"The Girl with a Cat"

by Neko

NOTE: This was translated from Russian to English by Angel Mercury. This is Neko's little "RurouniKenshin"-based story about her own character, Neko, and my (Angel Mercury's) character Yuri. Neko, Yuri and the cat Aki are our characters, but Misao and everyone else in the "Rurouni Kenshin" world is property of Watsuki Nobuhiro. Neko was just borrowing them for a little while. :)

In Kyoto, Sakura was in full bloom. Everyone was happy, and slightly out-of-it.

Misao woke up very early. She dressed quickly and ran out of her house to greet the sun. Enjoying the warm rays of golden light, she suddenly saw a girl in a blue kimono with sakura blossoms, and... a cat! Really, this is very strange. It was already strange because it was early morning, and the cat was jumping! Jumping, leaping and circling happily around his owner! When Misao came closer, the cat somehow managed to leap straight onto the girl's right shoulder, and she scratched him gently behind the ear. 'Hmm, they do look strange,' thought Misao and suddenly heard:

"Hello! A beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"E..e-e.."

"Does my cat confuse you? That's not surprising, but he's such a good boy, my Aki. By the way, my name is Neko. What's your name?"

"Misao."

"Well, see you again, Misao!"

With this, the girl with the cat walked away, and soon disappeared from sight, leaving Misao to stand for a few more minutes in confusion.

Neko was going to her best friend Yuri. Yuri was, probably, the only person she knew in Kyoto...

It was noon. The streets of Kyoto were filled with a dull noise from shop-owners and people hurrying somewhere. Among them, against the general flow of people, stood two friends - Neko and Yuri. They chatted happily, and Aki helped the conversation with loud purring. They chatted and chirped like birds, and suddenly saw... Misao! It looked like she was here to buy something.

"Misao! Come here!" Neko called.

Misao heard, and came towards them.

"Happy to greet you again. This is Yuri - my best friend," smiling, Neko continued. "Do you want to take a walk with us in the forest?"

Misao thought, and agreed.

It was so wonderful in the forest! The three girls walked for a long time, and came somewhere they really shouldn't be. They really shouldn't have been there - because thugs attacked them! But of course, Misao always had her kunai-daggers, and in a moment, all were lying on the ground senseless. All except one - the leader who attacked the girls last.

"Haha, don't have any more daggers, do you?" the thug hissed, grabbing Misao by the braid from behind. "One more move and you die!" What a nightmare! What's going on, why is Neko whispering something to Aki at such a moment? And...

"Rrrreeeooowww!!!" the cat suddenly screamed and leapt on the bandit's heat, meanwhile biting him on the nose and clawing at his face! "Meeeooowrrr!" the mad cat hissed, all the while sitting on the head of the villain, who was dashing to and fro, yowling in pain and running somewhere to the side. "Ffffsshh! Meowrr!" was heard from somewhere - Aki hung on, despite all of the thug's attempts to throw him off while running very fast. Finally all was quiet, and Aki returned to the amazed Yuri and Misao, and to the satisfied Neko, carrying the villain's wallet in his mouth. He wailed a little then gave it to his owner.

"I don't believe my eyes," Yuri whispered.

"So how many of these wallets do you have?" Misao asked.

"I don't know," Neko said, quickly hiding the wallet into her kimono, and giggled, "Aki's a smart little boy isn't he?"

The friends laughed, and happy Aki sat on Neko's shoulder, purring in satisfaction.