Puella Magi Madoka Magica : Rebirth

Chapter 14 : Friends

                  

Shika stood at the massive gates that lead to the Oda clan's traditional Japanese mansion. Her big Shiba Inu, Yuki, was next to her, panting in the afternoon heat. Luckily, there was no school today as well.

"What are we waiting for, Shika? Just ring the bell already," whined the white dog, nudging Shika's hand.

"I just... I don't know," sighed Shika. "Every time I visit Akira, I get this feeling of inferiority and fear of seeing her stern parents glaring at me, and also of all those butlers and maids pushing me around like trash. Hopefully, her mom and dad are not in today."

Yuki shook herself and grinned wolfishly at the green-haired girl, standing up on her hind legs and jabbing the doorbell with her paw.

Diiiing!

"Yuki!" gasped Shika, pulling her dog away from the doorbell. "Why did you do that?! I'm not even mentally prepared yet!"

"Sheesh. You're just meeting your friend, not some alien monster. You don't need to be mentally prepared." Yuki wagged her tail happily, and her mistress simply buried her face in her hands.

A voice came down the intercom device next to the doorbell. "Who is it?" it barked out in quite an unfriendly tone.

Shika jumped and gulped. "Err... I-it's S-Shika Kiyomizu from the R-Red Garden," she stuttered. No matter how many times she had visited this mansion, she still managed to sound like a complete mouse.

"Shika Kiyomizu? As in Akira-sama's acquaintance and the girl with a white dog?" enquired the tinny voice.

"Yes, yes I am," gushed Shika, relieved. At least the voice lady made a point to remember her.

"You may enter, then." The gates swung inwards smoothly, automated by machinery. At the doorway, a maid tapped her foot impatiently, calling out, "Well, the gates are open, girl. Do you want to come in or not?"

Hastily, Shika hurried inside with Yuki at her heels, pointing her nose in the air excitedly. "Yes! I always like visiting Akira. Her house is full of interesting things to discover and smell!" she barked, stopping to sniff at a dandelion. The seeds came off and she accidentally inhaled them, sneezing loudly. The maid shot Yuki a glare that could melt iron. "Young miss, I suggest that you leave your... animaloutside. It'll leave mud all over the floor."

"But...! She's always allowed inside, why not today?" said Shika, disappointed.

"Because we have just swept, mopped and shined the floorboards, that why. Now come on in, and leave the dog outside." The maid didn't look like she was about to take 'no' for an answer, so Shika patted Yuki's head and told her to stay in the garden. The Shiba Inu looked downcast, but was cheered up immediately when she noticed a bunch of fallen peaches under the large weeping peach tree in the centre of the garden. "Peaches! Haha! Enjoy your time with Akira, Shika dear, I'll just busy myself examining the taste of peach..."

"Don't eat the skin and pits!" called out Shika as she was ushered into the mansion quickly. "They'll give you indigestion and the pits are poisonous!"

"Okay!" barked Yuki jovially, rolling a peach with her paw.

The maid looked at Shika like as if she were crazy. "Really, talking to dogs like how you would to humans," she muttered. "Your dog can eat the peaches for all I care. No one in this household likes them anyways." The girl flinched. Why is it that everyone here treats her so rudely?

As Shika was escorted along the long corridors and past the many rooms - living, dining, work, study - she couldn't help gawking at them. Compared to Akira's home, hers looked like a poorly person's house. Which was not far from the truth.