Side Note

"I'm sending you on a spy mission." Hey, it's me, staring at my naked body beneath the soap-filled bath, Madeleine here. I'm currently enjoying my bath. Well, that was until Merida walked in. She's just standing there, staring. "Thought I was going to sexually harass you?"

"You do give off the feeling of a sexual harasser at times."

"I would never partake in such uncouth behaviour."

"..."

"Your silence damages my soul."

"Good."

"I will be discussing why I barged into your bath time now. I no longer wish to linger on this topic."

"Sounds like the words of a guilty person."

"I have nothing to be guilty for, except for several counts of accidental voyeurism."

"You're digging deeper and deeper, dummy."

"There is a woman who plans to destroy this estate and has hired the services of a Sacred Power holder. They plan to meet in the nearby forest. I shall have you and Mimi spy on them."

"Why Mimi? Why not Mel?"

"The bickering between you and Mel would surely alert the two in their secretive meeting. Also, Mimi is a former thief, and since this mission requires stealth, she is the best candidate."

"Makes sense."

"Unfortunately, you're on the mission too."

"I can be stea-"

"No, you cannot."

"Fair enough."

"Now then," Merida started stripping, "I shall enjoy a good bath."

"I'm still here."

"I know."

And so we bathed together, whether I wanted to or not.

---

Hey there, sneakily sneaking about in a snea- "Shut up Maddy, you'll get us caught."

"I wasn't talking, though."

"Just shush." Mimi put a finger on my mouth and then pointed at two nearby figures. We're currently in a bush, and I assume they're the people we're supposed to tail or something. "You're going to get us caught, and I can't hear them with your random narration. So please, shut up."

"Okaaay."

"Good girl."

We sat in the bush for what seemed like an eternity, watching the two talk it out. I couldn't hear anything since I'm a terrible listener. Mimi, on the other hand, was very focused. Apparently, she has better hearing than me, which isn't saying much since I'm a terrible listener. I think she's so focused on the task because Merida gave her a good offer. Usually, she's a slacker, constantly napping in random spots at the house… kind of like a cat. Hmm… I wonder if I can pet her.

"No. No no no."

"Aww…"

"She's gone. You two can jump out of your bush."

"Damnit, Maddy. I bet she knew we're here because of you."

"I don't know. Maybe she's sensitive to the smell of cats."

"I'm not a cat! I'm just a cat beastman!"

"Close enough."

"A maid and a catgirl. Staples, huh." The woman who called out to us was standing over us, her hands opening up the bush. Busted, huh. "Even if you two weren't talking, I'd hear the bush rustling. You're lucky my client is a complete moron."

I took a look at the woman… she looks oddly familiar… especially those half-opened eyes of hers. She looks so sleepy. "That's because I am. I want to sleep. Also, did you really forget me? Fucking hell, you move on quickly. Who are you harassing now?"

"Wait… mother, is that you?"

"No, fucking dimwit. You know what, maybe this will jog your memory. Chaos Storm execution."

"You're the butler?! What a glow up."

She slapped her face with her hand. That looked painful.

"You know what, fuck you. You, catgirl. You're David's pet if I remember right."

"I wasn't his pet! I was his party member!"

"Party member, pet, same thing to that delusional idiot. Look, long story short, that lady who hired me was head over heels in love with David and really hates the idea of randoms living in his mansion. I'm guessing this shitty maid and some others are living there with you now, right?"

"I only talk for a pri-" The woman threw a gold coin onto the ground, which was immediately pounced on by Mimi. "Me and the dragon still live there. This maid and some of her friends just claimed the mansion as theirs since their one burned down and David died in the fire."

"Hah. A mansion fire. Such a lame death. Serves him right, that asshole."

"Actually, he was killed by these giant tentacles engulfed by the mansion's fire."

"What… the fuck. First the Chaos Storm, and now tentacle monsters in a mansion fire. Holy shit maid, your story fucking sucks. Well, it sounds cool, just terrible to live in."

"I'm having the time of my life."

"Cool, don't care. So, who are your friends?"

"There's Mel, I love her to bits. She used to be the Hero's Party's ranger until that whole Demon Empress thing happened. There's also Merida, who's too obsessed with soup, and her lackey, Speedy. Her name is Mare, which I sometimes bring up to annoy her. Lastly, there's Merry. She can summon demons and used to be a dude."

"The ranger of the Hero's Party, the Seer, Garwet Kingdom's Bandit King, and the Summoner. This job is so stacked against me. What the actual fuck?"

"Job? Were you going to rob us?"

"Fuck no, don't care about your stuff. I was just paid to destroy the mansion. No way I can do that with all of y'all in there. Like, you're the weakest one there, pet, but you were still trained by David. It'd take a while for me to knock you down. I'm going back home, fuck this job."

She started walking. Hmm… yeah, can't remember who she is. Wait… before I forget! "Hey, you!"

She turned around with a sort of annoyed look. "Did you remember who I am?"

"Nope."

"Then why are you calling for me?"

"I want to look in your eyes."

"Why?"

"I was tasked by the Gods to look into the eyes of every Sacred Power holder."

She stood there, thinking for a moment, before walking back to us. "I'm only doing it now because I don't want to see you ever again later." She opened her eyes to full capacity. Ooh… all black.

Telekinesis You can move things with your mind. Side Note: May the Force be with you.

"How were you going to destroy the mansion with this?"

"Just send it flying. I've sent bigger things flying, like a mountain or an island."

"Couldn't you have just crushed the mansion with a mountain, then?"

"And risk one of you guys living then hunting me down? Hell no. I fucking hate revenge arcs. Now, I'm gonna go, don't stop me for anything else." She started walking away before suddenly spinning around and giving me the finger. "Fuck you, maid." And off she went. Huh… still have no idea who that was. Maybe it really was the butler. I have seen a man turn into a woman before. Can't believe the butler became hot.

---

Character profile: Michelle Marshall

Sacred power: Telekinesis

Favourite "character": The Man In The Pinstripe Suit.

Description: A reincarnator with a foul mouth, she was the childhood friend of Rio Verdeux, one of Madeleine's former masters. She believes that although everyone is the main character of their own story, it's only during the most exciting parts of their lives, with all other parts of their lives amounting to nothing. She also believes that most people's lives are one-shot stories, not continuous narratives. The only exceptions, in her eyes, are those who are reincarnators, tied to a reincarnator, or essential to the world. She was shocked to see Rio turn into the villainess she was, expecting her to be her childhood friend character. She was even more shocked to see the maid still alive, expecting her to be that one obligatory death needed to ensure a mature rating. Unfortunately for her, she's going to see the maid a lot more than she wants to.

Chapter namesake: Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix