Part 10
Cand and the others got to Munk and the other three a little bit later, it was very crowded in the small den and Munk eyed the small sack Cand was carrying.
"What is that", he asked suspiciously.
"The package you wanted me to get", Cand said and set it down.
"I believe a cat is a bit bigger than that."
"Oh but he isn't a cat anymore… I think he's a crow…"
"A crow", Alejandra asked.
Cand shrugged and opened the sack. When he did a crow flew out.
"Close the door", Munk ordered and Limbi closed the door and the crow was trapped. It looked around and swiped at their heads.
"Knock it off Sphinx!" Munk yelled and the crow froze and then glared at him. Munk glared back and smirk. "Yes I can see that it's you, a black tom with blood red patches." The crow shifted and a tom just like Munk described stood before them.
"What do you want", he asked and Munk couldn't help but start because this tom had the exact same voice as Alonzo and the same black eyes, even his patter was the same as Alonzo's... except for the colur. Sphinx and Munk looked at each other for minutes without anyone saying anything then Munk shook his head and turned to Cand.
"Cand can you and the troops of yours-"
"His troops!" Cand's friends asked angrily.
"-gather everyone at the main clearing?"
"Of course", Cand mumbled and hurried outside followed by his friends. Munk turned to Sphinx when he was sure Cand was out of earshot.
"I need your help", he said to Sphinx and the patched tom cocked an eyebrow. "I need your shape shifting skills."
"They're not for sale", Sphinx answered. "Now if you excuse me I have more important things to do." He started towards the door.
"This is more important", Munk barked at him.
"No don't think so."
"This will help all Jellicles!"
"So what?"
"It will help your mother", Cori said calmly and the tom froze and turned to him.
"What", he asked.
"Jenny has been framed for the murder of your father."
"Mum would never kill him! She loves him!"
"We know that", Alejandra said. "And you know that but the tribe doesn't."
"Then they are stupid", Sphinx growled and walked towards the door again.
"Even your brother and sister", Munk asked gently and Sphinx froze again.
"Tumble and Deme", he asked and turned to Munk with a somewhat sad look on his face.
"If you don't help us", Munk said walking towards the other tom. "Something bad will happen to them… no no hear me out. I can't protect Tumble all the time and the kittens has him as their target…"
"Then I shall make sure they regret it", Sphinx growled and headed towards the door again.
"No no no no no", Munk said and grabbed his tail and pulled him inside again.
"Let me go Munkustrap!"
"If you rush out there and attack them they will think that mystical cats are evil and will treat Tumble and Demeter much worse."
Sphinx growled and turned to him again.
"What do you want me to do then?"
Munk bit his lip, almost laughing, he couldn't help it. His 'relationship' with Sphinx was like the one he and Alonzo had during their 'teenagers' years. The two of them argued a lot sometimes one of them did things without thinking and the next time it was the other way around. This reminded him of a problem the two of them had had with some high strays trying to take over the yard.
"What's your problem", Sphinx asked when Munk didn't say anything, just kept holding his tail. Munk started laughing.
"What is wrong with you", Sphinx asked confused. "Ow!" Munk had dropped to his knees, but still held on to Sphinx's tail. "Let go of my tail!"
"Sorry", Munk choked out between laughs.
"What is wrong with you?"
"S-s-s-sorry it's just…" Munk got up. "It's an uhm… insider thing."
Sphinx rolled his eyes.
"Well get a grip and tell me what you want me to do", he growled.
"Okay… this is what we'll do…" Munk and the other four huddled together to plan… well five others because there was someone watching them from the darkness of their minds.
"Chimera I don't understand", Count said after three hours of meeting with the black tom.
"What don't you understand with rebellion", Chimera asked calmly.
"What rebellion?"
"I've been telling you all about it."
"No you kept asking me questions like: how do you know when leadership fails you' or 'is a legion a legion when there is only one'… What are you trying to tell me?"
Chimera smirked.
"That you aren't as smart as you claim?" he asked calmly.
"Excuse me", Count said and his temper flared. "What the hell do you mean?"
"That you my friend are somewhat stupid to not notice what happens among your lines."
"Chimera", Count growled and walked up to the taller tom, trying to intimidate him with his red eyes.
"Yes that is my name, astonishing that you do remember it."
Count grabbed his arm and tried to throw him across the room… he wasn't successful. Chimera used his tail to grab hold of a ring in the stone floor… it ended with Count 'throwing' himself to the floor.
"Are you quite finished with messing around", Chimera asked nonchalantly looking at his long claws. "Or are you trying to clean the floor… well you might even have taken job as a carpet."
Count swiped at his legs but Chimera just jumped and then landed on Count's wrists.
"OW!" the evil tom screamed and tried to get loose.
"Was there something you wanted Count", Chimera asked calmly. "I doubt your secretary called me over just so I could step on you."
"What do you mean my secretary called you over", Count demanded to know… while trying to get loose and not show the pain he was in.
"Well I wouldn't be here if… what's-his-face…" Chimera pretended to think hard.
"Chimera I know you know exactly who called you over so tell me now damn it!"
"I don't know this one… he was tall… about my height."
Count growled, none of his toms were that height.
"He was white and black too… patched."
"Alonzo?"
"That's the one thank you for clearing that up for me."
Count pulled with all his strength so Chimera stumbled backwards off of his paws. Then he flew up.
"HOW DID ALONZO GET OUT OF HIS BOND?"
Chimera cocked his head to the side.
"Don't ask me I was in another part of town remember", he said with a shrug. Count flew forward and put a paw around Chimera's throat. "Now what good will this do?"
"I will kill you", Count said. "I swear to God-"
"Heathen!" Chimera cut him off. "Heathen!"
"Do shut up!"
"Bast is the only true goddess!"
"I never thought you were religious."
"It is not a religion it is a sense of trust in the great beyond."
"For fuck's sake Chimera this is not… like… you… who the hell are you?"
Chimera chuckled darkly and his body changed and became transparent and his face and everything faded… it was just a shadow. Count paled and ran for his room and when he got there he saw all his bottles trashed and his prisoner gone. But he did find Chimera sitting on one knee touching the liquid on the floor and then sniffing on his paw.
"Blood", he mused as if he didn't know Count was there. "Tell me something Count… does mental illness run in your family?"
"Shut up!" Count screeched and fired a lightning bolt at Chimera. It went straight through him and the grandmaster turned his gaze to the white cat. His body turning transparent, with a wicked grin on before fading into a normal shadow, there were two of them around him now. Count screamed outraged and ran from the room to try to find his soldiers. After going into the rooms of his seven soldiers and only finding shadows of Chimera Count was frustrated. He ran into his own room and gasped when he saw someone sit on his throne with an evil smirk.
"Mission accomplished", Chimera said and closed his eyes and with a flash he was gone. Count screamed in outrage, he didn't like to lose.
In the meantime Munk was standing in front of the Jellicles with Sphinx looking like he did the first time he and Tumble met him standing behind him. To Munk's left stood Coricopat with his arms crossed and a somewhat superior look on his face and on Munk's right were Alejandra and Mute.
"What is this all about Munk", Tugger asked his brother. Cand and his crew were, on Munk's orders, keeping watch over the crowd. They were allowed to use force to make them stay and listen to Munkustrap. Cand nodded to Munk.
"I have", he began. "I mean we have stumbled upon a plot to gain power here in the yard."
"What", Jelly asked confused.
"One of the plotters is Count and it started the same day that all of the mystics got banished from the tribe for being evil."
"But they are evil", Cassandra yelled at him and Munk shook his head.
"No they are not Cassie", he said calmly. "They have been tricked to attack us, just like we got tricked to kick them out."
"What are you on about", Admetus asked.
"Ad", Munk turned to him. "You told me Asp gave you that scar when he protected Tantomile am I right?"
"Yes…"
"If I recall correctly Asparagus Jr. is never wrong when it comes to read other cats."
"Was Munk", Ad said darkly. "He's dead remember? The mystics killed him!"
Mute took a threatening step forwards while growling but Munk caught his arm.
"That's one part of this that is completely wrong", Alejandra said calmly.
"What do you mean", Etcetera asked angrily.
"I mean that your brother Etcy isn't dead at all, although someone wanted you to believe that."
The Jellicles started to whisper among each other.
"You lie", Admetus yelled furiously and was ready to jump her when Sphinx stepped forward blocking his path.
"You", Tumble said from beside Plato seeing him.
"Who's that?" someone asked.
"Yeah who is that", asked someone else and everyone started asking at once.
"Quiet!" Munk yelled and they looked at him. "This is the Railway cat", he said moving his paw towards Sphinx. "He's taken over after Skimbleshanks that's been murdered."
"WHAT?" everyone screamed.
"I told you Skimble was murdered by the Jellicle leader remember? Now I have some proof that makes me 100% certain it wasn't Deuteronomy."
"What makes you so certain", Electra asked.
"We shall return to that matter soon but first-"
"Munkustrap", Cand called. "We don't have time, show them what really happened to Asparagus and Exotica!" Everyone started talking again.
"Quiet", Tugger boomed and then glared at Cand.
"They are dead", he said. "The mystics killed them. Asp and Exie went after some of the banished mystics to try to 'keep on being friends' but they never got back. I found them in an alley. Exotica was already dead but Asp was still breathing."
"Lies", Cori yelled and everyone stared at him. "You are a rotten liar Tugger!"
"Asp told me Quaxo had used his telekinetic powers to slam him against the wall while Tantomile used her psychic powers to overpower Exie!" Tugger yelled and Munk realized he said the exact same words he'd used to tell Munk all of this before. "-before Misto killed her with his magic!"
"Tugger you keep telling us Asp was still alive", Munk said calmly. "Why isn't he now?"
"I told you! The brave fool", Tugger said furiously. "We heard the mystics coming back and he told me to flee. I did but not without getting this" he lifted his mane and Munk saw a bad burn there. "Misto scorched me but Asp told me to run while he kept them back… he couldn't go on living without his mate. His death scream still haunts my dreams. I could have saved him…"
"You couldn't have saved him even if you wanted to", a new voice yelled and everyone were looking at a tall black tom. "You didn't try to save him because you tried to kill him!"
Everyone gasped and Tugger's eyes narrowed.
"Who the fell are you", he asked darkly.
"Typhon!" Cand exclaimed.
"Dad!" Plantaena called.
"What are you doing here", Munk hissed at the black tom. "You're ruining everything!"
"No I'm not just to let you know... Chi is not happy with you trying to fool him", Typhon said and then turned to the tribe. "Tugger has been lying to you all along, the mystics never tried to kill Asparagus or Exotica, Tugger tried to. He wanted to punish them for sticking up for the mystics."
"Lies!" Cassandra yelled.
"Munk is right the two of them are alive and they stand there!" Typhon pointed at Mute and Alejandra. "Sphinx do your thing!"
"Yes sir", Sphinx said calmly. "I thought Chimera was the bossy one…" Sphinx closed his eyes and Alejandra and Mute shifted into their original forms. All Jellicles gasped, including Tugger and Munk sighed, this was gonna get out of hand… uh out of paw now. Exotica smiled sadly.
"It's true", she said. "We aren't dead."
It was quiet for a bit.
"It's Count", Tugger yelled and pointed at Sphinx. "He's using his shape shifting powers to trick us! That's probably not even Munkustrap or Coricopat!"
"But it is us", Exotica said. "How else could I know that when Cassie was little her biggest dream was to become a sailor cat?" Cassandra blushed while everyone stared at her. "And how would I know that Jellylorum forbid me and Asparagus from having kittens until Pouncival and Etcetera are grown up so she could always help out if needed? What was it you said again Jelly… 'An extra pair of paws is always good the first time'."
Jelly's paws went to her mouth and her eyes were big with shock, Admetus walked closer to Asp carefully. He looked at his older, but still smaller, brother.
"A-A-Asp", he asked and the tom looked at him. "Is that really you?" Asp opened his paw and Ad saw a scar there that he remembered Asp getting.
"Shape shifting is hard", Sphinx said and Ad looked at him. "You can only do the basics… no details such as that… All I did was removing 'Mute's' 'cloak' and he's himself again." Jellylorum ran up to her son and hugged her to him tightly. He actually almost clung to her with tears going down his cheeks. His siblings joined in but Exotica was having none of it. When her sister advanced on her she hissed.
"Exie", Demeter asked.
"I refuse to be touched by a murderers and a violator's mate!" Exie shrieked and Munk grabbed her around the waist.
"Exie calm down", he said.
"I'm not going to calm the fuck down!" she shrieked. "Your brother tried to kill my mate! Hadn't it been for Mistofelees we would be dead by now!"
Everyone gasped and Sphinx stepped forward.
"Your leader also killed Skimbleshanks!" he yelled angrily and shifted to his original form. "Skimble told the bastard to leave the mystics alone and Tugger killed him!"
"Tugger is it true", Jemima asked him.
"Of course not", Tugger said. "They're lying!"
"No they're not", Typhon said nonchalantly watching his claws.
"You shut the fuck up", Tugger yelled at him. "Only because you're Count's ally doesn't mean I can't kill you!" Everyone gasped but Typhon snorted.
"I would like to see you try."
Tugger screamed and flew at the black tom but he was knocked aside.
"You will not hurt him!" Cand was glaring at him and Plantaena was just beside him. Tugger wasn't sure who of them had yelled but Cand's eyes were flaring.
"Nobody touches my family", he yelled and the Jellicles gasped again.
"A lot of gasping here", Typhon mused aloud. "Is something wrong with the air?"
Sphinx smirked.
"Look at that great leader of yours", he said and the Jellicles looked at him and then at Tugger. The Jellicle Leader was glaring at Cand and Plantaena, his claws out ready to attack. "Do you think he will attack them?"
"I do", Tumble said and stepped forward.
"Shut up", Tugger growled at him and turned towards the kitten.
"No", Tumble yelled. "I've shut up long enough! You have treated me and let everyone else treat me and Deme like dirt!"
"Shut it", Tugger started to walk towards the little kitten.
"You keep saying the mysticals are all evil… but… but you are the evil one!"
"How dare you?"
"You're as bad as Macavity!"
"SHUT UP!" Tugger swung his paw and hit Tumble in the face and sent him flying into a mirror that cracked.
"TUMBLE!" Plato exclaimed horrified when the little kitten didn't rise. Munk was watching in horror, Exotica stopped trashing in his arms, Asp and his family looked up and Sphinx started growling darkly. Tugger looked at his claws that were now bloody and he saw a small pool of blood form around Tumble. Munk jumped off of the tire and ran over to the kitten and gently nuzzled him.
"Tumble", he said gently but the kitten didn't move. "Tumbs?"
"Tumble", Deme screeched waking from the shock and hurried over to her tiny brother. She shook him gently. "Tumble… wake up… come on baby wake up."
The Jellicles, the grownups at least, started hissing and growling at Tugger who watched the kitten with big eyes. Munk saw that a shard of glass was stuck in Tumble's side and he called for Keeva. She hurried over. She looked at the wound and said sadly:
"There is nothing I can do for him… he's… he'll never make it…"
Munk stared at her and then the little kitten that was dying in his arms.
TBC Actually I'm not too fond of this chapter...
Malurina - I take it someone likes Sphinx a lot...
HumanGunieapig - Of course Cori isn't insane what do you take me for?
There now I have handled some annoying Shadows *looks at cage inside a water tank with sharks swimming around it*. They are very co-operative now.