Chapter 2 - The Thief

Less than a week later, Senku found himself being swarmed by a mob of cats on Tashirojima, otherwise known as "Cat Island".

"Hey, back off, you mangy fleabags," he griped, while trying to shake one cat loose from his pant leg and another from his backpack.

"Aww…look at 'em all," Lillian squealed with delight as she crouched low, to pet as many cats as possible as they surrounded her. "Oh, ain't y'all just the cutest."

"Ah-choo. Yeah... precious," Byakuya agreed rather unconvincingly.

"Oh no! Are you allergic to cats? Why didn't ya say so?"

"I didn't know," he admitted. "But it's not too bad. I can just…ah-choo…take some allergy medication. Ah-choo, ah-choo, ah-choo."

"Not that bad, huh?" she questioned accusingly.

"Just admit that this trip is a bust, ya stubborn geezer, and we can get out of here," Senku urged, looking for any excuse to leave as soon as possible. Knowing his crappy luck, he was sure he'd suffer a clawing, or worse—a cat bite.

"No, I'll be fine. Really. I won't let some dumb, unforeseen allergies ruin your vacation," Byakuya insisted.

"If your husband is allergic to cats, you might want to make your way to Odomari Village. Not as many cats over there," suggested a dock worker, who happened to witness the scene, speaking to Lillian in English.

"Oh, we're not…," she started to say they weren't married, but decided not to bother when Byakuya had another sneezing fit.

"Which way to the village?" she asked on the verge of desperation, her concern for Byakuya's well-being growing with every passing second.

"It's a forty minute walk north," he answered, pointing out the way. "Just continue on the trail past the shrine."

"Forty minutes? Then we better get movin'," she said more to herself.

"Thanks for yer help," she called to the dock worker, giving a slight bow.

"C'mon, let's go." She took Byakuya by the arm and began pulling him in the indicated direction.

Senku, while not looking forward to a forty minute hike through the woods, preferred that over the possibility of getting mauled by the cats and started following them.

"Oh, you there. Young man," the dock worker called to Senku in Japanese, making him turn around.

"Are you here without a partner?" he asked him suddenly.

Obviously, Senku wasn't there alone. He came together with Byakuya and Lillian. So, he must be asking if he was there with a romantic partner, considering he mistook the others for a married couple. To that, he just scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm here alone," he responded.

"In that case, I recommend you take great caution when going past the shrine. Guard your possessions well, lest you lose something dear to you."

"Sure," Senku replied dismissively, not giving much precedence to the guy's cryptic warning.

What does my relationship status have to do with losing something valuable? Is there a pick-pocket on the loose who targets lone travelers? If that's the case, then I'll just stay close to the others. No big deal.

…

About halfway through their trek, Byakuya finally stopped having sneezing fits.

"I'm really sorry I ruined this trip for you, Lillian," he apologized out of the blue.

"Tch, don't waste your breath, old man," Senku interjected, picking his ear in annoyance.

"Huh?"

"Getting all depressed right now would just make matters worse," he elaborated.

Although surprised by Senku's seemingly rude remark, Lillian quickly realized that in his own way, he was trying to console his father. This made her smile.

"Senku's got a point. It's just like what I say with my music, 'no matter how bad things may get, there's always a brighter tomorrow'. So, instead of gettin' all down in the dumps, it's better to look on the bright side and keep movin' forward."

"L-Lillian," Byakuya sniffled, as her words of encouragement moved him to tears. "You're too kind to this old fool."

"Oh great, the geezer busted out the waterworks. Just when I thought this trip couldn't get any worse," Senku complained, taking out his phone to distract himself.

"Now, now, it's nothin' to cry about. 'Sides, I'm havin' a great time. Honest!" she said reassuringly.

"I got to ride a ferry, see lots of adorable cats, enjoy a nice hike through this amazin' forest, and this trip is still far from over. Look there! We made it to the shrine."

Lillian ran up to a sign posted on a red, wooden fence. The sign depicted a 'lucky cat' figure and detailed the history of the shrine.

"Aww…how cute! So, what's it say?" she asked excitedly.

"Let's see, it says this shrine is a memorial to a cat who was accidentally killed by a fallen rock back in the late 1800s, just after the Edo Period."

"Oh no. How awful" Lillian cried, before going around the fence to get a better look.

Noticing a few wooden benches situated in front of the shrine, Senku followed and took a seat, while still fiddling with his phone.

—So much for that senseless warning from before. It's clear we're the only people around. Man, what I wouldn't give to get out of here and get back to my research. But the old man won't hand over the flashdrive until I fulfill my end of the deal. Oh, well— he thought to himself.

The shrine itself was modestly cat-sized and adorned with various cat shaped idols. Within the altar of the shrine lay a blonde, longhair cat—possibly a ragdoll breed. Lillian put her hands together and bowed her head without noticing it, then dedicated a small prayer to the deceased cat.

"According to this, anyone who offers their prayers and donates money to this shrine can expect good luck in their immediate future," Byakuya interpreted.

"Tch, what total crap. It's clearly a scam to con people out of their money. Trying to buy good fortune is already contradictory on it's own... but praying to a cat whose shitty luck got them killed in a freak accident and expecting good luck in return is illogical as hell."

"It is pretty ironic, but I don't care one bit about all that. I just wanna offer my condolences," Lillian expressed before lifting her head and finally noticing the cat.

"...So beautiful," she said under her breath.

"Hm? What was that, Lillian?" asked Byakuya, as he came to stand beside her.

"That cat… there in the altar. Ain't it pretty?"

"What cat?"

"Huh? It was there just a second ago."

While distracted by Byakuya's arrival, the cat had crept past Lillian and made a beeline for Senku's position. A soft meow made him look up from this phone, coming eye to eye with the elusive little creature.

Before he could fully register its presence, it launched for his phone, catching the device in its mouth, and snatched it from his hand. The cat then darted away, continuing north toward Odomari Village.

"Hey, my phone!"

Without giving it a second thought, Senku ditched his backpack and ran after the cat, leaving the others behind.

"Senku? Where are you going?" Byakuya shouted to him.

"I'm going on ahead. I'll meet you in the village," he called back.

Well, shit! Is this what the old guy meant about losing something important? To think the thief I should've been looking out for was a lousy cat.

...

Senku kept his eyes peeled, looking for the little thief who stole his phone. Fortunately for him, this particular cat had very distinct fur, making it easy to spot. Rather unfortunately for him, however, the thieving cat was also wickedly fast. And as a scientist with no athleticism to speak of, his stamina was just pitiful.

After a solid ten minutes of sprinting, Senku was left crawling on the ground from exhaustion. He had chased the cat all the way to the town port where it behaved rather oddly, pacing back and forth along the dock like a caged lion—which was fitting, considering how much it resembled a lion with its fluffy mane.

As he lay face first on the ground heaving, he suddenly heard another meow. He looked up and the culprit was now sitting less than two meters away from him with his phone left on the ground just outside his reach. It was as if this cat were challenging him to try and take his phone back.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, he locked eyes with the cat and noted that they were a vibrant blue. Pushing that bit of information from his mind, he began to brainstorm a plan of action.

—Alright Senku, think. Surely, you can outsmart a cat. Option number one, make a leap for my phone from my current position. Best case scenario, the cat gets scared and runs off. Worst case scenario, instead of getting scared, the cat feels threatened, and I earn myself a nasty scratch on the face.—

He shakes his head at that option. Risking bodily harm was not something he wanted to gamble with.

—Option number two, I get up and make a mad dash for it, screaming like a lunatic. With any luck, the sudden shock will distract the cat long enough to let me grab my phone, or better yet, it'll flee. Although, considering my terrible luck, the cat will probably just pick up the phone and run off, starting this game of cat and mouse all over again.—

Senku shook his head again. Not because he disliked that plan, but because of the lame pun he had made. The cat suddenly tilted its head, looking at him curiously.

—Option number three, I bide my time and see what the cat does next, regaining as much energy as possible. If I have to keep running, I'll most likely pass out from exhaustion.—

Senku opted for a combination of options two and three—waiting a bit before acting.

After a few minutes, Senku slowly got to his feet. But before he could take even a single step, the cat took his phone in its mouth again and started running.

"Dammit all!" he cursed as he started chasing after it once more.

The cat suddenly turned back to look at him, before continuing on its way, this time at a much slower pace than before. Senku noticed this and upon closer inspection realized that this cat was female; not that that information would be helpful. The cat led him back to a densely wooded area, where he quickly lost sight of it.

"Shit!".

Senku was at his wit's end. He was ready to cut his losses and turn back when a sudden giggle caught his attention.

"Looking for something?" called a voice from overhead.

Senku directed his gaze upward, and he couldn't believe what he saw. Sitting on a branch several meters up a tree was a teenage girl.

—How the hell did she get up so high? Is she part-cat?— he thought to himself, quickly dismissing the idea as pure nonsense.

"Yeah," he answered. "The damn furball who stole my phone. It's a blonde cat with blue eyes. You didn't happen to see it, did you?"

Rather than answer, the girl made a speedy descent down the tree, swinging nimbly from branch to branch. Then, some three meters from the ground, she dropped down, landing perfectly on her feet. Maybe there was some logic to his part-cat theory after all.

"A blonde cat with blue eyes? Nope, can't say I've seen a cat like that."

Now that she was standing directly in front of him, he was able to distinguish her features more clearly. Just like the cat, she was also blonde with blue eyes. And strangely enough, she looked a lot like Lillian, except her hair was tied into an unruly ponytail that flared out like a mane. If it weren't for the fact that she was speaking in fluent Japanese, he would've easily mistaken her for a foreigner.

There was something very odd about this girl. From her agility to her appearance, everything about her screamed 'feline'. Even her clothing was unusual. Despite the chilly, five degree weather, she barely had any coverage to speak of.

She wore a blue yukata with detached sleeves that only fell to her mid-thighs, along with white, thigh high stockings and platform sandals. There was also a straw woven rope knotted around her waist. And weirdest of all, she wore a choker with a bell around her neck, further contributing to the idea of her being cat-like.

"Hah! See something you like?" she teased after a long period of silence with him eyeing her.

"What are you, a gymnast or some kind of wild, lion girl prowling around the forest?"

"Ah, ha, hah, a lion?" she laughed in pure elation. "You're funny. I think I could really take a liking to you," she said with an air of flirtation.

"Ugh." he grunted in displeasure, turning his back to her. "Please don't. I don't have time for such nonsense. I'm in the middle of a crisis here."

"Okay, whatever," she said, none too concerned with his blatant rejection.

"Look, if I can't find that cat, then I'm ten billion percent screwed. I need my phone back. Are you sure you didn't see anything?" he inquired while picking his ear.

After a few seconds of silence, he turned around to question her again, only to discover that she was gone. He made a sweeping scan of the area, and found no trace of her.

Then he heard a meow at his feet. He looked down and lo and behold, there sat the very cat he was looking for.

"What the hell?" he asked in disbelief, rubbing his eyes to make sure it wasn't just his imagination. "Did that girl just turn into a cat? Then, that means she's also the thief," he deduced, getting pissed that she tried to fool him and make off with his cell phone.

And sure enough, there it was, laying on the ground in front of her. He quickly bent down to pick it up, but the moment he stood upright again, the cat launched itself at him.

Upon making contact with the cell phone, she turned back into a girl. However, the forward momentum from her jump did not diminish, essentially resulting in her tackling him to the ground. The crown of her head collided with his abdomen, effectively knocking the wind out of him, while the blow to her cranium left her a bit disoriented.

They both lay motionless on the ground for several seconds, with the cat-girl on top of Senku. When she came to, it only took a split second for her to straddle him and take his wrists in both hands, pinning them on either side of his head.

Although she was human again, the transformation was incomplete. Instead of human ears, she had genuine cat ears that twitched on their own. And Senku even caught a glimpse of a fluffy tail swaying behind her head.

"Just what the hell are you? Get off me, you lioness," he shouted, furiously once he came to his senses.

She said nothing in response and instead directed her gaze at the device he was clutching in his right hand. Noticing this, he knew he needed to act quickly if he wanted to walk away from this with his phone in-hand.

—Alright, turns out I'm not dealing with your run of the mill cat. She's got human intellect, and she's crafty. That much is certain. Not to mention, her movements are swift and precise.—

All of a sudden her expression became rather smug, but Senku didn't let that deter him.

—Option number one: I could try to overpower her and…—

He didn't even bother to finish that thought.

—No, even under normal circumstances, my physical strength is meager, at best, and she's had me running back and forth. My body is running on fumes at this point. And she clearly doesn't have any problem climbing tall trees and jumping from ridiculous heights.—

The cat-girl's smirk only grew into a toothy grin.

—Is she enjoying this? Whatever. Option number two: I could try to distract her somehow. If I do something weird and unexpected, or gross and shocking, it could be enough to get her to release me. The problem with that is her speed. Even if I try to make a run for it, the second she comes to her senses, she'll catch me in no time flat, and I'll be back at square one.—

"Ha!" she openly laughed at him now.

—She's definitely enjoying this. Probably gets a kick out of being dominant over others. Option number three: I can try to bargain with her. If she's made it a habit to steal from tourists, there must be something she wants. Something that likely costs a lot of money.—

—Question is, is what she wants within my means to give? For all I know, she could've lured me into the woods to have her way with me. That would explain her skimpy outfit, even in this cold weather, not to mention the compromising position she has me in.—

The cat-girl's smug grin now turned to an intense frown, as her cheeks flushed red.

—What's with her, all of a sudden? Anyway, I doubt that's what she's after. Otherwise, why would she lure me to the port first? It would've been ten billion percent more efficient to lure me deeper into the forest instead. But then, what does she want?—

After finishing that thought, Senku realized that she had just given a curt nod.

—Did she just agree with what I was thinking? Is she…—

"Are you reading my mind?!" he asked aloud, practically yelling it in her face.

All the color drained from her face, as her expression became incredibly panicked to the point that her cat ears fell downward. She was so busted.

"So, you've just been sitting there listening to me come up with a plan to deal with you?"

She averted her eyes, unable to look him in the eye. And to his utter surprise, she released his wrists and sat herself between his legs, looking terribly guilty. If he could outrun her, it would've been the perfect opportunity to break free and make a run for it, but that would be futile, so instead, he propped himself up on his elbows.

"Tch, why so meek all of a sudden? You didn't show even a hint of remorse when it came to stealing from me, but invading my privacy by reading my thoughts is crossing the line? How illogical can you get? Did you suddenly grow a conscience, or something? Or are you just embarrassed that you got caught?"

Her face became flushed again.

"It's complicated. I wasn't stealing for monetary gain or to extort something out of you. I just needed to borrow something important to you so I can achieve my dream," she confessed, finally looking him in the eye again.

"And my dream has nothing to do with seducing you, so get such disgusting thoughts out of your head right now, or you'll know the full extent of my wrath," she threatened, with narrowed eyes, crossing her hands in front of herself revealing sharp, claw-like nails.

Senku's eyes widened in surprise, as he swallowed audibly.

"Understood."

"Good," she said, retracting her claws. "So, will you help me by lending me your cell phone?"

"Lend? And when exactly am I supposed to get it back? I don't know the first thing about you, except that you're a shape-shifting thief who can read minds. Which I have to admit, I'm dying to know the science behind."

"I can't read everyone's minds. Only the people who offer me their prayers, like that pretty blonde woman you're traveling with."

"Really? Fascinating! It must be a fundamental rule to your abilities. This is getting exciting. What other limitations…" he stopped half-way through his query, sitting fully upright now.

"Wait a minute. Prayers? As in, praying at the shrine? So, you're the spirit of the cat who died over a hundred years ago? I never prayed to you, so how are you able to read my thoughts?"

"Maybe not intentionally, but you did express a wish while you were near my shrine. Something about leaving here and getting your hands on a flashdrive—whatever that is. And as for the shape-shifting, I can take on a human form whenever I receive personal belongings of great importance. Now that I've explained all that, will you let me have your phone?"

"Oh, not a chance in hell. But tell me more about…"

Before he could finish his sentence, she transformed back into a cat.

"Oh c'mon. What gives? I turned down your request and you just changed back without answering any more of my questions?" he complained.

She looked at his phone, still clutched in his right hand, and back at him before meowing.

Understanding what she wanted, he tapped his cell phone to the top of her head and she transformed once more, this time without the tail and cat ears.

Before he could say anything, she grabbed him by the shoulders and roughly shoved him down to the ground.

"Look, the only reason I revealed myself to you, is because we share a similar desire and I thought we could work together. But if you're not gonna help me willingly, then I'll just take what I want by force and handle things myself. I'll never give up on accomplishing my dream of leaving this island once and for all," she confessed, before taking his arm and biting his wrist.

Senku yelped in pain and loosened his grip on his phone, giving her the perfect opportunity to pry it from his hand. Once in her possession, she started running back to town; most probably to the port.

"Wait, stop! I never said I wouldn't help you."

That made her stop dead in her tracks and turn to face him again.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Isn't it obvious? I thought you could read my mind."

"Yes, your thoughts were clear as day. You refuse to ever give me your phone. I'm too suspicious to trust," she retorted with eyebrows furrowed.

"Right, but if all you want is to leave this island, then I'll help you achieve that. In exchange, tell me more about your nature and abilities. The thought of cracking the mystery on a supernatural being like you is ten billion percent exhilarating. I'm getting excited just thinking about it," he said with his eyes gleaming and his mouth practically watering.

"Do we have a deal?" he asked, composing himself and putting his hands on his hips.

She looked at him for a solid thirty seconds, reading both his face and mind, looking for any hint of deception. When she found none, she finally answered.

"Deal."

"Excellent! Now, first things first…"

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU BITE ME?!" He yelled indignantly, pointing at the bite mark on his wrist.

"Do you have any idea how much bacteria there is inside a cat's mouth?! If I don't get this treated right away, I could be looking at a serious case of Cellulitis!"

"I need some anti-biotics, stat," he cried, running towards the village at top speed.

To be continued...

A/N: Here's chapter 2, and just as promised, Kohaku has entered the scene.

I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I really hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Can't wait to share more SenHaku scenes in chapter 3.

As always, thanks for reading and catch you in the next chapter.