-Port Plaza: Night-
This must be some sort of social space...
Though, right now, it's just me and Hina.
I unclip her and place her in my lap.
"Do you like fountains?" I ask her, while showing her the water behind me.
Hina stares, silently.
"I do too!" I reply, enthusiastically.
I bring her back to my lap and inspect her.
No...one of her eyes is loose.
I...I don't know anyone good at sewing.
"I-it's okay..." I hug Hina tightly.
Immediately, an urge to cry erupts inside me.
No...I cannot cry now.
It's easily fixable, isn't it?
"Dido?"
A voice from the other side of the fountain makes me jump.
"Easy, it's me, Sirius." She wanders round to my side.
"How did you know I was here?" I inquire, while shifting to face my little sister.
"I didn't." Sirius looks at me. "I was just out on my weekly night walk, and I spotted you."
"Oh, I see..." I plaintively look away and at the ground.
"What's wrong?" Sirius places her hand on my shoulder.
"T-this..." I remove Hina from my chest and show Sirius the damage.
Sirius looks over her. "I can fix her for you."
I jerk up and look her in the eyes. "Really?!"
"Yes!" She smiles. "I took up sewing a little while ago..."
"Please, please, heal her!" I grab onto her uniform.
"Alright, alright, I will..." Sirius brushes my hand off and stands up. "Come on, we're going to my room."
I silently obey.
-A few minutes later, Sirius' room-
My little sister's room is very nice.
Almost entirely pristine, apart from a few minor imperfections here and there.
"Can you please hand me your doll?" Sirius requests.
I look at Hina. "D-don't worry, you're in safe hands..."
It's hard, giving Hina to someone else, even my sister.
"Dido, can you not look over my shoulder?" Sirius sets down her needle. "It's distracting."
I hesitate for a few seconds.
"O-of course..." I answer, masking my hurt on the outside.
I sit on her bed, contemplating my approach for tomorrow.
My second day as a secretary...
Please go better than my first.
And, Master, get rid of Kenji.
He's horrible...
I feel a tear roll down my face as I rethink over today.
Suddenly, I realize I have to apologize to my Master first thing.
I lift my legs on the bed and bury my head behind them.
My eyes begin watering fully.
"Dido?" Sirius' voice calls tenderly.
I look up and see her facing me with a concerned expression.
"What happened?" She rushes to my side and sits on the bed with me. "I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier..."
"N-no, it's not that..." I look down at the sheets.
"Well, here." Sirius holds out Hina to me.
Her eye is completely fixed and is tightly attached.
I take her and give her a hug.
Then, I embrace Sirius.
"Thank you so much!" I exclaim, while focusing on drying my eyes.
"What are sisters for?" Sirius hugs me back. "Now, can you please tell me what is wrong?"
I take a deep breath to steady myself.
As I recount the same story I had previously told Black Prince, Sirius' expression becomes more and more concerned for me.
I finish and am on the verge of breaking down again.
However, before that feeling can overcome me, I'm enveloped in another embrace from Sirius.
"Dido, it's fine now." Sirius whispers gently to me. "I'm sure it won't happen again,at least, without consequenses."
"D-do you really think that?" I ask, pretty clearly unconvinced.
"I would never lie to you, Dido." Sirius strokes my hair. "That's not what sisters do."
"Thank you..." I whisper back, while drying my tears on her shoulder.
"You said Black Prince knows about this, right?" Sirius moves back a bit.
"That's correct." I affirm her question.
"Good, we will both support you through this." She pats my shoulder. "And we'll keep an eye on that sad excuse for a friend of the Honorable Master."
"I am truly grateful..."
Thank you again...my sisters.
-Dido's Room: Morning-
I awake to a bright light streaming in through my open curtains.
Today, I don't want to get out of bed...
But, my Master needs me, or else he...
No, he would never abandon me.
At least, I hope...
Slowly, I begin to rise from my bed.
I'm forced to squint and rub my eyes when I near the window.
Nice weather.
My vision ends up on the clock...
Oh no, I'm 2 hours late!
Maybe I'll just take the day off.
I don't know if I can even face my Master after yesterday.
No, that's negligence.
A Maid should never abandon her duties unless there is a valid reason not to.
There is a knock at the door.
"Dido?"
It's my Master's voice.
Wanting to reply, I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
"Are you alright?" He asks through the door.
I start to panic a bit.
What if he's mad I'm late?
What if Kenji's there?
I shake my head and compose myself.
"I'm coming in, you better be decent." I hear the door start to unlock.
I immediately dive underneath my covers to avoid my Master seeing my pajamas picked out by Sirius.
"Dido?" My Master calls out, tenderly.
"H-here..." I barely manage to say.
"Do you feel okay?" He approaches me with a warm, friendly aura around him.
"I-I just woke up..." I explain. "So I don't know."
"So this is where you were..." He inspects my bed.
I remain silent, too afraid to make any sort of remark.
"Well, it's fine if you don't feel like working today." He smiles at me. "Especially, after your run away yesterday."
My eyes start watering.
"Hey, it's okay." My Master places his hand on my head gently. "I understand that Kenji was being a bit overbearing."
I want to tell him the real reason...
There's no way he'd believe me!
I'm just a pitiable Maid.
"If you want the day off, that's perfectly fine." He removes his hand from my head.
"T-thank you..." I mutter.
"No problem." My Master's attitude to me makes me feel safe and wanted. "Well, I still have work to do."
My Master begins to walk away.
"I'll come by later to check up on you!" He calls back to me as he goes out of sight.
I hear the door shut.
Suddenly, I realize that I'm laying on something.
I dig around my back and finally locate it.
"Hina!" I almost shout. "I'm sorry!"
I hug my friend.
"I didn't mean it!" I squeeze her gently.
Please don't be hurt...
I move her away slightly and stare at her eyes.
She doesn't look damaged.
Thank God...
I place her on my pillow and stand up.
The door creaks as I open it to find my uniform.
I may have the day off as a secretary, but I should still fulfill my Maid duties.
Time for a shower.
-20 Minutes Later-
I exit my bathroom with a fresh uniform on.
My eyes drift over to the windowsill.
...Might as well...
I wander over and scan the selection of perfumes that Sirius and I bought.
This will be my first time using even one of them.
I select one in a slightly pink bottle and spray myself a little.
Finally, I take Hina and clip her to my uniform.
"I'm not forgetting you ever again..." I say to her.
Exiting my room is always scary...
I don't know this place yet, so outside my room, Sirius' room or my Master's office is unknown territory.
Still, I manage to navigate my way to the front lobby to find Belfast.
"M-Miss Belfast?" I call to her.
She turns from steadying the coatrack.
"Ah, Dido!" She walks up to me. "Not secretary today?"
"N-no, I...got the day off." I look away, slightly intimidated by the Head Maid. "I came here wondering if there's a j-job I can do around the residence."
"Well, could you go around and make sure the sideboards are spotless?" Belfast scans me a little.
"Y-yes...ma'am." I stutter out.
"Thanks, that'd be a huge help!" Belfast is friendly, but frightening, given her status.
I wordlessly begin trying to find the sideboards that are apparently littered around this place.
I hope I do a decent job at it.
Disappointing Belfast is the last thing I need.
Let alone my Master.