"Welcome to the top floor of Sports Club Kobold!" Polt exclaimed as we all gathered again after splitting up in the elevators. "It's the perfect place for any airborne liminal looking for a good time!"

"Wow!" Papi exclaimed in amazement from behind me, and I spread my arms open wide, allowing her to go off and explore.

She pretty much echoed my thoughts. Along the walls, the ceiling was lined with colossal fans that faced downwards, with thick and wide mats placed below them to catch any person who could not withstand the strong gusts of air they produced. Most of the floor was composed of various wind tunnels of different sizes and designs. Some were basic and straight, while others were snaked around in convoluted pathways with sudden and sharp turns. At the entrance of each wind tunnel were stands containing weights and harnesses of various configurations.

At the apex of the building, the center of the ceiling was graced with a glass dome, allowing a stunning panorama of the heavens above. The top floor basked in the sunlight, creating a feeling of openness even more pronounced than the spacious first floor, which featured a running track and pools. It was a heavenly sight for any liminal creature that called the skies their home.

"Incredible..." Kurusu exclaimed, his eyes widening in awe as he ran his hand through his hair. "Polt-san, you have done an incredible job here!"

Polt laughed and clarified, "I wasn't the only one who helped with this! Argive and Kasim did most of the construction for the specialized equipment, and Lusig, Fontaine, Meep, Tsen, and Omran also greatly contributed!"

"Are those the liminal advisors you mentioned?" I inquired, my mind flashing back to Lusig. I was sure I hadn't heard of any of these names before in the canon, so I concluded they must've been recently hired in this timeline due to Smith's extra financial backing and aid. "So there were only eight of you responsible for creating this place?"

"With the help of a decent-sized construction crew to build the bulk of the place, we were able to create something truly remarkable," Polt stated proudly, "But it was our eight-person team that provided the creative spark and direction to make it all happen!"

Meanwhile, Papi was weaving between the wind tunnels, giggling loudly as Suu joined her in exploration.

"Eight different species were collaborating towards a shared objective..." Rachnera pondered, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "It's not a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, but it's not commonplace either. How did you pull it off?"

Polt smiled as she recalled the story. "Oh, I've known Tsen and Meep since I was a pup, so getting their help was a breeze! Smith-san also pulled some strings to get others she thought would be delighted to help, and that's how I met the rest! We all got on so well! Then again, maybe not Lusig and Meep, but still!"

"But I thought you said you were the only one working here," I said, "Where are they now?"

Polt chuckled heartily. "Oh, most of them are enrolling in the Cultural Exchange program now! I told them all that I'd be fine alone, but they insisted on staying near to make sure it went well. I'm glad they did; it worked out great! I'll talk to them later today about finding a proper job."

"Even so, are eight of you enough for this place?" Miia asked, "I mean, it's so huge here!"

"I must agree with Miia," Cerea chimed in, her stern expression emphasizing her point, "Considering the sheer number of people that we can expect to come through here, maintaining this establishment would require a significant amount of manpower."

"You're right!" Polt said, "Wanna work for me, then?"

"Oh, um, well..." Miia stuttered, caught off-guard by the sudden question, "I don't know, it seems like it's an awful lot of hard work...."

"Without hard work, you won't be able to appreciate all the wonderful things life has to offer fully!" Polt replied with a broad smile, "That's the motto of the Sports Club Kobold! Although it's not officially adopted, I'm sure Lusig would be delighted to have another lamia join us!"

"Lamias and melusines aren't the same," Miia muttered quietly with a sigh, "But, um... I'll think about it?"

"Great!" Polt gave her a thumbs-up before turning to Cerea. "How 'bout you?"

Cerea replied, "I am deeply grateful for the offer; however, I am already employed. I am currently undergoing training to become a part of the esteemed MON."

"Oooh, that's great!" Polt congratulated, "That'll be awesome! Make sure to come here to exercise regularly so you can stay in perfect bad guy fighting condition!"

"Rest assured, I shall endeavor to do so at every opportunity," Cerea promised her. "When do you open each day?"

"Five in the morning!"

All of us, save for Cerea and Kurusu, blanched.

"I understand," Cerea said, nodding thoughtfully. "That is certainly beneficial information. Now," she directed her gaze to the rest of us, "When do we intend to revisit this place in the near future?"

"It's a good question, actually," I said, "It's generally best to come in the morning, but sometimes other commitments can get in the way." I paused to consider my options before shrugging. "I'm happy to come here at whatever time works best for me, as long as it doesn't conflict with my counseling sessions."

Kurusu said, after giving it some thought, "I believe I can fit it in during the morning. I usually have an hour or so saved for my morning runs with Cerea, so if this replaces that, there shouldn't be an issue."

"Does that mean I'll have to get up early to go with Darling?" Miia whined, "I guess I could get up then...."

"Good luck with that," Rachnera commented with a snort, causing Miia to shoot her a dirty look. "I'll come whenever," she continued, her interest piqued. "I must admit, some of what you have here is quite intriguing. There are certainly things worth exploring further, no doubt!"

"It would be my pleasure to visit here almost daily," Mero replied, "and I would be immensely grateful if that could be arranged. Now that I am aware of the wonderful pools here, I would love to make use of them as much as possible."

"Papi wants to visit lots, too!" Papi chimed as she abruptly landed beside me; Suu latched onto her like a squishy backpack. A low growling came from her stomach, causing her to moan and clutch it. "But right now, Papi's hungry...."

"Let's get some food, then," I decided, "As for the meeting time... we'll hash that out later today. That cool, Polt?"

"Sure thing! Just be sure to let me and Smith-san know before the end of the day!"

"Cool beans."

At that, we made our way out. Polt waved us off at the entrance before quickly hurrying away to make a few phone calls. I was eager to inquire more about the liminal advisors who had helped her, but it was evident that she was in a rush, so I decided to hold off on that for the time being.

We decided to eat out while we were out, but there was a big challenge in finding a place that could accommodate all of us. I was unsure if the pizza place that Miia, Papi, Cerea, and I visited a month ago could fit our entire group...

I almost tripped as I remembered something important.

Mero looked up at me curiously as I pushed her wheelchair, "Aki, are you feeling okay?"

"N-Nah," I hastily answered, returning to my usual pace as we walked toward the park, "Totally Gucci."

Except not really, because tonight was going to be the full moon. Unsettling recollections surged to the forefront of my mind of when the girls almost went out of control, and Miia almost killed me. And when I exploded at them. Although it eventually worked out in the end, I still felt a sense of guilt for raising my voice at them, as I always did whenever I lost my temper.

Granted, tonight didn't seem to be anything like the last time. The girls didn't receive any shocking news, and none were as prone to causing accidental harm as before. Furthermore, Suu wasn't in an emotionally vulnerable state that would cause her to succumb to the effects of a full moon. Even if it affected her, it was uncertain to what extent. In addition, Mero couldn't do much on land, so we were safe from her. As for Rachnera, she had the most self-control; however, if the full moon somehow managed to break through to her, it was impossible to guess what might occur.

I released a deep sigh of relief. Maybe I was over-analyzing the situation. The marriage issue had been a contentious one for the past month, yet it only concerned Miia and Cerea now. Cerea was also becoming increasingly preoccupied with her MON duties, which was unlikely to lead to a physical altercation. I was confident I could handle Miia if she acted out.

Bring-bring!

My phone buzzed loudly and insistently in my pocket. I should change that generic ringtone to something more personal soon. I took it out and checked the caller ID to find out it was Zombina.

"What up, Bina?" I asked, resting the phone between my shoulder and ear so I could more easily push Mero's wheelchair.

"Oh, I'm 'Bina' now?" she responded a smirk undoubtedly on her lips. "Does this mean I get to give you a cutesy pet name?"

"Trying to shorten 'Aki' into something cutesy is quite a task," I snorted, "It's hard to chop off a syllable without people getting confused. Anyway, what's up?"

"Oh, just wanted to see what you were up to tonight," Zombina answered conversationally, "Since last night was your bro night and all that jazz. Bee tee dubs, your drunk texting is surprisingly legible, so props for that!"

"I may be a master of the written word," I confidently declared, earning a few strange glances from my housemates, "but as for tonight, I don't have any specific plans yet, but..."

"Sweet, we should totes hang then," Zombina cut me off, a strange tone to her voice. I couldn't quite place, "I've been meanin' to introduce ya to my big sis anyway, so do ya wanna head to my place sometime?"

"Wow, you're determined to hang out tonight, huh?" I commented as Kurusu guided us toward some food stands in the park. The selection of meat and vegetables was fantastic, and there was plenty of room, so that was great. "Should I be concerned?"

"Maybe," she said coyly, "You'll see. You game or not?"

"Uh..." Well, if Zombina wanted me there, I guess I should go. I'll remind Kurusu about tonight and probably advise him to have a cooler full of cold water on standby, just in case. That should work. "Yeah, I'm down. Where's your place?"

"I'll text it to ya. See ya then."

After she hung up, I groaned and pocketed my phone.

"Never a dull moment," I said as I pushed Mero up so she could take her order. And did everything I could not to feel uncomfortable by her gaze; Mero's gaze makes me uncomfortable, especially after conversing with Zombina; I feel like I'm under a microscope!

To be continued!