It happened too quickly for Marshmallow to decipher. Nothing made sense.

It felt like yesterday when she'd first heard about her abandoned cousins. The silly images she thought up of them before seeing the photos still fresh in her mind. If Ninja ever learned how giddy she was before reaching the city, the stoic girl's pale face would turn a soft pink.

So how did everything turn to chaos?

Ninja started a conversation with one of them. Cuddles, the apparent leader who wanted nothing to do with the sisters. No one could blame her. Her own family threw her out like unwanted junk just short of a year ago.

All she had left were her two siblings, one of which huddled in the corner and the other stood between them, stuck in the middle. Marshmallow knew painfully well what thoughts were going through Cuddles' head. The frantic mindset of an overprotective sister.

Then the redhead Marshmallow and Ninja had spoken to before barged in. That's when Marshmallow figured her cousins were in a much stickier situation than they had hoped for.

The redhead said things to Cuddles that made little sense. Marshmallow could tell they had a heated relationship, and based on the way Belle cowered in the corner like a hurt animal, Marshmallow knew their hostility came from more than a personality clash.

Cuddles labeled the fit man behind the redhead Jack but never clarified who the girl could be. Moaz also stuck out, and Marshmallow had a gut feeling he had an important role in the mess. Whatever "chance" he was offering the cousins didn't sound good.

"Does that make me important?" asked Cuddles, similar to how Ninja would taunt Gear but with a more serious air.

To Marshmallow, who often used her sisters to compare traits, Cuddles looked and acted nearly the exact same as Ninja. Her wide shoulders and confident air were the same. But her hair was shorter, her skin was tan, and her eyes were bright blue instead of orange. When she spoke, her voice and a little fire burning in her eyes dared anyone to retort.

A roar erupted from the redhead's lungs as she threw herself toward Cuddles. Without thinking twice, Marshmallow and Ninja both stepped to stop her, but the girl was too fast and locked onto her target like a bull chasing a flag.

All the sisters managed to do was buy Cuddles an extra second to push Scone back toward Belle and flee out the door. She dodged the man stationed there with less than an inch of leeway.

Scone eyed the redhead who followed, but she didn't attempt to help her sister. Instead, she stood protectively over Belle and stared at Jack with faint lines of worry creeping across her naturally calm features.

Jack blankly stared back before the redhead shouted, "Jack!" over the rain outside. He hesitated a second, glancing towards Marshmallow and Ninja, before leaving through the door he came in through instead of the one the redhead had taken.

Two thugs replaced him, both wearing scarves over their mouths and hats shadowing their eyes. Marshmallow and Ninja slid into place, blocking their view of Scone.

Hands ready to come up to guard, Marshmallow asked, "What's going on here, and why are you assaulting my cousins?"

The two men briefly appeared surprised with what little emotion they could express with their faces covered. Neither responded, and Ninja took that as reason enough to cut the conversation short.

Before either could react, she formed a fist and connected it with the closest man's face. The other thug tried to return the gift, but Ninja caught his fist in her palm. "Mind answering my sister's question?" she asked as she swiftly placed his arm in a wrist lock.

"We have nothing to tell you," grunted the man through clenched teeth. "Don't get caught up in their business. We'll take you out as well if we have to."

Ninja applied pressure to her lock, producing a scream from his lips. She let go of the broken wrist and kicked the guard over. Marshmallow swore Ninja could join a gang someday and no one would question.

The other thug examined his companion who slowly raised himself from the floor out of breath. He looked back toward Ninja and slowly backed up, no doubt preparing to call for more backup. Unfortunately for him, Ninja wouldn't allow that to happen.

Arms wide open, she charged and tackled him to the grimy floor. The moment his head collided with the hard surface, he was out cold.

Marshmallow blocked the closest exits- not allowing the one Ninja had kicked over to leave. The thug cradled his broken wrist but otherwise appeared only angrier than before.

"We could do this the hard way or the easy way," said Ninja, her body positioned between the man and Scone. "Your choice."

As Ninja finished her last word, a gunshot and the high-pitch shattering of glass echoed through the room. Everyone ducked and protected their faces as glass shards sprayed in every direction from the broken window.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the thug bolted past Marshmallow. She tried to stop him, but her human form lacked much of the physical capabilities her cat form possessed. Her hands only managed to pat his back as he ran by.

Still crouched, Marshmallow stared after the retreating figure until the rain completely engulfed his form. She could hear Ninja shuffling behind her, and she turned back towards her cousins- the two that remained, that is.

For a few awkward seconds, she held eye contact with Scone, the only noise in the room coming from rain bombarding the metal roof and dripping to the concrete floor. Scone dropped her gaze.

"Thanks for getting rid of them," she mumbled, her scratchy voice just barely heard above the rain.

"I think we need to talk to Brownie about the sort of company she lets our cousins hang out with," commented Ninja, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "I can't believe my sisters allow their little cousins to join gangs."

Marshmallow shook her head at the irony of Ninja saying that. If they hadn't run away to be superheroes, Ninja would have surely rebelled at some point and joined a gang.

"Marshmallow and Ninja?" asked Belle quietly from her hiding place in the corner. The sisters nodded in synch. "Squmpkin talked about you two often."

A warm sensation bubbled in Marshmallows chest at the thought of Squmpkin, but it vanished when she remembered the last time she'd seen her older sister. It was as if Squmpkin were stuck in time during her darkest moment.

Have they seen Squmpkin how she is now, wondered Marshmallow, dreading the moment she'd have to break the news to them. Squmpkin, although technically their eldest cousin, had played the role of their mother. As if losing their parents once wasn't enough, they'd have to lose a mother twice.

"Cuddles is in trouble," gasped Scone, suddenly remembering that not only had the redhead chased after her, but also Jack. "I have to go find her."

"We can help," said Ninja, taking a step towards Scone. "But, it would be best if you explained what's going on."

Gazing longingly after Cuddles, Scone hesitantly spoke, "We're not supposed to be living on Black Tiger's territory. They kicked us out of their gang, but we don't have anywhere else to go."

"So they're here on clean-up duty," said Ninja, processing the new information.

Marshmallow, having taken more notice of the earlier conversation than her sister, responded, "It didn't sound like they wanted you gone."

Scone turned back to face her, distrust brimming in her eyes. Every piece of information she could possibly give was on the tip of her tongue, but experience kept her from letting it out; and Marshmallow could understand that better than anyone.

The quiet whisper from behind Scone answered her question. "They don't want me," said Belle, her voice extremely delicate as if it would break at any moment.

The strange conversation from earlier suddenly became clear to Marshmallow. They hadn't been kicked out of the Black Tigers gang. Belle had. Moaz wanted Cuddles and Scone back, but not at the expense of Belle joining.

"I'm too weak," continued Belle. Her eyes glued to the floor, and a solemn expression had fallen over her face. "For Black Tigers... for Silver Bells."

Silver Bells must have been what they called themselves, concluded Marshmallow. Naming their gang after the reason they left seemed like the sort of passive-aggressive technique Ninja, or even Emsea, would use.

Scone knelt beside Belle and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I don't believe you're weak. Cuddles doesn't either, and right now, she needs you to be strong."

Eyes glistening with unshed tears, Belle nodded her head. Marshmallow looked away. Ever since childhood, Marshmallow always strived not to be the sibling that dragged the rest down. The guilt scared her.

Marshmallow wondered if one of her siblings ever looked the same as Belle after seeing Ninja and herself leave them behind. Did they blame themself?

"Belle," started Scone hesitantly, as if she wasn't ready yet. Her hand gripped Belle's shoulder tighter. "You have to leave on your own. Get off of Black Tiger's territory. Cuddles is giving you a head start."

Her chin trembled, but Belle nodded her head regardless of her fear. "You'll find me?"

"Promise," said Scone, as she helped her sister up from the floor.

"Woah, woah, woah," interjected Ninja, tired of being confused about everything Marshmallow had already figured out. "I don't have a clue what's going on here, but something about this whole let's split up to make it easier for the angry gang to pick us off deal doesn't sit well with me."

"We're at the corner of their territory," explained Scone, leaving Marshmallow to pick up on the meaning they won't take chase, especially after Belle, who they don't want. However, Ninja only noticed the first half.

"Look," she said, "I don't want to waste time here any more than you do, but when I said 'explain what's going on', I meant in a way I could understand."

Worried for Cuddles' sake, Marshmallow cut Scone off. "I'll tell you later. But, for now, we're sticking together."

"Got it," said Ninja without hesitating, content to blindly follow Marshmallow.

Scone and Belle weren't as quick to agree, but Marshmallow pressed further, "Ninja and I can keep you safe, but not if we're not with you. If we want to help Cuddles, we need to go now."

The urgency in her voice must have struck a chord with the two because their fear for their sibling amplified in their eyes. Although Scone still didn't fully trust Marshmallow and Ninja not to duck out the moment things got hard, something in her really wanted to believe the heroic figures she'd heard so much about. Even if the word "hero" turned smiles to scowls in her family.

The third time's a charm, after all.

***

Cuddles was blessed with better luck on many occasions before. Perhaps the deity of luck and fortune, Aurum, got tired of Cuddles cursing his name repeatedly every time she got paired with Ruby, the redhead currently trying to bash her head in.

It wasn't Cuddles' fault Moaz, her ex-leader, thought they worked well together. If Aurum didn't like it, why couldn't he just take out Moaz- or better yet, Ruby?

Rain puddled in the potholes and dips of the cement path, splashing every time Cuddles moved her feet to make distance between her and the enraged redhead. She didn't even want to think about the size of the drops falling from the sky. Spring was meant for rain, not Autumn!

"You should have taken Moaz's offer," growled Ruby gleefully. Her joy that came from getting a chance to kill Cuddles was a little creepy.

Maybe Cuddles shouldn't have gone out of her way so many times to stand in the girl's path. Who knew she'd hoard grudges like receipts.

"He should have considered mine," retorted Cuddles, her feet shuffling back. Her heart skipped a beat when the ground disappeared from behind her. A three-foot drop led to the trail that ran along the seldom-used railway.

Ruby continued approaching, closing the distance with every step. It wasn't her that sent shivers down Cuddles' spine. Instead, it was the menacing silhouette in the rain that seemed to follow her like a shadow. Cuddles wished she didn't know how quick Jack could butcher her as he had done to countless victims before.

"Foolish kitty," taunted Ruby, her bird-like voice that usually made Cuddles annoyed only unsettled her further.

Her red hair and demonic eyes appeared to stand out against the rain that blurred the rest of her image, but Cuddles knew it was just her imagination. The fear had set in, and it would only grow with the adrenaline.

"Come on, say it," Ruby chanted like a song. "You don't really want to die protecting that runt. You're scared of dieing more than you are loyal. Don't argue. You ran away from us, and you're running away from them. Scaredy cat."

"Get out of my head," growled Cuddles, water trickling down her face and nose, washing away her fake smirk. "You're just full of yourself 'cause Moaz let you out of your birdcage to play."

"Scaredy cat, scaredy cat," Ruby chanted on repeat, only about five feet away from Cuddles. Her voice morphed to a familiar sweet voice Cuddles had heard many times before.

"Don't you dare, Ruby!" Cuddles shouted, infuriated that she would stoop so low.

Being a semi-human, she could only use her power, Imitation, in bird form, but that didn't stop the crafty girl from learning how to copy voices in human form.

"Scaredy cat, scaredy cat," Belle's voice repeated over and over, filling Cuddles' ears.

Only wanting Ruby to stop talking, Cuddles gripped her bat, rose it in the air, closed her eyes, and swung. Upon making contact, the bat cracked and splinters ricocheted away. Cuddles peeled her eyes open, and dread enveloped her like a heavy cloth bag thrown over her face and shoulders.

Huge claws wrapped around the broken end of the bat. They were covered in dark brown fur. Jack stood beside Ruby, but he wasn't entirely Jack anymore. His jaw had grown, and his teeth had sharpened. Brown fur lined the semi-beast's arms and the side of his head.

The bat hadn't snapped on contact. He had crunched it in the palm of his paw.