Chapter 178

Chapter 2 Does MOD Stand for Mom’s Overbearing Devotion? Catharn was bathed in warm afternoon sunshine. The town moms had gone out shopping, prepping for an early dinner, and had inevitably run into one another in the crowd and got to talking. “And my boy went, ‘You bought even more useless crap?!’ I mean, really.” “Mine’s the same. I’m just buying a little reward for myself! I don’t see why he has to complain. So rude! It really gets on my last nerve.” “That’s the problem with children. They don’t know how to be grateful. And—oh?” Just as their chat was really heating up… A beam of light appeared at the city entrance. The magic circle had activated, and the Hero’s party arrived. “Oh my! It’s Mamako!” “It’s been too long! How have you been?” “Oh, hello everyone! So nice to see you.” Everything else was instantly forgotten, and the moms thronged around Mamako. Completely ignoring the rest of the party. “Mamako’s popularity remains unchallenged.” “Her fame far surpasses that of the nominal Hero. Right, Masato?” “I know, shut up.” Wiping his tears, the Hero turned his back on the Sage, Wise, and the Cleric, Medhi. But the Traveling Merchant, Porta, had been watching Mamako. “The moms sure get along!” she said. “Does she know them?” “Mm, I wonder. They kinda look familiar, but…who really pays attention to their mom’s friends?” Getting involved would be exhausting. He generally kept his distance. “So how are things? Adventures going well?” “Do tell us about them, Mamako! Oh, why are just standing here? Let’s find somewhere to sit a spell.” “How about over there? There’s a new café just two blocks over.” “Oh, we must check that out! Shall we?” Mamako wandered off, led away by the pack of moms. “Masato! This could be bad!” said Wise. “When they say ‘a spell,’ it means at least an hour!” “Stop! Mom! Back it up! We’ve got things to do, remember?” “Oh my! That’s right. We’re here to check on the Mom Shop!” “You are? Well then, we’ll have to have tea some other time.” The mothers all smiled at Masato’s desperation. That mild threat averted… “Whew… That made me sweat more than any battle…” “Sorry about that. Let’s get going.” The party headed down the road once more. “Mama, can I ask you something? Do you know those ladies?” “Yes, I met them several times while I was shopping. We’d chat about this and that, and before I knew it, we were all friends.” “Quick chats are the cornerstone of the mom community,” said Medhi. “Yes! We talk about housework and the like… Oh, I know! Ma-kun, why don’t you join us next time? You might learn a lot!” “Pass.” Firm, clear, and blunt. Mamako’s smile froze. Her hands covered her face, and she crouched down right where she stood. “We’re adventuring together, so I thought we’d grown closer…but now he’s back to his old ways, cutting me down with a single word…” she wailed. “Ugh, Masato made Mamako cry! You suck, Masato.” “How could you do that to your own mother? I thought better of you…” “Masato… Sniff…” “Oh, come on! Even Porta’s giving me sad eyes? I wasn’t being that mean!” The girls’ stares said otherwise. “I’m not trying to cut you down, Mom! I just…don’t care about housework! I doubt I’d contribute much.” “Don’t worry, Ma-kun. Mommy isn’t trying to push you into housework; she just wants you to learn more about moms. That’s all! …So?” Mamako stared up at him. Mom eyes, damp with tears. Not letting him get away. His entire body was covered in goose bumps. “Don’t do that! My heart skipped a beat! In a bad way! …Argh, fine! If the opportunity arises, I’ll do this trial mom chat thing.” “An opportunity, huh? I’ll hold you to that,” said Wise. “Let’s get started, then,” said Medhi. “Porta, if you would?” “Hrmm…what materials do I need to create an opportunity…?” “You guys don’t need to make one! And Item Creation can’t do that anyway. We’re going to the Mom Shop, right? That’s the goal here, remember?” Masato ran off before this conversation could get any worse. The Mom Shop was a support center for families that had lost their way. Mamako was the owner, and it stood on the corner of the shopping district. The front door was a fancy affair, and a bell rang when they stepped through—the interior looked more like a café than a consulting agency. There were several tables and a counter with stools. The idea being that it was easier for people to share their problems while enjoying tea and treats. Daily management of the shop was handled by a girl named Mone—and today she was with the mysterious nun, Shiraaase. “’Sup, Mone… Oh, hey there, Shiraaase. Mm?” Masato immediately noticed something was wrong. Mone worked here…but she was seated at the counter. And Shiraaase was a guest…but was behind the counter, making tea. Their positions were reversed. “Oh, Masato! You’re here! I missed you so muuuch!” “Huh?” One of them had run in for a spoiling—but the wrong one. Shiraaase, mother of a five-year-old, unflappable even in the face of death—now had her arms around Masato and was rubbing her cheek against him. Her rather sizable chest pressed up against him, which was nice, but…this was Shiraaase. The blood drained from his face. “Maaasaaatooo!” “Eeeek?! Wh-wh-wh-what’s going oooooooon?!” “What else? I’m just restocking my supply of spoiling! If I run out, I’ll turn into a black hole, remember? Hence the cuddles!” “That’s Mone’s thing, not yours! That doesn’t apply to you, Shiraaase!” Masato tried to escape the embrace, but she was glued to his side. “What the—it’s like you really do have Mone’s gravitational pull…uh, help? Anyone in my party wanna lend a hand here?” “Hmm…is this, like…a new way to tease Masato?” Wise wondered. “With Ms. Shiraaase, anything is possible,” said Medhi. “This certainly looks like another one of her schemes… Porta, we shouldn’t get in the way.” “Okay!” “Wise! Medhi! You both need to stop piggybacking on her crap and help me! …Argh, fine! Mom!” He abandoned all pride and turned to Mamako. “Hee-hee! Mone is such a sweetheart.” Mamako was just watching over them with a smile. Then she turned to Mone, who was calmly sipping a cup of tea at the counter. “Hello, Ms. Shiraaase. You’re being extra odd today.” “Hmph, I thought the disguise was perfect, but you saw right through it, Mamako.” “Just a hunch!” “Most impressive. Well, now that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing Masato’s reaction to me being needy—we should probably end the functionality test.” Mone’s voice, but Mone never sounded that calm. She was acting like Shiraaase. Then she pulled out something that looked like a mirror, tapped the screen—and light surrounded her. With that, Mone…became Shiraaase. “A MOD?” “Yes. We’ve itemized an official MOD. It’s still in testing, though.” Masato felt Shiraaase deserved a good smack for all this but resisted the urge. He took a seat at the table, Mone stuck to his side like always. The group enjoyed some tea and treats as they focused their attention on the device in Shiraaase’s hand. “Um…so what’s a MOD?” Mamako asked. “It’s short for Mom’s Overbearing Devotion. Heh-heh-heh.” “Lay off the corny jokes and give her the real explanation!” This woman was a menace. Maybe he really should smack her. Porta’s hand shot up. “I don’t get it, either! What is a MOD?” “Not like I’m an expert, but they’re things that change up games, right?” said Wise. “Yeah, it’s short for ‘modify,’” added Mone. “In this case, they use existing graphics and systems to make alterations,” said Medhi. “Hmm, I think I understand… No, wait. How is that different from cheats or hacking?” Mamako asked. Shiraaase folded her arms in thought. Masato and Medhi, who also had some gaming knowledge of their own, followed suit. “That’s a tough one…” “They do change a lot, so some people think that MODs are hacks…” “On the other hand, MODs just bring new ways of enjoying a game, without messing with what made it fun in the first place.” “Most people would put them in the gray zone,” Shiraaase said. “It depends on how they’re used, really. But again, this is an official MOD, so using it will cause no harm.” “Well, if an admin says so, it must be fine,” said Mamako. “It’s tricky, but I think I get it!” Mamako picked up the MOD mirror, and she and Porta looked it over. Watching this out of the corner of his eye, Masato asked, “So? Why a disguise MOD?” “Users have been asking for one for a while now. This is a game after all; people want to change what they look like.” “Oh, I get that!” “You wanted to be bigger?” Medhi said, pointedly staring at Wise’s chest. “Let’s take this out back.” “Your backside is big enough already.” “’Kay, time to die.” They were soon grappling, but no matter. “I’ll spare you the details, but it’s basically a transformation spell, only without a time limit. But it’s a full-body transformation and can’t just be applied to specific body parts.” “Poor Wise. Oh, how I weep for her.” “I wasn’t getting my hopes up!” Tears of blood streamed down her face. “Additionally, you can’t alter yourself at will. You must register your new form in advance. Masato, why don’t you try it out?” “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.” Masato took the MOD mirror from Mamako and reflected himself in it. A magic circle automatically appeared, measuring him from head to toe—registering his current appearance. “Okay…so the next step is the transformation, but there’s not much use in me transforming into myself.” “Then let’s have Mone transform instead,” said Shiraaase. “Heh-heh-heh…” “Yes! Let me!” Mone grabbed the MOD mirror from Masato. Once her reflection lined up with the image of Masato in the mirror, she tapped the surface. Mone’s body was surrounded by light, leaving her looking just like Masato! And naturally, she was still plastered up against him. “I look just like you, Masato! Amazing, right?” Rubrub. “Eaughhhhhhhhhhhh?! Why am I cuddling with myself?!” Shudder. Seeing his own face rubbing against his chest sent his fight-or-flight instinct into overdrive. Meanwhile, the girls were getting ideas. “…This might be our chance.” “I agree.” Medhi took the mirror. “Mamako, if you please?” “Hmm? What is it?” With that, Mamako’s image was registered. And promptly used by Wise and Medhi. “Allow me to join in,” and Shiraaase. “Oh, can I?!” and Porta, too. The results… “Stop rubbiiiiiing! Come on, people, help me out—huh?” Unable to deal with Monesato himself, Masato turned to his party for help… “““““Oh my. Is something wrong?””””” …and found a row of five Mamakos smiling back at him. His information-processing abilities were instantly overloaded. “…Psssht…” “Oh dear! Ma-kun?!” A meltdown in his brain. When Masato regained consciousness, he glared balefully at the MOD mirror and announced, “You’ve got to ban this thing.” “Aww. But it was so much fun! Let’s play with it a little more. ’Mkay?” Rubrub. “No more playing! All done! Stop goofing off and get back to work.” Mone was back in her original body, but no amount of cuddling could mollify Masato’s position on this topic. “Work…?” Mone said. “Oh, right! I was in the middle of something!” Mone leaped to her feet and ducked behind the counter, returning with a bundle of flyers. The front of them read Now Hosting Mom Symposiums! in Mone’s handwriting. “…What’s this for?” “Tomorrow the Mom Shop is running a symposium!” “Events targeted at mothers. Management is planning on contributing. I’m actually here to discuss that point—but you haven’t started advertising yet?” “I had so much other work to do that I wound up putting it off… O-oh no…” Mone stared down at the flyers in horror. “Then we’ve just gotta get those sent out pronto.” “Exactly. Divide up the labor for maximum efficiency.” “Yes! I’m happy to help!” Wise, Medhi, and Porta all got to their feet. Generous offers of assistance brought tears to Mone’s eyes. “Aw, you guys…thank you! Porta’s cool, but I’ve never really liked Wise and Medhi…still, I’m glad you two are around to help!” “You probably should’ve kept that to yourself. Geez.” “The delivery route… Oh, Mone, you have a map ready. Porta, can you duplicate this? We’ll need three more.” “Okay! Leave that to me!” Porta pulled out several sheets of paper and used Item Creation to make town maps. Then she marked the distribution locations on each. With the original, they now had four maps, for four people. There was another generous assistant, so they were one map short. “Uh, Porta, one more for—” “Nope! You don’t need a map, Masato. You’re the symposium host.” “…Wha?” “We need staff for the event itself,” said Medhi. “This is a great opportunity to learn more about mothers, Masato. The perfect role for you.” “So you need to rest up! You’ll need the energy tomorrow!” agreed Porta. “Er, but wait…” “Oh, that sounds lovely! Mommy will join in with you, Ma-kun! Tomorrow will be such fun! Hee-hee-hee.” “No, no, no, no! Time out! I’d much rather help distribute flyers! Don’t make me do this…!” “That settles it! Masato will be working tomorrow, and if Mamako went out to deliver flyers, she’d just get to chatting. The four of us will make quick work of it! Off we go!” Mone and the girls each grabbed a bundle and were out the door. “Ugh…I should’ve never said anything.” Masato collapsed on a table. RIP. Then he saw the MOD mirror in front of him. “Would you like to try that out while you wait for the girls to get back?” asked Shiraaase. “…Nah, not after I banned them from using it.” “While your brain was short-circuiting, the girls all added themselves. You could become any one of them and cop all the feels you please.” “No way! I’d never do that!” Masato yelped, snapping upright. Wise and Medhi were both glued to the cracks in the door, staring at him with deep suspicion. “I would never!” They seemed unconvinced but went away again. “Geez. Like I’d use this thing! …I mean, I guess I am kinda curious how it feels, but…” Obviously, he’d keep his hands to himself. Just to kill time, he flicked through his companion’s images in the mirror. Masato was the only male registered. So any choice he made would involve a gender swap. “Hee-hee. Which one are you thinking about, Ma-kun?” “Yeah, I’m thinking nobody…eep!” Mamako had leaned in so abruptly, it startled him, and the mirror slipped from his hand. It hit the floor, and the mirror broke—and both Masato and Mamako were bathed in light! “You’re kidding, right?! …Wait, what just happened?!” Masato looked down at himself. Large breasts encased in a white dress. He could feel the weight of them. When he moved, they swayed. “Uh…am I…? Oh no…” “Oh my! Ma-kun, you’ve turned into Mommy!” That voice sounded nothing like Mamako. He turned—and saw his own face. “Mom’s turned into me, and I’ve turned into Mom? Oh, God. Make it stop! Put us back!” “The MOD should have worked on only one person at a time. And now that it’s broken…there’s no other way to turn you back.” Shiraaase made this sound like a triviality. “Um…” “I’ll have to take it back to management and get it repaired. They’ll probably be done by tomor—no, I think it’ll take at least a year.” “It’s not a joke! Get this repaired ASAP!” “We’ll do what we can. If you’ll excuse me…” Shiraaase gathered up the pieces of the mirror and departed the Mom Shop. Leaving Masato and Mamako. Masato was Mamako. And Mamako was Masato. “Uh, Mom…?” “Hee-hee! Now you’re Mommy, Ma-kun!” “You do realize what this means, right?” Mamasato did not seem to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Masako, meanwhile, was white as a sheet. For a long while, they stared at each other in silence. That evening, long after the sun had set… The flyers were distributed, and the Mom Shop closed for the day. Mone had gone home. “Mamako, what’s for dinner?” Wise asked. “Er, uh…s-something very good! You’ll love it! Hee-hee!” “Huh? You usually have an answer ready… Is it a secret? Hmm…” Wise had poked her head into the kitchen and was left frowning. “Masato’s helping her in the kitchen? That’s unprecedented,” said Medhi. “I wanna cook with Mom today, yo.” “What’s going on…? Is this…a bad omen? I—I feel faint…” The spectacle proved too much for Medhi. She looked ready to swoon. “Mama! Let me help, too!” “Th-thank you, Porta…dear. But don’t worry! Today Ma—sato’s helping.” “This is gonna be a family affair, man.” “Got it! I won’t get in your way! Have fun!” Porta’s eyes gleamed. So happy to see mother and son standing shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen. Conscious of the party’s looks of confusion and support, their prep work continued—Mamako and Masato, still in each other’s bodies. “…So far, so good?” “I think so, Ma-kun—I mean, man.” “I don’t actually say ‘man’ that often. Whatever. We just gotta get through this somehow.” He’d keep his head high pretending to be doing things while Mamasato swiftly did the real work. “Lightly sauté the meat and fillings, wrap in parboiled cabbage… We’re having quick cabbage rolls, man.” “Gosh, I’m only just now learning what that dish is called…” “Yo, Ma-Mom, don’t you think this is the perfect opportunity to try cooking, man?” “Goodness gracious, I’d really rather not… I’m just focused on getting through this with my dignity intact… Sigh…” Having called for an outright ban, accidentally activating the MOD and getting stuck in Mamako’s body was a nightmare. If they find out… Wise and Medhi would tease him until he had no nerves left to fray. Even if they didn’t find out, the situation itself was flat-out mortifying. Being anyone else would be one thing, but being his own mother? No one could ever know. This is a trial. A quest that I, the Hero, must overcome! Pretending as much helped anyway. He made the call to try and keep this secret until the mirror was fixed. “Tomorrow at the latest! There is an end in sight! Let’s do this thing…tee-hee!” “Oh my, dude. Ma-Mom is so riled up!” “It’s the desperation talking.” “Then let’s finish off this meal, yo! They’ve just gotta simmer!” They had to stay pressed close against each other so the girls behind couldn’t see, which left them hobbling around the kitchen like it was a three-legged race. But they got the pot filled and the rolls in the soup. Behind them… “…Medhi, Porta, group huddle. Thoughts?” “Yes…something definitely feels off, but—” “Mama and Masato are having so much fun! I think it’s a good thing!” “I see…hmm.” The whispering was entirely audible, but Masato ignored it with all his might. Dinner was soon finished. “Once they’re cooked through, we move them to the rack.” “I—Mommy can handle that, girls! See?” Splat. “Maybe a little gentler.” “M-my, but of course!” He managed to get it looking right again, and the cabbage roll was done. Rice and a side salad were on the table, with the girls across from the mixed-up Oosukis. “Okay, everyone, hands together, man!” “Er, is that your line, Masato?” “Mamako usually says that, but—” “H-heavens to Betsy, yes! That’s what Mommy says! Everyone, let’s dig in!” The start of a delightful meal…he hoped. But an unpleasant silence settled over the room. Except for Porta, who was happily eating. Wise and Medhi were eating, too, but wordlessly glaring at Masako and Mamasato. “Er, um…is something amiss?” “No?” “Don’t mind us.” The stares failed to subside. “Mamako, question.” “Wh-whatever is it, Wise?” “These cabbage rolls are really good. What’s the secret ingredient?” “Huh?” Masako had been watching the whole thing. But he had no way of knowing if any of those ingredients would qualify as secret. “Er, um…oh, I know! The secret ingredient is love! Hee-hee!” “Huh. Right.” Wise sounded extremely annoyed. Terrifying. “Mamako, can I ask you a favor?” “O-oh my! What could it be, Medhi, dear?” “I’d like another helping, but could you grab a cabbage roll out of the pot bare-handed like you always do?” “Wha?” “That’s what you always do, Mamako. It’s no trouble for you, right?” “Oh, and more for me, too,” said Wise. “Grab two at once, like a two-hit attack. You can do it!” “Y-yes, I s-sure can! After all, I’m Mamako! Okay, two extra servings coming right up!” Masako got up and moved over to the simmering pot. It was clearly very hot, but not fatally. He was already tearing up. “Come now, you two. That isn’t funny, man.” “I don’t think Mama’s ever done that!” “Aw, you got us.” “Heh-heh. What gave it away?” “Er…that was a joke? Oh, of course it was. Golly! Such a ruckus!” What a relief. But their staring had intensified. “Urp…” Wise and Medhi were giving Masako the visual third degree. Uh-oh…are they already onto us? Masako braced himself. But they suddenly smiled. “You guys didn’t quite seem like yourselves, but I guess we were imagining things.” “We just aren’t used to seeing you both cooking—we overthought it. It’s so nice that you did that together.” “Yes! I love it when Mama and Masato get along!” They were now offering up their blessings. So…they haven’t found out? Are we safe? He hoped so. He decided to roll with it. He let himself relax. And the moment he did, Mamasato whispered, “Looks like we’re safe, man!” “Yeah. If we survive dinner, the rest is easy. Just gotta go to bed. Let’s make it an early night.” “Then once we’re done with laundry, I’ll get the bath ready!” “Yeah, good… Wait, what? Bath?” Bath. “Hey, since you two are so close all of a sudden, why don’t you get in together?” suggested Wise. “Er…b-but that’s…” “What’s this? Mamako, you’d usually be thrilled to bathe with Masato,” said Medhi. Their stares were back on. Searching. Like he was in a lineup of suspects. “R-right you are! Ma-kun, let’s take a bath together!” Masako blurted out, just trying to get himself off the hook. “…Actually, bathing together was probably the best choice.” The dress had to come off somehow. And the underwear along with it. You couldn’t take a bath otherwise. “N-n-nope, can’t do it. Can’t touch these. Mom, please!” “Sure thing.” Masako held both hands up in defeat, and let Mamasato handle the disrobing. His lower body was free of all constriction. Then the tightness at his chest vanished, and the weight dropped, feeling even heavier. “Had no idea they were this heavy…” “Oh? What is, yo?” “N-nothing! Forget I said that. Never mind!” “Hee-hee-hee. You’re so odd, Ma-Mom. Yo, now it’s my turn…” Mamasato reached for her clothes. “I’ll take those off! Don’t look! Close your eyes!” Masako quickly undressed the body he should have been in. And they stepped into the bathroom together. This was immediately a huge problem. “Make sure you wash yourself clean, man!” “R-right! I can do that! It’ll be fine! Washing your mom’s body…” “We used to wash each other when you were little!” “Yeah! Let’s pretend it’s just like that.” He took a seat on a stool and lathered up a sponge with body soap. Hands, arms, neck, back, legs. All the easy bits done. Which meant… “Great, all finished! Just gotta rinse…” “Now, now, you need to get every inch, man!” “Argh…” There was no escaping the mom check. Fine. He just had to quickly sponge the danger zones… He froze for a minute, sponge poised, then gave up in tears. “…I can’t. Help me.” “Hee-hee. Fine, dude.” Mamasato took the sponge… And it touched the tip of Masako’s boobs. “Nghaaaah?!” “Oh my! Did that hurt, man?” “N-nope! I’m fine! I didn’t feel a thing! You’re just washing me!” Masako was in a state of panic! “O a vi ra hū kha! O a vi ra hū kha!” “That’s a prayer to Mahavairocana! For safe childbirth.” “Uh…that’s not what I thought it was.”