Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 34

~Chapter 9: Escaping the Palace~

The green cat guards rushed out from a doorway to capture Baron, the ginger cat quickly grabbed Hikari, covering her slightly with his cloak. They threw daggers, the cat skillfully nudging them off with his cape. Throwing a knife at them, cutting them all until crashing into the huge jelly glass. Muta rolled out with the liquid, lying on his back. He groaned, pulling himself up, groggily," Ugh... I'm stuffed..."
The maids squealed, running off," He's alive! The monster's alive!"
"Muta!" Hikari gasped, teary eyed," You're okay!"
Muta scanned the room, wide eyed," Uh-oh!"
"STOPPP!" The cat king hissed, being restrained by his own guards," YOU SCOUNDRELS!"
"Take His Majesty to safety!" Natori commanded the guards.
"DON'T LET THEM ESCAPEEE!"
The cat king was carried out of the room, flailing, Natori shortly following behind him, panicked. Muta plodded off, chased by three guards. The guests all screamed and ran, escaping the castle, as Natoru smiled, bidding them goodbye with safety procedures.
"This way to the emergency exits. Please proceed quietly. Right here please. Enjoy your day."
Baron swiftly dodged spears, which impaled the floor, steering Hikari away. Jumping onto the table with her, staring down at the guards, ready to attack.

"INCOMINGGGG!" Muta threw himself at them, all toppling down like tenpins.
"Muta, you're great!" Hikari giggled, Baron smiled at his friend, fondly.
Muta rolled off the guards onto his legs," Every cat for himself!"
The white cat scampered off, being chased by four new guards.
"This way!"
Baron and Hikari glanced below them, Yuki staring up at them from behind a guest table. Both leapt down, crouching beside her.
"I saw you before!" Hikari beamed.
"Baron," Yuki nodded," I knew you would come."
"Do you know me?" Baron tilted his head, everyone ignoring the spears being launched in the background.
"I've heard about you and your Office."
Hikari frowned, touching her cat ears," If only I'd listened to you, this wouldn't have happened."
Yuki shook her head," It's fine. If you leave before dawn, you'll become a demon again."
"Really!?"
Yuki opened a small door carved into the side of the table," This leads outside the castle."
"Very convenient," Baron nodded.
Hikari turned to Baron," What about Muta?"
Baron peered over the table to check. A heavy weight crashed through the glass roof, attached by a chain. Muta hung onto the chain, swinging over the guards as they struggled to stab him. He jeered at them, sticking at his tongue as he lazily swung. Baron hummed in response.

Hikari slipped off the dress, her normal clothes underneath.
Baron crouched back down,"He'll be all right. Let's hurry."
Hikari nodded, crawling into the trapdoor. Baron took off his cloak, revealing his normal clothes, crawling into the tunnel followed by Yuki. Hikari screamed, sliding down the shoot; Baron elegantly slid, smiling as he held onto his hat and cane. Yuki followed, sliding down on her paws. Yuki pushed up a gutter lid, they all climbed out from the tunnel.
"A back door," Baron hummed.
Beside the wall, was the two cats who'd been thrown out of the window during the party, looking sad.
Yuki pointed to the largest tower, leading to the hole in the sky," The tower leads to your world."
"Uwah!" Hikari grimaced," It's so tall!"
"You must find your way through the maze first," Yuki sighed.
Hikari groaned, the maze was so thick and long. Baron leaned over the edge, judging the path.
"We'll make it."
"Good," Yuki smiled," Please take care of Hikari."
"Wait!" Hikari gasped, the white cat bounding away.
Hikari frowned.
"She's gone. I didn't get to thank her."
Baron walked to the girl's side," Hikari, this is just a guess...but I think she led you to me."

Hikari gasped, remembering the voice at the school telling her to go to the cat business office. It was so pretty and gentle, just like her's.
"You're right!" Hikari nodded," That beautiful voice was her's! But why did she help?"
Both gasped, looking up, the sound of glass shattering. From a window, Muta swung out, still clutching onto the chain; a few guards flying out screaming. Muta grabbed onto the wall with his claws. The guards collapsed onto the floor beside Hikari and Baron. Muta groaned, slowly going down as his nails scratched the wall. As he landed, he stormed over to them, furious.
"Thanks to you everyone's out to get me!"
"Let's just hurry," Baron turned to Hikari.
The girl nodded, determined. Baron and Hikari walked away. Muta glared at them, deadpanned and shocked.
"Hey, I was talking."
From a balcony in the castle, the cat king and Natori observed them, walking into the maze. The cat king smirked, whereas Natori watched with binoculars.
"Are they in?" The king snickered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Purr-fect!"
"They'll never find the way."
The cat king hummed, walking to his lounging chair, with a parasol," We have ringside seats."

Baron walked swiftly in the maze, Hikari and Muta slowly followed. Baron grunted.
"This is complicated."
Hikari glanced up at the sky," At least the sun's still high."
"It's always high," Muta sighed.
"Really?" Hikari frowned.
Baron nodded, glancing up at the sky, holding his top hat," It's probably past midnight back at home."
"Then we should hurry!" Hikari yelped, running ahead, panting desperately to find the right path," So, uhm... let's see...!"
Baron and Muta watched the child with a deadpan, before she turned back to them, shrugging.
"Where do we go?"
Natoru smirked, watching through binoculars, Natori beside him," They're completely lost."
"No one escapes from the labyrinth," Natori turned to the king," Right, Your Majesty?"
"Yup!" The king chuckled, drinking his catnip beverage," No hope for them now!"
"And the guards?" Natori frowned.
Natoru gasped," Here they come!"
The green cat guards marched down the stairs into the maze, weapons upon their shoulders.
Baron pointed down a path," This way. We'll just have to try every route. Aim for the tower. That's our goal."
"Makes sense," Hikari nodded.

Muta groaned, before bouncing up onto the maze wall.
"Muta," Hikari pouted," That's cheating."
Muta squinted, pulling himself up," No point in playing their game."
On the maze wall were the guards, marching over to the cat.
"There he is!" 
Muta gasped.
"GO CHASE SOMEONE ELSE!" Muta whined, running ahead on the wall.
The guards yelled in a battle cry, chasing after him with their weapons. Baron crouched to the side of the wall with Hikari, letting them pass over them.
"Let's hurry while he keeps them busy."
Hikari nodded.
"WHAT AM I, BAIT!?" Muta wailed, running for his life.
He took a sudden turn, a few guards trying to swipe before stumbling off the edge of the wall and onto the floor with a yowl. Baron and Hikari ran after Muta, the gentleman cat skidding to a halt as they reached two toppled over cats. He stood in front of the child, his cane held out as though a weapon.
"Get back, Hikari," Baron hissed, as the guards pulled out their weapons.
Baron swiftly ducked a blade, pressing his cane on its stomach, making it double over, winded, on the floor. The second cat prepared itself, bringing down its blade. Baron swatted each hit away with his wooden cane, before swatting it in the leg. The cat yowled, the feline kicked the guard into the wall; where it passed out onto the floor.
"Nice work!" Hikari gasped.
Baron held out his cane to his eye level, assessing it.
"Is it bent?" Hikari frowned.
"I needed a new one anyway," Baron sighed, spinning it in his hand before holding it behind his head, resting on his shoulders.
"Unbelievable!" Hikari giggled, chasing after him.