I don't own Quaxo. Or Mistoffelees if you want to get technical. Or Tugger. Or any of the cats.
My name is Quaxo. Or at least it used to be. But since tha Jellicle Ball, everyone calls me Mr. Mistoffelees. For a long time, Rum Tum Tugger annoyed the heck out of me, calling me that instead of Quaxo. He claimed I needed a magical 'stage name'. He was one of the few who knew about my magical gifts. Most cats thought they were tricks, and I never did anything to disprove them. Only Old Deuteronomy, Tugger, Munkustrap, and Victoria, my sister, knew it was real. Knew that I had inherited the gift from my father. So I hid my powers. I didn't know how to control them fully. I practiced and worked at it, Tugger constantly encouraging me, though he pretended to just be there to flirt with any kittens that walked by. He always thought I should show people, and I even think he thought I was good at my magic. But I never did. Until that night.
Macavity had come through in a whirlwind. He stood there and suddenly, none of the Jellicles could move. He must have used his powers. I already said I come by mine honestly. I could see out of the corner of my eye, Macavity's goons tying Old Deuteronomy up in a net and dragging him away. Then we were free. And I was ashamed. I should have been able to break out of the spell, to do something, but I had simply stood there and watch it happen. So I hid just out of sight. I could hear some of the other cats crying. Then he was back. We had Deuteronomy back! But Demeter showed us that it was Macavity in disguise. Munkustrap immediately stepped up to fight him, Alonzo taking his place when Munkustrap fell. Mungojerrie was the next up. I was surprised that he would stand up to his 'boss' like that, but he did. Finally, Macavity left in a flash of light, and from my angle I could see him levitate and fly out of the junkyard. Everyone was hopeless. We had no way to find Old Deuteronomy. Then I heard something I definitely didn't expect. Rum Tum Tugger.
"You ought to ask Mr. Mistoffelees! The original conjuring cat. There can be no doubt about that!" He sat up. I was stunned. He knew I wasn't that good at most of the magical things I had tried. But he continued. "Please listen to me and don't scoff. All his inventions are off his own bat". Now he stood. I didn't deserve these praises, especially from him. I always acted like I hated him, but really I looked up to him. Then he began to sound like some advertisement, throwing his special "look-I'm-special" voice onto everything. "There's no such cat in the metropolis. He holds all the patent monopolies for performing surprising illusions and creating eccentric confusions! The greatest magicians have something to learn from Mister Mistoffelees' conjuring turn". Now that was untrue. I could barely levitate. But he obviously thought I could do it. He was giving me time to prepare so prepare I did. I warmed up, practicing a few small things like small lights. All the while, Tugger continued to explain, turning it into a song. "And we all say, 'Oh! Well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees? Oh! Well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees? He is quiet, he is small, he is black from the ears to the tip of his tail." Then Demeter and Bombalurina began singing with him as back up. And they didn't even know whom he was talking about! "He can creep through the tiniest crack. He can walk on the narrowest rail. He can pick any card from a pack; he is equally cunning with dice. He is always deceiving you into believing that he's only hunting for mice." He had begun explaining some of my tricks. My sleight-of-hand tricks. Strange. "He can play any trick with a cork or a spoon and a bit of fish paste. If you look for a knife or a fork and you think it is merely misplaced. You have seen it one moment and then it's gone. But you find it next week lying on the lawn!"
Now was my entrance. Because of the introduction I was given, I decided it needed to be spectacular. I used my lights, attaching them to my jacket (I had always been good at lights) and found a rope to lower me in. Hopefully, in this getup, I wouldn't be recognized. The rope lowered me in while Tugger sang some more. "And we all say, 'Oh! Well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees?" I climbed out of the rope, turned and sent bits of magic through all the light bulbs that had gone out. "PRESTO!" It worked! All the lights came on. The other cats joined in the song. I thought I'd try some of the slightly more difficult stuff. I was on a roll. Lightning jumped out of my hand, and hit directly where I aimed for. I glanced at Rum Tum Tugger. I could tell he was proud, so I did what he would have done. I took a few small bows. I shot a bit more lightning, dancing to the song. I noticed Tugger trying to do my dance, but when it didn't quite work, he went back to being his 'awesome self'. I rubbed my paws together and launched four consecutive bolts in just a few seconds. I had never been able to do this before! Then Tugger began to describe me, and I couldn't help taking on the qualities he gave me.
"His manner is vague and aloof. You would think there was nobody shyer". I stood taller, looking over everyone's head, looking "aloof" or so I hoped. "But his voice has been heard on the roof when he was curled up by the fire. And he's sometimes been heard by the fire when he was about on the roof." He was dancing with me (sort of. He danced his way while I did mine) then he truly danced with me, motion by motion. "At least we all heard that somebody purred!" Now he went back to his own dance, mimicking me every so often, allowing me to be the star of my own show. "Which is uncontestable proof of his singular magical powers. And I've known the family to call him in from the garden for hours when he was asleep in the hall." Funny. I didn't know I had done all that… anyway, I looked up at him, asking if more lightning was need for our performance. He did his 'bring it on' motion, and I obliged. "And not long ago this phenomenal cat produced seven kittens right out of a hat!" Now that was a complete lie. But I went with it, dancing away until I summoned one of my tricks, lacing the ribbon with a shine. I had never felt this powerful before. I handed my cup of to Jemima to get it out of the way, winking at Cassandra, whom I had been hinting at my powers for quite some time. I continued my dance remembering to be "vague and aloof". I jolted Victoria with a bit of harmless static shock lighting. It didn't touch her, but it looked like lightning had passed through her harmlessly. I saw Tugger had opened the stage for me, sitting in the back with Etcetera and Electra, encouraging me with nods. All the cats were stunned but I think Tantomile and Coricopat could tell who I was. They just know things like that. They all cheered for me. Especially Rum Tum Tugger, and I realized why he wanted me to do this. I could do this with enough encouragement. Even some of Tugger's girls were panting after me. Then I summoned a red sheet from inside the car. Cassandra at on top, and I knew she wanted to help, theatrical little diva she is. Tugger repeated, "And not long ago this phenomenal cat produced seven kittens right out of a hat!" I shook out the sheet and pointed to my lovely assistant Cassandra. We had been trying to pull this trick off without magic for weeks, so now it was the real deal.
She moved into position and I had some of the other toms cover her to prove it was no trick. I pulled her and the sheet into the center of the clearing. I glanced back at Tugger and he nodded. He believed I could do this. I waved my hands over the sheet (and out of the corner of my eye I saw Tugger giving me a thumbs up). I blew some dust of my hands, coating them in pure magic. I waved them once again and the blanket began to glow. I sensed a change under the sheet and I smiled. I pulled the sheet away, and Old Deuteronomy stood there. I had done it! Tugger looked so proud of me as he looked at his father, as he repeated what he had said so many times that day, only this time, he meant it more than ever, I could tell. "And we all say, 'Oh! Well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees?" He grabbed his father's paw telling him who had brought him back. I was still stunned that I had done it. He pointed to me and I held my arms high in the theatrical way Tugger told me to do so often when I finished a trick. Then I was overcome with joy! Old Deuteronomy was back! I jumped into his arms. I nuzzled against his face. I may have even given him a few kisses (he is my grandfather after all). Everyone was cheering for me. Me! Quaxo the quiet kitten was no more. Then I remembered Cassandra. I knew I had sent her just out of sight, but before I could get to her, a crowd surrounded me. As soon as I could, I skipped and met her, grabbing her hand and leading her to Deuteronomy. I put my arm around her waist, dancing her there. She indicated that I should bow, and I did. Then we bowed together, as Tugger sang my praises in the background (though I'm sure he wouldn't put it that way).
And then for my last trick. I climbed on to the car with my back to the entire tribe. Tugger knew what to do. "I give you the magical-" I turned and raised my right arm. "The marvelous-" I raised my left. "Mr. Mistoffelees!" I leapt into the air, disappearing into thin air. I landed in my den, and celebrated to myself for a moment. Tugger found me first and told me how proud he was, then ragged on me a bit, as was expected. Then Cassandra showed up. I explained my real powers to her. I had started to ramble when she did something completely unexpected. She leaned over and nuzzled her head against mine. I nuzzled back.
My name was Quaxo. But since that Jellicle Ball, I have been The Magical Mr. Mistoffelees!
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