Oct 6, 1998.
.Victoria.
The sun raised slowly, another end to another ball. Another cat gone, living a better Jellicle life. It was sad to think that after such a fun, at some points scary, night all of the Jellicle junkyard cats would disperse.
Well, we wouldn't completely separate. Sure most of us would all see each other later that afternoon but it wasn't the same as always being around each other. Mongojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Quaxo, Tantomile, Coricopat, and I would all return to our homes. Jemima and everyone else got to stay here in the junkyard with their families, in their dens. Old Deuteronomy would make the trek to the other side of the junkyard to sleep in his den, the old jukebox. Cassandra and Exotica wouldn't even be here when I returned! They would go back on the road with their pets, the Gypsies.
I loathed having to say goodbye now. It feels as if an entire night of bonding and becoming closer as cats was ruined all because of one little sun coming over the horizon.
Every cat now rubbed heads together; for some it would be their final goodbyes for another year, until the next Jellicle ball. Alonzo and Cassandra looked especially saddened. All the other Kittens and myself, being self-proclaimed experts in love, could see the spark they shared tonight.
"Kitten,'' I jumped, Jellyorum nuzzled into my neck from behind, her nose was very cold, "You should hurry up and head home, I can't imagine that person of yours likes to keep his window open all night."
I couldn't help but giggle thinking of Mathew
"If it's closed I'll just come back here and curl up with you" I loved Jellyorum, my adoptive mother. She always thought of others over herself. I turned and nuzzled into her neck.
"I'll go as soon as I've said good bye to everyone."
I said a long goodbye to Exotica and Cassandra.
"Truly I do wish you two would just settle here." A cat could dream couldn't she?
"One can't tame a wild soul, Kitten." It rolled off of her tongue like a mixture of velvet and cream, no matter how much I hated to still be called kitten I wouldn't mind it if Exotica were the one to say it. "Besides, it won't be too long 'till we return." She gave a worried look Cassandra, maybe she saw it too.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Old Deuteronomy being toppled by kittens; Tumblebrutus, Etcetera, and Quaxo to be exact. It could only mean that it was time for Munkustrap to escort him home. I ran up to him myself and tried to bury myself in his fur.
"No, not you too!" His voice sounded so playful, you couldn't help but purr and feel calm around him. He patted my head with his right paw, and then continued to pat Jemima's with his left, whom I had just discovered was right next to me.
"Kittens!" Munkustrap's Voice was always so well supported; he could raise his voice over any barking Pollicle without so much as a little bit of breathiness. His voice was also always filled with seriousness, but on this early morning it sounded tired and restless all at once. Add that together with Seriousness and frustration you had a cat you didn't want to get angry… or at least anymore angry then he was.
"Now is not the time for fooling around!" he glared at Jemima and Etcetera, "Head home you two."
"Yes father" I couldn't tell which of them had said it; no one wanted to be scolded after such a fun night.
The rest of us pulled ourselves from the old cat and just sort of stood in a three cat circle, avoiding the eye contact of our leader, I don't know about Tumble or Quaxo but I sure didn't like being yelled at by Munkustrap.
"Go easy on them Munkustrap," Old Deuteronomy wasn't a fan of it either, "I really don't need to be walked home you know." He gave one of his smiles to Munkustrap, everyone was tired after last night, and there was no exception, even for Munkustrap.
"It would be my honor to walk you home." With that he took Old Deuteronomy by the arm and pulled him along in the direction of his den, but not without first glancing back at Tumble, Quaxo and I
"Go. To. Bed!" I guess when you're a leader the only way to get sleep is make sure everyone you're in charge of is asleep first.
They walked around a pile of junk and they were gone. Sadness swelled in my gut.
"Well! I don't know 'bout you guys but I'm Beat!" Tumblebrutus wore such a wide, goofy grin as his hands rested behind his head, I couldn't help but giggle a little.
"Go to sleep then!" Quaxo Playfully pushed him on the shoulder towards the TSE 1. Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks, and their sons had such a nice den; I wished I could have lived there with them.
"Maybe I will!" He stuck his tongue out at him "let's all meet up later at the box, okay?"
"Sounds Fun!" I was excited already, "Sure." That was all Quaxo could reply with.
Tumblebrutus walked off to bed. I looked over to Quaxo, he surely looked tired.
"You were really amazing tonight Quaxo, or should I call you Mr. Mistoffelees now?'' I tried giving him a grin of my own but I don't think he liked my joke.
"Quaxo will be quite fine still; Mistoffelees is going to be my stage name." He had a lot of pride in his voice, it was almost borderline egotistical. He held his hands to his neck as if he were holding the collar of a human shirt, and he stared into nothing, head held high.
"What are you doing?" I am not amused by this.
"Trying to imagine my future, can you not see a world famous magician? I'll give the name Jellicle cat a new meaning, I'll make other cat magicians look like fools compared to the tricks I'm goi-"
"Slow down there Mistoffelees, you should really consider controlling those bolts of lightning first, you know, before you go and fry someone." He and I both knew that those bolts last night weren't planned.
"Small details my dear." He was about to walk off to his home in Chesswood Park, not but two Blocks from here. His human went by the name Mrs. Blessington, dreadful woman she was. I stepped in front of him and nuzzled into his neck, closing my eyes.
"Why are you treating me so coldly this morning?" his words might not be cold, but the way he said them were, and if there was something that I didn't like it was the way people talked to me. Honestly he should have known I would expect an explanation.
"Oh, I haven't been trying to," I heard regret in his voice with this, also tiredness, I better keep this quick. He nuzzled me back. I guess we stayed that way for a while, because the next time I opened my eyes it was almost completely light outside.
"Quaxo?" I tried to nudge my head up but his head was heavy on mine, "Quaxo!" a little louder.
"Hmm?" he perked up a little, had he actually fallen asleep?
"How long have we been the only ones standing in the clearing?" I looked around and I was correct, every cat had gone to their dens, and went into a light coma.
"I'm not sure, but I'm willing to bet that Munkustrap will be back any second, and I really don't want him to find us not sleeping."
"I agree."
"Let's get going then." He took my paw and led me toward the hole in the bricks all cats always came and went through, and I happily followed.
Paw grabbing wasn't a rare thing now a days. Old Deuteronomy use to tell us stories of his first five loves. Those were days when permission was always asked before touching, unless it was an emergency. A young Tom and Queen didn't get to choose their mates, they were arranged. In fact Old Deuteronomy didn't choose his first his mate, and he arranged many. It was very different now; the only thing that was arranged was the ceremonial dance between a tom and a queen, so they could lead everyone in the "mating dance". No real mating is ever done at the Jellicle ball, I'm not sure why though. It's all just ceremonial now.
Last night Plato and I had led every one; it was really hard but fun at the same time. Kind of awkward too….okay, very awkward. He's two years older than me, and has always been my older brother figure. But I'm still happy I got to do the dance with someone I could trust, I could have easily been dropped. I'm not sure how our elders do the real thing at the end of every month.
"Hey are you even listening?" I sprang back to reality
"What?" no, I wasn't.
"We're here." So we were. I stepped to the other side of the wall, and he followed behind me.
"I'll see you later then?" I tightened my grip around his paw, "Why wouldn't you?" he smiled, squeezing my paw back.
My grip loosened, as did his. Before I knew it we were both walking in opposite directions towards our homes.
I lived at 1313 Checkered Bay, three quick blocks from the junkyard. My person is what a human would call a "loner", I suppose. He never seemed to cut his hair, then again, it never seemed to grow. He always made music, which was what I liked about him. Sometimes I felt obligated to stay in, he never has company, so the only one he ever plays for is me, it is lovely music. Sometimes he paints, and other times he writes. I really couldn't have asked for a better, more well rounded pet.
'I go out so much lately to the junkyard I feel like I neglect him, I'm going to make it up to him with a morning wakeup call'
I climbed up my building's fire escape; we live in the second floor. And as I suspected my window was open, so let myself in. the piano was always the first thing I landed on when I got home.
"Maybe he'll like some morning music..." I stepped down from the lid and onto the keys, I walking in a straight line along the black and white buttons. Of course I missed a few, and some got hit at the same time, but I'm sure my effort would be enough for Mathew. I walked all the way up to the sharpest key.
Still no stir from the bedroom. "Better go do this the right way." I said to myself.
I stopped off briefly at my saucer for some cream; he knew I liked cream in the morning.
His bedroom was never too spacious, but he always insisted on keeping a giant bed right in the center, not that I minded. Jumping up to his bed was effortless at this point, and with a quick lay down to his face he would once again appreciate such a fabulous owner.
"I wondered when you would come home." Aaaww I knew he'd like it. He moved me from his face and placed a kiss to my cheek.
Humans always mystify me. If one is going to place their lips to another's body, what do you accomplish if you don't use your tongue to clean them? He's lucky I'm more efficient than him, or he'd be filthy. Kisses are only for the lips, not anywhere else.
"Time to get up I suppose." With that he left our bed and walked into that room with all the …water.
"I don't know how he does it, everyday, submerged in water." I've only ever been in that room once, let me just say, I wouldn't suggest it.
The noise of running water does always make my eyelids droopy though… Images of cats and moons drifted past my eyes as I fought to look at them through sleep.
Notes..
Finally got my first chapter written to the story Ive wanted to write, i actually have quite a bit planned out in my head, and I'm hoping to cover stories of a few characters with this fic. if it helps, there will be cat/human interaction.
The relationships between cats are how I Interpreted them from the musical, so please just accept them for them, even if you believe it to be. and some personalities may be different from what you have read in other fanfics. The musical only gives you some the personalities of some of the cats, so there's a lot of leeway
i know that its hard for me to scale them in my head when imaging the story, so they often switch back and forth. When there is cat/human interaction they look like a cat and a human. When there are just cats I like to imagine them as they were in the play. But please feel free to imagine how ever it is easiest for you.
im only gonna say this once:i dont own cats. please enjoy.