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Zach followed dutifully behind Mother Dragonfly, rubbing at his ears and neck. The world rang around him with dull, overpowering noise as they stepped into Fiona's home. He could hear them talking, though it was like listening through water. The bleeding had subsided to simply dried, crusty rust stains on his neck and ears. By the time Zach sat down at the kitchen table, the intense ringing had ceased and he could hear Fiona's instructions normally.

"Man... who knew they could talk?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "The talking's fine, I guess, but the screaming I could do without. That stuff hurt. I've been to rock concerts quieter than that screaming pigeon..."

With a deep sigh, Zach knew if he got up or otherwise tried to remedy himself, Fiona would give him Disapproving Mom Glare. Khaleel knew it all too well himself, the boys both cringing when Fiona would unleash the glare, even from another room in the house. There was truth to the idea that mothers had eyes in the backs of their heads.

Tilting his head at Sophia, Zach offered her a tired, but reassuring smile. "Glad you're okay. You couldn't'a ended up with a better crew, if you ask me. Pern--I mean, Fiona's the best. And... you did pretty good back there. Itsuki said he really liked you."

She'd tagged along with the others because it had felt like the right thing to do at the time but arriving in the stranger's gigantic home behind the two young men and the other girl had Sophia Thomas retreating back to her normal, quiet shell.

Sailor Elara could produce confidence but the shy little bookworm was having difficulties lifting amethyst eyes to meet with the crowd of other people making themselves comfortable in the girl's - Fiona's - home. Fiona herself had paused to look at her, Sophie quickly shoving hair back behind her ear as she self-consciously worried whether or not she was being judged for her earlier inefficiency.

"S-Sophie," she offered quietly as Khaleel crowed over the other boy's (Zach, was it?) joke. The two had been tasked by the homeowner, leaving Sophie to stand there awkwardly as her fingers found one another, hands clasping together at her front as eyes studied the fibers of the carpet. At the mention of the cat who'd awoken her, she seemed to perk up from the familiarity.

"Oh, Itsuki! He's such a sweetheart - h-he's your cat, then?"

Zach's head tilted with Fiona's gentle hands. Thankfully, he could hear again, and that bird would have a target on its back from then on out. Someone was going to become a Chicken McNugget, and it wasn't going to be him.

Poor Sophie - that was probably more horrifying than anything she'd ever experienced before in her life. A crow, with too many eyes and too many wings who spoke in riddles, then screamed so loud that everything rang and his ears bled. That s**t was <******** up, though Zach was incredible luck that Sophie wasn't hurt.

As Fiona helped to clean up the dried blood on his check and cheek, Zach nodded gingerly. "...yeah, I guess, as much as somebody can own a talkin' cat. Sometimes I think he owns me more than the other way around. Maybe I should call him, let him know we're all okay. What do you think, Fi?" It would be easy enough to call up the cat, but without knowing where Itsuki was, it could take the cat an awfully long time to reach them.

"Sorry you had to see all that... glad you're okay. S'not easy bein' new and bein' thrown into a battle like that. You did pretty good!"

Perhaps his being impressed with her skills would help poor Sophie gain a little bit of confidence.

"I'm fine, I'm just glad to have run into you guys out there. Erm, guys and gal."

As the boys chirped up the various people (or cats, in Zach's situation) that they needed to check in with, Sophia's bottom lip was anxiously being gnawed by her teeth. She didn't... Well, she didn't have anyone to call and check in with - that was a good thing, though, right?

All of the "crew" made a comment or another to her, which was far more welcoming than she could have expected from a few strangers she'd stumbled upon. Most people she ran into had their own agendas and lives and not enough time to busy with someone who may as well be a mute from the way sh---

"Oh!"

The teacup was thrust in her direction, the question suddenly interjecting itself from her train of thought. She managed to accept it gracefully as her head nodded hastily up and down. "Y-Yes, I'm fine."

Scrapes and a couple cuts here and there could be tended to easily with some of her own supplies back at home, Sophie's attention quickly drawing towards the silliness of the blonde boy and the secret hope that Zach did, indeed, invite the only furry soul that Sophie happened to already know.

"I... I could go for some food, if anyone knows any good place to Uber Eats from?" She offered, albeit quietly.

Zach nodded to Sophie when Fiona allowed him to do so. The comfort he felt from her care was a loving sort, a devotional sort, and it showed in the way he leaned into her touch just slightly. When Fiona offered dinner, Zach left it up to the ladies. "I'll eat anything, really. Itsuki will want fish but if you've got a can of tuna around here, he'll be happy. I'll give him a call - maybe it'll be a little easier on Sophie if he's here, since they know each other."

Standing up once Fiona allowed it, Zach pulled his cell out of his pocket to dial up the one number he always felt awkward dialing, because... how did cats even answer phones, anyway?!

Somehow, about twenty minutes later, Itsuki had texted Zach to open the front door for him, and there sat a lilac point. Trotting in like he owned the place, the Mau first greeted the owner of the house - Fiona, in typical fashion. "Domo arigato gozaimasu, Fiona-nee-sama~" With a kitty bow, Itsuki sunk to the floor with respect. Fluffing back up, it was time to say hello to everyone else!

Zach seemed confused, however. "...okay, you're real small, so... how did you get over here so fast, Fuzzbutt?"

"Sophie-san~ Khal-kun~" Itsuki chose to wind his way around Sophie's legs first before answering the question on Zach's mind. "Zee-chan, Uber~. Well, sort of. A cat can't use Uber without being suspicious, so I just asked a few Pages for a favor~! Don't worry, I had them drop me off a little bit away, so I could walk up and not be seen as easily. OH! Khal-kun! I have a nickname for you~!"

Sitting back on his hind legs next to Sophie, the cat gestured with his arms. "Taiyo-kun! Taiyo can mean many things, like the sun, but it also means a sunny disposition! I think that's perfect for you~ If you don't mind~"

Sophie blushed at the older girl's comment. She hadn't really felt like she'd contributed anything to the fight - at least, nothing of the caliber as the others - but it felt nice nonetheless to be included in their little "family" of sorts.

"Thank you. It's nice to feel like I belong somewhere," she offered back quietly, eyes rising long enough to meet with Fiona's for a moment before looking away.

God, why couldn't she be as confident as Elara was?

Soon, though, her furry little friend arrived on the scene and the young woman was crouching down to her knees to shower the small Mau with scritches and affection. She knew better than to pick up the cat without permission, but perhaps a few headscratches were okay??

She was mid-scratch when the boy named Khal announced his intentions of "adopting" the newest member of their little ragtag crew. The blush on her face turned an even darker shade and she couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of his statement.

"I'd l-love to hang out more," She chimed in, quickly following up with an even quieter, "...if your group is accepting more m-members of course."

Itsuki practically melted under Sophie's attention, flopping onto her nearest knee for more scritches. This was the best. "Hai~! Fiona-nee-sama is known for adopting people and taking them under her wing! Just ask Zee-chan! He calls her mom~ sometimes!"

It was then Zach's turn to blush furiously, choosing to bury his head in his arms on Fiona's table. This was too much.

"I call Fiona nee-sama - that's big sister! - really respectfully, because she brought us all together! You'd make an excellent addition, Sophie-san! And with everyone's help, you'll be a seasoned senshi in no time!" Wagging his tail, the lilac point made several trips around Sophie's feet while Fiona came to comfort her. Khaleel was sunny, as always.

They really had something special here.