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"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Mistoffelees turned quickly, right as Macavity jumped on him.
"Ahhh!" the cats cried. "Mistoffelees!"
"Hello." Macavity said to Mistoffelees. Getting up, Macavity ordered his henchmen to net the fallen conjurer.
"Mistoffelees!" a voice cried. Looking up, Mistoffelees cried out.
"Alonzo!" his brother was being held in a cage high above his head. Looking at Macavity, Mistoffelees said,
"We have a deal, Macavity. You will let my brother go. And I will go with you, willingly."
"No!" Alonzo yelled.
"Release him." Macavity ordered. "I have who I want."
One of the henchmen pulled a lever. Suddenly, the bottom of the cage opened up! Alonzo fell, from high in the air, screaming.
"No!" Mistoffelees yelled. He tried to use magic to slow his fall, but it didn't work. Alonzo fell and landed on the ground next to him with a CRASH! Mistoffelees looked at his hands in confusion.
"The net repels magic." Macavity said. "You are powerless in it."
Alonzo groaned as he stood. Like a cat, he had landed on his feet. Crouching down close to Mistoffelees' face he whispered,
"Be brave, little brother."
"Don't worry, Alonzo. I'll be fine."
"Take the net!" Macavity ordered. "He will cooperate." Two black cats picked the net up off of Mistoffelees. One of them grabbed him hard and put chains on his hands, which hung in front of him. Macavity grabbed the chain and held it.
"Alright, Macavity." Mistoffelees told him. "You have me. But I must know, what happened to Barvormont?"
"I am here, little brother." Spinning around, he saw his other brother standing above him. Alonzo looked at him in hatred.
"Barvormont. You little traitor. You monster!" he tried to rush at him, but the other cats held him back.
"No Alonzo." Mistoffelees called down to him. "Be patient. I'll be back. Soon."
"Behold!" Macavity cried. "I have finally captured Mistoffelees!" Holding the chain high above his head, with Mistoffelees' hands pulled up with it, he laughed as he vanished into thin air.
¡@
¡@
Alonzo sat in a dark corner. Victoria and Cassandra, a Havana brown, sat beside him.
"I can't believe Mistoffelees went with him." He said to himself. "Macavity will probably take his magic and kill him. My brother is a fool."
"He did it to help you." Victoria said. "Besides, he has the power to fight Macavity fairly. You don't."
"Why him? He's so young. Still a kitten."
"You know," Cassandra said. "You've got to stop treating him like a child. He isn't a kitten anymore."
"I know. But he's still not full-grown. I count that as young."
"I am sorry Alonzo." Victoria said. "But we all know Mistoffelees. He'll be back."
"I hope so. I feel like I'm responsible for him, being the oldest. Sort of like I'm the father. But, every once and a while, we get a little reminder of who the real father is."
¡@
¡@
At that moment, Mistoffelees was in Macavity's lair. Hung high above the floor in the cage, the other cats laughed at him and threw things at him. Suddenly, Macavity walked into the room. Seeing one cat throw a stick at Mistoffelees, Macavity grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him across the room.
"The next cat who does anything to my son loses his life!" he threatened. All the cats went back to their work. Barvormont walked up to Macavity.
"Why don't you just take his magic and kill him, father?" he said. "You told me I could have his powers."
"All in good time. I want everyone at the Jellicle ball to see what has befallen their marvelous Mr. Mistoffelees. Then, you will get your powers."
"You monsters!" Mistoffelees yelled down to them. "I am ashamed to be of any relation to you! And I know Alonzo feels the same!"
"Be quiet!" Macavity yelled back to him, using his magic to take Mistoffelees' voice. "You talk to much."
Mistoffelees gave him a look that could break ice, then sat down on the floor of the cage.
"Prepare to take him to the ball." Macavity told Barvormont. "We will leave in a moment."
"Yes, father." Barvormont watched Macavity as he left the room. Then, staring up a Mistoffelees, he yelled,
"You'll never get out of the cage. I built it myself."
Mistoffelees tried to yell at him but couldn't, for Macavity had taken his voice. Using his magic, he restored his voice, and yelled down to him,
"You'll never get away with this! I am still more powerful than you!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Barvormont laughed at him, sounding just like Macavity. Angrily, Mistoffelees made the ground on either side of his brother explode.
"Ahh!" Barvormont yelled. Running off, the brothers exchanged hateful looks.
¡@
¡@
"Hey!" Magilla yelled. She had been examining the floor around where Mistoffelees had been held by the net.
"Hey Alonzo! Come here!" she said. Alonzo and Rum Tum Tugger ran over to her. "Look at the ground here. See all the black fur? I can find him." Running one hand over the ground, she got a small handful of black fur. Concentrating hard, she said,
"He's in Macavity's lair. He's in the cage that you were in, hanging high over the ground. Barvormont is below taunting him. Yes! Mistoffelees explodes the ground around him, making him run. Wait! Macavity and Barvormont are back. They're moving! They're coming this way, and they're taking Mistoffelees with them!"
"How long before they get here?" Alonzo demanded.
"A few minutes."
"I have an idea. But I'm going to need you to help, Tugger."
"Fine. Whatcha got?"
Alonzo told them his idea. In less than two minutes, they were ready. A minute later, they heard Macavity's horrible laughter again.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
Looking over, they saw him standing over them, Mistoffelees high in the cage.
"You fools!" Macavity yelled to the cats. "Look at your marvelous one now!"
Rum Tum Tugger went into action.
"You know, what I don't understand," he said to Macavity. "Is why you are always picking on cats smaller than you. I think you're afraid to fight a grown cat."
"Me? Afraid? You are out of your mind, Rum Tum Tugger." Macavity said.
"Well, then prove that to me. Come down here, and have a fair fight."
"Are you challenging me?"
"Yes I am."
"Alright then." Macavity jumped down to him. "Then lets see who's afraid."
Mistoffelees had figured out what they were doing. Sticking one hand out of the cage and the other over his head, he yelled,
"You made one mistake, Macavity."
"And what's that?" he asked, looking up at him. Suddenly, Mistoffelees twitched his hands. With a POOF! He appeared outside of the cage. Macavity was suddenly in the cage.
"You didn't make the cage magic resistant."
"No!" he yelled. "Mistoffelees, when I get out of here, I will make your end very slow and painful!"
"Oh, I don't think so." He waved his hands again. Flames started to leap about the cage!
"Aaarrrgggg!" He screamed as the flames leaped around him. Suddenly -
"No!" Mistoffelees spun around to the voice.
"Stop the magic." Old Deuteronomy commanded. Mistoffelees stopped the fire.
"Old Deuteronomy, you know I have to avenge Munkustrap." Mistoffelees told him. "You said so yourself."
"Yes, but not this way. Not by magic. You must fight him. Without magic."
"But, how can I keep myself from using the powers?"
"I will take them from you."
"No!" Mistoffelees stepped back, pulling his hands up against his chest to protect them. "You can't!"
"I must."
"You will destroy him!" Alonzo said. Running up to his brother, he put his hands on Mistoffelees' shoulders protectively.
"He must fight him like any normal cat. And any normal cat won't have powers to help."
"But what about Macavity's powers?"
"He is smart. He can fight fairly and not use his powers, or he can use them. I won't stop either of them. But I am giving Mistoffelees a choice."
Looking down from Old Deuteronomy, Mistoffelees looked at his hands. He knew of the magic they possessed, and didn't know if he wanted to give them up. But he wanted to be fair. Stepping forward, he said,
"I will be fair."
"No!" Alonzo yelled after him. Deuteronomy held out his hands. Setting his hands in his, Mistoffelees gave his brother one last look.
"Be brave, Alonzo."
Mistoffelees' hands started glowing, and the glow spread down his arms. Soon, his whole body was glowing. Then, the glow faded as Deuteronomy drained him of all powers.
"Ahhhh!" Mistoffelees screamed in pain.
¡@
Mistoffelees' body went into a spasm. Looking straight up, his mouth stayed open from his scream, but nothing else came from it. Victoria started to run to him, but Magilla held her back.
"Mistoffelees!" she yelled. Old Deuteronomy suddenly let go of him and stepped back. Falling to the ground, Mistoffelees was crying. Victoria, along with Cassandra and Magilla ran to his side. Looking at his hands like he'd never seen them before, Mistoffelees whispered,
"No." Then, louder. "No! No! No!" over and over again, unable to stand. Rum Tum Tugger and Alonzo pulled the three girls away from him.
"No! No!" he yelled, looking up at Old Deuteronomy. "No. You'll destroy me. I can't live without my powers! Give them back!"
"You will get them back when Macavity is defeated. But right now, you must fight!" Using Mistoffelees' powers, Old Deuteronomy dropped the floor of the cage. Falling, Macavity landed not to far from where his son lie. Standing up, Macavity walked over to him.
"Well, well, well, I always knew this day would come." Macavity said to him, kicking him in the side.
"Ahh!" Mistoffelees cried in pain.
"You see, you don't have your powers anymore. But I am not the fool you are. I still have mine. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
He bent down low to look his son in the face. "You poor thing. Just look at you. Lying there, drained of your powers, I really thought you were smarter than that, Mistoffelees. But no. You are just as stupid as Alonzo!" Standing back up, Macavity kicked him again. Rum Tum Tugger held Alonzo back.
"You take after your mother." Macavity went on. "Remember what Barvormont used to call you? Dame? Maybe he was right. Maybe my youngest son is really a girl. I sure wouldn't be surprised." After being kicked hard a third time, Mistoffelees felt his strength coming back. Looking up at Macavity, he said,
"You demon. You filthy murderer. I'll kill you. I'll kill you!"
Macavity laughed and started to walk away.
"Hhhiiiissss!" Mistoffelees jumped onto Macavity's back, hissing in hatred.
"Rrraawwrr!" The two cats fell to the ground, in deadly combat. Suddenly Macavity pinned Mistoffelees to the ground. Holding his shoulders to the ground, the demon said,
"I'll make you a deal. If you win, I will never come around here again. If I win, you don't get your powers back. Deal?"
"Deal." Mistoffelees spat at him. Then, in a quick side motion, he flipped them over! Now it was Mistoffelees pinning Macavity!
"You may be a sly cat, and you may be bigger and more experienced than me, but you have always lacked cleverness."
Macavity conjured up a handful of ashes and threw it in Mistoffelees' face! Crying out in pain, Mistoffelees fell back, scraping at his eyes. Rising up onto his feet, Macavity looked down on his pain-racked son. Blinking out ash, Mistoffelees looked up at the blurry figure that was his father. Then, swinging his legs around, Mistoffelees kicked Macavity's legs right out from beneath him! Rolling back around, Mistoffelees jumped up onto him.
"Macavity, you killed my mother, you captured my brother, and you killed my best friend. If I were any other cat, I'd finish you off right here. But I'm not like them. And I've seen enough death in my life. So, I will tell you now, go. Leave this alley. Leave this town. And never, show your face around here again. Because if you do, well, I might not be as nice then. And I will have my powers. So leave. Take all of your henchmen. Take my brother Barvormont. But take only that. And stay as far away as you can. Because, I can find you whenever I want." Mistoffelees looked up at Magilla. Then, standing up, he stuck out his hand to Macavity. Taking it, he stood up. Then, as he started away, Mistoffelees called after him.
"Tell Mendocino, I miss him."
The cats watched Macavity snake away. Then, walking up to him, Victoria kissed Mistoffelees. As if breaking a spell, all the cats were suddenly all running up to Mistoffelees, some wanting to see if he'd been hurt, some just wanting to touch him. Then, as if just then remembering it, Mistoffelees walked up to Old Deuteronomy. Holding his hands out, Old Deuteronomy grasped them. As the magic flowed back into Mistoffelees, his body shown like the sun. Then, breaking contact, he turned to look at all the other cats.
"Lady's and gentlemen," Rum Tum Tugger said so everyone could hear. "The magical, the marvelous, Mr. Mistoffelees!"
A loud cheer went up around them.
"I know I'm no Munkustrap," Mistoffelees said. "But I can do my best." And with that he started to sing.
"Jellicle Cats meet once a year
At the Jellicle ball where we all rejoice
And the Jellicle leader who now is here
Will make what is known as the Jellicle choice
When Old Deuteronomy just before dawn
Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife
Announces the cat who will now be reborn
And come back to a different Jellicle life
For waiting up there is the Heavyside Layer
Full of wonders one Jellicle only will see
And Jellicles ask, because Jellicles dare -
'Who will it be?'"
Looking over at Old Deuteronomy, he asked, "How did I do?"
"I think you did just fine."
"So that's your story?" came a voice. "I though you'd have a better one than that." They turned to see Luliha walking towards him.
"So, the magical Mistoffelees beat Macavity. I saw it, but I don't believe it." She walked right up to Mistoffelees. Right up to him. The other cats stood behind him. She looked him right in the eyes, the eyes that were filled with sadness and sorrow, and then looked down.
"I was thinking. About what you had said about my mother going up to the Layer. I think, I think I would like you to show me."
"Alright." He waved one hand over the other. The ball appeared in his hand. In the ball, a movie started to play. It showed her mother out in the alley, alone, because all the other cats had left. As she stood there, singing about happiness, she mentions that if you touch her, you would find the meaning of happiness. Victoria touches her. Suddenly, she is surrounded by cats, all treating her nicely for once. Then, Old Deuteronomy takes her up. She goes up, and goes to the Heaviside Layer. The movie ended, and the ball disappeared. Staring at the empty air where the ball had just been, Luliha fell to her knees. Reaching up to grasp Mistoffelees' hands, she cried,
"I am sorry about what I said earlier. I believe you now. Please forgive me."
"It's alright." He said kindly to her. "It's alright."
"I know this is a lot to ask, but can I stay with you for the rest of the ball? I'll understand if you say no."
"You can stay." He reassured her. Standing up, she flung her arms over his shoulders and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you so much."
Letting go of her, Mistoffelees said to her,
"Do you have a Jellicle name?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, mine is the Conjuring Cat. Rum Tum Tugger is the Curious Cat. Magilla is the Detective. Your mother was Grizabella, the Glamour Cat. What's your Jellicle name?"
"I?I don't have one." She admitted.
"I think I can help that." Thinking for a moment, he turned to face the other cats. Raising her hand in his, he said loudly,
"This is Luliha, the Wonder Cat! She is one of us!"
The other cats all cheered. Deuteronomy walked up to her.
"I know you miss your mother." He said. "I can help you." Taking hold of her hand, he pulled her away from Mistoffelees. Walking to the old tire, the other cats all cheered for her. They all knew where she was going.
"Up, up to the Heaviside Layer!" they chanted. The tire started rising, and Luliha looked at Old Deuteronomy in pure happiness. Then, in a blinding light, she was gone! Gone to her mother. Gone to the Heaviside Layer. And, gone to be reborn.
The End!
¡@