[Huohuo found herself in a quiet little courtyard. Drawing from her prior experience clashing with the heliobus, she quickly realized she had been possessed by one.]
[With Tail's arrogant temperament, she was certain it wasn't Tail possessing her. But this was also her first time venturing alone into a heliobus's illusion barrier. At a loss, she spotted a figure not far away—her mother.]
["Mom?" Huohuo stared in surprise at the familiar yet strange figure before her, her throat suddenly blocked by a warm wad of cotton. Her voice trembled slightly: "…Is this an illusion? Mom, why are you here? I miss you so much."]
[She started to step forward, but her feet froze in place. Her mother's terrified gaze pierced her heart like a rusty knife, slow and cruel.]
["D-Don't come any closer!" Her mother's shrill voice shattered the stagnant air as she stumbled backward. "You're not Huohuo, you're not my daughter… You have that filthy thing on you—stay away!"]
["…Is my little sister doing okay?"]
[Her mother gritted her teeth and said word by word: "If you stay away from her, she'll live better."]
[Guilt finally rose in her eyes: "I'm sorry, Huohuo. Your father and I can only send you to the Ten-Lords Commission. Pretend you never had parents like us…"]
[With that, her mother fled in panic.]
[Huohuo pressed onward. Waiting ahead were her childhood classmates. They clapped and cheered around her, mercilessly mocking Huohuo.]
["Huohuo's big tail, burned away! Huohuo's big tail, like fireworks!"]
["Monster, get away from us!"]
["Huh? Playing pitiful? I hate people who play pitiful the most!"]
[Huohuo sobbed with a choked voice: "You guys are too much…"]
["Blame that weird tail of yours! None of us have a tail that burns—you get lost!" A classmate looked at her with disgust. "We don't want to talk to a monster anymore. Go away, go away."]
——
One Piece.
Chopper sat on the Sunny's deck, his fluffy hoof clutching a cup of hot cocoa tightly. His eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the Celestial Screen showing Huohuo being bullied.
"Miss Huohuo… she's just like me…" He lowered his gaze, murmuring softly, his voice nearly drowned out by the waves.
"Hah?! These bastard adults abandoned their own daughter just because of that?" Nami fumed, anger boiling over. "That tail is obviously super cool! And… abandoning a daughter over a tail? That's completely unreasonable…"
Chopper's hoof trembled slightly, the hot cocoa cup creaking under his grip: "I… I understand that feeling…" His voice cracked a little. "Doing nothing wrong, yet being treated like a monster…"
"Chopper…" Nami gently rubbed his hat, her eyes soft yet pained.
"But at least that kid has some good companions now." Sanji exhaled smoke, a small smile tugging at his lips. "No need to mention the ghost-hunting squad—the seniors in the Ten-Lords Commission recognize her too. As for the tail… that guy's all bark and soft inside. He's probably accepted Huohuo ages ago."
"Yeah! Just like us!" Luffy grinned wide, slapping Chopper's back hard—nearly slamming him into the deck. "Chopper's the best doctor in the world now! Huohuo's definitely gonna become the best judge on the Xianzhou!"
Chopper rubbed his sore nose, fighting back tears, but his mouth curved upward. He was about to say thanks when Zoro's voice came from nearby.
"Hmph. Only weaklings get depressed over something like this." Zoro leaned against the railing, eyes closed, speaking calmly. "Real strong ones shut those idiots up with strength."
"Hey! Moss-head! This is the time for something gentle!" Sanji kicked over.
"Hah?! You wanna fight, curly-brow?!"
"Bring it! Perfect time to stretch!"
——
[After experiencing her mother and classmates leaving, Huohuo sank into intense self-denial and doubt. She continued forward, and suddenly Tail appeared before her.]
["Tail, how… how are you here? Weren't you already… I get it. This time, the one leaving is you." Huohuo said pitifully.]
["Hah?!" Tail, new to the scene, looked utterly confused.]
[Huohuo grew more aggrieved, sobbing nonstop: "Everyone leaves me. What should I do? I don't want to be all alone…"]
[Tail started to say something, but Huohuo quickly stopped him, saying she didn't want to watch him disappear.]
["Are you even a judge?! This is the heliobus messing with your feelings! Snap out of it! Don't go along with what the heliobus wants…"]
[But Huohuo kept repeating "everyone left." Seeing her fully immersed in grief, Tail gritted his teeth and decided to go all in—he pulled back all those who had left.]
[Tail possessed Huohuo's mother and classmates, feeling the cold cruelty of her real parents and the showy performance of the bratty kids. He could only let out a long sigh.]
[Tail possessed her mother, pinching his voice to mimic a woman's tone earnestly: "Huohuo, good daughter… Mom and Dad shouldn't have left you alone."]
[Then he possessed a classmate and started spouting nonsense seriously: "Huohuo, sorry! I'm just jealous your tail's cooler than mine!"]
["Huohuo, I dream of having such an awesome tail. Please play with me, okay?"]
——
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.
In the student council room, Kaguya Shinomiya tried hard to maintain her elegant ojou-sama demeanor, but watching Tail's clumsy antics on the Celestial Screen, she couldn't help bursting into a "pfft" laugh.
"Oh my, Tail really is the type who says one thing and means another." Kaguya twirled a strand of hair at her temple with her fingertip. "That clumsy method is just…"
"Hm? Shinomiya, don't you want someone to comfort you like that?" Miyuki raised his head to look at her, the pen tip blotting a small ink spot on the paper.
"Mm, I still prefer something more direct~"
On the surface, Kaguya Shinomiya elegantly lifted her red tea with a proper smile, but inside, stormy waves surged—
(How is a mere heliobus this good?! It's way too heartwarming! I want that too—I want that too, President!)
She stared fixedly at Tail's ridiculous voice on the Celestial Screen, her fingers trembling slightly around the teacup, a faint crack creeping up the side.
(This flame dumpling acts all dismissive toward Huohuo on the surface, but he's more caring than anyone!)
(Is the President like that too? Acting indifferent on the surface, but actually already…)
Kaguya's gaze shot toward Miyuki Ishigami like an arrow as he organized files. He remained oblivious, even letting out a small yawn.
(He's! Actually! Yawning!)
(Doesn't the President learn anything from Tail? I love scenes like this too!)
Her rationality evaporated; black aura seemed to swirl above Kaguya's head. If jealousy could materialize, the entire student council room would probably be dyed blood-red by her resentment.
(I want the President to get possessed by Tail—)
(No! Better if the President figures it out himself! Saying "Shinomiya is the cutest!" in a gentle tone, or sincerely saying "Shinomiya, please go out with me!")
(Then I could reluctantly…)
"Shinomiya? Your face looks scary…" Miyuki finally noticed her abnormality, looking up in confusion. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm—per—fect—ly—fine~ oh~" Kaguya's forehead was nearly swallowed by shadows, flashing a smile so bright it was terrifying. "Just thinking that some people are worse than a talking flame."
Miyuki Ishigami: "???"
The boy froze, then scratched his head in bewilderment, muttering quietly: "Did I do something wrong to make Shinomiya mad?"