Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 34

~Chapter 8: Katzen Waltzen~

Hikari sat in the grand hall, on the King's table; sobbing. Muta, who was still preserved in the jelly jug, was on a pedestal behind her. The King sat on the other side, happily eating his food, without a care; Natori standing sternly beside him. On the other side were tables, where rich cats from other areas sat; laughing among each other. The tables created a dome-like stage in the middle, which its current use seemed to be for performances and for the servants to wheel around pleasantries.
"Is that Miss Hikari?" A smug guest cat smirked.
"Such perfect ears!" One clapped their hands.
"Such soft paws!"
Yuki bowed at the guests, pouring some catnip wine into their glass. She glanced over at Hikari, turning away sadly.
Hikari hiccuped, the ginger, chubby chef cat smirking at her; holding a plate of a raw full fish.
"I was told you don't care for mice. So I brought you a full fresh fish!"
The king scowled, watching," The bride doesn't seem pleased."
Natori bowed, the king wagged his fork.
"What's our entertainment?!"
"The usual," Natori hummed.
Standing at the curtained door was a set of entertainer cats, each dressed vibrantly. Natoru gestured for the band to play.

As the music started, a troupe of three cats appeared with a hiss. They balanced balls on umbrellas with different stunts. The act went on for at least a minute or so. The guests gasped in awe, clapping politely as they took their final pose. The cat king was amused, grinning. He turned to look at Hikari's reaction. The demon continued to sob, not even bothering to look at the act once. The king scowled as Natori bowed.
"Not funny enough!"
The next contenders came on. A grey cat, held squid daggers in each finger, his eyes on the target. A board, with a rather flirtatious lady cat handcuffed tightly to it. The crowd watched anxiously as he threw the daggers. None hit her. The cat squealed in horror, one cutting her sleeves, she embarrassedly covered her body.
"Oh my..." Natori blushed, the cat king grimaced.
All of the guests stared, some eyeing each other suspiciously. The squid thrower looked at the king, smiling awkwardly. With a stiff swipe of his hand across his neck, Natori bowed. The cat was grabbed by ginger striped cats, before being launched out of the window. Everyone aside the king and Hikari grimaced, hearing his cries go quieter, before being met with a loud thud. Hikari stared at her plate, glumly playing with the fish tail.
"Next!"
A strange purple cat appeared, with a face drawn on his stomach; doing a poorly comedic dance. He placed his bow tie on his crotch and his hat over his head, making the weird blob dance. Everyone's eyes seemed to twitch watching the distasteful display. Hikari stared at her paw, glumly, the chef perplexed by her reaction to his food. A guest cat burst into a roar of laughter. The cat king shook, furious, his fork sliding out of his hand; Natori gasped. The cackling cat was thrown out of the window. Everyone aside the king and Hikari grimaced, hearing his cries go quieter, before being met with a loud thud.
"IS THAT THE BEST YOU CANYAN DO!?"

The performer cats sweat dropped, everyone seeming to back away, terrified. Natoru frowned. Until, someone stepped out, his boots echoed heavily under the floor; his navy cape swooped around his figure. He approached the king's table, wearing a large hat, stuffed with a white plume. His cloak was tightly fastened around his body. It was a ginger cat, wearing a silver masquerade mask.
"Allow me to amuse Miss Hikari," He spoke firmly.
The king cat fluffed his mustache, scowling. This cat was attractive, he was unsure whether letting him amuse Hikari would result in her leaving Lune.
Natori whispered," Sire?"
"Well," The cat king scoffed," Why not?"
The cat walked over to stand opposite Hikari, who stared glumly at the table.
"Would you care to dance?"
Hikari frowned, looking up," I'm an awful dnyancer-. Oh no! I even talk like a cat!"
Hikari buried her face in her paws, sobbing. The cat held out his gloved hand, she looked up, blinking away the tears.
"Trust me."
Tentatively, the girl put his paw in his, letting him lead her onto the floor. The cats in the orchestra box each looked at each other, unsure what to play. All of them seemed against doing anything. They gasped at the noise of an accordion. The oldest cat played an accordion elegantly, the others decided he could solo, so they slowly slunk down into their seats.

The cat led the demon in a gentle waltz, his cloak fluttering with each soft turn he took. The guests all watched, taken aback by the dance as amusement, surprised that Hikari seemed contented with it. Even Natoru watched them happily as the cat whisked Hikari past him, picking up slightly with the music.
Natori smiled, whispering to the king," They seem quite well-matched."
The king scoffed. Yuki watched from the side, holding a platter. The cat spun the girl, before grabbing her back and lowering her. Hikari gasped, staring at the sideways view of the world, before being pulled up. He elegantly spun her, gently switching hands.
I've never felt like this before. Being a cat might not be so bad. As the thought entered her mind, whiskers sprouted out from her face, the girl gasping in horror.
"No, Hikari," The cat spoke, gently leading," This world is not for you."
Hikari gasped.
The cat spun her," It's not where you belong."
The cat scowled, drinking through a straw, before belching much to Natori's disapproval. The cat looked down at Hikari, the girl just making out a set of emerald eyes behind his mask.
"Don't you remember what I said?"
Hikari gasped, her eyes widened," Wait, you're...!"

The cat king's ear twitched. He leant on the table, leaping up suddenly.
"STOP THE MUSIC!"
As the music halted, so did the cat and Hikari; though he still held onto her firmly in the dance position. Hikari stared up at the mysterious cat, her eyes shining.
"I smell a rat," The king frowned, Natori glanced at him, confused," Just who are you!?"
The cat let out a short sigh, his back turned.
"Let me introduce myself."
He threw off his hat, it landed gently to the side of Natoru's feet.
"I'm certainly no rat."
With his thumb he gently lifted the mask. Hikari gasped. The cat spun around to face the king, glaring at him dramatically, the mask still clenched in his hand.
"I am Humbert von Gikkingen!" Baron exclaimed," I've come for Hikari!"
Hikari grinned, flinging her arms over him," Baron!"
Natoru grinned, wiggling happily," Does he really...!?"
Natori grimaced, adjusting his glasses," Mean it...!?"
"HE BETTER NOT!" The king yelled," SEIZE HIM!"