Zodiac Circle

Chapter 47: Tiger's Story

Tiger was sitting on her bed in her room and crying. Riza and Tamie were trying to comfort her.

"Hey, sis... Please, don't cry. It is okay. Don't listen to that jerk..." Riza petted her shoulder.

"But... why were you so upset, anyway? What happened?" Tamie wondered.

Tiger's three pets were sitting before her and rubbing her feet, trying to comfort their owner too. Tiger sobbed and took Astra in her arms, petting her, while Christo and Blizzard remained at her feet.

"I got sad because... he made me remember those hectic years. I... I don't want to look back at the past anymore!" tears poured off her cheeks. "Kassandra Braun is my mother, but I do not wish to return to her. I... ran away from home, because she didn't love me... I fled from Desert Island because I felt it was not my place, not my home... Rose Cruce is my true home. I love it. I want to stay there... I don't want to hear of Kassandra anymore!"

The girls widened eyes - so that was the true reason.

"Ugh, what a jerk, to make you remember that!" Riza tightly hugged her, "Don't cry, sis, I'm with you... We are with you. I know how you feel. I have had such experience with my father. But to think one's own mother could be like that... It is truly sad. I am so sorry..."

Tamie was wonderstruck - she had no idea Tiger had felt such things, and she could never imagine one's own mother could be like that... Her mother was so gentle, so warm, so kind... She missed her and dad all the time while she was in Rosenweld, and she had promised herself she would bring her mom and dad in Rose Cruce once she was ready. She would definitely bring them there! So she sighed and hugged Tiger too:

"You know, Tig, it is okay... We are your family now. Do not look back... You are part of Rose Cruce, and, as Magister says, we all are a family there. We love you..."

Tiger smiled at her kind friends and wiped off her tears.

"Thank you, girls..." she then caressed her three pets too, giggling, as they were rubbing her feet, and Astra was caressing her chest, kindly meowing. "I'm glad I have you beside..."

"It is good you disclosed it to us," Riza noted, "Now you have less pain in your heart..."

"Yeah, I guess..." Tiger grinned and stood up, "Well, let's go have fun!"

"Yeah!" the girls rushed out of the room. Tiger's three pets happily accompanied them.

In the evening, Tamie retold everything to Kokuyo without her sisters' knowing. Once hearing such a sorrowful story, Kokuyo widened eyes, and then sighed and furrowed his brow:

"Thank you for telling me, Tamie-san. I apologize for my harshness before".

"No, it is not your fault! You did not know, and to be sincere, we didn't know either... Tiger has no connection to her mother whatsoever. She was raised by her grandparents since she was nine, and since she became thirteen she joined Rose Cruce. She considers us her family now". 

"I understand..." Kokuyo sighed hearing such a sad story of a tiny girl. "Well then, give her my apologies, and, please keep me up to date of what you're doing on the mission, so I could know if you ever need my help".

"We will, Kokuyo-sama. As for now, Riza and Shiba have gone to observe the Shadow Ninja Order building. They will find out about their future plans".

"Huh? They've found the building?!" Kokuyo widened eyes - he and his order hadn't been able to find the Shadow Ninja Order building since that latter was founded in Matsunoki!

"Well, Shiba is a Beast of the Tamer Class, and he is a Dog spirit, so he has quite a good sense of smell," Tamie winked, "After all, his father, August Wunderweiss, was the Bearer of the Smell. Shiba can find anyone or anything without any problem".

"Wow... But then, if he is a Tamer, where is his pet?"

Tamie sighed:

"He had a Saint Bernard breed, Bruno, but he died on one of the missions, years ago, when Shiba became the Beast rank".

"Ah, that's truly unfortunate... Anyway, Tamie-san, thank you for informing me! Please keep me up to date, and meanwhile, you can operate freely not only in Matsunoki town but in our order territory too".

"Thank you very much, Kokuyo-sama!"

Tamie and Tiger hoped that Riza and Shiba would return safely from their dangerous reconnaissance mission...