By MistacorCat
The Notorious Duo Turns Triple
By Mistacor
Part I
Mistacor mewed softly in her sleep, curling herself tightly in a ball as she lay in the wicker basket draped with a warm, cotton sheet. It was a near-restless sleep for she knew that tonight was coming with white hot fury.
She heard the soft, rhythmic pad of feet on the carpet approaching her and she tensed involuntarily, eyes opening wide and shining silver for the briefest of moments before turning their natural warm brown colour. In another split second, she was up and bristling, paws clawed and ready, ears pinned back against her sleek head.
Mungojerrie, master thief extraordinaire, jumped back, eyes wide. "E'sy now! No one 'ere's gon'a 'urt ya," he soothed.
Recognition shining in her eyes at last, she relaxed and lowered her head apologetically.
"S'ry, Mungo. I guess I fergot where I was. It's a force o' reflex, I s'pose."
The tom smiled gently and went over to her with the bit of fish he had just got done robbing from the kitchen. It had been easy and he knew the clueless new chef wouldn't even be able to figure it out. Mistacor jumped out lightly from the basket.
"I un'erstand," Mungo said and dropped the fish before rubbing his head against her back affectionately and nudging her. "G' on 'n eat somethin'. It'll make ya feel bet'er."
Mista nibbled at the fish he had brought her but then stopped. "I don' really feel like eatin' righ' now."
The handsome tom gave her a look of concern and then with a knowledge that came with knowing when to do a robbery or not to, only this was different.
"Y'er nervous, are ya? Abou' tonigh'?" She nodded slowly in shame. He lifted her head up gently with a nudge of his black-tipped nose and smiled. "There's nothin' to be nervous abou'. Ev'ryone's gon'a luv ya."
"E'en Rumpleteazer?" she asked skeptically.
Mungojerrie grinned.
"Espec'ally Teaza." He then rolled his eyes in mock horror." Blimy! O Everlas'ing Cat! It'll be two f'males again' one male!" He pretended to faint and Mista laughed until she saw he wasn't moving a whisker.
"Jerrie?" she said softly as she inched her way to him, her nose wrinkling to sniff him delicately.
"Aa!!" Mungo exclaimed as he jumped into action and pinning her, grinning hugely.
Laughing, Mista playfully bit and clawed with him as they both ended up rolling as one big mass of multicoloured fur over the carpet. She was so involved in trying to get this slightly older tom in a pin that neither of them saw the table coming. They rolled into it, the impact sending a newly-bought vase to the floor in pieces.
The two jumped up in alarm at the sudden crash but then were thrown into a fit of giggles as they saw the mistress run into the room and get one look at the destroyed vase.
"'Orrible cat!" the mistress exclaimed, looking in Mungo's direction. "That's the third vase you've destroyed in 24 hours flat!"
Mungojerrie looked to Mistacor in helplessness. "Wha' abou' 'er? She 'elped on thi' one." He didn't mind at all being blamed for it but he wanted to see his friend smile and was rewarded with her cheeky grin.
"Loken, why can't you and Kacen be more like Misty?" the mistress scolded the tom. Mista was always surprised the human had hit so close to home with her name.
"You 'eard the lady," she giggled as their human petted her soft silver-blue and calico fur. Jerrie guffawed and Mista pouted slightly as she strut gracefully to him before batting at his long tail. He jumped and she sped out of the room laughing with Mungojerrie on her heels, leaving their human lady with a mess yet again.
~
The moon was full and heavy as it hung in the canopy of stars over the great Jellicle Junkyard. Just outside, Mistacor scratched at her neck with a hind foot, the collar itching with its newness and unfamiliarity. What was she doing here, she thought. They'll never accept me.... Especially Rumpleteazer. I still can't believe I slept in the wicker basket she and Mungo always share. She'll be furious. From within, she saw Mungo come back to her briskly.
"All cle'. We 'an go in now," he said softly and then winked.
"Righ'," Mistacor nodded and followed him closely in the darkness lit only by the escapades of moonlight amongst cloud.
They had reached the magical tire that had many numerous times once a year taken a fortunate Jellicle to the Heaviside Layer and were at the center of the Junkyard when Mungojerrie stopped and licked her cheek affectionately before turning and announcing for all to hear in his Cockney accent, "'Ey, guys! Com' ou'! It's me Mungojerrie! "
As if on cue, it seemed as if a couple dozen cat eyes filled the darkness. And then, she could actually see the owners of the eyes.
"Jerrie!" a young, bright-eyed calico called out happily but was stopped from coming any closer with a soft hiss from a goldish elder cat wearing a light vest.
"Who's this, Mungojerrie? " a stern voice spoke up and Mista saw a silver-blue and black tabby, almost like her, approach. When he saw her wide-eyed gaze of awe, his voice softened to an extent. "Who have you brought to us, Jerrie?" he asked again.
The handsome calico nuzzled Mista gently and then looked up to the elder cat seriously, "Mistacor, sir. She 'as no fam'ly an' I thin' she'd make a grea' edition to th' tribe."
The tall, regal tabby then turned to Mistacor. "Is that true?"
She nodded. "Yes, sir. I' is."
There was a brief silence as this strange cat looked her over from ear-tip to tail-tip. Mungo had told her before coming here that a "giant stickler " (obviously, this one) would sniff her out for Macavity. But what was Macavity? She hadn't asked. Was it some kind of tooth decay she saw some humans acquire? If so, she was mildly surprised this tabby didn't command her to open her mouth. And, despite all the reassurance, she felt very uncomfortable and pinned to the wall: a feeling she wasn't too fond of...
She practically jumped when the stern tabby called out, "Twins!"
Two quiet voices came back simultaneously over the Junkyard for all to hear, "She is not dangerous, Munkustrap. Demeter would have known if she was with him."
Demeter, who could be partially seen in the tunnel's shadows, was silent, her paranoia making her numb and oblivious to what went on around her.
Tantomile's sweet, gentle voice finished, "Let her join us."
The tabby - Munkustrap - nodded and almost seemed to smile. "You are welcome here," he said softly to Mista before exclaiming so everyone could hear, "May the Everlasting Cat bless you!"
It was like a signal for, just as he said it, the clouds parted indefinably to allow the moon to light up everything and everyone. Dozens of cats came forward, some more hesitantly than others, as Munkustrap nodded briefly and then left them.
Mista felt Jerrie ease at her side and she did the same but then saw a new challenge ahead of her: all those cats. She hissed softly in her throat and Mungo nuzzled her neck.
"They 'on't 'urt ya, luv. They just wan' a bet'er look at ya," he calmed just as the calico she had seen earlier ran up ahead of everyone else with a huge, silly grin on her face.
"'Ey, Mungo! Gosh, ya 'ad me worried there for a minu'. I though' Munku was gon'a feed 'ja to the Pollicles," she giggled.
Mungojerrie stood proud beside Mista. "Teaza, I wan' ya to mee' me frien' Mistacor."
Rumpleteazer looked with serious wide eyes to Mungo then Mista, then Mungo again. "Just frien's , huh?" She laughed at his scowl and then gave a friendly smile to Mistacor. "Wel'ome to th' tribe, Mista. Me name's Rumpleteazer. I'm-"
"-me li'le sister," Mungo finished for her with a mischievous grin.
The calico female frowned. "Why do ya al'ays 'ave to rub 'at in? I leave ya alone for one nigh' to visi' Jemima an' Etcetera an' look wha' 'appens." Then, she smiled and ran off. "See ya guys la'er!"
Many other cats greeted her, introducing themselves and the like before going about their business. She saw the lithe Siamese Cassandra smile politely before sleekly going in between the oven and a huge iron wheel. The kittens - Jemima, Victoria, Etcetera, and Electra - gathered around her to meet her. Mista looked over each of their innocent, open faces but saw something more mature in the white-as-snow cat next to Jemima.
She realized automatically that this cat wasn't a kitten but a young queen for she had lost her innocence at the last Jellicle Ball with the tom Plato. Unlike her friends, this white queen was acquiring worldly knowledge but, hopefully, not losing her accepting attitude.
"She's really beautiful, " Electra whispered to Victoria who nodded, possibly still unaware that cats have perfect hearing. "Wait til Tugger gets a load of her."
Etcetera shot her friend a look before turning back to Mista. "So what's your name?"
"Mistacor. Wha's yours?"
"Etcetera."
"Jemima."
"Victoria."
" Electra."
"Hey!" Etcetera grinned. "Do you want to play tag with us later after you're done meeting the other Jellicles?"
"Yea'. Sure," Mista smiled happily.
"Great! We'll meet you later at the old Ford," and the kittens ran off just as Skimbleshanks, Bombalurina, and the Rum Tum Tugger himself came to meet her and Mungo.
"'Ey, Skimble!" Jer' said happily, rising.
" Now, what do we have here? " Skimbleshanks said with a fatherly smile to Mistacor. "A wee kitten with every look the mischief of the male half of the Notorious Duo."
Mungojerrie laughed and Mista smiled as she tried to stand a bit taller to show her pride at even being mentioned with her love's name. "Skimble, she's no' really a kit'en. She's nea' queenhood."
"Ah," Skimble's smile turned bittersweet as he looked at Mista's amused expression. "But don't wish to be older too soon. Age comes quicker than you think," he said and stretched his back, eyes closing tightly for a minute as the kinks worked out.
"Mungo, you've brought in a very lovely young queen. You must be proud," Bombalurina smiled warmly. Mista felt herself blush in the cheek area of her face and saw Jerrie grin as if he were still a kitten.
"Thanks, Bom," he managed.
Mistacor was finally given the chance to look at the infamous Maine Coon before her. He was a large cat with an impressive mane and even more impressive body but she herself was not impressed. She took one polite sniff at the buff cat and went back to Jerrie's side to nuzzle his shoulder. All present saw the Rum Tum Tugger's wide-eyed expression and, with some, it mirrored their own. Never had anyone ever seen a female show not the bit of interest in Tugger. It was practically unheard of.
The narcissistic cat strutted to her like a peacock. "Hey, do you like fish?" he said smoothly, ignoring Bom's scowl. "I know this great place."
"Do ya now?" Mista said sweetly before sarcastically adding, "Would you steal it for me?" Before the dumbfounded Maine Coon could answer, someone else did...
"No! He'd get it thrown at him!" laughed Pouncival from on top of the old Ford. Rum Tum Tugger hissed at him, making the adventurous kitten jump back and climb up on top of his rocking chair, curling his tail around himself. All present and who had seen laughed.
Mistacor smiled at Tugger gently. "Maybe some other time."
~
The night was thinning and the soft chirp of birds replaced the violin wings of crickets. Mista lay on top of Mungo's stomach comfortably.
"So Old Deuteronomy ascended the Heaviside Layer righ' af'er Grizabella?" she whispered as her brown eyes met his.
"Yea', tha's righ'. Some say Tantomile an' Coricopat knew abou' it but... Any'ay, ou' ve'y own Munkustrap took Deuteronomy's place, li'e he wa' s'posed ta."
Mista sighed contentedly and rested her head against his stomach, letting her eyes close slightly.
"You've 'ad a rough nigh'."
She smiled fondly. "You 'ere absolu'ly righ. I shou'n't 'ave worried so much. I 'ave frien's an' feel accepted."
Mungo laughed, "I knew ya woul'."
Suddenly, Rumpleteazer materialized from the night, smiling. "'Ey, Jerrie, Mista, we shou' ge' 'ome. It's real la'e."
Mista's eyes widened and she looked to him in question. She didn't remember hearing Jerrie talk about her living at Victoria Grove or about her sleeping in the wicker basket they shared last night. Mungo looked to the bewildered calico/tabby and gave a heartwarming grin.
Rumple looked at both of them and burst out laughing, butting her head hard against the tom's chest. "You, qui' lollin' yer tongue ou' of yer mouth li'e some lovesick Peke," then turned to Mistacor, "An' you, stop actin' so surprised. Jerrie told me ev'rythin'. I di'n't expect ya to sleep ou'side when ya 'ad been chased by a ban' o' Pollicles."
He had told her, Mista thought in wonder. Rumple went to her with a mock look of anger. "Ya won' be usin' me 'n' Jer's basket all th' time, though. 'E'll 'ave to get ya a basket of yer own."
Mista nodded wholeheartedly, eyes wide and innocent, before she sneezed in the cold air. Wrinkling her nose, she batted at it with a paw before Mungo pressed his side against hers as to keep her warm.
He smiled at her fondly. "Le's go 'ome."