Chapter 2: The Cat Returns

Chapter cover (replace "*dot*" with "."): drive*dot*google*dot*com/file/d/1Zy-urutg-u0GUHI9kQuCtksOpXAv3kJ4/view?usp=sharing


"You better hurry up, or you'll be late!"

"Yes, mother, I'm coming!"

Haru barely managed to tie her hair properly before she hurriedly jogged through the dining room to the front door, where her mother stood, waiting.

"You haven't been late for anything since last year, you don't want to change that now, do you?" Mrs Yoshioka said with a smirk as her daughter was busy tying her shoelaces.

"No, I just spent a little more time tidying my hair, they're a huge mess this morning..."

"Hmm...well you better get moving, don't want to keep the lucky boy waiting, now."

"MUM!"

Mrs Yoshioka laughed at Haru's irritated, blushing face.

"You think you can hide your blush from me? You never had that before, only when last year, you just turned into a new person out of the blue. I was young once, Haru, believe it or not. I know what it looks like."

"...Fine..."

Haru grumbled as she tightened the last knot on her shoe.

"I'm on my way."

"Take care, Haru! Stay safe, love you!"

"Love you too, mum!"

With that, Haru went along her merry way. The Saturday streets were busy with pedestrians, cars come and go frequently, and the sounds of cheerful greetings rang through the shophouses. Haru had only one destination in mind; reaching the same crossroad, finding the same white cat, and back to the same magical realm. It wasn't long before the long, singular street split into four, and Haru was quick to notice a napping white cat. She quickly approached the fast-asleep bubble of fur.

"Hey, Muta."

"Hmm?"

A single lazy eye stared back at Haru as Muta woke from his slumber. The large cat sat up as a yawn split his sleepy face. As soon as Muta was done licking his lips, he hopped down from his silver bed and was on his journey to the Bureau. In a few short minutes, the atmosphere began to change, and the duo once again returned to the magical Cat Bureau, the statue of a crow stood high in the centre, surrounded by miniature buildings. Muta, having stood up on his hind legs, walked towards the large (relative to the building) wooden doors of the Bureau, the sweet smell inside diffused into the air outside almost immediately.

I missed this place already...

Haru peered inside the small building, hoping to see Baron's sharply dressed figure. She did. But Baron was doing something she had never seen him do. Baron was sitting on a chair dozing off, a book on his lap. Muta grumbled quietly as he walked towards the sleeping figure.

"Baron, wake up!"

No response.

"Baron, chicky's here, wake up!"

Silence.

Muta, slightly agitated, raised his voice.

"Get up, I say!"

Uh-oh.

"OI!"

Haru giggled as Baron nearly fell from the wooden chair as he was woken abruptly by nearly a hundred decibels right in his ear.

"Looks like Muta isn't the one that likes to sleep."

The brunette laughed as Muta grumbled loudly at her remark. Baron was busy shaking the confusion out of his head when his gleaming eyes caught sight of Haru.

"Oh...I'm awfully sorry, Miss Haru. I must've dozed off by accident..."

"No, no, don't be."

Baron looked apologetically at Haru before clearing his throat and glanced at the grandfather clock.

"It seems that you arrived just in time, Miss Haru. We can depart any time now."

Before Haru knew it, she heard the resonant, high pitched noise of a portal forming right behind her, followed by the sound of Toto's wings fluttering to life. Lune's head emerged from the portal as he peered over to see his guests. He greeted them with a big smile and hopped straight up through the portal and landed gracefully at the edge.

"Why, looks like we're all here! This portal lead straight to the castle, we can jump right in as soon as you're ready."

The sound of Baron engaging the locks on the bureau doors answered Lune's question.

"I'm ready to leave. Muta? Toto? Miss Haru?"

"Hmph."

"Yep."

"Yeah."

"If that's so, please follow me."

Lune led the way as he jumped straight into the interdimensional hole on the ground, disappearing into the glowing light beneath. Baron was the next to follow, Muta was about to follow suit before he came to an abrupt stop.

The portal was too tight of a fit.

Muta groaned as he realised that the size of the portal didn't suit him at all, if he tried to jump through it, he would surely get stuck. It seemed that the person at the other end acknowledged Muta's distress as the portal magically increased in size, allowing Muta to fit through.

Toto snickered behind Haru as he tried not to burst out laughing.

"Oi, don't get cocky there, chicken! You won't fit through that tiny hole either!"

Toto answered only by laughing harder.

Haru herself was busy holding in laughter at the sight of a grumpy Muta jumping through the portal, which he fit through with no issues. Haru felt a nudge behind her as Toto urged her to go on.

"Go on, Haru. I'll follow suit."

"Alright."

It wasn't until Haru walked in front of the portal that she realised she isn't one that can fit through the portal easily either.

Perhaps I shouldn't laugh at Muta earlier…

Haru carefully sat down at the edge of the portal, lowered both her legs into the portal first, before slipping her entire body through. It was quite a tight fit at the entrance, but the tight feeling disappeared as soon as she went through the other side, her body now shrunk immediately after passing through the portal. Haru landed with a slight stumble as she regained her balance after falling some distance. As soon as she regained her footing, she glanced around her surroundings; she seemed to be standing in the middle of a round room, or rather, a chamber of sorts, under her was a beautifully carved marble platform; a large, Muta-sized portal above her; surrounding her, smooth, marble walls, each with engravings of their own, and of course, Lune, Baron, and Muta are all on the other side of the room, waiting for her. Haru left the platform and stepped onto the carpet surrounding the centre of the room to reach her companions. Lune is the first to speak.

"How's the ride, Haru? I hope it's not too small."

"No, I fit just fine actually, thank you."

"Glad to hear that."

Their little conversation ended when they heard talon hitting marble, Toto was through. Haru's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the crow, having only saw Toto when she is human-sized, she forgot how large Toto is relative to Muta and Baron. Lune gathered their attention by clapping his paws.

"Looks like the party's all here! Since I have some more free time to spare, I'll take you all on a tour around the castle to familiarise a bit, show you where the important rooms are, in case you need them."

The group of five left the chamber, Haru looked back at the marble room again, the portal closed behind them, a small plate beside the entrance read: Portal Chamber.

Huh, I can suddenly read their weird cat language now…

Haru simply brushed her thoughts away as she followed behind Lune, going on a tour around the castle, and starting a brand-new journey in the Cat Kingdom. They entered a large hallway as soon as they exited the portal chamber, several cats could be spotted busily running around carrying plates and whatnot. They quickly arrived at two arch doors of sorts, covered only by two red curtains.

"This is the dressing room, some of you might remember them. The left room is for ladies, the right is for gentlemen. Whenever you feel like changing, all you have to do is walk in, the servants inside are always ready for guests."

Lune quickly introduced the dressing room to the group, pausing his steps while he was at it. Nostalgia swept through Haru as she stared at the two rooms, just one year ago, she was here getting dressed up as Lune's bride, while Muta almost got himself drowned in jelly. It felt like yesterday, and a thousand years ago at the same time.

"…And Muta, there's no food on the right room."

Only Haru giggled at the statement while both Baron and Toto were confused as to why Lune said it out of the blue. They quickly made their way to the stairwell, where two guards stood. Unlike the previous Cat King's guards, who only wore their green coat of fur, these wore uniforms, much like Lune's (then prince) personal guards when he came to Haru's rescue; however, these cats wore mostly white and gold, in contrast to the ones Lune had, who wore red and gold. These guards also carried a sword each.

"These are the Crown Guards. They are responsible for the safety of the Royal Family. If you are having trouble, just ask them for help, otherwise, please do not disturb them while they're doing their job."

The Guards simply stared straight ahead without moving, if one did not look closely, they didn't even look like they're breathing at all, much like one of the red coated Queen's Guards in England. As the group walked down the spiralling stairs, Lune whispered:

"You were lucky these guys weren't around when you made your escape, otherwise you'd have much more trouble."

After reaching the lower level of the castle, they walked through a few more hallways, passed by the washroom, before eventually reaching a balcony, overlooking the maze that guarded the tower, which housed the portal to the human world. Two cats stood at the end, a grey cat, and what seemed to be, Natoru, watching the cats beneath. The grey one turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps, green eyes staring back at them, the other seem to have noticed as they, too, turned around to meet their king, and guests.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, your majesty."

They all said and bowed in unison.

"Yes, my name is Natoru, Miss Haru, nice to see you again, welcome back!"

Before the grey cat can straighten himself, Natoru was already in front of Haru, shaking her hands enthusiastically, the biggest grin plastered on the brown cat's face.

"Yes, yes, Natoru. I'm glad to be back. Thank you."

"Miss Haru, please enjoy your stay in the Cat Kingdom, we promise to make this experience as wonderful as possible."

Natoru stepped back, giggling with that signature, dumb grin.

Good to see someone never changes…

"I am certain you have met my helpful servant, Natoru at one point or another. Guests, meet my adviser, Nagara. Natori, my father's advisor, retired alongside him. Nagara is my pick as the next Royal adviser, he earned the title as well. Nagara, allow me to introduce, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, Haru Yoshioka, Toto, and—don't be alarmed, Renaldo Moon, you can refer to him as Muta."

Nagara, the grey cat, stepped in front and bowed, one which Haru returned.

"Pleasant morning, ladies and gentlemen. The name is Nagara, at your service."

"It's our honour, Nagara."

Nagara smiled as a reply to Baron, his speech, polite; composure, professional. He wore similar clothing to the former Cat King's Royal Adviser. Even his facial features and slim build bears quite a resemblance to Natori; his son, perhaps? Nagara seemed to be at a similar age to Lune, albeit just a little shorter. His fur was well kept, and his blue eyes shone with intelligence. Overall, he looked like a rather likeable fellow.

"Now, it is important that you get in good terms with them, as they will be in charge of running the entire event and keeping things in check."

Lune declared to the group before turning around to face his servants.

"In a moment, I would like to take our guest to the Royal Court. Arrange some Guards for me, yes?"

"As you wish, sire."

With that, Nagara and Natoru left the scene, but not before Lune asked Nagara a question, softly.

"Say, where's Onyx?"

"He is busy at the barracks, sire."

"I see…get the sergeant then, he'll do."

"As you wish, sire."

Lune turned back to face his guests after his little conversation.

"You heard me, we're going to the Royal Court. Follow me, it's just a short walk to the place."

They began making their way down the stairs again, this time, leading to the massive doors of the castle. A pair of Guards opened them for their king, revealing two carriages, larger than the one Haru rode on her way into the castle, and grander, too. Surrounding them were escorts of about ten Crown Guards, some carrying shields, dressed for trouble instead of ceremony, a few of the brawnier green soldier cats, as well as Natoru and Nagara.

"We won't need the carriage, sergeant, the court is just a short walk from here."

"As you wish, your majesty."

"Move on, men! Push the carriage back!"

A ginger Guard gave orders to 4 other Guards as soon as Lune's order was passed down. He appeared to be the sergeant, as the coat he bore were slightly different than the others, his shoulder displayed markings that represented his rank. As soon as 4 other Guards came to fill in the vacant spot, they departed.

On their journey, Haru got the opportunity to soak in the beautiful scenery of the Cat Kingdom, the scattered little domes that became the homes of families of cats, the oceans of cattails and the wind-woken waves they make, the fading meows of cats playing in the tall grass, their tails occasionally appearing over the green before disappearing again inside it, painting an image one can never forget. Haru couldn't even blink at the heavenly sight before her, until she felt a prick in her mouth.

What is…am I growing fangs?

Haru looked down at her hands, well, they're paws now.

Well, I guess I couldn't help it.

She just shrugged as she diverted her focus away from her paws, this time, on her cat companions walking beside her. Muta looked a little out of breath, Baron looked as sharp as ever, Toto decided to take flight instead of hopping awkwardly, the rest of the escort and Lune walked quietly, the small crunches of their shoes seem to only come from Baron and Haru, as the rest chose to be barefooted.

Haru shifted her gaze back to the serene countryside of the Cat Kingdom, letting the morning breeze take away her mind as they continue their little walk to the Royal Court.

It felt like nothing could go wrong.

"ROBBERS! STOP THEM! STOP THEM!"

The wind blew Haru's mind right back at her when a shout pierced through the air. The escorts wasted no time as they drew their swords, their sharpened steel gleaming in the sun, they closed in to form a compacted phalanx, some cats raised and joined their shields to defend against any attack that might come their way. In just a split second, the peaceful countryside transformed into a war zone; the tranquillity that wafted through the air previously shifted dramatically to an electricity of tension, suspense, and fear. They walked right into a cliff edge.

Just moments afterwards, two cats bolted out of the tall grass and bushes, a black and brown blur darting across the road, following behind them were green soldier cats, clearly having trouble catching up with the much faster pair, but Baron was faster than both.

They must've not expected to run into the King's personal escorts as they stumbled for several milliseconds upon seeing what seemed to be a battle group in front of them, it was all Baron needed as he somehow slipped through the dense wall of Guards, cane swinging at the escapees' feet.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

With just three precise blows, the pair of greased lightning came to a grinding halt as they were both knocked down by the hard wood that is Baron's cane. Their attempt at regaining their footing was destroyed when the green soldiers finally caught up and slammed them right back down with a tackle, stopping their escape for good. They all got sand and soil on their faces when they were brought to a stand by the green soldiers, both looked hatefully at Baron.

"You all made so much fuss chasing us down, but are blind to who's the real danger!"

"Just look at that cat in the hat! He's not even cat! He's a damn FREAK!"

"I wonder if he even BLEEDS!"

"SHUT UP!"

One of the green soldiers snapped at them, silencing their protests.

"We're sorry, your majesty. These snakes are too slippery, we couldn't catch them in time."

"No need for apologies, just bring them to where they belong, job well done."

"Thank you, sire."

Lune dismissed the green soldiers as they carried off their prisoners, before asking:

"Everyone alright? No one's hurt, yes?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Very well, thank you, Baron, for your help."

"There's no need, your majesty. I was just in the right place at the right time."

With that, the escort returned to their original position, their swords sheathed, shields lowered. The entire situation was neutralised as soon as it became dangerous. They were on their way once again. Haru looked at Baron, his expressions unchanged, as if nothing just happened.

"Baron."

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Miss Haru. I'm fine. Words never hurt me; never did, never will. Thank you for your concern."

Baron smiled to reassure Haru. It seemed to do the trick as Haru almost immediately looked away. What Baron didn't know is that Haru is quietly glad that she had a coat of fur to hide the burning heat on her cheeks.


"Here we are. This is the Royal Court."

Lune introduced the large building to his guests, it resembled a mansion, the white pillars that supported the roof stood almost as high as the castle walls themselves, beside them were, what looks like, statues carved in a Renaissance style. Surrounding the small path towards the front door were...more cattails, of course, a large fountain, and many, many topiaries, their green glow under the sun made them look livelier than any stone could ever be. The arch door in front of them was as tall as could be, rivalling the castle's own, on them were beautiful carvings, the engravings glowed a golden gleam, and the polished wood was so glossy they resemble glass. It was quite the door. Upon reaching it, the two massive doors parted, allowing entrance.

They were greeted by some servants and guards, which all bowed before their visitor. Immediately in front of them was, what seemed to be, the cat version of Lady Justice, the large bronze statue towering above everyone else. Behind it were two stairs that led to a balcony above, between them were stairs that led down to...another door, this one, obviously smaller, but its size was no match for its beauty, beyond it was a long hallway, with several rooms connected to it, the walls lit up dimly under the glowing stones, at the other end, an archway, and light.

"This hallway leads directly to the centre of the court, which will be our ballroom. Let's take a look, shall we?"

As they approached the end of the hallway, the view began to piece themselves together bit by bit, before eventually, as they exited the hallway, came into full view. Haru couldn't help but wow at the sight before her, the ballroom seemed so small from the hallway, but once they walked through the small window, the vastness that is the Royal Court took her by complete surprise, before her was a great, wooden floor, surrounding it were rows upon rows of chairs, extending upwards in a stadium fashion, at the other end of the court was a tall balcony, a large piece of cloth hung over it, bearing, what Haru assumed was, the Royal Family's crest.

Every piece of wood, every inch of stone was art itself, the rows of chairs were decorated with ribbons and bows, the walls had paintings on them, each window was a picture themselves as hundreds of tinted glasses joined to create a marvellous jigsaw puzzle, the largest Haru could see seems to form an image of Lune and Yuki. Even the ballroom floor had golden trims engraved into it. Above them were something Haru didn't expect to see out of the churches of Italy and Vatican, massive paintings of stars, clouds, and of course, cats, covered the entire ceiling, among them were two massive chandeliers, the largest Haru had ever seen. One glowed a gentle white and the other shone a golden brilliance, the white chandelier surrounded by stars and the yellow one surrounded by clouds, both casted lights that basked the entire ballroom and reveal it in all its glory. Haru was quite in danger of oxygen deprivation, it took all of her breath away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Royal Court. In just a few hours, this place would be filled with cats, music, and most importantly, fun. As some of you might have known, the ballroom of the Cat Castle wasn't quite as big, but we got a grand audience. By 7 o'clock, we will open the gates and let the guests in. I've arranged seats for you over there."

Lune pointed at the far end of the ballroom, the high left seats were theirs, quite visible for the...extra-large chair available only over there.

"Now, I'll show you where the restrooms and dressing rooms will be, then we'll end our tour. If you need anything, just give one of the servants a call, they'll help you."

Haru (quite unwillingly) left the ballroom as they went on with their tour, taking the same path back and went up the stairs instead of down. They were led to a long hallway surrounding the entire building, and every 50 metres or so is a restroom and a dressing room. They ended their journey at the front door of the Royal Court.

"That's all the places you need to be in the Royal Court, please be advised that 'staff only' areas are out of bounds, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves in this journey. I'll be seeing you at 7 o'clock."

Haru was about to leave the scene (and return to the ballroom) before Lune called out to her.

"Haru, do you have a moment?"

"Yes?"

"It seems that we haven't discussed your time of departure from the kingdom."

"Oh..."

Haru's heart sank a little at the thought of having to leave the Cat Kingdom.

"So, the same rules apply. If you return no later than the break of dawn in the human world, you can return human. Otherwise, well, you stay a cat."

"I understand."

"But there's a catch."

"Huh?"

"I have requested some of our magicians to make some modifications to the time in the Cat Kingdom, now they go faster. What that means, is that you'll still be experiencing time like normal while you're here, but one day here is equivalent to only one hour in the human world. Which means, if you spend six days here, you'll be able to return before 8 o'clock in the human world."

Haru beamed at the news. If she didn't know better, she would've leapt up to Lune and clung onto him until the Guards pull her away.

"See? You can smile!"

Both laughed at how exuberant Haru was, more time at the Cat Kingdom, who wouldn't be excited?


"Miss Haru? You're still here?"

Haru turned around to face the source of the voice, Baron, it turned out to be.

"Yeah, this place is just too beautiful. I couldn't even blink."

Haru refocused at the view of the ballroom again. Its classy look, lustrous windows, fancy walls and gleaming chandeliers just never grew old with Haru, even the wood gave off a pleasant scent. Occasionally, she would spot some servants bustling, busy with their own work. Baron sat down beside her as he too began to let himself lose in the heavenly sight.

"I agree, Miss Haru. This place is unlike anything I've seen before."

They sat among the thousands of seats overlooking the ballroom floor. Soaking in the view as they enjoyed each other's company, they didn't talk, they didn't need to. Haru glanced at Baron, his orange fur lit up under the chandelier light, his eyes reflecting its light like a polished mirror, he looked so...real, it would be incredibly hard to believe that the living, breathing being in front of her were, just a wooden doll. Before she knew it, Haru's face already burned with a familiar heat, she quickly averted her gaze to avoid being caught staring, instead, she put it back onto the ballroom, quietly happy that Baron is with her in this little world of light, time continued trickling, just as quiet.

Grrr...

"Huh?"

The heat in Haru's cheeks intensified as a hungry beast growled in her belly.

"You haven't had lunch, Miss Haru?"

The fire in Haru's face burned brighter, rivalling even Hiromi at the sight of Tsuge.

"It's well into the afternoon now, I wouldn't blame you for feeling hungry, let's go get lunch now, shall we? Else Muta will finish everything and leave us with crumbs."

Haru smiled awkwardly at Baron, a smile which he returned. They left their seats, leaving the ballroom view behind.


"Miss Haru?"

"Yes?"

Haru's head popped up behind a sea of cattails.

"Her Majesty, Queen Yuki would like to meet you."

"Alright, I'm on my way."

Haru followed a pink servant cat to one of the dressing rooms in the ballroom, she had been strolling leisurely around the Royal Court and the surrounding countryside for hours now, thoroughly taking her time and occasionally lying and rolling in the cattail fields. Now that the ball is nearly starting, she made her way back into the Royal Court and ran into a group of servants. As soon as they opened the door to the dressing room, she was greeted by Yuki, they exchanged hugs as soon as she enters.

"Haru! Glad to see you back here!"

"It's my pleasure, Yu...Your majesty, I'm glad to be back too."

"Oh, cut it, Haru. Just call me Yuki, please."

Yuki looked much better compared to when she was just a servant, her fur was whiter, better kept, what stays though is her ribbon.

"My, my, have you grown into a beautiful young lady, Haru!"

"I...don't say that...if anything, you're more beautiful than I ever will be, Yuki."

Haru's blush returned with full force.

"Don't say that to yourself, Haru. Anyways, as promised, I will be gifting you one of the best dresses we have in store, they're right behind me."

Yuki turned around and pushed opened the doors of, what might've been the largest wardrobe Haru had ever seen.

Everything is so big here...

Inside them were a splendid display of gowns, the combination of colours made them appear like solid rainbows. The dresses ranged from Victorian English to 19th century French, to somewhat modern ones, there were so many options, Haru can barely make her decision.

"Uhm…I'd like something comfortable, please. None of the tight, bandage-like ones. Can you narrow it down for me?"

"Of course, Ma'am."

The servants immediately started to sort out the dresses, by the time they were done, the dresses were already sorted to a more choice-friendly amount. What's left, however, were all hard picks, every single one looked elegant and beautiful, all sewn with expert eyes and paws, to pick a favourite is quite the challenge for Haru. Her paws began to reach out to feel the material, hoping that the sense of touch can help her make her decision, she ran her paws through each dress, hoping that one of them can be the one.

It seemed that her attempt was for naught until her paws suddenly felt air, but it isn't air she felt, it was silk that feels as light as air. She paused immediately and looked at the dress her paws just stopped on. Sandwiched between two extravagant gowns were a relatively plain one. It wasn't ugly by all means, but the number of decorations and ribbons were significantly less than its counterparts, but what it lacks in glamour, it made up for its quality. The mixture of velvet and silk weighed next to nothing as she touched it, the softness was unbelievable, the smoothness of the material felt almost like fluid in her palm.

This is it.

"I'd like to take a look at this one, please."

The servants removed the green dress from the rest to give Haru a better look, the dress was a bright emerald, with rose-patterned laces woven around the torso and shoulders in a darker shade, a ribbon was wrapped around the waist, a large, nearly transparent piece of fabric was draped around the waist, topped off by two green silk roses near the left breast, each with a gleaming emerald in the middle. Forget the 'not as glamourous' nonsense, this dress was majestic. Haru couldn't save herself from its charm as she smiled.

"Yeah…I'll pick this one."

Yuki gave her a small applause.

"You've made a fine choice, Haru. This was made from one of our best team of tailors with our highest quality silk, it has been in the Royal Family Collection for a long time now. Well, promises are meant to be kept, it's yours now, Haru."

"Thank you, Yu—hold on—you're just lending them to me, right?"

Haru asked, astonished.

"No, Haru. I'm gifting them to you, on my behalf."

"I—you don't have to—how can I accept—this is one of the Royal Family Collection, isn't it?"

"No buts, Haru, I've made my decision. This dress hasn't been worn in ages, none of the previous queens like it very much, and I already had my personal collection. This dress now belongs to you, Haru. If I ever need a new one, I can order the tailors to do it again, time hasn't worn out their skills yet."

"But how am I going to explain when I bring home a ballgown like this?"

"It will remain cat-sized regardless of worlds. You can easily hide it and keep it as a souvenir."

"I...thank you so much, Yuki."

Haru was on the verge of tears when she received the news. Never had she dreamt she could actually bring one of these home, for all she knew, this dress was made worthy for royalties, it must've worth a fortune. Yuki brought Haru into an embrace when she saw the scene, and they stayed there for quite some time. When they finally separated, the still teary-eyed Haru had somewhat calmed down.

"Aww, come on. Let's try out the dress, shall we?"

Haru beamed with joy as she was finally able to be inside the dress she longed to wear. The servants took over and expertly undressed and helped Haru into her ball gown. Haru's fur and skin slipping effortlessly into the dress, and before she knew it, she was already wearing it; the fabric wrapped around her body perfectly. She was next presented with a pair of evening gloves, matching the colour of her dress.

"Looks like it fits you perfectly, Haru. No alterations needed, wonderful!"

Haru looked down into her dress again, the bright emerald fabric made her light up like a green blossom under the sun. It reminds her of the countryside of the Cat Kingdom, their tall grass, endless fields of cattails, trees and bushes that scattered here and there…

Most of all, it reminded her of Baron's eyes.

"Now that's done, time for some makeup!"

"Is that necessary?"

"No, but it never hurts to look better. Trust me, by the time we're done, boys are going to line up at the door just to meet you."

"D—Don't say that!"

"Hahahaha..."

The servants sat her down in front of a dressing table and got busy. Several minutes passed with them making Haru's face a canvas, occasionally instructing her to sit still. Haru never knew much about makeup, only the bare necessities she needed when going to any formal event, so she only obeyed their orders and hoped for the best.

"Alright, Miss Haru, we're done," one of the servants called out to her.

"You look gorgeous," another one followed up with a compliment.

"Really?"

Haru opened her eyes, in a split second, she saw a stranger, yet, oddly familiar. Her skin was light brown; her nose a soft pink; her eyes were large, above her eyelids were dark brown eyeshadows, highlighting the shape and gave it more depth, before gradually dissolving into her fur, mixing into a flawless blend, their dark colour complimented her iris, making its brown more vibrant, while her entire eye gleamed as if they were polished glass; protruding above her head was the most perfect pair of ears, their edges splendidly smooth and curved, the fur near the base extended outwards like tiny feather grass bushes, and the insides were a delicate gradient of pink, she was a sight to behold. After that split second had passed, Haru finally registered that she was looking into a mirror. The person was her.

She looked breath-taking.

"I—Is this—me?"

"See? I wasn't lying. Boys won't just line up at the door, they'll even gladly go to war for you!"

Haru continued to examine the new look she received, she always considered herself average at best, even with makeup, she didn't know she could look…this good. She knew how different a person could look under heavy makeup, but Haru didn't look like another person, she looked like…well, like Haru.

But it's a perfect Haru.

"Now, just one more thing to complete the set, Miss Haru."

A servant presented her a choker necklace, it was made of silk, with roses laced onto it. In the middle, a shimmering emerald.

"Wow…"

The servant helped her engage the tiny hook that held it in place, the name 'choker necklace' might sound a few alarms, but this one isn't choking anything anytime soon, considering that it is made from the same material Haru's dress was made of, she could barely feel the silk, only the hard stone that is in front of it.

"Well, the guests are going to enter any second now, you ready, Haru?"

She looked at the mirror again, how long had it been? 10, 15 minutes? So little time, so much difference, Haru could hardly believe it herself. She took a deep breath, then looked at herself in the eye.

"I'm ready."

"Wonderful, I believe Lune already showed you the inside-outs of this place, yes? Good, it'll be my turn to get ready now, be sure to return to your seat in time, or the guards won't let you in, okay? Wonderful, have a great time, Haru! See you in the ballroom!"

"See you!"

Haru left the dressing room and returned to the hallways of the Royal Court, she peered at one of the many clocks situated around the building, there was still some time left for her before she had to return.

Well…hope they don't mind me hanging around the men's dressing room…

Some guests had already arrived at the Royal Court as Haru made her way to the men's (tomcats'?) dressing rooms, grabbing the attention of a few cats as she jogged past them. It wasn't long before she arrived at the men's dressing rooms, where groups of cats stood, male and female alike. Despite her trying to tiptoe, she had trouble looking over the heads of the tomcats—many which were facing her way. She spotted many ginger heads, but none belonged to Baron.

Well, I suppose I have to wait for him in the ballroom, I need a break from so much walking anyways.

She ignored the stares of many cats—and the complaints of their wives and girlfriends—and turned to make her way to the ballroom. Before stopping abruptly when she nearly ran into a cat, his chest the only thing she saw when she braked.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me."

She was about to get out of his way and leave when two strong paws grabbed her forearms and stopped her in her tracks.

"Whoa there, missy, what's the hurry?"

"Uhh..."

She was stunned for a moment as the cat got her tongue.

The tomcat stepped back, revealing him as a ginger. He was wearing a rather lavish military ceremonial coat, complete with a set of medals. His fur well-groomed, and he stood at an impressive height.

"The name is Sir Abraham Lorraine Castoldi O'Donnell, it is a great honour to meet you, Miss Haru. Having heard the news of your escape from the King, I am most impressed."

Abraham bowed at Haru, which she returned for politeness' sake.

You want some bread to go with that cheese?

"Pleasure to meet you...Sir Abraham. If you don't mind, I'd like to return to the ballroom."

She was on her way when her wrist was grabbed again by Abraham. Now, she's agitated.

"What?"

"There is still some time left before the door closes. Let's shift our conversation to somewhere more...private."

Abraham winked at Haru as he ended his speech.

Abraham would sound like quite the character when first heard of, he was rather wealthy, tall, strong, handsome, probably a war hero as well, think Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, in cat form. But his method of wooing a lady left much to be desired, very much. Haru never had experience in dealing with these types of men before, she was caught completely unprepared.

"No, let's not. I'd like to leave now."

"Well, what can I say..."

Abraham leaned closer to Haru, the shadow of his head almost drooping over her, but Haru stood her ground.

"...I like a challenge."

"If you like challenges that much, I refer you to the School of Intellectually Disabled Children, any textbook there should be more than enough!"

Good one, Haru.

Abraham just straightened and laughed.

"Hahahaha—a feisty one..."

Abraham eyed Haru while licking his lips.

"...I like it..."

Haru was about to claw that stupid smirk right off his face when another cat intervened.

"Hey, cut it! She said she isn't interested, leave her be!"

Abraham turned towards the source of the voice with one hell of a frown, it's a spotted white cat.

"And who the hell are you? I'll let you know that you're talking to a cavalrycat of the 22nd Battalion. Stay out while you still can."

The spotted cat was completely unfazed when he snapped back.

"Sorry to inform you that the horses are the only thing you'll be getting onto, Sergeant Asshole!"

"Say that ONE MORE TIME!"

Haru got out of the scene quickly when the two cats started to fight, she had no interest in watching them; on her way she passed by two guards who were rushing to help the situation, mumbling something along the lines of: "Those cavalries again..." and "Just wait till they get drunk..."


Haru sat down with a great huff. Never had she dealt with so many men trying to woo her before. They were well into the seating when she finally got to catch her breath.

I suppose being pretty is not all sunshine and rainbows...

"There you are, Haru. I was about to go looking for you—goodness, you look gorgeous!"

Toto's voice came from above, Haru looked up to see him sitting on a beam, looking down at her.

"Yeah, I spent a little time getting ready, you know."

"Hmm...hope the guys weren't giving you much trouble."

"No, not really. Thank you, Toto," Haru gave a weak smile.

Yes, yes, they did...I think I'll clear my makeup right after this...

Wanting to change the subject, Haru asked.

"Speaking of the guys—where's Baron and Muta?"

"Baron, I believe, is being his usual busybody. Muta is eating, like always."

"I see..."

"Speaking of which, I better check on that fat pork soon...you okay with here alone?"

"I'll be fine, Toto."

Toto didn't seem convinced at Haru's answer, "I hope so…here. Take this."

Toto somehow produced a small stone from his mouth and dropped it onto Haru's paws. It looked like a piece of marble.

"If you ever need help, just chant the words written on it. When it vibrates, that means the charm worked. I'll be there in a heartbeat."

"Alright, thank you, Toto."

"You're welcome. I'll get going now, have a good time, Haru."

"You too, bye!"

Toto conjured quite a lot of wind as he took off from the beam, squeezing through a nearby window, several other guests yelped in surprise as they saw themselves in the shadow of a giant black crow. Haru sat back on her seat as she awaited the starting of the ball.


The sounds of bells echoed through the Royal Court, twenty-one rings, each representing one hour, 9 pm, it says, the ball had started. Yet Haru still sat alone, with Baron not around, Muta nowhere to be seen, Toto gone with the wind. Haru simply sat there with concern, boredom, and perhaps, slight annoyance.

As the echoes of the bells subsided, the large curtains of the tall balcony overlooking the main entrance of the ballroom floor parted, grand music started to play as Lune, alongside Yuki, dressed quite lavishly in white and red, complete with a cloak, crown and sceptre, walked out onto the balcony, attracting the gaze of every pair of eyes in the ballroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, generals and soldiers, dear guests; I, the King of the Cat Kingdom—"

"—and I, the Queen of the Cat Kingdom—"

"—are delighted to have all of you present in our first wedding anniversary, we thank you for joining us in this lovely evening."

Their little speech was met with a round of cheers and applause. As the claps subsided, Lune opened his mouth once again.

"Without further delay, let's begin our first waltz of the night, the first of hundreds more to come."

The Royal couple left the balcony as the guests began to stand up and head down onto the ballroom floor, Haru started to get really worried, she didn't have a partner. She was hesitant to leave her seat until she felt a slight nudge on her back.

"It's okay Miss Haru, just go down there, you'll find a partner, trust me."

Natoru urged her to go on.

"But Natoru…"

"No but's, Miss Haru, we promised a good time, that means you have to dance. Sitting here all lonely isn't fun, now is it. Come on, you'll have no trouble finding a partner, I promise. In fact, they'll be lining up just to have a chance to see you! Dancing can be a great fun even with strangers too! Now, no excuses, Miss Haru, please go down to the ballroom floor."

Natoru blabbers without pause as Haru was, quite literally, pushed down to the ballroom floor, before bidding her goodbye, complete with a smug grin. The small stairs that connected the ballroom floor and the seats were removed by servants as soon as Haru's paws left it, leaving Haru standing alone at the edge of the smooth wooden floor, facing Natoru in despair. Haru buried her face into her own paws as she sighed into it.

Why must everything end like this…

"Miss?"

Haru turned around to meet a white cat standing in behind her, tall and fair. Upon seeing her turning, he bowed down gracefully, which Haru returned.

"Will you favour me with your paw for this dance?"

Well, that WAS quick.

"I—"

Haru was about to make reply when she caught eye of a particular ginger cat, a particularly familiar one too. Between them were several dozen other couples, they locked eyes as soon as Haru saw him.

Baron just gave her a playful smirk and stood there.

...schadenfreude...have it your way then!

With Haru's gaze now placed back onto the white cat, she smiled and finished her reply.

"With pleasure sir."

The gentlecat smiled back and took Haru's paw as the band started to play, the white cat held her gently as they waltzed gracefully across the polished wooden floor, amongst hundreds of other couples. Their eyes were focused on each other and only each other as they twisted and turned alongside the melody, his crystal-like blue eyes glued to her soft, brown ones. The rest of the world just passed by like a blur, it's just Haru and her partner in their music-filled world. Time and time again she would break their embrace to engage in a spin or a dip, time and time again Haru's body would land back into his arms, her eyes back on his.

At last, the music began to slow, and Haru bent down for their last dip, his arm wrapped behind her back, supporting her entire body weight as they lowered. As the last echo of the band lifted into the night sky, so did the dancers' bodies, every couple bowed at their partners at the end of their dance, mates anticipating the next piece of music, while strangers bid each other farewell to seek other partners.

"You dance wonderfully, my lady. It is a great pleasure to have your hand as my first tonight."

"I would say the same to you…I'm just a meowsy dancer…"

Haru, not again!

"Pardon my rudeness, but your performance proved otherwise."

Haru couldn't help but blush at his compliment, in fact, she knew that she nearly stepped on his toes on multiple occasions, only to miss by an atom or dodged expertly by her partner.

"I shall not waste your time any longer, I wish you a lovely evening. Farewell."

The white cat left after one last bow, his snow-white head disappearing behind the crowd.

I wonder if I'll meet more strangers like him tonight...

As though suddenly remembering something important, Haru snapped her head back. Searching for…him.

There he is…

Baron was still at the other side of the ballroom floor, his green eyes glowed brighter than anyone else's, this time, however, Baron took the initiative to approach Haru, and she did the same. As they closed in on each other, Haru could get a better look at Baron's new outfit. He had shed his old white tuxedo and changed into a light grey one instead, his top hat and cane were also missing, giving him a more formal and reserved look as opposed to his usual, rather dramatic red, blue and white combination.

They met at the centre of the ballroom.

"Shall I have the pleasure of dancing with you, Miss Haru?"

It was Haru's turn to smirk.

"But I'm a meowsy dancer…"

"Trust me."

Baron once again took Haru's hand as a single accordion begin to play, followed by the rest of the band. The same couple engaged in the same dance along the same music, one year apart, and this time they will finish it. The dancers glided like figure skaters on ice, spinning and skimming across the ballroom floor with cat-like grace. Haru's eyes were stuck to Baron's, and Baron's welded to hers, round and round they spun, her tail chased his, and his chased hers. It was a moment of magic.

Yet during moments like these, time flies awfully fast. Before they knew it, the climax of the music was already over, and Haru recovered from her final dip. The guests proceeded to leave the ballroom floor to make space for the still sitting guests. With her hand in Baron's, he led Haru back to their seats. As they sat down, Haru spotted Natoru giving her a thumbs-up on one of the upper floors, which she returned with a wave and a smile.

Natoru was right, dancing was a great fun even with strangers.

"Where have you been all this while?" Haru asked as they sat down on their respective seats.

"I was in a little conversation with the King, Miss Haru. Looks like I got a little too carried away."

"I see..."

They sat in silence as they watched the couples dance to their hearts' content on the ballroom floor, the enchanting music filling the ballroom as little figures spun and whirled alongside the melody, their feet painting a picture of otherworldly beauty. How she wished this moment could last forever. The cats danced waltz after waltz, minuet after minuet, even the rather odd four-couple quadrille. At one point, a group of Scottish Folds brought swords onto the ballroom and danced on top of them, which Haru watched in great wonder. By the time Haru returned from her eighth dance of the night, she was quite spent, how European people back in the days kept this up through the night is beyond Haru.

"Say, Miss Haru. How does it feel to dance with complete strangers? Have you done this before?"

"Oh, it was quite fun actually. I've never done this before, never would've thought it was so easy."

"I see the gentlecats weren't giving much trouble."

"No, they were quite nice, they have been very polite."

Well, save for that Abraham Castoldi Whatever…

As the couple watched the following dance, Haru felt some pressure on the side of her head. Snapping back to reality, she hurriedly straightened herself as she realised she dozed off on Baron's arm, a blush forming on her face.

"I—I'm sorry, I was a little tired." Haru laughed nervously.

"It's okay, Miss Haru, I don't mind." Baron simply replied with a warm smile.

As though jealous, the heat on Haru's cheeks increased in intensity. Haru looked away before she can get any more embarrassed, decided that she'll continue watching the cats instead. However, the harmonic music and hypnotising tails of the dancers did little to cure her drowsiness as her head got heavier and heavier.

Then an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

She could feel her head resting against Baron's torso as he pulled her close, any other day, she would've retreated with a fiery fever burning in her face, but at that moment, Haru couldn't care less. She just snuggled deeper into her cushion, letting her eyelids get heavier by the moment, before her consciousness drifted away alongside the strings of the music.


"Miss Haru."

"Miss Haru, wake up."

Haru's eyes snapped open as she heard a voice calling her, she sat back on a normal sitting position and yawned, letting the view in front of her process.

"How long did I pass out for?" Haru asked, still half-awake.

"A little over an hour. Just in time for supper though."

"Supper?" Now she is fully awake.

"Yes, supper. That should get you up and running again. Speaking of which, we should leave now, else we might not make it."

Sure enough, most of the guests had left the ballroom. The music stopped, and servants could be seen mopping the floor.

''Alright, let's go."

Taking Baron's arm, Haru was led to the dining hall. Passing by a clock, she caught a glimpse of the time.

1 am? Is it this late already? No wonder I'm dead tired…

After several flights of stairs and some walking, they arrived at the dining hall. Two long and wide tables were immediately in sight upon entering, each could hold up to dozens of hungry guests and hundreds of filled plates (empty ones too). The ceiling was lit up the same way as the ballroom, two large chandeliers glowed brightly upon the cats, basking the dining hall in a glittering splendour. The couple sat down next to each other and waited, soaking their eyes on the painting before them while they were at it. Surprisingly, Muta was nowhere to be seen.

They didn't have to wait long before servants came streaming into the dining hall, each with a large plate in hand. Two trains of cats passed by the tables, before wrapping around and leaving the way they entered, dropping their load along the way. By the looks of it, they were appetizers, and do they look delicious. The oysters were glimmering, the prawns glowed a delicious red, and the pastries were expertly garnished with herbs and caviar, and those were just the ones that were immediately available.

Soon afterwards, came the main course. Large plates were carried into the hall by yet another train of servants, the roasted chicken with their brown, crispy skin; the giant grilled fish with their milky white flesh; and the monstrous steamed lobsters, their skin shone a lively red; even mice were brought onto the table (which Haru had no interest in eating), the savoury smell of the food immediately filled the atmosphere, Haru never felt this hungry before, her lunch seemed ages ago. When they saw the end of it, there was more silver of tableware than white of tablecloths.

When all tables were served, and all servants had left, the sounds of a small bell rang on the far end of the dining hall. Heads were turned that way as the hall silenced. A single Russian Blue stood up, hundreds of eyes crossed a single pair of mismatched ones.

"Let the feast, begin."

As soon as the King took his first bite, the rest of the guests followed suit, helping themselves and recharge their energy for another round of music and dances.

"Itadakimasu!"

Haru announced as she, too, started working to satisfy the beast in her belly.


Haru held back what would be her tenth burp of the night, a soft napkin pressed against her mouth to wipe off the excess food that escaped her wrath, her stomach reached its full capacity and was trying its best to clear the gas. After the main course, the little space left was occupied with dessert. Cakes, chocolate, jellies, pastry…you name it, they probably had it. With such a satisfying main course, one would expect Haru to be reserved on her share of the dessert, but as Muta would put it: "There's always another stomach for dessert."

"Is it okay to leave now, Baron?" Haru asked as she finally had enough.

"Given that the King already did—yes, it is. Shall we?"

Haru took his outstretched hand with a smile.

Even at times like these…

"We shall."

The hand proved useful as Haru's legs need some warming up after having sat down for hours. Together, they left the dining hall, and began to make their way back to the ballroom. Upon entering, the first sight they see is a giant white cat sitting where they were before.

"Muta! Where have you been? I thought I'd see you at supper!" Haru was quite happy to see her large companion.

"He was at another room, they didn't want that porco bianco ruining the actual dining hall. So, they shifted his share over there."

Haru didn't need to look up to know where that voice came from.

"No one asked for your input, chicken!"

"Let me guess, you cleaned them up," Haru said with a smirk.

"Duh..." Muta answered with a less cheerful tone.

She laughed as she sat down beside him, it's good to be back with her friends again.


As most of the guests had returned to their respective seats, the band, too, came back to man their instruments. It was at this time that Haru regretted that she ate so much, she could barely ascend the flight of stairs back to the ballroom, much less dance at the ballroom floor without losing focus.

"Ugh, I'll be going out for a walk...it's too noisy here."

"Is eating or sleeping the only thing you know, lard barrel?"

"Beat it!"

Muta swatted at Toto, who flew away just in time, millimetres to spare.

"Yeah…I think I need a walk as well…I've eaten more than my fair share of food…" Haru chimed in.

Muta wasted no time as he rose from his chair to seek the closest exit, with Haru and Baron in tow. They departed from the Royal Court to the outer courtyard, where statues stood alongside topiaries, and cattails waved at the slightest breeze. It seemed that Lune had put his magicians to good use, the perpetual daylight in the Cat Kingdom shifted to night, cooling the atmosphere to a romantic serenity. Under the sun, the topiaries looked so lively, they almost jumped and ran; but under the moonlight, it's the stone and bronze that lived and breathed. Haru wondered why they weren't Creations themselves. Few cats were outside the courtyard, save for some soldiers, this left the group some moments for themselves.

A few minutes of walking and chatting under the gaze of stone eyes quickly led them to the back of the Royal Court, where another gate stood at the tall fences, what also stood were Royal Guards.

Looks like the King's exit…

Alas, that was the only place where a bench large enough to fit Muta was found. Muta, having walked his (self-perceived) daily required steps, decided to just sit down and pass out, and sit down he did. Ignoring the stares of the Guards and the creaking of wood, Muta took up the entire bench as he dropped his weigh onto it. Haru could hear Baron's muffled sigh.

"Really? You barely walked the full length of a dinner table and you are out of breath?"

"Shut up! I'd like to see you walk this distance instead of fluttering those feathers of yours, birdbrain!"

"Don't lecture me on flying when you couldn't even lift all your toes off the ground by yourself, marshmallow!"

"Go get fried, chicken wings!"

Muta grabbed a stone and chucked it at Toto, who dodged the missile as if done a thousand times. Amidst their fighting, Haru could hear the annoyed groans of the Guards.

"That's enough bickering from you two. Toto, we'll leave Muta be if it is what he wishes." Baron attempted to pacify the situation before they really started to fight. Fights were commonly seen near the vicinity of the Bureau, but on others' turf? It's something Baron wouldn't allow.

"That's right! Scram, damn it!"

"No one in the right mind would want to be anywhere near you anyways!"

Toto dodged another stone.

Well if the Guards are in the right mind, they'll probably start kicking them out.

"Guys, guys, that's enough. Let's just be quiet for a moment okay? The Guards probably won't appreciate you fighting in front of them and chucking stones."

As though suddenly acknowledging their presence, the drums of war between the white cat and the black bird stopped. Toto threw Muta a narrow glare for a goodbye before taking off into the night sky.

Well, that's that.

"Thank you, Miss Haru."

Baron said quietly at Haru, which she replied with a "You're welcome." Not wanting to leave Muta sitting alone, Haru and Baron sat down on the nearest bench, awaiting their large friend to get ready to move again. With the quarrels of Muta and Toto gone, they could fully enjoy the calmness of the night-time Cat Kingdom. Under the sunlight, the fields of cattails and the distant figures of cats made a lively painting; but the moonlight-lit Kingdom had a different kind of magic, the radiant moon accompanied by dazzling diamonds, the warm lights from the Royal Court, and the distant, faint music painted the sky-wide canvas a never-before-seen colour. A view that Haru can keep staring at forever.

It felt like nothing could go wrong.


AN

Hello! The arrival of this chapter is much, much later than I originally thought, and I have nothing but my own laziness to blame. As you might've noticed, I have added both a cover for my story as well as a cover for each chapter. Since my digital drawing skills are...unholy, every following cover will be drawn traditionally (pencil and paper) before inked and coloured digitally, for best results. I wasted most of my time on the book cover, as you can see, I coloured it with colour pencils before deciding that directly editing the colours in would be better, you can still see pencil traces there. Now, with most priorities out of the way, I can, hopefully, work at a faster pace and get the story in motion before August. But for now, I'm taking a few days break to catch my breath and get some sleep.

Yes, I admit I got lazy at the cover for Chapter 1.