"Your Swagger Makes Me Smile"

I'm updating again. Yay! You likey yes? Yes.

I've had a pretty rough week, but i just finished writing this chapter now, and decided i'd post. (sorry I've only checked my work roughly so excuse any errors in grammer/punctuation/spelling etc )

Also, my special fanfic friends, there's little to do with Tugger and Mungojerrie in this one. But then again, Bomba's important too! haha. Also, i'd just like to note about a little issue i discovered just a while back. In chapter 1 (well, 2 with the info. page) note i said Victoria had just become mates with Plato in the ball gone past. I also, later on (which chapter exactly evades my memory) i say that Victoria is hanging out with the kittens don't I?

EXPLANATION: I think, because Victoria is still young, and seeing as Plato has been listed as "not adult, but not kitten" i will say this; Victoria has now moved up to Plato's catagory since she as come of age. They ARE mates. But also, seeing as they are both young, Victoria is still friends with all the kittens. If anything, her mateship with Plato is like...being engaged to someone at a young age if you get what i mean. Yes, sorry if i've confused anyone!

REVIEWERS & READERS: (Which USED to be Top 3 but not enough people review for there to be 3! How sad is that?!)

Galandria the Vampire Queen: Thanks so much for reviewing again, and yes i understand, so you don't need to apologize! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and are still enjoying the story.

Please, people. Feel free to read, review or personal message me. I love hearing from you (even if it's critisism - i appreciate it! honest!) and hearing your thoughts. I will not however, that there are a few big events planned in this story, but it may take a while getting there. Don't want to rush do we?

My.Psuedonym.Was.Taken

Enjoy my lovelies!


Bombalurina sat alone on the green tiled rooftop

From her position three levels above the street, she stared out at the sunset. Well, I guess it would be the sunset; for now purples and deep blues filled the sky, only a splash of orange fading into the horizon.

Bombs let her eyes wander to the bustle of the streets. People scurried this way and that, rushing to head home before dark. Few were still closing shops, and the younger adults prowled the streets aimlessly until the hotspots had begun to burn for another night. Bomba couldn't help but recognise the life that sprung up right under the humans' noses.

Few would see the guard-pollicle emerging from the broken chicken wire of the construction site. It sniffed the gutters momentarily before following the invisible trail of scent around the corner and out of sight. Even fewer would see the owl awaken from slumber from its roost between the gables of the roof. The owl fluffed its thick, white feathers; preening the tips of its wings before it's large ovals of amber sighted something distance, and it lifted high off into the night. Bombs knew little, if any would notice the red silhouette of a feline resting high above them on a block of decommissioned lofts.

The sun's ochre rays had now been completely washed from the sky. The deep blues had melted into a dark blanket, littered with the sequins of the stars. Bombalurina knew it was beautiful, but somehow, she didn't see it. Maybe that was like everything else in her life. Jennyanydots, Demeter, Jellyorum; they all told her she was beautiful.

She was damned if she felt it.

Perhaps it was the same with feeling loved. Mungojerrie brought a light into her life, but there was a niggling feeling. It is said as jellicle knows who their soul mate is instinctively. Was Mungojerrie her soul mate? If he was…

Why wasn't the empty feeling gone?

"You have a very stereotyped place to think." A voice laughed from behind her. Bombalurina turned to Exotica, a playful glint in her eye, a single brow arched. The dark Siamese smiled sweetly, and carefully made her way down from the flat of the roof, to sit next to Bombs. "How classic. Staring out into a sunset while deep in thought."

"So much for my thinking spot; you came here too." Bombalurina countered her friend jokingly. Exotica dropped her playful suit and suddenly became serious.

"I actually came looking for you." Bombs sighed at this.

"…and I came here to be alone."
"Sorry but you should know by now Bombs." Exotica hinted her friend.
"I know." Bombalurina had heard the speeches given by Deuteronomy and Munkustrap a thousand times over. She wasn't supposed to be outside the junkyard after dark. Great rumpus cat, she felt like a kitten again.

"I feel like I have no freedom. I mean, I'm just sitting here."
"-and you're making yourself a vulnerable target for attack Bomba." Exotica pointed out in her wise, motherly voice. Exotica was a firm believer in abiding by the rules. If Munkustrap didn't enforce them on you, Exotica did. She could be the next Jenny, Bombs joked to herself.

"I just needed some alone time.
"Everyone would be worried if they knew you were gone.."
"They don't need to be." Bombs found herself snapping, but Exotica's rich, calmly deep voice didn't miss a beat. "…and everyone isn't just Demeter."

"No, you're right, it wouldn't be just Demeter. It would be Demeter, and Jenny, and Jelly, and Skimbles, and Munkustrap, and Alonzo, and Deuteronomy, and everyone in the tribe. That includes me you know. People do care Bomba. I know how you've been feeling lately."
"Have you been to see Tantomile and Tumblebrutus today?" Bombalurina failed to hide her true emotions behind sarcasm. Exotica gave her another wise look.

"You've no need to feel lonely you know"
"Oh heavy side. You have been to see them."
"Don't hide it Bombs, it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"How would you know? You have Alonzo."

"As you do Mungojerrie."

Bombalurina gave another troubled sigh, her breath visible on the chilled air.

"To be honest E, I don't know if he's my soul mate."

"Everyone's unsure at first."
"Yeah, but they say you just know. Every jellicle just…knows. Did you know?" Bomb stressed, then pleading her friend for an answer. Exotica was hesitant.

"To be honest, not at first." This poked at Bombalurina's curiosity "I didn't know if Alonzo and I were supposed to be together. But I found the more time I spent with him, the more I realized the cat I was when I was with him."

"What?" Bombalurina butted in, confused.
"Well, I remember one afternoon, Alonzo was telling some stupid joke, - "
"-as usual." Bombs interrupted.

"Yes, as usual, and then I noticed that I didn't care how stupid it was. I laughed because he made it funny." Exotica smiled at the memory, but Bombs looked skeptical.
"That sounds really stupid."
"Well, thank you for telling me how stupid my love life is." Exotica side glanced Bombs.

"Sorry, continue."
"Thank you. As I was saying, I realized it didn't matter how or what we did together, it was still special. We could've been sitting and sunning on the TSE1, but some how, it still felt special."

Bombalurina processed this for a minute. Did everything Mungojerrie do feel particularly, special? Well, not really. But then again, Exotica said she didn't know straight away either. "Do you feel like he-"
"Yes, I feel he is my soul mate." Exotica answered immediately, "Sometimes, it doesn't feel like it straight away, but in time you see it."
"You sound far too mother-y."
"Yeah well, lets head back It's getting cold and everyone'll soon notice you're gone."

"Yes mum." Bombs leapt up to the plateau of the roof only seconds after Exotica.

•••••••

"Alonzo, have you seen Bombalurina?" Munkustrap asked his brother on their regular night patrol. Munkustrap was obviously counting all the jellicles in the junkyard in his head. It was another pedantic safety precaution of his.

"Yeah, she's with Exotica…at…Our…place…" Alonzo wished Exotica would hurry back with Bombalurina. To be honest, he'd rather Bombs' procrastination in getting back incur another whole-tribe-rant by Munkustrap then have to keep up the lie. He was never a good liar. Well, technically it wasn't a lie…she WAS probably with Exotica, he just…didn't know where.

"Alonzo are you ok?" Admetus cast a suspicious look towards Alonzo, who laughed nervously.

"Yes I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" By know, Admetus' tone had made Munkustrap turn and eye his brother as well.

"Alonzo…there's something you aren't telling us."
"Well.." Alonzo swallowed. Last time I'm ever covering for anyone. Just as he opened his mouth to run off some elaborate excuse, Exotica and Bombalurina bounded out of nowhere.

"Weren't you two at Alonzo's place?" Munkustrap questioned with authority. Exotica and Bombalurina exchanged glances, before shining big, fake, happy smiles.

"We were but now we're…not?" Bombs sounded more confusing then convincing.

"Then what are you doing out here?" Admetus joined in the interrogation. It was a valid question, even if he was just trying to sound as powerful as Munkustrap. Suck up.

"Um, we…saw a…" Exotica, who like Alonzo wasn't a great liar, darted her eyes nervously to Bombalurina, who thankfully jumped in.

"- an owl crash over here somewhere and we thought we'd go and see…" Admetus quickly looked around, he bought it. Munkustrap was hesitant, but Exotica and Bombalurina tried to front the most innocent face possible. He sighed.

"Well, I'm glad you weren't still outside the junkyard," Alonzo, Exotica and Bombalurina looked between themselves in relief, "And it'd be good if we could find that owl." Owl was a rare treat among jellicles. A delicacy of tender meat when dead; bird of predator with talons that carry kittens off when alive.

"I think it went over…there?" Exotica pointed in a random direction and Admetus stepped in from there.

"I'll scan the perimeter and form a report." He said rather robotically, before creeping out towards the area Exotica had highlighted. Munkustrap just nodded and followed. He knew there was no point telling Admetus not to be formal. He always considered himself in the military. Alonzo lagged behind a bit.

"I was soooo close to blabbing you guys." He whispered quickly and harshly. Exotica just rolled her eyes.

"You're such a child," She smiled warmly at her mate, planting a kiss on his cheek, "See you at home." Alonzo stared at her goofily before Munkustrap's voice called him from down wind. Alonzo saluted and ran after his patrol team.

•••••••

"Can you believe that?" Cassandra moaned dramatically to Rumpleteazer. Both were lying on the front boot of the TSE1. Unbeknownst to them; the kittens were underneath playing in their clubhouse; aka the canoe resting against the tail of the scrapped car.

"Mungojerrie and Bombalurina?" At this, Cassandra laughed snobbily at her own remark. Rumpleteazer narrowed her eyes at Cassandra, but remained silent.

"I still can't believe that. I mean…what would their kittens turn out like?"

Cassandra upturned her nose in some sort of disgust, making Rumple grit her teeth together to halt some "choice words". Cassandra seemed to remember Rumple was there for a second.

"Oh, no offence but…neither are really choice for breeding are they? No, didn't think so." She continued, answering her own question before Rumple could. Cassandra didn't recognise Rumple's death glares; either that or she just didn't care. Ignoring Rumpleteazer's silence, she continued to insult the newly romantic pair.

"To be honest, it's hard to find pure breeds these days." The Siamese licked the back of her paw and slid it over the finely cut, white fur of her angular cheeks. Rumple could barely hold in her frustration.

Rumpleteazer wondered if anyone would notice if Cassandra "fell off" the car and into the discarded blender on the ground below.

•••••••

The kittens had been listening to the two adult jellicles above them with mild interest. Pouncival; the only male kitten, had heard Bombalurina's name and instantly floated off into dream land. He sighed distantly. He was a kitten with a serious crush.

Jemima was absolutely outraged. She idolized Bombalurina to no end, and to hear her icon referred to so harshly made her wish she was big enough to start, let alone win, a fight.

Etcetera however, was smirking happily at the thought of Bombalurina and Mungojerrie together. She didn't think much of either. Truth was; she didn't think much of anyone, not even her sister Electra, except for the Rum Tum Tugger. But the Rum Tum Tugger wasn't just anyone. She'd fantasized for as long as she could remember about becoming his mate. He was perfect. Etcetera was just glad that Bombalurina would be out of her way for a while. She grunted. Why does Tugger even pay any attention to her anyways? She isn't even pretty. Etcetera thought that surely Tugger would see Bombalurina for the ugly peke she really was. Then He would see the perfection that is…me. Etcetera giggled to herself.