A/N: And here, we finally have the epilogue for the story. :) Pretty cool, huh? Now, these events cover what happens 3 months after the ending. And it's sure to end on a high note for everyone. Well, almost, at least. Enjoy. :)
The Cat Returns: Haru the Princess of Cats
Epilogue: A Purr-fect Wedding; Happily Ever After
3 months after, one night, Lune, Haru, and Meki, the latter 2 of which were now in human form, were now walking inside the house before Haru's mother noticed.
"Oh, Haru, Meki. And Lune, too. Nice to see you three.", Haru's mother grinned.
"What brings you here this time?", Maku asked.
"Well, we thought we'd bring over a couple of invites for you two.", Haru responded.
"Invites? What for?", Maku asked.
"You'll see.", Haru grinned before the two then checked their invites as they opened them and then grew surprised and joyful.
"You're getting married?!", Haru's mother spoke excitedly before Haru nodded.
"Oh, Haru, I'm so happy for you!", Haru's mother shouted giddily as she hugged her tightly.
"Now, I get to be a grandmother!", Haru's mother grinned.
"Yeah. That's right, Mom.", Haru spoke with a grunt.
"But first, I require your blessing to marry her.", Lune responded.
"All right, then. You want it, you got it. But just remember. If you hurt Haru in anyway, I will make you pay with all nine of your lives. Understood?", Maku warned.
"Understood.", Lune responded, somewhat frightened.
"Good. Just so we're clear. By the way, what's that with you?", Maku asked.
"This? Oh. That's a special package. It's for Ms. Meku. She asked that I deliver it personally and is currently waiting in the Cat Bureau.", Lune responded.
"I see.", Maku responded.
Later, the trio went over to Hiromi and invited her as well.
"Wait. So, you three want me to be your Maid of Honor for your wedding?", Hiromi asked before the three cats nodded.
"Oh, this is perfect, guys! I always wanted to be a Maid of Honor at my friend's wedding one day. But I just didn't think it'd happen so soon, much less at a wedding for cats.", Hiromi admitted.
"Crazy how things happen, huh?", Meki asked.
"Well, yeah. But in an exciting way.", Hiromi grinned.
"So, you're coming?", Haru asked.
"Yeah.", Hiromi nodded.
"Excellent. We must head to the Cat Bureau, then. Meku is waiting for us there.", Lune spoke.
"Right. I'll go spread the word to my family.", Hiromi grinned.
Later, at the Cat Bureau, Meku waited outside with Baron and Muta before she looked up toward Toto.
"Geez. What's taking them so long?", Muta asked.
"Good question.", Baron grinned.
"You see them yet, Toto?", Meku asked.
"Don't think so.", Toto responded as he looked around, perched on a street lamp, before eventually spotting some people making their way through the alley.
"Oh, wait. There they are.", Toto spoke before Meku waved to them.
"Hey, guys! I'm over here!", Meku shouted with a wave before the others walking there saw her and laughed joyfully as they ran over to her with Haru and Meki turning back into cats the moment they ran on all fours with Hiromi's family quite surprised to see what happened to the two.
"Hold on. Did they just...?", Hiromi's father began.
"Turn into cats? Yeah. I couldn't believe it, either.", Hiromi responded.
"Hey, Meku. So, are you ready meow?", Haru asked.
"Almost. Can you set that package down here, Lune?", Meku asked before Lune then put the package down on the ground and moved back.
"Thank you.", Meku thanked as she bent down and picked it up.
"So, what's so special about that package, anyway?", Muta asked.
"Well, I'll need to add it to the tea and drink it first. Then, you'll see.", Meku grinned as she went back inside.
"Well, this is quite interesting.", Baron commented as he and the others went inside one at a time with Haru and Meki going in first before Hiromi, Meku's mother, and Maki with Muta and Baron going in last while Maku waited outside and peeped through the balcony window.
"Okay. Stir it just right and...", Meku spoke as she applied the special powder in the bag to her tea before finishing it up and then drinking it, quickly getting a tingling sensation.
"Ooooh. That's more like it.", Meku grinned before turning to Baron.
"You know, when I saw you at the wedding, Baron, I realized something that I haven't thought about in a long time.", Meku said as her ears became cat-like and sprouted from her head.
"That no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get you out of my head.", Meku continued as her whiskers grew in.
"I try so hard to say that it was nothing. That I was young and naive. That it was wrong because of what we were. That it was never meant to be. But the more I fought it, the stronger my feelings of me knowing that I was lying to myself got.", Meku added as her nose became a cat nose, her upper lip puffed up and split before pushing out into a muzzle, her left and right hands popped into paws one at a time, and her legs contoured into hind legs with her feet popping out one paw at a time.
"I love you, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen.", Meku continued as her tail grew out.
"And I want to spend the rest of my nine lives with you forever.", Meku finished as her pupils narrowed into slits and her eyes changed to a beautiful crystal blue.
"And I love you, Meku. I would be happy to spend the rest of my 9 lives with you as well.", Baron responded as Meku nuzzled him and they both kissed as the latter's hair fell out completely and turned into catnip.
Only Muta grew a bit shocked as everyone else grinned, surprised as they were as well, before Meku and Baron parted lips.
"That was ameowzing, Baron.", Meku grinned.
"Indeed. And I have to ask. Are you really sure this is the life you want?", Baron asked.
"Baron, I've never been more sure of anything in my whole life.", Meku responded.
"Very well.", Baron grinned before there was a knock on the door.
"Uh, guys? There's someone at the door.", Maku spoke.
"I'll get it.", Meku grinned before she went to the door and opened it to show Natoru waiting outside.
"It's time to go to the wedding reception, Ms. Meku!", Natoru spoke before several cats burst in and circled around the others, this time picking the group up before escorting them out without much of a struggle like 3 months ago before leaving the house.
"Have a fun wedding, guys!", Toto shouted.
"Just don't touch my Angel Food Cake!", Muta shouted as they were dragged off.
"So, how's that special powder coming along?", Natoru asked.
"It worked out great. Meow I can see why Haru liked being a cat so much.", Meku responded before she and the others went through portal after portal all the way to the Cat Kingdom using the same route.
Of course it was a bit foggy like last time, but when it cleared, they were very close to the Cat Kingdom Castle now.
"Wow. The Kingdom of Cats...", Haru's mother spoke.
"I know. It's marvelous, isn't it?", Natoru responded.
"So, the wedding is just inside these halls, is that correct?", Baron asked.
"That's right.", Lune nodded.
Sometime later, Maku was the first to develop whiskers and cat ears, puzzling him while his mother grew a cat tail and a cute cat nose and Maki's hands turned into paws as she cooed sweetly. Hiromi, though, was quite enjoying her own changes as she started to develop the same changes Haru went through on her first stay here, starting with her eyes.
"Ooh. This actually feels good. Purr-fect, even. I can see why Haru likes this now.", Hiromi grinned while everyone else that was human to begin with was weirded out by their own changes into cats.
As soon as their own hair fell out and turned into catnip, though, they couldn't help but feel elated for a moment only to feel unsettled as they now realized they had developed cat instincts.
Then, as everyone was seated, the best men and women arrived first and stood near the altar as Lune and Haru stepped forward into it.
"Ladies and Gentlecats. We gather here today to celebrate the union of Haru Yoshioka and Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom. If there is a reason why these 2 should not be joined, let them speak now or forever hold your peace.", the cat spoke before silence filled the court for a moment.
"Very well, then. Let's proceed. Ms. Haru, do you take Lune to be your lawfully wed husband and, in doing so, vow to always be faithful to Lune and to love and cherish him no matter what happens?", the cat asked.
"I do.", Haru blushed.
"Prince Lune, do you take Ms. Haru to be your lawfully wed wife and, in doing so, vow to treat Haru with the integrity and respect she deserves and solemnly swear that no harm shall ever come to her?", the cat asked.
"I do.", Lune responded.
"I now pronounce you cat husband and cat wife. You may now kiss the cat bride.", the cat spoke before the two cats then kissed each other as the crowd clapped for the happy couple with Prince Lune and Haru happily stepping down the altar and walking out the door.
"Whoo-hoo! Way to go , Haru!", Hiromi cheered.
Later, during the reception, as everyone danced along, Lune went up to Hiromi and her boyfriend.
"So, you need me to be your advisor?", Hiromi asked.
"That's right.", Lune responded.
"Of course. I'll help. What about you, Tsuge? Wanna stay here and help?", Hiromi asked.
"Sorry, but I'm gonna have to say, 'no'.", Tsuge only refused.
"What? But why?", Hiromi asked, disappointed.
"For one thing, I have to earn a sports scholarship. And another thing, I think we should break up.", Tsuge responded, making Hiromi gasp before getting peeved and slapping him in the face with her paw, making him give a look that says, "Okay, I deserve that." all over it.
"Goodbye, Hiromi.", Tsuge spoke before walking out.
"Aw... And I used to think he was so cool, too...", Hiromi groaned dejectedly.
"Don't worry, Hiromi. I'm sure there's someone here that's right for you.", Haru assured.
"You're sure?", Hiromi asked before Haru nodded with Hiromi looking toward Maku and then blushing.
"See? Looks like you've found him already.", Haru grinned.
"What? No. Really?", Hiromi asked.
"Yeah, really. Go to him.", Haru urged as she ushered him toward Maku.
"Oh. Uh, hi, Maku.", Hiromi greeted a bit nervously.
"I saw what happened back there with him.", Maku responded.
"You did?", Hiromi asked.
"Yeah. If I'm being honest, you deserve better than him.", Maku responded.
"Well, you're not wrong there.", Hiromi agreed before she thought of something and then spoke to him, albeit a bit nervous, still.
"So, uh..., after the reception, you, uh, wanna go out for a saucer of cream?", Hiromi asked.
"I'd love to.", Maku responded, making Hiromi grin before turning to Haru, who winked at her happily.
"Okay, folks! Gather round the center of the room! It's time for a royal picture!", Natoru shouted.
"Oh, all right. But I'm still bringing this slice with me!", Muta responded, earning everyone's cheerful laugh.
"What? What's so funny?", Muta puzzled before the laughter died down some with happy sighs as everyone then gathered arorund as instructed.
"Okay, everybody. Say 'Catnip'!", Natoru shouted as he aimed the camera.
"Catnip!", the group in the picture shouted before a flash shone and then showed the resulting picture and then faded to black as it then showed iconic moments of the film in a background as the song played from beginning to end.
Play Keane Music: "Somewhere Only We Know"
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go? So why don't we go?
Oh, this could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
End Keane Music: "Somewhere Only We Know"
A/N: So, what'd you think? Pretty great, huh? And Hiromi found someone better, too. :) So, as Mr. Peabody said, "I think we can file this night under 'Unqualified Success'." Still, crazy how things turn out in a sort of good way, huh?