"Double."
"Wha-" Jo and Suzé began.
"If you sing again, double," Jay repeated. "They're like celestials. Everything else just falls away."
"You serious?" the unnamed lady with a musical 'A' said.
"Just one song. It'll make this entire night worth- ouch!"
"Please ignore my friend's request," Suzé stepped forward while Jay almost doubled over. "Circumstances have overwhelmed him."
"It's not the mint, is it," one of the two Ts' on the platform asked. "I put mine out a while ago."
"You shouldn't be anywhere near it, Ensai," the other T replied. "Makes you think rainbow jellyfish are out to get you."
"Should have been by the pavilion a few minutes ago," Jo whispered.
"I wasn't burning it, Malduke," Ensai replied. "Had one or two snack-cakes.
"I don't care if you had enough to ice a pineapple cake," Kitts turned back. "Someone's going to pay."
"Statue," said Suzé.
Nevermind Kitt and the choir looking at her; Jo joined Jay in looking at Suzé too.
"The Centaur statue on the hill above the lake," Suzé continued. "We were being drawn to your magnetic chorus from there; so it wouldn't be too much trouble for you to get the rest of your haul if we leave you to it."
"She's right," said Tilde. "There's still time to sort this out."
"You've just said that it was a bad idea to come here at all, Tild," said the T who had helped get a soaked Deuce onto the grass.
"Tilde, Tilds or Matilda. Not Tild."
"What do you want us to sing?" Lianestra said, stepping forward and looking at Jay. "Uplifter, tearjerker; undulate half-an-half. We can do acapella or stellar chant."
"Are you joking, Lian?" said another A.
"Oh, come on," the S named Helenica said. "Wouldn't you like to sing for someone who doesn't wind up in your stomach at the end of the night and can give applause? You know you do Angelika."
"Lian's got a point," said the unnamed T.
"Lianestra, Arj," Lianestra almost growled. "Why does everyone abbreviate in this choir?"
"Tell me about it," said Jay. "I'm James, he's Jones; but I call him Jo and he calls me Jay."
"I need to lie down," Jo groaned.
"Try working with them five days plus every wrong Satoonaday," said Mitts, at which Jo jumped back and almost landed in the water.
"We heard that, Mitts," the three A's said together.
"And I've had enough chit-chat-chaff," Kitts growled; although from the cavernous depth, Jo thought a storm was approaching. "That's more than our dinner swimming away. It's a good bit of profit too."
"Which winds up at the nepeta bar," the T named Malduke muttered. "Or another circuit in Celles."
"Voice," the final member of the A trio said out of the lights, but looking at Jay. "I've heard your voice."
"He did speak before, Ness," Angelika replied.
"Before then," Ness continued, stepping forward. "Were you the first caller?"
Jo and Suzé both put their hands on their heads whilst Jay took a step back.
"The pirate, was that you?"
"Some people say I dress like one..." Jay began, glancing at Suzé and Jo.
"What, that phone-in with the man who needs a twelve-day course of sunshine," said Tilds. "I'd rather listen to a drill going through a wall."
"You mean, that Tarquin chap," said Ensai.
Jay nodded.
"I thought I wasn't hearing things," said Ness. "Are you really going to fight him?"
"Who, that Trav fellow," said Mel, "I'm still waiting."
"The other one. Ansel."
"Won't be in the day," said Tilds. "That one needs the moon to get him going."
"You won't be fighting anyone if we don't get back to the business at hand," said Kitts, walking forward.
"He wasn't thinking straight," said Suzé. "Just like he wasn't on the Phone-in. We can leave you to it and everyone's-" She half-turned and stopped, followed by Jo. Stretched at intervals, from hillside to shore, the musical trio barred what would have been the exit route back up to the main path.
"When did-" Jo gasped.
"I've got a question," said Jay, back to the present encirclement. "What do the jacket letters mean."
"Exactly what their parts are in a choir," said Suzé, glancing at the musicians, then at Kitts.
"Do you like them?" said Ensai, "Jenn pulled some strings."
"He's asking what the initial letters stand for," Malduke answered. "Do we even have time for this?"
"T is the part that we sing in this outfit," said Arja, adjusting his jacket. "Tenor. Although Malduke can go Baritone or Bass and I'm sure Ensai climbs into Alto territory."
"That's us," Angelika bowed, followed by Ness and Lianestra. "A for Alto. The mid-level clouds."
"Whilst the high clouds are our domain," said Tilds.
"S for Soprano," Helenica added.
"Or S for Screechers," chuckled Mitts.
"Don't go down that road, Mitts," said Mel. "You were a soap once."
"Don't remind me," Mitts opened her mouth as if something wanted to jump out, and revealed canines the size of pen tops.
"Tenor plus Alto plus Soprano equals Choir," said Kitts. "Plus the musicians behind you. Plus, our Catcher-Processor team beside you. And Me."
"I'm not seeing things..." Jo whispered, looking at Kitts' full gleam grin. "He's got them too."
"Got what," asked Kitts, followed by a smile.
"What do your initials stand for?" Suzé said, glancing at Jo. "That's what he said."
"You wish he said that," said Kitts.
"Really, it was the initials," said Jo.
"I saw how you looked at me," Kitts continued. "Haven't you seen a grin before?"
"Not with pointers like that I haven't," said Jay. "And with the-smile-its more like a-"
"Miaow Chief," Tilds broke in. "That's what M.C. stands for on Toh's jacket."
"I was going to tell them in a bit, Matilda," Kitts said, turning to look at the wave-haired soprano.
"Miaow Chief?" Jo began. "C-cats?"
Not just Toh - no - Kitts. Or Tilds/Matilda looking at him. All the choir had their eyes fixed upon him; faces with nocturnal hunters gaze.
"Did my ears just lie to me," Kitts purred. "Did I hear the name, Cat?"
"But you can't be," said Jay. "Cats climb trees; take out mice and rats; wake you up in the middle of night and roll around after a dose of cat-ouch!"
"Got the picture, James," said Suzé, still in sideways position as Jay knelt down to hold his leg.
"It's mint," said Ensai, seeming to get taller. "Mint. And we don't get all the side effects."
"Not speaking for yourself," said Malduke. "May as well say you've gone over the side when you've had-"
"He's sorry," Suzé continued. "We're sorry. Miaow triggered something..." stopping as she stared at Kitts. "M.C.? No..."
"Oh yes," said Kitts, raising a hand as the air shifted. Jo had to wipe his eyes. But upon looking at Kitts again saw him not in shirt, jacket and trousers but an over-sized t-shirt, skirt, cap and greaves.
"Staring now, aren't you," Kitts said, lowering a hand that now held a full-sized and studded war-club. "'Who did we meet this night?'"
"Are you okay, Suzé?" said Jo, not taking his eyes from Kitts. Until a flash of powder blue erupted beyond Suzé; and put the glow from the lanterns in the shade.
"What's that," he gasped, then saw a bar of blue light in Jay's hand. A bar that condensed into the outline of a sword.
"I don't believe this," Suzé growled. "What are you playing at James?"
"I don't know," Jay moaned. "It just appeared."
"Oh..." said Mitts, taking a few steps back as the three trunks behind her floated out of the way. "That's pretty."
Like layers of the sky on a summer's day, Jo blinked, glancing at the sword that went by the name of Dolcreige. Although the cloud-white edge and noon sky spine were veiled by the aqua blue glow that danced over the spinels, citrines and one or two sunstones.
"Looks like they want to take this up a level," Kitts said, turning to the choir.
"Make that two," said Malduke as the air shifted, blurred or flashed around him and Ensai.
"Three," Angelika added amidst a blur-shift that took in Ness, Lianestra and herself.
"Four," said Helenica, raising an arm as another shift enveloped her, Mell and Tilds.
"Five," came a voice from behind Jo, as upon turning, he was met by the blurred forms of the blocking trio.
"Not to mention Six," said Jenn blur-shifting out of a crouch with Deuce.
"I suppose I should say seven," said Mitts, no longer in processing apron and gloves but in a dark jacket, hat, greaves and knee guards; plus a pale shirt and trousers. "But I've changed already."
As were the others, Jo stared. The altos and sopranos in suits, knee guards and leg armour similar to Mitts; whilst the tenors - and Jenn and Deuce - echoed the over-sized t-shirt, white or sil-decored overskirts; greaves, knee-guards and vambraces with contrasting gauntlets; and the scarves and cap of a smiling Kitts.
"Hit the jackpot this time," Suzé said, glancing at the matching combat musicians.
"I'm telling you, I didn't call it," said Jay.
"Then why is it in your hand if it's not you."
"Hate to break into this, but we're in a bit of an encirclement," said Jo, taking in the gleam of the lanterns along the cold points and edges of the choir's unveiled weaponry.
"You think I don't know that," said Suzé, drawing a hand to herself.
"Oh come on," said Kitts. "You two can't stay unarmed when we've taken out our Sunshine-day bests. It wouldn't be right."
"Last appeal," said Suzé, stepping forward. "This doesn't need to happen."
"He's drawn against the Miaow Choir," said Kitts, raising his war-club, as Jenn angled what could only be a sledgehammer and Deuce flowed into en garde with a cold-edged greatsword. "There's but one way now..."