By Trifika
This is a pretty strange story. Well, depends of how you think of it. This isn't true or fiction...This is more like a dream. You know, you can't interpret truth but one way, and fiction any way you want. WellDreams you can interpret from two sides, the good or the bad ones. Finding the differences of the good and the bad ones might be a little bit hard, because you really can't understand either of them...But, now as I'm talking, why don't we tell what happened...
^-^O~
It was a fall morning, you know, peaceful, grey, getting colder.It was that kind of morning, and it was early. Some bird chirped somewhere, and the sun was just about to rise. That's why I was sitting on the top of that tree. I wanted to see it well, and Zire has said to me that you can see it better if you're higher. Sure, like she'd watch them...She didn't have time. Zire is... was my sister. She died, along with the rest of the group.
One that didn't die is Firestar, who's my best and at the time, only friend. Usually everyone's wondering how we can even stand each other. She's short-tempered and a bit naive, has a temper the size of London, and when she gets into the mood she hates everything and everybody, and there's nothing to stop her. She's the younger one of us, and everyone just likes her or not. And then, she can be really nice if she wants to.
And then there's me. Trifika is my name, and if I start to describe myself you'll fall asleep. I'm just this one from somewhere. You'll find me out without telling, and I don't think there's that much about me anyway.
Well anyway, I was sitting in that tree, when from beneath began to come some noise which you with good hearing could interpret as steps. The thing that made me curious was what anyone was doing in that forest at that time, unless the name happened to be Trifika. I was right about the steps, that I noticed after looking down down and seeing this tall, young guy, who looked kinda bored. I wished that he wouldn't notice me, and if he would, he wouldn't be anyone from Macavity's gang. I don't have nothin' but bad experiences of those guys. I decided to remain quiet, which would have been a way down easier if the branch I was sitting on wouldn't have snapped right then.
I landed straight into a bush that happened to grow under the tree. He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but I sat quietly in the bush and tried to look like a blackberry.
"Is somebody in there?" He asked carefully. I was about to yell "The forest fairy", but he didn't actually look so dull he'd believe it. Then I remembered this funny disappear-appear trick I taught myself one rainy day. It took a moment to remember the words of the spell, and after that I dizappeared followed a small "Zap" and reappeared behind him. He startled and spun around with a surprised expression.
"You were... in the bush?" He stuttered as soon as he got over his shock. I had to look up when he talked to me, but that wasn't anything new. I happen to be kinda short, which can be a little painful sometimes.
"Yup, that's me. Had to check the size of the berries so they don't get stuck into anyone's throat."
He stared at me, apparently confused. I felt like hitting myself. It happens every freakin' time I start to explain something when I'm nervous. Now I had to fix my story, which was pretty far from the truth.
"I was hiding," I said grinning at him.
I could swear I'd seen him somewhere. There was something in his grin and eyes. I went through cats I'd met, but nobody came up that could possibly be him. He was someone from far away...
He smiled wryly, "For me?"
All of sudden he began to walk around me, eyes tightly fixed on me and a thoughtful look on his face. Starting to look more and more familiar all the time, I thought.
When he stopped and continued staring, I let out a small laugh. "What?"
"Do I know you?" Came the answer, a question I'd been wondering for a while already. But I still couldn't understand where I'd possibly met him or anything. In the other hand, I thought, I might be imagining everything. And how did I know if he was in Mac's gang or not, anyway. I however stepped a bit closer and took a better look.
"Maybe...."
His expression turned somehow scared and he stepped backwards. "Can't be... you..."
It came. Like a lightning from a clear sky. The memory. I suppose I should've been surprised or something, but honestly I was only happy.
"Chai?" I asked, even though the answer was pretty clear already. He grinned again and came closer. The creamy brown fur with darker brown stripes matched well with his dark eyes. If I'd been somebody else than me, I would have been drooling around him. But I just am not like that...
I closed my eyes and could not believe it. But there he still stood when I opened them. It was quite seldom that daydreams come true, but obviously the exception proves the rule. He still looked like I remembered him, but it wasn't but a year backwards when we last time met.
"Moonlight..." His voice was a bit ashamed when he gave me even more tighter look. "That's not your real name, is it?"
We'd met a few times in some place, guess it could have been the exact same forest we were in at the time. For some strange reason, we turned out friends even though he was older than me. I think he heard my bro call me "Moonlight" and took the name. It was there that I saw him last time. When I next morning stumbled there half dead, I heard one older tom tell that he had found our bodies from one old house. I bet he did. But not mine.
I smiled. "I'm Trifika. Moonlight's okay."
Nobody had called me Moonlight after Denam, my bro, died. He was the one who made it up and I'd thought he was the last one to call me that. It was originally a joke. Because of my black coat, he liked to call me "Sunny". But I liked (still like) to stare at the moon, so "Moonlight" fit better. Even Star didn't use the name, but Chai seemed to have gotten used to it, so what did it matter.
"How... you were supposed to be dead." He stopped, confused. I didn't really understand what he was asking even though got the idea after a moment. "The next day you weren't there... they told me you were dead. What happened?"
"The others died. I kept living." Came my short reply. He didn't continue any longer and I was thankful. Though I don't usually show I cared about the whole thing, it really hurt sometimes. Everyone who knows me better knows it. But there aren't but a few of them.
At the same time I told my story, I began to think. The subject was all different.
We started talking about stuff not that important. It was weird, felt like I had a million things to say but couldn't get a sensible word out of my mouth. I stull don't know why.
I was thinking where Firestar was. We were supposed to meet about there about then, but I didn't see her anywhere. She could have got into trouble, I mean, Star has an ability to annoy everything that has more common sense than a rock...
Chai asked me something, but I didn't pay attention because Star's disappearing was causing me a headache. She needs a babysitter, otherwise she can't manage alive for more than an hour. It's not that I'm always worried about her or anything, but I knew she was in trouble. She's always in trouble!
I told Chai I was going to look for my buddy. He hesitated a moment, then came after me (and now afterwards, I'm pretty thankful for him of doing that). We didn't have to walk too far when from one alley could be heard a far too familiar "HELP!" We ran over there, and the first thing that caught my eye was Star totally beaten.
"Firestar, you idiot, what the heck did you do now?" I asked partly worried, partly amused. I bet that how much in pain she ever was, half of it was acting.
"This is jest loike ya...Ah'm dying n' ya're jest makin' fun out o' me..." She muttered with her thick cockney accent and an annoyed tone.
"Yeah, right. Liar." I stated carefreely, then noticed a truly bad looking would on her side. "Uh... You aren't so well afterall." Chai came to us. Firestar sat up, clearly with pain and glanced at me.
"Naw kiddin'. If ya'll excuse me, Ah'll start screamin' any minute now."
I couldn't but roll my eyes. She'd never said anything like that if she'd been dying... Sarcasm is really bad in her and she can be mean. Very mean...
"Let's get her to the junkyard. I think Tantomile could cure that..." Chai suggested thoughtfully, and when we couldn't involve anything better Firestar rested on me and Chai, and we left towards this junkyard. I'm still sure of that she could have ran a few miles to any direction and feel just as good as she did at the time...
When we got there, my disappointment must have shown. A deserted junkyard. What could there possibly be to help Star? Little did I know...
It was there when Firestar finally lost consciouness, and Chai had to carry her on, untill we bumped into a quite young, sort of mysterious looking queen.
"You wouldn't have anything against one patient, would you Tantomile?" Chai stated, putting Star down.
Tantomile looked at her a while, then said: "Come with me... she doesn't look that good." She walked into a chamber under a bunch of garbage. We followed, and Chai put Star down on a pillow. Firestar didn't really look good or anything. She had a black eye, there was even more bad looking wound, and from the forehead down her cheek ran a pretty bruise and she looked like she was suffering.
Maybe I'd been wrong...
"What happened?" Tantomile asked after a silent moment.
I shrugged. "She probably teased some stray or pollicle or something...She looks like that every once in a while. I think that's the worst thus far, though."
Tantomile put a small blanket on her and stated, "She has some bad wounds, but she'll make it."
I smiled thankfully. Tantomile asked first my name, and then drove us out to worry somewhere else. I left worrying. Firestar is so tough you gotta have something more than a few bruises to get her out of the picture. And besides, along with the fact she loves fighting, she loves the attention she gets while she's half dead. A weird gal, but there's nothing wrong with her. I think...
We just talked about nothing untill Chai suggested he'd show us around. Neither of us had nothing against it, and so we left. I had no idea of where I'd gotten my nose into, but after that at least my feet cursed me a few times.
We continued the way. When we'd walked a while, I saw something that didn't actually surprise me, except the fact the guy over there was sitting a few feet above a TV. Chai motioned me to be quiet, crept quietly behind him and pushed him. He fell down behind the TV with somersaults and peeked up with a lampshade on his head, looking funny enough to make me have problems not cracking up.
"Mistoffelees, the local magician." Chai introduced us, obviously with the same problem. The guy stood up, threw the shade off and shook the dust from his coat. He was probably somewhere around my age or older, and what I was extremely glad of was that he was also pretty much the same size. Another shorty in the group can help a bit, you know... Mistoffelees jumped back on the TV, this time not flying. He examined me quiatly a while, then jumped back on the ground and began to walk circle around me. I was starting to feel dizzy when he stopped.
"And you are...?" He asked raising his other eyebrow and sitting down.
"Trifika" I answered politely, feeling dull. "And my beaten friend in Tantomile's chamber is Firestar." I added as if it was something you see every day. Well... it was. Last week she mouthed off to some pollicle (which wasn't real small or anything...) and got us both through the longest run ever.
"Beaten?" Misto asked with slightly amused tone.
"Well, she's beaten every now and then if you don't watch over her. Once I got into a fight with some freakin' magician... because of Star."
I still got the creeps even of thinking about that guy. My powers had been totally knock out after that, and when he had been angry and something like five times more experienced and older, I had no choice but to run away. Which actually wasn't very easy either.
"Did you win?" Chai asked curiously.
I grinned. "No. I should have used the 'Pussy in boots'-tactic, and he was so skinny lookin' cat he wouldn't have been tasty. Besides, I don't think I could've turned him into a mouse. Too strong..."
At this point both Mistoffelees and Chai stared at me wide-eyed. Here we go again, I thought.
Chai was the first one to overcome his shock (I can't even count how many shocks I've caused to him...). It shouldn't have been any surprise to him anyway. I'd showed him my skills (the little ones I had) earlier that morning.
He took hold of the TV and looked like he was going to faint. "You mean... we've got two... magicians?"
"Three. You can count Firestar in, cause she has something over fire. She has some big broblems handling them, though." I started a story I had to explain quite often. That was true. She can't use them because she doesn't handle them, and she doesn't handle them 'cause she can't practice because everytime she does, some of the neighbourhood's houses get's burned down.
Misto didn't take the news that bad. He gave a mischievous grin. "Great. Why don't we cause a disaster!" He turned more serious before I could answer "yes". "Has anyone taught you?"
I shook my head. I'd practiced alone since I noticed I could do something. I'm not the mightiest magician on earth, but can do the basics. And I didn't want to be the mightiest. Magic just happens to be very useful if you're as small as I am and not a better fighter than average.
"I think you could learn" Misto stated. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to mean, but it didn't sound like an insult so I let it be.
I figured out he might be willing to teach me. When I asked, he grinned from ear to ear and said he would be more than happy to do so.
"I don't know if I can do much more than you can. But if that doesn't bother you, I'll try."
It didn't matter. Whatever it was that he knew and I didn't, it would be useful. And practicing would probably be much more easier and fun with a friend. Especially when something goes wrong (e. g. you turn somebody bright green) you can blame your friend...
"A disaster coming..." Chai muttered suddenly, pretending he was freaked out. "One nuts magician, OK, but two..."
I glared at him with mock anger. "You shut yout mouth mortal, or I'll turn you into a pollicle!"
Chai grimaced at the idea, then noticed the time was running and since then we were busy running around and meeting people. After something that seemed like a century I was tired and confused of all names. Chai just wasn't, unfortunately.
"Just a few more, try to keep going." He announced. I was about to start arguing at that. I swear I met every single cat in London that day.
"I probably won't keep going, but let's go anyway." I sighed. He took me near one yellow (well it had once been yellow, now it was turning brown) and knocked the wall of a washing machine next to it.
"Pounce, get out!" He yelled.
"Whatever you're askin' me for, I didn't do it!" Came the answer immediately. I grinned. This guy couldn't be really awful. Chai jumped in, and came out dragging a cheeky looking young tom. From the look on his face you could easily tell he'd been taking a nap.
"Chai, lemme go, I can walk, I'm awake..." When Chai was like he didn't hear, he rose his voice and yelled: "Darnit Chai, I'M AWAKE!"
Chai let him go and looked at his angry face with mischievous expression. "Then why didn't you say so?" Then he turned back to me.
"Trifika, Pouncival, and the opposite. You can go to finish your beauty-sleep now."
"No way." Pouncival sniffed jumping up. "We gotta get the others here as well."
He gave a small whistle, and before I could notice anything else, toms began to appear. They were all pretty young. All of them were a good head taller than me. Why on earth is evryone so tall? I wondered.
The guy who first understood to come and see who was coming was tall, black and white patched and seemed to have far too big thoughts of himself. He stared at me with one eyebrow up and a stupid lazy look on his face. Did I tell ya I'm pretty critical about everyone I meet? I mean, I either like them or then not.
I didn't like him.
"And who is this cutie?" He asked with a cocky grin. I examined him suspiciously. Maybe he was the Tugger's little bro...?
"My name's Trifika" I introduced myself, even though I would rather be running away. He gave me this sugary look that made me feel even more sick.
"Trifika... what a name.." I rose my eyebrows in surprise. He really didn't wait, did he?
"Well you certainly didn't tell your name." I snapped as coolly as I could and wished he'd understand I wasn't interested in any ways, before he'd ask me for a date.
"Alonzo" He smiled the way that probably was supposed to melt my legs. It didn't work. After that I got the regular hand-kiss and a group of weird looks. Chai and the others looked at the situation with amused faces. Nobody dared to laugh, even though it seemed that at least the youngest toms had trouble with keeping calm. I just bit my lip and tried not to slap my suitor.
He leaned on the washmachine with a wannabe-cool look, and asked, "Here today at six?"
I was just about to loose controll and either scream something at him or burst into laughter. I didn't, just got a grip of myself and gave him the most freezing look I could.
"Sorry, but I don't date guys who stumble over black paintcans."
The look on his face was priceless! His eyes got wide, just as if he'd seen a ghost or something. We once again had trouble with cracking up. He gazed around a few times ("Nobody saw that? Whew, my reputation's saved!"), gathered himself, took another wannabe-cool look and grinned.
"Your miss. See ya!" Then he left with his black and white tail nervously twitching back and forth.
I gave a sigh of relief after he was gone. Pouncival flashed me a grin.
"It'll take a few weeks to get over that, you know."
"Good" I sniffed and wished we wouldn't crash into each other too often (which ment like once in a year).
"He's not like that usually, just acting." One of the guys (who's name I later found out was Plato) came to us. "He tries that trick on every single female that gets into this place, so do't take it personally."
Chai introduced the rest of the gang, and they unlike Lonnie-boy, were OK. It didn't matter how many times they told me he was all right, I still haven't taken liking him. Not a bit.
"You're a friend of that mean girlie, right?" Tumblebrutus kysy. It took a second to understand he was talking about Firestar. I nodded.
"She's one meanie," He laughed, "I visited Tamtomile and she looked like she wanted to have me for breakfast..."
I grinned. That meant Star was getting better. She'd be like that when she's a hundred and one and sits somewhere in the middle of her offspring.
I suddenly noticed we were alone again. It was turning darker, but that didn't disturb me. I like dark. Makes me have this nice feeling...
Chai told me we'd have to visit the Vicarage Wall, to meet the tribe's leader. Couldn't but sigh and swear to myself that if I'd have to introduce myself to anyone after that day, I'd scream through the next year.
Well, Chai led us torwards Vicagarage and we followed like we had done the past five hours or something. My legs were hald dead, my head was full of eyes and tails and I was sure that I'd die. Anyway, on the wall sat definitely the oldest cat I've ever seen. His coat was pretty much messed up and he looked like that kind of cat who knows everything from earth to heaven. Not that I doupted he didn't. I tried to bring my better side out and be polite and all, but I wasn't too used to that and it can sometimes look pretty comical.
Beside the old tom was a way down younger, silver tabby who looked somehow protecting. I don't know, he just sat there and talked to the older guy, but he still looked like he was protecting something. Maybe he was.
Chai rose his eyes up to the wall and said "Old Deuteronomy" with a tone that made you think this Deuteronomy was a god or something. After thinking about it, I wasn't sure if he was. There are more than two mysteries within Jellicles...
He got both cats' attention. The older one grinned at us. "Evening Chai, come up here... and bring your friend as well." Man, I liked this one. Age around a million, state cool and nice. If I won't end up being like him, I'll stop getting older!
Chai jumped on a bench next to the wall, and from there onto the wall. I followed (again). The silver tom kept his eyes on us somehow suspiciously, and I had hard time controlling myself from making a face... I handled it anyway, and smiled to both.
"Old Deuteronomy, Munkustrap..." Chai gave both of them a respecting nod.
"I see you have met somebody who's not a Jellicle" Deuteronomy said looking at me with curiosity, "Could you come here?"
I did exactly what he wanted me to. Whoever they were, it seemed that what kind of picture of me they'd get would mean a lot on the fact would I get the permission to stay or not. "What is your name, child?"
"Trifika, sir." I replied, and mentioned him about Firestar, but she was apparently same as me to them.
"And you'd like to join the tribe?" Munkustrap joined into the conversation. I didn't even think before answering yes, even though I wasn't even sure what was so special about being a jellicle.
Munkustrap cleared his throat. I wished he wasn't against it, I was really getting to like the junkyard, not to mention the cats in it. "If you don't mind, we have to know something about your past..."
I shot him a questioning look (and as a matter of fact, I was horrid). I didn't have any mentionable past.
"We're trying to avoid Macavity's agents or possible family." He told. My heart stopped beating for a moment. And yet I thought telling that was sort of idiotic. I mean, if we really had been two criminals who are trying to infiltrate into the tribe, why on earth would we had told him that?
Well I wasn't a criminal or anything, but my dad (the real one) is something like a big name throughout the dark half of cats. And I knew that if you find him somewhere, it's Macavity's lair.
"I..um... My family, not counting my dad, was killed when I was real small, and I somehow managed alive in the streets." I mumbled sounding really stupid. The whole thing was turning out to be a li'l confusing to me, and Munkustrap's glaring eyes didn't make me feel any better.
"Where, may I ask, is your father?" Old Deuteronomy asked, not curiously or anything, but I knew I'd have to tell him. I didn't want to!
I bit my lip a helpless look at Chai, who was like she didn't notice. Then, taking a deep breath, I replied, "Well... um, I think he has been sort of part of Macavity's gang for a few years now..."
There was a total silence in the Vicarage wall. That's it, I thought, I'm flying. I wasn't really right. Both of the leader-type cats looked at me for a while, then gave a slow nod. Deuteronomy whispered something to Munkustrap, who nodded again.
"Fine. You may stay, as long as you stay out of trouble." Munkustrap stated, apparently relaxing and smiled at us. A week? No problem... but Firestar... Well, she seemed to have same qualities with another trouble-making cat... always has an alibi or one or two to spare...
When we finally got to leave back junkyard, I was tired and confused and happy and there was only one thing in my mind: We're gonna be Jellicles!
To be continued...