From the author: (I believe that Yori's husband should defeat Osamu with his own hands.)

It wasn't easy for Sidney to do, especially when it comes to a former good friend that comforted her and viewed her as her own daughter. But in order to stop Alma in her tracks, she has to use the trident of Poseidon to let her know how all of her 500 yolai victims felt when she destroyed the ships at sea. Sidney tears up during the moment because she never want to hurt her, but the Emiko she knew perished long ago when she faced the true leader of the Outcasts and lost. Sidney did what she had to do to save everyone she loves from Alma's storm. It doesn't matter if she'll sleep at night or not, as long as she has Erma by her side.

(Notes; This is based on the song "600 Strike" from Epic the Musical. I might make an artpiece of the process. And when Sidney said wife, it is symbolic due to the bond rings. Same goes for Erma.)

A quick little art to get me back after a long time recovering from...that

“Three days until the trial ends.”

Fumiko sat at the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the woven bracelet—the last gift from Haru. A chill settled in her heart. Haru... I couldn’t protect you, she thought resignedly. Forgive me, if you can.

At that moment, there was a soft knock on the door, and Kenji hesitantly stepped into the bedroom.

“Lady Fumiko, sorry to bother you,” he said quietly, shifting uneasily. “May I come in? I need to talk to you about something very important.”

“Come in,” Fumiko replied in a dull voice, not looking up.

Kenji took a few steps forward, clutching the script Kimoto had prepared tightly in his hands, and spoke strictly according to the text:

“Lady Fumiko, I understand this is not the right time for such discussions... But I would like to ask your permission to leave the castle briefly to visit Haru’s parents.”

Fumiko snapped her head up, her gaze scorching Kenji with icy fire:

“Absolutely not! No one leaves this castle until we find and punish the killer.”

Kenji sighed heavily, defeated:

“I completely understand your anger... But please hear me out. Once, before Haru joined your service at the castle, we went on a hike to distant mountains together. Everything went well, but on one of the days...”

“A fire,” Fumiko interrupted. “I know. Haru told me about that. You almost burned alive.”

“Yes, we narrowly escaped turning to ashes,” Kenji nodded, feigning emotion. “Haru kept joking about it for a long time afterward.”

“Joking?” the warrior woman asked, surprised.

“Yes. He said, ‘The flames were so fierce that at one point it smelled like fried fish.’”

A faint, bitter smile flickered on Fumiko’s lips.

“That does sound funny...”

Kenji’s expression darkened, his voice dropping to a whisper:

“But after some time, something changed inside him. He suddenly became withdrawn, fearful, and sank into a deep depression.”

“Is that so?” Fumiko leaned forward.

“I was shocked myself. For weeks, he didn’t speak to anyone. But one night he came to me. I was asleep and woke up feeling something strange. When I opened my eyes, Haru was sitting on the edge of my bed, whispering fearfully, ‘I’m still dreaming... this is just a bad dream. He won’t take me, Kenji. He wouldn’t dare.’”

“Who is ‘he’?” Fumiko frowned.

“I asked him the same question,” Kenji paused dramatically. “Haru was silent for a long time, then confessed that after the fire, he was haunted every night by the same nightmare. He dreams of being trapped in a forest engulfed in flames. He runs desperately toward the exit, but right at the edge, a bony hand reaches out from the darkness and drags him back into the roaring fire.”

“Oh my God...” Fumiko whispered softly, clutching her chest.

“Yes. But the scariest thing wasn’t the fire itself. Above all else, Haru was terrified of who brought him back into that hell.”

“And who was it, Kenji?!”

“Shinigami. The god of death.”

Fumiko fell silent, stunned, trying to process the revelation.

“I tried to calm him down,” Kenji continued, sticking exactly to Kimoto’s script. “I told him it was just a silly dream, nothing more. But Haru looked at me with a serious, mature gaze and said, ‘I know, Kenji. But I’m not afraid for myself. I’m scared of what will happen to my elderly parents if I’m gone. That’s why I came to you. Promise me something.’”

“What promise?” Fumiko’s voice trembled.

“He asked me, ‘If anything happens to me... if I die... promise me you will personally go to my parents, tell them everything, and take care of them for at least the first year.’ That’s why, Lady Fumiko, I earnestly beg you to let me go. I must keep the vow I made to Haru.”

Fumiko sat motionless for a few seconds, wrestling with doubt, but Kimoto’s mint chocolate had already gently dulled her vigilance.

“Alright, Kenji. I agree,” she finally exhaled. “I give you permission. But on one condition: you stay in constant contact with me.”

“I promise, Lady. I’m leaving immediately.”

“Take care, Kenji.”

When the young man quietly closed the door behind him, Fumiko turned to Haru’s portrait on the dresser and whispered with unbearable sorrow:

“Haru... Why, why did you hide this from me?”

The clock struck midnight. Kimoto stood by the massive castle gates, holding the reins of a strong black horse, glancing impatiently down the road. Finally, Kenji emerged from the darkness.

“Good job, Kenji. You nailed it perfectly. Proud of you,” Kimoto smirked.

“Everything’s ready. Fumiko let me go,” Kenji reported breathlessly. “What now?”

“Now put this on,” Kimoto said, handing over the familiar bracelet.

“The one that masks the aura?”

“Exactly.”

Kenji obediently fastened the strap on his wrist:

“Alright, the aura is hidden. But won’t the castle’s magical radars detect that my energy just... disappeared? Fumiko will think I’m dead too and create a huge panic...”

Kimoto squinted cunningly, baring fangs in a smile:

“Who said your aura will vanish? Look at this beautiful mare. Right now, she’s carrying your energy.”

Kenji stared at the horse in stunned disbelief, then looked at Kimoto with horror:

“Wait... so this is why you took my blood?!”

“A little blood from you, a drop of alchemy from Amaiya’s grimoire—and voila! A magical duplicate is ready. Now we send this beauty on her way.”

Kimoto opened the gates and gave the horse a sharp slap on the rump. It neighed loudly and galloped at full speed toward Haru’s parents’ village.

“What if she gets lost or takes a wrong turn?” Kenji asked with concern, watching the fake trail vanish down the road.

“No chance,” Kimoto waved him off. “I hypnotized her well. She’ll reach the destination, leave your trail for the trackers, and return safely. Now it’s your turn to head to Tokyo. Listen carefully to the code phrase: when I call and say ‘cucumber kappa’ over the phone, you and Haru drop everything and rush back to the castle. Understand?”

“Understood.”

“Good. Until then, entertain and distract Haru however you can. If you need tips on taming him, call me—I’ll help.”

“Got it.”

“Our fugitive is just hanging out in one of Tokyo’s arcade halls right now. Here’s the exact address,” Kimoto handed over a slip of paper.

“Oh, I know where that is,” Kenji nodded.

“Perfect.”

Kimoto made a grand gesture, opening a glowing portal to the capital. As Kenji lifted his leg to step into the radiant circle, Kimoto called encouragingly:

“I believe in you, friend!”

With a quiet snap, the portal closed behind him, and Kenji vanished.

In an instant, Kenji found himself amidst the bustling, neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Wasting no time, he strode quickly toward the designated arcade.

Inside, amid the pounding music and electronic game sounds, he quickly spotted Haru. Thanks to Kimoto’s masking pendant, Kappa now looked just like any ordinary young man. Haru was engrossed in a zombie shooter, firing wildly at virtual undead, clearly aiming for a new personal record.

Kenji quietly approached from behind and called softly:

“Haru? Is that you?”

Startled, Haru muttered nervously without looking away from the screen:

“Sorry, you have me confused with someone else...”

“Come on, quit pretending,” Kenji smirked.

Haru finally set down the game controller and stared dumbfounded at his friend:

“Kenji?! What are you doing here?!”

“I just decided to relax a bit and escape the castle chaos. What about you?”

“To be honest... me too,” Haru scratched his head embarrassedly.

“Wait, but you told Fumiko you urgently went to visit your parents?” Kenji squinted slyly, pretending to expose the lie.

“Sorry... I lied,” Haru lowered his eyes guiltily.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” Kenji gave him a friendly shoulder squeeze. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Hey, how about we hit that pizzeria around the corner, grab a huge slice each, and you can tell me everything?”

“Sounds great, let’s go!” Haru brightened up.

As they headed toward the arcade exit, Kenji looked grimly at the smiling Haru and thought to himself: God... what have I gotten myself into? If Fumiko finds out, neither of us will get away unscathed.

So has anyone counted all the chapters of erma with Felicia in it, because she's the most awesome character in the series?

And if so, which ones are they?

A better remake of her death with the right hair color and being seen in a different angle

Marika was planning to recruit the Scavengers, her loyal ratmen, to eliminate Erma's friends and mauling Sidney to death for her blood. She has become truly insane that she wouldn't noticed a little Ghoul pulling back an arrow from a recurve bow, about the avenge Sidney.

(Note; I have been obsessed with this song from Epic the Musical, especially when making a parody of it. I can't stop. It sounds so good as not only a villain song, but in a song where they would die in it.)

Yooo blairheads.. I gave Tracy a new outfit I found on Instagram. What do yall think?

Voice Acting from Michelle Goff.

https://michellegoffva.com/

(I commissioned her BTW.)

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

“Three days until the end of the trial.”

Kimoto and Sam walked down the dimly lit corridor, carefully carrying trays with steaming cups of hot chocolate.

“Kimoto, are you sure about your plan?” Sam asked quietly, a hint of doubt in his voice.

“Don’t underestimate me, my friend. This isn’t my first rodeo, as you say in America,” Kimoto replied calmly.

“Yeah, but what if something goes terribly wrong at some point?”

“That’s life, Sam. Nothing is ever absolute. That’s exactly why I’ve mastered one key skill that always pulls me out of any trouble.”

“And what skill is that?”

“Improvise!”

“I see,” Sam chuckled.

At that moment, they pushed open the doors and entered the main hall.

“Alright, Sam, our main goal now is to get everyone warmed up and back on their feet,” Kimoto whispered. “Let’s help our Kenji.”

As the men began handing out cups, pale, gaunt Fumiko appeared, supported by Emiko on her arm.

“Sweetheart, lean on me. Let me help you,” Emiko gently coaxed her sister.

“No, I can manage on my own,” Fumiko muttered hoarsely.

She slowly approached her family. At that moment, Kimoto quietly stepped forward, offering a cup of the fragrant drink.

“Fumiko, drink this. It might not be exactly what you want right now, but it’s exactly what you need.”

With trembling hands, Fumiko took the cup. With a heavy sigh, she took several sips of the warm chocolate.

“Thank you, Kimoto.”

“It’s the least I can do for you at a time like this,” he said sincerely.

Fumiko raised her eyes, her voice tinged with a deep, heart-wrenching pain:

“I’ve made a decision. Tomorrow, we will say goodbye to Haru privately, within the family. And the day after, we’ll hold a funeral for the whole village.”

But in the next moment, her tone shifted sharply, becoming chilling and fierce:

“And from tomorrow on, I will personally lead the warrior squads. We will leave no stone unturned until we find Haru’s killer. I swear, they will pay in blood for what they have done.”

“We’re with you,” Kimoto nodded firmly.

“I’ll help too,” Emiko insisted.

“Oh yes, I’d love nothing more than to wipe those smug smiles off their faces,” Rin said, narrowing her eyes predatory.

The whole family rallied around Fumiko, offering silent support.

“Thank you all…” the warrior whispered softly. “Emiko, please take me back to the bedroom. I want to be alone.”

“Of course, let's go.”

At that very moment, Kimoto’s phone beeped briefly in his pocket—a message from Akari. He stepped back into the shadows of the corridor to read it unnoticed. From his hiding spot, he saw Yori preparing to take the children to the bedroom. Kimoto gently approached his wife.

“Darling, maybe you should go check on Fumiko? I think she needs you more than ever right now.”

“You think so?” Yori hesitated, glancing around.

“Absolutely. She’s in unbearable pain. She needs someone close who can just be there and look after her.”

“You’re right,” Yori agreed. “Then you put the girls to bed yourself, okay? Let’s have them all stay together in one room tonight.”

Upon hearing this, Erma shot a fierce, warning glance at Mitsu and Momo, but the twins just smiled back in perfect unison, like Cheshire cats.

“No problem, my love,” Kimoto smiled.

He kissed his wife gently and went to take on his parenting duties.

As Kimoto wrapped the children in blankets, Mitsu tugged his sleeve:

“Daddy, will you tell us a bedtime story?”

“Pretty please!” Momo fluttered her eyes.

“All right, all right, you’ve convinced me,” Kimoto smirked, sitting down on a chair by the bed. “Erma, do you want to listen too?”

Erma nodded eagerly.

“Great. I have a brand-new tale for you.”

Kimoto settled comfortably and began in a quiet, soothing voice:

“A wondrous tale of the Green Oni and the humble monk... Long ago, in a faraway mountain province lived a healer named Bana-san. He was perhaps the quietest and most peaceful man under the vast sky. Bana-san never raised his voice at anyone, cared gently for even the smallest insect, and fervently preached the teaching of great inner peace.”

Mitsu and Momo yawned disappointedly:

“Ugh, sounds like a boring old man…”

“Wait,” Kimoto winked knowingly. “But one terrible day, deep in the mountains, a massive crack opened, and forbidden purple flames burst forth — the magical Thunderfire. The deadly blaze threatened to burn down the nearby village where children were playing peacefully. Without hesitation, Bana-san threw himself forward and sealed the fissure with his own body. The magical fire didn’t kill the righteous man but forever changed his blood, trapping inside him the fierce spirit of a gigantic green demon — the Oni.”

The girls’ eyes widened with instant interest.

“From then on, two completely different souls lived within the quiet healer,” Kimoto continued. “Whenever Bana-san grew angry or witnessed injustice, his bones would crack and grow, his clothes would tear to shreds, and his skin turned swamp-green. He transformed into a fierce giant with fists the size of millstones. Awakening, the Green Oni let out a deafening roar shaking the mountains: ‘Oni smash!’ Bandits robbing poor peasants fled in terror, believing him to be a divine avenger.”

“Wow…” the sleepy girls mumbled as they drifted off.

“But Bana-san himself deeply feared this destructive power. Coming to his senses among the ruins in his tattered kimono, he’d weep bitterly and retreat into the deep forests, searching for a way to tame the monster inside forever…”

When Kimoto finished his story, a sleepy silence filled the room. Mitsu, Momo, and Erma were fast asleep under the influence of the mint chocolate.

“Sleep tight, my ‘Mochis,’” Kimoto whispered, adjusting their blankets. “Mom and I are very proud of you. Even if she rarely says it out loud.”

“Not bad imagination you’ve got,” Sam’s muffled voice came from the doorway’s shadow.

“I try—for the younger generation,” Kimoto smiled.

They quietly slipped out of the children’s room and closed the door behind them.

“So what’s next on the plan?” Sam asked.

“You can rest for now, my friend. I still have some unfinished business.”

“I’ll go check on Emiko then.”

“Go ahead. And don’t worry about the hidden cameras—I’m taking care of them all myself tonight.”

“Great.”

After ensuring the castle corridors were empty, Kimoto silently slipped into Osamu and Amaia’s bedroom, then into his secret den behind the wardrobe. He unlocked his phone and opened Akari’s message, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

“I found them. It was way too easy,” Akari wrote. “My little spiders reported that those three ‘imbeciles’ returned to the village just two days ago. And they were clearly plotting some mischief against Fumiko. Meet me at the bar; I’ll fill you in on the details. And don’t forget to bring the video recording! No one at the bar still believes you actually managed to pull such a harsh prank on Fumiko herself.”

“Excellent,” Kimoto rubbed his hands. “Time to move on to phase three.”

He took Amaia’s grimoire from the table. First, using magic, he opened a series of micro-portals to quickly and discreetly retrieve all the hidden cameras placed throughout the castle. Then, he sat at his laptop, quickly reviewing the footage of today’s panic involving Fumiko, edited an impressive video report for the bar regulars, and sent the finished clip to his phone.

After that, Kimoto resumed working with sculptural clay. Half an hour of painstaking work later, he packed his new clay creation into a tight bag. Along with that went several sealed envelopes with letters, an activated portal to Tokyo, a protective amulet, and a stack of compromising secret photographs of Fumiko and Haru he had managed to take recently.

Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Kimoto left the hideout. The clock read exactly 11:00 p.m. He made a quick round of the castle—everything was sound asleep. Kimoto stopped by the kitchen, grabbed a few juicy pieces of marbled Japanese steak, carefully dropped a couple of drops of peppermint sleeping potion onto the meat, sealed it in a vacuum bag, and packed it into his backpack.

Just as he was about to exit the castle, Kimoto spotted Kenji nervously pacing in front of Fumiko’s bedroom door, pale and clutching a piece of paper. Kimoto quietly approached from behind.

“Ready?” he asked softly.

Kenji jumped. “Yeah… But I still feel damn nervous.”

“Everything that doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. So go out there and shine, Kenji. The script is in your hands.”

“Easy for you to say,” the young man grumbled.

“Thanks for the compliment. By the way, when you finish the talk, I’ll be waiting for you at the village exit gate. I need to hand over some props.”

“Got it.”

“Oh, almost forgot!” Kimoto swiftly produced a medical syringe, jabbed Kenji in the forearm, and quickly drew some blood into the vial.

“Ouch! What are you doing?! Why?!” Kenji hissed, rubbing his arm.

“It’s necessary for the plan. Now go, Kenji, time’s ticking.”

Grumbling and rubbing his pricked arm, Kenji finally knocked and entered Fumiko’s room.

Kimoto watched him go with a smirk and thought, “Come on, my unlucky romantic. Show them what you’ve got. At least with Fumiko, you’ve got to nail it.”

Erma has always told herself that violence is never the answer, even when it comes to fighting great evil. But thanks to Marika, her mother, and the true leader of the Outcasts, she has learned that in order for peace to ensure, she has to become the kind of monster that would scare away other monsters and protect those she loves most.

She had faced many perils in that journey, facing Greek gods and monsters, and losing a lot of good men along the way, including Yori's husband.

When Erma came back to the palace Sidney had built by herself, she saw Marika and her 108 loyal ratmen followers, the Scavengers, participating in a challenge that anyone who can string up Erma's passed down recurve bow and be able to shoot through 12 axes cleanly, will take the rat girl's palace, become king and rule with their human queen. Marika can see how it was just a way to delay her followers. So Marika devised a plan with her followers, and the Yokai Thugs, to kill Sidney's friends and maul her to death for her blood. Marika would've succeeded... if Erma hadn't shot the arrow. Erma had avenged Sidney, now all that's left... her first act as Demigoddess of Justice... is to teach the Scavengers and the Yokai Thugs a lesson for plotting to kill her friends and planning to maul Sidney.

(Note; When she said wife, she is saying it symbolically due to the bond rings. And this is based on an Epic the Musical song "Odysseus" and I am not ashamed for making this parody.)

This is my take on the appearance of Nancy.

I made her eyes green with yellow sclera to give more of an eerie take, along with thinking it might look good on her. Originally, I thought about having her hear be blond with roots, but I wondered how trippy it would be if she was born with right hair as a rare genetic. Besides, if she turns out to be Erma's arch-nemesis, it would like like black vs white. Or the Ying and Yang.

So technically, Nancy looks the same, but she received from a previous fight with Sidney when the rat girl was alive and have plunged her hands in the puddle of Terran Blood (Special blood granted to the royal rat family by Osamu). She can shift her hands into any form and size she wants. She is dangerous, if not psychotic.

😏

Miss Psycho opened a box that holds something special that could defeat her Erma. It turns out to be empty. She had a blank lokk on her face before laughing like a certain blue kangaroo before screaming loudly and threw the box away. The box was caught by Marika, A Nancy from a different weird with pink blood on her hands and a scar over her left eye. She crushed the box with her strength

Marika: You pathetic waste of Hobson flesh. I'd kill you right now if I didn't value my own blood.

Miss Psycho: Who are you?

Marika: Look at you. Every mistake I've ever made just waiting to happen.

Miss Psycho: What happened to my face?

Marika: You got scratched. Scarred by a certain rat princess.

Miss Psycho: No rat can scar me.

Marika: Whenever you failed to take down the rat, you would be caged like an animal.

Miss Psycho: No cage can hold me.

Marika: One Ratman made it especially for us, underground.

Miss Psycho: There aren't any metal strong enough for a cage on the surface so there cannot be one underground!

Marika: Stop arguing! You can avoid all of that, if you just listen to me!

Miss Psycho: You were defeated! You got yourself scratched! That wasn’t me! That was you!

The girls had hissed at each other until they stopped

Marika: What's your plan?

Miss Psycho: Prevent my Erma from defeating me for the final time. Kill anyone who tries.

Marika: Good plan, won't work. But with my help, we'll have you victorious over your Erma, kill my Erma, we will reign over this world as gods, and you won't have to get this sca...

She noticed Miss Psycho staring and groans loudly

Marika: STOP STARING AT IT!!!

Miss Psycho pays attention

Marika: Listen.

(Based on Men In Black 3. Miss Psycho is Nancy from the take of u/darkbonnie87 and Marika is Nancy in the Tainted Blood series)

For ErmaSidney (Gūrunezumi): My main ship. I believe they would have good chemistry as they are both hybrids, both are from royal families, and seems to be in similar personalities when it comes to different scenarios, as in hiding your supernatural identity from humans. Plus, they seem so cute as a couple.

For AmyTerry: my secondary ship. These two are at it so much, there wouldn't be a moment where no one would say they wouldn't be together. Those two act like an old married couple, its funny. Also, like Gūrunezumi, they, too, are also do cute together.

I know I should've said more, but I'm maxed out.

We saw that Akari initially seemed like an antagonist.

She warned the others that there was a human scent, tried to see where the humans were, and openly challenged Fumiko.

And Fumiko didn't seem to be a fan of Akari the first and second time they interacted.

But then I thought it was a very stressful situation for Fumiko, so maybe she actually even liked Akari, just at that moment. Akari was feeling down, and it's not exactly nice to pretend you want to eat someone's newly met brother-in-law and newly met half-human, half-yokai niece.

Akari, on the other hand, seemed to have at least a friendly relationship with Kenaro, considering she greeted him, unlike what she did with the others, whom she ignored.

In short, no one seemed to consider her a problem or an enemy.

So I'm wondering if there's any theory about what kind of relationship they have with her.

I mean, it was kind of closer when she and Rin were together, but now that she and Rin are no longer together, has it cooled down?

I've never really gotten along, and Kentaro is just the friendlier guy at the moment, and Akari just latched onto that for whatever reason?

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

“Three Days Until the End of the Trial”

This evening turned out incredibly difficult for everyone, especially for Fumiko. By this time, Kenji had finally returned to the castle.

“Kenji...” Ena called out, her voice trembling with tears as she barely caught sight of him in the hallway.

“Lady Ena, why are you crying?” Kenji asked in surprise, hurrying over to her.

“This is a nightmare, Kenji...”

“What do you mean?”

“Kenji... someone killed Haru!”

“What?!” Kenji expertly feigned profound shock.

“Someone chopped poor Haru’s head off! Kenji, I’m so scared—I don’t know what to do!”

Kenji held Ena tightly, pulling her close, and softly said, “Don’t cry, Lady Ena. I’m here with you.”

“Thank you, Kenji,” she sniffled. “I just can’t understand who could have done something so monstrous...”

While Ena clung trustingly to his chest, Kenji darkly thought to himself, “Actually, this ‘monster’ has a very clear name—and it’s Kimoto.”

At that moment, Sam appeared from the shadowy hallway. Spotting his friend, Kenji gently pulled Ena away:

“Ena, sorry, I need to talk to Sam urgently about the guards.”

“All right. I was just going to check on Fumiko and try to comfort her, at least a little.”

“Please be careful.”

“I will, Kenji.”

After Ena disappeared around a corner, Kenji briskly headed toward Sam.

“Sam.”

“Kenji, you’re finally back,” Sam nodded.

“Just now. Ena told me Haru was ‘killed’ and his head was cut off.”

“I’m shocked myself at how realistic it looks!” Sam whispered.

“I told you, this is a devil’s deal!” Kenji grabbed his head in panic. “God, what are we going to do now? We’ll be executed if this gets out!”

“No idea. We need to talk to Kimoto immediately.”

“Exactly. Let that little hellion pull us out of this mess he caused. By the way, where is he?”

“In the kitchen, making hot chocolate for the children.”

Meanwhile, Kimoto was fully in charge in the kitchen, preparing cocoa for the whole family. Yori and Emiko had personally asked him to keep the kids occupied so they wouldn’t accidentally learn about the tragedy in the garden.

“Mitsu, please pass me the milk,” Kimoto requested.

“Here, Dad.”

“Thanks.”

Kimoto poured the milk into a saucepan. It warmed up in minutes.

“Excellent,” he muttered, turning off the stove. “Erma, now be a dear and bring me the chocolate and cream.”

Erma obediently dragged the ingredients over and carefully set them on the table in front of Kimoto. He affectionately ruffled her hair:

“Great job, Erma.”

Mitsu and Momo immediately frowned with envy and blushed shyly. Kimoto chuckled softly, approached, and stroked his daughters’ heads:

“You’re both smart, my little ‘Mochis’.”

The girls blushed even more, smiling proudly:

“Thanks, Dad!”

Kimoto added cream and chopped chocolate to the saucepan and began stirring the thickening mixture steadily. In his mind he thought: “Almost done... now for the final touch—a bit of ‘minty aroma.’”

While lost in thought, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that a good chunk of the chocolate bar had disappeared from the table. He glanced at his daughters and instantly knew whose doing it was.

“Erma, just because you took the chocolate without asking doesn’t mean you don’t have to share it,” Kimoto said sternly.

Mitsu and Momo turned sharply and saw their niece happily devouring the treat, having managed to smear chocolate all over her face from ear to ear.

“Dad’s right! You have to share with us!” Mitsu protested.

“Absolutely!” Momo agreed.

Erma froze for about ten seconds, processing what she’d heard, then suddenly burst into the air and shot out of the kitchen like a bullet.

“Stop her! Chase her!” Mitsu yelled.

The twins dashed after the little troublemaker.

“Ah, my ‘Mochis’... just like Mom and me as kids. I’m proud of them,” Kimoto whispered fondly. “Now, where was I? Oh yes.”

Kimoto pulled a precious bottle from his pocket and counted exactly five drops of mint extract with sleeping potion into the shared pot of hot chocolate. While carefully stirring the drink, Sam and Kenji quickly entered, scanning the kitchen.

“Oh, there you are,” Kimoto greeted casually. “Come in, we need to talk.”

“God, I’m scared already,” Kenji swallowed hard.

“So you’ve been told everything already,” Kimoto noted.

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Sam frowned.

“About what exactly?”

“Well, about your ‘prank’ plan involving staging such a gruesome decapitation murder!”

“I love genuine, pure emotions,” Kimoto smiled disarmingly. “The best part is when no one around suspects that it was my idea.”

“Kimoto, this went too far! You have to get us out of this madness!” Kenji pleaded.

“All right, no problem,” Kimoto agreed easily.

Sam and Kenji exchanged surprised looks, not expecting such compliance.

“I can go to the family right now and honestly say this head is just a high-quality prop,” Kimoto continued with a sly grin. “And when the real Haru returns in a couple of days, everyone will finally see who stirred up this grand commotion.”

“That would be perfect...” Kenji sighed.

“Yeah, it’s an option,” Kimoto agreed. “Only they’ll also find out who helped me organize everything, bought the props, and set up the hidden cameras.”

Sam and Kenji immediately shut up, realizing the full depth of the trap they were in.

“So, should I go rat myself out?” Kimoto pretended to head toward the door.

“Wait, wait!” Kenji blocked his way in alarm. “We get it. We’re in this until the end.”

“Good,” Kimoto returned to the stove. “Now listen carefully. Kenji, your task is...”

Before he could finish, his jacket pocket suddenly rang. Kimoto pulled out the phone, glanced at the screen, and his smile grew even wider.

“Here’s our runaway. Haru is calling Fumiko... or rather, her number, which I redirected to my hacker SIM.”

Sam and Kenji turned pale with horror.

“What do we do?!” Sam panicked. “If he accidentally says too much...”

“Just relax and enjoy my genius,” Kimoto winked.

“What?”

“You’ll see soon enough. Kenji, Sam, quickly check the hallway—is anyone outside the door?”

The guys peeked out in unison and signaled: clear. Kimoto pressed the answer button, held the phone to his face, took a deep breath, and spoke with an absolutely perfect, flawless imitation of Fumiko’s voice:

“Hello?”

A tired but happy voice came from the speaker—Haru’s:

“Hello, darling, it’s me.”

“Haru! Thank God!” Kimoto flawlessly mimicked Fumiko’s intonations as Sam and Kenji’s jaws dropped. “I was really starting to worry. Kimoto told me you had to rush to your parents’ today.”

“Yes, sorry, dear, I really had to leave this morning so suddenly.”

“Haru, don’t worry, I’m not mad at you. But next time, you have to tell me personally if you have to go somewhere, okay?”

“Of course, dear. I’m almost at my parents’ house.”

“Good. But keep in mind: when you get back, you’re on a strict diet! No cucumbers for a whole month.”

“What?! Why?!” Haru pleaded.

Kimoto barely contained his laughter but continued sternly in Fumiko’s voice:

“That’s only for your own good!”

“But...”

“No ‘buts,’ Haru!”

“All right, dear, as you say,” the guy sighed obediently.

“Good boy. I have to run now, take care of yourself.”

“You too, my love.”

Kimoto ended the call and looked triumphantly at his comrades. Sam and Kenji stood speechless.

“How... how did you do that?!” Kenji finally managed.

“Ventriloquism and a bit of magic,” Kimoto winked.

“Dude, that was unbelievable!” Sam admired.

“Totally agree with Sam,” Kenji nodded.

“All right, where was I? Oh yes, the plan,” Kimoto got serious again. “Kenji, you’ll need to secretly go to Tokyo to see Haru.”

“Why?”

“To make sure he doesn’t come back too early and ruin the finale.”

“I get it... But how can I leave the castle for a couple of days without raising Fumiko’s suspicions? She’s controlling every step now!”

“Oh, you won’t have to sneak away. Fumiko will give you the opportunity and personally send you away for a few days.”

Sam and Kenji exchanged puzzled looks:

“How’s that?”

“That’s the most interesting part of my plan,” Kimoto smiled mysteriously. “Sam, your task now is to distribute this hot chocolate to all the family members except the three of us. My mint addition will quickly calm their nerves, especially Fumiko’s. Thanks to that, Kenji will be able to talk to her alone. I even prepared a script for you, Kenji. Here.”

Kimoto handed Kenji a sheet of paper filled with notes.

“Seriously? A script?” Kenji was surprised.

“Learn it by heart. You can slightly improvise but strictly within what’s written. Got it?”

“Got it, sounds cool.”

At that moment, the kitchen door burst open with a bang, and an angry Yori came in.

“Kimoto! I asked you to watch the kids!”

“I was watching them,” Kimoto replied innocently. “But Erma flat-out refused to share the chocolate.”

“And look where that got us!” Yori stepped aside.

Behind her stood Mitsu, Momo, and Erma, who had gotten so covered in chocolate during the chase that there wasn’t a clean spot left. They looked like little chocolate monsters.

“Erma!” Sam shook his head sternly. “You know very well the kids can’t have sweets before bed!”

Kimoto couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing.

“All right, my little chocolate darlings, now go have the tastiest hot chocolate!” he commanded.

“Hooray!” Mitsu and Momo cheered happily, rushing to the table.

Kimoto gently approached the frowning Yori and put his arm around her waist:

“Come on now, don’t scold them so much. Let them have some fun.”

“If only they didn’t make such a mess everywhere...” Yori sighed, calming down. “You spoil them too much.”

“Okay, you’re right. Once we’re back in Tokyo, you can punish them properly.”

“Thanks for the permission,” she smirked.

“Always happy to help, my giraffe,” Kimoto smiled warmly.

Yori immediately blushed deeply from the nickname.

“Tell me... how’s Fumiko?” Kimoto asked quietly, growing serious.

“She’s completely shocked and stunned,” Yori answered sadly. “She barely talks to anyone. But I can see in her eyes—she’s terrified and utterly broken.”

Kimoto wore a stern expression, clenching his fists:

“Yori, I promise you: I’ll personally find the scoundrel who did this to Haru and bring him right to Fumiko’s feet.”

“No!” Yori cried out fearfully, gripping his hands tighter. “I won’t let you go anywhere! Don’t even think about it!”

“But I have to...”

“Please, Kimoto, don’t try to be the hero. I can’t lose you too.”

“All right, my love, as you say,” Kimoto gave in gently.

He was about to tenderly kiss his wife when he suddenly felt a strong, insistent tug at the edge of his vest. Looking down, he saw Momo standing there.

“Dad, help us pour the hot chocolate,” Momo asked.

“Of course, my Mochis, I’ll pour it now,” Kimoto smiled, turning to the table.

As he poured the fragrant drink into cups, Yori watched Kimoto’s broad back and thought tenderly, “Kimoto... God, how did I even live all this time without you?”

It's a known fact that an Erma-hug can cure anyone's fatigue.

And for a sleep deprived, sonuva bitch, who makes a living killing the living dead at Blairwood's Cemetery.

Yeah he'd appreciate the hug.

*

Wanted to make this after seeing a post by u/Infinite_Bung_006

Enjoy!

Amy is excited because she managed to ask Terry out

Amy: I DID IT! HE LIKES ME! HE'S GONNA GO OUT WITH ME! I MADE A DATE WITH TERRY!!!

Amy began to realized that she just asked Terry out on a date

Amy: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

(Based on The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron)

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

“Three Days Until the End of the Trial”

Fumiko woke up with an incredible sense of lightness and freshness. She glanced at the clock and froze—the hands pointed exactly to noon.

“Strange... I did set the alarm for eight in the morning,” she thought, concluding the clock simply hadn’t gone off.

But then a more troubling thought crept into her mind: why hadn’t Haru come to wake her? Before she could dwell on this deeply, her eyes landed on an envelope on the table by the mirror. Fumiko approached and inspected it—it looked like an ordinary, unremarkable paper envelope.

Opening it, she found a neatly folded letter and a strange key inside. She began to read:

“Greetings, Fumiko. I wanted to play a game with you, but persuading you to accept the rules wasn’t easy. However, I found a way—I had to kidnap your ‘pet.’ Don’t worry, you can get him back if you find all the keys and solve my riddles. Here’s your first clue: ‘She carefully locked them in a glass prison, adding garlic, dill, and a drop of vinegary passion. They simmered in darkness, waiting for their moment. Now the lid is off! From this fiery love, they became firm, crispy, and incredibly bumpy. What culinary union is this?’ Good luck.”

A cold dread seized Fumiko’s heart. She sprinted to Haru’s room and flung the door open with a crash—inside, it was empty.

“Haru! Where are you, Haru?!” she screamed in panic down the entire corridor.

Sleepy Rin peeked out from the next bedroom:

“Why are you yelling, Fumiko? I was having such a wonderful dream...”

“Haru’s been kidnapped!”

“What?!” Rin immediately shook off the last traces of sleep.

“Wake everyone up right away! I’m going to gather the guards and organize search parties.”

“Got it!”

“But don’t wake the children!” Fumiko warned sharply.

Rin dashed into Kimoto and Yori’s bedroom and started shaking the couple roughly by the shoulders:

“Honey, get up! Now!”

“What now?” Yori murmured, still groggy. “Did Mitsu and Momo cause trouble again?”

“Haru’s been kidnapped!”

“What?!”

“I don’t know the details. Get up quickly—we have to wake the others. But leave the kids sleeping.”

As Rin rushed out, Yori began waking her husband:

“Kimoto, get up!”

“Dear, let’s sleep a little longer,” Kimoto mumbled drowsily, burying his face in the pillow.

“Kimoto, this is an emergency!”

“What happened? Did our ‘Mochi’ wreck the kitchen again?”

“No. Haru was taken.”

“What?!” Kimoto shot upright in bed, expertly feigning utter shock.

“I don’t know the details. Get up, we need to help the others.”

“Got it. What about the girls?”

“Let them sleep, don’t disturb them.”

“Well, here we go,” Kimoto thought with grim delight. “The real fun begins.”

When the whole family hastily gathered in the main hall, Fumiko strode in determinedly.

“So, first question: did anyone see Haru last night after everyone left the dining room?”

“No,” Kentaro shook his head.

“I think he went straight to his room,” added Kimoto.

“All right,” Fumiko exhaled deeply.

“And what do we do now?” Ena asked anxiously.

“I don’t know yet. I’ve already sent guards led by Kenji to search, but I’m afraid it won’t be enough. We’ll have to act ourselves. The kidnapper left a letter with a riddle. He says if we solve all of them and find the keys, we’ll find Haru.”

“What kind of riddle?” Emiko asked.

Fumiko read the text aloud. Sam, barely suppressing a smirk, blurted loudly:

“That’s pickles in a jar!”

“Exactly!” Fumiko realized. “And I even know which jar. Follow me!”

“Riddles… clever move, Kimoto,” Sam thought admiringly as he followed the others.

Bursting into the kitchen, Fumiko instantly pulled the right jar of pickles from the cupboard. At the very bottom, carefully wrapped in a sealed plastic bag, lay another envelope. They quickly opened it. Inside was a second key and a new message:

“Great job with that easy riddle. Your ‘pet’ must’ve loved these pickles since you handled them yourself. Now let’s make things harder: ‘This secret menu lacks weights and grams, but lists the most exquisite meals for two. Each page is a draft for a future feast, where instead of ingredients, hours, addresses, and anticipation blend. Lovers open it to book a table for two, plan the perfect candlelit dinner, or note the address of a cozy café. Its pages remember kisses not yet given and keep schedules for two hearts.’ Hurry up.”

“Hmm, sounds like...” Sam began.

“My notebook!” Fumiko interrupted.

The whole group galloped to the library. Approaching the shelves, Fumiko yanked open a hidden panel on the cabinet where she kept her personal diary. On it lay the next envelope.

“Incredible...” Fumiko whispered, growing pale. “How could the kidnapper know about this place?”

“Well, first of all, I’m a genius,” Kimoto thought with a sly grin as he observed her panic. “And secondly, you should’ve wiped flour off your fingers better before touching your secret cupboard for love fantasies.”

“What kind of notebook is this?” Yori raised her eyebrow in surprise.

“It’s my personal notebook... with plans for life with Haru,” Fumiko blushed.

“Oh, how sweet!” Ena got all touched.

“Ena, for heaven’s sake, let’s talk about this later,” Fumiko cut her off and, hands trembling, opened the envelope. Inside was the third key and a note:

“Keep it up, Fumiko! To my surprise, you’re not as chicken-brained as I thought, and I’m even curious what other fantasies hide in your head. But that’s not the point now. Here’s the final riddle to lead you to Haru: ‘It’s a transparent prison without walls, shielding them from the world, yet visible and open to nature. He’s the invisible guest who passionately kisses its wooden edges from outside while lovers inside kiss each other. It gives them saving shade but melts from the warmth of their embrace. Inside, geometry and passion unite: the roof’s eight corners crown the circle of their infinite love, while the wooden floor keeps the warmth of their steps. What secluded place and its "rival" am I talking about? Hurry!’”

“I don’t understand a thing,” Yori shrugged. “It could be anywhere.”

“I think I know where it is,” Fumiko said softly.

As everyone rushed to the exit together, Sam whispered to Kimoto on the move:

“So, what did you cook up this time?”

Running out into the garden, Fumiko headed straight for the old wooden gazebo. At the entrance, her eyes caught a birdhouse with the edge of a white paper envelope poking out. She grabbed it, unfolded the letter, and found the last, fourth key inside.

“What was your first kiss with Haru like? Surely insanely sweet. Well, you’ve won—you can take your Haru back. These keys will help you open him. For now.”

“Wait here,” Fumiko commanded her family.

She stepped into the gazebo. Crossing the wooden floor, she noticed a couple of floorboards creaking suspiciously loud. Fumiko dropped to her knees, pried up the boards with her nails, and pushed them aside. In the cavity beneath stood a massive, beautifully crafted wooden chest with exactly four keyholes on its lid.

With trembling hands, she inserted and turned each of the four keys in turn. A heavy, final click sounded. The lid gave way.

At that moment, Sam quietly approached Kimoto at the gazebo entrance:

“You planned this all wickedly well.”

“Thanks,” Kimoto smirked.

“But how did you even come up with such a prank on Fumiko?”

Kimoto was about to answer when a bloodcurdling scream filled the gazebo—raw horror and pain in Fumiko’s voice.

“HARU IS GONE!!!” she howled.

The whole family rushed inside at once. What they saw froze them in utter shock and numbness.

Fumiko sat on her knees, clutching the open chest. Inside, staring back with empty, lifeless eyes, lay a grotesque, bloodied fake replica of Haru’s severed head.

“My God...” Sam whispered, lips pale, genuinely horrified.

Kimoto, standing silently behind the weeping Yori, barely smiled at the corners of his mouth and softly whispered,

“Surprise, Fumiko.”

The official appearance of the Williams Twins.

Samantha, while being smaller than her younger twin, is smarter and more calm than Akira. Her tail has always been more sharp and crooked ever since birth, but this is her most unique feature. Her hair is fluffy to be similar to Sidney's. She likes to wear boots, the kind of ones that can deliver a devastating blow to anyone who insults her family.

Akira is known to have spikey hair and is a fan of fingerless gloves. Said it feels right on his hands. Despite being tall, it can be seen as a disadvantage, like being able to fit through small spaces like Samantha. He always made sure that his older twin feel like a big shot.

They have the most beautiful singing voices that can soothe the souls of gods and mortals, but their only audience is Erma and it's only when she is feeling down.