A/N: Most of this chapter is on Macavity's past! Sorry!
To blastedcrow: Thanks for reviewing!
To jelliclesoul635: Thanks! I'm glad your enthusiastic!
To Sitara: Please don't die! I don't think this one ends in a cliffhanger, so it should be alright.
Cassandra was still a wreck after the break-up with Alonzo. She told herself over and over that she should've expected nothing less from the stupid jerk. But then a small part of her mind would argue that the jerk was one that she loved. The Jellicle Flash! hadn't helped matters either. Cassandra wanted more than anything to know who Alonzo had broken up with her for.
Exotica, her cousin, crawled over to her and whispered, "Cassandra, you are of noble birth yet you lay here doing nothing. You shame the Ra clan's name."
Cassandra turned her head and closed her eyes in pain. Before joining the Jellicles, both Exotica and her had been born into the Ra Clan. They had been the most noble of all Abyssinians and considered royalty in Egypt.
"You know what the rules are, Cass", Exotica continued. Of course Cassandra knew the rules, but she didn't want to remember them. The third rule of the clan was that if your mate broke up with you for another cat, both had to be killed.
Cassandra didn't want to kill Alonzo or anyone else, but she didn't want to shame the family name. Exotica smiled and said, "I know who the queen is."
Tugger couldn't believe he had actually agreed to help Jenny and Jelly. But now he knew how the two of them got so much gossip. They had "hired" him to go snooping around for some juicy information. Tugger groaned as he lay down low in a pipe listening intently to passing conversations.
Finally a queen's voice spoke, "Tumblebrutus, stop following me!"
Then the male voice, presumably Tumble's answered, "Victoria, I just want to say something.
"Speak your part and get it over with", Victoria was infuriated. Tumble said, "Is this all because of Admetus?"
"No, it's not!"
"Mistoffelees, then", Tumble answered. There was silence for a bit. If Tugger hadn't waited patiently he would've thought they had disappeared. Victoria's voice broke the calm, "Maybe."
"I just wanted to know that much", Tumblebrutus answered, "Thanks, I'll leave now."
Tugger heard retreating footsteps and was about to get out of the pipe when Victoria called, "Why did you want to know?"
"Huh?"
"Why?"
Tumble cleared his throat and said, "I wanted to be sure that the tom would look after you. If it was Admetus, I would never let him near you. But Mistoffelees will take care of you."
In a whisper Victoria replied, "Thanks."
Macavity heard an argument happening outside but the voices were faint. Lost in the limbo of reality and memory, nothing was clear. Finally the fog cleared.
Old Deuteronomy stood up with a warm smile and patted Munkustrap on the back. Macavity watched from the shadows as the Jellicle Ball was starting. Time and time again the balls were basically the same. Only his father's favorites were chosen to go to the Heaviside Layer. Macavity personally felt it was all so stupid. He was still young by Jellicle standards, but inside his understanding was far beyond most.
Old Deuteronomy, his father, was a hypocrite, but then again so was everyone else. Macavity longed to ask his father so many questions, but each time he had a chance, the words never got out.
Demeter had spotted him and smiled so warmly that his heart ached. He loved her. He knew it, but he doubted anyone else really knew how deep his passion for her was.
"Why are hiding, Mac?" Demeter whispered. Macavity yawned and replied nonchalantly, "I'm bored, that's all."
"I know", Demeter answered, "These Jellicle Balls are so boring!"
Then she giggled and he had to smile back at her naivety. Then Macavity's smile shrunk as he looked down.
"You're coming of age, aren't you?" Macavity whispered in a tiny voice. Demeter blushed and whispered back, "Well, yeah."
"Who're you…" Macavity lost his nerve to continue but Demeter understood and replied, "You, of course!"
"Are you sure?" Macavity wanted her to really want to go with him, not out of pity. Demeter laughed and said, 'Never been more sure in my whole life, Mac."
The ball had gone on without incident and the Mating Dance with Demeter had gone quite well. Finally, his father chose the person to pass onto the Heaviside. Grizabella, a beautiful middle aged queen smiled as her father was chosen.
Macavity saw in the shadows a withered old cat who had wanted to be chosen, who had deserved to be chosen.
After the ball, Macavity directly approached his father. "You didn't choose Jonathan."
"Son, he isn't ready for that. His soul wants to cling to life here." Old Deuteronomy replied smoothly. Macavity's anger grew quickly. "How do you know what he wants?"
"Look at his face, son, you can tell."
Two weeks later, Jonathan died from old age. Macavity's breath drew in sharply as his father said some parting words to Jonathan. It was rare that any Jellicle would die since usually they passed on.
"What a hypocrite", he scoffed. Munkustrap smiled broadly and said to Macavity, "What's wrong, Mac?"
"Nothing", Macavity replied brushing him off. There were so many things he wanted to say. In the dead of the night he crept off and in a deserted alley he screamed. An alley cat saw him and asked, "Hey, man, are you okay?"
At that point he had made a decision. Macavity drew in a breath and whispered, "I'm lost and I don't have a home."
"You can stay with me", the alley cat responded. He had truly left the Junkyard.
Macavity stirred a little, but Demeter seemed to be going through another memory too.
Jemima squeaked, "Anyway, Plato. You want to go out sometime?"
Plato smiled happily and responded, "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"Yes?"
Plato laughed and shouted, "Don't say it like a question!"
"Yes, I'm asking you out." Jemima said huffily. Plato smirked and whispered, "I was kidding. Of course, I'd love to go on a date with you."
Nearby Alonzo had stopped in his tracks and heard the conversation.
A/N: I think Macavity's past is lame...but Demeter's side of the story will be next chapter! Please REVIEW!!!!! I'm begging!
