cats are a state of matter

Page 1

Panel 1 - An inset panel with a closeup n Ralsei. He cups his hands around his mouth and yells downward: “Keep going, Kris! You’re almost there!”

Panel 2 - Wide shot to reveal a tall, almost pillar-like mountain. The mountain is full of holes, and long waterfalls spill from the holes endlessly. Ralsei, Susie, Noelle and Berdly stand on top of the mountain, as Kris carefully climbs their way up to them via a long trail of handholds. Several more pillared mountains stand tall in the distance, and the whole area is thick with vapor from the waterfalls.

Berdly calls down, “Yeah, hurry up, Kris!”

Panel 3 - An angled overhead shot as Kris struggles to climb up the mountain, their hand gripping a handhold near the camera. The waterfalls spill around them, sending spray everywhere. “You know, Berdly…this would go much faster…if you would just…*fly* me to the top…” Kris says between breaths, looking clearly annoyed. Below them, the base of the mountain disappears into darkness. 

Panel 4 - Middle shot of Berdly as he flippantly casts a wing to the side. “All this moisture’s got my feathers wet! You’ll just weigh me down!” he says, making excuses for himself. 

Panel 5 - Kris continues to try and scale the mountain as the waterfalls hiss and spray around them. They grunt, “I have half a mind…to just command you, because…”

Panel 6 - They continue, “These stones are–” 

Closeup on Kris’s foot as they balance it precariously on the edge of a foothold. The stones are wet from the waterfall…

Panel 7 - Continued closeup as Kris slips on the wet stone, and falls backwards from the mountainside.

Page 2

Panel 1 - Kris plunges from the mountain into the darkness below, arms outstretched.

Panel 2 - Full shot as Ralsei and all of the beasts stare down in shock to where Kris fell. For a moment, they just stand there, gaping.

Panel 3 - Same shot, although this time, Berdly speaks up. “Heavens to yikes, it’s gonna take *forever* for them to get back up now!”

Noelle, Susie and Ralsei all turn to look at Berdly with annoyed expressions.

Then, a transition panel from light into darkness…

Panel 4 - Wide shot as Kris finally lands, plunging into a deep, still pool of water. Bubbles explode up from their landing in the pool.

Panel 5 - Kris bursts back through the surface of the pool, gasping for breath and splashing water everywhere. 

Panel 6 - Wider shot as a wet and bedraggled Kris walks from the deep end of the pool to the shallow shore. Behind them, the waterfalls continue to empty into the pools, spreading mist everywhere. 

Page 3

Panel 1 - Kris shakes their body wildly like a dog, trying to dry themself off a bit. Water flies everywhere. 

Panel 2 - Wider shot as Kris looks around their new surroundings. The area is dark and remarkably flat. There’s only the softly hissing waterfalls, mist, and darkness. 

“Dammit…where am I now?...” Kris asks, mostly to themself. 

Panel 3 - Kris turns their head as, off in the misty distance, a ball bounces into their view. 

Panel 4 - Wide, broad panel as Kris walks over to observe the object. All around them, the landscape is shrouded in mist and shadow.

Panel 5 - Kris looks down. Sitting on the ground is what appears to be an ordinary soccer ball.

Panel 6 - Kris stares down at the ball with confusion. “A ball…?” they say aloud. They fail to notice a large shadow creeping up behind them…

Panel 7 - …At least until it’s right on top of them. Catti steps out of the darkness, grinning down at Kris. She appears as a large cat beast, with a pink stripe stretching down to her nose, and three earrings on each ear. A halo of spinning orbs, almost like planetary orbits, circles around her head. While her left side appears normal, the right side is pure, wispy black void, dotted with seven cat eyes that peer down at Kris. Kris turns and looks up in shock.

Page 4

Panel 1 - Kris spins around, taken off-guard by the beast’s sudden appearance. “You!--” They then begin to speak a command…

Panel 2 - Mid shot of Catti as the orbs circling her head spin faster, and she traces a line in the air with one claw. Her claw brims with glowing magic. She utters one word: “Hush.”

Panel 3 - Before Kris can finish speaking, the spell strikes at their throat, and their voice is stolen from them. 

Panel 4 - In the foreground, Kris grabs at their throat, continuously trying to speak. However, no words come out of them. Behind them, Catti peers closer, narrowing her eyes at them. “A human. Interesting,” she says.

Panel 5 - Full shot as Catti finally steps fully into Kris’s view, revealing one more feature of her: her tail is a separate beast; a grinning snake with bits of plated armor, and dark markings around his eyes. It’s Jockington, and together the two form a chimera. 

“Woah Catti, it’s our first, human in soooo long! We can, get a new spell!” Jockington says excitedly.

“Perhaps. Must investigate,” Catti replies. Kris continues to grab at their throat and attempt to speak. 

Panel 6 - With that not working, despite Kris’s continued attempts, they reach down and go for their sword.

Panel 7 - “Tsk. None of that,” Catti warns. The orbs again spin around her head, and another magic spell jumps to her void claws with a hiss. 

Panel 8 - The spell is a telekinetic one. Kris is lifted off the ground and brought to Catti’s face, their sword falling from their hands as they rise. An aura of magic surrounds them as they’re levitated. 

Page 5

Panel 1 - Kris is levitated helplessly, their arms as legs flailing, as Catti gives them a couple sniffs. “Ooh. Young. Strong,” she says, looking interested. “Should get a powerful new spell from you.”

Panel 2 - Kris continues to float about in the foreground. Catti backs up from them suddenly, her face scrunched up and her tongue sticking out. “Uuugh. Demon stink,” she says, clearly disgusted. 

Panel 3 - Closeup on Jockington, as he says, “Whaaat? Our first human in, forever, an’ we can’t have ‘em ‘cause some demon owns them? Unradical!”

Panel 4 - Kris hangs upside-down by Catti’s head, still unsuccessfully attempting to speak. Catti turns to Jockington with a sly grin, and says, “Hmph. Finders, keepers.”

Panel 5 - Mid shot as Catti idly paws at the floating Kris, like a cat playing with a feather toy. They spin around helplessly in midair. “Better our dinner than a demon’s toy,” she says, licking her lips.

Panel 6 - Closeup on Jockington as he grins, and unhinges his jaw. “Yeah, yeah! I’m starving!”

Panel 7 - Closeup on Catti as she claws at Kris, giving them a wicked grin. “Pity. Time’s up already.” Kris just stares back at her, still unable to speak. 

Page 6

Panel 1 - Full shot as Catti turns back towards Jockington at her rear end. “Farewell, human.” With a flick of her claw and a bit of magic, she levitates Kris over to her snake tail.

Panel 2 - Closeup on Kris in the foreground, as they hover over Jockington. His jaws are unhinged and open wide, ready to swallow Kris whole.

Panel 3 - Kris looks panicked as they’re lowered closer and closer to the snake’s open jaws. They try again and again to say something, but no words come out. They can’t move or speak.

Panel 4 - The orbs again spin around Catti’s head, and she twists magic around her claw, undoing one of her spells. She says, “Hmm. One last scream, before you go.”

Panel 5 - Closeup on Kris as the spell hits them in the throat once again. They look shocked. They’re still being held by telekinesis, but their voice is back!

Panel 6 - And Kris immediately uses their voice to give the MERCY command as loud as they can. Panel 7 - The command works, and Jockington snaps his jaws shut mere inches from Kris’s face. Kris has their eyes squeezed shut in anticipation, while Jockington looks thoroughly surprised.

Page 7

Panel 1 - Full shot as Catti glances back towards Jockington with confusion. The command was given specifically to the snake tail, and not the cat. “What? Not hungry?” she asks Jockington. Kris, still floating between them, glances back towards her.

Jockington twists in the air, looking thoughtful. “Uhhh they just, said stop, so. Guess not??”

Panel 2 - Catti impatiently holds up a claw, and says, “I am. Open up.” In the foreground, Kris glances behind them. Close to the waterfall that they first swam away from, they can see a large silhouette stalking around…

Panel 3 - In a closer panel, we can see the silhouette is Susie. Her shape is dark against the mist, but her glowing yellow eyes are clear enough. 

Panel 4 - Closeup on Kris as they desperately yell out to her: “SUSIE!” They then give her the DEFEND command. 

Panel 5 - In the darkness, Susie whips around at the sound of Kris’s voice, her yellow eyes glowing bright with the sudden motion…

Panel 6 - And she charges forward out of the mist and darkness, snarling and stomping.

Panel 7 - Full shot as Susie barrels into Catti, claws pushing against her underside. Susie is much larger than Catti, and easily knocks her and Jockington over. The telekinesis spell over Kris breaks, and they tumble to the ground between the two monsters. 

Page 8

Panel 1 - Full shot as Catti gets back to her feet, hissing furiously. Her hackles and hair are all standing on end; a cat cornered and angry. Behind her, Jockington looks bewildered. Susie’s snout remains in the corner of the foreground.

Panel 2 - The two beasts attack each other with their claws, both hissing and snarling. Even though Catti is smaller, she’s not backing down. However, Kris is still caught between the two of them. 

Panel 3 - An action panel focused on Kris, struggling to stay upright as enormous paws and claws stomp all around them. “Wait, wait–” they cry out.

Panel 4 - Action panel as Jockington is whipped around by the force of the fight, unable to get his bearings. “Wooooahh hold uuuup!--” 

Panel 5 - Action panel as Catti and Susie whirl around each other, baring their teeth, stomping and clawing still. Kris tries to crawl away from the fight under Catti, and find themself under her void side.

Panel 6 - Action panel as Susie leans in to the fight, grabbing Catti by the left hind side. She clearly intends to push them to the ground, but Kris is still scrambling to get out from under them. “Wait, I’m under here–”

Panel 7 - A shadow is cast over Kris as they hold out a hand over them, trying in vain to protect themself. In a last ditch effort, they again give the MERCY command–