English C.A.T. File 2:

This is ​Volume 2 of the C.A.T. series.

​It's a police procedural, inspired by American crime dramas, but with one key difference: nobody dies, nobody gets seriously hurt, and things never get too serious.

000. C.A.T.: Chasm Adjust Taskforce

C.A.T. (Chasm Adjust Taskforce) is an organization of Felis Sapiens—or Catfolk—that functions like a police force specializing in boundary phenomena within the human world. While the Felis Sapiens themselves are quintessential examples of such boundary cases, much like ordinary cats, they are somewhat capricious and laissez-faire by nature. Their job is to casually blur the lines of incidents that shouldn't be examined too closely and skillfully ease them into the serious world of humans.
This is their story.
​"Yes, C.A.T."
Numata, the chief, froze with the phone receiver to her ear.
"Uh-huh... Yes, we’re handling that... Right, an Ittan-momen*? In this day and age? Well, I suppose that’s fine... Oh, but Schrödinger isn’t under our jurisdiction. That’s being handled on the arts-and-humanities side. Huh? A Felis Sapiens is suspected? I see... right, okay..."
As she answered the rapid-fire caller in a calming tone, she jotted down notes.
As a Pallas Catfolk, Chief Numata faces more hardships than most Felis Sapiens.
​Ittan-momen is a Japanese yokai—a ghostly strip of cloth, often imagined as a piece of kimono or yukata fabric, that flies through the night. It may sound harmless, but beware: it wraps around people’s faces and tries to suffocate them. (Let’s hope it’s not an old loincloth.)

001. Testimony of Mama Bunji

Charu's mother, Bunji, is a retired C.A.T. investigator, a Felis Sapiens just like her daughter. She usually works as a human, so she sometimes takes the train.
​"So, something was just off about this guy. He was holding his head and shaking his legs, with a scary look on his face, muttering something to himself. And, you know, I had my claws out between the door and my bag."
​Charu's mom is a black cat with white on half her face and her paws, and she has the same golden eyes as Charu. It's a habit from her active days to always stand near a door with an escape route on either side when using public transportation. She often avoids sitting on crowded trains to keep her line of sight clear.
​"Then his expression suddenly changed."
​Charu's mom said with a serious look, glancing back and forth between Charu and Shamu.
​"Oh? And then he committed a violent act?"
​Shamu, uncharacteristically, pulled out her notebook and flipped through the pages, answering just as seriously.
​"So, what did he do?"
"He gave his seat to an old woman."
"What? That's perfectly normal."
"I know, but... you know, it just felt like it was no ordinary thing."
"Well, I get your instincts, Bunji-chan, but they're either spot-on or way off."
"Oh, you have a lot to say, don't you?"
​Shamu and Bunji were former colleagues, so there was no hesitation in their conversation. Just then, Chief Numata, her voluminous body clad in a high-quality suit, walked by.
​"Well, Bunji-chan, long time no see."
"Chief! It has been. You were in that online 'Graceful Style' magazine the other day, right?"
"Oh, goodness. Why are you looking at a fashion page for the US high-middle-aged market?"
"TenTails was featured in the same issue. I'm a big fan."
"That singer? That's quite sophisticated..."
​From there, Chief Numata and Charu's mom fell into a discussion about TenTails, and Shamu wryly closed her notebook. Charu added "10-tails" to her half-written notes and asked Shamu, "Can I go get some snacks?" She was told only not to take the gecko, because it was the office pet, and then she left. C.A.T. headquarters was peacefully in regular operation.

002. Nyandarism at the Home of a Literary Great

​"This is Nyandarism, nyaight?"
A woman with black curls and round eyes rimmed in heavy eyeliner surveyed the cluttered room.
​"Kurutsu-san, please say that properly one more time."
A blonde woman with a slight accent—but speaking correct Japanese—corrected Kurutsu. Aoki and Kurutsu had arrived at the old mansion that once housed a widely celebrated literary genius. The grand Japanese house, closed for the museum’s off day, carried a musty, damp atmosphere with layers of stale odors, making the air feel stifling. A “Do Not Enter” sign and rope blocked access to a tatami room, where a huge hanging scroll in the alcove had been torn dramatically down the center.
​"Vandal-ism."
"Vandalism—what does that mean?"
Torn between cat language and human speech, Kurutsu replied, "It means intentionally destroying things, nya. But that over there… that might just be age-related decay, nya. Let's hurry and find the Ittan-momen so we can head back, nya."
​The large torn scroll was strangely evocative—even a grown Felis Sapiens who had graduated from destroying shoji screens would feel an inexplicable urge to scratch at it. The destructive impulse toward shoji was a powerful drive common to all Felis Sapiens. Aoki, who hadn’t grown up in a house with shoji screens, felt a faint disturbance in herself, as if she needed to wash her face with her foreleg. But standing in human form, she hid it by pushing up her glasses and clearing her throat, speaking in a slightly higher tone:
​"The way the scroll is torn but the shoji screens are untouched suggests the culprit is likely not a Felis Sapiens."
​"Hmmm, yeah, that seems so, nya. The preservation society for this house probably doesn’t want to make a fuss… If Felis Sapiens aren’t involved, do we even need to investigate this? We came here because of the Ittan-momen sighting rumors after all—better to go back to that case, nya."
​"Hum… but if the ‘victim’ is a dead author from a hundred years ago, it doesn’t seem like a fan-stalker situation… So that would imply human vandalism, meaning it might not be our kind of criminal case."
​"Hmm… it could be a ghost-on-ghost stalker, nya."
​"Ha. That would definitely be outside our jurisdiction. Understood—we’ll go back to sheltering the flying cloth."
​"Well, a ghost-stalker kind of does sound fun, nya… If we tried, maybe we could make it a target for investigation, nya…"
​"Nooo, ghost-on-ghost stalking is too much trouble, Kam-ba-san."
​"But it does sound fun, nya. By the way, what did that scroll originally say, I wonder?"
​"It’s torn so we can’t read it."
​"Hmmm… the description says it was written, ‘Jin o nasu’—‘Accomplish benevolence.’ It brings to mind an instruction to selflessly devote to others, nya. Perhaps it was by Nanshū… Takamori Saigo?"
​"I don’t see those kanji in the explanation… However, I do see the characters ‘人’ and ‘く’ remaining."
​"Still, someone really ripped it apart, nya..."
​"Anyway, let’s ask the museum if they have original photos or something."
​Aoki and Kurutsu had no general disdain for literature. Kurutsu in particular felt close to writers, since one of her ancestors was a close friend of another celebrated author. That author taught German, hence the Germanic origin of Kurutsu’s surname. Though perpetually poor, she somehow always managed to secure sake for herself and munchies for her cat. Having grown up with such stories, Kurutsu felt affection for writers in general. She could easily add further anecdote without prompting: "They say the owner of this estate was a shy, kind person, but someone who could snap unpredictably, nya."
​However, there was one more thing bothering them.
​"By the way, Kurutsu-san, do you know why I insist on using Japanese which is my second language?"
​"Because I’m bad at English, nya."
​"Kurutsu-san, don’t you do English-Japanese translation as a hobby?"
​"Only classical horror, nya. Aoki-chan, are you interested in that tattooed youth napping in that corner?"
​"Yes. Should we arrest him for trespassing?"
​"That’s fine, but I’m not touching him, nya, ew. I bet he has ticks, nya."

003. The Singer from Manmaru Five and the Sunekos

​In the tatami room marked Do Not Enter, an antique sofa sat—clearly not built for modern body sizes. On it lay a shirtless human man in his forties, covered in tattoos. The sofa, designed a hundred years ago for a much smaller frame, was far too small for him. His legs dangled over the edge, his large feet nearly touching the tatami floor. They were caked in mud, but beneath them lay a T-shirt he presumably had worn earlier—white, with a cute bunny character printed on it, now smudged with dirt from his feet. At least he’d tried not to dirty the floor.
​“Nyaa, isn’t that the singing human-male from that foreign band that’s gotten really popular lately, nya?”
Kurutsu, eyes wide and voice half-whispering, tilted her head.
​“Ah, yeah, you're right. Though when you say ‘lately,’ you mean the last ten years or so, don’t you?” Aoki replied dryly.
​“Of course, nya. I’m a huge fan of Manmaru Five. That one’s Andy—the singer, nya.”
​“Wow. I didn’t expect you to actually know his name.”
​“Well, what can I say? I like their songs, nya.”
​“So, what should we do with ‘Manmaru Andy’ here?”
​“Looks like he wandered in drunk and passed out. There was a song about that, but I thought it was just lyrics, nya. Guess celebs really are all reckless like that.”
​“Manmaru Five…”
​“Also, yesterday... looks like he went on a date to the Fluffy Kingdom amusement park along this train line, nya. It’s on the news.”
​Kurutsu held out her latest-model smartphone for Aoki to see.
​“Hum… ‘Secret Date at Fluffy Kingdom with Supermodel Girlfriend’... Yep. That clinches it. Let’s arrest him.”
Aoki had recently broken up with a long-distance human boyfriend and had developed a certain coldness toward happy couples.
​Kurutsu, on the other hand, looked positively giddy at the chance to arrest a pop star who wrote her favorite songs.
​“Think he’ll sing ‘Shot the Cheating Bastard’ for us in the holding cell, nya?”
​“If he’s cooperative, sure.”
​“No! Arrest! No!”
​Suddenly, a tiny creature leapt out from the shadows with a shout. It looked like a kitten, but somehow too hunched and round. An unmistakable aura of supernatural energy radiated from it, turning the air around it faintly blue.
​“Oooh! A baby Sunekosuri! What an adorable little thing!”
​“How cute! I studied Sunekosuri in training, but I never thought I’d see one in the wild! Hi there, little guy—are you a fan of the tattooed hot guy?”
​“No arrest! He’s my savior, nya!”
​“Huh?”
​Faced with the excited baby Sunekosuri, Kurutsu and Aoki exchanged puzzled glances.

*Sunekosuri is a small, mischievous creature from Japanese folklore. Its name literally means “shin-rubber,” and it’s said to sneak up at night to rub against people’s legs—especially on rainy or misty roads. Often harmless and even kind of cute, the sunekosuri doesn’t hurt anyone; it just surprises people by brushing against their shins, sometimes causing them to stumble a little. It’s typically described as looking like a small dog or cat, and is more playful than frightening.

004. "If Only This Were TenTails"

​“If only he were TenTails…”
“But mama, you like listening to Mammaru Five's songs too, right?”
“I do, but I’m not really interested in the singer. Still... if only he were TenTails.”
Detective Charu’s mom repeated the same words like a refrain. The C.A.T. station’s holding cell was built solidly but kept comfortable. Since it was rarely used, the area outside the cell served as a simple break room—equipped with desks, chairs, a sofa, a TV, a microwave, and a fridge—where a few Felis Sapiens agents usually hung out. Charu and her mom stayed outside the bars, while inside sat a rare human—the singer from Manmaru Five.
The Manmaru Five singer was still asleep, likely suffering from a hangover, occasionally groaning and rubbing his stubbled chin. A faint smell of alcohol lingered around him.
“He must be hungover.”
“Stinkeey.”
“Yeah, he sure does stink. Isn’t there a window we can open? There used to be one… never really thought of it before.”
Charu’s mom fiddled with the wall-mounted air conditioner, searching for a ventilation switch, but—finding none—simply turned on the cooler. Meanwhile, she reviewed Charu’s school homework, staring at the singer in the cell. Charu, still a small child as a human, often had to redo school assignments—not because she got answers wrong, but because of her messy handwriting. Her mother found that irksome but told herself, “Fitting into the world matters,” and read on. Her tension relaxed as she worked.
“Huh? You didn’t write the answer here. That's not like you.”
“I just don’t understand it. For #1 and #2, it’s 4 using 'black cat counting' rule. So, what does #3 represent?”
“Maybe it’s someone who’s doing the counting?”
“Oh, I see.”
Charu grabbed her favorite glittery pencil and wrote the answer in her human “math drill notebook.”
A clank announced the door opening, and Officer Shamu peeked in.
“Hey, is there space in the ’Cardboard box’?”
“There’s room for one. Why do you ask?”
“A Felis Sapiens allergic reaction—she shifted into a bakeneko-like cat and can’t shift back. We gave her an epipen, but she’s still in panic mode, scratching.”
“Oh, poor thing.”
“Allergic to what?”
Charu’s golden eyes shone as she asked.
“I think wasabi. It triggered it last night at a high-end sushi place in Ginza, right after drinking sake with expensive mid-fatty tuna. She kept shifting between Felis Sapiens form and full cat form, and her mind’s unstable. Thankfully, the chef knows Felis Sapiens and overnighted a cage unit, then escorted her here this morning.”
Shamu replied crisply, then called out, “This way please!” Moments later, a large man carried a fitting-room–sized basket across. It was Mr. Ohkuma.
A wrestling gym and office sat adjacent to the C.A.T. building; usually in training, Ohkuma had been brought by Chief Numata to “take a break and rescue a beauty.” The rescued beauty, inside the large basket and now hairless in half cat form, hissed angrily—there was no sign of charm. But Ohkuma, a big-hearted human, smiled gently, treating the rescue no differently whether it was a beauty, an old lady, or an old man.
“Sorry about this, Chief brought you in on short notice, Mr. Ohkuma.”
“No worries, she’s light. Though compared to my master, this Felis Sapiens's got no impact.”
“She’s light because she’s a supermodel in her human form, Patra. Very beautiful. By the way, how is your master Karin?”
“My master? She’s fine—full of energy, even thinking about returning to active wrestling.”
“Oh dear, that’s not good. If she went full Felis Sapiens in the ring, people would get hurt.”
While Chief Numata and Mr. Ohkuma were chatting, Patra was transferred into the Felis Sapiens cell. Then instantly, she turned to full human form.
“Anthony!” she cried, reaching through the bars toward the adjacent cell. But Anthony snored on without waking. When she saw his unmoving state, the supermodel’s expression crumpled. She shifted back into full cat form, licked her paws, curled up in a corner, and fell asleep.
“He was quite intoxicated last night, I hear.”
“Explains the smell and mess.”
Charu’s eyes lit with curiosity as she watched the snoring man.
“Oh, right—someone turned themselves in to the human precinct, saying they might have hit somebody. The drive-recorder captured it, with a Sune-kosuri in the footage. They sent us a copy.”
“That was me.”
A fair-skinned, cute boy next to Charu said and raised his hand. It was Cota, Charu’s friend since the 'Daruma case'. Today was let's do homework together day.

005. Cota the Sunekosuri Boy’s Scary Story

​“Oh, there you are! Isn't it?”
“Yeah. That’s me.”
“Ah, ran out—gotta look both ways!”
​“See? When something rushes out, he stops. Sunekosuri really behaves like a cat.”
“Here! Look here!”
Cota excitedly pointed. On the screen, a tiny white shape darted across a dark road, and a large white blur rushed past, seemingly scooping it up.
​“Whoa—Mr. Mammaru nailed it! But... is it really him?”
The Felis Sapiens crew gathered around a small monitor for an impromptu viewing party.
“Got it, no doubt—clear footage of a Sunekosuri.”
As they watched the dashcam video, some jotted notes.
​“But why was it in that spot?”
“I remembered a scary story,” Cota said. “So I went to see Mr. Neta.”
“A scary story?”
“You shouldn’t be out at night, you know.”
“But he's a Sunekosuri. A yokai. Don't yokai go around at night?”
“You’re a Sunekosuri, Cota? But also go to human's school?”
“Yep. I go. My dad’s human—he’s a teacher.”
“Did your dad know you went out in the middle of the night?”
“Maybe he went to see his mom?”
“Nope. Mr. Neta.”
“Wasn’t Mr. Neta sleeping then?”
​The adult Felis Sapiens began chiming in all at once. In a nearby cage, a panicking supermodel who had reverted into cat form growled in distress. The holding room was in chaos.
​Mr. Ohkuma, looking distressed, quietly slipped out the door while the adult cats continued their debate. But being large, Mr. Ohkuma was quickly spotted by Detective Charu and Cota, who both followed him out.
At the entrance of the next-door gym, the trio paused to watch a massive ball of muscle pass by. Then they headed to the vending machine and bought ice cream together.
​“Mr. Ohkuma, you haven’t been visiting Mr. Neta lately.”
“Sorry... my training’s been intense.”
“Karirin-the-Master’s training is tough, huh?”
“The Darumas say they miss you.”
​“So, what was that scary story Mr. Neta told you?”
Detective Charu shifted into her investigator mode and asked Cota again. Cota took a bite of his soda-flavored popsicle, then looked down and spoke softly.
​“Well, Mr. Neta said... Pandaruman is being targeted.”
That shocked Mr. Ohkuma, who wrestled under the ring name Pandaman.
“Me?!”
“No, not Pandaman. Pandaruman. The picture book.”
“The picture book?”
“Ohh, Pandaruman! Super popular!”
“Yeah, really trendy lately.”
“Totally!”
​Though Mr. Ohkuma didn’t follow all the details, the children’s cheerful talk about books made him smile. But just then, he felt a powerful presence from the shadows and straightened up.
Behind them stood Karirin-the-Master, the terrifying wildcat trainer.
​“There you are, Pandaman. If you're gonna eat ice cream, at least dip it in protein first—I told you—ah! Detective Charu!”
Though supposedly wearing a fearsome wildcat mask, Karirin’s real face was showing as she squealed in a high-pitched voice. Ever since the recent incident, she’d become a huge fan of the cute Detective Charu. And Charu, for her part, now saw Karirin as a new friend.
​“Hi, Karirin-chan. Cota’s here too.”
“Oh, what a cute friend! So your name’s Cota?”
“Yup, I’m Cota! I love both Pandaman and 'Pandaruman'!”
“That’s so sweet! Lucky you, Ohkuma, having such adorable fans!”
​Karirin grinned with her wildcat face, and a ghostly blue aura briefly rose from Cota’s back—whether from fear or excitement, even Detective Charu and Mr. Ohkuma couldn’t tell.
Soon, Karin also bought an ice cream and joined the trio. They chatted for a while about school and the 'Pandaruman' picture book. But as Cota finished his popsicle, he lowered his voice again.
​“You know... the scary story? Mr. Neta said... both Pandaruman and Karirin-the-Master Wildcat are being targeted.”
“Targeted? Me and Pandaman? But we’re super strong!”
“Even against fluffy, cuddly enemies?”
“Fluffy...?!”
“Mr. Neta said... the Fluffy Kingdom is after both of you.”
​Kota, who was already a bit fluffy and cuddly himself, turned pale and bit his lip.

006. The Fluffy Empire Expansion Plan

Though he earns plenty through passive income, Mr. Neta—a lovable scamp with a fondness for health and wabi-sabi—chooses to work as a shrine security guard. Lately, he’s caught wind of some suspicious developments whispered about in the local online economy circles concerning the Fluffy Kingdom.
​“Would you believe it—they're trying to make ‘Pandaruman’ all cute and market him as a character. Well, Ohkuma-kun’s gotten quite a few female fans recently, so his derivative work ‘Pandaruman’ might actually sell.”
​“Do you think us Mini Darumas will appear too?”
​“A sweet and fluffy mini-me… how lovely…”
​Mr. Neta and the two Mini Darumas, who lived in the guardroom, seemed quite positive about the idea. But it was utterly unacceptable to Cota, the Sune-kosuri boy.
​“Mr. Neta! If ‘Pandaruman’ becomes all fluffy and sweet, he won’t be cool or strong at all! That’s not wabi or sabi! I hate it!”
​As Cota cried, Mr. Inugami—who had been filling in for Ohkuma lately—hurriedly offered the boy a rice dumpling he’d bought for himself.
​“Kinako or mitarashi—your pick.”
​“Mitarashi.”
​“The Fluffy Kingdom’s really reaching for some gritty characters now.”
​“‘Pandaruman,’ ‘Bakenecko Karirin,’ and ‘Gray Marurun’... Their enemies are monkeys, tanuki, and Professor More-to-eateee…”
​“No worries—except for ‘Pandaruman,’ there’s no way to make the others cute.”
​“But I’m worried... What if Mukutscake Wars or Strange Tales: The Grudging Cat Rice Bowl get turned into heartwarming Fluff-Mo stories…”
​“They’d never do that. The Mokorin mascots would be too scared if those characters got added. They’ll definitely leave them untouched…”
​Seeing how troubled Cota looked, Mr. Neta patted him on the head.
​“Still, this is an era where even national treasure teacups are turned into plush toys…”
​“Whose side are you on, Inugami-kun?”
​“I’m sorry.”
​“Help, security officer!”
​The door to the guardroom burst open, revealing a bald monk and a sharply part-haired Shinto priest.
​“Ah, Tsuruda-san, and Shichimi-san. What’s the matter?”
​“There’s been… a fight. An elderly foreign gentleman and a younger man…”
​“There’s an injury! We need an ambulance!”
​“That’s no good! Let me just call—ah, where’s my phone… oh, right here.”
​Mr. Neta closed the internet news screen on his high-end large-display phone, hesitating between dialing emergency services and opening the camera app, as he stepped outside.

007. The Elderly Suspect

​"Wait. So did that old man, Mr. Neta, get punched by someone?"
Karin, with her true cat face so-called “mask,” licked the ice cream around her mouth and asked cheerfully. With her strong sense of justice, Karin always got excited when it seemed like there might be a villain to chase down, which constantly made the gentle Mr. Ohkuma nervous.
"No, that's not it! Please listen properly!"
​Since Felis Sapiens Karin still had her lynx-like face on, Cota-kun's eyes naturally became a little round and fluffy, a soft bluish aura of yokai energy leaking from his puffed cheeks.
Serious and focused, Detective Charu held a notepad in one hand as she carefully organized the situation.
"So basically, 'Pandaruman' is getting turned into an anime by the Fluffy Kingdom, and someone outside hit someone else?"
"That's right. An old man knocked out a younger guy."
"But it wasn't Mr. Neta who did the hitting, right? He was talking with Cota-kun."
Kind-hearted Mr. Ohkuma asked with concern, and Cota-kun responded with a beaming smile.
"Yeah, Neta-san wasn’t involved. He was busy taking rubbernecking shots. I don’t have a phone, but he said he posted it somewhere."
"Huh."
​Karin, who was connected with Neta through her bond with Mr. Ohkuma, quickly pulled out her smartphone and opened Neta’s social media page.
Among photos of mossy rocks at shrines, soapberry fruits, and selfies with his grandkids, there was one of a tall, handsome elderly man. In the picture, the man stood with arms crossed, flashing a cocky smile as he was surrounded by grim-looking men in black suits and a few good-natured regular police officers.
“Ah!”
Detective Charu gasped.
“Nya? What is it, Charu-nya? You know him?”
“…It’s TenTails!”
“TenTails?”
“This man—he’s my mom’s favorite singer!”

008. Kurutsu’s Lamentation

​"What's the deal, anyway? We caught that round tattooed guy totally by chance. Weren't we originally here on a request from local police to secure a runaway Ittan-momen?"
Kurutsu grumbled from the passenger seat of the blue classic car, sounding exhausted.
​"Yeah. That's what I was told," Mitsuike, half-distracted, agreed. Her eyes were busy navigating the city's back alleys, partly due to her defensive driving, and partly for other reasons.
​"That guy's too hungover to sing, anyway. And the Ittan-momen sightings at that old house—Nyandarism around here falls under our jurisdiction, nya."
​"Hmm. Nyandarism. It sounds like a fun concept, I guess."
​"Then why, nya, are we always dealing with unrelated big-name foreign human singers like Manmaru Five and TenTails? If it were a local Ittan-momen or a ghost, that would be our turf. But foreign humans? Big ones? That's a diplomatic mess, nya! Not a Felis Sapiens jurisdiction—it's a human one!"
Kurutsu lamented, waving a half-retracted paw in the air. Mitsuike chuckled at her dramatic protests but played along.
​"Well, young people don't really know TenTails, do they? So at that point, it could be a border case. Speaking of which, there's a report about graffiti on a train car that came in today... The GPS is on the nav. It's probably the so-called Schrödinger, who's actually a fake, but what do you want to do? It's close to a Frappuccino shop..."
"If it's a border case just because it was a little while ago, then I want to arrest opera singers and Rakugo performers, nya."
"I don't think that's possible... but, there's also a report of graffiti on a train car. The GPS on the nav shows the location. It's probably the so-called Schrödinger, who's a fake, but what do you want to do? The spot is near a Frappuccino shop..."
​"Nyaa, whatever! Let's go to the graffiti scene! And call Abhi-chan and Pelsha!"
​"Pelsha is a coroner, you know no one is dead, nya..."
​"The beauty of the train car is dead, nya! Just call her!"
​"That's so over the top. You always panic when you're busy, Kurutsu-san," Mitsuike said with a laugh as she turned the wheel.
Just then, Kurutsu's phone rang. The eerie chorus of "Paw-mina Grrr-ana" filled the air. Kurutsu happily listened for about four bars before finally picking up.
​"Yes, this is Kurutsu! Nya? I can't hear you! What? An Ittan-momen sighting?! Where?! The GPS? Oh, this red dot on the nav? Mitsuike-chan, can you chase it?"
"Roger that! Siren lights, please!"
​"Nya!"
Kurutsu finally regained her energy, leaning into the back seat to grab the red emergency light. Mitsuike's car was small, so the light was stored in the rear.
​"Oops—the Ittan-momen dot disappeared."
​"What, nya?!"
​"It's okay. They probably didn't actually catch it. Let's go after Schrödinger instead."
​Mitsuike hummed a tune as she steered the car away.

009. The Big Name in the Interrogation Room

TenTails sat on the interrogation room's metal pipe chair as if it were a high-end designer piece, exuding a strange, comfortable dignity. He spoke about his actions in the same calm, collected manner as he would a new song, using the voice that had captivated millions of fans.
​“Ah, his treatment of his girlfriend was terrible. I think if you were there, you would have surely punched him too. You… you're the type of woman who can punch a terrible man yourself. But the woman he was on a date with was not like you. You understand, don’t you?”
​TenTails smiled at Aoki, who felt a slight dizziness. Tasked with the interrogation simply because English was her first language, Aoki was so overwhelmed by his aura that she had to stop herself from asking for an autograph.
​“So, Mr. TenTails, is it correct that you punched a man in line at a soba restaurant?”
​At the question, TenTails smiled, deep wrinkles crinkling at the corners of his eyes. He lowered his gaze to his open palm for a moment before looking back at Aoki.
​“I love my wife.”
​“Ah, good for you.”
​“And I have a daughter. A granddaughter, too. I cannot stand a man who treats a woman like that.”
​“Like what?”
​“He was criticizing everything, from her clothes to her choice of restaurant, while they were waiting in line. His tone was so harsh that at first, I thought she must have done something wrong. When I was so shocked that I asked my interpreter to translate and ask if something was wrong, the man said, ‘This is your fault,’ and flicked her forehead with his finger. And he did it repeatedly. My interpreter told me she said it hurt, so I warned him directly. But he just got louder, scolding the woman, so I had no choice but to punch him.”
​“Um, you know, for something like that, you should contact the police…”
​“Yes, perhaps. That might have solved it. Perhaps I was rash. So, in this country, is the act of repeatedly flicking a girlfriend’s forehead considered assault?”
​“Ah, well…”
​Indeed, it had the air of dating violence, but the human police likely wouldn't act on a mere flick to the forehead. Aoki felt the urge to scratch at the wall of the interrogation room. Sensing this, TenTails smiled and quoted Shakespeare.
​“All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players. You, too, are playing your part. In your heart of hearts, you are with me; in that moment, you and I together punched him. It's okay, I understand. So just take your deposition. I will take responsibility for my actions. But what should I do about my concert in a few days…?”
​“Concert…!?”
​“Ah, I have a concert scheduled here in three days, and then in Nagoya and Osaka next week. I’m in the middle of a world tour, so a long delay would be a problem.”
​In Aoki’s mind, an imaginary Kurutsu shrieked, "Nya, you shouldn't have punched that worthless wretch, nya!" Aoki said, “Excuse me,” and left the room to go tear up some toilet paper in the restroom.
​After Aoki left the interrogation room, TenTails pulled out a carefully folded piece of paper from his pocket.
​“Well now, I might have to ask you to play your part as well.”

010. The Queen of the Fluffy Kingdom

​The Fluffy Kingdom is a corporation that develops and markets merchandise for internationally popular characters like "Honey Bunny" and "Macaron Kittens." The theme park of the same name is a pilgrimage site for "Honey Bunny" fans from all over the world. Behind the park's cloud and castle set, in a building also shaped like a castle, lies the office of the CEO of the Fluffy Kingdom, its queen.
​“Oh, my Fluffy Kingdom… I was going to expand into the quaint, wabi-sabi sphere, led by Pandaruman, and even collaborate with a national museum… no, I can't think about anything right now…”
​Inside the rococo-style office, adorned with white, curving furniture, a beautiful middle-aged woman in a stylish suit with tasteful ruffles paced back and forth in her high heels. She bit her lip, colored with a trendy lipstick, in frustration. She then sprayed the room with a rose-scented air freshener, inhaling it to calm her nerves.
​“What am I going to do, Mr. TenTails… he's been arrested… no, Moko, don't cry…”
​On the wall, in an ornate gold frame, hung a portrait of TenTails painted when he was about 20 years old. As a note to her honor, the portrait itself was painted 20 years ago to commemorate her 20th anniversary as a fan of Mr. TenTails, so she was by no means understating his age. In fact, she planned to commission a new portrait for her 40th anniversary as a fan. But first, she had the realization of the wabi-sabi sphere to look forward to. The Fluffy Kingdom would be an empire long before the new portrait was hung.
​Next to the portrait of TenTails, in a comparatively modern frame, was an oil painting of the Fluffy Kingdom’s flagship character, "Honey Bunny." Next to that was an original drawing of "Pandaruman and Bakenecko Karirin." Her desk, meanwhile, was crammed with illustrations of national treasures rendered in a chic, modern style, as well as highly wabi-sabi photographs.
​“Oh, Moko-chan, what’s wrong?”
​The older woman who opened the door was wearing a pale-colored kimono and her white hair was tied up in a neat, authoritative bun. Her presence was both gentle and commanding, reminiscent of a wise matriarch.
​“Oh, how lovely. You have a painting of Pandaruman hanging.”
​“O-Oh, Mother! No, not... no, it's just that… um…”
​Moko panicked. She couldn't let her mother-in-law, Tora, know that she was planning to add a wabi-sabi corner to the Fluffy Kingdom for her 90th birthday present, with Pandaruman as the main character. Surprises were usually Moko's strong suit.
​“W-Well, this is…”
​“Is it about TenTails? What a shame. So young, and to punch someone… Oh, but Pandaman is different; that’s his job.”
​Although TenTails was in his 70s, modern elderly people were young. Deciding to distract from her plans to turn the Fluffy Kingdom into an empire, and to calm her own confusion, Fua Moko decided to cry to her mother-in-law.
​“Mother, I can’t take it anymore!”
​“There, there… In times like this, you need sweets.”
​Moko, weeping softly, and her mother-in-law, Tora, a fan of Pandaman from his sumo wrestler days, left the rococo-style office and headed to their favorite Japanese sweets shop.

011. The Good Deeds of the Train Yard Delinquents

​"We are so sorry!"
​A group of young men with hair dyed gold, brown, and purple prostrated themselves on the train yard's gravel ballast before Kurutsu and Mitsuike. They looked to be in their late teens to early twenties—an age where mischief is a way of life. Kurutsu, seeing how painful it must be on their knees, made them stand.
​"The cleaning is fine, nya. But apologizing to us is pointless, nya."
​In the train depot near a residential area, these notorious local delinquents, who looked like they were about to spray graffiti, were instead arrested for cleaning it up. They had worked all night to completely erase the graffiti, polishing the train cars until they gleamed. But they didn't touch the electrical systems. Instead, they were weeding around the train tracks in the early morning hours. A suspicious neighbor called it in, the station staff made a citizen's arrest for trespassing, and after being passed from one jurisdiction to another, the case landed with C.A.T., who were originally scheduled to investigate the Schrödinger vandalism. Now, Police Chief Numata was already calling the CIA for an investigation request.
​"We won't do it again!"
​"And we'll never do that again…"
​The young man with the large earring trailed off, collapsing to the ground and pressing his forehead against the gravel.
​"Oh, come on, get up, nya..."
​Since the young men wouldn't listen, Kurutsu, exasperated, pulled out a bag of "sesame-coated dried sardines" from her pocket. She turned her back on the prostrating youths and began her snack time. As she munched on her treat, she waved to a human police officer who looked bored. In her human form, Kurutsu was undeniably charming, and the officer, with a slight blush, smiled and waved back.
​"Ah, this is Mitsuike. Schrödinger's work has been erased. Yes, it's completely gone, and the train car is shiny from top to bottom. I think we can rule out this as a crime, right? Yes, the railway police… you can talk to them. We're not in charge of humans."
​Ugh, yes, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now…
​As Police Chief Numata's voice groaned in a weary tone from the phone, Mitsuike, feeling a little sorry for her, continued.
​"Oh, luckily, this depot has security cameras. So, how about we check the footage, and if it's not a border case, we'll hand it over to the humans. Oh!"
​Mitsuike saw something that looked like a white cloth cross her field of vision.
​"Kurutsu-san! It's here! The Ittan-momen is here! Let's go after it!"
​"Oh! It really is, nya!"
​"Heeeee!"
​The youths, arrested for their good deed, huddled together, trembling as if they'd seen something truly horrifying.
​"I'm borrowing this, nya!"
​Mitsuike called out to the brightly-haired youths, hopped onto a bicycle with thick tires, and pedaled off at a blistering pace.

012. A yellowish-furred Felis Sapiens

The white cloth was indeed flying. Fluttering, fluttering, like a cloud drifting across the blue sky, like a butterfly floating by. The Ittan-momen showed no sign of noticing Mitsuike, who was furiously pedaling a bicycle behind it. Mitsuike, for her part, had no room to pay attention to her surroundings. She was following the traffic signals and road signs, keeping to the edge of the vehicle lanes, as by law, bicycles are forbidden on the sidewalk in this country.
​"Ah, this isn't getting anywhere, nya!"
​"I'll go!"
​"Who's that, nya?!"
​A yellowish-furred Felis Sapiens ran past and shot by Mitsuike. Mitsuike, feeling a slight pang of regret for not noticing her presence, was nonetheless astonished by her speed. The ID the yellowish Felis Sapiens flashed, combined with how many meters she had already moved ahead, convinced Mitsuike to leave it to her. She tossed a GPS tracker at the other Felis Sapiens. It seemed to stick to her tail, and when Mitsuike confirmed the location was displayed on her own device, she started looking for a bicycle parking area. She was near a new, trendy, youth-oriented area with a convenient station, so she quickly found a parking spot with a high usage fee. Mitsuike sent the location to headquarters and, humming a tune, followed the path displayed on her GPS. But when she realized the location was at the next station over, she turned back to the station. Once there, she bought the seasonal limited-edition Frappuccino that had just been released today and got on a train. Mitsuike had been curious about this Frappuccino ever since she saw it on the Felis Sapiens Business News.

013. Schrödinger’s Mouse

​"Heyyy, thanks for waiting."
"You're late!"
​By the time Mitsuike finally arrived at the spot where the GPS signal had stopped, the bright sky had dimmed a little and the sun was nearing the horizon behind the city buildings. The location was an alleyway just off a main street—a once-bustling area now mostly lined with shuttered shops. There, an exhausted-looking Felis Sapiens in human form, a woman covered in paint, and a baby-faced young man were busily wiping the paint off with a rag.
​On the wall wedged between two closed storefronts, a large mural had been painted. It featured the silhouette of a big man resembling Pandaman, a daruma-style police officer, and a giant price tag. As the woman confronted the cat-person, she called over her shoulder:
​“Cedric, not now.”
“But—”
“She’s a cat. Don’t underestimate her.”
​She spoke in a low, restrained voice and pulled Cedric’s hand away from the thin, whip-like pink tail he had been diligently wiping.
​Mitsuike gasped. A Rodentia, a mouse-person!
​Now that she looked closely, she could see that the woman had fine, whisker-like hairs on her face, and the young man in the brown hoodie had faint brown stubble on his cheeks. And the yellow Felis Sapiens with a taser aimed at them—likely a cheetah—was tall and slender, and clearly exhausted.
​Mitsuike wasn't quite sure what was going on, so she pulled out her phone, snapped a photo, and sent a video to her team, along with her location and her opinion of the seasonal Saba Miso Frappuccino.
​"Who are these people? Also, the Saba-frap is actually pretty good."
"That's Chita from the Art Crimes Division."
"The mackerel is a little too sweet for me."
"Are those people from the Rat Empire?"
"Looks like Schrödinger, nya."
"That boy, I think he was in a movie, The Lord of the Rodents or something."
​A flurry of comments arrived, confirming that the team was on their way.
​In front of Mitsuike stood the mural with the price tag and three tense figures.
​“Is that rag... alive?” came a comment from Police Chief Numata.
​Mitsuike was taken aback. The rag in Cedric’s hand was indeed fluttering wildly despite the lack of wind. Alarmed, she set her Saba Miso Frappuccino atop a utility box painted with beautiful flowers and circled behind Cedric.
​As Mitsuike closely observed the cloth in Cedric’s hand, the paint it had absorbed began to swirl, forming the words:
​"Help me."
​“It is alive! Wait—was that the Ittan-momen from before?”
​Startled, Mitsuike blurted it out. The Rodentia woman turned to face her. She looked like a beautiful, Audrey Hepburn-type. And Cedric... he really did resemble an actor she'd seen in a film, but probably not. He wasn't the main character, but a supporting role—a really nice person. But probably not him.
​“Cedric, can you give me that cloth, nya? That's what I was chasing.”
“Huh?”
“There was a report about a rogue Ittan-momen, you see. I need to return it to its natural habitat.”
​When Mitsuike explained, Cedric smiled with a look of immense relief.
​“Oh, sure.”
“Cedric!”
“Don’t move!”
“Okay, okay, everyone, let’s calm down a bit.”
​Cedric, now relaxed, the tension-stricken Rodentia woman, the exhausted Chita, and Mitsuike—who just wanted to get back to her frappuccino—all tried to sort out the situation.
​“You guys are the anonymous art collective, Schrödinger, right? And Chita here is chasing you for some reason.”
​Chita and the two Rodentia nodded.
​“And me, I just don’t want my boss getting more paperwork because of you. So, can I just take the Ittan-momen and pretend I caught it myself and go home?”
​“Uh, well… I guess that’s not exactly against the rules, nya…”
“Yeah, it’s a bit dirty, but go ahead. Just be careful…”
​Cedric, with a smile that put everyone at ease, handed the Ittan-momen to Mitsuike.
​“But really, be careful with it… ah!”
​The Ittan-momen shot out of Cedric’s hands with lightning speed and wrapped itself around Mitsuike’s face.
​“Ah! I’m so sorry! I didn’t think it still had that much energy left! What do we do? Bianca! And Ms. Cheetah-Cop over there! Help!”
​Cedric, in a panic, cried out for help from the two.

014. Meditation and "EAT PLEASE"

TenTails, the legendary rock star who loved noodles in this country, was honest about one thing: he at least wished he could have eaten his soba before punching the guy. The shop wasn't a famous one, but it came highly recommended by fans. Plus, there was a well-known religious art piece in a nearby shrine-temple that he also wanted to see. But now, he was meditating, sitting cross-legged on a cramped, indoor folding chair. Darling, why? The face of his wife floated into his mind. Oh, I'm sorry. The truth is… No, a gentleman never makes excuses.
​Unusually unable to concentrate, he opened his eyes just a crack to return to the present. To his surprise, a small kitten and something kitten-like were sleeping soundly on his cross-legged knees, and TenTails smiled. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed the room was filled with the lovely smell of dashi broth, and a large, no longer steaming bowl sat on the desk. The soba noodles were soggy, but a pair of chopsticks had been placed next to the bowl, and on their paper wrapper was written in a child's handwriting: "EAT PLEASE."
​"So, a kitten-Felis Sapiens, a kitten-like spirit, and soba..."
​The legendary man smiled happily at the difficult task of eating the soggy noodles without waking the small children. He gently placed his luxury-brand cardigan over the two sleeping figures and reached for the bowl. More than any dish he had tasted at the countless famous restaurants in various countries, these soggy noodles were unusual, difficult to eat, and yet, since they were soba, they were still somewhat tasty.

015. Foggy Vision and the Mackerel Frappuccino

​Mitsuike shook her head a few times, trying to shake off her clouded vision and foggy thoughts. But something was stuck, and her sight remained as white and blurry as ever. It was like driving in a fog, she thought. And she felt a strong, intense urge. Something she couldn't identify. A voice spoke to her.
​“Look, there are people who are tired.”
​Through her blurry vision, Mitsuike looked around. There was a worried-looking Rodentia in a brown hoodie, a beautiful, paint-splattered Rodentia woman in handcuffs, and a haggard, slender Felis Sapiens. Ah! I want to be kind! Mitsuike thought. A voice from somewhere gave her instructions.
​“Look, there's a drink on that utility box with the flower painting. It's a re-energizing drink. Share it with them.”
​"I'm not doing that."
​But the urge for a good deed was too strong. Mitsuike pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and threw it at the paint-splattered Rodentia woman.
​"Here, sis, wipe your face with this."
​The Rodentia took it with a surprised expression, and the yellow Felis Sapiens next to her looked on with a look of exasperation. Mitsuike thought. Something is stuck to my face. The voice spoke again.
​“Look, that athletic-looking Felis Sapiens is exhausted. You should share that rehydration drink you see at water stations.”
​Unfortunately, Mitsuike was very fond of the Saba Miso Frappuccino she was being told to share. She also hated being given orders by anyone other than her boss, and she was getting frustrated that she couldn't find any opportunities for a good deed other than giving away her Saba-frap.
​“Come now, that drink…”
​"I said no! The Saba Frappuccino is mine!"
​Mitsuike, giving in to her frustration, tore whatever was stuck to her face.
​A terrifying, high-pitched shriek tore from the fabric she ripped, but more than that, she threw the torn thing away and jumped at the cup of Saba Frappuccino she had put down.
​"My Saba-frap!"
​She put the green straw to her lips and took a sip. Then she stopped moving.
​"Ah… it's melted…"
​Mitsuike decided that the melted and lukewarm Saba Miso Frappuccino was too sweet and not very tasty. She then called out to Chita, who was sitting down, looking annoyed.
​"Hey Chita-san, want a drink? You look like you need some sugar."
​"Yeah, I'll take it… thanks. You okay?"
​"I'm fine. So, wanna head to the precinct to talk?"
​Mitsuike said, thinking Sorry, Chief in the back of her mind. Chita, slightly revitalized by the Saba-frap, replied,
​"I'd like to, but... I think we're surrounded."
​As Chita sipped the Saba Frappuccino given to her by Mitsuike, she looked around the alley at the C.A.T. members peeking from the far end and the squad of muscular-looking Rodentia soldiers blocking the opposite entrance.
​"Ah, this is bad."
​Mitsuike said, comparing the C.A.T. members and the Rodentia soldiers glaring at each other from both ends of the alley, with them trapped in the middle. The Rodentia soldiers, in particular, looked as strong as the troops in the "Mukutsukeke Warriors' Saga" that Agent Charu was reading. They were all bulging with muscle.
​"What's this? Are you the princess of the Rat Empire?"
​Mitsuike asked the beautiful Rodentia woman, mentally lowering the Saba-frap's rating to four stars.
​"N-No! I'm an ar—"
​"Wha—! No! I-It's an ad for my new book!"
​The likeable Cedric desperately shouted.
​"I-I'm the one who draws the pictures for the Pandaman children's books!"
​"Oh, that children's book that became a massive hit with kids from unauthorized fanfiction, and made Karirin a little mad?"
​"Ah, well, the publisher couldn't get a meeting with her, but they got a verbal 'it's cool?' from her, so I guess it's okay…"
​"Huh. Hey, put me in it."
​"Okay!"
​"Yay, make me a pretty one, okay?"
​"Ah, that…"
​Mitsuike and Cedric's negotiations continued, while the tense Felis Sapiens and Rodentia soldiers watched over them.

016. Yonako Tora

In the ostentatious, pseudo-rococo room behind the Fluffy Kingdom office, Fuwa Moko sat on a sofa beneath the portrait of TenTails, sobbing.
​Gently, while handing her a premium tissue, Yonako Yora spoke to her with a kind voice.
​"Moko-chan, I have something to tell you."
​Still reeling from the shock of TenTails' arrest, Moko looked at her mother-in-law, wiping the mascara that had run down her face with the tissue.
​"Yes, Mother, what is it?"
​Moko loved her mother-in-law very much. For decades, even after her husband disappeared with a cryptic note that read, "It is, after all, terror," her mother-in-law had been a constant source of support. And now, with TenTails' arrest, her mother-in-law was the one person she could cry to without reservation.
​"Well, Moko-chan. The thing is, I'm not human."
​"Yes, I know that. I'm aware you come from the Feline family line..."
​Yora smiled, looking a bit troubled.
​"I don't know what my son... or rather, my great-grandson said..."
​"Y-your great-grandson?"
​"You see, I'm not turning 90 next month. I'm turning 200."
​"Two hundred?!"
​"And also, I'm not a Felis Sapiens..."
​"At 200, you should have an even bigger party!"
​"It's okay, it's okay, that's not the point."
​"But..."
​"Just listen to me. I'm a Rodentia. A mouse-person."
​"WHAAAAAT?! B-But the great picture book author Yonako Yora is known for..."
​And then, Fuwa Moko finally understood. She had noticed her petite mother-in-law sometimes had fine, sparkling whiskers characteristic of a Rodentia, the pearlescent sheen of her front teeth, and the whiskers on the faces of the stern bodyguards who were always a few steps behind her. And she suddenly remembered that her mother-in-law's most famous works were Rolling Onigiri, The Wedding of the Mouse, and The Mouse Barrier and Yotaro.
​"M-m-m-mother! So, does that mean you are... from the Rat Empire?"
​"No, I am a modest Yamato-mouse. Those imperialistic... No, no, that's not the point. I'm in trouble, Moko-chan. And I need your help, as a Felis Sapiens."
​"My help, as a Felis Sapiens?"
​Even amidst her surprise and panic, Moko was delighted that her mother-in-law, for once, was relying on her.
​This translation is now complete. Please send over the next part of the story whenever you're ready.

017. The Noisy Room Next to the Interrogation Room

​Meanwhile, at C.A.T. headquarters, the interrogation of TenTails continued.
​"Ohhh, no... Who gave His Majesty TenTails soba..."
​On this side of the two-way mirror, next to the interrogation room, Aoki, Charu Mama, and Numata were destroying a emergency-use scratching-post table for their own respective reasons. The observation room for the interrogation was a rather crowded viewing gallery.
​"Huh? Was soba a bad idea?" Karin said nonchalantly.
​Abi, looking bored, offered a lifeline. "There are no allergy reports, so I think we are clear."
​"Hmm, I haven't heard of a soba allergy for TenTails... but... I guess it was warm soba, so it's probably okay... what about wasabi, though..." Charu Mama, a TenTails fan, was too flustered to notice that her child was not only eating soba on top of her idol but also sleeping on his lap.
​Aoki, who had let her two children hijack the interrogation room in a brief moment of distraction, turned pale under her gray fur, squeezing out a trembling voice.
​"Why! Are there two kids in there?!"
​"Well, Charu-chan is a proper agent. I was thinking Aoki-san's intimidating intellect combined with a Katsudon-strategy from Charu-chan would make him relax and confess..."
​"What the heck is a Katsudon-strategy?!"
​"Oh, a Katsudon strategy is…"
​"Why is Neda-san participating?!"
​"I invited him. Neda-san said he was good at making soba."
​"My handmade soba is still amateurish, though. I've been taking classes at a nearby shop..."
​"Oh, you make it from scratch?"
​"Yeah, but it's really hard. There are so many different kinds of flour..."
​As Aoki stood by, looking pale in her human form, Neda began explaining the finer points of soba-making to Abi. Just as the atmosphere started to get too relaxed, an emergency alert blared from each Felis Sapiens' smartwatch.
​"Oh, no! Charu's device!"
​"It's okay, I haven't given her one yet."
​"Ah, no... she has my old one."
​Beyond the two-way mirror, Mr. TenTails, who had just finished his meal and placed the bowl down, noticed something. He gently lifted his cardigan and spoke to his knees. The kitten and the kitten-like Sunekosuri jumped down, shifted to their Felis Sapiens forms, and began a happy conversation with him. Mr. TenTails answered them with a smile.
​"They seem to be doing fine. Don't you guys have to go?" Karin said to Numata and Aoki, who were stuck to the mirror with their fur bristling. The two of them shot out through the door Abi opened for them.
​"Aren't you going, Charu Mama?"
​"Nyeh... I'm a former agent... I'm a civilian now..."
​Charu Mama was so engrossed in watching her child exchange words with TenTails with a smile that she barely heard Karin's words.

018. The PDA Couple and the Tiger Tattoo

​"Why does it always end up like this, nya! This PDA* couple doesn't need a jail cell—they should be dumped back into the wild, nya!"
​In the C.A.T. holding cell, a glamorous middle-aged pop star and a supermodel were separated by bars, repeating "I'm sorry" and "Me too" over and over, thoroughly irritating their guard, Kurutsu.
​"Come on now, Kurutsu-san, calm down. It's okay, Numata-san said he'd handle the paperwork once he's back," said Ohkuma, trying to soothe her.
​But Kurutsu only grew more agitated, frustrated she hadn't been able to respond to the emergency call.
​"This is impossible, nya! Mitsuike just disappears, TenTails is playing with kids, and that round guy is doing Romeo and Juliet with his girlfriend, nya! I'm coughing up hairballs!"
​"R-Romeo and Juliet is sad but beautiful..." Ohkuma offered gently.
​"It’s only adorable and heartbreaking when it’s angsty teens! Not when it's hungover middle-aged men with scruffy beards, nya!"
​"Hah, that's a good one," muttered Karin, who was watching a completely unrelated video, her ears twitching as she listened.
​In the cell, the middle-aged couple continued their syrupy exchange.
​"Oh, forgive me, Patra..."
​"I thought you already knew I was a Nekobito..."
​"No, not at all... That's why I was so shocked..."
​"Wait, seriously?! Then who did you think that tiger tattoo was for, nya?!"
​"W-what?"
​"You got that tiger tattoo after we started dating! If not for me, then for what other Nekobito?!"
​And with that, the supermodel went back into angry Nekobito mode.
​"I-It's a misunderstanding! This is from a picture book I love..."
​"A picture book?!"
​"It's a classic, and it's cool, nya?"
​"What? A kids' book?"
​"R-Recently, Schrödinger did a parody of it..."
​"Oh yeah? Schrödinger is cool. What kind of parody?"
​"Well, it's about a tiger that fights a giant cow to help his mouse friend... Schrödinger drew a parody of it at a tiger sanctuary, and it kind of sparked this whole movement for tiger conservation..."
​"Hmm, that's pretty cool. So, what's the drawing like, darling?"
​"Huh, I guess they made up," Karin said with a bored expression, turning to see if Kurutsu would give her another entertaining outburst. But Kurutsu had gone quiet.
​"A tiger... and a mouse..."
​"What is it, Kurutsu-san?"
​"Yonyago... Yonya... Nyaah! Yonyago Tora!"
​"You mean... Yonako Yora-san?"
​"Yes, nya! The picture book artist, nya!"
​"Ohh, that brings back memories! I loved The Mouse and the Broad Bean Tree."
​"Broad beans don't grow on trees, nyahaha—wait, no, that's not the point, nya. The point is that the round guy's tattoo is by Yonyago Tora, right, nya?"
​"Ah, yes! It's definitely her work!"
​"Ohh, Yonako Yora. I loved Zodiac Wars too. Come to think of it, Mukutsukakies had a similar style..."
​"Oh, Zodiac Wars—I loved that too!"
​"Ooh, as expected from my apprentice," Karin said with a satisfied nod.
​"I-I'm honored...!" Ohkuma trembled with emotion, clearly moved.
​Fed up with the lovefest, Kurutsu stormed out, shouting, "Keep an eye on this dumb couple and make sure they don't run off, nya!"
​*Public Display of Affection (PDA) refers to physical expressions of intimacy between individuals in public view. While what's considered acceptable varies across cultures and contexts, it generally includes actions like holding hands, hugging, and kissing. Some organizations may also have rules limiting or prohibiting PDA.

019. The Mouse Soldiers, the Princess, and Sleepy

​"Everyone!"
​At the sound of the lovely mouse princess, Bianca Schrödinger, the rodent soldiers stirred.
​"It's alright... It's fine, stand down! Retreat! ...We shall kneel to the cats just this once... It's regrettable, but it's okay, I'm sure..."
​The mouse princess called out to her battle-ready soldiers in a clear voice. A pale-faced Bianca was beautiful, and it was easy to see why the rodent troops adored her. They lowered their guard, but as Chita approached her, a sense of tension returned to the sturdy squad.
​"Now, as you can see... we will not resist."
​Bianca nobly extended her thin, pale arms, which stood out against the paint, waiting for Chita.
​"No, well, I wasn't going to... arrest you or anything. I did put the handcuffs on, but... that's because you scratched me."
​"Huh? You're not arresting me?"
​Chita shook her head and asked Mitsuike, "What about you?"
​"I have to check with Chief Numata first."
​"We're technically arresting you for assault on an officer, but, well, you only scratched me. You'll be released right away. You won't be prosecuted."
​"Wait, if you arrest me, my identity will be revealed, and if I get prosecuted... it would add to my credibility..."
​"Really? You want to be prosecuted? It's a pain, so I was going to pretend I didn't even arrest you, and your identity would stay secret. Do you still want the arrest-and-prosecution route?"
​"Oh, I'd rather not. I'm a children's book author, after all..."
​"Cedric, are you betraying me?!"
​"Well... Oh, W-w-wait!"
​The white cloth Mitsuike had torn away moments ago fluttered weakly in the air, then broke into tiny, separate pieces. As if on cue, they swarmed the rodent soldiers lined up in front of them.
​"Aaaaaagh!"
​The rodent soldiers shrieked and tried to brush the cloth away, but the finely torn white pieces were not so easy to grab. The scraps stuck one after another to the bearded faces of the tough-looking rodent soldiers. Instantly, the soldiers' expressions changed, and they ran off in every direction. Soon, no one was left.
​"What... was that?"
​"That look on their faces... don't tell me..."
​"Tch! The traitors!"
​"Bianca-chan, calm down! I'm sorry, but..."
​"Ah, Cedric... it's alright. It really wouldn't do for the Pandaman author to be arrested... But... my Experimental Rats... they've vanished..."
​"Hey, I'll take the handcuffs off, so just come with me. I won't arrest you. We're having trouble with a bunch of forgeries of your work."
​"Forgeries?"
​"Yeah, forgeries. The quality is so-so, but because you're a symbol of hope or a target for investment, there's a mountain of fakes. It's a pain to check each one. It would be much easier if you came and sorted them out for us, saying which ones you drew and which you didn't..."
​"But wouldn't that be a confession?"
​As soon as Mitsuike voiced the idea, Chita glared at her with a frightening look.
​"Ah, oops... By the way, at Tsukiji, they're starting to sell something called a Tuna Cheek Frappuccino..."
​"Fish isn't really my thing... Cheese would be better..."
​Even with Chita glaring at her, Princess Bianca, who secretly loves limited-edition items, couldn't help but join the conversation.
​"As for sweets, I'm still a fan of the Pandaman Polar Bear..."
​Chita took the handcuffs off Bianca and then put them on Mitsuike and Cedric. She then shackled herself to them, lay down, and promptly fell asleep. It seemed she was completely exhausted from her long run.

020. TenTails' Fluffy Tail

In the interrogation room of C.A.T. Headquarters, TenTails is teaching yoga poses to the children. They giggle as they easily pull off the moves or tumble over laughing when they fail. From behind the one-way mirror, Charu’s mom watches with dreamy eyes.
​This is being recorded, right? I’ll ask for a copy later. But just in case they don’t give it to me… I’d better film it myself.
​She makes a mental note and adjusts the audio output so her phone can capture the sound better. Then she realizes something.
​“Wait a sec… Charu-nyan’s not speaking English… is that Cat-speak…?”
​All three of them are casually speaking in fluent Cat-speak, and just as naturally using their tails to assist with posing.
​Charu’s mom stops filming.
​“So it’s true... TenTails is really a snow leopard... SQUEEEEEE, look at that tail, it’s so fluffy…”
​She presses herself to the one-way mirror, careful to avoid reflecting any tails or feline eyes in the photo she snaps. It’s a delicate balance of fan discretion and 100% intent to make this her phone wallpaper.
​“Ahh, Charu’s grandpa might get jealous…”
​Suddenly, with a loud clack, the observation room door bursts open and Kurutsu stumbles in with a dramatic “F'yeeow!”
​“Wh-what’s going on?! Oh, um… that’s… that’s the guy, right…”
​But Kurutsu doesn’t seem to notice TenTails’ tail at all—more concerned about barging in on what wasn’t an empty room.
​“Oh, Charu Investigator’s honored mother… I didn’t realize you were here.”
​“Yes, well, it’s my day off today…”
​“I hate to impose on Investigator Charu, but… may I summon TenTails to the cardboard box? I want to get a statement from that lovesick pair.”
​“By all means…”
​Kurutsu presses a button on the wall and speaks into the mic to the interrogation room.
​“Charu-rin, can I borrow the room? I need to get a statement from the round couple.”
​Investigator Charu gives a sign of acknowledgment and gestures for TenTails and Cota-kun to leave the room. Cota skips out happily, while TenTails glides out with majestic composure.
​“Oh, without handcuffs…”
​“It’s fine, no worries. A gentleman doesn’t run.”
​Charu’s mom silently salutes Kurutsu in admiration—her secret heroine.
​

021. That’s All from the Scene

"I'm curious about the similarity between Yonako Tora's works and Pandaman, nya. And Aoki, come back."
Around the time Kurutsu sent this message to everyone's messaging tool, the other members of C.A.T. were busy with their own tasks, such as securing Schrödinger's whereabouts and photographing murals and spray paint art.
"Chita-san, wake up. You can sleep in the car. Your suit is all wrinkled."
Shamu gently shook Chita, who was snoring in her Felis Sapiens form on the street, still in her suit. But Chita completely ignored her, curling up even tighter.
"Ugh, whatever. Let's just leave her. Aoki-san, let's go."
"Hmm, for being from the CIA, she's a real mood."
Aoki muttered this to herself, recalling Karin in the room next to the interrogation room.
"Why are all the large Felis Sapiens so go-their-own-way... so maverick..."
Elsewhere, Mitsuike was trying to be friendly, asking Bianca and Cedric to come with them voluntarily.
"Hey, hey, Bianca-chan, would you eat real cheese-flavored taiyaki?"
"Oh, I like those."
"Really? Cedric, wanna try Mackerappe?"
As she spoke, Mitsuike took off their handcuffs and gestured for them to get into her small classic car.
Meanwhile, Chief Numata's face lit up when he saw his old friend's name on his ringing phone. He'd been bored with all the recent calls from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the CIA, so his spirits were high. He got into one of the police cars surrounding the scene.
"Oh, Moko-chan?! Long time no see! What's up?"
Chief Numata had been Moko's classmate in middle school. She hadn't quite grasped that Fuwa was a TenTails fan, so she had been a little worried about all her recent teary-eyed cat posts on social media.
"Wha—wait, what? Your mother-in-law's grandchild is missing? Yeah, I can look for him, but... I'm a bit tied up right now..."
"Excuse me, Chief."
Shamu called to her from the opposite side of the car.
"What? I'm in the middle of..."
Noticing Shamu's tense expression, Chief Numata sensed something big was happening and peeked out of the car. A large group of rodent soldiers was returning to the scene. Each of them had a vacant expression and a heavy gait; some were even growling. A sense of tension immediately seized the formerly relaxed area.

022. Kurutsu’s Unintelligible English

​"Thou, who didst hurl thy mortal frame beneath the wheels possessed of their own will, in a desperate bid to save the fabled beast Sunekosuri—didst thou then shatter the leaning gate of the ancient manor, driven by... by what, pray? Speak, or be forever damned in thy silence."
​The hungover, shirtless man stares blankly at Kurutsu, who is in her human form, speaking in what sounds like a curse with a heavy cat accent. Kurutsu is trying her best to conduct the interrogation using her unique vocabulary, but she quickly realizes her classical horror prose won't work on a pop star.
​"What are you even talking about? Did I do something? Where’s Patra?"
​The confused pop star, Anthony from Manmaru Five, fires off a string of questions in English. Kurutsu understands the questions but can't formulate a proper response.
​"Thou hast trespassed upon forbidden ground, and thus findest thyself ensnared. Declare now—by what cause didst thou defy the ancient interdiction, and for what dark purpose? Speak, O prisoner of our grasp, or else shall—
​Mrrrowrgh!
​(I can't do interrogations in English, nya! Where's Aoki, nya!)"
​"Hey, hey, why don't you ask TenTails to translate?"
​"WOW!"
​Anthony leaps back in shock as Investigator Charu, in her kitten form, who had been listening with sparkling eyes beside Kurutsu, suddenly speaks.
​"Silence, for she who sits before thee is also a Inquisition..., not a Inqui... nyaight, an investigator..."
​"No!! This cannot be real!!"
​"See? I told you he'd get confused, nya."
​"Was Patra-chan this confused when she found out she was a Felis Sapiens? That's too bad for her, nya."
​"Patra-chan was just chatting happily with TenTails, nya. Patra talk TenTails, nya."
​"What!? THAT TenTails!? The sexy old grandpa!?"
​"Oh, he's panicking, nya. TenTails is a handsome old man, after all, nya. Patra-chan might fall for him, nya."
​As Kurutsu grins, Investigator Charu happily adds her two cents.
​"Mommy says he's cool, too, nya."
​"Alright, I'll have him translate for you..."
​A lovely Investigator Charu, now in her human form, smiles at Anthony, who is on his knees and in a state of shock.
​"TenTails, translate your English, nya."
​Anthony, surprised to see a small girl suddenly appear and speak to him in English, is even more confused.
​"What...!?"

023. Return of the Experimental Rats

The large, vacant-faced rodent soldiers appeared, lumbering slowly to encircle the C.A.T. investigators, the artist princess, and the picture book author. In their hands were long sticks and other shiny, metallic objects. Some were covered from head to toe in cloth, masks, and gloves. They completely ignored the princess's desperate pleas, and instead, the shutter street was filled with a low muttering that sounded like a groan from deep within the earth.
​"Experimental Rats!! Why won't you answer?!"
​Princess Bianca strained her voice, but it was swallowed by the muttering. The eerie sound seemed to emanate from the depths of the ground. Suddenly, a manhole cover rattled, and the circle surrounding the C.A.T. team tightened. The investigators and the two Rodentia were slowly cornered against the mural.
​"Why?! Why are you doing this?!"
​"Look out!!"
​A rodent soldier holding a stick-like object lunged at Bianca, who was cornered in front of the mural. Cedric shoved Bianca out of the way, and Mitsuike threw herself over Cedric to shield him. The rodent soldier scrambled right over them.
​"Ouch! Hey, you stepped on my tail, nya!"
​Mitsuike, her tail crushed, lashed out with an angry cat claw.
​"Ow! Oh, sorry!"
​The rodent soldier yelled, and ignoring the blood gushing from his wound, he charged toward the wall. At the wall, a man who appeared to be the captain of the rodent soldiers raised his voice.
​"Once more!! My friend, once more!!"
​In response, the rodent soldiers roared in unison.
​"NO GRAFFITI!"
​"NO BROKEN WINDOWS!!"
​Then, all at once, they began spraying the mural with cleaning solutions and paint remover, scrubbing it with deck brushes and wiping it with rags. The Pandaman mural, which had just moments ago magnificently decorated the wall, was erased before their very eyes.
​"Oh, my work..."
​Bianca Schrödinger collapsed to her knees and began to sob.
​"You guys... weren't you my fans...?"
​Meanwhile, the Felis Sapiens, who had each been in a fighting stance in their "angry cat" mode, were caught completely off guard. They disarmed themselves and silently watched as the rodent soldiers cleaned and erased the mural.
​"What the nya... Oh, are you okay, Mitsuike-chan?"
​"It's the same, nya... just like those delinquent youths..."
​Muttering to herself, Mitsuike watched the rodent soldiers, who seemed possessed as they scrubbed the wall and even started picking up trash from the hedges.
​"It's the same... a slightly twisted good deed... just like the one that possessed me..."

024. "Ittan-Moment"

Mitsuike approached the car where Chief Numata and Aoki were, ready to throw her questions into the atmosphere that had shifted into one big cheerful cleaning event.
​"Hey, Aoki-san. Is that really an Ittan-momen?"
​"Ah, just a moment, please."
​"That's right, Mitsuike-chan, it's a moment-Ittan," Chief Numata said, gesturing to the monitor Aoki was peering into. "Take a look."
​"Chief… silly puns don't suit a fashionable woman of your age."
​"Oh, cute puns are charming and fashionable. But never mind that, hey, this missing person... I had Abi-chan at the station draw a portrait of him just now. Isn't that him, right there?"
​"Ah, it's Cedric-kun. But I can't tell just from a portrait, nya. Who is the missing person, and where are they from?"
​"He's my friend's mother-in-law's grandchild. He's apparently missing... Yonako Rice Pudding Cedric. He looks just like the boy over there, but that would be too convenient, wouldn't it?"
​"Yeah, they look similar, but it's hard for Felis Sapiens to tell one Rodentia from another... he also looks a bit like a movie extra. But that's him, the rodent princess called him Cedric."
​Mitsuike said, glancing over at Cedric, who was comforting the crying Bianca. Aoki agreed, comparing the sketch to the person in front of them.
​"Yonako Rice Pudding Cedric. It really is Cedric-kun, isn't it? He looks like the princess's nanny."
​"Is he active under his real name? How easygoing of him. But hey, is that really an Ittan-momen? Do Ittan-momen engage in 'one good deed a day' activities?"
​Aoki took her eyes off Cedric and looked around, but her earnest, searching expression found no answers.
​"I don't know much about yokai, so I'm not sure... probably not... but I don't know. You should ask Kurutsu-san about this. Oh? Where is Kurutsu-san?"
​"I have her babysitting and supervising Manmaru Five at the station," Chief Numata answered with a smile, but Aoki buried her face in her paws.
​"Ahhh, Kurutsu-san must be furious..."
​"Oh, isn't Kurutsu-chan a fan of Manmaru Five?"
​"She says she only likes the songs, but she's not interested in the people who sing them."
​"Huh, so that's a thing, too."
​"Can we go back now after collecting the two Rodentia and Chita-san?"
​"Yes, that's fine. As for the cleaning rats... well, there's no reason to stop public service, is there? They'll probably go home on their own when they get tired."

025. In a Thicket of Rodents and Cats I:

Bianca's Testimony
​—Your name?
​I am Bianca Schrödinger. This isn't an arrest, is it? So... I don't really want to say my real name. That's fine, isn't it? Oh, this list, yes, give me a moment. Hmm, this drawing and this one aren't me. Cedric wasn't involved in many of these. You should investigate my work more thoroughly. The Experimental Rats keep pretty good records, you know. The Experimental Rats? Oh, they're my Imperial Guard, or rather, my retainers... they've served my family for generations... Ah, I can't say any more than that.
​—Are you and Cedric a team?
​Yes, Cedric and I have been a team for the past few years. Well, I don't know if you'd call it a team. He doesn't really participate much in the actual drawing. But his artwork... it's just so good at capturing people's hearts, isn't it? I like it, too. My own art is said to be a bit too ironic and hard to understand, but he'll give me advice on how to make it more digestible. He seemed to like my ironic style and my way of going to places that suited the artwork. Then, one day, he showed up while I was drawing and asked to be my apprentice. I didn't want to stand out, so I brushed him off and left. But at the next location, he appeared with an absurdly large stepladder, a backpack full of spray cans, and a change of clothes. So, I told him that apprentices were too much trouble and to bring me a piece of his work if he found the next location. He brought me a picture book. His art is good, but if we collaborate too much, it would compromise my style. So we always discuss things, but he only ever helps out as an assistant. As for him, he can't bring a political tone into the world of picture books, so he can't participate too much. This time, even with the picture of Pandaman with a price tag, he wasn't involved at all. I just asked him if I could use the idea and how to make the macho figure look cool. I've become so used to drawing muscular figures that I don't know how to make them look cool anymore. It's like being asked to draw a cool-looking refrigerator; I just can't.
​—Was Yonako Tora involved in the tiger painting at the protected area?
​No. Yonako Tora is an artist I'm personally a fan of. After all, there aren't many picture books with female rodent protagonists. This time, TenTails was talking about the crisis facing large felines like tigers and snow leopards, and I thought that was cool. What? Oh, but look, he's a human. I-it's not like I'm an anti-Felis Sapiens person or anything. Hmm, but if Manmaru Five's Anthony were a Felis Sapiens, I could totally date him. He's so coo... What?! He's here?! I want to meet him!

026. In a Thicket of Rodents and Cats II:

Cedric's Testimony
​—Thy name, pray? nya?
​Ah, Cedric Rice Pudding. Eh? I don't have to use my real name? Sorry, then please call me by my pen name, "Pump Pudding." Oh, either is fine? I see.
​—Art thou a painter? nya?
​Yes, I... I've loved art ever since my grandma influenced me. Ah, well, my great-great-grandma, really. She raised me. Grandma taught me how to paint. It was just a hobby for her.
​—And a picture book from thy grandmother's influence?
​I loved the picture books my grandma read to me, so I'd draw my own pictures, imitating them. I also like character goods, and I collect a lot of "Honey Bunny" stuff. Honey Bunny is a rabbit, but for some reason, she reminds me of the leader from the Zodiac War Chronicles, Princess Shiro-nezumi. She's so delicate and cool, but also a great leader. And then when I went to meet my idol, Schrödinger, it was Bianca-san, right? She's like a real-life Princess Shiro-nezumi! I knew then I had no choice but to follow her; it was fate.
​—A missing person's report has been filed for thee, dost thou know this?
​Well, I'm a big fan of Ohkuma-maru, also because of my grandma. When I heard he had become Pandaman, it set my passion on fire. I wanted to become Bianca Schrödinger's Pandaman, too. I figured my family would be against it, so I ran away from home three days ago.
​—Thy grandmother, Yonako Tora? nya?
​Yes. She's a very beautiful grandma, isn't she?
​—Thy Yonako, she is a world-renowned picture book author, no? nyaight?
​Huh? She is!?
​—What in the name of... this slow, docile simpleton... nya.
—Yes, today's testimony is finished, nya.
—Now, take this list and circle all the paintings you were involved in.

027. A Catnap Break

Still in her wrinkled suit, Chita woke up in the SUV parked in the lot.
​"Oh no, I fell asleep... I'm not as energetic as I used to be..."
​"Oh, you're alive! How'd it go~?"
​From the driver's seat, a long-haired Felis Sapiens with a sparkling aura smiled.
​"I'm Perusha. It's written as 'hill' and 'diagonal.' I'm the medical examiner here. But nobody died this time either, so I'm bored~"
​"Oh, h-hello."
​"I can do all sorts of things besides autopsies, you know, like paint analysis. Want me to give it a try?"
​"Really?"
​"You'd think so, right? But Abi-chan already did it, so I have nothing to do. I'm so bored I was thinking of going to Toyosu to analyze a 'Tuna Collarccino' after disassembling Tuna. Wanna come? Isn't it just the best that I can find parasites from its internal organs?"
​"Uhm..."
​"Of course you're coming, right? Okay, let's go!"
​Chita was led away by the medical examiner Perusha for the forensic dissection of a tuna.

028. In a Thicket of Rodents and Cats III:

TenTails' Testimony

​—Mister, you're a Felis Sapiens, aren't you?
​—Investigator Charu, you shouldn't call a collaborator "mister"... Excuse me, and you are a Felis Sapiens, correct?

​Ah, if this is off the record... yes, I am a snow leopard. But I was originally human. I didn't actually do a "black cat count," you see. I was simply... there, as the snow leopard king's ninth life was ending. I was young then, and I had an interest in all things mystical and adventurous. A friend of mine was going to take photos of snow leopards in a remote part of the Himalayas, so I went with him. It was in a valley called Spiti, in a place called Marchal Pradei, which means "the middle land." It's a rugged valley, nestled between mountain ranges—a fault line, I believe. I was exploring, searching for a snow leopard, when I got separated from my group. In the middle of a blizzard, I took refuge in a cave that had opened up in the sheer cliff face. Inside, there was an old snow leopard. His blue eyes looked at me, but he said his sight was gone. "I can't see anymore, but I can smell you. Young male human, you smell just like the one I ate during my fifth life. You have the scent of youth and arrogance. Have you come for revenge, or to mock me?" I replied, "I don't mean to intrude, I'm just looking for shelter from the storm. If you save my life, I'll do anything in return." The snow leopard laughed. "I am too weak to kill you now; I have neither the strength nor the teeth to rip through your ribs. Do as you please. But if you will show me the world of humans, I will share the power of the snow leopard with you. And I will give you the charm that once captivated every female leopard in this valley, along with the wisdom of my nine lives. What say you? Will you give me a life?" I replied that I already had enough charm, so I didn't need that, but that I was interested in the wisdom of his nine lives, and that I wanted to grant a wish to a dying creature. So, now I am a snow leopard Felis Sapiens.

​—Is that the truth, nya...?

​Oh, little kitten, why do you ask that?

​—Because you've been TenTails since your debut, nya. My mom's a big fan, so I know, nya.

​But my debut wasn't that long ago. I had plenty of time to meet a snow leopard in my youth.

​—But if your debut was all because of snow leopard power and not your own talent, my mom will go bald from the shock, nya.

​No, my debut wasn't because of snow leopard power. I'm a bit too clumsy to live as a Felis Sapiens. Besides, this is a life I'm borrowing. That's why I'm not open about being a snow leopard Felis Sapiens. However, I am still myself. It's like I can speak French and also speak Cat, that kind of feeling. But, little kitten, that's a sharp observation. Your name is, if I recall...

​—I'm Investigator Charu, nya. Charu Aurum Bunji, nya.

​I see. I'll remember that. By the way, do I not need to translate for Anthony-kun anymore?

​—Aoki-san said it's okay now since she's back. Sorry, nya.

​No, it's not like I was particularly looking forward to it... although I was a little curious.

​—Excuse me, but Anthony seems very depressed for some reason, so perhaps another time...

​(Is that right, Shamu-san?)
(Yeah, Patra-chan has been watching TenTails' videos non-stop, so Anthony is completely crushed.)
(Huh. That's rough. my mom, you know, she shows me the dinosaurs videos when she really wants to see your videos.)

029. the raspberry rodents

​While Shamu, Kurutsu, Charu, and Chief Numata were each taking statements from the people involved, Perusha and Chita returned to the office. In their hands were a half-empty third container of a Tuna Collarccino and a small frozen tuna.
​"Tuna collars are the best!!"
​"That was delicious."
​"The old guys at Toyosu are the best, too!!"
​"But this one was specially saved for me, so it's a little small."
​"Perusha-san, why are you on such good terms with the men at Toyosu?"
​"Hehe~. Hey, speaking of a medical examiner's job, shouldn't you be investigating?"
​"We should, but it's not really an investigation. We just wanted to ask Schrödinger for help if we happened to find him, but we actually found him. And for some reason, the Ittan-momen is here, and so are Manmaru and TenTails. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if even a Jaguar showed up."
​"Hehehe, yes, that would be fun, wouldn't it?"
​As they made their way from the parking lot to the office via the elevator, Perusha wiped the melting tuna dripping from her paws onto her long fur. She was planning a leisurely bath in the mermaid-themed shower room in the corner of the morgue later, so a few drops of tuna juice were nothing to her.
​"More paperwork for me... wait, huh? Are the computers at the C.A.T. Japan branch always like this?"
​Inside the office, visible through the glass wall from the elevator, all the computer monitors were glowing. And on every single one of them, a certain famous mouse was doing a "raspberry" gesture.
​"Oh dear, did we get some kind of virus...? But I have to go put this tuna in the underground morgue quickly. Oh, Abi-chan? Come to the office, something bad has happened~ And call the Chief, too~ Don't worry, I'm leaving Chita-san here, so it won't be empty~"
​Perusha hung up the phone and, hoisting the tuna over her shoulder, started to leave the office.
​"Wait, you're leaving?"
​"If the tuna melts, I'll have to eat it right away. And you'd all want to have a tuna shaved ice party later, wouldn't you~? Don't worry, Abi-chan will be here right away~."
​Perusha exited with a radiant smile, leaving Chita behind, alone with the raspberry rodents.

030. Tuna Collarccino and a Facepaw Moment

​From behind the glass door, a pale Anthony appeared in an oversized panda-print T-shirt that he must have borrowed from Ohkuma.
​"Patra! ...Not here either. Excuse me, have you seen Patra?"
​"Ah, uh... looks like she's not in the holding cell. Oh, right—want to give your statement before you go? I can call Aoki."
​"Thank goodness, a normal person..."
​"Normal?"
​"The last person was using all this ancient creepy language... it felt like they were casting a curse on me or something. But, um, the statement—here?"
​"Yeah. If the animated mice on the screen don’t bother you."
​"I mean, they do kinda bother me, but at this point, I have no idea what’s going on anymore..."
​"Life of a celebrity, huh... Oh—Aoki? Anthony's in the office! Come over, you know it’s a pain if I have to take the statement later, right?"
​While Chita made the call to Aoki, Anthony looked around at the animated mice surrounding him, looking completely lost.
​"Wanna try the rest of this Tuna Collarccino?"
​Anthony turned his face away from the mixture of fish, whipped cream, and a negligible amount of coffee that the slender woman offered him.
​"How can you eat such..."
​"WOW! Is that...?! May I...?!"
​From under the desk, a stunningly beautiful foreign woman appeared—the likes of which you'd rarely see on the streets. She snatched the almost-empty Tuna Collarccino container from Chita's hand. Patra asked in cat language if she could have a taste, and Chita replied with a smile, also in cat language.
​"Oh, were you under the desk? Go ahead, it's all yours."
​"Yay! Thank you~! I was so, so curious about this Tuna Collarccino! It doesn't have any wasabi in it, does it?"
​"Nope, I don't like wasabi either, so there's none in it."
​The women exchanged chatter in cat language, while Anthony, a human male who couldn't understand the appeal of a fish frappé, wondered what a grotesque drink it was. Still, he was happy to have found Patra.
​Soon, Abi and Aoki emerged from the elevator.
​"Oh, Chita-san, thanks for your hard work. It's Abi, I've arrived... I'm not really good with computers, though..."
​"Alright, then I'll borrow this young man. Patra-san, are you heading back now?"
​"Oh no, don't leave me, Patra!"
​Anthony shook off Aoki's outstretched hand and kicked his chair as he stood up.
​"Don't leave me, Patra!"
​Patra, who had started to walk away, turned back with a look of exasperated amusement. Aoki reached out her hand to the panicking Anthony and urged him on.
​"Don't worry, it only takes..."
​"No!"
​Anthony again shoved Aoki's hand away, kicked the chair, and darted in the opposite direction. He grabbed the hand of Patra, who was standing frozen in surprise, and pulled her along forcefully. Though confused, Patra followed him.
​The two of them sprinted for the elevator—but Anthony didn't seem to notice the glass wall between him and the doors.
​The chair he had kicked moments ago slammed into the glass. With a sharp crack, a spiderweb of cracks spread out, and the wall shattered all at once. Thin shards of glass rained down on their heads, glinting with white light.
​Anthony ran straight through the falling shards, pulling Patra into the elevator. A little blood seemed to be seeping from him, but he didn't stop.
​The elevator doors closed with a soft thud, shutting out all the noise behind them.
​Left behind, Aoki looked at the broken glass, the toppled chair, and the massive amount of paperwork that would follow, and gently placed a paw on her forehead, taking a "facepaw" pose.
​Chita sighed, looking past the shattered glass at the closed doors.
​"...Looks like I'll have to run for a few stations again."

031. Tora, Karin, Cedric and Bianca (and Neta）

​In Karin's gym office, located on the mezzanine, a pleasant tea party was in full swing, overlooking the clash of muscle on muscle and the heated debates between dumbbells and flesh on the floor below. The members were Yonako Tora, Karin, Cedric, and Bianca, with Neta-san napping in a hammock in the corner.
​"So you're Karin-san... My, how strong you are..."
​"You think so? I think of myself as a slender killer, though..."
​"Grandma, um..."
​"Shh! Grandma is talking to Karin-san right now. My, what an incredible back... May I touch it? Oh, I suddenly feel like drawing my next book with a monster cat like you as the main character! Hehe, I should talk to Moko-chan about it."
​"You mean Moko-chan as in Fuwa Nozomi, the famous creator of Honey Bunny? I heard a rumor about turning our picture books into fluffy and cute characters... No, I mean, I'm actually a little happy about the fluffy and cute transformation, but the fans... especially the little kids, wouldn't be too happy."
​"Oh, it's alright, that..."
​As Ms. Tora said this with a gentle smile, Cedric eagerly cut in.
​"It's okay! I'll continue to do the artwork for the Pandaman series! So it'll be a separate line with that distinct wabisabi feel...!"
​"Oh, that would be wonderful. But what about the anime adaptation...?"
​"I haven't heard about that yet. I think they'll consider it once the characters gain some traction..."
​"I've been studying how to draw in an anime style for that occasion, with the current vibe in mind. I'm sure it will live up to your expectations..."
​"Wow, you're so diligent for someone so young."
​"Oh, he's not young. Cedric is an old-man boy. He's a respectable thirty-something now," Bianca said in a dark voice from the corner, staring at her phone. The words "Mysterious Cleaning Group" were on the screen. Ms. Tora ignored Bianca and turned back to Cedric. It seemed she couldn't forgive the beautiful woman who had charmed her grandson and made him run away, as she wouldn't even look at Bianca.
​"Honestly, you made me so worried... Oh, my. I even told Moko-chan your true identity. She was so surprised."
​"You told her I'm 'Pump Pudding'?! I was being so careful to avoid direct contact with Moko-san! Oh, speaking of which, Grandma! Why didn't you tell me that Zodiac War Chronicles was your work?"
​"I didn't want you to feel any pressure. Now, let's go home. Karin-san, I would love to see you again. And Ohkuma-san, too..."
​"Oh, I apologize that Ohkuma isn't here. I've been having the young ones look for him for a while now, but who knows where he's gone..."
​"He's right here," Bianca said in a gloomy voice, still staring at her phone.
​"He's here, you say..."
​Bianca silently held the phone up to Ms. Tora. On the screen was a picture of Ohkuma and Kohta-kun smiling while participating in a traffic safety campaign. The caption read, "Pandaman, promotes traffic safety in a guerilla campaign!" In the background, tired-looking rodent soldiers were shown doing yard work in the distance. Princess Bianca was extremely worried about the rodent soldiers.
​Neta-san seemed to be asleep in his hammock as usual, but in fact, his ears were wide open. He was wondering if the Pandaman character deal was really happening and if it would be considered insider trading if he bought some "Fluffy & Cute" stock right then.

032. In a Thicket of Rodents and Cats IV: Deleted

TenTails' Testimony 2 - Deleted Section

—Oh, my? When did this room get redecorated...? From plastic folding chairs to a Meow van der Rohe-style seating set...
​—Chief, the chair is so soft, nya.
​—It is, isn't it? But the budget... no, we'll talk about that later.

​A delivery person came by a moment ago. He said this was an offering from someone named "Fuwa Moko."

​—Ah, thank you, I apologize for having a suspect handle a delivery... Oh, but you're no longer a suspect, congratulations. The man who was hit just a little while ago has withdrawn the charges. He said he received an invitation to a remote meeting from a 'peerless beauty'... and that 'to be personally asked by such a stunning woman, I must be incredible.' This beauty...

​(Click. The sound of a door opening.)

​—Numata-san, the man says, 'I don't need any more direct messages from women, so please change my account back to private.'
​—Hey, hey, is the beauty Patra-chan, nya?
​—That and a bunch of her model friends and their followers and anyone who thinks they're good-looking. It's rough, huh. He's saying his account should be private, but we didn't do anything... Should I just tell him we can't do it?
​—Yes... um, Mitsuike-chan, could you handle that for me?
​—'s'all good. Congrats, Ten-san. Talk to you later, Charu. Whoa, still recording? My bad!
​(Click. The sound of a door closing.)

033. In a Thicket of Rodents and Cats IV:Re-take

TenTails' Testimony 2 - Re-take

​—Ahem. So then, with the charges dropped, you are free to go...

​That is good. Now I can perform my concert. However, I have another matter that remains to be resolved. You are pursuing the case of the mysterious paper fragments that attack people, are you not?

​—Yeah, nya. They seem to possess people and make them do good deeds. You were also caught by one, weren't you, nya?

​Hmm, perhaps, and perhaps not. There are some things in this world that are best left clear, and some that are best left obscured, and my case is the latter. At any rate, Gertrude 66th of Nyavel, the First Cat to His Holiness the Pope at the Vatican, is quite concerned about this oddity. Her reign number is an unlucky one, and it makes her very sensitive to the state of the world. And so, she entrusted this to me. This paper is said to be woven from water directly purified and blessed by His Holiness himself, using the technology of... what did they call them, those tissues with the cute seals printed on the box. It should calm down any out-of-control Stray Samaritans.

​—Stray Samaritans?

​Yes, that is what she called them. They are said to be the goodwill, positive pulses, or thoughts contained within words and paintings. At times, due to the deterioration of the work they are in, they lose their way and become a kind of evil spirit, driving people to act in a rash or short-sighted manner.

​(Click. The sound of a door opening.)

​—Sorry! This is an emergency! There's an assassination threat against Mr. TenTails! And the person who probably issued the threat broke the office's glass and ran away!
​—What, nya!?
​—Oh, B-Bunji-san!? You were here?!
​—Yeah, I'm the recording clerk. You all looked a bit understaffed, so I've been helping out a little.

034. Getaway in a Little Blue Car

​"Anthony, where are you going?!"
​"I've had enough of being investigated in this weird place for some stupid reason! They're even drinking fish parfaits! But I hate being away from you even more! Let's go!!"
​"Where are we going?!"
​Anthony pulled Patra by the hand and sprinted from the elevator to the parking lot. The semi-underground lot had an area where various personal cars were parked haphazardly and another area for police vehicles arranged neatly. The police vehicle area was managed by the lot attendant, Spruce-san. He was a rare Felis Sapiens who was particular about minor details. Anthony spotted Spruce-san re-parking the SUV that Perusha had left carelessly, and he quickly pulled Patra behind a small, classic blue car to hide. It was Mitsuike's car.
​"Anthony, wait, what are you doing?"
​"The door won't open..."
​"Like this?"
​Patra extended her reinforced claws, unique to a Felis Sapiens, and opened the door without a problem. "Thank you! I love you!" Anthony said, sliding under the steering wheel, cutting and connecting the wires to start the engine.
​"Get in!!"
​"Oh, no, I'm..."
​Anthony sat in the driver's seat, slid the seat back—which had been adjusted for the petite Mitsuike's body—and, seeing Spruce-san heading back to the break room, stomped on the gas.
​"Hold on!!"
​Mitsuike's favorite classic compact car sped out of the C.A.T.'s pale pink building. The C.A.T. building was an impressive structure with a blue-based stained-glass window at the entrance, in an abstract shape resembling a heart or a cat, and gentle Nyawdy-style curves. From behind the building, Mitsuike's little blue car shot out onto the main street, glistening in the light.

035. R Button Spam

"I've told you before, we didn't touch your account... AAAAAAHHHH! MY SKY-CHAN!!"
​Mitsuike, who happened to be on the phone by the window, noticed the blue car speeding out of the parking lot and screamed. The person on the other end of the line was the man hit by TenTails.
​"Ugh, shut up, nya!"
​Mitsuike hung up on the annoying man and rushed to her computer. The "Raspberry Rodent" was now only blinking on one screen, and the others had sticky notes from Abi that said, "It's okay to use now." Mitsuike tried to check her schedule but noticed her hands were trembling. Her beloved car was in danger.
​"Abi-san, Heri-san is around here today, right?"
​"Yeah, she's on the rooftop. I think she's here to register a protected dragon, you know, the fixed-wing pilot with the helicopter-sounding name."
​"Thank goodness, I wonder if she's free to talk...? Oh, Heri-san? Yeah, I need you to fly! Right now, it's an emergency! The dragon's cage? Someone else will put a protective charm on it!"
​As she spoke, Mitsuike grabbed Abi's collar and dragged him to the elevator, repeatedly pressing the up arrow button.
​"Come on—elevator, come on—! You're so slow!"
​"The thing about those Raspberry Rodents is, you can just press 'X' to close them, but..."
​"Elevator! You're so slow! Did someone stop it again?!"
​"Closing them is fine, but there were rumors that the mouse program had a backdoor running underneath it. It might just be a rumor, though."
​"Whoa, that's bad!"
​"Oh, the elevator's here."
​Mitsuike dragged Abi into the elevator, pushing the "Raspberry Rodent" out of her working memory, and began to repeatedly press the "R" button for "Rooftop" to focus all her attention on tracking her car.

036. Heli-san's Plane and the Driving Lane

“If there was already a dragon trainer up here, reckon we didn’t even need lil’ Ahi.”

“I’m good with it, though. That dragon trainer’s mighty easy on the eyes. Ahi-chan, you sweet on him?”

“Nah, that girl don’t care ‘bout folks like that. She’s more like a cat when it comes to her private life. Got herself an owner, too.”

“Wait now, even though she’s a Catfolk?”

“Yep. Lives with this old granny who don’t got no boundary sense—thinks Ahi’s just a sweet ol’ housecat and loves on her like she’s her own blood. Word is, Ahi didn’t even know she was a Catfolk till she got all into chemistry.”

“Well I’ll be. That’s somethin’.”

They were hollerin’ over the noise in the cockpit as Heli cranked up her old cargo plane and took off. Even with the narrow rooftop of the CAT building, Heli and her faithful Falcon had no trouble lifting off. The cockpit rattled something fierce, but Heli grinned ear to ear and started beltin’ out the chorus lines of Perfect Five’s old hits, like she was born for the stage.

“What kinda car we chasin’ again?”

“It’s blue! Small, real classy lookin’, kinda tidy!”

“Ohhh, that one? The fella goin’ the wrong way down the road?”

“Nyaaa!! He’s drivin’ on the right side! That boy don’t know how we do traffic here!”

Turns out Anthony hadn’t figured out the traffic direction differs between countries. A whole mess of black-and-white police cars had taken off after him—not ‘cause of the break-in or the car jackin’, but for good ol’ fashioned traffic violations. Realizin’ Heli’s plane had joined the fray, Anthony hit the gas harder.

“Well shoot, this ain’t good. If he crashes, Sky-chan’s done for—’n worse, Anthony’s gonna be in some serious hot water, nya.”

“Aw hell, what’re we gon’ do now? This here plane’s got a dragon snatcher rig, but catchin’ a dang car? I don’t think so.”

“Still… I want him caught, nya…”

“Mitsuike-chan’s car got a radio in it?”

“Oh! Right! That’s a nyaaice idea!”

Mitsuike stood halfway up, reached for the radio hangin’ near the roof, and hollered into it:

“Anthony!! Listen up, nya!! If you wreck that car I’ll—er, I mean CAT’ll secretly take ya into custody!! You just follow my navigation, pronto, nya!! If ya hear me, say somethin’!!”

But all that came back through the static was a weak, confused voice: “WHAT…?”

037. Anthony’s Great Escape

"Patra!! What the heck is this radio sayin'?! Translate the cat-speak!!"

The small blue car’s radio kept blaring its message, but Anthony couldn’t make out a single word. There was some kind of meowing—cat language, probably—so he called out toward the back seat, hoping Patra would translate.

“Patra?... Patra!?”

Finally glancing into the angled rearview mirror—too low to give a good view—Anthony realized two things: Patra was gone, and there were way more Japanese police cars behind him than he’d expected.

“...Oh no. No no no NO—"

Slipping into a mild panic, he let out a string of expletives not fit for broadcast, then slammed his fist against the thin, old-fashioned steering wheel. After a few deep breaths, he began to calm himself.

That’s when something yellow darted past his peripheral vision—fast. Something kicked off a structure and launched itself toward him.

A dull thud echoed from the low ceiling of the compact car, and then he saw it: a giant yellow feline paw slapping against the upper edge of the left window.

Then—out of nowhere—a slim figure with a head of wild blond hair appeared, peering down at him through the windshield. Anthony screamed and stomped the gas even harder.

Even after the head disappeared, a new horror emerged. Somewhere—he couldn’t tell where—a voice like something out of a horror flick whispered in Kurutsu’s signature tone. It twisted through the radio, barely audible beneath the static:

> “Should thou fail to turn at this next corner... abandon all hope... for thus... zzrkk... shalt thou arrive at... doom…”

Eyes wide with terror, Anthony stared forward—only to see a yellow clawed hand scraping down the windshield with a screech.

Yanking the wheel hard, he veered off the main road and into the maze of buildings ahead. But the strangest thing of all?

Not a single soul was in sight.

038. The Assault

​A little before Anthony fell into a panic, the beautiful Patra was standing alone in the C.A.T. headquarters' parking lot.
​"I'm sorry, Anthony..."
​Patra murmured, watching the classic compact car speed away without her. Then, her expression changed with a look of firm resolve, and she quickly passed through the cat-only entrance in her cat form. Patra avoided the surveillance cameras meant primarily for human-sized creatures and proceeded through the attic's ventilation ducts. When she finally reached a rarely-used emergency staircase, she returned to her Felis Sapiens form and hurried up the stairs.
​"TenTails... my revenge for Suzy!"
​She recalled the gentle blue eyes of the handsome man she had spoken to at the Cardboard Box. Even if she was laughed at as a newcomer, she couldn't get his smile out of her head, no matter how much she relied on her fans for information or listened to his famous songs on Nyantunes. She felt a certain nostalgia. She remembered her conversation with TenTails just a few hours earlier in the holding cell.
​“It must have been rough, being allergic to wasabi.”
​“I did not know... but it was kind of thrilling. It feels like something I could get addicted to.”
​“For excitement... love should be enough. I’m sure to your boyfriend, you are the wasabi.”
​“Oh, hehe. And why are you here?”
​“I did something a gentleman shouldn’t do.”
​“You punched the dating-violence guy, nya.”
​From beyond the cardboard box cage, Kurutsu said with a bored look.
​“Honestly, if you weren't a Felis Sapiens, it would have just been a regular scuffle between humans, nya...”
​“Oh, his opponent was a human man... in that case...”
​Patra was fully aware of the power her beauty—which was called the second coming of Cleopatra—could have over certain human males. And so, Patra found the abusive man and got him to drop the charges.
​TenTails, there must have been something between us, some kind of bond... And then, the shock of the testimony tape she snuck in and saw. TenTails, the King of the Snow Leopards. One shot after another from her heart-pounding information gathering. Ah, my memories of a past life are coming back to me... my hated enemy, King of the Snow Leopards, TenTails...!
​There! Patra charged at the emergency door on what she assumed was the interrogation room floor, trying to bust it open with her body. From the other side, she heard something collapse. It wasn't a common trait among Felis Sapiens in general, but the C.A.T. members didn't have a habit of using the stairs, so they sometimes left things in front of the emergency doors. In this case, it was an old pipe chair and a desk that had been moved out of an interrogation room.

039. Nobody's Friend

Suddenly, the old pipe chair and desk sitting against the wall collapsed, causing Chief Numata, Agent Charu, Aoki, and TenTails to jump back and brace themselves.
​"Nyah, nyah, what's that!? Oh, Patra-chan?"
​"Did you escape?"
​"Patra-chan, your boyfriend ran away!"
​Everyone said something or another, but in the meantime, Patra slipped her slender body through the slightly open door into the hallway. Then, with desperate resolve, she attacked TenTails with her cat claws.
​"TenTails, prepare yourself!!"
​"Hey, what are you doing, nya?!"
​However, Chief Numata easily batted her away.
​"What?! What's gotten into you?!"
​While speaking, Numata rushed over to Patra, who had been sent flying and was sprawled on the floor, and helped her up. Her soft, thick fur melted Patra's tension, and she burst into tears.
​"I... when I was first life of a kitten... that man... snow leopard on that man, in its seventh life, snow leopard was big stray cat... it ate my beloved... Suzy..."
​"Right, right, Suzy. Calm down."
​"It ate Suzy, the hen!"
​Tears turned her beautiful face into a waterfall of mascara and eyeliner as Patra cried out in a tragic voice. Creatures of the feline family and Felis Sapiens have nine lives, but due to the habits of cats or the mechanics of reincarnation, past-life memories rarely remain. The fact that hers did meant the separation must have been a truly tragic and painful one.
​"Suzy... I looked forward to her eggs every day...!"
​As Patra clung to Chief Numata and cried, TenTails slowly approached, knelt on the floor, and spoke.
​"I see... that must have been very painful for you. Extremely painful. ...However, that was something the snow leopard inhabiting me did in its seventh life, not me. No matter how much I wish to, I cannot atone for what it did. I can only... pray for the repose of the hen, Suzy's, soul. Glory to Suzy and her eggs..."
​Patra listened, blinking her eyes beneath her smudged makeup.
​"The snow leopard that inhabits me is old, and you are young and beautiful. How about you stop trying to take my life and be happy with your boyfriend, Anthony. He's a good guy. He loves you even when you make him cry. He'll be okay. Cherish him."
​"Oh, oh... okay..."
​TenTails took Patra's hand like a princess's and helped her to her feet. Beside them, Chief Numata also got up, groaning a bit.
​"So, is everyone friends now? It's all good, you're friends, right?"
​"Ah, that..."
​"No!"
​Agent Charu, who had been quietly listening to the adult's exchange, raised her hand.
​"Yes, Agent Charu."
​"Yes! TenTails is nobody's friend but everyone can be his biggest fan, nya! Friends are a no, but fans are a yes!"
​After a moment of silence, TenTails burst out laughing. That set off Numata and even Patra, who, without quite understanding why, laughed at the serious and proud cuteness of Agent Charu.
​"Ah, you remember the lyrics to that old song... Thank you. But for now, I am your biggest fan."
​"I'm TenTails's stan?"
​"Ah, yes."
​As the entire atmosphere softened, an alarm for an emergency dispatch rang out.

040. Rescue Request

​"Oh, Shamu's calling in reinforcements!"
"Where did she go? ...I'm here, Numata!"
​When Chief Numata responded on her C.A.T. communicator, Shamu's voice, along with the sound of some kind of impact and someone's groan, came through clearly.
​"Chief! Check the news!"
"Oh, Mitsuike-chan's car, right now..."
"No! The rodent soldiers are collapsing one after another from heatstroke, acting just like zombies! Bianca is absolutely furious!"
"What?!"
​Shamu switched the call to video, showing a burly man who had collapsed being tended to by human passersby. The camera then panned to a slightly more distant scene, showing rodent soldiers having their rain gear, kappa, and work gloves removed, or being splashed with water in the shade. It seemed to be a large park. In the distance, Mr. Ohkuma could be seen, carrying a rodent soldier under each arm. At the sight of Mr. Ohkuma, Detective Charu became very interested and spoke loudly into the phone.
​"What about Cota-kun, who was with Mr. Ohkuma?"
"He's fine. Mr. Ohkuma and I just dropped him off at his house. We're on our way back now, but...! Ha!"
​For a moment, an image of Shamu's long leg striking the side of a large rodent man's head appeared, and then the screen went dark.
​"I just told you that if you get up, you'll die! Stay put in the fountain!"
​Shamu's furious yelling could be heard, and Detective Charu instinctively folded her ears down and hugged Chief Numata, only to pull away in embarrassment moments later. Chief Numata gently stroked her head while speaking to Shamu.
​"Shamu-chan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but the rodent soldiers... I somehow managed to get them to the park with the fountain, but I can't do anything more with just me and Mr. Ohkuma!"
​Then a close-up of Shamu's face came into view. She was in her human form, soaking wet, and looked every bit like a human detective.
​"You're definitely going to get wet, so please come in your human form!"
​Water droplets glistened on her forehead.
​"Hey! Don't you dare get out of that fountain!"
​After the angry shout, the call was cut.

041. The Meadow and meow & meaw

​"This is Heli. Currently over Neko-Machi town Meadow. Over."
"Copy, nya. Anthony-chan, according to GPS, he's entered the Neko-Machi town area safely. Over."
"Ah! Chita-san is on the ceiling! It's dangerous, nya! Won't she stop?"
"There's nothing over there at the boundary, so she's fine, nya. She might run out of gas and stop eventually."
"That's the same for a plane, too."
"That area is like hills, but not really hills, with lots of ups and downs. It's much more gentle than the Tama Hills, nya..."
"I feel like Anthony speeds up whenever Kurutsu-san talks."
"What did you say, nya?"
​Kurutsu at the C.A.T. headquarters was unsure if she found that amusing or not, and fell silent for a while as she checked an emergency dispatch request on her smartwatch.
​Anthony's blue car continued down a single road through a vast green landscape.
​"This place is beautiful, isn't it?"
​While flying the plane, Heli murmured to herself, forgetting to turn on the radio switch.
​Neko-Machi town is a city on the boundary, inhabited mainly by Felis Sapiens. The Felis Sapiens there have customs that are much closer to the world on the other side of the boundary than those in the human world, so Felis Sapiens affiliated with the C.A.T. sometimes stay there to enjoy the classical world. The road there is sometimes long, and sometimes only about a train stop's worth. In fact, some people even reach it by taking a walk. But today, it seemed long to Anthony. The endless meadow of thin grass, the blue sky, the cotton-like clouds. In the Neko-Machi town Meadow just before Neko-Machi town, Anthony began to wonder if he was dead.
​Come to think of it, at that moment, when he was shaken by Patra's transformation and drunk from the unaccustomed shochu... he ran somewhere... he felt something white cover his face. And he felt like he dove onto the road to go after some kind of cute creature. The headlights were blinding. Someone was shouting something in a language he didn't understand. So, he took the round, warm creature and ran. There was an empty house. Since he was barefoot, he took off his shirt and laid it on the floor. It didn't feel like it was his own will. If that's the case, were those cat-like ghosts in detective outfits the ghosts of kittens that couldn't be saved...? Is that why he was locked up in a detention center and questioned with scary words...? Is this a trial after death, am I dead...?
​When he came to, his car's speed had dropped considerably on an uphill slope. When he reached the summit, he no longer felt like pressing the accelerator and stopped the car. He got out. It was like a green sea. And when he looked back, there was a completely blue car. On top of it, he saw a yellowish fur. The fur was rippling, as if it were responding to the movement of the waves in the surrounding meadow.
​Ah, I really did die...
​Anthony thought, and stood there frozen.
​Suddenly, the fur moved significantly, and a cheetah turned her amber eyes toward him. He thought he was going to be eaten, but the moment he did, the cheetah flipped over and rubbed the top of her head against the car's roof. And in fluent English, though in a very haggard voice, she asked, "Got anything sweet? Like chocolate?" Anthony grabbed a bag of chocolates, meow & meaw, which he had seen in the passenger seat earlier, and with a trembling hand, gave it to the yellowish cat's slightly worn-down sharp claws.

042. E.A. Paw's The Black Cat and Dr. Poos' Cat an

042. E.A. Paw's 'The Black Cat' and Dr. Poos' 'Cat and the What'

"Wow, 'The Black Cat' in a picture book... that's... but Paw is a horror writer, right?"
"Yeah. Back then, 'Zodiac Chronicles' and 'Nekomata Yaksha' were cool, so they were popular at school."
"Oh, so she was famous even back then."
Chita was snacking on M&M's on the roof of a small car, while Anthony lay with the rear passenger door wide open. They were lounging around in a kind of two-tiered bunk bed setup. A fresh breeze from the green ocean swept through, and Anthony, no longer burdened by his worries, was chatting with the very Felis Sapiens he had been terrified of just moments ago.
"My ninth birthday wasn't that long ago."
"Yes, it was."
"Anyway, the books by Tora Yonako were cool, but when I picked up E.A. Paw's 'The Black Cat', thinking it was a similar vibe... it was too scary for a nine-year-old me."
"The story about walling up a corpse with a black cat is famous, but it's terrifying."
"That's why... that voice on the radio, or rather, that person was scary..."
Chita wondered if Anthony's extreme behavior was due to trauma triggered by Kurutsu.
"Compared to E.A. Paw's 'The Black Cat', it's kind of laughable, but Dr. Poos's picture book used to scare me."
"Dr. Poos? Even though it's a story about Felis Sapiens?"
"I mean, 'Cat and the What' is a story where some weird adult Felis Sapiens in a silk hat suddenly shows up and trashes your house. For a proper Felis Sapiens child, it's just a little too real, and that's what makes it scary."
"Ha. I see. For a Felis Sapiens, that's what a genuinely weird adult looks like... I wonder if Patra was scared of Dr. Poos too..."
As Anthony murmured, Aoki's voice came through the radio after a burst of white noise.
"Patra-chan has calmed down."
Anthony quickly sat up and spoke into the radio.
"Huh?! Did something happen to Patra?"
"She issued a death threat to TenTails and attacked him, then cried to the Chief and made up. Everything was resolved within the department, so it's fine. Anyway, we're busy right now, so can you and Chita-san head to the car and plane and go help the rodent soldiers? Is Chita-san there?"
"Huh...?"
"Copy that. Chita, heading to assist the rodent soldiers. Over."
"Ah, this is Heli on the plane. Anthony-kun, Mitsuike-san is in a rage mode and is heading toward you, so you'd better evacuate over here. Come on, run through the grass to the plane. Over."
"What?!"
"Oh, that's right. Gotta run, nya!"
"Chita-san, you too! She's furious because you dented the roof when you jumped on it. Hurry up!"
"But it's hard to jump onto a moving car... ugh, this is such a hassle..."
Chita, too, began running through the green ocean toward the plane.

043. Never Was a Cloudy Day

Under a clear blue sky in September, dozens of Rodent Soldiers, soaking wet, diligently toiled in silence. The beautiful white mouse princess, Bianca, quickly flipped and scattered the contents of a garbage can, which the muscular soldiers silently picked up and collected in bags. Of course, Bianca was scattering the trash to keep the Rodent Soldiers on the verge of heatstroke stuck in the fountain to lower their body temperature. Bianca knew what she was doing, scattering the trash far and wide with varying heights to make it difficult to collect, and the exhausted, large soldiers couldn't keep up. Over there, Shamu was kicking the knees of a few who looked unwell, toppling them into the fountain. The fountain's water flowed swiftly downstream due to the sloped ground where they landed and into the surrounding ditch, so there was no fear of them drowning if they fainted. Ohkuma-san was also hard at work, scattering a large number of plastic bottle caps. He was vaguely reminded of a time he scattered rice cakes at a shrine. But with the sparkling water spray, the occasional rainbows, the blue sky, and the green surroundings...
​"This is the best."
​Ohkuma-san felt a little grateful, even as he sympathized with the exhausted Macchocolates. In a scene like this, it's hard for adults to indulge in water play unless they have small children with them or are helping someone.
​"Ohkuma-san! Be careful!"
​From the distance, Cota-kun's cheerful voice called out. Behind him, a beautiful, cat-like Sunekosuri-folk in a white dress was visible.
​"Oh, is that her?"
​Ohkuma-san concluded that she must be Cota-kun's mother and waved with a big, bright smile on his face.
​An intense sound filled the sky, and Heli's transport plane flew past as a shadow crossed the ground. It passed over the large fountain and the grassy plaza beyond, landing on the track and field stadium. Ohkuma-san and Shamu exchanged a glance, and after Shamu tied up a few of the soldiers, Ohkuma-san gathered them and threw them into the shade, then began running toward the plane.
​Bianca hesitated for a moment before quickly hiding behind something.
​In the shade, Cota-kun was passionately explaining his theory about the Macchocolates and the Rodent Soldiers to his mother. The Sunekosuri mother was chasing off a passing hornet with an "away with you" aura. From the children's park on the opposite side of the stadium, a few small children came out to watch, only to be pulled back into the shade by the adults leading them. Aside from the soldiers who were sprawled out at the large fountain, it was a very peaceful scene.

044. O Ye Consecrated Tissue of the Noble Ones

​044. O Ye Consecrated Tissue of the Noble Ones

The plane's propeller stopped, and Shamu and Ohkuma-san rushed over. The hatch opened, and Mitsuike, Chita, and Anthony, who had a small scratch on his cheek, got out. From the parking lot, Chief Numata, TenTails, Aoki, and Kurutsu strolled over. Investigator Charu was being led by Bunji, munching on a steamed rice cake snack.
​Shamu looked back at the fountain, confirmed the large men were still diligently collecting trash in the sparkling water, and reported.
​"Chief, the Rodent Soldiers have reached their limit."
"That Samaritan just moves people on its own, doesn't it, nya... I got away from it right away, though. It was big back then, so it was easy to pull off, but I didn't want to share my Sabapechi."
Mitsuike said, and Shamu quietly replied, "Thanks to your Sabapechi," giving a good-nya sign before continuing her report.
"Unlike with Mitsuike, that ittan-momen is in tiny pieces, like a tissue stuck to the laundry. We can't pick it all up."
"Is that so? TenTails-san, does the essence's deterioration make the Samaritan's rampage more severe?" Chief Numata asked TenTails, who calmly watched the soldiers in the distance.
"That's what I hear. Now, the question is how to transfer the unstable Samaritan here."
​TenTails took a folded white piece of paper from his pocket. Aoki, Kurutsu, Chita, and Charu, who were standing nearby, peered at it with great interest. Bunji was recording the moment on camera.
​"It's so tiny, nya. Is it really okay, nya?" Kurutsu murmured in cat-speak, and TenTails looked straight at her with his blue eyes and considered for a moment.
"Ah, you're the one with the radio voice that sounds like she's reading a horror story. Would you read this paper for me? It has the incantation to return this paper, entrusted to Gertrude the 66th of Niver, to its proper size."
"I can, nya?"
"Yes. It feels like someone with a certain intensity would be best. Now, Mister Ohkuma, would you come here and hold this for me? It will get big, and it's soft. It's best that someone without cat claws holds it."
​Over by the plane, Ohkuma-san, who was in the middle of changing his t-shirt, peeked out from his panda shirt in a panic.
​"Huh?! Me?"
"Come on, Ohkuma-san, over here!" Chief Numata beckoned him, and Ohkuma, with surprise still on his face, jogged shyly toward Numata and TenTails. He then received the Holy Paper with a big, bright smile. Kurutsu, who had been entrusted with the reading, also felt a little pleased. She exchanged a glance with Ohkuma-san and nodded. Then, putting power into her belly, she happily read the incantation written on the small piece of paper.
​"O, thou, consecrated tissue of the noble ones, reveal thy true form and encompass the wandering goodwill!"
​At that, the white paper slowly, with a soft flapping sound, began to unfold in Ohkuma-san's palm, its surface area growing larger and larger.
​"Wow, I want to tear it."
"It's so fluffy."
"It was the right decision to entrust it to Ohkuma-san, nya."
​While the Felis Sapiens shared their thoughts, the white paper grew larger with each fold it opened, extending from Ohkuma-san's arm to the grass, and not stopping until it was about three meters square. When it finally stopped moving, Mitsuike muttered, "Isn't it a bit too big, nya?"
​"It's alright. They say it shrinks up tightly when it contains the Samaritan," Chief Numata said, and Shamu replied with a serious face.
"It looks like a sweater that's been through the wash."
"How are you going to exorcise the spirit from the soldiers and transfer it here?" Aoki asked, and Kurutsu shook the piece of paper she held.
"O, ye, ancient goodwill dwelling in the wandering ink! Be released from your ancient bonds!"
​As Kurutsu raised her voice, the soldiers who had been sluggishly continuing to collect trash all dropped to their knees at once. Then, a grey, misty substance began to rise from them in succession.
​"Now, I invite you... wait, how do you read this, nya? I invite you to the holy vessel brought here! Donning a new garment, return to your true essence, nya! Go!"
​As Kurutsu chanted in a booming voice, the mist rushed toward Ohkuma-san with ferocious speed.
​But it was not absorbed into the Holy Paper held by Ohkuma-san. Instead, the mist surrounded Ohkuma-san and began to swirl around him and the paper, forming a massive vortex.
​"Ohkuma-san!"
​Ohkuma-san was enveloped by the black and white smoke, and he and the Holy Paper in his hands vanished from sight. For a while, only the smoke-shrouded Ohkuma-san presented a dreadful sight under the blue sky.
​"Ohkuma-san...!!!"
​There was no answer.

045. Ohkuma-san's T-Shirt

​"Oh no, Ohkuma-san..."
​Investigator Charu then quietly unleashed a Silent Meow. This technique can sometimes move the hearts of even the heavens and, at times, bring forth powerful allies.
​"Ohkuma! What's wrong, come on out!"
​From behind the CAT members surrounding the smoke screen, Karin's voice called out. Everyone turned to see Karin and Bianca walking toward them side by side.
​"You're not telling me you've been taken over by some Samaritan, are you?! You're a bottomless good guy even without something possessing you! Come on out!"
​"A-ah, yes! I'm sorry, but I might be a little unsightly..."
​The smoke screen gradually thinned, and Ohkuma-san's hands and feet began to appear. In his hands, the massive, holy paper was visible, folded up like a tarp after a picnic, and the C.A.T. members exchanged glances. Soon his stomach and head became visible. His face was filled with utter embarrassment because his Pandalman T-shirt had shrunk, making it look like a tight, midriff-baring T-shirt a young girl would wear.
​"I-I'm so sorry... It was such a great paper... but the Samaritan smoke got into my T-shirt..."
​The T-shirt Ohkuma-san was wearing originally had a fierce, bear-like panda on it. Now, it had a cute, had a retro, super-sweet character design, with even a heart mark on its cheek.
​"Nya, its eyes are sparkling..."
"Huh? T-this is a Samaritan? That's... not what I imagined."
"Oh, but it says 'Goodwill of the Wild' on the side."
"Ah, that's my... well, my original catchphrase..."
"Well... I'm sorry, but we're going to have to confiscate that," Chief Numata said to Ohkuma-san with a wry smile.
"Huh, confiscate it?"
"She's telling you to take it off and hand it over as evidence. Here, change into this."
​Karin, looking like she couldn't contain her amusement, held out a new T-shirt. The new T-shirt had an expensive-looking sheen.
​"This is a prototype made by the Fuwamoko Kingdom for the 'Wabi-Sabi no Sato' brand," Bianca, looking happy, added from behind Karin.
"It's a black shirt with a white suiboku-ga style drawing of my Karirin Wildcat Form. It's for adults, and I'm the one who drew the original. Well, if Fuwa-san gets vetoed by Yonago Tora-san, the whole thing might be canceled and become a myth."
"What?! But it's so cool!"
"Depending on how well you pull it off, even Tora-san might change her mind."
​With eyes full of expectation from his master and the beautiful mouse-folk, Ohkuma-san shyly turned his back and struggled to take off the tight, Showa-era character shirt. Chuckling, Chief Numata put it into a product bag and sealed it. Ohkuma-san put his pale, thick arms through the brand-new black shirt.
​"Oh, I brought an XXL, but it looks like it's a little small." Bianca said with surprise.
"Well, Ohkuma's just big."
​Ohkuma-san's upper body in the perfectly fitting, slightly stylish shirt looked a little mismatched with his training pants, but he seemed very happy.
​"Wow, this is really, really cool!"
​Ohkuma-san expressed his joy with a huge smile and, shouting "Thank you!", lifted Bianca up, spun her around once, and set her down. At that moment, TenTails, led by Charu, walked over.
​"Are you, by any chance... Schrödinger?"
"YES!!"
"Hey, Princess Bianca, if the Pandalman one doesn't work out, can you draw TenTails? Mom would love it."
"That's a good idea. Actually..."
​Over there, Chief Numata and Shamu once again unfolded the Holy Paper. As Kurutsu chanted the spell, they folded the paper up again as if they were folding a picnic blanket. At the fountain, Mitsuike and Aoki were distributing energy drinks and popsicles to the tired Rodent Soldiers. Charu did her best to translate for TenTails, Bianca, Karin, and Ohkuma-san, and Bunji helped with the translations sometimes while filming. Heli flew the plane without saying goodbye, and everyone wondered where Anthony had gone.

046. Ms. Fuwa and Patra’s Girls’ Talk

In the office of Moko Fuwa in the Kingdom of Fuwamoko, a new portrait of TenTails has been added to the wall. Done in subtle monochrome ink on a white background, it’s understated and stylish. In the background, the faint outline of a snow leopard can be seen. At the bottom right, Schrodinger’s tiny paw print is gently stamped. Moko and Patra gaze at it with dreamy eyes as they chat about Fuwamoko’s newest area, “The Wabi‑Sabi Village.”

“So, it’s finally opening next March?” “Yes. And the collaboration with that environmental group sponsored by TenTails begins in November. As for the anime… if it happens, it’ll be the year after next. Still a big if, though.”

“Anthony was so fired up, saying he’d write the theme song. I wonder if he can really pull it off.” “I heard you’re auditioning for the role of Karirin.” “Yes. She’s such a cool character.”

“Even my mother-in-law’s become a huge fan. Tora Yonago’s first new work in thirty years, ‘The Phantom Cat: A Single Blossom’, is an illustrated period novel, you know.”

“And how are things between Tora and Princess Bianca? Have they made up?” “Well, once we sent Bianca’s portrait of Ookuma and Karin, the chill melted away right away… That kind of talent, you know… They connect through art, on that level.”

“Say, Patra—among all the cats haunting TenTails, which one do you think is influencing him the most?” “Hm, I don’t know. It feels like… only the ones that match his original tendencies really have any effect on him…”

“Ohhh, Patra, you really get it! So wise for your age!” “Hey Moko, do you think we could get Tora to do a picture book with TenTails and Anthony as the main characters?”

“Hmmm… maybe not. My mother-in-law says TenTails is too young, and Anthony just looks like a baby…”

In the Kingdom of Fuwamoko, the catfolk’s girls’ talk never ends.

047. Be kind to others as much as possible

Aoki and Kurutsu were once again at the Japanese-style house where a certain literary master used to live. Five people from the house's preservation society were also there, having come because they heard that a "culturally and historically valuable item" was to be housed there. They had been heartbroken when the hanging scroll was torn, so they were a little happy to hear that a replacement would be put in its place, though they were a little bewildered that the item was a framed T-shirt. As Kurutsu hung the framed Ohkuma's panda T-shirt in the space that had become lonely after the torn hanging scroll was removed, she groaned.
​"This feels utterly blasphemous, nya."
​The relatively important person and the not-so-important people from the preservation society, who were supporting the stepladder Kurutsu was on, gave a wry smile. In contrast, Aoki, who was not very interested in the mismatch between the mansion and the T-shirt, just wanted to finish quickly and go home.
​"Still, this is most likely where the Samaritan's vessel was. What's wrong with it? It's cute."
"Hmm, can I try the paper again, nya?"
​Kurutsu took out the very Holy Paper that had been wrapped in the mount along with the T-shirt. The relatively important people and not-so-important people from the preservation society watched with great interest.
​"Well, it looks like you're ready, so please go ahead."
​"Then, O thou..."
"Ah, wait. Excuse me, everyone, it might be a little dangerous, so it's better if you step back."
​Aoki made the preservation society members move back a little, thanked them with a smile, and then nodded to Kurutsu. Kurutsu chanted the spell in her usual tone.
​"O thou, holy paper folded to a just-right size, unfold to a size about 20% larger than one tatami mat!"
"That's very specific this time."
"Actually, nya, I brought a mount that's the same size as the previous one. I'd be in trouble if the size didn't fit, nya."
​Kurutsu lowered the paper, which was gradually unfolding and getting bigger, onto the tatami mat. She then received a long, thin paper package from one of the preservation society members and took out a large hanging scroll mount.
​"My, what a lovely mount."
"Kurutsu-san has an excellent eye."
​The people from the preservation society seemed hopeful that they would get to display a sophisticated green hanging scroll mount instead of a panda shirt with sparkling eyes.
​"We don't know yet, nya, whether the word spirit will transfer from the T-shirt..."
​Kurutsu was a little tense. She then had the preservation society members apply a little bit of starch paste from a cute container to the just-right-sized paper and paste it onto the mount. The starch paste was also in a cute container with sparkling eyes, which made Kurutsu nervous. Once the preparations were complete, she spoke in a slightly casual tone to shake off her anxiety.
​"All right, you, the goodwill of someone from a little over a hundred years ago, now a good ancient soul residing in Mr. Ohkuma's T-shirt. To be frank, that's a bit of an embarrassing look, so please move over to this classier one. Come on, Aoki-chan, say something, nya."
"Huh? Um, we've replaced the paper, so please move over, please."
"Please, nya? Oh, so that's it!"
​Kurutsu was a little surprised that the magical word from the English-speaking world worked on an ancient Japanese word spirit. She then stepped back as the smoke rose from Ohkuma-san's shirt. The smoke stopped for a moment in front of the cute starch paste before being sucked straight into the hanging scroll's paper. Then, it wrote the words "Hito ni Yasashiku" (Be kind to people), and the characters for "shi" and "ku" swirled around once in place before settling down.
​"All right, this should do, nya."
"It moved so obediently."
"It's all in hiragana, which is so... fitting, nya."
"Ah."
​The not-so-important preservation society member spoke up, so Kurutsu and Aoki turned to look.
​"The words 'Narubeku' (as much as possible) have been added..."
"What a cruel world, nya..."

048. Tuna Kama-Toro Shaved Ice Festival

​"You done?"
"Are you doooone? Cooome onnnn."
​Abi and Perusha invited everyone in the office to the morgue, and the Tuna Kama-Toro Shaved Ice Festival began. The shaved tuna kama-toro looked just like shaved ice topped with strawberry syrup. The sweet-toothed Felis Sapiens drizzled condensed milk on theirs, while the not-so-sweet-toothed ones and the humans ate theirs with soy sauce. Midway through, Neda-san appeared with freshly made soba, and Mitsuike brought canned miso-stewed mackerel and fresh cream.
​"Karin-san, please don't pour protein powder on the other people's kama-toro."
"Bunji-chan, TenTails isn't here anymore, so you can put the camera away."
"Oh, I'm just filming Charu..."
"She is cute, isn't she? Oh, where's Cota-kun?"
"He's at school today. Apparently, some of his yokai friends at school are in trouble."
"I see, that's a shame."
"Chief! Would you like an eyeball?"
"Is it tasty?"
"I wonder, nya."
​And so, the CAT remained at peace.