Yuki sighed in defeat. The young astronomer decided to just recline against the wall, not caring about how cold or dirty it was.

"Well, there goes the fate of the world." He mumbled, feeling an odd and unusual tone of sarcasm coming out of his own mouth.

Hopefully, someone else knows about the Nemesis prophecy; and hopefully that other person might do a better job at finding the legendary bladers than he ever could.

If not…

"Well, who knows?" He laughs in spite of his misery, feeling his eyes starting to sting. "Maybe eternal darkness won't be so bad after all, right?"

Yuki obviously did not expect to believe that, but asking himself that nonsense was better than questioning if all his hard work was all for nothing.

If Grandpa's work was for nothing….

All those sleepless nights…

All that research…

All that faith…

Just… To end up locked up in a cell..

They even took Anubis from him.

How did this even happen?...

Well, maybe this is his fault.

Because, in hindsight, it was pretty foolish to not even consider for a second that there might be people trying to ensure that Nemesis awakes.

Yuki knew he wasn't strong, but seriously, he should be ashamed of how easily he got kidnapped.

"I don't even think I got off that boat!" He groaned. "Oh my stars, I'm so pathetic!"

"Meow, actually, you did get off the boat. But Johannes knocked you out with a piece of wood he found on the ground, meow."

The young boy's pity party was cut short by unexpected, and frankly: unwanted company.

Yuki made eye contact with the young girl for about half a second before turning his back and leaning harder against the wall.

It was definitely a discourteous gesture, but seriously, why would a kidnapper demand politeness from him at this point?

He heard something make contact with the floor. She was probably tasked with bringing him food.

Odd.

He certainly expected the people keeping him here to let him starve.

Huh, who knows?

Maybe they will interrogate him later.

"Meow, I thought…You'd like to eat something." The girl clarified as she sat down.

Interesting. Her tone was nowhere near as snarky as the other guy who taunted him as soon as he woke up. In fact, she sounded normal… Well, as long as you did not pay attention to her meowing.

Yuki sighed.

"I appreciate your concern, ma'am." He mumbled, not caring if she heard him or not. "But I am not hungry."

"Meow, that's okay." She answered, her tone became a bit awkward. "It's a shame, thou. Meow, because I got you some steamed buns…And they are still warm, meow."

Yuki blinks.

Did she just say steamed buns?

That's not what he expected to receive while being locked up in a cell.

"Meow…I don't know what you like and you were still unconscious when I went out, so I went to my favorite bakery." The young girl explains. "Meow, I always eat these when I'm feeling sad and…. Meow, you seem to be having a bad day right now."

Before the young astronomer could stop himself, he snorted at that comment.

"As a matter of fact…I am having a bad day." He said, a bit louder compared to what he said before.

"Meow, yeah. I bet." The girl giggled. "Wanna talk about it, meow?"

Yuki blinks as soon as she says those words. He turns around and stares at his captor with an expression of utter disbelief.

After taking a good look at her face, it seemed as if she was serious. The young girl was smiling, but it was a smile he had never seen before in another human being. It was very reminiscent of a cat's smile.

The poor astronomer doesn't even know what's going on anymore.

"What's there to talk about?" He whispers, looking away to avoid eye contact with her. "I failed at the one thing I was asked to do."

She didn't say anything.

"I don't even understand why the star fragment thought it was a good idea to show me that vision and get the legendary bladers…" He grabs his head in frustration but ends up laughing. "It was literally the first time I went outside on my own! I am not meant to make that sort of journey!"

"Meow, wait, you've never been outside before?"

Yuki raises his head again.

Did she mean that as a mockery?

He tries to read her face again. There is nothing that signifies malice.

"Uh… Sort of?" He answers unsure because he can't think of anything else to say. "I've gone out, obviously, but with my grandfather. It's just…I was always more of an indoors person, I guess."

"Meow? No way." She arches an eyebrow. "Are you pulling my leg, meow?"

Yuki blinks.

"Uh…No. I'm not." He answers. "I'm serious. Going out on my own…It's not my thing."

The young girl tilts her head.

"Meow, that's weird!"

"Yeah, I guess…"

He should have seen it coming, she was obviously going to make fun of him.

"I've been going outside on my own since I can remember, meow!" She laughs. "It's always been fun. Meow, you get to explore new places and make new friends!"

Yuki blinked in surprise, he fully expected her to just laugh at him or berate him or something but everything she said was so… Nice.

"Meow, I still remember the first time I camped at the beach all alone. You could see the stars in the ocean as if it was a mirror, meow…I could stare at them for hours, meow." The girl made a gesture of fondness that was truly telling of how nostalgic that memory was to her. "Meow, it was the best."

Yuki sighs, but not due to exasperation. He smiled and let his body relax for once.

"That sounds lovely." He lies against the wall again, this time facing against the bars and looking at the girl.

"I tried it before…" He confesses without thinking. "Going out and making friends, I mean…And…It didn't go well."

The girl doesn't say anything.

"Meow…What happened?" She asks, sounding a bit quieter than before.

Yuki looks down and shrugs.

"Well, just what you would expect at a playground." He tried to laugh but sounded incredibly forced. "I wanted to battle a group of kids and they told me to go away…I know I shouldn't have taken it personally, but they were…Excessively rude."

"Meow…Yeah, other kids can be mean." She nods.

"Yes…" Yuki giggles under his breath. "That night…Grandpa took me camping because he noticed how upset I was, and…That trip was the first time I ever heard about the star fragment and how it would one day return."

He laughs again, shaking his head.

"To tell the truth, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it when he said I would get to see it and would have to "lead the way" so it doesn't fall on the wrong hands…I'm sure he just said that to make me feel better." The young astronomer keeps laughing despite his voice starting to crack as he suppresses a whimper. "But I chose to believe him and…I think I used it as an excuse to be more dedicated with my studies instead of…Trying to be a normal human being…Oh my stars, no wonder why I failed so quickly."

As soon as he hears himself sniffling, Yuki takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. He tries to take deep breaths to keep himself from crying. Right now, the last thing he wanted was to make his situation even weirder by crying in front of a stranger.

"I…Um…You said…Uh…" Yuki tries clearing his throat and looks down. "You said you brought food, right?"

The girl nods, then opens the paper bag and hands him one of the steamed buns before taking one for herself.

"Meow, I didn't know which ones you'd like so I just picked the pork buns." She confesses right before taking a bite. "They are my favorites, meow."

Yuki looks surprised for a moment, but then smiles.

"M-mine too! Grandpa taught me how to make them when I-Uh-" He blushes after realizing he spoke too loudly. "U-uh, thank you so much miss…Um…I just realized I never got your name…Sorry."

"Meow, that's fine!" She shakes her head. "Meow, it's not your fault, you were unconscious, meow. I-I mean! I-I…Meow, sorry. I'm Motti, meow. Yup. That's my name, meow."

"M-my name is Yuki…A-and…It's nice to meet you, miss Motti." He laughs. "Well…Despite the-...Uh…Y-you know…"

Motti sees him pointing out at the bars dividing them.

"Meow, yeah. Sorry for that." She tries to laugh as she nods, but there is no way to make it less awkward. "It was Johannes' idea, meow. I think he is excited because it's the first time Pluto gives him an important mission, meow."

Yuki nods before deciding to start eating. He is glad the food is still warm.

"So…Is Pluto the person who orchestrated this whole thing?" He asks, not really expecting her to answer.

That's right…No matter how nice and polite Motti is, she is still affiliated with the people who kidnapped him.

"Pluto? Meow, yeah." Motti nods. "Meow, he's the boss around here."

Yuki freezes just as he is about to take another bite of his pork bun. Wait, did she just tell him the truth?

He's starting to feel confused again. He kinda expected the 'bad guys' to be more secretive.

"Um…And what does he want with me?" It doesn't matter if he is testing his luck. Yuki needs to know more. "Why am I here?"

"Meow, Pluto is curious about what you know." Motti doesn't even hesitate before answering. "Meow, about the star fragment, Nemesis…Meow! He is also curious because he said one fragment went to you."

Yuki remembers that night.

A piece of the star fragment fell on his telescope and gave him a vision….He didn't know he was being watched then.

"Meow, but Pluto isn't here thou." The young girl shrugs. "He said he had something important to do, meow. So he told Johannes to go get you."

"Oh…"

"Meow, I just don't get it." Motti suddenly lets out a sigh.

"Huh?" Yuki looks at her.

"Meow, that whole obsession he has with waking up Nemesis!" She groans with exasperation. "Meow, he said that Nemesis will kill everything. How's that a good thing, meow?! It's just so silly and Johannes goes along with it, meow!"

The young astronomer blinks, confused about what he just heard.

"If you don't like it…Why did you join them?" He asks in the most gentle tone of voice he can muster despite feeling incredibly awkward about her confession.

"Meow?" She tilts her head to the side in confusion. "Join? Meow, I didn't join. I just live here, meow!"

"Wait, what?"

"Meow, yeah! I don't do what Pluto says because his plans are smart, meow…Because they are not." Motti shrugs. "Meow, I listen to him because he took me and Johannes in when we were little."

With that piece of information, Yuki starts putting the pieces together.

So….A man named Pluto wants to make sure the fragment of star falls in the wrong hands, he wants to awaken Nemesis, and then…Kill everything on the planet. And this 'Pluto' adopted children to make sure they carry on his mission to-

Oh

….Sweet Ursa Major, he was kidnapped by a cult.

"Meow, he always says that he values my opinion, but he actually never listens!" Motti doesn't seem to notice the other's expression of pure shock. "Meow, he wants to make sure Nemesis destroys all life, BUT I LIKE LIVING! Is that so bad?!"

Motti started leaning back but ended up plopping herself on the floor and leaving out a sigh.

"...I'm sorry he doesn't listen to you." Yuki sighed and let himself fall on his back as well. "It's a shame, truly. You seem like the only one who thinks things through around here."

"Meow, I guess." Motti's cheerful attitude disappears for a second as she sighs in defeat. "Not like it matters, meow. I think I'll just start traveling again and forget about it."

"That sounds like a good plan." Yuki let out a quiet giggle. "I apologize for keeping you here. I'm sure you would rather be anywhere else right now."

After looking at the ceiling for a while, the young astronomer decides to turn his head. The first thing he sees is Motti's smile coming back.

"Meow, it's alright." She giggles too. "It's not like you are doing this on purpose, meow. I really want to make sure Johannes doesn't accidentally kill you or anything."

"W-wait, what?!"

"Meow, I'm kidding! I'm kidding!"

Motti turns to look at him and winks at him as she laughs.

Yuki couldn't help but to smile.

Well, if he is going to be held hostage by an evil cult…He considers himself lucky to have the only nice person there to keep him company.