A Persian's Tale: Scarred for Life 11

09/13/10 - 2161 words

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter (Rowling) or Gundam Wing (Bandai, et al.)

AN: What can I say? I have a life outside FFN. Here's hoping I'll find a second job (again, ugh!) and an apartment by February. -fingers crossed- Thanks to everyone who has stuck around - I hope this doesn't disappoint.

PS: Trowa gets in trouble... -grins-

PPS: The line break I've been using isn't working. So the .ooo. is the replacement for this chapter.

He was infuriated.

No - he was so amazingly, flamingly pissed that he couldn't see straight.

'Tawny is going to pay for this humiliation little other,' Camouflage hissed. Harry didn't reply, just kept growling in furious agreement.

.ooo.

The day started out well enough. Trowa picked him up from Quatre's to take him to the groomers, something that Harry had come to look forward to; not that he would admit as much even under torture. He was washed, trimmed, fluffed, primped, and barely avoided getting a horrific sparkly blue bow stuck into his fur. In fact, Trowa got a discount for removing him from the store so quickly after the fuss he kicked up.

Afterwards, he grudgingly slunk into his deluxe cat carrier and waited to arrive home where Madam Antonia promised to have some smoked salmon mousse waiting for him. Imagine his surprise when the car stopped and he was pulled out in front of one of the super luxury hotels and conference centers dotting London. A large, elegant banner spanned over the open double doors proclaiming the fifth annual cat show sponsored by one of the cat foods he refused to eat on principal was being held today.

'Tawny is going to regret this other,' Camouflage whispered menacingly in his mind. Harry was in complete silent agreement.

.ooo.

Shivers ran down Trowa's spine prompting him to subtly examine his surroundings; however, nothing stood out. While the weather was getting colder as it got closer to winter he was wearing a warm sweater over a turtle neck and long trousers so he didn't know why it felt like someone crossed his grave. Shifting Camo's carrier to his offhand long fingers brushed against his hidden holster and loosened the gun hiding under his sweater. Better safe than sorry.

.ooo.

Humans and cats were everywhere not that Camo really noticed. He was entering the first stages of shock and things weren't really making an impression at the moment. Camo heard Trowa speak with someone before continuing into the controlled chaos that was the showroom floor. The jolt from his carrier hitting a table top woke him up and he was growling loud and low before he knew it.

Dark green eyes appeared before his door as the human looked him over, wisely not opening the cage door.

"Consider this a gift for Quatre, Camouflage. He'll be over the moon if he can…inform his sisters that he has a prize winning Persian. He has not appreciated their suggestions that you were merely a defective mongrel left in the trash," Trowa said calmly in his best the-veterinarian-is-your-friend voice. Green eyes glinted as the growling softened the slightest bit, taking it as a sign that he wouldn't have scars to match Heero's at the end of this.

"I need to finish filling out these forms and then we'll be ready. I'll give you a treat if you've calmed down when I get back, alright?" Nodding briskly he turned and strode off to the left and quickly out of sight.

Trimmed claws sprung out and began kneading the sheep skin lining of his carrier. When Harry first realized he could not transform back into a human and was seriously looking at spending the rest of his life as the pampered puss of an angelic muggle version of Lucius Malfoy the only reason he didn't immediately run out into the nearest busy street was the fact that he would never again face the fickle, condemning gaze of the Wizarding world. Now, now that bastard veterinarian decided to enter him into a Merlin damned Cat. Show! If he thought playing up to Camo's loyalty to the blond would save him Tawny was dead wrong.

'We have a few minutes before Trowa gets back. Let's show him what happens when you cross the son of a Marauder,' Harry mentally hissed to Camouflage. A vision of sharp white teeth in a terrifying grin was his reply.

In a move reminiscent of his first meeting with Quatre he slipped a paw out of his cage door and picked the lock. Slinking out on his belly Harry dropped to the floor and scurried under the table holding his carrier. Carefully scuttling under the tables, he did not want to have another Heero Incident, he made a beeline for the nearest wall. Unfortunately, there was a few feet worth of illuminated floor space between him and his destination.

'Allow me little other,' Camouflage murmured before taking control seamlessly. Hunkering down with only his tail twitching in concentration he suddenly streaked across the floor as a brown and black blur. Thankfully the humans were busy fussing over their cats and those prima donnas couldn't give a rat's tail about the ugly non-pedigree running around under paw. Safely hidden under another carrier laden table Camo sat to survey his position.

'What on earth are you up to?' A throaty growl floated down from above his head.

'Forget what he's doing. I want to know how he got out of his cage,' a female hissed in reply.

An arrogant meow replied before he could. 'Undoubtedly his idiot handler forgot to tie him down,' was the snide response.

Growling in irritation Camo cut over the talking cats over head. 'My handler is a professional veterinarian. He didn't forget to lock the cage, I broke out. Unlike you, you inbred son of a bobcat, I'm capable of rubbing two brain cells together to figure out a basic locking mechanism.'

Hissing too vulgar to properly translate into the human language followed while the throaty male and the hissy female laughed uproariously. Camo watched as two sets of polished loafers and one set of heels headed towards his table. Backing into the furthest corner possible Camouflage curled himself into a ball and thanked She-Who-Ruins-Lives for his patched coat. Evidently he managed to impress two of the three cats because they kicked up just enough fuss to distract the humans without making them overly curious about what incited the trio of felines in the first place. Camo unfurled from his ball and scurried off as swiftly and silently as his paws would take him.

.ooo.

Bless that male pride. Camo watched Trowa from his hidey hole under the juvenile short hairs as the vet unobtrusively tried to find his lover's missing pet. Trowa had zero desire to explain to Quatre that he misplaced his cat at a cat show. All the money in the world and he had yet to find a couch that fit his frame comfortably for sleeping on.

'What are ya doin' Mister?' a young male voice asked.

'I'm hiding from my human's mate. He decided to enter me without my permission and I am not happy,' Camo answered crisply.

Giggles erupted overhead.

'I wish I could get out of here like you Mister. I don't like having all those strange humans looking at me and holding me but Miss Janie doesn't understand that I don't like doing these shows. Mama says Miss Janie is just waiting for me to develop a taste for showing,' a soft female voice complained.

'Mine's like that too! I even managed to dump out those nasty soaps she washes me with just yesterday and all she did was scold me and take me to a professional groomer. Urk,' the boy speaking proceeded to make a gagging noise in displeasure. A chorus of voices echoed similar sentiments. Tracking Trowa's movements across the hall an evil grin stretched across his face. Between his gleaming yellow eyes and pearly white, needle sharp teeth Camouflage looked utterly demonic.

.ooo.

Harry watched all hell rain loose on the cat show below him. This particular show would go down in infamy, he was certain of it.

.ooo.

Cats were running rampant. In cages, out of cages, climbing up tables, climbing up humans, streaking out under foot while humans hopped about to avoid them, or traumatized to the point that they were hiding in corners and refusing to come out. Humans were just as frantic as the cats, calling out names like Princess, Pookie, Sugar, and even a random Puff-Ball, offering treats, scolding, or just generally running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The only thing Camo regretted was that no one invented cat sized ear plugs because if it was noisy before it had nothing on now. The sound was deafening, screaming, shouting, crying humans with a backup chorus of yowling, growling, mewling, and keening cats. Abyssinians were mixed with Havannah Browns, Sphynxes with Ragdolls, and juveniles with adults. All it all it looked like a cat lovers version of Hell.

He almost laughed up a hairball when he spotted Trowa being mobbed by owners wanting help rescuing their precious pusses.

.ooo.

When the owners of juveniles were called away for a briefing about how the tournament would be set up he hopped onto the table top. After unlocking little Bell's cage and showing her how to go about unlocking the others he sent them out with orders to free the others who wished it and create chaos. In laymen's terms, he just set loose a bunch of bored, cranky children who just learned a new trick and wanted to show off. He waded carefully through the throng of panicking humans and cavorting cats to where Throaty and Hissy were. Hopping up onto the table he flipped the locks on their cages then wandered away without looking back.

'Now we just need to add the icing to the cake,' Harry thought.

'How so little other?'

'We return to our carrier of course. Innocent as a lamb of the chaos all around us.'

'Devious little other. Very devious,' Camouflage replied, pride suffusing his mental voice.

.ooo.

'I was wondering where you ran off to,' a throaty rumble called from behind him before a healthy male groomed to perfection gracefully climbed on top of the carrier to his left.

He was a very round cat with a rather short face, not flat like Camo's, and white fur with a black ear. Harry blinked once, then again to make sure he wasn't seeing things and that yes, his companion's ears were in fact curled up on themselves.

'A Scottish Fold. Very smart and loyal like a dog. The ears are normal, although their health can be rather poor,' Camouflage informed him.

'I'm merely enjoying the scenery while waiting for my human to return,' Camo answered.

'Of course, my friend. After all, you had nothing to do with it. Just a bunch of rambunctious kittens,' the Fold answered with a smile.

Camo nodded, 'Exactly.'

'Well I don't much care one way or the other.' A truly tiny female hopped up on the right carrier holding a doll as large as she was in her mouth. It looked like the anime plushies Duo collected with bright blue hair, giant green eyes, and a smiley face tee. Shoving her weight behind it she threw the doll across to Camo's carrier.

'His name is Kody. Consider him a gift for the free entertainment you've provided,' she said. 'My name is Abigail, don't ask. What's your's?'

Harry shook himself out from the stupor induced by the tiny female's onslaught.

'Thanks, I think. I'm Camouflage or Camo. Whichever you prefer.'

'I'm Phantom of the Opera the Second but please, call me Phantom. Not quite the same mouthful,' the Fold, Phantom, introduced himself.

'It's a pleasure to meet you both,' Camo replied.

.ooo.

Trowa stared, his visible green eye suspiciously blank. Camo was sitting on top of his carrier, conversing with a male Scottish Fold and a female Singapura. A young female Devon Rex was sitting in front of Camo's carrier and was playfully fighting him for a doll that had seen better days. The little Rex was losing to the larger calico that appeared to be putting very little effort into his playing.

Striding up to the table he loomed over the feline foursome and focused on Camouflage's fiery yellow eyes.

"I think we're done here. You don't tell Quatre and I'll give you fresh fish for a week."

Camouflage actually glared at him and growled in displeasure.

"Two weeks. My final offer."

With an imperious flick of his tail Camo shook the Rex off his toy and slunk into his carrier with a meow of goodbye to his companions.

Closing the carrier all Trowa could think was that he couldn't wait to get home.

.ooo.

Harry never had to tell Quatre about the show. The home videos of the incident became an overnight internet sensation. When Duo spotted Camouflage in a YouTube video he inevitably called Quatre who later cornered his lover. This time Harry really did cough up a hairball he was laughing so hard.

AN: Steven Kodaly, if you're still around, I hope you enjoyed Kody. Everyone else, I read all reviews! Promise! As for the cat information, I used the Animal Planets Cat 101 site and their Cat Breed Directory to get any names, breeds, features, etc of any cats involved. If any of you are owners of the Scottish Fold or Singapura or just cats in general, I hope I did the feline breed justice. Drop a review and let me know!