"Alright, here we are." Eri called out as they entered an appliance store, "Pick an oven and its on me."
"A-are you sure Eri?" Yakumo asked.
"Of course." Eri replied, "Can't really leave you without a way to cook food now can we?"
"Thank you Eri!" Tenma exclaimed as she hugged her.
"Yakumo..." Lambda called out as she neared Yakumo
"Its ok lambda." Yakumo replied with a smile, "Just try not to blow this one up ok?"
"Affirmative." Lambda replied.
"Hey." a voice greeted. The girls turned to see Harima with a young boy at his side, "What are you guys doing here?"
"I'm helping Tenma and Yakumo get a new oven." Eri replied, "...Lambda blew theirs up."
"Oh..." Harima replied, "...how?"
"Tried to make breakfast." Tenma replied, "She made the best we'd ever tasted...but...well...you know."
"Umm...who's the kid?" Eri asked.
"Oh, that's right, you never met my brother Shuji did you Eri?" Harima replied, "Shuji, this is Eri."
"You have a brother!?" Eri exclaimed as the boy stared at her.
"That's right, you must be Ojou!" Shuji stated as he snapped his finger in realization, "Kenji talks a lot about you recently an-"
"So Shuji," Harima interrupted as he moved his brother towards Lambda, "you haven't met Lambda yet either."
"Whoa! Nice armor!" Shuji exclaimed, "There an anime convention today?"
"Umm...no." Yakumo replied.
"So then she's just a weirdo?" Shuji asked.
"The subject named Shuji should be aware that the definitions of weirdo is a person who does, is, or acts in an abnormal fashion in the accuser's opinion and also serves to offend." Lambda stated.
"...what?" Shuji asked before Harima drilled his fist into Shuji's head.
"It means that she's a weirdo only to you and you hurt her feelings." Harima snapped, "Now apologize!"
"Ok, ok, just cut it out!" Shuji replied and Harima removed his fist, "I'm sorry I called you a weirdo."
"...apology...accepted." Lambda replied.
"By the way, have you guys seen Ito- er, Ms. Itoko?" Harima asked.
"Subject Ms. Itoko does not exist in data base." Lambda replied.
"Umm...Lambda? You haven't met her yet." Eri stated, "Wait, why are you looking for Ms. Itoko?"
"Eri is displaying signs of jealousy." Lambda stated before Eri turned to her, "Signs of jealousy are changing to those of anger."
"Anyway, I guess I should let you guys know," Harima interrupted, "but please don't tell anyone...Ms. Itoko and I are-"
"I knew it!" Tenma interrupted, "You're dating Ms. Itoko! And you asked Eri out!? You are a sleaze bag!"
"That's not it at all!" Harima cried out.
"Sis, I don't think-" Yakumo replied.
"Is that true Harima!?" Eri interrupted.
"Please, believe me!" Harima pleaded on his knees.
"Harima speaks the truth." Lambda stated, silencing everyone, "There are no signs of guilt."
"Thank you so much Lambda!" Harima exclaimed as he hugged her, "You're a blessing."
"What's going on here?" a voice asked.
"Hey Itoko." Shuji greeted as he walked to her.
"Oh, there you are Itoko." Harima replied as he let go of Lambda.
"Your date start early?" Itoko asked as she noticed Eri.
"Huh, oh no we just happened to run into each other." Harima replied as he turned to Eri, "So...we still on for tonight?"
"R-really?" Eri asked, "I mean...sure."
"Alright, I'll call you in advance." Harima replied, "I need to get some things done first, oh and I was trying to tell you that Itoko is my cousin."
"What possible reason would you have to tell them?" Itoko asked.
"Tenma accused Harima of dating Itoko, sparking a small witch hunt, or attack of an accused person without listening to reason due to fear...excluding the fear in this case." Lambda replied.
"You think about it and its just hilarious." Harima laughed before he left.
"...he...took that rather well." Itoko stated, "Well we'll be off. Oh and if you go around telling your classmates that we're related, I'll make your semester hell." The girls stared at her wide eyed. "I'm kidding" Itoko laughed before she became serious, "Or am I?" she added as she and Shuji left.
"Y-you think she's playing around?" Tenma asked.
"I don't want to find out." Eri replied before she noticed that lambda had not moved since Harima hugged her, "Hey, you alright Lambda?"
"I've...never been embraced that way before..." Lambda replied, "...with gratitude...and warmth..."
"You've really never been hugged before?" Yakumo asked.
"Negative." Lambda replied.
"Aww, come here you!" Tenma cried out as she hugged Lambda. Lambda slowly Embraced Tenma in return and could see her vision blur again, "Lambda, you're crying."
"Its nothing." Lambda replied, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be!" Tenma replied, "Just let us know if you need another."
111111111
"About time you showed up Harima." a voice snapped.
"Shut up Tennoji, I just came to say that I can't do this today." Harima replied.
"WHAT!?" Tennoji snapped, "Oh I see, you're just going to make up an excuse and crawl away with your tail between your legs huh!?"
"Don't push it." Harima threatened, "You know very well that I wouldn't turn down your challenge if it wasn't for a good reason."
"Say that to my fist!" Tennoji shouted as she lunged at Harima, fist first and Harima readied himself to dodge the attack before someone got in the way, grabbed Tennoji's outstretched arm, and flipped him over. "Ugh...who the hell are you!?" Tennoji asked as he got up.
"...Lambda?" Harima asked.
"Affirmative." Lambda replied.
"Hey, stay out of this!" Tennoji snapped as she lunged at Lambda, but she quickly kicked him in the gut, effectively bringing him down before turning to Harima.
"Treat incapacitated." she stated, "Disengaging combat mode."
"Uhh...cool...so...what are you doing here?" Harima asked.
"I was retrieving ingredients from a predetermined list given to me by Yakumo." Lambda replied, "I saw you and noticed an unknown subject about to engage in combat. Tenma gave me a second objective to, as she said, 'keep an eye out for you in case you get into a fight, so that you don't looked like an abused puppy for your date'."
"Ok...one, Thank you." Harima replied, "Two, ...I don't look like an abused puppy if I lose a fight...do I?"
"Unknown." Lambda replied, "I have no record of what you look like when you've lost a fight."
"Right, right." Harima replied as he turned to leave, "Guess I'll see you later."
"Harima..." Lambda called out, causing him to stop, "Though it endangers your chances of hurting Eri's feelings today, you must be aware that Yakumo holds feelings towards you."
Harima looked lost in thought as the news sunk into his head, "She...tell you herself?"
"Negative," Lambda replied, "however you should be aware that I can determine a person's state of emotion by reading their vital signs and subtle physical expressions which result in over ninety percent accuracy."
"...problem is...I don't see her that way." Harima replied, "At the most, she's a real good friend. One that I wouldn't want to lose either."
"There is no immediate sign of losing her as a friend." Lambda replied. A short silence followed before she turned and left.
'I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.' Harima thought to himself.
111111111
Yakumo rushed back and forth in the cafe, attempting to reach as many costumers as she could. The cafe was unusually packed today, but it wasn't like she couldn't handle it. She was running around with two trays of drinks and had just replaced them with the customers finished drinking glasses when she turned around and squeaked in surprise as she saw Lambda directly behind her, causing her to drop the trays with empty glasses.
"Lambda-chan, you scared me!" Yakumo said with a sigh of relief as she picked up the shattered glass.
"Was my armor the source of your startle?" Lambda asked as she helped Yakumo.
"No, not at all." Yakumo replied, "Its just that I didn't know you were right behind me."
"What's going on here?" Yakumo's boss asked as he approached, freezing in place when he saw Lambda, "Y-your outfit! Its amazing! How would you like to work here?" Lambda looked at the Yakumo's boss as if having a staring contest, though weather she was giving him a confused face or not was unknown due to her visor.
"U-um sir?" Yakumo asked, "I-I don't think-"
"Would I be assisting Yakumo?" Lambda asked.
"Of course!" Yakumo's boss replied.
"Request to join establishment's work force...confirmed." Lambda replied.
"...I'll take that as a yes. Now let's get going, as the cafe is packed!" the boss stated before he left.
"Lambda, are you sure you want to do this?" Yakumo asked.
"You told me before to do what I feel is right." Lambda replied, "I feel that assisting you is right."
"Oh...thank you Lambda." Yakumo replied.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the cafe
"Ease up already Eri." Mikoto laughed, "Its not like its the end of the world."
"I know," Eri replied, "its just...I'm still nervous." She was surprised when her phone rang and she tried to answer it, but instead initiated a game of hot potato with it before she managed to answer it, "H-hello?"
"H-hey, Ojo- I mean Eri!" Harima greeted through the phone. Eri could hear him slam his head against what she could only guess was his motor bike before he cleared his throat, "So, umm...I was thinking...well...I wanted to ask if you'd want to watch a movie while we're out."
"Eh!? Ah, umm...s-sure!" Eri replied.
"Great." Harima replied, "Does an hour from now work for you?"
"Wha-!? A-an hour?" Eri asked and was about to say no when she saw Mikoto and Tenma nodding their heads excitedly, "Umm...yes, I-I'll be at the cafe."
"Alright, see you then." Harima replied.
"Yeah, see you." Eri replied nervously before she hung up, "AN HOUR!?"
"Oh come on, its not a big deal." Mikoto commented.
"Yeah, like Mikoto said earlier," Tenma added, "its not the end."
"Of course not. That's an hour from now." Mikoto teased.
"Stop it Mikoto!" Eri whined, "Let's just order." A figure approached their figure, though they didn't notice who it was.
"Welcome, may I take your request of liquid refreshment and or edible item from the menu?" the figure asked. The girls turned to look at the figure with seriously confused faces.
"L-lambda?" Tenma asked, "What are you doing?"
"...requesting your 'order'." Lambda replied.
"No, she means why are you taking our order?" Mikoto asked, "Do you work here now or something?"
"Affirmative." Lambda replied and looks of shock were shot her way, "I was requested to join this establishment's workforce, I complied with the request in order to assist Yakumo."
"You really get along with my sister don't you?" Tenma asked.
"Affirmative." Lambda replied.
"Alright then, let's see..." Eri stated as she looked at the menu to order while Tenma did the same, but Mikoto was distracted by the fact that the cafe was quieter than it was five minutes ago.
"Umm, Lambda?" Mikoto asked, "How long have you been working here?"
"Thirty minutes." Lambda replied, "My addition to the establishment's workforce increased its efficiency by thirty percent. Yakumo and I collected most of the orders in five minutes, however the average person eats for a maximum ten minutes and leaves, yet most stayed for twenty."
"Hey Lambda," Tenma called out as she pointed at the menu, "I want one of these, and this to drink."
"I'll just have the same drink." Eri added.
"Request confirmed." Lambda replied, "Will Mikoto be requesting something today?"
"Huh? Oh, I'll take the same as Tenma." Mikoto replied, not really knowing what it was.
"Request confirmed." Lambda replied, "ETA is five to ten minutes."
"Thank you Lambda!" The girls called out as she walked away.
"Uh-oh. There's one problem with Eri toady." Mikoto commented.
"What?" Eri asked.
"Oh, I see it." Tenma chimed in.
"WHAT!?" Eri snapped.
"You're still in school uniform." Mikoto replied.
"And Harima doesn't own a car, he has a motorcycle." Tenma added.
"...oh god, you're right!" Eri exclaimed.
"Looks like Eri's going to have to hang on real tight to Harima." Tenma teased.
"Sh-shut up!" Eri snapped in embarrassment.
The girls continued to talk for the hour that remained for Eri, each second making her more nervous and it seemed nothing could calm her, not even when Yakumo brought the drink she ordered...along with Tenma and Mikoto's cakes.
"YOU ORDERED A WHOLE CAKE!?" Mikoto exclaimed.
"Y-you did too!" Tenma replied fearfully with a face that was on the edge of crying.
"I didn't know you were ordering a cake!" Mikoto exclaimed, "If I did, I wouldn't have gotten it!"
"Waaahhh! I'm sorrry!" Tenma cried and Mikoto sighed.
"I guess you could just save yours and we'll eat mine." she replied.
"So half and half!" Tenma cheered.
"HALF!?" Mikoto exclaimed, "You have any idea what that'll do to us!?"
"B-but, its so tasty!" Tenma whimpered, "And Eri is leaving soon."
"Wait, its almost time!?" Eri exclaimed.
"Umm...does that answer your question?" Mikoto asked as she pointed out the window at Harima who had turned the corner and was headed for the entrance.
"EEP!" Eri squeaked.
"Hey, you ready?" Harima asked as he approached.
"Hey Harima, where's your bike?" Tenma asked.
"I thought walking together would be better that a 'silent' ride on my bike." Harima replied, "I say silent in quotes
'Whoa, he's committed isn't he?" Mikoto thought as Harima helped Eri up and the turned to leave. Unnoticed to all, Yakumo was watching as Harima came for and left with Eri, silent tears rolling down her cheeks, but her face of devastation was changed to one of surprise as she felt two arms wrap around her and embrace her.
"Lambda?" she asked, "What are you doing?"
"Harima and Tenma hugged me before, and it made me feel better." Lambda replied, "I thought it would help you."
"Lambda?" Yakumo asked as she began to break down, "It does." she added as she turned and embraced Lambda, crying on her shoulder as quietly as possible to avoid alerting Tenma who had finished a quarter of her cake and was being restrained by Mikoto as she tried to lunge at the rest of it.