Tales of the Cat Pack: Graceful Alto
By Outsyder
Darkstalkers (C) to Capcom. I always wondered about the origins of Felicia's cat pals (the ones appearing in her PHM super move). A guide out there on the net (plus a cute fan-art that features those 4 main friends of Felicia) gave me the inspiration to write this fic. I don't recall offhand the names of the ones who wrote the guide and the fan art, but I give them full copyright for their work.
WARNING : This is not following the anime at any point. I only placed it here since it's the only place in the site that has a Darkstalkers entry. Thank you and enjoy.
"Tickets please." said the train conductor as he held out his white gloved hand towards the only passenger in the berth. She was young, perhaps in her early to mid twenties. Cold blue eyes pierced through her simple glasses. Her short black hair was sensefully cut in a pageboy style. She was dressed conservatively in a brown blouse-skirt combo and comfy heels. She smiled a bit at him as she pulled out a ticket with her well-manicured hands with the nails colored crimson red. The conductor clipped the ticket with his hole puncher and tipped his hat as he left. The girl looked to all sides to make sure nobody else was around. She locked the berth's door tightly and closed the window drapes.
She kicked off her heels and removed her duffel bag from a compartment above the bed. Something or someone was tried hard to escape as the bag moved on its own. "Shh, shh. shh. It's all right, Alto. I'll let you out. Hang on." The girl unzipped the bag and out leaped a small kitten with her fur colored snowy white with a small pink bow tied around her neck. Her eyes were as blue as a clear day. "I'm sorry you had to travel like this, but you didn't want to turn into a human and your catgirl form would alert everyone to your presence."
As she said this, the little kitten began to change. Her muzzle became smaller, her tiny whiskers receded as well most of her fur and soon a little girl, half human and half-cat appeared. She had very long blue hair with the bow at the end of it. Her fur covered her naked human-like body in areas that made it look like she was wearing a furry swimsuit. Instead of human limbs, her cat arms grew to the size of real human appendages and her paws had opposable thumbs now. Her lower paws became feet that remained the same with four toes each. Her little tail was swaying nervously. Her eyes were full of sadness and fear. "Grace...Human you look...It scary...", she said in a sweet melodious voice.
"Very well, Alto dear. I guess we're alone now." She took off her glasses and outfit, leaving her only in a bra and panties. She then took off her "wig" revealing long brown hair with spiky bangs in front and a spiky ponytail in the back. Also, she had two cat ears on the top of her head which flicked at all noise. She lowered her panties in the back just a bit as her own transformation took place. Fur suddenly began to grown over her arms, upper torso, nether parts and legs with a long tail beginning to grow from out of her coccyx. Her eyes were the last to change as her round pupils changed to thin vertical slits. Finally it was done. She took off her bra and panties without worry now. Before Alto stood an adult cat-woman with esoteric fur patterns that carefully and erotically covered her two breasts, belly and lower regions making the latter look like furry briefs. Markings along her back were also "painted" with the fur with a long thin tail twitching about. Like Alto, her hands and feet became cat paws with the exception that her claws were long and coated with red nail polish. Unlike other catwomen, she had the ability to completely transform her entire body into that of a human aside from just the limbs and tail. Sadly, she couldn't hide her cat ears. That was her only drawback. "Does this make you feel better?", asked Grace and her little companion nodded, hinting a smile.
"Grace? Where we going?", Alto asked curiously. Grace smiled at her friend. "Don't worry, Alto. We are going to meet up with some friends of mine. You'll be very happy to meet them." She then rubbed the back of Alto's ear and she began to purr with content, tail twitching playfully.
Finally, Grace sat down on the bed with Alto sitting at the end as she peeked out from behind the blinds, watching the scenery. The big catwoman sighed comfortably. This was a hard week and she was glad to be heading back to New York where Felicia and the rest were waiting. Her smile faded as she tried hard to forget the events of the last few days which led her to travel to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
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"What did you say? There was one of us being kept prisoner as a pet??" the blue-maned, green-eyed Felicia gasped as she talked with a regular tabby. The tabby just mewed but sounded exaperated. "That's terrible! We should find her quickly before hunters or others harm her and bring her here!" A long green-haired, orange-eyed catgirl wearing a headband scoffed, "Hmph. Why should we even bother? It's too far and we can't have yet another mouth to feed. We already have enough with you, me, Ms. Busybody and the little squirt to worry about. Why should we add one more fish to the table? I say we let her be. She isn't going to go awaaayyy---RRRRROWWWW!!" A sharp bite caused her to stop in mid-sentence as a tiny catgirl with a mane of blond hair and blue eyes chomped down hard on the green-haired catwoman's tail. "Mew, Pico doesn't like to be called a squirt, Lucy!" Lucy just grumbled as Felicia kept communicating with the tabby. "Uh-huh. Yeah. I got it. Thanks, Nibbles. Drop by some time and we'll give you a big fat snapper next time!" The cat meowed happily and scampered away.
Felicia explained to her 2 friends what Nibbles told her. It seems there has been a little 20-year old catgirl (NOTE FROM GUIDE: In the Darkstalker world, the catwomen age slower than humans by a half. So 20 years cat 10 years human) kept as a pet by a strange rich man who lives in the Pacific Northwest coastline. According to the cats who relayed the message, she was treated horribly since she was neither fully human nor fully cat. Finally, the catgirl found an opportunity to escape and so she took it. She has been seen prowling and attacking everyone and everything in the woods since she is very confused and scared. Since her existence was a secret, people believed a wild animal like a wolf or cougar has been terrorizing the area and hunters have been sent to trap and kill the beast responsible. The cats around the area knew the truth and figured out the best person to ask for help was its foremost crusader, Felicia. Since she was the type to try and help others through her dancing, music and awareness to all catwomen, they thought she could also help rescue the poor catgirl before she could be killed or, worse, returned to her evil master. "You may be the almighty famous catwoman spokesperson for our equality in this hairless ape world, but you are going way over your bubbly head, Felly," Lucy mused as she crossed her arms. "We won't be able to get all the way to the Northwest anyway. We can't go inside planes, trains or even the bus without getting stared at! Let's just drop it, ok?"
Felicia looked sad as her ears lowered. She was unable to go since she had a previous engagement visiting a hospital to cheer up the children patients with her singing. Lucy certainly was never going to do it even if she was paid with a tuna fleet. Pico was far too young to do something this dangerous. That only left...
The door opened and Grace in her full human form appeared. She carried a small newspaper bag which contained their dinner of fish. She took of her coat, hat, blouse, pants and shoes, reverting to her original catwoman self. Grace was slightly older than Felicia and smarter for she was managed to survive on her own for over 48 years. Her demeanor may be stern, but she was like a mother to all of them. If Felicia could trust anyone, it was Grace. "Food's here!", she called out. Lucy & Pico pounced on the newspaper bag as they tore it open, releasing the fish. Grace sighed and shook her head. "Immature little kits..."
After finally cooking and eating their dinner, Felicia told Grace about the news. Grace's look hardened hearing every detail. She looked down at her empty plate with the fishbone and sighed. "I really try my best not to travel that much anymore. I don't know if I will be able to help."
Felicia sat down next to her friend. "Grace, you can do anything if you have faith. You taught me that. Remember that time when you came to Las Vegas?"
Grace laughed. "How can I forget? Nearly lost my life savings."
"...and then you met me..."
"And I was amazed at your courage in remaining in catwoman form..."
"And how I wanted to fulfill my dreams of singing and acting..."
"And then we both became friends after that. Soon we learned of that Makai tournament..."
"I was scared to fight against all those tough guys and that snooty Morrigan..."
"But I gave you those same words and you entered the tournament..."
"Yet I still lost..."
"But you still got up and continued to follow your dreams..."
"And with your help I left Vegas and moved to New York."
"Not to mention we having to first get jobs as exotic dancers to feed ourselves..."
"But the pay was good and we earned enough money to start my singing and theater career."
"And then Lucy & Pico came to our lives..."
"All becuase you gave me faith in myself."
Grace gave a light chuckle. "Guess I do have a gift after all."
Felicia gave a small peace sign and winked. "Go for it."
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Grace landed at the Seattle Airport without a problem. She didn't carry any luggage and her human disguise fooled airport security completely. They never could tell the girl with the strange spiky brown hair wearing a simple t-shirt with a smiling cat's face, a baseball cap, simple blue jeans and sneakers was a catwoman in disguise. Normally, Grace wore more refined clothing but this mission required guile so she had to buy some new apparel for this mission. Walking out of the airport, she walked a few miles and made sure nobody was watching her. She took off her cap and sighed relief as her ears were hurting being cooped up inside that cap. She then started to meow softly and soon a cat appeared before her. She "talked" with the cat breifly and began her search.
A few hours later, Grace raced across the wilderness, leaping from treetop to treetop, high above the thick forests outside Seattle. It was dangerous for her to be in catwoman form, but it was the fastest way to get to the supposed sighting area without hitchhiking or asking for a ride. As she jumped, she kept a sharp eye on the paved road nearby. The black alley cat which the airport kitty directed Grace to mentioned the best way to reach the area their anthropomorphic sister was last sighted was to follow that specific road outside the city.
Finally, she stopped and her ears began to flick. She began to hear loud voices. Male voices. She could also hear guns being loaded and cocked. No doubt. The hunters sent to kill the supposed wild beast were nearby. She decided it was time to change. She landed on the forest floor on all fours, untied a string that held her clothing strapped to her back, and morphed back to her human guise. Quickly and quietly, she got dressed and stuffed her ears painfully back into the cap. All set, she walked towards the voices.
She reached a clearing where plenty of cars and RVs were parked altogether. Various men wearing hunting garb and armed with various firearms were huddled around one specific man. He was older than the rest with greying brown hair and beard and dressed in a hunting outfit that reminded Grace of english fox hunts: red coat jacket, white shirt and trousers, and heavy black boots. He wielded in his hands a classic Winchester rifle in mint condition. As Grace looked at his coal black eyes from afar, she felt a shiver run down her spine. If she was currently in full catwoman form, her fur would stand on end.
She apporoached the group carefully and managed to catch the last pieces of a speech the man was giving. "...caught at once, you hear me, men? This beast can't be left to prowl around and attack our people. It must be exterminated!" The men yelled their approval as they raised their guns. The man raised his hand to silence them. "But if during your hunt, you accidentally kill an animal of my game preserve that isn't predatory like a deer or rabbit, or even hunt more than one predator, I will personally sue you for everything you have! Understood?" The men remained silent. Grace then knew it. This man was the catgirl's master, the rich man.
The Master then gave a signal and the hunters charged into the woods. He remained behind as he lit a pipe in his pocket and smoked it peacefully. Grace approached him making sure she hid the blank areas where human ears are normally placed with her hair. Without warning, he suddenly turned around to face her, causing her to jump. His eyes lowered as he inspected her, puffing his pipe. "And who might you be? You are no hunter I can tell." Grace froze in her tracks. She had to think fast! She started to stammer, "I-I..well I'm just a college student from town, Mister. I came here to study the rumors of the supposed wild beast. Thought I could make my thesis on it."
The Master kept a watchful glare on her. "Are you so? Hmm, and where is your notebook then? Or your backpack? I see no car even." Deep inside, Grace gulped. "Well, they're all back at my campsite. I was taking a brisk walk around when I heard the noise. Came to see what's up. That's all." The Master took a long deep breath and said to her calmly, "See here, young lady. This forest is part of my property.I suggest to you if you camp here unannounced, the hunters might accidentally shoot or kill you and I have no time to go to court as a witness to a crime or manslaughter. Besides, if the hunters don't get you, that infernal beast roaming the woods will. My suggestion is for you to pack up and get back to the city where it's safer." Grace kept her cool throughout the ordeal. "Gee, is that true, Mister? Guess I'll do what you say and leave. I really wanted to see that rumored animal myself..." As she started to leave, the Master said, "See that you do, young lady..." He then patted his Winchester. "See that you do..."
Grace walked away without looking back knowing the Master kept watch on her. Finally, she moved between some trees and away from his gaze. She sighed and shook her head. Finding the girl will be tougher that she thought. The hunters were swarming the area making it hard for her to go on foot. Not risking removing her clothes, Grace took off her sneakers, tied them together at the laces and hung them around her neck. She morphed back to normal while still wearing the tee and jeans, which tore open at the cuffs due to the size of her enormous cat legs. Her tail ripped out from behind the seat of her pants as it twitched nervously. She grumbled at ruining her clothes. She would be getting rid of them soon anyway. Placing her cap on backwards releasing her ears, she climbed the trunk of the tree she was hiding behind of and reached the top. Taking a good look at her surroundings, she sped off.
The sun was starting to set some time later and Grace still hadn't found trace nor smell of the catgirl. All she sensed were the hunters down below on the forest floor in search of their quarry. Tired and hungry, she spotted a stream a few kilometers away from the hunters. Despite being half-human, she was still a cat. Landing on the floor as her name implied, Grace sidled up to the stream. She got down on all fours, staring diligently into the water with one paw raised. In a split-second, she shot her paw into the stream and flung two fresh fish onto land. She looked at the wriggling fish and made a face. She disliked eating them still kicking and raw, but hunger was overtaking her so she pretended she was eating sushi and closed her eyes as she picked up one. As she devoured the sweet-salty flesh, Grace heard a rustle from the bushes. She stopped eating and stared in direction of the noise. She took a long whiff and aside from the fish nearby, she smelled a strange scent of wet mud and grime.
Without warning, a small form shot out from the bushes, tackling her to the ground and throwing her cap off her head. Being caught off-guard, Grace flipped back onto her feet and instinctively extended her claws to their fullest, her fangs beared as she hissed. Suddenly her expression changed as she took a good look at her assailant. It was a young catgirl with a blue mane of hair covered in tree leaves and mud. Her sky blue eyes denoted fear and rage with her slit pupils dilated. Whatever fur she was born to cover her body was caked with dried mud and grime giving it a dark brown color. She pawed at the fish Grace caught and began to ravenously devour them, fishbones and all. Grace's demeanor changed to relief as she rescinded her claws. She finally found her at last. As she took a step towards the tiny figure, the catgirl looked up at Grace and hissed, fur standing on end.
"Don't fear, small one. I'm not here to harm you. I'm your friend.", Grace said calmly as she crouched down at her level. The girl sniffed at her and growled. "Smell like cat. Look like bad man!", she said in a sweet voice that contained hatred. Grace sighed. "I see. The clothes right? Here, look." She then took off the tee, jeans and undergarments to reveal her full catwoman form with her white fur markings everywhere. "See? I'm like you. Don't be scared." The girl cautiously padded on all fours towards Grace, sniffing her all over as she circled her. Finally, she looked up at her with tears in her eyes and hugged her legs hard. "I...I....very scared! Please...Want to leave here! Master kill me!", she wept. Grace looked lovingly at the little huddled form and hugged her. Grace felt strange as she hugged the little catgirl. She was lost, confused and lonely. She needed someone to look up to. Someone like a mother.
Before Grace could think things more, she felt a sharp sting in her back. The little cat-
girl then screamed in pain as she tore away from her grasp, only to faint a few meters away.
Grace's vision suddenly became blurry. She started to feel dizzy as she touched the place where she felt the pain. Something long and hard was stuck there. A needle. A tranqulizer! But who? Grace suddenly fell down hard on the soft grass as her eyes tried to remain open. The last image she saw before blacking out completely was a pair of black boots and a smoking rifle barrel...
to be continued....