Author's Note: I've actually completed a chapter for two stories (one is a collaboration with MeadowRose. Check for it in Kingdom Keepers/ Cats crossovers. She's brilliant.) while my internet was out, and this is making me feel good. Maybe I'll start to update more frequently. Probably not. Whatever.
Dear Reviewers, thank you for your patience with my stories, I know a lot of you have read every story I've ever published, and always given me support and advice. I know that I lose readers every time I don't update for over a month, and I thank you again for sticking with me.
Onwards? Yes!
Chapter Seven:
~Quaxo~
I stretched luxuriously, bending my spine into a curve, then effortlessly rolled into a somersault, jumping into an upright position.
Why couldn't you have simply stood?
Because this is more fun.
Of course. Just like you skipping class today, this is more fun.
I walked out of the den and over to the TSE1. I hopped onto the truck, purring when I felt the comforting warmth of the hood. I closed my eyes, thinking of how nice it would be if I had company. Jemima – no, I wouldn't think of her.
Still hurts, huh?
No, really? I mean, just because she broke up with me only a few days ago doesn't mean I should still miss her.
Only trying to help, Quaxo. There's no need to murder me for it.
Sorry, Misto. Cat, it feels like I'm saying that a lot lately.
That's because I deserve to be apologized to.
Whatever. I rolled my eyes without opening them. I was too comfortable to bother with it. I flipped over, my purring growing louder. Something gently rubbed my stomach.
"I thought you'd be at school today." I instantly recognized the voice as Victoria's and opened my eyes lazily. The white queen was sitting on the hood beside me, her paw on my chest, messing with the fluffy white fur there.
"Ah, no. School isn't really my thing." I laughed, smirking slightly. "Why don't you lie down on this?" I patted the hood of the TSE. "It's really comfortable."
"All right." She smiled and laid down on her stomach next to me, her head in her arms.
"So how are you, Victoria?" I asked, trying to make light conversation. She purred slightly.
"Call me Rory. And I'm fine, Quaxo." A shiver ran down my spine when she said my name, despite the warmth of the car. I'd never felt that way before, not even with Jemima. And I thought I knew what love was.
She's amazing, isn't she? Mistoffelees sighed dreamily. I could imagine his expression; his glazed-over eyes and huge lopsided grin. But I did agree with him fully.
I have a lopsided grin?
Yep.
"All right, Rory." I carefully kept my cool. Queens love a cool tom, at least that's what I've learned from watching Tugger get the queens hot and bothered.
"You're right. This is very comfortable." Victoria purred louder, extending her claws and kneading them on the hood. I smiled.
"I have my flashes of brilliance." She laughed quietly. I rolled over onto my stomach, like she was, and ever so cautiously wrapped my arm around her waist. She stiffened, causing me to flinch, then relaxed slightly.
"I shouldn't have kissed you." My head drooped at the words.
"Technically, you kissed Mistoffelees, not me." I meowed softly, even though I imagined I could feel the warmth of her lips on my cheek. But, as I said, she'd never kissed me.
"What I'm saying, Quaxo, is that I'm still with Plato. And I don't have the heart to break his." She looked at me, her expression soft and gentle. "I don't know what to do. Plato, well, I loved him. But now, I'm not so sure. You two, you're everything now. Mistoffelees is so sweet and helpless, and you're so funny and wild. I just can't break Plato's heart yet."
"I understand." I nodded vehemently, holding on with all my might to the fact that she'd said "yet". "But you could still be...close to us, right?" She grinned.
"Yes, of course." As if to signify that, she snuggled closer to me on the TSE, but my arm stayed firmly underneath my chin.
We're lucky Plato's on patrol. And remind me to tell her I'm not helpless. I am a genius.
You, my friend, are a nerd. A helpless nerd. But we are pretty lucky.
"I have to go." I meowed, even though I didn't. Always leave them wanting more.
"Oh. All right." I noticed that Victoria's eyes followed me until I turned the corner. She definitely wanted more, just like I'd planned.
Vulgar, perverted little...Gah!
Sparkly, feminine little spaz. I retorted, thinking of the time my alter-ego had started doing cartwheel after cartwheel after cartwheel...you get the point.
Okay, we're both a little hyperactive occasionally. Happy now?
Extremely. Your cartwheels rival Rumpleteazer's.
Oh, shut it. It wasn't my fault you and Tugger found that case of the humans' soda what-have-you.
Make me. And it's called soda pop, not soda what-have-you.
Fine. Mistoffelees took over, much to my annoyance.
~~~Mistoffelees~~~
I grinned smugly, wondering absentmindedly if my expression truly was lopsided, as Quaxo had said. Just another thing wrong with me, I suppose. I started walking to Tantomile and Coricopat's den, then stopped suddenly, my grin fading; how was I supposed to apologize to them?
Grovel. On your knees.
You know, I'm almost to the point of doing that very thing. I sighed heavily, and turned around. What to do now? I fidgeted for a while before an idea struck me. I could always practice my magic, and seeing as I hadn't done so in a while, I might as well. Perhaps it would keep my mind off thoughts of the twins.
Presto. Quaxo sniggered quietly.
You know that's my focus word. A focus word was a word inexperienced magicians used to, well, focus their powers. Hence the name.
Blah. Why couldn't it have been something cool, like Alakazam or something?
Because that's too long.
Because you're too lazy to say it.
No, because if I took that long, then everyone would know I was going to use magic. I retorted. Quaxo was just so...so... stupid sometimes!
That has no point, except in combat. And you never fight with anyone. Even if they deserve it. That remark made me stop dead. He had a point.
Touche. But I still refuse to change my focus word.
You're as stubborn as a boulder.
And you've got the intelligence of one.
I gently let the magic flow out of my paws, barely whispering "presto" as the sparks grew stronger. The relief was indescribably wonderful. I felt as if someone had just lifted a...Bustopher...off my shoulders. I sighed happily, purring softly. I should've known a lot of the stress I was feeling was simply magic buildup.
In my distraction, the sparks had grown considerably and a few had flown off my paws, threatening to light the Junkyard on fire.
I shouted in surprise and set to stamping out the small flames that were flickering, feeding off bits of paper.
You scream like a queen.
And our voices are nearly identical. If I scream like a queen, then you would too. With a roll of my eyes meant for Quaxo, I stamped out the last of the flames.
"He does that all the time!" A voice hissed, breaking into a kittenish giggle at the last word. I immediately recognized the voice as Etcetera's.
"Rolling his eyes at no one!" I figured the second voice was probably Electra's. The two were nearly inseparable. I rolled my eyes at their antics. The odd kitten or two occasionally following me was nothing new. It was as if they expected fireworks from me.
"There he goes again! I wish he'd do some more magic." Etcetera whispered.
I walked closer to their voices, saying as if to myself, "I w-wish queen-k-kits wouldn't f-f-f-follow me everywhere I g-g-go. I've half a mind t-t-t-t-to zap t-them."
I smiled as two figures ran off to another area of the Junkyard, in all probability going to Tugger for comfort.
