Tell Melisa that she can be proud of me. Her son will bring two fat and juicy mice for dinner.
The crow flies away. Yumi comes back.
Yumi. Here, I’ve brought it.
Toy. Follow me.
Yumi and Toy turn to leave, but Pirate suddenly blocks their way. Toy jumps on the fence, Yumi stays put.
Pirate. Grrr… Riff-raff. You are here again.
Yumi. We are not riff-raff. My name is Yumi. This is my friend Toy. Let us go, Pirate.
Pirate. You think your mother will come to your help again, don’t you?
Yumi. My mom isn’t here. Some people from the animal tormentor gang took her.
Pirate. Took her? Who?
Toy. Khorkov and Corkscrew.
Pirate. Things turned ugly. These people won’t just let her free.
Yumi. We are going to the animal control center to rescue my mom.
Pirate. What are you meddling in? You are mad! They will eat you for breakfast.
Yumi. So be it. It is better than staying here and doing nothing.
Pirate. Miracles just don’t happen. You can’t save Greta.
Yumi. Christmas Eve is the time when dreams come true. You should just wish for something with your whole heart, believe in your success and keep moving towards your desirable goal.
Pirate. Muck for mugs. Life is much more complicated than that.
Yumi. I made a wish this morning to get a new home for me and my mom. And to meet my father.
Pirate. And? Did it work?
Yumi. Not really. I did not expect this new home to be a dog prison.
Pirate. I like to live on the street though. I am my own master here.
Yumi. Pirate, please, let us go.
Pirate. Hold it right there!
Yumi. I’m holding on.
Pirate. What a partner you’ve chosen. As crooked as a corkscrew.
Toy. Fffhhh…
Yumi. Toy is my friend.
Pirate. Cats are just like humans, they can betray you at any moment.
Yumi. I believe that Toy won’t betray me.
Pirate. It is your choice. However, this belief will hardly help you save Greta.
Yumi. I will take a chance. Let us go!
Pirate. You will cook your own goose, pup.
Yumi. This morning I found out that my father was a real hero.
Pirate. A hero? Ha-ha-ha!
Yumi. And I wanted to become as strong and brave as he was. But I understand now that my father abandoned us. And betrayed us at the moment when he was needed the most.
Maybe I won’t be able to save my mom and will die. But I know for sure that now I don’t want to be like my father. I will never leave my mom in dire straits and I will never betray her. Get out of my way!
Pirate. Grrr… The character was obviously passed down to you from your mother, wasn’t it?
Yumi. Let us go!
Pirate. Have the kitten go. And you better stay here, at the wasteland. I will help you survive.
Yumi. Time’s ticking away! Kill me or get out of my way, Pirate! I have nothing more to lose.
Pirate. Look at you, you are nuts, lad.
Pause.
Pirate. Get out of here. Before I change my mind.
Pirate let Yumi and Toy go. The puppy and the kitten turn to go away.
Pirate. Hold on! Yumi. Wait.
Yumi. What?
Pirate. The animal control center is located onsite the former special fleet depot. Here. (He draws it in the snow.) Two gangs dominate the road thereto. These are the animal tormentor gang and the cat burglar gang.
In order to evade their checkpoints, go along the river till you get to a ruined tower. Then —half a kilometer up north along the railway lines.
When it gets dark, enter the center premises through the hole in the fence, to the right of the security booth. Then just play it by ear.
I hope that your whiskered friend won’t bring you over to a trap. You watch yourself, Yumi. You will do just fine.
Yumi. Thank you, Pirate. My mom was wrong calling you a fool.
Pirate. Grrr…
Yumi and Toy leave.
Scene 6.
Evening shades. Cat burglar gang hide-out.
Yumi and the mice got caged. Lord, Melisa, Toy and other gang members enjoy their triumph.
Lord. Toy!
Toy. Yes, Lord.
Lord. You did a great job.
Toy. When you catch our enemy, this police dog called Thunder, will you let Yumi go? That was our agreement.
Lord. You are still young and too naive, Toy.
Toy. What do you mean?
Lord. Nobody knows where Thunder is now. This sneaky rascal crept into a deep hole and doesn’t show up. I know in bones that Thunder is alive and keeps a close watch on us.
Toy. Then what will happen to Yumi when you get to his father?
Lord. Much to my regret, I won’t be able to hunt Thunder down. But I will take vengeance on him for my brother’s death anyway.
Toy. You promised to let Yumi go! Our wrangles have nothing to do with the puppy.
Lord. Yumi will die tomorrow morning. Thunder is going to find out about that. I’m done.
All the gang members leave, the prisoners are left in the cage.
ACT III
Scene 7.
Evening. Cat burglar gang hide-out.
Yumi, Yin and Yang are caged.
Yumi. This is the end.
Yang. Be stronger. Be stronger. Be stronger!
Yumi. Stronger? It was me who got you into this trap. And let my mom down.
Yin. Success is a measure of decisions we make. I don’t regret going with you, Yumi. We have to believe.
Yang. Do not succumb to panic. Now lay to!
Yang tries to break the cage door, Yin and Yumi help him, but the door does not respond. Toy comes in.
Yin.