* * *
Mistoffelees trudged out of the pipe. He was furious at himself for being careless enough not to warn everyone about what was behind that pipe. He was also furious at Roxnious for involving innocent kittens in this mess.
Munkustrap rushed up to him. “What’s going on?” he demanded. “Etcetera just told me that there’s this crazy, possessed cat in the pipe that was chasing them and you saved them. I don’t know if I should believe that that was one of her wild stories or if it was true.”
Misto hesitated. “It’s true,” he whispered.
Before Munkustrap could say anything, Pouncival came running up to him. “Jenny’s going positively nuts,” he declared. “I think you need to get over there and calm her down.” And with that, he dashed away.
Munkustrap stared at Mistoffelees one last time before running after Pouncival. Misto watched them before walking out of the junkyard.
* * *
Roxnious trotted down the pipe. Those kittens were not supposed to be in here. Didn’t Mistoffelees warn them about him? Obviously not. Otherwise, those cats wouldn’t have come exploring. He growled softly. His Majesty would not be happy when he heard that now everyone in the junkyard knew about them. Mistoffelees would pay for this, someday, and somehow.
Light shone ahead. Roxnious stopped short.
“What happened?” a voice said. Roxnious could see the silhouette of his leader.
“Four Queens found the secret passage,” Roxnious said gruffly. “They were only kittens, but will damage our plan nonetheless.”
“Kittens, you say,” the voice said thoughtfully. “Why would kittens do us harm?”
Roxnious remained silent.
“Kittens have a wild imagination,” his leader said. “The Jellicles may not believe them. Unless there was another Jellicle with them.”
“There was,” Roxnious said flatly.
“Ah. And who?” the voice asked.
“Mistoffelees, Your Highness,” Roxnious said.
“How predictable,” the voice said. “He heard the screams and came to the conclusion that it was you, Roxnious. He remembered about the passage to here.” A claw tapped the hard ground. “The Jellicles will listen to him. He is honored and respected by all of them. You must convince him very, very soon, my shadow.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Roxnious said stiffly before disappearing from the tunnel.
* * *
Mistoffelees ran all the way to the river. He was trying to sort out all the things that have been happening. Roxnious came back, and obviously he wanted Misto to rejoin them. Yes, rejoin. Not something he really wanted to do, but if he remembered Roxnious, he would find a way to force him to come back. Mistoffelees sighed.
“’Ey Misto!” he heard someone call out. “What’re you doin’ out ‘ere?”
“Hey Mungo,” Mistoffelees said.
Mungojerrie sat down by him. “Aren’t ya ‘sposed to be at the junkyard?”
“I came here to do some thinking,” Misto told him. “I just wanted to be alone.”
“You can tell me anythin’, Misto,” Mungo said. “An’ I know when somethin’s bothering you, an’ that would be now.”
Mistoffelees smiled. Mungo was right. “Fine. But you’re in for a long story,” he said.
“No problem,” Mungo said broadly. “I love long stories.”
* * *
“…and that’s how it all happened,” Mistoffelees finished. He looked at Mungojerrie. Mungo was staring at him, his eyes wide.
“Misto, you got serious problems,” Mungojerrie said. “You ‘ave to tell Munkustrap.”
“I know.” Mistoffelees hung his head. “But I don’t know how.”
“Just tell ‘im the ‘ole story,” Mungo said.
Misto looked up. “It’s not that simple,” he said sadly.
“Of course it isn’t!” Mungo said. “Nothing is. But you ‘ave to, whether you like it or not.”
Misto sighed. Of course, Mungojerrie was right. “Fine.” Mistoffelees got up. “I’ll go do it now.”
“Good for you, Misto,” Mungo said encouragingly. He watched as Mistoffelees ran off in the distance. “An’ I said I loved long stories,” he muttered.
* * *
Roxnious watched the junkyard from the old pipe. No one was around. Good. The less, the better. He crept out from the pipe.
“Roxnious!” he heard. He turned, and saw Mistoffelees coming up in front of him.
“Mistoffelees!” Roxnious said, putting on an evil smile. “Glad you could join me.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mistoffelees demanded.
Roxnious laughed. “I was going to get you, but you came to me and saved me a lot of trouble.” “Why do you need me so bad?” Misto said.
“You’re the only one who can save us,” Roxnious said, creeping closer to Misto. His eyes glowed their deep, fiery red. Mistoffelees backed up. “You have to save us.”
“Why should I want to save you?” Misto snarled.
“Because, as you should remember,” Roxnious said, “you were one of us. A shadow cat, like me. Like all the many others that have disappeared over the years. And you must come back.”
“I won’t come,” Mistoffelees said, feeling fear crawling up his throat. “You can’t make me.”
“Yes I can,” Roxnious said. “And this time, you won’t get away.”
Mistoffelees backed up more, hitting some trashcans. They wobbled, then toppled over.
“What was that?” Roxnious heard someone shout. He looked at Mistoffelees, his eyes filled with hatred. Then he turned and ran. But as he ran, he called to Mistoffelees, “You will join. You can’t stop me! Not even your whole tribe can! Beware!”
* * *
Mistoffelees stared at the spot where Roxnious had run off as the other Jellicles ran into the junkyard.
“What happened?” Munkustrap asked.
Mistoffelees didn’t reply.
“Yo!” Pouncival said, waving a paw in front of Misto’s eyes. “Earth to Misto, Earth to Misto. Come in Misto, come in!”
Mistoffelees started. “What?” he said.
“What happened?” Munkustrap repeated patiently.
Misto hesitated. “I think it’s about time I told you the whole story,” he said. He sat down on the tire. All eyes were trained on him.
“Stor-y, stor-y,” Pouncival chanted as he sat down.
“Shut up!” Electra hissed.
Mistoffelees took a deep breath. “When I was a kitten,” he began, “my parents abandoned me at birth. So I wandered the streets, and one day stumbled into Macavity’s old warehouse. There was this cat, Roxnious, who took me to their leader. He told me that I could never leave now. And then he disappeared. So I was left with this cat that they all called, His Majesty. That cat explained what I had to do. He didn’t tell me who he was, and I didn’t want to take the chance of asking. After that, these two mangy alley cats took me to this one room. And then they left. I didn’t see anyone there, so I just sat down and went to sleep. When I woke up, it was pitch black in there. I couldn’t even see my own paws with them a centimeter in front of my face. But I could see something. I saw this pair of glowing red eyes.”
Jemima gasped. She was remembering her nightmare that she had a few days ago.
“Suddenly the lights went one. I couldn’t see anyone, but I saw those eyes in the shadows. The cat that was in the shadows revealed himself as Roxnious. I asked him why he didn’t come into the light, and he said that light destroyed them. Then he took me to another room, and I was told what I had to do. It was strange back then, but now I see the reason. I was to patrol around the entrance to the cave. And one day, I saw a patch of light somewhere down the tunnel. Since I was curious, I went to go find out what it was. And I saw that it was this junkyard. I found out that I was in a pipe.” He gestured to the pipe in the corner. “After I saw all this, I left and went back to my post. But the thought of freedom at the end of the pipe didn’t leave my mind. So one day I decided to leave. I decided to leave in the afternoon, when it was the brightest. As I secretly left and scurried down the pipe, I saw that someone was following me. I turned and saw that it was Roxnious. He was angry, and his eyes were glowing brighter than they ever glowed. He asked me in a barely controlled voice where I was going and what was I doing. I didn’t answer him. I just turned and ran towards the sunlight. Roxnious followed. He scratched me with his claws a few times down my back. But once I got to the end of the pipe, he could follow me no more. Sunlight would kill him, and I had remembered that. But Roxnious shouted a warning, saying that I would never get away from him. I guess that’s why he decided to bother us now. And I think that he took it upon himself that he, no one else, could get me back. But I have no idea what he means when he said that only I could save them from destruction.”
“Wow,” Pouncival whispered.
Mistoffelees looked at Munkustrap. The Jellicle leader was staring at him in shock. Hesitantly, Misto looked around at the other Jellicles. They too, were staring at him in amazement. There was ghostly silence in the junkyard for a minute before Alonzo recovered and asked, “What do we do now?”
Munkustrap snapped into leader mode. “Well, for now, we seal off the pipe,” he said. “No one goes in there under any circumstances.” He looked at Mistoffelees. “No one.”
“I have to take care of this myself,” Misto said. “I have to destroy Roxnious.” He glanced at everyone in the junkyard. “But I need your help. All of your help.”
Munkustrap nodded. “You may leave,” he said to all the Jellicles. They scattered, and went back to doing their own thing. Mistoffelees started to get up, but Munkustrap stopped him. “Mistoffelees,” he said.
“Yes?” Misto asked, sitting back down.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Munkustrap said quietly.
“I thought that Roxnious had forgotten about me, or either died. He hadn’t come to get me for at least 7 years. I didn’t know he was still there,” Misto said. He got back up. Before Munkustrap could say anything else, he disappeared into the night.
* * *
Mistoffelees trotted down the alley. He was feeling miserable. Nothing could cheer him up. Nothing.
“Hey! Misto, wait up!” a voice called after him. There was a sound of garbage flying in every direction. Mistoffelees turned, and saw Victoria hurrying after him. He noticed a banana peel on the ground.
“Wait for me!” she called again, charging forward.
“Hey, Vicky, watch out for that…” he started to say, but Victoria had been running too fast and she slipped on the peel. “Banana peel,” Misto finished.
“Ow,” she remarked, giggling slightly. Mistoffelees reached out a paw to her, and helped Victoria back up.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I think so,” said Victoria. She shook herself off. “But the question is, are you okay?”
“What do you mean?” Mistoffelees demanded.
Victoria looked uncomfortable. “Ah, after your…story…you didn’t look so happy. So I want to know what’s wrong.”
Misto sighed. “Well, what’s wrong is…” He hesitated.
“Go on.”
“Well, if…when…we go into this little war with Roxnious, everyone in the junkyard has only two choices if we lose. Be killed, or join them.”
Victoria stared at him. “Be KILLED? What kind of choice is that?”
“Not a very good one,” Mistoffelees sighed.
Victoria glanced over her shoulder. “I have to go back to the junkyard. If Jenny catches me out here, well, let’s just say that I won’t be able to go anywhere for a few days.” She scurried down the alley. “Bye Misto!” she called over her shoulder.
“Good bye,” Misto said softly.
* * *
Roxnious ran down the pipe, furious at himself. He won’t be happy about this, he thought. Suddenly screaming in outrage, he swung at a rat that was scurrying to get by him. The rat squealed as Roxnious’ unsheathed claw tore through it. Roxnious stood there, panting. Blood ran down his claw and onto his paw. Staring at the dripping blood, he calmed himself down carefully. This is not the time for things like this. Save the rage for Mistoffelees. He slinked towards the main lair to confront his Master.
* * *
Out in the junkyard, Jemima waited for Victoria to come back. But suddenly, she heard a scream coming from the pipe. Curious, she stepped over to it. She looked around before slipping into the darkness of the pipe.
* * *
Roxnious’ leader sighed as he waited for his shadow to come. He knew that someday, sometime, Roxnious would turn on him and kill him. And he knew that that day was soon.
As he thought of all this, a clatter came from the main passage.
“Majesty.” A voice cut through the silence coldly.
“Roxnious,” his leader said coolly. “You have something to say?”
Roxnious stepped closer into the light. “Not yet. But in a minute.”
“Do the Jellicles know of Mistoffelees’ story yet?” he asked.
“By now he has to have told them,” Roxnious replied. “The leader, Munkustrap, would not let this matter go by unnoticed. They are bound to take action, to destroy us. You. Me. Mistoffelees still has refused to join us. It is hopeless! Unless I take charge of this situation, we have no chance of surviving.” As he spoke eagerly, his eyes glowed their blood red brighter and brighter.
After a moments pause, the mysterious leader leaned forward. “Why should I give you command?” he whispered. “You are but my servant. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Roxnious growled, then leapt forward. He soared through the air, claws glittering. The leader rolled away. But not quick enough. Claws slashed, and blood slowly trickled from a wound in his side. Roxnious held a claw by his fallen leader’s throat. “Give me command,” he hissed. “Or die.” The cat stared at Roxnious, not trembling at all. He began to laugh, soft at first, then louder and louder.
“The throne is empty,” he said, sweeping his paw over to the chair. “It is yours to take.”
Roxnious stared at his leader for a moment, before turning and walking out through the passage. The leader, if you could still call him that, looked after Roxnious before getting up and painfully walking into the tunnel that lead out to the river.
* * *
Jemima silently walked down the pipe, giving momentary glances over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her.
“This place is creepy,” she muttered. “I wish Victoria was here. Of course, I don’t think that she’d actually come close to the pipe. Plus she’d tell me I’m crazy to come by the pipe but I’d somehow convince her to come in here and I’m babbling, aren’t I?”
A moan echoed down the tunnel. Jemima jumped. She quickly looked behind herself and then in front of herself. “It’s nothing,” she muttered. “Nothing at all. Not a creepy cat, not some mutant rat that learned how to talk. Maybe it’s Pouncival.”
* * *
Roxnious paced in front of the throne. Then he stopped and faced the guards. “Go,” he said. “Gather the other shadows. It is time.”
* * *
Victoria ran into the junkyard. She found Mungojerrie and Alonzo talking by the car trunk and Demeter, Bombalurina, and Rumpleteazer chatting and laughing in the stove. She ran over to Rumpleteazer.
“Have any of you seen Jemima?” Victoria asked breathlessly.
“Well, so much for a friendly greeting,” Bombalurina commented. “But no, I haven’t seen her.”
“Me neither.”
“Neither ‘ave I.”
Victoria stared at the sky in disappointment. “Thanks for your help,” she said glumly.
* * *
Mistoffelees awoke to find himself shivering, even though it was warm outside. Something has happened, he thought to himself. I don’t know what, but something has been going on. And I don’t think it’s good.
We will get them! We will get them and crush them!
Misto jumped to his feet, panting and looking in every direction possible. “What the heck was that?” he muttered to himself. But deep inside himself, he knew the answer.
Crush them! Kill them!
“Roxnious,” Mistoffelees whispered.
* * *
Jemima silently walked down the tunnel. Something whirled behind her. She whipped around, startled. What she saw behind was worse than her worst nightmare. She screamed.
* * *
Victoria snapped her head up. A scream echoed down the pipe. “Uh oh,” she whispered.
“What was that?” Victoria jumped. She hadn’t even heard Alonzo and Mungojerrie come up behind her.
“I…I don’t know,” Victoria admitted, a chill running down her spine.
“Help! Someone HELP!” came a faint cry from the pipe.
“It’s Jemima!” Victoria exclaimed.
Mungojerrie started running towards the pipe. “Go get help!” he shouted to Victoria. Alonzo took off after Mungojerrie. Victoria stood in her place, frozen with shock. Mungo noticed that she hadn’t moved. “Go get help!” he shouted again. “What are you waitin’ for? A piece o’ paper tied up in ribbon? Go!”
Finally shaken out of her daze, Victoria sprinted out of the junkyard in the direction of Mistoffelees’ home. Please be safe Jemima, she thought. Be safe.
* * *
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