Ania

***

I remember when I first found Chizu. Four years seems like a good chunk of time for humans but, for my kind, it is but a second.

The city of New York never interested me. Too much noise, too much people; every moment constantly on a numb fast forward. It was a dark night when I went out for a midnight snack near central park that she stumbled into my path...under my foot.

The look of utter confusion and W.T.F on Alicia and Vie’s faces were nearly identical.

“You found a mouse,” smirked Vie, “and just decided ‘oh, why not take it home’?”

“Well, at first I was going to just let it go- I hate the taste of mouse meat- but then, it did something really cool! I think it somehow came in contact with magic!” Knowing they wouldn’t believe me, I set the mouse gently on the floor and said, “Go on, don’t be shy.”

Her nose did a tremendous amount of twitching before she grew in size, her shape stretching this way and that. In less than four seconds, a small human girl sat naked in the middle of our living room, mouse ears twitching.

“Holy crap.” gaped Vie.

I beamed as I bent to stroke her soft, cotton-white hair. “Can we keep her?”

“An adorable mouse that turns into a hot, naked chick,” Alicia nodded approvingly. “I like that idea very much.”

“She can sleep in my bed.” Vie agreed, making her signature lollipop slurping sound.

The front door opens, sending my idle thoughts back to where they came. I look up from a tedious black and white romance. I can immediately see the tension. “Ruff hunt?” I ask in my best attempt to lighten the mood.

“Alicia electrocuted me.” snarled Vie.

My jaw drops. “Really?” My gaze slowly turns to Alicia. “That’s never happened before.”

“It was an accident.” protests Alicia. “Anyway, you were on top of me. How do you explain that?”

Vie plops down on the couch next to me, shoving a lollipop into her mouth. So, what is the name of this movie?”

“Don’t ignore me!”

“I am not ignoring you,” says Vie quietly, “I am just perfecting my story.”

Alicia steps in front of Vie, furry hands on hips. “Tell me the truth. No story.”

A pause as her emerald eyes show the thoughts her face doesn’t. Then, “I was keeping Sami from the same fate.”

Woah. Alicia can’t be happy about that.

“Are you serious? That’s...That’s wonderful!” Alicia places a hand over her heart. “If I had hurt her, I don’t know if I could forgive myself.”

“What about me?!” exclaims Vie. “Any remorse?”

Alicia’s head cocks slightly to the left. “About what?”

I can feel the flames shooting from Vie as she stands, staring Alicia down. She shakes her head, closes her eyes, and vanishes from sight.

“You’ve done it now.” I mutter.

“Done what, exactly?” She sighs. “She’s the one who always acts as if we have no relationship. She’s...She’s probably right.”