Running from Family
By Actress of Broadway
Edited by Skimbleshanks the Railway CAT
I don't own "CATS." I just own the new cats.
Chapter 7: Confusions and Broken Hearts
A week later, Quaxo was still upset with Jellylorum. He wanted to find Ringmenka but his Mother forbade him and Etcetera from doing that. Etcetera was fine with that since she was still recovering from the scratch. As she recovered from the sting, she told all her friends what Ringmenka did. In turn, her friends told all the adults what they learned about the red feline. When they learned the truth, none of the cats wanted to look for the red Jellicle. But they didn't know that she was closer than they thought.
Quaxo was wandering around his neighborhood aimlessly one day when he heard a familiar voice call out, "Quaxo … Quaxo! Over here!"
Quaxo looked to his right and Ringmenka's head popped up out of the bushes. Quaxo smiled. "Hi there!"
Ringmenka motioned for him to join her. Quaxo ducked under the bushes and asked, "Why are we hiding?"
Ringmenka started to walk and Quaxo followed her as she answered, "It's for your image. None of the cats around here will want to be around you if they knew you were talking to me."
Quaxo chuckled. "That is true. You've quite a reputation right now."
Ringmenka scoffed. "I don't care."
"You should. Etcetera is pretty hurt by what you did."
Ringmenka slightly smirked. "It was the only way to shut her up. That kitten can talk up a storm. It gets very annoying after a while."
Quaxo stopped for a moment. "You still shouldn't have scratched her. That was uncalled for."
Ringmenka paused for a moment and looked at Quaxo with no emotion in her eyes. Then she just shrugged and continued on.
"Would you walk me home?"
Puzzled by her lack of emotion, Quaxo said, "Uh … sure. Where do you live now?"
Ringmenka chuckled. "I moved into the junkyard."
"What? I was there just the other day. I didn't see you."
Ringmenka smiled and looked at Quaxo with a small glimmer in her eyes. "But I saw you."
Quaxo felt his face grow hot as Ringmenka giggled and made for the junkyard. Quaxo followed her, now even more puzzled about the look in her eyes. He considered her actions all the way to the junkyard. He let Ringmenka lead him to a secluded corner. Set up there were a couple of mattresses. Ringmenka went to them and flopped on top of them. Quaxo chuckled. "I thought you didn't like beds."
Ringmenka laid on her back and let her head hang over the edge. "Well … this is the only alternative for sleeping. The newspapers around here are much too dirty for me to sleep in."
She patted next to her and Quaxo sat next to her.
"Ringmenka," he asked, "how is your new life?"
Ringmenka rolled on her stomach and looked away. "N-Never better. I'm on my own, I can do whatever I want, I'm away from Etcetera, which is pure bliss…"
"But are you happy?" Quaxo pressed.
Ringmenka sighed. "Not really. I mean … I love living here. But … due to what I did … and the fact that no one wants to find me … I'm very lonely."
Quaxo jumped down to the ground and moved into Ringmenka's line of sight. "What if I come visit you every week?"
Ringmenka looked at him in surprise. "Really? But won't you get in trouble with Jellylorum?"
Quaxo shook his head. "I'm considered a fully grown tom now. I'm only staying with Mother to help with Etcetera. But I'm leaving as soon as I get a mate. I want to have someone to live with. I don't like to be lonely."
Ringmenka smiled. "You would really visit me?"
Quaxo nodded. "Of course. You're my best friend. Besides … I miss you."
Ringmenka felt her face heat but smiled. "I would like your visits. Meet me at the end of the week."
Quaxo smiled and nodded. Ringmenka said, "You better get home. Jellylorum's probably wondering where you are right now."
Quaxo nodded and left. Ringmenka watched him until he was out of sight and sighed. "How'd I get so lucky as to have a friend like him?"
For the next four months, Quaxo visited Ringmenka at the end of the week in her area of the junkyard. She was always glad to see him and disappointed whenever he left for the week. But they had a fun time. They explored the junkyard, chasing the mice and rats. They watched the Pollicles' fights and laughed at the brainless creatures. But most of the time, they just talked. The two talked about a lot of subjects and grew very close.
It was during one of those talks at Quaxo told Ringmenka that he and Mistoffelees shared the same body. Quaxo explained that he was the dominant and Mistoffelees was the phantom side who only came out when Quaxo let him out. Ringmenka was surprised to hear this but still accepted her friend.
But after he told her that Mistoffelees was his other self, Quaxo noticed that Ringmenka was starting to act a little strange. She kept staring at him with a far-away look in her eyes. She started to act distant, not wanting him to get too close both physically and emotionally. But every time he brought it up, she would deny that she acted unusual.
Finally Ringmenka completely changed one day. Quaxo was telling her about how Etcetera was doing when he noticed that she wasn't paying any attention. She was looking up into the sky and seemed to thinking about something else. "Ringmenka? What are you thinking about?"
Ringmenka sat up and turned her back to Quaxo.
"Are you okay?"
Ringmenka sighed and said, "This is very difficult to say but …"
"What?"
Ringmenka lowered her head and said quietly, "You need to leave."
Quaxo was shocked. "What? What do you mean, leave?"
Ringmenka scooted away from Quaxo. "Please … you must leave. And never come back."
Quaxo was surprised at what Ringmenka was saying. She wasn't like this usually. "What brought this on?"
Ringmenka snapped, "I'm sorry but you have to leave!"
Quaxo backed up but then sighed. He jumped off the mattresses and turned to leave.
"I'm sorry … but this is for the best."
Quaxo turned around and looked at her. She was lying on her side and her back was to him. He said, "Are you sure you want me to leave?"
Ringmenka nodded and Quaxo left. Once he was out of her hearing range, he wondered aloud, "What happened to her?"
A familiar voice rang out, "Don't you want to know?"
Quaxo looked to his right and saw Mistoffelees sitting on a wooden box with his signature smile on his face. He wasn't really there, physically. It was all in Quaxo's mind. If any other cat were around, they would have seen Quaxo talking to thin air. But Quaxo could see his other personality and answered, "Of course I want to know. But she won't tell me."
Mistoffelees rolled his eyes and jumped down from the box. "Quaxo, Quaxo, Quaxo … come on. You want to know why she won't tell you? You're too nice, that's why."
"What's wrong with that?"
"For one thing, it gets you nowhere in life."
Quaxo scoffed. "In my opinion, being nice is better than being vague and aloof!"
Mistoffelees chuckled. "Quaxo … you're kidding yourself. I'm much more popular than you."
Quaxo groaned. "Look, let's not argue about this for the hundredth time. What are we going to do with Ringmenka?"
Mistoffelees looked his dominant self over and smirked. "You like her, don't you?"
Quaxo shrugged. "Of course I like her. She's my best friend."
Mistoffelees shook his head. "No … it's more than that. You want to be her mate."
Quaxo felt his face get extra hot. "I what?"
Mistoffelees chuckled. "It is so obvious … and it's equally obvious that she feels the same for you." He then blinked in surprise. "Did I just help you?"
Quaxo didn't hear the second part for his brain grabbed with a vice-like grip the idea of Ringmenka feeling the same. "Then why did she push me away like that?"
Mistoffelees smirked again. "Go and find out."
"How?"
Mistoffelees rolled his eyes. "Amateur. Stay in the shadows but be close enough to hear."
Quaxo didn't feel comfortable abut this but he wanted to know what was wrong with his friend. He crouched down and slunk close to the mattresses where Ringmenka lay. Mistoffelees listened closely as well with great interest.
Ringmenka sighed. "I hope Quaxo isn't too hurt by me making him leave. But … it's for the best. These visits have given me nothing but a great deal of confusion. I mean … Quaxo is my best friend in the whole world. He means everything to me. But … his other personality, Mistoffelees … I've loved him since the moment I saw him. However … I'm starting to care for Quaxo the same. I have to choose one. But … which one?"
Eyes wide, Quaxo stole away. Once he was out of Ringmenka's hearing range, he covered his mouth with his hand. "That's why she sent me away?"
Mistoffelees, on the other hand, was impressed. "Wow. Who would have thought that a female would love me like that? This is a first."
Quaxo was not amused and glared at his other self. "How can you say such a thing like that? Because of you, I lost my best friend!"
Mistoffelees rolled his eyes. "Just give me dominant control."
"Why?"
Mistoffelees smirked. "I can make the little red kitty go after you instead of me … even though I'm the better catch."
Though he was insulted by the last comment, Quaxo nodded and surrendered control of his body to Mistoffelees.
Ringmenka remained on her side, drawing circles on the mattress with her claw. She was really upset but convinced herself that this was for the best. "Quaxo will get over it. So will I. So what if I don't see him again? It's for the best."
She continued to wallow in self-pity for a while. She sighed deeply and had started to fall asleep when she heard soft footsteps approaching. She sighed again. Without looking, she said, "Quaxo, I thought I told you to leave."
A familiar yet foreign voice said, "Now, that's not a nice thing to say … especially since we've never fully met."
Raising her eyebrow, Ringmenka glanced over her shoulder. To her great surprise, Mistoffelees stood before her. Eyes wide, she jerked to a sitting position and said nervously, "M-M-Mistoffelees. I-I-I-I thought you were … Quaxo."
Mistoffelees shrugged. "I'm used to that."
With that comment, he flipped onto the mattresses, landing right behind Ringmenka. She chortled quietly as she nonchalantly started to straighten the fur on her head. Without removing his gaze from her face, Mistoffelees reached behind him and pulled a long purple ribbon from nothing. He draped it around Ringmenka's neck. "There. That looks good on you."
Ringmenka smiled and giggled softly. In the back of Mistoffelees' mind, Quaxo said, 'What are you doing? You're supposed to make her like me, not you! You're flirting with her!'
Mistoffelees just told Quaxo, 'I know what I'm doing.'
Flashing his signature smile at Ringmenka, making her grin widen, Mistoffelees sat down next to her. She seemed nervous and Mistoffelees decided to make her even more nervous. He conjured up a small rose and gave it to Ringmenka. She took it and said, "Um … why all the gifts?"
Mistoffelees shrugged. "Just because. No real reason."
Taking a breath, Ringmenka asked, "Are these … courting gifts?"
Mistoffelees froze for a moment, not expecting that question. Ringmenka turned to him and said, "If they are, then I expect. I've had my eye on you ever since I first laid eyes on you. I see no other cat. Please … I need to know that you can care for me that way."
Mistoffelees could tell by the look in her eyes that she was being truthful. But he had to carry out his plan. He smirked and said, "You want me to tell you how I feel about you?"
Ringmenka nodded and Mistoffelees said flat out, "I don't like you."
Ringmenka's face fell as Mistoffelees continued. "First of all, I barely know you. I'm not going to chase after a stranger. Second, you are extremely bizarre. You're mute for a whole year and then all of a sudden you can speak? That's not normal. I'm not about to be with you."
Ringmenka couldn't handle what he was saying. She turned her head and said woodenly, "Go away."
Mistoffelees nodded but then said, "Before I go, I have this to say. Forget about me. Go after Quaxo … even though I'm the better cat to chase."
Ringmenka yelled, "Get out of my sight!"
Mistoffelees shrugged a little and left. Once he was out of sight, Quaxo took over and said to Mistoffelees, "How could you be so cruel to her like that?"
Mistoffelees just shrugged. "If it makes her forget me …"
Quaxo hissed and started to head home when he heard crying. He went back and saw Ringmenka lying face-down on her mistresses, crying. Mistoffelees pointed out, "There, see? She's forgetting me already."
Quaxo started to go to his friend but Mistoffelees said, "No, don't go to her. If she sees you, she'll think of me." He then blinked in surprise again. "I have to stop talking."
Quaxo knew that Mistoffelees was right and left the junkyard, which was very hard.
