Fiori had never cared for horror. Despite her overall behaviors that could be described as horrific, the thought of seeing a specter sent a chill down her spine. The only reason she even considered visiting the Rokkrinu Fair was because a date had asked her. A handsome young man with a passion for the unknown and knowledge. Granted, she’d only known him for a month, but she was no prude and preferred to move faster in her relationships.

In fact, she liked him SO much that she was willing to forgive him for being fifteen minutes late. Fiori wore a lovely witch costume with shades of black and deep purple, it even came with a cute little hat! And to her fortune, the entrance of the fair led to food stalls and simple games… even if there were distant screams. She sat herself down on a pumpkin and waited patiently for her date to arrive. Fifteen minutes… thirty minutes….an hour.

“Where the fuck is he?” Fiori muttered to herself.

There was no way. He would never. Did she just get… stood up?! Her blood boiled at the thought of it but there was no denying the truth. The bastard wasn’t there. When she got her hands on him she’d better get a damn good reason. Getting ditched was already bad but being abandoned at a fair made for horrors was worse. She let out a small sigh and stood up. Fiori was already there so she decided to try to enjoy herself at least. Surely it couldn’t be that bad. She reminded herself that after living with the twins, it would be silly for anything else to frighten her.

She regained confidence, stood up, and began wandering around the fair. Her confidence lasted exactly ten minutes when she bumped into a stranger with a skeleton costume that had flesh oozing from its eye sockets. The screech she gave out could rival a banshee. Fiori promptly rushed away from the confused guest and slowly calmed herself down. If she wanted to survive her trip to this wretched festival, she would need a companion. Somebody who would be a slower runner than her at least. 

While she didn't really like this place very much, her human wanted to look around so she had no choice but to accompany him. Naram was busy looking for some information and had asked Zaya to stay in a certain area until he returned, since he soon discovered for some reason most vendors became unusually nervous when she was present. She was a patient creature, but soon time dragged on and she was starting to worry. This place was easy for a human to get lost in, so she couldn't risk leaving in case he needed to find her. There were many spirits and specters wandering about in addition to the usual fairgoers, and she could easily distinguish between the two. The former would give her a wide berth or outright avoid her while the latter would pay her no mind or occasionally throw her a glance. Without her human to look after, Zaya was becoming bored so she began to inspect the area for any dangers. 

As Fiori traipsed through the fair, the echoing cries of a poor unfortunate soul wailed as it was beset by a terrific fluffy beast. "Help! HELP!! I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP!! Someone please, get it off me!" A ghastly specter laid pinned to the ground on its stomach as a longhaired cat was entering a loafing position on its lower back. Zaya had planned to ask for directions but it was hard to get anyone's attention, so she caught the nearest person in preparation for a nice chat. If only the poor soul hadn't decided to run, then maybe she wouldn't have been seized by the urge to pounce. Thankfully her landing was gentle, and the ethereal being was unharmed. However it soon entered a state of distress at its current predicament. 

Compared to the calm, somber tone of the parade, this section of the fair was more upbeat and lively.  Although Yavish appreciated the time spent speaking to her adoptive father, it was nice to have a little palette cleanser afterward.  As she walked through the fairgrounds, participants and ghosts gave her curious looks, some of them outright avoiding her out of fear.  At this point, she was used to reactions like that.  In all honesty, it beat getting flooded with attention.

There was a variety of food vendors and many different games available, but at the moment she was not hungry and none of the activities piqued her interest.  Screams echoed in the distance, but she assumed that it was the festival's doing.  She planned on visiting the battlegrounds in the future, but for now she was in search of something else to bide her time.  There was a woman she passed who wore a witch outfit, but Yavish could not tell if she was either a cosplayer or an actual magic user.

Another scream came out, but this one was closer and the voice sounded like it was in genuine panic.  Yavish picked up her pace and found the scene to be a cat seated on one of the spirits.  The poor specter was clearly terrified while the cat seemed to be relaxed.  Some may have found the scene cute or even funny, but there were other spots for a cat to sit.  She knelt down toward the cat and said, "Alright you, time to get off of him."

The minotaur reached out toward the cat, looking to lift it off of the victim and set it on the ground next to it.

For a while, Fiori feared that she'd never find someone to at least walk around with. As she traveled, she spotted a minotaur, cat, and a….. Was that…. a ghost?! Her eyes widened in terror as her body froze. Then she realized a crucial detail. That poor cat was in danger! Fiori's mighty high heels gave an intimidating click-clack as she ran over and raised her leg, sending a powerful kick toward the ghost's stomach. Under normal circumstances, she would have gone through the spirit. But her heels had enough traces of magic to make contact with the spirit, if only for a short moment. The ghost was surprised to have something kick it over. It couldn't feel the pain of being kicked, since it was dead, but it still felt the force of a kick throwing it backward. The spirit flew off quickly.

"Are you two okay?" She asked them, though most of her concern was directed to the fluffy cat, "Oh you poor baby having to deal with a nasty spooky creepy spirit. You poor itty witty kitty." 

Fiori reached over to pick the cat up, if it would allow her.

"Aww, what a fluffy tiny little baby you are! Yes, you are!" She cooed at the cat. 

It took her a few moments to remember that there was somebody else around. Fiori recollected herself and looked over to the giant minotaur. She gave the being an elegant curtsy. 

"My apologies for my behavior. I have a fondness for fluffy things and can sometimes be distracted. My name is Fiori. What is yours?" 

Despite her brutal handling of the spirit, she was all smiles and ladylike grace now. 

Zaya had gotten herself in a comfortable position and was just about to ask the spirit she caught for directions, only to be interrupted by two strangers. One had the head of an ox and requested she move from her spot. The long-haired cat turned her head to look at the minotaur with a mew, stating that she wouldn't take long and needed a moment to inquire about her surroundings first. Unfortunately it would seem most people didn't have the same level of understanding as her human, and as such Zaya knew her words would go in one ear and out the other. What happened next caught her entirely off guard however–a young woman dressed in fancy clothes and a strange hat suddenly rushed over and kicked the specter out from under her. The ghost hurtled away into the fairgrounds with a groan, then vanished into the crowds: "Ohhhhhhhhh-"

Zaya's pupils widened and ears moved as she gently flopped onto the ground, throwing a glance in the ghost's general direction as it disappeared into the distance. She sighed, but didn't sulk. Ah, there went her opportunity to ask. However as a human saying went, when one door closes another will open. The spirit was too panicked to be willing to speak with her but these two might listen. Zaya did not struggle as the snow-haired lady picked her up and held her like a child, and her bushy tail swayed slowly as she took advantage of the higher point of view. Her pale green eyes scanned the stalls and her human was nowhere to be seen. Looking back at the woman and the minotaur, the large mackerel tabby housecat chattered while checking the nearby area periodically to communicate she was searching for someone. 

What happened next would leave Yavish stunned.  The witch lady from earlier came flying in and kicked the poor ghost away from the cat.  As the specter fled, Yavish called after it, "Are you okay?"

With no answer given, Yavish cast an unimpressed glare on the woman who asked both her and the cat if they were alright and as she was coddling the cat, the minotaur chided her with, "Ma'am, that was completely uncalled for.  That spirit wasn't even doing anything and was panicked because that cat was lying on top of it."

She glanced back in the direction of where the ghost escaped to before she turned back to the woman who was asking her for her name after she introduced herself as Fiori and answered, "Yavish, and if you want to kick the spirits around then at least wait until we get to the battlegrounds.  That's where all the malicious spirits are being held after all."

Hopefully, other warriors had the same idea as her in cleansing that area of evil specters as she did not want to do it alone.  Yavish looked down at the cat in Fiori's hands and had to admit that it was cute.  The feline's gaze shifted around like that of someone from a Nightwatch, and she realized that it was searching for something, or someone.  She had no clue if it could speak, but decided to ask anyway, "You looking for someone?"  

"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Fiori huffed when Yavish tried to lecture her. "It's already dead. Unless you use spirit-related magic directly, they don't feel a thing. Or… at least that's what one of my siblings told me." 

She focused on cuddling the cat a bit more. Then she heard Yavish asking the cat if it was looking for someone. Taking a moment to inspect the creature, she noticed a few key details. Zaya seemed to be relatively plump, at least more than a wild house cat. The creature's fur was nicely combed and washed without a hint of fleas. Fiori even took a few moments to inspect its paws. The pads were rough, indicating time spent walking around but the claws were well-groomed. 

"The kitty does have an owner." Fiori says with a disappointed sigh, "No stray is this well-groomed. I suppose we have no choice but to find this owner of hers. Would that be good for you precious little baby?" 

She gave the fluffy kitty a scratch behind the ears and a little kiss on the nose. Her glance turned back to Yavish for a moment. 

"Why not come along with us?" Fiori suggested, "I cannot guarantee I won't kick any more spirits if they scare me. Perhaps you can help us avoid any such altercations?" 

If the minotaur cared so much about spirits, then she would work this to her advantage. Having such a strong fighter determined for peace had its potential. And… she may find other uses for her new friend. 

"Now little kitty bitty baby waby. Where do we start?" She asked, finally putting the cat back on the ground so it could show them the way. 

It seemed the two strangers were busy disagreeing over the fate of the specter she had been sitting on, but fortunately the ox-headed one noticed her intentions of finding her human. The longhaired cat chattered to Yavish as if to confirm her question. Meanwhile the young lady was absolutely smitten over her fluffiness, and Zaya purred in response to the affection. She was used to being held and patted by strangers who held no ill-will towards her. Even children didn't phase her when they might startle more anxious felines. Once she was back on the ground, Zaya raised her head to focus her nose on catching any familiar scents. With her tail raised, she began heading towards the busier portion of the market street with leisurely steps.

Fiori and Yavish would notice a strange phenomenon as the cat walked ahead: wherever she wandered any spirits of the deceased would become compelled to move away. Some of the stall vendors would eye Zaya warily with a sense of unease like how the superstitious saw black cats. Zaya herself was incredibly well-behaved, only standing up to lean on her front paws to get a better look at things on display without touching the merchandise. A few times she would suddenly stop in her tracks and stare at some of the patrons with varying results. One notable moment was when she stared at an animated skeleton whose ghastly lights in their skull quivered while quickly making a detour. If it wasn't a bag of bones, one could imagine it was breaking out in a cold sweat. 

Finding Naram proved more difficult than usual due to the crowded and noisy atmosphere. There were so many sounds and smells competing for attention that Zaya struggled to track him down. The strange clothes and shapes of the fairgoers didn't make things easier either–there were many people with fur on their face but not quite in the same way as her human. Bearded men were not a rarity, but they didn't smell like him.

In another part of the market street a man dressed in thick clothes and a rucksack slung over his shoulder was desperately searching for his cat. Naram had asked around for any information on a creature he had been trying to find but came back empty-handed. What he had thought would be a brief inquiry had taken much longer, and now he was worried that Zaya might have gone missing. She didn't have a collar or other identifying trinkets like a house pet since she wasn't one, but in hindsight that likely made her look like a stray. Usually they traveled together so it wasn't a problem but he couldn't ignore the possibility that someone might pick her up and take her away. "Zaya? Zaya!! Zaya can you hear me?!" The nomad pushed his way through the crowds shouting, hoping his voice was loud enough for her to hear.

Yavish glared at Fiori in annoyance to her response regarding the innocent ghost.  She simply muttered, "Still doesn't make what you did okay."

When Fiori went over the details of the cat, Yavish realized that it was indeed well groomed.  The feline seemed lost and judging from its noises to her regarding her question, it was indeed searching for its owner.  Fiori gave her an offer to join them in their quest to find said owner and said, "Very well, but if a ghost minding its own business decides to flay you after kicking it, then that'll be fully on you.  Regardless, we'd be wise to not cause anymore trouble."

They followed the cat through the fairgrounds, and Yavish was quick to notice that the other spirits were growing afraid when the cat was nearby.  Even the vendors were giving it weird looks.  It was clear that its owner had trained her well considering it was not causing trouble save for earlier when it was resting on top of a ghost, though that was more of an innocent thing.  She assumed that the cat was some type of magical ghost hunter, which if its owner was helping out with banishing the evil spirits, would be extremely useful.

Soon enough, she heard a voice calling out for someone named Zaya.  She glanced down at the cat for a moment and decided to try something in case the man calling out for her really was the owner.  Yavish made her way over to a candy vendor that was operated by a man dressed as a voodoo doctor.  He grew mortified upon seeing her and began to tremble until she asked, "Excuse me, I need to borrow your stool for a moment."

The vendor nodded and said with fear stumbling his words, "Y-Yeah…just make sure you give it back please."

He stood up and backed away so that she could receive the stool.  It was tall like the stools at bars, and she returned to the cat who she surmised was named Zaya.  She placed the seat in front of the cat so that it could hop on top and called out hoping that her owner would hear and find them, "Over here!  Zaya is with us!  Your cat is with us!"

She felt bad about the spirits around them that were keeping their distance from the feline, but it would surely help the owner find his companion more easily. 

"Oooo excellent idea darling!" Fiori praised Yavish when she saw the stool. 

The stool would help bring the eye to the cat and the calls for the owner were useful. However… she wondered if it would be enough. If one was lost in the crowds, no matter how loud or how large the stool, it wouldn't be enough. An idea hit her when she glanced at a stall banner. There! That would catch the eye! Following Yavish's strategy, she wandered over to a stall that was selling jewels. She gave the human merchant a charming smile and walked up to her. After a few minutes of flirting and lingering glances, she was able to sweet-talk the nice vendor out of that sign, even convincing her to bring it over herself. The tall banner was deep orange and had white words advertising the stall. It would be tall enough that anybody in a crowd could see it. 

"Yes, put it over there. Thank you!" 

The banner was placed right next to the cat. Then, she walked over to the banner. Fiori held out her hand in front of it and began muttering a series of enchantments. A swirl of deep blood-red ethereal magic circled her hands then traveled over to the banner, striking it. The second the enchantment hit it, the words began to shift and morph until they read, "Lost Cat Here". She gave a little proud smile then sent the merchant back to her stall. 

"There. But there is one more thing." 

Her eyes glanced towards Zaya. 

"You poor little baby." She cooed as she inspected the cat gently, "Now I'm going to need you to hold still okay?" 

Fiori lifted its paw and grabbed something from her purse. She began combing the fluffy cat's fur and clearing out any dirt from it. Once the cat was properly brushed, provided Zaya allowed her, she would work on cleaning its nails of dirt and removing any speck of dirt. For a finishing touch, she offered the cat a little purple bow with bat embroidery to wear around its neck. 

"Cats should get to dress up too!" Fiori exclaimed with a smile. 

It was hard to tell if this was more for the cat, or for her. She gave a glance to Yavish, who was noticeably not dressed up for the festival either. 

"Would you like a bow too?" She asked. "Purple would be complementary to your fur."