Chapter 4
"It all began three days ago... When I was at home with my family... and we were given some... shocking news..."
Pandora sat quietly on a red pillow, Watching as two other cats, tackled each other happily. A White male cat with rather long ears, a scruffy tail with a light brown tip and a light brown muzzle, jumped up besides her.
"You alright, sis'?" He spoke with a rather strange accent, defiantly not Japanese. Pandora smiled at him.
"I'm fine, Snippy. Just watching Rose and Eve." Snippy, with bright blue eyes, looked down at the two cats fighting, one looked like Pandora, only her ears had brown tips as the rest of her fur was white like his, and her white, brown tipped tail was smooth and thin. She also didn't have the same muzzle as he and Pandora did, instead, her cheek fur neatly pointed out, like horns, which seemed to fit with her glaring green eyes.
As did the other cat she was fighting, only she was a light brown colour with ears like Snippy's, only shorter and had dark brown tip's, and had the same body as Pandora, only, the tip of her tail and hind paws were dark brown. They both stopped fighting when they realised they were being watched by the other two cats.
"What?" One asked, adjusting a pink ribbon on her head and glaring up at them with green eyes. The other one trotted other to them and jumped next to Pandora.
"Well, for one, you two where fighting, Rose..." Snippy stated as the cat known a Rose growled at him and held up her paw, facing away.
"Don't wanna here it!" She went over to the sofa on the opposite side of the small room and jumped onto it.
Snippy and Pandora rolled their eyes and faced the remaining cat sat besides Pandora, smiling widely.
"Pandora, will you play with me?" Pandora smiled but shook her head.
"Not right now, Eve... I'm rather tired." Eve's ears dropped as did her smile, before looking around Snippy and smiling.
"Snippy?" Snippy also smiled and shook his head.
"Sorry little sis', I'm not up for it, remember I only jus' came back from that lab..." He cringed. Eve tilted her head in confusion and concern.
"The lab?"
"Remember, Snippy was cat-napped by scientists, he's still recovering from those horrid experiments..." Pandora reminded her little sister. Eve nodded and faced away from her older siblings.
"Experiments?" Gordon asked, placing two slices of toast onto a plate and wandering back to the table.
"Hai, my poor brother went through so much... I'm not too sure if he fully recovered... anyway... We were all there when..."
"Pandora, Snippy, Rose, Eve? Come here please..." The four cat's ears perked, as they all jumped down and made their way through an open door into a garden, a pond at the top corner of the garden with a cherry tree looming over it. By the tree sat a young woman, around the age of nineteen, black hair tied in a bun, wearing a beautiful red kimono. The cats happily trotted over to her smiling widely. Eve purred and immediately climbed onto her lap, Snippy and Pandora sat either side of her, while Rose stayed by her feet. The young woman sighed as they greeted her.
"What is it, Aru-chi?" Eve asked happily. Aru-chi stroked Eve's fur softly.
"I'm afraid... My dear cats, you're... going away for a while..." Rose gave her a look a disgust and confusion as her siblings looked up at their owner in confusion.
Pandora was first to speak. "A-away... But... where? Why?"
"The pound, that's where! Why? Because she doesn't want us anymore, that's why!" Rose hissed, standing to her full height (which wasn't much). The other cats looked at her in shock before turning to their owner.
"Rose... That's not true, I'm not sending you to the pound, and I still love you all, I really do... It's just... something's happened and the best thing would be if I send you all away... It will only be temporary..."
"Pah..." Rose scoffed facing away from her owner. The other cats looked at each other, for answers of some kind. Snippy finally looked at Aru-chi "What has happened that could involve us?"
Aru-chi sighed, "well... let's just say those scientists we saved Snippy from have gotten permission to take not only snippy, but all of you..." The cats gasped.
"What? I'm not spending the rest of my life as a tool to test makeup!" Rose's voice rose. Pandora and Eve cuddled their owner tightly.
"Y-You're not going to let them take us are you?" Aru-chi sadly shook her head.
"I have no say in whether you can stay or not..." The cats sadly hung their heads. "But..." They looked up at her, smiling "...They can't take you if they can't find you!" The cats looked at her in surprise and happiness.
"Genius!" Snippy exclaimed flinging his white paws around Aru-chi's waist along with Pandora and Eve. Rose smiled softly and patted her arm.
"Yeah... pretty clever... for a human..." The other three cats glared at her, she held up her paws, "What?"
There owner laughed, followed by her pet's laughter.
Pandora stopped to take a bite into her toast. She swallowed. "Hmm... Lovely..." She complimented Gordon who smiled.
"Aww... Cheer, lass..." Pandora smiled and continued.
"It was a night time, when Aru-chi said she'd drive us to her sister's house, I'm not sure where it was, but defiantly further than Bakersfield... I fell asleep on the ride and woke up in the ally way, where that dog chased me, and you saved me."
"So can you not remember how you ended up there exactly?" Pandora shook her head.
"No... I'm very confused. I don't know if I should return back too Aru-chi in Japan, or stay in California. Sure, she must have left me here for a reason but, why an ally?" Gordon crossed his arms over his stomach and thought. He didn't know much about Pandora, her family or Japan much (as he always confused it for China), so he wasn't too sure on what to do. He smiled, coming to a conclusion.
"Well, You're still recovering from your... well... you know..." Pandora nodded as he continued, "So why not stay with us? There's plenty more room for another cat in the house.
"I beg to differ..." A voice from behind said. Gordon looked over Pandora's shoulder whilst she turned her head to the doorway, where a man wearing neat black clothes stood.
"Oh, Morning Hovis, This is Pandora, Pandora, this is our butler, Hovis!" Pandora smiled and jumped from her chair, performing a little bow.
"Kon'nichiwa, Hovis-san!" She sat back on her chair, still smiling and facing him.
"Greetings... So she will be staying with us then?" Gordon nodded but Pandora stammered.
"O-only for a bit I promise!" Hovis shrugged, still keeping his emotionless expression.
"Well, ye can stay as long as you want to, lassie..." Gordon smiled, receiving a smile back from Pandora.
"Very well... Mr. Blik won't be too happy about this..." Pandora turned at the sound of the black cat's name.
"Does that worry you?" she asked tilting her head in concern.
"No. Being honest it's rather amusing to see him be so overdramatic." Pandora frowned. His expression still didn't show any emotion in it.
"Don't worry about, Blik, lass... He can't boss you around." Pandora nodded and finished up her toast as Hovis sighed,
"Well, I have some cleaning I need to attend to..." He turned and walked out the door. The two cats listened as they heard Waffle greet Hovis somewhere down the hall before the grey cat emerged in the doorway, ginning widely.
"Heya, Gordon! Heya Pandora!" He waved walking into the kitchen.
"Morning, Laddie!" Gordon grinned
"Ohayō, Waffle-san." Pandora smiled, waving back lightly. Waffle yawned and made his way over to one of the kitchen cabinets. Gordon turned back to Pandora.
"So... You don't know where you're family is now?" Pandora shook her head and sighed sadly.
"Unfortunately no...I only hope there as far away from those scientists that Aru-chi spoke of...From what Snippy told us, I'd hate to be within the clutches of those Baka..." Gordon nodded understandingly as waffle sat by him, placing a bowl in front of him as well as a cereal box.
"What you guys talking about?" He asked smiling, his tongue slightly hanging for his mouth. Pandora coughed nervously, knowing she'd have to explain the entire story again as well as simplifying it.
"Well, I was just explaining to Gordon how I ended up where he found me." Waffle leaned forward, whilst pouring the cereal into the bowl, a few pieces of cereal flew out onto the floor.
"How did you end up there?" Pandora sighed and began to explain, making sure Waffle understood. He nodded though the entire story.
"Oh... So you're staying then?" Pandora opened to reply, but was cut off.
"No! She isn't!" Mr. Blik's loud voice boomed in the room, making Pandora yelp and spring off from her chair, landing softly on her feet, her paws cuddled in front of her terrified face. Gordon sighed and jumped down in front of her.
"No one gave you permission on whether she goes OR stay's Blik... That's up to the lass..." Blik shot a deadly glare at Pandora as she tried to avoid his eye line. He growled.
"Well I'M the leader of this house, and I say she GOES, NOW!"
The furiously pointed to the door way. Pandora took a small step forward but stopped as Gordon continued.
"What's the lassie ever done to you? She's no harm..."
"We don't know that! She comes here with some 'feel sorry for me' back-story, and we don't know if it's true or not!"
"Sometime you have to trust people... Too bad you never even TRY to get to know people!" As the argument raged on, there was a knock at the door that only Waffle and Pandora heard. Pandora followed Waffle out the room. He looked at her in slight sadness.
"You're not leaving are you?" Pandora pondered this for a while and shrugged.
"I don't want to be a burden... But I don't know where I'll go if I do leave..." Waffle nodded and opened the door to reveal a yellow female cat wearing a purple hair band in her chocolate brown hair, tie in two separate purple ribbons. She smiled excitedly.
"Hi Waffle!" She greeted him.
"Heya, Katilda!" He greeted back. She looked over at Pandora, standing nervously. She looked up and down the brown furred cat.
"Who's you're friend, Waffle?" She directed to Pandora. Waffle still smiled as he faced Pandora in realisation.
"Oh, Katilda, this is Pandora, Pandora, this is Katilda!" Katilda held her paw out to shake Pandora's.
"Nice to meet ya, Pandora!" Pandora shook her paw reluctantly.
"Ohayō, Katilda-san..." Katilda's eyes widened in surprise and wonder.
"Wow! Are you Japanese?" Her voice full of excitement. Pandora nodded sheepishly.
"I originate from Tokyo, Japan, so..." Katilda cut her off.
"What brings you to Bakersfield, California then?" Pandora sighed.
"Long story short... My owner sort of lost me on a journey away from Japan, and it's complicated so... Anyway... I woke up in an ally where a dog attacked me, and Gordon saved me and brought me back here... but I'm not sure I'll be staying..."
Katilda raised an eyebrow, as it began to sink in. "How come?" She asked. There was another shout from the kitchen.
"I will not have you bring strangers into MY house Gordon!" Katilda sighed in annoyance but then shoved Pandora playfully.
Don't worry, Pandy'... I'll sort ol' Bliky- pants out!" She grinned and winked at her before striding towards the kitchen, a devious grin spread on her face.
"W-w-Wha? O-oh... You really...don't..." Pandora tried to protest, but it was too late. Katilda disappeared into the kitchen.
Waffle closed the door smiling. "Splee!" He ran after her, Pandora shuffling behind him.
Pandora shuffled in and gulped. Katilda had, somehow, pinned the black cat against the yellow kitchen wall. Holding him by the shoulders. She grinned.
"Now then Blik... I here you're being rude to a certain new comer..." Blik barely got to glare at Pandora at that point, but in the second he did, she cowered behind Waffle, the one closest to her. Gordon watched, restraining a grin from spreading on his face.
"So? I have every right to..." He was cut off when Katilda pressed her nose against his, glaring into his eyes. He blushed.
"Are you gonna let her stay? Or would you rather have the neighbourhood know about your 'Comrade-"
Blik cut her off.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I would!"
"Prove it!" Katilda grinned, dragging him to the window and opening it with one paw, and then leaned out. "HEY! EVERYONE!"
Blik gulped.
"GUESS WHAT? BLIK-"
"NO! ALRIGHT! SHE STAY'S, JUST DON'T TELL ANYONE ELSE!" Katilda grinned and let him drop to the floor before shutting the window. He pushed himself up and dusted himself off, still blushing. He then made his way over to Pandora. She looked down at him slightly.
"Yea... You can stay..." His finger pressed into her triangular nose, causing her to fall on her back, "But I'm warning ya now... You dare try anything, and you're out of here!" With that, the fuming black cat stormed out. Gordon held his paw out to the fallen girl cat and helped her up, lightly patting her shoulder.
"You alright there lass?" Pandora nodded. Katilda walked over to her, smiling in triumph. Pandora bowed a little.
"Arigatō, Katilda-san..." Katilda grinned and gave her a playful shove.
"No prob'! Well... I 'd better get go-" There was a flash of lightning. The four cats turned to the window to see the sun had been engulfed by harsh grey could, rain beating heavily.
All four were silent. Katilda grinned.
"On second thoughts... I wouldn't mind getting to know you better, Pandy'!"
"Splee!" Waffle blurted out.
"Well... I guess we could all chat..."
"Aye, let's go into the living room..." The other three nodded and made their way to the living room. They sat on the green sofa, facing mainly towards Pandora.
They talked for at least an hour and a half, until the storm cleared and Katilda when back home. Gordon had been amazed to find how interesting this new girl was. Not only was she from an entirely different country, it had been amazing to hear how she risked her life for her brother, as she didn't seem like the type to face such a situation.
Gordon even confronted her about this, as the two were still sat, chatting away.
She smiled and blushed sheepishly. "Well... I may not be the strongest or bravest... But my brother's life was on the line... I had to do something..."
"Aye... I suppose that if one of my brothers were in that deathly situation, I'd to all to save 'em..." Pandora giggled.
"I believe that entirely, after all... you risked your life to save a complete stranger..." Gordon chuckled.
"Aye, well... You were in trouble..."
Pandora yawned. Though only mid-day, she had become rather sleepy, from chatting to her new friends so much.
"Um... Gordon? Shall I sleep somewhere else tonight? I mean, if I'm staying... I don't want you to be sleeping here every night." Gordon thought for a while.
"I can see if there are any air beds? I don't mind sleeping on the..." Pandora shook her head.
"I insist that you keep you own bed, besides... bed's are much different in Japan." Gordon raised his ears and eyebrows.
"Oh really now?"
"Well... Sort of we sleep on a Futon. Basically it's a flat mattress with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton, wool, or synthetic batting that makes up a Japanese bed. Almost like an air bed but... not... an air bed... but close..." She trailed off, blushing. Gordon couldn't help but chuckle lightly.
"Very well... If you don't mind..."
Pandora nodded. "I don't mind at all." Gordon smiled.
Later...
Pandora slept silently on the air bed, not very far from Gordon's bed on the left side by the window. Gordon lay awake for a while. He looked over at Pandora, and smiled softly.
"Welcome to the neighborhood, lass..."
He not long later fell asleep.
"Top of Form
Bottom of Form
