After a few hours of doing many activities in Kaneki's room the Higanbana girls were a lot happier now.
And even with Kaneki being unconscious, his presence in the room was enough for them.
Natsuki: So guys, I think I'm going to give Kaneki a punishment once he wakes up.
Sachi: Huh? Why so soon?
Natsuki: Well although he didn't technically broke out promise and contract, Kaneki hid many important things from me and I'm a bit angry mostly secrets about the three of you.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: Hehe~
Shino, Yuuka and Miku blushed in embarrassment as Natsuki pointed at them.
Chikao: Well I understand why you would do so, but what do you have in mind?
Natsuki: Well considering that Kaneki had kept so much from me, as well as you guys. You five will be joining him in his punishment.
All 5: Ehh?! What are you planning?!
Natsuki: Smirk Hehe~
Natsuki let out a mocking laugh and smirk as she thought about their punishment.
Natsuki: You five alongside Kaneki...
All 5: !!!
Natsuki: You all have to wear some princess outfits, including Kaneki for an entire week in the blazing sun and you're not allowed to take them off until the end of the week!
All 5: What?
Natsuki: Also all of you will have to eat my own version of punishment slop.
Shino, Sachi, Yuuka, Miku and Chikao were all surprised with Natsuki's unusual punishment.
Sachi: These doesn't sound like punishments.
Miku: Yeah these seem very easy to do, Natsuki.
Natsuki: Nuh uh! You guys seem to underestimate my punishment, I did say you guys aren't allowed to remove them until a week has passed.
Chikao: Oh... We're going to smell horrible.
Natsuki: Don't worry I'll allow you guys to change underwear, I'm not that petty.
Shino: Well... I accept it.
Yuuka: Yeah to be honest it could be worse.
Natsuki: Oh it definitely will be for Kaneki.
Sachi & Miku: How will it be worse???
Natsuki: In addition to doing the same two punishments I'll give you guys. Kaneki will be banned from eating not just pudding his favorite snack, but also many other sweets and food he likes.
Miku: No way!
Natsuki: And he'll have to eat the type of foods and snacks he doesn't usually likes.
Sachi: Do you even know his likes and dislikes around food?
Natsuki: Nope, but you guys do after all you were all with him for most of his life.
Sachi: Geez. I feel like I'm betraying Kaneki here...
Miku: He will still eat them though?
Natsuki: But does he like it when he eats the food he usually doesn't like?
Miku: Well—
Flashback*
Kaneki: Grrr... This is the worst vegetable I've ever eaten... Can we please not have this again?
Flashback end*
Miku: Yeah... Onii-chan really hates bitter melons, as well dandelion greens oh! And also certain meat such as pork. He will still eat them but he really doesn't like eating them though.
Natsuki: Really???
Miku: Don't you remember? Dad did say Onii-chan would eat anything as long it's made for him.
Natsuki: Oh yeah that's right hehe~
Creak~
As they were happily talking, the door opened and Aiya went inside the room.
Aiya: Hey girls, I see you're all enjoying yourselves.
Miku: Hi Mom.
Aiya: Hehe~
Miku: What are you smiling for?
Aiya: Nothing. Anyways are you girls going to sleep here again?
Yuuka: Why do you ask Auntie?
Aiya: Well look out the window.
The Higanbana girls looked towards the windows and had finally noticed that the sun has already set.
Natsuki: Oh.
Sachi: It's already night huh?
Aiya: You all can sleep here for the night, or even better sleep here in Kaneki's room.
Yuuka: So what do you guys say?
Natsuki: Sure.
Chikao: Yeah I've already locked down my apartment when I left.
Sachi: Yup!
Shino: We'll staying for the night then!
Aiya: Good, good. Can you girls help me with cooking dinner?
All 6: Sure!
Yuuka: We'll be going for a bit Kaneki.
The Higanbana girls stood up and followed Aiya to the kitchen.
At the kitchen*
Miku: So what are we going to eat for tonight?
Aiya: Some hamburg curry would be nice.
Natsuki: Yummy!
Aiya: I've already bought the ingredients, so we all can start cooking now.
Natsuki: I'll prepare the table.
Yuuka: I'll help you with that.
Shino: Hey Chi-chan can you help me with making the curry?
Chikao: Sure, happy to help.
Aiya: Good! Now you two can help me with making the burger?
Sachi: Yup! It's going to be a piece of cake!
Miku: Don't you mean a piece of cake?
Aiya: ...
Miku: Alright! Where's the cook book? I need to know the instructions to make the hamburger.
Sachi: Sure just be quick okay?
Miku: I will~
Aiya: ... Smile~
Seeing how her home was more lively now, Aiya couldn't help but smile.
But there was something missing.
Aiya: Hey Tohru-san... When do you think Kaneki will wake up?
Tohru: [I don't know Aiya-chan, all we can do now is hope and pray]
Both mothers already missed their son, Kaneki.
Aiya: Yeah. But we need to stay strong.
Tohru: [That's what I like to hear!]
Aiya: C'mon Miku I'll just show you how to make it.
Miku: Really? Thanks!
Aiya started teaching Miku how to cook the hamburger for their hamburg curry.
A little while later~
Creak~
Atsuo & Kotori: We're home—
As Atsuo and Kotori had came back just in time, the delicious scent of dinner filled the kitchen and the living room.
Atsuo & Aiya: Sniff~ Woah!
Aiya: Welcome home you two!
Miku: Papa! Onee-chan! Welcome home!
Kotori: What are you all cooking?!
Shino: Hamburg curry.
Atsuo: So you girls are staying for the night?
Aiya: You don't mind?
Atsuo: Honestly... As long they don't cause any trouble I'm fine with it.
All 5: Yay!
With Atsuo's approval of them staying for the night, the Higanbana girls went back to cooking dinner.
A few minutes later~
After a finishing the cooking, Shino and Yuuka served the dishes to everyone on the table and immediately sat down on their seats once they were done.
Kotori: Wow~ so good~
Kotori glazed at her dinner excited to eat it.
Kotori: Hey Kaneki-cha—
She got a little too excited as she looked towards the chair where Kaneki would usually sit that was now occupied by Natsuki.
All 8: Kotori/Kotori-san/Ai-chan/Onee-chan?
Everyone looked at her worriedly as her smile faded.
Kotori: Sorry... It's just—
Atsuo: it's alright Kotori, we know....
They all took a moment of silence, wishing for Kaneki's recovery before eating dinner.
1 hour and 30 minutes later~
After eating dinner and washing the dishes.
Aiya: The bath is ready girls.
Aiya prepared the bath for the Higanbana girls.
All 6: Thank you Auntie/Mom.
Kotori: Hey~ Can I join you guys in the bath?
Sachi: Sure!
Miku: Fine with me.
Kotori: Yay~!
And Kotori is going to join them.
15 Minutes later~
In the Bathroom*
Steam~
After cleaning themselves up, the Higanbana girls and Kotori all got in the bathtub, relaxing in the hot water.
Natsuki: Haa~ This is so nice.
Chikao: Yeah. But this won't be at our trip to the Onsen.
Shino, Sachi, Yuuka, Miku & Natsuki: You betcha!
Kotori: This is fun~
Sachi: By the way Ai-chan, I have a question.
Kotori: What is it?
Sachi: Where did you go earlier?
Miku: Yeah? Where did you flew to?
Kotori: Wait you all saw me?
Shino: Yeah we did.
Yuuka: Before you left, Natsuki told us you were panicking so we checked up on you.
Natsuki: You seemed very worried and it has something to do with being unable to use darkness travel.
Miku: Wait what?!
Sachi: Ai-chan you're unable to use the abilities you copied from Kaneki?!
Seeing how worried the Higanbana girls were getting, Kotori sighed before telling them the truth.
Kotori: Yeah it's true, I'm unable to use Darkness travel. And ...
Extend~
Kotori extended her arm trying to use another copied ability.
Kotori: Tch! Figures.
Natsuki: What were you—
Kotori: I was trying to use the gun ability Kaneki inherited from Yuzuki, but as you can see my arm is unable to transform.
Natsuki: Is it in anyway related to Kaneki?
Kotori: Nod~ My power to copy other Demon Knight powers and abilities requires me to be close to a living Demon Knight I want to copy from as well as certain items that hold their power, and the only one nearby is Kaneki-chan.
Natsuki: But he's still alive...
Chikao: Yeah. How is it possible that you're no longer able to use his powers and abilities?
Kotori: I don't know myself, that's why I asked for his hair earlier after you guys cut it.
Everyone looked at each other worriedly.
Miku: Well... Anyways where did you go to?
Kotori: I went to the Council's HQ to pick up Papa.
Miku: Dad? Why?
Kotori: Well as you know that guy is currently in our custody—
Shino & Yuuka: What?!
Both Shino and Yuuka were surprised hearing that Ryueki was now in the Council's custody.
Natsuki: Yeah before we all met at the park, the three of us went to his house to Interrogate him.
Miku: It was ugly but we were able to get a little bit out of him.
Kotori: Yup! Anyways I'll save the details. And back to what I was saying, the reason Papa was at the HQ was to Interrogate that trash.
Sachi: So did he get anything?
Miku: Yeah?
Kotori: Nope. But he definitely enjoyed torturing that trash. Actually... I don't know what word I should use to describe what Papa did.
Chikao: How bad could it be?
Kotori: Well~ he started by using a red hot Pear of Anguish.
Natsuki, Shino, Sachi & Miku: What is that?
Yuuka: It's a torture device that is usually inserted in the mouth and... Other parts of the body and if I remember correctly it has a key that when turned it opens wider and wider.
Kotori: Yeah that's right. And you all could probably guess where Papa inserted it in.
All 6: ...
Everyone went silent trying not to imagine what horrors Atsuo had done.
Kotori: Seriously what's with my family and destroying other people's bowels? Guhh~ well as for other methods of torture—
Natsuki: Stop! Could you please not?
Before Kotori could continue talking, Natsuki immediately stopped her.
Natsuki: Please... WE DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT UNCLE HAS BEEN UP TO!
Kotori: Alright. I understand, let's change the topic then. How was your outing girls?
Miku: It was fun, you probably didn't noticed but we got something for Onii-chan.
Sachi: It was a poster of his favorite characters in the manga he reads.
Kotori: Aww~ That's thoughtful of you guys.
Shake~!
Everyone: Woah!
The doors suddenly started shaking before abruptly stopping out of nowhere.
Kotori: Seriously?! What's going on with the doors?!
Natsuki: Yeah it's really strange.
Kotori: I'll need to investigate these doors.
Yuuka: That will be difficult since they seem to shake at random times.
Kotori: Yeah...
A while later~
Natsuki: Haa~ Finally done.
After taking a bath, the Higanbana girls had changed clothes and just finished setting up the futons on Kaneki's room getting ready to go to sleep.
Natsuki: So? Should we go to bed now? We don't really have anything to do.
Miku: Yeah. I feel a bit tired with everything we've done for today.
Shino, Yuuka, Sachi & Chikao: Yawn~ Agreed...
With nothing else to do, the Higanbana girls turned off the lights in Kaneki's room and tucked themselves in their futons.
Miku: Goodnight everyone.
Shino: Goodnight.
Yuuka: Goodnight.
Chikao: Goodnightm
Sachi: Goodnight.
Natsuki: Goodnight.
All 6: Goodnight... Kaneki/Onii-chan...
And with them saying their goodnights, they shut their eyes to—
Shake~!
All 6: !!!
The doors once again shaked this time for a longer time.
Shake~!
All 6: Seriously?
Meanwhile~
Kotori: Alright!
At the same time Kotori acted once the door in her room began to shake as well.
Swoosh!
She rushed to it, grabbing the doorknob and pulling.
Creak~!
Kotori: Tch!
But upon opening the door, the shaking stopped and nothing was on the other side.
Though she was annoyed, it wasn't a waste. Because she found something as she was opening the door.
Kotori's thoughts*
(For a split second there was light behind the door just now.)
She caught a glimpse of what was on the other side, leaving her with another question.
Kotori: When the doors shake, what's on the other side?
Meanwhile~
Grrrr....
ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!
Only time will tell.