Exotica: Answers in the Stars
Part 1
Written by: Jemimagic

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Disclaimer: Still don’t own CATS, still would buy it for all I’m worth.

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Authors note:  This has the same pairings and same family tree as my previous fan fiction, as is the fact that Deuteronomy has been put to rest at last still relevant in this work.

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The night was dark, as all nights usually are, but tonight the stars where not out.  Exotica sighed as one whose heart was shattered.  She loved the stars, loved everything about them, especially the way they danced in the night sky.  They comforted her, enlightened her, and raised her spirits.  And it was true; tonight she needed her spirits raised.  Another Tom had broken her heart; another useless Tom had selfishly taken it and then thrown it away.  There was nothing for her to do, no one to whom she could turn.  Cassandra, her closest friend, was always there for her, but she was not the relief that Exotica needed.  So she had decided to turn to the stars, but they were not there for her either.

Perhaps it was she.  Maybe it was her fault that happiness could not find her.  Was she hiding from it to well?  Or had it just given up on her, throwing her aside as if she was a helpless case of the mumps.  She had no one, and no one had her.  She had tried to convince herself it was better this way, tried to make herself believe that she needed no one.  But it wasn’t the truth, and it was what had caused her so many times to be taken by some Tom and then discarded like a soggy shoe.  It was getting old, and she was tired of it.

She turned her thoughts back to the stars, one lone satellite managed to cast a weary glow out from the clouds that concealed its kin.  Exotica couldn’t help but think that that one star was just as she was: alone, cold, forgotten, and struggling to find its place.  The star gave her a bit of comfort, enough to make her smile and fall asleep in its dull glow.

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Another pair of glowing eyes watched the lone star that night; those of the original conjuring cat, Mistoffolees.  He had been searching the sky for any sign of the quiet little light bulbs through the slights in the porch over his head.  He often looked to the stars for inspiration and comfort; they held some magical secret that he was sure he could decipher given enough time and patience.  Next to him laid the one that he loved, the sweet Electra was curled into a ball at his feet.  Next to her, the stars held no glory in his eyes, she was much more enchanting then them all combined.  But the one lone star peeping out through the hazy veil held a magnanimous beauty that he could only think was meant to symbolize the one he loved.  He curled up besides her, this thought in mind, and fell asleep purring.

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  The morning came all to quickly for Exotica, she had been content to sleep and dream about the happiness that would never be hers.  But she awoke early and looked about her, scanning the Junkyard that she called home.  There was the familiar cabinet that housed Bombulerina, Demeter, and Jemima; there was the stove that was home to Jelly Lo Rum; there were the boxes where Electra, Etcetera, and any other cat where welcome.  The red hood she sat on was where she and Cassandra slept.  Some of the other’s had houses, a luxury that was not known to her, and humans to care for them.  And then there were a few whom you didn’t know where they lived or if they had a family or not.

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Mistoffolees felt himself being nudged, pushed, and teased before he opened his eyes.  When they were finally open there was Electra looking at him with a playful grin dancing across her bright green eyes.  He rolled over, pretending to be tired.  It had the desired effect, for Electra continued to nudge him indignantly and began to bat at his tail.  Suddenly, he turned over on top of her and pinned her down, nipping her playfully and sending a few sparks flying around underneath his porch.  She squirmed happily, and in only a few seconds was out from under him, running towards the Junkyard, him following blissfully.

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Exotica leapt gracefully off the old car, desiring nothing more then to jump into the arms of one who loved her, but there was no such one.  She sighed, much as she had the night before, it was not like her to be so down, to be so unhappy.  A few of the other cats that were awake noticed her in her dreary mode, but most of them stayed clear of her.  She was older then most of them, and she wasn’t getting any younger.  Not to say that she was old, just that she wasn’t as young as she would have liked to be.  And now she was unhappy.  Things for her were not going as she planned, and she didn’t know how to right them.

As a kitten she had always dreamed of when she was a Queen, dreamed of having an enchanting Tom who loved her and made her happy, dreamed of having a kitten of her own.  She had even picked a name, Litlina, if it was a Queen and Rambell if it was a Tom.  ‘Silly,’ she thought, as she reflected and walked slowly around the Junkyard.  ‘But then, all dreams are silly,’ she concluded.

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Electra was looking back, looking for her Misto, when she bumped into someone.  She turned her eyes towards the silver tiger striped tabby in front of her, and murmured, “Sorry, Munkustrap.”  He looked down on her with his kind eyes, eyes that seemed to have grown in wisdom once he had taken on the role of leader.  Mistoffolees nearly collided with them, but managed to skid to a stop before he did.  He gave his leader a cocky grin and playfully zapped Electra’s rump.  She whirled around and tackled him, taking him by surprise, and sending more sparks flying.

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Exotica took this all in from her new perch, atop an old, overturned garbage can, and smiled wistfully.  If only she could be as happy as Electra, and have it last.  Of course, she would never wish for a Tom quite so playful as Mistoffolees, or so young, but one whom she found charming and enchanting much as Electra found her mate.  She scanned the Junkyard, her eyes pausing on each Tom as they passed him.  Her eyes lingered longer on one Tom then they did on any other, but the idea that he would ever love her was so obscure that she quickly adverted her eyes right before he and his sister turned to look at her.

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Mistoffolees, having successfully zapped Electra more times then she would like to admit, was lying on the ground beside her, both out of breath.  Then he felt someone playing with his tail.  Immediately thinking that it was her, he sent a small shock down the length of his sleek black appendage and heard a startled yelp on the other end of it, a yelp that was not familiar.  He sat up quickly and apologizing saw that it was none other then Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie.

“Whatcha dew that fer?” Rumpleteazer asked, nursing her injured paw.  Mungojerrie was rolling on the ground besides her laughing.  She stuck her elbow in his ribs, and he stopped, gasping for breath.  “It ain’t funny,” she added.

“It was until ‘ew knocked out me air,” her brother replied, his eyes watering from both the laughter and the pain.  “Wern’t it funny ‘Lectra?” he asked the brown tabby who was stifling a giggle.

“Oh Teazer, I’m sorry, but it was,” she burst.

Mistoffolees growled and grabbed Electra.  “I thought it was you,” he nipped her ear resulting in a static shock that he didn’t create.  She giggled, and nipped him back.

Rumpleteazer looked on.  “Why dontcha getta room, ‘ew two,” she smiled, and batted her brothers ear.  He was sitting upright now, watching Mistoffolees and his Queen goof off, grinning from ear to ear.  “Why don’t we go git into mischi’f and leave these two ‘lone?” Teazer asked him, he averted his eyes and shook his head vigorously.  They snuck off, giggling madly and poking each other playfully.

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Exotica watched them go, they were so close that if they weren’t brother and sister, perhaps they would be mates.  Even a brother who she was close to would suit her fine about now.  What she needed was love, to be loved, to be happy, to be accepted.  But she was falling for someone, someone who would never want her, someone who she knew she could not have.  She looked back to the twins, they had some kind of sixth sense that allowed them to know what the other was thinking, to be able to move at the same time, talk at the same time, even breath at the same time.  Would one be able to function without the other?  Would one be able to do something, anything, much less fall in love without the other?

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Tantomile felt eyes on her back; she looked sidelong at her brother, moving only her eyes.  His met hers, and they looked as one over their shoulders.  But no one was looking at them; all eyes were placed elsewhere.  As if on cue they got up as one and began to walk away, Coricopat felt the eyes following them once more.  But he could also feel the eyes were only intended for one of them, but which one was it?

*Do you know who that is?* Tantomile asked, using their psychosomatic link.

*I haven’t the slightest* Coricopat answered and looked at Tantomile through the corners of his eyes to see a leer traverse her face.

*I do* She taunted. *Do you want me to tell you?*

*Perhaps* He replied.

*You know you do.  You can’t deny it* She ragged.

*Then who is it? Since your dying to tell me*

 *I am not dying to tell you* she replied, slightly incensed.  *But I will since you want me to*

 *Fine* he smiled inwardly; outwardly he mirrored her expression exactly.

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Exotica watched them walking away, wondering how the one could be such a perfect mirror image of the other.  Wondering what they thought, wondering how they seemed to know when she was looking at them.  Only a moment before she had to turn her head to make them think she was looking admiringly at some other Tom.  The Tom her eyes had rested on was Mistoffolees, playing lovingly with Electra.  Her heart burned with jealousy, and the knowledge that she would never be as happy as the little brown kitten.  But when the twins got up and had their backs turned, her eyes could not help but slowly drift back to them, to him, the one that her living heart was beginning to yearn for.

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*Exotica* Tantomile grinned the thought at him.

*Exotica?* Coricopat repeated.  *She’s the one who keeps staring at us?  But why?*

*Isn’t it obvious?* Tantomile’s psychosomatic grin broadened.  *If you don’t know I’ll gladly tell you*

*Not this again.  Please, just say it and don’t play your mind games* He begged.

*Alright then, if you want it put simply, I do hope you don’t mind me using big words* She paused for him to plead desperately for a straight answer, but as he didn’t she continued, *My dear brother to whom I would never lie* Again she paused, but got no reaction, *Exotica seemingly has a taken a fondness to you.  Why she would lower herself to such levels is beyond my computation, but the truth cannot be denied, she purely adores you*

 Coricopat would have, had he not a reputation to uphold and had it not strictly gone against his good nature, turned on and attacked his sister.  Not only was the very idea that any such Queen could possibly have taken a liking to him obscure, but the fact that she thought so too irritated and vexed him.  And Tantomile knew this.

*Do not take it so hard* She purred lovingly at him, no longer to make him annoyed as she had done this already.  *I did not mean it as you are taking it, it was all in fun which you must know by now*

 *Yes, I know* He responded, no longer irate as it was hard to stay mad at his loving sister.  *But you must agree, the idea is outrageous.  How could such a beauty want anything to do with me?*

*So you like her?* Tantomile asked, genuinely curious.

*Wouldn’t you like to know* He replied, for once having an advantage.

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Mistoffolees looked up from the squirming form of Electra, which he had successfully pinned under him once more to see Exotica quickly advert her eyes.  Curious he got up off of Electra and snuck up behind the Burmese Queen, a sparkle growing in his eyes.  Electra followed him, and once she saw what he was going to do had to stifle another giggle and place her paw firmly on her love’s back.  “I don’t think you should do that,” she warned, a grin growing in her eyes even as she said it.  Mistoffolees took that as permission, and sprang, toppling Exotica and the garbage can that she had been seated on.

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