The moment the closet door opened, something large shot out at full speed. Both Mochi and Miyu jumped aside, narrowly dodging the anomaly.
—What was it? I didn't get a good look —Mochi asked.
—That doesn't matter, Sempai. Let's not let it escape! —Miyu replied.
The creature made a frantic loop around the room, flailing like a bird out of control as it crashed into boxes and furniture, knocking everything down in its path, then headed straight for the door.
—I won't let you! —Mochi jumped in front of the exit, blocking its path.
The anomaly immediately changed direction, now dashing toward the window. With the speed it was carrying, it was clear it intended to break through the glass.
—Miyu, cover the window!
Miyu jumped in front of it and extended her umbrella, blocking the entire access without leaving a single gap.
The creature shifted direction at the last second and fled into a corner of the room.
—Sempai, I saw it! It's hiding under a coat!
Both of them ran toward it from opposite sides to prevent any possible escape.
Mochi reached it first, but what she saw left her completely bewildered.
It wasn't one anomaly, but two… and the appearance of both was as ridiculous as it was unsettling.
The first anomaly wasn't hiding under a coat: the anomaly was the coat. A green parka, awkwardly floating in the air as if it had a life of its own.
The second one was much smaller: a human eye with four spider-like legs, which moved with dry clicking sounds.
The parka made a slight floating motion toward Mochi. She reacted instantly, raising her arms and taking a boxer's stance, ready to counterattack.
But contrary to what she expected…
The parka dropped to its knees in front of her. Its sleeves bent like human arms, and it pressed its "hands" together in a pleading gesture. The hood touched the floor, trembling.
—Huh…? —Mochi blinked, slowly lowering her fists.
The eye with legs stepped forward and let out a rough growl. Its voice was hoarse, like that of a heavy smoker.
—What are you doing, you coward?! Stand up! It's time to fight! Face the hunter!
The parka, far from obeying, began to plead even more desperately, bowing further and crawling toward Mochi with frantic movements. It even pressed the hood against the floor as if kissing the ground.
—I-it's… asking for forgiveness? —Mochi said, stepping back, utterly confused.
The eye, irritated, tried to hit it with its front legs, but its blows were so weak they barely made the fabric move.
—I told you to get up, you useless thing!
The parka didn't react at all; it just kept trembling and "praying" nonstop.
—Uhh… are they fighting each other? —Miyu whispered, slowly approaching.
Mochi watched the scene, unsure whether to laugh or attack.
—This… is not what I expected —she muttered, fully lowering her guard—. Hey… aren't you two going to fight or what?
The eye let out a long, exhausted sigh, like air escaping from a punctured balloon.
—Tch… we're not the fighting type —it admitted with frustration—. And that coward even less.
Mochi narrowed her eyes, still unsure. Then she remembered Haruka's words: "Anomalies are beings that feed on humans."
—Hold on… —she finally said, crossing her arms—. Anomalies are monsters that attack people to eat them. Isn't that what you're supposed to do?
The eye turned toward her, its pupil dilated as if exhausted.
—What kind of prejudice is that? —it grumbled—. Of course not all of us do that. Some of us live off the ether that humans naturally give off. It's like… —it paused, searching for an example— like a plant that lives off the sun and the earth.
—Off… the sun and the earth? —Mochi repeated, confused.
—Yes. There's no need to swallow anyone to survive. Only the ambitious ones, those who seek power, are the ones who attack humans.
Mochi watched them for a few seconds. The parka was still on the floor, trembling and joining its "hands" in supplication; the eye was barely holding itself together.
—So… —she said slowly—, you two are… good anomalies?
—Well… "good" is a rather strong word —the eye replied in a deep tone—. Let's just say we're… peaceful.
—Miyu, what do you think? I honestly have no idea what to do —Mochi looked at her friend, hoping for some advice.
—I don't know what to do either… —Miyu admitted—. Honestly, I wouldn't feel right eliminating someone who doesn't want to hurt anyone and can't even defend themselves…
A long silence followed as they tried to decide what to do. They considered calling Zeke to ask him, but feared he would immediately tell them to eliminate them without a second thought.
The debate ended abruptly when an alarm went off: the reminder Mochi had set so she wouldn't forget about going to class.
—Miyu! We're going to be late! We have to go! —Mochi ran to her room and returned seconds later wearing her school uniform. She grabbed Miyu's hand and pulled her toward the door.
—Wait, Sempai! What do we do with the anomalies?
—If we don't leave now, we're going to be late again. I can't keep accumulating tardies —Mochi ran toward the creatures—. You two stay here and don't do anything weird! We'll talk when I get back, understood?! —she shouted before leaving with Miyu, both running toward the bus stop.
—
They returned to the apartment when the sun was already setting. They stopped in front of the door; Mochi swallowed, imagining what she might find inside. Had they obeyed? Were they hiding? Had they destroyed the place? Or had they escaped?
Miyu entered first and looked around.
—Sempai… did they leave?
Mochi slowly shook her head.
—I can hear them. They're over there —she said, pointing toward the rooms.
They approached cautiously… and discovered the anomalies inside Mochi's room.
—Sempai… what are they doing in your room?
Mochi stopped to listen carefully. Her feline ears twitched slightly, focusing on the sound.
—The eye is talking… —she whispered—. It's saying something about "searching deeper to find a weakness."
—What do they mean by that? —Miyu whispered, worried.
—I don't know… but let's go in by surprise and catch them red-handed —Both positioned themselves in front of the door; Mochi grabbed the doorknob, ready to burst in.—
Ready: 3… 2… 1… now! —Mochi ordered.
Both burst into the room… and froze.
The drawer where Mochi kept her underwear was open. There were panties scattered all over the room as if a hurricane had thrown them around. The two anomalies were standing in front of the drawer, completely focused. The parka was holding one of the garments between its sleeves.
And not just any garment.
They were particularly sexy panties: black, lace, slightly see-through, absolutely out of place for someone as innocent as Mochi.
She had bought them by mistake during an online purchase, and only realized it when the package arrived. She didn't want to throw them away because they were expensive, so she hid them at the bottom of the drawer… and forgot they existed. Until now, when they were being admired by an anomaly.
—We found it! —the eye declared enthusiastically, lifting the garment as if it had discovered a legendary artifact—. It's different from all the others! It must be a hidden magical item!
—T-that… t-that's not mine!!! —Mochi screamed, her voice cracking, stepping back with her ears stiff from sheer embarrassment.
Miyu looked at her, mouth open, her face red as a tomato.
—S-sempai… i-is that… yours?
—IT WAS A MISCLICK PURCHASEEEE!!! —Mochi shrieked, covering her face with both hands.
The anomalies went silent, looking at each other.
—A… mistake? So it's useless? —the eye asked, confused.
Miyu couldn't hold back and burst into a laugh that almost bent her in half.
—S-sempai… if you ever wear them… would you show me how they look on you?
The comment fell like a meteor.
Mochi collapsed to her knees, trembling, her face so red it almost lit up the room. A second later she shot back up.
—YOU TWO ARE DEAD!!!
The anomalies screamed and darted off, running around the room like mice chased by an angry cat. Mochi went after them, throwing punches that left marks on the walls, shook furniture, and made the whole house tremble.
—Sempai, please, calm down! —Miyu tried to stop her, though she was just as red as Mochi.
After a chaotic chase that felt endless, Mochi finally cornered the two anomalies in a corner.
—If I ever see you near my drawer again, I'll pulverize you! UNDERSTOOD!?
The two anomalies nodded quickly, trembling as if their lives depended on it (and they probably did).
Miyu took a breath and patiently explained to them what underwear was, why it was personal, and why rummaging through other people's belongings was wrong.
Then she picked the panties up from the floor, holding them with two fingers as if they were fragile, and offered them to Mochi with timid hands.
—Sempai… do you want me to put them back in the drawer?
—NOOOOOO!!! —Mochi screamed, snatching them from her hands and hiding them immediately in the nearest closet.