Author's Note: So, a third "Life and Times" story in the row. This is much shorter than my previous two stories, though, and the way I set it up is different. Instead of going year by year I decided to pick seven moments in Minette's life I want to write. Once more thanks misedejem from tumblr for looking over this!
I. Orphan
Ever since she was put in Ancheim's orphanage, Minette always wanted a family. She wasn't fond of humans overall, but she felt so alone and associated family with warmth and validation. On occasion a new one dropped by to adopt one of the kids, and each time she grew excited at the thought that this time they would pick her. The visiting families took their time checking the children before deciding, and they usually said something nice to each one they met. And in the end they always chose another kid in the home, and that left her heartbroken. Still, she wasn't going to give up hope just yet.
One of the caretakers, Julia, had informed her that another family just entered the building and that she should be ready. A few minutes later, Julia and a couple stepped inside her room while she was on her bed playing with a ball.
"Minette, this is Mr. and Mrs. Claremont. They're here to meet with the children and perhaps bring one home."
That made Minette stop. She dropped the ball down and jumped out of the bed. Once she was in front of them, she stretched out her hand to them.
"Meow, I'm Minette!"
The visitors chuckled and accepted her handshake. "It's nice to meet you, too," the man said.
"She's actually charming, isn't she dear?" his wife said, and he responded that he agreed. She then asked her, "Do you like to pretend to be a cat?"
"Minette's been a cat all her life!" Minette couldn't help but grin. "Us cats are more playful and trustworthy!"
This time, surprised expressions appeared on the couple's faces but they chuckled once more nonetheless. Julia's lips pursed and she folded her arms together. Minette's stomach dropped. The caretakers never liked it whenever she went into her cat behavior.
"Well, I think that's enough time to get acquatinted. The Claremonts need to visit the other children."
"Oh, okay!" She forced a smile. "It's a pleasure speaking with mew!"
The Claremonts said they too enjoyed talking with her before they left with the caretaker. Minette sighed and she collapsed back onto bed, taking a cat nap.
A little before dinnertime, she woke up to the sound of a child's laughter. Minette hurried to her door and opened it slightly. It was that same couple she had met earlier today and they held hands with another girl. She watched the new family headed downstairs together, and when Minette couldn't see them anymore she slammed the door.
Don't people like to take cats home? That always baffled her. Then again, her odd behavior was probably why she was still stuck in this orphanage.
xxx
None of the children liked Minette all that much and why she had no friends to play with. Each time she would be nearby, they would move away and ignore her. The caretakers didn't do anything about that.
As always, she sat alone in the dining hall while the other children chattered happily with one another. Munching on her stale sandwich, Minette's nose wiggled and she narrowed her eyes. She then yelped in pain when someone had thrown an orange on the back of her head. Minette jerked her head and caught two children, Benny and Joseph, from another table snickering.
"What mew did that for?" she asked. "Don't mew know hurting cats is bad?"
"You're not a real cat, anyways," Benny said with a smirk, and Minette hissed at him.
"I too am a real cat!"
All the children stopped and turned their attention towards the commotion. A short silence followed, Minette not tearing off her stare at the two boys.
"Give it up, Minette, no one will buy your act," Joseph said.
"It's not an act! I guess neither of you like cats, anymeways," Minette pouted and folded her arms. Just as she turned her head slightly, apple sauce splattered on her face and everyone laughed.
"What a freak," one of the other children said amongst the noise. Some of the others joined in the chorus calling her that. Benny and Joseph let out smug grins.
Minette's shoulders shook and tears rolled down on her cheeks. Her chest grew more painful with each sob. Eventually Julia the caretaker stepped inside the cafeteria and when she asked what was going on, Minette rushed off with everyone still laughing.
The rest of the day she stayed inside her room, on her bed wrapped inside a blanket. Various thoughts kept running in her head. Good for nothing, her late mother had told her countless times. You must not act like that in front of your potential family, the caretakers would warn her. Freak, childish, delusional, the children didn't mind hurling hurtful words at her.
Living here was very draining. Maybe she should just run away, make a new life…
Immediately, Minette threw her blanket aside and hurried to the window to look down. Her room was on the second floor, but the drop should be easy. Jumping out of the window, Minette was able to land on all fours with no problem. She glanced around to see that no one from the orphanage was coming for her, and when the coast was clear she hurried off.
As far as she could remember, this was the first time Minette was outside of the orphanage. Ancheim's ticking sounds from the clocks she was already familiar with, but seeing those in action was different. She passed by two people that asked where she was going, but she ignored them. It didn't take her long to exit the city and slipped into the desert. There should be a dock not far off where she could board; she didn't care where it would head off as long as she leaves Ancheim for good.
II. Cat Talk
"Hey, give back that bread right now!"
Minette ignored the confused townspeople that she passed by while being chased by an enraged baker. Her legs began to burn already, but she continued to rush off. At one point she had to jump over a child playing with a stick and then someone pulling a watermelon cart. Eventually she spotted an alley and she slipped through there. While she tried to catch her breath, Minette's back was against the wall. She waited until she was sure that baker was gone, and Minette dropped on the ground to swallow up large chunks of the bread.
It had been some months since Minette ran away from the orphanage. The ship she had snuck in sailed to the Florem region, so she had been staying there ever since. The region was more vibrant than the Harena region with many lakes and flowers blooming. She hopped from town to town, able to not get caught (or at least run away like just now) whenever she stole some food. At nights, she tried to sleep whenever she could—an abandoned building, in the alleys, near a forest, even in cardboard boxes. She was alone, tired, and unsure if she would survive another day, but she preferred this over staying in the orphanage.
Once she was halfway through the bread, a stray cat approached her. Minette greeted the creature with a smile and a scratch behind his ear.
"Hemeow there, kitty. Are mew hungry?" The cat responded with a sad "meow", Minette assumed the answer was yes. "Oh, well I think I have something for mew." She grabbed her bag and began searching until she found a bag of cat flakes and pulled it out. "Minette keeps some of these cat flakes because hungry stray cats make her sad.
Minette opened the bag, and a portion of the food spilled on the ground. After he approached the food and gave it a sniff, the cat eagerly chewed on his meal. When he was finished, Minette clapped her hands.
"Satisfied with meowr food there, kitty?"
"Oh, very much so. Thanks, Minette!" the cat said.
"Meow're welcome!" Realizing she just understood what the cat had said clearly, Minette gasped. "Meow! Did I just hear mew said 'Thanks, Minette'?"
"Indeed, you have. Hadn't eaten much of yesterday and today due to being unable to find something satisfying."
"Mew poor kitty!" Minette frowned, then of how she was able to understand the cat came back to her. She scratched her chin. "But how was I able to understand mew? Maybe it has to do with those experiments Mommy had done to me." Saying that made Minette's stomach churn.
"Whatever the reason, I'm alreadygratefulto have met you, Minette. You seemed like a good human."
"Oh no no no," Minette said, shaking her head. "Minette's a cat, too, just like mew! Say, do mew have a name?"
"I don't recall anyone giving me a name, so no."
"In that case, mew'll be named Jack!"
"Jack's a fine name. I must be going now, but I'll let my other friends know that you're always carrying cat flakes with you. Bye bye!"
Jack rubbed on Minette's cheek in affection and then he rushed off. Minette said goodbye to her new feline friend, waving at him until she couldn't see him anymore—she was still awestruck at her new ability there. Starting to feel tired, Minette yawned. She grabbed a cardboard box and collapsed onto a long cat nap.
Later in the evening, Minette woke up with someone licking her face. She opened her eyes to see Jack and another cat in front of her.
"Jack, you're back!" she said while getting herself to sit back up.
"Indeed! I brought one of my friends here, she likes to refer herself as Penny."
"Oh. Well, it's nice to meet mew, Penny."
"Likewise," the cat, Penny, said.
"Minette's going to meowsume that mew two are hungry?"
Both cats growled, and Minette pulled the bag of cat flakes out. Once the food touched the ground, Jack and Penny didn't hesitate in eating their meal.
"If the both of mew want some meowre, let me know!"
She watched them a moment more while the cats were finishing up their food. When they were done, Jack and Penny licked their mouths.
"Thanks so much for the food!" Penny said.
"Meow're welcome!" Minette said with a grin. "Minette's curious, how long mew two knew each other?"
"I believe over a month?" Jack responded, and Penny nodded. "We met each other in another alley and we've been in correspondenceever since."
"That's great mew guys found each other!" Frowning, Minette wrapped her arms around her knees. "I ran ameway from a place I didn't like and had been alone ever since."
Penny gave out a sad growl. "That's so sad! Jack and I too were very alone until as of recent, so we know how that feels."
"If you want, Minette, we can keep you company for the night."
Liking the thought of not being alone tonight, Minette smiled a little. "I would like that very much, meow."
Minette's stomach grumbled, so she pulled out the half-finished bread she had stolen earlier today. She picked out some crumbs and both cats licked those off from her hands, their tongues warm and wet.
She may not be able to properly hold a proper conversation with a human, but talking with other cats was way more fun.
III. Kaiser
More time had passed and Minette continued living in the streets. After her encounter with the cats Jack and Penny, she got to talk with other cats and fed them cat flakes. Most of the time they would let her know any upcoming dangers or if there was any food around, but she also made lighthearted conversations with them, too. Their presence was always a welcoming sight, making her feel less alone. And thus, she created a secret information network entirely consisted of cats that would soon prove to be fortunate for her.
Tonight Minette stayed in one of the towns, sleeping just outside an armor shop closed for the day. She was inside her cardboard box, but the chill air made her shudder. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Minette overheard a group of people talking and her ears perked up.
"Why those men not join us? Prosperous!" someone with a female voice said.
"It is, I agreEEe."
Minette popped her head out of the cardboard box and there were three humans, someone in an armor suit, a centaur that she had only heard in stories, and a fairy across from her. Each one had a distinct feature about them. She continued to listen in.
"They don't believe in our cause, it's as simple as that." The man who said that wore black attire and a mask covering his face partially. "We're fortunate to gained several new troops after our visit in Ancheim."
Ancheim? Memories of the orphanage flooded back to her, and she bit her lips.
"Our army is indeed growing. Perhaps, though, we can find new commanders?" The other man that spoke was dressed in a robe caked with blood.
"You're right that we would need new commanders. Nonetheless, it has to be someone who has abilities that could be useful for us."
"Don't worry, milord!" the centaur with a booming voice said. "We'll gain more soldiers! Because your cause! Is a noble one!
Catching that, Minette's heart ached. Are they some kind of military group? Perhaps that could be her new purpose of life, a way for her to be useful for once…
The chill air began to pick up again, and Minette's nose twitched. She couldn't help but release a small sneeze. That got the group's attention, and Minette immediately hid back in her cardboard box.
"Did you hear that?" the man in the bloody robes asked.
"Must be coming from cardboard box!" a younger voice said this time.
Their footsteps grew louder each second. Minette squeaked, curling herself up.
"Oh, what do we have here?" Minette recognized the voice to belong to the fairy. She lifted her head up to see everyone gathered around her.
"She looks like a kitty!" said the same person with the child-like voice. They had armor on, but blue smoke lingered around them.
"A little girl, to be precise," said the woman in black attire. She held on to her doll protectively against her chest.
As they continued to fix their stares at her, Minette's mouth trembled and her arms shook. She was afraid they might do something to her.
"What's your name, young one?" the man with the mask asked.
She swallowed hard, and responded, "Minette… Minette Napkatti."
The bloodied man's eyes grew wide. "Napkatti? Didn't you mention one of Professor Norzen's assistant?" he asked, and the other man nodded. Minette tilted her head.
"You mew my Mommy?"
"I don't know her personally. Just some years ago a distinguished scientist and his team of assistants tried to find a cure while there was a plague going on." He cleared his throat. "I'm Kaiser Oblivion of the Glanz Empire and these are my comrades. Our goal is to rid of the injustices that befell this world."
She considered the man's words for a moment, then hung her head down. "I still remember Mommy sticking needles on my arm. She kept saying that I'm not good enough, that I can't do anything." Her stomach twisted while she told them that. When she looked back at them, a sad look fell on Oblivion's face.
"We may just only met, but I'm certain you have a gift."
Her mouth opened wide, she was surprised a stranger of all people already believed in her. Surely he's a good human then, right?
"Oh…Well, Minette can speak to other cats and she has her own informewtion superhighway."
"Infor… Mewtion superhighway?" the fairy asked, raising an eyebrow.
Minette nodded. "Indeed. I'll show mew!" She scanned around and already found one cat nearby, eating leftover food from the garbage. She whistled, and the cat immediately jumped to Minette and rubbed his body all over her. "Hi there, Cinnamon! Found anything interesting today?"
"I have," the cat said. "Marco and Vice picked up some rumors of thieves coming from nearby villages."
"Thieves, you say?" She was certain the other people didn't understand what Cinnamon had told her, but she hoped they were open-minded. "Minette will make sure to keep an eye watch, then, mewww. And oh, you recently met Marco and Vice?"
"Yes. They're just outside of town, but they should reach to you soon."
"Okay, got it." She grinned at her cat. "Thanks for letting me know, Cinnamon."
The cat mewed and licked Minette's hand before running off. She glanced back at the group to see them looked on in amazement.
"First time! I see someone able to talk to felines! Very impressed!" the centaur man said with great enthusiasm.
"Oh, can we keep her?" the armored being asked.
"I admit, I'm impressed, too," the fairy said. "We could use her skills to our advantage…"
A small smile tugged onto Oblivion's lips. "Come with me, Minette. I can really use your help."
Taken aback, Minette's mouth dropped. "Really? Mew…need me?"
"Indeed. Your cats can make our information network much faster and more effective. I'm also sure in time you'll become a skilled fighter. Together, we can deny this world and build a better one."
Already Minette's heart raced in excitement. Not only could she finally prove herself, but an opportunity to be stronger, too. They are an empire, after all. This was what she had been waiting for.
"Minette accepts, mew!"
As Minette bounced out of her cardboard box, she wrapped her arms around the kaiser for an embrace. Oblivion patted her head back. Shortly after, he introduced his other friends to Minette and they welcomed her with warm reception.
She wasn't going to be alone anymore and be a part of something, and that was the most amazing feeling for her.
IV. Bismarck
Upon being adopted by the Glanz Empire, Minette got to know the other members better. There was Anne the mysterious fairy that everyone respected but also feared at the same time. Cú and Bella had an interesting master and servant relationship, and she was impressed how Bella's doll, Donna, could speak too. She was also surprised that Geist and Revenant were actually father and son. It was obvious Revenant loved his father very much, and that led her to wonder what it was like to have one since she never knew hers. Not long after Minette joined, the group gained two new members, Aimee and Angelo. Unlike Bella and Cú, these two looked to love each other romantically. Minette was pleased with the size of her "fam-mew-ly," and very soon a new family member would join them.
Once Minette and the others gained their asterisks and the Skyhold, they headed to the Eisenberg region to meet with the kaiser's correspondents there. Because His Meowjesty didn't want their fortress to be seen, he had it stopped at a safe spot and everyone took the long route toward their destination. She visited this region before, but the humidity and the sweat on her face still bothered her. From everyone else's looks, they had the same sentiments.
"How much longer until we get to the village?" Anne asked, her shoulders hung down.
"The Eisenberg region isn't as bad as Harena, but I do agree the humidity is a bit much for my taste," Geist said.
"This is my first time visiting here and it's not doing well for my complexion," Angelo said.
"It shouldn't take us much longer," Oblivion said, rubbing his metal arm.
As everyone continued walking, Minette glanced around to see they were still surrounded by barren land and mountains far away from them. She spotted a sight that caused her to freeze. From a short distance, there were three monsters in a fight, two flying regulus against a regular lion. The lion in particular was badly beaten up, scars all over his body.
"Everyone, look! Two big kitties are hurting another big kitty." She pointed to the direction of the fight, and that brought everyone's attention.
"Should we do something?" Revenant asked.
"Way ahead of ya," Aimee said, already pulling out her gun. She aimed at the monsters and the shots made them roar in annoyance. They turned around, facing the group.
"Minette wants to help, too!" Minette took out some cat flakes and two cats immediately appeared. Her cats were able to release a stream of flames that went straight at the lion's attackers. Bella also joined in, using her wand to throw some lighting at them. The regulus weren't phased much by those attacks, and they immediately rushed straight towards the group.
"Watch out!" Oblivion warned.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Minette waited for the inevitable attack. That didn't happen, though, as when she opened her eyes again the regulus' jaws were on Cú and Revenant's weapons.
"Here's your chance to strike milord!" Cú ordered while still trying to block one of the regulus.
Without hesitation, the kaiser pulled out his sword, and white light engulfed the monsters. The regulus growled painfully, and once the light faded they panted. They stared at the group a moment before flying away.
"We did it!" Revenant cheered, pumping his fist in the air.
Minette sighed in relief, only to remember the lion that they just had saved. She shifted her head to see the beast swaying his body for a second before collapsing on the ground. Screeching, Minette rushed to the lion's side.
"Wake up, kitty," she said in a shaky voice, her throat twisted in a knot. "We chased off those other bad kitties away." As Minette continued to shake him, everyone gathered around them.
"Let me have a look," Geist said. Minette stopped and she stepped aside so that the exorcist could check on him. She watched as his fingers dragged through the lion's fur, the cuts visible. When he finished, Geist grunted. "As expected, those regulus badly damaged the lion here. It's a good thing we came here just right in time."
"Can you do something?" Minette asked with a sniffle.
"I should be able to heal him with my Undo technique." Geist let out a deep breath and he stretched out his arm. "Undo."
Swirls of green light wrapped around the lion. Minette watched in awe as his injuries faded away and soon he was fully healed. When the feline gave out a loud roar, Minette cheered and embraced him.
"Thank mew thank mew thank mew."
"Good work there, Geist," Oblivion said and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Geist made an acknowledged nod.
"What's a lion doing here in the middle of nowhere?" Angelo asked.
"He must have traveled far either from the mountains," Oblivion said. "Many regular lions reside in the mountains to get away from the regulus."
Minette frowned as she snuggled on the lion's fur. She wondered how he got in trouble with the regulus and why they didn't like him very much. In the end, she assumed some animals were just territorial like that. It would break her heart to see him hurt again.
"Can we keep him?" Minette asked, and stunned looks were written across everyone's faces.
"Why you want an oversized beast to join us?" Anne furrowed her eyebrows, her hands on her hips.
"Because he's all alone and has no one to watch over him. He'll be useful to us."
"You do realize, though, that taking care of a lion is different from taking care of a cat."
While still trying to decide, Oblivion kneeled down and petted the lion's fur. In response, the lion licked his face.
"See, he likes mew," Minette said and giggled. The kaiser smiled in return.
"If the rest of you are fine with him joining us, then I won't deny that request."
Everyone else approved of the lion joining them to Anne's dismay, so she pouted and crossed her arms. Minette cheered, pumping her fist in the air.
"Awesome we got a new feline friend here," Aimee said with a grin.
"Since His Meowjesty's the one that did the last blow on those mean kitties, he should do the honors of naming him."
"Me?" Oblivion's eyes widened, but his face then softened and he chuckled. "All right, then, how about Bismarck?"
Minette growled in satisfaction. "Bismarck's a good name."
"Glad that you approved." Oblivion's face turned back to serious. "We got distracted long enough, our correspondents are waiting."
The group moved out once more, now with Bismarck in toll. Beaming the rest of the way, she couldn't wait to play with her new feline friend.
V. Fa-mew-ly
"Bizzie, where are mew? Here kitty kitty kitty."
For the last hour Minette tried to find Bismarck inside the Skyhold, but with no luck. The lion snatched something that belonged to the kaiser, so she was hoping to try to get that item from him and return it to His Meowjesty. She had been asking the other soldiers if they saw him, only for them to shrug.
Eventually Minette went to check out the library, as she and Bismarck would take catnaps there under the window often. When she stepped inside, three people gathered around a table with a small pile of books. Cú and Bella sat across from Janne Angard, one of the newer recruits that joined in less than a month ago, and they were in a conversation with one another.
"So you're able to do all the elements, and not just the usual thunder, fire, and blizzard?" Janne asked.
"Yes. I had been practicing the art of spellcraft since I was very young," Bella said in her usual slow, monotone voice.
"No one can match my milady's magicks! Why, without her abilities I wouldn't be here today!"
Janne cringed at Cú's loud voice. "Geez, have you ever heard of using your indoor voice, especially since we're in a library?"
Cú chuckled. "My apologies! I have nothing but high regard towards milady!" He then noticed Minette and his grin grew wider. "Minette! Care to join us?"
"I appreciate the offmeower there, but I'm busy trying to find Bizzie. Have any of mew seen him?"
"We haveeEeen't, sooOoory," Bella's doll, Donna, said.
"Yeah, me neither," Janne said. "Why you're looking for that lion, if I may ask?"
"Well, early this meowrning Bizzie's been a bad kitty and took one of His Meowjesty's boots, so Minette's trying to get that from him."
"The kaiser's boot? Those thigh high ones?" Janne raised an eyebrow, and then he laughed. "His Majesty has some interesting fashion sense."
"Say, I have an idea! Let's help Lady Minette find that lion!" Cú suggested, and that made Minette gasped.
"I'm fine with that," Bella said, her face indifferent. "It at least gives us something to do."
"Oh, that would be wondermeowl!" Minette jumped in excitement.
Janne's head jerked. "Wait, what? Are we really going to try to find that big fuzzball?"
"Of course! Clearly she needs our help!" Cú flashed her a grin. "It's settled, then! We'll track down Bismarck! Together!"
A heavy sigh left Janne, his shoulders dropping. "Fine, I'll join. We better not be his lunch."
Almost another half hour had flown by with the group questioning more soldiers if they had seen the lion. One of the soldiers mentioned seeing Bismarck heading towards the kitchen, and so Minette and the others went there. Once everyone reached the kitchens, everyone was greeted by an amusing sight.
Angelo was on top of the counter, knife in hand, while Bismarck lied on the floor chewing on meat.
"Bizzie, there mew are!" Minette said, beaming. The lion responded with a low growl and went back to tearing out his meal.
"Hey Angelo, got your hands full there?" Janne asked, a smirk tugging on his lips.
"If you can't already tell, yes. The beast here suddenly comes barging in the kitchen while I was cooking today's dinner, and I threw a piece of meat for him. I was waiting until he finished."
"He's too scaAaared to deal with him," Donna said and made a taunting laugh. "And didn't you say you don't want to be his dinneeEeer eaAarlieeEeer, Janne?"
Janne flinched. "Hey, no one wants to be eaten, okay?"
"I can take care of Bizzie from here." Minette let out a whistle, which brought Bismarck's attention. "Come here, Bizzie!" As the lion began approaching her, she continued her cute cat talk. "Yes, good kitty. Mew won't hurt anyaone." She stopped when Bismarck was in front of her and she petted him. Angelo quickly jumped off the counter.
"Phew, that's close," Angelo said when he approached the group. "It's a good thing that feline likes you."
Minette giggled. "Bismarck's like any other kitty. Give him affection and he'll love mew back." Remembering what she came here for in the first place, she then asked Angelo, "Nyangelo, where's the kaiser's boot?"
Angelo raised an eyebrow. "The kaiser's boot? Oh, the lion threw it in the trash before I gave him the meat."
This time Minette screamed in horror, and she rushed to the nearest trashcan to see that indeed Oblivion's boot had been in there. She picked it up, very sticky and there was a banana peel in it. Minette's nose wrinkled at the pungent smell.
"What's going on?" another voice asked, and Minette turned around to see His Meowjesty having a baffled look on his face.
Minette's mouth twitched and she shifted her head. "I caught Bizzie eating one of meowr boots, and after he ran ameway from me I tried to find him. Janne, Cú, and Bella then offered to help and we found him in the kitchen, but your boot got thromewn in the trash."
"Oh, I see." Oblivion grabbed the boot from Minette with his artificial hand and he grimaced. "This isn't the first time Bismarck had done this."
"Sorry I wasn't able to retrieve your boot in one piece, Your Meowjesty," Minette said with a frown. Bismarck growled, shaking his head.
"It's all right." Oblivion offered her a small smile. "I can always get new ones."
"So that boot will be Bismarck's toy now?" Janne asked.
"Bismarck threw it in the trash, so it's safe to assume he doesn't care for it anymore." With that said, the kaiser dropped the dirty boot back in the trash, and he smiled once more. "I do appreciate all of you wanting to retrieve one of my belongings back to me."
"Not a problem at all, Your Majesty!" Cu said. Bella merely nodded. "Even if you lost your toothbrush! We'll search for it!"
"I was forced to join, but seeing Angelo scared of Bismarck is worth it," Janne said, and Angelo stared at him.
"I think that's enough. All right everyone, back to what you were doing until dinner tonight," Oblivion said before he made his leave.
"Dinner's in another two hours, so I better get back to finishing that. Move along everyone, shoo," Angelo said as he made a shoo gesture with his hands. Leaving him alone, Minette, Bismarck, and the others exited the kitchen.
"Minette's happy that Bismarck has been found," Minette said while they were walking. She gave Bismarck a quick petting.
"Bismarck's a fine fellow!" Cú said. "I bet he's even stronger! Than me!"
"Being with all of you... Was actually enjoyable," Bella said. A tiny smile formed on her lips. "It makes staying here less boring."
Minette grinned. "I agree, we should this meowre often!" It wasn't often they do stuff as a family together, so she couldn't wait for that.
VI. Bad Dreams
On the night after the failed kidnapping attempt of the Pope, Minette began to have nightmares.
She dreamed of the one good memory she had of her mother. She used to sing lullabies to her, one that particularly stuck with her was a song about a cat always having their belly full because the sky kept raining fish. Her voice was soothing and puts her to sleep, curled in her mother's embrace.
One fish, two fish, three fish, the cat gulps every fish from the sky. Four fish, five fish, six fish, the cat got more than enough to get by. Seven fish, eight fish, nine fish, more fish the cat cry…
… And did nothing else, you useless cat.
Minette now found herself strapped tightly in a chair. Recognizing the room already, she struggled to get out. In front of her was her mother holding a needle. Mommy's face was drained of color and black circles around her eyes.
"This is no good. I need more results."
"I'll help Mommy, I'll be a good kitty." Minette growled sadly and her stomach dropped, but she didn't want to disappoint Mommy.
"Good… Good." She struck the needle on Minette's arm, causing the girl to scream.
Minette's surroundings shifted right after. She now dreamed of killing someone she vaguely remembered from her childhood, the man that had dropped her in the orphanage. He knew of the artifact her master wanted, so he needed to be dealt with. She was then able to get that compass, only to then be stopped by a group of four humans she never met before. Somehow, Minette recognized them to be the same ones that killed Cú and Bella earlier.
"Important? Well, what makes it so important?" one of them, a boy with brown hair and blue attire with a white lion crest, asked during their fight. He had the nerve to question her.
"I don't know! His Meowjesty said it must be important, so it meowst be important!"
Bismarck was taken down first, and eventually Minette grew exhausted and kneeled down. While trying to regain her breath, the blood splattered on their clothes and weapons caught Minette's attention. They hesitated in making their move at first—
—and when they did their finishing blow on her, she woke up. She was in her room, back in reality. Her chest shuddered and cold sweat rolled on her face.
xxx
The next night Minette had that same dream again. The last strike from them was just as fatal as the one from last time, and she woke up in the same state as before.
Earlier today, she had talked to His Meowjesty and the others about the dream, about those four humans. A stunned look crossed his face, but nonetheless he confirmed those to be the same ones that defeated Cú and Bella. Apparently the others too had dreamed about them able to take their lives.
They planned to try to get the compass before Yew and his friends, but Minette still worried about everyone risking their lives. And yet she was aware that would be case the moment she had joined the Glanz Empire.
Too shaken up to get back to sleep, Minette bounced off of her bed and stepped out of the bedroom. She walked through the halls for a while until she reached inside the dining room. Various paintings spread across the walls and a red carpet rolled on the floor. There was a long table stretched out, and already two people occupied the chairs, Geist and Aimee.
"Tomorrow's the day you and ya son gonna hit Geyser Grotto, huh?" the sharpshooter lady asked.
"It is. I'm a little nervous to be honest. Not for me, but for Rev. I rather he not join, but I'll need him to help me get the compass."
Aimee rested her elbow on the table, her face softening. "I getcha, fatherly instincts. I'm sure the both of ya will make it alive."
"Your kind gesture is appreciated," Geist said and chuckled. As he turned his head slightly and noticed Minette in front of them, his expression changed. "Miss Minette, what are you doing here?"
"Minette has those bad dreams again and can't sleep. Was walking until I found mew two."
"Hey, we can make this a slumber party," Aimee said with a smile. "Come and join with us, sweetheart."
Minette pulled a chair and sat on it. She gulped, her hands on her lap.
"Man I tell ya, it's crazy that all of us been havin' those nightmares. And being bossed around by those meddlin' kids."
"I agree that it is strange. When I first woke up from those dreams, I couldn't breathe because I almost killed a child and his father. Rev was very worried about me."
Frowning, Minette could tell from his grim voice Geist didn't like that at all. She glanced at Aimee, and she too looked to feel sorry for him.
"That's scary, meow…"
"It's fine. I mean, it's just a dream, right?" Geist dragged his hand through his hair and sighed. "Speaking of which… Minette, you mentioned getting the compass, correct?"
She flinched upon hearing that. "I did, yes. Why mew asked?"
"I'm curious if you can remember what it looks like."
"Oh. Well…" While Minette tried to come up with a response, Aimee and Geist fixed their gazes at her. "It's a big golden compass with a dial that looks like a sword. Mew will know it right away."
"Should be a piece of cake to find it for ya, then?" Aimee asked.
"Yes, Rev and I shall have no problem in getting it first." Geist looked at the clock on the wall. "I'll try to get some sleep now. You ladies have a good night."
Geist rose from his chair and made his way out of the dining hall. Aimee too got out of her seat, stretching her arms.
"Gonna hit back the shack myself. Hopefully neither of us gets those dreams again," she said, and took her leave.
Lifting her head a little, Minette hoped those dreams won't hunt her back either. She also hoped Revenant and his Father succeeds in their mission and that they returned safely.
VII. Peace
It had been some hours until Minette woke up from her catnap. After some stretching, she looked to see she had been lying on a matt made of feline fur and the fireplace running. Next to her was Bizzie, sleeping peacefully. Someone probably put her and Bismarck here while she rested, which she appreciated because the matt was very warm and comfortable. Her ears twitched when someone was sipping tea, so when she turned her head—
"Kamewizumeow!"
Kamiizumi greeted her with a small but warm smile. "Glad to see you're awake."
"How long have I been out?"
"Pretty much all of last night and this morning. Understandable as you and my allies did fight hard against one another."
Minette let out a low purr, hanging her head down. Indeed the battle with Yew and his friends had her exhausted and even cats needed time to recover. Before taking her long rest, she wished them good luck in going through the Skyhold.
"Have mew heard from them yet?" she asked.
"The last I was in contact with them they found two of the kaiser's men watching over the Skyhold and now they're going after him at Gathelatio."
"Really?" Minette sighed and slumped down, her back against Bismarck's fur. Even though Oblivion probably had abandoned her, he did promise he wouldn't forget about her. And she couldn't see him going against his word. "Is… His Meowjesty going to be killed?"
Kamiizumi's eyes flickered. Before responding, he took a long sip of his tea. "A battle between them is certain, but I believe they'll spare his life."
After some consideration, she nodded. "I believe mew, Kamewizumeow."
In that instant, Kamiizumi's pendant lit up. Minette leaned in closer to see Yew's face on it. From what she could make out, he was inside a room.
"Mr. Kamiizumi, are you here?"
"I am," Kamiizumi said, his face calm. "Did you manage to track down the kaiser?"
"We did, and now he's recovering back in my home. You're still in the Rubadub?"
"Yes, to watch over Minette while she sleeps. Now that she's awake and you had stopped Kaiser Oblivion, we'll head over Gathelatio now."
"Okay, got it. Oh, before I go, will you be taking Minette to Pope Agnès?"
"I must for she too needs to be questioned. Her Holiness, though, has a good head on her shoulders."
Yew made an acknowledged grunt and told Kamiizumi he and his friends shall met with him soon before signing off. Minette's guts dropped and her eyes fell on the floor.
"Minette's happy His Meowjesty is alive and well, but knows she has been a bad kitty and deserves to be punished."
Kneeling down, Kamiizumi rested one hand on her shoulder and offered her a gentle smile. "No need to be so hard on yourself. We all made mistakes none of us are proud of, but as long as there are second chances you'll be able to forge a better path."
Minette gasped and her jaws dropped. Second chances. She had a second chance when Oblivion had taken her under his wing, and then she was given another when Kamiizumi invited her to join him. Both men had believed in her, and she wasn't going to let them down.
"Mew're right, meow! I'll work hard to be a better cat!" she said, flashing Kamiizumi a wide grin. He responded back with another smile pulled onto his lips.
xxx
Once she and Kamiizumi reached Gathelatio, he took her to the sanctum where the Pope would be. The lady welcomed her with a smile and then Minette talked about her past. Her chest tightened the further she went into her tale, but reminded herself thanks to her friends she didn't feel useless anymore. She thought those friends were dead, but was surprised and elated to see them all well.
Pope Agnès held a big feast in celebration of the peace treaty and everyone in the Glanz Empire were invited. Various foods, drinks, and desserts spread across a long table, and Minette gladly sunk her teeth onto the juicy chicken. She glanced around, everyone having fun with the laughter and smiles filling the room. As she continued to tear away at the meat, Kamiizumi approached her.
"Enjoying yourself, Minette?"
Her mouth full, Minette nodded. She swallowed and said, "I am, purr! So much good food, my belly will be full in no time."
Kamiizumi chuckled. "It pleases me that you're in high spirits."
"Been busy talking to everyone here? From eavesdropping some of them, it sounds very complmewicated."
"I have, a lot of it discussions on our next plan of action on how to keep this peace between the duchy and the Orthodoxy. In due time, our goals will be achieved." His face then grew serious. "Have you gotten the chance to speak with the kaiser?"
Minette swallowed another piece of meat and she blinked. "Oh. Um, not yet."
"I think now is a good time to do so." Minette watched as he pointed his finger at Oblivion, who was alone and holding a glass of water. She nodded at Kamiizumi and they headed to his spot. When they approached him, he smiled at Minette.
"It's nice to see you, Minette."
"Minette's glad you're all right!" She grinned at him.
"Likewise," he said as he rubbed his metal arm. His smile faded when he faced Kamiizumi. "The illustrious Swordmaster Kamiizumi. I've heard about your many accomplishments regarding the sword."
"I too am aware you're a skilled fighter yourself, Denys Geneolgia. You might not remember, but I met your father once, back when the duchy took over the Orthodoxy."
"Meow?" Minette tilted her head in confusion. She glanced at Oblivion to see his face not faltered.
"I actually do, but that's all in the past. Right now the Glanz Empire will help the Pope and the duchy make this better world a reality."
"I look forward to that." Kamiizumi took another sip of his water. "There's something else I should let you know. Just recently, I offered to take care of Minette and she accepted."
"Is this true, Minette?" Oblivion asked, his eyes shot open.
Minette nodded. "I thought I was going to be abandoned because I lost to Yew and his friends, and then Lord Kameowizumew asked if I want to stay with him."
"I see." A slight smile tugged onto his mouth. "I wouldn't abandon any of my friends, of course. It's my fault for pushing you and the others too hard in achieving our goals."
"That's all right, Minette wanted to help out anyway she can."
"And you have done a lot, thank you." His attention back to Kamiizumi, he said to him, "I trust that you'll take good care of her."
"No need to worry, she's in good hands. You're welcome to visit us anytime."
"I will keep that in mind. Well, I need to head back to my home as I have a lot of catching up to do with my brother. You be a good kitty to Kamiizumi, all right?" Oblivion kneeled down to scratch behind Minette's ear and she purred. She was going to miss his scratches.
Oblivion shook Kamiizumi's hand and waved goodbye to them. She and Kamiizumi waved back to him and watched as he left the sanctum. When he was gone, Minette growled.
"You were very fortunate to have him as your leader. He does care for his comrades very much."
Minette beamed. "It's because we're one big fa-mew-ly!"
"Yes, I supposed so." Kamiizumi returned the smile and patted Minette's head. He then suggested if she wanted to talk with her other friends, and Minette was more than delighted to do that.
During the rest of the party, she got to make small talk with Cú, Bella, and Nikolai. Janne was harder to make conversation with, but he did tell her he appreciated her courage in buying time for the kaiser to escape, and she thanked him for the kind words there. She then played a ball of yarn with Revenant for sometime with Geist watching over them. Aimee and Angelo weren't around, the both of them having left the Glanz Empire several days ago, so she wished them luck on whatever their next path of life would be.
Minette cherished her old family and the moments she had with everyone, certain she would still see them often. She was going to be in a new family soon, and she couldn't wait to make new memories.