Angelique shakes her head. “Oh yeah, you can ask your mom. I keep forgetting about her.”

 

  “What!” Brigit yelps. “How can you forget about mom? She’s the sexiest woman in the world. I blame her for making me a lesbian,” Brigit finishes proudly, straightening her back.

 

  “Haven’t you noticed no one ever looks at mom as a sex object,” I explain?

 

  “I just figured they thought she was out of their league.”

 

  “She is out of their league, but as they say, looking is free,” I respond.

 

  “That depends on the site,” Brigit jokes.

 

  We laugh while Angelique rolls her eyes. “Seriously, even your mom?”

 

  Brigit grabs Angelique’s hand and says with conviction, “anyone with eyes can tell mom has a sexy body.”

 

  While Angelique panics, I explain, “mom said something about her having a powerful aura, so people don’t remember her. She can’t have sex either, so that’s my new goal.” I clench my fist in front of me in determination.

 

  “As they say, the family that sexes together stays together,” Brigit concurs.

 

  Angelique scoffs, “that’s definitely not a saying.”

 

  “It is now I said it,” Brigit replies proudly.

 

  Angelique sighs, “you know incest is illegal, right?”

 

  “You going to report us?” I ask, leaning past Brigit’s boobs to look at Angelique.

 

  “No, it’s mutual consent. Just don’t get arrested. But hmm, your mother, there seems to be something important there,” Angelique says with a furrowed brow.

 

  We continue to walk, but I notice Brigit lurch to a stop. I look back and see her arm stretched back, still holding Angelique’s hand. Angelique is making a constipated face. I ask, “what’s wrong need to go to the bathroom?”

 

  “ugh, no. I know I should be able to think of something, but it’s like doing math, but you forget what you needed to carry over,” Angelique says in frustration.

 

  “What?”

 

  “Like 12 + 18,” Angelique cuts off any arguments by quickly adding, “Yes, it’s simple and can be done in your head. It’s an example.” I hadn’t thought anything like that, but I’ll just let it go since it’s bothering her.

 

  “Anyways, the basics of addition is to add the first digit, so 8+2 =10, then the second digit is 1+1+1. But I can’t remember the outcome of 8+2. So I can never finish the problem,” Angelique complains.

 

  “What are you talking about?” I question confused by this random math lesson.

 

  “That’s what thinking about your mom is like. As soon as I stop focusing on an idea, it disappears like smoke between my fingers.”

 

  Brigit releases Angelique and says, “that seems frustrating. But it’s not worth getting a headache over.”

 

  I nod. “We’ll ask our mom later. You can give us questions if you want.”

 

  “If only I could keep them in my head. I’ll give up for now.”

 

  We continue towards town but then turn off and follow an old road around the outskirts. Its disrepair mocks the small town's old ambitions. As we walk away from town, the trees become thicker until the forest reaches over our heads.

 

  As we walk, we hear a hissing and yelping from the forest. I look over and see a fox and another animal fighting each other. Before I can get a good look, they scurry off.

 

  “What was that?” Both me and Brigit look at Angelique, who scoffs scornfully.

 

  “I don’t know. I’m an indoor girl.”

 

  Brigit shrugs. “It might be a badger or raccoon?”

 

  I nod. “It doesn’t matter. I just hope they don’t have rabies or something.”

 

  Angelique agrees. “The outside is dangerous. But I guess it’s fun every so often.” She flashes a shiny smile.

 

  We laugh and continue for a half hour. Finally, we see a bleached white wall with gray ceramic tiles. Walking out of the wooded area, we find ourselves in a Japanese historical movie. The wall continues on both sides of the road as far as the eye can see. A ways down the road are two opposing gates facing each other lined by statues.

 

  The statues are set on marble platforms about waist-high. On the left, a muscular woman is punching out. Across from it is a woman blocking with a sword. On the opposite side of the gate, the woman on the right is striking while the left one is blocking. They wear short kimonos that reach just above the knee.

 

  The attacking statues have their chests exposed, catching my eye. As I examine their mounds, I hear Angelique yell, “what are you doing?”

 

  I look over and see Brigit leaning under the statue, completely exposing her bottom half. She replies to Angelique, “You always have to check what’s under the skirt!”

 

  I walk over, lay on top of Brigit, and look up. “What do you see?”

 

  “White lace panties with a tie,” She explains.

 

  “What do you think is under it?” I ask, reaching up.

 

  Angelique pulls on my shirt. “Hey, you're trying to join up. They might get mad.”

 

  We scuttle out from under the statue, and Brigit asks, “Aren’t you curious, though? Is it fully sculpted or a barbie?”

  “No, I don’t care!”

 

  As we bicker, someone says, “It’s fully sculpted.”

 

  I jump and swirl towards the left gate. A bulky woman well over six feet stands there in a power pose. Her boobs are pretty big but look smaller due to her large frame.

 

  Not long after, I hear a melodious voice on the other side, “so they did come after all.”

 

  The new woman is also tall but has a thin, lean look with well-honed muscles. Both women have the same outfit as the statues. The thin woman has a sword on her hip.

 

  “What brings you guys out here?” the muscular woman asks.

 

  I put on my best smile and reply, “I want to learn how to fight.”