Yo, people! What's up! How you doin'? I hope you enjoyed the last chapter.
I'm feeling kind of sorry for Tugger. He keeps making Bombalurina mad! It
is kind of funny, though. It reminds me of Love Hina, for those of you
anime fans.
Anyways, the next few chapters are very tender because there'll be a few lyrics stated and a few added as well so here it is. Mucho Disclaimer: I do not own CATS and I do not own any of the words that were written by T.S. Eliot or adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The lyrics I make up in the next few chapters are owned by me; the music however, belongs to whoever composed it. The dancing may not be exactly what the productions have because I lack a movie and I lack a perfect memory so some won't be as up to par as they might have been.
If someone would like to illustrate scenes of this fic, I would love to see them. You can send them to ryouko6cube@yahoo.com. I'm okay at making pictures of Sophanispa but pictures of her and other characters would be great. Anyway, enjoy.
A few words used in this chapter. Linked; two cats are linked when, before the night of the ball, their bodies become synchronized. Originally, Jellicle couples were all meant to be linked but as the ball progressed through the years, most cats thought being linked was either a legend or something special. Most of the couples had some sort of affection for one another but as we see in this fiction, not all couples feel that way. Toms will take the last queen if the alternative is going stag. Pod; a pod is a group of four cats. The tribe is divided up into pods so that entrances will be separated.
Chapter Ten ~** The Jellicle Ball, part I **~
The sun rose slowly over the horizon and with it, every cats' eyes opened in sync. The Jellicle ball had arrived and the Jellicles themselves were in for a last day of preparation, for when the moon rose that night, they would be celebrating, and, in a way, competing.
The toms and queens separated, going off to their own corners of the junkyard. Sophanispa sat in between Victoria and Etcetera.
"He's sooooooo nice!" Etcetera squealed in excitement, her paws a blur of white. "I think I'm in love!"
"You said that about Tugger, too," Electra reminded her. She was smiling almost as much as her friend was.
"What about you?" Etcetera pointed. "You were screaming for him as well!"
"We'll all be screaming for him," Jemima piped up. "Tonight we'll have to chase him around again!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Electra exclaimed. "I love chasing his backside around! It's the greatest view!"
"She has a point," Victoria agreed, blushing. "But I still like Misto better. He's so cute!"
Jemima blushed. "He's not the only one who's cute."
The girls giggled and pestered her until she told them whom she meant.
"Pouncival is adorable!" she gushed in delight. "I like him even better than Alonzo! He's perfect! It's almost like he knows what I'm thinking!"
"Yeah, well," Electra began. "Victor is a great story teller. We hardly slept! He can tell a great ghost story and he's handsome too!"
"Mistofolees made a magical bouquet for me," Victoria bragged. "It was like the flowers were glowing!"
Sophanispa sat and listened to them with slight envy. Her partner for the ball had snuck up on her and attacked her, pinned her, and annoyed the hell out of her before going to sleep. Even stranger, when they had woken up, their first moves were synchronized. They had looked at each other in shock, and then quickly shook themselves out of it.
Sophanispa was thinking about what that might mean when Etcetera nudged her. "How was your night?"
"Yeah!" Electra added. "We never found out of you snagged a partner or not."
"Well," Sophanispa answered reluctantly. "I'll just say my night wasn't as magical as yours might have been. I was just about to go to sleep when my partner snuck up on me and scared me into attacking them. I somehow found myself pinned to the floor and then we went to sleep." Sophanispa said all this in a flat tone, keeping the synchronized movements to herself.
"Who is it?" Jemima asked eagerly. "Is it Admetus? Asparagus?"
"It's not Admetus," Electra muttered. "Cassandra got him. What about Plato? No, wait minute. He's been taken by Exotica."
"So it's gotta be Asparagus," Victoria assessed. They all looked at Sophanispa, whose face suddenly reddened.
"It's Asparagus!" Jemima exclaimed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Omigod!"
Sophanispa blushed again and left them to wonder. If they found out it was Tugger, they'd probably faint. She stood and went to find Bombalurina.
"As far as I'm concerned, he can dance with Jenny again," Bombalurina was saying to Tantomile as Sophanispa came up. Demeter saw her and dragged her into the circle. Sophanispa was forced to sit through the accounts of the night before once again.
Exotica purred. "Plato is very mature. He actually understands me, unlike my idiotic brothers."
Cassandra smiled and countered her. "Yes, but Admetus knows more about the Great Rumpus Cat than Munkustrap."
Demeter wasn't participating. Everyone knew how well she and Munkustrap got along. Tantomile was too shy to respond with anything but a blush.
"What about you, Bombalurina?" Demeter asked. Bombalurina made a face at her sister.
"He's sweet but shy," she answered a little sadly. "He's incredibly smart and knows how to communicate telepathically." She sighed, but her eyes darted up and focused on Sophanispa. "And how was your night?"
It was Sophanispa's turn to sigh. "I just told the others what happened. Don't make me recount!"
She blanched as the queens squealed. The only one who wasn't begging was Demeter.
"I was falling asleep alone because I didn't have a partner when he snuck up behind me, scared em into attacking him, and pinned me to the ground. We went to sleep after that. Nothing special happened." She used the same flat tone. The younger queens came over and added themselves to the circle.
Demeter smiled at them and posed a surprising question. "Now who woke up this morning and was actually linked?" She raised her own paw. No one else moved. Sophanispa was confused.
"You can't really be linked, can you?" Etcetera asked. "I thought that was just legend."
"No, it's real," Demeter answered.
"What happens when you're linked?" Jemima posed. "Can you read each other's thoughts like Tantomile and Coricopat? Because Pouncival seemed like he could read my mind."
"No," Demeter told her. "No mind reading. What happens is for the first few minutes of being awake, your partner and you are synchronized. You move together and think as one. It's a sign that your hearts have indeed linked during the night."
"Oh," Tantomile whispered. She timidly raised her paw in the air. Everyone looked around the circle and Cassandra was to one who pointed out the obvious.
"Sophanispa," she began. "You look like you're going to cry."
She turned her green eyes to the black cat. "I'm linked!"
There were gasps all around. Demeter and Tantomile smiled and the younger queens cried out.
"With Asparagus? How strange!" Jemima exclaimed.
"She's not going with Asparagus," a male voice said. Mistofolees sauntered into the circle, putting an arm around Victoria's shoulders. She batted him away.
"You're not supposed to be here!" she exclaimed. She and a few others chased him away, giving Sophanispa a chance to grab Bombalurina and escape.
"What's up?" Bombalurina asked once they were away from the others.
"You need to take you part in Tugger's song!" Sophanispa exclaimed. "I don't want it."
"No," Bombalurina sniffed. "I don't want that idiot to touch me. He'll just drop me on my stomach again. Insensitive toms don't deserve to have queens all over them."
Sophanispa fixed her eyes on Bombalurina. "You like him and you know it. Just give him one more chance."
"Too late. I'm going with Coricopat and I'm going to enjoy it."
"Stop trying to fool yourself! He's going nuts because you won't talk to him."
"And he'll just go back to the way he was once I let him lure me in," Bombalurina snorted. "That's the way he is. He'll persist after the queen until he has the queen chasing him and then he'll treat them the same as everyone else. That's why he went after you and that's why he's going after me. Coricopat is devoted to only one person."
"Come on Bombi!" Sophanispa asked desperately. "I can't do your parts for that song! I'm not made for them! There's no way I can dance like that and make it look as good as you do."
"It's not that you can't dance them," she told her. "You just have to act them! Act as if you know you're beautiful and every tom's eye is on you and act as if you're enamored with Tugger! That's all it takes!"
"I don't think so," Sophanispa answered. "I don't think I can pull that off! Please!" Sophanispa gave her big green eyes and tried to look sincere.
"Oh, all right," Bombalurina muttered. "But you owe me."
"Thank you!" Sophanispa exclaimed, giving Bombalurina a big hug. The red queen was slightly surprised but not embarrassed.
They returned to the group, where topic of discussion had wandered to Mungojerry. Rumpleteazer had emerged slightly later than everyone else had and had confirmed that she was also linked. Sophanispa tried to stay out of everyone's way to delay the moment when the girls found out who her partner was. Of course, it was only a matter of time before they discovered her secret. Time was inevitably moving along and the ball was drawing closer.
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Within the ranks of the toms, a similar melee was ensuing. They weren't so much as gossiping as comparing beauty of their dates.
"Victoria's the most beautiful," Mistofolees exclaimed with feeling. "There can be no doubt."
"Coricopat got the real winner," Asparagus groaned. "And I'm left with nothing."
"Speaking of which," Mistofolees added. "The queens think you're going with Sophanispa."
"In my opinion," Coricopat said quietly. "She's better than any."
"Then why didn't you ask her?" Tugger rounded on him.
"I did," Coricopat said softly. "She declined. Bombalurina accepted instead."
"Well," Mungojerry interjected. "She may be a beauty, but nothin' cin compete ta Teazer. She's a real loive'un."
"I prefer them quiet," Alonzo announced. "They don't need to be live to please me."
"You only like 'em quiet because there's all the more room to hear yourself talk," Pouncival kidded. "I love Jemima's voice."
"She's not as cute as Etcetera," Tumblebrutus growled.
Tugger grinned. "How many of your dates attacked you last night?"
None of them said anything but there were dirty laughs and rude suggestions.
Munkustrap gave him the eye. "You probably scared her half to death. I doubt she was expecting you."
"You always ruin the fun," Tugger laughed.
Munkustrap cleared his throat. The toms quieted and gave him their attention.
"How many of you were linked last night?"
They looked thoughtful. Alonzo's paw shot up eagerly. He looked proud and some of the others shot him dirty looks. Mungojerry grinned mischievously and raised his as well.
"Anyone else?" Munkustrap asked, raising his own paw. Coricopat looked around, a strange look on his face.
"Okay," Munkustrap said a bit flustered. "Not as many as I expected." Coricopat cleared his throat.
"There is one more person," he announced. "My sister says four queens raised their paws this morning. There must be another tom."
Munkustrap looked around the circle with interest. "I'll figure out who it was." He walked around the circle, stopping every few people and scrutinizing. He stopped in front of Mistofolees and the magic cat shook his head.
"You know who it was," Munkustrap stated. Mistofolees nodded, smiling broadly.
"You'll never guess," he laughed. Munkustrap raised an eyebrow in speculation and turned to Coricopat.
"Did she say who the queens were?" Munkustrap asked him.
"No, but I can ask," he answered. His face became foggy and his pupils narrowed until all that could be seen was large orange irises bisected by a thin black line.
He looked up as if breaking from a trance and started laughing slightly.
"Well?" Munkustrap urged impatiently.
"She said that she, Rumpleteazer, Demeter, and one other," Coricopat answered.
"Who was the last?"
"She said it was Asparagus' partner," Coricopat answered coyly.
"The invisible queen?" Tugger cracked. He didn't want them to figure it out.
"Sophanispa?" Mungojerry asked incredulously. He looked at Asparagus but his gaze slid to Tugger, who looked quite uncomfortable.
"Oi know 'oo it woz," Mungojerry grinned mischievously. "Tugga's losin' 'is image."
The toms' eyes all slid to rest on Tugger, who looked nervously around. "What?" he asked defensively.
Alonzo was the first to start laughing. "Tugger's linked!" he giggled. "It just doesn't sound right. Of course, Mungojerry being linked doesn't sound right either."
"And I suppose you think you being linked is a given," Tugger growled.
"Yeah," Mungojerry added. "Whot so bad 'bout me bein' linked?"
Alonzo just laughed. Tugger and Mungojerry exchanged a look and then they pounced on him. They wrestled him to the ground and sat on him.
The Jellicles played and congregated in their separate groups until lunchtime, where everyone came together, sitting according to name.
None of the cats understood this of course, but deep down, they knew their place, and no matter how much they may have disliked the cat next to them, they wouldn't ruin the ball by moving. There were a few missing spaces. Demeter and Electra had a space between them that was always vacant for Deuteronomy did not appear until night fall. The second gap, only appearing in previous years, was no more vacant. The space between Exotica and Gus was usually vacant because Grizabella hadn't been with the tribe. Since she had moved on the next plain, her space no longer existed. The third space, between Jennyanydots and Mistofolees, was never spoken of. A few years back, there had been no space because Macavity had been a regular member of the tribe. Old Deuteronomy insisted that the space be left, hoping against hope that Macavity would eventually return to them.
As they made a ring, Victoria joining paws with Admetus to close the great ring, food appeared in the center of their circle and the Jellicles ate merrily, discussing what they would do later that night.
Sophanispa was happily drinking some first-rate cream with strawberries floating along in the liquid when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned to find Skimbleshanks beside her, waving friendlily at her.
"Are you Sophanispa?" he asked. She nodded and he smiled.
"Thank you for saving my daughter," he told her.
Sophanispa blushed. "I had help. I wouldn't have gotten out if it hadn't been for Tugger, Alonzo, and Tantomile."
"Speaking of which," Tugger said, leaning forward so Sophanispa could see him past Skimbleshanks' face. "Have you spoken to Bombalurina about the number?"
"She'll do it," Sophanispa answered. "But I owe her, or that's what she said."
"You shouldn't owe her anything," Skimbleshanks added. "You saved her life. She owes you." Sophanispa blushed again and Tugger laughed at her discomfort. His laughter drew his sister, Rumpleteazer, to the conversation.
"Oye Tug!" she exclaimed. "D'ya wont 'at last piece 'at Argentine joint? Those were a pain ta snag an' Oi won' 'ave ya not finishin' 'em." He waved the plate in her direction and she grabbed the joint.
"Boi the way," she said swallowing the joint in on gulp. "'Oo's your date fo' the ball?" Tugger choked on the cream he was sipping and Sophanispa started laughing at him.
"None of your business," Tugger growled at her.
"Ahh," Rumpleteazer giggled. "Are ya goin' wif mum 'gain?"
"No," he answered simply.
"I know!" Pouncival exclaimed. Tugger gave him a look and Pouncival was glad of Rumpleteazer sitting between him and the maned tom.
"Oye, Plato!" she called to the next tom. Plato was out of Tugger's line of sight. "'Oo's Tug's date? He goin' solo?"
"You mean you don't know?" Plato exclaimed. "The only tom who couldn't get a date was Asparagus."
"Wait a minute," Tantomile said suddenly. Rumpleteazer's attention swung in the other direction to focus on the female witch cat. "I thought Sophanispa was going with Asparagus." The two queens' attention fell on Sophanispa, who was suddenly very busy with her food.
"Sopha!" Rumpleteazer exclaimed in a scolding voice.
"To tell you the truth," she said quietly. "I don't even know who Asparagus is. You guys just assumed that that was whom I was going with and I decided not to correct you."
Tantomile looked from Sophanispa to Rumpleteazer and then slowly looked at Tugger. Her face got misty and she looked like she was in a trance. Tugger looked at her and scowled. "She's contacting Coricopat."
Tantomile broke form her trance with a gasp. Sophanispa and Tugger groaned simultaneously.
Rumpleteazer was on the verge of running over to her when Sophanispa looked at Tantomile and shook her head, mouthing the word "No." Tantomile closed her mouth and looked apologetic to Rumpleteazer. The notorious queen scowled. "Oi'll jus' ask Jerry when Oi sees 'im." And she resumed eating.
A while later, Munkustrap began coming around the circle, removing cats in groups of four. He took Tugger with him as he continued around the circle and Tantomile, Sophanispa, and Rumpleteazer turned to see what they were doing. They watched as Admetus was also removed from the circle, followed by Demeter and Jennyanydots.
"The pods," Tantomile explained. "Every year, there are groups of four placed intermittently around the junkyard so that we won't hurt each other when we come out. Tugger must be in trouble because he's with both Demeter and Jennyanydots. His mother, of course won't let him do anything and Demeter, being Munkustrap's mate, won't fall for his tricks."
Munkustrap came around the circle again, this time taking Alonzo, Electra, Mistofolees, and Skimbleshanks.
Tantomile mentally cursed, wishing she'd been picked to go with Alonzo. She knew that no matter what pod she went to, she would emerge with Coricopat. The pods were just a reminder of spacing, making sure no one hit each other. She was snapped out of her contemplation when Sophanispa stood. Asparagus, Etcetera, and Mungojerry were there along with Munkustrap. Sophanispa's pod partners had arrived. Soon after, Tantomile found that her group consisted of Bombalurina, Exotica, and Munkustrap himself. He led them over to a part of the yard not taken and went to secure the last few groups. The fifth pod was a unique group for only half of it would emerge. Bustopher Jones and Gus would be watching from the shadows until their entrance came, in which Gus would be helped by members of the sixth pod. The other two members were Plato and Tumblebrutus. Jellylorum, being Gus' designated aid, was positioned in the sixth pod. She would do her bit, then run over and scoot Gus to a portion of the yard not being used. Her partners, Cassandra, Pouncival, and Victor, would cover the fact that she had gone by doing some little dance. The last pod, Coricopat, Jemima, Rumpleteazer, and finally, Victoria, would move into place behind the fourth pod where Coricopat and Tantomile would do their twin thing and come into the moonlight at just the right moment. The only cat really nervous about the ball was Sophanispa. She didn't want to mess up and her group members assured her that the moon would show her what to do. Still, she couldn't help but hope that nothing went wrong.
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Night fell on the junkyard, creating a suspenseful pressure in the air. The Jellicles were silent, their eyes dilated so far that their irises shone iridescent in the darkness, brilliant and colorful gems on a background of black velvet.
There was a collective sigh when the clouds parted and a sliver of silver moon shone through, illuminating a few faces. It was time.
Demeter, always the first out, scooted across the junkyard, sniffing furiously to make sure Macavity wasn't around. She was so alert that a car on the distant rode startled her into running for the drainage pipe. She hid herself inside and peeked out warily.
Munkustrap appeared from his own patch of darkness to stare.
Coricopat and Tantomile flew from their station, moving as one, not even looking at each other. They stopped suddenly in a pushup type position, pulsing with energy. Cassandra tumbled out from somewhere and slid to a stop, gracefully curving her spine, taunting the air before her. She looked up and her blue eyes met their orange ones.
A dark figure emerged from the upper portions of the junk framing the yard. Tugger, strangely maneless, pawed the air with a menacing look. Skimbleshanks came out and sniffed the air, his nose going wild. Electra swung herself onto the floor and glared out into the night. One by one, the Jellicles emerged from their places, masked in shadow and hyper-tuned to the night.
Munkustrap stood as if he wasn't used to walking upright and sniffed the air, waiting for the moon to show him the way. He tipped his chin up a bit higher and began the ceremony. "Are you blind when you're born?"
Demeter looked out from the pipe. "Can you see in the dark?"
"Can you look at a king?" Skimbleshanks asked.
"Would you sit on his throne?" Asparagus added.
"Can you say of your bite, that it's worse than your bark?" Tugger purred.
"Are you cock off the walk," Alonzo asked as he strutted.
"When you're walking alone," Sophanispa concluded, her worries disappearing once the moonlight touched her. The Jellicles all came in to the mix, singing and dancing their respective parts. (Of course, everyone reading this knows what happens here. There is no need for me to recount everything.)
They all came together again and formed a pyramid. Sophanispa found herself at the very front in between Etcetera and Victoria. She also found herd elf speaking words like an innate habit. She hadn't learned these words. She just knew them. Victoria peeled off a few measures in and Sophanispa followed the rest of the cats when the words stopped. Everyone watched, mesmerized, as Victoria danced her way into their minds. Her limbs were arranged beautifully as she contorted to her dance. Mistofolees watched from the drainage pipe, his large eyes reflecting her white form. Her gestures were so pure and her face so serene that he thought of angels. Jemima may have had the voice of an angel, but Victoria had the manner of one.
She moved gracefully to the floor and he went to join her. Together, they would invite the rest of the Jellicles out from the shadows.
The light of the moon grew stronger as the Jellicles continued to rejoice. As Mistofolees' voice rang across the yard, the cats joined in pairs. Sophanispa was waiting until her path to the center of the activity was clear but Tugger slid behind her and led her out. Not wanting to break the connection they had somehow forged, she didn't resist.
Another formation was created and Munkustrap explained aloud what was going to take place. Then he turned and greeted several of the Jellicles, and began his role as the narrator of the tribe and introduced the first cat, his mother Jennyanydots.
Tugger sneered and began to slink off to the shadows. He hesitated on his way, then turned back quickly and grabbed Sophanispa's hand as she was watching the lid of a car magically rise, revealing Jennyanydots. He put a finger to his lips to indicate silence and bade her to follow him. She stumbled a bit as he dragged her into the darkness.
"What are you doing?" she hissed at him.
"I have to get rid of the invisibility," he explained. "Nothing big. I do this every year. I know what my mother is and I don't need to listen to what she does every night." He rubbed his paws together and closed his eyes, putting his paws, palm down, in front of him. Sophanispa watched in silent wonder as golden threads of light emanated from his paws. The threads went to the place where his mane usually was and her eyes widened as the threads basically redrew his fur. The light died and he stood, maned and confident, as always. He took a step towards her and she backed away, suddenly wary of him.
"May I have my collar back for tonight?" he asked her. She frowned at him.
"I won it fair and square," she reminded him.
"I know," he answered. "I'll give it back. And to make sure," he added, untying the leopard spotted bandana from his calf. "You can keep this as a ransom." He whipped it up, the cloth catching the light. He moved up and deftly undid the catch on the collar, tying the bandana in its place. He then allowed the collar to drop to the ground. Instead of falling, it levitated and snapped onto his throat.
He grinned at her amazed face and lifted her face up, his fingers warm under her chin.
"Will you be one of those chasing me?" he asked. "Or will you be watching?"
"I guess the moon will decide that for me," she whispered quietly. "How did you . . ." "My magic gets stronger every time I use it to save something," he explained. "Your life gave me a lot of new power." The noise from the yard was getting raucous. He smiled and pulled her over to a place where they could watch. Tugger laughed quietly.
"What's so funny?" Sophanispa asked as she watched Demeter, Munkustrap, Bombalurina, and Jellylorum dance along with a flashy looking Jennyanydots.
"Watch Pouncival," Tugger told her. Sophanispa transferred her eyes and giggled. Pouncival was making faces, pretending to trip people. As a line of cats, all dressed as beetles, swept across the stage, following Jennyanydots and her four narrators, Pouncival flipped himself over, doing a handstand and clapping with his feet.
Tugger shoved her a little. "Get moving. I'm about to go out." Sophanispa waited near the edge of the yard while Jemima and Victoria abandoned their beetle costumes. She returned with them and smiled as a tearing sound echoed through the junkyard. Everyone turned to look. Tugger had just torn his way through a canvas hanging from the bars. He miaowed loudly and his voice tapered off into a seductive growl, which sent the queens wild.
"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat," everyone, including Sophanispa sang as he sauntered, danced, and thrusted his way across the stage. Sophanispa did not join the queens who rushed out to attack him nor did she join the cats on the tire. She found Mistofolees and sat by him. When Mistofolees moved to meet Tugger, Sophanispa followed.
"The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore!" Mistofolees sang with relish. Sophanispa leaned against him and feigned boredom. They grinned at each other while Tugger shot them a weird look and continued to strut and fret his time upon the 'stage'. Sophanispa went to sit along the top of the tire after that.
She watched with glee as Bombalurina went to dance. Sophanispa enjoyed watching the red queen swing herself confidently. They danced around each other, their backs almost touching. When Bombalurina faced Sophanispa, she winked. The duo turned again and Tugger, still singing, did the same thing. Sophanispa had no idea what they were trying to tell her but the scene that unfolded in the next few seconds would go down as one of Tugger's few moments of rejection.
KICK. Bombalurina's foot came up and down and now Tugger's paws were trailing up her torso. "For I only like what I find for myself," he purred scrumptiously as his face drew close to Bombalurina's. In the few seconds it took for that position to come about, Sophanispa had rushed to join the others for a better view.
"No!" Bombalurina cried before Tugger could. Instead of him dropping her, she grabbed his shoulders and tripped him over her knee.
"So you'll catch him in it right up to his ears, when you put it away on the larder shelf!" Bombalurina cried in relish, laughing as the younger queens mobbed him. Sophanispa grabbed his hand and helped him escape from them. He was grinning still and as he emerged form the mass of queens, he continued to sing, "Doesn't care for a cuddle! But I'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing 'cause there's nothin' I enjoy like a horrible muddle."
Sophanispa giggled as she witnessed firsthand Tugger's power to draw the queens in. Either they were very good actresses, or they were totally smitten over him again.
The end of the song drew near and Sophanispa decided to sit at his feet like every one else.
She slid to a space a bit further from him than everyone else but he noticed her with a smirk. As his voice broke into a higher octave and the girls screamed, Sophanispa doing her best to do what the others were doing, she noticed a pair of yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. She screamed for real, startling Jemima. Etcetera fainted and Tugger moved his hindquarters away from Electra's grasping hand. Sophanispa grabbed for him, intending to point out the eyes but he moved quickly and sed off to one corner of the stage, then to another, skirting his pursuers. Sophanispa had stood but moved back to the opposite side of the yard, still looking at the eyes. A crash sounded from the darkness and everyone froze finally. They turned to the sound and a chilling sight emerged from the velvet black depths of the night. Macavity in all his terrifying glory had come to the ball.
Really quite handsome in a rugged adventurous sort of way, Macavity's long mane of gold and red looked as it were aflame. His lean body, crackling with crimson energy, added to the image of fire. He grinned menacingly at the queens near him. Jemima and Etcetera gasped and held on to each other. Sophanispa, along in her part of the yard, gritted her teeth and refused to tremble. Even the toms known for their fighting skills were frozen. Demeter was against the car with her paw to her chest, her green eyes wide with fear. Macavity sauntered over to her, smiling calmly. Munkustrap moved closer from his position on the tire but Macavity warned him away. His back was turned to Sophanispa however. She moved quickly while Macavity's attention was on Munkustrap and took Demeter's hand in her own, pulling her away.
Macavity turned just as Demeter left the car hood and he grimaced when he caught sight of the two golden queens together. As his eyes passed over her, Demeter froze, petrified.
Sophanispa, knowing that Demeter would need to be moved forcefully to break her of the grip of fear, moved protectively in front of her, between her friend and doom.
Macavity laughed softly and padded up to Sophanispa. She held her ground as he lifted his paw and caressed her face gently.
"My little Infamous Gold," he growled. "You have been disobeying me. Why did you run away?"
She refused to answer him, seeing a few of the toms sneaking up behind him.
"Your home is with me, not here in this place full of light," he continued. "You belong in the darkness with me."
"My home is nowhere in your vicinity," she spat with contempt. "I want none of your darkness. I'll never return with you."
He leaned in close, putting his mouth near her ear. He wouldn't dare hurt anyone while surrounded by the Jellicles but Sophanispa put her paws against his white chest just to be sure. "If they knew who you were," he growled in her ear. "You would have no choice but to return to me." He trailed a claw down her pale cheek as she took this in. Demeter and Sophanispa's eyes burned into his golden irises, none of them daring to blink. Hands appeared on Macavity's shoulders and began to restrain the fiery tom. Out of the corner of her eye, Sophanispa could see a silver tabby helping Demeter to the edge of the yard; Munkustrap. A dark paw framed in gold took her arm and tried to pull her in the same direction but she had eyes only for Macavity. He was laughing softly as Alonzo, Coricopat, Asparagus, and Skimbleshanks held him stationary.
"Turn to your friends there," he growled. "They're all you have at the moment, though I daresay once they realize certain things, you'll come back to me." With that, he launched himself into the air, breaking free of the Jellicles' restraining grasps, and promptly flew at Demeter and Munkustrap.
Everything seemed to slow down as his fiery visage drew closer to the couple. Tugger, being the closest to them attempted to grab Macavity but even his height did not put him in reach of the evil feline. Demeter's eyes suddenly widened with ever growing fear and Munkustrap seemed to fill with a grim acceptance.
"NOO!" a voice cried and suddenly, the world sped up again and Macavity was suspended in the air.
A shocked silence filled the junkyard in which only Sophanispa moved. She had gone into the air after Macavity and attached herself to him, holding him back with all the strength an emergency can bring out. Some thought she had just grabbed onto him, others knew she had flown, but everyone asked the question; How had she done it?
"Leave here," she hissed, shivering as she continued to hold him. "Leave these beautiful lives and dreams alone. You've ruined enough of them with your twisted thoughts and actions and I'll not have you ruining any more. Leave here and never come back!"
He chuckled, the vibrations of his chest running up her arms. He slowly returned to the ground, her feet touching the earth a second later.
"I will not do this," he growled, still smiling. "But since you've tried so hard to stop me this time, I'll return to my lair, sans prisoners. Next time however, you may not find me so generous." He placed a dark paw on her head. She scratched at him weakly and fell, sitting hard on the floor. He took off like a demon cat, leaving the Jellicles to themselves. Victoria and Jemima rushed to Sophanispa's side and helped her to her feet. She was woozy and couldn't walk very well.
The tribe was looking at her with large shocked eyes, some in wonder, some in fear. Demeter broke from her trance and moved swiftly. She stood in front of the tribe, Sophanispa, Victoria, and Jemima behind her.
"I think we all owe this queen once again," she said softly to the tribe. "She really is a wonderful thing. This is the second time she has saved me from my former captor and if I hear a word spoken against her, know that I shall give the speaker a piece of my mind."
They tribe remained silent, throwing a few sullen looks at each other.
"That's . the . first time . I've ever . flown . without collapsing . afterwards," Sophanispa panted softly.
She was helped to the side and the ball continued. Bustopher Jones was introduced and Sophanispa laughed as she watched the overweight cat about town. She marveled at Mistofolees' resemblance to the larger tom.
She realized she was hungry as Bustopher Jones sang about food. He continued to speak of his habits in an operatic voice and stood, the rest of the cats jumping in again.
"Toodlepip!" he exclaimed, handing off a red flower to Jennyanydots.
Sophanispa applauded along with the rest of the cats. A crash broke them from their happiness and sent them running.
"Macavity!" a few cried, the threat real enough for them that Demeter wasn't the only one spooked. Sophanispa tried to get up to follow but she was too tired from her brief moment of flight.
Alonzo came her way and helped her to a proper hiding place with him, Asparagus, and Exotica. They looked out through a chink and carefully surveyed the scene. A giggle aroused suspicion and this suspicion was confirmed when two striped cats came into their line of sight.
"It's Mungojerry," Alonzo announced.
"And Rumpleteazer," Sophanispa added.
"They're at it again," Asparagus laughed.
"And there's nothin' at all to be done about that," Exotica concluded in a flat voice. "They scared the crap out of me!"
"Yeah well," Alonzo sighed. "That's pretty much what they do every year. It's funny that I'm related to Teazer though. She's in between Misto and me."
No one was really paying attention to this irrelevant information. Asparagus was watching the notorious duo and Exotica was looking from him to Sophanispa, who was sitting against the back wall of the hideout, resting her body. She looked confused and of course had to ask the question burning within her.
"If you two are linked," she began. "How come you aren't breathing together?"
Sophanispa blinked and Asparagus turned back to the cats in the hideout. "What?"
"I thought you two were linked?" she said again. The cats under question looked at each other.
"I said I was linked," she answered. "I never specified with whom."
"I don't have a date," Asparagus added sheepishly. "You're my sister, you should know that."
"Then who are you linked with?" Exotica asked bluntly.
Sophanispa threw up her arms and gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm linked with Tugger all right! Damn you guys are nosy when it comes to things like that."
Exotica stared in silence. "I don't believe you."
"Oh?" Sophanispa declared. "Fine. Don't believe it."
"Time to go," Alonzo interrupted. He helped Sophanispa to her feet and the rest of the cats flooded into the yard again to surround the duo. Mungojerry gave Sophanispa a pleading look, as if she could help them in her condition, but Demeter had cut off their escape.
Suddenly, the junkyard became very quiet. The cats as one moved towards the edge of the yard. The twins and Mistofolees whispered in hushed tones. Old Deuteronomy was coming.
Sophanispa dragged herself over to a corner to get out of the way of the others and listened as they hailed him. She watched as Munkustrap moved to get the others' attention. He then began telling everyone about Deuteronomy.
Everyone was surprised when Tugger, from yet another perch above the rest of the cats, took up the telling after he did.
The two brothers sang together, their voices melding beautifully. Eventually, the entire tribe joined in, adding their own unique intonation into the pot.
Finally, the great grandfather cat emerged, moving on tottery legs, his big shaggy coat worn even more this year. Sophanispa saw him and tears formed in her eyes as he held out a paw to her. She took it and they both stumbled up to the tire. She sat amongst the other cats at the base.
"I see Sophanispa has joined our tribe this year," he remarked in his old voice. "This is a good thing. The most unexpected events happen with the most unexpected cast of characters." His message was cryptic and none of the Jellicles understood what he meant, though a few of them knew the message would reveal itself as the night progressed. Munkustrap, a new light in his eyes, stood up before the company, giving his grandfather a grin. "The awful battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles together with some account of the participation of the Pugs and the Poms, and the intervention of the Great Rumpus Cat!"
Of course, everyone knows of this scene where the cats don boxes or silly costumes and Tugger runs around with a bagpipe made of an old football and candy cane. Sophanispa watched with big eyes and laughed as Munkustrap held one at bay. Pouncival was pretending to shoot at people and he and Plato were generally making fun of everything in sight.
Then the night grew quiet and Munkustrap and the Pekes and Pollicles, along with the Pugs and the Poms began tiptoeing around.
Suddenly, a great black tom with flashing eyes emerged and Munkustrap began to tell of the Great Rumpus Cat.
Sophanispa watched the large tom as he glared around the clearing. His red eyes flashed in to moonlight and he had a strange shaped emblem on his chest. He looked strong. 'I wonder if he can take on Macavity?' she thought silently.
The Great Rumpus Cat frightened all the canines into submission and was hailed by the Jellicles. Sophanispa continued to think about his odds against the Hidden Paw.
Sophanispa began to slowly make her way over to the standing Jellicles. She wanted to ask him a question like any young human would want to do to a celebrity. A crash behind her sent her sprawling to the ground.
"MACAVITY!" Demeter howled, running off to a corner of the yard. Cats everywhere were running into their nearest hiding places. Sophanispa had to dodge a few feet as they rushed away from the clearing. She was the only one left out there and she solemnly hoped that Demeter had only been spooked.
Old Deuteronomy had not moved from the great tire when the warning had been shouted. He limped to Sophanispa and helped her to stand. Jemima and Victoria emerged to help her as well. Old Deuteronomy stepped back, smiling at his great grand children. Mistofolees, a very shocked look on his pale face, appeared form behind the great cat. (Forgive me for reiterating this scene but it's one of my favorites and some things are different)
"Jellicle cats come out tonight," he sang soothingly. "Jellicle cats come one, come all."
"The Jellicle moon is shining bright," the three queens and an emerging Munkustrap before him sang. "Jellicles come to the Jellicle ball."
Alonzo perked up and came to join them, changing the tone of the junkyard. "Jellicle cats are black and white. Jellicle cats are rather small. Jellicle cats are merry."
"And Bright," Pouncival added, tumbling into the clearing.
"And pleasant to hear when we caterwaul," Victoria and Jemima countered, moving hand in hand in little jumping moves.
"Jellicle cats have cheerful faces!" Skimbleshanks answered, moving into the moonlight, balancing on one foot.
"Jellicle cats have bright black eyes," Tumblebrutus added softly.
With a flourish, Mistofolees sang. "We like to practice our airs and graces."
"And wait for the Jellicle moon to rise," everyone chorused.
"Jellicle cats develop slowly," Munkustrap, Plato and an out of breath Admetus said.
"Jellicle cats are not too big," Exotica added.
"Jellicle cats are roly-poly," Asparagus said with a slight laugh.
"We know how to dance a gavotte and a jig," Mistofolees and Skimbleshanks said, demonstrating just that.
"Until the Jellicle moon appears," Demeter and Sophanispa said mistily, their eyes clouding over.
"We make our toilette and take our repose," Bombalurina added seductively.
"Jellicles wash behind their ears," Jennyanydots sang, grabbing Rumpleteazer's ear.
"Jellicles dry between their toes," Jellylorum scolded, watching Admetus.
"Jellicle cats are black and white," the twins breathed in unison.
"Jellicle cats are o' moderate soize!" Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer added sagely.
"Jellicles jump like a jumping jack!" Tumblebrutus, Pouncival, and Skimbleshanks exclaimed, again demonstrating.
"Jellicle cats have moonlit eyes," Cassandra purred, arching her back.
"We're quiet enough in the morning hours, we're quiet enough in the afternoon," the company chorused.
"Reserving our terpsichorean powers," Munkustrap and Mistofolees exclaimed.
"And dance by the light of the Jellicle moon!" everyone countered.
"Jellicle cats are black," Victor began.
"And white," Etcetera and Victoria finished as Rumpleteazer said "An' whoite!"
Tumblebrutus, Mistofolees, and Skimbleshanks came running, "Jellicle cats as we said are small!"
Admetus, Munkustrap, and Plato running towards them countered, "If it happens to be a stormy night!"
"We will practice a caper or two in the hall!" they answered.
"If it happens the sun is shining bright," the Jellicles whispered.
"You would say we had nothing to do at all," Tugger purred.
As the queens moved up behind him, the tribe continued. "We are resting and saving ourselves to be right for the Jellicle moon and the Jellicle ball!"
The ball was upon them! Suddenly, the cats were flooded with energy and a furious dance ensued. Old Deuteronomy looked impressed by their fervor.
Many of the male cats called over to where Bombalurina and Cassandra were dancing, inviting them over. The girls complied and soon the other queens followed. Mistofolees and Pouncival show off their own little dance.
Somehow, the tribe, Sophanispa included, organized themselves into a synchronized dance. Deuteronomy looked as if he had become tired just watching them. Suddenly, as if by some signal, they began to pair off. Mistofolees and Victoria led the dance, much to Plato's disagreement. He was snagged instead by Exotica and his face lightened up once he saw her.
Asparagus looked slightly frantic as he slid through the other Jellicles. His eyes lighted on Etcetera and he dove towards her, holding out his paw. She accepted and Tumblebrutus, moving towards her from the other side, frowned and turned away. Tugger moved towards Bombalurina. She smiled broadly.
"Guess what," she told him.
"You're not mad at me anymore?"
"Not exactly," she answered. "I'm still mad at you, but I'm almost not mad at you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means go away, come back later, and we'll be fine," Bombalurina told him. Tugger frowned and frowned some more when she snagged the passing Coricopat. His eyebrows took a dive and he turned and started looking for Sophanispa or someone else. He knew he'd have to hurry or he'd be alone. Asparagus was ruthless when it came to these things.
Tugger spotted Sophanispa from behind and he noticed Tumblebrutus moving towards her. He held out his paw to her and she, not seeing Tugger, held hers out as well. Tugger moved into Tumblebrutus' line of sight and the younger tom drew back. Sophanispa, seeing his hesitation, turned around to find Tugger. She smiled at him.
"Did you ask her?"
"Yeah, well," he groaned. "She says she's almost not mad at me, whatever that means."
"That's good!" Sophanispa looked around nervously. The cats were all lying down. Tugger saw this and moved towards her, putting a paw around her waist and gracefully going to the ground, bringing her down beside him. (I don't see this as a mating dance so don't get all angry at me for pairing them this way.)
"Why is that good?" he whispered once they were down.
"It means she'll probably say yes the next time you ask her something," Sophanispa told him.
"Asparagus must have grabbed Etcetera," Tugger pointed out. "Tumble's wandering around, partnerless." The cats began to stand again and a loud hiss makes them all look around in fear. Macavity had been watching.
Bombalurina moved forward and looked directly at Old Deuteronomy, smiling. She began to dance. Everyone thought this was just a normal part of the ball, but something strange was happening. The queens had all lined up, with Bombalurina and Cassandra in the lead. They moved up to Old Deuteronomy and Bombalurina's voice fell forward. The toms and older queens listened intently, for this was something new.
The first twelve lines are sung to "Jellicle cats come out tonight. The lines after that can be sung to whatever you want as long as it fits.
Bombalurina; Jellicle queens, the time has come, to show yourselves and douse your fear. Demeter; The Jellicle moon shows high above, the time of the choosing is drawing near. Cassandra; But until then another choice must be made just for the queens Rumpleteazer; To foind the gal oo'll loight their oyes an' set a fire within their dreams.
All queens; repeat above.
Demeter; Jellicle cats meet once a year and Jellicle queens meet more often than that
And ne'er can we ever really agree, who is the most beautiful female cat
But finally, with much thought, though not without doubt
We've asked you all here to try to find out.
Bombalurina; Victoria, dear, who's voice is nicely slight
And her shining pelt is the purest of white
She dances alone, and keeps to her soft tone
Her eyes full of love, contrast with the night
Etcetera; Jemima, hun, whose name means dove
Her eyes full of light as she sings from above
She's gifted (can't you tell?), with the voice of an angel
And her incredible heart is so full of love.
Rumpleteazer; 'Lectra, luv, is really koinda snotty
(Jennyanydots scolds her for saying this)
(Sorry Mum!)Whot Oi mean was, she's also really haughty! (running from Jenny)
She don't loik gaimes 'at she cain't win in a daize
If M'cavty's a chasin' 'er she'll 'ide behind the potty! (Electra begins to chase Rumpleteazer, breaking through a line of toms who have come to watch.)
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; This task is too difficult, must you put us through this assault? All toms; We never thought we'd ever feel this mean. (NOT!)( shouted)
Jemima; Etcetera, dear, she's always real excited
If energy was bravery she'd be sure to be knighted
She can fly on trapeze, she's easy to tease
And don't you dare knock her until you've tried it.
Demeter; Sophanispa, hun, plays rough like a tom
When Tugger's around she goes off like a bomb
Her strength is superior, though her speed not inferior
She protects those around her from the place she comes from (shivers)
Electra; Rumpleteazer, luv, she's a little thief
(Jenny scolds her this time) (It's only payback!) She'll steal from underneath,
Your very own nose or right from between your toes
If it were up to me, she'd be deep down beneath! (Rumpleteazer comes from out of nowhere and tackles Electra. Mungojerry is laughing so hard he misses his next move and ends up running to catch up.)
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; Why do we have to choose. It's like putting on our own noose! All toms; We know our choice'll be seen something other than keen.
Cassandra; Tantomile, dear, she's always very quiet
She's beautiful in her own way, and don't you dare deny it,
Though a witch's' cats black, for the spells she's got a knack
She and her twin might cook you on a spit!
Rumpleteazer; Exotica, 'un, she's the most mysterious
(Jenny smiles but gives a stern eye) ('Appy now?! Geez!) She'll mek a tom delirious
She's the ebony swing, but she don't loik not ta sing
She knows 'ow ta 'ave fun, an' also ta be serious!
Sophanispa; Demeter, luv, she full of paranoia
(With good reason-shivers) she's never afraid to show ya
The way to her heart, she's undeniably smart
She's not afraid to let you in and say, she love's ya!
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; This is a horrible test. We can't possibly choose the best. All toms; We've unanimously agreed, an early end's not what we need.
Tantomile; Cassandra, dear, she thinks she's extra savvy
(Maybe, I guess so) she's better than any tabby (gets dirty look from Munkustrap)
She's the sleekest of cats, there's not a doubt about that
And her singing voice, though deep is not to shabby.
Victoria; (pulling Sophanispa along and blushing) Bombalurina, hun,
her airs are framed in crimson. Sophanispa; (Come on, don't be shy-prods Vic) She wants the toms to listen Both; to come for her heart, and don't you dare say she's a tart!
And if you mess it up, for death you'll be wishin' (Tugger grins and waves at Bombi. She grins back)
All queens; Toms, luv, its time to start your choosing
(Pick me, no, pick me!) Don't be afraid of losing
Just follow your gut, if you get into a rut
It's anonymous so you won't get a bruising.
"So 'ow are we goin' 'bout this choosin'?" Mungojerry asked carefully, not wanting to anger any of the queens.
"Each cat gets two choices," Bombalurina explained. "And yes, ladies, you can choose yourself, but only once."
"So we get to vote twice?" Victor asked. "Can we choose the same person?"
"No!" Bombalurina gasped. She handed out slips of paper, scrounged from somewhere in the towering piles of junk.
"Since not everyone can write," she explained. "Mistofolees and Munkustrap will be sitting right here," she pointed. Mistofolees meekly came over and sat where he was bombarded with illiterate Jellicles. I guess they weren't illiterate because they could all read. Writing baffled them.
Bombalurina took an old battered hat; the bottom patched over many times, and collected the choices. She gave the hat to Jellylorum and Jennyanydots and the older queens went into the bungalow to tally the results.
"I bet five parcels of nip that Jemima wins," Pouncival exclaimed excitedly.
"Taken," Mistofolees answered. "My bet's on Victoria."
"I still say Bombalurina," Asparagus grinned. Several voices agreed with him.
"What about Cassandra?"
"Naaa, it's Bombi for sure!"
I guess we'll find out in the next chapter, eh? Who do you think it is? It's going to be one of the older queens, I'll tell you that much. But as for the winner, well . . . you'll just have to guess until the next chapter comes out. Until then, laters.
Anyways, the next few chapters are very tender because there'll be a few lyrics stated and a few added as well so here it is. Mucho Disclaimer: I do not own CATS and I do not own any of the words that were written by T.S. Eliot or adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The lyrics I make up in the next few chapters are owned by me; the music however, belongs to whoever composed it. The dancing may not be exactly what the productions have because I lack a movie and I lack a perfect memory so some won't be as up to par as they might have been.
If someone would like to illustrate scenes of this fic, I would love to see them. You can send them to ryouko6cube@yahoo.com. I'm okay at making pictures of Sophanispa but pictures of her and other characters would be great. Anyway, enjoy.
A few words used in this chapter. Linked; two cats are linked when, before the night of the ball, their bodies become synchronized. Originally, Jellicle couples were all meant to be linked but as the ball progressed through the years, most cats thought being linked was either a legend or something special. Most of the couples had some sort of affection for one another but as we see in this fiction, not all couples feel that way. Toms will take the last queen if the alternative is going stag. Pod; a pod is a group of four cats. The tribe is divided up into pods so that entrances will be separated.
Chapter Ten ~** The Jellicle Ball, part I **~
The sun rose slowly over the horizon and with it, every cats' eyes opened in sync. The Jellicle ball had arrived and the Jellicles themselves were in for a last day of preparation, for when the moon rose that night, they would be celebrating, and, in a way, competing.
The toms and queens separated, going off to their own corners of the junkyard. Sophanispa sat in between Victoria and Etcetera.
"He's sooooooo nice!" Etcetera squealed in excitement, her paws a blur of white. "I think I'm in love!"
"You said that about Tugger, too," Electra reminded her. She was smiling almost as much as her friend was.
"What about you?" Etcetera pointed. "You were screaming for him as well!"
"We'll all be screaming for him," Jemima piped up. "Tonight we'll have to chase him around again!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Electra exclaimed. "I love chasing his backside around! It's the greatest view!"
"She has a point," Victoria agreed, blushing. "But I still like Misto better. He's so cute!"
Jemima blushed. "He's not the only one who's cute."
The girls giggled and pestered her until she told them whom she meant.
"Pouncival is adorable!" she gushed in delight. "I like him even better than Alonzo! He's perfect! It's almost like he knows what I'm thinking!"
"Yeah, well," Electra began. "Victor is a great story teller. We hardly slept! He can tell a great ghost story and he's handsome too!"
"Mistofolees made a magical bouquet for me," Victoria bragged. "It was like the flowers were glowing!"
Sophanispa sat and listened to them with slight envy. Her partner for the ball had snuck up on her and attacked her, pinned her, and annoyed the hell out of her before going to sleep. Even stranger, when they had woken up, their first moves were synchronized. They had looked at each other in shock, and then quickly shook themselves out of it.
Sophanispa was thinking about what that might mean when Etcetera nudged her. "How was your night?"
"Yeah!" Electra added. "We never found out of you snagged a partner or not."
"Well," Sophanispa answered reluctantly. "I'll just say my night wasn't as magical as yours might have been. I was just about to go to sleep when my partner snuck up on me and scared me into attacking them. I somehow found myself pinned to the floor and then we went to sleep." Sophanispa said all this in a flat tone, keeping the synchronized movements to herself.
"Who is it?" Jemima asked eagerly. "Is it Admetus? Asparagus?"
"It's not Admetus," Electra muttered. "Cassandra got him. What about Plato? No, wait minute. He's been taken by Exotica."
"So it's gotta be Asparagus," Victoria assessed. They all looked at Sophanispa, whose face suddenly reddened.
"It's Asparagus!" Jemima exclaimed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Omigod!"
Sophanispa blushed again and left them to wonder. If they found out it was Tugger, they'd probably faint. She stood and went to find Bombalurina.
"As far as I'm concerned, he can dance with Jenny again," Bombalurina was saying to Tantomile as Sophanispa came up. Demeter saw her and dragged her into the circle. Sophanispa was forced to sit through the accounts of the night before once again.
Exotica purred. "Plato is very mature. He actually understands me, unlike my idiotic brothers."
Cassandra smiled and countered her. "Yes, but Admetus knows more about the Great Rumpus Cat than Munkustrap."
Demeter wasn't participating. Everyone knew how well she and Munkustrap got along. Tantomile was too shy to respond with anything but a blush.
"What about you, Bombalurina?" Demeter asked. Bombalurina made a face at her sister.
"He's sweet but shy," she answered a little sadly. "He's incredibly smart and knows how to communicate telepathically." She sighed, but her eyes darted up and focused on Sophanispa. "And how was your night?"
It was Sophanispa's turn to sigh. "I just told the others what happened. Don't make me recount!"
She blanched as the queens squealed. The only one who wasn't begging was Demeter.
"I was falling asleep alone because I didn't have a partner when he snuck up behind me, scared em into attacking him, and pinned me to the ground. We went to sleep after that. Nothing special happened." She used the same flat tone. The younger queens came over and added themselves to the circle.
Demeter smiled at them and posed a surprising question. "Now who woke up this morning and was actually linked?" She raised her own paw. No one else moved. Sophanispa was confused.
"You can't really be linked, can you?" Etcetera asked. "I thought that was just legend."
"No, it's real," Demeter answered.
"What happens when you're linked?" Jemima posed. "Can you read each other's thoughts like Tantomile and Coricopat? Because Pouncival seemed like he could read my mind."
"No," Demeter told her. "No mind reading. What happens is for the first few minutes of being awake, your partner and you are synchronized. You move together and think as one. It's a sign that your hearts have indeed linked during the night."
"Oh," Tantomile whispered. She timidly raised her paw in the air. Everyone looked around the circle and Cassandra was to one who pointed out the obvious.
"Sophanispa," she began. "You look like you're going to cry."
She turned her green eyes to the black cat. "I'm linked!"
There were gasps all around. Demeter and Tantomile smiled and the younger queens cried out.
"With Asparagus? How strange!" Jemima exclaimed.
"She's not going with Asparagus," a male voice said. Mistofolees sauntered into the circle, putting an arm around Victoria's shoulders. She batted him away.
"You're not supposed to be here!" she exclaimed. She and a few others chased him away, giving Sophanispa a chance to grab Bombalurina and escape.
"What's up?" Bombalurina asked once they were away from the others.
"You need to take you part in Tugger's song!" Sophanispa exclaimed. "I don't want it."
"No," Bombalurina sniffed. "I don't want that idiot to touch me. He'll just drop me on my stomach again. Insensitive toms don't deserve to have queens all over them."
Sophanispa fixed her eyes on Bombalurina. "You like him and you know it. Just give him one more chance."
"Too late. I'm going with Coricopat and I'm going to enjoy it."
"Stop trying to fool yourself! He's going nuts because you won't talk to him."
"And he'll just go back to the way he was once I let him lure me in," Bombalurina snorted. "That's the way he is. He'll persist after the queen until he has the queen chasing him and then he'll treat them the same as everyone else. That's why he went after you and that's why he's going after me. Coricopat is devoted to only one person."
"Come on Bombi!" Sophanispa asked desperately. "I can't do your parts for that song! I'm not made for them! There's no way I can dance like that and make it look as good as you do."
"It's not that you can't dance them," she told her. "You just have to act them! Act as if you know you're beautiful and every tom's eye is on you and act as if you're enamored with Tugger! That's all it takes!"
"I don't think so," Sophanispa answered. "I don't think I can pull that off! Please!" Sophanispa gave her big green eyes and tried to look sincere.
"Oh, all right," Bombalurina muttered. "But you owe me."
"Thank you!" Sophanispa exclaimed, giving Bombalurina a big hug. The red queen was slightly surprised but not embarrassed.
They returned to the group, where topic of discussion had wandered to Mungojerry. Rumpleteazer had emerged slightly later than everyone else had and had confirmed that she was also linked. Sophanispa tried to stay out of everyone's way to delay the moment when the girls found out who her partner was. Of course, it was only a matter of time before they discovered her secret. Time was inevitably moving along and the ball was drawing closer.
~}~}~}~}~}~}~}{~{~{~{~{~{~{~
Within the ranks of the toms, a similar melee was ensuing. They weren't so much as gossiping as comparing beauty of their dates.
"Victoria's the most beautiful," Mistofolees exclaimed with feeling. "There can be no doubt."
"Coricopat got the real winner," Asparagus groaned. "And I'm left with nothing."
"Speaking of which," Mistofolees added. "The queens think you're going with Sophanispa."
"In my opinion," Coricopat said quietly. "She's better than any."
"Then why didn't you ask her?" Tugger rounded on him.
"I did," Coricopat said softly. "She declined. Bombalurina accepted instead."
"Well," Mungojerry interjected. "She may be a beauty, but nothin' cin compete ta Teazer. She's a real loive'un."
"I prefer them quiet," Alonzo announced. "They don't need to be live to please me."
"You only like 'em quiet because there's all the more room to hear yourself talk," Pouncival kidded. "I love Jemima's voice."
"She's not as cute as Etcetera," Tumblebrutus growled.
Tugger grinned. "How many of your dates attacked you last night?"
None of them said anything but there were dirty laughs and rude suggestions.
Munkustrap gave him the eye. "You probably scared her half to death. I doubt she was expecting you."
"You always ruin the fun," Tugger laughed.
Munkustrap cleared his throat. The toms quieted and gave him their attention.
"How many of you were linked last night?"
They looked thoughtful. Alonzo's paw shot up eagerly. He looked proud and some of the others shot him dirty looks. Mungojerry grinned mischievously and raised his as well.
"Anyone else?" Munkustrap asked, raising his own paw. Coricopat looked around, a strange look on his face.
"Okay," Munkustrap said a bit flustered. "Not as many as I expected." Coricopat cleared his throat.
"There is one more person," he announced. "My sister says four queens raised their paws this morning. There must be another tom."
Munkustrap looked around the circle with interest. "I'll figure out who it was." He walked around the circle, stopping every few people and scrutinizing. He stopped in front of Mistofolees and the magic cat shook his head.
"You know who it was," Munkustrap stated. Mistofolees nodded, smiling broadly.
"You'll never guess," he laughed. Munkustrap raised an eyebrow in speculation and turned to Coricopat.
"Did she say who the queens were?" Munkustrap asked him.
"No, but I can ask," he answered. His face became foggy and his pupils narrowed until all that could be seen was large orange irises bisected by a thin black line.
He looked up as if breaking from a trance and started laughing slightly.
"Well?" Munkustrap urged impatiently.
"She said that she, Rumpleteazer, Demeter, and one other," Coricopat answered.
"Who was the last?"
"She said it was Asparagus' partner," Coricopat answered coyly.
"The invisible queen?" Tugger cracked. He didn't want them to figure it out.
"Sophanispa?" Mungojerry asked incredulously. He looked at Asparagus but his gaze slid to Tugger, who looked quite uncomfortable.
"Oi know 'oo it woz," Mungojerry grinned mischievously. "Tugga's losin' 'is image."
The toms' eyes all slid to rest on Tugger, who looked nervously around. "What?" he asked defensively.
Alonzo was the first to start laughing. "Tugger's linked!" he giggled. "It just doesn't sound right. Of course, Mungojerry being linked doesn't sound right either."
"And I suppose you think you being linked is a given," Tugger growled.
"Yeah," Mungojerry added. "Whot so bad 'bout me bein' linked?"
Alonzo just laughed. Tugger and Mungojerry exchanged a look and then they pounced on him. They wrestled him to the ground and sat on him.
The Jellicles played and congregated in their separate groups until lunchtime, where everyone came together, sitting according to name.
None of the cats understood this of course, but deep down, they knew their place, and no matter how much they may have disliked the cat next to them, they wouldn't ruin the ball by moving. There were a few missing spaces. Demeter and Electra had a space between them that was always vacant for Deuteronomy did not appear until night fall. The second gap, only appearing in previous years, was no more vacant. The space between Exotica and Gus was usually vacant because Grizabella hadn't been with the tribe. Since she had moved on the next plain, her space no longer existed. The third space, between Jennyanydots and Mistofolees, was never spoken of. A few years back, there had been no space because Macavity had been a regular member of the tribe. Old Deuteronomy insisted that the space be left, hoping against hope that Macavity would eventually return to them.
As they made a ring, Victoria joining paws with Admetus to close the great ring, food appeared in the center of their circle and the Jellicles ate merrily, discussing what they would do later that night.
Sophanispa was happily drinking some first-rate cream with strawberries floating along in the liquid when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned to find Skimbleshanks beside her, waving friendlily at her.
"Are you Sophanispa?" he asked. She nodded and he smiled.
"Thank you for saving my daughter," he told her.
Sophanispa blushed. "I had help. I wouldn't have gotten out if it hadn't been for Tugger, Alonzo, and Tantomile."
"Speaking of which," Tugger said, leaning forward so Sophanispa could see him past Skimbleshanks' face. "Have you spoken to Bombalurina about the number?"
"She'll do it," Sophanispa answered. "But I owe her, or that's what she said."
"You shouldn't owe her anything," Skimbleshanks added. "You saved her life. She owes you." Sophanispa blushed again and Tugger laughed at her discomfort. His laughter drew his sister, Rumpleteazer, to the conversation.
"Oye Tug!" she exclaimed. "D'ya wont 'at last piece 'at Argentine joint? Those were a pain ta snag an' Oi won' 'ave ya not finishin' 'em." He waved the plate in her direction and she grabbed the joint.
"Boi the way," she said swallowing the joint in on gulp. "'Oo's your date fo' the ball?" Tugger choked on the cream he was sipping and Sophanispa started laughing at him.
"None of your business," Tugger growled at her.
"Ahh," Rumpleteazer giggled. "Are ya goin' wif mum 'gain?"
"No," he answered simply.
"I know!" Pouncival exclaimed. Tugger gave him a look and Pouncival was glad of Rumpleteazer sitting between him and the maned tom.
"Oye, Plato!" she called to the next tom. Plato was out of Tugger's line of sight. "'Oo's Tug's date? He goin' solo?"
"You mean you don't know?" Plato exclaimed. "The only tom who couldn't get a date was Asparagus."
"Wait a minute," Tantomile said suddenly. Rumpleteazer's attention swung in the other direction to focus on the female witch cat. "I thought Sophanispa was going with Asparagus." The two queens' attention fell on Sophanispa, who was suddenly very busy with her food.
"Sopha!" Rumpleteazer exclaimed in a scolding voice.
"To tell you the truth," she said quietly. "I don't even know who Asparagus is. You guys just assumed that that was whom I was going with and I decided not to correct you."
Tantomile looked from Sophanispa to Rumpleteazer and then slowly looked at Tugger. Her face got misty and she looked like she was in a trance. Tugger looked at her and scowled. "She's contacting Coricopat."
Tantomile broke form her trance with a gasp. Sophanispa and Tugger groaned simultaneously.
Rumpleteazer was on the verge of running over to her when Sophanispa looked at Tantomile and shook her head, mouthing the word "No." Tantomile closed her mouth and looked apologetic to Rumpleteazer. The notorious queen scowled. "Oi'll jus' ask Jerry when Oi sees 'im." And she resumed eating.
A while later, Munkustrap began coming around the circle, removing cats in groups of four. He took Tugger with him as he continued around the circle and Tantomile, Sophanispa, and Rumpleteazer turned to see what they were doing. They watched as Admetus was also removed from the circle, followed by Demeter and Jennyanydots.
"The pods," Tantomile explained. "Every year, there are groups of four placed intermittently around the junkyard so that we won't hurt each other when we come out. Tugger must be in trouble because he's with both Demeter and Jennyanydots. His mother, of course won't let him do anything and Demeter, being Munkustrap's mate, won't fall for his tricks."
Munkustrap came around the circle again, this time taking Alonzo, Electra, Mistofolees, and Skimbleshanks.
Tantomile mentally cursed, wishing she'd been picked to go with Alonzo. She knew that no matter what pod she went to, she would emerge with Coricopat. The pods were just a reminder of spacing, making sure no one hit each other. She was snapped out of her contemplation when Sophanispa stood. Asparagus, Etcetera, and Mungojerry were there along with Munkustrap. Sophanispa's pod partners had arrived. Soon after, Tantomile found that her group consisted of Bombalurina, Exotica, and Munkustrap himself. He led them over to a part of the yard not taken and went to secure the last few groups. The fifth pod was a unique group for only half of it would emerge. Bustopher Jones and Gus would be watching from the shadows until their entrance came, in which Gus would be helped by members of the sixth pod. The other two members were Plato and Tumblebrutus. Jellylorum, being Gus' designated aid, was positioned in the sixth pod. She would do her bit, then run over and scoot Gus to a portion of the yard not being used. Her partners, Cassandra, Pouncival, and Victor, would cover the fact that she had gone by doing some little dance. The last pod, Coricopat, Jemima, Rumpleteazer, and finally, Victoria, would move into place behind the fourth pod where Coricopat and Tantomile would do their twin thing and come into the moonlight at just the right moment. The only cat really nervous about the ball was Sophanispa. She didn't want to mess up and her group members assured her that the moon would show her what to do. Still, she couldn't help but hope that nothing went wrong.
~}~}~}~}~}~}~}{~{~{~{~{~{~{~
Night fell on the junkyard, creating a suspenseful pressure in the air. The Jellicles were silent, their eyes dilated so far that their irises shone iridescent in the darkness, brilliant and colorful gems on a background of black velvet.
There was a collective sigh when the clouds parted and a sliver of silver moon shone through, illuminating a few faces. It was time.
Demeter, always the first out, scooted across the junkyard, sniffing furiously to make sure Macavity wasn't around. She was so alert that a car on the distant rode startled her into running for the drainage pipe. She hid herself inside and peeked out warily.
Munkustrap appeared from his own patch of darkness to stare.
Coricopat and Tantomile flew from their station, moving as one, not even looking at each other. They stopped suddenly in a pushup type position, pulsing with energy. Cassandra tumbled out from somewhere and slid to a stop, gracefully curving her spine, taunting the air before her. She looked up and her blue eyes met their orange ones.
A dark figure emerged from the upper portions of the junk framing the yard. Tugger, strangely maneless, pawed the air with a menacing look. Skimbleshanks came out and sniffed the air, his nose going wild. Electra swung herself onto the floor and glared out into the night. One by one, the Jellicles emerged from their places, masked in shadow and hyper-tuned to the night.
Munkustrap stood as if he wasn't used to walking upright and sniffed the air, waiting for the moon to show him the way. He tipped his chin up a bit higher and began the ceremony. "Are you blind when you're born?"
Demeter looked out from the pipe. "Can you see in the dark?"
"Can you look at a king?" Skimbleshanks asked.
"Would you sit on his throne?" Asparagus added.
"Can you say of your bite, that it's worse than your bark?" Tugger purred.
"Are you cock off the walk," Alonzo asked as he strutted.
"When you're walking alone," Sophanispa concluded, her worries disappearing once the moonlight touched her. The Jellicles all came in to the mix, singing and dancing their respective parts. (Of course, everyone reading this knows what happens here. There is no need for me to recount everything.)
They all came together again and formed a pyramid. Sophanispa found herself at the very front in between Etcetera and Victoria. She also found herd elf speaking words like an innate habit. She hadn't learned these words. She just knew them. Victoria peeled off a few measures in and Sophanispa followed the rest of the cats when the words stopped. Everyone watched, mesmerized, as Victoria danced her way into their minds. Her limbs were arranged beautifully as she contorted to her dance. Mistofolees watched from the drainage pipe, his large eyes reflecting her white form. Her gestures were so pure and her face so serene that he thought of angels. Jemima may have had the voice of an angel, but Victoria had the manner of one.
She moved gracefully to the floor and he went to join her. Together, they would invite the rest of the Jellicles out from the shadows.
The light of the moon grew stronger as the Jellicles continued to rejoice. As Mistofolees' voice rang across the yard, the cats joined in pairs. Sophanispa was waiting until her path to the center of the activity was clear but Tugger slid behind her and led her out. Not wanting to break the connection they had somehow forged, she didn't resist.
Another formation was created and Munkustrap explained aloud what was going to take place. Then he turned and greeted several of the Jellicles, and began his role as the narrator of the tribe and introduced the first cat, his mother Jennyanydots.
Tugger sneered and began to slink off to the shadows. He hesitated on his way, then turned back quickly and grabbed Sophanispa's hand as she was watching the lid of a car magically rise, revealing Jennyanydots. He put a finger to his lips to indicate silence and bade her to follow him. She stumbled a bit as he dragged her into the darkness.
"What are you doing?" she hissed at him.
"I have to get rid of the invisibility," he explained. "Nothing big. I do this every year. I know what my mother is and I don't need to listen to what she does every night." He rubbed his paws together and closed his eyes, putting his paws, palm down, in front of him. Sophanispa watched in silent wonder as golden threads of light emanated from his paws. The threads went to the place where his mane usually was and her eyes widened as the threads basically redrew his fur. The light died and he stood, maned and confident, as always. He took a step towards her and she backed away, suddenly wary of him.
"May I have my collar back for tonight?" he asked her. She frowned at him.
"I won it fair and square," she reminded him.
"I know," he answered. "I'll give it back. And to make sure," he added, untying the leopard spotted bandana from his calf. "You can keep this as a ransom." He whipped it up, the cloth catching the light. He moved up and deftly undid the catch on the collar, tying the bandana in its place. He then allowed the collar to drop to the ground. Instead of falling, it levitated and snapped onto his throat.
He grinned at her amazed face and lifted her face up, his fingers warm under her chin.
"Will you be one of those chasing me?" he asked. "Or will you be watching?"
"I guess the moon will decide that for me," she whispered quietly. "How did you . . ." "My magic gets stronger every time I use it to save something," he explained. "Your life gave me a lot of new power." The noise from the yard was getting raucous. He smiled and pulled her over to a place where they could watch. Tugger laughed quietly.
"What's so funny?" Sophanispa asked as she watched Demeter, Munkustrap, Bombalurina, and Jellylorum dance along with a flashy looking Jennyanydots.
"Watch Pouncival," Tugger told her. Sophanispa transferred her eyes and giggled. Pouncival was making faces, pretending to trip people. As a line of cats, all dressed as beetles, swept across the stage, following Jennyanydots and her four narrators, Pouncival flipped himself over, doing a handstand and clapping with his feet.
Tugger shoved her a little. "Get moving. I'm about to go out." Sophanispa waited near the edge of the yard while Jemima and Victoria abandoned their beetle costumes. She returned with them and smiled as a tearing sound echoed through the junkyard. Everyone turned to look. Tugger had just torn his way through a canvas hanging from the bars. He miaowed loudly and his voice tapered off into a seductive growl, which sent the queens wild.
"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat," everyone, including Sophanispa sang as he sauntered, danced, and thrusted his way across the stage. Sophanispa did not join the queens who rushed out to attack him nor did she join the cats on the tire. She found Mistofolees and sat by him. When Mistofolees moved to meet Tugger, Sophanispa followed.
"The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore!" Mistofolees sang with relish. Sophanispa leaned against him and feigned boredom. They grinned at each other while Tugger shot them a weird look and continued to strut and fret his time upon the 'stage'. Sophanispa went to sit along the top of the tire after that.
She watched with glee as Bombalurina went to dance. Sophanispa enjoyed watching the red queen swing herself confidently. They danced around each other, their backs almost touching. When Bombalurina faced Sophanispa, she winked. The duo turned again and Tugger, still singing, did the same thing. Sophanispa had no idea what they were trying to tell her but the scene that unfolded in the next few seconds would go down as one of Tugger's few moments of rejection.
KICK. Bombalurina's foot came up and down and now Tugger's paws were trailing up her torso. "For I only like what I find for myself," he purred scrumptiously as his face drew close to Bombalurina's. In the few seconds it took for that position to come about, Sophanispa had rushed to join the others for a better view.
"No!" Bombalurina cried before Tugger could. Instead of him dropping her, she grabbed his shoulders and tripped him over her knee.
"So you'll catch him in it right up to his ears, when you put it away on the larder shelf!" Bombalurina cried in relish, laughing as the younger queens mobbed him. Sophanispa grabbed his hand and helped him escape from them. He was grinning still and as he emerged form the mass of queens, he continued to sing, "Doesn't care for a cuddle! But I'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing 'cause there's nothin' I enjoy like a horrible muddle."
Sophanispa giggled as she witnessed firsthand Tugger's power to draw the queens in. Either they were very good actresses, or they were totally smitten over him again.
The end of the song drew near and Sophanispa decided to sit at his feet like every one else.
She slid to a space a bit further from him than everyone else but he noticed her with a smirk. As his voice broke into a higher octave and the girls screamed, Sophanispa doing her best to do what the others were doing, she noticed a pair of yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. She screamed for real, startling Jemima. Etcetera fainted and Tugger moved his hindquarters away from Electra's grasping hand. Sophanispa grabbed for him, intending to point out the eyes but he moved quickly and sed off to one corner of the stage, then to another, skirting his pursuers. Sophanispa had stood but moved back to the opposite side of the yard, still looking at the eyes. A crash sounded from the darkness and everyone froze finally. They turned to the sound and a chilling sight emerged from the velvet black depths of the night. Macavity in all his terrifying glory had come to the ball.
Really quite handsome in a rugged adventurous sort of way, Macavity's long mane of gold and red looked as it were aflame. His lean body, crackling with crimson energy, added to the image of fire. He grinned menacingly at the queens near him. Jemima and Etcetera gasped and held on to each other. Sophanispa, along in her part of the yard, gritted her teeth and refused to tremble. Even the toms known for their fighting skills were frozen. Demeter was against the car with her paw to her chest, her green eyes wide with fear. Macavity sauntered over to her, smiling calmly. Munkustrap moved closer from his position on the tire but Macavity warned him away. His back was turned to Sophanispa however. She moved quickly while Macavity's attention was on Munkustrap and took Demeter's hand in her own, pulling her away.
Macavity turned just as Demeter left the car hood and he grimaced when he caught sight of the two golden queens together. As his eyes passed over her, Demeter froze, petrified.
Sophanispa, knowing that Demeter would need to be moved forcefully to break her of the grip of fear, moved protectively in front of her, between her friend and doom.
Macavity laughed softly and padded up to Sophanispa. She held her ground as he lifted his paw and caressed her face gently.
"My little Infamous Gold," he growled. "You have been disobeying me. Why did you run away?"
She refused to answer him, seeing a few of the toms sneaking up behind him.
"Your home is with me, not here in this place full of light," he continued. "You belong in the darkness with me."
"My home is nowhere in your vicinity," she spat with contempt. "I want none of your darkness. I'll never return with you."
He leaned in close, putting his mouth near her ear. He wouldn't dare hurt anyone while surrounded by the Jellicles but Sophanispa put her paws against his white chest just to be sure. "If they knew who you were," he growled in her ear. "You would have no choice but to return to me." He trailed a claw down her pale cheek as she took this in. Demeter and Sophanispa's eyes burned into his golden irises, none of them daring to blink. Hands appeared on Macavity's shoulders and began to restrain the fiery tom. Out of the corner of her eye, Sophanispa could see a silver tabby helping Demeter to the edge of the yard; Munkustrap. A dark paw framed in gold took her arm and tried to pull her in the same direction but she had eyes only for Macavity. He was laughing softly as Alonzo, Coricopat, Asparagus, and Skimbleshanks held him stationary.
"Turn to your friends there," he growled. "They're all you have at the moment, though I daresay once they realize certain things, you'll come back to me." With that, he launched himself into the air, breaking free of the Jellicles' restraining grasps, and promptly flew at Demeter and Munkustrap.
Everything seemed to slow down as his fiery visage drew closer to the couple. Tugger, being the closest to them attempted to grab Macavity but even his height did not put him in reach of the evil feline. Demeter's eyes suddenly widened with ever growing fear and Munkustrap seemed to fill with a grim acceptance.
"NOO!" a voice cried and suddenly, the world sped up again and Macavity was suspended in the air.
A shocked silence filled the junkyard in which only Sophanispa moved. She had gone into the air after Macavity and attached herself to him, holding him back with all the strength an emergency can bring out. Some thought she had just grabbed onto him, others knew she had flown, but everyone asked the question; How had she done it?
"Leave here," she hissed, shivering as she continued to hold him. "Leave these beautiful lives and dreams alone. You've ruined enough of them with your twisted thoughts and actions and I'll not have you ruining any more. Leave here and never come back!"
He chuckled, the vibrations of his chest running up her arms. He slowly returned to the ground, her feet touching the earth a second later.
"I will not do this," he growled, still smiling. "But since you've tried so hard to stop me this time, I'll return to my lair, sans prisoners. Next time however, you may not find me so generous." He placed a dark paw on her head. She scratched at him weakly and fell, sitting hard on the floor. He took off like a demon cat, leaving the Jellicles to themselves. Victoria and Jemima rushed to Sophanispa's side and helped her to her feet. She was woozy and couldn't walk very well.
The tribe was looking at her with large shocked eyes, some in wonder, some in fear. Demeter broke from her trance and moved swiftly. She stood in front of the tribe, Sophanispa, Victoria, and Jemima behind her.
"I think we all owe this queen once again," she said softly to the tribe. "She really is a wonderful thing. This is the second time she has saved me from my former captor and if I hear a word spoken against her, know that I shall give the speaker a piece of my mind."
They tribe remained silent, throwing a few sullen looks at each other.
"That's . the . first time . I've ever . flown . without collapsing . afterwards," Sophanispa panted softly.
She was helped to the side and the ball continued. Bustopher Jones was introduced and Sophanispa laughed as she watched the overweight cat about town. She marveled at Mistofolees' resemblance to the larger tom.
She realized she was hungry as Bustopher Jones sang about food. He continued to speak of his habits in an operatic voice and stood, the rest of the cats jumping in again.
"Toodlepip!" he exclaimed, handing off a red flower to Jennyanydots.
Sophanispa applauded along with the rest of the cats. A crash broke them from their happiness and sent them running.
"Macavity!" a few cried, the threat real enough for them that Demeter wasn't the only one spooked. Sophanispa tried to get up to follow but she was too tired from her brief moment of flight.
Alonzo came her way and helped her to a proper hiding place with him, Asparagus, and Exotica. They looked out through a chink and carefully surveyed the scene. A giggle aroused suspicion and this suspicion was confirmed when two striped cats came into their line of sight.
"It's Mungojerry," Alonzo announced.
"And Rumpleteazer," Sophanispa added.
"They're at it again," Asparagus laughed.
"And there's nothin' at all to be done about that," Exotica concluded in a flat voice. "They scared the crap out of me!"
"Yeah well," Alonzo sighed. "That's pretty much what they do every year. It's funny that I'm related to Teazer though. She's in between Misto and me."
No one was really paying attention to this irrelevant information. Asparagus was watching the notorious duo and Exotica was looking from him to Sophanispa, who was sitting against the back wall of the hideout, resting her body. She looked confused and of course had to ask the question burning within her.
"If you two are linked," she began. "How come you aren't breathing together?"
Sophanispa blinked and Asparagus turned back to the cats in the hideout. "What?"
"I thought you two were linked?" she said again. The cats under question looked at each other.
"I said I was linked," she answered. "I never specified with whom."
"I don't have a date," Asparagus added sheepishly. "You're my sister, you should know that."
"Then who are you linked with?" Exotica asked bluntly.
Sophanispa threw up her arms and gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm linked with Tugger all right! Damn you guys are nosy when it comes to things like that."
Exotica stared in silence. "I don't believe you."
"Oh?" Sophanispa declared. "Fine. Don't believe it."
"Time to go," Alonzo interrupted. He helped Sophanispa to her feet and the rest of the cats flooded into the yard again to surround the duo. Mungojerry gave Sophanispa a pleading look, as if she could help them in her condition, but Demeter had cut off their escape.
Suddenly, the junkyard became very quiet. The cats as one moved towards the edge of the yard. The twins and Mistofolees whispered in hushed tones. Old Deuteronomy was coming.
Sophanispa dragged herself over to a corner to get out of the way of the others and listened as they hailed him. She watched as Munkustrap moved to get the others' attention. He then began telling everyone about Deuteronomy.
Everyone was surprised when Tugger, from yet another perch above the rest of the cats, took up the telling after he did.
The two brothers sang together, their voices melding beautifully. Eventually, the entire tribe joined in, adding their own unique intonation into the pot.
Finally, the great grandfather cat emerged, moving on tottery legs, his big shaggy coat worn even more this year. Sophanispa saw him and tears formed in her eyes as he held out a paw to her. She took it and they both stumbled up to the tire. She sat amongst the other cats at the base.
"I see Sophanispa has joined our tribe this year," he remarked in his old voice. "This is a good thing. The most unexpected events happen with the most unexpected cast of characters." His message was cryptic and none of the Jellicles understood what he meant, though a few of them knew the message would reveal itself as the night progressed. Munkustrap, a new light in his eyes, stood up before the company, giving his grandfather a grin. "The awful battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles together with some account of the participation of the Pugs and the Poms, and the intervention of the Great Rumpus Cat!"
Of course, everyone knows of this scene where the cats don boxes or silly costumes and Tugger runs around with a bagpipe made of an old football and candy cane. Sophanispa watched with big eyes and laughed as Munkustrap held one at bay. Pouncival was pretending to shoot at people and he and Plato were generally making fun of everything in sight.
Then the night grew quiet and Munkustrap and the Pekes and Pollicles, along with the Pugs and the Poms began tiptoeing around.
Suddenly, a great black tom with flashing eyes emerged and Munkustrap began to tell of the Great Rumpus Cat.
Sophanispa watched the large tom as he glared around the clearing. His red eyes flashed in to moonlight and he had a strange shaped emblem on his chest. He looked strong. 'I wonder if he can take on Macavity?' she thought silently.
The Great Rumpus Cat frightened all the canines into submission and was hailed by the Jellicles. Sophanispa continued to think about his odds against the Hidden Paw.
Sophanispa began to slowly make her way over to the standing Jellicles. She wanted to ask him a question like any young human would want to do to a celebrity. A crash behind her sent her sprawling to the ground.
"MACAVITY!" Demeter howled, running off to a corner of the yard. Cats everywhere were running into their nearest hiding places. Sophanispa had to dodge a few feet as they rushed away from the clearing. She was the only one left out there and she solemnly hoped that Demeter had only been spooked.
Old Deuteronomy had not moved from the great tire when the warning had been shouted. He limped to Sophanispa and helped her to stand. Jemima and Victoria emerged to help her as well. Old Deuteronomy stepped back, smiling at his great grand children. Mistofolees, a very shocked look on his pale face, appeared form behind the great cat. (Forgive me for reiterating this scene but it's one of my favorites and some things are different)
"Jellicle cats come out tonight," he sang soothingly. "Jellicle cats come one, come all."
"The Jellicle moon is shining bright," the three queens and an emerging Munkustrap before him sang. "Jellicles come to the Jellicle ball."
Alonzo perked up and came to join them, changing the tone of the junkyard. "Jellicle cats are black and white. Jellicle cats are rather small. Jellicle cats are merry."
"And Bright," Pouncival added, tumbling into the clearing.
"And pleasant to hear when we caterwaul," Victoria and Jemima countered, moving hand in hand in little jumping moves.
"Jellicle cats have cheerful faces!" Skimbleshanks answered, moving into the moonlight, balancing on one foot.
"Jellicle cats have bright black eyes," Tumblebrutus added softly.
With a flourish, Mistofolees sang. "We like to practice our airs and graces."
"And wait for the Jellicle moon to rise," everyone chorused.
"Jellicle cats develop slowly," Munkustrap, Plato and an out of breath Admetus said.
"Jellicle cats are not too big," Exotica added.
"Jellicle cats are roly-poly," Asparagus said with a slight laugh.
"We know how to dance a gavotte and a jig," Mistofolees and Skimbleshanks said, demonstrating just that.
"Until the Jellicle moon appears," Demeter and Sophanispa said mistily, their eyes clouding over.
"We make our toilette and take our repose," Bombalurina added seductively.
"Jellicles wash behind their ears," Jennyanydots sang, grabbing Rumpleteazer's ear.
"Jellicles dry between their toes," Jellylorum scolded, watching Admetus.
"Jellicle cats are black and white," the twins breathed in unison.
"Jellicle cats are o' moderate soize!" Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer added sagely.
"Jellicles jump like a jumping jack!" Tumblebrutus, Pouncival, and Skimbleshanks exclaimed, again demonstrating.
"Jellicle cats have moonlit eyes," Cassandra purred, arching her back.
"We're quiet enough in the morning hours, we're quiet enough in the afternoon," the company chorused.
"Reserving our terpsichorean powers," Munkustrap and Mistofolees exclaimed.
"And dance by the light of the Jellicle moon!" everyone countered.
"Jellicle cats are black," Victor began.
"And white," Etcetera and Victoria finished as Rumpleteazer said "An' whoite!"
Tumblebrutus, Mistofolees, and Skimbleshanks came running, "Jellicle cats as we said are small!"
Admetus, Munkustrap, and Plato running towards them countered, "If it happens to be a stormy night!"
"We will practice a caper or two in the hall!" they answered.
"If it happens the sun is shining bright," the Jellicles whispered.
"You would say we had nothing to do at all," Tugger purred.
As the queens moved up behind him, the tribe continued. "We are resting and saving ourselves to be right for the Jellicle moon and the Jellicle ball!"
The ball was upon them! Suddenly, the cats were flooded with energy and a furious dance ensued. Old Deuteronomy looked impressed by their fervor.
Many of the male cats called over to where Bombalurina and Cassandra were dancing, inviting them over. The girls complied and soon the other queens followed. Mistofolees and Pouncival show off their own little dance.
Somehow, the tribe, Sophanispa included, organized themselves into a synchronized dance. Deuteronomy looked as if he had become tired just watching them. Suddenly, as if by some signal, they began to pair off. Mistofolees and Victoria led the dance, much to Plato's disagreement. He was snagged instead by Exotica and his face lightened up once he saw her.
Asparagus looked slightly frantic as he slid through the other Jellicles. His eyes lighted on Etcetera and he dove towards her, holding out his paw. She accepted and Tumblebrutus, moving towards her from the other side, frowned and turned away. Tugger moved towards Bombalurina. She smiled broadly.
"Guess what," she told him.
"You're not mad at me anymore?"
"Not exactly," she answered. "I'm still mad at you, but I'm almost not mad at you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means go away, come back later, and we'll be fine," Bombalurina told him. Tugger frowned and frowned some more when she snagged the passing Coricopat. His eyebrows took a dive and he turned and started looking for Sophanispa or someone else. He knew he'd have to hurry or he'd be alone. Asparagus was ruthless when it came to these things.
Tugger spotted Sophanispa from behind and he noticed Tumblebrutus moving towards her. He held out his paw to her and she, not seeing Tugger, held hers out as well. Tugger moved into Tumblebrutus' line of sight and the younger tom drew back. Sophanispa, seeing his hesitation, turned around to find Tugger. She smiled at him.
"Did you ask her?"
"Yeah, well," he groaned. "She says she's almost not mad at me, whatever that means."
"That's good!" Sophanispa looked around nervously. The cats were all lying down. Tugger saw this and moved towards her, putting a paw around her waist and gracefully going to the ground, bringing her down beside him. (I don't see this as a mating dance so don't get all angry at me for pairing them this way.)
"Why is that good?" he whispered once they were down.
"It means she'll probably say yes the next time you ask her something," Sophanispa told him.
"Asparagus must have grabbed Etcetera," Tugger pointed out. "Tumble's wandering around, partnerless." The cats began to stand again and a loud hiss makes them all look around in fear. Macavity had been watching.
Bombalurina moved forward and looked directly at Old Deuteronomy, smiling. She began to dance. Everyone thought this was just a normal part of the ball, but something strange was happening. The queens had all lined up, with Bombalurina and Cassandra in the lead. They moved up to Old Deuteronomy and Bombalurina's voice fell forward. The toms and older queens listened intently, for this was something new.
The first twelve lines are sung to "Jellicle cats come out tonight. The lines after that can be sung to whatever you want as long as it fits.
Bombalurina; Jellicle queens, the time has come, to show yourselves and douse your fear. Demeter; The Jellicle moon shows high above, the time of the choosing is drawing near. Cassandra; But until then another choice must be made just for the queens Rumpleteazer; To foind the gal oo'll loight their oyes an' set a fire within their dreams.
All queens; repeat above.
Demeter; Jellicle cats meet once a year and Jellicle queens meet more often than that
And ne'er can we ever really agree, who is the most beautiful female cat
But finally, with much thought, though not without doubt
We've asked you all here to try to find out.
Bombalurina; Victoria, dear, who's voice is nicely slight
And her shining pelt is the purest of white
She dances alone, and keeps to her soft tone
Her eyes full of love, contrast with the night
Etcetera; Jemima, hun, whose name means dove
Her eyes full of light as she sings from above
She's gifted (can't you tell?), with the voice of an angel
And her incredible heart is so full of love.
Rumpleteazer; 'Lectra, luv, is really koinda snotty
(Jennyanydots scolds her for saying this)
(Sorry Mum!)Whot Oi mean was, she's also really haughty! (running from Jenny)
She don't loik gaimes 'at she cain't win in a daize
If M'cavty's a chasin' 'er she'll 'ide behind the potty! (Electra begins to chase Rumpleteazer, breaking through a line of toms who have come to watch.)
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; This task is too difficult, must you put us through this assault? All toms; We never thought we'd ever feel this mean. (NOT!)( shouted)
Jemima; Etcetera, dear, she's always real excited
If energy was bravery she'd be sure to be knighted
She can fly on trapeze, she's easy to tease
And don't you dare knock her until you've tried it.
Demeter; Sophanispa, hun, plays rough like a tom
When Tugger's around she goes off like a bomb
Her strength is superior, though her speed not inferior
She protects those around her from the place she comes from (shivers)
Electra; Rumpleteazer, luv, she's a little thief
(Jenny scolds her this time) (It's only payback!) She'll steal from underneath,
Your very own nose or right from between your toes
If it were up to me, she'd be deep down beneath! (Rumpleteazer comes from out of nowhere and tackles Electra. Mungojerry is laughing so hard he misses his next move and ends up running to catch up.)
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; Why do we have to choose. It's like putting on our own noose! All toms; We know our choice'll be seen something other than keen.
Cassandra; Tantomile, dear, she's always very quiet
She's beautiful in her own way, and don't you dare deny it,
Though a witch's' cats black, for the spells she's got a knack
She and her twin might cook you on a spit!
Rumpleteazer; Exotica, 'un, she's the most mysterious
(Jenny smiles but gives a stern eye) ('Appy now?! Geez!) She'll mek a tom delirious
She's the ebony swing, but she don't loik not ta sing
She knows 'ow ta 'ave fun, an' also ta be serious!
Sophanispa; Demeter, luv, she full of paranoia
(With good reason-shivers) she's never afraid to show ya
The way to her heart, she's undeniably smart
She's not afraid to let you in and say, she love's ya!
Tugger, Coricopat, Mungojerry, Mistofolees; You ask us to choose, from so many queens Munkustrap, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Plato; You wish for our deaths, or so it may seem Pouncival, Victor, Asparagus, Tumblebrutus; This is a horrible test. We can't possibly choose the best. All toms; We've unanimously agreed, an early end's not what we need.
Tantomile; Cassandra, dear, she thinks she's extra savvy
(Maybe, I guess so) she's better than any tabby (gets dirty look from Munkustrap)
She's the sleekest of cats, there's not a doubt about that
And her singing voice, though deep is not to shabby.
Victoria; (pulling Sophanispa along and blushing) Bombalurina, hun,
her airs are framed in crimson. Sophanispa; (Come on, don't be shy-prods Vic) She wants the toms to listen Both; to come for her heart, and don't you dare say she's a tart!
And if you mess it up, for death you'll be wishin' (Tugger grins and waves at Bombi. She grins back)
All queens; Toms, luv, its time to start your choosing
(Pick me, no, pick me!) Don't be afraid of losing
Just follow your gut, if you get into a rut
It's anonymous so you won't get a bruising.
"So 'ow are we goin' 'bout this choosin'?" Mungojerry asked carefully, not wanting to anger any of the queens.
"Each cat gets two choices," Bombalurina explained. "And yes, ladies, you can choose yourself, but only once."
"So we get to vote twice?" Victor asked. "Can we choose the same person?"
"No!" Bombalurina gasped. She handed out slips of paper, scrounged from somewhere in the towering piles of junk.
"Since not everyone can write," she explained. "Mistofolees and Munkustrap will be sitting right here," she pointed. Mistofolees meekly came over and sat where he was bombarded with illiterate Jellicles. I guess they weren't illiterate because they could all read. Writing baffled them.
Bombalurina took an old battered hat; the bottom patched over many times, and collected the choices. She gave the hat to Jellylorum and Jennyanydots and the older queens went into the bungalow to tally the results.
"I bet five parcels of nip that Jemima wins," Pouncival exclaimed excitedly.
"Taken," Mistofolees answered. "My bet's on Victoria."
"I still say Bombalurina," Asparagus grinned. Several voices agreed with him.
"What about Cassandra?"
"Naaa, it's Bombi for sure!"
I guess we'll find out in the next chapter, eh? Who do you think it is? It's going to be one of the older queens, I'll tell you that much. But as for the winner, well . . . you'll just have to guess until the next chapter comes out. Until then, laters.