Chapter 23

Synopsis
Kotaro falls asleep after trying to read a Book about Legends of the Cat Spirit. During his slumber, he is whisked away to a wondrous land of mysterious spirits with familiar faces.

Long Summary
Ryuuichi enters the library to tell Kotaro to read some books and finds Kotaro fast asleep and drooling on one of the chairwoman's books. He places his brother on a place to sleep and sees that Kotaro chose a Book about Legends of the Cat Spirit, which is a difficult book. Ryuu hears a cat meow outside the window.

Kotaro awakens in his dream to see a young woman with cat ears and a tail, the cat spirit. The spirit happily greets him and waves her tail, which excites Kotaro. She tells him that she had called him here to play with her so he can play to his heart's content. She announces that they were start to play a game where they catch mice. Yagi, who also has cat ears, appears and brings out a cage of mice, the Nezu family with mouse ears. The spirit and some cats eye the mice, ready to catch and hurt them, but Kotaro steps in front of the cage, preventing her from trying to hurt the mice. Because of Kotaro's kind-hearted action, the woman decides to play a different game.

She brings Kotaro outdoors, where the two see a cat-eared Usaida lazing around in the grass. She tells him that he can laze around all he wants here. She also informs him that she can provide motherly love to him, something neither the old nor young can provide. Kotaro is not listening, as he is distracted by a butterfly. Afterwards, the two enter a kitchen, where Saikawa, also dressed as a cat, presents several plates of appetizing food. Kotaro takes a bite into a cupcake, but discovers that a mouse is hiding inside. The Nezu family had hidden inside of the cupcakes to warn Kotaro that if he eats something from this place, he will turn into a cat spirit. The spirit grows angry at the mice for ruining her fun and relationship with Kotaro. Saikawa looks at Kotaro, wishes him good luck, and pulls a rope, opening a trapdoor under Kotaro's feet.

Kotaro falls down a vortex and lands in a bedroom full of stuffed animals. He sees Inomata, a maid who looks after the young master who lives with the princess. The young master has already passed away, but she continues to look after this room. She sadly looks at Kotaro, saying the young might not understand the spirit's feelings. When Inomata hears the spirit approach the room, she quickly hides Kotaro under some stuffed animals. Kotaro grows cat ears, and Inomata tells him that if he stays in this place, he will turn into a full-fledged cat.

The spirit slams open the door, telling Inomata that she had heard some voices. Inomata lies that she was reading the young master a book to relieve him of his loneliness. The spirit says she has already accepted his death, which is why she has brought Kotaro here. Inomata asks how the young master would feel if he found out he had simply been replaced, but the spirit grows angry, claiming Inomata has never known how it feels to be a mother. She declares that she knows Kotaro is hiding in here, and that if he tries to escape, she will eat him up. As she is about to make a move, a dog bursts into the room and knocks her down. Hayato and Inui, who have dog ears and are called the Dog Defense Squad, enter the room. Hayato tells the spirit that he will not stand idly by when she has kidnapped a human child. Kotaro, who has cat ears, a cat tail, and cat teeth, stands in front of the cat spirit, preventing the dogs from hurting her. She starts to tear up as she sees Kotaro protecting her. Hayato calls off the dogs as the chairwoman speaks to the spirit. The spirit smiles and asks Kotaro who his favorite person is, and Kotaro happily replies with "Ryuu nii-chan" and the names of his other friends. She puts her hand over Kotaro's eyes and tells him to return.

Kotaro awakens to see Ryuu and immediately hugs him, telling his brother than he played with a kitty in his dream. Kotaro points to a kitten outside the library window, as the voice of the cat spirit calls to him, asking him to invite her to play.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Yagi Tomoya
 * Nezu family
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Saikawa Keigo
 * Inomata Maria
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Inui Hiroyuki
 * Morinomiya Youko