Midnight

Fun facts:

The era with the most kisses is Hanna-Barbera with 17, followed by The Tom and Jerry Show (2014) with 11 and Chuck Jones with 4.

Tom initiated the most kisses by 7! Tom initiated 24 times and Jerry 17, with 2 kisses listed under other/undetermined*

Counting only classics, Tom initiated 14 times and Jerry 8 times.

Counting everything but classics, Tom initiated 10 times and Jerry initiated 9 times. Tom sure is more affectionate than he first appears!

If counting all the comics as one group, Tom and Jerry are tied with two kisses initiated each!

There is little to no overlap in their reasoning for kissing. The only overlap is in the accidental category.

The only Tom and Jerry movie with a kiss between them [as of 2023] is the Tom and Jerry Movie (2021).

Their first kiss is in the third short released, The Night Before Christmas (1941)

Their latest kiss is in Tom and Jerry in New York, episode Dream Team. Released July 1st, 2021

Kisses by era counter:

Hanna-Barbera: 17

Tom and Jerry Show (2014): 11

Chuck Jones: 4

Tom and Jerry Comics: 4

Tom and Jerry Tales: 2

Eras with 1 Kiss:

Gene Deitch

The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show

Tom and Jerry Kids

Tom and Jerry Movie (2021)

Tom and Jerry in New York

Kisses by reasons counter: Categories subjective to me

Tom: 24

Thanks/Please/Sorry: 10

Friend Proof: 7

Personality Change: 3

Tom's reasons with 1 kiss:

In Love with different character [Springtime for Thomas (1946)]

Accident [Guilded Mouse Ille (1967). First kiss was accident, so counted under accidental.]

Thought Jerry and Tuffy were toy dolls and kissed them goodnight [Tom and Jerry Comics, Goldkey issue 237]

Thought Jerry was dead was very happy he's not [Tom and Jerry Show (2014), Big Top Tom]

Jerry: 17

Taunt: 6

Glad you are back/Glad I am back: 3

In Love with Tom: 2 [The Brothers carry the Mouse (1965) and TJ Show (2014)'s Bottled Up Emotions]

3. Taunting someone else: 2

Jerry's reasons with 1 kiss:

Distraction [The Night before Christmas. Initiates by holding mistletoe and inviting Tom to kiss him]

Accident [Tom and Jerry Show (2014) Kiss and Makeup. Throws himself between Tom and Toodles to save Tom. Accidentally gets kiss on cheek from both.]

Trying to convince Tom to be a father figure [M.G.M's Tom and Jerry's Winter Fun Issue 7, Pussycat Papa]

Trying to convince Tom not to attack him [Tom and Jerry Show (2014), Big Top Tom]

Other category is for stuff that I genuinely struggled to find/write reason for OR it's kinda unclear what/who it should count for. For instance, in the Tom and Jerry show (2014) episode Return to Sender, they were pushed together by a wizard and forced to kiss. Other is not counted under either Tom and Jerry and so is not in the counter.

THE MEGA LIST (ORGANIZED BY ERA YEAR)

Hanna-Barbera [1940-1958] 17

The Night Before Christmas (1941) While running from Tom, Jerry spots mistletoe tucked in the wrapping of a present. He grabs it and holds it over his head. Tom immediately stops, to which Jerry points at the mistletoe and then makes a kissing gesture. Tom pouts, then becomes bashful, then gives Jerry a kiss. (Counts under Jerry)

Sufferin' Cats (1942) Jerry previously made Tom jealous by kissing another cat [Meathead]. When Meathead tries to eat Jerry, Jerry does the same move to Tom. He jumps on Tom's shoulder, kisses Tom, sticks out his tongue to Meathead, then snuggles Tom.

The Million Dollar Cat (1944) 1. Tom gets a million dollars so long as he doesn't harm Jerry. When Tom gets the telegram about his new fortune, he celebrates. When Jerry reads the clause about Tom being unable to hurt him, he celebrates by kicking and then kissing Tom.

The Million Dollar Cat (1944) 2. Tom moves out and Jerry follows him to his new home. Tom goes to attack him when Jerry points out the telegram to remind Tom he can't hurt him. Tom kisses Jerry's cheek, then tries to flee.

The Bodyguard (1944) Spike becomes Jerry's bodyguard after Jerry saves him. Tom chases Jerry with a pipe all the way to spike. After seeing the teeth, he picks up Jerry, kisses his cheek, puts him in a baby carriage, pretends the pipe is a musical instrument, then runs.

Mouse in Manhattan (1945) After discovering the solo city life sucks, Jerry runs back to his home to find Tom still asleep. He rips apart the letter he wrote Tom then peppers him in kisses, to Tom’s complete confusion.

Springtime for Thomas (1946) Tom sees a pretty cat [Toodles] in his neighbors yard. He gets heart eyes, kisses Jerry (who is jealous and offended Tom isn't chasing him), then calls out to and waves to Toodles.

The Truce Hurts (1948) Tom, Jerry and the dog [Spike] make a treaty to be friends. When Tom sees Jerry about to be attacked by an alley cat [Butch], Tom saves him then kisses his cheek before letting him go.

Heavenly Puss (1949) 1. Tom can only get on the heavenly express if Jerry forgives him. Jerry rips up the certificate of forgiveness, so Tom is about to hit him. When the devil appears and tries to encourage Tom to hit Jerry, Tom smothers Jerry in kisses.

Heavenly Puss (1949) 2. The events of the episode were a dream. When Tom wakes up, he gives Jerry many kisses and nuzzles him, to Jerry's confusion. (Counting under Thanks)

Jerry's Cousin (1951) Muscles scares Tom enough that Tom kisses his feet when he whistles as a sign of deference. Muscles then gives Jerry his outfit and tells Jerry he only needs to whistle. Jerry whistles and Tom kisses his feet. (Counting under thanks/please/sorry)

Nit Witty Kitty (1951) 1. Tom gets hit on the head and thinks he's a mouse. As a mouse he offers Jerry cheese, then retracts the offer and eats it himself. When Jerry goes inside his mouse hole, he tries to follow. To Jerry's surprise, he kisses Jerry's cheek the shoves himself in the mouse hole.

Nit Witty Kitty (1951) 2. After being annoyed with Tom acting as a mouse, Jerry tries to hit his head and return him to normal. When he succeedes and Tom is back to normal again, Jerry is so happy he gives Tom a large kiss on the lips.

Nit Witty Kitty (1951) 3. Tom is hit on the head again by his owner and returned to being a mouse. When Jerry goes to sit on his bed in disappointment, Tom goes in the mouse hole and kisses his cheek, then steals his bed.

Hic cup Pup (1954) Spike will beat up Tom if he wakes Tyke. Jerry straps horns to his feet, goes to where Tom is waiting outside his house hole and gives him a big kiss under his nose, barks, and then they chase.

Little School Mouse (1954) Tuffy, after passing how to outwit cats tests by being nice to Tom, teaches that cats and mice should be friends. Jerry shakes his head in disagreement. Tom nodds his head in agreement wirh Tuffy, takes off Jerry's dunce hat, then kisses Jerry on the forehead.

Mouse for Sale (1955) Jerry is treated as a dancing house pet so long as he is colored white. Tom eventually paints himself white and the owner agrees to let him in "but you must promise to be friends [with Jerry]". He gives Jerry a little kiss and nods. He then dances to beat up Jerry.

Tom and Jerry Comics (1949-1980) 4

*due to repeated reissues of some of the comics, changing companies and some hard to find names, I am not 100% sure of names or dates.

Dell #106 (May, 1953): Tom abandons chasing Jerry and Tuffy in favor of trying to hunt a bird. Jerry and Tuffy get jealous and try to dress up like the bird so Tom would still technically be chasing them. Tom shoots the "bird" and a woman gets angry at him for hunting it. Jerry and Tuffy go to rescue Tom from the woman by scaring her, she lets Tom go. They chase briefly before Tom catches them and gives Jerry a kiss for helping him out.

Dell Giant: Tom and Jerry's Summer Fun #2 (July, 1955) Resort Reverly: To get into a resort, Tom throws Jerry and Tuffy in and then offers to catch the mice. He decides to get water and grabs a cup from the dispenser Jerry and Tuffy were hiding in. The mice drink the water, then when Tom goes to drink from the cup Jerry kisses him to mock him.

M.G.M.'S TOM AND JERRY'S WINTER FUN ISSUE #7 (1958) Pussycat Papa: Jerry and Tuffy see an ad in a paper to take your boys out for winter fun. They decide they want Tom to take them out and that they are kinda like his kids, so they call Tom "Daddy", and then pretend to be his kids by giving him a hug and a kiss.

Goldkey Tom and Jerry #237 (August 1967) : Tom wants to play with dolls. The kid won't play with dolls if there's mice. Jerry and Tuffy sneak back in and dress as dolls, and Tom kisses them goodnight

Gene Deitch [1961-1962] 1

Buddies Thicker than Water (1962) Tom is freezing and starving while Jerry is hidden in a penthouse. After Jerry drags him inside and warms him with a heated blanket, Tom gives Jerry a kiss on the cheek. Jerry then makes him instant food.

Chuck Jones [1963-1967] 4

Is There a Doctor in the Mouse? (1964) Jerry invents a potion that makes him go fast and eats Tom's food before he can. After eating the banana, he tries running away in the peel. Tom picks him up and peels back the banana peel. Jerry gives him a peck on the lips, then escapes right as the potion fails.

Ah, Sweet Mouse Story of Life (1965) Tom gets stretched after chasing Jerry down a downtake pipe. Jerry helps him escape by blowing the air horn. Tom thanks him by giving him many kisses on his forehead. Jerry wants more kisses, but Tom realizes Jerry tastes delicious and tries to bite him. Tom is still long.

The Brothers Carry Mouse Off (1965) Tom puts on a costume and perfume to look like a female mouse. Jerry instantly falls for it and kisses his hand and arms. However, many other mice also fall for Tom, and so Jerry continues kissing a path away from Tom. Jerry then watches the disguised Tom get chased by a bunch of cats as the camera pans to a heart on the tree and then the end credits.

Guilded Mouse ille (1967) Tom gets blasted back to the stone age. Tom is about to clobber Jerry when Jerry offers him the bone he was nibbling on to share. While nibbling, Tom accidentally kisses Jerry. Realizing he is tasty, he gives Jerry several kisses on the cheek. Then tries to actually eat him. (Counting under other)

The Tom and Jerry Comedy show (1980-1982) 1

Farewell, Sweet Mouse: Tom floods Jerry's mouse hole, the resulting water pushes him into the rain and pops his balloon, leading Tom to gleefully think he drowned. When Tom gets back, he looks at a picture of him and Jerry, imagines Jerry as an angel, and Angel Jerry kisses picture him's cheek. (Counted under other category due to it being a Jerry kiss, but Tom's imagination.)

Tom and Jerry Kids (1990-1993) 1

Hawkeye Tom: in a move that's a similar to Sufferin' Cats and A Mouse in the House , Jerry puts himself in Tom's hands then kisses Tom's cheek before sticking his tongue out in taunt to a bird.

Tom and Jerry tales (2006-2008) 2

Abracadumb: Tom was looking for Jerry under cups, but Jerry was on Tom's shoulder. Before Tom can retaliate against Jerry, Jerry gives him a kiss on the cheek and gets caught between Tom's hand

Don't bring your pet to School day: Tom tries to eat Jerry. Tom's owner tells Tom to say he's sorry to Jerry. Tom gives Jerry a kiss on the forehead. And again. Once more that's more of a suck and then he eats him.

The Tom and Jerry Show (2014) (2014-2021) 11

Bottled Up Emotions: Love potion (in bubble form) hits Jerry and he falls in love with Tom. Kisses his nose. Kisses his hand when Tom tries to shove him off. Kisses feet when Tom tries to push him away.

Big Top Tom (1): Tom assumes Jerry has been eaten by a bear and is gone forever. When he cries, Jerry gives him a tissue. After realizing Jerry is alive, he smothers him in kisses, to Jerry's annoyance

Big Top Tom (2): After finishing kissing Jerry, Tom realizes that Jerry deliberately put him through all of the phyiscal and emotional pain of that episode. Jerry tries to give Tom a few kisses on the paw to convince Tom to not attack him. The ploy fails.

Return to Sender: Flower shop owner picks Tom and Jerry by scruffs of their neck, sings "take a chance, to romance", then forces them to kiss

Splinter of Discontent: Tom begs Jerry and Tuffy for help as Tyke has a splinter and Spike is threatening to hurt him. Jerry agrees to help and Tom kisses his feet.

Catitude Adjustment: Tom had been under a spell that made him too clingey/nice to Jerry. At the end of the episode they get him back to normal and he chases Jerry again. Jerry makes a stop gesture, Tom leans down and glares, Jerry gives Tom a kiss with a heart to Tom's confusion.

From Riches to Rags: Jerry, after losing to Tom all day and going to bed starving, has a dream where Tom is his servant and Jerry harasses Tom until they get into a fight. After getting hit by a chandelier he wakes up, runs downstairs to Tom who is asleep, gives him a hug and kiss on the nose, lookes sheepish, kicks his nose and then the episode ends as they chase one another.

Kiss and Makeup: Toodles (Called Misty Makeup Marvin in this short) has magic and wants to kiss Tom with this evil Lipstick in hopes to mind control(?) him so she can retire in the haunted mansion he lives in. Jerry and Tuffy have been trying to prevent this kiss from happening. When Toodles goes for a kiss on the couch, Jerry jumps in between and gets a kiss from both of them on the cheeks. Then Jerry turns into a bat.

Mirror Image: Tom gets stuck in the mirror dimension and there's an evil mirror Tom in the real world. Tuffy, who is trapped with Tom, tells Jerry to make the evil Tom touch the mirror so they can get out. Jerry does so, and Tom escapes with both Tuffy and Jerry in his hands. He gives them both a kiss on a cheek before laughing at his mirror self's misfortune.

Something to Crow About: Tom Katzen gets chased out of a corn maze by a scarecrow. When he goes to beg for help, the mice laugh at him, but Jerry Van Mousling agrees to help him out, so Tom Katzen gives him a kiss as thanks

Pumpkin Punks: Jerry is hiding in root vegetables, popping out to taunt Tom, then going back underground. When Tom gets tired, he pops out and gives him a kiss on the cheek with lots of hearts (then waves and runs away so Tom can chase him)

Tom and Jerry Movie (2021) 1

1:33:50 Spike, Tom and Jerry begin to chase and start to destroy the wedding. Human cast gives them disapproving look. Spike apologies and Tom kisses Jerry to show they are friends. Tom closes ending curtain then goes back to chasing Jerry

Tom and Jerry in New York (2021-) 1

A roar answered before Tom could. It was low enough to rumble the earth around me, yet still carried the same high pitch as nails on a chalkboard. Beyond the shadows, far to the left, there was a cave I had not seen. From it, I saw movement. By what little light I could see, I would have mistaken it for a human, yet it couldn’t be. It’s body was the right size and it seemed to have a head, arms and legs in similar places to a human. Humans, though, do not crawl out from cave ceilings and cling onto cliff sides.

Its appendages were as long as a huntsman spider, and the speed at which it crawled over cliffs was proportional to the speed of one running across the kitchen wall. Its joints bent wrong. They bent backwards. It was completely white. Not white as bone, rather white with the lightest shade of purple. White like death. I swear I saw its spine pressing against its skin as though it would break free from its back at any time. Then it was gone. Darted into the shadows the moon dare not touch.

Whatever that was drew a curse from Tom. He bolted elsewhere. Running seemed as good of a plan as any and I attempted to run the same direction as him.

I had no idea where I was. The plants looked foreign. The landscape was completely unpredictable. I knew I’d never been here before, not once in my life. I wished I knew where I was running. I wished I could stop. When I tried, I heard noise from behind me. Noise that sounded heavier than a human’s movement could be. So, I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

My breaths very soon became labored. The uneven ground forced me into more movement than usual to stay upright and at pace, not that I was in decent running condition to begin with.

The sounds of something -whatever had hollered from the cave- crashing close into the foliage behind me gave me a second wind. I put in all the effort I could to go faster. Even this boost could not save me from being caught.

With a heavy blow I was slammed into a nearby tree. I somehow had twisted myself around so that the creature was able to scream in my face. I still had no name for the horrid thing. Now that we were face to face, I could tell it was barely humanoid.

Where it looked vaguely human had the parts, however in a wrong way. It had the leather skin of a human, yet lacked any blood or warmth of the living. It smelled of decay. Its arms were twice the length of my legs and bent at a horrible angle to get to me. And when it screeched, I caught sight of its sunken cheeks and empty eye sockets. Everything about it spelled death.

It raised its hand. At the end were claws that looked as sharp as its teeth. In horror, I held my breath. I didn't dare break eye contact. I had no idea how fast it would swing, but I didn’t want to die here. I would not die here. I would dodge whatever it threw at me. I had to.

“Hey!” shouted Tom. I couldn’t see him from my position, what with the shrubbery and vicious monster. It’s head twisted all the way back with a sickening crack.

I didn’t hear another shout from Tom, but I did hear the loud crash of a tree falling in the forest. It was amazingly loud as it broke foliage, tore up the ground with its roots, and fell with the weight of 3 tons.

The monster’s scream was louder than the tree falling. It leapt towards the noise like a rabid macaque. Only now that it was gone did I feel safe enough to breathe. I wish I’d the capability to wait longer. The smell of decay lingered still.

I managed to push myself up with shaky legs before Tom came up to me. “Van Mousling, what do we do?” He desperately hissed. His terrified eyes kept darting to the trees.

“Who?” I breathed out. It was then he met my eyes. I had never seen all hope leave somebody’s face before, as though I had been his last chance and had chosen on a whim to deny him. The monster screamed again. It was still out of sight. I was sure both me and Tom had fear written on our faces. Mine was a fear mixed with confusion, while his was mixed with absolute awareness.

He made to leave me. “Tom,” I softly pleaded. Too loud apparently, as Tom quickly turned around to cover my mouth. His hands were rougher than I remember. Tom seemed to know what was going on, better than me at any rate. If Tom wanted me silent, and it was the loud noise of a tree falling that lured the creature away, I guessed it was attracted to sound. After a few seconds, Tom dropped his hand. I think he knew I understood. Instead of bolting away, he grabbed my wrist.

He put his finger to his lips to tell me to keep quiet, then, incredibly slowly, began to creep forward. I matched his pace and went with him.

The leaves, pine-needles and other plant debris were wet. They made no crunch, but even the sound of our shoes sinking into the spongy dirt sounded too loud. My breath was too loud. My heartbeat was too loud. I could see little. My eyes acclimated to the moonlight, yet the forest was dense enough that the trees blocked most of that. Shadows which moved in the wind frightened me. If I was dumber, I’d have pulled out my phone’s flashlight. I knew not to, though. It’d make us a beacon in this silent, dark forest. So, I did all I could do and trusted Tom.

We gained a rhythm. Tom would move one foot, then me one of mine, then Tom, then me and so on. The pace gave me time to think that I hadn’t had until just then. I came to the conclusion this must be a terrible nightmare and attempted to ground myself into either lucid dreaming or waking up. But the circumstances did not change for the eternity we spent inching forward. With the lack of changing scenery, I began to doubt the idea I was dreaming. That said, I had no other explanation for all of this.

Tom stopped. From the way he squared his shoulders, I could tell it was something different from our short lived routine. I, very slowly so the shifting of my weight made practically no noise, peered over his shoulder.

The monster was there. From this position I could see its legs were as gangly as its arms. It had its head pressed against the ground. And it rotated. Slowly.

My heart pounded louder. It turned to look right at us. I swore, though it had no eyes, it was staring us down.

It knew. It knew exactly where we were.

Tom didn’t move. I didn’t either. If I could have stopped my heart, my lungs, my brain, my veins, I would have. Even then, I don’t think it would have been enough.

Bells rang. Old, large bells. Like a clock tower striking midnight. Like a school bell signaling the end. Like the devout calling for a prayer.

The creature heard it too. It screamed. When it did so, it looked as though it’s body was trying to expunge it’s soul. It jumped towards the bells, to and fro the trees, without touching the ground.

The bells continued longer than any regular chime should. Tom waited until the creature couldn’t be near us, then dragged us towards the sound at brisk pace. I was truly sick of going from one extreme to another. Our slow crawl had been nerve wracking and our swift run was body wrecking.

I didn’t want to be anywhere near that thing, nightmare or not. Running in the same direction as the creature seemed like an awful idea. Bells though, meant other people. People who, if they were chiming the bells, had a method to deal with whatever that was.

Our path was relatively the same as the creature’s. At least, I assumed so. The trees had chunks missing from the monster’s travel. If that's what it could do to a tree, I would hate to know what it could do to flesh. We kept running.

The bells were growing ever louder. From over the bells, I swore I heard more screams from more monsters. There were more of them. Much more. And we were all going in the same direction. I was terrified. I didn’t want to see them. I didn’t know what to do. So I continued to do what I had been doing. I trusted Tom. And he was determined to get us to the source of those bells.

The trees ended where a village began. The village was as familiar as the forest. The houses were Bavarian, as were the villager’s clothes. The closest place with houses like this was a tourist trap of a faux German town that was in a neighboring State. And it couldn't have been that town because there would have been more plain-clothed tourists. Not to mention that town resided in the mountains rather than a temperate forest. I had no clue where I was, but I did know where I wasn’t. I wasn’t anywhere near my home.

Tom pulled me towards the village. The villagers, dressed in similar lederhosen as Tom, were fearlessly noisy. They called out jabs and jibes as they boldly drank from their tankards and dined on pretzels. There was even a band, if it could be called that, messily playing what sounded like a polka folk song over the bells’ chimes. They all looked similar to me. Or well, maybe not me. They looked more similar to my gray-haired cousins than I, though that meant they looked close enough to be my relatives. They also all looked very similar, as in they all looked like they could be the same person and/or family, in my opinion.

One cloaked figure stood between the crowd and the woodland edge. A creature leapt to them before we could get beyond the treeline. Without flinching, they shot the monster with their crossbow. It struck true. The creature immediately convulsed, then rapidly decayed until it was only dust. All that remained was the arrow that had been fired into it. It was over so quickly. Whoever it was moved as though these monsters were nothing. In a sense, after they shot them, they were. And it was this cloaked figure that Tom approached.

“Van Mousling!” He called out the name of the guy he mistook me for. When Van Mousling looked over, I could see why. He and I could be twins. He had my long lashes and round cheeks, but his face seemed more harsh in a way I couldn’t pinpoint. He held none of my concern in his posture. Every movement of his was sure. He gave off an air of pragmatism that I deeply envied. He looked as cool as I wished I was.

He aimed his crossbow slightly above Tom’s head. “Duck.” Tom did and I was pulled with him. I heard it strike flesh. The arrow bounced off my back without piercing me. Then I felt the weight of some dust on my back. I tried to ignore what the dust was, or what would have happened a moment later.

We continued our approach. We made it past the very first house, now behind Van Mousling but not yet to the people. Once we were behind, Van Mousling took a sweeping gaze around him.

He lowered his weapon, however did not drop it. He raised the hand that was not holding it up in a fist. The crowd cheered and the bells stopped at his command. No other monsters approached. They must’ve all been dealt with.

Only when it was quiet again did Van Mousling seem to take a hard look at Tom and I. “What did you do?” The question was to Tom, but he looked at me when he asked it. He focused on my clothes. My jeans looked out of place compared to the villagers’ traditional breeches. My shirt and tennis shoes too. Somehow, I doubted my clashing colors were what caught his judgmental gaze.

“I didn’t do anything this time,” whined Tom. “He is the one who was talking near Deadman’s Den.” Upon hearing that, Van Mousling narrowed his eyes harder. This time he seemed to be looking at my face. My ears. My darting eyes.

He made up his mind. He aimed the crossbow right for my heart. I raised my hands in surrender and tried not to let my shaking knees drag me to the ground.

“Step away from it, Katze,” commanded Van Mousling. Tom (or not Tom? Never was Tom? Now he is Katze?) Katze looked back at me. I had no clue what he saw, if he saw what Van Mousling saw, but he decided to step away. I didn’t know how much I had been relying on his hold on me to keep me feeling secure until he was gone. He made his way, still between Van Mousling and the rest of them, yet far from me all the same.

Van Mousling spoke when Tom (not Tom. Katze) was away from me. “What are you?”

I wetted my throat, took a breath, and answered. “I’m Jerry Mouse.” That brought a murmur from the crowd.

“A poor attempt at a shape-shifter then? Katze, did you crack its egg before it hatched?”

Katze frowned. “I said I didn’t do anything! He was already like this when I found him.”

“Must have happened some time ago then. He’s obviously not from the village, yet if he isn't a monster there is nowhere else he could have come from.” Van Mousling stated it as though it was clear as the weather.

“I'm not a monster,” I said. A poor defense, but I had nothing else really. The crowd became rowdy with many insults about me being something or the rather. Vampire. Weremouse. Wendigo. Ghoul. Demon. Zombie. Buggane. Oni. Kelpie. “I’m not. I swear, I’m not a monster.”

Without a change in expression, Van Mousling studied me harder. He didn't move his crossbow away from me. My arms were getting sore. Without anything better to do, I studied him as well. His crossbow was not his only weapon. Not only did he seem to have many sharp objects sheathed around his body, he also had many vials of unknown substances which glowed strange colors. His hat was very, now that I had a good look at it, cowboy-like.

“Katze,” Van Mousling addressed Katze so suddenly that the cat man jumped. “Describe your first meeting with this thing.”

Katze recounted, “I was walking in the forest, near Deadman's Den-”

A voice from the crowd heckled, “what were you doing near Deadman’s Den?”

Katze pointedly ignored the crowd. “Then, he appeared. One second there was nobody, and the next he was by my side. I thought him to be you, who emerged from a tree or some such. However, He spoke loud enough to awaken the Deadmen, so I knew it couldn’t be you. And he didn’t recognize your name, so I knew it wasn’t a resident or a relative. I tried to lure the Deadmen away, and we made our way here.”

“If you knew it was unlikely that he wasn’t supernatural, why bring him to town?”

“He, well.” Either ashamed or embarrassed, but flustered all the same, Katze looked to the ground. “He knew my name. My given name.”

The crowd became even more frenzied.

“Everyone knows your name, Katze!” Called out someone with a pretzel.

“Ja, every monster in the forest has it memorized!” Someone else agreed.

Katze finally lost his temper and turned to the crowd with a very familiar glare across his face. “My first name! Does anyone here know my first name?”

Stunned, the crowd took a moment to respond.

“Is it Das?”

“It’s not Der?”

“Oh, oh! Hans?”

“Rumpelstiltskin?”

“I got it! John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!”

“Hey, that's my name too!”

All Katze did was shake his head. No one in the crowd seemed to be making a real attempt. They all didn't know his first name. And, if I had gotten it right, it meant Katze was Tom.

That didn't quite make sense either. I knew Tom's full name was ‘Tom Jasper Cat’. His family sometimes added a jr. after, but it wasn’t in there legally. I had never heard the name ‘Katze’ before, ever.

Van Mousling took his eyes off of me, but kept his head fixed in my direction. “Is there anyone who would use your given name, Katze?”

“No. The people who know it exclusively refer to me as Katze. Nobody has said my given name in years.”

“You there, Creature.” Van Mousling addressed me. “What’s his name?”

“Full name or just first name?”

“First and Last.”

“Well, I thought he was my roommate, Tom Cat, so I called him Tom. But, it seems like his name is Tom Katze instead?” I was rambling, guessing, trying to find the right words to not get shot.

Katze nodded in confirmation. With that nod, Van Mousling lowered his weapon.

“Jerry Van Mousling! Is this guy really not a monster?!” Cried someone in the crowd. Apparently, appearance wasn’t the only thing we shared. This man also shared my first name? And the man who looked so much like Tom was also named Tom? I could see why there was some muttering when I first said my name.

"Where are you from?" asked Van Mousling.

"California," I said, but the crowd just silently stared in nonrecognition. "America?" I unsurely tacked on.

"Oh, America!"

"Ja, that would explain the jeans!"

"Wait, are we in America? I forgot."

Van Mousling studied me for a while longer, looking at me just as intensely as I had looked at him. Then he handed off the crossbow he wielded to a man with a bushy mustache.

"I am going to my study to grab some materials. With them, we will know for sure whether or not he is truly a creature of the night." Then, he turned to me, with a no nonsense glare. "Don't give him a reason to shoot. I will return shortly." His cape trailed behind him in billowing waves as he walked speedily across the town.

I was left, alone, surrounded by a crowd of almost familiar faces. They mostly argued among themselves whether I was friend or foe, if I could read minds, if I would end up killing them all.

I probably should’ve cared more about my situation. But, all of the adrenaline from my emotional and then life-threatening encounters was rapidly leaving my body now that I stopped moving. All I could think about was how badly I needed a break. My arms were burning from holding them up this whole time. I, deliberately as slow and obvious as possible, began to lower my hands. Surely I could lower them without being seen as a threat.

"He's moving, he's moving!" chanted someone in the crowd that looked too much like one of my cousins. The man with the crossbow raised it to me, yet his hold was shakier than Van Mousling.

I continued at a snail's pace. I tried to focus more on the task than the weapon. Once my hands were lowered, I maneuvered myself into a sitting position. I began to overthink how I should sit half-way through, because sitting with crossed legs might seem like some occult thing, right? And kneeling could also be something like that, or at least it enough for the frenzied crowd to say it was. I sat with my legs outstretched. However childish I looked sitting like that, at least it wouldn't be considered suspicious.

"He's trying to form a star with his body!"

"I knew he was a demon!"

I felt the wind rush past, and then heard the sound of some hard "thunk!" into the wood behind me. I turned around, and only when I saw the arrow stuck in a light-post did I register I was almost shot.

"Ah, I missed!"

"Well, don't just stand there, Dumpkoph! Reload, reload!"

I couldn't move. I felt like I was elsewhere, watching those in front of me fumble the arrows and the crossbow. Each of them were yelling instructions, some of them contradicting, and each of them trying to be the one to fix the problem. All of them, that is, except Tom Katze.

"What are you doing! All of this shouting about being unarmed is going to attract a real monster!" shouted Katze, equally loud.

"Katze! Isn't that a monster?"

"I doubt Van Mousling would leave us alone with a monster."

"If it's not a monster, then what could it be?"

"You heard him. He's-" Flustered, Katze bit his lip, just as Tom always did when he was over-thinking something. "He's an American."

"But why is he sitting like that?"

"That's just how Americans sit."

"Oh, that makes sense," said the man holding the crossbow. "Sorry for almost shooting you. Water under the bridge, ja?"

"Yeah, it's fine," I whispered, as sure as I was about this as I was about everything else that was going on.

The rest of the time until Van Mousling's return passed without incident. I stayed seated on the floor, disassociated and not truly thinking about anything. The crowd bickered amongst themselves about nit-picky, tiny details. Tom Katze did not join them. He looked around like he was expecting more monsters, which did not help my nerves one bit.

When Van Mousling returned, he did so with a thick, ornate tome. He eyed the stray arrow, then the frivolously arguing crowd. Then he looked at me with an unreadable expression. He reached, not for his weapon, but for a long vial of what looked to be salt. With reference from a page in the tome, he created a salt circle.

“You there,” he addressed me once he finished. “Get in the circle without disturbing it.” I did as he commanded. Slowly, of course, I didn't trust the crowd to not try and kill me again. I was terrified that my wobbly legs would make me misstep, break the salt circle, and cause my doom.

Once I was stood as still as a soldier in the middle of the circle, Van Mousling lit a match and dropped it onto the salt. The circle instantly erupted in blue flames. I flinched, but stayed perfectly still otherwise. There was no heat, there was no smoke. Only a blinding wall of flames which raised higher and higher until, as suddenly as it occurred, it vanished. Only smoldering minerals were left behind as the last flickers disappeared in the wind.

“Van Mousling, Van Mousling! What's that mean?” Chittered someone in the crowd.

“It means,” Van Mousling let out a heavy breath. “He is no supernatural being.”

The crowd cheered. I was glad that they were happy I wasn't a monster, though I found it hard to be all that excited. If anything, I kept watch over the one with the mustache and crossbow, who could've decided in his merriment to let loose another arrow.

Neither Katze nor Van Mousling celebrated with the rest. Katze was nervously watching as Van Mousling drew another, different circle. I wished one of the noisy townsfolk noticed and asked him about it. I was too nervous to ask him myself.

“Again, in the circle, if you please.” Van Mousling requested. This time, with more of a respectful tone.

I got in the circle and Van Mousling lit the match. This time, the flames came towards me and circled my right arm as quick as a mouse. There were three of these bright, red flames. They encircled my arm, faster and faster. Then, two of the flames shot off, like arrows. The villagers screamed. They didn’t appreciate arrow-like things coming for them, it seemed.

Van Mousling raised a fist and they fell into line. Around his right hand, one of the flames circled. The other flame...

“Katze, what did you do?”

“I told you, I didn't do anything!” Katze insisted as a flame encircled his right arm as well. He tried to brush it off, but it stubbornly stayed with him. “Van Mousling's spell is broken!”

“It's not broken,” Van Mousling insisted. “Nor is it likely that these circumstances are your fault.” Van Mousling turned to me. “I believe I understand the problem here.“

“You do?” I prompted.

“Yes. You are visiting from another dimension.” Van Mousling's words made no sense. I mean, they did and they didn't. Different dimensions existing? Somehow being sent into a different dimension without knowing how? That sort of stuff made no sense.

But really, neither did monsters in a forest, nor a town of look-alikes, nor Tom Katze, nor Jerry Van Mousling. So, while I desperately tried to find some sense in all of this, I accepted the fact that what Van Mousling said could be possible. I could really be in a alternate universe.

“But why was the fire around me? I didn't drag him here!” Shouted Katze.