Haru sat on the altar feeling her face for a few moments. She was in shock, before she snapped out of it, her scream echoing throughout the forest. Baron and Muta lowered their ears in pain. Haru gripped her face panting and repeating herself.

"No no no no no." Baron approached her and put a hand on her shoulder, she jumped.

"Sorry, Haru we can reverse this. Once we return to the castle Mobius can examine the magic." She nods hesitantly and stood up, legs wobbling beneath her.

Before she could fall Baron had her in his arms. Leaving a small magic beacon before carrying her out of the clearing. Mobius stood outside the forest waiting for them. His eyes widening at the sight if Haru who had, for the most part, calmed down.

"Is this, your human friend?" Baron nodded and walked closer. "A curse, I should have thought better than this."

"A curse?!" Haru looked up the old man. "You said magic couldn't harm us with the pins on."

"A curse is a little different than the magic the pin was intended to ward off. It did however do it's job to some degree." Baron raised an eyebrow looking down as Haru. "The curse was meant to kill her instantly, most likely as a sacrifice. However the pin weakened the curse significantly, in doing so it warped your form."

Haru looked down and nodded lightly the pin was warped as well, melted slightly. She looked up to Baron and smiled lightly. Baron returned the smile as best he could.

"Baron, you will need to find a way to break the curse, otherwise she will die. The pin seems to have given her a year."

"Why can't you break it?" Haru returned her gaze to the old man. "You have magic don't you?"

He chuckled before responding. "Ah yes, but I am old, and this curse is still more powerful than what I can do for you. Baron however does have the ability to break this curse."

Mobius wouldn't say anymore to the group and opened a portal for them to return to the sanctuary.

oo0oo

"What good is a wizard who can't help break a curse?" Muta grumbled.

"Curses are more powerful than most magic Muta. They are usually broken by specific requirements being met." Baron paced behind his desk, hat in the desk.

Haru had passed out on the couch using Muta as a pillow. He didn't complain but was happy Toto wasn't there at the moment. Baron stopped pacing to walk over to the now half-cat. She was beautiful, light brown fur, short brown head fur/hair. This form was reminiscent of her cat form, with more human qualities of course.

"Mobius informed me recently that he can't get the answer breaking the curse. The sorcerer who did this refuses to tell him. We're on our own to figure it out."

Haru shifted slightly yawning and stretching, her brown eyes opening blinking a few times to get rid of the sleep. She looked around and sighed sadly, realizing it wasn't a dream. Muta took this time to climb off the couch and leave the building.

"Baron..." Haru said, Baron looked to her. "This still isn't a dream is it. I keep telling myself it is."

Baron shook his head and took a step closer to her offering his hand. She took and tried to stand, her legs wobbled lightly but she stood with little help. Her tail waved behind her and ended up moving around and into her face.

"Ppfptt. Out of my face tail." She batted it away with a hand and sighed, Baron held back a chuckle.

"You'll get control of it, if we figure out how to break this curse soon you won't need to." She nodded in response and took a few more experimental steps, the tail throwing her off a little. "We need to make a trio to the cat kingdom, you'll need new clothing for your, current situation."

"It's fine Baron, I have... I see the issue with my old clothes now." Indeed she was much too small to fit in any of her old clothing, the added tail would be an issue as well. "Very well, if we need to go the cat kingdom let's go."

oo0oo

Going through the portal this time was about the same as last. Haru opened up her eyes and was staring up into the sky. She stood and dusted the dirt off her clothes and sighed looking around. The familiar calm feeling of the cat kingdom rushing over her. Baron stepped out of the portal behind her.

"How is it you can walk through the portals so easily?" Baron smiled gently.

"Many years of practice miss Haru. Lune and Yuki should be meeting us soon." Baron sent word ahead of time to avoid any surprise from the residents cats.

As if responding to Baron's statement Yuki and Lune appeared over a hill and started in their direction. Haru smiled at the sight of Yuki and moved to meet them halfway. Yuki and Haru hugged one another while Lune shook Baron's hand with his paw.

"When you said Haru had changed I didn't think it would be like this." Lune turned to the half-cat in question. "I honestly only expected her to be older."

"Ah yes, well I agreed to take her for a bit if adventuring. I'm afraid things went south." Baron looked down at his cane resting his hand on top of it.

"It's not your fault Baron, I wanted to come didn't I." Haru walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Besides there is still a year, the worst that will happen is I'm a half-cat for 363 days."

Baron nodded, he wouldn't let Haru die, not without trying everything to save her. He shook his head of his thoughts and smiled.

"Queen Yuki, I was hoping you and your tailors might be able to assist miss Haru with acquiring new clothing?" Yuki nodded and took Haru's hand dragging her towards the castle.

"Don't worry Baron she'll have a full wardrobe before I let her leave." Yuki giggled as Haru protested quietly before giving up.

"What's this about a year Baron?" Lune turned back to the orange half-cat.

"That would be another thing i wished to speak to you about Lune. Could we discuss this in private?" Lune nodded and started towards the castle, Baron in tow.

Lune led them through the castle halls and into a small office. The room had a door, one of the few in the entire kingdom. Lune shut and locked it turning to Baron.

"This is the most private place i can provide for the moment. Now please what is happening with Haru."

"Well, her current form wasn't intenional. The curse was meant to kill her instantly, but thanks to a bit if protection from a friend it simply changed her form, and gave her one year to live. We don't know the conditions to break the curse, I was hoping you or someone in the kingdom might have an idea?"

Lune nodded. "I know a few cats that could help you out. They're not very friendly though."

oo0oo

Haru huffed quietly looking at herself in the mirror, she was in her fifth dress now, a dark green with sea green gloves and white slippers. Yuki was watching her like she was a child staring at their favorite doll.

"Yuki this really isn't necessary, surely we can just settle on some more modern clothes?" Yuki tilted her head.

"This is modern for me Haru, I know the human world has very different styles. We don't have access to the materials the humans use in most of their clothes. That and you look amazing in these dresses Haru."

"I... Thank you Yuki, but I can't accept these with no way of repaying you."

"You already did so much for me and Lune. More for the kingdom if I think about it, a few dresses is hardly anything if you think about that."

Haru sighed in defeat and smiled at her reflection. She did like the way the dresses felt and looked. she spun around a little and giggled. She than noticed the line of servants holding dresses behind Yuki, she slouched a little and grumbled. 'Today is going to be a long day, at least I can't be turned into a cat. More cat.'

oo0oo

Dinner was served hours later, Haru had barely finished trying on dresses before being pushed towards the private dining room. Lune and Baron were seat having a quiet conversation when Yuki and Haru arrived. Baron stared a little in awe at Haru. She had the Green dress and gloves on again.

"Hi Baron, like the dress?" Haru asked blushing a little.

"It's beautiful Haru." He smiled and turned to Yuki. "My guess would be there's many more?" Yuki nodded.

"As promised Baron, Haru has a full wardrobe of 12 dresses and two nightgowns. It was difficult getting her to accept that many." Haru shrugged and walked over taking a seat next to Baron.

"I never wore dresses, it was difficult to choose, and I didn't want all of them. There were a lot."

"I can look through them Yuki, I'm certain I can choose a few more dresses for miss Haru." Baron raised a gloved hand before Haru could complain. "Now now Haru, 12 dresses is hardly a wardrobe, than again we can always get a copy made of the dresses you chose." Haru nodded at that. "Ah good, could you que-"

"Just Yuki is fine Baron, and I'd be more than happy to have extras made." Haru sighed sadly.

"You really don't have to Yuki, I'm perfectly fine with the ones I have."

"I don't have to, I'd like to though." The conversation was silenced by the arrival of the cat chefs.

Fish, cooked unlike last time, some kind of soup, and some light orange drink. Haru waited for Lune and Yuki to take their servings before taking her own, tasting the fish her eyes lit up.

"This is delicious." The chef grinned and bowed leaving the room.

"Try the peach juice Haru." Yuku said pouring her a cup. Haru tried it and her smile widened.

"I was worried I would have different tastes after this whole thing."

"Well cats love peaches Haru." Lune brought up. "So it is possible that your tastes have still changed."

Baron nodded his plate empty. Haru tilted her head.

"Baron, aren't you going to eat?" He shook his head.

"No miss Haru, being a creation I need to eat very rarely." Haru nodded nibbling on a piece of fish.

"Wait a minute, I don't even like fish!"

oo0oo

Haru and Baron were given rooms to stay a night in. Next to one another per Baron's request. Not that he planned to sleep much that night, he was reading anything in the library that could help him with Haru's curse.

"Any luck Baron?" Lune's voice echoed through the large library. "It is getting quite late for your world, perhaps you should be off to bed?"

"I haven't found anything Lune." He sighed closing the latest book. "I can not rest until I figure something out."

"Baron you have a year to figure this out, I think for now you can afford to rest. That and the cats I told you about will arrive after you and Haru have woken." Baron nodded slowly and started to put the books back. "Don't worry about the books Baron, the librarians could take care of it for you."

"I know Lune, I prefer to pick up my own messes." Baron stopped looked to Lune and headed for the door. "However I will be glad to comply this time, sleep sounds wonderful."

Baron walked down the halls and to his room, stopping at the door. He turned to Haru's room and stepped towards it pulling the curtains aside to look inside. Haru slept peacefully on the bed, a ray of light close to hitting her face. Baron entered silently moving to the curtains in the window and adjusting them ridding the room of most light. Smiling he made his way back to the door stopping as Haru moved slightly.

"Baron?" She asked sleepily.

"Yes Haru?" He whispered.

"This isn't so bad, maybe I can stay like this if we break the curse." Baron didn't reply, but couldn't help but smile. "Good night Baron."

"Good night Haru."

This will definitely take a lot longer to type out, mostly because I have less time to, and partly because I am home from a trip to Florida. I'm hoping people get a chance to read this, I'm quite happy about it due to me taking more time with it.