The Cat Returns
(Untitled, but there were some good ideas! Any more?)
by uplifted

The sun set as she was walking, but darkness didn't bother Haru. She just quickened her steps, mentally preparing her apology text to Hiromi. First, she'd just have to find her stupid cell – it was probably in her room. Sighing, Haru made a list of things she needed to do before school began. She'd just gotten to 'clean her room' when the strange ringing bells and lyrical music of the Cat Realm stopped her cold. Coming from the alley directly in front of her came a procession of upright cats – nothing like it had been almost a year ago. In fact, it was only a small group of courtiers, the black and white bodyguards and Natoru.

Haru wanted to kick the jerk.

It had been an entire year since she'd seen hide or hair from the Cat Kingdom. Why had that messenger/catnapper come here now?

"Hey babe." Came the casual greeting of the scraggly, odd eyed King. Or was Lune the King now?

"Hello." Haru said through gritted teeth, determined to be polite. Even if the cat was eyeing her a little too familiarly for her taste.

"Miss Haru! Miss Haru!" came the familiar chant of Natoru. A sigh escaped her then, and she turned towards the little cat.

"What do you cats want?" She asked, perplexion plain on her face.

"Well, Miss Haru," the servant cat stepped forward, "The Cat King has formally renounced his title, and Prince Lune has married his fiancée. Now that his son is governing the Kingdom, the Cat King has decided to explore the home world of his daughter-in-law. But-" Natoru was cut off, as the King himself swaggered over to Haru.

"See babe, I need a place to stay. You wouldn't put an old cat out on his own luck in a strange world, would you?" The old cat attempted to look pleadingly innocent.

Haru wasn't having any of it.

"You tried to force me to marry you! Because of you, I would have been stuck as a cat!" The King grinned. "Hey! You little jerk, what makes you think you can stay with me?"

"'Cause, Princess, you need me." The king's odd comment – almost a threat – was her only warning before splitting pain rippled throughout her body.

She couldn't speak. She crumpled to her knees like a grade-schooler, robbed of the power to stand. Her body felt like it had been struck by lightning and battered by hammers at the same time – tingly with charged energy and aching pain. She clutched feebly at her ears, the focal point of the pain and panted to try and relieve the pressure.

"Aw… Is my little Princess in pain? Don't worry. It'll pass." And the king sounded incredibly smug.

He remembered. His little Haru had almost been a feline. A few more well placed thoughts and the transformation would have been complete! That spell had taken hours to prepare – it was so complex, the King himself hadn't known if it would work outside of the Kingdom's perimeters. The fact that it pained her shouldn't have surprised him – after all, this wasn't his world.

"What the heck was that?" she hissed through her clenched teeth after the pain had passed. Tears had gathered in her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of the despotic animal. Suddenly, she grabbed the king's scruff behind his head, and shook him hard.

"What did I ever do to you, you horrible creature?" She asked, torn between violence and running away. Certainly she was faster than this old thing.

"Hey!" Cried the King, while his courtiers and guards all exclaimed in horror. Haru stood, still holding the cat, and glared at him. "What is going on?!" She yelled the last word, certain that she was disturbing her neighbors, but beyond caring.

"Well, you see, it's uh, erm," Natoru seemed hesitant to explain, obviously afraid of attracting Princess Haru's ire.

"Your time of the month, Haruuu?" said the perverted King with a lecherous grin, oblivious to the descending hand that smacked his head so hard, his eyes were no longer crossed. "Ouch…" He muttered, not even landing on his feet like a proper cat when Haru dropped him to the ground.

"Sire!" His courtiers, bodyguards and messenger surrounded him protectively.

"Miss Haru!" Natoru began reproachfully, but couldn't continue. "Where did she go?"

Running flat out for a full five minutes had replaced the adrenaline that had begun to course through her veins. Depleted and hot, she made her way home, trudging her way through the doorway, and making her sluggish way through her thoughts.

"I'm home." She called tonelessly, making her way to the kitchen.

"Oh Haru, welcome home." Her mother called, busy stenciling her next quilt. "Are you making dinner tonight?"

"Yeah." And Haru, lost in her thoughts, ran on auto-pilot.

Dinner was quiet – mother and daughter were lost in their own thoughts.

"Hey Mom?" Haru finally asked, munching on her average cooking.

"Yes dear?"

"Remember that time you told me about the kitten talking?"

"Yes," her mother leaned back, fondly recalling the event. "You were so cute."

"As opposed to now?" Haru looked disgruntled.

"Oh hush, you troublesome daughter." But she said it with a smile. "Why?"

"Oh. Well, I was wondering if I said anything like that…y'know? Another time?"

Haru's mother relaxed in her chair, digesting her food, and Haru's words. Haru had cleaned the kitchen and cleared the food in exasperation by the time her mother chimed back, "Not that I can think of. But you've always attracted cats."

"Great." Haru muttered as she made her way to her room. Studying was no fun, but she had procrastinated until the last minute for a large test. "Cats."

Haru fell asleep at her desk that night and had dreams of acing her exams.

TBC! A little more action to actually start the story off. Hope everyone enjoyed!