Minors ramblings continued for about half an hour before she stopped.

“Well, that was nice to get out of the system, thanks for keeping the calming aura on me the whole time. I might have been having a small crisis, but I wouldn’t worry about it too much. So, tell me about the outfit you have on. The kimono seems magical and its really nice, possible better made them mom’s, and I’ve noticed you have your hair up but Major didn’t pay attention before and it’s too dark for me to look at it properly now. I think that’s the question I want to ask the most”

“Before I answer that, do you need another hug” asked Kat. Minor raised one finger, lowered it. Before raising it a second time

“Yes, I do, but we can’t stop yet because I’m certain I won’t be able to keep walking if we stop and I can deal with it for now”

“If you’re sure. This outfit is made up of a few gifts actually. Well except the shoes, those are just the only good pair I had around. The kimono is from Gramps actually, the guy I told before, it’s the more significant piece so I’ll leave that for a bit. The sash is the same, but the hair sticks were a gift from my best friend Lily, she gave them to me when she helped me put my outfit on, I can’t tie the sash so I had to get her help with that and she gave them to me then. Honestly, they are one of the nicest things I’ve gotten as a gift and I’m shocked she even managed to get me something at all” said Kat

“Wait just let me interrupt. Why were they one of the nicest things you’ve been given and why would your best friend not give you a present” said Minor

“Well, that requires a bit of a tangent, do we want to go down that rabbit hole?” said Kat

“Yes” said Minor

“Right well, I didn’t really expect much from Lily because I’d only known her for two years at that point and-” Minor cut Kat off to ask “How is she your best friend if you’ve only known her two years”

*Does Minor want me to answer my original question? Whatever I guess, if it keeps her from having another crisis on me I’ll answer whatever she wants*

“So that requires a few things. Um first is that most of the people I knew, or know? Not sure how you want to count that, are the kids from the orphanage I grew up in, so both inside and outside of school I’d always just hang out with those guys but, they are in this sort of weird grey area of family and friends you know?

“Well, I guess maybe not. See I lived with them for a few years and so you sort of treat them more like part of your extended family then just friends, but on the other hand there is so many kids at the orphanage, and mine in particular managed to adopt out most kids without too much trouble. Anyway, eventually as I got older I had less and less people to play around with because not only was I older, I was also now in charge of the orphanage duties

“So, orphanage duties are things like waking everyone up, making sure they all eat breakfast and what not and for most of them except Sylvie I just became well, I guess something like Gramps’ assistant rather than another kid at the orphanage. Plus at school we were always the orphanage kids with our own sort of group, and once the others all moved away it was just me. I wasn’t terribly phased by that, but I managed to become friends with Lily and honestly, she’s fun to chat with, and the only person I really go out of my way to spend time with outside of Sylvie and Gramps.

“Though Gramps is pretty hard to track down. Anyway that’s why she’s my best friend. She’s the only person I’ve really spent time with that’s certainly not family and I really enjoy hanging around with her. Oh, and she only moved to my town just before I met her” explained Kat

“That’s actually kind of sad Kat” said Minor

“I don’t think so, I’ve had a huge family my whole life, Gramps has always stuck by me, Lily really is a great friend, and Sylvie’s adorable. I think I’ve had it pretty good”

“But didn’t you say that you were surprised by Lily’s gift? How is that good friendship behaviour” said Minor

“Her parents really hate me, I don’t know why but hey that’s how it is. She’d get in all sorts of trouble if they found out she spent money on me. Actually originally, she got me a handmade note which was really sweet, it was only later she snuck the hair sticks to me, and I think if she gets caught it’ll be pretty bad. Hopefully she was right and that they won’t notice” said Kat

“Oh, ok. I guess that’s fine, I don’t really understand considering my situation. Even Major doesn’t really have proper friends. Comes with being a princess I suppose” said Minor

“And you mean to tell me my life was sad” said Kat

“Well, I mean, Major does pretty well. I think, she as acquaintances and people after the kingdom, much like the beast twins but younger, and less powerful. Plus we’ve always had mum around no offense” said Minor

“None taken, I never knew my parents and it doesn’t bother me at all” said Kat

“And well, thanks Kat. For everything” said Minor

“What do you mean?” asked Kat

“Well, I mean, thank you for caring, I guess. You’ve kept the calming aura up and I’m starting to feel much better. You put up with all my questions even though I dragged us on so many tangents. I know you are here on a contract from my mother but I’m pretty sure you don’t have to be so nice to me. And not just Shizuka, me Minor, and it’s really helped me deal with the fact that I have a body for the moment and that Major needs me to keep things together while she sorts everything out despite how much I wish to hide back in her mind.”

“Anytime Minor, we may be trapped underground but honestly it’s been an interesting time. I may not have to be nice to you because of the contract, but that’s no excuse to be cold towards you. We’ve had good conversation, we are journeying through the bowels of the earth, what more could you want” said Kat

“Food and water” said Minor

“Now listen hear you little bugger” said Kat as she ran to catch up to her charge.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Monday 9:30 am day 3 of Kat’s disappearance

Sylvie and Vivian stared intently at the game board, the game was still chess, but the contestants now sported formal suits and the board featured a chess timer set to two hours or rather, Sylvie had two hours and Vivian’s clock was steadily draining and around the one-hour mark. They both still had plenty of time and it was anyone’s game. Gramps desk now contained even more papers, filling the wide oaken surface with stacks of paper. The witness was now decked out with a sleeping cap and eye covers in addition to his blanket.

“So Vivian, Sylvie, can you tell me if you’ve heard anything more from Kat” said Gramps

“Right, so the delivery bird this time was a falcon, and it stated that she met a Peruvian rug merchant selling exotically partnered rugs during her training in the mountains and she was offered a rug for free if she guided him across the mountain line. Accepting the challenge she is now fending off mountain lions and tigers as a chance to hone her families secret yodelling techniques” said Vivian

“Right and when will she be back. If she is guarding a rug merchant surely once that’s complete she can return correct?” asked Gramps with a deadpan look

“Well, Peruvian rug merchants are notorious for backing out of unfavourable deals, perhaps she will need to put in some extra work to earn the rug” said Vivian

“Vivian, your timer is still going” said Sylvie