Part 3

The ginger tom sighed and looked up at the moon. He had been there as well that night. He had heard the song, but had not joined in. He agreed with so many things the other toms said, but he had been too afraid to make everyone see it. If they knew he was a rebel he would be limited in his movements around town. He looked around at the crowd around him. They had moved back to the yard, even though he protested at first. They were now all sitting in that same bar where the four toms had met. He looked up and saw Asparagus and Admetus sit together by a table.

"So that is how you all met", the grey old tom said and all eyes were on him. "But as I understand it, that was just the beginning? You met in spring right?"

"Yes… and after that meeting Munkustrap got into the college he wanted and started studying and writing and writing some more", Macavity explained. "He worked as a diligent student by day and rebelled at night with his friends who did the same. At day they kept a low profile… and at night they fought."

"So…" the old cat took a drink. "What happened next?"

"Spring turned to summer", Macavity replied and got up. "And as you know there's nothing rich cats love more than going downtown and slummin' it with the poor. They pull up in their carriages and gawk at the students in the common just to watch them talk."

Macavity was walking around the clearing handing out flyers about the revolution and revolution propaganda. Through the corner of his eye he noticed that Alonzo was out doing the same. They nodded to each other. As he walked he remembered the cat he had met earlier that day. Bustopher Jones, the tom was loaded. He was one of the richest cats in London. If he remembered correctly Bustopher had three daughters. What was their names again… right! Their names were Victoria, Bombalurina, Demeter and they were famous for sneaking into the city just to watch all the toms at work. Little did Macavity know that just ahead of him three young queens had just entered the junkyard. The oldest of them was a tall scarlet queen who watched everything around her in interest. The second oldest was a black and gold tabby queen who looked gentler than her sister. Lastly was the youngest in their group. She was a fully white queen kit, not yet grown. She was being dragged along by the hand by her older black and gold sister.

"Daddy said to be home by sundown", the white queen kit said. Her name was Victoria.

"Daddy doesn't need to know", the scarlet queen purred.

"Daddy said not to go downtown."

"Like I said, you're free to go", the gold and black queen replied, patting Victoria's cheeks gently. While they spoke a black and white patched tom approached the scarlet queen and handed her a flyer. She smiled at him in thanks and he hurried off to continue with his duty. The scarlet queen read through the flyer. It was all about the reasons they should all revolt. She turned to her sisters.

"But—look around, look around", she said and looked around. "The revolution's happening in London!"

"London", her sisters sighed, while smiling excitedly. Then Victoria looked hesitant again and grabbed onto her oldest sister's paw.

"It's bad enough daddy wants to go to war", she said. Then felt her older sister grab her paw and arm as she looked around in awe.

"Cats shouting in the square", she purred in awe, her gold and black fur glistening in the sun.

"It's bad enough there'll be violence on our shore."

"But there are new ideas in the air", the scarlet queen objected. "Look around, just look around…"

"Bombalurina, remind me what we're looking for", the gold and black tabby queen asked.

"She's lookin' for me!" a bunch of toms nearby called and circled the three queens. Bombalurina sized them all up and then shook her head and turned to her sisters. They sniggered and pushed by the toms. As they walked Bombalurina continued reading.

"Demeter I'm lookin' for a mind at work", she said while reading. "I'm lookin' for a mind at work." As they walked they passed a tall and slim ginger tom. He was walking in the opposite direction and when he noticed the trio he spun on his heels and smirked. He hurried after them.

"Wooh!" he cheered. "There's nothin' like summer in the city. Someone in a rush next to someone lookin' pretty." He darted past all three of them and got in Bombalurina's way. Victoria and Demeter looked at him oddly.

"Excuse me, miss, I know it's not funny, but your perfume smells like your daddy's got money", the tom told Bombalurina with a grin and she gave him an are-you-serious-look. "Why you slummin' in the city in your fancy heels. You searchin for an urchin who can give you ideals?" Bombalurina knew who this was.

"Macavity, you disgust me", she told the tom.

"Ah, so you've discussed me." He approached her and got really close. She noticed her sisters giving him unimpressed looks as he got up close and personal with their sister. "I'm a trust fund, baby, you can trust me!"

"I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine", she said and got in his face. "Some toms say that I'm intense or I'm insane. You want a revolution?" she lifted up the flyer and then pressed it to his chest. "I want a revelation! So listen to my declaration!" She waved for her sisters and they joined in on either side of her.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all toms are created equal", they quoted their father.

"And when I meet Rum Tum Tugger", Bombalurina continued and everyone around her gasped. She noticed the black and white tom from before there as well. "I'm 'a compel him to include queens in the sequel! Work!" Many of the queens around joined in at the work.

"History is happening in London and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world!"

"In the greatest city in the world!" her sisters agreed.

"So as I said", she turned to Macavity again. "I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine. So toms say that I'm intense or I'm insane." She turned to the black and white patched tom. "You want a revolution?" he nodded. "I want a revelation! So listen to my declaration!"

The sisters started speaking together again, like their father taught them.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all toms are created equal!"

"Look around, look around", Bombalurina sighed excitedly. "The revolution's happening in London and at how lucky we are to be alive right now!

"History is happening in London", Victoria cheered.

"And we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world", Demeter added.

"And we're looking for a mind at work!" Bombalurina said and pushed past all the men. She dragged her sisters with her and Macavity and the others watched them go. Alonzo walked up to Macavity and the pair chuckled before heading towards the big tire at the end of the clearing. Something was happening over there. When they got there they noticed a cat pulling out a box. He wore the strange jackets of the cats loyal to Growltiger.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" he shouted. "My name is Grumbuskin, and I present 'Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Revolting Masses!'" Macavity and Alonzo noticed that Munkustrap, Asparagus and Admetus had arrived from the other end of the yard. When they saw Grumbuskin they stopped to listen, as most cats did.

"Heed not the rabble who scream revolution", Grumbuskin said. "They have not your interests at heart."

"Sweet EC tear this dude apart", Admetus told Munkustrap and put his arm around Munkustrap's shoulders. Munkustrap laughed.

"Chaos and bloodshed are not a solution. Don't let them lead you astray. This rebela do not speak for me." Munkustrap approached the other tom. Macavity noticed it and slipped from Alonzo's side and stepped in between Munkustrap and Grumbuskin.

"Let him be", he told Munkustrap. Munkustrap stepped back.

"They're playing a dangerous game." Asparagus gave Munkustrap a little push towards Grumbuskin again and Munkustrap laughed. He caught Alonzo's eyes and the black and white tom grinned and nodded at him.

"I pray the captain shows you his mercy", Grumbuskin continued. "For shame, for shame…"

"Yo!" Munkustrap shouted and hurried over. "He'd have you all unravel at the sound of screams but the revolution is comin'." While he spoke he spoke over Grumbuskin who tried to continue with his own speech. He even moved in front of Munkustrap.

"The have-nots are gonna win this", Munkustrap said at the same time Grumbuskin said: "They have not your interest at heart!" Alonzo laughed and moved over to their other friends.

"It's hard to listen to you with a straight face", Munkustrap told Grumbuskin. "Chaos and bloodshed already haunt us, honestly you shouldn't even talk. And what about Bradford? Look at the cost, n' all that we've lost n' you talk about rebels?!"

"This congress does not speak for me", Grumbuskin said.

"A dog speaks more eloquently than thee!" Munkustrap snapped and the cats around them laughed. Admetus even made dog whimper-sounds.

"They play a dangerous game."

"But strangely, your mange is the same."

"I hope the Captain shows you his mercy!" Grumbuskin snapped.

"Is he in Derby?"

"For shame!"

"For the revolution!"

"For shame!"

"For the revolution!" everyone around shouted.

"Heed", Grumbuskin began but Munk jumped up to him and got in his face.

"If you repeat yourself again I'm gonna", he began but Grumbuskin would not let himself be refuted.

"Scream-"

"Honestly, look at me, please don't read!"

"Not your interests-"

"Don't modulate the key then not debate with me!"

"-at heart."

"Why should a single captain on a barge regulate what lives we lead?" Macavity hurried forward and pulled Munkustrap down from the tire.

"Munkustrap please", he soothed and pushed him over to his friends. Alonzo at once put his arm around Munkustrap.

"Macavity, I'd rather be divisive than indecisive, drop the niceties", Munkustrap replied and put his arm around Alonzo.

"Silence!" a voice shouted and a group of pirates came walking into the clearing. "A message from the captain! A message from the captain! A message from the captain!" Alonzo gripped Munk's arm and pulled him back into the crowd. Ademtus and Asp joined them, as did Macavity. Grumbuskin smirked at them and then moved to let one of his friends put a tape recorder on the tire. He pressed play and a dark voice started talking. It was Growltiger himself. Most cats bared their teeth or hissed. Munkustrap wanted to storm out there, but Alonzo gripped his forearm and held him back. He also put a hand on Munkustrap's shoulder. Munkustrap moved back.

"You say the price of my love's not a price that you're willing to pay", Growltiger's menacing voice said. "You cry in your food which you hurl in the Thames when you see me go by. Why so sad? Remember we made an arrangement when you went away, now you're making me mad. Remember, despite our estrangement, I'm your tom. You'll be back. Soon you'll see. You'll remember you belong to me. You'll be back. Time will tell. You'll remember that I served you well. Oceans rise, empires fall, we have seen each other through it all, and when push comes to shove, I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!" The cats in the yard cowered back in fear. Except for a few. Munk and his friends were four of them. Admetus cracked his knuckles even and Asparagus sharpened his claws on a post.

"You say our love is draining and you can't go on", Growltiger's voice continued. "You'll be the one complaining when I am gone... And no, don't change the subject cuz you're my favourite subject. My sweet, submissive subject, my loyal, loyal subject, forever and ever and ever and ever and ever…" he paused and everyone thought it was over… until… "You'll be back, like before. I will fight the fight and win the war. For your love, for your praise, and I'll love you till my dying days. When you're gone I'll go mad, so don't throw away this thing we had. Cuz when push comes to shove, I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love." At that the troupe of pirates that had arrived pulled their swords and charged the onlookers. Munkustrap and his group was forced to flee, but they put up a fight when cats charged them. Among them Asparagus and Alonzo were the most skilled fighters so they took out any opponent getting in their way. Admetus was by far the strongest and he flung cats he caught around as if they weighed nothing at all. Munkustrap was the one planning their movements. He soon saw a way out and the group escaped that way. The massacre happening behind them only furthered their wishes to overthrow Growltiger and his cats and fight for independence for the Jellicle junkyard. The four locked eyes. They would see it happen or die trying.

TBC Okay here is the cast so far:

Hamilton - Munkustrap

Burr - Macavity

Mulligan - Admetus

Lafayette - Asparagus Jr.

Laurens - Alonzo

King George - Growltiger

Angelica - Bombalurina

Eliza - Demeter

Peggy - Victoria

Philip Schueyler - Bustopher Jones