Updated Version

"Hey, would you like to come back to my house with me?"

"Oh my Sparrow. You're very forward aren't you?" Cat giggled, pretending to still go along with Sparrows 'charming gentleman' mode. "People might think we're having a scandalous affair."

"I'm serious!" Sparrow laughed. "Come with me. Mr. Lyte, my guardian, would love to meet you. He loves to meet strange people."

"You think I'm strange?"

"Of course," replied Sparrow, oblivious then realised and added quickly, "In a good way that is!"

Cat smiled and shook her head. "Alright then. Show me the way."

The house wasn't anything like what it looked from the outside. In contrast to the dark and eerie appearance, the inside of the house was quite, colourful, vibrant and exotic. From the foyer to the even the bathroom, everything looked grand and antique. Collection after collections of exotic artefacts like feather, books, paintings of strange creatures, skeletal pieces, peculiar rocks, statues and other strange items, were scattered randomly around the house. Bookshelves were stacked and spilling with books, maps and other paper with weird inscriptions. The house was more of a museum than a home.

"Well, it has rooms with beds and a kitchen and bathroom. So it's 'homey' enough, right?" Sparrow smiled sheepishly. "We're always travelling from place to place, so I don't really have a clue what a proper 'house' is supposed to look like."

"Really?" said Cat looking around in wonder as they walked towards the dining hall on the east side of the house. "You never stay at one place?"

"Mmm, not for very long. Mr Lyte always has places to go. Things to collect. Things to witness and all that sort."

Sparrow ushered Cat into a seat at the far, window end of the dining table and scooted her seat closer.

"I've been wondering Sparrow," Cat began as she looked up at the strange mural of star constellations on the ceiling, "Why are everything placed so randomly? I mean, why aren't they placed in clusters of, say, the same country. Or in a theme?"

"Well," Sparrow replied, leaning against her chair and looking up at the mural. "If things weren't randomly placed, it wouldn't be as interesting, right? I mean, people would get bored of looking at things from one particular country for so long, wouldn't they? Not that many people come here. In fact, you're the first, I think."

A butler came by shortly and placed a tray of biscuits and sweets and a set of tea and cups, in front of them. Cat waited, unsure whether she should start eating before Sparrow, but to her amazement, Sparrow began grabbing food and stuffing her mouth with it while grabbing for more.

Sparrow noticed Cat looking and blushed and said through a mouthful of biscuits, "Oh. Showy. Pleesh herp urshelf." She gulped down the food quickly. "I have a very, uh... weird metabolism problem. I mean, I... get really hungry only when I sense food."

Cat laughed reaching for a sweet. "That's fine." Cat tilted her head and gazed at Sparrow as she wolfed down her food. She's very peculiar. She isn't that lady like, like I expected, but more... masculine somehow and well mannered. She talks strangely, behaves weird, and has peculiar interests. She even eats weirdly.

Little did Cat know that Mr. Lyte was even stranger. He introduced himself by walking into a pillar, unable to see around the stacks of boxes he was carrying as he entered the room. The boxes began to tumble out of his hold and he had to juggle his arms to stop them from falling. Sparrow leapt to her feet with food still in her mouth and hurried across the room to help him.

"Ah, thank you Sparrow old girl. Be careful with the boxes, just put them on the table for now," He said shuffling closer to the table.

Cat stood up and went to help out, picking up the pieces of scrolls and paper that Mr. Lyte dropped. She passed them to him and he took them without noticing her. "Thank you young man. Er...hold on a minute!" He said doing a double take at Cat. "You're a girl!" Cat smiled and Sparrow rolled her eyes.

"Well spotted Sir," Sparrow grinned and shook her head as she put the boxes down.

"Sparrow, why didn't you tell me we had a guest! I would've grabbed my pipe!"

Pipe? Cat thought. Sparrow leaned over and whispered to Cat, "He likes to smoke his pipe when we have guests. He would adjust his glasses, twirl his moustache, take long drags and look distantly and deeply. You know, all inspirational and what not."

Cat stifled a laugh as Mr. Lyte rambled on. "Terribly sorry to call you a lad. My eyesight isn't what it used to be and well...ahem, er my name is Timothy Lyte," he said stretching out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Lyte,' Cat smiled as she shook his hand. "My name is Cat Royal."

"Ah, a firm handshake you got there Miss Royal, very good for first impressions. After all, first impressions are the key to trust and a good relationship. The second and third are for manipulation." He winked and turned towards his boxes. Huh, is that right, Cat pondered.

"What's with the scrolls, Sir?" Sparrow asked rummaging through the boxes.

"Oh they're very important letters from people I've met and keep in contact. Most of the time anyway."

"Isn't it dangerous to keep suck precious and valuable items here unguarded, while you're all away," Cat inquired.

"Well," Mr. Lyte said rubbing his nose and adjusted his glasses. "Not many people approach this house so things are usually secure in here. There haven't been any big incidents or theft so far so I think things are going well." He laughed and added, "Why do you think we keep the manor looking so dark and brooding outside!"

Cat was about to ask why they returned to London all of a sudden when the whole house rang out with different sounds of ringing clocks. Cat glanced at the nearby Grandfather clock. It was 1'o clock.

"Uh, I have to leave," Cat said starting for the door. "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Lyte. Thank you for the tea Sparrow."

Sparrow waved off the thanks, "Don't mention it. Feel free to come by anytime!"

"It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Royal," smile Mr. Lyte.

"Cat please," Cat beamed back. She hurried down to the front door and looked back to Sparrow and Mr. Lyte one last time. She stepped outside and smiled at how odd they were both. Sparrow, tall, brown, mischievous, beautiful but awkward and Mr. Lyte tall, spindly, in his pinstriped two tailed suit and dusty glasses and his wiry gray hair pointing in two different direction like his moustache. They both grinned and waved back at Cat.

"Oooh! See you tonight Cat!" Sparrow yelled at the door closed.