Beyond the Barrier: Zombie Town One-shots

Cadenza - Part 2

(Happy Bonzo Day everyone~! Cadenza is back and now she gets to meet Mama Bree! And Zed is dying laughing. Zed is me. I am Zed. We are one)

"Mew!"

"... What was that?" Eliza asked, throwing Bonzo a suspicious look. He shrugged, avoiding her gaze.

"Zonzig."

"That was not nothing," she stated and folded her arms, "That was a cat."

"Zon."

"Yeah, it was."

Bonzo shook his head indignantly. Behind Eliza, Zed was sitting with his hand over his mouth struggling not to laugh.

"You brought your cat to school?"

"Zon!"

"Then what was that sound?" she quirked an eyebrow, "Your tuba?"

Bonzo slowly glanced at the instrument he was holding then back up, "... Za?"

"Prove it. Play it. Just like that sound."

Zed bit his lip and turned away as Bonzo stared at Eliza nervously, "... Zon..."

"Why not?"

"Mew!" The sound was definitely coming from inside the tuba, but Bonzo wasn't playing it. He pretended not to hear.

"... Zon quag." I don't want to.

And at that exact moment, a small, fluffy, black-and-white face peeked out from inside the bell of the tuba, "Mew?"

Zed couldn't hide his laughter any longer and slipped right off the chair onto the floor. Neither Eliza nor Bonzo paid him any attention as he gasped for breath.

"You brought. Your cat. To school."

"... Zon."

"I can see her."

Bonzo gently pushed Cadenza back inside, "Gra'zon." No, you can't.

Eliza pressed her hands to her temples and muttered under her breath, "Good Z, why are you like this?"

Cadenza seemed to have settled down a bit now and stayed put, as long as Bonzo kept scratching behind her ear every couple of minutes or so. Zed was still giggling a bit at the sight of his friend reaching into his tuba, and the slightly amplified sound of purring from within.

"Why is she here?" Eliza asked.

"Jaka zon garzedd-zig agru." My parents don't know about her.

Eliza nodded, "OK, that's fair. But why get a cat in the first place if you have to hide her from them?"

Bonzo didn't even look at her, he was too busy petting Cadenza, "Quag." I wanted one.

"Are you sure about this, Bonz?"

"Garziga'gru." I love her. Bonzo smiled down at the kitten as her paws slid on the inner surface.

Before Eliza could say anything else, the three zombies heard Addison's voice calling out to them. They turned to see her making her way down the hall towards them along with Bree.

Bonzo leaned down to whisper to Cadenza, "Ru maska!" It's your mommy!

"Please don't..." Eliza groaned.

"Breeska, zo!" Bree, come here! Bonzo was already beckoning Bree over, "Quag ru aza grozig." I want to show you something.

Bree, enthusiastic as ever, gasped and practically ran over to him.

"What is it?"

"Agz garzabe!" Our baby!

"Our what now?" Bree's eyebrows shot up and she leaned back.

Addison frowned and looked to Zed, who just waved a hand, still laughing slightly.

"Just wait for it, trust me...!"

The girls looked at each other in confusion until Bonzo, beaming, reached inside the tuba and lifted Cadenza out of her hiding spot. Bree's hands flew to her mouth, then to her heart as her lips formed a soft 'O'. She took a step closer and held out her hands.

"Oh...!"

"Congrats, Bubbles," Eliza quipped in a monotone, "You now have an extremely hairy daughter. Apparently."

"I love her...!" Bree whispered as she took the kitten from her boyfriend and held her only an inch or two from her own face. Bonzo watched as she kissed Cadenza's nose and began baby-talking to her, until Cadenza raised one tiny paw and placed it on Bree's glasses. Bree and Bonzo both froze.

"Uh, are you guys OK?" Addison asked.

"She's so cute..." Bree whispered.

"Zazig zreek..." So cute... Bonzo agreed.

"They're fine," Eliza said with a roll of her eyes.

Bree ignored her, "What's her name?"

Bonzo carefully took her back and let her clamber onto his shoulder, "Cadenza."

"Yeah, Cadenza," Eliza stressed, "For the love of Z, do not let him call her 'Cadenzka'! I could stand him using '-ka' for Zander 'cause he's just a stuffed animal, but then he started doing it with Puppy. I am not putting up with him using '-ka' for his cat, they're animals, not zombies!"

Bonzo, one hand petting Cadenza as she nuzzled against his neck, suddenly shot Eliza a sly smile.

"Don't you dare."

"Cadenzka."

"That's it. I'm done. I'm leaving. Goodbye."

Eliza stood, picked up her bag and headed off down the hall while Bonzo and Zed shared a smug look then both burst out laughing, Bree and Addison quickly joining them.