A/N: congrats to everyone who made those great predictions for the next chapter. you know, I actually considered changing the chapter to fit one of the predictions, because it was better than what I'd actually written! But nothing has been changed, just enjoy.
And, as I see it, the hierarchy of the junkyard goes something like this: There's the Jellicle Leader (currently Old D), who wanders around, so he's not at the junkyard a lot. He is the honored guest of the Jellicle Ball and chooses the one to ascend to the Heavyside Layer. He will also come to the junkyard if there is something rather important going on. Then there's the Protector (Munkustrap), who has to stay at the junkyard. The Protector is the general guy in charge and chooses the next cat in line. When the Jellicle Leader passes on, the Protector takes his place, and the next in line becomes the Protector. Just thought that might help this chapter make more sense.
Munkustrap reluctantly strode away from his son's lair. He may have made a mistake in restricting Mistoffelees' powers, but what else could he do? He had wished he could simply make the powers go away, but that was not possible. Magic was a part of Mistoffelees. And the restrictions on it were killing him! That was certainly not what he had had in mind! Poor Mistoffelees. Munkustrap hadn't meant to be so harsh to him during his first few years of life, but it was for his own good! He had seen what could happen first-hand to magical cats, when left to use their powers freely...
"Come on, Tugger! We're gonna be late!" a tiny gray-and-black striped kitten jumped up and down, calling to his older brother.
"I don't wanna go! Didn't you hear what the grown-ups said was gonna happen? They said they were gonna give us a bath!" the little tom responded, casually lounging on a tire so big he could get lost in it.
"You know that's not true," said the younger one. "They said you gotta take a bath before you come. An' I bet you didn't! Yuck!"
"Sheesh. You're the only guy I know who likes a bath. Fine," he said as he licked a paw. "I'm clean. Let's just get this over with."
The little black kitten with just the beginnings of a mane hopped down from the tire and strode over to his little brother. "Finally," the other one said to himself. "Now I just have to find my other brother...."
As they looked around, peeking into garbage pails and the like, the little Tugger mentioned, "You know, you shouldn't be so bossy all the time. It would do you good to let someone else be in charge."
"Hey, I'm not bossy! Go look under that mattress, he might be under there!"
The Tiny Tum Tugger gave up. His little brother Munkustrap was just too much sometimes. However, upon looking under the mattress, he did find a kitten, though not the one he was looking for. "Hi, Demeter!" he enthusiastically said. "What's up?"
"Nothing," the tiny Demeter responded. "I was tryin' ta find a mouse that came under here. It kinda got away from me, though. I'm not too good at huntin'."
"That's okay, just call me any time you wanna snack," Tugger gallantly offered.
"Tugger, come on! You're not helpin' me find him! We're gonna be late!" Munkustrap prodded.
"Sheesh, little brothers. All right, all right, I'm coming! You know, he might already be there!"
"What is it?" Demeter asked.
Tugger sighed. "Oh nothing. We're s'posed to go an' meet our dad, an' we're still looking for-"
"MACAVITY!" Demeter shrieked (playfully, though).
At that moment, a small bundle of red and black ginger fur (almost neatly groomed) literally flew at Demeter, pinning her to the mattress she was sitting on. "Hi, Demeter. Wanna play?" the tomkit asked.
"Macavity! This is no time to be playin'! Come on, we're gonna be late!" Munkustrap was at the end of his short little rope.
Macavity raised his eyebrows. "What're we gonna be late for?" he asked Tugger. Tugger shrugged. Demeter still looked confused.
"I can't buhleve you guys! The grownups told us to come for a 'portant meeting, an' all you can think of is playin' an' snacks? No wonder Dad told me ta get you guys ta come with me. You woulda never come if I hadn't reminded you."
Macavity rolled his eyes. Little brothers. Sheesh. "All right, Munkustrap, where are we s'posed ta be and when are we s'posed ta be there?"
"Dad's lair, an'.. (he estimated the position of the sun) ..now."
"Perfect."
Orange-ish smoke wrapped around Tugger, Macavity, and Munkustrap. Tugger and Munkustrap began to hack and cough, but the little Macavity just closed closed his eyes and waited. When they all opened their eyes and got their bearings, they found themselves right outside the door of the trashed Mustang that their dad lived in. "See," Macavity gloated. "Like I said, perfect."
"Hey," Tugger complained when he got his breath. "You coulda killed us!"
"No I couldn't!"
"Yes ya coulda!"
"Ah, right on time." Deuteronomy (who was not yet old) had chosen that exact moment to exit the vehicle and greet his boys. "I knew you boys wouldn't be late." He seemed genuinely pleased to see them there, which meant that he couldn't have possibly seen the smoke.
"I toldja we'd be here on time," Macavity whispered into Munkustrap's ear.
"No, you didn't!" he whispered back.
"Hasten now, we mustn't be late to the Jellicle meeting!" Deuteronomy herded his sons in the general direction of the giant tire that served as a meeting place.
"So that's where he gets it from..." Tugger whispered to Macavity. The little tomkits giggled as they scampered off to the clearing.
When they got there, most of the other adult Jellicles were already assembled, and were waiting for Deuteronomy to address them. Deuteronomy grabbed the boys (who were too astonished at how quiet it was to bicker) and sat them on the boot of the old car that was next to the tire. He then took his own seat on the tire and turned to face his audience.
"My fellow Jellicles," he began. "It has come to my attention that..."
"Gosh, this is gonna take forever!" Macavity whispered.
"SHUSH! I'm tryin' ta hear what Dad's sayin'!" Munkustrap whispered back.
"It's not like he ever says anything 'portant," said Tugger. "He just goes on and on 'bout this an' that an' that other thing..."
"What's he even talkin' 'bout, anyways?" Macavity wondered.
Munkustrap cupped his little paw around his ear. "I think he said somethin' 'bout a new Jell'cle leader. Hey, maybe he's gonna announce the next leader now! Maybe it'll be me!"
"It can't be you," Tugger said. "You're too young. But it could be me! After all, the leader's gotta be strong, an' bwave, an' sexy!"
"What's that?" Macavity and Munkustrap chorused.
Tugger shrugged. "I dunno. I heard some 'a the queens sayin' it.
"Tugger," Macavity said, "You know he can't pick any of us. We're all too young. Too bad though. I really wanted to be it! I'd be a really good leader, too, 'cause I got magic!"
Munkustrap glared at his brother. "Then again, maybe it's a good thing he can't pick us, if you'd just do magic."
"..Which is why I'm very pleased to announce that next in line to lead the Jellicle tribe will be my son, Munkustrap!" Deuteronomy announced.
"WHAT?" all three kittens yelled, though none could be heard over the applause. Deuteronomy had broken the rules so he could pick his son! That was unheard of! The Jellicle Protector was supposed to pick his successor, a cat at least a year old. Even though Munkustrap was still too young be chosen, everyone assembled knew that he was the most promising young cat in the junkyard. Munkustrap was only eight months old, but everyone seemed to be ready to make an exception, and the three kittens situated on the boot of the car couldn't "buh-leve" it!
Deuteronomy was coming towards his sons so he could bring the chosen one up to see the crowd. Munkustrap simply couldn't be happier. His dream was coming true! Unfortunately, it was coming true at the expense of the dreams of his two brothers. As they watched him ascend to the tire/stage, they stared at him in wonder. He was chosen to be the next Protector, and after that, Jellicle Leader! (Of course, he wouldn't have to actually do anything until Old Philosophus went to the Heavyside, but still!) The cat to be chosen was supposed to be a strong, powerful cat, and Munkustrap was still a kitten. This was seriously not fair. The three of them had been counseled on the fact that, despite being the sons of the current Protector, they wouldn't get to officially lead. This was seriously not fair! Munkustrap wasn't supposed to get to lead! This was seriously NOT FAIR!
Macavity uttered a low growl.
Munkustrap was onstage, beaming, completely at a loss for words. He was going to be the next Protector after his dad! This was like a dream! He half expected to wake up in his little shoe box bed, reeling from the pleasure of being chosen! Fortunately for him, this was no dream: it was real!
Deuteronomy was saying something to the cats assembled, but none of the kittens were listening. Tugger was shocked. "How could he chose Munkustrap over me? I'm older, I'm stronger! I woulda made a much better 'tecter! How could he..."
But aside from a few growls and hisses, Macavity was eerily silent. His eyes were wide open, and his ears were lying flat on his head. Tugger shut up when he noticed how oddly his brother was behaving. His eyes were extremely bloodshot, and in the pupils, Tugger could have sworn he saw lightning flash a few times. The fur on his back stood on end, and his claws were completely extended. Macavity really looked dangerous.
"Uh, Macavity, bro? Maybe it's not that big a deal...okay?" The little Tugger tried in vain to get his brother to calm down, but he would have none of it.
"YOU!"
Everyone's eyes whipped around to look at the bundle of red and black fur that seemed to be growing larger by the minute. Macavity was seething with rage now. His right claw was extended in the direction of his little brother, who was trying his best not to look happy. After all, Macavity did want to be the next in line much more than Munkustrap had. The least he could do now would be to show some compassion.
Compassion, it would seem, would not be enough.
"YOU!" Macavity snarled. "How could YOU, of all cats, YOU, be chosen over ME! I'M older than you, I'M the one with magic powers! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!"
Is it just me, Tugger thought to himself, or did his voice get a lot deeper all of a sudden?
"Macavity," Deuteronomy said, with iron in his voice, "you must calm down. It is not your place to decide who shall lead."
"Yeah, don't worry," Munkustrap agreed, "You didn't do nothin' wrong."
"Munkustrap, be quiet," Deuteronomy shushed his son.
"MUNKUSTRAP, BE QUIET!" Macavity seemed to agree. "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THESE MATTERS."
(By this time, all of the other cats within half a mile of this scene had scampered elsewhere. No one wanted to be around a fluffed up magical cat.)
Deuteronomy had had enough. "Macavity, you need to-"
"NO! If you can't make the decision for me to be the next leader, I will make it for you!" With that, Macavity gathered sparks on his paws, preparing to blast lightening at his little brother to prevent him from succeeding his father. Tugger saw this, and heroically tackled Macavity to the ground. He couldn't hold the furious kitten for long, however: he was soon lying on the ground a few feet away, unconscious, with a deep lightening scorch in his left knee.
"Macavity, don't do this!" Munkustrap cried before he had to duck behind a garbage heap to avoid being singed. "You don't gotta do this! Yikes! he ducked again Macavity, maybe we can share bein' leader!"
"I HAVE NO CHOICE!" Macavity roared. Orange lightening blazed over the clearing, scorching their surroundings. Smoke started to rise from some of the more flammable junk, but Macavity kept going. Deuteronomy fled to the safety of the boot of the old Volkswagen while Munkustrap darted around the space, trying to calm down his enraged brother while avoiding being burnt to pieces. "HOLD STILL SO I CAN KILL YOU!" bellowed the infuriated tomkit, as he let loose over the junkyard.
Munkustrap hid in a hollow washing machine and contemplated his predicament. How could he get out of here? Or better yet, how could he get Macavity to stop shooting lightening all over the junkyard? By now it was worse than a real thunderstorm. Lightening spiraled through the air, entwining with thunder as it wrecked havoc on the junkyard. The sky could no longer be seen, only a mass of orange-tinged thunderheads threatening to pour out their quantities of rain. And Macavity was at the center of it. His eyes were great pools of light, weeping sparks that blended with the lightening streaming from his paws until the kitten known as Macavity could no longer be seen. It was going to take a lot of bravery for Munkustrap to face his brother now.
Taking his courage in paw, he stepped out of the washing machine and was blinded by the sheer intensity of the storm. Never the less, he took a step forward, then two, inching closer while dodging the occasional stray thunderbolt that threatened to take his ears with it. When he felt that he was as close as he could get without combusting, he stopped and took a deep breath. "MACAVITY," he yelled over the roar of the storm, "YOU HAVE TO COME OUT OF IT!"
"NO! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE STUPID LEADER! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!" Macavity tried to face his brother, but the storm was demanding too much of his strength for him to move a muscle.
"IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW! YOU'RE GONNA KILL YOURSELF! YOU HAVE TO STOP!" Munkustrap yelled.
"I CAN'T," Macavity cried. "IT'S OUT OF CONTROL: I CAN'T STOP!"
What was worse: Macavity didn't want to stop.
Then the luckiest possible thing happened. Exhausted from the demands on his power, Macavity fainted.
The lightening ended. The thunder calmed. The storm subsided. All that was left in the little clearing in the junkyard was Macavity's beaten body, the trembling Munkustrap leaning over him, and the still unconscious Tugger (who had luckily slept through the majority of this).
Deuteronomy climbed out of the boot of the car and gazed at his sons. He had seen the whole thing. He had also been reminded why he had chosen Munkustrap as the next Protector: anyone who could face a monster like that certainly deserved to lead the tribe. Crawling over to his magical kitten, he tried his best not to cringe. He was, after all, the Protector, and he had to seem brave for everyone else. Right now, for Munkustrap especially. The poor kitten looked ready to dig a hole and bury himself in it.
"Dad," he whimpered as his father sat down next to him, "Will he be okay?"
"No, he won't."
Munkustrap gasped, but Deuteronomy went on.
"Macavity exhibited a reckless disregard for the lives of dozens of cats today. This is why he wasn't chosen to lead. He cannot be trusted to put the safety of the tribe first. As he is, he cannot even be trusted to live in peace with the Jellicles. I have no choice but to-"
"No! You can't do that! You can't-"
"I have to. If I let him stay, I could be held responsible for any cat that dies because of him. He has to be-"
"No, don't say it!"
"Banished."
When Macavity awoke, he found himself alone, abandoned in a forest clearing. His head ached ferociously, and there were burn marks on his paws. What had happened?
Then it hit him like a pound of catnip. What had he done?! He had never meant for this to happen!
But they denied him leadership! They deserved it! Now he wasn't only being denied leadership, he was being denied life in the tribe!
It stung.
A flash of ginger fur sped off into the forest to plot his revenge.
A/N: toldja it'd be long...anyway, like I said before, Chimalmaht, I liked your prediction so much, I came very close to changing the story to match it. Maybe it'll come up in a prequel or something...but I'll think about that when I finally finish this. Thanx to everyone who reviewed! And btw: Munkustrap's flashback isn't over... : )