To make a long story short, I went with Uzume to the Kagoshima Aquarium. How could I say no to her? T-there was absolutely no way! I just went along with this…this yuri goddess! I even dressed up in my favorite one-piece swimsuit, and then wore a lovely translucent sundress Hikari left behind over it…

Daughter of the Cosmos 2★: Fashionabluh

Shiori gains a stronger sense of fashion and appearance, including both that of her own and others. In addition, anyone whose appearance she alters in any way is further subject to her mental influences.

Uzume seemed kind of embarrassed when I came out wearing it, so I guess it was a success?

Anyway, the aquarium! I’ve been here quite a few times! You can see all the way toward Sakurajima from here! It’s one of the last operating aquariums here in Japan, and holds rare species, some of which are deeply threatened by the rising temperature of the ocean! Oh, I want to protect them, all the creatures of the deep…

C-can we see the waves? I want to swim with the squids and octopi and abyssal creatures unseen by humans! B-but I’m stuck here behind a pane of glass, it’s so rude!

N-never mind that! I’m just…aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

“Oh, but I think their third album is my favorite, Shiori! I mean, ‘Make Them Gold’ is good, but Every Open Eye is a bit of a sophomore slump. Only a little, though! But, I don’t think you can beat tracks like ‘Miracle’ or ‘God’s Plan’ or ‘Heaven/Hell’. Oh, but then, they did the theme for the famous Kojima Hideo game Death Stranding; it was even on the American ‘Game Awards’, the same year Miyazaki Hidetaka’s Sekiro won Game of the Year, but there were technical troubles…”

S-she won’t stop!

I don’t even know what Uzume is even talking about! Some band I’ve never heard of because they were popular right before Western civilization collapsed under its own memetic weight! But she’s just leading me around all she likes! She’s so touchy-feely, too! Whenever I wander off on my own, Uzume just tugs me back with her strong arms and strong hands! She’s always like, clinging to my arm or something! This definitely is very awkward! I’ve barely been able to get any words in except to answer her questions!

She’s really attractive, too…a-ah, did she just, want to pick me up because she heard about me from Hikari? I-I guess she’s too young to be what they call a ‘cougar’ or to ‘ara ara’ me, but this is still not right! I-I’m saving myself for Karasawa-sensei! E-except all those things I did with Suzuka, but they don’t count, because I was Maledicta when I was doing them!

A-and this choice of venue! S-she has to know what an aquarium means, right?

R-right. I just need to be more confident! That’s what that course they made me take on social skills taught me! I need to take the lead on this conversation, or Uzume will just keep talking about bands that spell their name wrong for the next hour!

“Oh, but there’s a lot to like about Screen Violence, too. The highlight is ‘How Not to Drown’, which had a guest appearance by Robert Smith, lead singer of The Cure!”

Alright, okay, no need to Shiori Panic this time. I just need to speak up! Uzume might be intimidating, but she’s just a girl like any other! E-even if she’s like, goddess-like, what with her name being Uzume and all, I can get through this! I’m not just a girl, I’m a magical girl! I’m the equal of even the most beautiful and goddess-like of girls!

I just have to set my sights high enough! So I see the turning tides!

“Oh, um, Uzume,” I say, tentatively, reaching for her hand. To my surprise, she tightly clutches it! S-she really doesn’t want to separate herself from me for any reason, does she? “I really appreciate that gift you got me! It was a great gesture!”

“It was nothing, really,” says Uzume, waving her hand around. Ah, yes, I’ve distracted her from old bands I’ve never heard of even though I was apparently humming one of their songs earlier! “Just something I had lying around, so I had Hikari pass it along.”

“Does she talk about me that often?”

“Not really. I just pay a lot of attention to her.” Uzume sighs wistfully as a manta ray passes us overhead. “I kinda have to. She’s my dormmate, so I need to keep an eye on her and protect her.”

I can’t help but blush a little, and squeeze the older woman’s hand. S-she’s so gallant! I bet she and Karasawa-sensei would get along really well! I’m happy Hikari has such a loving, protective friend that watches over her! I’m super jealous!

But really, I cannot overemphasize how attractive Uzume is is. Apparently she’s got a big family and is basically from all over the world! That’s not a tan, it’s all natural! Her muscles, well, she comes across like a movie star! She reminds me a lot of the famous Southern Sun movie star, Circe Epeli Diodati; famous for her amorous, evocative roles! A-and her breasts are kinda big, too…

And she wears this choker, but it looks so tight around her strong neck, and I just want to make it snap. I want to wrap tentacles around it, or some kind of collar, maybe with spikes or –

Oh, oh dear, no, let’s not go that route! I’m not Maledicta here, I’m just plain old Shiori! Although…

I figured I might need to change into them in a pinch, so I stuffed a bunch of Hikari’s old and spare clothes inside me, since I figured out I can just pull stuff from myself with my magic! Somehow! So maybe, I could give Uzume a little something to show my appreciation?

“You know, I got you something too,” I say, as I slowly tug Uzume around. My favorite part of the aquarium exhibit is the cafe, which is almost completely surrounded by an aquarium tank! It’s even got tentacled creatures! (I-it’s kind of morbid that they serve takoyaki there, but it’s all cultured meat, so it’s totally fine!) “I mean, I just thought you would like it!”

“Aw, you don’t have to do that for me, Shiori!” A-ah, Uzume is hugging me! Right here in front of everyone! S-she’s so daring and forward! H-how many girls have fallen to her charms? She could have a whole harem! Maybe she could be the protagonist of an anime where she seduces countless girls with her endless charm! She’s charming enough to be a magical girl, even!

“S-still, I’m happy my sister has such a kind and generous friend, you know?” I reach into my purse, or at least pretend I am, and pull out this cute black ribbon choker with a dangly crystal hanging from the front. (I think Circe Epeli Diodati wore one of those in the epic alternate history film ‘Tales of the Bavarian Illuminati’? But then she wore a spiked collar, and oh, Uzume would look good in one of those, too…) “So, um, here you go!”

“Oh, thank you! It’s really pretty, I’ll put it on right away!” Ah, it worked! Uzume happily removes her current choker and she tries to pull the one I got on. It seems like she’s having trouble because her neck is strong and bigger than Hikari’s, but…

“Let me help you,” I say, pushing past my hesitation and walking behind Uzume, reaching behind to close the choker tight.

“O-oh…this is quite nice, actually. You have really good taste, Shiori.” I can just see the impact this makes on her. Apparently this is a way to impress a girl? I’ll need to remember that! This is already the best date I’ve ever been on!

(…it’s the only date I’ve been on, but ignore that for the moment.)

She looks so good in that. Something I made her wear. Oh, it’s a delicious feeling. Collaring someone like that, or just making a claim on them by their appearance. And her blush is delicious, too.

Oh, I’m almost jealous. I would gladly let her collar me. If she wrapped her strong hands around my neck, I don’t know if I could resist. S-she could use my body however she wants. I’d kiss her belly and lick up her sweat after a workout.

…n-not just yet. We’re still ten thousand light years too early to be in that stage of the relationship! W-which is distance, not time, but it works either way probably!

“Shall we sit down here in the cafe?” I say, managing it without a stutter or nerves having led Uzume there without her being any the wiser! “We can have parfaits while we watch the squids!”

“P-parfaits…”

Oh, but Uzume looks good when she’s embarrassed. 🖤