If wishing only made it so
Title: If wishing only made it so
Pairings/Characters: Koyama, Shige
Rating: PG
Warnings: Mouse-eating. Lameness.
Words: 2,815
Summary: Stories always have morals, people don't always. Or, the things we do for love.
Notes: *repost* Adaptation of Puss in boots; or, The Master Cat. Originally written for je_telephone, and this was the first in a series of remixes: Version 1.
Soundtrack for Version 1| Version 2| Version 3| Version 4| Version 5| Version 6| Soundtrack for Version 6| Version 7| Version 8
---
Once upon a time there was a poor miller with three sons. The first two were his pride and joy, born to him when he was a young man. His youngest was supposed to be his gift and comfort in his old age, a surprise-child conceived over a decade after the second son. Nothing like the rest of his family, the youngest was a sort of frail child, eternally awkward and interested not at all in the family business, determined to learn as much as he could about the world. He loved all his boys, but the baby exasperated him to the end of his days. When he passed away he divided his inheritance among them. To his oldest son he gave the mill, and the younger two didn't grumble much because it was his right as eldest to receive the lion's share. To his middle son he gave the donkey, because he was flighty and his father hoped that in this way the eldest and middle brothers would be bonded and stay together. To his youngest, he left the cat.
Shige loved his dad, but really… the cat was kind of dumb. And his dad knew how he felt about enforced servitude. All Shige wanted was to go to university, to wrap himself up in all the knowledge of the world and stay there. He stared at Kei, curled up at the foot of the bed, butterscotch-orange fur glowing in the sunlight, and frowned. What was he supposed to do with that? He couldn't even support himself.
He remembered the day his father had brought the tiny puff of orange fur home. His father had come in and pushed it into Shige's hands gruffly, having noted how he often watched (a little wistfully) two of the toms mousing around the mill. Shige hadn't had the heart to tell his dad he watched rather than touched because he was allergic. And late that night when the kitten wriggled its way under Shige's shirt to cuddle close to his heart, he couldn't mind the way it made his sinuses tighten.
The kitten had been found abandoned in a field and it wasn't until a year later, when Shige was seventeen, that they found out that Kei was more than they expected. A few weeks after his seventeenth birthday he awoke to a tall, very lanky boy half-stuck in Shige's shirt with him, but otherwise very naked. Shige's very girly scream woke up the rest of the house. Everyone stared at the boy in Shige's bed as he looked around a little bit and tried to stand, tawny fur covering neat little cat ears perfectly matching his hair. Somehow they'd managed to get a werecat.
Not quite as desired as weredogs (their loyalty and dedication to service was unrivaled), werecats were highly desired in the kingdom and were representations of great fortune. To have blindly stumbled onto one was virtually unheard of. Immediately Shige's father and older brothers began talking animatedly about selling the werecat. Shige, instead, frowned and went to help Kei off the floor, the skinny boy wrapping long arms around Shige's neck and giggling into Shige's chest as they tried to get him upright.
Shige's father took one look at the two of them standing together and shook his head. They weren't going to sell the cat.
And now, five years later, the cat stretched as Shige watched, shimmered, a heartbeat and blink later, and Kei had transformed, caramel and butterscotch gold soaking up the sun as his mouth opened in a gigantic yawn, pink tongue showing.
Shige clicked his tongue. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked half-heartedly and shook his head.
In response Kei grinned and slid gracefully to his feet, padding over to wrap his arms around Shige and bury his nose in Shige's hair, nuzzling him affectionately. "You'll figure something out."
In the end it was Kei who figured something out, though Shige didn't know it yet. With his father gone and his distant older brothers squabbling over the family business, Shige grew more and more unhappy. Nothing he did at the mill went right and when he tried to stay out of the way, his brothers complained about how he didn't contribute at all. Shige chose not to mention (because it was petty, but damnit…) how they were employing his cat to do all their household chores. Because as much as Kei insisted that he was definitely Shige's (with a cheeky grin so Shige could never really figure him out), Shige couldn't stand the thought of owning a person. Even if said person was half-animal.
"Shige," Kei said, draping himself across Shige's lap as he read, casually throwing an arm over the pages and looking up expectantly at Shige.
Shige sighed, shifting his attention to Kei. If he tried to push the cat's arm off the pages, he'd probably shift innocently until his hair was covering them. There was no winning. "Yes, Kei?"
"I need some nice clothes."
"What for? You lose most of them anyway when you shift somewhere and come home without them. Why would I buy you nice clothes?" He pushed at Kei's arm and started reading again, entirely unsurprised when Kei moved around to lay his head on the book and look up at Shige with pleading eyes.
Glaring was not fazing Kei at all and finally Shige grunted in defeat. "Fine. You can have your stupid new clothes. I didn't need new books anyway, I guess."
With a huge smile, Kei wrapped his arms around Shige's middle and buried his face in his belly, freeing up Shige's book. "I'll make it up to you, I promise," Kei mumbled into his skin, and Shige absently reached up to rub behind the cat's ears, smiling as Kei purred loudly.
---
More than anything else in this world, Kei loved to see Shige happy. Ever since Shige-papa had passed away, Shige had become more and more unhappy and dissatisfied. Unsuited to the life of a miller, his master spent most of his time studying longingly and absently petting Kei. Okay. Maybe on some level Kei wanted Shige to be happy so that he'd pay more attention to him. But mostly because he really loved to see Shige happy.
Because of this, he thought really hard about what he could do to help. Shige wanted to go to university, but only people with enough class or money could go. Money was too difficult to come by, but class could be bought. Could it be bought with something other than money? Kei understood that he himself had a certain value in the kingdom and that usually only people with money could afford creatures like him. So if Shige had Kei, people would think Shige had money, and if Shige had money, he probably had class. So all Kei had to do was get people to think Shige was some sort of nobleman down on his luck and he could get accepted into university.
Sometimes, Kei thought, he was pretty smart.
As soon as Shige gave Kei his new clothes, Kei set out. He felt sort of guilty for leaving Shige behind without telling him anything other than that he'd be gone for a week, but Shige was always so logical. He'd find every flaw in Kei's plans and end up discouraging them both and nothing would be accomplished. But sometimes it just took a little faith and a lot of good will and miracles could happen. He'd be gone for a while, and he'd never been away from Shige for more than a couple days before so he'd miss him terribly, but in the end it would be worth it. He rallied all his cunning and set out.
The university was a week's walk, but by stowing his pack and himself in cat form in the back of passing buggies, he made it close enough in three days to start his plan. Step 1 was easy enough. Establish an in. So, Kei, knowing that almost anyone can appreciate the gift of food, and especially meat, set up a simple trap, a propped-open game bag with bran and greens, and waited for a naïve young rabbit to take the bait. Naturally flighty and easily bored, Kei's intense focus on the bag for an excruciatingly long period of time (hey, an hour is a really long time to focus on one thing unless you're napping, okay?) was just another proof of his love. When a silly young rabbit hopped right in and started nibbling, Kei swooped down on the bag, pulling it closed and securely trapping the prey.
Half a day's walk took him to the doors of the university where he asked to speak with the president. The clerk, impressed by Kei's impeccable clothing and the lordly way he carried himself (and probably the ears), led him to the president right away. With an elegant bow, Kei presented the president with the rabbit.
"A gift," he said, "from my master the Marquis of Carabas, who is delighted with the great works of your university."
Kei hadn't guessed wrong, and the president smiled thoughtfully into the bag. He wasn't one to turn down a nice dinner. But beyond that, the president was no fool. Always conscious of the possibilities of new patrons, he stood and bowed slightly. "Tell your master that I thank him, and that I am very pleased with his gift."
Kei was very pleased with himself, and hid a satisfied smile with a deep bow as he backed out gracefully.
---
Shige felt pretty miserable when Kei snuck up on him, sitting at the little pond just off the river. He'd had to do all of Kei's chores and then some while the cat was gone, and the bed felt too big without the other man in it. And though he'd sort of forgotten what it felt like to be able to breathe out of both nostrils, it hadn't made up for the loneliness.
He only jumped a little bit when Kei's long arms wrapped around him from behind. "You're late," he grumped.
"Miss me?"
"Who would miss you? I could actually breathe for a change."
Kei just grinned and slipped into the space beside him, pulling long legs up to his chin, sitting too close but Shige just leaned closer, laying his head on Kei's shoulder.
"I didn't lose my clothes."
"So I see. Congratulations are probably in order," Shige replied dryly, but he stayed just where he was.
Every couple of months Kei would disappear for a week and after six or seven months, he finally pestered Kei into telling him what he was doing. But only because the cat had decided that it was time for Shige to play his part.
"I'm sorry. You want me to be naked in a pool playing damsel in distress?" Shige didn't look pleased.
"It's all about looks, Shige! I've got the president where we want him, now you just need to look the part. This will neatly get you dressed as befits your station and introduce you to the president. He only comes out this way every now and then. You're certainly smart enough to hold your own; you only need the clothes now."
"Why is everyone so shallow?" Shige muttered. "I don't like this idea."
"But you'll do it anyway?" Kei wheedled, nudging Shige's leg with his hand.
"I'll do it. But… this idea is all kinds of dumb."
"But Shige loves me anyway," Kei said, suddenly shimmering, tall frame folding in on itself and then the tabby cat curled up in Shige's lap and butted his belly until Shige rubbed his ears.
"Yeah, yeah. I love you anyway."
---
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Shige grouched from where he was huddling in the shallow pool.
"Because it's just crazy enough to work. Here they come. You just stay here and act helpless."
"Yeah, sure," Shige grumbled. "No problem."
Kei ran toward the sound of the approaching carriage yelling, "Help! Help! My master is going to be drowned!"
He sure felt like drowning himself… After what seemed like forever he saw Kei leading a small group of men, looking concerned but Shige could read the look of triumphal gloat in his eyes.
The men dressed him in clothing the likes of which he had never laid eyes on, let alone touched. The fabric was soft and colorful and adorned with pretty things and he frowned at the excessiveness of it all, but one look from Kei had him keeping his mouth shut about that.
"Thank you, sir. I fear those rascals intended me harm. I'm very sorry to impose on you like this," Shige said instead.
"It was my pleasure, Marquis. Please, come join me on my drive. I'm sure we have much to talk about and you must be feeling shaken-up."
Going to Shige's side, Kei bowed low to the president and thanked him as well, before straightening to whisper in Shige's ear. "This part will be easy for you. Be yourself. I have more work to do."
Running ahead of the carriage, Kei came to a field with men working it. "If you tell the university president that this land belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, I will reward you each with a gold piece." He did this with all the workers he met along the road, so that the president would be impressed with the vast lands of the Marquis of Carabas.
At last he came to a large estate, the owner of which possessed all the lands he had previously crossed. He had learned that a sorcerer had recently killed the late owner and taken control of the lands, and tonight he was preparing a great feast for his friends. Now, Kei was no coward, but this was part of the plan he wasn't quite certain of. But he was determined to see Shige happy, and this would be the most surefire way. He squared his shoulders and approached the estate.
Summoning all of his eloquence, Kei buttered up the sorcerer. "I have heard much about the shrewd and conniving way with which you replaced the late master of this castle. I could not pass by without stopping to pay my respects to you."
Suitably flattered, the sorcerer invited him in and offered him a seat.
"I have heard that you are able to transform yourself into any sort of creature, like a lion, or elephant or some such. Is it true?" Kei asked, making his eyes wide and interested.
Chest puffing with pride, the sorcerer nodded. "Of course I can." And to prove his point he became an enormous lion, roaring with such force that Kei knocked his chair over in his haste to retreat.
"Amazing!" Laughing shakily, Koyama mopped daintily at his brow with a handkerchief. "I've also been told that you can transform yourself into the smallest of animals, but I can hardly believe that someone so tall as you could become as small as a mouse. I think people have been making things up."
"Ha!" the sorcerer replied. "It's not impossible and I shall show you now!"
As the sorcerer transformed, so did Kei, so that when the sorcerer stood before him in all his tiny glory, Kei's kitty instincts let him pounce on the sorcerer immediately and gobble him almost all up.
Meanwhile, the president, always thinking of the rising costs of education and constantly on the lookout for new donors, saw the castle and stopped, and Kei ran out quickly to greet him. "President," he said respectfully, bowing low and with a flourish to hide his flushed face. "Please do come in and enjoy the feast my Lord has prepared for you."
The president was obviously impressed, smiling hard at Shige's uncomfortable face as he praised the Marquis's lands and beautiful home.
Kei stayed outside to warn off the sorcerer's friends with the evil man's disembodied head.
---
Shige got his happy ending, adjusting well to the life of a nobleman and scholar. He tried not to think of the moral of his story, should anyone read of it, but the world is an ugly place and sometimes what is good is not right and what is right is not good. He was a generous master and all of his subjects loved him, when they cared enough to think about him. His brothers bothered him for money, his devotion to his studies in addition to keeping up with a title he knew nothing about often left him drained, but, all-in-all, he was living his dream and trying not to step on anyone else's.
But, above all, what he loved most were his quiet evenings before the fire, Kei in cat or human form gleefully obstructing his reading with demands for attention. Some things never change.
Pairings/Characters: Koyama, Shige
Rating: PG
Warnings: Mouse-eating. Lameness.
Words: 2,815
Summary: Stories always have morals, people don't always. Or, the things we do for love.
Notes: *repost* Adaptation of Puss in boots; or, The Master Cat. Originally written for je_telephone, and this was the first in a series of remixes: Version 1.
Soundtrack for Version 1| Version 2| Version 3| Version 4| Version 5| Version 6| Soundtrack for Version 6| Version 7| Version 8
---
Once upon a time there was a poor miller with three sons. The first two were his pride and joy, born to him when he was a young man. His youngest was supposed to be his gift and comfort in his old age, a surprise-child conceived over a decade after the second son. Nothing like the rest of his family, the youngest was a sort of frail child, eternally awkward and interested not at all in the family business, determined to learn as much as he could about the world. He loved all his boys, but the baby exasperated him to the end of his days. When he passed away he divided his inheritance among them. To his oldest son he gave the mill, and the younger two didn't grumble much because it was his right as eldest to receive the lion's share. To his middle son he gave the donkey, because he was flighty and his father hoped that in this way the eldest and middle brothers would be bonded and stay together. To his youngest, he left the cat.
Shige loved his dad, but really… the cat was kind of dumb. And his dad knew how he felt about enforced servitude. All Shige wanted was to go to university, to wrap himself up in all the knowledge of the world and stay there. He stared at Kei, curled up at the foot of the bed, butterscotch-orange fur glowing in the sunlight, and frowned. What was he supposed to do with that? He couldn't even support himself.
He remembered the day his father had brought the tiny puff of orange fur home. His father had come in and pushed it into Shige's hands gruffly, having noted how he often watched (a little wistfully) two of the toms mousing around the mill. Shige hadn't had the heart to tell his dad he watched rather than touched because he was allergic. And late that night when the kitten wriggled its way under Shige's shirt to cuddle close to his heart, he couldn't mind the way it made his sinuses tighten.
The kitten had been found abandoned in a field and it wasn't until a year later, when Shige was seventeen, that they found out that Kei was more than they expected. A few weeks after his seventeenth birthday he awoke to a tall, very lanky boy half-stuck in Shige's shirt with him, but otherwise very naked. Shige's very girly scream woke up the rest of the house. Everyone stared at the boy in Shige's bed as he looked around a little bit and tried to stand, tawny fur covering neat little cat ears perfectly matching his hair. Somehow they'd managed to get a werecat.
Not quite as desired as weredogs (their loyalty and dedication to service was unrivaled), werecats were highly desired in the kingdom and were representations of great fortune. To have blindly stumbled onto one was virtually unheard of. Immediately Shige's father and older brothers began talking animatedly about selling the werecat. Shige, instead, frowned and went to help Kei off the floor, the skinny boy wrapping long arms around Shige's neck and giggling into Shige's chest as they tried to get him upright.
Shige's father took one look at the two of them standing together and shook his head. They weren't going to sell the cat.
And now, five years later, the cat stretched as Shige watched, shimmered, a heartbeat and blink later, and Kei had transformed, caramel and butterscotch gold soaking up the sun as his mouth opened in a gigantic yawn, pink tongue showing.
Shige clicked his tongue. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked half-heartedly and shook his head.
In response Kei grinned and slid gracefully to his feet, padding over to wrap his arms around Shige and bury his nose in Shige's hair, nuzzling him affectionately. "You'll figure something out."
In the end it was Kei who figured something out, though Shige didn't know it yet. With his father gone and his distant older brothers squabbling over the family business, Shige grew more and more unhappy. Nothing he did at the mill went right and when he tried to stay out of the way, his brothers complained about how he didn't contribute at all. Shige chose not to mention (because it was petty, but damnit…) how they were employing his cat to do all their household chores. Because as much as Kei insisted that he was definitely Shige's (with a cheeky grin so Shige could never really figure him out), Shige couldn't stand the thought of owning a person. Even if said person was half-animal.
"Shige," Kei said, draping himself across Shige's lap as he read, casually throwing an arm over the pages and looking up expectantly at Shige.
Shige sighed, shifting his attention to Kei. If he tried to push the cat's arm off the pages, he'd probably shift innocently until his hair was covering them. There was no winning. "Yes, Kei?"
"I need some nice clothes."
"What for? You lose most of them anyway when you shift somewhere and come home without them. Why would I buy you nice clothes?" He pushed at Kei's arm and started reading again, entirely unsurprised when Kei moved around to lay his head on the book and look up at Shige with pleading eyes.
Glaring was not fazing Kei at all and finally Shige grunted in defeat. "Fine. You can have your stupid new clothes. I didn't need new books anyway, I guess."
With a huge smile, Kei wrapped his arms around Shige's middle and buried his face in his belly, freeing up Shige's book. "I'll make it up to you, I promise," Kei mumbled into his skin, and Shige absently reached up to rub behind the cat's ears, smiling as Kei purred loudly.
---
More than anything else in this world, Kei loved to see Shige happy. Ever since Shige-papa had passed away, Shige had become more and more unhappy and dissatisfied. Unsuited to the life of a miller, his master spent most of his time studying longingly and absently petting Kei. Okay. Maybe on some level Kei wanted Shige to be happy so that he'd pay more attention to him. But mostly because he really loved to see Shige happy.
Because of this, he thought really hard about what he could do to help. Shige wanted to go to university, but only people with enough class or money could go. Money was too difficult to come by, but class could be bought. Could it be bought with something other than money? Kei understood that he himself had a certain value in the kingdom and that usually only people with money could afford creatures like him. So if Shige had Kei, people would think Shige had money, and if Shige had money, he probably had class. So all Kei had to do was get people to think Shige was some sort of nobleman down on his luck and he could get accepted into university.
Sometimes, Kei thought, he was pretty smart.
As soon as Shige gave Kei his new clothes, Kei set out. He felt sort of guilty for leaving Shige behind without telling him anything other than that he'd be gone for a week, but Shige was always so logical. He'd find every flaw in Kei's plans and end up discouraging them both and nothing would be accomplished. But sometimes it just took a little faith and a lot of good will and miracles could happen. He'd be gone for a while, and he'd never been away from Shige for more than a couple days before so he'd miss him terribly, but in the end it would be worth it. He rallied all his cunning and set out.
The university was a week's walk, but by stowing his pack and himself in cat form in the back of passing buggies, he made it close enough in three days to start his plan. Step 1 was easy enough. Establish an in. So, Kei, knowing that almost anyone can appreciate the gift of food, and especially meat, set up a simple trap, a propped-open game bag with bran and greens, and waited for a naïve young rabbit to take the bait. Naturally flighty and easily bored, Kei's intense focus on the bag for an excruciatingly long period of time (hey, an hour is a really long time to focus on one thing unless you're napping, okay?) was just another proof of his love. When a silly young rabbit hopped right in and started nibbling, Kei swooped down on the bag, pulling it closed and securely trapping the prey.
Half a day's walk took him to the doors of the university where he asked to speak with the president. The clerk, impressed by Kei's impeccable clothing and the lordly way he carried himself (and probably the ears), led him to the president right away. With an elegant bow, Kei presented the president with the rabbit.
"A gift," he said, "from my master the Marquis of Carabas, who is delighted with the great works of your university."
Kei hadn't guessed wrong, and the president smiled thoughtfully into the bag. He wasn't one to turn down a nice dinner. But beyond that, the president was no fool. Always conscious of the possibilities of new patrons, he stood and bowed slightly. "Tell your master that I thank him, and that I am very pleased with his gift."
Kei was very pleased with himself, and hid a satisfied smile with a deep bow as he backed out gracefully.
---
Shige felt pretty miserable when Kei snuck up on him, sitting at the little pond just off the river. He'd had to do all of Kei's chores and then some while the cat was gone, and the bed felt too big without the other man in it. And though he'd sort of forgotten what it felt like to be able to breathe out of both nostrils, it hadn't made up for the loneliness.
He only jumped a little bit when Kei's long arms wrapped around him from behind. "You're late," he grumped.
"Miss me?"
"Who would miss you? I could actually breathe for a change."
Kei just grinned and slipped into the space beside him, pulling long legs up to his chin, sitting too close but Shige just leaned closer, laying his head on Kei's shoulder.
"I didn't lose my clothes."
"So I see. Congratulations are probably in order," Shige replied dryly, but he stayed just where he was.
Every couple of months Kei would disappear for a week and after six or seven months, he finally pestered Kei into telling him what he was doing. But only because the cat had decided that it was time for Shige to play his part.
"I'm sorry. You want me to be naked in a pool playing damsel in distress?" Shige didn't look pleased.
"It's all about looks, Shige! I've got the president where we want him, now you just need to look the part. This will neatly get you dressed as befits your station and introduce you to the president. He only comes out this way every now and then. You're certainly smart enough to hold your own; you only need the clothes now."
"Why is everyone so shallow?" Shige muttered. "I don't like this idea."
"But you'll do it anyway?" Kei wheedled, nudging Shige's leg with his hand.
"I'll do it. But… this idea is all kinds of dumb."
"But Shige loves me anyway," Kei said, suddenly shimmering, tall frame folding in on itself and then the tabby cat curled up in Shige's lap and butted his belly until Shige rubbed his ears.
"Yeah, yeah. I love you anyway."
---
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Shige grouched from where he was huddling in the shallow pool.
"Because it's just crazy enough to work. Here they come. You just stay here and act helpless."
"Yeah, sure," Shige grumbled. "No problem."
Kei ran toward the sound of the approaching carriage yelling, "Help! Help! My master is going to be drowned!"
He sure felt like drowning himself… After what seemed like forever he saw Kei leading a small group of men, looking concerned but Shige could read the look of triumphal gloat in his eyes.
The men dressed him in clothing the likes of which he had never laid eyes on, let alone touched. The fabric was soft and colorful and adorned with pretty things and he frowned at the excessiveness of it all, but one look from Kei had him keeping his mouth shut about that.
"Thank you, sir. I fear those rascals intended me harm. I'm very sorry to impose on you like this," Shige said instead.
"It was my pleasure, Marquis. Please, come join me on my drive. I'm sure we have much to talk about and you must be feeling shaken-up."
Going to Shige's side, Kei bowed low to the president and thanked him as well, before straightening to whisper in Shige's ear. "This part will be easy for you. Be yourself. I have more work to do."
Running ahead of the carriage, Kei came to a field with men working it. "If you tell the university president that this land belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, I will reward you each with a gold piece." He did this with all the workers he met along the road, so that the president would be impressed with the vast lands of the Marquis of Carabas.
At last he came to a large estate, the owner of which possessed all the lands he had previously crossed. He had learned that a sorcerer had recently killed the late owner and taken control of the lands, and tonight he was preparing a great feast for his friends. Now, Kei was no coward, but this was part of the plan he wasn't quite certain of. But he was determined to see Shige happy, and this would be the most surefire way. He squared his shoulders and approached the estate.
Summoning all of his eloquence, Kei buttered up the sorcerer. "I have heard much about the shrewd and conniving way with which you replaced the late master of this castle. I could not pass by without stopping to pay my respects to you."
Suitably flattered, the sorcerer invited him in and offered him a seat.
"I have heard that you are able to transform yourself into any sort of creature, like a lion, or elephant or some such. Is it true?" Kei asked, making his eyes wide and interested.
Chest puffing with pride, the sorcerer nodded. "Of course I can." And to prove his point he became an enormous lion, roaring with such force that Kei knocked his chair over in his haste to retreat.
"Amazing!" Laughing shakily, Koyama mopped daintily at his brow with a handkerchief. "I've also been told that you can transform yourself into the smallest of animals, but I can hardly believe that someone so tall as you could become as small as a mouse. I think people have been making things up."
"Ha!" the sorcerer replied. "It's not impossible and I shall show you now!"
As the sorcerer transformed, so did Kei, so that when the sorcerer stood before him in all his tiny glory, Kei's kitty instincts let him pounce on the sorcerer immediately and gobble him almost all up.
Meanwhile, the president, always thinking of the rising costs of education and constantly on the lookout for new donors, saw the castle and stopped, and Kei ran out quickly to greet him. "President," he said respectfully, bowing low and with a flourish to hide his flushed face. "Please do come in and enjoy the feast my Lord has prepared for you."
The president was obviously impressed, smiling hard at Shige's uncomfortable face as he praised the Marquis's lands and beautiful home.
Kei stayed outside to warn off the sorcerer's friends with the evil man's disembodied head.
---
Shige got his happy ending, adjusting well to the life of a nobleman and scholar. He tried not to think of the moral of his story, should anyone read of it, but the world is an ugly place and sometimes what is good is not right and what is right is not good. He was a generous master and all of his subjects loved him, when they cared enough to think about him. His brothers bothered him for money, his devotion to his studies in addition to keeping up with a title he knew nothing about often left him drained, but, all-in-all, he was living his dream and trying not to step on anyone else's.
But, above all, what he loved most were his quiet evenings before the fire, Kei in cat or human form gleefully obstructing his reading with demands for attention. Some things never change.