iridesenescence

Card story — Something Like A Miracle
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
Card Episode — The Current Favourite

Chapter 1

Faust:... And so a magical theory was created to explain this strange phenomenon—

Tabby cat: Mrrowww~

Shino, Heathcliff and Nero: ......

Faust: —Which is what we will learn about today.

Shino, Heathcliff and Nero: ......

Nero: (Okay, c'mon, someone's gotta ask... What's a cat doin' in here while we're havin' lessons?)

Heathcliff: (Th-the cat's stepped on Mr Faust's feet at least four times now... Ah, it poked his elbow, but he's ignoring it...)

Nero: (Now it's climbed onto the podium... 'S stickin' its head behind Faust's ear...)

Tabby cat: Meooow!!

Faust: ... And that's the historical aspect. Next, we'll look at some case studies.
Any questions up to this point?

Shino: Yes.

Faust: Go ahead.

Shino: What's with the cat?

Heathcliff and Nero: (Thank you, Shino...!)

Faust: He's been coming to the courtyard recently.
I was petting him earlier, but before I knew it, it was time for lessons, so I got up to leave. Apparently, he decided to follow and let me know we're not done yet.

Heathcliff: So that's why he was meowing like that... It looks like he's really attached to you, Mr Faust.

Nero: Surprised you let 'im in, though. Couldn't you put up a barrier and leave 'im outside?

Faust: I did. But he was so insistent...

Shino: What, you couldn't bear to just leave him?

Faust: Mithra threatened to send him to the Northern Country if he didn't quieten down.

Shino, Heathcliff and Nero: Ah...

Faust: He's clinging to me for now, but if we just leave him be, I'm sure he'll give up and head somewhere else eventually. I know it's a little distracting, but don't pay him any mind.

Heathcliff: Uh... Um... I'll, I'll try my best!

Shino: Heath, you gotta tell it to him straight. That only the strong-willed guys from Central could ignore something like that.

Faust: Uh... Really?

Nero: Whatever the case, this kitty ain't gonna understand that you can't play with 'im cos you've got lessons to teach.
I say we call off today's lessons and spend some quality time with this guy instead.

Heathcliff: Nero, you're just saying that because you forgot your homework, aren't you?

Nero: Who, me? C'mon, I would never.

Shino: Seriously, though. We can't go on with class like this. How're we supposed to learn magical theories with all this meowing in the background?

Tabby cat: Mreow~~!! Mwa~~ul.

Faust: ......

Shino, Heathcliff and Nero: ......

Faust: ... The content we were supposed to cover today will be shifted to what was supposed to be our free day, two days from now. If you're all fine with that...

Shino and Nero: Sure.

Heathcliff: Of course.

Faust: Alright, then... I guess we can give up on today's lesson and take it easy.

Chapter 2

Faust: Right, I'm sorry for ignoring you. Come here, my lap's open. I'll play with you now.

Tabby cat: Mrrow! Prrrr...

Nero: Haha, he jumped onto you the moment you sat down. Guess he's been waitin' for this.

Shino: He's already purring. This guy has no sense of danger.

Heathcliff: I'd like to pet him too... Mr Faust, do you think it'll be okay?

Faust: He loves attention, so I don't think he'll mind.
Let him sniff your fingers first. If he's fine with your scent, you can start by touching his head.

Heathcliff: Understood. ... Um, here. Take a sniff.

Shino: Haha. Take a sniff, he said.

Heathcliff: I mean, it'd be weirder to just shove my fingers at him without saying anything...

Tabby cat: Sniff sniff...

Heathcliff: ... Looks like he doesn't mind? I'm going to touch you, okay? Wow, this area around his neck is so soft...

Nero: I wanna touch 'im too. Here ya go, inspect away.

Tabby cat: Sniff sniff... ... Lick lick lick...

Nero: Woah, he started groomin' me. 'S that mean he likes me?

Faust: It looks more like tasting than grooming to me... Your hands probably smell vaguely of meat or fish.

Nero: Now that ya mention it, I did handle some fish when makin' breakfast this morning. Heh, do my hands taste like fish? You like that, huh?

Heathcliff: Wow, Nero's completely smitten.

Shino: You're several hundred years old, you could at least try to act the part.

Nero: Nah, that's Teach's job.

Faust: It is?

Nero: Hey, check it out! Kitty's gone and grabbed my hand with his front paws...

Tabby cat: Chomp!

Nero: Yow?!

Heathcliff: Wha?! Nero's hand might smell tasty, but you can't eat it!

Faust: Ah, no, that's not...

Shino: Geez, you guys are amateurs. Watch and learn. This is where you wrap some cloth around your hand...
Alright, come get me. The mighty Shino will be your playmate.

Tabby cat: ...! Swipe! Chomp! Kick kick kick!

Heathcliff: Oh, so he just wanted to play. Ahaha, he's so worked up that he's panting. How cute.

Nero: Yeah, but if he keeps this up...

[ Meowing ]

Shino: Hey, if you flail around too much, you're gonna fall off Faust's lap.

Faust: Up you go... Ouch, hey, stop that. I'm helping you here.

Tabby cat: Mrgh...

Faust: No, don't "mrgh" me.

Heathcliff: ... Haha...

Faust: Heath?

Heathcliff: Oh... I'm sorry for laughing all of a sudden.
But it just struck me how strange this situation is...

Shino: True, it's not every day that we'd just ditch class.

Heathcliff: Well, there's that too, but it wasn't the main thing. Of course I know Mr Faust and Nero are kind people, and Shino and I already had ties to each other...
But when we first gathered, I would never have imagined that the four of us would one day be playing with a cat on Mr Faust's lap together like this.
Thinking about that just... made me happy.

Faust, Shino and Nero: ......

Faust: ... I guess you're right...
If I were to describe this scene to myself from a year ago, no doubt I would have thought it was either a lie or a miracle of some sort.

Chapter 3

Tabby cat: ......

Other cats: ......

Faust: ......
(The cats are all looking at each other... The tabby from this afternoon kept meowing, so I was wondering what was up. I guess he wanted me to join the cats' gathering...?)
(The black and white cats in the Valley of Storms would summon me to join them too...)
... Do you all think of me as a fellow cat?

Tabby cat: ......? ......

Faust: (... Well, whatever. Enjoying my time alone while surrounded by cats is relaxing for me, anyway.)
(There are a lot more cats here, but it's almost like the days I spent back in the Valley of Storms...)

Heathcliff: Good evening, Mr Faus... Oh, wow. That's a lot of cats.

Faust: Heath... Shino and Nero too.

Shino: What're you doing out here? Cat-bathing?

Nero: The heck is "cat-bathing" supposed to be?

Faust: Well, what were the three of you up to? You've all got mugs in your hands.

Nero: We were just makin' eggnog in the kitchen. The kids were lookin' for some.

Shino: Then we looked out the window and saw you standing out here all alone, so we came to get you.

Heathcliff: But I guess you weren't alone, you were with the cats. Were you feeding them?

Faust: No. The cat from this afternoon invited me to join the cats' gathering, so I did.

Heathcliff: T-the cats' gathering...?

Shino: What's that supposed to be? I think you need more people friends.

Heathcliff: Shino!

Faust: Haha... Maybe I do.
But as it turns out, I already have three people who will come get me just because they saw me alone in the courtyard.

Cats: ......

Nero: Oh, looks like the cats are done for the night.

Heathcliff: Ah, but the one from this afternoon is coming this way with some others. Their tails are standing straight up too.

Faust: That's what they do when they're in the mood to be coddled. I'm sure he wants us to play with him again.

Shino: Alright, c'mere. We can play as much as you want.

Heathcliff: Hehe, there, there. We're spending a lot of time with cats today, huh?

Cats: Wiggle, rub rub, roll roll...

Faust and Nero: ......

Nero: ... Sure you're okay not goin' off with the other cats, Teach?

Faust: ......
... Is there enough eggnog for me too?

Nero: Haha... I wonder? You're always off spendin' time with cats, after all.

Faust: Ha. Then maybe I should turn you all into cats too.

Nero: Oh, that's where you'd take this?

Shino: Hey. Why're you two adults having such a pointlessly exaggerated conversation?

Heathcliff: Of course we made enough eggnog for you too, Mr Faust.
《Repsev Aivulp Sunos》
Here you are. It's still hot, so please be careful.

Faust: Thank you. ......
(To think I would ever be spending time with others like this...)
(... But...)

Tabby cat: Mwrow... Rub rub...

Heathcliff: Ah, the cat from earlier's gone to beg Mr Faust now.

Shino: Watch out, Faust. This guy's after the eggnog.

Nero: Don't you give 'im any, Teach. Yours has got alcohol for added fragrance.

Tabby cat: Meooow. Mmn...

Faust: You can tilt your head at me as cutely as you want, but I'm not giving you any. This is just for the four of us.
I will gratefully enjoy it.

Card Episode — The Current Favourite

Akira: I heard the new cat followed you all the way here in the hopes that you would play with him.
You're really beloved by the cats, Faust. I wish I was too~...

Faust: I don't think there's anything to be envious about... It's not like I'm the only one he's attached to.
He's been quite fond of Nero lately.

Akira: Oh, really? Is that because Nero feeds him?

Faust: No. It's because Nero will pretty much give him whatever he wants with a little cute meowing, affectionate rubbing and the occasional play-biting.
Which is to say, the cat looks down on him.

Akira: Looks down on... Then again, I guess that's not uncommon for cats.
(Actually, come to think of it... I think Shino also said something about Nero being soft...)

Faust: I see this cat pouncing on Shino's ankles while he's walking, and getting his face rubbed as 'punishment'...
And he sometimes tries to wrap his tail around Heath's leg as he passes, begging him for pets.
So I'm sure he'll warm up to you soon eno...

Cat: Meooow. Mwa~~uw...

Faust and Akira: ......

Faust: It seems we've been spared the trouble of going looking for him. Shall we go together, Sage?

Akira: Yes, please!