The Joker
CHAPTER 1: The Joker
"MUNGOJERRIE!"
The tom skittered away with a giggle, pleased with the outcome of his latest prank. Yes, he was practical joker, and an irrepressible one at that. His jokes weren't always the most original, but they were certainly always the most effective. The chief reason for his success was that nobody ever suspected him of such behaviour, and so his pranks were always blamed on one of the younger cats, such as Mistoffelees, Mungojerrie or Rumpelteazer. On occasion, even the Rum Tum Tugger was blamed…although the Tugger didn't usually pull pranks himself; instead, he merely directed Mistoffelees as to what he wanted to occur.
Inside the den from which the tom had just scampered, another tom was growling, quite upset with the outcome of the latest prank that that rascal, Mungojerrie, had just pulled on him (or so he believed). "That freak," he spat angrily.
"Who are you calling a freak today?"
The tom looked up to see his soon-to-be-mate, Victoria, entering his den.
Noticing his angry glare, Victoria walked up and gently placed her paw on his arm. "What's the matter, Plato?"
"Oh, just Mungojerrie up to his old tricks," sighed the tom.
"What did he do this time?"
"This." Plato showed Victoria a pile of chewed-looking papers with splashes of colour on.
"Oh, no, not your photo album!" cried Victoria, slightly distressed at the revelation.
"Yes," replied Plato bitterly, "my photo album. Our photo album."
Despite herself, Victoria almost smiled. Plato had insisted that, when the two became mates, Victoria would be as rightful an owner of his photo album as himself. However, while they were mates-to-be, Victoria still had honorary ownership of the album, as there were photos of her in it also. All the queen said in reply, however, was "Oh, Plato…"
The tom dropped the ruined book on the floor and sank onto his bed. "I hate him! All our memories, gone! Ruined! Just like that."
Meanwhile, the giggling tom had settled down in the shade under a pile of junk, flicking through the book he held in his paws. He took great interest in the photographs as he flicked through the many thick pages of the volume, smiling at some, guffawing at others. When he had finished with the book for the time being, the tom fled back to his den and hid it underneath his pillow (at least, he tried to – the pillow was too small to cover the whole album, but the tom didn't mind). Grinning and pleased with his catch of the day, he walked out into the centre of the junkyard, where he and the rest of the Jellicle tribe lived, and he began acting normal once again.
