A/N: A just for fun one-shot, probably out of character depending on your pov. This came from me wondering what Macavity's motives were for kidnapping Deuteronomy- other than to throw those two songs in.
I don't own anything.
The small cat let out a groan, his head was pounding and various parts of his body hurt. He didn't dare open his eyes yet, trying to get an idea where he was. He was sitting on something flat and metal. Sniffing, he realized that the room had no natural scents- it was completely disinfected, only the harsh smell of human cleaners and metal.
Nervously, he opened an eye, confirming his suspicions. He was in a basic metal cage that was large enough for a pollicle. He glanced at the bars. Definitely made for a pollicle, he could easily slip out of them if he wanted. The room was for humans. He sniffed, not sure where he was. There was a tall, metal table in the middle of the room and a counter. The fluorescent lights in the ceiling were only adding to his headache.
He groaned again, placing a paw on his head. Think. What happened. His eyes widened- Macavity. Of course. He'd wandered a bit too far alone, it got dark before he could get back to the junkyard or any of the other cats. The last thing he remembered was a net coming over him and something hard hitting his head.
'Why me?" Now this was just pathetic. He knew that Macavity would be after him since he saved Deuteronomy at the ball. There was no 'why me', he'd been waiting for this for months. The conjurer sighed, it seemed his subconscious wouldn't even allow him a few moments of moping.
"Oh good, you're awake," the cat looked up, one of Macavity's henchcats had come in. He tensed up, eyeing the black, spikey cat. It was a tom slightly older than he was, but far larger. Although, some of the jellicle kittens were bigger than he was so that didn't say much. Mistoffelees' ears went back and he just glared.
The henchcat tutted, that wasn't particularly polite. "I'll be watching you for most of the day," he informed the small cat, "I'm Nameless Henchcat- do you prefer Mistoffelees or Quaxo?"
"Nameless Henchcat?" he asked incredulously, his ears no longer pinned back. He didn't feel like answering this question.
"Oh, yes, I have to get quite a bit higher in Macavity's league before I'm allowed a name," the tom replied pleasantly, "Macavity knows what name I was born with- although I can't recall it. Just his way of keeping us in line really." The black cat paused for a moment, thinking. "Oh, yes, and you'd better not escape if you know what's good for you!" He attempted to look menacing, but it came out as looking only slightly less friendly than he had earlier.
The tux continued staring. "I… won't." he said awkwardly, trying to pretend to be afraid of this tom. Luckily they were both saved the unpleasantness of continuing the charade as the lights went off and an evil cackle reverberated around them.
"Macavity," the henchcat informed him pleasantly. Seeing as this was a name that he'd only ever heard Demeter shout in fearful anxiety, that was strange in and of itself. "You might want to start cowering- the boss likes it when they cower."
"Of course, thank you," he replied, attempting to cower fearfully. The thought that he could escape via magic just reached him, but he decided that it really wasn't worth the effort. Macavity would actually make this fearful, but he wanted to give him a chance to do so.
The henchcat quickly lit a few candles, trying to give it a menacing air. In reality, it gave it a more romantic feel. Misto sneezed as the smoke hit his nose. Macavity became visible and his look of disbelief matched his captive's.
"You really can't find good help anymore," the mystery cat muttered, putting out the candles with a wave of his hand and just turning the lights on. He sighed, so much for his dramatic entrance.
"Alright then, I suppose we should get down to business, Mister Mistoffelees," he said with a sneer, walking over to the cage. He placed a claw under the tux's chin, and purred menacingly, "I want you to bring Old Deuteronomy to me using that magic trick. And I do hope you resist."
Mistoffelees was getting nervous now. Taking a deep (and somewhat painful, what with the claw digging into his chin) breath he asked,"Why?"
"What?"
"Why do you want me to bring Deuteronomy to you?"
The ginger cat stared for a moment before hissing, "It's no concern of yours what I want my dear old father for! Just do as I tell you or I'll make your life hell."
"Alright, alright, but I'm having trouble understanding why you even care about the jellicles. Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore them and go about with whatever it was you're doing?" he asked. His mind raced, though. Deuteronomy was Macavity's father? That was an interesting development.
"Then I'd be no better than they are," he spat, "I was being raised to be second in command, but I decided I wanted to see the world. My father and fool brothers swore they understood, then I returned only to find that I was now an outcast and Munkustrap had taken my place."
"Please tell me I'm not being kidnapped and threatened because of sibling rivalry," Mistoffelees groaned. The henchcat gave him a disapproving look for this.
Macavity cackled, "You underestimate me- I'd never be so petty. I don't care that 'Strap is now in charge of that tribe, I know now that I'm better off without them. Look at all I've accomplished!" That would have been more impressive if he were standing in front of something that actually showed what he accomplished, but Misto decided to play along and feigned awe. "No… I want my father's approval. He won't speak to me now, he refused to after we kidnapped him, but if you brought him here- perhaps you could force him to listen!" more evil cackling. Mistoffelees could have sworn he heard thunder clap.
"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered. The Napoleon of Crime just hadn't gotten enough hugs from daddy? Really? The tux walked out of the cage easily, much to the other two toms disbelief and annoyance.
"Henchman," the conjuring cat called him over, standing at his full height as his fingers sparked and his coat glistened. He pulled the red sheet out of the wall and threw one edge to Macavity, "Put this over him. This won't take long." And it wouldn't, at least this time he knew exactly what to do and that he could do it. He puffed glitter out of his paws and over the shifting, growing sheet.
"Glitter?" Macavity asked, shaking his head at the entire display, "You fancy toms don't you?"
"Shut up, do you want me to do this or not?"
"Yeah, yeah. By the way- won't this throw my henchmen to wherever Deuteronomy was? It's really hard to replace them, you know."
"No, no, he just disappears through a trap door on the floor and enters stage left when no one's looking," Mistoffelees insisted as the sheet started glowing.
"What the hell does that mean?"
The conjuring cat just gave him a look before pulling the sheet off with an extremely bored "Presto". Old Deuteronomy stood in the middle of the room bewildered, taking in his surroundings before realizing whom he was with.
"That was amazing," the nameless henchman said, applauding as Macavity tried to figure out where the hell stage left was in a closed room.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Deuteronomy bellowed, turning his wrath on the seemingly unharmed Mistoffelees, "Have you betrayed us?"
The cat chuckled bitterly as his coat returned to its normal, non-conjuring self, "Believe me, with villains as incompetent as this it doesn't count as a betrayal. Will you just listen to your son?"
"I'm not incompetent, I just direct all my truly evil acts at humans. I have no interest in harming cats," the hidden claw scoffed. This was fairly beneath him.
Deuteronomy looked uncertainly at Quaxo before deciding that if the tux was certain there was no danger, he was probably safe. He sat down gingerly, before nodding to his eldest son. "You have attacked the tribe, though, it's difficult to believe that you're acts are only directed towards humans."
"No- I've approached the tribe, and my darling brother and his loyal boy toy attacked me for it," he corrected. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"Do you want to rejoin the jellicles?" the old cat asked uncertainly, there was no way he could convince the tribe of that.
Macavity grinned, "No- that's too late, I don't care what anyone there thinks of me. Besides, why would I want to give up my crime syndicate just to have a group of cats tolerate me?" he glanced around, "Right now I've convinced a vet to take care of me, a good girl who heals up any of mine that get hurt. When it isn't too busy she even lets me take this room as my own- doubt she knows what I do with it." He chuckled deeply, "No, I have no interest in giving this up."
"He just wants your approval," Mistoffelees muttered into Deuteronomy's ear, trying to make this quicker. What was it with villains and monologuing? Deuteronomy nodded solemnly.
"I apologize, my son, I believe there has been a grave miscommunication. If you generally don't hurt cats as you say, and even care for those who are below you, then I am proud of what you have achieved, even if I wish you had chosen a different path," he said finally, holding a paw out to his son, who took it and bowed in respect. "Would it be too much trouble for me to return now?"
"No… Mistoffelees, can you return him?" the conjuring cat nodded, throwing the sheet over the old cat and blowing more glitter over him. He ignored the other two's sniggers at this.
"Before I go- why did you pretend to be Deuteronomy and infiltrate the jellicles if you don't want their approval?"
"Okay, that was just a bad idea on my part," he admitted, "Dad was refusing to talk to me and I figured that if I could convince them to accept me, by pretending he did, then he would as well." The tux stared at him for a moment. "I was desperate."
"Right… I'll be going now."
"Actually, I have one last question," the ginger cat said with a wicked grin, a fireball forming in his right palm. Mistoffelees stopped, eyeing the fireball hesitantly- he wouldn't have to fight his way out would he? "I could help you hone your magic if you were willing to help me with a heist every now and then. You wouldn't have to leave those foo—Jellicles."
The conjuring cat paused, thoughtful, "I won't do anything to hurt anyone- either directly or indirectly," the ginger cat nodded, they were fair terms. Mistoffelees raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Why not? I could use a hobby."