XI

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Arc XI Chapter 9

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“Hmm ...” Yuki reacted in surprise, looking around. An unknown voice ordered her to halt. Like the good girl she was, she obeyed. Yet there was nobody to be seen far and close. The town was still deserted as before.

“Hmm ...” Yuki tilted her head in confusion. Who was the mysterious voice that spoke to her. An unsolved mystery ...

The unknown voice boiled with unprecedented anger, veritably fuming. “Do not darrre to ignorrre us, malicious fiend! I am your enyaemy!”

There it was again. The mysterious voice had returned. It clearly belonged to a feline specimen, and yet there was once again no cat in sight. Yuki's gaze swept across the empty streets and roofs. Much to her immense disappointment, there was no cat to be seen. Was the mysterious voice perchance just a product of her imagination? Perhaps. It was a worrisome thought. Mysterious talking voices in your head were not a good thing. Nee-san would certainly not approve of them ...

The voice exploded, “We are down here, you imbecile! Do not slight our honyaour, forrreign devil! We are proud warrriors of the neko clan! We do not fearrr you!!!”

“Oh ...” They were right. Yuki finally realised her mistake and lowered her gaze, looking downwards onto the street. “Oh, there you are~.” Her eyes caught sight of a pack of small, little kittens facing her. The cats were all fully armed from tail to paw, clad in heavy dark blue lacquered samurai armour. A kabuto covered their fluffy heads and ears, and their small paws wielded their swords with firm determination. And yet, despite their threatening appearance, they were all so cute. They were all so cuddly and huggly. Every single one of them.

Their mere sight warmed Yuki's heart with radiant joy. “Oh my, so cute and fluffy. You are even armed~. Aren't they all adorable, Katsuki ...”

The leader of the pack pouted in indignation, raising her paw against her. “WE ARE NOT CUTE AND FLUFFY!!! We arrre fearrrsome warriors! We are wild like tigerrrs and do not fear even death himself! I am Captain Yoruichi, and we are proud servants of Her Majesty! We are the furrmidable impurrrial neko guarrrd! Do well to remember us, foreign devil, as it will be your last sight!”

Yuki smiled while hugging Katsuki in her arms, still blinded by their supreme cuddliness. “Oh my, no need to be so violent~. Cannot we be friends~?” It was time to make some more kitten friends. Nee-san would be surely proud of her.

“Fwiends?” Captain Yoruichi of the neko guard raised her dubious eyebrow, eyeing her with considerable suspicion. She obviously didn't trust her in the slightest.

Yuki nodded. “Yes, friends. I am sure you all just want some cuddles and snuggles. Some head pats for everyone~.”

“...” Captain Yoruichi lowered her sword, albeit only briefly and tentatively. The distrust was patent.

“...” Yuki beamed.

“NO!!! We will not fall for your deception, foreign devil!!!” Captain Yoruichi gripped her sword, her paws filled with resolve. “Your twisted tongue speaks only lies and deceit, fiend! We arrre prroud warriors! Our paws are strong, and our wills are as unbending as steel! We have sworn an oath to protect Koneko and catizens with our lives and blood, even in its darkest hour! We will not waver, and we will not shrink from our duty! We will not be led astray by the purrspect of cuddles, snuggles, and chin strokes! No matter how tempting they might be!”

“...” Yuki pouted in disappointment, hugging Katsuki tightly. Her attempt at making more fwiends had failed. Her hopes had been brutally crushed and her offer rebuffed. How cruel.

“Captain Yoruichi ...” Katsuki tried to speak up for her, yet even she was brushed aside by Yoruichi's élan.

Captain Yoruichi raised her sword. “Your pleads serve you naught, fiend! Be prepared to meet your end! Neko guard, attack ...”

Yuki, however, was not so quick to give up. If Nee-san, then it was to fight and never surrender! “Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking me? What have I done to deserve such treatment?” Her words caught the neko guard off guard, giving them pause.

“Well, ...” Captain Yoruichi was thinking. “As said, your wanton destrrruction will stop here and meow! You will pay for your deeds, fiend!”

Both she and Katsuki were equally confused. “Wanton destruction? What wanton destruction? I entered the town just a few minutes ago, and as far as I can see, Koneko is still standing.”

“... ... ...” Yoruichi fell silent before raising her voice again. “Lies! I am surrre you must have destroyed something on your crrrazed stampede. A mailbox, a cart, a food stand! There must be something, right?” He turned to her loyal subordinates.

Her second in command shook his head. “Not as far as we know, Captain. We have no damage reported yet.”

“... ... ...” Yoruichi returned her attention to her, visibly dissatisfied with the current situation. “Anynya, then it was more of a figure of speech. And it is rather the potential destruction that is relevant here, and not the actual destrruction. Only because you haven't destroyed anything yet, that doesn't mean that you will not destroy anything in the future!

Furthermore, you have entered the town without permission! You have breached the guardhouse after overpowering our brave warriors! But we shall not tolerate your reign of terror!”

Yuki was listening. The neko clan was clearly not as eloquent as Nee-san. It was not even a comparison ... But it made them charming. The cats were cute and silly, and a little bit helpless. The neko clan definitely needed her help. “... But I didn't overpower them ... The guards fled their posts the moment they saw me ... So I just stepped over the walls ...”

“... ... ...” Captain Yoruichi fell once again silent, once again turning to her subordinates. “Is that true? Did they really desert their posts?”

Her second in command took a deep breath, scratching his fur. “Well, technically speaking, yes ...”

“... ... ...” Yoruichi raised her paw against her. “Listen, female human creature, you might speak the truth for once, but the fact stands that your sole intention is to terrorise this peaceful town and its catizens!”

“Really?” Yuki doubted so.

Yoruichi nodded, confident in her ways. “Yes, and we have definite prrroof to lay bare your vile intentions beyond any reasonable doubt, fiend!”

Yuki smiled. “Such as?”

Yoruichi pointed at her arms. “The young kitten in your arms! You have clearly catnapped her, fiend, for whatever vile purposes! If that is not definite proof of your bottomless villainy, then I don't know what else.”

Realisation hit Yuki. “Ah, you mean Princess Katsuki. You know, she is ...”

“Preposterous!!!” Yoruichi raised her sword, as did the rest of the neko guard. “Not only did you catnap a young, innocent kitten, but you also commit your crime against a member of the impurrrial family and the Crown Princess herself! Does your black hearted wickedness know no bounds? You will pay for your crimes!!! Neko guard, assemble ...”

Yuki sighed in frustration. “Listen, Captain Yoruichi, please let me finish for once. I will expalin everything. I have not catnapped Princess Katsuki. I am here as her friend, right, Katsuki?”

Katsuki nodded vigorously, finally taking her side. “Indeed, Lady Yuki is an esteemed a fwiend of the neko clan, and our honourable guest. She was invited personally by Her Majesty herself. I swear so on my paws.”

Yoruichi blinked. “Really?”

Both, Yuki and Katsuki nodded.

“... ... ...” Captain Yoruichi averted her eyes, finally realising the implications of her actions. Her paws were fidgeting. “I am sowwy. This was just a big misunderstanding ...”

A tender hand was patting her head, slowly rubbing her fur. It was Yuki, armed with a big, radiant smile. “No need to be so gloomy. It is all forgiven and forgotten.”

And thus Yuki was able to defeat the imperial neko guard. Not through brute force, but through cuddles and snuggles.

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