Chapter XXVI - Not Everyone Is Bad

She opened her eyes slightly. At first, her body felt relaxed and calm but as soon as she could move her limbs, they instantly became stiff and uncomfortable. She still felt groggy from the nap she had taken. She expected for it to be morning already, but little did she know that there would be no one but her own thoughts to greet her. Her gold eyes shined through the dark and she looked around. nothing but pens covered in sheets surrounded her, and each pen seemed to have somehting inside it, something alive... hopefully.

She got up as best as she could but instantly feel victim to both the gravity and her worn out body. She collasped and groaned. Where was she? Why was she here? She struggled to get up again but only managed ot collapse once more onto the hard metal florring of her pen. No hay to be found to lay softly on. Just great.

"Don't get up. You'll just pass out from the exhaustion again. Then we won't have much use for you, now will we?" somone said, mildly amused. Safi turned her head sharply to the direction she had heard the voice and came face to face with a much smaller lioness. The brownish lioness smiled slyly and circled her pen. Safi immediately recognized this female. Shida.

"Shida! What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" the brown female rolled her eyes and started walking off.

"You'll see soon. Daddy! She's awake!" the gold lioness stared after her, puzzlement dictating her facial features. What did she mean by that statement? Shida had soon disappeared behind the curtains, then she came back again, but she wasn't alone. Kaden walked slolwy towards the pen and Safi growled. Not him.

"Kaden! What the heck are you doing!? Get me out of here!" Kaden snorted before shooing his daughter away. Shida left hastily, leaving the two leaders to themselves. "I won't ask oyu again: What am I doing here!?" Kaden scratched his sharp nose thoughtfully before smirking.

"Well... for starters, you are in a pen, that is the extent of my knowledge at this very moment. But if you must know you're in the old digger's construction site" Safi's ears perked at the hearing the name of the abandoned site the humans had decided not ot build and left it here for future use.

"Why am I here?"

"Well, second, it's the only secluded place here. Nothing but that stupid hill behind all of our Circuses, with not even a small hole to fit through. However, this place is perfect! Lots of places to hide things, and the fact that it is uninhabited makes the humans supersitious about it. No one will think of searching for you here" he smirked, his pride higher than it was usually at this cleverly thought out hideout for his kind to plot. Safi growled and swung a claw at the bars in front of her.

"Get em out! This is inhumane! Why do you even want me!? I've done nothing to hurt any of you"

"Ah, Safi, the only thing you've hurt is my Circuses chances of winning. With yours toppling over and out of the way, we are no longer second place... but to make sure we've also taken out your newer friends as well. We only need Freak and Flora next and then we'll be guranteed to win this whole competition-"

"You're an idiot! My circus can do fine without me, and I assure you, I have not fully known so much about Zaragoza but I DO know that they won't let some joke you played get in their way, and they can help with my Circus-"

"Oh, but that's where you are wrong, Safi. You see, my associates have done a great job to fully break your ties with them apart. It's very unfortunate that they found your necklace in the tiger's car... and more upset that your little daughter found them. It seems as if she really is hurt at their betrayal" Safi gaped.

"You FRAMED them!? How could you!?"

"All in a fair game's play, Safi. You should know that. That father of yours along with his merry sidekick of a tiger did the same to me" the lion turned, ignoring Safi's loud cries.

"But you said you had no hard feelings! That it was all in the past-"

"Even you should know that it is easy to fool a winner, Safi" Kaden merely responded before leaving the lioness alone. Safi sniffed before growling. Kaden will get it, if anyone gets hurt because of him, he will regret dearly! She turned herself so as to not face the entrance and laid down. She hoped her little Iggy was fine and that Saffy was smart enough to look through this. She should not be harrassing them for her kidnapping. Hopefully Rita would help everyone see that it is a fraud... how, she did not know.

"Miss, you be sad. You ok?" a small voice spoke. Safi jumped and turned her head to see a small little grizzly cub in another pen next to hers. Safi shook her head.

"No, I'm not. My family is being tricked, and I can't do anything about it. If they react as violently as Kaden led me to believe, both of the Circuses are doomed" the cub sniffed.

"Well, I think you lucky. Kaden had others poison me papa. And he took me to make sure that they no try any funny business. He never tells me if they okay or not... me sad" the cub spoke. Safi's jaw widened in shock. Did this cub really mena what he had said? Did Kaden really posion his father, and took him in order to win a stupid competition!? She growled in fury. Oh yeah, when she got out, the first thing she'd do is attack him, then nag at him, then attack, then nag. She turned ot the small cub who cowered in the shadows.

"What is your name, little cub?" the small bear sniffed before responding.

"Yuuri" Safi nodded.

"Well, Yuuri, I'm gonna let you know something" she scooted closer over to the side of the small cub's pen. "I'm busting out of here. And I am going to let you go too, we just gotta figure out first" the cub's ears perked up.

"What if they come and beat us? Me no wanna be beat. No again" the cub sniffed. Safi blinked.

"They beat you?"

"If me no follow orders. I beat. Me no like being beat" the cub sniffed again. Safi glowered. How dare Kaden. First he decides to kidnap her to cause havoc within her circus, then he stoops lower by framing her new friends, then she finds out that he had done this... it was too much to bear. She was getting out, no matter what. She moved closer to the cub.

"Well, I'm getting out. So are you. If we get caught, I promise you, they won't beat you, but if they don't and you escape, I want you to go to my Circus and tell them where I am. Look for a white tigress with anger issues" the cub sniffed before getting up and shook a bit.

"What if me no make it?"

"It'll be too late when they realize you're gone. Besides, there are plenty of places for you to hide, I doubt they have searched every inch of this place" the cub sniffed once more before curling up to sleep.

"OK. Me help you. But me is tired... and hungry" Safi nodded understandingly.

"Alright, I'll let you rest. Goodnight, Yuuri"

0O0

Catalina hurried from the kitchen. When she had gotten home, Bruno had given a hissy fit and she then told him how she could take care of herself. Honestly, he got on her nerves all too often, it was becoming a habit for him. She couldn't help it, bruno was her friend. Why couldn't he understand that? She just wanted to be friends, just friends. She hurried with another batch of choloclates and a few bits of muffins and brownies until she made it to the border. She looked back. Any minute Bruno would wake up and see her gone and she had to run fats before he caught up.

Before she took one more step, she heard rustling in the grass and turned to see a few of her friends coming after her. "Lina! Don't leave! You can't leave!" they called which made Catalina curse under her breath. They caught her. She turned to leave until an American Mastiff appeared in front of her. "Lina! We told you already, you can't leave!" the little Sea Lioness pouted.

"And why not? I can make my own decisions! I'm a big girl!" the mastiff fidgeted a bit before answering.

"We heard from Bruno about that Circus you hang out with. We hear they're not good. Rumor says that someone's been kidnapped last night" Catalina rolled her eyes.

"That's rubbish, Pedro. They are my friends. I can see them whenever I want, besides, they are too nice to be involved in somehting that big. Now come on, Pedro. I promised yesterday to go-" as she turned to walk around the huge dog, another blocked her path, a small monkey.

"Catalina, we love you, and we respect you and everything but Bruno said-"

"Wait, wait, wait, woah, woah... did Bruno set you guys up for this?" she asked. The two looked at each other and nodded at her sheepishly. Catalina groaned. Bruno was becoming so overprotective of her... can he just stop for once? She was starting to dislike him again. She sighed and pulled out a few muffins, brownies, and chocolates from her small basket.

"I'll give you guys one of each of you promise to let me go and runo busy until I come back. make up some lie, do anything, but DON'T tell him where I am" the two looked at each other.

"Alright, Lina" Pedro nodded. "Because we love you, and Bruno was a real jerk about it... plus those snacks do look tasty..." Catalina threw them the promised goods plus a bit more.

"A tip" she giggled before wadlding off. And, as promised, her friends ran off towards the Circus to keep their part of the bargain. they just hoped that Lina would be back in order to to keep Bruno off their backs. Meanwhile, Catalina had ran as fast as she could with her small flippers towards the desolated path she usually took towards their Circus. When she neared, she saw something odd. Some of the animals that she had recognized from Fantaisie were leaving Zaragoza.

She found it even more curious that Safyy wa leading them away, she didn't see Safi or Rita anywhere... not even Iggy, which was a surprise because the cub always loved coming over here... was what she had heard from Stefano. She held her little basket firmly in her flippers and once she had gotten into their grounds, saw that the animals from Fantaisie were already just a few dots down. She soon spotted the others and were about to call out thei rnames until she noticed something was off.

They were all shocked, upset, and they looked as if they had been beaten down in the dirt. She looked at Stefano and Iggy who were sobbing their eyes out, Gia who was holding them both tightly and trying to calm them all the while being hugged by Alex, while Vitaly was rubbing his paw absentmindedly over the messy claw marks on his cheek... wait WHAT!? She ran over to the the four and gasped.

"What happened!?" she exclaimed. Everyone jumped at the sound of her voice. Vitaly merely huffed angrily before walkign into his car. He had to clean that little scratch off before he got infected. Stefano gasped and cleaned himself up. How embarrassing, crying in front of her like that, she must have thought he was a wimp now. Gia sighed before she explained what had happened.

Catalina couldn't help but have her mouth wide open to the tale. Saffy had swiped Vitaly, Kidogo had basically claimed they were kidnappers, and Iggy had seen it all with his own eyes. the cub tore away from Gia to hug Catalina. He didn't know Gia as much, but he did know Catalina because she was one of Saffy's friends. Catalina shushed the little cub as she continued to hear the end of the story. When she was finished, Stefano waddled over to Catalina, slightly sobbing.

"Catalina, we haven't-a done nothing-a! I-a promise-a! We have-a done nothing-a! We all-a liked Safi, and-a we never do-a anything to-a hurt anyone-a!" Catalina blinked before she patted Iggy's back when he started to choke.

"I don't believe anything what Kidogo says. I left here pretty late, right about the time they calimed Safi was kidnapped and all of you were here. I don't think you guys are responsible for this" Stefano stared at Catalina as if she was his saving grace. She belived them when the others did not. She was surely somehting special. Mama Mia did a wonderful job with her! Catalina took a few chocolate bites out of her basket and gave a few to Gia, Alex, Iggy and Stefano. She wanted to give one to Vitaly but Gi and the others advised against it.

He wasn't so hot right now.

She agreed nonetheless, remembering how horrible he looked when he left and turned her head back at Stefano who felt much better. "So tough guy" she giggled, patting his shoulder. "We made a small appointment with a certain Cannon" Stefano perked up and nodded his head quickly.

"Oh-a! Yes-a! I'll-a show-a you! Come on-a!"

0O0

She didn't know hoe to feel. A part of her told her she was wrong in being quick to accuse them without giving them a chance, another part told her she was stupid for falling so fast and ended getting her heart broken. cursed and swung a paw at nothing. She had asked for everyone to leave her alone, in peace, until she was able to find her sanity again. She lost one mother. She won't lose another. Not again. Stupid tiger. Why did he make her feel like she did. She was so confused.

She held her head in between her paws and closed her eyes. She just wanted to disappear, to make the pain that ached inside her stop. She caught a whiff of a combination of grass and rose perfume and turned her head to face Rita.

"I said, NO one could come in here" Rita furrowed her brow before taking her place beside the tigress.

"Either vay, you cannot ignore me. Hear me out. I can tell you vy I think Zaragoza no do such thing to kidnap Safi" Safēda groaned but resolved to listen. If she didn't know, Rita would use other means to make her listen. Rita always did. The lioness crossed her forepaws and sighed. "Zaragoza was always small Circus. They never see dark side of world. It was alvays smiles and laughs. They never got corrupt and evil like other Circus animals. They never heard of any competitions. Ever." she explained before smiling a bit. "Animals there are really good and kind. Gia was alvays bubbly and willing to try new things. Stefano was always compassionate and was able to make everyone laugh. Vitaly..." she paused, giving the tigress a sly look. "I cannot begin. He vas most talented animal. He vas full of passion, he alvays cheered everyone up, he never stopped trying harder and take risks. He loved the thrill of it all... he was a true Circus animals at heart"

Safēda snorted. She honsetly did not belive everything Rita had said about the tiger. The lioness frowned at her but decided not to argue with her. "Anyvays... Circo Zaragoza alvays had animals who were never to sure whether or not they were best in vorld. In Europe. But Vitaly and the others pushed them on to do best. Besides, if they did kidnap Safi, do you think animals like zem vould have acted like zat? They would be nervous and edgy. And Catalina was vith them when they left. If you ask her ven she left, it could clear things up. You no think?" Safēda nodded.

Partly bored, partly unmoved by the small reasoning Rita drew for her. "Sorry Rita, but, those are prety stupid reasons for me to change my mind. I'm leaving" the tigress got up while Rita bit her lip. This was her last chance. She had to tell her or she would never see the light.

"Vell, I guess you won't want to hear more about before I vas sold off to you. Ven I vas with Zaragoza. I think you'll like this story... either vay, you have no choice" Safēda paused and growled. She turned and sat down next to Rita. The lioness smiled before speaking. "This was ven I vas still teen. Vitaly and the others vere younger than me. And.. vell, you see"

0O0

The red tiger patrolled around the inside of the tent, nodding his head and speaking to the many animals every now and them, telling them how great they would be and how this time there would be more than a full house. The animals would thank him with smiles and good lucks, but Vitaly preferred it that way. It was more special in a way. A small, yet petite, lioness watched his every move from afar, eyeing his every move and smilign whenever he made a comment.

Vitaly. He was passionate about what he did, heck, he loved it. The Ring master paid hardly any mind to the other animals, only to Vitaly. It bothered the others but his demeanor never had changed from a little cub to a handsome adult. Rita eyed his felxing muscles behind his fur, and the way he would raise his eyebrow, and show a bit of his fangs a bit whenever he smirked. Why was that so captivating to her?

True, she won't lie, she had a crush on Vitaly ever since she was bought. He was always so kind to her, so affectionate whenever she felt down, and open whenever she needed someone to turn to. She always turned to him. Sadly, his roving eye was caught only by one girl, and one girl only. Irina. Truthfully, Rita did like her, but the tigress was always oblivious to the male's affections. It was as if she never really paid any attention to him.

Vitaly never noticed, he just thought she was taking her time. But she, Rita, knew better. Irina had no spot for Vitaly in her heart, it was meant for another individual, but Irina was too nice to say it to his face. She though ignoring him whenever he spoke to her like some lovesick kitty would help, apparently that made him more determined. Rita would growl whenever she turned him down.

Did she not see what she was doing? Did she not see who she was turned away? Rita's claws would extend and she felt like getting in Irina's face and giving her a good shake to make her realize it was Vitaly she did not want. Rita sighed when Vitaly had caught sight of Irina and she started to walk away. He pouted but his smile returned when another one of the Circus animals greeted him nicely. Rita frowned. That was it! She couldn't take it that Irina would just do that, Vitaly needed someone else to tell him... or to make his attention someone else's. She looked around slyly. Well, with no other feline but Gia, and he saw her as a little sister, she puffed out her chest.

Yes, she would be the one Vitaly woudl dream for at night, and she would make sure of that! She turned to leave, cackling to herself. Her plan was very simple: Usurp Irina's position, beat her at everything and surely Vitaly would notice. Rita wasn't that good at hoops but she was determined to be better, if that is what he wanted. She would visit him daily, sweet talk, flirt with him, maybe even bathe him a bit, and surely he would see her in a new light and forget completely about Irina. Surely he will.

As weeks passed and show after show, Rita did her best to not entriely show herself off but to try her hardest at beating Irina at almost everything she did. Her focus was never so precise and excellent. Sadly, all these efforts, though seemed to be extending and growing, Vitaly did not once look her in the eyes with love or attraction. He still gave that same look to Irina, even though she was getting so much better at almost everything than she. She swiped the dirt in anger, why? Why her!? Vitaly deserved so much better and she was willing to give him such, why couldn't she catch Irina screwing up and informing Vitaly so that he would forever leave her?

That fateful encounter only happened once. ONCE. And Rita had caught them. She was just coming from the lake they had decided to drop off and was bathing her wet fur and decided tp enter inside the tent. It was empty, the others had gone for a swim too and she was one of the first to come back. Or so she thought.

"Haha! Adui! Stop! That tickles!" she heard Irina's voice giggle. rita's ears perked up and she slowly found her way around the tent until she had arived at the place where Irina and the lion Adui were in. He was trying to play with her, tickling her stomach and laughing with her. Rita wrinkled her nose in disgust. Adui was always a jerk, and he absolutely did not want anything to do with her. Good riddance. The humans bought her to mate with him but there was no way that was happening, so how come he acted much differently with Irina?

The lion laughed once more before nuzzling her. "Ha! I can stop tickling whenever I want!" he exclaimed, digging his paws harder into the female's stomach. irina laughed harder until she pushed a paw in the lion's face and he fell back. Irina pounced on his and nuzzled him.

"You're so funny, Adui" she smirked. Adui did as well and blew some hair out of his brown mane.

"Yeah, I know"

"And cute"

"Oh stop it you" Adui joked, fluttering his eyes in a girl fashion. Irina burst out laughing and covered her muzzle. The others could hear her. Rita stared, no, gawped at them. They were fliritng? With each other? They were playing like cubs and calling each other 'cute'!? How can the two be so idiotic!? But, Rita rubbed her paws together readily, this may be the sign given to her so that Vitaly could finally be hers. When his heart had broken, she would be the one making him feel better and he could finally see whatv he had been so blinded about.

She turned to run to back to the lake, to tell Vitaly about the scene she had seen but found herself face to face with a tiger that was not Vitaly. This male was smaller, and much slimmer than Vitaly, but still had an air of authority and power. Rita recognized him as the old male tiger Vitaly looked up to as a cub. This male had trained him to take him hoop jumping to another level. This tiger was Vitaly's teacher. His orange eyes pierced through her, examining her. He then peeked behind her and saw that Adui and Irina were still laughing together and flirting.

"So I see you found them together. Pity, I hoped no one esle would" This tiger, Vitaly's teacher, had caught the tigress and the lion once, and never told any of them!? Her face grew hot and red with anger.

"You never told any of us, did you!?" she spat. The male shook his head. Rita snarled quietly, sure, she was mad, but she didn't want Irina and Adui to think that she was spying on them, even though she was. The old tiger pushed her away from the scene and onto a desolated part of the tent.

"I have my reasons why, Rita" he spoke suddenly, sitting down. "I was angry at first. Yes. And don't give me that look, it's true" he sighed. "And I wanted to tell Vitaly, I truly did. If he found out the hard way, he'd be hurt. But there is a reason I had not. You see, if I told, Irina would lose her trust in me, Adui would have done everything to make my days worse than before, Vitaly would be brokenhearted. You have to think of the feelings of others. Sure, you may say I am doing this for my own good, and part of it is true, but do you want to ruin the lives of three animals and probably others as well?"

Rita thought. What he said was true, but it complete nonsense. Why shouldn't she tell? The old tiger eyed her before sighing once more. "I know you like Vitaly, Rita. So think of him. If Vitaly finds out about this little scene, do you think he will like you any more because you ruined a chance he could have had but never had taken action?" Rita started to doodle on the dirt under her. Okay. That was true, she didn't know how Vitaly would react. How would he anyways? The tiger nodded his head, as if he agreed with her point of thinking. As if he could've known... with his old magic powers he might have.

"Well, think this through... whatever you decide, it's up to you, and I won't think any less of you" and the tiger walked out, leaving rita to think it through. She never would want to upset Vitaly, but he needed to know! She didn't want to give him a broken heart so that she could use to her advantage and form some sort of fake love, but she loved him! She couldn't hurt him, but it was the only way! Her emotions fought with one another, for minutes, hours, all day, until the others arrived from the lake and Vitaly was the first to spot her and greet her.

"'Ey, Rita! Vere is Irina?" he asked, smiling widely. Rita bit her lip. Should she tell, should she not? She spotted the old tiger from far away, giving her an encouraging smile. 'whatever you decide, it's up to you, and I won't think any less of you'. Rita sighed and smiled at Vitaly.

"I don't know, 'Taly. She may be practicing her hoop jumping. Try looking there" the male tiger smiled and her and patted her head.

"Ah no vorries, I look later" he then walked off. Rita sighed. Her one chance, ruined, but at least Vitaly wasn't sad. The old tiger patted her back and smiled.

"Good choice. Not the best, he will find out later on, who knows how, but hopefully you've saved him sorrow for now. Let's go. I've got some steak left, you can have it" and with one big, proud smile, the old Tiger led Rita towards his car to find that special steak he had promised her.

0O0

Rita finished her tale with a big yawn, making Safēda frown. "That was the shortest story you've ever told me and you never yawn at the big ones. What is wrong with you?" Rita merely rolled her eyes and smiled. Safēda frowned once more. "So why are you smiling? What's the moral of this story? Why did you even tell me!? This has exactly nothing to do with this!" she exclaimed. Rita's smiled nearly widened.

"Vell, during mission to ruin Irina and get vith Vitaly, do you know who talked sense into me?"

"That old tiger? I know, you told me-"

"You no know his name" Rita said quickly, smirking. Safēda rolled her eyes and nodded her head.

"Yeah, you never exactly told me" Rita's smirk widened and she yawned sleepily before laying her head on her paws.

"Eet vas your grandfather, Alexei" the look on Safēda's face was so priceless, Rita wished Safi was here to see it. And Iggy... and the others. This was too priceless to share alone. But instead of calling the others, Rita exploded with laughter. Safēda's jaw was still wide open, her eyes were wide with shock and her fingers were spread apart. Rita took one more look before bursting into more laughter.

"A-Alexei... t-told y-you... that!?" she asked loudly. The animals outside the pens murmured in curiousity. Saffy always refrained from saying her grandfather's name, so why did she say it now? Rita cleared a tear from her eyes and giggled.

"Yes. It vas him. Both of us sold together, your Circus bought him, and I vas bought other Circus, then other before coming to you guys" she smiled. Safēda shook her head and turned herself so as to not to look at Rita. "All the more not to trust them. He may have poisoned their ways" Rita's grin disappeared. She frowned. Great. All that story was told, and for absolutely nothing at all! She sighed and got up, walking out of the pen. She turned back, looking at Saffy's slim frame. Even now, the tigress resembled her grandfather.

"You know, not everyone vas bad" she spoke before she disappeared behind the curtain. Safēda's facial features softened. She groaned and turned herself on her back so she was facing the metal roof of their pen. Stupid Alexei. Stupid Vitaly. Stupid her. Why did this have to happen to her? Why did she have to find out this way? Coming from Rita who knew her grandfather, as a teen, that he was never bad. So what made him bad? She shook her head and huffed.

So... he trained Vitaly... all the more reason to belive he was like her grandfather... but if Alexei had trained him before he turned all mean and nasty, was it possible that he was the same as his old mentor? She shook her head. No. They kidnapped Safi, she shouldn't grow curious just because they were her grandfather's old Circus... damn it, so why did she even think about it? She turned herself once more and huffed again.

"Damn you Vitaly..." she spoke softly. However she wanted to deny it badly, Rita was right. How could Zaragoza even kidnap her mother? She was right when she said that they may have been nervous, so far as she was concerned, she has never heard of Zaragoza before... and they may have never heard of this competition as well. Other than that, Lina was with them, and the tigress could ask her when she left and if everyone was there when they had arrived at their Circus. It was only so much she could hope for.

Why did she hope?

She growled and finally got up. That's it. She had made up her mind. She walked out of her pen and headed hte opposite way, she slid under the silky frame of the tent material and ran off towards Circo Zaragoza. The right thing. Safi would want her to do the right thing, she was only going to hope that she made a good decision.

0O0

Goosebumps... she had goosebumps everywhere... but didn't only humans have them? Oh well, either way, she was dead nervous. She entered the small hole of the canon and squeezed through the dynamite the penguins had so graciously put in for her. She made herself comfortable in the small hole and waved eagerly at Stefano who waved back at her, a big grin on his face. She put on a fake smiled and took deep breaths.

One. Two. One. Two.

Skipper smirked and took a match out of the match box and handed it to Kowalski, who then handed it to Rico. The macho penguin then swiped the red part under Private's buttocks, which in turn made the small Penguin jump and exclaim: "Ooh!". Skipper then turned to a sleepy Marty who yawned.

"Get some tic tacs, Stripes" Skipper commented before smirking then saulting. "Fire in the hole!" and Rico put the flaming match onto the rope. Catalina nodded her head. Okay, this was it. Cannon time... that reminded her, was she a bit too high? Right when she realized she would not hit the target, she exclaimed loudly:

"FISH HOOKS! WAIT!" she exclaimed before she was launched. Stefano's face fell as he heard his Catalina's wails of terror as she flew over them. Alex and Gia were practicing the Trapeze when jumping Alex saw Catalina flying over them.

"What the-?" he exclaimed, failing to reach for the next swing and realized too late he was falling. He screamed until he found himself flying upwards again. He looked up to see Gia giggling and throwing him into the next swing. Alex sheepishly laughed and called over to her.

"Thanks Gia!"

"No problemo, Alex!" she called back, swinging again. Stefano and marty, however, were not so lucky. The penguins followed, staying on Marty's back as they ran over to where they had seen Catalina go. Stefano was worried to bits. He killed her! How could he!? She could have had a wonderful life! How COULD HE!? He just killed his beloved! Oh he will apologize and kiss every inch of her face and pray to Mama Mia to bring her back.

"Santa Maria, Santa Maria..." he prayed, putting two flippers together and looking up to the sky. Marty yawned once again. As worried as he was about Catalina's well being, since she was kinda like Stef's girl and all, but he was really sleepy. Skipper had smacked the Zebra's neck and hollard.

"ONWARD Stripes! Don't go loopy on us now!" Marty groaned before picking up his pace and soon caught up to Stefano who wailed with happiness. Catalina was fine, a bit shaken up but fine nonetheless. Her savior had broken her fall, and did not seem to mind saving a life. Stefano had been too caught up in making sure Lina was okay, he didn't see Marty's and the penguin's jaws go wide oepn at who saved her: Safēda.

"Oh-a! Thank-a Santa Maria you are-a okay-a!" Stefano exclaimed, picking up Catalina from Saffy's arms and carrying her princess style. The Sea Lioness blush as did the Italiano, but he quickly recovered and cleared his throat. "Oh-a! Thank-a you for-a saving-a Catalina!" he exclaimed, bowing down to the white tigress who got up and cleaned the dirt on her fur. Safēda smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I heard someone scream, held my hands out and there she landed" she explained to the Italian Sea Lion who started to waddle back to the Circus.

"Well thank-a you again-a!" he called. Safēda nodded and then looked at the Penguins and Marty. The black with white stripes Zebra was the first to break the silence.

"Hey! You're the chic who got Vitaly!" he exclaimed. Safēda sighed and nodded.

"Yes. I have been thinking... alot... and I think an apology is in order" she spoke softly. Skipper scoffed before sliding down marty's bitten behind and skeptically eyed her.

"So.. you want to apologize, right toots?" he asked. The tigress nodded. "Well, how come you didn't bring your friends to come and do the same?" her expression hardened.

"What they want to belive and whether they want to apologize or not is entirely up to them. Besides, I can't control how they feel and once they have a clear mind, i'm sure they would think it over and see that it's not right" Skipper eyed her and looked at Kowalski and Rico. "Boys! Frisk her for any weapons or toxic substances" Marty's eyed widened as did Saffy's.

"Uhhh, guys, I don't think you need to frisk her for weapons" he spoke, yawning again. Safēda's eyes widened when she saw the approaching penguins. Marty sighed. "Guys, seriously, we'll just get her back to the Circus and then we'll see what she has to say. Besides-" Marty looked at the tigress. "I think she really needs to apologize quick to a certain someone before he goes craz-o again" he said, doing a circular motion to the side of his head with his hoof. Skipper sighed and clapped his flippers.

"Fall back boys. Stripes has told us not to, but if you need friskin' give us a peep" he exclaimed before he slid off with the others in tow. Safēda sighed.

"Thanks. I'm not used to the idea of Penguins checking me for anything weapon-like" Marty nodded.

"Yeah, they tend to get over-military like. have no idea why, though" he smiled and started to walk off, yawning. Safēda turned her head to the side.

"Wait... you're just gonna let me go in? Without asking me why or bearing me down for questions?" Marty laughed and looked back at her.

"Well, where we come from, that's natural. I understand, but it's th eothers you need to talk to. You hurt them, a lot of them, if you want to prove yourself in order for us to say sorry, then we will" the tigress beamed a bit.

"Good. because I am willing to listen to you guys and believe you if you really didn't steal my mother". Marty grinned again and turned back, trotting away. Safēda smiled to herself. Well... this was a good start... right? She will deal with her Vitaly and Alexei problem later, right now, she had to set things right... for Safi.

0O0

So... you like it? I am not so sure, I really like this Chapter mostly because of the flashback, and I hope you guys do as well. You finally learn why Vitaly and Saffy feel like they're close in a way. And because a friend of mine told me that some of you were worrying for Safi both PMing her and reviews, she is fine, as you can see, and she is not being prisoner without a fight. GO SAFI! :D

And so we get an insight of Rita's head. Yes, I know, she should have told Vitaly about Irina and Adui, but he had to learn on his own. Saffy doesn't know the whole story about Vitaly but Vitaly doesn't know much about her in turn. Unsatisfied? XD

Well, we get to meet the whole lot next Chapter and see their response to Saffy appearing again, but apologizing and deciding to give them a chance. Why so soon? Well, if Rita had told you something you never knew about a grandpappy you hate, won't you start thinking once you're alone? I would. I do it all the time XD

And added a bit of AlexXGia there, since I thought it halarious if Catalina flew over them and Alex was like "The heck!?" XD review and, if you guys can, tell more friends about this fic! XD YES! Me wants lots of readers and lots of followers because this story will be LONG! XD Also, if you guys have any ideas- once again, PM me, or if you are a non-user on , email me at Kidachei(Put the "at" sign)(aol).com (Just remove the parenthesis and the dots, K? :3) I am usually checking it every day for any signs of any email I have from here XD So don't be too shy, and don't get upset if I don't use you're ideas.

But I love you guys so much and without your awesome reviews and comments on both DA and here, this story would not have gotten so far! So keep at it guys, keep reviewing, sending me ideas and tips! You're awesome like that! MUAH! :3