"Ah, so... tonight we have quite the selection prepared. Foie Gras, Escargot... there's even Boeuf Bourguignon topped with caviar. And of course, for desserts, Crรจme Brรปlรฉe, Macarons, Soufflรฉ..." The Lion introduced each luxurious French delicacy one by one briefly.
After all... surely the guests were far more interested in the dishes themselves than how they had been prepared.
Upon it lay an immaculate spread of delicacies, from elegant hors d'oeuvres and lavish main courses to exquisite desserts, each dish arranged with almost artistic precision.
Anyone who laid eyes upon the feast would have found themselves captivated, mouths watering at the mere sight.
Every dish looked impossibly delicious, as though prepared with absolute perfection.
"So! What did you think of our little performance? HAHAHAHA! Ah! And don't forget to enjoy the feast we've painstakingly prepared, especially for our guests! Our next attraction will be even more... ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ฆ!" He stomped one foot before clapping loudly, gesturing insistently for the audience to applaud alongside him.
"Thank you! Thank you! HAHAHA!"
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen!"
"LION! OH, LION! SHOW YOURSELF!" The mechanismโs cog whirred back to life. The left section slid neatly into place before locking together with the remaining pieces in a solid clack.
The cabinet door swung open.
Out stepped the white Lion, completely intact, still wearing that impossibly cheerful grin.
"Haiii! I'm still alive!" He called brightly, waving towards the audience, smiling as though nothing had happened.
Without warning, the Jester lifted his leg high into the air before driving his foot violently into the trapped Lion's abdomen.
๐๐๐๐ฟ.แ
๐๐๐๐ฟ.แ
๐๐๐๐ฟ.แ
Each brutal impact was answered by a muffled groan of unbearable pain. Beneath the white fur, bruises rapidly darkened into deep shades of blue and purple, leaving horrific marks beneath the Lion's clothing.
"ALIVE?! ARE YOU STILL ALIVE? ANSWER ME! ANSWER! ANSWER! HAHAHAHAHA!" The Jester shrieked hysterically before delivering one final kick so powerful that the cabinet itself groaned beneath the force.
He wandered over to the middle section of the divided cabinet and casually opened its small door.
Inside lay only the Lion's midsection. His stomach still rose and fell with shallow breaths, twitching faintly as though life stubbornly refused to leave him.
The Jester reached inside, poking the bloodied mass of white fur several times before letting out a disappointed sigh.
The Jester, however, simply laughed. To him, the screams sounded no different from pleasant background music.
"OH NOOO! IS OUR LITTLE KITTY ALRIGHT? HAHAHA! DON'T TELL ME... ๐๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐?!"
He wore an exaggerated expression of horror, performing panic with all the enthusiasm of a seasoned actor.
Yet his grin never once faltered.
He wandered over to the middle section of the divided cabinet and casually opened its small door.
Inside lay only the Lion's midsection. His stomach still rose and fell with shallow breaths, twitching faintly as though life stubbornly refused to leave him.
The Jester reached inside, poking the bloodied mass of white fur several times before letting out a disappointed sigh.
๐๐๐ผ๐.
The door immediately shut behind him.
The Jester casually strolled towards the cabinet, lightly tapping its wooden surface with his fingertips.
๐๐ฐ๐ฌ. ๐๐ฐ๐ฌ.
Instantly, the cabinet shuddered violently as hidden mechanisms groaned to life. The wooden structure slowly shifted before splitting apart into three separate sections.
๐๐ญ๐ช๐ค๐ฌ.
The platform where the white Lion stood suddenly lurched upwards. From beneath the stage rose a towering wooden cabinet nearly two metres tall.
"This little magic trick is wonderfully simple! And all of you, dear guests, shall decide how it unfolds! HAHAHA!" The Jester snapped his fingers, then as though responding to a magical spell, the cabinet door swung open by itself.
Startled, the Lion stumbled backwards before tumbling helplessly into the narrow compartment.
"BUTTTT... our most distinguished gueeeeests!" The Jester deliberately dragged out every syllable with theatrical flair, "A Circus would never be complete, nor nearly as exciting, without a performance, would it? HAHAHAHA!"
His orange eyes shifted towards the Lion in a silent signal. Without hesitation, the Lion dropped onto all fours and bounded towards the centre of the hall like a predator newly released from its cage.