EE Chapter 24

# Chapter Twenty-four - "Disappointment"

    Once the girls were done trouncing Eimi at laser tag - a group activity aided by most of the girls losing track of which team was whose - and after stopping to introduce Kazue to their favorite hangout spot, wherein Kazue was coerced into splitting somethings called a "chouquette" and a "profiterole" with one of the other girls because "she could not possibly make up her mind which French pastry was the best", everyone returned together to the dorm. Truthfully, though she had enjoyed her outing much more than she would have ever expected, Kazue was growing tired of the experience. It had been some time since she had allowed herself to be put into such a social position, and though she put in some small effort to better get to know the girls who were so keen on being her friends, she found herself unable to forge the connections they had been hoping to secure.

    "Kazue, would you like to see our room? Me and Kanon live right down the hall." The one with the green hair buns… Chiyo, she was fairly certain, asked excitedly.

    Once their group had arrived at their home a few of the girls had peeled off to take care of their own business, but Kazue had found herself dragged along by several of the tinier girls to the dorm's common lounge, her juniors evidently reluctant to let their playdate come to an end. If Kazue's regal talents had extended beyond conversing with animals - in only one direction, naturally - she may have been reminded of a folk tale her father had told her before bed when she was much younger, about a princess who finds herself living with a number of tiny but energetic creatures, only in reverse, for any one of the small girls was much more princess-like than Kazue. Or so Kazue thought. Opinions are divided on this matter.

    "No thank you. I'm kind of tired, actually. I think I may just…"

    The girl with the verdant hair giggled quietly, pointing next to her at her roommate who had the same urge, only she was currently indulging it much more actively. Kazue wondered how the girl could fall asleep so carelessly in such a public place before chalking it up to the reassuring presence of the other girls, the comfort of the old worn couch, and the fact that they were quite cozily sharing the seating between them.

    "Kazue, you aren't leaving already, are you?" The girl on her other side pleaded. "Does this mean you're ready to join Interlunium? Très magnifique!"

    The celebratory cheers of the two juniors woke the third who looked around confusedly before reacclimating to her surroundings. They were, however, mistaken.

    "I'm really sorry. Today was actually kind of fun, but I still don't have any desire to be an idol…"

    Anette gasped. Such a confession was anathema to her very being. She had fought so hard to become an idol, and harder still to remain one and join Interlunium. So too had Chiyo. So had many of their friends. While Anette sat frozen in shock, Chiyo's eyes welled with tears. Even the reassuring hand of Kanon on her shoulder couldn't calm her down, and Kazue - deeply embarrassed and wracked with guilt over what was happening - watched as Chiyo fished a ball of peach-colored fuzz from out of her front breast pocket to stroke and nuzzle it.

    "Wh-What's that?" Said Kazue, equal parts concerned and curious.

    "That is Mademoiselle Momo."

    "She's Chiyo's hamster…"

    "I didn't know you were allowed to have a pet in the dorm." Kazue's voice raised in pitch with her newfound interest in this newcomer. "Would you like to meet one of mine?"

    "*One* of…?"

    "Mademoiselle Kazue, how many pets do you have?"

    "Right now… Forty-seven."

    "Y-You have forty-seven hamsters?!" Chiyo chirped in shock, completely unable to comprehend such a menagerie.

    "No way! I've always been a little scared of rodents, and they wouldn't get along with my pets very well. This one's named Grigory. He's the most well behaved so he gets to come out the most often." Kazue extended her left arm fully, straight out in front of her. Following my Emperor's signal I scurried out from under the sleeve of her shirt and onto the palm of her hand, shouting her praises as loudly as I could.

    Of course, since none of the girls speak insect they didn't know this, but I like to think Kazue knows somehow anyway.

    "Eek!" The two girls directly next to Kazue both shouted and scooted backwards, nearly falling off of the couch. Many of the other girls in the room stared at them in confusion.

    "Huh… You keep insects as pets?" Kanon, the nice quiet one, half asked and half inferred.

    "I really like the sensation of them crawling on my skin. I think that's when it first started. I keep a bunch in my room. They're very well behaved." Kazue's smile widened, eager to share her hobby with her new friends.

    "Y-You keep…"

    "You keep r-roaches…" Chiyo hugged Momo out of harm's way, even though the most amateur entomologist can tell you that hamsters are a natural predator of roaches, whereas I pose no harm whatsoever to a rodent so many times my own size.

    "Yeah! Would you like to come see my room? It's pretty cool. I even have a kabutomushi, though he's been pretty grumpy lately for some reason."

    Anette and Chiyo looked at each other nervously. Neither of them especially enjoy bugs, or could be said to be in any way a fan of insects, but they suspected that if they turned down Kazue's invitation it may spoil any future attempts to get her to say yes to joining their group.

    "Sure. That sounds kind of neat…"

    In the end the decision was made for them by Kanon, for whom insects are a mere curiosity rather than something to be feared.

    Down one flight of stairs and across the building, the girls paused outside of Kazue's room - the fearsome omnivore having been thankfully placed back in Chiyo's pocket. Upon opening the door, Kazue and Kanon entered her sanctuary. Standing in the doorway, the other two girls peered in nervously. They were struck immediately by two unexpected qualities. Curiously, instead of the usual overhead lighting Kazue's room was lit by numerous small lamps, each illuminating a small area while leaving others dark - all the better to keep her numerous pets happy. Aside from this, the most remarkable thing about Kazue's room was that it was spotless and neatly organized. Not what the girls had been fearing upon hearing that the room had forty-seven insectoid inhabitants.

    "Come on in." Chimed Kazue happily as she stuck her hand into one of the numerous terrariums atop her desk. This initiated the changing of the Emperor's honor guard, as I retired to my supper and several of my brethren onboarded in my stead. She sat down on her bed and waved them into the room, which they obeyed reluctantly. "Do you want to hold one?"

   Kanon held out her hand and one of Kazue's pets - a young roach named Furantsu - skittered into her palm. The young girl didn't react much, except to remark that my brethren's legs tickled her slightly.

    "How about you?" She offered to the cowering girls, still standing barely inside of the room.

    "I-I can't… I'm sorry!" Blurted Chiyo.

    Kazue laughed slightly, before saying slightly nervously, "It's okay, I get it. I don't think I could bring myself to hold a hamster. How about it, Anette? I bet you'll get along really well."

    This was Anette's moment to shine. Perhaps if she was brave enough she could convince Kazue to join their group. She stepped forward confidently before pausing, closing her eyes for a moment… and completely chickening out.

    "Non! I can't do it! I'm sorry! I'm afraid of insects! Très scared… But that's why you need to join Interlunium! So we can keep hanging out all the time! Then maybe someday I won't be scared anymore…"

    "P-Please reconsider, Kazue. I promise Momo is the most well-behaved hamster ever, and we all really want you to join us!"

    "We all work really hard, but we have a whole lot of fun too…" Kanon carefully returned Furantsu to our Emperor's care. "We all had a lot of fun with you today. Please at least think about it overnight? We really want you to join us…"

    "Oui. Please, Mademoiselle Kazue?"

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