Golden Festival Day 34
Shioto is slowly growing more uneasy by the day. If it were on a scale from 1% to 100%, the scale would be increasing by 0.02% each day. Not much, but still growing. That's not good at all. None of them were major vampire attacks. No massacres. No districts burning. Nothing that would make national news.
Just small attacks.
Quiet ones.
But they were stacking.
And the people of Shioto were beginning to notice.
Markets whispered about it. Train conversations drifted toward the same uneasy topic. Hunters patrolling the streets looked a little more alert than usual.
Something was coming.
Some people could feel it in their bones.
Odd Jobs had noticed it too.
Which made them even busier.
Requests stacked on the board. Small errands, escort missions, investigation jobs. Even simple neighborhood patrols.
The bell above the cafe door chimed. Two new figures stepped inside. One tall and broad-shouldered. The other energetic, bright-eyed, and already scanning the room like she was attending a social event.
Ina stood behind the counter: You're right on time."
The tall one gave a nod.
Marlon: "Wouldn't want to make our boss wait."
The girl beside him smiled brightly.
Esmarie: "Hi everyone!"
Kagura: "New hires!"
Ina folded her arms: "With things getting busier, we needed more hands." She gestured toward the pair. "These two come highly recommended."
Shinatsu looked over calmly.
Ina continued: "From Shinatsu."
Esmarie raised a hand like she was in class: "Esmarie reporting for duty!"
Marlon simply nodded: "Marlon."
Yuji smiled faintly, resting his chin on his hand: "Glad to see you haven't gotten yourself killed yet."
Marlon smirked slightly: "You too."
Yuji: "Well I've actually had no action. We're on a vacation that the President gave them before I joined."
Marlon: "Ha, hope you're not getting weaker. I've already been on 2 missions and killed 3 vampires!"
Yuji: "Good for you."
Esmarie ran up to Shinatsu and gave her a big hug: "I'm so happy to see you, Shinatsu! Thanks for putting in word for us."
Shinatsu awkwardly hugged back: "Good to see you too, don't mention it."
Ina spoke again: "Rooms here are large enough for two people. Shinatsu mentioned you used to share a room with Erika."
Esmarie: "Yeah!"
Ina: "Then you can take the empty room. Once Erika joins, you can share a room again."
Esmarie clasped her hands happily: "That sounds perfect!"
Diego leaned on the counter: "So these are the academy legends Shinatsu was talking about?"
Esmarie: "Legends?!"
Marlon: "That's a fitting title for me."
Shinatsu deadpanned: "I said they were competent."
Kagura waved cheerfully: "Nice to meet you!"
Esmarie: "Same, the pleasure's mine!"
Marlon looked toward the couch area.
His eyes landed on Chifuyu.
Marlon stepped forward slightly: "So you're Chifuyu."
Chifuyu: "That's me."
Marlon crossed his arms: "I've heard a lot about you."
Esmarie leaned in excitedly: "Me too!"
Chifuyu blinked and scratched the back of his head: "I hope Dakota didn't say anything bad about me."
Marlon: "Nah. Ninety-nine percent great things."
Chifuyu tilted his head.
Chifuyu: 'I wonder what the other one percent is.'
Diego: "Maybe that you suck at video games."
Chifuyu: "That's not true, and did you just read my mind?"
Marlon stepped forward and pointed toward the small table in front of the couch: "How about an arm wrestling match?"
The room lit up instantly.
Kagura: "YES."
Marlon continued calmly.
Marlon: "Show of respect. And I want to see how strong you are."
Nicholas: "Oh boy."
Caesar: "This should be interesting."
Chifuyu grinned: "I like how simple you are."
They moved to the table.
Both dropped to their knees across from each other.
Hands locked.
The table creaked slightly from the tension.
Kagura sprinted over and planted herself between them. She placed her hands on top of theirs like a referee: "Alright!"
Everyone gathered around.
Kagura: "Three!"
Their muscles tightened.
Kagura: "Two!"
The air tensed.
Kagura: "One!"
She pulled her hands away.
Kagura: "GO!"
The match exploded instantly.
Neither of them held back.
Their arms trembled with raw force.
For a few seconds neither budged.
Pure stalemate.
Then—
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Chifuyu's side began to push forward.
Marlon's arm dipped a fraction.
Marlon's expression sharpened.
He pushed back.
The table rattled.
But the momentum had shifted.
Chifuyu leaned slightly forward.
Marlon's arm lowered.
Inch by inch.
The struggle lasted several more seconds.
Marlon fought to the very end.
But eventually—
THUD.
His hand hit the table.
Kagura threw both hands in the air.
Kagura: "WINNER!" She pointed dramatically. "CHIFUYU!"
The room erupted in applause.
Shinatsu: "Why are we clapping?"
Chifuyu and Marlon released their grip and stood up.
For a moment they simply looked at each other.
Then Marlon extended his hand.
Chifuyu took it.
Their handshake was firm.
Marlon nodded with genuine respect: "If you actually beat me… I would've been disappointed."
Chifuyu grinned: "Glad I lived up to your expectations."
***
Odd Jobs was already crowded, so everyone was used to it and the 2 new members didn't really change much. But of course, it did get louder.
Ina returned to the counter, flipping through a stack of Odd Job requests: "Before this turns into a circus, we still have work."
She slid a few papers across the table.
Ina: "Patrols, escort requests, neighborhood security checks. You guys were granted a generous break from your Hunter duties, but since we're getting requests like this, we're obliged to accept. And we still have the cafe on top of that, I hope Erika and Sylvie join us soon."
Shinatsu leaned over the table and skimmed the requests quickly: "More patrols than usual."
Nicholas: "Hunters are already doing patrols, so what if we just reassure them."
Diego folded his arms: "Trying to get out of work are we?"
Nicholas: "That's not it."
Ina: "Don't get too comfortable, Nicholas."
Nicholas: "I won't."
Diego starts laughing on the side and Chifuyu smacks him upside his head.
Beatrice: "There are small attacks happening. But the frequency has increased."
Caesar leaned against the window lazily: "A slow boil."
Chifuyu nodded: "Which means something big is coming."
Marlon: "I don't like the sound of that."
Ariel: "Me neither."
Iris: "My arm is still healing, so that means I'm excused from patrols right?"
Ina: "Of course."
Shinatsu: "You're one of the strongest here, as much as I hate to say."
Iris: "As much as you hate to say…"
Shinatsu smirks: "So we'll be putting you to good use once you're healed."
Iris: "Eh…"
Esmarie perked up: "But that's why Odd Jobs exists, right? We help people before things get too bad."
Chifuyu smiled: "Exactly."
***
Kagura clapped: "Alright!"
Everyone looked at her.
Kagura pointed dramatically at Marlon and Esmarie: "Orientation!"
Diego: "Time to haze the new members."
Esmarie: "Uh oh."
Beatrice: "He's joking."
Kagura nodded seriously: "Step one: chaos management."
Diego leaned back: "Step two: survive Chifuyu's playlist."
Esmarie: "I like idol music! I heard you do too, Chifuyu!"
Chifuyu: "See? Culture."
Marlon sighed: "Erika warned me about this."
Ariel grinned: "She probably didn't warn you enough."
Diego stood up: "If they're joining Odd Jobs, they should at also demonstrate their abilities."
Marlon cracked his knuckles: "Works for me."
Esmarie straightened.
Esmarie: "Oh! Like a mini trial?"
Beatrice nodded approvingly.
Nicholas looked toward the back area: "Backyard?"
Chifuyu snapped his fingers: "Good call."
Kagura sat cross-legged immediately like she had front-row tickets: "Okay show us something cool."
Marlon stepped forward first: "Simple enough."
He stood with a wooden sword.
Diego whispered to Chifuyu: "He looks like he's about to break it."
Chifuyu: "Probably."
Marlon swung once.
The air cracked.
Everyone blinked.
Nicholas leaned forward: "…That was fast."
Yuji: "Good control. You've gotten better."
Marlon lowered the weapon: "I wanna see your swing."
Chifuyu walked forward casually and stretched his shoulders: "Don't blink."
As expected, his swing was perfect. It was drilled into him by Shoyo after all.
Marlon grinned: "Not bad."
Chifuyu: "Heh. Now let's see yours Esmarie."
Esmarie stepped forward next: "How about a different performance demonstration."
She pulled out a small knife and Chifuyu threw his hands up with a surprised face, jokingly but pretending someone just pulled out a knife on him.
Diego: "I was not expecting that."
Esmarie spun the blade between her fingers effortlessly.
Nicholas: "Skilled with her hands."
Iris: "I've always wanted to do that."
Shinatsu: "You can 100% do that."
Esmarie suddenly flicked the knife across the yard, almost hitting Caesar.
THUNK.
Caesar: "Hey now, I'm not a vampire."
Esmarie: "Sorry!"
Chifuyu gave a thumbs up: "That was still cool, so you get a passing mark."
Everyone drifted back toward the cafe.
Nicholas sat on the couch again: "We should probably discuss schedules."
Kagura: "Way ahead of you."
Shinatsu: "Wow, she's actually doing her job as leader."
Kagura: "Hey!"
Nicholas: "I mean week, you've forgotten a few times. So we had to make the schedule ourselves."
Kagura: "Sorry…"
Diego stretched: "We should probably discuss breakfast."
Ariel nodded immediately: "Breakfast is important."
Beatrice glanced at the clock: "Most places aren't open yet."
Shinatsu: "We can cook."
Everyone unanimously sighed.
Shinatsu: "Or not."
Caesar: "It does get a bit tiresome sometimes."
Chifuyu: "Yeah."
Diego: "Those of us that're gonna be in the kitchen don't want to cook breakfast before opening!"
Beatrice: "I agree."
Iris: "Tyler's Bagels is open."
Chifuyu: "Great thinking Iris, someone order for delivery."
***
Marlon observed the others working alongside Esmarie. For now, they were just helping out so they can see the pace of working in the cafe. It was chaotic, but they basically knew all the customers and were even joking around with them.
One of the regulars jokingly said: "I want my coffee today, not tomorrow!"
Kagura: "It's coming along pretty good, Mark! Maybe I'll drink it myself."
"Please don't."
The cafe burst out in laughter.
Marlon looked at Chifuyu: "You guys always like this?"
Chifuyu nodded: "Pretty much."
Esmarie spun happily in a circle: "I love it already."
Marlon smirked: "Yeah."
He glanced around the cafe.
The arguing.
The joking.
The noise.
Marlon: "…It's weird."
Chifuyu: "Good weird?"
Marlon: "Yeah."
***
The cafe had settled into its usual evening rhythm. Odd Jobs had spread themselves around the room. Nicholas sat on the table with a notebook, half-working and half-glad he doesn't have to help cleaning up the mess that was made in the kitchen. Shinatsu leaned against the counter sipping a cup of tea with her eyes closed. Beatrice and Yuji wiped down tables. Caesar sat by the window, cleaning the spot where they smashed a fly. Esmarie and Iris talked quietly near the register. Marlon leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, observing the place like a soldier trying to understand the battlefield he had just joined. Kagura rested behind the counter. Chifuyu and Diego argued about something completely pointless.
Chifuyu pointed at the espresso machine: "You can't just eyeball measurements."
Diego scoffed: "It's coffee, not rocket science."
Ariel leaned across the counter: "If Diego explodes the machine let's replace it with an automatic donut maker."
Kagura: "Those don't exist, Ariel."
Nicholas didn't look up from his notebook: "Please don't explode the machine."
The bell above the door chimed.
Everyone glanced up.
The man paused just inside the doorway, looking around with amused eyes.
Jeremiah spread his arms slightly: "Yo. Been a while, Odd Jobs. You went and doubled in size since I last saw you."
Kagura's head snapped up instantly and she sprinted around the counter: "JEREMIAH!!" She practically tackled him in a hug.
Chifuyu blinked, then broke into a grin, he walked over: "Hey! It's been forever."
Ariel waved excitedly: "You're alive!"
Iris smiled shyly: "Hello again…"
Jeremiah laughed warmly: "Hey, hey. Good to see you guys too." He glanced around the cafe again, clearly impressed. "You really did grow."
Chifuyu scratched the back of his head: "Yeah… things got busy."
Ariel nodded: "Really busy."
Kagura folded her arms proudly: "We're famous now."
Shinatsu: "We are not."
Diego: "We kind of are."
Jeremiah chuckled.
Chifuyu: "How's your family?"
Jeremiah: "They're doing great. My son got into his first fight at school!"
Chifuyu: "…Is that supposed to be a good thing?"
Jeremiah: "Of course." He puffed out his chest slightly. "That's the sign he's becoming a man."
Shinatsu: "Or the sign he's becoming a delinquent."
Diego laughed loudly: "Same difference."
Jeremiah laughed with him: "Nah. He stood up for a friend. I can't complain."
Chifuyu nodded: "Okay yeah that's respectable."
Jeremiah looked around at the others: "Guess I should introduce myself." He tapped his chest. "Jeremiah Hamilton, 2nd Rank Hunter."
Marlon's posture immediately changed. He stepped forward and bowed slightly: "Then you're our senpai."
Jeremiah blinked and chuckled: "That's not necessary."
Marlon straightened: "Respect is necessary."
Jeremiah looked amused: "I like this kid."
Esmarie bounced slightly: "We're new!"
Jeremiah nodded: "Yeah, I figured. "This place is fuller."
Beatrice finished wiping a table and inclined her head: "It's nice to meet you."
Nicholas: "I've heard about you from Kagura. You're the first Odd Job client."
Jeremiah grinned: "That I am."
Kagura crossed her arms proudly: "Our origin story."
Ariel nodded dramatically: "The legendary first quest."
Shinatsu: "Stop saying it like you guys slayed a dragon."
Chifuyu: "We basically did. Right, Iris?"
Iris: "Y-Yeah."
Yuji: "Probably slayed a lizard."
Then Jeremiah cleared his throat: "So actually… there's another reason I came."
Kagura: "New Odd Job?"
Jeremiah shook his head and smirked: "Something better."
Everyone leaned in slightly.
Jeremiah folded his arms: "I won something."
Chifuyu raised an eyebrow: "Define something."
Jeremiah grinned wider: "An exclusive ticket."
The room went quiet.
Jeremiah: "To Hanabi Island."
The reaction was immediate.
Esmarie gasped loudly: "NO WAY."
Kagura froze: "WHAT."
Even Yuji's eyes widened.
Ariel: "Wait, what island?"
Caesar: "The one you can only visit if you win tickets?"
Esmarie nodded rapidly: "Yeah!" Her hands flailed dramatically. "It's basically the same as winning the lottery!"
Shinatsu: "Even Special Rank Hunters can't go without an invitation."
Nicholas: "High ranking officials and millionaires can't even go there if they just wanted to."
Diego: "…You're saying you actually won a ticket?"
Jeremiah smirked proudly: "That's right."
Kagura grabbed his shoulders: "YOU'RE A LEGEND."
Jeremiah laughed: "Of course, I wouldn't be telling you guys if it was just for one person or my family."
Everyone froze again.
Jeremiah: "This ticket lets the holder bring a party."
Nicholas narrowed his eyes: "How big of a party?"
Jeremiah raised 5 fingers: "Up to 50 people."
Kagura screamed. Esmarie screamed louder. Kagura grabbed Esmarie and they both started crying.
Kagura: "THANK YOU."
Esmarie sobbed happily: "YOU'RE AMAZING."
Diego grabbed Chifuyu's shoulders: "WE'RE GOING TO HANABI ISLAND."
Ariel jumped over their shoulders: "WOOHOOO."
Caesar pushed his glasses up: "It should be near impossible to win this ticket in particular."
Shinatsu crossed her arms: "Yet here we are."
Marlon: "Now these are some great benefits of being here at Odd Jobs."
Yuji: "I'm actually excited."
Jeremiah laughed at the chaos: "I'm taking my family of course. That leaves 46 spots."
Chifuyu: "…46."
Jeremiah: "Text me a list." He turned toward the door. Whoever you want to bring."
The entire room erupted in gratitude.
Kagura and Esmarie bowed repeatedly.
Kagura: "THANK YOU."
Esmarie: "YOU'RE THE BEST."
Jeremiah waved casually as he stepped outside: "No problem."
The door closed. The cafe exploded into planning chaos. Then the bell chimed again. Jeremiah stepped back inside. Everyone turned.
Jeremiah scratched the back of his head: "…Actually." He smiled sheepishly. "Can I get a hot chocolate?"
Kagura: "You can get anything you want on the house for the next 3 years!" She slammed her hands on the counter and shouted in a fake angry boss voice. "GET THE MAN HIS HOT CHOCOLATE!!"
Chifuyu and Diego snapped into attention.
Both saluted.
Chifuyu: "YES MA'AM."
Diego: "RIGHT AWAY MA'AM."
They sprinted behind the counter.
Odd Jobs had grown.
And soon—
They were going to Hanabi Island.