Reservoir Cats 20

One Eye Fred: ‚ow ya feeling Gladys? Looks like your gradually getting back on your feet again.
Gladys: Well, they weren’t the first kittens that I had and probably won’t be the last. Little Al seems to be developing as leader of the pack. He’s the first one there at feeding time. I have to push him back now and again to make sure there is enough for the other 5 kittens.
One Eye Fred: Takes after ‘is father I suppose.
Gladys: Well he looks like him. Hope you didn’t mind that little slip Fred, but Long Tail Al was just in the right place at the right time.
One Eye Fred: He always is, otherwise he wouldn’t be the boss. Mind you Little Al certainly seems to take after ‘im. ‘es always wandering off to places ‘e shouldn’t be in. Caught ‘im sniffing around in Big Tom’s favourite mousing place yesterday.
Gladys: Well, you know what kittens are when they are small, always inquisitive
Big Tom: What did I hear, Little Al has no business to be in my part of the territory. Although he reminds me of his father when he was small.
Gladys: Did you know Long Tail Al when he was a kitten.
Big Tom: Of course, he’s my half brother. I arrived in the first litter and he arrive in the second a couple of weeks later. We have the same father, but our mothers were different. My mother and father were Maine Coon pure, but my father went for a moonlight walk one night and met one of the cats from town and the rest you can imagine. I have another reason to look in on you. Gladys. In your days with the Kitty Cat Club, did you ever hear the mention of a Mr. Wang.
Gladys: Oh dear, now that’s not a good omen. I remember the story of Mr. Wang and Madame Butterfly.
Big Tom: I’am all ears, so tell it.
Gladys: Well it was a long time ago. It seems that Mr. Wang and Madame Butterfly were oriental cats, but lived a wild life on the streets in Hong Kong. They were picked up from the streets and came to one of those terrible places where they change the life of us cats. They perform all sorts of experiments and a cat can loose all 9 lives in five minutes. Mr. Wang and Madame Butterfly survived. I think the idea was to create some sort of secret weapon. Mr. Wang’s eyes became a strange red colour and he had the power of breaking the will power of other cats if they looked into his eyes. Mr. Wang should have been able to turn his power onto humans as well, but they found that the big human in the big White House in America wasn’t worth it as he was doing everything wrong in any case.
Big Tom: So the man in the big White House didn’t have a cat.
Gladys: Oh yes, he got India, you know the cat no-one wanted because his favourite pastime was being nice to humans.
Big Tom: Oh yes, I remember, no will power in that cat at all. And what about this Madame Butterfly.
Gladys: She was captured with Mr. Wang and also had things done to her. I don’t know what, something to do with bringing out the worse characteristics in a cat. Madame Butterfly was mean before she was caught, so by the time the humans had finished their experiments she was even more mean. She was also very strong and it was her that broke out of the cage they were kept in by biting through the steel bars, and Madame Butterfly and Mr. Wang escaped together. Madame Butterfly was the only cat that Mr. Wang couldn’t hypnotise.
Big Tom: It now seems that these two cats are in town together with one called Pablo.
Gladys: Pablo, that I don’t laugh. He worships the ground Madame Butterfly walks on. He thinks he is in charge, but only because Butterfly wants it that way. Then she can stay in the background and carry out her plans with no interruption. Pablo was also treated and she dragged him along when she escaped so he is now eternally thankful to her.
Big Tom: Sounds like a real pack of criminals Long Tail Al has in his town. I think I will have to send a message to Al to let him know what’s living in his museum.

Long Tail Al: ‘allo Slimy and ‘ow were the meatballs.
Slimy: Oh, they were delicious, that Italian does the best meatballs in town. By the way Al, I met one of the black paw gang and ‘e gave me a bit of news.
Long Tail Al: Tell me Slimy. I didn’t know you ‘ad connections wiv the black paw gang.
Slimy: Well I knew Ronnie and Reggie when they were kids, selling false catnip on the street corners. Anyhow that black paw told me that the orientals were only on ‘oliday here for a few days to relax and tomorrow they are going back ‘ome. There’s a ship calling in and they are planning on going on board to go back ‘ome to their ‘ome town of ‘ong Kong.
Long Tail Al: Well that’s good news. At last we town cats can carry on living as we used to. Everytime you take a walk on the streets these days you just don’t feel safe. Well keep yer eyes and ears open Slimy and if you ‘ear anyfing else, let me know. Slimy, somefing wrong wiv yer eyes? You keep squinting all the time
Slimy: No boss, I’m all right, must be a full moon night tonight. Bye boss, till tomorrow.
Tabby: Hello dad, did I hear Slimy here just now.
Long Tail Al: Yes, ‘e just brought me some good news. The Orientals are going tomorrow.
Tabby: Really, that’s a surprise, I thought they were moving in here.
Long Tail Al: Well Slimy ‘eard it from the Black Paw gang.
Tabby: Well the last time I saw Slimy he was talking to a big white cat with red eyes. Didn’t look like one of the black paw gang to me. And then a big slim lady cat came up with sort of almond eyes and Slimy was kneeling down in front of her and she was talking to him.
Long Tail Al: Sounds a bit funny to me.
Tabby: I was on my way to the Italian restaurant to see what was so good about the meat balls and as I was coming round the corner I saw them, so thought I should stay hidden in the shades to see what was going on.
Long Tail Al: I fink it’s time for us both to pay a visit to Big Tom. There are some strange things going on ‘ere and I will ‘ave to ‘ave some ‘elp and support from ‘im.