A Broken Man

Chapter 18: The blue-haired Meif'wa

Days passed, the day usually go as so; Wake up, interrogated by Aphmau to get anything out of him, Kawaii-Chan drops off food without saying a thing, a guard usually watch him as the day went on, and repeat. Zane was laying on the ground, facing away from the bars of his cell. Something gently hit the cell door, Zane didn't look over to see what it was, he kept staring at the wall. Someone then came over, but this was different, this person sound smaller than the others, like they weren't an adult. They came over to the bars and tried to get his attention.

A young voice: " Hello."

Zane slightly looked behind him, there, was a young Meif'wa child who looked about 9 years old was staring at him. She was holding a ball, the thing that hit the cell moments ago. She had light blue hair, a white tail and ears, and gorgeous golden eyes. She wore a pink outfit and she was staring wide eye at Zane. Zane didn't say anything, he just looked away after looking her up and down.

The Meif'wa child: " My name is Nekoette-Tan, what's yours?"

Zane didn't answer, he just faced away from her.

Nekoette-Tan: " Are you okay? Why are you locked in here?"

Zane: " Beat it kid."

Nekoette-Tan: " Why?"

Zane: " Because I said so and I want to be alone."

Nekoette-Tan: " Why?"

Zane: " Because I don't like talking to people and I like peace and quiet. Now leave me alone."

Nekoette-Tan cocked her head, she then got an idea and run out. A few minutes after the young Meif'wa left, a young guard tried to talk to Zane. It was Kyle one of the children of the village that Zane saw when he first came here. It was his turn to watch Zane and it was a bit awkward sitting there in silence.

Kyle: " So.... How are you today?"

Zane looked over and glared at Kyle for a moment.

Kyle's thoughts: " Uhhhhhhh...This is so awkward."

Zane: " You expect to give an answer. I been in here for the past few days, so you know how I am."

Kyle: " Oh... R-right."

Zane and Kyle stayed quiet for a while, till Nekoette-Tan came back.

Nekoette-Tan: " Hi."

Kyle: " Oh hey, Nekoette. Do you need something?"

Nekoette-Tan: " Mama said to give these to the guards in the guard tower."

Nekoette-Tan place a basket full of sweets on the table.

Kyle: " Thanks. Shouldn't you be training with your dad or brother?"

Nekoette-Tan: " Papa out of Patrol and Dmitri trying to challenge Katelyn-Sama right now."

Kyle: " Sounds about right."

Nekoette-Tan looked over at Zane, she had a smile and waved at him, Zane looked away.

Kyle: " You should get going. You know nobody wants you or the other kids in here right now."

Nekoette-Tan: " Why?"

Kyle shifted his head over at Zane.

Nekoette-Tan: " Because of Mister in the cage? Does everyone not like him."

Kyle: " You can say that."

Nekoette-Tan: " Okay then... Nekoette-Tan will leave Kyle-Kun and Mister alone now."

After hearing how Nekoette-Tan talks, Zane realize that she was Kawaii-Chan's daughter. He should have guessed it because she's the only Meif'wa in the village. Later, when no one was watching, Nekotte-Tan snuck into the Guard Tower. She was carrying something over to Zane's cell. Zane slightly opened his eye, Nekoette-Tan sat next to him on the other side of the bars, she slide what she was hiding to Zane. He looked down and saw a slice of pie. Now he knew this was Kawaii-Chan's kid, she brought a sweet looking pastry that she probably made.

Nekoette-Tan: " I see mama bring you some food, and I wanted to give you some of Nekoette-Tan's apple pie."

Zane: "... Why?"

Nekoette-Tan: " I don't know, I guess because Nekoette-Tan wants to get to know Mister more."

Zane: " Why?"

Nekoette-Tan: " Because you look lonely and could use a friend."

Zane looked away, he looked down at the pie again, he let out a sight and took a bite, but quickly spit it out and coughed.

Nekoette-Tan: " You don't like it?"

Zane: " It's salty..."

Nekoette-Tan: " What?"

Nekoette-Tan took a bite out of her slice and shook her head and spit the piece out like Zane.

Nekoette-Tan: " Blah! I must have used salt instead of sugar. *nervous giggle* Sorry. I can get something else for us to enjoy."

Zane rolled his eye, he slides the plate of salty pie back to Nekoette-Tan and she left to get something else. For the past week, Nekoette would always sneak into the Guard Tower to see Zane and try to talk or play with him. Zane would always push her away, he didn't want anything to do with her. One night, it was a heavy, rainy night, Zane was shivering in his cell, but he just curled up and suck it up, he was able to fall asleep even thought he was shaking like a leaf. Nekoette looked out her window at the Guard Tower, the thunder woke her up and she had trouble falling back to sleep. She couldn't really stop thinking about Zane, so she grabbed some blankets, a pillow and one of her stuffed animals. She quietly went downstairs and went under trees to keep herself dry, she quietly went inside and saw Zane shivering in his cell. She tossed some blankets through the bars, she made sure to cover his whole body and he started to warm up. Nekoette smiled, she tried to look at his face, she couldn't see much of it. She wonders why he wore his mask and cover his face with his hair. She slightly moved his hair out of his left side of his face, she patted his head before laying down next to him. Emilia stepped inside, when she went over to Zane, she found the sleeping Nekoette next to his cell, curled up on her pillow and stuff toy. Instead of taking her back to her house, Emilia pulled up Nekoette's blanket and stroked her head a bit. She let out a chuckle seeing the young Meif'wa carrying for Zane a bit. When morning came, the storm started to clear out, Zane slowly opened his eye to find himself cover with blankets, he looked over and saw Nekoette, sound asleep next to his cell.

Emilia: " She stayed her all night."

Zane looked up and saw Emilia.

Emilia: "She defiantly got her mom's big heart and her stubbornest from her papa."

Zane: " ... Who's her father?"

Emilia: " One of our guards, Dante. He was one of the guards who brought you in the village, the guy with blue hair."

Zane: " He's a lucky man to be with someone like Kawaii-Chan and to have a daughter."

Emilia looked aside for a moment with a frown. Zane looked down at Nekoette, he had a small smile on his face behind his mask. Maybe this kid wasn't as bad as he thought.