Kaito, now a medium-sized, dark brown cat, mrowed, annoyed. How the hell am I a cat? And it had to happen while he was outside, so he was stuck, unable to open the door without a human height or opposable thumbs.
I’m hungry. If he were human, his stomach would be growling. He walked off, hoping to find something to eat.
Just a little ways away was Hakuba, seated on a bench and under a tree in the little grassy area near the prefecture’s local courthouse. Laid out next to him was his briefcase, full of documents for that day’s hearings, and in his hands was a carefully wrapped gyro. Lamb. Mm.
It was only because things had gone so well that Hakuba was even eager to eat. So far, though, all of the cases that he’d assisted with had gone precisely the way that he’d expected them to. No odd surprises, no frustrating, futile disagreements… all open and shut cases with clear verdicts, agreeable jurors, and carefully organized evidence. What a pleasure to be helping the law in such a way!
Because he was in such a good mood, it made the presence of the feline only that much better, and Hakuba glanced over with a warm smile.
“Good afternoon, neko-kun!” he called cheerfully, then took a bite of his deliciously meaty sort-of-sandwich. While chewing, he dabbed his lips with a napkin, then looked back at the cat once he’d swallowed. “And how are you today?”