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>>43202614

Frankly you're just done with them, you're done with all of them. You barely know any of these people, and all of them are too eager to intrude into your life. You were just about to call it a day, when this exchange happened:

"What do you want now!?" You look up at the girl wrapped in a flowery dress. "Why do you smell like alcohol?"
"Well 'hello' to you, Kayda." Yuuki crosses her arms. "I'm having a sleepover in my room, want to join?"
"What is 'sleepover'?"
"It's like a big party, with all our friends, and tea, and cake."
"What is 'cake'?"
Yuuki seems to start to say something, but is having difficulty answering the question.
"I don't want anything, okay? I just want to go to bed." You try to step past her, but she nimbly walks back in front of you.
"Woh, it's just a get-together, with only us girls. It'll be fun!"
"Will you leave me alone if I say 'yes'?"
"For now, sure!"
"Can I bring Greta?"
She pauses, her face turns blank for a second.
"..I already asked her, she said she didn't feel like it tonight."

You didn't feel like it either, but you still got pulled into this stupid thing. Yuuki leads you and Louise along the hallway to the guest suite, she swings the door open to reveal her summoner setting up a teaset at the dining table.
"Ah! Come on!" Annetta, Yuuki's summoner with the weird puffy growth, beckons you to the table. You carefully hop onto one of the tall chairs as you scan the room for clues as to what the true purpose of this might be.
"I'm going to get the others!" Yuuki calls out before she leaves.

Which just leaves you, Louise, and Yuuki's summoner.

>"Okay, what is this about? What is going on?"
>"Louise, do you carry that axe everywhere?"
>Grab Anna's fluff parasite and ask what this is for.
>Lay your head down on the table, think about home.
>Think about your summoner, Greta. What has her upset? She wouldn't even talk to you earlier.
>Other?

>>43202634
Finally, I'm in time for fluffy tails.

>"Louise, do you carry that axe everywhere?"

Let's try and befriend someone!

>>43202614
Also apparently Kayda doesn't understand the one she's to guard is a boy...

>>43202634
>Grab Anna's fluff parasite and ask what this is for.
Its like the second coming of Jack, we will bond over fluffy tails.

>>43202634
>>Grab Anna's fluff parasite and ask what this is for.

>Grab Anna's fluff parasite and ask what this is for.


Writing!

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Anna sits across from you at the table. She elegantly pours three sets of tea and gently slides it over to each of you.

Anna nervously laughs, and then turns her attention toward you.
"So, Kayda was it?"
"Hmm."

"Have you had tea before? It's good stuff. Why don't you try it?"

Something else has caught your attention.
"Ma'am." You stand up, pointing to Anna. "Your head is pointy!"

"My head?" She stares at you with a blank face. "I- Um. Oh! No no."

She stands up, gently lowering the fuzzy points in front of her face.
"These are my ears. I'm very proud of them, and I'm extra careful to keep them washed and groomed!"

You see no problem with walking up and wrapping your hands around both of them.

"EEK! Careful!" Anna realizes that she's caught.
"These remind me of something, but I can't quite place what. And they're really authentic."

Your hands carefully follow the fuzzy ears down to her scalp, and rub against the attachment on her head. They twitch in your grasp as she gently pushes your arms off.
"T-that's enough!"
"They feel like, like-"
"Don't rub your hands in people's hair! That's really rude!"

"Okay, okay." You turn to another point of interest. Slowly, you walk behind her.

"Can I at least ask about this?" Your hand wraps around a fuzzy ball of white fluff sticking out the back of her dress. It feels almost like a mesh of feathers than it does a tail. You think your summoner has something similar to this, but you've never seen hers.

"HEY!" She slaps at your hand. "You just grabbed my butt!"
"No, I grabbed your tail."
"But my tail is on my butt!"
You blink twice at her, "Is that a problem?"
"J-just don't do that in public. It's really rude!"
"It is?"
"YES!"

"Aww, I wanted to see it, too." Louise sips from her cup.

>So, your not from around here? How many countries are in the world?
>What's life like back in bunnyland?
>Louise, want to look, too?
>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?
>Sip tea in silence.
>Other?

>>43203581
>So, your not from around here? How many countries are in the world?
>What's life like back in bunnyland?
>Louise, want to look, too?
>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?
>Sip tea in silence.
>Can I go yet?

>>43203581
>>So, your not from around here? How many countries are in the world?
>>What's life like back in bunnyland?
>>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?

>>43203581
>>So, your not from around here? How many countries are in the world?
>>What's life like back in bunnyland?
>>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?

>>43203581
>>Louise, want to look, too?
>>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?

>>Louise, want to look too?
>>So, your not from around here? How many countries are in the world?
>>What's life like back in bunnyland?
>>Also, why do you carry an axe with you to bed?

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You look once more at her tiny, fuzzy tail.
"Louise, want to look?"
"Um!"
"N-no! that's enough!" Anna pushes the back of her dress down and sits back at the table. "It's fine! Plenty of time for looking later!"
"Well, okay."

You sit back down across from her and start sipping at your tea. You try to think of something to brighten the suddenly awkward mood.
"Um? So you're not from around here?"

"Nope, we're only visiting on official state business." Anna sips at her teacup. "Though it's been extended for another week."
"Where are you from, then?"
"Bruschetta." She says with pride in her voice. "It's a wonderful, high class country with many huge buildings."

She looks at me and smiles, "Maybe I can show it to you sometime."
You think about how nice it would be to go on a trip with someone, "But I can't leave my summoner."
At least, you can't leave her again. Not after what you were told.

A big thud startles Anna, and you snap out of your chair at the ready.
It was just Louise's axe falling over. She propped it up against her chair and accidentally kicked it. She hops down and steadies it against the table this time.
"Sorry!" She chirps.

"I-it's fine." Anna seems more startled by that then from grabbing her ears.
"Louise, was it?" You tap her shoulder.
"Mm-Hmm!"
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead!"

"Why do you carry an axe with you when you go to bed?"
"Mm? Don't you carry your weapons to bed?"

Both you and Anna look at one another, and then back to her.
"No, not really."
"You're not being a good bodyguard then, huh?"

That statement hits you like an arrow.
"N-not a good bodyguard?"
"Nope! How can you say you're prepared if you don't always have it?"

Is it true? Am I not being a good bodyguard? I don't have a rifle or anything on me!

>You don't shower with it, do you?
>I need to go get my weapon, right now!
>Does Yuuki do this too!?
>Maybe this is why Jack wanted me to learn a small weapon.
>Forget about that, can I go now?
>Other?

>>43204079
>>I need to go get my weapon, right now!
>>Does Yuuki do this too!?
>>Maybe this is why Jack wanted me to learn a small weapon.

>>43204079
>Does Yuuki do this too!?
>Maybe this is why Jack wanted me to learn a small weapon.
>Forget about that, can I go now?

>>43204079
>>Does Yuuki do this too!?
>>Maybe this is why Jack wanted me to learn a small weapon.

>Does Yuuki do this too!?
>Maybe this is why Jack wanted me to learn a small weapon.

Writing!

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Suddenly, it all makes sense.
The training, the insistence on using weapons you're not used to.

They were trying to make you a better bodyguard.
Did they know? Did the maid tell them you were on thin ice with her? Oh, this is bad, you completely botched it! You utterly blew them off earlier when they were just trying to help you!

"I-" Uh oh, you can feel your face flustered.

"mm? What's wrong?" Louise finishes the rest of her tea and asks for another cup.
"D-" You try to think of the right way to ask this. The right way to ask how to be a better bodyguard.

"Does Yuuki do this too!?" You stand up and look Anna straight in the eye.
"Hmm? Sleep with her weapon? Well, it's right next to her bed, but-"

Oh no! They all do it! You're the only one that isn't doing it!
Rifles aren't for close combat anyway, not unless you put one of those stupid knives on the barrel, and you never learned how to use those!

This is why Jack was trying to get you to learn more weapons than just the rifle.

"I'm so stupid!" You say out loud, hands grasping at your hair.
"Why?" Both Anna and Louise look at you blankly.

Wait! wait! You can't let them know that you're a terrible bodyguard! If Yuuki and Jack are working for that maid, then these two could be as well!

You knew that maid was conniving, but you didn't expect her to have another country's princess and another country's hero under her thumb.

"Y-yeah! I brought one too!" you try to play it off as if it's the most natural response in the world. Both of them tilt their heads at you.
"Is something wrong?"
"..Are you crying?"

>Cont.

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"No!" You rub your eyes, you didn't realize it but they're moist. "No no, It's just the tea. It's strong tea!"

You were totally NOT thinking about what would happen if these two reported back to the maid with how terrible of a hero you are, nope!

Thankfully, the door bursts open and Yuuki walks in, dragging someone by the arm while someone else follows her. You don't recognize the blonde knight-like girl she's dragging, but the one behind her is Biscotti's head maid, Alicot.

"Okay! We're ready to begin!" She proudly announces. The cat-eared knight-like girl struggles to free herself from Yuuki's grasp.

>"Begin what?"
>"Look! I'm not a bad hero! I have a weapon, I promise!"
>Stay silent, you're already in trouble
>Excuse yourself to go panic, this whole night was a setup against you!
>Excuse yourself to go get a weapon, any weapon! The armory can be broken into!
>Act cautious, and distant! That always works!
>Other?

>>43204738
>>"Begin what?"
then right before the whole explanation
>>"Look! I'm not a bad hero! I have a weapon, I promise!"

>>43204738
>"Begin what?"

>>43204738
>"Begin what?"
>"Look! I'm not a bad hero! I have a weapon, I promise!"

I find it sort of adorable how nervous this hero is.

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>>touch fluffy tail

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"Begin what?"
What does she have planned!? More training? Is she going to make everyone fight? No no, Yuuki wouldn't do that. Yuuki is a nice person.
The maid isn't, though. But she's not here. Right, She isn't here.

"The sleepover!"
"Sleepover?" Odelle repeats Yuuki's words, snatching her hand from Yuuki's grasp.

"That's right! It's like a big party!"

You breathe a sigh of relief at Yuuki's continued distraction. You're too young to feel anything akin to spirits, but you're sure there's one watching over you right now.

"What do we do at this party?" Louise seems as confused as you do.
"We sleep, and talk about girl things."

Anna claps her hands, but Odelle and Louise don't seem to be following.
"So, we're just here to sleep?"
"I mean, um."

"Well.." Yuuki seems at a loss.

Wait.
She's not at a loss.
This isn't about sleeping or talking at all!
She's trying to measure how good of a warrior you are!

It's.. so.. OBVIOUS! Why didn't you see it sooner!? This is all done to see who is or isn't a good hero among her group!

All the signs are there, too! Louise brought her axe, Odelle is covered in armor, Alicot could be hiding anything under that poofy dress, and Yuuki's staff is leaning against the wall!

You're not going to lose at this game, you're not going to be intimidated! All you have to do is stay sharp, and don't let your guard down.

"Do you want a slice of cake, Kayda?" Yuuki cuts a slice out of this weird, loaf of bread, thing and offers it to you.
"No!" you cross your arms as she shrugs.

You're doing good so far, but how are you going to keep this up?

>"W-wait, I actually wanted that cake."
>Go to bed, don't say anything.
>Talk to someone!
>Like Odelle, she has a fuzzy parasite, too!
>Maybe you can grab it!
>"Yuuki! I'm onto you!"
>other?

>>43205535
>>Like Odelle, she has a fuzzy parasite, too!
>>Maybe you can grab it!
>>"Yuuki! I'm onto you!"
The correct answer is always touch fuzzy parasite.

>>43205535
>>"W-wait, I actually wanted that cake."

>>43205535
>>"W-wait, I actually wanted that cake."

>>43205535
Think that's all the votes you're getting right now.

>>"W-wait, I actually wanted that cake."

Almost done writing, I forgot to post acknowledgement.

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Yuuki cuts another slice of this moist kind of bread, giving it to Louise.
That's when the smell of it hits you.

It smells like well-trimmed flowers blooming on a warm summer day. It's like that, in food form. You're shocked, you didn't know any kind of food like that existed on this entire planet.

You're a terrible warrior.
"Um, Yuuki." You pull on her sleeve.

"mm?" She's putting a small slice of this in her mouth as well.
"I changed my mind, could I have some?"

"Sure, I saved your piece."

That's cold, Yuuki. She knew you would fail and saved it.

You nimbly take the knife and slide it between your fingers. Then you present it to Yuuki.
"Yuuki, Look! I brought a weapon!"
She eyes it suspiciously.
"Is that the cake knife?"
"No! No no! It's a weapon! In case I'm attacked while we're asleep!"

She blinks twice, then goes back to eating.
"That's nice, could you please put that back so others can get more cake if they want it?"

You pout, and then go back to eating your slice in silence. Everyone else starts chatting amongst themselves about this, that, and the other. Louise's family apparently lived on a big raft in the middle of a huge lake. Yuuki lived in a big house with lots of sisters. Odelle came from a long line of talented swordsmen.

And you, just keep quiet. You see some eyes judging you from across the table, but you don't want to tell them too much. They might realize that you're not the powerful warrior that you've been drafted to be.

"I'm tired." Louise hops off her chair, and picks up her axe.
"I think it's about time to call it a night." Anna directs Louise to the bed. Several other girls stretch their limbs and join her.

Alicot starts helping people out of their clothes and armor and into nightgowns. You're still sitting at the table, feeling sullen.

>She's trying to see who concealed weapons or not!
>"I'm done, I don't care if I failed."
>Fall asleep right here.
>Go lay down in bed, hope no one notices you.
>Try to sneak out
>Other?

>>43206145
>"I'm done, I don't care if I failed."
>Fall asleep right here.

>>43206145
>>She's trying to see who concealed weapons or not!
>>"I'm done, I don't care if I failed."

>>43206145
>>She's trying to see who concealed weapons or not!
THE MAIDS ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED

>>43206145
>"I'm done, I don't care if I failed."

>>43206145
>>Try to sneak out

>>She's trying to see who concealed weapons or not!
>>"I'm done, I don't care if I failed."

See, this is what I don't like about having threads after work, I wanted this thread to be at least twice as long.

Oh well.

Writing last post of the night.

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It clicks with you when you see Alicot help Odelle out of her armor.
Odelle had a tiny dagger under her left thigh.

This is another test, they're trying to see who is or isn't prepared at all times.
And-
And you don't care if it's over or not.

You're tired. You're sick of these little tests. You just want to go to bed.

When the maid is around, she typically tries to test you like this, but even then she knows she can get at you eventually. This is one of those times. You've failed.

You stand up and walk over to Alicot, there's a kind of defeat in your steps. She slips a nightgown over Odelle's head.
She smiles at seeing you. You've never liked seeing a maid smile.

Alicot lifts your arms up and undoes your dress from the back. Gently the fabric is lifted over your head, and she passes you a linen made of the softest of silk.

It doesn't matter to you, though. She saw what she wanted to see, and she knows that you had no weapon or means to defend yourself.

You audibly sigh, just as Yuuki is helping Alicot out of her Maid's uniform.

Alicot continues to disrobe as Yuuki steps over to me. She's already easily slid out of her flowery dress, and is holding a nightgown of her own.
"Kayda, what's wrong? You've been acting like this all night."
She takes the dress from your hands and helps slip it over your head. She pulls at the sides until it's flush with your skin.


"Everyone here is a much better warrior than I am and now everyone knows."

She kneels down to your eye-level.
"What makes you say that? Why are you thinking about this now?"

The edges of your eyes are burning, and you felt yourself sniffle just now.
"I want to be a good bodyguard, I don't want to be replaced. I'll do anything I need to, please give me another chance, Yuuki."

Yuuki's eyes, they have a reflective glaze over them. She shivers slightly, but it could be from the fact that she's naked right now.
Without another word, she replies in a way that is familiar.

"What?"

>Thread End

>>43206281
On the other hand, having threads after your work means I can actually catch the threads before they wrap up for the first time in weeks!

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Thanks for the thread everyone, sorry it wasn't a bit longer.

I was hoping that this thread would last maybe two threads. But I'm not sure how people feel about staying away from JAck for that long. Let me know, if you would.

Thanks to everyone for the thread. Until next time.

>>43206598
Thanks for running Announcer, it was nice to actually catch a thread for once.

>>43206598
I wouldn't mind being not in Jacks pov a bit longer. Might not take the whole thread, anyway.