Rufo's Story

*Yawn* That nap hit the spot.

That sucked. It was loud and hard to watch!

What? That's your entire review? It was a really good story!

Don't you think so, Master?!

Whatchamacallit... It's that moving pictures story with sounds... the thing the elves made?

Movie? Fairy tale? Something like that... Anyway, that's what we were watching!

Snake Woman! The main character, a researcher, gets bitten by a strange snake and obtains strange power!

It's the story about how the timid, but smart protagonist uses her superpower to save others and becomes admired by all!

Aha, so that's what the movie was about!

But it doesn't make sense! How can somebody shoot venom from their feet just because they were bitten by a snake?

That's why it's a fairy tale!

Sigh... Do you think I can become Snake Woman if I get bitten by a strange snake, too?

To become Snake Woman, you'd have to come across a strange snake after entering a research lab...

There are no research labs in Werebeast Village.

Tch... Wait!

Captain! I have a new idea for a game we can play!

Great! What are we playing?

I read this in a book, but in order to make a movie, we need three things.

A director to plan the movie, an actress to act in it, and a cinematographer to use something called a "camera" to film it.

Ah, I see! So, then?

We split these roles and pretend that we're filming Snake Woman!

Captain, you can be the chief director, Beni, the actress, and I will be the cinematographer!

The chief... what? That sounds boring.

Not at all! You will have a ton of fun!

First off, Captain—no, I mean the Director—once you call out "Ready? Action!" the actress and cinematographer will jump into action just like you want!

Oh, really?! If it's a role befitting my rank as Captain, I suppose that'd be okay!

Beni, actresses can make a fortune once they become famous. You can eat as much dessert as you want every day!

What? Really? I'm in, then!

Tch, can you be quiet?!

What about you, Rufo? What's so good about being the cinematographer?

To be honest, being the cinematographer is the worst. They do the most work while making the least amount of money!

However, I'm letting you guys have the best roles!

Alright, from now on, I'm the chief director!

Since I'm the actress, I wanna go eat desseeeert!

Hold on, Beni. What do you need to do if you want to make the money to buy the desserts?

Umm... Make a movie?

Correct! Captain, do you remember the first scene of Snake Woman?

Uhh... Let's see... Was it the scene where the main character is late and runs to the research lab?

Bingo! Captain, command Beni to run to the fountain! And once I film that, we'll be making a movie!

Oooh, I see! Alright, Beni! Run from this store all the way to the fountain! Ready? Action!

Got it, Director!

Hmm...

How was that, Rufo? Did it come out okay?!

It's not as good as I had expected. Let's have her run aaaaall the way over to that chair this time.

Wait, why are you suddenly giving the orders...?

Sometimes it's necessary to use more direct language for clarity, that's all!

I-I see... Beni, you hear Rufo! Run!

Okie, Director!

Huff, huff... Huff...

Alright, we've successfully infiltrated the lab!

Wow, Rufo, you're so smart! How could we have forgotten about Elena's lab?

There might actually be a suspicious snake in here!

Hmm, if that's the case...

Captain, since we need to find a location to get the shot we want, please take a look around the hallway.

Okay, lemme go check!

Rufo, what should I do?

You'll need a dressing room, so go look for an unlocked room.

Understood!

Me? I need to set up the camera.

Tsk, tsk. Don't you know that immersing yourself in a role is the most important thing when playacting?

Hmm... Usually, when it takes this long, there's either something wrong or they've gotten into trouble...

Yo, Rufo! Master!

Oh, Captain! You're ba—wait.

I dunno! I ran into them in the hallway, so I asked them if they wanted to play with us, but they started chasing me!

Play?! What do you mean play?! Anybody can tell that they're security guards!

Damn it! Beni, hurry back!

Huh? Why? I haven't checked all of the rooms yet.

Argh, that's not important right now! Tig attracted the security guards!

Okay, I'll go back after checking this room!

Let me see... Ah, this must be the button to open the door!

Hey! What did you press?!

I dunno? Seems like a button that makes a sound.

...Are you the ones who pressed that button?

E-Eeek!

Hmm... interesting. Pressing the security guard call button as the intruders...

Well, anyway, we will begin eliminating all confirmed intruders.

Ugh, I shouldn't have trusted these guys...!

Damn it... Captain, Beni! We're changing the order of the scenes! Scene 37, Snake Woman defeats the villains!

Alright... Readyyy? Action!

Tig, Rufo! I'll defend, so you guys attack from behind!

What are you talking about? I need to film the actress as she enters combat!

Wh-What?! We aren't fighting together?!

Is that really how the script goes?! I want to jump in and fight too!

Tch, well, I tried...

This way, Master! Quickly!

Good. Close the door, Beni!

Heeyaaaaa!

Whew... They're not chasing us anymore, right?

N-No!

We haven't filmed the most important scene where the protagonist gets her superpower!

Why? I think we've played enough. I wanna go home now!

And this room has nothing but the lab equipment...

*Hisssssss*

S-Snake! It's a snake! Alright, I'm a heroine now!!!!

Wait, Rufo! Why are you the heroine when I'm the actress?!

Actress, schmactress, we're done playing! We don't even have a real camera!

Alright, snakie! Come here. Let's be really good friends...

*Hisssss*

Alright, it bit me! Now, I am finally...!

Ooooo...!

...Final...ly...

How do you feel, Rufo? Do you feel the power surging through you?!

H-Huh? Umm...

Grrgh... I can't give up now!

Oh! Oh! Oh! I can feel the power rushing throughout my body!

R-Really?!

I can suddenly feel it! My five senses have been heightened! I can see everything clearly! I feel my body healing all my illnesses...!

Sh-Shut up! A-Anyway, that's what I'm feeling!

Wow, then you should be able to sing while dancing like Snake Woman!

Right! Sing "Knock 'em All Off" like Snake Woman does!

.........!

D-Darn it...!

Th-The wind is growling like this twirling storm inside... Couldn't hold it in, heaven knows I tried...

Wow! Rufo, you're seriously awful!

WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

That's strange... Why do you still sing so terribly?

Eek, shut it, everyone! My superpower may be different!

So, Rufo, if you got your superpower from the snake, shouldn't you be able to shoot venom from your feet?

That's right! Take off your shoes, Rufo!

What? W-Wait! I'm not ready yet...!

Th-The thing is... If you touch my feet, you guys might also get poisoned by the venom!

Wow, you feel the venom shooting out right now?

O-Of course! It has no color or smell, which is why you guys can't sense it right now...

Ooooh! That's amazing!

E-Eeek! When did you...?!

Ended up with a superpower after getting bitten by a snake with no experiment records or abilities... how crazy is that?!

Ah! Perhaps it is Rufo's acting skills that are amazing?

What? Is that true, Elena?

Acting...? Rufo? You haven't been...

Argh... ARGHHHHHH...!!!!!

Here I come! I'm the dragon come to catch you!

*Giggle* Run away!

Don't you guys run too much?! This genius's head is spinning!

We're looking after the little werebeasts at Diana's request!

Tsk, childcare is not my kind of job...

Rufo, Rufo! Look at this! I pulled this tree up by the roots!

Those mischief-makers... Heh, even when I was young, I was well-behaved and smart, just like I am now.

Master, how dare you cast doubt on me with your average intelligence?

Well, it's not completely wrong. Diana sometimes gives out tests, and Rufo always gets first place!

Ahem.

Rufo scored 4 out of 10, Butter scored 2, and Beni and I each scored 1!

Captain! Why did you mention the scores?!

A-Anyway! I was the smartest and best-behaved among the other werebeasts my age...

Kids, let's have some honey tea... Urgh!

Oh, Rufo, watch out!

Huh?

Uh, ugh... What's this...

What, What happened!?

Ru-Rufo got hit on the back of the head by a honey jar and fainted...!

What?! What if she loses her intelligence? Rufo is the one and only brain of the Chow Rebels...!

Let's lay her down here. I'll go get Diana!

...Argh...

Wait, Tig! Looks like Rufo is waking up!

Rufo, Rufo! Are you okay?

...This voice is...

It's Tig, that bonehead, all muscle and no brains!

Hm? And who's this giant dork? A werebeast I haven't seen before?

Rufo, what's wrong? It's our Master! Don't you remember?

Master? I don't know. And who are you?

W-what...!? It's your friend, Beni!

I've never had a werebeast friend who looks similar to that fool.

Actually, I don't even make friends with werebeasts. You're a werebeast, you should know.

...!!!

Let me go easy on you because I've suddenly become extremely tired, okay?

Then, just for a while... Zzz...

Rufo, Rufo asked me who I am...

Yes, that's it! It's like that time!

Rufo was exactly like that when I first met her!

Th-that's strange... The Rufo I met the first time wasn't like that...

She changed quite a lot compared to when we first met!

Well, she was...

Rufo, you little rascal! You stole my things again, didn't you?!

What do you mean, stole? I just saw them lying around the well and brought them back to you.

How many times do I have to say I'll be back soon! I left them there briefly on purpose!

That's nonsense. Why do you leave your things in a public space?

Y-you rude brat!

Rufo, you're rude!

Huh, how dare you call me rude, you tiny dork!

Waaaah! I'm not a dork!!

Hmph.

Rufo, it's good to be honest and confident, but there's a limit. Why do you act like this?

What do you mean? I'm just living the way I want to.

Everyone, that's enough.

But Chief! Rufo...!

You're all adults, and act like this in front of a kid? Can't you show a little understanding? Tsk, tsk.

Rufo, you stop too. You could've resolved this with words, so why are you behaving like this?

I've said plenty. I even put up a note by the well. But no one listens.

Fair enough. You wouldn't understand either, Chief. Leave me alone.

Rufo, wait...!

Hmph, this is boring. Everyone only thinks about themselves...

Who thinks what?

...! You came to my hideout again? I told you not to come here!

Huh? But this place doesn't belong to you, right?

W-well, it's true... But there are plenty of other places! I want to be alone, so go somewhere else!

But I want to play with you! Let's play together!

...Hmph, liar. The Chief told you to come here, didn't she? I know.

Diana? She did mention to be friendly with you in passing...

See? If it weren't for Diana, you wouldn't have even spoken to me. I don't need you, so get away.

Hmm... Then it can't be helped! Let's play together next time!

I said I don't need you!

Bring the sign over here!

Have some water!

Hold on, move the statue carefully! Everyone worked for months to make it for the festival!

Wow, that face looks super scary...

Alright, the statue's in place. Now let's go set up the stalls!

Hmm....

...Hey, Rufo. Instead of just standing there, why don't you help?

Why? I'm not going to participate in the festival anyway.

What? You're a werebeast too, you should join in the village festival!

I don't think so... It doesn't seem very fun... By the way, what's with this statue's weird face?

W-Weird-face!? I put so much effort into sculpting it! How dare you!

Huh?! Hey! Watch out! The statue's right behind you!

.........!

Ugh... Huh? Why doesn't it hurt?

Are you alright, Rufo?!

Huh? W-wait... What were you thinking? You could've got hurt!

Ah, you almost got hit by the statue...

So I pushed the statue over first, just in time!

W-what? Then the statue...!

What, what's going on... *Gasp*!

Th-the statue's broken! Who did this?

It-it wasn't me!

Then... Tig, you were the closest to the statue, so it must be you!

.........!

Huh, those boneheads! They don't believe me, even though I said it wasn't me!

...Are you okay?

Huh? Of course I'm okay. Look, I'm perfectly fine!

No, I mean, you got scolded instead of me, on top of saving me.

I tried to explain, but the other werebeasts wouldn't believe me...

Oh, never mind! No one got hurt, so it's fine!

Rufo, forget about useless stuff and play with me. Let's be friends!

Friends?

I'm gonna lead all the werebeasts in the future! I'll beat Diana and become the Chief myself! I'll be the hero in fairytales!

And what does that have to do with friends...?

Heroes don't study. So I need a friend to be my right hand and study for me!

Rufo... Let's team up and play heroes!

You mean, it's like playing house, but taking on roles and... Kind of, role-play stuff?

Well... Maybe? You're the smart one, so you figure it out!

Role-play...

...Yes, that's it!

The next festival performance is a play by Tig and Rufo!

Tig and Rufo doing a play? What's with that ugly wooden puppet?

Dragging even the Chief into this... I get Tig, but what's Rufo's deal?

Hoho... Let's begin now.

Once upon a time... There was a kind but foolish king...

Foolish, foolish!

And a clever... but grumpy servant.

...Is Rufo admitting that she's grumpy?

...Urgh...

(Rufo, stay calm and speak! You wrote this script!)

...Damn it... Grumpy, grumpy...

The king kept saying foolish things, and the servant was angry every day.

One day... The two werebeasts were on their way to build a kingdom...

(Tig, do I really have to do this?)

(Of course, Chief! Now pretend to stagger and accidentally hit Rufo!)

This feels really uncomfortable...

It's alright, I know it's just acting in the play! Now, go ahead!

Oh dear... I'm too old for this...

A-anyway... The grumpy servant... accidentally bumped into a passerby.

Oooops! I'm falling, and the puppet is collapsing!

Oh, my grumpy servant, are you alright?

*Gasp* My foolish king saved me from almost getting hurt!

Yes, it was all an accident, so it's no one's fault!

.........!

But, my foolish king, what about the puppet!?

You should fix it! Go, get moving!

Damn it, more overtime...!

And so, the servant began an unexpected night of overtime work...

But do you think this will really work? Everyone just saw it as a funny play.

If it doesn't work, then it can't be helped. At least we tried our be...

...Um. I have something to say.

Earlier, I tried to fix the crooked statue but ended up pushing it over.

And Tig broke the statue while trying to save Rufo...

What? Is that true?

Sorry, guys. You were trying to cover for me, and...

...Well, I wasn't trying to cover for you...

(Tap, tap)

...Yeah, you're right. Neither of us meant to ruin anything.

Oh, sorry about that. We almost made a big mistake.

You're not hurt anywhere, are you, Rufo?

...No. But it's my fault that the statue is broken, so I'll fix it.

No, Tig and I should help too!

Hold on. It'll take even longer if Tig helps...

Yeah! Awesome! Let's go, let's go!

Hey, I said I don't need you! Don't get closer to me!

Hohoho...

Ahem, that's right. After that day, Rufo started following me everywhere.

...When did I ever follow you around...

Rufo, are you okay? Do you know who I am?!

Huh? What are you talking about? Of course I do. You are... Beni!!!

Rufo!

Rufo, thank goodness you're back!

Ugh, it's too heavy!!