Behind the Curtains

Chapter 21 - Emotional Conversations

Watching over his first mate for a few moments, Foxy starts running through different ideas that may help cheer the girl up. Looking down at his pizza, the fox considers what he can do that Freddy will not have a say in. "Kitten," he says, which makes her look up at her captain. "I'd like a word with ye." Standing up from his seat at the table, the pirate turns and looks at the other three. "Alone..." With that stated, he turns and walks into the main dining room through the kitchen doors.

The bunny boy watches the fox pirate leave the kitchen and a feeling of worry passes over him. Looking back at Kitten, Bonnie's ears fall to the sides of his face as he looks back at Kitten, and she can see the concern in his eyes. "Will you be okay...?" he gently asks.

Kitten was not really expecting his support, so his question does take her a bit by surprise. Looking back at Bonnie, she flashes him a small smile before saying, "I think so..." Standing up, the pirate realizes that she might actually be in trouble with her captain, so she looks at him again and admits a bit softer, "B-But I am a bit scared..." Gathering her courage, she takes a deep breath and walks out of the kitchen. The only sign of her discomfort is that her ears are down nervously.

Moving over to stand next to the wall across from the kitchen door, her captain crosses his arms. An irritated expression crosses Foxy's face as he watches the cat pass through the door after him. "Well..." the fox starts with a small sigh. "What do ye think we should do, lass?"

Looking up at him and seeing the irritation on his makes her much more nervous as to the reason he called her out here. However, the question confused her more. "W-Wha' do you mean 'we,' cap'ain...?" Kitten asks a bit timidly.

"Do ye really think she's a bad person? Ya have been with her fer a whole week, and ye never saw anythin', did ya?" Foxy asks with a raised brow, but Kat was quick to defend her only friend.

"What? No...! Alyssa is really nice...! And she frightens easily..." Her tone goes from shock and disbelief to fear that her defensive attitude towards her captain would get her in trouble. Now scared she was going to be ridiculed, her ears fall flat against her head apologetically.

However, Foxy doesn't seem to have taken it the same way she did. "Well then..." the pirate says with an inhaled breath as he moves one hand onto her shoulder, now staring directly at her with a seriousness in his expression and tone. "I let ya out when ya wanted because ye wanted to help 'er." Taking his hand back, Foxy straightens up again, points at himself, then crosses his arms again. "Don' listen to that bear. I'm your captain. Now, I'm letting ye do what ye think is best. What do ye want to do?"

The girl is so stressed emotionally, Kitten looks up at the pirate fox like a sad child as she tears up a bit. "I w-want to protect Alyssa," she sniffles as a couple of tears fall down her cheeks, though she is quick to wipe them away with the back of her hand. "I just want her to be happy..."

"Then do what ye think is best," the male smiles. "I'm sure Bonnie, an' possibly Chica, would agree wit' ya. I'll deal with Freddy meself. Ye do anythin' ye can to make sure that lass is safe."

Ears perking up at the sudden encouragement coming from her captain surprises Kitten. It takes a moment for what he said to process before a smile shines across her face again, tears of joy now rolling down her face as the pirate girl quickly hugs the taller male. "Thank ye, Foxy!"

He is not hesitant to hug her back tightly. This is his first mate, and he will protect her, not Freddy. "Yer welcome, lass," Foxy says with a happy sway of his tail behind him. While clinging to the fabric of his jacket, Kat sniffles, trying to calm down a bit, as the fox chuckles. She really is just like a child. "Come on, Kitten. Ye should eat more before yer rest. Or maybe I could... ask if ye an' Bonnie might be able ta stay alone."