Disclaimer: I DON'T own Cats; it's just not in my budget.
Summary: Something fishy is going on with Plato after the ball. And how come whenever Macavity appears, Plato isn't there? Why are there gaps in Plato's memory of these times? Why is he getting unusually evil instincts, and feelings of hatred toward cats he's never been involved with? And why the heck am I asking so many cliché questions?
PS: Okay, sorry I've taken so dang long. After some family emergencies, school, life, extra curricular activities, and just pure writers' block and procrastination, I finally hit a breakthrough. Sorry for the inconvenience, but this story was seriously due for a rewrite, and it's important that you read the chapter again, for I added some very much needed scenes of foreshadowing, and it's important you read it, or else chapters to come WILL NOT make sense . And even now I'm not satisfied with it! groans It just sounds so babyish to me when I read it! But, as a relatively new writer, I just can't guarantee the best. But I can guarantee that I'm learning constantly, and my writing will probably get better over time.
Also to note: I will not guarantee that there will be regular updates, for I'm a very irregular person. But, like I said, I have ABSOLUTELY NO intention of abandoning this story without and ending. Trust me, I've read too many wonderful stories that never have endings. And if I do in the end have to abandon it, I'd have the decency to let you all know. The most heartbreaking thing to me in is a brilliant story that is never finished, and the author never bothers to come back and at least tell you! I could rave on for days about stories that haven't been written in for years, and yet are so wonderful. I'm sure everyone on could agree with me there!
Plato's Curse
Plato yawned as he stretched, getting the stiffness out of his body. He looked up at the sky outside his den and saw that it was about noon. Man, staying up all night can really take your day away! Plato smiled as he thought back on the Jellicle Ball the night before: dancing, singing, and the best of all, queens! Especially that very attractive white kitten Victoria, who had danced with him that night. She was a pretty little kitten, who was just on the brink of queenhood, though she had yet to act like it. She was wise at times, but was still very immature, seeing as she was only a kitten. Naturally, that meant that he doing the mating dance with her that night had pushed many of the older cats into a frenzy. Her Father was the most ecstatic over it, but he was better known as the Tribe's Protector, Munkustrap.
Yeah, so Munkustrap didn't approve, like he cared. She was young, but he'd settle for her. The point was that he had a girlfriend, unlike his other friends. To top that, she had been a certain young tuxedoed tom's love interest, and whatever somebody wanted, Plato must have. So, now he had taken something no other tom could have.
He had loved it when he had seen all of the toms hoping for a chance with her faces fall. Especially that annoying black and white magician's; he had been the most crushed of them all. Plato had always had a great dislike for Quaxo, even before he had a reason. Why should he think he had ever had a chance with Victoria? So what if he had 'magical powers', and was the legendary magician 'Magical Mr. Mistoffelees', it just made him all the more annoying. What was so cool about that? What really bugged Plato was that everyone ogled over him and his mystic mogo, and no one seemed to remember who he really was? An annoying whiny kit that wanted what he couldn't have. It just wasn't fair; he hadn't even been part of the tribe for all that long. Why was it that for some reason Cassandra loved to hang out with him almost as much as Alonzo?
"I bet he used a love spell on her." Plato thought, ridiculously ignoring the fact that her affection was motherly, and not romantic. Cassandra's only love interest was her mate Alonzo, which Plato had never forgiven the fact of.
Cassandra was a month or so older than Plato, and when they where in the state that humans would call 'teens', Cassandra had been Plato's love interest. She had never enjoyed the attention, though. When Plato looked back on it now, he had no idea why he had wanted her in the first place. Cassandra had always been elegant, yet cold, for she would always refuse any tom who'd court her. Until Alonzo, that is. When Plato was just on the brink of tomhood, he had taken a big interest in her. If he could win her over, he'd win a prize no other tom had won. Then Alonzo joined the Jellicles, and though Cassandra at first treated Alonzo like every other tom that had tried to win her over, they soon were more and more frequently seen together. And then at the ball, where they'd all left kittenhood, they'd done the mating dance with one another.
Right after that, Quaxo joined the tribe, along with the 'psycho' twins (as Plato called them), Coricopat and Tantomile. After awhile, all five were seen frequently together. Tantomile and Cassandra, along with Cassandra's sister, Exotica, often when seen, were together, though they were rarely seen at all. Alonzo and Coricopat were close, but not best of friends. Unlike the rest of the mentioned, Alonzo was popular. When Cassandra made her daily appearances out in public, she was always dragging behind her either Exotica or Quaxo, and occasionally Alonzo.
What also got on Plato's nerves was the bond that had seemed to form between Quaxo and the Rum Tum Tugger. Or should he call him Mistoffelees now? Plato wasn't quite sure. At this thought, one of Gus's old Jellicle legends echoed in the back of his mind: "Once, in every generation, there will be three to carry on through. And these three will be known as the evil, the strong, and the hopeful. The last to come will be the hopeful. He will be the most powerful of all three. He will often be the most hard to find, for we find him in the least expected place, He will in the end defend the tribe, and bring a downfall to the evil one. And he will take the name Mistoffelees.
Plato scoffed at this, "Yeah, as if Tiny will accomplish that. I think he's isn't even really Mistoffelees. The tribe's been wrong before." He said this to himself assuredly, but deep down he questioned whether or so it were true. Ever since the ball last night, Quaxo had been different. Not just his appearance had changed, but he hadn't responded quite the same when Plato and his friends had done their daily taunting to him that night, after the ball. Not that Plato cared much, but still, it gave him the creeps. He'd better keep an eye on Quaxo, just in case he got any ideas, especially if they involved Victoria. At this thought, Plato got an excellent idea on where to take Victoria for the day.
But just then, a loud and rather obnoxious voice penetrated his thoughts. "Plato! Finally, you're awake!" Plato silently groaned at the sound of Pouncival's voice.
"Not so loud, Pounce! Do you want the whole junkyard to hear you?" Plato smiled slightly at the sound of his best friend, Tumblebrutus. "Hey Plato, sorry about that, you know how this one is." Tumblebrutus said, indicating his paw at Pouncival's direction. "Anyway, how'd you sleep today?"
"I was sleeping fine until just now, no thanks to you two." Plato said with, a false edge to his voice. He slowly sat up and stared at the two.
"Hey, that's not fair! You were already awake!" Pouncival exclaimed, outraged.
"Don't question what I say!" Plato yelled as a temper, unlike any he'd ever felt before, set fire through his veins. Pouncival jumped back.
"Hey, what's your problem? Why are you acting so weird?" Pouncival said, very concerned and offended at the same time. But Plato didn't completely understand himself. Whatever this was, it was unlike him, and it scared him. The raw fury pumping through his blood, the adrenaline telling him to hurt something, it was terrifying. Why would he snap at his friend like that? Sure, Pouncival was annoying, but he was only joking about Pounce waking him. Why then, did he feel so strongly about someone defying his word?
Plato shook it off, 'It's nothing,' he thought, 'absolutely nothing. I'm just tired, that's all.' At this thought, Plato shivered. Now that he thought about, he was tired. He was still trying to grope why he was so exhausted, when Tumblebrutus interrupted again.
"Plato? Buddy? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Plato said bluntly. "Sorry about that, I guess I'm still groggy."
"It's okay, we understand. How'd you sleep last night?" Plato shivered once more.
"Not so great, but I don't know why." But as the words left his mouth, the memory of the night before flashed back into his mind, drowning out all else. Darkness, nothing else before his eyes, as a chillingly cold wind blew in his face, stinging tears into his eyes. Loud, adrenaline raising sirens wailing, rapidly approaching what he could not name. And a soft, heart wrenching cry off in the distance. He watched what he could not see, as the cry became muffled. He was apart of that struggle, and yet was only watching from the sidelines. He still couldn't recall whether it was he or someone else that was crying, but it sounded familiar. What kind of dream was that? So cold, devastating, and hauntingly real; it seemed so distance, and yet so familiar
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Pssst, Victoria!" Victoria heard as she walked by with her sisters. At the sound of her name, she snapped back to reality, from the daydream going on in her head.
"Who's that?" Electra demanded, losing all drowsiness from the moment before. Victoria giggled at her sister's paranoia.
"It's just Plato, Electra, don't worry." Jemima said. Etcetera snickered at the embarrassed look on Electra's face.
"Well, I have to go. See you guys!" Victoria exclaimed, trying to contain her excitement.
'What could that jerk possibly want from you now?" Electra grumbled.
"What's wrong with him?" Victoria asked with a reproachful look on her face.
"I'd just rather see you with someone else, that's all. We're not little kittens anymore; we have to start looking out for ourselves. You can't just fall for anybody, just because the ask you to go with them."
"Humph!" Victoria said haughtily, and started stalking off. But as soon as she started walking off, Electra grabbed her arm. "Hey" Victoria exclaimed.
"Look, I'm sorry Victoria for what I said about Plato, but it's partially true. You can't just fling yourself into such things. Victoria, you're only a kitten and Plato almost a complete year older than you!"
"Yeah, so what? Most of the toms' mates are a year or so younger than them! Dad is 10 months older than Mother! And you just said yourself; we're not little kittens anymore!"
"I know, but most of them are fully grown when they make that choice. They know what they're getting into. When I said we're not little kittens anymore, that doesn't mean we're not kittens."
"Electra, if we're not going to agree on this, at least let me go." Victoria said coolly. Out of shock and confusion, Electra let go of her sister's arm. "Thank you, now, if you don't mind." Victoria strutted off to where Plato was hiding.
"What was that all about?" Etcetera asked. Electra growled slightly, turning sharply around, about to snap at her sister. But as she did, her eyes caught Jemima's amber-brown gaze, and were locked in a battle of wills. Jemima was silently telling her to let it go, but Electra just couldn't. She saw straight through Plato's façade, and there was no way he was going to play his sister like that. She had seen the sneer he had given poor Quaxo. She had given him a pep talk, that had given him the courage to go up and dance with his sister at the invitation, but he had just got scared off by Plato when it had finally been his chance. She'd let it go for now, but only to please her sister Jemima.
"Nothing," Electra replied without once looking away from Jemima's hypnotic eyes. "It is nothing, just forget about it, Etcetera."
"Okay, sure," Etcetera said shrugging. "whatever you say. Now, let's go spy on them!"
"Etcetera, that'd be rude!" Exclaimed Jemima, "And besides, Daddy always said 'Spying is wrong!'"
"Ahh come on, just one peek?" Electra and Jemima both shook their heads. "Party-pooper's!" Etcetera pouted. But at that moment, all was forgiven and forgotten between them, for just then the Rum Tum Tugger walked by, heading for the tire. The three kittens squealed, and followed in pursuit, Etcetera clawing herself in front. But, about halfway, Electra started to slip off, unnoticed by all.
Well, what do you think? Love the newer written version, or hate? Critical reviews welcome, along with positive, and even (not the italics) reasonable flames.