Smiling Critters: Ancestra Au - Cancelled

Suspicions... - Season 2

Wet… cold, icy. It was raining, and Catnap was the only one standing amidst the raindrops in the prison yard. He looked up at the sky and didn't much care.

The other prisoners just thought it was strange, but they didn't have the courage to approach the cat, according to them: “he has a very bad presence”.

That week was terribly lonely. With each passing day, Catnap felt like he was going mad inside his cell, outside, the only one who spent much time outdoors, even in the rain or scorching sun. Over time, his body became thinner than it already was… doctors said that even eating could guarantee his "skeletal" state.

— Ah yes… the moment the “wronged” one falls, how does it feel, boy? Terrible? We already know, but there’s something more, I know — Ten, floated above the cell.

— I just want to be alone, could you shut the fuck up? — said the cat lying on the uncomfortable bed.
It was made of iron, freezing cold, and felt like it would fall to the floor at any moment. There wasn't a pillow or even a sheet; the only thing left was her clothes and fur, which in those days weren't much help at night.

Someone knocks on the cell door;

— Catnap, huh? A visitor for you, and no… he’s not your son — the guard said, without sarcasm, joking, or anything like that.

—Then I don't care… — replied Catnap.

— I told you it was a visit, I didn't ask if you wanted to.

The solitary confinement cell was opened and the cat was dragged out, or rather, led into the living room.

There, two people were waiting for him, people that Catnap had never seen in his entire life, he found it strange;

It was a blue cat, a cyan top hat with a musical note brooch, a cape with a cyan collar and orange trim, with a large button of the same color in the neck area.

Next to him was a girl, a yellowish mouse with long brown hair, a blue dress, a green scarf, and a camera hanging around her neck. She wore glasses and had a vertical line right in the center of her forehead.

— Who are you? — Already seated across the table, the purple cat looked at the pair with a look of considerable confusion.

— Oh yes, name's Lluer, nice to meet you, haha, sorry, when I get excited I end up speaking in other accents — said the “gentleman”, waving his arms excitedly.

— My name is Viviane, or just Vivi, different from everyone else... I've been watching you for a while... — the rodent said this, basically going from a calm expression to an empty one.

— First of all, I don't know who you are. I've never seen you before in my life. I don't know what you want. And I wonder why the police let you call me for a visit! — he said loudly, indignant.

The other feline smiled, and then laughed with a psychotic look, then, from inside his cloak, he pulled out some photos: one of Nathan, one of Bobby and one of Catnap himself as a child.

— We work for someone even higher than the government, it's a shame I can't say, there are people reading this — said Lluer smiling and resting his elbows on the table.

— You guys got to talk to me because of Nathan, right? — Catnap looked serious.

— Look, he knows his stuff. It's not pretty, but we in high politics use Nathan as a carte blanche to get in and get any job. But of course, if he pushes things too far, he'll kill us.

—That's a good point, he hates being used—added the rat.

— Exactly, now… Catnap, you have something we need — said the cat in the top hat.
Lluer's gaze was empty, it didn't show the pupil or iris, it was pure black, empty... his presence was heavy;

It wasn't from there, it wasn't good... the rat kept smiling and ready to take a picture.

Outside, Ten walked the streets, no one paying attention to his presence; it was as if he were invisible. His steps were slow, light, wide, and silent. Everyone around him looked at him curiously, but they didn't pay much attention.

The shadow being, at that moment, had a feline appearance, similar to Catnap but without the purple color, with clothes and everything in its shadow appearance.

On one of the streets, Ten took a good look, and still had to check one more time… could it really be her?

"Bobby? Around here? The least she could do was disappear from Ancestra, run away to some random dictatorship..." thought Ten, looking at Bobby who was working at a small diner on a street.

Bobby was wearing her heart necklace, her body no longer a mountain of muscles, and she seemed to be smiling genuinely. The bear ended up entering the place because her boss called her, and it was just as Dez was about to approach.

— Yes, boss? What's up? — She held a notepad, which she tucked into her apron.

— It's kind of sad but... I didn't see any other way, but I'm going to have to reduce your salary... — said the man a little frustrated, he was at a table full of papers, besides the cafeteria, the place was also his home.

— Oh... that? No problem, you can cut back, I'll have money left at the end of the month... the house I got was already furnished, so all I have to worry about is food — he said smiling.

— Ha… it's rare to find this kind of worker… understanding and all that — he went back to fiddling with the paperwork, his look not deceiving.

Bobby looked out of the corner of his eye, there was no one to answer;

— Sir, I'm sorry to be… "intrusive," but is there something wrong? You're very down.

— No… it’s just that my daughter lost her job, she doesn’t have the money to come back here, she’s living in Aska.

Bobby smiled and said a few things that, to his boss, were well-heard and not wasted. The bear gave him tips on how his daughter could get money and return home. She then returned to the counter.

Ten watched her from afar, maintaining invisibility and control over his own emotions… after all… they both had a connection.

Home, Bobby went home, she arrived, locked the door, threw her bag on the couch and lay down on the furniture.

She pulled out the star, looked at it, and said softly, with a tired look;

— You… are to blame for everything… you led me to this. This woman inside me, she just screwed me over… but there's nothing to do now… except — her gaze changed — Catnap… — a smile.