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“You know,” Mari began as she walked obediently to the counter, “we did leave the center early, so it’s not really your dinner time.”

Ebi raised her head as her eyes followed Mari to the counter where the food was kept in a near military-grade locked container. Her cool eyes seemed to say, ‘so what.’

“I don’t know why I started to leave when he did.”

The locks sprang open and Mari reached for the scoop inside the container.

“Why did I?”

Normally, they’d stay for a few hours but as soon as Nani had announced his ride, Mari had just started to pack up as if…

As if…

CLANG

Mari almost dropped the scooper and turned her head, dropping her chin down to look at Ebi.

The cat, as devious as ever, looked back at her with a droll, almost disinterested stare.

Mari reached down and picked up the bowl. As the cat yowled her displeasure, Mari put it on the counter and reached for the scoop again.

The dish filled with a clatter of dry food. The scent of which made Mari’s nose curl up a little.

“What is that noise?”

Mari turned her head as Reiko Hara, her almost next-door neighbor, walked in.

They’d been living in the same pseudo-cul-de-sac since they were little, and Mari had been Reiko’s babysitter for a few years.

If doors were unlocked, they could just walk in.

It was the same way in all of the houses in their area of the valley.

Old families.

Old houses.

Old friends.

Good people.

Mari held the dish out and smiled. “Feeding the monster.”

Reiko leaned over and scritched Ebi between her ears and the little goblin leaned into it.

Sighing, Mari put the dish down and a moment later, Ebi put her paw down on the edge and tipped it, sending the little bits of food everywhere.

With a sigh, Mari shook her head and walked to the fridge. “You want something to drink?”

Reiko walked up behind her. “Sure.

Anything is great.”

Smiling, Mari pulled out the jug of POG she’d picked up at the store the day before.

Reiko opened the cabinet and pulled out two glasses, setting them down on the counter.

Mari unscrewed the top and poured the pinkish-orange juice into the glasses. “Feels like old times, huh?”