Yes, I know, cliché and waaaaay over-used, but I just felt like being mean to Quaxo in a non-funny way. Cruel, aren't I? Someone on the Randomninity board inspired this one (can't remember who, though. I think it might have been Flit, but I'm not sure. If anyone can remember, please let me know so I can give credit where it's due)
Disclaimer: Do I look like Andrew Lloyd Webber or TS. Elliot?
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"That's how you address a cat…"
Quaxo heard the words of the last song of the ball fade into quiet contemplation as he regained control of his body. The Jellicles were all gazing at the sky, silently thanking the Everlasting Cat for everything they had, revelling in the feeling the annual Jellicle Ball had left them with; a feeling of awe, and early excitement for next year's Ball.
As he gazed at the fadingstars, Quaxo began feeling dizzy and light-headed, suddenly tired without explanation. His throat constricted, he could barely breathe, panic filled him as the dizziness increased.
"Vicky…" he just managed to whisper.
The white queen next to him turned just as the tux's world went black.
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Tugger looked down from his position on the boot of the car just in time to see Quaxo collapse. He immediately leapt off the car and down to where his friend was. Victoria was on her knees by the small tom's side before most of the other cats had registered that something had happened. Munkustrap was next over to the unconscious tom, having seen his brother's hurried jump from the car and two cats falling to the ground, one controlled in their descent and one not, out of the corner of his eye.
"What happened?" the silver tabby asked.
"I don't know," Tugger answered. "I just looked and saw him go down."
The other cats broke off from their contemplation, one by one, to realise there was something wrong with one of the tribe members. They gathered around Quaxo in concern but were met by Munkustrap glaring at them, his green eyes shining brightly in the sunrise.
"Back off," he told them. "Give him some air."
Old Deuteronomy made his way down from the tyre and over to the anxious group of cats. Munkustrap looked up at him from where he was trying to wake Quaxo, crouched on the ground next to Victoria. Deuteronomy stared down at the small tux with an unreadable expression on his face before sighing heavily. It seemed he knew what had happened.
"Get him inside, he needs rest," Deuteronomy said.
"Deuteronomy, what-?" Munkustrap began.
"He needs rest," the old leader repeated firmly, cutting his son off. "Don't disturb him. Any of you."
Instead of immediately following his father's instructions, Munkustrap stood to his full height and looked Deuteronomy in the eye.
"You know what's happened," he said. It wasn't a question.
"Yes. But it's for young Quaxo's ears only, no-one else's. Now get him inside."
"But what-?"
"Munkustrap! Don't you dare disobey me. Yes, I know what's happened. No, you won't be told unless Quaxo decides he wants you to know. Is that clear?"
Before Munkustrap could argue any further, Deuteronomy turned away from him and walked slowly back to the tyre. Munkustrap's jaw slid from side to side as he got his anger under control again. The entire tribe was silent; they had never heard Deuteronomy speak like that to anyone, let alone his eldest son and next in line to be leader of the tribe.
"Munku," an accented voice quietly broke the silence. Mungojerrie.
The silver tabby turned to see what he wanted, and noticed that the stripy tom had moved from where he had been before Deuteronomy and Munkustrap began arguing; he was now in a position to help Munkustrap move Quaxo into the Jellicle's makeshift hospital. Munkustrap nodded to him and they took Quaxo's weight between them.
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Quaxo felt the fog that had clouded his mind retreat slightly. Not much, but enough to allow him to fully wake up and open his eyes. He flinched as he became aware of a headache that felt like someone scraping their claws down the inside of his skull.
Looking around, he vaguely managed to register that he had been moved – he was no longer outside under the dawn sky, but inside the makeshift hospital with the glare of the midday sun shining through gaps in the junk 'wall'. He stretched and yawned widely, still incredibly tired. He tried to remember exactly what had happened, but the only memories he came up with were ones of dizziness and panic. The door opened and Old Deuteronomy entered, alerting Quaxo to the fact that something was very wrong – Deuteronomy never stayed after the Ball unless something bad happened.
"Coricopat and Tantomile sensed that you were awake," Deuteronomy said softly as he approached the small tux.
"What happened?" Quaxo asked quietly.
"You collapsed just after the Ball finished," Deuteronomy told him. "Tell me, how have you been feeling lately?"
"Alright, mostly."
"Mostly?"
"It's just…" Quaxo paused, hesitating as he debated with himself about whether or not he should tell Deuteronomy. "The last few times Mistoffelees has had control, I've felt really dizzy, like I stood up too fast, or something."
Deuteronomy sighed sadly – he knew this would happen, sooner or later. He wondered if now was the right time to tell the little magician what was wrong.
"I don't know what's happening to me," Quaxo whispered.
Nodding to himself, the old leader decided that yes, this was the right time. Quaxo would only worry more if he didn't know.
"The story behind it all started years ago…"
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Thirty Years Ago.
A tiny black kitten had just been born in the junkyard. He was named moments later by his parents: Mistoffelees. Everything was completely normal until Mistoffelees was six months old, when he started doing things that couldn't be explained, like literally being in two places at once, disappearing in a flash of light, all things that were not normal for a kitten to be able to do.
It was later proved that the kitten was a magician, the most powerful ever. Magic that powerful would never die. However, that gift didn't extend to the cat, who grew old and died like all other cats did. His greatness, and the things he did with his magic for the other cats, was never forgotten, although after he died the magic vanished.
It returned years later when another magician was born into the tribe. Mistoffelees was absorbed into that young magician's body, and the cats that were alive at that time didn't think anything of it; they were just pleased to have Mistoffelees' powerful magic back in the tribe. As the kitten grew older, he started noticing that he felt different each time he let Mistoffelees take control of his body: he felt dizzy and light-headed, often passing out after performing any tricks that used a lot of magic.
He was one and a half years old before things took a turn for the worst. The young cat called for Deuteronomy, and told him that he couldn't house Mistoffelees, that he was dying from it and it couldn't be helped. The cat used his magic to give the Jellicles something to remember him by, before breathing his last.
It was years before Mistoffelees resurfaced, occupying the body of a tiny tuxedo kitten that had been orphaned and adopted into the tribe. The other cats discovered he had magic before Mistoffelees took up residence in his body, but the magic showed up so fast that they couldn't determine how much power Quaxo had on his own. Deuteronomy had asked to speak to the kitten shortly after Mistoffelees had made his presence known.
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"I can still remember what you said to me," Quaxo said. "You said 'never forget that you and Mistoffelees are two different cats and that you will always have the tribe to support you'. Why are you telling me all of this?"
"No-one but Mistoffelees was meant to have that much magic," Deuteronomy sighed. "You were only built to hold a small amount of power, not Mistoffelees."
It suddenly dawned on Quaxo why Deuteronomy was telling him all of this, why he had told him about the last cat to have Mistoffelees. Why he had reminded him that the tribe would support him, not matter what happened.
"Mistoffelees is killing me, isn't he?"
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Don't you just hate cliffies? I know the flashback was really rushed, but I'm doing an extended version of it as a separate story, and I didn't want to have an over-long first chapter. Any critique you feel like giving is appreciated.