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The door opens right as Wadanohara's fingers brush against the handle. Memoca throws it open, grinning, before attempting to casually rest against the doorframe. Unfortunately for her, in her haste she less leans against the doorway and more bashes her shoulder into it.
"Ouch! Hey! Hey-… Hi Wadda! How was, uhh, how was your trip?"
Memoca grins awkwardly.
"It was good! I bought this nice new picture frame decorated with driftwood that I thought we could frame that photo of us all in-" Wadanohara begins to say. Memoca sneezes in an explosion of white powder and the two girls stand there and look at it for a solid five seconds. Come to think of it, Memoca's dress is covered in the stuff too.
"What happened while I was out, Memoca?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do. What is that stuff?"
"It's, umm… plaster dust!"
"What?"
"You know, plaster? Like from the ceiling?"
"OUR CEILING FELL IN?!"
Memoca pauses.
"Yeeeaahhh… yeah, it did."
"Is anybody hurt?!"
"No."
"I'll go get the handyman!"
"The handyman who's a five minute walk away? That handyman?"
"Who else would it be?"
Wadanohara turns to run off.
"WADDA, WAIT!"
"What?!"
"Uhh… Um… Go get Samekichi first! He's a good haggler, the extra 10 minutes it'll take will be suuuper worth it!"
Wadanohara stands there blankly, staring at Memoca. The gull raises her eyes to the skies.
Oh, Great Sorcerer, if you can hear me please know that I'm doing this all your daughter so if you had my back right now it'd really help…
"Memoca, I can see you whispering under your breath."
"I wasn't whispering."
A pause.
"I trust you," Wadanohara says, sighing. She walks down the road and Memoca slams the door, still grinning. Her smile drops.
She sprints into the kitchen and slams her wings on the counter before snatching up a bowl of frosting, food colouring half mixed into it, and begining to frantically stir. "Wadda and Samekichi will be at the castle in about 15 minutes, so we've gotta get this cake iced and decorated sharpish!"
Fukami takes the bowl off of Memoca.
"I'll do it. You need to go and get ready, you're both completely covered in flour."
Memoca nods and runs upstairs.
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"And then right as I was about to leave, Memoca told me that I should fetch you instead because you're a good haggler, so here I am," Wadanohara explains, taking Samekichi's hand. "If somebody like Memoca is worried about money, it usually means that the damage is really bad."
"Oh, Wadanohara! There you are. Princess Uomi is asking for you."
"Oh, hey Tatsumiya… it's just one thing after another today, huh?"
"Is it?" She asks, falling into step with the other two.
"It is. I can't believe I'm saying this but our ceiling fell in! We were just on our way to the handyman's house now."
Tatsumiya meets Samekichi's eyes from over Wadanohara's head and he looks back at her helplessly, apparently just as lost as she is.
"Goodness, no wonder you look so anxious… I'll tell you what. How about we go to the castle together whilst Samekichi visits the repair service? That way, you can get both problems solved at the same time."
"Oh, alright. That would help."
Wadanohara perks up slightly, letting go of Samekichi's hands and turning to say goodbye to him. The second that he's out of sight, he speeds off to the house.
"You were meant to be ready thirty minutes ago, what the hell are you all doing?!" He demands, throwing the door open.
"We had to make a second cake because the recipe that you gave us was honestly repulsive," Fukami responds. Samekichi groans, running his hands through his hair, when a tug on his jacket snaps him out of his frustration. It's Dolphi, a hand drawn birthday card in one hand and a marker in the other. The card is open and there's an empty space for a name to go.
"You want me to sign it?"
She nods. He forces himself to breathe and then writes his name in the waiting spot.
"I was half expecting you all to leave me out," He admits, sighing.
Memoca scoffs from her place on the table where she's watching Fukami pipe the icing onto the cake. "You're still Wadda's family even if none of us like you. Just because you'd leave your girlfriend's friends out wouldn't mean that we would."
"Hey! It's not my fault that my family turned out like that!"
Samekichi grimaces, waiting for that horrible I said too much feeling to settle in his stomach, but it never comes.
"Dolphi, you bring the cards to the living room. I'll carry the cake and all the presents that fit in the bag. Samekichi, Memoca, you get the other two from the attic and do not drop them."
Memoca catches Samekichi's eye.
"Hey. Sharkboy. Last one to reach the ladder is an anchovy."
"Try me, Memoca!"
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"I never knew that the castle had such a scenic back route, Tatsumiya. Thank you again, I feel much better now."
"I'm glad."
"I still don't understand why Uomi made that request in person…"
"All in due time, dear. Well, I'll see you soon. I'll probably come with Pulsa and the other to bring your gift."
"My gift…? Oh my goodness, I completely forgot about that!"
Wadanohara says her goodbyes and finally arrives in.
"I'm home!"
She's met with silence. She takes her shoes off, heading into the dining room.
"SURPRISE!"