Black Kitten
Tawny
I stayed with Sven and Train while Kyoko and Eve went out shopping. Train was wearing Kyoko's school uniform and wasn't happy about it.
Finally, they got back with a few things in his new size for him to wear. It was the hardest thing I had ever done: keeping from giggling insanely at Train's fashion show and sulky expression.
We finally settled on something that worked. "But we still have to figure out some way to get you back to normal again," Sven said, sounding relatively worried.
"Hey," I answered, "I'm not going to worry until he stays that size for more than a day or two. For all we know, it's temporary."
Sven guessed nanotechnology, and Train suddenly got excited with the thought that maybe he had transformation powers now.
Somehow, I was inclined to doubt it.
The idiot jumped out the window trying to grow wings. Naturally, nothing happened. And someone had better wash his mouth out with soap and do something about his attitude.
Since when did I think about Train Heartnet – Number Thirteen – Black Cat – like this?
Um…since Black Cat became Black Kitten?
Then Kyoko jumped out the window after him. Genius.
I looked at Sven. "Remember, this might only be temporary, so let's try to keep it between us?"
"All right, whatever. Could you two go keep an eye on them?"
I nodded and vaulted out the window, using my claws to catch the windowsill and climb down like a respectable cat-girl would.
When I caught up to them – they'd each gotten a bottle of milk – I heard Kyoko babbling on. Something about how it was like they were on a date and he was her boyfriend. Somehow, I doubted Train was even listening to her. Though it was pretty funny when she started spilling milk on her own head and it didn't seem like she even noticed. I picked up my own pace so I was walking alongside Train.
"How are you holding up?" I asked.
"Fine."
Train
I couldn't finish my milk, so I passed it to Tawny. "Want some?"
"Sure."
It was sure different being kid-sized. Everything seemed larger.
Then I heard a gunshot and took off down a side alley. Somehow I figured one of my escort would follow me as backup.
Tawny
I chased after Train, undoing some of my whip. "Hey, Black Kitten, wait up!"
He shot the gun out of some guy's hand and then pointed the gun at the back of his neck. Eve, who'd caught up, used her hair to punch out the other guy who was threatening a little girl.
I lashed out my whip, caught the falling girl, and pulled her into my arms. I knew how to use my whip; she wasn't hurt, only scared. I lowered her to the kid at the bottom of the ditch.
Train ordered those guys away. It was all I could do to keep from smiling. They were listening to a kid!
Then we escorted the two back to their home in an old factory. Apparently, a whole bunch of kids lived there.
Timmy, the kid we'd rescued, asked Train for help to drive off the gangsters who'd been threatening them. Train basically said he wasn't interested and got led off by some of the smaller kids. I listened to Layla's story with Eve and knew we just had to do something.
We told Train what was going on. Eve said she would stay to help Tim protect his friends.
It was still cute how Train would call Eve "Princess."
"I'm going to stay, too," I added.
"You, too?"
"Yes." Just that. No other explanation.
I found him later, practicing his shooting. One shot took the can off the sawhorse, but he strained his shoulder a little.
"Hey. You mind helping me out? My main problem with practicing hitting moving targets is it's easier practicing with two people."
"Okay." He picked up the can and tossed it up, while I aimed and fired.
When we went in, we found out that Eve had tried her hand at cooking an omelet. It was burned. She still asked Train to try some. It was nothing less than amusing, but I figured I knew why she'd asked Train: if he, a kid like them, could eat it, then it was safe for them. I was practically an adult by their standards, even though I still thought like a kid about half the time.
Apparently, Eve hadn't done that badly! It was just a little burned.
That night, Tim, Train and I were staring up at the stars.
"Do you really think using a gun," Train asked Tim, "will help you avenge your parents?"
I stayed quiet. There wasn't any point in saying anything: Tim would probably listen better to Train, especially if he thought I wasn't listening.
"What? Are you going to lecture me or something?"
"Just about the gun. But I didn't say not to avenge your parents, did I? You're the leader here, right? Listen, Tim, don't forget that there are people here who need you, and if you die…"
I listened to the sounds of the night. Then I heard some cars driving up. "What's that?"
"Oh no," Tim yelled, "it's the gang!"
We came down. And once again, I was impressed with Train. Even as a kitten, the Black Cat was fast!
Eve blocked some machine-gun fire with a shield she'd formed from her hand, and then turned her hair into a mallet and smashed a car.
I lashed out a few times with my whip, catching any guy stupid enough to try approaching.
I don't clearly remember what happened. I do know that at the end, the leader of the gang was on the ground and Tim was pointing Train's gun at him. Train was going to let him finish the job.
"Are you gonna shoot?" he asked.
After another few agonizing seconds, Tim answered, "No. This guy's not worth killing." Then he clouted the guy up the side of the head with the gun and told them firmly to leave, while Train just stood there and smiled.
I bound my whip back up around my waist to its typical tail-length. "Come on, Black Kitten," I knelt and pointed at my back, "I'll give you a ride back to the hotel! You've earned it!"
"'Black Kitten'?" he repeated with a smirk, but he did hop on. I started running back, with Eve following me.
"Well sure," I gasped, "you're still the Black Cat, but you're a kid right now, so it's Black Kitten!"
He laughed. "You're funny." Then he gripped my shoulders tighter and changed his position a little so that he could whisper into my ear, if where I was feeling his breath was anything to go by. "That's what I like about you." Then he kissed me!
I'll give myself credit: when I felt his lips touch my ear, I didn't stumble. Instead, I managed to leap onto the wall and use my claws to climb up to the window and in. Well, I thought, score one-up on Kyoko!
Train
Yeah, I was flirting a little. But hey, she'd kissed me some time back, so I was returning the favor.
I took a long hot shower once we got back, and I didn't come out until I heard Tawny banging on the door. "Hey, Train! Are you trying to grow fur in there? It's my turn!"
Winding a towel around my waist, I opened the door.
And found myself making eye contact with Tawny, where when I'd gone into the bathroom I'd been staring at her ribs.
"Um…or were you just trying to grow?"
A/N: Episode 14
