Not Alone - Foxy's Return

Chapter Five

༻The Secret Island༺

"She was lying."

The voice jolted Foxy from a near-doze, his gaze focusing on the little girl sitting beside the small tables between the couches, crayons and paper strewn about all over them.
"Eh?" He asked, confused.
"My mom," Niki replied. "She was lying, when she said she gives me freedom. And she didn't pick me," she added, looking down sadly. "The system gave me to her because she didn't want to pick, and I think they wanted to get rid of me."

Foxy's ears tilted back in sympathy. "Now I'm sure they didn't want that," he said slowly. "That system be meant for takin' care of lil' youngins like ye."
Niki shook her head, tossing a pink crayon aside and reaching for a red one.
"I was the oldest one there, and no one wanted to take me. I heard the grown-ups talking. They said they were confused why I was still there, and that I was getting 'a bit too old to be here'." She raised her fingers in a quote motion, indicating that was exactly what they'd say.

"Ye might've heard wrong?" He suggested hopefully, but Niki's sad expression told him she hadn't.
He straightened up, trying to think of a way to cheer her up. He was used to being with kids, but these sort of situations were new to him, and he wasn't the best at moral support.
"Ye don't need to worry 'bout it anymore, lassie," he said at last. "Yer 'ere now."

Niki smiled and nodded, as she placed down her crayon and picked up the paper in front of her.
"Look, see? I drew us!" She said excitedly, presenting the drawing to him.
For a ten year old's drawing, it was pretty good. He recognized himself, kneeled beside Niki with a paw around her. Niki was dressed in the same sort of thing she was now, smiling.

"Wonderful job, lassie!" He said honestly. Niki smiled wide at the praise, leaning back against the couch. She glanced up at him, an idea seemingly coming to mind as she brightened suddenly.
"What time is it?" She asked.
He glanced up at her, glad his internal clock still worked. "Nearly 2AM," he said. "Why?"

Niki smirked, taking his paw and pulling at him to get up. "I have an idea! Come on!"
He followed, slightly confused, as Niki practically dragged him out the door, through the tunnel, and up into the atrium. She stayed close to the wall to avoid the bots, and made her way towards the first door to the kitchen that she could find. With Foxy's help to get in, she ran into the kitchen, making for a sink. She pulled a dry towel off a rack nearby, then turned on the water and soaked it, before shutting it off and running back to a very confused Foxy.

She motioned for him to kneel down to her, and he obliged.
"What on Earth are ye doin', lassie?" He asked.
"Giving you a bath." She said with a little giggle, before she began to wipe the now wet towel across his muzzle. It was a dark shade of brown in very little time, and Niki had to make a few trips to the sink, but after a good 15 minutes of work, Foxy was the cleanest he'd been since fleeing to the dumps. It was easy to see his reddish pink plating now, bright pink muzzle and even the yellow of his earrings.

"There we go!" Niki announced. "All done!"
Foxy examined his cleaned paw and hook, then looked at Niki with a cheerful expression.
"Thank ye, lassie." She smiled up at him as he stood straight, before the two returned to the cove while avoiding the multitude of S.T.A.F.F. bots.

When they got back, Niki seemed exhausted, half collapsing on the couch with a yawn.
"I just realized," she said as she rolled over to face him. "We're like Mike and Jack and Nora and Peggy."
Foxy looked at her with a confused expression. "Eh?"