Drip…

Drip…

Drip…

Scrunching her eyes tightly as warmth traveled over her face, Claire soon groaned as she felt some kind of liquid cascading over her form causing her to become quite damp. Cracking an eye open, the brunette twitched as she craned her neck upwards, a sense of Deja vu soon following.

Drumming her fingers on the arm currently holding her hostage, Claire looked up at Kat in irritation as her mouth rested right above her, a long trail of her drool continuously dripping onto her head. ‘We’re going to have to have a little talk about this when you wake up…’ Claire thought somewhat agitated.

It was adorable in one sense, but utterly degrading in another. Feeling her body suddenly wrapped up in warmth, the shrunken girl blinked before turning around as best she could. As she was lifted into the air, her attention was soon shifted to her other guest who she had almost forgotten about in her sleep induced haze.

Setting Claire down next to her and away from the drooling child, Lily stared at her indifferently as she cupped her hands in her lap. Did Lily really just save her from her unpleasant situation? “T-Thanks for that… a few more minutes and I would have drowned.” Claire smiled, before frowning as she saw Lily’s dark expression.

“W-What’s wrong, is… is everything alright Lily?” Staring back down at her, the raven haired girl wondered what she would do. ‘I have to tell her…’, ‘Don’t, it’s not your place.’ Clenching her fists, she chose to ignore her inner voice that surprisingly had been rather mute up until this point.

Licking her lips, Lily stared back at Claire before feeling some of the fire in the words she wanted to say extinguished by the gentle look she was being given. ‘S-She has to know…’, ‘And they will tell her… or, we will.’ Hardening her gaze, Lily nodded before closing her eyes.

As much as she wanted to tell the voice to stop… it was actually helping her not make any rash decisions… she wanted to tell her since the moment she awoke, but now, she wasn’t so sure. “Lily…?” Opening her eyes again, the younger girl stared back at Claire before sighing.

“I’m glad Kat didn’t waterboard you. I was starting to get used to having you around…” She mumbled quietly, deciding to change the subject. She could wait and see what the twins did next, she had time… Fidgeting, Claire nodded well aware that her question had been redirected, but, she didn’t want to pry. Lily would open up to her more when she was ready to… although it kind of frightened her that a six-year-old knew what waterboarding was…

Moving closer to her, Claire sat down next to the quiet girl before resting her palm on her leg. “You know… if you want to tell me anything, you can.” Claire said genuinely as she watched Lily’s face closely. Looking away in silence, the child nodded but said no more.

Sitting next to one another quietly, Claire soon began to worry. It seemed like Lily wanted her for something but now she wasn’t so sure. Feeling said girls hand move around her once more, Lily soon moved Claire onto her lap as she stared off with a distant expression.

“Have the twins told you your role in their plan yet?” Blinking, Claire shook her head silently. Did Lily already know what they had in mind for her? Frowning, the raven haired girl nodded before tapping Claire’s back gently.

“Be careful… be careful who you trust…” Scowling, the brunette turned around to face the colossal girl with a worried look. “Lily, I trust Sophia and Alexis… without them, I-I’d probably be dead by now…” Narrowing her eyes, Lily soon moved the shrunken girl up to her eyes as she leveled her gaze.

“And if they hadn’t shrunk you in the first place you would have been even safer…” Licking her lips, Claire tried to retort… but she kind of had a valid point… “The worst thing about being lied to… is knowing you’re not worth the truth…” Lily whispered weakly before Claire’s hands cupped onto her thumb.

“What… what did the twins promise you that broke whatever trust you gave them…?” As her eyes hardened, Lily’s grip soon tightened around Claire involuntary, causing her to grunt in pain. "Freedom…”

Looking up at Lily confused, her eyes soon shut as she released her hold on Claire sending her tumbling onto her lap. “What promise we made to each other is none of your concern, and a matter for them to tell you if they so chose, not I. Just be wary, and choose carefully who you put faith in. the pain of being lied to... is traumatizing.” Lily whispered, the pain in her words all too real causing the shrunken girl to feel regret for her.

‘What did you two do to cause her such pain…?’ Hearing a loud yawn behind them soon dragged their attention away from their dark conversation. Leaning up tiredly, Kat soon rubbed her eyes before Looking around. “P-Pretty lady…?”

Cupping Claire once again, Lily soon moved her next to Kat, but not before giving her, her last few words of advice… “I don’t trust anyone anymore… not after them. But, I trust you, you’ve earned that much from me… Do not, make me regret it…” She whispered ominously causing the shrunken girl to shiver with fear.

After hearing plenty of threats from Lily the past few days, she knew a silent warning when she heard it. Nodding timidly, Lily lowered her hand before dropping her in front of Kat. “Get up fur ball… We have to get going.” Lily muttered, before hopping off the bed, her dress already on giving Claire the impression she had been up for a while.

Watching Lily leave the room, the brunette soon grew worried. The climax was quickly approaching… it seemed there was more than one side to this twisted fairy tale then she had come to realize. ‘Could Sophia and Alexis really be hiding something from me?’

Considering they hadn’t even told her anything, that seemed unlikely. So why was Lily trying to warn her? Mulling it over in silence, she was soon brought out from her troubling thoughts as Kat's finger poked her head.

“Is Claire alright? You’re not talking to Kat.” The Neko whispered timidly. Smiling, Claire turned around before opening her arms to the giant toddler. Giggling, Kat quickly scooped up the shrunken girl before cradling her gently.

“Sorry Kat… I, just have a lot of my mind I guess…” Turning her head, a clear sign she was confused, Kat soon smiled before moving Claire up to her cheek and nuzzling her. “Can Kat help you with anything? You always help Kat when she thinks too much.” Smirking, Claire was about to say no… but, a second opinion might not be too bad considering how close Kat was to the twins.

“Can… can you tell me something?” Looking down at Claire expectantly, Kat nodded quickly as she smiled at her. “What is it, Pretty Lady?” Thinking about how to approach this topic, Claire soon decided to make it as black and white as she could.

“Do you, trust, Sophia and Alexis.” Almost as quick as she said it Kat was nodding happily. “Yep. Their Kats friends and Kat trusts her friends.” 'Well that was pointless...' Kat was loyal to a fault, of course, she trusted them. But... Frowning, Claire nodded deciding to ask one more question that had been pestering her.

“What did they twins offer you… when they found you?” Pausing, her reaction much slower than before, Kats eyes soon glowed red before her expression shifted signaling she wasn’t all there currently. “What Sophie and Alex gave Kat, is something Kat can’t say until they say Kat can.” She whispered quietly unnerving Claire thoroughly.

As quick as it came it soon vanished as Kats emerald eyes were staring back at her happily. “Did Kat help the pretty lady?” Nodding silently, she soon had to smile as Kats cheerful voice rang out gleefully. Rubbing the shrunken girl into her cheek giddily, the little Neko soon moved off the bed as she cradled Claire against her chest.

“Let’s go eat, Kats hungry.” Nodding absently, Claire remained quiet as she thought over both girls words. Something was bothering her now… and it seemed everyone knew what it was but her, and that didn’t sit well with her one bit.

She knew for a fact when they all went back to the daycare today… Sophia and Alexis had a lot of explaining to do…

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“But why? Kats Lily’s friend isn’t she? Why can’t Kat come over and play with Lily?”

“Because I said so!”

“But that’s not telling Kat why!”

“Fine, my parents might mistake you for garbage and try to throw you out~.”

“Please!”

“No.”

“Pretty please!”

“I SAID NO ALREADY!”

Shifting her gaze back and forth, Claire watched in silent amusement as Kat got under Lily’s skin. The funny thing about it though was she wasn’t even trying to. It seemed they naturally knew how to bug one another. It was actually pretty cute.

Running in circles around Lily as she walked regally towards the daycare, the Raven haired girl soon grew agitated by the hyper girls constant pestering. “Why now of all times do you want to see where I dwell? J-Just because we’re… friends… does not mean I’d let you set one foot in my home!”

Giggling happily, Kat pointed back the way they came before bouncing happily. “But Kat let you in her home. Lily should return the favor!” Scowling, Claire chose not to weigh in that it was actually her apartment and decided to just watch leisurely instead.

After the seriousness of the morning, this was a nice change of pace. “For the last time Kathrine, you may not come…to…” Pausing, Lily looked back at Kat as she stopped walking as fast, her mood suddenly sullied for some reason.

“P-P-Please don’t call Kat that…” Blinking, the raven-haired girl looked back at her friend before frowning. The nausea-inducing bubbly girl before was gone and replaced with her much darker persona for some reason.

Glancing over her shoulder at her shrunken passenger, Claire waved her hand in front of her neck telling her to drop it. ‘Don’t call her that, she’s not the same person she once was and she’s accepted that…’ Claire thought quietly.

Closing her eyes somewhat remorsefully, Lily nodded before picking Claire up off her shoulder and moving next to the stiffened girl. “I, apologize… here.” Dropping Claire in her hands gently, Lily soon walked ahead of them before Claire realized what she had done.

“HEY, DID YOU JUST PASS ME OFF LIKE SOME TYPE OF GIFT?!” Smirking, Lily didn’t retort giving the brunette the impression that was exactly what she did. Hearing a faint giggle above her, Claire looked upwards before smiling as she saw Kats red eyes shifting back to green.

“You alright?” Nodding quietly, Kat moved Claire to her cheek before hugging her gently. “Kat doesn’t like being called that. That’s her name, not Kats.” Nodding, Claire pet the younger girl’s cheek gently as she listened to the steady purring that soon followed.

She didn’t care how long it took her. She would eventually get to the bottom of why Kat was the way she was. She felt an urgent need to do so, like every fiber of her being wanted to give the girl closure for whatever was going on inside her head.

She didn’t know if it was guilt or debt. to the twins, or any number of things. She just knew she had to be the one to help her. As she was pulled away from Kats' cheek, she was soon moved back into the heart-shaped hole in the center of her dirty shirt.

‘Wait, when did she put it back on?’ She had been with Kat all morning, how had she found the time to change so quickly and not have her notice?! Groaning, Claire shook her head, dismayed by the fact Kats appearance had become so normal to her by now she didn’t even notice the obscurity in it.

‘When we get home she’s changing out of these clothes and into something decent.’ Blinking, Claire furrowed her brow. When did she make her apartment Kats home? Looking up at the giant little girl as she gleefully trailed behind Lily, a carefree expression present on her features, Claire soon smiled.

‘I guess… I’m just used to seeing Kat there…’ It had only been for a couple days, or, a week for her… but it almost made her sad to think of her home without Kat present. Feeling herself soon lifted up, her face met with the orange haired Neko’s as she looked at Claire quietly.

“Is the pretty lady alright? She’s been quiet for a while… Kats worried.” The younger girl whispered, concern clear in her tone. Smiling sheepishly, Claire nodded as she petted the toddler’s hand. “Y-Yeah Kat… I’m fine. I guess I’m just content.” She shrugged.

Grinning Kat nodded before cradling Claire gently in her arms. “Kats glad the pretty lady’s happy! Kat will do everything to make her stay that way!” She cheered as she gently rocked the smaller girl back and forth.

Smiling warmly, Claire chuckled in amusement. It seemed they both wanted to please one another. Yep, not having Kat around anymore would really be disheartening… but, maybe she didn’t have to leave when she changed back…

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Sitting in front of the Daycare her daughters had come to make their own little project the past few years, an older blonde woman sat next to her two daughters as she watched them act… just so out of character than their usual selves.

With their heads hung, their blank red eyes staring into the cement sidewalk below, and their faces showing utter despair, the blonde had to worry. Even in the past when her daughter’s plans had failed, they took it with a grain of salt… but all this, over one person?

“C-C-Can I get you anything? You hardly ate breakfast today… M-Maybe something to drink?” She muttered in concern but was only met with silence. Feeling their mother’s hands resting on their shoulders, both Sophia and Alexis remained deaf as they tried to tell themselves it would be alright… but, they knew better.

Lily was bordering dangerously close to what you could clinically call a sociopath, and they didn’t know why. If Claire did anything wrong… or, even if she didn’t… she could die… and it hurt them to know this… Ever since last night, they didn’t eat… they didn’t sleep… and they certainly didn’t talk. Their minds were linked, so all the sadness they each felt, was mutual, and just as painful to feel rolling off one another like a damn having finally broken, the flood waters cascading down the ridge of their minds and onto each other.

The last time they felt despair as painful as this was four years ago… and it had almost made them make a grave mistake in the end. W-What would happen now…? “Y-You two can just find another person right? S-So there’s no need to be so sad…”

As their eyes widened simultaneously their own mother suddenly found herself launched away from them and into her red Lamborghini just as shocked as they were. “G-Go… home…” Sophia all but whispered through her teeth, the unfathomable amount of anger in her tone causing her mother to shake in fear.

Her daughters had never openly done something like that to her! Raising her finger to talk back to them, she was soon left mute as they stared up at her, both with a look, of pure and unadulterated fury. Knowing better not to stand in her own daughter’s way… the older blonde knew she had made a mistake in her words.

Lowering her gaze, she walked away from them before entering her car. As she drove off, both Sophia and Alexis’s angry looks died… and the sadness from before came back. ‘We’ll have to apologize…’ Nodding silently Alexis scooched closer to her sister as she hugged her, her face buried in Sophia’s neck.

“I… Don’t want to lose her…” Clenching her fists, Sophia tried to remain stoic since her sister was unable to… but she wanted to cry. They should have never let Claire do this… it was a mistake… and they had been prone to making them in the past, all with great costs… and Claire’s life was by far the greatest.

After so long, they had come to love her… whether she realized it before or not… but, she just couldn’t imagine their life without the brunette again. It hurt her. Like she was being stabbed repeatedly in the chest. Glancing down to her sisters shivering form, she knew Alexis was feeling it too. She didn’t even need to share her emotions to know it.

So when a familiar signature entered their radar… they all but shot to their feet in shock, no, not shock. Shock was too simple of a word to describe what they had felt. What this was left them speechless? Taking off in the direction they felt her, both blondes ran.

To anyone looking the sight might seem strange. Two little twin girls, running down the street in a pair of regal dresses that you would find hard to believe they even had on in the first place. But they didn’t care. To hell with anyone who saw them acting so, different, to hell with it all.

As their vision shifted back and forth, left and right, the signature felt stronger and stronger, and finally, they were on top of it. Turning a corner in all but a full sprint they suddenly collided with something sending both blondes tumbling to the ground in pain.

Falling onto their stomachs, both Sophia and Alexis groaned as they felt pain for the first time in months. Well, physical pain that is. The emotional one they had been feeling since last night had far surpassed this, though.

Looking up in shock, their eyes landed on the person they had collided with as they felt a sudden sense of dread. Lying on her back as she slowly pushed herself up, Lily glared angrily at them as her dark eyes stared into their very depths.

“What, the hell, was that for!” She shrieked. She had felt them coming but she hadn’t been prepared for them to tackle her! Staring across at Lily closely, their bodies began to shake with fear, two pairs of crimson eyes scanning her entire being… but, where was Claire?

‘B-B-But I… I felt her…’ Alexis thought in sorrow. Crawling to her feet slowly, Lily glowered darkly as she saw the cause of her vexation kneeling on the ground. “Well?” She finally snapped, but the twins remained silent…

Claire wasn’t on her. Feeling the pit of their stomachs drop, a feeling they had dreaded came flooding into them and out of their eyes, misery. Looking down at the two blondes confused, Lily frowned as she felt a darkness settling over them.

She had never felt this from them before, but why? “Hey it’s Sophie and Alex! But why are they napping on the ground?” Looking up slowly, their eyes hollow compared to their usual lively ones, both siblings looked to Kat, who had seemingly come out of nowhere.

Wait… Looking at Lily slowly, both twins blinked a few times. Why was Lily here, and with Kat? “H-H-Hey, are you two alright?!” Feeling their breaths hitch as a familiar feeling all but surrounded them. They looked at Kat with what could only be described as a plea.

Upon seeing It true, Sophia all but disappeared as she rushed in front of Kat, a speed even the little Neko hadn’t displayed before starting even her own sister. As Claire saw Sophia all but vanish, she was suddenly enveloped, causing her to let out a cry of surprise as she was clung to for dear life as both Alexis and Sophia.

Blinking a few times to make sure she had seen that correctly, her vision shifted to both Sophia and Alexis as they stared down at her in silence. “C-Claire…” Alexis whispered out, a shrill crack in her voice causing the brunette to feel her heart tugged on.

“H-Hey… I-I’m back…” She tried to joke but they could tell from her tone she was just as happy to see them as they were to her. Cupping the shrunken girl in her hands, Sophia moved her into her chest as she and her sister felt a deep feeling of relief flood over them.

They had been so scared, scared for their shrunken lover's life. What it would mean for them if something had happened. What they would have done if something did happen… and what they might have done to others for what happened…

But no, she, she was there. There with them… and she wasn’t, going, anywhere. She was right where she belonged, with them. Sniffling, both blondes felt tears beginning to well up in their eyes. All the sadness they felt, the despair, the pain… it was vanishing. She, was, safe.

“Hey, why did you take the pretty lady away?” Looking to Kat slowly, both Sophia and Alexis smiled as they moved over to the little Neko. “S-Sorry Kat… W-We… We just had to see her.” Sophia choked out, a slight crack in her voice as she tried to compose herself alongside her sister.

Opening their hands, they soon felt utter joy as they saw a happy smile along the brunette's lips, a few tears of her own having fallen from her eyes as she hugged Sophia’s hand. She had missed them just as much as they missed her.

Moving her hand down to her sisters, Alexis shivered as she pet Claire’s smaller form. Her very touch was like a drug to them at this point… if she were gone, they wouldn’t be able to go on like they had in the past and that frightened them to no end.

But she was here… and she always would be. Plucking Claire up, Alexis moved her to her cheek as she hugged her warmly. “We… We were so s-scared…” She whispered out, causing the smaller girl to nod alongside her. “Y-Yeah… I, I know. I was scared to…” She whimpered sadly.

Pulling away only to be replaced by her lips, Alexis greedily kissed the shrunken girl before Sophia did the same. After a moment of gentle contact they soon both moved away as they were content just to look at her. Their Claire was safe…

It didn’t matter how many times they said it. Each time was like a new wave of relief washing over them, and it made them calm, excited, and happy. As both siblings pried their eyes away from the shrunken girl, they soon grew confused.

Looking up at Kat, they expressions shifted. “K-K-Kat… why are you here… and, and why is Lily…” Sophia began before feeling her voice trail off as she turned around. Lily was gone. Looking to her sister, Alexis closed her eyes before shaking her head. She must have left abruptly.

Looking at her two friends, the orange-haired cat girl’s tail waved back and forth happily as she smiled. “Kat met up with the Pretty Lady and Lily last night. We had lots of fun! Well… until the Mean Lady gave Kat a bath…” Her ears drooped slightly until she saw said *Mean Lady* giving her a stern look.

Fidgeting from Claire’s gaze, Kat whimpered before Alexis’s hand covered Claire up much to her relief. She hated that look, it made her feel bad. “We’ll figure this all out back at the Daycare… I think we need to sit down…” Nodding, Sophia soon moved alongside her sister followed closely behind by Kat as they made their way back in the direction they had came.

There was too much information for her to glimpse in either of the girl's minds… no, they needed to tell them what had actually happened last night. And judging by what they had seen so far, it was going to be a long story…

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Sitting at one of the tables at the Daycare, both Sophia and Alexis cupped one another’s hand beneath it as they shook in what emotions… they didn’t honestly know. They felt regret… anger… relief… rage… joy… sorrow…and more than anything, remorse.

“And after we left my apartment, well, that’s when you two kind of ran into us... literally.” Claire finally finished slightly tired from the long story itself. They had to have been talking for a couple hours at least. There was just too many things she couldn’t leave out, especially about Lily… well, minus the details that might get her on the little raven-haired child's bad side… wait did she have any other side? Smiling to herself, Claire shook her head already knowing the twins probably knew the little tidbits she had failed to mention considering how shook up they appeared.

It seemed to be considerably more than yesterday when they had opened up to her about what they had done in the first place. Looking up at them now, how they were… it was weird. She had always seen them so composed, so in control. But their bodies were shaking. It was minuscule but after spending so much time around them she could tell their body language now by heart.

What she had gone over had shaken them to their very core. Opening her mouth slowly, Sophia’s tongue came out partially as she wet her lips to speak, but she was at a loss for words. ‘So long… she hid something like this from us… for so long.’ Looking down crestfallen, Alexis nodded.

‘She never came to us when this occurred like Kat had… w-we should have known!’ Clenching their hands tightly, they were soon brought out of their internal berating as they Claire moved over to the hand closest to her.

Sitting down on Alexis’s palm gently, the brunette’s eyes softened. They looked like they were about ready to cry again… “Girls… please don’t do this…” Looking up slowly they both shared a pained gaze to their minuscule lover but her face never faulted in its gentle tone.

“Please don’t blame yourselves like Lily does. No one person is to blame for this. It’s the combined efforts of all of you that made such a situation, to begin with. Pointing fingers and casting accusations won’t fix anything. You just have to take it step by step and learn from this. I have a feeling Lily will.”

Closing their eyes they nodded quietly as they listened to the smaller girls words. It was funny. Even with their expanding knowledge and intellect, true wisdom only came with age. And as much as it bothered them Claire was a bit wiser it seemed.

Sighing, Alexis moved her hand away from her sisters as she wiped down her eyes, small bead of tears having already tried to crawl their way out from her eye ducts. “We have too many flaws to be considered perfect…” Alexis whispered quietly before Sophia’s gazed over to Claire. “But we have too many blessings to be ungrateful either.”

Blushing, Claire looked away sheepishly. Where did they learn these quotes from? “Some of the time, others from experience. And even a couple, from you.” Sophia smiled happily as she moved her hands around Claire to caress her gently.

Shivering at her touch, Claire’s face darkened red as she greedily enjoyed the soft feeling of the girl’s fingertips brushing over her cheek. “So what are Sophie and Alex going to do now?” Blinking, both sisters looked up before fidgeting a bit as they realized they weren’t alone.

Resting her hands on her cheeks, Kats tail flicked back and forth as she sat there not knowing what was going on. “W-We uh… w-we’ll have a meeting about that later… We, apologize for the one-sidedness of our current discussion.” Alexis muttered, her and her sister both rather embarrassed as they got back on track with their surroundings. It wasn’t their fault they were this enamored with the shrunken brunette! They had been up all night worrying about her after all.

Nodding quietly, Kat Looked down at Claire before smiling. “S-So, the pretty lady’s not going anywhere... right?” Pausing, both Sophia and Alexis looked down at Claire before grinning viciously. “Oh no, I believe she’s right where she belongs~.” Sophie purred, startling the smaller girl by the possessiveness in her tone.

“Yaaaaaay!” Kat cheered happily before looking back at Claire. “Do you hear that you get to stay here with us!” Kat chirped with glee. Smiling a small smile, Claire nodded having already known this. Lily was the last obstacle she faced, and now that that was over… well, for the most part, she’d be privy to whatever the twin’s real goals were.

Sharing a glance, both Sophia and Alexis nodded in understanding before the former moved Claire in front of Kat. “Claire, if you wouldn’t mind, please tend to Kat for a while… we… we have something we need to do.” Blinking, the brunette looked back up at the twins but judging by the sorrow filled look they were sharing, she already knew where they needed to be.

“Do what you need to do…” Nodding, Sophie rested Claire down next to their friend before taking leave together. They were needed elsewhere… and this had been a long time coming, if only their arrogance and pride hadn’t gotten the best of them…

It seemed Claire had many purposes for being there… she had changed their friends… and she was changing them as well…

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Sitting atop a small tire swing that had been chained to lay flat in the air, Lily sat with her legs inside the wheel well as she kicked the dirt beneath her. She hadn’t a clue what prompted her to come to this location, but it felt right. Alone, secluded, quiet, it gave her time to calm after the events of that morning. She had felt enraged when the twins had collided with her... but, she wasn't sure why anymore.

Staring upwards at the cloudy skies, the raven haired girl took a deep breath before sighing. Feeling the hairs on her neck rise, however, Lily soon grew angry once more. “What… do you two want?” Feeling the tire dip suddenly her eyes lowered as she saw the two who she hated the most sitting across from her filling in the other two spots left on the swing.

Staring back at Lily, both Sophia and Alexis frowned as they felt the anger rolling over her very being, anger for them and what they had done. “Lily… For the past few months, we’ve felt such regret for what has happened between us… and we constantly thought of what had happened to you. Where did we go wrong…”

Glaring, Lily was about to get off the swing till Alexis and Sophia’s hands moved to each her own urging her to stay. “P-P-Please let us speak!” Alexis stammered out somewhat confusing the younger girl. If they wanted her to stay they could force her to. She was strong… but not strong enough to resist both of them at once.

‘Listen…’ Narrowing her eyes, Lily’s legs moved back to the swing as she stared at Alexis’s pleading face and her Sophia’s grim expression. “What could you possibly want to say? Perhaps spit on me for letting your playmate live? Kicking me for showing weakness? What do the great and powerful sister’s outré want with a mire child far beneath them…” Her words were laced with venom not lost to either sibling.

Shaking quietly, Alexis closed her eyes as she tried to control her emotions. “I-I’m sorry…” Narrowing her eyes, Lily was about to stand before she felt Sophia’s grip tighten on her hand. Growling, she glowered harshly at her but the blonde never flinched. This was something Alexis had to let out, and she’d be damned if she let Lily leave while her sister tried to say it.

Sniffling, Alexis wiped away the tears that had fallen now before looking up at Lily in sadness. “P-Please… I, I know I made mistakes. I know you think I ruined your life, b-but I did want to help you!” Wrenching her hand away from Sophia’s iron grip, Lily glared at her as her eyes grew black.

“Look at me…” Raising her head slowly, Alexis visibly flinched as she saw the malice the younger girl revealed towards her. “Do you think… that an apology… will ever… make me forgive you?” Shaking her head slowly, Alexis choked quietly as she tried to speak.

“I… I know… you’ll never forgive me… b-but I have to try and make amends… I have to try and make it up to you somehow… S-So please, just let me help you.” Feeling the air around them suddenly grow dense, Both Sophia and Alexis clutched the tire swing as it began to shake; the pressure around Lily was staggering!

As the metal of the chains began to bend under her grip, Lily soon released it as she growled. “HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT UP TO ME?! YOU, A-AND YOU!” She pointed an accusatory finger to Sophia now before looking back to Alexis.

“Promised me… Promised me you would give me release. To never need to fear again! You told me you would make me stronger, and be free from my burdens… but you lied…” She hissed before slamming her hands on the rubbery base of the tire, they whole chain suddenly snapping as they fell to the ground together.

Silence permitted the air as both Sophia and Alexis looked at Lily, at the face of their friend… their true friend, not the facade she wore for so long. As tears rolled down her cheeks, Lily shut her eyes as she cried. “You made me into a monster… and you gave me a demon I couldn’t control… you just swapped out one prison for another… e-e-everything you said was a lie!” She choked out in pain before feeling a set of hands brush her cheeks.

“You, are not, a monster,” Sophia whispered quietly as Alexis nodded slowly. “You were never one to us.” Slapping their hands away, Lily sniffled as she glared back at them. “W-W-Why did you do it… was it worth it! This whole insane plan of yours?! Ruining my life to reach your own goals quicker!” She snapped before feeling her voice dying off slowly as she saw their faces.

She had been accustomed to pain for so long, but it was always her own pain. She could see it in their eyes, though… their pain. “We meant what we said that day… and we haven’t broken our promise.” Sophia whispered quietly as she cupped Lily’s hand.

“We know we made mistakes, but we’re human too! We can’t get everything right… that’s why we needed you. That’s why we needed everyone! So we would stop making mistakes!” Alexis cried sadly. “Heavy is the crown we bear, but it is not a weight we can bear alone. We need others to help us, and we need you to. Kat, May, Kai, and you Lily, you are our council!” Sophia said sternly as she saw a different look pass over the raven-haired girl's face, surprise.

“We… We never told you about this before… or anyone else for that matter… but…” Sophia's voice quieted to all but a whispered before looking up slowly, a deep sadness in her eyes. “B-But it's past time we came clean. If we can’t trust our friends with our errors, then why should they trust us with their burdens… It’s time we told you, just why it is you are here…”

As Sophia and Alexis went over their tale, Lily’s eyes soon widened to unimaginable proportions as she shook in silence. As the final word was uttered, they both stared to Lily with uncertainty. Shuddering on the broken swing, Lily’s eyes traveled over to the Daycare before she narrowed them.

“B-But why… what did you see that stopped you from doing it… I know you could have… if you really wanted to. Y-You two are…” She trailed off unsure of what to call them. Looking to one another, both Sophia and Alexis smiled warmly as they cupped each other’s hands. “We saw the only thing at the time that could have ever saved us… hope.”

As the three girls grew silent, Alexis made sure not to go into the younger girls mind to figure out what she was thinking. She deserved her privacy on this matter… and she would tell them what she thought when she was ready to.

Keeping her eyes locked onto the daycare, or, more towards who she saw in it, Lily soon closed them as she listened to the voice who now counseled her instead of forced her. Taking a deep breath, Lily’s eyes soon opened, her ashen orbs staring into the blondes crimson ones.

“If she is, as important as you say… why do you need me? Why do you need any of us then.” Frowning, Sophia copied Lily’s form as she sighed in turn. “Alone we are strong… with two or more we are stronger. But with many we are infinite! We need people who can be there for us, people who will help us, lecture us when we do wrong. Console us when we are pained. As amazing as she is, she alone is not what we need…”

Raising her brow, Lily’s eyes soon widened… “You two… are horrific… and terrible people…” Lowering their eyes, the twins nodded knowing this to be true to some extent. “But… you’ve been right thus far… she has guided us. As much as it pains me to say it… If not for her… I’m afraid of what it would have done to me.”

Nodding quietly, Alexis took Lily’s hand once more as she gently stroked her. “I-I know you don’t trust me… or my sister for that matter… but please, know that I never meant to hurt you… Feel it.” Moving Lily’s hand to her chest, the raven-haired girl knew what she meant.

Feeling the gentle pulse of her heart, Lily soon closed her eyes. “I won’t forgive you…” Both Sophia and Alexis grew stiff before looking down in pain. “But…” Blinking, their eyes shifted back to Lily now as they saw a look she hadn’t given them before, at least, not directly. “I think you can still try persuading me to…” Her face was indifferent, almost emotionless… but, there wasn’t a trace of what they had come to know Lily for… hatred.

Feeling her lips tremble, Alexis smiled slowly before lunging forward. Freezing up from the sudden contact that would have made her scream in rage before, Lily was shocked as she felt the blonde’s arms draping her.

“T-T-Thank you… thank you s-so much…” Alexis stuttered out as she felt some of the pain that had solidified over her heart, chip away. She wasn’t forgiven, but she still had a chance to make amends. And she’d do whatever she had to, to get there one day.

Scowling, Lily soon pried Alexis off her before crossing her arms. “So when do you plan on telling her what you told me?” As the happiness they felt came quickly, it soon left just as fast as their mood soured.

“W-We… we will soon… we just don’t know how to tell her yet…” Nodding her head in understanding, Lily soon sighed in exasperation. “The longer you withhold this from her, the harder it will be for her to forgive you… coming from someone who doesn’t like you one way or the other that’s saying something.” Lily’s tone while jocular did, in fact, have meaning to it as well.

Cupping her sister’s hand, Alexis nodded as she saw the same worried expression Sophia wore. “We will both tell her. This is not on you this time.” Sophia said sternly as her sibling nodded in sadness. “We… we should do it now… today. We owe it to her…”

Nodding her head, both sisters stood up before turning to Lily. “Will you accompany us Lily? We plan on telling the others and we’d like you to be a part of this as well, even if you know the truth now too.” Frowning, Lily closed her eyes before standing.

“Fine.” As the three girls moved back towards the daycare, a growing sense of foreboding soon washed over Sophia and Alexis. The upcoming events… might very well unravel the long woven plan they had strived so long to create… and if it did… the costs would be much greater than they were in the past…

And much greater than they could possibly ever bear in the future…

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“Jeez, you’re freaking insane! There’s no way I can look at you in the same light now.” Kai laughed as she May and Kat all sat at one of the circular tables in the daycare, Claire currently scowling in the center of the three girls.

“Come on Kai, it really wasn’t as bad as I made it sound… s-s-sure I was scared… but once I got to know her a little better, Lily wasn’t really as bad as I thought she was.” Snorting, Kai laughed even louder as she banged her hand on the table as if she had heard one of the funniest things in her life.

Nodding her head quietly, May sat with her hands cupped as she twiddled her fingers in a worried manner. “W-Well I have to agree… Lily is a meanie… She likes to pick on all the cute little tinies and never treats them nicely. I was scared when Kat told me this too.” The pinkette chimed in a saddened tone in her voice.

Smiling warmly up at the gentle giant, Claire shook her head before scooching around to face her. “You all think so little of her but Lily's had it rough, and as hard as it is to believe a lot rougher than any of you… well…” Claire paused before Looking to Kat who was content with swatting at her own tail, the conversation not really new to her in the slightest.

“Most of you I suppose…” Raising her brow, Kai soon leaned in till her face was next to Claire’s. “So spill then, what’s the deal with her? If she’s not a psycho or something I’m going to lose a lot of shrinkies here.” The olive girl whined as she jerked her finger over to Kat who was now looking back at the others in confusion.

Narrowing her eyes, Kai soon inched back in surprise by the icy look she was being given. “Lily has a lot of issues… but if you want to know more you need to ask her. I made a promise not to say anything to any of you.” Claire crossed her arms firmly.

“So should Kat not tell them about it either?” Kat asked offhandedly before hissing in surprise as both May and Kai soon swarmed in front of her. “Wait you know something we don’t?!”, “C-C-Could you tell us to please?” Fidgeting from the surprise third-degree she was being given by her friends, the little Neko looked to Claire but one look told her all she needed to know.

Cupping her mouth and folding her ears downward, Kat soon hummed loudly as she tried to tune out Kai and Mays plee's. “Aww come on! I wanna know too!” Kai protested till she heard someone behind her clear her throat loudly.

Growing pale along with May, both girls soon turned around before freezing up as they saw the one who they had been questioning standing over them with an intense glare. “Is there something you’d like to say, Kaia?” Lily whispered venomously.

Rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, Kai looked away. “N-No, no… j-just wanting to know how life’s going for you is all…” Scoffing, Lily turned to Claire before smiling. “I’m quite content, thank you for asking. But I’ll be needing this now.”

Eeping in surprise as she was picked up, Claire looked at Lily confused but she was already walking away leaving the other three completely lost in what just happened. “L-L-LILY I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING, I-I SWEAR!” the brunette stammered with fear before noticing the more relaxed look she was being given.

“I’m well aware… and you better keep it that way too.” Gulping, Claire nodded before cupping her hands in her lap, a bit scared to speak as is. Looking around confused, her curiosity soon got the better of her. “S-So… where are we headed…?”

Saying nothing as she walked, Lily soon moved to the back of the Daycare to a familiar corner of the room Claire had grown quite accustomed to, along with its other inhabitants. Looking to Lily, both Sophia and Alexis remained silent as the raven haired girl set Claire down in front of them before sitting down herself, if a bit farther away from them.

Staring back at the twins now, Claire soon sighed in relief being near them before something occurred to her. Blinking she looked to Lily before looking back at the blondes, the silence becoming somewhat painful now.

“S-S-So… d-did everything get taken care of that needed to be…?” Crossing her arms, Lily glared at the twins but soon sighed in return. “We’ve come to an understanding… I’ll leave it at that.” Nodding, Claire soon smiled. Tolerance was a step up from absolute seething hatred. Baby steps!

Sitting herself down now, Claire soon looked back to the twins before frowning. “S-So… what’s up?” Something was off… Looking across at Sophia and Alexis now, Claire soon grew worried. Their eyes were looking elsewhere, no… looking away from her. Did she do something wrong?

As they both blinked simultaneously their eyes shot to her before they frowned. “Y-You’re fine Claire… we… just have some stuff we need to tell you… and, we’re…” Sophia began before feeling her voice betray her.

Cupping her sibling’s hand, Alexis took a deep breath before continuing. “We, are afraid to do so… afraid of how you’ll react to it…” she whispered shrilly, a painful tone unlike any she had heard from them before. Looking up at them now with worry, Claire soon grew anxious.

“Girls… you can tell me anything. I-I mean, why would I get mad? For crying out loud, you shrunk me, kidnapped me and violated me!” She stammered, not so much in anger as in disbelief that something they could tell her could top that.

Frowning, they nodded before glancing to Lily. “Where are the others?” Looking away bitterly, Lily remained silent before Alexis sighed. Tapping the table for a few moments, the other three girls soon rushed into the room with worry.

“W-What did you need Alexis?” Kai asked in surprise. She usually didn’t get a voice call like that in her mind… let alone all three of them at once. Raising her hand, she pointed to the other three chairs at the table before they nodded.

 Sitting down respectfully, all present soon looked to the twins as they saw a foreign look present on their faces. “Thank you all for being here… one week ago we proposed an idea you are all aware of. This was to let, and adult, into our group. And you’ve all met her accordingly.” Sophia announced as she waved to Claire who suddenly blushed having been put on some type of judging bench as she was looked at by everyone.

“I’d like to say, she has well proven herself, has she not?” Receiving a quick round of nods by everyone including Lily, their eyes all traveled away from the smaller girl as they looked to their leaders. “Well… now that she knows you… it’s time for you to get to know her. And after that…” Sophia paused before shaking her head.

“W-We’ll get to that soon enough… but what my sister's trying to say…” Alexis paused like her sibling had before looking to Claire now who was suddenly worried by what Sophia had implied. “Is that its time you told them the truth.”

As all the girls looked to Claire now, the little brunette gulped fully aware of what they were asking her to do. “B-B-But I…” Stuttering speechlessly, Claire felt beads of sweat build up on her brow. This had caught her completely off guard. No preparation, no warnings… why so suddenly?

‘Because you can trust us, Claire.’ Looking up to Alexis with sadness, the blonde nodded reassuringly. ‘If there is anyone you could trust more with your troubles, tell us now. Tell us who would be more understanding, then the very people you helped with theirs.’

Closing her eyes, Claire soon nodded. She had a point… but still, this was going to hurt. Taking a deep breath, the shrunken worker soon turned her attention to all present before opening her mouth. “I… I guess it’s time then… time you all know a little more about me. Like Sophia and Alexis said… Its time I told you why I came here, and where I came from.”

As all girls looked up at her with interest now, they said nothing. This had been something they had been interested about as well but it had never come up when they had briefly spoken with her. She had always been one step ahead of them, dealing with their problems… but, it didn’t seem like that was the case anymore. It was time for them to truly meet, Claire Abernathy.

Taking a deep breath, Claire calmed her nerves before opening her eyes to speak.

“I guess to tell you about myself… we’ll have to go a bit back…. Back to the very beginning that is…”

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