Where are we going to resupply?

No plan survived contact with the enemy.

When Miss Yamasaki described them as ‘that friendly old couple who runs the general store’, Sasha expected old people. When he stepped through the door, heard the chime of a bell, and saw a gorgeous young woman with black hair behind the counter turn to face the new arrivals, though, he was brought up short.

For just a moment, Sasha could have sworn…

Her eyes were a serene hazelnut color, though, and a pair of black cat ears wiggled curiously atop her head. A matching tail wagged behind the counter. She was wrapped in an apron, and her hair was similarly covered by white cloth from the front, and her outfit was overall one of practicality and earthy tones.

Though it couldn’t conceal the enormous, pillowy heft of her bust. That was another difference, and something hard for the eyes to avoid as it was supported by that hard-working countertop.

“Oh my. So, the rumors are true…”

Setting aside her book she’d been engrossed in, the woman came out in front of the counter, watching the party of three pile in. Viewing the rest of her, her huge bust was like an overhang to a trim, thin waist. Which helped make clear, despite how she was dressed, that she wasn’t a mother yet.

The busty shopkeep dropped to her knees. Then, she leaned forward, bowing as deeply as it was possible to bow, pressing that massive chest and face to the hardwood floorboards of the store. Her generous backside and wide hips now on display beneath a long skirt, displaying her hourglass figure made for bearing children.

Her front was down, and her back was up.

“Welcome to our village, good sir. My name is Kasumi Kasugai.”

“Dogeza…” The Captain, now like Sasha dressed in a casual white button-up and black trousers, that normally went beneath discarded blue jackets, gasped. She smacked her forehead. “Oh man! I completely forgot about that stupid rule…”

The mayor loomed enormous behind the Captain, smile frozen.

“As I believe I’ve told you before, this is a critical part of our sacred village traditions.”

“T-To me, those are one and the same!” With the fighting spirit of the 75th well intact, the Captain aggressed at this much larger, curvier object bearing down on her. “And you can bet while I was shipped overseas I never once got on my damn knees and- at least not for that- hey, Sasha, say something so that KK here can get up back on her feet!”

“She’s waiting for you to return her heartfelt greeting,” The Mayor explained, her feminine giggles like windchimes.

Sasha shuffled awkwardly in front of the still, kneeling woman, who’d folded herself up in age-old symbol of abject submission the very first time they’d met each other. Chest smooshed out to either side. Sitting there, still pressing her forehead to the hardwood. Hands together, fingertips touching on the floor.

“Sasha Sokolov, Alliance Rangers.”

Evidently, that was good enough. This more-than-ample amount of sheer woman gathered herself and stood back up, brushing off the front of her apron. She still held her hands together, shoulders slightly forward, head bowed. The word that the Major had once used for women like her was ‘demure’.

What a striking contrast from these two.

Far larger than the Captain, but not even approaching Miss Yamasaki’s size-

The woman identified by the Captain as ‘KK’ favored him with a smile that was like a gentler sun. “Mai spoke of bringing in an outsider, but I didn’t know you had already arrived, sir. Thank you so much for coming to save our village.”

“I couldn’t agree more!”

Hearing the commotion in the front of the general store, somebody else emerged from a side door. A male nekomata, and one basically Sasha’s age, if not looking a bit younger. The man’s face was smooth and unweathered, his figure slender, and this brown-haired fellow had a pair of scholarly spectacles perched atop his face. Really, the only issue that could be immediately spotted with him was that he was sitting in a wheelchair.

“Welcome, welcome. To our town, and our store. Hanzo Kasuagi.”

Rolling forward, he offered his hand, which had the same glittering silver band on the fourth finger that Misses Kasugai also sported. Sasha made sure to shake with his metal one, letting Mister Kasugai feel the hardness of metal beneath that glove. The veteran soldier wasn’t sure why he did that, but he could see clear recognition in the shopkeep's eyes.

Just as the sight of a young man in a wheelchair was crushingly common for either of the newly-arrived Alliance veterans.

Sasha remembered what the Mayor had said, but still had to ask. “Are you also just back from…?”

Mister Kasugai was taken off-guard. His reaction to that was laughter. “I wish. No, this,” he said, motioning towards his motionless lower body, “... is what the doctors called a ‘pre-existing condition’. Complete deferment, even for auxiliary work.”

“Those military doctors have never seen my husband zip about the store, stocking bags of salt and rice half his size,” Misses Kasugai smiled proudly. “They certainly could have found something for him to do.”

“And yet you didn't go either, KK,” Her husband teased. “Staying with me like a mother hen, acting like you couldn’t hurt a fly, when you could have gave those damn Imperials the what-for-”

“I’m glad you both stayed.”

The store fell silent.

The Captain stared very intently at her combat boots.

“Sorry.”

Mister Kasugai shook his head. “No, you’re right. We’re the ones being incredibly thoughtless here. I can only imagine what you two have gone through. We got reports in the papers, but thankfully, that’s all over now. We’re so glad you made it back, Miki.”

Everyone kept saying it was ‘over’, that there was ‘peace’. One day, Sasha hoped to understand.

“If we’d known you were back in town…” Misses Kasaugi reached out, and hugged the Captain gently.

“... Speaking of…” The Captain glanced over at the blonde mountain near the door. “Sasha, it should be abundantly clear by now, but never trust a single word this overstuffed pillowcase of a woman says.”

Error, authority was telling follower of authority not to trust authority. Error.

“W-What do you mean, darling…?~”

“You arranged this little scene, just like you made sure to smother news of our arrival. Just like you told Sasha that the Kasugais were ‘that old couple’. You want to arrange everything in this town to fit exactly what you like, and no bother how we feel about it!”

"Now, now, let's all calm down here..."

Mister Kasugai laughed. “Goddess protect me, I missed these.” To Sasha’s look of utter confusion, he explained, “Miki was the primary opposition to Mai’s influence in town, though as you can see, the rivalry is somewhat one-sided.”

“It kinda fits! I mean, I’m not the only one to call them that! And no offense is meant…”

“We do perhaps act the part,” Misses Kasugai admitted, brushing some black hair out of her eyes, beautiful smile frozen on her face. “Though as a woman, I’ve still got plenty of prime years ahead of me, I’ll accept that friendly joke in good humor… this time.”

Things got very chilly in the store, and cats deal with heat better than chills.

What a lively couple, though. Sasha would be procuring all manner of supplies from their store; both equipment for the farm, as well as everyday goods, so he would become a regular sight in the general store before long.

It was a relief to find a man around his age to talk to.