Part 7
"But…" Jenny said. "Count is one of us is he not?"
"Then why does he have this tom captured like that?" Deuteronomy asked. He and the healer were talking about what Deuteronomy had seen behind that door.
"Maybe he is evil and that's the only way to keep him calm", Jenny mused.
"Jenny there were wine bottles filled with something there…" Deuteronomy said. "I don't know what they're for…"
"But you intend to find out?"
"Yes…"
"Then I'll come with you… in case something is wrong." They headed off, not knowing two little black cats were watching them. They peaked around the corner.
"That Wiseman think he's clever but I'm the smartest in our club", Misto said. "And my guess is never wrong and I don't feel any fear. Trust Conjurer have no fear. Don't you worry brother dear we will find out what is in there."
"You've listened to Les Misérables again haven't you", Quaxo asked dryly.
"How did you know?"
"'That inspector think he's something but it's me who rule this town. And my theater never closes and the curtains' never down. Trust Gavroche have no fear don't you worry aunty dear you can always find me here'. Does the rythm sounds familiar?"
"Killjoy."
"I do not enjoy killing. It is gruesome and not fun at all."
"That's not what it means!"
"I always mean what I say."
"Quaxo!"
"That is what they called me now I'm Telekinetic or Tele."
"No you are telekinetic but your-"
"See you admitted I am Telekinetic."
"That's what you are! Not your name."
"What?"
"Telekinetic!"
"That's my name don't wear it out."
"Shut up or I'll wear it in your face."
"Touchy touchy."
"Shut up and follow me."
"I'm a tom! I can't do two things at the same time!"
"I thought that only was meant for human males."
"Maybe… but I can't do two things at the time!"
"You dance, insult, kick and use your powers at the same time!"
"Yeah but that's more than two things and I can do that."
Misto face-palmed. "EC give me strength."
"You know the only way to get strength is-"
Quaxo was cut off by an explosion and when the smoke was gone Misto was looking at his brother that had his fur standing in every direction and sitting on the ground. He swayed back and forth before falling back.
"You just stay there and rest", Misto said and hurried after Jenny and Deuteronomy. "I'll handle this."
"Sweet EC oh my oh my", Jenny said shocked as she and Deuteronomy got into the room. She saw the black and white tom chained to a wall and hooked up to a lot of tubes. The tom looked at them tiredly and then closed his eyes.
"Who are you", Deuteronomy asked as they walked closer.
"I don't exist in this world", the tom said.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"In my world I was one of you but here no one knows about me."
"What's your name", Jenny asked as Deuteronomy walked over to the many bottles.
"I'm the Shape Shifter", the tom answered.
"Nonsense", Deuteronomy said. "Count, our leader that is, is the only Shape Shifter."
"His powers fails him right", the tom asked. The two mysticals looked at each other and then him and he smiled.
"They do don't they", he asked. "I knew it. He gets his powers from me."
"How", Deuteronomy asked eyeing a bottle, turning it over in his paws.
"By drinking what's in those bottles…"
"And that is?"
"My blood." Jenny covered her mouth in shock and Deuteronomy nearly dropped the bottle he was holding. He looked disgusted.
"I…" Jenny said. "I don't believe you."
"I don't want to ask this of you mu'am… but drink my blood and you shall see that I speak the truth…"
Jenny turned a shade of green and had to cover her mouth. Deuteronomy on the other hand eyed the bottle in his paws and then looked at the patched tom.
"What will happen when I do", he asked.
"You will get my power… The core of a Shape Shifter's powers is in what stays the same no matter what he turn into…"
"What do you mean with core", Deuteronomy asked suspiciously. He knew of the myth, all Jellicles did and only they did. All the other cats knew a fake one.
"The core to the powers of the mysticals", the patched tom croaked. "The Fallen took the Telekinetic's power by cutting her heart open." Deuteronomy raised an eyebrow but the patched tom went on.
"He stole the Conjurer's power by ripping her spine out of her back", he said. "He took the powers from the brains of the two Psychics, a male and a female…" He trailed of swallowing a few times and Deuteronomy felt his eyes being wide in shock. All that was correct according to the myth.
"The Fallen took the Leader's core from his eyes but never touched the Healer or the Protector… he didn't get the time… the Shape Shifter fought him… he turned into a snake and the Fallen died. But the S-Shape Shifter…"
"I know the rest", Deuteronomy said. "But how do you?"
"I… am not from this… w-w-world…"
"Why should I believe you?"
"You got two sons, Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger. Your son Macavity is dead."
"Yes…"
"Jenny and Skimble are the parents of… Demeter and Tumble-b… Tumble-bru-u… Tumble."
"Yes", Jenny said softly. "My babies."
Deuteronomy looked at the tired patched tom and then opened the bottle.
"Don't do it Deuty", Jenny said weakly. But her friend just looked at her and then drank a few mouths from the bottle. He was a bit green when he lowered it and looked at the patched tom.
"Now what", he asked.
"Wait a bit sir", the patched tom said. "Do you feel any different?"
Deuteronomy waited and then felt an odd tingling all over his body.
"Yes", he said.
"Then imagine that you look different c-close your eyes i-if you can c-c-concentrate better…"
Deuteronomy did that and imagined that he looked like Munkustrap and Jenny gasped.
"Where are we", Munk asked Cand as they walked down a dark street near the harbor. The place looked like something out of a horror movie. The houses were dark, the streets were dark and wet and he smelt rotten and death everywhere.
"In the lower parts of our world", Cand mumbled. "Be careful around here."
"Why", Munk asked and watched the black tom jump onto a fence.
"Because you never know what shadow may be around."
"What is it with you and your friends and shadows?"
"It's easy to fit into them when you're black", Cand said with a cheeky grin and jumped down from the fence. Munk rolled his eyes and followed and stared at what he saw. Everywhere there were black cats. Some of them had collars, others not, some of them were missing body parts or fur and some didn't but all of them had many battle scars. They growled and hissed at Munk.
"Ignore them", Cand said and grabbed Munk's shoulder and pulled him through the alley. Munk would deny it of course, but he was terrified.
They walked for about half an hour more and entered a graveyard. Cand stopped in front of an angel statue, an angel with a sword and standing on a demon.
"Human calls him St Michael", Cand said. "I call him Creepy." Munk couldn't agree more. A human with wings… was there any stopping humanity's oddity? They were in the way down on Earth now they had to have wings to annoy birds too? Cand walked around the statue and Munk followed.
"Why are we stopping here", Munk asked as Cand didn't move.
"Prepare", Cand said and pushed on a stone on the ground.
"What are you doiaaaaaaaah!" At the last word the ground underneath Munk's feet disappeared and he fell into the dark. Cand looked around before jumping in after him.
When Munk got to the bottom he bounced on the ground and landed face down on the dirty floor. He heard a soft thud beside him and knew Cand had landed on his feet.
"I hate you", Munk said. "I haven't known you for long but I know I hate you."
"What did I do?" Cand asked offended.
"You didn't warn me!" Munk said and got up.
"I did! I told you to be prepared!"
"But not what to be prepared for!"
"What did you expect", Cand said. "That if I moved that rock an elevator would appear?"
Munk opened his mouth but couldn't find a good answer. After all he didn't know what he'd expected. He brushed off all the dirt and then looked around the room, he didn't see anything.
"Where the heck are we", he asked.
"Underground", Cand tried innocently.
"I know that Cand!"
"Then why did you ask?"
Munk growled and walked closer to the black tom and raised his fist.
"Don't force me to hurt you", he said.
"That would be a mistake", said a cold voice behind him. "Because then I would have to hurt you."
"Uhum", said another voice.
"Is there something you want?"
"What about me?"
"Get the lights."
It was quiet for a bit and then Munk heard someone move around and a single light bulb was lit above him.
"What was that", he whispered to Cand.
"More who was that", the black tom said.
"Who was it?"
"My-"
"Welcome Munkustrap", that cold voice said again and Munk saw a black tom with amber eyes walk out of the dark. He was a little bigger than Munk and had scars at a lot of places. He seemed rough and cold but he had a calm and honorable aura around him.
"Yes", the strange tom said. "We know who you are."
"We", Munk asked.
"In fact we can give you a detailed name list of every cat in the Jellicle junkyard", said the other voice he'd heard earlier and Munk twirled around again. This time he came face to face with a tall lean black tom that had a small grin on his face and his eyes were a grayish blue-green color.
"You can?" Munk asked.
"Deuteronomy, Jellicle leader and mate to Grizabella the former Glamour cat once made Jellicle choice, father of Macavity, Munkustrap and the Rum Tum Tugger. In this world part of Count's mystical army now named Wiseman.
Munkustrap, Protector of the Jellicle tribe and mate of Alonzo, who doesn't exist in this world.
The Rum Tum Tugger well-known Jellicle playboy and in this world Jellicle leader.
Jellylorum, caretaker of the Jellicle kittens and healer, in this one the only one in the Jellicle tribe, she is the mother of Asparagus Junior, Admetus, Pouncival and Etcetera. Mate of Asparagus Senior, Gus for short, the late theater cat. All of them are members of the Jellicle tribe.
Asparagus junior is in this world dead as is his mate Exotica. Both of them Jellicles
Exotica, sister of Cassandra and cousin to the twins Coricopat and Tantomile, Jellicles as well.
Coricopat and Tantomile Jellicle mystical psychic twins. In this world only Tantomile appears to have powers and is in Count's army of mystical cats, now named Psychic. Coricopat seems to be a mental wreck.
Bustopher Jones is the well-known Jellicle fatso and father of Magical Mister Mistofelees, Quaxo and Victoria. MMM and Quaxo are now members of Count's army of mystical cats and go under the names Conjurer and Telekinetic.
Skimbleshanks Jellicle Railway cat and mate of Jennyanydots and father of Alonzo, Demeter and Tumblebrutus, in this world dead and father of Sphinx, Demeter and Tumblebrutus.
Jennyanydots Jellicle gumbiecat and healer, in this world named Healer and part of Count's army of mystical cats. Demeter and Tumblebrutus are in this world shunned by most Jellicles.
Plato, Bombalurina, Electra and Jemima are Jellicles and siblings, children of cats already dead. In this world Bombalurina well-known tom seducer is missing in action."
Munk stared at the black tom with big eyes.
"How do you know all this", he asked.
"Munk allow me to introduce you to Typhon", Cand said. "My uncle. And Chimera my father and grandmaster of the Black Shadows."
Munk paled and felt his legs gave way but Cand caught him before he hit the floor. Deuteronomy had told him everything of the Black Shadows because the old cat had had dealings with them before. And those dealings were never good.
"Murderers", Munk growled and then looked at Cand. "Dark wizards! Traitors! You call them to help?"
"Munk-"
"Of course", Munk said and got away from Cand's grip. "That's why you came to us to begin with wasn't it?"
"Munk-"
"It all makes sense now! You were sent to us to spy on us and report back to these… these criminals! You're a criminal! You have something to do with all of this don't you?"
"We-"
"Don't think I didn't notice how he said 'in this world' all the time! You're a spy! I'm gonna kill you!" Munk jumped forward but then hung in the air. It was as if he was held up by smoke around his stomach, legs, tail and neck.
"That is quite enough", Chimera said calmly and walked up to Munk. The silver-tabby opened his mouth to protest but Typhon put a golf ball in his mouth.
"Shut up", Chimera said calmly. "It's true that we have murdered and stolen before but that's not really what our organization is there for. We help anyone that pays good enough or for what will do us good."
Munk protested loudly behind the golf ball. But Chimera only smirked.
"But we also backstab those who hire us if we see that they cause too much harm to us or the world."
Munk raised his eyebrows and made a sound that sounded like:
"Are you kidding me?"
"Not at all", Chimera answered calmly. Munk made a sound to sounded like:
"Bullshit!"
"Such a foul language this one has", Chimera said calmly. "But it is true. I didn't give Count his conjuring powers so he'd turn the whole world upside down."
Munk started yelling behind the golf ball, he yelled so much he turned blue in the face and Cand slapped him in the back of the head so the golf ball popped out.
"You gave Count his powers", Munk yelled at Chimera after gasping for breath a little bit. "You ripped out the spine of a conjurer?"
The three black toms shuddered.
"Heck no", Typhon said. "But Chimera is the Shadow-Master so he can read the grandmasters' books."
"What", Munk asked confused.
"Munkustrap it is true we have dark magical powers", Chimera said calmly and slowly let the shadowy bonds fade away. "Very dark powers I might add. You see the Black Shadows is a very old organization in itself but before the BS even existed the DCOT did."
"Dark Conjurers Over Time", Munk growled. "Father told me about them."
"Yes very dark, dangerous and somewhat crazy magicians… but honorable."
"Exactly like my dad", Cand piped up.
"Hush", Chimera said and bopped his son on the head. "Now the DCOT collected many, many, many dark spells and saved them in books for their heirs to read. The DCOT later turned into the Black Shadows during a battle I will not give you all the details on. But after that it was decided that the Grandmaster and the Grandmaster only could have the dark powers that the DCOT collected."
"How", Munk asked.
"Excellent question Munkustrap I understand that you are Protector and that Alonzo fell for you. Now the DCOT had books that they wrote in and only the Grandmaster can read them. No one else can."
"So you have all these dark powers then?"
Chimera laughed.
"Bast no Munkustrap. Should I read and consume all those books and spells I would be destroyed by their power. I only consume what powers I find interesting."
"Like what?"
"Controlling Shadow, turning into shadow, miner spells and a few more…"
"So how did you give Count conjuring powers?"
"That's a secret but also one of my talents… temporary talents. You see you can't keep the powers forever. You can also give up some powers."
"Yeah Chi gave up fire breath because he put so many things on fire", Typhon said happily. "He then tried water but nope because he almost drowned us all, then he tried earth do you remember that earthquake a few years back? That was my brother! And then he tried air and well… Chi did you really mean for Katrina to hit the US?"
"For the billionth time", Chimera growled darkly and swung at his brother's head with his claws bared. "No! I was trying to make a small wind to knock Macavity down from that flagpole so he would die!"
"You", Munk asked and Chimera looked at him. "You tried to kill Macavity?"
"He's more shocked about that than Katrina", Typhon remarked and dodged as a lightning struck just where his head has been. "Touchy touchy."
"Don't you mean windy windy", Cand asked. Then he and Typhon started off with some cheeky comments and kept them coming.
"Yes", Chimera said to Munk and ignored his family members. "I have tried to kill Macavity many times. But the bastard slipped through my claws every time. When he hired us to kill off you Jellicles I put my paw down… on his tail. Anyway sorry by the way for kidnapping your father at that Jellicle ball."
"That was you", Munk yelled furiously.
"Well yes, didn't you recognize me? Of course it's been a few years and the lights down here are a bit different. I also want to apologize for some of my members that went rouge and 'helped' almost killing your tom-friend."
"Don't worry", Chimera added when he saw the dark look on Munk's face. "They are already sleeping with the fishes. I do not tolerate traitors or backstabbers."
"Dad has a short fuse for those", Cand piped up.
"And for everything else", Typhon chimed.
"Will you two shut up", Chimera yelled at them and the two took cover as Chimera's shadow went after them. It chased them out of the room and followed.
"Now that that's dealt with", Chimera said. "Let's talk business."
Munk gulped afraid of what this crazy cat could do.
TBC Sorry for the long wait. I have some family troubles and are not really in the mood of writing right now.
Malurina - don't twist too much or you'll end up dizzy ;) And of course you can do that to Tugger.
Missa Catlover - Did you get your answer?
HumanGunieapig - Yes the Protector doesn't really have powers but he always see thing for what they truly are... when he/she wants to. And Cori is... well... ya know.
