"And that's all for today. Once again, my thanks to all of you for being part of today's practice for our small, but mighty, team. I'm sure that when the time comes, we'll be able to defeat any opponent that comes our way! But for the time being, please go and enjoy your showers. You have earned it!" Liliana finished her speech to a round of applause from the rest of the team, except for Shana who looked away in annoyance, before they went to wash up.

"Must we hear this lecture weekly? We've got no leagues, no tournaments, and no actual opponents. Heck, we're not even a real team. More like your own gang!" Shana said to Liliana as she looked at Satsuki, who was walking backwards while looking at Shana, gesturing with her fingers between her eyes and at Shana, until she walked into the shower room and closed the door behind her.

"Making sure all your teammates feel motivated and appreciated for their efforts is a team leader's job, my dear." Liliana replied as she sat down elegantly on the bench with her legs crossed in front of her, "The existence of an adversary and a goal to pursue is secondary to our unity and preparedness in anticipation of their arrival."

"I didn't understand a damn thing. But I guess that's what you wanted, huh? Whatever... I was stupid for even asking..." Shana said annoyedly, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall, "So, why are you still here? Aren't you joining the other members of your harem today?"

Liliana gave a giggle before she looked at Shana with a smile, "While I do love to spend my time looking at the beautiful bodies of my girls, it's something that I can easily do at home tonight as well..." then her smile became more playful, "... while a conversation between us is particularly rare, as it is only possible once a week..."

Shana clicked her tongue before looking away, "What the hell should I tell you? There's nothing in my life that you could care about."

"Quite the opposite, my dear! I'm very curious about you, as well as about everyone else on my team, you know?" Liliana informed her.

But Shana's response was to shield her body from her gaze, "I won't join your harem! You've got enough women lusting after you already! ...and I'm not a fucking lesbian, damn it!"

"It's such a shame about that..." Liliana joked before getting serious, "What I wanted to ask you was: How have you been feeling lately? After the last time we met, I was a little worried about the discomfort you were feeling. Are you feeling any better now, or is the situation still a problem for you?"

Shana snorted and looked away silently, and Liliana, respecting her, did the same.

After about a minute, the door to the showering room opened with a bang, and a naked, wet and angry Satsuki emerged, "You! Talk now!"

Shana was taken aback by the noise, but soon regained her composure.

"Make me!" she said cheekily.

When Satsuki started to move towards her to do just that, Liliana snapped her fingers to make her stop, "Sat-tan, don't. I was the one who was being inappropriate by asking her for things that she didn't want to reveal to me. Please don't be angry with her, because I was the one in the wrong."

Satsuki stopped. She clenched and unclenched her fists before she nodded, "Fine..." after which she walked back into the shower room and slammed the door behind her.

Liliana sighed before looking at Shana with a sheepish smile, "My apologies for that. Sat-tan is always a bit overprotective of me, but she did not mean any harm."

"Lies! I'm vicious!" Satsuki, who had been eavesdropping from behind the slightly opened door, said before she slammed the door shut again.

"Ok..." Shana replied, feeling relieved on the inside that she hadn't been thrown to the ground again, but she didn't want to show it.

Then, feeling just a little bit curious, she asked, although she tried not to sound interested, "How the hell did you manage to tame her in the first place? Did you throw cookies at her and make her smell your hand? Or something else?"

"Please show a little more respect for my beloved Sat-tan. She is a very dear person to me..." Liliana said in reply.

She tried to sound authoritative, but failed when a smile, accompanied by a faint blush, crept across her features, "But I have to admit that the image your words evoke in my mind is certainly cute... It is something that I might want to try out..."

She shook her head and looked at Shana with a giggle, briefly lost in the thought of petting a puppy Sat-tan.

"Forgive me for taking a brief trip into the realm of fantasy, my dear. But to answer what you asked... I must confess, it's a little embarrassing..." Liliana said, touching her fingers together.

"Something that is embarrassing to you? The one who has no problem walking around half-naked and shamelessly flirting with her harem in front of everyone?" Shana asked in disbelief.

"Come on, I don't act so shameless when I'm on the outside, you know? It's something that I only reserve for when I'm in private... or with people that I feel comfortable with..." Liliana replied with a smile aimed at Shana, who turned around in irritation and gave her the middle finger, much to Liliana's amusement.

Liliana then stopped smiling and sighed, using her hands to smooth out her shorts as she began to talk.

"You see, I've always had a fascination with Japanese culture, although I think it would be more appropriate to say anime culture... since I was a child." Liliana started, then looked away, embarrassed, "When I was a young girl, I used to believe that martial artists were really able to do superhuman stunts or amazing things like shooting waves of energy out of their hands..."

She re-positioned herself on the bench before going on, "With the desire to see such feats with my own eyes, I had my driver take me to a dojo... but, alas, I found out that reality is different from that which I used to imagine..."

Liliana looked down, unconsciously fiddling with the friendship bracelets her companions gave her, "I have to admit that my behavior was completely out of line back then. Although I was only twelve at the time, it was inappropriate for me to throw a tantrum and to call all of the people present... wimps and fakers... just because they didn't fit in with how I wanted them to look..."

Shana began to laugh out loud, clutching her stomach and nearly collapsing from laughing herself silly.

"Fuck, for real? I never thought you would get mad! Especially over stupid shit like that!" Shana replied as she tried to catch her breath, "And the name-calling!" she said, wiping away tears as she laughed again, "That’s cute!"

Shauna's comment made Liliana blush.

"I was very spoiled and selfish in my childhood... an absolute brat." Liliana said before giving a sigh, "Everyone in the dojo was obviously upset by the way I acted, and rightly so, I have to admit. Nevertheless..."

She grew a little sad.

"They were taking a young girl's uninformed remarks too seriously. They started yelling at me. They used a lot of curses and insults. One of them even tried to attack me. He got his hand ready to slap my face!" she said in a disappointed tone before she started to smile again.

"That was when I was saved by my beloved Sat-tan! Even though she was the smallest and youngest of the attendees, she did not allow herself to be stopped! Just like in the manga I love so much, she used her enormous talent to fight enemies who were bigger and more powerful than her!" Liliana gushed about Satsuki as she covered her own red cheeks with her hands.

"Did she beat all of them?" Shana asked in astonishment, feeling intimidated by Satsuki's skills.

However, Liliana gave a shy giggle and waved her hand, "Not exactly... she was subdued within a few seconds..."

But then she hastened to clarify the situation, "But they were of crucial importance! She distracted my would-be assailant long enough for my driver to get me out safely! That cannot be understated!"

At the sight of Shana's unimpressed face, Liliana coughed to break the mood and continued in a more subdued tone, "In any case, there was no denying the fact that she was definitely talented in martial arts. When she told me that her dream was to become a great martial artist, but that her family was too poor to afford the training, I immediately hired her to be my bodyguard."

Then she ran her hands through her hair and let out a little chuckle, "Originally, this was just an excuse for me to spend money on her without offending her family's honor, but she took the task with the utmost seriousness. She even used to guard me when I went to the bathroom without giving it a second thought... I had to put my foot down to convince her that this wasn't necessary and to let me have at least a little privacy..." Liliana said, a little flushed but satisfied.

"That's quite a story..." Shana said with a thoughtful tone in her voice.

"Well, that's how Sat-tan and I met." Liliana replied, looking at Shana with a smile on her face.

Shana grunted and nodded her head, but said nothing more.

After a dozen or so seconds, when she could still feel Liliana's gaze on her, Shana said in an annoyed voice, "What the hell are you staring at me for? What's your problem?"

Then her eyes widened as she realized, "W-Wait a minute! Don't even think that just because you've told me your story that I have to do the same! It's none of your business, damn it! I don't have to spill my guts out to you!"

Liliana, who, to be honest, was completely absorbed in trying to figure out how to make her wish to see the puppy Sat-tan come true without humiliating her dear friend, was taken aback by Shauna's accusation, "Huh? I beg your pardon? May I ask what it is that you are referring to, my dear?"

"Don't take me for a fool! I know what you're playing at, you know? You can't fuck me that easy!" Shana said, pointing her finger accusingly at Liliana.

"I'm sorry dear, but I really don't know what you're talking about..." Liliana said in confusion, but Shana scoffed at her.

"Don't try to act like a goody-goody! I know what you're thinking!" Shana said in a triumphant manner, tapping her finger on the side of her head.

"But what the hell... If you really wanna hear it, I'll tell you..." she said with a shrug, as if to make a huge concession to Liliana.

It was at that moment that Liliana finally understood what was going on.

Actually, Shana wanted to tell her what was bothering her, but her pride prevented her from doing that because she felt it would make her look weak. So what she had to do was turn the situation around in such a way that she could do so without any loss of face.

To paraphrase the ancient wisdom of Sat-tan's birthplace, she was being a... tsundere.

Not wanting to risk Shana shutting down again, since this was actually something she wanted to hear, Liliana smiled and nodded her head.

"Aww... you caught me, my dear. Please forgive me for trying to deceive you, and please satisfy my curiosity!"

Shana looked shocked for a second, probably because she had not expected Liliana to back up what she had said, but she quickly went on.

"First of all, things are worse than they used to be. Everything's gone FUBAR." Shana began, frowning as she spoke.

"It feels like we're in the eye of the storm! Or should I say it feels like we are in a minefield?" she said, before she thought about it for a second and gave a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hell, both! It's like being in a minefield at the eye of the storm! One wrong step and you'll be blown up, but if you wait, you'll be torn apart! That's where we're at!" Shana finished with a sigh and a sense of helplessness.

Liliana blinked her eyes in shock, as she had not been expecting something like that to happen.

"Is the situation really as serious as it seems? Please," her voice was full of concern for Shana, "try to clarify the situation for me, dear."

"Where to start..." Shana said in a surprisingly soft voice as she tapped her leg.

"Ok, Barbie... or Emily, whatever... She's been really creepy recently! She's still acting like a sweet little lamb, but you can see it in her eyes. She's keeping us in check! Just waiting for the right time to get rid of us! Every night I check the door several times to make sure it's locked. But I still find myself waking up in the middle of the night as soon as I hear any noise! The thought of that psychopath slitting my throat while I sleep makes me shit myself! Meanwhile, the little squirt has suddenly gotten cheeky! That wouldn't be so bad in itself, as it would mean I wouldn't have to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't kill herself out of stupidity, but it also means I wouldn't be able to keep her in check! Even the threat of a beating has no effect on her... she knows that I would never do such a thing... because I don't want any trouble with my whore of a stepmother, that's all!" she clarified quickly.

Then she scratched her hair nervously, "But the worst is probably Suki, that fucking idiot... Somehow she managed to make friends with Maya, I don't know how, and make her think she's a friend of the tinies. Can you believe that?! That stupid little girl is way too gullible! What happened to all the lessons I taught her about keeping her guard up?! If she keeps it up, they will eat her alive when she hits her teens! Thank God she's into Barbie right now. Otherwise she'd have been knocked up by the first pervert she met! ...not that I care, of course! It's just that I'm already stuck with her. I don't want to deal with another brat!" she went off on another tangent for a short while.

"And now she has Maya and Emily arguing all the time! Maya wants to give Suki another chance, whereas Emily just wants Suki to be shot and thrown off a building!” Shana, who had been talking non-stop without taking a breath, finished her speech panting.

Meanwhile, Liliana was in a state of shock. She had no idea Shana was in such a frightened state.

"When we last spoke, you told me that you found her in the park, where she confessed to you that she wanted to... eat one of the poor little darlings, didn't you say? Has Suki had a change of heart about that this week?" Liliana inquired and was met with a snort from Shana.

"Oh, she has indeed changed... for the worse, that is! She’s at the park every fucking morning, wandering around with a pair of binoculars and an empty lunchbox... at least that is how it is when she arrives. I have my doubts that it will be the same on her way home. And I can assure you that there will be no food in it... at least not the kind of food that normal people have in mind..."

Liliana crossed her arms and began thinking, trying to find a way to help Shana.

"Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is the reason why Emily is so... intimidating, shall we say, related to her new little friend?" Liliana asked Shana, trying to get her facts straight before she started to dwell on the subject.

"Yeah, she and the flea are pretty much inseparable. Wherever you find one, you find the other... or you find one clinging to the other somewhere..." Shana confirmed.

"I understand..." Liliana nodded her head thoughtfully, "And would it be correct to say that you are, in her opinion, a threat to her safety?"

Shana at least had the decency to wince at that, "I... yeah, it's like that. I held her back when Suki was trying to eat the tiny... I was just trying to keep them from getting into a fight with each other, but... I just screwed it up..."

Liliana did not comment on her actions, for they were not immoral or wrong, but rather the sensible thing to do.

After all, the law didn't care much about the Little Folk.

Emily's attack on Suki could have ended very badly... for Emily, as no one would have cared that she did so in defense of a Little Folk, and she could have been convicted of assault instead.

Sighing sadly at how flawed the law could sometimes be, she continued her task, "One final question, my dear. What is the situation that you are afraid might come to pass?"

"Barbie finding out what Slanted Eyes is up to and going nuts!" Shana replied emphatically, "And I have a feeling it won't be long, because that dickhead is having a lot of fun messing with her and getting more and more cheeky! Every day I fear that she will simply begin to eat one of those at the table and Emily will go crazy and cut us all up like fish! That's what!"

Liliana nodded once more in silence, closing her eyes and trying to think of a way to solve the problem.

"Have you tried... Talk to them...?" A voice came from next to them, startling them both.

When they turned around, they saw Hannah standing in a corner, looking down in embarrassment.

"Holy shit! Where the hell did you come from? How long have you been here?" Shana asked in a startled voice, putting a hand over her pounding heart.

"Never moved..." Hannah mumbled, her gaze lowered.

"Okay, anyway, this is private stuff! Who the hell gave you permission to butt in?" Shana said angrily, but Liliana, her eyes open again, put a finger to her lips to shut her up and turned to Hannah.

"Could you please elaborate on what you just said, my dear? I would be very interested to hear your opinion on it." she asked gently, smiling at Hannah.

Hannah flushed and covered her face with her hair.

"The main issue... Emily is afraid for her friend... Isn't she? If... Shana... assured her that she is no danger, then... she would be calmer... right? After all, there would be fewer enemies left to watch out for..." She said, her voice getting lower and lower the more she talked.

"Uh... that might actually work..." Liliana nodded before turning her attention to Shana, who was still glaring at Hannah, "This may not be the final solution, but it's certainly an avenue for mitigating, if not defusing, the potential crisis."

Then she stood up and walked over to Hannah and gave the shy girl a big hug from behind, resting her chin on the top of her head.

"After you do that, a good follow-up would be to have a talk with Suki and try to convince her to stop her behavior, or at least moderate it. But you will have to try not to be too bossy in doing so. Even though I find the very thought of doing such terrible things to the poor dears to be highly reprehensible and disgusting, trying to force her to stop could only end in her rebelling... and that would be worse in every respect..." Liliana went on, making no effort to hide her distaste for the way Suki was acting.

Shana continued to look irritated for a few seconds before she sighed, "Well, at least it's a better idea than just waiting for the end to come... I guess. I'll give it a try. See how it goes..."

Then she averted her eyes and added, a little embarrassed, "Thank you for helping me..."

When Liliana heard Shana thank her, she hugged Hannah tighter, who let out a small squeal.

There were a lot of things she wanted to do and say to Shana, but she didn't want to spoil such a delicate moment, so with a nod and a smile, she just said, "Anytime."