When I finally stepped back into my adopted home, I got pretty much the same reaction I'd been expecting. Munkustrap met me first, throwing out an arm and courageously standing in my way. "Stop." I did. He stared at me. "Well, what happened?"
I wondered if what Deuteronomy had said was true, and that Munkustrap really knew that magic couldn't be erased. "He stamped my magical powers out. I'm not a magical cat anymore. I'm just a normal Jellicle again."
He knew. "That's a lie. Magic can't be eliminated. Deuteronomy himself told me so. Tell me the truth. What did he teach you?"
I told him. "Everything. I can control my powers now. I can make things appear, disappear, and a surfeit of other things. He says I'm the most magical cat he's ever seen."
Munkustrap nodded. "I believe it." Suddenly, his face softened into a friendly smile, and he lowered his arm. "That must have been some blast you gave Pouncival. He and Alonzo were babbling like fools when they came to get us. I bet he deserved it, though, didn't he?" He winked.
I nodded, smiling, a little surprised by his reaction. "He sure did. They poured oil and feathers on me."
Munkustrap chuckled. "Well, I don't think they'll do that again, now that you have those powers."
I suddenly frowned, remembering what Deuteronomy had said. I looked at Munkustrap sheepishly. "Um…well, they may do it again. They won't know I have these powers."
Munkustrap raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"
I sighed. "Deuteronomy told me I have to tell everyone that my powers have been extinguished. Everyone except you and Tugger."
Munkustrap looked for a moment like he was going to ask why, but then nodded slowly, frowning himself. "Yes, I can see why he would say that. It would cause somewhat of a panic, wouldn't it, knowing that you were magical? I suppose it's for the best." He looked genuinely disappointed. "Well, come along, then. I'll help you tell the rest of the tribe that you've lost your powers." He paused, thinking. "I suppose you'll be teased again, won't you?"
I nodded sadly, and he made one short, curt movement with his paw and sniffed. "Well, if anyone comes after you and starts to ridicule you, you come to me, and I'll put an end to it, you hear?" I managed a surprised nod, and he grinned, beckoning me to follow him out into the middle of the artificial amphitheater created by the mounds of refuse in the Junkyard. He whistled loudly, and most of the Jellicles appeared within a few seconds.
He addressed the entire group. "Attention! Our dear friend Quaxo has returned, and he has something to say." He bowed to me, and I stepped forward nervously.
"Uh…hi…" I cleared my throat. "As most of you know, I left the Junkyard to see Old Deuteronomy about the magical powers I accidentally used against Pouncival some time ago, and I am…pleased…to say that I am no longer a magical cat." There were a few gasps, a few relieved sighs, and Pouncival's face broke into an evil grin, and he and Alonzo exchanged a glance. I knew I'd be the butt of their pranks again within the hour. I ignored them. "So there is no longer any reason to fear me. I'm just as normal as any of you. Thank you."
I stepped back, and Munkustrap came forward again. He adjourned the group, and the Jellicles all returned to whatever they had been busy with before. Munkustrap flashed me a quick, reassuring smile, and then disappeared himself.Left alone again, I started back to my own little living area, to see what damage had been done while I was gone. Surprisingly, it had been untouched. Perhaps the others had been so apprehensive of what I might do when I returned that they'd been too afraid to mess with anything.
I sighed happily and settled back into my bed, glad simply to be home again at last. I thought about what Munkustrap had said. He'd never before shown me any kind of compassion, so this was a big step. He was already offering to protect me from the ravages of other contemptuous cats. I smiled; it was a good thing. Munkustrap had the highest authority in the Junkyard, save for Old Deuteronomy himself, and now that I knew I had him on my side, I felt much better about facing Alonzo and his little gang.
Suddenly, my fantasies of getting Alonzo and Pouncival into major trouble with Munkustrap were interrupted by a slight sound. Fearing another oil attack, I immediately sprang out of bed and stood ready to assault the intruder.
But Pouncival and his cohorts were nowhere to be seen. In their stead was a single, solitary young female, perhaps my age, entirely white, with a pink collar, and looking utterly terrified.
I reflected for a fraction of a second that she might be part of one of Alonzo and Pouncival's schemes, but quickly dismissed the idea; she was too petrified to be conniving. Besides, I'd never seen her before.
I relaxed and smiled amicably. "Hi. I'm Quaxo. What's your name?"
She recoiled slightly. "Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to intrude! I didn't know this was your home. I'll leave if you want me to." She held up her paws in submission. "Just don't hurt me," she repeated.
I shook my head and took a small step towards her. She took an equally sized step back. She seemed awfully skittish. Obviously not a street cat. "I won't hurt you. I'm not mad. I was just surprised, that's all. See, I usually get picked on by the other cats, and I have to stay on my toes, unless I want to wake up in an oil bath." Her eyes widened slightly at the thought. I continued. "I'm Quaxo," I repeated. "What's your name?"
She relaxed very slightly. "I'm Victoria." She straightened a bit. "You…won't hurt me?"
I shook my head and climbed up onto the top of my trunk. "Not unless you hurt me first." She smiled. I smiled back and patted the trunk next to me. "Now, why don't you come over here, and tell me a bit about yourself. You act like you've never been to the Junkyard before. Are you new?"
She came slowly over to my trunk and sat on the corner. I sat next to her. She looked at her feet as she spoke which she crossed at the ankles shyly. Her voice was entrancing; it was soft but clear, and it lilted a bit as she spoke, rising and falling like a melody. Every word was a note, every sentence a song, and every topic was a musical score. It was glorious to listen to.
"Yes, I am. I came to the Junkyard just yesterday by accident; I was lost. Jemima and Electra found me, and they took me to Munkustrap, who asked me a lot of questions about where I came from, who I was, and the like, and then he asked if I wanted to be a Jellicle. I still haven't told him one way or the other. I'm not sure yet." She suddenly looked at me. Her eyes were captivating. "What's it like?"
I had to mentally shake myself back to reality before I could speak, and I was forced to look down at my own feet in order to answer. "Oh, I don't know. I didn't really have much of a choice, myself. I was brought here by Rum Tum Tugger."
"Who?"
I struggled to describe Tugger. "Tugger. He's mostly black…he's got a big orange-black mane, he's got a spiked collar…he's really forward, flirtatious."
"Oh. I haven't met him." She looked a mite ashamed of this, as though I expected her to already have met all the Jellicles.
I waved a paw dismissively. "That's okay. He's hard to find. He stays hidden unless he wants to be found." She seemed a bit more at ease with this.
I continued. "Like I said, he brought me here, and I was made a Jellicle on the spot. But I can't complain. They're the only family I've ever really had, except for Mungo and Rumple." Again, by the blank look on her face, it was clear she hadn't met these two, either. I made a mental note to introduce her to everyone when I got a chance. "But I like it, just the same. The cats here actually care about you. If you have a problem, you can go and talk to any of them, and they'll help you with it. If you just need a shoulder to cry on, you can turn to any of the adults, and they'll take time out of their lives for you. It's grand."
She looked enthralled. "Really?" I nodded. She smiled. I held my breath. I could watch her smile all day. "I'm glad. I have a human family, but they don't talk to me. They treat me well enough, but they can't really understand me."
I nodded. "Well, we won't spoil you here, but we'll do whatever we can." I smiled winningly, or at least as winningly as I could muster.
She didn't visibly react, which was disappointing. She simply nodded and smiled again, climbing down off of my trunk and turning to leave. "Thanks, Quaxo. You've been a big help." She paused for a second, looking away. "You know, you're the first cat who's paid any attention to me since Munkustrap. Everyone else just seems to give me the cold shoulder…you know what I mean?"
I climbed down myself and walked over to her, smiling slightly. "Yeah, I do. They do that to me a lot, too. I guess you just get used to it." She looked crestfallen, so I quickly added, "but I promise you won't have to; I'll never overlook you."
I was a mite surprised at my own forwardness; I wasn't usually one to say things like that. But she didn't seem to be bothered by it. She just gave me a quiet "Thanks," a small, shy smile, and then disappeared into the night.
