Sighing and staring up at the fake stars… I don’t even know what I’m doing today. At least before I had a goal.

  Now I said I wouldn’t go out and work… so I’m basically stuck here. I mean, I’ve got music, but that’s hardly a solace when I have nothing to do while listening to it.

  Maybe I could work out? It would be a good idea… if the Queen comes after me, or finds me, I’ll need to be ready.

  Though, as I sit up it hurts like hell, my muscles straining at being stretched… “Nope… not ready for that yet…”

  Grumbling, I put on a song to listen to against my better judgement, an acoustic cover of a song I’ve loved for a time, “Into the Black”.

  Humming a bit to myself, I realize what I could do. Taking a good shower and stretching, just enough to make sure I heal properly.

  Yuna wanted such after all, so I’m sure she’ll be glad.

  Grabbing some shorts and a simple thin top; enough to be comfy and not agitate where I’m burned after the shower, I head to the bathroom.

  Taking a moment to listen to the commotion of the cafe at lunch, it’s honestly impressive in its own way they could keep up.

  I mean, not that I doubt my ability to make a simple cup of coffee, or even a good one if I cared. Or taking plates between tables.

  But doing it all with a smile? Around so many people? I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

  People suck, and I can’t just be happy and like a perfect person just like that. For a bit, but not long.

  Finishing my… something some would call moping, but I refuse to out of spite, I head into the shower.

  Stripping, I take a moment to look myself over in the mirror.

  My body is fit and honed, many scars along my stomach, sides, arms and legs from various cuts from blades and holes from bullets. The most notable right next to my heart.

  ‘That sniper hurt like hell, I was lucky to survive.’

  Looking at my chest, it seems… a little fuller, likely thanks to eating the sweet foods these girls have been feeding me. Though, I’m still not exactly big. My butt is in the same way, painfully average.

  ‘Unlike Yuna… still better than Lumi though. If I’m average, she’s a cutting board.’

  Then finally, I look back at my reflection- my head aching as I see it move independently, a calloused hand reaching out for me.

  Exerting my will and stating it’s true name, it returns to its rightful place. Such a horrid beast… Well, a nightmare once. I’m just glad to be rid of it now.

  ‘As rid of it as anyone can be of their own horrid reflection trying to replace them. Would anyone notice? Or would they be oblivious until it tried to kill them, strengthened by being recognized as the real thing?’

  Letting out a shaky breath, I shake my head, and those useless thoughts out of it. Reta would admonish me for thinking that way.

  ‘…’

  Wiping the tears away, I look at my red eyes, both staring at me coldly and with quiet sorrow. My short black hair, tied up in a ponytail, is done so for efficiency, not style.

  But… since I’m relaxing, I undo it, letting it cascade down my burnt shoulders and back. It actually reaches a bit below my neck, smooth and silky.

  ‘After all of this… it’s still me.’

  Chuckling at my weird thoughts, I finally step into the shower, hissing as the cool water runs down my burns. ‘Not the worst pain… but it still sucks.’

  Letting out a tense breath, I push the pain out of my mind. If there’s one thing for sure, it’s that humans are supremely adaptable.

  And I’m no less so, pain is easy to adapt to.

  Washing my body down with a simple hand towel, and washing my hair up, I lose myself to humming to my music.

  One advantage to the new tech that I’d never be able to live without, is it being waterproof. I wouldn’t have music in the shower without it being damaged, otherwise.

  Smiling a little, I start singing to myself. Quietly, but it sounds through the bathroom.

  “I’ve given my all, and day by day, my soul still breaks…”

  Raising my volume, I sing louder in the rush of water down my head, starting to do actual stretches. Slowly touching my extended legs, crossing my arms across my body, all that.

  “Will my scars reveal all the sins you chose?”

  Trying to touch my toes hurts, straining my frail skin, but I force it as I sing through it.

  “I’m fighting into the black… without you…”

  Gritting my teeth, I force my hands to grip my feet, finally making the stretch. The motion hurts, but it’s fine.

  And finally, I can let myself breathe, pausing the music… only to realize the sound of water isn’t echoing so well anymore, as if the door was open.

  Hearing the door shut to the bathroom suddenly, I shoot up-

  Only to feel my muscles cry out in protest, my skin stretched to its limit already and not giving me the motion without pain.

  “Argh! Fuck… someone… who walked in…?”

  Was it in my imagination? It’s so oddly quiet now.

  Taking a few breaths for the pain to subside, I check the damage… not that bad, but it’s gonna be sore to stretch now. Well, more sore.

  Finishing up and getting out, drying off and going to get dressed… I notice a tuft of blue fur on my top.

  ‘Lumi saw me… fuck, and I was touching my toes with my ass facing the door! I was just trying to keep my singing facing the wall! I’m such a goomba!’

  Groaning and hitting my head against the mirror, I sigh, before laughing to myself in it, seeing my reflection.

  “Funny… given what tried to come through this to begin with, being embarrassed about being nude is almost comical, ain’t it?”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Given no response from my reflection, I shake my head. “What would you know? Dumb other.”

  Finally walking out, I think about what she must’ve seen.

  ‘Should I confront her? I don’t know… might be easier to not do so… but on the other hand, I am hungry… no, no I won’t. I’ll just go hide in my room.’

  With some effort, I go to my room and sit in my bed, putting on some music again and writing in my journal… or at least, I try. My thoughts are all disarrayed.

  ‘Fucks sake… can’t even journal right. I’ve faced unspeakable horrors, but this fucks me up? Someone seeing my ass?’

  Grumbling, I toss the book to the side and turn my head to look at the wall…

  Huh. I didn’t notice… there’s an aged drawing on the wall, stuck with a thumbtack. One drawn by a kid on a sheet of paper, based on the crayons used for it.

  It’s got three cat girls on it, of varying heights. One of which is drawn in blue, being the middle height, one drawn in yellow of the tallest, and the shortest being drawn in red.

  ‘Huh… right, she did mention having a sister. Was this… her room? I wonder what her name was?’

  Slowly climbing out the bed, I start searching around for more about this missing member of the family. I can’t help myself; when there’s a mystery in front of me, I just want to solve it.

  Looking through some drawers, I find nothing but undersized clothes… so not there.

  Tucking those away, I check the closet… nope, just the clothes I was given.

  Alright… under the bed? Nope, clean. Except for a piece of long dried candy stuck on the carpet.

  Gross.

  Checking everywhere else, I don’t find much. Guess I’ll need to ask them…

  As I go to sit back down, I hear some knocks from the door..

  “...come in.”

  Lumi enters with a plate of food, her small petite frame unmarred by scars or such like I have. I’m almost jealous of her clean skin.

  Almost. I wouldn’t be myself without these scars.

  “Um… I brought you dinner, since you were in the shower while we were eating.”

  Raising an eyebrow at her, I nod and slowly take the plate from her. “Right… you didn’t… happen to walk in, did you?”

  “Huh?! No, of course not!” Her tail tenses up behind her, but slowly sways in an attempt to hide it.

  Even if it’s obvious as hell, even to me.

  “...which is why I found your fur on my new shirt?”

  Blushing bright, she stumbles over words for a moment, before I shake my head. “It’s fine, I know you didn’t mean to.”

  “R-right. Um… I was gonna ask you some questions… if that’s alright.”

  Nodding, barely showing any reaction to her having seen me nude earlier, I gesture next to me on the bed as I make room for her to sit. Thankfully, she’s small enough she can sit next to me and not be pressed against me.

  ‘God, I can’t believe she saw me nude, I’m so much more observant than that usually! The hell was wrong with me, stretching like that…’

  Taking a small bite of food is little solace, but it does taste amazing at least.

  After a few bites, she speaks again, her relatively high toned voice speaking with calm seriousness. “So… how are you recovering?”

  Slowly stretching my arm as I finish my bite, I nod. “Slowly… but nearly there. I was doing… stretches… to help it heal better. Maybe in another week and I’ll be right as rain. …why do we use that phrase, actually?”

  Giggling a little, she shrugs. “No idea, maybe because it can’t rain wrong?”

  “Have you not seen acid storms?.” I munch on more food, smiling a little as I do, enjoying the sound of her giggles.

  “hehe...anyways… other question… what do you plan to do after you heal?”

  Looking up in thought, I ponder on it for a bit. “...probably get my feet under me. Get some wheels, some new clothes, in proper shape… some maintenance done on my chrome. Then probably find my own place to live.”

  Tail wilting a bit, she nods. “Right… that makes sense. Don’t feel the need to rush though, it doesn’t cost us much of anything to house you as is.”

  “Right… thanks for the concern. I don’t feel like going out there and dying of hunger on the first night because I rushed though, so no worries there.”

  Sighing with a nod, she looks up in thought.

  Leaving her to think, I eat more of my food.

  …before one question burns at me too much to leave it unsaid.

  “Could I ask you-”

  “Could I ask you-”

  Both of us speak at once, freezing.

  “No you go ahea-”

  “No you go ahea-”

  Pausing again, we both just stare at one another… before just giggling and laughing like kids, the situation comical as it is stupid.

  ‘Gods… this is stupid, haha…’

  “So what did you want to ask, Lumi?”

  Composing herself as well, she speaks. “Right… well, I was curious… where did all those… scars come from?”

  Blinking, I remember she saw me naked… wait, then how did she see all of them? I don’t have many on my butt- oh right. She must’ve been the one to patch me up…

  ‘Wait, she saw me nude to begin with!’

  Blushing a bit and biting down my embarrassment, I force myself to speak calm and indifferent. “Ah… depends on which ones. Most of them came from work.”

  ‘And here it comes, where she asks me what my work is about. And then I have to say I can’t say.’

  “...makes sense. Like Reta, right?”

  “No I- wait huh?”

  Looking up at me, she gives me a small polite smile. “Reta always said the same thing, and when I’d ask her for more, she’d refuse. So… I get it. You can’t share.”

  Stunned, I just stare at her for a few moments, not realizing… well, how bittersweet it is, knowing someone understands, but how bad it is to not tell them.

  For knowing how my brother dealt with it, but then ended up being the one endangered by it.

  Sighing, I look away. “...thanks, for understanding. And… sorry, for not being able to tell you more about it.”

  Feeling her tail brush against my back, soft but less fluffy than her sisters, her quiet voice echoes out. “It’s… alright. I know you have your reasons… I don’t hold it against you.”

  Closing my eyes and taking a breath, I eat my food in silence for a few moments. Just letting the weight sink in… it somehow doesn’t feel any better, knowing they won’t try to push for more.

  “So… you had a question?”

  Coughing a bit, I take a sip of water to get the food down. Right, I forgot about my question.

  “It might be a bit… odd… but… could you tell me about her?”

  “...her?” Her ear cocks to the side along with her head, looking adorable honestly. Reminds me of my pet dog I used to have.

  ‘Is that patronizing or racist or something? Huh… questions for later I guess. Not often I meet exotics to ask them.’

  Looking up at the picture tacked to the wall, she seems to realize who I referred to, her expression growing somber and her tail wilting into the bed, her ears folding down as well.

  “Ah… she was… our sister. Or technically a daughter, more like, but we called her our sister. Yuna and I, I mean. She was… young, with red hair and a fluffy little tail. A stray kit we found and took in.” Closing her eyes, she looks away, borderline about to cry.

  I’m unsure… should I comfort her? Or…

  I don’t get much time to think about it, as she keeps speaking. “She was cute and always looking for trouble. Mira was her name. I always thought she was going to be bright… but being so curious ended up being the end of her… I… I’m sorry…”

  Tears drip down her face, her breathing hitching. “I’m sorry, I thought I could… handle this… stupid tears…”

  A… sudden discomfort fills me at the sight. Like as if I were the one crying… fuck, it’s like my brother all over again. Why am I feeling this way over… over someone I’ve barely met? Or… anyone at all?

  Hearing her broken voice though… fucks sake, I can’t do nothing, when they’re giving their all.

  Reaching over, I pull her very light body against mine, into a hug, her shoulders beneath my chest even.

  ‘Gods, she’s short, I barely even realized just by how much. She must weigh at most eighty pounds.’

  Her tears continue to fall, as I begin to hum an odd tune… perhaps one that shouldn’t be heard, but it will calm her down, regardless. One I learned from a cult, but one has little effect beyond numbing one's senses some.

  Slowly, she relaxes into my body, her head leaning against my chest…

  Eventually, as the sounds of the kitchen outside grow quiet, she gets up and quickly leaves, clearly embarrassed but grateful for the comfort nonetheless.

  Letting out a sigh, I put the half eaten food to the side, and lay back in bed. Too mentally exhausted to do shit, now.

  Besides… she gave me a lot to think about with that alone.

  What exactly did her sister learn? What happened to her exactly?

  And why exactly did I feel like that when she cried? When she didn’t press for more?

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