Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

MORNING

Ukinami Yuzuha, first to arrive at the Mystic Wares shop before her two other companions. And just to be sure, she attempted to call out for them. “Alice? Manato? Anyone?” though, silence was the answer to the cause. “See? Told them I'd make it here before they do~”

But that's not what Yuzuha is excited about. She's been looking forward to this day since last week. It turns out summer vacation has started. No school for 3 months. Surely the red-headed girl has lots of surprises in store right? Not just literally but well, figuratively..

This is Ukinami Yuzuha we're talking about, whenever she's not either serious or locked in at times when in need, she's usually if not one of Waifei Peninsula's expert through pranks and mischief.

Opening up the shack with her keys, she walks inside. The feeling of not worrying about schoolwork, classes or anything that's the opposite of freedom is refreshing. At this moment, Yuzuha was immediately greeted by her comedienne-in-crime; Kamanosuke.

He had already waited for her, wagging his tail. “Hi Kama! Ugh, sorry things were boring for you. School's such a pain in the ass—y'know?” she explained. Kama nods in both agreement and understanding. “But as of now, we've just earned ourselves 3 months of absolutely none of that, and the commissions we've done months back is a bonus.”

The tanuki smiles and performed squeaky noises to his approval. “That's right, it'll be me, you, Alice and Manato. We're going to have a blast. I'm so excited that I could barely contain myself.” the scarlet braided woman suddenly hears struggling noises coming from the front door.

“Oh! Excuse me. Sorry about that!”

“N-no, that was my fault.. I didn't see you here.”

Ah, here comes the two other members of the Spook Shack, arriving as they supposed to. The redhead walks over to greet them. Though before Yuzuha ever got that chance, she gets to see one of the most hilarious thing she'd never forget. 

Both Thirens were stuck at the door all because of them unable to notice each other in time. The question is by the way.. isn't Alice herself much smaller than the wolf thiren? It's either that or he's potentially that wide. Then should the prankster laughing her  jolly little ass off. “Now.. how did this happen? Were you guys in a hurry?” she asks them, “Well, I know I wasn't. Can't quite speak for Ms. Thymefield here.” says Komano with his usual mood. “Ah, I just figured since I also won't be in school either, I'd arrive here earlier. I hadn't noticed Mr. Komano next to me until it was too late.” the noble lady thiren added.

“How—meh nevermind, lemme help you with that—” the schoolgirl grabbed both their hands and proceeded to pull them out of the door. “Phew, thank you Yuzuha.” Alice replied adjusting her uniform and fixes her belt - meanwhile the big man behind her just simply shrugs it off. “Yeah, thanks. Holy shit I need to be careful.” he said too.

“Heh, let this be a nice and valuable lesson to you, if you had paid more attention to your surroundings, you two wouldn't be stuck like two peas in a pod.” quips the redheaded anthropoid. “Ah, oh yes of course Ms. Yuzuha, how abominably foolish of us.” says the female thiren sounding much ladylike and parting herself with a curtsy while Manato stood there folding his arms. “Us? You have got to be kidding.”

“She's clearly not, Manato. But before we completely forget on why we're here, we've finally earned our schoolbreak!” Yuzuha heads to another room to grab something out of there, “Do you know what that means?”

“Besides you not shutting up about the vacation thing last week? No.” the wolf thiren seems to remember the most important one. “Yep–bingo! That's the one.” the girl confirmed whilst heading towards the back of the warehouse. Yet regardless of what's she's doing, Yuzuha still continues her talk, “And to start off.” she brings out 3 jars with only 2 full ones while the last one was only half. 

The two thirens widened their eyes, almost 3 pounds of dennies could last them 3 months! Is this what the tanuki girl was planning all along? To simply save up each and every denny this entire time? For this exact moment, one of them had to say something.

“THAT'S A LOT!” they both said it at the same time, even better.
“I know right! We can figure something out later on, let's finish getting the shop open.” she concluded after her friends nodded.

• ~ • ~ •

The Spook Shack trio spent their entire focus on running business. Many citizens different regions would come all the way to Waifei Peninsula just to get their hands on valuable or fancy trinkets, the some what usual. Now they weren't some pompous Faction as they say, only now a fun but spooky club. So far, Yuzuha had recently received two applications from two certain individuals who were interested in joining in.

Still, she couldn't remember when they're showing up but whom they were. And in the meantime we follow up with Alice assisting a customer with a product they always buy. “Thank you so much! This is the best place I've ever been to.” the customer smiles greatly. “My pleasure, sir. Thank you and have a wonderful day!” the rabbit thiren could not be anymore cute. Her facial expression was enough to make the most meanest of people to soften.

But Alice is still a rookie, so she's not fully prepared when it comes to rude people that are immune to her kindness. Last week when a person had guts to intimidate the rabbit thiren, instant karma kicks in when the only big man in the store stepped up to defend her.

The funny part? Manato didn't have to do anything. His height and attitude was enough to make the individual piss his pants. Overall, the male thiren still gave that asshole a firm-strict like talking to. Sure he also still did his best to be professional despite it.

Speaking of Manato, he had carried some heavy looking boxes. Must be more supplies if they aren't some old junk meant to be thrown away if even showing the slightest of uselessness. He takes note of the lady thiren before he left any further, “Hey, doin' okay so far?” Komano asks out of concern. “Of course,” the rabbit thiren giggles. “And uhm, I would like to say — thank you for helping me out last week. I couldn't figure out what to do. There was so much happening at once.” she added.

“Right, that guy was a real jerk. Glad he won't be around bothering you anymore since Yuzuha banned him.” he marked. “And well, I just wanted to see if you were alright overall.” Alice couldn't stop smiling, “Awwe. I really appreciate you, Manato.” her words were real and generous. “Not a problem, Alice. Let me know if anyone else tries to harass you, and I'll come running over.” the k9 daddy had some confidence in his own voice. “Okay, I will.” says the happy rabbit thiren.

M: “Oh! Uhh, and one more thing.”

A: “Yes?”

M: “When this is over, could I speak with you too on something? Because for some reason this has been troubling me for a while now.”

“Oh, sure you can. I don't have anything to do afterwards.” she had agreed on his time. “Thank you, I'll be here if you need me.” the conversation ends with the muscular man carry on his tasks before the tanuki girl could have noticed.

Commenting on Yuzuha, little would the bunny thiren knew she was right besides her with her usual smug on her face as if she just found some sort of secret. “SO!” she'd scream into the rabbit girl's symmetrical ears to where she'd quickly cover them, should another shrill voice returns the redhead. “.. What were you and Mr. Large and in charge there talking about?” Again, Yuzuha's smug was like her signature smile, simply to tease the hell out of someone. Some find it hilarious to laugh it off while others aren't both so lucky and used to it.

“Ugh, Yuzuha! I told you to stop doing that! You startled me!” The blonde-haired hare scolds. “Ah come on, it wasn't all that bad. I was already nearby when you two were having a small conversation.” she replied with some defense. Even so, Alice becomes pouty from the scare, she huffs in annoyance. In spite of that, Ukinami wasn't going to leave her best friend hanging. “If it makes you feel any better, I did the same to Manato before I scared you, he had the same reaction.” she admitted.

“No! You can't be doing that to him either. Didn't you see all that stuff he was carrying?” says Alice definitely being rightfully concerned. “Relax, I've known Komano well enough to handle leveling the smallest of such, and not because he's a guy.” Yuzuha opines.

Should the rabbit thiren calm down, she is a lady after all, it wouldn't look good on her to freak out at work. But she gives a sigh, “Very well, if you must know-he just wanted to speak to me about something later, Mr. Komano didn't really specify what is was though.” she responds to the earlier question. “I see­--also, what did I say about the formalities? You know us well enough already.” spoke Yuzuha slightly annoyed. “Apologies,” Alice's belt shift into a blue hue, representing her sad state. “I'm still getting the hang of it.”

Habits take time to master, at moments like this does mean it's a fifty-fifty equivalent amount.

AFTERNOON

Has time gone by that soon? It was asked by a couple of passerbys around the areas before them. Then it should land onto lunchtime for the trio. It was a good thing they found a proper food court somewhere nearby so they won't have to be on the hunt for one.

Their foods were amazing, burgers, pizzas, and chicken. The options are hard to pick. Nevertheless though, the 3 of them all chose the same place. They'd make their hunger lives easier, followed by the satisfaction of their eyes. Sitting at a nice table looking as if it was specifically made by them--the perfect opportunity to share any ideas with what they could do on vacation.

“So, while we're here.” Yuzuha was the first to speak, “I've already planned ahead with some fun things we could do this weekend, if you two have any suggestions on where we can go, now's the best time to say something.” she finishes her sentence, currently engulfing her fries in small bundles.

“Anywhere but the beach, please.” says Manato folding his arms. “I mean—I don't hate going there wholly, but I think it's too obvious.”

“Aw, are you only saying that so you don't get your fur wet? Guess someone's not a fan of water.” Yuzuha teases him, talking to him like he's a kid to her. “No–I just figured we could take a break from there.. and well.. I'm not much of a good swimmer anyway.” says the male thiren scratching his head. A little amount of sadness weeped out of his mouth. It grabbed the redheaded tanuki girl's attention. “Geez, just take a joke Manato. Why would I force you to do something you don't want to do?” she quips with her signature smirk.

“You mean you can't recall the times that you had?” Komano replied back, adding his own smug look. “Mmm, dunno what you're babbling about.” Kama, that'd been wrapped around Ukinami's lower torso started to mimic his partner's gestures. Yes, it was very out in the open Yuzuha's pretending to fail at ‘‘remembering’’ forcing Manato to do anything he has no patience for. 

It felt like back then, they were the same old Yuzuha and Manato except younger than the present counterparts, their dynamic beforehand was different, that meant the time they hung out in school wasn't just the beginning of their friendship, but a bond that will never be broken. Potentially bumpy roads can also make a change in the eyes of many.

“Oh, how I wouldn't understand you both having patience for one another.” Alice finally says her piece. “Yuzuha's the kind of girl that wouldn't hesitate to poke fun at you, but always means well at every way possible. Someone to count on, y'know?” said Manato.

“Humph!” should the prankster scoff and look away irritated. “I would say something similar about you, but you piss me off sometimes.” she had her tone feeling serious to confirm she does not like to be embarrassed in front of others with no warning.

Their foods were half gone as things go by.

“Actually, let's get this out the way real quick.” oh, are we about to witness an awkward moment? “Manato, if you could see that in me, then what you think about Alice here? Do you see something in her too?” that question felt so forbidden right now, the rabbit thiren's reaction was in a panic-stricken state. “Hey wait a minute! You can't just put me out there like that! That's so rude!” following her belt turning red spoke for itself.

“I agree with Ms. Thymefield. You hadn't even bothered to let her prepare herself.” the male thiren once again defended her. “That's right, thank you—” 

M: “But at the same time, I hadn't thought of it,” he continues.

Weirdly enough, this gets the comedienne to gasp dramatically, “Did you hear that Alice, Manato doesn't have an opinion about you. He's probably thinking heinous thoughts about you.” she joked again. “R-really?” the babygirl bunny's eyes water up, should her belt shift from red to blue. “Hm, let's see.. nah. Not a single bad thought about Alice runnin' through my brain." Komano shot down the accusation.

“Shall we put that to the test?” for Yuzuha to fold her arms, looking much more mischievous than ever. 

It was certainly that the prankster backed up her thiren friend in a corner, yet he wasn't going to back down so easily. However, he had a bright opinion of Alice Thymefield, but the words ‘nice’, ‘kind’, and ‘sweet’ were too basic in his mind. He'd needed to search for something.. nicer?

Komano wanted to find the right words to think of, not to simply one-up Ukinami Yuzuha at a time like this. She was waiting for him to fumble immediately. So the male thiren brings his attention to Alice next to Yuzuha and attempts to say something. 

“Alice, I'm not too great with saying fancier words to describe you, but if there was one thing I want to say to ya.. then I'd say you're—”

“EXCUSE US! EXCUSE US!” suddenly, before Manato could muster up any compliments, a couple of panicking, agitated citizens urgently haste their movements towards the gang. “Yes? Is there something we can help you with?” Alice asked them of their distress.

“Ma'am, it isn't us who needs help. It's you! A bunch of crazy weirdos wearing strange but ugly masks just came around and are invading your shop right now!” one of the folks warned. Should all three agents react shockingly, and angrily.

“WHAT?!”

࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁࿁
To be continued.