The Thought That Counts: Part One

"Mungojerrie! I've been looking all over for you!" cried a voice from behind the tabby cat. The orange cat did not turn his head to see who the voice belonged to, however, because he was too deep in thought to notice it. He did notice it, however, when a small brown kitten jumped suddenly on his back.

"Argh!" he cried, rather unhappy about being suddenly drawn out of his thoughts. He wheeled around suddenly to see Electra, looking about as disgruntled as he felt, which was very.

"Sorry," she murmured sheepishly.

"Wot is it?" Mungojerrie cried angrily. "Oi'm busy."

"You don't look busy."

"Looks ca' be deceivin', love."

Electra sighed. "Whatever. I need to talk to you."

"Go on wit' it, then."

"Well, you know, Rumpelteazer's birthday is coming up soon," said Electra, "and I was wondering if you knew what she might like for a present…?"

"Electra, if Oi knew wha' she wanted, Oi wouldn't be sittin' here starin' inta space, would Oi?" growled Mungojerrie.

"I don't know, would you?" asked Electra.

"No! Oi'd be out gettin' it! But since Oi don' know, Oi'm sittin' here, and since Oi'm sittin' 'ere, it means Oi'm not gonna be much help to ya, am Oi?"

Electra blinked. "Um… right… anyways, I was going to give her an autographed picture of Rum Tum Tugger, but Etcetera got his autograph first. Then I thought maybe I could get her a new collar, but I don't have any money and she gets a new one every other day anyways. Then I thought maybe I could make her something, but I'm not very crafty, and Jemima was too busy to help-"

"Electra, would 'oo shut up?" said Mungojerrie. "Oi'm tryin' ta think."

"Oh," said Electra. "Maybe I can help!"

"How are 'oo gonna help when 'oo don' know wha' ta get 'er either, eh?" asked Mungojerrie.

"Well," began Electra, "I've run out of ideas for a present from me. But I have plenty ideas if it's a present from you." She winked.

Mungojerrie rolled his eyes. "Now, don' get any ideas, Electra. Teaza' and Oi are jus' friends."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Electra with a wave of her hand. "You're friends now. But perhaps maybe one of you wants things to be a little more…" she racked her brain for the right word, "serious."

"If you're sayin' Teaza' has a crush on me, it's not true," said Mungojerrie. "She'd 'ave told me."

"I'm not talking about Rumpelteazer!" cried Electra, exasperated. "I'm talking about you!"

"Me?" said Mungojerrie. "Wha' 'bout me?"

Electra rolled her eyes. "You like Rumpelteazer!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

Electra sighed and rolled her eyes. "This could go on for a very long time," she said slowly. "Unless you want to admit that you like Rumpelteazer…"

"Oi… do not… like 'er!" said Mungojerrie, his temper rising.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too, do too, do too!"

"ARGH! Fine!" exclaimed Mungojerrie. "So maybe Oi like 'er a little…"

"I KNEW IT!" cried Electra loudly. "This is great! Now you can give her an incredibly romantic birthday present!"

"An' wha' do 'oo know 'bout romantic birthday presents?" asked Mungojerrie.

Electra stopped grinning and gave Mungojerrie the Evil Eye™. "If you must know, a very special someone gave me a very romantic dinner and a lovely gift on my last birthday. I can tell you exactly what will make Rumpelteazer swoon."

Mungojerrie blinked. "Firs' of all, Oi'm not sure Oi wan' Teaza' to swoon, whatever that is. An' secon' of all… 'oo would your special someone be, Electra?"

Electra blushed. "I don't have to tell you."

"Yes you do!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"I told 'oo," said Mungojerrie with a smirk.

"Argh, fine, I'll tell you, alright?" said Electra, rolling her eyes. She glanced around to see if anyone was listening, and then lowered her voice significantly. "It's… Mistoffelees."

"MISTOFFELEES?" cried Mungojerrie.

"Yes?" said a voice from behind the tabby cat. Mungojerrie turned to see the tribe magician standing there, looking confused.

"Misto!" cried Electra, jumping up and running towards the tuxedo. "Mungojerrie and I were just talking about Rumpelteazer's birthday. Make a long story short, he likes her, she probably likes him, he knows you like me and I like you, he wants to tell her he likes her through a romantic birthday present like you gave me. Savvy?"

Mistoffelees blinked. "Johnny Depp?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Can Oi intercrop?" asked Mungojerrie.

"Why sure, I don't see why not, if you have the right plants and you have a large enough field-" said Electra, but was interrupted by a black paw over her mouth.

"You mean interrupt?" offered Mistoffelees helpfully.

"Yeah, that," said Mungojerrie. "Now, it's not like 'huhs' and 'whots' aren't fine an' dandy, but can we pleas' get back to tha problem? What am Oi gonna do 'bout Teaza's present?"

Electra sighed. "Just take her out to a nice, romantic restaurant."

"Tip the waiter so you don't get a table in a section that's too crowded," said Mistoffelees.

Electra smiled at him. "Buy her whatever she wants…"

"Gaze lovingly into her eyes…"

"And after the meal is over…"

"When you're alone, outside…"

"With the moon smiling down on you…"

"And the stars twinkling overhead…"

"Give her a kiss…"

"And tell her you love her. Very, very much."

With that, Mistoffelees leaned over and gave his mate a small kiss. When he pulled away Electra was blushing heavily, but also smiling. A lot. A real lot. Mungo thought she looked like the Cheshire Cat with whitening strips.

"So, do 'oo mean, if Oi do all of that, Teaza' will be as lovey-dovey for me as 'lectra is for 'oo, Misto?" asked Mungojerrie incredulously.

Mistoffelees nodded and smiled.

"Alright," said Mungojerrie, a small smile growing on his face as well. "Tell me wot to do again…?"

*~*

Author's Notes: Hey, I was bored. Forgive me.

Part Two up soon!

--jemi gr 22-july-2003