Chapter 9

The sky was clear, and the Jellicle moon was shining bright. Despite its power, no one had an urge to dance. After all, it had been only two days since Draconic had been defeated, and many were still going over the shock of it all. Everyone sat around the junkyard, acting like they were at a funeral. Draconic's body was long gone, burned away into ashes by Mistoffelees and tossed into the four winds. Victoria had finally managed to settle down and was back together with her family, but she was still edgy. Alonzo was improving, and Jennyanydots now believed that he would make a full recovery. He still took some medication to stave away headaches, but was otherwise the old "cock of the walk" he had always been. Everyone else seemed to be recovering well from the horrors that they had experienced, and things were returning back to normal. Well, almost everything.

Because his hours were numbered, Macavity was brought out so that he could see it for the last time. Bombi sat by his side, holding Jendangen. Sophline was finally able to control herself, thanks to comforting from her cousin that was now her best friend, Catalina. The only dancing was by Victoria and Mistoffelees, who were dancing to a slow waltz, thanks to Mungojerrie bringing a CD player from his Victoria Grove house. The couple danced beautifully, and the comforting bliss of being with her mate erased all of Victoria's tension. Afterwards, the beautiful, snow white queen did some solo dances that she had been practicing for the past year. Mistoffelees then performed a little magic show, as he made Victoria disappear and reappear, turned a ratty old collar into a beautiful silver one, studded with sparkling diamonds. He gave it to Sopline, who finally managed to crack a smile. He also did many more tricks and slight of hand, but the best part was when he noticed a human walking by holding a cell phone. The person put it in his pocket, but it was snatched out by a thief. The black tuxedoed tom concentrated and the thief suddenly stopped.

"What the-? W-where's the bloody phone?"

The human that was robbed felt his pocket get heavier, looked in and in a state of shock, revealed his phone. He quickly ran off while the thief stood dead shocked on the sidewalk, before turning away, shaking his head in disbelief. Everyone in the junkyard couldn't help but laugh, as it was Misto that did the trick.

Through all of this, Munkustrap was beside himself, debating over his decision. He wasn't sure if this was the right choice. Was everyone going to hate him for it? Was he going to have to resign his post as the Jellicle leader?

"Stop being paranoid!" he muttered to himself, "Just go and make the decision."

It was now close to dawn, but before it did, many cat couples came together and all announced that they would become mates. This included Pouncival and Electra, and Tumblebrutus and Etcetera. Jemina was among the group, though she was by herself. Though many didn't know it, she had been seeing a tom that had been in the tribe for a year, Lupus. Everyone stared at her, wondering what she was doing there.

"Jemmi, you can't be up here if you don't have a mate," Etcetera said.

The young queen nodded, "I know that, he should be here any moment now."

Electra spoke up, "Who is it? Quaxo? Persimmon?" Her eyes widened, "Lupus? Is it Lupus!" Jemina blushed and nodded. At that moment, a grey tom with black paws and tail came out. Jemmi embraced him and the couple had a long kiss as everyone cheered. Alonzo suddenly spoke up.

"Now hold on a moment! We are not done yet. There's been something I have been meaning to do for the last few weeks, and now that I am feeling better, I guess it's about time I do it," He turned to Cassandra and knelt on one knee, holding her paws. The Siamese queen's eyes nearly popped out of her head as he asked her that immortal question, "Cassandra, will you be my mate for life, until at death we part?" Cassie couldn't help but let out a light laugh as a tear came out. She knelt to Alonzo's level and hugged him.

"Yes, yes of course I will!" Everyone applauded even more as the black and white tom lifted his new mate up, and spinned around as they had a long kiss, solidifying their new matrimony. Munkustrap then stood on the tyre, proud.

"Alright, everyone! It is almost dawn, and as you all know, the Jellicle choice must be made. Who will be reborn and come back to a different life?" Everyone at this point stood around the silver tabby's perch as he let his paw drift over the crowd, his finger ready to point at the cat he had chosen. His paw finally stopped and his finger pointed, at the ginger tom that was sitting off to the side, his family with him. Macavity's eyes widened, as did his family, minus the little kitten. Munku nodded at the unasked question that Mac gave, "Yes, Macavity. It is you that has been chosen."

Mac at first couldn't really believe what had just happened to him. He was going to be reborn. Bombi quietly closed her eyes and sighed with relief, knowing that her mate was finally getting the redemption he had longed for. Munku held out his paw, beckoning the former criminal, now hero, to come. Mac struggled to stand, and it was only Bombalurina's and Mungojerrie's help that got him up and moving. The other cats were just as amazed by the choice, but all were satisfied that the chosen one was one that deserved it. They crowded around the trio moving to the tyre, and all of them either nuzzeled, or touched, or bowed to Macavity. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he was finally getting the respect he wanted. He had dreamed of this moment for so long, was it real? It had to be, because he could feel himself slowly dying, and he could feel the touches of so many paws. It seemed to take ages, but he finally got to the tyre, where the Jellicle leader was waiting. Munku gently took the ginger cat's arm and helped him onto the tyre. Before he departed though, he had to say his goodbyes.

With tears pouring out of both of them, Macavity and Bombalurina had one last embrace. They gazed deeply back into each other's eyes, as if they were trying to see into each other's soul. For the last 3 years, they had lived happily as mates, living in a blissful matrimony, with 2 happy kittens. It seemed like they could be happy forever, that nothing horrible could ever happen. Now that wonderful time was ending, for he was going to leave for good.

"I wish I could stay here with you, dear. You don't know how much I'm scared for you. How will you be able to raise the kittens on your own?"

The red queen managed a weak smile, "I have family here, Mackey. I won't be on my own. I… I just don't know how I can say goodbye to you. I don't want to live without you."

"I don't want you to either. I just wish I could've lived to old age. Able to see my offspring grow up and find a mate of their own…" He paused and glanced to beside his mate. Sophline was there, Demeter standing next to her. He slowly knelt to his daughter, and they had one last hug, "You be good, alright? Be there for your mother, she's going to need you more than ever, just like you'll need her. Always remember me, and don't try to think of this moment, but all those happy moments we had before. Think about those, okay?"

The little red queen nodded and squeezed her father a bit harder, ignoring the downpour of tears coming down her face, "I…love you, daddy."

"I love you too, Sophline," Mac gave her a kiss on the head, and then once more, for old time's sake, nuzzled his nose against hers. She let out a light giggle and a smile. A tiny mewing caused Mackey to stand up again, as he took from Demeter's paws Jendangen. For a long moment, he gazed at his infant son, and then gave him a light hug, "And you look after your family, Jendangen. Oh, how I wish I could be here as you grow up. May the Everlasting Cat bless you for the rest of your life," He pinched his eyes closed as some tears slid down his once again white and ginger face, "Good bye, my dear son," He gave the little orange tom a kiss and handed him back to his aunt. He once again gazed at his mate, his love for so long, "I love you with all my heart."

Bombalurina nodded, "And I love you with all my heart," The couple had one last embrace, and one last kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, they separated, and Bombi stood back. Mac turned to the silver tabby and slowly walked towards him. The two had one last conversation of their own.

"Munkustrap? Could you please do me two favors? Look after my family, and also tell Skimble that I am ever so thankful for everything he ever did for me?"

Munku nodded, "I'll be sure of it. Both promises."

"I…just wish I could speak to him once again. Though it would be too cliché if he just suddenly came bursting in, wouldn't it?"

The silver tabby nodded with a grin, "You know, I never thought it was possible, that an evil could become good again."

"Well, like the tribe motto says," Macavity spoke with a smug grin, "'Jellicles Can, and Jellicles Do.'"

Munku nodded and patted the ginger tom's shoulder, "May the Everlasting Cat have mercy on you. Gook luck…brother," he spoke in reference that they were step-brothers. Mac nodded and turned to the tyre, standing on it. The first light of dawn broke through the darkness of night, and a white glow enveloped the tyre, with the chosen cat on it. Macavity could feel it rising, carrying him with it, up to the Heaviside Layer. As this happened, Bombi's voice broke through the silence.

Up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel, up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer.

Demeter, then Victoria and Mistoffelees, and then Munkustrap joined in.

Up, up, up, past the Russel Hotel, up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer.

The verse was repeated once again, then again, with more and more of the tribe joining in, as he rose higher and higher.

Up, up, up, past the Jellicle Moon, up, up, up, up, to the Heaviside Layer.

The singing grew in intensity, everyone now singing, including Sophline. That verse repeated again, and as he glanced up, Mac saw the stairs leading to the Heaviside Layer coming down to level with the tyre he was on. As he took the first step onto it, he felt all of his pain and sufferings disappear. He felt stronger, and he took the second step. Before he continued, he glanced back down to the tribe standing below. His family gazing up at him with happiness and sadness mixed together. He gave them one last wave, and proceeded up the stairs. As he did, he could faintly hear the tribe finish singing.

The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity. 'Round the cathedral rang, "Vivat! Life to the everlasting cat!"

Everything from the tribe faded away and as he got farther up the stairs, the more he could feel himself losing his mortal coil. Everything seemed like a dream now. He looked back once more, and the tire was gone. He could no longer see darkness, just light. With no other choice, he proceeded on. As he did, he could hear a voice singing. It was singing a verse that he knew by heart, and had always wondered what it meant. He hadn't heard it sung since that one Ball years ago, when Jemina sang it. Only this sounded even more familiar.

Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight. Let your memory lead you. Open up, enter in. If you find there, the meaning of what happiness is, then a new life will begin.

As the voice grew stronger, he realized that the voice was his mother's! He turned to where the voice was coming from and saw the moon shining brightly through the light surrounding him. Turn your face to the moonlight. As he gazed into the moonlight, all of his old kitten hood memories flashed through his mind's eyes, remembering every detail. It beckoned him to walk to the moonlight. Let your memory lead you.

He continued on, and as he got to what seemed to be the limit of the light engulfing him, he felt his soul opening up and freeing him from all emotional restraints, and he passed through. Open up, enter in. As he passed through, the light got dimmer, so it was still quite bright, but it was easy to look at. As he glanced around, he saw three cats standing nearby, all of them adults. Something urged him to go over to them, and he obeyed the silent order. As he got closer, he suddenly realized who it was. It was his family! His father Waldron, his mother Shlaron, and his little brother Jendager, they were all standing there, before him. He was too shocked to speak, and they just stood there, smiling. What stunned him the most was that his brother was full grown, despite the fact that he had died when he was just an infant! He was just as tall as Macavity, only he had a slightly more sturdy build. He was a wonderful mix of golden brown and orange, and his tail had a black tip. His father's voice spoke.

"Hello, son. You look very well for yourself."

Mac was at first too stunned to speak. He reached his paw out to his father and he touched his cheek. It was real! Or so it seemed. With a quiet, almost naive tone, he simply said, "Father…it's you!" With that, he embraced him and quietly sobbed, not believing that he was seeing him again. Waldron returned the hug, and they separated. He looked exactly like Mac had always remembered, as did Shlaron.

"Mac, I want you to know how proud I am of you. You had found your purpose and you fulfilled it. You did everything you were supposed to do. You turned into a fine tom, a loving mate and father, and I couldn't have asked for anything more."

"But Father…I didn't live long enough! What about my family? I…I didn't want to leave them!"

Shlaron spoke up, "It was your time, dear. I know it's hard for you, but you have done everything you could've done in the world. You know, I felt the same way when we died. I wasn't scared of dying, but scared for you. How were you going to move on? When you turned to a life of evil, I was honestly afraid that you would never be able to be here."

Waldron continued, "But you did what you were destined to do, in the long run. You changed yourself for the better, and did the greatest things that any cat could do. And now, it's time for you to become reborn. You will go to the Everlasting Cat, and he will take the soul that is you and return it here, where we will finally be together for good. You won't remember anything, as your body will, in a way, be reborn. All you'll remember is darkness, and then a new life will begin."

"Just like that song went," Macavity's mother said, "It was about going to the Heaviside Layer and being reborn, that's what the words meant. No one is ever supposed to know until they come up here. Now, dear, you must go," Before he did, the ginger cat hugged his mother, and his little brother. As he backed away, a brighter beam of light appeared, and Waldron gestured to it. Mac nodded and walked into the light. As he did, he could feel the Everlasting Cat's presence. It was a beautiful image, in his mind, but it was indescribable. He felt a paw swish through him, and everything went dark again. Meanwhile, his soul returned to where the rest of his family was, and they did nothing but group hug for a long while, as they were finally reunited, for eternity.

Meanwhile, in another tribe, a dark brown queen screamed in pain, her mate holding her paw. She pushed harder, and a meek mewing was heard. The cat acting as a midwife smiled.

"Congratulations! It's a tom!" She showed them a bright orange cat with white on his paws and face, and down his chest. His headfur showed signs of an upcoming mane, but there was one unique feature that the new father noticed.

"Look, love, at his eyes. They're…sunken in."

Whew! This was probably the hardest chapter for me to do, and also the second to last one. The last chapter is next, and it will focus more on Bombalurina and the kittens moving on, plus new forgiveness for old times from a particular "Curious cat." I am a little disappointed that Macavity reuniting with his family was a weak scene, but I wanted to get this chapter done ASAP! After this, I am unsure of what I'll do next writing wise. I have written parts of the first chapter for 3 different stories already, and don't know where to start! Oh, the agony of writing! Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and keep your eyes peeled for the final chapter, coming sometime within two weeks or so. I am in a weekend-long trivia contest, and Easter is the weekend after, and I am unsure of when I will write again. Keep on readin' and writin'!