The sunlight twinkles in through the window, shining on a fluffy white lump sprawled on the couch. The lump twitches, and then sits up, muttering something that sounds like 'stupid cheesy light show'. The lumpy feline looks around, waking up more. He forces himself up off the couch and silently goes into the kitchen, looking behind him, making sure he isn't waking anyone.

The cat starts opening cabinets, cringing when one squeaks as it opens. He turns around one more time, and then swipes a jumbo cereal box from the shelf. Silently closing the cabinet, he leaves the room and goes outside, closing the door behind him. He trudges forward, ripping the cereal bag open. He looks up at the fountain statue, shoving a handful of cereal in his mouth. He scowls at the avian statue, and throws a small handful of cereal up at it.

About ten minutes later, he is empty handed, having thrown the empty cereal box away five minutes ago, and jumping onto a park bench. Stretching, he yawns and then lies down.

"So much better than that café chair…" He sighs, watching the humans bustle to school and their jobs. "But still as uneventful as ever." He closes his eyes, listening to the cars and the unintelligible chitchat of the humans. His ear twitches as a bee buzzes by, and it flies away, the sound fading away.

"Fat! Friend! Wake! UP!"

The cat's eyes snap open. "What…?" He realizes he dozed off. "Whaddya want?" He turns his head to look at whoever was poking him in the side. "Wait, you look familiar…" His eyes squint as he inspects the brown feline.

"Oh, fat friend, you don't recognize me?" He says, distressed. He puts the back of his paw on his forehead, sighing. "I knew that I wasn't memorable enough for our fat friend to remember me and yet I was still sent here!"

"What are you talking-" The cat jumps. "AH! You're that cat from the Cat Kingdom!"

The brown cat's face lights up. "Ah I see I am not that forgettable! What a pleasant thing!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Natoru here to deliver a message to the Cat Bureau." The cat, Natoru, points at himself.

"To the Cat Bureau? What do you want with us?" The fat cat stretches and sits up straight, looking larger than normal.

"Only to deliver a message, fat friend. Where is that well-dressed cat that was with you last time?"

The cat shrugs. "Just spit out the message already. I'll pass it on." Crossing his arms, he listens to the cat as he waves his paws around animatedly as he gives the message.

"Baron! Baron, where the heck are you?" The fat cat bursts into the building from which he left that morning. He leans against the wall, panting.

An orange feline looks up from a book, and stands up off the couch, putting the book on the neighboring table, and walks up to the fat cat.

"Muta? What's the matter?"

Muta groans and closes the door behind him. "You won't believe who I just saw." He trudges into the well-decorated room and plops onto the armchair. The orange cat sits back on the couch, leaning forward.

"Oh just tell me already." He says, weaving his fingers together and resting his chin on them, propped up by his elbows on his knees.

"Okay. So you remember months ago going to the Cat Kingdom?" Muta says.

"How could he forget?" A crow hops into the room via balcony. "Baron isn't as forgetful as you might be, Muta."

"Stuff it, chicken." Muta crosses his arms. "I'm talking."

The orange feline with the dress clothes, Baron, sighs, and says, "Could you just continue, Muta?"

"If I'm allowed to." He shoots a look at the crow. "If Toto shuts his beak." He looks back at Baron. "That brown cat. That Cat King's servant guy. Natoru. Remember him?"

Baron nods. "Yes. Go on."

"I. Saw. HIM." Muta says, slamming his paw on the sofa cushion with each word.

"Cats are seen all the time, Muta." Toto the crow sneers. "Unless you have been too oblivious to notice until now."

"Shut up you stupid chicken!" Muta snarls. "He talked to me about Haru!"

Baron sits up straight. "Haru?"

"That pretty girl we helped?" Toto hop off the higher level of the room down to the main floor.

"Oh, so now you listen." Muta crosses his arms. "Yes, about Haru."

"What about her?" Baron asks, his whiskers on one side of his face twitching nervously.

"She's back! B-back! Back there!" Muta throws his arms up as he sputters.

"She's at… the Cat Kingdom?" Baron stands up slowly.

"Yes!" Muta gets up as well. "After all we did for that ungrateful girl, she goes back!"

Toto cocks his head to the side. "Did this Natoru feline mention why Haru is back?"

Muta shrugs. "He was too… excited. I could barely understand what he was talking about. Something about leaving home…? I don't know."

"So she wasn't kidnapped or anything like last time." Toto confirms.

Baron puts a hand on the back of his head. "But… why? She was so sure of herself last time, about coming back here."

"If I knew, I would tell ya." Muta roughly pats Baron on the back.

"You really think it's wise for her to be there?" Toto pipes up. "Won't the girl… change? Out of what you told me about what happened last… she was… transforming?"

Baron nods, looking out the window. "She wasn't sure of herself."

Muta elbows Toto. "Looks like someone's worried." He mutters. Toto sighs and hops over to Baron.

"Baron?"

Baron turns around and looks at the concerned bird. "Yes?"

"You're thinking about something, aren't you?" He asks worriedly.

"N-no… why would you ask that?" Baron shrugs and walks into the kitchen.

"No point denying it!" Muta laughs. "You're worried 'bout her!" He grins smugly at the tawny cat.

"N-no. I'm not." Baron turns so he doesn't have to look at either of his friends. "Well, yes, but not as badly as before. I mean… oh, how can it be explained?" He groans at being put on the spot like so. "Last time… she was taken to that place against her will. Out of what you've said, this time she willingly went there. Who am I to judge whether she should be there or not?"

Toto hops over to his friend. "You are quite right, Baron. But don't you think something about it all is strange? How she wanted nothing more than to get out of that place, and now she chooses to go there of her own accord?"

"Sounds fishy." Muta mumbles. He sighs. "Fish…"

"Quit thinking about food at a time like this, Muta." Toto scolds.

"Hmph." Muta crosses his arms and sits on the armchair. "So what are you gonna do, Baron?"

"What are you talking about?" Baron looks at him.

"Well aren't you gonna do something about Haru?" Muta raises his feline eyebrows.

"And why should I do something, might I ask?"

"Because you know you want to, that's why." Muta nods. "As much as I despise that place, I have a feeling in my gut that we're going to be seeing it rather soon. Am I right?"

Baron shrugs. "I don't know, Muta. Try to understand that!" Realizing he is getting frustrated, he forces himself to breathe. "What… do you think… I should do?"

"You know exactly what you should do, Baron." Toto says comfortingly.

"You do, buddy." Muta nods, sitting back down on the sofa.

Baron looks from one friend's face to another, back and forth. He sighs. "I know, I know. You're right."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Hey guyssssss!

I am so sorry for not updating in such a terribly long time!

I have been so incredibly busy.

I apologize.

I'll do my best to not leave you all hanging!

Hope I'm doing okay!

Until next time!

I.F.

=^.^=