Yay the first full chapter is complete! In this you get a little of my own personal back story for Catrine and you get to see how she meets the love of her life in the fic. Catrine still mixes in some French so translations will be at the end if needed for anyone (unless they are commonly known words like bonjour or already translated in the story itself). So anyway, I hope you enjoy and give a review of some kind!

Chapter 1: Just Another Tourist

It was a Friday afternoon after school hours in the merveilleux city of Scaris. The Scarisian Art Academy for the Exceptionally Talented was closed for the weekend as normal and I was on the streets working on a project for Fine Arts class. I was to make a painting of the city, in my case it was the Eiffel Terror because I knew how truly sensationnel it looked at night with the full moon behind it. The sight would also make me question if I were a werewolf and not a werecat (we don't have the same effects from the full moon if you don't know).

While I was sketching the outline of the tower in the daylight on my easel I had a sign on the back of it as I always do when out making art on the streets. The sign had a message written in both English and French (partially because those are the only two languages I know):

"The cat behind this easel will make a painting or colored drawing of you for an inexpensive fee. Looking at her other work is free, and it can come before purchase upon request.

Le chat derrière ce chevalet feront une peinture ou un dessin en couleur de vous pour un coût peu onéreux. En regardant sa travail autre est libre, et il peut venir avant achat, sur demande."

Oui, I was one of those artists who would draw tourists. I had to if I wanted to go to the academy due to the fee. Neither I nor my family was riche so I was going on scholarships at one point, but I've run out as I am now a supérieur. Ever since grade ten I've been drawing for tourists and saving for the expenses of the academy. You say I was an "artiste affamé" ever since. I've drawn plenty of tourists since and have been able to get by on my own, at least with schooling costs.

Normally when I've drawn tourists I only really see them when working and maybe a few other times when sightseeing. Otherwise I never really see nor talk to them again. However, there was an exception. A tourist with shorty curly rose hair and a squelettique wing-like structure came walking down the cobblestone street. I could tell it was her first time in Scaris from her facial expressions, she seemed quite étourdi and amazed at the sights. I thought she was going straight to the Screiffel Tower, but she stopped in front of my easel. I tried to hide the fact that I was in fact starring at her so I quickly went back to work on the pencil sketch of the tower.

"Excuse me, miss? Mademoiselle, I would like to ask about a drawing?" the rose haired girl looked to a side of the easel to try and see me.

"Bonjour, madame," I quickly stopped sketching to greet her. Over the years the one thing I have learned from drawing tourists is to never lead them in with the stereotype of the French being rude and arrogant, always be nice, even if they are the one who is rude and arrogant.

"Oh yes, bonjour… I was just curious about your drawings. I remember a ghoul in my school who's actually native to Scaris got a drawing from a cat when she came for a visit. I don't know how many cats there are in Scaris, but you're the first artist I've seen that's actually a cat. However, I just got here at around eight in the morning so I really don't know. Anyway, I saw what she got from said cat and I thought it was a rather gorgeous piece of art and was wondering if maybe I could get one. Also from your sign I'm assuming you speak English as well otherwise everything I just said went to waste," she rambled on without too much pause between her sentences.

"I speak English and make drawings for the tourists, oui. Also what did you're friend look like, I always take photos of my drawings before giving them away so I can find out for you?" I asked her curious to actually see undead proof of my 'être bon envers les touristes' trick.

"Her name is Rochelle, she's a gargoyle, she has hair a similar color to mine with some light blue in it… Do you need any more information?" she answered as she snapped her fingers, I guess it was to help her think.

"I believe I have seen a gargoyle to that description before," I told her as I found the picture on my iCoffin.

"I found the right cat then, that's great. So how much will the drawing cost?" she asked with a huge grin.

"Well, the average fee for a portrait like your friend's is forty-five euros, or somewhere around sixty dollars in American currency and close to forty pounds in Britain." I read her the fee from my pricing list also found on my iCoffin.

"I'll take it!" she exclaimed as she opened her purse and handed me over the money instantly. I was rather shocked that she didn't do what most tourists did. They would either try and bargain the price down or refuse to pay be until I was finished. I was fine with doing the latter as I wouldn't want to seem like a spécialiste de l'escroquerie to them, but my prices were always final as intuition is rather pricy.

"Oh merci, purrlease take a seat on the bench behind me," I directed her as I took my canvas off on the easel and swapped it for my drawing pad and turned my easel the other direction. "You will have to stay as still as possible for the outline portion of the process. You can move freely as long as you stay seated once I get to the coloring portion. If you want to I am willing to converse with you as well," I explained to her.

"Thank you, I guess I'll try and get into a comfortable position as I'll be stuck in it for a while," she giggled as she took a seat.

"Before I start, may I ask your name?" I purred as I got my pencil out and ready.

"It's Chariclo Arganthone Cupid, but I'm more commonly known as C.A. Cupid or even just Cupid since no one can really pronounce my name," she sighed but then quickly go into a natural sitting pose with a smile.

"Well Chariclo, my name is Catrine DeMew."

merveilleux = marvelous

sensationnel = sensational

riche = rich

supérieur = senior

artiste affamé = starving artist

squelettique = skeletal

étourdi = giddy

être bon envers les touristes = be kind of tourists

If I missed anything please tell me and I'll add it here!