Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 1 (A New Oumeno)

That Time When Himiko Built A Kokichi Shrine In Her Closet (1)

      It was a Friday night, and Himiko was in the living room alone in the dark, just how she liked it, watching TV. She was watching an episode of Hey Arnold where Helga had a shrine of Arnold in her closet. That's when an idea clicked in Himiko's head. She switched the television off and headed up to Angie and Tsumugi's room.

  "Um...Angie? Are you in there?" Himiko asked. The door swung open to reveal Angie's big 'ol smiling face.

  "Why, of course, Himiko!" Angie responded cheerfully. "I am always here for you! As is Atua!" Himiko walked inside. Angie's side of the room was decorated to look like a tropical island, probably the one where she came from. The walls were painted to look like a sandy beach against a bright blue sky. Her room was also sprawled with artist tools from paintbrushes to charcoal and everything in between. "What did you need, Himiko?" Angie asked.

   "Well, I was wondering if you could do me a little...favor," Himiko leaned in to whisper so Tsumugi on the other side of the room wouldn't hear. But Tsumugi, as nosy as she was, heard anyway.

  "This wouldn't happen to be about you-know-who, would it?" Tsumugi asked with a slick smile, walking up to Himiko and Angie.

   "Okay, okay, yes, but be quiet about it, okay?" Himiko whispered. Angie and Tsumugi nodded, closing the bedroom door. Himiko took a deep breath. "Okay, Angie, I was wondering if you could make a life-size wax effigy of...you-know-who for me?" Angie and Tsumugi's mouths dropped open in amazement.

  "What for, Himiko?" Tsumugi asked, her smile growing bigger. Himiko pulled the brim of her hat down over her face and blushed.

   "Nyeh...it's n-nothing weird! I just...want a Kokichi shrine...in my closet...okay?" Himiko asked, blushing even harder. Tsumugi and Angie giggled. 

  "Woooow, Himiko," Tsumugi said, poking Himiko's arm repeatedly in a light-hearted, teasing way. "I knew you had it bad, but I didn't know it was THIS bad!" 

  "It's just that...Helga from Hey Arnold has an Arnold shrine in her closet, so I want a...you-know-who shrine in mine!" Himiko argued. "Is that so bad?!" Tsumugi and Angie giggled again.

  "Don't worry, Himiko! I'll get started on it, right away!" Angie assured her.

  "So...what else are you going to add to your shrine?" Tsumugi asked, clearly invested in Himiko's idea. 

   "Nyeh...I don't know," Himiko thought for a while. 

  "Oooh! You can ask to borrow Mahiru's camera and take a few pictures of...you-know-who while he's not looking," Tsumugi suggested.

  "Well, I want this to be a cute idea, not a creepy one, Tsumugi," Himiko said. "It's kinda creepy enough as it is with the effigy thing."

  "Hmmm...okay! Well, how about you take pictures of all of us, but only cut out the parts with...'him' and then stick them on your door on the inside?" Tsumugi said.