Title: Kaidoh Kaoru and the Laboratory of Secrets
Authors: IceBlueAya and Fuzzy Wuzzy Karu
Characters: Ryoma, Inui, Kaidoh, Karupin
Summary: "Kaidoh-sempai, what are you... Are you playing with my cat? And why is Inui chasing after you?" Inspired by a particular scene in Kyou Kara Maoh.

Disclaimer: We don't own Prince of Tennis.

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He needed one more ingredient. Inui Sadaharu frowned at his bait. It was a concoction made out of fish, mice, and catnip, everything a cat could ever hope for. So why weren't they approaching his trap? Maybe he should put in some Eukaneba…

Inui spotted a familiar figure jogging down the block. "Kaidoh." Kaidoh Kaoru turned his head in Inui's direction; what he saw (and smelled) horrified him: his sempai standing there with a wide smile and a huge pitcher of a grey-brown liquid (?) in his hand, lumps of what might or might not be fur swirling within.

Kaidoh considered a 360 degree turn and then bolting right back where he had come from, but he didn't want to be completely rude to his upperclassman. Perhaps he could make up an excuse. Too late; Inui already had a hand on his shoulder and was steering him towards the house.

"Kaidoh, you're just in time." Kaidoh's head swam. Just in time for what? He didn't want to know. "I was attempting to catch a feline or two."

Kaidoh's head cleared. "F-felines?" Inui nodded, but did not elaborate.

"I-Inui-sempai! I think I can help." Kaidoh looked around, his creature senses on full alert. He sensed it almost immediately: a Himalayan cat scratching at a nearby tree. Carefully, he approached the animal, Inui following close behind, recording every detail in his notebook.

Kaidoh had reached his target; he and the Himalayan stared eye to eye for a few seconds. Then, quick as lightning, Kaidoh whipped out a cat teaser from his pocket. It wasn't any ordinary cat teaser; this one was huge, as long as one's arm, and with colorful streamers that caught the sun just so and dazed the cat with its beauty. The Himalayan thought it could hear the singing of the Great Cat while drowning in the glory of that light.

Inui took advantage of the cat's awe and scooped it up in his arms.

Inui opened the door to his house. He let Kaidoh in. Kaidoh was holding the Himalayan. He insisted on holding it when he agreed to go to Inui's house, which made Inui wonder about his behavior.

"So what do you need me for?" Kaidoh asked. "You promised to tell me when I come here."

"I'm doing something new today. I became interested in fortune-telling. I'm thinking to have your fortune told," answered Inui. He led Kaidoh down a flight of stairs to the basement.

Kaidoh thought, "This isn't so bad," so he followed, but he was wrong. Kaidoh walked into what appeared to be a laboratory right out of an old horror movie, including a giant cauldron in the middle of the room.

"What's that doing here?" asked Kaidoh, pointing at the cauldron.

"It's for fortune-telling." Inui picked up a book and flipped through it. "I've got all the ingredients. Now, I need to mix them." He turned on the stove and put the black pot on it.

Kaidoh was left alone while Inui was busy mixing the indregients. He almost forgot about the Himalayan that he was holding. He looked at it. He thought to himself, "I've seem this cat before..."

Kaidoh decided to play with the cat. He took out the cat teaser he used before. He waved it around the cat. It tried its best to catch the teaser. When it finally caught the toy, it took a while to let it go. Kaidoh was happy that the cat liked this toy. After all, he spent 2320 yen on it. He used up all his allowance just to buy it. He even gave up on buying a trash can, which he needed for his room.

Kaidoh was having fun playing with the cat. He swung the cat teaser to the right. The cat looked to the right and reached for the toy. Kaidoh swung it to the left. The cat turned to the left and tried to reach the toy. Kaidoh waved it a bit higher than before. The cat stretched higher. The colorful streamers shone so brightly from the sunrays through the window that it created a sparkly atmosphere.

"Ah, I almost forgot one last ingredient," said Inui. Kaidoh came back to reality when Inui picked up the Himalayan. He held it over the giant pot.

"W-wait, Inui-sempai! I'm taking the cat!" Kaidoh grabbed the cat from Inui and ran outside to the streets. "Kaidoh!" Inui chased after him. He wondered why Kaidoh ran away with the cat. He just wanted to add his last ingredient, a few strands of cat's fur.

Kaidoh ran as far as he could while carrying the Himalayan. He stopped to look back at the path where he came from. There was no sign of Inui.

"We're safe." He looked at the cat. "Mrow." He wanted to play with it some more. He put it down and took out his cat teaser again.

"Hora, hora."

"Mroaw."

"Hora, hora."

"Mroaaw.."

Kaidoh laughed softly.

"Mrow."

"Kaidoh-sempai, what are you... Are you playing with my cat...?"

"Get back here, Kaidoh!"

"And why is Inui-sempai chasing after you?"

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End Note: 2320 yen is approximately US$20. In one of the CD Daisakusen in the radio show, Kaidoh said that he wanted to buy a trash can .