Katsu looks long at the description of the book, taking occasional glances at the lion in the cage. A wave of emotions falls on Katsu. Some feeling of empathy, going through a lot of physical and emotional harm. Finally, the lion’s glare catches Katsu. He steps forward, going against the cage. Steve the zookeeper tries to put his arm in front of Katsu, but the wrestler walks past, fixed on the animal. Vengedor has a slight growl as he gets in front of the cage. Katsu stands firm on the other side, not showing fear. Steve has a wave of anxiety over him, fearing what Vengedor will do-
And the lion simply sits, looking at Katsu.
The two stand across on either side of the cage. Katsu doesn’t say a word, the beast doesn’t make a sound. There is surprise on the face of the zookeeper. The animal isn’t showing any signs of aggression towards the guest.
Katsu gives a slow nod and the Lion walks away.
“Well, I didn’t take you to be a cat-whisperer.”
Katsu gives a chuckle. “Really? I just stayed calm. I didn’t do anything.”
“I’ll say that you are the one who got the closest to the cage without him growling. The cat scared some poor kids the other day, one, two, three, four of them.”
The edge of Katsu’s mouth shows a slight smirk.
“Then I guess I’m a bit special.”
“Maybe. Look, this lion has had its family taken from him. The first humans he saw brought him here. Likely has been hurt a lot… So I guess some kindness is needed.”
Steve claps his hands together. “With that depressing note, thank you for taking part in this VIP tour, Miss Katsu. Feel free to go to the gift shop and have a fantastic day!”
“Thank you, Steve.” Katsu gives a small bow of respect to him and the zookeeper walks off. The masked woman turns around at the lion who looks over at her once again.
A smile appears on Katsu’s face.
“I’ll visit again soon, my friend.”
Katsu walks off to leave her apparent new friend as the lion curls up and lies down under the sunny sky.
Sure enough, over the course of several days, Katsu became a frequent visitor to the zoo, becoming one of the few people to spend time near the lion. Every single day she’d sit down on a near-by bench, observe the creature, and write notes. What sort of fascination does she have over the creature? Why? Her notebook became covered in her impressions of the creature. His habits. When he gets aggressive, and not. Even what he eats and when. In a lot of ways, she wants to learn more. How this lion hurts, and how it can be better.
Katsu looks at the lion as a passing kid throws a stick of beef jerky into the cage after not liking it. The Lion sniffs it, and eats it happily.
“I did not take you as a fan of that.” She says amused as she writes down in her book.
She looks up to see a tall woman in a kimono standing in front of her. Her dark hair is long and straight. She’s of Japanese descent. The colours of her attire are a vivid white and red. Katsu gets up and immediately bows in respect, showing a grin.
“It has been sometime, my friend.” Katsu smiles at her Guardian.
“You have not needed me for sometime.” The woman has a warm grin, a calming presence. “You have been blossoming into a wonderful young lady.”
“Thank you. Though it does not mean you can’t stop around for a ‘Hello’ once in a while.” The masked woman jokes.
“You already have your companionship.” Her Guardian mentions. “But I have been watching from a distance. Your musings, your improvement.”
“It has been a lot of work. Just to improve myself in the ring and outside of it.”
“Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. I’m proud of you.”
Hearing the affirmation from this mysterious woman who’s seemingly guiding her, gives Katsu a warm sensation. A feeling of accomplishment. She glances back at the lion and this is where the tone of her guardian changes.
“So, what are you doing?” The mysterious woman asks.
“I am getting to know my new friend.” She motions to the cage where the Lion resides. The Beast walks around on his paws, calm and stoic.
“A friend? Young lady, that is a wild animal.”
“Well, yes. But it doesn’t mean I can’t keep company from afar.”
She looks at her notebook.
“I have been taking notes these past several days. Learning how Vengedor acts, what he likes and dislikes. His behaviour. It’s been fascinating.”
“Tell me about him, then.”
Her guardian sits down next to her. Katsu flips through her book.
“Well, he was found in the wild here after being separated from his pride. His family is gone. They have since tried to provide him a home here. But he seems to be distrusting of most others. He is even separate from other lions I have seen. Though around me there seems to be less… hostility. He enjoys bathing in the sun. He enjoys snacks thrown in by near-by visitors, and yells at children.”
Putting her hand under her chin, Katsu’s guardian thinks. She hums, and asks her protege another question.
“So, he seems like a typical lion. What has drawn you into him?”
“What do you mean?”
“There are dozens of exotic animals here.” Her guardian explains. “All with wonderful features and personalities. What is it about this Lion that has piqued your interest?”
Katsu thinks, but she can’t quite come up with the right words. She looks at the woman.
“Why do I have a feeling you already have your own answer.”
Her Guardian has a warm laugh. “You know me well.”
“Yet I still don’t know if you have-”
“A name?” She interrupts Katsu. “All you had to do was ask. Kosuke.”
“Kosuke?”
She nods. “Woman of the rising sun. At times of darkness for you, I rise to provide you a guiding light.”
Katsu gives a slow nod. “Nice to finally meet you then, Kosuke.”
Kosuke smiles. “Thank you. So, where were we? What makes you drawn to this lion?”
Katsu looks back at the creature. The lion looks up at her. She thinks about it more and more. “I want to solve the mystery of him.”
“I think that is mostly true. But why?”
She has no answer. Katsu looks at Kosuke. “How about you tell me?”
“Scars, mentally and physically. A loner, trapped in one’s own personal cage. Trying to do things to hide one’s own problems.” Kosuke turns to Katsu.
“Now, am I describing you… or your new ‘friend.’” She has a warm giggle and Katsu blinks.
“Something tells me you two have some similarities. Two creatures who have faced obstacles, having different ways to cope. Together, you two share a common experience. Trauma.”
“So what?” Katsu questions her guardian, still not fully seeing it.
“If there is one thing I understand about you is that you have a great sense of empathy. A heart which did not fit well with the old spirit trying to guide you. Looking at you now, you are Katsuki, but you ARE Katsu. You are in harmony as a guiding spirit. So, seeing a creature like this lion, Vengedor, you feel a need to help. A need to befriend.”
Continuing to listen, Katsu looks over at the beast in the cage.
“Look at your closest circle. Ririko you faced in battle many times. You learned to understand her. Miss Hayama was a new girl in a new land, feeling alone. Your bond with them is through your heart. Your courage and drive to help them. And how did you get to become the person you are today?”
Katsu turns to Kosuke. She listens.
“Your response to trauma. You turn it into a positive. But, the unfortunate truth is that not everyone can do that. Sometimes trauma can bubble, fester, and turn to something worse.”
Gently grabbing Katsu, she turns her around to look at the lion in the cage. Katsu lets her guardian turn her around, having great respect for her.
“That beast lost his family. His brother. He didn’t have someone like me to help them. He doesn’t have his friends, like you. Those feelings of betrayal fester. They warp him and his sense of justice.”
“Can a beast even have a sense of justice?” Katsu asks.
“Their instincts for a better term. I see him standing there. Those emotions are not lost on him. Nature has hurt him, so thus, his own nature has changed.”
“But, he can get better, right?” The masked girl says with some hope.
Her guardian has a brief pause. She sighs.
“Not everyone does. Now here is another unfortunate truth for you. You can’t save everyone.”
“Who said anything about saving?” Katsu turns to her, blinking.
“I know you. You think you can help everyone and everything.” Kosuke responds. “But sometimes you are not the one to do it. Some people need others. Then we have some who don’t want to be saved.”
“This is good and all, but where does he fit in?” She motions to the lion.
Kosuke blinks, she looks at the beast.
“That I think you know…”
“Excuse me, miss?”
Someone taps Katsu on the shoulder. It is someone who appears to work at the zoo with a similar attire to her tour guide from the other day. She blinks and turns around.
“Are you okay? You seemed spaced out and were mumbling to yourself.”
“Oh, I was just…”
Katsu turns and sees that-
Kosuke is not there. She looks back at the zookeeper and covers herself.
“Looking at the lion. That is all.”
“Okay then… Just reminding you we close in an hour.” He mumbles as he walks away. “Freaking weirdo in the mask…”
Katsu looks around and her guardian is no longer there. The zookeeper didn’t see her. Nobody saw her except for Katsu. Is she even real? Katsu picks up her notebook and looks at the lion. She has spent the past several days looking at the lion, learning about him. But now-
She has more questions than answers.
“Who are you…?”
Katsu mumbles to the Lion. The beast gives a slight growl before going under his shade. The masked woman walks away, looking through her book of notes she’s gathered over the past several days.
The sun gazes down on the savanna on a dry hot day. Vast fields of brown grass from the arid climate have a slight crunch as the many animals make their trek through it, kicking up dried dirt as they run. Sitting in the tall grass is a large cat with a golden mane. He sits, watching along the savannah as his potential prey. A patient hunter, but a lion alone, with no pride around him. Just a beast and his mission to capture and devour his prey.
Walking up behind him is a woman in some traditional safari attire, a light brown t-shirt and khaki shorts. The mask is a give-away. Katsu. She walks up to the beast and stands next to it, the lion not even flinching as she gently strokes his mane.
“Beautiful day, is it?” She pulls out a piece of chicken from one of her pockets, gently placing it in front of the lion. The animal takes a bite out of it. Katsu sits in front of him, crossing her legs, calm.
“See? I mean no harm. I understand you…” She gently whispers to the beast, giving him a scritch behind the ear. “You have a hard time trusting people, do you not? You have been hurt before. I understand the feeling. To be thrown away, alone.”
She shakes her head, a softness in her voice. “It is a miracle I didn’t shut myself away like you. It would be so easy, especially when you feel like you have nobody. But I learned that, to hide oneself far too long, to treat your mask like a cage, is not healthy. Your metaphorical mask is keeping you locked away.”
The lion looks up. Here, Katsu has complete command over the beast. Like a companion.
“There are good people in the world.” She places her hand on the side of the lion’s face. “Even if it doesn’t feel like it. There are people who you can trust, who aren’t there to take advantage of you or hurt you. When I give people my trust, it means something. It means I see something in you. It means I see value in you. In a world of hate, I try not to add to it. Just don’t do anything to break it.”
The Lion lies down, giving a gentle growl, seeming more playful than violent.
“Do you want a ride, friend?”
Katsu gets up and mounts the back. The jungle cat gives a flick of his tail.
“Alright then, let’s go!”
The Lion darts forward with Katsu holding on tight. Her hair flowing out the end of her mask dances through the air as the cat runs. A smile is on her face as she rides the lion as an equal across the plains. She looks into the sky-
“Breaking News at Fantasy Zoo!”
Katsu hears something odd. Slowly, the dream world around her fades… As she escapes back to reality.
Lying in her bed, Katsu’s face is under the covers. Her television set is on as it goes to breaking news. Police are outside of the zoo. Red and blue police lights blare through the night as a chaotic scene is unfolding. The female reporter gives a brief report.
“A lion was discovered missing from its exhibit half an hour ago at Fantasy Zoo, the bars of its cage broken. The animal was housed near the East exit and was a new resident of the zoo.”
“-Vengedor…”
Katsu mutters to herself. She puts two and two together. The lion has escaped. It is free from its cage and now, there’s a real possibility somebody will get hurt.
“Police are advising those who live around the zoo to stay inside. The animal is on the loose…”
Clutching her blanket in frustration, Katsu sighs. She knows what she’s going to do.
She needs to confront the beast.
The sirens around the zoo bleep out as several police cars appear at the gate near the once home of the Lion. A swat team has appeared too with their riot shields, and padded gear. Even a couple ambulances and a firetruck have made their presence known. Katsu, wearing all black, including a black version of her mask, hides in the bushes. She looks on in horror at the zoo which, just hours ago, was peaceful. An officer sits on a stretcher near the ambulance. His arm and calf are wrapped in bandages, some blood staining the gauze. His short hair is drenched in sweat after running for his life. She overhears him talking.
“That animal is vicious!” He shouts. “I’m lucky to even be alive! That beast slashed my arm and was inches away from biting my hand off!” There’s horror in his voice. Katsu leans in closer, getting on the other side of the ambulance.
“At this point, there’s no use saving him. Just shoot to kill, put the fucker out before he hurts anyone else!”
Clenching her fist, Katsu feels a great deal of anger over it. The lion is a predator, his natural instincts, but he is still a living thing. Another officer walks over to check on his colleague.
“Tony, holding up there?”
Tony the policeman shouts. “The fuck I am, Joe! I nearly got killed by an oversized house cat!”
“We’ll deal with him.” Joe pats him on his good arm. “Say, where did you drop your gear?”
“You mean the taser and tranquilliser gun? Just a bit down from the petting zoo.”
A lightbulb goes off in the head of Katsu. She quietly goes over to the gate, trying to remain unseen and she enters the zoo.
The domain of the beast.
Walking into the petting zoo, Katsu begins to see a trail of blood, likely coming from the officer’s wounds. Some of the animals are asleep, others roam carefully. In a grim scene, Katsu looks towards a pile of hay. A large amount of crimson covers the ground as the carcass of a lamb lies on top of a pile of straw. Katsu’s eyes widen as she sees the grim scene in front of her and rushes over. She kneels next to the deceased animal and looks in horror. The lamb’s eyes are still open, looking at her.
This is what the lion can do. This is what he can do to his prey. A slight quiver is in her voice.
“I-I am sorry, little one.” Her hand grabs some of the blood soaked straw, shaking in anger. “You did not deserve this. Nobody does… I will stop him for you.”
Looking towards the wire fence, Katsu sees the two leftover pieces of equipment from the officer. A taser gun and a tranquiliser gun. Walking over, she picks up the tranq. It’s shaped like a pistol with a red barrel. It only has one dart left from what she can see. Likely a missed shot from the officer out of fear. She grabs the taser gun as well. She thinks it over. How can she stop the animal? The mind of the woman races back to all the things she’s observed from the beast over the past several days. His habits, the potential heart it has overshadowed by its trauma and anger. She hatches a plan.
Rushing out of the petting zoo, Katsu goes to a food stand that the lion hasn’t gone through. She grabs all the beef jerky she can from it and finds an open area in the path of the park. She opens the bags and places all the dried meat on the ground.
“A final meal for you…”
She shakes as she says that. Deep down, she wishes it hasn’t come to this, but she knows it is needed. Stop him before anyone else meets its wrath. She hides behind some neay-by bushes lining the stone path and-
Waits.
Minutes turn to over an hour as Katsu waits. She’s uncertain what will come, or if Vengedor the lion is still roaming the park? Maybe he ate all the police? She is patient for her age, but the time begins to wear on her. Will this even work? Katsu is about to give up hope, until-
She hears near-by bushes shake. Leaping out is the large Lion. Its scars on its face, it is unmistakably Vengedor. The animal sniffs the meat on the ground before licking it with his large tongue and chowing down, enjoying a snack. Katsu looks and sees he is likely out of range for her weapons and truthfully, she doesn’t want to hurt him unless she has to. She stands up-
And the leaves around her shake, causing the lion to look directly at her. She quickly hides her weapons behind her back, god knows he’d likely attack her instantly if she shows them. Nervously, Katsu steps towards the beast who crouches down cautiously.
“Hello, remember me?” Katsu does her best to hide the fear in her voice. “I am the one who’s been giving you company the past several days.”
Oddly enough, the lion’s ears perk up. A small sense of ease goes over the animal. He recognises her.
“I am just wondering… Why? Why did you hurt those people? The lamb? They didn’t do anything-”
She stops and corrects herself.
“Well, maybe to you. I doubt that the police officer has a perfect reputation.” Katsu attempts some humour, likely to calm her own nerves.
“But…” She tries to get to her point. “The people here don’t mean harm to you. They gave you a place to be when you didn’t have anyone else to go to…”
A slight growl comes from the lion. She instinctively knows what the lion is trying to communicate. He hates being caged up.
“I know you don’t like it, but if this is how you act when freed… Maybe the cage was the right place? And it may not be so bad. All your meals, a place for shade…”
The Lion roars.
“-Okay, I get it, being in a cage sucks, I will give you that, lion. But it does not mean you should hurt others over it. Why? Why do you hurt people? I know you’re a lion, but that can’t be it.”
She thinks back to the zoo keeper, what he said about him.
“This lion has had its family taken from him. The first humans he saw brought him here. Likely has been hurt a lot…”
She blinks.
“Because you got hurt…”
It dawns on her. The lion takes a step closer to her.
“No. Just no!” She raises her voice. “Just because you got hurt doesn’t mean you should hurt the world back. That doesn’t bring justice or balance. You add pain to a world already filled with pain…”
Behind her back, she tightens her grip on the taser.
“I don’t care if you’re just an animal, that doesn’t make it right. Someone took your brother-”
The lion looks with a scowl, he kneels down, getting ready to pounce.
“But it does not mean everyone else needs to suffer to give you a sense of vengeance!”
Vengedor roars at Katsu, its volume peaking.
“No justice comes from hurting. No justice comes from pain.”
The lion’s tail flicks. It’s going to strike.
“It only leads to your misery-”
Vengedor leaps up in the hair and on cue, Katsu brings the taser forward, shooting it at the lion. The two metal ends latch onto the lion and deliver a shock to him! The beast cries out as he falls to the ground. Electrons pulse through him, but he isn’t felled.
Looking up at Katsu, the lion growls as he has a slight shake to him. He’s weakened from the shock. Katsu takes the tranquiliser and points it at him.
“I’m sorry.” She says. “This is what has to be done.”
Pulling the trigger, a dart shoots forward, latching itself into the skin of the lion. The beast’s eyes blink. The effects of the dart are immediate. He slumps over and his eyes shut, knocked out. Finally, police show up, finally finding the beast thanks to the noise. They see Katsu standing, the beast fallen. The same officer from earlier rushes over to Katsu as the other officers point their guns at the lion.
“Miss, are you okay? Why are you here?”
Katsu doesn’t respond. She looks at the big cat, out like a light, at peace. She drops her weapons and the police put two and two together as to who finally tamed the beast. Finally, she says to the officer.
“I am okay.”
“Good. I normally would say you shouldn't be here, but considering what you did, I’ll let you off with a warning. Please, get out, we got it from here.”
She nods and begins to walk away as the officers get closer to the lion as some zoo keepers join in too.
“Alright boys, let’s get this beast to be euthanized before he hurts anyone else!”
Glancing back, Katsu gives what will be her final look at Vengedor. She shakes her head. The thought sickens her. But it needs to be done. Katsu heads off towards the exit. Beyond the gates, she sits down on the curb as the sun slowly begins to rise in the distance. Resting her hands on her knees, she looks off to the gentle orange glow of the sun.
She feels a hand on her shoulder. Not even looking back, she knows who it is. Kosuke. Her guardian. The woman doesn’t even need to say a word. Katsu sighs.
“You’re right. Not everyone wants the help. Some people deserve to be locked in their personal cage.”
The mysterious woman nods.
“How do you feel, my little kitsune?”
“Heartbroken… But I feel no regrets. Maybe this will put him out of his suffering…”
Kosuke nods in understanding.
Katsu looks off at the rising sun. Alone. Kosuke disappears from her side. She knew what she did was right, even if it may pain her to do it. Bowing her head, she closes her eyes-
And opens them, finding herself on the patio of her Mexican resort hotel. She looks at the nearby beach as the blue waves crash under the orange glow of the sun. She is in a pair of shorts and a very light tank top over her bikini. In her hands is her signature mask. The Kitsune inspired mask. It was all a dream. A vivid dream, but one where she was able to gather all her thoughts and emotions. A friendly voice in Japanese shouts from the room.
“Come on, hurry up! Cali and the others are waiting for us to have breakfast!”
Katsu folds her mask up and presses her forehead against it. Biggest weekend of her career incoming.
“I will be there, Ririko.” She says back. Standing up, she looks at the waves once more.
As Kosuke stands behind her with a proud smile.
