Kora and Neko

"Look at old white belly teasing that dog."

"That's not 'old white belly', dad. That's Neko, and he looks like he's wearing a suit."

"I guess so. An old tuxedo maybe?"

"Yeah, like in the old movies."

The father and daughter sitting for a moment on the park bench, were observing a trim feline lounging on a cherry tree branch. The blossoms were beginning to fade now, casting white petals to the ground as soft as snowflakes. Spring was ending and summer's promise was right around the corner. The finer points were lost on an over zealous pup that put up a tremendous effort to get the cat's attention, but Neko, the black coated and white belly cat, continued to lick his paws as if nothing in the world was passing of note.

"Think he'll come by for dinner again tonight?" asked the father, looking down at his daughter, whose eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Maybe! Mom said we are having fish, and I can save him some if he does."

"Well, I want you to eat your dinner that mom has worked so hard to make us, but maybe if there are leftovers."

Neko opened his golden brown eyes, and watched as the two got up from their bench and headed back home. The pup that had been getting quite frantic at being ignored, was scooped up by his owner. The park was getting quieter now. It was almost dinner time, and the light was fading. He then tilted his head to look up at an open apartment window. With graceful steps, he traversed quietly the old cherry tree's long branches, until he could sit looking into the space beyond, seeing the occupant leaning over a new but already well used desk.

A dark haired woman, early twenties, was reading her notebook again and looking at a computer screen. Occasionally she would make careful notes on an open document page, grabbing a book from a stack when she needed it. The usual Friday routine that Neko had observed many times now. If the woman noticed him, she might wave, but right now she was intently busy. He yawned after a few minutes and decided to move on, his path eventually leading to another apartment, and a little girl who smuggled out some fish to him.

Later, considerably full of fish from the father of the little girl too, Neko returned to the cherry tree and looked in the window of the apartment. It was late at night, and the woman, Kora by name, was trying to keep awake with coffee. She was still unaware of his observation, and an hour later finally made her way to bed. It was the same old story. Work until collapse. When she had finally shut off the lights, Neko waited a few minutes until she was fast asleep, before rising and jumping deftly to the window sill.

A light evening wind stirred the trees, and Neko looked back at the long shadows of evening, cast in stark relief by the street lamps. Satisfied at what he had observed, he gently landed on the floor of the apartment and made his way to the bed. Noiselessly he climbed the somewhat disheveled blankets, and lay curled up next to Kora, one paw gently laid upon her back as if she were his kitten. For a time his, golden brown eyes surveyed the darkness, and then he slept too.

In the morning, a shrill alarm announced an early Saturday schedule. The cat yawned prodigiously, then sneezed away the collected dust. Kora stirred, and blinked a few times after seeing him. Silently she stroked the back of his neck, and he turned his head to her for more attention. It was a minute before either of them spoke to each other. Just an early morning broken by an alarm bell, and slight cold snap of air flowing through the open window.

"And when did you start sneaking into my room?" she asked, turning on her back and staring at the cat who had invaded the apartment. "Just come and go as you please like everywhere else huh?"

Neko meowed a response full of meaning, yawned again and then rose with a shake. He had other things to do this early if his warm bed fellow was going to be up and active. Alighting with his usual grace, the cat hit the floor and then the window sill. He looked back for a moment as she laughed at his posterior against the daylight. Then darted out the window to the cherry tree again, and further adventures.

"Another man," she said as she watched him go. "Here for the cuddles, and gone by morning."

When Neko returned in the afternoon, Kora was no longer happy. The cat drifted in again as was his desire, and observed a tall blond haired man who was occupying Kora's couch like he owned it. Apparently Neko had missed some earlier conversations of an important nature, as Kora was at her desk again trying to read through her notes and add to the document she was typing up. Her eyes were a little red.

"Hey babe, why are you even trying this?" asked the man, his legs spread in a causal manner, head tossed back and looking at the ceiling as if it had more importance than anything else in the room. "I mean your parents have to be spending their entire savings to get you through school, and do you really thing you have the brains for it? I mean law is good and all, but you have to remember everything about precedence and old cases and such. I mean I could do that, but your grades in high school were terrible."

"Yes I remember you did better," she replied coldly, not looking at him and trying to focus on her work.

"Oh heck yeah I did," he smirked. "Hey, you remember Beck, the girl in biology? I'm dating her now. You saw in my posts right? Wow she's beautiful. Too bad you dumped me. You gave up your one shot."

"Yes, I saw it online," snapped Kora, slamming her book closed with loud thump. "Why are you here Kyle? Don't you have better things to do now?"

"Ah, I thought I'd stop by and remind you I'm still alive," he responded with a chuckle. "Hey, I'm taking over my dad's business finally. Too bad you dumped me or you'd be rolling in the green stuff now."

Neko interrupted this flow of conversation by jumping down from the window sill and causally walking across the apartment to Kora who was now noticeably upset. She had taken off her glasses a while ago, and tried to function without them. The cat jumped into her lap, and began to purr loudly. Kora stroked him behind the ears as she knew he liked. For a moment, the conversation dropped and she put the book down to look at her furry friend. He was warm and tender, and she got lost for a moment in stroking the jet black fur of his back.

"Hey, when did you get a cat?" asked Kyle, annoyance in his voice for the first time. "I hate cats. Allergic to them."

"Neko comes and goes as he wishes," she replied, "he's sort of a neighborhood cat. No fleas, and no bad manners. Just dines out often and comes here at night usually."

"Stupid creature," he snapped, getting up with exaggerated weariness. "Let's go get some ice cream."

After a brief argument, Kora led the way to the local ice cream shop with Kyle talking all the while as usual. Neko, following them as he wanted, sauntering alongside Kora. The neighbors all cast intrigued glances their way. The new student resident, a tall blond man with endless conversation, and the local cat crossing the sidewalk. A chuckle from a couple, a little amused laugh. Kora and Neko were favorites. Most were amused at the stately Neko walking his lady down the street.

"What are all these people looking at, the stupid cat?" asked Kyle, glowering testily. "The one thing I hate about being out in public, is these stares."

"I was surprised you wanted to go out before evening. You've always hated people and their everyday lives," she replied.

"What I really hate is this stupid cat," he snapped, doesn't it bother you to have him around?"

"No, Neko is my only friend here. I haven't taken much time to meet many neighbors."

"Oh yeah, the school stuff," he smirked. "Hey, we're here."

The little ice cream shop exuded that comforting smell of sweetness, a cross of sugary dairy and waffle cones. A few other patrons were waiting in line, and the day was pleasant, so the large windows in the seating area were opened to the outside to let the warm breezes in. Someone looked at Neko and laughed. If the guy with a shock of red hair pulled back was at all bothered to see a cat standing in line polity, he said nothing but continued to scoop ice cream. There was a sign up objecting to animals, but the quiet feline was given a silent pass.

"Hey, you're old favorite was three scoops and a cherry on top," said Kyle, pointing out the flavors Kora used to combine. "You're looking good now, but remember when you were getting a bit chubby?"

"Oh shut up!" she snapped. "That's why I don't usually eat ice cream anymore unless I'm upset."

"Well so testy," he replied with hands raised in mocking defense. "If you don't want me around I'll go."

"Just, stop talking about the past."

Later the trio were walking by the park on the way back to the apartment, and Kora had gotten one small scoop. She saved the last bit for Neko, feeding him the cream at the bottom of the paper bowl she had been using. He lapped it up greedily in fact, a most unbecoming action for one who kept his fur so immaculate, and his poise precise. Kyle was still with them, looking up at the sky as if contemplating the blue for the first time.

"I have to get back to my work," she said. "So much left to do."

"Are you sure you can even handle all of this?" he asked, looking at her critically. "What if you don't succeed? What if all the money, time and effort are wasted?"

Kyle jumped up from the bench with a cry, as the cat's paw raked his skin above the ankle with menace.

"You're fool cat scratched me!" he stormed, trying to catch Neko, who ran gently away and up the cherry tree. "I'd like to give him a swift kick! Look he drew blood!"

"I guess he doesn't like the things you say to me," she replied coolly. "I'm sorry you got hurt. Now if you'll excuse me, I do need to get back to work."

"Fine, whatever, defend the dumb animal," he fumed. "I got to go anyway. Spent enough time here."

Kora watched him walk off without a further word, the same loping stride as she remembered. Same bad temper. And yet all his words stung. Looking up to Neko who was sitting quietly, tail flicking back and forth as serenely as if nothing had happened, she waived and winked. He certainly was no dumb cat. However, neither old boyfriend or friendly cat could catch up the work she had been missing since Kyle called on her, and it was back to the grind.

Later that night, Neko returned after visiting the little girl and her father. The mom was now in on the action too, purchasing actual premium canned feline food. Nice folks those people. He climbed the cherry tree, and alighted in Kora's room. He found her with the lights off in bed asleep. She had given up much earlier than usual. He had expected to see her frantically at work, but instead, he found her pillow moist as if she had been crying for some time. He snuggled up to her, and lay his left paw on her protectively, while licking the other. He did not need to look to see that Kyle was sitting on the couch in the dark, smoldering with rage.

"You could have joined us," said Kyle, his eyes bright with hate. "All you stupid animals could have switched sides, but you didn't because you thought you were too good for us. Too pretty to touch. As if more time was spent on making you. Well, your little friend here is going to get messed up day after day, until we kill her, and there is nothing you can actually do about it. She will do it herself one night, and you won't always be here to stop our whispering. All the bad memories. All the words of Kyle she still loves."

Neko continued to lick his paw, then yawned widely, while Kyle sputtered at the flagrant disregard. Then, with smooth authority, Neko opened his eyes, pinning Kyle with those golden brown orbs.

The image of Kyle shrieked horrifically and grabbed its face as tendrils of black smoke hissed around his body, burning without fire. The cry of the creature being revealed, should have woken the neighborhood, but could only be heard in this room. Red flesh, tight and creased by fiercely unforgiving time, emerged, and the figure that had been Kyle was nothing more but a nightmare humanoid. Something cast from light into darkness many ages ago. The old hanging wreckage of wings were barely recognizable, so long had they ceased to be what they had been, now only dragging behind like two halves of a dark battered cape.

"What are you?" croaked the creature, murderous eyes both maddened and slightly afraid.

All the time that the creature had been burned out of its disguise, Neko, had been growing. His form glowing luminously, his left paw still protectively over Kora, more a shield of strength now than delicate sheathed claws. His eyes were truly fixed on the creature with a steadiness that rivaled stone, but there was now deep power in them, where only grace and subtle mischief had been before.

"Run, little mouse," said Neko, in deep tones. "Run."

"What the he-!" cried the creature, reaching to its side for a blade that flamed immediately with cold green light.

Neko leapt, like a lion for the kill, jaws opened wide and claws out to rend. The creature could not move fast enough, and the feline had snapped its neck between sharp fangs faster than any rodent he had ever slain. The body of the creature spasmodically writhed for a moment, then went still with a long mournful wail of loss. The remains crumbled to dust, and disappeared on unseen winds. Neko sneezed as if the dust tickled his nose, then shook the lights from his fur.

Growing smaller as he walked back to the bed, he alighted once again on Kora's pillow in his usual ten pounds. His movements had the effect of waking the young woman who rose with a start and looked around the room frantically. Then seeing the cat, she let out a little gasp, but her heart quieted within her.

"Neko you shouldn't scare me like that," she scolded, petting him behind the ears anyway. "I was having the worst dreams. Hey, can you stay here tonight? I don't want to be alone."

Neko meowed his agreement, as if he understood perfectly, and moved a little closer to keep her warm. She laughed and placed a kiss on his forehead before drifting back to sleep, a small smile on her lips now. The breeze was cool through the window, and the shadows that had drawn close, fled when the cat gazed their way.