EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY

Under the bright early-morning mackerel sky flushed in rose, the Cat rushed down the street with Muta at his side. As soon as he saw what Toto had called him out for, he slowed to a walk.

"And you say this is one of Phaecis' commanders?"

"That's what they told me. Hey, look, there's Lune."

They made their way to a flagpole near the town's west gate. There, dangling from the very cord used to haul the ensign of the Cat King up and down, was the body of a dog. It was bloodied and stiff, clearly dead. Its eyes looked up to the heavens in a silent, glassy plea, and its tongue hung out the side of its mouth.

The dark-blue-furred Cat King in the red robes turned from the horror on the flagpole and saw Baron. "Ah, von Jikkingen. Glad to see you're finally here."

"What's the story here, King Lune?"

"This person can tell you more than I," answered the Cat King, gesturing to the white-furred tabby beside him. She turned around, and a polite fanged smile greeted Baron and Muta. "Captain Edeline Loriel, the Baron von Jikkingen and his friend, Renaldo Moon."

The vampiric cat nodded, and Baron doffed his hat. "Ah, the Mistress of the Fortress. Your fame precedes you." They had both been warned by Gabriel what to expect beforehand. Strange that she didn't seem to obey ordinary folkloric precepts as to what a vampire was. She was standing out in the sunlight, for instance, with nothing to mark her as different from anyone else except the sleek, upswept shades she wore, and perhaps the metal legs as well.

"Likewise, Baron." She made a brusque gesture towards the body. "This is Evogöd, one of the Pirate King Phaecis' most highly placed subordinates. He was left here as a gift for us."

"Oh?" The Baron's brows went up.

"The gate guards say that early this morning, just after the guard exhange, Phaecis came strutting in like a peacock bearing the body of his comrade, then knocked them out with a sort of blowgun. When they came to they were trussed up like a couple of chickens and this had been left in the state you see it. A letter was included." The Captain produced a slip of paper from out of her velvety maroon uniform jacket and read it out loud.

My dear Edeline:
I remember my promise to you, and have nothing to with the attempt
to abduct your human guests yesterday. This usurper and the Black Cat
planned it on their own. I give you his carcass as a sign that it will not happen
again.

Captain Loriel folded the paper. "Signed, the Pirate King."

Muta grunted. "You've got to hire better cats than these, King Lune. Just one pirate and they fail to stop him?"

"You haven't seen Phaecis, have you, or heard his tales?" the cat with the blue and red eyes asked.

"Nope, not much except the part about the food."

"Then don't be so quick to judge."

The giant cat's hackles raised and he looked as though he wanted to say something. Instead, he acquiesced and asked, "Won't you cut him down?"

The Captain slowly removed her sunglasses and gave him a blank look. "Why?"

"Why?" Muta parroted, outraged. "For decency's sake!"

Captain Loriel tilted her head to contemplate the dangling body. "Funny. He doesn't seem to be complaining about his situation, does he?"

Muta regarded the cat with the metal feet with the same contempt he would give a hock of rotten Angus beef. "You're just as terrible as they are," he muttered.

The Captain's eyes flashed their pale glare. For a moment King Lune and Baron felt the tension crackle between the two. Then the tabby smiled.

"Thank you for the compliment, my giant fellow," she said. "I haven't heard that in a long time."

"Eh?" Muta looked at Baron and tapped the side of his head.

"Yes, they're all too afraid to tell me the truth to my face," continued the Captain, as if Muta hadn't just insulted her. "Only the King here and a few crusty curmudgeons have the decency to tell a girl she's a horrible creature."

"Yeah, well, I'm not afraid of you," Muta declared.

The Captain inclined her head. "So you say." She made a little gesture and went back to examining the body.

Muta turned to Baron, but the latter was busy whispering to King Lune. When he had straightened up the fat cat led him a little ways apart from the gathering.

"Did you see what she did?" Muta asked him.

"What?"

"She winked at me! Did Gabriel ever say anything about Captain Loriel being soft in the head?"

"No." Baron smiled up at him in amusement and tipped his top hat back. "That might just mean she likes you." He started to return to the throng.

"What?" Muta called as he followed. "But I don't want—" he caught up with Baron and lowered his voice "—I don't want a vampire to like me! To her I'm just a big bag of blood!"

"Ah, dear fellow, I'm sure you'll know how to deal with it. After all, you do have a way with the tabbies." The Cat turned away and began to listen to Lune talking once more.

"Oh, no you don't, Baron! That's your department, not mine!" His words went unheard by the concentrating cat gentleman, and after listening to Lune for a while himself, he warily snuck away from the others and began to search the nearby shops for something.

------oOo------

Within the space of an hour Baron had called the three visitors to the Cat Kingdom together. They sat in a little drawing-room off Fort Lorum's main library, which was at the ground floor close to the dining hall where King Lune and his officers took their meals.

"Lune's not waiting any more," he told them as he paced the carpeted floor in front of them. "With the attempt to kidnap you and the pirates destroying the garrison in the Lonely Isles, he's decided it's too risky to wait any longer and to press the attack the day after tomorrow, whether or not the Longshallows can come with us."

"So everything's ready, then?" Seiji asked.

"Except for the monitor and the loading of the supplies onto the troopships, yes."

Shizuku raised a finger. "Baron, we're still coming along on the Matatabi, aren't we?"

"Yes. Lune's reserved you a cabin."

"How long will it take to get there?" asked Seiji, who hadn't exactly been poring over the maps of the region, despite their ready accessibility in the library.

"The captain of the Matatabi tells me anywhere from six to eight hours, depending on the weather and on how treacherous the currents are at a particular time."

"The Lonely Isles are that close?"

Baron nodded.

"So we're leaving at what, ten in the evening?" Haru asked, mixed anticipation and apprehension on her features.

"Eight. Got to keep a margin for unexpected events."

"You mean emergencies," corrected Seiji.

Baron shrugged.

"Well, then, that means we'll have to put what little is left of our stay here to good use," said Haru. "I've practiced with you only twice since we got here." She lifted her arm. There was no wound on it, only the slightest trace of a line of white to mark where it had been. The stitches were still there, however. They was not much of a problem, since the thread was of the dissolving kind; Haru was merely squeamish about having them taken out so soon, just after she had endured the stitching. "Thanks for the medicine you gave me."

"And me," Seiji added. "Good as new." He flexed an arm and smirked.

"I'm glad it was of use," acknowledged Baron. "I've been carrying it with me for the longest time." He addressed Haru. "Tomorrow let's spar again. And to make things interesting, let's have a bet."

"Oh? What sort of bet?"

"Whoever loses has to obey the commands of the winner."

Haru thought it over. "Best two out of three."

"You're on." Baron offered her his hand, and she grinned and shook it.

Shizuku observed them sealing their compact and earnestly hoped that Haru would be alright, involved in a heated battle so far from their world. She wondered at her willingness to risk her life for Sir Cat, and though she could find fault with their relationship, she could not help but appreciate the depth of Haru's feeling for him. As the saying went, many were the friends who would drink with you; few were the ones who would die with you.

------oOo------

The busy fort was raucous that night, with rowdy parties of soldiers cutting loose and scattering cheer—and woe—everywhere. Lune let them, and the townspeople tolerated their shenanigans; they knew some of the intrepid souls might not return, and the guards at the fort gates and the town watch kept a close eye to see that none of them bothered the worthy souls who contributed much to the region's gross domestic product (measured in meese or catnipses, depending on whom one asked).

Joining the festivities was Muta and, surprisingly, Toto. Seiji and Shizuku found them sitting on the rim of the lowest of the ponds of the gigantic fish fountain that stood in the middle of Fort Lorum's massive courtyard, singing drunkenly of a potato moon and the delights of Roppongi. Both had little silver party hats on their heads. Additionally, Muta had a rope of garlic strung around his neck.

"I wonder where they got the hats," Seiji mused as he dodged a soldier cat running on all fours past them, with a comrade happily his back, mug of duff raised in the air.

"Hats nothing," differed Shizuku. "I wonder how they know about Roppongi. And why is Moon wearing that garlic?"

"You want to go ask them?"

"No. I have a better idea to pass the night." Seiji found her grin pleasant and mischievous at the same time.

------oOo------

While the couple was heading away from the singing pair of Cat Business Office agents, two star-crossed lovers of different humanities, stood on the veranda which extended from the King's dining hall and overlooked the sea, making hushed talk together as one enfolded the other in a steadfast embrace and the other leaned her back against him.

"Thank you for the breakfast again yesterday, Haru. That was quite a surprise for me, and very sweet of you."

"You're more than welcome. Although, like I told you, Windamary prepared it, not I."

"Ah, but you had the idea, didn't you? I really—Haru, what..."

Haru had turned around and pressed herself against Baron. "I had a dream last night." She breathed in his scent.

"Oh? What about?"

"You and I saying goodbye to each other. We had finally found Louise, and I was happy and sad at the same time. I wanted a memento of you so much, Baron, that when you refused to give it to me I cried in my dream, and woke up crying for real."

"What memento, Haru? If it's within my power to give you..."

Haru's hands tightened briefly on Baron's back. "I wanted you. You, your body." She whispered something in so low a voice the Cat had to strain to hear it.

"Oh, Haru... I can't do that, and you know it."

Haru turned her face up and smiled wanly at him. "That's the same thing you said in the dream. I know. I also know myself a little better now. Don't worry, dear heart, I'm not that stupid."

"Haru, you and Machida, didn't you–"

"That was what we were fighting about. He wanted it and I didn't. At least, not yet." She told him about the evolution of the whole sordid affair.

"I see. I can understand him being frustrated, but that's no excuse to act beastly towards you."

Haru looked away. "I don't know. Perhaps I'm the one being unfair to him. I mean, look at me. I even dream of throwing myself at you and yet I don't want to go to 'C' with my own boyfriend in real life."

"'C'?"

Haru looked back up at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's high-school talk. 'A' is kissing, 'B' is, um, petting, 'C' is making love, 'D' is getting pregnant."

"They talk about those in school?"

"Of course!"

"In my time it was discussed only behind closed doors, with a confidant or two."

"Well, a lot of things have changed since your time. You should know that better than I."

"I know. Heh, I just couldn't connect it to you."

"Why not?"

"Well, you look so... innocent."

"Innocent, eh? Just because I was given this face doesn't mean I don't have the same wishes and drives as the next human being."

"Indeed. You're quite smart for someone who hasn't even lived a quarter of a century."

"But in the game of love," returned Haru sadly, taking his gloved hand and kissing the back of it, "I'm the dumbest player of all."

"No you're not. Don't ever think that about yourself. Love isn't something that can be managed. It's like the wind: it blows where it will, and sometimes you find yourself caught up in it."

"You told me your love for Louise was irrevocable–"

"­­­–and yet look where I am now." There was an open question in the Cat's eyes. "Do you regret entering this with me, Haru?"

"No! I told you, let's have no regret over this! I had my chance with you. That should be enough."

"And yet, by your phrasing, it isn't. Poor Haru."

"Don't pity me, Baron. I don't want it." Haru hugged him tighter. "Instead of all this talk about regrets and making me sad, why don't you kiss me and make me happy instead?"

"Gladly."

It was a long time before they spoke again.

"You know, I've often wondered why you're so interested in someone who's of a different species," Baron said quietly.

"Like I said, it's easy to fall in love with you. When that happens, looks don't matter anymore." She stroked his cheek. "Maybe it's the lure of the unknown. Every woman wants something that'll forever be her own, a love that sparkles only for her, a jewel that reveals its beauty only to her eyes—even when she knows it won't last forever, even if she has to buy it with great pain." She closed her eyes, leaned forward a little, and kissed him.

It was short kiss, and afterwards Baron held her tightly, trying to shield her from both her poignant thoughts and the chill wind. His voice was quiet as he said, "I'm so sorry."

Far below them, the waves boomed against the shore. "Don't worry about me, Baron. When the time comes, I'll bury this love of ours in the snow. Then we'll both be free to return to them, if they want us back."

Haru heard a gasp, and the Cat pulled away from her. "How did you know that?" he asked, a look of something akin to awe in his eyes. "I was thinking of the same thing."

"Of what?"

"'Love, wake through spring, frolic in the summer, and ready thyself in autumn, to lie once more in the snow in winter,'" the cat gentleman quoted. "Haru, can you read my mind? Do you have magic, like Shizuku does?"

"I have no magic. Just a dream." She sighed and gripped his tailcoat tighter. "Don't let it end just yet, please."

Baron lifted her face up by the chin and kissed her for a long time. Deep inside, he was repudiating her. No, Haru, you're wrong. You have the magic every woman has within her. Men have poor vision, and can see it past their noses only some of the time.

------oOo------

"This?" Seiji exclaimed incredulously. "This is your 'better idea'?"

"Hah! I knew you were thinking terrible thoughts when I said that," Shizuku triumphantly pronounced with a sly, knowing grin. She had led them out to one turret roof, and they were now sitting at a deserted wooden table. Shizuku had her little book in her hands, and Seiji—she made him bring his score, along the violin he had borrowed from one of the cat musicians at La Ballade too.

"Now sit there and behave yourself. You're lucky we have enough light to write by." The roof was lit by the incidental glow coming from the floodlights which illuminated the perimeter of the fort. "Play that fiddle of yours, or write, I don't care which."

"But I don't want to!" Seiji said sulkily, throwing his pen and the sheets down on the wood. "Do what you want, but I have my own, better idea."

"What's that?"

Seiji sat on the bench seat and immediately lay down with his head in Shizuku's lap.

"I'm going to sleep. Wake me when you're through."

Shizuku pushed him upright. "No! Work, or I'll be mad at you!"

"Okay, don't be so pushy," he conceded. He stripped the jacket he had worn upon leaving their room and placed it round her shoulders. "You could've at least put on something warmer than that shift. This wind is quite chilly."

"Thanks!" she said, buttoning the garment. Then she looked out at the darkness of the moonlit sea and paid him no more mind.

Seiji copied her and began poring over his own work. It was something that had popped into his mind, upon seeing the younger woman and Shizuku's creation—half-creation at least, she always gave credit to Grandpa—kissing at the battlements. The music of the breakers soothed him, and he began alternately picking up his violin and playing a passage or two, and writing it down, gesticulating and humming every now and then like a conductor leading an imaginary orchestra. The noise didn't bother Shizuku. She always liked hearing him playing in their apartment, or in Chikyuuya when they were younger (or, as in the recent past, when he was forced there because their neighbors were particularly ornery about noise pollution and paper-thin apartment walls and unappreciative of the working process of the creative mind).

Bereft of his protection from the cool wind, however, Seiji was lulled by the marine zephyr to sleep after an hour or so. He ended up just as he previously wanted, curled up on the seat, with his arm resting protectively over the papers and violin still on the table, and his head in Shizuku's lap. She smiled as she wrote with one hand and played with his black hair with the other. At one point, she bent down and kissed his ear; he grumbled and shifted, almost pulling his things to the ground. Shizuku scrambled to save them, and as she replaced them on the table, her eyes lighted on the scrawled title on one of the sheets.

Haru and the Cat Baron.