I do not own The Cat Returns. Please enjoy the first chapter. I know my readers are happy that I finally got the dang thing typed up.

**EDIT**

Thank you for the review:

SleepyFairy9

and

Hollow'sXmas

Chapter 1

Haru sat in her desk at school, listening to the boring drone of the teacher to her last period. Her eyes started to slip closed, and the teacher's words slowly faded into the distance. She fell asleep until the harsh words of her best friend brought her back into reality.

"Get up! It's time to go!" Naoko poked her softly. She looked up at her friend with tired eyes.

"Mmm... Okay," Haru said and slid out of the chair, and followed her friend out of the room. They quickly left the school building, and soon enough the two went their separate ways. Haru went along the way to the Cat Bureau.

She once again found the same turn out as usual, one of the passage ways was no longer there, making it impossible for her to get to it. She came to the end of an alley, and stared at the black bricks. She couldn't believe that she'd probably never go there again. Her heart begged her to return every single day, but what could she do?

"Why, Yuki... Why can't I go there? I want so badly to see someone from my past..." Haru whispered touching her forehead to the cool brick. There were crystal tears in her eyes, and her eyelashes grew sticky from those very tears. A small cat with flopped down ears and often closed eyes appeared behind her. There was a pleasant smile on his round face, his cheeks rosy as usual.

"Natoru!" Haru cried, more tears spilling down her face. She couldn't stop smiling with joy now that she was seeing a familiar face.

"Hello Haru. You want to go see Yuki?" he asked her.

"Really!? Yes, please! Thank you so much!" Haru cried grasping the cat's paws. Natoru nodded, his eyes squinting happily. Haru's was becoming a bit contagious.

"That's great!" he said, nodding, "Yuki will be excited." Haru giggled in sheer happiness as a multitude of cats lifted her up, flying her away to the world of the cats.

*O*

"Yuki!" Haru cried, hugging the beautiful snow white cat. Yuki smiled at her.

"Hello, Haru. It's nice to see you again," Yuki said softly. Haru nodded, seeming to be all smiles since she was back at the Cat Kingdom.

"Oh, you don't even know," Haru sighed. Yuki looked at her questioningly.

"Please, explain," Yuki said, folding her white paws in her lap. Haru slowly sat down across from her in the little office-like room.

"Well…" Haru explained most of the things she had written in her diary to Yuki. Yuki listened kindly without a word, "and I want to become a cat again." The end part of her entire explanation caught Yuki by surprise.

"Haru!" she gasped, "Surely you don't mean that! You're meant to be human."

"But what if I'm not? Didn't you listen at all?" Haru asked, hurt was shown clearly in her eyes.

"Oh, Haru… I don't know," Yuki replied. She looked like she was torn between the two possibilities.

"Please, Yuki!" Haru begged. Yuki looked at Haru, her kind gaze unsure.

"Oh, alright. But, you mustn't leave the cat world unless with someone from the Cat Bureau," Yuki told her. Haru nodded.

"Thank you so much, Yuki!" she cried hugging the white cat once again. She hugged back slowly.

"Your welcome Haru," she whispered. Haru was so happy. She danced about in the dress Yuki had given her. It was a light blue, and it floated and shimmered beautifully when Haru spun around. Haru already had cat ears and a tail. Excitement was pouring off of her. Yuki watched her worriedly. She knew something key had been left out of her little story that she had told her. Why had she really wanted to become a cat? It was odd for her to want to be a cat just because she felt awkward as a human. There was a feeling in her heart driving her to do this, but Yuki feared that she'd only be hurt.

"Oh, Haru…" Yuki whispered. Haru spun around once again, finally becoming a full cat. Now she just couldn't leave the Cat World for the rest of the day. Yuki had fun the rest of that fateful day with her dear friend. They decided to end the day with a large feast. Yuki and Prince Lune invited many guests to enjoy the celebration of Haru's becoming a cat. They at least had to enjoy it with the girl.

People flooded into the ballroom. Haru sat next to Yuki. Yuki noticed a figure enter the ballroom, it was the Baron. She covered her lips in order to keep herself from gasping. Haru looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yuki? What's wrong?" Haru meowed. Yuki waved her off.

"Oh, nothing…" she replied. She watched the Baron walk up them.

"Haru? What are you doing here? And you're a cat," he said. Haru looked up at him in surprise, her mouth open slightly.

"She wanted to become a cat again," Yuki told the Baron. His nose twitched slightly.

"Haru, come with me," the Baron said, holding his hand out to her. She slowly stood, taking his hand. Yuki saw the almost invisible blush on Haru's cheeks and gasped. Yuki turned to her husband, Prince Lune.

"Lune, she likes the Baron!" Yuki whispered in his ear. The black cat looked at his wife in surprise.

"The poor thing..." he replied. Yuki nodded slowly. Prince Lune placed his paw on Yuki's.

"It'll be alright," he added. She couldn't shake the worry she felt though. Haru might get her heart broken. The Baron wasn't the kind to allow himself to fall in love. Poor, poor Haru…

Haru is human at the beginning, then turns into a cat. I'm sorry if that sequence was a bit hard to follow due to the introduction. I tried to make things rather clear... =.="