Puss in Boots:Dancing with Death
Author's Disclaimer:
This is a fanfiction story inspired by 'Puss in Boots, The Last Wish'. Please be warned that spoilers from the movie will be present.
If you have already watched the movie or do not mind movie-related spoilers, then feel free to read this story. I hope that this story will do the movie, as well as the characters, justice.
The beginning of the end…
Puss in Boots, or simply Puss as some of his closest friends would call him, was still a handsome cat in spite of his advancing age and greying fur. He was also still a skilled swordsman even though he was a few steps, or eight as he would jokingly claim, slower than when he was in his prime. When he first decided to retire from a life of adventuring together with his wife, Kitty Softpaws, he was quite certain that his ninth and final death would be caused by old age instead of facing danger head on.
Well, things do not always go according to plan or expectation.
A mad-scientist known as Frankenstein was seeking fresh bodiesto create anarmy of resurrected ghouls and ultimately rule the world. The peaceful frontier village which he wanted to destroy in the name of his cruel ambition was coincidentally the same village where Puss and Kitty were living out their retirement years. Needless to say, the two cats were not going to let him have his wayand, after making sure that everyone else in the village had evacuated safely, stood their ground to face him together.
However, Puss and Kitty were no longer in their prime and Frankenstein already had two powerful ghouls, a male and a female, that were enslaved to his will through the use of bolts that sent electrical shocks directly into their brains and spines. As the two cats faced imminent defeat and death, Frankenstein gloated, "You pathetic felines, I am Doctor Frakenstein, the man who will one day force Death himself to kneel before meand my genuis!"
Hearing Frankenstein's gloating, a memory of a certain wolf flashed through Puss' mind. He smirkedas he decided that one final act of foolish daredevilry to save the lives of others was not a bad way to go as he stood up in spite of his protesting aged bones and injured insides. He then said, "If Death himself actually knelt before you, I would have NEVER stopped laughing in his face." Kitty's eyes widened as she realised what Puss was trying to do and could hear a familiar faint whistling in the windas Puss audaciously added, "Straight. Up."
"Puss in Boots."
Puss did not need to turn around to know who had arrived as he observed Frankenstein taking a step back with a shocked expression and asking, "W-who are you? A friend of that those lowly felines that dare to stand in my way?"
"You can say that," said the new arrival who stepped forward to reveal himself as a large humanoid wolf with blood-red eyes. Seemingly uncaring of the mad scientist, he glanced at Puss and said, "You do realise that I can see right through that taunt of yours, right?"
"Si, Muerte," admitted Puss who then smiled at the being known as Death and said, "but I know you well enough to tell that this loco angers you like how I used to."
Death chuckled as he replied, "Not for as long as you did, but you're not wrong, gato."
"Then how about a deal?" asked Puss who then suggested, "You help me take down that loco and you can take my last life without a fight."
"You're not going to ask me for help in taking down his two ghouls too?" asked Death.
Puss turned his attention towards the two ghouls, the male ghoul standing in front of his female counterpart with the protectiveness of a husband defending his wife and said, "No, they deserve to be free and live a proper life."
Death nodded approvingly and said, "Then, it's a deal." He took out his two sickles and assumed a fighting stance before he smirked ferociously at Puss while saying, "Shall we dance?"
Puss smirked audaciously in return and did his famous pose with his rapier while saying, "Fear us, if you dare!"
Angered by the unexpected turn of events, Frankenstein yelled, "Fear you? You should fear ME!" He then pressed a button that caused the two ghouls to roar in pain while yelling, "Defeat those two and give me their heads!"
Unable to disobey their cruel creator and master, the two ghouls charged towards Puss and Death in pained rage. However, Death was swift and easily dodged the male ghoul's incoming downward swipe by dodging his attack. As the male ghoul's hand slammed into the ground with enough force to create a small crater, Death transformed one of his two sickles into a knuckle-duster and punched him in the jaw, knocking him known in the process. As for the female ghoul, she tried to rip Puss apart with her flawed hands but he could read her attack and dodged her skilfully before running between her legs and then knocking her down with a flying kick to the back of her head.
"What are you two failures doing? Get up and kill them!" yelled Frankenstein while pressing the button again.
The ghouls immediately got up while roaring in agony before attacking Death and Puss again with renewed frenzy. Undeterred by the incoming attack, Death combined his two sickles to form a double-bladed glaive and deflected the male ghoul's attacks with ease. Puss stepped back rapidly to avoid the female ghoul's savage attacks while occasionally deflecting her attacks with the blunt sides of his rapier. He smiled as he thought, "That's right, Senora Demonio, keep attacking me and no one else."
Frankenstein glared at the ongoing fight and growled, "Well, stop dallying around and kill them already!" He was about to press the button again to "motivate" his two creations further when he realised that his hand was empty.
Shocked by the fact that he was no longer holding his control device, he stared at his hand dumbly for a moment before he heard Kitty say mockingly, "Looking for something?" As he turned his attention towards Kitty, who was indeed holding his control device, the infamous former cat burglar said, "I think this artilugio deserves a more responsible owner, don't you say?"
Finally realising that he did not have the control device he needed to keep his two ghouls in line, Frankenstein yelled, "G-give that back!"
"No, I don't think I will," said Kitty who then tossed it towards Puss and said, "Think fast!"
"Gracias mi amor!" yelled Puss before he swung his rapier and sliced the control device into half.
"NOOO!" yelled Frankenstein, attracting the attention of the two ghouls as a result.
As the two two halves of the destroyed device fell onto the ground and broke down further, the two ghouls stared at it with disbelieving eyes. The female ghoul then stared at Puss who smiled kindly at her and said, "You and your esposo are free now, Senora Demonio."
Tears welled up in the two ghouls' eyes as they fell to knees and wept in the joyous realisation that they were finally free.
Furious, Franketnstein yelled, "No, you two are my creations! You obey ME!"
"Not anymore, bastardo loco."
Frankenstein froze as a chill of dread crawled down his spine. He turned around and looked up into Death's blood-red eyes that seemed to almost shine with murderous intent as the lupine being smirked at him and said, "Now, what was it that you said… about me kneeling before you and your genuis, Doctor Frankenstein?"
Frankenstein fell onto his backside and desperately tried to back away from Death while uttering increasingly pathetic attempts to appease the literal embodiment of his imminent doom. Uncaring of the madman's attempts at appeasement, Death savoured the intoxicating smell of his fear and said, "Bueno, hora de comer!"
Puss, Kitty and the two ghouls stared with wide horrified eyes as Death slaughtered Frankenstein before devouring his still-screaming remains whole. By the time Death was done with the man, nothing more than a single splash of blood remained.
A moment of silence passed before Puss nervously admitted, "I'll admit that I'm starting to have second thoughts about holding up my end of the deal, Death."
Death chuckled as he licked his red-stained fangs and said, "Don't worry, gato. I only reserve this method of reaping souls to those who deserve it." He then smiled at Puss with a hint of sympathy in his eyes and said, "And you deserve a far kinder death than that."
"I wouldn't have been able to live past today even if I hadn't made that deal with you, would I?" asked Puss who could feel the pain of his injured insides worsening exponentially.
"No, you wouldn't," confirmed Death.
"Can I… at least have one last moment with my amada esposa before I go?" asked Puss.
"Sure, take the time you need," said Death.
Puss turned his attention towards Kitty and limped towards her. She ran towards him and hugged him tightly while saying, "Idiota impredente!"
"There, there, Kitty. We both know that even legends like us don't live forever," said Puss while hugging her back.
"I know that, Puss! Both of us could have died while facing Frankenstein and his creations!" yelled Kitty before she sobbed, "But… it doesn't make living on after losing you hurt any less."
Puss gently pushed her away so that he could look at her tearful eyes and said, "Take good care of our wonderful familia, Kitty. Tell our children, Perrito and all our friends that Puss in Boots died dancing together with Death to defeat a terrible villain."
Kitty smiled and said, "I will, mi amado."
Puss reluctantly let go of Kitty and turned around to face Death. He looked at Death in the eyes and said, "I am as ready as I will ever be, Death."
Death saw acceptance in Puss' eyes and said with solemn nod, "Then let us depart."
As Puss walked together with Death, who placed a gentle hand onto his shoulder, he asked, "So… have I lived up to my legend?"
Death chuckled and said, "No… you have achieved far more than just that, gato." He then whistled as he personally guided Puss, who no longer felt the pain of being alive, to a well-deserved afterlife.
It took only a single day for news of Puss' tragic yet heroic death to spread across the land like a raging wildfire.
It took only a single week for everyone who knew Puss, including Shrek, Donkey, Goldilocks and their respective families, to personally attend Puss' wake.
It took less than a single month for a statue of Puss to be built in his honour at the centre of the village which he had died defending.
It took less than a single year for everyone in the village to unanimously decide that a holiday would be held to honour Puss' heroic deed in saving everyone in it from Frankenstein.
It took exactly a single decade for Kitty Softpaws to finally pass on and be reunited with her beloved Puss in Boots.
It took exactly a single century for Puss' incredible life to be remembered as a famous, if unbelievable, legend to many.
It took until the very end of the world itself for the well-loved legend of the cat who danced with death to defeat a terrible evil to finally be forgotten.
The End…
Author's Notes:
When I watched the movie, the idea of Puss attracting Death's attention as a desperate measure to attain one final victory against a terrible foe simply could not leave my mind. I sincerely hope that this one-shot story does the actual movie justice.
I don't speak Spanish so I had to use Google Translate to make the Spanish phrases and sentences. I hope that I did them okay. Here are some translations:
- Si, Muerte = Yes, Death
- loco = madman
- gato = cat
- Senora Demonio = Mrs Ghoul
- artilugio = gadget/doohickey
- Gracias mi amor! = Thank you, my love!
- esposo = husband
- bastardo loco = mad bastard (male)
- Bueno, hora de comer! = Well, time to eat!
- amada esposa = beloved wife
- Idiota impredente! = You reckless idiot!
- familia = family
- mi amado = my beloved (male)