Downpour

Petunia peered out toward the school yard as a curtain of water blanketed the city with a tremendous roar. Students quickly vanished as they hurried down the path toward the trolley. "It's really coming down," she said, pulling her umbrella from her bag. Even with the short walk to her home in the market district, the umbrella seemed almost futile—and her mother and sister were busy with work. "Ugh, I forgot my umbrella," said Ren, looking through her bag. Petunia turned, "Perhaps Chiho can—" "I don't have mine either," Chiho interrupted, placing a hand on the back of her head.

Petunia sighed—this was a typical occurrence between the three of them. They could wait in the classroom, but these storms often lasted into the night. And Chiho and Ren lived on the other side of town—a long walk even with the trolley. While her umbrella might have been enough for her, it certainly would not cover the three of them.

"Ah," Chiho spoke up, "doesn't your cousin live in the lodge by the farm?" Petunia felt a ripple of dread—she generally liked her cousin, but he seemed to invite trouble whenever he was around. She had been rather peeved to hear that her grandfather had sent him to serve under the headmaster at her girls' school, though she could not argue with family matters. He once assisted in her science class, only for the lecture to devolve into inappropriate questions after the teacher was pulled away by her senior. Not that she blamed him for that particular instance, but it felt like a common occurrence. Despite her concern, the lodge was likely their best option for waiting out the storm. "Shall we head there?" Petunia ceded, turning to hide the weariness on her face.

Cramming under the umbrella, the three ran out of the school building and onto the stone path. Immediately, Petunia felt the weight of the water on the umbrella, as large, frigid droplets struck her skin and soaked into her shirt. Gusts of wind guided the rain under the umbrella, now protecting little but their eyes. Their feet kicked up puddles with every step, only adding to the water spraying their legs.

They paused shortly after passing through the gate, just before the trolley line and street beyond. Petunia felt her shirt sticking to her arms—everything down to her underwear was already drenched. The runoff rushed along the curb, splashing onto the walkway as it dragged leaves and branches toward the bridge. While not deep, the rapids were clearly strong and Petunia was not keen on having her feet swept from under her.

"Should we jump?" Chiho asked. That seemed like a better option than walking through it—the stream was not wide, though the ground felt rather slippery. The three lunged forward, clearing the stream but landing with a large splash in the feeding runoff. "It's cold!" Chiho yelped as the water poured over her ankles. Hasty to be out of the runoff, they sprinted across the street and found themselves at the edge of the dirt road connecting the agricultural buildings. Petunia recalled the lodge was down a trail somewhere off to the right.

Several minutes down the road, it seemed they should have found the trail—though Petunia was not certain they had passed it. She had not seen any gaps in the trees, but the forest had become a blur through the heavy rain. Over her shoulder, Petunia caught a hint of a large, well-defined shadow in the rain and stopped. Behind her, Petunia could make out the unmistakable outline of the barn.

"I think we missed it!" Petunia yelled over the drumming and howling. "Missed what?" Ren yelled back. Petunia assumed they had all known where they were going, but had not thought to check. "There should have been a trail on our right!" Petunia continued. "I saw something a little ways back, but I am not sure if it was the trail!" Ren replied. Either way, they were too far down the road and the storm was not letting up. They turned and ran back toward the street.

Ren lead them back to a narrow clearing between the trees, though it did not look like much of a trail. The entrance was overgrown and appeared to lack any markings. While she could barely make out her surroundings, the passage appeared to open up further in. "I think this is it!" Petunia yelled.

The path quickly became dark as the trees obscured the little light from the sky. But as they ran, Petunia spotted a warm light up ahead. The light quickly transformed into windows enveloped by the silhouette of a building, and they soon found themselves under the overhang of the lodge. "That was intense," Ren exclaimed. "The umbrella didn't help at all!" Chiho added, droplets flying from her clothes as she shook. Petunia shook off the umbrella and wrung out her skirt before opening the door. "At least we are out of it."

From the back room, Kaori heard the door open, quickly drowned out by the increasing roar of the storm. She was the manager and caretaker of the lodge—and had been a resident during her school years. Dressed in a modest maid uniform of her own making, she enjoyed attending to the needs of the lodge and its residents. Most of the lodge's residents—members of the field club—had gone out earlier that day, and she expected they would come running back soon. With how quickly the storm had picked up, she anticipated other members of the club would also seek refuge for the night.

Entering the foyer, Kaori was surprised to see the first ones back were three young girls—their clothes thoroughly soaked. The lodge was fairly hidden within the forest, so she had been unprepared for new faces. "My, you are all drenched. Come in, quickly," she said. The girls were shivering and skin was visible through their clinging white shirts. "Let's get you warmed up while I fetch a change of clothes." She ushered them through the foyer and down a walkway leading to the annex. "The baths are just down this hall."

Kaori rummaged through a closet filled to the brim with fabrics, searching for the bath robes. She had stocked a handful items for the purpose of hosting guests—robes, yukata, futon—but it was such a rare occurrence that they had become lost behind a mass of towels and sheets. Pulling out a basket of sheets, she spotted a stack of fluffy robes near the back.

"Were these always so short?" Kaori asked herself, measuring the skirt only down to her mid-thigh. Admittedly, they were to her taste—but she thought the girls might want something with more coverage. Leaving the robes on her bed, she continued pulling apart the closet.

Petunia walked down the narrow path—overhead windows revealed the downpour outside and the sliding walls rattled in the wind. At the end of the hallway, Petunia passed through a tall curtain to reveal a spacious changing room. The room had a warm, rich aroma and a tidy arrangement. Extending to the left, mahogany shelving split the room into two rows, accented by ashen flooring and benches. The far end was lined with towels, shampoos, and other bathing supplies. The sight was comparable to her mother's nightclub—though certainly excessive, given the size of the lodge.

Petunia unbuttoned her shirt and lifted the transparent cloth from her skin—unsettled by just how much had been visible. Ren and Chiho had been wearing their uniform vests, and she was regretting having only worn a shirt. Ren was changing behind her and Chiho had thrown off her clothes, now looking around the room. Apparently Chiho had taken interest in one of the clothes baskets and was picking through its contents. "It is rude to pry, you know," Petunia scolded. Chiho gave a guilty laugh and returned the basket.

Petunia sighed and peeked back toward Chiho, eyeing the pillows erupting from her chest. She was used to being around large busts—her eldest sister was imposing, yet not even close to rivaling her mother—but she felt like an outlier within her circles. Ren was also on the larger side, but Chiho was the most developed of her classmates by far—and her growth felt like eldritch magic. She acknowledged it was unbecoming to lament such a thing, but she would have liked a bit of that power.

Chiho moved her attention to Ren, in the middle of removing her bra. "Uma-chin, your underwear is awfully mature," Chiho commented. Petunia peeked over her shoulder to catch a lacy, purple, mostly transparent garment. "I bought them as drawing references but ran out of money to buy normal ones," Ren explained. As Ren removed her skirt, Petunia noticed her bottoms were equally risqué. "I don't really wear them myself," Chiho responded, "so I don't really get the appeal." Learning of that commonality felt like execution by one hundred swords.

Chiho opened the bathroom door and Petunia could feel the warm, humid air flowing out. Inside, she found a stone-floored room sporting a range of faucets and showers—and a wood-lined bath spanning most of the left wall. Petunia sat at a faucet and poured warm water over herself, washing the cold from her skin. Chiho washed off quickly and lifted a leg onto the ledge of the bath, throwing an arm into the air as she waited. Returning the shower head, Petunia threw her towel over her shoulder and joined Chiho.

Rain rushed down the ceramic tiles and cascaded into the outdoor bath. The walk back from the clubroom had left Jarad waterlogged, and he had decided to warm up before the others returned. Had he considered it, he would have brought some entertainment—but the feel of the cold downpour mixing with the warm bath had its own satisfaction. Looking out into the garden reminded him of the river snakes that frequented the baths, and he wondered how they were handling the weather. As the bath had been vacant, he suspected they were not terribly bothered by the storm.

Jarad leaned back into the water, then pulled himself up. As much as he enjoyed the experience, he already risked an encounter—and he did not want to draw the wrath of one Miyasaki Mayano. Jarad stood—a towel around his waist—and stepped onto the covered walkway toward the indoor bath. Sliding open the door, he found himself standing before three younger students.

The black-haired girl in the back had draped a towel over her front, a brown-haired girl was nude and in a divulging pose—and Petunia was standing before him, a towel slung over her shoulder. Petunia closed her eyes and lowered her arm, her hand clenched around the towel as it brushed the floor. "Ah, sorry," he muttered, stepping back toward the door.

Jarad tucked his shoulder as Petunia struck his arm with a barrage of soft punches. "I got it, I got it. Sorry!" Petunia ceased her attack and stood quietly in front of him, staring at the floor. Then she reached for his towel. "Ah, wait!" Jarad exclaimed, attempting to hold the towel in place. After several tugs, Petunia threw her weight into a final pull—and the towel launched into the air.

Jarad sat in the corner of the indoor bath, Petunia leaning against the ledge across from him and a flushed Ren at arm's length. Chiho floated on her back, stretched out in a star and slowly making circles on the far end of the bath. "Why are we in this situation, again?" he inquired. "You got to see our bodies, so this is only fair," rebuked Petunia. He kept his head turned to the back of the room, though he could feel Petunia's stare.

"Are you too warm? You're awfully red," Petunia asked Ren. "Just a little," Ren replied weakly. She had gotten a full view when the towel came off, and the experience had been more startling than expected. For all of her illustrations of genitals and deviancy—and even catching her younger brother through the door—she had no idea how to react to seeing the body of her friend's cousin.

"Still, this seems to happen a lot when you are around," Petunia stated, her brow furrowed. Jarad had stayed with her family periodically over the years, and she recalled numerous times they had ended up in awkward situations. "Even Bell chewed you out for walking in on her," Petunia continued, "and she never does that." Ren snapped to the side, covering her mouth to hide the laughter—Petunia immediately regretted the comment, knowing Ren would press her for details later.

A moment later, Chiho cried out in a shaky voice, "Petunia!" Looking over, the three stared with blank faces as a large, diamondback snake slid across her thigh and up her midsection. Chiho appeared on the verge of tears, frozen in place. "River snakes come in here sometimes," Jarad calmly explained, averting his eyes as he caught Petunia's glare. "But they are not particularly dangerous." Chiho's face relaxed, but she was clearly not comfortable with the animal. "They're not poisonous?" "Only enough to tingle for a while, apparently," he replied, "not that I speak from experience." She still tensed and closed her eyes as the snake meandered across her body and rested its head on her elevated mounds—squirming at the flick of its tongue against her skin.

Kaori entered the changing room, her arms stuffed with a pile of bath robes. She had been unable to find any longer garments, but these seemed good enough. Placing the robes at the end of the bench, Kaori heard a cry from the bath. Cracking the door, she was puzzled to see Jarad surrounded by the three girls. "How did this happen?" she mumbled wearily. Kaori was fairly confident in her suspicion—Jarad had a way of appearing in unexpected places. Once she had not noticed him until after she had gotten comfortable in the bath.

Though this was an intriguing development—these kinds of situations had usually ended in turmoil. If she kept an eye on them, perhaps she would get to observe some tantalizing progression. But while she wanted to watch longer, she needed to get started on dinner.

Chiho had apparently gotten cozy, as she was now splayed over the end of the bath—the snake draped over her shoulders. "By the way, you really do look alike," Ren said to Petunia and Jarad. It was true that they bore similar features, even if Petunia's were softer and more vibrant. Even within their family, where colorless features were typical, their pure white hair was rare. They even sported similar cuts, though Petunia's was longer.

Petunia looked around for a suitable response, finally lowering her gaze to the water. "Ah, our chests are about the same size," she uttered with a crooked smile—the words coming out like sandpaper. Chiho followed up, trying to restore the mood. "Anyhow, you two do seem awfully close." Petunia appeared to be preparing a rebuttal as Chiho spilled the remainder of her thoughts. "By any chance, have you done anything naughty?" Petunia reddened and jumped up—dropping back into the water upon realizing she had once again exposed herself. "Of course not!" she blurted out before sinking below the surface. Ren tried to hide a smirk—both she and Chiho seemed eager to press the subject more. Jarad leaned his head over the side of the bath, trying to avoid getting involved.

After a minute of hiding, Petunia regained her composure, stood up, and left the bathroom. And when Ren closed in on Jarad, he followed. Their entertainment gone, Ren and Chiho decided to get dressed as well.

Chiho pulled the bath robe over her arms, the snake still wrapped around her body. "I wonder how long he will stay on me." Jarad thought the snake looked rather comfortable, even if the image was starting to feel indecent. Apparently Ren was thinking something similar, as she wore a vulgar smile as she snuck peeks. He was at least thankful that Petunia was still too embarrassed—or perhaps mad—to pay them any attention.

Jarad was changing into his shorts and shirt when Ren spoke up. "Aren't these a little short?" she asked, pulling the hem of the robe further down her thigh. "You think so? They seem easy to move in," Chiho replied, splaying out an arm and leg in demonstration. Jarad thought the robes did show a lot of skin, suspecting who might have chosen them. The lodge was a bit unconventional, especially given its senior residents—a meddling maid, a hedonistic lecturer, a clingy senpai. The latter was particularly troublesome, and Rin had scolded him on numerous occasions as result of her antics. And all three seemed to appreciate that style of unembellishing fabric.

Petunia seemed to not mind the length of the robe. That or she was simply not in the mood to comment. "Ready?" she asked as she waited by the door. As Jarad entered the hallway, Petunia grabbed his arm and pulled him ahead of Ren and Chiho. "You walk here," she said, stepping behind him and pressing her hands to his back. Apparently she was not fond of the garment after all.

Kaori stepped back into the foyer with second pile of bath robes. She had finished her work quickly and was now hoping to catch a salacious scene back in the bath. But turning the corner, she was disappointed to see they were already out.

"Already done?" Kaori asked the group. "All warmed up!" Chiho exclaimed—Kaori was taken aback by the snake on her chest but felt it better not to ask. "Thank you for the hospitality," Ren followed up. Kaori pointed them toward an open room by the door. "Dinner will be ready in a while. Why don't you wait in the front room."

The door suddenly burst open and the field club poured into the room. Despite holding umbrellas, the rain had clearly gotten to them. Maya groaned, attempting to dry her legs with a damp cloth. "Even my towel got soaked. I'm going to get changed." she stated, rushing past the crowd toward the bath. Ash, Yuuko, and Kiyomi gave quick greetings and followed.

Ren sat at the end of a long couch, scribbling into a notebook. Petunia had cornered Jarad on the other end of the couch, apparently to keep his eyes off the three of them. "," she said. Still, it seemed to Ren that she was sticking suspiciously close to him. Chiho, on the other hand, was kneeling on a pillow across the table, flipping through channels on the television. Occasionally she would wince as the snake shifted around under her robes.

Ren had already drawn several pages of them, though her imagination was quickly sliding. She felt slightly guilty, making the final adjustments of her depiction of Chiho being taken by a snake. And on the preceding pages Petunia was backed against the wall, Jarad leaning over her. Petunia would burn it if she saw, but Ren thought they made an alluring couple. She hoped to catch some more progress between them to feed her creativity.

For that matter, she had noticed Chiho sneaking peeks at the cousin ever since the encounter in the bath. It was the same curiosity she got whenever something caught her interest.

Petunia noticed a firey brown-haired girl peek in from the hall before heading upstairs. Upon returning, she had changed into casual clothes. "Too bad you could not see me in a bath robe," she announced as she entered the room. Petunia imagined the comment was meant for Jarad, but he gave no response.

Petunia laid down beside Ash, still unsure how to interpret her. She seemed like a good person, but her sense of boundaries seemed as bad as Chiho's—probably worse. "," she said, breaking the silence. Petunia realized she could hear the rain hammering the roof—she had forgotten about the storm since the bath. "Is my cousin getting along?" Petunia asked. "," Ash replied. She paused and let out an awkward laugh. "Perhaps not," Ash corrected, "but ."

Ash peeked the door to Jarad's room. Not seeing any movement, she opened the door and snuck in—Petunia behind her.

Jarad could not shake an ominous feeling. Between Chiho's enthusiasm, Ren's comments, and Ash's tendencies, a visit in the night seemed inevitable. He could sleep in Rin's room, but

Jarad sat up to find the rain had stopped and a sliver of sunlight illuminated the room. Walking down the stairs, he could see