The Frieden Chronicles: Reckoning

Chapter 4: Black cats

Diana Lopez

"Ugh...Why is instructor Dumont so cruel..." I said as I laid my head on the table while my arms were stretched out towards Keiko who was sitting across the table in the cafeteria she seems to frequent with my brother and the lieutenant.

 "You piqued her interest with that stunt you did two weeks ago, I'm surprised she didn't whip you into oblivion..." Keiko said eating once again a brownie with ice cream on top.

"I know but-!"

 "But what? I would do the same if some hotshot wannabe dares to barge into a class of mine like that." Keiko said in her usual passive aggressive demeanor.

"You're so mean, we are supposed to be battle buddies..."

 "We are, but I am also one of the lieutenants so I have to be an example unlike you."

"... You're still mean..." I whined as if I was a spoiled seven year old before Keiko sighed.

 "Look, do you want me to bring up the fact that you have been talking too much in class with Uma? Just because you 'like' someone that is not an excuse to start talking to him in the middle of a lecture."

"D-Don't be so s-stupid! I don't like him Okay?!" I said as I raised my head in a panic.

 "Then why are you blushing over it?" Keiko asked before taking a sip from her tea as she looked at me waiting for my reaction.

"U-uhhh... because it's hot!" I said finding any excuse I can come up with. Uma was a weird one, he was nice and fun to have a conversation with but I wasn't sure about anything really at the time. Yet one thing I was sure of, was that he was a good friend.

 "Sure, whatever you say..." She said as Hideyoshi walked in looking tired as the waitress welcomed him with a smile as well as by some of the other usual customers.

"Well then, look who's there..." I said to Keiko as her ears began to twitch as well as her tail.

 "Yo Lieutenant! Over here!" I called out before he walked towards us with a smirk.

  "Good afternoon Second lieutenant... Miss D-Diana" he said very hesitantly, giving us a slight bow as if he was going to get scolded for saying my first name, it wasn't easy for him to be more 'like us'.

 "Konnichiwa Chui-dono..." Keiko said effortlessly in the lieutenant's native language as she bowed back at him.

It took us by surprise especially the lieutenant, but what followed was something that I found comical. A stone cold veteran who we thought that held hardly any emotions, turned into an ecstatic child as if he was going to a theme park for the first time. He spoke eagerly in his native tongue as he lost all composure trying to pet Keiko who was talking back at him in his language also although somewhat heated as she shifted her gaze nervously.

 "Stop it you idiot, you're embarrassing us!" Keiko said with a flustered face before he realized his predicament.

"I think Hideyoshi might be into catgirls Keiko~" I said teasingly

 "Hybrids are rare where he is from, some are revered as spirits so I wouldn't be surprised if he was excited. What I wasn't expecting is for him to behave like a child, he should know better than that..." she said, almost sounding like a scolding mother.

"I was just joking you know?" I said letting out a nervous laugh.

 "Hmph... what brings you here?" Keiko asked, looking at Hideyoshi sharply.

  "I was looking for a place to... mmm, calm down?" He said as he was trying to find the proper words to say. He was pretty fluent in English although being a bilingual myself I can understand the struggles of such a task.