1 Chapter 1: Suddenly, I’m A Cat Girl

My name is Catherine, and I loved cats all my life! I always dreamed of becoming a Cat Veterinarian, make a Cat Cafe and make a Cat Shelter to help rescued abandon cats who need homes. People might think my love for cats is kinda of a obsession given I have a lot of cat merchandise, cat themed clothing, cat plushies and several cat inspired games, but I don't let people judge me! Cats were my haven and I could never dream of a world where they aren't in my life. Of course I excel already academically and athletically, but it won't change my mind on what I want. By the time I graduated from school, my parents already made an investment on my dream business and I couldn't be any happier. It felt like nothing would turn my mood down, and I felt unstoppable.

Until one day... When I was with a friend, I found myself saving a kitten from a speeding car out of reflex, but I got hurt in the process. The pain was unbearable and I was losing a lot of blood. I made my last thoughts before I blacked out.

"If god does exist... then please... in my next life... I want to live in a world with cats."

My body felt cold in a instant and I couldn't move at all. I knew I was probably dead at that moment, but I wasn't too sure. It was dark and I could barely see a thing. It felt scary... Was I going to be stuck in this black void forever?

Suddenly a small warmth of light fell down towards me gently as I grabbed it. The light grew brighter as it began to speak.

["I'm scared... so scared...It's so dark here... and cold... and I'm all alone.]

I was surprised by the voice from this small light. It sounded like a small child's voice crying. I replied, trying to calm the voice down.

"It's okay, I'm here! You aren't alone!"

["A-A voice?! W-Who are you? Are you one of those bad people?!"]

"Wha-? No no! I'm not! I'm Catherine, I-I'm a friend."

["Friend...? What's a friend?"]

"A friend? W-Well... a friend is a person you can trust, like family, even if your not blood related."

["Oh I get it, so that's what it means... I don't know why... but I feel like I can trust you... My name is Kath, and I need your help Catherine..."]

"Okay sure, but... what do you need me for?"

["My soul is broken apart... I can barely keep myself bright and alive... I can feel your soul... it's not broken up... it's strong... like it can break through anything... It just needs a body... My body is still okay... but I don't think I can hold on to life anymore... I want you to take my body since I can't use it anymore, in exchange... if you find my brother... tell him I'm sorry for leaving him behind... that I'm sorry I'm too weak to keep our promise... to meet again...]

"Are you sure? I mean, I won't turn it down if it's what you wish for then I accept..."

["Yes... this is what I want... and I... don't have many options to go by..."]

"C-Can you tell me his name."

["Key. His name is Key, and he's the only other left of my kin... the only family I have."]

"Key, got it. I'll tell him as soon as find him, that's a promise. And Kath, you aren't weak. You doing all of this, you making such a miracle happen and reaching out to me at the brink of death... That's not weakness, it's potential and strength!"

["No one has ever said that to me before... Catherine... you are a good soul... a good... friend... Thank you... so much... I feel... at... peace..."]

The bright light faded as the darkness of the void broke apart as if it were made of thin glass, until the void completely shattered. It felt like I was falling down lightly to heaven.

[UNIQUE SKILL SOUL TRANSFER COMPLETE]

[CAT KIN SOUL FILE "KATH" HAS BEEN DELETED]

[CAT KIN BODY STILL FUNCTIONAL]

[HUMAN SOUL FILE "CATHERINE" WILL NOW BE SAVED TO CAT KIN BODY]

[SAVING HUMAN SOUL FILE "CATHERINE"]

[SAVING COMPLETE]

[DUE TO UNIQUE SKILL SOUL TRANSFER, RACE WILL NOW BE FUSED FROM PURE BLOOD CAT KIN TO CAT KIN-HUMAN HYBRID]

[FUSION NOW LOADING]

[FUSION COMPLETE]

[RACE: CAT KIN-HUMAN HYBRID]

[UNIQUE SKILL UNLOCKED: SOUL TRAVEL]

[UNIQUE SKILL UNLOCKED: REGENERATION]

[UNIQUE SKILL UNLOCKED: REINCARNATION]

[STATS WILL NOW BE RESET]

[RESET COMPLETE]

[CAT KIN RACE PHYSICAL SKILL TREE IS CORRUPTED AND SKILLS WILL BE RESET]

[RESET COMPLETE]

[CAT KIN RACE MAGIC SKILL TREE IS CORRUPTED AND SKILLS WILL BE RESET]

[RESET COMPLETE]

[HUMAN RACE PHYSICAL SKILL TREE HAS BEEN ADDED WITH CAT KIN RACE PHYSICAL SKILL TREE]

[HUMAN MAGIC RACE SKILL TREE HAS BEEN ADDED WITH CAT KIN RACE MAGIC SKILL TREE]

[CAT KIN RACE MAGIC SKILL ADDED: TRANSFORM]

["CATHERINE" NOW REGAINS CONTROL]

[WELCOME TO ASTRA, "CATHERINE"]

Then the shock in my head hit me all at once as I woke up. I found myself in a forest lying down in some grass. My body felt... drenched and cold... I was confused... and I looked at myself... I felt... smaller, with several cuts and bruises in my hands and feet. The clothing I had was a slightly torn green dress, nothing else except that it was very wet along with my small body. I looked up at the sky, the sun was still up, but not too high, so its to assume that it's late in the afternoon. I walked towards the lake nearby and looked at my reflection. I still had my same brown hair, light brown eyes and... cat... ears...?

"Oh... my god... I'M A CAT GIRL?! OH MY GOD THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!"

I look behind myself, and saw that I even had a cat's tail and teeth features. I was for sure in love with my new body. I tried out everything. My cat senses, moving my tail and ears, even meowing cutely. But then the promise with the voice brought me back to my senses and I realized the situation.

"So then this is Kath's body? Her body is so young... I'll make sure her choice doesn't go in vain."

[GREETINGS "CATHERINE".]

Huh, a voice ringed in my head. It sounded robotic, but not really monotone.

[HELLO.]

"GAH!!! I-I THOUGHT I DREAMED OF THAT OR SOMETHING!!! W-WHO'S THERE?!"

[DO NOT FEAR "CATHERINE". I AM GUIDE, YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS PARTNER THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY.]

"Guide? Like a tutorial guide."

[CORRECT. I AM WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT TROUBLE YOU.]

"Oh okay."

It kinda felt weird. Well it's more like it was going to be a pain. On one hand, I don't wanna monotone voice repeatedly annoying me. On the other hand, I have no idea about this world, it's history or even Guide itself. I thought to myself that I might as well start with the questions that immediately pop in my head.

"So do other Guides exist in every person's mind or is it only with me?"

[I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU ARE THE SECOND PERSON I EVER SERVED, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHERS.]

"Any questions my butt..."

[JUST BECAUSE I'M YOUR GUIDE DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO TAKE YOUR ATTITUDE.]

"Right sorry!"

Wow, I never knew my subconscious mind could even have an attitude. Wait does that mean I'm like that if it's a part of me?! AH, lets think about that later!

"So Guide, where am I right now?"

[YOU ARE IN THE WORLD OF ASTRA. THE COUNTRY YOUR IN IS THE LAND OF KAIZEN. WHERE YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY IS FLAIR FOREST, THE FOREST OF FAIRIES, KNOWN FOR THEIR NATURAL PRODUCTION OF NATURE MAGIC AND HEALING.]

I look around as little bright light flew passed me, realizing the rainbow lights flashing around like colorful stars. It felt warm. Is this what magic always felt like. But suddenly as I walked, I realized I stepped on my tail and I squeaked. That was gonna take time to get use to.

"Wait... Guide, if this place is a world where magic exist, does that mean... I can possess magic too?"

[THAT IS CORRECT. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHOW YOU HOW YOUR MAGIC WORKS?]

"Yes please."

[VERY WELL. NOW LOADING SKILL TREES AND STATUS PROFILE.]

[SKILL TREES AND STATUS PROFILE OPENED.]

Suddenly, I can see my stats as if the words and pictures were levitating in front of me. But I realized right away that they are only visible to my eyes, and phase right through my fingers.

[BECAUSE OF YOUR HYBRID STATUS, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE RANGE OF RACE SKILLS THAN ANY CAT KIN OR HUMAN. EACH RACE HAS THEIR OWN SKILLS UNATTAINABLE TO ANY OTHER RACE, SO HAVING MULTIPLE SKILL TREES MAKES YOU VERY POWERFUL. YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS YOUR UNIQUE SKILLS, THAT ARE RARE AND COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE TREES THEMSELVES. TO USE MAGIC SKILLS YOU JUST GOTTA CALL IT OUT BY ITS NAME, ANY PHYSICAL SKILLS HAS NO NEED TO BE CALLED OUT.]

"Okay lets see... I have balanced stats... only have two skills one from each magic tree... Unique skills? Do I have any?"

[YES, YOU DO. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHOW YOU YOUR UNIQUE SKILL LIST?]

"No no, it's fine. I'll look at it later. Close my skill trees and profile status, Guide, I wanna try one of my magics."

[SKILL TREES AND PROFILE STATUS NOW CLOSED.]

"Okay then, TRANSFORM!"

In a cloud of smoke, my cat ears and tail vanished and I had human ears instead, making me look entirely human. I touched my human ears in amazement, it felt so real.

"Oh wow, so I can remove my cat ears and tail... so I can transform to anything I wish... just one setback... The transformation magic looks to have taken a lot of my magic, and their is a 1 hour time limit to keep hold of that transformation plus a 30 minute time window to recharge that skill. I can probably just lower my ears down to look like my hair and hide my tail inside my clothes for now. Oh it looks like I can also decast my skills, let's try that! DECAST TRANSFORM!"

In another cloud of smoke, my cat ears and tail returned, and my human ears disappeared. I then fell down as if I just ran a marathon.

"W-What the heck...? G-Guide... why am I... so exhausted...?"

[YOU USES "DECAST" WHICH IS USUALLY USED FOR EMERGENCIES AND USES A LOT OF MAGIC TO STOPS YOUR OWN SKILL. SINCE YOUR MAGIC WAS ALREADY LOW, IT HAD TO USE YOUR HEALTH TO ACCUMULATE.]

"M-My health?!"

I began to sneeze. Shoot, I should have made sure my clothes were dry first. I looked up at the sky, and realized the sun was gonna go down soon. I was so tired, but I couldn't afford to get sick. I immediately tried to get up and start a fire. But because I didn't have any other clothes, and I didn't feel right to take my clothes off and just be naked, I just sat close to the fire as possible. It became nighttime and my stomach began to growl.

"I didn't eat either.. Guide, when was the last time this body ate anything?"

[APPROXIMATELY 1 DAY 3 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES AGO.]

"I think I can survive another day without food... I just need... just need to... sleep..."

I fell asleep, for the first time as a cat girl, in some weird magic world that plays like a video game for some reason. I think I can get use to my life here. But what I wouldn't know later, is when the moon lit up, there was a dark shadow gazing on me in a distance.