Chase coddled Zero some more until he actually started purring. "There there, that's a good boy, Zero," Chase said. With every passing moment, the black cat came more into focus. Chase's head was starting to pound, but it was tolerable. Vaguely, in the distance, Chase could hear someone talking, and from the corner of his eye he saw something very blurry tugging on Nyx's hair.<br/><br/>"Is that it?" Chase asked the cat, and it looked up at him. "You guys protect each other?" Zero meowed in answer. "Hmm.. Well, Nyx and I are the same. I don't like it when you guys hurt her." He paused, scratching under Zero's chin. "Look, you like this, right? I'm not hurting you, we're friends?" Zero purred. "Then tell your friends to lay off. What they're doing now isn't helping you it's just hurting her. If they keep it up,<span style="font-style: italic">I</span>might have to retaliate." Zero hissed at him. "I don't want to," Chase argued, "and if I don't have to, I won't, but they gotta stop hurting her."<br/><br/>Zero was hesitant; it was clear they simply<span style="font-style: italic">liked</span>hurting the poor girl. "Alright then," Chase said, "let me make this clear. I am Nyx's protector and I am capable of killing anyone who tries to hurt her. If you lash out at her, I'll lash out at you. And if I attack any of you, you'll attack her. So what is it you people want? Is it pain, suffering, attention? Does it have to be<span style="font-style: italic">Nyx</span>you taunt? I'm willing to come to an agreement with you guys-- and don't think you can ride me off on this one. I am not<span style="font-style: italic">nearly</span>as well tempered as Nyx." He looked to the shadow holding Nyx's hair, as it seemed that one could talk. "Look: Zero is happy," he said. "What reason could there be for us not to work together?"