Jackie stood up, patting down her kinkind’s now-dirtied dress, squinting and then folding her arms.

“I’m not good enough?” she asked. “Katherine, I swear I can get stronger!”

Katherine sighed, “That’s exactly what Katherine’s afraid of…”

“Why’s that?” Jackie asked.

Katherine shook her head. “You’re not going to give up, are you?” she asked Jackie.

“I promised that I’d save everyone, didn’t I?” Jackie smiled.

“In that case,” Katherine leaned in and wrapped her arms around Luna’s body, “Katherine will do her best to teach you all that Katherine knows.”

“Thanks, Katherine,” Jackie said, returning the cat girl’s hug.

It was then that Jackie realized; Katherine was the only person in Phantasia who cared about Jackie for who she truly was. Not for who she could be as “Luna” or whatever.

“Hey, uh, do you mind if I call you ‘Katie’ or ‘Kathy’ or ‘Kat’ or something?”

Katherine smiled. “Katherine doesn’t mind at all,” she said. “Call Katherine whatever you’d like.”

Jackie looked up at the quickly darkening sky. Days in Phantasia seemed to pass by quicker than those back home on Earth, although maybe that was just because Jackie was spending every minute in Phantasia taking in the scenery, training to fly or inhabiting Luna’s body, rather than playing video-games or reading Two Beings, Or Not Two Beings.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Jackie blurted out, “Miss Shakespeare requested that I ask you how to use magic as well. I’ll be back, I just have to go grab something real quick!” she said, running in the direction of Kabuki’s house.

“Katherine will come along with you,” Katherine called back, “it will save you from having to run back here!”

“Thanks, Kat!” Jackie called back.

By the time the two animal girls arrived in Old King Hamlet, the Moon was already out.

“It’s just up ahead,” Jackie informed Katherine, “BRB!”

As Jackie prepared to run up to Kabuki’s front door, it slid open to reveal Noh. The werewolf closed the door behind him, as he exited the doorway to leave.

His eyes widened in excitement as he turned around and noticed Luna’s body in front of him! “Luna!” he smiled, holding out his arms.

“Oh, uh…” Jackie stammered, “hello again, Noh,” she nervously smiled. “Sorry about last night.”

“Hmm? You didn’t enjoy it?”

“I-It’s not that… It’s just…”

“It’s ok,” Katherine reassured her friend, “try to calm down.”

Noh turned his gaze towards Katherine. “Wait, are you seeing this girl or something?” Noh asked Jackie while pointing towards the French maid.

“N-No?” Jackie said, “S-So what i-if I was?”

“You DO want to be my girlfriend, don’t you?” the werewolf asked bluntly.

Jackie felt Luna’s face turn bright red. Katherine looked over at her and reached out to place her hand on Luna’s shoulder. Jackie jumped back and started to run in the other direction.

“S-Sorry,” she called back to Noh and Katherine, “I gotta go! Bye!”

Noh looked over at Katherine. “What was THAT all about?” he chuckled as Katherine hid her face in her hands.

Jackie ducked into an alleyway, panting heavily. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as Luna’s physique faded away and Jackie’s clothes returned to normal. She’d explain everything to Noh later. Right now she had to focus on training in the art of offensive magic. She sighed and stepped back onto the main road, before giving a nod to Katherine and walking into Kabuki’s house.

“You know that girl?” Noh asked Katherine.

“Yes,” Katherine replied, “that girl is Katherine’s friend.”

Inside, Jackie found Kabuki sat at his kotatsu sipping from a mug of green tea. The Cyclops looked up at Jackie.

“So, you have the nerve to come back?” he snarled.

“I’m, uh…” Jackie fumbled, “I’m just here for that gun.”

“Take it, then!” Kabuki roared, grabbing the firearm from atop his kotatsu and hurling it in Jackie’s direction.

“Ow!” Jackie said, as the pistol hit her in the forehead before falling to the floor.

Jackie bent over to pick up the gun, as Kabuki looked off in the other direction to avoid catching another glance of her rear end.

“Don’t worry about me,” Jackie said, “I’m not going to be staying here tonight.”

Kabuki smiled. “Good,” he beamed, “because Noh’s throwing another party tonight, and I’m not missing it this time!”

“Noh sure does like to party, huh?” Jackie smiled, trying to make small talk to get back on Kabuki’s good side.

“Not really,” Kabuki replied, “he usually only throws parties on nights with a full-Moon.” Kabuki finished his tea and sat up. “Something must have him in a good mood…” he smiled.

“Maybe he just wants to hang-out with someone?” Jackie suggested. “In-fact, maybe he wanted to make up for not seeing you last night?”

“Pfft!” Kabuki scoffed. “If there’s someone he wants to hang-out with, it’s more-than-likely that it’s that ‘Luna’ chick that he wouldn’t shut-up about!”

Jackie’s heart sank. “He… wouldn’t shut up about her?”

“Yeah, so?” Kabuki asked. “It’s probably just a phase.”

“I hope you’re right,” Jackie thought.

“Well, there’s leftovers in the fridge, if you’re hungry?” Kabuki said. “I’ve got a party to attend!” The Cyclops walked over to his front door and left. He looked over to Noh, who was still talking with Katherine. “Are we ready to go?” Kabuki asked his lycanthropic friend.

“Yeah, definitely!” Noh smiled. “Later, cat girl!”

The two men walked off in the direction of the forest where Katherine and Jackie had flown earlier; where Noh had held his party the night before. Katherine waited for a little while, making sure Kabuki and Noh were out of earshot, before running towards Kabuki’s house and sneaking in through the front entrance.

“Jackie!” she called out.

Jackie sighed, once again taking the form of Luna Wolfe. She looked over to Katherine solemnly and handed her the Magic Gun. “I’ll be back,” she said, making for the front door, “I just have to tell Kabuki and Noh what’s really going on!”

Jackie slammed the sliding door behind her as Katherine watched her leave. She didn’t care what Sumire had told her. Her presence had put Noh in danger. Her presence had inconvenienced Kabuki. She knew that they deserved to know the truth.

The cat girl sighed. “If only you really did know…” the demon muttered to herself, “what is really going on…”