It was not a complex and complicated tale, it was one that I had heard a thousand times.

  Star crossed lovers.

  Or, in this case, heart crossed lovers.

  "A Dark Heart and a Pure Heart coming together in matrimony was rare, but not totally unheard of. Not once, however, had it avoided an end in tragedy," the man said as he crouched beside a planter with an assorted selection of plans I couldn't identify even if I wanted to. "Yet, neither would listen to reason, nor to any who would try to split them apart."

  He sighed.

  "They joined together and their love bore fruit... Reiko, my granddaughter, is the proof of their union, a Dark Guardian Knight and a Pure Heart produced a child," he closed his eyes and pulled the watering can back and up, shaking it a little to test its water levels. Finding them satisfactory, I assume, he moved on to a planter not too far away from that. "But would that their tale would end there, it would've been a happy tale."

  I stepped after him, avoiding the patches of wet ground on principle. I don't quite have the same intense aversion to water that other cats might, but that doesn't mean I like wet fur. I have other means to clean myself, thank you very much.

  "My son's people abandoned him. Abandoned us."

  The old man began watering the next set of plants liberally and without care, clearly more concentrated on his tale than on what he was doing.

  "But what the Pure Hearts did was worse... They pretended to accept my son and my daughter in law, but in the end, all they did was drag them into a dangerous situation against a particularly powerful corrupt monster, and abandoned them to their deaths..."

  He tapped his cane on the ground as he spoke.

  "I recovered my son's sword and fashioned it into a spear for his daughter, but I could not recover my daughter in law's Heart..." he said, sighing. "Bearing a tainted heart full of rage and her father's sword, my son's daughter became a Dark Heart, seeking to rid the world of the corrupt - and what she sees as even worse than the Corruption we all face, the two faced Pure Hearts that took her parents from her."

  I hummed. It came out as a purr.

  So...

  Revenge, then? I had no desire to continue hearing a personal tale, I had enough to know what I had to do.

  "Mrow..."

  "Guardian Beast, do not judge my granddaughter too harshly," he said, closing his eyes. "She had but a bitter old man and no one else. I could not guide her away from the hole I myself can't crawl out from, I bear much of the same hatred in my own heart, and the corruption gnaws at the edges of my mind... but if you could find it in your heart to stand beside her, to guard her and support her- then-"

  My tail was shaking, and I forced it to become still.

  I glanced at the old man one final time, and then I moved into his house. It was... big. Very much so. But I could just follow the scent left behind by Reiko, and eventually, I came upon her in a large, open room.

  She had already changed out of her uniform and was wearing a much more comfortable outfit. I believe I've seen it at the Kendo club or something similar to this at least, those baggy black pants and a robe-like white top were similar, though she didn't have the shoulder or face armor on her.

  Also she had her spear in hand, rather than a sword like those guys.

  She was swinging it in simple patterns, something I remembered from my own lessons in weapon-based fighting. Most came from the streets, but once or twice I chanced upon someone who knew how to wield a knife or swing a club, and almost all emphasized that the fancy and crazy moves that you'd see on TV were worthless nonsense.

  Simple, straightforward and effective movement was always more effective.

  Beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks, she was moving fast but it was obvious she was already a little tired. Did I really have that much time to chat with the old guy?

  I sniffed the air, and became a little embarrassed, right, she had just taken a bath. Sometimes the simplest thing escape us.

  Even so, I walked up to her, and she stopped swinging her weapon. "Mr. Kitty?" she asked. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

  She crouched down to speak to me, and as she reached for me, I moved swiftly, tapping my paw pad against her nose, and then bumping my head against her to mark her properly, leaving my scent on her and making sure all the other lesser beings knew that this was my human and thus under my protection.

  "Mr. Kitty, your paws are cold and wet," she giggled. "Were you playing in the garden?"

  No, I was learning about your past. "Mew."

  "Well, I hope you had fun with grandfather," she said, smiling a little. "Will you stay?"

  I walked between her legs and rubbed against her through her pants, trying to comfort her, I do believe people quite enjoy when cats do this. Honestly I've never been popular with animals so I don't know for sure.

  However, I had to go.

  "Meow."

  "So... you have to return to that girl, don't you?" she asked, her tone a little forlorn.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Meow," I bumped her leg with my head. You are also my human. I'll split my attention like a good pet owner. Promise.

  "I see... then please come again, you're... warm and cozy?" she seemed at a loss. "That sounds weird," she said. "Sorry I'm not that good with words."

  Good enough.

  Walking off and out of the house, I made my way out. Coming in was annoying, but I could easily climb the walls from the inside and leave. I'll have to go in through the entrance, but at least I had a way in and out now.

  Returning to Marina's house was a simple affair, and though it took long enough that I was starting to worry, I managed to arrive before Marina's parents did, not that such a thing was surprising.

  At least this time she hadn't stayed up waiting for them all night long, as they had left her a note saying they had a thing at work and would be coming home late. What a disaster of a situation that such a thing is considered unusually thoughtful of them.

  I'll take it as it is and simply keep Marina company as she washes the dishes and goes to bed, at least she wasn't in terrible spirits. It irks me that she's gotten so used to her hopes being shattered that a night where she doesn't get them up in the first place is one where she doesn't go to sleep on the verge of tears.

  The next day was an early morning rush as always.

  I slept through much of it, but in the end, I was woken up by my desire to do something productive and, lo and behold, luck was on my side, and my plans became accelerated.

  Once again, Marina and Reiko had met each other while hunting the monsters that preyed on the vulnerable and defenseless, and fortunately for me, Marina had at least managed to improve enough from their last fight to at least not get instantly whooped by Reiko, though once again she was losing quite terribly.

  Leaping my way across buildings towards them, I jumped between them, as Marina readied herself to fire a pink laser and Reiko advanced with her spear at the ready. They were fighting in the middle of a street that was empty at this time of the day, but they were still in the middle of a street.

  That wouldn't do. I've heard it said that luck is opportunity meeting preparation. I am prepared, and this is indeed an opportunity.

  "Mr. Kitty!"

  "Kuro!"

  The two looked at each other, glaring.

  "This time, I won't-"

  I moved towards Reiko, taking a few steps then jumping at her, landing on her shoulder and jumping off her shoulder with strength sufficient to knock her down on the ground. I had to apply enough strength that I'm sure I could leap an entire building in a single bound to achieve that, mind, and that was with her being off guard.

  Landing on a nearby building from the momentum, I ran down its wall and towards Marina, and before she knew what was going on, I dashed between her legs, and while she was trying to catch me, I jumped and then landed on her back, throwing her forward and towards Reiko.

  They were both on the ground then.

  They were strong, fast and durable.

  But they were humans, and that meant I had an intrinsic advantage as a member of a superior species. This is why you're supposed to worship us, children, make note.

  "Whu, what's going on..? Mr. Kitty, is an enemy..?" Reiko muttered, pushing herself up.

  "Kuro, what are you doing..?" Marina wondered openly, as she rolled.

  "Mrowww..!!"

  I turned my voice into a growl and then a hiss, housecats aren't really meant to roar like big cats do, but I can do something somewhat similar.

  In this sort of situation, the usual procedure would be the two girls fighting each other and exposing their hearts, talking things out and reaching a common understanding. Baring their souls to one another and understanding their opponent deeply until they became dear friends.

  But I really don't have the time or patience for that sort of asinine bullshit.

  I stalked towards them, and when they became distracted I rushed towards them. Reiko reacted, reaching for her spear, but Marina just put her hands and arms in front of her body, crossing them over her chest, which gave me the opening I needed to hit her like a cannonball, pushing her into Reiko and knocking them both to the ground.

  I stood on top of the pile of magical girls. "Meow!" I cried out in victory, before jumping off of Marina's back.

  "Mr. Kitty, are you telling us... we're weak?"

  No, you're not. You don't know how to fight for shit, but you could probably turn me into chunky salsa if you hit me. That's not the point.

  "Or... what if he's telling us we need to work together?" Marina asked. "I-"

  "With you? With a Pure Heart? Never!" Reiko hissed. "You traitorous scum, you-"

  I approached her and batted at her face, making sure my claws weren't out as I did.

  "See? He reacted to that! Kuro, am I right?" Marina asked.

  "Meow!"

  I tried to be as affirmative as I could be.

  "But... no, Mr. Kitty, you wouldn't know, Pure Hearts are-"

  "Are what!?" Marina challenged. "I don't even know what any of this is!"

  "You... don't?" Reiko asked. "Isn't your family-"

  "No! No way! My family don't even know I have this power!" Marina shouted. "Seriously, like, a year ago I was walking home from school and after I took a wrong turn I was in some cave somewhere, and a woman handed me this thing," Marina said, waving her staff, gesturing at the pink heart gem embedded on its tip, "and told me to use it to fight the Corrupt!"

  "..."

  Wow.

  That is remarkably irresponsible.

  If I knew that woman I'd probably yell at her for it. If I could speak.

  "I... so you really have no idea what I'm talking about do you?"

  Reiko seemed baffled.

  "Of course not! Taking my heart? What are you, some Aztec warlord or something!?"

  Both myself and Reiko turned to look at her.

  "What? History is cool!" she defended herself.

  "What's an Aztec?" Reiko asked.

  "They were a warlike tribe from the land currently known as Mexico and they-"

  "Mreoww!" I interrupted her.

  "Right- we're going off on a tangent," Reiko said, shaking her head. "I... guess you wouldn't know what the Pure Hearts did to me, to my parents," she said. "You're... not really one of them are you?"

  "I didn't even know there was an organization until you just told me!" Marina responded.

  "Well... I feel like a jerk now," Reiko said. "I'm so sorry," she said, bowing her head. "I thought you were one of the people who betrayed my parents."

  Good. Excellent.

  I, a cat, don't have time for this overcomplicated and unnecessarily drawn out bullshit. If things can be solved with a conversation, then that conversation should be what we do first, before beating the tar out of each other, if and where at all possible.

  I really have no patience for any of that petty human bullshit. Even less now than I did before.

  That old man called me a Guardian Beast, and I suppose it's my role to safeguard these girls. And that means I need to get them to stop fighting each other.

  "Can you tell me?" Marina asked, as the two sat on the ground, facing each other. "I really feel like it's something I should know," she said. "And I really don't want to fight you, I've been running lost and just hunting monsters before they hurt people. I really have no idea what's going on, I just want to help."

  Marina was a good girl and she simply found something that gave her the ability to help people in danger and chose to use it... but that was very dangerous. Reiko, even if she was just as young, at least came from a family that was in the business, and knew what to do, how to do it and had the backing of her grandfather to do it.

  These two becoming friends would certainly go well on its way to keeping both my humans safe.

  "Okay... I guess I can explain," Reiko replied, pursing her lips.

  I'll stay with them through this process and make sure nothing silly occurs like them getting into a fight over disbelief or anything like that.

  Thus, like her grandfather before her, Reiko wove Marina a tale of two hearts, and spoke of her own feelings on the matter.

  Weirdly enough, Marina wound up crying far more than Reiko did by the end of the story. As the two opened their hearts without needing to beat the tar out of each other first, I realized... there was no way Marina was going to make it to school.

  Oh, well.

  I can't honestly say I care all that much about that.