Multiverse of Magic & Mistakes (Completed)

1.3.29 Chapter 29

Bath, UK, Earth, October 2019.

It was a rainy Tuesday in October when Middy finally spoke to the young woman who had destroyed the world.

He transformed back into his comfortable, familiar Charteaux cat form for his grand entrance. It was only fitting, and he wanted Violet to recognise him instantly, to understand who he was. Blue-grey fur, bright copper eyes, neat short white whiskers, and adorable pointed ears, black narrow collar, with a silver name tag pendant back around his neck again. He spent some time grooming, licking the raindrops from his fur, ensuring he looked as presentable as possible, taking comfort in the familiar cat habit. He had stayed in this form for eleven years by Violet's side after all.

He could put it off no longer. The three young people were sat around the Hale's glass dining table, having just finished eating. Middy steeled himself, by taking several deep un-cat-like breaths and leapt into the kitchen. He swished his tail widely, and boldly meowed for attention. Vi let out a high-pitched squeal as she saw him.

"Middy! Oh my God!" she cried, scrambling to her feet.

Lily let out a startled "What the fuck!" and jumped up.

Rho glanced from the two girls to the cat and back again in stunned silence. Middy could see his brow furrowing, thoughts swirling, trying to put the pieces together. Vi reached down and softly petted his gleaming grey-blue fur.

"Erm, Vi, you remember what I told you about him, right?" stuttered Lily. "He's not just your cat. And he's perfectly capable of speaking to us!"

Middy took that as his cue. He had plenty of energy available for the shift, he just was not used to shifting in front of others. And this was breaking so many rules of the Guardian's Code that he could not even count them. He thought of his human form, the short and skinny boy who looked to be around seventeen, rich dark skin, blue-grey hair, the same as his cat fur, light brown eyes, and willed himself to change. At the same time, he willed his usual human outfit to also appear and shifted his new form into it – a baggy striped t-shirt, grey jacket, jeans, blue Converse and of course, the black necklace with silver pendant. Rho, Vi and Lily all gasped at his transformation; they would have been able to see his fur retracting, tail shrinking and disappearing, body stretching and elongating, limbs altering size and position, clothes appear on his mid-shift form, and finally his ears change to the rounded Earth human style.

All three were momentarily speechless. It was finally time for Middy to speak.

"Hello!" he said simply. Rho paled. "Violet and Lily, it's great to get to speak to you again. Although, I'm sure we all wish things had not come to pass as they have. Rho, it's nice to meet you. As you have probably gathered, I am Middy, and I was the Talloways pet cat for over eleven years. But as you said, I am so much more than just a cat. I know where you have been, and I have things to tell you about Verdyn. May I join you? We all have much to discuss."

Vi gave him a small nod. Middy pulled back an empty chair and sat clumsily, unaccustomed to his human form. Oh, you don't realise how great having a tail is for poise and balance until, it suddenly is gone, he thought. Vi and Lily re-took their seats, and openly stared straight at him.

"Middy! That was you who spoke to me in the park! Tried to bullshit me into thinking all of the magical things I had noticed had a mundane explanation!" said Vi slowly.

Ah. That was not the direction he wanted to start this conversation with.

"Where did you go? What happened?" asked Lily, for the benefit of the others she added, "He told me who he is! I let him stay in my shed! Gave him some of Ash's old clothes and brought food out. The one day he was just gone!"