qwq my grammar's just going bonkers today ] ACT I Alastor wore a smirk on his face as they readied themself for the parade. This particular event wasn't something that suited the white tom's taste, but they had no reason to not participate in it (well, he didn't actually want to in the first place to say the truth). He quickly tightened his long coat around him and slipped on a pair of black boots, then buckled them up with a small click. This would be a once in a lifetime opportunity- he would make this day count. Alastor slowly padded over to a mirror to examine himself and let out a weary sigh and adjusted the fake black horns on his head. He had to look good for this. That was probably how the judging would work. He was betting on it. And for this special event (or so they called it), he was wearing a neat red and white embroidered suit and laid atop of that was a black overcoat. Aligning his tail was a red checkered pattern, which was dyed onto his naturally white fur. Small spades and diamonds were sewn on the collar and cuffs, by one of the many designers. It was just as he had requested. Perfect. Not long after he finished with his costume, a small black cat pushed through the red curtains and dashed over to him, eyes shining with excitement. "Hey mister! We got your carriage ready," chirped the feline, thrashing their long tail back and forth. "And the parade's 'bout to start so you should get going. It's now or never!" The black cat beamed at him earnestly. "I'll be in the crowd watching, so ya better put on a good performance!" Alastor nodded, dismissing the feline with a small twitch of his tail. His helper made their way towards the exit but turned their head around slightly as the neared the curtains and gave Alastor a nod of encouragement. Then, they scampered out of the room, leaving the white tom alone. Alastor turned his gaze towards the curtains that would soon unveil his performance. Did he feel excited or nervous about this? No. He only felt emptiness. The tom walked towards the curtains; head lifted high. The spectators wanted something exciting and thrilling. Something that they wouldn't forget. He would give them just that. ACT II On the stage, Alastor was an entirely different cat. One that had determination and courage. He hummed a small tune to himself as he sat on his train car, waiting to begin. The car itself looked like something out from the 18th century, with the addition of the things from your worst nightmares. Jump scares, graveyards, sudden sounds were all here. But that wasn't what Alastor had prepared for the crowd. He had something bigger in mind. The curtain in front of him unfolded, Alastor took a step forward as the fog drifted in through the large opening. A door slammed shut behind him and the loud screeching of a cat made a couple of the younger cats near the train car jump back in surprise. "Tut, tut, tut...scared already?" His mew was husky, and his face was still covered by the large shadows that stretched across the clearing. "There once wast a timeth where vampires, witches, and w'rewolves were hunted down and such. It should not be surprising that they are angry at us today. I am Alastor. I can be your devil. or your angel today. Your choice." A light turned on from the back which unmasked his shadowed face as a maniacal grin swept onto his face. Alastor practiced this evil facade many times before. Then, he let out a dark cackle. "I am from district 3. One of the many tributes in this year's annual game. Isn't it sad how so many deaths result in the games?" said the tom, his tone sickly sweet as if he didn't care at all. Alastor's green eyes flashed as he scanned the crowd. "But- I assure you that this is of little concern for today's event." Alastor flicked his tail, signaling for the actual show to start. "Show me some spirit y'all!" He raised his voice, so he could still be heard over the sound of an alarm that was going off in the background. The sound got increasingly louder, but Alastor hardly minded it. Five cannons began blasting out candy, little trinkets, and black confetti towards the crowd. Many cats scrambled around trying to grab the items, pushing each other attempting get to the it first. Alastor had never been fond of bribery, but it would have to do. Fireworks shot up towards the dark sky, lighting it up even through the thick fog. Some of the fireworks began spelling out "Alastor, District 3" in the sky whilst others made out card suite patterns above. He smirked as white and red streamers were shot into the sky and firecrackers made hissing noises before going off with a loud "bang." His train car slid past the amassed crowd, he gave a small bow and backed up into the shadows. The darkness engulfed the white tom once more. ACT III It was a stupid idea performing in front of all those cats. He made a fool of himself. Alastor gritted his teeth and threw off the coat and horns onto the ground. Never again would he do this.