Prologue: The Beginning of it All
Disclaimer: I, regrettably, do not own cats. Otherwise, it would have never left Broadway. sigh At least it's back now claps
Author's note:
This takes place before the movie/show. Also, this has nothing ABSOLUTLLY NOTHING to do with my other CATS fic. Please do not confuse them.
The Beginning of it All
Isolation and Hurt
Sitting under an old car for shade, Mistoffelees curled into himself. White socks under his body, he moved his tail until it had completely wrapped around him, his body finally settled comfortably.
Peace and quite weren't hard to come by in the junkyard, as long as you could avoid the younger kitten's playtime that is.
Granted, he was on of the younger members of the tribe. Yet, he was different.
He was Mistoffelees, magic cat extraordinaire. Of course, he hadn't told anyone in the tribe of his effanineffable name. They knew of his gift, well, sort of knew about it. He had been caught doing a few minor tricks before. However, he was just Quaxo to them; a tuxedo tom with average looks and as far as they knew with a quiet, perhaps somewhat arrogant, nature.
They thought that was all he was, all he could do. Maybe it was...for now.
There was a growing power in him. He knew it, felt it. He just didn't know what was missing, what he needed to release it.
Soft brown eyes drifted closed, his head settling for slumber just as a piercing squeal rang through the junkyard.
Startled and partially out of it, he sprang to his feet, fur on end and claws out in alarm. A loud 'clank' echoed in his ears as pain shot through his head, having hit the bottom of the car.
"Great Cats," he muttered in annoyed hurt, one of his paws rubbing at the offended spot.
'This is not going to be a good day,' he thought, glaring towards the cause of his irritation.
In the center of the clearing stood none other than the Rum Tum Tugger surrounded, of course, by his personal fan club. One of which, Mistoffelees noted, was the source of all the enthusiastic noise and currently the cause of his injured head.
Etcetera; sweet queen really, but entirely too bubbly and loud for Misto's taste. Besides, she was obsessed and that was putting it loosely.
He cringed as she hit another impossibly high note with her squeals. How could he stand them? More importantly, what was so great about him? Sure, he had looks as far as appearance goes but that's about it. Surely they couldn't all be that shallow.
Then again…
He shook his head, trying to clear the remaining pain. There was no where he could go in the junkyard without hearing that sound. The worst part was he didn't even get why! What was so great about this tom, really?
"And what else do you like about me, ladies?" Tugger purred seductively to the young queens surrounding him.
"You're so handsome!" Electra offered, smiling stupidly at the pleased look she got from the tribal dream-tom.
"And smart!" chimed in Victoria.
"Plus you sing great!"
"And...and' Etcetera added, thinking to out do Jemima's comment on his singing. "You're a really good dancer, the best!"
"Not to mention a terrible bore." Quaxo added, having moved over to them, and much to his disgust, had caught the queen's comments. He sat smugly by them, hardly fazed by the looks he was now receiving.
Poor Ecty, she looked ready to faint at the very idea and Victoria was at the greatest extreme of insulted.
But Tugger...Quaxo mentally growled as the shock wiped off his face of not hearing words of praise and was replaced with a perfectly cool demeanor in a matter of seconds.
"Well excuse me Mr.-I've-Never-Even-Been-With-A-Queen, not all of us can be as mighty as you. Now what makes you so great again?" Tugger responded, defending himself. "You're wonderful build? No, wait, you're too small for a tom your age. Could it be your uniquely attractive fur pattern? Wait, not you again, too plain. Oh wait, I know! It must be your wonderful talent! Oh yeah, you don't have any. You're just invisible, nobody cares about you, plain-tom talentless Quaxo. My mistake."
Quaxo, however, was not the actor the Rum Tum Tugger was and for a minute his face showed the hurt he felt at those words. His tail tucked slightly behind him subconsciously as a result. "You think I care about your opinion?" He asked through a glare, trying to keep the pain from his voice. If only he had stayed under the car where he belonged, this never would have happened.
"Serves you right." Etcetera huffed, not meaning any harm but quick to defend her Tuggy.
The Rum Tum Tugger chose not to response, not a cruel cat by nature. His words had done enough it seemed and he was satisfied. However, that did nothing to discourage his entourage.
"You're just jealous Quaxo because no one likes you and everyone loves Tugger!" Again, the young queen who spoke, Victoria, did not want to be mean. She was just being childish and defensive as kittens tended to be- especially when it came to the love of their young lives.
"That's not true!" Quaxo defended himself just as fast, his tone harsher then he had planned.
"Which part?" Giggled Electra.
"Neither, I mean both. I mean, who cares? I don't love Tugger and I'll have you know others like me!"
One of the queens were about to ask who when Rum Tum spoke up again. "Now, now ladies. I am starting to feel neglected."
He wanted to get their attentions off of the tuxedo tom for a few reasons: 1.) He preferred to be in the center of attention himself 2.) He could tell the smaller tom was hurt and the queens weren't helping in the least, despite probably not realizing the pain they were inflicting.
The saddest part was that Quaxo could easily be friends with any of them. He just chose to keep to himself. At least that was the Rock Star tom thought. If he got out more or actually tried to talk to some of the other kits instead of only the older cats…
Oh well, nothing he could do with his fans demanded attention.
In a matter of seconds they were back to praising him, giving Quaxo the time he needed to slink away, feeling ten times worse then he had before.
Author's Note: Don't forget to review and let me know whether or not you like it! This is intended as the beginning of my might-be series that I have yet to name. There are few other stories that could follow if anyone is interested! All you have to do it review!
Also, as I hope you can tell, I don't like to portray Tugger as a completely self-absorbed tom with absolutely no care for the world around him. It seemed to me in the live versions of the show I have seen (not counting the ones viewed via internet) and the movie that they had a close kind of relationship so that is what I am building on.
I promise he'll redeems himself at least a small bit in the next chapter.