Episode Four: Whisper From The Past

Baron was found sitting at his desk again, by Toto, who often entered through the bureau balcony window, nothing was new at the bureau, not since the case of Shinji and Baron decided to look back at his past cases, only the ones involving humans-most cases were brought to the bureau by creatures from other worlds, kingdoms like the Ocean kingdom and the Cat kingdom.
"All the cases we've had over the years are very unique, the next will bring surprises too because clients are always unpredictable" reviewed Toto. "Remember Komiko?"
Baron smiled, his head in resting on his hand "who could forget?"
Two years ago, the bureau faced a mid-twenties young woman who found herself feuding with the neighbour's dog over most of her life living in her hometown, it turned out that this dog wasn't happy with the constant visits of a strange male companion, the same age as her. To make complications worse Komiko couldn't understand dog language and found herself going mad with the dogs constant noise level; she was-according to Muta-quite a bizarre case, but issues were resolved in the end and the dog accepted that the visits will continue over a long period of time
"The issue really is that most human beings do not try to listen carefully to those a different species" said Baron
"We both know an exception, Baron" claimed Toto
"Of course!" Barons smile lit up again at the thought of Haru, her case was only less than two months ago and the problem she had involved the previously mentioned Cat Kingdom
The day was a summers day, and the seventeen years old, Haru, saved a cat from being killed by a truck, only this was Prince Lune, the son of the Cat King who kidnapped Haru to marry his son, if she hadn't listened to the kind voice of Yuki, Baron would never have met her, and she wouldn't have gotten back home before dawn to her mother. She even confessed to having feelings for him and Barons last words would ensure their reuniting: "if you ever need us, you will always know how to find us again, and the Bureau's doors will be open for you, be it day or night".
"Do you think it was a coincidence that a human who understands the language of cats would get into trouble with the cats own Kingdom?" questioned Baron
"Now that you think of it that way, it's strange" replied Toto. "You think she thought of that too?"
"She will probably be too busy with examinations and home life to consider it, but perhaps she is connected somehow to cats in her past, to a time so far back when she was too young to remember it today" suggested Baron
"You're probably right-"
"It's simply just a theory, Toto"
"But doesn't this take you to Lilo? How she found the bureau on her own at her age, I have no idea" Toto shook his head
"Adults say imaginary friends aren't real, even some teenagers" Baron continued "but you have to be trusting of your imagination and beliefs to be able to see with your eyes what your mind imagines"
Lilo was a client from four years ago, at the time she was only five years old, misunderstood by elder people around her. She came into the bureau claiming that her imaginary friend guided her there, Baron and Muta had no choice but to believe it though Muta was sceptical at first, before he realized a five year old wasn't capable of finding the right route through dozens of alleys without assistance of some sort. Lilo claimed that she wanted to be a writer, writing about her friend, but as she kept growing, she was beginning to lose what she needed to see her imaginary friend. Baron helped her keep faith that her friend exists so she began to write about her friend as she knew her friend already, before being threatened to never hear his voice again. Even now, Baron wondered if she is still holding on to her closest friend.
"By this time, she'll be nine years old" Toto calculated
"This is an age where you gain more sight of reality than your imaginary world" sighed Baron, this is a case he feared he had failed once she left on her own imaginary adventure. Every story has an end.
"I'm going to the Human World Baron, would you like to come?" Offered Toto
"No thank you, Toto, there is always work to be done here at the Cat Bureau" Baron turned his offer down, picking up a short pile of reports, some aged older than others, which needed sorting in order of age, evidently. Toto nodded in understanding and flew out of the bureau window for his solo adventure.
The month was November, the last day to be precise, and the cold weather crept in Barons home. Snow came early this year and this indicated to Baron that the snow will build up from a terrible snowstorm near Christmas time-thanks to a bit of bureau magic, Baron would be able to keep snow out of the refuge if it gets too heavy, for now it covered the stone ground in a thin layer of snow, with footsteps belonging to the one and only Baron, while Muta has been absent for longer than his set record. This was to be expected but Baron still had concerns for a friend he had known for years. He took out a new report from a draw in his desk, one of the oldest he filed over a decade ago; it was dusty and the colour of green was wearing off the cover. Blowing gently to reveal the cover information, he recognized it as one of his worst cases. From before the bureau started itself.
The story started with an old friend of Barons, an elderly human who loved to help others if they were in trouble, especially his grandson who had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Baron was a wooden doll to everyone but he revealed himself only to this elderly man at the time and they were close friends. The elderly man taught Baron how to help others, giving stories of the people who's problems he solved, and it appeared that giving to others was the elderly mans greatest wish, and Baron respected that. One day the old man fell ill, to an illness he knew would very shortly take his life. The cure was rare but he didn't give up helping others to look for it...
Baron took a deep breath, and leaned back in his chair, staring into the distance.
The past Baron feared that he would lose his friend, and so set himself the task of solving his problem before he had the chance to die-promising to return with a cure for his illness, Baron set off on a journey around Japan. He eventually met the stone crow Toto, who was a statue on top of an old building. Together they flew around Japan to find what they seek, and upon finding the cure, they returned to the old man: to find he had died the day before their return. Baron couldn't attend his funeral with other humans around, so in sympathy, Toto flew him into a nearby tree to watch the ceremony from a distance.
Baron remembered what he said to Toto which took them to their present arrangement
"I should have been quicker, my first case, and I failed-it cost my close friend his life."
"You couldn't have tried any harder Baron, I'm sure he would be very proud" comforted Toto
"... Toto, if you have nowhere to go, will you be considering to start a business with me? The least I can do is continue where he left off, but I can not do it alone, I'll introduce you to Muta, my cat friend who I'm sure would be willing to help me, but I also would appreciate your help too" he informed his new crow friend.
"To be lonely is heartbreaking, I have been lonely on top of that building all my life, there are other statues but none of them have a soul like me, I'd be happy to accompany you in your quest Baron" replied Toto, watching the coffin lower into the dry earth, like Baron next to him. By the end of the funeral, when everyone had gone home, Baron walked over to the newly filled grave and knelt down in front of it
"I will find a special place for all Creations who no longer have a place to go, and I will name the refuge 'The Cat Bureau', a name I hope every Creation will come to recognize if they have a problem on their hands for us to solve" he said to the grave
"Alongside Muta and Toto, I will create a refuge for Creations to live in peacefully without human disturbance" Baron read out of the report "but if anyone has a problem they can't solve alone, the bureau will always be open, even for humans" Baron rested his elbow on his desk, his head on his hand and the book in his other hand. He began to consider how these actions took him to the present day; sure, the bureau had business concerning others problems, but not a single creation needed accommodation in the neighbouring miniature houses he, Toto and Muta built, which lead to him and Toto being the only Creations living there for over two decades now.
Baron stood up after possibly sitting for hours in one place, giving him cramps in his legs and his lower back-this weren't due to age, he would stay this way in a centuries time if he didn't break before then, he was losing his energy to staying at the bureau most of the time, either sitting down or taking very few steps to make his own personal blend of tea. He stepped outside for a walk around the refuge grounds, to gather his thoughts and his energy back to him, looking up, he could see stars in the sky as clear as he has ever seen them; did he really spend all day reading past reports and recollecting memories? Like any other day, the business in the bureau was rare, but if Baron could have the time to admire the world by looking up at the night sky, it didn't really matter.