The Cat Came Back

Boss! We can't keep hanging around! The humans could attack Specter Palace at any moment!

We have to get out of here before it's too late!

Calm down! Take a look at the town. There aren't any signs of soldiers coming to attack yet. If we start acting out of panic, we'll mess things up for good. And you're way too close! Shoo!

We don't even knyow where we're going yet. If we wander around outside the palace, we'll only draw suspicion. We need to knyow our place and act carefully.

Then what are you gonna do, Boss?

I'm gonna go sniff out what those humans're up to. If they really are planning to attack, they've gotta be discussing it somewhere.

And if they are?

Then I'll ambush them, right then and there. Take them out, and there'll be nyothing else to fear.

Great plan as always, Boss! We knew we could count on you!

However. If nyothing is out of the ordinary, we wait. Securing an escape has to be our first purriority.

Okay, let's end things there for today.

Phew... Made it through another day.

Honestly, why do those specters have to look so scary? Anyway, I'd better go do some undercover investigating to keep them happy.

Time for some recon at Kurosagi Castle!

Purrfect, nyobody's around. This'll be a walk in the park for me.

Mrow all I have to do is stay undetected and eavesdrop on some soldiers.

Nyobody's talking about attacking the palace after all. They're all busy trying to rebuild everything. Those rumors of an attack weren't true, so I might as well head back to...

Who's there?

Oh...

Aren't you the maiden of the Cat Shrine? Nekoko, wasn't it?

Thank you for coming all this way, you two.

Nyanji! I'm so glad you're okay!

It looks like people have started visiting the shrine again.

There's still so much left to restore... But it is touching to see things edge closer to normality.

Now. There was something I wanted tell the two of you.

Meow?

Our Nekoko has finally returned.

Really? That's great news!

Indeed. Her coming home at last brings me comfort. However...

Did something happen?

Nekoko, perfect timing. You have visitors.

Meow? She seems purrfectly fine to me.

Hurrumph.

Oh, Nekoko! It's so good to see you again! I hadn't seen your face in so long, I was starting to worry.

Can't talk mrow. Busy.

Wh-Wh-What just happened there?! How dare she just ignore me like that!

Calm down, Necoco. She was probably just in a hurry.

That's nyo excuse! Necoco of the Cat Shrine is there to put a smile on everyone's face! How dare she act that way towards people who came here for healing!

I thought she'd finally gotten over her aloof attitude... But ever since she came back to the Cat Shrine, she's even colder than she was before. And she always seems to be heading out somewhere these days.

Do you think the two things are connected?

I'm not sure. I've tried following her, but I always lose her at the foot of Mt. Kamukura.

So you don't know where she goes or what she does there...

Can't say I apurrove of you tailing a young girl like that, but I'll slide that slide for meow. Maybe the dark energy's still affecting her?

It's possible. The lingering scent of that dark energy on her could easily get her mistaken for a specter.

That sounds concerning. Maybe we should try following her.

Does she always head towards Meownt Kamukura?

I believe so. I am sorry to burden you with this, but good luck.

Nyo sign of him again. But I knyow it was around here where I met that old man... Why can't he show up when I need him?

Oh? Not everyday I see someone else in these mountains. What're you doin' out here?

(This tengu...)

(It's her...)

Somethin' wrong?

Do you live on this mrowntain?

Mrowntain? Uh... Yeah, but a little further back.

There used to be an old tengu around here, too. Do you knyow where he is mrow?

An old tengu? If you mean my master, he's not here anymore.

Wait, you're leavin'? Didn't you need somethin'?

Nyot anymore.

Hey, are you a maiden at the Cat Shrine? You kinda remind me of Necoco...

I'm the Boss Cat of Specter Palace.

The what now?

Whoa, Aldo and Necoco?! I'm gettin' so many visitors today!

Wait, has someone else been here?

Yeah, a girl who looked like a shrine maiden.

That sounds like Nekoko all right. But why would she come out here?

And the way she described herself? The Boss Cat of Specter Palace? Hanging out with specters definitely adds fuel to the dark energy theory.

Then we have to do something.

Izuna, do you know where Nekoko went?

No, she never said.

Then let's go to Specter Palace! Whether Nekoko's there or nyot, the specters might knyow something.

Good point. Let's go and see what we can find out.

Boss! What do we do now?

Just try to calm down a little. (They're scary enough as it is. Shouting only makes it worse...)

I already told you. As long as the humans don't act, we won't either.

But we can't keep hiding from the humans and living in fear forever! How long are we supposed to live like this?

Nekoko's surrounded by specters.

Meow... But it doesn't look like they're attacking her.

Then...is she really their boss after all?

Although Nekoko has gone back to normal... That doesn't mean that the vessel has completely gone back to its original state.

Then what does that mean for Nekoko being the vessel of the Sacred Beast?

The vessel itself may have been corrupted by dark energy... But that doesn't mean there's no hope. I told her that in time, she may return to normal. However...

There's no telling how long it will take.

Indeed. And I imagine Nekoko is taking this rather hard. I do hope she doesn't go and do something foolish...

Look! Humans!

They've already infiltrated the palace!

We're done for!

Pull yourselves together! You call yourselves specters?

You ain't gonna get me! I'll resist till the bitter end!

Wait!

Looks like they spotted us! Come on, Nyaldo, time to fight!

Wait!

I'm sorry for what happened and I'd really apurreciate it if you spared their lives.

Boss...

Nekoko... Tell us, what are you doing here?

We have a right to know!

Fine...

After our fight, I went looking for somewhere nice and deserted. I was worried I might go berserk again, and more than anything, I couldn't risk frightening everyone.

So you went to Mt. Kamukura?

Yeah. And while I was resting there, an old tengu came over and offered me a place to stay. He said he had clairvoyance, and he'd seen everything. Yet he was still willing to shelter me.

I stayed there for a while, but I left the mrowntain when I realized he had a connection to you. I figured it would only be a matter of time before someone found me if I stayed.

So you came here instead? Why would you choose this dangerous, specter-infested place?

Purrcisely because it's so full of specters. The dark energy that flows inside me isn't a purroblem here.

When I first came to Specter Palace, the specters were in total chaos.

When we heard that the three great specters and Nurarihyon had been defeated, we thought we'd be next. We were just trying to figure out what to do next when Boss showed up.

They asked me to lead them, purrely because I had a stronger dark energy inside of me. I wouldn't nyormally give them the time of day, but since I couldn't be the vessel of the Sacred Beast...

So you decided to live in Specter Palace?

I thought that this way, I could keep an eye on the strays, making sure they don't get out of control. That's just about all I can do mrow...

I see where you're coming from. But if you don't go back, think how sad Nyanjiro and the others will be. Can't you just come back to the Cat Shrine, like before?

It's nyot so simple. I'm the Boss Cat here. I can't just abandon these guys.

Even if the dark energy stops affecting you?

Well...

Nyanjiro said that you'd go back to normal someday.

But...what if I don't...

Stop being such a scaredy-cat!

Without you, there'd be nyobody to help the Sacred Beast!

I can't be a vessel...but at least I fulfilled my duty to save the Sacred Beast of this world. Seeing your sacrifice for the Sacred Beast made me so purroud. That's when I saw myself in you. You're me.

But unlike me, you still have a duty to do. So you can't give up, nyot yet!

She's right.

Reimei? What are you doing here?

I'm here to see Nekoko. I've gone to the Cat Shrine a few times, but she always runs away.

I've been wanting to apologize to you, Nekoko. I truly am sorry... You were corrupted by the dark energy, and I used you for my own purposes.

Yeah, yeah. You gave me this speech already.

But you ran off without saying a word.

Because you started blurting out that apology! I didn't knyow what I was supposed to do.

I wanted to blame you for everything. But doing that won't make me feel any better.

'Cause at the end of the day, it was me who did those things. 'Cause I'm weak.

Yes, but some of the responsibility is mine. I won't be satisfied until you allow me to make amends.

Fine... If you're that desperate to purrove how sorry you are, it's gotta be through actions and not words!

Ooh, are you gonna mooch a load of catnip off him?

Nyo! I don't care about catnip!

I want you to give these guys somewhere new to live.

Boss!

I haven't knyown them long, but long enough to knyow they don't wanna hurt anyone anymore. I'm nyot suggesting specter-human coexistence. Just that you find them somewhere nice and quiet to live.

Understood. I'll discuss this with Nagsham and Itoise and arrange a suitable location.

Thank you!

That's one less thing for you to worry about, Nekoko.

Are you still gonna insist on hiding away here like some selfish little kitten?

Nyo. I'm nyot you.

H-Hey!

Then let's go back to the Cat Shrine. Nyanjiro will be so pleased to see you.

Welcome back, Nekoko. All done with what you had to do?

Mrow...

Don't worry, Nyanji. Nekoko's here to stay!

Is that so? Well, I am glad to hear it. I'm sorry for troubling you both. And thank you for bringing her back to us.

No problem. We were just as worried about Nekoko as you were. Okay, we don't want to outstay our welcome. We'll be on our way.

We'll be back. Take care, you two.

Wait.

I...I wanna apologize. Nyot just for today, but for everything. I'm sorry.

Meow?

Aldo told me what happened to the Sacred Beast in your world.

So...I knyow what you've been through.

Oh...

But you still chose to save me and the Sacred Beast. It must've been so difficult for you. So I wanted to say sorry...

You really don't need to!

Sure, I was never able to be the vessel for the Sacred Beast like you... And it's not like I never considered accepting the Sacred Beast of another world...

But I couldn't just abandon you. And from the bottom of my heart, I'm glad I didn't. So if you feel you have to say something, say "thank you" nyot "sorry."

Go on, lavish me with purraise! Tell me how great Necoco the shrine maiden is!

......

I knew you'd do this.

This is why I didn't wanna say anything in the first place!

R-Really?!

Yeah! I knew it'd go straight to your silly little head! I'm tryna give you a serious apology, and you're totally ruining it!

Silly?! How rude! Necoco has lots of impurrtant thoughts going around in this head of hers, y'know!

Stop referring to yourself in the third purrson! It's so irritating!

Nyo it's nyot!

Now, now. There was once a time when you referred to yourself the very same way, Nekoko.

Nyooo!

Really?

Yes, she wasn't always so composed and serious. She was once much more cheerful and open.

Yeah, but I mewved on from that long ago! It's just embarrassing and attention-seeking at this point!

Embarrassing?! The great Necoco is no such thing!

Just go home already! I feel like I'm looking at my younger self with you, and it's making me uncomfortable!

Younger, yes. But not by much...

Ahaha! I'm just glad you're feeling more like yourself again, Nekoko.