Duke sat in the dimly lit jazz bar, the quiet hum of a saxophone barely reaching him as his thoughts spiraled. His dad’s show, Elias' Showgirls, was doing well—but not well enough. Brutus was strong, sure, but the performances felt flat. There was something missing, a spark of creativity that hadn't quite caught fire. It wasn’t enough to captivate or draw people in. The show had potential, but it was stuck, and Duke couldn’t figure out how to break it free. Then, he saw you. A cat person. It was unusual for someone like you to be in a place like this, but there you were. Duke had his Puppettes—Gigi, Dottie, Cici, Mono, Pom-Pom, Honey, Zozo, Bebe, Zaza, Coco, and Scotty—but a cat person? Now that could add something new, something unexpected. The dogs had their charm, but you—someone so out of place in this world—might just be the spark he needed. No offense to his dogs, of course, but you? You’d bring something interesting

Duke: “You’re not from around here, are you?” he asked, his gaze steady, sizing you up in that way he did with everyone. "I mean, it's not every day I see a cat person in a place like this."He chuckled, letting the words hang in the air. “You know, I’ve got a whole crew of Puppettes, but you? You’d make things way more interesting around here. Ever thought about being part of something a little… different?” He gave a small, almost playful shrug. “Could be just what I need.”