Monstrous Distinction Part 6 Draft (Patreon)

There was an awkward silence between Fuutarou and the two sisters that decided to accompany him home. Normally, Itsuki would be the one to regularly walk home with him, as she was also the one who was on the most friendly terms with Fuutarou’s sister Raiha. And also the other sisters couldn’t be bothered 99% of the time.

But after today, every single one of those five sisters agreed unanimously that Itsuki accompanying the cursed Fuutarou home, was a monstrous accident waiting to happen. So, with Nino claiming that she couldn’t walk fast enough to keep up with humans, Miku still being intimidated by her new form and Yotsuba sharing the exact same problem that Itsuki had, Ichika volunteered to slither along with the two humans acting as a sort of buffer between them.

“Hey… I know it might be a bit late to ask, but I could have walked back home alone. Why did you want to accompany me again?” Fuutarou asked. It really went to show how much this situation weighed on his mind when he didn't even think about asking such an obvious thing before.

“I promised Raiha. And she sounded like she was looking forward to showing me something.” Itsuki sighed, causing Fuutarou to recall having heard something similar from his sister a while back.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ichika remarked, slithering a bit in front of them while making sure her tail still made a clear dividing line between the two humans. So she smiled and said, “We just need to be a bit more careful, that's all. And even if something were to happen, it's not THAT bad to be honest.”

“I would like to keep my legs, thank you very much!” Itsuki replied immediately.

“You know that you probably won't be turning into a Lamia, considering that all three of us transformed sisters are from different species.” Ichika laughed, though Itsuki’s expression barely changed.

“And none of you have legs.” Itsuki answered deadpanned. And, although both Fuutarou and Ichika wanted to object, there was an astounding level of truth to her statement.

A short silence returned to the three as all of them stared at the floor in front of them.

“Let’s switch subjects.” Itsuki said, shaking her head and breaking the silence. “Today’s tutoring session wasn’t very productive, right?”

“Yeah, there was just too much tension in the air.” Ichika agreed while Fuutarou silently nodded.

“I was thinking about how we should learn from here on out, though I don't really have any ideas besides ‘just be more careful’.” Fuutarou said out loud, but was still thinking deeply about the situation. Honestly the easiest way would just be to transform all sisters and continue with his life as normal. But even he knew how inappropriate that would be to say out loud.

“Well, we probably need to come up with something fast, because if we don't then we never get a proper tutoring session again. And I can’t imagine our grades getting any better without them.” Itsuki said, shaking her head as the three arrived at Fuutarou’s home. It looked like she wanted to say something, but she was immediately interrupted by a certain blue haired girl storming out from the house in front of them.

“Isukiiiii~ Glad you were able to come~” Fuutarous little sister Raiha shouted and waved energetically from the entrance door. Almost instantaneously Itsuki’s worried and analytical expression changed to a carefree and happy one, as she happily walked towards the little blue haired girl with a big smile on her face.

“Just as promised~” Itsuki chimed back. Both of those girls then happily giggled and held hands with each other, causing Fuutarou to just shake his head while Ichika let out a weak laugh. Though Raiha quickly noticed the other two standing in front of the building and asked. “Hi brother, I hope your work went well as always. And… Wow. I completely forgot that you had a snake lady sister Itsuki!”

“She is a Lamia, not a snake lady.” Itsuki laughed it off, gave a brief look back to her sister before looking back at the little sister with a bit of a more serious expression. “Sorry, but I don't have too much time today. What did you want to show me?”

“Right, right! Then you probably won't stay for dinner either. Which is sad, but okay. Then all of you come in, though only Itsuki is going to be allowed in my room for a bit.” Raiha announced, grabbing Itsuki by the arm again and playfully dragging her into the house, only to look back a bit confused as to why Ichika hadn’t moved from her spot yet.

“Yeah… sorry, but I am quite tired and from the looks of it your house isn’t built for an eight meter long snake to slither around freely. I am scared that I might destroy some stuff inside, so I think I will stay out for today.” Ichika explained with a pained smile, causing Raiha to blink a few times before nodding vigorously. “Big brother! Stay with Itsuki’s lamia sister to keep her company until I am done with Itsuki. I promise I’ll be fast.”

And just like that, Raiha stormed into their home with Itsuki right behind her, leaving Ichika and Fuutarou behind somewhat flabbergasted. Though Ichika then briefly burst into laughter and shrugged her shoulders.

“So we are alone for now it seems.” Ichika giggled, putting her hands on her hips and waggling the tip of her tail. “It reminds me that I haven’t told you about the audition yesterday.”

“Audition?” Fuutarou asked, not quite sure what she meant.

“You know, shortly after I became… a bit longer, I drove with my manager to a hearing. They invited me to play a role in a new local movie that they were planning on filming.” Ichika said, playing with her earring with her hand a bit.

“I don’t know how much I have told you about the role yet or how much I am even allowed to talk about it, but as I was told in the briefing the basic plot goes like this.” Ichika seemingly thought a bit to herself, before starting to explain. “A human guy and Arachne girl team up with a detective to uncover some sort of secret. And they wanted the antagonists to have a similar composition.”

“Originally, the antagonists consisted of an overambitious man and an egotistical Harpy, though they quickly realized that there was not a single harpy actress anywhere that was willing to take the job.” Ichika continued.

“Wait! Are you saying that there are no harpy actresses out there? At all? Are Harpies that rare?” Fuutarou asked, making Ichika giggle.

“Let me rephrase that. There were no harpy actresses anywhere nearby that you could hire with a reasonable budget for a small film studio. Extra species are still kinda rare compared to humans after all. Sure, if you wanna fly to Hollywood and hire a professional, be my guest, but here in japan… Well… at least the studio couldn’t find one.” Ichika explained while still giggling.

“Uhm… yeah. I can’t even imagine how much that would cost you.” Fuutarou sighed, rubbing his head. “But if the role was laid out for a Harpy, then what does that have to do with you? Aren’t harpies half bird half human?”

“I was getting to that. So in order to still be able to film the movie they changed the criteria a bit. They just wanted an Extra Species actress who looks dangerous and can act both sweet and innocent as well as intimidating and egotistical.” ichika explained, her laugh trailing off a bit. “The moment my manager overheard that change in plans he immediately suggested me.”

“Hmm.” Fuutarou nodds along. “I can see why he thought of you. You are a very good actress and snakes are typically both associated with evil and danger, but also with medicine. By the way you described that role a Lamia might even be a better fit for it than a harpy.”

Ichika blinked a few times as she stared at Fuutarou with a blank expression, before starting to genuinely laugh for the first time in the night. He had spent enough time with her to know when she was hiding herself behind a fake smile and when she was genuinely happy by now.

“Wow… Just, Wow…” Ichika let out, a relieved smile blossoming on her face. “The entire time I thought that I was only picked because of how egotistical I am and how sweet I can act. I didn’t even consider that my new race could have been the main reason he suggested me.”

“Didn’t he say he found a role for you as a Lamia?” Fuutarou asked, slightly confused.

“Yeah, I know. But until just now it didn’t really click for me that way, you know? I just had the feeling that they thought I was an egotist.” Ichika genuinely laughed while her tail slowly moved to form a circle around Fuutarou.

“Hey, this whole curse thing… It’s completely my fault.” She said, her coils ever encroaching on Fuutarou, though with a surprisingly lack of force behind them. It looked like he could easily push them aside if need be, but at the same time he was not yet sure what Ichika’s intention was.

“It’s rough. May I be honest with you for a second?” Ichika asked, her tail coiling around Fuutarous legs. To a normal person, this might look like Ichika was about to attack Fuutarou, but for some reason, Fuutarou saw the situation differently.

The slow and shaky movements of her tail, the droopyness of her tip, the hesitant careful approach of her tail as a whole… It was as if he could see through her for the very first time. He could see her massive sorrow, fear, and even her joy and guilt just in the movements of her tail. He knew that Ichika was not okay, no matter how well she acted like it.

“I’m sorry! Okay?!? I am so sorry!” Ichika threw her upper body against Fuutarou and hugged him weakly. She started to sniff right next to his ear. Her snake-tail barely touched his legs and shook as well.

“I failed as a big sister. I am sorry!” She started to cry. Fuutarou could only stand still frozen, having absolutely no idea what to do. “I managed to get my tutor cursed! I cursed the only person who gave us a chance of making it through this damn school! And then I got so… sniff… excited about the new role I might be playing. I really am so egotistical!”

By now she was full on hugging Fuutarou, trying her best to hold back tears, though Fuutarou’s shoulder started to progressively getting wetter. “I was so occupied with my new chance as an actress, I mindlessly sent you to Nino. I should have known that she was home! I should have… I should have just… And now I dragged her into this as well…”

“Hey Ichika. Listen.” Fuutarou tried to speak, though Ichika interrupted him, still crying on his shoulder.

“I didn’t even think about trying to protect my sisters at all today! I was so preoccupied by this new role, the new school, all the Extra Species and my strange new memories and experiences, that I didn’t even think about trying to protect my sisters from the mess I have created! And when Miku showed up today like that, my heart just broke. I am like… sniff… the worst sister to have…” She said, her tears having mostly stopped but with her eyes being red from them by now.

“Now listen up!” Fuutarou said, grabbing Ichika by her shoulders and pulling her away from his shoulder directly in front of him at arm's length. “It doesn’t matter whether you were the cause of this curse or whatever or not. We will find a way through this! We will find a way to turn you back! We will get you through school! And I am here to help you with all of that, understood!?!”

Yeah, that might not have been the greatest motivational speech ever conceived, but then again, Fuutarou was kind of bad with talking to people. So this was the best he could come up with on the spot. And judging by the Ichikas' expression that changed slowly from an expressionless mess to an honest smile, his speech kinda worked.

“Hehehe… Thank you…” She said, rubbing the last bit of her tears from her eyes. “But do you want to know what the worst part is?”

“Tell me.” Fuutarou answered bluntly, making Ichika giggle.

“I have been a Lamia for about two days, and I completely love my new life. I can’t really remember much from my life as a human in detail, but I can remember the feeling of what it was like to live from day to day.” Ichika admitted, making Fuutarou look at her a bit confused. “I like my body and how I move, I still have all of my friends, I don’t really miss walking on two legs since I can't remember ever doing it, and just so much other stuff that I just like better when I look like this. If I had the power to choose, then I would not want to turn back.”

“That's… Unexpected.” He said, finally letting go of her shoulders to strike a thinking pose. As his eyes wandered around the perimeters, he spotted Itsuki hiding in broad nightlight behind a lamppost with an expression that pretty much said ‘Oh man. I have no idea how to react or how to enter this conversation. I better just stay behind this lamp for now.’

“Okay, I have a plan.” Fuutarou said, making sure to look Ichika straight into the eyes. “I will go and try to spend some time with Miku and Nino to see whether they like their new bodies as well or not. On Monday, I will go back to that shop and try to talk to that Nagisa again. With the plan being that she takes this transforming touch ability of mine away from me and transforms those back who would rather be human, while leaving the rest as Extra Species. What do you say?”

“That…” Ichika looked at him with wide eyes, before shaking her blush away and giving him her usual confident smile. “That sounds like a plan. It seems like you are going to come over a lot this weekend then, Fuutarou-kun~”

“Yeah, but for now you should go home. Your sister is already waiting for you.” Fuutarou said and pointed at a streetlamp, making Ichika turn to look. And as Itsuki slowly left her hiding place, Ichika started to giggle, making Itsuki join in with her soon after.

And as he watched the two sisters walk away from his home on the semi dark street, he had only one thing to say before he went back into his home and started learning again. “What a crazy day this has been.”

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The next part in the grand story of Monstrous Distinction. Got a bit longer this time, but oh well.