[Location: Near an Arcade Center
Time: 3:30 pm
Characters: Merle Fanel, Jessica Brown]

The day had passed like a dream for Jessica. No matter where she went, Abel was there following her. Even when others seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder, he had stuck around, doing his level best to 'make her smile', as he put it. For some reason, she hadn't been bullied at all today, either. Even during break time, no one had even so much as thrown a taunt her way.

Of course, the fact that Merle was around during that time may had something to do with it. The catgirl was known for being possessive and/or protective about her playmates, after all. Not that Jessica knew that.

Now the school day was over, and Jessica was on her way home. Or rather, she would had been on her way home. Instead, she was being dragged towards an 'arcade center', with Abel and Merle flanking her on either side.

She had long since given up on figuring out what was going on. If it was a dream (and a long dream it seemed to be), she would let it drag on for as long as she could. Still, at the back of her mind, she knew that she needed to be back at the home by 5 pm. Back in time for dinner.

"...And then she got dyed purple all over, nya! I tell nya, that was a sight to see!" Merle was at this moment sharing another of her seemingly endless exploits with her two companions, whether or not they were willing to hear her out.

[Location: Near an Arcade Center]
[Time: 3:30 pm]
[Characters: Abel Schneider]

Finally, school was out! Better than it, however, was the chance to spend some time at the local arcade with newfound friends Jessica and Merle. The group itself would probably stand out as odd to others... Mostly for the fact the two younglings had a catgirl looking out for them. However, they weren't about to let what other people thought about them stand in their way of having fun. For now, Abel's primary goal was to help Jessica have fun.

"...And then she got dyed purple all over, nya! I tell nya, that was a sight to see!"

"Dyed purple? *Snerk*" Abel laughed, trying to picture the sight. "Reminds me of the time a friend considered putting blue dye in a hottub some of his teachers were hanging out in. I never did get to find out if he did it or not though..." he trailed off, scratching his cheek. "What other tales do you have? Maybe I can get some ideas." he smiled, before they arrived at the arcade.

"Sweet, we're here! Alrighty Merle, Jessica, get ready for some fun." he grinned, opening the doors and smelling the air inside. He could smell pizza and other various foods from the shops within the area, but more importantly, one could see the large amount of game systems present. "All we gotta do, is find a good game for Jessica to play, and then observe..." he hummed, stepping inside.

... As he did, he looked down at his stomach, which had rumbled upon smelling the food. "... Though maybe some food might be good first. What do you guys think?" he asked, putting his hands behind his head and looking back to Jessica and Merle.

"Dyed purple? *Snerk* Reminds me of the time a friend considered putting blue dye in a hottub some of his teachers were hanging out in. I never did get to find out if he did it or not though..."

"Nyahahahahaha! So that explains those blue alien teachers th' other day, nya!" Merle grinned widely, as her tail lashed restlessly behind her. "Nya gotta introduce me to this friend of nyas!"

"What other tales do you have? Maybe I can get some ideas."

The white-haired catgirl let out another burst of laughter. "Sure-nya! Nya 'eard of this fella, name of Yuen Tsu or something like that? Well, if nya haven't, nya'll 'ear of him soon enough! Anyway, this fella was getting a little too crazy o'er cute lil' moi, so I figure, time to take 'im down a peg or two, nya? So I tell 'im, oh mya dear Blue Thunder, I'm gonna meet nya at th' 'bandoned shed 'hind the gym, right after school, and don't be late, nya! Then school ends, and right on time the fella turns up, bunch o' flowers in 'is arms, and when-"

Then she looked up at Abel's exclamation, and grinned. "-But that can wait, nya! Fun times are here!! Nyahahahahahaha!"

Jessica looked up as well, dazedly. So this was an 'arcade center'... In her hand-me-down clothes, she was getting an increasing sense that she did not belong. Not here. She should-

"C'mon, nya!" And once again, the girl found herself dragged along for the ride, courtesy of one hyperactive catgirl.

"All we gotta do, is find a good game for Jessica to play, and then observe...... Though maybe some food might be good first. What do you guys think?"

"Hmm." Merle made a show of tapping her chin, her tail swishing from side to side. She blithely ignored the stares that she was drawing. Then her own stomach rumbled as well.

"Food it is, nya!" The catgirl grinned, then looked to Jessica.

The small girl blinked, then shrank a little, when she realized that both Abel and Merle were now looking at her expectantly.

"I..." she began, but her timid, whisper-like voice was more than drowned out by the sounds of the arcade. Then, right on cue, her stomach rumbled as well - far louder than that of Merle and Abel. Jessica flushed, and looked down, embarrassed beyond measure. The truth was, she had hardly had a filling meal all this while.

"Nyahahahahaha! So that explains those blue alien teachers th' other day, nya! Nya gotta introduce me to this friend of nyas!"

"As long as you don't rat him out or anything. So far, the only one who knows about that fiasco is me, so if someone else finds out, he's gonna know it was me." Abel sighed. he was starting to wonder if it was a bad idea to tell her, but then again... Being a prankster herself, she didn't seem like the type to rat people out. "Maybe we should do it again one day... This time, we all join in the fun." he grinned.

"Sure-nya! Nya 'eard of this fella, name of Yuen Tsu or something like that? Well, if nya haven't, nya'll 'ear of him soon enough! Anyway, this fella was getting a little too crazy o'er cute lil' moi, so I figure, time to take 'im down a peg or two, nya? So I tell 'im, oh mya dear Blue Thunder, I'm gonna meet nya at th' 'bandoned shed 'hind the gym, right after school, and don't be late, nya! Then school ends, and right on time the fella turns up, bunch o' flowers in 'is arms, and when-"

"Oh yeah, that guy... All I ever hear about are little stories here and there. He's always going after girls and stuff, right? Wow, he went after you?" Abel asked, trying to picture his rendition of the guy pursuing Merle. In his mind, it looked rather comical, picturing a guy trying to chase a catgirl. Then it made him wonder... Could she even turn into a cat? He folded his arms and looked up at the ceiling. It would be an eternal mystery for him.

In response to his declaration for food, Merle agreed after her stomach grumbled. The pair of them then looked to Jessica for a moment, s if to wonder what she would do... Before an even louder rumbling was heard. He looked down at his own stomach, before looking to Merle That wasn't them... So that was really Jessica? He leaned forward, staring at her stomach. "Christ... You sound like you haven't had a good meal for a while. Alright, that's it. Merle, get her other hand, we're going to the food court!" he exclaimed, as he grabbed her left hand and began to pull her along.

"We have pizza, burgers, hotdogs, various snacks, tons of drinks, and even healthy places for those looking to eat healthy. What do you like to eat? I'm sure we can find something for you." he smiled at Jessica, before looking at Merle. "What about you?"

"Christ... You sound like you haven't had a good meal for a while. Alright, that's it. Merle, get her other hand, we're going to the food court!"

"Seriously nya! We're gonna show nya all the pleasures of eating!"

Jessica barely had time to let out a squeek before she she found both of her hands grabbed, Abel on the left, Merle on the right. The girl was pulled along unresistingly towards the food court.

"We have pizza, burgers, hotdogs, various snacks, tons of drinks, and even healthy places for those looking to eat healthy. What do you like to eat? I'm sure we can find something for you."

By now, Jessica had stopped asking herself why the pair seemed so concerned over her; it was exhausting what little energy she had to wonder that every few seconds. Still, she was even more unused to having her opinion asked. She stared at Abel, her eyes full of confusion, and did not speak for the moment. Instead, she shook her head slightly.

"What about you?"

"Lesse nyaow." Merle lashed her tail from side to side, tapping her chin in a great show of thinking. "Anything with fish in it, nya!" She grinned. "I heard that they've got this Seafood Delux pizza 'ere; been meaning to give it a try, nya!" Then she looked towards Jessica. "Whatcha wanna get, Jessy-nya?"

The confusion in Jessica's eyes only grew, and she again shook her head slightly without speaking. This caused the catgirl to tilt her head, and then click her tongue.

"Nyow nya can't possibly mean that, Jessy-nyan! Nya stomach just disagreed strongly with nya!" Merle glanced towards Abel. "What say we treat her to th' largest Seafood Delux that they have here, nya?"

"Anything with fish in it, nya!"

"Should I really be surprised?" he asked himself mentally.

"I heard that they've got this Seafood Delux pizza 'ere; been meaning to give it a try, nya!"

"A seafood deluxe pizza?" Abel asked, looking up a bit. He didn't mind eating a little bit of fish, but he never had it on a pizza hefore... Still, it couldn't have tasted THAT different. Now he could only wonder what kind of fish she wanted on it. Most seafood-related pizza's had anchovies on them... Did she like them too? He looked over at Jessica, wondering what her stance on the whole eating thing was... Until she shook her head like she said no.

"Nyow nya can't possibly mean that, Jessy-nyan! Nya stomach just disagreed strongly with nya! What say we treat her to th' largest Seafood Delux that they have here, nya?"

"Sounds like a plan to me! I think I have enough to get a pizza like that." Abel mused, as they arrived at the food court. He looked around a bit, before locating the pizza counter, and walking up to it. "Hey, lemme get one large Seafood Deluxe pizza?" he asked, before he looked up. There were a number of toppings to choose from... But he didn't no what to put on the pizza. "... Ah, whatever. Give us the toppings seperate on a plate, so we can experiment with it. I don't know what they like." he remarked, looking to Jessica and Merle.

The man looked at the little girl... Before looking over to the bigger catgirl... Wait, catgirl? Maybe those were fake ears, and she came from some cosplay event... he hoped. "Alright, one Seafood Deluxe pizza, with the toppings on a plate, coming right up." he spoke. Maybe he would need to add a few extra fish for the bigger girl. He turned around and began to work on the pizza, while Abel fished through his pocket for the wallet.

""Since I didn't know what fish you guys liked, you can just decorate your pizza slices with what you want." he spoke up, before he glanced at Jessica. "And we're gonna make sure you eat well, okay?" he asked, smiling at her as he pulled Merle close. It was gonna be a team effort.

"Sounds like a plan to me! I think I have enough to get a pizza like that."

Merle laughed. "Nya not getting away with payin' for it all, Abel-nyan! As the senior to the two of nya, I gotta chip in too!" The trio of them headed to the pizza counter, where the catgirl proceeded to grin cattily at the counter boy, her ears twitching and tail lashing. Oh, she so enjoyed making them uncomfortable~

Jessica just looked down. Everyone was staring at her. She just knew it. Actually, most people were staring at Merle instead, but she didn't know that.

"Since I didn't know what fish you guys liked, you can just decorate your pizza slices with what you want."

"Everything on it, of course, nya!" The white-haired catgirl then leaned over the counter, her grin widening as she eyeballed the counter boy. "I loooooove 'em tasty!" she added, licking her lips. Then she felt a tug on her arm, and leaned over to Abel.

"And we're gonna make sure you eat well, okay?"

"Nya bet!" In an instant Merle had switched her focus back to Jessica. "We're gonna teach nya the pleasures of foood!"

Jessica stared back at the pair. That was all she felt capable of doing at the moment.

"Nya not getting away with payin' for it all, Abel-nyan! As the senior to the two of nya, I gotta chip in too!"

"Oh yea, that's a given. I usually only carry enough money to pay for myself. I don't think I can afford to buy extra food for other people... I need to spend more time at the arcade." Abel sighed, rubbing the back of his head. His usual afterschool activities usually involved visiting the arcade and playing against other people for money. However, it'd been a few days since he did anything like that, so his funds were a little lacking.

"Everything on it, of course, nya! I loooooove 'em tasty!"

"Hey hey, focus on the task at hand! You're gonna make 'em hurt themselves on the job." Abel sighed, noticing a few of the workers stares. A few women shook their heads, but the men were clearly gawking. Once the current objective was set in Merle's eyes, however, she set her sights on Jessica once more.

"Nya bet! We're gonna teach nya the pleasures of foood!"

"Mmhmm!" Abel smiled, before he looked around. "Hmm... There's an empty table over there. How about we take a seat there while we wait? Though it should only be a few minutes of waiting for the pizza... Lesse, I have $6 here for the pizza. The price of the toppings is... I think $4? Don't suppose you can spot that, huh Merle?" he asked, looking up at the catgirl.

It was kind of sad to ask someone else for money, but he didn't really have much to begin with... But then that begged to wonder. How did Merle get HER money? He spared a glance at the catgirl, before shaking his head. One of those 'Don't ask, don't tell' things, probably.

"Hmm... There's an empty table over there. How about we take a seat there while we wait? Though it should only be a few minutes of waiting for the pizza..."

"Sure-nya! C'mon Jessy-nyan!" Merle tugged an unresisting Jessica over to the indicated table, and plopped the younger girl down on a seat. She sneaked in a quick shoulder massage as she did so. "Nya th' Princess of Pizza today! Nyahahahahaha!!"

Does that even make sense? This dazed thought drifted through Jessica's mind. She felt like she was flailing in a torrent of water, just barely keeping afloat. Maybe she was Alice, and this was Wonderland. That would make sense. Maybe.

"Lesse, I have $6 here for the pizza. The price of the toppings is... I think $4? Don't suppose you can spot that, huh Merle?"

"Hmm? Oh, 'course I can!" The catgirl dug into her pockets, and proceeded to dump a handful of quarters and dimes onto the table. "Think that's 'bout $4 to $6 there, nya!"

Jessica found herself staring again.

"Nya th' Princess of Pizza today! Nyahahahahaha!!"

Abel smiled as he took a seat, watching Jessica and Merle bond a bit. So these were his first friends, huh? Besides Getsuei, which was more work-related than a real friend. Most people couldn't really keep up with him, nor did they want to. he was too childish or not mature enough for them. But now he found someone he could be equally childish with, and a girl who was around his age and didn't tell him to get lost because he wasn't interested in what she was.

He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. "Wow, I just realized... I have close friends I can protect now. Wow, it feels awesome... I feel like a bigger superhero than I did before! Though I haven't had much of a reason to become Moon Knight Zan... Still, better to not have a reason to use it, especially if they're concerned." he reassured himself... before a loud ringing sound brought him back to reality. On the table...W as a large amount of coins.

"Hmm? Oh, 'course I can! Think that's 'bout $4 to $6 there, nya!"

"... Hah?" he asked, looking at all the coins. Where did she get all of that? ... Where did she keep it!? He looked over at the catgirl, before he folded his arms and shook his head. "Um... Alright. Give me a second while I turn this into a few bills. Be right back!" he spoke, picking up the collection of coins and heading off to locate a cash machine to turn all his coins into easier-to-manage bills.

Something told him the register wasn't gonna be enough to hold all these coins...

"Um... Alright. Give me a second while I turn this into a few bills. Be right back!"

"Have fun, nya!" Merle waved cheerfully at Abel as he headed to look for a cash machine. Jessica's eyes trailed Abel as he left, still staring at the pile of coins that he was lugging. Unknowingly, her mind echoed Abel's queries.

"So!" The catgirl's face suddenly filled Jessica's vision, as Merle slid across the table. The younger girl eeped and shrunk back a little, but the catgil simply leaned in, grinning.

"Nya a really timid one, nya know? I've never seen someone who's quite so mousey, nya! There's nothing to be 'fraid of, nya know? 's a big wide world out there! Nya can do whatever nya want!"

A timid, bewildered stare was all the response she got.

"Well, never mind that for nyow." Merle pulled back, and flipped her chair around, leaning forward on its back. "Tell me 'bout nyaself a lil'! Like, hobbies, interests, likes, boyfriends, stuff!"

"I.. don't have.... eh!?" Jessica turned a bright red, as the second last word registered in her mind. B-b-b-b-b-b-boyfriend!?!?

"Nya know! Like, I love fish, an' catnip, an' yarn, an' napping, an' pranking, an' chasing, an' just having a good time, nya!" The white-haired catgirl swished her tail as she spoke, grinning all the while. "Oh, oh, an' I love to run an' jump an' climb trees an' I suppose a whole bunch o' other stuff, nya!" She leaned forward again, tilting her chair foward as she did so. "Nyow nya turn, nya!"

Jessica blinked, twice. She was even more perplexed now than ever. What on earth did this person want from her?

Finally, here was one. These stations usually existed in the place for people looking to turn cash into coins for some machine... Or vice versa for others. Hefting the coins up, as he began to drop them into the machine. Slowly, he watched the counter rise up on the screen. "Well i'll be, she wasn't kidding." Abel mused, as he folded his arms and continued to watch the number rise... Higher than 4 or 6 dollars. "Eh?"

There went 8... No wait, 9... Hold on, it just passed 10! "H-how much money was she carrying!?" Abel asked, stepping back slightly as the counter continued rising higher. It passed 12 now... 14... 16... Good grief, where did she find that much change? And how did she manage to hold it all without slowing down? Finally, the counter seemed to stop... At 20. "... Twenty bucks. She had twenty freaking bucks in change." Abel stared flatly at the screen, before he grinned.

"One hell of a girl." he mused, reclaiming the bills. Turning around, he began to make his way back to the table, spying Merle leaning on it and seemingly questioning Jessica. He made his way to the counter, being given the pizza box and a plate of a large number of toppings. "Alright, lesse..." Abel spoke, fishing out his money, and adding a $5 bill from the cash that belonged to Merle, before he was given the change back, Picking up the box, he turned around and made his way to the table. The seafood toppings smelled pretty good...

"Alright, pizza's here!" he exclaimed, setting it down on the table, before he took a seat beside Merle and Jessica. "Oh, and here's your money back. You had twenty freakin' bucks!" he let out, handing the money to Merle, which was now $16. "I oughta get you to be, like, a coin detector or something... I'd probably make even more money." he grinned, before he picked up the plate and opened the pizzabox. There was a huge pizze waiting there for them.

"Now be sure you eat, Jessica." he nodded to the smaller girl.

"Alright, pizza's here!"

Merle's ears twitched, then the catgirl spun her chair around, now facing the table again, and licking her lips while eying the pizza now laid before her. "Pizza-nya!" she exclaimed, rubbing her hands together. Jessica's expression simply became even more mystified. How did this person manage to switch focus so easily?

"Oh, and here's your money back. You had twenty freakin' bucks!"

The catgirl looked up, and took the bills. "Twenty bucks nya say? Well, was never good at math anyway, nya!" She grinned and shrugged her shoulders, slipping the money back into her pockets.

"I oughta get you to be, like, a coin detector or something... I'd probably make even more money."

"Nyahahahahaha! 'S not just coins that I pick up, nya know." Merle grinned. "I'll show nya sometime!" Then she reached over, and snagged a slice of pizza, just as Abel was opening the box. Quick as a flash, her hand grabbed a bunch of toppings, and she proceeded to dump them liberally all over her slice of pizza.... slices of pizza, in fact, since it was now apparent that she had taken three slices in one go.

Jessica continued staring. She would had been stuck that way for quite a bit longer, if Abel's words had not brought her back to the present.

"Now be sure you eat, Jessica."

She turned to look at the boy, then glanced down, biting her lips. She couldn't possibly refuse now, not when these two had gone so out of their way to.... help her? That was still a foreign concept to the petite girl. Then her stomach growled again, reminding her where her priorities ought to lie.

"T... thank you," she whispered. Then she timidly reached over, and tugged at a slice of pizza.

"Twenty bucks nya say? Well, was never good at math anyway, nya!"

"I'll eat to that." Abel sighed, remembering he didn't like math very much either. It was a wonder he ever got by in the class at all... He usually had to ask someone else for their answers. At least basic math was easy to understand... But trigonometry and all that? What the hell were people thinking when they made that? "Man, I just wanna enjoy my pizza, not think about math." he grumbled, as he opened the box...

In no less than a second, a portion of the pizza had been taken by Merle. It was near impossible to be able to keep up with that kind of speed... Thakfully he bought the deluxe pizza, or she would have taken quite a large portion of the pizza. "How... I didn't even..." he stuttered, pointing at Merle, then the pizza, then back to Merle. It reminded him of those fake martial arts training things where you had to take something from the Master's hand. Except if someone tried that with Merle, there was a high probability she'd win... AND rob them blind.

There went the toppings now, noticing a smaller collection on the plate they were given. "So you actually like all those toppings? I guess next time we can just have them bake 'em right into the pizza for you." he grinned, as he reached and took his own slice for now. He grabbed a few shrimp and anchovies, placing them on his pizza, before he began to eat. He forgot how strong the taste could be, but once he got used to it, it was unusually good.

"T... thank you,"

"Hm? Bah, don't thank me, just enjoy to your heart's content!" Abel smiled, as he set his pizza down, before helping Jessica tug hers off. Before her was a plain slice of pizza, before he brought the plate of toppings forward. "If you like any of these fish and stuff, feel free to add 'em. If you want to try something else... Uhh... Might need to ask Merle to get 'em. I'm fresh outta cash." Abel chuckled nervously. "... Oh! Beware the anchovies. They have a pretty strong flavor if you're not ready for it."

"I'll eat to that. Man, I just wanna enjoy my pizza, not think about math."

"Totally-nya!" Merle grinned.

"How... I didn't even..."

"Mya?" The catgirl raised an eyebrow; by now she was midway into chewing into all three pizza slices at one go, with a whole mass of toppings on top. Then her grin widened, and she completed the bite, making a big show of swallowing.

"So you actually like all those toppings? I guess next time we can just have them bake 'em right into the pizza for you."

"No such thing as too many toppings, nya!" Merle licked her lips to get at the stray toppings and cheese that had smeared on her mouth. Then she took another rather enormous bite out of her helping.

"Hm? Bah, don't thank me, just enjoy to your heart's content!"

"Ah..." Jessica found herself at a loss, once again, as Abel helped her retrieve her slice of pizza.

"If you like any of these fish and stuff, feel free to add 'em. If you want to try something else... Uhh... Might need to ask Merle to get 'em. I'm fresh outta cash."

"Nya!" Merle interjected, over another mouthful of pizza. "No need to hold back, nya! I've twenty bucks!"

"It... it's plenty," the girl said softly. She couldn't possibly trouble Abel and Merle any more than she had already troubled them.

"Nonsense, nya! Eat all nya can! Oh, nya need more monies, Abel-nyan, just say the word! Got more change where that came from!"

"... Oh! Beware the anchovies. They have a pretty strong flavor if you're not ready for it."

Jessica could do nothing but nod slightly in response. Still, she made no effort to reach for the toppings, though she lifted her slice of pizza, and took a small nibble.

It was... nice.

"... You're like a whole 'nother mystery." Abel mused, watching Merle devour the bites of pizza she had taken in one move. "I think they oughta reconsider the while 'Wonders of the World' deal. With you walking around, you should rank pretty high or something." the boy smiled, as he focused back on his pizza.

Taking another bite, he began to think for a few moments. They were an odd bunch, for sure. Jessica, the most meek, shy, seemingly mal-nourished girl he'd ever met... Himself, who was a mostly hyperactive oddball who often wound up annoying people... And Merle, who was pretty much a 'What the hell?' at first glance. How did she come to be? It was gonna be another mystery that would never be solved.

"Nonsense, nya! Eat all nya can! Oh, nya need more monies, Abel-nyan, just say the word! Got more change where that came from!"

"... More!?" Abel asked, nearly choking on his current bite of pizza. he pounded his chest a few time, before realizing they were all missing something crucial... Drinks! He swallowed the piece of pizza after couching it up a bit, before sighing. "Phew, close one... A-anyway, more!? ... Well... Maybe we can use it to buy drinks. You guys want anything?" he asked, looking between Merle and Jessica.

He watched Jessica take a bite of pizza, before he leaned forward on the table, smiling. "How is it?"

"... You're like a whole 'nother mystery. I think they oughta reconsider the whole 'Wonders of the World' deal. With you walking around, you should rank pretty high or something."

"Nyahahahahaha!" Merle grinned. "Nya bet I'm one o' a kind, nya!" She licked up the smears on the edges of her mouth as she spoke. All the while, her tail continued to lash from side to side.

When Abel nearly choked, Jessica's eyes widened in panic. What was she going to do? It was probably all her fault that this happened.... Then Merle reached over and gave the boy a hearty slap on the back.

"Phew, close one... A-anyway, more!? ... Well... Maybe we can use it to buy drinks. You guys want anything?"

"Nya, more! I'll show nya!" Merle flung the remains of her pizza slices into her mouth, swallowing it in one go; this earned her the wide-eyed stare of Jessica. Then the catgirl dug into her pockets with both hands - and in the next moment, a veritable mountain of coins found themselves dumped on the table. Quarters, dimes, pennies, and a miscelleneous collection of not-so-easily identifiable coins. One even seemed to have the picture of Julius Caesar on it, with 'Pax' something or other printed on its borders.

Jessica felt that her eyes were going to pop out of her head. How was that even possible? How???

"Oh, an' I'd like a full bottle o' frozen milk, nya!"

Dazedly, the girl took another nibble of the pizza. Wonderland was getting more and more surreal.

"How is it?"

The girl started, and looked up at the smiling face of Abel.

"Nya, how's it?" Merle chimed in.

"...It's.... nice...." Jessica managed to squeek out, shrinking a little from the attention.

"Hell of a slap..." Abel groaned. Still, it was life-saving, so he couldn't complain. Not only that, but he could continue to enjoy pizza once more! It would've been a sad end, really;To fight plenty of bad guys in his offtime, and get done in by what he was eating? He would've been a pretty lame hero.

When it became time for Merle to empty her pockets... Empty them she did. There was seriously no feasible way anyone could carry all that and still have such agility. He stared at the small mountain of coins, as he raised an eyebrow. "... I am NOT exchanging that... Just yet anyway." Abel groaned. He'd worry about cashing it in after he got the drinks, maybe. "Just get that together in a bag or something."

"Oh, an' I'd like a full bottle o' frozen milk, nya!"

"Frozen milk? Gonna be tough to swing that one, but lesse what they have..." Abel nodded. "You might wanna get a back-up drink ready incase they don't have frozen milk... Or will regular milk suffice?" he asked. The only 'frozen milk' they might've had was... Probably a shakepop. They were effectively frozen milkshakes in icepop style. Maybe he'd go for one himself...

"...It's.... nice...."

"Yep, it is." Abel smiled, happy to see her enjoying it. "Well, i'll go get us the drinks... After I cash in a few of these, I guess." Abel sighed, grabbing up a large number of the coins. He looked down at the coins, before sighing and beginning to stuff them everywhere he could. In all of his pants' pockets, his sweater's pockets, ect. He could take half a step without jingling... Nevermind the fact he felt a bit heavier. "I'll never understand how you do it..."

Lifting his head, he hummed. "Alright... I'll try to find you something milk-related. I'll take a coke, and Jessica... uh... Ah, what the hell, i'll get you a coke too." he nodded, before walking-er, jingling off to the cash machine once more.

Merle merely grinned at the expressions on Abel's and Jessica's faces on seeing her pile of coins. Then as soon as the boy mentioned a bag, she reached into her pockets and yanked out an empty rice sack. You know, the type that people could race in.

Jessica was sorely tempted to pinch herself now.

"Frozen milk? Gonna be tough to swing that one, but lesse what they have... You might wanna get a back-up drink ready incase they don't have frozen milk... Or will regular milk suffice?"

"Anything that's milk, nya!" The catgirl licked her lips for emphasis; her eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched Abel shovel the coins into his own pockets. Once they were full, she reached over, and swept the rest into the rice sack, before handing it over to the boy. "Here nya go!"

"I'll never understand how you do it..."

"It's a secret, nya! Nyahahahahaha!!" Merle laughed merrily once again. She watched as Abel jingled his way off to the cash machine.

Then she turned back to Jessica. "Help nyaself to some of those toppings, nya?"

"....It's.... alright," the smaller girl managed to get out. She took a third nibble of her pizza slice. Somehow, it seemed to taste better than anything that she could remember having recently.

"Nya need to eat more, nya! An' nya still gotta tell me 'bout nya!" Merle grinned, cattily, leaning over the table again.

"....It's.... not important," came the barely audiable reply.

Abel glanced back as he heard a second jingling that wasn't his, before he turned slowly to look at the sack... Yes, sack, of money that Merle had. There was no other way to explain it: Merle was a living +5 bag of holding or something. Grabbing the sack of coins, it promptly fell to the floor with a loud jingling, before he picked it up slowly and slung it over his back. "D-dammit...!" he winced, as he stomped ever so slowly towards the machine.

"We meet again..." Abel muttered, looking at the coin machine he had visited not too long ago, before he hefted the sack of money up. Tilting the bag over the coin slot, he began to dump a torrent of change into, little by little emptying the bag, before he dropped it on the floor and began to empty all of his pockets. The number on the machine just seemed to continue counting up little by little... Though several coins slid into the rejected section.

"Huh?" he asked, picking up the coins and looking at them. "These... Aren't even American. How the hell- Wait, why the hell- Rather, how the hell... Gah." he sighed, preferring not to think about it. Not only did she have more money on her in change than feasibly possible... But she had apparently been to places and collected money far away from this place. He looked at the machine... Which had now counted past 40.

"..........""

Now it went past 45... It couldn't go any higher than 50, could it? Oh, but no, he was wrong... Within a few short seconds, the counter did indeed go past 50, and continued to climb... Climb... Climb, until it came to 60. There, it finally stopped... With some change left over. Collecting the money in bills, he was still amazed to be holding a grand total of $60.35... He pocketed the change, before making his way to the pizza counter, now to order refreshments.

"Let me get two cokes, and... You sell any milkshakes here?" he asked, leaning on the counter. Glancing up at the sign... Sure enough, they did! "Excellent, two cokes and a mikshake, please... Vanilla flavor." he added, beginning to get the money ready to pay for the drinks. He folded the rest of the cash up and slipped it into his other pocket while waiting for the drinks. He looked off towards the table where Merle and Jessica sat, and he smiled.

There really was hope in Jessica... She still seemed to feel distant, but the important thing was that she was welcomed by her friends. No way in Hell would he turn her away after all of this... From the looks of it, it didn't seem Merle was like that either. He almost got lost in thought, until he was tapped on the shoulder by the man working the register, his drinks beside him. Righting himself, he paid the man in full, before grabbing the drinks on the tray and walking back over to Merle and Jessica.

"It's been too fun... But tonight, I need to catch up on overdue work..." he mumbled to himself.

"C'mon nyaow, food's always important! An' I wanna know more about nya!" Merle leaned in even closer.

".....Why?" Finally, Jessica managed to voice the question that had been festering in her mind. Even if it was in a whisper.

The catgirl tilted her head, seeming to ponder this question for a few moments. Then her grin returned in full force.

"That's what friends do, nya? Friends share things with each other, nya. Friends support each other in times of need. And nya know, nya certainly look like nya need lots of stuff. Starting with food, nya!" Without preamble, she scooped up an handful of random toppings, and sprinkled them over Jessica's pizza slice. "Nya need ta broaden nya horizons, live a little, stuff like that, nya!"

Jessica bit her lips. It still felt like a dream. If so, it was a long, long dream.

Then she felt arms slip around her; Merle had slipped over, and was now hugging her lightly from behind. Her eyes widened.

"And most of all, nya need a hug," the catgirl concluded. "I don't know what happened to nya... not gonna force it out of nya. But I'll sooner cut my tail than let nya wallow in nya own lil' cloud. Nya not alone, nya know."

For a change, Merle's voice was subdued and serious. Jessica felt those strange, new emotions bubble up inside her again, and tears came unbidden into her eyes. Merle simply reached over, and licked the tears off the cheeks as they fell - not coincidentally nuzzling her younger companion as she did so.

"And I looove the feel of nya hair!" she chirped, in an instance switching back to her carefree self.

"... You know, I don't know whether to feel aroused, weirded out, or happy." Abel mused, as he stared at the two girls hugging... Well, at least Merle was hugging Jessica, who seemed a little down. Looking at Jessica's face, he knew the first option was ruled out. Within a moment, Merle seemed to go back to normal, now playing with Jessica's head, making him smile.

"You guys are pretty adorable together." the boy grinned, as he set the drinks down. "Anyways, here ya go guys. Two cokes for me and Jessica, and a vanilla milkshake for Merle. It was the closest-related milk drink I could find." Abel spoke, setting the cup before Merle. "Give 'em a try, they have alot of flavors. I'm personally a big fan of strawberry." the boy spoke, as he sat down in his own seat.

He looked at Jessica, who looked like she'd been crying, but he didn't want to ask her about it yet... "Give it a try Jessica. I'm sure it'll help wash the pizza down. Plus maybe you're not a big fan of the fishy aftertaste." he added, beginning to sip his soda down and sighing contently. "Ahhh... Much better... So, what do you think, Jessica? Is it a fun day?" he asked, looking curious.

There was no denying the pair of her and Merle had a moment before he arrived. Maybe they would need to forgo playing the arcades, and just get to know one another better... Jessica most of all

"You guys are pretty adorable together."

"Nyahahahaha!" Merle gave Jessica a light squeeze, before she flipped through the air, and landed straight back on her seat, just as Abel set the drink in front of her.

"Anyways, here ya go guys. Two cokes for me and Jessica, and a vanilla milkshake for Merle. It was the closest-related milk drink I could find. Give 'em a try, they have a lot of flavors. I'm personally a big fan of strawberry."

"That's fine, nya!" Merle grinned, before she leaned over and sipped noisily on her milkshake, purring as she did so.

"Give it a try Jessica. I'm sure it'll help wash the pizza down. Plus maybe you're not a big fan of the fishy aftertaste."

Jessica nodded, timidly, and wordlessly reached for her own soft drink. She sipped a little on the straw.

"So, what do you think, Jessica? Is it a fun day?"

The girl looked up at Abel, then at Merle, who was also eying her expectantly. They seemed to care for her so much.... it wasn't possible, and yet this feeling that welled up within her demanded otherwise...

She nodded, her eyes watering again. The truth was, though, that she hardly dared to really let herself go... to have fun. She was terrified that all this would ultimately be an illusion... if she wholeheartely gave in to this, and then found it was all a dream... it would crush her. For sure.

"Phew, well that's one more crisis solved." Abel smiled, as he continued to sip his drink. The day was going so wonderfully, it seemed. Even Jessica looked like she was trying to enjoy the day... Though she was still quite meek and seemingly worried about something. Still, the pair of them would keep assuring her until the day she opened up and decided to have fun.

She nodded slowly, but also seemed to be tearing up. Abel sighed softly, before he stood up and walked over to her. Moving his head alongside her head, he pulled her against his chest and smiled. "Come on, Jessica... You should be feeling happy, not shedding tears like that. Come on..." he mumbled quietly, caressing her softly. It was the first time he'd been that close and caring to anyone... It was a strange feeling.

"I'm glad you like the way today turned out... But I think the next thing me and Merle need to do is teach you about the proper emotions to convey at things like this." he smiled, resting his chin on her head. "What do you think, Merle?" he asked, glancing over to the catgirl. He didn't want to feel like he was in an awkward situation all by himself. However, he did seem to like the girl...

"Man, what the heck can I do...?" he asked himself mentally, sighing.

Jessica's eyes widened, as she found herself pulled into a hug by Abel. First Merle, now him... her heart was thrown into still greater turmoil. Why? Why were they doing this?

"Come on, Jessica... You should be feeling happy, not shedding tears like that. Come on..."

Merle sipped on her drink as she watched. "Nya two make a cute couple nyaselves!" She grinned, but her gaze was momentarily contemplative.

"I'm glad you like the way today turned out... But I think the next thing me and Merle need to do is teach you about the proper emotions to convey at things like this. What do you think, Merle?"

The tears kept flowing, as a flurry of strong emotions joustled in Jessica's heart, overflowing. It was all too good to be true. Even it was an illusion, to return to reality now... she couldn't think about it. But she couldn't let herself go. She simply did not know what to do... or even what to think.

The catgirl, for her part, made a show of tapping her chin, her tail swishing from side to side. "Lesse nyaow... Nyaha!" In the next instance, she had bounded over, and her hands were moving all over Jessica, tickling her without mercy. That some of the tickling drifted over to Abel as well... that was collateral damage.

Now Jessica was presented with a new challenge. Namely, just how to escape the tickling. And how to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out. She squirmed in Abel's grasp.

"Nya two make a cute couple nyaselves!"

"W-what!?" Abel gasped, looking down at Jessica, before back at Merle. "B-but I only met her recently... Hell, at the same time as I met you! We haven't even had time to connect like that...! ... Have we?" he asked, suddenly looking down at Jessica again. He was still hugging her... Perhaps a little too much.

"Lesse nyaow... Nyaha!"

Abel looked down curiously as Jessica seemed to fidget alot, before she looked like she was trying to fight back the need to laugh. However, more than that, she was pressing against him alot more, making him redden. "J-Jessica, you can la- pffthahahahahaha! M-Merle, not m-meee!" Abel began to laugh now, hugging Jessica a bit more tightly now. He didn't want to let go... Though at this rate, maybe it would be for the best.

"T-this isn't... Pffthahahaha...!!" Abel cried out, unfortunately pressing Jessica against himself more closely than was probably comfortable. "C-can't... Breathe...!" he managed to get out. Surely they were starting to attract the gazes of others watching them pair og young ones getting tickled. However, it would be nice to hear Jessica laugh for a change... Maybe he should keep holding on.

"J-just.... Laugh...!" he wheezed to Jessica. Once that happened, maybe it would end and they could finish their meal.

"Nyahahahahahahahaha!!" Merle kept up the tickling without mercy. "I'm gonna tickle away all nya tears!!"

Jessica barely registered the words, or even the tightening of Abel's hug. It was taking all her meagre energies to hold back her laughter... the only reason she had held on for so long was out of a sense of desperation. Something would change... and she wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

But even desperation had its limits.

It came as a splutter. Then, it was as if the dam had broke; the little girl dissolved in a paraxyosm of laughter. Merle grinned upon hearing that, but kept it up a bit longer. In a moment, the laughter became mixed with convulsive sobs, as all the emotions that Jessica had tried to wall off swarmed out of her. That was when the catgirl stopped, and straightened up. For the moment, she said nothing, but crossed her hands behind her back, looking on. She blithely ignored the fact that practically the entire food court was looking in their direction now.

Jessica herself wasn't sure if she was crying, or laughing. All she knew was that the wall had broken, had been washed away, and a myriad of emotions were crashing over her - fear, relief, guilt, happiness, sadness, others. She continued to shake in Abel's arms, sobbing, laughing, tears flowing.

"Phew..." Abel sighed, as Merle had finally stopped. He was breathing a bit to try and control himself, but now there was something new... Jessica had finally... Laughed? Or was she crying? It was like everything was just coming out now in a mixture. He couldn't tell whether she was happy or sad... Or maybe she was laughing so hard, she was crying because of it? It had happened to him before...

Abel glanced at Merle, nodding in thanks, before he turned his attention down to Jessica once more.

He moved his hand to her back, rubbing it softly as he smiled and rested his head on hers. "You.... Almost got it." he whispered, bringing a hand up to wipe her tears away, before drying them on his shirt. "You're around your friends. It's okay to laugh and show your emotions, you know? I'd be more worried if you didn't." the boy continued, patting her back slowly.

He ignored everyone else looking at them, and decided to focus on just Jessica for the moment. He kissed her forehead, before turning red and closing his eyes. "C-c'mon, it wasn't that bad..." he muttered, though lying... He had never been tickled much before, and that time caught him by surprise. Merle was rather good about it... Perhaps a little too good. "You're alright...?" he asked the girl, tapping her shoulder.

Merle flashed Abel a grin when he nodded to her, but otherwise kept her peace. Her gaze grew contemplative again as she looked down at the pair.

Jessica was still laughing and sobbing in equal measure; she was starting to hiccup too, from all the exertion. The torrent was still flowing, showing no signs of slowing down; even so, it was almost as if a large pressure was being lifted from her... a pressure that she hadn't even known was there.

"You.... Almost got it."

She felt a hand wiping her tears.

"You're around your friends. It's okay to laugh and show your emotions, you know? I'd be more worried if you didn't."

It's okay...

She couldn't stop, now. The laughs and sobs came with renewed intensity. It was as if everything that had been held back was now being flushed out of her system... purifying her, leaving her empty, light, pure, free....

A kiss on her forehead.

"C-c'mon, it wasn't that bad..."

She wasn't sure what he was talking about. Somehow, it didn't seem to matter.

"You're alright...?"

She couldn't answer that question. Not now. Not while the laughter and sobs were still wracking through her system. But one emotion above all was beginning to assert itself.

Relief.

Abel sighed softly. She seemed like she was trying to calm herself down little by little. Even though she wasn't being tickled anymore, it was like she was still being tickled by a phantom of Merle, which prolonged her laughing and crying. Maybe... She really was feeling alright. He stroked her back softly, even though he felt embarassed for it. It was so awkward now... it felt like he was making a move on her, even though he was only comforting her...

Wait, that's what people did in a relationship! He shook slowly, but he tried not to seem shocked by it. The girl had enough things to think about for now, she didn't need to worry about the fact the boy was feeling attracted to her. However... He needed to ask Merle about what else he should do.

"Does it... Does it feel better to get it all out of your system?" he asked, trying to strike up a conversation. They had been hugging for well over several minutes now... It was taking everything he could muster to block out the gazes of everyone else. After some time, they seemed to be going back to their meals, leaving the trio of Jessica, Merle, and Abel to focus on one another without worry.

"... Thanks, Merle." he smiled broudly at her, pulling his head back a bit. "Maybe that's what she really needed, after all."

At length, the laughs and sobs finally faded in intensity. Jessica was merely hiccuping now... and yet she had never felt lighter. The thought that a boy was hugging her close didn't even cross her mind; right now, it felt natural... safe.

"Does it... Does it feel better to get it all out of your system?"

She nodded, slightly, into his chest. With the relief also came fatigue... she didn't feel like she was up for anything more than a weak nod, much less conversation.

Meanwhile, Merle continued to watch quietly, settling back in her chair. The comtemplative look remained in her eyes.

"... Thanks, Merle. Maybe that's what she really needed, after all."

The catgirl grinned. "Glad ta help, nya." Her tail swayed slowly from side to side, as she leaned in to sip on her milkshake. She *could* tease Abel right now, but... nah. It was a cute moment. She liked cute.

He smiled softly at Merle, before looking down at Jessica. It was going on seven minutes now... "H-hey.. Maybe we should just go. We can come here another day..." the boy spoke, looking down at the pizza box and their drinks, before looking around for the time. "We came here to play the games, but... Well, I think this was more meaningful and fun, y'know?" he asked, grinning.

He looked up thoughtfully. He actually wanted to invite them to stay at his place for the night, however small it was. But he didn't want them to think he was weird or anything... A young boy asking a young girl and a catgirl to stay at his home? Writers turned stuff like that into weird crap! Truth be told, though... He never had anyone to stay the night at his house... And he wanted to keep an eye on Jessica.

Then there was Merle... She'd been around all over the place. Maybe she could benefit from staying under a roof for a day... Plus maybe he could show them Getsuei... Unless he stayed hiding.

"S-so... Umm..." Abel started, beginning to stammer a bit, as he pulled Jessica away slightly, looking down at her. "Err... H-how would..." he continued, before looking at Merle for a few seconds. He looked back down at Jessica, before he closed his eyes and lowered his head. "W-would you two like to stay at my house...? J-just for tonight?" he asked, finally managing to get it out.

"H-hey.. Maybe we should just go. We can come here another day..."

Jessica shook her head wordlessly. Just for a moment longer. Subconsciouly, she knew it couldn't last, but please, just for a moment longer...

"We came here to play the games, but... Well, I think this was more meaningful and fun, y'know?"

Now the girl nodded. It was certainly... something that she wanted to cherish.

Merle continued to gaze at the couple, raising her eyebrow at Abel's thoughtful expression. Her grin widened; the boy was obviously planning something. She couldn't wait to hear what he would think of next!

"S-so... Umm..."

Now the catgirl raised her other eyebrow. Oooooo. This was interesting. What was he planning that would make him so flustered?

Jessica, on the other hand, started out of her trance, and looked up... straight into Abel's face. Her face slowly turned a deep scarlet as her mind slowly processed just where she was, and in what position she was.

"Err... H-how would..."

"Hmmm? Speak up nya!" Merle grinned and leaned forward. Jessica simply stared at Abel with wide eyes. What was he... was he going to...

"W-would you two like to stay at my house...? J-just for tonight?"

He did! Jesscia let out a tiny squeek. How did... what did... why did....!?

"We accept, nya!" Merle's exclamation caused Jessica to jump, and also refocus the food court's attention on the trio. "It's sleepover time, nya!" the catgirl continued blithely, a wide grin on her face.

"D-d-don't announce it to everyone, silly cat...!" Abel groaned, now completely aware that everyone was looking at him. They were probably calling him a pervert by this point, especially for asking such a young girl to come over. On the other hand, people were probably calling Merle a cougar now... Ironic, considering she was part cat, but... Well, all in all, Abel was probably one of the most embarassed right now.

"L-let's go... I'll take the pizza." he spoke quickly, wanting nothing better than to leave and avoid everyone else's gaze. However, to know they accepted made his heart perform leaps within his body. He would have preferred to carry Jessica home, but he didn't know if he had that kind of strength after being thoroughly embarassed here. However, he DID want to keep her close to him...

Darn Merle for embarassing them both.

Picking up the pizza, he coughed slightly and looked around quickly. "I-i'll lead the way... Oh, maybe we should get you two a change of clothes as well... Um, I don't know how comfortable you'd be in my clothing, and..." he looked at Merle. "... I don't really have anything that fits you." he finished, before looking forward. "If not, well... I guess I can wash clothes tonight. All I ever do is my own laundry and all..."

WAIT.

Talking about doing a girl's laundry? People were going to think he was THAT kind of pervert! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Open mouth, insert foot, as they say... Perhaps from hereon out, he was better off staying shut, lest he say anything that give others the wrong idea...

"Nyahahahahaha!" Merle laughed merrily, then sprang up with a single bound. Jessica, meanwhile, was busy being totally and utterly mortified. All rational capacity for thought had for the moment fled her mind. Which was just as well, for the moment... normally, she'd be worried that the home would mark her out for not returning, and then send her back to that place... but none of that was even occuring to her, right now.

"I-i'll lead the way... Oh, maybe we should get you two a change of clothes as well... Um, I don't know how comfortable you'd be in my clothing, and... ... I don't really have anything that fits you. If not, well... I guess I can wash clothes tonight. All I ever do is my own laundry and all..."

Jessica wanted to shrink into a ball. But maybe that wasn't the best thing to do. Maybe she should dig a hole and bury herself in it. Or run away to someplace far, like Timbuktu. Or Pluto. Maybe Alpha Centauri.

Merle just burst out laughing again. "Nya don't need to worry 'bout me! I've got clothes aplenty, nya!" For emphasis, she reached into her pockets, rustling about for a bit, before she pulled out.... a black silk panties. "Nya see?"

Then she peered at the item. "Now where did I put the other half nyaow...."

"Nya don't need to worry 'bout me! I've got clothes aplenty, nya!"

"Well that's good. Means I don't have to worry about getting you any... Clothes..." Abel trailed off as he turned and looked at the catgirl... Who pulled out quite a pair of racey-looking silk panties. "W-what the hell is that!?" he exclaimed, nearly dropping the pizza. Others nearby looked on at the woman who pulled such clothing out of nowhere. "Are you trying to get me killed!?" he hissed.

"Now where did I put the other half nyaow...."

"... Other half?" he asked, looking down at the panties, before up at her chest... "NO! No no no no no.That's like almost buff right there. We can't have you sleeping like that in my house! Now put those away and let's go find you some proper clothing... You're gonna kill me if I see you in that." he grumbled, quickly turning around and trying to hurry out of the arcade at a quick pace. Thank god Jessica was a normal girl now...

"Seriously, why...? Why would you pull out a pair of those in the middle of a place where EVERYONE can see them!? Argh, I just wanna go home and stay away from this place for a little while..."

"W-what the hell is that!?"

That startled Jessica into looking up - and then she wished she hadn't. With a flustered squeek, she hastily ducked down her head again, doing her level best to curl into a ball while standing. She hoped that Andromeda accepted refugees.

Merle, on the other hand, blinked, and looked at the item again. "It's a pair of panties, nya. Quite comfortable too. Nya never seen one before?" She grinned.

"Are you trying to get me killed!?"

Now the catgirl blinked again, tilting her head slightly. "Whatdnya mean? It's not like I'm gonna strangle nya with these flimsy thingies, nya?"

Jessica was now considering the prospects of heading to someplace a little further, like the Big Bang.

"NO! No no no no no.That's like almost buff right there. We can't have you sleeping like that in my house! Now put those away and let's go find you some proper clothing... You're gonna kill me if I see you in that."

On the other hand, there was something to be said for going beyond the beginning of time.

Merle just shrugged, and slipped the article back into her pockets. "Gots lots more where that came from, nya know! Wanna see?"

Jessica shook her head rapidly. If she was mortified further, she would probably combust. Noticing Abel heading out, she hastened to follow. The catgirl laughed merrily, and followed after, swishing her tail in a most nonchalent fashion.

"It's a pair of panties, nya. Quite comfortable too. Nya never seen one before?"

"Oh i've seen them, but... Like... Never like this!" Abel sighed, as he finally managed to leave the arcade with the slightly large pizzabox. Jessica seemed to be just as embarassed as he was, if not more... He couldn't help but wonder if Merle was doing all of this on purpose. "D-don't pull panties like that out in public..." he mumbled.

"Whatdnya mean? It's not like I'm gonna strangle nya with these flimsy thingies, nya?"

"S-strangle me with them!?" he repeated the notion, then pictured her using those panties for several things. The kicker was, she wasn't wearing them, which made everything seem as worse as what he pictured them as. "Nonononono! Not those panties. Find something a little more covering for you to wear." the boy grumbled. Did she have any modesty, or something? You'd think she wouldn't wear that around minors like them...

"God, there's no way this day could be worse..." he thought inwardly... Boy, did he think wrong.

"Gots lots more where that came from, nya know! Wanna see?"

Abel froze and quickly turned around, running past Jessica to get behind Merle, before he began to usher her forward. "NO! Home! NOW! NO MORE PANTIES!" he shouted out, perhaps louder than he should have, as onlookers in the streets turned to look at the trio trying to hurry out of there. Abel could feel every one of their stares in their general direction, but he needed to hurry and get them home...

Before he melted into a pool of nothingness from the massive amount of embarassment he had probably drawn to himself and Jessica. His home was still a fair distance away... So they'd have to deal with it for a little bit.

"Aww, but I wasn't gonna show panties, nya~" Merle whined as she was pushed along by Abel - who was quickly aided by Jessica. The girl had apparently concluded that it was far better to hasten the process of getting out of here before she exploded, or imploded, or spontaneously burst into flame.

Nevertheless, the catgirl allowed herself to be pushed along, cheerfully waving at the onlookers staring at the trio. "Nothing to see here, nya!" she helpfully added, beaming.