Chapter Twenty Nine: Recognition
Mute growled a bit, and turned to his followers. "It looks like we'll have to smoke them out, boys. Bring on the torches!"
The ones holding them roared their approval, and began moving closer to the humble cottage, making ready to throw them as soon as the ones holding axes finished chopping down the door.
After five axe blows, the roof suddenly exploded. The villagers screamed as a solid green mist hung over the cottage, and solidified into a little girl, swinging her legs around in a shy manner over the side of the modest home.
Her green face smiled. "Would you be looking for me?" she asked politely, waving in order to fully capture their attention. For the first time since the night she was born, Mute looked at her as revulsion made him start choking.
Behind him, one of the followers gasped. "She looks just like-"
The mayor turned around quickly, and barked at the speaker before he could finish his thought. "She's a witch, and has chosen a new face to make us feel pity for her! Don't fall for it, my brethren. She's a murderer!"
The girl scoffed angrily, and rose to her feet. "I killed Mr. Hatachi because he tried to kill me, you meanie. If you want to take me back to the circus, you'll have to catch me."
With that, the green child jumped off the trembling wall, and floated like a ghost to the closest tree before jumping to the next one, her mocking laughter trailing after her.
Mute raised a torch to her disappearing form. "Don't let her get away!" he shouted as the villagers began running after the green girl, who was hopping from tree to tree slowly, almost like she was jumping around in still water.
As he made to follow the girl, he suddenly stopped, and allowed the mob to flow around him like a river as a dormant memory resurfaced.
Once, when he was still courting Naoko and they had been walking around, a wolf had tried to pounce on him, and eat them. His redhead had made fire so that the giant wood monster would be distracted long enough for them to make a break for it. But, to ensure their safety, she had made one more precaution that the wolf hadn't been prepared for.
He looked back at the cottage, and decided to wait and see if he was being treated to a repeat. He backed up against a tree trunk, and waited patiently.
xxXxx
Muta bit back another laugh, but Baron could have sworn that there was an undercurrent of evilness in it. "She owns herself. She's one of those free spirits that come and go as she pleases. Do you like cats?"
With a shock, that terrible day returned in full flesh to Baron's mind, making him shudder.
He had lost the best thing in the world, thanks to an unsuspecting cat.
"I… guess it depends on the cat," Baron said carefully, softly rubbing the silky fur on the brown cat's back.
She looked up at him, perhaps a little surprised at the answer. "Meow?" She hopped out of Muta's arms in order to land on Baron's shoulder, and wrap herself around his shoulders, purring softly.
His heart melted, and he couldn't help but laugh a bit while rubbing her head. "But if she keeps this up, she'll probably own me before much longer."
The brown cat looked straight into his eyes, and she smiled!
"Is that a promise?" she asked.
Before Baron could even gasp in surprise, the cat over his shoulders morphed into a human girl. Since she was obviously weighed more in her original form, and he had no time to brace himself, Haru's weight made him collapse on the ground. As he lay gasping, the green girl nonchalantly took possession of his hands and crossed them over his back so he couldn't use them, the way he had done to her more times than she cared to count.
"Well, looks like you're mine, Baron. Now what do I do with you?" she asked teasingly as her father also collapsed on the ground, but unlike the younger man, it was from fits of laughter, hopelessly pounding the ground with his porky fist.
"That… was priceless, Chicky! Did you see the look on his face?!"
Slowly, Baron's breath returned, and he grimaced a bit. "That wasn't very fair, Haru," he said sternly, making the girl leave off her giggling.
She released him, but wrapped her arms around his neck for a quick hug. "Maybe not, but at least I've proven that you can be taken down. Sorry about hurting you."
His handsome face turned a little red as Muta somberly stepped back, and began carrying the sticks back to the castle, his own heart strangely heavy.
At last, Baron laughed, turning around as he sat up. "Do you have any idea how hard it is, to stay angry at you when you're doing that?"
Haru smiled even wider, and hugged him again. "You don't say. What an astonishing thing." 'You didn't tell me what I should do with you. Should I think of something on my own?'
He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, and held the green woman close, and oh so gently.
Baron just wished that there was a way that they could stay together, just like this.
He would never ask for anything again, if only it were possible.
ooOoo
Hiromi suddenly set Yuki on the ground, and faced away from the two as they got to their feet. The lighter witch, without an explanation, began running back to the castle. The Cat Queen watched her old mistress leave, perplexed as Haru nearly dragged Baron to the tree.
"I want you to meet some friends of mine- hey, where's Hiromi?" the green woman asked, completely confused.
"I don't know, Haru," Yuki admitted. "She just decided to run off."
Baron had stopped dead in his tracks, locking eyes with the dark cat. The remaining blush on his face fled, and he looked as white as rice paper. It felt like he was turning into ice, as he stared into those regal mismatched eyes.
Mismatched eyes of fire and ice. He had seen eyes like those on only one cat before…
