A/N: Heehee. That's all I have to say.
M-M-Mr. Mistoffelees; Oh, I know that. But they're cats – I figured that even Misto wouldn't know or care what was a rodent and what wasn't. Thank you for noticing, though! :D No one else did...
I'd also like to thank all the people who alerted/faved this story. But I would be ever so much more grateful if you reviewed!
Chapter Ten: A.A.
~~~Mistoffelees~~~
"W-what?" I spluttered, shocked. There was no way mom would sign Quaxo up for an alcoholic's program. She hated those kinds of things. She called them "idiotic cash cows made up by moneygrubbing quacks". I guess she was just desperate – and I'd heard somewhere that AA was free, not like a therapy session.
Save me! Oh, Everlasting Cat, don't make me go! No! Quaxo moaned, as if someone were shoving splinters into his clawtips.
You're stuck with it. I don't think I'll be able to persuade her.
Oh, yeah. Cause you're the Everlasting Cat. Pfft. Quaxo muttered sarcastically. I ignored him and listened to mom talking.
"...He really needs help, Mistoffelees. You of all people would know this. You hear his every thought." She meowed, obviously not noticing my previous lack of concentration.
"All...all r-r-right." I stuttered resignedly, running a paw through my headfur and biting my lip. Mom sighed.
"In fact, the first meeting is in just ten minutes. Can you make him get ready?"
"Y-yeah." I said, knowing it would be by no means an easy task. I nodded at Mom and walked into my room, shutting the door behind me.
I sat down on my bed and closed my eyes.
Come on, Quaxo. You have to go. I pleaded with him, hoping he wouldn't make this harder than it could be.
No! You'll never take me alive! Never! He shouted, causing me to flinch. Quaxo had an exceptionally loud voice, as I've probably said before. Many times.
Don't you think that you're perhaps overreacting? Just a little, teensy, bit?
I am not. You're being cruel. You hate me.
Well, my hatred for you is beside the point. You need to go; you're being kittenish. I forced him into control with a grunt; it was much harder to do when he didn't want to come out. I winced when he pulled his final defense, giving me a sudden, stabbing pain in my head. But I triumphed, as I normally did, and the pain faded as Quaxo took over.
~~~Quaxo~~~
I sighed heavily and stood. I was going to therapy! Yaaaay. I grumbled darkly as I left my room and walked up to Mom.
"Where to?" I asked, my voice bland and dismal-sounding.
"It's not that far. I'll walk you until you learn the way." Mom replied cheerily, giving me her signature I'm-in-a-good-mood-don't-you-push-it face. I rolled my eyes and nodded, wondering why I was always the one who got glared at.
"Let's go already." I grouched, shuffling my feet after her as she strolled out. I wasn't psychotic or anything, therefore I. Did. Not. Need. Therapy. End of discussion, right? Apparently not. Mom ambled off around the tire and neared a large refrigerator. A low murmur of voices came from inside and a sign was posted on the door. It read: "A.A. meeting tonight at 6 pm. Members and Counselors only."
Mom nodded at me and opened the door. The voices hushed and a sandy tom around his twenties stood to greet me and Mom.
"I'm counselor Beck. You must be Quaxo, correct?" He extended his paw towards me with a grin. I shook it grumpily and he nodded knowingly.
"Don't need counseling, eh? See it all the time. Go sit and greet the other members while I talk to your mother, would you?" Beck kept grinning as he waved me over to a circle of chairs. All but two were filled with toms and queens. Most were older and less groomed than I was.
I tried to smile, but ended up wincing halfheartedly at them and took the smaller chair that obviously wasn't my counselor's.
A gray and brown scraggly tom grinned toothily at me. "Been having a few too many nights out with your pals, mm?"
"Haven't we all?" I replied with a wink. I was back in my game; I was born to annoy people.
"Ooh, we've got a little hothead." A deep black queen with green eyes guffawed loudly. Ew. No one guffaws anymore. "You from around here?"
"Yeah. I live maybe five minutes away." I answered. Beck walked in soon after I'd replied and quieted the group of cats with a wave of his paw. He sat in his chair and looked at us all, smiling. I wanted to slap that idiotic grin off his face. Let's see how much he'd smile if he'd secretly nursed a minor addiction since he was fifteen.
"Well," Beck said. "Let's all introduce ourselves to the newest member!" He nodded at the cats.
"Maximilian. Don't laugh." A brown tabby not much older than Beck said. I didn't think any of them were in the Jellicle tribe, because their names were just too ordinary.
I've never seen them around. Mistoffelees piped up.
Oh, come on! I can't even get rid of you when I'm in therapy, for cat's sake! In replying, I'd missed several names, including the Chocking Squirrel who kept braying like a donkey. I repeat; ew.
"And this is the newest member of our little family!" Beck gestured towards me, and I recognized the opportunity to get my revenge on the moron.
"I am Bob! Bow before me or face my wrath!" I threw my arms in the air dramatically before Beck glared daggers at me. I shrank in my seat, ignoring Chocking Squirrel's loud braying. "Fine. I'm Quaxo, nice to meet you. Can I leave?"
"Quaxo, it seems as though I'm only going to get a sarcastic extravert, or a sulking introvert. Why is this?"
Because I'm a messed-up kid missing his booze half the time and arguing with his other personality all the rest. I almost said, but I bit it back and meowed "I dunno." instead. I shrugged noncommittally when Beck sighed.
"Well, let's carry on. Did everyone bring their journals?" The rest of the group nodded.
"Max, would you care to share your latest entry with me?" Beck asked. He was grinning again. If Mom were here, she'd insist that his face would freeze that way.
"Sure." Max nodded brightly and opened the green journal in his lap. He read a little more slowly than I did, and he went at an ant's pace compared to Mistoffelees. "Today I walked past a liquor shop and was only a little tempted to go inside. I felt really good, especially when I walked right past. Then I went home and was extra nice to my poor human, who must've missed feeding me." The group clapped politely and I joined in, rolling my eyes only slightly.
"And Elise?" Beck turned to Chocking Squirrel. So her name was Elise. The black queen began reading. I tuned her out and tried to will myself to sleep. It didn't work, but I must have spaced out for longer than I thought, because suddenly the group was packing up their things and Beck was telling everyone to try grape juice or some fruit if we got any sudden need for alcohol. (And yes, he was still grinning)
I walked outside, and Mom was waiting for me. She put her paw on my shoulder and we walked home.
