Yoshiko's mother froze mid-chew, a spoonful of savory porridge hovering inches from her mouth. She slowly turned her gaze toward her daughter, her eyes wide as the weight of the news sank in.
"He's... back?" her mother whispered, her voice losing its playful edge for a moment. "And the man who made this... this *heavenly* comfort food is the same one who vanished into the thin air of Uchiura three years ago?"
Yoshiko nodded solemnly, striking a pose with her cape (which was actually just a dark-patterned kitchen towel). "Indeed! The abyss has vomited him back into the mortal realm! But the dark energies have... altered his physical vessel. He has traded his brooding, skeletal frame for a form of pure, squishy chaos!"
Yoru and Tsuki looked up from their half-portions, their faces covered in bits of crispy garlic. "A squishy Papa?" Tsuki asked, her eyes sparkling. "Like a giant plushie?"
"Exactly like a plushie!" Yoshiko declared, her face flushing crimson. "He's... he's plump. Overweight, even! He looks like a giant, round panda that swallowed a magician! He's soft, he's squishy, and he's currently using a black card with a quadrillion dollars to buy the old Uranohoshi building."
Her mother blinked, then looked back at her empty bento box. A slow, mischievous grin spread across her face.
"A plump, rich, magical panda who can cook like *this*?" Her mother stood up, dusting off her apron. "Yoshiko, why are we still standing here? If he's buying a school, he's going to need someone to manage the 'Grandmother's Union'! And more importantly, I need a second helping of that porridge!"
The "New" Agung Appraisal
| Characteristic | Old "Ghost" Agung | New "Marshmallow" Agung |
|---|---|---|
| **Vibe** | Brooding, mysterious, skeletal. | Soft, round, "plump-and-proud." |
| **Skillset** | Running away, disappearing. | Cooking magic, manifesting black cards. |
| **Children's Verdict** | "The Sleeping Dragon." | **"The Giant Squishy Plushie."** |
| **Grandmother's Verdict** | "Highly suspicious." | **"A walking five-star buffet."** |
"Mama, wait! We have to wait for the message from the others!" Yoshiko squeaked, grabbing her mother's arm. "The Tokyo Five are arriving at Mishima Station any minute! If we go now, we'll get caught in the stampede of nineteen wives and a very loud Gremlin-Idol!"
But her mother was already grabbing her coat and the twins' shoes. "Nonsense! If your 'New Papa' is as squishy as you say, he'll have plenty of room for all of us to give him a hug! Yoru, Tsuki, get your coats! We're going to the mountain to claim our spot in the Panda Manor!"
Yoshiko groaned, realizing she was no longer the one in control of the "Dark Ritual." As they piled into the car, her phone buzzed.
A message from the Nijigasaki chat:
> **SETSUNA:** *WE HAVE REACHED MISHIMA! KASUMIN IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO HIJACK A TAXI BECAUSE SHE SAYS THE BLACK CARS AREN'T 'PINK' ENOUGH! AGUNG, PREPARE THE STAGE!*
"It's happening," Yoshiko whispered, looking out the window toward the school on the hill. "The fallen angels, the idols, the queens, and the gremlins... all converging on one poor, overweight panda."