★★★★★★A Kabuki-Cat History Lesson★★★★★★
Performed for a one-time only show at the Jade Lotus Theater ---------------------------------------------- With a signal given to begin, the leader of the empire's renowned Kabuki Cats stepped onto the stage. The dapper Nekoyama, known as Yisu ,was in full costume, taking the role of 'Narrator' in today's performance. Her small padded feet made no noise as she took her place in the center of the stage. Behind her, clustered off to the side of the back-stage, the remaining feline actors fidgeted excitedly in place in eager anticipation. Yisu bowed to the gathered crowd. "Welcome one and all, as we take you back to a time before the empire, and share with you the tale...of the fall of a villainous red dragon, defeated in combat by our beloved Empress Tsuiteru." The Narrator-Cat backed away from the center of the stage with a bow, taking her position off to the side to make room for feline actors to play their parts. A trio of Nekoyami scurried around the stage, dragging in a backdrop of what appeared to be the city of Helheim, though a much older version of it, elaborately painted ... with only a few paw-prints marring the edges of the surface. ---------------------------------------------- From behind the fake-wall, stepped a single Nekoyami, elaborately dressed in a tiny white kimono and simple, yet elegant white mask. A fist-full of silvery white feathers were tied to the tip of her tail, and from the sides of her head peeked a fake set of tufted white and gold ears. Clearly, this was Empress-Cat. "Behold, my children...this will be our new home. We shall settle among the people here, and share the blessings of our Fortunes." Empress-Cat waved her little arm around which was wrapped up with what appeared to be a group of paper-mache baby noodly dragons. A few of the cats off-stage thrummed the strings of a biwa to add a little bit of musical flair. Light and delicate at first, the music raised in intensity as the Empress-Cat slipped to the side of the stage and a second feline actor emerged from behind the wall.... All of the actors growled and hissed. The new actor was dressed all in red, with a terrifying mask bearing horns and strips of wavy orange paper dangling from the mouth of the mask, fluttering with the cat's every breath. Miniature paper-mache wings had been strapped to Nekoyami's back. Enter...Vaeros-Cat. A third Nekoyami emerged, this one with a mask of a painted face and fake elven ears strapped to her head, and as scantily clad as a feline could get. Behold... Aigie-Cat. "Look at this puny human kingdom." His voice was scratchy, yet whiny at the same time. "They should all bow to me." Vaeros-Cat puffed out his chest over-dramatically, while Aigie-Cat swooned at his feet with a purr. "Come, elf-wench, let us see what we can take from this land.." And with a dramatic flourish, Vaeros-Cat would scoop up Aigie-Cat, and carry her off-stage with an evil cackle, stomping over a small Helheim styled village that had been set-up in the midst of the villain's performance. ---------------------------------------------- The stage was rearranged once again, with a forest backdrop being pulled to the center. Empress-Cat and Vaeros-Cat took their places in the middle of the stage, staring at one another. "We are strangers to this land, these are not your people to subjugate!" The Empress-Cat raised her voice and her paw, shaking it angrily at Vaeros-Cat. "Your actions turn the people against us." "I will do whatever I please. They are humans. They should count themselves fortunate I have not burned their city to the ground like I did their little village. Serves them right for daring to settle so close to my lair." Vaeros-Cat struck a pose, with both hands on his hips and blowing hard through his mask to stir the orange strips of paper hanging from the mouth. "We may have been friends once, but I will not stand for this blatant disregard for their lives. You will regret this path you've chosen one day, Vaeros." The Empress-Cat growled and threw a handful of confetti into the air. "I will stop you." Vaeros-Cat leaned back and laughed, cackling so hard that his little feline ears vibrated. "You? Hah! Hahahahahahaha!" And he continued to laugh, over-dramatically, doubling over a few times as he laughed, and laughed, and laughed......all the way off the stage, leaving the Empress-Cat to stomp her little pawed feet and turn to stalk off in the opposite direction. ---------------------------------------------- The stage was re-set one more time, with a small replica of a single building in the center, and painted blocks of wood to represent more of the city all around the building. Sitting upon the center of the main building, was a small, glowing stature of a woman holding up a shimmering orb. Empress Cat and Vaeros-Cat emerged onto the stage again, standing before the building. "Get out of the way, Tsui. I will have the artifact." The Nekoyami dressed as Vaeros growled and puffed out air to make his fake-fire blow. Empress-Cat held her arms out to block his way. "Never! You would use this against the people, I will not allow it....you have done nothing but cause destruction and harm. No more." And thus...the two 'dragon-cats' entered into battle with Vaeros-Cat launching himself at Empress-Cat! Clearly...Vaeros attacked first! The pair went leaping around the stage, with Vaeros-Cat throwing wads of orange paper-balls at the Empress-Cat, and she deflecting or dodging. They weaved a path of destruction around the stage, knocking over the painted wooden buildings in a flurry or fake-roars, growls, and a few meows. Off to one side of the stage, barely seen behind a curtain...lurked Aigie-Cat, keeping a close eye on her 'dragon' ---------------------------------------------- A new cat made his way from the opposite end of the stage as the dragon-cats danced in an epic but destructive battle. This cat wore a fine looking looking mask with a little golden crown balanced on his head. "Oh, my poor city!" He'd cry out in a clear, over-the-top voice. The pair of battling 'dragon's froze in place, a clear pause to direct attention to King-Cat. "I...King Thrym Spurius...must end this before these dragons level the city. But...what is this.." He'd point at the building in the center, untouched by the chaos of battle. "The dragons will stop if neither can have what they want..." ---------------------------------------------- The fighting between Empress-Cat and Vaeros-Cat resumed in full furious force, leaping, twirling, and circling each other in a stylized display, throwing out bits of red paper now to show blood being spilled between them both. Mrow! Scratch! Hiss! Paper blood was flinging everywhere, even out in the crowd. The little wooden city was all destroyed except for the single building holding the artifact. King-Cat ran to the building as the dragon-cats danced their lethal dance, picking up the statue. With a yell, he threw the artifact down so that it smashed upon the ground and shattered into dozens of pieces. "For my people!" He'd yell with the loudest roar his little feline voice could give. Such a hero! A cat-sized roar sounded from behind King-Cat! The villainous Vaeros-Cat jumped upon the back of King-Cat. "You'll die for that! How dare you get in my way, foolish human king!" His paws reached into his costume and he threw out a massive spray of red confetti while biting at the noble King-Cat. The King...flopped to the ground. Dead. His poor little crown rolled across the stage. Empress-Cat rose from the ground, shaking off bits of red paper 'blood' and launched herself at Vaeros-Cat again! "What have you done!" She'd yell and unleash an over dramatic flurry of swipes. Another spray of paper-blood exploded around the stage! And Vaeros-Cat slumped to the ground, with a wounded Empress-Cat. Vaeros-Cat tossed out wads of red paper around him and made a groaning death noise. She crawled over to the fallen King-Cat. "I'm sorry..I could not get to you in time...but your death...was avenged.." The Empress-Cat stood, staggering in an over-exaggerated manner to indicate how injured she'd been during the fighting, dropping more tiny shreds of paper blood as she limped from the stage. Still hiding behind the curtain, Aigie-Cat emerged with a sneaky bit of crouch-walking and gazed around the crowd. "You have not seen the last of us..hek hek hek..." The elf-cat cackled while dragging the seemingly dead Vaeros-Cat towards the far end of the stage, into a cave-like tunnel made of layers of dark fabric. ---------------------------------------------- Yisu, the Narrator-Cat, took her place again at center-stage. "And so, you have it...the vile Vaeros, defeated by our beloved Empress...but too late to save the King's ancestor. Yet, his sacrifice prevented the evil red dragon from unleashing untold horrors upon his people." All of the Kabuki-Cats pranced their way onto the stage to bow to the crowd. The End. Comments are closed.
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