Monstrous Distinction Part 12 (Patreon)

“Hey Itsuki, have Nino and Yotsuba come home yet?” Fuutarou asked, feeling more defeated than ever. As much as he wanted to call today a success, considering what he had done to Yotsuba, he could hardly call it that.

“Both already came home and are currently minding their own business. So, what did you want to talk about?” asked Itsuki, her voice slightly distorted through the speakers of Fuutarou’s somewhat old phone. So he took a deep breath as he leaned back in the chair by his study table and stared at the ceiling.

“...as you probably already know, with today you are the only one of your sisters left to be human.” He said slowly, closing his eyes while leaning further back.

“It's not really news to me, but I am guessing you cursed my last sister during your outing today?” Itsuki replied, sounding just a touch disappointed.

“Yes. Do you know who it was?” Fuutarou asked back, to which Itsuki simply responded. “I don’t. As far as I remember, I have always been the only human in our family. But I am guessing it was Yotsuba, since you already told me how you touched every other one.”

“Did it not tip you off that Yotsuba was human when she brought the lamp of Miku when she crashed our first explanation round.” Fuutarou barked angrily.

“Yotsuba was a centaur when she brought Miku’s lamp. I am more than 100% sure that all of my sisters would agree with me there.” Itsuki hissed back, just as aggressively.

“Haaa… I know. I have already noticed that no one tends to remember those things.” Fuutarou sighed, shaking his head even though he knew that no one could see him. But he was just that frustrated.

“So what is your goal now? No, you know what, let's change the topic. The school trip is next week. Do you look forward to it?” Itsuki asked, seemingly not really all that angry at him at all. “We all managed to get through the last big exam, so we were all looking forward to this huge trip.”

“Honestly I haven’t really thought much about the school trip. Yotsuba asked me to help her out, since she is stuck in the test of courage preparation team, but other than that I didn't really have time to research it at all. You could say I was a bit occupied.” Fuutarou replied honestly, though Itsuki seemed surprised by that response.

“Occupied? You? Does it have anything to do with the curse?” She asked in return.

“Oh, didn't your sisters tell you? I mean, I was out with Miku and Nino today on a Sunday. When was the last time Nino wanted to spend her Sunday with me?” Fuutarou asked rhetorically, laughing to himself about the absurdity of the situation.

“I was wondering that too, but even if I am good at keeping track of everything my sisters are doing, often they just don't tell me everything. To be real I was kind of surprised when you called me today and weren't torn to shreds by her.” Itsuki replied, which made Fuutarou laugh weakly again.

“We were talking about things related to Scyllas. She had asked me to research everything I could about her own extra species and then tell her while she invited me out for a drink. I didn’t expect so much hospitality from her, but I was also not willing to make her angry by refusing it.”

“Nono, it's completely natural. I would have done the same thing as Nino.” Itsuki replied quickly, much to the surprise of Fuutarou.

“For real?”

“Yeah! I mean, you did probably spent a few hours for her finding all the right books and stuff on the internet in order to help her. The least she could do is invite you out for a drink. I would have honestly taken you out for food as well… but then again, that's probably just me.” Itsuki giggled, which somehow made Fuutarou feel better. Because up until now he really couldn’t really explain Nino’s hospitality at all. Why wasn’t she like that when he worked that much for their study sessions?

“Anyhow, it’s getting late. Is there anything you want to add before I head off?” Itsuki asked, which reminded Fuutarou of something. The main reason why he even called her in the first place.

“Right, Itsuki. I planned on visiting the weird store I got cursed at tomorrow after school. And if it is alright, I would like for the five of you to join me there.” Fuutarou spoke sternly, though there was a soft plea in her voice as well. “My goal is to get rid of this curse, which shouldn't surprise you.”

“Hmm… Understood. I’ll tell the others.” Itsuki answered in a way that made Fuutarou feel like she nodded as well. “Well then. See you tomorrow. Goodnight.”

Beep

“Gah… This is a mess…” Fuutarou let out, letting himself fall into his bed. This had been a crazy weekend. He had somehow managed to transform everyone of the quints barring Itsuki, although with how things are going, this seemed more like an inevitability as well.

“I just hope tomorrow goes more smoothly… But somehow… I’m starting to doubt that.” He let out. Though there was no point continuing today, it was way too late. He just hoped tomorrow didn’t hold any surprises like that in store for him…

—

Ding Dong~

“Coooooooming~” Raiha chimed, already on her way running towards the door.

“Huh? Son, are you expecting someone so early in the morning?” Fuutarou’s dad let out, to which Fuutarou just scoffed.

“Yeah, right. Because I look like someone who would get visited so early in the morning.” Fuutarou rolled his eyes. “Probably a package delivery that got here a bit too early.”

“You sure it is not a holy maiden waiting for her mighty knight to take her away~” his dad continued to joke.

Clop, clop, clop

“...on horseback?”

“Yahoo~ Uesugi-saaaan~” A female voice chimed as the clopping got louder. Which could only mean one thing.

“Yotsuba?!?” Fuutarou let out as the centauress entered the kitchen, her smile as omnipresent and warm as always.

“That’s me~ I have come to take you away~” Yotsuba declared, pointing her finger at Fuutarou who just looked at her in sheer confusion. Meanwhile Raiha popped out from behind the centauress' back and sat back at her seat by the table.

“Hm… Wasn’t too far off from my prediction…”

“Shut up, dad.”

“Anyhow! I have come to steal your son away~ I shall kidnap him and drag him to the school myself! Mehehehe~” Yotsuba declared, to which Fuutaoru was just as surprised as he was before.

“You can have him. Have fun.”

“DAAAD!!!”

—

“Yotsuba, do you mind explaining something to me?” Fuutarou asked, while scratching the back of his head.

“What’s up~?” Yotsuba chimed.

“Why am I riding on your back right now?” Fuutarou asked, still not feeling too comfortable holding himself around Yotsuba’s waist, even if she seemingly didn't mind.

“Because I kidnapped you~” Yotsuba chimed, though her voice got a little bit less cheerful.

“Do you want to elaborate on that? Because otherwise I will get off now.” Fuutarou stated. He had played around with Yotsuba’s charade for a bit, but he just wasn’t in the mood for games right now.

“Hehehe… Well… It’s hard to explain.” Yotsuba said, seemingly thinking about how to put it in words. Though her running speed did not decrease at all. “I woke up super early today and didn’t know what to do. And I felt like running and exercising… don’t know how to better explain that…”

“Do you think it’s a centaur thing?” Fuutarou asked, immediately trying to analyze the situation.

“Could be. Anyway I felt like running, so I ran around the city for half an hour or so. Then I came back home and took a bath~” Yotsuba spoke, her voice being as carefree as ever. “Man that was great~ Feels like I should be doing that everyday from now on~”

“Yotsuba?”

“Yes?”

“You are getting off the point. Why did you… ‘kidnap’ me?” Fuutarou asked, poking her on her shoulder while looking unimpressed.

“Uhm… Uh… Well…” Yotsuba stuttered a bit, before she broke into laughter. “Because I wanted to thank you for what you have done for us up until now. And in a way only I can~ Ahahaha~”

“So you let me ride you to school? Honestly I am not really proud of my actions towards you the entire last week.” Fuutarou replied honestly, though Yotsuba immediately responded. “It’s not about how you think you did. It’s about us. I’ve been told that you helped the others so much that even Nino agreed that you worked yourself to the bone. And I wanted to reward that.”

“I see… I guess I can’t stop you then.” Fuutarou answered and shrugged his shoulders. Though it did feel surprisingly nice to receive a gift like this for his efforts, even if he had practically never even ridden a horse before. At least his way to school felt not as long like this…

“Also I wanted to get in a bit more running time before class started. And I have noticed that running with some weight on my back is so much more fun.” Yotsuba added.

“Of course it is more fun for you like that…Wait! I weigh like 80 kilos. How is this more fun for you?!?”

“Ehehe~”

—

“Hi Fuutarou-kun~ We came like we promised~” Ichika, the Lamia announced herself, as she slithered together with the still human Itsuki to the front entrance of the school, where they had promised to meet up.

“Good to see you. Are the others already on their way as well?” Fuutarou asked, looking at the two of them briefly before taking a step away from the wall he was leaning on.

“Yes, they should be on their way.” Itsuki stated, then looking at him like she was trying to stare a hole into his forehead. “By the way, what was up with you and Yotsuba this morning? I saw you two arriving together while you were riding on her back today.”

“Heck, if I knew.” Fuutarou shook his head. “I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to. For that you need to speak to the kidnapper herself. Speaking of which…”

“Yahoo~ Itsuki~ Ichika~ Fuutarou-kun~ We are heeeeere~” Yotsuba announced, with Nino and Miku not far behind her. Nino was holding Miku’s lamp with one of her tentacles while Miku floated right next to her, as the two of them were talking to each other until Yotsuba suddenly let out a shout.

“We are here alright. So where does Mr Tutor want to take us this time?” Nino asked, her voice poisonous once again.

“We are going to the shop where Fuutarou-kun got cursed in the first place. Maybe the lady inside can help us get rid of the curse? At least, that's our current hope.” Ichika answered, making Fuutrarou breathe a sigh of relief that he didn't need to answer.

“Mhm. Let's do that.” Miku said, seemingly also pumped up. “I'm a bit scared, but also so excited to meet a person who can just curse people like that. I thought that was only reserved for villains of fantasy dramas!”

“That’s because it is… usually.” Nino answered as the six of them started to get moving towards the store where everything began.

Though the quins were acting just a bit weird which Fuutarou wasn’t expecting. He couldn’t fully pinpoint what was wrong, so he could only hope that this wouldn’t come back to bite him. After all, he hated to drop a cliche like this, but he couldn’t help it: He had a bad feeling about going into that shop again.

—

Four down, one to go. But before anything more drastic happens, it's time for all of them to band together again.