Final Chapter! I'm actually very frustrated at myself. I ended up drafting the overall ending differentally, but then I changed my mind twice, thinking that I don't want to give the game away for the sequel! So please, ENJOY!

"Don't touch it!" The Main Coon seethed, hissing slightly as
"Tugger I have to…" Jenny repeated herself for the hundredth time in the past minute. The wound had stopped bleeding, which must've been the work of the Everlasting Cat. Had he kept bleeding and lost complete consciousness, there would have been no chance for Tugger to recover. He may have been stubborn, but Jenny had to give it to him, he was a fighter. She softened slightly as he turned his face away from her, hiding the look of absolute pain that danced across his near perfect features. "It'll get worse if we don't do anything about it…"
"I don't care. Just leave me alone…it's fine." His voice faltered at the more then obvious lie. He was in denial. Bombalurina and him were together in an actual relationship, Mungojerrie had disappeared off of the face of the earth and his life was perfect. He winced as an excruciating sting shot up his spine and Jenny apologized for not being tender enough. As his head began to spin again, and he felt his eyes slowly droop; drugged on the pain, he fought down the hard, cold truth that stained the Jellicle junkyard.

His life was anything but perfect right now.

•••••

Bombalurina gasped as she continued to run on the pavement. The pads on her paws were throbbing as they beat against the hard concrete sidewalk, and she found herself slowing down to a walk. There was no use in running away from her problems, she knew that much, but she just couldn't face everything. Her eyes downcast, dainty dancer's feet sore and aching, and her heart heavy with dread, she persisted to stroll further away from the Junkyard. She knew she would have to go back, but she figured if she took a long time to run, it would take a longer time to go back.

The scarlet queen suddenly smelt something unnerving in the air. Dusk was beginning to fall over the town, and all the creatures of the night had begun to creep out from their shelters to meet the cool, crisp air. It was going to be a particularly frosty evening; Bombi could smell rain in the air. Perhaps a storm was brewing. The ground beneath her began to chill, offering some relief from the burning of her feet. However peaceful the early night looked, with oranges and purples splashing the last remains of the day's sky, she couldn't help but feel something way off. The smell had become stronger as she approached an iron fence. Paranoia began to envelope Bombalurina's mind as she carefully stepped towards the distinct, musty smell – one that she couldn't quite place.

She paused in her journey across the grey sidewalk. Something was amiss. The corner of the street was nearing. Wanting to escape from any trace of the Jellicle's, she decieded to turn right, where she knew it would take her further then she would usually dare to go from the Junkyard. The smell was becoming sharper, and she could almost taste it on her toungue. With a feeling of dread sinking into her body, she turned to face a stiff body lying on the pathway.

She screamed as Admetus' glassy, lifeless eyes met her own green ones. He was limp against a sheet of newspaper, which was shaking and quivering in the wind, waving for an escape from under the corpse of the Jellicle. Bomba realised, with another sinking feeling, that the musty, poignant smell of a dead cat was wispy in the night air.

Ignoring the pain that shocked her legs, she jumped into a sprint, determined to run as far from any Jellicle as fast as felinely possible.

•••••

Etcetera blew her nose on the dirty towel beside her in a weak attempt to stop her sniffling. She was hiding under the rusty remains of a portable toilet. Even she thought it was quite fitting for her, considering the situation she had caused. It had all sunk into her the minute she saw the Tugger stumbling around in his own blood. She had heard that the collar had been found, and had come to view the final stage of her masterful plan with glee, thinking she could finally become Mrs. Rum Tum Tugger.

Her self righteous smirk was abolished at the sickening sight before her though. She had peered out from behind an old washing machine to see Mungojerrie attack the handsome tom. Soon, the very tom she adored more then life itself had been reduced to lying in a puddle of his own blood. She had wanted to run to comfort him, to kiss and tell him she loved him; like she had planned. Electra, her stupid sister, who she saw having a breakdown in Victoria's arms, was the only thing that stopped her from running to her soul mate. She heard what her twin was screaming at the top of her lungs.
"It was Etcetera's fault! It was all Etcy's fault!"

It couldn't have been her fault.
It was Mungojerrie who attacked Tugger. It was Bombalurina who broke his heart. It was Electra who-
It was Etcetera's fault. It was her fault all along.

She didn't really think about how guilty she'd feel. She didn't ever think that after her plan had run its course, she'd feel guilty for playing all the Jellicle's like she had. She didn't count on it clouding her thoughts, just as her jealousy did. She didn't count on the self hatred that stabbed her upon witnessing Electra's total panic attack. She tried in vain to rid herself of the pain in Tugger's eyes as he stumbled before collapsing in the dust. She couldn't rid herself of the fear that piqued upon the sight of Mungojerrie's murderous face, suddenly finding herself wondering what he'd do to her when he too, realised it was her fault.

A part of her hated Bombalurina more then anything in the world. She despised Tugger's devotion to her. She loathed that the queen was beautiful, but didn't not seem to use it for her own advantage such as Cassandra. She detested her for having a greater chance with Tugger then she could've ever had.

A part of her may have hated Bombalurina.
A part of her may have hated Mungojerrie.
A part of her may have hated Electra.
A part of her may have even hated Tugger.

But a greater part of her hated herself as well.

•••••

Tugger awoke to find himself in a very familiar place. Opening his eyes slowly, he felt that the pale pink walls, hardwood floors, and the mesh cat flap ahead of him comforted him slightly. His back didn't hurt as much, but something around his neck did. Attempting to lift a paw to his face, he quickly met something hard and plastic. A clear cone had replaced his collar, and stopped him from turning to see his wound or move properly. Tugger gave a low "Mrrr" sound in frustration, not even bothering to try move himself from the soft pillow beneath him, knowing it would only result in agony. The recognizable clicking of heels on the floor approached, and he found the red pointy tips dominated his vision.
"Aww. You're awake…" A voice from above him cooed. "That must've been a bad fight you got into. I wish you were more of a house cat Simba."
Why on earth had his humans given him such a stupid name?

•••••

"Well, I hope he's alright." Munkustrap sneezed as his brother Alonzo sighed, nodding in agreement.
"Jenny knew there wasn't much she could do, so Mistoffelees and the twins – Tantomile and Coricopat- tried to keep him asleep while we moved him to his human's house. They're probably happy to see him for once…all he ever does is go in and out every once in a while for food." Alonzo rolled his eyes at the thought of their other sibling, who was in a sorry state. Munkustrap cleared his throat of some mucus as he readjusted his position on his bed. he still wasn't well enough to be up and about, but he felt useless if he didn't hear the full story on what was happening to the Jellicle tribe.
"Well…you know Tugger." He stated bluntly, not seeing anything else to say. The two siblings sat in an awkward silence for several minutes. Alonzo seemed to become hesitant all of a sudden. Munkustrap looked at his usually upbeat, goofy sibling. He was twitching his ear constantly, fumbling his paws against a scrap of material and swaying his tail to and fro in a nervous action.
"What else?" Munkustrap's look darkened as his brother refused to meet his eyes. Alonzo's teeth were nearly chattering in anxiousness.
"Admetus is dead." He spat out quickly. The silver tom's eyes suddenly flared, his voice becoming a hushed whisper.
"When did they find him?" Munkustrap's voice was scratchy; from his illness of from shock, Alonzo wasn't sure.
"Just after I sent Plato to track down Bombi. He heard a scream and when he ran around to see if it was her, he found him…" Alonzo recounted in a sombre, uncomfortable tone. "He was in some human's front yard. A few blocks from here...so she must be further now." Alonzo finished with a whisper.

Munkustrap's mind was in total confusion, unable to rest on one thought for too long. The day's events had truly been cruel. His stupid brother had gotten himself mortally wounded, Demeter was off crying in Jellyorum's den; thinking she could've prevented her sister from running away if she hadn't gotten angry at her (Which the silver tabby-tom figured was stupid…Bombalurina would've done it regardless, at some stage or another), and now, Munkustrap's last watchmen of the Junkyard had been killed, leaving them vulnerable to his estranged-psychopathic-brother's evil plans.
"Alonzo…" The Jellicle protector sneezed violently, seemingly pulling his last remaining sane brother from a trance.
"Yeah 'Straps?" His voice was quiet, and was coated with worry and nervousness.
"Go home and (he sneezed several times) make sure Exotica's ok…" Munkustrap saw Alonzo nod quickly, slightly happier he could at least see if his mate was alright, "We can't do anything until tomorrow…We'll have to tell everyone what happened…" Munkustrap knew Alonzo, who would have to tell the Jellicle's about Admetus' tragic death, could no longer see the greatness in being the Jellicle protector.
"Get better soon…"Alonzo was quiet, almost pleading, "We need you a lot right now." He finished in his classic, childlike way, slowly leaving his brother's den. Rain began to pour outside in big globs, making loud smacking noises on a piece of tin the sat just beside the entrance to Munkustrap's den. The silver tabby wasn't left to himself long before Demeter entered quietly, shaking the water from herself.
"It's cold out tonight…" Her voice quavered slightly with emotion, Munkustrap shifting over so she could come and sleep next to him. "I hope Bombi's Ok…"

•••••

Bombalurina shivered as the rain beat down in icy drops, chilling her to the bone. She could tell she was far from Jellicle territory, where the streets were filthy and the alley ways small. Buildings were packed together tightly in small spaces, and only a few humans could be seen standing around under the street lights, smoke billowing into the polluted air from their cigarettes. She had used a fire escape to reach the flat roof of an apartment building. The air was colder up here, but she found herself more at ease to be victim to the elements rather then to a rabies-ridden pollicle, or to a dirty-street tom with nothing better to do. Water had pooled around her in a shallow lake, the building's post-war guttering acting like a dam, filling to the brim with the freezing wetness. Bombs eyes stung as her the salt from her tears mixed with the heavy rain, drenching her body and face. Numbness crept up her tail, spreading like a cancer through her body. It was so cold, which seemed to only match the broken, coldness that had taken over her soul.

The numbness however, didn't stop her heart from beating faster when, even though the rain, she caught a whiff of another cat. Continuing to stare emotionlessly out onto the city from the rooftop, she desperately wished that the slap of paws against water behind her were nothing but her imagination. It seemed the Heavy side was not done toying with her yet. She sniffed again, the smell beginning to morph from that familiar scent to the smell of a wet tom. Tugger?

"What are you doing out the rain my dear?" Her heart started beating faster in panic at the smooth voice that penetrated the pattering of thick rain. "You should be inside…where it's warm and safe." That voice oozed charisma and danger, a presence floating closely behind her somewhere. Her gaze on the opposite street immediately dropped in self consciousness. She was worthless…her tribe hated her…the tom she had thought was her soul mate had been seeing other queens behind her back…she had nothing, therefore she was nothing.

"Don't think such silly things as that darling…" That voice crept into her mind, but she found it was no longer frightening, but simply eerie. It was however, becoming strangely calming. "You are an important cat Bombalurina, just perhaps not an important Jellicle per say…" The voice was slick, and held a glint of something the scarlet queen couldn't decipher. She bit her lip as the tom's tail slid down her spine; the same way Tugger's used to. It made her heart ache, but she felt herself crave the touch again. The touch was light and caring, both feelings which she was currently longing for.
"Come darling, lets take you inside. You must be cold…" Macavity soothed her in that illustrious, well spoken voice. He let his paw smooth down her wet head fur, finally causing her gaze to sit on his aqua eyes rather then on their reflections in the puddles. Bombalurina was silent, her eyes remaining downcast as she followed the Mystery Cat into the shadows.

DUN DUN DUN!

Anyways, I'm excited for the sequel, which will most likely come out on the 21st of October (Aka MY BIRTHDAY! Don't forget your prezzies guys! haha)

I will not say anything that's happening in the sequel. Mostly because I have figurfed out some of the beginning, but I'm still in the developing an overall idea stage. That will mean I'll update when possible, but I also have to pay attention to other stories (aka Suture, and other stuff I havent posted yet) so remember that. I will continue it though! I'll never abandon a story!

Hope you guys liked that chapter, even though it may seem sucky in comparison, I'm setting the scene for the sequel. (Sorry! if it sucked!)

Now for some well deserved acknowledgements!!

A Huge Thank You too…:

Tugger's Lil' Princess – One of my new friends on fanfic, she is quickly building up a good array of stories under her belt. She is super nice, and very fun to talk to, and she'd love to hear from anyone just for a chat, or some reviews for her super fantastic work!

Ethereal Darkness – Another great friend I have made since writing YSMMS, she had been a faithful reviewer and has a lot of great commentary on how your story's going. So I strongly suggest you check out her work, as she will return the favour for you! Also, her story (one of my personal favourite…) "Tugging Tugsy's Heartstrings" is shaping up to be a must-read in the Cats genre.

Cascaper – Is one of my favourite reviewers to hear from. Her comments are all very nice and supportive, so she's a great fanfic-er to go and check out!

Rubidia – She has a few fanfics that could use some reviewers. You will not be disappointed at all with her work, and I assure you she's very nice at returning the reviewing-favour!

xJustBethx – Is a very lovely and loyal reviewer. I'm really enjoying her great story "Alone" which is getting very good! (I wish you'd update! haha!) So check her out!

The Penguin Ate My Homework – Is a long-time fanfic-friend of mine and has contributed greatly to the number of Cats fics in this department. All her work is well edited and she is very gracious, so please go and read some of her work!

Spun Trumak – Still fairly new to fanfic, she has posted a very cute story "Hate Is a Very Strong Word, But I really Don't Like You" which is a go-see for Munk/Deme shippers! I'm sure she'd appreciate the help with any feedback.

BErinHaribo – Is also another great reviewer! So please go and see her profile and drop her a message or read a story!

MyNameIzKate123 – Is again, a fairly new author to fanfic and the Cats department, so give her a warm welcome by checking out some of her very cute, easy read, light-hearted fics!

Bombilicious – Who was a reviewer kind enough to send me a few pick-me-up personal messages during a particular dry-spell of chapters. You rock! and You other readers will too if you go and check her out!

Ravess – Another very enthusiastic. supportive reviewer! You deserve a round of applause for all the helpful reviews you gave me to start with! You guys know what to do!

HelloKittyx – Who gave me some very short and sweet reviews to keep me going!

Hazel Rosen – A reviewer who was very supportive during the beginning of YSMMS, and whose nice comments helped a lot.

Zeriable – Another old-school reviewer who offered support. Thank you so much!

Galandria The Vampire Queen – Last but not least, she has been there since the very first chapter, and has given me some lovely reviews. Once again, I suggest you guys return the favour to this old friend!

Also, thankyou to the very two early reviews from way back in the second chapter. You both were very nice and I just wish I knew who you were so I could return the favour!

Not to mention Mr. Mistoffelees Sweater, who sent me a very amazing personal message way back near the start of the series. I have the email saved, and still read it from time to time simply because it lifted my spirits so much. Hope you read this and see how much it meant to me!

GO AND SUPPORT ALL OF THEM! They deserve it!

I know I've written a lot...but I have a final announcement! I have decided to involve you guys more in my fanfic activities, so I'm issuing:

My.Psuedonym.Was.Taken's Birthday Challege!

The Challenge:

Write a one-shot with inspiration drawn from one of the following prompts. You must listen to a song of your choice while writing it, and list the song used for inspiration in the Author's note. The one-shot must be between 500 to 1000 words, and contain a Jellicle pairing of your choice.

The Prompts:

1. Revenge
2. Deceit
3. Anger
4. Truth
5. Redemption
6. Lust
7. Unrequited Love
8. Watching
9. Necessary
10. Awaiting

Easy prompts? I know. But it'll be fun to see what you guys come up with. Get writing chooks!

Once again, you guys are amazing. Thank you for all those listed above, and all the anonymous readers out there who offer their support by simply reading and enjoying. It means the world! Feel free to message me anytime, and to all those readers who have just finished the series anytime after I've postred this, Don't hesitate to review! I will ALWAYS read them, and it's great to know what people think, even though it's finished!

Maddy

Macavity wants YOU! to join the reviewer army!

Enlist at a purple button near you!