He Loves Me Or Not
Disclaimer: I do not own The Cat Returns or the characters.
Authors Note: Hi Folks, this is my very fist attempt to type up a story. So you might find few errors in it (yah, treasure hunt or grammar hunt, ah whatever) anyways the story will probably be a tad rough but I'll most likely improve as the story continues. Reviews are most welcome if anyone wishes to give me tips or advice. Well, I hope you'll enjoy it!
Chapter 1: Impression on the Past
"Oh my, where in all the heavens could she be?"; a frantic maid by the name of Adia was searching the halls of her mistress's home that resembled the likeness of one of the great man made wonders of the world. The only difference would be that her mistress had her home made entirely out of the precious greenish blue turquoise as a way of bringing joy and life to all who dwell under her protection.
But as of late over the last few centuries, Adia being a personal maid, has noticed that her beloved mistress has become less lively in her routine and more secluded to her prized gardens.
With a sudden stroke of realization, Adia made a hasty retreat towards the lotus garden.
In the large vicinity of where only vegetation was allowed to grow, there sat a petite figure on the limestone bench. A woman who held unlimited power and authority in her wake.
Asides from power, this woman was different from any other. She held in her possession the built and size of a slim human female, but had characteristics resembling a feline.
She contained a fur coat with the color of dark lavender that appeared to almost be black. Claws to her padded hands. A muzzle for a mouth. Triangular ears for sensitive hearing. Whiskers for unseen senses. A small black nose for smell. Finally, a tail that exposed her emotions with every swish in the way.
Those who took into account to gaze at her appearance could tell she was very attractive. She wore a white tunic made from delicate linen with a golden sash tied around her waist. Her shoulder length black hair enticed with perfume and her being practically dripped with jewels and gold to display her high position.
In a state of a trance, she gazed at the surface of the large pool of water. Watching the lotus flowers drift around from one end to the center and finally to the opposite end. In an endless cycle of drifting and never getting anywhere.
In that regard, it reminded the mistress of her existence. Unlike most people, she knew and served her purpose; so long as time and the earth remained in existence. But the world's time has changed since her existence was known to all and her duty became less significant.
'Do I still have a reason to interact with the world? Should I keep my title? Do I even deserve to call myself the great Ba-'
"Mistress!.. Mistress, I have been scurrying around the area trying to find you. If you intend to drift off on your own, I would greatly appreciate it if you would at least tell me or someone where you go." Adia expressed in one quick breath while trying to sound firm but failed miserably; unknowingly breaking her mistress's trail of thought.
"Adia, I no longer see the significance of trying to keep me under constant surveillance when no one outside of my domain can enter without my permission. After all, who would try to harm someone with my power let alone someone who is believed to be a myth?" she ended with a sigh in a tired tone.
"Mistress! You shouldn't speak of suck things of one's self!" Adia exclaimed in horror.
With restrained irritation, the mistress motioned her maid to sit on the grass close to her occupied seat. While tucking her legs underneath her to use as a cushion against the hard stone, her mistress laid her hands in her lap and began to feel the smooth skin against her furry hands as a means to draw comfort while deep in thought, wondering if this unnamed emptiness that keeps growing will ever subside or if it will eventually consume everything from the inside out until nothing remained.
"Mistress, if I may make a suggestion. Why not gaze upon the pool's reflection and see how your subjects on the earth's surface are fairing among the mortals?' Adia asked in fear of seeing her mistress return to a world of sad silence.
"Mmmm..." The mistress contemplated on this idea as if to appear in deep thought when really her thoughts were screaming to do something, instead she remained calm with a detached expression.
"Very well, I see no harm in peering into how well the lives of my subjects are fairing with the absence of my presence."
As she spoke her words, her hand raised to form a small, slow circle to transform the magic on the pool into a looking glass. As the water swirled with the lotus flowers, an image of a small boy appeared with sandy blond hair and ice blue eyes who seemed to be around the ages of three and four was playing with a small brown kitten.
The two in the image seemed to be playing a game from what the mistress could tell of follow the leader. The small boy would follow where the kitten would take him at a quick crawl for a while until the kitten decided to follow the boy when something shiny gleamed in the sunlight as it played a soft note in the breeze. The kitten would pout at the sudden intrusion of their game and gave the small child a couple of licks on his cheeks, nose, and eyelids for good measure until the child was rolling with laughter and would give the happy kitten another chase. At this delightful sight, the mistress's heart melted for only a fraction of a second before the pool swirled again, reveling different images similar to the first.
Eventually, the images changed from the backyards of small homes and the dark streets of alleyways to an image full of long grass that the mistress recognized as cattails as they eagerly soaked in the sunshine. Beyond the field of cattails there was some type of structure out in the center of the field with walls that curved in a cone like tower.
With a quick wave of her hand, the mistress zoomed in on the image to see that it was indeed a castle carved in yellow stone with red markings scattered in a decorative fashion. This palace was unlike any other the mistress had seen in the world of the humans. For its unique style and architecture could only be found in the one kingdom the mistress herself created as a sanctuary for all her subjects, who could no longer live in the world with the humans. This was one of the last places on earth that actually worshiped her as their savior in the early years of the earth.
The cat kigdom.
Surprisingly, seeing the same magnificent stone that she had designed and labored; to be still in one piece somehow brought comfort in mind.
From the corner of her eye, Adia could see the faint smile on her mistress's muzzle, secretly making her smile in pleasure before returning her attention back to the pool.
Out of sheer curiosity, the mistress zoomed even further toward the palace to get a full view of her only remaining masterpiece in the mortal world. The more the mistress saw of her work, the bigger her smile grew with pride.
Finally, the pool showed her the back of the palace where she knew a maze was placed as a way to protect the only gateway to and from the kingdom. Beyond the maze was a tower that was higher than the palace to reach the entrance of Cat's Paw Lake.
'Wait...'
"The tower is shorter?" The mistress cried in horror as she quickly rose from her seat.
Adia was silently startled by her mistress's sudden outburst and remained where she sat as she fearfully watched her mistress slowly become angry with each breath she took.
"Who or what has done such a deed as to cause My tower to shrink down half its size?"
She strode towards the edge of the pool and with a stiff command.
"Show me the events that has caused the tower to callapse."
The water swirled once again to display a different image.
What was shown in the water confused the mistress to see some sort of ball that contained nobles and lords from different sections of the world as well as the king who is in charge of the land with a variety of delicacies scattered among the tables.
In the center of a ring of cats, their were two felines who were dancing. One was male with a blue suite and hat who wore a mask to disguise his face even though his fur was obviously sunshine orange. The other was a female with a tan fur color who wore a buttercup yellow dress.
The partners danced in a fluid grace that sparked a style that was unfamiliar to the mistress but peaked her interest to learn. Eventually, the dancers stopped and was now being attacked by large green cats as all the other cats ran out of the room. However, the mistress was not interested in them, but rather kept her golden eyes on the cat who removed the mask to show her not only a creamy color around his muzzle to match his orange fur, but a pair of deep green eyes.
These eyes were unlike any other pair she has seen in the years she has lived in existence.
'Like lily pads that live in the pool itself.'
The mistress became in tranced by this mysterious cat that moved and fought with strength and grace as he and his small group traveled through the maze. At this point now, she began to take in his full form and was started to see that not only was he fully clothed but also had the built of a human male with hands and feet.
'Oh my...'
The young cat picked the girl who now sported short blue clothes up in his arms and carried her up the tower that was now in its full height. The mistress's heart practically skipped a beat at the cat's actions. Then all too soon her heart stopped cold to see a purple ragged cat that pushed a button on a small box as the tower blew puffs of dust clouds at random before shooting down to the ground.
The mistress quickly zoomed in on the inside of the tower to see if the brave cat survived from the fall. With a heavy sigh of relieve, the orange cat walked out of the destruction as if nothing had happen.
The truth of the tower's devastation made clear was now completely forgotten as she continued to watch the progress of the cat as he fenced the purple cat with eyes of red and blue. With one swing, the daring cat won in less than five seconds as the jewel crumbled along with the rest of most of his fur.
'Impressive'
Finally, the image disappears from the pool as the seen finishes with the handsome cat flying on a dark colored bird with another cat dangling from below. The mistress continued to stare at the now blank pool as her thoughts turned towards the wondrous orange colored cat.
From behind, Adia continued to sit where she lay as she looked confusingly at her mistress who was displaying strange expressions through the entire process of the pool's images.
The mistress slowly turned her head to show an actual huge smile on her muzzle that somehow gave Adia the impression that a plan was forming in her mistress's mind.
"Adia..."
'Oh dear..' "Yes mistress."
"I believe its high time that I started inviting some guests here. Don't you?"
"Yes mistress, uh.. Who shall I invite?"
"Only three... Toto, Muta, and... Baron."
Authors Note: Well, how's that so far? Sound good? Ok.
I'd like to give a big shout out to all the other authors who worked hard on all the stories that are posted. They are all amazing and well thought out. You guys are awesome to have such unique imaginations.
Oh.. I have question for all of you.
Can anyone take a guess at who the mistress is?
If you guess right, then your either really observant or Im really obvious.