Chapter 67 [Now what?]

My eyes blink a couple times.

I could see Cindy's workbench and the Catalyst metal briefcase slightly open. The child's hand lets my wrist go and retract back into the briefcase. A sense of weariness hugs my entire mind, causing me to take a long breath. The fresh air that's I inhale, help to focus my mind.

"H-how long was I out?" I let out.

"W-what?" Cindy said.

"I was not here, I mean my mind was not here..." I said.

"The catalyst it's open!" Cindy warned.

"Stop, it's okay. She is a friend," I assured.

"She?" Cindy's ask.

I open the briefcase, revealing a young girl with a silver hair in a fetal position. She looks the same, just like in my mind except for a surgical scar on her spine and a Suppressive collar embedded in the back of her neck.

"What is going on?" Cindy said.

I turn to face Cindy, She looks at me confused.

"I explain later, but for now can you get us some food" I suggest.

"You seem different..." Cindy said.

"I am, but don't worry, I explain it later," I said.

"You promise?" Cindy, ask.

"I promise," I said and let out a smile at her.

"Damn, you really are different somehow," Cindy let out a sigh, "I will grab some food," She continued.

Cindy walks to the Kitchen to grab some food, leaving me behind with the silver-haired girl. I turn to face the silver-haired girl, she opens her eyes, and her pupils went to me. I lift her up with both of my arms and brought her to the couch.

"Is it comfy?" I ask as I place her down gently on it

The silver-haired girl nods her head at me.

"Can you speak?" I ask.

She shakes her head, then lifts her chin up revealing a scar on her throat. She places a hand on my hand and I could hear her voice inside my mind.

'They remove my voice box to prevent me from screaming'

The silver-haired girl gives me a painful look as she moves her hand away from me.

"It's okay, nobody here can hurt you," I calm her down.

She let out a small smile.

"Haru? You're fine!" Kusagi said.

I turn my head to Kusagi, who just come out from Cindy's bedroom while yawning. Kusagi faces light up in happiness and she runs toward me to embrace me. I turn to face her and open my arms to her. She slams her body to me, causing me to fall to the floor with Kusagi. I rub the back of her head as she plants her head on my chest.

"I'm so worried," Kusagi mutter.

"Kusagi?" I said.

She lifts her head from my chest to look at me, her eyebrows raised.

"Thank you for saving me," I said.

Her face lights up once more. I rub her head once more for the last time.

"We have a guest," I said.

Kusagi finally notices the silver-haired girl, she immediately gets off me and takes a few steps backward while rubbing off the dirt on her pajamas. Kusagi stares at the new girl with caution, it seems she doesn't trust the new girl yet or maybe she shy. I stand up from the ground and place my hand on Kusagi shoulder.

"Come on, introduce yourself," I said.

"My... The name is... Kusagi Tashikawa," Kusagi said then she extends her hand for a handshake.

The silver-haired girl shakes Kusagi hand with a small smile on her face. Kusagi eyes widen and rabbit ears perk up as she looks in awe at the silver-haired girl.

"Cool..." Kusagi let out.

"How do you that?" Kusagi ask.

The silver-haired girl extends her open hand to Kusagi. She places her hand on top of the silver-haired girl hand. Afterward, Kusagi face light up in amazement, I think they are communicating by using the silver-haired girl power.

"We have leftover pizza if you want some?" Cindy said as she carries a box of pizza toward us.

Then, she places the box right next to the silver-haired girl, and gesture at me to come with her using her head. I nod at Cindy and follow her.

Before I leave, I ask, "I need to talk to Cindy. Kusagi can you keep her company?"

Kusagi nods her head vigorously with a large smile on her face. The silver-haired girl looks at me with a worried face.

I raise both hands, "It's okay, I'll be back," I reassure her.

Cindy leads me outside and she closes the door to have some privacy, she then slaps me on my face. My eyes widened because I was surprised by the suddenness.

"You jerk," Cindy sniffled, "you were going to leave us!!."

"I'm sorry... My mind wasn't thinking straight," I explain as I place my hand on my cheek where she slaps me earlier.

"If you want to leave, LEAVE!!" Cindy snapped.

"I can't stop you anyway," Cindy said.

She covers her mouth with a hand and closes her eyes to stop herself from crying. I place a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but she shrugs my hand off her shoulder.

"I'm not going to leave," I said.

"W-what?!' Cindy said.

"I was wrong about leaving you all, you guys are my family and I'm sorry for not stopping myself earlier" I apologize.

"I lost so much... And I don't want to lose you guys," I said.

"You're not going to lose us, we in this together," Cindy said.

"In this together... That is not what I wanted. I don't want... to be in this situation anymore," I said.

"How about your revenge?" Cindy ask.

"I'm letting it go, I got nothing to do with it anymore," I answer.

Cindy let out a long sigh, "Fine. i'm letting mine go too," Cindy said.

"I'm glad but you don't have too," I said.

"It's just a picture beside my sister wouldn't want me to hurt myself for her," Cindy said.

"I just need time to get over it, besides I have Luci and you and others," Cindy said then taps her fist on my shoulder.

"Now is more important than the past, right?" Cindy asks and lets out a smile on her lips.

"Right," I answer, and also letting out a smile.

"So who is the new kid?" Cindy ask.

"I think she is the Catalyst," I answer.

"The Catalyst is a kid?" Cindy said.

"I can't explain it, but she is, we had some kind of journey into my mind and her..." I said.

"What..." Cindy ask.

"It's complicated, but what I do know is that's she is very powerful, I mean dangerously powerful but she cants control her power," I said.

"That explains the suppressive collar embedded in the back of her neck," Cindy said.

"It's must be painful to have that," Cindy said.

"What I don't understand is, why do Anomaly want her so much?" Cindy ask.

"I don't know... if they want her so much then It's must be something really bad," I said.

"Maybe they want to use her to take over the world?" Cindy guessed.

I look up at the sky above, I realize that the snow has stopped and the sky is clear of heavy clouds. I can even see the moon and the stars. The sound of a door open attract my attention, me and Cindy turned to face the open door. We see Kusagi peeking out of the opening, her rabbit ears droop and a small frown on her face.

"I think all the food is gone," Kusagi said.

"What happens to all the food?" I ask.

"Catty ate them all," Kusagi said, almost apologetically.

"Who is Catty?" Cindy ask.

"The silver-haired girl," Kusagi replied.

"Catty?" Cindy and I both said aloud.

"Catty said she doesn't have a name, so I thought I gave her one... She said she like it, do you guy hate it?" Kusagi said, her big eyes look at me.

"We love it!' Cindy and I said excitedly, while occasionally glancing at each other.

Kusagi faces light up in happiness after hearing our words.

"Don't worry about the food, we can get some more," Cindy said.

"Hmm, one more thing... Catty also ate all the Unicornia ice cream" Kusagi said.

"What?! all of it?" Cindy exclaim.

"Yeah... all of it," Kusagi confirm.

"Nooo!" Cindy screams in a high pitch.

As she opens the door wider, ran pass Kusagi and into the base to check on her stash. Then I heard a loud wailed coming from the base. So I and Kusagi quickly get inside to find empty ice cream buckets and food wrappers laying around Catty. While Cindy on her knees and hugging an empty ice cream bucket.

"NOooo! now i'm gonna starve!!!"  Cindy wailed.

"I think you are overreacting," I said.

"Look at me, l can feel that's I'm getting thinner by the second" Cindy claim.

"I think you have a problem..." I said while shaking my head at her.

"I do not have a problem!!" Cindy said.

"Denial, a common symptom of having a problem," I said.

"Screw you!" Cindy cursed.

"Hey watch it, there are kids around," I said.

Cindy sobbed, "I'm sorry..." Cindy apologize.

"Fine, I will get you more!! stop crying," I said.

"Yes!!" Cindy cheers.

"Goddamn addicts..." I mumbled.

I felt something tugged on the bottom half of my shirt. When I look down, I can see Catty with her cheeks smudge with ice cream, tugging my shirt and pointing at the TV. I look at the Tv and saw an advertisement for the Winter festival tomorrow at the pier. My eyes look back at Catty and see she nudges her head toward it.

"Do you want to go there?" I ask.

Catty nod her head excitedly, my eyes wander upward as I think on my option. I mean we got nothing to do and i'm still thinking on how to get out of this situation. Why not, we need the downtime anyway.

"Cindy!?" I called.

"I'm still here, why?" Cindy ask.

"We all going to the festival!" I exclaim.

"Sure, why not," Cindy said as she shrugs her shoulders.

Catty and Kusagi lift their hands up in the air to celebrate, and only Kusagi cheers with excitement since Catty can't talk. Kusagi then high five Catty with both hands and hug her. Wow, they became friends so fast. I'm glad Kusagi made a friend,  it will be good for her.