"Your Swagger Makes Me Smile"
I'm so sorry chooks! It's been a whole week since I updated! Shock-horror. But it can't be helped, I had two exams a day this week. I was truly going insane. I had absolutely no time to write, so here's my present to you. But hopefully, I can write the chapter anytime after Tuesday (It's Sunday as I post this) because exam time will be all over! Yewww!TOP 3:Cascaper: My fateful reader. Loving your reviews, and thankyou for the compliment! Yes, I must agree, from memory I can't recall a fic with Tugger-indecision. I didn't even realise until you pointed that out! Thankyou though!
Although I warn you, this chapter is intense. The next chapter will be a continuation of this one. You have been warned: this chapter's just…Oh god. Can't describe it. You must read it.
I'm sorry in advance!
Penguin:Thanks for those corrections. (I'm so embarrassed) but yes, lately I've had no time to even re-read over my stuff, and my aunts laptop I was using at the time has no spell check, so I can't even be lazy! Loving the feedback though!
Ravess: I know, last chapter was random, but Bombalurina's mind is a funny place. I also thought I needed to be a bit light hearted before this chapter. Thankyou!
(You guys are gonna hate me for this chapter. I can tell. BTW Editor's freaking out so any weird text, blame stupid editor.)
•••••
Munkustrap felt an uneasy feeling rise as the sun set. He felt Demeter breathe out a sigh, leaning her head into the crook of his neck. Usually, he would relinquish his duties to Admetus and just enjoy the night with his fellow jellicles. Not tonight. Something was in the air, and he just couldn't shake the feeling of…well, he didn't know what it was that was making him so uneasy these past few days. He surveyed the junkyard from the rubbish mountain. He should've been more cautious.
•••••
Jenny was talking with her cousin Jellyorum as she groomed the back of Bomba's head fur. Bombalurina stared nervously out at the horizon. This was her night. No one to say what a cute kitten she was, No one to shoo her from adult conversations, No one to tell her how to dance.
This was her dance.
This was her night.
•••••
"I'm so excited! Bombi gets to dance the invitation to the ball!" Demeter squealed, which was entirely out of character for her. No one pointed that out to her though. Her sister only had an induction ball once in her life, did she not?
Cassandra scrunched her nose in annoyance. She was a better dancer then Bombalurina. She deserved to dance the invitation. How was Bombalurina chosen above her? Cassandra looked back at Demeter, who was jumping around with excitement beside her. She narrowed her eyes in fury before stretching a leg and pointing her toes.
She would dance. She would dance the invitation dance that was rightfully hers.
•••••
Tugger groaned as Munkustrap kept smirking. He knew. He'd finally weaselled out the true feelings he had towards Bombalurina. He now knew how much he loved her.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Munkustrap challenged his brother. Tugger felt a thick thumping against his ribcage. He had to tell her. He had to make it right between them again. He wanted it the same as before, only better.
•••••
Macavity felt entranced. Bombalurina had begun to raise herself on one leg, slowly and carefully rehearsing for the ball, which judging by the moon, would begin in little more then an hour. Macavity had changed. He was no longer going to follow Bombalurina like a lost kitten; he was no longer allowing himself to be a slave to her. Macavity turned away from his spying and roughly slammed a paw through the top skin of a base drum. She was eating away at him. Teasing him with everything he needed from her. Her light touches, her alluring voice, her subtle flirts. He knew they were supposed to be together, and she knew it too, and yet she'd chosen Tugger over him. How could she have done that?
Tugger didn't treat her right. Even as an innocent kitten, Bombalurina was always second best to Tugger. She let herself be pushed around by him, be shushed and hurt by him. She was made to sit and watch him flirt with other queens, or sit for hours waiting at a time when he conveniently "forgot" about her when he was really off rolling in the adoring giggles of fan-queens. Macavity felt a bitter growl rise in his throat. All Tugger would have to do is utter a meaningless apology, and Bombs would believe that he was sorry. Macavity basically grovelled, desperate for her to notice him, and it was Tugger that would pull her away from him. Macavity fought the urge to spit: Tugger was pathetic.
His brothers were nothing. Absolutely nothing to him. Tugger inherited ridiculously good looking features, which he used to torture the hearts of the opposite sex. Munkustrap had inherited strength and a level head, which he used to protect and make everyone happy. Alonzo had inherited a cheeky humour, which made him everyone's friend and the tom of the hour, every hour. They got what they need out of life. He hated them all.
What did Macavity ever get? The ginger tom thought spitefully to himself. He knew what he deserved to get; Bombalurina. He was smart and cunning, but he could never use those few things to get himself anywhere. That's why he was entitled to what he wanted. Entitled to the sweet, addictive love of Bombalurina.
That's why he hated Tugger the most. Tugger would act like Bombalurina belonged to him, when he obviously didn't care what happened to her. All Macavity had to do was make an attempt to talk to her, and Tugger would start a fight about how "his-best-friend" Bombalurina didn't talk to other toms. Macavity winced at the lie. He remembered how hurt he'd been when he saw Bombalurina talking with Misto and Tumblebrutus, and Tugger looked over at them, not batting an eye.
He then knew he wasn't wanted. At first, Jenny, Jelly, Skimbles and his Father became worried at his sudden reclusive behaviour, but eventually they convinced his disappearing from dawn till dusk a phase. At one point, Alonzo had asked if he was seeing a queen. The thought had made him sick. Bombalurina was the only one for him.
Macavity had begun to explore further and further outside the Jellicle junkyard. He prowled allies, followed the routes the brick walls made between buildings, and padded along pathways that lead to newer places. The stealing began. The felonies began. He'd committed some notorious crimes around the city, earning the pseudonym 'the Napoleon of Crime'. He did these without ever raising suspicion that Macavity, the ginger tom sired from Old Deuteronomy of the Jellicles, was the sly and ruthless criminal at large.
He knew his plan was now at it's final phase. Everything was in place. Macavity turned back to see Bombalurina fall from her pose and laugh at herself. A rare smile flitted across his muzzle, aqua eyes shining with promise.
Soon Darling, we will be away from here.
•••••Demeter had calmed down and was now more nervous for everyone. Skimbles had seen how nervous she was and had given her a checklist of cats she had to make sure were here.
Misto? He's helping Old Deuteronomy with clearing away some pollicles by the gate to the junkyard. So check.
Tantomile and Tumblebrutus? Are over there staring off into space. Check.
I'm here. Duh. Check.
Bombalurina, Jelly and Jenny are a check.
I saw Alonzo and Exotica practising a lift before, so check.
Tugger and Munkustrap are off somewhere…but they were here before so check.
Cassandra is watching the kittens (god forbid). Check.
Onto the kittens. Demeter backtracked her path a bit to look down upon Cassandra, who was currently screeching and chasing after the kittens; the young jellicles merely laughing at her attempts to control them.
Plato. Check.
Admetus. Check...
Asparagus. Check.
Where's Victor and George? Demeter felt a rush of panic. Cassandra had enough trouble with 3 kittens, so I should just find them before Jennyanydots goes berserk.
Demeter reasoned with herself, setting off again to check all the sub-clearings of the junkyard.
After a fair bit of searching with no results of the missing kits and the ball starting any minute now, Demeter had narrowed down her search between two clearings. The first one was behind the big industrial pipe that overlooked the main clearing, the second was a lesser used clearing where nomadic or visting cats were accommodated. Demeter decided against the latter, since the kits probably didn't even know where that was. Sure enough, as she rounded a pile of junk, there were two childlike screams.
•••••
"When I grow up, I'm gonna' be Bombalurina's mate" George squeaked proudly, the grey kitten stumbling over paws he had yet to grow into. Victor laughed heartily, making his friend glare at him.
"Will not." Victor argued adamantly.
"Will so." George puffed out his chest authorativley
"Will not…she'll be with me!" Victor laughed, running ahead. George raced in front of Victor as a challenge. The two kittens continued to run, laughing innocently until they reached the pipe clearing. Both kittens let their curiosity roam as they explored the clearing. Victor peeped out the pipe, seeing the jellicle ball had begun.
"Cool! We can see everything from up here!" Victor's comment had prompted George to join him, and they both watched attentively as the older cats danced. They took turns pointing out each cat and making comments on them.
"Did you see that? I think Alonzo almost slipped over!" Victor chuckled.
"Look at Tugger!" George exclaimed. He didn't recognise any of the female cats that sat to the sidelines with Tugger, fawning over the maned tom, "Look at all the girls he has!"
"When I grow up, I wanna be just like Tugger!" The small brown tabby Victor stated admiringly. George nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I wanna be like Tugger too. I betcha he's real strong." George made a face before pretending to tense an arm muscle.
"…and he gets to hang out with Bombalurina…" Victor sighed, eyes glazing over at the thought of his crush. George twitched an ear in thought.
"Do you think Tugger and Bombalurina are more then friends?" Both kittens looked down at the two in the ball. Bombalurina was dancing with some local tom at a song another cat was singing about themselves. Tugger was across the other side of the clearing, in heated debate with Munkustrap at something.
"Nah. Don't think so." Victor snorted, "If they was more then friends, they'd be together all the time like Exotica and Alonzo are." He glanced at the pair, who were currently dancing softly with each other to the side. George looked from the mated couple to Tugger, to Bombs. His friend was probably right.
"Guess what I heard?" Victor asked of his companion teasingly.
"What?" George replied eagerly.
"I heard that Macavity likes Bombalurina!"
"No way!"
"Yes way!" Victor answered defiantly, "I heard it from Cassandra!"
"So, doesn't mean it's true." George studied his friend sceptically. Victor just huffed.
"Plus, even if it was true, I don't think she'd like him. He's too weird." George thought aloud, Victor making a noise in agreement.
"Yeah, I think her and Rum Tum Tugger would like each other anyways."
It was this comment that made a blur of orange leap from the darkness and caused the kittens to scream.
•••••
Demeter sprinted around the rubbish to come face to face with Macavity, who had the two kittens backed against the junk-wall holding the industrial pipe.
"Macavity! What are you doing?" Demeter screeched, the Tom's fire filled eyes snapping towards her. He was breathing heavily.
"They know what the said!" He spat, indicating to the hysterically crying kittens. George's voice spoke next.
"We didn't mean to hurt your feelings!" He yowled through sobs. Demeter felt sick.
"They're only a bunch of kittens! What can they say to deserve this?" Macavity barely moved, his face dark with contempt.
"I was never good enough for her was I?" He sneered towards his fellow jellicle.
"What are you talking about?" Demeter was getting frantic now, desperate for answers.
"Bombalurina!" He shouted harshly at her, Demeter jumping back in shock.
"I don't understand…" Demeter could've fainted from fear right then and there. Macavity then flew into another rage.
"I'm sick of never being good enough for you people! I'm sick of everything! Don't you know what it's like to want someone so bad, only to have your brother steal them away from you?" Demeter stumbled forward, struggling to speak. She was so scared.
"But what did the kit-"
"EVEN THEY THINK I'M A JOKE!" Macavity cut her off, tensing his lean body. He then flung a tyre that was lying in between the two jellicles away, allowing him to take a intimidating step closer. The tyre sped down the industrial pipe, flying into the centre of the jellicle ball. Demeter's stomach was ready to come out her mouth when she heard the shrieks from below. Her mind was in chaos, but she managed to convince herself her outside should be calm.
"Macavity…I think you should calm down…" Her voice sounded pleading, making the ginger cat laugh manically.
"Don't tell me what to do Demeter." He replied in a patronising tone. Demeter was thrown off guard, he was unpredictable. She tossed up in her mind what she should say next.
"Macavity, please just let it go. I'm asking you as a friend…" this was obviously the worst thing she could've said. Macavity merely grabbed both squealing kittens by the scruff of the neck, shaking in vehemence. He spoke eerily softly.
"If you were my friend Demeter, you would know I can't let go of her. You would've told her that she's destined to be with me. You wouldn't let Tugger hurt her." Macavity paused, his fist gripping tighter on the frenzied kittens, "You wouldn't have let this happen to them."
Demeter screamed as Macavity hurled both kittens out the pipe, and two loud, sickening thuds of bodies hitting the ground caused the ball's music to silence.
•••••
You guys are hating me right now, i can tell. The second half of the flashback will be next chappie. Was this too much a dose of drama?