"Ponyo!?" Hikari yelled again, as she shook the bucket water sloshed out from the sides.
Ponyo yawned, a bubble leaving her mouth as she looked up at the girl confused. Hikari giggled, relieved.
"Hikari?" Kumiko stood behind the girl, sternly.
Even though Kumiko was only a year older she acted as though she was an adult compared to Hikari. Hikari gasped, shoving the bucket closer to herself to hide it, Kumiko clearly grew suspicious.
"What's that? I told you you're not allowed to bring stuff in, it's the rules."
"But these trees aren't on school grounds!" Hikari pouted, shoving herself and the bucket into the bush.
"Show meee!" Kumiko whined, shaking Hikari's shoulders.
"Oh, a goldfish!"
"It's not a goldfish. It's Ponyo."
"Ponyo? I want to see!"
"Promise not to tell?"
"Promise!"
They both backed out of the bush, Hikari held up the bucket for Kumiko to see.
"There! Cute, isn't she?"
As soon as Ponyo and Kumiko locked eyes, Ponyo scowled miserably, turning her back to the girl. Kumiko wrinkled her nose.
"It looks fat. My goldfish is much cuter!" Kumiko yelled.
Ponyo turned back around, sending a blast of water onto Kumiko's face and down her dress. Hikari gasped in horror, watching as Kumiko held up her dress and stared at the water stained on it. The girl's eyes practically immediately filled up with tears.
"Don't cry Kumiko, it's just water! We can dry it!" Hikari yelped, desperately.
It was too late, Kumiko burst into sobs of tears; wailing at the top of her voice. The teacher almost immediately rushed out, glaring angrily at the two.
"Uh-oh..."
"Suspended from school for two days?" Zero snorted, leaning on the desk at the care centre," I just dropped her off."
"Exactly..." Sebastian sighed," I knew this'd be impossible."
"Well, we'll give it another go. I'll collect her during my break, she can just stay with me during the job."
"You wouldn't mind?"
"Well, I never said that. It's just I'm already bored, so as long as I can keep her out of trouble; should be easy enough," Zero yawned, waving at an old man who walked by.
"Great, something tells me that school would have to have her on constant monitoring," Sebastian groaned, chopping up something in the kitchen.
"Yeah, probably best she got a suspension. It's just, wow, such a petty thing to suspend someone for."
"How were we supposed to know she couldn't bring things in?"
"Well, I'll get back to you in an hour to collect her. Good luck."
"Thanks, you too."
Sebastian hung up the phone, putting the cut vegetables in a pot of boiling water. Hikari sat on the floor, in between the two green sofas, Ponyo and her pail beside the girl as she stuck her tongue out, fixing the toy boat. The phone rang from the hallway, Sebastian groaning slightly as he opened the oven to check on the food.
"Can you get that, Hikari? It must be Claude," Sebastian asked, grabbing a pot with his apron and draining out the hot water into the sink.
Hikari groaned, standing up and running into the hallway, picking up the phone and setting it to her ear as Ponyo watched.
"Hello?" Hikari spoke,"...Yes, it's me."
"I can't get back tonight," Claude sighed, the sound of the waves and seagulls clear in the background," Tell your father I might be able to signal when I'm offshore though."
"Okay," Hikari nodded, the girl turned Sebastian walking over to take the phone," Here's Ba."
Sebastian took the phone of Hikari, ruffling her hair before the girl could rush back to Ponyo.
"Claude? Yes. WHAT!?" Sebastian snapped," Can't you get out of it!?"
Hikari sat on the floor with a pout, holding the toy boat, Ponyo glanced at the demon girl anxiously.
"Fine! Just leave your brother, niece and guest up on the cliff! I give up!"
Sebastian slammed the phone down, marching to the kitchen and turning to oven off; before grabbing the draining cabbage and slamming it in the sink.
"Hikari, make sure to tell Zero we're eating out tonight," Sebastian stated, ripping off his apron and tossing it onto the floor.
Hikari stared at Sebastian with a fussy frown, glumly.
"I want to eat at home."
Sebastian stared at the girl unimpressed, rolling his eyes and storming to the fridge; grabbing a beer. The demon teared it open, groaning as it frothed out, everywhere.
"So Claude's not coming?" Zero hummed, leading Hikari to the gardens of the care centre.
"Yeah, working," Hikari nodded, staring at Ponyo in the bucket.
"You're attached to that goldfish," Zero sighed.
"It's not a goldfish, it's-"
"I know, I know, it's Ponyo. Just don't get into trouble whilst I'm working, alright?" Zero groaned, practically dragging Hikari.
"But I don't want to play with old people!" Hikari whined, throwing her entire body onto the grass in protest.
Zero glared at the girl unimpressed, putting his foot on her back making her squabble.
"Fine. Stay here then, no going down to the sea," Zero snapped, rushing over to the building.
Hikari watched him leave, turning to Ponyo with a grin; Ponyo stared at the girl obliviously.
"It's Kumiko's fault we're suspended, she was rude to you," Hikari folded her arms," I'll get you more water."
The girl stood up, rushing to the side of the centre, where a hose pipe sat. Hikari set the bucket on the paving, trying to pull the hose off the tap, groaning in failure. As she managed to pull it off, her body jolted forward, Ponyo's pail knocking over; the goldfish desperately swimming in the drain. Hikari quickly grabbed Ponyo, turning the tap on and putting the bucket under it; shoving Ponyo into the water.
"Ponyo?" Hikari frowned, desperately, pushing the bucket towards her.
Ponyo looked up, squirting a stream of water at Hikari's face, the girl gasped.
"You scared me. I'm sorry, that was my fault," Hikari snickered.
Ponyo squirted small, quick streams of water at the girl in protest.
"Why, how odd. That was Hikari's voice. But she's supposed to be in school. I must just be hearing things," Yoshie hummed from a wheelchair, Zero passing her a blanket.
Hikari stepped out from behind the bushes with Ponyo, frowning.
"Here I am, Yoshie!" Hikari stated, Zero smirked.
"Yeah, she got suspended from school. She's staying with us for the rest of today," The entity explained.
"Ah! I knew I heard her voice."
"Do I have a secret?" Hikari asked.
"Yes."
"Bingo!" Hikari beamed," Okay, what colour is my secret?"
As the girl said this, Ponyo stuck her head over the bucket, Zero laughed; turning to go help a coworker.
"Red!" Yoshie grinned, her friend beside her nodding enthusiastically.
"Good guess!" Hikari nodded, Ponyo swiftly ducking under," How did you know-?"
"Show us."
"Okay!"
Hikari rushes over, holding up the bucket for both of them to see, the girl looking quite proud with herself.
"Oh, how pretty!" Yoshie cooed.
"Very cute," Her friend agreed.
"Her name is Ponyo," Hikari explained," She loves ham like me, and she can do magic. I cut my thumb but she fixed it."
"I wonder if she'd fix our legs?" Yoshie turned to her friend excitedly.
"Then we could run around just like you," Her friend explained to Hikari.
"Well... I'd have to ask Ponyo first, I think..." Hikari thought.
The noise of wheels grew louder, Toki joining the ladies, curious at the bucket.
"Can I have a look?" Toki asked, something about her voice always sounded miserable.
"Sure, Toki."
Hikari walked over to the lady, holding the bucket up for her to see. Toki peered in before letting out a squeal, setting her eyes on Ponyo.
"Heavens, it has a face!" Toki flapped, turning away.
Hikari stared at the old woman confused, Ponyo peered over the bucket.
"Quickly, throw it back in the sea!" Toki screeched, the other two old lady's looked quite taken aback by Toki yelling at a child," Otherwise they'll be a tsunami!"
"You're so superstitious, Toki..." Yoshie deadpanned.
"Fish like that bring bad luck!" Toki snapped," Everyone knows that!"
Ponyo grew irritated, sending a stream of water that hit Yoshie directly on her face; the old woman sobbed.
"Tsunami! It's here!" She screamed, flapping as though she was trying to swim.
Hikari stared at the woman horrified, turning to look at the others before looking at Ponyo. The girl slowly backed away, terrified of getting into more trouble; before sprinting down to the stairs to the sea. Zero peered around the bookshelf with a female worker, both rushing over to the woman.
"What's wrong, Toki?" Zero asked.
"Just look at my clothes!" Toki whined