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Chapter Text

The twittering of sparrows flitting from tree to tree mingled with the nearby groans of trucks and the honking of horns that was otherwise a permanent fixture of the city. 

Tama Central Park was a haven amidst the hustle of harried workers popping in and out of office buildings, bustling public transit, and crowded market streets. Even though today it smelled of pungent ginko seeds from the yellowing trees, the subtler, more pleasant scent of the chrysanthemums planted in the nearby flower beds was more than enough to compensate. In a small pond, ducks swam in lazy circles, jabbering their beaks against the surface to catch up algae and bugs. Children shrieked nearby on the playground, chasing one another around in dizzying circles as they played a game of tag. Their caregivers watched on in amusement or, more often than not, looked up briefly from a phone screen to ascertain that the screams were still in fun and not indicative of a run to the nearest hospital.

Sunlight dappled her face as a gentle breeze ruffled her hair, and Haru Yoshioka leaned back on the wooden park bench taking in a deep breath. It was a beautiful day in Tama City. 

A grumble of protest from her empty stomach interrupted her moment of respite and prompted her to look at her watch. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was already 12:41. If Hiromi didn’t show up soon, she was going to have to leave. It wouldn’t do to be back late from lunch. Just as she was opening her container to start on her meal alone, she saw a young woman with light brown hair tied up in a ponytail racing across the path toward her. Her purse ricocheted haphazardly off her leg with each stride. 

“There you are!” Haru called, waving her down. 

Hiromi collapsed onto the bench dramatically, covered in a light sheen of perspiration.

“Ugh, why is it still so hot?” she complained, fanning herself. “It’s supposed to be autumn.” 

“Wouldn’t be so hot if you weren’t racing around like a bothered goose,” Haru teased her, with the kind of irreverence especially reserved for old friends. Finally cracking open her container, she began shoveling bento into her mouth with her chopsticks. 

“You’re one to talk,” Hiromi said, eyeing the sudden haste. “What’s your hurry?” 

“I’ve got to get back soon,” she said through a mouthful of rice, struggling to swallow as her throat suddenly went dry. She reached for her drink, chugging it before continuing her assault on the meal. 

“What do you mean? I just got here!” Hiromi protested, raising her hands in disbelief before pulling out her own lunch. Okonomiyaki from the looks of it. She always went the extra mile. Whereas more often than not Haru didn’t even bother packing a lunch. Preferring to grab whatever she could from a nearby vending machine. She’d gotten lucky today. For once it wasn’t out of her favorite.

“I can’t be late, Youta will have my head,” Haru insisted, taking another swig. Just the thought of her prickly supervisor was enough to speed her along. “Besides, I’m on call.” 

“When are you not?” Hiromi said bitterly, looking at her askance as she played with her savory pancakes. She wasn’t eating them. 

“You work too hard, you know that?” she added. 

Haru waved an airy hand, brushing aside her friend’s concern. 

Though there was a small part of her, a little voice in her head, that seemed to cling to the accusation. Maybe there was an element of truth in Hiromi’s words. 

It was part of the job, though. She’d known that when she’d become a Crisis Negotiator. Emergencies didn’t wait until between the hours of nine-to-five. There were times when she was cooking dinner at home and had to flip the oven off halfway through a recipe, racing to grab her vest and badge and head out the door. Or the midnight calls that had her gathering her gear, bleary eyed and yawning. 

It certainly tended to interfere with any kind of personal life. 

Hence why she and Hiromi had taken to these lunch meet-ups. It was convenient for them both with their offices in the vicinity. And otherwise they wouldn’t see each other for weeks at a time. There was a bit of guilt in that admission, but she loved her job. It was making a difference. Or at least that’s what she told herself when the doubts crept in. 

“I’ll have a bit of time off soon,” Haru said quietly. 

“Well, that’s good at least,” Hiromi said, her tone softening. She nudged her shoulder. “We should plan something together!” 

“Definitely, I’ll just have to check with Kazumi what days he’ll be in town,” she agreed.

Kazumi was a detective from the prefecture over. They met at a training day. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and sported a perpetually cocky grin. They clicked during an exercise and he’d asked her out that same evening. 

Hiromi stiffened. 

“You’re still seeing Kazumi then?” she asked, keeping her eyes on her untouched food. 

Haru nodded, unable to stop the little smile from spreading across her face. “We’re going to have our third date soon. He said he wants to go to the casino.” 

It was a relatively new establishment in town and still retained its novelty. All flashing lights, the clamor of the machines, and the calls of the card tables. It wasn’t really her scene, but it was supposed to have good live music and that was enough for her. Along with a stiff drink and good company.

“Do you even like gambling?” Hiromi asked skeptically. 

Even though she had more or less just voiced Haru’s own thoughts, something about her friend’s tone made her bristle. 

“Look, I know you don’t like him but I feel like you haven’t given him a real chance,” she huffed, putting away her empty container to recycle later. “You guys met once and he had just had a really long day at the office.”

Hiromi grimaced and put away her lunch too, mostly uneaten and fully giving up. She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder, stroking it nervously. As if searching for comfort.

“Haru, it’s not just that. He…” 

But Haru didn’t hear what else she had to say. 

Across the park she heard a strange sound. 

The low growl of an animal. It was followed quickly by more identical ones and she suddenly recognized it. The sounds of an angry cat. Many angry cats. Hissing and releasing the droning warning sounds that signaled an imminent attack. She stood up abruptly.

“Are you even listening to me?” Hiromi demanded, taken aback. 

“Something wrong,” Haru explained tersely, rushing forward to see what was going on. 

“Haru!” Hiromi cried indignantly.

Haru heard Hiromi’s footsteps ringing out behind her, her low heels clacking rhythmically against the stone, but Haru was already much further ahead, racing to the sound of the conflict. Just as she arrived, the fight broke out. 

Two groups of stray cats were at odds, facing off. One side consisted of cats significantly larger than any strays she had ever seen before. Their paws were twice the size of a normal beast’s, claws thick and already extended. Their tufted ears were flat back against their enormous heads and their lips drawn up in snarls, baring yellowed fangs. 

In the span of a heartbeat, they launched themselves with furious yowls, swiping out with bared claws and leaping atop one another, battering each other with their hindlegs, and sinking fangs into flesh. It happened so quickly that at first Haru just stood stricken, watching the battle unfold in stunned horror.

It was a bloodbath. 

“Oh my god,” Hiromi exclaimed, pulling up next to her with eyes like saucers. “Those strays are huge!” 

Blood was already spattering the grass and she heard the high-pitched cry of a cat in pain. It pulled on something in her chest. Before she could think through the ramifications, she acted.

“Please stop!” Haru yelled, taking a step forward into the heart of the melee. 

“Whoah, what are you doing?” Hiromi exclaimed, reaching out to grab her. But Haru was already out of reach, rushing to intervene. 

A smaller cat skidded before her, eyeing her warily. 

“You have to stop, you’re killing each other!” she pleaded, trying to get down to the creature’s level. Searching its eyes for understanding. The cat stared at her blankly and launched itself at another. The pair rolled past her in a tumble of flying fur, locked together. 

“Hey, that’s enough!” she shouted, getting angry now as she strode toward one of the larger cats that had a struggling victim pinned beneath it. It was a hulking gray-coated monster that looked like it had ruled the streets its entire life. Covered in fresh scratches and old scars. It was just about to land a killing bite on its captive’s neck when it saw her approaching. The smaller cat, beaten and battered, shot away with its tail low, taking advantage of the temporary distraction. 

Turning its attention from its escaped prey, the attacker gazed at her with narrowed, yellow eyes and bared its fangs. 

It gave no warning. 

It launched itself toward her, flying through the air. She yelped in shock and stumbled backward, just barely dodging a full on assault. But razor sharp claws scratched her chin as it glided past. It landed lightly, spun and eyed her. Its legs bunched, prepared for another pass. 

The other cats were dispersing now though. Other humans were coming to see what the commotion and raised voices were about. With one last baleful look at her, the creature fled. Following its brethren into a copse of bushes and disappearing from sight. 

Shaken, she reached a hand up to her pointed chin. Her fingers came away red. 

“Are you fucking insane?” 

She turned to see Hiromi striding forward. There was nothing kind or soft about her friend’s expression now. Her pretty face was contorted with anger. 

“What was that?” she demanded, gesturing angrily to the blood-soaked site.

“I thought…” Haru fell silent. 

What could she say? That she thought the cats would understand her? 

Haru had never spoken of the events that had happened to her in grade eleven. Not with anyone. Not even Hiromi. She knew what it would sound like. It was one thing for people to think she had a cute affinity for cats. To find it charming that she always left out food for the strays that hung around her workplace. That she greeted them and spoke to them softly. It was another entirely to admit that she hoped each time she would hear one speak back. That she secretly longed for a sign, anything, to prove that it hadn’t all just been some figment of her exam-addled, sleep-deprived mind. It had all been so many years ago and she had never heard one speak again. 

Even Muta, who she sometimes still saw in his favorite spot. He blinked at her dolefully in the sunlight and accepted her offerings eagerly and with all his previous zest, but there was none of the intelligence in his eyes that she had seen before. 

For a brief second, seeing the cats lined up across from one another like soldiers on a battlefield, she had thought this time might be different. That she might hear war cries instead of caterwauling. Shouted orders instead of screeches. But once again, there had been nothing.

It was like the magic was gone. Or maybe it was just that she could no longer access it.

“Did you really just try to negotiate with a cat?” Hiromi demanded, bringing her back to the present. She shook her head in disgust. People were filtering away now. With the spectacle gone, all that was left was an uncomfortable confrontation unfolding between two friends. One who was rather odd and had just walked right into a catfight. 

“This should be a wake up call. You need to take a step back from work,” Hiromi said firmly, shouldering her purse. Her lips were a thin line. “Let me know when you’re ready to have a life again.” 

She shouldered past her, heading out of the park. 

“Hiromi,” Haru called after her, trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice. It was unsuccessful. Hiromi didn’t turn around. 

Haru glanced at her watch. It was already 1:12. She would need to explain why she was late. With a grimace, she made her way out of the park. Back to work. Trying to ignore the strange looks she received from passersby. 

Contrary to Hiromi’s accusation, work was the last thing on her mind right now. 

If it was true that the magic she had once been privy to, that had allowed her to communicate with cats and to enter their kingdom, was no longer available to her then she had larger concerns. Had she done something to offend their kind? She wracked her brain trying to think of something, but she didn’t think that was the case. She had spent years trying to keep up relations with the cats of Tama City. 

It reminded her of something though.

“If you ever need assistance, the Cat Bureau will always be available to you.” 

The lilting, sophisticated tones of Baron Humbert von Gikkingen echoed in her mind from across time. But it seemed the Baron was mistaken. 

All good things come to an end, after all.

Chapter Text

“You really don’t have to bring things over so often, dear.” 

But Haru’s mother beamed at her from across the table in spite of her protests. That was reason enough to keep stopping by. She tried to pop in before work a few times a month. Always bearing a basket full of homemade food and other treats that her mother didn’t have the strength anymore to make for herself. First it had been struggling with the can opener. Then even just using knives had become hazardous as she struggled to keep the blade steady. Indeed, her pale, blue-veined hands shook now as she lifted the cloth cover. 

“I got you those candied lime peels again,” Haru said, a smile dimpling her cheek. “I don’t know how you eat those. They’re so sour.” 

“Sometimes you need a little sour to counteract the sweet,” Naoko said, reaching over and pinching her daughter’s cheek.

Haru rose from the table, preparing to leave as she took her jacket off the back of the chair and pulled it on. Her badge flashed in the warm kitchen light from where it was clipped to her pocket. Naoko’s face fell, realizing the visit was already up. 

“How is work going?” Naoko asked, opening a small basket of cherries and not hesitating to pop one in her mouth before spitting out the pit demurely into a napkin. 

Haru froze. 

This was a strategy her mom had used before to keep her longer. Except this time, she was eyeing her suspiciously. The question seemed more borne of curiosity than a last ditch attempt to distract her from putting on her boots. Something on her face must have betrayed her unease. 

“It’s fine,” Haru said with a tight smile. 

In truth, she had a particularly brutal day yesterday and wasn’t looking forward to re-entering the precinct this morning. 

A teenage boy had been poised to jump off the Shizumi Bridge. 

She had been called in. 

At first it was going well. She followed the book to the letter. Got his name and shared hers. Began asking him questions. Listened to why he thought this was the only way. He was being bullied relentlessly, she discovered. Her heart had flown into her throat, recalling her own troubled school days. Though she hadn’t experienced the targeted attacks he described, she had consistently been the standing joke of her class. Constantly late. Making mistakes. Embarrassed. Distracted. Ditsy. Helpless Haru, they called her. It wasn’t just the perpetual laughter that trailed her that had made things difficult. It was the people trying to trip her up in the hallway. Aiming basketballs at her head purposefully during recess just to get a reaction out of her. The girls who would surreptitiously unzip her bag so all of her books would come tumbling out onto the floor. 

It had eroded her confidence day-by-day until….until…

This boy didn’t have a magical intervention to instill him with confidence. To give him some perspective that the world was wider than his problems and that he could and would overcome them. He had been pushed and pushed by his group of bullies until he was ready to snap. The look in his haunted eyes would never leave her. With dark bags and a tiredness that a man twice his age might have. He looked old for such a young boy. He was only a child still. 

They had been making progress though in spite of that. She knew where he was coming from. Had been there. A connection was established. A rapport. She was living proof that there were better days ahead. It looked like she was about to succeed.

She didn’t. 

She failed. 

Just as she thought he was going to take her hand…he jumped. Her hand shot out to grab him and met the empty air. 

Haru’s mouth trembled in the familiar kitchen of her childhood. Trying desperately to take in comfort from the green shelves that were the color of spring onions. The small wooden table that had always been just enough for her and her mom. It was part of the reason she’d chosen today to come visit. There was a selfish motive behind it this time. 

Haru stopped getting ready and circled the table. 

Suddenly, she knelt down by her mother’s side. Head bowed. Posture begging forgiveness. She could feel her mother’s surprise.

“I failed. Someone died because of it,” Haru said, unable to stop the tears from tracing down her cheeks. The shaking that gripped her in its claws. 

“Oh, Haru,” her mother exclaimed softly and pulled her into a tight hug. She imbibed a surprising strength into the embrace.

Haru surrendered to her. She buried her face in her mother’s quilted jacket, breathing in the comforting scent of mothballs and the bright lemon soap she was fond of. Naoko stroked the back of her head soothingly, running her hand over the shoulder-length brown mop of her hair again and again. It was like she was sent straight back to her childhood. 

“You can’t help everyone all the time, you know that right?” Naoko murmured. “All you can do is your best.”

“I know but it feels like…like the universe doesn’t want my help anymore at all ,” Haru admitted. “Like everytime I try to help someone it makes it worse.”

Her mother lifted her chin gently, forcing her to look up. Her eyes narrowed as her thumb traced the scab of the cat scratch from last week. 

“There are seasons in our life,” Naoko said gently but firmly. “For as long as I can remember, you’ve been a helper. From the time you fed that little stray, to staying after school to help your friends clean up. To taking a job where you help people every single day. Maybe it’s the universe telling you it’s time to help yourself.” 

Haru stood up abruptly, accidentally knocking her mother’s hands away. Naoko’s eyes widened, startled by the sudden change in her daughter’s comportment. But there was an implication underlying those words that she didn’t like. That she could just stop helping others. That—in fact—she should stop.

“That’s not it. I just need to try harder,” she insisted, brushing away the tears from her cheeks and smoothing out her crumpled shirt. “Figure out where I went wrong and ensure it never happens again.” 

She was already pulling on her boots when her mother cleared her throat. 

“Your friend was by,” her mother admitted. Haru’s face went stony. 

Hiromi. Sticking her nose into everything as usual. 

“She’s worried about you—” Naoko began. 

“I have to go,” Haru said sharply, and she turned on her heel. 

Chapter Text

Haru strode briskly down the quiet, residential streets of her childhood neighborhood. Eager to be back in the bustle of the city center. To be engulfed by noise and chaos for a moment instead of left stewing in her swirling thoughts with nothing to distract her but pretty scenery and the occasional bicycle flying past with a dinging chime of its bell. 

It was as she was lost in thought that she turned a corner down one of the ivy-choked alleyways she knew to be a shortcut and came up abruptly short. She was forced to take a swift step back or risk stepping on a cat. 

A dirty, scruffy looking thing that was crouched in the middle of the path. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she exclaimed, before she could even catch herself. 

They don’t speak to you anymore, remember? 

Feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief there was no one around to see her talking to herself, she side-stepped the poor creature and was about to take off down the alley.

“Don’t apologize, Haru. We’ve been looking for you,” the cat said.

Haru froze. Not just because it spoke, but because the voice was wonderfully familiar. 

“Yuki?” she asked in a strained whisper, turning around slowly. 

The cat raised its head, looking up at her with crystalline blue eyes. It was Yuki. Though she hardly recognized her. This was Yuki as she would have been if she stayed out on the streets instead of finding her way to the Cat Kingdom. Her fur wasn’t even recognizably white; it was yellowed by the dust and detritus of the streets and covered in patches of dried, crusted dirt. It looked like she’d been in a fight too. There was a nick in her ear that seemed relatively fresh. She was ragged. 

“Oh, Yuki!” Haru exclaimed, kneeling before her. Her hands shook, wanting to reach out and scoop up her old friend but not knowing if that would be received well. Let alone if it would hurt her more. “It’s been so long, I thought…I thought I couldn’t hear you all anymore. Or that it had been a dream. What happened to you?” 

“The Cat Kingdom is under siege,” Yuki said hoarsely, fear evident in her sparkling eyes and her flattened ears. Haru stiffened. “We need your help, Haru.” 

“My help?” Haru asked in bewilderment. 

Out of instinct, her eyes were drawn to her watch. 7:47. She was going to be late to work, she realized. Her mouth thinned into a grim line, feeling torn. But given the events of yesterday, she doubted that was a safe risk to take. With a measure of reluctance, she rose back up to her feet, re-shouldering her satchel bag. 

“I have to go to work, but I can meet you back here afterward?” Haru offered. 

“I told you, Yuki. She’s too high and mighty for us now,” another voice called out. This one deep and snide. Around the corner came a giant mass of a cat, his white fur dappled sparingly with brown splotches, including one that fully covered his right ear.

Muta squinted at her, but none of the vacancy was in his gaze that she had seen prior. And behind him, partially hidden by his bulk, hopped a large crow. Toto. She waited, heart in her throat, to see if a third figure would come strolling out from around the corner. But after a few seconds, it became clear that Muta and Toto had come alone. 

“What does that mean?” Haru asked Muta defensively. 

Muta’s eyes roved to the badge flashing at her side with each movement of her jacket. 

“Nothing, just that you’re always bustling around. Rushing off to wherever this job is.” So he had been keeping tabs on her still. The realization that it had been a conscious choice not to speak to her stung more than she cared to admit. It also hardened her.

“That’s called being an adult,” Haru countered, mouth thinning to nonexistence now. 

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of time,” Yuki said gently, but her lack of fire seemed to be because she was weak rather than a lack of conviction. Her flanks heaved in and out as she breathed. As if she had been hurt recently and was still recovering. 

“Yuki, were you in a fight in the big park the other day?” Haru asked, suspicion growing by the second. She hadn’t spotted her there, but then again she wouldn’t have recognized her now if not for her lilting voice. The chaos of that battle had also made it all but impossible to single out any one cat. Except the one that had taken the time to attack her. Otherwise it had just been a moving mass of bodies, flying fur, and blood.

“Still perceptive,” Yuki said, the ghost of a laugh behind her voice. “That’s good at least.”

“Those marauders are kind of why we need you. They’re days away from taking over the whole kingdom,” Muta revealed, raising a paw and looking over each individual claw as if he was already bored with the proceedings. 

“I-if you just give me until tonight, I can come with you,” Haru tried. “Then we can go to the Cat Kingdom and—”

“The longer we wait, the higher the chance that there won’t be a kingdom left,” Toto said quietly, interjecting for the first time. He observed her carefully through his dark eyes, angular head cocked in consideration. “Haru, we wouldn’t upturn your life like this unless we were desperate.” 

There was something about the corvid’s entreaty, as the most serious amongst them—except when he was baited by Muta into verbal battle—that gave her pause. 

She recalled what her mother had said. That she needed to start helping herself. But she didn’t know what that meant in this implausible, fantastical scenario. Her job was her life. That’s what her mom was worried about. That she was throwing herself into work and not living her life. It was what Hiromi had felt strongly enough about to seek out her mother and beg her to intervene. But she was sure this wasn’t what either of them had in mind when they were encouraging her to take some time off and a step back. 

It felt like this was another way to ignore her own needs. To rush off to another realm. What would she be able to do to help an entire kingdom under siege anyway? 

But could she live with herself if she refused to try?

“Give me one second,” Haru sighed finally. 

Pulling out her phone quickly, she texted her boss. That, given the events yesterday, she needed some time off to recover. It felt like ripping off her fingernails. Each key pressed sent shivers of discomfort rippling through her. It was bad enough that she was calling out of work at the last minute, but to admit to the failure…

Her thumb shook, hovering over the button. Cheeks hot and eyes burning, she pressed send and, before she could think about it anymore, she turned off her phone and shoved it in her pocket. With a shaky breath she pushed her hair behind her ears ineffectually, trying to soothe herself. A few, stubborn pieces already managed to free themselves. 

“Alright, how do we get back?” she asked briskly, pushing down the welling emotions. “The lake?”

It was a significant journey and, judging by first impressions, she didn’t know if this particular group would have the stamina to race across the city, carrying her on their backs like their counterparts had all those years ago. It seemed unlikely, but she wasn’t aware of another option.

“Muta was able to summon a portal,” Yuki explained. 

Haru looked at the big cat with no small measure of surprise. He shrugged as if this was the most mundane of information. 

“Stumbled across a handful of one-time portal pods buried in a filing cabinet. You find all kinds of junk around the bureau,” he explained. 

The mention of the bureau dried out her mouth but she tried to hide her sudden burning curiosity as the strange assembly gathered close to one another. Muta pulled out a small device that somewhat resembled a gachapon, though the glass capsule didn’t appear to contain anything upon first inspection. Where he’d been storing it, she didn’t know and she realized she didn’t want to find out. 

“Stick together,” Muta warned seriously. “I’m not picking up bits and pieces of youse if you get sucked away into another location halfway.” 

“That’s a possibility?!” Haru cried, but it was too late to back out. 

Muta threw down the device to the pavement between them. It cracked open on impact. 

A bright, blinding light flashed from it and Haru cried out in shock. She winced away, squinting as the afterimage stayed behind her eyelids. Yuki grabbed hold of one of her fingers, curling a delicate paw around it. Careful not to hurt the little cat, Haru gently held it back. 

It felt like a wind had picked up around them, sending the few leaves that had drifted into the alley swirling around them like a tornado as a great force plucked them from where they stood and they disappeared into the light. 

***

Afterwards, Haru couldn’t describe the feeling. It was nothing like her previous journeys across realms. The first time she’d been dragged unwillingly to the Cat Kingdom a wave of cats had raced her preternaturally across Tama City, in a bouncing, jostling mass, to the remote mountains and forests that surrounded the city. To a series of lakes where one second they were about to hit the water and the next it was like her ears popped with pressure and they were under a brilliant sun, staring at the impossibly towering spires of the royal castle. 

Coming back to her own world after that adventure, she had passed through the portal at the top of the tallest tower as if stepping through a veil. The separation between their worlds brushed against her softly and then suddenly she was on top of the narrowest ledge, hovering thousands of feet in the air and staring down her likely death. 

This way was not soft. Not subtle. It was loud. A roar like a freight train barreling past filled her ears. It was bright too, like they were hurtling towards the sun. It chafed against every sense, every nerve in her body. The only thing keeping her steady and from losing her mind was Yuki’s paw in her hand. 

Finally, they were blessedly shot out of that strange, inhospitable in-between place. 

They fell forward, hitting the ground hard. Haru’s knees buckled at the unexpected impact and she fell to one knee. Yuki landed delicately on her feet, as did Toto who flapped his wings twice against the ground to slow his descent. Muta on the other hand landed splayed, face first into the dirt. 

“Huh, I thought cats always land on their feet,” Toto remarked blithely, eyeing the cat’s inert form with clear amusement. Haru covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. 

“This again,” Muta grumbled, pushing himself to his feet. 

He drew himself up to his full height, which seemed to keep on going and going as he grew taller than her. At first she looked up at him in horror. But then she recalled what happened when a human entered the Cat Kingdom. She had shrunk. She knew it was only a matter of time before the other signs manifested. If it was anything like last time, the ears would be first. Then the whiskers and the nose. The paws. Then the tail. 

After that? She didn’t know.

Luckily, she hadn’t progressed very far in the transformation during her last expedition. But there was no telling what the cats needed of her this time, or how long it would take. All she knew was that she had twenty-four hours. She reached into her pocket to take out her phone. This time she could set an alarm, she thought triumphantly. But when she tried to turn it back on, nothing happened. It was dead. 

“That stuff won’t work here,” Muta said, eyeing the device distastefully. 

She put it away, more than a little disgruntled. It had become a crutch in recent years and to be without it this suddenly felt exposing. 

“A shame, we could use any kind of technological advancement,” Yuki said. 

There was a firmness in her voice that had been quite lacking just a few minutes ago. When Haru turned to look at her she was immediately taken aback. Yuki was still inarguably dirtied and her ear was still torn, but that’s where her previous dishevelment ended. She was drawn to her full, bipedal height now. Shoulders back and chin raised. There was a brightness in her eyes again, though she still looked grim. A sparkling collar hung around her neck now too. Made of gold and inset with crystals. Almost like a crown. 

“You look better,” Haru reflected. 

“Unlike Muta, the air of the human world doesn’t agree with me,” Yuki admitted. She looked nauseated just thinking about it. “I cannot stay there long. Not after I’ve lived in the Cat Kingdom for many decades. But there are more important things than my coat. Come, we have much to discuss.” 

Haru took in their location. They were on a balcony of the royal palace, she realized. The wind whipped around them from their height and Yuki strode over to the edge, laying a paw on the weathered stone and rubbing it tenderly. 

Haru looked up at the spire reaching above them that seemed to pierce the heavens itself. 

“You rebuilt,” she remarked. Thinking of the destruction that had been left in the wake of the mad king’s attempts to keep her from returning home. 

“Hmm?” Yuki asked absently. Her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, yes. Many years ago now. Though I had hoped these old bricks might stand for a few centuries more before something as ill as this befell them.” 

“There they are,” Muta growled, looking over the edge. 

Toto strode over too and if it was possible for a crow to scowl, he was certainly doing so. Soon she was the only one left not at the wall. Hesitantly, she came forward to see what they were inspecting.

As more of the view beyond came into focus, she felt her heart drop. Where once villages had dotted the lush countryside, collections of colorful, humble cottages sitting among swaying grasses and cattails, now there was nothing. It was as if a great, black slash had been made into the earth around the castle. The land was razed and scorched. There was nothing left of the houses but piles of rubble and ash. 

“Oh my,” Haru breathed, taking it in. The destruction of it all. 

“It’s awful, isn’t it,” Yuki sighed, clutching her stomach. 

Next to Yuki, Toto lifted a wing and patted her kindly on the shoulder. Trying to comfort the cat. But there was nothing that could make this better. 

“Heartless bastards,” Muta said, spitting to the side as he glared at the encampment. 

A mile or two outside the walls of the castle, a field of tents stretched beyond the horizon. As far as she could see. Smoke curled here and there from a campfire. The plumes made her realize just how many enemy cats there must be. 

“Who are they? Where did they come from?” Haru asked, unable to tear her gaze from the overt show of force. 

It was Muta who answered. 

“Their leader is called Jiro,” he said darkly. It was as if a shadow passed over his features. “They’re a nomadic herd of cats that’s roamed the prairies of the outer kingdom for generations…A long time ago, I lived with their kind.” 

Haru looked up at him in surprise.

“As Renaldo Moon?” she clarified, recalling the tales of his infamous exploits.  

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. 

“I’m not proud of the things I did while a part of their band. At first, we only did what we had to do to survive. We stole food and supplies mostly from nearby kingdoms, not our own. But the size of the band continued to grow exponentially. More and more had to be taken to survive.”

“Then this is driven by desperation?” she asked. 

“That’s what Jiro would have you think. But I know better. They wouldn’t have razed the villages otherwise. This is just greed. Pure greed,” he spat. 

“There’s just too many of them,” Yuki added shakily. “I’ve led the men as best I can—”

“Wait, where’s Prince Lune?” Haru asked, interrupting. 

“It’s King Lune, now,” Toto revealed. “Lot’s happened since you were here last, kid,” he added, seeing her confusion.

“He went missing,” Yuki revealed. 

Haru’s hands flew to her mouth as the shock reverberated. 

“He went out on another one of his hairbrained expeditions,” Yuki continued, with an uncharacteristic harshness to her tone. “Back to the Hashakar Desert, looking for some gem. He has a restless spirit and he’s been away more often than not.”

The subtext was clear. His actions had left Yuki the de facto ruler of the kingdom in his stead. The weight that seemed to settle around her slim shoulders made sense now. The dullness of her coat. Haru could only imagine the amount of stress she’d been under. First with the disappearance of her loved one. Then with her home under attack and missing his critical support. 

“Soon after Lune left, Jiro sent his first roving band through,” Yuki recounted, a haunted look in her eyes. “A fraction of his force. A test run. How they knew he wasn’t here, I can’t say. But they preyed upon the king’s absence and wiped out the first village. Thistleton. Gone in the blink of an eye and its inhabitants decimated. More and more cats started seeking protection behind our walls and soon other villages were abandoning their homes before the marauders could even get to them. Taking their lives over their property. Behind our walls, they are safe. But we’re on our last line of defense. We’ve lost a lot of good soldiers.” 

Yuki fell silent, looking older than her years suddenly as she sagged against the wall, overcome by grief. As if the deaths of each of her subjects weighed her physically down. 

Muta gripped her tightly, almost holding her up. 

“You’re our last hope Haru,” Yuki said, looking up at her from beneath crystal-dotted lashes, sparkling with tears.

“Me?” Haru asked, nonplussed. “What can I do?” 

“You can help us defeat the marauders,” Yuki insisted. “Defeat Jiro.” 

Haru felt her panic set in, seeing the raw desperation in the faces looking at her expectantly. A prickling feeling that rushed through her limbs and sent them jittering. She shook her head adamantly. 

“Look, I can’t stay here. I’m already growing ears again!” Haru exclaimed, rubbing her hand over her hair and feeling the soft pointed tips already poking out. A shiver ran up her body, feeling something that shouldn’t have been there. Something unnatural. It seemed that experience would never get easier.

“I’m just one person,” she continued, hating the way her voice trembled. “I’m not from here. I don’t have magic. I’m not a fighter. What is it exactly that you think I can do?”

The others looked at one another, but no one responded. It was as if they were waiting to see who would be brave enough to broach the silence.

“Yes, what exactly are you asking of her?” a formal, accented voice rang out from behind them. Achingly familiar. 

Haru spun around, heart thundering like it was going to leap out of her chest. 

A dark form was standing in the shadows of the entryway to the castle. Slowly, it came forward. The rhythmic tapping of a cane rang out across the stone as it approached. Baron Humbert von Gikkingen stepped out into the light, cane held out jauntily in front of him. He looked just as he had the day he’d rescued her from the mad king and said goodbye. His orange fur glowed in the sunshine like burnished copper. His stature was proud and accentuated by a resplendent, white suit and tophat. 

He looked unusually stern though and his emerald gaze was fixated on Yuki, demanding an answer. Whiskers twitching as his mouth thinned and moved, he almost looked angry. 

Yuki bristled under the scrutiny. 

“Wait, how did you know we were here?” Muta demanded indignantly. 

The Baron’s attention shifted from the queen slowly and reluctantly. But he observed the large cat with mingled amusement and exasperation. 

“You and Toto can barely be in the same room without a full scale war breaking out. When you went off together, I knew something unusual was afoot. Not to mention you two pilfered from my wares,” he added, gaze narrowing. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Toto ducked his head, immediately abashed and though Muta’s jaw lifted defiantly, even he seemed to respect and fear the Baron too much to talk back directly. 

“Just collecting dust…” she heard him mutter under his breath. 

The Baron either didn’t hear or chose to ignore Muta’s remark as he turned back to Yuki. 

“She needs the full story, Yuki,” he said sternly. “Either you tell her or I will.” 

For a moment, it looked like Yuki might fight back. Fur puffing up defensively, she opened her mouth to retort but after a few seconds she seemed to change her mind. Shoulders slumping, Yuki let out a heavy sigh and deflated. Without another word, she began to drag herself into the castle. She gestured with a weary paw for them to follow. 

Haru tried to catch the Baron’s eye but he turned to follow the queen briskly and she was left to walk with Toto and Muta, who was still mumbling about the injustice of being accused of theft in a place overflowing with strange curio and sundries that he claimed had almost all been stolen over the years. 

Yuki led them down the winding staircase of the tower in dizzying circles but none of the others seemed to be affected by the vertigo Haru was experiencing. She clung to the wall as she went down. The last time she had been in a tower like this, she had been running upward for her life and hadn’t had much time to contemplate the lack of railings. Now though, descending, she was forced to stare at the very real fall risk and found she wasn’t a fan. 

“Muta,” she prompted, trying to distract herself. 

“Hm?”

“Why didn’t you ever speak to me?” she asked quietly. 

She wasn’t quite able to hide the hurt in her voice. After years of trying to engage with him in the little square he frequented; feeling ignored at best, or at worst as if she was crazy. As if she had imagined the whole thing. The one time she’d tried to speak about it to a therapist, they had tried to convince her that it was a coping mechanism she’d adopted as a young adult who didn’t quite fit in with her peers. They were well meaning but that was the last time she ever brought it up. After a while, with no evidence to the contrary, a part of her had started to believe it. That it had all been in her head. 

The large cat paused. He turned to face her and she was surprised to see that his bluster and bravado was gone. He grimaced. 

“We didn’t want to interfere with your life. You needed to be allowed to be fully in the human world. Not stuck with a foot trapped in each,” he explained, but she saw the droop of his jowls and the apology in his eyes. It healed a little part of her. 

“It wasn’t easy, mind you,” he added briskly, some of his usual fire back as he turned away again and continued down the staircase. “You certainly made some questionable decisions at times. Felt like pulling teeth not being able to clap you around the ears.”

Haru smirked, wondering which ones he was referring to. 

They finally exited the stairwell to her immense relief. They filtered into a hallway that opened up into a spacious atrium. She recognized this place. The history of the kingdom was inscribed and painted on the walls in stunning jewel tones that faded to a sepia-toned monochrome as the pieces grew older and older. Centuries or maybe even thousands of years worth of history were depicted here. Stories of battles, kings, and even stranger things.  

In the center of the space, two figures were deep in conversation. An elderly, robed cat stood hunched over a cane. A tremor shook his frail frame every few seconds as he spoke. His companion was small and flighty. His folded over ears twitched as he nodded seriously, taking down every word on a long scroll. 

Hearing footsteps, the elderly cat turned slowly. He had a long, scraggly beard that reached almost to his waist and rheumy eyes that peered out from behind glasses thick as milk bottles. After a few seconds, Haru realized it was the previous king’s advisor, Natori. And next to him, just as obsequious as he’d been before, was Natoru. The small, round-faced cat that had first kidnapped her.

“We’ve had our best historians and scholars searching over texts,” Yuki explained, as they approached the pair. 

“Miss Haru!” Natoru exclaimed delightedly, waving at her frantically with a paw. His excitement seemed emphasized by the powdered blush spots on his face that he still donned. “What a treat to see you grace our halls again!” 

Haru waved back half-heartedly, but she was unable to hold back a small smile. As much as she’d wanted to strangle Natoru at the time for his meddling, she couldn’t deny that he’d set events into motion that she wouldn’t have traded for anything. 

Ignoring the younger cat’s interruption, Yuki continued.

“We’ve been trying to find anything that could be of help while we wait for Lune to return,” Yuki’s voice warbled and she ducked her chin, trying and failing to hide her sudden onslaught of emotion. After a few moments she composed herself and cleared her throat. 

“Natori here has led the effort,” she said, nodding graciously at the elderly cat. “Tirelessly, I might add.” 

He gave a respectful incline of his head. It seemed there was no ill-will between the servants and their new masters. 

“The queen is too kind. Despite my best efforts, and young Ru’s assistance, I’m afraid my findings have been rather unimpressive. We are left relying on knowledge we already had,” he inched forward toward one section of the wall in particular. An older section, judging by the fading and chipping of the fresco that graced it. Natoru, or Ru as he seemed to be called now, trailed him closely, anticipating his every need. 

“There’s one prophecy that we could think of that might be the key to defeating these invaders,” the old cat revealed. “Or at least, it’s our last hope.” 

He pointed to an image of a figure on the wall with his cane. It was depicted differently from the surrounding cats. It was taller than the others for one. But it seemed almost humanoid too. There was no sign of a tail and just the barest suggestion of ears. It was lifting up a crowned cat by the arm from a pile of rubble. 

Natori held out an expectant hand and his attendant hastily pulled another scroll from his deep sleeve and handed it to the older man tenderly. The paper was yellowed with age. Natori brandished the scroll as he looked at them all with a grave expression.

“The prophecy details that in the third era—of which we are currently in—the Cat Kingdom will face a dark age. Much of which has concerningly come to pass. It gives us hope though as well, as it speaks of one who will have the power to save the kingdom.”

With that introduction, he unfurled the scroll, leaning back to peer through his glasses more effectively as he scanned the document. Finding the requisite passage, he looked up at them as if gauging their attentiveness before beginning. She felt suddenly as if she was back in school. He cleared his throat in preparation.

“There will be enemies without and within that threaten the foundations of the empire. Towers will crumble and kings will vanish. A great evil will rise off the backs of thousands. Yet there will come a savior,” he read, downturned eyes rising momentarily from the paper to look at her before returning. “Not one of us but one familiar with our customs. They will bring with them many strange abilities. With the power of a thousand souls, they will overcome the threat. Expelling the enemy and restoring peace to the lands.” 

He finished and they fell into an uneasy silence. 

“Does it say anything else to indicate who it is?” Haru asked.

“Not very bright, is she?” Muta muttered. Toto buffeted him with a wing and the two dissolved into a hushed argument of whispers, clacking, and hisses. 

The Baron looked at her carefully, eyes glittering in the soft light of the atrium. It was the first time he’d looked at her directly since his arrival and she found herself arrested by his piercing gaze. 

“They’re talking about you, Haru,” he said quietly.

Haru shook her head. Her throat was suddenly quite dry. 

“It can’t be. I don’t have a thousand souls or strange abilities. And I can’t stay here,” she insisted. She reached up to touch her now protuberant ears. They were soft as velvet and she stroked them nervously, finding them at once a soothing distraction and at the same time a blaring warning sign. “How long are you asking me to stay?” 

Yuki looked to the Baron pleadingly, but he offered no escape. 

“We don’t know,” Yuki admitted quietly, turning back to her. 

Haru’s blood ran cold. 

“You’re asking me to risk becoming a cat permanently,” she realized, thinking through the ramifications aloud. “I…I can’t just leave my whole life behind.” 

The agitation was clear in her voice now and she twisted her hands together. 

“I have a job and bills to pay. My mother needs me. I have friends. I have—”

“A lover,” Muta interjected unhelpfully, batting his eyelashes in exaggeration. The realization that Muta might know about Kazumi was mortifying. She wondered if he had seen them strolling through the shopping district or out to eat. She wondered what he had seen. 

“Miss Haru!” Ru exclaimed, a paw covering his mouth. “How scandalous! If King Lune wasn’t enough, who could possibly have caught your eye?”

“Shut it, Ru,” Toto chastened and the assistant bowed his head in deference, taking a step back. But she saw the briefest flash of annoyance in his small, brown eyes. 

Toto was too late though to save her from embarrassment. Haru felt heat flood her cheeks and suddenly found herself unable to look at anyone, but especially the Baron. 

“I’m sorry,” she barreled ahead. “I know I’m letting you all down, but I can’t help you. You’re mistaken. The prophecy isn’t about me and I can’t stay here.” 

Unsure where she was going, but knowing she couldn’t stay there a moment longer—the subject of their gazes, laden with expectation—she tried to flee into the nearby hallway but just as she was passing the Baron, his cane snapped out across her path and impeded her. 

“Now, hold on a moment. There may be another way,” he said. “I believe we have something back at the bureau that may come in handy. Muta, I don’t suppose your nimble paws found another one of those handy portable portals?”

Grumbling, Muta pulled out another one from his pocket.

“Queen Yuki,” the Baron continued, “if you would permit us, I promise to keep Haru safe in my charge. We will return promptly, possibly with a way for her to stay in the Cat Kingdom longer without risk. That is, if this solves her concerns and she agrees.” 

Haru looked at him, unable to hide her shock. 

“You wouldn’t force me to come back?” she asked slowly. She could see how desperate they were. One look over the parapet was all it took to ascertain the severity of the threat that Jiro and his horde posed. She could imagine how reluctant Yuki and the others would be to let her go back to her own realm. To risk her staying there and leaving them in the lurch. 

“It must be your choice,” the Baron replied simply. She saw that he meant it. 

She bit the inside of her cheek, thinking. If the risk of her staying a cat forever was erased, could she stay? It was Friday. As long as she could get back before the start of the new week, she wouldn’t have to worry about work. And her mother would be fine. It wasn’t like she stopped in every day. She thought of her mother and Hiromi. Their deep-seated concern that she was already stretching herself thin.

She could grant one last favor. 

“As long as there isn’t a risk of me staying a cat…no offense,” she added hastily. The Baron smirked. “Then yes, I’ll go with you. And I promise to come back.” 

“Well, then that’s settled!” the Baron cried, evidently pleased. 

Sweeping his tophat off he bowed to Yuki deferentially before snatching the other portal pod from Muta’s unassuming paw. Muta looked mildly annoyed that he wasn’t being trusted with it. However, she had seen him earlier tossing it in the air and catching it a little too cavalierly and figured she wasn’t the only one. 

The Baron held out a paw toward Haru, arching an eyebrow in invitation.

Taking a nervous step forward. Then another. She slowly approached and grasped it back. Toto and Muta drew close as the Baron threw the portal down and they were engulfed in another assault of light and sound.

Chapter Text

When they stepped out of the portal’s grasp, she found herself standing in a place that she had dreamed of frequently over the last decade. Not much had changed in the years since her last visit to the Cat Bureau. The same yellow papered walls encircled the space. Tastefully eclectic furniture of different make and model—that all seemed to come together still in spite of its difference—was laid out around them. It was elegant while not being ostentatious and there was a coziness that came from great care and love being shown to it over the years. 

The Baron released her hand as she found herself returning rapidly to her human size. She scrambled back in her haste to avoid damaging the small room they’d arrived in and still managed to accidentally knock over a dresser. There was a cascading sound inside as the contents were disturbed and she winced. 

“Ugh, I’m sorry,” she grimaced. The expression ‘like a bull in a china shop’ had never been as appropriate as now. She was a little larger than the last time she’d been here and it wasn’t as easy to navigate the space that was built with cats and birds in mind. 

“It’s quite alright,” the Baron reassured her, not seeming bothered much by the mess. “And I have something that will help.” 

While Muta was left to readjust the dresser with more than a little grumbling, she watched as the dapper Baron turned and rummaged through a glass-cased display cabinet. With him distracted, she had an opportunity to inspect him a little more closely. The sunlight poured in, highlighting the crisp lines of his suit. His fur seemed almost luminous. The observation sent a jolt of surprise through her as she remembered something. 

“Don’t you turn into a statue during the day?” she asked. 

The Baron stopped for a brief moment, hand hesitating as he moved aside a box. Realizing it might be an insensitive question, she chewed the inside of her cheek and hoped she hadn’t offended him. However, when he turned and looked at her over his shoulder, it was with a small smile. 

“I’m free to move within the confines of the bureau during the day. Outside though? Yes, I would turn into a statue if I stepped across the threshold.” 

“You don’t have to answer this, but…why?” 

“A curse was placed on me, long ago,” the Baron said simply. “But with my work at the bureau, I’ve managed to find a solution that works rather nicely. It’s a minor inconvenience at most.” 

She hadn’t realized it was a curse. She wondered who had placed it and why, but the Baron didn’t proactively offer up that information and she didn’t want to pry too much, too quickly as he pointedly went back to his search. 

Finally, he made a startling noise of triumph before pulling out a small, velvet box from beneath a stack of miscellaneous goods. When he opened the latch and lifted the lid, she saw a simple, silver necklace with a black stone pendant that glimmered mysteriously in the light. 

“It’s beautiful,” Haru remarked. “But I assume it’s not just decorative.” 

“Indeed it is not,” the Baron concurred. “You recall the gem eye that the old king had in his possession, yes?” he asked. 

Haru shuddered and nodded. It was not like she could forget anything about the mad king in a hurry. From his perpetually frazzled appearance to his lecherous ways, his was a face that had haunted more than a few of her nightmares. That luminous gem had stuck with her too. Worn upon his forehead, almost like a third-eye, with it he had been able to spy upon her across great distances and even across realms. 

“It was not the only gem of its kind. Imbibed with strange abilities,” the Baron revealed. “If my hypothesis is correct, the gem on this amulet should allow you to transform without staying that way permanently as long as you’re wearing it.”

“This would have been really helpful last time,” Haru said wryly, not bothering to keep the annoyance from her voice. 

The Baron looked amused. 

“Indeed it would have, but this artifact was only recently discovered by King Lune,” he revealed. “On his last expedition before he went missing, he found it in a tomb they uncovered from one of our ancestors out in the desert. Not what he was looking for evidently, but he still brought it back. If it behaves as it did in tests, it should allow you to transform safely.” 

He held it out to her, pendant dangling. “Give it a go.” 

“What, here?” she clarified. “Will it work here in this world?” 

“Only one way to find out, I suppose,” the Baron said, shrugging. 

“Love being a guinea pig,” she muttered. 

“No you wouldn’t,” Muta shuddered. “Terrible little creatures.”

“Scaredy cat!” Toto laughed, the sound a raucous cawing that poured from him uncontrolled. 

“You would be too if one embedded its giant teeth in her hand!” Muta countered. 

Ignoring the unfolding spat as Muta recounted the numerous ways that guinea pigs were the devils of the rodent world and Toto teased him relentlessly, Haru tentatively took the pendant. The Baron relinquished the chain. She stared at it in her hand for a second. Then she put it on. 

The second the cold metal of the chain encircled her neck and the stone brushed against her skin, the strange experience of shrinking in size took over again. But this time it was stronger. Accompanied by an uncomfortable tingling sensation. She held out her hands and exclaimed in shock. Her fingers were disappearing before her eyes as her hands transformed into paws. But it wasn’t relegated to that alone. Her arms were covered in fur now. A thick coat of tawny brown fur. She reached up to her face quickly, touching long whiskers. 

“What…” Haru began. She spun around and saw her reflection in the window. 

She was a full cat. From head to toe. She stared at herself in shock. 

“Well, that’s different,” Muta said unhelpfully. 

“Is this what’s supposed to happen?” she demanded, brown eyes wide and shaking as she turned to the Baron. 

He was staring at her strangely and didn’t respond, apparently speechless. 

“Before we panic, why don’t you try taking it off?” Toto suggested. He seemed the only one among them that hadn’t lost their senses. 

In her haste, she almost ripped the necklace off and felt herself instantly shooting up once again. Unprepared this time, she cracked her head against a low hanging lintel and hissed in pain. 

“It seems it is indeed a temporary change,” the Baron remarked, looking up at her back in her human form as she rubbed her aching crown. 

Breathing easing, she took a second to calm herself and then put the necklace back on. 

Reverting to this strange new cat form, she inspected herself thoroughly. The longer she was in it, the more natural it began to feel. It already felt like her balance was different as she shifted her weight experimentally. Like her eyesight was different. Her sense of smell too. When she realized she had a tail again she couldn’t help the little squeal that escaped her. It twitched rapidly, mirroring her excitement. 

The Baron let out a low chuckle of amusement. 

“I would call this a resounding success. Now, let’s not keep Yuki waiting,” he said, eyes sparkling as he held out an invitational paw again. 

This time she reached out with a paw of her own. 

It felt like a current of energy jolted between them as their pads touched and she stared resolutely ahead as the Baron threw down another portal. 

“How many of those do you have lying around exactly?” Muta demanded. 

“Not an unlimited supply,” the Baron warned. “These took me a long time to develop. We’ll have one to get back here, otherwise we’ll have to rely on the stationary portals.”

“Ugh, please don’t make me walk,” Muta sighed. 

***

When they arrived back the relief was palpable. 

Yuki raced forward and was only momentarily taken aback by Haru’s new form before scooping her into a tight embrace. 

“Thank you for coming back,” she expressed, she was trembling as she buried her face into the new fur of Haru’s neck. 

“I can’t say no to you, Yuki,” Haru replied. “We always help each other. Don’t we?” 

Yuki stepped back, brushing happy tears from the corners of her eyes and inspecting her appraisingly. “You make a fine cat, I must say!” 

Natori cleared his throat with a sound like crunching gravel. “I hate to bring us down, but what exactly is our next step?” 

He looked expectantly to her and to her disconcertment, she realized he wasn’t the only one. All of the cats and Toto were staring at her now, waiting for her to say something. 

Haru looked around, perplexed. 

“I’m able to stay here longer, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m just…Haru. I don’t know how to stop an invading force. Doesn’t the prophecy say anything else? A suggestion?” she asked, hating the way her voice thinned as the threads of anxiety twisted themselves around her chest. The idea of disappointing them all was unbearable. 

“Just that the savior will have unique skills,” Ru noted. “But you have plenty of skills, don’t you Miss Haru?” 

As optimistic as always. 

“Not really,” Haru admitted. “Nothing I can think of that could be of help here.” 

“That’s not entirely true,” Muta mused, arms crossed tightly. “What about what you do at your job? You talk people down, right? People about to do bad things, or people on the edge?” 

The others turned around, staring at the large cat with more than a little surprise, given that most of his comments tended to be unhelpful commentary, inquiries of the next meal, or at best laden with a healthy measure of disdain. 

But Haru froze. 

Suddenly she was transported back to the boy from yesterday, as he stared pointedly down at the pavement below, everything she was saying going in one ear and out the other. The look on his face as he’d steeled himself. Just before he’d taken the plunge. 

“I…” her throat constricted and she reached up to it involuntarily. She’d forgotten she was a cat again and was momentarily surprised when the sensation of her paw touched her now furry neck. She clutched the pendant for comfort. “I’m not sure what help that will be.” 

“A crisis negotiator?” the Baron clarified. 

Unable to speak, she merely nodded. His eyebrows raised incrementally. 

“That could be useful,” he acknowledged and turned to Yuki. “We haven’t been able to make contact with Jiro after all.” 

Yuki’s face, which had been drawn with worry since she’d first come to Haru, softened as light seemed to shine from within. She was radiant. It was hope spilling out of her, Haru realized with a lurch of her stomach. 

“Wait, you’re not seriously considering sending her to treat with them? This is a bad idea. They’re not looking for peace, they’re looking for conquest,” Toto exclaimed, his feathers ruffled in discomfort. 

Haru was lost in thought. As much as her confidence in her abilities was shaken by recent events, it was all she could think of to offer. What other skills did she have? 

“I wouldn’t ask her to go on her own,” the Baron corrected his avian companion. “As a neutral party, I would accompany her delegation.” 

Haru felt herself quickly ease. They weren’t asking her to do this all on her own. There would be backup. Support. The Baron glanced at her, sensing her gaze. 

Thank you , she mouthed. He inclined his head genteelly. 

“I’ll come with you guys, in case these clowns get any ideas,” Muta offered, cracking his knuckles menacingly. Ready and rearing for a fight. The Baron smiled but shook his head. 

“While I appreciate the sentiment, I think the appearance of their old companion and deserter, the notorious Renaldo Moon, might provoke them,” the Baron said. 

When Muta did nothing but stare at him blankly, he sighed. 

“Which would undermine our purpose there?” the Baron added pointedly, waiting for the message to sink in. 

Finally understanding dawned in Muta’s beady eyes.

“Oh,” Muta said simply. 

“What do you say?” The Baron was watching her now. There was such an air of confidence about him, that she couldn’t help but feel its infectious reach. Surely as long as they were together, it would be alright? He’d gotten them out of plenty of tight binds before, after all.

“I’m willing to try,” she agreed, setting her jaw. “I’ll speak with their leader.”

Chapter Text

They were accompanied out of the castle by a fussing entourage. 

As they exited the main building, she started to see the effects of the raids up close. The castle grounds were packed with refugees. Cats huddled together in small bands. Some had makeshift cooking pots that they were tending. Others were mending clothes with whatever they could find. Mud spattered kittens chased one another through the streets with wild abandon, oblivious to the dire situation of the adults around them as they lost themselves in make believe. Against one row of shops, she saw a line of cats with burlap bags and realized with a lurch of her stomach that they were waiting for rations. Many of them were quite thin, their fur hanging off of them, much as Yuki’s had been. The line stretched all the way down the block, before wrapping around and seeming to carry on for another two blocks in the distance. 

They still bowed and gasped in pleasure as they saw their queen amongst them. Yuki stopped every so often to inquire after someone. To pat a child on the head fondly as they scampered past. It was clear that she was well loved and it seemed it was with good reason. Many of them she knew by name. She was one of them. And though she had been elevated far above her station, she had never forgotten her roots. She was the commoner’s queen. 

Haru couldn’t help but think back to the kingdom’s previous ruler. The mad king that had played insane games from within his palace walls, while his son kept their borders secure and their forces up to snuff. It was still hard to reconcile that version of Prince Lune she had known, duty and honor-bound, with the kingly version that had left his queen and people vulnerable and alone. To hunt for treasure? It hardly seemed plausible.

She reached up and touched the pendant at her throat. At least something useful had come of his excursions. It made her wonder what he was looking for though. If something as powerful as this, a gem that could allow the wearer to walk between worlds without repercussion, wasn’t his objective. Could he be searching for a gem eye, like the one his father before him had possessed? 

Finally they reached the gates. 

Haru could see the patchwork repairs that had been made since the last assault. Boards nailed up to replace broken panels. Their only reinforcement was in the form of the iron bars that stretched across it. As they were lifted with a creak of rust from the hinges, she felt her heart start pounding in her chest. Realizing they were leaving behind safety.

The guards only opened the gate enough to allow two of them to pass through. 

Haru looked back at their friends. 

“Remember, you are under a banner of peace. By the laws of this realm, they cannot hurt you. If negotiations fail, I want you to come right back. Is that understood?” Yuki ordered, sounding every inch royal. 

They had discussed in advance what concessions the Cat Kingdom was willing to make and what were hard lines drawn in the proverbial sand. Haru understood the missive that she was being charged with, but it didn’t stop the fear from creeping steadily through her veins. She nodded, mouth exceptionally dry as she clutched the banner in a nerveless grip. 

As they turned to make their way out, she felt the Baron fall behind slightly. 

“Take care of her,” Yuki told him in a low voice. The order obviously wasn’t meant for her ears, but she had more sensitive hearing now. A fact that hadn’t sunk in for the others it seemed, who were used to dealing with her as a far less attuned, bumbling human. 

“You know I always do,” the Baron murmured back. 

Once they were outside, the gates closed behind them with a resolute click, followed quickly by the sound of the bars being drawn back down. 

Haru took a deep breath, trying not to show her nerves. But in this strange, new form, she didn’t know what was a tell or not anymore. Was the twitching of her whiskers obvious? The way her ears seemed to flick constantly back and forth of their own accord, already searching for any sign of danger? It seemed she wasn’t as successful at hiding her emotions as she’d hoped. 

“It’ll be easy. You do this every day, no?” the Baron asked, trying to soothe her. 

“You would know. Muta was keeping close tabs on me after all,” she remarked archly. The Baron had the grace to look a little abashed, ducking his chin as he was caught in the act. 

“I may have asked him just to keep an eye on you. Just in case you ever needed help again,” he admitted, scratching the bridge of his nose. He still wouldn't meet her gaze. Haru couldn’t help but think of all the times she could have used that help and wondered what was covered under his definition. “Why are you so nervous then? Shouldn’t this all be second nature?” he pried, following up. He wasn’t letting her deflect. 

“Something happened at work yesterday,” she admitted quietly, swallowing past the lump in her throat. “Let’s just say that my confidence is a little shaken. To put it lightly.” 

“I see,” the Baron said. 

They didn’t speak for a bit. He seemed to be struggling with himself in a silent debate. 

“Our failures rarely define us,” he began, the words blurting forth from him as if he couldn’t help himself. “I should know. My own are what landed me in my strange predicament, unable to walk the human world in the light of day and yet unable to stay for prolonged amounts of time in the Cat Kingdom. Even though it’s my home…was my home. There’s always a way to make do with the consequences though.” 

“Do you mind me asking how you became cursed?” she probed, feeling emboldened as he opened up. If he was going to pry so would she. 

“I made a promise a long time ago. To a very powerful lady. I broke that promise and she cursed me for it,” he revealed. Haru wondered how long ago exactly that was; something told her it was longer than she cared to think about. Not for the first time she wondered what kind of creature the Baron was. If the Cat Kingdom existed on some kind of spiritual plane, as she suspected, filled with ethereal feline beings that moved and talked like humans, did that make them all spirits? Did that make him one? There was something about the Baron that was different though. The most ethereal of them all. A curse that could hold him bound across who knew how many hundreds of years had to be powerful magic.

“A broken promise isn’t so bad,” she said. “Surely not worthy of an eternal curse?” 

“I broke her heart, I think,” he admitted quietly. 

A jilted lover, she realized with a shock. That was the cause of all of it. A confusing mix of emotions flooded her. The Baron seemed lost in thought, and she thought that would be the end of the conversation. Then he stopped walking.

“For a long time, it remained one of my biggest regrets,” he said, staring at his polished loafers. “But as the years passed, I found a new purpose. In the Bureau. I realized I could use my condition, my transitory status, to help guide people and cats caught betwixt our worlds. There are so many I never would have met, otherwise. As much as I give them a hard time, I wouldn’t trade my friendships with Muta or Toto for anything. Not to mention, I’ve been able to help so many lost souls…I met you,” he smiled at her and she swallowed nervously. “Even in the darkest of circumstances, there is light to be found if you look hard enough. And sometimes you get lucky, and you don’t have to look very hard at all.” 

His eyes twinkled at her, but she couldn’t appreciate what he was saying. A shadow seemed to have settled over her, obscuring all else. Even his kind gaze wasn’t enough to pull her out from under it. 

“I’m not sure what light could possibly be found in this case,” she replied, trying desperately to block the sound of the boy’s fall from her mind. The whisper of air left in his wake. She squeezed her eyes shut and jerked her head out of reflex. Physically recoiling from the painful memory. 

The Baron gazed at her sympathetically, but sensed the conversation was at an end. He recognized that she was not ready to discuss it further.

For a while, there was just the sound of their increasingly labored breathing as they scrambled across ditches and picked their way over piles of rubble. At first Haru inspected the landscape closely, searching for clues of the enemy they were shortly to meet. However, when she spotted one crumbling wall splattered in something dark and viscous, she stopped looking so hard. Afraid of what else she might see. She kept her eyes trained ahead.

It served a dual purpose for her to pay more attention to the path, though. The Baron had already leapt to her aid twice. Once before she tumbled face first into the mud and the other time grabbing her arm and pulling her back just before she slipped down some unstable scree on a jagged ledge. She was still unused to this new body and not the most graceful. Or perhaps her uncoordinated nature had simply carried over from her human form. Maybe there were things that even magic couldn’t fix. Regardless, she tried to pay better attention. 

They made their way inexorably toward the mass of tents on the horizon. 

As they drew closer, Haru raised their banner: a light green flag with an olive branch embroidered across its face. They were almost within sighting distance and she didn’t want to be shot down before they’d even approached. It turned out to be a precognitive call. 

As they neared, two figures bloomed into view, standing ready and alert at the entrance to the camp. Spotting them, the guards immediately knocked arrows to their bows and drew them. They were prepared to fire. Haru came up short, faltering. Not eager to go any closer and get in range of their weapons. The Baron put a comforting paw between her shoulder blades and raised his other arm in entreaty.

“We come under a banner of peace, to speak with your leader. Jiro. As is the custom of this land, we ask that you respect our safety as envoys of Queen Yuki,” he called, voice ringing out confidently and authoritatively, while losing none of its usual melody. 

The archers glanced at one another, communicating silently in a debate. For a brief moment, Haru thought they were going to fire anyway and she tensed. But slowly they began to lower their bows, though they continued to look suspicious. One of the archers raced away, back through the gate. 

“Stay where you are!” the other ordered them brusquely. 

The Baron smiled affably as if nothing would give him greater pleasure. 

“How are you so calm?” she murmured out the side of her mouth. 

“Don’t you remember what I told you?” he asked quietly, mouth curling in a small smile. “All those years ago? Trust in yourself.”

“I trust myself just fine,” she said curtly before nodding at the archers. “However, I don’t trust them one lick.” 

The Baron’s smile grew. 

“Fair enough,” he said with a low rumble of amusement.  

When the archer returned, she saw that he was not alone. 

A tank of a wildcat was beside him, striding toward them with the arrogant confidence of someone used to getting their way. He was at least as tall as Muta, if not taller. However, where Muta was built like a puffball mushroom, this cat was far more intimidating. With shoulders that rippled with every movement and a barrel chest, this could only be Jiro. 

As he drew close enough to be able to make out distinct features, she saw that his gray fur was sparse and criss-crossed heavily with old scars. One of his ears was shredded almost to nothing while the other was tufted and rather larger than the average cats. He stared at them both through luminous, amber eyes that seemed to pierce her like searchlights even in the height of the afternoon sun. She could only imagine what they looked like at night, reflecting moonlight, and shuddered involuntarily. 

There was something familiar about him. It bothered her until, with a jolt, she realized that this was the same cat from the park that had lunged at her. Her free paw rose to her chin where she could feel the parting of fur and the still healing scratch beneath it that he had left. Something told her his claws, which were currently out in a bare threat and were the size of paring knives, would do more damage to her in this world than they had in hers. 

“Well, well, well,” Jiro began, his voice deep like the idling of an engine. The vibrations of it reverberated through their bodies from across the clearing. “If it isn’t our illustrious Baron. Whatever has brought you from your fussy little bureau to my humble camp?” 

The Baron bobbed in a slight bow, the picture of manners in spite of the slight. The warlord’s barely concealed disdain slid off him like oil on water. That was the Baron’s strength. Wearing his courtesy like armor. It made his enemies underestimate him and made him untouchable.

“Jiro, a pleasure. It’s been many years. When was the last time we saw each other?” he asked pointedly. The plastered, simpering smile on Jiro’s face slipped. “Oh, yes. The time I was sent to collect fines from you for the crimes of your people. It would seem you haven’t learned your lesson.” 

Though the Baron’s tone remained cordial, there was no hiding the intent behind that statement. Jiro snarled, all semblance of hospitality gone. Though Haru was impressed by the Baron’s confidence, she couldn’t help but recoil, feeling that they might try a bit harder not to antagonize the enemy right off the bat. 

Before she could lose her nerve, she stepped forward. Straightening her back, she forced herself to look at Jiro head on. A whole lot of good it did her. He didn’t even notice her. He only had eyes for his nemesis, the Baron, and he looked like he was currently considering how best to rip the smaller cat limb from limb. 

Haru cleared her throat, demanding his attention. 

“I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is Haru,” she said, grateful that her voice didn’t waver. The years of intense training were kicking in and she fell back on the muscle memory of it. The confidence that she’d learned to project outwardly even when it felt like her insides were liquifying. She figured it was best to ignore their prior run-in back in her world. Start from a clean slate. There was no way he would recognize her after all. 

After a few seconds, Jiro turned to look at her disdainfully. His gaze traveled her up and down. “New pet, I see. Eh, Baron?” he chuckled, but there was no humor in it. 

“Haru is an old friend of the Cat Kingdom,” the Baron said briskly, not rising to the bait. They may as well have been discussing the weather. “And a trained envoy.” 

“We would like to discuss terms,” Haru interjected, keeping her tone pleasant but firm and drawing them closer to the goal of their visit. “Gain a better understanding of what you’re looking for and see if we can come to an agreement that’s mutually beneficial.” 

After a second’s pause, Jiro threw back his head and laughed uproariously. Nearby, the archers chuckled nervously along. It spread until raucous laughter was ringing out all around them. Haru kept her face a careful mask, but inside she was transported right back to her school days. To the perpetual blush staining her cheeks and the hot feeling of shame washing through her as her peers mocked her. 

“Alright, little envoy,” he said, striding forward until he was a hair’s breadth from touching her. It was a power play to invade someone’s personal space like that, but one she was familiar with. She didn’t step back. A purr rose in his chest, seeing that she wasn’t backing down. He reached out a massive paw. She didn’t flinch even as he touched her chin, inspecting the scratch there with some interest. 

Beside her, she felt the Baron stiffen. Ready to pounce in an instant if Jiro broke the truce 

“Let’s see what you have to offer us then, hm?” Jiro said, a dangerous implication in his words. He bopped her chin with just a fraction of his force and she winced, jaw aching. 

They were flanked suddenly on all sides by guards and marched forward, nudged by the butts of spears. They had no choice but to follow the procession into the bowels of the camp. 

At first she was struck by such a hodge-podge, motley collection of soldiers that she didn’t quite know where to even start. She did her best to absorb as much information as she could as they wandered through the warcamp, knowing that anything could be a leg up. Even the smallest detail might be enough to give them an advantage. Part of her training had been to heighten her skills of perception and observation, as often the first step toward gaining trust with another party was establishing a connection. A sticker on a water bottle could indicate a hobby. A potential inroad. The pallor of the skin could hint at an unhealthy lifestyle. A barrier. So she let her eyes scan the space ceaselessly and did what she’d been trained to do.

They passed by foot-soldiers with swords and knives belted at their sides. By axe-wielding cats built like bears who sharpened their blades on whetstones with a discordant, spine-tingling rasp. Cats with spears and some with strange weapons she had never seen before. Some were obviously makeshift while others looked to be well-honed weapons of war. 

There were indeed cookfires scattered throughout the camp that seemed to have an unending stew or gruel bubbling inside them and being added to at all times, but she knew immediately that it was not enough to feed a host of this size. That was made evident by the ribs she counted and the many hollow cheeks. Numbers were definitely on their side, but the disorganization of Jiro’s forces was clear. A small spark of hope flared in her chest. 

They continued toward a large, multi-pronged tent set in the heart of the camp. A soldier hurried forward to hold open the flap to the entrance. She saw the way his spine stiffened at attention as Jiro passed through without so much as a glance at him. The way he sank a little with relief once the general was gone. Jiro’s men were scared to death of him, that much was clear. 

Haru’s ruminations were interrupted as she was shoved rather roughly into the tent. She stumbled, almost falling. But the Baron reached out in a flash to steady her, wrapping an arm around her waist. He helped her regain her balance with a comforting smile. The look he shot at the soldier in question, however, was pure acid. The one-eyed cat leered back at him, undeterred. 

Another soldier wrenched the rolled up banner from her hands and set it carelessly against the wall of the tent. It was just a flag at the end of the day, but its symbolism was a shield. To have it wrested from her care so dismissively felt more than a little foreboding. 

“Take a seat,” Jiro said, his tone more of a command than an invitation. He gestured them to a collection of rather bedraggled armchairs. Before they could even take him up on the offer, they were pushed down into the chairs unceremoniously by soldiers who stood at their backs. A mockery of hospitality.

Jiro observed them carefully with his yellow gaze, eyes growing reflective in the gloom of the tent. The space was lit only by the light of a small, cast-iron oven in the corner, with a pipe that carried any smoke up and out of the tent. The flames dancing behind the grills sent strange shadows swirling across Jiro’s severe countenance. 

“We’re not uncivilized here,” he said to her, amusement curling his voice as he took his own seat across from them. “Well, you came here to treat. Entreat me.” 

Whereas at the gates of the camp she might have been a buzzing fly for all the attention he paid her, his gaze was focused wholly on her now. It was like the Baron wasn’t even in the room with them anymore. Given his position as the head of the Cat Bureau, she didn’t need to be versed in their cultural norms and practices of the realm to know that it was a slight. The Baron kept his composure though, unruffled and cool as always. It was a steadying presence and she took strength from it. With a deep breath, she centered herself. 

Jiro was a warlord. 

There was no softness to him and if she had to judge based solely on appearances, he had lived a hard, unforgiving life. There was not a single ounce of spare fat on his frame. He was bulky but lean. And his scars told a story. Of all the fights he had survived. Of the wounds he had likely inflicted in turn. In the park he had lunged at her without fear. Even though as a human, several times his size, she could probably have sent him flying into a tree with a well-placed kick. As long as he got some scratches and bites in, it wouldn’t matter if he walked away with broken ribs or  shattered limbs. That meant he didn’t lack courage. But maybe he lacked wisdom. Taking into account the other clues, that his own men were terrified of him, that he had a storied history with the Baron that stretched back many years, and that this was not his first assault against the kingdom, she deduced that he was cruel and unrelenting and she had a strong feeling that appealing to emotion would get her laughed out of the tent. 

“Let’s cut the act,” she said, dropping her formality. 

The two soldiers standing behind Jiro exchanged a wary look, as if anticipating bloodshed. One’s hand shook on his upright spear. No one spoke to him with such directness, bordering insolence. That was clear. Jiro’s eyebrows rose incrementally but he did not speak. He was waiting for her to deal her full hand. She leaned forward. 

“You want the Cat Kingdom,” she said bluntly. He didn’t deny it. “The Cat Kingdom isn’t going to turn itself over to you.” 

There was amusement in his eyes now. But he was listening. 

“So we find ourselves at an impasse,” she continued. “But what if we could offer you what you seek in a different way?” 

“I’m listening.” 

“You have a large host, cats that need to be fed and whose pockets need to be kept full and happy, am I wrong?” she asked. 

“Not as such,” Jiro confirmed, still smirking.

“What if the Cat Kingdom could provide these things, in exchange for a service?” 

“You’re asking me to become a part of the king’s army,” Jiro said, recognizing where she was going. She nodded her head in acknowledgement. 

Jiro laughed and slapped his massive paws down onto either arm of his chair, startling his guards. His nails dug in, the fabric buckling and threads snapping loose. Judging by the other frayed ends sticking out, it was not the first time. Bracing himself, he stood slowly. He shook his head as he approached her as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. He knelt in front of her chair so that they were at eye height. 

“What makes you think, I would ever consider bowing and scraping to that pompous, puffed up Lune? Or his urchin bride?” he spat, flecking her face with spittle. 

It took all of her willpower not to wipe it away distastefully. 

“I would mind your tone when you speak of our king and queen,” the Baron said silkily next to them. Though his tone was controlled, he was sitting painfully straight and she could tell he was ready to move at a second’s notice. “You are in their lands—” 

“Not for long,” Jiro snarled, sparing the Baron a disdainful glance before bringing his attention back to the envoy. To Haru. 

“Where did they find you, I wonder?” he asked quietly and this time when he reached up, he stroked her face. The sensation of his coarse paw brushing against her overly sensitive whiskers was too much and she couldn’t help the shudder of revulsion that swept her. 

He let loose a low chuckle, seeing that he’d finally disconcerted her. 

“Jiro, I remind you that Haru is a royal envoy. Harming her or even disrespecting her is akin to an act of war. I warn you that if you break that sacred truce there will be dire consequences,” the Baron warned. There was no lightness in his tone anymore and when she chanced a sideways glance at him, she saw that his claws were dug into the armchair too. The normally unshakable Baron was barely holding back his rage right now. It was clear it was taking everything he had not to launch himself at the much larger cat. 

“Not like any royal envoy, I’ve ever seen,” Jiro said, voice oily as he rose back to his full height and leaned over her. She recoiled as his face drew close and his shadow engulfed her. His eyes trailed down her throat and beheld the pendant dangling around her neck.

Suddenly Jiro’s paw shot out and clenched the necklace tightly until the chain was wrapped around her neck, digging into her fur and the skin beneath it. She choked, scrabbling with her paws ineffectively. She hadn’t figured out how to extend her claws yet. 

The Baron let out a furious roar and launched himself from his chair. 

The soldier behind him tried to grab him, but he wheeled his cane around, cracking it into the cat’s jaw with an audible crunch. Fragments of tooth shot out from the cat’s mouth. The soldier bent over double, letting out a low keening sound as he clutched his shattered mouth. 

The other soldiers charged the Baron with snarls. The spear wielder thrust his weapon out in a move that would have skewered a normal cat, but the Baron spun delicately away from the assault and swung back around, bringing the cane across the cat’s lower back with an audible thwack and a smirk of satisfaction. The cat grunted, thrown forward by the force and his eyes bulged in pain, but he wasn’t taken out of commission yet. Quickly, he rejoined the fight. 

It was two against one. The Baron was wheeling and countering the blows from blade and spear alike, dealing far more damage than he was receiving. He knocked out one cold with a sharp rap to his temple. The cat dropped to the floor like a fly. 

As the Baron fought against the last soldier—trying desperately to reach her and the warlord—Jiro’s grasp had not lessened. If anything it tightened as he lifted her up by the necklace. Now her own weight was dragging the chain even deeper. 

“Your precious queen has nothing that I want more than her land, her castle…and her pretty head on a spike,” he snarled in her face. 

Spots danced and stars twinkled in her peripheral vision as the edges of the room darkened and blurred. All of the sudden, the necklace chain blessedly snapped. Jiro was left holding it as Haru fell heavily to her knees. Inhaling sharply, she gasped for air. Her throat was on fire and she clutched it. She was unable to stop the flow of tears as she curled up on the filthy carpet just trying to breathe as deeply as possible, her oxygen starved body screaming at her. 

The noise of the fight was drawing others now. Suddenly the tent flap flew open, flooding them with light as three more soldiers raced in. She looked up sharply as they launched themselves at the Baron. He barely had time to react before he was buried in a mass of hissing and spitting cats, pummeling him to a pulp. 

“No!” Haru croaked, trying to get up to help, but Jiro blocked her way. Grabbing her by the back of her jacket, he pulled her to her feet and held her fast. He was staring at her in revulsion. 

“What sorcery is this?” he demanded. 

At the tone of his voice, his men stopped. They clambered off of the Baron and jerked him to his feet. He could barely stand on his own, instead dangling by his arms between them. He was bleeding heavily from a cut above his eye that was already swelling. One of the soldiers had his cane and without hesitation he brought it down over his knee, snapping it half and tossing it to the side of the tent. The Baron spat a glob of blood onto the floor in answer, throwing civility out the window. 

Jiro was still staring at her with narrowed eyes. Looking suspiciously between her and the stone that dangled from his fist.

“What are you?” he hissed and then his eyes widened, looking at her chin. “Wait. I know you. This is the meddling human who tried to interject herself into our affairs.” 

She reached up nervously and though she still had paws and fur spreading up her wrists, she realized that her face was no longer covered in fur. The whiskers were still there and a cat’s nose but there was smooth human skin and a mostly human face again. 

With a jolt she realized that with the amulet removed, so was her protection. Past Jiro, she could see in the Baron’s eyes that her own fear was reflected. 

Jiro looked between them. 

“You dare send this…this abomination to come treat with me?” he growled at the Baron. “I don’t know what game you’re all playing, but I am no fool. Take him away.” 

The soldiers began to drag the Baron out of the tent. In spite of his injuries, he fought against them valiantly. 

“Jiro!” he bellowed. “If you touch a hair on her head—” his threat was cut off as one of his captors clubbed him in the back of the head. He slumped forward unconscious, speaking no more. 

She cried out in alarm, but she was still apprehended. 

“We will question this one,” Jiro said, shaking her rather ungently. He pocketed the necklace and dropped her to the ground. “Tie her up, I’ll be back in an hour,” he ordered, sweeping from the tent without another backward glance. 

One of the reinforcements, a black cat with a white splotch over his left eye, ducked his head obediently as the warlord passed. He came forward, grabbing her roughly and tying her arms behind her back. 

Without the amulet, she knew she had a time limit now. What she didn’t know was if that timer had started once the necklace broke, or from the second they had touched back down in the Cat Kingdom. Given the progression of her transformation, she had a bad feeling it was the latter. Desperation lent her courage. 

“Please,” she began, trying to twist around to see her captor. “I don’t belong here. That necklace was the only thing ensuring I could go back to my home. If I don’t wear it, I might never be able to return.” 

“Sounds like you shouldn’t have come then,” the cat said evenly with a grunt as he tightened the cords. She winced in pain. He was affixing them now to the pole of the tent and taking care with his knots to ensure she wouldn’t be able to get away. Heart pounding against her ribcage, she tried a different approach. 

“What do you gain by staying loyal to Jiro?” she entreated him, craning her neck. “It’s obvious he doesn’t care for you all. I saw the state of the cats walking through camp. Your people are starving—” 

The cat let out a low hiss of warning and she fell silent.

“Jiro has led us to victory time and time again,” he snarled, stepping around now to face her. His serious blue eyes bored into her and she saw that he believed his words with fervent devotion. There was something almost unfocused about his gaze though. Foggy. She had seen that haze before during some of her more memorable negotiations. In men who had been brainwashed. Junkie cult followers hopped up on drugs and flowery words, willing to throw their lives away because their darling leader told them to. Or violent low-lives, alike only in that they too believed with every bone in their body that their gang leaders gave a shit if they lived or died no matter the evidence placed before them. “He will do so once more and then we won’t have to live like this any longer.” 

“How?” she demanded, shaking but determined not to let this be her end. He seemed confused by her question and she saw her opening. 

“You’ve razed all the farmland. Are any of you farmers? Do you know how to till or sow seeds? How to tend and harvest a crop? It’s one thing to conquer, it’s another to rule. How will you care for yourselves once you burn everything to the ground?” 

The cat didn’t say anything to her bombardment of questions. She saw the tiniest glimmer of doubt flash in his eyes, disrupting the vacant expression. Triumphant, she was about to press it but then another cat came into the tent and her captor rose swiftly with a last disdainful look at her before turning away. The brief flutter of hope in her chest wilted and died. 

“Jiro’s dealing with the Baron and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Guard the west tent, she’s not going anywhere,” the other cat ordered him briskly. 

With a crisp salute, he followed his superior out. 

Haru was left all alone, though she was sure there were guards lurking just out of sight. Straining against her bonds she felt tears prick her eyes as the pain in her paws reached a crescendo, circulation being cut off by the minute, and she was forced to stop. Breathing heavily, she leaned back against the pole, staring up at the ceiling of the tent. Horrible images of what could be happening to the Baron at that very moment kept jumping into her mind unbidden. 

“Hiromi was right,” she sighed aloud to herself. 

She shouldn’t have come. Shouldn’t have gotten involved. This was beyond her expertise and skill. Now, she would pay the price for not helping herself. The Baron would be held prisoner here. Tortured. Maybe even killed. She would never see Hiromi again. Never see her mother. A terror overtook her unlike anything she’d ever felt. Except maybe in those first moments teetering on the edge of the tower portal all those years ago, staring at the whole of Tama City spread out below her like a board game. The feeling of tilting forward, despite her best attempts to stay upright. Of tumbling into the open air, with nothing to catch her. Somehow this was worse. 

Jiro said he was going to question her.

A chill crept down her spine and shaking overtook her limbs. Some of the detectives in more specialized units had received training on how to survive and resist torture if they were ever captured by crime syndicates, but to her knowledge it was an hour or so long module that ended with the overall message that everyone is going to break in the end. 

It wasn’t an encouraging thought. She was grateful she at least didn’t have much knowledge of the Cat Kingdom to be able to cause undue harm. But she knew that likely meant her end was near. She didn’t think Jiro was the kind to keep prisoners around when they were no longer of any use to him. 

As the sun crept lower in the sky outside the tent and the golden light of sunset began to filter through the entrance, she felt her panic growing. She wondered what they were doing to the Baron. The thought lent her a renewed purpose and she began feeling along her bonds, trying to see if she could maneuver herself closer to any knots. But even if she did, she had paws now. 

Useless implements, she decided bitterly. With their ineffectual little toes and the claws that she couldn’t even…

Her ears twitched. She flexed her paws, straining. Trying to link her brain to new muscles she wasn’t used to using. Trying to imagine wiggling a finger or clenching her hand. Suddenly she felt the claws of one paw shoot out. Excitement flooded her at the small success and she tried to angle herself better to saw through the rope. She had to bend forward and she was only able to drag her nail across one of the cords again and again, snagging it on the fibers of the rope painfully, but she felt it fraying. Slowly but surely. 

It would take time, but she didn’t have much else going on. 

She was almost through one of the ropes when the tent flap flew open wide and she sat up quickly. She tried to retract her claws and failed. Grimacing, she watched as the light was blocked by a large figure. There was no mistaking it for anyone but Jiro. 

“Good, right where we left you,” he purred. 

“What have you done with the Baron?” she demanded. 

“Rest assured, he’s receiving the treatment befitting his stature,” Jiro said with a chuckle. It was not at all encouraging. “But if I were you, I’d be a little bit more worried about yourself.” 

He approached inspecting her face closely.

“Already you grow fur again,” he remarked, looking almost nauseated. She felt self-conscious suddenly beneath that curled lip. Was it really that disgusting to look upon her in this liminal state? “What are you? Some kind of demon?” 

She figured there was no harm in this truth. 

“I’m just a human,” she explained simply. He looked at her like a piece of filth. 

“Your kind are a blight upon our universe,” he snarled. “Even in this realm, the impact of your destruction is felt.”

“Are you all that different from us then?” she countered, feeling bold. 

She was not prepared for the gigantic paw that came out of nowhere and clobbered her across the face. Raking claws across her cheek in passing. Her head snapped to the side and she gasped as her ears rang. The cuts went deep. She could feel them weeping already. 

She was right. It was nothing like his swipe at her in the park. Here, she was the one on the losing end of their size difference. 

“What is your relation to the Cat Kingdom?” he growled. 

Careful now , she thought to herself. Just enough truth to make it believable without mentioning the prophecy. Though she still didn’t believe she was any kind of foretold savior, if that nugget of information became known it could eradicate her hope of ever leaving this camp once and for all. With certainty, she knew he would hold onto her as leverage. 

“Like the Baron said, I’m a friend. I helped Queen Yuki back when she was a kitten. Back in our world,” she said, testing her aching jaw. “Then a few years later I helped King Lune.” 

“Mmm, then the royal family might pay handsomely for your return,” he said with a pleased chuckle, leaning down uncomfortably close to her face again. 

Haru stiffened. She could sense her chances of escaping slipping away by the second. 

“Mmm, you’re not bad looking once you’re a full cat. You know that?” he said. 

She looked at him straight on, trying not to let her fear show in her face. He stroked a knuckle down her cheek, where he had just cut her. Matting the fur there with her own blood. As if maybe regretting that. It didn’t make her feel any better. She leaned away as far as she could, but there was nowhere to flee. 

He brought his face closer to hers, their cheeks almost touching and he breathed in her scent. His own put her in mind of the battlefield they had crossed to get her. Reeking of smoke and blood. She shuddered, turning her face away. 

“You could be useful to me,” he whispered quietly into her ear. “You may think me a boorish barbarian, but I reward my loyal followers.” 

“I don’t follow bullies,” she said, unable to quite keep the tremor out of her voice. 

He retracted, staring at her down his snout. 

“You’ll change your tune,” he promised. “They always do.”

Chapter Text

Once Jiro swept from the tent and left her again, she let out the shaky breath she’d been holding. The sun was setting outside. If dawn came and she was still here, she would never be a human again. Never would she be able to return home. 

She renewed her efforts to sever her bonds. Tears poured down her cheeks and stung the scratches there. She could feel them tracking through the fur on her face, now thick. With a lurch of her stomach, she realized that she was almost completely back to her cat form without the amulet. It wasn’t a good sign. Gritting her teeth, she sawed awkwardly with her nails until they felt like they would be pulled from their sockets. She sensed a few were bleeding, unused to such rough use. Or any use at all. 

But she persisted. 

Finally one rope snapped audibly and a euphoric relief rushed through her until she tried to pull away from the post and was jerked backward. It was only one of many that still held. 

“No!” she croaked. Her throat was parched and sore from her near strangulation. Her head was throbbing. She hadn’t drank anything all day. 

As if on queue, her original guard came back in. He was carrying a small, earthenware cup. He knelt before her and held it up to her mouth. 

“Drink,” he ordered brusquely. 

She didn’t hesitate or stop to think about the fact that it could be poisoned or laced with drugs. She swallowed greedily. To her surprise, he tipped it gently forward for her. He could have thrown its contents on her, dashed it to the floor, or taunted her with it. But he was ensuring she was actually able to drink. 

She let out a gasp as she finished. Closing her eyes, she caught her breath and took a moment to appreciate the small kindness. When she looked at him again, he had stepped back but he wasn’t leaving. He was eyeing the marks on her face and something about the set of his jaw made her think he wasn’t pleased. 

“I don’t want trouble,” she said quietly, trying to keep her voice even. “I just want to see my family and friends again. If I don’t leave soon, I may never be able to go back.” 

He looked at her, blue eyes wide in his dark face.

“Please,” she begged quietly. “I just need to take the Baron and we’ll leave. We don’t mean you any harm. You seem kind. Surely you can see this isn’t right?” 

The cat seemed to be struggling with himself. This was that sensitive zone. Where the brainwashed thoughts were just starting to be challenged. Push too hard and you only reinforced the walls that kept any contradictions safely out and delusions tucked in. But if she didn’t try hard enough and missed this opportunity, she would never forgive herself. He shook himself, as if trying to clear his head. He was agitated. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

Suddenly he jerked forward.

She winced away, expecting to be hit again. But it never came. He was inspecting her bonds. He saw the one that she cut through and glanced up at her shrewdly. 

“Just say I escaped,” she breathed, barely risking a whisper as her heart pounded against her chest. She didn’t know how sensitive cat hearing was and who was lurking outside. “I’ll wait for a while after you leave the tent so they don’t suspect you. And I’ll let the Queen know of this kindness.” 

That final assurance seemed to be enough for him. Without any further hesitation, he started sawing through her bonds. He did it with such ease that she realized how skilless she was and would have blushed if she could. Though she hoped the awkward angle and having her hands tied explained most of her difficulty. 

When she was finally freed, she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from crying out in pain as the blood rushed back to her paws swiftly after being cut off for so long and with it came sharp spikes of feeling.

“What’s your name?” she asked hoarsely, rubbing her wrists. 

“Riku,” he responded after a moment. 

She bowed her head, unable to express the full depths of her gratitude verbally. He returned a small bow back. 

“The Baron is being held in a tent to the west of here. It’s a big, red one. Hard to miss. I would wait until the sun has set entirely, but be wary. We see well at night, better than you humans anyway. Move slowly and try to stay behind the tents as much as possible. This is all I can do for you. Good luck.” 

With a last backward look, as if he was second-guessing his decision for just a moment, he disappeared from the tent into the evening. Half expecting to be double crossed, she waited with her back to the pole just in case anyone came in to avoid suspicion. But no one came. 

Gradually she eased, waiting for nightfall. But the waiting itself was almost unbearable. The minutes ticked by agonizingly slowly. When the light finally departed the tent and all that was left was the glowing embers of the fire, she took her chance. 

Obviously, she knew cats had good night vision, but it was another thing to experience it for herself. Even though she wasn’t fully transformed yet, she could see the shapes in the shadowy corners of the tent as if it was still broad daylight. Everything looked monochrome and a little fuzzy but the level of detail made her realize she would have her work cut out for her trying to escape through a crowded campsite. 

In a stroke of brilliance, she gingerly reached for the grate on the oven. It was still warm to the touch and she eased it open quickly, not wanting her sensitive paws to linger on the metal a moment longer than they had to. Reaching in with a grimace, she delicately took one of the charred sticks from the fire and blew out the burning end, waiting until it was just cool enough to touch. She rubbed it in her paw until soot came off and wiped the debris sporadically across her neck and arms. She rubbed some on her jacket too and used her claws to tear it in places. All of the cats they’d passed looked exceptionally rough and she needed to blend in as much as possible to stay undetected. 

Terrified, but resolute, she poked her head out of the tent. There were no guards. Slowly, she slunk out on tender feet, walking delicately as if on thin ice. Circumventing the tent she headed west. Listening to Riku’s advice, she stuck to the edges and shadows, moving through the spaces between tents slowly in spite of her instincts telling her to run. She’d already seen firsthand how her vision seemed hardwired to respond to fast movements, as a ball of trash rolled by and her head snapped to track it. 

As she was approaching the big red tent though, she heard Jiro’s deep voice rumbling from nearby. She froze, ears twitching until they pinpointed the direction. It was coming from a small, unassuming tent nearby. There was light inside and against it two shadowy figures huddled close together. In spite of her misgivings, she crept forward, curiosity winning out. 

“They would pay then?” Jiro asked. 

“Oh, handsomely!” a high-pitched and obsequious voice answered.

Haru recognized that voice. It was Ru, she realized in shock but that feeling quickly succumbed to a wave of hot fury. 

“She’s more than just their little human pet. They think she’s some kind of savior that will deliver them from your clutches,” Ru revealed happily. “They’re all in on this prophecy.”

“Interesting, do you think there’s any credence to it?” Jiro demanded. 

“That’s like asking if someone’s god has any credence. It does to them,” Ru responded. She had never heard him speak so openly and frankly, without bending over backwards to please his conversational partner. 

“This is valuable news. And do they start to suspect you at all?” Jiro asked. 

“They wouldn’t suspect me even if I swung a knife at them. They hardly even notice I’m there except to fetch their papers or their beverages,” Ru snarled, surprisingly hostile. 

A disgruntled worker turning on his employers, it wasn’t an unfamiliar tale. Yet she remembered his harsh treatment under the previous king and how differently he was treated now by Yuki and Natori. The fact that he would find fault with them enough to betray them to this extent, risking not just their lives but the lives of all the cats of this land who had fled the violence of the marauders…she felt her stomach roil just thinking about it. Any sympathy she had for him was dashed aside. 

Remembering that she was running on borrowed time, she inched away. Cautious not to step on anything that might make a noise. An ill-placed leaf or twig could spell her end. 

She crept toward the big tent, scanning the area all the while. When she approached and there were no guards in sight, she wondered if this was also Riku’s doing. She would definitely have to ask for clemency for him. She pushed the tent flap aside gingerly and peered inside, half expecting to be tackled to the ground. 

There was no fire lit here. It was filled with the chill of the night air and utter darkness. But with her new and improved sight, she made out a form. Just like her, they had tied up the Baron. But the brutality of his treatment was evident and she realized then why there were no guards posted. He wasn’t going anywhere. His arms were hauled high above his head by a rope where he dangled, feet barely skimming the floor so he couldn’t ever be comfortable. His head drooped onto his chest. For a terrifying heartbeat, she didn’t know if he was even alive. But then she saw the uneven rise and fall of his chest, taking shallow breaths as if it pained him. 

She came forward timidly and her sneaking must not have been up to snuff because the Baron’s ears twitched and he raised his chin slowly, looking up at her through his one good eye. It was glassy with pain. She raised a shaking digit to her mouth, indicating that he should be quiet. He nodded in understanding and glanced up weakly to the rope. Asking her to cut him free. With the movement she knew how to summon now, even if it was a bit slow and required more mental effort than it should have, she unsheathed her claws. Rearing back, she swiped at the rope as she had seen Riku do. 

It worked too well, slicing through the tough fibers instantly and the Baron pitched forward. She caught him at the last second, holding him up until he could regain his balance and stand on his own. He swayed on his feet as she undid the ropes around his hands and feet. But when he was finally free his paws shot out and cupped her face. His movement was quick, but he was gentle. 

She froze as he turned her cheek, closely inspecting the cuts. 

“Did he do this?” he snarled, keeping his voice low but he was unable to hide the rumble of anger bubbling just beneath the surface. It was visible in his green eyes that were reflective even in the near total darkness. 

“He’s done worse,” she remarked, thinking of the villages destroyed and who knew how many lives lost. Even if they weren’t all by his hand, they were at his command. The same could even hold true looking at the Baron’s own injuries. But that didn’t seem to matter to him just then, battered as he was. 

“We need to leave quickly,” she said, pulling his attention gently away from her face. 

But even without his tophat, she realized that the Baron cut a figure who would not be easily missed. They could leave behind his white tailcoat that would shine in the darkness like a beacon. His pants presented less of a problem. They were scuffed and dirtied enough by his brawl that they could hardly be considered white anymore. However, he held himself differently than the other cats and she had a feeling he would be recognized no matter what. Not to mention that he was badly injured and together, they were sure to be more noticeable. 

“We need to find your necklace first,” the Baron corrected. “I’m afraid there won’t be time to get you back to the human world before it’s too late.” 

“How are we going to get it and get out of here? It’s probably still with Jiro.”  

“You mean to tell me you rescued me but didn’t come up with an elaborate escape plan?” he countered and she thought she heard a hint of teasing in his voice. 

“Well, I assumed you would already have one,” she sallied back.

“Oh, I do.” 

Rousing himself, he took her by the paw. He looked energized. She realized there was a part of him that thrived in the danger and uncertainty. 

“Do you know where he is?” he asked. 

“He was just speaking to Ru in a tent nearby,” she said. It took a moment for the understanding to sink in. The Baron looked at her blankly for a moment, uncomprehending. Then his lips drew back and he bared his teeth.

“Ru?” he hissed, anger wrinkling his nose. He looked almost feral. “Our Ru?!” 

“Not ours anymore,” she said sadly. He swore under his breath. 

“We’ll deal with that traitorous rat later. If Jiro is still awake, that makes this more challenging…” he trailed off, thinking deeply. 

“Do we have the luxury to wait?” she asked. 

“We might not have another choice,” the Baron said grimly. “If we mistime this and we’re re-captured then—”

“Then I’ll never be human again,” she finished for him. “And we’re both dead…more than likely.”

“I think we have to risk a wait,” the Baron said, though she could tell that he didn’t like it anymore than she did. 

With no other recourse, they sat huddled in the tent, waiting and hoping against hope that they wouldn’t be checked in on. But it seemed their neglectful captors were working in their favor for now. 

“How did you escape by the way?” the Baron asked, turning to look at her. 

“I convinced a guard to help me,” she said, shrugging. 

The Baron chuckled but the movement made him wince and he gently touched his side. She suspected he might have broken a rib. Or at the least some severe bruising. 

“Sounds like your expertise in negotiation was well-suited to this task,” he remarked. 

She shook her head doggedly.

“How? We failed,” she said hollowly. “Jiro wouldn’t even listen to me.”

“Jiro’s impenitence and general pigheadedness is not a reflection on you or your abilities, Haru. It takes two sides to reach a compromise. And sometimes no matter what you do, the other party won’t cooperate. There’s not much you can do if they’ve already made up their mind before you even got there.” She was left to ponder that and wondered shrewdly if the Baron knew more than he was letting on about what had happened at work the other day. 

“I wish I had something to patch this up,” the Baron said quietly after a while, stroking her cheek. He was careful not to touch the actual lacerations. The tenderness of the motion made her stomach somersault and she tried to remind herself that the Baron likely didn’t feel that way. He had made that abundantly clear after all. Though he could fight viciously when the need arose, he was a gentle soul. She’d seen it in the way he treated Toto and Muta, his friends and loyal companions. In the way he treated Yuki and Lune. He was just a conscientious friend, who had been tasked by Yuki with her well-being. It was nothing more than that. 

Yet there was a small part of her that couldn’t help but wonder and hope it was more. She pushed the thought aside hastily.

“You literally can’t see out of one eye,” she chuckled, covering her emotion with humor. “I think there are more pressing things than a few scratches, Baron.” 

“You don’t have to call me that, you know,” he said gently. 

“What?” she asked, frozen to the spot. Not sure that she’d heard correctly. 

“You can call me Humbert…if you’d like,” he said. “That’s my actual name. Baron is just a title after all.” 

“Humbert,” she said aloud. The name felt strange on her tongue after so long, having grown used to using his formal title like everyone else did. “Can I call you Bert?”

He was taken aback but only for a moment.

“Bert…I like that. It’s nice when you say it,” he remarked, and she could hear the lilt of a smile in his voice. She was immensely grateful it was dark and hoped it was enough to hide the finer details of her flustered expression.

They fell silent for a while. A single, lonesome cricket was chirping its haunting tune somewhere afield. She wondered how it got there, in the midst of such destruction. Wondered if it would ever find another cricket in this barren wasteland with its song. Or if it would die alone amongst the churned earth and rubble. 

“Do you really think we’ll make it?” she asked finally, throat constricting. 

Perhaps it was the cover of darkness that emboldened him, but the Baron—Humbert, she corrected herself—reached across and felt for her paw. She allowed him to take it and he squeezed it gently, rubbing her knuckles. After a moment’s hesitation, he raised it to his lips and pressed a kiss on it. It was almost light enough that she didn’t feel it. As insubstantial and hesitating as the gentle brush of a moth’s wing. 

There was no hiding her reaction now. Darkness or not. She knew his sensitive ears would hear her heart thundering in her chest. That he could feel the heat radiating off her paw like a fever. The slight tremor in her arm. 

“I will do everything in my power to see you back safely,” he whispered. 

And she believed him. 

***

All of the sudden it was time. 

Pushing aside their brief moment in the tent, she gathered her wits about her as they crept back toward where she had just spent the better part of the day trying to flee. Jiro’s personal quarters. 

When they arrived they could hear the rumbling snores of Jiro from deep within. A good sign even if it raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Humbert stationed her at the entrance to the tent to look out and snuck in, quieter than a mouse. Seeing him disappear from sight behind the canvas sent her heart into her throat but she kept her eyes focused for any activity. 

All of the sudden the snores cut off and she tensed, ready to leap into action if need be. But after a few seconds they started again, the air rumbling out of the warlord as his lips fluttered around it. It would have been humorous if they weren’t in mortal danger. After a minute, she felt movement and the Baron emerged. In his hand, he clutched the broken chain and the dangling stone. He nodded once, eyes gleaming with excitement. They’d stolen it back from right under Jiro’s nose. 

They fled the tent. As soon as they were a safe distance from Jiro, it was clear that Humbert wasn’t worrying about speed any longer. He was banking on their risk of discovery lowering by reducing the amount of time they were in the camp at all. They scurried between tents like lemmings. She hardly breathed as they raced across bare clearings, but it was late enough now that most of the soldiers were asleep. The crepuscular revelries of twilight had long ago ended. 

After several minutes, they came across their first guard and the Baron halted, pulling her back swiftly into the darkness of a narrow alley between two tents. Trash and refuse had accumulated in the cramped space and it hardly smelled inviting. It didn’t bother the Baron though. He froze like he was carved of stone and she mimicked him as best as she could. It was easier than it looked in this new body of hers. Every moment, no matter how small, could be controlled, as she was learning.

The guard passed languidly, a bored look on his face. He looked straight ahead, moving almost robotically. It was clear he was less than thrilled to be on duty. His eyes didn’t even drift in their direction once. They still gave him a good amount of time before they dared to creep forward. Humbert halted her just before she made to bolt. He held up the necklace, gesturing for her to turn around. The moon was low in the sky. Dawn would be right around the corner and with it her full transformation, she realized with a jolt. 

Though the chain was still broken, Humbert looped the stone around her neck and tied the two ends together. It was a little tighter than before, more of a choker now than a necklace. Though there was nothing to shift in her appearance, given that she was already fully in cat form, she knew it worked all the same. She felt it in her bones. A tightness melting. A warning buzzing in her nerve-endings finally silencing. It was a subtle enough sensation that she hadn’t noticed it until it was gone, but now that it was absent she could have cried with relief.

The Baron pushed her forward gently. They needed to keep going. With a quick peek around the corner, they continued their escape. They were almost back at the front of the camp when they heard the clang of a warning bell. It was soon joined by others. Ringing out across the sea of tents. Humbert looked at her grimly. 

“Ah. Our absence has been noticed,” he remarked. 

Around them, soldiers were emerging from their tents, bleary-eyed as they pulled on jackets and boots in various stages of alertness. They had seconds before they were noticed; crouched, hiding, and obviously fugitives.  

“Follow me,” she said suddenly. “Walk like them. Like you're tired and confused.” 

Before Humbert could protest, she stumbled out, looking around like she saw the others in the horde doing. Even as she continued to make her way toward the exit. Stumbling every once in a while to really sell it. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Humbert do the same. He was surprisingly good at it, abandoning his usual shoulders-back, prim posture for a slouching gait. They passed by several soldiers, who barely spared them a glance and she thought they might make it. 

Then her shoulder was grabbed by a meaty paw. Its owner spun her around. 

“Wait, isn’t you—” a tabby cat with a few missing teeth began, eyes widening in recognition. 

Humbert wound back his arm and punched the other cat square in the face. Knocking him flat on the ground on his back and knocking out a few more of his teeth for good measure. 

“Well, it worked for a bit!” Humbert winced, shaking out his battered paw before grabbing her and racing toward the castle. 

“Hey! Hey! It’s them!” 

“They’re escaping!” 

“Get them!” 

Voices and cries of alarm rang out around them, but they were all out sprinting and had a head start. She felt her breath ripping from her throat as she focused solely on the spires of the castle up ahead. On safety. 

From behind, she heard the sound of footsteps. They were being pursued. 

Suddenly a crossbow bolt thudded into the ground where her foot had been a moment before. She yelped, startled, but did not slow her pace. 

“Run, Haru!” Humbert yelled, encouraging her. He was keeping carefully apace with her. She had a feeling he could peel ahead if he wanted to but was staying by her side. The thought that her speed might be the reason for his capture spurred her faster. The pendant bounced on her neck wildly but the necklace stayed on. Her muscles were screaming, unused to this, but she gritted her teeth and continued. 

Fear was a powerful motivator. 

They passed through the deserted village and were ironically able to use the very terrain the marauders had created to their own advantage. Humbert led them ducking under crumbling archways and through the ruined walls of alleys and homes, trying to lose their tail. When they launched over a ditch, she was pleased to hear the sound of someone tripping and falling behind them with a disgruntled yowl. 

It wasn’t enough though. More and more arrows and bolts were landing increasingly too close for comfort. One nicked her upper arm and she hissed at the sharp pain, but did not let it slow her down. 

They were approaching the gates and she could see the guards from the parapets aiming crossbows at the approaching horde. For a brief moment, she worried they were about to be mowed down by their own side. Then she saw a white face, peering down at them. 

“Open the gates!” Yuki ordered in a piercing cry. “It’s the Baron and Haru! Hold the attackers back! Fire!”

A volley of arrows arced overhead, landing behind them and peppering their pursuers. She heard the agonized screams and cut-off shouts that indicated successful hits. 

“Reload!” Yuki screamed as the gates creaked open up ahead. Barely enough to let them in. “Fire!”

Another volley hit and this time the sounds of their pursuers faltered. 

They reached the gate and she saw Muta waiting, bristling with knives and snarling. Seeing who it was he yanked her in rather unceremoniously and the Baron threw himself in behind her. The queen’s soldiers slammed the gate shut and barred it quickly. They didn’t hear any activity from the other side of the gate. No bodies hitting the wood suddenly. No scrabbling of claws or thwacking of axes. The marauders had retreated. 

Haru fell to her knees, chest heaving. Trying desperately to catch her breath. 

“Were you hit?” Humbert gasped. He was just as out of breath as she, but still he knelt next to her, searching her for fresh injuries. 

In a daze, she rotated her arm and inspected where she’d been grazed. There was a cut, but it was no deeper than the ones on her cheek. Yet it was stark proof how lucky she’d been. The realization that a bolt had barely missed her torso sunk in and she felt a chill in her bones.

“I’m fine,” she breathed shakily. 

He gathered her in a hug, even though there were onlookers. Given how narrowly and repeatedly they’d just avoided death, she returned it heartily. The firmness and the realness of him was grounding and she screwed up her face, trying not to let the relief turn into noisy tears. 

“Haru! Baron!” Yuki cried. 

They disengaged and looked up to see the queen racing down the steps, hardly touching the stones in her haste to see them. All sense of decorum gone. 

“You’ve been gone so long! I feared…What happened?” she demanded, skidding to a halt in front of them. 

“Jiro, didn’t want to talk,” Haru said weakly, and in spite of the seemingly omnipotent enemy they were facing she found herself chuckling. The laughter grew until she was bent over, wheezing and tears leaking from her eyes.

“I think she’s in a bit of shock,” the Baron said gently, helping her to her feet. “We’ve had a bit of an ordeal. Maybe we can find some tea and blankets first? Have some of these wounds tended to. Then we’ll tell you everything.” 

“Right, of course,” Yuki agreed, looking flustered. Giving out the orders needed, she took Haru’s other side, supporting her as they went further into the safety of the castle. 

“You shouldn’t fuss over me. Bert’s the one who’s actually hurt,” Haru said, managing to stem her hysterical laughter for a minute. A hiccup escaped her. 

“I assure you, I’m alright. Just a bit battered,” Humbert replied gently. 

“Bert?” Yuki said sharply, with a look at the Baron. As if checking to see if he was amenable to the sudden change in address. 

“Titles grow wearisome,” he replied, not meeting the ruler’s eyes. “And I recall a certain queen saying something rather similarly not more than a fortnight ago.” 

Yuki’s neck fur fluffed indignantly. 

“That’s different,” she defended. “I wasn’t born into a title. It takes some getting used to.” 

“I can assure you as someone who’s been titled since I was sung into this world, it never gets normal,” Humbert replied, looking around Haru at the queen with a smile. 

Once they reached a comfortable sitting room, Yuki and Humbert deposited Haru on a rather nicely cushioned couch which she sank into gratefully. At that point, Yuki also pushed Humbert firmly down by the shoulders, insisting that he rest too in spite of his protests. 

The attendants that Yuki had ordered began to filter in, bringing food and drinks. Yuki was clearly concerned about them, given their state but it was surprisingly Muta who fussed over both of them like a mother hen. He came running in, laden with armfuls of pillows and blankets. He tucked them in around them as he muttered to himself about getting it all just right. 

When the physician arrived, Muta had to be chased away to let him actually inspect the patients. Humbert tried to insist very gallantly that he see to Haru first, but the doctor was far more concerned with the Baron’s swollen, black eye and sensitive ribs. Finding nothing gravely wrong, he gave him a cold compress to hold to his face as he inspected the myriad other bruises and cuts he had acquired in his fight for Haru’s honor. 

“The good news is that nothing appears to be broken,” the physician said, stepping back. 

“The bad news?” Humbert asked from behind the compress. 

“You’re going to be sore for a while. You took quite a beating.” 

“Now, let’s see my dear,” the physician said, turning to Haru and inspecting her face. 

He tutted as he began to clean the cuts, chastising her hygiene as he took note of the splotches of soot covering her. Haru managed to glance to the side and saw that Humbert was watching the exchange with his mouth screwed up, trying not to laugh. It sent her into another fit of giggles that made the physician threaten to order the Baron out of the room, title or no. Haru stared dutifully ahead, swallowing back her smile as she allowed the doctor to work on her. 

He announced that he would need to stitch up two of the cuts. When the needle approached her face she wasn’t laughing anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut. 

The doctor put a numbing agent around the area, yet she couldn’t help but doubt the efficacy of the Cat Kingdom’s medicines. How magic and science would mix, she didn’t know. It turned out to be a misguided fear as she hardly even felt the needle. Though, that might partially have been because the Baron reached for her paw bracingly, rubbing a digit along her knuckles just as he had in the darkness of the war tent. It sent a pleasant sensation shooting up her entire arm and was quite effective at distracting her from the procedure. 

Once they were cleared, Yuki allowed the food and tea to be brought forward. The Baron eagerly attacked it and Haru followed suit. Muta and Toto were eating too at Haru’s insistence. The Queen sat down across from them all, looking between them with a measure of impatience as they passed each other condiments and wolfed the food down noisily. 

“Ready?” she asked, voice strained. “I don’t mean to rush you all, but there is a war on.”

The Baron swallowed a mouthful of buttered scone quickly, thumping a hand against his chest as he did as it got stuck on the way down. He ducked his head apologetically. 

“Yes. Well, where to begin? We arrived under the banner. Haru was doing phenomenally by the way.” Haru shook her head. “It’s true,” he insisted in a tone brooking no argument. “But as she said, Jiro did not have any intention of listening or coming to an agreement.” 

“What did I say?” Toto interjected, unable to help himself. “I had a bad feeling about this plan. But no one ever listens to the bird—” 

“What happened next?” Yuki asked, keeping them on task and brushing past Toto’s indignant spluttering. 

The Baron wiped his mouth with a napkin, regaining his usual comportment. 

“He attacked Haru and set his goons on me. They dragged me away and trussed me up like a trophy hunt. I was sure that was it, but then Haru escaped and freed me.” 

“And you said you had no skills,” Muta said pointedly. 

“Miss Haru! Miss Haru!” 

The sound of Ru’s plaintive cries echoed up the stairwell and Haru felt her stomach lurch. The Baron made to stand up, a snarl already on his features but Haru held out a hand and shook her head warningly. He sat back, letting his ears rise from where they’d flattened against his head. He looked at her curiously but trusted her.

Ru came bursting through the door, breathing heavily and the picture of distress. 

“I came as soon as I heard! I’m so glad to see you safe and well!” Ru gasped, falling to his knees and almost prostrating himself before her as he clutched desperately at her hand. The display was so over the top, she almost wanted to laugh. Nor could she deny that the temptation to rip her paw from his grasp and bare his treachery before the room was as strong as she knew the Baron’s must be. But he had no idea that she had overheard him speaking with Jiro in the camp. She wanted to keep it that way for now. 

Yuki needed to be brought up to speed first. 

“You’ve always been so kind to me, Ru,” she said, ladening her voice with an equally honeyed sweetness. He beamed, fully buying it. 

“I hate to ask this of you, but would you mind getting me a change of clothes, Ru?” It was, in part, a genuine ask. For the ones that had stayed with her through her capture and escape were in a sorry state, but it was more to get Ru out of the room than anything else.

“Anything for you, Miss Haru!” he said, bowing low to the floor once again before backing up. Once out in the stairwell they heard his short pants as he ran down the stairs to fulfill his mission. He embraced his role so eagerly, it was no wonder that no one had grown to suspect him. The weight of the betrayal sank heavily in her stomach like a stone.

She turned quickly to Yuki. 

“Can we have the room?” she asked. 

With a wave of Yuki’s paw, the guards and attendants filtered out immediately. Once she was sure they were alone she leaned in. 

“When I was breaking out the Baron, I overheard Jiro speaking with someone,” Haru revealed quietly, just in case there were prying ears listening. Or god forbid, other spies among them. “It was Ru. I don’t know how long he’s been working with them, but he’s been sneaking them information. And…he told them about the prophecy.” 

Muta swore, lurching to his feet and knocking over the low trestle table in the process. It sent the dishes and cups clinking and falling. Luckily, most of them had been cleansed of their contents already. He had contributed to that in large part. 

“Enemies without and within,” Yuki said darkly, massaging her temple. “It seems we were blinded by his devotion. Poor Natori will be very put out. I know he grew to be quite fond of the boy.” 

“We should send the little imp flying over the parapet,” Muta snarled.

“No,” Haru said firmly, startling Muta and even herself. “We need to make sure that when we confront him, he can’t escape. Jiro trusted him, I could tell that much. He has too much information that could help us. To turn him out would be to give that all up.”

“Spoken with wisdom,” the Baron concurred. 

Agreeing with the plan, Yuki spoke with one of her most trusted guards to maintain the door no matter what they heard from inside. They waited with prickling unease for Ru to come back but thankfully they didn’t have to wait long. He may as well have teleported across the castle in his haste as they heard him come scrambling back up the steps a moment later. Only his breathing echoing raggedly betrayed how fast he’d run. 

There was a brief rap on the door before Ru burst in regardless, clutching a change of clothes. For both her and the Baron, she saw. There was even a new cane tucked into the bundle. Nowhere as fine as his old one, but, for some reason, that added detail hurt. The fact that he’d noticed its absence and found a temporary replacement felt so at odds with his betrayal. Though she’d had her qualms with Ru from the beginning, he’d always come across as thoughtful and attentive. To a fault. Suddenly, she wanted to believe that she’d misheard. That it had been some other cat in the tent that sounded just like him. 

The door clicked shut behind the attendant and he faltered, seeing the gravity on the faces of the assembled. 

“Did something happen?” Ru asked. “Are you quite well, Miss Haru?” 

“You dare ask her that?” Muta snarled, unable to stop himself. 

Ru’s expression curdled. 

“Ru, I would like you to be honest with me. For once,” Yuki said harshly, drawing herself up to her full height. “Have you been working with Jiro?” 

“Whatever could have given you that idea?” Ru laughed nervously, his grip on the clothes tightening to the point where she thought he was going to shred them accidentally. 

“I overheard you Ru,” Haru revealed quietly. 

His brown eyes, normally creased in a perpetual, simpering smile, were wide. They snapped toward her and she saw the anger simmering in them. The tremor that started in his limbs. 

“Be honest. It will be worse for you if you’re not,” Yuki commanded. 

Ru dropped the clothes and the cane clattered, rolling across the floor to stop at the foot of the couch. His eyes were darting around for an escape as he backed up. He scrabbled behind him to try the door handle. It was barricaded, just as Yuki had asked. 

“I think there’s been some kind of mistake,” Ru insisted with a nervous laugh. “Maybe Miss Haru just misheard. It was a terrifying ordeal, I’m sure. Easy for the mind to be addled.” 

Now the Baron was on his feet and though she saw him wince slightly as he stood, the brisk movement with which he snapped up the new cane and brandished it was threatening and not at all indicative of any lingering weakness from his injuries. 

“Haru did not mishear, you sniveling rat,” he said in a low, warning voice. “You have seconds before you have to deal with me and I assure you I will not be lenient.” 

Ru’s face transformed. The smile wiped clean as if it had never been there. 

“Fine,” he spat, every inch of his little body trembling with barely contained rage. “Fine. I know when my back is against the wall. Yes, I’ve been working with Jiro.” 

“Why, Ru? Haven’t we treated you well?” Yuki asked, genuine hurt in her eyes. 

Ru threw his head back and laughed uproariously. 

“Well?! You’ve treated me like dirt! All of you take me for granted. For years, I had to bow and scrape to that old, mad king and then when his son took over what thanks did I get? A promotion? A raise? Nothing! Nothing, but more work! I said yes to everything! Did everything that was asked of me. And all the thanks I got was being brushed aside, laughed at, and ignored. For years !”

“Ru, Natori valued your contributions! I valued your contributions. If you felt this way why didn’t you say anything? We could have fixed things,” Yuki said, and she couldn’t hide the tears tracking down her cheeks. This was a massive breach of trust for her. 

Haru swallowed, feeling deeply for her friend. 

“I tried! No one listened to me!” Ru argued, yelling now. 

It was shocking to hear him raise his voice. 

“Let me get this straight, you were disgruntled, so you sold out your entire country?” Toto asked, sounding nauseated. 

“Toto is right, you’ve put countless lives at risk. What exactly have you told Jiro?” the Baron demanded, his voice harsher than she’d ever heard it. 

“Oh, everything,” Ru said, smiling maniacally. “How do you think he knew Lune was away in the first place?”

The silence that flooded the space felt like a physical element. It made it almost hard to breathe. Yuki raised both paws to her mouth, horrified. 

“That’s right,” Ru continued, spittle flying from his mouth. The blush on his cheeks was smudged, only adding to his unhinged appearance. “I waited until Lune was gone, then I reached out to Jiro. I had heard the tales of his work abroad, as the leader of the roving bands. Some of it even came from the lard over there. The washed up Renaldo Moon. Always going on about his exploits. I told Jiro exactly where Lune was headed and we made sure he wouldn’t come back.” 

Yuki slapped him. It came out of nowhere and was so out of character that none of them made a move. Toto’s beak dropped open in shock, mirroring all of their sentiments. 

Ru fell to the floor, clutching his cheek. The powder he applied to his cheeks was fully smeared across his face now, giving the appearance of a welt. The irony was that it was likely there was one forming underneath too.

“What did you do to Lune?” Yuki demanded in a dangerously quiet voice. Haru had never seen the normally mild-mannered and sweet-tempered cat so angry. She looked every inch a ruler. Unbreakable. Unforgiving. 

Ru pushed himself up into a sitting position, slumping forward. He didn’t speak for a moment and Haru worried they would have to force him to talk. As she locked eyes with the Baron, she suspected he was thinking along the same lines. Nauseated, she turned away. She didn’t think she could stomach it.

“We sent him into the human world,” Ru said finally, looking up through lowered eyelids and glaring at the Queen. He seemed to have measured the risk of staying silent.

Yuki shook her head as if he must be mistaken, “We can’t stay there long, though.” 

“Yeah, that was kind of the point,” Ru laughed harshly. 

Muta came forward then with a low, rumbling growl and—washed up or not—his presence was threatening enough to silence the traitor. 

That revelation had snapped something in Yuki. She merely walked in a daze over to the window, as if by looking outside she could see across the divides in time and space that kept her apart from her husband. 

“I think we ought to take Ru somewhere else for now,” the Baron suggested quietly, eyeing the now distant white cat with a worried expression. 

“You’re going to throw me in the dungeon?” Ru asked, starting to look scared for the first time. “Please Miss Haru, don’t let them imprison me!” 

His begging plucked at her heartstrings. 

“We should throw you in a cell,” she said quietly. “But you meant something to this group once. Maybe you’ll remember that someday.” 

She felt foolish saying it, but the Baron nodded at her with a measure of approval.

“Haru is right. We’ll show him a semblance of the mercy he should have shown us. Take him to one of the spare rooms, but ensure he can’t leave,” Humbert ordered one of the guards, taking up the mantle of authority as Yuki continued to stare silently out the window. 

It was a sign of the Baron’s influence that the guards obeyed without question. They picked up Ru beneath his arms and dragged him rather unceremoniously from the room as he squealed nervously. Eyes begging her to intervene. But she looked away. 

Once the door shut, there was a stretching silence as they waited for anyone to speak.

“Is Lune—” Yuki began, but she couldn’t finish the thought. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, yet the tears still managed to leak through her lashes. 

“I don’t think he’s gone, Yuki,” the Baron said gently. “We don’t know what happens to you all if you stay in the mortal world. No one’s ever stayed long enough to find out. It’s very possible that he’s been turned into a statue. With the same magic that afflicts me there during the day. It would take a little longer to impact him…” 

He trailed off. As if he didn’t quite believe in his own assertions either. Yuki covered her face, but they could see the tension in her shoulders. The shaking in her paws. She was visibly heart broken. It hit a nerve. 

“Yuki, I’ll go back. I’ll find him and bring him back,” Haru announced, the words leaving her mouth before she’d even processed them. 

“Oh, Haru,” Yuki cried, enveloping her in a hug. Haru squeezed her back tightly. She looked over Yuki’s shoulder and saw the Baron watching her closely. He searched her eyes. 

“I’ll go with you as well,” the Baron said. 

“But won’t you only be able to help at night?” Haru asked. 

“I have a theory that I’d like to test,” he said enigmatically. He didn’t elaborate. 

“Muta, can you stay with Yuki?” Haru asked quietly, disengaging and turning to the big cat. 

“You don’t want me to go with you?” he asked, scuffing his feet against the stone floor. He sounded hurt. 

“I’m worried that Jiro will try to attack while we’re gone. I need to know someone is here protecting Yuki. Protecting the kingdom,” she explained, voice shaking. 

It was the right thing to say. Muta puffed out his chest importantly and gave her a wink. 

“You can count on me, kid,” he said, thumping his chest for emphasis. “But now you have to make me a promise too.” 

She nodded. 

“Watch after the Baron, hey?” He looked suspiciously over at the cat who was in deep discussion now with Toto. “He likes to think he’s invincible and he’s got a massive savior complex. The bird doesn’t help either. Strokes his ego, see? They need someone to bring them down a peg and I won’t be there to do it.” 

Haru smiled up at the big, blustering cat. They shook on it.

Chapter Text

They took to the tower this time. Saving their last portal to be able to return with Lune. Though she couldn’t say she was thrilled to be taking this route again given her last experience, the assurance that Toto would fly them to the ground on the other side helped relieve her nerves somewhat. But she could still feel her pulse thundering in her ears as they made the arduous climb up the tower. 

It was a sign of their deep friendship that Yuki and Muta accompanied them all the way. Though Muta looked very much as if he was considering saying his own good-byes by the time they were up three flights of stairs. His wheezing and whistling echoed in the narrow tower. Toto flew up on his own, but he always waited patiently for them just a few steps ahead at a time.

Haru had to stop a few times to catch her breath and let the dizziness subside. The rigor of the last day and a sleepless night wasn’t helping her stamina. 

Once they reached the highest part of the tower, Yuki and Muta gave their last hugs and well wishes, tearful ones on Yuki’s part, then fell back. 

“I’ll go first so that you don’t fall,” Toto explained. “Just don’t do anything crazy and we should be good.” 

“Trust me, I’m not planning on going skydiving again,” Haru laughed nervously. 

Bracing themselves, they shot one last look at their friends and pushed through the barrier. The wind whipped around them as they emerged. Toto was perched on the rim that hovered seemingly in the middle of the air. He spread his wings and his size seemed to grow exponentially. 

“Climb aboard,” he announced over the howling wind. “Don’t go getting used to this. In the crow community, it’s considered gauche to let someone ride on your back.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Toto,” she said, keeping her laughter in check. She was startled for a moment to see that she was still in cat form, but realized it must be the pendant at work. For their purposes it worked well, forcing Toto to bear less weight as she and the Baron clambered onto his back. 

They held tight as he took off. Even though she was prepared for it, when the jolt of a sudden altitude change hit her stomach, she accidentally flexed her claws. 

“Yow!” Toto cried, jerking slightly beneath them though he managed to keep them steady. “Put those things away, Haru!” 

“Sorry!” she exclaimed, retracting them swiftly and bunching his feathers between her paw pads. “It takes some getting used to.” 

Humbert buried his face in Toto’s feathers, but she could see the laughter shaking his shoulders. 

“Yeah, it’s a real gas, Baron,” Toto scoffed. “Laugh it up. It’s all fun and games until I accidentally drop you two hundreds of feet to your deaths. Not even you would survive that.”

They brought their mirth under control for Toto’s benefit. The disgruntled crow brought them lower gradually, coasting on the air currents. He was taking great pains to keep his wings from tilting too much and unseating them, conscious of his charges. 

From this perspective, the height wasn’t so bad. She could see the appeal as she lifted her head. Letting the breeze filter through her fur and blow back her whiskers. Before she could help herself, a purr started deep in her chest. It stopped just as abruptly in her shock. 

The Baron grinned at her. 

The foreign rumbling returned, but she forced herself to look over the side of Toto’s back. To pretend that it was the view that caused it to start up again. 

Soon enough they were flying over sections of Tama City that became familiar. 

The brutalist architecture of her old school, with its basketball court rooftop. Hiromi’s old, hilly neighborhood where they had learned to ride their bikes together after several mishaps involving many profuse apologies and gifts to their neighbors. The sprawling campus of her university and its plethora of willow trees that she had spent hours studying under when the library became too stifling. 

They started approaching the center of the city and she saw the shopping district, the gleam of the monorail as it trundled along, the central park, and she followed the familiar surrounding streets, spying the roof of her workplace. It was strange the effect a building could have. She grimaced, no longer relishing the sensation of flight and hoping they could land soon. 

Gracefully, Toto brought them to the small, hidden square of the Cat Bureau headquarters. They landed on the cobblestones and as soon as they disembarked, Toto began to shrink to a normal size. 

To her surprise, the Baron staggered and she caught him. 

“Are you okay?” she asked, worried that he was feeling his injuries. 

He nodded, but he looked haggard and as if he could barely support himself. 

“I’m just usually asleep at this time of day. My body is trying to shift into statue form,” he rasped. “But here, hand me the pendant.” 

Quickly she untied the chain and shot up to her human size. She couldn’t help but feel an immense relief to be back in her own, familiar body. Where even if she wasn’t the most coordinated or graceful, she knew how to operate it. She held it out to him.

“Can you put it on me?” he asked, eyes open barely a slit. His limbs were already stiffening. “Let’s see if my theory holds any water.” 

It was a perplexing request, but she’d traveled too far with the Baron to doubt him now. He turned around, leaning heavily on his borrowed cane and she knelt behind him to tie it around his neck. She managed to get it a bit looser for him. 

She was thoroughly taken aback as he suddenly started to get taller. 

Before her eyes she watched him grow and morph and then all of the sudden there was a man standing before her. She stared up. At the messed up back of his maroon waistcoat that still bore the signs of their struggle and his disheveled head of ginger hair. It was like her brain had short-circuited, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. At least she was in good company, Toto was watching once again with his beak agape. 

When he turned around, she felt her breath catch in her chest. 

It was still Bert. Still the Baron. His green eyes were just as vibrant, but they were framed beneath a strong brow and nestled above high cheekbones. His mustache and beard were full and trimmed neatly, the same copper color of his hair. They seemed to follow the contours of his face, where before he had his markings. 

He looked around in momentary confusion as if unused to being able to see up so high. Then he looked down his aquiline nose and saw that she was still kneeling on the stone. He smiled at her, dazzling and warm, and she knew then that there was no denying her feelings for Humbert any longer. He reached out a hand and she took it. He lifted her to her feet. 

“The experiment worked!” he cried, a triumphant laugh bubbling from him. His voice was the same rich tone, the accent still polished, but it was more than a bit jarring to see it coming from this new form. She realized this is how he must have felt seeing her as a fully transformed cat the first time. 

“Maybe a little too well,” Toto murmured, eyeing her knowingly. 

When she was sure that the Baron was preoccupied, flexing and staring at his strange new hands, she took the opportunity to kick out at Toto gently. The bird fluttered away, snickering.

“What say we get some clean clothes and then head out to find our Lune?” the Baron asked, looking up from his inspection. 

“Uh, I think we might need to give Haru a bit of a break,” Toto suggested. 

“I’m alright,” Haru insisted. 

“When was the last time you slept?” Toto asked pointedly. 

The Baron frowned, looking at her with sudden concern. 

“I’m fine, we’re on a time deficit and we need to find Lune,” she insisted. Though she took pains to conceal it, she couldn’t deny that exhaustion was setting in. Her eyes were burning. Her limbs were weighed down. It felt like a chore just to keep her back straight. They didn’t have the luxury of taking a break though, and she was used to pushing through her own discomfort. 

“How about this, let’s just get cleaned up then, get a bite to tide us over, and then we can head out?” the Baron suggested, trying a compromise. 

Toto looked like he was about to argue but the Baron shot him a look dissuading further argument and he clammed up. 

Humbert turned back to the bureau only to realize he was now far too large to enter. He stared at the door for a moment, as if processing the dilemma. 

“Ah,” he said, realizing he was stuck. 

“We can go to my place,” Haru offered, though she could feel a blush starting in her cheeks just suggesting it. “Just…don’t judge me too harshly. I haven’t had a chance to clean in a while.” 

“Well, it can’t be worse than Jiro’s camp,” Humbert said. 

After a second of shock, she laughed. Recalling the piles of refuse and garbage.

“I suppose that’s true,” she chuckled.

Toto went in to grab her satchel, as she’d left it behind before their journey to the Cat Kingdom and a spare cane. The Baron tossed down the one from Ru with no small amount of disdain and hefted his own.

“Solid. That’s much better,” he said, tapping it experimentally against the ground. 

With that, they were on their way. 

They drew some looks as they traveled out of the strange liminal pocket of the bureau’s circle. Back on regular streets populated by other humans, people were out and about for their weekend shopping or just coming home from breakfast out with their families. Meanwhile, both her and Humbert looked like they’d just crawled out of a fighting ring. To top it off they were being inarguably followed by a crow and Humbert was dressed like he had just come out of a period drama. 

“We definitely need to work on blending in,” she sighed as a woman almost ran face first into a lamp post in front of them, distracted as she was by their appearance. 

They arrived at the concrete stairs to the apartment building and she rummaged in her bag for her keys, promptly fumbling them and dropping them in a clatter on the stoop. Swearing under her breath she grabbed them back up only to struggle to find the right one. 

“You sure you don’t want to stay a cat?” Toto asked her as she finally put in the key. 

She glared at him as the lock clicked and the door swung open. She took them up the three flights to her door, clutching the railing for support, before going through a similar song and dance with the keyring to find the right one for her actual apartment. 

As they filed in, she grimaced at seeing the state she’d left it in. Boots and coats were laying haphazardly by the door. There were dishes piled in the sink and random things strewn across every square inch of the counter of the small kitchenette, including a half-eaten piece of toast on a napkin. Stale by now. There was a pile of rummaged clothes out on the couch where she’d left them after panicking to find something to wear that morning, already running late. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, burying her face in her hands as shame engulfed her. 

“Whyever are you apologizing?” Humbert asked, perplexed. 

“You just…strike me as someone who values things being neat and orderly,” she mumbled. The bureau was pristine the two times she’d entered. Everything in its place. Not to mention the Baron’s normally fastidious appearance. But Humbert shook his head. 

“You have a life. Real life is messy,” Humbert said quietly. “I see the story of a hardworking woman who spends more time out and about than at home. I see signs of an adventurous life.” 

She laughed at that. 

“I know a few people who would beg to differ,” she said. 

Stepping over the threshold into her own home had a strong effect on her. As if her body finally recognized safety and let down its guard. She was suddenly bone weary. The lack of rest, the harsh treatment at Jiro’s camp, and the very little food and drink she’d had in the last 48 hours hit her all at once and she sagged. 

“Why don’t you go get cleaned up, and we’ll make something to eat,” Humbert suggested, spying her weariness. 

“I don’t even think there’s anything in the fridge or pantry,” Haru groaned. 

“Haru, go take a shower!” Toto ordered her, losing his patience. 

Startled, she shrugged off her satchel and boots. Leaving them by the door. 

“Jeez, I’m going,” she said, heading to her room. 

She heard Toto and Humbert talking and starting to rummage around in the kitchen. She had to fight the overwhelming urge to run back out and frantically wash the dishes. Shaking herself, she went into the bathroom and started the shower. It always took a minute or two for the water to heat from freezing unless it was the height of summer. As she stripped off her ruined clothes, she looked in the mirror and realized why they’d been drawing attention. Even though she was no longer a cat, all the ill treatment that had befallen that body had carried over. There was a red line circling her neck where Jiro had strangled her with the chain of the necklace. The slices down her face were stitched up surprisingly evenly but still noticeable and crusted with blood. There were bruises covering her from head to toe.
“Damn,” she whispered. 

Once she finally got in the warm water she had to fight to keep her eyes open. It was all she could do to soap down and wash her hair. When she’d dried off and pulled on some clean clothes she ventured back out. 

For a moment, she just stood in the doorway to the living room looking around in shock. Everything was put away. Inexplicably, all more or less where she would have organized things anyway. The kitchen was cleaner than she’d seen it in a decade. There was even a thriving house plant on the coffee table. She knew for a fact it hadn’t been there before. Whether it was magic or not, she was deeply affected. 

“You didn’t have to do all this,” she protested. 

“It was bothering you,” Humbert said, looking confused by her reaction as he put down a ladle onto a small dish, avoiding spilling anything on the freshly cleared surface. 

“Here,” he said, setting down a bowl of steaming ramen on the small kitchen island. 

“How did you…” she asked, stepping forward and staring at the thin sheen of oil on the surface of it, catching the light invitingly. There was a hard-boiled egg. Bok choy. Thick, udon noodles. It smelled like home. 

“Toto went out and got a few ingredients that were missing, but you had the rest,” the Baron said. “I hope it’s to your liking.” 

She tried a spoonful and felt the last of her reserves failing.

“Do you want to take a shower too?” she asked absently as she ate what she could. 

He looked down at himself.

“I cannot deny it would be greatly appreciated,” he admitted. 

“There’s spare towels in the closet,” she said. She took a few more sips of the broth but her eyes were closing in spite of her best efforts. It was like her body was shutting down against her will. 

Suddenly the spoon wasn’t in her hand any longer and she was being guided backwards to the couch. As she was laid down, there was a pillow tucked between her and the arm. Toto flapped over to the window to draw the blinds closed. As the light dimmed, she almost tried to argue. But instead she just slipped to the side and gave in to sleep. 

***

When Haru awoke, the light filtering in from the window blinds was softer. Dregs of gold. She blinked in confusion, looking around. Trying to remember how she’d gotten back here. To her apartment that was tidier than she could ever remember it being. A blanket had been placed on her that she didn’t remember getting up to grab.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Toto said, hopping onto the low coffee table. 

“What time is it?” she asked groggily. 

“Half past six o’clock,” Humbert said from somewhere. 

She jolted upright.

“You tricked me into falling asleep! We don’t have time for this. Why didn’t you wake me?” she demanded, but when she looked over to see the Baron all the anger fled her. He was back to his usual fastidious self, clean and hair swept back elegantly from his face, except that he was wearing her bathrobe and his face was bright red. 

She stammered. The sight momentarily arrested her capacity to think.

“I do apologize,” he said, looking anywhere but at her. Currently his gaze was fixated pointedly at the ceiling tiles. “We may have a bit of an issue in the clothing department. I’m afraid my own were…not in a state for re-wear.” 

“Oh,” she said. “Um…” She scrambled up. “Wait right here, I might have something that will work,” she gibbered, racing past and almost tripping over the edge of the rug in her haste to reach the closet. 

She found a unisex black t-shirt and then pulled the pair of jeans and a fleece jacket that Kazumi had left behind after their last date. She hadn’t planned to bring him back after just their second date, but one thing had led to another and…

“Fuck!” she shouted, smacking her forehead with the heel of her hand.

“Everything alright?” the Baron asked nervously. 

In the chaos of the last 48 hours, she had completely forgotten about the commitment she’d made. Today was Saturday. She was supposed to have met up with Kazumi over an hour ago for their third date. Reluctantly, she checked her phone and sure enough there was a string of missed calls and increasingly annoyed texts. 

Blushing, she emerged from her room with the clothes. She held them out in offering. 

“Thank you,” Humbert said graciously. 

If he thought it strange that she had men’s clothes lying around in her house he was schooled enough not to show it on his face. But she thought there was a little more stiffness in his posture as he passed into the bathroom to change than there had been before. 

As the door to the bathroom clicked shut behind him, a confusing roil of emotions battered her left and right and she sat heavily on a stool at the small kitchen counter. Everything had been cleaned and put away. Except her mostly uneaten bowl, which was covered and ready for her. How the noise of such a production hadn’t woken her, she had no idea. 

Toto hopped up onto the surface, eyeing her closely. 

“Need to talk?” he asked quietly, ensuring his voice wouldn’t carry across the apartment. “Whatever it is, it stays between us unless you say otherwise.” 

She gave him a grateful smile and before she could think about how it would be received, she stroked a hand down his neck gently. He looked a little startled at first, but he leaned into it. 

“I’ve messed up,” she said, continuing to stroke his feathers. Toto cocked his head. “I was supposed to meet up with…a guy I’ve been seeing,” she admitted. “I completely forgot about it until I saw his clothes in my closet.” 

She put her face in her hands, groaning. 

“Do you like this guy?” Toto asked. 

“Yes…I did…or…” she paused. Toto didn’t press her, just waited. 

“It was still so new. There was definitely attraction, but…” 

The words weren’t coming out right. She suddenly found herself crying. 

“Oh, Haru. I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Toto said, and he flew over to the couch pulling a tissue from the box by the window, bringing it back to her in his beak. His talons skittered on the counter as he hopped back up. She took it gratefully, dabbing her eyes. 

“You know, the Baron will understand. You had a whole life before we just snatched you away,” he said, sounding upset himself. 

“It’s not that,” she said. “That’s not why I’m crying. I think…I haven’t been doing a very good job of looking out for myself.” 

“What do you mean?” Toto asked. 

“You’ve seen my apartment. My whole life is like that. It’s all polished on the outside, but then the second you pull behind the curtain you see the piles building up. All the messy bits. It’s the job. It takes over everything else. My friends have been worrying about me. My own mother is trying to convince me to take time off.” It was like a channel had been unblocked and the river of emotion was roaring through her now. “I met Kazumi at work. He’s…I don’t think he’s right for me. Hiromi could see it. I should have listened to her. But I didn’t want to see it. Because it was nice to be liked for once.” 

She blinked up at the ceiling, but the tears were coming regardless. It felt so shameful to say out loud. 

“Haru,” Toto said seriously, taking a few steps forward and putting a scaly claw on her arm. Though he could have very easily returned the favor from when she’d accidentally stabbed him in midair, he was exceedingly careful with his talons. He turned his head so that he could see her fully with one of his glistening, dark eyes. “You’ve never been able to see yourself the way others do. For as long as I’ve known you. You’re too good to be with someone who doesn’t worship the ground you walk on. If you are ever disrespected by any man, I want you to come to me. I’ll scratch their eyes out and instruct every crow in the city to shit on them relentlessly for the rest of their miserable life.” 

Haru laughed wetly, blowing her nose. 

The Baron emerged a little bit later and she wondered if he had taken a little longer getting ready just to give them time to chat. It was strange to see him in Kazumi’s clothes, but after a while that wore off and it was just strange seeing him in clothes that a regular person would wear. None of his finery. 

He was a little more subdued than usual and she wondered if it was because he was out of his comfort zone. 

Or if he was as embarrassed as she was.

Chapter Text

Perturbed they’d allowed her to sleep so long, Haru quickly gathered herself in spite of her inner turmoil. They couldn’t waste anymore time. Not with Lune’s life and an entire kingdom on the line. She shoveled the rest of the ramen down and re-packed her bag. Uncertain how long they might be away, she packed some food and a change of clothes just to be safe. 

Even though she knew it was a terrible response to no-showing Kazumi, she messaged him instead of calling him back. She let him know that an emergency came up and that she would explain later, but it needed to be taken care of tonight. 

His three dot ellipsis bounced on the screen, already responding. Judging by the tone of his latest messages, it wouldn’t be received well. Wincing, she turned her phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ before she could see what he said. It was over now, for sure. Though they didn’t work in the same prefecture, she would need to apologize and try to smooth things over. Hopefully then they could at least be cordial on the few occasions they did run into one another on joint trainings and exercises. Even though the thought of that eventual confrontation broke her out in hives, there was a small part of her—and growing by the minute—that was relieved. 

“How do we go about finding an ossified king?” she prompted her companions, closing her messaging app resolutely and pulling up a map. It was time to focus up.

“We won’t need that,” Humbert assured her, eyeing the screen distrustfully. “Magic like that leaves an aura. It’s how we tracked you down when you were first kidnapped by the old king and Ru. The cats used magic to move like that. We followed the trail they left behind.” 

“How do we pick up the trail then?” she asked. “Would we have to find the portal he came in from?” 

“Quite right,” Humbert said, managing a small smile at her quickness though his face fell again quickly. Everything felt so different now between them. Having grown used to their easy friendship, the laughter and banter, and even the occasional lingering looks, this felt stilted and formal. Unnatural. 

“So, we have to check anywhere they could have portaled in with Lune?” she asked, trying to push past the awkwardness. Humbert tilted his head. 

“Yes, and no. I believe we can narrow it down fairly significantly. The portals I had in my possession were among the last of their kind to my knowledge. And we have the last one. That leaves only the two traditional ways in and out of the Cat Kingdom…” 

“The lake and the tower,” she filled in. He nodded. 

“And we came in by the tower, but there was no trace,” the Baron confirmed. 

“That leaves the lake then,” she said, shouldering her bag. 

***

It was a beautiful evening as they set off down the street for the train station. There was a light breeze that ruffled her hair and blew it into her face. There was no point in trying to pull it back for it would snake back out in seconds. It was the only downside of having a shorter haircut. Haru pulled her spare leather jacket a little tighter against the chill. At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a little restored by the brisk air. It smelled like someone’s dinner cooking and fresh laundry from the nearby apartments. 

Their shoes rang out against the cobblestones. 

Toto was circling above. Keeping track of them but ensuring they blended in better than their last excursion by keeping his distance. She couldn’t deny that she missed his commentary already. Particularly given the growing silence between her and the Baron. 

A quiet sigh escaped her. It was going to be a long trip. The monorail would get them to the edge of the city fast, but from there it would be a hike to the lake. A hike where, if they couldn’t find something to talk about, they would be walking in awkward silence like this for miles. Alone. 

Just as they were exiting her residential street, she almost ran into someone face first, lost in thought as she was. 

“Sorry,” she apologized, stumbling backwards to avoid stepping on the person’s dress shoes, but when she looked up she recognized the angular figure. 

“Kaz!” she exclaimed, her voice sounding strangled in her own ears. 

Next to her the Baron stiffened, recognizing what was happening. 

Kazumi swayed on his feet a little, blinking at her. He was clean shaven and his dark hair was parted neatly, not a strand out of place. That was the only part of him that seemed unruffled though. He was wearing a suit but his shirt was untucked and his tie was loosened. As if he’d gotten dressed up but gave up after a while. A thin sheen of perspiration shone on his forehead in spite of the chill breeze. A wave of guilt surged through her. 

“Why did I have a feeling I’d find you at home?” Kazumi said with a sardonic smile. His words slurred a little and she realized he was drunk. When the wind blew past it was confirmed by the reek of sour beer that emanated off of him like an unfortunate cologne. 

“Kazumi, I’m so sorry,” she began. “I genuinely didn’t mean to stand you up. I don’t have time to explain but I promise you I’m dealing with—”

“Save it,” Kazumi interrupted her with a hiccup, his eyes roving unsteadily to the Baron. “Oh, I see,” he laughed. It was not a nice sound. He gestured to the Baron with both hands for emphasis. “This was the emergency then.”

“Humbert,” the Baron said, introducing himself and stepping forward and she closed her eyes, steeling herself. Knowing that anything he said would only make this worse. He held out a genial hand but when Kaz made no move to accept it, he let it fall back to his side.

“I assure you nothing untoward is going on,” Humbert explained, sensing the other man’s barely restrained anger. “Haru is just an old friend who helped me out of a bit of a bind tonight. She’s just seeing me home.” 

Just an old friend. The words hurt more than they should have, though she knew the Baron was just trying to help her out of a tough bind.

“Haru, who the hell is this fop? And why is he in my clothes?” Kazumi demanded, an ugly expression taking over his face as he lurched toward the Baron aggressively. It seemed like he was going to try to rip the clothes off Humbert then and there.

She stepped between the two men swiftly. Putting out a firm hand, she stopped Kaz from coming any further. He jolted, looking down slowly to see her hand on his chest impeding any forward movement without starting something. It was an unmistakable warning. And the force of it surprised even her a little. 

“Kaz, I know I’ve messed up,” she said quietly. Trying to bring down the tension a notch. 

“Don’t use your fucking work voice on me,” he snarled. 

“Easy,” Humbert began, but she shot him a look and he fell silent. 

She turned back to Kazumi, letting her hand fall. 

“I should never have forgotten. I should have met you there. Or at least called. I’m sorry,” she said. And she meant it. “But I think this would have come sooner or later.”

Kazumi was watching her closely, stony faced. But he didn’t interrupt. 

She hoped it was a good sign. 

“I don’t think this is going to work,” she said as gently as she could. She could feel her pulse thundering in her ears. “I’m sorry I didn’t do this better. You deserved more respect than being left in the lurch. But I promise you, this isn’t what you think it is.” 

Kazumi rolled his eyes. 

“I should have listened to the other detectives,” he scoffed. “They said you were a waste of time.” In spite of her training, Haru felt the heat flood her cheeks. Kaz saw the effect of his words, and a triumphant sneer formed on his face. Marring his features. 

“They didn’t believe me when I told them you put out. Turns out even an absolute drip like you can be a slut,” he snarled and to add insult to injury he spat at the ground by her feet.

Before she could even react, the Baron had spun her around fluidly. Keeping her safely out of the way as he whipped around and knocked Kaz into a kneeling position with a well-placed hit of his cane. 

“Bert!” she gasped.

“Apologize to her,” Humbert snarled, leveling his cane at the man like a sword. 

With lightning speed, Kazumi’s hand shot to his belt, where to her dismay she saw he was wearing his gun harness. A cold wave washed over her. There was no reason for him to be wearing it outside of work, let alone to their date. Horrified, s he wondered if he’d gone home to get it before coming to find her. 

The Baron moved quicker. In an instant, he had Kazumi by the wrist and bent it back, just enough for the man to grunt. His eyes were glassy with rage and pain, but his struggling was futile. He glared up at the Baron, breath hissing out from between gritted teeth.

“I think it’s high time for you to leave,” the Baron said harshly. “Sleep it off.” 

With a shove, he pushed Kazumi away, sending him sprawling across the pavement with very little decorum. Yet in a way, he was giving Kaz a way out. An opportunity to reconsider his actions and save face. The detective didn’t seem to register that small mercy as he scrambled to his feet. For a wild moment she thought he was about to launch himself at Humbert. Yet he seemed to think better of it at the last second, his foot hesitating in mid-stride. There was a look in Bert’s narrowed eyes that would have struck fear into a better man. 

With one last look of disdai n in her direction, Kaz started to walk away. 

“Oh, and Kazumi?” Humbert added. The detective didn’t look back, but he froze in place as he was addressed. Shoulders tensed. 

“If I find that you ever speak like that to Haru again or disrespect her in any way, I promise it will not end well for you,” the Baron said coldly. 

“Are you threatening an officer?” Kazumi hissed, turning around then with apoplectic rage clear in his eyes. He wasn’t used to being spoken down to. 

“I’m threatening an ass who wore a weapon to a date and could lose his badge for it, if I’m not mistaken. Do not test me,” Humbert said, eyes narrowed. If there was any doubt, his grip tightened on the handle of the cane. 

Kaz opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out. With one last glare, Kazumi turned sharply on his heels and strode away, recognizing he was outmatched. 

Haru watched his rumpled back recede, the hairs on her arms slowly seeming to wilt as her pulse gradually slowed from the wild staccato it had been beating throughout her body. A hair’s breadth away from activating her fight or flight response.

“Are you alright?” the Baron asked her. He approached her slowly, as if worried he might spook her with sudden movement. 

She nodded. 

“He had no right to say those things to you,” the Baron said suddenly, voice deepening with his conviction. 

“I messed up,” she said, wiping a weary hand down her face. “I didn’t want to hurt him.” 

The Baron shook his head emphatically. 

“Haru, a man like that will always find a way to play the victim,” he argued, drawing closer. He took hold of one of her hands gently with both of his. He kept his grip unnecessarily loose, handling her like delicate china. As if worried he couldn’t control his own strength in this new body.

“When are you going to start trusting yourself?” he asked. “You are generous of spirit, unfailingly kind, but somehow you also have a spine of steel and an iron will. When will you start to see yourself as others do? As I do?” 

With a jerky movement, as if compelled by outside forces, he bent his head and pressed a kiss gently on the back of her hand. In spite of his tenderness, his beard still brushed roughly in contrast to her soft skin. He lingered for just a moment and her heart skipped a beat. Wondering what would come next. 

Yet as he stepped away, he staggered back and gasped. Eyes wide. His hand shot to his side as he bent over double, clutching his ribs.

“Are you hurt?” she asked, concern seizing her heart in a sudden vice as she tried to reach for him. He shook his head and straightened slowly, backing out of her grasp. Even so, she could see that it took him some effort. 

“Just some gifts from Jiro. I’ll have to repay him someday soon,” he said with an unconvincing smile, still gripping his side. The strain on his forehead, the tremor in his hand, and the glassiness of his eyes betrayed the severity of the pain that he was in. 

“Come on, we have a train to catch,” he said in a rush, pulling her forward and interrupting her bubbling concerns. With haste and fervency he raced them through the lamp-lit streets of Tama City and toward the next stage of their journey.

Chapter Text

It was a packed train, with families and couples coming back from dinner in the city to their homes in the suburbs. Young people played music and were hushed and chastised by their elders in a never ending cycle. A few children chased one another up and down the aisle. Somewhere a baby was crying, disturbed from its slumber. Groups of friends giggled and laughed together in various states of inebriation. 

It was vibrantly alive. 

That also meant that there was only one pair of seats open. 

Haru squeezed in, taking the window seat and the Baron perched next to her. Toto was following them by air and would meet up with them once they were at their destination. It was a good thing too because it was cramped. Humbert’s shoulders in his human form were quite broad and he hunched forward, trying genteely to give her space. 

Once the train got underway and the conductor had come through to check everyone’s tickets, they dimmed the lights in their cabin. The conversations around them became subdued and hushed. The children were corralled. Outside the streetlights and neon signs flashed by. If she leaned her forehead against the window, she could see the few stars visible in the night sky with the light pollution. Where they were going she wondered what the sky would look like. It had been too long since she had left the city.

As she leaned back, lost in thought, her shoulder bumped Humbert’s. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, hunching forward again.

 This time she put a gentle hand on his shoulder and led it back to rest against the seat. 

“It’s okay,” she explained. “As long as it’s okay if I do this.” 

She tentatively leaned her head on his shoulder, hardly daring to breathe. 

Humbert turned his head, scrunching up his chin to be able to look at her. 

“It’s more than okay,” he said, voice low and gravelly. 

Heart fluttering pleasantly, she relaxed and nestled her head into the crook of his neck. For just a moment, she let herself stop worrying. She closed her eyes but she found that she couldn’t keep them shut. Wanting to drink it all in. Not wanting to miss a moment. Admiring the way their legs pressed up against one another so comfortably, as if they had always existed in such an intimate proximity to one another. She loved the way the underside of his beard scratched against her head. Loved hearing the sound of his heartbeat. 

It was such a simple gesture, resting one’s head on another’s shoulder. Yet it was ecstasy. 

They stayed that way as stop after stop came. As people filtered off the train in trickles and droves. They hardly noticed the passage of time. Ensconced in their own little world. It was all too soon when the train was almost empty that they were approaching the last station in the line. Their stop. 

Reluctantly, Haru lifted her head. 

As if surprised by the sudden draft on his neck, no longer brushed by her hair, Humbert looked at her. Their faces were so close together. She could feel his breath on her lips. 

She backed up, putting a little space between them. He did the same, mimicking her comfort levels. The spell was lifted. The bubble popped. 

“Ready?” he asked, clearing his throat. 

They disembarked in a loaded silence, waiting on the platform in the chill night air as fallen leaves skittered across the pavement and flirted with their shoes. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, but it wasn’t the cold that prompted her. 

As the last few passengers on the platform dispersed, they looked to the skies for Toto. 

When she raised her chin, she gasped. 

Without the train lights, they were almost in near darkness except for the one, old-fashioned gas lantern nearby that cast a warm glow over their faces. The sky of the countryside was grander than anything she could have imagined. It was as if it was painted with thick bands of light, like someone had thrown glittering dust into the heavens. There were more stars than she’d ever seen in her life. More than she’d thought existed. She felt her arms relaxing of their own accord. Falling back to her sides as she gave into the sight of the sprawling cosmos. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Humbert remarked, following her gaze. 

His hand brushed hers and he moved his pinkie the barest amount, wrapping it around hers. It felt like the lamp’s glow was heating her chest, warming her from the inside out. 

A shadow cut through the spectacle of the heavens as Toto circled down, alighting in front of them with a flutter of his wings that buffeted them slightly. Humbert let go of her hand but she could feel his reluctance as he begrudgingly moved away.

“Any signs from above?” the Baron asked. A secondary reason for Toto to fly ahead.

“I thought I saw a glimmer a mile or so north. Between here and the lakes. But the tree cover makes it difficult,” Toto admitted.

“Let’s go inspect it,” Humbert said, leaping lightly down from the platform with all the grace of his usual form and offering a hand to help her down. She took it gratefully.

Soon though, the Baron set off to lead the way. On a mission. There was no more time for those stolen tender moments.

Toto fell back. With a few flaps of effort, he pushed himself off the ground to land on her shoulder. Even though his claws dug into her skin a little, she found she didn’t mind. 

“Alright, did you guys get to talk on the train?” he asked conspiratorially. 

“Muta was right, you’re nosy for a crow,” she chastised, but she couldn’t help a smile. “And no, not really,” she added quietly. Whereas a moment before the bird had been quivering with barely contained excitement, Toto deflated. 

“What do you mean, ‘not really’? It was almost an hour-long ride! Did you guys just sit there in silence?” he demanded, looking disbelieving. 

“Kind of…but it wasn’t bad,” she said with a gentle clearing of her throat, thanking the fact that it was nighttime in a heavily wooded area. Toto’s scrutinizing eyes widened. 

“Oh, I see,” Toto said and with a small chuckle he disembarked and didn’t say more. 

She didn’t have an opportunity to disabuse him of whatever notions he had running through his little bird brain. Suddenly, from up ahead the Baron let out a triumphant cry. 

“We’ve found it!” he exclaimed. 

She looked around in the gloom of the forest where all of the shadows seemed to blend and merge. The light of the moon and stars was just enough to lend the trees form to avoid walking face first into them, but she couldn’t see details. Let alone anything remotely magical in the vicinity. She very much missed her night vision at that moment.

Sensing her confusion, the Baron backtracked, coming up next to her. 

“Here, let me show you,” he murmured and put an arm around her shoulders. It was all she could do not to melt into the half embrace. He pointed with his free hand up ahead. There was a rush of power from the hand gripping her and it was like a mirage was lifted. Suddenly, she could see what looked like…stars. Except they were dancing along the ground instead of twinkling in the sky, hovering like luminous dust motes. A winding line of them passed through the forest, floating back toward the nearby town. The trace of magic left behind. 

“It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. “It looks like fireflies.” 

Humbert squeezed her. He was about to let go when she felt him stiffen. With a strangled sound, he collapsed to his knees. Almost dragging her down with him.

“Humbert!” she exclaimed, gripping him as she knelt by his side. The loam of the forest floor, springy with a layer of pine needles, provided a soft cushion, but Humbert hardly seemed like he could appreciate it. “What’s going on?” 

He shook his head again, dismissing the concern, but he couldn’t hide his abject discomfort this time. He was shaking in her arms. The normally unflappable, immortal Baron that constantly projected an aura of capability and authority seemed suddenly frail and vulnerable; his armor now a veneer.

“No, don’t brush this off again,” she scolded. “I can tell that something’s wrong.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, but there was a vein standing out in sharp relief on his forehead and he was sweating bullets despite the night chill. 

“Baron, you need to tell her,” Toto said quietly. 

“Wait, you know about this?” she demanded of the crow, anger briefly flaring over her concern as the betrayal sank in. She wondered how long they had been talking about this behind her back. Lying to her. Toto ducked his beak to his chest. 

The Baron put a hand over hers, stilling her. 

“It’s not his fault. I asked him to keep it to himself,” he said quietly. It sounded like even speaking was paining him. Fear clutched at her chest. “I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily. I had hoped I would find a solution by now. Or that it would take longer to worsen…” 

After a moment of contemplation, he started to shrug off his jacket. He winced and hesitated. She hurried to help him the rest of the way. He moved stiffly, not as flexible as he should have been. She quickly saw why. A hard shell had formed across the skin of his arm, the patch extending from his upper shoulder all the way down to the crook of his elbow in dizzying geometric patterns that followed the paths of his veins like creeping, frozen crystals. 

“Is that…stone?” she asked, reaching out and touching it gently. It was rough against her fingertips and cold as marble. 

“Yes, and it’s spreading,” the Baron grunted quietly.

“I thought…I thought your curse only turned you into a statue in the daytime,” she said, trying to keep her panic in check and her voice steady for his benefit. “Normally, don’t you just…turn?” 

“Normally, yes,” he groaned as he shrugged the jacket back on with a stomach-churning crunching sound. It was clear that bending the joint caused him the most pain. With a lurch, she wondered what would happen once the affliction reached more vital places and deeper organs. Like the heart and lungs that relied on motion. The fear in her was a living thing, fluttering around and trying desperately to set her limbs in motion. To do anything to forestall the inevitable. 

“You’re in a human form though because of the amulet, why is this happening? Wasn’t this the whole point? To stop you from turning back into a statue?” she asked, grasping for rational explanations and logic.

“I think that’s just it,” he sighed. “Wearing the pendant broke the conditions of the curse. It was like cheating. Now I’m paying the price for it.” 

“If you’re turning in this form…what happens once it’s complete?” she asked. 

“I’m not sure, this is…different from my usual transformation. Far more painful for one,” he admitted. She fingered the necklace resting against his collarbones, unable to stop the tears that were stinging the corners of her eyes now. 

“Can’t you just take this off then? Toto and I can keep going once the sun is up.” 

“I don’t think this is reversible,” he said quietly. 

She let out a shuddering breath. Recalling how certainly she had felt the internal clock ticking down on her own time in a kingdom she didn’t belong to. The strangeness that settled into her bones and cells, promising permanence. She saw that same awareness in his eyes.

“And once it spreads?” she asked hoarsely. “What then?” 

The Baron didn’t respond. He looked at her with such a tender expression that only made it worse. Then he brushed a loose lock of hair behind her ears and the tears broke the barrier, slipping down her cheeks and stinging her cuts. He bent his forehead to hers. She closed her eyes, pressing her face into his. 

“Whatever happens to me, it was worth it,” he said quietly. “This was worth it.” 

A sob escaped her and she flung her arms around him. Even though it probably pained him, he embraced her tightly. They stayed that way for a little bit until finally he pulled away with a soft grunt. She wasn’t willing to be the one to end it. 

He smiled bracingly and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. 

“Come on, we have a lost king to find.” 

Chapter Text

With the pressure on them only intensified, they raced off at breakneck speed, following the streaming trail of lights. It didn’t seem to be disturbed at all, even as their limbs passed through and raced over it. As if it existed on another plane altogether and couldn’t be moved by their physical touch alone. 

As they exited the trees and crested a hill, they paused. Haru self-consciously realized how heavily she was breathing but her embarrassment was quickly dispelled. The Baron’s chest was heaving too, though how much of that was from exertion and how much was from his worsening condition, she couldn’t say. Even Toto was wiped though. When he perched on her shoulder, he had none of his usual regal posture. Slumped, his eyes kept closing as he fought against exhaustion. He had the most reason to be tired out of all of them, having flown many miles while they sat comfortably aboard the train. 

They looked down upon the outskirts of a small town where the trail wound its way around humble thatched houses and through side streets before disappearing out of sight. Haru squinted, not recognizing the skyline. They could see the ocean just on the horizon, visible by the sparkle of moonlight on the crests of soft waves. They followed the path left by Lune and his captor's entry into the human world through the quiet suburbs and into the heart of a sleepy coastal town. No one was out and about at this time of night and they took care to be quiet, not wanting to disturb the locals. Not wanting to attract attention.

They walked for a long time until the path took them toward a less residential area by the port. Shipping containers stacked atop one another and locked up warehouses lined the streets, lending the area an unsettling feeling. Industrial but abandoned. The air smelled strongly of brine and seaweed, but every so often she got a whiff of something pungent that reminded her of natural gas. They followed the glowing lights until they stopped outside a small, unassuming building. It looked like a defunct factory. Its windows were boarded up. Grass was growing out of the cracked surrounding pavement. The trail ended. 

“Is he here?” she asked quietly. 

“There’s only one way to find out,” Humbert said. 

He was inspecting the place and stepped back, looking up at the roof. Finally he pointed up at one of the several chimney stacks. 

“Toto, do you think you could get inside?” 

“I think I could, the question is do I want to,” Toto replied, rubbing a wing against his feathered head in concern. 

“That’s true. What if Jiro has some of his soldiers in there?” she asked. 

“I mean…” the Baron gestured to them in their current forms. “I think we can take them. What’s a few more scratches?” How he could be confident at a time like this, she didn’t know. She shot him an exasperated smile, shaking her head. He wasn’t wrong. It was different facing Jiro when they were several feet taller than him.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Toto said grimly. “But I want the record to show that I protested.” 

“Noted,” the Baron said simply without further elaboration, brooking no further argument. The crow made a disgruntled squawk as he took off toward one of the stacks. He perched on the rim of it, peering down and with a last reluctant glance back in their direction. Then he swooped down out of sight. 

They waited. 

“Once we have Lune, we can portal back to the kingdom,” the Baron said quietly, eyes trained on the building. “Hopefully, this progression will stop once we’re back in the other realm.” 

Swallowing, she was about to ask what they would do if it didn’t stop, when they heard the sound of glass shattering and a bellow. The raucous crowing of a bird in distress echoed out of the factory and through the surrounding streets. She looked up in alarm. 

“Toto!” she gasped, but just as she was rushing for the door a cloud of soot exploded out of the chimney and Toto came barreling toward them, trailing black ash behind him like a cloud of smoke. 

“Abort! Abort!” he screeched, eyes wide with terror. 

They soon found out why. 

The door to the factory was kicked wide open and in the doorway were four hulking men. Cracking their knuckles and baring blades. One stepped across the threshold. The man shouldered a wide sword that she knew she wouldn’t have been able to even lift off the ground, but he was easily over six foot and his biceps alone were the size of her head. 

He leered at her through amber eyes, locks of lank, silver hair hanging languidly in his scarred face. Even though this was not a form she had ever seen him in, it was unmistakably Jiro. 

“There you are little envoy,” he chuckled, licking the blade of his sword as his eyes didn’t leave her. 

Taken aback and mind scrambling for an explanation, she took a few steps back involuntarily and the Baron rushed to her side. 

“I’ll distract them,” he muttered quickly. “Circle around and find a way in. Grab Lune.” 

She nodded once to show she understood and then the Baron launched himself. She wouldn’t have been able to tell he was injured by his movements. He threw himself upon the bandits with a grace she had rarely seen, but she didn’t stop to watch. 

Steeling herself, she took off sprinting around the factory. Behind her she heard the sounds of pursuit and prayed it wasn’t Jiro himself. Heart thundering as she raced around the corner, Toto soared down next to her. 

“There’s a door in the back, I don’t know if it’s locked though,” he advised. 

“Got it,” she gasped as the crow swooped back up, returning to help the Baron. 

Reaching it, she tested the handle and flung herself inside. 

She scrabbled for the lock in the semi-darkness and managed to secure it just in time. The sound of a body hitting the door and ricocheting off the other side startled her and she jumped backwards. The door handle shook aggressively as whoever behind it tried to force their way in. But it blessedly stayed firm. 

She felt along the wall for a light switch of some kind and her fingers found one. She pressed it. Fluorescent lights groaned to life above, flickering slightly as if they hadn’t been used in many years. She looked around, breath whistling sharply from her nose as she took in her surroundings. 

It was a high-ceilinged atrium. Abandoned boxes and packing detritus were stacked against the walls. But in the center there was a folding table and a few chairs. A card game had been interrupted by their appearance, hands left scattered across the surface. A few moths that had been fluttering around a camping lantern were dispersing now, startled by the sudden onslaught of light. She looked around, there were too many doors. 

Hoping against hope her pursuers wouldn’t come through one, she began searching them. 

One after another she came up empty. Or found only the leavings of whatever industry had once used the space. Old office furniture, stained and broken. Empty pallets. Rusted sections of steel pipe. Mysterious barrels of chemicals. 

Doors opened and lights came on, but there was still no sign of Lune.

As she was running out of hope, she pushed open an unassuming closet and froze as she yanked a pull string and the same harsh light flooded the space. 

It was packed to the brim with treasure. The kind of treasure she would have associated with a dragon’s horde or a pirate’s buried stash. Something you’d find in stories, but not in real life. There was a mountain of lustrous gold coins and boxes full of precious stones, the likes of which she’d never seen before. Jewels that looked like they were made of the elements themselves. Yet there were some that looked eerily familiar. Jet-black gems that glittered with power. That matched the amulet Humbert was now wearing a little too closely. With a jolt she realized how Jiro and his crew were in human form. The question remaining was where he’d acquired them from.

That was quickly answered. 

There was also a stack of weapons and, most ominously, uniforms that she recognized as belonging to the royal guards of the Cat Kingdom. She swallowed, pinching the corner of a tunic between her shaking fingers. None of the treasure drew her eye as much as a handful of carved statues did. Piled disdainfully atop one another. They were much like the Baron’s usual statue. All cats of various sizes and shapes.

Right at the forefront, was a slender cat with two different colored eyes. 

“Lune,” she whispered, picking the inert figurine up gently. She didn’t know if he could hear her. “Don’t worry I’m going to get you out of here. You’re all getting out of here.” She began putting them in her satchel, trying to be gentle but wincing as they jostled against one another. 

Suddenly, she heard a door slamming open from further in the building. 

“She’s in here somewhere, spread out!” one of the men growled, voice echoing strangely against the walls of the empty factory. 

Heart leaping into her throat, she grabbed one of the royal guard’s discarded sabres. The steel was cold and foreign in her grasp. Praying she wouldn’t have to use it, she tiptoed to the door and peered out. 

In her hasty search, she’d turned on enough lights that this room hadn’t drawn attention yet. But she figured they’d be coming to check on their treasure and prisoners sooner rather than later. Realizing she was going to have to take a risk, she waited until the two men following her had their heads buried in separate rooms to bolt for the front door. Her footsteps echoed across the cement floor.

“There she goes! Grab her!” 

Someone lunged for her, but she was faster. She whimpered as she dodged out of the way just in time for the man to go sprawling behind her. Lune and the others were certainly being jostled now as her bag slapped against her legs with every stride, but it was better than staying locked in a warehouse or dying. 

She grabbed the door handle, pulling it open but a meaty hand slammed against the metal from behind her, pushing it shut. His shadow loomed above her. 

“Got you now,” the man snarled, about to pin her in place. 

Before she could think about it, she whipped around and stabbed him in the gut. 

The sabre went into his stomach surprisingly easily and she saw the look of shock on his face as he looked down to see the blade sticking out of him. He staggered back, almost taking the blade with him but she kept her grip and watched with horror and revulsion as it slid back out of him. Blood spattered the floor, dripping off the fuller in the edge of the blade in a steady stream. He let out a shuddering groan. Horrified, but too frightened to absorb what she had just done, she fumbled for the door again as the man’s companion came sprinting to his aid. 

Slamming it behind her, she found herself back outside, gulping air as she tried not to throw up. The image of the man’s blood pooling on the floor remained branded in front of her eyes, like a new photo overlapping old film. 

The sky was just beginning to lighten and she took in the dim scene before her with some confusion, gathering her bearings. There was a motionless body in the grass. One of the guards. An enormous welt on his head indicated that he was a victim of the Baron’s cane. 

Further away, Jiro was standing with his back facing her. 

“This is too easy. It’s almost poetic, that in the end your undoing will be of your own making,” the warlord laughed softly. 

There was a strangled sound. 

Circling, she saw that the Baron was kneeling in the broken pavement and grass. Both of his arms were gray and stiff. The stone had already encroached up to his neck. His eyes protruded as he glared up at Jiro and struggled to draw breath. 

“No!” she cried, racing forward. 

Jiro stepped back, a dark chuckle escaping him as she fell to the ground next to the Baron. She didn’t care that Jiro was there. That the other remaining guard was exiting the building and standing next to his boss now, hands coated in his friend’s lifeblood. Glaring at her with hate in his eyes for what she had done to their man. All that mattered was that they were too late.

Toto was curled up pitifully next to the Baron. One of his wings was bent at an odd angle. He had tucked himself next to Humbert, prepared to die with him. Loyal to the very end. 

“It’s not looking good, kid,” he said quietly, voice hoarse. He looked up at her with doleful eyes. She brushed a hand gently over his head and reached for the Baron. 

She cupped Bert’s face in her shaking hands. He was watching her, tears welling in his eyes as a smile stretched his cheeks. He hissed, looking like he was trying to form words. 

“It’s okay, Bert,” she whispered, stroking his hair back. 

“Haru,” he gasped. 

The stone was visibly creeping up his face. Her lip trembled but she forced herself to smile. To give him a little of the same confidence he had always given her. 

“It’s going to be alright,” she assured him. “I’m going to find you a cure.” 

“Haru, I—I—” he choked. 

The sun broke free of the tether of the horizon, spilling golden light across the dewy grass as the stone crawled up his cheekbones and froze his eyes in perpetual consternation. She watched it etch into each fine line on his face and strand of his hair. Every inch turning to stone except the amulet around his neck. Until a statue of the Baron was before her. 

Unmoving. Unyielding. 

Sobs shook her and she hugged him, tears splattering the stone. For a moment she forgot why they were there and who was there watching them. All that mattered was that she had failed. Again. Another person she couldn’t save. It was a pain beyond words, one that snatched the breath from her lungs and made it hard to even formulate a thought. 

“Well, well, isn’t this just a pity,” Jiro interrupted, his tone mocking. 

As the words slowly filtered through the silent screaming in her head, she looked up at the warlord through lowered brows. He was wearing one of the transformation stones on a ring, confirming why he stood before her as a hulking man well over 6-foot tall instead of a beat-up tom cat. Yet there was an amulet around his neck too. Though the setting was similar to the one resting around Humbert’s motionless throat, the stone in the warlord’s was nothing like theirs. Or the one on his hand for that matter. It was a strange greenish-yellow that seemed to shift and glow. Even in the fresh light of dawn, shadows flitted across it and a disquiet filled her if she looked at it too long. 

“One more soul reaped,” Jiro said with a sharp grin. “You’ve cost me a fair bit of trouble, you know that? It would be a pleasure to see that pale, human throat slit. But my offer still stands. I recognize skill when I see it. You could be powerful in the Cat Kingdom. You could lead with me.” 

He held out a hand, a smirk on his face. 

“Join me.”

It was an easy choice in his eyes. The chance at life. The promise of power. Or death.

Haru heard a whispering on the wind. It encircled her. Like many different voices raised as one. A shiver snaked down her spine, feeling as if she had stepped into cold water. With a jolt, she realized the whispering was coming from Jiro. More specifically from the necklace around his throat. From the strange stone. 

Under the guise of her grief, she held the Baron’s statue tight. As she did so, she reached into the pocket of his jacket that was still open and was pleased to feel the portal pod. The stone cloth wrapped around it made it impossible to remove, but if she was right she wouldn’t need to. Closing her grip on it, she gave Toto a look and he snuggled closer to them. Sensing that she had a plan.

Looking up at Jiro, she snarled. 

“I’d sooner join the dead!” 

With a grunt, she swung the sabre up toward his neck. Jiro dodged it easily, avoiding the blade almost carelessly. But she hadn’t been aiming for him. The blade just caught the chain around his neck and severed it as the warlord jerked backwards. The glowing jewel tumbled from his chest and she dropped the sabre, catching it before it hit the ground. 

With a sharp squeeze, she crushed the portal in her other hand. Ignoring the pain as shards of glass cut into her palm, light and sound enveloped her, the Baron, and Toto. 

“No!” Jiro bellowed, eyes bulging as he lunged forward. 

But they were already traveling and winked out of existence just as his hands reached her.

Chapter Text

Haru didn’t have any idea what she was doing. She had never led the portal jump before. The sound around them grew and grew until it was all she could do to stop herself from clapping her hands over her ears. The only thing that stopped her was that she was terrified of letting go of her companions, recalling what Muta had said about being split into pieces. It certainly seemed like that was about to be their fate. The roaring howl around them was reaching a violent, throbbing crescendo and every cell in her body felt as if it were being subjected to the crushing pressure of an alien planet’s gravity.
“Haru!” Toto shrieked over the maelstrom, his voice high with fear. “Think of the castle! You have to direct us there!” 

Haru screwed up her eyes as her breath left her compressing lungs in short, agonizing gasps. Trying to think of the towering walls and spires. But nothing seemed to be happening. The light around them was almost blinding, even with her eyes closed tightly it seeped into her eyelids. Agonized, she pressed her face to the baron’s stone coat. 

Thinking of the way he had danced with her in the ballroom of the castle, all those years ago. The relief of seeing him step out onto the sun-washed balcony of the castle, all these years later, and feeling that she was no longer floundering in the deep end. Of his self-assured aura in the atrium, offering to accompany her into the belly of the beast as if it would be some grand adventure. Of his ever calming and stalwart presence in spite of the looming danger . Of how they had sat giggling on the couch with the heady levity of a post near-death experience after their return from the war camp. She screwed up her eyes as the memories came unbidden and potent. 

Suddenly the roaring stopped and the light dimmed. 

She raised her head, blinking. 

They were back in the atrium of the castle. But much had changed in their absence. There were piles of rock around them. In several places, the painted walls were cracked and some sections had crumbled entirely. The history or futures of the cats once documented on their faces were now an even greater mystery. A rumble sounded from somewhere else in the castle and a fresh trickle of dust drifted down from the ceiling and tickled her nose. 

She looked around and saw a red-uniformed figure running past the atrium. 

The guard skidded to a halt, backtracking to take in the scene. 

“They’re back!” he cried aloud. “Queen Yuki!”

A few seconds later, Yuki was racing across the space toward them in a blur of white. Muta was close behind her in spite of his size. They both looked worse for wear. Muta was wearing a bandolier of knives and he already sported a fresh cut. Yuki was armed too, with a sword belt at her hip. They were both covered in dust, as if they’d almost been buried in a collapse. 

“What’s happening?” Haru asked. 

“The bandits have trebuchets,” Muta laughed sharply. It was a short hysterical sound. “We’re under siege. Can’t say how much longer the walls will hold.” 

“Did you find him?” the queen asked, but as she looked down her face grew confused, taking in the strange statue. “What is this?” 

The Baron’s statue was far larger than any of them now. Haru realized she had shrunk down to cat size once again. With a shaking hand, she reached for the amulet around the Baron’s neck. She removed it inch-by-inch after a little bit of trouble and held her breath expectantly. However, the life-like carving of Humbert’s human form didn’t crack open and reveal him safe and sound. He didn’t morph back into his cat statue form either. 

Nothing happened. 

“Please,” she whispered, desperate to give it just another few seconds before accepting the truth that threatened to weigh down her limbs and crush her, just like the in-between space had moments before. 

“Wait, is that…the Baron?” Muta asked, eyes widening and beginning to look horrified. 

“He…” Haru couldn’t even finish what she was going to say. Bitter tears tracked down her face and she put a shaking hand over her mouth. 

“Wearing the amulet flaunted the conditions of his curse,” Toto explained quietly to the others, jumping in to help Haru explain. “There was a price. He knew what he was doing. He sacrificed himself to save Lune.” 

Muta let out a low, keening wail, surprising her. It was a sign of the depths of his friendship with the Baron that this rough-mannered, warrior cat could mourn him so openly. Tears flowed fast and freely down his furry face as he sniffled and wiped his nose on the back of his wrist. He shook his head doggedly, as if by denying it he could change things. 

“Lune?” Yuki asked hesitatingly, grasping her throat. Torn between concern for the Baron and hope that her love was nearby. Closer than he’d been in months. 

In a haze of grief, but trying to keep herself together, Haru reached for her satchel. She began pulling the statues out one by one. Setting them upright and offering them a little dignity once again. Finally, she pulled the last one. 

“Oh, Lune!” Yuki cried, recognizing his form immediately. Haru handed him over gently. 

The queen pressed the statue to her chest, head bowed. Reunited. But to Haru’s consternation none of the cat statues transformed. Not even Lune’s. They remained inert. Just like Humbert. 

If it was all for nothing …she began to think, but it was too painful to finish. 

“Why aren’t they coming back now that they’re home?” Yuki asked, voice high-pitched with terror as she glanced between Lune’s statue and the Baron, raising the very question Haru was wondering. 

“At least with the Baron, it’s only his body that’s impacted by the curse. Not his soul. If their souls have been displaced, they won’t be able to re-enter their bodies,” Toto said tightly, looking at the statues with narrowed eyes. It didn’t sound like a good fate to befall anyone. “Jiro and his men must have done something to them.” 

The strange whispering filled Haru’s mind again and she looked down at her hand, surprised to see that the gem she’d taken from Jiro was still clutched in it. 

A great boom echoed around them and the walls shook, jolting her from her contemplation. With a crack, another section of the atrium crumbled and Toto swore. Muta rushed over, covering Yuki with his body as rubble rained down on them all. Haru used her own form to shield Toto and the Baron as best as she could. She could feel Toto trembling beneath. When the dust settled they straightened slowly and looked at one another. The same realization hitting them all. 

“We can’t stay here,” Yuki coughed, waving away the finer dust that had risen into the air and choked them now in a noxious cloud. 

Haru was distracted. She looked back at the amulet in her hand. 

One more soul reaped , that’s what Jiro had said. Shadows seemed to flit across the surface of the gem. 

“Where did you get that?” Yuki asked, sounding strangled and suddenly terrified. 

She glanced at the queen sharply. 

“You recognize this?” she asked, brandishing it. 

“Any cat would. That’s the soul gem,” Yuki said in a reverent hush. “I thought it was just a legend, though. It’s said to have been lost for centuries. Where did you find it?” 

“I think Lune found it,” Haru said and suddenly pieces were clicking into place. Recalling what the Baron had shared back at the Bureau, about the other powerful gems Lune had brought home on his earlier expeditions that didn’t quite fulfill his purpose. Like the first amulet. Another more recent image danced in her mind too, of the room back at the warehouse filled with vast piles of treasure and more amulets and strange gems than any one person or cat could ever need, likely stolen from Lune and his entourage before they were imprisoned. 

“I think this is what Lune has been off searching for,” Haru said slowly.

“Why would he risk everything for that? What exactly is it?” Toto asked. 

“It’s said that it can capture and contain the souls of a thousand cats and that the wielder can harness their power,” Yuki said and a hint of bitterness crept into her tone. “Lune must have thought it could help protect the kingdom. It’s ironic that we didn’t need it until he was gone.” 

“Maybe he knew we would need it. Maybe he knew about the prophecy,” Muta offered. “Lune always had a reason. He’s not like his father.” 

Yuki ducked her head as if ashamed by her lack of faith in her husband, but Muta’s words were gently given. As if to emphasize that, he put a hand on her shoulder and the tension in her body wilted. 

“Forgive me,” she said quietly, to all of them and to none of them, still clutching Lune tightly. “As queen, I’ve been preoccupied with the logistics of this conflict. Of caring for our people. I admit I’m skeptical of a plan such as this. Even if it was of Lune’s making. This seems…” She trailed off, visibly uncomfortable. 

“Far-fetched?” Toto offered. 

“A little,” Yuki admitted. “I would have a hard time entrusting the well-being of this kingdom to a myth. But…Lune has always been the visionary and frankly we’re in need of some visionary thinking if we’re going to make it out of this now.”

“These are souls?” Haru asked quietly, watching the shadows flit across the surface. Hearing the whispers. Now that she knew their origin, they didn’t sound malevolent. If anything the snippets of voices sounded entreating. Tired. Frightened. 

She could have sworn she heard them whispering to her. Forming words. 

“Please…please…”  

“Yes, and maybe this is our saving grace. Lune’s last act of protection for the kingdom,” Yuki said, eyes shining with emotion and looking as if she could almost start to believe in their success. Their liberation from Jiro’s assault. 

But Haru raised the stone. 

“Haru, what are you doing?” Yuki asked, seeing the determined look on her face. 

With a grunt Haru brought the stone crashing down. 

“No!” Yuki cried, lurching forward to stop her. 

Haru smashed it against the flagstones. The gem cracked and it was like a blast of power swept across the castle, shooting out from the point of impact and knocking them all flat. A rush of air whooshed from the amulet as the shadows fled, morphing, growing, and filling the room. Stretching and relishing their newfound freedom. They had been confined far too long. For a brief second, she feared they were going to be attacked by these restless shades. 

But just as quickly as they swarmed, they fled. Or most of them did. Some of them inched toward the nearby statues, crawling and skittering across the ground like centipedes. 

The eyes of statue after statue began to gleam and then their figures began to grow back to full size. As they unfroze, the cat guards stretched and yawned, blinking sleep and confusion from their eyes as they looked around, startled to find themselves back where they had started before their expedition. A few seemed more alert, crouching low and scanning the area, reaching for weapons that weren’t there. Remembering that they had been in danger. Captured. Their fight must have felt like just moments before. 

Lune’s soul shone out of his mismatched eyes like flares and with a crackle of electricity he shot up. They watched him grow and his fur become thick and full again. 

Spinning slowly, he turned and saw Yuki. 

“Lune,” she breathed, her blue-eyes enormous. As if she didn’t quite believe it. 

His worried face smoothed and he raced toward his bride, gathering her in his arms. 

“My darling,” he choked, burying his face in her fur as she gripped him tightly. Haru could hear Yuki sobbing quietly, muffled by the king’s arms. Months of grief and fear unburdening themselves from her frail frame. 

Haru covered her mouth, hiding the trembling of her lip. It was their moment and it was long overdue. Nor was she the only one affected. The other guards stayed quiet, waiting for their leaders to disengage. Even Muta wiped his eyes, though he did so surreptitiously as if trying to keep his emotion more subtle this time. 

She turned back to the Baron hopefully. Waiting to see the light re-enter his eyes. Surely his soul would be returned too? 

“I don’t think it’s the same,” Toto said quietly, noticing her pleading gaze. He was still holding his injured wing close, but he hopped forward and rested his head against her knee. Trying in vain to bring her comfort.  

“Oh, dear,” Lune sighed. 

She looked up. Yuki and Lune were standing above her, Yuki hanging tightly on the king’s arm like she would never let him go again. And he her. They clung to one another like shipwrecked sailors in a storm. 

“Why didn’t it work on him?” Haru asked, her voice strangled. 

The cracked soul gem lay in her bleeding palm, dull and inert now. 

“Jiro used the soul gem on my men and I. We were ambushed on the road back to the kingdom. He knew exactly what we had found. How to use it. We were betrayed. We were transformed and after that I have no recollection. However, the Baron’s curse was laid upon him many years ago. By a different individual,” Lune explained. 

“I’m so sorry, Haru,” Yuki offered with a tremble in her voice. “I know you two were quite close.” 

“Can I have a moment?” Haru asked through a barely restrained sob, lip trembling. 

“Of course,” Lune said and he guided the others away. 

Muta collected his wounded friend with surprising tenderness and for once Toto allowed himself to be cared for. There was no quipping or teasing between the two of them. United for once in their shared grief. 

“We’ll be over here if you need us,” Muta said, brushing her head gently with a large paw in passing. 

She stared down at the carved figure, tracing the lines of the face that were at once familiar and unfamiliar. The slight bend to his nose. The high cheekbones and strong jaw. It was unfair that they didn’t get to spend more time together. That she hadn’t had the opportunity to tell him of her feelings. Up until a few minutes ago there had been a world of possibilities at her fingertips; opportunities to tell or not tell him. Now there were none. 

When her heart couldn’t take the pain a second longer, she bent over him. Pressing her forehead to his. Imagining it was warm skin she felt instead of rock. Recalling the way his breath had felt on her face as their faces drew closer on the train. Alone in the dark. 

“I’ve always loved you,” she admitted. “And I always will.” 

She pressed a kiss to his stone-cold lips, tears splashing and sliding off his face. 

Another bombardment shook the castle. The idea of leaving his statue here to be buried by rubble made her sick and she vowed to stay with him. For however long the castle stood. 

As she knelt there, accepting her fate, hunched over and in more pain than she could ever remember being, she felt a strange sensation in her forehead. Under her hands. 

As if the stone was warming up in the sun.

Opening her eyes she sat back and watched, barely daring to hope, as the stone began to flake away and crack. As color began to flood Humbert’s cheeks and replace the unliving rock. As the clothes lost their rigidity and began to lay flat again. With the amulet around his neck, he did not transform back into his cat form. She waited with bated breath until finally his chest rose. He blinked open his green eyes, staring around in confusion. 

Those eyes locked with hers and his expression softened. 

“Haru?” he rasped, throat raw. 

“Yes, it’s me!” she breathed, smiling so wide it hurt her cheeks, even as tears poured down them.  

Without the amulet on he began to shrink, quickly resuming his cat form. He reached up out of habit, checking for the amulet before seeing that it was clutched in her hand. Before blinking and looking around, taking in his surroundings and realizing they were back in the Cat Kingdom. Judging by his laborious movements, he was still feeling stiff and out-of-sorts. She helped him sit up slowly before putting the stone on herself to be on the safe side. Taking on her full cat form as well. 

Steadily regaining his wits, he looked at her with a burning expression, as if there was something he desperately wanted to say. But before he could get so much as a word out, Muta barrelled forward and tackled him backwards. Haru jumped backward in shock. 

“Muta! Get off!” the Baron demanded, letting out a muffled and rather undignified yowl from beneath the mass of fur and fat atop him. 

“I thought you were dead, boss!” Muta howled, noisy tears cascading down his face as he squeezed the life out of the Baron for a second time. Alternating between nuzzling him and planting loud kisses all over his head. “You were gonna leave me all alone with Toto! We would have killed each other!” 

Toto tutted in disagreement, but seemed to be enjoying the spectacle too much to intervene. Before the Baron was hurt again, she and Lune rushed forward to help him extract himself from the well-meaning but suffocating love of an inconsolable Muta. 

Guiding Muta away, Haru patted him on the back gently, allowing him to hug her instead even though she quickly regretted the offer as he redirected his emotion into a vice-like grip around her, soaking her hair in tears. 

She caught the annoyed but amused gaze of Humbert as Lune helped him back up to his feet. The Baron shot her a small smile that made her stomach flip over and she busied herself consoling their giant friend, unable to deal with the roiling feelings in her chest at that moment. 

“It’s good to see you again, old friend,” Lune said, clapping the Baron on the shoulders. 

But their reunion was cut short. 

“Something’s happened!” a guard rushed in, panting heavily. 

***

With a feeling of dread, they rushed after the breathless guard, following him up a winding staircase to one of the balconies. She couldn’t help but feel nervous about standing there with the castle coming down around them. They were exposed. 

But they followed the guard’s shaking finger, pointing to a flood of cats making their way through the castle gates. Her heart lurched, worrying that they’d been breached. However, there were no longer projectiles hitting the walls and she quickly realized the mass of cats were walking with a rather unnatural calmness for an invading force. There was no running. No shouting. No screeching. Then she saw that their arms were raised in surrender and, most notably, they were not armed. There was no glint from sword blades or spear tips.

“Jiro’s army is defecting!” Yuki was the first to realize, exclaiming in shock. Lune pulled her into a side hug as they looked down at their kingdom with renewed hope that it might be spared. 

“But why?” Muta asked in surprise. 

“The Soul Gem,” Lune whispered. “He was using it to control them too. Maybe not his core men, but his wider fighting force.” 

“No wonder his army grew so quickly,” Yuki murmured.

Haru thought of her captor in the war camp, Riku. The way he looked like he’d been fighting against an invisible force as he released her. Stunned, she realized what strength of will it had taken him to disobey orders. To fight against such powerful magic. Wherever he was, she hoped he was alright. 

“So when Haru broke it…” Toto began. 

“It broke the curse,” Bert said quietly. 

She turned to look at him.

While the others were staring down at the flood of cats, he was staring at her. 

“We should go greet them,” Yuki insisted. Lune looked at her with some surprise. “If we have any hope of rebuilding, we need to bring these cats in. Start a new leaf. If they continue to live on the outskirts, we’ll just be creating new Jiros for future generations to deal with. It will be a hard road to peace after the harm they’ve caused. But we have to try.” 

Lune kissed her head fondly. 

“I knew I made the right choice in marrying you,” he murmured. “You’re a wise leader. Wiser than me.”

“Well, you’re the one that taught me to take chances,” she replied with a soft smile. 

As the others filtered off the balcony in an excited clamor of chatter to greet the new arrivals—their collective relief growing by the moment and lending them a giddy air of celebration—Haru stayed behind. And so did the Baron. 

Perched on Muta’s shoulder since he couldn’t fly for the moment, Toto gave her a knowing look as they passed by. She thought she saw him wink before they turned the corner.

“I’m glad you’re back,” she said once they were alone, feeling somewhat lame. 

“You saved me,” Bert said quietly, taking a tentative step toward her. Then another. 

“I didn’t know what I was doing. I just did what I thought was right,” she brushed aside the comment quickly. It was hard for her to accept praise under normal circumstances, let alone from the Baron…and after what she had just confessed. Though she was sure he had not heard it, saying it aloud made the feelings impossible to ignore any longer. Was she relieved that he had not been witness to that moment of vulnerability? Or did she wish he had?

“That’s what I admire most about you,” he said. “You follow your heart.” 

“Not the last few years,” she sighed, admitting to herself why her life had felt so wrong for so long. It was like she was wearing an ill-fitting suit of herself that rubbed and chafed against her true nature. 

“That practice may have gone dormant, but it never went away. In spite of it all, you were always still trying to help people. Every day. When Yuki asked you for help, you came with her. Even though it was an inconvenience. Even though you were dealing with your own heavy burdens.” 

Haru ducked her head. The tears were already forming as the boy from the bridge was brought up. The Baron was as close as he could be and he reached out, gently putting a paw under her chin and raising her face to look at him. His green eyes were blazing as he looked at her with an intensity that made her knees weak. 

“Haru, whatever happened the other day…all we can do is our best. You’ve saved…countless lives. Not just today. You are a good person. Do not let your grief consume you.” 

Slowly, as if checking to see if she stiffened or pulled away, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Into a tight hug. After a moment of surprise, she returned the embrace fervently. Squeezing him back and burying her face in his fur, she felt the tension melt from her body.

“Not to mention, I believe you broke more than just the curse that Jiro put on his men,” he revealed, voice rumbling in his chest. 

“Do you mean—?” she gasped, pulling back just enough to be able to see his face. “Breaking the soul gem…did it break your curse too?” 

“It wasn’t the soul gem,” he said quietly and it felt like they were dancing on a precipice. “All those years ago, that curse was leveled at me because I broke a commitment. The curse ensured no world would ever commit to me and in turn that I could never commit to another. I would never be able to grow comfortable. Set down roots…have the space and time to get to know someone.”

Once they took the next step, there was no going back. Anticipation, terror, and a blinding, brilliant hope that was almost more painful than the other emotions warred in her chest. Making it hard to even breathe.

“Something you said or did broke it,” he whispered. 

He cocked an eyebrow. Asking her a question. 

Her heart was pounding. But from their proximity, she could feel that his was too. That gave her the surge of confidence she needed and she smiled shyly.

“I did this,” she whispered.

And she kissed him.

Chapter Text

“Well, it’s about fucking time!” 

Toto was the first to spot them emerging from the castle and he cawed raucously. The others turned, confused at the crow’s outburst until they saw Haru and Humbert walking out of the castle. Hand-in-hand. Muta’s brow crinkled as he took in the sight. The gears in his brain were visibly cranking as he put the pieces together.

“Wait…what…” he began. Understanding dawned on his broad face at a glacial speed. He scowled and crossed his arms tightly, resembling a bouncer. “Now, hold on just a damn minute. How long has this been going on?”

“You really are thick as pig shit,” Toto shook his head. He may have been injured, but it didn’t stop the bird from leaping aside agilely as Muta swung a fist at him.

“Who are you calling a pig?” Muta bellowed, eyes narrowed to slits. 

Toto began making oinking sounds as he dodged nimbly out of the big cat’s reach. 

“That’s about what I expected, if I’m being honest,” Bert said, an amused huff escaping his nose as they observed the pair chasing one another around. 

“Just like old times,” Haru muttered.

“Oh, this is wonderful!” Yuki exclaimed, not paying the other two a bit of attention. She was too busy looking between Haru and the Baron with tears of happiness welling in her eyes. “Haru, does this mean you’ll be staying with us longer?”

All of her hopes were visible on her face. For so long they had danced in and out of one another’s lives. Friends separated by the laws of physics. Now there was an opportunity for Haru to actually spend time amongst them. 

Haru felt her heart sink.

“We hadn’t gotten that far yet,” the Baron admitted. He squeezed her paw gently and she felt comforted as she chanced a sidelong glance at him. He seemed to sense her inner conflict. After all, he knew what it was to have a foot in two worlds. 

“There’s much to discuss,” he murmured in an undertone meant only for her ears. There was another message beneath that. That there would be plenty of time to talk. To continue getting to know one another better. To weigh their options and make decisions. 

Comforted, Haru’s eyes were drawn to the front of the small assembly where Lune was in deep conversation with some of the surrendered cats. Although it was clear that the fighting was finished, the king was still flanked on both sides by guards with their paws still very much resting on their weapons, anticipating subterfuge. An air of unease still hung over the strange collection of cats, who had just been ready to fight one another to the death not an hour ago and now found themselves in a fragile peace. At the front of the band, she saw a familiar black cat with a white splotch over his left eye, though the white fur was matted and discolored. His ear was bent at an odd angle too, as if recently injured. 

“Riku!” she exclaimed. 

He winced away as if expecting a blow, head shy from his recent experiences. However when he saw who it was calling out his tensed shoulders relaxed and his good ear rose. She hurried forward to the guard who had freed them in the war camp, bringing the Baron with her. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright!” she exclaimed and Riku offered her a small smile that transformed his face. He looked so normal. Hardly a barbarian or boor. 

“As I am you,” he breathed, looking sincere. “When the alarm went off in camp after your escape I feared the worst. But I have to say even in your condition, the two of you led those men on a merry goose chase through the ruins. There were three broken legs and a sprained ankle.”

He shot an impressed look at the Baron who bobbed in a slight bow.

“Did you get in trouble after?” Haru asked quietly.

Riku didn’t answer but he didn’t need to. His paw drifted up shakily to his ear, touching the no doubt tender flesh. It was proof enough. Jiro was not a merciful leader. There was no world in which he had let the prisoners’ escape go unpunished. 

“Where is he now?” Lune asked, interrupting the reunion. He didn’t bother to elaborate.

“Jiro came back to camp just a bit ago in an even fouler mood than normal,” Riku revealed, his head now bowed deferentially to his true king. The cats around them tensed, preparing for a final fight if Jiro was still in their midst. Riku’s eyes darted nervously up. “But then we all felt the soul gem be destroyed. As soon as he realized his power over us was interrupted, he fled.” 

“He ran away?” Toto asked, scoffing. “Coward.”

The Baron leaned forward, coming up behind the king. 

“It’s your call of course Lune, but I would recommend sending men out after him,” he murmured. “I fear that Jiro is an enemy for life. He’ll find no small manner of ways to draw others to him. To hurt us however he can.”

“I agree,” Lune said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. 

Beside him, Yuki deflated and turned away. Unable to hide her bitter disappointment. It was no wonder. They had just got Lune back. After a similar expedition had put them in this mess, no less. They’d hardly had a chance to speak, let alone catch up meaningfully. Then there was the prospect of being left alone again in the midst of this chaos to not just rule, but forced to rebuild an entire kingdom. It was no small wonder she looked like she’d just been hit by a truck.

“I vow to send out as many search parties as is needed,” Lune continued, throat bobbing as he swallowed in a rare display of nerves. “But this time I’ll be staying here.” 

Yuki spun back around to face him, hardly breathing. He reached out and touched a gentle, almost tentative paw to her hopeful face. 

“I’m needed most here.” 

***

The day passed in a blur of new faces and Haru hardly had an opportunity to speak more with the Baron let alone any of the others. 

They had their hands full and were quickly separated. Title and rank went out the door in a crisis like this. Whether it was assigning volunteer roles to cook and help hand out food, or assessing supplies needed for the sick tents that had been erected haphazardly to address the number of ill and infirm cats in need of immediate treatment, there was a never ending stream of organizing work and a desperate need for calm and thoughtful leadership. Yet they were put to work too, ferrying goods across the castle grounds themselves. Orienting newcomers. Directing and supporting work crews setting out to start building temporary shelters or re-assigning tents for families whose homes had been demolished. There was much work to be done. 

Needing to catch her breath, Haru paused for a moment as she set down a bucket of clean water at the entrance to one of the busier infirmary tents. It was snatched up in a moment by a harried look nurse, but when she spared Haru a brief glance the gratitude was clear in her eyes. There was no time for more than that. Just as quick as she’d come, she went off again to tend to the wounded. 

Hands on her hips, Haru turned and looked out at the sea of cats. Scanning. Trying to find any familiar faces.

Across a clearing she saw a flash of orange. 

The Baron was walking through the crowd with a small kitten clutching his paw. His little arm was fully extended and his uncoordinated paws stumbled over the uneven ground. The poor thing was shaking and had tear tracks down each cheek. Clearly he’d become lost in the hubbub. They faltered, looking around for his family. The kitten said something and the Baron leaned down to hear him better. Whatever he said prompted the Baron to stop fully and kneel before him, getting down to the child’s height. He ruffled the fur that stuck up at the crown of his head and said something in response that made the little one laugh, chasing away the fear for a moment. 

Watching them, a smile cracked through her exhaustion. 

Just as the pair were setting off again on their search, someone cried out. 

“Rai!”

The Baron turned. The kitten squealed in delight and broke free of his minder as a wide-eyed couple was racing across the clearing toward them at breakneck speed. They skidded to a halt, scooping up their child into a tight embrace. Weeping with relief, they planted kisses all over his face. The father rose suddenly and pulled the Baron into what seemed to be a bone-crushing hug based on the tight, pained expression on his face. 

Over the man’s shoulder, he caught her eye and she shot him a shy wave. Discomfort forgotten momentarily, he beamed at her before being dragged back to the sweet interaction. 

There would be many more lost kittens, she realized sadly. Orphaned ones too that wouldn’t get a reunion. Families without homes. Without jobs. Broken families, broken bones, and broken homes. The cost of war. 

There were more problems than she could even fully comprehend, looking at the mass of need. More problems than she could fix. For once in her life, it was clear to her that this was beyond her ability. Maybe she could come back to visit more often though, she mused. Do what she could and offer moral support where she couldn’t be of help elsewhere. She couldn’t stay forever. There was a life waiting back at home for her, with problems of its own. But with the pendant, she would be able to return without risking her life now. She twirled it around, enjoying the cold stone’s comforting and familiar weight. 

It didn’t have to be an either or choice. 

She realized then what her decision was. She just needed to hear the Baron’s. 

***

“Are you sure about this?” Haru asked. 

They were alone at the edge of the lake but the sound of frenzied production was close by. Hammering and banging. The sound of laden wheeled carts clattering over rugged terrain. Horns blowing. Shouted instructions and muffled grunts. 

Jiro’s nearby camp was being dismantled. 

The foreign cats once under his thrall were beginning to return to their own homes—those that had homes standing to return to at any rate—some in shame and others in a desperate desire to reunite with those they had left behind abruptly when recruited from across the kingdom. Still, many decided to stay and aid in the rebuilding of the nearby villages. Eager to do whatever they could to atone. There would be peace after all it seemed. 

Of the horde, only a handful had tried to attack or flee immediately following the surrender. They had been met with swift retribution from their former comrades. 

Seeing the destruction of the castle, Ru seemed to finally have the blinders pulled off. Though he hadn’t been under the spell of the soul-gem. His decision to aid Jiro had been entirely his own. There was trust lost there that would never be regained. Before that, he had managed to watch the destruction of the Cat Kingdom without feeling a hint of remorse. It was only when his own home was threatened that he saw Jiro for what he was. He would be working off his punishment under the watchful eye of Natori and the royal guards for a long time yet. 

True to Riku’s word, only Jiro was nowhere to be found. She wondered if he remained in the Cat Kingdom or if he had fled to the human world. With a clutch of amulets in his possession, he would be well-positioned to go wherever he wished. The thought sent a chill through her bones, wondering if their paths weren’t quite done intersecting just yet. 

But it was hard to feel uneasy for long on a day like this.

The Baron lifted his head, breathing in the scents blowing off the wind that sent ripples across the otherwise still lake. One paw in and they would be back in the human realm. He seemed to be drinking it all in before they took that step. 

Luckily, this section of the lake hadn’t been touched by the violence. Tall cattails stuck up from the shallows, swaying in the breeze as their stalks rasped pleasantly together. The clouds floating above were reflected below like fish swimming languidly across the surface. The illusion was exacerbated by the water striders skimming along and sending out minute ripples. Here was a hint of the old Cat Kingdom. Pastoral. Celestial. The land she had fallen in love with all those years ago and that had occupied a singular place in her heart ever since. 

The Baron turned his attention away from the landscape and affixed it to her.

“I’ve explored the far reaches of the Cat Kingdom, but I haven’t had much opportunity to venture outside the Bureau. I’d like to see more of your world. Where you come from,” the Baron said in a low voice.

“We’ll be back. And we can always come back sooner,” Haru reminded him. 

They’d agreed to come back for the upcoming Boat Festival in two months. When teams of cats from across the kingdom would compete in a sailing race across the lake. Repairs would still be under way but Yuki insisted it would be an important opportunity to bring the kingdom together. An opportunity to foster unity. Ramshackle or no, the festival would go forward and bring some hope of normalcy back to the wartorn cats.

Two months seemed a long way away though. They would see Muta and Toto before then whenever they checked on the Bureau, but Haru had offered to come back sooner, wanting to be of more help in the relief efforts. But even Yuki had pushed back, pushing aside her own desire to see more of Haru. There were things that Haru needed to take care of too back home. 

They all knew it. And they weren’t wrong. Though she’d made Lune and Yuki promise to reach out if they needed anything sooner.

Humbert put a hand over hers. 

“I know, darling,” he said. “And we will. But for now, let’s go to yours.”

***

“Hiromi, this is the Ba…Humbert. This is Bert,” she stammered, unable to keep the nerves hidden. 

After the debacle with Kaz, she wanted Hiromi’s approval. Not because she needed it, though there was a small part of her that wanted a final assurance that she had made the right choice. Mostly though it was because she didn’t want her friend to worry about her any longer. She needed Hiromi to know that she was looking after herself better. 

Quitting her job was the first step. Then came accepting the open counseling position at her old grade school. There were a whole host of new stressors associated with it, dealing with rowdy teenagers and stressed parents, but it was a good kind of stress. One that she looked forward to instead of dreading waking up every morning. Knowing she was making a difference for kids struggling just like she once had. 

This introduction was the next. 

“Oh!” Hiromi exclaimed, looking the Baron up and down. 

He’d insisted on dressing up for the evening. Though it wasn’t his usual formal wear, he cut an impressive figure. Hiromi shot her an appraising look with her eyebrows raised. Subtlety wasn’t her strong suit, but Bert took it in stride. 

“I’ve heard so much about you Hiromi,” Bert said with a warm smile that would have melted the coldest heart. “It’s such a pleasure to meet Haru’s best friend.” 

Haru watched nervously as her friend guided them in, taking their coats. 

Humbert had easily converted her mother on their first visit. Somehow seeming to be completely familiar with the quaint and obscure customs of their area to show respect to elders. Add to that having an existing affinity for fabric and fine things and they had quickly become inseparable. Hardly a day passed now without her mother reaching out for Humbert’s opinion on one of her latest quilting projects. 

Hiromi was a different challenge though. Scrutinizing and on the defensive from the get go. Quite soon, however, Haru realized she needn’t have worried at all. 

Bert was in his element. The second they got to the kitchen, he jumped into action to help with anything lingering on their host’s to-do list. Tasked with chopping cashews for their salad, he asked her a million questions and chatted with a genial smile. Sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a warm flush on his cheeks, he looked like he belonged here. His human form still took her aback at times, as it did now with the evening sun pouring in from the kitchen window, sending his hair aglow. With his bright smile and sharp eyes, she found she couldn’t quite take her eyes off him. 

“Where did you two meet again?” Hiromi asked, bringing the line of questioning around and dragging her attention back. 

“We actually met quite a while ago, but only reunited recently,” Haru explained, searching for a plausible story that was as close to the truth as possible. Humbert managed to keep his amusement at the summary tempered though his eyes sparkled at her knowingly over his wine glass. 

“So Kaz is…” Hiromi ventured.

“Out of the picture for good,” Haru said firmly. It felt good to say it out loud. “Bert was actually there when it happened. It got a little ugly on Kaz’s part.”

“Color me surprised,” Hiromi snorted. 

“But Bert was…quite the gentleman nonetheless. I owe him a lot,” Haru continued, feeling a redness in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the alcohol. 

“Be that as it may, it doesn’t compare to what I owe her. Haru saved my life actually, if you can believe it,” Bert said, unable to stop himself from one-upping her. 

“I can,” Hiromi said with a small smile. “She’s saved a lot of people.”

Haru’s blush deepened. 

“Yes, she’s quite extraordinary and I realized then that I couldn’t let her go. Wherever she goes, I’ll be there cheering her on,” Bert said, putting down the knife. Focusing his full attention on her. There was an intimacy in that look. As if they were the only ones in the room. 

Hiromi was looking between them closely, eyes narrowed and Haru held her breath. Then Hiromi’s eyes began to water and a tremulous smile shook her lips. Gathering herself, she began collecting plates and cutlery. 

“Well, tell me all about it while we eat! I’ll get out some more wine!” she called as she took them to the dining room and gestured them in with an eager jerk of her head. “I like him,” she added to Haru in a whisper as she passed. Haru felt a warmth spread through her limbs.

The doorbell rang. 

“Right on time!” Tsuge was off work and Hiromi rushed over eagerly to let him in.

While they had a moment of privacy, Bert crossed the kitchen. 

He approached her with an uncharacteristic timidness. As if checking to see what the verdict was from their judge. When he saw the smile on her face he reached for her hand, enveloping it gently within his own. 

She chanced a glance up at him. He was watching her with his fern-green eyes, drinking her in as if he’d never get enough. He brushed an errant lock of hair behind her ears with a fond smile.

“I’ll never get tired of doing that,” he murmured.

Lifting up on her tip-toes, she kissed him. Surrounded by soft light, the smells of home cooking and his cologne, and the laughter of her friends in the other room. And for the first time in a long time, she felt with a certainty that she was following her heart once again.