Helpless Dreamer [Part2]

Munkustrap and Alonzo grabbed the struggling Plato and flung him into the rusty old cage, slamming the heavy door shut. The jellicles had no idea how they had come across such an odd thing in the Junkyard but it was good to use as a holding cell. "It was him!" Plato snarled jumping at the door, "Quaxo did it!"

"Quaxo attacked Pouncival yesterday." she frowned and shook her head not taking her eyes off Munkustrap, "You should have seen him Munkustrap, he was drenched with blood."

"Pouncival knocked Victoria down." She replied as she looked away. "I don't know how to handle this situation Munkustrap. Quaxo is Mistoffelees' son. Could that be a reason for Quaxo's behaviour?"

"So you think he killed Victoria?" Munkustrap asked wondering if that was her final conclusion.

"I don't know." Jenny looked back at Munkustrap looking a bit stressed about the situation.

"Not yet." Jenny replied softly, "I didn't want to drag him into this. I thought we could handle this on our own."

"Jenny, this is way over our heads." Munkustrap frowned, "We need Deuteronomy. This is something he should be a part of."

Jenny nodded, "You're right. I don't know why I didn't realize that before. I'm so stupid."

"Don't say that. You're not stupid, just stressed. Ever since the death of Mistoffelees things have been," Munkustrap paused, "Complicated."

"You don't seriously think that's the reason right?" Alonzo finally found himself in the conversation, "Mistoffelees' death was terrible, I know that, but you can't just assume that was the cause of things. You don't think that do you?"

Munkustrap and Jenny both looked at each other as if on cue. The both had nervous expressions on their faces.

"Why not? Was she a stray? Hench?" Alonzo asked. He had a feeling here was more to this then that. If it weren't they wouldn't have looked so nervous.

"No, nothing like that." Jenny spoke for Munkustrap who seemed lost for words, "Quaxo's mother is Tantomile. After he was born, Tantomile became very sick and she had to stay with the vet for a long time. Mistoffelees believed she would never recover so he always told Quaxo she was dead."

"Ouch, harsh." Alonzo frowned, "Why didn't anyone else tell Quaxo once Tanto recovered?"

"If Mistoffelees wanted Quaxo to know Tantomile was his mother, he would have told him." Munkustrap replied, "We didn't want to tell Quaxo and have Mistoffelees not wanting him to know."

"We don't know." Jenny replied more calmly then Munkustrap had, "Maybe he just didn't want Quaxo to be waiting for his mother to come home and her never to come home. Perhaps Mistoffelees unexpected death didn't give him time to tell Quaxo. Maybe he had intended to tell him. We don't know."

Alonzo questions ended there. That made sense. "Are we going to tell Quaxo? I mean he deserves to know."

"Shouldn't it also be Quaxo's decision?" When Mistoffelees was killed, Alonzo took care of Quaxo, like a father even if he wasn't that much older then him. He had found it his duty to take care of the orphan and raise him, as Mistoffelees had wanted.

"But everything’s been fine up until now." Jenny explained, "Maybe it's puberty?"

"What happened Quaxo?" Skimbleshanks asked the quiet tuxedo tom sitting on the steps against the tire. Skimble was standing in front of him watching him carefully, although so far he had been well behaved and respectful.

"I don't know." Quaxo buried his face in his hands. This was to much for him. First he had to watch Victoria die three times and now he was being accused of killing her. How could they ever think he'd do something like that, and to Victoria? Quaxo looked at Skimble with sparkling teary eyes, "But it wasn't me."

Skimbleshanks sat next to Quaxo on the steps. "Quaxo, I don’t think you did this. I don't think you could do this."

"You both had blood on you." Skimble frowned pointing to the Quaxo's blood stained hands.

"I had a dream that someone killed Victoria. When Pouncival bumped into her, I thought he was attacking her so I attacked him." Quaxo frowned not looking at Skimble. He couldn't bring himself to see his expression when he heard the story.

"Sounds more like a nightmare then a dream." Skimble replied softly, "Do you know why you had a drea... Nightmare like that?"

"How could I know?" Quaxo looked at him with a frown. It was his most common expression during the time. "I loved Victoria."

Quaxo went a but pink, "Well... I did." He frowned again realizing that now Victoria would never know how he felt. He burst out into tears again.

Skimbleshanks patted his back, "It's ok son." Skimble understood how Quaxo was feeling and didn't go back to the subject.

"We should go find Tantomile." Alonzo spoke softly now understanding the situation more clearly as well.

Jenny nodded, "That's what I was going to suggest as well. She may know what's going on."

"I'll stay here." Munkustrap offered, "I'm not leaving Plato here by himself." It wasn't that he was worried Plato would be lonely, he just didn't trust him. He's always been the one caught in the act of crime or mischief.

"Thanks," Alonzo nodded respectfully at the silver tabby and returned his attention to Jenny, "Where would Tantomile be?"

Jenny paused for a moment thinking then continued, "Coricopat lives at the harbour, so Tantomile is probably there as well."

Alonzo had never known a Jellicle to live so far away from the Junkyard. The harbour was a good 20-minute walk from the Junkyard, if traffic was light. But it would explain why Coricopat and Tantomile were so rarely seen at the Junkyard. "Alright, let's go."

Coricopat sat perched up on a pole on the edge of the large wooden dock. He gazed out across the blue water. The sun reflected off it constantly, but the bright light didn't faze Coricopat. he could hear gulls squawking in the distance. The noisy birds were annoying but Coricopat's cool nature helped him cope with it. A few boats were docked moving along with the waves motion. He could feel the cool breeze coming from over the water.

"I hate the harbour." Alonzo complained as he walked beside Jenny through the harbours busy area. This was only his second time being there and he was disliking it already.

"I love fish," Alonzo exclaimed, "But the damn gulls drive me nuts! How could anyone stand living here?"

Coricopat looked over his shoulder at Jenny and Alonzo coming towards him. He turned around completely to them and smiled kindly, "Morning Jenny. Alonzo. What brings you all the way out here?"

"Morning Cori." Jenny smiled back. "We're actually looking for Tantomile. Do you know where she is?"

Cori smiled, "Yeah, come follow." He motioned for the two to follow him. Coricopat took Jenny and Alonzo down to the beach where there was an old boat upside down in the sand.

Tantomile stepped into view from inside the small boat. It would be nearly impossible to tell the twins apart if it were not for the different facial shape. "Hi Jenny."

"What of?" She asked, and suddenly her smile fell into a look of concern, "What's happened to Quaxo?"

"...How did you...?" Alonzo asked astonished at her. He knew the twins were mystic but he had no idea they were mind readers.

"Victoria's been killed." Jenny held back her urge to shed some tears. She had to be strong for both Victoria and Quaxo. "Both Quaxo and Plato were there when it happened."

"Quaxo didn't do it. Quaxo's not like that." Tantomile stated firmly, although she knew nothing about her son.

"Plato claims Quaxo did it while Quaxo just isn't talking." Alonzo added, "We were hoping maybe you could help."

"I'll do my best to help you." Tantomile looked at Jenny, "Quaxo was bound to inherit some mystic power from either me or Mistoffelees. At this point in time it wouldn't surprise me that he's starting to discover them and react."

"Are you saying it's possible Quaxo did do this?" Alonzo wasn't believing what he was hearing. Tantomile was Quaxo's mother and she was saying this?

"Of course it's possible." Tanto replied simply, "But there is probably more to it then that."

"Which is why we have to be careful what we conjure up in our sleep." Cori nodded. "Soon after we got feelings of things, like if something were about to happen say, the arrival of Old Deuteronomy, we would feel him coming."

Jenny elbowed Alonzo in the ribs. This wasn't exactly the time to be making jokes. She assumed it was because Alonzo didn't believe or understand the power of being mystic and to relieve himself of confusion he put it in a way he could understand, not matter how childish it sounded. "We need you to come back to the Junkyard with us. Maybe Quaxo will speak to you."

Tantomile didn't reply and looked away. "If I told him I was his mother, he would never forgive me for not telling him sooner."

"The longer you wait the worse you'll make it for both of you." Jenny explained, "He needs you more then ever now. Do it for him."