Author's Note: I have two writing speeds: slow and boring, and fast and hideous. This is an example of hideous. Got to listen to the muse as she sings, and I always end up revising my entries anyway, sometimes months after first posting them.
Hope you enjoy these next three chapters. A bit short, each is, but I couldn't resist separating them.
PS: Ellenlome: You know, this is getting scary. You like Morrowind, I like Morrowind. You've played Baldur's Gate II, I've played the original. And only now, as I post this, do I remember that you have an assassin in Whispers of a Distant Land. You'll see what I mean, if you read this.
THE RETURN TO THE COUNTRY OF CATS
Haru was in utter darkness. Only her body, clad in a ruffed 16th-century English noblewoman's costume, and another's, in a light gray suit, were visible, illuminated as if by unseen spotlights.
"Baron! Wait!"
The Cat in the Evening Coat turned around. "Yes?"
"You win." Haru lowered her head. "You can have your way with me."
Even at the distance they were at Haru could see the eyebrows and brow-whiskers go up. "Pardon?"
"I said you can have your way with me!" Haru made no effort to conceal the blush on her cheeks. She felt she could no longer spare the energy.
Baron smiled. Not in the confident way Haru had seen him do before, and not in the reassuring way he had done before he twirl-jumped off the school rooftop ledge onto the passing Toto's back long ago. It was an evil smile, full of malice.
Haru watched as Baron's face melted into that of Machida's. Her boyfriend adjusted the bow tie around his neck, still smiling all the while. "Tease," came his voice. "Feel what it's like to have your advances rejected." Then he turned away and vanished into the darkness.
------oOo------
Haru started and opened her eyes. She found herself staring up at the dark foliage and branches of a tree. She was sitting leaning against its bole. It was nighttime.
Where? What... She put a hand on her forehead, intending to rub it. A dream. It was just a dream.
But the cool air on her cheeks felt very real. So did the rough ground beneath her lower legs. How did I get here? The last thing I remember is being in my bedroom, and a bright golden light pulling me in... As she scratched her head, her hand moved back a little, from her forehead to the side. She touched a flap of... skin? Cartilage? She felt the touch, and investigated some seconds more.
Her shriek sent the birds roosting in the tree flying off into the night.
------oOo------
Nearby, two figures walking through the silent wood jerked to a stop at the sudden sound.
"Haunted, I told ya," one said.
"No, listen! There, someone's calling for help!"
"Hey, where ya going? Don't go that way!"
"Ghosts, sheeah, right. Come on, we have to see who it is! Are you a cat or a mouse?"
"Neither. I'm a chicken. Bokbokbokbokbok."
"So arm yourself! I don't know why the Army even accepted you, you coward."
"Uh, because the tabby clerk at the recruiting office liked mah looks?"
"Shut up!"
------oOo------
Haru stumbled through the underbrush, heading for a set of lights that seemed to indicate the presence of a road. It can't be! she wailed to herself. It can't! I can't be turning into a cat again! A bad dream! Yeah, that's what this is! A bad dream, and nothing else!
She heard voices calling out, searching for her, promising her help. At that point she would have welcomed even the Devil himself, if he promised to aid her and explain what was going on. She yelled back, telling them where she was. In a few minutes the owners of the voices had homed in on her position.
------oOo------
"So that's how it is, huh? I'm really in the Cat Kingdom again?"
"Yeah. You're lucky we were in the vicinity," said the older of the two cats standing by her, her equal in size. He was a tom with striped orange fur and mascara lines on his face. A large golden hoop earring dangled from his right ear. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined finding a pretty kitty like you, wandering alone at night in these woods."
Haru covered her cat ears with her hands. "I'm not a kitty! I'm a human! I'm a hummeeow!" She blinked. "Eep."
"Well, you sure look like a cat to me, except for your legs and hands."
"And she don't have no tail," remarked the other, younger cat, a tom with gray fur whose bluish tint could be seen even in the dim light of the lamps lining the highroad. "Not unless you've got Manx blood or are hidin' it under your skirt." His hand moved unconsciously towards the blue cloth and got batted away by the Sergeant, who gave him a stern 'what-the-hell-do-you-think-you're-doing' look.
Haru shook her head.
"Well, Miss Haru, we had really better get going," said Sergeant Jarashi of His Majesty's Fifth Fusiliers. "Like we told you, the next town's just past that hill. It's not too safe traveling at night."
"Yeah, we were hurryin' there ourselves," said Private Tweep Fisher. "I just want a bed to lie on and a door between me and the night."
"You can join us if you want to." The Sergeant shifted his pack to another shoulder. "After all, it only makes sense. We're heading for the Cat King's Castle, and I think that'd be the best place for you to seek help."
"I guess you're right," said Haru after thinking it over. "But I don't have any money. All I have are the clothes on my back."
"An' this!" Private Fisher raised Haru's epée. "I can't believe ya didn't know ya were carryin' this in yer hand. Yah must've really been frightened out of your wits."
"It's okay, Miss Haru. Since both the kid and I like pretty kitties, we'll cover for you for now." The Sergeant winked. "I hope you're not hungry, though. We don't have that much money."
"Now that you mention it, I am," Haru groaned. "But it's okay, I can bear it."
"Ya can have mah sandwich," Private Fisher said, holding up a small paper bag. Seeing the dubious look on Haru's face, he added, "No worries, it's broiled chicken and lettuce."
"Lettuce," the Sergeant said in disgust, sticking his tongue out as Haru gratefully accepted the sandwich. "Blech. I don't know why you even eat the stuff."
"Hey, look, you've got yer tastes, I've got mine. Come on, let's get off this road and find ourselves a room at that nice inn."
"Right. Let's." The old tom reached into a pocket of his baggy khaki pants and brought out what appeared to be a strip of cured meat. He offered it to Haru.
"Rat jerky?"
Haru declined.
------oOo------
The two soldiers found their accidental companion a single room at the Catkin Inn, a small establishment in the middle of a town called Twopaws. They stayed in another, and despite the Sergeant's statement that they didn't have much money, somehow managed to bring some cold cuts, a loaf of bread and a pitcher of milk up to her room. She devoured them, then—after the two had bid her goodnight—went back to fretting over the change occurring in her body. She recalled someone previously saying it was permanent. Was it Baron who said that? After an hour she, frazzled and tired, fell asleep, still not knowing how she was ever going to get back home, or—if she was able to—how she was going to deal with humans looking the way she did now.
------oOo------
It took them half a day longer to reach the outskirts of the Castle and its environs. The white building shone in the sunlight like a spectacular jewel, beckoning to Haru, promising her sanctuary. Surely, surely, someone there could help her? King Lune, perhaps, or one of his people?
By now her transformation was complete. She had long since taken to carrying her shoes in a little bag Private Fisher had lent her; they didn't fit her cat feet any more. Her blouse still fit, as did her jacket, but she was forced to make some discreet alteration to her skirt so her tail—a fluffy affair, yellow like the rest of her—could poke through it. It was while trying to wrestle herself into her clothes that Haru realized why cats hated having their tails pulled (it hurt very much), and why some of the chairs in the inn had backs with slots cut out of their lower portions.
"Niao," she said as they approached the main gate of the humungous building. "There seems to be an awful lot of people here."
"Yeah. For some reason King Lune's called up a lot of his soldiers," stated Sergeant Jarashi. "That's why we're here too."
The noncom and the private led her to up to the entrance. The two cats in gleaming plastrons and shiny helmets standing to either side crossed their halberds in front of it, blocking their progress.
"State your business," said one.
Sergeant Jarashi answered for all of them. The instant he mentioned Haru's name and that she was a human looking for some help, the guards removed their polearms and waved Haru through. Only Haru. As Jarashi and Fisher tried to follow, the guard who had remained silent put his paw up. His partner spoke into an ear-mike, evidently reporting the arrival.
"Not you two. All soldiers are to report to their respective units." The guard pointed to the barracks-and-parks complex that had replaced the previous Cat King's demolished spire. "You'll find your places there."
Fisher was about to protest, but Jarashi pulled on his arm and nodded. As they were about to go away, Haru ran back to them, thanking them for all their help.
"'Tweren't nothing, Miss Haru," said Fisher, smiling. "Just kinda mention our names to King Lune, will ya?"
"I sure will," Haru assured him. "And don't worry, I'll find some way to pay you back."
"Ah, that's not important–" Jarashi began.
"Miss Haru!"
The trio looked up to see a brownish cat with floppy ears, clothed in a blue jacket with poofy sleeves, running towards them from the side entrance.
"Natoru-san!" Haru exclaimed. From Muta and the twins she had learned that the Assistant Secretary she had picked up by the scruff and pressed against the metal fence at school three years ago was now Lune's secretary, replacing the older Natori, who had opted to resign his position and continue serving Lune's father. The former Cat King had retired to his and Lune's ancestral duchy and was living a quiet life for now.
Natoru caught up with them. "Oh, Miss Haru," he said, panting, "I am very glad to see you here. It seems Fate has been kind and sent you here immediately, along with that other lady."
Haru raised her eyebrows. "What other lady?"
Natoru's eyebrows raised in return. "You mean you didn't come here together?"
"No. I was alone, and these two gentlemen—er, cats—helped me."
"Ah, yes. King Lune was expecting this sort of thing to happen." Natoru fished out a large bag from the interior of his jacket. "Here you go. A reward for helping this friend of the King." As he handed it over Haru could hear the contents clinking.
Jarashi accepted the bag and opened it. A yellow shine twinkled in his and Fisher's eyes as they stared upon the gold coins thus revealed.
"His Majesty is too generous!" Jarashi exclaimed, unable to hide his amazement.
"No, he's not," Fisher said in a lower volume, a comment which earned him an immediate elbow in the stomach from the Sergeant.
"Pay no attention to him," Jarashi quickly covered. "Please tell the King that we are very grateful."
Natoru nodded, and the two soldiers bowed and left. As they walked back across the bridge spanning the castle moat, Haru thought she heard them already arguing over what to do with the gelt they received. She wondered why they'd been so kind to her. I guess I shouldn't lose my faith in men so easily, she thought, smiling to herself.
"Miss Haru, please follow me," Natoru prompted. She did so, after being told by the guards to leave her epée with them.
Natoru led her into the depths of the Cat King's Castle. Now at relative ease, Haru admired its vaulting architecture and grand decoration, something she couldn't have done on her previous visit since she was, well, preoccupied at the time.
"Natoru-san?" Haru spoke as they entered what appeared to be an elevator.
"Yes?"
"Well, you can see the state I'm in now. Is there any chance King Lune can help me?"
"I'm sure the court physician can do something for you," replied the secretary cat. "Ever since your visit here the King has thought such an event might happen again, and made some preparations against that day." He pressed a button, and a pair of cream-yellow doors closed in front of them.
"Where are we going?"
"To see a friend of yours."
Haru's heart skipped a beat. "You mean Baron?"
"Yes." The lift began to rise.
Haru noted the look on the Secretary's face. She had always thought the smile was fixed on it, but the seriousness emanating from him now was both visible and palpable.
"Natoru... is there anything wrong?"
The moment the cat bowed his head Haru knew something was amiss.
"Yes," Natoru whispered. "Yes, Miss Haru, something is terribly wrong. You see, we fear the Baron von Jikkingen is dying."
------oOo------
The moment the tall doors to the bedroom—vast but empty, save for some pieces of furniture—opened, Haru ran towards the supine figure on the bed.
"Baron!" she shouted. "Baron! I'm here!"
She stopped short as the two people already at Baron's bedside looked up at her. One was a woman about her own age, with short, straight black hair, holding a hand of the Cat in her own. She was seated on a maroon-upholstered Queen Anne-style chair. Behind her stood a pale, lanky young man with disheveled black hair, in green polo and jeans. He had rubber shoes on, while the woman wore dark brown sandals, in addition to a simple white sundress.
Humans! But how come they weren't turning into cats? Had they just arrived in this world?
"Uguu," Haru noised. "Are-are you friends of his?"
"We are," replied the woman. "Well, I am, mostly. My husband–"
Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by the figure on the bed, which moaned and stirred. Haru hurriedly took the side opposite the couple. She noted the strange dark gray color of the Baron's fur, but dismissed it as unworthy of further thought.
The eyes she knew so well opened. They were glazed, fever-bright, and as they looked at her, then the other woman, the Cat uttered a few words she couldn't understand.
"Baron?" Haru took the hand lying on the coverlet in her paws. "It's me. It's Haru. Remember me?" She stared into his eyes, hoping by main force of will to make him recognize and greet her. "Natoru-san, what's he saying?"
The Secretary, who had come up to the foot of the bed, shook his head sadly. "'Ah, the daughters of the Erl-King are here, come to take me away.' That's what he's saying, Miss Haru, Miss Shizuku. 'They are so beautiful.'" Natoru covered his eyes with a forepaw, as if shielding them from the sunlight streaming in from the large open windows. "'Very, very beautiful.'"
Underneath her fur Haru blanched as fear squeezed her heart. She felt as if her breath had been stolen away from her.
"What's wrong with him?" she cried. "Can't you make him any better?"
"We've been trying to do so for the last two days. He's been poisoned. We can't find an antidote."
"Poisoned?" asked the woman Natoru called Shizuku-ojousama. "How terrible! Who did it?"
"It's a long story. Suffice it is to say that the Baron was hurt while protecting King Lune from a most nefarious criminal."
The doors to the bedroom opened again, and a short-muzzled, dark-gray cat in regal robes and with a golden circlet on his head entered. "How is he?" His voice carried across the room, clear as a bell.
"No better, Your Highness," answered Natoru, bowing. "May I introduce the Lady Shizuku and her husband Sir Seiji Amasawa, and the Lady Haru Yoshioka. As per your instructions I brought them up here as soon as we had got word of them."
The King came up to the bed, looking curiously at the yellow-furred cat in the unusual clothes standing by Baron. "Miss Haru? Is that you?"
"Yes, Lune. I mean, King Lune." Haru stroked Baron's hand. "What happened? How'd Baron get to be like this?"
Lune looked soberly at the figure in the bed. "I will tell you." He gathered his thoughts and began to speak.