Notorious Duo Turns Triple
By Mistacor
Part XI
It was early evening, the sun to bed and the moon rising as a large silvery circle amidst a darkening sky. Dusky, cool air swept the heavens and caressed all of London with its sweet touch. Lavender, cirrus clouds as sheer as gossamer floated like fish in their velvety source of sustenance, watching everything with invisible eyes.
Two calicos, one female and one male, entered the Junkyard suddenly as quick as moonlight and sunlight. A tall tabby in the centre of the feline congregation before the tire gave them an annoyed, pained scowl.
" Mista! Mungo! 'ere! " another calico queen whispered sharply from behind an overhang covered in litterings.
As if on cue, the two blurs zoomed underneath it with a laugh.
" Are you blind when you're born? " Munkustrap spoke-sang in his commanding voice, a steady gaze of intensity fixed on no one and yet everyone.
Demeter slithered out of the pipe as if something had bit her. " Can you see in the dark? " she hissed softly in her own nervous way.
Many of the elders sang first - age before beauty, supposedly.
Then, Alonzo jumped down onto the old Ford to sing his line, a piqued Rumpleteazer crawling forward a little ways to get a good look at him along with Jemima and a few others.
Mistacor and Mungojerrie exchanged excited glances as their lines were coming up.
" Were you Whittington's friend? " Bombalurina sang coolly, every move she made seductive and proud.
Mistoffelees took a running leap to the centre of the yard, a cute grin on his impish face. " The Pied Piper's assistant! "
Tumble appeared from a tunnel and did just what he was named for - tumbling! - until he came face to face with the smiling face of Jemima. "Have you been an alumnus of Heaven and Hell? "
Mungo and Mista both raced out of hiding.
" A'e ya mean loike a minx? " Mungo sang in his heavy Cockney, extending his arms out to either side of him.
" A'e ya lean loike a lynx? " Mista sang in equal seriousness, swiping her paw lightly against his arm.
Teazer then, with a stifled giggle, jumped out in front of them, upstaging them in her natural good-naturedness. " A'e ya keen ta be seen whe' ye're smellin' a rat? "
The two other calicos stuck their tongues out at their friend.
Cassandra, one of the divine servants of Bast, beckoned to the moon in her mellow voice, her eyes wide with blue colour. " Were you there when the Pharoahs commissioned the Sphinx? "
" If you were and you are, you're a Jellicle cat! "
The song ended and the moon's beams grew solemn and flecked, appearing and disappearing at various intervals. A calling to their hearts impossible to ignore, all of the kittens crawled together and seated themselves on the tire while the older toms and queens traditionally recited the Naming of Cats, a text passed down to each generation in the reverent Jellicle chronicles.
Mistacor, though old enough to participate in the reciting, did not know the words or had ever heard such things uttered in her life as a stray. So she sat, content well enough to be with the kits and watch her dearest friends and family recite it to her.
She was distracted easily enough by Etcetera's twitching tail in the very middle of the song but a quick twitch from Misto's nose gained her attention back, sending her into a fit of giggles.
Then, all of a sudden, Mungojerrie stepped up to her intensely with a soft, playful hiss. As his face slowly inched closer and closer to her own, his voice reciting the words of the text in her ear, her own gaze fixated. She stared, unblinking, at the tom before her until she unconsciously worded it with him.
" ...effanieffable... deep and inscrutable... singular... name, name, name..."
As the moonlight faded and allowed the Jellicles to disperse the clearing, Mista discovered solemnly that she couldn't move away. She wasn't scared... She wasn't surprised... She just... was...
Slowly, she stepped down the tire in more grace than she would ever deem possible of her own limbs and stood in the centre, her paws extended to the lunar wonder above that even now spilled down its light with promised blessing. There was nothing real but her, the moon and the dance that was crystallising from magickal means.
To a wordless tune, - half electric, half distant lullaby - she danced, eyes closed gently in ecstasy as she nimbly leapt and twirled, greeting the illuminated disk in the night sky with all her heart's love and gratitude for bringing her together with her newfound family.
At the last note, she spread her arms up, one leg raised elegantly to the heavens, signaling for the other Jellicles to come out and complete the invitation.
The song was over and everyone scattered to let Munkustrap introduce the Gumbie Cat named Jennyanydots.
When she hopped onto the ledge to join the others, Mungojerrie hugged her.
" Ya we' luvly ou' the'," he purred softly.
" I agree," Mistoffelees added, bunting his head playfully against her shoulder as he sat.
" Thanks, guys! " the silver queen smiled brightly to her friends.
" Ya riva' Victoria, ya do," Rumpleteazer added as she jumped down to join them.
" Na way! "
" Yeh way! " Teazer smirked. " An' abou' time, too, tha' someone act'lly comes close ta dirtyin' tha' posh 'ouse ca'. She wa' gettin' too big fer 'er britches, I say."
Misto laughed. " You're just jealous."
The calico female looked at him in shock. " Me? Jealous o' Victoria? Pleas'. Don' ma'e me laugh..."
" Just for that, I will!" the black and white tom exclaimed impishly and pounced his friend to the ground, ensuing in a playful wrestling match...
Until a warning hiss from Alonzo set them apart to look at the older tom and then promptly break into gales of laughter.
Jenny's song ended and the grandmotherly Gumbie Cat gave a final, sweet smile to Teazer and Misto before going off to teach the mice in her charge.
Munkustrap wasn't so easily put-off. Taking a dignitary sigh, the tabby leader of the Jellicles began to stalk forward.
They all tensed but weren't afraid as they exchanged similiar looks.
" Be back in a bi'," Mungo said as he nuzzled Mista before quickly running off with his sister.
~
All of the cats were eating scraps they had found in the countless piles of junk that littered the yard when police sirens and blood-red lights flashed in a constant onslaught of chaos. They all started in alarm and fear, wondering fervently what the human emergency was this time.
Demeter answered that question unspoken by them all.
" Macavity! " she breathed and raced into hiding along with all the others who had little time to realize that the Napolean of Crime was gone.
It grew quiet and still and only after a second's hesitation, did Mistacor creep out to peer out to the tire cautiously. She caught the silhouette of a female scurry behind some junk beside it.
" They sti' fall fer i' ev'ry time, Mungo," she heard a soft, laughing voice that then giggled, breaking the silence.
" Shhh! "
Mista's ears twitched in excitement and anticipation. She definitely knew these two - Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer!
And just as she thought it, they materialised from the darkness, loot bags grasped in their paws and gleeful smiles on their faces. Mungojerrie was the more articulate one as he scanned the yard for his preferred Jellicle of choice with a keen eye, instinctually knowing that she of all cats wouldn't be hiding.
" Mungojerrie..." the calico tom grinned.
" - and Rumpleteazer..."
The two stood back-to-back as they set their eyes on Mista who was grinning along with them. " We're a notorious couple a' cats," they whispered with a swift kick of their legs.
It was then that the silver calico queen was left dumbstruck as Mungo suddenly leap-frogged Teazer and, taking her paw in his, lead her out into the clearing.
He sang brightly, making her somewhat embarrassed, " Along with our pal, Mistacora - "
Rumple joined in, " - London, prepare! London, beware! "
They both danced and sang together and eventually their newest partner slowly began to join in until she too became fully a part of it, lost in the fun and delight.
" It was..." Mungojerrie extended his arms up and out slowly, a serious expression turning into a huge smile. " ...Mungojerrie! "
His young sister came up beside him with a scolding, pouting look before smiling cheekily with a roll of her shoulders, " ...Rumpleteazer! "
" AND...." Mista nudged between the two, receiving a laugh from Jerrie, and flashed a sassy grin. " - Mistacora! "
Jerrie then grabbed the two females by the waist, one on each side of him, propelling them up.
" And the's nothin' a' all ta be done abou' tha'! "
Suddenly, with the signal given by Plato who had ventured ahead, all the Jellicles hurried back into the clearing around the Notorious Trio. Some were laughing at the joke played on them while even more of the elders were frowning and giving scolding glares, their pride injured at falling for such a repetitive prank.
Munkustrap saw his charge's surprised and impish " Caught! " look. He didn't know whether or not to be happy or not. He was going to have a looter for a daughter but, frankly given the circumstance of her upbringing and personality, he could see her doing naught else. A smile was slow to come to him in this information as he helped shoo off the three to the top of the old Ford.
The twins perked, their gazes cool and calm, as they smiled mirthfully, "I believe it is Old Munkustrap..."
Everyone laughed and the kittens teased their leader playfully before silence was called for. The moon shimmered and it was this sign that made the entire tribe scatter.
The Jellicle Moon called them, the urge strong. The time had finally come. One by one, with all the grace they each possessed, they came out slowly. The two youngest this year - Etcetera and Jemima - danced together in front of Munkustrap, their voices sweet in the reciting sing-song of the Jellicle invitation.
Alonzo came out next, flirting and exerting his charm to the greatest capability. " Jellicle cats are black - and white... Jellicle cats are rather small..." He kept a steady gaze on Jemima, their eyes never losing focus on each other.
Mista had to stifle a giggle from where she and Jerrie hid at how flushed her friend's cheek fur got.
Tantomile and Coricopat were then called by lunar light to dance forward. The noble stature illuminating their lean forms came from the soul as they stood proud. " Jellicle cats are white and black - "
All of a sudden, Mungo and Mista hanging from his legs swang through on the trapeze, jumping down abruptly in front of the disgruntled and indignant twins. " Jellicle cats a'e of modera' size! "
Then, the dance truly began, beginning with a ballet-like piece. Everyone softly repeated the Invitation as if in a blissful dream they never wished to awaken from. The moon which had been like a heavenly pale gardenia flower, a miracle of all miracles, was suddenly cast behind cloud. Startled by something entirely inexplicable, the Jellicles began the soul-dance buried deep within each of their hearts.
Every cat, old and new, stretched, leapt, flew through the air as if on wings. The Jellicle Moon released the greatest ectasy and gift of their spirits to be found only on this most magnificent of nights. It released everything. There was no such thing as 'holding back.'
Bombalurina began the courting dance and some of the older females around her age joined in. Mistacor stayed on the sidelines and watched, fidgeting with the loss of her innocence to be soon at hand. Self-consciously, she pawed as Alonzo and a few other toms jumped up to repose for a while around her and slowly crawled to where Rumpleteazer and Etcetera were on the tire. Munkustrap, who sat close by watching his people, gently squeezed her shoulder and gave his daughter a reassuring smile.
Mistoffelees and Pouncival retook the stage and danced in perfect synch to the lunar ballet the Everlasting Cat had set before them, a rhapsody in blue.
All of the young Jellicles danced behind them, their eyes raised to the moon. Mista shyly took the paw offered to her by Mungo with a sweet smile.
Munkustrap walked among them, watching with the same patient eyes his father always had. The cats hailed him with a respective raise of their paws.
With an insistent nudge from Teazer, Mistacor slowly made her way to the front of the formation and danced like she had never danced before, her eyes bright and her form outlined in the following moonbeams. She certainly wasn't a dancer like Victoria or Jemima and she certainly didn't feel she should be in front but Bast wished her there unrefusably.
As the Jellicles dispelled to repose, they left her to be alone at the centre. Measuredly, the silver calico queen extended her hand out behind her as she closed her eyes, rubbing her head lightly against her shoulder. She felt her cheeks flush and a hope furiously came to her heart.
After a moment, someone gently touched her offered paw and took it in his own.
With a silent prayer, she opened her eyes and saw Mungojerrie smiling at her in the greatest happiness this night could ever provide, pulling her close in a loving hug.
" I'm so gla' ya chose me," Mista whispered joyfully, nervousness fading like the dawn.
" O' course I chose ya, sil'y. I's true love."
" E'en af'er ev'rythin's tha' 'appened? "
Jerrie made her look up into his laughing eyes. " I al'ays spoing ba'k up."
With a small sneeze of laughter, she gently licked his cheek and, her nose filled with his wonderfully spicy scent, turned her back to him. Almost immediately, the young tom ran his paws down the sides of her lithe form until they were resting on her hips. Briskly, she propelled herself up above him, her legs held up in a bicycling position.
Fondly, Mungo leaned back and kissed her lips ardently, brushing under her leg for a second before lowering her down to face her foster father, Munkustrap.
The tabby leader nuzzled his adopted's cheek in pride and sureness and smiled approvingly to the calico tom who was, at the start of that very moment, his daughter's mate.
Carefully, Jerrie set Mista back-down over Munkustrap and brushed his paws down her breasts and chest, making them both yowl not in pain but in desire of each other.
Her innocence newly taken, Mista curled up beside him who embraced her protectively in turn as the others gathered around them closely to rest as well. Their gazes were devoted as they stared up at the moon above before at last closing their eyes to sleep under the guardianship of the stars.
~
Mungojerrie woke up shortly and raised his head up from the snoozing cat pile. His thieving instincts, he realized suddenly, had been the suspect source of his unrest, being the alerter of a strong yet undetectable smell.
Carefully, he snuck away reluctantly from the others and the warmth of his mate to investigate further. It led him to the nearby entrance of the large pipe, the scent running cold. Narrowing his eyes against the darkness, he could faintly detect a small movement from a small feline shape that even now moved as steadily back away from him as possible.
A kit, he noted to himself. And obviously too scared to come out...
Grinning, he stuck his head in the entrance. " 'ey! C'mon ou'! I'm no' a sa'esma', ya know! " Not receiving a response, he hopped up onto the pipe and looked down into it upside-down. " 'ey the'! "
" Jer? "
Lifting his eyes up swiftly, he came face to face with Mista and nearly jumped ten feet into the air.
" Bloody 'ell! " he beamed in relief, trying to hide his surprise from her. " I' ye're gon'a sneak up on a tom who's sneakin' up on a wha'ever, a' leas' te' th' poor bloke."
The spritely queen was about to nod but then shook her head in curiousity. "Wha's a 'wha'ever', Jer? "
Mungo pointed to the pipe. " A 'wha'ever' is wha'ever's in tha' pipe there." He then decided to lazily chew at the frayed end of his tail.
Even more curious now with that bit of information, she began to intriguedly sniff at the opening.
" Jus' be ca'eful o' th' skunk..."
" Skunk?! " she hissed fearfully, eyes wide, shooting her head up to him.
Her mate fell over laughing, snorting out a fit of laughter and rolling onto his back. His paws wavered in the air, taking on a kittenlike stance.
Mista stood in indignation. " I we'n't sca'ed," she denied dryly.
Jerrie bit back laughter as best he could. " Is tha' why ya 'ad th' look as i' a chuffin' bobby 'ad jus' caught ya in th' act? "
" Di' no'..." Mista denied weakly, averting her eyes.
" Di' too," Mungo retorted, laying on his side with a silly grin on his face.
" Di' no'! "
" Di' too! "
" Oh, yeh? " she shot back saucily and, before he could react, pounced him.
" 'ey! " the tom grinned as they wrestled a bit, oblivious now to the 'whatever', and then proceeded to kick her lightly aside to tackle her in turn.
They were a playful twosome of cats until a voice broke through.
" I ain't no skunk, ya know," said a young queen standing outside the pipe, obviously the 'whatever' they were talking about moments before.
Mistacor and Mungojerrie both saw that this female was strongly familiar in looks to the Rum Tum Tugger but then again, there was a chance that they weren't related. Besides for possessing the scruff of a Maine Coon, this female had calico markings as well. It was an odd combination but it complimented her nicely.
The mates disentangled quickly and stood in awe and curiousity beside each other. Both began to grin at the prospect of having another cat join the tribe.
Mista rubbed against her love's shoulder excitedly. " Look a' 'er, Jer."
The calico tom grinned lopsidedly. " Gue' she fin'lly re'lized I we'n't a sa'esman."
" Yeh! An' look! She looks li'e a fema' Rum Tum Tugger, she does."
The Maine Coon calico's eyes filled with overbrimming hope and whatever fear she might have had left her as she suddenly marched right up to Mistacor. "You know the Rum Tum Tugger?! Where is 'e?? "
The silver calico queen was surprised at the forwardness and gave a weak look over her shoulder to her mate. " We', su'e I do. All th' queens do, bu'..."
" 'e asn't come in th' Junkyar' ye'," Jerrie tried helpfully.
" 'e's al'ays la'e," Mista interjected with a huge smile.
" Bu' 'e'll be 'ere soon ta do 'is song fer th' Jellicle Ball."
" Jellicles? " the queen asked dazedly, as if remembering something old in her young life.
" Yeh..." Mista approached the subject cautiously. " Me an' 'im a'e Jellicles." She pointed to herself and Jer beside her. " I'm Mistacor bu' me frien's ca' me Mista."
Mungo smiled in nothing but open friendliness alongside her. " An' I'm Mungojerrie."
The new cat seemed disorientated by all of this but willing as she gave a small smile. " I be Rum Tum Teazer."
" This is hardly the time for introductions," came a strong voice.
When they turned, they were facing Munkustrap and most of the tribe while the rest were still waking up.
" Munkustrap..." Mungo started hesitantly.
" We ca' explain," Mista assured him.
" Mista - daughter - come here, please."
Mistacor gave an apologetic look to Rum Tum Teazer before half-heartedly obeying the Jellicle Leader, Mungojerrie following. She crouched before him slowly and he followed suit. " Da, she's a stray li'e me. Le' 'er join...? " she whispered.
" We'll see," he whispered back and gave her a headrub before straightening and approaching the trespassing queen. He spared a smile to her. "My name is Munkustrap and we mean you no harm, young one."
This Maine Coon calico female didn't seem very scared; she just regarded him seemingly passively... until he introduced himself. The flare of hope she had shown earlier came to life again as she leapt at some sort of unexplainable chance. " Ye're Munkustrap?! The Rum Tum Tugger's step-brother?? "
" Full o' ques'ions, is she? " Rumpleteazer smiled as she walked up beside her brother.
He grinned back. " Full o' ques'ions an' as bold as a peaco'."
" I am Munkustrap," the tabby answered, slightly miffed. " And I am the Rum Tum Tugger's step-brother but, if I may ask, who are you? "
" I'm - "
" Macavity," Demeter hissed crazedly from beside Bombalurina. "Macavity..."
" It's true," Tantomile's sweet, mellow voice rang through the yard from where she and her twin stood on the junk.
" This kit has encountered Macavity," Coricopat added.
" She isn't workin' fer Macavity or a followe'! " Mungo defended the queen. " I'd know i' she we'! "
" Yeh! " Mista piped up.
Tantomile cut her off gently. " Mungojerrie's strengths are very commendable, Mistacor, but the scent of the Napolean on her, though cold, is still present. Only recognizable by someone of more skill."
" It does not mean she has or did work for him," Coricopat added. " It means that she might have."
" Hey!! " a cheerful, brash voice cut through the somberness and then the owner of it appeared.
" Tugger! " Etcetera exclaimed happily.
" Where ya been? " Electra asked, giving a small possessive look to Cetty.
" Father?? " the new queen breathed in surprise, making the Maine Coon tom stop in his tracks and opt the same wide-eyed expression.
" Daughter?? "
END OF PART XI
Author's Note: This part of the fic wouldn't have been possible, if it hadn't been for my friends on the RPG board, Drew/Mungo and Kate/Rum Tum Teazer. Meeting them was one of the best things ever to happen in my life and I want to thank them both for giving me inspiration and being my friends. This chapter and following chapters to come are a tribute to them now and forever. Drew & Kate? Love ya, guys! =)