Charles Patricius

Kazu was walking a line, was he? He had no problem with that. For some reason or another, poking at Angelica was always a worthwhile endeavor. That was only becoming more true as years became decades, then centuries, now millennia. "Did I step on the princess's toes? If that's the case, you ca─" Kazu had a raised finger of emphasis and all, but he suddenly fell silent along with a realization. What was he about to say? It was definitely something deviant ─ enough so that Kazu wondered how it appeared in his mind. Sometimes, he needed to reflect.

Marisbury managed to wake the sleeping girl. Her reaction to rising in the face of him and a bowl of food was... frankly, about what he expected on any random Tuesday. "Marisbury Animusphere. Pleasure to meet you," he said before watching bodies move around the area. For so many people to be eating, there was a distinct lack of eating space. That just wouldn't do; the one cooking couldn't even find a proper seat. "Oh... I could try a new trick. That table seems compatible enough. Per metallum et manus artificis, lapis cedat, mensa epulis surgat. Amplifica aedes, magico vocatu, mensa magna, hanc terram impleat!" Per Marisbury's incantation spoken at a rapid pace, words echoed through the fabric of reality against the strange table affected by Kazuhiko's session with Chika. What came about was the shifting of that table into a long grand dining table of ivory, ten chairs of enchanted wood along either side. Despite its length, the table somehow fit within that small room via a bit of space manipulation in the area immediately surrounding it. With that done, Marisbury exhaled a deep breath. "Haah. There. That should last about a week. Strong material," he commented. "Now then... about the fact that there are currently sixteen people and three familiars in this room. For starters, I should point out that six of you are currently with child. That sort of creation energy is what brought me here today."

Kazuhiko sounded like he was about to continue to sass Angelica and perhaps he was, but whatever the case, he stopped his sentence short, seeming to reflect upon what he was about to say. Losing one's train of thought or even pausing it because they realized what they had to say aloud wasn't completely unusual. And since it was now time for breakfast, no one would call him on it. "Uh...huh... don't know where that was going but I'm going to leave it alone," Angelica mentioned while staring at her bowl. This whole place was quite crowded but it seemed that this was being taken care of.

In this particular moment as Miko tipped around trying to figure out where she was going to sit, Marisbury changed that weird mound of material in the living room into a suitable dining room table. Miko looked upon it with wide eyes and both Kaguya and Ai were interested in it from a magical perspective. Angelica in typical creative fashion would comment. "Very nice table. I didn't know you could change it like that!" she gave the compliment. "It's definitely awesome!~ Arigatou gouzaimasu!~" Miko chimed, slipping around to have a seat on the left hand side, somewhere near the one of the tables ends. Kaguya took the seat immediately to Miko's side along the length of the table, and Ai took the one after that. Chika pulled herself off the floor having nodded her understanding of Marisbury's name, and went to sit down with the rest of the student council. Kei also joined in placing her near one of the other ends. Saori took the side immediately across from Kei and Angelica took the one immediately in front of Miko. The immediate topic of conversation was one about the nature of creation energy in the room, multiple familiars and several pregnancies all together in a single place had brought Marisbury to the area. Kei looked around the table and saw the looks on everyone's faces. "Really, I'm the only girl in the house who isn't pregnant right now?" she said seemingly aghast. "It's been such a week. Also I was doing my best, I was going to ask about mana flow on this side, because I'm kind of having a difficult time, but I think it's because of how I normally do it," was all Miko could say. "Familiars?" questioned Saori, she knew she was pregnant but felt no need to talk about it. She figured the answer to the problem would present itself over the course of this conversation.

A table had been placed via magical means, so the group would be assembling around it in sequence. Miko and her friends quickly crowded one side, while Angelica and Saori presented ample space between them on the other side. While Kazu moved himself toward the seat next to Angelica, Marisbury noted the latter's comment. "It isn't strange that you didn't know that... mostly because it can't be changed like that. At least, there's no method I know of that could actually change that material. I bypassed its physical aspects and morphed its internal mana into a shape. Over time, it will return to form," he explained. During that time, Yuuya seemed skittish as ever. He didn't feel comfortable claiming a seat next to someone, nor did he want to put himself in front of someone. In a stroke of good fortune, Kazuhiko took out the awkwardness. "Dude, over here!" he called out. "H-hai. Shitsureishimasu."

With that, Yuuya became the last to grab a seat. Marisbury waited for his words to set in. The thought settled first with Kei, who was indeed in possession of the only empty womb in this building. "As it stands, you are," Marisbury stated. Miko's question deserved an answer as well, but first... the purple-haired woman seemed confused. "Three Familiars, yes. The dog is one," he said. "One is with her," he added while nodding toward Kaguya. "And he has... a strange one," he concluded with a gesture toward Kazuhiko. "And if any of you are having a difficult time, it may be because most of you carry new lives comparable to... well, me, for lack of a better reference. If things are left as they are, the collective creation in this room will tear a hole in the planet. I think this should take the 'divide and conquer' approach."

"Oh, that's interesting. I couldn't identify that material... and I change a lot of things into other things... and I tried messing with that when I fixed the room up yesterday and I couldn't manage it. So, even if it's temporary, it's really impressive..." Angelica mentioned. Whatever the case, she still found that kind of work interesting and she was impressed that he'd even managed just to make it change form temporarily. At the same time, Miko could only smile as the outplaced Yuuya was invited to sit with Kazuhiko. He would have done that regardless of who it was, she remembered an odd time when she'd been on the receiving end of that sort of invitation. Eventually, Yuuya would feel properly included.

In the meantime, Miko began to eat her fill and so did the other girls. Kei got confirmation that she was the only non-pregnant female int he room and felt both superior and excluded in the oddest way. But Kaguya also hadn't been with Kazuhiko yet, so why was she pregnant? She'd have to ask that at some point but for now the question of familiars were being addressed. Apparently Naito was one, Kaguya had another and Kazuhiko had one which was odd. "Oya? Well, I hadn't summoned her in this form but she is attached to it. I'm only really eating to keep from losing body fat at this point," she mentioned. "Still great breakfast Mi-chan~" she said while eating. Kaguya said getting out ahead of any questions which might have been asked. Apparently, every pregnant girl was giving birth to something that would be a quality of existence equivalent to Marisbury. That was news, but Miko was less surprised by it than she might have been. "Arigatou. Also I didn't forget Charlie, you met little me, I get to see the familiar!" she murmured splitting her speech. "We wouldn't want to blow a hole in the planet. How are we dividing it up though? Are we taking things in shifts or is it possible for most of us to do something ourselves?" she asked genuinely curious. "I don't have that sort of talent," Saori admitted. "Chi-chan will definitely need assistance too. If I know what to do about the familiars I can explain it, I have a pretty good handle of it," Kaguya mentioned volunteering herself. "I am almost done with myself as well, it's just taking a while because I've never turned something into me before. It was an odd concept," Angelica mentioned about making an Avatar.

"Don't get me wrong; it's mostly imaginary. From what I can tell of you, our abilities shouldn't be very different. It's just a matter of experience that allowed me that little cheat," Marisbury said to Angelica, whom he knew himself to be related to in some way. While that conversation progressed into one about numerous active pregnancies, Kazu thought to distance himself from open discussion, with the added purpose of trying to incorporate Yuuya a bit more. "So I noticed you've been hopping back to train a lot. Ever give thought to a sparring partner? I've been needing to test my sword and some other stuff, and I think we could have a pretty fun match," he suggested. Yuuya didn't really know what to say, as always. "I uh... isn't someone else probably a better challenge? I don't have the same active combat experience as the rest of you," Yuuya argued. Kazu had seen all kinds of deflections before; that one wasn't going to work. "More reason for you to practice real combat. Besides, I need variety. You never know what'll hit you out there in the field, so it's good to get a little practice against everything you can. If you don't think you can bring a challenge, you don't have to. Trust me dude; I can get something from just seeing a different approach at the other end."

Kazuhiko and Yuuya would continue their chat, and Kaguya commented on her Familiar and its unusual nature. "Yours is one I can't familiarize myself with. I know it exists and is actively connected to you, but it is beyond my perception. The other two are more clearly seen," said Marisbury. He had much more explaining to do, and a bit of assistance to offer in some regards. First and foremost, the explanations. "When I speak of dividing, I mean it on two fronts. Not only should these things be tackled separately; they should also be separated. Some of you have especially potent things growing inside you. Some... even have multiple sources." As he spoke, Marisbury slowly shifted his focus in the direction of Saori. She may have been the least prepared of this group to produce something other than a child with her offering, if the pink-haired girl didn't have that crown. "I feel you should be helped first, and by me directly. Yours will be... explosive."

Sadly, Kazu couldn't run from everything by speaking with Yuuya. Familiars being a topic of relevence, Miko remembered an agreement they had several days before. Kazu stopped mid-bite, falling silent for several seconds. "Uhm... well I... see... I uh..." No matter how he wracked his brain, Kazuhiko came up with no excuses. His spoon fell into his bowl in a moment of defeat. His head hung, and his heart dropped. Kazu knew his Familiar had been present for some time, though it remained ethereal. "... Kuri," he nearly whispered. In that moment, the creature in question became visible to all. A small, round and fluffy creature with a body covered in dark brown fur, resembling a puffball or a chestnut could be seen floating over Kazu's head. It had large, expressive eyes, and small, clawed green feet that stuck out from its furry body. Kazu appeared almost defeated, and the creature called Kuri seemed... sleepy and unstable.

While Angelica ate, she and Marisbury conversed. According to that man, they weren't too different, she simply needed a bit more experience to come up with a working solution like this 'cheat', as he called it. "Hm, I'll give it some thought then and see if I can do it after it changes back!" said Angelica more than willing to at least try knowing that it was something that was possible. This was her own nature after all. At the same time, Kazuhiko was busy chatting up Yuuya.It seemed that Kazuhiko wanted to have a sparring match, but Yuuya thought himself incapable because of a lack of experience. Such a thing wasn't really going to fly and it would oddly enough be Kaguya to encourage him, "Yuu-kun should go for it. I mean... I'm literally the least combat ready person here, I've literally fought nothing~" she said as she worked on her own bowl. "Hm, I only fought monsters as a monster myself... I don't know if that'd make me count more or less," Kei said aloud seeming to want to think about it.

Soon after, Marisbury was clearing up his perception of familiars. Kaguya's was unknown to him, but that made sense as the thing she'd connected to her soul wasn't something which had existed in this world for quite a long time. "Hai hai... I doubt it will manifest like that but it should still work on its basis. My other form wears it..." she paused. "Oh, I've gone slow. I should have done something like that instead of buying two of everything. I got caught up in hype shopping!" she exclaimed. Whatever she meant, she knew at least a little of what she'd be doing with her spare time. Meanwhile the potency of the children being made was apparently a problem. Ai had something to say about hers... "I'm almost done with mine... it's just a bit tough digesting right now~" she claimed as if it was the simplest way to get through it. As for division and conquering apparently Saori needed some assistance in her baby making problem, "Huh? I guess that makes sense. I don't do this kind of stuff with magic..." she said taking a moment or two to finish her bowl. "Thanks for that. You'll have to explain that one too me, it was great for a light meal~" she said to Miko who blushed just a tad. "Hai hai, whenever you like!~" she offered with a smile on her face.

Ah but there wasn't going to be a complete let down today. No, as Miko finished reminding Kazuhiko that she'd not seen his familiar but he'd met her smallest form she was rewarded with that which had been left unknown. In a little whisper, she heard, Kuri and then a small creature appeared. It was fluffy with hands and feet and large expressive eyes. Miko was quiet for several seconds and then she squealed, "KAWAAAIII♪!~ It's so cute!~" she sang melodiously, suddenly standing her her chair and reaching across the table. "Can I hold it!?" she asked excitedly. While Angelica managed to look shocked. "I didn't know you had one, Chuck," she commented between bites of rice and egg. The other girls were stunned. It was quite cute but they didn't see a guy choosing a familiar like this one.

Yuuya thought himself capable of diverting attention from himself. He couldn't be the right fit, but only he thought that. Kazuhiko basically insisted. Kaguya commented on her lack of any fighting experience. Even Kei, whom he didn't really know, claimed she only fought monsters. "That's no different from my experience," he said of Kei's mention. Alas, his cries fell on deaf ears. Kazuhiko didn't actually want Yuuya as a training partner above all others. In truth, he hardly cared about a sparring match at all. The entire offer was solely for the sake of building camaraderie. "You're worried about the wrong stuff, dude. Let's just have fun with it," Kazuhiko mentioned between bites. Yuuya wasn't getting around this, so... he gave up as he always would. "Hai. I can do it for fun."

The time had come for Marisbury to take a break from explaining things. Kazuhiko's Familiar had been made visible for the first time to all present. Even Marisbury knew the reaction a group of girls would have to something like that. Marisbury fell silent, and soft cries of kuriri came from the furry creature. It seemed Miko would be accosting it after Kazu gestured his lack of concern for the action. Angelica didn't know he had a Familiar, but there were a few reasons for that. "I always have. Well... kind of always. He showed up while I was in the Labyrinth, and was already connected to me. I never really do anything with him, so it's no surprise you don't know," he said. Just then, Marisbury decided to speak after all. He had a raised brow and a devious grin. Some truths had to be shared. "Strange. Spiritually, Kuri here is one of the most well-cared for entities I've ever seen. Someone must be taking care of him," the man stated, prompting Kazu to halt a bite in progress. Never had he been so randomly thrown under the proverbial bus.

Even though this group had only been together for a few days, everyone on it seemed apt to help Yuuya become acclimated to dealing with others properly. Even Kei who was having the most problems properly communicating seemed to understand the folly of Yuuya already. She wouldn't be allowing actual good men to live inside of shells when she knew terrible ones who were walking around like they were good. Inclusion was the name of the game and eventually Yuuya gave up on trying to argue. A note was made by Kaguya to enforce the other half of that equation after getting him used to accepting friendship. After all, he had to learn to say no as well. A little smirk appeared on her face as she considered it but would say nothing more about it.

No, she too was busy looking at the small creature that was apparently Kazuhiko's familiar. "It is really cute," Kaguya agreed. Ai could only nod her head as well, in a world of cute things, this one had to be pretty high on the list of cute items. Kei even though in something of a huff couldn't deny that it was a very cute creature. Chika had about the simplest reaction, "Cutest Fluff!" Miko strangely agreed. "Cutest Fluff!" she chanted as well. "Mi-sen agreed with Chi-sen, the world is ending today," Kei said with a casual roll of her eyes. Which had a strange agreement coming from both Ai and Kaguya. She took the creature into her outstretched hands amid cute little cries of Kuriri, which made her heartbeat jump a bit. "OOoooha, it's so soft! I love it!" Miko almost cried in full cute girl mode she sat back into her seat holding this little fluffy creature close to her body and talking to it softly while petting it. "How could he keep you from me?" she questioned almost upset that she'd not been given a chance to bond with something so cute. Well an answer to that and Angelica's lack of knoweldge about it was being given, only to be shot down a bit by Marisbury immediately after. Thrown under the bus didn't begin to cover what had just happened. "Mari-sa still hasn't learned being a scamp will earn him a punish~" Miko sang quietly to the creature in her lap. Ai laughed aloud and Kaguya snickered both of them were also quite used to the behaviors of Marisbury... in the future at least. Angelica upon hearing this pointed an accusatory finger at Kazuhiko, "But you also didn't show me when I showed you mine!" she said as if this combined with the other information to form some kind of conspiracy. "It's like the cutest, coolest thing ever Charlie! You definitely should have shown me this, way before now. I always wanted a familiar but I haven't had any luck with them...." she beginning to chew on her cheek her face puffing completely.

Apparently, Kazuhiko's Familiar was a topic worth discussion. Worse still was the fact that Marisbury Animusphere was completely selling him out. They didn't even know one another; why was this deserved? Maybe he did consistently play caretaker for that little ball of fluff, but what else was he to do? Kazu wasn't the sort to just leave it in Familiar limbo for a lifetime. Of course, he wouldn't take it into battle either... and for that, there were great reasons. With Angelica pointing that accusatory finger, he shifted only his eyes toward her. Kazuhiko's brow was elevated now. "You didn't ask. Besides, you didn't show me your Familiar. He was just there; it doesn't count," he argued. For some time, Kazu was looking across the table, watching his Familiar receive the direct physical attention of Miko. Something was odd in its behavior and appearance, he thought.

He definitely should not have shown Kuri to Miko, or anyone else before this moment. Any situation which required a Familiar was not one he'd be using his for. Of course, that wasn't even something Kazu would mention just yet. Instead, he spoke about Miko's lack of Familiar as Anais. "Well we never went to a place that has good ones anyway. There are a lot of unknown ways to end up with one, too, so... who knows?" he replied while locking eyes with Kuri for quite some time. After staring for several moments, Kazu had one thing to share with his Familiar. "Oh. You've gotten fat," he stated plainly. The Familiar he'd last seen ages ago from his own perspective was never quite so... fluffy, in a manner of speaking. In response to that claim, the ball of fur offered only a huff to its master. "What? You have."

While Miko got to know Kazuhiko's familiar... Angelica had it pointed out that she'd not asked to see Kazuhiko's familiar. And that though she'd shown hers, it was simply there... "Well, that was different. Junipero was a part of all the stuff I did while you were gone. I was showing you everything," she said while turning her nose up in the air. In truth that made a bit more sense than a lot of things that could have been said, but no, there was a new point, "Junipero?" this was the question posed by Kaguya. She was told her sense for certain things was completely off but never had she uttered a name like that before. "Yeah, it's what I named my familiar, he grew out of a juniper berry I planted..." Angelica stated as if that was a normal way to end up with a pet. "That is one hell of a name. And very interesting way to end up with a familiar," Kaguya mentioned still trying not to laugh outright at the name chose. She could only hope the child of Angelica and Kazuhiko didn't have such an outrageous name.

Beyond that the comfort that Miko was offered about her lack of familiar was that they'd never gone to a place to pick up a cool one. And that there were lots of ways to end p with familiars so she might yet have one on board. "I mean... I wasn't exactly looking for cool to begin with... it's part of how I figured out animals liked me, but none ever wanted to connect that way with me even of the more normal varieties," Miko clarified. She'd spent a lot of time with animals and other cute things any of which she would have accepted but all seemed to not be interested. That was fine though, "Still, 30 years of you being the only calm person. We were alone with Asta and Bradie. It was pure chaos and a sensory overload. It was overstimulation for 30 straight years. I could have been playing with the cutest fluff!~" she said still pouting. The commentary on Kuri's weight and its reaction made Miko squeal, "Squee♪!~ So cute. I don't know what you looked like before, but I think the extra fluff is nice!~" she told the creature. She'd only been alone with it for a few moments, but she loved it. Meanwhile, Kaguya understood why Kuri was larger and it was technically Kazuhiko's fault for becoming a bigger entity. "Is it like all fluff?" from Saori who'd avoided the pitfalls of being into cute small things, but only externally.