Neko was sitting in the diagonally opposite corner from Tenshi. Tenshi couldn't actually see her, because there was mopping equipment in the way. In fact, that was why Tenshi had sat there. So she didn't have to see her.
But she still could hear her. And it worried her. Neko was breathing very hard. She had been from almost the start. But recently her breathing had become faster and heavier. She was obviously panicking.
Tenshi swallowed her pride and her fear. "Neko-chan?"
No response.
She stood up and made her way around the mopping stuff. Neko was sitting there, bawling into her cat. Tenshi knelt down and took her by the shoulders. "Neko-chan? Please stop," she pleaded.
Neko turned her tear-streaked face towards her. "Where's Mi-chan?" she asked pitifully.
"I don't know," Tenshi answered quietly. Still she looked at Neko, her eyes filled with optimism. "But don't worry. My papa will find us."
"Really?" Neko asked hopefully.
Tenshi nodded. Neko looked relieved at the thought of having two people look for her - one her twin, and one an adult - and her breathing slowed down.
Tenshi sat down next to her. "My papa promised to always protect me." Neko's eyes widened with interest. Tenshi pointed to her flashlight. "Papa gave me that so I'd never be in the dark. And see, we're not!" Neko nodded, enchanted by what Tenshi was telling her.
"Your papa and Mi-chan will find us." She wiped her eyes.
"Hai." Tenshi didn't actually know if she believed what she was saying until she had said it. But now she truly trusted in it. "I'm sure they'll be here soon."
"Good." Neko leaned back against the wall. "They should hurry."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mi-chan slowed down.
"Nani?" Haruka asked.
Mi-chan suddenly felt less fear for/from Neko. There was some, but she suddenly felt less urgency. But the reason she had slowed down was because she was suddenly less sure of where to go.
Haruka, Endymion, and Serenity stopped and looked at each other, uncertain of what to do next.
Mi-chan, however, pretended that she was playing hide and seek with Neko. She closed her eyes and tried to guess which direction Neko would have gone.
Haruka was relieved to feel Mi-chan tug at her hand again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ne, Tenshi-kun? Do you wanna rose?" Neko asked quietly.
Tenshi looked at her in surprise. "Why?"
Neko almost smiled. "'Cuz I'm gonna be a big sister."
"Oh, sure."
Tenshi looked at the rose and at the girl who had given it to her. Neko was beginning to look tired, which was actually a good thing because Tenshi had run out of things to talk about to keep her calmer. Tenshi wondered if she could get her to go to sleep. That'd be easiest.
"Once upon a time," she started. Her parents often told her stories of the Sailor Scouts to get her to relax before bed. She remembered one she thought Neko might like. She hoped she could tell it right. "Once upon a time, there was a very nice and smart girl named Ami."
"Like my mama," Neko said contentedly. She leaned her head on Tenshi's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Uh huh. Once she met another nice girl named Usagi�."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It seemed like they'd been following Mi-chan forever, when she stopped again.
"Now what?" Haruka was still very anxious about finding Tenshi and Neko. She wasn't sure that they were doing the right thing by following the 2� year old, but she didn't see any other choice except by randomly searching the floor. Though at this rate, that might have been quicker.
Mi-chan looked at her with spirited violet eyes. "I win." She pointed to the janitorial closet.
Endymion tried the handle. "It's locked."
"Michiru-chan, are you sure?" Haruka asked. Mi-chan nodded.
"Great, I'll find a janitor. Ano, you guys should go find the others and tell them what's going on." Haruka picked up Mi-chan and started off to find a janitor. Before she left though, she added, "But don't tell Michiru."
Just in case.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As Tenshi told her story, Neko slowly relaxed and eventually fell asleep.
Tenshi was glad. She didn't want to see how Neko reacted when the light went out. Tenshi, herself, like any other 4 year old wasn't too fond of the dark either. And her flashlight was definitely getting dimmer and dimmer.
*Papa? Mama? Where are you?*
A few minutes ago, her heart had leapt with hope when the handle was jiggled by someone outside. But nobody had come in to save them.
Haruka had promised to save her. And Tenshi had been told that she didn't have to worry about the dark anymore. But where was her papa now?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
