>From Key <michael.h.chen@yale.edu>



I think we're supposed to be lured in to a false sense of insecurity here.



We are supposed to assume that the author is throwing Ura around without

thinking about it so that later on we won't blink when the feline starts

doing interesting things. "Oh, he just forgot the last time he mentioned

Ura, as it was two whole paragraphs ago!"  (As Baldrick might say "I have a

very clever plan milord!")



My take on it is that Ura's evil twin Skippy has setup the entire situation

and the plot will be resolved when the two identical cats put on the

mind-switch rings and are restored to their rightful bodies.



Now, in order to track this down we must pay especially close attention to

the actions of the two cats.  Note that whenever Alielle and Makoto are in

close proximity the felines can switch places without anybody being any the

wiser.



Starting with chapter one, we get to the first apperance of an Ura:

Alielle sighed as she cuddled Ura against her.

OK, Alielle, Mako-chan and a cat are all together here, but the cat seems to

be more interested in her than him.

   Makoto felt something rub against his feet.  It was Ura. 

"Makoto!  Come!" she purred as she ran off after Alielle.  He

A Cat is dragging Makoto into the plot.  Note that Alielle is never stated

to have dropped the cat she was holding...



Having accomplished their mission, the cats hide until chapter two:

direction that Fatora had forgotten about: straight down, and

sure enough, there was Ura holding onto the side with Alielle.

Here the cat is staying away from Fatora.  Is it because this cat knows

Fatora too well or that Fatora knows Ura too well?

not fooling around and wasting time in that stuffy library."

The cats have Alielle so confused that she's using imprecise

negation. (Quick, does the NOT apply to the second part of the AND?)

   Alielle noticed a sad look on Makoto's face, which followed

them out the door.

The look or the face?

Fatora took the opportunity to stare at Ura,

who was on Alielle at the moment.

OK, in a protective mode, or trying to hide in plain sight?

In a flash, Alielle found her

clothes being hastily removed.

But not her cat, who's already split.

Makoto sighed sadly, staring at the fountain in the garden,

petting Ura.

The cat is in a passive mode here.

Makoto sniffed and wiped his face with Ura.

Very passive.  (Cat's don't make very good mops, too many loose hairs)

Makoto and used him to wipe her tears off.

The World is Alielle's towel.

Fatora had this really strong belief that men would

never measure up to a woman.

No, not even if you took all of the men and compared the lot of them to any

woman.

   The next morning, Fatora stood at the doorway, staring at

..

   Without a sound, Fatora turned around walked over to the

door, and jerked it open.  In poured Fujisawa, Miz, Shayla, and

Afura who were obviously leaning against the door, trying to

listen to what was happening.

They had closed the door so they could listen behind it, but Fatora heard it

latch!

   No one liked what Miz Mistal had to say, and the room erupted

into shouting.

Now, what have the cats accomplished so far?



Alielle and Mako-chan means no rescue of Ifurita and hence no Mako-chan...



No, I don't see it yet, maybe next chapter.



	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@slip.net          http://www.io.com/~hcobb