Return of the Jellicle

by Whitakker

Set after the events of "The Jellicle Chronicles" by Dennis Callin et al. Reading that story is recommended highly before reading this one. The Tribe awakens on the Homeworld, but what now? How much of themselves do they remember? What was gained, and what was lost? And how strong are the bonds of the heart that kept them all together...strong enough to endure space and time?

1. Foreword

I write this foreword for several reasons. First and chiefly, I must give thanks to Dennis Callin and his crew of writers, editors, and artists for gifting the CATS fandom with their epic tale, The Jellicle Chronicles. They put together a truly exhilarating piece of fiction, and took the world of CATS to places I never thought it could go. As far as I'm concerned, it's their sandbox; I'm just playing in a corner of it. If, by chance, you are reading this foreword and have not yet read the story to which I'm referring, do yourself a favor: close this tab/window, go Google "The Jellicle Chronicles", and proceed to partake in one of the finest pieces of fanfiction I have ever read. After having done so, I dearly hope you'll come back and read this little story of mine.

Secondly, after finishing TJC, and being blown away by its ending, I was left with a bittersweet feeling. That is not to say that I in any way did not enjoy how TJC ended. I understand that it had to end that way. The direction the story was going could only have put it on one final destination, and it is one that I was so glad to experience. Not all stories can be true "happy endings", no matter how much we wish them to be. No matter my strong and complex feelings about the ending of TJC, I would not have wanted it to end any other way; for it to do such would have been to undersell itself in terms of story progression and impactfulness, I believe.

Thirdly, I am completely cognizant of the fact that TJC does in fact have a quasi-sequel of sorts, which I have read myself. My decision to write this alternate take on the end of TJC does not mean I disagree with or in any way hate Anna-Karin Larsson's "The Jellicle Tribe". It's just as wonderful a story as TJC, albeit with a different feel and atmosphere to it. When it comes down to it, this story is simply some innocent wish fulfillment on my part. If, at any point, Mr. Callin et al. wish me to remove this story, I shall do so immediately with no ill feelings whatsoever.

With that out of the way, we can begin. It might seem obvious, but this story will only make sense if you've read "The Jellicle Chronicles", penned by Dennis Callin, aka "Rumblepurr", and his crew of authors, editors, and artists. Arm yourself with that knowledge, and enjoy. I will attempt my best to reconcile the personalities of the Tribe as depicted in TJC with what I believe and understand to be the intent of the authors when they introduced the idea of the "Jellicle Self". That being said, some of my own biases and liberties may, can, and probably will be taken here and there. So keep that pinch of salt handy…