Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H. This is a work of fan fiction.
"Blunk and Napoleon's Excellent Adventure" Chapter One
Heatherfield. Napoleon stalked his quarry with the efficiency and skill common to his kind, slinking in and out of alleyways, using whatever cover provided itself to stay hidden. He was following Miranda as she walked alone towards a destination he didn't yet know. It wasn't that he didn't trust the girl. Anyone who managed to resist Queen Neera's temptations had to be on the right side, as far as he was concerned. On the other hand, her past wasn't very reassuring either. And of course hunting and tracking skills had to be practiced or lost. He needed to stalk after someone. It was just pragmatic to combine the two concerns this way, or so the cat convinced himself.
Ahead, Miranda turned a corner and continued out of sight. Napoleon hurried to catch up and regain visual contact. But when he turned the corner, the girl was gone. The cat hurried along the abandoned side street. He stopped, confused. "Where the…" he started to say, when he was suddenly lifted off the ground by the back of his neck and pulled into a narrow alley.
"Care to explain?" Miranda asked, holding Napoleon face to face. "Why are you following me? And by this I mean 'following me again.' You've been on my heels all week."
Napoleon sighed. "Sorry doll. I'm a cat, I've gotta hunt. You're convenient is all."
"Convenient or suspicious?" Miranda replied. "Look, I'll understand even if you never trust me. But I'd like to think maybe you could someday."
"I'd like to think that too. And, honestly, this latest thing with Neera has done a lot in that direction… I'm just not there yet is all." Napoleon answered.
Miranda knelt down and sat the cat back on the ground. "Fair enough. I'm just on my way to meet Gideon for lunch right now. Tag along if you want, they allow small animals at the outside tables." Miranda rose and continued on her way. Napoleon followed.
Several blocks away and deep underground, Blunk was happily working on his new home. Every day he discovered a new leak, where water had found it's way through the plastic roof lining to damage the heavy cardboard he had constructed the walls from. "Maybe city garbage dump not best place to find building materials…" he thought to himself as he patched the damage.
Finishing his work, Blunk turned to his visitor. "See Mama? Good as new!"
"Mama likes your house Blunky-boo," she replied, "Good location. But maybe should use real wood for the walls."
Blunk laughed. "No worries Mama." He said. "This house sturdy as a rock." To prove his point, Blunk punched the nearest wall. At first, nothing happened, seemingly proving his point. Then, with a sudden rumble the entire structure began to quiver. Blunk and Mama ran out the front door, barely making it before the whole thing collapsed in a heap.
Blunk looked at the wreckage, then at his mother. "So, what was that about wood?" he asked…
With Napoleon in tow, Miranda met Gideon outside the diner. "It looks like you've picked up a tag-along." Gideon said.
"Oh, him? Yeah, he's been following me around for awhile."
Bending down to scratch Napoleon's back, Gideon said "He looks familiar… yeah, isn't this Cornelia Hale's cat?"
"Maybe." Miranda answered. "All I know is he won't stop following me around. Anyway, he's friendly. So, you got us a table yet?"
"Right this way." Gideon said. He led them to a table near the doors. Menus were already in place. Miranda sat across from Gideon and Napoleon sat on the floor near her.
Elsewhere in the city, a pair of figures huddled behind a large dumpster, hiding from the police officers who had stopped a car on the side of the nearby road. "Youse tink dey seens us Johnny?"
"Nah. They'da already beens chasin' afters us if they had." Johnny answered.
"I'da know…" Frankie said, "Maybe theys just playin' dumb while other cops circle around us."
"Geez you're negative anymores, Frankie." Johnny replied. "It's just a traffic stop is alls. Calm down, we waits here 'til dey leave then go on our way."
"I guess so Johnny. It's just, what with all dat weird stuff awhiles back, I'm still jumpy."
"You an' me both Frankie." Johnny thought, but said nothing. Together, they watched for the next half-hour as the police finished their investigation and left. "There, youse see? Nothin' to worry about." Johnny said.
"Maybe one thing." Frankie said. "We're lates for da job now. Da guy'll be back home anytime. Plus, I'm getting' hungry."
"Well… Youse right about the job." Johnny agreed. "C'mon, I knows a good place ta eat, and it'll be easy ta run out on da bill."
"Sounds good to me." Frankie agreed…
After seeing Mama safely back to her home in Meridian, Blunk returned to earth determined to quickly rebuild his home. One thing was for sure; he wasn't wasting time with cardboard again. Mama was right, he needed real wood for the walls. But where to find it? "Blunk need smart advice…" he thought, "…and Blunk know just where to get it."
Taranee Cook sat at her desk, working on a research paper that was due the next day. She shook her head, upset to be on such a short deadline. Ordinarily she would have finished such an assignment weeks ahead of schedule. Leaning back, taking off her glasses to rest her eyes for a moment, the girl silently cursed Queen Neera and the Dominators for keeping the Guardians so busy lately.
As she slid her glasses back on and leaned forward to resume working, Taranee heard a knocking at her bedroom window. "Nigel." She thought. "If anything is worth taking a break…" she rose and ran across the room, threw open the window to find… "Blunk? What are you doing here?"
"Blunk need advice." The Passling said as he climbed in, "Where could Blunk find wood for, uh…" He paused, not wanting to reveal his handiwork hadn't held up. " …For little project Blunk working on…"
Taranee smirked at him. "The cardboard didn't hold up huh?" she guessed.
Shaking his head sadly, Blunk confessed "No. Whole house go crashing down."
"Why don't you just go buy some wood from the markets in Meridian?"
"Pay?" Blunk asked, shocked. "That go against Blunk's principles."
"Being cheap is a principle?" Taranee wondered. "Oh well. Best bet for free wood, go check dumpsters behind warehouses. I'm sure they throw away broken pallets and stuff."
"Ahh! Good idea. Blunk knew where to come for smart answer!"
"You're welcome I think."
"Now, youse remember da plan rights?" Johnny said to his partner as they approached the restaurant.
"Yeah Johnny, sure." Frankie answered. "We eats outside at a patio table. Dat way when we done, we don't even hafta get out a door to ditch on da bill."
"It's a miracle!" Johnny said, "Frankie gets a plan on the first try."
"Aw c'mon Johnny, I'm nots that dumb."
"Oh yes youse is, Frankie. Youse like a stupid-seeking missile. Anyways, here we are. Order whatever youse want, it's on me."
"On you, 'cause we nots payin!" Frankie laughed, "Dat's a good one Johnny."
Johnny sighed, rolled his eyes, and opened the door. The two men walked through the inside dining area and out the patio doors. As Johnny looked around for an empty table near the edge of the patio, his eyes fell on an all-to-familiar face…
Miranda and Gideon had just received their plates when they heard a pair of terrified screams. Miranda looked to her left and saw two faces she hadn't expected to encounter again. "It's those crooks that tried to rob the shelter!" she thought. "I hope it wasn't me they were screaming about, how would I explain that to Gideon?"
It was clear to Miranda that she was the reason for their reactions, though. They were staring straight towards her. Then, as one both men screamed "It's that cat!" They jumped the patio railing and ran away as fast as they could…