Chapter 2
"Hey Muta," Toto said, looking down from his pedestal. "I wouldn't go in just now, he's doing it again." The two, it would be easy to say, didn't always exactly get along, but there had been and still occasionally were times when the cat and the bird banded together, on the same side of an argument.
"Yeah, I can hear it," the cat replied, cocking his ear to the Bureau door.
Since they had saved Haru from the Cat Kingdom three years before, the Baron had been playing one particular record on his phonograph a lot. He would stare into space and for all appearances forget that the world even existed.
He had been spring cleaning earlier, but he had put an LP on to keep him company while he dusted, and his hand had found this particular one, and the cleaning had stopped.
"How's Haru?" the crow asked, shaking a few feathers loose.
"She's growing up," Muta said, resting against the tall pillar and staring up at the sky. It was nearly sunset, and the roof on the world was changing colour, no longer just blue, but orange and gold as well.
"It happens," the bird conceded, bowing his large head. "She couldn't remain a sweet young girl forever I suppose."
The record finished. Muta heard the last note and hurried to the door. He had to talk to the Baron before the figurine could start it again.
"Baron!" it was a close thing, the needle had been almost down at the beginning again. Muta suppressed a sigh of relief as he watched the doll turn off the phonograph to listen to what he had to say.
"Ah, Muta, how has your day been?"
"I went to see Haru," the guaranteed way to get the Baron's attention, though the doll would never think about it as such; but he always paid more attention when the young lady was involved.
"Indeed, and how is she?"
Toto opened the balcony window and let himself into the Bureau. He wanted to hear what else Muta had to say about the girl. From the way the large feline had moved for the door when the music finished, it had to be important, or at least interesting.
"She's leaving for University on Monday," he announced, taking his usual seat on the Baron's couch.
"She's certainly growing up then. What will she be studying?" asked the Baron, almost in that dream-like state again, like when he was listening to the music.
"She's got an arts scholarship, but she also wants to do teaching."
"That's wise, having a backup just in case art falls through," said the crow.
"I don't think she really needs it. She showed me this painting she did, looked good to me. I don't know anything about art though, said she ought to show it to the Baron," Muta answered, turning to answer the large bird.
"Oh? So is she going to visit us?" Toto asked, just a little excited.
"Nah, the picture's too big for her to carry it here. She's invited all of us over to her place for a little goodbye party on Sunday afternoon, since she'll be leaving the next day. Said she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye," the white cat added, tickling behind his own brown ear, trying to recapture the feeling of Haru rubbing it just the right way.
"Us leave the refuge?" Toto seemed to be the only creation taking part in the conversation; the Baron was only listening, slowly drinking his tea. There was the same expression on his face as when he was listening to that music.
"Well? It's been done before, and this is for a really good cause. Would you want Haru to leave town without saying goodbye and good luck?" Muta pointed out.
"No," the Baron said, just quietly. Chicken and Marshmallow turned to the gentleman cat. "We'll go on Sunday, it would be inexcusable to not at the very least wish her well with her future before she leaves."
"Good!" Muta was pleased that it had been so quick and easy. Of course, if the Baron had been faster in beginning the record again, the telling of such news and passing of the invitation would have been put off. It could well easily have been put off until the Sunday in question, by which time it may have been too late.