Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tama couldn’t say he hadn’t been warned.

His cat paws padded down the pavement as fast as four limbs could take him. He was being pursued. And by what still seemed to surprise him.

Well, not surprise, exactly. He had been warned, after all. He just hadn’t heeded any of those warnings.

“Stop, you stupid beast!” He snarled, equal parts reason and threat. “Don’t you see we’re on the same side of this god-forsaken war?”

But he knew it was no use. The beast — the youma — couldn’t understand him. Or chose not to. Or both. Tama had been told his kind was not welcome among the youma, even if both served Metallia.

“This is a god-damn poor way to run a military, if you ask me.”

What he wouldn’t give for hands right now, but his magic was still in flux and there was nothing he could do as the beast put its large dog-like jaws around his small cat-like body.



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Tama allowed himself to be scooped up into the man’s arms and closed his eyes as instructed, not that they really had opened much since the youma had decided to use the cat as a chew toy.

“Thank you.” He mewed softly.

Who was this man? His robes were elegant and quite to Tama’s liking as he nestled deeper inside the sleeves. He hadn’t realized it until now, but he was bleeding quite badly and there was a growing red stain on the man’s robes from a bite mark wound on the Mauvian’s side. He felt faint and nestled ever deeper into the fabric.



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For a moment, Tama thought he had blacked out. Perhaps he had or perhaps it was just the teleportation. He was far too injured and far too inexperienced in the Negaverse to tell the difference.

All he knew for sure was that the man was gentle with him. Almost too gentle. And he felt he didn’t deserve it.

For a second, a memory flashed before his vision, allowed to slip through because of the pain. Another who had once helped him in a similar way. But then the memory was gone.

“Why are you helping me?”



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Tama tried to give him an answer that made sense. But his own inner logic had stopped making sense three weeks ago.

“You don’t know me. And I don’t know you.”

What else could he say? That he didn’t deserve it. That he had quite possibly gotten a boy killed once. That he was far too weak to be of any use to the Negaverse, or anyone, for that matter.

He looked at the scars on the man’s arms. They distracted him from his own wounds. Anything to distract him from his own folly of getting too close to a youma despite warnings.

“How did you get those scars?”



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“Clearly, they do not.” Tama winced just thinking about it. But he had been curious. What were youma? What were they made of? How did they think?

At least, he had thought he might understand Faustite better. Maybe there was just no understanding Faustite.

“Pain medication should work well enough.” He had taken some in the before times. When he had been attacked by Faustite, as in the time before. Someone had given them to him. Someone had carried him. Someone had helped him like now.

Someone he couldn’t remember.

“I am not bonded to anyone. I don’t quite even know anyone well here. Not yet anyway.”

For a moment, Tama debated on how much to reveal to Kamacite. He looked down to the wound in his side. He’d revealed plenty already. What was a bit more?

“I haven’t been in the Negaverse for very long though I awoke many years ago. This was the first time I’ve left Negaspace since then. I thought maybe if I came back here I may remember more of what I have forgotten. But I have not?”

He purred restlessly.

“It’s like I don’t belong up here on Earth. Not anymore.”



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Tama lapped at the water slowly.

“I wish I felt like… I was useful, at least.” Belonging was a strong word. He knew he had felt it before. Back then. When he was with…

Who had it been again?

He knew, too, that his memories would stabilize. What was before and what was after. Yet would the pain of loss completely ever leave?

“You have shown me there are good people here. Perhaps, maybe, I can make new memories, here, with these people.”

Tama didn’t know if he was getting overly sentimental or if it was the pain killers kicking in, but he let Kamacite brush his fingers over his head, letting out a weak but contented purr.



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“Kamacite.” He said, committing it to memory.

“My name is Tama.” The cat was not quite sure just being himself would be enough. But he knew it was better to try that than to try and be anything else. He was a Mauvian, after all. What else could he be?

He wondered who the someone Kamacite remembered was. Was he like his own someone? Kamacite had clearly experienced a loss, but could remember the good, as well.

Tama hoped he could, too, but something dark inside doubted it.

“Thank you for your kindness. If you ever need anything, call me.”

Perhaps, one day, he could repay the senshi for rescuing him.



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Tama gave a soft purr as he was lifted into the senshi’s robes. They were so soft and voluminous. He was still a bit sad he had stained them read.

He began to thank the man again.

“Thanks, Kama—”

But his words traveled off as he was already fast asleep.



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