Monday had been average enough for Bombalurina - perhaps above average, even, as she had noticed Tugger casually eyeing her as she danced in the Junkyard clearing to a small audience of Jellicles. No, Monday had been just fine, and she had gone to bed that evening with a usual phase of feline calm, while her sleep was relaxed with an array of nonsensical dreams.
But Tuesday was a completely different story. In fact, the manner in which Bombalurina awoke Tuesday morning would best be described as being on "the wrong side of the bed." She wasn't quite able to put her paw on it as her eyes opened slowly, before squinting under a small beam of light that a makeshift curtain betrayed.
Choosing to dismiss this sensation, she climbed out of her basket with the intention of starting her morning grooming as per usual, and situated herself in front of the propped mirror.
That's when she saw what was wrong. Never before had Bombalurina's fur been in such a state - unkempt, tangled on almost every surface, literally lacklustre and the fluffiest parts (being her tail and a section that framed her face) actually frizzed.
And to her horror, she soon learned that no amount of grooming would make a difference.
Bombalurina knew what this was - she had before seen Demeter suffer from it, something she referred to as a "bad fur-day." Demeter hadn't ever been more than mildly irritated by it, and so Bombalurina's attitude had been passive. But that was before she was aware that such an thing could ever afflict herself, the most attractive Jellicle queen of all!
"Bombalurina!"
Bombalurina nearly jumped out of her abominable fur at the sound of Demeter calling outside her den.
"Bombalurina, are you awake?"
"Er…yes," she answered her friend.
"Well, can I come in?"
"No!" she said hurriedly. "Ah, no."
There was a pause. "Why not?"
"I…I'm sick!"
"Oh no! Are you alright? I'll go get Jennyanydots!"
"No, don't do that!" Bombalurina cried.
"Well, then you at least better let me come in!"
"No, Demeter, don't!" Bombalurina was getting frantic now.
"Oh, honestly Bombalurina," Demeter groaned as she barged in, only to halt abruptly, eyes wide and mouth gaping at the site before her. Bombalurina looked away shamefacedly.
The two were silent for a moment, before Demeter stated ironically, "Sick, huh?"
Bombalurina's eyes trailed back painfully to her reflection in the mirror. "Well…I may as well be."
Demeter looked at her pityingly, and opened her mouth to say something comforting - but then she stopped, as a thought occurred to her. Her lips turned up in a devious smile.
"Well, truly, Bombalurina, it's not as if you look that different at all!"
Bombalurina started at Demeter's snide tone. "Demeter! How can you say that? You know it's not true!"
"Oh? But it was true for me?"
It was with painful realization that Bombalurina remembered several months before, when Demeter had her last Bad-Fur Day, and Bombalurina had said in an off-handed way the very words that Demeter said now.
"I…I didn't think it really bothered you that much…" Bombalurina mumbled.
Demeter sighed bitterly. "No, I suppose you didn't. Come on then."
Bombalurina's ears twitched as she looked up. "Come on where?"
"Jennyanydots might have something to help you."
"What? But…but Demeter, I can't go out there! What if someone sees me?"
"Well, I'm not making Jennyanydots come to you." Her voice chased over her shoulder as she went out the door. "So are you coming or not?"
Bombalurina was more than a little reluctant - but then, what choice did she have?
Bombalurina scurried close after Demeter. She looked about her, and heaved a sigh when no other cat met her vision. Till she heard a, "Everlasting Cat, who is that?"
Bombalurina cringed and turned around to see Plato, whose expression was incredulous. Demeter looked between the two, then that impish smile reappeared. "Why Plato, don't you know? It's Bombalurina!"
Plato rolled his eyes. "Oh that's rich, Dem-" he halted though as his eyes met Bombalurina's, and recognition washed over his face.
"Bombalurina? What happened to you?" You look-"
"Come on, Demeter, let's go!" Bombalurina hissed, marching off with a giggle-stifling Demeter following.
Not nearly soon enough, Jennyanydots' den came into view - and outside of it an astonished and giggling group of young queens, made up of Cassandra, Victoria and Tantomile, all of which attempted to contain the frequency of glances aimed towards Bombalurina. Bombalurina flushed, and looked straight ahead as she marched up to the den entrance.
"Oh, Jenny!" Demeter called too-cheerfully after catching up with Bombalurina. "Bombalurina here is in need of some assistance!"
Bombalurina cringed as a mad chorus of giggles rang behind her. Jennyanydots called out in a loud trill, "Come on in dears!"
When they entered, Jennanydots' back was turned as she tended to something, and as she turned she said, "Now, what can I help you wi-" like every other individual that laid eyes on Bombalurina this awful Tuesday, Jennyanydots ceased her flow of words as her jaw hung open.
"Yes, I know I look awful!" Bombalurina snapped before Jennyanydots could say anything. "But can you please, please help me?"
"Oh! Well, yes, I thin I might just need to…" Jennyanydots trailed off as her expression became thoughtful. She continued to examine Bombalurina in silence, while the red queen was developing a bad feeling about this.
"No," Jennyanydots said suddenly.
"No?" Bombalurina squeaked, perplexed.
"No, I don't have anything that can help you."
"But…but you said," she sputtered.
"And even if I did," the older queen talked over her, "I think you could do without it. Honestly, Bombalurina, you are far too concerned with your appearance, and I think it would do you some good to manage without your looks for one day."
"But…but…" Bombalurina trailed weakly.
Demeter placed a paw on her shoulder. "Come on, Bombalurina," she said softly. "There's nothing for you here." Tail drooping, Bombalurina sadly allowed her friend to lead her outside. But she instantly regretted this upon viewing the scene before her.
The entire Jellicle tribe stood outside Jennyanydots' den, and every single pair of eyes visibly widened, before the mingled exclamations blended loudly with a varying range of laughs, and even one short cry of horror. Clearly word had spread of Bombalurina's disturbing transformation; all the queens gazed with malicious expressions of delight, while the toms' looks of disgust swiftly changed to that of amusement. Demeter, seeing Bombalurina's expression, clearly now regretted the cruelty, and tried to think of something to say, either to berate the crowd or to comfort her friend. Bombalurina herself felt paralyzed in her shock and humiliation, until she saw, standing at the back of the crowd, his tall form and wide mane causing him to stand out, the Rum Tum Tugger, who appeared to not even know how to react to the spectacle before him.
It was his appearance that awoke Bombalurina, and unable to handle being the object of such apparent hilarity, she ran, pushing her way through the crowd, most of which parted in surprise, right past Tugger, and into the depths of a forest of rubbish.
She had found refuge in a rarely sought area just outside the Junkyard, and their she sat on a muddy tire, thinking this dreary place suited to her new image, and let the tears fall while she sobbed noisily. How would anyone ever look at her again, without remembering how she looked on this day?
"Are you alright?"
Bombalurina didn't know who the words belonged to, though the voice was vaguely familiar. She couldn't bear to make eye-contact with whoever it was, though, and she buried her face in her paws. "Just leave me alone! Don't look at me anymore!" she choked.
A large paw gently rested on the back of her neck. "I still think you look wonderful…even if not as great as usual."
"Go away, and stop making fun of me!" She pulled her knees up and hid her face behind them. She could hear the speaker move to crouch in front of her, paws on her legs now.
"Perhaps it's hard to believe, given who you're talking to, but I am in fact not joking."
Bombalurina was silent. Then, "What do you want?"
"To make you happy. I always have. Only, you never needed me before."
Bombalurina risked a peek, lifting her chin just high enough so her eyes were above her knees. A golden and black face looked back at her.
"Tugger!" She jumped, and then quickly hid her face again, as it burned even redder than usual.
"Yes, it's me. Is it finally safe to admit that you mean more to me than any other queen?"
"What are you talking about?" her voice came muffled.
"Well, I know you're the type that likes to play games, but you're being a lot more serious than usual. Seeing as we're both caught off-guard, maybe we can both just…let our guard down?"
She slowly looked back at him, frowning.
"You're repulsed by me."
"Hardly."
"You must be."
"Even I once had a Bad-Fur Day. Or a bad mane-day, to be accurate. I left town for the day and instead hung out with Grizabella."
"What?"
He held up a finger to silence her. "And you cannot tell anyone that! There. Now you know a secret about me that absolutely no one, especially the other queens, knows." He leaned into her. "Can we kiss now?"
"What?" she exclaimed yet again. Tugger pulled back. "Alright, fine, if you really don't want to! I thought you liked me."
"Everyone likes you. "
"Well?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you're not joking?"
He blinked, then in answer he gently grabbed either side of her head and pulled her into a kiss. Bombalurina's eyes were wide and open the whole time, while Tugger's shut clearly displayed an expression of content.
When he pulled away, his eyebrows were raised. "Still think I'm kidding?"
Bombalurina considered before shaking her head in answer. "You…really like me more than the other queens?"
He cocked his head as he smiled. "And you're the first to know."
"I guess…everything will be a bit different now…" she said slowly.
"Because everyone's seen you looking less than perfect?"
"No…because, and correct me if I'm wrong, you'll be giving your affections to only me."
He leaned in till his nose and forehead were pressed against hers. "There's nothing to correct," he said with a small smile. A shiver of delight ran up Bombalurina's neck, and her tail curled around her toes.
"And I propose we make a deal," said Tugger.
She raised an eyebrow. "What sort of a deal?"
"That we'll never again let anyone but each other see one of us on a Bad-Fur Day."
She laughed a little, before saying, "Let's make it a promise."
Tugger blinked.
"Promise?" she prompted him.
He tilted his chin and kissed her again. This time she allowed herself to close her eyes and lean into him. Then Tugger pulled away and looked into her entrancing eyes.
"Promise."