Chapter one.
Catherine's bright new day.
Catherine has been obsessed with being the prettiest cat in town ever since childhood,her mother was known as the definition of beauty,white fur,pink lipstick,high heels,swirly dresses. But Catherine was...different,yellowish fur tint,emerald eye,but other one?...complicated,she was born half blind.
She covered the bad eye with her hair most of time,seeking for a modern look while hidding her insecurity. She hated growing up in a town where beauty measured her worth and how much money she'll have. Beauty was reason she didn't have a childhood,and a mother. Her mother left to become a famous casino singer,leaving Catherine with her father. Who was a stray cat,looking for scraps and never having a healthy look. It was hard to live as a stray with a daughter that everyone would be head over heels with,until she pushed away her hair to side. As Catherine made it to adulthood,she left the Purroupe to move to Meowerica,seeking the Moewerican dream,dancing,milk,cigarettes,being careless. But,Meowerica wasn't as good as everyone described, beauty still measured worth to some extent.
As she got out the train with her bag,she looked around,the sun was hotter than back in her hometown. The air was crisp with smell of cheap milk and cigars. She made her way up and down towards the apartment building she had been told she could stay at. The streets were alright,trash here and there,but no one said Meowerica was perfect,right...
She got to the apartment building,but as she looked up at the wooden sign,she began thinking she's at the wrong place,the sign clearly stated 'Casino Fluffypaw', she wasn't looking for a casino... As she was about to turn away,she heard someone call out to her,turning back to casino,she saw an old looking dog with not a lot of fur,a mixed breed. She was about to speak up until she got cut off by that raspy voice.
"Welcome,Miss Catherine! This is the apartment building you were called into! I forgot to mention it's also partially a casino ran by me and...well,was ran by me and my daughter,now just by me."
Catherine just shrugged and followed the building's owner inside,they headed through the back door up to the stairs,where rooms were. Some had star signs on them,mostly for the VIPs she assumed...
As she followed the man,he spoke up again.
"Oh how rude of me to forget to introduce myself,apologies,Miss! My name's Percy. Mister Percy if you will. And your room is here."
Mister Percy said as he gestured to a door at the end of the long hall,the door was...polished and didn't look that old.
"Has this door been recently added?"
Catherine asked,curious. She had a lot of questions,why was apartment building on top of a casino? She hadn't ever seen something like that.
"Oh yeah,it is. It was supposed to be a room for one of our newest casino singers,but she backed out because we couldn't pay more than 100$..."
Percy squeaked the last part out,100$? To Catherine that was basically like millions! In her town that could buy you a good bottle of high quality milk and ten warm meals!
"100$?! Holy heavens....that's a lot...do you perhaps...need someone to take up on that position? I mean,no harm in me repaying you for letting me stay in this building,Mister."
Catherine said,she really wanted that money,and with her looks and voice,she could get a lot more...Percy's eyes practically lit up,a lady offering to be a singer wasn't that common,it was often last resort in this town.
"Are you sure,Miss Catherine? Being a singer at casino isn't a easy job and some of staff isn't exactly...well,the most friendly-"
Before Mister Percy could utter another thing,Catherine spoke up.
"I'm sure! I have always adored singing either way!"
She squeaked happily,she knew she still had a lot to learn about the new country and city and everything,but she was excited.
As days bled into one another,she has been there for a week,she first started with getting used to her room,then looking through dresses other singers used for dancing to the rhythm. As Catherine was in the backstage room,getting prepared for her first performance,she was looking at the dressed...purple...teal...she wanted...something,more her style. Pink...or black with glitter and cyrcons. Then she found it,the perfect dress,it was pink off-shoudler dress with puffy sleeves and frilly neckline. She tried it on,it looked perfect. Or... At least she thought so until someone showed up,another one of singers. She was...beautiful,orange brownish cat with tiger like prints,in a purple short dress and heavy eyeliner,she looked Catherine up and down before huffing in irritation.
"So,you are the new singer?...you don't look really pretty,y'know they prefer natural looks over here babe."
The singer slurred out,her voice smooth and sharp as a blade. Catherine couldn't even respond,she just felt her heart beating faster than when her parents fought,she felt blush creeping up her blush stained cheeks. Then she finally found words to mutter out.
"Everything bout' this look is natural,hun."
She said,the last word stuck in her head,replaying over and over,calling someone hun felt so personal yet normal at the same time. Before Catherine could mutter another weak argument,the singer spoke
"Oh so you've got some fight. Good,you'll need it... Name's Katlyin,by the way. Try sticking to not falling in heels,Catherina."
Katlyin spat out,using the last word like a mockery to Catherine's name and pride,but Catherine didn't feel insulted,if anything,she kinda liked the nickname...
As Catherine stepped onto the scene,she found herself moving to the rhythm and singing along the lyric-less song. All eyes were on her,she was the prettiest singer anyone has seen so far,she moved so gracefully and proudly,she knew this wasn't exactly the life she hoped for,but it was good. After the performance,her paws felt sore from all the dancing,she went over to the bar counter and slumped down into one of chairs. As she was ready to order,she was met with a guy with a yellow tv head for a box and graphic blue eyes and mouth hologram,he looked irritated,but at same time,the suit did fit him.
"Pour me a glass of your finest milk,good sir. Today was painfu-"
As she was about to keep talking,the guy cut her off,swaying a hand in front of her as to say for her to quiet down.
"Don't play the 'good sir' card on me,I am not good and I am a tough man,not some polished gentleman with rose bouquette and love letters for every lady that come in."
He said as he poured her a glass of milk,the glass cold as milk poured into it,it was true that some staff wasn't friendly. But she didn't mind it that much. She took the glass and sipped onto the milk,feeling the coldness of it,a glass of cold milk was something she's never skip on aside from fresh fish and meat scraps.
"So,Mind telling me your name or do I just refer to you as the 'tough man'?"
She asked,her voice laced with teasing edge,maybe not everyone here would adore her,but she would still find a way to put a smile back on.
"Name's Wolfy,that's all you'll get as an answer."
He muttered,his voice heavy with irritation as he hopped off the stool,well,he was actually pretty short...4'7 at best. Catherine just chuckled to herself,she had met a fair share of short people,but this might just be the shortest man she has ever seen. As she was about to get up,a huge guy approached the bar and slumped down into another chair.
"How you doing my fine man Wolfy?! Still got no wifey?"
The lion said laughing as Wolfy glared at him,he was in a dark navy blue suit with a rose on the side of his tie,he may have not acted the most 'sophisticated' but he seemed like a nice man.
"Bloody hell,Noel. Just say 'greetings' or something,I don't have time for your little game of lover boys,I have a job to do. I am gonna pour you your usual and then you leave,understood?"
Wolfy muttered,his voice cracking with static as he was a tiny bit irritated as he poured up a glass of milk,catnip and raw meat and put it onto the counter in front of Noel.
"Understood perfectly my fine man!"
Noel laughed as he chugged down the mixture and just laughed at Wolfy's annoyed expression,then got up and tapped Wolfy on the shoulder.
"See you soon my fine man!"
Noel chirped before going out through the exit,while Catherine was left to wonder if all guests were this friendly or if it was just a personality thing. She just herself got up and walked up the stairs and into her new room,as she got In,she locked the door and glanced at herself in the mirror,moving the hair to side,exposing her 'bad' eye. In all honesty,she liked how it looked,but the impression of how judgemental people could be terrified her,so as she stared at her reflection she just let out a squeak and tears began to stroll down her face,salty and bittersweet and she looked at herself.
"Oh you precious idiot! Just be yourself,people are still gonna love you,just because you aren't beautiful doesn't mean you are ugly on the inside too!...Who am I lying to? Nobody would love me if I ain't pretty..."
She muttered to herself,words heavy and bitter tasting against her lips as she spoke,before she could yell more at herself,there was a knock on the door,she paused and took a breath,trying to keep some look of normality. She unlocked the door and there was Katlyin.
"I apologize for being harsh earlier...I just felt jealous that someone else was in the game of dancing and singing,it's been my passion for years- wait,are you...crying? Oh heavens I'm sorry I didn't know you were that hurt-"
Katlyin rushed into the room and closed the door,turning back to Catherine.
"It's...It's not cause of you,Kat. It's just... This.."
She muttered before revealing her blind eye,Katlyin didn't look disgusted,why would she? She just sighed and came up to Catherine before hugging her.
"Oh...I didn't know...But,it's not bad...no one's perfect,alright? Even I have my physical flaws but they just..make me...me. And I think yours is beautiful! Like...Like a chimera cat! It gives you more unique look."
Katlyin murmured as she hugged Catherine closer,it was rare to hold someone,but it was also rare being held by someone. As they stood there,hugging each other,they moved to bed,where Katlyin sat onto the bed,Catherine laying her head on Katlyin's lap as Kat kept talking about how pretty Catherine actually is,and how she shouldn't let anything disprove that.
End of chapter one. Like for chapter two.