Cappuccino

## Character

One of Cinnamoroll's friends, Cappuccino is a male puppy living in a house with a red roof.  He likes to travel at his own pace, eat a lot and take lots of naps.  He is easily recognisable by his mouth, which resembles the foam around the mouth from drinking cappuccino. He is the glutton of the bunch and very chubby.

## Story

Cappuccino has the lead role in the play "Urashima Taro".

**[Act I] Urashima Taro**

Once upon a time, in a faraway land... There was a kind boy named Urashima Taro. One day, he decided to go fishing. When he got to the beach, he saw some children standing in a circle around a turtle. It was the biggest turtle Taro had ever seen, so he went to take a closer look. When he got to the circle, he was shocked by what the children were doing.

"Stupid turtle!"

"Move faster, slowpoke!"

They were yelling at the turtle, and kicking it. "Cut that out, you hooligans!" Taro scolded the children. When the children heard Taro yell, they got startled and ran away, for he was normally so kind and gentle. The turtle turned to Taro, and thanked him greatly.

"Thank you for saving me, Mr. Urashima."

"Don't worry about it."

"No, please let me express my gratitude to you. Do you know about the Dragon Palace?"

"Dragon Palace? I've never heard of such a place."

"It is a dazzling place. And I shall take you there." The turtle turned towards the sea, and told Taro to get on his back.

"Hold on a second. Where exactly are you going to take me?"

"Well," said the turtle, "I'm going to take to you to the bottom of the sea. "

**[Act II] Taro at the Bottom of the Sea**

Taro climbed onto the turtle's shell, and started his journey down, down, down into the water. He held his breath, and after a while started wondering how long he'd have to keep it up. It didn't last long however, and when he finally opened his mouth (his face bright red from the exertion), he inhaled not water, not fish, but air!

It was a very strange feeling. He was completely underwater, but breathing air! He could also see perfectly clear, all the way down to the seabed. The light from above came down in large crystalline pillars, among which the fish playfully darted every which way. Colorful coral reefs and underwater plants glowed in the light, decorating the path to the Dragon Palace.

Floating through the water on the turtle's back made Taro feel just like the fish swimming alongside him.

"By the way," Taro started. "What kind of place is this Dragon Palace?"

"It's a marvelous palace ruled by the peerless beauty Otohime," said the turtle.

Taro imagined she must be a true beauty indeed, seeing that of the sea around him.

"What else is there?"

"Feasts like you've never seen. You'll eat like a king."

Taro's spirits rose even higher at hearing this. His life had been average until then, good and bad things coming in equal proportions. "It's wonderful to experience something like this for a change," he thought.

He imagined the Dragon Palace as he enjoyed his underwater journey, and eventually an impressive red and white palace appeared in the distance.

"Taro! This is the Dragon Palace!"

The gates opened as they approached, allowing them inside.

**[Act III] Taro in the Palace**

The Dragon Palace was even more stunning than Taro had imagined. The only thing he had been able to think of was the house of the richest man in the village, so imagine the impression the palace made. Many of the palace residents greeted him inside, and brought him before Otohime.

"Welcome to the Dragon Palace," Otohime said. "I am Otohime, and this is my kingdom. I thank you for saving this turtle, he is one of my most valuable citizens."

Otohime whispered something to two of her advisers, who escorted Taro to her side, and sat him down. A mouth-watering banquet was laid out before them, and the feast began.

Taro had only ever dreamt of the kinds of dishes that were placed before him. And the servants kept bringing out course after course, no matter how much he ate, until he was happy and full.

Then the dancers put on a beautiful performance before him and Otohime, and Taro truly felt like he was in paradise.

Suddenly, it struck him: Might this in fact be paradise? "If so," he thought. "I couldn't stay long." He had already stayed quite a long time, and thought he should get back home. His family was probably wondering where he had gotten to.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he said to Otohime. "However, I must be going."

"So soon already? Why don't you stay the night?"

It was difficult for kind-hearted Taro to say no to Otohime's invitation, but he wouldn't change his mind.

Otohime eventually gave up. She clapped her hands twice, and called over one of her advisers, who then brought Taro one of the most beautiful boxes he'd ever seen. He was overjoyed, but Otohime looked at him with a serious expression on her face.

"This is the Tamatebako, one of our most valuable treasures. Please accept it as a parting gift. However, do not open it, not under any circumstances."

"Why not?" Taro asked.

"The treasure chest contains ‘the time spent at the Dragon Palace’. Its value is immeasurable, and it is not something one can acquire simply. If you open the box, it will flee like a frightened cat. So whatever you do, do not open it. Do you understand?"

Taro promised not to. He then bade a reluctant farewell, and left.

**[Act IV] Taro Today**

Before he knew it, Taro was lying on top of a rock.

He jumped up, and saw a totally unfamiliar place. The Dragon Palace had been strange and wonderful, but this place was strange in a different way.

The sky was filled with massive stone pillars, among which massive metal fish were swimming.

"Where on earth am I?" Taro thought.

Taro had no idea what was going on. He remembered starting to leave the Dragon Palace, but then his memory went blank. Before his eyes, the Tamatebako was proof that what had happened was indeed not a dream.

He took a few deep breaths to settle his thoughts, and as he was doing this, two people walked by. They were young, but they looked very strange.

Their bizarre clothes were made out of materials Taro had never seen before. This place was unlike any place he'd ever seen, including the Dragon Palace. He decided to ask the people where he was.

"Gentle sirs! My name is Taro, and I hail from Urashima in the land of Tango. Pray tell, what land is it that I find myself in?"

The pair stared at Taro blankly. Apparently, they didn't understand what he was saying.

"Oh boy..."

Just then Taro remembered Otohime's words in the Dragon Palace.

"That's right! Otohime said the box contained the time I spent at the Dragon Palace."

She had said not to open it, but Taro thought he might be able to return there if he did. "It would certainly be better than this weird place," he thought.

He took the box in his hands, and slowly opened the lid.

A cloud of smoke poured out of the box, and swallowed Taro in an instant. As the cloud dissipated, Taro had become a white-bearded old man.

The End