With how sad and fragile Maru seems right now, Madoka can't help but hold the cat closer to her when the two men come back. Not that she really thinks they'll just fly off the handle and hurt him, but she can't help but instinctively be protective of Maru all the same while he's like this.

But as Tony sits down next to them, Madoka quietly listens to what he has to say, glancing between both of her dads as she does. And although she still doesn't look really happy by the end, she nods a little. "I understand.."

She really does, it's not just a lie to placate him. It's why his anger - although kind of scary - is something where she can see where it's coming from. Madoka knows he worries about her, which is why she kept the truth of what she's going to do when she's back home secret to begin with. It'd just worry her fathers if they knew.

"But.. Maru is here exactly for that. He can protect me." Even at times when Ignis or Tony can't be there for some reason. "I know you still don't trust him, dad, but please give him a chance.. Even if he was bad, there's no way he could do anything with how many people are always around." But he's not! He's a good kitty. The best kitty! She squeezes Maru gently as she says it. "And even though I'll be able to fight too because of him, I promise I'm not going to put myself into some really big danger here. I'll be really careful. And I'll always have him with me."

The situation back home is a much bigger mess to untangle. And it's much harder to make promises about any of that. But this, at least, is something she can promise and intend to keep herself to.

"Can you please trust me this one time, dad..? You know I'd never want to break a promise with you and let you down."