Charli/ I'm glad you like where it's going. Thank you for your comment! :)
Cocobutterrox/ Thank you for your comments! Macavity always makes things more interesting, doesn't he?
eld mcm/ Hmm. Interesting thought. Thanks for your comment! :)
She promised herself that she would do it no more, but the promise was soon shamelessly broken.
When Etcetera woke up the next day, she mechanically stepped over to the pile of junk in her den and pulled the mirror out. As if it was already a stable habit, she immediately scrutinized over the image of her body shown in the mirror.
She sighed. Not as bad as yesterday, but still somewhat chubby, she thought. She was the judge of her own body, and this would ensure that her body was controlled under the strictest eyes.
Did I seriously go around like this without knowing… before I found the mirror? Even thinking about it made her slightly shiver with embarrassment.
And no one ever told me that I was fat…? Or at least a little bit bigger than usual…?
It was as if the mirror had revealed a completely new world to her; a world of truth. The mirror itself was the bringer of the truth, which would enlighten her about who she actually was and told her what she should become. And not becoming the better body that the mirror – and her own self – seemed to be demanding from her would be simply of complete laziness.
So far… Everyone saw that I was kinda fat. But they never told me… just to be polite and all that. But now, if I just stay like this, then I'd just become… a total wreck…
Sighing, she pushed the mirror back into its original position in the junk pile. How convenient it was that she could check her own self every morning in her own den, without having to go out, and on her way, having to explain to every single cat who was curious about what she was doing.
I gotta do something, something to put my body back in shape. I know there's an answer somewhere, and I'm sure many queens have already gone through it and have succeeded. But… what must I do? Who will tell me…?
Her conversation with Jemima the day before was completely erased from her mind at this point.
Instead of stepping over to the cluster of her friends who were chattering the hours away, Etcetera walked at a decent pace toward the wide-open area half-dominated by rocks, and, at wherever they were absent, the usual junk piles. There seemed to be no life there, no excited chatters or vigorous hunting for mice; and thus it appeared to be the best choice for a cat who wanted to think alone in quietness.
I hope I don't meet Macavity today… Yet it was him who told me all about the mirror… Hmm. Maybe, he has the answer…
She glanced at the dirt below her every once a while, hoping to find any object that might be of good use to her. No mirrors today… No nothing…
She almost jumped when she suddenly heard something swoosh right behind her. Crap. It's Macavity again. Expecting to see the fire-red fur and the blaze-sharp claws,
Etcetera looked up at the top of the junk pile right beside her. An orange queen.
"'Teazer, you didn't have to just run right behind me! You almost stopped my heartbeat!" she shouted, half-joking yet half-serious.
"Oops. Sorry. I don't really look around when I'm running," the orange calico replied with a naughty smile.
Without really noticing, Etcetera moved her eyes from the orange queen's face to her body. Slim, thin. Fit. Perfect. This was the queen to ask.
"Hey, uh, 'Teazer, are you busy right now…?"
"I mean, I was going to go help 'Jerry out in stealing some of them pearl necklaces, but I suppose he can do it alone. These days, he acts like he can do everything by himself when really, I'm doing half the job." She gave a shrug and jumped down from the top of the junk pile.
"I'm surprised he's not with 'Lectra today. The two are getting warm these days," Etcetera commented. It was a nice conversation-starter for eventually asking the certain question.
"Oh," Rumpleteazer laughed, "I don't know what on earth he really feels for that queen, but I'm sure he exciting her all that she wants."
"Do you think the two will go far?"
"Egh, if 'Jerry thinks it's worth it. Frankly, if I was 'Lectra, I'd be a bit more cautious. But that isn't none of my business, so…" Rumpleteazer grinned.
"Hmm. But she is lucky. She never expected it, but she got a tomfriend, while those who really, really want a tomfriend – not that 'Lectra didn't want a tomfriend – has to wait all this time watching her and 'Jerrry cuddle together," Etcetera said, being careful not to sound even just a bit jealous.
"Why, are you one of those queens who really, really want a tomfriend?"
"I mean, who doesn't?"
"I don't. I mean, at least not for right now. I just think it's a distraction sometimes for all the work I do. Not that they are legal works, but… you know what I mean. Plus, there wouldn't be a single tom who would want me. But I'm sure many toms would want you – a beautiful, young, innocent, pretty…"
This instantly reminded Etcetera of the question that she was almost forgetting about, as if a lightbulb was suddenly turned on in a dark room that was going through hours of power outage. "Hey, 'Teazer, sorry to get off-track, but can I ask you about one thing?"
"What is it?"
"Well… Do you… hmm… Do you every feel… feel…" No, asking if she ever feels fat would make it seem way too suspicious. "Do you ever feel… thin… sometimes…?"
"Thin?"
"Um… yeah, thin. As in your body being thin…"
"All the bloody time, yes! I never get enough to fill my stomach!" Rumpleteazer exclaimed, shaking her head with laughter.
"But I thought you and 'Jerry always steal food from people's tables and all that."
"Oh, those are the lucky days! A few every now and then. Usually, we'll be lucky if we don't get bruised by a broomstick when they shoot us off!"
"So… You rarely eat well…?"
"I mean, what 'Jerry and I eat get us going and all, but… it's never enough to satisfy the stomachs of two hungry cats," the orange calico answered with a semi-bitter smile.
"And… I'm sure that usually eating small amounts like that really makes you actually thin physically…? Ahem. Excuse me. I hope I'm not getting too private. Like, I mean, not just feeling thin…" Etcetera carefully asked. Please don't notice anything, please don't think something's suspicious…
"I guess. The last time I checked the mirror, it seemed like my stomach was touching my back. Or, that's probably what my eyes tricked me to see, since I was so desperately hungry at that moment in front of the mirror. But, I'm sure that even if wasn't for my eyes, not eating for a while would surely make a cat thin like she never saw before. Oh, wait, did I tell you what a mirror is?"
Etcetera decided to not reveal of her recent knowledge. She shook her head, pushing down the feeling of guilt of having lied.
"I see. I don't think any of you kittens know what it is," Rumpleteazer said. "A mirror is… hmm. You see, I know what it is, but I can't exactly think of the correct words… Hmm… Aha! Here we go: A mirror is a very useful object that is usually used to check if Macavity or a pollicle is crawling right behind you."
Etcetera cringed in confusion. I don't think that's what Macavity told me… A brief internal confusion went about in her mind on whether she should trust the Napoleon of Crime more or the troublemaker queen in front of her more.
"I mean, that's what I've always known," the older queen said, secretly hoping she had not said something ridiculously absurd. "Like… Since we don't have eyes on the back of our heads, we can look into a mirror right in front of us to see if there's any creature behind us, 'cause it'd be quite awful if we were to suddenly be attacked by something without us knowing it…"
"But wouldn't we already know if there's something right behind us preparing for an attack? A cat who couldn't sense what is going on right behind him wouldn't be even called a cat," Etcetera said, trying to hide her laughter at what now appeared clearly as Rumpleteazer's own stupidity.
"But… Etcetera, what if the fiend-creature is really quiet…?" She looked down at the kitten, who was a half-step away from bursting into laughter. It would be useless to try to give any excuses from this point on. "I'm… uh… sorry. I guess 'Jerry gave me the wrong information. Just… just forget what I just said! I'm… I'm sure that's not how you use a mirror!"
Swamped over by her own embarrassment, Rumpleteazer took off at the speed no slower than that of Macavity a few days ago. In a matter of a few seconds, Etcetera was again alone in the dirt field.
Finally, she freely broke into laughter.
Oh, that Rumpleteazer! Using a mirror to see if there's someone trying to attack you from behind! Oh, there's one thing that I know better than her!
Feeling a slight sense of pride at this, she started to start to walk back to where the other cats were. It was then when she realized that her first intention on having a conversation with the mischievous queen was not to get a good laugh.
It was to ask about… that certain subject which was bugging her mind so constantly. It was after a few minutes of concentration and thinking when she finally realized what Rumpleteazer had said relating to the subject.
I think she told me… that if a cat doesn't eat for a while, she'll get really thin soon. But I already knew that before! She shrugged in disappointment.
But you never put it into action, did you? her consciousness seemed to be asking her.
At this, Etcetera had to agree. She had never put that common knowledge into action; and perhaps, putting that knowledge into action would be the answer to her problem…
I guess talking to 'Teazer was worth it, after all. I'll start… this evening.