A/N: Please review this chapter, because I currently have 13 reviews, and I am a bit triskaidekaphobic. Thank you.

Disclaimer: Did you notice I didn't put a disclaimer in the previous chapter? (Please don't sue me)

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Chapter 12: Nocturnal activities

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A dark room in a mansion

Midnight

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"Who goes there? Show yourself!"

"Don't you recognize my shadow?"

"Is… is that you, Chuck?"

"No, it is me, the Fiend!"

"… No… it can't be…"

"Are you surprised to see me still alive?"

"I… I am so glad you are!"

"Oh? Last time I checked it was you who pointed a sword at me!"

"A gun."

"What?"

"It was a gun."

"… It was a sword!"

"No, it was a gun, you can check it if you want."

"… Everlasting, you're right! Wait, when was the sword?"

"Three pages earlier, in the garden. That didn't work because the colonel came by, remember?"

Asparagus read through the script. "Oh yeah, I forgot about the scene in the garden!" He dropped the stapled sheets of paper onto the carpeted floor. "See dad, I can't do this."

"Of course you can," Gus replied. "The fact that only need an hour to rehearse, doesn't mean that you also have to know every line after such a short time! And I know, Firefrorefiddle isn't an easy start, but… I believe in you! Or would you prefer to play the role of Lord Cinnamon?"

They had been rehearsing for the Jellicle Ball, where, during the annually theater-moment, Asparagus Senior and Junior would perform a scene from Firefrorefiddle. Asparagus played the role of Firefrorefiddle himself, while his father took the part of Lord Cinnamon, who had betrayed and tried to murder the Fiend of the Fell.

"No, it's okay dad. I'll do my best. But I'm tired, I have trouble remembering the lines."

"Fine. We'll return to the Junkyard in five minutes. Where's Bustopher?"

Gus walked out of the room, calling for his younger brother. Asparagus looked around the room one last time before following his father into the main hall of the mansion.

"Hey dad, tell me why we had to come all the way to this house to practice? I mean, during the Ball it will just be on the Junkyard, right?"

"Son, it's all about how you look at it. This scene happens in a mansion, so we rehearse in a mansion, that way you can adapt to your surroundings. Then, when we do it on the Junkyard, your will be in the mansion with your thoughts. If we just rehearse on the Junkyard, you will act like you are on a junkyard, while you are supposed to be in a mansion. Get it?"

Asparagus was just about to ask his father to repeat what he just said, when Bustopher came down the stairs. Very slowly. One stair at the time.

"Humpf… Ah, Gus! Humpf… Done rehearsing already? Humpf… Come on, one more… Humpf!" When he finally reached the bottom of the stairs, he leaned against the banister, catching his breath.

"Yes, we were just about to leave," Gus confirmed. "Thanks again to let us use your living room."

"You're… welcome. Now… my humans will be… home soon, so…"

"Got it. You don't want anyone to know you're related to cats that live on a junkyard."

"It's not that, it's just… huh… They don't like it when cats they don't… know come into their house."

"Alright then. Asparagus, you have everything? Your script, your coat?"

"Yes, dad." He showed him the brown coat Firefrorefiddle always wore.

They walked towards the hatch in the front door. Gus went through, and Asparagus looked back one more time to see Bustopher standing in front of the stairs, looking up.

"You know what, I think I'll just sleep downstairs tonight."

As he stepped through the hatch, Asparagus wondered if it was actually large enough for Bustopher.

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"Hey, dad?"

"Hm?"

"Don't you think uncle Bustopher is getting a bit too… round?"

"Well son, that's what you get when you're addicted to Strasburg pie."

"Oh… How much do you think he weighs now?"

"At least fifteen pounds."

"Fifteen?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hey, dad?"

"Hm?"

"Why doesn't uncle Bustopher live with us on the Junkyard?"

"Because he chose not to."

"Is that possible?"

"Yes, a Jellicle can choose to have a human family to live with, if they still come over to the Junkyard from time to time. And they have to come to the Ball, of course."

"But why did he choose to live with humans? Humans are strange."

"Because he doesn't like living in their garbage."

"Dad?"

*Sigh*. "Yes?"

"Are we almost home?"

"Yes, just a few more blocks."

"Hey, dad?"

"Son, if you don't stop asking questions now…"

"But I was going to ask how I can remember my lines more easily!"

"Oh! Of course! You know what I used to do? I used to always sleep with my head on the script, but I'm not sure if that helps. But you know what works?"

"What?"

"Saying your lines in the opposite order! It is hard at first, but it forces you to remember them better!"

"But… isn't there a risk you might say your lines in the wrong order when you're on stage?"

"Maybe if you only rehearse like that, but that's not how it works. Just a few times."

"Oh, okay."

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"Mommy?"

Grizabella hurried through the den to find her youngest son out of bed.

"What's wrong, Macavity?"

"I'm hungry."

She sighed and sat down on the bed. "I told you you should have eaten all of that rat!"

"I don't like rat! It tastes like garbage!"

"Macavity, we can't always have mouse or fish."

"But I'm hungry now! I will eat rat if I have to!"

"But there's nothing left! We gave the rest to the elders! Can't you wait until breakfast?"

"I don't know…"

"All I can give you right now, is some milk. Do you want some?"

"Okay."

She walked to a box that contained an almost empty milk carton. She poured some into a dish and gave it to Macavity, who happily lapped it up. After he finished, he licked his lips and yawned.

"Now, you better go back to bed," Grizabella said.

Macavity climbed onto his bed, but when his mother leaned over to give him a goodnight kiss, he asked: "Mommy, where did you go last night?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were gone last night, and daddy went out to look for you, but he didn't return while I was awake."

"It's nothing, dear. I just went out for a walk."

"Can I come with you next time?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because… the streets are dangerous at night! Criminal cats and Pollicles, it's too dangerous!"

"But I'm not a kitten anymore!"

"Yes, you are! You're not even old enough yet to go to the Ball!"

"Does that mean… I can't go to the Ball next moon?"

"Macavity, all kittens must wait at least one year before they go to their first Ball. Asparagus and Skimbleshanks also didn't go last year, you know."

"And can Munkustrap go?"

"No, he will stay with you, along with the other kittens. They are too young to stay up and dance all night, and so are you."

She gave him a kiss on his forehead and walked out of the room. That's right, she thought, the Ball is near. Some cats had already started rehearsing their acts. She would have to talk to her mate about the preparations before he left.

Before he left.

And when he was gone, she would be able to go out at night without him noticing.

What?

What did she just think?

No, she would help with the preparations.

She would stay on the Junkyard.

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A/N: The whole thing about Old D going away will be explained in the next chapter.

I actually consider writing a story about Firefrorefiddle. I always thought of Firefrorefiddle as an anti-hero. Not a good guy, not a bad guy, an anti-hero. Lord Cinnamon tried to murder him, he wants revenge.