Chapter Twelve
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Kittens. There were kittens everywhere. Plato and Admetus's new younger brothers were only the first in an explosion of adorable and energetic little balls of fluff. Their names were Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, both of whom were mostly white in color, like Plato, with all of Admetus's excitability.
Exotica's little sister Electra had been born three days after the two toms and only hours before Jellylorum's first litter, who'd been named Victoria and Etcetera. Jemima, Jennyanydots's little kit, was the youngest, having come into the world nearly two weeks after all the rest.
Of the four little queens, Electra was the bossy one, dictating the role everyone ought to take in their numerous games. Etcetera, affectionately known as Cetty, was the hyper one, easily keeping up with Tumble and Pounce. The princess of the group was Victoria, though she was not above giving a hearty swat to any who dared to annoy her, nor was she above playing roughly with her sister or the boys. Jemima, being the 'baby' of the group, was zealously looked after by the older kittens. She was the quiet one, the observant one whose wide eyes missed nothing.
Everyone had already fallen in love with the new Jellicles. Mistoffelees, in particular, was glad to no longer be the youngest in the tribe. As he was still under the care of Jenny and her mate, he had become much like an elder brother to Jemima – a role which he'd taken to with much pride.
Tugger watched idly from where he lay on the trunk of the TSE1 car as the kittens frolicked about the clearing. It had taken him several minutes to free himself from their clutches after he'd arrived. Though not yet very old, the queen kits did not seem to be immune to the older tom's charms, having quickly formed what Cassandra had nicknamed 'Tugger's Fan Club'.
"Tag – you're it!" Pouncival shouted, giving an unsuspecting Etcetera a rough shove.
"No fair!" the striped kitten declared angrily. "You can't tag me when I'm not expecting it!"
"Yeah, huh!"
"Uh-uh! Cheater!"
"It ain't cheating just 'cos you're not paying attention!" Tumblebrutus exclaimed, coming to his brother's aid.
"Well, we can't run if we don't know you're chasing us!" countered Electra, standing by her friend.
"That's just stupid!" declared Pounce. "It's funner when you ain't expecting it!"
Their argument might have continued, but before Victoria could offer her opinion on the matter, the pure white kitten spotted a familiar figure entering the clearing. "Ah!" she cried happily. "Jemi's brother's here!" They quickly surrounded the older kitten.
"Misto!"
"Misto, play with us!"
"Did you figure out that trick you were working on?"
"Play with us?"
"Please, Misto?" This last one had come from Jemima, who smiled hopefully up at the tuxedoed tom.
"Oh, alright," Mistoffelees said to the cheers of the younger cats. "I've got a little trick that Jenny said I could share..." He proceeded to show them his 'trick', which consisted of very little magic, as he still hadn't very much control over it. The smaller kittens didn't know the difference, however, and were thoroughly delighted anyway.
"It seems forever since I was that young." Tugger looked up as Bombalurina took a seat beside him.
"You mean, it wasn't?" Tugger opened his eyes wide.
The red queen tossed her head in mock disdain. "You know full well that I'm the same age as you, Rum Tum Tugger," she declared, giving him a sidelong glance.
"I know no such thing," he returned, sitting up and gazing back at her. Bombalurina rolled her eyes before returning her gaze to the kittens.
"I miss those days," she admitted with a sigh. Tugger stared at her for a moment before looking out at the younger cats.
"I miss some parts of them," he confessed. "Others... well, it doesn't matter. I can't change any of that now, anyway."
Bombalurina looked over at him in surprise. She was about to ask what he meant when she noticed his pensive expression. In the short time she had known the tom, she'd never seen him so serious. Uncertain what to make of it, she said nothing, choosing to keep her questions to herself.
Atop the washer across the clearing, Tantomile and Coricopat suddenly rose as one, their heads turning with interest towards the far entrance. Mistoffelees jerked his attention in the same direction seconds later. Noticing the actions of the other three Jellicles, many of the kittens and a few of the older cats did the same. Tugger felt his fur bristle, almost of its own accord. The reason for this soon became clear.
It was her.
A wave of emotions washed over him. Anger, hurt, betrayal, hate, bitterness – it was all there, and it was all directed at her. He'd recognize her anywhere. Grizabella the Glamor Cat. The one who'd abandoned him. His mother.
Munkustrap stepped down from his spot on the tire where he'd been talking to Demeter and Alonzo as the old queen approached. Grizabella was no longer the beauty she'd been in her younger years. Her shiny coat was beginning to become ragged and stained, its natural sheen long lost, gray blemishing her once glorious coloring. The golden eyes that had once glittered with life and mischief were starting to dull. She was starting to look old, haggard.
"Who are you?" Munkustrap demanded, positioning himself in front of the others. "What is your business here?" Jellylorum and Jennyanydots had gathered the kittens to them, the other cats standing in front of them, forming a wall between the young and the intruder. Some of the older Jellicles recognized her, of course, and they bared their teeth in silent, warning snarls.
Her gaze swept over the cats before her. The kittens all craned their necks in an attempt to see her better. She opened her mouth to say something as Jennyanydots shoved Mistoffelees and Jemima back behind her. Closing her mouth, her gaze traveled on until her eyes fell upon the maned tom still standing on the car.
"Tugger..." she murmured softly. Rum Tum Tugger leaped from the car, bounding towards her before stopping a very short distance away, glaring down at her with undisguised loathing.
Some of the others were whispering to each other. "Who is she?" asked one; another, "How does she know Tugger?"
"You have no business here, you filthy pollicle," Tugger growled before stalking away. Munkustrap looked after him in surprise. How did Tugger know this cat?
"Grizabella," a voice finally spoke the queen's name. Old Gus was getting on in years and didn't often make the trip to the Junkyard alone anymore, opting instead to remain in comfort at his home at the theater. He now gazed at her with a mixture of remorse and condemnation.
"Grizabella..." the others murmured.
"The Glamor Cat."
"I heard that she..."
"Isn't she..?"
"Gus," Grizabella returned with a trace of her old dulcet tone. It, too, was beginning to fade.
"You know the law, Bell," the Theater Cat told her. "You have betrayed the tribe, sullied the Jellicle name. Furthermore, you have openly consorted with the likes of Macavity. Your actions have made you a pariah to this tribe. You cannot be here, no matter what the reason."
"I just..." she began hesitantly, "I wanted to see..."
"Munkustrap," Gus prompted the younger tom, cutting off whatever the queen was about to say. The silver tabby looked from the older tom to Grizabella and back again, his expression changing from confusion to solemnity as the realization of what he was expected to do weighed upon him. He was the Jellicle Protector. He was to expel the exile from the Junkyard.
Munkustrap couldn't recall any of his other tasks being quite so unpleasant.
"You have to leave," he stated.
Grizabella eyed him appraisingly. "So you're the son of Deuteronomy," she said. "You look just like your father."
"I'm his younger son," Munkustrap corrected her.
"Younger son?" the old queen asked, confusion flickering across her features.
"Yes," he answered, silently wondering how she could know Tugger's name but not know who he is. "You have to leave."
"So, the younger son succeeds the throne," Grizabella murmured knowingly. She seemed to have figured something out. "Not to worry, brave Protector and Jellicles all." Her gaze darted over towards Jenny. "I'm leaving now."
"I'll escort you out," Munkustrap declared. Gus nodded approvingly, as did several of the others. The tabby followed the ostracized queen to the edge of Jellicle territory. Once there, she turned towards him, as though to tell him something, then thought better of it. He stood there until she was out of sight.
It was strange, he decided. Turning, he trotted back towards the Junkyard, determined to find his brother. If he had to drag it out of the older tom, he was going to find out what in Heaviside was going on.
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To be continued...
