Chirpy worked on lunch preparations with her normally calm behavior and skill. For the most part, she was in her own little world as she used one hand to stir fry and the other to toss. It wasn't until about five minutes later, her assistant, George, came up to her from behind. He tapped her on the shoulder.
She glanced back at him with a smile. "Of course you can help. Here." She said, holding out the soup spoon for him to take. "I need you to stir the soup while I work on the vegetables." She said with a smile.
George gave a mock salute before getting to work. "...onions?" He questioned.
Chirpy nearly facepalmed at that. "Thank you! I almost forgot. Add the onions for me, please." She responded happily.
Since the vegetables were still frying, she could take a small break. While she was cooking, as usual, the group began to pour into the dining area. She took a minute to look around with her usual bright smile. Eventually, her eyes landed on a familiar pair looking directly at her.
Chirpy smiled in amusement before making her way over and leaning on the large white marble counter. "Hey. Lunch is almost ready. I'd give it about...five more minutes." She said with her usually smooth tone.
Seraphina had her head propped using both hands and wore a small smile. "I can tell. What is the little chef making this time?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Chirpy grinned at the nickname before saying, "Fajitas with vegetable soup. The soup comes with crackers and...this special cheese that you guys would love." She smiled. "By the way, I made you something."
"What might that be?" Seraphina asked with a small head tilt.
Chirpy took a moment to back up before saying, "You've got to close your eyes." She said with a grin.
The blonde raised an eyebrow and looked at her for a moment more before shrugging and closing her eyes with an easy-going smile.
Chirpy grinned once more before biting her lip and jogging off to retrieve the gift. When she came back she had a five layer half milk chocolate, half white chocolate covered butter cake. The chocolate was carved in a spiral formation which a row of strawberries sat on comfortably.
She sat it on the counter silently before taking a deep breath. "Okay...open 'em." She said, proudly folding her arms behind her back.
Seraphina opened her eyes and stared at the cake before rubbing them and blinking a few times. Once she figured out that the cake was actually there, she looked from Chirpy to the cake before swiping a strawberry. "Yup…" She paused in order to take a bite of the strawberry. "It's real." She said with widened eyes as she proceeded to look the cake over again.
Chirpy chuckled before saying, "Of course it's real. It's your gift!" She smiled. "I noticed how much you like chocolate and strawberries so...I made this; hoping you would like it." She said, timidly looking around.
"It is...huge…" Seraphina said in awe as she moved to swipe more strawberries to eat.
Chirpy's smile increased as she walked around the counter and stood beside Pinky. "Go big or go home in my book." She said with pride. "Nothing is too big for my, Pinkypop." She said with a chuckle.
Seraphina nodded, seeming at a complete loss for words at this point. "...Yeah, it's very big." She managed while eating another strawberry. "And these are good."
Chirpy glanced at her with a chuckle. "You know...there are strawberries inside of the cake too. Do you want a slice? It's your cake." She looked at her with amusement.
The blonde looked up before rapidly nodding. "That would be nice." She said with a smile and a giggle.
Chirpy beamed before grabbing her cake cutter and made a nice even slice in the cake. She used the cutter to remove the slice. Then she perfectly placed the slice on a small platter. "There you go. Anything else, Cherry Blossom?"
Seraphina shook her head, seeming to be still in her dumbfounded trance as she stared at the slice with wide eyes. "I'm good, Kitten." She said while grabbing her fork.
At that last comment, Triple G stood up. "I can't take it! It burns!" He said aloud as he dramatically looked up at the ceiling.
Uma, who was currently shaking off her cringe, said, "I assume you guys worked out your issues?" She said with a raised eyebrow.
Seraphina looked up as she managed to snap out of her trance for a moment. "Oh, yeah, we did." She said in a simple manner before returning her focus to the cake.
Chirpy nodded before walking back into the kitchen to finish up. "Yeah. We are now a...thing...as everyone calls it." She said while George looks at her with shock.
Freddie blinked before asking, "A what?"
Chirpy glanced at her. "A thing?"
"Huh?" Freddie repeated.
Chirpy blinked. "A couple!"
"Come again?" She said while cupping her ear.
Chirpy looked exasperated before saying, "We are in a relationship!"
Freddie nodded. "Alright. Forgive me, I was just making sure I wasn't just hearing things." She said before taking a sip from her water bottle with halved eyes.
Chester blinked. "I'm with Freddie. That is...quite the shock, but congratulations nonetheless!" He smiled at them.
Deuce shrugged. "As long as there is no more cringe...I am fine." He said as Chirpy passed out everyone's plates.
"That is not something I can confirm or deny." Seraphina said as she turned in her barstool while holding her plate of cake.
Deuce gave her an exasperated look. "Of course." He stated.
Chirpy chuckled before making her way to Seraphina. "Ah. We should give them a break. They are not cringe resistant." She said as she sat down a glass of chocolate milk for the other woman.
Seraphina shrugged as she noticed Audrey wandering in out of the corner of her eye. Smirking, she turned to look at the pinkette. "Hey Audrey." She called out, prompting the pregnant woman to blink and stop for a moment. "Are nicknames cute or cringy?" She asked with a smile.
Audrey blinked once more before smiling. "I say...cute!" She said while making her way over to look around for something.
Seraphina laughed. "Cute it is! You guys need to learn to live with it!" She said with a wide grin while pointing at them.
JR blinked. "Uhhh! That was one vote against everyone else sitting at this table! We say no mushy stuff!" He said as they hummed in agreement.
As Heidi wheeled in after that, Seraphina humphed. "Audrey counts as four and Heidi makes it six!" She declared, prompting both women mentioned to stare at her.
Chirpy blinked. "...I'm seven." She raised her hand.
JR squinted his eyes at her. "Chirpy, you traitor!"
Chirpy raised her hands. "What? I just so happen to like the nicknames…" She said with a guilty smile.
Heidi looked around. "Wait, what are we voting on? I bet I can get Hestia in on this." She said while whipping out her phone to text the goddess.
Triple G folded his arms. "Well..! We still have ten!" He said, not noticing CJ who looked to the side.
Heidi shrugged. "Hestia says nicknames are cute and Kam voted cute as well." She said blankly. "That makes it nine...lemme go find Vetiver to make it ten!" She grinned before wheeling out to find the girl.
JR stood up. "No you don't, grandma! Get back here!" He said, chasing after the wheel chair by foot.
Heidi lazily lifted her ember before zapping him. "Nah, I'm in it to win it!" She said with a laugh before disappearing around a corner.
JR, now face down on the floor, grumbled. "I'm gonna get you back for that!" He huffed, standing up and cracking his back.
Chirpy blinked. "Uhh, guys...is all of this really needed?" She asked, scratching the back of her head.
Everyone at the table, save for CJ and George, said, "YES!"
Deuce complained. "We are gonna have to deal with this poison if we don't and I refuse to go down without a fight!" He exclaimed while everyone looked at him in exasperation.
Audrey shrugged as she managed to find some cookies to snack on. "I don't see it as an issue. It's cute, it's a couple thing, and if Hades can live with Heidi and I, you can live with these two." She said with a blink as she kept one hand rested on her sizable bump.
Seraphina nodded along in agreement. "She knows what's up! The rest of you...need to suck it!" She said with a laugh, causing Audrey's eyes to half.
Freddie chuckled. "Yeah right. We still have ten. Those are good numbers. Even if you guys do get Vetiver we will just be tied so…" She said with thought. "We will have to settle this in other ways. Unless I can use external votes…" Freddie mumbled that last part to herself.
Seraphina rolled her eyes at that before she grinned as Heidi zoomed in with a Vetiver on her lap. "We are ten for ten!" The blue-haired goddess exclaimed. "Now I just have to find oneee more." She said while looking around in thought.
JR limped back into the room before finding his seat with a grunt. "Ugh! Have fun with that! I...am pretty sure…no one will...ack...waste their time with this…" He said while wincing. His group, looking at him with concern.
Heidi rubbed her chin. "Who is left...Who...Oh. I have an idea." She said with a grin that reeked of mischief before she dropped off Vetiver and zoomed back out of the room.
Seraphina laughed. "And that...is how we won." She said with a massive grin while pointing her fork at them.
Deuce looked at her in annoyance. "Ah...can it!" He said, using his paw to wave her away. "Stupid democracy. I told Ara we should have gone with a monarchy…" He grumbled.
"Democracy is just, fair, and FOR THE PEOPLE!" Seraphina declared with a grin. "And without the people you wouldn't have a government. So you can it, kitty!" She told him with a laugh.
Deuce scoffed at that. "You ain't people! You're a pest!" He rebutted with a huff.
CJ messages her temples. "How about we not start a war about this?" She looked at them with exasperation.
"How about the talking housecat zips it?" Seraphina said with a raised eyebrow, not noticing Terra walk in with wide eyes.
Deuce blinked as his ears stood erect. "Oh...ohohoho! House cat!" He mocked. "I ain't sayin' nothing if claw marks somehow end up on your heels, missy!" He replied as he leaned on the seat.
"Your claw marks can join the ones I got from a lady at the mall. Like I did with her, pussycat, I will get what I want and not let you have it." Seraphina said with a wide grin.
Terra looked back and forth. "What is going on…" She murmured with heavy confusion.
Freddie casually replied. "Argument going around about if couple's nicknames are cute. I think it's a bunch of garbage, but don't mind me." She said as she leaned back in her seat.
Terra held up a finger as Heidi and a flying Nike entered the room behind her. "Uh…"
"I have brought our winning voter!" Heidi said while pointing to Nike who landed next to her and waved.
Triple G loudly gasped before, to the group's surprise, exclaiming, "Nike! How could you betray me like this!?" He dramatically rested his wrist on his forehead.
Nike blinked at him. "But they are cute...Trip Hazard." She said before smirking at the nickname while Heidi punched the air in victory.
JR blinked at that. "Wait...Trip Hazard!?" He tilted his head.
Triple G blinked before smiling. "Is...is that nickname for me? I wasn't even aware that we were at...that level…" He said while scratching his head.
Nike shrugged. "Ah, took me awhile since I'm no good at nicknames, so that is recent and brand new for you, Trippy." She said, making Heidi laugh while wheeling over to Audrey.
Uma immediately stood with humour. "Hold up! Run that back! What did I miss!?" She said with a smile.
Triple G smiled and said, "Well...apparently I have a girlfriend." Then he blinked. "...I have a girlfriend...YES!" He said before running around the kitchen saying, "WOOOOOOO!"
JR grumbled at that. "I hope you enjoy your celebration, traitor!" He waved his fist at his younger brother.
Heidi snickered at him. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure I can get Kam down here for you with my trusty assistance button." She said while holding up a remote that was attached to her wheelchair.
JR's eyes widened at that. "No...no! Don't you dare!" He threatened.
Heidi lazily pressed the button, causing Kam to appear in a poof. Waving her finger at the boy she looked up at Kam. "I think he's jealous that nobody is giving him nicknames." She said with a smirk while Kam looked at him with a matching smirk.
JR looked at them with the perfect "hell no" face before standing. "Uhhh...I think I'm late for my nap appointment!" He said before trying to escape.
Kam happily appeared in front of him while Heidi gave him another zap. "Those don't exist! I should know, I've tried making that excuse hundreds of times!" She called out with a grin.
JR, limping once again, looked at her with annoyance. "Ugh...fine. You got me. While you got me, please do me a favor and heal me. I feel like fresh bacon." He said in a deadpan.
Kam, who gave Heidi a subtle wink, picked him up with ease. "Sure, allow me to take you to your room." She said pleasantly before walking out of the room.
Uma shook her head at all of them before standing. "Deuce, all ma single ladies, let's move out!" She said with humour as the four of them went elsewhere.
Chester, who was texting furiously, looked up at them. "Hey! You forgot about-" His phone rang. "Oh! It's David from the company...Hello? Oh, yeah. I wasn't doing anything important." He said, walking off to take the call.
Heidi rolled her eyes at that before looking at Seraphina. "And that is why all good countries choose democracy over monarchy." She said while exchanging a high five with the blonde.
…
After the very odd scene that had played out in front of her, Terra exited and continued along the path to the room that Minty had told her about.
Terra had gotten done with Heidi rather fast, especially once she figured out that the ember was just a little testy from absorbing so much, and had returned to look after Hazel...only to find the girl missing. She had been on her trail when she walked into that...scene, but now she was back on it and she was close.
After she turned a corner, she spotted the candy cane fluff ball of a cat lying in the doorway of a room and smiled. "Oh, so you found her in there?" She called out as she made her way over.
Minty sat up and stretched. "Yep, she's in here. I tracked her from her room to this one, picked a lock and have been waiting for you to come around. What delayed you?" She asked with a curious head tilt.
Terra paused at that before blinking. "A very weird...argument...I think." She said slowly before stepping over the cat and entering the room as Minty followed her in. Looking around, she rubbed her chin. "You find her, I'll do the heavy lifting and nabbing." She said, prompting Minty to give her a salute before beginning her search.
Hazel, who was comfortably under a low seated couch, was taking a rather pleasant nap in her cat form. Every now and then, her whiskers would twitch. Other than that, there was no movement from the large cat. There was also a piece of unfinished sushi sitting right beside her. Her golden paw still twitched as if she was trying to grab it in her sleep.
Minty sniffed around a bit as Terra, who was perhaps preparing for Hazel to try and escape, shut the door and waved a spell over it. "Find her yet?" The bluenette asked as she looked over the door as if she were checking her work.
Minty took a moment to respond before she stopped at the couch and peered down under it. Grinning, the cat sat on her hind and looked at Terra. "She's under this one!" She said with a giggle as Terra raised an eyebrow and began walking over.
Hazel groggily blinked as she heard voices. She looked around before seeing Minty look back at her. At that, she backed deeply into the darkness of the couch and curled up into a ball.
Terra placed a hand on her hip as she looked at the couch. "You sure she's under this one? Looks...pretty low." She said with a small head tilt.
Minty laid down and quickly went under before coming back out. "Us cats can get into a lot of teeny tiny places, don't worry about us!" She said, causing Terra to blink.
"Well...If you say so." The bluenette said before beginning to lift the couch up using one arm.
Under the couch was a ruby red fluff ball. The cat unfurled herself curiously because of the change in lighting to reveal golden paws and a variety of golden striped patterns traveling down her legs. As soon as she saw them, she stood, revealing her golden underbelly. She also looked around with her normal royal blue eyes...and broke into a run in hopes of escaping.
Terra looked at the cat with halved eyes before holding out her hand and using her magic to stop her in her tracks. Setting down the couch, she walked over and picked the cat up. "...Hazel, did you escape when I told you to stay in bed?" She asked as she used her magic to keep the cat in her arms.
Hazel's ears flattened before she sighed. "Yes…" She said, knowing that she was busted.
As Minty appeared on Terra's shoulder, the goddess shook her head while making the spell on the door fade. "Well...I guess that means I will just have to watch your every move now." She said with a small shrug, using her magic to open the door and walk out into the hallway.
Hazel growled at that in annoyance. "I'm not dizzy anymore. I'm fine! I d-don't need to watch me anymore!" The cat made a sound that was similar to a scoff.
Terra calmly pet the unhappy cat as she made her way through the hallways. "But I can't trust you to listen, so...until I can I'll just be watching you and making sure you listen to me. Besides, would you like to hear Minty's theory about why you escaped? She's quite the chatty one." She said with a smirk as Minty nodded.
"No." Hazel said in exasperation with halved eyes.
As if she didn't hear that, Terra shrugged. "Minty here thinks you are hiding...from me." She said with an innocent look.
Refusing to respond to that, Hazel made a grumpy kitty face. She stared straight forward. She still had the same look of exasperation in her eyes though.
Terra raised an eyebrow. "Huh...she's not saying no. Who knew I was such a repulsive person that she'd run from me." She said with a small sigh as Minty mimicked her sad look, only more dramatically. "I try to give her everything...and she runs." She continued with a shake of her head that Minty copied. "...What am I doing wrong here?"
Minty shook her head. "I just don't know, Terra! It's like...she is offended yet doesn't wish to say it!" She said while holding out a paw. "How terrible."
Drama queens… Hazel thought to herself with a roll of her eyes. "You know it's not that." She said with a shake of her head.
Minty tilted her head. "Then what is it, eh? Terra here did everything she could think of and the first thing you did is run away and hide from her. That says "AGH! NOT TERRA!" all over it." She said while tilting her head the other way.
"I was hiding for a different reason." Hazel replied boredly. "You know. When someone doesn't give a straight answer, it just might mean they don't want to talk about it?" She said as if it was a question.
Minty rolled her eyes. "Or it was because Heidi, obviously, zapped you and you don't like the effects it had and you are now trying to hide from Terra because those effects are triggered whenever she tries to care for you in whatever way possible." She said as if it was the most obvious thing on the planet.
She glanced at the kitten. "Lies." Hazel replied in denial while holding her head high.
"The only liar here is the big huge cat Terra had to fish out from under a couch. Speaking of Terra, how do you think she felt when you disappeared?" Minty asked while pointing her paw at her.
"Wait, why are you-" Terra was immediately shut up by a tail whack from the kitten and looked away.
"Not to mention the fact that she wanted to help you and someone here instead said no and waited till she left to run from her feelings and to go hide." The cat finished with a humph.
Hazel glanced at her again. "I'm sure Terra was fine. I didn't leave the house and I move around perfectly fine on four legs. Another matter. I don't need any more help. I am fine. I can take care of myself now." She said stubbornly.
Minty rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Why won't you let your own girlfriend help for once, you goat!?" She asked in a huff while Terra slowly leaned her head away from the irritated kitten.
Hazel turned her head around, squinting at the cat. With an irritated meow, she said, "D-d-did you just call me a goat!?"
"Guys...calm down-" Terra began before Minty swatted her with her tail.
"No! That HUGE cat right there is acting more stubborn than a goat AND a donkey! You have a great girlfriend who wants to spend time with you and you just wanna avoid her like the plague!" Minty exclaimed with a twitch of her tail.
Hazel's own tail began to twitch in irritation. "First of all, this is all fur!" She gestured to her body. "Second, I don't like all of that cutesy stuff! I don't like physical contact whatsoever! A hug every now and then is fine but nothing else!" She said waving her paw as she growled.
"Then why on EARTH did you decide to date her if you didn't wanna treat her like you love her?! You treat her like a friend, no wonder she treats you the same way back before Heidi decided to do a drive by zapping! If she didn't, you two wouldn't even be talking, you, cat, would be off doing who knows what and Terra would be stuffing her face with ice cream! Did you even ask why she was doing that? Did you?" Minty asked with an irate look.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING ALRIGHT!" She screamed out at the top of her lungs. She took a deep breath before saying, "...All my life...I've never had love shown to me. When I met my sister, she came fresh off the isle. I met my mother, but she spent thirteen years in isolation. I never knew my father. I don't treat her like that…because I...don't know how." She said as she curled up into a ball in the woman's arms.
Minty tilted her head up. "And Terra here was created with one purpose, and that wasn't to be for anybody to love. She was hidden away for her own safety. So I think you both are quite clueless here." She said as she appeared to calm down within seconds. "My first advice for you, don't be like those before you who have run in fear, confront it head on before it consumes you. Stop running from Terra because you believe you can't, run to her with the belief that someday you can." She said before promptly disappearing in a red flash.
Hazel didn't respond to that. Rather, she remained in her ball, noticeably shivering every few moments. "...I'm s-s-sorry." She said, her voice coming out in a shaky whisper.
Terra nodded. "You're okay...Minty was just trying to get you to tell the truth...to let go. I think she may have slipped a bit there as well…" She said, petting the cat and averting her gaze. "Don't hate her for it, she is certainly going to feel regrets later on about going that far." She murmured with a small shake of her head.
"It's...she's okay. It's true. No matter how much it hurts it's still the truth." She replied. "I…" She sighed. "I'm a terrible girlfriend."
Terra shook her head. "She is...right about the thing involving Heidi. Before that...I was actually just wandering to the kitchen to get more ice cream. Then out of nowhere, Heidi zooms by on that wheelchair and zaps me." She explained, looking away with a hint of embarrassment at the mention of the ice cream.
"She is right about it all. I need to do better. I...just get scared and I freeze up and run and…" She explained. "I don't even see why you are still with me to begin with."
"...To be perfectly honest...I sort of forgot about the whole title thing since we didn't exactly...hang out in that way or do much. Not after we came back from the other world." Terra said, biting her lip a bit as she looked up.
Hazel sighed before glowing in a near blinding light. There was an arc of light, stopping in front of Terra, from the cat. After a second, Hazel stood before her with a deep frown and watery eyes. "...Do you think you'd be happier if we...broke up?" She asked her, her voice cracking slightly.
Terra walked up to her and brought her into a hug. "Before...I was a robot, so I wouldn't have cared. Call it fate, or Heidi being a trickster and trying to save this, but...that would not make me happier." She said with a calming voice.
Hazel accepted the hug and didn't hesitate to return it. "I-I-I'm sorry. I'll try to do better." She said in nearly a whisper.
Terra nodded as she rested her head atop Hazel's. "I will as well, okay? It takes two to be a couple, not just one." She said with the smallest of smiles.
Hazel nodded slowly. "...Okay." She said, slowing her uneven breaths. "I just wanted t-to let you know t-that I love you. I just d-don't show it often, but I do." She said as she leaned into the other woman.
Terra nodded once more. "I know...And I love you too. Robot me was...well, a robot, something incapable of, unless smacked over the head countless times, love. So, I wasn't much better about showing love to anything except to a tub of ice cream." She said in amusement.
Hazel gave her the smallest of smiles before wiping at her wettened eyes. She sniffed before nodding. Then parted from the hug. "Well...I'm...going back to my room. Are you going to still be watching me?" She questioned.
Terra paused before nodding with a smile. "But...not for the reason I said before...more for a couple of reasons. One reason is...I wanted to show you some designs 'robot' me came up with. Even emotionless and filled with ice cream I still came up with quite a few things that are clearly for you." She said with humor in her voice while lacing her fingers together.
Hazel blinked at that curiously. "...For me?" She blinked. "Umm...okay." She said with a smile before it turned into a frown. "I have to find Minty first." She said in determination.
Terra nodded. "Just...be gentle. She may be well-trained and act like an adult...but she's just a kid." She said before beginning for her room with a shake of her head. "Kids…" She paused before chuckling. "They tend to speak their mind without realizing it, no matter how smart they are."
Hazel blinked at that before nodding. After that, she went off to find her missing cat.
88888888
After a long while of fruitless searching, Hazel went to go rest up in her room. She took deep breaths as she looked up at her ceiling to calm herself. She had no idea where Minty was. She had been around the house and back. She had even done a flyover in the garden. Still nothing.
At this point, Hazel was hoping that her cat didn't run away. She wouldn't forgive herself if something such as a measly argument made Minty run away. Hazel's frown deepened before she rolled over on her bed and sighed. That was before she heard a noise.
Hazel blinked. The noise either came from the room beside her or...the hall. She sat up with concern. The room beside her was empty. Why would she hear movement there?
Her curiosity getting the best of her, she makes her way to her door and opens it. She was only more puzzled. There were no people in the hall. "Where is that noise coming from?" She squinted her eyes.
Looking around, she decided to check in the empty room. She timidly opened the door before looking inside. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary...besides a large random pillow pile.
Hazel blinked at that. Thinking that one of the puppies was to blame, Hazel moved to pick up the pillows. Under the pillows, something surprised her. "...Minty?" She asked in disbelief as she put the pillow aside.
Minty, who was clearly not expecting to be caught, slowly stood up before quickly darting to the nearest thing to hide under.
Hazel blinked before getting on her hands and knees. Apparently, the nearest thing was a love seat. Hazel lowered herself onto her stomach and sighed in relief as she caught sight of the cat. "It's okay...I'm not mad, Minty."
Minty was inching as far back as possible as her vibrant eyes dimmed. "Yes you are...I was an idiot and opened my mouth...and overstepped my boundaries." She mumbled, curling up in a scared manner.
Hazel sighed and leaned on her arm. "No...I'm really not...it's fine. Really." She said softly.
Minty shook her head. "Everybody says that when they are trying not to be upset." She responded in a sad voice.
Hazel sighed for a moment. "...Minty." She said before she was enveloped in light before she appeared in her cat form. She slipped herself under the sofa before nudging the kitten with her head. She placed a paw on her. "It's okay. I've forgiven you already. I just want my little buddy back." She said in the same soft tone.
Minty looked at her with her still dull teal eyes. "...You have?" She asked quietly, not uncurling herself but raising her head a bit.
Hazel nodded before turning her head to a random sound. "Yes. You didn't know… What I just told you and Terra...not even my family knows." She said before looking back at the kitten.
"Still...What I said was inappropriate." Minty said, settling her head back down on the floor.
Hazel moved closer to cuddle up with the kitten. "You were upset. I know that I say a lot of inappropriate things when I'm upset." She looked at her. "Who am I to be angry with someone who's just like me?" She said in a laid back manner.
"...How am I like you? I'm...just…" The kitten turned her eyes to the floor and stopped talking.
"You say what's on your mind and you stand up for what you believe is right." Hazel replied, wrapping her paw around her.
"What I did was overstep my boundaries...not stand up for what is right. I just blabbed...and blabbed until I exploded...and acted like a brat." Minty said with shame heavy in her voice.
Hazel nodded. "And that is usually what I do. That's why my friends call me Volcano. Except, when I get piping mad, it usually comes with a side of lava." She said casually.
"...I've never done that before. Not once…" Minty said softly while closing her eyes.
Hazel nuzzled the kitten before saying, "Hey...look at me." She pawed her gently.
Minty opened her eyes with a sigh, "What?"
Hazel smiled at her. "Everyone blows up sometimes. It's a part of life. Don't beat yourself up. Just...do better on the next go-round." She said, nuzzling the kitten.
"Why would you even want me to stay around…?" Minty asked while averting her gaze.
Hazel looked to the side before saying, "Well...believe it or not, I really like you. You are a great friend...even though you are annoying at times." She shrugged. "Hell. If I got rid of every friend that annoyed me, I wouldn't have friends! Family either! You are one of those friends and I want you to stay." She held onto the kitten tighter.
Minty looked at her with a bit of amazement in her eyes and blinked. "Really?"
Hazel smirked at her. "Does it look like I'm lying?" She asked with humour.
"I can't tell…" Minty trailed off and began to uncurl herself a bit.
Hazel chuckled before she rolled and exposed her golden fluffy tummy. "I really want you to stay, Minty." She repeated.
Minty looked at her before sighing as she was finally out of her ball and was instead on her belly. "...Where else would I go?" She said as her dim eyes gained a bit of color to them.
Hazel rolled over and walked over to her. "Nowhere, because this is your home. Right here with me." She said with a smile. "Except...not under a sofa."
Minty briefly smiled at that before sighing. "...Are you absolutely sure I didn't screw everything up?" She asked with a bit of lasting fear that hadn't quite faded yet.
Hazel looked at her for a moment before sighing. "Of course not." She said before giving the kitten a kitty kiss on the head. "If you did, I wouldn't have done that." She said before rolling on her back.
Minty took a moment to think before reluctantly standing up and making her way out from under the chair. She looked back at the other cat as her eyes appeared to be gaining more color back now.
Hazel blinked before smiling at the kitten. She made her way from under the sofa. She also stretched, now able to utilize her full height. "Geez...you were right. I am a huge cat." She said with laughter.
Minty nodded with what almost looked like a grimace. "That part wasn't an insult...I actually just noticed that you are...massive." She said with a blink.
Hazel chuckled before shaking out her puffy fur. "I'm a Norweigian forest cat. My breed competes with the mighty Maine Coon. Thankfully, I'm supposed to be huge." She explained with a smile as she began to walk.
Minty looked at herself. "I think...this form is a bit of Maine Coon...and a bit of Rag Doll. Basically, very very fluffy." She said with a small shrug.
"As you can see, I like fluffy." She said with humour. "Also, it seems like Ama's necklace is not phased by me changing forms. I wonder why that is." She said, pawing the necklace that was dangling from her puffy neck.
Minty tilted her head. "Magic?" She offered up, not exactly speaking at her usual loud tone and instead speaking quietly.
Hazel nodded at that. "Yeah...maybe Ama is a shapeshifter too?" She thought aloud before shrugging. "You wanna go have some fun? Might as well since I am already in this form." She said with a smile.
Minty looked away before shrugging. "I guess…" She said with a look up at the ceiling as if she were in thought.
Hazel nodded with a smile before tilting her head. "A penny for your thoughts?"
"I'm just...not really in the mood." She said while glancing at the other cat.
Hazel's ears lowered briefly before she nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I understand. If you need me, I'll be in Terra's room." She said as she began to change directions.
Minty looked up before sighing as she followed the other cat. She didn't say anything and instead decided to try and stick close like she had nothing else to hold onto.
Hazel's ears rotated as she heard the kitten's movements behind her. Instead of looking or addressing her, Hazel decided to continue walking. Minty needed a moment. Hazel was willing to allow her to enjoy it.
After a moment or two, Minty looked up. "...I'm sorry." She said seemingly out of nowhere.
Hazel blinked at the words and glanced back at her with a, "Hmm?"
"For...earlier. I didn't apologize for being a brat." The kitten clarified with a sigh.
Hazel stopped before turning to the kitten. "...What did I tell you earlier?" She asked softly. "I told you that I have forgiven you. I accept your apology, but you have been forgiven waaay before you said it." She said to the kitten before continuing to walk.
Minty blinked before, surprisingly, she teleported so that she was now on Hazel's back and getting a free ride. "...Thanks." She said softly as she made herself comfy.
Hazel blinked before smiling as she felt the kitten now on her back. "No problem. Anything for a friend." She said as she continued to walk at a steady pace to make sure the kitten doesn't get harmed.
