Chapter 3
A new life
Mistoffelees was sitting still on the small coffee table on the porch.
His eyes were staring straight ahead, and they probably have not moved for the last hour. He looked almost as if he's been hypnotized by something, something in the distance that had glued his attention to it with some sort of invisible yet unspeakably powerful force. With his body straight and stiff, and his eyeballs still, he looked more like a black and white statue, or better, a living, breathing statue caught in a trance.
Not far away ahead, sitting on the edge of a small, white marble fountain on the green lawn, was Victoria, contently allowing the sun to shine on her white fur, which has now grown full and smooth, as she listened to the splashing of the water around her and carefully groomed herself. Occasionally she'd stick out a small white paw to catch a water drop or two to play with them, and watch them glisten in the brilliant sunlight until they melt away into the soft fur of her palm. From time to time, she'd look down into the water beneath her, and study her reflection with pensiveness and curiosity. In the time of merely a few months, she looked so different from when she first walked into this yard as could be. Her fur had grown from rough and dry to silky and velvety, and her size, to her, looked as if it had almost increased double. That constantly worried, nervous expression in her now even brighter blue eyes was completely gone, and her face seemed forever adored with the sunshine of happiness, and whatever scary thoughts she had had she tried her best to kick them out, for to her gratefulness, that evil creature named Macavity, whom she's also grown to know more and more about from the other Jellicles and thus feared more and more, never made a sound at anywhere near her. She blinked her eyes and moved her eyes away from the sparkling water, and went back to running her little pink tongue up and down her white, slim arm. She loved brushing herself under the sun, for it made her feel much more comfortable and... beautiful. She had started to learn about and understand beauty, and for the first time, too, she was willing to admit to herself, that she herself could be entitled by that word.
She had no idea that she was being watched, and for how long, and how intensively. At that moment, her naïve mind seemed to be nowhere but on her immaculate white fur, which was growing ever softer with each stroke of her tongue brush. The sound of the birds singing about jingled in her ears, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the harmony. It sounded like Juliet's singing, as she has been doing in her presence often. Though their song seemed much more cheerful and jolly as compared to Juliet's, she enjoyed both much equally. The former could lift her spirits, and the latter soothed her soul. The birds, though she could not understand their words, seemed to be always singing something about life, about nature, and Juliet, on the other hand, she could understand some of her words, but they seemed to be always about memories, hopes, loneliness, and reflection. When the birds sang, they seemed always merry and jolly; but when Juliet sang, sometimes she could detect tears in the corners of her eyes. Once or twice, the melancholy melodies disturbed her so much that she had to leave with Mistoffelees, who later explained to her what it meant.
How she loved her new life and everyone that was in it, and how she grew to love being called Victoria or Vicki by the other cats, and Phoebe by Juliet. And Juliet, who had argued with her father for how many times because of her, only increased her love for her as time went. Although she felt that Juliet's father probably did not welcome her too much, she felt she needed not worry, for he was hardly home in her memory. Juliet was the only human in her life; a human whom she had grown to love, just like Mistoffelees. And when Juliet was in school during the day, she always had Mistoffelees and her other Jellicle friends to talk with her, walk with her, and play with her. She was not at all clueless about the way Mistoffelees treated her, but she was often too coy even to bring it up to herself.
She had to tell herself that she was growing up, and getting to know the world little by little. Other than the Jellicle Tribe, which she had gotten to know well and gotten along with at all times, there seemed to be a big world out there that made her wanted to explore. Listening to the stories, poems, and old folklores that Old Deuteronomy and Gus often told or read to her, and the fairy tales that Skimble liked to tell and act out, all those stories that they all believed had happened sometime in their lifetimes, she had grown to know all kinds of different lives, creatures, and places. Watching Jellylorum and Jennyanydots, she was slowly learning the role of a queen, and getting to know her place. Young and innocent her mind remained, she seemed to be developing every day in front of everyone's eyes, not only her body, but also her heart and soul. She had learned to quiet her mind and meditate on her third name, and learned to discover that hidden inner self, which Mistoffelees had often talked to her about.
Now that she was all by herself, at least she thought she was, under the warm sunlight, and enjoying the day and all her surroundings, totally oblivious to what she was bringing to Mistoffelees, who still had yet to move an inch.
Demeter slowly walked into the yard from the side entrance.
"Hey, good morning, Misto boy!" she called. Victoria did not hear her, and neither did Mistoffelees.
"Misto, what are you doing here?" Demeter asked, moving closer. She had seen Mistoffelees from the distance, sitting there like a statue, with is tails hanging down the edge of the coffee table like a black icicle with a white tip. She looked toward the direction to which his eyes had been glued on, and saw nothing but the fountain and Victoria on it.
Mistoffelees did not even blink his eyes.
"Misto, hey, are you ok?" Demeter moved a paw back and forth in front of Mistoffelees's face. "Hello, Misto, wake up!"
Mistoffelees suddenly jumped up and let out a gasp.
"Demeter!" he nearly cried out.
"Oh, my, did I scare you?" Demeter put a paw to her chest. "What were you doing? You looked like you were sleeping with your eyes open!"
"Was I?" Mistoffelees scratched his ears.
"What were you looking at that got your full attention to the end?" Demeter asked, and turned to the fountain and the grooming Victoria again.
"Well, I..." Mistoffelees suddenly felt his ears burning, and he lowered his head to hide the redness which he felt was already taking over his entire face.
"Is that it?" Demeter smiled and pointed a paw toward Victoria's direction.
Mistoffelees didn't answer.
Demeter sighed, and sat down next to the young black and white tuxedo.
"It's so good to see how well she's coming along," she said, smiling. "That little thing is getting prettier and prettier everyday."
Mistoffelees again fixed his eyes on the small white cat, and remained silent.
"I can remember when I was her age," Demeter's face grew thoughtful and musing. "How I loved the world around me, and how I used to spend days dreaming, beautifying myself just like she likes to do. That was no more than only a few years ago, and I can still remember it clearly."
Mistoffelees glanced at Demeter.
"She's very different though," said Demeter, "she has the aura of shyness and calm that I never had when I was her age. She's been in the tribe for so long now, but she still remains a mystery to almost every Jellicle. But I also can't help noticing, how some of the young toms are already paying close attention to her."
At that last comment, Mistoffelees's head perked up as if he had heard something totally unbelievably unexpected.
"Paying close attention to her?" he sounded louder than what he had meant to. "Who? When?"
"Oh, well, just Plato, Tumblebrutus, you know," Demeter was a bit surprised by Mistoffelees's reaction.
Mistoffelees's face grew dark.
"Misto," the mature queen noticed the look on the young tom's face. She could already guess what he might be thinking.
"What, Demeter?" Mistoffelees asked, not even looking at her.
"You know what," Demeter replied calmly. "You're not a kitten anymore, I don't have to explain everything word to word, do I?"
"What are you talking about?" Mistoffelees asked.
"Your feelings for her are more than just feelings for a friend, aren't they?" the gentle queen asked carefully.
Mistoffelees swung his head around in a flash to face her; his dark eyes caught a pair of gentle, smiling brown ones.
"Look at her," Demeter sighed, again looking Victoria's way. "She might not even know, how much the entire tribe, young or old, already adores her, and how her mere existence in the junkyard is already adding much more warmth and joy to the tribe. Especially Old Deuteronomy, he treats her as if she was his own granddaughter, and I'm sure she appreciates it. But maybe she doesn't even have the faintest clue, that the Jellicles have all behind her back nicknamed her the White Belle, and are all secretly calling her that when she's not listening. That's what she is now in everybody's heart: a White Belle, an angelic beauty that was perhaps not even created in this world."
"The White Belle," Mistoffelees mumbled, as if slipping back into his trance again. "Yes, that's what she is, a white belle."
"And unlike the other ones," Demeter lowered her voice, "she treats Tugger more like a big brother. She'd admire him and play with him somewhat like the other kittens only when she was in front of them. The poor dear doesn't want to feel singled out, I suppose. And unlike the other little ones, she seems to know that Tugger is only playing, and never serious with anyone except for Bombalurina. While Etcetera and the others shriek the moment they see Tugger, she merely smiles and greets. And if Tugger is not the cat of her dreams, I'd say that someone else is." Demeter gave Mistoffelees a smile, which he seemed to have understood.
"Demeter! Misto!" Mistoffelees's train of thought was totally disrupted by a bell-like voice. He saw Victoria racing toward his and Demeter's direction.
"Hello there, Vicki," Demeter smiled, "are you enjoying this gorgeous day?"
"Yes!" Victoria said merrily, "it's so warm, and I just got my fur spotless clean!"
"Don't you look happy today," Demeter gently nudged Victoria with her paw. "Hey, come on, I've actually come to get you two. Munkustrap and Tugger are waiting for us at the junkyard."
"For what?" Mistoffelees said, trying his best to organize his mind.
"Oh, probably to announce the new couple for the mating dance this year," said Demeter, "you all know that Exotica is already decided as the kitten who will be brought into young queenhood at the upcoming Jellicle Ball, right?"
Mistoffelees and Victoria both nodded
"We'll soon find out who will be chosen as the tom who will bring her to it, I think," said Demeter gently. "And I think most likely it would Mungojerrie."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Mistoffelees yawned, and noticed a strange look on Victoria's face. "And next year, it might be his sister's turn.
"Might be yours, too," Demeter said, noticing the young tom blushing.
"Come on, let's get going," she smiled, and led the two younger cats out of the yard.
"Demeter darling!" Munkustrap opened his arms the moment he saw Demeter's appearance at the entrance of the junkyard, and he pulled her into his embrace regardless of the other eyes around.
"Munkustrap," Demeter said, blushing, "there are people watching us. What are you trying to show off?"
"Oh, nothing," Munkustrap smiled, and kissed her cheek gently. "Just that, haven't seen you all night, and really missed you!"
Demeter saw from the corner of her eyes that Tugger was walking over, holding Bombalurina on the waist.
"Morning, sister," Bombalurina smiled, "good way to start a day, huh?"
Demeter pulled away from Munkustrap, trying her best to ignore the four wide eyes of the two younger cats behind her, and gave her sister a smile.
"Say, sister, where have you been all night last night?" Demeter asked almost nonchalantly, but caused the red queen's face to immediately turn into a shade that looked even redder than her coat.
Demeter gently rubbed her head against her sister. "Bombalurina, what's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Tugger stepped out. Demeter noticed that his face was no less red than Bombalurina's. "She returned while you were asleep, so there!"
Munkustrap took Demeter's paw and fought hard to stifle a laugh, when he finally noticed Mistoffelees and Victoria.
"Oh, my, sorry, I didn't even see you coming," Munkustrap said apologetically, and gently nuzzled Mistoffelees and Victoria. "Hello, you two!"
"When Demeter's here, the whole world can disappear behind her," said Mistoffelees, and this time, it was Demeter and Munkustrap's turn to turn red.
Victoria put her paw over her mouth so that her giggle wouldn't come out too loud.
"Tugger! Tugger!" all of them turned around to see Etcetera, Electra, and Jemima bouncing over. Bombalurina gave Tugger a "there-we-go-again" look, while the kittens lost no time to curl themselves about his legs.
"Tugger, wanna go play with us after this?"
"Yeah, and sing us that song of yours?"
"And let us dance along?"
Tugger stroked his whiskers complacently and brushed his mane, eyeing Bombalurina in such a mischievous way that the red queen couldn't help throwing him a glare.
The kittens continued to screech around Tugger, and Victoria and Mistoffelees were having a hard time restraining their laughters.
"Old Deuteronomy will be here soon," said Munkustrap.
Demeter walked with the gray tabby to the tire waiting for Old Deuteronomy, while Tugger joked uncaringly with his fan club, with Bombalurina supervising on the side, as usual. Mistoffelees and Victoria quietly walked away.
"Yo, Vicki, Misto!" the two heard a loud call from the behind and saw Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer skipping toward them.
"How are you guys doing?" Victoria waved.
"Can't be better!" Rumpleteazer said cheerfully, "we gotta a little something that we're happy to share!"
"What? You guys went jewelry shopping again?" Mistoffelees asked with sarcasm.
"Actually, we went grocery shopping from our human's refrigerator!" Mungojerrie winked, and swung a bag onto the ground from behind him. "Go on, grab what you want! We'll ask the others when you two are done?"
"Why we first?" Mistoffelees asked, "no one else wants them, right?"
"Uh, not necessarily," said Rumpleteazer, "but you two are our best friends, aren't you? So we thought you'd like a treat first."
Mistoffelees and Victoria simultaneously looked at each other, and in unison burst out with giggles.
"Now, is there something that you want us to do?" Victoria asked.
"Na, just feel like being generous today, that's all," Mungojerrie said and opened the bag. "See? You can find a lotta stuff that you might like!"
Victoria sniffed the inside of the bag, and took out a small piece of chicken pot pie with her teeth. Mistoffelees took out a piece of dark chocolate.
"All right, thank you, by the way," said Mistoffelees, nibbling on the chocolate.
"Hey, this tastes really good," said Victoria as she licked the pie.
"We're gonna get some more guests, so, see ya two later!" the duo disappeared as fast as they had appeared.
"Sometimes I really wonder about those two," said Mistoffelees.
After the junkyard meeting, Victoria climbed onto the top of an old oven where she could enjoy a good sunning, and decided to take a short snooze to get her mind off of things for the moment. Not far from her, Tugger was as usual, playing cool with his fan club, which she did not want to participate in at the moment. She felt she wanted a short moment of peace, regardless of Etcetera's high screech's not far away.
The announcement had been made, that Mungojerrie and Exotica would be the couple chosen at the mating dance this year. Though looking forward to her first Jellicle Ball, which everyone was as excited about as she was, Victoria still couldn't help feeling a bit awkward. She has long been enthralled by the stories about the past Jellicle Balls that the other Jellicles have told her, and about to experience something that seemed so exciting was definitely something new to the young kitten. But the continuing picturing of the "mating dance" just made her plain nervous. She wondered if she herself should join that dance with the others, or was she really too young for something like that. And next year, it would be Mistoffelees's turn? And with Rumpleteazer? She had to close her eyes and shake her head a few times.
"Hey, what are you doing?" a familiar voice distracted her muse.
"Oh, nothing, just lying around," Victoria opened her eyes and stretched, and saw Munkustrap and Demeter walking over. "The sun is good."
"Looking forward to the ball?" Munkustrap asked.
"Actually, yes," said Victoria, "though I don't even know what it's gonna be like yet."
"You'd love it, like I've said many times," Demeter smiled, "you just gotta loosen up a bit and have some fun. That's also a small part of the reason why we have the ball, so that we can have all the fun we can in a year!"
"Do we need to go with dates, like humans do?" Victoria asked, remembering what Juliet had told her a while ago about this ball called "prom" that she went to when she was in high school.
"Well, you could if you want to," said Munkustrap, "what, you have someone in mind or something?"
"No, of course not!" Victoria said abruptly, avoiding Munkustrap's eyes. Munkustrap and Demeter looked toward the direction where Mistoffelees was talking with Skimble, and gave each other a small nod.
"Oh, really?" Demeter grinned, "well, have you noticed the way that Misto was looking at you while you were sitting on that fountain? You sure you're not taking that into consideration?"
"Huh?" Victoria stared at Demeter.
"He looked as if he's been put into a trance," said Demeter.
"A trance?" Victoria asked, "what are you talking about? A trance by whom?"
"By what he was looking at, of course," Demeter glanced at Munkustrap and smiled. "Are you really not getting it, or are you just playing with me here?"
"What he was looking at..." Victoria mumbled, and suddenly perked her head toward the direction of Mistoffelees.
"Do you get it now?" Demeter asked; her tone remained gentle.
"I... I'm still a bit confused," said Victoria, "he was looking at me?"
"Well, there was no one else around that I saw, dear," said Demeter.
"Why me?" Victoria asked, "I wasn't doing anything, was I?"
"Oh, of course not," said Demeter, "but he doesn't have to look at you because you were doing something."
Victoria blinked her big eyes.
"I think you know what we're trying to say, Vicki," Demeter smiled, "you've lived in the same house with Misto for months now, and haven't you felt anything at all?"
"What do you mean?" Victoria asked, looking from Demeter to Munkustrap.
"What I mean is that, it's possible that he's starting to like you more than just a friend," Demeter said gently.
Victoria looked as if she'd been banged right on the top of her head.
"Vicki," said Demeter, "there's nothing to be embarrassed about it, and nothing worth hiding about. This is too common for growing up. Maybe you might not even have realized yourself, but dear, I was once your age, too, and I understand how these things go. You might not want to admit it, but you can't prevent it from eventually divulging itself. No matter how shy or stubborn you can be, when the time comes, none of us can escape it."
"I've watched over Misto since he was a kitten, I know him too well," said Munkustrap, "he's not someone who'll easily look at any queen, and I know, that the queen that would win his attention would have to be someone that's very special. And you, Vicki, are in every way special."
Victoria looked at the two who have long become her big brother and big sister, not knowing what to say. She knew what they were saying was not false, and she somewhat felt that they had looked into her mind even before she herself did. Was it true, that she and him were really falling for each other, yet neither knew it or willing to admit it? She lowered her head and swallowed hard.
"He needs someone to truly love him, and somehow I feel, that us and his human are never enough," Munkustrap sighed, "the poor kitten came as an orphan, never knowing what a family really feels like, and because of his shy and quiet nature, he often isolated himself from the others his age. The young queens spend all their time flocking around Tugger, and he'd only stand and watch. Tugger doesn't want him to feel that way, but no one can help it. What he really needs, is a true companion of his own."
"And trust me, Vicki, Misto has never been so close to any young queen as he has been to you," said Demeter, "Munkustrap and I can be sure about this. And you can ask Tugger, too, and he feels the same way."
Victoria stared at Mistoffelees from the distance, and closed her eyes for a moment. She recalled all the time that Mistoffelees has been with her, taking her here and there and talking with her, and most of all, the way he looked at her that was so different. She recalled that night when they first met, how sympathetic he was to her and how he looked at her when she was shivering in that garbage pile. A shroud of mist suddenly came over her eyes.
"I... have been wondering about something," Victoria said, looking away. "I didn't want to ask him, but maybe I can ask you?"
"Of course," said Munkustrap, "what is it?"
Victoria took a deep breath. "If he has no parents, how come he knows his uncle?"
"Well," Munkustrap smiled, "this is actually no big secret. When he was first found and brought into the tribe, Old Deuteronomy had felt his relation with Bustopher Jones, the gentletom of St. James Street and a great friend of ours. Although Old Deuteronomy never disclosed anything that he might have felt about Mistoffelees's past and possible parents, we trust his sense of what the Everlasting Cat had told him about Mistoffelees having at least one relative that we know of. Bustopher had long lost contact with all his siblings, but he knew he had had several brothers and sisters, and therefore wasn't surprised when Mistoffelees was brought before him as his nephew, though he had no way of knowing he was the offspring of which of his siblings. But what surprised us was Misto's magical powers. Bustopher told us that in his memory, though it was too long ago, none of his family members had exposed any abilities in magic, and he himself was shocked at what Misto can do as Misto grew up. And this is actually what puzzles us the most, too, for none of the cats we know of have had any relatives who might have had connections with magic."
Victoria slowly nodded, slightly perplexed by the story.
"How was he found?" she asked.
"Well, Tugger and I found him on the side of the road when he was barely a couple of weeks old," said Munkustrap, "and we brought him into the tribe and he's since been one of us. When the mystical twins came to the tribe, they helped with discovering his powers and had participated in his training. Old Deuteronomy had foreseen the moment he laid eyes on the kitten, what he would become when he grows up, and he was right," said Munkustrap.
"Exactly how powerful is he?" Victoria asked, taking advantage of the time. "He seems never so willing to show me his powers."
"Well, that's part of Misto," Munkustrap smiled, well Demeter looked to see that Mistoffelees wasn't listening. "He doesn't like to show off his powers, though when he was a kitten, he loved to play with his magic just for fun, until when he realized that using too much at once can make him really tired shortly. But the thing is, he didn't want to be singled out as different from the rest of the Jellicles. He wanted to fit in as a normal cat, though everyone knew that he is not normal. Because before he discovered his magic, he was ignored a lot of the times because of his introverted personality, and he was afraid that he'd be even more excluded after discovering that he really is different from everyone else. But things turned out quite the contrary. The Jellicles value him and love him more than ever after his magical powers was made known, and the young Jellicles all admire him for what he can do. You want to know how powerful he can get? When he has enough strength in him, he can throw things in the air with his mind as hard as we can with our paws, and he can set something on fire with a mere thought. The strongest lightning bolts that he throws can fry a Pollicle into cinders in seconds."
"Goodness!" Victoria gasped, putting her paws to her mouth.
"That's when we always need him when we're in danger of any invasion," Demeter smiled, "and whenever we have parties for the young kittens, we'd ask him for the presents. He can make anything appear out of nowhere."
"Who named him?" Victoria asked, "why does he have a name that is so closely associated with the Devil?"
"Well, unfortunately I can't answer this. When we first brought him to Old Deuteronomy, he said that his name was Mistoffelees. He didn't tell us how he knew it, but we've been calling him by this name ever since. Where or when he got this name, Old Deuteronomy might know, but hasn't disclosed to anyone yet," Munkustrap replied.
"And, the mystical twins!" Victoria said, "they're magic, too, are they? How are they different from Misto?"
"Well, I probably wouldn't call Coricopat and Tantomile magical," said Munkustrap, "what they are totally different abilities. What they have are telepathy, fortune telling, and healing powers. They can predict the futures of the Jellicles, and they can even see and talk to spirits. They can see in the dark better than all of us can, and like Misto, they can feel presences even before seeing them. And they, too, can easily and clearly read minds, like Misto can. I'd say that they probably don't possess as many powers as Misto, but the ones that they do have can be equally powerful."
"Misto can read minds, too?" Victoria asked in a tone of surprise, "why, he never told me that!"
"There are probably a lot of things that he hasn't told you yet," said Munkustrap, "Misto is someone who's always filled with surprises. But don't worry. You'll find out more and more as you get to know him longer."
"Hey, what's up?" the trio turned their heads and saw Tugger, who obviously got bored with the still fanatic fan club, climbing onto the oven to join them.
"We're just having some little talks with Vicki," said Munkustrap, "and what are you doing here? What happened to your fan club?"
"Oh, a bunch of kits, no fun all the time," Tugger stretched and started to brush his mane. "Besides, don't we have to discuss about the ball?"
"We still have some time for that," said Munkustrap, "besides, many of the preparations have already been made."
"Where's Bombalurina?" Demeter asked, skimming the junkyard.
"Off chatting with Cassandra," said Tugger, "or else I wouldn't be here with absolutely nothing to do, would I?"
Munkustrap and Demeter both let out a chuckle.
"And what are you two doing anyway? Giving little Vicki an earful again?" Tugger looked at Victoria and winked.
"Nothing for you to be worried about," said Demeter, "at least we have something to talk about here."
"You're playing mother again, aren't you?" Tugger laughed, "gee, I thought one Jelly and one Jenny would be enough!"
Tugger barely finished his sentence when the entire junkyard was shaken with a loud scream. "YOU ATE MY WHITE MICE FOR LUNCH?!"
"Speaking of the devil," Tugger mumbled, "there she goes again."
All heads turned toward the direction of the closet which Jennyanydots liked to stay in when she was not in her human's house, and saw the ginger queen stumbling out with what looked like an old frying pan in both of her paws and chasing after a fleeing Pouncival. Pouncival, of course, was much faster, and bounced up and down the junk piles with Jennyanydots panting behind him, yet gritting her teeth with rage.
"Why you little demon of a cat! Get your tail over here!" Jennyanydots's high-pitched screech echoed all over the junkyard, with the pan occasionally smacking the ground and the sound of Pouncival's jumping up and down.
Munkustrap and Demeter couldn't control themselves any longer to burst into laughter, with Tugger jumping down to join the fun in teasing Jennyanydots. "Hey, Jenny, your students became the midday snack for someone again?"
Jennyanydots was in no mood to heed Tugger's jokes, and she continued in her attempts of grabbing Pouncival from behind the backs of the Jellicles.
Victoria watched with her mouth wide open, and Mistoffelees and Skimble were also nearly choked with laughter on the side.
"Don't just stand there and laugh! Someone help me catch this little beast?" Jennyanydots said, gasping for breath. But the junkyard only looked from aside and bursting with laughters from every corner.
Victoria jumped off the oven and ran toward Mistoffelees, while Skimble went on his attempts of stopping the dashing and stumbling Jennyanydots.
"Jenny, Jenny, it's ok! Slow down here! We can talk about it..." Skimble called, his Scottish accent thick and heavy.
But Jennyanydots didn't even turn her head from the fleeing Pouncival.
"Misto, what exactly is going on?" she asked.
"Well, apparently, someone just had a couple of Jenny's mice students for lunch, and is about to pay for it," Mistoffelees said, restraining his laughter.
"Oh, my, from what I've heard, I would've thought that Pouncival had learned his lesson," said Victoria, staring at the running Pouncival who was desperate to get rid of Jennyanydots's pursue.
"Apparently not," Mistoffelees chuckled, and watched Pouncival running toward him. With a sudden lift of his right paw, Pouncival went floating in the air.
"Whoa, whoa, what's happening?" The totally unexpected Pouncival wove his arms and legs around like a crab in the midair, with his face carrying an obvious look of panic. "Put me down! Put me down!"
The roar of laughter was even louder in the junkyard. Jennyanydots stopped her steps and nearly collapsed on the ground.
"Gee, lad, you're in time," Skimble stopped and came to Jennyanydots's side. "Any more running, I think I can crush these old bones of mine no problem."
"That... little... little devil of a... a Jellicle... little..." Jennyanydots panted hard, putting her paw on her chest, and slowly walking toward Pouncival, who was screaming and kicking in the air.
"Jenny, you're very welcome," Mistoffelees smiled, glimpsing the elevated Pouncival.
"Than...thanks a lot... I have... to say... Misto. You... really are... very... useful," the old Gumbie Cat said, pressing down her pants, and gave Pouncival's rare end a good few smacks with the pan in her paw. Mistoffelees wove his paw again and Pouncival dropped straight to the ground.
"That outta teach you a good lesson, kid!" Jennyanydots stood akimbo above Pouncival, who was lying face down on the ground. "Next time if I catch you with my mice again, it'll be you becoming their dinner!"
Pouncival raised his head and looked up at Jennyanydots, a silly look appeared on his face. He struggled a little to sit up, patting his red rare end.
"Sorry, Jenny," he said, "I was really, really hungry, that's all."
"Put on that face in front of someone else!" said Jennyanydots as she tossed the pan down, then eyed the spectators around her. "You all think this was a great show? Well, now that you've all had fun, get with your businesses!"
The crowd again scattered, but the laughter was not fading quickly.
"Hey, Jenny, I gotta leave for the train now, I'll see you later tonight, ok?" Skimble called after Jennyanydots who was on her way back to her closet.
"Oh, come back when you feel like it," the Gumbie Cat mumbled, still too angry to care about anything at the moment.
"Wow, was that something!" Victoria said after Jennyanydots strode away.
"Sometimes, fun like this can be rare," said Mistoffelees as he licked his paw.
"And Misto, next time when you wanna let me fly, can you at least tell me first?" Pouncival muttered as he tried to straighten his back. "For the second time you've scared me nearly half to death!"
"You think that was big deal? I was simply helping Jenny out," Mistoffelees smirked, "you haven't had the real adventure yet!"
"And what is that?" Pouncival stood with his arm crossed and stuck out his tongue.
Mistoffelees rose his paw again, and with that movement, the least expecting Pouncival again went up in the air. And with a sudden thrust, Mistoffelees sent the kitten flying across the junkyard and landing into an old bureau, which Mistoffelees had opened with his telekinesis on the way.
Victoria's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"How was that?" Mistoffelees called, and the cats left in the junkyard all looked from one to another with amusement on their faces, yet laughing at the same time.
"Thank you... very much for... the flight..." Pouncival staggered out, and then fell head back onto the ground.
The junkyard was again roaring with laughters.
"You really just did that?" Victoria stared at Mistoffelees.
"Yeah," Mistoffelees smiled, "something that I'm rather proud of, actually."
"All right, that's it, enough games for today!" Munkustrap called as he walked over with Demeter, Tugger, and Bombalurina.
"Oh, come on, we were just starting to enjoy ourselves!" Tumblebrutus hopped over with Etcetera, Jemima, Electra, and Plato.
"Hey, Pounce! Are you all right there?" Jemima called.
"Yeah, never been better," Pouncival muttered, still lying straight on the ground. "Today really is my day! Misto's gonna make me throw up all the things I ate today."
"Well, according to what I know about the way you eat, maybe you can puke out Jenny's mice out alive, that ought to make her really happy!" Tugger said, and another burst of laughter from the kittens, including Mistoffelees and Victoria.
"You really ought to show me all your tricks sometime," Victoria whispered at Mistoffelees's ears. "Or else, sooner or later I'll be scared dead by these tricks of yours that I can never expect when to be aware of."
"At the Jellicle Ball, you'll see them all," Mistoffelees whispered back, and while the other cats were turning around to leave, he quickly placed a kiss on Victoria's cheek.
"I have something that I gotta talk to Tugger about, I'll catch up with you later, ok?" Mistoffelees smiled and said quickly, and before Victoria could react, he was off like a whiff of smoke.
Victoria gently touched the spot on her kiss where Mistoffelees had left the quick kiss, and smiled to herself. Munkustrap and Demeter were right, she thought. She jumped back up onto the old oven, and laid her head on her arms to rest. The sun was now even brighter and warmer above her, and she stretched out her hind legs to fully feel her back soaked in the warm sunlight. She would stay there and wait for him, she thought. There would probably be more things that he would tell her when he came back.
"Everything is so beautiful," Victoria muttered to herself as she looked across the junkyard. Everything was suddenly quiet now.
"...when the time comes, none of us can escape it..." Demeter's words vividly echoed by her ears. Now that nobody was around, she could really quiet down her mind and contemplate on what Munkustrap and Demeter have just said to her. They couldn't be wrong, could they? They were older than her and wiser, and they seemed to more than she could ever think. And the way Mistoffelees looked at her, smiled at her... Victoria closed her eyes and heaved out a sigh.
"How long do I have to wait to find out myself?" she mumbled and laid her head down. For now, what she really wanted was a nap. But what things unexpected would happen when she woke up?