5. Let The Rain Fall

Silence. The sound of the overture still rang in Demeter's ears though. Why was she always the first here? She wondered. She ventured out from behind the old oven, looking around for Munkustrap. Suddenly there was the high pitched sound of a lorry reversing somewhere in the distance, Demeter hissed and her body coursed with nervous tension as she rose on to tiptoe and spun around before scurrying to the safety of the old pipe. Just like last year. She thought. Except it wasn't. Last year, the pipe was a place of safety. Now it was just a place of sadness. Munkustrap appeared now, on top of the old car. Others followed but Demeter only had eyes for him. She was aware of someone sniffing the air with authoritative suspicion, Skimble, it had to be. But still her eyes didn't leave Munkustrap. She heard a soft thud of a landing and the sound of someone scurrying up the rungs of the bed rail, the would be Carbucketty. Munkustrap glanced at her and she quickly came forwards to be with the others. Munkustrap slunk out now, standing tall.

"Are you blind when you're born?" he sang powerfully and the Ball had begun.

They all noticed it though, that missing bar. What with everything that had happened, none of them could face taking his place. So no one sang, and Bill merely whispered his bar. Electra looked distressed, but Mungo and Teazer quickly ran forwards to take their cue. It didn't stop anyone feeling that emptiness though, nothing could. Jemima clasped her adoptive sister's paws.

"Stay strong El, he's close I can feel it" she whispered quickly before the tribe launched in to their dance.

There was no other feeling like the feeling of a magical Jellicle. It was a prickle in the atmosphere that only the most sensitive, the most delicate little thing could feel. Not even Tantomile or Coricopat seemed to have noticed it. But Jemima had. It was a little like an electric shock, but it kept coming back every now and again. A sudden little spike, but a constant warmth in between each spark. It wasn't the presence of the magical cat that did this, not normally. Only when there was something magical about to happen. Spectacular. It was the feeling she had felt come over her last year before the tux had revealed his powers and as Grizabella was singing, as she reached out to Grizabella with her own song. The only time others seemed to feel it, was when they were lost in a world of their own such as Victoria when she danced. And the only time it was powerful enough to be felt by all at once was at the moment before a Jellicle ascended to Heaviside. But none of these 

things were true of this moment. This made Jemima feel sure it was Quaxo's return. But how? And when?

--

Etcy shivered. Her granddad sat with her mum, dreaming again the old fool. It was cold tonight, too cold. Last year when Gus was singing, Quaxo had taken part in a silent conversation with her. The sort that made her giggle, but then have to stifle it. She'd tried to work out the words he was saying, but she'd always come out with the most ridiculous things. He, however, would always get it right first time. She smiled sadly. She loved her granddad dearly, and his song was very moving, not quite as moving as last year's song but still it tugged at the heart strings. But that was the problem. Etcy hated tears. And without Quaxo to keep her spirits up, she could feel them stinging the backs of her eyes. But now they weren't just tears for Gus.

She looked over at Tugger, sitting not far behind her. He wasn't paying any attention to what was going on around him. He'd even been sitting there through Jenny's song. He'd danced at the start, sung his line even, stayed strong through Quaxo's empty bar. But then once he'd seen the Invitation performed without his little tux everything had changed. He didn't seem to want to stay strong, he just seemed to want to think. And think. And think. Tugger didn't think unless he was alone, with no one to notice. He hated the idea he could possibly have the image of a thinker. That was his brother's job. Yet here he was, contemplating something that probably only he understood. Etcy wondered if he was thinking about Quaxo as well. Of course he was, she knew it. She could see it in his eyes. She'd seen it in Jemi's eyes, El's, Tori's, Jelly's, Skimble's, Munk's….everyone who thought of Quaxo got that look. The one half debates the possibility that he's going to come back but the other half suspects he's gone for good and curls up letting blackness consume it. But Etcy believed in hope, always had. Not many people thought of Etcy as a thinker either. But some people saw that side of her. Some people knew that side of her all too well. Electra smiled at her kindly now, coming a little closer to her friend and putting a kind paw on her shoulder. Jemima and Victoria also moved closer, two more who understood Etcy.

As the queen kits huddled together, Munkustrap came silently over to sit with Tugger.

"Our father isn't here yet, there's still time" he whispered.

"I'm waiting though Munk…Heaviside knows what for but I'm waiting."



"But if you don't know what for then…"

"Then we'll just have to wait and see. I took a risk with that kit last year, I'll take a risk again Munk" Tugger replied and Munk nodded before venturing back to his place on the tyre.

--

It was a crisp, strange sort of silence that descended in to the night. This was barely recognisable as the Jellicle Ball. All sitting around, listening to the ramblings of an old cat past his best except not really listening because really they were all thinking; Where is Deuteronomy? Why did Quaxo have to go? When will tonight come to an end?

The queen kits were still huddled close together. Etcetera scampered away from the group, nuzzling Munkustrap's leg briefly then coming down to sit next to her mother.
"Why is it so cold tonight mummy?" she asked, barely above a whisper. Jellylorum looked down, placing a kind paw on the little queen's head.
"Because everything is cold now Cettie. The world is a cold, cold place sometimes." she murmured, then she put a gentle arm around Gus' shoulders and escorted him solemnly out of the Junkyard. Munkustrap ventured forwards, putting his arms around Etcy kindly. She looked up, then looked over at her friends.

"Everything's cold Munkustrap...why won't he just come back? Why isn't it that simple?" she sniffed in to Munk's fur. He hugged her a little tighter. Munk thought of Tugger, thought of all the mysteries of that odd connection he had shared with the tux. Why wasn't it that simple? He didn't know. But he knew the secret lay with Tugger. He knew Tugger knew what he had to do. But what he couldn't understand was why Tugger was sitting there silently. Not moving an inch. What was he waiting for?

"It's complicated Etcy, but I'm promise things will warm up again soon" he said softly, giving the kit a slight tap in the direction of her friends who welcomed her back with open arms. Munk picked up the tin which Gus had been sitting on and slowly turned away. Goodness knows what would happen now, no song seemed to fit. No dance seemed to work. And without Deuteronomy; no cat would go to Heaviside.
"By Everlasting cat, why does it have to be like this?" he said under his breath.

Etcy pulled back from her friends' warm embrace.
"What did mummy mean?" she asked, wide-eyed. The others knew the only reason Etcy 

couldn't understand was because she didn't want to. Jemima let a single tear slip down her cheek.
"She meant that he's not coming Cettie, because the world is cold and cruel though the moon plays on to the hostile emptiness that's left behind. He's not coming home. It's over. Tonight he is dead, tomorrow he is lost."

But then there was a splash. Jemima looked upwards, feeling something cold and wet hit her cheek where previously hot, salty tears had lingered. She heard Tugger stand. The splashes were more frequent now, the cold rain fell all around. All the Jellicles looked up, up at the rain clouds. It had never rained on a Jellicle Ball since the start of the tribe. Never. Jemima felt a smile creep up on her lips. How could she have doubted him?

Tugger felt the rain on his face and he felt alive again. As the freezing water sprayed on his face all he could do was laugh. All the fear, anguish, heartbreak giving way to such happiness and relief that he laughed, almost with insanity. It was one of those laughs filled with pain but at the same time it signalled a rush of relief, new hope. And now tears of equally conflicting emotions fell from his eyes.

"Let the rain fall. Let the darkness cover. Let the notes be sung. And finally Tugs, let me come home" the tux whispered through the night. He heard it as clearly as if it were real. Was it? Could it really be?

Tugger laughed again, feeling the rain so cold against his face. The rush of emotion was invigorating, like nothing he had experienced before. Then he heard another sound above the splashing, everyone heard it. A hissing. The smell of burning. Then suddenly, in a storm of sparks, the fuses blew and the lights went out.

"Oh subtle Tux…couldn't you have been a bit more creative! Do you really only have one style of grand entrance?!" Tugger half laughed, noting the marked similarity to the darkness the conjurer had saved them from last Ball.

It was dark, the rain had stopped and the Jellicles were all alone in the silence without their conjurer to save them. Not this time. Alonzo thought. Not this time. But Jemima smiled in the darkness, the moonlight glittering in her eyes.

"It's beginning" she smiled, holding her gaze on the moon.

"It's beginning."

Munkustrap looked around in the darkness. He could make out the shapes of the queen kits whispering excitedly to one another, whist the toms scuttled around in search of the lantern. The kittens knew he was coming home too.

He saw Skimble standing tall, sniffing the air with caution as he peered around an old beam. He quickly jumped down from his place and began to attempt to organise the tom kits' search. He shooed and fussed them in to something vaguely resembling a line. But Carbucketty cheekily slipped past him and ran swiftly off through the Junkpiles in search of the lantern. Skimble haughtily waved a discarding arm in his direction then turned to the others, giving them loose instructions of how a search needed to be organised. He nodded his head at Jenny, who smiled briefly at him before turning to try and quieten the queen kits' excitable whispers.

Munkustrap felt Tugger come up to his side. The two brothers glanced at one another.

"What did you see Tugs?" Munk asked, seeing the life that had returned to Tugger's blue eyes.

"See?...Oh, I saw nothing but...wait, what did you just call me?" Tugger asked.

"Tugs..." Munkustrap said, unsure.

"That's funny...only the tux ever called me that..." Tugger murmured, his mind seeming to wander. Munk didn't know what to say. Had he done wrong to call his brother something previously reserved for Quaxo and Quaxo alone?

"Maybe we're closer than we thought, you and me" Tugger said calmly, looking off in to the distance.

"I never saw you before…I never understood" Munkustrap sighed. They fell silent. The only sounds to be heard were Jenny's shushing to the queen kits and Skimble's occasional remarks of "Put some heart in to it laddy!" and "Come 'ere ya wee rascal, you'll never find anything that way!"

"What did you see Tugger?" Munkustrap asked again. Tugger turned his head slowly.

"See?…I told you I saw nothing. It's what I heard Munk. I heard him…he's such a good friend to me. How can I possibly match up to that? I'm not good enough for a friend like him…I don't deserve a friend so good. Compared to a friend like him I'm nothing."



"Don't talk rubbish Tugger. You are to him what he is to you. Tux and Lion. Always Tux and Lion. He adores you Tugger, don't forget that. And don't lose that by not giving him a chance to come back. Sing" Munkustrap said gently, looking over at his brother. Tugger looked up.

"Thank you" he said softly, then he quickly glanced away. There was a thud as Carbucketty and Bill Bailey dashed through Skimble's legs, overbalancing him, and then tore off. Skimble quickly regained his balance and ran after the toms in dizzy circles. Munk and Tugger smirked.

"Ah Skimble" Tugger laughed. After a moment, Munkustrap took a deep breath.

"I'm afraid Tugger…" he said, so quietly Tugger had to double check that any words had been spoken at all. He looked in to the tabby's grey eyes and he saw that his brother's guard was finally let down. He saw the fear, he saw weakness. But not really weakness, just a temporary break in strength. Never before had Tugger seen any vulnerability in the protector's eyes.

"What are you scared of?" he asked with equal quiet.

"Where is he Tugger? Where is our father?...If something has happened to him…."

"If something had happened to him then we would know. We would feel it" Tugger finished.

"But where is he Tugger? Why isn't he here?" Munk sighed. Tugger paused.

"Maybe…maybe he's scared Munk."

"Scared of what?"

"Seeing his proud, tall, strong sons broken and lost. He's never seen us without our pride. He's never seen us without…just without. It scares him that we might have fallen. And he knows it would break him too. He's scared Munk. But you see, he doesn't realise we've found each other. Kept each other strong. He still thinks we're worlds apart. But we're not, we're here. Don't break now Munk, if we can just find something in each other that can help then…then maybe we can get Misto back. And if anyone will know how to find Deuteronomy then it's my little Tux" Tugger smiled. The tabby's face softened. He held out his paw, and Tugger touched it with his own. They paused that way a moment, then Tugger bowed his head a little making Munk smirk. Tugger grinned back quickly, then swiftly made his way to his place by the old wireless.

"You sort out the tribe, I'll sort out the music" Tugger said as he dashed off.

Carbucketty and Bill Bailey reappeared, scampering all around proudly showing off the lantern. Skimble dashed after them, trying to take charge of it but Bill darted away from CB and held on to Skimble's tail. Skimble shooed Bill off, but Carbucketty had already claimed the lantern as his responsibility. Skimble made a disapproving noise, then quickly went off to make sure the tom kits were sitting quietly before returning to his place next to Jenny. Carbucketty grinned cheekily at Skimble who smiled back warmly then shook his fist at him playfully and mimed; "This isn't over lad!"

Carbucketty shone the lantern round now (despite a small squabble with Bill over who should hold it), then he let it come to rest on Munkustrap.

"There's nothing I can do until morning...I wish there was someone who could help but…" he sighed, glancing at his brother. The queen kits' excitement made them smile so much their lungs felt tight and their cheeks felt tense.

"You ought to ask magical Mr.Mistoffelees,

The original conjuring cat,

There can be no doubt about that" Tugger began with a grin.

The kits were hanging on his every word but he could see most of the older cats were turning away. Alonzo looked angry. His eyes alone were yelling at him; "How dare you joke about my brother. How dare you." But Tugger noticed Munk put a paw on his friend's shoulder, Alonzo glanced at him and Munk gestured up to the Tugger then looked back at Lonz. Lonz too looked from the Tugger then back and he seemed to see something in Munk's eyes that made him soften and he turned back to Tugger, looking up expectantly. But Skimble, Demeter, Jellylorum…almost everyone else was turning away, walking off.

"Please! Listen to me! And don't scoff" he called, and they turned now. Waiting to hear what he had to say.

"All his inventions are off his own bat,

There's no such cat, in the metropolis,

He holds all the patent monopolies for performing surprising illusions,



And creating eccentric confusions" he had them all now. Because now the words were bringing back memories. Memories of the tux…memories of last year's ball when they had all been given hope by these same words. And it was clear from their faces, they felt that hope again now. Please let this work, Tugger thought.

"The greatest magicians have something to learn from Mr.Mistoffelees' conjuring turn!

And we all say,

Oh well, I never was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr.Mistoffelees!" he sang. The queen kits were dancing now, most of the tribe was. As he launched in to the first verse, he saw Etcy leap forwards to dance at his feet. She excitedly pretended to pick cards out, play with dice and search for knives and forks, occasionally pausing to dance a bubbly hand jive to the beat. He smirked at her and ruffled her fur. But now the moment of truth.

"You've seen it one moment
But then, it is gone
But you'll find it next week
Laying out on the lawn."

Tugger threw one arm in the air with a flourish, his head thrown back too, searching for his glimmering star. All eyes up. And all eyes saw it; what seemed to be a small cluster of glittering golden stars. Slowly but surely they came closer and if there had been any doubt before about the identity of this strange new constellation then it was entirely erased as the silhouette of a cat could now be made out , clinging to a rope. Tugger found it hard to keep his singing steady.

The cat's paws touched the ground now. The rope disappeared and the cat took two steps back before spinning round.
"Presto!" the voice was clear, crisp and immediately the lights sparked back in to life. But Tugger didn't need the lights to know who this cat was. As the other Jellicles joyfully launched in to the chorus, the kit turned to look at Tugger with a sweet lopsided smile. Tugger breathed out in a half smirk, holding his arms out to the tux who gladly ran in to them.

Tugger laughed openly now, overwhelmed with relief. He spun around, the kit's legs leaving the ground as Tugger was still clasping his friend's warmth firmly to his chest. Tugger set him back down and the conjurer laughed, burying his face in Tugger's mane. Tugger was so glad to have his friend back in his arms again, feel his warmth instead of 

the cold aura of a spirit. He was real, alive and having him there in his arms was welcome reassurance that he was truly safe again.

There were no emotional speeches. They found the most importance in the words that were left unspoken. At last, they wordlessly pulled apart. Tugger took him in properly now, taking in the details he had forgotten.
"You've grown kit" he said quietly with a slight smile. The conjurer laughed gently.
"I've grown and you've gone soft. My my, the world is a strange and unfamiliar place" the kit remarked with another muffled laugh. There was comfort in the normality of soft exchanges between friends.
"You've been gone too long Tux."
"And don't I know it Tugs."

Tugger pulled the kit in to another hug, gladly and firmly wrapping his arms around him with a resounding laugh. Then over the top of the tux's head he saw Mungo, CB and Bill, who were doing a surprisingly good job of impersonating the Tugger. The three glanced over at him. It was almost the end of the second verse, and the queen kits' dancing wouldn't be enough entertainment for much longer.

"Hey Tux, how about one more little favour before the dawn?" he asked with a grin. The tux pulled out from the hug slightly, looking around the Junkyard.

"Missing a certain Jellicle leader again are we?" he asked with a smile.

"Can you fix it?"

"I'll do my best" Misto laughed.

"But first, I dance" he grinned. Tugger smirked, picking the kit up once more and spinning him yet again. Then he set his friend down and lead him out to the centre of the Junkyard to perform.

"Sure you're not dizzy?" he asked with a playful grin.

"Please, I'm a conjurer!" the kit retorted, then he launched in to his dance.

After so long without seeing him dance the tribe had almost forgotten the true splendour of the spectacle. There was no dancer quite like him. He leapt forwards in to a spin, ducked downwards in to a roll, spun sideways in to a balance and flew backwards in to a conjuring turn. Flowing, with grace and composure he smoothly swept around the Junkyard before finally the solo came to an end as he spun in to one last balance. Then he quickly turned, producing his magic silk from no where and spinning it around him for all 

to see, for all to see it was no longer a sign of his death it was a sign of his life. Tugger took over from the three tom kits now, grinning at his tux as he proudly displayed the silk.

"And, not long ago this phenomenal cat,

Produced, seven kittens, right out of a hat!"

Drum roll. Pick someone. The tux cast his eyes around the Junkyard and inevitably they came to rest on Electra. He smiled at her, and pointed. You'll help me Electra. She stood and her father and Gus ushered her under the cloth. Drums. Drums. Magic dust. Drums. Misto grinned, then pulled back the cloth to reveal a startled Deuteronomy. Tugger stepped forwards, clasping his paws over his father's.

"And we all say,

Oh well, I never was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr.Mistoffelees!"

Deuteronomy turned and there he stood. Misto ran in to the leaders arms as the other cats cheered him, throwing up their arms as a sign of the relief and gratitude. Then he quickly ran to the side, taking Electra's paw and dancing with her before bowing low to Deuteronomy. He kissed her paw once before running up on the tyre.

"I give you

The magical,

The marvellous

Mr.Mistoffelees!"

In a flash of sparks he was gone, in a subtle haze of light, he reappeared at Electra's side. Tugger laughed to himself, it seemed the conjurer enjoyed last year's Ball so much he had recreated it all over again in almost perfect detail.

--

The rest of the Ball was quite a spectacle. In the kits' dance Electra was happy to be able to take part from beginning to end with Quaxo as her partner who, as if by magic, already knew the steps by heart. There was Tugger's new song, full of mocking dryness from his 

little tux. There was life and colour back in the tribe, and they felt for the first time in a long time that this really was their golden age. Afterwards, as they all sat quietly scattered about the main Junkyard in various states of recline, everyone seemed to have something to say to the tux who sat nestled between Electra and Tugger.

Skimble came up to him, embracing him warmly.

"I missed you lad. Don't scare me like that again."

"I promise you Skimble, I intend to stay right here" he smiled.

Then there was Munkustrap, who smiled broader than Quaxo had ever seen him smile before.

"I'm so glad you're back Quaxo……and don't pretend you don't know what happened tonight. Because I know you know, I know that somehow, someway you know what Tugger and I know. And I also know that somehow, someway you were at least partially responsible. So thank you, so much."

All of Quaxo's brothers pounced on him at various intervals hugging him, dancing with him, pulling him in to boisterous games and then eventually falling asleep around him with CB nestling close as a silent sign of just how much he had missed Quaxo's company. But pride of place had been saved for Electra.

Eventually, Tugger turned to the tux. They were alone now, those sleeping not counting at all.

"You were always there really weren't you. Always looking after me. Maybe we hold to much sway in what is real, that's why we didn't see at first. But when we opened our eyes……when Jemima opened her eyes and saw, and made me see then really the impossible was possible for anyone anywhere. Not just you Tux, anyone. I know I still doubted it at first but…now I'm looking back over everything with fresh eyes and I can see it all. It was the sunflower, I think, that made me realise it was true although it was my brother that made me realise it was possible. Thank you Tux. For everything from when we first met to now, I thank you so much. Thank you for letting me catch you too…and thank you for the sunflower, it saved me."



There was silence for a few moments, then the Tux turned his face to Tugger. His glistening blue eyes met with Tugger's own blue eyes.

"What sunflower would that be?" he smiled playfully. Tugger grinned and looked away.

"Show off."

"Catch me if you can."