m gonna work on it...” The pink-haired Catfolk looks me in the eye and blushes. “I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not doing this for her... but... it’s also not a lie to say I’d like it if I could try to grow from this, too. I don’t think I can change if I don’t come with and try to understand where Peri’s coming from.”

Cherry bites her lip, struggling as she asks, “Is that good enough for you, Mya... ster...?”

“It’s more than good enough for me, Cherry.” I do my best to give her a reassuring smile. My hands reach out, scratching behind her brown, furry ears. She’s reluctant and twitches at first but the fear quickly subsides causing Cherry to purr once more. Even better, she eventually rubs her head into my touch.

I think I’m going to like having these two around very, very much.

Now that both Cherry and Peri have spoken their mind and declared their intentions to defy policy, all eyes are on Snow. The manager feels the pressure. Her arms may still be folded, but her expression is no longer as sure as it was moments ago.

Zutiria eventually breaks the maid’s contemplation with a new display of her typical lack of social skills. ‘The whole room is against you. This may just be my opinion, but I believe if you were to refuse at this point, you would certainly come off as a colossal bitch, Snow.’

I jerk my head to look at her so fast that it almost hurts my neck, “Zutiria-” But before I can apologize for the Mage’s tactless choice of words, Snow sighs deeply and shakes her head.

“Indeed I would, wouldn’t I? If my only option is letting you go off without proper protection and without a formal trial period, then I really have no say in the matter...” The elegant maid shrugs her shoulders as her large, white, tail droops down, defeated. “We’ll proceed with the formal adoption process. Peri and Cherry may go home with you and if after seven days you have kept true to your word and not touched them, then we shall make the adoption official.”

Everyone suddenly feels like a gigantic weight has been lifted off our collective chests.

I sigh deeply out of relief and wipe a bead of sweat from my brow. Sam throws her fists into the air and cheers. Zutiria smiles calmly while nuzzling into my side. Meri enthusiastically jumps for joy only to be dragged down by the weight of her armor, and, naturally, Cherry and Peri share a warm, tender hug.