Chapter 3
The vial lay between the two toms, still attached to its string. It seemed to glimmer in the mid-afternoon sun, twinkling seductively to the cats watching it, as though to say, use me; I'm yours.
Mistoffelees looked up to Alonzo. The black and gold tom looked back, before they both looked down at the vial again. Finally, Alonzo spoke. "So…how exactly do these things work?"
Mistoffelees twitched an ear. "Well," he said. "It depends on what kind of love potion it is."
"What kind is this one?"
Mistoffelees ears went flat against his head. "I was afraid you'd ask me that…the thing is…I don't…know…"
Alonzo scowled. "Then how are we supposed to use it?!"
"Well…" Mistoffelees shrugged. "I was thinking, at first, that we could test it out. Like, put it on us, drink it - however some types of love potions intend to be used. But then I thought if it were poisonous…or an irritant…or something like that? And I was thinking that there had to be someone to ask, but we can't really ask the twins, now can we?"
The black and gold sighed. "Well…you're the one who convinced me this thing was real. So…do something with it!"
Mistoffelees pouted to himself as he stared hopelessly at the vial. It had never occurred to him that magic was just as secretive to a magical cat as it was to those who witnessed it. The most he could do was bat at it a couple of times.
"Everlasting Ca—Mistoffelees! We didn't get this vial to use as a toy! We got it to get queens!" Alonzo began batting at it to make Mistoffelees stop. "And now it doesn't seem like we're gunna get anywhere with this." By now, the two had gotten into an all out batting match, using both paws to try and lay claim to the vial. Which eventually led to batting away the other tom's paws. Which led to the two toms wrestling each other to the ground. And Alonzo, being much bigger and stronger than Mistoffelees, was effortlessly winning the wrestling match.
After pinning Mistoffelees to the ground, Alonzo smiled in victory. But then his fur began to feel prickly, and before he knew it, Alonzo's fur had puffed out as though he had gone through the clothes drier. "Misto!" said the black and gold in annoyance, before shaking his fur to try and get it back to normal. "What if a queen came by and saw me like this?"
"I think," a new male voice came from behind, "you'd have more to worry about if a queen saw you on top of Mistoffelees like that." Both toms turned to see a silver tabby pawing his way towards them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alonzo asked, furrowing his brow. He looked to Mistoffelees for answers, but the tuxedoed tom simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Nevermind," said the tom. "What are you two fighting about?"
Mistoffelees seemed to shrink down at the presence of the silver tom. "Nothing, Munkustrap," he said, like a reprimanded kitten.
"You're not in trouble, Mistoffelees," Alonzo said, nudging his friend.
"I feel that way," Mistoffelees whispered.
Munkustrap sighed. "Mistoffelees, you're not a kitten anymore. Stop acting like one."
"Yes, sir…"
Another sigh. Then, his eyes fell to the vial the other toms had all but forgotten about. "Is that what you two were fighting over?" Munkustrap reached for the vial, but both Alonzo and Mistoffelees pounced. They both managed to reach it at the same time, but the combined force of both their paws hitting it from two different sides caused the vial to shoot forward, like a watermelon seed squeezed between two fingers, and fly through the air. It managed to hit the silver tabby on his chest, making its way to the ground. Luckily for it, Munkustrap caught it before it fell.
"Um," Mistoffelees began, stepping up to the tom in a hurry, but backing down when the silver tom turned his green eyes on the smaller cat. "That's…um…sort of…ours."
"Oh, is it?" Munkustrap said with some amusement in his voice. "I never would have figured that out if you didn't tell me."
"I hate it when he gets sarcastic," Alonzo whispered to Mistoffelees.
Munkustrap brought the vial up to his nose and sniffed it twice, a slight sneer coming across his face as he processed the information. "There are a lot of different scents coming from this," he noted. "It almost smells soapy."
"Soapy?" Alonzo asked.
"Maybe he means sappy?" Mistoffelees offered.
"Well, it smells like a whole lot of different cats, too," Munkustrap said, puzzlement coming across his face.
"You would think he was a bloodhound," Alonzo whispered to his friend, rolling his eyes.
"I heard that, Alonzo…"
"I know you did, Munkustrap." Alonzo waggled his ears to emphasize that fact.
"Can we have it back, please?" Mistoffelees asked bashfully.
Munkustrap reached out his paw to give the tom the vial, but as Mistoffelees grabbed for it, the silver tom pulled back. "Why are you two so eager to have this?" he asked, eying them suspiciously.
"No reason," they said in unison.
The silver tom looked from one cat to the other, before looking back to the vial. Alonzo held back an exasperated sigh, but somehow the tabby heard it. And, with what Alonzo thought there to be a faint trace of a playful glimmer in the otherwise serious cat's eye, the tom put the vial around his neck.
"You'll get it back when you tell me what it is," he said sternly to the two.
"Wha-Munkustrap!" Alonzo growled, wanting to rip the vial off the silver tom's neck, but knowing better than to aggravate the tribe protector. "What's with the power trip?" As though that would help his case…
"I'll be over by the oven when you're ready to tell me." And with that, the tom walked off, his tail perpendicular.
Mistoffelees looked to Alonzo, panic in his eyes. "Alonzooo!" was all the tuxedo managed to say.
"I know, I know. But we'll find a way to get it back. He doesn't have to know about the magic and everything." Mistoffelees didn't look too reassured.
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Munkustrap watched the vial as it swung rhythmically from his paws, his tail tapping in unison. Thinking it was just another kittenish game Mistoffelees was playing, like the time he kept managing to pick the correct card from the pack, the silver tom wasn't ready to let the annoyance go. If Mistoffelees wanted to get anywhere as an adult, he told himself, the tuxedo would have to start acting like one. And when he was ready to take on adult responsibilities…then, well, Munkustrap didn't know what would happen. Frankly, the thought of an adult Mistoffelees scared him, but the alternative didn't make him feel any better, either.
"Excuse me…" Munkustrap looked up to see a gold queen he had never seen before was right in front of him. His jaw dropped slightly. A year at being protector of the tribe, and he hadn't managed to see a strange cat walk right up to him?! He was really letting his guard down.
Munkustrap cleared his throat, finding himself standing up to greet the queen. "Yes?" he asked.
"Um…I don't mean to be rude," she said. "But you kind of have something of mine." Munkustrap followed her gaze to the vial.
"Oh," he said, surprised. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…"
"Well, again…I don't mean to be rude, but I kind of need it back. Right now. Please."
Munkustrap furrowed his brow. "Why does everyone want this thing?" he asked no one in particular. The queen began tapping her foot. "Okay, okay," said the tom. "I suppose I should give you back what's rightfully--"
"Oh, no!" Both cats turned to see Alonzo trudging up to them. "No, no, no! I saw the potion first, I helped get it, and you go and have it for two seconds, and already you have queens all over you?!"
Munkustrap and the gold queen exchanged glances. They were at least a yard apart from each other…
"Alonzo…there's only one queen."
"That's my potion!" Alonzo said. "And that queen should rightfully be my queen!" The tom turned to her. "I mean, technically speaking, if you came up to me when I had the potion, then…"
"I'm…not really anyone's queen…I'm just here for the bottle."
"Of course you are!" Alonzo said, throwing his paws up in the air. Then he looked to Munkustrap. "What did you do? Drink it? Put a little on you like humans do with flea medication? Right on the back of your neck so you can't lick it off?" To the queen, he said, "I always thought that was weird, didn't you?" The queen reluctantly shrugged.
"Alonzo, what are you talking about?" Munkustrap frowned. "I just put it around my neck. And what do you mean, potion?" He turned his attention to the queen. "Do you know anything about this?"
"I—No!" said the queen. She seemed worried.
"Look, Munkustrap," he said, adjusting his body position to seem more reasonable. "I really don't think you need this vial. I mean, not that I know anything about this, but I hear you're pretty handsome. From the queens, that is."
"A…Alonzo…"
"I mean, who can resist those flawless tabby markings?"
"Alonzo…please…"
"And that collar looks stunning on you!"
"Alonzo, please stop talking. Now."
"No, really," Alonzo insisted, turning to the queen. "Don't you think he's…uh…" The queen had disappeared.
"I think you scared her away," Munkustrap said. Alonzo noticed the tom seemed embarrassed for some reason. "Alonzo, what is this all about? A potion? What kind of potion is this? Why are you so keen on getting it back? What does this have to do with Mistoffelees and you? And why are you talking about fleas? Are you infested or something?"
"Well, if I was, I wish you would get infested, too," he muttered. "That'll show you…"
"What?"
"Nothing. Listen, I promised I wouldn't tell you what was in that, and frankly, I don't intend on doing that. So you should probably just give that back to me before anyone gets hurt." Alonzo held out his paw. Munkustrap narrowed his eyes at the other.
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"And that's why we were fighting over it earlier." Alonzo had completely lost the fight with Munkustrap. It was no contest, really, as the black and gold never expected the silver tom to turn on him so quickly. So now, with Munkustrap sitting on Alonzo's back, it was hard not to tell everything that had happened. His arm was pinned painfully against his back, twisted just enough to make sure the truth was all that come out, lest he lose an arm.
"Then who was the queen?" Munkustrap asked. "She said the vial was hers."
"I don't know!" Alonzo cried as Munkustrap adjusted himself, accidentally driving his knee into the other tom's ribs. "Mungo and Rumpel probably stole it from her or something! She's probably a witch's cat! Stop hurting me! Please!"
"Sorry," Munkustrap said, before getting off the tom. Alonzo slowly began getting up, rubbing his sore back and ribs, trying hard not to show the tribe protector he was in pain. After the tom managed to collect himself, Munkustrap decided to dishevel him once again.
"Are you two insane?" he asked. Alonzo's ears fell against his head. "Taking something from strangers? What if it had been poison and you drank it? Do you really think that a love potion could exist? And what is all this about magic? What are you trying to say about Mistoffelees, that he's magical or something? You're doing nothing but encouraging him to continue being the way he is! You're supposed to be more responsible than that, Alonzo. Now go back there and fix the mess you helped start!"
"How?" Alonzo said, lifting up his head in defiance to the other tom.
"By telling him there is no such thing as magic. By helping him grow up! By giving this thing back to the queen, and saying you're sorry. And by never speaking to these cat burglars again!"
Alonzo let out a reluctant sigh. "Whatever you say, Munkustrap."
Munkustrap nodded, seeming surprised how easy that had been, and gave the vial back to Alonzo. "I trust you'll make everything right."
"I will, I will," Alonzo assured him. With a quick, sullen glimpse at the vial, he nodded his head to Munkustrap and walked off.
The nerve of him. Treating him like a kitten. Alonzo was only a little younger than Munkustrap, and while he wasn't as mature as the silver tom, he never in his wildest dreams wished to be. He wasn't even sure Munkustrap had wild dreams. He probably just dreamed of grey plaid or something. Or even that would be too far fetched for the silver tom! And Munkustrap certainly didn't understand anything about Mistoffelees' magic. Only the Rum Tum Tugger and he knew about it. And maybe his little sister, Victoria, but she was too young to know it was an oddity. The others would probably be scared of it, though.
Seeing Mistoffelees' den in the distance, Alonzo took a deep breath. He looked at the vial, not sure what to think anymore: whether magic existed or not, or to believe in what Mistoffelees had to say. But upon entering the den, he saw Mistoffelees' hopeful face looking over to him. He bit his lip, then managed to smile cheerfully. "I got it back," he announced as the tuxedoed tom came up to him.
"That's great!" Mistoffelees said, taking the vial in his paw delicately. Then his smile fell. "What did he say? You didn't tell him, did you?"
"No, no, everything is alright. And I think I figured out how to get it to work." He went quiet when he realized there was another cat in the den. Another tuxedoed tom, to be exact, and a rotund one at that.
"Uncle Bustopher," he said, addressing the tom. "This is my friend, Alonzo. You've met him once, remember? At the Jellicle Ball?" The magical cat looked over to his friend, wondering if recognition would dawn on either of their faces.
Alonzo looked shocked. "Oh, right!" he said, straightening up. "Mistoffelees was putting on a show for you, I think. The other cats didn't know it was…" He looked over to the magical cat, wondering if he should finish his sentence.
"It's alright," Mistoffelees said. "He knows. He is my uncle, after all."
Alonzo smiled bashfully. "The others didn't know it was magic."
"Yes, I remember you," said the older tom, smiling blithely. "Well, don't mind me if you have something to tell him. I'm only here for a visit."
Alonzo couldn't help but feel guilty that he had interrupted a family moment. Mistoffelees seemed to prize his family so much, and here comes the black and gold stray, intruding on a meeting with his family.
"Alonzo," Mistoffelees urged.
"Right…" Alonzo cleared his throat and tried to focus. "You put it around your neck. That's how Munkustrap…kind of got it to work." Alonzo was about to put it around the other tom's neck for him, but Mistoffelees began to back away. Alonzo furrowed his brow at the tom.
"It's just…" he began. "Don't you think it's a little…cruel? Doing that to Cassandra? I mean, these things can be powerful. And I don't think I'd want her to fall for me that way, anyway."
Alonzo frowned, before looking past the tom and to the cat in the corner. "This is your doing, isn't it, Bustopher?" The older tom laughed heartily at the insinuation. The black and gold licked his lips, thinking of how to go about this. He then excused himself from Bustopher Jones' presence, put down the potion, and dragged Mistoffelees outside the den.
"Listen to me," began the black and gold. "You've been waiting to have a chance with Cassandra. At least this will give you an opening. An icebreaker, if you will!"
"It's not an icebreaker if she's all over me!"
"Who says she'll be all over you?!" Alonzo went quiet as Mistoffelees looked past him. Turning around, he saw Bustopher Jones making his way out of the den.
"I've come at a bad time," he said, smiling apologetically to the two. "I'll go see Victoria, and come back to see you later."
Both Alonzo and Mistoffelees smiled sheepishly as they bowed their heads slightly to him. Bustopher Jones waddled off, as the two waited for him to wander out of earshot. Then, they looked back to one another.
"Okay," Alonzo said. "Your uncle will never think of me the same way again."
"Or me," Mistoffelees said, giving Alonzo an accusing look.
"Just give it a chance, Misto," pleaded the friend. "If anyone can control magic, it's you. And it's not like you couldn't get rid of the potion with the wave of a paw if you didn't like the way it worked!"
"Mm, I don't know." Alonzo gave him a you're not getting away with a 'no' look, and Mistoffelees sighed. "Fine."
Alonzo smiled, racing back in for the potion. After a few seconds, Alonzo popped back out, his eyes wide, and certainly his face had gone pale under his fur. "Mistoffelees…where's the potion?"
