Altaica's Story-Part Seven-Memories
Author's note:Alta, Sarge, Ocenir, and Trista belong to me, Ruffles and Truffles belong to L and Mell. There will probably be a few typos in here since my keyboard is the most buggery thing on Earth. The rest of the characters belong to RUG. Thanks!-Amber
The recovery was slow, and few things could make Alta laugh during it. One of those things (well...two of those things) were Ruffles and Truffles. The two were always moving, always causing some sort of mayhem or destruction. They were doing this on the day that Mistoffelees stopped by Jemima's old pipe.
Alta had moved into her cousin's home after her death, taking comfort in the few possessions. The book of poetry and two others, a comb with a few missing teeth and several pieces of Jemi's silky fur still stuck in it, a shard of a broken mirror, a collar, two catnip mice, and a soft blue silk ribbon were still in there. A once-yellow rose, browned with age, brittle and dry, which was placed carefully on a small shelf. It was still Jemima's pipe as far as Alta was concerned. She just slept there, pausing to touch the precious items gently, reading a poem or two before going out to the rest of the Junkyard.
She was sitting on a blanket, cradling the ribbon in her paws, when a polite tap on the side of the pipe made her ears perk up. "Come in, Misto," she called out softly, because the tuxedo was one of few polite enough to knock, and the only one who could get up without attracting her attention.
He stooped over and entered, causing Alta to place the ribbon back in its spot and stand. He looked uncomfortable, as if he was there delivering a message that he didn't like. She caught onto it almost immediately, asking, "Whassa matta, Misto?"
He bit his bottom lip and sighed. "Look, Alta, I don't want to have to say this.....um...maybe you should sit down...."
She plopped onto the blanket again with a wry grin in place. "Ya didn't wanta tell me ta sit down?"
He could tell that she was worried, she often joked to cover up her fear. "No, no, not that. You see....well....oh, where should I begin?"
"At da beginnin, dat usually works foh me."
He sighed. "Well, you see, Alta...some of the elders no longer trust you-"
"Like dey eva did," she said bitterly. He nodded and continued.
"Yes, well, since Jemi's death they've gotten more suspicious. They want me to....well...examine your mind, your memories and thoughts, and have Coricopat do a check after I do to make sure I'm not lying. Now, I wouldn't do that if you didn't want me to, but..."
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she stared at the opposite wall. "Like I have something to hide," she said flatly. "Like I wanted to kill my own cousin."
He nodded uncomfortably. "Well, you know Jenny and Jelly, and...well...Tantomile told them something, I'm not sure if it's true or not...about you holding Coricopat off the ground by his throat?"
She bit her lip and flushed. "I only did it for Demi! For her and Munkus. They were two of the few that accepted me, and nobody messes with my friends."
He raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, the other message is....look outside." Before she could say anything, he disappeared.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her headfur. Great. Now Misto thought she was a brute, half the Junkyard was trying to throw her into the streets, and....something was going on outside.
She poked her head out and nearly died laughing. Below, Truffles was holding a can of spray paint while Ruffles repeatedly whacked Tugger with a stick.
"Uncie Tuggy! STAY STILL! How do you expect us to paint you pink if you don't co-opy-opy-opy-operate?"
"I DON'T, that's how! OW! RUFFLES!!!!" Tugger was trying to run away but failing miserably as Ruffles whacked him in the thigh with the stick.
"But you'll look jus' dahlin, daaaaaaaahlin!" Truffles drawled in a fake Southern accent, following Tugger's movements with the spraypaint.
Alta shook her head and climbed down the junkpile. "Now, c'mon Ruhffles, Truhffles...stop paintin Tugger pink. Paint someone funniah pink...like Coricopa' oh Munkus...."
Truffles stopped spaying Tugger for a second and regarded Altaica with squinted eyes. Then she turned back to Ruffles. "Y'all, we got another subject, y'all!!!" she bounded away with the can between her teeth, Ruffles following. Alta laughed as Ruffles hit Truffles on the head with the stick.
Tugger was left standing, half pink and completely annoyed. "I owe you one, Alta," he said, trying unsuccessfully to pull some of the paint out of his fur.
She laughed. "Anytime. Now ah gotta go an make sure dey don kill Coricopa' or Munkus...." She sauntered off, leaving Tugger chuckling slightly as he left to find Bombalurina. There was something about her, he mused as he walked around, trying to ignore the stares and laughs of the other Jellicles as "The Tugger" walked around with his...er...color change. Something about her that was different than any other queen he had met before.
Shrugging, he found Bombalurina and started cleaning off the paint before it had a chance to set.
Alta was escorting a slightly sheepish Ruffles and ruffles back to the yard. They had managed to paint Alonzo gold and were about to start in on Cassandra when Alta caught up to them. They would never spray paint their "Auntie Altie" (well...not much anyway) so when she told them it was time to leave, they followed.
"Now, spay-painting Tugger or Corico or Munkus is one thing, they'd never hurt a couple of kittens. But Cassandra wouldn't hesitate to slit your throats if you so much as ruffles a hair of her coat," she lectured half-heartedly. She was the only one who would put up with the kits, and her mind was elsewhere. She knew that if Misto and Corico found something worth reporting, not only would she be kicked out, but nobody would watch out for the kits anymore either.
Truffles just giggled, but Ruffles gasped. "TRUFFLES! There's a big weird thingy over by the fence-like object!!!"
Truffles's eyes went wide. "A big weird thingy? Oh boy oh boy y'all!!!" The two scampered off, leaving Alta standing there, shaking her head. Most likely, the big weird thingy was a bit of lint. She began to walk back to her pipe, stopping when Ocenir tossed her a small ball.
"C'mon, Alta, we need a shortstop!!!"
She laughed and caught the ball, spinning to peg Tumblebrutus as he rounded the "bases". It was good old-fashioned American baseball, and they played until dusk. They would have played longer, but Ruffles and Truffles returned with the big weird thingy, which turned out to be a new stick which they dubbed the "you're being an eejit stick". They dubbed baseball as "Eejit-like" and the game quickly broke up.
That evening, Misto came again to Jemi's pipe to see Alta. He brought Munkustrap and Coricopat with him, just in case a memory upset Alta and she needed to be restrained.
Misto made sure that Alta was comfortable before giving her the outline of what he would be doing. "You'll be re-living those memories again, and it's important to remember that if need be, your eyes will open and you'll be safe in this pipe with us. Just close your eyes now...." She did, and Misto's voice faded away as she remembered the first thing that she allowed herself to: the first escape from Engle's lair.
She refused to think of anything before that day, because she was a naïve little kitten then. She didn't understand anything, and she didn't want to look at herself when she was as innocent as Jemima had been. It only reminded her of the full extent of Engle's brutality, and how different her life might have been.
Misto felt Corico's presence join his own and he nodded slightly. It was better to only make her go through this once if they had to at all. They watched, horrified, as memory after memory played through her mind like movies on a screen.
The younger Altaica, hardly out of kittenhood, scrunched up against the wall as one of the spies passed. As soon as the black Tom had gone pat her, she bolted out from the shadows, utterly thin and utterly miserable. Then she was falling to the side as another shape hit her with great force. Misto and Corico cringed as they heard her hit the pavement with a sickening -crunch-. Something was broken.
She was backing away now, pushing herself backward on her butt with the second shape following her, facing forward. Soon, she had backed herself into a wall, and the shape loomed over her. They saw a glint of evilly yellow eyes before a paw delivered a vicious uppercut to her jaw, sending her flying. Tears glinted on her cheeks as she lifted her head up slightly, only to take another blow to the back of her head, rendering her unconscious.
The larger, darker cat stooped over and picked her up roughly. "Shadow, keep guard at the door. She's going to pay for trying to get out this time."
The first black cat nodded. "Sure thing, Engle."
The memory cut off there, as if the rest was too painful for her to remember. Misto and Corico thought that they had an idea of what would have happened inside, even without seeing it. Misto didn't think he'd have been able to watch without throwing up, anyway. Macavity was bad enough, but this cat.....
They saw more memories of that kind, complete ones. Corico had to clamp a paw over Misto's mouth in the physical world to keep him from throwing up. As it was, the dark calico wasn't feeling too great, either. They saw memories of what Engle had done to other cats and to his own Guards, showing mercy to no one, particularly Altaica. She was a tool he used constantly, using her magical talents for the constant "war" against other street cats. He used her for other...things...on the side.
They finally saw the memory of the day that she escaped with Ocenir, and they heard the promises she had made to Trista and Sarge. They saw the journey and tearful goodbyes, and then the memories were all of the Junkyard and far more pleasant than the ones of Boston. They discovered nothing except for one thought that she had had when fighting Macavity the first time..."Bet Engle doesn't know that his toys learn better than his guards...."
It took Misto and Corico some time to get Alta out of the trance. She was literally living in her mind now, and, judging by the tears on her cheeks, she had gotten to where Jemi died. It took a firm shake and a light slap from Munkus to get her eyes to open.
"That was awful," she moaned, rubbing at her eyes. "And now you know why I never discuss it."
Munkustrap just looked confused, but Coricopat and Misto nodded solemnly. After warning her to rest, they left, leaving her in peace. She picked up Jemi's book of poems and opened to a random page, reading the first thing that she saw.
"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me.
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality."
There was more, but she stopped reading there. And she began wondering...would she be forced to leave the sanctuary of the Junkyard?
In the Old Ford, which was serving as an emergency conference room, Misto and Corico filled Munkustrap in on what they had seen, leaving nothing out.
"She never thought anything about harming ANYONE that wasn't Macavity, Engle, or one of his guards. She would never have wanted her cousin killed in the first place!!!" Corico said fiercely.
"I think that Jelly and Jenny and the rest are just a tiny bit misguided," Misto said seriously. "There were many thoughts about how much she loved everyone here, and many more about Ocenir, Sarge, and Trista. She may be here and love us, but her heart belongs to Boston."
Munkustrap nodded. "But she can't go home until Engle is gone. How will she know?"
"Sarge gave his word. Trista too. And Alta and Ocenir promised to return."
Munkustrap nodded. "So be it. The day will come and we will be sorry to see her go, and until then she stays here, no matter what certain Elders think."
The three toms nodded and split up.
"Auntie Altie! Auntie Altie! Ah iz stuck, y'all!!!"
Altaica laughed as she poked her head out of the pipe. Sure enough, Ruffles had somehow wedged Truffles in a fishbowl and was rapidly filling it with water. She walked over, plucked Truffles out of the bowl, and set her on the ground. "Now, you know what I told you," she said in a mock-exasperated voice.
"You told us something?" Ruffles asked, cocking her head quizzically.
"Yes, Ruffles. Don't beat each other up, beat Tugger up instead."
"YE-ES!!!!!" a soaking wet Truffles exclaimed. "To annoy Tuggah, y'all!!!!" the kits were off again.
She shook her head slowly, laughing, and returned to the pipe. Jemi's blue ribbon had been placed as a bookmark in one of the pages of the poetry book. Curious, she picked the book up and flipped the book open.
"That I did always love,
I bring thee proof:
That till I loved
I did not love enough.
That I shall love thee always,
I offer thee
That love is life
And life hath immorality.
This, dost thou doubt, sweet?
Then have I
Nothing to show
But Cavalry."
She frowned, and then smiled, but frowned again. Who had marked the book in her absence?
Shrugging, she turned to sit at the mouth of the pipe. It was her evening ritual to sit there with perhaps a chipped mug of cream, watching the sunset and the activity below. She started a little as she saw a figure standing there. "Hey, 'Cenir. Want to watch the sunset with me?"
"Love to," he said with a grin, helping her to sit before carefully putting an arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head against his.
And so, they watched the sunset and waited for the arrival of another day.
Author's note:Alta, Sarge, Ocenir, and Trista belong to me, Ruffles and Truffles belong to L and Mell. There will probably be a few typos in here since my keyboard is the most buggery thing on Earth. The rest of the characters belong to RUG. Thanks!-Amber
The recovery was slow, and few things could make Alta laugh during it. One of those things (well...two of those things) were Ruffles and Truffles. The two were always moving, always causing some sort of mayhem or destruction. They were doing this on the day that Mistoffelees stopped by Jemima's old pipe.
Alta had moved into her cousin's home after her death, taking comfort in the few possessions. The book of poetry and two others, a comb with a few missing teeth and several pieces of Jemi's silky fur still stuck in it, a shard of a broken mirror, a collar, two catnip mice, and a soft blue silk ribbon were still in there. A once-yellow rose, browned with age, brittle and dry, which was placed carefully on a small shelf. It was still Jemima's pipe as far as Alta was concerned. She just slept there, pausing to touch the precious items gently, reading a poem or two before going out to the rest of the Junkyard.
She was sitting on a blanket, cradling the ribbon in her paws, when a polite tap on the side of the pipe made her ears perk up. "Come in, Misto," she called out softly, because the tuxedo was one of few polite enough to knock, and the only one who could get up without attracting her attention.
He stooped over and entered, causing Alta to place the ribbon back in its spot and stand. He looked uncomfortable, as if he was there delivering a message that he didn't like. She caught onto it almost immediately, asking, "Whassa matta, Misto?"
He bit his bottom lip and sighed. "Look, Alta, I don't want to have to say this.....um...maybe you should sit down...."
She plopped onto the blanket again with a wry grin in place. "Ya didn't wanta tell me ta sit down?"
He could tell that she was worried, she often joked to cover up her fear. "No, no, not that. You see....well....oh, where should I begin?"
"At da beginnin, dat usually works foh me."
He sighed. "Well, you see, Alta...some of the elders no longer trust you-"
"Like dey eva did," she said bitterly. He nodded and continued.
"Yes, well, since Jemi's death they've gotten more suspicious. They want me to....well...examine your mind, your memories and thoughts, and have Coricopat do a check after I do to make sure I'm not lying. Now, I wouldn't do that if you didn't want me to, but..."
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she stared at the opposite wall. "Like I have something to hide," she said flatly. "Like I wanted to kill my own cousin."
He nodded uncomfortably. "Well, you know Jenny and Jelly, and...well...Tantomile told them something, I'm not sure if it's true or not...about you holding Coricopat off the ground by his throat?"
She bit her lip and flushed. "I only did it for Demi! For her and Munkus. They were two of the few that accepted me, and nobody messes with my friends."
He raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, the other message is....look outside." Before she could say anything, he disappeared.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her headfur. Great. Now Misto thought she was a brute, half the Junkyard was trying to throw her into the streets, and....something was going on outside.
She poked her head out and nearly died laughing. Below, Truffles was holding a can of spray paint while Ruffles repeatedly whacked Tugger with a stick.
"Uncie Tuggy! STAY STILL! How do you expect us to paint you pink if you don't co-opy-opy-opy-operate?"
"I DON'T, that's how! OW! RUFFLES!!!!" Tugger was trying to run away but failing miserably as Ruffles whacked him in the thigh with the stick.
"But you'll look jus' dahlin, daaaaaaaahlin!" Truffles drawled in a fake Southern accent, following Tugger's movements with the spraypaint.
Alta shook her head and climbed down the junkpile. "Now, c'mon Ruhffles, Truhffles...stop paintin Tugger pink. Paint someone funniah pink...like Coricopa' oh Munkus...."
Truffles stopped spaying Tugger for a second and regarded Altaica with squinted eyes. Then she turned back to Ruffles. "Y'all, we got another subject, y'all!!!" she bounded away with the can between her teeth, Ruffles following. Alta laughed as Ruffles hit Truffles on the head with the stick.
Tugger was left standing, half pink and completely annoyed. "I owe you one, Alta," he said, trying unsuccessfully to pull some of the paint out of his fur.
She laughed. "Anytime. Now ah gotta go an make sure dey don kill Coricopa' or Munkus...." She sauntered off, leaving Tugger chuckling slightly as he left to find Bombalurina. There was something about her, he mused as he walked around, trying to ignore the stares and laughs of the other Jellicles as "The Tugger" walked around with his...er...color change. Something about her that was different than any other queen he had met before.
Shrugging, he found Bombalurina and started cleaning off the paint before it had a chance to set.
Alta was escorting a slightly sheepish Ruffles and ruffles back to the yard. They had managed to paint Alonzo gold and were about to start in on Cassandra when Alta caught up to them. They would never spray paint their "Auntie Altie" (well...not much anyway) so when she told them it was time to leave, they followed.
"Now, spay-painting Tugger or Corico or Munkus is one thing, they'd never hurt a couple of kittens. But Cassandra wouldn't hesitate to slit your throats if you so much as ruffles a hair of her coat," she lectured half-heartedly. She was the only one who would put up with the kits, and her mind was elsewhere. She knew that if Misto and Corico found something worth reporting, not only would she be kicked out, but nobody would watch out for the kits anymore either.
Truffles just giggled, but Ruffles gasped. "TRUFFLES! There's a big weird thingy over by the fence-like object!!!"
Truffles's eyes went wide. "A big weird thingy? Oh boy oh boy y'all!!!" The two scampered off, leaving Alta standing there, shaking her head. Most likely, the big weird thingy was a bit of lint. She began to walk back to her pipe, stopping when Ocenir tossed her a small ball.
"C'mon, Alta, we need a shortstop!!!"
She laughed and caught the ball, spinning to peg Tumblebrutus as he rounded the "bases". It was good old-fashioned American baseball, and they played until dusk. They would have played longer, but Ruffles and Truffles returned with the big weird thingy, which turned out to be a new stick which they dubbed the "you're being an eejit stick". They dubbed baseball as "Eejit-like" and the game quickly broke up.
That evening, Misto came again to Jemi's pipe to see Alta. He brought Munkustrap and Coricopat with him, just in case a memory upset Alta and she needed to be restrained.
Misto made sure that Alta was comfortable before giving her the outline of what he would be doing. "You'll be re-living those memories again, and it's important to remember that if need be, your eyes will open and you'll be safe in this pipe with us. Just close your eyes now...." She did, and Misto's voice faded away as she remembered the first thing that she allowed herself to: the first escape from Engle's lair.
She refused to think of anything before that day, because she was a naïve little kitten then. She didn't understand anything, and she didn't want to look at herself when she was as innocent as Jemima had been. It only reminded her of the full extent of Engle's brutality, and how different her life might have been.
Misto felt Corico's presence join his own and he nodded slightly. It was better to only make her go through this once if they had to at all. They watched, horrified, as memory after memory played through her mind like movies on a screen.
The younger Altaica, hardly out of kittenhood, scrunched up against the wall as one of the spies passed. As soon as the black Tom had gone pat her, she bolted out from the shadows, utterly thin and utterly miserable. Then she was falling to the side as another shape hit her with great force. Misto and Corico cringed as they heard her hit the pavement with a sickening -crunch-. Something was broken.
She was backing away now, pushing herself backward on her butt with the second shape following her, facing forward. Soon, she had backed herself into a wall, and the shape loomed over her. They saw a glint of evilly yellow eyes before a paw delivered a vicious uppercut to her jaw, sending her flying. Tears glinted on her cheeks as she lifted her head up slightly, only to take another blow to the back of her head, rendering her unconscious.
The larger, darker cat stooped over and picked her up roughly. "Shadow, keep guard at the door. She's going to pay for trying to get out this time."
The first black cat nodded. "Sure thing, Engle."
The memory cut off there, as if the rest was too painful for her to remember. Misto and Corico thought that they had an idea of what would have happened inside, even without seeing it. Misto didn't think he'd have been able to watch without throwing up, anyway. Macavity was bad enough, but this cat.....
They saw more memories of that kind, complete ones. Corico had to clamp a paw over Misto's mouth in the physical world to keep him from throwing up. As it was, the dark calico wasn't feeling too great, either. They saw memories of what Engle had done to other cats and to his own Guards, showing mercy to no one, particularly Altaica. She was a tool he used constantly, using her magical talents for the constant "war" against other street cats. He used her for other...things...on the side.
They finally saw the memory of the day that she escaped with Ocenir, and they heard the promises she had made to Trista and Sarge. They saw the journey and tearful goodbyes, and then the memories were all of the Junkyard and far more pleasant than the ones of Boston. They discovered nothing except for one thought that she had had when fighting Macavity the first time..."Bet Engle doesn't know that his toys learn better than his guards...."
It took Misto and Corico some time to get Alta out of the trance. She was literally living in her mind now, and, judging by the tears on her cheeks, she had gotten to where Jemi died. It took a firm shake and a light slap from Munkus to get her eyes to open.
"That was awful," she moaned, rubbing at her eyes. "And now you know why I never discuss it."
Munkustrap just looked confused, but Coricopat and Misto nodded solemnly. After warning her to rest, they left, leaving her in peace. She picked up Jemi's book of poems and opened to a random page, reading the first thing that she saw.
"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me.
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality."
There was more, but she stopped reading there. And she began wondering...would she be forced to leave the sanctuary of the Junkyard?
In the Old Ford, which was serving as an emergency conference room, Misto and Corico filled Munkustrap in on what they had seen, leaving nothing out.
"She never thought anything about harming ANYONE that wasn't Macavity, Engle, or one of his guards. She would never have wanted her cousin killed in the first place!!!" Corico said fiercely.
"I think that Jelly and Jenny and the rest are just a tiny bit misguided," Misto said seriously. "There were many thoughts about how much she loved everyone here, and many more about Ocenir, Sarge, and Trista. She may be here and love us, but her heart belongs to Boston."
Munkustrap nodded. "But she can't go home until Engle is gone. How will she know?"
"Sarge gave his word. Trista too. And Alta and Ocenir promised to return."
Munkustrap nodded. "So be it. The day will come and we will be sorry to see her go, and until then she stays here, no matter what certain Elders think."
The three toms nodded and split up.
"Auntie Altie! Auntie Altie! Ah iz stuck, y'all!!!"
Altaica laughed as she poked her head out of the pipe. Sure enough, Ruffles had somehow wedged Truffles in a fishbowl and was rapidly filling it with water. She walked over, plucked Truffles out of the bowl, and set her on the ground. "Now, you know what I told you," she said in a mock-exasperated voice.
"You told us something?" Ruffles asked, cocking her head quizzically.
"Yes, Ruffles. Don't beat each other up, beat Tugger up instead."
"YE-ES!!!!!" a soaking wet Truffles exclaimed. "To annoy Tuggah, y'all!!!!" the kits were off again.
She shook her head slowly, laughing, and returned to the pipe. Jemi's blue ribbon had been placed as a bookmark in one of the pages of the poetry book. Curious, she picked the book up and flipped the book open.
"That I did always love,
I bring thee proof:
That till I loved
I did not love enough.
That I shall love thee always,
I offer thee
That love is life
And life hath immorality.
This, dost thou doubt, sweet?
Then have I
Nothing to show
But Cavalry."
She frowned, and then smiled, but frowned again. Who had marked the book in her absence?
Shrugging, she turned to sit at the mouth of the pipe. It was her evening ritual to sit there with perhaps a chipped mug of cream, watching the sunset and the activity below. She started a little as she saw a figure standing there. "Hey, 'Cenir. Want to watch the sunset with me?"
"Love to," he said with a grin, helping her to sit before carefully putting an arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head against his.
And so, they watched the sunset and waited for the arrival of another day.