Aftermath Chapter 3
Thankyou once again to my reviewers I get a big thrill when I see the email to say that someone has reviewed a story I've written.
Emily – thanks for the kind words. Yes we also have rememberance day down here. I will be expanding a little on the insanity thing at the start of this chapter. Munk is portrayed that way due mainly to the reactions to Grizabella in the play. He's quite severe in his initial reactions to protect his tribe until he's reassured or has time to think.
Imajelliclegirl – Good. That's what I wanted from my readers.
Shego – It's the way I've always seen the end of the fight to be honest. I'm an electrician by trade and it was the first thing I thought of at that scene. The thing with Jem, Teaser and Dem is just something that struck me while watching the dvd and the interactions between the three of them. It's more of an aside in this story but I might do something on it in another one.
Well that's it for the thanks. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
Oh and like I've said before. I own cats, one pure black tom and his sister who is mostly black with a white chest. Or is it that they own me? You never know.
…
His insanity has been cured.
…
At that statement silence fell through the medical den, emphasising the slight wheeze of Macavity breathing slowly.
Tugger broke the quiet. "Cured? What does that mean?"
"Exactly what I said, my love" Tanto replied. "His link to magic was severed when he was electrocuted. We've always surmised that it was the uncontrolled nature of his powers that caused his insanity. It appears that when that link was broken it's also taken the ill effects with it."
Munkunstrap broke in. "So it's like it never happened?"
"No. He still has a bit of the paranoia from a life on the streets and the hardness and strength that he had to gain to survive. In fact it was that strength and sheer mental toughness that has enabled his to live through this as long as he has" explained Tantomile. "He hasn't lost the traits that he gained over that time, the callousness and belief in his own authority, but he's lost the vicious streak that used to lie there in his mind."
"There was one thing that convinced me to help over everything else" she said. "He is suffering a nearly overwhelming guilt with what he has put his family and friends through. He remembers the love he experienced here. The kind eyes and paws of his family. The looks in those eyes, when he caused those paws to be raised against him. He remembers the feelings he had for Bomba and his sorrow at what his madness forced him to do to her sister. In his eyes, if he couldn't have what he wanted then he'd make sure that nobody else would have it either. He regrets not knowing his daughter, he used to hide in the junkyard and watch her grow up and play with her friends in his more lucid moments. He could never bring himself, even in the depths of his madness to take Jem away and crush the love of life he saw in her eyes like he did to Demeter."
Jelly looked at Tantomile in amazement. "You got all this from that short connection?"
"This and a lot more" Tanto explained, "The art of reading minds is a little rougher than that I'm afraid. It's like you dump large parts of a mind into your own and then need to organise them. In a normal mind it's quite easy, but what took so much time here was I had to coach Macavities mind back into a structure that I could access and align with. Now if you don't mind I really need to get some rest. It's been a very tiring day."
"Wait." Munkunstrap said, "One last question before you leave. You said the link to his magic has been severed?"
"Yes" said the weary queen. "He doesn't have any magic anymore; he's got no more magical power that Alonzo. Just a strong mind and a stubborn streak a mile wide."
Munk considered Tantomiles revelations. "Thankyou Tanto. You've given me a lot to think about."
"Tugger. Take you mate home, she has our thanks."
The tall glamour cat bent and picked up his tired mate, who nuzzled herself into his furry mane, and carried her out of the medical den.
The silver protector sat there for a while gazing at his bandaged brother on the bed contemplating everything he'd been told that night. A lot of his hopes and dreams had been answered but with those answers came a whole new host of problems. Not the least of which was how he was going to tell the rest of the tribe let alone break it to his mate.
"Misto. Can you do me a favour and go and inform Old D that we need him here for a meeting tomorrow morning?" asked Munk of the little Tuxedo tom. "Cori. You look exhausted. Drop the shield, I don't think we need it anymore, and go and get some sleep."
"Jenny? Are you going to be ok here? I need to go and talk to Dem" said Munk.
"Sure. Are you going to be ok?" asked the older queen.
"I honestly don't know. If you need anything, call Alonzo. I'll be in my den." Munk replied. "Oh and I want you there at the meeting tomorrow with my father, I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight and I might forget some things."
With that the Jellicle protector left the medical den and headed back to his own for a conversation with his mate that he really wasn't looking forward to.
…
"Demeter?" Munkunstrap called softly as he entered their den. "Are you here?"
"In the kitchen, dear" was the response.
Munk walked through the opening in the den to the adjoining kitchen of his den to find his mate Demeter and her sister Bombarulina cooking pigeons.
"Good, you're both here, that should make this a little easier" he said, and then under his breath, "I hope."
"Can you leave that for a while? I need to talk to you about something serious, that you're not going to like. Come into the lounge and sit down." Munk led the two queens back into the other room where they got comfortable on some cushions scattered around the floor. "Where are the girls?"
"Teaser is out with Jerrie and Jem is over at Jelly's having a sleepover with Electra and Etcy." Demeter replied.
"That will probably be a blessing" he muttered. "Ok. You know that cat that the girls found last night?" the two queens nodded. "Well we found out what happened. I, I don't know how to say this so I'll just come out and say it."
"It's Macavity" revealed the tom and looked at his mate with concern over what her reaction would be.
Bomba jumped to the same conclusion that Munkunstrap had earlier in the evening. "What did the poor cat do to make Mac do that to him."
Demter however saw the truth in what Munkunstrap was saying, reading the concern, the worry and the fear in his eyes as they never left her face. "No Bombs. He means that that cat over there 'is' Mac."
Bombarulina looked between the two mates, realisation dawning on her at what the silver tabby had just revealed. "You mean that Macavity is here?" she screeched jumping up. "In the junkyard. What does that mean? Dem? Demeter?"
Munkunstrap largely ignoring the red queen's frightened babble spoke to his mate. "We have him completely contained and at the moment he is harmless. He is blind and cannot talk. He cannot move due to his injuries and is in an induced coma. You are completely and utterly safe." He reached over and took her paws in his own, "I will not let him anywhere near you."
"But there's more."
"More?" asked the increasingly agitated scarlet queen collapsing back onto her cushion.
"Yes. He's dying and…"
"Good" interrupted Demeter brusquely.
"Like I said. He's dying. He electrocuted himself and was torn to shreds by his followers, but when it happened it broke something in his head. He's not crazy anymore and he's lost his magic." Munk repeated, "and, he wants to apologise. To everyone."
"No."
"Dem?"
"No I said. I do not want or need his apology. I do not want or need anything to do with that monster." Demeter said calmly, belying the looks of hatred and pure fury that passed through her eyes. "I am not going to let him assuage his own feelings. He can rot in hell."
She got to her feet and headed back to the kitchen. "Come on Bombs, dinner isn't going to make itself" she called back over her shoulder to her stunned sister.
Bombarulina climbed to her feet and blindly followed her sister into the other room, stunned by the revelations.
That night Demeter slept in the kittens' room with her sister. Munkunstrap alone in his bed didn't sleep at all…
…
Early the next morning the exhausted Munkunstrap met with his father, Old Deuteronomy, at the great tyre and explained the happenings and discoveries of the night before. Jenny came along to give the medical diagnoses and Tantomile explained what she had found within Macavities mind.
The old shaggy cat sat there absorbing the stunning events that had just been revealed to him, then smiled and looked down at his son.
"I leave the decisions up to you. I trust you will make the right ones and you will have my full support in whatever you decide." Old D said.
Munkunstrap sighed. He was getting another lesson in leadership from his father. He just wished it wasn't in something so difficult. "Can I at least discuss things with you father? I still treasure your guidance and advice" he asked.
"Of course my son. I will always be here for you when you need me" replied Old D.
"How am I supposed to tell the tribe? I'm calling a meeting for this afternoon, but how do I let them know what is going on? How are they going to react?"
"Well Munk. How do you think they'll react if you don't tell them and they find out on their own? We're a family here and everyone must be wanting to know who this mystery patient is. My advice is to just tell them everything and let them react in their own way. They know you and you know them. We ALL trust you and know that you will always do the right thing for the tribe" advise the old cat.
Munk looked over at Tanto and Jenny who were nodding in agreement.
"Ok, I guess that's the way it will have to be then" decided the silver protector. "Can you stay around until the meeting? I know everyone will be reassured by your presence."
"I will my son, and I'm proud of the cat you have become."
…
Munk sent Tugger around to all the dens to inform the Jellicles that there was to be a meeting in the early afternoon at the great tyre. Every cat, including the kittens, was to attend with the exception of Jenny, who'd be treating her patient and her mate Skimbleshanks who was halfway to Scotland on the railway.
At the appointed time the cats began to gather. Tanto, Old D and Munkunstrap sat at the top of the tyre waiting as all the jellicles assembled in the clearing. Demeter, Rum Tum Tugger, Cori and Misto all sat at the base. Munk looked around counting heads, all the cats had assembled so he began.
"As many of you know, Jenny has a very badly injured cat in the medical den at the moment. His wounds are grave, grave enough that he will not survive them." Gasps arose from the crowd at this. "I know there has been a lot of speculation as to our mystery guests identity and I will identify him in a moment. Before I do however let me assure you that the tribe is in no danger from this cat or from what befell him."
Murmurs rose from the crowd over his last strange statement.
"You see the cat in the medical den is" Munk sighed. "My brother, Macavity."
Bedlam broke out immediately. Multiple cats calling out trying to be heard, queens clutching kittens driven to tears by the fear they suddenly saw on their parents faces.
Munkunstrap stood at the top of the tyre, his arms out trying to call for calm but being drowned out by the tumult.
A piercing whistle cut through the noise and everyone looked at the source as Old D took his paws down from his lips. "Everyone calm down please. My son hasn't finished yet."
A number of cats had approached Demeter, realising that she'd be one of the most affected by this news, Victoria, Jemima and surprisingly Cassandra had come over to wrap their arms around the golden queen and give her unspoken support.
Munkunstrap began to explain the situation, covering Macs injuries, the treatment and the circumstances around the event, he revealed his initial response to the discovery and what had stopped him from crossing that line. He also went on to explain what was going to happen next and Tantomiles involvement. The mystic queen received considerate looks from cats astonished at her bravery and a comforting paw from her mate at the base of the tyre.
"Now we do not expect or even desire everyone to be spoken to by Mac and we don't know how long he has left. If you do get asked to speak to him, I'd like you to seriously think about saying yes. I'm not going to order you to do it and I'd expect you to tell me quite simply to bugger off if I tried. However I'd like you all to remember that this is not the Macavity that has been terrorizing us for the past few years but the Mac that we all loved and trusted before that unstable magic he had, sent him mad."
"That's all we have to tell you at this time. I will keep you informed of any developments as they come to light." Munk finished.
The three cats got down off the tyre and approached their family at the base.
Tugger enveloped his mate and his brother in a huge hug. "You did well bro."
Demeter took Munks paw and pulled him out of his brother's embrace and into one of her own. "I'm proud of you. I don't like why, but I'm so proud of you I could burst. Let's get you home. You look exhausted."
Demeter led Munk away from the gathering and into their den. Upon entering they were leapt upon by two upset queen kittens and spent the next half hour calming them down. Upon which the four cats curled up on the bed in Demeter and Munks room and fell asleep together.
….
Demeter was woken a few hours later by Tugger knocking on the bedroom door. Not wanting to rouse her sleeping mate and kittens, she held a claw to her lips and then extricated herself from the bundle of fur on the bed that was her family.
She padded outside the door and closed it quietly, motioning Tugger to the lounge room. "What do you want Tugger?" she asked.
"He's awake and asking for Munk." Tugger said simply.
Demeter stiffened, "He can wait."
"But…" began the Maine Coon.
"No buts. Munk is exhausted. I am not going to disturb the first decent sleep he's had since the ball for that monster." Demeter said angrily.
"He's also asked for you." Tugger said warily.
Demeter simply glared. "Give him a simple message from me please. Fuck You!"
Tugger blanched not used to hearing his sister in law swear. "Umm. I'll tell him."
"Those exact words Rum Tum Tugger. Nothing more and nothing less" demanded Dem.
The tom exited the den at a run, leaving the enraged queen fuming at the situation. Knowing that she'd not be able to get back to sleep she went to the kitchen and began cleaning up, unknowingly becoming louder and louder until she felt a pair of silver furred arms wrap around her from behind and a nuzzle in the back of her neck.
"Hey babe." Munk said.
"Oh did I wake you up?" Dem queried. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make that much noise."
"No it's ok. Tease was starting to stir anyway. I've sent her outside to play. Jem is still asleep. Now what's gotten you all riled up?" he asked.
"Two guesses."
"Fair enough. It's not something that any of us like but I can only imagine what you are going through." Munkunstrap said to his mate.
"Actually my love it's quite simple for me. I hate him. I'll never forgive him for what he did to me and the only thing that's stopping me from going into that den right now and ripping him to shreds, is that he also gave me that sweet child asleep in our bedroom. He also showed me how very, very much I love you." Demeter pulled her mate in for a tender kiss. "And how dedicated you are to our family. I cannot imagine how hard it would have been for you to take in and love another toms kitten."
"That was the easy part darling. Jem is half you. How could I not love her. I know I'm not her blood father but she is our daughter in every other respect." Munk replied with a smile.
"What got you up anyway?" he asked.
"Well I need to get dinner on if we intend to eat tonight and your no good brother came around" she replied.
"What did Tugger do now?" Munk asked.
"Nothing." Dem paused, then pulled out of his arms "but Macavity is awake and asking for you."
"Bast" he swore. "Are you going to be ok for a little bit? I need to talk to him."
"I know you do. Just don't ask me to." Dem replied reluctantly.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." Munk kissed Dems paws and headed over to the medical den where his brother awaited him.
…..
Munk walked into the medical den to find Tanto speaking to a tearful Bombarulina, Tugger was hovering in the background and Jelly was monitoring the cat lying on the bed beside them.
Tanto looked up at his entrance. "Ah and my dear brother has arrived."
Bomba took that as a sign and dashed out of the den.
Tanto's voice sounded very stilted and with a strange masculine lilt to it. (A/N I'll be writing as if Mac is talking.)
"I take it that I'm speaking to you then Mac." Munk replied, directing his attention to the form on the bed, and when Tanto nodded, continued with "still an arrogant son of a bitch too I see."
"I don't have much left but my arrogance, oh god this hurts, so cut me a little slack will you?" Macavity said.
"No. You came to us and you're bloody lucky that you're not out there dying in the cold" replied the silver tom angrily.
"Instead I'm dying in the heat of a den. And for that I'm thankful." Tanto glanced over at the bed. "Heavyside but I'm a mess. Look. I don't think I've got much time left and I just wanted to let you know that I don't blame you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, our family and our tribe. I know that you and father had to do what you did. I was a danger to everyone and everything around me. When the powers came upon me that day I didn't know what they were or how to control them and they came with voices and impulses that I couldn't withstand. I didn't mean to kill Bill. I couldn't control myself and after I was committed they only began to get stronger and harder and harder to ignore until they took over completely. I couldn't stop myself when I saw you so happy with Demeter after you had Rumpleteaser, I'd lost Bomba and I didn't want anyone else to feel what I no longer could. If I could have stopped myself I would have. The only thing I am happy about is that I have finally gotten to explain to the people that mean the most to me in the world."
Munkunstrap looked down at the brother he once loved, "I can't understand it, I can't condone what you did but I can't hate you for it. Not anymore."
Macavity continued, "Does Jemima know that you're not her real father?"
"No. She is still too young to tell." Munk replied honestly.
"Good, don't. I've watched her when I could. She's a beautiful, intelligent and gentle young kitten and doesn't deserve the grief it will cause her to know that you are not her blood father. Don't let her ever find out that her real father was a monster." Macavity pleaded with the protector.
"If that is your wish. However I will tell her about her uncle when he was a kitten and when he was loved by us all before something that was out of his control corrupted him and turned him against us" said Munk.
"Thankyou my brother. I take it that Demeter won't come?" Macavity asked.
"No" was the flat reply, "and I think you were wrong in asking for her."
"I thought she'd love to rub my face in it. To get a bit of revenge and some closure to see what a mess I am. I know she will never accept my apology but I just thought she would be able to get something out of seeing me" confessed the dying tomcat.
"And there is that arrogance again." Munkunstrap hissed. "She is over it all. She proved that at the ball. She will never see you again."
"Maybe I'm not as forgiving as I thought" Munk said to himself.
"That's enough" interrupted Jelly. "This is taking too much out of him. He needs to rest."
Tanto shook herself out and said in a normal voice. "I've severed the link. I'm myself again."
"Good." Munk looked over at Jelly. "How is he going?"
"Not well he doesn't have long. The stress of linking his mind and the emotions are too much. I don't think he can do it again and I have no idea of what would happen if Tanto and he were linked if he dies." Jelly replied.
Munk looked over at Tanto and raised an eyebrow in question.
"It, it wouldn't be good" she admitted, shrinking back into her mate.
"Well that's an easy one to deal with then." Tugger said wrapping his mate up protectively. "She won't be doing it again." He gathered Tanto in his arms and carried her out of the den.
Jelly went on. "He can still hear people but he just can't respond. So if anyone wants to say goodbye before then, they can."
Munk approached the figure on the bed and rested a paw on his shoulder. "Goodnight my brother."
He then gave Jelly a wave farewell and headed back to his den and family.
…..
The next day dawned warm and clear. The tribe's kittens, resilient little buggers that they were, raced around the clearing playing as if nothing had ever happened. A steady stream of adult cats filed through the medical den, making their final farewells to the figure on the bed. The jellicles had taken Munkunstraps words at the previous days meeting to heart and were remembering Macavity as he was before his madness.
Bomba sat Demeter on the old oven. "Are you going in Dem?" she asked.
"I don't know." Demeter replied. "I hate him for what he did to Munk, Jem, Teaser and myself. I don't know if I can forgive him for that. I don't even know if I can face him."
"How about I come with you? That way you won't be alone" said the red queen.
Demeter sat there thinking and watching the line of cats going into the medical den dwindle away. Munkunstrap, who'd been in there all day sitting with his brother came out the entrance and approached the two queens.
"Jenny said he could go now at any moment" he said sadly, upset that just as he got his brother back, he was set to lose him again.
Bombarulina looked at her sister questioningly.
Dem sighed and looked between Bomba and Munk, then jumped off the Oven. "I don't know if I can do this, but I won't know until I try." She looked at the two of them. "Can you come with me please?"
They both assured her that they would and each took a paw in their own as they made their way to the medical den.
As they approached the door a small figure wound herself under Demeters arm, Jemima had seen the three of them cross the clearing and had recognised her mothers need for support.
The four of them entered the medical den together.
Inside it was just Jellylorum and Jennyanydots watching Macavity on the bed. Jenny looked over at them as they entered. "There's nothing more we can do. He could go now at any moment."
Jemima recognised the figure on the bed as the one she had found a few days before and wormed herself out of her mothers grip. She approached the bandaged cat and then simply bent down and kissed him on the head and said "thankyou for watching over me as I played Uncle Mac. I love you." The perceptive little kitten had known that he'd been there as she grew.
She turned to Munkunstrap and threw herself into his fur crying softly.
Demeter was stunned. Her daughter had been able to do this. Could she?
She let go of her sister's paw, and edged towards the bed. She could do this, she knew she could. He couldn't hurt her anymore and it was the last time that she could let him know how she felt. Did she forgive him?
Demeter stood there looking down at the shrunken figure for a moment, then let out a huge sigh and bent down to whisper in his ear.
A few sentences were all it took, then she stood up straight, turned and walked back to her family wither a small smile on her face. She'd done it.
Behind her the cat on the bed let out a small moan which slowly died away. Jenny rushed over to check his vital signs, then looked up at Munkunstrap and shook her head.
…
They buried him with all the other Jellicle cats that'd died over the years. Sure he'd been evil but redemption was found at the end.
At the end of the service, Old D took Demeter aside and asked her what she'd said to him at the end as she seemed a little upset.
Dem looked a little ashamed of herself. "I didn't know what I was going to say to him. I didn't even know what I would say or even if. I stood there watching him lying there and it came to me how I really felt. So I bent down and whispered in his ear, I hope you rot in hell. I will never ever forgive you for what you put my family through. One day of sorrow does not make up for a lifetime of hatred. You got off easy and if I had my way you would lay here screaming in you own mind until the end of days."
Old D just looked at the rapidly shrinking queen.
Dem continued "I know I shouldn't have said those things, but I couldn't help it. I needed to confront him and what he'd done. I can't tell Munk that I said this ever but it's tearing me up.
Old D just enfolded the gold and black queen up in his arms. "I understand my dear. He put you through hell and it's only natural that you had those feelings. It's part of your healing and I'm sure he doesn't resent you for it wherever he is now. What you told him is between you, him and the Everlasting Cat and that is where it shall remain. Now I believe there is someone waiting for you over there."
Old D released Demeter from his arms and turned to push her towards a silver and black tabby, a small teenage tortoise shell kitten, and an older teenage gold, black and white calico cat.
Her family.
fin
….
Well what did you think? The review button is right there.
This chapter was remarkably hard to write as I don't do feelings very well. It's also a lot longer than I expected but I didn't think I could break it anywhere without losing the flow of the story. I'm hoping I didn't end it too abruptly.
Oh and if you were wondering at the timeline for the cats.
Dem and Munk were mated and had Teaser.
Dem was cat napped by Mac when Teaser is a newborn and she was looked after by Jenny and Skimble (hence some of the behaviour in the show).
Dem is rescued by Munk but is pregnant. He doesn't care and takes Jem as his own when she is born. Only a few cats know the truth.
So Teaser at the end is about 19 and Jem is about 16. They still live at home though.