A quick drive later, and the group arrived in Roppongi.

Emma clung to Meggie's side, looking around with wide eyes. "M-Meggie... i-is it okay to be here...? Roppongi is super expensive, isn't it?"

Perry didn't cling to Meggie's side like his twin sister, but he stuck close and nodded. "Y-Yeah... there's no need to go this far for us, Meggie..."

Meggie huffed. "Shush. You're my friends, and I'm treating them. Besides..." She trailed off, remembering Tsuki. Then she sighed and said, "I was supposed to come here with someone else... but she's been ditching me for boys."

Perry frowned. Then his eyes lit up and he nodded in understanding. "Ah... Tsuki-chan, right? You're friends?"

"It's..." Meggie pursed her lips. "Complicated. I guess."

Complicated was putting it lightly.

Meggie still didn't understand why Tsuki had just ditched her. Not only that, but why Tsuki hadn't been stepping in to stop other girls when she definitely had the authority to do so. Meggie had seen how Tsuki hung out with the so-called 'popular' girls in school...

But then again, people changed. That was practically a rule of existence in this world.

It made Meggie a bit sad. But she had to just accept it... Though that didn't mean she wasn't going to complain about it. The next time she had a chance to see Kai or Tsuki's mom, she was going to let them have it.

Emma hugged Meggie's arm tighter and said, "I'll always be here for you, Meggie."

Meggie gave her a soft smile and said, "I know, Emma." She patted Emma's side and said, "You're the best friend a girl could ask for."

Emma gave a bright smile in return.

Seeing that, Meggie couldn't help but do the same.

...Was this why Dad had a habit of helping people?

There was something about that sincere happiness and gratitude that made Meggie's heart flutter a bit.

Jenny glanced back at Meggie and the others before saying, "Don't worry. This is Roppongi, but it's not like we're footing the bill." She pulled out a black card from her purse and spun it around. "My lovely Onii-chan said to go wild, so anything you want, we can get."

Meggie laughed. "Of course Dad would say that." She paused. "...But won't Mom be mad?"

"Hm?" Jenny blinked. "Why would your mom be mad about spending your dad's money? She'd be happy since she can scold him about it later, right?"

Meggie paused. Then she remembered the weird dynamic her parents had and slowly nodded. "That's... true, I guess." For a split second, Meggie remembered with startling clarity a few of the things she had seen between her parents in the past on accident. Then she pointedly shoved those memories to the bottom of her mind and quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, we're going to get food first. Then we can have some fun."

Emma pursed her lips. "It still seems a bit much..."

Meggie huffed and poked Emma's cheek. "If I say it's enough, it's enough. Got it?"

"Uwa! Meggieeee! Stop that!"

"Not until you agree."

Emma giggled. "Fine! Sheesh..."

Meggie smiled.

Jenny smiled at them all and said, "Alright. Come on kids. Stick close. I'd rather not give Meggie's mom another reason to see if she can become the Empress of Japan."

Meggie walked a bit faster, taking Emma with her. Then she paused and said, "Wait. Mom's been saying that?"

Jenny sighed. "Well... you know her. If things don't go her way, your mom likes making it so she can control everything. It's her toxic trait, I guess? Ooh, I should send her some personality quizzes. She's pretty free anyway, so we can do them together and stuff..."

Meggie sighed. "Of course it is..." It wasn't surprising. After all, that was the main reason that she and her mom ran after Dad.

They arrived at a sleek black building with a traditional wooden plaque reading 'Maji Toraki Udon' in kanji.

Emma's eyes widened. "I-Is this the right place? It looks so fancy..."

Meggie rolled her eyes and dragged her inside. "Just come on, Emma."

"W-Wait! M-M-Meggie...!" Emma blushed and clung tight to Meggie's arm.

Meggie stepped inside and said, "Yo. Mister Maji? You around?"

The sound of a bell marked their entrance. And a few seconds later, a man walked out from behind a curtain in the back.

His black hair was slicked back in a ponytail while an eyepatch covered his left eye. He was also wearing a fitted black suit, showing off his trained body. For a split second, he looked annoyed. But then he saw Meggie and laughed. "Ohoho! If it isn't Boss's little spitfire! Welcome!"

Meggie rolled her eyes and helped Emma up on a stool by the countertop and then spoke to her. "Ignore Mister Maji. He's weird, but he's a good guy. ...I think."

Maji gasped and placed his hand over his heart. "How rude! Daring to imply that I am anything but the greatest of gentlemen... You wound me, Little Meggie!"

Meggie's eye twitched. "I'm not little!" She subconsciously glanced down before looking up and saying, "I still have a lot to grow!"

Maji blinked and then laughed.

Meggie felt her face heat up. "W-W-What are you laughing about, huh?!" She pointed at him and said, "It's true! Mom's petite, but Dad's tall! I have a chance!"

Maji shook his head and waved his hand. "Nothing, nothing. I was talking about your height, but... it seems like 'Little Meggie' is already thinking about big girl things, hm?"

Meggie felt her face burn and huffed, looking to the side. "...Asshole."

Jenny helped Perry take a seat on the opposite side of Meggie before she took her own seat. "Stop teasing the kids, Maji."

Maji laughed and said, "Fine, fine." He bowed and said, "If the Mistress so insists, who am I to deny?"

Meggie wrinkled her nose and said, "...Creep."

At that time, a stern looking middle-aged man walked out from the back. He wiped his hands on the white apron and then adjusted the headband around his head. Sighing, he said, "I keep telling you, Maji. You'll drive away proper customers if you keep acting like that. We aren't a cabaret."

Maji cackled and said, "It's fine, Kiri-chan. It's just Boss's kid and her friends... and Miss Jenny."

"Hm?" Kiri raised an eyebrow and then let out a soft smile. "Oh. It's been a while, Meggie."

Meggie waved. "Hi, Mister Kiri. We're here for some udon. Is that fine?"

Kiri nodded. "Of course. It's a bit early, but we can get started for you." He shifted his gaze to Emma and frowned. "...It seems like you might need something warm."

Emma lowered her gaze.

Kiri frowned, but then he nodded and said, "I'll get the noodles started Maji. Start the broth."

"Hah?" Maji followed Kiri back through the curtains into the kitchen and said, "What about Saji?"

"Our friend decided to experiment with new ingredients and headed off to hunt a tuna."

"Tuna? For udon?"

"No, sashimi. He thought it'd be a good side dish."

"The hell? But we can just buy it at the market!"

"Yes. But he wanted to try spearfishing too..."

Kiri and Maji's voice trailed off as they headed into the kitchen.

Meggie blinked and then muttered, "I guess they must live some interesting lives..."

Jenny laughed and said, "Those three get up to some crazy antics every now and then, yes."

Meggie paused, suddenly realizing something. "Wait. But... isn't that true of everyone Dad knows? Like, Mister Reaper has a buddy in America who made a bioweapon or something too, right?" She frowned. "And come to think of it, Mister Kai is like a former big time yakuza boss..."

Emma's eyes widened. "W-What?"

Meggie paused. "Oh." She let out a nervous laugh. "Um... don't worry about it?"

Perry let out a nervous laugh. "Um... I think that's something we should be worried about, Meggie... You aren't... Like, the princess to some international crime syndicate or something. ...Right?"

Meggie paused and seriously considered that question.

It was...

...Technically true?

Well, it was more 'interdimensional' since it included the Three Realms. But a lot of what Meggie's Dad had done could be considered 'criminal activity.' And they were pretty organized... especially if she considered the sect they had back in the Three Realms...

Jenny rolled her eyes. "You're scaring them, Meggie. And no, she's not. Meggie's father just knows some very powerful people."

Perry started to sweat and said, "...Isn't that worse?"

Meggie huffed and said, "It's fine! And Mister Maji! You forgot to ask us for drinks!"

Maji's voice echoed from the back. "No alcohol for minors or before noon!"

Meggie felt her face heat up and said, "I meant like pop and stuff, dammit!"

"No cursing! It'll spoil your pretty mouth, Little Meggie!"

"..." Meggie took a deep breath.

Emma laughed.

Meggie noticed and sighed. 'Fine. As long as it takes Emma's mind off things... I guess I'll endure this embarrassment...'

Still...

Was it because Meggie was still a bit short? Why was everyone always belittling her? Sheesh...