Mistoffelees smiled, the perfect cliché – him the successful business man about to start a passionate affair with his beautiful PA, Jemima. He knew that it was what all the successful business men do and he was a business tom which was practically the same but with more legs and a tail. Smoothly he positioned her so she was lying in his arms and bent his head low to kiss her…
Then there was an awful ripping noise and quickly he let go of the pretty queen and looked up at the curtain where his first two customers stood. Rina smiled knowingly and Demeter looked slightly embarrassed, Jemima however was mortified quickly as lightening she grabbed her discarded clipboard and lipstick running to the corner of the room and burying her head behind those famous lipstick notes.
"Have we er… interrupted something?" Rina smiled and winked at Mistoffelees. Before he could reply however the little white fluff-ball came charging in.
She stared at the mass of red velvet on the floor, "you ripped down the curtain…" her voice trailed away in dismay.
"So it would seem," Rina smiled politely but it quickly turned into a smirk, "thanks for all your help Vicky…" she extended her oil-ridden paw. Victoria's flawless white face was suddenly a mask of panic; she couldn't possibly be expected to shake that paw? She glanced at her brother who was seemingly unperturbed by the situation, he gave her a 'shake the paw or I fry you with lightening look' Vicky knew it was best not to ignore those looks, cautiously she took the paw in her own and with a menacing smile Bombalurina pressed the oil tightly against the soft white paw only withdrawing when the paw was no longer white but a dirty black – revenge was sweet.
"Right then!" Misto clapped his paws excitedly, "any questions before we begin?" Not surprisingly Demeter raised her shaking paw.
"Yes… if this does work how long will it last? Will there be any side effects? What exactly will you do to us and how? Have you ever done this before? And finally… I'm not going to die am I?"
Misto's expression darkened, "was there a question anywhere in that jumble of sentences?" He snarled.
"I believe there were about seven!" Jemima called over.
"Well you can answer them then." Misto directed Demeter to his PA before turning to the much calmer Bombalurina, "and yourself Bomba anything you want to know?"
The scarlet queen shrugged a little trying to ignore the nerves that were now building in her own stomach, this just wouldn't do she was here trying to give Demeter confidence and yet she felt herself paling at the thought. "I was just kind of wondering, how come if this sort of magic is available why no one has used it before. I mean why not try to get a little of your dancing talent?"
Misto sighed and shook his head, "alas our dancing talent," he reached out to his sister who smiled proudly, "can't be transferred to another cat."
"It's hereditary." Victoria smiled, pausing from licking the oil off her paw.
Demeter came to stand next to Rina again and the tall queen rolled her eyes, "as is their pride and arrogance!" She whispered.
"Okay," Misto cleared his throat for their attention, "let me assign the outlines; I have found a potion that will transfer confidence between the drinkers… it has never been tested before-"
Demeter groaned suddenly feeling very sick.
"But I am confident that everything will turn out for the best so if you will just wait here I will concoct," he spread his arms out wide, "a miracle!"
The two queens sat near the little window of the porta-loo looking out onto the junkyard, Tugger seemed to be glaring moodily into space the kittens who praised him trying to get his attention. Munkustrap and Alonzo were in fits of laughter again. Demeter's gaze fell onto Munkustrap she wondered what would change after this potion, how he would react when he found out. All her questions still unanswered (Jemima was very vague) she felt scared, no that was an understatement she was petrified.
"Hay do you know what happened to Tugger's mane?" Bombalurina said conversationally rising Demeter from her thoughts.
"No I was going to ask Munk but I guess I forgot."
Grinning from ear to ear Rina told Demeter the whole candle story, she was hoping for a laugh, a giggle at least but she only got a smile.
"They're never going to let him live it down are they?" Demeter sighed watching the toms.
"No way, Alonzo has already tried fitting some relevance to fire in every word they say to him – it didn't go so well though... they've resorted to singing."
"Singing?"
At that moment Alonzo and Munkustrap positioned themselves at opposite ends of the clearing, with a nod from Munkustrap Alonzo sauntered past Tugger singing, "Is this burning my eternal flame?"
Munk grinned and advanced from his end meeting Alonzo in the middle with, "I'm a fire starter, twisted fire starter!"
Tugger snarled at the two toms teasing him, "Listen you guys cut the crap okay if you have something to say just say it!"
The two toms gave each other a subtle nod before bursting into: "Light a candle in the window-"
Tugger gave a pollicle-worthy-growl and leapt off the junk ready to attack his bullies, but he took one look at the strong jellicle protector and his second in command and had to resort to backing away muttering instead.
Smiling Bombalurina leaned out of the window and called across to Tugger, "hay Tugs, won't you relight my fire?"
The absence of Demeter's trademark giggle alerted her to the fact that her best friend was now staring into the depths of Misto's cauldron at the other end of the room. "Nearly done now." The conjuring cat grinned.
Demeter shivered and Rina wrapped an arm tightly around her.
"Are you cold? I could turn off the air conditioning." Jemima offered.
"Wow, you have air conditioning?" Bombalurina grinned.
"No… but we do have a window." Was the queen's response as she went to shut the offending draught maker.
"It's ready!" Misto's eyes lit up like lanterns as he dipped a cup into the liquid handing it to Bombalurina, "drink up!"
The scarlet queen closed her eyes and lifted the cup to her lips, "cheers," she muttered. It tasted strange kind of like cat food that hadn't been stored in a 'cool dry place' and then greatly liquidized, so when you first drank it was vile but underneath that mask of bad taste there was just a hint of something better.
When she had finished Misto took the same cup and refilling it handed it to Demeter. The golden queen took it with shaking paws, her eyes darting nervously from the frothy brown liquid to the conjuring cat's triumphant face and then Rina's anxious one. Her head was still reeling with thoughts, what would change after she'd drank the liquid, even Rina for a second there looked worried – this was like jumping off a cliff into the unknown – if Demeter had known what was going to happen however she would never have started climbing that cliff. She took a deep breath before pouring the foul liquid down her throat. The two queens stared at each other.
"Do you feel any different?" Rina asked licking her lips.
"Not really…" Demeter shrugged.
"Take another drink each then!" Misto demanded and with less hesitation the queens dually obliged.
Misto bit his lip, "well how do you feel now?"
I'm not sure whether i like this chapter... please review and tell me whether you did!
