“Come on Teazer” Jerrie called excitedly as he pulled her through the Junkyard entrance. “I want you to meet everybody”

“Jerrie calm down,” Rumpel pleaded; stumbling as she tried to keep up with the Tiger Tom. “I have an hour to meet everybody. And we’ve been running since we left my room.”

Mungo ignored her as they continued around the corner. Mungojerrie stopped but Rumpelteazer didn’t; she continued moving, although her feet were no longer on the earth, and flew to the ground. Mungo still had his paw clamped on her wrist and was pulled down with her. He looked over and saw her laying face first in the dirt; laughing, she pushed herself up, commenting on their graceful entrance.

“Are you two alright,” Asked two soft voices. Mungo looked up and saw identical twins looking down at them curiously.

“Yeah, I think. Rumpelteazer; this is Coricopat and his sister Tantomile. Coricopat, Tantomile; this is Rumpelteazer. She’s going to be going us for the ball tonight.” Mungo said as he motioned towards her.

“Hello,” Rumpelteazer said as he smiled up at them who returned the gesture.

“Hello Rumpelteazer. We hear that you’re thinking about becoming a Jellicle; are you not.” They asked in unison again.

“Yes actually; I’m considering it.”

“WATCH OUT!” The two tigers on the ground ducked as a ball came flying at them. It hit an abandoned car and bounced back towards Mungo’s feet. He picked it up and saw a small tuxedo cat scurrying towards them.

“Sorry,” He apologized. “It got away on us.”

“It’s alright, no harm done” Mungo said idly as he spun the ball on one of his paws.

“Quaxo, this is Rumpelteazer; Mungojerrie’s friend.” Coricopat said as the tom looked at her.

“You kind of look like Jerrie” he commented. “Are you going to be here for the Ball?”

“Yes, Jerrie invited me.” Rumpel said as she watched Jerrie play with the ball.

“Then you should go see Munkustrap. He’s trying to keep everything organized.” Quaxo said as he scratched his ear.

“Alright I will” Rumpel assured as two male kittens appeared from the same direction as Quaxo did.

“What’s taking you so long?” One of the brown patched toms asked.

“I was meeting Rumpelteazer” Quaxo explained as he pointed at the tiger Queen.

“Hi,” the chorused before turning their attention back towards Quaxo. “Are we playing ball or not?”

“You’re right, I have to go.” Quaxo apologized as he ran off with the other two before turning back to retrieve the ball from Mungojerrie.

“He’s a cute little guy” Rumpelteazer cooed. “Very mannerly, his parents must be proud.”

“Thank you, we are.” The twins said. Rumpel nodded absent mindly before looking at them oddly. “We just found more love in each other then any other Tom or Queen could give; so we decided to become mates.”

“You got off pretty easy then” Rumpel commented as the twins gave her an odd look. “You got the one brother. I have at least four that I know of; so three of them are going to be mighty disappointed.”

The twins began laughing as they bided the tigers good-bye. They went towards the center of the Junkyard and saw Alonzo talking with a silver and black tabby.

“Hello again Alonzo,” Rumpel said cheerfully as she sat down beside him.

“Teazer, you made it” Alonzo said with a smile.

“Yeah, but barely in one piece thanks to Jerrie” Teazer said as she glared at the tom slightly before breaking in to laughter.

“So you’re the notorious Rumpelteazer” the tabby said as he looked her up and down.

“And you must be Munkustrap, my older half brother” She said as she gave him the same searching look that he was giving her.

“What’s with the look” Munkustrap asked as he stared at her harder.

“I thought that you were challenging me to a staring contest” She explained. “But I take it by the defensive sound in your voice that you weren’t...”

“No, I wasn’t” Munkustrap said as he shook his head and the others laughed. “So you grew up with my little brother?”

“Yes I did,” Rumpel said politely. “He raised me actually. And don’t get any ideas in your head; I’m nothing like him.”

“It’s true Munk; I wouldn’t be surprised if she feels the power of the Jellicle Moon.” Alonzo said as he looked at his older brother.

“The power of the Jellicle Moon,” Rumpelteazer asked as she looked at Mungojerrie.

“It’s how we know what to do during the Ball. It’s hard to describe it, but you’ll know it if you feel it.” Mungo said idly as he stretched himself out. “That’s only if you have Jellicle in you though.”

“Oh...” Rumpel said slowly as she nodded.

“Have you met everybody yet” Munkustrap asked, kinder this time.

“I don’t think I did...” Teazer told him as she looked at Mungo for an answer.

“No, she didn’t. We should go find Tugger so you can meet the other queens.” Jerrie said as he stood up.

“Why would we go look for Tugger if we wanted to find queens,” Teazer asked as Alonzo and Munkustrap began to laugh rather loudly.

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Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer sat down on the outside of the central area of the junkyard, taking off their Beetle costumes.

“Having fun Teazer,” Jerrie asked as she continued to giggle.

“Yes, thank you so much for bringing me here.” She said as she slipped off her Beetle shoes.

“No problem...” He said before he looked at her. “What happened to your Pearls?”

“What do you mean...?” She asked as her paw flew to her chest and gasped. “Oh no... where are they? They must have fallen off when I fell in to that bush at the park...”

“Don’t panic” Mungo instructed as the Queen began to fret. “Go tell one of the elder cats that we’re running out for a moment so they don’t get worried okay. Then come back here and we’ll run to the park okay?” Teazer nodded urgently before disappearing. Mungo continued to undress himself as he waited. “What’s taking her?” She appeared two minutes later out of breath. “What happened?”

“Skimbleshanks talked me into staying for Tugger’s song and dancing in it.” Rumpel explained as they began running towards the park, a few blocks away. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Let’s just get your pearls back on you. I don’t remember ever seeing you without them.” Mungo thought as they entered the deserted playground. They continued to run along the worn out path, stopping every now and then to check the bushes. Mungo ended up finding them and got a rather hard hug from a very grateful Rumpel. They walked out of the park and spotted on of the restaurants closing up; with sly grins they decided to make a late night pick up. They ran back into the junkyard, overwhelmed with glee at the great scraps they got.

“Ow” Mungo said as he tripped into one of the junk piles. They heard a distant scream but thought nothing of it as they continued towards the central area. Rumpel looked at him; who was quite a fright and began to laugh, only to have him shush her. Teazer poked her head up and saw that it was empty. She motioned for Mungojerrie to follow her as they climbed on top of the run down car. She giggled as she slid off it and was shushed again by the Tom. They looked around; trying to see any other Jellicle but were at a lost. They backed up into each other and ended up scaring themselves.

Mungo began singing for some reason and Rumpelteazer decided to join in. They were having fun praising themselves; even if they were stretching the truth. They jumped into what would soon be their trademark pose as they rest of the Tribe came out and cornered them while grabbing their bags of stolen goods. They broke through the crowd and ran up the hood of the broken car as Alonzo and Munkustrap threw their bags away.

“Old Deuteronomy” Quaxo asked as he looked to Munkustrap.

“Who’s Old Deuteronomy” Rumpelteazer asked as she and Mungojerrie sat down on the car.

“He’s our Leader. He’s really big, and old, and kind. You’re going to love him.” Mungo promised as Munkustrap and Tugger began to sing about Deuteronomy. Mungo slid off the car and pulled her down with him to meet the Leader who was being helped up to the clearing by Quaxo.

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“Miss Teazer, there you are.” An urgent voice said as she and Mungojerrie walked back inside the base in the early morning.

“Oh, hello Bilge, what seems to be the problem” Rumpel asked even though she knew rather well what the problem was.

“It’s Macavity. He’s been injured by some Jellicles. He needs your help.”

“Jellicles you say” Rumpel repeated in mock surprise as she glanced at Mungo. “Well that’s horrible. You go get some sleep; I’ll go take care of him.”

The Tom nodded as he returned to his room. Teazer began storming down the hall with Jerrie’s wrist clutched in her paw.

“Where are we going Teazer” Mungo asked as he tried to keep pace with the tiger.

“To take care of Macavity” She said simply as she pushed open a white door. She gestured to Jerrie to sit down where ever he pleased. Macavity was laying on a pile of pillows, asleep, with a rag thrown over him. Rumpel walked over to him and picked up one of the cushions. She threw it down hard on her brother’s head; waking him up with a growl.

“What were you doing there” he asked through gritted teeth.

“I may as well ask you the same thing” she spat. “What do you think you were doing by disrupting their celebration? They weren’t doing anything wrong. They were just having fun and were going to send someone to Heaviside to be reborn. But you couldn’t let that happen now could you? You just had to take their Leader, who is a sweetheart, and one of their Queens.”

“And what about you” He asked as she started to clean his wounds. “Gallivanting around like a little priss with my worthless brothers. You’re a disgrace.”

“I’m a disgrace now, am I? Well maybe I should just leave and become a Jellicle!” She yelled at the top of her voice.

“Empty threat” Macavity hissed as he stood up. “They’d never accept you. You’re one of my agents and my little sister.”

“You’re wrong Macavity” Mungojerrie spoke up. “Old Deuteronomy has already accepted her into the Tribe. And he knows very well that she’s your little sister. Pretty much everybody there loves her.”

“What” Macavity roared as he turned to face Rumpelteazer. She was looking away with a sad look in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Mac,” she whispered. “But... I do want to be a Jellicle. I was all into this back when we were doing it to help the strays but... now you’re terrorizing cats and Pollicles. I just don’t want to be known as a part of that anymore.”

Mungojerrie watched as his eyes blazed and narrowed dangerously. Macavity threw one of the pillows across the room with great force. “Fine! Go then! Go and leave me!” He yelled as he turned his back on her. Rumpel placed a paw on his shoulder; causing him to turn sharply around. He raised his paw to strike as Mungo ran between them; making a wall with his body. Macavity’s eyes seemed to soften and he lowered his paw to his side. He, defeated, fell back into the pillows. Rumpelteazer ducked under Mungojerrie and hugged her brother.

“They aren’t going to let you see me...” he told her softly. Mungo watched as the compassionate side of the Napoleon of Crime came out.

“I’ll still see you. After all, I’ll have to report to you when I’m done stealing to show off my loot. And I’m leaving my CD player here; so you have something to keep you busy. And I’m sure that you’ll stop by the Junkyard. And I’m giving you permission to catnap me whenever you feel lonely. When you do; we’ll go out and cause some real mischief. And next time you steal one of their Queens, at least have some decency and take one of the pretty ones; alright Mac?”

“Alright” Macavity sighed. “Take care...”

Rumpelteazer and Mungojerrie were about to leave the room when Macavity called to Mungojerrie.

“I just wanted to thank you for stopping me back there” Macavity said humbly. “If you didn’t get in front of her I’d probably have done something that I’d regret... again.”

“It was nothing sir,” Mungojerrie said, taken slightly aback.

“There’s a lie. It was something... I can tell that you care about her. If you take care of her you just may get my blessing to be her mate.” Macavity said with a slight smile. “Maybe she was right... I should go back to the old Macavity; help strays, you know. Make a better name for myself...”

“Either way she’ll still love you” Mungo told him as the ginger Tom’s smile grew wider. Mungo left the room and met up with Teazer outside the building.

“So what did he want you for,” She asked as they started walking down the hill.

“He just wanted to say thank you” Mungo told her as her face when all sweet.

“Aw, my brother loves you.” She cooed. “It’s a relief, really. Now I know he’ll take the whole ‘I’m pregnant with Mungo’s kittens' ordeal a lot better.”

“What” Mungo yelled in surprise as he stopped walking. Rumpel turned around and stuck out her tongue at him. “I’m going to get you for that”

Rumpel squealed as she took off into the grass with him not far behind. He jumped on her, sending them both down the hill.

“Now who’s pregnant” Mungo asked as he pinned her to the ground.

“What that’s supposed to mean?” Teazer asked as he looked at him with confused eyes.

“I’m... not... sure” he said slowly as she began to giggle. “Either way I’m going to beat you to the Junkyard.”

“That’s no fair” Rumpel complained as he ran after him. “You got a head start.” She jumped on to his back sending him to the ground. “Now it’s fair.”

He rolled over on to her and licked her cheek. “Do you want to just settle on a tie?”

“Sure” she grinned as she licked him back. “It’ll save you the humiliation when I win.”

“From where I sit” Mungojerrie said as he looked down at the Queen he was sitting on. “It looks like I already won...”