"Hey, you guys think we could possibly tone it down, at least during rehearsal. I don't want to lose my voice, you know."
Suddenly, her watch began to beep. "Great. See if that had happened while we were rehearsing, I never would've heard it," she told them with a roll of her eyes. "Is it okay if I take my call in the house, Adora?" she asked, pretending like she was searching for a cell phone.
Not even really waiting for a reply, she ran out of the garage and into Adora's downstairs bathroom. "What's up?" she asked, surprised when, not one of her siblings, but Tenshi popped onto her screen.
"Thank goodness you're there," Tenshi said. "I lost Puroko, and I need help to find her."
Tenshi looked so desperate there on the screen. Kimahou couldn't help but agree. "Of course. But why didn't you call Neko-chan?" Before Tenshi could answer, Kimahou answered herself, "Oh, yeah, she's grounded, huh?" Tenshi nodded slowly. "Okay, can you pick me up then?"
"Yeah."
Kimahou gave her the address and added, "Try and think of where she might have gone in the meantime, okay?" Again Tenshi seemed only capable of nodding in response before the screen went blank.
"Sorry, guys, I gotta jet!" Kimahou sang as she grabbed her stuff and ran to the curb to wait for Tenshi to pick her up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Using a real vidphone, Tenshi dialed the number her parents had put in the address book for Kono's house. She hoped Puroko was there, but she'd feel pretty foolish for calling Kimahou if she was. But, if Kimahou hadn't mentioned to think of places Puroko'd go, Tenshi never would have even considered the idea that she'd go to Kono's.
To her relief, Kono himself answered the phone.
"Moshi mo-"
"Kono-chan, is my sister there?" she asked anxiously, not bothering to let him get out the simple greeting.
"Iie, sorry," was his disappointing reply. But Tenshi didn't have to wait long before he gave her a more helpful answer. "I saw her leave. With her new friend� that American girl?"
"Amber?"
"Hai. I thought it was odd, 'cuz aren't you supposed to take her home on Fridays?" He looked a little confused as he continued, "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at your singing lessons right now?"
She had totally forgotten about voice, but it wasn't important now. Now she needed to find Puroko, and she told him so.
"Yeah, she's probably with Amber-san. It's always 'Amber-san' this and 'Amber-san' that. I mean, at least she's talking to me, but it's always about the fascinating and elegant Amber-san."
Tenshi didn't mention to Kono how jealous he sounded. She was still too interested in where Puroko might be. "Did she mention to you where she might go?"
"I only saw them driving away after school. Oh, but Amber-san's been trying to get Puroko-chan to come over to her house all week. Some fancy house, really big or something� at least that's what she's been saying."
"Like a mansion? They moved in this week, right?" Kono nodded to both questions. "Okay, I'm on it. Thanks Kono-chan! She's lucky to be your friend."
Tenshi saw him blush before she hung up, which she thought was kinda cute, since she was getting the feeling that Kono was developing a small crush on Puroko. But she didn't have time to dwell on that kawaii thought. Although she now knew where Puroko was, she still had this feeling of apprehension about it. Something wasn't right.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Puroko screamed again as pain shot up her arm. Amber's idea of play was not fun in the least, and there was nothing Puroko could do about it. Amber had somehow managed to bind her hands behind her back and her feet with some invisible force. Though Puroko couldn't see anything around her feet, she knew that if she moved them or her arms even the slightest bit, something cut into them. But staying immobile wasn't easy either, for Amber played rough, and Puroko couldn't help but jerk away as Amber "accidentally" scratched her with a toy or pulled her hair or pinched her, or when she got mad at Puroko for not cooperating and threw a toy at her. Puroko kinda felt like Amber thought she was a toy too, to be used as she pleased.
"Don't be such a big baby!" Amber yelled at Puroko for the hundredth time. "I've been a lot nicer to you than I have to my other friends."
"We're not friends." Puroko sniffed. "Friends aren't mean to each other. They don't hurt each other like this."
"You and Kono seemed perfectly willing to hurt each other. 'Sides, this is how Carnelian, Amethyst, and Crystal taught me to play. So stop crying about it!"
This only made Puroko cry more. She would take Kono over Amber any day. Poor Kono who she had neglected due to her excitement over making friends with Amber. She wished he was here to save her. She wished anyone was.
"Tenshi will come for me," she told Amber defiantly, remembering that her sister would probably wonder where she went. She ignored the nagging doubt that tried to remind her that if Tenshi hadn't forgot her in the first place, she wouldn't be here with Amber. She knew Tenshi would save her. "She'll find me and beat you up for being mean to me."
"Good, I hope she does."
Puroko stared at her captor, not quite understanding what she meant. "No, she'll be really mad at you."
"Puroko, why do you think I've been so interested in you?" Amber asked with a cruel smile. "Trust me, it's not 'cuz of how fun you are. Night Angel will come to save you. It's his job. But he'll be so upset and worried
Home
