Chapter Text
Monday is depressing for many.
It's an indication of the beginning of a week after all; another long days ahead, and a long uphill to push a boulder.
The same can be applied to Abydos to a degree, though they don't rest on weekends anyway. Debts aren't paying themselves.
Still, with the power of friendship (mixed with commitment, focus, and sheer will), they support each other through the day.
Just the six of them, having one another's back. With an occasional adult-shaped backup.
"......" Apparently, that changes today.
"Shiroko-senpai?" "What the-?"
The two juniors, Ayane and Serika, wake up from their grogginess induced by a boring morning.
The former straightens her red-rimmed glasses for a better look.
The latter perks up her feline ears and sniffs a little, as if she smelled something... unpalpable.
"Nn. We found it in a clay pot by the street."
Gone is the usual Monday morning as the twin (?) wolves enter the meeting room.
Shiroko gestures her doppelganger with her thumb, more specifically, the cardboard box in her hands.
"Nn. A pretty baby."
Said Kuroko, in her fresh Abydos High School uniform and a dark turquoise scarf with a bright blue cross pattern.
She then places the cardboard box at the center of the table.
"......"
With a light thump! The box justles, seemingly comes to life.
"Eeek!?" "Is this..."
Ayane is a bit spooked; last time her beloved Senpai brought something back from the wild, it was a half-dehydrated adult after all.
Serika is on orange alert; her crimson eyes narrow, and her black cat ears angle outward.
And turns out, their worry is validated... kind of.
For one, it is a living being.
"Mrrrrrow."
And for another, it's a living being that's definitely not vibing with the black cat of this group.
The sudden newcomer pushes away the lid of the box with its head, bravely showing its face to the new world it's in.
It's coated in a generous layer of Abydo's signature yellow dust, but its fur color and pattern remain recognizable.
A calico cat. Seems rather young, given its size, body shape, and facial structure.
Although one of its ears is clipped, it doesn't seem to have a collar.
With its dim green eyes, it scans the strange surroundings and people with zero hesitation.
And within a minute, it hops out of the box with elegance, trotting its white-gloved paws all over the table.
Not a care in the flabbergasted audience around the table.
"Nn. Pretty baby." Kuroko repeats and does a look at her gesture.
"Our legion grows." Shiroko lightly taps the table and calls for the cat; it doesn't seem to give a shit, however.
Instead, the cat is more interested in the treasurer of the Abydos High School. And her laptop. Mostly her laptop.
"Uhm... Hi?" Ayane frets over the curious furball invading her bubble. "P- Pretty baby?"
She offers a fingertip, and Calico is still unfazed; sniff-sniff, not interested.
So naturally, the next move is marching further into Ayane's territory and commandeering the laptop.
"Wait, no!" The owner of the laptop defends the keyboard from dusty paws, trying very hard not to piss the cat off.
"I haven't finished it yet!" Ayane makes her stand, and the tri-toned tail swishes with dissatisfaction in return.
So the cat tries again, and it's denied again.
"He likes you." Shiroko comments in her usual stoic-ish expression.
As the mild commotion goes on, the other member of Abydos High School arrives.
"Good morning- oh!" Nonomi is pleasantly surprised as she joins the fray, a huge gun case on her shoulder.
"-Watch out, Nonomi-senpai! Stay away from her!"
Before anyone can return the greeting, Serika voices out and holds her senior back from approaching the table.
"I see right through that skank's little lie...!" She hisses, glaring at the cat looming over Ayane's laptop still.
"How do you know it's a he?" Kuroko tilts her head a little inquisitively.
"It's..." Serika visibly ruffles up. "It's, uhm... intuition! It's been sharp! Against cats!"
"Cats?" Nonomi hears the keyword and tries to peek past her Kouhai.
And surely enough, the scene of Ayane throwing hands (?) against a cat falls into her view.
"Aaaaaw pretty kitty~! " Nonomi sings a note higher than usual, ignoring Serika's effort to warn her against... what resembles her kind.
Contrary to her excitement, her movements are smooth and slow, letting the kitty know her intention.
Yet still, it seems like the cat isn't buying it all that well, as its first reaction is to slip out of the little scuffle with Ayane and gain distance.
Doesn't seem upset though. At least there's that.
"Daw, he's shy!" Nonomi also tries tapping the table gently for the cat's attention.
Shiroko decides to solve the other issue by checking the cat's ass. "It doesn't seem to have a pair."
"You sure he isn't someone else's pet, Shiroko-senpai?" Asks Ayane, picking off dusty cat fur from her sleeves.
"Weak Shiroko and I waited for extra minutes in case anyone came picking her up, but no."
The bigger Shiroko offers the answer she rehearsed for the most reasonable member of the group.
"Plus, Hoshino-senpai will be happy." She blinks as she pauses for half a second. "...I think."
"Nn. Fat Shiroko has a point." Regular-sized Shiroko adds. "Senpai's been chasing strays on the street to pet them."
Speaking of whom. "Is Hoshino-senpai late again~?" Nonomi mumbles as she rests her minigun on a table by the window.
"Probably in Sensei's place..." Serika crosses her arms as her imagination kicks in.
"She said she and Sensei will meet us in the street sweeping this afternoon." Ayane checks her phone for messages in the group chat.
Because the cat has ventured back for a round two, lying on her side on top of the keyboard.
Ayane doesn't mind anymore; she's smart enough to pause her work before the cat has a chance to ruin any of it.
As for the mess from the walking, meowing, tri-colored fur croissant... Well, her laptop needed a little cleanup anyway.
"So that leaves us with a couple of hours." Shiroko concludes, glancing at the rescue in repose.
"Did you feed her anything, Shiroko-chan?" Nonomi prods at both of Shirokos.
"We gave her some water, and that's it." The smaller one replies first.
"Nn," The bigger one points at her doppelganger accusatively. "Weak Shiroko tried to feed her grains from the energy bar."
"It was healthy. And tasty. And Serika liked it."
"Wha- What does it have to do with me!?"
"Okay, okay..." Ayane pulls the topic back almost forcefully. "I guess... We'll have to take care of her for the time being?"
"Yes!" Nonomi is already browsing cat products online.
"You'd better watch your back and where you stand..." Serika hisses again like a house cat seeing a stranger.
"He needs a shower," Shiroko reaches over to pet the cat, which seems to have taken it well. "And a name."
"Nn." Kuroko offers back scratches instead. "I propose Diogenes the wise."
Shiroko switches to chin scratches for the cat's opinion. "Nn. Great name. I concur."
"Mmmmmrrrrrrroow..." Diogenes doesn't give a slightest shit. He gets pampering, life is good. That's all that matters.
That, or he's actually pleased with the name these biped peasants bestowed upon her. Who knows.
"M- Maybe we can wait until Hoshino-senpai and Sensei join us, Shiroko-senpa- Senpais? "
The treasurer of Abydos High School reins in the wolf-shaped loose cannons again, this time with raised volume and pause gestures.
"First, let's get some food and water for the Bas- the cat, Nonomi-senpai, can you handle that for us?"
"Already on it~♣"
"Nn, give me an assignment, too, Ayane." "Nn, me, too."
"As for Shiroko-senpais... What about utensils? Cat bed, food bowls... a comb, perhaps?"
"Can you check the warehouse or the abandoned classrooms for materials to put those together?"
The twin wolves share a look, and with a unanimous nod, they accept the mission with two thumbs up.
"And, Serika-chan..."
"Eh!? Y- Yes, Ayane-chan?"
"Since you're skittish towards her, how about you... I don't know, keep an eye on her? Keep her away from dangerous places?"
"S- Sure!" The resident black cat gives the foreign calico cat a look.
And she does a I've got my eyes on you! gesture.
However, Diogenes still seems dismissive as he strolls around the meeting room floor, around and between everyone's legs.
He seems to like the Shirokos the most, walking particularly slowly and close around them.
Probably because one of them gave her food and water. It's hard to tell.
After all, none of them reads minds like a certain adult (despite his repeated explanation and self-defending).
"I'll inform Hoshino-senpai and Sensei of the situation," Ayane adds, booting up her (now dusty and furry) laptop again.
"Let's get to work, guys! Move it!"
With an authoritative clap, the treasurer seems to have found the energy and atmosphere back when she briefly took the helm of the group.
The rest of the Abydos High School members go into action, grabbing their belongings.
As for the center of the topic, the cat figures that now is a good idea to exit the small room as well.
Time to roam free and explore this new place that just welcomed her.