This is my first story under the new pen name, you can check out the ol' profile for more information on that, if ya want it. This is my first story after two years (!) of hiatus, I hope I didn't forget how to write well, for your sake. If the story doesn't make you want to burn your computer, why not leave a review and tell me!? It would make me oh so happy. If it does encourage you to burn your computer, well… at least that'll be some heating for this winter. It's gonna be a cold one. Enjoy the story everyone, and thank you for reading!

PSA: Don't burn computers, it makes them sad.
DQFM

But Where's The Cat?

It was late on a Friday night and Kuki Sanban was drowning in homework. She lay stomach down on a couch in her living room, propped up on her elbows and typing away at a laptop. Of course, her parents had decided to treat themselves to dinner at a local restaurant, but she couldn't go with all the junk she had to finish. As she lamented on her fate, she groaned in frustration, her high pitched noise being just about the only sound in the house. A fluffy white cat strutted in from the kitchen, and hopped up onto the arm of the couch. She nudged her owners toes with her face, curious as to what Kuki was whining about.

"Oh, hi Mushi," she greeted with a rather neutral tone, for her. She turned her head back around to her laptop, but didn't resume typing. She seemed zoned out, thinking about something. "Just me and my cat, alooone on a Friday night.." she droned on. She closed the laptop and sat upright on the couch, reaching around to drag Mushi onto her lap. Kuki started scratching behind the cat's ears, and it purred loudly in approval. Kuki was clearly still thinking, her eyes defaulted to just gazing at a lamp along the opposite wall of the room. Then she had an idea, and her face lit up with a smile.

"Hey Mushi," she began. The kitty looked up at her face expectantly. "How would you like to have some company?" she was grinning now, and Mushi just gave a big yawn, tongue out and everything, and then put her head down on Kuki's leg to sleep, shutting her eyes. "I'll take that as a yes!" Kuki exclaimed, and reached for her cellphone on the side table.

.oOo.

"Ahh yes, the fun of being a junior!" Wally's sarcasm rang through over the phone line, clearly feeling superior about his senior status at school.

"Wally, can you pleeease just come over?" her desperation to have someone to study with was showing through in her tone. "I can help you get ready for the physics test! You said today that you hardly knew any of the material! I'm dying of boredom over here!"

"Alright, alright! You got me, I could use some teachin'… I guess. I'll be over in ten, sound good?" he asked.

"Yay! The door's unlocked, just come on in!" Kuki lived in a good neighbourhood, she wasn't worried about leaving her door in such a state. Sometimes it got her parents somewhat upset, however.

Ten minutes went by and sure enough, after a few more minutes, there was a knock followed immediately by the sound of creaking wood. He was here.

Kuki bounced up from the sofa and went to meet him as he entered the living room. Without hesitation he found himself enveloped in a massive hug. "Hi Wally!" she beamed. He appreciated it, and returned the gesture with a grin.

"Hey kooks," he greeted warmly, bringing one strong arm around her while the other held his backpack in place. "So, about that physics test…" his face assumed a nervous look. Kuki could tell he wasn't ready for any test, and promptly brought him over to the couch to start tutoring him. He overturned the backpack he'd brought with him onto the table and his books all came spilling out.

"Well, let's get to work," Kuki chirped. Wally just groaned a little in response. But at least now they both had each other's company for a while, they were happy about that.

.oOo.

After some time, Wally suddenly jumped up and ran into the hallway, Kuki was about to ask what he was doing, when she heard the front door shut. She just rolled her eyes. Wally had a habit of forgetting to shut the door when he came over. She couldn't understand how a person could just forget to do something like that. Maybe he was excited to see her when he got here? Nah, that couldn't be it, she thought to herself. Wally came marching back into the living room, a triumphant smile on his face at not having to be reminded to check the door this time. She just made hard eye contact with him and then pointed at the book lying open faced on the table. He stuck out his tongue at her for a second, but made his way to the couch, laughing.

The two studied some more and Kuki thought the process was actually going rather well. After answering some questions, she turned her attention back to her laptop while Wally studied the book. Eventually, she realised she was getting somewhat thirsty, and stood up from the sofa to get a glass of water. As Kuki entered the kitchen, however, she noticed something strange. Normally, around this time, Mushi would be napping on a pillow that Kuki put on the counter a few weeks ago for her. But she wasn't there. In fact, she realised that she hadn't seen Mushi at all in some time. Curious, she started walking around the house, checking various bedrooms and bathrooms and peeking in her dad's study, but she couldn't find the cat anywhere. Eventually she wound up back in the hallway, and was beginning to worry. She paced back to the arched doorway of the living room and poked her head in.

"Um, Wally..?" Kuki spoke up, trying to get her best friend's attention.

"Yeah Kooks, what is it?" he responded. He only seemed mildly concerned, not even breaking his gaze on the book.

"How long was that door open, anyway?"

"'Bout five minutes. I remembered to shut it this time though! After a bit…"

"Wally… I can't find Mushi anywhere," was all she could get out, she was becoming rather panicked.

Wally looked up from the physics textbook he'd been trying to decipher, and suddenly the implication of what she was saying dawned on him. She could see it in his eyes, which went wide and locked with hers for a second or two before he issued his response.

"Shit."

The eye contact was broken immediately as he bolted up from the couch, raced by Kuki, down the hallway, and out the door. "Without closing it AGAIN," she thought. He started calling Mushi's name in the yard, running around in the pitch black like he was on fire. Kuki followed him to the doorway and leaned against it, bring the door close to her to narrow the gap, and watching the spectacle in her yard from the well lit beginning of the hallway. She was worried for him now as well, it was really dark outside, and the floodlights weren't on. She figured maybe she should ask if he wanted them switched on, for some help with looking around, while she could search the inside of the house.

"Wally! Oh, you really shouldn't be doing that! Let me turn some lights on for you, you're going to hurt yourse-" aaaand, too late. Wally careened right into a tree, his arms and legs hugging around it like some sort of cartoon gag. Wally slid down to the dewy grass and fell on his back, cursing freely and rubbing his face.

Kuki just face palmed in the doorway, but was momentarily distracted from the show taking place outside when she felt a rubbing against the back of her leg. She looked down behind her in surprise, and there Mushi was, in all her poofy white glory, looking up at her buddy. She gave a little purring chirp of confusion, as if to ask what all the commotion was about. After a long sigh, Kuki shooed the cat away and ran outside to help Wally, making sure to shut her front door.

Wally had gotten up off the grass and was leaning against the tree that had assaulted his face. He looked scratched up and a tiny amount of blood was showing just beneath his nose. She could hear him mumbling as she drew closer.

"Cruddy tree.. stupid nighttime.. cruddy, stupid, cat — ow!" He tried to rub his nose and winced in pain. Kuki drew close enough to sit down beside him on the cool earth, and sat there looking at him while he licked his wounds, so to speak.

"Wally.. are you okay?" she cautiously inquired.

He chuckled a little, after some pause. "Bloody thing came outta nowhere, took a cheap shot. What a coward."

She just gave him an 'are you kidding me' sort of look, but then they both started laughing. She let him know that Mushi was safely inside and that there was no need to launch a rescue mission at all. Wally mocked some dejection at the idea that he'd taken a beating from one of the trees in her yard for no good reason. After some more chattering, they both got up, and Kuki led Wally back into the house to help get his injuries cleaned up.

Fifteen minutes, two band-aids, more cursing, and a considerable dose of Neosporin later, they were both sitting on stools in the kitchen and going on about random topics, gossiping, and things like that. Wally looked like he'd completely forgotten he was even hurt at all. Kuki laughed at a joke he told, before shifting the subject.

"…It was really nice of you to take off like that, looking for Mushi," she stated, suppressing a smile. Wally paused for a minute, surprised by the sudden change in topics.

"Well, yeah.. I guess," he replied a little meekly, looking at his feet with a smile, and rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't want you to lose her, now did I? I'd feel horrible!" he chuckled.

She giggled as well. "It was still really sweet. So thank you Wally." She looked at him with a smile, her face turning a very slight shade of red.

He held her gaze, returning the warm smile. "Don't mention it," he said. After a pause he added "Sooo, about the physics work… I still ain't gettin' it."

She laughed some, promising that he wouldn't be leaving her house until he was a proper scientist, and they both stood up to head for the living room. To their amusement, they found Mushi was in there too, napping on Wally's still open textbook.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. But I did turn one into a cat. :3

Woo! That story almost wrote itself! Yeah! I feel accomplished! MOTIVATION! …. Ahem. Anyways, that's all for now. Thank you again for reading. Really, I can't say that enough times. It's awesome that you read my story. You're awesome. Go have an awesome day, you awesome person! *Thumbs up* I might write some additional spinoff junk for this oneshot. Perhaps. Maybe. Possibly. I like its environment… Hmm. But at just over 2000 words, I'd say that this is fine for now. Time to go to bed.

Reviewing and awesomeness go hand in hand. It's proven by SCIENCE!
DQFM