Volume 2 - Arachne Attack, Chapter 11 - Stick and Slide

Yuisu jumped to her feet and tugged her skirt back into place. “Of course, Mara. We’d love to see how you decorated.” Maybe Mara doesn’t realize what we were up to, she thought optimistically.

Mara smiled and executed her strange little tank-pivot, then started down the hallway. “I think you’ll like it. It’s way more interesting than Haru’s boring room. No offense.”

Haru shrugged and followed behind her. “None taken. I’m not the type to own a lot of stuff, and I spend more time outdoors than in my room anyway.”

As Yuisu fell in line, she thought she saw Mara shudder at the mention of the outdoors. Poor girl. I’d hate to be stuck out in the cold, alone in an unknown place like that.

They came to Mara’s door, and she stopped in front of it. With an elaborate bow, she leaned forward and grasped the edge of the sliding door with both hands, then threw it open.

Haru and Yuisu stepped inside and they were immediately struck by how different the room felt from the rest of the house. Every direction was colorful, with most of the wall space covered by wall scrolls and posters from anime and video games. Brightly colored plush animals were strewn everywhere, on the floor, on shelves, or suspended in hammock-like nets that hung from the rafters and walls.

Haru’s eyes were wide in their sockets as she scanned the room. “How’d you put all this stuff up so quickly?!”

“You know how my webs aren’t good for making ropes? Well they are good for sticking things together. A little dab will stick a poster or net up real quick.” She turned to Yuisu. “And don’t worry, it’s easily removed and won’t harm the walls.”

Yuisu barely heard, distracted by the vibrant plushies that littered the room. She tugged at a hammock that held nearly a dozen adorable plush hamsters. The netting and ropes were just nylon, but Mara’s web had attached them very securely to the wall. She finally turned to address Mara. “Wow, you sure have a lot of stuffed animals. I take it you collect them?”

Mara grinned, showing her tiny sharp teeth. “Yep, I’m up to about three-hundred of ‘em, though the big ones should probably be counted double. Oh, and I collect other stuff too, like cute socks, and Pokemon. I’ll have to show you my living-dex some time!”

Haru, standing behind Mara, tilted her head and raised her wings in a silly ‘I dunno, LOL’ pose. Yuisu saw it and chuckled, but Mara thought the laugh was directed at her.

“Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Why bother with a living-dex if the Global Trade Network took all the challenge out of it?’, but I think that…”

She set off on an elaborate monologue on the benefits of Pokemon breeding, which went right over Haru and Yuisu’s heads. They weren’t gamers by any stretch, but Yuisu could at least understand geeking out and collecting something, like her girls-love manga.

Mara eventually tired herself out and changed gears. “Well, that’s my room. I’m glad I got to show it off, but I’ve still got to unpack my clothes.” She suddenly ushered Haru and Yuisu to the door. “Seeya at dinner, lovebirds.”

Yuisu put a palm to her forehead. Of course she realized what we had been up to…

“I wonder if Mara is okay with lamb, since that’s about all we’ve got,” Yuisu said as she peered into the refrigerator.

Haru shrugged. “If she really has a problem with it, we can make a run down to Sam’s. He should still be open.”

Mara’s snarky ‘lovebirds’ quip was fresh in Yuisu’s mind. “Nevermind. For tonight at least, lamb is what she gets. I’m thinking a stew.” Yuisu pointed at the tall cabinet on the other side of the kitchen. “Haru, can you grab me the big pot from in there?”

Haru easily grasped the large steel pot between her wings and was on her way back to the stove when a noise echoed down the hallway.

WUMP! The sound came again, closer this time and followed by Mara’s voice, “Ouchie!”

Yuisu set down the knife she’d been chopping meat with, but her hands were still wet and bloody. “Are you okay, Mara?” she called out.

When no response came, Yuisu looked back at Haru. “Can you go check on her?”

Haru beamed and set the pot down on the counter. “Sure thing, miss Yuisu.”

As Haru left, Yuisu shook her head and smiled. Still doing the ‘miss Yuisu’ thing... I guess it is pretty endearing. Would it be considered a pet name now?

Haru turned the corner to see Mara laying flat out in the middle of the hallway. Her eight main legs were splayed in every direction, and she had her pedipalp legs tucked close to her body. Both hands were clasped over one palp’s knee, and tears were in her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Mara? Are you hurt?” Haru asked.

Mara sniffled and whined, “I fell and hurt my knee.” Her sorrow suddenly switched to anger. “It’s these dumb floors’ fault. Why do they need to be so slippery?!”

Haru tilted her head. “I don’t understand. Did you trip over something?”

“No! I slipped on the stupid wooden floor, twice. I wanted to wear my nice kitty socks to dinner and now my knee hurts.” She slammed a fist on the floor, which only managed to hurt her hand too. “Owwie…”

Haru rolled her eyes, but offered a wing to Mara. “Here. Get up and I’ll walk with you to the kitchen. You can wait at the table where you won’t fall again.”

Six pouty eyes looked up at Haru, and Mara grabbed onto the wing. “Thanks, Haru.” She held on with both arms as they made slow progress to the kitchen, looking vaguely like a mother and young child. Mara’s stocking feet continued to slide around on the polished wooden floor, since the grippy pads at the end of her legs, which she used to climb and maneuver, were fully covered by the socks.

Yuisu was already sitting at the table when they entered. “The stew is going, now we just need to wait a while for it to cook. Are you okay, Mara?”

She pouted, looking exactly like a grumpy child. “I guess so. Though I don’t think I’ll be able to wear my cute socks in this crappy house.”

Yuisu raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Because the floor is too slippery?”

“Ugh, yeah! If the hallways were carpeted, I’d be okay.”

“Oh, but sliding on the hallway floors is the best part of this house. Let me show you how it’s done!” Yuisu stood up and beckoned Mara over. “Come on,” she said with a grin. Yuisu had an infectious smile, and even Mara’s grumpiness couldn’t hold up for long.

“The secret is to not walk…”

Mara gave a look like she thought Yuisu had brain damage. “Uh huh.”

“You’ve got to skate!” Yuisu pushed off from the kitchen table and to get some speed and she took long sweeping strides, not much different than an ice-skater’s technique. She zoomed down the west hallway, rapidly approaching the ninety-degree turn up ahead. Mara clenched her jaw, expecting an impact with the wall, but Yuisu entered a controlled skid and cornered with inches to spare, then zipped out of sight.

Several seconds later, Yuisu had looped the house and reentered the kitchen from the north and slid to a stop in front of a stunned Mara.

“Eeee! That. Was. Awesome!” Mara squealed and bounced up and down, which caused her to fall again. Haru caught her and lifted her back up until her eight feet could get under her again. “Can you teach me, Yui? Please?”

Yuisu laughed aloud. Mara was utterly adorable when excited. “Of course. As my Uncle taught me many years ago, I too shall pass on the legendary sock-skate technique to the next promising generation.”

Haru sat at the table and watched while Yuisu tutored Mara. It was great to see them having fun, but she did feel a little left out. No amount of socks would cover Haru’s sharp talons enough to let her slide around safely. Before long, the stew was done and the smell of savory lamb stew pushed away any jealous thoughts.