The Cat’s Repayment

Today I, Yoshioka Naoko, mother of one Yoshioka Haru, saved the life of Prince Lune of the Neko no Kuni. And now, the Cat King wishes to wed our children? This definitely can’t bode well…

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Naoko and Haru did their best to return to their normal lives. At first it was difficult, Haru often having to come up with excuses as to why her mother was not available: Naoko was sick, she was away on business, too busy to be bothered at the moment. Eventually, people stopped asking for the quilter, whose works grew to be prized in the sewing world for their miniscule detailing.

The two women kept in close contact with those at the Cat Business Office and Prince Lune of the Neko no Kuni as well. Haru had been overjoyed to hear that the white cat that helped save her from the Cat Kingdom was the stray kitten she had met as a child and found herself a bridesmaid at Yuki’s wedding.

A year flew by and Haru graduated from High School. The following fall, she was packed up and moving into her college dorms. With this situation now on-hand, the Yoshioka women had decided to sell the house that had served them so well. Naoko would be moving to the Baron’s dimension.

Haru knelt down so that she was just above eye-lever with her feline parent. “Are you sure about this, Mom?”

Naoko nodded confidently, her arms laden with doll-sized suitcases that she piled chaotically into her daughter’s backpack. “I’m very sure, Haru-chan. People will get too suspicious about this house, not that they aren’t already.” She pushed her glasses up her nose. “I really feel that this is for the best.”

Haru nodded. “Okay, then. Well, we’d better get going. The new tenants will be moving in the day after tomorrow!” She held her book bag open, allowing Naoko to jump inside.

Like they had so many times over the past year, the two made their way to the Crossroad. Muta was already waiting for them, leading them down a twisting goose chase to the miniature neighborhood where the Baron, Toto, and he made their home. Naoko chose to leap out of her daughter’s purse at the moment, embracing the Baron, waving happily to Toto, and kissing a blushing Muta on his furry cheek.

“You three had better take good care of my mother!” Haru warned teasingly.

Muta sniffed and put a paw on the quilt-maker’s waist possessively. “Like I’d let anything happen to her!”

“Goodbye, Haru-chan! Have fun at college! I love you!” Naoko called at haru’s retreating back.

“I will! Love you too, Mom!”

Naoko smiled warmly, resting her head on Muta’s thick shoulder. She peered up at him mischievously. “Now what?”

He grinned and gave her a firm squeeze. “Let’s go check out my, that is our, house, eh?”

She kissed him sweetly. “Sounds good to me.”

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And that's the end! Ahh, I feel like I just finished writing it all over again. It's too bad I didn't diverge from the canon storyline enough, but, it was for fun. And I sure had fun! I apologize for not putting up this last chapter sooner, I ended up going camping.

Read, review, and all that jazz!

Megii