Mythlands: THE HEIST

Convention of Cats 2: Political Exile

Political Exile

Twenty minutes had passed and the corridor was deserted, although Bungle, the Glass Cat of Oz could hear someone approaching.

His earpiece beeped. 'Play text message,' he ordered.

'Everybody preparing to leave. Queen in foul mood. Stay out of sight.'

The Glass Cat nodded to himself. Yes, it wouldn't do to let the ruler of Oz see him - not that she had any power over her former subject, here in Vegas, but there was the little matter of his banishment at her hands, and who knew what the sight of him might provoke if she was already in a bad mood. Ozma had grown up to have quite the temper.

'Hullo Bungle!' called out the newly arrived Mr Toad.

The Glass Cat ignored the chubby amphibian and retreated to a bend in the corridor, where he was safely covered in shadow.

Sure enough, moments after Toad had entered the Hare's office suite, Queen Ozma exited, with a look of rage upon her pretty features.

She looked a vision in her form fitting white gown, but as the cat knew, she had trouble keeping suitors; her abrasive personality always drove them away sooner or later and in one case Bungle had arranged for it to be sooner. Thankfully the Queen had no idea or she would have another reason to want him ... what had she said that time ... something about shattered into a thousand pieces and each piece ground into a fine powder.

Behind the Queen came her ever present bodyguards and ... hello! No surprise there ... the Nome King himself! He'd obviously made himself smaller by use of some potion or other, but it was undoubtedly King Roquat! The horny rascal!! He had been chasing after Ozma since she turned 18 and was in fact one of the only suitors she had that, far from being discouraged by her personality and temper, seemed excited by it.

Ozma had turned and was yelling at him as he stood there, contritely taking her abuse. The Oz faction moved off in the opposite direction and others filed out into the hall. The Glass Cat maintained his position until he saw the Cheshire Cat.

Alone by the door, Cheshire was grinning widely as usual. The Cheshire Cat had complete control over his body - he could alter his size, making himself as big as a lion or as small as an average cat - the same size as Bungle, in fact - and he could even somehow warp his body away into some other dimension, leaving only a gigantic floating head. There was one more thing he could do and he was engaged in doing so this very moment.

The Cheshire Cat could rotate his head 360 degrees around.

Bungle stuck his head out from the shadows. 'Stop that at once Chesh. It is positively revolting.'

The Cheshire Cat's enormous grin seemed to increase even more, but he stopped and raised a ginger forepaw. 'Hail and well met my comrade of Oz.'

'Former Ozite,' returned The Glass Cat. 'You forget, I am a cat without a country, a poor exile, made poor by his beggar status. While the royals of Oz sup from the trough, I alas subsist on the charity of others. Talking of others ... the other cats await us in Function Room F. Shall we proceed brother?'

The two cats padded away.