Three soldiers stood in front of the throne, watching in fear as their lord beat one of them on the floor. There was nothing they could do but watch their comrade was beaten to a pulp. "You are all useless" screamed the dark haired cinyclonian "First you let them escape and now you can't find a damn child! You're all useless!"
One of the soldiers took a step forward "Tana-sama please understand, she can be anywhere on earth"
Tana stepped away from the bleeding soldier on the floor "you are right" he said, cleaning his blood stained hands.
The soldier looked proudly at his two comrades, who were standing next him. Tana walked up to the soldier, standing in front of him "what's your name? Soldier" said Tana, putting a hand on the soldiers left shoulder.
"H-Haru, Sir" said the soldier stuttering.
"You know" said Tana, tightening his hold on the man left shoulder. He pulled the soldier close to him, close enough to whisper in his ear "I hate people who make up excuses"
The others watch in horror as Tana stabs the man in the heart. Tana just stood there uncaring as the man lifeless body fell to the floor "if you don't want to suffer the same fate as this worthless being, I would advise to look for the girl" Tana watched as his soldiers hurried off to the mission in question.
"They are truly worthless" said a man standing at the door.
"I bet we can find that girl in no time" said another voice, laughing.
"I don't see why you waist time like this Tana, when you can just send us to find the girl" said a third voice.
Tana looked at the three cinyclonian's , a smile spreading across his face "You will go in due time"
*Back on Earth*
Ichigo stared at Ryou as he paced around the room. It had been three weeks since the day they found Kitty on that ship and they still didn't have a clue of to what they should be protecting the girl from. All the mews were standing right next to each other, Kitty coloring on a table at a distance from them, and Keiichiro standing next to Ryou.
Ryou stopped his pacing and looked at the girls "We can't keep that child here"
Ichigo glared at him "Why?"
"We can't keep an eye on her and on alien activity at the same time" said Ryou glaring back at Ichigo.
Keiichiro stood in between Ryou and Ichigo "plus, we believe she would make more progress with you Ichigo"
Ichigo blinked a few times and pointed at herself "me?"
"It seems she has more trust in you, than in any of us" said Keiichiro smiling.
"And truth be told we need the girl to talk, if we want to know what we are dealing with" said Ryou crossing his arms.
Ichigo looked at the other mews as they all shrugged "so they have all tried" she thought to herself, not really knowing what to do "Fine" she sighed "but what am I going to tell my parents?"
Ryou shrugged "Ok that's settled. Ichigo you can take the rest of the day off"
Ichigo sighed "in what trouble did I get myself in" she murmured to herself. She walked up to the small four year old who was coloring quietly "Hey Kitty, want to go for a walk with me?" she smiled at the girl.
Kitty stared at her and nodded, getting off the chair and extending her hand for Ichigo to hold. She stared as Ichigo gently took her small hand, and starting walking out of the café, for some reason she felt safe with the young red hair girl, the same secure feeling she had with her papa.
Ichigo decided to pass by the playground Kitty loved so much, to see if she could get a reaction out of the small girl, but Kitty didn't even spare it a glance. The small girl just kept looking in to the distance "look Kitty is the playground you like so much" said Ichigo, but the young girl still didn't pay any attention. She sighed, it was best to go straight home.
*At Ichigo's house*
Ichigo took in a deep breath. She still didn't know what to tell her parents, but it was now or never. She looked at Kitty who was silently looking up at her. The eyes that once shined so bright with happiness were now full of sadness and fear. She smiled, reassuring that everything was going to be okay. Opening the door to her house, she noticed that no one was there "come on Kitty lets go to my room"
Kitty quietly followed Ichigo up the stairs, and in to the room. She watched as Ichigo went to her desk, getting out a piece of paper and some crayons.
"Ichigo honey, are you home?" a voice creamed from downstairs.
"Yeah!" screamed Ichigo, giving the paper and crayons to Kitty "Kitty, I'll be right back okay?" Ichigo smiled, as the girl nodded and taking the paper and crayons. She made her way down stairs, where her mom was "hey mom"
"Hey sweety" her mom smiled, giving her a kiss on the forehead and walking toward the kitchen, grocery in hand.
Ichigo toon in a deep breath as she watched her mom, getting ready to start cooking "mom… can I speak to you for a second?"
Her mom blinked at her "sure honey"
Ichigo took a seat on the kitchen table, her mom doing the same "can my friend stay over for a couple of days, maybe weeks" she murmured the last part.
"How many weeks are we talking about?" said her mom raising her eyebrow.
"Undecided?" she shrugged, laughing nervously. Ichigo saw as her mom sighed, she was definitely going to say no "mom, please! She really needs my help"
"Fi-" at that moment Ichigo's dad walked through the door "hey my two beautiful girls" he kissed his daughter on the forehead, and gave his wife a loving kiss "everything okay?" they both nodded.
"Ichigo was asking me if we could let her friend stay for a couple of weeks"
He took a seat next to his wife "how many exactly"
"Undecided" Ichigo said smiling nervously.
He raised his eyebrow at his daughter "that's sounds like a long time" he crossed his arms "do we even know this girl and what lead to this?"
"It won't be. Please dad, she really needs my help" said Ichigo begging. Her dad had a thoughtful face, while her mother just looked concerned, for a moment she though they would agree before their eyes widen in shock. She looked toward the direction of their gaze, to see Kitty walking up to her. The small girl sat on her lap "she must have felt lonely" though Ichigo.
Ichigo's mom stared in shock of how much that child looked like her daughter; it was like reliving the time where Ichigo was four years old "who is that child, Ichigo"
"Well, umm… this is the friend I was telling you about?" Ichigo let out a nervous chuckle.
"Explain yourself young lady"
Ichigo could tell by the tone of her dad that he wasn't very happy about the whole thing anymore. She couldn't really tell them that she was and alien who needed help. She looked at Kitty who was a little startled by her dad's tone. It somehow reminded her of herself "Kitty why don't you go upstairs. I'll call you when I'm done, okay?" the young girl nodded and rushed upstairs. Maybe she couldn't tell them the truth.
"Ichigo what is going on? Who is that child?" asked her mom worried.
"She's my umm… friend Lettuce... cousin" she let out a sigh to calm herself "some stuff happened and Lettuce asked me if I could watch her for a couple of weeks"
"Undecided weeks?" said her dad questioningly.
"Yea-yeah, it probably won't be long though" she laughed nervously.
Both her parents looked at each other before staring back at Ichigo "well if your friend really needs the hel-" said her dad before he was cut off by Ichigo.
"Really, thank you, thank you!" Ichigo hugged her two parents before calling Kitty, to come downstairs. When the four year old didn't appear, Ichigo went upstairs to find her asleep on her bed. She walked up to the girl sitting next to her; she stared down to see Kitty was crying "she probably having a nightmare" though Ichigo.
Kitty held on to Ichigo shirt "papa" she whispered, holding on to Ichigo even harder.
Ichigo ran a hand through the small girl's hair "everything's okay Kitty" her heart broke every time, she heard the four year old girl call out to her dad with such desperation. Ichigo didn't know who Kitty's dad was, but she really hoped for his safety.
