"So, wait—what's your name, Meowing Girl?" Geo asked
"My name? They call me Bella! Meow-meow!" she chirped, tail swishing like she'd just won a contest.
Geo froze mid-flap. "Wait a sec... Have we met before, Bella?"
Bella cocked her head, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hmm, let's see... Nope! I don't think I've ever met a TALKING bird before. Meow!"
Ain't no way she's going to meow every time she talks, I thought, pinching the bridge of my nose. This day just kept getting weirder.
"Well then, Ms. Bella," Geo said, crossing his tiny wings like a professor about to lecture, "why did the door appear? And why haven't I seen you around here before?"
Bella puffed out her chest, clearly relishing the attention. "Oh-ho! Ms. Dove assigned extra precautions! Meow! You see when someone who isn't her follower picks up one of the stones—meow—there are rules!" She paused dramatically, clearly waiting for applause.
Geo tilted his head. "And those would be...?"
Bella launched into an explanation like she was reading from a magical instruction manual.
"First rule: The person has to touch the DNA of the animal they want to transform into. Meow!
Geo squawked. "But he didn't even swallow the stone!"
Bella paused, tapping her paw on the ground as if rethinking her life choices. "Hmm. But Petra was touched by the DNA, right? Meow!"
She shot me a pointed look.
I raised my hands defensively. "Yeah, yeah it was."
"Good! Meow! Now, the second condition," Bella continued, her voice rising in excitement, "the animal has to either respect you or fear you. Ms. Dove calls it Onari. Meow!"
Geo blinked. "Onari?"
Bella nodded so hard she nearly tipped over. "Yup! Meow! You either fight the animal one-on-one or—meow—you complete a challenge they give you! Every time you unlock an animal's power, a new door appears. Meow!" Her tail flicked with pride.
"But if you fight the animal and win—outside the Petra Zone—you automatically earn their Onari. Meow! No need for fancy trials or challenges!" Bella's tail swished, and she smirked like she'd just revealed a cheat code.
Geo turned to me, his eyes narrowing. "See? Makes way more sense now. You tried taking the lazy route, collecting animals from that horrible place. Now you're stuck beating them one by one through fights or challenges."
I sighed, glaring at the smug bird. "Thanks, Geo. Appreciate the reminder."
Bella, meanwhile, had plopped down and was happily licking her paw, completely unfazed. "Good luck, Meow-Meow! So you want to fight me or you want a challenge!"
"Yeah, I would never fight a cat. That's not even fair. I'll take the challenge," I said firmly.
Bella's ears perked up, and she let out an exaggerated meow. "You think you can beat me in a fight? Meow! But all right, the rules are simple: catch me in this neighborhood."
Geo tilted his head. "So… you're playing tag?"
Bella's fur puffed up as she blushed. "IT'S NOT TAG, OKAY? It's more than that! He has to be fast, clever, and determined to catch meowww!"
Geo smirked. "Right. Tag."
"Relax, you two," I interrupted, trying to stop the argument. "Let's just get started."
Bella crouched low, her tail twitching. "Ready. Set. MEOW!"
Before I could blink, she vanished, darting into the maze of alleys.
Geo's voice cut through the air as I ran after Bella. "Don't waste too much time, Ladon! You need to master those powers before the bounty hunters catch up to us. We're not sure if they're still out there, but we can't afford to take chances."
I gritted my teeth, my pulse quickening. He was right. The longer I took to master the powers, the more at risk we all were. I couldn't afford to fail—not with the bounty hunters and finding Dove is on the line.
"Got it," I muttered, pushing my thoughts aside to focus on the chase.
I took off after her, pushing myself to keep up. Bella was fast—faster than any animal I'd seen. She weaved between obstacles like a shadow, her soft paw steps barely making a sound. Meanwhile, my shoes pounded against the cobblestone, each step echoing through the empty streets.
"C'mon, Ladon, focus," I muttered, forcing myself to track her movements.
She led me through narrow alleys, leaping over fences and squeezing through gaps I couldn't fit. My breath came in short gasps, but I refused to give up. If I couldn't outrun her, I had to outthink her.
Bella darted into a yard surrounded by tall stone walls. It was a dead end, or so I thought—until she scaled a stack of crates leaped onto a metal staircase, and jumped to a rooftop.
"Oh, come on!" I groaned, climbing after her.
Geo flew beside me, flapping his wings lazily. "Want me to keep an eye on her? You're kind of slow, you know."
"No," I said stubbornly. "I want to win this fair and square."
"Suit yourself," Geo said with a shrug, perching nearby to watch.
I ran across the rooftop, nearly slipping on loose gravel. Bella was just a blur ahead of me, her fur shimmering under the faint light. As she reached the edge of another rooftop, I knew she was going to jump.
I tried to anticipate her. Picking up a small stone, I tossed it—not at her, but in her path. She skidded to a stop, startled, and shifted direction.
Without thinking, I launched myself after her. Mid-air, I realized the only way to catch her was to grab her tail—but I couldn't do it. I refused to hurt her, even if it meant losing.
She landed gracefully while I crashed into a tree, tumbling into a patch of bushes below.
"Idiot!" Geo squawked, flying over to me. "You could've broken your neck! This isn't a joke, you dumb brat!"
"Relax, pigeon," I muttered, brushing off the leaves. "It's the Petra Zone. I'll be fine."
Geo glared at me. "You don't get it! Pain here affects your soul. When you wake up, you'll feel it. Ever had a dream where you got hurt? It's like that—times ten!"
I sighed, waving him off. "If you're done lecturing me, can we keep going?"
Geo grumbled and flew off, probably looking for something to patch me up with.
As I lay there catching my breath, Bella approached, her movements slower and more deliberate now. "Meow. Why didn't you grab me? You could've won."
I looked at her, my voice soft. "Your tail is sensitive, isn't it? I didn't want to hurt you. Animals are like little babies—pure and innocent. I can't bring myself to harm you."
Her wide, golden eyes studied me for a moment before she started... rubbing against me. Her purrs grew louder, a soothing rhythm that seemed to echo in the stillness. "Meow. You're... kind. I like you."
"Uh..." My face turned bright red as she brushed against my side, practically curling up in my lap. Unsure of what to do, I instinctively started petting her, my fingers running through her unbelievably soft fur.
Geo flapped back into view, carrying a small box of bandages. He froze mid-air when he saw us. "Why's your face looking like a whole tomato? Don't tell me you got shy from this sardine-breath furball."
Bella's ears twitched, and she hissed. "SARDINE BREATH? I don't have sardine breath! I smell amazing, you dumb bird!" She launched herself at Geo, claws swiping wildly.
Geo squawked, dodging her attacks. "Get off me, you mangy furball!"
Watching them, I couldn't help but laugh. The tension, the exhaustion—all of it melted away in that moment. My bruises and scrapes didn't seem to matter anymore.
As Bella landed gracefully back in my lap, she curled up tighter, her tail flicking lazily. Her purring softened until it was almost a hum, and within moments, she was asleep.
I stayed still, not wanting to wake her, but then the air around us began to shimmer. A soft glow enveloped her tiny form as the world around us blurred.
The cobblestone neighborhood faded, replaced by the familiar sights and sounds of the forest. The faint glow disappeared, and Bella was gone.
Geo landed beside me, shaking out his ruffled feathers. "Well, looks like you did it. She gave you her respect didn't she call it Onari..."
I glanced at my hands, half-expecting to feel something—anything—different. But there was nothing. No surge of energy, no sudden awareness of new abilities. Yet, despite that, a small smile crept onto my face.
"I did it," I murmured to myself. "I actually beat the first challenge."
Geo tapped my shoulder with his wing. "All right, Let's patch you up before you hurt yourself in the next trial."
As the soft glow around Bella faded, I reached out instinctively—but she was gone. Completely vanished, as if she had never been there.
"Geo," I said, my voice low, "what just happened? Where did Bella go?"
Geo, still ruffled from their earlier scuffle, perched on a nearby branch. "No idea. Maybe… her job here is done? She could've moved on to wherever cats go after finishing their duties. Heaven, maybe?"
His words hit me harder than I expected. I looked at the spot where she had been just moments ago and felt a pang of sadness. "She was annoying, but… I kinda liked her."
Geo sighed, fluffing his feathers. "Don't get all sentimental now, kid. You passed the challenge. That's what matters."
I gave him a tired smile, brushing off some leaves and dirt from my clothes. "That's enough for today. Let's rest. Tomorrow, we'll continue training."
Geo nodded, and I left the Petra zone.
My body ached from the chase, and my heart felt heavier than I wanted to admit.
When I woke up, I was back in my bed in the real world. The familiar walls of my room surrounded me, but something felt off. My body was sore as if I'd run a marathon, and a dull sadness lingered from the thought of never seeing Bella again.
I groaned, shifting under the covers, when I felt it—something soft pressing against my chest. I froze. What the…?
Pushing against whatever was on me, my hand brushed against something… squishy. Soft and warm. My heart nearly stopped. Slowly, I grabbed it again to confirm.
It was definitely… a woman's chest.