Chaos and Solution
Tawny
I watched quietly from a corner. This did not look good for Eve, but what could I do? I have no technological knowledge: I could make things worse! I barely managed to get off the helicopter and hide, and I hadn't managed to untie my whip in time! I'd had to cut the thing off at the waist with my claws!
Train
I stopped Sven from going after Eve alone. We'd go after her as a team. "Besides," I added, "Tawny's out there somewhere, too, wherever Eve is. And I know she's still nervous about using that gun." I held up a pair of black gloves with claws on them. "I also know she won't mind if I borrow these."
I took off on my motorcycle, while Sven stayed behind to heal up.
Sven
Rinslet showed up with the scientist who'd created Eve – and she looked just like Eve!
Tawny
Hiding, under normal circumstances, can get very boring. Here, it was simply very, very terrifying. No whip, a gun with uncertain motion-target aim, and claws…I was in trouble.
Train
I found Sven and the others again while driving across the Northern Desert, bringing along some friends for backup.
"Come on, let's go find the princess. I'm sure she's tired of waiting!"
Saphiria
When Train found us and had us join him, I couldn't believe it at first. Although…it left me with an excellent opportunity. Number Ten had told me about Tawny from a previous exposure, and from all descriptions I've encountered, I believe that Heartnet's friend is the same girl.
"Heartnet, about your friend Tawny…"
"What about her?"
"I have been considering making her an unofficial Number Fourteen."
"How unofficial, and how much have you been considering it?"
"I have a new weapon designed for her; if she accepts, it will become a reality. As for how unofficial…if it comes after you, Number Thirteen, then as far as the records are concerned, it doesn't exist."
He smiled. "I think she can handle that, if she says yes."
Train
We picked up Leon and his friends on the way.
We got our plans worked up, and then were joined by Chardon and Kyoko.
This was going to go spectacular!
Tawny
"What's going on?" some guy said, "Why's Eden veering off course?"
"It's the sweepers," another guy answered, "although it looks like they've got a little help."
Go Train!
Although then he started pulling out all his stops, one by one.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
I was hitching rides with Train. When night fell, we stopped for a while. I still hadn't sorted out what had happened. All I knew was, somehow Train had stopped Eve from whatever she'd been doing, and Saphiria had made me an unofficial Number Fourteen.
It wasn't like she hadn't told me why, though:
"Tawny, Train Heartnet may be a stray cat now, but so are you. You may as well stay with him and let him keep you out of trouble. This orichalchum cat-of-nine-tails is named Persephone, and will help you keep him out of trouble."
I glanced down at the new shining 'belt' around my pink-costumed waist. So now I had three names: Cat-O'-Nine-Tails, Number Fourteen, and just Tawny.
I looked up at Train. "Hey, Train?"
"Yeah, Puss?"
I kind of liked his new nickname for me. "Um…I guess what I wanted to say…" I gripped my hair for a second. "This is going to come out cheesy, and I hate cheesy. Oh well. It's just…I like you. A lot. And, um…I'm not going to force you to kiss me. But if you want to, I won't stop you." And then I just sat back, with my eyes closed and my lips parted a little.
I could feel his stare; it was the most intense thing I'd ever encountered. Then I heard him shift closer to me and whisper with an amused note in his voice, "Why not?"
A/N: Episodes 22-24 take credit. Hope you enjoyed it! ^_^