The Baron

5

I started falling, we're falling from the sky! I screamed as the air hit my face. Below me I could see Haru holding Muta to her chest. She's human again. "Hey!" I yelled at her as we clashed in the air. "Watch it!" Muta chimed.

I felt something grab the back of my dress and I was relieved to see it was Baron. His legs nearly wrapped around me from behind and held his hat from flying off with one hand. "Are we going to die?!" Haru asked.

"No."

"For now."

"Muta." I laughed at his humor but instead got scolded by Baron. "Spread your arms!"

We all looked at each other equally confused. "Just trust me." Baron added. I grabbed his hand first then Haru then Muta. We all fell together like a chain. I looked at Baron, he smiled big, actually showing his cat teeth. It felt foreign to me. "What?"

"You're human again." He yelled.

I laughed out of happiness, feeling my ears turn to normal ears. A flock of crows started to hit us, soon slowing our fall, making a path on their backs for us to stand on. "One step at a time." Haru says as she places her arms out for balance. I did the same and Baron sat on my shoulder.

"Good work, Toto." Baron told the crow as it flew beside us. "I almost missed you." I told Toto and he giggled. Quickly calling Muta Fat. I giggled.

"Harper, if you'd like, you can stay with my mother and I."

"Really? Thank you!"

"She'd be so happy to see you again. We can help you when you have your baby."

I look at Baron and he gave me a worried smile, but didn't say anything. After a bit, the crows dropped us at the roof of Haru's school. "Oh my gosh, for a second I thought we wouldn't make it back." I say in relief. I looked at my stomach and it is flat again, I sigh with relief again.

"Harper, you're still pregnant you know." Haru shakes her head so I reply, "I'm aware, but I'm glad I dont have a belly yet." I grinned.

Toto smiled, "don't forget to visit, kid."

"Yeah, I hate you both but please come back sometime."

"Okay. I will." I told them. "Aight lets hit it." Muta got carried away by Toto and left Baron there in front of me. He looked sad. I crouched to his level so we were eye to eye. "Are you certain you want to stay with Haru?"

A small smile came to my face. "I'm certain." I said. Baron's eyes were tearing up as he took off his top hat and placed it on my open palm. He puts his hands on my cheeks, resting his entire head on the bridge of my nose. "I hope this isn't the final time we see one another....you don't know how much you mean to me, Harper."

"It won't, I'll visit the Bureau when I can. You're my guardian now. I Can't leave you. But  Don't let those two idiots kill each other."

"You have my word." He pulled away and bowed at Haru. "Just for the record, I think I have a crush on you." Haru tells Baron and it genuinely made me chuckle. "Just for the record, I admire a woman who speaks from the heart."

Haru and I smile.

"Take care of her, Haru."

She nods at him softly. "The doors to the Bureau are open to you whenever you need me, be it day or night. Until then, goodbye." Baron spins into the air, being caught by Toto then flew away. "I'll miss you!" I yelled at them. "Not me kid!" Muta says and of course Toto and him start bickering.

I will miss them a lot, but I need to see the world while I have the chance. I'll need to figure out how to be the best mother I can while I'm at it.

5 years later

"Mom, its 6, we have to go."

"I said you're not going."

Akira, Harper's daughter watched her mother turn her back. The little girl whined, throwing herself on top of Harper. The sun is going down, which she knows its time to see her favorite orange cat of all time.

"Later." Harper mutters. Akira shook her head after Harper told her to go to bed.  "Fine! He's the one who won't forgive you." The girl ran off to her room and began to zip up her sweater. Harper smiled, knowing Akira is gonna run off to the Bureau.

Harper dragged herself out of bed, standing by her window. Akira walked through the front gates, clutching her little beanie. A familiar crow flew in Harper's window frame and she sighed. 

"The kid is running off again." Toto says,  "she does this every night. We just got back from the trip and Baron is all she could talk about." Harper replied.

"Well he does spoil her with that angel cake he makes."

Harper chuckles, closing her arms around herself.  "I might go tomorrow to see him. For now, keep an eye on her, Toto." 

The crow bows and flaps away to follow Akira. For a five year old, she is very smart, and found a safer way to get to the Bureau without crossing the street. The girl crossed people's backyard walls until she got in a little tunnel Harper made for her. It led her directly to the Bureau, right beside the normal alley entrance.

Muta walks in from the alley and his tail goes up as he sees Akira.  "Hey kid, welcome back." Muta says. "Muta! Mom told me your fat."

"She said WHAT?"

"I told her you're fluffy." She reached out to pet him and Muta attempted to push her hand away. Akira began to hover her finger in the air in playful way which made Muta subconsciously chase her finger.  "Ugh stop, you're just like everyone else." He yelled after falling for it.

Akira smiled innocently at him.  "Oh fine! Make it quick. Just because I like you."

"Yay," She runs her hands down Muta's back then scratched his head. He did enjoy it all. Toto flew over the little town landing on his pole. Akira stopped petting Muta to run to the green house's glass. Beyond it is Baron's statued self on display.

She waited for the sun to go down completely, sitting cross legged outside.  "I missed you Baron, I have to tell you so much about the trip with mom." She begins.

The sunlight that shined Baron's face kept slowly going down, until it didn't.
His green cat eyes gleam back to life, following his mouth turning into a big smile. 

"I'm all ears~"

THE END!