Can Ruby ever have a peaceful week? Nooooooo. I almost got struck by lightning, there's a tornado warning, and half of the power in our room is out. My half is not, though. :3

So, I'll write for you until a tornado rips the roof above my head off. Then again, there're floors and floors of people above me…. Huh. That's a strange thought. e.O

Song: Everybody's Fool - Evanescence. (Hey… uh, GypsyJade! Didn't you say something about this one?)

Good God. Let's make ANOTHER Demeter/Macavity story. This is only the fiftieth.

Demeter's P.O.V., of course.

"Destined," they say. Forced sounds more like it. I think Old Deuteronomy gave his eldest son the choice of which queen he wanted for his mate. Everlasting Cat forbid he chooses someone I don't care about, oh no, he chooses me.

"Destined to be Macavity's mate. Destined to be the next Tribe Leader's mate."

No, not destined. Forced. I don't think they understand the concept. I don't love him. I don't want to be his mate. But now… I don't have a choice.

Bombalurina got off lucky. Tugger got his choice too, when Old D said he was ready, but those two were in love, so he naturally picked Bombi. And obviously, she was happy with the choice. Since she was, everyone expects me to be pleased with being mated to Tugger's brother. We're sisters, yes, but we're farther apart in personality than night and day.

Cassandra and Bombalurina however, are like night and evening. Why couldn't he have picked Cassandra? Or anyone else?

Then, there he was, beside me.

There's nothing shy or sensitive about him. Aggressive, yes. Thinking of me at all? Definitely not.

"Hello, Demeter." For a moment, I can visualize him as two things; one of those geeky human kids with the nasally voice and huge glasses that are always hitting on, like, the human cheerleaders, and just a creepy thug you'd meet outside of a 7-11. Odd how the combination seems to make him more menacing to me. "I love you," He seems to add as an afterthought.

It's all I have not to roll my eyes at him. Honestly, he's supposed to be some big hottie, next Tribe Leader and all, but right now he seems more like the geeky human kid than anything.

He looks off into the distance, dreaming of something far off, I suppose. I raise my eyebrows a bit. "When I'm Tribe Leader… things are going to be different around here." He says, probably talking more to himself than me, which just about shows his mental stability.

"More lies about a world that
Never was and never will be."

He looks at me, as if just realizing I'm there. If Macavity becomes the next Leader, not only are we going to become crazy cats, but I'm going to leave. He's just… unstable. Unstable, but with influence.

"I love you, Demeter," he says again, not with any real emotion, but it's just… there.

"Have you no shame? Don't you see me?
And somehow you've got everybody fooled."

Macavity grins, and it's just a little lopsided, like something right off of one of those monster clowns from human horror movies. "Of course I see you, Demeter." And then he kisses me, just a peck on my lips, and walks away.

I ignore the whistles and general sounds from Bombalurina and Cassandra's direction, and walk off in the opposite direction he took.

It's I who approaches Macavity the next day, determined to get some kind of impression into his brain that I don't like the fact that he's chosen me. Or that I just don't like him in general.

"Without the mask where will you hide?
Can't find yourself lost in your lie.
I know the truth now.
I know who you are,
And I don't love you anymore!" I spit out, hoping he was listening, even. It's hard to tell with Macavity.

"That's alright," he says brightly, "You never did love me, Demeter. That's why I chose you." He says, smiling, and walks away.

…What?

The next day… he leaves. Announces to his father, to all of us in the clearing, that he's leaving the Jellicle Tribe.

Munkustrap is chosen Protector in his place, Macavity shares a long look with me, then out he walks, free from the responsibility that had been hovering over his head, and free from the binds of family.

Suddenly everyone is looking at me, as if it's my fault that he -everyone's favorite tom, the next Leader- left. But that was his intention, his plan, all along, wasn't it?

And somehow now you're everybody's fool….

[A/N] My sister: Oooh, your leg is bright pink. Someone's gonna get skin cancer when they're older.

Me: Well, that's alright, since the tornado's gonna take me out anyway.

My sister: SO not funny.

She was actually worried about the tornado warning. :3 Please. When you live your whole life (she hasn't) where I live, tornado warnings just don't scare you. XD