“My pasture at home never grew around me like this,” Whinniston said, shaking off something tickling his legs.
“Now don’t nicker, Whinn,” Meowlen said. “Think of it as a quest! Expedition! A journey to behold! A memory to be shared with your ancestors!” She jumped onto his back to bring his attention back into focus. Plus she wanted to get off the ground, as one never knows what unfashionable thing could be lurking there.
“Look out for that hole, don’t trip on those stumps and watch your hoofs on those newly forming cracks,” she said. “It would be quite a fall if you slipped.” She adjusted her helmet and brushed her crop against Whinniston’s flank. He reared and moved on.
Maximojo flipped open the PolyMatrixor. “This place does not appear to exist on the map any longer. It must have vanished during our hike. Somehow our coordinates had changed also.”
Glitta dimmed. “I have been trying to tell you, Mojo. We are not on Zalturn. We must have entered into another dimension when we crossed the fence,” she said.
Maximojo sent an alert to the Council. “We appear to be on an unmarked area within the grounds of the estate. Has our mission been updated?” There was no response on the device, only static filling the screen.
Glitta blinked on and off, unsure how to proceed.
Chapter 5
“It’s on the other side.” Mannie said.
He leaped over the steep ridge and brushed apart the overgrowth. Meowlen vaulted off the horse, and was first to step past. She covered her mouth in surprise. “Simply spectacular! If it would only remain still long enough so I could get a better look.”
Woofster made it up the incline with a little help from Whinniston’s tail. “Looks like we made it, alright.”
“Nothing special if you ask me,” Glitta sparked. Her instincts told her something wasn’t right, and she zoomed off to explore.
Everyone stood on the hilltop, astounded by the sight that wowed Meowlen as she rolled the bug net up into her visor. It was as if the colors changed to luminescent shades of another land unfamiliar even to her. The stone castle was magnificent, with an air of eeriness, almost as if it were a monument. Guarding the front door were huge statue-like trees with spiked branches. One of them loomed over the visitors, and continued to grow. “Who dares to wander on private property?” it said.
“Yo!” Mannie said. “It’s only me, Creeper. Mannie – Double ‘N’. Hold your fire! These are the expected guests that you were told to leave alone. They are a little late.” He looked at Woofster.
“These are the Creepers,” Mannie said to the Mojo Team. “They spew poisonous pellets from the tips of their branches.”
The statues drew in their branches and retracted underground. The castle sensed the rise of astonishment its presence instilled. Contented with the reaction, it lit up an upper floor window behind a moving curtain. Only Maximojo noticed. He aimed the sensor at the window. The sensor did not respond, as if nothing was there.
“Let’s head for the Kingdom, this must be some mistake. We are not really welcome here,” Glitta said.
“It’s right here on the mission report, although not on the map,“ Maximojo said. “Our first visit is the McFee estate." Seeing the look on face as she waved a wing at him, Maximojo added, "It's our duty Glitta. C'mon it’s right here! Who else is primed for such an adventure if not us? No wonder McFee sent out a distress call requesting our presence. The Mojo Effect is kicking in fast."
Everyone piled up behind Mannie. “Easy does it,” he said. “No need to rush me. This is the place. You are exactly where you are supposed to be, but late. By the look on your faces it seems you have never seen a castle before, perhaps not one quite like this. No one has, and maybe you will be given the opportunity sometime to tell someone about it. Maybe not. It has a personality of its own. It can speak its mind.”
“I never saw anything like it in any of my lives,” Meowlen said. “Well, here’s to not having seen everything!” She lifted a paw, pretending to make a toast.
“You can celebrate your adventure all you want inside,” Mannie said. “My Master has steeped a berry-blend brew to twist your whiskers into a frenzy. Berry juice taste better in your tea than on your coat.”
“Don’t drink anything until I inspect it first,” Woofster said.
“Next time ease up on your grip, Meowlen,” Whinniston said. “Your nails sunk in a little too deep when you were waving at those talking trees.” He tried to stretch out a cramp. “Woofster may be right on this one,” he thought. “That Mannie thinks he knows everything.”
“I’ve heard it all before,” Mannie muttered under his jowls. “Looks like that horse is unsure of its footing. Better than acting out, stamping around, like the last visitors, who remained in the dungeon until their last peep. Life is never boring patrolling these grounds.” He calculated the odds of them escaping. “Not happening when Mannie is on patrol! This is something they’ll never forget. McFee always makes doubly sure of it.” He silently approved of the cat. “She is dressed like a polished, city-class dweller. That cat couldn’t possibly be from commoners,” he thought. “Still going to keep an eye on her, though. No one can fool Mannie. One thing she has in common with others cats are those claws – never dull. She can keep anyone on his toes. And look at that horse squat, as if he is in a circus.”
Mannie ran his paw over his battle scars on his backside. They reminded him of the time in his prime years when he had challenged a rat over a stray skunklen who was lost in a back alley outside the city. The animal had looked similar to a cat in size although it had a stripe. He had tried to rescue the orphan, but she used her claws to prove she wasn’t a helpless stray. She made her choice, and went into the sewer with the rat.
“As I said before and I will say it again,” he said, “I’ve seen everything. Yo! Look at the moon. Get a move on.”
Meowlen looked up and attuned her moonstone hairpiece to reflect the ambience of the evening light. She tried on her animal-print coat, but decided on something more elegant for the guests awaiting them inside. She never was partial to stripes. They gave her the feeling of being trapped. A kittihood nightmare at its worst.
The ground cracked open, making room for the Creepers that sprouted up to guard the castle. The walls vanished and reappeared, and windows slid out of view around the side. Twisted vines draped around the edges of the castle walls and tucked under the window ledges. Illuminated by Glitta’s night light, countless eyes shone from between the thorns.
“Quickly!” Mannie said, leading them across a bridge to the front door. Below the bridge, the swamp looked hungry. Mannie threw a rock down into the dark waters to distract what was under its surface.
Finally across, Maximojo stepped onto the stairs that led to the door. His sensor flashed an alert. An upper floor window appeared. Curtains rustled as a shadow there moved out of focus. Squinting for a closer look, Maximojo was briefly distracted by a rodent scurrying across his feet. When he looked up at the door again, he was squarely facing a silhouette, a willowy shadow before a black velvet wall decorating the entranceway. A chilling current flowed out the door, blowing Maximojo’s ears into a full salute.
“You must be Master McFee,” Maximojo said. Glitta was thrown into a spin by the gust.
She powdered her wings with shimmer, zoomed past McFee and zipped inside. “Have it your way. See you on the other side.” The rest followed single file.
Mannie closed the door behind Woofster, who entered last to keep an eye on Mannie. “No funny business. You can’t pull a fast one on this dog!” Woofster warned.
“The cosmic duo has arrived at last and with some friends I see,” McFee said. “Everyone is welcome this time. Just ask the Starrings upstairs.”
“How polite,” thought Meowlen cattily. “What a friendly hello. Who needs niceties anyhow after such a long traitorous hike?” She unzipped her trench coat that she picked up at a fashion boutique on a planet beyond the Milky Way.
“He cho
oses words with care,” Meowlen thought. McFee’s hair swept over his eyes, which gave her a strange feeling when she caught his stare. Wired cages hung on the walls. “McFee you have such an interesting art collection.” She looked closer. Inside each cage were ancient coins with faces. She turned to him. “Family? Friends? Deceased guests, perhaps?”
McFee was impressed by the inquisitive cat. “They are much more than family, my precious feline, much more than you can ever imagine. They are out of this world to me, coined remains, or should I say ‘memories’ of business associates in international trade. Their faces bring to life the richness of our past connections. You’ll have many lives to make up for this one, Meowlen,” he said. “Perhaps we will cross paths again.”
“Now don’t just drop-in. Be sure to check with my Alliance first,” she said, and excused herself to freshen up.
“What is he planning?” she thought. “He’d better not appear uninvited in my other lives. My social calendar is already full, balancing work and play at any given moment in my simultaneous existences.”
McFee motioned Mannie out the door, who obeyed, knowing his duty was done. “Besides, who would want to hang around? Been there plenty.” His jowls flapped as he ran out.
Glitta was building up a static charge of uncertainty, leaving crystal flakes everywhere. “There is going to be trouble if no one listens to me.” She hovered above her Mojo and gave his head a bop. “Are you listening? Maybe we were sent the wrong report.”
McFee interrupted, drumming his fingertips impatiently on the wall, which began to crumble from the impact. “We need to keep on schedule. The others are waiting.” He guided everyone towards his study on the upper floor.
It turned cold. Glitta shone over the marble foyer, lighting up the layer of crystal flecks that turned into a thin veil of ice. Meowlen changed into a heavy parka and flat boots, and shuffled around the staircase. Maximojo glanced at the spiral stairwell in the grand entryway, and wondered who was on the upper floor, beside the Starrings.
Woofster tried to prance up next to Maximojo, but began sliding on the slippery floor that had glazed over. “Coming through. Move to the side. I need space. Ooops! Almost lost myself there.” He grabbed the rail and swung around. “Woohoo!”
Glitta caught his fall by inflating an orb into a luminous pillow. Woofster bounced off it before it exploded into a whirlwind of sparkles and turned him right-side up. He regained his balance, a little dizzy, and leaned against the wall for support trying to act like nothing had happened.
“Thanks Glitta. That came in handy.” He brushed off the glitter. Being a smart thinker, he slowed his pace to a crawl.
“Perhaps I’ll explore a little on my own, being a risk-taker and all,” Whinniston thought. “I have a reputation to uphold in this adventure. Now just a little squeeze sideways down this corridor while no one is looking.” He chose a side-step that he had perfected in dressage competitions. “I may be a little hoof-shy on shiny floors, but not to worry. I’m a pro.” To avoid crashing into his polished reflection, he maneuvered one hoof over the other, front and rear in unison, and was able to pick up the pace. He had to keep his neck bent in this narrowing passageway.
He held his stomach in and looked around to make sure Meowlen wasn’t watching before he exhaled. “Phew! She didn’t follow me.” He pushed past the hanging cages, which were annoyed. Arms sprang out of the coins imprisoned inside, rattling the bars. They shouted and shook the cages hard in anger.
“You could have said excuseee … meee!” one bellowed. The rest echoed concern over the stranger’s rude behavior. Whinniston’s head was so twisted he could not see who was making all the noise. His legs began to cramp.
“Foreigner! Displaced space matter! Flatter us with nice words,” one coin insisted as hair appeared around its edges. “We are worthy of respect hanging around here. Get with the language rules in our hall of fame.”
“We were all victorious smugglers and deserve respect,” said another coin. “Where are your manners and what do you have hidden in your mane? A weapon?” An arm pierced between the bars. “Let me have it!”
“We can’t go anywhere!” another roared. “So why not join us on the wall. There’s an empty cage at the end of the corridor.”
“Just moving through. Didn’t notice you. Er … Sorry. Pardon me.” Whinniston squeezed past, swishing his tail in their faces. One thing he knew for sure was that he would not get hung alongside the talking cages. Their piercing voices spooked him.
“Pardon me. Excuse me. My feline friend would be impressed with your fancy hairdos. Sorry to have interrupted but I must go now, on a mission to save the world, you know. It’s a secret.” He strode quickly out of the corridor.
“They have no class like you, Whinny!” Meowlen said, surprising him from behind his withers. Her paws were over her ears. She didn’t like the caged coins’ whining either.
“I knew you would sneak up on me,” he said. “This is a challenging maneuver. Watch those boots. Those spurs are sharp.” He made a fast right and caught up to his friends.
Maximojo did his mojo strut on hind legs, his forepaws held wide apart across the floor while Glitta illuminated the glazed coating on the floor, which began to melt. They crept single file up the narrow staircase to the upper floor and turned the corner, finally reaching the double doors of the study, which were framed by carved friezes with fiery eyes. McFee ushered them in. Whinniston trotted past the others, Meowlen stood proud between his ears, and waved.
“She insisted on a grand entrance,” Whinny said, and pushed everyone aside. They halted in the center of the study beneath a crystal domed ceiling.
McFee closed the doors. Sitting upside-down on the ceiling, some interesting beings were examining the newcomers. They wore long cloaks, and when they got to close to each other, they blended into one. When they moved apart again, they became individuals. The star-like beings changed shape as they mingled.
“Maximojo, these are the Starrings,” McFee said. “Their presence builds a force field around the planet to keep the gravity stable, enabling everything on it to exist and not spin off into space, and they are at my service. I rescued them when they were little solar flares wandering aimlessly in space after their sun exploded and they became homeless.
Unfortunately, the incoming timepiece, Kalapsis, will change the gravity field. The Starrings would no longer be able to serve in their present function. They will combust from the pressure. We know you have the ability to transform them, so they can work in the mines for the Kingdom.”
Woofster couldn’t take his eyes off the figures on the ceiling. “They blend into the wall like putty in a hole,” he said. “I’m sure they would be useful somehow to repair used parts in the junk yard.” Their illuminated faces were expressive as they amused each other and mirrored Meowlen’s triple back-flip off the horse, then gracefully landing on one paw. Whinniston, impressed by their agility, raised an ear. “Meowlen, you and the others would be fantastic in a show ring!” The Starrings drifted to the floor.
Meowlen tipped her tail just so and snuck up close to explore their cloaks. “Why do you wear such dreary robes? A little drab if you ask me. Why not dress with a little cosmic flair! You must have been around in other galaxies to see the latest celestial styles,” she said, disappointed when they didn’t respond. The Starrings appeared not to know what to make of the cat’s aristocratic demeanor. They did, however, seem to be in intrigued by her taste in fashion.
Chapter 6
All at once, the room turned on its side, flattening everyone against the far end of the study. An odd looking fellow appeared in the room, accompanied by an orange-tail parrot. He straightened his jacket, introduced himself as Lou, and when the floor leveled again, plunked himself into a winged-back chair, a pipe hanging from his mouth. The parrot perched on the back of his chair.
“When I sent the Council my distress call,” McFee said, “I requested the skill of its finest to make things run smoothl
y. For some reason this fellow, Lou, slipped in behind you, too. Now everyone is welcome here, but only once.”
Lou’s face, set atop a lanky stature, looked like a balloon, contrasting with McFee’s chiseled face and leathery neck. Both had wild-looking hair and wide-set eyes that missed nothing. While there was some mystery about where Lou came from, there was no doubt that he owned a parrot with an orange-tail and a bold personality. The peculiar bird flew up to the cages that lined the hallways and struck a pose imitating the expression of the faces there.
“It seems my parrot is exploring your past, McFee,” Lou said. “We heard of your request and decided to visit for ourselves, the parrot and I – to support the mission. I’m sure you understand. The Council has concerns that everything may not go according to plan so Maximojo was assigned a backup team. Well, curiosity got the better of me, so we’re also joining the team. It seems everyone is welcome here. I read the sign out front.” Lou looked around. His pipe bobbed up and down as he spoke. It didn’t seem to matter to him that it was not lit.
Maximojo and the Wand of Light Page 6