Now I know that all of you that have seen “Cats” and loved it have their own versions of what happened before and after the ball. Well here’s my version…
~ Part One ~
She wasn’t happy or nervous, she wasn’t even scared. She hardly knew what to think. As she sat on top of the old car, Grizabella felt tears streaming down her face. So many wonderful years have past and so many Jellicle Balls she had attended to. She looked down at the two Jellicles, Bombalurina and RumTumTugger, playing in the broken oven and smiled, “I was once that beautiful and well like,” she said to herself. “Not anymore” she looked at the moon and sighed. “One more day.” Grizabella the Glamour Cat thought, she soon stood up to stretch out her old and tired bones and began to head home. What she didn’t know was that she was being watched, Jemima slowly crept out of her hiding space and sat down where Grizabella last was. Even though Jemima was a young kitten, she understood the reason for Grizabella’s unhappiness, and soon decided how she was going to help her. Jemima jumped off the old car and joined her best friend Victoria on the sofa, they lay still watching RumTumTugger and Bombalurina play in the oven before drifting to sleep.
~ Part Two ~
The next morning Jemima and Victoria were woken by a loud scream. It was Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, and they were running into the junkyard screaming and laughing.
“What is going on?” Munkustrap yawned loudly.
“He did it!” Rumpelteazer screamed and jumped on Mungojerrie. “He did it for ME!” Everyone was now standing around the loud intruders, for they had woken everyone. Mungojerrie licked Rumpelteazer’s ear.
“And only for you babe” Alonzo walked right up to Rumpelteazer and whistled.
“That is one good looken necklace you guys got there. Where did you swipe this one Mungo?” Mungojerrie stepped forward and puffed out his chest so he could begin to tell them what happened, when Rumpelteazer jumped on him and started to talk first.
“Well this morning I woke to a scream” Rumpelteazer explained.
“That seems to be happening a lot” Pouncival rolled his eyes, remembering that morning. Rumpelteazer ignored him and continued,
“Then the next thing I know Mungo grabbed me and told me to run, and then…” Mungojerrie put his paw over her mouth.
“I stole the Mistress’s finest necklace.” Pointing to the pearl and diamond necklace that lay on Rumpelteazer’s neck. Bombalurina screamed in delight.
“That’s sooo sweet!” She turned around sharply and glared at RumTumTugger, who then had both arms around Electra and Etcetera’s shoulders.
“Hey don’t look at me!” RumTumTugger held up both paws as if he surrendered, “I didn’t ask you to go to the Jellicle ball tonight so why should I get something for you?”
“Here we go.” Demeter rolled her eyes. Just then Bombalurina’s face turned red, (And if she didn’t have fur you would be able to tell.) she started to yell at him about last night’s promise for taking her to the ball with him. Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer continued their to tell Plato stuck out his tongue, “Beat that tough guy!” just then he and Alonzo stared to fight, (In a playful manor that is!) then Pouncival, Asparagus, and Tumblebrutus joined in the fight.
“Come on guys break it up,” Mistoffelees said. “we have to start the hunt now.”
“Well, well, well the kitten wants to hunt?” RumTumTugger poked his head out of the tire. “That’s a surprise.” Mistoffelees just ignored him and continued to walk looking for mice or rats. Alonzo, being the best hunter out of the group, walked in front of Mistoffelees and took the lead.
“There in the drain,” Alonzo whispered, “go to the sides guys and wait I’ll scare them out.” Suddenly Alonzo ran into the pipe and out ran six ugly rats. Everyone got a rat except for Mistoffelees who just sat down and watched the others run around chasing the rats. “Hey! Mistoffelees, there goes your rat. Hey! Hey cat are you alive?” Pouncival jumped in front of Mistoffelees doing the stupid dance.
“Boogey, woozy, woo!” he stuck his tongue out.
“Shutup Pouncival,” Plato threw the remaining of the rat at Pouncival, it him right in the head. Plato and Tumblebrutus ran over to Mistoffelees, and soon joined by Alonzo.
“What’s wrong Misto?” Alonzo asked.
“I think I know.” Plato leaned down to whisper in Mistoffelees’s ear. All Mistoffelees did was nod. Plato begun to look around him, his gaze soon stopped. He was looking at a white lump sitting alone in the sunlight, just then everyone knew what was happening. Asparagus nudged Mistoffelees and said,
“Look kitten, I know a way to cheer you up. There is a fat rat on top of the car over there by the junkyard,” Asparagus smiled and lifted the kittens head so he could look into his eyes. “why don’t you go and get it, then you can give to someone special for a present?” Mistoffelees gave them a weak smile, got up, and slowly started to walk toward the car. As soon as he was out of sight Plato jumped up quickly and ran over to the white lump. It was Victoria, as Plato came closer to her he noticed she was shaking.
“Vicki?” he put a soft paw on her back. She gasped and jumped up, but soon had a relived look on her face when she noticed that it was Plato.
“Oh! Sorry Plato I didn’t hear you coming, I was a… thinking about something.” Plato could now see clearly that she was crying.
“Are you ok Vicki?” She wiped the tears off her face and nodded. “Well ur… Jemima wants to talk to you, she said to meet her on top of the car, and that she might be awhile so just wait." Victoria smiled, thanked him, and left. She jumped on top of the car and laid down waiting for Jemima. Just then she heard a loud bang and then a soft squeak, lying still Victoria waited to see who made that noise.
“Who is there?” Victoria whispered. She then saw a figure walking toward her, then jumping on the car. It was Mistoffelees.
Dropping the dead rat , he had in his mouth, “Oh, hi Vicki! What are you doing up here?” Mistoffelees asked. Victoria didn’t say anything for a moment,
“Nothing, I’m just waiting for Jemima,” Looking around she spotted Jemima in the oven curled up with Electra. “there she is, I got to go, see you later Misty.” Mistoffelees could have melted just then, he loved to hear her say his name.
“Wait!” He called after her, “Are you hungry? I just caught this rat but then I realized that I don’t really want it.” Mistoffelees gave her a goofy grin and lowered his head. “Do you want to share it with me?” Victoria’s face softened, and she smiled.
“Really? I would love to.” And together they laid down and ate the rat, talking and caching up on the latest gossip. Soon the Jellicle ball was the subject.
“So,” Mistoffelees muttered, “who are you going to the ball with tonight?” Victoria looked at him, then hiccuped.
“Ha ha, um… no one. You?” She asked him with hopeful eyes, and begun to pray that he had no one to go with yet.
“No one,” he said, and noticed a sign of relief spread across her face. And with that face Mistoffelees knew that he Victoria would go with him to the ball. Mistoffelees stood up and took Victoria’s paws and brought him up with her. He got on one knee and began to sing;
For the longest time I have loved, The one true one for me. She has not yet learned, That we were meant to be. I will now tell her how I feel about her beauty and grace, With hope she will see the pleading look on my face. I love you, and will you dance with me tonight at the ball?
When Mistoffelees was done Victoria had tears in her eyes once more, for this is the one dream that she has dreamed about all her Jellicle life. She said yes and begun to kiss the very HAPPY Mistoffelees.
~ Part Three ~
That night while they awaited Old Deuteronomy they sang and danced about “Jellicle Cats” and “The Naming of Cats” it was so much fun that Victoria didn’t want to stop so she went out in the middle of the junkyard and began to dance alone. She didn’t see Mistoffelees sitting in the drain pipe watching her, “She is so beautiful,” he thought. “I will love her forever.” And with that he ran out to join her, all night they sang and danced. And a way to thank Plato for telling her to go on top of the car she did a dance with him. Victoria was so proud of Mistoffelees when he saved Old Deuteronomy from that evil (and ugly) Macavity. When the dawn started to come up it was time for Old Deuteronomy to choose who he wanted to go to the Heavyside Layer. Just then Grizabella came out, everyone started to run away, Grizabella now alone sang;
Daylight, see the dew on the sunflower And a rose that is fading Roses wither away Like the sunflower I yearn to turn my face to the dawn I am waiting for the day
Out of strength and weak with sadness Grizabella fell to the floor, but Jemima knew what to do to get the poor cat back on her feet;
Sunlight, through the trees in summer Endless masquerading
Grizabella, with all her might stood up and joined Jemima
Like a flower as the dawn is breaking
Grizabella started to walk away, out of the junkyard when she felt someone behind her, she slowly reached back a paw. Victoria already knowing what to do, put her young paw in the old paw. It was Victoria and Jemima who helped Grizabella to the Heavyside Layer.
~ Part Four ~
After the ball the cats were to tired that they just found a spot in the junkyard to sleep. Pouncival was with Electra, Alonzo was with Cassandra, Mungojerrie was with Rumpelteazer, Plato was with Jemima, and Mistoffelees was with Victoria.
PS- Oh and Bombalurina was with RumTumTugger! J