Disclaimer: I still don't own Cats.

A/N: This is where things start getting interesting! As you could probably tell, the other cats (except for Rumpleteazer and Misto) don't like Cori and Tanto. Will that change? Read and find out! Sorry if 'Jerrie's a little bit of an ass in this chappie. You'd know why if you read the last one, hopefully. I hope you guys can get a moral out of this one, as I'm sure you can relate to how Cori and Tanto feel. I'll note it at the end just to make sure. Enjoy!

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer stopped at the entrance of their den as Coricopat and Tantomile slowed their pace. Mungojerrie stared coldly back at them as his sister simply smiled and gave a little wave.

Cori and Tanto nodded curtly in unison as they stopped in front of the calico pair.

"Good morning-"Tanto started.

"-Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. How are-"

"-you today?"Tanto tried to return the calico queen's smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

'Teazer opened her mouth to reply, but 'Jerrie cut in before she could. "We're...foine. Whoiy the sudden courtesey? Oi thought ya two kept ta yaselves an' didn' wont ta deal with us."He spat as his sister frowned at him.

Cori mock-coughed, "On the contrary-Ow!"He couldn't finish his sentence as Tanto suddenly ribbed him. She gave him a harsh glare, which silenced him.

'Teazer raised an eyebrow at the exchange. "Tha's odd...Cori an' Tanto nevah disagree..."She thought as the twins seemed to compose themselves. 'Jerrie merely shook his head muttering, "Freaks..." under his breath. He noticed Cori visibly tense as soon as he said it, only adding to his satisfaction.

'Jerrie shot an intrigued look at them, wondering why they haven't left yet. "Whot do ya wont?"He asked sharply. This time instead of a frown, 'Teazer lightly whacked his arm. The calico tom flinched as he gave his sister a confused glance.

'Teazer narrowed his eyes at him as she whispered harshly, "Stop bein' a jerk, 'Jer!"Then she turned to face Cori and Tanto, who were looking at her with unreadable expressions. "Whot 'e means is...May we 'elp ya with aneythin'? Do ya need somethin' from us?"She asked kindly as the twins continued staring at her.

Her irritation was quite unexpected. Do you think she might actually care about us? Coricopat thought as he watched the calicos. 'Teazer was waiting patiently while 'Jerrie seemed to be getting impatient.

It seems so. I felt it, too. So she does have some respect for us after all. It's nice not to have someone treat us like outcasts once in a while. Tanto replied as she spoke, "Yes, we do. We'd like to talk with you, Rumpleteazer, if that would be alright."She inclined her head toward 'Jerrie. "In private." She added as 'Jerrie cocked an eyebrow in what seemed to be disbelief.

'Teazer nodded solemnly in understanding. "Oi undahstand. 'Jer, do ya moind?"She asked innocently, but her eyes had a threatening essence to them as her brother's face remained unchanged.

"Ye-Oi mean no. No, Oi don'."'Jerrie quickly changed his mind as he contemplated the hidden threat in his sister's eyes. 'Teazer smiled kindly at Cori and Tanto as they merely smirked at the calico siblings. She walked ahead of them as the psychic twins followed, leaving 'Jerrie to himself.

They walked to the centre clearing and over to the TSE-1, which was currently unoccupied. 'Teazer hopped up onto the hood while the twins crawled onto it, perfectly synchronized. They sat in a circle and after a few moments of awkward silence, 'Teazer decided she should start.

"So...Whot did ya wont ta talk 'bout?"She asked as she absentmindedly fiddled with her tail. She glanced up at them and saw that Tanto was repeatedly motioning her head towards her while Cori just stared at his sister. It was impossible to read his emotionless expression. It seemed to 'Teazer he was reluctant to speak. She threw a questioning glance at Cori, who immediately looked at her as if something had caught his attention. Tanto seemed to smirk as Cori cleared his throat.

"We came to talk...how do I put this...? About my feelings towards other cats."The psychic tom said slowly, as if picking his words carefully.

'Teazer cocked her head in response. "Whot...? 'E's not confessin'-"She thought skeptically, but got interrupted by Cori in mid-thought.

"No, no. Not those kinds of feelings...Just my feelings..."Cori trailed off, at a loss for words.

Tanto finished for him. "In general."She provided as they both nodded.

'Teazer furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment. Her eyes lit up as she caught on. "So...in simplah terms, ya came ta vent?"She smiled, glad that the twins were finally opening up to others...hopefully.

Tanto looked confused and glanced at her brother, who had the same expression on his face.

What is this..."venting", brother? I don't think I've ever heard the term before.

That's probably because we don't spend enough time around other cats, genius. If we did, we would know all their strange terms. I suppose "venting" means to express one's innermost feelings. I would think you would know, as queens seem to do it more than toms. I have read many a stressed-out queen's mind, and it always seems to be a messed up jumble of conflicting thoughts...Maybe that's what this "venting" is? It sounds dangerous; for us, I mean.

If it helps, I'd be willing to try it. Tanto replied curtly as she turned her attention back to 'Teazer.

The calico queen giggled at their confused expressions. "You guoiys look loike ya've nevah 'eard tha' word before! Ventin's jus' lettin' awll ya feelin's ou', no mattah who 'ears it. It makes ya feel much bettah aftahwards, trus' moi."She said as the psychic twins seemed to look relieved.

"Oh...So that's what it is. Well, in that case, we feel shunned."Cori said.

'Teazer nodded. "Yes. Whot else do ya feel? C'mon, jus' rattle it off. Ge' it off ya shouldahs."She smiled encouragingly.

Tanto continued. "Ignored,"

"Underappreciated,"

"Outcast,"

"Hated,"

"Misunderstood," Tanto sighed.

"Worthless in the eyes of others-"

"-like some sort of annoyance,"

"Misfits," Cori spat.

"Unaccepted,"

"Unloved,"

"We feel like we don't belong, and never will,"Tanto said sadly.

"Prejudged,"

"Excluded."Tanto finished, out of breath. She and her brother looked at 'Teazer, who was gazing at them with empathy. "Wow...Oi can't believe ya felt loike tha'. An' it's awll ah' fault. Oi'm so sorreh. Do ya feel bettah now?"She asked hopefully.

Cori and Tanto nodded yes. 'Teazer smiled and crawled over to them, giving them both a tight hug. Cori and Tanto stiffened at the uncommon contact, but soon relaxed and returned the hug.

"Thank you-"Cori said with a quiver in his voice.

"-so much. You literally saved us. We would have-"

"-destroyed ourselves emotionally with the pent-up magic."Cori said as the calico queen pulled away to look at them.

"Oi'm glad Oi could 'elp. We nevah knew ya were so emotionalley deproived. We should be ashamed o' ah' selves fo' treatin' ya loike outcasts, even though ya' ah' one o' us. Will ya forgive us?"'Teazer asked as the psychic twins hesitantly nodded. "Good. Now 'ow 'bout we go 'untin' togethah? Oi'm 'ungry."She smiled as she hopped off the dilapidated car and waited at the bottom.

Cori and Tanto grinned from ear to ear. They gratefully jumped off the hood simultaneously and landed in front of the calico queen. They let her lead them to a favourite hunting spot of the Jellicles. While they were walking, the twins noticed some of the other looking at them again. Only instead of finding hostility in their eyes, Tanto found friendly acceptance. Cori read their thoughts and found that there were no insults being mentally thrown at them, only amiable thoughts and compliments.

"Maybe they're not so bad after all..."Alonzo wondered.

"It would be really cool to see the world from their perspective, what with being psychic and whatever." Pouncival thought admirably.

"Now that I think about it, Cori and Tanto look much more elegant and graceful than any of us when they dance or do anything in unison. Maybe they could teach me something?"Victoria pondered as Cori noticed her looking at them from atop a trash pile.

Tanto glanced meaningfully at Cori as they walked behind 'Teazer.

I can't believe it. All it took was for one cat-

-to change the whole opinion of the Junkyard on us.

Yes, one cat to extend a friendly paw in compassion when others refused out of ignorance and prejudice. It feels good to get a sense of belonging and acceptance.

That it does, sister; that it does. Cori thought as they sniffed the air for mice.

A/N: Moral: don't judge people (or cats!) because they seem a little different or they act in a manner that seems strange to us. Exclusion's not cool, and all it does is it tells us we're too cowardly to extend a hand in friendship; or too ignorant or prejudiced to accept a potential friend.