''Baron...''
It was dark. Why was it so dark?
''Baron.''
Was it cold? Why can't I tell? Its so.. fuzzy, unclear.
''...Listen to me Baron...''
I... I know that voice. Where?
''Can't you see me? Baron...I'm right here Baron...''
Is that...It must to be.
It's so dark.
''Why Baron...Why did you let me die?''
I can't move. I can't speak.
I'm sorry.
''Baron...''
A bright flash or light, blinding.
''...Baron!''
Another. And another. It was getting faster.
He could almost see her.
But she was gone.
''BARON!''
''Baron! Baron wake up!'' Haru shook his sleeping form, his moans loud enough to wake her up from the other room.
''Baron! BARON!'' she shouted.
He suddenly sprang up, his breath heavy and eyes wide.
''Haru? Is...is something wrong?'' he asked after regaining his breath, trying to appear calm and undisturbed.
''I think that I should be asking you that. You were having a nightmare. I could hear you through the walls.''
''A... nightmare?''
''Yup. You do know what a nightmare is, right?'' she joked.
''I...yes. Its.. just uncommon for creations to get them.'' he laughed nervously. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and she sat down on the bed next to him.
''Baron...have you ever had a nightmare before?''
''..Uh...well, not exactly..'' he looked to her comforting gaze and admitted, ''I've never had one, no.'' His hand reached to the back of his neck showing his discomfort.
''So this is your first nightmare?''
''Its very...''
''Scary?''
''-Unpleasant. But both words work.''
She nodded and then stood up.
''Alright, let's go then.'' she stated, grabbing his hand to lead him out of bed. He went along with it, but still asked where they were going.
''The kitchen,'' she said simply.
''What?''
''I'm going to show you the top secret Yoshioka cure for nightmares.'' she smiled back at him.
''Should I be afraid?''
''I don't know. Are you allergic to chocolate?''
''I've never had it, but being a creation allows me to be resistant to most poisons, if that's what you're worried about.''
''Oh. Thats cool.''
When they reached the kitchen, Haru went to start her 'cure' while Baron sat down at the table, sometimes trying to take a peek of what she was making.
''Alright Baron, close your eyes.''
''Haru-''
''It's a surprise Baron! Common, just humor me.''
He gave her an amused look before closing his eyes. He could hear the small clink of china setting on the table and the sound of pouring liquid.
''You can open them now.''
Before him was a blue steaming mug with brown liquid inside. It didn't smell like tea, goodness knows he could name almost every tea just by the smell, but he did smell something much sweeter.
''Is this...hot chocolate?''
''Yup!'' she beamed,''My mom always used to make it whenever one of us were having a bad day. The bigger the problem, the more marshmallows we would add. I would have added some, but I think Muta ate them all.'' she laughed.
''That sounds like Muta,'' he chuckled.
''Well,'' she said, picking up her own mug,''Cheers!''
''Cheers.''
He waited until she drank first, just to see what it was like. He then took a sip of his own.
His senses nearly exploded when the sweetness touched his tongue.
''How's your cup?''
''...It's very sweet. Almost too sweet, but that could be because of my heightened senses too.''
''Oh. So maybe a little less chocolate and more milk?''
''I can't say. You're the hot chocolate specialist around here.''
''Does that make you the tea expert?'' she laughed.
''You said it, not me." He smiled. A small silence followed as they drank their beverages.
''Baron?''
''Yes Haru?''
''Do you want to tell me about your dream?''
Baron's eyes went a little darker, a slight glossy sheen over the emerald.
On one hand, he had never had a nightmare, talking about it seemed like the right thing to do, especially since it was with Haru. On the other hand, the dream was vivid. It was something that he didn't want to experience, much less talk about. It left a whole in his chest, a deep whole.
It was too fresh in his mind.
''Haru... I-''
''What's going on? Havin' a party without me?'' Muta interrupted, jarring the quietness.
''Good Morning Muta.''
''If it is morning. It's still dark out."
''Then why are you awake? Usually you don't wake up until its past noon.''
''I smelled food.''
''Of course you did.'' Baron rolled his eyes.
''What is that anyway? It smells too different to be that leaf juice.''
''It's hot chocolate.''
Muta made a disgusted face.
''Why?''
''I had a craving for chocolate and Baron has never had hot cocoa.''
Muta glanced between the two before shrugging.
''Alright.'' he said, making his way to the cupboard.
''I think you should head back to bed Haru. You too Muta.''
''But-''
''We have a lot to do in the morning. We need to find the location of the mirror and we don't have a lot to go on. Tomorrow morning will be the start of a very long search.''
''Oh great.'' Muta grumbled.
''Baron-''
''I shall see you in the morning then. Goodnight.''
''Baron, I-''
He stopped short of the hallway, turning back to Haru, a forced smile on his face.
''Yes?''
''I..I hope you sleep well."
He nodded, his smile a little less forced and more genuine. He then went away, back to his room.
''Wha' wa thap 'bout?'' the fat cat asked, his mouth full with something that looked like toast.
''Just eat your food, Muta. Didn't anyone tell you not to eat with your mouth full?''
''Shub up.''
Haru just shook her head while getting up to wash her and Baron's cups.
''Hey, Chicky?"
''Yeah, Muta?''
''I'm glad your back. I know I've said it-''
''I don't think saying 'I guess your back to as normal as you can get' is the same thing, Muta."
''Heh...Well I'm glad your back anyway.''
''Thanks, Muta.'' she grinned before turning to leave. But then Muta went and grabbed her arm, his paw not really tight, but loose.
"Hey, just wait.''
She turned around giving him her full attention.
''..I really mean it. I'm glad you're back.'' he wasn't quite looking at her, his ears drooping slightly.
''Muta?"
''I...I know I don't say it often, or really show it. But I do care about you guys, all of you. Even birdbrain.''
''And...and when you were gone.. Everything just kind of... fell apart. Birdbrain...Toto.. he hasn't been the same since.."
''Since the kidnapping?"
''Since he got his mind back."
''I didn't really see, I thought he was trying to keep up with everything going on, like the rest of us."
''Yeah, but it was...it is more than that. It's like he's too guilty. He won't forgive himself. He won't let the past go.. then there's Baron."
"Baron?"
"Chicky, remember how Baron was when you first met him?"
"He was-"
"Polite. Ridiculously polite. And he would almost never take his gloves off or really touch anyone unless it he thought it was necessary. It was like he actually considered himself a toy and not a real thing. Then you came along and changed that. Changed 'im."
"Sorry?"
"No. Don't be sorry. Look at him now! He rolled his eyes at me. Rolled them! Sarcastically! He cuddled with you and more than once. Danced with you more than once! If I didn't know any better I'd say you'd a' kissed by now! It's like he's actually livin' again, not just walking through the motions. He's alive and happier than I've ever seen 'im. Probably more than what Toto's seen too consider'in he's known Baron longer,"
"Look, alls I'm saying is that when you left it was like watchin him go back to that. Like he was..."
"Inanimate?"
"...yeah.." Muta admitted quietly, "Ever since that mirror broke he's actin less himself. When he's round you he's better, but I dunno. It's like he's trying to learn how to be himself and it's freakin me out."
"I-"
"Just...Think on it, Chicky. Without you here, the Bureau would fall apart. Baron would... I don't want to think 'bout it. Just be careful. You're one of us, been one for awhile now. We'd to anythin' for you."
"That's what scares me, Muta. How far will this go?"
"I don't know. But we'd be there till the end."
Muta got up left, back to his room by the sound of his door shutting.
Haru sat there, staring into her cup, mulling everything over as it became colder and colder in her grasp.
"But will the cost of the end justify the actions it took to get there?" she whispered quietly to herself.