Chapter Text
The sun had barely risen upon the Aoyagi Kingdom, and yet the birds were singing. In the small town of Benelocrea, many shop owners were barely starting their day, but Akito had been up since four in the morning scouting out his route for the day. Usually, he'd start at his regular cafe, however they were starting to catch on to his routine.
Akito is a thief. He's not proud of it, but if it's to support his sister, he'll do anything, especially after their father and mother had died when they were just kids.
Ena doesn't know that he's a thief, but she's not completely in the dark either. Neither of them have a stable source of income. At least, not until Akito started his "job." Ena knew something was up when one day he came home with bruises all over his arms, but she didn't push the issue further. She simply treated him a lot better that day.
What she didn't know is that he works for a small band of bandits who pay him to steal jewelry and other luxury goods. One day, he didn't meet his quota, and paid the price. Ever since that day he made sure to always get more than he needed. Not that he couldn't take the beating of course, but rather to not make his sister worry.
There were plenty of secrets she didn't know about, and there were plenty of secrets he'd never let anyone know about. However, Ena happened to know the biggest one of all.
Akito was a shapeshifter.
Inexplicably, one day, when he was around thirteen, he discovered his newfound ability. At first he was shocked, but Ena was even more surprised. He remembered him crying, and Ena holding him tight.
After a week or so, he learned how to live with it. He used it to his advantage many times.
Running late for dinner? Transform into a bird!
Wanting free food from the butcher? Transform into a dog!
Running from the knights? Transform into literally anything and you get away with it with ease.
That's why he was one of the best thieves in the entire town.
Just then, the clocktower in the center of town had just struck seven as Akito transformed from a cat to his regular self and made a swift exit towards his first spot.
-
Akito casually walked into an expensive clothing store looking to steal an outfit for the day, so he wouldn't stand out at the other affluent stores.
Akito decided on a mostly black vest with red detailing scattered about. He paired it with a white button up shirt and plain black pants. He wanted to look good, but no reason to stand out.
"Excuse me," he said with his usual fake smile, "can you point me towards the dressing rooms?"
The employee looked him up and down and slowly led him to the nearest changing room.
Akito thanked the employee, and quickly got to changing. While the outfit was too form-fitting for his liking, he didn't have time to look for a different one. He decided to change his hairstyle as well, opting for a smoother side part as opposed to his fluffier hair before.
The final step to this heist would be his killing move: transforming into a cat.
Thankfully for Akito, his clothes and his leather satchel were just a part of his human form. He had never really thought about why it was like that, but then again, he is a shapeshifter, so what can't happen in this world?
Akito slipped out of the changing room and headed towards the checkout counter. The good thing about being a cat is that everyone loves cats, and it's easy to gain sympathy.
He meowed at the employee to let him out of the shop, and was quickly escorted out.
It's all too easy. He thought as he transformed back into human form with his new look.
He continued by walking over to a jewelry store he stole from weekly. Even with the frequency of his thefts, the workers never suspected him.
He inspected the jewelry out for display. Mostly silver, but it would have to do. He looked around and walked out with a bunch of jewelry in hand.
"Hey you gonna pay for that!" exclaimed the worker behind the counter.
He gave a smirk, "Nah, I think I'm good." and promptly walked out. This was his favorite part.
A few seconds later, an employee ran out and looked around frantically. Meanwhile, Akito walked right past as a cat. He almost felt bad for them, keyword: almost. After years of doing this, it's hard to feel anything for the people he steals from.
Akito simply shook his head and continued his route.
-
It was finally noon, and Akito could finally end his morning route. All he had to do was report back to the base on the outskirts of the town. He transformed into a bird, and quickly flew towards it.
When he arrived, he was met by a familiar blonde wearing a white dress with a red hooded cape.
Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw him, "A-Akito, Mr. Kotaki requested to speak with you!"
Akito was taken aback as he cautiously replied, "Uh, are you sure?"
She nodded, "Yes, he specifically asked me to wait out for you."
"Whatever you say Kohane." he reluctantly replied as he followed her towards the meeting room.
The two hastily navigated their way towards his office through the dim hallways of the base as the two collected stares from his colleagues. Akito had gained quite the negative reputation because of the "favoritism" given by the higher ups.
Finally, the two had reached his office. Kohane whispered him a good luck and quickly excused herself.
Akito took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. Inside he saw Mr. Kotaki and another person discussing something.
"Ah, Akito, it's about time you showed up!" he said, breaking the conversation with the person next to him.
Akito started, "Sorry for my tardiness, it-"
"Relax kid, it's fine. Knowing you, you were working overtime." he said as he waved off the person he was talking to.
"Ah yes, here's everything from today." Akito said as he handed over his bag with the stolen merchandise.
Mr. Kotaki inspected the contents in it thoroughly. "You got all of this?" he asked.
"Uh, yes. Sorry if it's lacking Mr. Kotaki, but-"
"What did I tell you? Relax kid, you're always so tense." he gave Akito a warm smile and returned his bag, "And call me Taiga. You've been working here for what, two years? We should be more acquainted. As I was saying, you did quite well. I've never met anyone as efficient as you in this business."
Akito quietly let out a sigh of relief and replied, "Thank you."
"No problem, although today, we're here to discuss some more important matters, over lunch of course."
On queue, another man opened the door with two plates of food.
"Pull up a seat, and dig in."
Akito nodded and pulled over a chair to Taiga's desk. "Thank you for the meal, so what do you want to discuss?"
"Akito, you're my best thief."
Akito cautiously nodded as he took a bite of his food.
"And tonight, a wagon will be traveling to the Ootori Kingdom."
Akito ate and nodded again.
Taiga took a breath in, "And tonight you will be traveling to the Ootori Kingdom."
Akito dropped his fork.
Taiga started, "Now, I know this may be a bit of a shock, but-"
"I can't."
"Well-"
"What about my sister. She can't live on her own." Akito said shakily.
"We can send payments to her if money's the issue." he said nonchalantly.
"I guess..." Akito said while picking at his pants and attempting to level his breathing.
"I know it's sudden, but I truly think you're the best person for the job. All I need you to do is scout out some of the stores for me. Maybe look for where knights are and gather a few samples for us."
"And how long will I have to do this for?"
"The wagon only comes once a month, so you'll have until then, even though I doubt you'll even need a week."
Akito nodded, "Of course. And how will I be paid for this?"
"For your time, let's say ten thousand coins as a base payment, although we can negotiate for more after your trip."
Akito's jaw dropped. He wondered how he'd even get that much money. Maybe they were making better money than he thought.
"I can see you're intrigued." Taiga chuckled.
Akito regained his composure and replied, "That could sustain my sister for life..."
"So, do we have a deal?"
"Yes."
"Good, once you're done with your food, go to Ken's cafe. He should have everything for the trip."
"Right." Did he really just agree to this? How's Ena gonna react? He contemplated as Taiga left the room.
He let out a shaky sigh as he picked at the remaining food at his plate.
It's all too much.
He thought as he got up from his chair.
-
"Good afternoon, Akito." said Ken as Akito walked into his cafe, "I didn't see you this morning, did anything go wrong?"
"No, I just, wanted to get a head start on the day." Akito said while guiltily looking down. "Um, Taiga told me to come see you and-"
"Ah, I see." He replied more seriously. "Follow me."
Ken led him to a back room of the cafe. "Wait here."
Akito sat as Ken walked off. It scared him seeing how serious Ken was being. To him, Ken was always the most relaxed and friendly guy. A few minutes later, Ken returned with a backpack and a small pouch of coins.
"Here's everything you'll need for your journey."
Akito nodded.
"Kohane will be the one to lead you to the wagon. Let her do all the talking, all you need to do is get on that wagon. Once you're there, you will carry out your mission. In your bag, you'll find some clothes, the address to your hotel, and some food. In your pouch, there are 500 coins. Any questions?"
"No sir."
Ken's gaze softened and he ruffled Akito's hair. "Ah, don't be so formal Akito, you'll do great on this mission. Taiga chose you for a reason."
"Sorry for seeming tense, it's a bit scary seeing you all serious." Akito teased.
"I get that, but relax kid. And hey, enjoy it. Think of it as a vacation."
Akito nodded. "Y'know, I do have a question for you."
"Fire away."
"You don't work with Taiga, and yet you're helping me. Why?"
Ken paused for a moment. "Let's just say, those days are behind me, but I understand why Taiga does what he does. So, I'm always ready to help him."
"I think I get what you mean." he sighed, "All I have left is to break the news to Ena."
"It's gonna be alright." Ken said as he gave him a reassuring pat on the back.
Akito got up and waved goodbye to Ken. Just as he was about to walk out Ken interrupted.
"Oh and one last thing."
Akito looked back, and Ken tossed him a coin.
"You didn't come by this morning and didn't take one from the register." Ken said as he gave him a smile.
Akito couldn't help but smile back.
-
Akito finally arrived home. He took a deep breath in and shakily gripped the door nob. His heart pounded as he opened the door.
Inside, he found Ena working on a painting. She was pulled out of her focus when she noticed Akito.
"Back from work already?" She asked. She ignored the new outfit and instead focused on the new backpack he was carrying. "What's in there?"
"Actually, we need to talk about that."
"Is anything wrong? Did you get fired?! Because if you did then-"
"No, I still have my job, in fact, my boss says I'm pretty good at it." he said with a prideful tone. His expression dropped when he went on to the next topic though, "I'm actually so good at my job that I get to go to the Ootori Kingdom for work."
Ena gasped, "That's awesome Akito! Make sure to bring me a souvenir."
"Well, that's not all I wanted to say." he took a deep breath, "I'm going for a full month."
Ena stopped painting. "What."
Akito scratched the back of his neck, "Well, you see, budget is a bit tight at work, so they can only afford monthly trips."
Ena sighed, "I swear, life just hates me." she muttered under breath, but Akito still heard. "Well, what about me? How will I be able to survive without money?" She mainly seemed upset, but Akito could hear the nervousness in her tone.
"My work has someone sending daily payments. It should be enough to cover all three meals."
Ena relaxed and replied, "I guess that'll be good enough, but what about you? Will you be able to survive?"
"That's what the bag is for. It has enough to pay for necessities."
"Fine, but be safe. So when do you leave?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight?!" she exclaimed. "You couldn't have told me earlier?!"
"Hey! I just found out today, back off will ya?"
"Well sorry for not wanting to be surprised by my brother leaving for a month-long trip!" she yelled.
"Please, even if I could've told you earlier you would've just forgotten until the day of!" he barked out.
"Oh really? Well I could say the same for you!" Tears started to form in her eyes. "When was the last time I asked you to get me paints and you actually bought them for me?!"
"Well maybe if you had the money to buy paints, then you could get them yourself!"
The fight was petty and dumb, they both knew that. However, as all conflicts happen, they are brought to a dramatic climax.
"Y'know, for someone who's supposed to be my 'big sister' you sure are acting like a little kid!" he yelled.
"Just shut up!" she exclaimed as she scratched at Akito's face. "You don't know what it's like in my shoes." she finished without even realizing what she had done.
With a few seconds of silence Akito walked off.
Realizing her actions, Ena ran after him, "Akito wait-"
"I'm preparing for my trip. Leave me be."
"Please, I'm-"
"Later." he said as he walked towards his room.
"Akito-" Ena was abruptly cut off by Akito slamming his door.
The scratch Ena left wasn't deep enough to draw blood, but enough to hurt. Akito looked into the mirror to see the carnage. Just a thin red mark to the right of his nose. Akito sighed and laid down on his bed.
How did that fight even start...?
He's a shitty brother, and he can't deescalate their arguments for the life of him. It's truly his fault really. Maybe if he wasn't born Ena would've had a better life with two loving and alive parents.
But that's the reason he got a job in the first place, to give Ena a better life. He makes money so she can be happy, although she'd be happier if he were just better, or not here at all.
Akito sighed again as he got up and looked for a change of clothes. For the journey, he opted for a long sleeved shirt paired with soft black pants. They were a bit worn, but they were the thickest clothes he had. While the winter had technically passed, the warmth of the spring had yet to come, and so, Akito wanted to be as warm as possible.
His clothes fit him loosely, though he could've sworn that they hadn't been this loose before. Akito brushed it off and put the nice outfit into the bag as well. He triple checked everything in his bag and left the room.
When he stepped out, he didn't see Ena. She presumably went to her room. Akito didn't bother to say goodbye and walked out of the house.
The walk to the base was quiet. He wasn't used to walking in his normal form. Typically he'd fly for maximum efficiency, but Akito wasn't in a rush. There were still many hours in the day, but the boy didn't know how to spend them. Most of his day to day consisted of him stealing from different stores, and going home. It may be monotonous, but Akito found comfort in the routine. As the base came into view, Akito picked up his pace and met Kohane now without her cloak who was standing out front.
"Akito, you're a bit early." she said.
"Could say the same for you." he replied.
"That's true, but the wagon doesn't come until the evening, so we have some time to kill."
"Oh, okay." he said. He didn't really know what most people did in this scenario, so the two stayed silent until Kohane spoke up.
"Would you like to go to a cafe?" she asked.
Akito nodded, and the two headed towards a cafe. The cafe wasn't Ken's, but it would have to do.
The two walked in and were immediately led to a table. Akito ordered just a coffee while Kohane ordered a full meal. The boy hadn't paid attention to what she ordered, but he did notice her watchful gaze. When their eyes met she quickly looked away.
"Y'know, if you have something to say, just say it." he mumbled.
Kohane looked back to him and sighed, "Okay. I just, I'm nervous for you."
Akito cocked an eyebrow in surprise, "Really?"
The girl nodded, "I mean, you've been worrying me for a bit now. I always see you working and I'm afraid one day you'll drop dead. Not to mention your eating habits, or should I say lack thereof."
The redhead scoffed, "Really, that's what's wrong."
"This is serious. I've tried to tell Taiga, but he just brushes me off each time I bring it up."
"Why's it Taiga's problem? I work so I can live, I'm fine."
"You work to survive, Akito, not to live. I just want you to take a break for once during this trip, but knowing you, you'll just work."
Akito stayed silent, breaking eye contact.
Kohane continued, "I just want the best for you. We're friends after all, right?"
The boy slowly nodded. "I just want what's best for my sister. I know she can't live without me, so I have to provide for her."
"I see." she sighed, "Just don't overdo it okay?"
"Alright." A few moments later food was brought out to them, and Kohane ate her meal while Akito sipped at his coffee.
They were relatively quiet aside from the occasional sounds of silverware hitting the plate. Akito didn't want to admit it, but seeing Kohane eat made him hungry. He tried to suppress the feeling for now. Once Kohane was done, she paid for the two of them and headed out.
"Akito, are you ready to go now?" she asked as they exited.
"Ready as I'll ever be." he said as he watched the sun begin to set. The two began to walk towards one of the backroads of the town. When a small brown horse-drawn wagon came into view, the girl turned to him once again.
"Okay, remember, just follow my lead. Your job is to get on that wagon and get to the Ootori Kingdom. Don't talk okay?" she said in a serious tone.
Akito nodded and they finally approached the wagon.
"Ah, you must be the one who sent the letter!" said the one next to the wagon. The woman had pink hair pulled into a ponytail in the back. She appeared to have been a knight, and Akito wondered how they even managed to book this, but in this line of work it's better to not ask questions.
Kohane nodded and replied, "Yes, my brother was seeking a ride to the town of Pheonixia. He has a place to stay, but we couldn't find anything cheap enough to get there. We don't have much to offer, but we need this to survive."
The knight nodded, "I see. Well, of course we can help you guys. Isn't that right Mafuyu?" The pink haired looked towards the front of the wagon.
Mafuyu, also a knight, looked at her with a blank stare.
"She'll come around. So what's your name ginger. I'm Mizuki."
Akito stayed silent as he was told, and Kohane spoke for him, "His name is Haruki. He doesn't like to speak to others unless necessary. I suggest you don't try to talk to him."
"Ah, I see. Kinda similar to someone I know." Mizuki said, clearly teasing Mafuyu. The latter's expression remained unchanged. "Right. I'm technically not supposed to allow this, but I think I can let it slide for you guys." She said with a wink.
Kohane and Akito nodded. "Thank you, really." Kohane said.
"Of course, though we should get going now." Mizuki said.
Kohane looked into Akito's eyes one last time before the trip. "Please stay safe." she whispered.
The boy nodded, and was abruptly pulled into a hug. It was hard to hug the girl back as she had wrapped her arms around his, so he simply looked down as a fond smile tugged at his lips.
With that, Akito hopped onto the wagon and looked back to Kohane one last time. The girl was already making her way presumably back to the base. She was always a dedicated employee. The boy looked back towards the sky, and as the sun disappeared below the horizon, the three rode off to the Ootori Kingdom.
-
"So Haruki, what're you planning on doing when we get there?" Mizuki asked.
"Mizuki, you've been trying to talk to him for the past half hour. I thought you were told to not talk to him." deadpanned Mafuyu.
"Well, it was just a suggestion!" Mizuki jested, "Besides, I doubt he's even listening..." she muttered.
Mafuyu looked at Akito. The boy sat in between the two knights, a blank stare across his face. Every time his eyes blinked, it seemed they threatened to stay that way. The purple-haired gave him a tap on the shoulder, "Hey, why don't you take a nap. We'll wake you up when we get there."
Initially, Akito flinched at the touch. As he processed his words, he shook his head.
"Are you sure?" Mizuki started, "I mean, I can see the dark circles under your eyes."
Akito's eyes widened. "Y-you can...?" he whispered.
"You can talk!" Mizuki exclaimed.
"Mizuki, really?" Mafuyu said, "Sorry, Haruki, although, I do think a nap would benefit you. We arrive at dawn, so you'll have plenty of time to sleep."
Akito nodded, "Okay, i-if you say so..." he mumbled. The wagon paused and he was moved to the back. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it would have to do. The boy overheard the knights talking, but he was too tired to process what was going on. And so, the boy curled himself into a ball, and fell asleep.
"Man, poor kid." said Mizuki, "I guess the siblings really need this huh."
Mafuyu nodded, "I suppose so. At first, there was something suspicious about those two, but I couldn't put a finger on it..."
"What?!" Mizuki exclaimed, "Geez, you were just being paranoid. Typical Yuki."
Mafuyu scoffed, "In my defense, you never know. I know princess Ootori's coronation is soon, so many will most likely try to sneak into the kingdom."
"I guess, but still, he's just a kid! Maybe even younger than us!"
Mafuyu nodded, "Yes, I do suppose it was silly for me to be concerned, but I still think something's amiss."
"Well, at least that's a problem for a later date, am I right?" Mizuki joked.
The former returned with a blank stare.
"Ugh, so serious."
"C'mon, we're going to be late if we don't start moving."
Mizuki resigned and continued to steer the wagon.
--
As the sun began to rise once again, the trio had arrived.
"Hey Haruki, look where we are!" cheered Mizuki.
Akito sleepily rubbed his eyes and looked around him. The wagon was in a house. At least he thinks it's a house. He hadn't seen anything like it really.
"As much as I'd like to talk with you, we have to get going." said Mizuki.
Akito nodded. "Thank you so much."
"No problem man! Stay safe!"
Akito nodded again and pulled out the address Ken had given him. Once he arrived at the hotel, he saw a clerk wave towards him, "Good morning, welcome to the Ootori Inn." He confirmed his reservation and headed towards his room.
It was nice to say the least. The wood was much newer than the one at his house. The floor didn't creak, and the beams didn't bend. There was a closet with an extra set of clothes. The fabric was soft. Was it pure silk? He knew the Ootori Kingdom was rich, but this was a different level.
He continued to inspect the room, admiring all of the fine details found throughout. As he finished his tour, he sat down on the bed. He opened his backpack to check his belongings, and everything was in order. He changed his outfit, and soon left the room.
It was time to work.
-
As a cat, Akito walked around the city. Most shops weren't open so he began to explore the vacant streets. A chill ran throughout his body as the wind permeated through his chest. One of the few shops open was a bakery. Akito hid and transformed. No need to steal from them just yet.
He opened the door, and his nose was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of the pastries inside.
"Oh, hello there!" said a girl behind the counter. She had light brown hair, and was about average height. "I haven't seen you around here, are ya new?"
Akito nodded.
"Yeah, I could tell, so would you like a run through the menu?"
The boy's eyes slightly widened. How could she tell? What does she know?
"Ah, sorry I didn't mean to startle you!" the girl said apologetically. "It's just, only regulars come this early in the morning, so I figured you wouldn't know the menu."
"It's fine." said Akito, "Do you have pancakes?"
"Yes! Would you like it with strawberries and cream, or with raspberries and cream?"
"Will that be extra?" asked Akito.
"Of course not! And, since it's you first time here, I'll give you a discount."
Akito's mouth watered at the thought, "I'll have the strawberries and cream please."
"Cool, that'll be 5 coins!" said the girl.
Akito paid and sat at a seat near the window. We wondered if the pancakes would taste like Ken's. They were a hell of a lot more expensive, so Akito was praying that they were. Then, the pancakes came out.
There were four big fluffy pancakes stacked on top of one another. He swore each one was bigger than his hand. Each of them looked to be cooked to perfection. Furthermore, they were topped with an even fluffier and richer cream and the ripest and sweetest strawberries. The pancakes were gone in five minutes.
"Oh my!" exclaimed the girl, "You ate fast, would you like to order some more?"
"No, I'm good. I have to go to work." said Akito. As he was eating, he saw more shops began to open.
"Oh, well, please come again soon!"
"Will do." said Akito as he waved goodbye.
Outside, Akito walked into an alley and transformed into a cat. He saw as market stalls began to open and stock on fresh fruit. Akito had never seen such a variety of produce. In his part of town, all they really had was potatoes, carrots, and apples. And that's if they were lucky. Of course on the rich side of town it was different story, but the Ootori Kingdom still had more.
As he made another turn, he saw the business district. Jewelry and luxury clothing stores were all over. Akito was in awe as he looked at all of the store owners preparing to open. Although, Akito saw a worrying sight as well. Guards lined the streets and alleys. It would be impossible for someone to steal from here.
Yet, that challenge intrigued him.
He continued down the block until Akito was met with an open plaza. In the center sat a grand fountain. Children gathered around the fountain, eagerly pointing towards something. Curious, Akito followed their fingers and found a girl.
She had blue eyes, and light brown hair with a red tint in a ponytail. She wore a red dress with red heels and a pointed red hat. In one hand was a book she appeared to be reading out of, while in her other hand she held, something? Akito couldn't tell what it was, so we walked closer. However, as he drew closer, a noise pierced through his ears.
Woof!
Akito froze.
Woof! Woof!
"Ah wait, Shibao, don't go after that cat!"
It was too late, the dog was already after Akito, who was now running out of the plaza. He heard the girl in red screaming after her dog, but it couldn't overpower the bloodlust of the beast. Eventually, Akito had ran into a tall grassy field. Surely, he thought, surely the brute would leave him alone now, right? Unfortunately the creature was still on his tail. In a last ditch effort, he ran towards a tree. Once nearby, he jumped up. The monster tried to climb up, but it was unsuccessful. Akito smiled in triumph, or he did, until he saw the branch he was on.
It was very thin, and despite Akito being a cat, the branch was very much bending. He couldn't jump since the branch wouldn't support it, but if the branch broke he was toast. He was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. So, as he felt the branch bend more and more, he closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
The branch snapped, yet he didn't move. He opened his eyes and a girl with green hair, purple eyes, and a stick in hand. The girl moved underneath him and set down the stick. Akito then fell into the girl's arms and saw the girl in red jog to where the green haired stood.
"Shibao!" she scolded her dog, "We do Not chase cats!"
The dog whined in shame (as it should) and barked an apology.
"I've never seen him chase something like that." commented the girl in red.
"I know, it's fascinating... Maybe there's something special with this cat." said the other.
"My! That cat has some energy despite being so thin."
"Hmm, maybe I should take you back to my place."
Akito, who was drifting off to sleep, hadn't processed the conversation, and simply buried himself deeper into the girl's arms.
-
"Eat up kitty." said the girl. Akito was inside the green-haired girl's house. It was warmer than the outside, which was nice, and free food! What more could he ask for? Well for one, he kinda needed to get back to work, and two, he ate not too long ago, so he only lapped a little bit of the milk. Once done, he walked towards the door and meowed. This should get me back on track, he thought.
Strangely, the girl didn't care for his meows. "Oh, not a fan of milk? Maybe some fish will be better." she said, retreating to what he assumed was the kitchen.
Akito meowed in frustration, let me leave!
The girl replied with a giggle, "I hear you, fish is on the way."
Akito put his paw to his face, but the girl came back with the promised fish. "Here you go kitty."
The boy wasn't too thrilled seeing raw sardines in front of him, but he humored the girl and took a bite. Not bad.
"Are cats always this picky?" she muttered under her breath.
Akito yawned, this was one of the longest periods he had been an animal, and typically he wasn't tired during it. After, sure, but he never considered what would happen if he stayed an animal for too long. Was there a too long? He doesn't know. What he did know is that the girl was carrying him upstairs as he drifted off to sleep.
-
Nene pulled up her encyclopedia. Do orange cats have a different diet? "Ugh! This cat is so weird!" she exclaimed. She had taken in a stray cat that was chased by Honami's dog. There was something different about this cat, she was sure of it, but she couldn't find anything. She knew it wasn't the biggest fan of milk or sardines, but was that it?
She sighed in frustration, Maybe I should just give up...
Suddenly, she heard a loud thump from upstairs. "What the hell..." she muttered. She figured it probably wasn't the cat, especially considering the size of it, but what if the cat knocked something down? She rushed upstairs to see what was wrong.
She opened the door, "Hey kitty-"
An orange haired boy was on her floor, "Uh, meow...?"