Part 11
When Tugger's song was done he started to dance wildly and while the oldest cats ran to tell him to stop it, Asparagus stopped by the Strays just in time to see Alonzo get rid of the fake mane. With a wave of his paw Misto got rid of all the sooth covering his guardian. Asparagus laughed and looked at them grinning wildly.
"Nice job Lonz", he said. "Tugger's head was starting to get too big for him."
"Hopefully I punctured it", Alonzo grinned back and started to take of the belt and collar.
"Yeah", Asparagus laughed and saw Tugger doing some not too well liked movements and Jenny, Jelly and Skimble were lecturing him. "I gotta go and help them put an end to this."
"Good luck with that!"
Asparagus tried to stop Tugger with the others but he didn't care. But suddenly the music he was dancing to stopped and he pointed at a shaggy looking queen who stumbled towards the Jellicles. He cursed and stomped away. Quaxo ran up to her but Munkustrap pulled him away roughly and Quaxo hurried back to the Strays.
"Who's that Zo", he asked and Alonzo looked up at the queen.
"Well I'll be…" he began. "That's Grizabella!"
The other grown Strays stared.
"Bloody hell", Coricopat said. "It is!"
"Look at her fur", Exotica exclaimed. "What happened to her?"
"Who is she", Misto asked and his brow furrowed when he saw how the Jellicles treated her. "And why are they so mean to her?"
"Grizabella left the Jellicles when we were really small", Admetus explained. "She wanted to live a life in glamour and fame."
"Looks like it didn't turn out too well", Tantomile said and shook her head. "Poor fool."
Alonzo growled when he saw Pouncival scratch her and then look happily at the gleeful Tumblebrutus and Plato.
"You don't treat others like that", Alonzo spat.
"There's nothing we can do", Exotica sighed.
"Hey Zo..." Coricopat grinned.
"Hm?" Alonzo turned to him.
"Isn't she the mother of Tugger and Munkustrap?"
"Yeah so?"
"Wouldn't it be great to have her in our tribe? I mean it would make them really mad!"
"Ori", Alonzo said. "She's unhappy and I won't invite her to join us for that reason."
"Shame on you", MQ told the Siamese.
"I was just joking", Coricopat said and held up his paws in defence.
Then Grizabella started singing:
"Remark the cat who hesitates toward you
In the light of the door which opens on her like a grin
You see the border of her coat is torn and stained with sand
And you see the corner of her eye twist like a crooked pin"
Alonzo sighed when he saw his father and Jelly pull the kittens away from Grizabella and how Cassandra taunted her.
"We should do something", Misto said and looked sad. "It's not fair on her."
"We're not Jellicles", Exotica pointed out.
"Neither is she", Alonzo said. "But she'll soon be a Stray."
With that he walked towards her as Demeter started to sing:
She haunted many a low resort
Near the grimy road of Tottenham Court
She flitted about the No Man's Land
From "The Rising Sun" to "The Friend at Hand"
And the postman sighed as he scratched his head
"You'd really had thought she ought to be dead"
And who would ever suppose that – here Grizabella bent down in shame
Was Grizabella, the glamour cat – she looked up as she noticed that someone stood before her. It was Alonzo. He smiled and reached out his paw and touched hers. Then he put his arm around her and gave a comforting smile.
Grizabella, the glamour cat, Grizabella, the glamour cat
And who would ever suppose that
Was Grizabella, the glamour cat
Alonzo glared at the Jellicles, even his sisters and parents as he led her over to the Strays who all reached out to great her.
"But…" she said confused. "Why?"
"You've never done anything towards us Grizabella", Alonzo said. "The way the Jellicles treats you are not the way of true cats."
"Alonzo", Jennyanydots hissed at him. "What are you doing?"
He ignored her.
"All you want is to be accepted", Exotica said and took Grizabella's paws. "We do that."
Admetus, Coricopat and Tantomile touched her paws too and Misto and Quaxo looked at her and tilted their heads and looked really cute.
"Grizabella", Alonso said ignoring the angry Jellicles' hissing and murmurs behind him. "As Stray leader I can give you permission to become one of the Strays-"
"What", Munkustrap yelled.
"-if you want to."
Grizabella looked at the smiling cats before her and nodded and tears started to fall from her eyes. Quaxo and Misto hugged her and led her over to where they had been sitting before during Tugger's song.
"Alonzo", Munkustrap yelled and the Stray leader turned to face the angry Jellicles.
"What", he asked calmly.
"Get that…. thing out of here!" Coricopat, Admetus, Exotica and Tantomile ran up to Alonzo's sides and hissed at the Jellicle protector and he and the Jellicles backed away.
"Old Deuteronomy invited the Strays and Grizabella is one of us now", Alonzo said crossing his arms over his chest. "So she'll be staying."
"But… but…" Demeter stuttered out in anger. "Alonzo she's-"
"A Stray now."
"Fine", Munkustrap grumbled. "You can have it!"
Alonzo hissed at him.
Then music came on again and Tumblebrutus ran to meet with a big black cat wearing spats. The Strays all hissed at him.
"What's wrong", Grizabella asked and looked up at them in confusion. She'd been chatting with Quaxo and Misto..
"The grownies doesn't like that big, fat, ignorant cat", Quaxo grinned.
"Why?"
"Something about being dirty strays", Misto said.
"Ad", Alonzo growled.
"Yeah Zo", Admetus growled back as he walked up to his leader's side.
"Are you set?"
"I will be in a few seconds." None of them had taken their eyes of the fat cat.
"Good… You more you make him mad the happier I'll get."
"While you're at it", Exotica hissed. "Make the other Jellicles laugh."
"My pleasure", Admetus said and slunk away into the dark.
"Where is he going", Grizabella asked.
"You'll see", Alonzo said and sat down beside her. "Just watch and enjoy the show."
"Excuse me", Demeter said. "But you can't sit here."
"Oh", Tantomile said.
"Yes you see we've planned for-"
"Oh", Alonzo said. "Okay… Do you have anything planned for the tire?"
"No why-"
"Good." The Strays hurried over to the tire, Alonzo and Coricopat protecting Grizabella. Alonzo noticed that Munkustrap and the other toms did their best to shield them from Bustopher Jones' view.
Jenny: Bustopher Jones is not skin and bones
Bombalurina: In fact, he's remarkably fat
Jelly: He doesn't haunt pubs
Jenny: He has eight or nine clubs
JJB: For he's the St. James's Street cat! – Bustopher waved at the three of them and they waved back shyly. While all the Jellicle toms and tom kittens were flocking around him and the queens and princesses sat at the side. The Strays just rolled their eyes and looked nonchalantly at anything but the St. James' Street cat.
Jenny: He's the cat we all greet as he walks down the street - "Or not", Coricopat mumbled and the Strays chuckled.
In his coat is fastidious black
Bombalurina: No common - place mousers have such well cut trousers
Jelly: Or such an impeccable black
Jenny: In the whole of St. James the smartest of names is
The name of this Brummell of cats
JJB: And we're all of us proud to be nodded or bowed to
By Bustopher Jones in white spats – Munkustrap saluted Bustopher and was shooed away. Tumblebrutus pulled his tail so he would notice that Skimble had fetched a top hat for him to sit on.
Toms: In the whole of St. James the smartest of names is
The name of this Brummell of cats
And we're all of us proud to be nodded or bowed to
By Bustopher Jones in white spats – As Bustopher walked towards the hat he saw the Strays and all of grownups, except from Grizabella, made mock bows to him. He scrunched up his face in disgust before sitting down on the hat… after Skimble used his tail to clean it of course.
Bustopher Jones:
My visits are occasional to the senior educational
And it is against the rules
For any one cat to belong both to that
And the joint superior schools – Coricopat got some chuckles from the queens when he started to mime to what Bustopher was saying.
In the season of venison I give my ben'son
To the Pothunter's succulent bones
And just before noon's not a moment too soon
To drop in for a drink at the Drones
When I'm seen in a hurry there's probably curry- "I never seen him in a hurry for any other reason", Exotica grumbled.
At the Siamese or at the Glutton
If I look full of gloom then I've lunched at the Tomb
On cabbage, rice pudding and mutton - "Did he just say that he eat garbage", Misto asked and the Strays chuckled. "And he called you dirty!"
Jellicles: In the whole of St. James's the smartest of names is
The name of this Brummell of cats
And we're all of us proud to be nodded or bowed to - "Or not", Tantomile, Alonzo, Exotica and Coricopat said in unison.
By Bustopher Jones in white, Bustopher Jones in white
Bustopher Jones in white spats – When Bustopher almost fell backwards the Strays laughed loudly and got a dirty look from Munkustrap. Alonzo just grinned at him and saluted him happily. Munkustrap rolled his eyes and turned back to Bustopher. That was when Admetus entered the clearing. The Strays roared with laughter and the queens couldn't keep from chuckling. Admetus was wearing a costume made out of an old, black rubber ball. His head and paws were sticking out… just barley and it was very hard for him to walk. But still… he looked an awful lot like Bustopher when he moved. Skimble saw him and sniggered under his breath. Bustopher ignored him but Admetus walked after him and imitated everything he was doing. Jenny did her best not to laugh too as she sang:
So much in this way passes Bustopher's day
At one club or another he's found
It can be no surprise that under our eyes
He has grown unmistakably round– When Bustopher spun around he collided with Admetus and pushed him backwards. Admetus bounced on the ground and pushed Bustopher back and Jenny started to laugh but managed to collect herself so they could hear her say:
He's a twenty - five pounder
Bustopher: Or I am a bounder - He used his spoon to hit on Admetus' costume to make him go away.
Jenny: And he's putting on weight every day – Admetus tried to make himself look even bigger and made a very comical face so the queens sniggered again. Bustopher ignored him and the Strays leaned on each other for support, laughing so much tears went down their cheeks.
Bustopher: But I'm so well preserved because I've observed
All my life a routine, and I'd say
I am still in my prime, I shall last out my time – Coricopat had run up to the line the toms had formed and when Bustopher went past him with a look of disgust he made a face of mock sorrow and went back to the Strays with his head hanging low. Alonzo patted him on the back with a look of mock sadness for his friend.
Jenny: That's the word from the stoutest of cats
Jellicles: It must and it shall be spring in Pall Mall
While Bustopher Jones wears white, Bustopher Jones wears white
Bustopher Jones wears white spats
Bustopher: Toodlepimp!
Then it started to flash lights and thunder and lightning was heard all around them. There were also sirens from human police cars. Bustopher Jones ran away very fast.
"I never thought that fat git could be so fast", Alonzo said and raised an eyebrow.
"What's happening", Tantomile asked and grabbed her brother's arm.
"I don't know", Admetus said. "Can any of you help me out of this thing?"
Alonzo jumped down from the tire and helped him out. "Splendid work Ad."
"Thank you Zo."
"Macavity", Demeter called and everyone started to leave the clearing.
"MQ help Griz", Alonzo said and watched his tribe hide. He then ran forward towards Munkustrap. The Jellicle protector made a gesture that told Alonzo to go hide. Alonzo shrugged and did what he was told and notice that Munkustrap hid too.
From his hiding place Alonzo saw Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer perform their number.
"Those two again", Jelly sighed from beside him and Alonzo jumped. "Sorry my dear."
"It's okay Jelly", Alonzo answered.
"It wasn't very nice of you."
"Excuse me?"
"It wasn't nice of your tribe to make fun out of poor Bustopher."
"Poor Bustopher my ass Jelly. He just got what he deserved. He was never any nice to us and we were kittens."
"Maybe", Jenny said and joined them. "But an eye for an eye? Is it really necessary?"
"Yes." He looked in amazement at the acrobatics the two calico twins performed. "They've gotten better."
"Tsk", Jenny said. "They only use it to thieve."
"Always something mother. If they wanted to they could join us, we have nothing against thieves. Maybe I'll ask them to."
"You will do no such thing", Jelly said. "They are Jellicles!"
"So were we at one point." The two queens couldn't find a comeback. "Oh we better help your friend don't we?" He hurried out and took up one of the sacks and Munkustrap took the other.
And there's nothing at all to be done about that they all sang and Munkustrap and Alonzo threw away the sacks.
TBC Here's the second part enjoy and reviews are welcomed:) Songs owned by Elliot and Lloyd Webber. I can just see Admetus in that suit.