Etcetera followed Tumble and they ended up near the
outskirts of the Jellicle Junkyard. Etcy regarded Tumblebrutus. He didn't have
to do what he had done for her. He stood up to every kitten's idol, the Rum Tum
Tugger to save her from being hurt. He had been kind to her, unlike everyone
else, and it moved her, deep down in her soul.
She stopped. "Tumble, we should stop before we get
too far away." He then stopped too.
"At least we're decently far away from that
scum," Tumble growled. Then he added quietly, "I can't believe he
treated you like that. How could anyone - "
She put a slender finger up to his mouth to silence him.
"Don't let it hang over you, Tumble. You did what you could, and I am
extremely grateful to you." She paused, and took a deep breath.
"Thanks to you, I realize that I shouldn't have let him be so mean to me. I
need someone who will love me, and who will always want me with them... Someone
like... like you."
"Someone like me?" Tumble asked, almost taken
aback. He'd always had a crush on Etcetera, and now she realized it, and
was willing to give up on Tugger and give him a chance? Could it be that
it was actually happening? He blinked, but said nothing.
Etcetera purred. "When do you think we should
go back?" she asked after a while. They had been staring at each
other in silence for what seemed forever to them both.
Without a word, Tumble took her hand, and they proceeded
back to the main part of the Junkyard together. Etcy noted that the tumult
that had been earlier was now gone, as was Tugger. He had apparently left
shortly after they had. After all, it was unlike Tugger to stick around
after having his pride so sorely beaten.
Victoria approached her sister cautiously. "Are
you alright, Etcy?" she asked.
"You think I would be hurt?" Etcy replied,
"In fact, I think I've been enlightened by Tumble. I never really
noticed that anyone cared at all about me, but now I realize that I was wasting
my time going after Tugger, and only hurting myself by doing so."
Vicci hugged her sister. "I'm glad you finally
saw what he was doing to you: he was hurting you."
Tumblebrutus stepped back, unsure of what to do.
Etcy pulled away from her sister and turned to him. Purring, she embraced
him. "I love you, Tumblebrutus..." she whispered happily.
