Novel Full Chapter 424 - 424 Which Is Which?
After Kat finished explaining what a duck is and getting over the shock that the triplets knew what a platypus was instead, the triplets all stood up a bit straight and said. "So, now that we've asked that joke question, we have the real important one. Can you tell us apart? Kamiko has surely given you enough clues right?"
*Maybe? I mean, I can certainly do it if I had the chance to ask them a few questions, but surely there are other ways…* Kat scanned the three again and there really wasn't much of a difference. They had styled their hair the same way and worn the same outfits. Kat did a quick check for paint splatters but saw nothing. It did however give Kat another angle of attack.
Kat powered up her eyesight pushing as much energy as she could into her eyes. They started glowing with a purple light causing the triplets to look at her strangely for a second, but they didn't say anything. Once it was clear the triplets weren't going to move, Kat started to look them over. The first thing she was checking for was muscle definition. Even if the difference was small, Merra should have more than the rest.
It was actually easier than Kat thought. Once she started looking with her improved eyesight it was hardly hidden. The sister with the number three on her shoulder had noticeably thicker arms. Well… noticeable with enhanced vision anyway. It was hard to tell because of the white dresses, but she also suspected number 3's legs to be thicker, but most of that was obscured and Kat could only really see her ankles which all looked the same.
Scanning the other two, Kat really couldn't find any difference in muscle definition, so that ended that line of enquiry. "So, without asking questions I'm not sure if I can figure it all out, but Merra is number 3." Said Kat
"Woah" said number 3, "I'm impressed you got me. How did you manage it?"
Kat smiled. "Should I really spoil the surprise before I get all three of you? Am I allowed to ask questions to help me?"
The three looked at each other and shook their heads. "I guess it is more fun if we see if you can do it. We didn't actually expect you to get one right except by chance. You were really confident though, we could tell. Can you tell us how you did it if the method can't be used for the other two? Oh and no questions that would help you work things out, other questions are fine."
Kat tilted her head from side to side a few times as she thought. *Should I perhaps just tell them? Not a big secret and it's not too hard once you think about it… Actually let's explain it. That can give me more time to plan how to pick the other two out.* "So first off, I tried to look for paint somewhere…"
"Oof, yeah we learnt to be careful of that already. But you found Merra so it clearly wasn't that" said the triplets
"No it wasn't. It did give me a starting point. I was thinking about what differences you all have and I realised that Merra engages in a lot more physical activity than Kerra and Erra. So I looked over you to try and determine who has the most muscles, and number 3 had noticeably thicker arms once I started amplifying my sight" explained Kat.
"Huh… is that how Mum does it?" muttered the triplets, not quite in sync for once. To Kat it sounded like a reactionary answer they didn't think through. Still, for something they all just spat out, it was still very synced up.
"I don't think so actually" said Kamiko "my guess has always been that she can smell the difference between us all. She's never once been tricked by you three to my knowledge and she's called out who is who without turning around while cooking or gardening a few times."
"You might be on to something sis." said the triplets now synced back up "We haven't really considered that because it doesn't come up often but I think it makes sense. Now Kat… do you have any other ideas?"
"Yeah a few… my next idea is to see if there is enough of a difference in the shades of your skin. Merra's should be darkest than maybe Kerra, with Erra as the lightest… but I'm not sold on that. You probably have to all go outside enough because of Contracts that I'm not sure it'll work" explained Kat.
The triplets shared a glance. "Ok… I think we want to think this through with you Kat. None of our friends, people we actually spend time with, have figured stuff out like you. Apparently they just get 'feelings' about it. They can normally pick out 'their' triplet but get stumped on the other two. Still, why do you think Kerra and Erra would have a different shade to them?"
Kat took a quick breath and said, "Well, I can't be certain of course but I assume that Kerra has spent time outside drawing landscapes. I'm hoping that it's a significant enough time difference between the others that I can see."
The triplets shook their heads. "Sadly we don't think that one will work." Triplets one and two were the only ones to speak. "Kerra might spend some time drawing outside but… Erra happily reads outside with Kerra or sometimes Kerra draws Merra working out while Erra reads nearby."
"Huh… yeah that will probably make this too hard then. Might still be able to pick out Merra that way but probably not Kerra and Erra. Plan B then I guess?" said Kat
"And what is plan B?" asked Merra
"Plan B is to look for specific callouses. If you could show my your hands that would be ideal." Said Kat
The triplets smiled, and 1 and 2 held out their hands for Kat to inspect. It took all of five seconds, which granted, was a bit more time from Kat's perspective because she'd sped up her perception of time, but it still didn't take long. Number one had noticeable marks on her hands. Both from holding a variety of brushes and the paint palette. "Number 1 is Kerra" said Kat
The triplets let out a cheer and hugged each other before jumping up and hugging Kat. "Ok, you're officially part of the family now. That was so cool. Nobody has been able to do that except Mum and sometimes Dad. Certainly not friends, not even our own friends! Oh we're so happy. You've chosen well young Kamiko"
"Thanks guys" said Kamiko, "I'm still a little annoyed you felt the need to test her like that but if it was enough to get you to hug her then maybe I can't be mad"
Kat was currently enjoying the hug pile, and was surprised to note she was actually taller then the triplets. It hadn't been instantly obvious when they were all sitting down, now though it was quite clear and it felt a bit weird to Kat. If you included her horns which gave her more height then the triplets own set, Kat had quite the bit of extra height on them all.
*And isn't that weird to think. These guys are at least five times my own age but I'm taller then them. I knew I was tall but most of the adults I know are around my heart or taller. Only a few teachers were shorter then me and Vivian acts like a child enough of the time that I'm not sure if I want to count her.
I'm taller then Gramps but that's because he's hunched over. I'm not actually sure if I would be taller then him or not if he actually stood up. Elmony was easier because she's got the height and the age… but I do wonder if she had the same problem for a while.*
"So Kamiko, what did you learn being over at Envy?" asked the triplets, still hugging Kat and not loosening their grip in the slightest.
"Honestly…" said Kamiko with a smile and a tilt of her head. The triplets all nodded. "I learnt that mum is probably right and that I need therapy."
The triplets were floored at this statement. Pausing in their hug attack against Kat to surround Kamiko instead. "Hey, what's wrong. Is it something we did?" asked the triplets.
Kat raised an eyebrow and gestured to the door, asking Kamiko if she wanted to be left alone, but Kamiko shook her head before answering the triplets. "No not really. I just found that I might have more issues then I thought.. Plus, I just… I didn't have any friends to offload it to? So I just sort of bottled it up for over a decade. I mean, I have you guys, and you're all great but somethings I can't just say to you, you know?"