I SAID TO MYSELF: DON'T START ANOTHER FIC WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY OTHERS TO COMPLEEEEEETE. DANG IT.
NOW LOOK AT WHAT I'VE DONE.
That aside, please may this fic get more reviews than my more recent ones (like my Garfield one. Jeez that thing's review box is gathering dust already.)
Theme song for this fic is 'Once Upon a Time in New York City.'
I'm listening to it as I type the author's note. Suits my OC.
Jazz appears in the first chapter, but not TC and his gang unfortunetly. They'll appear soon, don't worry!
PLEASE REVIEW. PLEASE!
Chapter 1: Double O' Yellow.
The darkened streets of New York never ceased in their sound. Even on the quietest of nights the rumbling of the subway could synchronize itself with one breathing, the small echo of far-away traffic present even in the most isolated of alleyways. The clouded sky was dark and grim, and the vague smell of petrol drifted lethargically through the air much like the Drunk that lived under the Brooklyn Bridge that the certain feline kept hearing about.
The Pool room was dimly lit and noisy this fair New York Night, the were blinds down and the stakes were high. The feline in question tapped the end of his cue, flicking at a stubborn splinter as he awaited his turn. He was a real natural at the game if he did say so himself (and he would do so, mind you.) So it really made no difference at all if the stick was a little shabby.
Jazz adjusted the neck of his coat and watched with a lazy and calm gaze as his opponent attempted to strike the ball. The audience (being his trusty friend Bo and some others) gave a sympathetic titter. The laid-back cat chuckled a little, leaning on the table quiet comfortably as his opponent blinked obviously.
"Not the best shot there, my friend. Let ole' Jazz show ya how its done." With that the light-pelted cat straightened up and positioned his cue with expert care. He eyed the little white ball settled nicely in the center of the table.
"Alright, baby, here we go!" He announced, but just as the cue slipped between his hands for the hit a loud noise interrupted the cat's concentration along with every occupant's in the room, and the cue skidded past the ball and hit the end of the table. Jazz fell forward a few inches and hit his chest off the side, effectively knocking the air out of his lungs as the other cats present in the room turned their attention to the door.
Jazz didn't know whether to be happy for the noise or not. As he straightened up and frowned a little he wondered if it was because he missed a pretty good shot or it had distracted everyone from seeing said missed shot. He glanced over at Bo who (with some others) had rushed over to the propped-open door to see what was going on. Jazz blinked a little upon hearing a few yells fly into the air outside, and he moved forward with curiosity lining up his usually half- lidded eyes.
The caterwauling outside grew louder as Jazz joined his little red-furred friend by the door. He looked down at his pal as he came.
"Say there, Bo, what's-"
His well-toned voice stopped short when he saw what was happening. "Holy Cue on the Wall..."
Outside stood one of the largest and most dangerous (by brute strength standards) cats in the city, and though Jazz wasn't what you would call a local, he knew that this formidable feline went by the name of 'Jock-Jock' for reasons unknown. The tallish cat knew better than to ask.
What was more surprising than the giant cat's name was the small figures that surrounded him, and on closer Inspection Jazz saw that they looked a little like...
"'Are those Kittens?" He asked aloud, his eyes widening even more. Bo nodded quickly below.
"Looks like it, A.T." He replied in his groveling voice with equal surprise. "And it looks like they made ole' Jock there mad!"
Indeed they had. Some of the raggedly-dressed kittens had attached themselves to the larger cat's legs while the others jumped around him and hissed. Jazz noticed that dangling from Jock-Jock's fist like a spider from a shredded web was the smallest kitten of them all. He rose a brow as he slowly figured out what was going on.
They were trying to get their little pal out of trouble. Judging by the ragged appearance of the little gang, they must have tried a thieving trick that had gone sour like a milk on a hot day.
"Bo my man, I might need ta make an appearance in this little frenzy. Tell the boys tat he table I'll be back in a jiff." Jazz, ignoring his friend's dropping jaw, sauntered quiet calmly over to the fray and stood a few steps back. The kittens hovering a little away from Jock-Jock scowled up at him in distrust, hissing slightly as they hopped out of the way. Jazz shrugged.
"Charmin' little tykes, ain't ya?"
Ignoring the deepened scowls, he stood a little near Jock-Jock now, and coughed loudly to get the giant's attention. The bright orange cat turned around and growled at him, the smallest kitten flopping in his grasp. The large cat had caught a hold of the kitten's clothing (a blight blue jumper that had seen better days) and the dark blue hat the youngster was wearing hid his face. Yet, he could tell that the kitten was frightened though he made no sound.
"Don't mean ta intrude my friend," Jazz told him as he placed his hands in his pockets, "But me an' the boys was wondering what the ruckus was."
"Ruckus?" The large cat snarled, leering over the lanky feline before him with fury, "The 'ruckus' here is these little brats try'n ta steal my stuff!"
The smaller cat kept his cool, allowing his usual lazy smile to form in its comfortably position as she leaned back. It wouldn't do to lose his cool right now unless he wanted to add a few 0's to his dental bills.
Jazz glanced at the kitten gang, who had retreated a few steps. Two of them (one grey and one of a blueish colour) were still holding onto his leg. The slender cat shrugged.
"Well, did they get anything?" He asked off-handedly. Jock-Jock growled in response.
"Nope. I got'em before he could blink."
"Then they'res nothin' more ta cause trouble about. Kids'll nick anything that ain't tied down and ya best get used to it. Just send 'um on their way and they won't do it again." Jazz looked over at the kittens and smiled in response to their now bemused stares. "Right kids?"
"Yes, Sir!" they chorused. Jazz nodded towards them as he looked back up at Jock-Jock.
"Ya heard him, chum. They won't trouble you again."
There was a pause. Jazz moved his gaze at last to glance at the kitten dangling dejectedly from the giant's fist, and beneath the over-sized cap he saw a fearful and confused green eye watching him. Then, Jock-Jock rolled his eyes and dropped the small form, turning to storm back down the street.
"See it don't, skinny. I hate kids..."
The kittens who had been holding onto his leg jumped away and darted back to their group, taking their time to waggle their tongues. Jazz laughed a little at that.
"Alright you little tykes, why don't ya run along?"
Without so much as a thank-you, they departed. Jazz could've sworn that they'd just turned into dust bunnies the moment the words were out of his mouth, save for the grey and blue one that had been biting Jock-Jock's leg. The held back a little.
"Toby!" The grey one called back, "Come on!"
Toby? what...
Jazz turned his head and found that the smallest kitten, ironically the cause of the whole event, was sitting on the floor and trying to untangle himself from his own scarf. Jazz smiled a little and moved towards him.
"Hey there, tyke. You alright?"
The kitten jumped and skidded back from him a little, an action that made him frown. As the little guy stumbled to his feet, Jazz noticed that the small kitten's fur differed from the colours of the others. He sported bright yellow fur, of which reminded Jazz of a certain blowhard with a preference of the colour purple. He frowned a little.
The small kitten managed to push his large blue hat up from his eyes, and once again Jazz was met with the wide, green pair of eyes from before. The boy shivered at the form that had appeared.
Jazz noted this and held up his paws. "Whoa there, lil' buster, I won't hurt ya."
The kitten's ears flattened back and he looked to the floor, twiddling his thumbs. He said nothing. Jazz cocked his head to the side.
"Uh...ya alright there, buster?"
"..."
"Your parents 'round?"
"..."
"Don't say much, hm?" Jazz shoved his paws into his pockets and sighed. "Well, I'll be going now. Keep outa trouble, lil guy." he flashed a friendly smile toward the uneasy youngster. "Meaning try not ta get caught, huh?"
The yellow kitten blinked at him before smiling brightly. Then, he trotted forward and tugged on Jazz's coat just as the older cat began moving away. Jazz halted and looked down at him in surprise, but happy that the little guy seemed grateful unlike his little pals.
"Hey there, Buster."
"..." The kitten smiled and reached into his tattered pocket, bringing out a shiny penny and waving it up at Jazz. the older cat took it with a warm smile in return. Sure he knew it was near worthless, but it was heartwarming. Guess this little tyke was different that his ragged friends.
"Aw, thanks there, buster." He pat the kitten on his over sized hat. Toby, as his name seemed to have been, smiled in response and bobbed his head up and down.
"Toby!"
Said kitten jumped upon hearing a new voice enter the air, and both cats turned to see another small figure leaning around the corner. Since it was pretty dark and the corner.
Either way, the other kittens had darted around the corner upon his arrival, and lots of them were gathered behind him. Leader maybe?
Though was quiet far, Jazz couldn't make out what the other kitten looked like, only that he, too, was yellow in colour and was dressed in black. Jazz vaguely wondered if they were related, and he had a feeling that the other kitten was glaring for some reason.
Toby stared intently at the other kitten and, casting Jazz one last smile, darted off down the street and out of sight.
As Jazz gave a small wave, he glanced down at the penny in hand. His trusty friend Bo trotted up to his side, head tilted to the side.
"Funny lil' guy there, Huh, Jazz?"
"Doesn't say much." Jazz agreed before pocketing the penny. "But a good kid. Betta than that TC fella. Now, we gotta pool game ta finish..."
As Jazz and Bo left to the street, the yellow kitten known as Toby glanced back around the corner, his paw resting against the damp brickwork. His ears were raised as if listening intently, and upon hearing the last words concerning himself, he tilted his head curiously but beamed all the same. Then, he disappeared around the corner again.
Please tell me I kept Jazz in character.
PLEASE REVIEW.