Disclaimer: I just realized I didn't post a disclaimer for the first two chapters, so here goes: I don't own "The Cat Returns" (though I wish I did), Studio Ghibli does. Hope it makes up for the other two. Oh, and whatever you don't recognize from the movie is mine.

Chapter two

The next day, Fento made his way to the palace, as he had received a letter saying that the king wanted to talk to him. Not that he was particularly respectful of the king, but he wanted to maintain the appearance of the dutiful and loyal ambassador a little while longer. After all, it wouldn't be long until his plan started, so he guessed he could endure all the goodness a bit more. As he proceeded into the King's office, an elegant yet simple room, Fento smiled inwardly. On the table in front of the king was a letter with the unmistakable seal of the Great Gold Eagle. Everything was going according to plan. Fento stopped in front of the king and bowed as respectfully and deeply as he could. It was not the time to mess things up.

"You asked for me, your majesty?" he asked in the best polite voice he could muster.

"Ambassador Fento," the king nodded, "I am in need of your skills."

"Pray tell, your majesty, how can I be of service?"

"I have recently received a letter from Emperor Hanakash of the Empire of Birds, concerning an incident about his heir and one of my subjects. The culprit has already been taken care of, as I'm sure you've heard." Lune crossed his paws in front of him. "However, the matter is not entirely settled. The Emperor is still greatly annoyed at the Kingdom, and could very well be considering war. I want you to go to Raïtal, the Empire's capital, and appease the Emperor. You will be sent with appropriate gifts, and I'm counting on you and your honey-wrapped tongue to bring back peace as much as you can between us. Is everything clear Mr. Fento?"

"Yes your majesty," answered Fento, inwardly boiling at how the king put his intelligence in doubt by that question, but on the outside smiling politely.

"Perfect. Now, I have other pressing matters to discuss with Advisor Natori, but Advisor Natoru" – and Lune gestured to the smiling small brown cat at his left – "will discuss the details of your journey with you, as well as help you with the gifts, since he is to accompany you."

"It is an honor to work with you, Ambassador, and I trust our partnership will bring great profit to the Kingdom." Said the small advisor as he bowed towards Fento.

The monkey creature bowed back, and then both of them bowed to the king and made their way out of the room. As soon as they were out, Natoru began babbling about the journey and all he thought they would be needing, as well as how pleased the king would be when they succeeded in this mission. As the cat kept on talking on and on, and that Fento made all the appropriate noises in all the right places to signal his agreement, the ambassador was refraining from strangling the cat right now and there. That cat and his cheerfulness were so annoying! He silently put him on his list of people to get out of his way. He smiled. The advisor's tragic disappearance while in Raïtal would be the perfect way to push the Cat Kingdom towards war, and he would make sure to provoke the Emperor equally, if not more. Oh yes, there would be war.

A few days later, Natoru and Fento were in Raïtal, capital of the Empire of Birds. They had been fetched by two great albatrosses, the courier birds of the Empire, and transporters when goods or guests had to be brought in from other far away kingdoms for of course, Raïtal was not located in Japan. It was in the forests of South Korea, concealed from human eyes in the highest trees and underneath the deepest roots. Yes, Raïtal was well hidden, and the palace only accessible through the air. A perfectly defendable place from most creatures, but unfortunately not against a creature such as Fento. The ambassador was currently in his room in the palace, overlooking most of the bird-city and looking at the activity of its inhabitants with a knowing smirk. The first two days had been going quite well. The Emperor had received them with all the honors of their rank, and Fento had played his role as ambassador, becoming a quick friend of the Emperor. After only two days, the Emperor was ready to believe anything that Fento told him. What a birdbrain, literally, thought Fento as a small green and red parrot messenger dashed underneath him. Now I know where the expression comes from. He smiled again. The Emperor was a handsome gold eagle, strong and proud, as well as quick to anger, a dangerous combination in a ruler, but one that served Fento's designs perfectly. Through careful comments and sentences, he had brought the Emperor right on the brink of the cliff, and all he needed now was a little push and he would fall into the black scheme of war. His appointment with Hanakash today would be the perfect moment. Speaking of which, it was almost time for him to meet with the old fool.

Fento adjusted his shoulder white cape, grabbed his cane and stepped through the door. Unfortunately for him, Natoru was waiting right outside and fell into step with him, for once not babbling too much (Fento guessed that he was nervous, seeing as the Emperor looked quite fierce and was about three times Natoru's size). Fento suppressed a growl of annoyance at the little advisor. He had completely forgotten that the cat was to be at the meeting with the Emperor. No matter, he would take care of him right after he managed to provoke the old coot into war with the Cat Kingdom.

Bearing as well as he could with the brown cat, Fento made his way towards the Royal Gardens - a fancy title in Fento's opinion for a bunch of flowery vines and a few big leaves full of colorful waters, with paths of sculpted branches. Finally, after much twists and turns, as well as the climbing of a few stairs in the palace's maze of trees, the Cat Kingdom's envoys arrived at the Gardens. By now, Natoru had completely stopped talking, for which Fento was grateful. At least that Emperor is good for something. Said Emperor was talking to one of his many advisors, a pigeon going by the name of Omar, from what Fento recalled. It was a wreck of a creature, a truly nervous bird, and with some reasons. As annoying as he was, Fento wouldn't be surprised if many hadn't already tried to kill him – or eat him in some cases. The fact that he was advisor to the Emperor, a bird of prey, was a feat in itself. As soon as Hanakash saw them though, he dismissed Omar and turned with a smile to his newest "friend".

"You asked to see us, your majesty?" asked Fento as he bowed with Natoru.

"Ah, ambassador Fento! Yes indeed, I asked for you. I wanted to discuss the matter of the treaty a little further with you. I hope it is not a bother," said the Emperor, completely ignoring Natoru, to the relief of the later.

"Certainly not your majesty, I am at your disposition, as you certainly know," said Fento with a smile.

"Yes, my advisor, Mr. Omar, was just discussing the matter with me, and said that there was a problem with article B, something about the trade routes being awfully dangerous for my people. Would you care to elaborate?"

"Article B you say, your highness? Yes, I remember it, but as far as I know the routes chosen are completely secure. The emissaries from Egypt and England assured us that it was so just recently, and if I recall well…"

As they discussed the Treaty, both walked forward into the gardens, Fento slightly behind the Emperor and Natoru quietly following. After all, he was only there as an envoy, Mr. Fento was the ambassador, and Natoru didn't have to intervene when the creature was doing his job. The day continued forward. By now, only the three of them were in the gardens, left alone by the express orders of the Emperor. It was growing quite hot under the trees of the jungle, and what had to happen, happened.

"I am rather thirsty, Ambassador. Would you like a drink?"

"Certainly your majesty, with pleasure. But, I'm afraid there aren't any servants around, since you dismissed them earlier."

"I'll go and get them for you, if you permit me to do so, your majesty" said Natoru, almost making the two others jump. They had completely forgotten about the small advisor.

"That is a wonderful idea, Mr. Natoru," said Fento, seeing an opportunity to get rid of the cat for a few moments. "Please go get them, the Emperor and I will be waiting right here."

"Hai!" Natoru bowed and quickly left. As soon as the cat was out of sight, the Emperor turned, annoyed, towards Fento.

"Ambassador! I didn't give him permission to leave! You are stepping over my authority!"

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but I couldn't find any other way to get rid of him," said Fento as he bowed apologetically, "and I had to talk to you privately without the fiend stalking my every move."

"What do you mean?" asked the Emperor, appeased by Fento's words but still annoyed at him.

"I mean, your Majesty, that I have been trying to tell you something of the utmost importance, and with that assassin behind me…"

"Assassin!" the Emperor was bewildered. "That fat little cat is an assassin? He doesn't look like it at all!"

"Yes, I know your majesty, and that makes him even more dangerous. He's been sent here with me to ensure that I would follow the orders King Lune gave me, and to silence me if I tried to warn you of his plans."

"Go on," and the Emperor was now listening intently. As Hanakash leaned forward slightly, Fento inwardly grinned in satisfaction: everything was going according to plan, and even better.

"Your majesty, King Lune is planning to overthrow you and conquer the Empire of Birds. His first try at destabilizing you was the assassination attempt on your son, the Prince. Fortunately, it failed, but in order to prevent you from acting too soon by declaring war on him, he sent me here, his best ambassador, to appease you. As he doesn't trust me, he sent Advisor Natoru along, in fact the Kingdom's best assassin, so that my tongue would not "slip" in your presence. He is planning to assassinate your Majesty right now, as far as I know."

"WHAT!" boomed the Emperor. "No one messes with the Empire! I will teach him a lesson, that "King" Lune! The Empire is going to war!"

"A most wise move, your Majesty, Lune will not see it coming. And I can even help you more on the matter, if you would allow me to make a suggestion or two?"

The Emperor looked back at Fento, the fire of anger burning deep in his eyes. "I'm listening."

"Well, your Majesty, I could go back to the Kingdom of Cats and tell King Lune that my mission was successful. That way, you would have the effect of surprise on your side! But, I would have to get rid of that assassin first."

"My guards can take care of him, but how will you explain his absence to the King?" asked the Emperor, pleased at having such a devoted creature to help him take revenge on the foolish cats.

"I will say that Advisor Natoru was so enchanted by your Majesty and his Realm that he decided to stay a little while longer in the city, of course. No one will suspect a thing, believe me."

"Very well then. I will dispatch one of my personal couriers to carry you back. The attack should be in ten days time, so be ready. I want you to be my advisor when we birds are victorious over the treacherous cats, and it wouldn't please me at all if you were to be killed in the attack."

"I will be sure to do so, your majesty," and Fento smiled widely this time. Things were finally in motion, and there was only one thing, or rather cat, to be taken care of.