“In between realities, there are glitches.”

Nia opened her eyes. Breathing in the scent of her sheets. Out her window, she could see the sky beginning to illuminate with the light of morning. Redgold light floated into the room and painted the wall behind her. Shards of light were cast all around the dim room as it reflected off of Woo-Yaal’s scales.

Nia lay there for a while. Enjoying the rest. The warmth. Her stomach, specifically, was very warm. The small beast girl Nia had rescued from the Eldars was curled there, still sleeping.

I did save her, but only after abandoning her.

After leaving the Hall of Eldars in about the rudest way possible

Feeding their ashes to their children would have been quite rude as well.

She had drifted straight to her room. She had briefly considered leaving the child there with Woo-Yaal who had followed her drift, going back to the Hall and rebuking the Eldars. But that wouldn't have gotten her anywhere. So instead, she got into bed with the child and went to sleep. Woo-Yaal would have joined them. The bed was definitely big, huge even. Woo-Yaal was that plus some. And besides, he had been banished from sleeping in her bed long ago.

The sun had been setting when they had crawled into bed.

Six, maybe eight hours of sleep. I never learned if Vah Galla has seasons.

Geegee is past its retrograde and the constellation “Sister” is under the “Menacing” star, so it's just the beginning of spring. Nia could sense the snicker of laughter in the words.

Also. every clothing booth you passed yesterday was advertising its “spring sale starting today”.

“.....”

Nia yawned and stretched disturbing the child snuggled into her stomach

So warm and soft.

Suddenly, Nia had a thought.

No, I shouldn't. I'll wake her.

“.....”

Nia broke. Lifting the covers and ducking her head in. all she could see was the top of the child's head. Concentrating so hard that she actually stuck her tongue out, she raised herself and scooted back.

She does!

That's why she's so warm! Still asleep, knees curled up to her chest, one arm reaching for Nia. and there! Between her legs curled up, the tip almost at her cute little chin. A tail. A beautiful black, furry tail. Mia reached out and stroked it before she knew what she was doing.

Amazing!

“Mhmm” the child stirred and rubbed her eyes and looked up at Nia. For a moment neither moved.

“Mommy!” the child cried and sprang into Nia with surprising speed and strength, taking her backward on the bed still covered by the sheet.

“Whaaa!” Nia shouted trying to make sure neither of them got hurt in the fall. Casting the sheet off and sitting up she couldn't help but smile. The child kneeled on her thighs, surprisingly strong arms squeezing her in a hug.

“Mommy!” she shouted again.

“Uh-uuu. Good morning little one. Are you feeling okay?"

“Emm!” the child almost grunted with the force of the affirmation. Beaming up at Nia with those huge sparkling eyes. Her tail wagging furiously back and forth.

“Well, we should both get some clothes on.” picking their way over Woo-Yaal they made it to the closet. Nia Helped the child put on one of her favorite shirts. It was way too big for her, falling to her knees, but Nia didn't have anything that would fit the child. To her surprise, the first thing the beast girl did was to sniff it. A lot. And then inspect the print. It was a promotional shirt for a local Vah Galla internet popstar. A singer named “Sagura” who never showed her face, or uploaded any images of herself. Instead, she appeared in all her music videos as a pink-haired girl with eccentric taste, to say the least. The shirt that the Beast girl now wore had a teal base, sporting Sagura in one of her trademark poses, and read “easy” on the back across the shoulders in the most relaxed, flowing script Nia had ever seen. The beast girl looked down at it for a second. Long enough to make Nia embarrassed about her “Trash taste in culture”

“I love it! It's so soft!” tail wagging furiously.

Cute!

Cute!

Next, they eat breakfast. Nia had no idea what to make for the child, so she blended up some fresh fruit and made smoothies. Pouring a tall glass for each of them she set one and the end of the island next to a bar stool.

“Breakfast is ready.” the beast girl clambered onto the stool, plopping down. Nia turned to do the dishes. What am I thinking? Dishes can wait. Turning back around, she went and sat down on the other stool. Facing the beast girl she held up her glass and said

“Cheers.” The beast girl stared at the glass in Nia's hand for a moment, then up at Nia.

She doesn't understand.

“Take your glass and touch it to mine.” understanding, the beast girl took her glass in both hands and turned back to Nia, holding it. The glasses thunked together.

“Now we say “cheers!” and then drink.” The beast girl's face lit up.

“Cheers!” she said with a huge smile and drank.

“Cheers!” Nia repeated, and also drank. She learns incredibly quickly. I hope I’m not a bad influence on her.

After they finished their breakfast Nia suggested they bathe. This was met by another blank stare from the beast girl in her oversized shirt. So she took the girl into the bathroom.

Her room was just that. One long, wide-open room with windows on the west side, a door to the hallway on the east. The large bed against the north wall, kitchen on the south side. Her closet was just to the side of the door as you came in. The door to the bathroom was on the south side by the kitchen. She would have been more bothered by this if she was sharing the room with anyone other than her pet snake, and herself. Tei-Uun preferred to sleep in the lower levels where it was cooler. He was also probably too heavy.

Nia Stripped then helped the beast girl. It was almost too cute watching the little girl struggle to take off her overly large shirt. While the water for their bath heated Nia had Beat girl sit on the little stool so she would wash her hair.

“Let me know if it is too hot or too cold,” Nia said as she began to tip the bucket of steaming water onto the beast girl's head.

“Emm!” that seemed to be her expression of agreement. Her tail whacked into Nia’s shins as it began to whip back and forth.

She is so happy. Nia carefully poured the water over the beast girl's head, wetting her hair, all the while carefully monitoring her body for any flinch or reaction. The only thing was her legs began to bounce up and down.

Can't sit still eh? Nia had suggested a bath for three reasons. First off, she wanted one. Second, she was sure the child wouldn’t mind being cleaned. The only “washing” she may have received was probably a chemical wipe down in the Hall of Healing. Nia knew how one's skin could dry up and itch after getting a cocktail of chemicals slapped on. Lastly, Nia wanted to inspect the beast girl's body. She didn't seem to be in any pain, Nia had watched her movements closely and they were natural. But her skin was still red and bruised where the manacles had rubbed them. Nia wanted to make sure she hadn't been injected with anything… anything… well, she didn't know what, but she had no idea what the Eldars might have done. The scariest thought was that they hadn't done anything other than chain her up. That meant they were going to kill her after she had served her time as “evidence”. Pushing that out of her head she focused back on the present. She was shampooing the beast girl’s thick black hair. Carefully working around the ears. When it hit her. The obvious thing she had missed, how had she missed it?

“What's your name?”

“Hummmm?” the beast girl actually stopped moving and tilted her head slightly.

“What's your name? What can I call you?” rather than turning, the beast girl leaned back. Flopped back putting the top of her head into Nia's chest, looking up at her. Those eyes. The left one is just like yours, only... brighter. Nia looked closer. The left eye was colored like her own. The black of the pupil seemed to float on a radiant ocean of gold. A ring of black coloring ran in a circle around the pupil between the pupil and the edge of the iris. Upon closer inspection, Nia realized that it wasn't one single line, but an array of tiny lines pointing out from the pupil all packed close together. The light seemed to catch something deeper inside the iris creating sparkles and flashes like a gemstone. The right eye was identical to the left in everything but the color. A vibrant red that seemed to shift in color fading from dark to light and back again.

Mimi blinked.

“I don't have one. I don't remember one.” she didn't look sad, just matter-of-fact.

“Do you have any memories?” her head tilted again and her eyes wandered off to the side. She was silent for a moment.

“I remember being cold. Tired. Scared.” she had slumped, now sagging back onto Nia. She perked back up to her former position. Bent back, supported by her head against Nia.

That can't be good for her neck.

“But since I met mommy, I have been warm and happy.” her arms shot up and her hand plopped against Nia’s cheeks. She laughed at Nia’s now scrunched-up face. Nia laughed and went back to washing her hair.

“Well, you need a name. I want to be able to communicate with you properly.”

“You name me!”

“Y-you want me, to name you?”

“Emm!” Nia thought for a bit as she dumped fresh warm water over the beast girl's head, washing out the suds. How about….

“How about, Mimi?”

“Emm!” guess that's it then. Finishing with Mimi’s hair Nia pulled it all on top of her head and pinned it in place with a tiny Void bind. I need to go shopping and get some hair clips and other things for her. Cute clothes! Although, I still don't know if she actually wants to stay with me. Of course she does! Look at her. Mimi was nodding her head back and forth and bouncing her legs up and down, tail swishing.

“Mimi, could I wash your tail?”

“Emm!”

“Okay, let me know if you feel pain if it's sensitive.”

“Emm!” Mimi's tail was covered in soft fur, the same as her ears. Both were tipped with the tiniest brushstroke of gray. Sprouting from the top of her buttocks, it seemed to simply be a continuation of the spine, splitting from the tailbone. Thankfully, it was undamaged. Done with rinsing, Nia sent Mimi to the tub and began washing her own hair.

Finished with her hair, Nia piled it on top of her own head securing it in place with a Void tie like Mimis. She knew it was frivolous. I need to go shopping. Joining Mimi in the tub she sank up to her jaw. Letting the warmth of the seep into her body, washing the stress away. Mimi, who couldn't seem to sit still, was doggie paddling around the tub. She is just like a puppy. I believe she is wolfkin. Catching Nia watching her, Mimi splashed over. Floating with her brilliant eyes just out of the water she exhaled, blowing bubbles in the water. Her fluffy ears pointed almost straight out to the sides, struggling under the mass of her hair. Nia cupped Mimi's face in her hands and pulled her up for air. Gasping for air and laughing.

“Mommy! Mommy, you should blow bubbles in the water! It feels so tickly.” Nia leaned in, touching noses with Mimi.

“You are a little stinker. I like you Mimi.” just saying her name seemed to make Mimi lose herself in excitement. “Now sit still and let me clean you.” Mimi stopped moving… a little. Again while she cleaned her, Nia looked for a mark or injury. Checking for bone breaks as much as possible. But she was almost remarkably healthy. Even the rash from the manacles was almost gone. Probably thanks to the amount of Void in her. Nia couldn't be certain but as far as she could tell Mimi had more Void “power” in her than Woo-Yaal or Tei-Uun. Maybe even more than me… maybe. I believe that her affinity for Void combined with that nutrient pack she was given in the Hall of Healing is responsible for her growth. Woo-Yaal and Tei-Uun both grew very fast as well.

After their bath, they got dressed and ready to go out. Nia wore dark pants, tactical boots that traded actual armor for a considerable increase in comfort, and a stylish short jacket over a long shirt with a print of a noodle bowl eating a galaxy. Mimi wore another oversized shirt. It was off-white and sleeveless and said “Is the last dungeon under the first town!?” in a comical, Yokarii script that couldn't seem to pick a size and stick to it. Nia was positive she couldn't actually read Yokarii, but Void seemed to give her understanding. When she saw or heard almost any language, she just knew what it meant. It was one of the most subtle Void abilities she had, but it was the most useful. Underwear was a problem though. She didn't want Mimi going out in public without underwear on, and hers definitely wouldn't fit. Mimi didn't need a brassiere. In the end, she ended up using a pair of her underwear and tied off the excess on both sides.

“Let me know if you start to chafe or hurt, I’ll carry you.”

“Carry me!” Mimi said enthusiastically, throwing her arms out to Nia. Nia laughed and patted her head.

“Maybe on the way back.”