Return of the Cat
Kohari: Wow, for a fic started off kinda slow, this thing's really gained some popularity. I mean, Jacqie and I had even thought about cutting it. So imagine my surprise when there weren't the five reviews for chapter four that we were hoping for - there were twelve! I can honestly say I was ecstatic and greatly impressed. I had no idea how much people wanted this. Therefore, this fic will go on. Thank each and every one of your for your support! Now, on with the fic! -cue the cheers-
Baron paced in the Cat Bureau, unable to keep his eyes off of the clock for more than ten seconds at a time. Muta grumbled to himself on the couch, flipping through the Cat Kingdom newspaper, though whether it was about Baron's behavior or the news, nobody in the house was quite sure. Yuki sat nearby, preparing for tea-time. Baron was too anxious to do anything right now. She glanced at Baron as often as he looked at the clock, worried for him. Plenty of times, she opened her mouth to speak, but knew not what to say. Toto, perched atop the indoor balcony, was in the same situation -watching Baron suffer slowly, but unable to help him.
Seconds turned into minutes...minutes slowly turned into hours. His heart beat in synch with the clock, with every tick, and with every tock, each second bringing him closer and closer to the moment of truth.
Baron paused and withdrew a handkerchief from his suit. After wiping a few beads of sweat from his forehead, he replaced it and recommenced to walk around in a circle, every mindful of the time.
This was precisely what he had been avoiding. How had it come to this? Things had been fine before. Why did they have to change? After all, how could anything be the same after three o'clock? But how would they change? That was what he was mostly concerned with. What would happen after today? After the words escaped his lips? He was frightened. Truly afraid. He had done the impossible, every dangerous stunt known to human- and cat-kind alike with every ounce of confidence in the world. So how was it that he was unable to summon any large amount of courage for this?
This was precisely what he had wanted to avoid. He had been satisfied before...things were fine before, perfectly fine. Hadn't they been?
Yuki set the table, for only two. She planned to remove Toto and Muta during the conversation, if not before. She was sure that Baron would rather they not be there to witness something of this calibur.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Haru ran through the streets of town, searching desperately for the way to the Cat Bureau. She could have sworn she knew where it was, but it seemed to have escaped her memory. She sprinted through every alley, down every path, in every direction. Where was the Cat Bureau?
"Haru..." Baron's voice seemed to come from the sky, calling to her sadly. "Haru..."
"Baron? Where are you?" Haru called back.
"Haru...I must tell you..."
"Baron?" Haru screamed at the sky. The clock began to chime three o'clock.
"Baron..." Haru muttered, head in her arms on the kitchen table. She awoke as the clock began to chime for real, awaking her from her nightmare. Panicked, she jumped from her seat, ready to dash outside, but she saw from the clock that it was still only two o'clock.
"It was only a dream," she observed, relieved, plopping back down in her chair. Nightmares could be so exhausting.
"Baron?" Yuki addressed him cautiously, uncertain how he would react to contact at this crucial time. He appeared to snap out of a trance as he turned to her. She approached him and offered him a cup, filled with a steaming liquid substance. "Here. Have some tea," she advised him.
"Tea..." His eyes went out of focus for a moment, but then he returned to normal. "No. No, thank you, Yuki."
"Baron, are you alright?" she wondered aloud.
"Lovesick fool," Muta mumbled under his breath. Baron didn't hear his comment, lost once again in his own little world, but Yuki did.
"Muta!" she cried, appalled.
"What?" Muta asked defensively.She only frowned at him in reply. Toto shook his head at the "pathetic furball."
"I heard that, Birdbrain," Muta told Toto.
"Good. Now that you know what the shoe's like on the other foot, you'll be more respectful," Toto spoke his thoughts.
"What do shoes have to do with you shutting up?" Muta asked.
"You have no imagination, do you? It was a metaphor."
"Well, what do metaphors have to do with you shutting up?"
"How about you shut up?"
"How about you?"
"Dummies first."
"Oh, that does it!" Muta grunted as he lifted himself from the couch and tried to reach Toto, who flew out of his reach. Yuki, with a worried glance at Baron, went to go break it up, even though she knew no real harm would come to either of them. Baron was oblivious to all.
Haru skidded to a halt by the cafe. Where was the Cat Bureau?
Dong!
She had never found the city clock tower's hourly chimes (12 times every hour)so annoying.
Dong!
Where was it?
Dong!
Where?
Dong!
She found the pathway just as the fourth dong sounded. She ran down the alley as fast as she could. She had to get there before the twelfth chime rang.
Dong!
She could see it...
Dong!
Getting closer...
Dong!
Almost there...
Dong!
Baron stared at the clock, as though unable to believe it was three o'clock.
Dong!
Haru patted down her windstrewn hair and knocked. Dong! Dong!
She went in as the last dong could be heard for the hour, ducking as she did so. Muta and Toto's familiar arguing gave her the feel of home.
"Hello, everyone," she greeted them.Suddenly, there was quiet, and it was like everything had been frozen in time. All eyes turned to Baron.
"Ah, you're here, Haru," the Baron noticed with a composure that they didn't remember seeing before now.
"Um...I think we'd better go," Toto excused them.
"I promised Lune that I would be back before now. I didn't realize what time it was," Yuki told them. "It was nice to see you again, Haru. I hope our next meeting will be soon. Come, Muta."
"Why?" he asked, having sat back on the couch to watch the show. Seeing the look on Yuki's face, he got the message, rolled up the newspaper, and followed the others out.
Confused at their sudden exit, Haru inquired, "In the letter, it said you had urgent business to discuss with me?"
"I do," Baron confirmed, gripping his cane.
"What is it?" She found it hard to conceal the concern in her voice.
"Perhaps you'd better sit down," Baron suggested. She did so. "I have something very important to talk to you about."
Jacqie: Finally! So is Baron finally gonna confess to Haru? Or will he chicken out?
Kohari: Oh, please. We wouldn't play our readers like that!
Jacqie: I'm adding suspense to a cliffhanger, Ko.
Kohari: Sorry. I kinda ruined that...
Jacqie: Anyways, review, y'all!
Kohari: Please?