Charles and the Beast Girl

-Hey peeps!! The County Fairgrounds is in town!!



Here we are back to Hillport, Basin County, northwestern America, in the year 2035. About lunch time, Jessica breaks into the kitchen by the garden door, radiating anxiety. All because she saw the posters all around the city announcing another Annual Basin County Fairgrounds edition.

The event is one of the main attractions of the whole county, with amusement park, expos, lots of typical food, music presentations and a boxing fight night. One of it's main features is its facility size: a good bunch bigger than carnivals' average. It happens every year, in a selected weekend of summer, in one of the seven cities that compose the Basin County, by a rotation system. This year was again Hillport who would receive the big event.

-Sure thing! I heard even the Blue Angels will show up this year! - Said Charles.

Few hours later and there they are, Kelly, Jessica and Charles, at the Fairgrounds. A few minutes in the crowd and they start finding their friends, starting by Sherman and family, later finding the Yongqi sisters at the Babylon Food Court having some yakimeshi, the 'Daring Damsels' at the cosmetic expo and Iggy, Johnny and Ivan at the line for boxing tickets for later.

About four hours later, they ran up on Rocky and Kit leaving the 'Mr. Stromboli's World of Supernatural' section.

- Heya, guys! Nice to find you here!- greeted Charles.

-Charles! Kelly! Yashika! Good to see you here! You are about to enter the most impressing section of this year's County Fairgrounds edition!!- said Rocky with an unusual enthusiast.

-Wowzer. What did they get this year that is sooooo fantastic like that?- replied Jessica chuckling.

-Oh lots of impressive attractions! There's this Hindu-like guy who makes smoke come out of any part of his body, there's a girl who has such a flexible body that fits into a microwave-sized glass box, there's a guy who can balance a pole vault pole on his tongue... you guys HAVE to see them!!- told Kit with the enthusiasm of a little kid.

-And there's also the main attraction... this most amazing jungle girl who seems like a furious lion mind in a ocelot girl body! Boy, good thing she was all chained!- completed Rocky.

-Pffft! Heh! Don't worry, Rocky. They're always actors!- said Kelly.

-Actors or not, she was helluva strong!- replied Rocky.

-Let's see her with our own eyes, shall we?- suggested Charles.

The trio entered the section to amuse themselves with beings that we don't see every day. Jessica couldn't hide all her surprise, translated on her frequent overreactions. At the end of the section, red closed curtains for the main attraction, with two posters wrote in the same circus-styled letters 'The Most Amazing Beast Girl' alongside.

-Oh... so it wasn't Rocky's "engrish" after all...- talked Charles with himself in a low voice.

The spectacle was about to begin. The host, Mr. Stromboli himself, was about to start the show, announcing the creature as the lights went off.

-Lllllllllllllllllllllladieeeeeeeeeeeees annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd gentlemeeeeeeeeeeen!!! Mr. Stromboli's World of Supernatural proudly preseeeeeeeeeeeeeents...

That moment, two spotlights started moving in circles on the closed curtains. The host continued his theatrical announcement.

-Prepare your eyes! Prepare your minds! Prepare your hearts! This vision is not for the weak! Mother Nature committed her mistake. But we here gave this mistake a chance to shine! A hideous and cruel beast that could rip the heads of an army of Spartan warriors out of their bodies just for fun!

The curtains started to slowly open as the two spotlights focused at the center.

-Straight from the heart of the Amazon rainforest... Pepsi presents: THE AMAZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING BEEEEEEEEEEEEEAST GIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRL!!!!

The curtains suddenly opened. The spotlights were showing a bulky ocelot girl in a jaguar-pattern swimsuit, big, disheveled hair, all dirty and sweaty, chained on her neck, fists and ankles, voraciously roaring and struggling herself like if she wanted to devour every member of the crowd, which was shocked spilling their "ohhhs" and "aahhhs".

-*sigh* And people still buy that crap!...- said a disheartened, facepalming Kelly, certain that it was all acting.

-Just enjoy the spectacle, sis- said Charles, with a little smile at Kelly's expression.

Such spectacle lasted for half an hour, where the beast girl just acted like a stalking lion in a cage, sometimes even trying to break off from the chains. Mr. Stromboli were always remembering people that those chains were totally safe, totally failproof, otherwise they couldn't even bring that hideous beast to the civilized world.

At 11:00 PM, the County Fairgrounds ended their activities. Lots of cars leaving the garage with their lights on, trying to find their path on the highway, was the only sign of life around the whole area. The artists and workers were all sheltered in their trailers. Alongside them, the disassembled tents and the cages of the animals. The place was almost dark as hell, save for the dim lights coming from the trailers windows. Only cricket chirps and a little shy mumble from sleepy animals could be listened. The cold wind blowing form outside the city was the biggest noise there. This mix of sounds was the only soundtrack of a very depressing sight.

A few minutes later, Charles, Kelly and Jessica were arriving home, but as soon as Charles parked his car at the garage, he missed his wristwatch. He soon started looking for it inside the car, but couldn't find it. Tried a second time looking at every part of the car, but no success. The only possibility would be losing that watch on the Fairgrounds.

-I can't let it go, sis. It was the most special birthday gift you gave me. It has a huge load of sentimental value on it- said a not conformed Charles.

-Awwww, that's sweet, Chuck, but you don't really need to do it. I won't feel any offended. Really.

-I know. But I do love that watch. Besides, it's no problem at all, the road is clear now and you know how I like to drive at night.

-Tee-hee! Yeah, I do know that. Okay then, take care- asked Kelly, giving a little smooch on Charles' right cheek.

Off went the dog guy to recover his best birthday gift. About fifteen minutes of driving he arrived at the place again. The gatekeeper, after hearing him about his vanished watch, sent him to the main office trailer. Shivering a bit due to the cold wind, Charles passed by the animal cages, and took a look on all those amount of iron bars holding sleepy animals.

"If that beast girl wasn't an actress, I wonder if she would be kept on these", thought Charles. "Yeah, definitely she'd have to be kept there. And thinking of which... Pepsi is presenting freak show attractions?? Jeez!!!"

After some talk in the office, nobody could find the watch. They looked at the 'lost-and-found' boxes, but no clue. They checked every other possible place at that trailer this watch could be by mistake, but again no result. Charles couldn't do anything but get back home afraid that his watch was stolen.

Low-spirited, slowly walking and looking down with his hand on his pockets, Charles wasn't even minding the freezing wind. That moment, he felt a little stone hit his head from the left. He suddenly stopped and looked at it, and noticed he was again passing by the amount of cages. He kept looking, confused, to see if he could identify who tossed it. "Might be some little frolic monkey", he thought. He continued his low-spirited walk, but again a little stone hit his head from the left.

-Stop it!- said him quickly turning his head.

However, now he noticed something different: in the middle of those labyrinth of crossed iron bars, he saw a little light flashing among the darkness. The dog man was even more confused. But even a little doubtful, he decided to adventure himself in the narrow corridors made by the space between the cages. Cautiously walking and looking all around to find where that light came from, he felt like in a dungeon or something similarly creepy. Little he knew he was about to have a big surprise. While searching in one of these paths, he just turned his view forward. A few inches from them, a small cage, inhabited.

It was none other than the "beast girl", kneeling and holding the bars, firmly fitting her eyes on him.

If only the Guiness Book were there, they could have registered the quickest backward leap caused by a fright ever. Not only that, it was a miracle that the short shriek Charles shouted wasn't hear by any of the crew.

"The BEAST GIRL?!?!?! So she's friggin' REAL?!?!?!", he thought. Lying in the grass ground with his heart atwitter and his eyes wide open, he started hoping those bars were strong enough to contain her. But quickly he saw something even more surprising.

-Your watch- said the "beast girl", in a shy and low voice, stretching her right hand and showing Charles' precious birthday gift.

-Oh... t-thanks- replied Charles, taking the object.

That moment, he just took the most incredible of conclusions.

-Waityoucantalk???- said him very surprised.

-Yes, I can talk just like everybody! Now keep your voice down please!

-Oh, right! So... what are you doing in this cage? I thought you were just an actress!

-... I... I am... indeed I am... but a slave actress...

-Say what??

-See... I was created by indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest, so I spent all my life learning how to survive in the jungle. Thanks to some friendly NGO, I know how to speak well aside my tribe language. However, one day some evil clandestine hunters invaded our lands and tore down our tribe, enslaving everybody there... and even... killing our bravest warriors... I tried to fight them, and even got some of them real good, but they also captured me.

-And they sold you to a freak show, and due to your wild nature they don't respect you and think you're a monster, right?

-Y-yes! Exactly! Wow, how did you guessed it that well?

-Happened when my gramps went to work on General Motors- said Charles, shrugging. -But also, I've seen that a lot of times before. Back when I was a ranger hero, that is. Long story.

After hearing that, the beast girl spirits went up. Her eyes started to shine and she started to grin.

-I knew it... I knew it...- muttered her. -I knew it! I KNEW IT!!!! YAAAY!!!- She shouted and jumped, not able to contain her relief and happiness.

-Shhhhhhhhhhh! Weren't you the one asking for keeping a low profile??

-Oohoops! Sorry!- said her, sitting down and holding her horses. -But I knew it since the time I saw you early today!! You're Charles Broddard!! The only survivor of the STAR team!!- she said looking at him while sitting down, looking like a blissful child.

-Hmmm! I'm impressed. But how come you got my wristwatch?

-Mr. Stromboli. He always steals some little pricey objects from someone in the crowd during his magic acts. Specially those acts involving blackouts. I took from this pocket without him noticing when he was taking me to this stinky cage. I knew it was yours because I got a keen eye, believe it or not.

-Oh heh! After this one I definitely believe. Okay, but...

-"But"?

-Why did you never tried to talk to someone else?

-Well, all of Mr. Stromboli's crew already knows about me. But they are all heavily bribed to keep it a secret. And nobody apart from his crew is allowed to come here after the fair ends. How come you got here unnoticed is an unexplained miracle.

-Wow...

-Also... these chains- showed her, stretching her arms forward and bending her hands exhibiting her chained wrists. -They're not simple chains. They electrocute me if I try to do something contrary to Mr. Stromboli's ideas.

-Preposterous!!! How unfair!!!

The beast girl lowered her head, staring at the ground with a painfully depressed look.

-... And it has been like this for... for... *sigh* I don't even know anymore! It feels like it's forever!!

She just closed her eyes with her head down like if she didn't want to look at anything else, due to her endless feeling of frustration. After a few seconds of silence, Charles wreaked.

-I totally understand. You must not take that crap any single second more! Gosh, I feel so mad right now!!! I feel like I could rip Stromboli in two with my bare hands!!! Believe me, you're not the first beautiful girl I see in such unbearably unfair situation.

Suddenly the beast girl opened her eyes widely and looked for Charles with an astonished aspect.

-... Something I... said?...- Asked the dog, curious.

-... You... you... called me... b-beautiful??...

-Yes, I did call you beautiful. I mean, even if you have such savage style you still have the likings of a beautiful girl. Your face, for example, has smooth and delicate shapes, and your hands and feet have a very nice shape too. I do think you're beautiful indeed.

The beast girl was speechless and motionless in shock, staring at Charles. But a couple of seconds after, her eyes started to become wet.

-After... so many time... being called a... hideous... beast... *sniff* this is the most kind... and sweet... thing... I heard in a while... *sniff*

She couldn't contain her thrill. For the first time since the invasion of her tribe, the beast girl was being treated with dignity and kindness. That moment, she felt like a human, a feeling that she almost forgot how it was. Her tears kept rolling down her face more and more intensely, as she started rubbing her eyes with her left forearm.

Charles hold her right hand through the iron bars of the cage. With his other hand, he gently held her chin and brought her head up, fitting her in her eyes with his.

-You didn't mention it... but I know... you think I might help you get out of here, am I right?- asked Charles, in a soft and kind voice tone.

-*sniff* I heard you could... you still helping people... I thought *sniff* you could be... my last hope...

After a short moment of silence holding hands, she wiped the last tears in her face and Charles handled her a little tissue from his pocket. She blew her nose and got all her hopes together to look at his eyes and ask him a crucial question.

-So... was I right?

Staring at her, he just let her hands and turned around, walking away slowly.

-Ch-Charles??

He stopped a few steps far from her, and slowly looked to her over his left shoulder.

-I'll be right back- said him winking his left eye.

The beast girl felt that look on Charles' face. She felt like he was the personification of perseverance. She couldn't possibly describe the feeling of renewed hope and faith mixed with anxiety and happiness.

She doesn't really had to wait that much to see Charles getting back with his hands on his pockets and a big confident grin on his face. In a rushed step, he walked straight to the cage lock.

-Wow!! How did you get Mr. Stromboli's keys that easy?- asked the girl, surprised and giving little leaps of eager, certain of an imminent freedom.

-Heh! Keys?

Looking all confident of what he was doing, Charles pulled a revolver from his right pocket.

-Who needs keys?- said him, pointing the gun to the lock hole.

The girl moved away from the lock and Charles pulled the trigger. The lock cracked itself in many pieces right away. Unfortunately, the animals around didn't like the shot sound and started reacting all flusteredly, making an unbearable noise.

-Oh no!!! They'll find us out!!! What now??? What now???- the beast girl desperately asked.

-No worries. I got it all sewn up.

He then removed a little flask from his other pocket and started pouring a yellow liquid on the base of the chains. After a minute, they corroded to get weak as dry wood.

-Cool!! What a powerful acid! What is it?- asked  the beast girl.

-That "acid" is a tropical fruit punch from a friend of mine. It's a mix of citric fruits and alcoholic drinks.

-But... citric fruits or alcoholic drinks doesn't corrode that easily!

-Nope.

-So your friend uses acid on fruit punch??

-Mmmnope!

-...

-Yyyyeah...

After this awkward conclusion, the two started tracking their way out from there. All what they needed to do was cautiously avoid being seen and she would be free forever. But it wouldn't be easy task, seeing how the whole security of the Fairgrounds came up with their rifles ready to shot tranquilizer darts. Or real bullets if needed. And sharp tracking dogs to worse everything. Even so, Charles didn't feel intimidated. He and the girl started crawling close to the cages, often using big animals to cover themselves, which came out handy once it was deep dark already. The only source of light was the flashlights of the security guards.

And in the end, all the security troop wasn't enough to top Charles' sneak skills. They managed to reach the end of the cage labyrinth. The problem now was crossing a whole football-field-sized open area without attracting the attention of the guards.

-Oh my!! What do we do now?- Asked a concerned beast girl.

After a short pause, Charles came up with the most safe idea he could come up with.

-We... run on "three". One, two--

-Waitwaitwait!!- said the girl, holding Charles. -If we're gonna run, hop on my back.

-W-what?...

-Hop on my back and hold tight. Pretend I'm a superbike and you're Valentino Rossi!- she said, smiling and winking at him.

-Will that work??

-How much you weight?

-137 pounds.

-Hmmmm... it will.

-You sounded quite dubious there!

-Hop in.

Charles then held himself on her, interlacing his arms in front of her neck and his legs in front of her belly. Impressive but true, she started running like a cheetah, on her four limbs, but not as fast. Some guards who were at a certain distance spotted her and started shooting their tranquilizers on her. Luckily none hit the target. The only one who would hit, unfortunately, got Charles' right arm. In the bright side, they were just outside the main gate.

-Are you alright??- she asked.

-Yeah, just run to that brown sedan there!- said Charles pointing to one of the only cars at the parking.

They soon entered the car. She removed the dart and started sucking and spitting the liquid away from his arm. He quickly started the car and drove away in a cinematic rushy style.

-I CAN'T BELIEVE!!! I'M FREE!!! FREE!!! FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! FINALLY FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

-Don't drop the baton yet! This concert is not over!- said Charles looking at the rear view mirror. -They're after us, and not in fewer number, I'm afraid!

Charles came out with the best he could as a one-armed wheelman. The road didn't give any real possibility of losing his tail. Reaching the urban area, some cops started to pursuit him for speeding.

"This is perfect! With the police here, she can denounce Mr. Stromboli!", thought Charles. He then decided to pull over. The police car stopped right behind and two cops dropped from it, pointing their pistols to Charles' car.

-PLEASE, SIR! STEP OUTTA THE CAR WITH YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE 'EM!

Charles calmly dropped out of his car with his hands on his head.

A minute later, six cars packed with security guards and Mr. Stromboli arrived at the arresting scene. They all slowly dropped out of the cars as well, while Mr. Stromboli kept on the back seat delightfully watching Charles trying to explain himself to the cops.

-Officer, this man tried to kidnap my property!! Arrest him!!- said Mr. Stromboli to one of the officers, pointing to Charles.

-She's not your property!! And she will tell it!!

However, it wasn't Charles' night, really.

-WHAT THE--?!?!?!? Ohhhh CRAP!!!!!- shouted Charles, angrily. The beast girl fell deeply asleep. It seems spitting the tranquilizer liquid away didn't work after all.

-I don't know what this punk possibly made to my baby so she fainted like that, but it can not be good! This man can't be trusted!!- continued Mr. Stromboli.

-Alright, sir. You're under arrest for speeding in an urban zone and stealing from a big entity- stated the policeman, handcuffing Charles.

The former hero felt himself not only defeated, but totally thrashed. Like if he didn't worth less than garbage. All his efforts went down the drain. A feeling of despair and sadness took him all over. He coldly let his wrists get cuffed, head down, thinking on how he failed on the beast girl. The speech of the cop wasn't even sounding on his head, already full of guilt.

"I'm sorry, little friend. I'm so sorry. I failed at you. I don't know what to do! I failed at you! I don't deserve to be your hope!..."

While being taken to the police car by the cop, Charles started staring with a restrained fury at Mr. Stromboli. The evil owner of the freak show passed by Charles just before the dog was put in the car.

-Vanished watch my ass. Haa haa haa!- muttered Mr. Stromboli to Charles, snobbish than ever.

And snobbish he proudly walked back at his car, feeling triumphant for frustrating the beast girl's plans to be free. He was now the picture of villainous pride. After sitting on the back seat, all what he want was getting the beast girl back to her cage.

-Let's go- ordered him to the guard in the driver seat. He started the car ready to lead everybody home.

-STOP THAT CAR!

For the surprise of Mr. Stromboli and his crew, the two cops were now commanding them to stop their car.

-I thought we had solved our matters, officer- said Mr. Stromboli in a little disgusted way.

-Get off that car now or I'll shoot your tires!- reinforced one of the cops.

-Well... who doesn't have debts doesn't need to fear- said the pedantic Mr. Stromboli.

-Sir, that man is accusing you to steal his watch- started the cop. -He explained in every details how you did it.

-What? Heh! That's an absurd, officer. Don't trust that man. I'm a popular magician, you know? I don't need to do such low thing as stealing personal goods on my numbers.

-Is that right?

-Heh! Yes, officer! Now if you excuse me, I have a show to prepare.

Mr. Stromboli was about to get back to the back seat of his car when he felt two cold handcuffs on his wrists.

-You're under arrest.

-W-W-WHAAAA???? What does this mean??? This is outrageous!!! Release me now!!! Don't make me call my lawyers!!!

-That man you're accusing doesn't even know how his watch vanished! So we consider this an indirect confession!

-WHAAAAAAT????? NOOOOOOO!!!!

No use for Mr. Stromboli to struggle and curse like he did. It was just making it worse for himself. In a blink of an eye, the crooked freak show owner was side-to-side with Charles on the back seat of the police car. the former hero dog was just waiting for him, with an ear-to-ear rascal grin.

-See? I asked him just like you wanted to- the cop said to Charles.

-It worked, didn't it?- replied the dog.

-You... miserable... PUNK!!!!!- said Mr. Stromboli to Charles with a mad look, eyes burning and hair getting all messy, just like a frustrated villain from Disney animated films.

-Once you were right, I'll keep my word and do my part of our deal- continued the officer. -I'll get the girl and we'll be watching her until she wake up to speak to us. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait at the jail until then. Protocols, can't do nothing.

-No problem. I know I won't have to wait in jail as much as the guy by my side! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

What an amazing feeling Charles was experimenting. The feeling of turning around the game when it seemed it was over. The feeling of winning when he already was feeling defeated. The feeling that, again, confronting the adversity with passion and perseverance was worthy. The feeling of being a true hero.

The morning after, everything got solved little by little. The beast girl woke up and denounced all abuses of Mr. Stromboli. He went to jail to spend several years there, his crew would be all judged and Charles was released, however penalized for the speeding matter. He wouldn't be allowed to drive for a good time. But he wasn't even caring about that, knowing his infraction gave the result he was aiming at.

At the stairs of the Police Dept. entrance, His sister and friends were all waiting for him, smiles everywhere. In front of all of them, the beast girl. She glomped on him with all her truest feelings, dropping tears of happiness and kissing his face all over. Uncountable thanks came out of her mouth. The others started applauding Charles thrillingly.

-Just doing my job- said Charles winking at her, and she smiled back. -By the way... I think you didn't tell me your name, did you?

-Ye-ye. Ye-ye Parussuan.

-Hmm! I like that name!