Ace Adventures

[AceOfNothing]

I'll make a proper beginning to this at some point, but this will be here for when I write small stories about my cats so I don't bug people in fanworks.

Please mind any warnings I will leave at the top of stories.

Critiques are welcome, but I would prefer you contacted me through Discord rather than on the thread.

Keep in mind that I do this just for fun, and will leave some things open ended likely to not be continued

[AceOfNothing]

I'm starting this with a new story. Please mind the warnings.

Cw: Implied death/murder, Implied body mutilation, references to past murders, references to injury, some self deprecating talk, stalking I guess

---

     She can't hear them following her anymore, but she keeps running anyway.

I know where you are

     She can't believe this is actually happening. Boing seemed so nice! She complimented her, gave her fashion advice, helped her in the garden, she was even a scrap user herself. She hadn’t suspected the other cat had any ill intentions at all. 
     Maybe it should have been obvious. Maybe all the questions were warnings. Maybe she should have noticed how haunting the hybrids laugh was, how it sent shivers up her "spine", how it had followed her through their explorations like it did now as she ran through the forest. She doesn’t think Boing is following her even if she can hear her laugh, but one of them is.
     She dodges trees and bushes, certain somehow they were still tracking her, positive that if she stopped or looked behind her they'd be there. She keeps her head held high, face forward, and runs, even if the pain shooting through her is almost unbearable. Her health is dangerously low but she doesn't care. She has to get away.

I don't see why you're running

     She thanks whatever gods are watching in this moment that she doesn't need to stop for air. She thanks whatever god may be helping that she hasn't completely run out of energy, although maybe that's just the fear carrying her. She curses whatever god or force allowed them to take away her easy escape from this.
     She misses her wings. Why would they take those from her? Was it so she couldn't just fly up? So she couldn't escape? She ponders for a moment how much she will miss flying if she escapes this nightmare, but she doesn't let her mind drift too far off. Some branches snapping just behind her cause her to speed up, a worried whine escaping her small body.

You can't get very far

     Running feels like flying sometimes. She was told, long ago, that when you run theres a small moment where your feet don't touch the ground, where you almost are flying. She can't say it's the same, but the idea that she is still flying brings her a small comfort.
     The crunch of her own feet on leaves is the only sound she can hear. Nothing behind her, nothing around her, nothing. The forest has never been so quiet. Shes doing so good, she's getting so far, she's almost in the clear, if she can just get to the city-
     She trips.

I know where you are

     It's amazing how, when you fall, the world can suddenly slow down so much. She doesn't just fall though, she's suddenly thrust forward, her little leg caught on a branch that shoots her forward into a muddy patch of ground. She let's out a strained cry as her body quivers with pain, her limbs seemingly forgetting how to function as she weakly tries to move something, anything.
     It's no use, she believes, to try and get up now. Surely they've caught her. Surely she's dead now. She just lays there in the grass, trembling, waiting for the final blow.
     It doesn't come.

Do you know where I am

     She waits. She waits for several minutes, each one feeling like a decade has past, each one crawling by so slowly as she's sure she's lost her chance at escaping. When nothing happens for nearly ten minutes, she knows, she’s been counting the seconds, she weakly lifts her head to look around.
      There's no one. She's alone. Her head whips around wildly, her limbs suddenly remembering how to move, as her whole body whirls around trying to find that presence she swears she felt. There's no one! She's alone! She escaped!
     She can't help but feel overjoyed, what's left of her wings twitching happily on her back as she throws up her fists in the air, yelling taunts for no one to hear as she walks backwards towards the city.
     Backwards into something.

It's a shame you don't

     Her body suddenly feels cold. She wants to believe it's a tree, but she's well aware it doesn't feel like a tree. Slowly, carefully, she steps forward, stopping only a foot ahead of where she was. She hesitates, praying to any forces that she thought may be watching, then turns to face what's behind her.
     Those glowing eyes haunt her in her last seconds. The tears on their cheeks seem to mock her, claiming they don't want to do this either. A scythe is raised high above the other cats head, she let's out an ear piercing scream before-

I still know where you are

     Hesitance is thankful for one thing in their job, and it's the fact no bodies are left. They're only running from the scene because the dragonfly's scream has surely gotten the attention from someone in the nearby city. They got just a little too close.
     But they got her.
     Chatter will only briefly be annoyed that they were so close to being caught, but surely he will be forgiving. They don't have to worry about her running around warning other people about them, she won't be telling anyone anything. They have made up for their mistake with that stupid shark.
     Boing will be particularly happy to find out this one is dead. She complained constantly about how boring the poor dragonfly was, how she hated everything they did together, how she despised even looking at her. Hesitance thought she seemed nice honestly, but dealing with the targets wasn’t their job.
     Hesitance wishes they could cry. The fresh mark on their cheek feels warm as it burns it's way into their soul, and they consider that about as close as they're going to get to that feeling. Even if they could cry, by now the pain of having to take a life has numbed their feeling of regret. The screams all blend together in their mind. The regret it, but the once regretted it more.
     Later on that night, in the dark, as the cold wind howls and threatens to take them down, they'll apologize. They'll apologize to Wax, who they are sure would look down on them with disgust, who may claim that all cats are good but would have to see that there is something wrong with them in particular. They'll apologize to any friends they once had, people they long since have abandoned, who they know would turn away in fear if they ever met again. They'll apologize to the dragonfly, and all those that came before her, because these cats didn't chose this, but someone has to pay the price. They'll apologize to the cat they once wanted to be, because somewhere along the way they died too, and they still feel the pain of that every day. They'll sob out apologies to the sky, the stars blinking down on them as their voice carries in the wind.
     They'll turn their back on the stars when they are done apologizing, and meet their companions gazes. Fear will run through them, but neither Chatter nor Boing will actually show them any malice for these apologies. This is just routine. This is just what they do, and they all need their ways to recover.
     That will be tonight, as they move on to the next place, onto the next victim. For now Hesitance runs, just needing to get back to the other two. Just needing to end this nightmare before the next one begins.

I'll always know where you are.

     Chatter will be so happy with them.

[AceOfNothing]

Older piece, finished around April I believe. Minor edit. Simply titled Cake Bakes.

No warnings I'm currently aware of.

---

     It's just another normal day in Cake Bakes Bakery.
"No but Cake, listen, legends say you can't tell a fairy your name, so I think it's perfectly reasonable to give a fairy type a fake name."
     "You were there for a job interview," Cake sighs tiredly, shaking her head at her excitable friends misadventures. She takes a sip of tea before continuing, "you told her your name was Gwendolyn, Drake, and told her 'I know better than to take that' when she offered you something to drink. That's normal for a job interview."
     "You're not supposed to accept gifts from fae or drink or eat their food. This is basic level stuff Cake, I've told you this before." Drake huffs, voice high and nasally and exasperated, as it's been the whole time since they got back from their interview. They look down though, hand fiddling with the cup of cocoa, Cake knowing that they are in fact heart broken at not getting a call back. There's not much Cake can do other than offer support. "It's not my fault fairies are kind of scary."
     "Is this like the time you told me dragons abandon their first born, so dragon types were just abandoned dragon kids, but you couldn't find anything saying that to prove it to me? I'd like to read this fae lore." Cakes voice is light and humoured, and Drake instantly gains back their energy. Of course they do, mythology is their one true passion.
     "No no no! This I can prove! Hold on!" They get up hurriedly, almost knocking over their drink in the process, and run up the stairs to Cakes room. It's sort of Drake's room too, but they insist it won't be much longer cake doesn't mind though, they enjoy their company. 
Cake glances around, noting the four current occupants of her bakery. A tumor type who is varying degrees of purple chatters quietly in a corner with a folded eared cat type who she is certain dyed their whiskers bright pink. Is that possible, who knows, but they both come in once a week to catch up and eat half a cake between them, so she won't complain. Not far from them sits a paint type, bobbing its head to music and sketching something in a notebook while picking at a croissant. Three times a week, spend two hours at least and change up their order monthly, Cake and her have had talks about problems in the media and its portrayal of certain types, but they don't watch a lot of the same stuff. She's just getting around to the Gladiator type by the front, napping with headphones in, they don't need to sleep but apparently he wants to today, when Drake stumbles down the stairs.
     "I found it!" It's their favorite book, well worn binfing with cat eared pages and sticky notes highlighting the best parts, and they effortlessly flip to the page on faires. "Here here! Read this cake!" 
     She starts reading, and does in fact find something about not giving fae your name, when a new cat enters the building, grabbing a chair and blocking the door while yelling at someone who knocks on the door. Looking up cake sighs, shaking her head while watching the Citrus type stand on the chair to yell out the window at the top of the door.
     "You are not getting any coins from me Prophet! Do you hear me! Go away they are mine!" Parsimonious, an active coin collector who doesn't let anyone touch it's collection, and Prophet, a facebank who wanders around the area. He's actually pretty nice, comes in sometimes when its busy to help clean tables, but Parsimonious and him have a long history together and it's not good. This happens almost every other day. 
     Prophet stops knocking eventually, and Cake recognizes the sound of him slapping his cheeks and stifles a laugh. Parsimonious gets worked up so easily. Speaking of the Citrus type, it hops off the chair and turns to her, and she nods in silent agreement. It grabs three cookies from the counter and comes to sit by them, looking at the page the book is on. "You didn't get the job did you?"
     "They told the Fairy Type their name was Gwendolyn and nearly poured a glass of water on their head."
"How am I supposed to know if I can trust them? What if they're s normal fairy disguised as a tcp?!"
     "Drake, this is the third time something like this has happened." Cake's tone is stern, and Parsimonious watches with intent amusement at the duo. Cake stays firm, voice not wavering as Drake gives her a desperate look. "I'm thinking maybe you should go see someone."
"Nooooo. I don't want to." Drake crosses their arms over their chest, slumping in their chair. "You just dont understand."
     It's then that the bell rings, signaling the door being opened. Wasn't that blocked? The trio all perk up to see the gladiator type, tail dragging behind him, exit the building, and Prophet enter. Parsimonious bangs its head on the table and quietly screams into its arm as Prophet waddles up, standing next to them and slapping its cheeks. Cake asked one time why it never talks to Parsimonious, and Prophet responded that it had once told him it liked facebanks better who didn't talk. He could at least respect that wish.
     Their relationship is complicated. Has Cake mentioned they are actually neighbors? By choice even, they looked for apartments near each other. 
     Parsimonious gives in to the cheek slapping, pulling a coin out of its pocket and throwing it for Prophet to catch in his mouth. He waddles around to the other side of the table and bats at Cake's wallet in her pocket, and she responds by patting his head and giving him several coins. He then waddles out of the bakery in a way that Cake assumes is cheerful.
     "I hate that guy so much." Parsimonious does not in fact hate that guy, Cake knows it. It would be lost without him. Parsimonious was inconsolable when Prophet had ended up in the infirmary one time due to an accident, it hadn't been around to see what happened and it blamed itself for his pain. Really he shouldn't have taken coins from a revenge type. Parsimonious turns to her, seemingly reading her mind while she sips her tea quietly. She knows when to shut her mouth. "Your boyfriend painted himself the colors of neapolitan icecream in his latest commercial, if you didn't see."
     "He's not my boyfriend!" She's not panicking, that's an exaggeration. "We're just friends. And he brings me flowers. And chocolates. And we went to see a movie a few times." She crosses her arms and turns her head away from her snickering friends. "You both should bee happy I let you guys come back here." All in all, this is just a normal day in Cake Bakes Bakery.

---

     Editing/re-reading through this, I do want to not that the neapolitan comment was for a different piece I was working on with the Blacklight Gang that I never finished. Not sure I will honestly.
     I also want to note that later on it was decided this fairy did in fact hire Drake, taking her dedication to mythology as a good sign. Maybe I'll talk more ababo that a different time, but good news for Drake

[AceOfNothing]

You know, I kind of forgot ai was posting older pieces here-

This one is short. Minor edits, no glaring warnings
Lapis before friends 

---

     "You...want to see?" Lapis is hesitant, wringing her hands nervously with her head tilted down. "O-okay. But... you can't make fun of me." She hops off her chair and puts away the stones on her desk in a little plastic case, then turns and motions for you to follow her.
     She takes you into the back room, past a menagerie of whirring machines which she quietly explains are tumbling stones. It is her job after all. In the back corner, Lapis stops in front of what appears to be a covered cabinet. She reaches forward and pulls off the blanket, holding it tightly for comfort.
     "This is... this is them." She sighs softly, rubbing her foot against her leg. "I didn't tumble all of them, some are traded, but they... make me very happy." She looks towards you, a bit of hope in her voice, "do you like them?"

[AceOfNothing]

Not super proud of this but Its done.

Cw: Referenced Deadnaming (not in a mean way, a character is adjusting), implied bullying, implied death, compulsive behavior

---

Dear Nicole

Dear Nikki

Dear Lumikki

Dear Lumi,

I know when we last spoke, I hesitated to call you that, but it's what you prefer now correct? Lumi from friends and family, Lumikki officially? I'm sorry, it's still new, I grew up with you as my little sister... is it just sibling now? Is that correct? Is that unprofessional, is it rude? I'm sorry, this isn't how I meant to start this. Ignore this.

No one has heard from you in months Lumi, I hope you and your partners are well. Do you just call them friends? Stop going on tangents Akane. Back to my point, it's been months since anyone heard from you. You haven't even met Maiden, yet here I am writing another letter about her to you. Gods this is pathetic.

I'm writing to tell you, well I'm not really writing to you, I can't you're in hiding, but I'm writing to you because its easier. I'm writing to give you another update on Maiden, I'm sure youd want to know about her if I could talk to you. You were so thrilled when I agreed to house a TCP, I could feel it through our letters. You wrote in a lighter blue than usual, your handwriting was sloppy, but you dotted your I's with snowflakes. Over the top, as usual.

Things with Maiden and I are... not great. I wish I could tell you differently, but I can't lie to even fake you. I don't regret getting a TCP for a lab partner, but her and I don't have the same ideals I thought we would. She always wants to leave and go exploring and talk to strangers and make friends and- I believe you get the picture. I think that's an issue with the labs honestly, they are good to the TCP but they can't fully prepare them for life outside. It can't fully prepare them for the kind of cats they'll be when they get out. Maybe I'm reading into this too much.

Maiden can be obnoxious, rude, violent, and incredibly stubborn. Shes constantly stumbling into dangerous situations without thinking, and won't listen to my warnings. You know what lurks in my area when you don't travel at the right times. I... I know I'm not perfect either. I have a hard time explaining myself without getting angry, I expect her to just... listen and understand I know what I'm doing. I try to plan everything, from when I eat to when I adjust my glasses, and I dont handle deviations from this well. I'm aware of my issues, I am trying, but Maiden doesn't want to listen. She won't try for me.

Reminds me of our teenage years honestly. You were a lot more social than I, you whined everytime we moved around, always made new friends, I wished I had that energy you had. But you never let me drag too far behind, always tried to include me, always made me feel like I deserved time too. I don't... I don't know if I've said it, but our fight destroyed me. I didn't know what to do without you. Everything was dark for so long...

You'll be back soon, right Lumi? You miss me? You'll visit? I'm sorry, this is the longest I haven't heard from you, this was supposed to be about Maiden.

She's out right now, trying to make friends in the town. She was supposed to be back ten minutes ago, but it is a long walk. Likely got a little lost. She stormed out this morning after I argued that jelly was not a suitable breakfast food. She's not wrong in this one though, I don't entirely understand TCP diets.

I'm not going to make her leave, if you're worrying. I... I think she may want to, but until she asks I'm happy to have her as my lab partner. Despite our differences, it is nice to have someone around. And she does enjoy helping with my work, although shes pretty bad with plants. I look forward to




A door slams, and Akane perks up. For a second he considers the possibility something is here, looking for him, but his eyes drift back to the letter. It's probably Maiden, already in her room.... house. It's a house really. He hadn't considered her size when she was coming, so they'd decked out the room with ladders to little sections. She wouldn't show him all of the rooms, said they were private.

Its... strange that she didn't come say hello. Theyd established early on that even when they fought, they both needed to know when the other was around. He waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Ten minutes of waiting is enough. He can check on her now? Yes that's reasonable. Ten minutes is enough.

He regrets rubbing his hand again his face after he does it, the noise getting to him. Curse his skin, curse his ears, curse his life donars who made him and then left him to deal with his body. His parents didn't exactly know how to handle him hating how his own skin sounded, bless them.

He has to ignore how it sounds when he gets up from his desk, has to ignore how it sounds when he walks. Has to count how many steps it takes to get to Maiden's room, making sure each foot takes an even number. He's never known why, but he does it, it's just a part of every day. It's fine, he's sure it's fine.

Six knocks. Maiden's name. He waits, no answer. Five knocks. His name. He waits, quiet shuffling, but no answer. One more knock, he hears sniffling, he runs his hands together and waits. The sound gets to him so he stops, but the sniffling seems louder. Not loud, it sounds muffled, but louder. Like it's closer.

"...Maiden?" He's trying
He swears he's try. He even built a smaller door on the larger door for her. Hes trying. "...Maiden Its really late, I'd like to know you're home?"

"I'm home." Her voice is close, but it sounds so quiet. It hurts something deep in his chest, or maybe his head. He feels like this might be his fault. She's seemingly sobbing now, into her pillow he guesses.

"I... I'm gonna sit down here, you can come out when you want to, okay Maiden?" He doesn't expect a response, just dusts off the ground by the door and sits down. He can stay here about... half an hour before it's too much. He starts counting the seconds in his head.

He only has to 195 seconds before he hears her walking down her stairs. Only has to wait another 77 for her to open the door. He waits three seconds before looking at her, eyes softening as he takes in her form. "Oh Maiden..."

Her dress is torn and stained, this one was new they'd just made it together, her face is scratched, seemingly from her own claws or something very similar, and her tail is bandaged. She looks up at him, head tilted so it seems like they're making eye contact, and breaks down sobbing again. He pulls her in, lifting her so shes against his chest, hugging her as best he can. He realizes the stains are fluid, her, and the tears seem like someone was ripping at the dress. There's small scratches on her arms, she shakes against him, he holds her closer. Has to close his eyes, has to count to ten, wants to scream and be angry at someone. Opens his eyes and examines her again, nothing deep, nothing bad, nothing-

Her tail is shorter.

"What happened Maiden? Please... tell me when you can." She cries harder. He counts, doesn't speak, it will make it worst. 300 seconds, she makes it to that exactly, then relaxes in his arm. Another ten, she pulls back slightly, then leans in again to rub her head against his coat. That's okay. Its Maiden. Hes okay with Maiden. He-

"They didn't want me hanging around anymore." She sniffs, wiping where tears would be, looking down at the ground away from him. "I was drawing with chalk in the park. They... they said I wasn't allowed there, I said I was. I... they pushed me down. Pulled at me, one of them grabbed my hand and- I was so stupid Akane. Stupid Stupid Maiden."

"You weren't stupid Maiden. It doesn't seem like they really gave you a chance to be." He lifts her up, bumping her head with his nose. She sits cross legged on his hand, minding her claws on his skin, she's so good at that. "Their lose really." Head tilt, sniffle, he tilts his back, "I happen to love when you're stupid with me."

She laughs, head tilting back slightly, because she always laughs more after crying. He laughs too, not as loudly, not as happily, but he does. Let her have this. Let her laugh. They can clean her up in a bit. They can fis her tail. They can do a lot. Right now it's just them. Right now that's what they need.

---

"He's... he's gone Akane. I can't- I can't do anything, hes just gone and-"

"It's okay. It's not your fault. It's okay I promise. Come here."

"I missed you. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."

"It hurts Akane. It hurts so much."

"It's okay. We all know this can happen. Gods, this is the price we pay for continuing our work. But someone has to."

"I miss him."

"I know Lumi, I know. I... I do too."

~☆~

"..."

"Trevor."

"Maiden."

"Good to know you're alive."

"Good to see you somehow got someone to tolerate you."

[AceOfNothing]

Weird idea I had. Dunno. I want to figure these two out more, not great but I'm just getting back into writing. I  also wrote this at like 2 am mostly so thats a factor. Please feel free to message me about any issues.

Characters: Trevor (shark tcp), Maiden (Bastard tcp), unnamed staff, unnamed rock tcp

Cw: Maiden asks weird body questions, so asking someone to give you body parts is a thing in this. Small thing but it’s there.

---

      It’s something about making the labs seem more friendly, turning them into a “school.” But Trevor’s been here. Trevor knows this will last a month, some cat will do something stupid, and they’ll be back to how it was. He wishes it was sooner so he didn’t have to be here.


     It wasn’t anything bad, he just hid in a staff member’s purse, and grabbed her hand when she looked for her keys. He didn’t expect her to scream, and he thinks he was punished enough since she dropped him. Now he has detention, for a well behaved cat such as himself that’s insulting. Even the name sounds below him. But he’ll go, it’s one day, he can do that. This will be over soon he tells himself.


     The room, surprisingly, doesn’t have any staff in it, but it has cameras. Four obvious ones in each corner, likely several more. The walls and floor are a clean white metal, chilly against his bare feet, and hauntingly clean. There’s two desks in the center, next to each other, facing a mirror at the front. One desk is sized perfectly for him, the other…


     “Didn’t know I’d have company today! Would have put on a new dress.” The Bastard snickers at him, claws scraping against the desk as she grips it tightly. He takes his seat, the door slamming behind him and automatically locking, and turns his head towards it so he can’t see her. 


     She’s one of the newer cats, Medic or Mime or Maybe, he’s not sure. She’s trouble, he reminds himself, glancing towards the mirror and spotting that striking black mark near her eye. It had been a week maybe since she’d... become, and she already… he shudders at the thought. Cats around here weren't supposed to be dangerous, but she was. 


     “You’re weird shark man,” she giggles, his head whipping towards her and a growl starting in his throat. “Oh come on Fins, I’m not the one who’s in here for the first time, you could at least say hi after intruding on my second home.” She kneels on her chair, leaning towards him and sticking out her paw, “I’m Maiden.” He’s chilled for a moment, staring at her claws, unsure even how he’d go about shaking her hand. They're sharper then he'd expect with how the staff cares for them around here. He waits too long, apparently, because she slumps a bit, face scrunching up in mock hurt. Maiden sits back in her chair, crossing her legs and folding her hands on her lap, head tilted away from him facing the wall. He can’t tell if she’s really hurt or not, but guilt washes over him anyway.


     “It’s… It’s Trevor,” he nods, holding out a fin for her. She hurriedly takes it between her claws, gentle not to prick him but tough enough that he feels like she'll hurt him, and shakes his fin excitedly. Her tail sways behind her chair, thumping against the legs, the sound going through him like a fake heartbeat. When she lets go he rubs his paw, feeling for any small scratches that may be left, worrying himself over the idea of lost fluid. “It’s nice to meet you.”


     “Great, now that we’re friends, can I have your fins?” He leans away from her, far enough to fall out of his chair, looking up at her bewildered. “I’m not actually hearing a no.”


     “Are you kidding? Of course not! I need them!” Subconsciously he grabs his tail, making a mental tally of all the fins on his body. 


     “What do you mean you need them? You have like… six and you’re on land. I don’t have any,” she flaps her hands wildly at her sides, imitating a bird more than a fish. He thinks at least. “You could just give me one, I wanna see if it makes me faster.”


     “I like keeping my body parts, thank you very much.” He debates trying to escape. If he ran at the door fast enough maybe he could break it, and get away from this strange ccat. If not, well, she may take his fins anyway.


     “You’re no fun,” she whines, dropping her head on the desk. Maiden’s claws tap patterns on the top of the wood as he stands up, dusting himself off and grabbing his tail again. “This is like the scientists who won’t let me hang with the body types. You’re boring like them.” He scoffs at this, clutching his fists together for a moment before going back to holding his tail. Maiden’s tail flicks, her eyes tracking his hand. “You got a problem with that fish food?”


     “I am not like the staff here, what ever gave you that impression?” Trevor snaps at her, wishing for a moment he had real teeth, but she just hums and taps her chin. “Don’t keep me waiting.”


     “For one, you're bossy. Bossy and boring, probably gonna tell me I can’t sit on my desk when I do.” He goes to argue with this, but she climbs on her desk, and he does, in fact, want her to get down and sit like a normal cat. “Two, you hate me, and I haven’t even done anything.”


     “You asked for my fins?”


     “They’re fins, they’re cool, don’t take it so personally.” He’d glare at her if he could. “Three, you think I’m a monster, not a cat.”


     “I… I don’t think that? And I don’t hate you either Maiden.” He’s a bit puzzled, shuffling his feet and tilting his head, realizing she suddenly won’t make eye contact. “Maiden I’m not afraid of you if that’s what you mean.”


    “You’re afraid of my claws,” she mutters, holding up her hand with them held out, the grey shining in the obnoxious flourescent light of the room. “You didn’t want to shake my hand, and you look at my mark when you look at my eyes.”


     “I mean… it is right there, and it is a big deal. I don't have a mark, most cats around here don't."


     “I’m still learning, I wish everyone wouldn’t treat me like I should know better.” Her hand slaps the desk, the metal legs beneath it scratching the ground. “I’m made, I stumble, they give me a name and some clothes and tell me ‘you will make people want to modify things, have fun’ and I’m just supposed to figure out right from wrong without messing up? It’s not fair!” Her claws squeeze together as she tries to make a fist, and she gives up after only a few seconds, sniffing in and wiping her eyespots. She's hurt, he hurt her. Trevor watches her, guilt building up in his stomach again, making him feel nauseous as she struggles to talk. “I’I'm-I'm only a week old, and I-I-I know we tiny cats are smart, but I feel li-like everyone is just expecting me to keep messing up now. I’d just… like a chance.” Her head rests in her arms, sobs shaking her body, making her look a lot smaller than she actually is.


     He hesitates again, but strides over to her side, resting a fin on her back, rubbing small soothing circles and shushing her. “I’m sorry. I swear, I’m not actually like that. I'm having a rough day, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Let’s start over, I’m Trevor, I like my fins so please be gentle shaking them?” He holds out his fin again for her, Maiden looking towards it. She gently cradles it in her claws this time, shaking it slowly before dropping his hand. “I’m in here because I pulled a prank on a staff member and she dropped me, how about you?”


    “I…” she sniffles, wiping pretend tears from her eyes. “I’m Maiden. I climbed the wall during my lessons today and hid in the vents for three hours. They had to send cats in after me.”


     “That was what all that thumping was?”


     “Yeah well, I ended up wrestling with one of the cats, think they were a... like rock type or something, and we fell into a bowl of cereal in the kitchen. They got really spooked, they’re still in the infirmary talking about the incident, but I was fine, so detention.” She shrugs, resting her elbows on the desk with her head in her hands. “Is this normal around here? I’m really bored of getting in trouble.”


     “Nah, it’s something new they’re trying, should only last a month.” She groans, hitting her head lightly against the desk, making him laugh. “Listen, when I was made they tried turning all our mistakes into lessons, like tv shows do. If I got asked ‘what did you learn from this’ one more time after tripping on my tail I was going to scream.”


     The conversation is casual from there, Maiden tells him about her wild first week, and he reassures her that she’d figure things out. When the door finally opens they are both relieved, walking out together laughing. Maiden freezesniot far from the door, stopping midway through a story about mashed potatoes, looking back at the room, hands clutching her arms tightly. “What’s wrong?”


     Maiden looks at him, shrugging, claws clicking together nervously. “I just… thank you for being my temporary friend today. It’s… gonna be lonely in there next time.”


     “Temporary? Are you joking?” She doesn’t look at him as he laughs, walking forward to take her hand. “Maiden this is just the beginning! You have to show me how to get in the vents, do you know the kinds of pranks I could do in there? Have you heard about glitter?” He feels her tense up for a moment, taking in his words, then relaxing and hugging him. He hold ls her as tight as he can manage, looking up as she mutters thank yous against his head. “Don’t thank me yet, we haven’t even done anything! You’re in for an adventure Maiden!”


     They’d struggles, they’d fight, they’d laugh, they’d explore. They’d do a lot together when they could, because she needed it more than most cats, and he wanted nothing more than to keep her happy. Sure, theyd get into trouble, but if they made eachother laugh ot was worth it. They didn’t know what the future would be, but they’d get there together.

---

     "Wait, she's that Maiden? Are you serious?"


     "Can I glue stars to your glass dome thing? Or try to to fill your head with a live plant, maybe we can make it grow."


      "Yep, that's Maiden."