Born without a name.

Abandoned by birth.

The cat girl with very little to her own was forced to survive every day that passed all on her own.

Food was scarce.

Her clothes were almost nothing.

To her, living was hell, yet dying was far scarier.

Scars were etched onto her body.

She attempted to run from predators, but the same result always occurred.

She ran and ran.

But eventually, she would trip.

She could only then rely on her basic instincts, and protect herself from what attempted to feast upon her.

She ran and ran, and eventually found a village.

She was viewed as a feral beast before many could even speak to her, causing her to flee.

…Only to then trip as she had done many times before.

Imprisoned but not killed, perhaps they had taken pity on the girl.

Despite her primal-like mind, she was able to learn many things from those who wished to teach her.

Those people had even provided her with an escape, but she knew that shortly after, they would be killed.

Running and running…

Tripping and tripping…

The girl successfully ran from her horrible cage.

A new lesson was etched into her mind, like the scars from the past.

I don’t like people.

I don’t like orders.

But most of all…I don’t like me, who can’t ever run normally.

The girl without a home, the girl without a desire, the girl with no one behind her.

Bachi…continued to live a life without meaning. Her name being chosen from the words she had been kindly taught.

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Standing in front of the white goddess, the yellow cat girl lifted her bottom in the air as she prepared a pounce to kill. Before even a further action could be taken however, a single finger was raised by the woman in front of her.

Shiro: [Bachi, may I ask if you would like to join me?]

A reaction that was both annoyed and surprised rose upon the short girl’s soft face.

Bachi: [Joi–Hell no! Why the hell would I join n’ya?!]

Shiro: [Well, I assume you have no one else to count on, right? I don’t mean it in a rude way, but your appearance reminds me of someone who I know. They were the same way at one point, until a close friend of mine helped them. Despite your anger, you seem incredibly nice to me!]

Bachi: [N’ya really are a crazy bitch! I might as well deal with n’ya before this drags on too long!]

Once again, she assumed a stance, but was met with a finger and a shout that followed.

Shiro: [Stop!]

Bachi: [WHAT?! N’YAR PISSIN’ ME OFF NOW!]

Shiro: [I would like to settle things in a different way than fighting! I have somewhere I must be soon!]

Though Shiro’s voice provided the same energy as a comical hero, this only irritated Bachi even further.

Bachi: [There is no settlin’ things! I’m just gonna slice n’ya u–]

Shiro: [How about a race?]

Bachi: [I’m listenin’.]

With a sudden change of mood, the girl quickly sat down against the grass in a completely calm manner.

Shiro: [We’ll race from here, all the way to that mountain in the distance. It’s short enough that I can quickly get back to my group just in time, but long enough that it won’t be boring. The only rule is that we won’t hurt each other while we’re running. I’d also like to set special rewards for whoever wins, of course.]

Bachi: [Hey! There’s no settin’ of any special rewards here, n’ya dumb bi–]

Aggravated by Shiro’s orders that were forced upon her, Bachi voiced her complaints with her rage from before making a grand return.

Shiro: [I’ll provide you with all of my belongings if you win.]

Bachi: [Alright, that’s fine by me. What’s n’yar reward?]

…With the rage once again fading after hearing the delightful statement.

Shiro: [I’d like for you to join my team.]

Bachi: [And that’s it? What good does me joinin’ if I don’t like n’ya?]

Crossing her arms, Shiro offered a peaceful smile to the girl.

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Shiro: [A good question. I won’t force you to like being with me, or anything of the sort. If you ever feel unhappy with being on my team, I’ll let you leave without another word. Does that sound good?]

A brief air of silence filled the space around the two. Confused, Bachi looked at Shiro's kind, crimson eyes.

Bachi: [...Why?]

Shiro: [That’s the part I don’t even know myself yet. However, I have a good feeling about you, Bachi. That’s why I would like to travel the world alongside you.]

Attempting to ignore the thoughts produced by her reasoning, Bachi looked towards the mountain in the distance.

Bachi: [To there, right?]

Shiro: [Yup! Right around the start of where the land goes up is where we’ll stop!]

Bachi: [An’ do we have a countdown?]

Shiro: [Nope. You’re free to run whenever you feel like running.]

Bachi: [Got it. In that case…]

Without a second to view, Bachi dashed towards the finish line that the two had envisioned within their heads. Though Bachi’s body moved like a continuous spark of lightning along the land, Shiro started to stretch her body as she watched.

Shiro: [Oh man, she’s fast! Well, guess I won’t have very long to get ready, but wow! She’s a real diamond alright!]

Observing as Bachi sprinted along the grass, Shiro allowed herself five seconds to prepare before shooting forward to match Bachi’s speed and match her position.

Growing irritated by Shiro’s quick ascension from where she was, Bachi showed off her fangs with fury.

Bachi: [Damn! She’s a real pain in the ass, but ‘s not like I can do much ‘bout it right now. I jus’ need to focus on not trippin’! Don’t trip! Stay calm! Keep n’yar eyes in front of n’ya!]

More and more, her mind was filled with annoying thoughts that were in relation to Shiro’s own being.

Bachi: [Why does she even care that much anyways?! I’m not anythin’ special! I’m the strongest, but that doesn’t mean others gotta take an interest in me! The same goes for all those village people, and every piece of shit that wanted a bite out of me! Why is she actin’ like that as well?! Does bein’ around me seem that interestin’ to them?!]

Observing the increase in Bachi’s speed, Shiro’s eyes widened in surprise.

Shiro: [Whoa! Looks like I might have to pick it up a little bit! I really wasn’t expecting this much of a change, but that has me even more curious now. Why did she change all of sudden?]

With her words clouded by the sounds of the wind and their feet hitting the ground below them, they continued their race without breaking a single sweat.

Surrounding her mind with the past, Bachi refused to let go of the thoughts she wished to discard.

Bachi: [None of them make sense! Does she want me to join her for her own personal gain?! To sell me off?! What the hell is her deal?!]

I won’t force you to like being with me, or anything of the sort.

Bachi: [Why not?! N’ya could jus’ stop me from leavin’, right? All I have to do is trip like I always do!]

If you ever feel unhappy with being on my team, I’ll let you leave without another word.

Bachi: [I’d do that even if n’ya didn’t say so! Why would I need to listen to n’ya?!]

That’s the part I don’t even know myself yet. However, I have a good feeling about you, Bachi.

Suddenly, Bachi’s expression morphed into a somber-like anger.

Bachi: [...Why…Both n’ya…and those teachers…Why did any of n’ya care ‘bout me…I’m not special…I can’t run properly…I should be dead, but I don’t wanna die…My life is nothin’ to begin with…There wasn’t a single person that wanted me…]

That’s why I would like to travel the world alongside you.

Bachi: [.........The hell is wrong with n’ya….white lady….]

The thoughts within Bachi’s mind continued to provide a struggle, while in the midst of it all, Shiro spoke out to her.

Shiro: [Nice! Nice! Keep it up, Bachi!]

Bachi: [Tch!]

With an annoyed click of her tongue, Bachi released her fury beyond her mind and through the words she had spoken.

Bachi: [I’M THE STRONGEST, AND THE FASTEST IN THE WORLD! THERE’S NO WAY THAT I’M GONNA LOSE TO SOME DUMB BITCH LIKE N’YA–]

It had finally arrived.

Before she could finish her words, Bachi’s right foot had slipped and caused her body to fall forward.

A single thought appeared within her mind as the ground came closer to her.

Bachi: [Oh. I’m gonna lose.]

…Which was then replaced by another thought of the same manner.

Bachi: [....Damn it….Why does it always have to be like this…]

Closing her eyes, she awaited the pain of her face scratching against the painful surface that laid in front of her.

It would soon arrive.

She was sure of it.

She waited…

…and waited.

And yet, it did not arrive.

Why?

Was this perhaps a cruel joke, in which the pain would not arrive until she opened her eyes?

Unable to comprehend her situation, Bachi had realized one new sensation that touched her body.

Something was holding both of her arms.

As she slowly opened her eyes, wincing from the possible pain that may come, she noticed the origin of this feeling.

The woman beside her, the woman who she was racing, the woman who had cared about her for no reason at all…

…was now preventing her from tripping, as she had saved Bachi just before she touched the ground.

Looking up to Shiro’s smiling gaze with her sad, cat-like eyes, Bachi grew confused once more.

Bachi: [...Why…?]

Her reason…was given.

Shiro: [Come on, Bachi! We’re almost at the end!]

We?

That single word lingered in her head.

Without a single hint of malice, it was a word that she did not understand.

Why did she view this as a cooperative race, rather than something competitive?

She established the rules, the rewards for the results.

Yet…she said “We”.

Shiro: [I want you to go all out, Bachi!]

She took orders from no one.

She listened to not a single direction provided to her.

But despite this…Shiro’s words rang like a bell within Bachi’s heart.

Breaking free and sparking through the air, Bachi dashed towards the mountain at unbelievable speeds.

Shiro: [Attagirl, Bachi!]

Shooting herself through the air, Shiro quickly caught up once again, being only mere inches away from Bachi’s own position.

The two continued to move at speeds in which their figures could not be seen, but to each other, this was merely their normal.

Closer and closer, the distance between the mountain and the two grew much shorter.

Much like the distance however, Bachi’s own fears started to grow as she feared the idea of tripping again.

Looking over her shoulder, her fear faded. A smiling white succubus was holding her arms out, ready to catch her should anything go wrong.

With this reassurance in mind, Bachi focused her attention to the distance in front of her…

…and effortlessly crossed the invisible finish line the two had envisioned.

Slowing herself down, Bachi did not pant nor fall over the ridiculous output of speed she had produced.

Behind her, a delightful clapping was raised for her by the same woman she had been racing.

Shiro: [Bravo, Bachi! Bravo! You’re really something else! I wish I could bring you along with me after seeing what you’re capable of, but a promise is a promise.]

Unbuttoning her overshirt in order to provide Bachi with her clothes, Shiro prepared to hand over her belongings just like she had agreed upon doing.

However, Bachi had quickly approached her, and attempted to place the buttons back into their positions. The girl was unfamiliar with how to achieve this however, which led her to becoming frustrated with the small pieces of plastic.

Confused over her actions, Shiro looked down towards the cat girl by the front of her hips.

Shiro: [Bachi? What are you–]

Bachi: [Keep the clothes. I’ll join.]

Shiro: [I said I’d give you my things if you won, remember?]

Presenting her angry eyes to Shiro, Bachi shouted her next words to the confused woman.

Bachi: [Yeah! But n’ya went and cheated! Why did n’ya help me?! We were racin’, weren’t we?! So I decided on a new prize, cause I’m the only person who gets to decide what I wanna do! We’re gonna have a rematch whenever I feel like it, and until then, I’m joinin’! I can tell n’ya were holdin’ back, so I’m gonna beat n’ya fair and square next time, n’ya hear me?!]

Presenting a kind curve on her lips, Shiro nodded in agreement to the short girl in front of her. The urge to pet her head was raised within her mind, but she had felt that it was better not to arouse any more possible anger within the girl.

Shiro: [Understood. Whenever you want to try again, just ask, ok? We might be busy for the time being, but after that, we can have a race in whatever way you want to.]

A firm nod was provided by Bachi. Though she pretended to act as the one who would command Shiro, the placement of her true role was clear to both Shiro and Bachi herself.

Bachi: [Good! Glad we’re clear on that! I don’t wanna run anymore, so now n’ya gotta carry me!]

Shiro: [Very well. Would you like to be carried in my arms?]

With a beet red blush extended along her face and with her ears perked up, the girl pointed to Shiro’s back with a confused fury.

Bachi: [N-N’yar back! I’ll be carried on n’yar back, n’ya damn weird white lady!]

Closing her eyes and lending her back to Bachi, the small cat girl carefully climbed up and extended her limbs to both hold on, and be held on by Shiro.

Within Shiro’s mind, a single kind thought had formed.

Shiro: [It would have been best if I did not say that. I’m sure she would have asked to be carried there, had I not done so.]

Feeling a head rest on her shoulder, Shiro looked over to the annoyed cat girl placed on her back.

Bachi: [Come on! Into the sky, white lady!]

The levels of Shiro’s joy only grew as she nodded in response.

Shiro: [Anything for my adorable, high ranking officer!]

With a surprised blush, Bachi started to violently shift in position as she threw a tantrum.

Bachi: [No weird comments while n’yar doin’ so!]

Shooting off, high into the sky, the two made their way back to the carriages from where they had met.

In just a short period of time, a new individual was not only a part of Shiro’s army, but said individual had joined the same mighty ranks as the two other members.

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