So to head things off, he kept his mouth shut and head down as he shivered against the cold and tried to get his bearings. None of the maps he had made any sense, none of this looked familiar, and it had him getting lost in narrow passageways between buildings. At least some of them had little openings that poured warm air out. So for now he sat on a metal container that held trash, something that stunk but let him get closer to where it was warm as he looked over the faded map he had. This had to be Earth unless the human species were in other worlds he’d not been to. Taking a moment to fix his hair and smooth his hands over his clothes to get some of the grime and dirt off, he cringed at how horrible he must look if someone did happen upon him.
But then it got him thinking, now that he was away from that dead world of his, the idea of what next? He had no idea what year it was either on his planet or on this one, knowing that time was always different here apparently. It made sense that different places would track time in their own ways but he never had kept much track of it and even his own sense of time had gotten muddled on his world.
Pressing a hand to his forehead as he sighed, there was a lot to figure out and he had no clue where to start or if he might end up being chased away for having odd eyes and fangs. At least his scales were covered in the clothes he wore, tattered and grimy as they were.
—-----------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
Though the weather outside was getting more and more frightful, Brioche’s little trot was absolutely delightful! Sort of. Throughout the years he still had not quite gotten the ability back to become a human form. Mostly it was his own fault as he desperately avoided conflict in all methods. He was never a fighter, and even less one who ventured too far from the place he called home.
Tonight however, he was on his way back from the nearby bakery close to the place he knew as ‘safe’. Each evening he would stop by, little human bills in hand, and take one of the left over bread loafs from the shelf. And since it was the holidays, the humans were all the more generous, adding more than a few sweets to his already loaded pack around his back. To them he was just a little curiosity to fawn over, but to the little ones out on the streets who still needed someone to take care of him, he was a godsend.
Who cares if he had to ‘borrow’ a few dollars from his ‘owner’s’ purse now and then?
Somewhere between home and the bakery, he found himself sensing something that made his fur stand on end and tail fluff out. A smell, a power, something that he had been craving for years and years drew him in and made him drop the roll settled between his fangs right onto the ground. Original mission was long forgotten, and instead he made a mad dash for whatever or whoever that something was!
It hardly took a moment for him to appear before them, out of breath and bag of baked goods half dangling off of his chubby backside.
“You!” He gasped, having not run like that in an embarrassingly long time. “You’re here! You! It’s you!”
Even in his frantic and disheveled state, there was a very clear sense of joy as the fluffy cat half bounced back and forth before leaping straight into the stranger’s lap, fully ignoring any sense of filth they may carry. “It’s you, goodness it’s you!! I’m so happy to see you!”
Tonight however, he was on his way back from the nearby bakery close to the place he knew as ‘safe’. Each evening he would stop by, little human bills in hand, and take one of the left over bread loafs from the shelf. And since it was the holidays, the humans were all the more generous, adding more than a few sweets to his already loaded pack around his back. To them he was just a little curiosity to fawn over, but to the little ones out on the streets who still needed someone to take care of him, he was a godsend.
Who cares if he had to ‘borrow’ a few dollars from his ‘owner’s’ purse now and then?
Somewhere between home and the bakery, he found himself sensing something that made his fur stand on end and tail fluff out. A smell, a power, something that he had been craving for years and years drew him in and made him drop the roll settled between his fangs right onto the ground. Original mission was long forgotten, and instead he made a mad dash for whatever or whoever that something was!
It hardly took a moment for him to appear before them, out of breath and bag of baked goods half dangling off of his chubby backside.
“You!” He gasped, having not run like that in an embarrassingly long time. “You’re here! You! It’s you!”
Even in his frantic and disheveled state, there was a very clear sense of joy as the fluffy cat half bounced back and forth before leaping straight into the stranger’s lap, fully ignoring any sense of filth they may carry. “It’s you, goodness it’s you!! I’m so happy to see you!”
—---------------------------------------
A commotion, at least what sounded like it approached, and it didn’t take long to see the source. The old map was forgotten for now as he looked at the, rather large, ball of fur as it leapt up onto him.
“Oh!” Did they know him? Narrowing his eyes at the furball, his stomach growled at the smell of fresh bread. Shaking the thought off he tried combing through what he could remember to see if he knew this cat, this… ah that was it a Mauvian.
Cautiously, he ran his hand over their fur, it was warm and honestly felt nice against the cold out here which he was severely unprepared for. Chang’E had met… so many people and mauvians in his journeys that it was hard to tell if he’d met this one but they seemed content and that was fine with him.
“Hello,” he said softly as he drew a blank on who this mauvian was. It didn’t mean that he wasn’t pleased to see one though, that meant at least someone wouldn’t immediately run him off. “Where did you come from?”
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
Brioche did nothing to hide the content purrs and rumbling under that chilly hand. His voice was scratchy and rough, a clear sign of rarely talking to anyone, but his purr was so very strong that it rattled his whole body. Once Chang’E’s hand came to his head, he immediately pressed against it, rubbing his cheeks and nose against it and taking in deeply of that scent that soothed his long aching heart.
Did he know them? Did he? He truly wasn’t sure, but he knew that he was needed here, and that was enough.
“You are cold? You are hungry?” Brioche asked, ignoring the initial question in favor of pulling the bag of bread from his back with his teeth and plopping it in between them. “Why are you here? Are you lost? It is too cold to be out here without fur and coat.”
Did he know them? Did he? He truly wasn’t sure, but he knew that he was needed here, and that was enough.
“You are cold? You are hungry?” Brioche asked, ignoring the initial question in favor of pulling the bag of bread from his back with his teeth and plopping it in between them. “Why are you here? Are you lost? It is too cold to be out here without fur and coat.”
—---------
“It wasn’t this cold last time I was on this planet…” Looking back at his map, he was now fairly certain it was out of date. Scratching under the mauvian’s chin, he smiled at how happily and strongly they purred. It was a relief after his most recent encounters having been less than pleasant.
Looking at the bread, a growl rang out and he nodded. “Something pulled me here but it’s so different now. Where is this? Or.. maybe when is this?” Time was something he’d lost track of on his own planet so there was no doubt he had no clue when it was here on this planet now.
“Can I have some of this?” Poking at the bag slightly before reaching up to pet them with both hands. “It’s warm by these vents I’ve found but yes, I’m not used to the cold.” It was colder than he’d ever dealt with outside of going to Mercury or Uranus but both of those places had given him notice enough to prepare for it ahead of time
—-----------------------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
“The last time? You were here before? Yes?.” A curious paw came up to pat Chang’E’s cheek, his chin, slowly examining what was before him. Familiar, yet distant. How strange!
“This is Earth. You are not from Earth, no? You are from somewhere far… Different, far, different from this star. Are you old? No, not old, just lost. Old lost, traveler. Uh…. You have traveled here from far away. It is different, yes. This is Earth, this is Destiny City. Yet you still understand. How lovely!” Brioche’s fluffy lil tail curled up around the stranger’s wrist, hoping that it could at least provide a little bit of warmth. Were he the kitten he once was, he would not hesitate to climb within their robes and happily share warmth together. But seeing as he was still fully grown, despite his small stature, it would be rude.
“Oh! Oh, yes, please! Have this, have all!” Brioche picked up the largest neatly-wrapped bun with his mouth, then placed it neatly on Chang’E’s lap. It still radiated a bit of residual warmth from when the nice people at the bakery heated it up for him. “Eat it, then we can go from here, somewhere warm? Would you wish to come with me? Somewhere warm, somewhere safe. Old woman is not home, gone south for the cold months. So we can be safe and warm until spring. I will show you the way!”
“This is Earth. You are not from Earth, no? You are from somewhere far… Different, far, different from this star. Are you old? No, not old, just lost. Old lost, traveler. Uh…. You have traveled here from far away. It is different, yes. This is Earth, this is Destiny City. Yet you still understand. How lovely!” Brioche’s fluffy lil tail curled up around the stranger’s wrist, hoping that it could at least provide a little bit of warmth. Were he the kitten he once was, he would not hesitate to climb within their robes and happily share warmth together. But seeing as he was still fully grown, despite his small stature, it would be rude.
“Oh! Oh, yes, please! Have this, have all!” Brioche picked up the largest neatly-wrapped bun with his mouth, then placed it neatly on Chang’E’s lap. It still radiated a bit of residual warmth from when the nice people at the bakery heated it up for him. “Eat it, then we can go from here, somewhere warm? Would you wish to come with me? Somewhere warm, somewhere safe. Old woman is not home, gone south for the cold months. So we can be safe and warm until spring. I will show you the way!”
—--
“Yes, more than once.” Letting the mauvian paw at his face, he didn’t really get bothered by it. If anything it was cute, like the little children who had asked him if he was a dragon on more than one occasion.
Scrunching his face up at being called old, he reached up to make sure there weren’t any wrinkles. Sure he wasn’t at his best but old? It had him prickling until they changed their wording. “Destiny City?” Rolling the name around in his head, it didn’t sound like anything he’d heard a place called back then but he’d only been to a few places on the large expanse of this planet. There hadn’t been the same types of transportation here as there had been back on his world.
Listening and picking up the bun, made his mouth water. Unwrapping it just enough so that it didn’t cool too fast as he ate. It was nice, much different than he remembered bread tasting but at the same time he couldn’t really remember the last time he had a warm meal. Or really anything that could be considered a meal.
The mention of someplace warm, without humans to see him until he figured out a better way to blend in with them, had him hurrying with his food so they could get away from the nipping cold. “Yes, somewhere warm and with water?” If there was a natural spring or something he could bathe in to help get clean, that would be nice.
—---------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
“No no no, do not eat fast! Eat slowly! Chew 30 times! It is not good to choke! Hurt belly!” Brioche lightly scolded the lad, tapping his paw against their chest in hopes they would slow down. Instinct had him desiring to hop up onto Chang’E’s shoulder, but he fought back that urge. He was not a lightweight cat by any means, and who knew how fragile this young one was?
The ground was plenty fine for him to stand on, and luckily for the both of them, snow had yet to put its blanket down over the pavements. It was a shame he’d have to pull away from warming this lost one, but the fireplace at his old home would be much better.
“It has water. Human tub, human faucet. Everything is powered well! Once warm, once thawed, we speak more of you, who you are. Where you are from. AH! I misspoke! My name is Brioche. Bree-ohsh. That is name warm old woman gave me. One day maybe you meet her. Very nice, very kind!” His tail swished behind him, then beckoned Chang’E to follow along. “Come, come! It is not far. Very close.”
The ground was plenty fine for him to stand on, and luckily for the both of them, snow had yet to put its blanket down over the pavements. It was a shame he’d have to pull away from warming this lost one, but the fireplace at his old home would be much better.
“It has water. Human tub, human faucet. Everything is powered well! Once warm, once thawed, we speak more of you, who you are. Where you are from. AH! I misspoke! My name is Brioche. Bree-ohsh. That is name warm old woman gave me. One day maybe you meet her. Very nice, very kind!” His tail swished behind him, then beckoned Chang’E to follow along. “Come, come! It is not far. Very close.”
—-
Thirty times? Was that something new? Tilting his head curiously, he did it a bit slower even as his stomach growled in protest. There was more bread so it would be fine if he slowed a bit, it wasn’t stale or rotten like what he’d been eating after things had changed.
This mauvian warmed his heart though, they were kind and that enough was a welcome experience even if it didn’t come with food and a possible place to wait out the cold. And cold it was as the mauvian moved away, sending a shiver through him.
Ah a tub, but powered? So that must be something new he’d have to learn about. It didn’t seem like magic, he’d be able to tell because that had always hummed in the air on his world. “From Chang’E…” Though his actual name, that took a moment as he worked through memories.
“I… well… that might take a bit, it’s been a long time since I’ve used my name. But I should be able to remember by the time we get where you want to go Brioche.” There was a little bit of a shiver as he spoke and slid off the metal trash box. Pulling some of the loose fabric up, he shuffled quickly behind the cheerful mauvian.
“Maybe one day… I have a feeling my appearance would frighten some people. I need to find a way to hide or blend in.” Something that he had done on some planets and knew he’d have to do here. Everything was so new, so different, and he had no clue how to begin to navigate this place.
———————————
”Kapoodles”
“Ah, your name is unfamiliar? That is okay, Mine is too. Long lost, but new name is fine, I am happy to have it!” While he kept a little bit ahead of Chang’E as they walked, he continued to turn his gaze around, ensuring that they didn’t lose pace of one another… And Possibly simply because he was thrilled to find what he thought already was his.
“I can call you different name! Little One. I like that, yes. You are my little one. And we will fix the look. A glamour, yes? Provide you with one. Even my old head here can figure that out. Maybe. If not, I help with someone. Uh… I will get help from friends. I have friends. One friend, good friend, but they will help!” Even saying it out loud felt strange and exciting, and that fat fluffy tail of his floofed out behind him, quivering and twitching in his delight!
It wasn’t long before they made it to the apartment. A cute little cat door was built right into it, clearly meant for the neighborhood’s cats to come and go.
“One moment, Little One! I Let you in!” After politely wiping his paws on the door mat outside, he slinked through the entrance. A moment later, the lock clicked and the door slowly came open, warm air leaving like a warm puff to the pace.
“Come in, Little One! It is toasty! And is more food here!”
“I can call you different name! Little One. I like that, yes. You are my little one. And we will fix the look. A glamour, yes? Provide you with one. Even my old head here can figure that out. Maybe. If not, I help with someone. Uh… I will get help from friends. I have friends. One friend, good friend, but they will help!” Even saying it out loud felt strange and exciting, and that fat fluffy tail of his floofed out behind him, quivering and twitching in his delight!
It wasn’t long before they made it to the apartment. A cute little cat door was built right into it, clearly meant for the neighborhood’s cats to come and go.
“One moment, Little One! I Let you in!” After politely wiping his paws on the door mat outside, he slinked through the entrance. A moment later, the lock clicked and the door slowly came open, warm air leaving like a warm puff to the pace.
“Come in, Little One! It is toasty! And is more food here!”
_______
It was reassuring to know he wasn’t the only one but as he followed along behind the fluffy mauvian, he started to dig up what the people of this planet had called him back then. Snapping his fingers as it came to him, he knew it was probably a mouthful or outdated. “Shānlóng Jiàn but… something shorter might be good.” That and he wasn’t sure if it would even make sense now but it was too much to think about at his stomach growled again.
The mention of a glamor had him perk up and quicken his pace a bit. “Yes, of course!” Objects that offered such a thing passed through the stalls on his planet back then so to know they were still around or that Brioche had knowledge that old helped him feel a bit better about all this. It was hard not to feel better with how excited and helpful this mauvian was being, something he’d had mixed experiences with mauvians on other planets in the past.
The building they approached was similar to all the other ones but felt so foreign to what he knew of architecture but the small cat door made him chuckle. “Okay, Brioche.” Taking a moment to look around, it was quiet at least and nothing felt too offputting other than the general shock he was getting from the differences of it all.
A shiver went through him as the warm air hit from the difference in temperature but he wasted no time stepping inside and rubbing his arms to warm up. “Yes, very warm, thank you.”
Now that he wasn’t out in public, he unwrapped the bit of scrap fabric that hid his ears and some of the scales that showed through the tears in his clothes. They weren’t great, far from something he would normally wear, but everything on his planet hadn’t handled the passage of time as well as he had. “Are you sure it’s alright for me to stay here?” The signs of whatever human who lived here were all over and even if they were away he felt odd not talking with them or offering a trade for room and board.
—------------------------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
“Yes, yes, very warm! For me, for the kittens, for all whom are lost and need somewhere safe. That is what Old Lady Millie says! So yes, very certain, it is okay. She will be happy. Maybe write little thank you note? You write, yes? English? … Maybe. You are from far away, maybe not. That is okay, I get translator pen for you, if need.” For the first time, Brioche referred to the old woman by name. Surely, had she been younger, her warm heart would have awakened to some sort of power, whether it was a knight or a senshi! Alas, in her old age, he would not dare burden her with the stress that came from participating in the war. She deserved only peace!
A hop here and a skip there, and Brioche landed on a nearby table, carefully setting down his bag of warm buns and turning to watch Chang’E warm himself some.
“Take seat on couch.” He lightly directed, a paw padding the back of a fluffy love seat, complete with a throw blanket covered in cat images. “Still hungry? More bread. I help cook if want more. Ah.. No thumbs, not like the others, so can only tell bits and pieces. What does Chang’E like? How does Chang’E feel?”
A hop here and a skip there, and Brioche landed on a nearby table, carefully setting down his bag of warm buns and turning to watch Chang’E warm himself some.
“Take seat on couch.” He lightly directed, a paw padding the back of a fluffy love seat, complete with a throw blanket covered in cat images. “Still hungry? More bread. I help cook if want more. Ah.. No thumbs, not like the others, so can only tell bits and pieces. What does Chang’E like? How does Chang’E feel?”
—------------------------------------------------------------------
The old woman sounded just as nice as this Mauvian did but when they mentioned English it left him scrunching his face up as he tried to remember the name of the earth language he knew. “Maybe? I’ve written things for many contracts but it’s been so long since I’ve been here.” Probably much longer than he thought as he saw the year on the calendar that hung on the wall.
“Oh… a very long time indeed it seems.” Taking a moment to look at the calendar with its photos of other cats on it, he felt dizzy thinking about how not only were there four digits on the Earth calendar now but it had rolled around quite a bit more than he thought.
“How do I feel? … lost? That might fit.” Not just in his place in the universe but also it seemed in time now. Over a thousand years of time he’d been stuck but it blended together for him.
Taking the offered seat and pulling the blanket around him, he sat there and watched Brioche as it set in that everything was new and different. It wasn’t something he was sure yet how he felt but he was glad for this very kind mauvian.
“Eel is good, rice and fish maybe…” Looking at it though, it probably wasn’t something they could make with their paws. “Bread is good too, very warm and filling.”
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
”Kapoodles”
“Lost… I know feeling. Very very well. I feel lost too, for long long while. But! But! Then I meet you, and suddenly, lost feels less. I feel… Content. Here, for purpose. I know. Maybe know, maybe not, but here, with you, it feels right! Make sense, maybe?” The chill of outside still seemed to cling onto his fur, so for the moment, while they warmed up and made light conversation, he walked over and loafed beside Chang’E. His fluffy head rested on his thigh, gazing up at the new senshi whom he had already declared his own, in his heart anyway.
“She does not have eel here. Rice yes, no fish though. Would go bad… But I can get some for you! After rest, after warm. He had no qualms about just sitting here for a while and resting. It was important to do so, especially after who knows how long his new friend was out there!
“... Eat, eat! Then rest. Daylight will come, and then we can think more. Speak more. Learn more. It is safe here.”
“She does not have eel here. Rice yes, no fish though. Would go bad… But I can get some for you! After rest, after warm. He had no qualms about just sitting here for a while and resting. It was important to do so, especially after who knows how long his new friend was out there!
“... Eat, eat! Then rest. Daylight will come, and then we can think more. Speak more. Learn more. It is safe here.”
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a lot to follow along with but maybe this mauvian hadn’t had a senshi around which wasn’t odd but then again things might be different now. They always seemed to wander around at the shops on his world but it was a mix of individuals from all sorts of planets before everything changed.
He couldn’t help but smile as they loafed next to him and he brought a hand up to rest on them. It was nice to just sit and pet them, it felt safe enough and there was something to eat. “I could probably cook if there’s a fire and pan or pot.” It would take a bit of remembering but it would be better than what he’d been getting by on.
Grabbing another of the rolls, he gnawed on it while relaxing back on the couch. “Sounds good Brioche.”
------------------------
”Kapoodles”
As soon as Chang’E put his hand on Brioche’s fluffy round body, he began to purr. A deep, happy rumbling that felt more like a motorboat vibrating than some old cat. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt such joy in his chest! Yes, they were both lost and confused, but for now they had each other, and that was more than enough for him.
“We worry about cooking later. Now rest.” After a few more bread rolls were eaten, he happily urged Chang’E to lie down on that oversized couch of the Old Woman’s, tucking him in as best he could with little teeth and paws, then lied down right on Chang’E’s belly. Partially to help keep the young one warm, partially to reassure himself that yes, this senshi was real.
For as long as the Senshi would allow him, he would remain there, cozy and reassuring. And when morning came, they would figure more things out! Sleep way way too good to deny right now though, especially on a full stomach and with wonderful company!
“We worry about cooking later. Now rest.” After a few more bread rolls were eaten, he happily urged Chang’E to lie down on that oversized couch of the Old Woman’s, tucking him in as best he could with little teeth and paws, then lied down right on Chang’E’s belly. Partially to help keep the young one warm, partially to reassure himself that yes, this senshi was real.
For as long as the Senshi would allow him, he would remain there, cozy and reassuring. And when morning came, they would figure more things out! Sleep way way too good to deny right now though, especially on a full stomach and with wonderful company!
