"..."
Sienna stretched forward and slid the small poster between her legs.
She felt Ikade shift behind her and leaned forward instinctively, catching herself just in time. The feline turned and rested her chin atop Sienna's head, flattening the Librei's tufts without even a hint of an apology.
Calling it a poster was generous. It was really just a flyer, no bigger than a sheet of paper.
Ikade leaned a little farther in, absentmindedly putting more of her weight on Sienna's head, chatting about nothing in particular.
Sienna's hand stretched out and took the flyer that had been calling to her.
The paper had a rough, textured surface.
When she tilted it from side to side, the images on it shifted—odd little visuals stitched together like a collage. Random objects. Snippets of letters. Shapes that almost looked like words, but never fully became them. Most of the text had been blacked out or smeared, which only made Ikade more curious.
Another slip of paper had been printed into it, cursive writing packed so densely neither of them could ever hope to read. The background looked like distant terrain seen from high above.
"Is this…a convention or something?"
They both focused on the fine print at the bottom. A flyer that required an invitation—an absurd contradiction if anything else.
Sienna nudged her head back a little and lifted a hand, gently covering Ikade's eyes before she could read any further. With a practiced flick of her fingers, the flyer folded itself into a neat little square and vanished into the purse resting at her side.
"…It's not for you."
Ikade wriggled, trying and failing to free herself until Sienna finally let go.
"Aww, why not?"
"Some things are better left to innocent minds."
Before she could say anything, she received a flick across the head. Feeling the sting, Ikade rubbed the spot lightly and stood up soon after, mockery already slipping into her voice.
"Oh yeah? And who took it from me in the first place?"
All she got in return was an annoyed glare from Sienna, who stood as well and brushed down her pants before stepping over and smacking her across the back of the head.
Sienna bent down for her purse and tossed it into one of the bags filled with trinkets. She signaled toward the exit with a tilt of her head. The feline followed after, scooping up both their drinks and finishing them within minutes.
They wandered through the busy corridors, some wider than others, some packed tight with shops and kiosks. Every now and then, Ikade would stroll a little ahead of her, only to suddenly slip into a store with unrestrained intent.
She followed suit and watched the feline pop back into view wearing something she had no intention of buying, turning this way and that.
An endearing dress. A pair of tinted glasses. A hat.
Then a loose outer layer she shrugged on, spinning once in it.
And every single time, Sienna found herself stopping. The rest of the shop dimming into a spotlight for the woman before her.
Ikade's lovely smile kept blessing her spirit, her gaze seemingly doing more than her words ever could. Yet the more they walked, the more Sienna's eyes kept following—the sway of her hair, the bounce in her fluffy ears.
And the slight squeak in her voice.
Eventually the crowded stretch gave way to calm, a lingering loamy.
A herbal garden, if not large.
The two crossed the threshold and the soft brush of air touched at their skin. The ground rose into glossy retainers, tall enough to sit on.
Greenery filled their eyes, plants, vines and leaves covered them in a canopy. Sienna raised her head and traced the artificial light above with her hand.
Pausing hand.
She swallowed nothing and lowered her band aid littered hand, giving them a lingering touch.
Ikade pulled out her phone.
Ikade then crouched near the edge of anything and everything, snapping photos from one angle to another, capturing a couple people enjoying the atmosphere, leaning in to catch the textures of leaves and petals.
A few strands of her hair slipped over her shoulder, some sticking to the softness of her cheek.
Clck...flash!
Sienna stilled, basking in the reflection of Ikade's phone, lowering her wrist just in time for Ikade to turn and face her.
"...Did you just take a picture of me?" The smile on her face never waivered.
"...no."
Ikade narrowed her eyes, looking away with a smile.
Even more walking, even after stopping and starting, walking in and out of stores, leaving empty handed again and again...
But even so, it was fine.
"Wanna check it out?"
Ikade asked, slurping the last of some leftover ramen from a clear plastic cup.
They both stopped in front of a kiosk planted squarely in the middle of the corridor. A looping movie preview played across the screen, dramatic visuals flashing by while a small line formed to their right, people waiting for whatever showing was up next.
"Might as well."
Sienna said with a shrug.
Ikade followed her to the counter, the two waiting a painfully boring moment before going up and looking at what movie were being played.
A quick round of rock-paper-scissors decided who'd pay. Ikade lost miserably, clicked her tongue and handed over the money, accepting the tickets with exaggerated disappointment.
The attendant reminded them to secure their bags, stopping them just before they wandered past without mentioning it. After that, they were waved through.
Inside, they checked their ticket numbers and slipped into the right theater, sinking into the most comfortable seats they could find.
Somewhere around the midpoint, both of them fell off asleep.
Only to jolt awake when a particular explosion rattled through the speakers.
Time passed.
The credits rolled, and the two of them walked back out into the movie corridor.
Ikade's ear flicked sharply, lifting a hand to massage them—still sore from the relentless explosions. Sienna, on the other hand, responded absently to whatever Ikade was saying, stretching out her own stiff body, twisting side to side.
By the time they reached the main corridor, it was even more crowded than before. People moved in thick streams.
Ikade turned to say something—then snapping her head to the right.
She barely managed half a step back before someone slammed into her headfirst.
Thud!
She went straight down, landing hard on her bottom. Pain shot through her tail—far sharper than she could've imagined, squeezing her eyes shut while tears welled up response, a yelp tearing out of her chest before she cracked one eye open toward Sienna.
People nearby tossed quick glances her way, then looked right past all three of them, the current swallowing their attention without hesitation.
"The hell's your problem?! You blind, pinche coño?!"
Sienna moved in a single motion, smacking the woman across the head, her anger burning hotter than the ringing in her own ears. She dropped to a knee immediately after, pulling Ikade upright and catching the flinching tail wrapped tight around her leg, rubbing it gently.
"Me jodiste el momento! You!"
"Ow—! I'm okay…ow."
Ikade lifted her eyes past Sienna, locking onto the woman who rubbed the top of her head, glaring right back.
Once Sienna made sure Ikade could stand, she turned and marched up to the idiot, grabbing the woman by the collar and hauling her up until her feet barely touched the floor, forced onto her toes.
The mustelan woman flinched hard and raised one arm raised defensively, the other fumbling at Sierra's wrist, trying to pry herself loose without much success.
Footsteps rushed somewhere ahead that Sienna caught the sound, glancing past the woman's shoulder. The woman followed the motion, turning her head the same way.
"I'm fine, okay?" Ikade said quickly. "You don't need to grab her—see? I'm okay."
Ikade glanced at the people who had stopped to watch the scene unfold, a few lifted their phones. She shot them the sharpest glare she could manage, her ears pinning back, daring them to keep recording.
She stepped closer to Sienna and tapped her shoulder.
Now would have been the moment to notice Ikade's outfit in full. A plain sweater put over a long sleeve shirt, a thicker jacket pulled over both. A simple black skirt finished it off, paired with a cap that failed to hide her ears poking up through the top.
Sienna looked over her shoulder and met Ikade's eyes. A bead of sweat traced its way down her back. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of it, at least not again.
"Hey—let her go, okay?" Ikade tugged at her arm while she spoke.
The woman dropped instantly, like a puppet with its strings cut. She jolted on impact and grabbed at her lower back just as a few people shoved past them, rushing forward without slowing.
Their faces carried a mix of focus and apathy, already done with whatever before passing by them, not even truly paying attention.
"was zur…"
Sienna leaned in, ignoring whatever was being said. She brought her mouth close to the newcomer's fluffy ear and murmured something low enough that only they could hear.
The idiot nodded rapidly, a nervous smile stretching across her face. Then, in what felt like the blink of an eye.
All three of them sat at a small table. The cafeteria buzzed around them, overlapping voices and clattering trays filling the background. Ikade stayed close to Sienna's side while the woman across from them fidgeted with her food, her utensils making more noise than anything else.
The woman had somewhat round ears perched high on her head, their tips black and gray and the inner fur a clean white. Her hair was short, colored a dirty wheat color with a faint black, curling softly at its end.
"We're done here, right? I already apologized."
She was shut down immediately with a— "No."
Ikade sighed, her head drooping. She looked the woman over properly this time, from the black tank tucked beneath a half zipped jacket to the simple shorts and tights she wore.
The unfamiliar face scooted her chair back another inch, the legs screeching against the floor. The mustela lifted one arm halfway across her chest, hesitating before speaking.
"Your not a—kidnapper right? Its againsht the law you know?"
Sienna closed her eyes for a moment, then sighed.
"What was your name again?"
"Eh? How could you forget already? Is your memory that unforgiving?"
Her tone came out blunt, though her expression carried more confusion than offense. She poked at the meat on her plate without looking.
"Eva." She said, suddenly looking straight into her with a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You can call me Eva."
"Alright then." Sienna straightened, resting her arms on the table, pushing her empty plate to the center.
"What'd you do to get them chasing after you?"
Eva took a bite out of her still full meal, then hurried to swallow, letting out a rough breath when the food finally went down.
"Why would I tell you? We don't know each other."
Her choppy accent broke the rhythm of her words but stayed easy enough to follow.
Her expression settled into quiet thought, taking another bite of whatever sat in front of her, chewing slowly before finally speaking.
"Mhmm…a student. I'm on vacation, if that satisfies your curiosity."
The three of them sat in silence after that. Time drifted by while Eva finished her food piece by piece, the noise of the cafeteria swallowing everything else.
Eva stood up some time later, wiping down her face with a napkin.
She looked down, reaching into her pocket and placing down a hundred dollar bill on the table. Speaking one last time before disappearing into the misty noise.
"Goodbye."
Sienna offered no words in return, the mood souring soon after.
"She's a terrible liar."
She added a second later, standing up and grabbing onto their bags of purchased trinkets. Ikade let out a weary sigh, picking up the bill and slipping it into her purse.
They carried their empty trays back to the return counter, stacking them into a wobbling tower.
The metal clinked against the ceramic tiles when they slid the pile forward. Someone on cleaning duty approached, giving them a brief nod then lifting the entire stack in one smooth motion, vanishing without so much as a word.
Sienna shifted the weight of the bags on her arm and turned toward the exit, Ikade followed without comment—their footsteps became the only thing either of them noticed.
By the time they made it back to their room, the noise had become to much, even after being muffled by the many turns and corridors. Setting the bags down near the wall, Ikade kicked her shoes off and flopped onto the couch without ceremony, sinking into it and taking in deep breathes.
Closing the door behind her, the darkness sliced into the room like pie—cut only by the guiding light coming from the window. The depressing scenery beyond doing little to alleviate their mood, the blanket of gray clouds making them feel blue.
Sienna quickly changed her shoes, rolling her feet to work out the soreness.
Fuu...
Walking up, she jumped atop Ikade who squealed, ignoring the unkind words and slowing down her heart, feeling a weak tap against her leg.
ggrrnn…
A feline's meal.
Sienna stopped moving and listened closely, pressing her ear against Ikade's back and feeling soft beats.
I don't… I don't even feel angry anymore. I'm just…tired.
Closing her eyes, her breathing becoming quieter than the nights of before. She wrapped her arms, then her legs with Ikade's.
...Just let me steal some more sleep...