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Etoile normally did not follow Alise to school.

The little cat knew, generally, that there were places she couldn't go, and Knightside was one of them. As much as Alise would have loved to take the mauvian with her to scout potential senshi among her classmates, the fact was that, technically, Etoile was supposed to be a secret. A loosely kept one, but a secret.

(Also, Alise wasn't sure how to explain away a talking cat, and also, she was afraid one of her classmates might catnap Etoile when she wasn't looking.)

Today, however, was something of an exception, an emergency, almost. While Etoile normally would have spent the day watching her soap operas and eating all of the candy Alise bought for her, a series of mishaps had caused her to get locked out of the house, with no way back inside. Because she lived with Alise in secret, Etoile was incapable of asking to be let back in, and so she had taken to the streets, devastated, trying to remember the way to Alise's school.

When she finally arrived, Etoile noticed that it seemed to be recess time, or at least for some of the children. Making her way over to the playground, Etoile searched in vain for her young companion, but so far, her searches were ultimately in vain. Suddenly, she began to worry; what if she never saw Alise again? Who would feed her candy then?

The future was starting to look very bleak.

Etoile perked up slightly when Guilia approached, not recognizing the girl, but hopeful all the same. It wasn't as if she really knew half of Alise's classmates, after all, save for if she invited them home to meet the cat, or took Etoile with her to meet with her friends someplace. The fact that someone in a Knightside uniform was approaching her was more than enough to meet her criteria of potential saviors, and she let out a hopeful meow as the little girl drew closer.

It was when Guilia recognized her as a magical cat, though, that the little cat gave pause. So she knew? Etoile didn't know who this Brioche was, and Guilia didn't look old enough to be a senshi, but then again, maybe she was wrong. After all, Alise had once said she had started out pretty young.

"Oh no, no, I'm here to look for someone, but I can't seem to find her," Etoile responded, shaking her head; normally, she wouldn't talk to strangers unless she knew it was safe, but if she was already outed as a talking cat, then what was the harm? "Who is Brioche?"

Etoile purred, happy for the ear scritches; in some ways, she was still very much like a normal cat, happy when people gave her pettings and ear scritches. If she didn't have something important she was supposed to be doing (locating Alise), the little cat would have been content to sit her all day, being pet by Guilia.

Oh well, there was always a next time.

"Cheese is okay, but candy is the best!" Etoile exclaimed, thinking about all the sweets she was missing out on while she was locked out of the house, "Do you have any candy?"

"Oh, but the person I am looking for is named Alise! Do you know her? She goes to this school, but I don't know what grade she is in," the little Mauvian explained.

"I can most definitely eat candy! I love candy- Alise buys me candy all the time," Etoile declared, eyeing the mint eagerly. She was a glutton at best, whose bottomless stomach had gotten Alise in trouble at least more than once, and cost her a good portion of her allowance as well.

"Hm... Alise is twelve? She talks a lot about how she'll be thirteen soon, so she's twelve years old, then!"

Math was not Etoile's strong suite, apparently.

"I'm plenty careful!" Etoile said, though it was true that she would accept candy from almost anyone if they seemed friendly enough, "Alise is always careful about the candy she buys me."

Being a Mauvian was great for things like this, because it meant Etoile could eat things normal cats couldn't. Certainly, the kitten couldn't possibly imagine being able to survive off of just cat food, especially the dry kind.

"My name is Etoile- like the stars," the little cat told Giulia, "Could you go and ask? I would appreciate it very much."

"She hasn't? That's too bad," Etoile said, hoping she wouldn't have to wait long. Giulia was offering to show her a hiding spot where she could hang out and wait for Alise, though, so it wasn't entirely a bust. "Oh, yes, that would be very appreciated!" she said, nodding eagerly.

She was so lucky to have met Giulia! It must have been fate, the tiny cat decided.

Forever was certainly a long time, Etoile silently mused, taking the little girl's word for it, and thus, she concluded that it was a good thing that Alise hadn't had her class yet. After all, if she had to wait forever, she would probably ultimately starve!

From her hiding spot in Giulia's sweater, the tiny Mauvian kept watch for anyone approaching as the two made their way to the water fountain, Giulia doing the sneaking, and Etoile... doing the spying?

"The coast is clear!" the kitten oh-so-helpfully announced.

Giulia, in Etoile's eyes, was nothing short of a savior, and the small girl was definitely someone the kitten would remember for ages to come. Gratefully, she accepted the water- staying hydrated was important after all!

"Oh, thank you so much," the little cat said again, "I would have been lost without you."

That was, perhaps, an exaggeration, but Etoile was at the point of hero worship at this moment.