Whisper of The Cat

The Baroness

Haru yawned as she sat on the roof of the school, looking up at the sky. She wondered how Shizuku was doing. Her friend had been away for quite some time now. Poor Seiji was really depressed without her. Haru felt so bad for him.

"I wonder what it's like in New York." She muttered. "I'm so jealous. I wish I could have gone."

She sighed and rested her head in her open palms. She remembered how she had landed here after she was rescued from the Cat Kingdom. It was several years ago, but she still remembered it. That wasn't the type of thing a person normally forgot.

She looked back up at the sky. Somewhere up there was the doorway to the Cat Kingdom. It was still hard to believe that the portal was several hundred feet above her. She wondered if the kingdom had changed much. She thought about Lune and Yuki, wondering how they were. She wished she could see them again rather than that stupid Natoru, repeatedly coming on behalf of the former Cat King to ask if she was ready to accept his marriage proposal yet.

"He needs to get it through that thick head of his that I do not now or ever want to marry him." She muttered.

Looking back across the city she spotted a familiar person. She did a double take and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Is that Shizuku?" she said. Even from this distance she recognized her friend. "She's back? Since when?"

Haru immediately noticed that Shizuku, if that indeed was her, was heading for Seiji's house. Of course, it would be the first place she would go. Haru decided to head her off.

Taking a shortcut, Haru waited for Shizuku to show up, knowing that she would have to come by this way to get to Seiji's house. She didn't have to wait long as the person, who was indeed Shizuku, carrying a large paper bag, hurried by.

"Hey, Shizuku!"

Shizuku stopped, looking around for the person who called her name. She spotted Haru leaning against a tree.

"Haru, what?" Shizuku hadn't expected to see her friend so soon. "How did you know I was back? Er, I mean, hi! It's good to see you again."

Haru chuckled. "It's good to see you too. And to answer your question, I didn't know you were back. I spotted you from the top of the school."

Shizuku looked up at the school. "Oh. Guess that explains it. Anyway, I just got back today. I just arrived at home about an hour ago."

"Why didn't you call us to meet you?"

Shizuku smiled guiltily. "I wanted to surprise you guys with my return. Guess I ruined it for you."

Haru waved it off. "I was still surprised. But enough about that, how was your trip? Tell me all about it."

Shizuku shook her head, tightening her hold on the bag she was holding. "I'll tell you later. First I have to get to Seiji's, then to Baron's."

Haru eyed the bag suspiciously. "What's that?"

Shizuku looked at the bag then back at Haru. She took a quick look around before whispering, "I guess you can call it a souvenir. Shiho and I went out one night and came across an antique shop, and, look!"

She reached into the bag and pulled out what was inside. Haru gasped as she saw what it was.

"Shizuku! Oh my God! Is that?"

Shizuku beamed. "What's it look like?" she asked, holding up the female cat figurine.

Haru marveled at the beautiful doll. The soft white fur, the gorgeous dress, the stunning blue eyes. There was no mistaking it. There was no other statue like this.