"Comfy? Well, good." She goes on in a little rant, giving you no chance to interrupt. "Since you seem to be hell-bent on living as you are, I guess I can't advise you to leave outright. So next best thing is to learn their weaknesses. If they're making you do things that you don't like, or are touching you in places that make you feel uncomfortable. Then just say no. Failing that, you should have some leverage over them. Know how to manage them. They won't strike if you have some sort of trump card over them."
You look at Mokou, half-expecting her to burst out laughing. There's no way she can be serious. Come on now, is she
really suggesting that the folks at Eientei are sexually molesting you? Her continuing words and steady demeanor show you that it's no laughing matter for her.
"Now, I can't promise that I can help you if you're in a tight spot. But I can tell you that if they ever hurt you too much you can just confide in me, I'll do my best to get revenge. There's no need for their crimes to go unpunished. Just because you're a boy doesn't mean that you haven't got any feelings. It's the same for all humans. You could live for only ten years or experience multiple lifetimes, pain is pain."
"..."
"Heck, if you want, I can even help you escape. I mean, you probably don't want to leave, but that's because you don't know any better. I don't have much, but I'd be glad to take you into my place. It's cool during the summer and during the winter I can burn a fire inside and no one notices. The mosquitoes are a bit of a problem, so is getting a decent bath, but you can always go to the village. Or I'm sure that Keine might help you out. You're in good hands."
"Thank you." You say, trying to find the right way to reply. "Really it's kind of you to offer help, but I don't think that I need it."
"Oh Shirou... can't you see that they don't love you?"
What the hell? Is she tearing up? This feels like a bad after-school special.
"No, I really don't need your help. I can assure you that I'm not being used in
that way. You can trust me on this one. I think I'd know if I were being abused. And I think I'd deal with it in a different way."
"Well, I know it's not easy to adm-"
"Seriously. No abuse. I'm still confused as to why that's what you assumed was happening."
"Well, what can I say? It was either that or you were told to drop dead by someone you love. So what has been going on?"
"I'm not sure myself. To tell you the truth, I can't even remember most of the day today. As in, nothing since going to sleep yesterday evening." You easily let the truth spill out. It just seems appropriate that Mokou hear it.
"Is that so? Well, like I said, I heard from Keine that you've been acting a bit out of it lately. And there's the whole bit where you ran out of class. Can you tell me what happened? I just heard the rumors."
"I'm afraid that I don't remember." You confess, you're sure to look like an idiot right now. "Just assume that the rumors are true, what do you think might have happened.
"Well, all I heard was that you were crying and that you ran out of class. Not much else."
"That's odd..."You comment.
"What is?"
"Well, it's just that right before I ran out, I was told that I said something to Keine. Didn't she say what it was?"
"She didn't tell me anything. In fact, she was unusually blunt and direct. She told me that you stormed out because of a 'very important reason'. She didn't say what your excuse was." She places her fingers on her chin as before. "It's not like her to omit any details like that. You know what? It's really suspicious. I've known her for a long time, so I can tell she's hiding something."
"Maybe she's covering for me? Heck, since I can't remember I could have said anything. I could have even professed my undying love for her right there and then."
"Ha, now
that would have been silly, under any circumstance."
"..."
"I'm really suspicious now."
"Did Keine say where she was going?"
"Not really, she made a point not to. She just said that she had to 'Order a couple of untidy affairs that were long overdue'. That tell you anything?"
"I'm afraid not."
Mokou lets out a sigh and then leans back a bit. You follow suit, letting out a sigh of your own.
"You know what?" Mokou asks you lazily.
"What?"
"I think I've been duped. And I don't like being used."
"Can't be helped."
"Oh, I'll get her back. When she least expects it. I can't believe she made me wait out here all worried when she probably knows what's up."
You're starting to detect a determined aura from Mokou. It's almost imperceptible at first, but you feel like there's an ever-stronger hot field of fiery red forming around her. It's going to make you start sweating soon.
"Um... you know, I bet it's just a misunderstanding." You try to comfort her. You're not sure why things turned out like this. You're pretty much helping her deal with her own issues instead of her or Keine with your own. As far as you're concerned you're not very sure why you're even here.
"Oh, this is no misunderstanding. This reeks of malicious intent. She blew off our plans tonight to do whatever she's doing. In fact, I think I've already thought of a way to get even. I'll wait here all night if I have to. Of course, since you were duped as well, you are more than welcome to stay." Mokou starts grinning like a TV-villain again. "She'll never see it coming. Mwahahaha."
Cheesy laughter aside, you think she's being serious. Your gut tells you that nothing good can come of this. You believe that Keine was probably just acting out of concern. There's no way she'd snub a close friend like this. And even if she did, it probably was for the best. Between Mokou suggesting that you're getting fiddled against your will and this (surely) hair-brained scheme, you're left wondering if she isn't under the influence of a powerful drug. This can't be her being rational. You're sure that if she remains in the vicinity of Keine's house, something regrettable will happen.
This gal would probably spend all night lurking here until her chance. It's bad enough that the day is almost up, you're not sure that wasting all of the night on something frivolous is a good thing. Under other circumstances, you could probably get better mileage from Mokou. She's pretty interesting to talk to. Save for her occasional bashing of your patrons.
[] Thank Mokou for her lovely company and leave for Eientei
[] Offer to stay with Mokou and help her out with her scheme
[] Drag Mokou away (figuratively speaking); Preferably to her place and far away from here
[] Continue your search for Keine elsewhere - and away from this mad woman
---
There. This was ready like an hour ago, but my damn internet was out.
>>11074 I think we'd do rather well as a Komodo Dragon. I think we could get a couple of
tasty poor rabbits and maybe a villager if we played our cards right. It would also depend if Eirin has a tranq. gun. Definitely a step down from the whole flames thing. But you have to admit that the prospect of being to swallow a small goat whole is pretty sweet.