I just watched the HnKnA movie trailer and I'm so psyched! I cant wait to see it! Although some of my favorite guys had very little time … I hope they get more screen time in the movie…
I regrettably don't own The Roleholders nor Alice, just the kids and the idea.
Chapter 21 The New Guest! Daddy's Promise!
A pair of amber eyes shifted, checking to make sure the hallway was safe and most importantly clear. When it seemed as if she was the only person around, the little raven haired girl with two alabaster white ribbons in her hair started to tip toe across the maroon rug beneath her. From the side you could see, there was a rather large bump that sprung on her back, as if there was something hiding underneath her coal coat. Her hands were holding each other, near the end of her new hump.
"I'm almost there…" she thought as she spotted a brown door. The girl started to reach for the knob when it jiggled by itself. Before the pigtailed girl could even sweat out of fear, the light blonde foreigner and the ebony haired Roleholder with lizard mark on his neck, had appeared when the door opened.
"Hello there, Tama how are you doing?" the man politely questioned.
"Um…just fine," the child stuttered in a nervous tone. The Niagara Falls seemed to flowing down from her bangs. "I'm going to…um…wash my hands. See you in a little while." She dashed away for a few steps, in hopes of being to sneak away undetected.
The two noticed the change with the usual happy child, as if she was hiding something. A wave of concern had draped over the two so they continue to watch the girl. It seemed that her new found timidness was unfounded when they had to blink to make sure what they were seeing was real.
There something fire orange-red with a little snow white tip, in the shape of a flame and looking rather fluffy sticking out of the back of her ash colored jacket.
"Gray? Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Alice asked the man on her left.
"I believe so," Gray answered.
They started to follow the small girl. The maiden called out to her, "Tama?"
The kid froze in place, with one leg still up in the air. She remained a statue even when the dark haired male lifted up her jacket. All of a sudden, a flash of something persimmon dashing form beneath the cloak and down the hallway.
"SOCKY! WAIT!" Tama hollered. She struggled for a second and soon slid out her coat, revealing an ebony dress with a white frilly blouse underneath. The noirette sped after the flame, the couple followed.
Alice and Gray halted, trying to capture air into their lungs. Five minutes of tracking down the girl seemed to give them quite a work out.
The lizard man commented, "I feel like I was just chasing Nightmare. I feel just as tired." His hand pushed against the wall, supporting him as he sighed.
"I feel the same way," the foreigner agreed, her hands on her knees. She scanned the hallways, looking gor the missing pig-tailed girl. She noticed her target crouching down, in front of a violet silk curtain. "There she is! Tama!"
The girl turn towards the teenager, pressing a finger to her lips, then it pointed at the drapery. The two strolled over.
"What are you doing?" the Roleholder asked.
"I'm trying to get Socky out from hiding," the child reolied.
"Who or what is Socky?" the maiden thought, staring at lilac fabric. She could see the outline of something pointy. When her aquamarine eyes trailed away she noticed something that made her eyes widen in horror.
Even though the ivory sleeve covered a good portion of Tama's arm, it still exposed her wrist. A large bruise seemed to wrap her wrist, like a braclet. There was even some dried blood still left on the wound.
"TAMA! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR WRIST?" Alice hollered, her voice filled with woe.
"Well, I..you see…I was trying to help…" the girl started, when a soft whining sound stopped her. The plum shroud shifted and lifted itself. It draped over furry face with a pointed white muzzl ending with a coal black nose. The rest of the face wore apricot orange fur. Two pointed ears with ebony tips stood on its head.
Tama stopped her sentence and turned to the animal. "It's okay, don't worry. We won't hurt you, come on out," she coaxed. The hand with the injured wrist, curled its finger for more effect.
Soon the critter step out of the curtain and into full view. The rest of its body was the same flame orange-red as its face, except for the small blanched patch of fuzz on its chest and four socks of the same color on its paws, and the tip of the fluffy tail.
"C..Cute…" was the first thought that hit the foreigner and the Roleholder. Identical shades of carmine splashed on their faces, when Alice peered down and noticed a common trait between the girl and the fox.
Like the child, the kit had an identical bruise, only looking more serious on the front paw on the right side, closest to her. The animal held this one of the ground, tyring not to stand on it.
"Just exactly what happened to you two?" the foreigner repeated.
"Well you see," the girl began, "I was playing outside with everyone. we were all going inside, when I heard a whining sound. I looked around and found him, all tangled up in a bush with lots of thorns. I tried to get him out, but I got stuck too, just for a little while. I was to wriggle out and save Socky-chan too."
"Let's take care of your wounds now, okay?" Alice offered. She held out her hand for the child to take. The girl placed her fist with the injured wrist inside the foriegner's hands. While the two females started off, Gray was left with getting the fox.
"Come on," he said, his hands mimcing the motion Tama had used. The charcoal nose was a spec apart from his hand. It made some sniffing sounds, trying to decide if this person was friend or foe. The animal's decision was clear when he rubbed his furry head against the caloused extremity. Gently, the Roleholder picked up the kit, carrying it in one arm.
Alice was wrapping the girl's wound in bandage when Gray came in through the door.
"Hey Alice, where is the medicine I keep?" the adult male asked.
"It should be in the cabinet, third shelf," the maiden replied.
He walked over to the ebony cabinet, pulling on a golden knob. The door opened and his eyes immediately to the shelf close to his eye level. The man reached and grabbed a small white box with the hand that was free. He set the fox kit and first aid kit down. He opened the chest and pulled out a spray bottle and some tape.
"Hold still, okay?" the adult asked the animal. He lifted its leg and started to spray the liquid on it. The fox whined at the contact of the medicine, but didn't move. The man stretched out the tape and wrapped it around the bruise.
"Onii-chama is really good with animals, isn't he?" Tama commented, as she watched him.
"When he picks up strays, sometimes they're injured so he takes care them," Alice responded.
"Onii-chama, can I help you take care of Socky?" the noirette girl asked.
"Why of course. Just one question," the Roleholder said.
"Sure," the child responded.
"Why do you call him Socky?" he asked.
"Can't you tell? Look," she said as her finger pointed to the animal. "He's got four socks on his paws, see?"
He glanced at the animal noting the color of his feet. "I think it suits him," he commented.
For the next few days, the two Ringmarcs treated the newest member of the tower. Socky seemed to be making progress, standing on his injured foot from time to time.
"All right everyone, come and get it!" the small girl called out. Several cats strolled towards her, all different shades and features and sizes. From large gray cats with rather fluffy tails to calicos with stick skinny tails, all of them walked to the girl. She set down two bowls, full of brown flakes that the felines happily started to chow down on.
"Socky! Lunchtime!" the child hollered. The creature in question, started to scurry to her. She set down another dish, this one filled with red scraps. They had tried to feed him food that would suit canine taste, but he would often just nibble or ignore the plate. The worse had happened when he caught sent of her two friends with long ears and decided to make them a snack. After three hours of chasing after the predator after its prey, they found kitchen scraps of meat distrcted him from the girls and filled up the fox just fine.
"That was the only time you gave us any trouble," Tama chuckled. She crouched down and her fingers felt the soft fur on his head as she scratched his ear. He continued to chew on his meal.
"It seems that he's fine," a tenor toned voice sommented.
The girl turned atound to find the lizard staring at her.
"Hello there, Onii-sama. How are you?" she greeted.
"Fine thank you," he responded, "Now let me see if Socky is alright."
He knelt down and picked up the bandaged paw and unwrapped it. The bruse had swelled down to a rather small scratch.
"He seems to be okay, we should be able to let him go now," Gray said.
"Let Socky…go…now?" the thought made the girl's heart squeeze a little in sadness of leaving her friend.
"Hey, Onii-sama? Can we keep Socky just a little while longer?" Tama asked, her fist close to her mouth. "He might get sick or something if we don't take care of him for a little while longer. Please let him stay for a little while longer."
He sighed, "I think that its best, if we let him go soon."
"Come on, Onii-sama can't we keep for a few more days," she questioned. The child clasped her hands together and bent her head slightly. "Please," she begged once more.
The lizard sighed. This girl was so cute, especially looking at him like that. How could he resist her?
He sighed once more , "You really want to keep him, don't you?"
The pig-tailed child lower her head a little, her amber eyes glanced away from him. "Just for a little while longer…" she mumbled.
"Well, I don't see the harm in keeping for a few more days," The Roleholder said.
The noirette girl golden eyes widened, "Really?" Suddenly, her arms wrapped themselves around his neck. "Thank you Onii-sama!"
A week later, the two stood in an open field, draped in winter's blanket. The little kit was snuggling close to the kid.
"Okay Socky. You have to go home now," the girl said.
The fox yipped in response, as if he was trying to say goodbye. It was followed a deeper sounding bark that made all three heads turn. After watching a few bushes shivered, another fox emerged. This one was larger, going up to Tama's hip. Socky immediately jumped out of the girl's arms and dashed over to the other animal. The larger one stretched its neck so it could nuzzle the smaller one's head. The kit returned the cuddle. The two foxes looked over at the two humans and they started to stroll into the shrubs.
"Looks like Socky found his family," the pig-tailed child sighed.
"Yes, it seems he has," the Roleholder agreed.
For a few moments , they just stood there, looking at the place that the two creatures left.
"You know…I hope I get to be like Socky," Tama wondered.
"What?" the man asked.
"Well, when you think about it. Socky and Tama-chan are very similar. We both got separated from our families, then someone found us and took us in and they took really good care of us. Socky was able to get back home and someday I hope I can get back home too," The girl explained.
"I'm sure you'll be able to get back to your parents soon," Gray comforted, he reached out to rub Tama's head.
"Onii-sama,do you think that Socky will forget us?" Tama wondered, she looked up at him, hopeful look in her honey eyes.
"No, I don't think so," he answered. "You don't usally forget someone who was kind to you, right?"
"I know I won't forget Alice-onee-sama or you when I go home. Will you forget Tama-chan?" she asked.
"Don't worry, I won't forget you," The Roleholder assured.
"Promise?" the word came out of the girl's mouth as more like a question.
"I promise," he responded.
The two started back home, Tama's heart kept her warm from the winter wind.
This scene was inspried by a part in Gray's route where Alice and Gray take care of an injured swan.
Please Review!
Daisuki~!