The Forgotten Sibling

Chapter 9

"WHAT?"

Carlos winced. He already knew that Jhaufyther was going to be the one to defeat Star Tail, but he didn't know when and how.

He noticed that the shock in Sam's voice brought Jhaufyther back. The mischievousness and spark swept into Jhaufyther's eyes; his fur started to shine so brightly it looked like it was reflecting the glare of the sun.

"You didn't know?" Jhaufyther asked, confused.

"How am I supposed to know if no one told me?" Sam asked. "No one else knows, do they?"

Carlos whistled and avoided her gaze. Sam smacked him on the arm. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't completely sure," he responded, rubbing his arm.

"It's a topic that I don't like sharing," Jhaufyther admitted. He shifted his front paws. "But I kind of have to share it if you want the details."

"You're already defeating him," Carlos said.

He nodded. "I'm manipulating him into doing all the stuff that he wants to do. But that will eventually destroy him." There was sadness in his voice as he said this, and Carlos had a strange feeling that he's hiding more than he's telling them.

Carlos could relate. Something that only his closest friends and family know was that he could be very manipulative. He could be so manipulative, in fact, that he often left his victims traumatized and develop trust issues.

He only used this against his enemies, though. His friends had nothing to worry about.

So he completely understood the concept of manipulation.

It didn't help that Jhaufyther was sad about destroying a cosmic Catwing that was wreaking havoc wherever he went.

"Why are you doing this?" Marissa asked. Carlos was surprised to hear her ask her greatest enemy a question. Even after everything Jhaufyther had done to them, she was still curious about Jhaufyther's motives.

Jhaufyther looked away, his tail slightly lashing. Carlos was now starting to get worried. Whenever Jhaufyther took a bit to respond, that usually meant that he was going to say something not pleasant.

"I'm being forgotten," he finally spat out. "That's why I'm doing this. Are you happy?"

"What?" Carlos couldn't resist blurting out. He was shocked over what he heard. Someone like Jhaufyther... it's impossible to forget him. And Catwings aren't supposed to be forgotten, which meant that...

"But you've done so much!" Sam exclaimed. "That surely leaves a mark, right?"

Jhaufyther's gaze darkened as he looked at Sam. "You didn't say permanent."

Sam stepped back, looking at Jhaufyther with dismay. "I-"

"It's funny, isn't it." Jhaufyther's voice was filled with a bitterness Carlos had never heard. "You do so many things for so many Catwings... then they leave you to rot and forget about you."

His form began to flicker. "The only thing I wish is that I can leave a permanent impact on my friends and family so they can remember me when I'm gone."

"Catwings can't die." Carlos turned to Tommy, whose face was white with shock. It was the first thing he said since they got here, in the Abyss.

"We can fade, when everything that we tried to do-and did-has been forgotten," Jhaufyther answered. "At this point, there's no reason to try anymore."

Carlos felt like he wanted to cry. Jhaufyther was known for his perseverance and kindness, but being in the Abyss for so long clearly affected his mental health. Not to mention the fact that he's being forgotten, that affects him even further.