Haru's Return to the Cat Kingdom & The Baron's Past
Contents:
Part 1: Haru's Return
Part 2: The Old Woman's Gift
Part 1:
Haru's Return
Chapter 1: The Ambiguous Note
Haru felt a large sigh escape her lips on her way home from school. She'd fallen asleep in the library studying for finals again. And she'd barely gotten through the first unit this time.
It was her last year of high school now, and although she had been studying for entrance exams, she had no clue what she wanted to do the following year.
Hiromi would probably end up getting a scholarship for Lacrosse, the way she talked about how she'd been playing at her games lately. She would probably use it so she could go to University to become a social worker or something. Plus she'd actually ended up dating her crush, Tsuge, and they way things were heading with them they'd probably end up getting married.
She sighed again.
Why couldn't things have gone as smoothly as they had after, well, after her encounter in the cat world? She had been so full of confidence back then…a feeling of potential of things getting better. She needed that again…but she just couldn't stir it up.
She had no plans for her life, and no boyfriend. Machida and her had dated for a short while, but it didn't last long. It just wasn't…right. He was cool, and nice, but…she couldn't put her finger on it. They'd remained friends, but it just hadn't been as great as she thought. Ever since she'd returned from the Cat Kingdom, Machida just didn't seem as cool anymore. It had all become kind of mundane...
Maybe she needed to get out of this town…if she ever figured out what she wanted to do with her life.
She needed a good knock in the head. A fortune cookie with some profound and inspirational goo-ga that just might spring some inspiration and change into her life. Studying had become mind numbing, and nothing at school interested her. With graduation and prom closing in she had no date, and no clue of what she'd do after she got that diploma.
She just needed a bit of guidance. She wanted something new in her life. She was happy. It wasn't that she was depressed particularly…but there was something missing. Maybe, while she had been content and sure of herself, the world had decided to come in and catch up to her. The glass was half full…but there was still another half missing you know?
Was it that she needed adventure? Difference? And what occupation out of high school could give her that? What path was she supposed to take to become who she'd meant to be?
She felt her stomach gurgle, and rather loud at that. She'd skipped out on dinner today for a long nap at the library. She needed a snack. It was likely her mother didn't have much food in the house, considering she was always so busy. She was close to the shop where she'd always gotten those fish snacks. It was both a classic and a favourite, so it would have to work well enough.
Lately she'd seen an ash-grey tabby cat hanging around there. It hadn't been the first time she'd come here for an after school snack. Although she never heard it speak, she always gave it one or two of her fish. He reminded her of Yuki, only he never begged really like she did…the tabby was kind of a shy cat.
She wondered how Yuki was doing. Probably living a glamorous and happy life beside Prince Lune. By now she was probably Queen. She wondered why all cats didn't live there? Well she kind of understood why… the old Cat King had been quite a force to reckon with. He couldn't have been pleasant to have been ruled by.
She exited the shop with her snacks in hand, and sat on a bench outside. She didn't see the grey tabby this time. She really shouldn't have her mind on cats again anyway. She was Haru. Not Haru the Cat. She just wanted the Haru-Haru to figure out where she belonged in this world. But she couldn't help thinking, that with all of her close friends with boyfriends and dates for prom that she'd end up some crotchety old woman on her own. She pictured the image in her mind, and scowled at the thought.
She sighed again, crunching down on the cracker, the sound bringing her back to the world around her. She found herself looking at the tabby, who seemed, strangely not to notice her this time. It had a strange look on it's face, focused on the road ahead of it.
"Tabby!" She said, getting up. Was that the best name she could come up with? "Do you want a snack?"
The cat looked at her and she noticed it had a small piece of paper in it's mouth. Strangely it seemed hesitant to come near her this time.
"I'll eat them myself you know…" She said warning the cat. She didn't want to entrap it, but she was a bit lonely. "God knows I'm hungry enough for it..." She put one on the ground and the cat came in closer. Hesitantly it dropped the paper in it's mouth and began eating the snack.
Haru wondered what the paper was. Just a wrapper of something maybe? She took it between her finger and thumb delicately, in a hush attempt to sneak it away. However the cat suddenly had the other side of it in it's mouth, in an attempt to remove it from her grasp.
"Hey! What's that for!?" She said, tugging on it.
The cat countered, and with more force than she'd thought it had! It ripped the paper in two and went off with the half it still had managed to keep.
Haru stood there dumbfounded as the tabby ran off rather quickly around the corner. She looked at the paper in her hands. Strange symbols…kind of like the ones on the scroll the Cat King had given her to present her "gifts". But it was ripped in half now so it was only partially readable. A cat with a crown…and X mark… a clock…and half of…something…
She decidedly ran around the corner to see if she could get a glimpse of the tabby or where it went. Instead she saw a mostly empty street, covered with the shadows of a gradually lowering sun.
She sighed and walked down the main street, looking at the page. She absently put her bag and paper down at a nearby table, as she pulled out a chair to sit on.
"Hey, hold it missy, don't sit on me again! Just because you like to call me fat doesn't make me a throw pillow!"
