Chapter 15: Catriona's Arrival!

After having gone separate ways with Kaemyn and Rue, Flamme was already preparing herself a tall iced tea, probably as if to calm her nerves from the affair from their entire mission, tail swaying about as she kept mixing she sighed and eventually took a seat
Flamme: -to herself- it’s surprising how the situation can change so fast… I just hope we can all do our part when it’s close to the end… -shakes her head- what am I thinking…?? I’m sure we’ll do fine…
Flamme eventually stood back up, soon pounding a fist into her opened palm.
Flamme: Maybe I should find Aiko and make everyone a nice dinner,maybe that should help everyone ease their minds…!
Eventually Flamme stepped from the kitchen,probably to look for Aiko. Aiko quietly sits on the couch.
Flamme: Oh, there you are Aiko.. are you busy???
Aiko looks over to Flamme.
Aiko: No, why?
Flamme: I was hoping if you could help me with dinner tonight,I felt after everything that’s been happening a nice meal would be nice for everyone… And given Tokatsu had also invited his old friend Catriona, I hoped it give her a warm welcome as well.
Aiko: Sure, I’m willing to learn.
Flamme: All right… It may be a bit of trouble since I know you have trouble with hot food as Ame had said… But I can try and find something that can be made without substantial heating. Or if it does then you can leave it to me.
Flamme lets off a small confident smile as she eventually turns to a small kitchen shelf with mountains on mountains of cookbooks.Eventually pulling out a somewhat moderate sized one
Flamme: kinda funny how after so long I pull out one of these old things.. Perhaps we can find something in here that everyone would like??
Aiko: You’re the expert here. I’ll follow you.
Flamme: heh, all right then…
Flamme then opens the cook book, skimming through a multitude of dishes, some that look simple to even improbably big ones, before stopping and pointing her finger on the page.
Flamme:this one seems good enough, it’s a nice mix of everything, and it seems relatively easy to cool down for you when it’s finished. You think everyone would like it…???
Aiko: If you think it looks good, I’m happy to help.
Flamme: All right then, we can get started then after we—
A knock was heard on the door to the kitchen
Flamme:oh, come in..!
Matt: hey uhm.. Tokatsu and I are gonna try and get going to meet with Catriona, are you guys busy???
Aiko: I’ll stick behind with Flamme.
Ame comes out from around the corner of the hallway.
Ame: I’ll stay with Aiko for protection.
Flamme: I appreciate that, both of you…
Tokatsu:Matt,cmon we don’t wanna be late.
Matt: Right, sorry!! -sighs- I forget we had to be on time…
Flamme: -small giggle- well we’ll be fine, all we’re doing is cooking, so be back in time all right?
Matt: right then, just be careful… You too, Aiko...
Aiko: If Ame is here, we’ll be fine. I’ve got Flamme too.
Matt: I can’t be too worried—
Tokatsu: -already dragging Matt- dammit don’t hold me more than you have to…! We’ll be back before sundown...
Flamme: all right, get back safe! -a sigh- all right, as I was saying… Could you read off the ingredients for me Aiko? I just want to know what I am dealing with for tonight….
Aiko: Okay...
Flamme eventually turns to the pantry and fridge, looking at both of them waiting for aiko to read off from the book.
Flamme: Ame if you also wish to assist us, please go right ahead.
Ame: I will be fine here.
Aiko: We need a cup of flour, a stick of butter...
Flamme: flour, butter….
Flamme was already reaching for the bag of flour, before quickly reaching into the fridge for the butter, before setting them on the counter.
Flamme: allright, whats next?
Aiko continues to list off ingredients that they’d need reading exactly from the cookbook she was given. Flamme was moving almost at an inhuman speed as the ingredients were listed off, eventually she finished, the counter was littered with each ingredient needed
Flamme: all right, that went rather quickly.. thanks for helping with that Aiko..!
Aiko: No problem!
Flamme: all right… Now for the actual cooking process…
As Flamme and Aiko begin their plans for dinner,Matt and Tokatsu, after a bit of walking,were out in the city of Mizuha itself,presumably waiting for Catriona.Tokatsu looking visibly worried.
Tokatsu: ...dammit, did we get here too early??? Hopefully ntohing happened….
Matt:calm down… I doubt she’d be the type to be late...fashionably late maybe but not extremely late. -sigh- trust me you’re like my sister sometimes.
Tokatsu: Oh funny, and you were really worried about what’d happen when yer other friends showed up to save us… -sigh- kinda funny how we both get worried like that.
Matt: Oh shut up, we came here to meet yer friend, and I don’t want to give her a bad first impression if she finds us arguing.
Tokatsu: hmph,for all I care she’d probably be dragging on me for trying to pick a fight….
Matt: oh really? What makes you say that?
Tokatsu: very long story… would rather not talk about it to a person she’d probably consider a punk….
Matt: all right what was that?!
Suddenly Matt butted his head to Tokatsu’s, almost as if instantly electricity sparks started emanating between them,
Tokatsu: Oh you wanna go? Right here right now?
Matt: Oh you wouldn’t believe it..! No one would really stop us anyways if we--
???: God what have you dragged me into.
Tokatsu and Matt both stop before turning to the source of the voice.
Tokatsu: …! -to himself- ...shit…..I walked into that….
Standing there was Catriona in her usual clothes, and right to her side was someone Tokatsu was familiar with, sitting in a wheelchair casually waving hello.
Tokatsu: heh… I see you both came along…. Nice to see you both have been all right…
Matt: ...uhm….hi??? -waving-
Catriona: Couldn’t exactly leave Piper with no protection.
Piper wore blue jeans and a comfortable T-shirt that had obviously been stretched out and had become too big for her. Her brown hair was tied behind her head in a ponytail and her green eyes were simply staring at them. Her electric wheelchair moved just ahead to the side of them.
Piper: Good to see you again Tokatsu. I’ve gotten taller since you last saw me!
Tokatsu: Heh, that you have… I’m glad to see you’ve been doing well…
Matt: ...I didn’t know you had another teammate on your side
Tokatsu: to be fair I haven’t told much anyone about her… Piper’s like our mission control you could say…. Also.. Catriona, Piper. -gestures to Matt- meet Matt, ...also known as ‘idiot’
Matt: shut up..! -bloodvein popping on his forehead-
Piper: *quietly sighs* Even now you’re still picking fights with people.
Catriona: Knew it was a mistake coming here.
Tokatsu: whatever the case, he’s one of my...many allies with this damn thing. I was hoping you both would be able to help all of us.. We’re going to hope that we can snag whatever nox nyctores the government may have before their distributed to their soldiers. We don’t have much time so it's good thing we came out to meet you quickly… Between the newly formed resistance and now with you both on our side… it’s a shock the government is still going through with their plans.
Matt: You have to remember, they’re aiming to try and create the Lux Sanctus for some big project… We can’t let that go unchecked either… -rummaging through his pocket before handing piper the small folded paper of the blueprints- here, you might need these for now.
Piper: *Gives Matt a confused look* What is this?
Matt: Their the blueprints I managed to find back when I first got here. Hopefully we might have a good chance at stopping their smelting process if we know where to look...
Piper: *gives him a cold look* Oh I get it. You’re underestimating the girl in the wheelchair.
Catriona pops her knuckles as she gives Matt a dark glare.
Matt: What?!Oh nonononononono!
Tokatsu: -quickly grabs Matt by the collar- All right you got ten seconds to apologize or I’m sending you to the arctic 6 feet under!
Matt:NONONONONONONONONO! I AM NOT UNDERESTIMATING ANYONE!
Tokatsu: ….. -charging his icy aura- two and a half seconds.
Matt: HOW INSANE ARE YOU I SAID NOTHING WRON—
Tokatsu quickly punches Matt into the ground as reflex.
Catriona: Remind me again why I’m here Tokatsu. Or you’re going to be next on the ground.
Tokatsu: again,I hired you to help us...clearly I made the wrong decision in trusting this idiot to explain… -to himself- even though you both clearly misinterpreted what he was trying to say- ...we should get going back for home before anyone gets concerned….leave him here
Matt was still on the ground, he had a small crater where his head was and...the back of his head was bleeding...horribly.
Piper follows them.
Matt: -slowly picking himself back up- ….owwwww
Catriona remains there staring at him.
Matt: …. -shakes his head- ….you know I meant no harm by that...I clearly don’t see why you all flipped out like that….. -turning around and going- much apologies…..
Catriona grabs him by the collar and pulls him back.
Matt: …!
Catriona: Listen very closely. You follow my rules and you’ll be okay, understand?
Matt: ..y-yes ma’am….
Catriona: Don’t you ever belittle Piper. She doesn’t like being given tasks that she thinks people are giving her because she’s in a wheelchair. She interpreted that as you thought she would need help doing what she better than anyone else at. So don’t you ever do that again.
Matt: yes ma’am..won’t happen again ma’am...
Catriona: Secondly, you clear everything with me before talking to my little sister. Understood?
Matt: Yes ma’am...
Catriona: Lastly, dust yourself off you look miserable.
With that, she begins to walk off.
Matt: ….. -internally- ….never thought she’d be that scary…
After a moment, Matt dusted himself off and nervously went after them, his bleeding wound slightly dripping across the ground. Meanwhile, Flamme was busy with the few final steps of the dish she had been preparing while the two had been gone.
Flamme: all right...that should be close to finished, what’s our final step…???
Aiko: *slowly reading* ...Ah, finally bake at four hundred degrees.
Flamme:all right, so we can let it wait then while we do that.
Flamme quickly sets the dish in the oven before setting it for the temperature,
Flamme: so now we wait for the preset time… I hope Matt and Tokatsu get home safely….
Aiko: I’m sure they’ll be fine.
Flamme: as long as we’re sure…. -sigh- I hope this dinner turns out perfectly… I’ll be sure to set a dish aside for you aiko for when it’s finished so it can cool…
Flamme soon sits down across from aiko.
Flamme: I do appreciate the help, it means a lot.
Aiko flashes Flamme a smile.
Aiko: I’m glad I could help.
Flamme: it was nice to have someone help..
Eventually another knock came from the door. Tokatsu soon inviting himself inside
Tokatsu: we’re back…. We managed to meet with Catriona…. We’re gonna try and get her acquainted with everyone… Is dinner going all right?
Aiko: It's fine, but where is everyone else?
Tokatsu: they should be here but eh...Matt….maaaaay be a bit???? He accidentally screwed up…
Flamme: please tell me he didn’t get hurt
Tokatsu: …...uhm…??? No???????? -visibly sweating bullets-
Aiko: You didn’t leave him behind, did you?
Flamme: …. be honest with us we can’t leave everyone concerned.
Tokatsu: I’m not ruthless… besides he looked like he’d be able to take that hit he should be fine…??
Aiko: Hit? What do you mean by take that hit?
Tokatsu: he walked into a--
Eventually Matt walked into the door, his entire forehead was slightly bloodied.
Matt: lamp post…?
Tokatsu: Yeah,lamp post..! You ran into it pretty hard trying to beat me home…!
Flamme: Oh no, are you OK?
Matt: I’ll be fine, really...its nothing worse than a flesh wound..! -slightly fake laughing-
Catriona: Do you always lie?
Standing behind him and sitting behind him, were the two that followed behind. Catriona and Piper and again Piper was casually waving hello.
Matt: ….nah, I just wanted to cover for him.
Tokatsu: …
Flamme; then what really happened?
Tokatsu: ...stuff got said that honestly shouldn’t have...and that ended up in what happened.
Matt: ...I can’t feel my face.
Ame: You said something bad to the girl in the wheelchair and got yourself in trouble doing it.
Matt: ..unintentionally!
Ame, who had his eyes closed, opens one.
Ame: How am I not surprised. *Cracks a smile*
Piper: Ame is that you?
Catriona: Well if it isn’t the ol’ so-and-so.
Ame stands up and bows respectfully. 
Ame: Its a pleasure to see both of you again.
Matt: …. I honestly didn’t expect you guys to go way back...but right now my blunt head trauma is calling so—
Tokatsu: you get some rest… Aiko could you patch him up, please???
Flamme: It’s honestly rather funny seeing everything like this...even though again...Matt bleeding isn’t as funny a sight as any other time….
Aiko quietly does so, confused as to how Ame knew the two girls.
Catriona: Had I known you’d be here, I’d have come sooner.
Tokatsu: ...Okay now THIS I am curious about,how long have you known each other?I’d assume after we split ways or was this prior?
Catriona: This was long before we ever met Tokatsu.
Ame: The two of you were just children then.
Catriona: I was ten. Piper was five. I carried her around with me back then. We bumped into Ame who learned of our situation.
Ame: If I recall correctly, the two of you had been kicked out of a share house because of your sister’s condition.
Catriona: We were ‘too expensive’ for that share house. But of course they were likely just sick of the medical bills they were incurring.
Tokatsu: … -sigh- ...I figure this is a very personal story??? I apologize for asking if it seemed too prodding of me.
Catriona: Long story short, Ame helped us out of a bind back when we were young, so we owe him a debt of gratitude.
Flamme: that was honestly still rather nice of you to help them, Ame.. Orie would be proud of you if she heard the story herself...
Ame: Seems such a long time ago now. But I wasn’t just going to let two girls roam the streets with nowhere to lay their heads.
Tokatsu: heh… that is indeed true.. to be fair that’s how Elettrico had found me in a sense after we split ways… She sorta stuck by me after I made it out of Akitsu… She sorta stuck by me ever since… And I guess Flamme and Ventus came a bit after, though they moreso joined for other reasons than a lack of family to go to...
Flamme: yes...but that can wait for another time… Dinner should be ready very shortly.
Piper: Is Aiko here with you? I’ve always wanted to meet her!
Aiko shyly moves behind the kitchen door.
Flamme: she was helping with Matt’s wound but she’s not here now it seems...
Ame: Matt, where did she go?
Matt: I wouldn’t know… -slightly rubbing his neck- maybe she’s hiding?
Flamme: well wherever she is she can’t be hiding for too long..! She’s gonna miss out on the dinner she helped me make
Matt: Oh, that’s a shame.. Maybe we should look for her..
Tokatsu: if only we had a way to find her...
Ame: I imagine she can’t be too far.
Piper: Oh, is she shy?
Matt: I’d imagine so..She was a bit nervous when I met her. But she ain’t this shy… -slightly moving to the door-
Ame: She must be busy...but I imagine she’s not that far away.
A small bell suddenly rang from the oven
Flamme;Oh, that must be dinner..!
Matt: you need any help Flamme?
Flamme: I should be fine Matt,you go rest all right? We can find Aiko
Matt: all right..
Matt tries reaching and opening for the kitchen door, before trying to open it but it doesn’t budge. Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, using hot pads, Aiko quietly takes the dish out of the oven and sets it on the stove for it to cool.
Matt: what the...it ain’t moving... 
Matt tries to fiddle with the door knob before trying to open it again, almost with no luck. Aiko sits back in front of the kitchen door that she had locked.
Matt: ...wow… I guess something is in there or we got locked out..
Tokatsu: Kinda sucks… -shrugs- does anyone perhaps have a lockpick? ….Seriously...
Flamme quickly tosses Tokatsu a spare lockpick, the latter proceeding to start the picking of the lock
Tokatsu: thank you…
Matt: well wherever Aiko is something tells me we’re gonna find her if the door being locked was her doing…?
Piper: No reason to go out of the way to find her. I’m sure she’s around somewhere.
Tokatsu: aaaaand one, two threeeee…. done
Matt: I never actually thought you could pick a lock… let alone your somewhat gung-ho style
Tokatsu: less gung-ho than you were, trying to fight Ereku from what I heard...
Flamme: well either way, we need to find aiko before the dinner we made burns…!
As Matt opens the door, Aiko falls backwards on to the ground, smacking her head. She immediately takes the fetal position holding her head.
Matt: ..! Oh no, are you okay?!
Tokatsu: we probably should’ve been careful…
Aiko: Owwwwwwww….
Matt quickly kneels to Aiko’s side
Matt: Aiko… please be okay… I’ll bandage you up if that bruised…!
Tokatsu: … -to Ame- ...has he..been like that when around her at times???
Ame: He’s always been cursed with bad luck and timing.
Matt was slightly shaking his head,Tokatsu simply pats him on the shoulder.
Tokatsu: ...despite all that he has good intentions. -sigh- we should get them both some bed rest after dinner…
Orie: what do you mean..? did something happened????
Ame: Aiko hit her head when Matt opened the door on her.
Orie: oh… is she okay?
Matt: I’m hoping so…! I didn’t think she was resting against the door when we opened it..!
Ame sighs quietly.
Ame: Did you check the door before you threw it open, Matt?
Matt: ….
Matt eventually just sighed and almost refused to respond in embarrassment.
Tokatsu: ...Well evidently my nickname I have given him still stands… nonetheless, we should get everyone around for dinner before it goes too cold.
Category:Novel Chapter