Chapter 209: Interlude: Scarlet - Totally Not Jealous

Scarlet gave them a timid wave from beside the hare, the others filing into other vehicles; however, Maria’s sports car crept closer to them as they spoke. "Hello."

Barbara sighed and looked up at the dark sky. "Quite the night to be doing a funeral that could see cultists attack... We’ve got three more platoons with empowered soldiers on standby. No one is really sure what to expect. General Dallas seems to think that they might use your whereabouts to find the service location. Hear anything off the cuff?"

Tensing a little as she turned to look up at Rachel, Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief when the woman slowly shook her head, ears tilting left and right.

"The storm cuts my range by a bit. So far, I haven’t heard any conversations that spark my interest. I can’t hear Relica, Adele, or anyone else who might be connected to the cult. Anyway, apparently, Scarlet’s dad left a will behind. We’re going to some attorney’s office to hear what it has to say. Everyone else is heading over to the service area. Mind going with my mom? I’d feel safer if you were nearby, Barb."

"Sure thing," the auburn-haired woman said, nudging her head toward the Army lieutenant as Nia came skipping over to join them after telling Coral she couldn’t come. "I’ll have Mateo tail you with a few of his boys. Nia joining you?" she asked, bending down to get a better look at the small kid, who was showing off her black dress and accessories. "Cute."

"Thank you!" Nia chirped. "Mhm! Mhm! I go everywhere Hops goes, and Scarlet helped me pick out this one with the frills! Do you like it?"

Rachel chuckled and tapped the girl’s butt to get moving toward the SUV. "She already said it looked cute, Little Ears. Get buckled up."

The girl’s ears drooped to the sides as she leveled a light glare at her leader. "Bunny discriminination! Ear length doesn’t mean everything, Major! Humph. Your mom likes my ears! She pets them and combs out my hair and buys me fancy stuff..."

"Like a pet!" Rachel giggled, making the girl’s cheeks puff up and Scarlet hide a smile. "It’s discrimination, too, not discriminination."

"W-What?! No! I’m her little darling, fantabulous-essly dressed bunny. I’m not a pet. I’m an outfit! There’s a big difference, Hops, but you wouldn’t understand the inticrasities."

"No, I wouldn’t," Rachel laughed, looking at Scarlet with a smirk that made her stomach hurt with silent laughter; Selvaria had been teaching the girl sayings by watching anime shorts about cute little girls saying words wrong. "We’ll definitely not leave you, so go wait in the car."

"Huh?" Nia’s face blanked, the gears in her head slowly spinning. "What do you mean you’ll leave me? You won’t leave me!"

"I said I wouldn’t leave you, silly."

"No! No!" she huffed, jumping up and down with agitation, sending water spraying around her. "You said you’d definitely not leave me, which means you will leave me! I’m not stupid, Major! You’re trying to dump me on Selvaria so Coral will pull my ears and tail! I’m getting in, shotgun!" she yelled, jogging over to the SUV to pull on the locked door. "It denies me, Major! Bad car!"

Feeling a lot better from the humorous interaction, Scarlet watched Rachel press the unlock button, the flashing lights making the bunny hop back defensively.

"Airbags are a safety hazard, Nia," Rachel said. "Kids can’t ride up front."

"Kid discrimination!" Nia shouted, moving to the back seat and opening the door, but she stood still for a moment to glare at the car, thinking it had blocked her from the front seat. "Hah! I did it right this time! I’m not always a kid, you know... I’m watching you, SVU..."

"Awww." Barbara tapped Mateo’s arm to let the man know to get his men ready to shove off. "She’s adorable. I’m seriously jealous. Where can I buy a Nia?"

"Custom tailored," Rachel sang, tapping her dress and making Nia roll down her window.

"Yeah, I’m one of a kind! Super special! Hehe. Buy me more stockings and skirts!"

"Pick one!"

"Boooo! Eek! Wet— Don’t get on my dress! Why does rain even exist?!"

She rolled up the window, and Barbara waved them off as she went to get in her military vehicle to take off. Scarlet’s fingers tightened around the umbrella’s rod when one of the doors on Maria’s sports car opened, revealing a nervous cat teenager. The girl had a little trouble getting her umbrella open, making the fur on her tail and hair bristle a bit.

Scarlet scanned her black apparel, spotting Felix, Maria’s little brother, move to the back seat, with Maria taking the driver’s seat and Fiona sitting on the dashboard.

That Zoe girl again, who went with Rachel into Anthony’s Quest world... She knew Zoe before me. Hmm. Yet again... more people relying on Rachel. How much more can she handle? I don’t want to stress her out. Maybe... I shouldn’t tell her about Twilight.

It only took a few seconds for Scarlet to think twice and want to slap herself.

No! Rachel needs to know about it... Ugh. When can I do something for myself?! Stop thinking stupid thoughts! Trying not to let herself be black-pilled on the cat girl, Scarlet tried to put on a supportive smile. I’m not jealous or threatened. I’m not! Rachel is just really nice and helps all sorts of people... but she doesn’t.

"Rachel, umm... heh, sorry for all the trouble," Zoe whimpered, dropping her ears and tail in a way that made Scarlet’s mouth tighten. "Hey, Scarlet, nice seeing you again. I just wanted to thank you, Rachel, you know, for getting me in touch with Maria. All of her friends have been super supportive... with the exception of, uh, Elena," the girl laughed nervously. "She’s a little mean, but Felix says she’s just being Honey Badger territorial or something."

Rachel shrugged. "No problem. I thought Maria could help, and she did. Any word on your relatives?"

Zoe’s shoulders slumped, and she shook her head. "Nothing yet. Saint Barbara told me she’d put in a call to some soldiers she knows in the area who would check it out. I just feel... so bad. I’m a little cat leech."

A nail dug into Scarlet’s chest, making her eyes dart to the wet ground as Maria called out for the cat to get in the car since everyone was leaving.

"Anyway, thanks, Rachel. And... I’m so sorry about... everything, Scarlet," the girl whispered, moving forward to offer her a hug that she weakly returned. "Let me know if you need anything. I know that, umm, that’s kind of pointless and whatever," she mumbled, rubbing her arm as they separated, "but I’d like to help if I can."

"Yeah... sure."

"Wha— Maria!" she cried, tail going stiff as the car began to inch away. "I’m coming! I’m coming!"

Rachel sighed, glancing down at her. "You’ve been kind of quiet, Scarlet. Do you want to drive around for a bit and get lost?"

"Haha. No... as much as I might like that," she mumbled, swallowing and looking at her flats. "I... need to know what my dad said— I don’t know what I expect... I just... don’t want to feel this..." She clutched at her chest. "...I don’t want to feel this shame and uncertainty in my heart."

A warm, gentle hand pressed against her back as Rachel guided her toward the SUV, only two military vehicles left behind them. "Then let’s go. Want to talk about the nightmare, too, or do you want me to kick out Nia since she’s a blabbermouth?"

Scarlet chuckled as she saw the girl throw up her hands inside the SUV and growl something. "It doesn’t matter since she’ll be able to listen no matter where you throw her... and I kind of like the vibes Nia brings. Will Big Nia make an appearance?"

"Halfway through the session," Rachel answered, opening the passenger-side door for her to enter. "I wanted both of them to have their chance to be there for you."

"Thanks... And, yeah, I... have something, well, vital to run by you... It’s about Veronica."