Rosie's Secret

Rosie's Secret

Prologue

Everyone turned from Tugger, he was pointing at someone, or something. When all the Jellicles turned, they saw Grizabella; the outcast cat. She slowly but steadily walked toward the Jellicles. Many ran past her. The older cats tore the kittens away from her. Her eyes glared at the tribe, and some members she once called friends. A small group ran past her. The two guys in the group kept going, but the two girls stopped and stared. The taller one gave a look of concern and worry, but quickly changed that, and shunned her like the rest of the group.

"Is that her? Can it really be her?" the taller one of the girls thought to herself while her best friend followed behind.

"Remark that cat who hesitates toward you… in the light of the door which opens on her – like a grin…" Grizzy sang to Munku, who was watching her every move. The tattered cat turned to some kittens.

"You see the border of her coat is torn and stained with sand!" she sang louder to them. Jelly pulled them back – she wanted them to keep their "innocence". Cassandra stood up to walk away.

"And you see the corner of her eye twist like a crooked pin," Griz sang right to Cassandra. Cass whispered something in Munku's ear, who nodded and then Cass left.

Demi came up behind poor old Griz. "She haunted many a low resort, near the grimy road of Tottenhan Court… she flitted about the No Man's Land – from the Rising Sun, to the Friend at Hand. And the postman sighed as he scratched his head… you really had thought she'd ought to be dead. But who'd have ever supposed that that was Grizabella the Glamour Cat…?"

Bomby walked over to her to comfort her. "Grizabella the Glamour Cat…"

Two new Jellicles, Magic and Mungorosie, walked over to join the little duet. "Grizabella the Glamour Cat!" the four sang, half in sympathy and half in disgust.

The whole tribe joined in after that. "And who'd have ever supposed that that was Grizabella the Glamour Cat…?" Again, Griz knew she was rejected. But, was that the calico cat she thought she saw?

Part 1

"Yeah, I know like, but, doesn't everyone… and I mean EVERYONE… go for him?" Mungorosie, or more commonly known as Rosie, asked her best friend Magic.

"You…" she said giggling.

"It's true! You eva seen Plato's face when Tugger is around?!?!" she said it with a smile, but in deepest seriousness.

Magic could no longer take anymore, and fell off the car roof laughing. Rolling around on the ground, Jerrie came over to see what the laughing was about.

"Eh… Rosie, wot do you think?"

"About… Tugger…?" she asked, slightly confused, her eyes darting around nervously.

"No. About Mag's impression of the box!" he gestured at the hysterical Magic.

Rosie put her head down, but it was clear she was laughing to death – her body was shaking, or as Growltiger (with whom she was friends with) called it, vibrating.

"It's true!" Jerrie yelled with a smile.

Magic stopped laughing, but tears were still pouring. "Rosie, you sound just like him. Always saying something funny, and then saying 'It's true!'"

"It's true!" they both said for almost no apparent reason. Looking at each other, they burst out laughing.

Misto walked over while shaking his head. "Dare I ask?"

Rosie slid off the car truck, and into Jerrie's embrace. "No…"

"I didn't think so." He said while walking over to Magic, licking her face. Rosie became serious again, and asked a question that she, inside her heart knew, but was curious to ask anyway.

"Who is Grizabella, and why do she shun her?"

The two guys looked at her oddly. Then looking at each other, they gave a worried look.

"Well, it's um… odd… to um… explain… Why don't you ask… Munku…" Misto said not looking into her eyes, or even at her. Rosie knew something was going on. She pulled out of Jerrie's arms, and went off to investigate.

~~~

Rosie padded quietly over to Munkustrap. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he whipped around quickly.

"Rosie… Sorry, you scared me." He looked into her deep eyes, and saw why Jerrie loved her so much – she was funny and humorous, but had a soft, sentimental side; and could be extremely logical and serious.

"Munku, I have a question."

"Is it about you joining the Jellicles? At the ball you and Magic will have a proper acceptance, but, you are a Jellicle even without that. Even though your umm… 'show' was a little… umm… not like something anyone here would do…"

"No, it's not about that… it's about…" she put her head down and stopped. For her, bringing up this subject was hard, but she had to do it without giving away her dark secret that only she knew.

Munku pushed her face up with his paw. "About what, Roseau?" he called her by her fancier name.

"Grizabella."

Munku did not know what to say. She was a teen, not an adult, and none of the kittens and teens ever asked about Grizzy. It was for the older cats to decide what should be done with her.

"What about Griz?" Munku was afraid to ask.

"Why do we shun her, and push her away? Isn't she a Jellicle like us?" Rosie had started to sob a bit.

"Ah, my child, that is a good question. It is a story, do you want to hear it?"

Rosie knew the story very well already, but she wanted to hear it through another Jellicle's eyes. She nodded, and cuddled up to Munku, purring softly.

"Well, when the older cats of this tribe were your age, and younger, and some of the teens now (like Bomby, Demi, Tugger, myself, Alonzo, Misto, Tanto, Corico, Teazer and Jerrie) were barely even one week old, maybe a few not even born yet, there was Grizabella was the Glamour Cat, as you might have heard. She was the most beautiful cat that you could ever lay eyes on – soft silky fur and a beautiful fluffy tail and every single tom loved her. It was almost like Tugger of this tribe, but, um, different. Being the adventurous cat that she was, she always dreamed of what was outside the streets and the city. One day, a long time ago, at the ball, she put her well guarded secret plan into action. Using her undeniable beauty, she 'messed around' with every single tom in the tribe, including Old Deuteronomy, who was much younger then. After that, she fled. Now, years and years later, she returns to come back, and the toms who still remember – Old Deuteronomy, Skimble, Gus and members that have gone to the Heaviside Layer, or moved away – remember exactly what she did. And the queens who had eyes for them, hate her because she stole their toms. Now, they do not want Grizzy's personality to rub off on the kittens." Munku started to stroke Rosie's back.

"Is it really true?"

"Every word."

"Oh. Now I can see why Jerrie and Misto were uncomfortable telling me. Thank you Munku. Goodbye." She stood up, and bounded away. Munku sighed.

~~~

Misto and Magic sat with Jerrie on the car roof, talking, and watching Tugger with the kittens.

"Stud…" Misto said while shaking his head. Jerrie was awfully quiet without Rosie on his lap or in his arms. He just lay there, sighing every once in a while. Magic walked over to him.

"Jer, you okay?"

"Yeah, I just want Rosie…"

At that moment, Rosie leaped on top of him, and nearly knocking him off the roof. Magic screamed (she was scared), and leaped in the air. Jerrie gave a yell, and frightened Rosie and Magic even more. Misto yelled, and then Magic yelled because he was behind her. And when Magic screamed, Rosie screams.

"What the…?" Tugger did not know what to make of the screams and the yells. All he saw was Magic and Rosie jump in the air, and four different voices keep yelling and screaming. After a silence, mad laughter.

"That… was… soo… funny… look… on your… face.. memorable…" Rosie panted between her insane giggling.

"You scared me 'alf to death!" Jerrie laughed.

They all looked at each other and took their usual "Tugger-Watching- Positions". Rosie on Jerrie's lap with his arm around her and Magic and Misto cuddled up together.

"Everyone, on the count of three, stand up and yell 'THE RUM TUM TUGGER IS A TERRIBLE BORE!'" Rosie giggled as she whispered. The other three nodded vigorously.

"One…"

Everyone prepared to stand.

"Two…"

They were crouching on the car now, ready to jump.

"THREE!"

They jumped up, took and a breath, opened their mouths to shout, but they all silenced before saying one word – Grizzy was back.

Part 2

The four, seeing her again, slinked down from the car the roof, and stalked past her. She looked at them with disgust. Rosie stood up, and reached out her paw. Grizzy, with a look of love, reached out her paws, but Rosie, noticing that everyone was staring, hissed, scratched her, and then ran into Jerrie's waiting arms. Grizzy watched as she ran into her mate's arms.

"She has found a tom… And the one that I wanted her to be with…The one she was named after…" Grizzy thought to herself, still glaring at the tribe.

"Is this the way you treat a fellow Jellicle?" she said with a snotty tone.

Jelly and Jenny stepped forward.

"Do you know what you did missy?!" When they started to scream at her, Alonzo, Pouncival and Tumblebrutus ran over to stop them.

Grizzy, for a reason unknown to the tribe, turned to Rosie in Jerrie's arms. Rosie stepped forward.

"You see the border of her coat is torn and stained with sand…" Rosie sang for the first time that the Jellicles heard in a while.

Magic came up behind Rosie to sing the other line, but Rosie silenced her with a stern look.

"And you see the border of her eye twist like a crooked pin!" Rosie sang in a powerful voice. She gave a flustered look to Grizzy, and then ran off and dove inside her box. Jerrie, close behind, ran in, and when the two settled, sobs could be heard from the box. The tribe looked at Grizzy, who then, did her best to run from the tribe.

Rosie, hearing the running, ran out of the box. When she saw Grizzy running, she gave a great yell.

"NOOOOO!!!"

And then, collapsed.

~~~

"Jerrie, you, devil!" Rosie panted from the box. At nightfall, she had awoken from her faint, and had forgotten everything that happened before that. Going back to her giggly side, she and Jerrie went to have a little "fun".

"You know, that, I, am!" Jerrie said to her, staring into her deep eyes, panting also.

BOOM! A loud crash of thunder scared them both, making Rosie scream.

"I didn't do anything." Jerrie said innocently. He looked up. No Rosie. "Rosie? Where'd you go hun?"

"I'm right here."

Jerrie rolled over. He saw a figure in the corner of the box. He crawled over to her, put an arm over her, and put his face right up close to hers.

"I'm not a thunder fan," her shaky voice said.

"I didn't think so."

Rosie snuggled even closer to Jerrie and rubbed against his chest. He looked down at the innocent girl, and an idea popped into his head.

"Rosie…"

"Yes?" she said looking up at him.

"How about we run away and-"

Hearing the words "run away" immediately scared her.

" -start our own tribe."

Rosie pulled herself up so she was eye-level with him, and stared into his eyes.

"Is something wrong with that?"

She burst into tears. Burying her head in his neck, he talked to her softly and stroked her head. "Why not though? It's not that bad! We could have endless nights of fun, and not worry about keeping anyone awake. With two successful tries, we could have around 14 kittens, and boom!, our own tribe!"

At this, Rosie cried even harder and Jerrie could feel her cold tears on his skin, under his fur.

"Jerrie, I love you, and would love to do that, but I'm afraid it's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"Well, there is something I have to tell you."

Jerrie tensed at the thought. Did she love some other tom? Had she MATED with another tom? Did she just use him for "fun"? Endless thoughts raced through his head.

"Grizabella is my mother, and it's a tradition for anyone of that family's litter to mess with all the toms, and then leave the tribe to explore. My mother did it, as did my grandmother and great-grandmother. All ex-members of the tribe. And to do that, means I would follow in my mother's pawprints, and so would probably one of our kittens," all the words came pouring out with even more tears.

Jerrie had a look of pure astonishment on his face. Rosie, who was crying hysterically, was holding on to him tighter than any cat could imagine. He threw his arms around her, and licked away her tears. Jer hugged her close, and after a while, she started licking his face.

"I'm sorry Rosie. We don't have to leave if you don't want. I am truly sorry for bringing it up and-"

"No. I have to go."

"Why though?" Jerrie, in any way, did not want her to go.

Sadly, with a look of sadness and slight betrayment, she whimpered:

"I must mate with every male in this tribe who is my age – Plato, Tugger, Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, Misto, Alonzo, Munku and Coricopat – then run away with the tom of my choice – namely you – and go where ever the wind takes us. When I give birth to kittens, we must name one after our favorite young kitten of this tribe, and send that one to live with the Jellicles. Then, years later, I will return but only to be shunned like my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother."

Jerrie, who was purely in shock and somewhat disgusted only had one question. "Is that how you got your name?"

"Yes. Out of the tribe's little kittens, you were Grizabella's favorite. When she had me, seeing that I too was a calico, she gave me the name Mungorosie – after you and her favorite flower of the rose.

Jerrie's heart was flattered, but still broke with pain for his mate.

~~~

"Misto, honey, does it sound strange?"

"How so?"

"It's… quiet… No screaming of any sort…"

"I can change that!" he said with a wide grin while moving closer to her.

"I know you would!" she said with a seducing voice. "But, I'm talking about Rosie and Jerrie. The box is still, and there is no sound."

After listening for a while, he said, "You're… right… There is no screaming. Think something went wrong?"

"I hope not…"

"Should we investigate?"

"I will. I know her better than you, and we are, after all, best friends. Bye hun, be back soon!" she called back to him.

"Bye!"

~~~

Rosie, still weepy, stood up on shaky legs.

"I must go and walk in my mother's pawprints."

"You mean…?!"

"Yes," her solemn yet worried voice said. "The sooner I begin – the sooner we leave."

~~~

Misto gingerly placed his head on the bottom of the cold, steel pipe.

"Sheeeesh, it must have been two minutes and I miss her already…"

Suddenly, a queen slinked down on top of him and started playing with his ears. "C'mon babe. Show me what you got." The seductive voice cooed in his ear. He recognized the voice immediately.

"Rosie? I'm not Jerrie… This is Mistoffelees…"

"I know. But," she lowered her voice and whispered right in his ear. "Misto, I know this seems wrong, and it is for the both of us. But this, for me AND Jerrie is more important then you could imagine. Just do me and then I will leave and you won't see me again." She stood up after that, allowing him to turn over. When he did, Rosie got off, and stared out the end of the pipe at the slowly rising Jellicle Moon.

"Well?" Misto's shaky yet stern voice queried.

"I can't… You are Mr. Mistoffelees, my best friend's mate… Oh Misto, you don't understand why… and how…" Rosie's round eyes watered over as she turned to him. "Pretend it happened – Magic will surely explain when she returns. Goodbye Misto, for this is the last that you will see of me… ever…" Sobbing, she nuzzled his head, and then bounded off into the night.

~~~

Magic was in awe.

"Her MOTHER?! But she shuns her, and sang about her and rebuked her and- when did you hear about this?!?!"

"Just a few minutes ago. She just left to carry out her part of the tradition." Jerrie seemed calm enough on the outside, but inside he was full of rage and sorrow and agony for his Rosie who was taken by fate.

"You mean…!" her mouth dropped. Magic knew Rosie ever since they were tiny, tiny kittens. Rosie was prone to do odd-ball things, but, this was something that she knew Mungorosie would not do. Jerrie nodded. Magic felt betrayed. She knew Rosie well enough, and she would NOT do anything of that sort when she had Jerrie. And, all these times Rosie never told her…

"EVERY tom in her age group?!"

He nodded again, holding back a waterfall's worth of tears.

"M-M-Misto!"

Jerrie put his head down, but he gave a quick nod. "She mentioned him along with Plato, Tugger, Pounce, Tumble, Alonzo, Munku and Corico."

Magic, upon hear this, was out of that box as fast as lightning. While she was running thoughts invaded her mind like weeds in a garden.

"How can this happen? Rosie was always a strange one and stuff, but she would not do anything like THAT! She hates Plato… We always make fun of him and our jokes and she rebuked Grizabella like the rest of us. OH! Why didn't I see through those faces of hate… I thought I knew her… And now MISTO… Would she? Could she? Will I find her and Misto in a way that will damage my trust toward her?"

~~~

Rosie lightly crawled into Plato's little spot in a car trunk. She noticed how peacefully he was sleeping, and almost decided maybe she COULD get away without messing with the males…

"What am I thinking? This goes back a few generations. And if I didn't, I will be haunted by the fact that I didn't, even when I don't what to." She was talking to herself with what she thought was quiet, but forgot that Plato was just a few inches away. He awoke with a start.

"Mungorosie!" He was in shock. "What's a pretty queen like you doing here?" He thought that maybe she and Jerrie had a fight – well, he pretty much hoped for it. He hated Jerrie and wanted Rosie for his own.

"Well…" her little cutesy voice charmed him in an instant. "I just thought maybe, for this night, we could um… well…" She fiddled with her whiskers while looking cute. Plato was befuddled.

"Are you talking about what I think you are talking about?" Plato moved closer to her, taking every chance.

"I don't know. What were you thinking?" she inched toward him too, and started to play with his whiskers.

"I was thi-" was all he could get to. Rosie pushed him over, climbed on top of him, and kissed him. Inside her mind was a totally different story.

"Ew. This is Plato I'm making out with here… I mean - Plato. I can't believe I am doing this. Gr… I never want my kittens to do this, but yet, they must, and this is sad. What will Magic say? She'll think I betrayed her and then she think that she doesn't know me. But, I won't see her again… After I finish with the toms, Jerrie and I head out. Well, I got myself into some mess. All I can do is think it's Jerrie and hope for the best…"

~~~

Magic came running into the pipe, tripping all over herself, stumbling and then falling flat on her face. When she recovered from the fall, she made herself presentable, and then yelled at Misto.

"What the hell just happened!? Where is Rosie!? Where in this pile of shit is she hiding!?"

Misto, astounded at her, tried to calm her down, but she threw his arm off, and continued yelling.

"Where in the Everlasting Cat's name is Mungorosie!?! I know she's in this pipe!" Magic put her face right up to Misto's, and her furious eyes burned into his.

"Honey, no, she left before you came, and we did nothing, don't-"

"Don't sweet talk me! I know what you did! Or more like who!" Magic was now losing her temper quickly, and Misto knew that if he didn't find a way to calm her down, trouble would be brewing.

"Magic, LISTEN to ME." Misto, whose back was now facing Magic, was too losing his patience. "I know you care for me very much, and all, but Rosie HAD stopped in-"

"See!"

"Shut up and listen to me. She tried, but as much as she had to, she couldn't. She felt like she would be betraying you, so she ran out apparently in tears. She is probably with Tugger, Munku, Plato, Corico, Alonzo, Tumble, or Pounce.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something, she stopped – realizing what Misto had said.

"Now, I want an explanation of why this ALMOST happened." Misto turned around.

Magic, who was holding in the words, blurted out the whole story.

~~~

One final scream echoed it's high ring through out the junkyard. Every cat moaned and groaned, thinking they knew the REAL story, and ignored it. But, as we know, the real story was far from going on.

A tired, and not to mention sweaty, Plato, rolled over along with a now giggly Rosie.

"Don't Jerrie ever get tired of this night after night?" Plato coyly asked.

"Nah! You were slightly lighter then him, but I guess it varies from cat to cat."

"Well, was there any reason for this unexpected… umm…visit…"

"Yes. And it's more serious than you can imagine. Now, I must go. Goodbye Plato, I'll miss you."

Plato had a look of question on his face. "Goodbye? Where are you going?"

"I cannot speak of it. Remember me in a good way. Even though this was our night, our only night, remember this: 'Leaving can sometimes be the best way to never go away.' You might now understand it now, but years from now you will."

And with that she jumped out of the trunk, shook off most of the sweat, and went off to find Tugger.

~~~

"And that scream that was just heard was probably her and Plato sadly to say." Magic summed up the story. Misto, was to say in a word, speechless.

"But-… Grizabella-… Rosie-… tradition-…?!"

Magic rubbed his head. "Yes, I know it's hard to believe now, but Jerrie is somewhat over it. After all, he'll still be with her when they leave. But, the rest of us it's a different story. Only few will see her again, but, as she and Jerrie said, she will and must follow in her mother's pawprints. When she returns years from now, no doubt she will go to the Heaviside Layer."

Part 3

The first drop of sweat appeared on Rosie's forehead only after a few minutes she pushed Tugger down. She was starting to be footloose and fancy free – "After all," she thought, "these toms probably won't ever see me again, and there is a small chance their lovers will. I might as well enjoy this."

"Rosie, wow… You don't stop do you?" Tugger was getting tired himself. They rolled over, and Rosie poured honey on his neck.

"What? Bomba can't carry on this long?" She poured more honey onto Tugger's chest and then proceeded to lick it off. Her tail brushed against his face every once in a while. Her body was beginning to hurt – she saw why all the girls loved him… Although, in her opinion, he went to hard…

"You keep it so very sensual… how though?" Tugger was still astonished at how she always had the best ideas about going about… it…

She ran her tongue from where it was, up his mane, and to his face. "I have my ways…" she quietly said. She kissed him for a grande finale, stood up, shook off more sweat and then strode off into the night air to find Munku.

~~~

Jerrie, lying in the middle of the junkyard was totally lost in thought. Considering no one was around, he just talked to the chilling night air, waiting for his love to come.

"I am me, and she is herself, and we love each other more than possible – but she is, after all, named after me. I cannot stop loving her, she is exactly what I wanted, in every single way, but I find it odd that she is named after me. And Grizabella's blood is with in her, as it will be with our kittens. But, where would we go? Will we meet her litter mates…?"

Magic and Misto slowly padded up to Jerrie, listening to him talk. He sounded so lost in his mind that they were afraid to say anything. But, granted that this was the last night that they would be seen for a long time, if ever, they had to spend some time with him.

"Jerrie, are you okay?" Magic came up by his head, and looked down at him, taking him totally by surprise.

"Magic… Misto… What are you two doing here?"

Misto came around to his side, and Jerrie got up. Misto put a comforting paw on his shoulder, and Jerrie laid back down.

"Jerrie, we just thought that we should spend some time with you before you leave… We how it feels to be like-"

"No! You don't know how it feels!" He violently said to Misto. "You've never have the love of your life go through such pain and suffering!" He turned to Magic. "And you have never had a dark secret that was told not even to your closest friend or mate!" He stood up, and shook off the raindrops that had started to fall. "Neither of you know what it's like to have to live like this! With your mate going against her will for the sake of me, and her family! And you'll never know because you won't have to!" And with that, he fell to the ground sobbing. His tears hit the ground with force, and Magic and Misto lay beside him, talking quietly to him. After a few minutes of cursing at them to shut up, he lay down, and this time fell asleep.

~~~

She walked near the sleeping Deuteronomy, and saw Munku lying a few feet in front – probably fell asleep trying to protect him. Demi, she saw, was right next to him, and not exactly wet from rain, she thought.

"Munku! Munkustrap get up!" she hissed. He groggily opened his eyes to see Rosie nearly on top of him. The rain drops started to fall harder, but Rosie kept bugging him to get up.

"What? Rosie, it's late at night… Where's Jerrie? Why are you out of the box?" Seeing she was alone worried him, he got up, and started scanning the Junkyard for Jerrie.

"Munku, it's not that. Come with me, it's a long story." A few drips of honey dripped off her nose, and he disregarded that only to a symbol of some strangeness.

When they arrived in a more secluded area, she started to explain.

"Munku, remember when I asked about Grizabella and you told me the whole story, and I seemed disturbed?"

"Yes." Munku grew more worried every moment.

"Well, I haven't told anyone until today my secret. Jerrie found out because he mentioned something, and then he told Magic. Magic told Misto, and now, I tell you."

"Rosie, what is it? You are worrying me… Is it bad?" Munku put his arm around her, and she cuddled against his chest.

"Well…" she started to cry all over again. "Grizabella is my mother, and now, I must follow in her pawprints. I've already, literally, done Tugger, Plato, and Jerrie – but he was nothing new. Now, I've come to you."

Munku stared down at the shaking queen. She showed exactly what she was thinking – she did not want to do this, any of it.

"Rosie, do you mean…?"

"Yes Munku… I'm sorry that I have to do this to you and Demeter, but, I will be tracked down from guilt if I don't…"

Munku sighed again and laid down, Rosie right next to him. She started licking the back of his neck, while he licked the underside of her neck. Munku rolled over and Rosie climbed on top of him. Rosie moved herself down so they were face to face.

"Never thought I'd see this day…" Rosie was just now lying on Munku, not really in the "mood" anymore. She was getting tired – late at night and on her fourth guy would tire any queen out.

"What about Jerrie? What or who is he doing?"

She gave a weak laugh. "He is just waiting for me to come back so we can leave."

"Well… now… um…"

"Are you thinking the same thing?"

"That it's getting difficult to begin?" Munku asked.

Rosie got off of him, and stared again at the Jellicle Moon. "You know what Munku…"

"What?"

"I am going to leave."

"Yes, I know that… you told me-"

"No. Now. Regardless of how many toms I have done… I am getting too tired, and this feels like betraying Jerrie."

"What about the tradition?"

"*bleep* the tradition! I don't care anymore!" And with that, she ran away from him, tears flying back at him with the wind.

~~~

"Jerrie… I'm back…" Rosie's voice filled his soul once again.

"You're done, already?!" Jerrie sat up, shocked.

"No. I did you, obviously, Plato, Tugger, and almost Munku, but I had to stop. I am going against our love – and it's too wrong for me. I'm sorry, but we have to leave now…"

"But what about if you have kittens?"

"Oh, I KNOW I'll have kittens, but we just have to name ONE after a Jellicle member." Rosie sat down, next to Jerrie, and purred in his ear. Glancing down at Magic and Misto, who were asleep, she licked Misto's ear and nuzzled Magic's head. "Goodbye my friend… My true friend, I love you like a sister, and will keep you in my heart forever and ever…" She whispered in Magic's ear. Rosie turned back to Jerrie, they both looked at the Junkyard and wandered off into the cool night air.

Part 4

Not knowing where they were going, they just walked around to where ever they felt like going. After a few days of walking, Rosie started to get tired more easily and Jerrie had to carry her on his back.

"Jerrie… do you know Scar-"

"You have that urge too…?

"It's part of everything… I guess…"

They sat down, Rosie becoming slightly bigger by the day – kittens. She took a few breaths, and then looked in Jerrie's eyes. He returned the look, and they both started singing; Rosie singing a beautiful soprano while Jerrie sang a flowing tenor.

"Are you goin' to Scarbourough Fair? Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme… Remember me to one who lives there…" Rosie looked and nodded toward the sign that said "The Friend at Hand". They continued singing, but they started to walk now. "For once he/she (depending on who was singing it) was a true love of mine…"

"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt…" Jerrie sang. "Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme…" Rosie joined in for that line. "One with no seems or fine needle work…" Jerrie continued his solo. "Ah-h, and then you'll be a true love of mine…" The two sang, picking up their pace.

"Oh will you find me an acre of land?" Rosie's soprano voice flowed all through Jerrie's soul and mind.

"Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme…" He joined her, and she then went back to her solo.

"Between the sea foam and the sea sand… And then you'll be a true lover of mine…"

Jerrie joined her with the next few lines – both amazed at themselves for singing so perfectly and knowing the words.

"Oh will you plow it with a sheep's horn…? Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme… And sow it all with one pepper corn… And then you'll be a true lover of mine… And when you've done and finished your work… Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme…"

Rosie sang another solo. "Then come to me for your cambric shirt…"

She kept singing, but Jerrie sang another part for a back up.

Rosie: "And then you'll be a true love, oh are you goin' to Scarbourough Fair…?"

Jerrie: "And then you'll be a true love of mine----------------------------------…"

The two stopped and sat next to each other, Rosie panting and Jerrie licking her face.

"Jerrie, I can't go any further… I'm hungry and I can barely… breathe…" her weary voice said.

"Honey, I don't blame you." Jerrie stroked her fur, and she laid down on the sun-streaked pavement. "Do you have anything unparticular that you want to eat?"

Rosie gave a giggly look, and giggled, but she knew with her condition that that "delicacy" would be off limits.

"You are such a devil… Is that all you want?!" Jerrie sat down beside her.

"Can't think of anything else! But, as we know, that is going to be off limits until I have kittens, and even after that… wahh…"

"Is that all you-" Jerrie stopped in mid-sentence. He heard footprints coming down the pavement. Out of instinct, he jumped in front of Rosie, and his hair on his tail stiffened. When whatever it was came closer, they saw it was an Upper Class gentlemen. Jerrie, despising these people, gave a slight growl. Rosie tried to back up, but she was totally against the fence.

"My, my, top of the morning to ye cats!" the cheerful voice said. Jerrie calmed a bit, but he was still tense. Rosie did her best to stand up and walk next to him. The gentlemen kneeled down and started to pet Rosie's head. Everything in her head was telling her to scratch him, but she resisted the urge to.

"What are two pretty calicos doing out 'ere by yeselves?" He looked more closely at Rosie. "And I see we 'ave an expectin' queenie 'ere." The man turned to Jerrie. "You are quite the devil aren't ye!"

Rosie still unknowing what to do, turned to Jerrie for advice.

"Well?!"

"Well what?"

"About this man! What are going to do about him. I can't run, so therefore we cannot run away. He knows we are mates, so I doubt he is going to separate us."

"What if he takes us to a nice warm house where you can give birth to your kittens in a more sanitary spot, and maybe a vet will be there. What I wouldn't do for a warm bowl of cream…"

"What I wouldn't do for you…" She nuzzled his chest.

Now, the man was a little confused. The cats seemed to be talking to one another. Did they understand him? Or was it just his imagination?

~~~

Magic awoke with a start. She was having a truly awful dream.

"Misto, get… up… I was having… this… bad dream… and why are we in the middle of the junkyard?"

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what? My dream? No, I remember my dream. I had this dream about Rosie and that Grizabella was her mother. And that she 'did' Plato and Tugger and almost you and Munku and Pounce and Corico, and all the other males… And then she and Jerrie left… Isn't that a horrible dream?"

"No."

Magic was flabbergasted. "How is that not a horrible dream?!"

"It's not a dream."

"Oh, you're right."

Misto was happy that Magic took that well. He was expecting worse from her.

"It was a nightmare. Well. I am going to get Rosie now- she and I are supposed to go shopping, well more like stealing what ever we can find, today. Is she in the box?"

"Magic, honey, Rosie is gone." Misto said, holding back a waterfall of tears. She acted so happy, but she did not remember what happened…

"She left without me?!"

"No… remember your dream-"

"Nightmare."

"Yes, whatever… Well, that wasn't a dream OR a nightmare. It really happened."

Her mouth dropped, her tail drooped, and her eyes opened wider then a dinner plate. "No! It's not true! I'm going to the box now and she and Jerrie will be there- both soaking wet and either talking or sleeping!" Her eyes watered over and she ran towards the box.

"Oh my god… Why did I have to tell her like that? I told her the worst way, the way I said it and everything… Well, best it was done now before it was found out in a worse way…" Misto thought to himself.

"ROSIE! MUNGOROSIE! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Magic's panicked voice rang through the junkyard. "Nooo… Rosie, no! Where are you..?!" She slowed her pace down – Misto was right, she WAS gone.

"Magic, whoa, are you okay?" Munku came running over to her. She had started to cry hysterically and curled up in a little ball.

"Rosie is.. g-g-g-gone!" She said between tears.

"Oh Magic…" He realized that Rosie did leave, and Magic was her best friend. Misto came walking over to Munku.

"I had to tell her it wasn't a dream. She thought the night was a dream." Misto softly said.

"No! How could she do this to me! You know what, you are lying!" She rolled over and turned to Misto. "You lied! She isn't gone! She is out with Jerrie and she will be back this afternoon!" And with that, Magic stood up and shakily walked over the "front door" in the Junkyard. Looking down at her feet, she saw drops of tears leading in a path outside the Junkyard – Rosie's tears.

~~~

So far, it had been a week in that kind gentleman's house. Rosie slept more, and Jerrie was guaranteed always by her side. The family was baffled at their love for one another.

"I've neva 'ave seen two cats so devoted to each uther." The nanny said. "They 'ave this strange draw to each uther." She sighed and petted Rosie's head.

"Ro, what do you think Magic is doing right now?" Rosie looked up to Jerrie. She knew it was alright to talk to him in front of humans – they only heard meowing. She wearily looked up at him, sleeping lining her eyes.

"Misto…" she murmured while smiling.

~~~

Magic, was far from Misto actually. She was sitting right outside the Junkyard, deciding a decision that could change her life forever.

"I could follow her pawprints and tears, and then I would be led right to them – but, what if they went somewhere, like to a house, or Grizabella found them, or even worse – Macavity. And then again, I might not find her, get lost, and never be seen again. But, if I stay here, then she will return years from now, and even before that one of her kittens. Although, I might be here when she does return. To every good side there is a down side, and the down sides are what is keeping me from going," she though to herself while staring at the cloudless sky. Without realizing it, she had started to cry. After all, her best friend left without a last word to her. The last words she ever heard from her were from last night, early, when she yelled "NO!" before fainting. That was the last she ever heard from her.

"Magic, are you alright?" Plato strode up behind her, and took her by surprise. Plato was still pondering the words that she had said to him right before she left.

"Plato…" Magic was dazed. "Plato had eyes for Rosie, and not to mention Tugger, but why would he come to see me?" she thought to herself.

"I heard your sobbing, and crying, and you seemed mentally not here."

"Well, how would you feel?! My best friend just left, and last I saw and heard her was early last night!"

"That's not true…" Plato quietly murmured.

"Huh?" Magic was doubtful.

"I was watching from my car truck after she left me… I remember she went to Tugger, then Munku, and stopped – she couldn't go on. She found Jerrie lying between you and Misto, because you two had tried to comfort him. When the couple reunited, she licked Misto's ear, and then nuzzled your head. I heard her last words to you… 'Goodbye my friend… My true friend, I love you like my own sister, and will keep you in my heart forever and ever…'" Plato told her.

Magic stared at him. "Are you serious?"

"I heard her say it myself. She really couldn't bear to leave you know. I don't know why she did…" Plato sat down next to her, and stared at the sky too.

"Only a few know, I do suppose that they will make an announcement about it… she was so friendly…"

~~~

Rosie could not stop thinking. Even when Jerrie talked, she was lost in her own thought. Jerrie finally got this hint, and didn't talk to her very much, but he stayed by her side 24/7.

"Jerrie…" her voice cooed.

"Yes dear?" Jerrie lifted his tired head – it was around 1:00 in the morning.

"We have to leave – now, tonight. Not a moment to spare."

"Why?" Rosie's voice shook, and Jerrie knew something was up.

"Everything inside me is telling me to go to 'The Friend at Hand', around where we were while singing 'Scarbourough Fair'. We have to go."

"C'mon then, we leave now," he stood up, and helped her out of the basket. Both of them felt strange leaving the kind family, but it had to be done sometime.

~~~

Misto sat right plop in the middle of the Junkyard, weary of what to do. Should he say something about Rosie? Should he leave that to Munku? Are they going to do anything about it?

"Stoff, you gonna be alright?" Demeter's voice came up behind him.

Rolling over, he looked at her. "Why are you here?" a complaining voice queried.

"I dunno… Just felt like talking to someone… Speaking of that, where IS Rosie?"

Misto knew that he couldn't say the whole thing… "She's… uh… not here…" He didn't know what else to say. All of a sudden, almost what appeared to be out of the blue, Corico and Tanto sat up, alarmed at something.

"But I am!" A cat's voice appeared out of no where. Everyone looked up – Macavity.

He jumped down in a wild frenzy, his rats tearing the up the place. While his rat's reeked havoc through out, Mac quietly looked around. When he saw the box, he bolted over to it, and crawled into it. Seeing nothing was there, he backed out of it, jumped on the car truck and scanned the battle raging below him.

"She's not here! Boyz, let's get a move on – I know where she is!" his voice rang through out the yard, pausing every cat in still motion. It looked as if someone had hit the pause button on a movie.

The rats dispersed, and the cats were left in totally confusion.

"He knows where who is?"

"Who's not here?"

Then, the one word, or name if you will, struck them all at the same time.

"ROSIE!" Every cat, male or female, young or old, said the same thing at the same time. But, what did MACAVITY want with ROSIE?

Part 5

…5 Months Later…

"Jerrie, this hurts more than you!!!" Rosie screamed. A few days ago, she had met up with Grizabella, and they talked with Jerrie. Today, was a special day for all of them – Rosie was delivering her kittens. She was trying to occupy herself by yelling random things.

"It's okay Rosie, that was the last one," Grizzy said while holding the tiny kitten.

Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and laid her head down. Jerrie smiled and walked over to her.

"Well, you seemed to-" there was a knock at the door of the abandoned garage that Rosie was born in.

"Come in?" a fatigued Rosie mumbled.

"Rosie? Mungorosie is that your voice, or am I hearing things?" a male voice said.

"FORSYTH!?"

"No, Rosie, in case you forgot, that damned Munkustrap killed Forsyth."

"Macavity," Rosie shakily stood up and grinned broadly.

"Macavity?" A confused Jerrie said. "Rosie, is there something you'd like to tell me?" he sternly inquired as he watched Rosie and Macavity embrace in a tight hug. Grizabella had to explain to Jerrie – Rosie and Mac were to busy talking of times gone by.

"In her litter, her brothers and sisters, there was her, MaryNamara, Stargazer, Fav (which are her sisters), Forsyth, Clyde and Macavity (they are her brothers). The sad news is that Munkustrap had killed Forsyth because he thought it was Macavity. Those two were the best of friends, and being that she joined the Jellicles, she couldn't see him anymore. It's been over a year now probably…" Grizabella smiled at Jerrie. "But, the ironic thing is, that she is named after you, and now you two are mates."

"Yeah," Jerrie was in a complete daze. "Okay, let's recap here… Grizabella is her mother, and she is named after me. And now I find out Macavity is her brother, and that Munku killed another one of her brothers? And now, we have to name a kitten and send it back… Sheesh…" Jerrie thought to himself.

"Well, Mac, here are the new kittens… You just came a little too late though… By the way, were are the rest of us?"

"Well, do we account for anything?" Another queen walked in, orange with stripes, that looked like Skimble, came in with another tom – her mate.

"STAR!"

"ROSIE!" The two ran into a big hug.

"And who's this?" Rosie asked, looking at the tom next to her, totally confused.

"Oh. This is my mate, Muddleberry," she proudly said.

"Umm… Hi," he was unsure of himself.

"Look, it's okay to be confused. Why don't you go and talk to my mate, who is over there… Mungojerrie," Rosie was trying to a little less intimidating.

Then, a few more cats strode in, smiling. None of the new cats that walked in had mates.

"There you guys are!" Macavity yelled.

"Okay, halt. Wait. Stop," Grizabella paused the buzzing voices. "I think that these two poor guys are horribly confused," she pointed to Jerrie and Muddle, "and everyone here needs to get caught up on each other. So, everycat get in a circle. Start with your name, your mate if you have one, and a little about your life since we last saw you."

"Well, I'm Mungorosie, and this is my mate Mungojerrie, whom I am named after. I joined the Jellicles when I first moved here, and made a best friend Magic. I just got here and had a litter of six kittens, which are to be named by everyone here."

"My name is Fav, and I don't have a mate yet. I've lived at 'The Friend at Hand' with our mother. I was the only one who never left her. I spend my exploring and pondering what's on the other side of the fence."

"I'm Macavity as some of you know. I've lived a little basement flat, and have tried to take over the Jellicles numerous times, but failed due to a 'leader-in-training'. Otherwise, I just like to stroll around and reek havoc through out."

"Umm… I'm Mungojerrie and my mate is Mungorosie as you know. I live in Victoria Grove a few houses down from Rosie. I have been a Jellicle member ever since I was a tiny kitten. Me and my sister Rumpleteazer like to cause trouble around the house and I used to be one of Mac's Hench cats."

"My name is Stargazer and this is my mate, Muddleberry. Rosie, I do believe you mentioned a Magic, and this is one of Magic's brothers. We like to umm… ummm… a lot and talk and stuff. We've lived where ever we feel like living."

At that comment, Rosie and Jerrie started to giggle. "So do we Star, so do we…" Rosie smiled.

"I'm Clyde, and like Mac, I like to cause trouble and be bad and junk. I've been with Mac the whole time, but I stayed in his house when he first saw that Rosie was with the Jellicles and he didn't want me to be seen by you. Otherwise, I just lie around the flat."

"And to finish, I'm MaryNamara and I like to be myself and do whatever I feel like doing. I've lived with a kind couple in 'The Rising Sun'."

"And now, we will all honour Forsyth." Grizabella solemnly said while putting her head down. The rest of the litter followed, but Jerrie and Muddle were unsure, so they just followed along.

"Forsyth, our wonderful brother, killed by the Jellicle Munkustrap because he thought it was Macavity. We all wish him happiness in the Heaviside Layer."

"Amen," everycat said.

After a moment of silence, Rosie remembered something important. "We have to name the kittens!" she exclaimed. Everyone looked up, and walked over to the small litter of kittens.

"Well, we have to name one after a member of the Jellicle Tribe, and send that one to live with them…" Grizabella had started the tradition.

~~~

I'm sorry to say, but, back at the Jellicle Tribe, things were not as joyous. It had been five months, but still no sign of Rosie or Jerrie. Munku and Old Deuteronomy had decided what to do. They did not know if the two were dead or alive, but they had to take a chance, and have a funeral. It was a sad day indeed.

"And now," a crying Munku said, "we lay these roses on the graves of the two Jellicles who left us one night, and failed to return – their whereabouts are still unknown, if they are alive."

The whole tribe, especially Magic, started to cry harder. What if they aren't alive? They all thought.

"Mungojerrie, a Jellicle ever since he was a kitten, was always quite the trouble maker, but had a soft side for Rosie. He lived in Victoria Grove with his sister, Rumpleteazer. We will all miss that wonderful Cockney accent of his." Taking a deep breath, and calming himself, he had to continue. "Mungorosie, his faithful mate, had came to us one day. A mysterious cat she was, but still loved by all. She made her home in Victoria Grove a few houses down from Jerrie, but stayed here most of her time. The Junkyard will be silent without them here."

Old Deuteronomy excused Munkustrap from the tire, and stood up to make an announcement. "I did not know Mungorosie very well, but from what I have seen of her, she was always there and always friendly. Mungojerrie I knew well, and he was always in trouble, but there was something loveable about him. This notorious couple of cats will be honoured and live on in our hearts now and forever." He put the roses by the grave stones, and prayed for them.

"Wait," Plato stood up. Every head turned to him. "You look at me as though I am crazy, and I might be. I know I did have eyes for Rosie, but there is something she told me that should be recognized." He made his way to the tire, and stood up on it. "After she left me that night, five months ago, she had told me something right before she left. It was 'Leaving can sometimes be the best way to never go away'. She said that I wouldn't understand now, but now I do. She has left us, they both have for one reason or another, but, they will always be here, in our hearts." Plato stepped down from the tire, and took his place back with the other Jellicles. Yet again, there was a long silence, everyone was sinking in the words that Plato had said.

~~~

Rosie gave a giggle as she looked upon the litter. She and Jerrie sat to admire them and catch up with each other when Star, Muddle, Grizzy, Fav, Mac, and Clyde left them alone.

"Well, it was worth it," Rosie sighed.

"What was worth it?"

"This. The tradition. I've really never told you but Tugger is my second favorite cat. Needless to say, you'll always by my favorite."

"Is that why you named that one," he pointed to a black furball of a kitten that had leopard prints around it's neck and paws, "after Tugger?"

"Yup. That's the one Macavity takes back."

"When we were back at the family's house, what were you thinking about?"

"My life. What I've done, what's happened… Before I moved here, I lived with my family far away. Me and Macavity were best friends, and loved to roam the land. One day, during a thunderstorm, we had roamed too far and got lost. I lost him while running, and then I found a house. That's how I got to live there. About a few days after I moved there, I found a mate and a best friend. Only before we moved did I find out that I had been used by both. Now, I've started my new life here, and tried to forget about my other life," Rosie sighed and looked at the kittens. "I'm so happy I found you…" she purred to Jerrie.

"I can remember when me and Misto used to sit around and wonder if we were ever going to have someone that loves us. Now, I have the perfect mate, the perfect life, and a perfect life to come," he said smiling.

"Speaking of that," Rosie grinned broadly.

"Speaking of what?" Jerrie was confused.

"Repeat the last sentence."

"Now, I have the perfect mate, the perfect life, and the perfect… life… to…" Jerrie got what she was saying. "Oh Rosie… That's so like you!" Rosie just smiled and pushed him over.

"I want this to be like old times."

"Should we move the kittens? I think they are a little young for this," Jerrie smiled.

"Well, that one is going to be like us one day, so, oh well!" She climbed on top of him and leaned down to his face.

Minutes later, Grizabella walked into a not-good site. "Oh my…"

Rosie opened her eyes, opened her mouth, and nudged Jerrie. He opened his eyes, and opened his mouth. She took her tongue out of his mouth, he did the same, and they both stood up. "Umm… Hi Mom…" Rosie nervously laughed.

"Is this how you… normally… act…?" she was unsure.

Rosie grinned. "I scream so much that no one sleeps."

Grizabella put her head in her paws and shook her head. "Rosie, Rosie, Rosie… What has my daughter become?"

"She is actually a little more civilized than you think. She is a really great cat to have around when you have a problem," Jerrie smiled at her.

"Anyway, Macavity and you need to talk, Rosie. Go on, you know where he is," Grizabella nodded toward the doorway.

"The…?!"

Grizzy gave a smiling nod and Rosie bounded out the door. Jerrie looked at Grizabella in confusion. "Where is she going?"

"Well, might as well tell you the whole story…" Grizabella sat down, and motioned for Jerrie to sit next to her. He did, and listened to Grizzy unravel the tale of Mungorosie's past.

~~~

"No. I refuse to believe this… No…" Magic, after the 'funeral', was sitting in the box, wallowing in denial. "She is going to come back. She is going to come back," she kept repeating that to herself. All of a sudden, she heard paws padding to the box, and something tipped it over. "Rosie! Jerrie!" she exclaimed.

"No, only me," Tugger said, staring at Magic oddly. "Why are you in their box?"

"Because I am waiting for Rosie and Jerrie to come back. They should be home any second," Magic said with much confidence.

"Magic, honey, then you'll be waiting here a few years, if not forever. Rosie and Jerrie might not come back. They left without warning. No one knows why…" Tugger walked in and sat next to her.

"I do. Munku and Misto do," she sighed, "they are the only ones, beside Jerrie. It's hard for me, okay? So why don't you just… just… go away!" she yelled in a sudden outburst of rage. Tugger stood up, and slowly backed out of the box, away from the angered Magic. Sniffing the scent left behind, Magic asked herself in utter confusion: "Why in the world does he smell like honey?"

~~~

"So, I take back that black one with the leopard prints?" Macavity asked Rosie while going over the plan to get one of the kittens back to the Tribe.

"Yeah…" Rosie admired the scenery that she had not seen for a long time. Macavity picked a flower and put in behind her ear.

"I just have to run through the Tribe in the dead of tonight, drop the kitten, and then try to go to get it, but leave because the cats will probably kill me if I try; and they won't believe me if I say it's my niece," Macavity said. He stopped and sat down. "Remember the endless adventures we had here?" He lifted up some dead branches to reveal a Junkyard like the Tribe's, but much smaller.

Rosie smiled an ear-to-ear smile and walked in. "Looks a little abandoned."

"Yeah… I wish I could see you more."

Rosie sighed. "I don't go back to the tribe until years later. I think we can make some arrangement."

"Really? Years?"

"Didn't Mom stay the same amount of time?"

"True, true…" Macavity smiled at his sister. "I love her so much… Siblings are supposed to fight, but, I guess we have that exception… She has the perfect life, the perfect mate, and everything going for her. I remember when she first entered the Jellicles with her big opening number that I arranged…Of course, I never saw her again, well, maybe glances, after that…" Mac thought to himself. Coming out of his daze, he said: "Rosie, we have to go now. The walk is long, and I have to start out now because the kitten in only a few hours old. I need to teach her everything she needs to know. By tonight though, I think she will have a good understanding of what's to come," Macavity smiled, nuzzled her head, and Rosie licked his face. Then, he silently bounded away to fetch the almost Jellicle member.

"I love you bro!" She called after him.

"Love ya, sis!" He called back.

~~~

"Gone?! How can they be gone?!" A surprised Jellylorum asked while yelling. "Why? How? When?" she continued.

"Rosie was such a sweet thing," Jenny quietly agreed.

"Then, if you don't know… I guess I'll have to make an announcement," Magic told them. She bounded over to the tire, recalling some of her old memories (refer to "Magic's Entrance") of sleeping there, and started to call the cats over. "Toms, Queens, if I could have your attention for a moment…?" She quietly asked; she wasn't used to making such important announcements. Munku, seeing she was having a little problem, helped her out.

"Cats! We have an announcement to hear!" he barked to the tribe below. Some wearily lifted their heads, others bounded over. Munku stepped off the tire and Magic took over.

"Most of you know that Rosie and Jerrie left in the middle of a night five months ago. Only Jerrie knows the full story. Me and Misto know the majority of it. So, now, I will tell you the tragic tale of why Mungojerrie and Mungorosie left."

The cats saw that they were in for a long story, so they made themselves comfortable. Also, a wave of confusion swept over, and they anticipated the moment of truth.

"Rosie always showed some love toward Grizabella, as some have noticed. What she had never told us is that… is that…" Magic took some time to collect herself as she relived the awful night in her mind. "I've got to be strong and go though with this… Rosie would want me to be brave…" she thought to herself. "Is that Grizabella is…" she paused, "her mother."

~~~

Macavity stood tall and grim over the week old kitten. Realizing that he was probably scaring the kitten, he smiled, and woke up the kitten.

"Come on, girl, we have a long walk ahead of us…" He said in his smoothest voice. "Hey, the thought just crossed my mind – I'm an uncle! I never thought of that…" he smiled to himself.

"Huh? Who are you? Where's my mommy!?" the kitten fearfully asked.

"It's okay, honey… Your mom is out exploring the backyard. I'm your mother's brother – so, namely, I'm your uncle. Macavity is my name. Don't even think to call me Uncle Mac," he sternly said before the kitten could say anything.

"Okay," a trembling voice said.

"I'm sorry to be so stern. It's just my nature," he said while helping the kitten up, "come now, we are going to see your mother so she can help explain what is going to happen."

A frightened face stared into Mac's deep eyes as he lead her to the backyard in which her mother (and his sister, to say) were sitting. She smiled at them both, and the kitten ran into her expecting arms.

"Il se sent si grand d'être une mère," she said lovingly.

"Je sais. Il est juste venu à moi que je suis un oncle maintenant. Bien, nous allons mieux commencés par l'intro au Jellicles. Nous avons beaucoup pour lui le dire," Macavity answered.

The kitten looked up in confusion. "What are you saying?"

"Oh, I'm sorry dear. Me and Macavity were raised for pretty much most of our lives in France so we speak fluent French to each other," Rosie said quickly. Even thought it was true, she didn't want her kitten leading her horrible life; although, she would follow some of it.

"Why did you want me here?" the tiny kitten asked in her tiny voice.

"Well, you're in for a long story that's very important, so take this all seriously," Rosie said, being serious for one of the first times in her life. She looked up to Macavity. "Elle retentit la vie juste Tugger! Je me demande ce que Bomba indiquera!" she smiled. Macavity gave a slight laugh, but then looked at the kitten.

"You better get started."

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" Macavity said in a playful voice.

"FINE!" Rosie yelled, but not really meaning it. "Well, back a long time ago, when MY great-grandmother was young, there was a Jellicle Tribe. The Tribe still lives to this day. Of course, there are different members, and descendants of members, but you get the point. Mom, or now, your grandmother, used to belong to that Tribe. But, she did something… er… not… appropriate – Macavity shut up – and then ran away to have kittens. She had kittens the same place you were born too."

The kitten looked up in awe, absorbing every word her mother said.

"Well, anyway, the Jellicle leader is named Old Deuteronomy. The leader-to-be is Munkustrap. Munku and I were somewhat friends. Then, there is the stud cat, The Rum Tum Tugger, whom you are named after. He looks like you, too. He is black with the same leopard markings, but he is taken by somecat of my age – Bombalurina. You could say she is the female sex symbol; excuse my language. Bomby's, as we call her, best friend is Demeter, who is Munkustrap's mate. Then, there are what me and my best friend Magic call the 'Three-E's' = Exotica, Electra, Etcetera. They are probably a few months older than you. Magic is my best friend, as you know, and her mate is the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees. Misto is friends with my mate, not your father, but my mate. Mungojerrie, yes, I am named after him."

"How can he be your mate if he's not my father?" the kitten precociously asked.

Rosie nervously looked around. "Well… er… I'll tell you that in a minute… Anyway… Jerrie's sister is Rumpleteazer. They like to cause trouble for their family. Teazer is friends with these like, psychic cats – Coricopat and Tantomile. Magic thinks they're possessed, I think they're cool. They disprove of the trouble making of the tom kittens – Alonzo, Tumblebrutus and Pouncival. Alonzo and I are good friends, but I highly dislike his friend Plato. Plato is obsessed with Tugger, and feet; I am telling the truth, don't look at me like that. To cause even more trouble, there are the female kittens – 'The Three E's' which I already named, Cassandra, Victoria, who is Magic's arch enemy, and Jemima. I was friends with Jemima, and often looked after her when the two eldest queens were away. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots. Those two queens are wonderful cats, you'll like them a lot. And last but not least, there are the eldest tom cats – Skimbleshanks the railway cat, whom I was friends with, Gus the Theatre Cat, and Bustopher Jones, who is never really around a lot, but he visits occasionally. And then, there is the almighty Growltiger, and his mate Griddlebone. I am good friends with the two, and even though Growl can be his pirate self, he does have a soft side for Griddlebone."

"Wow… Lotsa cats…" the kitten looked in amazement.

"And the tradition, as I was going to tell you… Well, it was started by your great-great-grandmother, Josephine. She um.. er.. 'messed around', if you know what I mean, with all the males of the tribe back then, and then left. Years later, she came back, but no one accepted her back because of what she had done. Then, at the Jellicle Ball, she went to the Heaviside Layer. Before she went back to the tribe, she had kittens, and made one go back to live with the Jellicles. The tradition went on, and on. Even I carried out the tradition. Now, I am sending you back to live with the Jellicles. When you find a mate, and the time feels right, you will know the tradition, and will carry it out. When I come back, years and years later, you will know me, but shun me and despise me."

"No I won't!" the kitten screeched.

"You may not think so now, but you will. I did. I despised Grizabella. And you will, too. Then I will go to the Heaviside Layer." Rosie took a breather to finish off her long tale.

"And here's our plan to get you into the tribe…" Macavity started his side of the story.

~~~

"Chickens! Chickens! Rooster! Room service!" Magic yelled in a sudden outburst of energy. That night, at the feast to begin the Jellicle Ball, Magic tried to be herself, but without Rosie.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Jelly walked over, putting her paw on the excited kitten's forehead to check for a temperature.

"I'M FINE!! What is wrong with you cats!" she jumped up from her chair, now enraged, and knocking the chair over. "Rosie's freaking gone! I have no one! No friends! NO ONE!" she screeched.

Misto walked over, putting his arms tenderly around her. "Maggie dear, she is only-"

"No one," she said right to his face. Pushing his arms down, she stormed off to be alone.

"Chickens, Velcro, rooster, room service, shrub salad, mon patron me paye bien, serafimo - shut up, music lessons, Misto - good to the last drop, the pretzel is NOT Misto!" she muttered to herself as she walked down "memory lane", recalling only a few of their inside jokes. She saw the hat coming into view, and Misto peering out the top, waiting for her, but she just hung her head low, and stalked into the box. Crawling out ever so slightly, Magic began to pour her emotions out in a song of sorrow.

"Moon is up, the sun is down, you can't have it both ways round. Ooh Rose, won't you listen to me, we are worlds apart, you see. Where are you now, crying out loud, where did you go when I needed you!" she sang in her rich alto voice, gazing up at the stars, wondering if Rosie was thinking about her. "The sun sinks below the clouds and hides his tears without a sound. The moon looks on reflectively, so spare a thought for you and me. Where are you now?" Actually pondering the question, she lost herself in the song. "Dark are the clouds, where did you go when I needed you?" Magic always knew Rosie cared when she was down, or needed a friend, but why did she have to leave now? When friends became the main part of your life. "I should sing this at the Jellicle Ball" she thought to herself with a sense of pride. "The moon is up, the sky is black, I'll sail away and won't come back," she started to choke back tears, because Rosie went away, and Everlasting cat knew when she was coming back. If she was coming back at all… "The sun goes down, the stars will rise and dance across the darkened skies. The sun goes down and the moon is up." She lost her connection with the stars by moving herself back into a corner of the box - unaware that was the very corner that Rosie scurried into when that thunder, five months ago, frightened her. "The moon is up and the sun goes down, and you can't have it both ways round. So come on Rose, and listen to me cause we are two worlds apart, you see." She just let her self go, and cried and sang her heart out. "The sun goes down and the moon goes up!" Not quite sure what she meant by those words, she flung herself down to the floor of the box and cried herself to sleep.

~~~

"And that is what we have to do!" Mac had finished telling the kitten the full story of what was about to happen that fateful night.

Rosie leaned over to Mac. "You're getting out of yourself!" and she slapped him.

Suddenly, like a burst of fire, he went back to the power-hungry, destroying cat. He roughly picked up the kitten and ran away cackling his evil laugh.

"Good bye, T-t-t-…" she couldn't bare to say the name of the kitten who must live her horrid life, and hate her. The kitten who must keep her a secret until the time proves right. The kitten who must conceal herself to be accepted.

~~~

"Magic! Magic wake up!" Misto voice awoke the sleeping cat.

"Wha…?" a confused Magic lifted her head off the box's floor and looked up at Misto.

"Tonight your first Jellicle Ball! You are going to have a song, an acceptance, and everything! And our first mating dance!" Misto excited told her.

"Oh!" she cried and hurried out of the box, only to bump heads with Macavity himself.

"Damn cat!" he yelled to her, forgetting where he was. Jenny and Jelly looked up to see Magic getting pounded to the ground my Mac, who was holding a kitten himself.

"Munku! Munkustrap!" Jenny yelled in terror. Munku was there already, battling Macavity.

"Damn you to hell Munkustrap!" he yelled, but dropped the kitten hard on the ground.

"Oww!" the kitten screeched, now bringing Munku's attention to it. Mac took the advantage and hit Munku hard on the head. Munkustrap retreated back into a crowd of Jellicles who nursed him. Alonzo tried his luck, but failed in five seconds. The rest of the Jellicles now advanced, and seeing he was cornered, he jumped onto the car truck, took some strange objects, and did what appeared to be electrifying himself.

"Macavity's not there," the whole crowd said quietly.

"Yow!" the kitten said, unaware of what was going on.

"Oh my! Look at the little darling… who… looks… exactly… like… Tugger…" Jelly said, slowly turning to him. Tugger just put his hands up and walked away.

"Are you Jellylorum or Jennyanydots?" the kitten's small voice asked.

"How did you know that I was Jelly?" she cautiously asked. Did this kitten work for Mac, and just wanted a way to invade? she thought.

"Umm… I've heard about you… around…" The kitten felt like she had to conceal that fact that her mother, Mungorosie, told her. "Well, dear, lets get you cleaned up and you can watch the Jellicle Ball," Jelly said with a loving tone. She ushered the kitten to where Magic was rehearsing. "Hi Maggie," the kitten said. "Maggie?! Only two cats call me Maggie! And how did you know my name?" Magic stopped warming up and looked down in suspicion. "Rosie only did Jerrie, Plato, and Tugger. Is this her kitten? Nah, to shy…" Magic thought to herself. She dismissed the thought right away. "Speaking of names, I don't think I got yours," Jelly said. A crowd of all the Jellicle gathered around, wondering what name the kitten would say. "My name is… is…" She stuttered. "Should I say my birth name, or make one up?" she thought to herself. Thinking quick was a priority, so she made up her mind. "My name is the Rum Tum Tonya." Part 6 …Seven Years Later… An old, begrazzled calico cat with a hurtful face came stumbling onto the scene… again for the third time during this ball. She looked around, and saw many cats she once called friends. She then saw two black and white cats run past her; the female one stopped and looked her in the eyes for a minute. Giving a look of hate, she quickly ran past, clutching a kitten. Then she saw a black female cat with a tanish mane and leopard prints around her mane and legs. "This is the moment. My final moment of judgement," The old cat thought to herself. The cat walked up to her holding out her hands, and then drew back, made a disgusted face, and ran into the arms of a male cat she did not recognize. Before going any farther, a tom stood up in front of her. "Alonzo…?" she mouthed to herself. Looking away, she saw the disapproving look of the leader, Munkustrap. "Remark that cat who hesitates toward you, in the light of the door, which opens on her, like a grin." She sang to Alonzo, hoping he would recognize her voice. He obviously did not, because he did not let up. Turning around to a whitish queen and a light brown and white tom and some kittens, she sang to them. "You see the border of her coat is torn and stained with sand!" The white queen pulled the kittens away. Then the old cat turned to the two black and white cats. "And you see the corner of her eye twist like a crooked pin!" her voice becoming louder, hoping the queen would know. And she did. The queen knew very well who she was, but did what any other cat would have done. "She haunted many a low resort, near the grimy road of Tottenhan Court… she flitted about the No Man's Land – from the Rising Sun, to the Friend at Hand. And the postman sighed as he scratched his head… you really had thought she'd ought to be dead. But who'd have ever supposed that that was Mungorosie the Glamour cat?" the black and white queen, Magic, sang, knowing that she was giving her once best friend a bad title. Giving a look of distrust and hate, Mungorosie tried to get away from all the sadness and agony she had to suffer – being rejected by her best friend and daughter. What more could happen? She saw all the cats start to edge away from her. She watched as Magic turned around and put her arm around the shoulders of another cat. Hanging her head down while weeping, she remembered how she always used to do that to Magic. She listened to the heavy silence all around her. "Midnight, not a sound from the pavement, has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone…" Still seven years old, her voice still had that particular soprano crystal ring to it. "In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet… And the wind begins to moan…" Walking around a bit, gathering old memories from years ago, she noticed all the cats had turned their backs. "Memory, all alone in the moonlight… I can smile at the old days – I was beautiful then…" she tried to smile, but she failed herself. "I remember a time I knew what happiness was. Let the memory live again…" No one remembered her. And if they did, they did not care. Now, she saw what she had done to her mother. But, her mother had already went to the Heaviside Layer, so there was no use in apologizing now. She now sang in the lower register of her voice. "Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning. Someone mutters, and a street lamp gutters, and soon it will be morning…" She looked up at the sky. "Is this the Jellicle ball? It does not matter… I have failed my life, myself, and killed the hope of everyone I ever knew," sad, depressing thoughts raced through her mind. She turned around, and stumbled over a piece of raised ground. Looking down, she saw two grave stones – titled "Mungojerrie" and "Mungorosie". "Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise; I must think of a new life, and I mustn't give in… When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too… and a new day will begin…" she went back to singing in her higher register. "Our graves… They thought we died…" she thought to herself, rather surprised. She now could not stop the tears that gushed down her face. Looking up again, she realized that the sun was rising, and it was now or never. "Burnt out ends of smokey days… The stale, cold smell of morning… The street lamp dies, another night is over, and soon it will be morning…" she wanted to let go, and show the Tribe her pain, but her agony and depression was holding her back. Suddenly, she felt a twinge of energy that Jerrie had given her until the day she came back. It surged through her body, and she let herself go, just as she did with Jerrie. "Touch me! It's so easy to leave me all alone with the memory of my days in the sun… If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is! Look, a new day, has begun…" her flawless voice flowed through the cats' souls, touching them all – only, none of them was brave enough to get up and put their paw in her outstretched paw that was behind her. Rosie had leaned over and put her paw behind her, wondering if anyone would care. Suddenly, she felt something in the air, and the silence thickened. Then, she felt a paw rest in her hand. Turning slowly around, she saw the last cat she expected to see – the much older eyes of Tantomile. "Welcome back, Rosie," her warm voice said. Inside of Rosie, her whole body was bursting with happiness. "And all this time, Tanto believed in me…" Tanto then handed her paws over to other cats that she did not recognize. When she got to the end of the line, Rosie saw a cat that had a striking resemblance to Misto, but had a star shape on its chest instead of a bowtie. "Misto…?" she softly asked, but this kitten looked too young to be Misto. The kitten smiled, and he knew what she was thinking. "No… Mephistopheles. Son of Mr. And Mrs. Mistoffelees." Rosie smiled because she knew exactly who they were. Mephis handed her paws over to a very much older Munkustrap, who did a wonderful job in taking over for Old Deuteronomy, who had most definitely gone to the Heaviside Layer. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he led her around the junkyard for all to see. She was so nervous, but so very excited at the same time. "Up, up, up past the Russell Hotel… Up, up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer…" the cats' voice started to sing a song that Rosie knew, even though she never heard it before. She suddenly knew that it was she who was the chosen one – she was the one to go to the Heaviside Layer. Stumbling a little bit, she still let Munku lead her around the Junkyard. "Up, up, up past the Russell Hotel… Up, up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer… Up, up, up past the Russell Hotel… Up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer… Up, up, up past the Russell Hotel… Up, up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer… Up, up, up past the Jellicle Moon… Up, up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer… Up, up, up past the Jellicle moon!" the cats' voices doing a crescendo. Rosie was now standing on the tire, that had started to float, with Munku, tears streaming down her eyes. "Up, up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer!" the cats were almost singing their lungs out now. Tonya, her kitten, well, not a kitten anymore – She seemed to be a Tugger "wannabe", but she looked like she took Jelly's place, was standing on the car trunk watching her go up. Rosie looked down, and saw that many she knew were missing. "Munku, I can't. I don't want to. I can't!" she sobbed. "Rosie, you have been chosen. I know your life has been hard, but you will go onto a better life, one that you can enjoy," he said with comfort in his voice. "The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity. 'Round the cathedral rang 'Vivat'! Life to the everlasting cat!" the loud voices sang. Rosie heard a high soprano, but Jenny was not there. While the last note of 'cat' was being held, Rosie saw that the high soprano voice was coming from Magic. "Her dream at last…" she smiled. Munku pulled her out of her thoughts, and gently nudged her to the stairwell to the Heaviside Layer. She walked up without thought, but looked nervously back to Munku about half-way up. Motioning for her to go forward, he smiled his smile, and he looked like a kitten again. Mungorosie took one more glance down to the Tribe, and bravely walked on onto her dream. A dream that took a lifetime to get to.

The End