He was returning from a long journey, in a world where emotions were common. It was dangerous, but he had to retrieve something for his mother. In order for her to live she must have a specific item from her old home.
The young man walked quickly back to the location of the portal...A castle near a river. He walked into the castle and headed to the northwing on the second floor. There was a hidden room within the walls of the river castle which held his way home.
As he read the map he found he had reached the portal to his home, he came across a door. A door he had not seen when he passed this hall many a time in search for it.
It was red with golden engravings. His blood began to churn and he started to walk towards it. The man turned the handle and entered the mysterious room.
It was dark and musty with dust hanging in the air, visible by the light the window provided. The furniture was covered with white sheets and as he walked around the room the floorboards creaked underneath him.
Standing in the middle of the room was a large oval shaped object hidden underneath a sheet layered with dust. What little emotions he possessed drew him towards it, and he grasped the thin fabric and pulled it off in one sweep, sending the particles of lying dust to fly about the air and blind him.
Coughing and fanning the air trying to rid the foul specks, he could make out the figure of a person.
Once the dust had gone, he was able to see it was his reflection in a large silver engraved mirror. Rust had touched the looking glass here and there yet the smooth surface emitted a cool air that was welcoming in the suffy room.
The mirror had nearly flawless glass besides the rust that had sustained. The sliver seemed to shimmer as the light hit its tarnished skin. The engravings were bold and extravagant yet had a calm curve to it that wove together like rivets and waves of a fair maiden's hair. Yet it had an indecisive look about it, as if nothing could quite explain it.
Although none of these things came to mind for as the young man touched the smooth cold surface of the mirror a portal of his homeland appeared. Finding that this must be the way back to his realm he pushed through.
Although little did he know that someone had followed him...
Maps, books, and papers lay across the floor as three beings study them. They've been there for several hours, having Toto fly between places in search for maps.
''Are you sure he said 'Bad Ems'?'' Baron said looking at a map of Australia.
''Yes, If we can figure out where that is, we might figure out the location of the red and gold door with the mirror!''
''What else did the little punk say about it?'' Muta's gruff voice came from behind a map of Russia.
''Muta, Zurlo isn't that bad!,'' Haru said as she put her map of Ireland and Whales to her finished pile and started on a map of the Netherlands.
''He's completely insane! He should be put in the loony bin!''
''Muta, that's enough.'' Baron glared overtop of his map.
''Fine. Whatever. But didn't he say that the Anger Managment King was from Ring La Chris er somethin?''
'' Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, dearie. It's another world. It might hold some connection to this one, but alas I know little of this realm, haha.'' Zurlo said from the archway between the hall and the main room.
''Bad Ems...Rhein-Lahn-Kreis...Nassau?''
''Baron? Is something wrong?''
''Frau Imagina Gespenst Legende!''
''What?''
''The Ghost Legend of Lady Imagina. It's an old story I remember hearing back in Germany! It said that a woman name Imagina fell in love with a king named Nassau, who ruled over a providence of some kind called Rhine. Lahn was a river that ran through it! It reached around through a town called Bad Ems! The two districts merged to form the Rhein-Lahn district.''
''So, you're saying...''
''There is a place in the Rhein Lahn district with a red and gold door room that within it contains the mirror.''
''If Nassau was a king, then wouldn't he have a castle?'' Muta asked.
Baron and Haru looked at each other then nodded.
''Get your things, Muta.''
''Oh no..''
''We're going to Germany!''
It was late in the night when heard it. The opening of a window...from her missing daughter's room.
The past few weeks had been treacherous for her. The last thing she heard from her child was the day she had dressed up for school. And then...nothing?
The woman tried everything short of calling the police, until it was absolutely necessary. She called all her daughters friends, some close classmates, the school. Mrs. Yoshioka tried some of her daughters favorite places and even her job. Close to three days of searching she had called to file a missing persons report and no sooner did she find that her daughter had a rather violent argument with a boy named Machida.
Hiromi told her of this encounter and how odd Haru had been acting ever since the day she had gotten all those horrible pranks, with the cat nip, mice in her locker, and the cat tails. This eventually led up to Hiromi revealing the day before the pranks, when Haru risked her own life to save a cat from becoming roadkill.
came to the conclusion that Adolphomus had gotten his revenge and that no one could bring her Haru back.
That was nearly 3 weeks ago...
So you can imagine her mind when she hears something come from her daughters bedroom.
That is why wasted no time jumping out of bed and scurrying upstairs to the room as quietly as she could be, as to not alarm the intruder.
She leaned her ear against the door and heard hushed whispers.
''Don't make to much noise, or we'll be caught.''
''What are ya looking at me for, Chicky?!''
''SHH! Because of that! Just let me get the things I need and we'll be off to Germany.''
She could hear rustling and the closet doors opening along with a few creaks of the floor boards.
''Where is it? Where is it?," Naoko could hear some rustling of drawers,"I can't find it! She must have moved it. No wonder why I haven't bumped into anything, she must have cleaned!''
''What are you looking for?'' A new voice, British she noted, asked.
''The cow alarm clock.''
''Do you really need it?'' The gruff one said.
''Yes! It has the key to the box with my money and passport!''
''Alright Haru, was it turned on before you left?''
...Haru?
''Yes. My mother must have took it because of the noise!''
That girl has a lot of explaining to do!
''Then where would it be?''
''You guys go check the kitchen and living room. I'll look in the quilting room...''
Naoko threw the door open, preparing to demand an explanation out of her daughter when she stopped mid breath to take in the scene in her daughter's bedroom..
There was an unbelievably beautiful woman standing beside the dresser, clutching a metal box. On the dresser was a half human half cat..thing- which was staring back at her with alarm. Her eyes darted to the desk and open window where a rather fat- and familiar- cat sat next to a crow perched on the desk chair.
It was then that she screamed.
The intruders sprung into action. The girl suddenly shrunk and ran out into the hall while the fat cat jumped out the window onto the tree branch. The crow flew towards the little creature as said creature was running towards the edge of the dresser, preparing to jump.
That was when Naoko took the lacrosse stick and batted the bird into the opposite wall causing the creature to get caught in the net instead of onto the crow.
Then they both screamed at each other before she chucked the thing into her daughter's chest.
''Baron!"
THE CROW TALKED!
She hit it with the lacrosse stick again.
''OW! LADY-"
"Miss Yoshioka, we mean you no harm!," the thing in the chest called out.
Naoko threw the lacrosse stick at the bird before grabbing the blanket off the bed and trapping the bird before she locked it in the closet. Then she heard the door start to open.
"MOM! STOP-" she slammed into the door, stopping the shrinking woman from entering. She locked that door too and barricaded it with the dresser for good measure.
"Mom! Listen to me-"
"I don't know who you are, but you are not my daughter!"
"Mom-"
"She's tellin' ya the truth!" came the gruff voice from the window...from the fat cat…
"WHY ARE ALL THESE ANIMALS TALKING!?"
"Listen will ya! Chicky out there is really your daughter! She just looks a little differn't that's all."
"Mom, please open the door!"
"I-"
"Just 'ear us out," the cat pleaded.