The Cat Returns
(Untitled...Any ideas?)
by uplifted
The strange and magical adventure that had crossed worlds, created friends and enemies, and filled one Japanese schoolgirl with more than ordinary trust in herself ended happily for most. But Haru's misadventure in the Cat Kingdom had repercussions that many would not have foreseen. Because once the transformation begins, it is impossible to gauge what will happen.
"Ugh, I swear, it's been the most god-awful morning, Hiromi." Haru said dramatically, her forehead meeting the cute sidewalk café's table with a bang. Hiromi looked mildly disgruntled, merely moving her cake away from Haru's head.
"First, I had to scythe the cat-tails that keep growing in my yard – I'm allergic to cattails!" Hiromi first heard, munching appreciatively and making appropriate sounds of distress for her friend.
"I missed the yummy breakfast my mother made." Hiromi gently tucked her mouth with the dainty napkins supplied, and snuck a glance at the dessert Haru had yet to touch.
"Then! I tripped right into Sugiyama-sensei when I was heading here, knocked him over in front of Machida and the guys from class!" Even though Haru had gotten over Machida with the help of her four-legged friends, it was still embarrassing to be such a klutz in front of cute guys. Hiromi's fork inched closer to the confectionery treat.
"Hiromi!" Her friend jumped. "Hiromi, have you been listening to me?"
"Oh Haru, you're always saying it's so bad." Hiromi waved a casual hand as Haru began to munch on her belated, sugary breakfast. "But you know, it could be a whole lot worse."
"She's right, you know." Came a loud, gravelly voice from under Haru's chair. Haru, instead of giving the girly shriek she would have a year or so ago, merely sighed.
"Did you hear that cat?" asked Hiromi, a look of disgust on her face. "It sounds like it's dying."
"Nah." Haru said, pushing her chair back and sweeping up the piggy cat. "He's just hungry."
"Aha! Finally got some manners on ya," Muta drawled, gracing her presence enough to sit on her lap.
"Um, Haru? Can you, like, really understand that cat?" Hiromi asked, a skeptic at heart. But even she had to admit; it looked an awful lot like an exchange to her.
"Oh! Um. No?" And she began to feed crumbs to the cat, who growled under his breath at the stinginess of humans. Haru ordered a tuna sandwich for Muta, and sat back to talk to her human friend.
They had agreed to meet every Sunday, and here they were. By coincidence, this time they had met at the crosswalk where Muta and Haru had first met. After eating, they normally shopped, talked and laughed, occasionally meeting up with Tsuge or another classmate. But both friends agreed that this was time to be alone, to gossip.
Today, however, their meeting would be cut short. No sooner had the tuna sandwich arrived than Muta hopped off her lap, wrinkling his nose at what Haru assumed to be her new perfume. Haru placed the sandwich on the ground for the kitty, and both schoolgirls chatted of Machida and his new girlfriend. As Haru was laughing at an unflattering comparison Hiromi had made, Muta suddenly took off, his tail stiffly arched.
"What in the…" Hiromi watched the cat race away, and was startled when she heard a chair fall to the ground in a clatter. She turned to see Haru bent over, pain in every angle of her shaking friend. "Haru!"
"I've….got to go… see you later…Hiromi…!" And Haru raced off after the cat, leaving her dumbfounded friend watching.
"Ah….Ah…" Haru was panting by the time she made it to the small sidewalk that led to the Bureau. She was sure she'd seen Muta this way. But every sense in her body felt like she was on fire, so she had a right to be distracted, she supposed. Staggering, she made it though the archway in time to see Muta stand erect, a pose that no longer seemed odd to her. "Muta…what happened to you?"
"Me? What happened to you, kid?" He snarled, his rocky voice making her ears tingle. "You smell like that damn Kingdom."
"What?" was all she could ask before her ears seemed to pop, and the pain receded.
"Oh man. That was weird." She said, pausing to rub her ears.
"You think that was weird? That tuna sandwich must be makin' me feel funny." And Muta promptly sat down and began to read the paper. Haru stared at him with a faintly concealed ill temper.
"Muta, I don't get it. What do you mean, 'I smell like the Kingdom'? The cat Kingdom?" She asked, sitting cross-legged on the beautiful cobblestones, happy that she was wearing a pair of jeans. She ruffled her hair slightly, remembering that it had grown already to her shoulders again. She had been trying to grow it out, but her patience was not infinite.
"Just what I said, kid. You smelled like the damn cat that took us there."
Haru peered at Muta silently. Then turned her attention to the little house she had once been kidnapped from.
"Baron?" And she knocked politely on the door. "Are you in?"
Toto, the stone statue of a raven began to glow before coming to life. "Hello Haru! So nice to see you again!"
"Who asked you, chicken legs?" Muta growled, his hackles rising as his fur stiffened.
The two began to bicker, as Haru waited patiently for the lights to come on. When they did, the Baron Humbert von Gikkingin stepped exquisitely out onto the stones, his feline face set in a welcome smile.
"Welcome back Haru. It has been a time since your previous visit." Haru could only nod happily, pleased to see her friend again. "Well, please do come in. Muta! Toto, would you care for some tea?" Instantly, the sounds of squabbling ceased, and the two friends joined the Baron and Haru.
It was how her first tea party should have been. Muta, already hungry again, went all out in the Baron's kitchen. Toto's mulberries turned out to be very special, and mixed with sugar turned into a cool treat for the warm day. There was laughter, reminiscing and plenty of food to go around. There were no advisors to the Cat King to destroy this day.
But eventually, the party had to end. Haru told the Baron of the strange pain she had experienced, while Muta grudgingly told of how her scent had slowly changed. Toto eyed her speculatively and the Baron pondered, but no one could think of a reason for the change. Haru waved their concerns away, sure that everything would be all right, but in the meantime, she had a mother to get home to and dinner to fix.
After she'd promised the Baron and Toto to come visit again and invited Muta over for dinner some day, Haru took her leave, bowing and thanking them for such a lovely time. It was a little easier finding her way home through the darkening streets this time; an easy familiarity with her hometown meant that once she traveled a path more than once, she was sure to remember most of it.
TBC- thank you for reading!
disclaimer: studio ghibli owns The Cat Returns