RubyFire stood and glanced at her mother's spell book. She wasn't supposed to use it but it made no difference. Her fur glistened and her eyes gleamed madly in the moonlight. She growled and then smiled at the cauldron before her. "Perfect…" The pot boiled full of water. The tall Queen spit in the cauldron and the water turned a blue hue and gave off a weird yet pleasant smell.
Jemima stood right behind Ruby. She couldn't wait to see how this spell would turn out. It sounded like so much fun! "Ooooohh! When's it going to be done?" she asked then began bouncing around.
"Jemima! Be quite! You'll make me mess up." But, then again, I'll mess up anyway. She thought silently. Her thoughts began to go back to the events from earlier of the day.
"No! Who cares any more? Not me. You giggle and run. That's all you can do!"
"Oh be quite! At least I CAN do magic. Unlike you".
"Oh, so that makes you so super?" The black and white Tom yelled.
"More than you, dumb nut!" Ruby yelled. Quaxo and her had been in many fights lately. Quaxo said that she was foolish for not learning about magic from his brother, Mistoffelees. Ruby's witch powers had been going hay-wire and after catching Alonzo on fire, turning all the mice into plastic bags, and then attracting dogs to the Junkyard all by accident, Quaxo had had enough.
"Go to my wonderful brother. I won't miss you. I'll be glad. One less Queen out of my fur".
"One? You have no other Queen. I never was your Queen anyway."
"Oh yeah? What about … ah. Um Victoria! She dumped Mistoffelees and she's drools all for me." He hissed. Then, Quaxo reached out and scratched Ruby's face. She sat in horror for a moment, staring at the blood on the floor before running away.
The Misto-twin began to chase her and say he was sorry but decided against it. Who needed a little witch cat who couldn't do right magic? Quaxo sighed and walked off toward Victoria's place.
"Ruby? Ruby? It changed colors! Was it suppose to do that?" Jemima tugged on Ruby's ears and pulled her out of her thoughts. The cauldron contents, once a dark blue, now were a sea-blue-green.
"Um.. Yeah. It's still kind of blue. I guess that counts." The black and white patched cat began stirring the strange water with the big spoon that Bustopher Jones had used. She pulled it out and let the water settle. "Ready Jemmy?"
"Ready and rearing to go!"
"Ok, here goes everything." RubyFire took a spoonful of the strange cauldron stuff and felt the magic fill her up. "Hmmm.. taste good." She turned to Jemima and raised her paws. They seemed to glow softly. "Oh dear…." That wasn't supposed to happen! Lightning was to appear, but it was close enough. Power built up in her paws and it supposed to be aching pain according to the book but this was soft and nice. This was all wrong!
"Jemima, once and twice." She began chanting, hoping it'd work.
"Jemima, thrice and once again,
Our youngest warm with no soul ice,
Show her own beauty,
Her true face and I take the price!"
Colors flashed and swirled around Jemima and Ruby. It seemed to form a small tornado and ruffled their fur and a wind wanted to pull them off the ground. Then it seemed to just die out.
"Oh pooh! It didn't work. I look exactly the same." The little kitten whined.
Ruby blinked and looked around. Something happened, her magic felt it. "Oh.. my god!!!! They are going to kill me!" The old Ford in the back of the Junkyard was now in full contact but it was no longer a dull chipped brown paint but tie-dye and the windows were covered in beaded curtains. Jemima began crying and Ruby threw an illusions to make her look like a red and white kittenish Bombalurina. She stopped crying and which was good because otherwise more than two cats would have come to her cries.
"Ruby! What did you do now?" Tumble demanded. His pal. Pouncival, eyed her more suspiciously than Tumble.
"I didn't do anything. She just.. fell down and she cried for a bit. See she stopped now." Jemima was so happy about her new looks and fortunately it was too dark for Tumble and Pounce to notice how the kitten looked different.
Ruby excused herself to go home, noticing that the cauldron and contents had disappeared. She dashed to her cardboard box and curled up in the corner in a pile of dirty blankets. Her mind went over the problems and considered each one. Jemima would some-how discover that her looks were just an illusions, Tumble and Pounce would probably tell Old Deuteronomy about what they saw and the car… some one was bound to notice that. It was ineffable.
"Brrrthrp!" A small ring-tail lemur gave his classic 'I'm home now" call before hopping in and curled next to Ruby. She felt glad that at least someone didn't care about what she did.
*******************^*****
Munkustrap awoke to hear Demeter screaming. "The car! Our home. What happened?" She was panicking and running around for a good 10 minutes before Munku saw the old Ford.
"Holy Jumping' Jellicles! It's.. it's..-"
"It's changed!" Demeter found that she could run really fast is she begun yelling and screaming a lot. Which was kind of funny to see, except this was not the time to laugh at it.
Many other cats were crowded around the car and couldn't figure what happened over-night. But some kittens, like Electra and Etcetra, found it just really neat. They started to play with the bead-strings until Jenny told them to stop.
RubyFire then walked onto the scene. She lanced at all the hyper cats and then tried to slink away. Sadly, the great Rumpus cat did see her. He poked Alonzo and pointed to ruby and Alonzo understood him.
"Ruby, do you know anything about this? I heard you where out and around here last night."
She froze and looked for away to run or hoped that no one else would notice. Too bad. Everyone's eyes bore onto her. "Well… ah… um… er. I .. can.. I-"
"You did something didn't you?" Quaxo turned away from his new mate, Victoria, long enough to say something. "Your magic never works!" He hissed and then Victoria joined in the jeering.
"Well than you little-" She went back at them with some 1 syllable, 4 and 5 letter words that I shouldn't type. Anyway, meanwhile, the entire Jellicle tribe closed around her and soon she was surrounded. "Oh dear".
"You should watch your mouth, young lady" Jenny held up a bar of soap threateningly.
Ruby knew she was in big trouble now. 'OK! I'll fix it then! Sheesh." She pointed a paw at the car and thought for a minute, trying to remember the undo spell. She whispered something inaudible to everyone else and the car began to glow. It glowed brighter and brighter and then became blinding. Finally it died and Ruby realized she did something she wasn't supposed to.
"Oh boy. I used the spreading spell!!"
Each Jellicle was now sitting crossed legged and humming. Ruby dropped to the ground. Misto was sitting near-by and opened his eyes momentarily. "Cool it, babe. We're just mediating."
She looked at him and nodded shocked and then looked at him again. He was now dressed in human-like jeans and a big baggy shirt. Ruby looked at the circle of mediating Jellicles. Jemima's fur was now pink, yellow and green in tie dye colors; Etcetra was decked in love-beads; and (the worst!) Munkustrap's head fur was now shoulder length, his ears full of pins for earrings and he too was dressed in jeans and a multi-colored shirt. From somewhere off, faint 60's music played.
"What.. what the…? What's going on?"
Misto piped up again. "We're just sending out vibes to the world, babe. We send out the peace, man, and try and get humans and all other living creature sunder the sun to understand. Make love, not war."
Ruby made a weird and disgusted face at the last comment? "Ewie.. Well I'll go for the vibes part though." She sat down next to the Tom and before long, humans, Pollicles, birds, and all other animals joined in the peaceful vibes. Older people got out all their hippie clothes and lent some to their children. soon, all of England was a revised 60's country and soon, the entire world!
But of course, with the Doves, came the Hawks…..
Victoria and Cassandra, along with a handful of Toms, stood on the out-skirts of the Junkyard. The white cat whispered "Sargent. this Captain Queen. Move! move! move! Now! Raid!" All of the cats near her were covered in camouflaged outfits and helmets and carrying water gun. They raided the 'yard and yelled and shouted. All the peaceful kitties and creatures screamed and tried to run but many were covered in water. In the fleeing many were trampled and seriously hurt.
Then in admits of running rampage, Munkustrap sat still and began yelling "Heck no, we won't go!" After awhile the crowd came back and joined in the chanting. The war cats the left after a big hustle and bustle. But that was the was beginning of a conflict…
Jemima rubbed in purple dye into her tail and admired at the pretty colors. This was wonderful1 Peace was all over. She ran her paws through her pink striped head-fur. This was what it meant to live, be at one with all of the creatures under the sun. She giggled and ran off.
All of a sudden, among the entire mess, some unusual Tom appeared. he was dressed in a tuxedo like Misto's fur except it was.. different and blue. He also wore boots. "Jemima, yeah, baby, yeah!! It's me, 'Lonzo Powers!" Alonzo threw his arms around the little Queen and kissed her. "Yeah, you know I put the 'eow' in meow!"
Everyone danced and cheered. Munku stood and announced that tonight everyone would spend the night under the moon. "Hey, the sun and El Luna are sisters, man." Everyone screamed and yelled. Misto conjured up some color lights and some rally groovy music. Everyone danced and soon, Pollicles where dancing with Pekes, humans with the really big birds (??) and Jellicles with anyone with out a partner. Ruby and Misto danced together and everyone grooved all night.
Once dawn, everyone just lazed about and cooled down and meditated for hours. Most weren't hungry, but those who were wondered out of the Junkyard. But way after dusk, they still weren't back. No one seemed o notice, they just assumed they might have traveled to g and find their inner selves. But that wasn't the case.
Misto stared at the sunset. 'Hey babe, isn't it beautiful?" Ruby nodded and sighed happily. No more wars between the Jellicles and Strays, everyone was just cool and calm, which was the way she liked it. Everything was great.
A sudden loud roar came from nearby the entrance of yard. Jemima and Alonzo laughed loudly and gunned their small car again and sped off toward the horizon and the new-Alonzo shouted, "And the hero rides of into the sunset, yeah baby, yeah!"
And so on for weeks and months. The Hawks including Vic and Cass's war raiders attacked a few times but no one was killed. The Junkyard went underhand BIG changes. Lava lamps were placed everywhere, with some candles and groovy incense. Tantomile and Coripat became controllers and masters of those.
Everyday, the peaceful group would stare t the sky and landscape for hours. Also.. ah.. some kitties began to take the "Make love not war" phase seriously. ( and to defend my charter, Ruby was not one of them.) After a few months new groups of kittens were popping up everywhere.
Then one day, Munkustrap let his own meditation go too far. In his mind, (what bits of it) he began to consider the answers to universal questions. Such as, what was the purpose of life? Why is everyone so great in their difference and some not accepting it? Why do they live like this? How did they come to this? He paused and began deeper consideration of the last question. He let his mind's gears turn, probably for one the first times. The leader cat had blocked out most of his past and darker life, like many other Hippie-turned creatures. The last thing he remembered was the big groovy-car and then a flash of lightning and they were here.
He quickly stood and felt his curiosity dragging him to the only 2 who could make lightning. He stalked up to the big car and looked in to see Ruby and Misto curled up together, gazing lovingly into each others eyes. It was either one of them. The only other magic cats were Tanto and Cori but they wouldn't; correction; couldn't make lighting. Plus it'd take some unusual energy and magic to get the entire world into this phase.
Ruby sighed and laid her head against Misto's chest. He kissed her head and both looked at the lightening sky of dawn. Their thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Munku's voice. "Do either of you know who got us here?" Ruby jumped up startled. 'Uh-oh.. I'm in trouble…"
Munku and Misto must have read the look on Ruby's face because the next instant, they said it in unison, "What in the world did you do?"
She didn't answer because she jumped out of the window of the car and ran. Misto and Munku chased after her. She hoped over people who were lying on the ground, leaped over pieces of junk, and stepped over incense holders. ("Sorry mom! I won't run through here next time!") But unfortunately, Ruby had taken up wearing human style clothes like long leather skirts and she get tangled up and stumbled. The 2 Toms had no problem son catching up to her.
Misto grabbed her shoulder. "What the heck did you do?" he demanded.
"Oh.. ah.. I didn't do anything!"
"Oh great. Come on! You're a horrible liar."
"And you're are too honest about that."
Munku shot this 'no-smart-mouthing' look. "Babe, I hate to do this but you'll have to leave if you don't speak the truth." Ruby looked bewildered. She tried to make everyone happy and everyone was, and now they were threatening her? God! That was quite unnecessary.
"Why should I not speak it?"
"Because everyone has to know the truth and the answers along with their questions."
Ruby frowned. Good answer right there. "Ok, Ok. I'll say it." She proceeded to tell them everything that happened, omitting Quaxo dumping her. "So really it was all an accident. It wasn't like I meant to or anything. But-"
"Misto, hand me her straight jacket." the tabby leader ordered. He then pushed Ruby on the ground and tied her into the old straight jacket, despite her screaming. "Trust me, with your wild magic, you'll hurt some one."
"Now how to do plan o us back?" Misto looked at Munku for a minute then yelled. "Ooh no you don't! I'm not changing all of this!"
"Ooh yes you will! Now, find some way to do so." Munkustrap ordered and tried to pin a squirming Queen down. He watched Mistoffelees run off and picked Ruby back up. "As for you, you'll stay in the car until I let you out."
Mistoffelees ran down the bridge and stopped at the edge. He peered into the water below and looked at his reflection. Now what? He'd better find away to fix all of this or… or something bad was going to happen. Probably Munkustrap would banish him. The black and white Tom stopped for a moment. Why was Munkustrap being so... edgy lately?
His thoughts began to wonder but (not like lately) they stayed on the same basic thought or revolved around it. Then it dawned apon him. But he needed to se something else first. Mistoffelees made a mad dash back to the car but before he got anywhere near the place, 2 Queens intercepted him.
"Going somewhere, free-guy?"
Misto looked at his captors. A sleek Siamese and a shiny white cat. "Oh great. Vic and Cass.
Ruby waited until Munku left before sitting still to think. She hadn't used this trick in a long time and it hurt to do so. She bit her lip and after a time, she got one paw out of the sleeve. Ruby braced herself as the fabric pulled tight against her paw but a moment later, Munku looked into the front seat only to see a shredder white coat with out it's owner. "She's gone!"
"Good work, Smarty! You've just graduated form the insane cat's school for basic knowledge. Bye bye!" the tall Queen leaped off the roof and disappeared before the hippie-Munku could even move.
RubyFire practically flew through the yard before she stopped at a near-by quickie-mart. "Hey! Can I have 2 bottles of pop? And er, I don't have any money."
To her surprise, Macvity was at the counter. 'Hey. I remember you. Ah, well get your stuff and leave. WWF wrestling's on." He handed her two bottles of Mountain dew and turned back to his tiny TV on the counter beside the cigarette lighters.
"No. I will not speak to evil, murders who have harmed my sisters and brothers." Misto didn't even open his eyes as Cassandra walked in. "I said it before. Make love not war. But I'm not doing the former right now."
Cassandra sighed. Then Victoria walked in. "Well my darling. We meet again. But for old times sake, please just give me a kiss and…. Talk about anything you want." She tickled Misto's nose with her fluffy tail and gave him a deadly, seducing look. "Please?" She drew nearer and started to press her mouth against his.
"Oho no you don't.!" He hoped up and pushed Vic over. "No babe. I meant as in the make love part as in w get along. Not the nasty phase it suggests." (Author could not help her own sick humor right there.)
Victoria showed her pleading blue eyes. "But Mistoffelees, darling. I thought you loved me." She let fake tears welled up and began crying. Misto winced. The crying bit was not something to be ignored.
Just then the Calvary arrived. "All righty you nasty, mean, big-word-non-users, I have arrived. And in the name of the Jupiter moon, I punish you!" Misto put his head in his hands. This was not going to an usual rescue. Not with Ruby anyway.
"What the heck? Get out here you freak!" Cassandra leaped for the insane female but she just hoped out of the way, and kept bouncing! She was practically on springs. She bounced from place to another. Ruby was still wearing the skirt and it flew up some-what and Misto just couldn't help but-
"Mistoffelees! If you ever do that again, you'll be not a happy camper!" He stopped after that threat. (More of the author's sick humor.)
RubyFire the took one of the two bottles of pop and pointed it at Cassandra. "Ready, aim, FIRE!!!" She twisted the cap off and a thick heavy stream of cola sent the evil Siamese stumbling into a wall and knocked her out. "You're next, white-out-kitty!"
Victoria grabbed Misto and put a piece of sharp glass at his throat. "One move and you're boyfriend gets it. And I mean it." Ruby lowered the bottle of pop and her insane mind went through every option. She would do crazier things when her life lone was in danger because with insanity usually comes with an amount of suicidalness,. But this time some one else fate hung in balance, so she couldn't risk it. "Vic, slowly step away from the Tom and put your paws up."
"Never. Now, I'm taking this little boy to the airport and I'm going to buy tickets to Canada."
Vic was so focused on Ruby that she never saw that Mistoffelees grab a steel rod from near by. And she didn't notice this until Misto smacked her on the head with it and rendered her unconscious. "All to easy." He glanced at Ruby. "Well I didn't want to play the helpless guy and let you take all the glory as a weirdo heroine."
"That's understandable." Ruby took his paws and smiled.
2 months later,
The junkyard was he still same old hippie place; save the costumes were put away and all Pollicles and humans left for their old lives. Mainly because all the incense smoke was circling around their heads too much.
Quaxo tried to get Ruby to be his Queen again but she was pretty happy having a subtle relationship with Misto. But she was quick to forgive and they were friends and all. As for Victoria, she ran away to Canada with Cassandra and took a trip through mountains and never seen again. Ruby wonders sometimes if Misto's magic had a paw in this.
And for the rest, I'll say this much for the ending. Jellyorum is still trying to scrub all that dye out of Jemima's fur.
