The Red Hand

Chapter 227 – The Shoe.

*CLICK* *CLICK* *CLICK* *SQUEAK* *SQUEAL*

From Akagi's office, one could hear the busy sounds of the Demon drawing plans on a large whiteboard. There were over a dozen boards scattered throughout the room, each filled to the absolute brim with diagrams, descriptions, and other technical jargon. Now that the Demon officially had her own country, she'd moved into the development stage, and was actively planning the next steps for her nation's future. As of now, she'd already had some discussions with Chinese, American, Russian, and South Korean firms, but still hadn't decided on a final plan for her new city.

"Well, we might as well plan things out for the future. So I think that's a good start." Akagi said as she stepped back from the board. "The first hundred years will be easy, but after that is when things get difficult. We'll need to ensure a stream of supplies, since this place sure as hell can't support a large population by itself." She'd been drawing up city plans and doing all sorts of calculations regarding how things should be managed since she needed that information before making any concrete decisions.

{I really should get my team in on this properly, but it's so damn fun putting this all together myself!} Akagi smiled as she continued jotting down designs, notes, and other things on the whiteboards in her office until, a few hours later, Kana and the girls showed up.

"Hello." Kana said, popping her head around the door frame and giving a greeting. "Yumi said you were busy. Are you good to talk, or should we come back later?" She didn't want to bug her if she was in the middle of something important.

"No, I'm good now. I was just wrapping things up." Akagi said while looking over the boards. "You can come in." She waved for the girls to enter.

"Oh wow." Naomi was a bit surprised as she looked at the half-dozen whiteboards filled with scribbles and plans. The entire room was filled with paperwork stacked high, and Akagi was sitting on a chair in the middle of it while smoking her Kiseru. "You've been busy."

{How much ink did you go through with those markers?!?} (Naomi)

"It's a bit of a surprise to see Akagi actually doing something that resembles real work! Normally she's busy lazing around in cat form when we come over. What, did everyone get sick of you doing nothing productive?" Mika mocked her.

"Those idiots would actually rather I do nothing and act as some spoiled God." Akagi sighed. "It's a fight sometimes to get them not to do everything themselves." She'd had to basically chase many of them away when they insisted on doing this themselves.

"Ah yes, that's right. Misha did say that her last sermon was about sacrificing yourself to Lady Akagi, who works so hard on our behalf." Mika chuckled.

{That was so fucking crazy, but also funny as hell!} (Mika)

"That girl..." Akagi groaned as she recalled Yumi's summary of that prayer. "Why did everyone have to take a liking to her... Now I can't just kick her out..." The family members had come to like the strange girl and her very religious views of Akagi. Most saw her as an example of what this world's people should be, and they encouraged her dedication to their Lord.

"Lady Akagi is our everything and works tirelessly to bring us salvation. She is the darkness that surrounds us and gives us strength! So ask not what she can do for you, but what YOU can do for her!" Naomi gave a dramatized version of one of the girl's speeches. "Or at least that's what I remember her saying." She giggled, knowing that Akagi did not want to hear those words.

"I don't get embarrassed easily, but that girl... do you have any idea how hard it is to hear her say those things with such SERIOUSNESS?!? And then the fucking idiots go and cheer her on!" Akagi held her head in her hands. "I swear they do it just to embarrass me..."

{I know fucking Yumi definitely does!} (Akagi)

"Honestly, it wouldn't shock me if that was the case." Kana was enjoying seeing her sister squirm for once. "You are their Dear Leader and the Lady of Darkness." She laughed as she listed off some names she'd heard them call her sister. "So its only natural that they'd come to revere you in such a manner."

"Is it too late to just kill everyone and go insane?" Akagi asked as she put her head in her hands again. "At this point, I might just take Yumi and force her to pet me in a corner of reality for all eternity. That might be the best thing I can do..."

{Eternal pets...} (Akagi)

"Jokes on you. Yumi would like that!" Kana laughed.

"Ohhh, trust me... I know what Yumi likes..." Akagi sighed. "I blame you, Kana. You corrupted her with your evil ways!" She'd been responsible for showing Yumi this world's advancements. \

"What?!? Why me specifically?!? It was Mika and Hishya that got her hooked on the internet!" Kana protested all the blame being dumped on her.

{Mika, SPECIFICALLY, is to blame here!} (Kana)

"I blame you because those two are your responsibility." Akagi replied. "Mika needs to be on a tight leash, and that lizard is nothing but trouble."

"Oi!" Mika cried out in protest.

"Is she wrong?" (Kana x Naomi)

"I-" Mika tried to answer but quickly fell silent, realizing that there was no good answer. "No comment."

"I thought so." (Naomi x Kana)

"So why are you here anyway?" Akagi asked, lifting her head up to look at them. "I assume you needed something."

"Why are you saying it like I'm some bad child that only comes to her parents when she needs money?!?" Kana pouted.

{Am I the bad child that does nothing but waste her parents money and live a crazy life that makes them ashamed of me?!?} (Kana)

"Kana doesn't visit me anymore since she got that lizard in her life." Akagi fake cried. "Where did my sweet Kana go? I miss the days when she'd follow me around and call me Onee-chan. She rarely plays with me anymore!"

"We live in the same house, and I play with you practically every day!" Kana knew her sister was just trying to get a rise out of her, but she felt compelled to retort. “Your kitty mode gets an inordinate amout of pets out of me, so don't try and pull that BS!”

{Why do you have to do this to me?!?} (Kana)

"Kana, it's not good to ignore your family." Naomi put her hand on Kana's shoulder. “You know it hurts Akagi when you're so mean to her.” She smirked.

"Yeah, don't forget about Akagi just because you've got some tail to chase." Mika giggled.

{Both literally and figuratively!} (Mika)

"WE LITERALLY FED HER TREATS LAST NIGHT WHILE PETTING HER FOR LIKE THREE HOURS DURING THE MOVIE!" Kana yelled as she swiped at her friends. "What more do you want of me?!?"

"I bet you pet Hishya for four." Akagi's lips curled into a smirk.

"I just... I can't. Do either of you want an older sister? She's for sale." Kana gave up. "Just take her, please. She's too much of a pain in the ass for me."

{I'll give her away for free...} (Kana)

"Is this like when people put kittens or puppies in a box outside with a FREE label on them?" Naomi was struggling to hold back laughter. "Because I could totally see Akagi sitting in a box in kitty form like that."

"Yeah. Free Kitty to a Good Home!" Mika was similarly laughing. "Don't worry. I'll take you in!" She declared. “You shall not want for love from me!”

"Mika! My one true sister!" Akagi sat up and hugged Mika. "You won't abuse me like the mean lady does, right?" She gave a shit eating grin while looking at Kana, who blew a raspberry back at her.

"Nope! You'll get all the kitty treats and pets you can ever want from me. Unlike that stingy Demon Princess who sprays you with water and puts you in the bath." Mika was in tears from laughing so hard.

"I hate you both..." Kana sighed. "Anyway, can we get back to the real reason we came here? Or is today pick on Kana day?"

{No silly, that's on the 15^th!} (Mika)

"You mean you didn't come to get picked on and abused?" Akagi said as she pulled away from Mika.

{NO. Don't respond to her, she just wants a REACTION, Kana. Let it go, there's no winning this game...} (Kana)

"I came here to let you know that we're going to the beach tomorrow for a small vacation, and I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come with. But with that whole display I'm beginning to think we shouldn't..." Kana shook her head.

{She'd definitely do something bad...} (Kana)

"A beach vacation? What are you nuts? Why the hell would I go to that?" Akagi was confused by her invitation since Kana knew that Akagis and beaches didn't get along. "Unless you want to see more of that cursed image from before." She was referring to her use of a male body with her usual head, comboed with male swimwear.

"That looked funny as hell!" Mika laughed. "Maybe if you come with us, you can be a guy! That way it looks a bit more appropriate!"

"But if I do that, then I'll have all the ladies after me." Akagi winked. "I'll have to beat them off with a stick!"

"I've seen guy you, and while you're not bad, you're definitely not a 10/10." Kana rolled her eyes at the stupid conversation.

{Well fuck you too...} (Akagi)

"If we get Male Akagi, then maybe you can pretend to be Naomi's boyfriend. I'm sure that would make a lot of guys sad." Mika's words earned her a wack on the back of the head by Naomi.

"Owchi!" Mika cried in pain.

"You had that one coming." Kana shook her head. "And I don't need Onee-chan dating one of my friends. Especially in some gender bent form."

"Nor do I want to!" Naomi was visibly irritated.

"But think about it. If you went through with it then you could call Akagi daddy instead of mom like you usually do." Mika's words caused Kana's eyes to go wide and Akagi to nearly double over laughing.

{Oh my fucking god, Mika. You're both awful and hilarious. I can't believe you just said that. Naomi's going to kill you!} (Kana)

"You have five seconds, Mika." Naomi's eyes turned scary.

"Thanks, I'll need them. You're very fast." Mika took off running as Naomi chased behind her.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU MAGICAL LOLI!" Naomi screamed as she chased Mika down the hallway.

"You're only angry because what I said is true!" Mika laughed and then, a moment later, screamed in pain as Naomi whacked her with a shoe.

*SMACK*

"Those two are such good friends." Akagi commented as the screams of Mika, and the sound of the shoe, could be heard echoing throughout the house.

"Should we stop her?" Kana asked, not sure if they should save their friend from her self inflicted pain.

"Mika will be fine. So just let Naomi have her revenge." Akagi laughed. "But damn, that was fucking great. 10/10 great line, Mika."

{That idiot comes up with greatest one liners, I swear.} (Akagi)

"Naomi has a complex about calling you Mom those couple of times, so Mika's comment was just..." Kana shook her head. "Though I'll admit it was funny as hell."

"To answer this whole mess about the beach, though. I'm both disinterested in such an outing and unable to go with you. I've got stuff to do in the lead-up to the Tournament, and planning is eating up lots of my time. Once things quiet down, we can do a vacation. How about Europe?" Akagi asked.

"Sounds like fun." Kana nodded. "We can see all the sights."

{I like how we can just casually got to Europe. I guess that's perks of your sister being the Demon Lord.} (Kana)

A few minutes later, one exhausted Naomi returned with a smiling Mika who had a shoe mark on her left cheek.

"Was it worth it?" Kana asked.

"Oh, hell yeah." Mika giggled.

"DO YOU WANT MORE SHOE?!?" Naomi hissed as she held up her shoe in a threatening manner.

"No thanks. I'm not interested in taking part in your stepping-on people fetish." Mika laughed, and the chase/beating began anew.

{I swear, that girl just knows how to push people's buttons.} (Akagi)