A/N; This is the implied scene in Beholder's Eye when Baron fetches Muta from the Human World to finish atoning for hurting Haru.

20. Trick or Treat

Your Chicky is safe, and in good hands.

Muta would have framed the horribly written words if he had felt like carrying a frame everywhere he went. He just couldn't leave the words alone, staring at them as days slowly bled into weeks and the season began to change.

His sweet little Haru. The only daughter he would ever get. Now that he didn't get to see her every day, this pathetic scrap of loose leaf was the most precious possession that he had.

He heaved a sigh as he stayed in the top part of the lighthouse, reading the words over and over as the blinding light passed over his bulk over and over as it rotated, sending his shadow over the ocean waves that his Chicky spent countless hours sailing and loving.

This pathetic town didn't deserve either of them. Muta had known that since before he joined the navy. If not for the tiny scrap of hope that this piece of paper gave him… well. The one who gave it to him understood his pain. The oversized lighthouse keeper wasn't sure how much longer he could force himself to plow through these horrible townspeople, even with this drop of hope to sustain him.

And chocolate. He absently opened the wrapper on his latest candy bar and began chewing slowly. It wasn't like Haru was around to make cookies anymore, and he didn't have the energy to make them himself anymore.

His thoughts were still on his ocean angel when something crashed against one of the glass windows.

The large man jumped at the sudden sound, broken out of his sweet daydream about Haru's first steps to wheel around. He was almost immediately blinded by the light but ran across the small room to see what had hit the window that now had a long crack in it.

There was an insistent tapping on the window he was just at, making him wheel around to be blinded again.

Even through his light-struck gaze, there was no question of what he saw. Feeling his heart leap out of its coffin, he grinned and turned again to the closest window. He opened it as wide as he could and backed away enough so that his guests could enter his domain.

Just like Haru had seen before her disappearance, a dressed-up cat was riding the large black crow that had undeservedly gotten his cookie.

That orange and cream kitten clumsily fell off the crow, making it caw with some amusement. The poor cat's top hat had fallen off, making him clumsily use his paws to set it back on its usual perch.

"And where have you two been?!" Muta demanded while getting to his knees. "I've been waiting for months to get more news! Where is my Chicky?!"

The kitten looked at him warily, but still walked closer to arch his back and show off the packet of letters that were securely tied around his middle and over a nice grey suit jacket.

The knot holding them was a little small for Muta's thick fingers, but he was able to get it undone without hurting the kitten. He saw almost immediately that the letters were numbered and would require delicate handling. What he thought at first were folded papers were actually several smaller papers glued together to make a sheet that was a comfortable size for him to handle.

He wasted no time unfolding the first paper while switching to a more comfortable seating position, but he had to squint a little since the handwriting was a bit tiny for him.

But at least it was neater than the scrawled message he had found months ago.

To business;

Haru is completely fine. She misses you desperately, and that is why we're here. Please understand that all of our heads will roll if my king finds out what I'm up to.

Your little Chicky fulfilled the first half of the Cat Kingdom's most ancient prophecy when she rescued Prince Lune from those-

Muta was privately amused to see scratched up words as the kitten had struggled to find a good enough insult for those brats.

-monsters that were never worthy to cross paths with her, but the second half entails that she absolutely must live the rest of her days in the Cat Kingdom. If you think ill of me for being the one to ensure it, I think it will benefit you to know that Haru wouldn't have lived past All Hallows' Eve if she had stayed in your world. My guess is that the monsters would have been responsible, but I'm glad to never know since she has accepted me as a friend, and I am more than honored to call her one as well.

Muta had to switch to the second page to keep reading.

You are what Haru regrets the most about leaving the Human World behind, and I can't bear her grief any longer. I will be more than happy to give you better details when you desire them later, but here is the meat of our odd situation; the king can't know that I'm inviting you to live in the Cat Kingdom as well. He is foul-tempered enough to kill all of us since he cares nothing for Haru's happiness. Even his own son's happiness means nothing to him.

Muta's eyebrows shot up with surprise.

You will not be able to publicly acknowledge your kinship with her, and I will require an oath of nonviolence to the royal family. I fully intend to pass you off as her bodyguard. Not that she necessarily needs one, but since I am in charge of instructing her in the ways of courtly manners, I can brush it off as you carrying out her orders rather than taking care of incidentals by herself.

I have a piece of enchanted jewelry that can turn you into a cat, but it will also permanently banish you from the Human Kingdom. I can give you instruction and whatever else you require to convince those at the capitol that you came from one of the towns I preside over. Haru still has a difficult path before her, but I think it would mean the world to her if she knew you were literally standing behind her as well as figuratively.

Muta was on the last page now.

If the answer is yes, please follow myself and Toto to the portal. We need to be quick so that no one from the castle spots us when we reenter the Cat Kingdom and head back home. I would normally say something about understanding if you choose not to accept my offer, but from the way Haru speaks of your bond, I have little fear of a rejection.

Please hurry,

Baron Humbert von Gikkingen

The large human looked up from his reading with a sly grin for the kitten. "So. You want to give me back my favorite job, huh?"

That tiny cat nodded with an insistent mew.

Muta gave one stretch with his arms before gathering the kitten into his arms. "Just let me grab a few things from the house and we can go. No, I'm not hurting him!" he snapped as the crow cawed angrily and began flying around his head. "Just meet us outside, you bird brain! The stairs are too narrow for you to fly down!"

Giving him a suspicious glare, the large crow instead plopped itself down on the man's large shoulder with a certain firmness.

Muta winced as the talons bit into his flesh slightly but decided he could pay the bird back later as he walked away from his post, his home, and his entire world.

He never once looked back.