Chapter Two: Haru's Secret

"Haru's always been delicate," Naoko said softly as she jogged to the hospital. Her dreamy tone would have suggested that she was talking to herself, but Baron, inside a patchwork shoulder bag, was listening intently. "Her ability to feel pain is quite a bit higher than most kids her age, which usually makes her klutz attacks hurt worse than they would if she were someone else, and she tires easily and suddenly."

Baron's mind wandered back to the Cat Kingdom, when she had fallen behind the group at the base of the tower, her new paws resting on her knees as she gasped, although she had been fine a few moments before. If he had known she was delicate, he would have carried her through the whole escape if need be. Frankly, he wouldn't have minded that at all. Was her experience with the Cat Kingdom why she was sick? Naoko sighed.

"Her body's threatened to collapse on her a few times when she was younger, but I was sure that she was getting better. Now I see that she's just been more careful, and her body's doing some serious threatening this time. The doctors haven't been able to figure out what's wrong with her, but they fear the worst."

As did Baron.

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Naoko shortly arrived at the hospital, stopping at the front desk long enough to grab a visitor's pass. She walked confidently to the intensive care unit, several nurses remembering her from prior visits. She softly opened one door, mechanical beeping coming from within.

A doctor and nurse were standing at the side of the bed, making notes for the teenage girl's progress. Baron had to restrain himself from risking a peak at the girl while other humans were in the room. The doctor looked up at the woman.

"Ah, yes. Hello, Mrs. Yoshioka; I was just about to contact you. She was awake for two minutes about five minutes ago. She even tried to get up, but then she blacked out again."

Naoko took the seat next to her daughter to touch one of the fingers not connected to wires.

"May I have a moment alone with my daughter? I'll call if anything happens."

They nodded understandingly and left the room. Naoko made sure the door was closed while Baron crawled out of her purse, which she had left on the foot of the bed. He carefully walked up the bed towards Haru's tired face.

Her breathing was unsteady, the machine on her left monitoring her slow heartbeat. He looked at her, a void overcoming his chest. Her spirit was far too strong to let something like this conquer her. She would come out on top, and he would be with her when she does. Naoko returned to her seat and gently touched one shoulder, almost too soft to be felt by anyone but her daughter, who winced slightly in her unsteady dream state.

"Sweetheart, I brought a visitor for you."

Baron smiled and stroked the same cheek he had three months before. The machine measuring her heartbeat immediately started going faster. He chuckled, warmed that she was still crushing on him. She pulled a face, desperately trying to wake up in her troubled state. Her eyes opened slowly, still a bit distant like she was trying to see through a fog. She turned her head slightly to look at the Creation next to her, a tired smile on her face. He grinned back at her.

"Hello, Haru."

Her tired eyes warmed, taking in his face. She took a few seconds to try talking, her voice as weak as a kitten.

"Hi Baron."

His heart broke, seeing her so weak. If she was cat sized, he wouldn't have hesitated to sweep her into his arms and-

'Focus, Baron! She's sick, and you're thinking about flirting with her?' The orange cat took a second to gather his thoughts, still rubbing his hand over her cheek.

"I wish you had mentioned when we last met that you were delicate."

She managed a breathy laugh.

"Enough…problems…to deal with…you were still…really protective…of me."

Naoko was about to interrupt and demand an explanation, but noticed her daughter looked more relaxed than she had since getting this sick, happy that the strange doll was near her. She bit her tongue, determined to ask Baron for details later. He hadn't stopped softly rubbing her cheek, Haru leaning into his touch slightly.

"I tried… going to the Bureau… doctors wouldn't… let me. This bites."

Baron chuckled again, guessing that the last part meant that she wasn't happy with her body right now.

"That's fine; I came to you this time. Mrs. Yoshioka, are you certain that the doctors don't know what's wrong with her?"

She nodded.

"They said whatever Haru's got is either so rare that no or little research has been done on it, or something so common that no one's thinking of it."

Baron growled and started pacing up and down the bed sheets, Haru following him with her eyes.

"It's obvious that her nervous system is hyper-sensitive, so that's one thing to consider. If her muscles are giving out on her, that's something else. Did you notice anything wrong with your bones, Haru?"

She shook her head slightly, staring at him.

"Are you… a doctor?"

He smiled at her.

"No, but I have a few medical books at the Bureau. It never hurts to know how bodies are supposed to work. But I'm not a professional." He stopped pacing to hold his chin with one hand. "I wonder if the doctors in the Cat Kingdom would know anything."

Haru twitched violently. He grinned at her.

"Don't worry; Lune's father isn't in charge anymore. I managed to knock some sense into him."

She raised one eyebrow, a slight smile coming back.

"How?"

Baron blinked, suddenly remembering that she had been at the top of the tower when it happened, and he hadn't told her afterwards.

"I broke his crown and shaved him."

Her whole body shook with weak giggles, a loopy smile on her face.

"I wish… I could have… seen that. Must have…been hilarious."

He grinned at her again.

"Believe me; I didn't even turn to see his facial expression, but his reaction was still priceless."

Naoko noticed how her daughter's eyes kept trying to shut on their own accord, and decided to cut things short.

"Sweetheart, you need to rest a bit more. I promise to bring Baron back."

She smiled at her mother, and then looked at the doll again, who had also noticed her exhaustion.

"Sweet dreams, Haru."

She closed her eyes.

"Thanks, Baron." She quickly retreated to the world of dreams, but her face already looked more peaceful than it had before the cat doll's visit. Naoko also smiled at the orange cat while holding her bag open for him to jump into it.

"I second that. Thanks for seeing her, Baron."

He tipped his hat before sliding to the bottom of the bag.

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Outside the hospital, Naoko walked close to some trees and started whispering to Baron, still inside her bag.

"Okay, I've been patient. What happened three months ago?"

The cat Creation was hoping to head to the Bureau immediately in order to contact as many CK doctors as possible, but realized that the middle-aged woman deserved to know.

"Please head to the Cross Roads and look for a large white cat. That's how your daughter found us."

She nodded and started walking, listening to the cat doll as he kept whispering to her, the other pedestrians too lost in their own worlds to notice or care.

"Haru had saved a cat prince's life, and was displeased upon learning that one of the gifts they were giving to her was the prince's paw in marriage."

Naoko stiffened immediately.

"But she's a human!"

"Just wait, I'll get to that part."